Bird Talk

I'm talking about the real thing, not 鸟话 (niao3 hua4) which means 'nonsense', 'rubbish talk' among Singaporean Chinese.

On my way to work today, 3 mynah birds standing over something which looked like food were chirping loudly and continuously with beads wide open and I swore with menacing glares at one another. I stood there for some time to witness this amazing scene which bore semblance to office women bickering. :D

Bird A: I saw it first!
Bird B: Sayz who?
Bird C: Bah....just fuck off.

Heaven

...is a place on Earth...only when there is chocolate.

Never underestimate the pieces of endorphins.

PS: Straight from New Zealand.
From left, RJ's, mine (!!!) and SK's.

On Leave

I tell you the 2 things I love when I'm at home during weekdays.

When Mr Yeo drives off with Becks on the van and she waves and waves at me till completely out of sight.
When after his usual homework, T is enthusiastic to go out with his mom for a cup of tea (and him Milo).

House Rules

Kids with Asperger’s, she said, have senses we can’t even imagine. We filter out sounds and sights that are constantly barraging their brains which is why sometimes it seems like they are off in their own little world. They're not, she said. They’re in our world but they are more engaged in it than we’ll ever be.

I went home that day and I looked up plant death on the Internet. As it turned out, plants under stress emit ethylene gas and scientists in Germany have created a device that measures the energy of those molecules as vibrations – or sound.

Now I wonder if it gets tiring, bearing witness to the last gasp of nature. If it’s not only plants my son hears but the gnash of an angry ocean. A shy sunrise. A breaking heart.

- House Rules
By Jodi Picoult

Picoult's writing continues to take my breath away.... but I can't tell Jacob in the story that. He is an Aspie and wouldn't understand it.

Fun with Words

One fine afternoon when a wave of sudden craving for orange tic tacs hit me, it triggered a list of words in my head too!

tic tac

knick-knack

flip flop

kit kat

tim tam

zig zag

criss-cross

hobnob

nitwit

picnic

Boogie Woogie

Unethical...sigh, one of those again.

I am livid with anger. Well a lot more yesterday than today after a good night's sleep.
Some profession calls for more ethics than others and one of them is being a recruiter.

I still cannot decide if I want to lodge an official complaint. If I continue to be disturbed till the end of today, I will. Then sorry, that lady has to learn the hard way of keeping her lid shut.

Where's Wally?

I have received a few times emails forwarded by friends on advertisement with misleading messages, atrocious spelling, grammar, etc. I believe those were taken in China.

This morning I took the train all bleary-eyed but they widened when they caught sight of this poster in front. It slipped through the cracks....in Singapore?!

17 July 2010

An equally important day.

9 July 2010

An important day. Cross fingers!

Rough no more?!

On 23 June after a pedicure session (which is fast becoming more regular), I made a beeline to Watsons to get this. My effort remains relentless ever since.

Let's see some results before I get 'insulted' by every pedicurist during every session! Haha!

Friendship

I really like this article.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/friendship-in-an-age-of-economics/#more-55141

Feline Fetish

Tabby can achieve such an enviable level of serenity.

Missing!

I just viewed my blog (I don't know why) and realised my Miffys are missing! How come? Where did they go?????????????

Lingo

WL just taught me a phrase - toss the salad.
Coming from this cheeky galfriend of mine, you know the 'education' isn't one of norm.

DAMN! I'll never think and say it the same way again.

PS: Anyday now it may be 'pass me the sugar'.

5Cs for the Singaporeans

http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100508082918AAI14A1&r=w
I'm sure glad that I don't measure my happiness based on them.
I grew up knowing what more my peers had and yet never yearning for the things or envying the person. I'm wondering if my apathy (or self-contentment) stemmed from the fact that Papa could already give me (and sis) enough given the standards back then.

Now to ensure my troops can become equally fortunate to possess this trait.

Exam Fever

....Primary 2 only leh!

I can't help but feel anxious. The end is near - 11 May! :)
Till the next semester.

TGIF :)

One of my many items for breakfast today, this yummy butter cookie (yikes, at my desktop).

Cute or not?

Fish Fingers

I had a massive craving bubbling when I was almost reaching home from work. I detoured to Cold Storage and bought a box. Had 4 fingers fried for dinner...

YUMMY!


PS: Not cheap!

30s SUCK!

I thought being in my 30s is supposed to be the real deal. Comfortable in my own skin, knowing what I want, etc.

For the past 48 hours or so, I was confronted with my fear. Not my usual fear towards spiders, lizards....I thought the worst emotion one can experience is coping with separation. Fear to move out of comfort zone makes it a very close 2nd.

Not consciously looking for a job, something which I did 4-5 years ago caught up with me 2 days ago. I decided to give the interview a try because I have been out of practice. 7 years! The position was extremely daunting: A Head of Division overseeing 60 staff in 3 departments.

If someone was confident and wanted to take an ego trip and/or face more challenges in life before hitting the big 4-0, he/she would have jumped at the chance and not be like me, had apprehension written all over my face.

I've gotten over the scope of the position. I've not gotten over my fear yet. It's very real.

Re-surfaced!

I'm sure I blogged about this or him 2-3 years ago. Deserted and stranded...My sister suffered the same. This morning, he re-surfaced. An unidentified number, I answered the call and found out that he's returned, shamelessly catching up as if nothing happened in the first place.

Our then-financial planner.

I knew he left for Thailand for a business venture. December that year was when the airport was shut down by protestors. Thailand was never really the same again, until today.

I quote him - "I never really left the industry so I'm back again." YAH RIGHT. He completely lacked the foresight to burn his bridges so badly. I contacted sis and I quote her response - "no way in hell will I use him again". That makes 2 of us.

Goodbye forever.

Dear John...

I'm in love.......with John.

In Dear John, to be precise.

Umbrella

And I'm not referring to Rihanna's hit single.

I was told, or rather 'being gossiped to' that my company's Human Resource Senior Executive cannot spell 'umbrella'. It's not like it was a typo. She was caught out. During a discussion while she was typing the minutes, she paused, typed, hesitated, back-spaced, typed again, etc. You get the drift.

So proud of Nanny. She found out that Singaporeans are heavily subsidized for an English course lasting f0r 3 months (twice a week, 3 hours each class) so she signed up for it. She told me that a few PRC Nationals are in her class too. They have to pay the full school fees but are undeterred. Such is their positive attitude.

Singaporeans should be so worried, only then we will stop being complacent.

Angie's Last Day

* Courtesy of T at 3 years old

Mask Up!

I work in an office with an open concept seating arrangement. By this I mean there is only a low wall (23com in height to be exact) of separation between myself and the person seated in front of me.

I'm used to it. Afterall it's been 7 years (yes, unbelievable!) so I have no real concerns unless the person is coughing every 5 secs, with phlegm audibly present and he makes no attempt to be apologetic about it. I have low immune system and Becks' exams are round the corner so I finally told him, with a smile - please wear a mask.

He complied right after lunch. :)
A box of fresh masks sits on his desk now.

PS: Slight sore throat now as I type!

Film Fest

I'm actually itching to go see at least one show...it's been a long time. Sigh.

Follow Your Heart

I told my colleague yesterday that I am facing a small dilemma and she advised me to 'follow my heart'. Wtf does that mean???? I was too polite to ask further.

This morning she called me and said actually it is through counselling sessions to bring one to the stage of 'following ones' heart' ah...at least this makes sense). She is taking a degree course in psychotherapy now so she said she would go through her materials again to refresh herself and would volunteer to counsel me. Despite the amateur setting, I'm game. I don't want regrets.

iPhone...and users' discretion

Hands up for those who own an iPhone.

It's a bane of my existence where the office enivornment is concerned. In the past, I see a staff hunched over I know he/she is engrossed in trouble-shooting, scrutinizing a document where details have gone wrong. Now, it's the iPhone they are fiddling with. Worse that Facebook has taken over Asia (finally) by storm...one more fun reason to surf the internet.

In Feb (Chinese New Year), we were invited to a lo hei lunch by one of our vendors. Seated with the Managing Director, even though there would be an obvious lack of conversational topics, one should still wring our PR juices to make small talk. Right? Wrong. 3 of them at the same table whipped out their iPhones and started doing the familiar-and-irritating swipe of their finger. Right to left, up and down...I was embarrassed. Embarrassed by their lack of grace, embarrassed for my lack of courage to tell them off (they are in their mid 30s. Adult on the outside, what is on the inside?!).

Professional discretion takes a back seat.
May God bless them.

About Singapore

I just got 'arrowed' to write an essay about Singapore.

Apparently our HQ is keen on posting such stories on our intranet to share with our subsidiaries worldwide. I think the wordcount is about 300...I have till 30th. I'm not sure how the final product will turn out but some ideas are already forming - chewing gum ban, IR, 'chope' seats at food centres with packets of tissue, YOG, Formula One, sloppy dress sense (bermudas and slippers in Orchard?!), etc.

Anything else? :)

*ribbit ribbit*

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100331/tts-science-quake-toads-c1b2fc3.html
Now we know.
Before you squirm at the sight of them, be reminded of their usefulness. Every being is put on Earth for a reason* I guess.

* It's still difficult to be convinced that some people are not a waste of space.

PS: Not applicable in Singapore.

Alive and Kicking

I logged in today after a lapse of God-only-knows-how-many-days and saw I have 3 comments. Gasp, so touched. My main (and only? Likely...) followers.

I shall try my best, gals! At least I still can't bear to declare Miffy's "RIP".

Guilty Pleasure

Mich and I had a lovely dinner at Coffee Club Taka to celebrate her 29th birthday a day in advance. The new menu is not bad.

This mud-pie came shockingly tall.
One glance, I gained 1kg, one whiff, 3kg, one bite, 5kg....
I just couldn't bring myself to finish it - guilt.
Thankfully, the other emotions I experienced were more positive.

Till the next time, ole pal.

Deeno!

Good ole Deeno is still around! He should be celebrating his 16th birthday this year.

Here's a shot of him sleeping (which is what he does best 90% of the time) in his leopard-printed diaper holder. When we age, we age in style - yea!

Reunion

Primary 6N1 1986 class of the now-defunct Bedok Primary School had a rather major one on Friday at 14 Bussorah Street.

Frankly I had been looking forward to it right from the beginning when the idea hatched to the middle of its planning to the end, just hours before the meeting materialized. The girls didn't change much but it was certainly exciting seeing the guys post-puberty stage. The priceless part was the camaraderie among the guys themselves. As for the gals, maybe we are a lot more complicating than men, it was good but at a different degree.

After it ended, it left me a strange but very nice aftertaste and got me wondering when the next one would be...........................

Attack of the Stilettos

It is finally in the news. I think years ago, I observed and blogged about the menancing structure of the heels women wear these days that could jolly well double-up as a weapon when the women are provoked.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20100211/twl-eu-britain-stiletto-stabbing-c8e2916.html

OUCH!

JB

Shen is back and off we went for our 'annual trip' to JB!

No more horror films please, guys.
The caramel popcorn can stay.

PS: Wow, I still remember my password to assess my blogspot. :P

Little Red Dot

I was having a discussion with CF about international business etiquette this morning, how some of our colleagues seem to lack.

My interest was triggered and I went to google it to learn more about this understated subject. Finding this website, I clicked on Asia intending to learn more about Singapore - my home country. And....what?! It's not on the world map yet????? Is the website outdated? Or simply, it is recognized that Singapore has no culture of its own at all? :P

Monopoly-Singapore Edition

We got this classic board game for Becks' 7th birthday and had our debut play on Saturday sans Travis.

M and I realised we have completely forgotten the rules of the game that it's not as straight-forward. No wonder it is recommended for those above 8 years old...maybe even older! But Becks was quite psyched already, asking when after her exams she could play again.

Hear ye, hear ye?

This news - PSLE 2009 - is it new? I seem to be reading news concerning the furore that arises from Math papers almost every year.

"However, the parents’ fear of poor grades for their children may be unfounded since they will be compared against the entire cohort’s performance."
- so the point (to set difficult questions) being???

SSDD* lah...









* same shit different day

Handle With Care

Jodi Picoult's latest had me in tears.
Pick it up to read!

PS: I don't want to gender stereotype but her novels are likely targetted and appreciated by females.

Reality Bites

Travis likes this 8-year-old boy, Zann. For almost a year, after kindergarten, they would play together until Zann's school bus arrived and whisked him away for his afternoon session.

So naturally his shifting house has affected Travis.

I didn't realise how much until I asked him yesterday if he still saw Zann *what was I thinking, right?*.
He shook his head and gave the most forlorn expression. I consoled him by saying, "Old friends don't go, new friends don't come" to which he dejectedly replied, "I don't want new friends."

Aww.........................

While my heart goes out to me, well he's on a life journey afterall. His mother is still on it, learning to face differing emotions and managing them.

Chin Chin

Most locals would know this renowned Hainanese Chicken Rice coffeeshop along Purvis Street.

CF sked me what I felt like eating today after our 'shopping expedition' at Robinsons (she on retail therapy, me on the road of desperation to get a pair of shoes for this Sunday's wedding dinner)...so after considering the area, I suggested 'Chin Chin'.

CF, armed with all her eloquence in Japanese, laughed at my pronunciation^ and advised that I never say that to a Japanese man.

Luckily recently when I asked the young trainee for lunch, intending that he tries local cuisine, I didn't go, "Iwata-san, you heard of Chin Chin? Want to try?"


^ Chinchi is the male's *ahem* anatomy

The Big Connection

One thing had led to another....

On 20 Sep, it became official that Nanny is Travis' godmother!
I don't know what to expect or should be expected but when I agreed, there was just one basic criteria in my mind which I believe she can fulfil - responsibility.

11 years on, I never imagined Nanny to turn out to be this connected to me.

Boo!

Recently I have an inexplicable thirst for horror movies. Know any good ones? ;)

Dry Run

We did the dry run at the hotel yesterday. It helps when the other emcee is full of initiative.

I'm not sure how prepared/ill-prepared we are...but after the session, we concluded we are certainly doing up an EMERGENCY script. What constitutes an 'emergency'? Murphy Law hits when one least expects it! Have I gotten myself into more than what I've bargained for? Afterall I did offer my help....:x

Slip...of the Tongue

Because of a confrontation at work, I learnt about Freudian slip. Sometimes I wonder if it helps at all to know the truth.

Stigma

Recently a colleague came across a female vendor who was 'difficult' so she made a comment about the vendor - "I'm sure she's not married yet."

I shot her a glance, reminding her candidly that she had to be careful in saying that, as well as, the volume of her voice because out of 8, 1 of us is not married yet (at age 30).

I'm just amused that in today's context, there are still a number of people who think that marriage is the 'be all, end all'. Surely a lot of females are self-sufficient and long to exercise their independence. And I've read about 30ish women being comfortable in their own skin, 40 is the
new 20, life begins after 50 (Susan Boyle?).

Regardless. Stigma is a powerful thing.

Wild Rocket@Mt Emily (on 25 Aug)

TL, where are the photos???????

I loved the fact we sang birthday songs to each other simultaneously over a pathetic single candle-lit cheese cake (compliments of the restaurant nonetheless). From nice chic ambience to good ole reliable Jalan Kayu for iced Milo Dinosaur in one night!

Visit by "Nanny"

I had a rare treat yesterday. Nanny called me to chat at 3ish and suggested to meet me to go home together and paid my troops and M a visit. The spontaniety and her company was very much appreciated!

With Ole Tiger gone for 10 days on a tight-marketing schedule to Europe soon, I hope to see her again. She could be Travis' god-ma! (let's see what the guy says after the fax)

PS: She could be my only friend with whom I share so many nicknames. Now, how did it all begin?

Gooey

Travis has been suffering from very thick phlegm. The condition has worsened over the days. :(
Anything consumed is out in seconds with the thick colourless goo. Well, I'll never look at a bowl of tau suan the same way again............................................

When You Say Nothing At All

I just received an email from L, a good friend of mine, informing the new product range she's offering for sale in her Multi-level Marketing business to 'friends and acquaintances'. The email started with an introduction about seldom approaching friends, etc. BUT.

That powerful conjunction.

Not surprising to mention after that, the email rolled into a piece of full-fledged sales pitch. Zzzz...

I have heard, read this before and find it so irritating. Please, in the end, you still did and will still continue to do so...and I'll understand.
Because it's sales and while I'm sure you are doing it for passion and fun, at the end of the day, who wouldn't want to make money out of that passion and fun unless you are Mother Teresa right? So why not just be frank about it and don't use that line at all?

-"You say it best...when you say nothing at all"
Ronan Keating - When You Say Nothing At All, Notting Hill Soundtrack

3008

"Happy Birthday to meeeeeeeeee......!"

The big 4-0 is looming on the horizon. When you look at it mathematically, it's unbelievable but on the inside, I really don't feel very much different 10-15 years ago. If you like drama, try watching Elegy. In one scene where Sir Ben Kingsley's character was struggling with age, he said something along the lines and I realised it really couldn't be further from the truth.

I was yelling at Travis for irritating his sister and he grabbed my sleeve, looking at me intently saying, "Mummy, today is your birthday. You are not supposed to get angry!" The sentence was said slowly with deliberation. And it struck me how fast he is growing (naturally - everyday is a reminder!) and glibness could be part of him. Probably as most ageing mothers go, I'll say my troops are an indication to my biggest achievement.

Great Food + Great Friends = Spontaneous Combustion

Lunch: Christina at Sakae, Dinner: Toon Lee at Wild Rocket.
Great foodie gathering with great ole friends in a day.

1st Experience

Travis, being 5 has not experienced goose bumps before-I just realised.
The other day when the air conditioner was turned on, he suddenly took my hand to run over his arm, saying "Mom, it's rough and scaly. I have scales." (Incidently we just borrowed a book about Reptiles)

So like any other circumstance when I try to be his English teacher, I corrected him saying ,"They are called goose bumps. The correct phrase is 'goose bumps are rising on my arm'."

:P

The Return of ...

Tronky!

I was elated when I saw the too-familiar packaging on the shelves one day.
They were removed years ago (probably lack of demand) and now, for some reason, they are back...and a lot more expensive.

No matter... I can't wait to sink my teeth in one. And guess what. It's got a blogsite and is on Facebook now. Well I'll be damned.

Dyslexia - Don't Misunderstand the Child

It feels good to help.

My colleague has been sharing with me about her son's learning difficulties and his mischiefs. Since the start of the year when he entered Primary One, Mondays to Wednesdays are spent struggling together to learn 10 words of spelling, things are misplaced, lost, forgotten, etc. So up to yesterday, I checked out the signs and symptoms of dyslexia and forwarded all the information to her. She saw the parallel signs and took action immediately by approaching the form teacher, requesting for forms to be filled for submission to DAS.

So until the first appointment and eventual diagnosis, I'm glad that my colleague is at least made aware and taking the right course of action.

I myself don't know much about this condition. I wonder if our Singapore teachers are trained to watch out for signs to feedback to the parents, rather than point out the obvious like "oh, your child is naughty, doesn't pay attention in class, is restless, runs around everywhere, etc. He failed his spelling test again, please get him to buck up in the next quiz, dictation, etc.". It is sad that not every child is promptly given the right 'strategy' to be guided (before self-confidence & motivation spirals downwards to the point of no return).

Oh, and let me tell you the first consultation and subsequent courses aren't cheap.

Emcee

I have been appointed emcee for Angie's wedding! I am lost, shocked, thrilled, etc. Above all else, glad to be able to be physically involved in a good friend's wedding so directly.

Somebody, pass me a script!

Pre-PC Days

How did one manage to look busy in the office without computers, laptops, etc. in the past?
With much effort and creativity I suppose.

A new guy joined my department last Monday; he's a trainee from HQ being selected under the Global Training Program. After all that have been introduced and done in 3 days, there isn't much I imagine to be done except sit and wait...for the next big thing (whatever).

3-10 Aug: Home Quarantine

Need I say more? Everything is fine now; life resumes normality.

Bugs vs Us

11 colleagues in a department. 1 on medical leave and 3 with masks on. The 'war' is on!

Messy Me

I admit I'm not a self-conscious person in terms of my personal and professional image. I remain undaunted by many comments should people hover the said subject.

However, there is one area that would get to me, make me wish there was hole for me to dive into - if anyone could see what was in my bag.

I love BIG bags but I'm not organized. So everytime I acquire one new big bag, they turn into an abyss of mess so should my possessions fall out one day (say from a trip), this is the moment I dive into any hole available.

Barbapapa Family

WL's purchase jolted my memory. When was this cartoon shown in Singapore???

Check this out.
Barbapapa and Barbamama
There is no problem that can’t be solved by this extraordinary couple ! Thanks to a few adequate shape changes and their brilliant imagination, they can bring to an end even the most difficult of problems, and always in the gentlest manner! They are forever willing to offer their friendship and services; and their good faith is beyond question! All this has not prevented them from become the attentive and tender parents of seven turbulent children: Barbalala, Barbabright, Barbabelle, Barbazoo, Barbalib, Barbabeau and Barbabravo.

1st Movie Together

Having found the ticket stub in my wallet, it occurred to me I didn't blog about my very first movie with Becks on 15 Jun. Becks and I.

I don't know about her but I felt excited at the thought of our 'debut' and what we were about to watch - Hannah Montana The Movie (I confess!). She seemed to enjoy it initially until about an hour later when she complained about her full bladder, cinema being too cold, seat too small - the fidgeting began and increased - but all in all, the movie was great and so was our experience together. :)

PS: HM The Movie was definitely better than Transformers 2 *Megan Fox is so irritating with her voice and forever-glossy half-opened quivering lips!*

Newbie...part 2

Part 2....yes, same guy, same post. It's like acquired taste.
Now the office isn't so bland.

One of my very rare book purchases...

S$10 in exchange for a taste of J.K. Rowling's imagination, creativity and eloquence. So worth it!

Available at POPULAR bookstores now.

Lotion vs Cream

I admit I have used it interchangeably more than once. Since it's not life-and-death, I never bothered to look it up for its distinction. However, so coincidently, Duplicity brought it up as if mocking me (are there other people?).

Now I know the difference.

The Chocolate Run

Since Mike Gayle, I have not found fun in books until 'The Chocolate Run'. This is not to say the books I read in between were crap. Just not FUN.

I stumbled upon Dorothy Koomson in a rental bookshop a few months ago and decided to give it a go. Afterall, I have finished everything that my fave authors had written *they are not coming up with new materials fast enough lah!*. I must commend she is the only author I know so far who can swing between drama and comedy so well. After 4-5 books, I don't get the 'mental saturation' from being exposed to the same writing style and similar plot.

Unfortunately like most books that appeal to me, I believe the fans are mostly females *sorry for the gender-stereotype and instinct but I seriously cannot imagine any male holding most of the books I've read in public. Probably takes real guts*, so to my female friends, this authoress comes highly recommended.

Dinner

Dinner #2 in 7 weeks with the gals. The shortest interval! And it had been so easy to arrange :)
Let's have more.

PS: Orchard Central-checked. 313 next?

Maxims

Have you heard of this brand of chocolate? Each minute piece costs about S$1.60 and I just had a S$3.20-worth of delicacy that lasted only a few seconds.

The epitomy of extravagance!

In Denial?

I still refuse to declare the permanent death of my blog..........................

Merciless Bugs

I had been to hell and back. My family and I were 'claimed' by an Influenza A strain last week, leaving me more convinced that nothing else matters more than good health.

Dinner

It finally materialized with RJ and SK (minus QT). Very nice but really a bit short. We make it longer next time ya, and with more pictures...

Life sucks...

Tell it to a bird in a cage.

This morning in the lift, a man on the 5th floor entered with 2 humongous cages with a bird in each. The bird perched on a stick looking up at its owner, with nowhere to go (of course). It made me think how that could be one of the most cruel thing on Earth, to rob a bird of its one unique ability, and most of all its freedom.

PS: I've wondered long about animals in the zoo too.

Newbie

The new Finance Manager arrived today amidst buzz. Prior to today, three unreliable sources had said he' a good-looking young man. I agree with the 'young'.

So much for the hope of an eye candy to lift my boredom at work.................................

Parent-Teacher Meeting: Lesson 101

#1: Never attend...if the hall is not air-conditioned.

#2: No need to attend; it's faster via the cell phone.

Having said that, of course I had tried and tested and learnt the hard way. It was still a good experience going through it individually with the teacher. There was no concern where Becks' learning and social ability, attitude is concerned. In fact I was stunned when Becks' teacher commented that she expected her to get higher marks for Math (fyi, Becks got 96 out of 100 for 2 mistakes). That got me psyched.

Miffy: "OH? How much higher?"
ML: *sheepish* "erm.....90 something?" *very softly*

I could have gotten difficult and had my fun but optimistically, because of the vote of conidence in my daughter, I decided to let her go.

Anyway I hope my future sessions with my troops' teachers will always be short and sweet. That only implies I have nothing to worry about! :)

Beware...

There are 2 main 'social predators' on the prowl in my office. They are so termed because their tactics involve in being really friendly, conversing with you, dating you for lunch and/or dinner, accepting wedding invitation, even offering to be your helper (jie mei), observing, extracting information and dispersing them to a handful of colleagues (randomly or not, I don't know).

The thing is - their background isn't exactly lacklustre. They have their obvious inadequacies and insecurities which make good fodder for office gossip.

But we wouldn't stoop so low.

Wedding Invitations

I will have at least 3 this year. 2 I'm expecting because they are my very good friends and 1, I've just accepted after succumbing to guilt.

Right after I said yes, I was struck by the sudden realisation that I cannot repeat my attire because a few common guests may be expected for the 3 events! And I also need to shop for basic cosmetics since I've thrown my current possession being past their expiration.

What a dread!

Wolverine

I finally watched it on the big screen with M.

Good entertainment, nice pecs....................

A Day with :B

Lunch, movie, pedicure, dinner...luxurious to be doing them with a pal on a working day :)

*sniff*

With H1N1 going around, tension is riding high everywhere, especially in trains and my office.
A sniffle barely audible can invite stares that plough right through you, hinting that you put on a mask that every instant.

I know we should all be vigilant but that doesn't mean we forget to be a bit more tolerant and sensitive in the way we communicate (or send signals).

AWARE*

Hoo boy, am I 'aware' that if there's one thing women is capable of, it's a cat fight.

MEOWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

* I didn't follow the saga.

Ancient

Is it appropriate to say I saw one yesterday?

I was at the library collecting my book and I couldn't help but notice his voice and tone - the articulation and confidence. I heard him before I saw him. According to his claims to the guy in front of me (queuing), he is the "4th oldest man in Singapore", having born in the early 1900s. And mind you, he did look the part. So did his trousers.

While I was whipping out my library card, he caught a glimpse of my credit cards inside my wallet (I wasn't surprised by his astuteness!) and commented how it was easier to use quarters in the past. I told him credit cards have become a necessary evil and longevity is not something most people would yearn for unless we hold the secret to effective retirement planning.

If only I had more time to chat with him.... (I meet Travis every evening to pick up Becks from school). He said at his age, there is no rush for anything anymore. It would have been such a blast to compare the yesteryears and today!

Circle Journal

The idea was borne a few months ago. Well I don't know how long it has been residing in RJ's head but it was officially shared with us a few months ago.

I have blogged about the 4 of us before, having known one another since 17, during a mere 1st 3 months in Temasek Junior College. There was a gap of non-contact and then about 8 years ago, we reunited. Now one of us - QT is in New Zealand with her entourage so the chances of us meeting together have reduced.

I received the pretty journal yesterday via registered mail. Now the 'ball is in my court'. I read the rules, for eg. each of us should have 4 pages of entries and not hold the journal for more than 3 weeks. After my entry, I shall pass it onto the next person, on and on, until 4 books are finished and each of us will have 1 as keepsake or to pass it on to a 'new generation' (that is, if I have read and remembered them correctly. Yes, the rules are quite plentiful!).

RJ is hopeful and big on mementos. I want to support her in her innovation and her sentimentality, and most of all, to rejoice in our friendship.

Homecoming

Would you believe it? :B will be back again: 25 Apr-10 May.

Sightings

I saw a moth today, the size of my adult hand 5 fingers out-stretched, resting on the wall...

Linger.......................

Coffee and lor mee give such bad aftertaste...but people still love them. 2 mint sweets and I'm still suffering.

Maid-free Days (23-31 Mar)

8 days without my domestic helper was made less painful with the help of mom. I had applied for a few afternoons off and had been spending it over tea with mom & Travis. Sweeeeet!

Signs of Idleness (part 2)

Craving arises...out of nowhere.

Signs of Idleness

Excessive online surfing.

So I now know snails do have eyes - black and is a hermaphrodite.

Grade 1 Piano Exam Result

Becks cleared it! :)

Speak Mandarin (just try lah...)

The problem is finally addressed. Has Singapore not been battling it for a long time?

"If both (parents) can speak Mandarin, don’t speak to your child in English, or one in English and one in Chinese. Speak to them in Mandarin, leave their English alone — they will master it."

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I was raised communicating in Cantonese which later progressed to Mandarin when I started schooling. I believe English only dominated my conversations at upper secondary level. Dad was educated in an English-speaking environment (i.e. ACS *ahem. Need I say more?* and grandpa was an English teacher in a now-defunct school) whilst Mom was fluent in Cantonese (damn that I could never quite master the sarcastic Cantonese phrases) and most importantly, she was a home-maker. This allowed the stronger influence of conversational language in the early years.

I'm really trying to inject Chinese in the troops' daily life (prior to this, I had blogged about it more than once, right?). It helps that Becks is in a school that still lays heavy emphasis on both English and Chinese; she recently brought home a list of words which even I had never learnt before so during this week's school holiday, we are doing it together. Having kids does re-fuel my interest, however, I'm afraid that I'm just racing against time. The rate at which they are growing, observing, absorbing, is surely faster than what I can pick up....

So if the above theory (quote) holds true, it would be a vicious cycle, wouldn't it?

Lunch@Keppel Marina

Lunch was at Privé, a fanciful dining place at Keppel Marina where sparkling water (not mineral water) is served and where men were found smoking cigars (not cigarettes).

I had organic mushroom soup and veal - price notwithstanding, the food was just...'unique'.
This is when I go - please give me my wanton mee anytime!!!

What's In a (nick)Name?

Sometimes whenever I see a friend on my MSN list with a witty nickname or remark grousing about their current condition, I would drop a short note just to touch base.

There's a guy friend (we are not close anymore) whose nick has been "inflammed testicles at rest" for a long time and my curiosity is fast getting the better of me!

All-consuming...

Guilty. Very guilty. :(

Signs

Don't read into them.

Last week Singapore had a double rainbow and the papers reported it could be a good sign for us.
So does the first-ever-news on our Merlion being struck by lightning mean anything? Evens out, I guess.

Chinese lessons continue...

螳螂 is 'praying mantis'.

I learn more and more each day...

Rain Rain Go Away...

Travis turns 5 in June which also means, like any normal kid, he's already in the why-stage.

He's not big on rain because it often comes with booms of thunder these days and this disrupts his afternoon nap. This morning, he asked me in a worried tone, "why is there a rainy season?"

Key Factors That Affect Precipitation Levels
Amount of Water Vapor: Evaporation is how most of the water vapor enters the atmosphere, and air near large bodies of water such as oceans have the highest levels of water vapor. Also, higher temperatures increase evaporation rates. Consequently, air in tropical regions downwind from large sources of water tends to have the highest levels of water vapor, while air in temperate and polar regions in the center of large continents tends to have the driest air. In this example, geography influences amount of water vapor that influences precipitation levels.

NOW I KNOW.

* I must admit actually I've been surfing the internet more aggressively these days!*

Grade 1 Exam

Becks will be having her Grade 1 Piano Examination next Thursday, 5 Mar.
Amazingly, I don't find myself anxious. Ha.

Summarizing my feeling in a typical Singaporean way - can pass can already lah!

:D~~~

These days I see women getting 'excessively generous' with this cosmetic on their lips. I really cannot appreciate it - it looks like they are salivating perpetually. Talking to them is distracting. YUKS!

Debut Parent-Teaching Meeting

The 1st part consisted of briefing parents the new syllabus of teaching Chinese. The session lasted for more than half an hour in Mandarin with Chinese presentation slides. M and I really tried to stay awake. I caught the part where the teaching of this subject will now be split into 2 sections: 核心 and 深广 (what do they mean???). Life does get complicating.

The 2nd part consisted of presentation given by the respective subject teachers. This was easier to get through. Frankly I attended mostly out of curiosity for Becks' classroom, the room where she spends most of her time in now. It being an old school building, it jogged many memories to what I experienced 28 years ago.

What talking you?

"To welcome with mountain, to fondle with wind...."
http://www.pauselandis.com.tw/english/e_about.htm

We welcome the world of bad English. :P