Red Head for 2007

After 20 odd years of being a natural black head (aka black hair lar), i've decided to change my image! Yes, suddenly cut short my hair was only part 1 of the whole image overhaul process. Next up, colouring my hair. And i chose RED!! Y? Cos i like it..different from those brown colour or blond colour flooding the streets now...



So went to Watsons and bought a pac of hair colour instead of going to salon to do it (saves $$, oli $15++).

After colourant is put on

And started the process of colouring. All it takes is 30mins for it to set after massaging the colour in and wala! U get the end result.

It felt like my hair was bleeding when i was washing off the colourant. And even tho I have less hair now, it took ages to completely wash the colourant off..Ended up soaked with water while washing.

End result--Red hair!!

The World is Round, but isit Fair?

A ‘useless’ manager, who doesn’t do anything and not knowledgeable enuff, has just been promoted to SENIOR manager (we call her Maid). What the heck!?!? What’s wrong with my firm?? Are they BLIND?? N this is not the 1st time such things happened. What is fairness? Why do we have to slough so hard, and in the end, the results beg to differ.

What is fairness? What is right and wrong? When does being just become evil?

Ok, being philosophical here. Just watched Death Note. This is what it is asking. Justice vs. Evil.

Scenario 1
Policeman killing criminals on the run - Justice being served. It's their job.

Scenario 2
Some guy kills the same criminals on the run - Murderer. Wrong!

The end result is the same. The deserving party died. But in the process, 2 different views arose. So why is it right and just for a policeman to kill the criminal and wrong for the other guy to do the same? Even if the criminal were caught, jailed and scheduled for death penalty the next day, it is still wrong for some other guy to kill that criminal?

Isnt the ultimate aim the same - to punish the criminal for whatever he/she had done? So why the different treatment? Because the other guy who killed the criminal had no right to. That is what the movie says so. So it means policeman has the right to kill the criminal? just because of the post 'POLICEMAN"???

I'm not saying that anyone can kill just anyone. But we're talking abt criminals here right. Those who deserve to be punished. And of cos those that deserve the death penalty. We can't be killing all other minor criminals.

In the movie, Kira (aka Light) started off by killing big time criminals. I felt that is the right thing to do. Not using the death note as a means to kill people u hate or for ur personal use but for the good of the whole world. But the police are not happy and labelled him 'Murderer'. Ok, rationale being u shld not take justice in ur own hand but shld wait till the verdict is set. Innocent until proven guilty. But for those who deserve death penalty, it is just!

Of cos, when Kira started to go haywire, and kills almost all criminals (major n minor) he seems abit out of hand. Worse still when he started to kill people who r after him. That is murder. Not too just anymore.

I bet this Japanese manga has set up a range of debates on the ethical side of the story. To kill or not to kill. And I would s'pose alot of people tend to agree with Kira, that what he did is correct. Well, i mean, hey it helps to keep crimes at bay and those r deserving victims. But there always comes a point when u can't tell when is the limit. Not all criminals deserve to die. Some deserve to be given a 2nd chance.

Back to my 1st paragraph--Undeserving people r being rewarded prematurely. While many deserving people are still stucked in the same position, waiting for the annual promotion. What is this? There r so many deserving people in my department who r outstanding and deserve accelerated promotion or more recognition, but what do they get? Nothing!! They still have to wait in line for the annual promotion, annual evaluation. Maybe they get more bonus, but only slightly more, not enough to warrant their hard effort. What is wrong?? Just hope that the firm will wake up soon or it'll suffer from the lack of knowledgeable and good people.

As i said..'The World is Round, but is it Fair'? The answer is obviously NONONO. It will nvr be. If it were, I would be rich by now.

New Start New Year

Keke..All things to change for the New Year 2007!

1st - New wardrobe. Yes, After slightly more than 1 year, I have decided to change my wardrobe. Those old clothes which I have worn for 1year plus, r going to be thrown outa my wardrobe and to be replaced by new ones! Bought lotsa clothes this 2nd half of the year, all thanks to Internet Shopping! So brand new wardrobe!

2nd - Handphone! After 2 long years, it's time to change to a new HP. Yes, the old one sucks and dying on me. Becoming crazy by the day, ringing by itself or hang on the Message screen. Must change b4 it reali goes blank and I would hv lost ALOT of the numbers! Nokia 6288! Going to get it tomorrow!

3rd - New hairstyle! Yes after 8 long years of having long hair, it's time for a change. Back to short hair! Keke..the result is rather satisfying! I like it. Makes me look younger n more energetic cool! Maybe i shld have cut it even shorter???Ha..next time maybe.

Me with short hair!

And of cos, new office (we have moved to One Raffles Quay). What else is new? New attitude towards life maybe? Try to 看开 ( look on the bright side always). Work is nvr-ending so why sloug like hell everyday? But sometimes it's inevitable. So try not to over-work myself.

Well but I'm still the same old me! Nope, no plastic surgery (hmm maybe i shld do an eye-lift, liposuction, face lift...if i have the $$ and the heart to do that to my already beautiful face).

2006 has been a good year for me (been travelling quite a fair bit this year, no $$$) new phase in my work life as well...Hope 2007 will be an even better year for me (well according to my horoscope saggitarus, 2007 will be a great year for my health, work and personal life)

Oh i bought lottery ticket today and it is going to open on 3rd Jan 2007..If only...Please God!! $2mil top prize!!!$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$...That's also a 1st for ME!!!Always blur blur about buying this kinda things (toto, lottery included) 傻人有傻福 Hope it applies to me!

24 Dec - Xmas eve.. What is my program?!?! Cookies baking!!

Yes, it's an annual event. I'm always in the Kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies during this time of the year. And the cookies are critically-acclaimed and guaranteed great tasting (courtesy of countless friends and colleagues).

1.30pm - Start of the dough making process. Courtesy of my Bro, the mixer was spoilt (over heated) hence i had to use blender to mix. As such, i had to split the dough mixture into 4 times to mix. Terrible n tough job. Finally managed to mix everything together. I think I have developed muscles now.

End result of the dough mixing process

Now it's time to place the mixture in the tray n bake them.

Pre-baking mixture

The final product! Wala!

After almost 4 long hours of baking, i have finally completed the BIG project! TIme to pack to individual bags for gift-giving purposes. Yes, these are not for me!!haha

Batam 22-23 Dec 2006

The long awaited trip has finally arrived! Have been looking forward to getting out of SG at least for a few days out of the super long vacation I'm having (Yes, I"m on leave from 22 Dec till next year) So yes, 21st Dec was my official last day of the year 2006!!

6.30am - Wake up to get ready to head to Harbourfront for the morning ferry at 10am. Damn tired but oh well, Batam is near!

1015am (Batam time) - We're all 1 hour younger in Batam! Cos of the time difference. Reached our resort (KTM) in about 10 mins. Erm..what can I say..it's reali a very private n exclusive resort..if u get what I mean. It's really secluded and by the sea. Very rustic look and back to nature. But the view from the resort is magnificent! Overlooking the big ocean shiok! Our resort is on silts along the lagoon bay..quite cool n nice..

Our resorts on stilts

View from our room

11am - Spa time! Imagine enjoying ur massage in a hut with the ocean view! Sea breeze blowing while u are being massaged..1.5hours of greatness!!

Lunch was a non-event.

6pm - Head out for dinner with a family of 4 from SG as well!! had traditional indonesian dinner quite nice.

Went supermarket shopping (my fav activity overseas!!) Booze is damn cheap there and of cos we bought 2 bottles of mix booze (with low alcohol %)

And a great discovery - A&W!! Which is no longer available in SG. Great! How i missed the root beer float! Of cos we had to try those dearly missed drinks!

Dear Mr A&W

23 Dec - Start of our day tour and activities.

1st stop was the waterfront for some sport activities, which we did not try. Later on, it was shopping and more shopping at the local dry market and products. Bought lots of keropoks (fried crackers) and nuts (Yes I'm nuts crazy)

Had a good seafood lunch at the famous 933 GOlden Prawn restaurant and tried the famous avocado drink!After that, it was more shopping. Stop over at the POLO main store and bought 3 Diesel T-shirts at S$17 cheap!

4.15pm (Batam time) - Ferry back to SG. ENd of the trip. which was a relief cos the trip was not as great as we thought it would be. Batam - boring place. oh well...

7pm (SG Time) - back at harbourfront and no longer 1hour younger..

Tomorrow - Xmas eve. Cookie baking time!!

Happy belated birthday!! Happy!!

My 'Lesbian' pal, Daixing gave me this pretty bdae card!!! So nice & Thotful of her..Yes it's super belated..but at least she still remembered to give it to me!!!

Nice hor..n she treated me lunch..nice..

A BIG thank you to Daixing!!!

New Start New Office

New office, open concept

My desk..with my name

Yes, after much anticipation and emails, we have finally moved! To ORQ (One Raffles Quay, in case SOMEONE doesnt know what it means).

Nice office, just nice but very very open concept. Don't like. Everyone can see each other, no privacy at ALL!!! yucks. but at least we have half the sea view. BUT, the tables (or rows) r damn small, walkway too tiny n squeezed. 3 people to 1 section of the row!! What the!!! We are bloody auditors, we need SPACE to put files, papers, documents etc..GIVE US MORE SPACE!!

The Pantry, with nothing in it

Well, we have a nice pantry (just nice nothing much). But, no snacks!! No drinks machine! Come on, u can give us a pantry, why not stock it up!!!

Monday morning chaotic! Everyone trying to orientate themselves, finding their seats, figuring out where the things are, where everyone else is seated. And of cos, waiting for the reception!! Yes FOOD!!! Oh n fixing the bloody computer internet settings. Damn. Managed to work my day away (yes i was busy working the whole day) until i just had to say "OFF I GO"!!

My Tidied-up desk

When i returned home, surprise! My room desk has been tidied up! Oh man, it is so damn clean n tidy! Ha..must be my dear little sister who has nothing better to do. So now i have to question her where my things r put. I always can't find my things when they are tidied up. Messy is my way! ha!

EY DnD 2006

Red Carpet Extravaganza!! Glamour baby Glamour!! All the Armani, Gucci, LV, u name it we've got it! Yes, this is the annual Dinner and Dance event. This year, the theme is Red carpet (yes, a little dugh n not fun at all). Well, people do dress up for such events!! Me? Oh just a simple white tube dress will do. It doesnt matter what u wear, it's the personality that brings out the dress :)

Well it was fun! seeing all ur colleagues bring out their best dress n best faces forward. everyone with full make-up, hairdo done to the max...so glamourous..

Fun night, going around the ballroom taking pictures with colleagues and friends. It is the night where all work related stuffs are thrown out of the window. Yes, even when u see the managers, they don pester u for files or follow up on outstanding. Food wise? It's nvr abt food darling! So no comment on food. Entertainment? Well it was ok. seeing your counterparts on stage performing, dancing and singing to fight for the 1st prize. Kinda furnie, reminds me of my 1st year when i was on stage dancing..At least our group won the 1st prize that year.

The highlight of the night? Lucky draw of course!! Everyone was waiting for the lucky draw, eager to see their names being shown on the screen. Me too! But unfortunately, it did not appear at all throughout the night! Damn it! I so wanted to see my name appear when they were giving out the 1st prize - $5k travel vouchers! That would fulfil my next year's travelling plans!!! But well, what damn luck.

Overall a nice night! Although alot of familiar faces were no longer there (they left the company) it was nice seeing new colleagues and friends as well! Who knows, maybe next year, I will no longer be around as well!

Wheel Of FOrtune

Took this test after reading my friend's blog..I'm the Lucky Star man!! If only it were really true, I would be at Home, drinking tea, sitting by the Olympic sized pool at my Big Big Mansion, doing my manicure and pedicure, with tons of people tending to me, serving me and making my hair and makeup......If Only...

You are The Wheel of Fortune

Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of intoxication with success

The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Happy Birthday To Me

Early morning, when I switched on my HP (which is dying soon), sms-es came pouring in..All wishing me Happy Birthday, trying to be the 1st to do so haha...Arhhhhh...Thanks to all my friends who remembered!!

Yes, after waiting for 1 year, the most important day of my life has once again arrived! It was this day on which I was given life, hope and the unforeseen future ahead! My Birthday!!

Well, birthdays are meant to be a happy day, a joyous day that calls for celebration! TO me, it's just another day, albeit an important day. But ultimately, it's just another day. Maybe it's the age or am I being cynical or just as time goes by, I don't feel much when it comes to my birthday. It's just another day. Yeah, maybe i'll just be a little more relaxed and less motivated to work cos it's my birthday (hey, this is a very good excuse!) but it realli doesnt make much of a difference! But of cos, the company is important as well.

Cute?? Cuddly beany bag star..Well I'm not someone who's especially estatic or a fan of cuddly dolls, toys or stuffed toys..but of cos I like this special one...It's the thought that counts and it is especially so for this particular pressie...Soft, cuddly nice to hug! Yes, n it is a very accurate representation of my state of mind (SLEEPY) most of the time. How APT!! Thanks D.

Well..the day is over..and this is when some of my friends (2 in fact) sms-ed me Happy Birthday. Apparently their reminder date was set wrongly..How hurt I felt..at least set it right if u cant remember by heart!!

Time realli flies. It was only 1 year ago when a friend sms this to me: "Happy 2x Birthday! Have a wonderful 2(x+1)th year ahead!". How just 1 day adds the extra 1 year to u. And now, it is my 2(x+1)th Birthday, and stepping into my 2(x+2) year. Getting old? Ney, i'm just nuturing more as time goes by...Like wine!

The Men are Losing It??!!??!!

The men are losing it…No, not the sex drive…it’s the motivation to strive for a career.

I’m not trying to generalize the entire population of men, but there is an increasing trend of men being comfortable just securing a relaxed job and staying put in the comfort zone. Whatever happened to striking out a successful career? Becoming good at what you want to do and making it big? Surprisingly, women have it much better now than before!

We see more women striking it out BIG time, making great progress in their career, securing highly paid position and top notch jobs. Looks like the notion of equality between men and women is now more likely to happen. Well, not that it is going to be completely true because it can never be completely true. Women are expected to put family first, and this thinking is still very much inbuilt into their thinking. We see more career women out there in this big world, but eventually they are willing to give up what they have just to have a happy family and love. Well, maybe not everything, but I would think they are willing to be stay-at-home mums while watching their kids grow.

Anyway, back to the increasing number of slacker men. Yes, I have seen so much more men who are just happy being where they are. Holding jobs like basic administrative positions or accounts assistants. Sometimes, it just seems a little out of place for them when you spot them in such positions. Like one of my clients. The office is very much filled with women and it is rare to spot a few guys. And now, there seems to be an influx of guys taking up the admin positions. And to tell u the truth, there is not much career progression for these admin positions. I mean, if you come in as a manager, it would have been much better (and the pay is not very fantastic). I’m not trying to judge here, but my client and I have been discussing about this and maybe we’re just being conservative. It just feels weird to see so many guys working in admin (these jobs are usually for ladies who want a relaxed life, to take care of their families etc). And there r guys who are happy or contented with what they have and where they are that they’re not bothered to upgrade themselves or better themselves. They don mind their female counterpart of GFs to be doing much better than them. What happened to their drive??

Well equality is important but at the end of the day, who wouldn’t want their partner (husband, bfs) to be at the top of their game? To be striking out a successful career?

Well, I want that.

This is Tea Chapter..Nice ambience

Trying to bring out the cultural side of ourselves, my friends and I decided to go to "Tea Chapter" to experience the art of tea tasting. Nice setting and ambience in the shop. We chose the Japanese setting, though we felt not much difference between the various settings. Clueless about tea choice, the waitress helped us decide on the tea - Oolong tea.

The tea set

And she taught us how to brew tea and the steps to take before u drink it.

1) 1st brew is not to be drank
2) Fill teapot 1/3 full of tea leaves
3) Infuse the tea leaves for at least 30s
4) 1st smell the tea before u drink it

Ok, got it. We tried to be civilised for the 1st few tries, but it got too much for us to take. Ok i admit, we're just too impatient to wait. What the heck, just drink it down. Smell the tea? Ney, not for us. But the experience was quite nice and relaxing.

Will definitely try it again..Yes trying to build up the cultural side AGAIN.

KTV session..

After exploring our quiet and peaceful side, we decided it's time to go back to our own true self! Karaoke (aka KTV)!! Sing (or should I say SHOUT) our lungs out! 5 hours of KTV - SHIOK!! Throat is a little sore now though..But it was worth it..Had a lot of fun and laughter, teasing each other for our off-key singing and pitch..Yes and cos I had not been to KTV for ages...

Certified Open Water Diver!!

Yes, I have fulfilled yet another item on my list of things to do -- Diving!! Obtained my license after 4 days of diving course (full load). It was really GREAT!! and fun!

Flew off to Phuket with 2 frens of mine to start our diving course! Marco was our instructor..really nice and furnie guy, made our whole diving trip reali interesting.

That's us with our instructor Marco from Holland

That's me with the diving equipments, very heavy

First 2 days was theory and pool sessions (boring theory classes, Ok pool sessions) to firm up our skills and technicals..skills like de-masking (remove water from ur mask), equalising ear pressure, maintaining bouyancy etc...sounds like alot but actually they are quite easy to master and learn. The main highlight of the whole course is the open water dive which started on day 3 and day 4.

Look at the visibility, can u believe that this is actually 6m deep!!

We went to Rachai bay for our 4 dives. Great water and visibility. Corals, fishes, sea urchins, eels...we saw ALOT!! Yes, and we got a real dark tan (and the stupid wet suit tanline which cuts our legs into 2 shades) but i got rid of that after 2 days of sun...

The dive was great! but the descend was tough for me..equalising the pressure took a long time but eventually i did it..though my nose bled a little cos of the pressure...but it was worth it! we saw lionfish, angelfish, triggerfish, eels, small prawns and all sorts of fishes..

so our day activities were diving, diving and more diving..night activities?? SHOPPING!!

I have said before that bangkok is evil..now i repeat myself - Thailand is evil!! We just shopped all the nights away! Biggest haul - Bikinis! They are nice and cheap in thailand so we just grab and paid for them..clothes as well..we should have gone there without bringing any clothes and still would have enough to last the whole of 5 days.

We went Patong beach one of the nights, and the place was CRAZY!!! So damn crowded with people (tourists and thais) and lady-boys...the bars were crazy and noisy, with those people dancing on the table tops like nobody's business.

Another big spender is on FOOD. Yes seafood! We have big tiger prawns, crabs and tom yum soup! yum yum..i ate so much during the trip (more than i do in Singapore). got to start my dieting regime now..

After 4 days of diving, we got our license! Yeah, which means we can go diving anywhere now!! And our dear Daixing had to leave us after 4 days, while tingmei and I go on a day trip to Phi Phi Island for the sun, sand and snorkelling.

decided to take a pic of this lady cos she's a super poser! all those furnie poses she did

Maya island, Phi Phi island and Khai island. The best and most beautiful was Maya Island where 'The Beach' was filmed. Uninhabited island and great view and rock formations. Great place!! Tingmei and I did some furnie pictures..where we tried to jump while capturing the shot.

it took 4 tries to get this right

The highlight is SHARKS! Yes, we saw sharks at Khai Island. Big and small sharks, but of cos not the size of the Great White but big enough. So now i can finally say "I saw Sharks!!"

And yes, it was our last day and night at Phuket so we had a better feast - crabs! And it was Home Sweet Home after.

My Brand New Camera

Yes I have finally got my own camera!! Lumix Fx3..with 2 1GB sd card and extra battery thrown in!

So why not the new model? Cos i realise that i should not waste excessive money when all i need is a basic camera. 6mp is fine enough for me. I don't need extra features so why not save that $200 and spend it on some other things.

So happy!! Got my camera, and my oakley sunglasses will arrive in Nov. Oh and I got a brand new bikini for the diving trip.

Next up i want to get Nokia 6280.

Oh man, I am so BROKE!!

Hmm, anyone wana get this handphone for me as a birthday gift???

I shall start packing for my Phuket diving trip..So looking forward to it. Take off on Friday 27 Oct.

Platonic Friendship??

Is it possible for a guy and a girl to be best of friends?

WHY NOT??

"Brand New Friends" talked about this subject and it's rather interesting.

I have a few guy friends, and we are good friends. We are on good talking terms and can talk about alot of things. Two of them are on a rather close terms. One of them is already married (and i met him when he was attached), the other still single and we're not an item (never was, though we were constantly the subject of the papparazzi's eyes).

I know alot of people will say, no way, there is no way pure platonic relationship is going to survive, but i'm living proof that it has and it will! In fact, I like talking about things with my guy friends cos sometimes they understand it better than the girls. And, the thing is, if they were friends with the opposite sex before they got into a relationship, it's not as bad as if they got to know that person after they get into a relationship. Why such discrimination???

I don't understand why people want to stop their partners from being friends with the opposite sex..it's not fair to control people's preference..Go ahead! I won't stop my man from being best of friends with a lady. I mean TRUST is important in a relationship so if u don't even trust ur partner, what's there left? Well, if they just happen to fall in love with the other party, I will be sad but that just means u'r less important to them. Why hang on?

Yes, I am different. My friends always say i'm UNIQUE (yes, unique not weird). I like it that way. I'm not the typical damsel-in-distress (actually i'm not and never will be). I'm not a romantic (i'm practical) and can never know the true meaning of being romantic. I'm not the usual clingy and touchy kinda girlfriend (i'm quite independent and opinionated. I DO NOT need my man to meet up everyday, i mean i still need to live my life and it's not dependent on my partner. I need to spend some alone time to just stone at home). And i'm not high on the intimacy quotient..sometimes i feel like i'm commitment-phobic..maybe it's just who I am. I am BO CHUP (nonchalant)Yes I'm UNIQUE but I'm a traditionalist as well - no Sex before marriage, i want my future husband to be the major breadwinner (i'm still going to work but just like the comfort of knowing i'll be supported comfortably even if i do not have to) everything waits till after marriage etc...Accept it that way!! Ha this is getting a little too personal so i shall stop here.

Well, like i say..I'm UNIQUE and i like it.

My 1st Personalised Pen

Surprise surprise on a blue blue Monday. Sufferinng from insomnia the night before, I zombied into the office not feeling myself. Seeing everyone hurrying past me. As usual, I walked to my dear old pigeonhole and wala! There it is. A carefully wrapped box with a card.

Carefully tearing open the wrapper, I found a box n in it -- A personalised Parker Pen!! Yes, with my name engraved on it! English name of course. Wow, I was so touched!! At least it brightened up my day, made me feel less zombie-like.

Courtesy to our dear old TBC, million thanks. Yes he will be our soon-to-be ex colleague. This is his farewell gift to his closer gang, and I'm so damn honoured to be considered within that gang.

Ok, the picture did not turn out well enough but yeah that's my name on it..

Argh..so touched. Can't bear to use it kekekeke...

The Departed

Watched "The Departed" yesterday night..The remark version of the original HongKong movie "Infernal Affairs" ("IA"). Truth be told, original is always the better one. Yes, I prefer "Infernal Affairs". Not just the way the story is unfold, but the characters potrayal and development. (Infernal Affairs poster is nicer too :P)

Hollywood version - Loud, violent and outlandish.
HongKong version - Subtle, silent and emotional.

Take the lead character - The Police mole (Leonardo's character). Played by the reputed Tony Leung Chui Wai, his was a very subtle and emotionally challenged mole in the secret society ("SS"). His struggle with his identity was potrayed not so much through physical actions or hystericals, like what Leo did. His was more heart-felt and identifiable. Yes I prefer Tony's potrayal.

Also, "The Departed" did not develop the intricacies of the characters entanglement, which "Infernal Affairs" did to a rather wonderful effect. The mentor-mole relationship between the head of police and the mole was well-developed in "IA" but was nowhere to be found in "The Departed". It made the death of the police officer much more heartening.

The rooftop scene. Not much developed or shown in "The Departed" but is a highlight of "IA". The tension between the two, just watching the two actors fight it out was great. (FYI, Andy Lau was the SS mole). "The Departed" quickly ran past that scene...while "IA" delved into it further, explaining the contradictions in the moles' minds.

我是警察。我也是警察。

Those were the words spoken by the Tony and Andy respectively (the police mole, and the SS mole). It was THE phrase at that time.

I felt really sad and down when Tony was killed, but I did not really feel that bad about Leo's death. Well, original is always the best, hard to beat. But then again, IA had 3 episodes to unfold the whole story and with its haunting theme song.....But "The Departed" isn't that bad. It is still an 'A' star movie of the year.

FYI, I wasnt and still is not a BIG fan of the movie, albeit the appearance of my favourite idol Leon Lai in the last installment of the trilogy.

Tuesdays With Morrie

What will you do when u face death? Cry and complain about why ur life turns out to be like that? Go around looking so damn sad n depressed? Isn't death a part of life? Death is as natural as life. It's part of the deal we made.

"Death ends a life, not a relationship" Well said by Professor Morrie. "Tuesdays with Morrie" is a really life-inspiring book and keeps people thinking about the possibilities.

Do we want to live our last days frowning and complaining or do we want to enjoy our last days on earth, fulfilling our last dreams and helping others make their lives much better?

Often a times, we rush through our daily lives without stopping to think - Why are we doing this? We work to earn a living, to satisfy our material needs. But of course, we can't just stay at home and watch money fall from sky! But did we ever slow down our pace to look around us and think? Often times, it is only when we face death or iminent danger that we start to think 'What could have been?' or 'If only...'

Often times, we only treasure things when we lose them. So why not take things into ur own hands now? Instead of regretting, why not just approach someone to apologise now than wait till it's too late? Or tell someone how much they matter before you never have the chance? Why do people only pour out their sorrows when the person in point is gone? Like in funerals, why not tell the dead all those wonderful things before they pass away? It would have mattered much more to them at that point rather than talking to a dead corpse 'cos they would not be able to hear u! "living funerals" concept by Professor Morrie is a really good idea.

Just like now, a cancer patient has decided to share his last few days with the world. To share his last few moments with the world. Why do this, why show the world ur suffering? But to him, it is on a different level of meaning. He wants to teach the world that cancer is not the end of everything. Death is not the end of everything. He hopes to teach the world about cancer with the video. While alot of us shut ourselves out when we find out we have terminal illnesses, there is a group of people who face it proudly and openly. So why not learn from them.

Learn to forgive and forget. Hatred will only make us worse off. It takes so much more muscles to frown then to laugh, meaning you get more wrinkles if u frown. Learn to live a life.

I'm Suffocating!!

Damn weather..The pollution index has hit 145 (as of 7 Oct 9pm). Crazy! I need fresh air!

Stupid weather makes running outdoor an impossible task, unless u want to end up flat on the ground gasping for air.

At least I can get away from cigarette smoke..This haze is unavoidable! Stop the stupid forest fire in Indonesia! I want my fresh air back!!

Oktoberfest 2006

A night of beer, food and dance finally arrived on 6 Oct 2006 Friday night. All dolled up for the event..I know, I'm not a beer-fanatic I dun club as well..But it should be fun..And it was rather interesting!

We were promised free flow of beer but turned out we only managed to get 2 glasses when we reached at 7+ and by about 8+ the free flow of beer ran out. So we had to fork out money to purchase beer. Yes, what the F*** cheated of our money, all $18 of it. Food nothing fantastic, the usual suspect of german food like german sausages and pork knuckles which I do not eat (vegetarian here)

The foreign exchange students, especially the germans, were CRAZY!! and DRUNK.

Case in point, the balloon man, who went around collecting balloons and tying them around his neck. And our dear Junjie went to cosy up with him!! Yes he was a little crazy cos they had an intimate act!

Music was great! But they LOVE their national anthemn & played it after every song!! And lots of cute foreign exchange students in sight!! After that, it was a night of dancing and drinking..Yes I had 3 beers! And i did not get drunk! An achievement for someone who doesnt drink beer...

Tuban wearing germans partying around drunk

Professional Taxi Driver...Speed Car Racer in Disguise

As usual working past 10pm on a Thurday night..Waited 15-20 minutes before we got a cab..A silvercab! In drove a rather posh silver cab (literally silver). Really comfy seats, n nice experience in the car (highly recommended..better than Mercedes) But that's where the good thing stops.

Up on the highway, the perennial speed car racer side of the taxi uncle emerged! 150km/hr!! On the expressway 90% of the time! Traffic was sparse at night, so it was the best time for him to speed race. Imagine 150km/hr and I was the front seater!! It was a rather terrifing experience. Even when we were outa the expressway, he was still going at about 120km/hr. It was the fastest taxi ride I had. Reached home in about 20min or less, and I was travelling from Raffles Place to Jurong. Best...

Anyway I have decided to get a digicam instead of sunglasses. Digicam is more useful and practical for me at the moment..So sunglasses can wait...

Lumix Fx07 - Black

Nice right! 7.2megapixel for about $640 and it has a wide LCD screen. Plus lotsa freebies thrown in! Last I heard 1 1GB and 1 512MB sd card, extra battery, tripod...Shall wait till IT show in Nov to get a better deal with the package. Yes, I shall aim for this and GET IT!!

First time blader..First time lucky

Yes, after much waiting and hesitation, I took my first step towards becoming a professional blader..or at least amateur one.

Went ECP (east coast park) with fren to learn bladding..Unfortch, the weather wasn't very kind to us. It rained cats and dogs just before we arrived, as such, the floor was rather slippery and watery. But at least it wasn't raining when we blade.

Started off at the beginner's area, slippery surface, so I slipped and fell the very first time I tried to stand up and walk. Yes, that's beginner for u..Common for all beginners. 1st try was HARD. Had to remember to keep slidding forward and not slide back, as we would normally do when we walk. It's a habit. As such, I kept slidding back and not forward. Had to keep reminding myself to lift up and slide forward. Tough act to follow but eventually I managed, sort of.

After about 1 hour, I managed to at least blade without the help of the poles, but unsteadily. At least an achievement. And yes, I fell on my bum several times. The moral of the lesson, to always keep ur body forward and not lean back, else u'll fall on ur bum!

Thanks to Daixing (yes i have to give her credit), I managed to blade on my own, albeit really short distance. But my pose was a little ugly..hunched forward with my hands outstretch, not pro-looking enough. And wobbly. And I tried blading on the roads, results weren't exactly fantastic, but admirable. Yes, of course fell down time and again, hurting my poor bum, but at least i sorta managed to blade a little.

Haiz, blading is not easy. Have to practice more often to be more confident.

Yes finally! After weeks of anticipation, the results of my 1st online shopping spree have arrived!! It was tough to arrange to meet my fren to collect the dresses but finally!! Ok, the bad news now -- Only 5 out of 10 dresses arrived. And out of the 5 dresses, only 2 are mine. Damn sad! The furnie thing is those dresses are not even out of stock. They were just not shipped!! Weird..But at least we will get refunded..We better get refunded. THe nicer dresses are not shipped over, so I'm rather sad now. Hmm, maybe I'll re-order those missing dresses 'cos I just cannot let go of them!

Hey gals, check out the website CCT Fashion. The dresss are pretty cool and KAWAII (aka cute). Yes they are CHEAP as well. Quality-wise, I would say, you get what you pay for. Not too bad, but pls dun expect Gucci or Prada standard ok. THe dresses cost $15-$20 each only. And they look similar to the pictures on the web. And they fit me ok..Happy.

The stupid company made mistakes so couldnt get my hands on all my dresses..so i shall order again! This time, I'm back with a Vengence! I plan to order at least 3 more dresses and 2 more blouses!! Hahaha...

Investing!!

Opened my 1st CPF investment account with UOB and invested with Prudential..3 different funds with average returns..

According to my advisor, I can be a millionaire by the age of 55!!if the average returns remain at 5%..wow..a millionaire!! Yes, age of 55 is a turn-off but at least I have a chance of becoming a millionaire! The word sounds so great--Millionaire hahahahahaha

The good thing about CPF investment--I don't have to monitor it 24/7! Just put the money in & let it grow...well, since I can't use the $ until I'm at least 55 or 62 years, might as well invest & make it grow! More retirement money so that I can retire comfortably..Migrate to another country even!!

Just started the running regime..Yes I still do not like running but you can't swim everyday...N running is quite shiok at times..A great cardio workout after all the perspiration..

2nd run in 2 weeks..7KM and I clocked 33minutes!! An improvement of about 6minutes..I shall train more often and shave more minutes off my timing..hopefully..Of course this is subject to availability of time taking into account my stupid work nature (audit FYI) which is well known for irregular hours and late nights...

Wakeboard Craze!

I'm in Love with Wakeboard...AGAIN!!

yES After 4 years, I have picked up wakeboarding again, and this time I'm back with a vengance - faster and better! Went with Daixing and Meei Ting (EY colleagues) in the afternoon for a 2-hour session with William, our instructor.

Yes that's me wakeboarding! It was so cool! Surfing left and right, left and right...

OOh, and I got to drive the boat for a while! Which was cool! Just like driving a car but on the water...

Everyone of us managed to stand and wakeboard for some time, of course I was on the water longest! Bravo to Ting Mei, for being able to stand up just after a few tries! I did not manage that when I first started out. Stupid daixing just kept falling on her 1st try that day, even though she's not a beginner and had been able to ride the other time. But luckily for her, she managed to regain her reputation and ride like a pro the 2nd time. Or else, she would have been a laughing stock among us!

I am so going to wakeboard again..Maybe next time I can try the jump!

Completed my 1st online shopping spree!!!

Never tried before, but the bait was too attractive to ignore! Really cool, cheap and nice dresses on sale for less than S$20 per piece!! My friend said that the source can be trusted..so I'm eagerly awaiting for the arrival of my trophies! 5 dresses in all for a total of S$88 (inclusive of delivery charges) Two of the 5 dresses I ordered...

Tomorrow WAKEBOARDING!! Shall aim to video tape and snap pictures of me wakeboarding, looking cool & FAB :)

Half wire - Oakley

Polarised Half Jacket - Oakley

I want to get a pair of sunglasses!! Torn between these 2 designs - Half wire or Half jacket...They both look so damn cool! S$240 retail price for Half Jacket, not sure about half wire but should be more ex..Anyone has better lobang for this?? Maybe I shall treat it as a gift to myself after the measy bonus was paid out...Or should I wait for my brother to go Australia and source out cheaper rates? maybe I shall wait..Not in a hurry anyway..Shall stick with black 'cos the other colours are just too striking (bright gold or pink) but then again, who knows what i'll do

Anyone wants to buy it as a birthday gift for me???

MayDay MayDay!!

Turbulent times...The Ship is SinkinG FASTTT...

More and more letters piling up on the AO's desks...More and more happy faces seen upon adding to the collection of letters..

On the Flip side, more uneasy feelings among those who play no part in the letter collection process..

MAYDAY MAYDAY!!

Avalanche of resignation letters...The Whole DepartMenT is CRUMBLING Everyone is LeaviNG..How sad..SeeinG everyone leave..But on the other hand, happY that they are saying "BYE" to the shithole, endless late nights and the "NO-Life" situation..My clique is dissolving and More will come my way!

此地不可久留

Must plan my exit soon...AUdit life is getting from bad to Worse..To Unbearable

Pray for the best...

Bleach Craze

Division: 6th

Height: 180cm Weight: 64kg

Birthday: January 31

Occupation: Shinigami *Captain*

My Fav character from Bleach!!He is so damn COOL and POWERFUL!! Love his Zanpaktu - Cherry Blossom...so cool!! And Extremely Good-Looking!!

Which Bleach Character are you??

You are Ichigo. all your friend look up to you, and you will stop at nothing to complete the goal that is set in front of you. sometimes you think too highly of yourself and dont realize what you have gotten yourself into until it is too late. Keep up the hard work and u'll have great friends till the end.

Take this quiz at

http://www.quizilla.com/users/SecretLives/quizzes/What%20Bleach%20character%20are%20you%3F%20%28Anime%29

Ok, not fair, cos they do not have Kuchiki Byakuya as one of the options...

Last day of getaway - Epilogue

Officially the last day of my 2 weeks getaway and it's back to Singapore..How sad. Well, all good things must come to an end.
Itinery for the day - Visit Ho Chin Minh Complex. Did not manage to see the preserved body of Ho Chin Minh as it was closed on Fridays. Oh well, I suppose it is the same as Lenin's body (which I visited in Russia) so just up to my imagination. FYI, it is open Tues - Fri and on weekends from 8-11am.
Ended up visiting Ho Chin Minh Museum, at least I got to see the statue o f HCM.

That is me with uncle Ho Chin Minh statue

Nice quote (note the grammatical errors). I want to live by this quote! The quote says "All The Peoples on Earth are equal. Each people has the right to life, happiness and liberty"

Could not see the body, but at least at a picture of the Mausoleum

That's my itinery for the day. Went for my last Vietnamese meal before I set off to the airport by the minibus, which costs US$2 per trip.

Another foolish incident happened. I checked out of my hostel without claiming my items in the safe! Yes, how foolish. I walked all the way (10 minutes walk) to the minibus station, boarded the bus, and 5 minutes into the journey, I realised I forgot my safe! All my identification cards, credit cards and important documents were inside! So I had to alight by the roadside, took the motorbike (for 10,000 VND) back to my hostel to claim my items. No time to catch the 2nd minibus as I would be late for my flight. Had to catch a taxi to the airport instead. Waste of money but oh well, I couldn't possibly leave my things behind!

Met two French guys on a holiday travelling back to Singapore before flying back to Paris - Benjamin and Jerome. They were two really fun people! Typical French - Loud. Haha. Really funny pair of guys, kept me entertained throughout the flight and the waiting time.

Flight back to Singapore was FULL. But it arrived on time, and I missed the last MRT. And it is HOme Sweet Home..

Exciting and interesting 2 weeks! I am so going to do it again! And I have gotten so much tanner (or darker as some would prefer to put it) Yes, even my indian client says I'm now darker than her!

For more pictures, please visit my online photo album at www.dianshan.shutterfly.com (the link is also provided on the left under "LINKS")

What's up next year? I have so many options in my mind

1) Germany (Or in general Europe, yet again)

2) South East Asia

3) Mongolia-China-(Maybe) South East Asia

4) Tibet

Pretty interesting places yar..Any interested parties?? This has got to take at least 1 month or even 2!

Till next time, Dian Shan OUT!!