De one with Hiatus

Glad to be back

The month of June wasn't a good one for me, given what happened. Don't worry, I'll shall be blogging about it in blogs to come. And.. well, you shall get a re-enread of these past few weeks.

Right now, it seems my hands are full, juggling components of life: Deadlines from work, friends' accompany, sorting my chaotic feelings. It's sick. Like D said, that's life and we gotta keep moving, even when it means dragging ourselves from standstill.

I've always known possessing the traits of an introvert is my curse. It's something I've been trying to deal with. Trust me, it's a tough fight. It's true the saying goes "a leopard would never change its spots". Suppose that couldn't be more appropriate here.. no matter how much concealers or makeup would even help my innate flaws.

Oh well.. My epic idol once commented "I'm not God, it's impossible for me to please everyone". That's true. Take it or leave it. And no looking back.

The glitter never sparkles every minute. It needs alittle polishing to revive the glamor.

De one with Westepedition

Exploring Singapore

Clara suggested I should very well name this blog "Journey to the West". Firstly, I was afraid China media or some writers might press charges against me. Hah! Secondly, it's a little corny don't you think? Ok la.. shall be mercy on the a Saturday morning.. not good coz my stomach's feeling weird. Wanna k-po about the reason? Stay tune for next blog. Haha.Let's not divert shall we.. The time was 6:40.. still no sign of my friend who texted me earlier that she's gonna try to be here (Boon Lay) by 6:30. Ended up she conceived a plan to take a ridiculously-long trip onboard bus 166 to fetch her from AMK to Clementi mrt. Thereafter, mrting down to Boonlay. Sigh. I was like a living eye-candy from middle-Singapore, stationing at the entrance of the newly extended Jurong Point while the "Western dwellers" feast their eyes. Ok kidding. Well, I had good view to make me forget about the boredom from waiting. Was eyeing on the condo which is still under construction I believe, but still visible. And I thought it's nice isn't it? To own a condo located just above a shopping mall. Notwithstanding the noise pollution in the presence of the MRT line located too close the building.

The late-princess finally turned up, warning me of my "pissed" look as she approached me. Like two crazy kids (threatening to struggle each other's neck), we begun our expedition. Wuao.. JP's changed alot. Still as crowded but it's goodbye to the miserable shopping mall. It didn't take very long before we landed ourselves at Billy Bombers (well.. lady's choice). I'm impressed what hunger can work its magic on human. Here in front of me sat a lady who's never mindful of the food she eat - Baked salmon with cheese-included-mashpotatoes, accompanied with thick and creamy chocolate-milkshake! Ok la.. everything at BB's all carbo-packed. My dory fish and chip was sinful enough. Side dish was the same as slim Clara's, completed with a kiwi and peach soda (erm, bad choice). Dinner was contentful nonetheless except my drink :: disappointing.. taste pretty much like perrier water and a pinch of sugar.

Leaving out the entertainment over dinner was a No-no. Like always, I commented on Clara's milkshake, uninvited. She kept emphasizing the taste resembles the good-old milkshake from MacDonalds. I kept explaining the milkshake contains so much milk, chocolate powder and every other things disgustingly-fattening. The outcome, she drank every single drop of the drink of sins. Faint.

If you don't mind the agony of traveling distance and street brands, I'm sure you'd love JP, gals. For guys, quite a nice place to bring your gfs to and watch them splurge your wallets empty. Nothing much for guys there. I didn't get to buy anything except this Kawagana store. Now this store sells all kinds of tidbits. Most are old school stuff. Like those soft candies (the most famous flavor was grapes), candies in a can with a basket of fruits printed on it, waffle biscuits, cereals, maggie mee. There are rare stuff such as Kiwi flavored Pokki. Be ready to be spoiled for choices (especially for first-timers *wink*). Perhaps the indecisiveness can be managed when you sight the price tags. From those I've saw, prices on range from $4.50 to $45 (tin of Hello Kitty butter cookies). I contributed over 50 bucks to their annual revenue hor! Ok, enough of that, they don't pay me advertising fee. Please don't view me as their ambassador too.

I didn't want this JP checking-out trip to be about me buying things. It was for my friend - something decided right from the beginning. Indeed, she spent on clothing. I spent on the tidbits which were too irresistible. So proud of myself la.. not having bought my usual stuff.

What's more about the extended JP? Spare the usual suspects like Zinc store, street-brand stores, Old Chang Kee, Adidas and the heartland jewelery shops, there was a POSB atm which allows you to make withdrawals of $200 at minimum (something new or am I just ignorant of this in city?), there's a link which delivers a few metres of Japan scene. Here you are able to spot a few japanese restaurant. There was a store which sells all those unique stuff. Take for example, a big wheeling/rotary-rack for footwears. It has 12 slots, sounds like an ideal house for my collections of slippers and shoes right? Not so pricey at $100+. It's worth it when you see it yourself! However, it's quite space consuming coz it's requires a space where you put those cupboard-shoerack. Ya.. so I reconsidered announcing my purchase and conjuring my wallet.

My feet was on the brim of exhaustion (coz I feel it aching..dude, my feets are showing symptoms of ageing). After Clara's final stop at Levi Signature, we hopped into the cab. The night was still young but all the shops were closed. BUT! That was not the end. The night continued while we were on the cab. I noticed the cabbie behaved weirdly. He seemed unresponsive towards our questions. I insisted on sending Clara home first. She suggested otherwise. Only did we reach Adam's road to make me realise Miss Scatterbrain was right - It's better to drop me off first. When we communicated our change of course, the cabbie didn't acknowledge. Seemed like a communication blackhole or something going on.

Then came the money-struggle part. Funny. She knew I hate taking money out of my wallet and having it rejected. She still like this. Same old same old. Well, so much for the live cab-drama to conclude our expedition at JP.

That's west down for now. Left with the East to conquer. Woohoo!

De one with Awakening

Saw some light

How's Sunday? Account for it before I share mine, which you can read more here. Woke up around 11 am. Man.. it just getting late and later with each weekend. Probably a little exhausted from yesterday evening's outing.

Yesterday evening had dinner with my close and good friends. I was late - the usual. Being a latecomer, I had to decide and what the heck, we landed ourselves to Fish N Co. @ Suntec. 5 minutes after settled down, my Jude went dishing off the table, landing some 20 metres away after we placed our orders. I didn't stand up nor did I grasp in horror. Just waited glamorously for the waitress to pick up my cellphone and accept it with a "5 carat" smile in appreciation.

I revealed the cause of this dinner - to celebrate the goodest of best news aka. " I cleared all the papers from last semester!" Which means I'm on track to graduation.

Loo had the Swordfish with rice (which makes him the "Hill Red (bukit merah) boy" coz that dude battled hard with swordfish over the 1 hour dinner!). Paste with prawns for Clara. All-time New York Fish n Chips for myself. We had a slight competition with the couple sitting on our right (Loo's left). Despite us outnumbering them by 1 person, they seemed to finish their calamari alot faster than us! I was surprise my gestures were fine all day. I wanted to tell Loo (who sat opposite me) without letting our competitors heard/see me talking about them, I had the sovereign covering my right as I mouthed and use my eye as directors. Lol.

If that's not bitchy enough, here's more - we kinda bit** about everyone. Including the guy sitting next to Loo, whom Clara couldn't help getting irritatingly-distracted by his shaking-foot. Yup.. perfect bit**ing dinner we had.

Oh.. Loo shared his talent on earning himself the prospect of "face-geometry". Taught us of the beauty of having our plates finished clean and warned about the consequences of landing up with a future spouse with face full of blemishes/acne according to the leftovers on our plates. Sounds familiar? Clara and I were "tingling" with our decipher of housewives tales.

We laughed alot, being lame and bit**ing.. witnessing Loo's half-successful battle with his meal. That dude kept wasting a heck lot of effort with his meal just because he mixed up his utensils. Like using the fork to scrap the flesh of the fried fish and holding it in place with the sppon which otherwise had been efficient using the other way round. I couldn't take anymore and borrowed the un-used cutter from Clara, the spoon for calamari and giving buddy a hand. Trust me guys, next time, never ever have your dates eating this dish coz it wears you out just to have the swordfish eaten-clean. *Menace grin*

We wanted to proceed with the "Ben's and Jerry's" expedition (proposed from our previous dinner). Turns out we foregone it because all the shops were closed by half-past nine. Well, what's good was Loo decided on buying a bike. Which was literally cheap. Prices were slashed from hundred bucks to below hundred and as low as a cent off 60.

Left with no alternatives, the trio parked ourselves at Starbucks for chill-out. It's funny..really, more throat-slashing talks, discussions and laughs over people at work, our talked-about-but-never-fulfilled overseas trip this August, inconsiderate people stealing our sofa-seats. God-forgive-me, I commented the girl who swooped over to the sofa seats - our long awaited target right from the first minute we stepped into the cafe. Just don't understand, she isn't pretty, still wear a thigh-revealing jeanie-shorts. I said out aloud, she must have had a 28.5 waistline. Oops. Anyway, she and her boyfriend, two person occupying a four-seater sofa seat. (pretty inconsiderate dotcha think?). And worst, they kept taking photos with flashes. Goodness, the cafe was brightly lit.

Poor Clara had work early tomorrow. To make her life even more miserable, she had eye-infection. She even mentioned about her plans for lasik coz the cause of her infection was due to the contacts she worn. Well.. Loo and I considering Botox for ourselves. Bet Clara rolled her eyes like 1080 degress. Metaphorically of course. Lol. Hence, we never stayed long. By 11pm, we were out and waving goodbyes to Loo at the MRT. The remaining took a cab.

After sending Clara, the cabby was abit funny when he started conversation with me. Topic was about life being hard and not having earned enough money. Alot of things went through my mind. Perhaps "he's implying for me to give him more tips".. or "he's just complaining or whinning".. I seriously don't have an answer to that. I was accomodating him, finding it tough to use the appropriate mandarin words to communicate effectively with him. He has four children. Life must be hard for him.

Back to Sunday. Today. I continued where I last left my midnight-oil work. Realised I was kinda stuck and gave myself a break with Lipstick jungle. It was then I realised I have to blog about this.

I believe things or events occur in our lives for a reason (regardless for now or later). For me, perhaps the conversation with the cabby was to make me aware there are worst-off people. Two ways to perspect this. One: to treasure what I already have. Two: to stop being miserable about myself because I ought to realise how fortunate I am compared to others.

Honestly, the person I let down most is myself. Always undermining my potential. Feeling sorry for myself because of little setbacks which are incomparable to those magnified problems of others. Like Mohan said, I yearn too much for things which are not there and neglecting those which I already have.

Thus, I need to restructure myself, priorities, life. I'm a person who do as I deem fit.. with emotions. It's time to sprinkle some rationality in to govern my thoughts. Item one, I have announced my plan for Hume's Avenue. Perhaps a plot of land would be better. Alright, maybe this is not a good example.

How about improving my grades? Hmm.. learn my ropes at work. I am sick of scrapping too. It's not enough building glass laddles. It's safer to strengthen my foundations in my knowledge. Gonna reinforce my laddle with concrete or steel.

I'm losing my touch on stamina. Yup, that's something I gotta work on. What else.. hmm..saving fund? It's feasible. Right? Wait.. changed Jason's covering my mouth.. talking too much is useless. Revealing too much either. Time to conceive plans in silence.

De one with Finally Saturday

Relaxed

All the late sleeping to be blamed, I woke up only around 10+ when the handphone buzzed and lighted with text messages. One asking whether I'd like to go suntanning, the other asking if I was awake. Another asking if I was going out today. All got me smiling - a good sign to start a brand new day. After a week of hectic work.

Nothing to eat. So I did my daily ritual of brushing teeth and face-cleansing while I left the water boiling before I proceed to cook maggie mee with sausages and cheese to complete it off. Y'know, adding cheese makes the soup more nutritieous. hehe.

To make my Saturday morning even fabulous, there's caramel frappacino - left it in the fridge when I bought my dinner last night.

Today's nothing much. Decided to let my mind rest. Log onto MSN, earn some friendly talks, listen to cool songs. Life's like this. Isn't it great?

I searched the internet and landed with this.. pictures of the house of an uprising star on my idol list, Zac Efron. This is the kinda house I want (in courtesy of its owner and google).. need.. must have.. maybe I should consider buying a plot of land at Hume's Avenue instead. Haha.

What do you want in your house? Ask me ask me! Tsk tsk..

I need a living room which opens to the pool. Love white couches. So i could nap on while reading a book. Or watch TV when I'm lonely. Oh yes..carpeting so I could play board games or sit on to do work on a low glass table.

A kitchen. I cook. The best with a central counter top in the middle of a spaceous kitchen. Oven would be necessary, could get Clara to come over to bake me some cookies or cake. Haha. Of course, a hidden fridge large enough to store all the tonnes of groceries which happens everytime I land myself in NTUC.

Bedroom must have space for a Queen size bed (not very greedy for a King size). Must have carpet too coz I love the feeling of setting my feet on the warm cosy carpet whenever I got off the bed. Ok.. I am aware of the chore of regular vaccuming for the carpet. Hehe. Lighting must be good. It creates ambiance.

There must be bathrooms. Two of them as a minimum. Each of different design. One must have a shower. The other equipped with a bathtub.

A MUST HAVE would be wardrobe room! Reason is obvious. I need it to hold my shirts, pants, T-shirts, bermuders, running attires, slippers, shoes, belts, ties, caps, cufflings, colognes, bags... hehehe

A study room cum library. In fact, I have lots of books. Better have some hidden bookshelves would be cool.

Awww. A pool would be cool. So whenever I can go out jogging, I could burn enough fats through swimming in privacy. A suntanning bed. Don't know why.. but i just love suntanning by the pool. Or I could have an indoor suntanning bed? haha.

Car garage? Not so soon.. might consider that..perhaps in years to come ba.. high maintenance eh..

Hmm.. what else I need.. oh well..tt's all. Hehe.

De one with Full of Ironies

Fighting dilemma

If you have too much money, you might realise there are things you can't buy or having bought things you wouldn't derive joy in.

It's even funnier when you finally have that something which you have wished throughout a lifetime, and all you find yourself doing is something stupid, like pushing it away with all the excuses or sensitive thoughts and doubts on whether all that's happening is too good to be true.

Only when things are coming to an end does the heart fond for delay.. particularly when things are over do we treasure it further. Abit too late huh..

Faintz.. man and their lives full of ironies.

De one with Better Results

Nearly cried

... when I was onboard 851 en route o Bukit Batok where my client's place will be. Jude in my arm, flashing its blank screen as I waited for the login page to load on my web browser with undoubtly- high anxiety as well as anticipation (measured by the rapid heartbeats).

In last than a minute, the downloaded screen completed to reveal a set of small text. I double tapped to expend the screen to get a visible sight of my results. Tears of joy filled to the brim of my eyes as I witness the set of positive results flashed before me.

I let out a sigh of relief. As though by doing so all the tremenduous pressures weighted on my shoulders would be released. Finally, I passed all my modules. Most unexpected, thank god, was I managed to get a 5 marks passing grade despite my unforgettable mistake in my tax computation (plucked the wrong figure into the beginning).

I closed my browser and proceeded sharing my joy with Rebecca, senior and my closest friends (Mohan, it's expensive to message you when you are still in London). Happy-head over heels was what I described myself when Rebecca texted to ascertain how I must be feeling.

Perhaps it's the Tiffany ring which brought me luck. Perhaps its the miracle of my answered prayers. All in all, something which was lost sometime ago, returned and derived other than Tiffany.

Hipp-hipp-hooray!

De one with Food Exhibition

On sick leave

I think I'm getting worse at this. First thing first I had a headache as I buried my face in my pillow and chipmunks. My granny's voice screaming for me and my cousin to wake up for work - unlikely occurrence on me. That moment I thought, I couldn't turn up at client's place like this so I searched the bed for my Jude (Samsung hp) and have my aunt on the line to plead her to make an medical appointment on her way through the neighborhood market place.

Wasn't really bad. Just couldn't focus on functioning normally. Oh dear.. It's abit agonising. Ate breakfast, didn't bother changing or tidying my hair and proceeded to the clinic. Controls are tight nowadays. Looks like everywhere are taking precautious measures, such as filling up a register of visitors. It's good. Not complaining. Well, the doctor whom I consulted was abit unprofessional. She sticked the thermometer in my mouth and expected me to answer her questions. Sigh.

Couldn't care, i got medication.

Didn't nothing much but get all the rest I could. Watched an epidsode of Lipstick Jungle or two.. Mama (my aunt) wants to go to this food festival held at Expo. Recently I realised I could get ready alot faster than I normally take. Perhaps I cared less abou details.

My expectations never failed me, the undesirable crowd situtation was true. Well, I guess it's unavoidable. Essential too. Else the food exhibition wouldn't be look like one. Moving through, the stalls weren't fantastic. Neither were the assistants or food. Probably because all were local products.

The only thing which marvelled me was the marketing strategies they use. Its the old-school pasar malam tactic - any 3 for $10. Haha.. classic example of selling children's clothes/power ranger berms at our night markets. They make things appear cheaper through bundle selling. I was at this bah kua counter and the aunty next to me was sharing with her friend/relative: "Cannot la.. buy 500gms they don't have anything free to offer. (The free packet of pork floss is available only with the 1kg purchase)". Living example of a prey of successful marketing strategy.

I was trying my best to keep my enthusiastic ( was pretty much looking for something offering international food) as I had to accompany my aunt. I am sure she love to buy alot. Apparently she didn't, doing her decision making.. with me providing her with fast calculations. All we bought was a few packets of popcorn chicken, a container of DoDo products and bah gua.. Haha

Wanted to birdnest from this horse-brand. But Aunt discouraged me, counter-offering with her volunteer to purchase at other places she had in mind. Lol. It's not my fault. I merely voiced what I wanted and other people will provide alternatives and having themselves volunteering. Is that what it meant by "spoiled child"?

On our way back, I insisted taking a cab. Failed on my first attempt at Expo. I obliged to take the MRT pass Tanah Merah. When we board the main East-west line, I came in hard on taking a cab from Bedok. My aunt succumbed but well, she complained a couple of times on me wasting money. My stand was..don't people take cabs for long distance journeys? And why bother squeezing like sardines when I'm having frozen food in my carrier.

Came home, did nothing much. Was on msn, replying emails and thinking what I am missing in life. Right now, I'm gonna invest my time thinking of what I've been missing.. gotta derive happiness-sustainability. Tiffany's one of them. Now I am craving for more (less materialistic things perhaps) *wink*