RustyAlmond

and finally...

2010-05-27T10:29:00.003+08:00

with

thanks for your love and support throughout this tedious but rewarding journey.

living in a world where the non-rich pretend to be rich and the rich who pretend to be not.

2010-04-04T14:20:00.002+08:00

"people who are really rich seldom show their wealth; those who flash their wealth in the form of big houses and branded cars are merely trying to boost their low ego/self-esteem when in reality their pockets are not as deep".

I find this especially true in Singapore since ppl here chalk up huge debts by borrowing to buy expensive houses and cars. nope its not sour grapes; i dun envy those who wears bigger hats than their heads can fit.

sharing this article..

Five Billionaires Who Live Below Their Means

Warren Buffett

Millions of people read Buffett's books and follow his firm, Berkshire Hathaway's, every move. But the real secret to Buffett's personal fortune may be his penchant for frugality. Buffett, who is worth an estimated $47 billion, eschews opulent homes and luxury items. He and his wife still live in their modest home in Omaha, Nebraska which they purchased for just $31,500 more than 50 years ago.

Although he's dined in the best restaurants around the globe, given the choice he would opt for a good burger and fries accompanied by a cold cherry Coke. When asked why he doesn't own a yacht he responded "Most toys are just a pain in the neck." (Find out how he went from selling soft drinks to buying up companies and making billions of dollars).

Carlos Slim

While most of the world is very familiar with Bill Gates, the name Carlos Slim rarely rings a bell. But it's a name worth knowing. Slim, who is a native of Mexico, was just named the world's richest billionaire – that's right, richer than the uber-famous Microsoft founder. Slim is worth more than $53 billion and while he could afford the world's most extravagant luxuries he rarely indulges. He, like Buffett, doesn't own a yacht or plane and he has lived in the same home for over 40 years.

Ingvar Kamprad

The founder of the Swedish furniture phenomenon Ikea struck success with affordable, assemble-it-yourself furniture. For Kamprad, figuring out how to save money isn't just for his customers, it's a high personal value. He's been quoted as saying "Ikea people do not drive flashy cars or stay at luxury hotels." That goes for the founder as well. He flies coach for business and when he needs to get around town locally he either takes the bus or will head out in his 15-year-old Volvo 240 GL

Chuck Feeney

Growing up in the wake of The Depression as an Irish-American probably has something to do with Feeney's frugality. With a personal motto of "I set out to work hard, not get rich," the co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers has quietly become a billionaire but even more secretively given almost all of it away through his foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies. In addition to giving more than $600 million to his alma mater Cornell University, he has given billions to schools, research departments and hospitals.

Loath to spend if he doesn't have to, Feeney beats both Buffett and Kamprad in the donation category, giving out less grants than only Ford and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations. A frequent user of public transportation, Mr. Feeney flies economy class, buys clothes from retail stores, and does not wast money on an extensive shoes closet, stating "you can only wear one pair of shoes at a time". He raised his children in the same way; making them work the same normal summer jobs as most teens.

Frederik Meijer

If you live in the Midwest chances are good that you shop at Meijer's chain of grocery stores. Meijer is worth more than $5 billion and nearly half of that was amassed when everyone else was watching their net worth drop in 2009. Like Buffett he buys reasonably-priced cars and drives them until they die, and like Kamprad he chooses affordable motels when on travel for work. Also, like Chuck Feeney, rather than carelessly spending his wealth Mr. Meijer is focused on the good that it can provide to the community.

The Bottom Line

The dirty little secret of some of the world's wealthiest people is that they rarely act like it. Instead of over-the-top spending, they're busy figuring out how to save and invest to have that much more in the future. It's a habit you might want to consider in order to build up your own little storehouse of cash.

2010-03-21T17:04:00.003+08:00

I played in the rain! whee!

Our Home in ~3 years time

2010-03-18T10:23:00.002+08:00

2010-03-12T15:24:00.004+08:00

i am so very sneaky.

i follow you around the house.

i run away when you wanna snatch my toy from my mouth.

i look for you when you go hiding out at the balcony.

i bark at you when you scold me.

i hide underneath the bed when you want to beat me.

i growl at you when you carry me like a baby.

i jump up the dining table to look for food.

i chase after birds that block my path during walks.

i am little muffin.

hmm... not-so-little muffin!

2010-03-12T15:12:00.002+08:00

famous philisopher George Herbert Mead (note to Rachel Neo: not Daniel Mead hor) introduced the concept of "the I and the me" when theorizing the 'self'. the 'I' is the spontaneous self while 'me' is the socially-conscious self. 'I' will whack the shithead professor who gives him B for an essay but 'me' will not do that as it is aware of societal expectations of him, firstly as a civilized citizens and secondly as a student.

i've been having this 'I and me' conversation inside my head lately, and its driving me crazy so much that i wish to vent it all out here.

me: you are 25 years old now and he have achieved nothing in life! you haven't even started work!

I: what do you mean by I've achieved nothing in life? i've been awarded some pretty cool accolades these past years.

me: accolades so what? can put bread on the paper not? can buy house not?

I: it is not of my own choosing what. it has to do with ns...

me: you can blame the system till the cows come home but the fact is that you are a 25 year-old with nothing! no income no assets!

'me' is so damn powerful that 'I' am beginning to think like 'me'.

why didn't mead mention about 'me' influencing 'i'? or did he?

science or religion?

2010-02-08T12:00:00.000+08:00

Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/C007461/bleeding_statues.htm

What is it

Statues and paintings in Europe has been proven to have either wept or bled. Probably the most famous case is in 1953 where a small statue of Mother Mary keep weeping profusely. Scientists even took samples of the tears, and announced that they could not differentiate it from human tears. The Catholic Church took it as a miracle, and today, the statue is still housed in a shrine specially built for it, and receives worshippers and visitors every year. Another famous incident is when a small plaster statue of Virgin Mary bleed profusely, coming from its cheek. A Bishop initially was sceptic about it, but when he witnessed the bleeding himself, he came out of it amazed and excited. In 1971, Italy, a painting of Virgin Mary was also said to be bleeding! Police locked it in a case, and when they opened it the next day, it was found that the painting was still bleeding, and that blood was actually human blood!

What is believed to have happened

Many believed this are all religious enigmas, miracles that was only made possible by the forces above us. Everyone believed that Virgin Mary was weeping and bleeding for reasons, too many to be named. The fact that they worship the weeping statue already proves that many people do believe that this is a great miracle.

What scientists believed

Scientists has always tried to solve this mystery, which is perhaps one of the most baffling secrets phenomena. But only one scientist, Dr Luigi Garlaschelli, was able to give a very well justified answer:

What is needed is a hollow statue made of porous material, such as plaster or ceramic. The icon must be glazed or painted with some impermeable coating. If the statue is then filled up with a liquid [surreptitiously, through a tiny hold in the head, for example], the porous material will absorb it, but the glazing will stop it from flowing out. If the glazing, however, is imperceptibly scratched away on or around the eyes, tear-like drops will leak out, as if materialising from thin air. If the cavity behind the eyes is small enough, once all the liquid has dripped out there are virtually no traces left in the icon. When i put it to the test, this trick proved to be very satisfactory, baffling all onlookers.

It is believed that this is perhaps one of the only logical explanations till today, with many people believing this theory. It has been proven and shown, and it looks just like the real thing.

Conclusion

Worshippers of Virgin Mary still do believe that her weeping and crying are works of miracles, but those neutral parties who have actually witnessed Garlaschelli's experiments would also be convinced that this could well be fake. But this only works for statues, what about paintings? Till today, people still argue over which is the right answer, but most people would just choose to think it's a miracle, and not look at a scientific answer. So does it really weep and bleed? Or is it just a hoax? The answer is yet to be disclosed.

2010-02-04T16:22:00.001+08:00

"The real political task in a society such as ours is to criticize the workings of institutions that appear to be both neutral and independent, to criticize and attack them in such a manner that the political violence that has always exercised itself obscurely through them will be unmasked, so that one can fight against them."

— Michel Foucault

fun-filled weekend 2 - dog show!!!

2010-02-01T13:36:00.006+08:00

we attended the dog shot at tampines 1 rooftop on sunday! mummy wanted me to meet some new friends and conquer the fear i have of other dogs. she wants me to love dogs like i love human.

in the best-dressed segment, i saw some dogs and bitches all dressed up to the theme of tiger and valentine. so pretty! i wanna be dress up like that when i grow up!

the peacock!

mr tuxedo!

lovely princess!

man-in-black! and white.. and red..

and some other lovely dogs.

the most scary of all!!! mr tiger!

it was so hot that i need to look for shade. and while i was hiding under shade, mummy signed me up for two competitions! the minimum age to participate is 6 months.. i am only 5! i dunno how she signed me up but she got me all nervous... she signed me up for 'paw-paw' and 'buffet-line'. hahahahahaha i love food..!

waiting to go on stage for paw-paw!!

'paw-paw'

buffet-line!

fun-filled weekend 1 - kite flying

2010-02-01T13:22:00.005+08:00

we planned to attend some kite festival on saturday. but the weather was so damn hot that we waited at home till evening. i decided to change my image and have a new hairstyle! i was so then bored that i tried to ka-cheow the tortoises..

and then i stoned..

and then i was falling asleep..

when i opened my eyes.. i found myself on a grass patch (with lots of ants)!

and i looked up to see the most beautiful sky i've ever seen - filled with kites!

then we posed for some photos with our colourful kite!

kite-flying in action!

some kite exhibits. my personal favourite is this flying bear!

follow by this tortoise that is too heavy to take off.

what a tiring day but i loved every minute of it!

2010-01-29T14:32:00.001+08:00

in comms class now. shared by lecturer, just for laughs..
source: http://www.blogiseverything.com/fun-stuffs/the-best-headlines-of-2005/

Note: These are actual headlines extracted from various media.

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
[No, really?]

Crack Found on Governor’s Daughter
[Imagine that!]

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
[Now that's taking things a bit far!]

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
[What a guy!]

Miners Refuse to Work after Death
[No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-sos!]

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
[See if that works any better than a fair trial!]

War Dims Hope for Peace
[I can see where it might have that effect!]

If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
[You think?!]

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
[Who would have thought!]

Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
[They may be on to something!]

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
[You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?!]

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
[He probably IS the battery charge]

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
[Weren't they fat enough?!]

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
[That's what he gets for eating those beans!]

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
[They taste like chicken?]

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
[Chainsaw Massacre all over again!]

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
[Boy, are they tall!]

And the winner is….

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
[Did I read that sign right?]

a walk down pasir ris park

2010-01-21T15:20:00.004+08:00

hi guys! its been a long time since i blogged and i'm sure i've been missed! anyway i dun feel like writing too much. the photos will paint a thousand words for me (about how shag i am during the excursion...)

i was so happy to be going out for a walk initially! so exciting!

then i started to get tired (you can tell by the amount of tongue i am showing..)

when i felt like giving up on running the marathon, i just stopped.

hahaha and it worked! they had to bring me to a shelter for a break.

sitting down wasn't going to do for me.

they also gave up and brought me back to the car for the journey back home.

opps.. i'm so sorry. i promise to build up my stamina so that i can go for longer walks!

2010-01-21T15:08:00.003+08:00

i know i'm a lil slow but thanks for the xmas present! i love it!

Applicable ONLY to a mid-twentier

2010-01-10T19:58:00.003+08:00

Another year goes by and suddenly I'm in my mid twenties. 2009 wasn't a good year but I'm sure this year will be. What's your new year resolution? Let me guess. Is it to lose weight? 2 out of 2 pple I asked had a new year reso which had to do with their weight. (Ya i only asked 2 pple and got bored of asking. Rayray said he has no resolution so that doesn't count)

Generalising based on 2 feedback would not be justified. I'm guessing that some pple might aim to get a gf/bf, to improve their grades, to be a nicer person, to have more sex or quit smoking.

Whatever your commitment is, time is running out. Im listening to my favourite songs as many times as I can. Eating my favourite food as and when I want to. Reading my favourite verses over again. Singing my favourite lines until someone asked me if that's the only verse i know.

Therefore, stop being envious of what others have, stop snatching other pples bf/gf and stop ostrasising that geek in your class or that weirdly-quiet/incessantly-talking/bulimic lady in that corner of your office.

Mcdonald's Doraemon SAGA

2010-01-07T14:03:00.005+08:00

[LATEST Mcdonald's Doraemon SAGA] As a halal restaurant, McDonald's could not display or sell pig.

seems like we are not a true multi religious-racial-cultural-whatever society. what inclusive society? what integeration? pui!

its just a bloody soft toy but something so trivial ironically magnify the racial issue a zillion times and make apparent the fault lines and cracks that we often choose to believe is non-existing.

this is a discrimination against the chinese; a disrespect to the chinese culture. dun think about using the chinese zodiac as a marketing tool if you can't sell pig. you think that you can get away by replacing the pig with a cupid (a western cultural element)! it only makes the matter worse.

mc will have some explaining to do. non-thinking heads should roll.

Freeze!

2009-12-31T10:48:00.001+08:00

"If I have to shoot 200,000 students to save China from another 100 years of disorder, so be it."

- LKY, Aug 2004, endorsing china's tiananmen square massacre of students

2009-12-26T01:14:00.005+08:00

U know hor, i've picked up speaking singlish. But Mummy still slangs when she wants me to perform tricks. Oh ya, talking about tricks, I have been so busy pickin them up that i haven't had time to blog. I've learnt how to sit, lay, jump, roll-over, and a couple more stuff which are so lame. Mummy is so lame. She keeps me so busy. Been to sentosa to look at hot chicks. Went to the Vet-yucks. Went for grooming after that. (I'm sure my gf YoYo will love my new clean look). Celebrated christmas. Let me just share some of my silly pics with u all lor.

Here is me and mummy at sentosa. Notice my shaggy hairdo. Urgh,can't believe YoYo fell for me with that furdo.

And then there's me all clean and handsome. Look at me and my christmas present!!So unfair, I only have 1 present while mummy has so many. By hook or by crook, by tail or by paw, I am so gonna find her presents tonight. I'll start from her wardrobe.

Ok, I'm very sure its somewhere here. Don't disturb me now, I've got some digging to do.

2009-12-05T11:03:00.003+08:00

taken from straits times, 5 dec, "Institute to study how people behave":

'AN INSTITUTE has been set up to understand human behaviour and provide research to help organisations and governments increase the performance and well-being of people.

The Behavioural Sciences Institute (BSI) at the Singapore Management University (SMU) will draw on knowledge across fields such as psychology, management, economics, sociology and policy studies to find out what influences how people think, feel and act in different settings.

BSI director David Chan gave the example of the Government's Baby Bonus Scheme introduced in 2001 to raise birth rates by giving couples money for each child they have. It was reported earlier this year that there was little impact on birth rates. 'Clearly, people do not make decisions on procreation based solely on money or economic considerations,' he said.

'We have to go beyond economic considerations to understand the underlying social and behavioural factors affecting how people feel, think and act, as well as gender, generational and cultural differences.'

Increasingly, private- and public-sector leaders are realising that people are not motivated solely by money, and seek research to understand human behaviour better.'

finally they are realizing that economics is not king in what we term as 'rationality'. i have realized this four years ahead; and have been reading the topic for four years. this institute can also be named as the institute of sociology.

now who is to say that sociology has no contribute to the society we are living in?

2009-11-28T13:29:00.003+08:00

Friday morning. Mummy and Godpa tried to arrange for play dates for me but everyone was so busy. They decided to bring me to east coast park to try my luck! Guess what? It rained and my centre parted fringe got wet. urgh. Unglam. I didnt get to meet any friends and was extremely disppointed. so were mummy and godpa. We gave up and decided to head home.

Here's the part where i think i'm the most blessed pup in the planet! A lost schnauzer appeared below our block. Can u believe it? He seemed really scared so i allowed him to follow us home.. Magnanimous eh?

I secretly wished that it had been a full figured shihtzu bitch instead.

may all dogs v*te wisely

2009-11-18T21:24:00.001+08:00

"Mine is a very matter-of-fact approach to the problem. If you can select a population and they're educated and they're properly brought up, then you don't have to use too much of the stick because they would already have been trained. It's like with dogs. You train it in a proper way from small. It will know that it's got to leave, go outside to pee and to defecate. No, we are not that kind of society. We had to train adult dogs who even today deliberately urinate in the lifts."
- Lee Kuan Yew on Singapore society, The Man & His Ideas, 1997

2009-10-28T15:22:00.003+08:00

godpa brought me out for my second jab yesterday. he dumped me in to my bag while driving because mummy was at work. i am smarter than he thinks; i found a gap and forced my not-so-small head through. ended up on the car mat and i had fun hiding under the passenger seat before he dumped me back in to the bag again when we met with the red light. he held on to the opening of the bag while driving with the other hand. pheww lucky we didn't meet with an accident if not he better be guilty for such reckless driving.

i got a shock when i reached the farm. dogs of all breeds stood up and greet me. the high decible of incense barking gave me an headache. i saw two of my brothers while waiting for the vet and i think god is unfair that i look so much cuter than them. pity i didn't see another two of my brothers who have been sold to pet shop. heard they fetched a higher price than me (almost double) but trust me i am the most handsome in the family.

the jabbing was horrible and i would rather not talk about it. all i know is that i was looking forward for godpa to pick me up. so happy and relieved to see him that i nearly wagged my tail out!

another crazy journey back when he had to hold on to my bag and drive. again, i proved that i am smarter than he thinks. i found another gap and managed to escape again! he was crazy to pick me up from the mat and put me on his lap while we make our way back home. obviously i tried not to move while on his lap because i fear for my life. not sure if the traffic police would have booked me and ban me from driving even before i am old enough to get my own driving license.

my arm still hurt as the jabbing site is still sore. i shriek in pain whenever mummy carries me by the arm. i hope the pain will go away soon. 10 more days and i can go out for daily walks!

2009-10-28T13:41:00.004+08:00

just when i was talking about getting dis-illusioned as a student and with academia as a whole, i received an email informing me that the university is going to publish a research which i did last year.

for any researcher (anybody who does research), the greatest satisfaction, i would imagine, comes when your article gets published. this research programme that i participated in is an elitist one and i've claimed over a thousand bucks for the time spent on my research; i thought i've been compensated enough. it has never come across to me that my paper was good enough to be published (bearing in mind that i am competing with fellow dean's listers from all majors) so this is a pleasant surprise and a bonus.

upon reflection, many fantastic stuff, academic-wise, have been raining down on me for the past 3 and a half years. so much that i wonder if i am going to finish using all the luck i'm entitled for this lifetime, if ever luck can be quantified. i hope not.

still, my faith in academia is dwindling. can't wait to get out of this huge mazy social laboratory and start tasting practical stuff for a change.

2009-10-25T14:48:00.005+08:00

Hi everyone, this is my first entry! It has been one week since I found my home (or rather since my home found me). I have a humble play den with a security blanket, bottled water and a bright yellow pee tray for me to do my embarrassing business. My gorgeous mummy also bought me a hamburger toy! It squeaks occassionally when I play with it. Its my favouorite toy and I think Mr. hamburger likes me too!

Mummy always has messy long hair when she takes care of me. She cleans my poop and whines at me for pooping so much. Although I feel really bad, I can't help that I've got so much poop! I love to run after her gigantic legs and nibble on her big toe. I remember crying so badly one night when I was disturbed by a cockroach. Mummy finally woke up at 4.30 a.m. to rescue me! I am so terrified of roaches! Other than that, I sleep and eat well most of the time.

Today, mummy and god-daddy cut my long manes. It looks so patchy now but I feel less warm. I hope they bring me out again today. I hope we take the car because I love car rides!

2009-10-13T22:32:00.003+08:00

I finally found you! Dear Muffin, I can't wait to see you on Saturday. I promise you we will be friends for life. Love, Rach

2009-10-08T15:25:00.001+08:00

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, and most fools do." ~Benjamin Franklin

So i am a fool.

but thats ok.. as long as Marx is with me.

2009-10-04T20:20:00.003+08:00

Haven't blogged in a while. Been trying to adapt to my new work environment as well as my new sleeping patterns. As regular as they've become, my mind has been generating ideas in the opposite direction. I wana rear a puppy, acquire a new hobby, and decorate my room!

Dropped by Daiso and picked up 2 sheets of "bimbo paper" as my dt friends would have called them. Pink leopard prints for my accessories corner..and purple flowers for my bedside table. Watermelon juice, courteousy of rayray!

As random as this might seem, don't deny, we all love looking at pretty things!

**Mental note: Pork cordon bleu at FooHouse is fanfreakintastic!

2009-09-16T07:30:00.000+08:00

Taipei in 1 hours time! Rayray wants to be eating something every minute he's there.

2009-09-16T00:52:00.002+08:00

It started so innocently. Organizing parties and outings was not just to fulfill my role as the president but had become part of my subconscious self which wanted us to meet up so often. I always felt happy with these girls. They never ostracise or judge. The friendships that I have nurtured these 2 years, has to be the best so far. I'm gona miss the lunches and tea breaks. Now i'm dreading. That it may have that same usual outcome. That we will just be so occupied with our goals that we lose touch of what we have built so precious. Thanks for the beautiful card. The heartfelt messages outweigh its pink glittery appearance. I know that everytime i'm feeling down, I can count on it to make me feel better =)

Misconception about the place i live in

2009-09-15T09:25:00.004+08:00

i've been living in punggol for 5 and a half years now. lemme share with you wat people have to say abt this estate:

"so ulu so far"
"niao bu shen dan de di fang"
"is there any coffeeshop there??"
"i go punggol i need GPS"

earlier days i had this tendency to correct these ignorant ppl. now i jus smile and nod. i am not responsible in educating them am i? and deep down inside i hope people continue to think tat punggol is ulu so i can enjoy the peace and quiet which cannot be found in many estates in singapore.

but then, looking at the current high demand for new flats in punggol (new bto over-subscribed by 7 times!), seems like singaporeans are getting smarter with regards to knowledge on punggol. no harm in me spilling the beans by listing out why i love living in punggol.

people like to give me the pathetic look, as if i am damn sway to be staying in the punggol estate. to be frank i also pity people staying in bedok and tampines cuz these places are crowded, the flats are old, and is truly multi-racial-ized. but this is not my point. birds live in nests, pigs live in pigsties, horses in the barn - all of them are happy with their homes; and they are pitying the others. this is a point driven across to me by rachel neo; that many only see the good points of staying in their estate and if u let them choose, they will continue staying in the same area.

it is true but only to a certain extent. cuz people staying in punggol moved here from elsewhere. and if u go ask the punggol-ians (there is a punggol forum), most of them are loving it here. and i dun see any reason why they shouldn be.

the nel brings us to town in 20 mins (that's equivalent to taking train from tana merah to town - so do we say tat simei and tampines is more ulu?)

maybe becuz we dun fancy having a shopping centres too near our homes, cuz of e crowd and noise. no sour grapes here, i promise. becuz there are plans to build a shopping centre here in the near future and many punggol-ians are dreading it. when we need to shop, compasspoint is 5 minutes away; tampines ikea, courts, and giant 10 mins away; tampines mall 15 mins away. 15 mins bus ride to tampines, how ulu is punggol really?

with the circle lines, things are getting more exciting; i can reach paya lebar and bishan in 15 mins. i will give an update on time needed to get to buona vista when the rest of the circle line opens if you so wish.

if you do drive, then punggol is even more convenient. there is direct access to tpe and sle. kpe is one exit down (kpe brings me to town in 15 mins). cte is 2 exits up. and obviously kpe links u to pie. at times when i drive to school, it takes me only 35 minutes as there is hardly any jams (not even during peak hours) when you take the sle, bke, kje. i've taken rides from my friends before, who travels on ecp and pie, we needed close to an hour to get to bedok, or serangoon, during peak hours. and thats only bedok, not tampines. i've been telling rachel neo that kpe is my favourite expressway in singapore. i used to need half an hour to get to east coast park, now i need only half that time.

of cuz there are undisputablely fantastic neighborhoods, but most of these are hardly within our reach. my point here isnt that punggol is the best place to live in singapore. but rather, punggol is not the worst like many make it out to be.

hand to heart, the transquility that this place provides is what i value most. even 5 years ago when there isn't nel, no kpe, nothing, i have already fallen in love with the place.

where the heart cherish, there it's home will be...

and to those ignorants of the land, i rest my case.

2009-08-31T19:23:00.002+08:00

A spontaneous decision to hit the gym.
A half hour run with blasting music from my "gym"playlist.
A short conversation with an old friend.
A flashback of memorable times with wonderful people.
A perfectly toasted hotdog bun.
A tinge of sadness from "hatred" that i've garnered.
A silent prayer for the people i love.
A silent prayer for myself to let go.

2009-08-18T22:03:00.001+08:00

roughly abt 3 years ago, i did mock interviews with you in preparation for ya job interviews with the big 4. i rem waiting close to 2 hours in the car while u were having ya interview at d&t.

abt three weeks back, there we are again doing mock interview. this time round, i waited for more than 2 hours while you had ya interview.

i'm not complaining. in fact i'm hoping that i will get to go thru this ritual with you for every of your subsequent job change as your career progresses.

congrats on getting a substantial payrise and more stable working hours! hack those who dampened your spirits about having to travel for your new job. becuz they probably have no clue about whats happening (they dun really care for you to begin with, do they? why r they worrying now that you have to travel?).

Choices

2009-08-18T20:25:00.000+08:00

in the past, the only way to get to ntu if u commute via train is to take 179 from boon lay mrt.

then came 179a, which bypass the residential bus stops, kinda like an express service to ntu.

then came the mrt extension, making it possible to alight at pioneer station to take 179 or 179a.

then ntu started this free shuttle service to pioneer mrt.

very much symbolizes the progress from pre-modernity to modernity to post modernity.

more choices seem to be a good thing.. or is it?

2009-08-18T20:23:00.001+08:00

what goes up must come down? no?

Second Finance Minister Lim Hwee Hua said the goods and services tax (GST) will not be reduced. During the second reading of the GST Amendment Bill on Tuesday, Mrs Lim was asked by West Coast GRC MP Ho Geok Choo if the GST can be cut temporarily if economic conditions worsen. Mrs Lim said a temporary cut is not desirable as it will result in more administrative costs due to the higher compliance. Also, she pointed out that a GST is not effective in stimulating demand in the local economy as the recent experience of Britain has shown.

source: CNA

2009-08-07T23:30:00.001+08:00

TJL, here's the long-awaited pic... my fav ferris wheel cart in toysrus times square!

Happy 6th Anniversary!

2009-07-26T23:11:00.001+08:00

In our arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything, and two minus one equals nothing.

It has been that way for 6 years, and shall be that way forever.

Love you baby!

2009-07-25T10:32:00.003+08:00

Asked why exceptions are made for Sikhs serving NS,Col Lim said: "Sikhs serving in the SAF are allowed to wear turbans only because this is a carry-over from the past."

Today July 25 2009

We all know PM earns so much because it is a carry-over from the past.

Fear for SAF when a Colonel gives such response.

2009-07-09T16:27:00.006+08:00

There are so many beautiful photos that i can't decide which to post. Decided not to post too many anyway as rayray has posted all of them on facebook.

Here's my fav fav fav shop in leavenworth..."the hat shop"!!!
White water rafting in Wenatchee River followed by horseback riding.

Yay!! Survivors of the rapids!!

2009-07-08T13:37:00.006+08:00

1 dollar cherries bought on the way to Leavenworth. We checked in to our room and was psyched about the fireplace in the room! Leavenworth is really a small pretty town with quaint buildings and ancient fonts on them.. Set in a background of breathtaking mountains, it really is a perfect place for lil' couples..

2009-07-04T12:33:00.001+08:00

I love love love my hotel room in New York. Tonight's the last night and I really don't wana leaveeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

2009-07-01T12:22:00.002+08:00

Waiting for the bus to New York..I know i look like some ah-lian squating by the mrt..

Rayray, very proud of being a successful buyer of the US$1 Boston-NY bus ticket.

Our very first meal in New York City - $5 Cai Fan!!!!
And then it rained. I am absolutely certain its the cai fan which turned things topsy turvy.
The rain stopped. Its a blessing in disguise as there was no queue for the empire state building! MG! I like NY. Although the other GIP peeps dislike NY for its overcrowded, rudely-mannered city, I like city life. Suits me better. I am happy to see a mac and a starbucks at every other corner. I like to see brightly lit roads bustling with cars and pedestrians at night.

Off to lala land!

2009-07-01T02:38:00.002+08:00

Bye Boston, hello New York! Im gona paint you red! hahahahahah

2009-06-28T05:33:00.003+08:00

I packed my sundresses and mini shorts all prepared for summer, only to find that it was 13 degrees when i touched down. This beautiful town is finally warmin up but im leavin Seattle today.. Dreading the night flight to Boston...Brrr.....

2009-06-23T15:05:00.003+08:00

Im finally in Seattle. After 6 months of painful waiting, i'm finally here. It all feels so surreal.

2009-06-20T12:29:00.002+08:00

Countdown. 1 day. i can no longer contain my excitement.
The stores listing in NY outlet alone:

643
2b bebe
(845) 928-7010
000
7 For All Mankind
Nov 2009
315
AX Armani Exchange
(845) 928-4547
422
Adidas
(845) 928-7740
255
Aeropostale
(845) 928-5780
316
AG Adriano Goldschmied
(845) 928-8616
640
American Apparel
(845) 928-9660
113
Ann Taylor Factory Store
(845) 928-4586
311
Anne Fontaine
(845) 928-1069
276
Anne Klein
(845) 928-9470
618
Ashworth Golf
(845) 928-7708
885
Balenciaga
(845) 928-2006
454
Banana Republic Factory Store
(845) 928-1819
240
Barneys New York Outlet
(845) 928-4455
698
Bass
(845) 928-9992
826
BCBG Max Azria
(845) 928-4901
480
Benetton
(845) 928-4686
804
Betsey Johnson
(845) 928-4678
298
Bottega Veneta
(845) 928-4563
401
Brioni Sale Event
(845) 928-8880
243
Brooks Brothers Factory Store
(845) 928-2664
815
Brunello Cucinelli
(845) 928-5888
269
Burberry
(845) 928-4500
620
Burberry Clearance Event
(845) 928-3332
660
Calvin Klein Men's
(845) 928-9080
297
Calvin Klein Women's
(845) 928-6550
320
Catherine Malandrino
(845) 928-3550
254
Celine
(845) 928-5138
433
CH Carolina Herrera
(845) 928-0676
912
Chanel
(845) 928-1550
111
Chico's
(845) 928-8385
822
Chloé
(845) 928-6260
173
Columbia Sportswear Company
(845) 928-1530
950
Converse
(845) 928-9978
212
Diane Von Furstenberg
(845) 928-5745
621
Diesel
(845) 928-4755
808
Dior
(845) 928-4602
273
DKNY
(845) 928-8438
227
DKNY Jeans
(845) 928-3899
843
Dolce & Gabbana
(845) 928-5221
611
Ecko Unltd
(845) 928-9429
223
Eddie Bauer Outlet
(845) 928-2690
960
Elie Tahari
(845) 928-3664
441
Ellen Tracy
(845) 928-9097
254
Emilio Pucci
(845) 928-5138
347
Escada Company Store
(845) 928-7199
408
Esprit
(845) 928-4741
411
Etro
(845) 928-9256
844
Fendi
(845) 928-5455
000
Final Cut BCBG Max Azria
Aug 2009
846
French Connection
(845) 928-4914
636
G-Star Raw
(845) 928-2929
470
Gap Outlet
(845) 928-3122
250
Giorgio Armani
(845) 928-9400
302
Gucci
(845) 928-8034
442
Guess
(845) 928-1294
821
Hickey Freeman / Bobby Jones
(845) 928-7763
851
Hugo Boss
(845) 928-4333
321
Izod
(845) 928-4443
680
J.Crew
(845) 928-4400
626
Jockey
(845) 928-4527
644
Joe's Jeans
(845) 928-7661
942
John Varvatos
(845) 928-1050
226
Jones New York
(845) 928-7392
625
Jones New York Sport & Country
(845) 928-4441
220
Jones New York Woman
(845) 928-7392
216
Juicy Couture
(845) 928-3356
127
Kasper
(845) 928-3527
327
Kenneth Cole
(845) 928-4434
231
Kensie
(845) 928-7868
151
L'eggs Hanes Bali Playtex
(845) 928-6757
807
La Perla
(845) 928-4927
423
Lacoste
(845) 928-7973
101
Levi's & Dockers Outlet by Most
(845) 928-8930
231
Liz Claiborne New York
(845) 928-8078
831
Loro Piana
(212) 652-1627
208
Lucky Brand
(845) 928-5210
000
Lululemon Athletica
Summer 2009
845
M Missoni
(845) 928-6010
639
Maidenform
(845) 928-2880
832
MaxMara
(845) 928-4378
825
MaxStudio.com
(845) 928-8201
328
Michael Kors
(845) 928-9236
288
Miss Sixty / Energie
(845) 928-8701
266
Nautica
(845) 928-9247
934
Neiman Marcus Last Call
(845) 928-4993
600
Nike Factory Store
(845) 928-8838
461
The North Face
(845) 928-4900
484
Oakley Vault
(845) 928-3310
883
Oscar de la Renta
(845) 928-8106
452
PacSun
(845) 928-1014
157
Perry Ellis
(845) 928-7435
283
Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store
(845) 928-4637
812
Prada
(845) 928-3706
657
Puma
(845) 928-2687
954
Quiksilver
(845) 928-1839
861
Ralph Lauren Factory Store
(845) 928-1220
629
Reebok
(845) 928-4405
865
Roberto Cavalli
(845) 928-9116
202
Rochester Big & Tall
(845) 928-9990
850
Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th
(845) 928-4351
332
Salvatore Ferragamo
(845) 928-7116
873
Sarar
(845) 928-8874
664
Spyder
(845) 928-4855
296
St. John Outlet
(845) 928-4452
204
Tahari
(845) 928-7987
338
Theory
(845) 928-1130
490
Theory Men
(845) 928-4825
802
Thomas Pink
(845) 928-3165
460
Timberland
(845) 928-4624
139
Tommy Bahama
(845) 928-8688
261
Tommy Hilfiger
(845) 928-8888
881
Tory Burch
(845) 928-2886
830
True Religion
(845) 928-5441
946
TSE
(845) 928-4617
350
Under Armour
(845) 928-3013
847
Valentino
(845) 928-0820
280
Van Heusen
(845) 928-2399
300
Versace
(845) 928-3774
607
Vineyard Vines
(845) 928-7609
326
Wolford
(845) 928-5818
818
Yves Saint Laurent
(845) 928-2169
292
Zegna Outlet Store
(845) 928-2424
422
Adidas
(845) 928-7740
619
Aerosoles
(845) 928-2557
492
Aldo
(845) 928-5111
312
Bally
(845) 928-4522
698
Bass
(845) 928-9992
694
Clarks Bostonian
(845) 928-5248
201
Cole Haan
(845) 928-9425
950
Converse
(845) 928-9978
627
Easy Spirit
(845) 928-1260
264
Ecco
(845) 928-1749
968
Factory Brand Shoes
(845) 928-4540
684
Geox
(845) 928-9426
801
Giuseppe Zanotti Design
(845) 928-4828
435
Hush Puppies & Family
(845) 928-4544
324
Jimmy Choo
(845) 928-2324
803
Johnston & Murphy
(845) 928-4911
430
Journeys
(845) 928-8718
327
Kenneth Cole
(845) 928-4434
112
Naturalizer
(845) 928-9070
600
Nike Factory Store
(845) 928-8838
649
Nine West
(845) 928-4478
657
Puma
(845) 928-2687
629
Reebok
(845) 928-4405
169
Rockport
(845) 928-4666
850
Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th
(845) 928-4351
332
Salvatore Ferragamo
(845) 928-7116
877
Skechers
(845) 928-1459
439
Stride Rite Keds Sperry
(845) 928-5104
460
Timberland
(845) 928-4624
308
Tod's
(845) 928-3636
107
Ugg Australia
(845) 928-9981
434
Carter's
(845) 928-9498
632
The Children's Place Outlet
(845) 928-5365
633
Disney Store Outlet
(845) 928-7550
615
Gymboree Outlet
(845) 928-2802
680
J.Crew Crewcuts
(845) 928-4400
121
NauticaKids
(845) 928-8386
601
OshKosh B'gosh
(845) 928-4449
412
Polo Ralph Lauren Children
(845) 928-4923
439
Stride Rite Keds Sperry
(845) 928-5104
261
Tommy Kids
(845) 928-8888
337
World of Fun
(845) 928-6012

298
Bottega Veneta
(845) 928-4563
303
Coach
(845) 928-4465
842
Dooney & Bourke
(845) 928-8814
835
Furla
(845) 928-3878
302
Gucci
(845) 928-8034
924
Judith Leiber
(845) 928-4318
234
Kate Spade
(845) 928-0864
313
Kipling
(845) 928-5857
345
Longchamp
(845) 928-4727
616
The Luggage Factory
(845) 928-6057
642
Samsonite Company Store
(845) 928-4903
405
Tumi
(845) 928-5119
341
Brighton Collectibles
(800) 235-8748
678
Claire's Accessories
(845) 928-4411
303
Coach
(845) 928-4465
201
Cole Haan
(845) 928-9425
236
David Yurman atThe London Jewelry Collection
(845) 928-1200
155
Fossil
(845) 928-2042
617
Guess Accessories
(845) 928-3930
431
Judith Ripka
(845) 928-1800
234
Kate Spade
(845) 928-0864
690
LeSportsac
(845) 928-3328
449
Lids for Less
(845) 928-4904
328
Michael Kors
(845) 928-9236
230
Movado Company Store
(845) 928-5280
214
Seiko The Company Store
(845) 928-3358
322
Solstice Sunglass Outlet
(845) 928-5884
447
Sunglass Hut
(845) 928-4915
358
Sunglass Station
(845) 928-5146
839
Swarovski
(845) 928-1003
841
Tag Heuer
(845) 928-1018
340
Time Factory Watch Outlet
(845) 928-1604
165
Totes/Isotoner/Sunglass World
(845) 928-4538
344
Ultra Diamonds
(845) 928-3892
443
Zales Outlet
(845) 928-5132
668
Corningware Corelle Revere
(845) 928-6100
650
Crate and Barrel
(845) 928-1008
855
Frette
(845) 928-4866
889
Le Creuset
(845) 928-4316
505
Le Gourmet Chef
(845) 928-4545
177
Lenox
(845) 928-9003
934
Neiman Marcus Last Call
(845) 928-4993
420
Pratesi
(845) 928-4810
465
Ralph Lauren Home Factory Store
(845) 928-8252
161
Royal Doulton
(845) 928-2434
139
Tommy Bahama
(845) 928-8688
974
Williams-Sonoma Outlet
(845) 928-4956
646
Bose
(845) 928-4662
813
The Cosmetics Company Store
(845) 928-4466
928
Crabtree & Evelyn
(845) 928-4831
404
Designer Fragrances
(845) 928-1408
920
Godiva Chocolatier
(845) 928-4393
207
Harry & David
(845) 928-5148
522
Headline News
(845) 928-7414
924
Judith Leiber
(845) 928-4318
342
L'Occitane
(845) 928-8010
419
Lancôme - The Company Outlet
(845) 928-4323
869
Lladro
(845) 928-3300
676
Perfumania
(845) 928-4474
147
Sony
(845) 928-5112
839
Swarovski
(845) 928-1003
Food Court
Travelex Currency Exchange
(845) 662-4819
964
Victorinox Swiss Army
(845) 928-0600
445
Vitamin World
(845) 928-4910
494
Woodbury Express Shipping
(845) 928-5255
624
Yankee Candle
(845) 928-6117
448
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar
(845) 928-1817
512
Au Bon Pain
(845) 928-4516
286
Carvel/Nathan's
(845) 928-4934
513
China Taste
(845) 928-2474
FC – K2
Cinnabon
(845) 928-8611
648
Corner Café
(845) 928-4516
518
Desert Moon Fresh Mexican Grille
(845) 928-3020
509
Haagen Dazs/Subway
(845) 928-8419
501
McDonald's
(845) 928-2040
511
Mrs. Fields/Pretzel Time
(845) 928-8419
224
Nara Cafe
(845) 928-6167
500
Nathan's The International Eatery
(845) 928-4934
109
New York Pretzel
(845) 928-8419
515
Posa Posa Too Pizzeria
(845) 928-9188
515
Positano Grill
(845) 928-6711
524
South Philly Steak & Fries
(845) 928-4881
400
Starbucks Coffee
(845) 928-4744
506
Wasabi Jane's Rice and Noodle Works
(845) 928-9698

GASP. JUST LET ME FAINT

2009-06-18T22:49:00.003+08:00

Countdown. 3 more days before I head for Washington. Im looking forward, in a way that I never thought I would at the start. Im looking for salvation, with that glimmer of hope still within me. Im not as optimistic as you, but I promised myself I will try.

2009-06-18T22:36:00.002+08:00

Today is Kelly's last day. I really wish her all the best. She has been like an elder sis, a great mentor, and a wonderful friend. The CI team loves u!!!!

2009-05-30T00:07:00.000+08:00

OMG Liying bought her 255!! black with gold and black freaking straps.

2009-05-26T17:22:00.001+08:00

Happy 70th month!

2009-05-25T22:22:00.002+08:00

Kenneth asked me today, "have you ever cried?"
"Of course!" I said, shoving a look of disbelief right at his face.
Do I look so happy all the time, seriously??

2009-05-23T01:02:00.006+08:00

Why would you wana break a perfectly good heart?
Why would you wana take our love and tear it all apart now?
Why would you wana make the very first scar
Why would you wana break a perfectly good heart?

Why have i become what i am now. I was looking at my oldest blog posts and really loved how carefree and "wadeva" i used to be. The following extracted from my super old posts:

E.g. 1
Tuesday, February 28, 2006

I JUS GOT STUCK OUTSIDE HALL 16 IN A PAIR OF TINY SHORTS, FLIPFLOPS AND A HALL 9 SHIRT THAT HAS "BLK 45 RUZ" ON ITS BACK.beat that~fortunately thank god luckily phew, there was this guy in sunglasses, yes sunglasses, who was goin to e toilet, so i kindly requested him to open the gate fr the inside. sunglasses, hmm i juz wonder...anyhow, thanku Mr. Sunglasses!
i RAved at 12:04 AM

E.g. 2
http://rustyalmond.blogspot.com/2006/03/this-is-what-im-going-to-do-to-your.html

E.g. 3

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

SpiderSucks
stupid hall toilet. humongous spider. 2 freaked out girls. one brave soul who rescued my access card from the cubicle!
i RAved at 1:01 AM

You see how rubbish my entries used to be? They were about palm sized spiders and locking myself outside my room. Not about the love-hate relationship i have with my job and the struggle with betrayal in my love life. This is not how I imagined my life to be. Hopes dashed and dreams remain as dreams. If you could have ONE superpower, what would you want to have? I would want to be able to turn back time.

2009-05-20T14:04:00.005+08:00

I'm so tired of being here

suppressed by all my childish fears

2009-05-12T23:49:00.006+08:00

Celebrated Mama's 80th birthday at PanPacific Hotel on Sat 9 May. There was a touching powerpoint displaying the old photos of everyone who played a part in Mama's life. It made me ponder as to how many of those people still remain in her lives and how many do not. Does it really matter? Instead of feeling all nostalgic, why not cherish the present?

Time flies when you're having fun. But the point is that i wasnt really having fun. I've got a couple of goodies (like besties but not exactly BFFs) who told me that i don't show my emotions and hide how i really feel. and that sometimes its better to just show it. But wouldn't that be dragging youself in the swamp of self-pity instead of surrounding yourself with sweet-smelling roses that tell u life is great? To the best i can, i will still continue smiling and laughing, until i can smile no further.

2009-05-12T23:18:00.002+08:00

These are the people who kept my spirits up. Individuals have been drawn to depict their personalities.

2009-05-02T04:16:00.004+08:00

Great day today. I slept till noon and woke up for lunch. Lazed at home and chatted with him till evening. Went ikea for dinner and acted like 5 year old kids. Sang till 3am and almost got lost sending yj home. Missed him and called him. Felt hungry and devoured a sweet pear. Going to sleep like a baby... whee!

2009-04-26T23:50:00.004+08:00

Its been 69 months. They said we'll never make it but we fought to prove them wrong. The old nasty fights seem so innocent now. I've watched you change just like how you've watched me grow. The past 68 months of my life was something I'd never known I'd have. It all seemed too blissful to be true..Indeed it wasn't. What a wretched 69th month.

2009-04-11T23:42:00.006+08:00

My Beloved Kite

I hold on loosely to my kite so it can fly high with the wind.
As a result, it almost slipped away.
I slashed my palm while grabbing it back.
It’s back with me now and I’m holding on so tight it hurts.
As long as the kite’s with me, all the pain is worth it.
But who’s to say in future that it won’t be cut off by another kite?

Supposing another kite slices off the thin kite thread,
that I am holding on with my life.
I can’t fly up to catch it.
I can only watch in agony and despair.
Watch as it freely flies higher and higher.
And then vanish from my horizon.

I know that it will someday fall back down to the ground.
And maybe get stuck on a tree.
And when that day comes, I will be there to pick it up.
No matter how stained it would have become.
I will still hold it in my arms and shed those tears of joy.
Because my beloved kite is back with me.

I reminisce the good times it has had with me.
I thank it for the laughter it has brought to me.
Nobody understands.
Why I love my kite so much despite its imperfections.
Its delicate thread. Its simple design.
Yet it seemed so perfect to me.

Now that it is stained and far from glory,
It is still my beloved kite.
I will not despise it.
I will not ostracize it.
But how do I fly it while fearing that it will slip away again?
My palms bleed and my arms hurt. And I am tired.

2009-04-11T21:57:00.002+08:00

A mermaid freeze can bring a tinge of happiness to me.

2009-04-11T01:35:00.004+08:00

傻瓜我们都一样

被爱情伤了又伤

相信这个他不一样

却又再一次受伤

傻瓜我们都一样

受了伤却不投降

相信付出会有代价

代价只是一句

傻瓜

2009-04-10T18:14:00.002+08:00

我吻过你的脸
你双手曾在我的双肩
感觉有那么甜我那么依恋

每当我闭上眼
我总是可以看见
失信的诺言全部都会实现

So much for good friday

2009-04-10T16:29:00.003+08:00

9 April 2009 - 10 April 2009
Been hurt the most ever in my life

San Juan Island (Washington)

2009-03-31T00:59:00.004+08:00

a quick getaway in the midst of exams!

bridge while waiting to get on the ferry.

up the ferry.

in the cabin

restaurant by the habor.

super deserted beach

Some interesting sculptures at the park.

2009-03-16T05:07:00.002+08:00

i dun mind that im the one vacuuming the carpet.

i dun mind that im the one washing the sink and bathtub.

i dun mind that im the one scrubbing the toilet bowl.

i dun mind that im the one opening the letter box and disposing the rubbish bag most of the time.

but i mind that i haven been getting quality sleep.

with the snores, the high temperature setting of heater, the loud and scary sound from clearing of throat, the smell of the sweat on his bedsheet, i've forgotten how sleeping well feels like.

it is so darn hard to stay happy living with somebody under one roof.

2009-03-14T14:06:00.005+08:00

Max and i were diggin out old photos and i saw this photo of me FAT!
and another of me trying real hard to act sexy.(Check out my pouty lips!)
Yea..i was never the swan..i was the coarse-voiced rubbish-rumbling kid trying to insult all the adults with my crude humour.

2009-03-08T18:42:00.006+08:00

Due to the generosity of a bank with its bonus payout, we were treated to dim sum buffet at Cherry Garden.. Its surprising how we can entertain ourselves with dry ice. If you're really bored, check out the video below!

Baby Jaysen is such a bundle of joy.

2009-03-08T18:14:00.003+08:00

Saturday
After lunch at KLP, we watched the national ice skating competition and was bloo-o-o-own away. I swear that i will let my daughter learn figure skating. It is so graceful and pretty. Each time the skaters took their turn, they owned the ring and was in a world of their own. Someone asked y I didnt learn ballet when I was young because I totally have the look. I looked down at my elephant thighs and sighed.

S comforted me by saying "its ok la piano good enough".

2009-03-04T14:56:00.002+08:00

I'm yours by Jason Mraz playing on my iPod..suddenly i imagine myself on a beautiful hawaii beach in a cutsey bikini sipping a fruity lil' drink. I am loving the sound of the crashing waves and the sight of children playing with imaginary sea monsters. Then i'm back to reality where i am doing up financial statements in an air-conditioned meeting room.

2009-02-26T22:53:00.003+08:00

We've made it so far, happy 67 mths!

2009-02-24T23:11:00.002+08:00

Happy birthday maxine! Congrats on entering teen-life..you've got so much ahead of u, make the best out of it and stop whining about going to school!

2009-02-23T20:41:00.002+08:00

I have friends who like to take photos of me carrying marketing plastic bags which auntify me.

With friends like these..who needs enemies?? -wink-

Vancouver - Sunset at White Rock

2009-02-23T10:22:00.002+08:00

2009-02-22T16:31:00.002+08:00

K just walked into the room and asked me the right way to do a push-up. And then he did a push-up for me to see and left the room. what!?! Teenagers nowadays...

2009-02-22T00:40:00.003+08:00

Breakfast was meant to celebrate yy's birthday but she overslept! So we continued anyway..Cass shared with us how she got together with her latest squeeze while we sipped coffee and enjoyed the oldies played by HMV..sigh. if only we could do this everyday..
Then it was karaoke at bugis for 6 freaking hours. I am dead beat.

I really think i should have joined mediacorp at that opportunity. Why put my acting talents to waste? Anyway... Bought maxine's present today but accidentaly snipped it off while wrapping it. what!?!?!?! i am at a total loss. Never have i felt more bimbotic than what i know i really am. Sian right..

Vancouver - Tiring Journey up North

2009-02-21T06:08:00.002+08:00

At the customs.

Some stopovers.

Keeping an eye on the road.

Vancouver - Jap Buffet and Karaoke at Westminster

2009-02-21T06:01:00.004+08:00

The host treat us to Jap Buffet.

Took a stroll by the coast to the world's largest tin soldier.

Went singing after that. its madness. 22cad each for 2 rooms, 3 hours.

Vancouver - Stanley Park

2009-02-21T05:53:00.002+08:00

Vancouver - Gastown and Downtown

2009-02-21T05:40:00.003+08:00

The world's first steam clock.

Lunch at Old Spaghetti Factory (nicest spaghetti I've eaten)

Some monkeying..

Views from the town.

Vancouver - Chinatown

2009-02-21T05:35:00.001+08:00

An are notorious for drug trade (look closely at the photos)

Vancouver - Grandville Island

2009-02-21T05:31:00.002+08:00

Vancouver - Host Family's House

2009-02-21T05:20:00.005+08:00

huge house with basement. so nice of the host to accomodate 13 of us (and each and every of us has a bed to sleep on!)!

The very spacious living room.

And his mum prepared breakfast for us! Chinese cuisine (porridge, self made dumplings and carrot cake!)

2009-02-20T23:59:00.004+08:00

Im blogging with this lil' baby of mine..its so tiny so im not used to it yet. The keypad is perfect to type with and im really happy with my impulse buy, once again. The only thing i dislike is that everything seems so horizontally stretched. That aside, the function i love best would have to be the instant mode - play music, videos or surf the net without launching the window OS. (U dont need to wait for the freakin start up!) The main purpose is of course, to bring to the states!! yay!

Speaking of that, I have finally bought a return ticket to seattle at 1.6K only! Thanks to someone who sold me a portion of his 300,000 krisflyer miles. The few hundred bucks i saved can be splurged on 20 more OPI nail polishes, 15 more sephora brushes and 10 more victoria secrets lingerie.

9am breakfast tmr. We all know how we love the snooze option when our alarm rings. zzZZzZz

2009-02-20T23:52:00.001+08:00

my new baby!!!

World's famous ice cream outlet with 218 flavors (in Vancouver, BC)!

2009-02-19T06:57:00.002+08:00

Some crazy flavors...

CURRY

WASABI

RICE

GARLIC

GINGER

CHOCOLATE CHILLI

2009-02-18T13:13:00.003+08:00

the trip to vancouver, british columbia, was awesome.

unfortunately, my rented car got towed away in seattle when i returned from van. i illegally parked. damn sway la.

a little something for you...

sURpriSe!~!

2009-02-13T23:53:00.004+08:00

All the lovin from Seattle~ Thank you darling!!!!

2009-02-08T14:25:00.002+08:00

Went Carkeek for my Environmental Science module fieldtrip.

The park sucks but this particular area overlooking the Puget Sound is damn nice.

Its kinda weird that my 60 year old prof is one of the drivers of the vans that took us to the park. The other two drivers are teaching assistants as well. they are really self-sufficient over here. My friend from aero told me that the prof asked for student volunteers to drive vans too for fieldtrips.

Cant imagine this happening in Singapore. NTU Prof driving a van? Haha. No way!

2009-02-05T03:26:00.004+08:00

Im fuming mad. I need to share this article by copying and pasting it here (source: ST Feb 4)

The Straits Times
Feb 4, 2009
Budget 2009 Debate
Reconsider 5-day week?
By Jeremy Au Yong

MORE free time did not result in more babies, so people should go back to work on Saturdays.

Nominated MP Loo Choon Yong on Tuesday threw up the most provocative suggestion during the Budget debate when he questioned the benefits of the five-day work week.

Speaking on the second day of the debate on the Budget Statement, he said the move to a shorter work week by the public sector and then the private sectors in in 2004 could have eroded the Singaporean's work ethic, while not improving the fertility rate in any meaningful way.

The number of live births only inched up to 39,490 in 2007 from 37,485 in 2003.

'We should accept that as a people our procreation talent is not our forte - nothing to crow about,' he said.

'I urge the Government to take steps to determine whether our productivity and competitiveness have been affected by the five-day week and to review the policy, if necessary,' he added.

Dr Loo had unleashed this stunner as he voiced concerns over what he called the 'all life and very little work' attitude of the younger generation.

He pointed to Straits Times reports on how to maximise leave by taking advantage of public holidays that fall near weekends as an indication of an erosion of the work ethics.

'I have nothing against our young Singaporeans having fun and partying. But I hope they will work as hard as they play,' he said.

I have always been against unelected people sitting in parliament and this Dr Loo is proving my sentiment right that NMPs do not deserve a place in parliament.

So he thinks that having a five-day work week is only for making babies. Get a life la you loo. Its about work-life balance of working people too, in case you didn't know. Little wonder so many Singaporeans are running overseas for a better work and family life balance and also better childhood for their kids.

You old fashion loo. I din hear your voice during the mas escape and when the town council are investing in bonds. Then suddenly you decide to make some unnecessary noise. Isn't it bad timing that companies are into retrenchment and forcing employees to take no pay leave.

I am happy to note that the young people know how to enjoy life. Dun come give this bullshit about Sg has no natural resources blablabla and human capital is our only resource so we have to work twice as hard as others. Political ideology are, very simply, ideology. It is because of people like you who thinks that man's primary function is to work and work that many Singaporeans are not living life! I hope Marx haunt you to teach you about species-being, the true primary function of human beings.

2009-02-02T08:18:00.002+08:00

federer is a winner who is learning to deal with defeat.

nadal is such a perfect gentlemen of a winner.

the australian award ceremoney brought me to the brink of tears. plenty of humility, something that is so rare and precious in sports. watch it and you might understand why:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7Pcvi1O1ic

i went for the boeing factory tour yesterday. saw the yet-to-be-released boeing 787 dreamliner.

seattle is a city of paradoxes; a quiet and tranquil city yet it is home to huge conglomerates of technological firms like microsoft and boeing. not forgetting that it is also the home of starbucks. i'm growing attached to this city of paradoxes, slowly but surely.

2009-01-31T15:15:00.002+08:00

the singaporeans employees at microsoft invited all of us ntu people in u-dub to their chinese new year party. it was a really nice gesture (they even chartered shuttle to pick us from the terminal, and i heard they do this for ntu peeps at u-dub every year), and we got to visit the microsoft compound!

i was surprised to learn that there are almost 100 singaporeans working at microsoft.

finally i get to eat local food; we had satay, prata and sambal fish etc etc! soooo good after so long without local food!

and we mingled and chat. it seems like many singaporeans are working in the States for the sake of their kids; they want their children to have a proper childhood, something that cannot be fulfilled in singapore, in their opinion.

they were encouraging us to experience working overseas, as they felt that work-life balance in singapore really sux. i think i have to agree after listening to snippets of their working life in seattle.

unfortunately, i've a bond to fulfill.

Kopi License?

2009-01-28T04:50:00.003+08:00

Some times you wonder how safe it is for you to be a road user in sg...
Especially with drivers like this...

Pictures courtesy of hwz edmw.

2009-01-27T21:26:00.000+08:00

You may let go off your past, but sometimes, the past just won't let go of you.

Theo Chocolate Factory

2009-01-25T09:21:00.005+08:00

visited the theo chocolate factory today!

nice, cosy interior.

shop and sampling area. i ate soooo much chocolate, all for free! coconut curry chocolate, anyone?

beans which chocolate are made from.

factory tour.

Random Pics from Portland

2009-01-23T11:00:00.003+08:00

4 of us singaporeans travelled with 2 koreans and 1 indonesian.

dinner at buffalo wings.

at the coast.

on the tram (the ride is free on weekends so we took it to save the hassle of looking for parking lots downtown - although parking is free too during the weekends).

toilet break on the freeway. (i'm not sure well i've gotten a sassy red car again, one thing im sure is that i din plan it; its pure coincidence)

stealing a wink after driving for almost 300 miles in 3 days (so much so that i will need to re-orient myself to right hand drive when i get back to sg).

absolutely stone (due to lack of slp) at downtown Portland.

2009-01-22T06:24:00.001+08:00

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

- Barrack Obama

2009-01-20T14:37:00.003+08:00

Just came back from Portland! Has been close to a month since I last walked in sunshine.

Amazing structure!

Pioneer Square...

And there was a organized protest taking place! Against Obama's leaning towards pro-choice and hence pro-abortion. Its amazing how they are protesting even before his inauguration!

Me experiencing what it feels like to live in a real democracy...

Shopping in Portland is tax free! But i only bought a pair of nike sneakers and levis jeans and...

Both books for like 17usd. What a bargain. The philosophy book is so thick that i think i need five years to finish it.

Sorry babe, i din get anything for you this time round cuz i dunno whats suitable. We will see if we can plan a trip to Portland when you arrive!

2009-01-18T23:30:00.002+08:00

Happy birthday pretty!!

and to my most missed, may you have a fruitful shopping road trip in Portland! Pls keep a look-out for Victoria Secrets, Mac and Sephora

A Shout Out

2009-01-18T14:50:00.002+08:00

A BIG Thank You.

For those who have showed concern to me one way or another, thank you.

Kim: Thank you for trying to ask me out. Thanks for doing mani/pedi with me. It really helped me take my mind off the things I don't wana think of.

8-yi: Thanks for the hug. I really needed it back then.

YL: Thanks for all the pacifying words and optimistic ideas you've planted in my head.

PF: Thanks for consoling me every now and then.

QW & N: Thanks for the kind, empathetic words.

Cher: Thanks for your concern, even if it was purely asking.

Every little thing that you guys did, I am aware and I appreciate all of it.

For those who have been too self-absorbed in their less-than-perfect little lives that they don't even bother to offer a simple word of concern to an old friend, I totally understand.

2009-01-17T03:21:00.003+08:00

this is ridiculous man.

From ST 16 Jan:
Almost a year after he escaped from custody, where is terror fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari?
Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng narrowed it to either of two scenarios: one, he is in Singapore and hidden by sympathisers unknown to the authorities, or, two, he has fled the country.
Asked which was the more likely, Mr Wong told The Straits Times: 'It's very hard to say. Both scenarios are plausible. Maybe the second one is more plausible.'

let me simplify:
Qn: Where is mas?
Ans: He is either still in Singapore or not in Singapore.

wth? i am either hungry or not hungry. i am either sleepy or not sleepy. i am either cold or not cold. i am either stupid and smart. he is damn smart to give such an answer.

seriously. how to trust the home team when they have such a ingenious leader.

2009-01-16T16:38:00.003+08:00

I am so busy that I have no time to shit. Although it sounds geeky and I hate to admit it, I kinda love my job..sometimes..

2009-01-16T04:55:00.002+08:00

I ate creamy chicken ramen for lunch an hour ago. well, jus another fanciful name for what is simply instant noodles. But i added 3(!) chicken thighs, 2(!) eggs, and some cabbages.

So full that I nearly fell asleep while soaking in the bathtub.

Life's good, especially when you are not paying for things out of your own pocket.

Planning for a road trip to Portland, Oregon this coming long weekend (Martin Luther King Day on Monday).

Hurry come over! I can't wait!

Back to reality... 5 more sets of readings to go...

2009-01-15T07:26:00.005+08:00

In US, they allow you to choose your own credit/ debit card designs. Designs ranger from sports to cartoon chacracters.

This is the University of Washington design.

I love NY! Torn between Hellp Kitty and this. HAHA!

ps. images sucks cuz it took them with my macbook cam. im too lazy to use my cam.