After NOON

It's after noontime now, and I just got up. My mobile had 3 missed calls and 7 sms-es. Half of them were from office people; hmm, well... it goes to show how 'a lone worker' I am in the office that people don't know where I put my hardcopy files/ softcopy documents that they have to text or call me to check. Ha ha.

Well, finally the body caved in after the extreme stress the mind had gone through over the weekend til now. I lost my voice, no sound can escape my throat. Even if I try to whisper, I couldn't do so without feeling the pain in my throat. The cough doesn't help too, each cough just makes my throat more scratchy and uncomfortable. And so the solution comes in the form of a bottle of cough mixture from the doctor. If only there were non-drowsy medication.

Antibiotics didn't seem to help much... isn't it common knowledge that eating too much antibiotics is no good? Then why does the doctor dispense it so readily? People are very ready to dispense quick-fix solutions. Hungry but too busy? Grab a bite of fast food. Headache but rushing a project? Sure! Take 2 extra strong panadols. To me, antibiotics are like a band-aid, a quick fix! So that the physical self can get on to do what's neccessary to survive.

Didn't realise that it took me more than half an hour to type the above... Shocked!
Medication = slow mind = slow typing speed.
Well, time for another dose of medicine, I guess.
But before I go, let me share two random facts that I just learned:

1) A jiffy is an actual unit of time which is 1/100th of a second.

2) In Shakespearian times, mattresses were secured to bed frames using ropes. When you pulled the ropes, the mattresses will be tighter, making the beds firmer to sleep on. Therein comes the phrase:"Goodnight and sleep tight!"

Sleep tight later I will, course I will be pulling the ropes...

Finals

Closed door event.
Only much later did I realise each seat cost between $200 - $500.
Marriot Grand Ballroom.

As usual, I arrived with heavy makeup sans costume. When I got to backstage at 7.15pm, it was jammed packed! I think it's even smaller than the semis. I munch on some bread (again!) before getting into action. See what I mean?! Only one mirror shared among 16 contestants.


So it's better that we leave the room to them. I managed to find us a spot outside the door (which happens to be the waiting area by the way, before you go up on stage). The programme lineup:

• Bellydance Divas (That's us!!)
• Casual Wear
• Auction Fund Raising (Hampers)
• Swim Wear
• Singer Rima Melati
• Evening Wear
• Bellydance Divas
• Annoucement of Subsidiary title winners
• Announcement of Top 8
• Q&A
• Auction Fund Raising (Jewellery)
• Speech
• Annoucement of winner
• Thank you and Good Night

It started promptly at 8p.m. with our Opening dance. but our second segment only commenced like 2.5hours later?? So by the time we finished, changed out and were ushered to our table, it was like 11p.m??? It was a 8-course dinner so we had only 3 more to go. But the organisers did save us some food from the previous 5 dishes. Don't ask me what's the quality of the food as we were just so tired out from all the waiting backstage that we were so so grateful to be able to just SIT down comfortably. All I can say is shark's fin soup when cold is very very de yucky. I promptly downed a glass of coke, then another glass of wine, then another glass of coke... before I started eating.


By the time dessert arrives, it was close to 12?? The programme was progressing really slowly cos it's like only after the Top 8 Q&A session... which leaves the speech, the last parade of 2007 winner, the announcement of 2008 winner still NOT DONE. Anyway, I really liked some of those who got into the Top 8.


Okay, a little about backstage time.... backstage time was spent:

1) changing into our 2nd costume
2) touching up on makeup
3) running through a bit of choreo
4) warm-up routines so that muscles are more relaxed
5) chatting with some of the girls

The thing is when we were all backstage, you have no idea which girl will eventually win although I have my own favourites. So when it turned out that the one whom I talked to the most won, I was really happy for her. She's really a sweet lady, with her please-and-thank-yous not forgotten. To me, that's very important. Basic courtesy is really very very important, and I am glad that such a girl goes on to win the title and represent our country.

Usually, in between segment changes, the girls would all be in a flutter, trying to change as quickly as possible. Eg, one girl was changing outta of her one-piece swimwear into evening gown. And then she exclaimed:" I can't find my underwear...!!" Oops! And so she went into a flutter, frantically searching her bag and tossing stuff around on the floor.

And then another girl showed me the questions for the Q&A session. They won't know which question would they get; as it would be random pick later on stage. But at least they had the chance to prepare their answers for all 8 questions now. I only caught a glimpse of the last two questions - If you meet God, what would you ask him? and When was the last time you did something for the first time? She told me her intended answer to one of the questions and frankly, my eyes almost rolled back into my head and my heart went *Gasp!* for a minute. I refrained from voicing out my opinions and told her cordially that it's really up to you on how you want to frame your replies. Perhaps she's really young, 19 i think. I am a decade and a year older, and definitely wiser. But I didn't want to seem like I was imposing my own ideas on her... after all, this is her contest, I told myself. And so with very great restraint, I smiled and kept quiet.
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Last night, I woke up from a morbid dream and couldn't sleep for an hour after that. I really hate these type of dreams. In reality now, they seem so ridiculous and they are to be brushed aside without a thought. But the thing is, this is again, one of those dreams that left me in the cold. The content played a part, but the most nagging issue was that how the hell did I conjure up such a thing when I sleep?

The trio consists of two girls and one guy, guy shorter than the girls. Girls my ex-classmates, guy unknown but name known in the dream. As a result of them being rude in the office, they were to be punished... and the punishment being execution.

So I thought they would be hanged as all of them were lined up on the wooden platform with ropes tied around their bodies. I remembered wondering aloud why can ALs be rude yet not punished while office staff have to be punished.... and then the person beside me shushed me up. In case I get into trouble.

Back on the platform, all were ready. Suddenly, there was a heavy hammer-like thing swinging from behind the platform and without warning,, BANG!! It thumped into the first girl!!! She coughed and spluttered blood out from her mouth, gasping for breathe and looking like a ragged bloodied doll... It was really horrible! The same happened to the 2nd girl. When it's the boy's turn, because he was shorter, the hammer thumped him smack across his chest!! This instant blow proved to be a fatal one. So much blood was spewed on the floor directly in front of him...

I woke up after that scene.

The thing is in the dream, I knew that there would be another two more rounds for the girls. If they survive all the 3 rounds, their lives would be spared.

One other thought that stuck with me was this: the guy, being shorter, died first. So I can't help but think that me, also short, would be like him as well. First one to die on the platform.

Short people have shorter life spans in my dreams apparently.

My Webby!!!!

It's finally up!!!!! (except the gallery page)

Check it out!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.bellydance.sg

Tell me what you think? How How how?????
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Saw an article on BT:” Dispelling 10 money myths”. Amidst the you-cannot-lose-money-with high-grade-bonds/ bluechip stocks, you-can-time-the-market, I-am-too-young-for-life-insurance and A-shortage-of-land-in-S’pore-means-property-prices-cannot-fall, the one that jumped at me was: I-DO-NOT-KNOW-WHY-I-ALWAYS-OVERSPEND.

Author cited various reasons, for eg:
charge and charge – credit cards seen as real money
hopeless optimism – one expect that he/ she will earn more&/or earn back in the future so the spending starts now
laziness – instead of sourcing around for deals, one may pay too much. Suggested technique: Ask ” What is the lowest you can go?”
lack of patience – the need for instant gratification. What one fancy, one will want to have it immediately, even if affordability is an issue
Buying happiness – Marketing techniques ensures that a product is associated with happiness, result? One will be convinced that the purchase will make life better. This feeling is fleeting

The one that jumped at me this time was: BUYING-HAPPINESS.

The author apparently felt that to use something tangible (like money) to buy something intangible (like happiness) only gets you as far as the dollar can stretch you. This is because modern-days advertisements are very very effective. Just look around. Slimming ads featuring famous artistes of their before and after slimming. Only when you slim down, then you can be happy. Why? Because if you are fat, you are an outcast, you are unattractive, you are an ogre. Then again, why are there still so many slim people who are unhappy?

The same goes for car ads. With this model of car, road users will give you the awe look (even if your driving sucks), associate you with some atas lifestyle that you are leading and hell, doesn’t that just make you feel good? Doesn’t the feeling of having to work so hard to sustain this atas lifestyle that you had no time to really even drive your car feels good? Money can also buy you company and happiness. And so after that happiness, loneliness would follow again and so you find yourself repeating the cycle. Some can repeat this cycle forever in their lives without giving a true thought. To me, a human is never ever happy with what they got, meaning once you tasted level one happiness, you want level 2, level 3,… the appetite is insatiable. And so loneliness sets in as a natural defence system to help you bring down that appetite. Imagine you have level one happiness, then you would crave for level 2. But then guess what? In comes loneliness!! Loneliness helps you to understand that you should be glad there is even level 1 in the first place. It moderates your craving for more happiness so that the next time level 1 appears again, you will be equally grateful if not happier.

How wonderful life is, isn’t it??!! We have all these natural functions in built and hardwired into our system. Nobody fights them nor questions them.

BUT IF….
If happiness truly can be bought, is that such a bad thing? If there is a price to it and you can afford the price tag, is it so wrong to want to have that kind of bliss?

Kangoo

Read some of my recent posts and it struck me that they hinted of how low mood I was at some point in time. I know that the true meaning of living means that one must embrace the full spectrum of emotive: sweet, bitter, joy, anger, insane, pride, calm, bliss, nervous, real sad, fun. But I beg to differ, beg to be spared the drill of life and pray that some day, life can fast forward itself during times of low so that I can be at my high.

Don’t let me fool you when I say I am not hungry. Because I am always either eating proper meals; or snacking kit-kats or downing cakes or swallowing my milo. If I refuse snacking, it means something’s on my mind. If I totally didn’t eat, it means I am in depression. Even if I did lie and say that I had a very full breakfast. I did not. Because even with full breakfast/ lunch/ dinner, I would still eat when it comes to meal times. I was particularly taken aback when I read on someone’s blog of a 29-year old Australian newsreader. She is more than normal – beautiful, motivated, lovely fiancé, full of ambition. But she spent almost a third of her life (in the blogger’s words) “battling depression, hiding it from everyone she knew, seeing various doctors, trying new medications”.

And she jumped to her death last November.

On a day like today when I am calm, it shakes me and baffles me. It baffles me that she had loving people around her yet she decided on such a route. But I know there are some days that my thoughts are so skewed that I know the ‘her’ could have been me.

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Ok back to the kangoo topic.

never been on one before so a few weeks back, I was kinda thrilled to hop on one. CN detour us for lunch at Marina. So I took a shot of the other three at the back from my front seat. Cosy huh?

(Ok, I black out their faces cos I am not sure if they want to appear on my blog.)

After lunch, while on our way back to work, they became like this!!! Too much carbo makes many drowsy, I guess. Lucky never snore. Else, me and CN will really laugh our asses off the front seat.

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Recalled a conversation between me, Linda and Eddie over lunch a couple of weeks ago. Linda was complaining to us how unpro the school was in putting her 18mth old under the charge of a new teacher. Plus 18mth old's favourite girl was not in the same class so 18mth old became grouchy. Eddie then added that his 4yr old has a favourite girl in his class too. She is the cutest in the class and whenever she arrives, 4yr old will carry her bag and hold her hand to 'escort' her to her seat.

One day, another boy wanted to help fetch her bag too and 4yr old defended girl. The other boy almost picked a fight with 4yr old. I forgot the ending but Wow. Young kids have no concept of sharing at all; no sharing of toys, no sharing of their favourite friend and they show that in their actions/ face/ behaviour. Linda then commented that only young kids are like that. Eddie then corrected her:" No, its not just kids, but adults as well!! It's just that adults have become so good at masking our true intention."

INSTANT ENLIGHTENMENT!!!!!

And so I got to thinking about what he said after we went our own ways after lunch. The environment that we are brought up in moulded us to mask ourselves very often. CEOs of MNCs may actually be an introvert by nature. If given a choice, likely they would not have chose to give public speeches/ network/ walk the grounds, etc. But because their role require them to lead, to inspire and to motivate, what better way than to give an earth-shaking speech during annual corporate functions at the very least? And so they have learned to come out of their comfort zone in order to play out this role.

I would say this is a NATURAL PREFERENCE vs PERCEIVED IMAGE. To others, the perceived image would be confident, extrovert and outgoing. But who knows that truly the natural preference maybe an introvert and prefers to stay out of the lime light as much as possible? You can say that's because humans are really really very adaptable. But maybe the reason could be that we become so good at masking our true self... so good that we can present to the outside world what we think they want to see; instead of what we want them to see.

Don't believe?? Just look at 4yr old!!! Practise makes perfect.
Assuming legal age as 21... then most of us would have 17 years of practise on average. Day in day out. That's a lot of practise that we did, don't you think?

Semi-Finals

This post is a month overdue so....

The four of us were rushing like mad on that day. It's always very rushy when we get ready for shows. Don't ask me why. And I always call it our grrrrrrand ritual:

1) Wash face, tissue off, put moisturiser, pat face
2) Slap on stage make-up base
3) Fix up any skin tone imperfections
4) Dust loose powder
5) Brush MAC Dollymix blusher on cheekbones
6) Load on lots, lots, lots of eye colour
7) Paint on thick thick eyeliner
8) Stick on long falsie lashes plus curl them
9) Outline lips and fill up with colour/ gloss
10) Dot Glitter on the eyes

THE STEP THAT I SPENT THE MOST TIME ON: 3)
THE STEP THAT I OVERDO : 5)
THE STEP THAT IS MOST TRICKY : 8)
THE STEP THAT I LOVE MOST : 10)
THE STEP THAT I SOMETIMES FORGET : 9)

So by the time we rushed backstage, this was how we looked. Even when we WAR PAINT our faces with loads of stage makeup, the lights and the photos always make it seem like we never had any on.

I didn't dare snap too much pictures backstage as the MSU girls were all in various stages of undress... all getting ready for their swim wear segment. Spray spray the hair, adjust the crotch lines of costumes, touch up faces and *gasp!* if lord forbade them... nervous smiles!

I can totally, totally understand how jittery one can feel like to be one of the contestants. But then again, girls these days are braver and much bolder than my days. How I envy youth!! The things young folks, or rather, sweet young girls can get away with!!! I think I am at least 5 years older than the oldest contestant there.
Okay, we were rather hungry so we got ourselves some breadtalk to munch on. *Me and my applewurm as usual*. The thing is: we didn't count on the backstage being so squeezy with more than 20 contestants (not counting in their nannies, stage helpers, racks of costumes, bags strawn all over the floor, countless pairs of heels, etc). So while they were all busy prettying up, sucking in their tums and examining themselves critically in the mirror, the four of us looked like hungry giraffees. And that made me feel fat in comparison. So when I really truly opened up my eyes huge huge to survey round the room, it astonished me to find that they are really really thin!! Oh man!


We did a veil number for the opening... Cos of the T-shape runway, we had to space ourselves out. This is the first time I felt really scared of losing balance and falling off the stage as the runways were real narrow, particularly when executing veil turns. Well I am the one in red in the above pic, can't really see me cos was a back shot of me. .. but you get the idea. If anyone do fall off the stage, it will be right smack before the audience. *Shudder*

I know what you people are waiting to see.... PICTURES OF CONTESTANTS, BOOBS, SKIMPY WEAR HUH??!!!

So I won't disappoint y'all.....
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TA -DAH!!!!!!!
A lot of them are quite tall, and each of them has their endearing feature; or at least I find some of them have very pretty face shape, or striking features, or really long legs, or melt-your-heart smiles, or decent huge jugs. I guess the key is to find a rep who has got it all; or at least someone's closest to the you-got-it-all package.

I know most 'write off' our local pageant as something insignificant, bland at best and bimbo at worst... even most guys feel that our girls are not up to mark, not tall enough, not enough poise/ grace to compete internationally or no boobs/ butts to shout about. But the fact remains that these are brave girls. Knowing full well the stigma of pageants in the Asian context, and knowing how hard it is to shake off that notion that a Singapore contestant would never measure up to the Indian beauty or exotic Latino when up on the international stage.

But the fact remains that at least they were strong enough to fark care what the rest of us think. Sometimes, instead of bitching about the lack-of in such pageants, ain't we even ashamed of why we are not supportive of our own girls?

Which is why I have nothing but respect for them. I respect that they can look you in the eye and taunt you with a "so-what-you-think-I-am-shit" look. To those that I have met backstage, thank you for proving to me that you are not as bitchy as you look and that you are also a human with your own beliefs.

No Religion

My uncle has passed on. So I will be making a trip back this weekend for the funeral.

The constant in life is that there is life,
and there is death.

Frail as he was in his last days, there was still life in him. His eyelids fluttered whenever he slipped in and out of consciousness every 5 minutes, his chest heaved up and down with each breathe he took, his bony hands gripped the window grills occasionally.

And then there's nothing. Just like that. Like a slow motion black and white movie, it just all stops. The audience will be holding their breathes waiting and waiting, until the passage of time signals no more motion after the last motion. And that's the end.

For people with religion, this end is the beginning of another journey. In another world. The other world that nobody alive would ever get to experience... yet. Nonetheless, the belief in this other world is amazing to free thinkers like me. At times like this, I wonder if I should go 'believe' in one belief in order to make sense of it all.

Do people just stop when your life left your physical body? Stop feeling, no more feeling of happiness, pain; no more seeing of the skies, the oceans; no more eating, drinking.

So it would be just like a cup. A cup doesn't need to feel nor to see nor to digest food. We will all become cups sooner or later.

Repeat after me. We Are Cups.

Again!! WE ARE CUPS.

I lost my beloved

Most of you would have know that I lost my ipod last week.

White,
5th Generation,
encased in a limited edition Coach ipod case,
with my melody and pink fluffy ball hanging from it.

It was painful because I lost my pictures, my hard-to-get songs, my lyrics, my videos, my artwork, my daily companion to and fro work, my DJ during trips/ road trips, my inflight entertainment, my standby to remember choreos backstage, my friend for more than 2 years.

The same day that I realised I lost my beloved, I was in denial and kept holding on to the hope that some honest soul would return it to me. When that last hope was dashed, all I felt was hopeless; every dimension of hopelessness.

A week was what was required for me to decide to get a new one - Ipod Touch. 32gb, $848. Ouch!!!

Black,
WIFI,
clear plastic casing.

When I was queueing at EpicCentre to pay for Ipod Touch, I felt sad. Because the purchase of a new thing means I am letting go of my old one. That I have gotten over it, and it felt like I am betraying my old flame.

Sometimes there isn't a choice at all. I am denied my choice in this case. How to have options when there is no 's' after the word 'option'?

It's silly to hear me getting so sentimental over something so silly. But it's my process of burying my beloved.

I-PHONE

Did you all notice? I changed my settings back to 'England'. Pearl was commenting that she had a hard time trying to leave me comments cos all the instructions were in 'Chinese (Taiwan)'. Oh well, for you only okay, my dear Pearl.

That time of the year had come again... whereby I am contemplating which handphone model should I get. Had a bit of free time before my audit last week so Jen and I popped over to the Starbuck's where Michael is working. Cos Mic is there, we get to have free drinks. Caught a glimpse of him making drinks and was kinda impressed by his seriousness. And the whole do-not-date-your-customer discussion cropped up when he had the time to sit down with us. Basically, it's easy for your customer to know which Starbucks outlet you are at but not vice versa. Hence, his theory does make sense; you do not want somebody creating a scene at your workplace, especially if workplace = public place.

So he got the new i-phone.... and it's super duber yummy to look at. All you need to do is bring your finger to the screen and brush in the direction that you want the menu to scroll to. In all kinds of direction - you can brush up, brush down, left or right. Super fun! But I have to admit it takes a little practise to stop at the exact thing you want to find on the phone. It can also zoom zoom zoom into a photo until you can see the pores on that person's face. Haha! I made him call me on my mobile using his i-phone so that I can see my name appearing on his screen...

And then I quickly swap my phone with his so that I can know how it feels like to talk on the i-phone - I said hello into his phone, waiting for a reply. Ok Mic, rule #1, it's rude not to answer back when I said hello. Both of them shifted slightly away from me, a me who's easily excited and totally bimbotic. Come on, ain't we friends? Rule #2, always humour your friend! It's good karma, good energy, good interaction, good whatever.

SO WHICH PHONE SHOULD I GET??!!

P.S. Mic, your fingertips look quite dry in the picture, go get some hand lotion la.

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读了你的blog。

虽然你没写出我们的名字， 但我知道你在写我们的故事。
我偶尔也会这样想起我们。到底是因为我们渐渐疏远， 还是因为工作的关系，或着是我们没有很好的基础？

难道人与人的关系是如此的脆弱？

当然，我也希望我们能象从前一样， 可以不时在一起嘻嘻哈哈！

后来我才发现只要知道你过的很好， 我也真的为你开心。通过你的blog， 我也对你的一举一动有了更深的了解，也知道在你生命中发生了什么事。

让我们从今后开始慢慢的努力吧！

Feeling Down

For reasons both known and unknown to me, I am feeling down. What does it take to always be up? Or rather what does it take to go up when I am down? The only piece of uplifting event (which some of you may already know) for me now is the Ms S'pore Universe (MSU).

I was reading a novel and chanced upon Einstein's theory of relativity - I won't claim to know his full theory; but he's indeed smart. How depressed one feels is wholly relative to how one has felt happiness before. Only when you have ever experience the kind of immense joy before, would you then know how crashing misery can be. Because one knows he/ she had been capable of having that kind of immeasurable feeling of being able to conquer the world before, when one was truly truly happy. Relativity. Time passes in a flash. Time passes slowly. Relativity.

如没离别时的痛苦,
那有相逢时的喜悦.... Relativity.

Time passes in a flash - When I am at work, at play, etc
Time passes slowly - the few moments before falling asleep, the creepy sound of silence
Relativity.
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Unrelated topic.
I was reading those credit card deals that usually accompanies your monthly statements. Came across this section titled :"One-for-one dining deals".... 1-4-1 ala carte lunch, 1-4-1 set dinner, 1-4-1 Shark's & Fin, 1-4-1 buffet, 1-4-1 main course... as I run down the list.

And then my eyes stopped at this: 1-4-1 dessert
Why the hell would the offer be just for desserts? It's like ok you come to my high-class restaurant to dine, when you order a glass of iced water, I give you another glass for free. What's the point of putting forward such an offer, I wonder. By the way, this place is known for its ambience and main course.

Is drinking every other day considered often?

MON - DRINK
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Finished a bottle of wine over dinner with Kristan. We had loads to talk about and I carry away with me some thoughts that were spin-offs from our conversation; one of which is how things change around us without our notice. All the time. We were probably the 4th group of diner when we got to Ma Maison. Without us noticing it, an hour later, the place was filled up! And we wondered where and when these people came from! I mean, I hardly notice anybody else walking in and being shown to their table seats! But then it's always been like that. All the time. Things are just constantly happening in our world. Constantly revolving, the world won't stop for anyone. One day, you may wake up and find your loved one gone! And you thought it happened overnight. Well, it didn't. Things are constantly happening without your NOTICE! So start noticing now before it's too late. I am starting to tell my parents in a conservative way that I love them. I took my lead from Kristan and told my mum that I had insurance coverage in case I am not around. It's a subtle way.

Things are changing in my office too - Ceri gave birth 2 weeks ago, my FH is assuming the AML role and I was given the opportunity to assume the FH role. It's a fast track for my career, everybody that I talked to assured me that it's a great great step up the ladder. I didn't accept the role although I know deep down this chance won't come knocking again. And my reasons are best left alone, not to be brood over now.

After Ma Maison, we head off for some more drinks over at Bala. It's quiet, not crowded at all on a Monday night but still manage to bump into someone I know. People used to say the world's small huh? I like to think that it's Singapore that's small, not the world.

TUES - NO DRINK
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After work, MLR drove me, MN, CN and LKP over to Cerilene's to see how she's doing and to pass her our department's collective gift for Baby Ashton. (Well, I was tasked to pass her March payslip, income tax advice plus another baby gift at the same time so I am a bit of a Santa Claus, kee hee!) MN was suppose to direct MLR but we still lost our way! I can't believe that we can get lost when I am in the company of 4 men. Men are better with directions?? Not true in this case!!! It's more like each tried to give their own sets of directions and ended up confusing poor MLR. In the car, the conversation goes like this:

Me: Wow, I have been to Jurong C'try Club (as the vehicle passed by the place)
MLR, MN, LKP & CN: WHOA HOO!! Gineeeee!!! Yeah!
Me: ?????
MLR, MN, LKP & CN: Have you been to the toilet there?
Me: Oh ya cos!!
MLR, MN, LKP & CN: Oh right!!! YEAH!!! Gineeeeee
Me: ???
(As the vehicle pass by Science Centre)
Me: Hey, me been there too!
MLR, MN, LKP & CN: HOO YA!!! YIPPEE!!!!
Me: ???
MLR, MN, LKP & CN: Have you been to Snow City?
Me: No ah....
MLR, MN, LKP & CN: OH nooooooo......
MLR: Wait, we suppose to turn here?
MN: Hmm, suppose to turn earlier.

Oh I got to tell you people that LKP is my official buddy for PSP now. He is a life saviour who loads games that I liked onto my PSP. *beam* *grin* Ok, back to Ceri, when I stepped into Ceri's home, it's like a tourist attraction lor. See the picture below??? Her husband's hobby is to collect toys and set them up like this!!! And I didn't even mention her husband's human height fish tank yet lo! Oh, I miss Ceri actually, feels weird not seeing her around in office.

WED - DRINK
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Before heading over to Jen's place, I dropped in on Pearl and we knocked back a glass of wine each. SO excited for her about Japan trip and am so looking forward to seeing her pictures when she's back. I am thinking if I should go with her to BKK the weekend after.

And so by the time the party started at Jen's, we were really famished!! Look at the yummy spread!!! Mary dear, the below pictures were specially taken so that you know that we miss your presence!!! We had a great time playing triple 7 (I think Mike, Don and me got it the most number of times). It's really a purely drinking game but of cos Steffi doesn't drink she had water. The catch is she cannot take pee-breaks but she sneakily did! Mary, I must tell you something: Steffi has changed!!! The old Steph would mean what she says but the new Steph is so so cheeky now lor! THURS - NO DRINK
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Healthy today, ate healthy food, healthy soup for dinner at Raffles City with my divas. Even the NY cheesecake and Oreo cheesecake we ate felt healthy to me!! Oh and the cakes were half price when we ordered after a certain timing.... Good Lei!

FRI - DRINK
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My two nameplates seem to confuse people. Let me explain: I got 'Gine' first before I got 'Gorgeous' as a gift. As a result my neck would appear as 'Gine Gorgeous' instead of the other way round. Would someone please make 'Is' for me? So that I can wear three kim tiao at one go!!! SO that I can put a connecting word(or isit verb?) between my two existing nameplates! Kee hee hee.

So it was really funny when Alex came out of nowhere and said:" You guys look so perverted!" And when I reflect back, it was indeed a funny sight from afar; the 4 men were standing in a circle around me staring intently at my neck/ chest. In the wee hours outside Velvet. The truth is they were just trying to figure out my nameplates. Before heading for supper. Kee hee hee.

SAT - DRINK
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Went for Baby Zhong Ray 'shower' and was glad could see Ade & Katie before I had to run. Katie's a happy, healthy, friendly, 10mth-going-on-11month baby girl and I am so proud to know it's a result of Ade's good parenting. So even when the going gets tough, my dear friend, take heart in your acheivement - take heart that your girl will always hold you in high regard and that you n Lemon would always impact her life. Forever and ever.

Was at Clarke Quay at night, the sake at Sun&Moon sucks big time!

SUN - NO DRINK
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My best buddy picked me up from Raffles City so that we can go Graze for brunch. We have never been there but the place's cool, very laid-back, trees, white billowing curtains on top and we sat outdoors. Was drizzling abit so opted for valet parking. Valet that cost $8 (isn't that a tad ex?).

Took a shot view from our table, kinda chill huh, don't you think? Even though it's taken with my handphone camera - no megapixels, VGA mode. My best buddy happened to bump into friends who sat right next to us. Talk about coincidence! So ulu, yet still can see familiar people. See what I mean? Singapore's small, not the world.

My best buddy ordered this... and I ordered that. We thought of sharing pancakes. Luckily, we didn't. Cos we realised the food comes in sizable portions. Else, we would have been uncomfortably full or puke.


Doing a mental tick-off... Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat. Not too bad. I am a social drinker. I did ask myself if I am dependent on alcohol. To be honest, sometimes yes, sometimes no. When the going gets tough, I tend to need them to unwind. But gone are the days that I get myself pissed drunk. Because it's irresponsible behaviour. To worry your loved ones, to make wrong choices, to inconvenience friends to take care of you, to hurt someone who trusted you. All because of being happy for that moment, for being too focused on self-happiness, for putting oneself before anything else. And that, my friends, has consequences. When you are all alone the next morning nursing not only a hangover, but a disturbed heart that will no longer be as at peace or content as you thought it did the night before.