Sweeping out the Old

It's New Year's Day, and I'm taking the advice of a dear blogging friend of mine, Witch Baby, and I'm sweeping the old out of my life to make room for the new! I'm not a witch myself, so I'm not following all of the ritual itself, I'm just taking from it what I can that is meaningful to me. That means I am doing some house-cleaning as a way of physically demonstrating my commitment to making space in my life for new things this year.

I'm making space in my mental landscape for new thoughts.

I'm making space in my emotional landscape for more joy.

I'm making space in my lifestyle for new friends and new experiences.

I'm making space in my house for beautiful and meaningful possessions only.

I'm looking forward to welcoming a new job this year - something in a library.

I'm expecting my relationship with Chris to deepen and strengthen this year.

I'm shedding some weight to make space for my body to work at its optimum performance.

I'm opening up to spiritual growth.

I'm excited to see what wonderful things my children will experience this year.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year, and I hope that you also are able to make room for new blessings.

Happy New Year !

Happy 2010 to all my friends!

Early in the morning, at 9am, met up with my secondary buddy, Daniel Ang. Why address him with his surname, cause I have one more Daniel, Daniel Goh from sec school as well. Daniel Ang is back from Melbourne for his vacation break. Healthy living...we went YCK stadium for morning jog. Then went his house to swim... think over-exerted myself again, need to rest few more days before I can start jogging again.

Went Ikea today to get my Wine Cups for my cooking filming next Monday... then got a bad news... Chong's Clinic was opened in the evening, and had to go down to work... sianz arh.

Went back home to spend my new year eve with my mum...

Let's look at 2009...double-image recaps!

January 2009



The start of January was spent at Junyue's house with the rest of the year 3s...playing poker and having steamboat... most of us was quite shacked... as we had just sent bro off to the airport on 31st Dec 2008...

Feburary 2009


Had my first ever eye infection in my life... during recess period... ended up spreading to both eyes. Still remember I had to wear shades to meet my FOC sponsor... lol.

March 2009


Entered my first ever blogging competition...and from then on, there were many interesting topics...and challenges ahead...

April 2009


My debut performance singing an English song... took an elective, GV17... and was our final presentation...STRESSED arh.


Bijun took the same elective as me as well, and seen her was Marcus...who came to be her duet partner.

May 2009


Embarked on an one month engineering project... know more interesting people in Mech Engin, and made many good friends. Our product...busbrella, an extractable bus shelter attached onto the bus. Even though we didnt won any prize, but the experience gain...and the friendship we had made, is priceless.

June 2009


Finally...bro was back from US exchange on 2nd June 2009. H1N1 was high in US area...and he had to quarentine himself a few days before he could come out to meet us. Glad that he was fine and free from H1N1! Loss weight and cut his "banks", LOL! WooHoo, 5 of us reunite!

July 2009


Bro and I were doing part-time holiday job for this china lady... we called ourselves the bao kah liao office boys. From event planning, to meeting sponsors, to typing letters, making dvd compilations... everything. EVERYTHING! Work till as late as 2am... wah... shagged. Must thank bro for helping me alot, I would have flared up my temper and left the job... but luckily, heed bro's advice and carried on... this job build up my EQ level...haha, and fat percentage. Cos everyday 2 of us were eating good and cheap food from ChinaTown!

August 2009

A series of events in August...

First was...


The success of Freshmen Orientation Camp 2009, one year of planning, a committee with 50 members... 7 toppies, overwhelming response from the freshies... good job everyone!


Results for Youth Blogging Competition finally out. With the support of many hall friends, pri sch, sec sch, Jc, army friends... finally emerged 3rd place after few rounds of interesting topics... thanks everyone man. =)


We did a video for Priscilla's 21st birthday...and this video was so funny... hahaha.


Kena sabo-ed at the actual party...

September 2009


None other than my birthday larh. Haha, must thank everyone for making my birthday a fabulous 1. Superb...


October 2009


Celebrated Mid-Autumn festival with Soph, Pris and Songwei. Bro couldn't come due to family commitments... hope my lousy cooking didn't poison you all arh. Hahaha.

November 2009


Exams coming...nothing big happen. Only big gathering celebration was bro's birthday. And we tried the gigantic ice cream dessert... umbilibabulu? Hahha...dunno how to spell lah... sounds like that... you got to run like 20 rounds larh... after u finished eating that. LoL.

December 2009


Had my first experience to cook infront of the camera... kind of wierd, and stressed. But was a good experience though... thanks everyone for your support...

Okay...round up the summary of big events, wishing everyone a Happy New Year, may all your resolutions come true...

Nights!

Feeling Blah

Weather horrible.

Children bored.

Slept for 12 hours last night and still feel tired.

What is wrong with me? I'm having a definite post-Christmas slump. Thank goodness we didn't go away like we usually do at this time of year. Caravans and caravan parks by the beach are not so fun in rainy weather. It's been bad enough at home. Joshua got a new bike for Christmas and he hasn't even been able to ride it yet. We haven't been able to go to the beach. Chris' colleague at work has lent us his boat (just a tinnie) so we can go out fishing, but we haven't been able to. Poor Chris, he has to go back to work on Monday, and I don't think he's had much of a fun holiday.

It's New Year's Eve today. Every year there are fireworks down at the waterfront, not far from here. It's doable to head down there for the 9pm fireworks and be home and in bed by 10pm. Yes, we are such party animals! Every year there's a circus, and every year the kids ask to go, and every year we don't. But this morning I was feeling sorry for everyone, so I swung into action, found out that the circus is on at 3pm, (giving us plenty of time to get dinner then be ready for the 9pm fireworks), and got us some ringside seats! Yay for me! Only one problem, I think I might have missed the window of opportunity for pleasing my kids. I think they might be a bit too old and too cool for the circus now. When I told them that we were going the circus, their responses were less than ecstactic. Oh well, I'm trying...

Daphne's Farewell...

Before sending Daphne off today... went for Polo training in the afternoon... wah, one word - Shagged.



Though half the time I was helping bro to time the guys for training... next half went down to do some sprinting... and some physical training, and plus a game... wah, really shaccccccccked arh. Was telling Weiyong, polo training is also called the "Save the Old Man Club" arh... haha.

Bro, if next time SAF stripped your officer rank, I think you seriously has the potential to be a PTI. Hahaa.

My knee seems okay... hmm, not as bad as what Doctor Yuen said leh. I think maybe is the way I jog lah, only strained my ligament while jogging, but swimming wise... hmm, seems nuthing wrong. *shrugged*



After that, we went down to send Daphne off to Denmark. Time really flies arh, its the time to send people off again. Last year during this period was to sent bro off. Thanks to the year 3 and 4s for being so supportive, and made this farewell a success.

It has been a long time after exams since we had such a big gathering again. Everytime farewell, seems to be more like our own gathering sia.

Daphne, I know you will be able to see this... all the best to you in Denmark, and do take of yourself overthere. Your parents are very concerned about you, haha...on the way back, they were telling me bout you, telling me dunno whether how you going to carry your 31++kg luggage over... how you going to do the cooking... haha.

Dont worry man, we will keep you up to date of hall 14 and the year 3 and 4s happenings. Jiayouz!

Alright... buay tahan liao.

Nights off...

The feelings.

As usual, the 5th time.

Something different will be I'm taking one step out this time to face the reality.

I don't feel comfortable.

Another Song

陈伟联《永远的朋友》

The lyrics, touching.

"因为太爱你

拼命达到你的需要

虽然只是朋友

总比什么都不是好.."

Not Quite Wrapping up the Everything Austen Challenge

Unfortunately with only a day or two left until the Everything Austen challenge deadline, I am well aware that I'm not going to make it. Everything Austen has been hosted by Stephanie at Stephanie's Written Word, and was designed for all of us Jane Austen fans. The idea was to experience (or re-experience) six Austenish books, movies or the like. Sadly, I have managed only two, Mr Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange and Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster.

Even though the challenge is going to officially end, I'm going to continue on into the New Year. I'll still post reviews, and finish in my own time. Thanks Stephanie, for all your hard work hosting the challenge.

Out of Ordinary Desserts

Preparing for my next task for the next filming... thanks to Sophia and her crazy ideas... which were put into good use...


There were kaya...cheese...chocolate fondue... and scrambled eggs...


Our ingredients...


And trying out new stuffs...




The cooking in the kitchen...


Thanks Soph... need to improvise abit more, guess will be staying home this week to do more trials...

Wish me luck man!

Wrapping up the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge

Thanks so much to the delightful Beth at Beth Fish Reads for hosting the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge and introducing me to these enjoyable books. Their author, Charlaine Harris, has written other series also, as well as some short stories, so I'm definitely glad that I've found her!

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris. Borrowed from my local public library. **** "Great, as expected."

I'm having a little bit of trouble with this review. I read this one, and the last one Dead and Gone, immediately after one another in the space of a day and a half, and I'm finding it hard to remember where one finished and the other started!

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris.

Borrowed from by local public library.

**** "Fun!"












So, I'm not wanting to give away too much to those of you who will be wanting to read these books for yourselves. Lets just say this much - the weres are battling in From Dead to Worse and the fairies are battling in Dead and Gone, and Sookie manages to be right in the middle of it all. Bill is still professing undying love for Sookie, but her bond with Eric is strengthening. Not to be left out, Quinn and Alcide both make appearances in these books also. As usual, all Sookie wants is a peaceful life and a man in her bed that she can rely on to hang around for a while, and as usual Sookie ends up in danger and physically and emotionally hurt.

If you haven't tried the Sookie Stackhouse books, but like fast paced easy reads that are just a little bit trashy (!), then I recommend that you give these books a try.

If you had watched Avatar... then you won't want to miss this. Awesome.

Welcome to the Post Christmas Book Binge

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas, each in your own way. Is it wrong? I actually enjoy the days after Christmas leading up to New Year better than Christmas itself. Having visited both sides of the family, cooked and eaten, given and received presents, yada, yada, yada, I find this time of year restful and enjoyable.

The kids have some new presents to amuse themselves with, my husband is at home because his work shuts down at this time of year, and I GOT SOME BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS! Aaaaah, time to relax and read!

I have a little bit of a backlog of reviews from books I have read lately, (why oh why is it so easy to motivate myself to read a book, and so hard to motivate myself to write a review?) so I'll get on with it so I can bury my head in a book.

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.

Bought for a friend for her birthday, and borrowed back.

**** "Interesting and enjoyable!"

From the back cover: "From the moment she's struch by lightning as a baby, it is clear Mary Anning is marked for greatness. When she uncovers fossils of unknown creatures in the cliffs near her home, she sets the scientific world alight, challenging ideas about the world's creation and stimulating debate over our origins. This is an arena dominated by men but luckily Mary finds and unlikely champion in prickly, intelligent Elizabeth Philpot. Their relationship strikes a delicate balance between fierce loyalty and barely suppressed envy. Despite their defferences in age and background, Mary and Elizabeth discover that, in struggling for recognition, friendship is their strongest weapon."

This book is set in the Austen era, and is essentially the tale of two women. Mary Anning is the daughter of a cabinet maker who is deeply in debt and dies young. Her family's only form of income is the money they make from the sale of "curies", fossils that Mary finds on the beach at Lyme Regis. Visitors from London will pay in pennies, or sometimes even shillings for these curiosities. The family lives hand to mouth, always on the brink of starvation, and constantly have the fear of being sent to the workhouse hanging over their heads.

Mary has an instinctive abilty to find fossils. She is well practiced in the art of cleaning them and displaying them to their best advantage, but even more, she has a talent for reconstructing the skeletons of mysterious and unknown creatures. Her finds begin to catch the attention of gentlemen for whom the collection and display of fossils is their latest hobby, and eventually they come to the attention of the greatest scientific names of the time. Some of her finds are still on display today.

Elizabeth Philpot is one of three spinster sisters who are sent to live in a small cottage in Lyme Regis with their one servant and their one hundred and fifty pounds a year when it becomes apparent that they will not marry. They live modestly in their diminished surroundings, with less society than they are used to in London, and to their credit they find ways to quietly fill their days. Elizabeth has a great interest in natural science, and takes to scouring the beach for fossil fish, in which she has a particular interest. But upon witnessing the incredible discoveries that Mary Anning makes, she begins to question her ideas about God's creation. Why would God create animals, only to allow them to die out? If God created the earth, just as it is today, how did the animal bones get inside the rocks? And how could the earth possibly be only 6000 years old?

This book is a work of fiction, but is based on read people and real events. Because I had already read some popular science that dealt with scientific thought at this time, I could really appreciate the events as they unfolded. But I think a reader with no previous scientific knowledge would still enjoy this story.

Recommended.

The drums, the music, the jamming... wooOHooo!

Today accompanied bro to buy his PS3 slim... and BANDHERO! It's bandhero! Had been listening to his awesome experience of rockband over in US exchange on msn... then when he came back... heard again his fun experience with rockband... and was so GIAN to play... that we could only go to arcade hit the drums... haha... and now... it's finally here... wooohOOO! So while he was carrying his PS3slim...I volunteered to help him carry from AMK back to his house at Sembawang... hmm, hahaha...accidentally dropped the whole box on the floor...you could see his heart... SANK. hahah...of course lah, so expensive... paisay man. Hahha.


There was an heavy downpour this afternoon...so after bracing through the storms...haha. It finally reached his house... LoL.


Setting up was not easy... was an tedious process...


Lol...but with 2 engineers around... haha, nothing can get in our way lah. LoL... the drums up.


And so is the guitar...


Though there was some minor glitches... but bro managed to get it fixed lah...


Let's test out the game man!!!!


Our favourite song...haha.


Hahha... I think I looked wierd in this pic. LoL...


Justin: Anyone wants to come my house to play? Pay entrance fee 1st. Hahha.

No lah...above OS I put my words into his mouth one. LoL... WOO hOoo! Finally...finally I get to play you, BAND HERO!!!

Xmas with Brothers and Sisters

Carrying on past year experience , we had an advanced Xmas celebration @ orchard hotel again, very glad that despite of each other busy schedule, we still make an effort to meet each other up. Pris came later due to work, songwei and Justin came slightly later due to softball match in school.


And so...I checked in the earliest...


Room was booked about 2 weeks ago... @ orchard hotel, luckily still got vacancies...



Sophia Sim came later...to avoid gossips that one guy one girl go "open room" in hotel. Hahah...



Justin and Songwei joined us around 7plus in the evening after their softball matches... having dinner... he's super hungry...


Should be msging Hazel...reporting where he is...aha.


While waiting for our food to come...


Oh...btw we went to coffeebean. Didn't know that they sell pastas. Not bad leh... or maybe perhaps I was too hungry too.

After dinner...we walked around Orchard to look at the lightings, and experience Xmas spirits... Ho Ho Ho!



Saw this hugh Xmas tree outside orchard Ion...



And you are able to take a look at the inner side of the xmas tree.... when you looked up...you see...


this...


And then saw this snowman outside wheelock i think...haha. Cant remember...


Myself, Sophia, Justin and Songwei...


And this small tree outside Forum... the funny part is...
Passerby A: Do you want the whole tree? (holding on the camera in landscape view)
All : Yes!
Justin: Err...you can change to portrait view.

Passerby A die die still holding on to landscape view

And so....the end product? Where's the WHOLE tree?



While walking along the streets outside taka...we saw Ferleen, hall 14 ex hall queen... actually saw quite a number of people at orchard that day lah, saw Serling from citibank, Ping Yee from my Amkss...


There were performance too...


While taking photo...Justin lee blew sophia's hair... pull my spikey hair... and so... the photo was blurred...LoL...



Around 10 plus... Priscilla finally came after work....photo taken at Hotel Lobby...


Back in the hotel...all took out their "special weapon"... songwei had his cute little mushroom cushion...


I... had nothing actually. Hahha.


Justin had his sleeping bag filled with love from Cheryl...haha..


Pris and Sophia was too tired from walking and working whole day...



I brought along a small little tripod...and took our group shot...


Funky shot failed... NG...


Funky shot done! (Songwei not really doing...haha)

Then Sophia had this application in her Iphone..that will auto generate truth or dare questions...we got too bored playing truth...so we tried dare instead...



I was the one who wrote on Sophia's arms... haha.


Songwei had to help me to put on my shoes...


The most comical one...Pris had to stand on her head...lol, she tried her best though. HahA.


Justin had to kiss songwei... he chose to kiss his shirt... haha. We let him off...


I had to put something over my head...and initially they suggested Justin's underwear... -____-. I'm so gladdddddd that I didn't had to do that... LoL...

The next day morning...



Songwei still trying to sleep... he actually left early, to support Hazel for female's softball match...


Justin lee... can really sleep....and eat....alot. Hahaha.


We went down for our breakfast buffet...was superb! Haha...but only available for 2...so Soph and Pris was so nice to let Justin and myself to have the breakfast instead. Thanks man! HhA.




Ups!


Back to hotel room...pris playing DJmax on my psp...




This 2 girls...are inseparable...going to exchange together to Sweden on the 12th Jan 2010...




Justin still trying to get some sleep...hahaha.



One last shot before we check out....


Let's wait for next year Xmas again! They were saying we need to upgrade to better hotel... alrights... then that will be our 3rd year spending our Xmas in hotel man. Haha... looking forward...

Alrights...time to sleep... wishing everyone an enjoyable Xmas!!

Merry Xmas, HoHoHo!