as we get along in life...

...the more jaded i feel about a good many things. after all, i am more or less convinced that people have more bad than good in them. in all of us. we are all selfish creatures who only want the best for ourselves but in so doing, do we really know what is best for ourselves? and before all of you throw stones at me for being so jaded (because i know for myself that i sound terribly so) and wanting to speak up for the good in mankind, i would just like to make my stand that all of us have to take effort to be a morally right person, to do the supposed thing that we deem is right and best not only for ourselves and for others as well. if not, then why would there be a need for moral education, ethics, and even religion?

so having stated my point on the above, my point of this entry really is that, well, it really is a long story. you see, i happened to be reading my past entries, circa 2010, and i really enjoyed a few entries that i wrote about, in particular this one. and it reminds me of the me in the past, the more carefree one, the one who took everything by the horns and just dealt with almost everything thrown her way, and can i just say that i am actually feeling quite proud of myself. and then i felt less jaded about everything in life. because i am reminded of what i want out of my life - to enjoy each and every moment that comes.

in taxing times like these, the evolvement of adulthood has sort of eroded that carefree spirit that i used to be. and i don't mean just getting used to working life, but rather having bills to pay, finally understanding the true meaning of responsibilities and putting in the efforts to make your life and another person's life as comfortable and meaningful as possible. and i remind myself once again not to be jaded, and to enjoy the moment of my youth, my energy, my strengths, and the love that i have in the people around me.

and it just changes my perspective of life altogether. and all these just by reminding myself through this blog.

i do admit that there are some posts that make me cringe at how egoistic or even downright clueless i was, and probably still am (as we all are), but i admire my fearlessness in getting whatever i want and saying whatever i want and yet having the guts to say it out and stand by what i say.

but overall, i do hope that there will be posts in the future that i read back of the past, that i will be amazed by my own insights, remind myself of the important things, and maybe hopefully inspire people along the way.

and at this point i would like to remind myself that i love to write. and i refused to do it for my job because i did not want to end up hating to write. because it is such a lovely thing to express your thoughts and emotions and feelings in words, even the experience is ten or hundred times more significant than what you can possibly describe. but when i read it, i am reminded of the awe that i felt just gazing at the pyramids in real life, enjoying the cool in the desert open, the tiredness in every fibre of my body from all the sleepless red eye flights on the plane.

on this night, where there are so many thoughts just running through my mind and so many errands piling up that i feel slightly overwhelmed, i am glad that i find my outlet to rant (or perhaps just a bout of inspiration) and reminding myself through my own words what my life should be about.

paris paris

watching a movie on saturday night whilst nursing a stomach flu. it's a remake of an audrey hepburn movie - sabrina (1995). and in the story, the lead actress goes for a fashion internship in paris.

they showed shots of paris, the eiffel tower, just sitting around in random cafe and drinking coffee and enjoying the day. in the show, the lead actor - harrison ford - asked, what is it about paris that everyone loves? and the lead actress (too unknown to name) says, 'in paris, they know when to slow down.'

and i sighed.

and i just miss everything about paris.

and i recall all my favorite cities - tokyo new york paris.

tokyo, because i go there for work too often, has lost its charm. yet, everytime i pass the tokyo tower, i just feel breathless, but perhaps only because it reminds me of the eiffel, especially at night.

new york, the thought of flying 24 hours to get there is enough to put me away from my fave city for a good 8 years now.

and paris, which i can take the flying distance without feeling sick just thinking of breathing another breath of cabin air, remains the only city left with its magic.

there it is. and added the very (relatively) cheap branded goods. and my oh-so-fave chanel along rue st honore and the rest of the shops along. and my fave madeleine town to back it up. and of course the eiffel tower that remains elusive because each time i refuse to go up.

what more can i say?

love at first sight at 13, and still loving it as much.

politics is not my cup of tea, but i just have to say this.

more and more so, i feel like i am getting very tired of life. more specifically, i am utterly sick of hearing unappreciative people rant about oh-so-mundane things in life, and never stop to think, if your life is not already almost perfect, would you be bitching about the frivolous things in life... like, i don't know, ministers' salaries?

omg just gimme a break already. i am not pro- anything. frankly, i am happy and appreciative of where i am, what i have in life and the benefits that the system has given me. a good education, decent living conditions, affordable necessities (luxuries are a separate case and frankly if i see you carrying anything remotely branded, please forgive me if i smack you when i hear you complaining about rising food prices and [insignificant] inflation.) frankly, what more could i ask for?

then i ask myself, why am i so different from everyone else from my age group? are people just opposing for the sake of opposing? are they just influenced from regional and global movements of overthrowing the incumbent government just to make a point, although i have no idea what point exactly it is they are trying to make.

take a closer look at a country that every country wants to model itself after, that everyone is raving about - japan.

they overthrew the incumbent government a few years ago and look where they are right now.

lower costs of living? for sure no.

more affordable housing? seriously............

less packed trains...... okay let's not go there. taking the subway during peak hour in tokyo is my greatest nightmare, even greater than peak hour in singapore trains. it is almost twice as packed as compared, i assure you. and cabs are just too blatantly expensive to afford... plus the jams... (just to give you an idea, non-peak cab fares from a distance equivalent from pasir panjang to changi airport is easily 80 sgd at least. so just shut up already. like now.)

and how many prime ministers have they changed since they overthrew the incumbent? quite frankly, i lost count already. five, maybe?

and don't say that we are not close to what tokyo is like. truth of the matter is, we are one of the very few cities with almost the same living standards. and don't tell me to look to the lesser areas. do you not think that they have their own slum areas too? just that you don't see them. and yes, another difference: our people are... 'less friendly'. (if i could be more honest, rude would be the appropriate term at times.)

okay just a disclaimer - i still enjoy tokyo and being in japan and all that jazz. but truth of the matter is, whatever 'problems' (or so we think they are problems...) that we are facing, it is the same fricking problem in every established city. so for the sake of all things good, just shut the fuck up already.

and stop harping on how the president of USA earns less than our prime minister. he has air force one at his disposal.. which easily costs 300 times of the pm's yearly salary. (by the way, air force one can probably only service 5 presidents, assuming they serve 8 year terms each. that's 15 million per year, assuming straight line depreciation. and i am being very conservative here in terms of cost of the fleet. the modifications on the planes probably cost in the range of hundreds of millions, probably billions, but no one will ever really know the amount.)

anyway, so i come back to my point of why i think differently. maybe it's because i am too understanding? maybe it is because of my extensive traveling that makes me more appreciative of what i have back at home. whatever it is, i think enough is enough.

whatever that parents do is rarely appreciated by the children until they are of certain maturity to understand the parents' point of view. then again, parents are never always right, but they do things with good intentions. i guess in life, no one is infallible. the question here would be, can we afford the forgiveability? i would think for now, yes.

perhaps, one day, when one's salary is cut by 50% for no rhyme or reason, just that certain individuals deem that you are too highly paid for the work that you are producing, then you will understand.

perhaps one day, when you get nitpicked on the work that you are not doing, and people forget or simply choose to not consider that the work that you have already done, then you will understand.

i am just so sick and tired of the whole debate. not just about the salaries or such, but the whole nitpicking and waiting to jump on any small matter that is out of place.

and look at the opposition. what have they done so far? more time wasted in parliament debating non-consequential issues? seeing who can come up with better analogies? please, let's just get past all that bullshit. 6 months on and nothing productive. are we just opposing for the sake of opposing?

i just have to say this. grow up already. when the good majority of the people start to worry about having a place to live, or putting food on the table for their families, then i will sing the same song as you. but until then, shut up. please.

snowing in tokyo

it's snowing in tokyo and really awesome at that.

i have not blogged for so long now, yet the thoughts and experiences of my life remain richer than ever. i want to put everything down in words, yet they do no justice to the magnificence of the experience.

can anyone describe perfectly the experience of looking out your hotel balcony and watching snow fall, dressed only in a yukata and bedroom slippers and freezing while enjoying the awesome sight that some may think normal to the point of boring?

on the same note, getting very jaded with social media and networks and all that crap. never enjoyed it and even more so now. what is the point? to gain more friends / contacts / wasting your time kay-pohing into other people's lifes just for the sake of it? oh grow up.

one thing is for sure. i am still as bitchy and angsty as ever. but i do enjoy richly the experiences that life has bestowed upon me.

perhaps more thoughts over the new year when i have the time to slow down and think.

amused...

i have refused to comment anything on the GE so far. but now that it is over, i have to say this. i don't advocate reading xiaxue's blog. i do read it when i am bored, which is hardly ever these days. but i think her posts on the GE are fucking orgasmic, and a very nice breath of fresh air after all the over-the-top hype on advocating opposition through social media. (i especially loved her comparison of tpl vs abdul haran. totally hilarious!)

frankly, i do think that people have underestimated the power of their vote. don't fucking lament the loss of our foreign minister or our first woman minister. that is the consequence of your vote. fuck all of you who are saying that you are sad for our loss, or that it is singapore's loss. especially if you are the ones who have advocating for more 'voices' (or noise) in parliament. especially if you are the ones who say that the ruling party need to be taught a lesson. how did you suppose that would happen without sacrifices?

yes, they are not irreplaceable. but i suppose that is the way that you thank them. for the countless years of effort, the hard work put in for building up singapore's reputation in the international field and telling the world who we are and what we are worth. fucking ingrates.

next time, when your boss does not recognize your efforts, or simply dismisses your hard work for the company, and replaces you with someone whom you think is not even half as worthy as you are, who can't even do half the job that you are doing, you will remember what you have advocated for, and the consequence of your vote. this is life. it is unfair. so suck it in and deal with it.

whatever. it is over. life goes on. i am just happy that not everyone has lost their ability to resonate and see the big picture.

europe trip (part quatre)

so having finished up my raving on poyet chocolate and the wonderful goodness, (still have 1/3 of a box of truffles sitting prettily in my fridge and very precious at that!) we still have not left the goodness of switzerland yet.

our two days at montreux-vevey were spent such that we shuttled between:

day 1: montreux-vevey-montreux
day 2: montreux-vevey-montreux-lausanne-montreux.

so today, i shall talk about lausanne.

it was a city that i did not think much about the last time i went there. then again, i did not do justice to it at all. this time, i would have loved to sleep the afternoon in, in our cozy little hotel room in montreux (facing the alps, remember???) i shall now deviate to talk about what we did in our room.

on the first night that we were in vevey-montreux, we actually chanced upon a supermarket in vevey, and bought cheese, wine, cold water prawns, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes, and all gathered in the mother's room to have a feast! and a feast we had! the fruit were so fresh and sweet and super juicy, each bursting with its own flavor. the cheese was light and fragrant, not too overpowering, and the perfect type for me. the wine was... well... mediocre. but really, switzerland is not famous for its wine. i mean, we are all familiar with french wines, italian and spanish (new world wine and one of my surprising faves!). but who'd ever thought of swiss wine? oh wells. anyway, so we all gathered around the sofa and coffee table, enjoying the view of the alps, having a light evening tea... or so we thought. the whole experience was just absolutely delightful and heart-warming, and of course, the view of the alps just put the cherry on top.

and we all thought we'd have a light dinner. and what do you know? we found a decent looking chinese restaurant along the way, and the food was simply fabulous, to die for! the fried rice with shrimps (decent sized prawns) was absolutely just delicious, and having been 'tortured' with bread and western cuisine for the past week, finding decent chinese food was already a plus. finding fabulous chinese food... well, the whole family was over the moon. yes, it was expensive, but we willingly paid the premium just to savor a taste of home when we were ten thousand miles away. actually, thinking back, the prices were quite decent. the huge plate of fried rice, enough for six restaurant sized bowls was 27 sgd, and came with fresh prawns. like fat, juicy prawns.

we knew that we'd be eating at the restaurant the next night again. more on that later.

so, i really just wanted to enjoy the room, read a book, have a cup of tea. but instead, i was pulled out to lausanne. and i must say that it is a trip that i did not regret, tired as i was already from all the walking.

as it was a sunday, most of the shops and attractions were closed, so we decided to take a walk down, following the path of the tram station, and we knew that we would hit lac leman by the alps. i was pretty tired through the walk (thank goodness it was going downhill!), and i thought to myself, it had better be damn worth it!

and bloody worth it it was. i must say that despite our soft spots for montreux and vevey and the fabulous views of the alps it provides, the view at lausanne just tops it all. it was just absolutely serene and peaceful, and you could feel the sense of calm as you take in the view of the lake and the alps.

we bought ice cream despite the cold, and one thing i must say it is true is that eating ice cream in the cold makes you feel less cold. after downing one whole cup of (very sour but very shiok) lemon gelato, i could walk around without feeling shivery - a rare feeling for me in switzerland.

there was much activity going on around the lake, and you could see families and children just enjoying themselves, roller-blading, carouselling, and just hanging out together. such is family life for the swiss.

i took on a different perspective of lausanne right there and then. too quick to judge previously, i would love to just take a slow walk around the lake right now, and then perhaps visit some attractions in the near future.

and on day 2 we were there, we ate a little of lunch and kept our stomachs relatively empty, for we knew that we would be gorging on fabulous chinese food for dinner. before we even reached the restaurant, we already planned to order fried rice, fried bee hoon, fried kway teow, fried noodles, roast duck, vegetables etc.

in the end i think we ordered two plates of fried rice, fried bee hoon, fried kway teow, fried noodles, fried udon, roast duck and vegetables. we could barely walk out of the restaurant after that. but the feeling was just awesome altogether.

the next morning, we prepared to take our TGV train to PARIS PARIS!!! but not before the bf and family bought their swiss-made watches! well, i did not budget for buying a watch in switzerland, and i'm really not a big fan of watches. so despite the fact that i was in switzerland, i knew that i would have more orgasms buying my ferragamo shoes and chanel earrings in PARIS.

so after a morning of buying watches for the family (and a cool 5k poorer...), we bade farewell to our ever fave and lovely city of montreux, and headed off to geneva to transit for the TGV.

next up, the city that we all love to label as snobbish and stuck-up but yet have a soft spot of it - PARIS!

europe trip (part trois) - the one on poyet

the bf and i were both super excited to be heading to vevey - because it was home to not just the alps, but to POYET, our all-time fave choc truffle shop. now, being poor students the last time, we could only afford one bag of truffles, which lasted us through our whole europe trip, plus some in singapore. we did not try the hot chocolate, as we were really on shoestring budget. now this time, armed with the village, plenty of credit cards and, i would like to think, a far cry from being poor students, we hit poyet with a vengeance.

the train ride into montreux was by far the most interesting. it was then that we caught a real good sight of the alps. having seen it many times, it is still an awesome feeling when the majestic sight sits right in front of you. recently, i was in a meeting with a londoner, who shared with me his experience of swimming in lac leman (lake geneva) during the summer. the water temperature was surprisingly warm, according to him, and it was a really good experience. i was completely bewildered when i heard it, but seeing how he was raving about it, i filed it as one of my to-do things, adding on to the very long list already.

and so yes, we chose a hotel this time staying right beside the lake, with views of the swiss alps from our hotel room. i know i know. you expect to see pictures right? well, the thing is, i did not take much pictures this trip. first reason being, there was a dslr and official photographer for the trip. and i know i will just get depressed when my camera shots don't match up to that of dslr. so i decided to just enjoy the sights for what it was worth, and let the official photographer do the job instead. i did want to get a new camera before the trip, but just did not have the time to get down to it. and then, there was also the fact that i've been traveling so often till it has, sadly but truly, lost its sense of novelty. don't get me wrong. i still feel excited to have the opportunity to travel and see the world, but the sense of novelty is just not there anymore. it's more of fallen into a routine regime, nothing that you don't expect will happen, and even if it does, you know you have the ability to handle the unknowns.

anyhow, we have deviated too much! now, going back to our vevey-montreux experience, i think we were simply too excited that we literally sped to vevey after checking in at the best western (top floor rooms, 16 stories high with views of lac leman and the alps from all of our balconies!). poyet was definitely definitely our first stop, and the hot chocolate there was simply simply simply AMAZING. poyet did justice to itself once again. of course, we went back there on day 2, after our morning tour of chateau de chillon (which i will not be writing about because i believe i have a full blog entry on this castle in my blog archives. which frankly, the whole place looked very much the same.) on day 2 @ poyet, we went totally crazy buying chocolates as gifts for family, friends and colleagues, and all of us combined spent almost or over 1000 sgd at that shop! amazing isn't it? when we did our tally, we were bowled over with how crazy we actually went. but the chocolates there are just to die for, in my own opinion... as well as the boyfriend's.

the bf can give you proper directions on how to get there from the vevey train station, if you are interested.

next up, our experience in lausanne - a city we managed to squeeze in and well worth it, for the view of the alps........ i will really have to get my hands on those pictures!

till then, be good!

europe trip (part deux)

and after three weeks of travel, i'm back to home ever so sweet home. i miss everything here. the food, the humidity (i believe i am one of the rare few who actually enjoy humidity!), the comfort of knowing where everything you need is, having everything at your fingertips... and of course, the long working hours. okay who am i kidding?

so after we left off from amsterdam, we took a REALLY long six hour train ride down to Bern. the train ride was simply awesome! having paid the premium for first class train tickets, this train ride simply took the cake. we were given an almost private train cabin, right at the front of the train with transparent glass doors that you could see the train's cockpit. it was like sitting on the plane in first class, and you can see right into the cockpit. only that we know that this would not be possible, for a really long while.

so anyway, the train journey was made much better with such a nice and quiet private zone, and with napping, reading, and listening to my ipod, time passed by relatively fast!

we got into Bern, our first familiar city. being in a familiar city felt a lot better and less stressful. we knew exactly where to take the trains and how to get around the city with much more ease, and reliving the memories of walking down the same streets four years on.

now, of all the cities / towns in Switzerland that i have been to - Bern, Montreux / Vevey, Geneva, Lausanne, Luzern - i must say that Bern really is my least favorite. nonetheless, since it was our first stop in Bern, we were just thankful that we were in safe and very reliable Switzerland.

we roamed the streets of Bern, recounting our memories, and i came back with a vengeance this time. firstly, to see the Bern bears, and secondly to visit the Einstein museum.

we were this close to missing the Bern bears, for when we arrived at the bear pits, we only saw the bears for 10 minutes, before they were brought indoors for their shower (i think....). okay maybe they were brought indoors so that the cleaners could clean the bear pit. but yes, the Bern bears we did get to see this time!

and how about the Einstein museum? well, it was under renovations! can you believe it? but that only means one thing. i will return to Bern. and on top of that, to Montreux and Vevey as well!

we then decided to head out to Luzern, where i was simply enchanted with the flavor of this city. was it the chapel bridge that gave its distinct charm to enhance this city? or was it the nice, relaxing walk to see the dying lion and then feeling that it was worth the search, and being intrigued with this sculpture. perhaps it is the saddest sculpture i have ever seen.

Luzern was also the place where we caught first sight of the alps in Switzerland. seeing them once again brought back many fabulous memories, standing there so majestically and in such grand poise.

all in all, i simply enjoyed Luzern. it is the type of city where you would just sit in the park and read a book, or enjoy a cup of coffee al fresco and relax. but of course, Montreux and Vevey still rank tops for us.

more on that in the next entry!

waves from hamburg

as i was transitting through munich this evening, it was of utmost discipline i had to instill upon myself to not go into ferragamo, boss, bvlgari, etc. it felt as if the brands were taunting me. but i told myself, no. no. no. no. no.

after a massive splurge out in europe over the last two weeks, enough is enough. the damage is just mindblowing. what do you expect after impulse buying three pairs of ferragamo shoes? according to the bf and family, i totally went crazy at the ferragamo shop. total damage? let's see...

3 x ferragamo shoes

1 x ferragamo bag

1 x ferragamo wallet

1 x prada bag

1 x furla clutch

2 x longchamp travel bags

1 x chanel earrings

1 x samsonite luggage to bring back all my buys

and the bf of course had this share of shopping, including 2 x dunhill ties, 1 x dunhill belt, and 1 x zegna wallet. pales in comparison to my spree outcome, but still substantial no less.

on top of that, i realized that i spent over 100 bucks on buying leggings and stockings. but the range of leggings and stockings over there is simply awesome! and then, we went completely crazy at disneyland paris, yet again. okay, i have further reinforced the fact that i should not do anymore shopping during this trip.

anyone wants to offer to pay my credit card bills this month?

i'm back bitches! (europe part 1)

back from my two-week europe holiday with the bf and village yesterday morning, and guess what! due to fly off tomorrow, back to europe, this time for duty travel.

so before i'm gone for another week.... or more.. i'll try to write as much as possible about my post-trip thoughts.

after a whirlwind two weeks of planning, booking the hotels, train tickets, arranging and rearranging the trip so that we could maximise our trip, yet have the luxury of time in each and every city. and so, we decided on the following - fly into Paris, take the train out to Brussels upon arrival, spend two nights there, before heading out to Amsterdam. Followed by Bern, Montreux, Vevey, Luzern, then taking a train to Geneva, before heading back up to Paris. We spent a total of two nights each in Brussels, Amsterdam, Bern and Montreux, and Paris once again, having a soft spot in my heart, saw us spending four nights there.

Brussels Brussels, the mussels and the beers were fab for sure. the city center was nothing short of un-memorable. then again, the city center was not the reason why i wanted to go to Brussels. the one and only reason that drew me to Brussels, call me shallow if you wish, was for mini europe! you see, when the kor went on his europe expedition some years back, and i was looking at this pictures, i was totally fascinated with mini europe and having exhibits of key europe landmarks centralized in one park.

and was i fascinated with mini europe? i could not be happier when i got there. it was cuteness max seeing all the little structures, some that we know by heart, and others, a good insight to know all of europe better. the atomium, on the other hand, was a total bimbo. pretty and almost fascinating on the outside. absolutely nothing on the inside. we could only kick ourselves for not researching on what exactly was in atomium before we purchased the combination tickets. that essentially were the highlights of brussels.

amsterdam.... was quaint and nice. a different breath from the rest of europe, literally and figuratively it beautiful in its own right. it wasn't typical european, although i cannot really put a finger to it.

we took pictures with the infamous and very vandalized 'i amsterdam' words.

we went to van gogh museum, and it seemed that i was the only one remotely interested in being there.

we took the tram system up and down the city, which i quite enjoyed. i have not been on a tram since i was in san francisco, and that was a really long time ago.

we went on a city cruise along the dam river. it was nice, relaxing, and i wondered if this was how tourists felt on the duck tours in singapore.

we had locally brewed beer and cider, which was simply delightful. the bf and i simply chose a bar and walked into the pub, undaunted by the noisy and smoky crowd. and we were pleasantly surprised, with both the service and the drinks.

we had nice authentic indoneisan cuisine. maybe we were craving badly for asian cuisine, but really, it did not disappoint at all. the satay and peanut sauce was simply fantastic!

the red light district was overly hyped. then again, we did not patronise any of it, but just took a stroll along the streets lighted by the alluring faint glow of red lights. i was expecting to see more action, more flesh, more over-the-top, but it seemed that everyone was just there to look-see. perhaps, the familiar patrons had already discreetly headed into their favorites and all the action really takes place behind closed doors.

in essence, i really did like amsterdam, but for the smell of weed. the stench of weed was evident, and although i thought i would be rather oblivious to it, i was in fact, rather turned off by the smell. it made me nauseous and i had to hold my breath each time i detected a whiff of it.

so that aside, i would say yes to amsterdam again, if i had the opportunity to.

and that brings a wrap to part one of my europe chronicles. i will be heading up to hamburg and then brussels again this week. i really do look forward to continuing my europe experience! till then, be good now.

xoxoxoxo

and what do you know...

it's march already.

the months just seem to be zooming by so fast that i can't seem to grasp on to time anymore. work has been nothing less than stressful, hectic, adrenaline rushes over and over again. but what's new.

the thing that i look forward to in march, is our holiday getaway!

after close to two years of not going on a proper holiday (defined as taking 5 days of leave or more) i have FINALLY put in my leave for a two-week holiday! initially, i have to admit that i was not quite looking forward, as we were supposed to go on tour package to europe, due to our large traveling group size. but it has since reduced to a manageable number of people and the bf and i are just thrilled to be planning for europe trip once again!!! and we are no longer poor students, so it means that we are entitled to slightly more luxury this time!

oh, i do look forward to roaming the streets of paris once again, walking down the streets of champs elysees, seeing the oh-so-familiar arc, and of course, the eiffel tower. i would be so happy to be in montreux and vevey once again, walking down the cobbled path and finding poyet for its fabulous truffles. i am psyched to be going to amsterdam and brussels, and i look forward to having my senses thrilled over and over again.

this month of march, i look forward to coloring my life once again.

amongst all...

at the end of the day, the most important thing is having a safe haven to return to.

at the end of the day, a good meal with loved ones is all that matters.

i have learnt not to care much about triumphs and jubilation, despite the fact that i have plenty of my own to share. this week has seen me humbled, troubled, weary, taking a hit of reality as i come to terms with some new meanings in my life.

but at the end of the day, you just have to know what you stand for, what you need to do and have to do. and at the end of the day, the people who love you will stand by you and stand for what you do, regardless.

but not all was bleak, as the week came to an end with a fresh vote of confidence, despite all that has happened, putting things into perspective and seeing the big picture of it all.

oh february february

what a month it has been.

february is always a month full of celebration, love, happiness. but this february brought a tinge of sadness as we said goodbye to my grandfather. part and parcel of life, perhaps warped to say that is only natural, but it is still something that we all have to come to terms with. i will be spoilt and say that i refuse to accept it, or come to terms with it. but i will be reminded to live my life to the fullest. even so, perhaps that does not matter at all.

the end of january

and what a whirlwind of a month it has been! the month of january 2011 ended with me writhing in pain, dying from 3 full hours of cramps. panadol failed me this time round. but still survived no less to drag my dead body home after work.

the end of january also signifies the start of all the festivities once again. with the sudden influx of kueh lapis, bak kwa, and abalone, it can only mean one thing! yesterday saw the first of reunion dinners, with le bf and family! and this work week is going to be fabulously short! although packed heavily with work, but with a full four and a half days of rest, plus a potential extra day off, i am SO looking forward to the much needed rest.

for now, i will let the panadol take effect and call it a night.

be good now.

hello february!

awesome awesome tokyo!

fabulously back from tokyo. everything was simply fabulous once again. i did not realize how much i missed tokyo until i actually set foot onto the aerobridge, hearing 'hai dozo...' and feeling at peace with myself once again.

tokyo was just everything it was and still is. cold as it was, it was just so good walking down the streets, having that cold cold breeze sweep through you, shuddering but feeling ever so awesome to be back in one of my most favorite places in the world. and yes, even though i came back with a fever and potential flu, it was well worth it. and i tell you, the only thing worth getting sick over is a trip to fabulous tokyo.

le sigh.

highlights of this trip include tasting cod sperm. in tempura form. i tell you, that thing is GROSS. it tastes like.... never mind... very GROSS. DO NOT ever try it. well, you can, but don't say i did not warn you.

having my japanese customers introduce themselves to me in japanese and thinking that i am japanese. it was quite hilarious. and then apologizing profusely for mistaking me for japanese. not that i did not enjoy it. i felt bad that they felt bad because i actually felt good about it... if that makese sense to you. i think i just tend to blend in well wherever i go to. i think that is a good thing.

and of course, having the usual fabulous sake, shouchu, sashimi and more sake!!! i tried four different types of sake, including iced sake. very nice!!! and then, i had the BEST udon ever at this restaurant at shimbashi. it's called udonsuki, and it's a steamboat concept. only the udon is just FABULOUS. right texture, nicely chewy, and just simply sweet and perfect.

i have pictures. but now my medication is taking effect.

g'nite pple!

two weeks

of the new year and i feel like i'm already 3 months into it.

the highlights of the year:

going to dinner at osvaldo's and finding orgasmic warm chocolate souffle, and introducing macallan to someone who appreciates such. i have not had such orgasmic warm chocolate souffle since tamade closed down. it is VERY good. the food, on the other hand, was a tad too normal for the kind of prices that we were paying. it was good, no doubt. but it just wasn't good enough.

going to stay over at sentosa with the girls, and having dinner at the cliff, where the starters are seriously orgasmic, but the mains were disappointing. the stay over was perfect, and i even managed to find a perfect pair of black peep toe heels that were just simply perfect and outrageous enough for my liking. and then, seeing a perfect wristlet - something that i've been looking for for the longest time ever - from coach no less, and then snapping it up in a whim and fancy of things. in siff's words, 'she did not even blink when she bought the bag.' i'm sure she meant that i did not even batter an eyelid to think about my purchase twice before making it.

photos will be up soon enough.... i hope.

and then it was work work work and more work. the week was so hectic that i do not even remember what really happened.

the week did end off with good food and good company once again.

twg@ion with ac babes, followed by a mass pig-out session with the bf and family at tung lok.

twg was just absolutely lovely again. the tea, the music and the quiche, with lovely people no less.

tung lok was just absolutely crowded, noisy and the service was... what service? but all that was made up by just looking at the cousins attacking plates after plates, devouring the goodness of the food and the kind of contentment that comes with it is just... unexplainable-ly wholesome.

and tonight, i am going to my fave teppanyaki @ jurong hill for some seriously salty and sinful japanese food!

by the way, did i also mention that i am losing weight?

oh, i know that 2011 will be filled with ridiculous amounts of work, as well as good food and good company! i love it already!

2011

started with a blast!

good food, good wine, good sake, good company... surprises filled the atmosphere for the week, being both the surpriser and the suprisee.

this week reminded of what it is like to have work-life balance. although i don't foresee many such opportunities, i am glad that i did take the time to enjoy the finer things in life.

first up, photographs:

twin's wedding pictures here. not the full set yet. still awaiting the official pictures and will post the good ones up... obviously.

siff's surprise birthday here.

and the reason why i am so short of words is because my brain is absolutely tired.

g'nite people!

2011: the first post

2010 ended with a bang. the adrenaline rush came head on, number crunching and editing and all that jazz - oh-so-familiar that i got a high from doing it. remind me again why i love my job?

managing to leave office at 6.20 pm to make it just in time for my dinner reservation at 7.30 pm... only to find out that they got my reservation time wrong. they heard 7 pm instead, and gave my table away! oh the travesty. but the service recovery was just fabulous and we got a private room at no charge! for some reason, the bf and i were both craving for korean food, and we went to this place opposite haw par villa, called ju shin jung. it is, by far, the best korean food i've ever had, and it beats any of those in town hands-down. in fact, there really is no competition at all. the chargrilled meats are just fabulous, and the side dishes plentiful and absolutely delectable! frolicking around the room, enjoying the privacy and peace that came with it.

and with that, fabulous 2010 came to a close.

i wish for world peace in 2011. -puts on fake beauty pageant smile-

okay, no, really.

i wish for health and happiness for all.

i hope that everyone will be able to find contentment in whatever they are doing, and gratitude in whatever that life has presented them with.

i pray for more love and compassion for those whom deserve it.

and i REALLY WISH that people will STOP spreading rubbish that the world is ending in 2012, no thanks to the movie 2012. well, even if it does, what good will it do for you? oh yay you are right??? okay my point is, just live life to the fullest.

on a more personal level, i hope that this year will see me going to new places, both literally and figuratively.

i hope that i will feel the adrenaline high that i felt on new year's eve, coming in many different forms.

i hope that i will have more love and compassion, to let go and forget about past grievances, and at the same time, not be stupid about it.

i hope that there will be plenty of good food, good drinks, and good company!

as always, looking forward to the challenges ahead.

HAPPY NEW YEAR P'PLE!! -hugs and kisses-

xoxoxoxoxox

eve of the eve

as i was walking home this evening, i caught a whiff of bbq. and it struck me that it's been TOO LONG since i've had a bbq. i've been meaning to organize one for the mushrooms.

so next year, i resolute to hold one bbq event. i think i will have a higher possibility of attaining this than my pc.

and so here begins my list of resolutions:

1) get pc.

oh gosh. it is painful enough to write it down. enough said.

2) get a grip on my temper.

the past two days saw me gripping myself in pain after exerting too much emotions over uncontrollable issues. afterwhich, i looked back and wondered whether it was worth the pain. and the answer is no. and i always remind myself that work is but work. so yes, that will be my mantra for the year to come.

but of course, i know that i'm good at what i do because of my dedication and passion for it. so, it's going to be a real challenge to balance the passion and dedication, without compromising the quality of my work.

3) stop and smell the roses.

and how do i do that if the bf doesn't get me flowers? -looks at the bf- oh, you know what i mean. enjoy the finer things in life. life's a journey and i want to enjoy it.

i shall limit my resolutions to three per year. so yes, these shall be the three that i will work upon for the coming year. and in case you're wondering, the bbq resolution falls under number 3.

2010 has been a fabulous year.

indeed, it was the year that saw me getting rewarded at work not once, not twice but three times over. and yes, i can finally reveal that i have been promoted. (which explains the congratulatory bouquet from the bf a few posts down) it's not an easy feat and i can damn well say that i've worked hard, worked smart and made a hell lot of sacrifices. yes, it was all worth it. but i'm not going to be resting on my laurels, and the road ahead is going to be even tougher and more stressful. but what is life without challenges? bring it on i say!

there was plenty of travelling. the usual stops of bahrain, dubai, tokyo, manila, brisbane, lisbon, and two of the trips i loved the most...

cairo, for i saw one of the seven wonders of the world - the great pyramids of giza, and took a short cruise down the river nile.

paris, where for once, i enjoyed the city and the sights and the shopping, making a new friend and finding my fabulous ferragamo bag! this city will always have a soft spot in me, be it 13 or 23 or 27.

i distinctively remember writing something early on this year, and i especially love what i wrote at that point in time, and i just want to remind myself of the passion i have, to continue living life to the fullest, and to be constantly thankful of everything that i have in my life...

re-post from 9 January 2010:

"having said that, i do enjoy each and every moment of it as it comes. even in the stress and hectic of it all, i do take the time, take a deep breath, look around me and marvel at the magnitude of things around me.

i feel frustrated, yet amused at the things that can happen in my daily life. it is not one that every other tom dick or harry can experience.

i get the satisfaction, from sealing yet another contract, and i know that the credit is not mine to take, but for all to share.

i get the high from seeing a job well-done, as the fat lady gets towed out and takes to the skies. the pride and joy that everyone shares bring a new high to the spirits around all of us.

i look out of my airplane window and see the sand dunes and the snowy-capped alps. i stand atop and look down on the various city skylines, i stand grounded on the level desert sand and look up at the constellation of stars in the sky. can i not be awed?

can i not marvel at the fact that i wake up in bahrain one day, tokyo the next, and the next thing i know i am in lisbon?

and i was just thinking on the whole, how fortunate i really am to have such opportunities in life.

sometimes though, the magnitude of which does get into one's head, that you transcend the standards which you deem fit for your work life, into your personal life. but it is good to have loved ones around you to keep you grounded, to remind you not to let the larger-than-life world that you are living in get to you. in a sense, it is all borrowed, and for me, i will just enjoy each and every moment of everything, so that at the end of the day, i can say to myself, it was all good while it lasted."

at this point in time, i would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone in my life. you can't imagine how grateful i am, and you know who you are.

g'nite world.

MERRY CHRISTMAS BITCHES!!!

-yawn stretch-

mmm... it is indeed a luxury to be able to sleep in... FINALLY. and of course, waking up to a bowl of bird's nest. these days, festive seasons mean nothing more than minimal work phone calls coming in and everyone goes at half speed.

this is the first christmas that i ate turkey, for all breakfast, lunch and dinner. well, to be fair, breakfast and lunch were rolled into one meal. but still. i feel so jelat from all the turkey. and i realize that drinking wine from 10 am in the morning does have... erm... effects?

anyhow, it was a good christmas all in all. good food, good wine, fabulous presents... what more could i ask for?

and perhaps i've come to terms with growing old, in the sense that i did not feel the need to go out somewhere to party or do something special to commemorate christmas... much less for the new year.

last nite was spent watching 200 pounds beauty on tv. i did watch the movie in the theaters before, and i do remember blogging about it as well. so i wanted to see what my thoughts on this show before, to see whether my perspective has changed over the years. and it's quite surprising, because just earlier in the day, i was speaking to a friend about plastic surgery, and how it is in the process of being normalized and accepted in today's society. case in point, hair dye, when first introduced in the 1970s was not a socially-accepted norm. women were scrutinized whether she's a natural blonde or redhead, and people didn't usually come clean with their natural hair color. i know of people who still don't. or are deluded. but that's not the point. the point is, 30 years on, hair dye has become so rampant that nobody gives two hoots about whether or not you dye your hair.

now, i know in my previous entry, i did say that plastic surgery is not like dyeing hair. but the association i'm trying to make in my above point is regarding the societal norms and acceptance of people with regards to said subject. what i am trying to say is that i think plastic surgery will become the norm, accepted by society as a way of life in approximately 20 to 30 years' time.

reading about the past 'me', i am so proud of myself that i have the confidence to say that i am contented with the way i look. and i still stand by what i blogged about 3.5 years ago. and no, i still won't go for it. heck, i can't even bring myself to do lasik, let alone plastic!

but having been 'tainted' by the working world, and perhaps my job nature or the industry that i am in, i question whether i've turned slightly more superficial than what i was in the past. sure, it's easy to point fingers and say, oh, but everyone is superficial. but that's hardly justification for such behavior. and when i say superficial, i do mean superficial in the sense that we all judge people for how they look, what they wear, fat or thin, too much make-up or horrific choice of colors, etc. how many times have we viewed pictures on facebook, and thought to ourselves, 'oh my god what was she THINKING?'

honestly. and isn't that already judging based on superficiality?

i guess in a way, we have to give people the due credit for taking pride in their appearances (emphasis added). i try to watch what i eat, whilst balancing my love for good food. i try to upkeep my appearances despite my stressful and hectic lifestyle, doing my facials diligently even whilst traveling, SK-ii always by my side. i spend money to upkeep my hair, dress well, take the time to review my wardrobe and give thought to presenting myself well.

in that, does that allow me to judge others?

well, very clearly, the answer is no. i do all those things because i take pride in my appearance, in my own beliefs of giving the best for myself and nothing short of that, and for what i represent, potentially or otherwise. but i don't think it gives anyone the right to judge anyone.

the sad thing is, how many people share the same sentiments?

fact of the matter is that, superficiality will always be here to stay, and we all just have to deal with it.

it looks...

... like 2010 is going to fabulously end. again, the year passed by in a whirlwind. if not for this blog, i would not have realized that this is the year i saw the blossoming of sakuras. (really??? it felt like last year...) and i would not have realized that bahrain opened the series of duty travels that i went on for year 2010, and closed the series of duty travels that i went on for year 2010. and, i am also reminded of my resolutions for year 2010. it took me much courage to remind myself of them again. so let's begin by reviewing those... -brace self-

1) get PC.

now, seriously. i have been on the golf course twice in this lifetime... driving buggies that is. don't get me wrong, i absolutely love driving those cute little things. but at some point in time, a sense of overwhelming sleepiness just overcomes me. like total, utter, boredom. like, asking me to read some further advanced mathematics textbook. but, it is still something that nags at me. so i shall just re-resolute. i can see the look of disbelief on all your faces now. and frankly, i am utterly not motivated at all to prove you wrong.

2) to not neglect my social life and friends.

i remember the middle of this year, where i spent a good three months flying in and out of the country, spending a good 20 out of 30 days in june abroad. i remembered that that was a low point, in terms of the fact that i wasn't there for friends who were going through a rough patch. that kinda really sucked for me, knowing that i wasn't able to do anything about it without compromising something. but i'm glad that i have such understanding friends who are more than accustomed to my erratic lifestyle. not to say that it is a good justification for not being there when needed.

having said that, i think that i deserve some sort of recognition, for helping bestie run her wedding, helping out with the planning as and when i can, and of course, her accommodating to my schedule as well. i think i also deserve some sort of recognition for going out of the way to meet up with friends, whilst juggling my family, the boyfriend, and my own health. i guess the key is to balance.

3) exercise more.

HAHA. no need to say anything. i failed completely in this resolution. utterly and miserably.

i will give more thought to my resolutions of 2011, and at the same time, marvel at how fabulous 2010 has been.

for now, g'nite pple!

quote of the day

"you must know. but you mustn't retaliate immediately."

words of advise given by a wise one.

it's been an extremely taxing weekend. taking leave on friday only meant having to deal with incessant phone calls, sms-es and bad news, whilst being ill. saturday night was committed to work affairs and sunday afternoon was spent in the office, airport, and the departure bay. but one thing i must say. there is nothing more gratifying than to see the fruits of everyone's labor take-off, literally.

and that only served to further deteriorate my illness. but i suppose my job does not pay me to get appreciated.

i can only hope that the next weekend will be better.

on a separate note, there's no joy in success if it isn't shared. life is not about competing with each other. your biggest competition is yourself, really. at the end of the day, life is not a race. there's no prize at the end for getting there faster. quite the contrary actually. life is a journey. and it's really what you make out of the journey. true, life isn't fair. but still, you have the power to change it for the better, to rise above whatever adversity that you have been put through or are going through, and of course, in the process, become a better person.

at the end of the day, people can say whatever they want. but know your self-worth. and really, you determine your own self-worth. i know it's hard to believe that. and it's made easier with the support of family and true friends - something which i hold dear and treasure very much, because i know without which, i will not be where i am today.

i just want to say that i am appreciative of what i have. and i am thankful for everything and everyone in my life.

of perspectives and dreams

being awoken at 6.30 am, then at 9.30 am. what's a girl gotta do to get her beauty sleep these days? really...

i had the most bizarre dream two nights ago. i dreamt that i completely and totally forgot that i was due to go to taiwan with jw. and one day before the trip, she reminded me, we're leaving for taiwan tomorrow! and i went into this total frenzy because i hadn't booked my air tickets, and i wasn't ready to drop all my work and just go. so i started sourcing for air tickets, and behold horrors of all horrors, i had to fly budget!

that was the first part of my dream. i didn't actually dream how i got to taiwan, but the next part of the dream, i was in taiwan already, and i was actually at ximending, queuing up to buy my 'feng mi nai cha'. the most horrifying part was that, i did not get to drink it! i was so looking forward to taste it once again, but NOOOO.... i did not get to drink it.

i think, i must be missing 'feng mi nai cha' too much. for all the bubble teas that people are raving about in singapore, i have not found one that lives up to the 'feng mi nai cha' in taiwan ximending.

speaking of taiwan, when i was younger, i.e. when i was from 12 to 18/19, when i traveled overseas, people would always guess that i am from taiwan. in more recent times, the first guess has been skewed to hong kong, with people even speaking to me in cantonese! recently in bahrain, there was a chinese couple in bahrain who was putting up at the same hotel. we saw them over breakfast, but didn't acknowledge or speak with each other. then, later in the day while we were at the bahrain border tower, we saw them again. this time, we acknowledged each other, and the guy started speaking to me in cantonese! i had to quickly switch to mandarin mode to tell them where i'm really from.

so it sort of got me thinking, do i look bitchier these days? i guess, hong kong people tend to have this edginess around them, whilst taiwan people look more wholesome, happy, and contented. hmmmm....

anyway, i recalled this conversation i had with someone, who was just musing about life 20 years ago. well, i can't remember what life was like 20 years ago, in the sense that i do not know the living standards around the world at that point in time. and he was saying, 'what happened to life? what happened to the good, wholesome movies that you watch, where the father comes home, the mother cooks a meal, and the whole family sits around to have dinner together with the kids, and the father asks the kids about their day in school, and the whole family is happy, and the mother doesn't need to work and the family can still afford a home and a car?'

all i could think about was, is that a scene from stepford wives? seriously?

and he continued on, 'movies these days, they're just so complicated! why can't they make them simple anymore?'

and it sort of got me thinking, would you prefer to watch the reality of life on tv, or would you prefer to delude yourself into thinking that the ideal is actually achievable, and then working towards it, at the expense of something, of course. although, yes, i think the movies these days lack depth and/or originality, but i think i do enjoy watching the reality of life on tv better. as it is, people are already quite deluded into thinking that they can achieve the ideal, without thinking of the consequence to or the expense of others. and mainly because life does suck. so deal with it!

okay off to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

xoxoxox

thank you, merry christmas, happy new year, and congratulations!

all rolled in one...

no prizes guessing from who. yes, they are real. as i rubbed my eyes awake after being knocked out from medication, overhearing the bf and the mother talking to each other about flowers smelling ever so sweet and bears, i knew i was in for a treat, and difficult as it was, i yanked myself out of my deep slumber...

... with a tatty bear to boot! i rolled over and questioned the bf, how do you know i've been looking for a tatty bear??? it's wrapped up like i am right now, to help me get past the fever stage.

back at summer palace now, nursing a strong flu/fever virus... and the best part? i'm on leave tomorrow. what a way to spend my leave. yes yes, i know i can take an mc, but really, i have too much leave to clear anyway... all plans have been temporarily shelved, pending my well-being tomorrow.

not that i have any complaints really. being back home after two weeks simply just rocks!! even being sick can't dampen my moods as i rolled out of the cab and into my safe haven, to find mumu the mao sprawled on the floor of my room. knocked out almost immediately by medication, i woke up, to find the boyfriend and the mother back at home, with flowers, bears, dinner, and herbal medication in the form of 'ling yang' (antelope's horn) and to top it all off, a freshly-brewed bowl of bird's nest.

what more can i say?

-loved-

and then, mumu the mao takes to kenneth cole!

first she sniffs....


then she burrows!!!!

and then as she was getting out of the bag, she got entangled in the strings of the bag carrier, totally panicked - much to the amusement of all of us - and then struggled to free herself. being afraid that she might end up strangling herself, i quickly dropped the camera to hold her still and free her from her own panic... and hence the lack of pictures. it was quite a sight now, thinking about it... bringing new meaning to the phrase, 'letting the cat out of the bag.'!

she really is a HUGE kay-poh. according to the mother, when the flowers arrived, she kept going towards the flowers to check them out. wherever the mother put the flowers, on the coffee table, the piano, the mao will just follow, sniffing them, looking at them curiously... no wonder they say curiosity killed the cat!

i have several things on my mind that i want to blog about, but i guess these will have to take a back seat as i really do want to get well.

if you noticed my title, congratulations about what? i shall keep it under wraps for now, but i'm sure a few of you know by now... no i am not getting married. no i am not pregnant. those were the first few guesses i've had when i told a selective few people.

the answer shall be revealed in due course.

out for the night. be good!

fabulously back!

with pictures to boot!


i think this is one duty travel that i took the most pictures. mainly because we had the time to go around a bit, having spent the weekend there, and also because the person that brought us around kept insisting that i appear in the picture. but don't worry, i will try to minimize your pain.

"how're ya holding up???"

so, bringing you my weekend spent in bahrain, where we were brought to one of the very many forts around, but this being the main one, because it is called the bahrain fort. okay before i go on, i must quantify, that when you've seen the pyramids, you have really seen it all. seeing the pyramids was just majestic, awesome, breathtaking all rolled into one. and i guess, the fort, in comparison is like comparing sentosa to disneyland. point being, there is no comparison!

so we went through tunnels, went underground, felt slightly claustraphobic and freaked out...

now you know why i say i've minimized your pain? instead of seeing ten pictures of me, i bring it to you one shot, straight up. if you want to maximize your pain, just click on it! the last picture on the corner right was actually taken at the border of bahrain and saudi arabia, and basically the nearest i would go to saudi arabia! the waters were crystal clear! i kid you not. i thought it would have made a good diving spot. then again, i don't quite fancy the idea of resurfacing into saudi waters...

and what were we doing at the saudi border? well, i was told that to go there to watch the sunset...

and so there you have it.

okay well, basically, that's bahrain for you. i kid you not. other interesting facts include polishing 8 bottle of wine in 3 nights, and taking a new interest to red wine - merlot to be specific. and also, taking to indian cuisine better than i thought i would have. but really, nothing beats having singaporean cuisine. again, on the aircraft, i chose the one chinese dish - szechuan chicken with brown rice (although it looked more like white rice than brown...) and the first warm, mouthful of rice was absolutely just heavenly. it brought meaning to the phrase, '幸幅的感觉'. that, on top of the fabulous lobster and caviar... le sigh. all of that washed down with a glass of white wine, before tossing and turning around on the red eye home.

i absolutely love breathing singapore air. (pun intended)

and i absolutely love being home. the bf whisked me away to kazu for our dose of cha soba, sumiyaki foie gras, tsukune, prawn and scallop wrapped in bacon..... it was SO orgasmic. i was just having orgasm after orgasm as i put the delicious little bite sizes into my mouth. the foie gras was just OMG...

i think i am getting too spoilt. but right now, all i am really craving for is the mother's cooking. okay too tired to blog coherently.

g'nite people!

before it's over...

for the first time, i do hope the weekend will pass fast enough. been out for almost the entire week and totally missing everything at home. being on the go is fun, don't get me wrong, and i do marvel at the opportunities that i have still. but sometimes, i would like to wear my other pairs of shoes. -bimbo look-

no seriously. maybe it was waking up to see a potentially very scary starting of an sms at an unearthly hour, creating such unsettling feelings in me today. okay claire. get a grip. suck it in and deal with it. -deep breath- taking it the positive way, it makes me appreciate the little things in life and not take them for granted.

on a totally different note..

sitting here in the oh-so-familiar executive lounge, remodelled and refurnished, but still the same old nonetheless.

remembering all the stress, drowning in the midst of numbers, calculations, logical thinking and trying not to breakdown and cry but keeping it going until the problem is solved. remembering all the frustrations, going through presentation after presentation, slide after slide, trying to keep awake despite being completely unprepared and blindsided. remembering all the laughter that we had, nearly falling off our seats doubling over with laughter so hard that we all teared.

everything's been good thus far, for which i am thankful for. amidst the flurry of emotions that i am currently going through, i find myself going back to the basics to be thankful for everything that i have, and even though that does not change any of the circumstance that i am in, it damn well makes me feel better. in fact, a lot better. sometimes, we all need someone to put things into perspective for us.

on a different note altogether, i was having a conversation with someone living in dubai, and she was telling me that a lady taking the public bus in dubai is almost always guaranteed a seat. men are required to give up their seat to ladies, and if there is a lady sitting down already on the seat, the men are not allowed to sit beside them. of course, such chivalry (forced or otherwise) comes with a price. i was rather amused with this, and can already imagine the looks of horror / shock / protest written all over the faces of the men back at home if this were ever to be implemented. i can already hear the 'i thought you women wanted equal rights???' campaign coming on like a huge tsunami. never mind, let's just leave it as that. i don't think men back at home will ever be this chivalrous, just like how women will continue to assert their rights in the working world.

and on a totally different note again, i was asked this question by some random stranger last night - 'which part of singapore are you from?' i gave him one hell of an incredulous look. well, i guess it is way better than the question of singapore being part of china. but i guess i was just incredulous with this question because random stranger was acting and talking all singaporean accent and lingo. but that question was just a total giveaway. really. i knew he meant which part of singapore i am living in, but frankly, i do not want to give him that information. okay, my point is, i thought that random stranger was being such a poser and had something up his sleeve, trying to act singaporean when he is obviously not. oh well.

on a totally different note yet again, i was so tempted by this ferragamo clutch i saw at the airport earlier. a further 10% for airline staff sweetened the deal for me, but i think i should fight to resist all temptations. because i have hit my bag quota for the year 2010. (but... but... it is going to be 2011 soon!) going through the airport again on monday night will be a tough decision call.

will update soon. be good now!

my love for krispy kreme

as i was happily sipping on my fave sunrise from coffee bean in the taxi on the way back to the hotel, i was hit with a sudden realization that i will be in close proximity to krispy kreme tomorrow! suddenly the world looked much more colorful, joyous, and optimistic.

over my time in this company, with a good many colleagues sharing the same joy for krispy kreme, i have come up with several reasons why i am like krispy kreme:

1) i am REALLY sweet.
2) i am absolutely delicious.
3) i have strong self-preservation skills. (have you seen the ream of sugar coating on a krispy kreme? it can go without refrigeration for 3 days and not spoil!)

and the last reason, i shall withhold. but if you know me well enough, i am sure you are smart enough to deduce the reason! -winks-

a totally bimbotic post.

playing cabin crew was much harder than i thought! each time i stepped into the galley, we would hit a spot of turbulence. in the end, i gave up. anyway, heating up the food is such a chore! plus, i felt a little claustrophic in the galley.

on the other hand, this flight was one that i will remember for life. for one, i got to sit in the cockpit for take-off and landing. which, by the way, was just UBER cool. being on the headset and listening to all the clearances for take-offs, landings, air spaces... it just looks so easy. but i'm sure, like being a cabin crew, there is a lot of hardwork behind the scene. they just make it look so easy peasy!

and then, having the entire aeroplane to ourselves. i have never slept so well on a flight before, and i was totally knocked out, to the point where i thought i was back at home sleeping. when i woke up, there was no one around, and i was feeling very disoriented, thinking whether i had been abandoned.

okay my point is, i could totally get used to having a private jet.

now you know why this is a totally bimbotic and out-of-this-world post.

touched and thankful

was sick the whole of sunday, down with grastic flu and suffering very badly the whole of sunday afternoon. i absolutely hate feeling so weak, even though it did help me clock hours of sleep that i really needed.

the mother was sick with worry, with me scheduled to fly off tomorrow morning and still not being well as of last night, texted me this evening when she had gotten home from work, and asked me whether i wanted her to cook porridge for me and send it down to my work home (otherwise known as winter palace), all the way from my weekend home (otherwise known as summer palace), keeping in mind that summer and winter palace is 40 minutes away, by car no less, and that the mother can't even drive to save her life.

of course, i told her not to, telling her i was feeling much better already. which i was, after taking one more round of medication.

and the phone conversation continued on, with her nagging at me to not be so stressed at work, and not to fuss over the unnecessary. typical. but something that i actually enjoy listening to.

and for that, i am really thankful for everything that i have. really.

having said that, my appetite finally came back in time for dinner, to have a very good dinner before i fly out tomorrow morning. not that i won't be enjoying local fare on-board, since for the very first time, i get to decide what to uplift for the flight tomorrow - which includes 80 (!!!) sticks of satay, hokkien mee and chicken rice, amidst the usual amenities of drinks, fruits, snacks, etc. and of course, i get to 'play' cabin crew tomorrow. i finally get to fulfill my fantasy of being cabin crew! -bimbotic grin-

okay all of you can go and play riddle. will update more as and when i can.

good now. g'nite people!