Group Pictures 2007 & 2008

Group photos with friends and colleagues..

Excerpt from Hanoi 2007

I shall let the pictures do the 'talking'.

2008

Its the 2nd week into 2008. I am looking forward to a fresh new year. I am looking forward to holidays! YEH!

And I have those photos of Hanoi still sitting in the camera somewhere... ok, I'd upload it really soon...

One of my resolutions is : To be more 'hardworking' in taking photos and uploading them.

PISSED

I am SO PISSED. As a taxi driver told me, the society is made up of 'xiao ren' , so if dont have the DNA to act in front of lao ban, I'd to face the 'repercussions'. I can only tell myself, at the end of the day, its only a job. I wont change my DNA for something so transient.

Pouring

Its been pouring nonstop, hope the sun comes soon, especially since our company function this year will be held on a yatch on friday. Really would be a big disappointment if it still rain.. We could still be on the yatch, but we'd be inside, and not able to enjoy the 'outdoors' as much.. can only sing the childhood melody 'rain rain go away'...

My Nasty Self

I can be quite a Bitch at times. Nasty and curt. Those colors show through during work at times, though most of the times, I think I am quite flexible and easygoing. Today , I wrote a reply to a colleague who was responding to some email. My reply was , to some harsh and curt. To me, though I was only pointing out the obvious.

Nevertheless, I dont want to apologise for what I think. Its my opinion , and I think that I am entitled to it. I know I definitely am not been smart or strategic or wise or having any high EQ. But in the matter I am talking about, there is no point to be nice, because been nice wont bring me results, as I so discover.

My nasty self inspired me to pen the following "urban heated exchange of words" that look suspiciously like a "rap" . if u got ideas on how to make it more INTENSE or more NASTY or more TRASHY further, let me know.


So I am not cool , yay, so I am a "twat", yay
Nope, baby, nope, baby, I am not that hot yah!
my mood is freezing good yeh
it aint bad ,no but what you said makes me snap yah!
Dont you mess with me , dont you mess with me!
Get out now if you cant deal with my heat
Dont come with your limp excuses and junk up my beat
shut up now and just get on with it !
Just deal with it and quit been a Drip!

L-O-V-E

After watching korean dramas, and the like, I am beginning to wonder what its really like to truely fall in love? I confess that I forgot how it feels like. I havent feel that heartbeat, or all the works for a very long time. If its to be like what is 'experienced' in the love dramas, then I definitely dont feel that!

I havent been so rational for the longest time and its quite a strange thing for me. Searching for the right words, I think I mean I havent really see myself so skeptical and cynical for the longest time ever. Maybe to some, I am not really that cynical... but still its a far cry from my 'too gullible self'.

Is it like what its like in the korean love dramas? yet to love that way must be so taxing on the soul..To love in such a manner must take alot of energy and toil. I doubt people have so much energy to 'burn' in that way.. Is it like the fairy tales? Yet that is really strange in our world. Just like show 'Enchanted' I watched recently with my friend. To be so doe eyed and innocent and trusting about the wonders of Love just dont do it in our modern society. Cynicism seem more at home here!

So what is L-O-V-E?


I suppose its not melodramatic, I suppose its steady and I suppose it'd be here before one ever know it.

But still.. I have no idea. The definition of it certainly is different for each person.

2008 is coming soon

It seems not so long ago, I was wondering what 'resolutions' to make for 2007. Barely have I made those 'resolutions' and 2008 is round the corner, in another month only. Already I feel december is almost over..

Shudder, Gulp huge gasps of air, as I see 2008 approaching, and Gulp again.. another year is here!

I am not going to 'rush' to strike off any checklist as 2008 comes.. its going to be yet another quiet affair. .though this year, my diving friends have arranged to meet for 'count down'. I am wondering why really...

Perhaps if we dont usher in the new year with any 'celebration', time would 'mesh' together, and there wont be much difference between the years... As I recall my past, my memory is really marked by milestones, rather than time or chronology.. sad to say, there were not many significant milestones for me to cram my mind with..

What do I wish for 2008? Hopefully I'd have lots of money, good health, love and friendship and oh Peace and harmony at home. Thats so Important. :P (not world peace.. i doubt that will happen anytime soon)

Sundays

I used to spend sundays going out and meeting friends too. These days, I try to keep my sundays free and dont meet anyone on this day. Its sacred to me, not exactly in the religious sense, but rather I like to spend my sunday with family or just to chill at home alone.

These days we would sometimes go out for dinner at nice restaurants or lunch in new places. We never used to dine out much, simply cos my mum is such a fantastic cook. But now, once in a while, we would dine out on sundays. I especially enjoy my sunday today. Not only do I get to sleep late today, I also just rest and did nothing much. That to me is luxury as my schedule is usually v tight the rest of the week. At times, I have dreary work deadlines to meet especially when I work on middle east programs, but the sloth in me would invariably take a short cut, and leave work to be done on mondays..

I love my 'alone' time and its nice to be able to relax in the comfort of my room. Perhaps I am getting older? Quiet times and resting are more and more important to me now than before..

Clubbing and Liu San Jie

Remember those old shows like liu san jie, when groups of men and women would sing along side each other, or to each other, and invariably they'd be serenading to each other about their love, and dance away? In modern context, this is akin to 'clubbing' when you'd still see people 'go in droves' and check out the scene (as some people say).

Familiar?

Thank you dear friends for your lovely wishes

Finally my birthday was over yesterday. V pleasantly surprised to receive birthday greetings from quite a few people I werent expecting to hear from. Thank you very much for your lovely wishes.

I am glad for a quiet celebration. Met my close buddies for an uncut version of Lust Caution yesterday after massage and facial (took half day leave after i touch down from dubai.. had to drag my feet to massage, as I was still v sleepy!)

Tony leung look so sad, his eyes speak volumes. I like him a lot. think he and Tang wei acted real well. Wang Li Hom is rather disappointing. Didnt act that well, think he is much much better with music.

I am feeling thankful for the companionship and friendship I have. thanks v much dear pals.

I think I have known some of you for the past 10 years or more , some I have known for more than 5 years. Others, since I am 18. Hmm, we have come a long way since then huh? Hope our friendship age well like good wine / or single malt whiskey.(the alcoholic in me talking here!:P )

Unknown in the future

yet another colleague resigned. I guess in these good times , people tend to leave faster. Alittle sad, but also realise I dont know what my future holds. Nor do I know what I want to do in the future. The future remains a big question mark for me.

Now I am lost basically.

Escapism

I felt buried in my work lately. Theres so much to do lately. Whenever I felt suffocated, I feel this immense need to escape, and I find that escaping into the world of drama a good release for me. I enjoy watching dramas, particularly happy ones. Though lately, I find myself more drawn to sad , melancholic stories. I guess life is too mundane at times. In our highly connected, breakneck speed kind of world, I find no real good way to 'escape' other than watching drama, when I see the 'lives of the characters' unfold and view the world through their lives.

Perhaps my own life story is too mundane and boring, hence, I enjoy watching drama, when things are often magnified, to create interesting twists and turns.

Through drama, I can rest my mind and watch stories unforld mindlessly.. and best part is its got nothing to do with me. I found my 'freedom' while I remain a 'captive audience' watching drama.

Let me think if I have other forms of escape. I am fortunate that I could 'escape' this way, even momentarily and I am very thankful for this.

Poster BOY.... No.. Poster old guy

During lunch, saw this old man, 'wearing' a carboard poster card with the words "Steak at xxx place, selling for $3.50"..

The sun was burning brightly and he was standing in the hot sun, with the giant poster over his body. He didnt move around and was just standing there. No one took much look at him. The sight is very disturbing to me..

My colleague told me, thats probably a retiree who has to work because he didnt have enough to live on. How about, maybe he just wanted to find time to kill??.. whichever way we look at it, I cant help but feel upset at this. Perhaps I thought of 'retirement' as 'golden years' when we can do what we want, we can choose work we like, etc. But I am too naive. Even if we like to work till older, and can contribute, companies may not hire. Even if the company did hire, will the older worker be regarded as 'poor souls' who have to work ? (like the way I feel now?)

Then also brings in the question of what can I work as when I am 60 and beyond? Other than a professor or teacher, or consultant or 'advisor' , where age is deemed as 'wisdom' , and not too 'slow', which other areas would be good for workers beyond 60?

I suppose a better solution would be for me to ensure I invest, have enough savings and not be too poor when I retire.. and I better also hope that I dont live too long to an old ripe age.

Sorry for this depressing post... My mood has been a little depressed lately.

FACEBOOOK

Am sure by now most people would have heard of facebook, since its been in the news after microsoft offer an 'obscene' amount of money to buy over the site. That aside, its really amazing as I found some 'long lost' friends from this networking portal. Just got to know from facebook that some of my old pals and ex colleagues are married. If not for facebook, I probably wouldnt have known, having lost some of their contacts, etc.

Now, I am hoping I can manage to contact my secondary school friend, wenkang. Too bad I dont have his email. We used to be really good buddies. Just too bad we lost touch.

I am feeling like Rip Van Winkle. You know how it feels like when you suddenly connect with people from your past and discover changes and how you were not aware of those changes in the first place? thats how i feel now.

Of course its normal for people to come and go in one's life, but I hope I would always have my dearest close friends with me, growing "old" together.

DEFINITIONS

Some "tongue in cheek" thoughts that came to mind recently.

BOSS
Someone with BALLS. If the person doesnt have the balls to take responsibility for actions, to take charge, then the person isnt a "BALLS" (PUN Very intended)

POLITICS
Its a game when communication makes mountains out to be molehills and molehills become mountains.

For eg. when costs increase by 10%, but communication will deem such costs as one of the lowest in the world, when other countries experience higher costs

when salaries are very high, expensive peanuts, in the millions, communication will deem that its very low, compared to what one can get in private sector.


Person with POWER
Someone who is most skilled in stepping all over others, making everyone else FLAT AS crispy THIN PIZZAS and MUTE as DODO (meaning extinct)


SANDWICH / MIDDLE CLASS
Been caught between the deep blue sea and fiery hell. one who is neither rich enough to enjoy tax breaks/investment planning/etc, nor poor enough to enjoy charities/funding/etc
Everyone else in between slog like mad, pay the tax, and isnt any better off.


CPF
Something that you dont use unless you are buying house, dead, or past 65 or 70? or 90?????


HEALTHCARE

Care of the ill who can pay. (reference: documentary : sicko)


AGING POPULATION
>50% adults who are in their 50-60s and still working


Higher Life Expectancy
When you expect to be dead, but somehow you are not.



disclaimer : the above are meant to be tongue in cheek and if there is any strong coincidence to anything, its really just COINCIDENCE!

FLIP FLAP ROTI PRATA

Recently, I saw how words can be twisted and turned to one's advantage. Even words the person said before will be be turned around and put in another manner, all to the person's advantage. This flipping and flapping makes me think of ROTI PRATA. Very apt for people like that right down to the food's origins .

SYMPTOMS OF A FLIP FLAP ROTI PRATA HOMIEN SAPIEN

1) When he/she said "Lets do it, We can take the risk.."

Situation 1
when things go awry... She/He said : why did you do it? you are the one who insisted on doing it. You said it was ok to do it. (When from the beginning the person was agreeable and basically egged you on)

Situation 2
When things go well.. She/He said : see we should do this, I was the one who said this would be good.

2) When he/she said Why are we doing this? to something that was suggested by Him/Her
He/She said Why are we doing this? Are you sure ?

Situation 1
When things go well.... He/She said : Lets see if this can be further developed.. I was the one who encouraged you.. I gave the idea

Situation 2
When things go awry... He/She said : See , we shouldnt have done this in the first place, it was upon YOUR insistence that we do it


There you go. Either way, you dont win with a person like that. There is NEVER any side to a coin in this case.
Just like ROTI PRATA.. FLip Flap FLip, any side, you can eat it, with sugar, curry or plain.

Amazing Melbourne

Yep, back from Melbourne. I love the cool weather. It wasnt too cold when I reached Melbourne, though it did turn chilly when I was on my way back to Singapore. Indeed, Melbourne is pretty liveable. You get the good mix of the city life and the suburban life if you prefer a quieter lifestyle. I went to great ocean road with Jo, philips island and yarra valley with my spanish classmate, soon, and his family. Hanged out quite a bit in the city. Also, met felicia for breakfast together with soon on sat morning. Its so good to meet felicia, too bad I wont be able to meet her in shanghai later this yr. She'd be going to taiwan next year. We had a good laugh, cracking up. :)

The most amazing part about the trip was the surprise and unknown elements. Though I planned to meet up with friends like jo, soon and felicia, the most surprising part is that I made some new friends. Jo introduced me to her Singaporean friend , vonny and vonny brought her pal, JJ along. The 4 of us clicked instantly and we chatted for ages. I think the 'highlight' was friday when we basically stayed through the night at a 24 hr coffee place, lincontrol and chatted till morning 6 plus!. Thats like 8 hrs of solid connection. I am still amazed by it. I havent stay up this late for ages , chatting with pals.
Both of them are singaporeans, working in Melbourne now. They have been in Melbourne for the past 10 years. I admire that they are striking it out in a foreign place on their own. Would be nice to do that.

I love the sights in Melbourne, the nature , and the quaint little towns along great ocean road. I love philips island when we saw the little fairy penguins waddling back to their homes in the burrows. So CUTE! I also saw mating seagulls and their eggs..Also saw wild koalas really close , up front plus 'warnabee' ? (smaller kangeroo like creature.. i thought the name sounds funny, like 'wannabe'. :D


Melbourne wont be the same for me after this trip. Whenever I think about Melbourne now, I'd remember the lovely chilly weather, the sights , sounds, amazing mix of food and most of all the friends I've met and the friendship I've made.

Right here waiting for some more great times in Singapore, having your fav. local hawker fare. :)

Count Down to Melbourne

I am excited and apprehensive about trip to Melbourne about my trip this friday night... Excited cos I am taking a break, having a holiday in down under and its gonna be cold winter..Plus I'd be meeting some friends.. will be really fun..... Apprehensive.. cos I'd be leaving some work behind, which I'd pray hard to be ok, smooth going, no major mishap..

Anyway, I'd be checking my emails along the way during the break and still accessible on my mobile..

Whatever it is, I am glad about the break. :)

Horrible Resort, Redand Lang Island

Just back from my scuba diving trip at Lang tengah island (island between perhentian and redang) and had a horrid time. Traces of how stingy the resort is can be seen in the way operations are run.

1) Food served was substandard. First time I felt I need to fight for food at resort, else there would be nothing left. Though they say they can cook for u, but then its limited. Dishes served are mainly carbo based stuff.. with some miserable vegetables. weird looking fried sausages that look shrivelled up, fish was served at one of the meals but it was just the tails and heads.. even the bbq dinner was not really bbq dinner. Only sting ray was bbqed. and the rest are all fried stuff..
I think NS men have it better than me, at least their food is catered and of definite better quality!@#)@!

2) Noisy people. The resort was packed full. Some canton beng and hokkien beng were around. The most noisy of the lot was a guy we nicknamed Mr Pink because of his love for pink/red/purple t shirts. He was noisy in the boat (on our way to the island, he was the lone noise maker, and the rest of us were trying to sleep!) , noisy in the water (we saw him shouting when he was snorkelling near the resort), basically NOISY. (majority of the people were from insurance group was from penangwho won the incentive trip there. If i were the agents, I wouldnt meet my target on purpose)

3) We wanted late check out and that was the criteria we had when we first booked the resort. They said ok ok, but when we were on the island, they said have to see the wind condition, etc. They actually were thinking of putting us on the small speedboat back to mainland (and not a bigger boat). They asked if we wanted late check out, do we want lunch? and lunch cost 15RM! no thanks.. not for the crap lunch. In the end, the weather was rainy, and we had no choice but to check out early. It was fine.. There was not enough space on the boat and we stood the whole ferry journey holding on for dear life as the boat went thru the sea in the rainy weather) . ANother huge mistake on the resort's part : Over promise! Under deliver.


The irony of the whole trip was we had a very good time in trengganu. Checked into a backpacker inn while waiting for our 7pm coach ride back to singapore. The inn was v clean. 20RM for a bed and locker for half a day, with free internet access, plus there was cable TV. what more could i asked for ? Plus it was clean and there was air conditioning.


Lesson learnt? I will choose to go with my dive school, Mako, next time. The places they go to , or recommend are usually quite good. This trip just make me feel like diving even more!