The Evening The Chocolate Sundae Saved Me

Work's been stressful today. Especially rushing for a Chinese press ad for publishing tomorrow. We've passed the deadline to submit the ad for transmission, and was racing for time. I thought it was over when my designer left the office, but darn, spotted another mistake. Gotta make the change myself.

And just when I thought I was right on time, the images on the files were low resolution, and I had to replace them. All that took quite a while. I was really worried that the ad couldn't make it on time. Mind you, a press ad may not cost as much as a tv commercial, they still charge by the thousands. And I don't wish to have another "debt" added on to my name, other than the translation tuition fees.

Finally, the ad was submitted at around 8pm. It was a relief. However, I still felt rather stressed after leaving the office. Still have butterflies in my stomach, wondering how the ad would turn out to be tomorrow... Just plain paranoid. Decided to "adjust" my paranormal with a chocolate-something. Ice-cream preferably :)

Reach the plaza and thought I would go to the supermarket to get some chocolates stocked-up (it's near THAT period of the month). I need them to get my hormones balanced and maintain my sanity. Oh, some chips too :) I had wanted to designer ice-cream. But thought I better watch my spending, and had a chocolate sundae instead.

Well, it helped alot, even though I was sitting down there, eating the sundae all by myself. I savour every moment of the time where I could be alone from the computer, the calls, the paperwork and the stress. It was good.

Hence, the few smileys you see above :) Seriously, the stressed really reached here *right hand palm down, over forehead*.

There are still little butterflies in the stomach, but I think I have a lot more peace now. Just crossing my fingers that all will work out fine.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Update on Motorola Saga:
Their reply came back after my second complaint email...

Dear Ms XXXXXX
Thank you for your email dated 27 January 2007.

We truly appreciate the time that you have taken to write in to us once again with regards to the Motorola V3 handset.

We would like to bring to your attention that the Email department has no authority in making decisions pertaining to handset repairs. As such, we have previously escalated your case to the authorised service centre, MotoServiceOne, for their necessary perusal and action.

From the contact number that you have indicated in your email (Tel: XXXXXX), it seems to us that the callback was in fact made by one of the staff at the service centre. In this respect, we would like to apologise if your previous conversation with the service centre staff (who made the callback) was not properly communicated to counter staffs, who are attending to customers.

Please be assured that we will be in touch with the service centre once again and will try our best to assist you in resolving this matter as soon as possible.


Yours sincerely
Same Name
Motorola Customer Service

So what's the point of writing to the customer service if their online do not synchronise with the offline?! HUH? I am beyond words.

Seriously, don't buy Motorola phones. I plead with you.

I'll be back with more updates.

A Prayer

Despite the frustrations I received, I still want to give thanks today to The One.

Thank you for providing me a solution to The Problem that seemed to be twirling around in my mind, but I was not able to get around to tell you that I need your help.

Thank you for attending to my prayer, in my confession to you last night that my dependence is on you, for everything in my life. My acknowledgement that without you, I am nothing.

Your surprise for me this morning was a pleasant one, and I am grateful to you for it. You did it again, showing your love for me, and that you are always watching over me.

Thank you too that when my mind was rollercoasting on my needs and wants today, you brought senses to me, and highlighted to me that I should look at the smaller things, not the bigger ones.

Father, it's really hard for me to carry on like this.

I will continue to trust you. I know you are watching over me and taking care of things. I just need a little more boldness to let it all go to you, all my worries and frustrations.

I will trust. I will believe. I will depend. ON YOU.

Amen.

Don't Buy Motorola Phones (In Singapore)

I went down to the service centre to collect the phone today. The counter guy ask for my warranty card again.

WHAT THE BLARDY HELL IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?

He told me he didn't know of my case (that I was told to go down and collect with acknowedgelemt slip and IC only) and ask me to write down the name of the person who handled my case and the freaking case number.

I wasted no time with him and walked out the centre.

Of course, I came home and typed another complaint letter. After I submitted the letter, guess what I saw at their FAQ?


It appears to me that their weekly staff training did not include "Get updated with the latest FAQ question", or maybe none of the staff in the centre know how to use the internet. Or they are just plain STUPID. I mean, how do these people communicate with one another? And they call themselves the service centre?!

Bunch of bird brains.

Preaching To You About Christian Behaviour

I attended a wake today. P's grandmother had passed away on Tuesday, and bunch of us went down to attend the wake.

We missed the Christian wake service as R had to work late. J picked us up from city hall and drove us down to Yio Chu Kang (not cemetary), where the wake was held among the landed properties. Both J and I were "lucky" enough to be at the same wake on both occasions.

While I was there, they asked me about the way how Christian conduct the funeral "rituals". Because the Christians, most of them P's aunties and uncles, were adament about a certain way the wake was to be run, such as the way the relatives have their meals after the cremation, requirement that all grandchildren give a eulogy during the service tonight, and insisted that all the grandchildren be pallbearers for the old lady.

Some stuffs are mostly logistics preferences, and I told them. But I think certain "practices" were done much for "religiousity" more than anything else. Apparently, most of them are from one of the biggest church in Singapore. Some cell group members of a member even wore "uniforms" to attend the wake.

At one point, J even told me that P regretted giving up the chance to speak to the microphone, cos she felt like saying "F*** the Christians!" Of course, I know she would say that in jest. She probably remembered that she still has a Christian friend, ie. me, and therefore gave up the thought.

I guess that's why P feels comfortable with me. The relatives at her grandmother's site are always pressing her for baptism (she confessed her sins before, but is never into the Christian things), or invite her to attend church service whenever they see her. I know that she always gets that kind of invitation, and seldom impose my invitations on her, because I know she will be irritated. And now with all those things I heard tonight, I ponder.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amongst the non-believers in the office, close group of friends, I stood out as a believer. Because I seldom do the things the Christians do when I am with them. And you know, some Christian behaviour can be really irritating. REALLY irritating, even to me.

And so, I chose to be a lifestyle testimony instead of doing the preaching to them. It's the only way I can win them over, at least, their view of Christians. I share my food, I clean up tables, I laugh off irresponsible comments made about me, and I give them the objective view, mostly positive, so that they can make choices that will not cause them to bring hurt, distress or trouble to themselves. And most of time, praise God, they do hear my perspective, and see things differently after sharing with me.

My rationale is this: Don't be a stumbling block to others, there are already too much damages done in the world. If we simply repeat the doings of non-believers to non-believers, what difference does it make?

The world scrutinises Christian behaviour more than any other religion. They constantly keep track of what we do wrong, more than what we do right. If we do anything wrong, our sentence is double then that of a non-believer. Why? Because we are Christians. "By right", we should be the goody-two-shoes, holy, pure, we-are-the-best-you-are-2nd-rate-if-you-do-not-believe. Christians are not allow to fall, because it crashes the preaching about godliness and the all-faith-talk-but-no-practical-action.

Sorry, I am a little frustrated here because I feel for my non-believer friends who kena "pressure" from Christians to go to church, cannot eat this, cannot go there kinda legalism and etc. They it hard for me to tell them about Christ, because they will go "Oh, I heard of it already..." And rattle off to describe to me the personality of the person, which most of the time, leaves me no ground to continue further.

I am not saying all this to pronouce, I art holy. I am not perfect either. Sometimes, I behave like a conniving Christian too. My objective of raising this issue out is to tell the Christians who are reading this that we really really need to listen more and talk less. At the end of the day, the choice is theirs. When the Holy Spirit touched them at the right time, they will hear us out, we don't have to FORCE it down their throat.

Really. Really.

Demolition Girl

This is one serious girl... (wma file).

More Motorola And Some Other Stuffs...

After I replied the Customer Service Officer with my contact no, identity card no., as well as telling them I don't have the serials nos from the phone and also told them the staff who "attended" to me at my first visit, the officer came back with a reply.

Dear Ms XXXXXX
Thank you for your email dated 23 January 2007.


We truly appreciate the time that you have taken to provide us the information that we have requested in our previous email.

Please be informed that your case has been escalated to the relevant department so that they will be able to investigate the matter further.

We hope to get back to you as soon as we are able to obtain a credible solution to the matter.


Yours sincerely
XXXXXX
Motorola Customer Service

Good enough, I told myself. At least they responded promptly to me.

Later in the evening when L and I were having dinner at Fisherman's Wharf Fish & Chips along
North Bridge Road, I got a call from a unfamiliar no. (strangely enough, I had missed my boss's call earlier, but I heard this no. calling, haha!). With some curiousity, I answered the phone.


The caller identify herself and told me that she is calling regarding the phone. She said that the warranty is still valid for the phone, and I could go down and collect the phone. However, once the warranty period is over, I would have to pay for similar services, of which of course I told her I understood that. When asked whether should I bring down anything to identify myself, she said "don't need to, just bring your acknowledgement form and your IC will do."

I put down the phone feeling awesome. I told L, "Final Score, JOYCE 3, MOTOROLA 0!" :D At least justice has been done to this incident. I don't care if I would get stares from the staff when I go and collect the phone.

老虎不发威，别当我是病猫
When the tiger does not flare its temper, it does not mean that she's a weak kitten.

I may be kind with my words and acts, but I am not that easy to bully. Don't try to mess with me. Incidentally, I am born in the year of the tiger... Wahahahaha... Which naturally qualifies this idiom as one of my favourite Chinese proverbs.

Anyway, I am happy :D Just glad the incident did not drag further. Now, I can have my Bandung back! :D I hope I never ever have to deal with these people again!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I was going to report with glee that my brother has "let me use" the 4 GB ipod nano he had won from the company D&D last Friday. He was getting frustrated with the Volume Limit because it's really too soft to be heard when in the trains. I think he must've anyhow go set the security code for setting the Volume Alarm.

So last night I spent sometime trying to resolve it, and came to conclusion that the only thing to do is to restore the nano to factory settings. So I took it to work today. When I came home, he asked me how I did it (Can you believe it, an engineer, don't know how to fix such things? :S) and then asked me if I am using it tomorrow.

Win already lor. I know his chao kuan (bad habit). I knew it. What can I say but to let him have the nano back.

Oh well, you win some, you lose some. :S

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I will update more on the food place, Fisherman's Wharf, when I get the pictures from L. I don't know how to use my mom's phone to take pictures and download data, cos I think the cable has disappeared already... :S No worries, the review will come...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After dinner, we went to the new shopping mall called CENTRAL, just across the road from Fisherman's Wharf, above the Clarke Quay station.

Yeah, yeah, the exterior of the building looks impressive, but after walking around the place, I told L, I will not want to come back here again. It's like a labyrinth inside, but not as exciting, with stores hidden in some really stashed-away palce. It' does not have a big wide walking area like Marina Square or Suntec City or Vivo City, and look ike those kind of Lucky Plaza-Chinatown Point-Chin Choo Pasar (Pearl Market) kinda narrow 5-foot way between the shops and the barricade.

I feel so claustrophobic inside there. Maybe it's because of my height, I prefer alot of space when I shop at malls. Unless there is a good shop where I can get good bargains, I would seldom visit malls with really tight walking space.

Oh well, the mall is sitting on pricey land. I guess that's the only way the developer can do to earn back it's money. Some positive sightings though... At the basement, there is a shop that sells taiwanese snacks in sealed up bags, and directly opposite it, a very kawaii (cute) store that sells Japanese snacks, mostly mochi, in the same manner. Other than that, it's just another mall.
I'll stick to my Marina Square and Vivo City and Suntect City, thank you very much.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ok. I can feel my body drifting to sleep, seemingly towards the direction of my room. Good night.

Motorola's Reply

Dear Ms XXXXX
Thank you for your email dated 21 January 2007.


We read with concern your unpleasant experience with the Motorola V3 handset and at our authorised service centre, MotoServiceOne. We would like to apologise if the incident had caused you any unnecessary inconvenience.

Please be assured that we will escalate your case to the relevant department for them to investigate the matter further.

However, before we are able to do so, we would appreciate if you could provide us the following information for verification over at our end:
(followed by a string of qns asking for my identification no., contact nos, handset IMEI no., MSN no, and the name of the staff who attended to me... Ha! )


Once we have obtained the above-mentioned information, we will forward your case accordingly and hope to get back to you as soon as we are able to identify a credible solution to the matter.


Yours sincerely
XXXXX
Motorola Customer Service

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Let's see what happens after this.

Bad Service, High Fidelity

I am putting alot of motorola references on my labels so that,
hopefully, when someone does a search for the service centre for their
phones, they will read this article and be wary of the trap they got
themselves in.

It has been a long-time problem for my V3 ever since I bought it.
There is always a buzzing sound when the phone is opened up. At first
I didn't notice it, but when my colleague, and later, brother, told me
that there is a buzzing sound on the phone I request for it to be
repaired.

Send the phone in last Wednesday. I had forgotten to bring my warranty
card, and the guy at the counter told me to remember to bring it when
I collect the phone. An sms came on Friday, informing me that I can
collect the phone. I had tried to look for my warranty card, but to no
avail. It might have been misplaced or even thrown away. Thinking that
since I have send my phone previous for service before, they should
keep a record of my case, I went down to Plaza Singapura to collect my
phone yesterday.

When it's my turn, the staff showed me my phone that had it's PCB
board replaced (I had requested for a hardware change, as I have read
that there is a problem with the hardware), and told me that I need to
produce warranty, or a receipt of the phone purchase, otherwise, the
shocking news is that I'd be charged $300 for the replacement of the
hardware.

I told him that I have had my phone serviced before, so they should
have my record. "But we have changed management, so the data was not
retained in our database."

I raised my voice a little higher. "This is ridiculous! You mean I
have to pay $300 for this service, even though I am still under
warranty?" He repeated what he had said to me earlier. "This is
ridiculous!" my tone got higher. "You mean I have to go back to the
store and ask them for a receipt for the phone?" "Otherwise, you will
have to pay $300 for the replacement."

Feeling that I have been given no choice, i grab my collection letter
from him and walked out of the centre. I should've make noise about
them not informing me about the $300 repair charges, I thought, as I
took the bus back home. "But nevermind, I can write to their customer
service and even the press to complain about their service!" Which I
did.

Their email respond system on the website says they will respond to me
within the next 24 hours. I sure hope so. If not, I will send a chain
letter and forward it to those people I know who will forward it like
wild fire. I bet that would be the best customer service I could do
for them.

(The above is written when I am super irritated by the nonchalent
attitude of the staff at the counter, at both counts, ie sending in
and collection. If in someway, Motorola decides to do something about
it, I shall update this post. I have decided, if they want to
compensate me with some vouchers or gift, I'd send it back to them and
tell them to give it to the "deserving" staff, who gave me the won the
title of the worst customer service ever.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

High Fidelity Review. Phew, the Motorola incident really got me
blowing hot air. I know mobile service centres gives lousy service,
but that was something I find hard to swallow. Anyway...

I like High Fidelity. John Cusack is a record store owner who narrates
his past relationships throughout the entire show, and for every girl
in his life, he has a top 5 songs to go with story. John does a lot of
self-reflection in the movie, asking himself what-happen-then kinda
questions as he questions himself why did his latest girlfriend left
him.

One comical scene is when Catherine Zeta Jones, one of his ex, called
him up out of the blue and ask him whether is he in one of those
what-happen-back-then kinda moments, before asking him over for
dinner. Like any regular guy, he denies it, and thought maybe he
should catchup with her and maybe get a chance to ask her why.

Another part of the movie that intrigues me is the way those 3 guys in
the record store's attitude towards music. John Cusack, Jack Black,
and the quiet guy name Dick seemed to love music alot. However, they
do not like Beethoven, Stevie Wonder or world music.

Which got me asking. How do you know that you KNOW-know music? Just
because you listen to Green Day, you love music? Or when you can
recite the names and tracks of obscure artists and albums, does that
make you a music guru?

Well, I like music, but I don't think I am expert on it. And I don't
think anyone who have dozens of CDs or vinyl in their collection can
claim that they know music. You see, music, like food, or perfume, or
colour, is very subjective. You can't say you are smarter than the
person who likes orange, just because you like black. You can like
your music, but don't force your taste on other people.

And yes, John Cusack has the same weakness that alot the men I know
have. They are just comfortable living a life of normalness, no
future, no challenge. They live (too much) for the present. Too much
contentment in a life of normalcy. The girlfriend moved on in her
career and life, but the guy was still stuck with his own mediocore
life. So she left him.

Alot of people can't handle changes in life. They think things should
stay the way they are, so that they can feel comfortable. But changes
happen. Some changes are hard to accept, but they have happen, are
happening, and will continue to happen.

I am not saying that we adjust ourselves to adapt to all kinds of
changes. I am just saying that we should acknowledge change, and
respond it positively. If we don't agree with it, find out away to
beat it. Don't sit around and complain that without consulting you,
changes took place. Take action and move on with the times. Embrace
change.

Gee. I feel like a preacher... So I am going to stop here. I hope I
will return with positive news from Motorola. You'd hear it from here.

Attended The Wake

I did indeed went for the funeral wake yesterday. MM, one of PL's closer friend from our secondary school called me yesterday, and said that she is arranging the rest to meet at the station near PL's house at 7pm.

I met K at the station, as the others were not able to make it for the 7pm slot. As we walked, we tried to manage a conversation. We began with the news, then the flats, then on her losing weight after her 2nd child last September. I guess we were both alright on holding the conversation, even though both of us kinda know it's weird when it's only the both of us.

PL was still pretty affected by the death when we arrived. Despite us telling her to go back to the back of the "tentage" where she came out from, if she so feel better to be there, and that she need not entertain us, She didn't respond to us, and got a hold of ourselves about 15 mins later, and started to talk about the recent weather in Singapore. Slowly, we were on normal chatting setting again, though we know, she is still pretty much affected by the death.

MM and LY came by later, and we continue the chat. Conversations flow from her adorable nieces, to the recent secretive unannounced marriage registration of one of the guys, who married a Chinese. It was catchup time, as funeral wakes usually are, while I guess we do feel we need to make our presence, even though she had intended not to have anyone else over except for MM.

Me being the one living the nearest to the wake location, stayed on with MM, while the other 2 mothers had to leave to take care of their kids. I stayed around till about 10 plus, and we were joined by SL, also another one of those who are closer to PL because they hang out often than with me. Strangely enough, even though I haven't seen SL for a really long time, there seemed no strangeness when we chat.

We continued to talk for a while, before PL said she felt like getting some peanut butter toast for her mother's altar. Because SL drives, we suggested going to some nearby Hongkong Cafe for some supper while getting the toast.

Before we get ready to leave, one of her relatives, I suppose it's her Aunty, spoke to me in Chinese "Miss, please take care of her. She is very upset and emotional." I nodded to her, and told her we will do so.

We ended up at this place call "Tang Shui" (direct translation for sugar water, which means sweet soup dessert in Cantonese) at River Valley Road. I was thinking of writing about the good experience on my blog as I step in, but decided I would write about the bad experience instead.

The interior decoration of the cafe is in funky lime green and shocking pink, very modern-shanghai-tang kinda look. The tables and chairs were of antique-rosewood-like wood. There are a few crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, it definitely scores high point with me on interior decor.

My phone battery went flat, so I was unable to take any pictures. We had prawn mango roll (good), chee cheong fun with ham and egg, peanut butter toast, fries and my ham, egg and beans toast (basically American Breakfast all put together) and boiled Coke with ginger. Yep, and it doesn't taste that bad, taste like Hot Sarsi :)

But service is badbadbad. The Chinese waitress wasn't paying attention to our order when we requested for no egg on both the eat-in toast and the takeaway one, and we had to take the one without egg, and request for the takeaway one changed. The food took a long time to be served. And we had to call to the waiter and waitress 3 times before we get chilli sauce for our fries. My AmericanBreakfastInOneDisguise toast wasn't that fantastic. We were all pretty unsatisfied with the whole experience. However, my friends did mention that the one down at Zion Road has better service. So I guess I'd probably pop by there if I get supper chance again.

We left the place at about 12 plus. I was sent home before the girls send PL back to the wake. I guess for her, it's a relief that even though she wants time alone, there are still people whom she can turn to for company.

And as for me, I guess I am not that a stranger to this closer group of friends, though I am still very distant from the bigger group. I guess the girls feel that too, cos we seemed to get the same treatment everytime we gather.

Well, I am thankful we don't need large groups of friends to call it friendship. Quality of time is so much better than quantity of time.

Bits And Pieces, Here And There...

Sorry, have not been writing recently because I've just acquired a new toy.



A mini hi-fi set from Audio House. Brand name is bet-you've-never-heard-of "Hyundai". :D I've been hunting for one for the past 2 weeks. I really can't do without music in my room. So even if I have to use up some of the money of the Nanjing trip, I felt it's a good "spiritual" investment for me. "Spiritual" as in it keeps me sane, not in a religious kinda way hor :)

Anyway, back to the hi-fi. So it was on sale at Audio House for $129, plays cd, vcd, dvd, -rs, -rws and has a 1200W power. So, buy lah! :D Little did I realise that I need a tv if I want to access the MP3s if I have them in folders on CDs. The interface you see, is reflected ONLY on the TV. So without the tv, I've got to guess which folder and what song I want to play by remembering how many times I've pressed the "ENTER" button and the ">" button. I gave up after the 2nd day of trying, and decided to burn all the songs into the dvd-rw, without the folders. I can't say I am really happy with the final solution, but I guess it'll do :)

As you can see, I am using temporary "tables" to hold the hi-fi set for now. Looking at the display makes me think about the still-messy room of mine. Urgh. I hope I'd spend more time in my room doing the clean up, now that I have music accompaniement :)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The other thing I want to note down is that I went to eat collagen ramen the same day I got the hi-fi, ie. last Sunday. The little shop is at Marina Square ground floor, somewhere near Chapter 2 the hair salon. I can't really taste the difference in taste, cos the noodles, like any ramen I've tasted on any other day. It's good, nonetheless. And the side dishes such as fried salmon and squid legs are pretty tasty too. Only, don't order the red bean drink from them. I figure there's nothing special about it. Just red bean soup in ice :S



1) Interior of the restaurant
2) L's ramen (sorry, forgotten what flavour was it)
3) My Ramen, spicy char siew ramen (they ran out of chicken thigh meat! :S)


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oh, did I mentioned that I am an videoezy online member now? *smiling with glee* So now I can watch any movie I want! I had just returned "Toni Takitani", and now "High Fidelity" just arrived today :D. My plan was maximum 3 DVDs a month, but I can take as long as I want to return it. Once the DVD is returned, they'd send me the next video in queue 2 days later. How's kewl is that?! :D

Tony Takitani is a very, very simple show. No gore, no violence, no horror, no sexual content, no cgi-graphics... I was drawn to watch it because D W wrote about it sometime back last year. I like this kinda "thinking" movie. They bring the real emotions of what regular people feel onto the screen. Why people are who they are. And what they do, will do to the lives of others in real life. Everything is so natural in the show. The natural reaction of the girl crying in the wardrobe-full of clothes that seemed to be customed made just for her. The natural display of Tony's character, an extension of the things he has to deal with since childhood. How the lack of playmates and proper family during his growing up years caused him to spend most of his time focus on the finer points of life.

There's no excitement-excitement in this show. Watch it on a lazy Sunday afternoon. You would either doze off, or you would feel what Tony felt. 'Cos I did.

And why "High Fidelity"? I remember reading a mention of the movie on the papers sometime ago, and the name of the movie has stucked in my brain ever since. Though the movie was on the tv a couple of times, I keep missing it when it is shown on tv. Vaguely remember that John Cusack is the lead character there, he listens to songs, analyse love through listening to songs, something like that.

I will write about it when I finished watching it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

J messaged me when I was on my way back home after taking my dad to the doctor's to get his regular supply of high-blood pressure pills, as well as lung relaxant for his cough. He told me that the mother of PL, the friend of mine who jetsetted to UK last month for training, has passed away this morning. We knew PL mutually, as she is the god-sister of J's sister, and that was how the news came about.

Honestly, I was shocked. It really came as a surprise. PL has been living with her mother for years ever since the siblings have married, and So hurriedly, I replied to J and told him I would find out more from the others. He replied to say that the family may not want PL to be affected by the news, so it's better than I hold my messages.

Well, little does he know, he does not need to tell me that. I was going to forward the message out to one of PL's closer friends, until I realised that I have none of the numbers of that bunch of people I "meet" once a while.

None. My only contact with them was through PL, because I seldom hang out with the rest, somewhat. And it kinda surprised me a little because it's so bizarre... knowing these people, yet don't have their numbers.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I guess my friendship with the rest is as superficial as it looks like now. Which explains to you why I seldom see them, cos I really feel that there's no real friendship with these people at all. Even though we had spent 4 years of our times together as NPCC cadets during our secondary school days.

I guess it's probably because I was always the follower and not the leader in the pack, so wallflowered that till this day, nobody notice that I could actually hold a decent conversation, and there is no need to ignore me during gatherings.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Would things change in the future, or after the wake? I hope so.

Meantime, I shall wear dark colours to work tomorrow, in case there's a call to attend the wake.

New Post

New Post at Pathetic Single Singaporean Men Blog! :D

The Wine, The Confidante And The Friends (Updated)

Just to update that the link to the end of the relationship led to this post on The Dump. Also to note, I lost 3 kg this time last year, and unfortunately, the fats rolled back :P


I opened my inbox and saw an anniversary reminder from yahoo calendar. "Whose anniversary is that?! That's so strange, me, remind myself of other people's wedding annivesary?!?!"

And then I clicked on the link.

I read the title and I had to laugh at myself. Silly girl.

This day last year, silly ol' me was so excited about my new relationship that I typed in the date on Yahoo Calendar so that I can remind myself, year after the year, that 2 weeks from now in 2006, was the the day he and I became an official couple.

And the relationship didn't even last for a month. Ho ho ho! :D

Just when I was reminding myself that since Valentine's Day is drawing near (it's before Chinese New Year!), I've got not much time to get my Bandung serviced and tuned before she expires her product guaranteed date.

Incidentally, I had a post about Faith in February. It was written after watching a GA episode. I find it really bizarre that I have the same thoughts about the same time of the year...

So anyway, I have deleted the event reminder on 23rd Jan. Hopefully, it'd be the last time I am reminded of that bizarre event.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Last Sunday, we had a belated birthday dinner celebration for P. We went to the coffeeshop behind Eunos MRT station. According to my kiam-siap (stingy) colleague, they supposedly serve really tasty cheese crab.

The service was slow and sloppy, the aunty gave a black face whenever she came to our table, they forgot our cheese crab order. We gave up.

Feeling disatistfied, we went down to Geylang for durians.



Boy... These things need no cooking yet they taste heavenly compared to the "dinner" we had earlier. I think all of us have not eaten durians for a long time. The fruit disappeared quickly whenever a new serving is placed on the table. YUMMY!

Still not very satisfied, we drove down to Jalan Kayu for Teh Halia (Ginger Tea with milk) and prata. Admittedly, I find no draw in the prata kosong (plain pancake) I had, but the Teh Halia made up for the missing flavour.

It was a night of local food, but it was a wonderful time for a group of friends to be together, eat, chat, make fun of each other and talk without inhibitions. No pretense. Makes one thinks that truly, close friends are rare finds. As the Chinese saying goes,

酒逢知己千杯少，话不投机半句多
While there are never enough wine in a gathering of close confidantes, any word is one too many utterance for a disagreeing group(raw translation).
(Other direct translation: "Drinking with a bosom friend, a thousand shots are too few; Talking with a disagreeable person, half a sentence is too many. ")

It was good, and my heart took lots of pictures that night :)

Time to go to bed.

By Faith

Pastor delivered a very inspiring sermon yesterday. The key message was clear:

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
希 伯 来 书 １１章１节
信 就 是 所 望 之 事 的 实 底 ， 是 未 见 之 事 的 确 据 。

The book of Hebrews always puts the meaning of "faith" down in perspective. Faith in God, in people, in ourselves.

Sometimes, no, MOST of the time, believing can be so hard.

But going back to the Word can make the pill a little easier to swallow. In reality, we are already practicing blind faith. Taking for granted that a lot of things will work for us when we want them to.

Such irony. It's easier to have faith in smaller things, than to have faith in bigger things huh?

We have faith that we will always have air to breathe, that we will never kena any major natural calamity (in Singapore), faith that the flooring of the lift will not give way when we step on it...

But when asked for faith in bigger things, our brows will furrow.

I want to believe and trust more this year.

Corazon De Melao

Dunno why. This song has been ringing in my head for the whole of this afternoon.

I've not watch any mtv, or hear it on the radio or whatever. The music just kept ringing in my mind.

So I buay-tahan (cannot take it aka cannot stand the feeling), went to download the song. It's a song that I never really like it when Jacky Cheung sang it. Just feel so weird. But now I am hooked...

Enjoy... Corazon De Melao - Jacky Cheung

:)

Old Maid

I was on MSN today and chanced upon an opportunity to ask a guy friend if he is going to watch a movie with a girl. He said yes, "but she has a boyfriend liao."

Then he disappeared for a while, returning with a wikipedia link for me to click on.

"This is the kind of girl I like."

Like any normal MSN user, I clicked on the link, saw the page and replied him.

"So you like this kinda of young-girls kind?" He argued that she is only a few years his junior.

"Cute mah."

"Why am I not surprised. 11 out of 10 guys I know like cute-cute girls. (Forgotten the sentence I wrote after that)"

He then proceed to guess I've got my monthy "aunty" visit. Obviously, he sensed malice in my message.

Please lor, don't need an aunty to know this kinda thing, I replied.

"No wonder I am still an old maid. I don't know how to act cute."

- End of discussion. -

Hahaha... :D

Now that's the REAL reason why I am not attached yet. Hope you'd be able to figure out why.

The Queen Review

*Yawnz...*

(I am basically going to blog about "The Queen" movie and go off to sleep.)

Through some sheer luck, I chance upon an sms contest by MyPaper sometime back, an opportunity to catch the movie "The Queen". The question was easy (guessthe unnamed figure featured in the background of the poster. Easy right? :D). Me being a big movie fan, thought I should give it a try. They picked me as one of the winners and the movie was screened today at Cineleisure Orchard.

I got Y to go with me, cos (IMO) not alot of locals I know would appreciate British humour. I saw my ex-ex-ex-ex-pastor at the cinema, but didn't call out to him, cos he was with some other people watching the same show. He was one of the important people who was instrumental in getting me to settle in PC, as well as one of the important persons God used to help me grow spiritually during my years there.

Anyway, back to the movie...

I thought Helen Mirren did an excellent-excellent portrayal as the British Queen Elizabeth II, though I do think her mimic of the walk is a little too fast?! I don't remember the real Queen walking this fast :D

The movie brings back memories of the period when Princess D died. I really had no idea what has been going on with the royal family then, except that Charles was really intimate with Camilla Bowles, and that they had divorced. Throughout the entire saga then, the Queen did not make any public address to what has been happening in her family. She, as the movie portrayed her to be, is always keeping mum about such things, knowing it's wise to do so, rather than to be involved with the senseless batter of the media and papparazi.

Yeah, so when Princess D died, I was very very particularly curious at why so many women all over the world cried over the event. I mean... Well, yes, she did a lot of charity work all over the world... But, personally, none of them meant alot to me, at all. And yes, the funeral attended by so many MING XING (celebrities)... Interesting, somemore got Elton John play a song for her in the church.

I particularly like the scene when the Queen went to the gate outside Buckingham Palace to look at the flowers that were presented in memory of the Princess D. I don't know if some of the messages written there are true or not, but I do believe that some (silly) British have blamed the Queen for being so cold and insensitive towards the death of Princess D. Imagine the Queen walking pass flowers that were dedicated to the rebel, and pointing fingers at the royal family for driver her to her death. The majority were very emotional over the death, but not everyone thought how the family felt at the way the death was discovered.

It was especially touching when the Queen walked towards a young girl and asked if she could help her put the flowers that she has been holding. The girl repled "No." and then said, "These are for you." I nearly teared on that one. I mean, it's a such great contrast. The flowers also kinda brought out the intention and values of the crowd. Who are they giving their respect to, the rebel, or the Queen? To the new do-what-I-like, or do the do-what-is-good-for-the-people?

The movie isn't funny-Funny, but some parts does portrayed that the royal family are just like anybody, even Tony Blair's family live normal lives of any person. However, these groups of people have heavier responsibilities on their shoulder than you and I are bearing. Their decisions will have it's impact on a nation and it's people. (SIDETRACK: So think thrice before you point your finger at your leaders. If you think it's so easy to blame them for all your failures and sufferings, why don't you go and be a decision maker for a group of people. Frankly speaking, I think many of us aren't very good decision makers ourselves to start off in the first place.)

And so, I recommend "The Queen" ****/*****, not for comedy, but for it giving us a glimpse of the lives of decision makers, and it is for you if you are keen to know what may be the case in the royal family during the period after the death of Princess D period.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On another note, if you would like to laugh yourself silly, go watch "Night at the Museum". It's very-very funny.

Alright, that's all for now folks!

On The 2nd Day Of 2007

I suppose I should blog about what I did during the crossover from 2006 to 2007.

Actually, this may be a really boring entry, cos I am writing this cos I don't feel like sleeping on this morning of the second day fo 2007.

So here goes...

It was a hmmm.... I would say, not a celebration done the way I thought it was to be.

J, P, CL and I went for our ducktour at 7pm. Other than the redirection of our land route due to the road block, the ducktour was ok. (So this is an unfair statement, cos I didn't do the full tour. You better take it yourself if you wish to try it. They gave us a 30% discount cos we are locals. I wonder if they will give that discount for regular tours.) After that, J went to fly his kite, while P, CL and I went to meet R for dinner at The Soup Restaurant at Suntec City.


Sorry, there are no food photographs, but here are some pictures of the interior decor of the restaurant.

After dinner, it was time to go to the Esplanade to chope a place to catch the fireworks. I have no idea that R is not used to walking long distance. That, plus the drizzle we endured to get to the Esplanade probably did it for her. P and I went to get drinks, but were not permitted to allow to enter the area we came from when we were back. The networks were busy and we were unable to get through to either R or CL back there. P & I ended up catching the fireworks show at midnight at the Padang, while CL and R caught it at Esplanade, where we left.

After the show, when the networks were less congested, we tried to contact the both of them. Apparently, R is so tired that she decided not to go for the cheong and wanted to go home. It felt kinda weird for the both of us, cos she was the one who was very gamed to cheong, and then she was the first one to abandon ship. Another friend was already expecting us at a club, and we had to move our party to a karaoke lounge instead ('cos a fight broke out in the club, and the other place is just too teensy). We sang till about 5am the next day.

You probably can't feel the "weirdness" as you read my very incomplete recount. But it's ok. It's over anyway :)

Let's move on...

Now that majority of the festivities are over, I have one birthday, 2 weddings, one Chinese New Year and a trip to Nanjing to look forward to :) in the coming quarter.

So weirdness or without, I am going to begin my New Year anyway. Meantime, enjoy any "slack" or free period while you can.

My 2007 will be exciting, and I hope yours will be too!