I know i'm a super duper laggard when it comes to Facebook. I have been resisting it for many many moons and months, and i've finally succumbed to sign up for it - well, no choice since everyone's on it and grumbling about my absence.
And when i'm finally on it, guess what?! I began to post my pics there instead, and now my poor musing lamb is not amused anymore. it's now lonely lamb.
however, i'm back! well the blogging experience is so lacking in faceboooo, well it's not supposed to be for blogging anyway.... so well, i'm here to do my ranting as usual.....
yak yak yak.......
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
moi new maid...
i got this new filipino maid from iloilo, and she arrived 2 days ago. i went to the agency @ bukit timah to fetch her and her 20kg luggage! whoa, she brought such a huge luggage i was amazed.
to welcome her, i let her choose what she would like for dinner - roast chicken rice - and i specially topped up 2 deep fried chicken wings for her cos she likes that too.
the only thing worrying is that she hardly ate the rice, though she loves all the chicken. and the loaf of bread i bought for our b'fast the next morn, she did not eat the 1st piece - guess she didn't like the skin of the bread....so i ate that :) another thing is that she leaves the floor soaking wet after mopping it, so i used a dry cloth to wipe it and asked her to do the next time. but unfortunately, she used a mobile stand fan to dry the house instead. aiyo.
that said, she's actually a very smart lady.....and i really don't know whether it's a good thing or bad. but one thing good is that she's a great cook! she can cook lasagne, carborana pasta, cantonese cuisine, portugese, western, chinese, filipino....and do it very well. and it's bcos she has worked in many countries before.
here's the 1st meal she cooked - for both of us: filipino pork adobo and stirfried cauliflower.
it's pretty good. pork adobo is her fave dish in philippines - stewed pork in dark sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar, chilli, garlic & onions.
good lah, since she can cook pretty well, i can save money on eating out. hee.
to welcome her, i let her choose what she would like for dinner - roast chicken rice - and i specially topped up 2 deep fried chicken wings for her cos she likes that too.
the only thing worrying is that she hardly ate the rice, though she loves all the chicken. and the loaf of bread i bought for our b'fast the next morn, she did not eat the 1st piece - guess she didn't like the skin of the bread....so i ate that :) another thing is that she leaves the floor soaking wet after mopping it, so i used a dry cloth to wipe it and asked her to do the next time. but unfortunately, she used a mobile stand fan to dry the house instead. aiyo.
that said, she's actually a very smart lady.....and i really don't know whether it's a good thing or bad. but one thing good is that she's a great cook! she can cook lasagne, carborana pasta, cantonese cuisine, portugese, western, chinese, filipino....and do it very well. and it's bcos she has worked in many countries before.
here's the 1st meal she cooked - for both of us: filipino pork adobo and stirfried cauliflower.
it's pretty good. pork adobo is her fave dish in philippines - stewed pork in dark sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar, chilli, garlic & onions.
good lah, since she can cook pretty well, i can save money on eating out. hee.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
the day my world tumbled
my mum had a stroke 2 days ago.
i pinched myself to wake up from the nightmare. but it was real.
there was nothing i could do, but to pray and pray and pray to God that He'll save her.
i sat outside the emergency ward and stared at a huge green raintree against the azure skies. i cried out to the Lord, to protect and heal my mum. in my helplessness, He is my Help. in my weakness, He is my Strength.
i prayed and cried and prayed and cried. the tree is now dimmed against the amber skies. the world and all its riches meant nothing to me. my mum's love for me is so great that it's uncomprehensible and unimaginable. i know my Lord must definitely understand her love for me, for this is His love for me too - only infinite times greater. i sworn to myself that i'll do everything to love my mum in future.
the tree is now a mass of black, outlined against the dark skies. i still prayed and cried out to the Lord. He is all-knowing, all-powerful. He knows my requests and my desires before i lift them up to Him. what wretched man i am, but His Love still stretches to save me and call me His own.
after a night of sleeplessness, i felt even more helpless on seeing my mum's volatile condition. there is just nothing i can do. then i realise i must let go and let God. i have God's Peace and Assurance in me - that all will be good. I prayed and sang hymns outside the ward, and went home to rest. Today, my mum's condition is now stabilised and hopefully she could go to a normal ward if all is good by this evening. i have nothing but only Praises for my Lord.
Thank you my Lord, my King, my Deliverer, my Shelter, my Help in time of need.
i pinched myself to wake up from the nightmare. but it was real.
there was nothing i could do, but to pray and pray and pray to God that He'll save her.
i sat outside the emergency ward and stared at a huge green raintree against the azure skies. i cried out to the Lord, to protect and heal my mum. in my helplessness, He is my Help. in my weakness, He is my Strength.
i prayed and cried and prayed and cried. the tree is now dimmed against the amber skies. the world and all its riches meant nothing to me. my mum's love for me is so great that it's uncomprehensible and unimaginable. i know my Lord must definitely understand her love for me, for this is His love for me too - only infinite times greater. i sworn to myself that i'll do everything to love my mum in future.
the tree is now a mass of black, outlined against the dark skies. i still prayed and cried out to the Lord. He is all-knowing, all-powerful. He knows my requests and my desires before i lift them up to Him. what wretched man i am, but His Love still stretches to save me and call me His own.
after a night of sleeplessness, i felt even more helpless on seeing my mum's volatile condition. there is just nothing i can do. then i realise i must let go and let God. i have God's Peace and Assurance in me - that all will be good. I prayed and sang hymns outside the ward, and went home to rest. Today, my mum's condition is now stabilised and hopefully she could go to a normal ward if all is good by this evening. i have nothing but only Praises for my Lord.
Thank you my Lord, my King, my Deliverer, my Shelter, my Help in time of need.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Warcraft Meh
Was at a LAN shop playing warcraft with my bf - and to my surprise he constructed a MEH with structures in the game. Naughty naughty. I was so amused i took a picture of it on my screen.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
grazing spot
it's my bf's bday this sat - and i'm still clueless on what to do for him.
what to do? what to do?
at the recent IT show last week, i've bought a laptop for him while he's away in germany. it's really value for money, given the specs i got - 3G RAM and GEForce 8400 - great for playing any games he want, while he's travelling. it is also fortunate that i got a rather plump bonus this month so it has hardly bruised my pocket.
however i have passed him the laptop the day before so there is no more gift or surprises on his bday. i think i should do something nice for him though.... but what?
how about a 3 hr spa for him? full body massage for his aching back will be good. hmm, mabbe we go aramsa @ bishan gardens.
and where off for food?
i wanted to try Picotin (Horse Feed in french)- a joint venture by Sebestien ( Sebestien Bistrot, Les Amis Grp) & Emmanuel Stroobant (Saint Pierre). I was rather devastated when i heard Sebestien left Sebestien Bistrot - as it's my fave french place to go - it's pretty decent french food at good value. And i like its cosy laid back atmosphere. Sadly, Picotin doesn't seem to live up to the Bistrot's reputation. I wonder why they serve Pizzas at a french establishment. Maybe it's for an informal feel. But the reviews didn't get me hyped up at all. So i guess i'll give this new setup a miss, will wait till it's more settled.
Chef Chan? I was rather disappointed with the chef's famed 3 Signature dishes - shark's fin, black pepper beef, and roast chicken. And i know the reason why. It's exactly the same reason why Chef Chan closed down his restaurant and set up this new private dining one - he is unable to control and maintain the quality of the food if he is serving the masses. This time round he is the one doing most of the cooking - and hence i bet the quality must be much better. That said, the 'dish' that impressed me most is not one of the 3 Signature dishes, but their mango pudding.
It's so light when i tasted it at first, then suddenly there is a burst of mango, and best of it all, it leaves a desirable mango aftertaste. It's the most amazing mango pudding i have tried - having tried mango puddings in almost every chinese restaurant i visited. But will i pay $88 / person to try his mango pudding? I doubt so.
Should i then go Saint Pierre or Saint Julien? I think i can still manage, all thanks to my bonus and increment :) Or should we go somewhere more affordable but yet very fulfilling? Hmmm. OH, i'm beginning to miss Sebestian's Bistrot! :P
what to do? what to do?
at the recent IT show last week, i've bought a laptop for him while he's away in germany. it's really value for money, given the specs i got - 3G RAM and GEForce 8400 - great for playing any games he want, while he's travelling. it is also fortunate that i got a rather plump bonus this month so it has hardly bruised my pocket.
however i have passed him the laptop the day before so there is no more gift or surprises on his bday. i think i should do something nice for him though.... but what?
how about a 3 hr spa for him? full body massage for his aching back will be good. hmm, mabbe we go aramsa @ bishan gardens.
and where off for food?
i wanted to try Picotin (Horse Feed in french)- a joint venture by Sebestien ( Sebestien Bistrot, Les Amis Grp) & Emmanuel Stroobant (Saint Pierre). I was rather devastated when i heard Sebestien left Sebestien Bistrot - as it's my fave french place to go - it's pretty decent french food at good value. And i like its cosy laid back atmosphere. Sadly, Picotin doesn't seem to live up to the Bistrot's reputation. I wonder why they serve Pizzas at a french establishment. Maybe it's for an informal feel. But the reviews didn't get me hyped up at all. So i guess i'll give this new setup a miss, will wait till it's more settled.
Chef Chan? I was rather disappointed with the chef's famed 3 Signature dishes - shark's fin, black pepper beef, and roast chicken. And i know the reason why. It's exactly the same reason why Chef Chan closed down his restaurant and set up this new private dining one - he is unable to control and maintain the quality of the food if he is serving the masses. This time round he is the one doing most of the cooking - and hence i bet the quality must be much better. That said, the 'dish' that impressed me most is not one of the 3 Signature dishes, but their mango pudding.
It's so light when i tasted it at first, then suddenly there is a burst of mango, and best of it all, it leaves a desirable mango aftertaste. It's the most amazing mango pudding i have tried - having tried mango puddings in almost every chinese restaurant i visited. But will i pay $88 / person to try his mango pudding? I doubt so.
Should i then go Saint Pierre or Saint Julien? I think i can still manage, all thanks to my bonus and increment :) Or should we go somewhere more affordable but yet very fulfilling? Hmmm. OH, i'm beginning to miss Sebestian's Bistrot! :P
Dancing rays, marshmallow skies
It’s a beautiful morn.
The sun rays are shimmering brightly on the face of the ocean; the hues of blue swaying playfully in tandem to the dancing rays.
I sat by the window gazing lazily at the beauty of my view, lamenting slightly at my loss of missing many beautiful sunrise. I wish I can take in life at a slower pace, to enjoy and experience the beauty of God’s creation.
Life is a rat race in the land (or gutters haha) where I live. I have to stay competitive, dynamic, and to seek for excellence. It is always to maximize or optimize the time we have – to stretch every hour to do the most effective in the most efficient manner. As a result, I’m trained to focus and prioritize my tasks – I can’t conceive life without my Ipod calendar – it has become an integral part of me and is now the driver of my life. Yes I am quite like its slave.
Oh well, the reason why I can be sitting by the window appreciating the views today is because I am currently attending this boring Expert Excel class that is held @ Shenton Way, overlooking the sea. And I happen to be sitting by the window with the views. While I had expected them to teach Macros, Charts and Analysis for the Expert level class, they actually kicked off teaching how to format values and create shapes and format colors. But even for such basics, there are always some new tricks to pick up. Even if there’s nothing to learn today, well it’s a wonderful break from my work; so I’m not complaining. I just have to be patient and wait for the juicy part of the lesson.
Meanwhile I can spend my time gazing at the fluffy marshmallow clouds.
The sun rays are shimmering brightly on the face of the ocean; the hues of blue swaying playfully in tandem to the dancing rays.
I sat by the window gazing lazily at the beauty of my view, lamenting slightly at my loss of missing many beautiful sunrise. I wish I can take in life at a slower pace, to enjoy and experience the beauty of God’s creation.
Life is a rat race in the land (or gutters haha) where I live. I have to stay competitive, dynamic, and to seek for excellence. It is always to maximize or optimize the time we have – to stretch every hour to do the most effective in the most efficient manner. As a result, I’m trained to focus and prioritize my tasks – I can’t conceive life without my Ipod calendar – it has become an integral part of me and is now the driver of my life. Yes I am quite like its slave.
Oh well, the reason why I can be sitting by the window appreciating the views today is because I am currently attending this boring Expert Excel class that is held @ Shenton Way, overlooking the sea. And I happen to be sitting by the window with the views. While I had expected them to teach Macros, Charts and Analysis for the Expert level class, they actually kicked off teaching how to format values and create shapes and format colors. But even for such basics, there are always some new tricks to pick up. Even if there’s nothing to learn today, well it’s a wonderful break from my work; so I’m not complaining. I just have to be patient and wait for the juicy part of the lesson.
Meanwhile I can spend my time gazing at the fluffy marshmallow clouds.
Monday, March 10, 2008
the curse of money
the fact is that money is neither good nor bad - it all depends on whether you are its master or slave. hmm, i really enjoy the short drama screened on every monday night - it is always exploring some heartwarming & meaningful stories.
today's story is about a man who once had a bowl of satisfying porridge and has since been unable to find any that came close to that. in his great dissatifaction and agony, he put up an offer of half million dollars for the best bowl of porridge. as the story unravels his past, the best bowl of porridge was one that was presented to him when he was penniless and shivering out of hunger. hence after having all the delicacies in the world, no amount of money could buy him the best bowl of porridge - for the best is something no amount of money can buy.
i was so touched, and for a split second i wondered if this is a sign for me, since i'm currently in a dilemma. i was just smsing my bf who's in germany right now - should i accept or reject the offer? it's enormous sum of money - should i give it up?
master or slave.....master or slave.........oh crap! the cursed money.....arrgh!
today's story is about a man who once had a bowl of satisfying porridge and has since been unable to find any that came close to that. in his great dissatifaction and agony, he put up an offer of half million dollars for the best bowl of porridge. as the story unravels his past, the best bowl of porridge was one that was presented to him when he was penniless and shivering out of hunger. hence after having all the delicacies in the world, no amount of money could buy him the best bowl of porridge - for the best is something no amount of money can buy.
i was so touched, and for a split second i wondered if this is a sign for me, since i'm currently in a dilemma. i was just smsing my bf who's in germany right now - should i accept or reject the offer? it's enormous sum of money - should i give it up?
master or slave.....master or slave.........oh crap! the cursed money.....arrgh!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
what could be the worst?
we were on our way to attend my colleague's granny's wake yesterday night when the group brought up a discussion on the superstitions of attending wakes. someone asked - what could be the worst that can happen? i replied as a matter of fact - die lor.
as soon as the words went out from my mouth, i thought to myself - or was it not? if dying was the worst that could happen to a person, why then do most humans, at a point in time, wished that they would die? suicidal thoughts are not uncommon amongst us. my variant of it is to wish to be in heaven with the Lord - where there is no more pain and tears.
it has been a long time since i last teared - except at the funerals of the people i knew. it has been a long time since i felt miserable, hurt and helpless - to an extent that i sobbed. i had once resoluted not to cry easily - not to intentionally harden my heart - but that i may not be too emotional.
i told a friend recently that i have no dying regrets - i'm glad to know the Lord, and to have a family and fiance who loves me unconditionally. has death lost its sting? yeah, through Jesus we have overcome death. so i guess it's something i'm no longer fearful of.
am i then fearful of life itself? as much as i want to be strong, the inside of me just wishes to run away....and hide somewhere. i'm just a little girl, i thought to myself. why is life so harsh and cruel?
i want to run.....run.....run.................... but then again it's also because of the warmth and joy of life itself - brought to me by the people in my life - that i see hope in the land of the living. maybe it's because of the rain that makes the sunshine seem brighter and warmer.
i guess i have chosen to embrace life - and to live to its fullest!
as soon as the words went out from my mouth, i thought to myself - or was it not? if dying was the worst that could happen to a person, why then do most humans, at a point in time, wished that they would die? suicidal thoughts are not uncommon amongst us. my variant of it is to wish to be in heaven with the Lord - where there is no more pain and tears.
it has been a long time since i last teared - except at the funerals of the people i knew. it has been a long time since i felt miserable, hurt and helpless - to an extent that i sobbed. i had once resoluted not to cry easily - not to intentionally harden my heart - but that i may not be too emotional.
i told a friend recently that i have no dying regrets - i'm glad to know the Lord, and to have a family and fiance who loves me unconditionally. has death lost its sting? yeah, through Jesus we have overcome death. so i guess it's something i'm no longer fearful of.
am i then fearful of life itself? as much as i want to be strong, the inside of me just wishes to run away....and hide somewhere. i'm just a little girl, i thought to myself. why is life so harsh and cruel?
i want to run.....run.....run.................... but then again it's also because of the warmth and joy of life itself - brought to me by the people in my life - that i see hope in the land of the living. maybe it's because of the rain that makes the sunshine seem brighter and warmer.
i guess i have chosen to embrace life - and to live to its fullest!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Fragrant Plain Rice
Was watching a mini-drama serial just now and the 'moral of the story' striked a chord in me -
that it is sheer bliss to be able to dine with your family & loved ones, such that even a simple bowl of plain white rice can taste oh so homely and delicious.
in this materialistic world where everyone competes for more luxury items and food, we have soon forgotten the simplicity of our needs. was at church yesterday when my pastor told of the greatness of his mum's love. and i was reminded of how loving and forgiving my mum was - the time when i was in sec school and i was so worried that i'll flung my higher chinese (and i thought i'll be retained for a year), that i called my mum and instead of scolding me, she reassures me that everything will be fine, and all i need is to try harder next year. her love brought tears to my eyes. although i was just being paranoid and i did actually pass my higher chinese, yet this incident did etch deeply in my memory, reminding me of my mum's love.
bought a book - dying and rising with Christ - to prepare myself for Lent. hope i can meditate and pray more the next 40 days and be more Christ-like.
i have found it more and more unbearable at work these days - having to put up with some obnoxious fella whose every word is "this is your kpi...that is your kpi". whoa, big deal. okay okay, end of my tantrums. Back to my struggling meditations - love. forgive. love. forgive :)
that it is sheer bliss to be able to dine with your family & loved ones, such that even a simple bowl of plain white rice can taste oh so homely and delicious.
in this materialistic world where everyone competes for more luxury items and food, we have soon forgotten the simplicity of our needs. was at church yesterday when my pastor told of the greatness of his mum's love. and i was reminded of how loving and forgiving my mum was - the time when i was in sec school and i was so worried that i'll flung my higher chinese (and i thought i'll be retained for a year), that i called my mum and instead of scolding me, she reassures me that everything will be fine, and all i need is to try harder next year. her love brought tears to my eyes. although i was just being paranoid and i did actually pass my higher chinese, yet this incident did etch deeply in my memory, reminding me of my mum's love.
bought a book - dying and rising with Christ - to prepare myself for Lent. hope i can meditate and pray more the next 40 days and be more Christ-like.
i have found it more and more unbearable at work these days - having to put up with some obnoxious fella whose every word is "this is your kpi...that is your kpi". whoa, big deal. okay okay, end of my tantrums. Back to my struggling meditations - love. forgive. love. forgive :)
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Hilarious!
my bf and i were at Hanoi Opera House when we saw beautiful brides posing for their photoshoot. inspired, i cajoled my bf to take a photo with me, and the process is secretly videod down by my cheeky friends:
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Oasis
the past few days have been quite turbulent @ work. feeling very mistreated, i ended up feeling a little sorry for myself. battling within myself, i kept struggling with thoughts like 'what the hell - i don't need this crap' but then again, thanks to the christians around me - somehow in one way or another, i was encouraged. i was reminded of what my ex-church pastor used to say: that rough winds and tough waves make a good sailor. well, recently i've also been more prayerful, leaning more on His Strength and Wisdom.
today is a joyous day! like an oasis in a desert, this is exactly how i felt - being away from work on a sat! yay! met up with an ID today for our new house. he says it'll be expensive to selectively revamp since they need to tear down 'part by part' - for eg. tearing down the wall will require them to patch up the marble that is already laid, and they have to buy that marble from the condo mgmt ( have to use the exact same marble as rest of the hse). and it'll be a waste of our money since we've paid for all the wardrobes, cabinets, bathtub etc so it's better to keep some of them. anyway let's see - he'll send us the design plan after we provide him with the floor plan.
supposed to go for my colleague's housewarming. but decided not to go since my bf is not interested and i'm not exactly too keen to turn up either. sick of seeing the ppl i wouldn't quite want to see - esp on weekends :P so we went to suntec - bf bought some Italian Roast Coffee from Wiener Kaffehaus (in Carrefour) and even a coffee pot to brew the coarse blend. the sample the lady gave to us is fabulous in aroma and body ( and thankfully, not acidic! in case you didn't know - i don't drink coffee nowadays because i have phobia of acidic coffee) - i was bought over.
then we headed to the cinema for Le Grand Chef - some Korean drama rama on a Royal Chef cooking competition. oh but one part was rather upsetting when the guy has to sacrifice his cow (which is his friend and comfort) to compete in the competition - cos he can't find a better marbled cow. i think i couldn't never be able to do that - that's why it's impossible for me to keep a pet - i'll be so grieved when it dies. the ending is somewhat expected but still meaningful - that a simple bowl of beef soup (rich with meaning and cooked with dedication) far exceeds that of a complex intricate soup made from despicable means. Simplicity - just like Ratatouille, just like
indiana jones - who rightly picked the carpenter's wooden cup instead of all the gold and glorious gobblets.
yawn! time to sleep - long day ahead :) hmmm....simplicity. yeah, just what the ID said today - what's the point of working so hard?
today is a joyous day! like an oasis in a desert, this is exactly how i felt - being away from work on a sat! yay! met up with an ID today for our new house. he says it'll be expensive to selectively revamp since they need to tear down 'part by part' - for eg. tearing down the wall will require them to patch up the marble that is already laid, and they have to buy that marble from the condo mgmt ( have to use the exact same marble as rest of the hse). and it'll be a waste of our money since we've paid for all the wardrobes, cabinets, bathtub etc so it's better to keep some of them. anyway let's see - he'll send us the design plan after we provide him with the floor plan.
supposed to go for my colleague's housewarming. but decided not to go since my bf is not interested and i'm not exactly too keen to turn up either. sick of seeing the ppl i wouldn't quite want to see - esp on weekends :P so we went to suntec - bf bought some Italian Roast Coffee from Wiener Kaffehaus (in Carrefour) and even a coffee pot to brew the coarse blend. the sample the lady gave to us is fabulous in aroma and body ( and thankfully, not acidic! in case you didn't know - i don't drink coffee nowadays because i have phobia of acidic coffee) - i was bought over.
then we headed to the cinema for Le Grand Chef - some Korean drama rama on a Royal Chef cooking competition. oh but one part was rather upsetting when the guy has to sacrifice his cow (which is his friend and comfort) to compete in the competition - cos he can't find a better marbled cow. i think i couldn't never be able to do that - that's why it's impossible for me to keep a pet - i'll be so grieved when it dies. the ending is somewhat expected but still meaningful - that a simple bowl of beef soup (rich with meaning and cooked with dedication) far exceeds that of a complex intricate soup made from despicable means. Simplicity - just like Ratatouille, just like
indiana jones - who rightly picked the carpenter's wooden cup instead of all the gold and glorious gobblets.
yawn! time to sleep - long day ahead :) hmmm....simplicity. yeah, just what the ID said today - what's the point of working so hard?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
sulky lamb
i'm gonna spend CNY alone here again!
and my bf didn't tell me only until i started to make plans for CNY and asked his availability - that he's going kyoto for biz trip.
not again! he was in germany last year; and in london the year before.
CNY was so lonely, and now again....
sigh, i regretted not agreeing to going bali with my family....now how?
lonely and detestable CNY.arrrggghhhhh.
i shall go travel alone, somewhere, anywhere but be here alone, again.
and my bf didn't tell me only until i started to make plans for CNY and asked his availability - that he's going kyoto for biz trip.
not again! he was in germany last year; and in london the year before.
CNY was so lonely, and now again....
sigh, i regretted not agreeing to going bali with my family....now how?
lonely and detestable CNY.arrrggghhhhh.
i shall go travel alone, somewhere, anywhere but be here alone, again.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Church for wedding
Visited my parent church today after service with the intention of checking out the Sanctuary interior, seating capacity, buffet area etc. But we went too late and it's closed. Anyway this is a picture of the front of the church. I like it very much, despite the photographer's jokes on how this resembles a firestation. Grrr. Haha.
Oh by the way, the name's Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church - the oldest servicing church in spore.
Oh by the way, the name's Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church - the oldest servicing church in spore.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Look at what's in my hands
Was browsing through a book on achievers when it struck me that the world has been emphasizing on the need to structure our goals and lives to achieve, to outperform. Be an achiever. Oh man, little did we remember to focus on what brings true joy and happiness to us. And to look at what's in my hands. It's a real joy to do what gives us true happiness. This should be my focus.
It's another sin to wallow in self-pity. I must constantly meditate to remind myself that i should always do my best, and not easily take the shortcut or no for an answer. This should be my attitude.
And i must be hopeful, in the Lord.
A little in the Potter's Hands avails much.
It's another sin to wallow in self-pity. I must constantly meditate to remind myself that i should always do my best, and not easily take the shortcut or no for an answer. This should be my attitude.
And i must be hopeful, in the Lord.
A little in the Potter's Hands avails much.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
New Year New Beginnings
The watchnight service on New Year's eve has always been enlightening. This year my pastor chided us for being Thankful for nothing; Critical about everything. I'm certainly guilty of that - especially recently as i wasn't too happy about some ongoings in my workplace. Nonetheless, as Christians we ought to be people who give praises and thanksgiving to God continually, remembering the Goodness of God.
Let 2008 be a year of commitment to do what is right, according to God's standards. Well, i'll become what i'm commited to. I pray that i'll hold fast to this commitment, and may my life be pleasing to Him.
Also, i need to reassess my life a little. It's so true that when we are enjoying life, we don't question ourselves. It's when we hit alow that we start to reassess. One way to discover your metier may be to think about the things that you are proud of and enjoy. I need to pray and meditate on my life's path. I hope i'll have an answer by the end of this month :)
Let 2008 be a year of commitment to do what is right, according to God's standards. Well, i'll become what i'm commited to. I pray that i'll hold fast to this commitment, and may my life be pleasing to Him.
Also, i need to reassess my life a little. It's so true that when we are enjoying life, we don't question ourselves. It's when we hit alow that we start to reassess. One way to discover your metier may be to think about the things that you are proud of and enjoy. I need to pray and meditate on my life's path. I hope i'll have an answer by the end of this month :)
More of my idle cooking
Nothing better to do last weekend so decided to clear the leftovers from the fridge.
Lotsa rocket leaves left from Christmas. So opened a can of tuna spread & ate with the leaves on top of a loaf of 99cents freshly baked baguette i bought from NTUC hypermart. Gobbled up half a loave of baguette. My, i'm putting on weight!
Leftover Mascarpone cheese: Decided to make tiramisu with it. Got some Vicenzi ladyfingers from Cold Storage for the sponge. Didn't have kahlua, so made do with the Baileys in my fridge.
Layered the sponges in a tubberware ( cos i couldn't find the right size glassware) - i had used 2 of these tubberwares. Topped with liquored cream, and repeat the same again.
Refrigerate for few hours and dust with cocoa powder when done.
Leftovers from Christmas. I just bought some more brinjals.
Browned them in a pan with olive oil.
Added brown field mushrooms, and this time i made chicken meatballs and fish meatballs. The sauce was more watery this time round cos i ran out of tomato puree and stewed canned whole tomatoes. haha. But just made do with these leftover sauces cos i didn't want to buy them again and have more leftovers again :P
Cooked some Organic short-grain brown rice to go with the stew. Meatballs are much juicer than the beef ones i made in for Christmas. Though i still prefer beef over white meats for meatballs. Will try lamb in future :P
Lotsa rocket leaves left from Christmas. So opened a can of tuna spread & ate with the leaves on top of a loaf of 99cents freshly baked baguette i bought from NTUC hypermart. Gobbled up half a loave of baguette. My, i'm putting on weight!
Leftover Mascarpone cheese: Decided to make tiramisu with it. Got some Vicenzi ladyfingers from Cold Storage for the sponge. Didn't have kahlua, so made do with the Baileys in my fridge.
Layered the sponges in a tubberware ( cos i couldn't find the right size glassware) - i had used 2 of these tubberwares. Topped with liquored cream, and repeat the same again.
Refrigerate for few hours and dust with cocoa powder when done.
Leftovers from Christmas. I just bought some more brinjals.
Browned them in a pan with olive oil.
Added brown field mushrooms, and this time i made chicken meatballs and fish meatballs. The sauce was more watery this time round cos i ran out of tomato puree and stewed canned whole tomatoes. haha. But just made do with these leftover sauces cos i didn't want to buy them again and have more leftovers again :P
Cooked some Organic short-grain brown rice to go with the stew. Meatballs are much juicer than the beef ones i made in for Christmas. Though i still prefer beef over white meats for meatballs. Will try lamb in future :P
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
my new house
Collected the keys today to my new house. Some pics taken:
Seaview
IR and CBD view
Private lift: Cool, i can decorate my lift doors! Considering the gaping wide mouth of a killer shark on each side of the door *lol*
Balcony
Rm1
Rm2 - toilet ( forgot to take pic of e master bedroom! oops)
Rm3
View from Rm3 ( May soon be blocked by the $3M/unit condo Seafront)
Can enjoy for 1 more year mabbe.
Kitchen all done up. Just need to buy a fridge :)
Seaview
IR and CBD view
Private lift: Cool, i can decorate my lift doors! Considering the gaping wide mouth of a killer shark on each side of the door *lol*
Balcony
Rm1
Rm2 - toilet ( forgot to take pic of e master bedroom! oops)
Rm3
View from Rm3 ( May soon be blocked by the $3M/unit condo Seafront)
Can enjoy for 1 more year mabbe.
Kitchen all done up. Just need to buy a fridge :)
Christmas Dinner
Endeavoured to cook for my bf for Christmas, esp after having stopped cooking for ages :P
Menu as follows:
1) Jamie Oliver's Special Lemon Sherbet
I improvised this by making it into a ball and topping up with Club Soda.
My bf loved it! :)
Blend of syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest and mascarpone cheese. To stir hourly for 4 times!
2) Turkish Meatball Stew
Found the recipe on some Turkish website: used minced beef instead.
It was very successful, better than i expected :)
3) Salad
Mixed leaves tossed with Greek dressing, Feta cheese and Olives.
Rocket leaves with proscuitto ham and shaved parmesan cheese.
4) breaded Eryngii mushroom wrapped in proscuitto
5)Toast with hummus, parsley, rocket leaves and parmesan shavings
My bf made this for me! :)
Menu as follows:
1) Jamie Oliver's Special Lemon Sherbet
I improvised this by making it into a ball and topping up with Club Soda.
My bf loved it! :)
Blend of syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest and mascarpone cheese. To stir hourly for 4 times!
2) Turkish Meatball Stew
Found the recipe on some Turkish website: used minced beef instead.
It was very successful, better than i expected :)
3) Salad
Mixed leaves tossed with Greek dressing, Feta cheese and Olives.
Rocket leaves with proscuitto ham and shaved parmesan cheese.
4) breaded Eryngii mushroom wrapped in proscuitto
5)Toast with hummus, parsley, rocket leaves and parmesan shavings
My bf made this for me! :)
Friday, December 14, 2007
Musings from Hanoi
I'm now at the lobby of a little boutique budget hotel in the central of Hanoi...it's ard 11pm now and i'm trying to send an e-card to my brother to wish him happy birthday -- well he's in sydney right now, and it's already 3am on his bday :)
Hmmm, i'm 4th on the queue to use the washroom to bathe today so here i am... jotting down some musings to pass time.
It's now my 3rd day here in Hanoi. Just came back from Ha Long Bay today from a 2D1N cruise. Weather was so good, and the scenery is breathtaking...every view is like a picture postcard. The sunset is so beautiful - the setting sun is like a huge mandarin orange, falling quickly on the peaks of the hills.
The food on board is great too...will be posting some pictures here after i'm back in spore.
We had some pretty neat and romantic dinner on the cruise last night, and we ordered a bottle of bordeaux 1996 red wine. I ended up pretty drowsy after my 3rd glass - wondered if it's due to the liquor or sea-sickness. Heh.
This morning woke up so early in the morning to kayak around the isles and the fishing villages. It was fun - and i brought my hp to the kayak to take some pictures but it started to get wet. it was fortunate it was slim enough for me to slide in between my foot and the track sandals i'm wearing, to avoid all the water that's already in the little kayak. My butt and my legs are mostly wet :(
Think they could have finished bathing by now, going up to check on them.
Oh i think Vietnamese are mostly pretty friendly ppl -- at least i enjoyed my stay here in this hotel, the cruise and my dinner experience -- which i'll write another entry to discuss more on that.
Logging off for now! ZzzzzZ
Hmmm, i'm 4th on the queue to use the washroom to bathe today so here i am... jotting down some musings to pass time.
It's now my 3rd day here in Hanoi. Just came back from Ha Long Bay today from a 2D1N cruise. Weather was so good, and the scenery is breathtaking...every view is like a picture postcard. The sunset is so beautiful - the setting sun is like a huge mandarin orange, falling quickly on the peaks of the hills.
The food on board is great too...will be posting some pictures here after i'm back in spore.
We had some pretty neat and romantic dinner on the cruise last night, and we ordered a bottle of bordeaux 1996 red wine. I ended up pretty drowsy after my 3rd glass - wondered if it's due to the liquor or sea-sickness. Heh.
This morning woke up so early in the morning to kayak around the isles and the fishing villages. It was fun - and i brought my hp to the kayak to take some pictures but it started to get wet. it was fortunate it was slim enough for me to slide in between my foot and the track sandals i'm wearing, to avoid all the water that's already in the little kayak. My butt and my legs are mostly wet :(
Think they could have finished bathing by now, going up to check on them.
Oh i think Vietnamese are mostly pretty friendly ppl -- at least i enjoyed my stay here in this hotel, the cruise and my dinner experience -- which i'll write another entry to discuss more on that.
Logging off for now! ZzzzzZ
Thursday, December 6, 2007
my bf's older niece
i must dedicate a posting to my all-time fave little one- my bf's older niece. She's not much older than the younger one though - she's only turning 2 next feb.
her name's tracy - symbolic of a warrior :) well she's quite like one.
or rather, my bf says she takes after me! her love and joy comes from playing and eating and more playing and more eating. that's it. that's her day. oh ya, lots of attention and company too.
she's so naughty yet so adorable, my love for her pours out at the mere thought of her :D
this is a picture of her when she's almost 1 yr old. she was sulking cos we disallowed her from grabbing and eating the nasi briyani in front of her. (well, how can she take solid rice at this tender age?). and she has this nasty boil on her head as a result of rolling off the bed, though till now i still can't figure out how she could have such a big boil from a 2 feet high bed. poor gal. sympathic yet amusing at the same time.. heh.
this picture was taken when she's slightly older than 1. she happily lined my bf's ex company's namecards on his tummy and toss it all around the bed.
haha...a close up picture of her naughty face.
see the river of cards? heh.
oh and the precious moment's little toy lamb that was sprawled shyly on the pillow (my 1st present for my bf) is now happily one of her many possessions :)
some warm memories of her:
1) when she's about 1, she look at me shyly and then at my hangbag, then look at me shyly again, then at my handbag. i was wondering what she was trying to mean, but she has already opened her gaping mouth towards the handle of my handbag...heh. so cute!
2) it was mother's day and we got sunflowers for bf's mum, sis, and her. she saw that i didn't have one and promptly passed hers to me. then i said no, it's for her. then she pulled my hand to feel the carpeted core of the flower, cos she liked the feeling and wanted to share it with me. heh. so cute again!
3) one day she was all dressed to go out to play, but while waiting for everyone, she found my water bottle in my bag when she was rummaging through it. and she wanted to drink the contents, so she passed the bottle to her granny to 'ask' her to open it for her. she tilt her head backwards and with one hand, she held the tip of my long evian water bottle and pour the water into her gaping mouth. of cos, as you might expect, she was wet all over, and was stumbling from side to side like she's in a drunken stupor. heh. so cute! of cos she had to change into fresh clothing again.
4) just last month, we were about to go sentosa, and i was trying to entertain her while waiting for everyone to get ready. so i played the elmo song on my hp for her. she excitedly took hold of my hp and started shaking her butt. she was so intrigued she didn't want to return me. i stretch out my hand and to my surprise, she beat me :) when she saw my shocked look, she looked sorrily and patted me, then when i ask for the hp again, immediately her sorry look left her, and she beat me on my hand again! then she looked a bit apologetically and tried to pat me again. heh. so amusing...
5) food. there's nothing that can delight her more than food. you should see the gleam in her eyes when she sees a bunch of grapes, or M&Ms. and when she's younger, nice toasted buns and breads. she'll swing her arms wide with joy! heh. and that day it's her 1st time eating a Din Tai Fung meat bun. she took her 1st suck at the juice in the meat, and she gasped wide-eyed! and she sucked again, and she gasped louder, wide-eyed! heh, so amusing!
There you go, the little one that never fails to amuse me :) my fave little one!
her name's tracy - symbolic of a warrior :) well she's quite like one.
or rather, my bf says she takes after me! her love and joy comes from playing and eating and more playing and more eating. that's it. that's her day. oh ya, lots of attention and company too.
she's so naughty yet so adorable, my love for her pours out at the mere thought of her :D
this is a picture of her when she's almost 1 yr old. she was sulking cos we disallowed her from grabbing and eating the nasi briyani in front of her. (well, how can she take solid rice at this tender age?). and she has this nasty boil on her head as a result of rolling off the bed, though till now i still can't figure out how she could have such a big boil from a 2 feet high bed. poor gal. sympathic yet amusing at the same time.. heh.
this picture was taken when she's slightly older than 1. she happily lined my bf's ex company's namecards on his tummy and toss it all around the bed.
haha...a close up picture of her naughty face.
see the river of cards? heh.
oh and the precious moment's little toy lamb that was sprawled shyly on the pillow (my 1st present for my bf) is now happily one of her many possessions :)
some warm memories of her:
1) when she's about 1, she look at me shyly and then at my hangbag, then look at me shyly again, then at my handbag. i was wondering what she was trying to mean, but she has already opened her gaping mouth towards the handle of my handbag...heh. so cute!
2) it was mother's day and we got sunflowers for bf's mum, sis, and her. she saw that i didn't have one and promptly passed hers to me. then i said no, it's for her. then she pulled my hand to feel the carpeted core of the flower, cos she liked the feeling and wanted to share it with me. heh. so cute again!
3) one day she was all dressed to go out to play, but while waiting for everyone, she found my water bottle in my bag when she was rummaging through it. and she wanted to drink the contents, so she passed the bottle to her granny to 'ask' her to open it for her. she tilt her head backwards and with one hand, she held the tip of my long evian water bottle and pour the water into her gaping mouth. of cos, as you might expect, she was wet all over, and was stumbling from side to side like she's in a drunken stupor. heh. so cute! of cos she had to change into fresh clothing again.
4) just last month, we were about to go sentosa, and i was trying to entertain her while waiting for everyone to get ready. so i played the elmo song on my hp for her. she excitedly took hold of my hp and started shaking her butt. she was so intrigued she didn't want to return me. i stretch out my hand and to my surprise, she beat me :) when she saw my shocked look, she looked sorrily and patted me, then when i ask for the hp again, immediately her sorry look left her, and she beat me on my hand again! then she looked a bit apologetically and tried to pat me again. heh. so amusing...
5) food. there's nothing that can delight her more than food. you should see the gleam in her eyes when she sees a bunch of grapes, or M&Ms. and when she's younger, nice toasted buns and breads. she'll swing her arms wide with joy! heh. and that day it's her 1st time eating a Din Tai Fung meat bun. she took her 1st suck at the juice in the meat, and she gasped wide-eyed! and she sucked again, and she gasped louder, wide-eyed! heh, so amusing!
There you go, the little one that never fails to amuse me :) my fave little one!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Preoccupation
My past few days have been much ado about nothing - spent most of it watching Anime (Bleach & Naruto) and period drama ( Duke of Mount Deer - when Tony Leung and Andy Lau were still in their 20s).
Sigh, i was too ill-disciplined; i have so much on my to-do list but nothing has materialized. Felt like a little Jack of all trades without focus.
This month is my SOM in church - serving the congregation in our service - welcoming every attendee, handling them bulletins, collecting offering, selling packed lunch boxes etc. I did enjoyed serving the others but thought that I could have been more enthusiastic and gone an extra mile, but i kinda felt a little lazy after a while.
Likewise, i promised my dear to help him out on his products marketing, but it kinda fizzles out after a while. Fortunately i had an ounce of zest left in me, and i prodded him to visit Autobacs. Wasn't as potential as i hoped, but well, one door closes another opens. Nvm, I enjoy challenges - it's a platform for learning.
I have also done nothing to prepare for Xmas - be it a good evangelistic opportunity, be it a good gathering for my friends and family, be it a nice romantic dinner prepared for my dear, be it.....
Ohhhhh :(
And realised that our house has already TOP. Hmmm......better do something about the reno and decor soon. Have to deal with the home loan, and the CPF repayment.
And we have yet to decide on our photographer for the wedding! Gosh!
And i have yet to consider my career progression, and whether i should take my Masters.
Also haven't planned for my Hanoi trip next week!!
So much to do, so little time.
Or learn from Urahara or Duke of Mt Deer...heheheh
Sigh, i was too ill-disciplined; i have so much on my to-do list but nothing has materialized. Felt like a little Jack of all trades without focus.
This month is my SOM in church - serving the congregation in our service - welcoming every attendee, handling them bulletins, collecting offering, selling packed lunch boxes etc. I did enjoyed serving the others but thought that I could have been more enthusiastic and gone an extra mile, but i kinda felt a little lazy after a while.
Likewise, i promised my dear to help him out on his products marketing, but it kinda fizzles out after a while. Fortunately i had an ounce of zest left in me, and i prodded him to visit Autobacs. Wasn't as potential as i hoped, but well, one door closes another opens. Nvm, I enjoy challenges - it's a platform for learning.
I have also done nothing to prepare for Xmas - be it a good evangelistic opportunity, be it a good gathering for my friends and family, be it a nice romantic dinner prepared for my dear, be it.....
Ohhhhh :(
And realised that our house has already TOP. Hmmm......better do something about the reno and decor soon. Have to deal with the home loan, and the CPF repayment.
And we have yet to decide on our photographer for the wedding! Gosh!
And i have yet to consider my career progression, and whether i should take my Masters.
Also haven't planned for my Hanoi trip next week!!
So much to do, so little time.
Or learn from Urahara or Duke of Mt Deer...heheheh
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Living in an unfair world
The sun shines on both the good and evil.
I must meditate upon this truth to keep me sane, while exasperation and anger welled up within me. I've been treated unfairly and unkindly.
Who can i turn to pour out my grievances?
I have just finished reading The Last Battle, last book of Chronicles of Narnia. Haven't i just been reminded that the world i live in is imperfect? That my hope lies in knowing that one day i'll be truly home - in a perfect world without sin. Let me hence live this life with good cheer, knowing that we're strangers in this land. So there is no way i can be totally happy and comfortable in this place, for this is only but a shadow - a poor one - or type of what there is to come.
Joy is a decision. Peace is of the noble. Love is the greatest.
Let me continue to meditate, and continue to be hopeful.
I must meditate upon this truth to keep me sane, while exasperation and anger welled up within me. I've been treated unfairly and unkindly.
Who can i turn to pour out my grievances?
I have just finished reading The Last Battle, last book of Chronicles of Narnia. Haven't i just been reminded that the world i live in is imperfect? That my hope lies in knowing that one day i'll be truly home - in a perfect world without sin. Let me hence live this life with good cheer, knowing that we're strangers in this land. So there is no way i can be totally happy and comfortable in this place, for this is only but a shadow - a poor one - or type of what there is to come.
Joy is a decision. Peace is of the noble. Love is the greatest.
Let me continue to meditate, and continue to be hopeful.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Passion
I like people who are passionate in what they do. With that layer of emotion, it seems to add a whole new purpose to the mundane task.
I like musicians who are passionate about their music - you can feel it in their music, chefs who are passionate about their cooking - you can taste it in their cooking, business people who are so passionate about their business - you can almost see it in their eyes.
I can feel it in Joshua Bell's violin tunes, Leslie Tan's Cello.
I love Jamie Oliver - his passion fuels my inspiration.
And recently i met a lady who runs her own research company - i can see it in her eyes that passion is the main driving factor in her biz.
It has all along been my desire to live my life passionately!
Passionate in being who i am
Passionate in living out what i believe in
Passionate in my relationships
Passionate in my work
Passionate in doing what i enjoy
I guess i'm about a toe into it now, and that will be my guiding principle to focus on for this year to come. It's something fundamental and essential to me :)
I like musicians who are passionate about their music - you can feel it in their music, chefs who are passionate about their cooking - you can taste it in their cooking, business people who are so passionate about their business - you can almost see it in their eyes.
I can feel it in Joshua Bell's violin tunes, Leslie Tan's Cello.
I love Jamie Oliver - his passion fuels my inspiration.
And recently i met a lady who runs her own research company - i can see it in her eyes that passion is the main driving factor in her biz.
It has all along been my desire to live my life passionately!
Passionate in being who i am
Passionate in living out what i believe in
Passionate in my relationships
Passionate in my work
Passionate in doing what i enjoy
I guess i'm about a toe into it now, and that will be my guiding principle to focus on for this year to come. It's something fundamental and essential to me :)
Friday, November 23, 2007
10th year reunion @ St Nicks
Went back to St Nicks for our 10th year reunion since we've graduated. Gosh we felt so old! Met up with Yanping, Siew Yee, Adele and a bunch of others to go down together. To our dismay, we realised that the usual feeder bus service 262 is discontinued, but fortunately being replaced by 269.
It's so nostalgic to walk down the lane leading to the school. The baby crocodiles are no longer there; it's now a little pavilion. Entering the canteen i was surprised to see a couple of hundreds of ladies there, despite it being a friday evening. Yes ladies, all grown up, no longer the kids we used to be. Some are already mothers, carrying their little ones around. But interestingly, not a single one brought their partner along, despite the outright invitation. Hmm, a sign of feminism?
It's so great to see everyone - the heartwarming feeling is indescribable! :) I'm glad i went - it's so nice to revisit the days of old, retelling those stories of the past.
Oh and 2 stall owners did open their stalls specially for us:
and this aunty and uncle actually remembers me! :) after 10 yrs!
This is Uncle Mobin's assistant; he's not around though. I missed his teh tarik!
All in all, it was truly a wonderful time together, reminiscing the past. And yes ladies, i'll remember to invite you for my wedding lah! :P
It's so nostalgic to walk down the lane leading to the school. The baby crocodiles are no longer there; it's now a little pavilion. Entering the canteen i was surprised to see a couple of hundreds of ladies there, despite it being a friday evening. Yes ladies, all grown up, no longer the kids we used to be. Some are already mothers, carrying their little ones around. But interestingly, not a single one brought their partner along, despite the outright invitation. Hmm, a sign of feminism?
It's so great to see everyone - the heartwarming feeling is indescribable! :) I'm glad i went - it's so nice to revisit the days of old, retelling those stories of the past.
Oh and 2 stall owners did open their stalls specially for us:
and this aunty and uncle actually remembers me! :) after 10 yrs!
This is Uncle Mobin's assistant; he's not around though. I missed his teh tarik!
All in all, it was truly a wonderful time together, reminiscing the past. And yes ladies, i'll remember to invite you for my wedding lah! :P
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