Pregnant Pandas Prefer Pink Pajamas

Year of the DRaGoN !

2012-01-23T07:13:00.004+08:00

祥龙贺岁福喜盈门

Christmas @ Disney (again!)

2011-12-29T22:29:00.011+08:00

... this time at Tokyo Disneyland :)
I didn't get to take the rides *bleah*

It's more crowded compared to

Disney Sea.

Looonng Queues everywhere, and the shops are packed with shoppers too!

I wonder how much Walt Disney Co. earn from the Japanese consumers.. everything and anything is KAWAII !!

Lethal Combination

2011-11-30T22:24:00.006+08:00

DOPPIO: Have been depending on double shot espresso to kickstart the day these past few weeks...

... then these 2 days, to ensure that i'm doubly wide awake as i work thru the complicated worksheets, i decided to start with a bottle of Brands Chicken Essence with Cordyceps at home, before i have my cuppa at the office.

It's really effective to keep me wide awake the entire day! :)

Where's Piglet??

2011-09-14T19:18:00.006+08:00

The exotic snowskin mooncakes (durian, champagne chocolate truffles, etc) are nice. But i still prefer the traditional mooncakes with the lotus paste. My favorite since childhood is actually the piggy biscuit. :P
However, this year, it seems like no one is selling the piglet biscuits. :(

Palmistry

2011-07-31T21:15:00.008+08:00

... MY version of Palmistry: that's the result of doing several rounds of single-handed planking on the STEP-board in Gym class today :(

Here's a nice piece of poetry which was featured in the Moving Words campaign: "Palmistry" by Gilbert Koh:

So take my hand and hold it,
bend it gently to the light.

Discover me, in a way
that I do not know myself.

Speak what you will, of my
health, fame and fortunes,

but know that I will put a finger
to your gentle lips,

if on love, you try to say
the things I should not know,

like where you’re going to
and how I will stay behind,

how our separate ways
are written in these lines.

Serious Shoppers..

2011-07-04T22:08:00.005+08:00

Bought this handbag in Nov'09. It's part of the Miss Vara Bow Collection of Hobo bags. It's made of calf leather in a unique metallic-gold color. I've always prefer understated designs with no conspicuous logos... and usually, only a regular shopper familar with that particular brand would be able to recognize the brand design.
This evening, on my way home on the train, 2 guys and a gal were standing beside me. They looked like they just started working in the retail industry as they were chatting about their uniforms (suits), and that they need to work at least 1 yr before they qualify to be given 2 sets of uniforms. Figured that they must be working for some branded boutique but kaypoh me couldn't figure out which brand...
... until about 15mins into their idle chat, one of the guys caught sight of my bag and exclaimed excitedly "Hey, that's a Ferragamo bag"... and all 4 of us gazed at my bag... and he sheepishly grinned at me when he realized that he was speaking too loudly to his frens. :P His fren asked is it because he saw the signature "vara bow" on the bag... but the guy answered flatly "Nope". He recognized it instantly because of the color - a metallic gold color that's patented by Ferragamo. His 2 frens were impressed how he knows his stuff very well. Well, so was I !!! VERY IMPRESSED Indeed!!=)

Xi'an 西安: The Ancient Chinese Capital

2011-06-19T10:33:00.004+08:00

There are so much to see in Xi'an, tho' most tourist zoom in only on the terracotta warriors. It's the beginning of the Silk Road, the cosmopolitan city in ancient times where the westerners came with their goods in exchange for Chinese silk and tea.
Since this is the 1st visit, we shall start from the beginning...

There're some similarities between Emperor Qin and the Egyptian Pharoahs:
~ The obsession with the quest for immortaility
~ The elaborate preparation with the afterlife
~ The tomb must be located in the West
~ As soon as he ascended the throne, work on the construction of his tomb starts (Emperor Qin ascended the throne when he was 13y/o, but after 37yrs, the necropolis was still not completed when he passed away)

After visiting the Shaanxi Provincial Museum and the Terracotta site, you learned what he has achieved and the legacy he left behind:

~ unified China economically by standardizing the Chinese units of measurements such as weights and measures, the currency, the length of the axles of carts to facilitate transport on the road system.
~ the emperor also developed an extensive network of roads and canals connecting the provinces to improve trade between them.
~ the currency also standardized to the Ban liang coin (半兩).
~ most importantly, the Chinese script was unified to form one language, one communication system for all of China

... this ancient capital is so rich with history... 3nites stay doesn't do justice and not enough time.. shall go back again to explore the history of the other dynasties :)

Glory to Glory

2011-05-16T11:26:00.004+08:00

Wow!

Meekness and Majesty
In humbleness You came down and rescued me
You gave it all upon the cross
As an offering

You traded Your life for me
In righteousness You poured out Your love so free
And now my soul will worship You
As an offering

We come into Your presence now in awe
Casting all our crowns at Your feet
How wonderful the things that You have done
Forever You will reign glorious

Be lifted up from Glory to Glory to Glory
We offer up the praises that You deserve
You're changing us from Glory to Glory to Glory
Our lives will shine before You and shout Your worth

YOU’RE GLORIOUS

The Kooky Artist

2011-04-10T20:33:00.028+08:00

Salvador Dali. First time i came to know about this kooky master artist was that statue (Homage to Newton) @ UOB Plaza which was used as a meeting point with lunch kakis. Was very impressed with the depth presented in his works. Then several years ago, some of his works were displayed along Orchard Road. It was worth the 1hr+ train ride from Barcelona to visit his kooky museum in Figueres. Here, there is no audio guide available to explain to you the stuff inside the building. The arrangement of the exhibits and his works are in such a way that there're surprises in every corner, and i liked those with optical illusions. :)

As you explore and navigate thru' the museum, you'd realize that everything is worth a 2nd and 3rd look as they look different from different angles.

The master also sets you thinking as each visitor has his/her own perspective and interpretation of his kooky works.

Rainbows

2011-03-07T19:03:00.008+08:00

Rainbows... Result of Refraction and Reflection of Rays through Raindrops

... but you can create your very own rainbow in the kitchen!! =)

Egyptian Voyager

2011-02-04T23:14:00.004+08:00

Barely a month since i came back from my Exotic Egyptian Voyage... but the images on the newscasts this past week seem somewhat alien from the beautiful memories i have of the country..

Here's a touristy view of the awesome heritage of Egypt...
(i) it's definitely not one of those locations that you can do a Free&Easy trip. Highly recommended that you join a tour grp that takes care of all the logistics and an Egyptologist Guide.
(ii) as you explore the ancient egyptian sites, it's basically a "Tombs & Temples" Theme Travel/Tour and learn about the pharoahs' obsession with the afterlife and preparation for the rebirth. The Pharoahs also busied themselves with building temples to ensure that they will be remembered for eternity.
(iii) some of the artifacts were blatantly displayed in other countries which the Egyptian govt is still trying to claim back
(iv) the ancient egyptian royal families have weird rules on the eligibility to rule the land... sounds pretty complicated and incestuous

Khan el Khalili : walk back to the medieval period as you explore the labyrinth maze of stalls selling lamps, spices, souvenirs, perfume oils, sheeshas, etc, etc. This bazaar was one of the key merchant centres along the silk route

Egyptian Museum : Our hotel was just a stone's throw away from the Museum!! Still sends shivers down my spine that the protests were just right at the doorstep of our hotel *shudderz*.. Anyway, the museum was filled at its brim of all the treasures of the ancient egypt. The mummies of the famous pharoahs were all kept there: Ramses II, Hatshepsut, Tutankamun, et al.

Ancient Tombs: Giza Pyramids & The Valley of Kings. Awestruck by the egyptian pharoahs' obsession on the afterlife.. as soon as he ascends the throne, his people would start work on his Tomb! In the Old Kingdom, they built the giant pyramids. In the New Kingdom period, they dug complex tunnel systems into the mountains @ the Valley of Kings. The ~3,000 y/o original colored wall paintngs are still intact in the KV tombs!! Our Guide did such a good job telling us the Curse of the Mummy that no one dared to go into the tomb of tutankamun! :P While we were at the Valley of the Kings, the workers were still digging as the archeologists believe that there are more tombs and hoping that some would still be untouched by the grave robbers, just like Tutankamun's.

Ancient Temples: Philae Temple (Goddess Isis); Temple of Kom Ombo (Sorbek, the Crocodile God); Edfu Temple (Horus, the Falcon God); Luxor Temple; Karnak Temple; Abu Simbel (Ramses II built for himself & his fav. wife). Can't help but simply amazed at the elegant carvings and details on the Temple walls built thousands of yrs ago... There are books & pictures that simulate and reconstruct what these buildings look like restored in all their glory in Gold and Colors... they are really magnificent!! Makes you wonder how on earth did they manage to construct such awesome structures. Eg: There's a theory that the Sphinx Avenue spans 3km long linking the Luxor Temple and the Karnak Temple. When we were there, the workers wer still digging and finding new sphinxes, and the govt hafta relocated the people to make way for the excavation.

Year of the Rabbit

2011-02-03T21:12:00.001+08:00

恭喜发财! 万事如意!!

Veneer of Vanity

2010-12-29T22:50:00.000+08:00

The regular monthly 2-hourly facials don't seem enough anymore.. :(

Used to supplement the facials with Chemical Peels and was happy with the results of glowing skin :P Just signed up for a package for IPL and microdermabrasion yesterday.. desperate attempts to diminish the signs of aging.. :P

Exotic Egyptian Escapade

2010-12-23T23:18:00.007+08:00

.. and some not so exotic observations.. :P

A messy, dirty, dusty Cairo
There are 'unfinished' buildings everywhere in Cairo, but they're actually occupied.
Petrol only costs EGP2 per litre! Cheaper than a bottle of Perrier!! That's why so many cars on the road!!!
Crossing the roads in Rome/China is child's play compared to crossing one in Cairo
Sandstorm in the Sahara Desert... i was literally (almost) blown away by the strong winds.. and even oversized sunshades couldn't keep the sand particles out of my eyes :(
Tips are EXPECTED for all sorts of services and even the toilets at the places of attractions
Their FASTfood outlets (McD's, Hardees, KFC) are NOT fast at all! :/ But their local fastfood version - Felfela, has fast service and Yummy food :)
The Egyptians don't speak Egyptian anymore.. they speak Arabic and English!
The Egyptians don't go around dressing like what Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) wore.. they wear the local costume and we wouldn't be able to differentiate them from their middle eastern neighbors.. and as you move southwards, you can't differentiate the Nubian tribe from their african neighbors :P
The Egyptians have nice ultra long eyelashes just like the camels.. to keep out the sand/dust from irritating the eyes :)
Sent my WHITE blouse for laundry onboard the river nile cruise, and it came back in a different color - GREY :(

Overall, we enjoyed our 9 days of Egyptian Voyage.. may hafta go back again 10yrs down the road as they are still finding new stuff buried under the sands.. :)

hehe.. will update the wonders of Egypt once i have the full set of fantastic photos from frens' cameras.. ;-)

Bye-Bye Belly Bulge!!

2010-11-27T20:18:00.007+08:00

That's my target in ONE week's time!! Else, i won't be able to fit sveltely into that figure-hugging dress for fren's wedding next saturday!! *bleah* And to lose that 3-inches by year end.. Christmas party season or not!
I remember in my younger days sitting on the train, seeing Office Ladies (OL) in business wear but with an ugly belly bulge.. It's so UNGLAM!!.. and my frens and i swear that we would never become one of them. *shudderz*
The SIGNS are there already that i would well be on my way to be one of those unglam OLs.. Yikes!!.. Have noted for the past few months, in the mornings when deciding what to wear for work, it's becoming a routine of putting on my knitwear tops and then changing again into loose fiting blouses or suits that hide the bulges & love handles. *sighz* Another obvious warning light is that when shopping for clothes at my regular huants, size38 is now TIGHT!! It used to be fitting and sometimes i needed to try size36. *sobz*

Time to Stop being complacent and to Crank Up the intensity of my gym workouts!!
I also reckon that this would be frenlier to my wallet (else i need to overhaul my entire wardrobe *gulpz*)

SPaiN: Extravagant Worship

2010-11-23T21:26:00.002+08:00

The Monastries, Catherals, Mosques... all extravagantly and extremely elaborately designed. Simply takes your breath away how the spanish rulers, architects, pilgrims who spared no efforts in building the perfect/ideal church to worship God.

El Escorial in San Lorenzo

El Escorial was originally designed as a monument to Spain's role as a center of the Christian world. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and school. The coffins of the royal family was kept there too! When you descend down to the basement, could feel the sudden drop in temperature... Luckily, there was constant flow of visitors, so you don't feel the still eerie silence *shudderz*

Mosque in Cordoba
Looking at its unorthodox architectural designs, it really sounds like a story of identity crisis... This Roman Catholic Cathedral was originally built as a Mosque on the place (and partly with materials) of what previously had been a Christian Visigothic Church in the Andalusian city of Córdoba, Spain. It is regarded as perhaps the most accomplished monument of the Umayyad dynasty of Córdoba. After the Spanish Reconquista, it was turned into a church, with a Gothic cathedral inserted into the center of the large Moorish building. Today the entire building is used to house the Cathedral of the diocese of Córdoba in Spain.

La Sagrada Familia
This is my All Time Favorite!!!
Before visiting BCN, i've always thot that this famous 'forever work-in-progress' church looks like a hideous beehive. However, i've since changed my mind after my visit to the cathedral. With the detailed expalanation of the audioguide, you learn to appreciate the ambitious plans that Gaudi had to glorify and worship God. The Church will have three grand façades: the Nativity façade to the East, the Passion façade to the West, and the Glory façade to the South (yet to be completed). In the sanctuary, the pillars are designed to represent the tall trees and branching out at the ceiling. Gaudi was trying to replicate the Forest.. to provide One a sense of spending a prayerful moment with God in the safe sanctuary of the Forest, surrounded by God's beautiful creations. According to the latest update in wikipedia, the church is now availale for regular religious services! =)

Another Sad News...

2010-09-25T15:10:00.003+08:00

..been dreading to receive this news... but it Finally came on tuesday moRning... my ex-boss pAssed away. :(

This is the 2Nd death at the office within the span of 9 mths and both Cases were snr leaders In the organization. *Sighz* It must've been very emotionally draining year for the team in the regional office...

Diagnosed with colon cancer 5 yrs ago and managed to have the disease in remission until ~1yr ago when it came back again.. He's always this gentleman who had this calming effect when you speak with him and seeking his help or counsel on some knotty issues. Despite his deteriorating condition, he ensured S had the emotional support when he struggled thru' his chemo treatment late last yr. When S passed away in late Jan, F was evidently affected (emotionally). When we tried to cheer him up by saying that he could successfully fight the disease again, he merely smiled and replied "Well, in His grace, God has already given me 5 extra yrs... what more can i ask?"...

The last time i spoke to him was juz before i left the company ~mid june... (he was already having problem walking).. where he came to my office to wish me success in the next chapter of my career...

Alliteration: T

2010-09-05T19:32:00.004+08:00

Taming 'Terrible Two' Toddler's Temper Tantrums...

Ungrateful Brats?

2010-08-30T23:23:00.000+08:00

i think S'poreans must have been perceived by the foreigners (particularly those ethnic Chinese in M'sia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Taiwan) as a bunch of ungrateful brats

we whine and complain with petty issues, or at every instance of imperfection, and make sarcastic/flippant comments on the "scholars"

... and perhaps sometimes, in the eyes of others, we're butt of the joke as our government plan to such detailed extent that we are literally spoonfed from cradle to death...

The foreigners however, are almost always in awe, at how efficient the country is managed on clockwork accuracy & meritocracy relative to their home countries. And most times, when they try to make us see why they are so impressed, we quickly dismiss the discussion/debate that we have set a higher benchmark for our government by virtue that the taxpayers' monies go to their "million dollar paychecks".

I've seen the enthusiasm of a new S'porean excitedly looking for opportunities to join the grassroots organizations to contribute to his newly adopted country, yet get lukewarm response from those born & bred S'poreans around him..

it really seem we are now in a state/condition as described by Alexis de Tocqueville more than a century ago on the danger of democracy - "Soft Despotism" Doesn't sound good for S'pore in the long term if we don't do anything to rectify this apathetic attitude...

成都

2010-08-29T11:11:00.000+08:00

It's a quickie 3D2N trip. No chance to explore the city... will definitely come back again for the yummy food, the pandas, and the scenic 九寨沟. Apparently, there are quite a few UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Sichuan Province..

The local cuisine (川菜) is interesting. Almost every dish comes dipped/submerged in a layer of spicy chilli oil!! Conclusion: Spicy, but v. YUMMY! Goes very well with 白酒 =)

The 麻婆豆腐 was very spicy altho we hv requested kitchen to downgrade it to "1 chilli"

Had to order the zucchini dish as a standby juz in case couldn't tahan the "麻辣" :P

Dreamworlds & Music

2010-07-31T12:39:00.003+08:00

INCEPTION
... was kinda worried after reading the reiews that it's a bit of Matrix & Memento.. coz i had a major case of migraine after watching Memento (which is basically watching the movie on reverse mode).. *bleah*
A specialist in corporate mental espionage, Cobb & his team penetrate the minds of their slumbering targets, usually for the purpose of extracting hidden information. But a wealthy client named Saito induces them to try the much more difficult trick known as inception, which involves planting an idea someone else’s mind that will bear fruit in the real world.

Cool movie and the special effects. The plot is not too complicated and relativley easy to follow. :)

Nodame Cantabile: The Finale
Was glad that the hugely popular drama/anime is back on the big screen. The story continues in Paris & Prague. Overall, didn't feel that the side characters in Paris are as lively & funny as those frens back in Japan. Still prefer the crazy bunch back in music school and their efforts in creating an orchestra.

Back to Civilization

2010-07-22T21:04:00.003+08:00

It's been a month since i moved back to the civilization (i.e. CBD) after spending 2yrs in the ultra ulu corner of S'pore.
Hafta get used to the daily commute 'squeeze like sardines' train rides. :/
With my home just a short walk from the mrt, and the office right above the mrt, really couldn't find any logic to drive to work with the exhorbitant ERP charges & Parking charges, and most importantly the stressful start-stop driving on CTE to & fro.
... kinda miss the daily cruise along PIE at dawn.. which can be therapeutic, starting the day with half an hour meditating with the gospel songs on stereo. :)
... i've also just realized the for the past 2 yrs, the heels that i've been buying were getting higher. My feet were cramping by the end of the day after the long period of standing and walking!! *bleah* Gotta buy new working shoes again.. :P
... but getting my daily dose of starbucks and McD's is definitely a welcomed change! =)

Take a Chance!!

2010-06-20T20:09:00.003+08:00

...totally sold by the advertising campaign from Chanel's latest edition of fragrance... " A young woman blessed with happiness embraces life with optimism. She knows how to recognize, seize and hold onto her Chance... " :P

The whirlwind of CHANCE echoes once again and reveals CHANCE EAU TENDRE: pure olfactory poetry, a fruity-floral fragrance, a vibrant yet delicate scent like a wave of tenderness... Grapefruit-Quince notes intertwine with Jasmine Absolute, warmed by the rounded and feminine note of White Musk. A new, irresistible lucky charm, for an optimistic woman who never lets chance passes her by.

... another of my long time favorite is Envy Me created in 2004 for the woman who demands attention. This dazzling blend of sensual pink peony, water jasmine, and pink pepper is melded with the refined blend of lychee, pomegranate, pink musk, white tea, are an attractive heart of the fragrance. The base of envy me is a sandalwood, musk and teakwood. soothing musk, white tea, and warm woods, is guaranteed to make her the object of desire.
Notes: Peony, Jasmine, Pink Pepper, Litchi, Pomegranate, Pineapple, Pink Musk, Seringa, White Tea, Sandalwood, Teakwood, Sensual Musk. Style: Daring. Sexy. Arresting.

Paradise in Plasticine

2010-06-12T23:20:00.006+08:00

Happened to catch on "BBC Knowledge", this series called "James May's Toy Stories". (The premise of the 6-part show was to bring favourite toys of the past into the modern era, by using the toys in real life large scale enterprises. In each episode, he also explores the history of each toy.)

Today's episode focused on Plasticine where he modeled a full-sized garden out of the toy modelling clay Plasticine, as an exhibit in the Chelsea Flower Show. It's a delightfully whimsical display of a Fresh, Fruity, Floral Garden which he named it Paradise in Plasticine... bringing out the Fun and Creativity elements that the inventor of plasticine had intended the toy to be.

Nice!! =)

here's the video. Enjoy! :)

Futile Resistance to Temptation...

2010-06-05T19:57:00.004+08:00

Hmmm.... which one shld i buy???
The Bohemian vs The Idylle vs The LeMarie Tweed Flower ???

Part 2 Movies

2010-05-30T23:13:00.001+08:00

Sex and The City 2

Love the posh GAY Wedding. Very tastefully done, with the live band and Liza Minnelli singing "All the Single Ladies" ;-)

Love the gorgeous dresses worn by the ladies

Samantha's antics were hilarious, Miranda's meticulus planning to ensure all the girls had fun in Abu Dhabi, Charlotte's worry on her bra-less nanny, Carrie's unfounded worry on growing into a 'boring' married life... Overall, an entertaining chick-flick. =)

Ironman 2

Love the Ultra Cool Suitcase MK V Armor!!

The movie seemed to focus alot on Tony Stark and Pepper Potts and the politicians... that overshadowed the fighting against the villian and saving the civilians.

I like Scarlett's undercover spy for S.H.I.E.L.D. - Natalie Rushman :)

... and we still have not learnt our lesson to sit thru' until the end of the credit roll to see the trailer for the next movie/sequel *bleah*

Flying Fantasy: Fairylike Flashing Fireflies

2010-05-25T22:48:00.001+08:00

We went for the fireflies tour along the mangrove while in Bintan. It's just feels so MAGICAL seeing the glowing lights dancing amongst the mangrove trees in the night.

Everyone on the tiny boat was going "oohs" and "ahhs" at the sight of the flickering lights. However, due to the weather and tide conditions, we didn't get to see spectacular synchronized christmas tree lights. :( Will try our luck again when we visit other parts of M'sia or the Philippines... before they are all gone.

The presence of the fireflies indicates a healthy and thriving ecosystem. Researchers in Asia, Europe, and North America are seeing dramatic declines in fireflies in recent years.

Here's a video i managed to find that managed to capture some of the magic:

SunSeaSpa on a Saturday

2010-05-24T18:23:00.012+08:00

... no "Sand" coz the beach @ the resort was 'temporarily closed' for upgrading...

we thot we were smart to avoid the crowd over the long Vesak Day weekend... but little did we realize that there was this high profile Bintan Triathlon on the island!! All the ferries are fully booked, and the rooms too! They even have kids' version of the triathlon! They look really Cool with their bikes and gear.

Luckily, we get to have the pool to ourselves while the triathletes were sweating it out on the other part of the island. =)

Icelandic Impact Intensifies: International Itineraries Interrupted

2010-04-18T12:02:00.007+08:00

Yikes!!! The eruption under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier on Iceland is causing serious impact on a global basis. :(
Geez.. reading the papers this morning on how people around the world are affected by the volcanic eruption from a somewhat quiet part of the world.. not just business travelers are impacted.. wedding plans ruined, a lil' boy's hope for cure with treatment in USA delayed, organ transplant patients' hope dashed..
It's not a problem re-scheduling business meetings and working virtually. It's just a minor inconvenience if you can't have your favorite norwegian smoked salmon, etc from the supermarkets & restaurants, as we can always opt for other cuisines. But i really emphatize with those whose hopes are dashed/delayed... *bleah*

One Step Up

2010-04-11T17:32:00.003+08:00

Finally, baptized on 11 Apr 2010. =)

By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their teachings. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33, 22:16, 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)

Chinese Lesson Today

2010-03-23T22:27:00.004+08:00

The Chinese explain the Art of Listening concisely in just ONE word.

If you break down the character into components:

王 : the King humbling himself (not judging)

耳 : using his ears

十 : Complete

目 : Eyes/ Attention

一 : with One/ Single

心 : Heart

...includes the elements: ear, eye, undivided attention, and heart.

We need to listen to each other carefully and also need to observe non-verbal behaviors that reveal what words may not.... facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, use of touch and other aspects of body language construe perhaps 75–80% of the "communication iceberg."

another catch-phrase for the day:

The Chinese have an equivalent phrase for "Sugercoating" = " 糖衣炮弹"

不能说的秘密

2010-03-17T08:17:00.002+08:00

*bleah*
met up with a headhunter earlier this week... and i ended up feeling awful after that meeting :(
It's an exclusive search and the consultant only revealed the name of the Co. when we met face to face.

i felt awful that evening coz...
~ the current incumbent "X" is still in blissful ignorance
~ "X" is a fren of mine who has been pretty helpful to me when i needed assistance.
~ my chances of being shortlisted would dramatically slide down the preference ranking coz i hv very similar career background/heritage as "X".. it's now become a serious liability in this case... which should not be the case as i've always been proud of my heritage
~ the hiring mgr using such tricks also says quite abit about the leadership style/quality

I couldn't alert "X" as the headhunter kept reminding me to keep it highly highly confidential knowing the circle is ultra small. So now i 'm caught between a rock and a stone. *bleah*
Managed to offload this "不能说的秘密" to another close fren, *phew* feel slightly better now :P Also found out that word is already spreading that this particular co. is looking for a replacement. It's a matter of time the current incumbent finds out.
However, we could only pray that things would turn out well for "X" in this dog-eat-dog world...

Curiouser and Curiouser...

2010-03-08T20:52:00.001+08:00

managed to catch my 1st 3D movie in S'pore ( if u exclude those 3D movies @ Omnimax): Alice in Wonderland

It's not a remake of original story, 19 y/o Alice stumbles back into Underland/Wonderland once again, and this time with a mission to accomplish.

The storyline was pretty ok/interesting, and you see the familar characters. My favorite is the Cheshire Cat =) The blue caterpillar and the "fatboys" (Tweedledum & Tweedeldee) were funny too. :P

However, the 3D effects wasn't that spectacular with the small screen... if you compare with the 3D ride of "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" @ Disneyland.. all everyone screamed and raised our feet high as the rat 'scrambled' below our seats.

Year of the Tiger !!

2010-02-14T00:00:00.001+08:00

恭喜发财! 万事如意!! 主里蒙恩!!! =)

泛贱

2010-02-10T21:02:00.003+08:00

Hmmm... this chinese phrase comes to mind to describe such people who:
~ Takes things for granted, and only regret when it's lost
~ Doesn't treasure what's been given/blessed, and always pining for smthg else that's forbidden/unachievable

Minnie Mouse Missing Modern Manhattan

2010-01-13T21:34:00.005+08:00

Minnie Mouse Missing Modern Manhattan

... The Countryside is slowly losing its charm and quaintness. The City Mouse is getting restless...

The Cycle of Life

2010-01-09T19:23:00.003+08:00

After our mani-pedicure session, and mulling how to spend the rest of the lazy afternoon... determined to stick to our 2010 resolution to shop less and save more... we decided to visit the Science Centre to check out the Body Worlds exhibition! :P

BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life is the latest installment of the groundbreaking anatomical exhibitions by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, and features the human life cycle and aging. The exhibit shows the complexity, resilience, and vulnerability of the human body through anatomical studies of the body in distress, disease, and optimal health.

Visitors are taken on a journey of self discovery, showing the body living through time - at its most radiant, as it changes, grows, matures, peaks and finally wanes. It looks at conception and "aging" during pre-natal development and a homage to the creativity of young people which shows the developing teen brain from infancy and childhood to adolescence.

The primary goal of BODY WORLDS is health education. On the one hand, individual specimens are used to compare healthy and diseased organs, i.e., a healthy lung with that of a smoker, to emphasize the importance of a healthy life-style. On the other hand, life-like posed whole-body plastinates illustrate where in our bodies these organs are positioned and what we are: naturally fragile in a mechanized world.

Really interesting to see the embryos growing at different stages developing into foetus and into a baby at birth. You learn how the human body ages through time. I was particularly impressed with the basketball player, the Rider & the Horse. On the walls, there are commentaries, and constantly reminding the visitors the importance of healthy living. There were always cheeky quotes from famous people on Aging. At the end of the exhibition, there's a quote by Mark Twain: "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." :P

It's a Small Small World!!

2009-12-22T18:00:00.004+08:00

How small can the world get??!!!

The BMW driver whom i mistakenly identified as the one who bumped into my car on a rainy november afternoon... turns out to be a property agent for a couple of my colleagues. And she was actually ferrying one of my overseas colleague who was in town to shop for investment properties that day!! *faintz*

On a rainy/drizzling november afternoon, i was waiting at the IsetanScotts-WheelockPlace junction to turn left to Scotts Road. It was heavy traffic and all the cars were waiting at the junction when i felt a mild jolt. Came down to inspect the car. The lady driver did not bother to come down and merely stared at me. I thot at most it would be merely be some scratches from the BMW's carplate that can be easily buffed off. So i went back to my car and drove off when the traffic light turned green shortly. i only managed to catch SJC8**** when i came down to inspect the bumper. But managed to catch a better view when the black BMW eventually moved in front of me along Stvens Road. So, managed to remember the full carplate #.

After the scary stories told by my workshop.. i filed a claim against that BMW driver... but not 100% sure that i got the right car owner/driver.

Thot my chances of getting the right car owner when SHE finally called me back yesterday to clarify (her insurer notified her of my claim). What's the chances of filling up that last 4 **** turns out to be a female driver.. so very likely that it's that culprit, right?

Met up with her this afternoon... to check the condition of both cars. Judging from the dents and scratches from my bumper, her carplate should have sustained some scratches too. There was barely any scratches on her carplate. Ended up apologizing to her for causing her grief and stress over the past few days when she received notification from her insurer.

And as we were chatting, she was curious about the location of my workplace and office hours... and when i told her the company name, she smiled and commented that it REALLY is a SMALL World!! She was actually ferrying one of my overseas colleague who was in town to shop for some investment properties on that 'fateful' day. And in fact she's a close fren of the wife of one of my colleagues, and has been the property agent for several people in my Company!!

Cute Fluffy Google Doodles

2009-11-09T09:37:00.029+08:00

To celebrate Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary, Google is running a series of google doodles with the favorite sesame street characters.... They are So CUTE!! =)

... but i can only see these doodles when i'm on my Company's server... not on singtel's broadband...

Somewhere In The Middle

2009-10-18T10:56:00.004+08:00

... reflection time ...

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control
Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle

With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar

Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle
... by Casting Crowns

Movie Madness Marathon: 24

2009-10-12T20:40:00.008+08:00

... was recently (last week actually) introduced to the FOX TV series "24", and i've been HOOKED!!! =)

I've heard of the tv series and that it has won some awards... but thot it's those boring gun shooting type of shows that appeal more to the guys. Apparently, it's so successful, it's already moving into the 8th season. 24 is a thriller which is shown in "real-time", with each minute of airtime corresponding to a minute in the lives of the characters, often depicts torture scenes, and often contains unexpected plot twists.
Each Season = ONE Day = 24 HOURs, with each episode being ONE Hour. The scriptwriters are really good, i could never second guess the plot (i'm usually v. good at this)... and Every episode ends with a cliff hanger!!
i'm now halfway thru' with DAY2 (Season 2)... lotsa catching up to do!! :P

Awesome Flashmob Dance

2009-10-03T19:46:00.002+08:00

click on "Hi" definition version.
ENJOY! =)

Macau's Money Making Machines

2009-09-24T22:05:00.003+08:00

Spent a long weekend trip with the gals in Macau recently. Why Macau? ... coz one wants to R&R for spa only; another wants shopping; another wants to explore food; another wants to check out that posh hotel that the Korean F4 shot some of the scenes; and also because majority of us in the grp hv never been to this former portuguese colony... so, that's how we landed up there. :P

We stayed @ The Venetian, of course!
To access to our suite, we hafta walk thru' the casino in order to reach the lifts to our suite. Very smart ploy to tempt the curious visitor, ya?
We were initially very excited for the trip coz thot we could also catch ZAIA by Cirque do Soleil. Unfortunately, they just hafta take a week off exactly on those days that we were there. :(

There's really not much to sightsee in Macau other than the Historic Centre which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. We ate alot of dim sum =). We accidentally chanced upon a stall selling yong taufu type of stuff but with thick curry gravy. It's v. yummy!! *droolz*

Rest of the time was spent shopping @ the shopping galleries of the various hotels-casinos. With the countless times that we were made to walk thru' the casinos, of course, we did try our luck @ the jackpot machines. :P I must say some of the machines have very entertaining graphics and music to hook you. Overheard one of the gamblers grumbling to his fren that he lost CNY30k the previous evening *gulpz* ... that would buy me a Bottega totebag with lotsa spare change!!! Mann... i wonder what kind of profits these casino operators are raking in...

SPooKY

2009-09-18T18:16:00.003+08:00

Geez... that taxi uncle was Spot On!!!

Several weeks ago... when the Hungry Ghost Month just started, i was in this cab from Goodwood Park to Home. The taxi driver took the Mt. Pleasant Rd shortcut to Thomson Rd.... and that's how the conversation on ghost stories started. (Only allowed him to share his ghost stories after we were out of Mt. Pleasant!). Taxi uncle was telling me his encounters, and he declared confidently that it always rain on the 1st day and the last day of that particular month. First day is because it's "tears of Joy", and last day is because it's "tears of Sadness"...

I was skeptical and thot that's quite an entertaining joke, but anyway this tidbit stuck in my head. Yesterday, i was jokingly telling my mom that it's gonna rain today... and that taxi uncle's theory.

It POURED Today!!! *shudderz*

Can't Get It Out of My Mind...

2009-09-09T08:22:00.003+08:00

After watching Coco Before Chanel... got very curious what's so amazing of That Bag... always feel that it looks kinda aunty-ish to me... :P

So, was browsing CC's shoes... when this pair of patent mary-jane caught my eyes!!

Was about to reach for the shoe when i saw an aunty trying out the burgundy colored pair which is also very nice!

But standing there, the 1st thot that occurred to me was if my taste has now become aunty-ish... had to get frens' verification that the mary-jane looks classy :P

!@#%^&#~!

2009-08-31T19:10:00.000+08:00

what's wrong with Blogger lately? :(

Time to Change...

2009-08-17T21:22:00.008+08:00

... a NEW Phone! :P
Have a habit of throwing my phone around, and this evening, the metallic casing popped out when i threw it on the floor!
Hmmm.... should i buy the iPhone now? and switch to Singtel too?

Reading Room

2009-08-16T18:29:00.002+08:00

Twenties Girl

The latest work from Sophie Kinsella.

I didn't really like the Shopaholic series, but i enjoy the other books written by her.

This latest book, altho' it's supposed to be a ghost story, it's written in her witty & funny manner... very entertaining, it's not scary at all. :Pp

Can imagine this story being adapted into a movie.. hehe =)

NoTHiNG To HiDe...

2009-08-06T20:14:00.001+08:00

... it's the latest tv campaign by Air New Zealand, and i like their new in-flight safety demo "Bare Essentials of Safety".

V. Refreshing!! =)

Here's the link to the videos:

Alliteration: Q

2009-07-24T08:13:00.001+08:00

Found this in someone else's blog... NICE! =)
Queenie's Quirky Quilt: a Quartet of Quizzically Quacking Quails

Nobody

2009-06-30T20:47:00.003+08:00

... a runaway success that's been topping the charts across asia since Q3'2008... now even my STEP class instructor is ditching Rihanna's "Umbrella" for this track! :Pp

[Original version]

So successful that they have also released an English version very recently =)

Football Fan: FC Barcelona

2009-06-21T07:05:00.010+08:00

Oh le le!! Oh la la!!
Ser del Barça és el millor que hi ha!!!
(English translation: "Ole! Ole! Being a Barça fan, is the best there is!!")
WooHoo!! We were in BCN on the actual day of the UEFA Champions League Final. The Spanish crowd were already preparing to have a party @ 2230hr @ Plaza Catalunya. Sea of Blue & Red t-shirts all over the place. As our hotel was just off the P. Catalunya... the crowd packed the entire street until the wee hours in the morning ~3am.

The next evening, we went to Camp Nou to buy the Jersey but ended up gatecrashing the team's Victory Party @ the stadium. The atmosphere of 100,000 pple cheering and chanting is Awesome!! =)

And when the star player, Lionel Messi, came out to the field, the entire Stadium was chanting "M-e-s-s-i!! M-e-s-s-i!!" non-stop and bowing to him ala "All Hail The King" posture.

WoW!! You'll never get to see this kind of passion in SG soccer scene... and we got to join the party for FREE... no need to pay entrance fee... Priceless!! :P

Here's the English translation of FCB's Anthem (El Cant del Barça):

Splendid Spanish Sojourn

2009-06-20T19:24:00.000+08:00

Quite an interesting trip this time round as we play by ear and go with the flow as things turn out.

1st,we missed our connecting flight from Frankfurt to Madrid. Thank goodness the next available flight was 2hrs later. Then, the luggage didn't appear on the conveyor belt for baggage claims in Madrid. Prepared for worst case scenario of not receiving luggage in the evening, we went shopping immediately after check-in! Thank goodness the luggage arrived in the evening after dinner! *phew*

Gosh! I've never visited so many monastries, cathedrals, mosques, convents within a short period of 2 weeks... and that's just what we managed to cover in Spain... all those that are classified UNESCO World Heritage sites. =) Those amazing architectures, with designs showing coexistence of christian, jewish, moorish influence.

Another 1st: Watching Bullfighting in one of the world's oldest bullrings. Once is enough... Watching 6 bulls killed by 3 metadores and their entourage within 2 hrs... no more appetite for beef for the rest of the trip. *bleah*

The most exciting part of the trip has to be in Barcelona! =) On the day we arrived, it was the UEFA Chaimpions League Final between FC Barcelona & Man U. The Barça fans were estactic when their favorite team thrashed Man U 2-0. The street below our hotel was jammed pack as they celebrate into the wee hours in the morning. The next day, we went to Camp Nou to buy the FCB jerseys, and ended up gatecrashing the team's Victory Party =)

The quirky buildings by Gaudi left a lasting impression especially the La Sagrada Familia... and Dali's Museum was fun too. =)

Price Tags

2009-05-13T19:20:00.002+08:00

I'm perplexed... WHY and HOW can some women strut around the streets in their sexy heels and actually forget to remove the price stickers from the shoes??! It's So Un-Glam... that sticker just Drags Down the 'glam factor' no matter how pretty the woman is or how smart she dresses. *shakez head*

Heh heh.... Apparently, not even "Desperate Housewife" Eva Longoria is immune to wardrobe malfunctions :P
(source: www.dailymail.co.uk)

Popcorn Combo

2009-05-12T18:38:00.002+08:00

Red Cliff (赤壁)

Watched both parts 1 & 2. Now, i've got slightly better aquainted with the famous characters in the ancient Three Kingdoms period... particularly Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮). He's always portrayed as an exceptional military strategist and a multi-talented man. He seems very knowledgeable about everything and anything! In the movie, he even helped the mother horse through a difficult delivery; could predict the weather (even better than our meteological centre), and well versed in medical science and Fengshui!! The movie was beautifully made, and made the audience impressed with the brilliant military tactics.

I think i really should go kinokuniya and check out the comic versions of The Art of War and also the Three Kingdoms era... figured that this would be more readable than those Chinese classic format. :P

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

... not exactly a fanatic fan... but have been aware of the existence of this marvel comic series since school days. The guys would eagerly wait for each new instalment, and would carefully put the comic back into the original wrapper after reading. Didn't understand why such obsession then. :P Got hooked on X-Men because of Wolverine a.k.a. Hugh Jackman (actually). ;p This latest instalment of the movie tries to give a perspective of the origins, and why Wolverine became such a character... i enjoyed the movie, tho' there are many flaws in the sotryline when you are an x-men fanatic. *Shrugz*

p.s. remember to sit thru' the entire movie until the credit rolling ended... for the akan datang trailers ;-)

The Mom Song

2009-05-10T19:29:00.001+08:00

Alliteration: K

2009-05-09T11:49:00.002+08:00

Ken & Kieren, in Kilts, Knocked-out & Kidnapped Kissing Kangaroos from Kansas...

hot! Hot!! HOT!!!

2009-04-18T19:11:00.008+08:00

The thermometer reading in the car was 34.1ºC this afternoon!
It's getting hotter this past week...

.... and I Am Melting!! *bleah*

It's Easter!

2009-04-12T09:17:00.002+08:00

Romans 5:20-21

Where sin abounded, Grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so Grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sarah's Surprise Visit

2009-04-05T13:31:00.000+08:00

The tone of Y's email to all was kinda unusual as she initiated a dinner gathering for quick catchup with each other. Strings of emails followed from the rest of us speculating that she's pregnant again/or got a promotion and gonna make an official announcement to us on Friday. :P Y didn't deny nor acknowledge the speculations, but it's unusual of her to insist that those who can't make it, try to cancel other prior appointments on friday evening... and was v. fast in making the restaurant reservation (which is not her usual style)... hmmm.. v. suspicious... she's definitely up to smthg...

All of us were pleasantly surprised to find our dear fren, S, joining us for dinner! =) It was a v. rushed trip for her.. rushing back to SG to spend time with her dad who was going for a surgery. And she had to leave the 2 young kids @ home with G in melbourne. Time really flies! The last time the 7 of us were present at the same time was ~5 yrs ago! The 7 of us grew up together since JC days... the rowdy bunch in our JC class. :P
We spent the precious 4hrs with her updating on what each other are up to, and taking photos :P Mann... we really miss moments like these.

Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)

2009-03-23T20:45:00.002+08:00

Hooked on the soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire =)
Here're 2 versions:
(i) The original from the movie when the credits were rolling

(ii) The slutty version by The Pussycat Dolls :P

(Jai Ho, Jai Ho)
I got shivers,
When you touch away,
I’ll make you hot,
Get all you got,
I’ll make you wanna say

(Jai Ho, Jai Ho)
I got fever,
Running like a fire,
For you I will go all the way,
I wanna take you higher
I keep it steady uh-steady,
That’s how I feel it.
This beat is heavy, so heavy,
You gonna feel it.

You are the reason that I breathe,
You are the reason that I still believe,
You are my destiny,
Jai Ho! Uh-uh-uh-oh!
No there is nothing that can stop us
Nothing can ever come between us,
So come and dance with me,
Jai Ho! (oohh)

Catch me, catch me, catch me, c’mon, catch me,
I want you now,
I know you can save me, come and save me,
I need you now.
I am yours forever, yes, forever,
I will follow,
Anywhere in anyway,
Never gonna let go.

Jai Ho Jai Ho
Escape away,
I’ll take you to a place,
This fantasy of you and me,
I’ll never lose my chance. (Jai Ho)
Yeaahhhh

I can feel you,
Rushing through my veins,
There’s an notion in my heart,
I will never be the same.

Just keep it burnin’, yeah baby,
Just keep it comin’, (Jai Ho)
You’re gonna find out baby,
I’m one in a million.

You are the reason that I breathe,
You are the reason that I still believe,
You are my destiny,
Jai Oh! Uh-uh-uh-oh!

No there is nothing that can stop us
Nothing can ever come between us
So come and dance with me,
Jai Ho! (oohh) (Hear me its destiny)

Catch me, catch me, catch me, c’mon, catch me,
I want you now,
I know you can save me, come and save me,
I need you now.
I am yours forever, yes, forever,
I will follow,
Anywhere in anyway,
Never gonna let go.

Jai Ho, Jai Ho, Jai Ho

I need you,
Gonna make it,(Jai Ho)
I’m ready,
So take it!

You are the reason that I breathe,
You are the reason that I still believe,
You are my destiny,
Jai Oh! Uh-uh-uh-oh!

No there is nothing that can stop us,
Nothing can ever come between us,
So come and dance with me,
Jai Ho! (oohh)

Jai Ho! Baila baila! Jai Ho!

一切完美

2009-03-20T23:48:00.001+08:00

A story revolving the life of a Plastic Surgeon.
It's a HAPPY Ending =)
Here's the link to watch the videos if u hv missed it on Channel U :)

放了爱 ~郭美美

你指向远方爱情很晴朗
笑问不如今后就我们俩
怕泪会反光钻进你的胸膛
但那不是感动是泪无法储藏

把美梦锁上以为是天堂
羽翼折起在你身边静静躺
却只能用目光在空中翱翔
还得乔装安份靠在你肩膀

放了爱为了爱
这不是我该怎么生活
放了爱

你说你喜欢我笑得开朗
你越温柔我越不想撒谎
我已办不到你想要的那样
客气地配合你我感觉更勉强

别人的幸福何必要模仿
心不在何苦留躯壳在身旁
加满自由我要无重量飞翔
就算以分离收场

放了爱为了爱
这不是我该怎么生活
放了爱会明白
有种拥有叫做放手

我的心为爱流离失所
紧握最后回家的线索
等到寻获真正的我
证明我决定没有错

放了爱为了爱
这不是我想要的生活
放了爱你会明白
有种拥有叫做放手
放了爱放了爱

许愿树

Bear Naked Pole Dancer !!

2009-03-13T23:07:00.002+08:00

Ooh la la.... ;-)

Rainy Days...

2009-03-09T14:40:00.004+08:00

... no mood to work ... :P

..productivity level is ultra low today ... *bleah*

Popcorn Combo

2009-03-08T22:55:00.002+08:00

Marley & Me
This movie is an adaptation of the autobiography by John Grogan, a columnist, of his labrador. The doggie has its own unique character. We followed the story on how the couple decided to have a pet dog, and how their lives have changed with this family member, until it dies of old age.
It was a feel good comedy, until Marley's death towards the end of the movie... brought back buried memories of our own experience when Adelaide, and FiFi died. It's really traumatic to see your pet dog die, especially having them during your growing up years. :(

Slumdog Millionaire

Watched the movie coz we were curious why it won 8 Academy Awards. Was expecting to have subtitles... but there was none. The plot is interesting as the Qns asked in the "Who Wants to be a Millionire" Game happened to coincide with specific incidents that Jamal encounted and he was able to answer most of them, and the last 2 Qns were Lucky Guesses!

Find it weird to have indian kids in the slum speaking perfect English! At the end of the movie, you walk away with this feeling that it's a nice movie but at the same time, noted that the movie picked out most of the negative stereotypes of what we view india. But i like the ending where they had the traditional typical group dancing. :P

Anyhow, now i remember the names of The Three Musketees: Athos, Porthos, Aramis =)

Suspect X (容疑者Ｘの献身)

This is the movie version of the popular japanese drama "Detective Galileo". The brainy and handsome physicist is always helping the police to solve mysterious cases that seem to be illogical or supernatural to the layman, with scientific logic. This time, it's about the devotion of the mathematician who helped his pretty neighbor to build a strong alibi when the police tracked her down on the the death of her ex-husband. The audience knew from the beginning that she murdered her ex-husband, and throughout the entire show, you'd think it's a battle of wits for Prof Yugawa (Galileo) to solve how the mathematician did it. However, i like the Twist in storyline when Galileo was spot on with his hypothesis!

Popcorn Combo

2009-02-26T21:11:00.002+08:00

K-20 怪人二十面相・伝 (K-20: Kaijin Niju-Menso)

In Fictional capital city Teito where aristocrats continue to thrive since the 19th century, there is a wide gap between rich and poor. However, there are rumours of a mysterious thief who only steals from the rich and also in incredible ways. People call him K-20, short for Kaijin Niju-Menso.

Thoroughly enjoyed the movie! Takeshi Kaneshiro (金城武) is the lead actor and he was pretty entertaining throughout the entire movie. =) He's acting here is much better than in Warlords where he seems "woody" when compared with Jet Li and Andy Lau.

I like the lead actress too - Takako Matsu (松たか子). She acted in the popular japanese serial "HERO" too.

Yes Man
Funny movie by Jim Carrey. Enjoyed it coz it's not too much slapstick like what you'd expect from a Jim Carrey show. =)

Here's what Jim's take about the message of Yes Man. "I think it's not only a funny movie, but I think you really believe the love story and the friendships and so I think there's a lot to walk away with. But I guess the only thing is if there is a message, it's just engage in life. You know, say yes more than you do no, maybe a little bit more than you did before, and life kind of turns out all right. Usually you regret the things you say no to."

Personally, I AGREE with him about the being "engaged in life". However, i think saying YES or NO is alright, just don't regret it later on. Sometimes it's hard to say NO to someone, so you say YES just to please that someone.. and you end up being miserable/awkward/ upset.. if that's the case, then it's not worth it.

Horrendous Statistics...

2009-02-20T23:07:00.002+08:00

... looking at such graphs can literally make your heartbeat fluctuate wildly as you listen to the economist's perspective on the current economic crisis... the worst is yet to come! *shudderz* throughout the entire 1hr or so, he painted a bleak picture for at least the next 18-24mths. :(

All the charts flashed were equally dramatic, with the last quarter of 2008 falling off the cliff sharply downwards to new lows. The only graph that shows the other direction was the unemployment rates rising sharply UP in Q4'2008.

... it's SCARY ...

The Sound of Music

2009-02-13T07:30:00.005+08:00

... the antique hifi system finally went kaput last weekend.. I'm Missing the voices of the crazy duo on Class95's Morning Express and the music *bleah* It has already become a habit to have the radio ON the moment i wake up.. feels like smthg's missing without the music.
No wonder i've been so efficient is getting ready to work this past week, just so i could get into the car earlier. Hehe.. reminds me of the ad sometime ago when there was a blackout and the dude was rushing as if it's an emergency to his car just to catch his favorite song. :Pp
Have ordered the pretty white color SONY Hi-Fi system that comes with iPod dock.. hehe.. finally joing the iPod club. :Pp Hopefully, i can collect my new toy this weekend...

Year of the Ox

2009-01-26T08:08:00.000+08:00

Year of the OX ! =)

Here's Wishing Everyone an OX-spicious, BULLish NIU Year !!

Huh? Recession?!

2009-01-21T07:40:00.005+08:00

Probably because CNY's round the corner... Orchard Road is still as crowded with shoppers. The Car Grooming Shop's fully booked on weekends, he's even open for biz on sundays to cope with the overwhelming demand. The Hairstylist's schedule is booked back-to-back. The Asethetic Dr's schedule is also very packed! Thank goodness i've managed to clear all the errands before CNY. =)

It's been pretty puzzling... It seems like a section of the population have not felt the impact of the current crisis. With all the cautionary notes from HQ and restructuring exercises going on, the mood in the industry has been sombre and i've already tapered down my spending habits these past few months. However, frens who work in the civil service are still merrily discussing their expectation of salary increase and 3 months performance bonus!!? *pengz* Some have frankly admitted that the current crisis remains as "reading articles from the papers", but don't understand (and probably never comprehend) the impact of what's going on in the private sector and globally.

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps...

2009-01-17T22:00:00.004+08:00

You won't admit you love me.
And so how am I ever to know
You always tell me
Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

A million times I've asked you,
And then I ask you over
Again, You only answer
Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

If you can't make your mind up,
We'll never get started.
And I don't wanna wind up
Being parted,
Broken-hearted.
So if you really love me,
Say yes
But if you don't, dear
Confess
And please don't tell me
perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

If you can't make your mind up,
We'll never get started.
And I don't wanna wind up
Being parted
Broken-hearted
So if you really love me,
Say Yes.
But if you don't, dear
Confess.
And please don't tell me
Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps,
Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps,
Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps

Moving into 2009

2009-01-11T21:29:00.006+08:00

Hmmm... noted that the gym has been pretty crowded these past 2 weekends. Hehe... these people must have made resolutions to keep fit in 2009. :P (Actually, it's a trend over the years to see a spike in participation in the gym during the 1st 2 months of the new year).

Here's what i've drawn up for myself, the list of things to accomplish in 2009:

Learn something!
# Pastry Class (@ The Patissier)
# Tap Dancing (@ The Jitterbugs)
# Basic Photography (@ Objectifs)... still considering if i shld invest in a DSLR
... this is the list i have so far... will add on as i go along =) but definitely not going for those heavy duty professional courses :P

More Sports!
# pick up Tennis again
# pick up Roller Blading again
... realized that the weekend sessions @ the gym is not sufficient. Hafta add in more cardio sports to burn all those calories...

Buy Property!
... time to stop playing monopoly with the kidz and start on the lookout for good buys on REAL Properties. =)

Continue to Keep a Journal!
... last year, i started keeping a journal on my prayer requests and when those prayers were answered. The journal provided Great Comfort and assurance in the Faithulness of God, and the Promises of God. Will continue to keep the journal, and also to be diligent on biblestudy. This year's theme @ the pulpit is : The Pursuit of Godliness. :)

Continue to Explore Exotic Destinations!
... as part of the travel plans in 2009. =) Likely to target 2 long trips and 2 short getaways.. Will try to add on more UNESCO World Heritage Sites to my list. =)

... CouNTiNG DoWN & ReFLeCTioNS ...

2008-12-31T20:21:00.007+08:00

Mannn... 2008 has zoomed past so fast.. we're counting down to 2009 already?!?!

The past 12 months have been quite an adventure:

# Seeing the investment shrunk dramatically, wiping out whatever profits that i've made over the past 3-4 yrs :( *heartache*

# Used to being chaufeurred around, and enjoying the convenience of the public transport... now, i've got no excuse and sometimes ended up being arrowed as the chaufeur *stressed* :/ But then again, enjoyed the freedom and mobility, and it helps to clear the mind when cruising on the highway with music On out Loud. :P

# Brought back to earth after leaving the hotshot, snobbish banking industry to join the down-to-earth manufacturing industry. Totally refreshing. :)

# A change in lifestyle habits like waking up early before dawn and having 3 proper meals daily. Totally different from what i've been used to in my entire working life, given my reputation of being notoriously late for early breakfast meetings. :P Have now learnt to appreciate that It's actually a pretty peaceful way to start a new day driving to work and enjoying the beautiful sky as the day breaks. :) And i've put on weight (Yikes!) due to the proper meals.. :P

.. lemme sleep on what i've set my sights on for 2009.. tell u tmr ;-)

Christmas Isn't Christmas...

2008-12-21T12:26:00.015+08:00

Christmas isn't Christmas till it happens in your heart
Somewhere deep inside you is where Christmas really starts
So give your heart to Jesus, you'll discover when you do
That it's Christmas, really Christmas for you

Jesus brings warmth like a winter fire
A light like a candle's glow
He's waiting now to come inside
As He did so long ago
Jesus brings gifts of truth and life
And makes them bloom and grow
So welcome Him with a song of joy
And when He comes you'll know

That Christmas really Christmas
Christmas really Christmas
Christmas really Christmas for you

The Dressing Room

2008-12-07T13:36:00.001+08:00

Hmmm... this "walking mannequin" thingy has been happening to me quite regularly... and i'm beginning to wonder if it happens to me only?
It happened to me more regularly when i'm travelling and shopping around the shopping districts. It happened in UK, in Australia, in Tokyo, in Vietnam, and even in S'pore! I'd be casually browsing around the store, and i'll get a request by strangers to wear an item (dress, jacket, top, house robe, etc), so that they can guage if the item would the wife/daughter/granddaughter who is about the same build as me.
One bizzare case was actually @ Warehouse store in S'pore: this lady was undecided between 2 bracelets, and asked for my opinion which should she buy (and she's trying to limit her shopping quota to only ONE bracelet). After giving her my opinion, i continued to shop around, and 10 mins later she came back to me (even tho' there were other shoppers around!) and insisted that i wear the 2 bracelets and let her better visualize the effects.. and then alas! she still couldn't make up her mind, and then she decided to engage the opinion of another shopper (with me still wearing the bracelets) *pengz* I was so thankful when my phone rang and i hurriedly took off the bracelets, and apologizing that i need to go for my dinner appointment. *phew*

DaNang * Hue * HoiAn

2008-12-04T18:58:00.064+08:00

Đà Nẵng. Stayed at the Furama Resort in DaNang. The sandy white beach, the nice infinity pool... unfortunately, it's the wrong season for sunbathing in bikinis coz the weather's too cool, temperature hovering arond 19-23ºc.. *brrrr* However, we did go jogging on the beach in the early mornings... many uncles playing frisbee and water soccer, and aunties dipping in the COLD Water. Enjoyed the morning jogs in the cool 20ºc temperature... literally NO SWEAT! =)
We did try to be a lil' bit more adventurous with the local cuisine... loved the delicious Phở bò, the shrimp pancakes, springrolls (realized that it's Safer to stick with the fried version coz didn't like the 'weird' taste of some of the ingredients they added to the fresh springroll which is different the version we have in S'pore), banana dessert, vietnamese coffee (goes very well with chocolate cake)... but after 3 days of beef noodles, we were so happy juz to have the normal western fair. :P

Huế. Had a day of History class on our day trip to the ancient capital of Vietnam !! Huế (i think the pronunciation is similar to "回") was the national capital until 1945. Learnt about the heavy influence of the Chinese Ming Dynasty on the Nguyễn Dynasty. The knowledgeable guide shared juicy gossips of the 17 vietnamese kings, how the Việt cộng, the French, the Americans played their part in contributing to the destruction of the vietnamese forbidden city. The UNESCO folkz are currently working on the restoration of the remaining parts of the citadel. After the day trip, we learnt that the vietnamese language has 6 intonations & 6 different meanings for each 'word', vs the chinese which has 4. We also learnt that the chief architect of the Forbidden City in Beijing was a Vietnamese, and how the áo dài was designed the way it is ... a combination of the Chinese Cheongsam & the wide ChangAm costume.

Hội An. Another UNESCO World Heritage site. It used to be a busy trading port. Love the quaint old architecture. There's this famous "Japanese Covered Bridge" with a mix of Japanese-Chinese influence in its design. Totally obsessed with the CoLoRFuL LaNTeRNS!! =) There are many tailor shops and their turnaround time for a dress is ~2hrs. Impressive. There also nice cafes playing cool jazzy french music... quite a nice way to relax and enjoy the vietnamese coffee. Nice! =)

Popcorn Combo: Quantum of Solace

2008-11-18T19:55:00.004+08:00

Quantum of Solace
For once, Agent 007 didn't do any fast speed chasing in his flashy Aston Martin. I guess, those who rated the movie thumbs down probably coz there were not enough fancy gadgets to impress. Other than the hi-tech computer systems and his impressive Sony Ericsson, there's no other boy toys. :P This time round, it's more about emotions and finding who you can Trust. For once, he didn't bonk the lead actress. :P Personally, i find this instalment okay and watchable. :)
Was yakking in the VW/Audi car forum, and found out from one of the James Bond fans that this movie is actually the follow up of Casino Royale, and the reason why Bond is more human as compare to all the older titles is because Casino Royale is the very 1st title Ian Fleming wrote and it's about how Bond became the Bond we knew of today and why he cannot, or should we say afraid to commit in a relationship. Actually, there are only 12 novels and 1 short story collections (a second collection was published posthumously) ever written by Ian Fleming himself.
1953 Casino Royale
1954 Live and Let Die
1955 Moonraker
1956 Diamonds Are Forever
1957 From Russia with Love
1958 Dr. No
1959 Goldfinger
1960 For Your Eyes Only - short stories
1961 Thunderball
1962 The Spy Who Loved Me
1963 On Her Majesty's Secret Service
1964 You Only Live Twice
1965 The Man with the Golden Gun
1966 Octopussy and The Living Daylights - short stories

Alliteration: Z

2008-11-16T14:01:00.005+08:00

Zillion Zany Zebras Zooming Zigzag in Zimbabwe Zoo

Dreamy Smile =)

2008-11-10T18:12:00.005+08:00

... Mannn, it really feels like a scene out of those corny korean dramas!

and i'm still kinda freaked out by my own psychic capability... =)

Obama Officially Occupies Oval Office

2008-11-05T18:25:00.006+08:00

WooHoo! Barack Obama is the 1st USA President of Afro-American descent. A significant milestone in American history. His life and family seems to epitomize what America hopes to be known... good mixture/almagmation of ethnicities, educated, picture perfect. The Americans are ready for CHANGE! :)

In the face of the staggering list of problems in the current economic crisis, Let's hope this new charismatic leader brings a brighter future for his countrymen. :)

Puppets' Playful Perspective on Politics, Purpose, & Porn

2008-11-01T20:24:00.006+08:00

... on Avenue Q.

Avenue Q is an adult version of Sesame Street. Grew up with diet of sesame street shows on weekends, so was very curious what's in store for us in Avenue Q...

It's Hilarious with it's politically incorrect content, and outright openness on some of the topics.

Unlike the wholesome Sesame Street, there's Nudity, Four-Letter words, topics on homosexuality, racism, porn, one-night stands, finding Purpose in Life, etc.

I'm also very impressed with the excellent performance of the cast, and they can really sing and not get confused with the different puppets! :) The filipino actor/actress did a really good job in the accent as Gary Coleman (the child actor from Diff'rent Strokes).

Some of my favorites moments/scenes:

# Princeton broke off with Kate, coz he wants to find his purpose in life 1st before commintment to a relationship. Then one day he brought Lucy (the slut) back for a one-night stand, and bumped into kate. Kate sarcastically asked Princeton: "So, is her name Purpose?"

# Kate was singing the advance technology of internet and how it has improved our lives, and we have Trekkie Monster popping up to emphasize that Internet is for Porn, and totally grossing Kate out with his demo. :P

# Counting Numbers: they started flashing the counting numbers one by one, and everyone thot it's something like Count Dracula does, and were waiting eagerly.... until it hits 20... "20 minutes intermission!" *Pengz* Another scene was they flashed picture of "5 Night Stands" (the small table beside the bed), and then take away 4 of them to announce "1 Night Stand".. before continuing the scene of Princeton & Lucy (the slut) in his apartment. :P

It's so enjoyable, we didn't realized that 2.5 hrs have passed so quickly! Nice! :)

STReSSeD !!!

2008-10-23T20:08:00.003+08:00

It's been a pretty stressful October so far...
# staff went on Maternity Leave ahead of schedule coz baby couldn't wait to meet mummy & dad... we didn't even have a proper Handover!! I'm lagging behind schedules on almost all the projects, and new problems/issues keep popping up!!! :(
# have been waking up @ 5.30am every morning so that i can reach office by 7am... but still unable to finish the unending pile of work *sighz*
# boss decided to have an impromptu meeting/training session for the team in the region, and including the saturday which was my dear sister's wedding. So stressful, sending my car (bridal) for grooming and attending the intensive, braincells draining training sessions the entire week. *bleah*
# blurr sotong me, scratched a neighbor's car when trying to reverse into a parking lot... left my contact # on his wiper, and then end up sleepless after hearing horror stories from frens & relatives how nasty some car owners can get. *bleah* (thank goodness, it turned out that the car owner was very frenly and reasonable *phew*) And then hafta get the bumper repainted in time for sis' wedding.
# they keep sending me back to Jurong Island for meetings!! 1st time, i took a taxi from office since it's only a 2-hr meeting. 2nd time, my boss offered to be the chauffeur. This time round, no excuse liao... heheh.. managed to figure out how to drive myself to Sakra. Yay! It's a real sense of achievement! It wasn't that bad afterall. :P
.... Hmmm... i reckon it's time to hit the Beach and Spa ...

Stirred & Shaken in the Game of GREED

2008-10-11T21:36:00.002+08:00

"A global economy purely run on greed. Consumer greed, company greed and market greed."

Found this posting by another blogger when i was trying to find a picture on "GREED"

In the month of September 2008, catastrophic news from 2 corners of the earth shook the rest of the world... and sets everyone thinking Man's insatiable greed and when will we ever learn from history?:

(1) the extent chinese businessmen would go to to earn an extra dollar without any conscience!

Was that pure ignorance that they didn't know the harmful effects of melamine on young babies who rely on the formula milk for their daily meals? But yet they are resourceful/sophisticated enough to anlayze that adding melamine helps to fake the protein contents in the raw milk?? They must have their own children/nephews/nieces, ya? Sometimes, i can't help but onder if the communist past meeting the shift to capitalistic society has unwittingly created new generations of greedy people hungry for material wants and success?

The tainted milk saga has since spread to other food products that has tainted milk solids as ingredients. Thank goodness, having worked in Fonterra before, i understand its supply chain and production process and am assured that their products are using 100% NZ raw milk ingredients, and will faithfully buy Anlene, Chesdale Cheese, Anchor butter, and its stable of power brands. The most ironic thing is... Fonterra has never actively promote its infant formula or attempt to capture a market share of this lucrative segment. It has always advocate WHO guidelines and believe that mother's breastmilk is the most nutritious for the babies (that's why focusing on maternal mother's health with Anmum brand). Yet, its the infant formula of its Chinese JV partner that got into trouble... *bleah*

(2) the extent the hotshot wall street bankers and greedy investors speculate in the money markets, property markets, commodities markets, until the bubble finally burst.

Absolutley not sympathetic for the banks that went bust, and those bankers who lost their jobs. They lived the high life when things were 'boomtown charlie'.The spate of bankrupties and bialout plans by central banks in Europe and USA, these past 2 weeks seem surreal... and reports by the media did not let up on playing up "FEAR" into the rest of the world, making everyone jittery. I'm just very concerned of the rest of the world, those ordinary folkz who are already struggling to make a decent living and now being struck by the ripple effects of the credit crisis. :(

Hmmm... it seems like the world has SHRUNK... everyone's impacted by (1) and (2) one way or the other..

eCoNoMiCS

2008-10-10T23:00:00.000+08:00

Mannn... i think it's Payback Time for skipping my Econs Classes during my JC. :( It's back to "Haunt" Me!!! This time, in a BiG way... got myself involved in an organization which is a firm believer of the Free Market, and the economics principles.

During my student days, i always feel very perplexed why would intelligent people spend so much time creating theories on commonsensical things and make everything looks so complex. It's only after working in the real world that i begin to appreciate the applications of these economic theories. I was pleasantly surprised that i actually enjoyed the micro and macro economics modules in grad school. :P

It's a paradigm shift from what most other organizations expect from my type of role. And now, I'm supposed to be the Guru who incorporates the economics principles of the free market into my field of specialization and translate into layman langguage for the senior mgrs. Now, I hafta educate the senior folkz to apply the economic principles instead of spoonfeeding them with information and technical analyzes. This way, they are accountable for the decisions they made instead of turning around and point the finger "XXX says so" when things go wrong.

...Have been reading my econs notes/texts religiously the past few months... *bleah*

Superb Streetracing at Stupefying Speed in Singapore

2008-09-29T22:05:00.007+08:00

Singapore just added another "World's 1st" to its collection -- World's 1st F1 Grand Prix Night Race.
Have always feel that F1 is an extravagant sport wasting high-octane petrol and burning expensive rubber. Could never appreciate the excitement when fren went ga-ga celebrating Michael Schumacher's crash. All the discussions about team strategy for each race, etc juz flew past over my head. Only vaguely remember some of the familar names like K.Räikkönen, L.Hamilton, D.Coulthard, F.Alonso, M.Häkkinen, F.Massa, etc. Thot it's a Boring game with the deafening roar of the race cars going round and round the circuit.
Was pleasantly surprised that i was actually glued to the TV set with all those drama throughout the race! :Pp The race was full of surprises, and the supposedly obvious favorites did not win.
Our Prime Minister was brimming with pride last evening with the success of the event. Kudos to the organizers and their staff. Can see all the effort from all fronts making sure that hiccups are minimized. Well Done! :)

Maneki Neko 招き猫

2008-09-14T09:24:00.004+08:00

You see them everywhere in Japan! I like those with smiley eyes, look more mischievious and cute. =)

Have always thot that these cats (Maneki Neko) are symbols of good fortune for the superstitious businessmen, and these cats are primarily for bringing prosperity to the business. Didn't realize that there are actually many varieties of the cats and meaning of each version! Interesting...

Popcorn Combo

2008-09-13T20:16:00.011+08:00

Aibô gekijô-ban (相棒-劇場版- 絶体絶命!)

Aibo is a popular detective drama on Japanese television and the seventh season will premiere on October 2008. Starting out in 2002 as a hugely popular TV drama on TV Asahi the big screen adaptation of “Aibô” follows Metropolitan Police Dept. partners Ukyo Sugishita and Kaoru Kameyama (played by Yutaka Mizutani and Yasufumi Terawaki respectively) as they take on another case that the day-to-day cops just can’t crack. In this movie version, the duo pit their chess skills with the killer. Quite a touching ending.

Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis

The title in English "Welcome to the Sticks" (literally in French, it means "Welcome to the Land of the Ch’tis"), a comedy about French regional stereotypes.

The movie, follows a southerner (Philippe Abrams) who, on orders from his company, moves to the Nord Pas de Calais region bordering Belgium. He dreaded the relocation, on the highway,he was booked for road hogging @ 30km/h. When the traffic police learnt that he's wasn't really excited to reach his destination, gave Philippe his sympathy and waived the summon. :P When he 1st arrived at the town, Philippe was sad and miserable, but once he’s able to communicate with the locals — who speak an impossible-to-understand French dialect — he discovers that the Ch’tis are a kind-hearted bunch, after all.

Nice movie to watch, with the typical european sense of humor. :)

Autumn in Shanghai

2008-09-12T20:07:00.021+08:00

It's been almost 4 yrs since my last visit to Shanghai. Earlier this year, was even toying with the idea of working in this city if there's a suitable opportunity... A 2nd visit to the city and still find that some things have not changed that much actually...
Taxis in Shanghai...
At the taxi stand @ Arrival Hall, a Taxi driver was arguing Loudly with the airport staff... altho dressed in shirt (rolled up to elbow) and pants (rolled upto calf) he looked so fierce and like a ruffian, i would be very hesitant to board his cab. Thank goodness, we were not next in the queue. *phew*. The taxi that we got assigned to, Got seat belt but No Buckle for the rear seat passengers! And the taxi driver drove like he's racing on F1 circuit weaving in and out of the lanes!

On the Streets...
On our way to the nearby shopping mall for dinner, passed by a man who was shouting furiously to his mobile phone. At the nearby park, you can appreciate the govt's efforts in beautifying the place with sculptures, and create an 'arty' atmosphere.. but it just ruins the ambience with people chatting loudly in the park. Why do the people need to raise their voice until faces were red??
On our way back to hotel after dinner, witnessed a trio of pickpockets in action on Nanjing Rd. Initially, we were walking behind the couple (targeted by the pickpockets) who were in their own world oblivious to the world around them. We thot they were same grp of frens and were playing tricks on the young couple. Only realized that smthg was wrong when there's no reaction from the couple, and the trio has disappeared. Went up to the couple to tell them what i saw, and when he checked his sling bag, his wallet was gone! Geez... the pickpockets were so blatant when they shooed us away when we were walking too close to them.

On the last nite, thot we should swing by to The Bund to relive that romantic 1st impression we had by the river bank on our 1st trip... bad idea.. tho the sky was clear for phototaking, the place was Crowded and Noisy.. Not romantic at all.. *bleah*

The Extravagance...

The warm and gracious hosts make sure that we are well fed. :) I still like my favorites: 心太软 and 桂花糖藕 *yumz* :) And for the daily tea break, we have various varieties of mooncakes. :)

Staying on the 51/F gives you a bird's eye view of the skyline... Nice nite view with all the neon lights below. Tried to catch the sunrise ~5.30 am but didn't manage to capture the orange hue..

Playful Pictures

2008-08-21T19:27:00.006+08:00

Dancing Babes in the Park
The little statue wearing mommy's heels is already cute enough, and the tiny tot holding the statue's hands just makes it a kodak moment ;-)

Sexy Heels
High Heels never fail to make a woman's legs look more sexy ;-)
Visual Perception
Heehee.. perhaps SNEC may wanna consider this for eye tests instead of the Snellen Chart? :Pp I'm sure it'll help improve the patients' eyesight :)

Ultimate Olympian

2008-08-20T21:09:00.005+08:00

Mighty Michael's Mission: Make Monumental Mark with Multiple Medals

Many were skeptical that Michael Phelps could make it, and there are just as many who rooted for him in every race. And he proved his skeptics wrong. It's really unbelievable: 8 Gold Medals, 7 of them world records and 1 olympic record!!! And that close race (100m Butterfly)... i could barely breathe in that split second before the electronic results were flashed... won by 0.01 sec!!

Someone was joking that the Medal Tally Table should have a country named "M.Phelps" ranked in the Top 10 with his 8 Golds :P It takes some countries 48years to clinch a silver medal, but this dude is hauling Gold medals daily like part of his breakfast routine.. :Pp

Round and Round

2008-08-19T20:26:00.000+08:00

Have been going in circles (literally speaking) recently...
Singapore Flyer
Brought our overseas guests to the latest tourist attraction - The Singapore Flyer. Billed as the "world's largest ferris wheel" (we just hafta be world's best, world's #1, etc ya? :P) On a clear day, you can see the buildings around, but don't get your expectation too high coz it won't get you excited with spectacular views lorr.. *sighz* Definitely not worth going back with the S$29.50/pax charges.

Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant
This is a revolving restaurant and it serves delicious Chinese and dim sum dishes. "It is nestled on top of a flour silo located along Telok Blangah Road very near to the World Trade Centre, with the panoramic view of Singapore's skyline in the Southern part of the country." (as described in its website intro para). However, what greeted you when you arrive at the building are container trucks... at 1st i thot we went to the wrong place!
Apparently, the restaurant won many accolades and its specialties include the much-loved authentic barbecued Peking Duck, and its delectable Lobster Salad, etc. Another peculiar dish is serving Sharks' Fin Soup with Onion Pancakes *scratchz head*
My all-time favorite is the Toffee Banana (拔丝香蕉) dessert. The bananas were deep-fried in batter, then candy-coated with a thin glass of toffee and sesame seeds. Before serving the dessert to us, the waitress tossed the piping hot pieces of banana into a bowl of iced water and quickly scooped them up again. I think purpose is to harden the toffee coating. Yumz! :)
note: managed to find 2 pix of the Toffee Banana dessert from another blogger's post :P

Smile Pretty =)

2008-08-04T19:35:00.007+08:00

Yay!! No More Braces!! =)

Finally removed the braces early this evening.. feels a lil' funny without the braces tho'... :P

Anywayz, Really Glad that now i don't hafta worry about staining the brackets... Can now eat curry stuff with Peace of Mind, and now can also talk during meal times without feeling conscious that there may be food stuck in the braces. =) Now my teeth look so Neat and Straight! *Impressed* The 12 mths of 'sacrifice' is really worth it! =)

Olympics 2008 - Beijing

2008-08-03T11:11:00.003+08:00

Five more days and it's the 2008 Olympics Games in Beijing, and the opening ceremony is scheduled @ 08.08.08, 8pm. =)
Definitely gonna stay home and watch the opening ceremony, as even the rehearsals have been so secretive... so hafta see what the Chinese host gonna showcase to 'WOW' the rest of the world. I'm sure it's gonna be a very Grand and Spectacular affair. :)
Initially, i thot the 福娃 were very 'cheena' to represent each of the 5 olympic rings but they kinda grow on you. :P

My favorite Sports in the olympics:
Diving: was hooked on Diving when watching the very handsome Greg Louganis in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. It's the way the divers execute the somersaults in such impeccable accuracy and yet with such gracefulness, it's Beautiful!
Swimming: even watching the competition on the TV, you can also sense the adrenaline and the mood of the crowds as the swimmers touch the finish line in record time.
Gymnastics: also started getting hooked on gymnastics from the 1988 Seoul Olympics where Vladimir Artemov and his Soviet Union teammates swept almost every gold medals.
Volleyball: probably coz the tv stations in sg don't broadcast volleyball competitions vs the more lucrative sports like golf, football, tennis, basketball, etc... so, i only get to watch high quality volleyball matches during olympics.
... can't wait for the action packed games =)

Popcorn Combo

2008-08-02T21:20:00.003+08:00

Sex And The City

The movie is like an extended episode of the original series. Didn't expect the movie to last more than 2hrs! It didn't feel that long too. =) Thot the movie focused too much on the wedding preparation.. would be better if it focused on the 4 gals' lives.. but then again Carrie's the narrator, so probably that's why the story's always centered around her. Loved the Penthouse that Mr Big bought for their marital home *envious*. Also liked the Happy Ending with just family & frens for the wedding. *meltz*

The Mummy: Tomb of The Dragon Emperor

With BIG Names like Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh... it kinda raised our expectations on this latest instalment of the O'Conners' family adventures. Was already mentally prepared that Jet Li's and Michelle Yeoh's roles are not the lead roles... but i must say that we were disappointed on how they twisted the history, and the actors' Chinese language capability!! :( The animation graphics also not as spectacular as the previous 2 instalments. *sighz*

Singapore's Sensational Shopping Season??

2008-07-29T21:50:00.003+08:00

Boy, the Great Singapore Sale is Finally coming to an end!
Frankly speaking, i don't find the sales fantastic... that explains why i didn't buy much this year round. Probably because i'm getting tired of shopping in Orchard. :(
Unlike other cities, where they have many shopping locations, each with their own distinct characters. Other than having the major International luxury brands located in compact Orchard Rd, and at very competitive prices, S'pore pales in comparison in terms of variety like what Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai offers. Even Manila and Bangkok have greater varieties.
TOKYO
Ginza and Omotesando: Wide variety of shops to cater to all ages and budgets. Especially impressed with the very handsome doormen at some of the exclusive luxury brands boutiques *Droolz* =) ... compared to the uncle we have at LV (Ngee Ann City) *rollz eyes*
Not to mention the shops in Shinjuku, Roponggi Hills, and even the department stores near our hotel in Ikebukuro also took us several visits to complete covering all corners!

SEOUL
MyeongDong: Affordable, and Funky styles are available. Cross the street and you get spoilt with choices of upmarket boutique brands at the Lotte Department stores and the likes.
Dongdaemun: It's their equivalent of our Far East Plaza, but much much better! The shops open until very very Late all year round!!
ErHwa Women's University Street: Affordable, Sassy designs and local brands that are not available in S'pore. I Like! This way, you definitely won't be able to come home and compare prices and ended up feeling heartache if it's cheaper in S'pore.
Apgujong: Can also find small, quaint shops selling very nice, wearable clothes... but Not Cheap.
Gangnam: this is where all the upmarket, luxury brands are. Didn't have time to check out this place... i wonder if they also have Hunky Doormen like in Ginza & Omotesando :Pp

Evidence is Everywhere

2008-07-25T17:23:00.004+08:00

YOU

are

Being

WATCHED

click the link to see the evidence folder on your activities tracked: http://www.evidenceeverywhere.com

The More We Get Together The Happier We'll Be

2008-07-24T21:37:00.002+08:00

The favorite childhood nursery rhyme keeps running in my head the past few days.. as McDonald's launches its latest global Ad Campaign for the Olympics. Here's the link for the TV commercial. =)

The more we get together,
Together, together,
The more we get together,
The happier we'll be.
For your friends are my friends,
And my friends are your friends.
The more we get together,
The happier we'll be! :)

McDonald's has a television spot airing now called "The More We Get Together" that juxtaposes a nursery-song rhyme against competitive moments with athletes of varied races and colors, none wearing national symbols. According to the chief marketing officer for McDonald's in North America, the company wanted to play up the universal themes of its fast-food restaurants, which are found in more than 100 countries. I totally agree with this comment... even if i may not be accustomed to the famous Beijing Duck or ZhaJiangMian, i can be rest assured that i'll still have the trusty McD's meals to rely on. :P

My Favorite Travelogues

2008-07-14T22:05:00.003+08:00

..Not your usual travelogues showing u the usual touristy places...

冒险王 (The King of Adventures)

This is a Taiwanese program, and the male host travels to many exotic locations in all corners of the world. In the latest instalment, the guy has been to Nepal where he hopped onto a bus (rooftop) on his way to trek the mountains and enjoying the local meals with his local guide; some ulu island in southeast asia with white sandy beach and crystal blue waters where he ate stewed fruitbat cooked in milk; went to the southern most island from Argentina to see the beautiful glaciers. *envious* The style of this program is adventurous, very different from those discovery channel type where the program host only eats in posh restaurant and hotels.
Here's Channel U's schedule on the show timings.

稀游记 (Find Me a Singaporean)

This is an endearing programme that binds Singaporean viewers together, as we witnessed how some of our fellow countrymen are engaged in a life very different from what we are used to in Singapore. And indeed it is very inspiring and interesting to see how Singaporeans break out of their comfort zone to pursue their ideals and dreams in foreign places. The program host is Belinda Lee. Have always thot of her more as a 'happy-go-lucky' gal with an infectious laughter, didn't expect her to be a "crybaby"... someone who is easily moved to tears when she's touched. :P Her warm personality, and the little personal touches she added makes the program even more heartwarming. She makes her host/hostess teary eyed when she volunteers to cook laksa, or surprises them with boxes of S'pore favorite cookies/cakes. =)
Here's Channel U's schedule on the show timings and synopsis.

I'm sure it's sheer hard work to produce such excellent programs, but still very envious of both teams as they get to experience and visit such exotic places where many of us can only dream of...

Alliteration: J

2008-07-10T19:01:00.004+08:00

Jonas & Joanne Jumped Jubilantly as the Jester Juggled Jewels & Jello in Japanese Jungle

Grocery Shopping

2008-07-02T21:36:00.003+08:00

Before I joined the FMCG industry, all the marketing concepts were just theories and paper-based projects for me. Could only picture it at high profile, high level Branding strategy. And the only interesting part hanging out in the supermkt was trying to guess the shopper's profile based on the stuff in his/her trolley. :Pp

However, after talking and working with the marketing and sales folkz... stepping into a supermkt (Cold Storage, Carrefour, NTUC, etc) was NEVER the same again. I've since become more keenly aware of all the dynamics when a person goes grocery shopping in the supermkt... Products compete for the consumer's attention.. and which level of the shelve the pdt occupies makes a difference. Even in Toys'R'Us, you learn the reason why the toys are strategically placed at the children's eye level, and those products that only parents would lookout for, at placed on the higher shelves. Package design is important too, because as the consumer scans the aisle, you have only 5 secs to capture her/his attention at the PoP (Point of Purchase). And you also learn why sometimes they have special promotions for certain products.

It also become a customary practice when it's our 1st time visiting an overseas office, the local sales staff would give us a tour at the local supermkt. It's FUN, to learn how we fare against the competition in the many markets that we operate in. :)

And in the office, we have to be careful that we don't blatantly show our support for competitors' products unless you have good justification... used to smuggle Meiji Yogurt into my room, and smugly rebutting the sales folkz when caught having my daily dose of a cuppa Milo.. heh. :Pp

Pregnant Pandas Prefer Pink Pajamas

Year of the DRaGoN !

Christmas @ Disney (again!)

Lethal Combination

Where's Piglet??

Palmistry

Serious Shoppers..

Xi'an 西安: The Ancient Chinese Capital

Glory to Glory

The Kooky Artist

Rainbows

Egyptian Voyager

Year of the Rabbit

Veneer of Vanity

Exotic Egyptian Escapade

Bye-Bye Belly Bulge!!

SPaiN: Extravagant Worship

Another Sad News...

Alliteration: T

Ungrateful Brats?

成都

Dreamworlds & Music

Back to Civilization

Take a Chance!!

Paradise in Plasticine

Futile Resistance to Temptation...

Part 2 Movies

Flying Fantasy: Fairylike Flashing Fireflies

Sun*Sea*Spa on a Saturday

Icelandic Impact Intensifies: International Itineraries Interrupted

One Step Up

Chinese Lesson Today

不能说的秘密

Curiouser and Curiouser...

Year of the Tiger !!

泛贱

Minnie Mouse Missing Modern Manhattan

The Cycle of Life

It's a Small Small World!!

Cute Fluffy Google Doodles

Somewhere In The Middle

Movie Madness Marathon: 24

Awesome Flashmob Dance

Macau's Money Making Machines

SPooKY

Can't Get It Out of My Mind...

!@#%^&#~!

Time to Change...

Reading Room

NoTHiNG To HiDe...

Alliteration: Q

Nobody

Football Fan: FC Barcelona

Splendid Spanish Sojourn

Price Tags

Popcorn Combo

The Mom Song

Alliteration: K

hot! Hot!! HOT!!!

It's Easter!

Sarah's Surprise Visit

Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)

一切完美

Bear Naked Pole Dancer !!

Rainy Days...

Popcorn Combo

Popcorn Combo

Horrendous Statistics...

The Sound of Music

Year of the Ox

Huh? Recession?!

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps...

Moving into 2009

... CouNTiNG DoWN & ReFLeCTioNS ...

Christmas Isn't Christmas...

The Dressing Room

DaNang * Hue * HoiAn

Popcorn Combo: Quantum of Solace

Alliteration: Z

Dreamy Smile =)

SunSeaSpa on a Saturday