That's Me

2011-01-09T00:33:00.002+08:00

since it is nearly 6 months since i last wrote an entry. i shall do a short reflection of the events that happened for the year 2010.

1) my first trip to (eastern) europe in september 2010!
2) celebrated my 29th birthday in march 2010.
3) busy at work for 12 months of the year. :(
4) physically and emotionally drained by work. this is actually elaborating point 3.
5) expanded my collection of tolumnia hybrids in my orchid collection.
6) got my first credit card! thought i could have just survive on my POSB debit card.
7) bought and owned my first item from Apple Inc., an iPhone 4! would not need any other phones from now.

i hope 2011 will be a good year. currently, i am planning for another trip. the trip could be anywhere at the moment. but hong kong is definitely out of my radar. the city is too much like singapore. while my friends may love to go there for shopping and food, personally i think it is a waste of time to go as i am into neither stuffs and there are more exciting places out there.

contrary to my previous beliefs, i have totally fallen head over heels with the continent of europe. it is the most beautiful civilised place on Earth. note that i used the word civilised. every capital city is bursting with history, arts and culture for one to explore and discover. the museums are lovely places to visit and learn. europe is not just a place for romantic getaways for honeymooners.

learning to let go will be my greatest challenge. i will try to remember the verse - cast all your anxeties on Him for he careth for you. i don't want the stress at work to get the better part of me. i have been screaming at people like a mad person - once in a blue moon.. haha.

more importantly, i wish i can have a more balanced work life. working overtime occasionally is fine, but not more than 70% of each week. i have cancelled my leave twice in fact. i think the intensity and workload does take a toll on me. maybe it is time for me to move on?

2010-06-06T10:53:00.002+08:00

it is the month of june. the half mark of 2010. i am unsure where i see myself in for the next 5 years. somehow things are becoming blurry. i have lost interest in my hobby that i once was so passionate about. i am not sure whether i have made the right decisions to let go of some things. have i invested my time wisely in the right things? i wish i can know certain answers. if only life wasn't so complicated.

2010-02-04T21:18:00.002+08:00

it's that feeling again. the crushing feeling. why must it happen to me?

it's not easy when you have no control over it.

2010-01-17T16:38:00.002+08:00

i give thanks to God for allowing me to see my iniquities.
i give thanks to God for showing mercy and grace in my life.
i give thanks to God for my family.
i give thanks to God for my friends.
i give thanks to God for my work.
i give thanks to God for my work colleagues.
i give thanks to God for the week that just past.

teach me to give more and to trust in you.

2009-12-08T23:32:00.002+08:00

stop all these bombings in baghdad and pakistan. what is wrong with these jihad militants? have they not kill enough innocent people? you are killing your own brothers and sisters. bombings will not help the situation at all and rather they only create more problems in the aftermath.

after my trip to the middle east, i have come to understand that no matter what skin colour, religion or language we speak, we are essentially one big family. the middle eastern people got to be one of the most friendliest folks i have ever met in my life. they are also the most helpful of the lot. it didn't matter to them that i am not a muslim, they treated me like one of them and welcome me to their country. let not the few black sheeps tarnish the image of the middle east. it is a lovely place with beautiful people and a history that goes back to the beginning of human civilisation (since the time of mesopotamia, the age of pharaohs, roman empire, ottoman empire, etc..).

i pray that peace will one day return to the middle east and pakistan.

2009-10-11T21:19:00.002+08:00

my niece can sit up by her own effort now. its great to see how fast she is learning new things.

suppose to meet mw and xw on the 22nd this month for dinner. just as i was hoping the curse of not being able to meet one another was finally going to be removed. xw told me she had to go for an urgent operation last week and as a result will not be able to join us for dinner. well...

another seven more RT sessions to go.

i wish singapore can be cooler. the nights have been especially warm and humid.

i have hit one year in my current workplace.

discover a new game in fb. growing crops. cool.

2009-09-13T13:25:00.000+08:00

have not been blogging for 3 months! that is quite a long break.

goodness. guess my work is really draining my energy away, otherwise, all is fine and good. i went with hj to my first singapore chinese orchestra performance on friday. i enjoyed the performance. especially the last piece where the pianist accompanied the rest of the chinese musical instruments. the combination was indeed interesting. the partnership was soothingly harmonious. i must check out more of such performances in future. perhaps sso next!

what else did i do last week? i met up with allan on wed for lunch. he is working at a lab in singapore general hospital. he seemed to like my hair so much that he wanted to cut one like mine. i told him that we have different face shape and hair texture. what might be suitable for me might not be suitable for him. i even stop him for taking a pic of me. haha. frankly, i don't find anything special about my hairstyle. just try to keep it short and neat that's all. i never visit any branded hair salon.

on that same day, i met mw for dinner at ion. though i did proposed to go great world city initially as i dislike going to orchard road in general. too crowded, too busy, too expensive, too showy, too noisy and the list goes on. anyway, it was nice to catch up with him again after so many months. good to know the updates.

currently, i am planning for a 2 weeks break in november. not sure how many days of leave i can take this time. hopefully at least 10 days. i want to go to the land of the pyramids!

2009-06-07T13:54:00.000+08:00

after another long hiatus...

i have completed my 6th in-camp reservist. if you think that it is a holiday camp where you sleep and eat the whole day. boy you are totally wrong. on the contrary, it was physically very tiring. the weather did not help much either. the heat was scorching hot. and if that was not enough, throw in high humidity and thunderstorms in the middle of jungle bashing. well. at least it is over now.

i can start to plan for my trip to kuching (sarawak) that is coming up in the next two weeks. currently in my itinerary are kuching city, bako national park and some orang utan rehabilitation centre. not going to make it packed. just want a relax trip.

2009-04-26T11:58:00.003+08:00

went timbre @ art house last night. deryang, meishan, meishan's friend (forgot the name), shuyi and zhigang were all there. nice place though music was abit loud and there was no breeze last evening.

just love this song at the moment.

it is a song for a mobile handset commercial that has been played during tv commercial breaks.

2009-04-25T18:10:00.003+08:00

i am back.

this month is definitely better than last month. no more long nights at work (i hope).

i have cleared nearly all of my projects, only left with a big one.

planning to go xinjiang in the later half of the year. most likely during the months of september or october when the summer is over and the temperatures are cooler. i am checking with billy when his friend's wedding is scheduled so that we know when to book our flights.

most of my colleagues are clearing their leaves at the moment. i am very tempted to take 1 or 2 days. most likely i will be using them for the peninsular malaysia road trip if that is taking place. i am thinking of visiting pahang, trengganu and perhaps kelatan.

i have not been meetings my friends for a long time. except for a couple of them. i think i better go to timbre tonight and join my former university classmates for the gathering.

2009-03-14T23:08:00.003+08:00

i am feeling burnt out from work. 4 big projects plus 1 BIGGER project. un-cooperative client, demanding client.. i am being driven to the edge this week. i am so stressed out at work! i know i should be thankful that i am busy. but it seems that i am working to my death from all the stress. i don't want to suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure next time.

i am now squeezed between the supplier and the client. supplier expected a maximum of x number of people , but x + y people are coming. how am i going to explain to the supplier? i am watching the ugliness of singaporeans being expressed explicitly in my current work. for example, getting the best for the lowest cost, squeezing every fat out of every tiny cent they spend. well.. i understand that the economic situation is not the rosiest of all times. but hello.. where is the professionalism. 50% discounts and still asking for more. might just as well go and find freelancers to execute your work. i have overhead costs to cover. i have no bandwidth to give equal attention to all my projects. i feel like breaking down already.. super stress.. i feel like having a good cry.. i know this month is going to be bad. next month will be better. but is this going to be the career path that i want to continue eventually? i find it tiring and emotionally draining to manage client's expectations and wimps and tempers.

i can't even meet my friends out my dinners nowadays. either i am too tired from work, have to overtime or because i want to spend time alone (have enough of people interactions through the week). are my sacrifices worthwhile?

2009-02-16T21:12:00.002+08:00

had a family outing yesterday. brought our niece out. we headed off to the bottletree village at sembawang. the place is only accessible if you have a car. there is a restaurant at the end of the one lane track through a semi-forested area. you can see the johor straits while dining at the restaurant. the weather was humid and hot with negligible breeze. there were quite a few people fishing. the food at the restaurant was not that fantastic and expensive. the fish head curry was super ex but not nice. after the dinner, we went to the nearby causeway point to cool down in the aircon and to shop for some baby daily neccessities and ended off the day with ice cream and waffles at gelare.

my niece looks very cute when she is sleeping.

2009-02-14T23:11:00.002+08:00

hey, am i becoming a loner or what. i do not need the company of friends these days as compared to previously. my typical schedule has been work, home, sleep, work, home, sleep... nonetheless, i am happy with the current lifestyle and routine. exposure from work is really huge. i am very thankful for being given the opportunities to learn new things. God has been faithful. His grace and mercies have been abundant. i will rest in His love. blessed be Your name.

2009-01-27T12:39:00.004+08:00

happy lunar new year! i think i am having a huge inertia to blog for the past few weeks.

celebrated jan's birthday at marina @ keppel bay with robin last thursday. it was a really nice place to chill. though the restaurants there are abit on the luxurious end. the view was nice. you can see yatches docking at the marina while having a meal.

i got my confirmation already. hooray! thank god for that!

just went to my grandma's place for house visitation yesterday. and like previous years, this is the only place we go during lunar new year. had a good time of catching up with my cousins and uncles and aunties. my uncle actually asked me whether i wanted to try helping out at his company. they are doing the stage and lighting arrangements for a local television broadcaster. thought that was so cool. you can see actors and actresses while on the job. haha. well.. shall see first.

2009-01-18T23:24:00.002+08:00

i had a great evening with meishan, shuyi and zhigang today. we went to this nice little restaurant that is beside the seletar air field. you can literally see planes taking off and landing while dining. the appetitisers were yummy. however, the main pork dish that i ordered wasn't that good. the meat was abit on the tough side. otherwise it is a lovely place to chill out with a few good friends. after that we went to buy a tub of ice cream to share while enjoying the breeze by the johor strait. never had such a good time for awhile. today feels just like friday. if only the weekend was longer. we are planning to have a road trip to malaysia in june. hope i can take some off days by then.

2009-01-03T23:47:00.002+08:00

i received another call from a financial planner today. told him that i already had one. he insisted that he is a different kind of finanical planner. all right. whether you are an old or new age sort of planner, i have no extra cash to spare for more investments dude. with the uncertain economic situation, i don't understand why would people want to lock up more of their assets in high risk investments. i would stick to the good old method at the moment - my saving accounts. period. i was quite appalled that a friend gave my mobile number to this financial planner. shouldn't this friend ask for my permission first before giving strangers my number.

2009-01-01T00:35:00.002+08:00

my very first entry for year 2009!

the g team had a small gathering yesterday at vivocity. just me, sze and celine. if only huey ling could have join us too.

i am really quite sad that the team is going to be split up further soon. but i am sure that opportunities will come knocking on the doors of those who need them. just keep that hope.

2008-12-28T14:46:00.000+08:00

picasa is so cool. i have added a slideshow on my blog page.

2008-12-26T23:16:00.003+08:00

haven't been posting for quite awhile. its the holiday season again. workload has been lighter. lots of rest days. beginning from christmas eve, christmas day, weekend, new year's eve, new year day, etc.

it might seem like it is probably time that i hang out more. on the contrary, i felt like spending time alone. guarding whatever precious time i have to be by myself. i am hesitant to accept invitations to appointments. oddly, i am relieve when i know i have nothing on tomorrow.

i am happy that rob is back. met him trice already so far. first time for a dinner, second time to service and the third time for shopping and movie. the feeling is so surreal now he is back. just when i am totally familiar with his absence from singapore. nevertheless, being near is always better than far.

i like the weather for the past few days. the rains and cloudy days vaguely resemble the wintery clime in progress. another excuse to stay at home and read my books and magazines.

2008-12-07T22:00:00.005+08:00

went to the ben & jerry's chunk festival with wei last evening. i knew of the event from facebook quite awhile back, but i was not really interested in the event. felt that it was more of a youngster kind of thing. anyhow, wei wanted to check out the event and asked me to accompanied him. and so we went. the event was held in fort canning. it was apparent that the wet weather did not dampen the mood of the young crowds. people were still trickering into the compound every single minute though the ground was wet and muddy. there was only a single store selling ice-cream. it was a bad idea. i was turn off by the length of the queue. yup. both of us decided not to buy any ice-cream. the only consolation i had at the event was the band performance, liked the song selections.

we had our dinner at raffles city shopping centre and did some window shopping at robinson's. after that we went to a hotel lobby and sat there for at least one and a half hours. it was a nice cosy place to relax. we end off the day by going to thomson prata house to have our supper. the thomson pratas are more crispier than those selling elsewhere. i am addicted to pratas. i am having it for breakfast very often nowadays.

this is a long weekend! how wonderful! another day of rest tomorrow. can't take any leave this month. can't go any place for a holiday too. stucked in singapore. which could be a good thing. saving up for a trip to a faraway destination. i must try to meet up with some friends soon. or at least check how out they are doing at the minimal.

it is so tough to manage people expectations at work, when being too honest with outsiders is not the best option. still i don't understand, what is this world coming to? when being smart means to subtlely deceive? do i have to second guess all the time.

my sister mmsed me a picture of my baby niece last evening. she can open her eyes now. so cute.

2008-11-30T22:28:00.004+08:00

i actually managed to keep aside a thousand dollars last month to put into my savings account. the first time in my short 2 years of working life. primarily all thanks to the continuous OTs i had to do for the pass month. i had to turn down a few appointments because of that. my expenditure in october was at an all time low for 2008. and to have a peak period coming up from dec to early 2009, things are going to become more challenging.

i had been hanging out with my new colleagues lately. just went for a dinner at great world city with my studio manager and senior account manager on friday. i am thankful for the nice colleagues who have been supportive and encouraging for the past couple of months. they really made the difference. honestly, work has been trying, especially so when it comes to managing people's expectations.

i'm so sorry for all the appointments that i have missed. hope you guys will understand.

the feeling of missing the presence isn't as intense as it would be previously. am i getting less sentimental? or the lack of communication is slowly drawing us apart? not that i did not tried to reach out, but the responses have either been trickling and even nonchalant. i don't wait for promised replies as eagerly as i would because they will be forgotten somehow. i am not exactly sad or disappointed. what to do when there is a thing call "busy" between people.

2008-11-23T23:35:00.001+08:00

i love the new gmail outlook. the theme details can actually change throughout the day.

2008-11-22T19:46:00.002+08:00

oh blimey.. this got to be one of the toughest week i had. it was really stressful and emotionally draining to be accused when things doesn't go right. i am physically tired.

we had to rush out a 100 pagination book in 6 days. and given the super tight timeline, i made some blunders due to my inexperience in the SOP. nevertheless, what done has been done, i am glad the most difficult part of the process is over. and i learnt that i have to be firmer when i am talking to clients and vendors in my job. i had to strike a balance between being nice and not to the extend of being trampled on.

i cannot be a perfectionist in this job or else i will be expecting huge disappointments. somehow, there are too many variables that are beyond my control. i really have to let go and flow along. it is good that my boss and colleagues have been supportive of me all the while.

i got to stay close to God so that i will not be swayed by the events that are happening around me.

i am suppose to go for 2 appointments tomorrow. but i feel like taking a good rest at home.

2008-11-16T22:53:00.004+08:00

i worried too much lately. if God is with me, who can be against me.

i am thankful that j lend a listening ear to me last night.

2008-11-08T18:25:00.002+08:00

the first advertisement that i managed was published on yesterday's straits times newspaper! it is also the first project that i completed in my new job. i am really excited. many hundreds and thousands of readers are going to see my work.

have another 2 projects with me that has to be completed by next friday. it's going to be a mad rush next week.

i feel like i am in a place where appearance seems to matter a lot. i am trying to get used to it. it can be quite unnerving when clients judge you base on their first impression of you. which has made me to become very self-conscious. as a result, i feel more stress by this man judgment than by my actual work. i actually went to buy a jacket the other day so that i can look more formal during meetings. and for a guy who likes causal style and scores low on vanity quotient, it does take some adjustment to make myself look more corporate. previously, i do not even used gel to style my hair. and now, i have to use gel to keep my hair looking neat. well. it is a good lesson for me to learn i believe.

2008-11-02T16:58:00.003+08:00

its november already. another 2 more months to 2009. things around me are generally peaceful. i am thankful.

i have not been following the radio or music charts for many months. can't exactly remember when the interest level decline, and yea...i have the slightest idea who is dominating the charts nowadays.

my focus has drawn more to the reading of the word of God. it is truly the only thing where i can draw my strength upon. the truth that gives meaning to my life. He is the author of my life. a peace that transcends all understanding. my refuge and shelter.

it is indeed blessed to be deeply loved by our God.

i have long adjusted to working life after graduation from nus in 2006. it is really amazing where God has brought me thus far. God always surprises me. you may never know what is going to happen next but one thing for sure - God has the best plan for us. there are hidden lessons along the way which i sometimes overlooked (hopefully, i did not overlooked most). i still find myself distracted and worriesome. why should i be feeling that way, oh ye of little faith? i don't want to be the seeds that fell among the thorn bushes. i want to produce good fruits for the LORD. i want to be courageous and not fear men but only fear God.

2008-10-25T17:14:00.004+08:00

long weekend! been looking forward to the break. can't say that i really need the break. work has not been that tiring. i am just lazy. i want to wake up a bit later in the morning. avoiding the jams on the road for awhile can be considered a break too. and ya.. to spend some time alone by myself. just me and my magazines and books. i am thinking of setting up an aquarium to keep african cichlids. i am very drawn to their colours and behaviour.

it was my first time doing a photoshoot for a client for an advertisement meant to be printed on the ST newspapers. i was quite excited. there was my designer to direct the photographer who gave instructions to the model. everything was wrapped up nicely within 2 hours. hope the pictures will turn out well. the timeline for this project is so tight.

i went to settler's cafe last evening with my colleagues. wine bos was just a few shops away. grace's bf joined us too. it was a good sized group. six of us. the food ordering part was confusing. it was like we played a game even before the actual thing started. corn taught us a couple of new games. totally enjoyed myself. ced was so hilarious. felt like i was going to get stomach cramps at one point from all the laughing. ced and grace attended the same church. i will be visiting their church tomorrow. mart will be joining us too. so it will be like another team group gathering tomorrow man.

2008-10-21T00:25:00.002+08:00

kt called me from london awhile ago. we chatted for about an hour on the phone. we talked about his working life in london. the expensive rent for the accomodation. the nice countryside. the crowded tube. the relax office working hours. the places in europe that he has toured so far. he was also sharing with me that banks over there are retrenching workers and news headline are screaming hell everyday. the pound has weakened considerably to the singapore dollar over the past weeks.

2008-10-19T22:05:00.008+08:00

i went to claire's new place for a house warming dinner. claire's new home is near to where i am staying. a short 6 minutes walk. the 4 ladies (celine, claire, felicia and su sze) did all the cooking. i only help to wash up the dishes. the food was nice. it was a nice gathering overall. also get to see kiki, a puppy of one of the roommates.

some random pictures that i took this afternoon. the pictures look slightly dim as the sky was cloudy.

this white flowered dendrobium is flowering again. i am still not sure what is its name.

a few other orchids are growing new inflorescence.

my dad placed these flowered shapes thingies on our gate.

2008-10-18T20:16:00.009+08:00

lately, the traffic on the road are getting worse. what is happening to the expressways. COE is not helping to slow down traffic growth at all.

we celebrated anne's birthday at a korean bbq restaurant at novena last evening. it was good to meet up with the gang. i enjoyed the company. the food was great too. i like the beef and the kimchi soup.

i am happy and contented. God has provided everything that i need. though i had some lousy thoughts about myself this week. still.. Jesus loves me for who i am. i shouldn't be bothered by human standards.

i made a discovery today. one of the succulents that my dad is growing has flowered. and i never even notice the bud forming. here is how the flower looks like. and also, just want to post another picture of the yellow flowered orchid.

2008-10-11T17:06:00.005+08:00

remember the orchid plant that was nursed back to health? here's the flower...

more flowers for this month...

my new colleagues are a bunch of nice people. they are really jokers. their conversations are hilarious. still have so much to pick up on my job. well. that is a good thing. learning new stuffs. absolutely wonderful. a person shared with me that though sometimes we cannot see what is beyond a bend but God can, so let's trust God in His perfect plan.

2008-10-09T22:50:00.004+08:00

one of my orchids which my dad nursed back to health has flowered. it is nice to see the flowers when i was coming back from home today. days and weeks both pass so fast that i cannot count them anymore.

i am learning how to do quotes right now. they are quite tricky to do at the moment for me. i have to know how much profit we are making and stuffs. and projects' nature is differing a lot from one to another and that affects they way they are being quoted. furthermore, i have to be careful with the figures too. oh lovely numbers.

settling down pretty well in my new workplace. boss has been very kind and encouraging. my mentors are quite busy with their work, so my learning time is actually bit and pieces scattered around the day. sometimes, what i think it should be is not what it appears to be. therefore, i am going to ask even the simpliest questions from now on.

one of the cool things is that i am using a mac computer now at work. it takes abit of getting used to. quite different from microsoft windows. actually it is fun to use a mac. i do like some of the features. they are so cool. still figuring out some of the functions though.

2008-10-05T14:02:00.003+08:00

i had found a new and more convenient route to work accidentally by taking a wrong bus! haha.

here's a summary of what happened that day. initially, i was planning to take bus 105 to dover mrt station and followed by a train to tiong bahru station. somehow, the new LED display on the 165 bus was abit blurrish and i misread it for 105. yup, i boarded the 165 bus. it was too late when i discover the "mistake". i decided to take the risk and go by faith. when the bus reached holland road, i found that there was bus 75 along the route and bus 75 went to my workplace! super cool la. i immediately alighted bus 165 and waited for bus 75. all in all, the entire journey took approximately 40 minutes. and the best part was that i did not have to walk a long distance from the mrt station to my workplace anymore. the bus stop was less than 100 metres away from my office. the whole event was just amazing.

2008-10-04T23:47:00.003+08:00

it was my first week of work. i want to thank friends who asked me how i was doing. i truly appreciate all the concerns and prayers.

the dominant activity of the week had to be lunch and dinner appointments. met up with quite a few of my friends this week. yang chen and meishan on mon for dinner. celine, shuli and gigi on tuesday for lunch. xiaoling on tues for dinner. gerard on wed for lunch. primary school gang for dinner. it was quite a busy week with lots of appointments. however, it was all worth it. i enjoyed all the meetings and catching up. i thank god for all these friends.

i have learn something from the previous month. that i had to trust God completely in ALL things. i have to wait for certain things sometimes but He will give me the best. He is an ever faithful and loving God. He has stood by me all this while. here is one hope that will never disappoint you. amen.

2008-10-02T22:42:00.002+08:00

first day of work!

my colleagues are really nice people. very friendly.

did not do much work today. more like getting to know the people there.

still figuring out how to get there by buses. apparently, there are many routes that i can try.

2008-09-28T22:46:00.002+08:00

a few random shots from seletar reservoir in central singapore. the first picture shows a school of mollies (a name of a freshwater livebearing fish) congregating around an area. these fishes are not native to singapore. they were introduced.

2008-09-16T11:13:00.003+08:00

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

2008-09-15T21:08:00.001+08:00

i added a new pet application in facebook. it's call pet society. haha.

2008-09-14T23:44:00.003+08:00

i saw a common flameback woodpecker while jogging this afternoon along the ulu pandan canal. the bird life here is exceptionally rich and diverse.

2008-09-12T23:13:00.003+08:00

i went back to the same place the 2nd time round. well.. shall see how things go. the final verdict will be out next week.

my brother-in-law gave me a lift home after dinner. they were playing children songs for the baby to listen. i was singing along to the songs too. it just made me sentimental. i miss my childhood time.

God is good and He loves me!

2008-09-11T22:13:00.002+08:00

my body is feeling so hot for the past 2 days. felt like it is burning. not sure if it is because of the overstretched back muscle.

so close...

2008-09-08T22:55:00.002+08:00

hm.. waiting.

2008-08-30T17:44:00.004+08:00

i went for a run this morning. it sure feels great after that. must have been at least 2-3 months since i last went running. not sure why, but i had this euphoric sensation from the moment i jogged the first 100 metres. my body must had missed the exercise very much. hope i will be able to gather enough of the elusive "discipline" to continue regularly. for now, i should have no excuses to skip running since i am going to be pretty free.

2008-07-30T21:07:00.002+08:00

today is my last day at work.

celine treated me 2 times. first time during dinner last evening with feliz, jeff, lexus and su sze. the second time with the interactive team at lunch today. we took some photos during lunch at gelare today. i have posted some of the pics on facebook. unfortunately, we did not take any photos last evening when we were having crabs at tiong bahru. we took pictures of the food only. faints. haha.

i felt sad leaving the office today. i am going to miss my colleagues very much. they are one of the coolest bunch of people that i ever met in my short career span of only 2 years. my boss, HL, is the most caring leader and i have a good mentor celine. i am very thankful for them.

i must look ahead and forward now. new challenges are coming my way. we can still meet up and furthermore, there is always the convenient chat software msn messenger for saying hi or hello to my friends.

2008-07-29T10:44:00.003+08:00

just want to thank god for everything. i trust His plans for me.

my colleague treated me a farewell lunch today at a taiwanese restaurant.

i actually enjoyed myself at the ktv last evening. haha.

i have decided not to go online after 10pm on weekdays. unless the following day is a holiday or a weekend. i shall go and read my books instead. i have been taking quite awhile to finish a single book. hm..it's been 2 months and i am still reading the same book.

crab dinner tonight! looking forward to it!

2008-07-28T14:14:00.002+08:00

i think today will be the last time i will go for ktv. i did not want to disappoint my colleague who organised the outing. frankly, i don't really like to sing in a ktv. there are normally too few english songs to choose from. and i know zero stuffs about chinese songs.

i went to watch strange wilderness at vivocity yesterday. it was freaking hilarious. enjoyed the movie. finally! something that is not about good guys fighting bad guys anymore. i have had enough of violence, fighting and gory scenes.

my uni friend gave me 2 tintin t-shirts he got from cambodia. thanks!

i bought myself a book from page one bookstore. it will be a useful reference book for my new job. and it was a good deal. =)

2008-07-26T23:39:00.005+08:00

work at my current job has been pretty quiet.

i have already cleared my 3rd appointment. 6 more appointments (they fall on consecutive days by the way) to go! ironically, this is also a period where i think i can get by without meeting any friends.

i went to watch x files movie today. and the rating i am giving the movie : a letter "x". not a spectacular movie at all. it was ordinary.

i watched the dark knight yesterday. it was all right for me. i feel that the movie plot was going in too many directions. batman was insignificant. joker stole the show.

2008-07-25T13:54:00.002+08:00

went to reddot for dinner and wala wala for a drink with 2 of my friends last evening. reddot was a nice place. it would be cool if you can go there for morning brunch. wala wala was unexpectedly crowded. it was not even friday or a weekend. we left the place as soon as we reached. it was great to catch up with my 2 friends. one of them whom i had never met for a very long time.

2008-07-24T16:39:00.002+08:00

today will officially be the day where my endless appointments will begin.

i just received another 2 appointment requests today. i am expecting another 2 more requests coming up pretty soon. ahh.. this is totally crazy can. why does everyone wants to go out at the same time?

2008-07-23T18:01:00.001+08:00

appointments galore! my my...it always happens when i am on a tight budget. and the most interesting bit - i did not arrange for any of the appointments coming up. haha. i should be able to spend within my budget for the month (except for tomorrow, i am going reddot at dempsey hill).

i like the weather for the past couple of days. thank you for the rain! it does makes alot of difference to the night temperature.

i am going to miss the char siew and roast duck rice stall opposite of the office.

2008-07-23T00:20:00.001+08:00

i went to collect my new identification card. not the primary 6 face anymore.

2008-07-21T22:54:00.002+08:00

i was checking on the airfare promotions from silkair this afternoon. the prices are totally cool. made me want to book an air ticket instantly and fly off to some faraway place next next week.

2008-07-21T10:39:00.002+08:00

remember a few posts earlier, i was writing about the runaway inflation in zimbabwe? well.. apparently, to cope with the ridiculously high inflation, the country has just introduced a new $Z100 billion dollar bank note.

to give you an idea of how small the value of the zimbabwean dollar... check this out!

1 singapore dollar = 13, 833, 111, 028.78 zimbabwean dollar

(as of 10.42am, 21st of july singapore time)

speechless for words...

2008-07-20T12:35:00.002+08:00

i did not go for church service this morning. i felt breathless after walking a few steps. there is too much phlegm in my respiratory tract. i did try to take some medication but they made me drowsy. i don't like the giddy sensation.

robin replied my message, he was really happy for me. i hope he will do well for his FYP.

as i grow older, i think that i am becoming more solitary by nature. certain things and activities are gradually losing their appeal on me. i am glad that i am knowing my self-identity better. and i know god better too. though things might sometimes appear illogical and senseless, i believe that all things work for the good. the best thing is: god plans for my life. i have no more worries.

why be judgmental when another person makes a mistake? won't you feel happier if you forgive that person. bitterness is really very dangerous.

2008-07-19T19:36:00.001+08:00

i went for a haircut today. yea, i look better after the haircut. smarter looking.

ever wonder why the hair on the head has to grow continuously? what is the function of "long" hair?

2008-07-18T18:06:00.003+08:00

this is really interesting. at least for people who are familiar with native floras. bird's nest ferns Asplenium nidus are a protected species in hong kong.

on the contrary, these ferns are ubiquitously found on the branches of every rain tree in singapore. they are common as cars on the roads.

2008-07-17T18:01:00.003+08:00

what happen to me man? second time taking a MC in 2 months. it all started with a sensitive nose, which worsened into a running nose.

i had a great sunday last week. me and mr went to take part in some activities that trinity was organising. it was really fun. got to make some new friends.

after the activity, me and mr went to a coffeeshop near mr's house and had our dinner. we had a good time of sharing. it's great that we are the best of friends.

recently also went out with feliz and su sze to bugis for dinner. jeff pang seh-ed us. still, we had a great evening together. taking photos all the way from parco to vivocity. girls will be girls. what's with cam whoring?

2008-07-17T17:34:00.005+08:00

well.. just when everyone in singapore is talking about the inflation happening here in the past few months.

i present you something extraordinary.

check out the news article below.

2 million percent inflation in zimbabwe.. it is totally out of the limit of imagination.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world_business/view/360742/1/.html

2008-07-10T23:53:00.002+08:00

you are the only one who knows what i am thinking. you share my joys and pains. you are never far away from me. in fact, you are in me and i am in you. you keep my hope burning. i want to learn to love you deeper and worship you constantly. you are both my father and my best friend. you will make a way for me.

2008-07-09T21:13:00.002+08:00

all that should have been informed by now have been told. i can tell she cried when she heard the news from HL. i did not dare to look at her face. it broke my heart. i am very thankful to have her as a mentor. i will miss her. when i walked out of the office today. i was feeling sad that i am going to leave. i will miss the office building too.

2008-07-06T23:15:00.001+08:00

i shall not be nervous cos you are with me father!

2008-06-27T10:55:00.002+08:00

this is a view of the south china sea while leaving vigan town in philippines. what is interesting about this place is that they built a tiny roman catholic worship station on top of a rock by the seaside (left side of the picture). very cool.

2008-06-27T10:52:00.002+08:00

just happen to chance upon this article on central asia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7474998.stm

it is really saddening.

2008-06-25T23:50:00.002+08:00

i finally took an MC today. there was still some hesitation. usually, i do not like to see a doctor when i fall sick. this is my first MC in the current company. i had a good nap today.

2008-06-23T10:59:00.002+08:00

went to visit the singapore asian civilisation museum yesterday after service. the place was totally cool. i must say i was very impressed with the museum exhibits. you can see artefacts from neighbouring south east asian countries as well as india and china. singaporean youths should try and visit the place and appreciate the diverse heritage of the region.

2008-06-22T00:33:00.002+08:00

i did not went out on saturday. still a bit sick. i napped for the entire afternoon. feels great to sleep!

2008-06-20T11:34:00.002+08:00

this is an horribly busy week for me. hm.. not from work but appointments with my friends and colleagues. the appointments are going to stretch on the way from tuesday to saturday! i have cleared 3 appointments, 2 more to go and cleared 2 movies, 1 more to go this evening. i am incredibly tired and worn out now. i am kind of regretting that i had packed so many people into a single week. still, i had a great time with the friends that i had met up with so far.

developing a sore throat after eating some super oily sarawak noodles. not ever going to eat that thing again. my throat is very uncomfortable right now. i couldn't sleep well last night because of my throat. stayed up until 4am before i could finally dozed off. anyhow i thought i was going to have a fever this morning. thankfully, never got it. sigh. i am feeling like a zombie at work now and it is going to be another long day for me. fortunately, there hadn't been much projects to do lately. i am creating a reference library for my team members at the moment. this is call pro-active. haha.

yea. i feel much better this week. but i think i will need some personal time for myself pretty soon and to clear up my reading materials. There are like 2 books that are waiting for me to finish up.

sometimes, certain things turn out to be well and even better when you focus less about them. and at the end of the day, as long as i have did whatever i can, i shall have no regrets even if things may not turn out the way i wanted them to. i hope i can see it that way when the time comes one day. till then i will give myself a pat of encouragement on the shoulder. there is a long road ahead.

2008-06-18T09:52:00.002+08:00

the scarecrow

we saw this interesting scarecrow in the middle of the rice paddies on our way to vigan town in northern luzon.

2008-06-17T03:03:00.000+08:00

Though I am His sheep, I’m still prone to stray,
So Jesus in love sends afflictions my way;
The lessons that come in this school of deep pain
Will teach me to follow my Lord once again!

2008-06-16T16:36:00.003+08:00

father, what is your plan for me? i don't find the thing as fulfilling as it should be.

i am quite disheartened by the outcome sometimes. i am discouraged. probably because it is an important part of my life.

anyway its normal to feel sad. why do i have to shield it behind a smile?

argh.. i will be happy again.

2008-06-15T23:24:00.003+08:00

happy father's day!

celebrated father's day and my mum's birthday together today at vivocity. we went to have our dinner at a japanese restaurant followed by desserts at haagen daz. yum yum. after that my bro-in-law drove all of us to jurong east. we were planning to watch the hulk but my parents were pretty tired by then, so we skipped the movie and went to do some window shopping instead. we had some good bonding time together. =)

i must place everything in my life onto god. i don't want to be weigh down by them. i was made to enjoy the joy and love of god. i might need some improvements in certain areas.

anyway, i am quite happy that i am jogging quite regularly now. i make it a point to do so at least once a week. yea.. to enjoy life i must have a healthy body. was glad that the results of my medical report was good. i am healthy! thankful for that.

2008-06-12T13:48:00.003+08:00

took our first cab in manila at the airport. saw this notice at the back of the driver seat. we should have this here too.

passenger rights!

2008-06-10T11:43:00.003+08:00

we stumbled upon these echeveria plants growing in shoes "pots" while strolling around banaue town in philippines. though quite difficult to grow in singapore, they seemed to be thriving in the cool clime of the place.

2008-06-08T23:14:00.002+08:00

i went for service by myself today. with encouragements from my buddy. the message was good. more towards the application side which was useful.

the joy of the LORD is my strength. which reminds me of the following verse. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. amen!

2008-06-07T16:52:00.004+08:00

i went to the ICA this morning to apply for a new ID card. a long queue had formed by the time i arrived that can probably snake 1.5 times around the building. thankfully, the waiting time was not too long. quite short in fact. i am very satisfied with the service. everything was fast and efficient. it pays off to wake up early.

sometimes i feel like i have so many things that i want to do..for example, like traveling.. but i am worried that i may be overspending while i am still paying back my school loans. should i use the money to pay off the loans first before i think about doing other things? or i should just go ahead and enjoy myself. to be fair, i have been very discipline in setting aside a sum of money each month into my saving account. occasionally, i want to give myself a treat to add some cheers into my life. perhaps i should not worry too much and go ahead with my plans. as long as i keep a watchful tab on my bills and expenses. things should be all right at the end of the day.

i am getting a hang of my new handphone. beginning to use more of the functions that have been installed in the phone. else it is really wasteful to have a pda phone and you only use it for calls and messaging. i still like my phone though..other than during smsing, when can be quite cumbersome when you are walking and trying to type at the same time. my smses replies can be rather slow because of that. but i am getting used to typing using the tip of my fingers now.

the lord is my shepherd, i shall not be in want. this verse seems to be helpful to me no matter what situation i am in..haha. super cool!

2008-06-06T22:21:00.002+08:00

i have submitted my travel claims. am waiting for the reply. i will be going down to ICA to make a new identity card tomorrow. a new face on a new IC. it is time to change it anyway. my face has gone through some major re-alignment since primary 6. haha.

i did lots of excel stuffs in front of the computer today. yup its really "interesting". but i learnt a few more useful formulas to tabulate my billings, so that's still cool.

it doesn't feel like a friday to me today. though the workload is still considered pretty light. after work, i went to have dinner with my mum and sis.

my colleague asked me whether i would like to join him for a weekend getaway to bohol in august. still thinking over it. most probably not as i am also planning to go canada in december (if my reserve is fat enough by that time).

when less is good, when silence is golden.

2008-06-03T20:51:00.003+08:00

another 15 more days and i would have stayed exactly a year at my current company!

i have lost my phone and got a new one. if you read this, please sms your number together with your name to my number which is still the same. thank you!

2008-05-30T22:39:00.004+08:00

just got back from manila a few days ago. the trip was incredible. we manage to go to most of the places we planned to visit. save for the second last day. everything was perfect. the weather was good. typhoon cosmo did not affect our plan.

i felt a bit guilty towards the end of the trip for my behaviour. i was kind of frustrated that my things magically disappear. ah well.. i dun really wanna recall what happen. it was a blackout moment. nevertheless, it will be a memorable trip.

i love the places i went. luzon is beautiful. i thoroughly enjoyed myself and the good time with my best friend . it was a spontaneous and totally random trip before my buddy goes off to the states to study in august.

2008-05-18T23:39:00.002+08:00

today is a special day.

my whole family went to celebrate grandma's 80th birthday at a hokkien restaurant at amoy street. it was good to see everyone again. its cool. the restaurant even played a happy birthday song for us. the company and the food were both great. ate until very full. my cousin agreed to go with me to australia for backpacking in 2009! yay!

2008-05-17T13:08:00.001+08:00

sometimes i feel like i am stagnating. i wished i can be stretched more.

2008-05-15T22:59:00.002+08:00

work this week can be classified as "lo-bo". i wish there will be more projects when i return from my trip. trying to get used to my normal routine again. been having a running nose for the past 2 days. i felt like taking a MC today. but did not do so.

i want to do something more...

2008-05-11T22:44:00.002+08:00

yay! freedom!

i had finally completed the R. savoring the much missed freedom once again. ironically, i am starting to miss my platoon mates now. we all went out to celebrate last friday at clarke quay and boat quay after booking out. i was really tired on that evening man. but i did not want to disappoint my friends, so i just tagged along. the guys brought me to a pub which i felt uncomfortable. not exactly the super sleazy kind. still, it was not the sort of place that i would find myself in.

celebrated mother's day today with my family at holland v. practically overfed myself. i had a maggi at home prior to the celebration. didn't expect my sister and brother-in-law to come so early.

one more week to my trip to the philippines! =) had roughly planned where we are going.

2008-05-03T19:20:00.002+08:00

one more week to the completion of my R

i should be =). another 7 more days to freedom. i missed my freedom alot. i missed waking up at 730am. all the waiting time in-between activities really makes the time seemed much longer. on the positive side, so far the trainings had been quite all right. the siong part is coming next week. i am hoping to get everything done once and for all. get me outta here! some of the sergeants are totally screwed. they are basically using the infamous eye power when there's work to be done. empty vessels do make the most noise.

the fluorescent light bulb in my bedroom has just expired. am living in the dark. haha.

2008-04-27T15:09:00.003+08:00

i have completed the book, "a thousand splendid suns". it is amazing how words can actually translate into vivid images in your mind. as i read the book, the characters actually personify into actual people. you can literally feel their pain and desperation. i can paint out a reconstruction of the surroundings from the author's descriptions. it feels real though it is a frictional story. events that could have happened in the real life. the contrast between a life rule by hopelessness to another life where love and compassion abounds. the last part of the book was especially touching. it told of a sacrifice made by one friend to bless another friend's life. i like the way they address a person as a brother or a sister. it makes people closer.

2008-04-27T00:18:00.004+08:00

further studies

i am looking around for some part time courses in horticulture or landscape management. couldn't find any in the local polys. they are only offering the full time courses in the 2 schools that i looked up.

do i really have to do a full time day course? i am working. i can't take up the course unless i work night shift. huh huh. please open up a part time course.

apparently, there is still a second solution to my problem but the place only offers a certificate which is academically lower ranked when compared to a diploma. oh man.

2008-04-27T00:03:00.003+08:00

the green uniform

the next 2 weeks gonna be another round of brainless activities. "why am i doing here?" question will be repeated in my mind..haha.

2008-04-22T20:17:00.005+08:00

rotten core...

i wished i was forgotten, never to be remembered, overlooked and never been noticed. i wished i was transparent, invisible, or camouflaged somewhere. i have a black heart and a dark mind. i have lost myself.

2008-04-20T09:58:00.002+08:00

i'll be heading to manila for a week next month. by then i would have cover all the members of the ASEAN countries except myanmar. and after that perhaps, i will start to embark on a new travelling route involving a new continent. probably to australia where i can visit robin while he is still studying in melbourne. haha.

i'm pretty excited about the trip. my colleague told me that the beaches in the philippines are even more beautiful than the ones in krabi. i am already in awe by the pictures of krabi beaches, i can't imagine what can be even more better. watched a channel 8 program on manila.. cool place.. got its own chinatown.. seriously, there seems to be chinatowns everywhere around the world as long as there are chinese people living there. though i don't find one in cambodia and laos. wondering whether does india have one too.

after browsing through a few airlines which includes PAL, Cebu Pacific Air and Jetstar, we have reached a conclusion and will be flying SQ this time. apparently, there are always some good bargains for the SQ tickets. just have to check out the website. and i got to select the seats..window seats..haha.

april in singapore 2008 seems to be cooler in the evenings than those in 2006 and 2007.. good news.. as i don't have an air-con unit in my room. i am expecting manila to be pretty hot now.. nevertheless, i am looking very much forward to the trip!!

2008-04-13T21:40:00.003+08:00

i was talking to my friend who is from mumbai and halfway through our conversation, this happens! its drama man..

2008-04-13T20:59:00.005+08:00

Here are some of my orchids that are blooming from feb to apr..

the last picture shows a catasetum bud that is about to open. i like the weirdness of this genus. stay tune for the flowers in full bloom in a couple of days' time!

2008-04-13T20:14:00.010+08:00

went to jurong birdpark today with my family! i took some avian pictures. my fav birds got to be the colourful and gaudy lories.

2008-04-12T21:03:00.003+08:00

i woke up early today and went for a short jog near sunset way. on my way to the running track, i saw a interesting and rare phenomenon. a group of angsana trees were flowering. the ground beneath the trees was carpeted with thousands of tiny yellow blossoms. there seemed to be a scent that was diffusing from these flowers. somewhat sweet yet subtle. this was unquestionably many times better smelling than some perfumes that women wore. perfumes that can choke and suffocate even the mightest proboscideans that stomp the land. back to the flowers. the small yellow flowers precipitated continuously from the trees, resembling yellow snowflakes. it was a surreal and calming sight. i was glad i had woken up early and given the opportunity to see the flowers before the heavy afternoon thunderstorm washed everything away. i am always intrigued and fascinated by nature. nature keeps me excited about life. all the more captivating when you are doing gardening. i like plants and i should say that gardening will forever be my hobby and i will never be bored by it.

the running track was pretty crowded with people and was bustling with activities. i saw families and friends working out together. elderly women taking morning strolls. men fishing. people jogging with their dogs. and finally people who are just running by themselves, like me. the morning sun was terrific. it was not hot but bright and cheery enough to make you feel great! i saw a very old jack russell, perhaps the oldest jack i have ever seen. there are actually white brow hairs growing above his eyes. nevertheless, the dog still looks cute anyway.

the hiatus in running has definitely taken its toll on my stamina. i was breathless towards the end of the run. i must do something about it. got to maintain a regular running schedule. the missing ingredient here is probably discipline. its time to create some. on most days, after reaching home from work, i feel too tired and lethargic to step out of the house and run. thankfully, i can leave my office on time usually, so probably, i can work something out.

i am learning to appreciate some things even more. i am feeling the happiest when my life is at its simpliest. its all about doing the things you enjoy and being yourself. i don't want to be the most popular or the coolest guy. the word "happening" may be appealing to many people, but do you want to follow the crowd and be lost in the crowds. is having appointments and dinners everyday cool? well..perhaps a yes if they are invested on quality bonding with friends or otherwise no. after you have tasted something really really good, the rest of the things do not matter anymore. if you wanna know what that is.. pray..

2008-04-07T21:41:00.006+08:00

something very different happened today to me. yes. something that i never ever imagine would have happen to me came just like that. i was asked to be a "talent" for a video shoot for a new product launch. can't reveal the brand here yet. though it is not really much like a full commercial but i am very excited anyway. if the client approve the video, i will be leaving my legacy in regional websites of the brand. keeping my fingers crossed. it was fun during the shoot, though i got all tensed up at some point when i start to become overly self-conscious. ah well..it was an interesting experience all in all. =) lightings were very important and so are colours combinations.

2008-04-06T20:51:00.002+08:00

everything in his time... don't you wish sometimes that you have some answers instantaneously?

there is 1 question in my mind right now. should i wait or should i not?
though for most of the time, the arrived conclusions are to wait.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”1 John 3:16

2008-04-06T00:39:00.003+08:00

it was a "sabbath" week. i had plenty of time to recuperate.

it got to be a good time for character building. i am going through quite a few events that is testing me lots. my actions and words are going to be testimonials to my belief. i got to work on that and remind myself that all things are good. stay joyful in trials.

2008-03-30T20:10:00.003+08:00

pay is in on saturday. got my increment! yay! treated my parents for dinner and bought a new plant. if you wanna know how the flower of the plant looks like, click on this link - brassavola cucullata.

these days, i feel like i am starting to become critical again. suspect it is a result of work stress, insufficient sleep for the past week and the random bouts of insomnia. a timely reminder to go to bed early and avoid late nights.

just when i thought the earth is finally going through some period of global cooling, the noon sun gets hotter again. it feels like you are walking through the sahara desert on certain days. your body can literally melt in the heat. at night, the temps are getting warmer. i wish the weather could revert to the cooler feb days.

got another book from feliz the other day, my reading list is growing quite unexpectedly.. haha.

2008-03-23T22:01:00.004+08:00

haven't been blogging regularly.

met up some friends last week. 2 on thursday, 15 on friday, 1 on saturday.

incidentally, it seems like everyone is free this month. the appointments will be stretched all the way to the middle of the coming week. come to think of it.. boy.. it's a lil' bit overwhelming. well.. it will be followed by a dry spell when everyone gets back to their busy mode at work and when it becomes harder again to meet up for a meal. anyhow, i truly enjoyed the company of all the people and all the sharings that filled up the missing gaps, some which could be for as long as 15 years. wow. that makes me sounds like quite "old" isn't it. haha. thankfully, i don't feel that old or look anything my age (yup, i know it sounds boastful. but i am just trying to say that i had since surrendered to the youthful aura that has been a part of me ever since dunno when.)

never really see the direct link between contentment and confidence until i read about it today. when you are contented, you have the trust that god is providing everything that you need and that actually leads to confidence to do things that you can never imagine. i also learnt that persuasion is supposedly a nice word in latin originally. kind of like influencing people but in a sweet manner.

2008-03-12T23:38:00.002+08:00

watched 10,000bc movie with dot, mr and tom. like the special effects.

dot got me a book - a thousand splendid sun by khaled hosseini. just what i wanted to read! thank you! =)

2008-03-09T20:56:00.003+08:00

watched shrek 3 online. sneezed alot. running nose. napped for awhile. read the national geographic magazine. more sneezing. watched the evening 630 mandarin news on tv. more running nose. read an article on the amazing mangrove killifish. a fish that can live in a tree!

2008-03-08T22:46:00.002+08:00

i have finally completed the kite runner!

beginning on a new book that i had borrowed from gerard today.

gerard invited me to join his fellowship for a trip to sungei buloh wetland reserve today. in turn, i invited my working team to tag along. i enjoyed myself thoroughly at the reserve. we were greeted by many fluttering butterflies near the entrance of the park. beautiful and fragile little things. felt like i was in a butterfly park. haha. perhaps the highlight of the trip was managing to catch a glimpse of two otters. they looked like they are standing and hugging each other. we had climbed all the way up to the top of the observation post when we found the otters. there was a quiz after all the walking. we filled up the answers while at the edge of the kranji reservoir. all in all, i had a great and wonderful time exploring the reserve with the fellowship members today.