Sib Camp 07

Sib Camp 07 is finally over after an exhasting two days one night. For the first time in 5 years, i am not the group leader. Requested to PS that i ought to fade out since i will not be here next year, hence was helping with the logistic and was supposed to be the facilitator for one of the group.

Yes. Supposed to be. In the end, i still ended up doing the group leader job because 1) the actually group leader had to run other activities for the camp and 2) it takes time and committment (yes, some experience helps too) to hold a group of 8 kids together. Especially when all are of different personalities, have different needs and one of them happened to be ASD.

I realized that after doing sib camp for 5 years, it really takes alot of energy, patience and some amount of flexibility to have the kids gel within the short time given in the camp. You will need to be in tune of the minds of youngsters as well as the teenagers. You will also need to know how to have fun and yet maintain a sense of discipline so that the children know where are the boundaries. You will need to be a leader, a playmate, a disciplinarian, a facilitator and strategist throughout your interactions with the children. If there are not personal commitment to this role, it is actually quite difficult to do it well. After all, being a group leader/facilitator doesn't mean that you are just supposed to bring the children through the activities. You have to help them cooperate with each other, pick out instances when learning opportunities arises to build on their communication and team building skills and last but not least, be part of the group and have fun with the kids.

I am personally very fulfilled whenever i take part in sib camp, especially this year, when i saw how much some of the 'old-timers' had grown. Was just telling PS and the rest how well sib camp has 'grown' as a project and deserve to be given more attention and strategizing to improve upon. I think i have shared my opinions about this time and time again and it is really up to the people who are in charged on how they want to continue with this. As i said, there is a reason why some kids keep coming back for sib camp and form bonds with the adults involved. This is one reason why resources for sib camp has to be built up and the system of putting any staff each year isn't quite gonna cut it. Just need to compare the group from our school, who has been doing sib camp for at least 3 years (internally we have decided to have 3 year commitment to the committee so as to have time to build the skills and pass over when new people come on board) to those people from the other school who just take on any staff they are assigned each year. I am not trying to put those staff down (esp when they really tried their best) but honestly, it takes more than just participation, and there are skills that need to be built.

Another grouse i have of this year camp was that there wasn't any debrief and that's really something that should not be done next year. Esp when the staff are new, debriefing is even more important to let everyone match up to speed with how the kids are, what to take note, what to do or not to do (e.g. not PAMPER the children and allow them to dictate what to eat or not eat). Frankly, for adults who had not done the camp before, they would not know what the expectations or the objectives of the camp are. It is really the old timers who are holding things together and at the end of the day, these are the people who are knackered out because they are the last ones to sleep, first one to be up and generally taking over the duties from newbies who did not know what it is that they are suppose to do. Yet, these old timers are the ones who stayed the lastest on the last day and managed to debrief and come up with ideas to push sib camp to greater heights (cross fingers that some of these ideas could come to fruition).

It is not surprising too that only staff from our school are there at the end of it all.

Sigh.

There is a reason why there is this idea of job placement in this world and i totally subscribe to it. Place people who can excel in the job in it's placement. Train those with potential and provide opportunity to facilitate them to use their skills. Who do what job should not be dependent on who is available from time to time.

Sigh.

My last year in Sib camp... am missing the kids and the interactions i have with them. It is an undescribable feeling when you have made a connection with a child and know that you have made a difference (no matter how small).

Empty Thoughts

idle minds breed empty thoughts
as mine do right now
my brain stutters and splutters
to form into coherent
bits and pieces that does not
go anywhere but
up and down
inside and out
in long chains of emptiness
just waiting to be
popped.
pop
pop
pop
like bubbles
over a comical me with my mouth
wide open

A Malaysian Wedding

Attended Fei's wedding last saturday in Skudai, JB. Took us a while on the bus to get there but at least i didn't have to drive so that means i could actually drink alcohol! *woohoo* As usual, the bride was very pretty and glowing. And the groom looked happy and smart. Have not attended a wedding in JB before and my first overall impression of the restaurant was that it's HUGE. There was another wedding taking place in the hall next door and both halls are the size of a 3-4 basketball courts? And it came with a REAL stage (like those you see schools). Anywayz... our tone-chime & glocks performance went without a hitch, all thanks to the frantic practise just a couple of hours before the dinner. We all wore black and I sewed little rose chokers for everyone so that we all had the same 'look'. Must say we look and 'sound' quite 'professional'. Hahaha

In the end, it was a great wedding for Fei. Think she enjoyed herself, esp when her newly crowned hubby serenaded her infront of everyone... that was so cool. We all were very happy for her and i think that's wedding ought to be like... filled with laughter and happiness. Think this 11 year long courtship will turn into a great marriage... in fact there was a great omen in the form of a full arc rainbow (REAL one) just outside the restaurant to welcome the guests as they arrive.

Many good years ahead Fei... May you and Kim Heng live and grow happily together always. :)

No time!

Suddenly wanted very much to sing this song by Karen Mok.. that goes "没时间, 我没时间" cos that's how i feel right this freaking minute.

A piece of work which i had to do completely slipped my mind and before you know it, the deadline is tomorrow.. hmm make that TODAY! Shit. And I am only like... 70% through. Thankfully the structure is up, now its just the fillers. I think i can justify for a bit of time to brush it up. Boss just wanted a draft and the meeting for this is next week. I think i could have completed 90% of it if i didn't 鬼遮眼 when logging off to go to bed，and went on to click "No" to save when closing one of my documents. There goes the whole almost completed document, left with nothing but the title. I was however mightily proud that i did not throw a tantrum there and then (which i am prone to do, at least on FB) and just quickly retyped everything.

I am not so much worried about the work. Heck, this is not even that challenging, but i do hate having things pile up and leap out at me unexpectedly. I wonder why i totally forgot about it... i am usually quite on top of things. Sigh. Perhaps i was just too preoccupied.

Still got so much things to do...

Curriculum project
Assessment report to type
Case conference to attend
Supervision to attend to
Planning for dept and rounding up
Sort out some internal dept affairs
Planning for the Dec trip
Booking accomodation / car
Finding a doc for my mom
Sort out my investment portfolio
Clean the flat
Move my stuff to flat
and other miscellaneous stuff.

I want to go and have a nice brunch on sunday.
Something away from this rather tiring life i've been having
Anyone?

Of Hens and Concerts

Another one of my erratic entries, marking my passage through time and space..

Last weekend we had a terrific time celebrating Fei's Hen night. Great dinner party at the Tapas Tree (she had the band there to serenade her personally) and then a personal lapdance by the delectable 'sydney' at Gotham Penthouse. It's Fei's night alright. Good choice for dinner and partying. We didn't get back to Merchant court hotel till almost 3am in the morning. Must admit that staying at the hotel was a great incentive in staying out late because no need to worry about transport (since its only 5 minutes walk away from Tapas Tree and Gotham Penthouse). What joy! Everyone was prepared to be high and truth to be told, our lady in question threw up within the first hour.

Kudos to Fio & MH for coming with the clubbing and dinner suggestions. I was only in charge in putting it altogether but it couldn't have happened if the Fabulous Fei herself wasn't such a great sport. I mean only a really cool gal could say that she wanted a Sex Toy party for her own hen night, and boy, with such a theme, it only spurred me on to really having a great night out. The sex toys (all from a nice little shop in Bugis) possibly freaked out some of the 'innocent' but then, it meant double the fun for those of us who are more 'worldly' in our perspective. Its still good clean fun, after all, she IS getting MARRIED. Good sexual relationship between couples plays a pretty big part in maintaining a good marriage le! *chortles*

Anyway, was a little stressed when some of the invitees suddenly cancelled (whats a hen party without the people??) but must say that most of us pulled through, esp LS, that despite her 'innocence', still came and 'supported' the party. Hahaha and i think she actually learnt a bit of things too. :D

Hmmm.... its good that sometimes i write things after a while instead of immediately after the event, because i think after the weekend, i was feeling a little miffed over some of the occurences that had happened and some people's own personal views had bothered me quite a bit. After a week though, i am glad to say only most of the happy memories remained and all that matters was that Fei had a great time (though she had probably hoped for more than 1 lapdance from the hunk). By next saturday, she will be married and hopefully this is one hen night she will always remember.

Moving on....

This week, was suddenly roped into helping out with our sister school's 20th anniversary concert that happened last night. Was a wonderful concert and the kids that performed were fantastic. Wished that i was involved earlier than being roped in suddenly last friday because i think i would be more effective as a backstage crew who needed to keep order and maintain flow of the concert items, if i knew the children a little bit more. Most of the performers were from the group D'artistes which comprised of young adults and children with special needs. They were absolutely fantastic and if any chance that they are going to be involved in other performances, i would pay to watch them.

Our staff and our school kids also performed and it had been two months of hard work and juggling their other responsibilities on top of that, to make the concert a success. Think that they really did well. Too bad i couldn't watch the performance because i was stuck backstage threatening anyone who talk too loudly, but feedback from friends and colleagues was that everyone was fantastic. The backstage crew were mainly from the other school but since i am around long enough to know most of the professional staff (and perhaps for other people to know me), it wasn't long before me and LS (who was in the same predicament as I) fitted right in. There is a sense of belonging that people get (yes, even self-professed anti-social prone person like me) when working together for a common cause and this is something that i have not felt for a while at work, especially with staff from another school.

In a cynical way, involvement like this, does do something in terms of the kind of image one projects to others. For a while, people had felt a little standoffish around me due to the kind of responsibility and work i had to do with them (long story and old baggage) but seeing me run around mad and working on my knees sort of 'humanizes' the 'bitchy' impression people sometimes have based on what they heard about me. One of things i realized (though not necessary agree with totally) is that to get the work you need done, some sort of 'personal' relationship and support does play a part. After all, it doesn't matter how "professional" & "by the books" you conduct yourself and how well your product is, if people think you are going to be a bitch to them (even if its only a perception and you are not one), they tend to not cooperate with you very much.

Hence, it reaffirms that i am only suited to work with two groups in my life... kids and animals. Older humans are just too confusing in my opinion, in the things they say and the actions they do. Too much 'politics' and motives and hidden agendas. While i appreciate that one has to be nice (which i am generally), but to 'play nice' just so that people can like you enough to work with you... is just... uncomfortable. I am lucky that generally people like my personality and doesn't really think that i am a bitch (well, aside the past baggage that's lumped onto me, not of my choice) but i think my own personality will only insulate me only for only so long because, i am not one who 'play nice'.

Eating my words

Ok la! I crumbled!! *wails*

Turns out that i have more friends then i know and they are ALL on facebook. WTF...
How freaky is that.. even my sec sch and jc classmates... my colleagues... my old irc friends and forummers! Siao!
Like one of them said, " Is everyone in the world on facebook now?"
Maybe not everyone.. but fairly close :P

Looks like its keep up or die lonely and all shrivelled up!
:D

Simi si facebook?

Can call me suaku.. but have not seen the facebook website yet though was asked by a friend recently.. Maybe all my friends have an account on facebook but then, i don't think i have that many friends.. so it really doesnt bother me as much if i did not go and set up an account there. As if that i can manage having two blogs, msn, 4 emails account (including work acc and excluding one account which i've stopped using altogether), and RL (that includes a hubby, a cat and work) already.

As it is, i hardly look at my friendster account, my 40thingstodo account & icq account has fallen into disused (i have forgotten my password) and am highly depending on hubby to manage our flickr account (speaking of which, we have not uploaded some of our recent photos.. tsk tsk tsk). There might be numerous other stuff 'belonging' to me in the cyberspace which i have totally forgotten. I mean seriously, how does one keep track of all that? And does one really need that many 'faces' online? I mean, where do people find the time?

For ages, i am considering cutting down on these online 'accounts' of mine but have been waylaid many a times due to my inertia. Hence i resolve to not 'add' to that burden instead but it is beginning to look like i am terribly hillybilly just because i have not stepped into the nice friendly world which everyone else seems to have.. the realm of facebook. Heh heh well.. like i said, just call me suaku lor.. old already.. is like that one. :D

White out...

Blog been hit by blizzard.. everything looks white...

Hmm pristinely so.

Don't know what's wrong and no impertus to figure it out now.

Aurorin & Mook: Year 2

Another year went by and in all accounts, was a better year than the first.

9/9 was our 2nd wedding anniversary and this year, it is Wilk's turn to plan how we shall celebrate the occasion. I dutifully tried to turn a blind eye as the day approaches but about a month before, I suddenly had a nagging feeling that my darling botak hubby may have actually forgotten about the whole event. Still, i bit on my tongue and did nothing (at the back of my mind, i was hopeful that he was just faking it and wanted to surprise me) but when he rather casually asked what do i want to do for our anniversary, i must say that i was just a tad bit disappointed. Anyway, i rather off-handedly reminded him that it was HIS turn to do the planning (as i had done so the previous year), the start of his phobia of planning surprises for his picky wife began.

To be fair, I honestly did try to help him along by not second guessing him and try to ruin the element of surprise for him (i really could if i wanted to, you know...) because it is not often that my dear hubby gets all kancheong and riled up trying to plan a surprise for me (mainly because, as he said, he is not good at conceiving and planning surprises). Hence, it was with great relief (for him) when he finally told me, a week before our anniversary, that he had everything sorted out. Well, i must say, i was really really eager to see what he had in store for us. And, honestly, wilk couldn't have planned a better anniversary for both of us and i was in tears before we even started 'celebrating'.

The plan was actually quite simple. My otherwise practical and pragmatic husband had booked us in for a romantic 3D2N stay at the beaufort, away from our friends and family. And on top of that, a romantic dinner for two at The Cliff. I know money isn't the main thing but to blow off that kind of money, especially at this time (with all those reno and saving constraints), was simply something which I definitely have not hoped for or expected. And it was absolutely one of sweetest thing that can happen to a woman when her hubby professed that he would do whatever he can to give his wife anything she deserves, even if she does not ask for it.

But, the best present I received on our anniversary weekend, wasn't so much the lovely resort stay, the dinner nor his love declaration, it was a goofy little card he has written which 'hid' the clue of the surprise anniversary present (Letters spelling out "Beaufort" littered across the whole message) and an unassuming CD enclosed within it. All the time, he kept berating himself about the 'lame clue' ( No it wasn't lame dear!) before he made me play the CD in the card after i had 'solve' the clue to our destination and reached Beaufort's carpark. At first i did not hear anything, then came a voice which took me a while to realize, was actually myself, talking from the CD. Next thing i knew, "I" was bursting into song, the very song that i sang on our wedding. Wilk has secretly went and cut a CD of our songs recorded on our wedding. In doing so, he had 'captured' our very first 'surprise' for each other (at the wedding) and made a surprise just for me for our 2nd anniversary.

Understandably, i burst into tears, then and there, on a friday afternoon at Beautfort's carpark, wondering how on earth could i have thought that this botak, funny, gentle, caring and wonderful person, has a not-so-acute sense of romance and ingenuity. I guess surprise and romance is all well and good, and we can all think of 101 ways to devise various means to out-do one another in creating a semblence of romance and surprise. But what i learn is, truly, it is not how elaborate the surprise is, how much money is spent and even how 'unique' the idea is, because nothing beats the little things that came out from a caring and earnest heart which loves with patience and understanding.

Happy Anniversary dearest botak hubby.

I know when it comes to my turn to plan for our anniversary next year, i will probably not be able to get it just so perfectly as you did this year. Nonetheless, i will strive to love you better, in more ways than you deserve, and perhaps when i achieve that, my surprise for you will also be just as meaningful and special, as yours had been. *muaks*

One Week Later

Trying my darnest to be up-to-date with my blog but struggling really badly, especially now that i have taken to leaving my laptop in school after work rather than lugging it home and back to work the next day. The computer at work just 'cannot make it' and i would rather keep my work on my own laptop anyway. Things at work was pretty hectic... Don't even have time to check my emails, much less blog during lunch time or otherwise.

Anyway...

Was an interesting sunday last weekend (26/8) when we went down to Little india to catch part of the Singapore Art Show.

Was a very meaningful project because it actively got the migrant workers gathering at Little india every sunday to participate in the various activities. It was a side one seldom seen of these foreigners who came from various parts of India, Bangladash, Sri Lanka and China to work here in Singapore. It is amazing that when given a voice, what many of these silent people would say, through their masks, photographs, writings and paintings.

Wilk and I was just mingling amongst the participants and artists, taking photos and chit-chatting with them. There were curious onlookers and serious artists/painters among them, and many came probably not thinking to get involved but couldn't resist having their photos taken or portrait painted. There was a volunteer translator who happened to visit the show and thought that it was really meaningful and hence stayed to encouraged his fellow foreigners to pick up a paint brush or sit for their masks to be made by one of the artist (Amanda Heng), every sunday.

The participants which fascinated me the most, were those who took up the paint brushes and canvases avaliable to make their own paintings. Often the paintings depicted their homeland and elements of nature (e.g. bird on a twig), one of the men even painted his village home which he had left for the last ten years, to work as a construction worker in Spore. Through their paintings and notes, a touching tale emerge from these migrant workers, one which is seldom heard or seen as we passes them by, by the roadworks and Singapore's numerous construction projects.

Perhaps as one rapidly developing country (I hesitate to say 'developed'), i feel we often have a huge propensity to ignore, belittle, those who came from a country "less-developed". It has become a standard by which the locals follow and these workers expect. It was with great encouragement (from one of their own, nonetheless) before some would pick up the paintbrushes or sit down with the artist, bewildered at giving a chance to say something, to create art, to be viewed as important and bemused perhaps at the eccentricity of these artists, because this is something out of their normal way of life in Spore, and out of their expectation of how locals would treat them usually. In any case, the carnival will go on every sunday till the 23rd Sept from 4 to 7pm, at the field infront of Mustafa. Worthy to take a look and a stroll, and perhaps like me, you will also feel touched and humbled amongst many of those who have helped created Singapore's many 'World's Best'.

From Little India, we jumped to another local culture one seldom have a chance to take part of except during the 7th Lunar month of each year. The Ghost Festival Getai happening each year is another culture which only seems to involve a certain population in Spore (I do not mean just the 'invisible' kind). I must confess that, despite knowing of them, it is one sub-culture which i did not readily take to (likewise many of my peers) due to our SES and perhaps religion differences. Again, it was another humbling experience for me, being a non-hokkien speaking, deity worshipping pseudo Sporean (Msia PR but who can really tell).

I've always known of Getais and even seen one but never up close. Perhaps it was Royston Tan's 881 which spark this revival of interest in this, what some say is a, declining sub-cultural practise every year. I must confess though, I watched this getai prior to 881 and it was the getai which propelled me to watch 881 instead of the other way round (I was thinking it wasn't worth the ticket and probably just borrow's someone's vcd when it was out). It was a last minute decision to catch the getai at AMK Industrial Park 2 last sunday night with leonnie, my colleauge, but boy, was it a great night. Incidentally, the very first singer we saw turned out to be leonnie's cousin!

The host was Ah Nan and we managed to inched out way right to the side of the stage where we could catch the action first hand. Now i know what they mean when they say they have to 'gan chang', some singers actually ran to the stage and when saw that there were 1 or 2 more singers waiting, would hurriedly move off to a next show. I saw elaborate costumes on young and not-so-young glamourously made-up getai singers. Two of the singers (who was on the sunday lifestyle section of the TST) was also there and their costumes actually had extendable pieces and looked like it belonged on some cabaret show off broadway! Most of the songs were in Hokkien and I bemoaned the fact that i am not well-versed in the langauge to appreciate the lyrics though i could more or less get the gist of the earthy jokes and exchanges by the host and the singers. However, i am proud to say that i've heard most of the chinese oldies sang and could actually sing along to some of them.

Wilk and I will be trying to catch more getais before the end of the 7th month, perhaps one hosted by Lin Ru Ping, Lim Li or Liu Ling Ling, who are some of the most 'bankable' hosts in the circuit. Hopefully we can get to sit up front to take photos the next time.

National Day Weekend

So it is a long weekend but unlike some of my colleagues, didn't get a chance to go on a short trip away from all these hustle and bustle. Still, it was a nice break from work and something that i've been looking forward to.

Spent half the morning on the day before national day, looking after some of the students in school where we had a mini ND Concert. Well, not quite mini since it lasted almost 2 hours and the marquee was pretty much jam-packed. It was hot and clearly, not what some students can 'tahan'. Not surprising then that some kids ended up in the air-conditioned classrooms the whole time. Anyway, i did my part entertaining some of them who couldn't tolerate the noise and the heat by being a mobile bubble machine by the sidelines where it's cooler. At least the kids was engaged by the bubbles... can't say much about just watching songs and dance you don't understand amidst the crowds, noise, waiting time and heat.

Then it was half day off for all of us and I spent it singing KTV with LS and Anita... PS was supposed to join us but in the end was unable to. Oh well, it was fun nonetheless. 5 plus hours of non-stop rock and rolling good time. Wish the rest of the weekend was like that but well... couldn't complain. At least it was peaceful and... quiet. Didn't even get all excited by the whole NDP thing by the bay nor wanted to join the crowd at the various spots to wait for the fireworks. In the end, just sort of watched it on TV while i was reading a new book. Heard it was pretty good though.

Saw angie and my cousin on saturday (swimming in the late morning with angie and dinner with cousin)... both are pregnant, perhaps 1 mth apart from each other. Quite funny how different woman would go ahead preparing for the big day but regardless of the difference, their joy and anticipation for the big delivery was pretty apparent. Another colleague of mine is also planning to get pregnant and she already has a schedule to adhere to... from the pre-pregnancy tests for her and hubby ($256 per person at thomas medical), those necessary shots (rubella, TB and all that) to her must-give-birth-before-this date. Seems like tons of things to do and prepare for.

Our colleague from India was alittle shocked about all the things to do just before getting pregnant because she said, some people in India would never have been to the doctors from the time they get pregnant till the birth. Well, "but this is Singapore", I reminded her, though i am not very sure that if all Singaporeans actually go into that much details. I am just a tad bit blown away by all the 'planning' as well... but i could be the minority. Right now, there just seem to be other things i ought to pay attention to then when to have my shots, find out which gynae is better, or which hospital have better delivery packages.

离开地球表面

Just bought Mayday's new CD. Very very happy and love the new songs, especially '离开地球表面‘。 Really makes you want to jump and leave behind all those silly, stupid, irritating things surrounding one's life. A good heady song to bop to while driving. I am sure Leonnie will be happy sitting in the car and finally hearing a different Mayday CD for a change. :)

Been playing pool also. Realized that wilk is alot better than I... it is sort of irritating but not because of the fact that he is better, but that i felt he is only better by fluke! Grrrrr.... but i think he will disagree... I don't know. Maybe he has his methods within the madness but from where i stand, it looks like freaky lucky shots to me. Sigh. Perhaps i am just jealous. Bleah.

So... work. Nothing much to say. Everything is as it should be. Oh. Did i mention that 2nd in command quit? Ya. Man... how... predictable. No big deal to me of course since i don't make it my point to make it be a big deal but some of those last minute 'subtle' hints to shape and control my realm of work does make me want to break something around me. No matter. In the end, what really counts? Certainly not a person who talks big and loud, but turn over and play dead right after. We all have our own cross to bear, so wish people would stop dumping their cross on me now that they have a chance to get rid of it.

Everyone is surviving in school. I am bug senseless at times by events and people here and there but nothing that makes me want to bang my head in frustrations yet. YET is the keyword here i think. The other PPGs are coping more or less but judging from their daily expressions, it wouldn't hurt for holidays to arrive sooner before they become more or less NOT coping. We still hear from Fei once in a while, and is eagerly anticipating more photos from her wedding photoshoot. Also awaiting her big debut as a lady boss once she finish up all those course and seminars.

Other big news... Angela is surviving in aussie... but i think she is feeling like things could be better (hey, just like us here in spore!) and life more stable with a future to look forward to. And, guess what, Kat decided to fly the friendly skies and just recently cryingly bid her kids goodbye. Big move but i think there is only that certain window of opportunity allocated for those selected few who can make it pass the not-so-friendly entry requirement of our local homegrown airline.

Parents are in Vietnam holidaying and Wilk is back from Germany. I am stuck in Spore wishing i could be somewhere else. Looks like the furthest i can go at this moment, is probably sentosa. Or tuas. Can't jump out of this little island... much less the Earth right? Well, i guess that's why i look forward to holidays and listen to Mayday CDs in the meantime.

Oh. How can i forget to write about this.... presently at least 3... or is it 4... of my friends are now blissfully pregnant or have just given birth. Wonder if this is some super hot season for us dragon ladies to have kids, but it is certainly giving my parents funny ideas which result in fairly explicit hints. Thankfully my in-laws have not gotten the wind of this 'interesting' chain of events or they would probably start on our case as well. Did i say probably? I meant most positively. Anyway, perhaps at a later stage but right now, this is one issue which i do not wish to confront. So... anyone else pregnant? Please don't tell me or my mom or my dad or worse... my in-laws.

Orangephoria

Painted our cement floor last week with Orange (yes you heard me right the first time..) epoxy paint and definitely threw a new dimension to the whole space. Wooahh wooahh.. it is seriously orange man... but so cool! Now the floor is shiny, smooth and ah.. orange! The dining table and bench (cum shoe cabinet) is also in (above pix, bottom left corner). Also in a funky black with orange underside. Thinking of whether to put castors under the bench so that it is easier to move it around, esp with the shoes inside, but that is going to wreck the sitting height. Hmm still considering.

Anyway, even the concrete counter top of the sink is also in orange now. Looks quite nice with the black/orange sink. Also up is our open concept worerobe from Alumix. Was highlighted by friends that clothes may get dusty, so we will monitor the situation and see how bad it is. For now, we like things pretty 'open'.

Well, what do you expect from people who will put glass sliding door to their own toilet? Incidentally, the reason the toilet bowl can't be seen in the above picture is because we have moved our fridge and alumix's cabinets into the toilet due to the painting of the floor.

The custom-made stainless steel bed frame and mattress were also in but the guys who did the bed frame needed to haul the whole thing back because the edges of the plate (for the mattress) needs to be more rounded and one of the castors under the bed needs to be changed because the brake was stuck. Should be back by next week.

Last weekend, we have also put up wilk's 2 lightbox transformers on the wall opposite the front door (we call them our 左右门神) and 1 in the study. They are bigger than we anticipated and quite intimidating. Ought to scare away bunglars i hope. Hahaha hopefully by next weekend, we should be able to start moving back all the appliances, get the bed back and fix up our shelves/study table/chairs from Ikea to complete the rest of the flat. Might need to fix some stuff on my own though because wilk will be travelling to Germany for a conference and taking the chance to catch the once in 5 years documenta held there. So he will be flying off this friday and staying for about 10 days. Hmm maybe i will just wait for him to come back. :P

Moving out

Haven't been blogging much lately even though it was the holidays because:

1) I was constantly bugged by another colleague to do things (for pete's sakes! Its HOLIDAYS! grrrr).
2) I have training and meetings to attend.
3) I have another blog to entertain myself.
4) I hate having nothing but bad news to write about.

So...

Moving out. Not me but Fei... the colleague whom i rented out one of the rooms to, has quitted and moving back to Malaysia. At the precise moment as i am typing this, she is getting ready her stuff and waiting for her fiance to come pick her up. Seems like its only been a while when she moved in, but she just reminded me that it has been 3 years. Gosh, time really flies.

Wonder what i will do now that one more person has uprooted from my life. I guess the immediate effect would be, i will not have anyone to vent about work anymore at dinner or on the trip home from work. No more company home after badminton/dinner. No more ally in that crazy nuthouse we call school. No one to share the burden about work and dealing with buggy colleagues. No one to understand the situation and see eye to eye with. Man... it's starting to feel that life is a little nasty to me this half of the year by taking away the two people who really helped made my work life less heavy.

Still, it is not like i am not prepared for it. It's great Fei is moving on but seriously, it sucks for me personally. Hahaha. I think i am depressed but then not that depressed because i am quite numbed already. Usually i don't get emotional with such occasions because it doesn't seem to help in anyway. I coped by keeping a straight face and avoid dwelling to much into the emotional aspect of things, steel myself up and take the next step forward. Moping around will have to take place after the dust settles down in my own private space. Perhaps that's why i hardly get anxious about things and seldom flustered. However, irritability and frustration does tend to get ahead of me most of the time.

So what will happen tomorrow now that Fei is leaving? I don't know. I guess tomorrow will still have to happen somehow. I myself is just hanging in there, doing the best in what i believe in and trying to manage what i can one step at a time. Less help means more innovation. Less support means working smarter. Less ears to listen means more blogging. I'll get by... not forgetting there will still be others around that has helped me along and will need help to hang in there too...

Still, a little way more for me before my journey ends... got to keep moving forward.

无声胜有声

Occasionally, it is much better to be silent than to be heard.
Especially when other parties are getting all frustrated and upset.
The louder and hysterial they became, the calmer and silent one should be.

I find that this tactic works out best with people who cannot tolerate people who are calmer than them, because in their frustration to push others to 'react', they often are the ones that end up looking more stupid.

Ultimately, it is not even if one is right or wrong but how one can appear 'convincing' (i.e. calm, composed, rational) when pitted against one's hysterical opponent.

School holidays and what nots...

Been a quiet week for me... most of my new colleagues are off for training and fei is packing up to get ready to "fly" off already. As for me... just chilling out, doing some assessment practises, think about those nice things that happened over the last couple of days such as Mayday's concert, going prawning and having seafood dinner on Vesak Day holiday, as well as trying to keep my fitness level up by extending the time i spend in the gym.

Been quite good actually, i can actually do another 40-45min of cardio work out after my one hour weights training with my trainer. Also started with brisk walking/jogging around my estate for at least 30mins on days i do not have training or badminton. Done it 3 times so far and think that there is a general improvement in terms of the distance i can cover in 30-45mins.

The flat should be totally done by this week though we are expecting the gate to be up in another 2 weeks, as well as for the bedframe and dining table/bench around the same time. A little stressed now about how to 'furnish' the place. I kept worrying that i will buy something on impulse and get the wrong stuff/look for the flat. I think i am trying to get wilk to do it instead because i can't quite visualize it. Sigh. Quite a huge responsibility.

Brother came back from china for a bit and took a look at the new place. Quite a lot of nice comments from him (as opposed to the folks and aussie bro), probably because we have similar taste/style. Hahaha. He loved the glass door and rainshower so that says alot.

Two more days before my new colleagues are back from training so i better get some stuff ready for them and before you know it, it will be school term again. One more semester to go! *Take deep breath*

一颗苹果

午餐了。。。
该吃些什么呢？
照旧是对面咖啡店的饭盒吗？
还是开车出去兜兜风，找找午间套餐？

暑假了。。。
平时没有时间烦恼的问题，现在是一种打发时间的休闲活动。
开始对于午餐的满怀期待，但没过几天，又变成另一种伤神的例子。

今天吃什么？
明天又吃什么？
原本是个简单的问题，但在暑假里变得很复杂。

太远了。
太热了。
太贵了。
太腻了。
不行。。。我在减肥啦！
暑假的烦恼也只有如此而已啊！

我看还是待在这，吃着。。。
清清的，
淡淡的，
甜甜的，
简简单单的。。。

一颗苹果。

我们上报了！

Hahaha.

No worries... not in any 诽文la. Just sharing paper-space with my favourite band!

Both LS and I was interviewed by the New Paper after Mayday's concert and the story came out in yesterday's New Paper. So funny! We were both quoted and I was gushing like a true fan. Way to go for me! *chuckles*

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/show/story/0,4136,132338,00.html?

Anyway, 玛莎 was really good in his solo performance though I wished i did not quite present myself as preferring his voice more than 阿信's in the story. 哈哈哈！阿信还是我的“最爱”！Even if there are more "manly" voices out there but 阿信肯定比较帅！ *grins*

又一次的五月天。。。

每一会在五月天的演唱会过后都有一种带着淡淡忧伤的兴奋。很矛盾吧？演唱会里让人”high"翻了天，过后心还是不停的“jumping", 让人喘不过气。在这当儿，又要背负着歌曲和演唱的结束与他们的离开。好难受哦！

哎！

我是个己理智又富有逻辑的女生，更是个该逐渐离开少年时期的那种偶像崇拜思想的成年人。我从不晓得偶像是什么，也不知道一个标准歌迷该具备些什么条件。我更加从不迷恋任何一位歌手或演员，因为我认为这是一种”小孩子“的行为吧。。。

但是。。。

我还是”哉“在五月天的歌曲里。

不过，我“哉”的还满开心的。哈哈哈！

阿信，怪兽，石头，玛莎 和冠佑，明年还要来哦！

我好像肥了。。。

不久前碰见了一个旧同事，她笑着对我说的第一句话是：“你好像胖了，是不是‘有’了？”

我当然知道她是没恶意的。况且，我以婚，这也不是一个不合逻辑的问题。但是，我毕竟是没怀孕嘛。。。那发福的原因也之有1个咯。。。

我是只没有纪律的大肥猪。 Sigh... :(