Merry Christmas 2009!

It's christmas again and I am alone.
My husband's gone to work and I'm staring at my comp(uter). 
This happens every year and I have nothing to fear.
Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year.

Hehe just a futile attempt at poetry.

"Dinner's on tomorrow."

Lazy Month, Lazy Me

December is the month to be lazy. Why, it's a holiday month. I visited my nephew in Bangkok a week ago. He is so cute. I haven't been working for more than a month, but I will start work next year. Really looking forward to next year.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.

Decisions. Some are difficult to make. But in the end, you will still need an answer, a resolution. I guess this is for the good of everyone. I mustn't be selfish. If I can't take it, then I will make another decision. I think I can make it. I have the confidence to do it right. The rest is up to God. I hope everyone will be nice to me. I can do it.


"Praying hard."

We Can Do Our Part...

... by raising awareness about the killings of whales by the Japanese on the pretext of research.

I've been a fan of the cetaceans since secondary school days. I remembered I would purchase cheap reference books that were often on sale at Popular with the spare pocket money that I had left. I wanted to understand them better. I find them fascinating, beautiful, and somehow, they are the only creatures which I find close to my heart.

I remembered the time I had my 1st encounter with the bottlenose dolphins at SeaWorld Gold Coast, Australia. Although it wasn't a closeup encounter, it was a dolphin show which almost left me in tears. I can never forget the time I saw them leaping into the air in unison. I was fighting back my tears. It was after all, the very first time I saw a dolphin live in front of me, not from books or television.

I was touched.

But I also love the whales. I knew that illegal whaling took place long ago, and it was so rampant that some species of whales were threatened with extinction. It wasn't until some whaling laws were passed that whale numbers began to grow, but slowly. Even now, some whales are still in the danger of extinction.

I had the opportunity to watch a Discovery Channel program recently, called Whale Wars. It was about how the Sea Shepherd, which is a non-government environmental organization, tried to stop Japanese whaling fleet from whaling in the Antarctic waters.

No matter how controversial the Sea Shepherd's methods might seem, I think they are doing the right thing. Even though the Japanese claimed that whaling is for research purposes, but hey, their ship is armed with processing and packing factories that could process the whale meat and ship them immediately to the Japanese markets. So where does the research come in? All load of bullshit!

God, I love Japan and all her cultures and cuisine, but if there is one thing I hate about them, it's got to be their whaling business. So to all those who read this, please tell your friends and families or anybody you know about the situation. Here's the site for more about what the Sea Shepherd does.


"Remember to click the banner on top!"

Fed Up...

So fed up with what's happening at work. Keep changing, keep revamping, keep reorganising. Everyone is treating this company like their fathers own it.


"Eat rubble everyone!"

Everyday A Challenge

I have plans about what to do but I just can't seem to get it done. Everyday is a challenge because I don't know who I will meet, with whom I am going to have a conversation. Yes, even talking, speaking is a challenge nowadays. One wrong word and that could be the end.

I wish I could seclude myself from this world...


"There must be something that can be done."

Hubby's Birthday!

 Happy Birthday, Baby!

And from tonight on, I am back to the graveyard shift.

"That's Oreo cheese." 

Life's Like That

You were made to go round and round in endless circles, only to find yourself back to where you were in the beginning. But that doesn't mean the journey was futile, that nothing good came out of it. It just made you realised how good you are, that no amount of trashing and putting you down is going to ruin your life. You had proven yourself time and time again.

Whatever is yours, it is yours. You can't make a pig fly and you can't make an innocent party guilty. Period. Enough said. The only frustration is soon, you will have to go round in circles again, but remember, there are those who trust you, and you can make it.


"There's a light in me that shines brightly."

Queue up! Palms Face Upwards! Walk Faster!

I am amazed that full-grown adults had to be taught how to 'queue up', had their 'palms faced upwards' and 'walk faster' when collecting free newspaper at the mrt station. Well, at least that was what the lady who distributed the papers asked of them. And she had to repeat herself a few times, whenever a new queue appeared.

How sad.

Those people were looking so smart in their shirts and pants and dresses. It's a sad world.


"When will these people ever learn?"

My Photo Blog

I have created a photo blog. =============>

If you like it, please share it with others.
If you don't like it, please share it with others.
C & C are most welcome.


"This is this. That is that."

The Kind Whom You Think Of

Have you ever had that kind of friend whom you always think of? Someone who had changed your life somehow?

I do.

I often wonder what will happen to me if I hadn't met this person? Perhaps I will grow up to be your regular Ah Lian, spewing profanities as if they are the fad. Or maybe I will be this empty shell, with nothing inside the soul and the head. You will not see the quotable quotes I wrote at the end of each blog entry. Maybe you will never see me blog.

I will never see things the way I see them now.

I am really glad that this person had appeared in my life, and that she will always have a place in my heart. Wishing her all the best in her future endeavors.


"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival." 

Self Portrait in B/W... and Some Fun

What's over there?

I uploaded this as FB profile pic ><;

Blur is always nicer.

Proper.

Siong-ing.

It was an impromptu shot with minimum everything. Shot at about 6pm when the sun was still there, making use of natural light from the windows. 1st two were shot using only natural light, while the last 3, with fill-in flash. All shot with 50 f1.8, and my ever-so-reliable 350D. It was quite fun. Should do this more often and look for ways to add "drama" into it.

Like this one.

"You don’t take a photograph, you make it. - Ansel Adams"

Cute Meh?

"Your eyes and your face are so cute!"

Fret not. There is no third party. This was said by one of the MAs who came for OT yesterday. Not to brag but this is not the first time people had been complimenting about that. But curiously, these people are all female, some younger than me, some older than me. The frequency of getting these compliments has, ever since I was in normal shift, been on the high.

So the question I have is, if I really look cute, how come no guys ever told me that?

I find girls are swarming to me, rather than guys. Maybe I attract people of the same sex. I wonder if it is any good.

I'm a bit worried.


"What is it about me that they like anyway?"

So, It is True...

Source

"ABC show focuses on Stark family, gender changes

By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer

POSTED: 02:12 p.m. EDT, Jul 20, 2009

Primetime: Family Secrets turns its attention to a Massillon family dealing with gender changes in Tuesday's telecast.

Airing at 10 p.m. on ABC, the program looks at a year in the life of Chloe Prince, formerly Ted Prince; Rene Prince, who married Chloe when she was still Ted but has stayed with her since the change; and their two sons, ages 7 and 6.

On her Pink Thoughts blog (http://chloeprince.blogspot.com), Chloe wrote: ''I ask that you watch this episode with an open heart and open mind, reserve judgment, and understand this is only my story, and does not represent all Transgendered or intersexed people. . . .

''This episode is not about exercising any agendas for the LGBT community. If you're looking for political correctness or walls to be broken through by this story, you will be disappointed,'' she said. ''However, if you are looking for the honesty told from compelling innocence, without bias or reservation to share, then you will want to look forward to the episode.''

Reported by JuJu Chang, the hourlong telecast follows the day-to-day life of Chloe and Rene, including how they have explained Chloe's change to the children.

Chloe was married to Rene and a father when she learned she had Klinefelter's syndrome, two X and one Y chromosome, where women generally have two Xs and men an X and a Y. The diagnosis came as part of treatment for a bee sting — Chloe is severely allergic — which appears to have amped up her female hormones and caused changes such as her growing breasts.

The young Ted had felt feminine urges, and Rene knew that he was a cross-dresser when they married. But as her body began to change, Chloe decided to it was time to change from Ted to Chloe.

While this is covered in the the program, it is keenly interested in the way Chloe, Rene and the children cope.

It has been difficult for all of them. The boys have heard their parents argue.

As Chloe has settled more into her female identity, she has found herself more attracted to men — while still married to Rene (and on her blog, Chloe still refers to Rene as her ''wife''). She was also hurt when Rene posed for a Mother's Day picture with the boys — but without Chloe.

Rene, meanwhile, has a companion, but not the man she married. She isolated herself rather than explain to friends about Chloe (although, near the end of Primetime, she sends them an e-mail explaining the situation). And it is Chang who tells her that Chloe spent $70,000 on gender-reassignment surgeries in Thailand. Chloe ''always handled the finances,'' Rene said.

Rene, according to ABC, was not available for comment — and Chloe is in Thailand for additional surgery. (Chloe does plan to have a webcast up on her blog after the telecast, as well as a chat feature to answer questions.)

But on her blog, Chloe says Rene was not thrilled about going on TV.

''She really didn't want to be on TV discussing our private business. She was also concerned about our children and how they would be treated after. Then there was the extended family to consider and how this would affect all of them,'' Chloe wrote. ''But I also felt 'if not us, then who will represent us?' The fact is, there are not many like Rene and I.''"


"Talking about the strange..."

Photography in SG

Do you know that it is legal to take photographs anywhere in SG as long as you are in a public area? Perhaps many of us already knew about that, perhaps you don't. There had been discussions about this topic in a local photography forum a few months back. It was a whooping 20 plus-page-long thread. Apparently all local photographers were concerned about their rights as a photographer. I was just stopping by, hoping to gain some insight about the shooters' scene , but I gain more. So what I am trying to say is that, if you are shooting around in public in SG and was stopped by someone, you have the right to ask why. And if they ask you to delete the photos taken, you can refuse.

GCA 2009

Determined not to repeat last year's mistake, I had my batteries charged yesterday night, at the last minute. I took a little over 200 photos and here are some of them.


Cloud


Kuma-chan


Neko-chan


Blood Elf-chan

Yuffie-chan

Eh...

Tifa-chan

Butler-chan

Miku-chan

Miku-chan too

"AFA2009 in November."

Happy Anniversary! -- East meets West

Can't wait to dig in.


That's yum yum!


Happy Anniversary, Hubby!


Beef steak with brown sauce and baked potato.


Miso soup with tofu and enoki mushroom.


The perfect meal for our 3rd year of marriage, complete with candle-light.


It was great. The steak was cooked just nice, the potato baked to perfection, and the miso soup was absolutely delicious. I know it was a strange combination, but we used what we had in the fridge.


"Satisfied."

Advice For the Guys...

Hahaha.


"Hmmm..."

Spaced Out...

I just threw my apparently good and nice pair of socks down the rubbish chute. What was I thinking?


"1 pair of socks down."

Footprints...

It's gratifying to know that my presence is missed. I think this is the first time I am able to leave a footprint in somebody else's heart. I hope they will continue to think of me, for they will be missed by me.


"It's been a month."

Wash Your Hands Too

Woah! Superb! Fantastic! Marvellous! Wee-u-wee!


"I'm saved."

这样的日子...

...还要过多久？

好寂寞。


"元気出せない。"

The Nicest Thing...

I was a bit late today.

And I bumped into one of my MAs, Uma. She was happy to see me and Su. The first thing she asked was whether the two of us are going back. Back home yes, back to the old department nope.

The next thing she said really touched me.

She said that everyone missed us so much, that they wanted us to go back. It was apparently, quite chaotic right now. I supposed everything went haywired. But of course, we were not there! We talked briefly about what happened to us and before we parted, Uma, for the second or third time, told us that everyone missed us and that if there is a chance to go back, please do.

Aw...

I missed them too.


"My life is upside down because of a few idiots."

What Do You See

The most un-NDP NDP theme song. I love it.


"It's a question we should all ask ourselves."

The Yellow Helmet of Happiness

Akanishi is funny.


"Haha Kat-Tun is funny. "

I Think I'm A...

... night person.

I had never yawned so much at night as compared to morning. I looked terrible. I looked worst than when I was in night shift. And the sun, it pierced my eyes and skin. The top of my head was red hot when I walked past the temperature scanner.

I'm like a vampire.

Time to suck some blood...


"I knew I was a night person right from the start."

Back to Normal Life...?

After 5 years of working graveyard shift, I finally had the chance to go normal again.

But this was against my will.

I was simply transferred, very conveniently, to normal shift to do something else. I welcome this change, of course, for I have no business in my soon-to-be-over job area anymore. The people whom I will miss are probably my MAs. Being in normal shift meant that I will have zero contact with them at work, and almost zero contact outside of work.

Well, new boss, new working hours, new job scope. All the best to me.


"Being human, I should be able to adapt."

Looking Forward to PayDay...

Who wouldn't? Afterall, I'm left with only 132 dollars in the bank, and less than 20 dollars in my pocket.


"I'm hungry."

It's Raining

There are times when I enjoy being alone. Alone in a quiet house, doing the things that I love -- listening to the melodious sound of raindrops hitting against the concrete, watching animation, playing with my PSP... There are so many things to do. I am even fine with doing nothing at all. Sometimes I need to sit back and listen to myself, hear my heart beat, know what I want. Everyone needs time to be alone.


"I love rainy days when I am at home."

Poor Me...

... and I meant literally. I should be left with a few bucks in just a matter of days. And farewell to life's simple luxuries...


"This is the road I choose to take."

SHINE Youth Festival 2009

Don't ask why an oobaasan like me is doing at a YOUTH festival. I went there for the cosplayers. Not a big turn up of cosplayers if you ask me, being such a big event. Singapore's youths are so boring. They should be more daring, in terms of doing cosplay. They should ask and invite all their friends to join cosplaying. Singapore's standard has to go up, or it will be a laughing stock. We are still a long way compared to Japan, Taiwan, and even China.


"I will do it, if I am 10 years younger. Hee hee."

If You Are Feeling Down, Come See This

All charred.


All flat.


Wondering what's that? It's my oat cookies. Yes, laugh. I had a great laugh. So did Hubby. This is the 1st time since secondary school that I baked anything. And the drama was when I opened the oven door, it was smothering.

I am now waiting for the charred cookies to cool and maybe I'll ask Hubby to try one. :P


"Another batch coming right up!"

Robbery in Broad Daylight

I witnessed a robbery yesterday at Yishun on my way to work. Me and Hubby were at the station platform when we heard someone shouted,"打抢" in Hokkien. We turned our heads, and on the other side of the road, we saw a uncle running and chasing after the robber. Poor uncle! Nobody stopped to help him! I vaguely saw the culprit, lanky and looked young from his back, with slightly blonde hair. The victim finally stopped chasing. Age was not on his side.

I really feel for the uncle. And I definitely despise all people trying to take advantage of the elderly. I hoped that the robber got run down by a car or truck while running for his life, but not dead.


"Shame on you, shame!"

I'm a First-Timer

Wow.

It's my 1st time in 30 years to buy groceries from the wet market. Things are cheaper so I might just buy my groceries there in the future.


"The making of an auntie."

Shark Awareness - Zero

That day we went to this Chinese restaurant at Lion City Hotel to celebrate Ah Mah's 87th birthday. You know, food just seems to taste better in a restaurant than in a hotel. Even the sharks' fins soup, oh my god, when I saw the amount of sharks' fins that was in that big bowl, all I can say is "wah eh sim jin tiah". Being a restaurant, their sharks' fins soup is unlike those you will probably find in wedding banquets. That was one "bunch" of golden colored rubber bands in the midst of cornstarch-laden broth. I totally wasn't in the mood, but everyone else was slurping happily, pouring dark vinegar and pepper into their bowl of "delicacy".

And on another occasion, we went to another Chinese restaurant to celebrate Mother's Day. My brother did the ordering when one of the waiter suggested that we order the sharks' fins soup. Again. But then everyone in my family knew I don't take that, so we passed. Then the waiter said,"What about sharks' bone?" I told him, isn't that the same? And he replied, no it's not the fins, it's the bone. Then I gave up and whispered to my brother,"Here we are trying not to eat anything from a shark and there he is saying that it's not the same." I just rolled my eyes and think to myself, these people are really not aware of saving the sharks campaign, do they?

Next time I should boycott Chinese restaurants that serves sharks' fins.


"If you call that delicacy, why don't you just drink a bowl of glue with some shredded paper?"

About the House

It's dusty, dusty, dusty. No matter how many times I wipe, mop, sweep the floor, it is still dusty. My mum says it's normal and the dust is going to stay for at least a month. (T.T)


"The bottom of my feet is black."

It's Here

Today is the day where we will get our damned house back. It's been delayed for about 2 weeks and I missed my bed! The furniture will come in this afternoon and we should be able to move in tonight.

All the best and still keeping my fingers crossed for last minute hiccups.


"I missed my air-conditioned MBR too."

It's A Thin Line

I just mistook a fat lady for a pregnant lady and offered my seat to her. She seemed annoyed. Hope that this serves as a wake up call for her to get rid of that tummy.


"I'm bushed."

So Tired...

... ... ... ...

11 hours of sleep in 3 days.

What kind of life is this?

My skin feels coarse, my armpits and legs are not shaved, I have not applied moisturiser to my face for more than a month. 

What have I been doing?

"7 days more to my limit."

All For the Sake Of... The House

Another day without sleep. I am so going to be in trouble.


"Another one week more, I hope."

Chrome Shelled Regios Ending - Yasashii Uso

Nice. It's the 1st time I heard of Japanese duet.

New IC for the 30 Year-Olds

Things are getting more and more efficient. Go online, register, payment, upload photos and I am done. 3 days later, I am able to collect it.

I have to say I look younger now than when I was 16. Haha.


"I feel young."

Singapore Casino Considering Alternatives to Whale Shark Exhibit

SINGAPORE, May 16, 2009 (AFP) - A Singapore casino developer said Saturday it was considering alternatives to its plan to exhibit whale sharks, the world's largest fish, which had run into strong opposition from animal welfare groups.


"We have started to explore plans for an alternative to a whale shark exhibit," Krist Boo, the spokeswoman for Resorts World at Sentosa, told AFP.

Resorts World at Sentosa, one of two casino resorts being built in Singapore, had planned to import the whale sharks for its Marine Life Park (MLP) which set to become the world's biggest oceanarium upon completion.

The park however said its move was not due to pressure by the seven animal welfare groups which have launched an online petition that has gathered more than 9,000 signatures.

"The MLP team does not take its responsibilities to both conservation and Singapore lightly and as such, we spent the past two years doing much groundwork," it said in a statement to AFP.

"We strongly believe that our action must be governed by the conservation of this species rather than what is dictated by fleeting public opinion."

Alternative options to the whale shark exhibit being considered by the MLP were shown to the various animal welfare groups last month, it said.

"This proposal is still in the process of being refined for a further round of review," the MLP said.

Any changes to the planned whale shark exhibit would have to get the final approval of the Singapore government.

Animal welfare groups welcomed the move by Resorts World at Sentosa to consider alternatives to exhibiting whale sharks, which can reach lengths of 12 metres (40 feet) or the size of a bus.

"I think it's very progressive in that they are considering other alternatives," said Louis Ng, executive director and founder of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society group.

Jaki Teo, the campaign coordinator behind the online petition (www.whalesharkpetition.com), hoped the authorities would consider the concerns raised by animal welfare groups about the whale sharks.

"A lot of the concerns are about the fact that they are not suited to be held in captivity," she said.

Resorts World at Sentosa is scheduled to open in phases starting from early 2010 and will feature the world's biggest oceanarium with 700,000 fish. Source.

That is so sweet of them. Kudos to Resorts World and the parties that raised the concerns.

"Bitter-sweet."

About My Work...

I am sick and tired of the same old stunt that my boss likes to pull. Why can't he just let us off? Why can't he just let us work happily, with minimum complains, full cooperation within the four of us?

I don't get it. Maybe that's why he is the boss.

″我慢。″

Updates...

Some updates.

I had been sick twice for the last 21days. Am still sick. I have not logged on to the internet for about 15 days, maybe longer. I almost couldn't take it. My house is beginning to take shape. Both toilets and the kitchen are almost finished. I love it.

And during a hair cut, I found myself inside a bridal magazine!

That's me! 

Just got to get this magazine

More to come, if I have the time and internet.

"Connected!"

It's Been Messy...

My house is now in demolition mode. The wall and floor tiles of both toilets and kitchen had been hacked off. The wall between the MBR and bedroom 1 had been demolished. The house is in a complete mess. And there is no internet connection at my parents' house, I have to go to my in-Laws' house to surf. Renovation works should be completed by next month 19th.

"Messy."

No More!

If it wasn' t for the renovation, there won't be so much hard work. I'd rather things remained as they were, covered with dust and roaches' eggs, buried away, forgotten in time.

It was such hard work. I never knew I had so much things. I never knew I had so many clothes, shoes, knick-knacks, books, rubbish etc etc etc. The time and effort it took to clear these stuff was tremendous. And guess what? We are not done yet.

There won't be second time, I swear. I will not move house unnecessarily. I will not renovate house unnecessarily.

"It will take weeks."

Thanks Peeps...

... for the birthday wishes. I appreciated them. 

"Now, about my voice..."

My Quiet Birthday

Blueberry Cheese


*Sparkling*


My sickly smile


I'm 30 starting this minute. I'm thankful for all the things that had happened to me. I'm thankful that Hubby is with me, celebrating my birthday and taking care of me when I am sick. 30s is the new 20s, oh yeah.


"Birthday wish - S.E.C.R.E.T."

A Geylang Journey

I have never walked the streets of Geylang at 11am, from lorong 22 to lorong 36. It was, how do I put it, strangely nostalgic and strangely foreign. I felt like a tourist from somewhere else. 

Whisking through the corridors, I could smell whiffs of scented incense. Yes, it was a nostalgic scent. Sweet and choking at the same time. It was drizzling. Stopping at a Toto kiosk, Hubby went in to get lucky. Hanging on one side of the wall was a very retro-looking wall clock. One that had a turning mechanism to move a spiraling graphic as the second hand ticked on. Wow. I was convinced that I was on the other side of time. The 70s, 80s era. 

I had to say I had enjoyed it, even though we didn't get the bathroom items we set out to get. 

"Inspired."

アノちゃんからの誕生日プレゼント

私とリーボン

ありがとうね、アノちゃん！

”素敵なプレゼントね！”

People Change...

... But I am still me.

"Things don't always stay the same."

Friends or Colleagues?

It is sad to know that some friendships are only skin deep. But it is even sadder to know this after 5 years working together. There is a thin line between colleagues and friends. You work together, spend more than 12 hours per day with one another, only to realise, when you are quitting, that you and that person were just colleagues. But you had thought you were friends.

Oh well, life's like that. We are so used to making use of people that "friend" just pop out of your mouth unknowingly. You might not even realise it but that's the adult world.

"No it doesn't feel good."

My Laptop...

... modified.

"非主流萬歲﹗"

Ah... Lights

I can't believe I took leave just to participate in the Earth Hour campaign. Because I know Hubby won't do it without my supervision :p

It was so warm. I really appreciate it when the one hour is up and we can turn on the fan. Cannot imagine living without electricity. It was a great learning experience.

"Hope to see more people participate next year."