*dimsumdolly* - the different morsels of the life of a foodie

Wanderlust

I've become some kind of traveling salesman or paid wanderer, both blessed and doomed to travel this world until I can't anymore. Funny what happens when your dreams come true.

It's an irritating reality that many places and events defy description. Angkor Wat and Machu Picchu, for instance, seem to demand silence, like a love affair you can never talk about. For a while after, you fumble for words, trying vainly to assemble a private narrative, an explanation, a comfortable way to frame where you've been and what's happened. In the end, you're just happy you were there – with your eyes open – and lived to see it.

~ Anthony Bourdain in The Nasty Bits

When I read what Bourdain wrote in the introduction of his book The Nasty Bits, I knew exactly what he meant (by the way, I would LOVE to do what he does). In fact, I had written to a friend just a couple of days back, which touched on the same subject.

"Yes, I know what you mean...there always seems to be something else to do and see. The world isn't small enough for people like us! I think having a curiosity about the world is both a blessing and a curse. That curiosity makes you a more worldly person...you become more sensitive to and aware of cultural differences...it spurs you on to want to learn more about the world, people.

Yet, this wanderlust stirs this constant restlessness which is not altogether healthy. Being 'settled' has its bliss too."

The words sum up the situation I'm facing right now with my life. How do I reconcile my love for travelling with a job that makes me bound to Singapore all the time? It's not that I don't like being based in Singapore. I do like it. It's an easy place to live in. I've tried living abroad and it didn't quite do it for me 'cos I felt too lonely. I told myself that if I'm ever going to relocate again, it'd have to be with a partner (boyfriend/husband/de facto/whatever). I figured I should have tried out being a flight attendant years ago. But since that's not a career option right now, I just have to contend with occasional holidays out of Singapore. Why couldn't Singapore be bigger????

So my wanderlust has stirred again and I'll be in Australia from 19 June to 2 July. From the 19th to 22nd I'll be in Hamilton Island to take part in the Hamilton Cup, which is an outrigger canoe race. Am looking forward to ogling at all the hotbods at the race. Hee.

After the race, I'll be in Sydney from 23 June to 2 July to catch up with family and friends. I know, it's the umpteenth time I'm visiting Sydney, but I love returning to this beautiful city which is very special to me. There's always a sense of comfort returning to a city that one knows well.

I've also booked myself on the A380 to experience what flying on the jumbo jet is like. OK, I'm not in the first-class suite but I'm after a cheap thrill. Heh.

Anyway, am always glad to go back to the land of Oz with its lovely beaches, great people, and delicious food!

Phone On Right

Have you ever noticed how, when some people answer their mobile phones with their left hand (because their right hand is occupied), they have to put their left arm across their face to hold the phone at their right ear?

I can never quite understand why people do this involuntarily because don't you think it is a very awkward action? I do it at times and after I put the phone down, I always wonder why I didn't put it at my left ear where it would be more comfortable and less awkward a pose. And it's not as if I can hear better on my right ear!

I can't understand why it happens. Do you?

Settling

It always fascinated me how people go from loving you madly to nothing at all, nothing. It hurts so much. When I feel someone is going to leave me, I have a tendency to break up first before I get to hear the whole thing. Here it is. One more, one less. Another wasted love story. I really love this one. When I think that it's over, that I'll never see him again like this... well yes, I'll bump into him, we'll meet our new boyfriend and girlfriend, act as if we had never been together, then we'll slowly think of each other less and less until we forget each other completely. Almost. Always the same for me. Break up, break down. Drunk up, fool around. Meet one guy, then another, fuck around. Forget the one and only. Then after a few months of total emptiness start again to look for true love, desperately look everywhere and after two years of loneliness meet a new love and swear it is the one, until that one is gone as well. There's a moment in life where you can't recover any more from another break-up. And even if this person bugs you sixty percent of the time, well you still can’t live without him. And even if he wakes you up every day by sneezing right in your face, well you love his sneezes more than anyone else's kisses.

~ From the film 2 Days in Paris

I was chatting with a friend online the other day and she told me she and her boyfriend were making plans to get married. Usually I would be thrilled if I knew that my friend was going to marry the love of his/her life. But for this friend, I didn't offer my congratulations straight away. My questions to her were: Are you really happy? Are you sure you're not just settling?

The reason for my questioning was that, as of late last year, she had admitted to me that she didn't love him enough. True, they got along well enough, having been pretty good friends for a long time before they got together, but she had never experienced feelings of passionate love with him. I guess different relationships work differently so maybe some people don't need that kind of love. But I sensed that she would like to have that, having experienced those feelings before with a few boyfriends who had come before him.

But she said to me that she didn't want to look anymore. He loves and cares for her, and he's a really nice and stable guy. She said she liked that about him, having had boyfriends who were flighty and non-committal. She then sent me the quote above from the film 2 days in Paris, and said sometimes one just gets used to having the other person around.

Perhaps it's too presumptuous of me to conclude that she's 'settling', but I would say that's the feeling I get from her. Perhaps her feelings have changed in the past six months. But what am I to conclude when she sends me that quote?

While it's tempting to settle so you can revel in the comfort that there'll be someone there, feelings of being trapped and stifled may surface in time to come. And if you can't give yourself to someone heart, body, mind and soul, the other party will sense it eventually and could possibly leave you some day too.

Another friend of mine has advised me never to settle as it only brings emotional suffering in the long run. She says this based on personal experience. She married someone who loved her but whom she didn't love back to the same degree because it was, as she said, 'the safe option'. He was the kind of guy you would take back to your parents – stable, stable, stable. She also never thought she would be able to find someone she would be crazy about. But eventually she began to feel trapped because she didn't love him enough, and now she has decided to get out. I believe it's for the better.

I may be cynical about many things, but when it comes to love I'm still quite the hopeless romantic. I can't give myself to someone I don't love or care enough about. It wouldn't be fair to myself nor the other party. I don't ever want, and won't, settle.

I can't.

Dog-earred

Are you a dog earer? Er, what's that you say? OK, let me come again - are you someone who dog ears your books? You know, you fold the corner of the page down to indicate that's the point at which you've stopped.

If you are, DON'T do that to my books if I should lend you any, 'cos I hate my books being dog earred. I just can't stand unnecessary creases on pages and whenever I see a page being dog earred, I have this compulsion, need, to undo the fold. It's like some obsessive compulsive disorder. I just can't stand it. I think the folds spoil the look of the book.

Being a book lover, I have a certain respect and reverence for books. I believe they, like humans, should be treated well. It annoys me when I see library books, which are public property, being abused and mishandled. People who treat books like that are inconsiderate as they are destroying information and knowledge that can be passed on to someone else.

Anyway, this rant came about because the book I borrowed from the library, Anthony Bourdain's The Nasty Bits, had many pages that were dog-earred and it just irked me!!! The book, by the way, is great! I love Bourdain's brashness in his collection of essays. Am half-way through and can't wait to get till the end of it.

Bittersweet

It suddenly came across to me that the word ‘bittersweet’ can be associated with the taste of food or moments you come across in books, plays, reel and real life.

When it comes to food, I like the bittersweet taste of dark chocolate, durian and matcha ice cream. I’m a bit of a chocolate snob – it’s dark chocolate for me or not at all. I don’t bother wasting calories on milk and white chocolate, which technically isn’t chocolate since it doesn’t contain any cocoa! Bittersweet dark chocolate is like a dark mysterious person – it’s more interesting. Instead of a flat sweet taste, the bitterness of cocoa dances on your tongue and stimulates your taste buds to savour more of its taste. As for durian, I like pulp that’s sweet with bitter notes. Matcha ice cream is the same. It's hard to find good matcha ice cream which strikes the right balance between the full-bodied bitter taste of matcha with the amount of sugar called for in the recipe. I'm still on that perfect matcha ice cream quest.

But when it comes to life, bittersweet moments often weigh more on the sad rather than happy side of the scale. There’s always an intense sense of poignancy to the moment, often accompanied by a tinge of regret and sorrow. Yet, one is also thankful for the experience, because you’ve matured and learnt from it, and now possess greater depth of character.

When bittersweet moments appear in reel life, you can’t help but let out a sigh and maybe find your eyes moisten at the poignancy of it all. It is often these films which leave you thinking and reflecting. It is also these films that have heart.

So what’s your favourite bittersweet food and your best bittersweet moment?

Living a Song

I watched the film La Vie En Rose last night and was impressed by Marion Cotillard's portrayal of the legendary French singer.

In one scene, a young Edith Piaf is admonished by her mentor Raymond Asso for not living the song she was singing. He picked on her bad articulation, her stiffness and her lack of emotion. To be a good singer, he told her, one had to live the song; to be able to put yourself in the mind and soul of the song. If you haven't actually experienced the situation depicted in the lyrics, you would have to be an actress and think like the character.

I was then led to think of the msn conversation I had with monoceros the day before. She had emailed me a very beautiful song by Linda Eder called Why Do People Fall In Love. She told me she had found her eyes turning moist while listening to the song. This sad song with a tinge of hope had the same effect on me.

Ten years ago, we wouldn't have had this reaction to the song. But with age and the life experiences that come with it, we could identify with it. The lyrics and the emotion put into the song by Eder resonated with us. Eder lived the song. One can feel the emotions flowing through in the cadence and lilt of her voice accompanied by the simple tinkling of the piano keys and strains of violins in the background.

There are songs which can only be sung by people who have passed a certain age or have been through particular situations. It's because it is only with age and experience that the songs come alive. I can understand when the judges on American Idol comment that a contestant has picked a song that is 'too old' for him/her. Most of these teenage contestants lack the life experience that many of the songs they choose to sing are trying to depict. Their youth is no fault of theirs – it's just that it prevents them from bringing out the pain and emotional depth of the lyrics. The delivery may be technically perfect, but the song still feels empty.

Edith Piaf eventually came to realise what her mentor meant and went on to become one of the greatest French singers. Her tumultuous and tragic life added much emotional depth to her voice and delivery of her songs. I guess that is why her audiences were mesmerized. When a singer or musician is able to do that, it's akin to a sorcerer at work where a spell is being woven round the audience who are bound captive by this magic. I would be a willing prisoner in such situations.

Why Do People Fall In Love

Lyrics: Jack Murphy

Why do people fall in love?
Don't we know love is full of dangers?
Letting loose our foolish hearts
In this world full of perfect strangers
Maybe this time you will find
The moon will treat you kinder
Yes, I'm sure that I recall
That's the reason people fall...

Love is needing to belong
Right or wrong, when you feel the fire
Love is living in mid-air
Young and rare, on a sky-high wire
Hoping this time it will last
You feel your heart beat faster
Yes, I'm sure that I recall
That's the reason people fall in love
Taking chances you would never take
When wide awake, you risk it all
Half afraid he'll only break your heart
Still you will close your eyes and simply fall

Why do people fall in love?
Are we fools with no hope of winning?
Or perhaps we always see
One last chance for a new beginning
Holding on and letting go
But never really knowing
Well, I guess that after all
That's the reason people fall in love

Un-PC Career Advice

I went for an interview recently for an adjunct teaching position at an educational institution here. Basically the job involved delivering a programme set out to help students preparing to enter the workforce by teaching them to write CVs and conduct themselves during a job interview.

One of the questions my interviewer asked was how I would motivate unmotivated students. After all, I'd only be seeing them once and it'd be difficult to get to know them. Well, of course I said the politically correct thing. That is, talk and reason with them like adults, get them to see that this is for their own good, and try as much as possible to share my own experience.

The real answer swimming inside my head was, 'Sod them'. Ha. I'm only interested in helping people who want to learn and help themselves. Anyway, the young and impetuous will learn the folly of their ways in time to come. The lessons from the School of Hard Knocks will be the best ones they'll ever receive and the ones they'll remember for life. Some things have to be learnt and not taught.

But if they wanted career advice, here's what I have to say. If you want the money, go into finance, banking, business or accountancy. There are no other pots of gold to be found at the end of other rainbows.

For the girls, if you want easy and good money, take to the skies - be the Singapore Girl. Put on the kebaya which clings to the body like cellophane, coif your hair, slap on the hedious peacock blue eyeshadow and fire engine red lipstick, and then zip around the world. While you're at it, find some high-flying jetsetter executive husband who works in an MNC. Then at the end of your five-year tenure, get a nice bonus payout and retire to be a taitai.

Boys, don't despair. If you aspire to be the male version of a taitai, start taking up dance classes. Not just any dance class mind you. It has to be latin or ballroom dance. Master those steps and keep yourself looking fit and trim, and soon you'll have mega-rich taitais knocking on your door, asking you to dance the Argentinian and horizontal tango with them.

And don't tell me you don't want a desk-bound job 'cos it's so boring. I'm sorry to tell you that whatever you're going to do (unless it's one of the two vocations above) at executive level and above, there's always going to be some part, if not all, of the job that's going to be desk-bound. There's always going to be a need to be seated in front of a computer and there's always going to be paperwork to be processed in some form or another.

As you may have guessed by now, I didn't get the job. Hahaha.

Q 感

I've been hearing the term 'Q 感' a lot when I watch Chinese programmes about food. Literally translated, it means 'Q feel'. I don't know who came up with this 'cos I had no idea that a single alphabet could now be used to describe food.

People interviewed at the food places keep saying, '它吃起来很Q' or they go '它很有Q感' – It tastes very 'Q' / It has a lot of 'Q feel'.

From what I can fathom based on the food these people are using the term to describe, Q 感 is used to describe something that's rather chewy and springy in texture when you bite into it. Think foods like 汤圆 (tang yuan or sweet glutinous rice dumplings) where a good one has skin which contains a hint of springiness. Another example I can think of is muah chee or in Japanese mochi. Can't think of others at the moment...maybe you might want to let me know what others you can think of.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in my definition, but honestly, can we like use proper words and adjectives already???

Singapore Flyer

So the Singapore Flyer officially opens today. I don't know about you, but I'm really not that excited about it. I wouldn't pay $29.50 to go on it for 30 minutes. If I wanted to have a good view of Singapore, I'd rather go to Equinox or New Asia Bar in Swisshotel. I mean, at least I get to have a drink!

But seriously, I don't know what's there to see. There aren't any world famous landmarks to see unlike going up the London Eye where you can spot Big Ben, the Gherkin, St Paul's, Tower of London etc.

I just feel like it's going to be another white elephant once the novelty has worn off. Perhaps I would feel differently about it if I were a tourist. But as someone born and bred here, I would rather spend $29.50 having a good meal.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

Going the Distance For Food?

An article that appeared on the ChannelNewsAsia website reported that 56 per cent of Singaporeans are willing to travel an hour or more to their favourite eateries, according to a study by a group of students from Meridian Junior College.

However I'm highly sceptical about the accuracy of this study because one of the paragraphs writes: 'The students asked more than 100 Singaporeans a list of food-related trivia questions.'

Maybe this could be a case of bad journalism, but seriously, does 'more than 100 Singaporeans' tell you anything about the sample size and hence accuracy of the study? I hate it when I read such phrases in news articles, i.e. more/less than x number. It hardly stands for accuracy which is something of utmost importance in journalism.

So what's 'more than 100 Singaporeans' supposed to mean? 101 people? 200? 1000? 10,000? Someone please enlighten me. I think such writing is sloppy. I would rather the word 'about' be used. At least it gives readers a more approximate idea of the numbers we're looking at.

With that scepticism already in place, I go on to read that 'the study also found that the eastern part of Singapore is a food-lover's paradise, with the highest concentration of acclaimed eateries in East Coast, Changi Village, Bedok and Geylang.'

Hmm...does anyone out there want to beg to differ? I wouldn't call myself a Miss Know-It-All when it comes to food in Singapore, so I'd really like to know what these 'acclaimed eateries' are and what critiera must it have to become 'acclaimed'?

Anyway, if the study is to be believed, I'm not in the 56 per cent 'cos I'm too lazy. Having to spend that amount of time to get somewhere in a small place like Singapore just means it requires too much effort. And if I did do it, that food had better be damn good!

Hate Hotpot

Friends are always perplexed when they learn that I don't like to eat hotpot (火锅) or what is popularly known as steamboat in Singapore. Yes, I just can't see the allure of it no matter how hard I try. Here are the reasons why not.

1) It's too hot in Singapore to enjoy sitting in front of a steaming pot of broth. It's worse if it's a spicy (麻辣) broth. OK there's aircon in the restaurant, but I still find it too hot. I would only enjoy it in the throes of winter, which is something that will never happen in Singapore. I don't like perspiring when I eat.

2) The variety of food available here is pathetic. If I really have to have hotpot, I'm only going to have it in Hong Kong where there's a great variety of broths and food to choose from. There are also more condiments that are available to concoct your own dipping sauce, e.g. sesame oil, peanut sauce, fried garlic, fried ginger, fried shallots, chilli oil, fresh red chilli, chilli flakes, spring onions, XO sauce, etc. The quality of food in Singapore just doesn't quite match up to what I've had in Hong Kong.

3) I don't like cooking my own food when I go out to eat. When I dine out it's because I want to eat something that someone else whom I think is a more competent cook to cook for me. I honestly don't see any fun in preparing food for myself unless I'm actually preparing a homecooked meal. I want to see and savour the chef's skill. I want to be impressed and wow-ed.

So please don't suggest having hotpot if you're going to dine out with me here. I might go to the restaurant just 'cos everyone else wants to eat it, but I wouldn't eat. It's true – I sat out a dinner last night and spent the entire time drinking tea and chatting with my friends while they ate. Of course, I had the good sense to have my own dinner before joining them. OK, call me a hotpot/steambot snob or whatever, but I'm not having it in Singapore!

Growing Pains

I remember when I was in Secondary 4 my form teacher asked us what our ambition was and one of my classmates said 'housewife'. I remember feeling incredulous when I heard it and thinking, 'Huh? You mean THAT'S an ambition??? Whatever happened to all that we were taught – that we were confident young women capable of doing and achieving whatever we wanted? We were definitely not placed on this planet to be mere housewives!'

I don't know if monoceros, fatgirl or vantan remembers this incident. We were all in the same class in Secondary 3 & 4. Monoceros was my desk partner (we sat in pairs) for two years and vantan was sitting just behind us. Overacuppa was in another class so she wouldn't have known about this. As you can see, we all go back a long way!

But that was my 16-year-old self. Now on the cusp of 30 and entering a new decade of my life which marks another crossroad, I now think that was such a brilliant plan. That classmate, by the way, is now a high-flying accountant who is happily married. Pretty far-off from her then plans.

It may not be the most ambitious of ambitions, but I don't think any credit should be taken from being a housewife since it's not easy running a household, especially when one doesn't have any help from a domestic helper.

My before-20 self was filled with the vision that I'd go to uni, have a good career, get married and have a family by my late 20s etc...you get the picture. Evidently, reality has turned out very different. Reality is, as I've come to realise over the years, also not so smooth sailing and rose-tinted. But OK, it's not like I really want to be a housewife. No, actually what I want is to be a taitai. Hahaha.

Lucky are the people who manage to figure out what they want in life early on in their lives. Many, including myself, take a longer time and are probably still searching. I wonder if the many 'settled' people I see have chosen their path because they actually wanted it or is it more of the fact that circumstances chose them and they just went along with whatever was 'safest' and most 'right'.

A friend of mine messaged me over msn the other night and said he was envious of my current lifestyle 'cos I was still up at 1plus in the morning and I wouldn't have to worry about turning up for work on time the next morning. He said it was the next best thing to being a taitai. My reply to that was that that's so not true!!! 'Cos unlike a taitai, I constantly have to worry about money.

Of course, I'm nowhere near what most would consider 'successful'. I don't earn a lot and many people younger than me are earning heaps more than I do. Often, I can't help but compare myself to my peers and invariably, one tends to measure one's self against the monetary and career success of others.

I guess the important thing to remind myself is that everyone's different and that we all have our own paths to tread. I've made decisions that, for better or for worse, have given me different experiences, led me to this juncture in my life and made me the person that I am. At this point in time, I'm still figuring out and exploring options with regards to the future.

Who says only adolescents suffer from growing pains?

SOS

Feminists and maybe some of my single friends will balk at me for saying this, but I'm really sick of singlehood.

I'm sick of turning up at parties and gatherings alone. I'm sick of being surrounded by couples. I'm sick of having to deal with things by myself. I'm sick of going on holidays alone. 'Cos you see, after awhile a nice place just becomes another nice place with no apparent significance when you have no one to share the moment with. I'm sick of being on my own.

Why is that it seems so easy for others to find that special someone yet for me, climbing Mt Everest seems to be an easier task – at least I know it's something I can train for and I can control.

Perhaps I'm really just unattractive to the opposite sex. Not pretty enough. Not thin enough. Not gentle enough. Or maybe I'm just too fussy. But you see, although I want to settle down, I don't want to settle. The former's about making a commitment whilst the latter a compromise.

I haven't been on a date in a million light years. I miss the whole process of preparing for a date – the fussing over what clothes, shoes and earrings to wear, the few butterflies in the stomach, and the anticipation of an evening ahead with a, hopefully interesting, man. I miss being treated like a woman. I miss being a woman.

Sick Of Singlehood – yes, that's me.

Freelancing

I don't know what is it about freelancing that gives people the impression that you're not working. I've been freelancing as an editor ever since returning from Dubai, but some of my friends seem to think I'm not working just because I'm at home while they're in the office.

This afternoon, a friend of mine sent me a message over msn. She asked how I could stand staying at home and not get bored when she was already bored to tears after just an afternoon at home, having taken the day off (she probably needed to clear leave).

'I AM working', I wrote back. And I have loads to do other than work. I have to reorganise my room. Last week, I went to IKEA and bought $158 worth of storage boxes. I'm throwing out old stuff and repacking things to make my room neater. It's all part of the Reorganisation-of-my-life project! I also take time out to exercise. Most of the time it's just a jog to MacRitchie and back. I did a slow 5km jog there yesterday and am aiming to increase that distance gradually. I catch up with friends, I read, I write, and I'm still looking for a full-time job. So really, I don't have time to feel bored.

Anyway, what is it about people who seem to need constant entertainment? I mean, isn't it enough to just pick up a book and read? Or just going for a jog or a slow walk around the neighbourhood? Or sitting by the pool and lazing the day away since it's a day off? Or cooking up a storm in the kitchen just for the fun of creating something? I just don't get how people can feel bored when there are loads of things to do. It's just a matter of going out there to look for it.

And please, freelancers ARE working too.

The Lone Traveller

I've come to realise that I can't travel do the lone travelling thing for more than two weeks. After two weeks, I really start to feel the loneliness and seeing new places just doesn't seem that fun anymore. Moreover, me being the foodie, I like having people to enjoy food with - if you're travelling with someone, you'll get to try more food.

There are good and bad things about travelling alone and in a group. When alone, you do as you please and don't have to care about what other people feel like doing. More often than not, you learn to really toughen up as a person as you have to deal with all sorts of situations on your own. You learn to be more resourceful and daring in asking for help, finding your way around etc. Like an animal who finds itself in strange territory, your senses are heightened and you have to be more alert in your surroundings. It's good training in survival skills and independence. I also often found myself more willing to talk to strangers or fellow lone travellers just 'cos I needed some human contact. It's probably the same for other lone travellers, too, as they are usually friendly and willing to chat as well. Because of this, I've had interesting conversations with people from other countries and whose lives are very different from mine.

Overall though, I'd say I prefer having a travel companion. I don't like travelling in a big group. The maximum group size for me would be four people. Any more than that and it just becomes difficult dealing with different preferences and personalities. Friendships may even be broken! Seven years ago I backpacked on my own in Europe and told myself that I'd never do it again because of loneliness. But I got myself into the same situation again! Sometimes it's not by choice...it's just the fact that it's difficult finding someone who can travel at the same time and who wants to do the same thing.

There's something romantic about travelling by train through Europe. I love doing it as there's some amazing scenery to be seen. The journeys may be long, but I feel like I'm watching a long and beautiful film when I'm travelling by train through Europe. I just love looking out of the window and just reflecting about life as I watch the scenes unfold in front of me. While travelling from Italy to Germany, I saw the vineyards, the open green fields, snow-capped mountains, the castles sitting atop a hill with the little villages below etc...absolutely gorgeous.

There also seems to be an unspoken comradeship among fellow train companions. It's like you become friends for that short journey and you start chatting. During my journey from Bologna to Nurnberg, there was a German guy, an Austrian, a mainland Chinese woman who has been living in Italy for 15 years, an Italian lady and myself in the same cabin. It was so international and there was Italian, Chinese, English, and German spoken during those hours we were in the train. It was an interesting cultural exchange. You'll never exchange contact details, but for those few hours you're friends. At the end of the journey, you say goodbye and wish each other a good journey. Other times, people say 'ciao' and with the nod of their head, acknowledge and thank you for your company and presence.

I guess it's times like that when I feel that travelling alone isn't that bad after all.

Tribute to London

It seems like it was only yesterday that I arrived in London with no job and no idea of what I would be doing in London to support myself. I was even prepared to work as a waitress. But thankfully I got a job as a development editor – doing what I was familiar with – and managed to keep myself above (just about) the poverty line in London.

However, I’ve now decided to leave London and I’m going to head home due to several reasons.

1. London is too expensive for me. I’m sick of living like a student, i.e. having no money to spend. When I have to think twice about buying a slice of cake just to treat myself, there really is something wrong. Things are so expensive it’s not funny. Tax is high and so much of my meagre salary goes to the UK government. I mean, it’d be OK if I even benefited from some of the tax money. But no, my money goes to supporting people on the dole.

2. It’s too difficult to relocate to a place all by myself. If I had a boyfriend or husband, it’d be so much easier. The loneliness is awful and I just don’t feel like dealing with it anymore. If I were still 20 years old and still in university with a bunch of uni friends, it’d have been different. But at this age, breaking into and forming new social circles is just so difficult.

3. I miss outrigger canoeing. I don’t miss dragonboating as much as I’ve been able to do it now and then while I’ve been here. But I definitely miss OC and I miss getting my regular and frequent dose of paddling, be it OC or DB. I’m so fat now because I haven’t been exercising as much!

4. I feel overwhelmed by this large city.

5. I’ve had it with UK property agents. They are real bullies and they are just out to take your money. I don’t want to go into further detail here, but my ex-flatmates and I have had a bad experience and we’re being ripped off. The worst thing is that we can’t do anything about it because they have our deposits and basically tenants in the UK have no rights whatsoever. It’s a seller’s market here and tenants are at the mercy of unscrupulous property agents and homeowners.

I leave the UK for good on Nov 12 for Italy. I guess you could say that I haven’t given the city enough time to grow on me, but sometimes you get a feeling about something and you just know what’s right for you.

For me, London’s a great city to visit but not to live. But there are things I really like about London and the UK in general.

1. I love the English countryside. The rolling green fields are so nice and peaceful. My regret this time is that I didn’t get to go to Scotland, Lake District and Peak District.

2. The little lanes and alleys that snake around old buildings are filled with boutique shops and cute little cafes.

3. Second-hand bookshops and the second-hand books in charity shops like Oxfam, British Heart Foundation, Save the Children shops for great for cheap book bargains. The literary worm in me can’t help but pop into one of these shops every time I walk past one.

4. I’m not a big drinker, but I love the old pubs with lots of character. There’s just a certain charm about drinking in an old pub in good old England.

5. I love pub-grub. Pub food is so down-to-earth and hearty – exactly the way I like my food. It’s English comfort food. My favourites are pies with mashed peas and gravy, fish and chips (but I usually give the chips away), and bangers & mash.

6. I love the easy access to the rest of Europe.

7. Earning in pounds and spending it overseas is great!

8. London's a fantastic city for art and cultural buffs. I love the free museums and the vibrant theatre and music scene here.

I leave the UK with many good memories of the friends I've made, the things I've seen and the places I've been to. I must extend my heartfelt thanks to dear friends, Joe and Keith, who have helped me so much in the time I've been in London. Thanks guys!!!

Anyway, the dimsumdolly won't be heading back to home shores just yet. Stay tuned for further updates!

Mr Big

A dinner conversation with some girlfriends the other day somehow spiralled into a sharing session of tragic personal love stories and led to the conclusion that every woman (OK, almost every woman) has a Mr Big in her life. For those who don't know, I'm referring to Carrie Bradshaw's Mr Big in Sex and the City.

So the Mr Big in a woman's life is the guy who has this mysterious hold on you. He hurts you time and time again; you hate him yet love him at the same time. He leaves you and you go on with your own life. Yet if he ever said he wanted to be with you or asked you to go back to him, you'd drop everything and be by his side in a split second. Your mind and heart know no logic when it comes to any matters that pertain to him – no matter what happens, there's always a corner in your heart that loves him even though he's the person who has made you shed the most tears and inflicted the most pain and heartache. You try to forget, but thoughts of him still haunt you like a ghost from the past. You know you shouldn't love, but you still do anyway.

Can you ever forget the past? And if you could, would you want to? Would you want to have the situation like what was depicted in The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? That is, have your memories completely erased? It would probably be less painful but would that make you a blander person? Or a less matured person?

Sara Bareilles' Gravity best epitomises the Mr Big situation.

Gravity

Something always brings me back to you.
It never takes too long.
No matter what I say or do
I’ll still feel you here ’til the moment I’m gone.

You hold me without touch.
You keep me without chains.
I never wanted anything so much
than to drown in your love and not feel your rain.

Set me free, leave me be.
I don’t want to fall another moment into your gravity.
Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I’m supposed to be.
But you’re on to me and all over me.

You loved me ’cause I’m fragile.
When I thought that I was strong.
But you touch me for a little while
and all my fragile strength is gone.

Set me free, leave me be.
I don’t want to fall another moment into your gravity.
Here I am and I stand so tall,
just the way I’m supposed to be.
But you’re on to me and all over me.

I live here on my knees as I try to make you see that you’re
everything I think I need here on the ground.
But you’re neither friend nor foe though I can’t seem to let you go.
The one thing that I still know is that you’re keeping me down.

You’re on to me, you’re on to me and all over…

Something always brings me back to you….
It never takes too long.

Supposedly Me

You Have a Choleric Temperament

You are a person of great enthusiasm - easily excited by many things. Unsatisfied by the ordinary, you are reaching for an epic, extraordinary life. You want the best. The best life. The best love. The best reputation. You posses a sharp and keen intellect. Your mind is your primary weapon. Strong willed, nothing can keep you down. Your energy can break down any wall. You're an instantly passionate person - and this passion gives you an intoxicating power over others. At your worst, you are a narcissist. Full of yourself and even proud of your faults. Stubborn and opinionated, you know what you think is right. End of discussion. A bit of a misanthrope, you often see others as weak, ignorant, and inferior.

Giving Thanks

This morning an email sent by the MD stunned everyone - a colleague had died in a cycling accident either over the weekend or just this very morning. I had even spoken to this lady before. It's so sad that it's a life cut short.

Then later in the day, a friend tells me her father has cancer.

Such sobering thoughts that remind me to give thanks that I'm alive and well.

Time Poverty Is In Vogue!

I'm currently reading some chick lit. It's a book called Sushi for Beginners by the author Marian Keyes. It accompanies me on my train journeys to and from work, when my mind can't handle anything serious. And I paid £2 for it - it came free with a magazine, and the only reason I bought the brainless women's magazine was because I thought it was a good deal to get a magazine and a book for £2. That's me - Miss Bargain Hunter.

Anyways, one of the protagonists is this high-flying career woman and there was this paragraph in the book which said that Time Poverty, like the next Prada or Louis Vuitton bag, seems to be the in thing to have these days. It's directly proportional to how popular and important you are. It's ironic considering the meaning of the word "poverty".

You know, like people have no time to meet up with their friends because they're (a) travelling for work (b) going for some party (3) going for some pilates or yoga class (4) having some business appointment etcetc. So to meet up with them, you'll have to look at at least five different dates to fix an appointment. And even when an appointment is fixed, it's acceptable to cancel at the last minute, giving the reason that work or something life-threatening - like an appointment with one's hairdresser who's about to go on leave for 3 weeks - has taken you away from the appointment.

I mean, it's so true, isn't it? So many people these days are like that. There is no longer the spontaniety of just calling up a friend and say, "hey, do you want to meet for acuppa/dinner/movie later?" These days, you have to "book" people weeks or months in advance. Their appointment books are always full and their schedules are fixed months in advance.

So the equation of the day is: Time Poverty = kPopularity and/or Importance (where k is a variable constant)

Weather Blues

Now I can finally understand why the English like talking about the weather. OK, it’s a gross generalisation, but it’s true that the topic of weather comes up quite often in conversation, I think just ‘cos people are hoping desperately for some good weather! Days in London are SO dreary. It’s been just grey skies and rainy and just downright depressing. Can’t even go to the parks and sit around or go for walk or hikes. I don’t know how people live here!!!

I don’t know what I’m going to do over the weekend. Probably check out some free stuff going on or something.

Update

So after having fun in Spain, I’m back to the daily grind of work. At first I wasn’t looking forward to it, but now that I’ve started, I’m actually enjoying it. I guess I’m enjoying it mainly because it gives me something to do, and it gives me a taste of working life in London. Also, I get to meet new people and, more importantly, be around people.

I’ve come to realise that although I’m not the kind of person who’s the life of the party, I enjoy being around people for the most part. Although of course, me-time is also important. However, I’ve been getting too much me-time since coming to London and it’s starting to get depressing. In Singapore I had a good social life, but now I have zero. Close to zero anyway. Except for occasional meet-ups with Joe and Keith who very kindly include me in activities when they can, I’m alone pretty much the rest of the time. I guess it doesn’t help that I’m not the most outgoing person in the world!

So I’m glad that the job is letting me be around people at least on weekdays. And my colleagues are really nice. Now I don’t even look forward to weekends ‘cos that would mean being all alone. Oh, the trials and tribulations of moving to a whole new place all by oneself!

Anyhow, it’s particularly difficult to have a social life when you don’t have much money. That’s the reality of it! Also, it takes time to get to know people. Anyway, I guess I’m not really here to live long-term nor to sink roots. My main aim is to travel and see new things and often you just have to do it on your own. I’m getting used to being alone pretty much all the time. Yes, it does get very lonely, but I don’t think I have much of a choice!

I guess one could go to bars and pubs with friends to hang out and meet other people, but I’m hopeless in such settings. I’m really like a fish out of water in these watering holes. I still feel awkward in those situations where people just stand around and drink. The only kind of “water” thing I’m totally at home with is anything that involves paddling. And I’m quite hopeless when it comes to making new friends. It takes me awhile to warm up to people and I’m pretty quiet for the most part. People probably think I’m a super boring and super dull person.

The job itself is nothing very new to me. I’m doing pretty much what I was doing back in Singapore, just a more specialised area of being a production editor. Previously I was involved in both development and production editing. I’ve dived into the thick of things and I have enough work to keep me going. Even though the work is not totally new, I’m still learning new things about how things are done in the UK, the company protocol is different, the markets are different etc.

I’ve noticed that people in London often pack or make their own lunch because it’s cheaper to do so. Otherwise, the most common thing that people buy for lunch is a sandwich. Or perhaps a salad. Sandwiches are by far the most popular. I’ve eaten countless sandwiches since I got here – the number of sandwiches I’ve eaten so far has very much exceeded the number I eat in Singapore in a year! It gets really boring after awhile…nothing like the variety of food available in Singapore. You wonder why these people have no desire to get away from the traditional sandwich, salad and baguette. Really miss the hawker fare back home.

Londoners are also always in a rush. Although statistics seem to point otherwise, I feel that London is more stifling and crowded than Singapore. Maybe this is because the streets in London are narrower. The underground subway system, fondly referred to as the “Tube” by Londoners, is awful. It’s stuffy and dirty and you’re packed like sardines in rush hour. The buses are a lot better, but just that it’s slow due to the heavy traffic. It’s no help that the roads in London are very narrow, allowing for two lanes max. Wherever possible, I’ll walk as it’s probably faster. Walking is the best way to see London I think. You can discover alleys and streets full of character that way.

Even though London is a very exciting, culturally and historically rich city where there’s always something to do, I don’t think it’ll ever capture me like Sydney does. I really miss the sea and there just seems to be fewer outdoor activities available in London. And the weather’s just so crappy that all you want to do is hole up at home or maybe hang out in the museum. You see, while I do like arts and culture, there’s only so much time I can stand being in museums. I’d much rather be outdoors doing some sport where I can be in the sunshine and in touch with nature.

But one thing I really love about London is its literary scene and the availability of cheap books. I LOVE the second-hand book shops here. You can get books in very decent condition from £1! Just the other day, I bought a brand-new hardback book from a bookshop along Charing Cross Road for £2.50!

I’ve also shifted out of my friends’ flat and now I’m staying in Queen’s Park, an area in the west of London. It sounds posh, but it’s not. Like setting up home, I had to buy bedsheets, towels, etc. Had to pay £100 to the previous occupant of my room for the bed, wardrobe, drawers etc. The room’s tiny and it faces a main road, so it’s really noisy. I’d have to be really tired to be able to block all the traffic noise out of my head and fall asleep!

Anyway, last Saturday morning I went outrigger canoeing. The club that I contacted is probably the only club in UK which does OC. They have two OC6s, some OC2s and some OC1s. I went in the OC6, sitting at seat 5 just in front of the coach. Their canoes are stored at the University of London Boathouse at Chiswick and they paddle along the Thames River.

It was nice to be paddling again but it’s not really much fun OC-ing on flat water. I’d rather be dragonboating then…at least it’s a sport that’s meant for flatwater. OC-ing along the Thames River is super dull. But OK, at least it was a good break from the crowds of Central London. It’s already getting to me and driving me insane. As we paddled, I saw many ducks, swans and other birds. My favourite sighting was a mother duck swimming across the river with her brood of four ducklings following behind. They were such a cute sight!

I’ll check out a dragonboat club first and then decide which one I want to join. I’d like to join one of the clubs ‘cos at least it’s something for me to do. Plus it’s something I enjoy.

Anyway, it's 6.30pm now and I should get out of the office. I'm the only one left! The weird thing is that this 35-hour work week concept is so foreign to me. Like it seems un-godly to leave at 4.30pm and this is really like normal working hours for me back in Singapore! Anyway, I usually stay back to catch up on emails and blog.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Slow Spain

And oh, everything is in slow motion here. Spanish time is so relaxed it´s unbelievable. It´s like people here have it so easy with the siestas, and the late nights. I see kids running around late at night when I already feel like going to bed. The people here are also very friendly and so relaxed. No one´s in a rush at all. And the local women and men are so gorgeous. These people really have good genes. And oh, I love the

Anyway, more on Spain when I get back.

Ugly Betty

Many of my girlfriends and I are fans of the popular American sitcom Ugly Betty and I think the reason we enjoy it is because we all see something of ourselves in her.

Thankfully none of us share the same fashion sense as Betty (played by the very endearing America Ferrera), but we can certainly identify with all her insecurities – finding her place in this big and scary world, getting started on her career, dealing with the struggles of life, dating woes and figuring who her true love really is etc.

The characters in the show are also interesting, each nicely fleshed out by a great cast. I love Betty's gay nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato) best. This young actor is so fantastic with all his rather effeminate mannerisms and portrayal of the way he idolizes Martha Stewart is hilarious. Betty's boss, Daniel Meade is played by Eric Mabius who is good-looking in a very believable, everyday way. I mean, he's not drop-dead gorgeous like the Adonis-like hunks you typically see on the big screen, but he's still someone whom women would consider "cute" if he walked past us on the street or saw him at a bar. So it's that kind of cute where women find accessible, so to speak. Vanessa L. Williams also plays the rather evil-looking creative director, Wilhelmina Slater, to a hilt.

The show has a great mix of elements - humour, romance, and mystery. It also has a good dose of family values, friendship and also enough cattiness to keep audience interest up. I also love to look at all the couture that's paraded in the show, what with most of the action centred in Mode magazine's office.

Ferrera manages to play Betty with such earnestness and at the end of the day, we are all rooting for her, the underdog, to triumph against all the odds against her.

At this point, I'll segue into a conversation I had with a good friend couple of days ago. We were musing about how struggles are a part of life and he said that he actually enjoys swimming against the tide and dealing with those struggles as he finds it challenging. And that, he believes, is what life is about.

Hmm...I don't know about that. I guess the only reason why he can say something like that now is because he's never encountered any major obstacles in his life. So far, everything has gone smoothly for him. He's gone to all the top schools, managed to find a job he enjoys, knows where he wants to go in his career, has recently purchased a studio apartment and is already planning other investments in preparation for retirement in years to come.

As for me, I don't enjoy swimming against the tide - put it down to laziness or whatever, but I'd rather have it easy than hard. But I guess it's true, too, that you can't appreciate the good times if you don't know the hard.

Anyway, we agreed that probably the only way out of this struggle is to opt for a spiritual or religious life, which would mean renouncing the secular world. But we both agreed that it's not a path we would choose for ourselves (at least at this point in time) because we can't give up all the yummy food in the world, men (for me) and women (for him). Haha.

So there you go. My Sunday musings.

One of the Boys

You know you have become one of the boys when a group of heterosexual males have no qualms talking blatantly about sex, their sex lives, the size of their manhood and women around you. I must concede that it was, erm, very interesting and it gave me more insight into the male psyche...

Mapping a Person

I came across a personal blog the other day and was very intrigued by it because of its owner's heartfelt words which then made me delve deeper into her blog. As I went through the entries, I pieced together an image of her in my mind. It felt voyeuristic reading the private thoughts and feelings of a stranger. But I guess if you're prepared to have a blog, you must be prepared to have total strangers lurking about.

Like a puzzle, I found myself trying to piece together the different facets of this girl's life - her job, personality, interests etc. She seemed like a troubled soul and her personal relationships with men suffered because of it. It wasn't the most happy of blogs, but what I liked about it was that her words came from her heart and there were no pretensions.

Sometimes I wonder what total strangers make of me when they read my blog. I know there are some readers out there whom I've never met. I'm curious as to what makes them continue to read about a stranger's life. If they ever met me, I wonder if I'll match the image they have of me. Interesting thought.

Collecting Experiences

I was chatting to a friend over msn today and he told me that he had just turned 28 over the weekend and had spent some time rethinking his life. He said he now finds that he is less keen on "collecting" experiences. Our conversation was fleeting as we were both busy, so I didn't get to ask him why. However I told him that it's interesting, 'cos for me, it's the collecting of experiences that's keeping me going in life.

In all honesty, I'm hardly the ambitious sort of person. Though I do envy the wads of cash that spill from the wallets of the bankers, lawyers, businessmen (you get the drift) out there, I can't picture myself climbing the corporate ladder. Maybe I'm just not cut out for it. Some people strive in corporate environments. While I don't wither and wilt away in such environments, I don't particularly enjoy the environment either.

What then do I want, you ask me. I've been asking myself that question all these years but I've yet to come up with an answer. I know what I WOULD like to be, but getting there seems so impossible. I envy people who seem to know what they want right from the very start. Why can't I be one of those people and why can't the job I want to do bring in the sort of money such that I don't have to worry so much about not having enough of it?

So I haven't found a vocation that motivates me enough. But I do love life and I want to experience and try new things all the time. Most of which involve travelling. So in order to do that, I have to work and earn money. Therein lies my motivation. Thus, unlike my friend, I live to collect experiences.

A columnist in today's issue of Life! wrote about how she is suffering from a quarter-life crisis upon turning 26. She was a little miffed that she wasn't allowed (by her older friends) to complain and whine about her age and the worries about a 26-year-old journalist who earns pittance compared to her high-flying executive friends. I can identify with her - I used to and still do feel this way.

I've been feeling very stagnant for awhile hence I've taken some steps to make some changes in my life. As to what these changes are, my family and close friends already know, and it'll unfold on this blog in the not too distant future. Whether it's for the better or worse, I have NO idea at this point. All I know is that while life won't be perfect, it will be different. At least for awhile.

A Reason to Write

Ooh, olduvai has tagged me...this gives me a reason to write...I've been very uninspired of late as you can see from my lack of updates. So here it goes!

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3 things that scare me:
Being blind
Having no money
Reptiles

3 people who make me laugh:
My dog (ok fine, he's not a person per se)
Simon Cowell (I love his acerbic and caustic comments)
Any self-deluded person on reality talent shows

3 things I love:
The sea
Food
A good book

3 things I hate:
Rainy days (that means I can't canoe or do any outdoor sports!)
Working with the mainland Chinese (it's like paying penance)
People who peck at their food

3 things I don’t understand:
Men
Politicians
Life

3 things on my desk:
Bills (bleah)
My IXUS 850
A potted plant in a bright, red cheery pot

3 things I’m doing right now:
Going through my blog feeds
Eating breakfast
Listening to some jazz music

3 things I want to do before I die:
Live and work in another country
Travel the world
Take part in an outrigger canoe race in Hawaii

3 things I can do:
Steer an outrigger canoe and dragon boat
Eat a lot
Make Cantonese soup

3 things you should listen to:
Your gut feeling
Your gut (eat whatever and whenever it tells you to)
WOXY

3 things you should never listen to:
Singapore radio
Devil's advocate
Politicians

3 things I’d like to learn:
Make my money grow
Ski
Cook well

3 favorite foods:
Well-made sweet and sour pork
A mean chocolate lava cake
My mum's soups

3 beverages I drink regularly:
Distilled water
Tap water
Chinese tea

3 TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid:
Smurfs
Mr Men and Little Miss Series
Care Bears

3 people I have to tag:
overacuppa, monoceros, chungking express

Ambergris

Yes, you're probably thinking 'Huh? What the hell's ambergris???'

Well, suffice to say that after reading this article, I wished all the puking drunks outside the pubs and discos could somehow metamorphose into sperm whales.

Mee Pok Man

This has nothing to do with Eric Khoo's film Mee Pok Man, but the Mee Pok Man referred to in this post is no less famous. I don't think any SCGS girl, past or present, knew his name. He was simply known as the "Mee Pok Man" in school. I was in Beijing on Saturday night when an ex-colleague who also used to be an SCGS girl sms-ed to tell me that he had died.

I felt a little sad that an icon of SCGS has passed on. He's practically an institution. Numerous batches of SCGS girls (even my mum ate his noodles when she was a student there!) have eaten his noodles. Hell, it was our staple diet. I grew up on it for 10 years, being there from Primary 1 to Secondary 4. The stall used to be run by him, his wife and his elderly mother. The latter scared the hell out of every girl 'cos she was very fierce. I always preferred buying from "Uncle" because he was nicer and his noodles tasted better. But if time doesn't permit and one didn't run out of class to the canteen fast enough, settling for the shorter queue at his mum's side of the stall was the next best thing.

My favourite was always "Mee Pok Tah" (dried mee pok) and I would always ask for only a little of chilli, and maybe sometimes just a little more vinegar.

His noodle stall was definitely the most famous one amongst SCGS girls and I'm sure his memory will live on in many of us.

Nice Stranger

I was walking towards International Plaza to get some breakfast when I heard an "Excuse me."

I turned around to find myself facing a woman in her 20s. At first I thought she wanted to ask me for directions. So imagine my surprise when she said, "Oh, I just wanted to say that I really like how your shoes match your earrings so well!"

So sweet of her! I thanked her for her lovely compliment and also noticed that she was wearing a lovely necklace, and complimented her on it as well. She chirpily replied that her grandmother had made it for her. Cool, yah! Then we bade each other goodbye with a "Have a fantastic day!"

I think this has really made my day! I should learn from that stranger - a compliment or two can really make a difference to someone's day!

Stagnated

So this is probably the longest stretch of time I’ve left my blog without a proper entry. A brief “Uninspired” sent some messages from concerned friends my way. Thanks, guys. It’s really nice and comforting to know I have friends who care. Appreciate it.

Well, I’ve just been uninspired to write. I haven’t been checking out new eating places. I haven’t gone on any dates. I haven’t done anything new. In short, my life seems stagnated. Hence the lack of inspiration.

A friend sms-ed me last night and said she wanted to cancel out on a blind date that’s to take place on Friday. Nerves must have struck her and she said maybe she should “act blur” and hope the guy will forget about it. My reply: “Don’t be stupid! Just go ok! Give yourself a chance. If you REALLY don’t want, I’ll go on that date since I’m so freakg bored & hv no plans yet 4 fri!Wld u prefer tt???”

I think that reply did it – she is, hopefully, going on that date. Haha. But what I wrote is true, right? At least she can get a free meal, ok! In my opinion, that’s good enough a reason to go. ;)

Uninspired

Over-protective Parents

Some parents in Singapore are just way too protective over their children. I was in a toilet in Raffles City on Saturday night (was attending yet another boring Chinese wedding dinner - *yawn*) and there was this girl of about 3 or 4 years old, crying away near the area where the sinks were.

She was wailing away and kept telling her mum that she wanted to go to the toilet on her own. If my child wanted to exert her independence at such a young age, I'd be more than happy to let her go on her own. 'Cos I believe teaching a child to be independent is one of the best things you can do for your child and it has to start with little things like that.

Of course, opinions always differ. This particular mother obviously thought different from me because she was scolding her daughter for wanting to go on her own and insisting that she was too young to do so and that she would be in danger of locking herself in the toilet.

And I'm thinking, c'mon, it's not like the door is sssooooo difficult to unlock. It's just a matter of sliding the ledge in and out. And even if she did lock (I would definitely give the little girl more credit) herself in, tiny her could have easily crawled out through the space under the door.

I don't know how this little dispute resolved itself in the end 'cos by the time I left the toilet, the girl was still crying and insisting on going on her own and saying that she wouldn't end up locking herself in.

I guess her mother was also afraid of her dirtying herself. But hey, that's how kids learn. Parents here should just learn to let go a little!

Goodbye & Good Luck!

Olduvai left for the US early this morning where she'll stay for two months, after which she'll be heading for the UK for further studies. I'm going to miss this good friend of mine. No more eating kaki and no more conversations about life, food, books, movies etc over a good meal.

But I am extremely happy for her. And excited for her too! This is going to be such an exciting time for her! I will live her adventures vicariously through her blog.

It's nice to see that people are moving on in their lives, living new experiences and adventures. Of course, I hope that I'm doing so myself. I think I'm not doing too badly. I guess, or at least I hope so!

Goodbye and Good Luck gal!

Checking Email

On checking my work email this morning, I saw that I had three emails sent by two colleagues over the weekend. One on Saturday and two on Sunday.

The one sent on Saturday was from a colleague who's travelling on business at the moment, so I can understand why he's sending work emails over the weekend. I realise that when travelling on business, the concept of a break over the weekend doesn't quite exist 'cos you're cut off from your routine and weekday nights and weekends are probably the only times you can clear and answer emails.

But the two emails sent on Sunday by a Chinese colleague of mine is just insane. She sent it in the late morning, and I'm thinking "Woman, go get a life!!!"

I don't know what she is doing checking work email over the weekend. She's such a workoholic that I think the concept of work-life balance does not actually exist in her realm.

Personally, I don't check work email over the weekend unless absolutely necessary. That would mean that I would be informed at a certain part of the work week that I will be expecting over the weekend. It's just that I feel it's important AND healthy to give myself a break from work over the weekend. So that means no checking of work email or doing any work. I feel that I return to work as a more efficient worker if I've had a proper break. But this doesn't mean that I have never worked over the weekend. I have done so on many occasions. However, I do it on a need-to basis. Thankfully that hasn't been too often.

But this Chinese colleague of mine is just over the top. Someone needs to tell her to slow down and just smell the roses.

Good Morning!

This morning, when i got on Bus Number 162 to come to work, the bus driver greeted me, and everyone that boarded the bus "Good morning". Tis a rare thing to happen in Singapore.

And that's why i really like this bus driver who greets all the passengers. It's the third time i'm taking his bus. 'Cos sometimes i might take other bus numbers as this is not the only bus that can take me to work.

But now i hope that i'll be able to catch his bus because it's nice to have a friendly bus driver who greets his passengers. It's just a nice way to start the day. So much more pleasant.

Why isn't it a common occurence for people in Singapore to say "good morning" to strangers? Once, when i went jogging in the morning at a park, i just smiled and said "good morning" to a woman walking in the opposite direction, and i think she thought i was mad 'cos she was shocked and a strange expression came onto her face when i said it.

And actually I can understand why bus drivers don't greet people. 'Cos when they do, Singaporeans are such idiots--they don't greet the person back! Instead they just have a shocked expression on their faces, as if thinking that the stranger who just greeted them "good morning" is mad!

Thankfully, i think Singaporeans are getting better. The other day, i observed that most of the people acknowledged the bus driver's greeting and greeted him back in return.

I think such little things make the world just that little bit nicer and more pleasant to live in, don't you? :)

Gag Order Lifted

So my blog has been resurrected, and many thanks to vantan who is the technical whiz. This blog wouldn't be here without her, 'cos really, I'm a technical idiot. Thanks to hundreds of thousands--I'm not kidding, I had about 190,000 trackback spams--the webhost suspended the account as the spams were overloading the webhost's CPU. That's what happened according to my understanding. Don't ask me to explain more 'cos I have no explanation to give.

Anyway, the days that I didn't get to write, I felt like I was given a gag order. And it felt horrible!

The weekend was great. I went wakeboarding at Punggol Marina on Friday morning with monoceros, her godsis and a friend of theirs. It was good fun. After that, I went to Sentosa to outrigger canoe. Along with five other teammates, we paddled from Tanjong Beach to Kusu Island and St John's Island. When we were out at sea, we were caught in the rain but thankfully it wasn't that heavy that we had to take shelter on the islands. We managed to paddle our way there and back (in the rain for most part) in 1hr 10min, thanks also to the tide being in our favour.

Saturday morning, as usual, was dragonboat time. A 5km jog along Marina Promenade preceeded dragonboat practice. It's actually a really nice jog with trees providing shade and the Singapore Harbour in view. Dragonboat practice was tough--everyone was spent after that.

Sunday I was having a sneezing fit for the entire day after bringing my collie to the vet. I have a sensitive nose and too much of his fur in close proximity evokes such a reaction. Not fun.

Monday. Yucks. The blues hit again. Crisis management took hold the first thing I came into the office. Not fun also.

Climate of Fear

It's no wonder people in China are afraid of making decisions and assuming responsibility for decisions if what I witnessed on Monday is the norm in China.

I was at the office of the co-publisher I work with. And the two editors I was going through the page proofs with suddenly requested that we take a photo together. They explained to me that they had to do so to prove to their boss that they are working with me. They even started taking pictures of the page proofs that were lying on the table. And there I was thinking how bizarre the whole situation is. There's absolutely no trust at all in one's employees.

Then I'm also told that books are picked at random to undergo a quality check. For every "mistake" they find, e.g. the line should be one point thinner in width, 0.5/1 demerit point is given. If the book hits a certain number of demerit points, the editor working on it will be fired.

I just think it's ridiculous to be fired over such little matters. There's absolutely no room for mistakes. It's like in China you're only marked for the bad things and never rewarded for the good. It's no wonder this climate of fear prevails where mistakes and failures are not tolerated. Such an Asian thing! So annoying!

Inviting Me???

I don't understand why people I wouldn't think of inviting to *my* wedding (if I were going to have one) would invite me to theirs. The only reason (being cynical me) I can think of is that they want to make up numbers. Got the email below on Monday.

=========================================

Hi Xxxx,

It�s been some time since we met. [er, yah! At least seven years! And this friend suddenly pops up] What better way to catch up than at a wedding dinner :) [eerrr, NO!!!!! Please, like you think you will even have the time to say hi, much less have a decent conversation during a dinner with 400 - 500 guests.]

X & I are getting married on XX Month 2006, Sunday @_______. We�ll love to have you (and your partner???) there �. please save the date! [Who's X? Like I'm supposed to know who she is when I haven't even spoken to you in seven years. I have no partner and no, I'm NOT saving the date.]

Formal invitation will follow.

XY
========================================

I mean seriously, I think it's meaningless to go when I'm not close to this person at all. And this is my rule of thumb as far as agreeing to attend weddings goes--I'll only go if I've spoken or communicated with the person in the past year. That means I'm close enough to the person to keep in touch. Otherwise, I consider it a waste of time and money.

Lessons from Mr. B

1) Do not be late the first time you're meeting someone. A good first impression it does not make I'm afraid.

2) Do not talk only about work--it bores the hell outta people.
- But then again, in Mr. B's case, I suppose he didn't have anything else to talk about.

3) Do ask your date questions about herself.
- It's rude to talk only about yourself and not ask questions in return. This is NOT an interview thank you very much. You're not the interviewee and your date isn't the interviewer.

4) Do not keep shifting your eyes and looking at other people going in and out of the restaurant all of the time, just because you want to look out for people you might know and so you can "network".

5) Do not be so desperate to network such that when you think a lady sitting outside to be your company doctor, you go outside to say "hi" only to discover you've made a mistake.

- I nearly wanted to laugh in his face when I heard it. But mainly I was disgusted at his pathetic attempts to network. He was telling me earlier how important it is to just say "hi" to people even if it's just an acquaintance. Pls, give me a break. I would only say hi to a family doctor I've been seeing since a kid and not a doctor at a clinic whom I see once in a blue moon.

6) Again, do not be so desperate to network with other people in the restaurant when you're on a date. Identifying correctly the senior banker at your bank who comes 15min later after the booboo with the "doctor" doesn't make the first botched attempt less pathetic. So he goes up to say "hi" to the senior banker. From my observation through the glass window, the man had no clue who Mr. B was. I bet Mr. B must have name-dropped some other senior banker's name and so the man was seemingly cordial to his networking attempts.

7) Develop some balls.
- Don't tell me you really don't like drinking and smoking, but you do it only to fraternise with the traders and brokers you have to work with. But really, your cigarette is in your hand most of the time. Please, at least be daring and man enough to say "No" and stop being such a phony.

8) If you don't already have a life outside of work, please get yourself one NOW.

The Old Cobbler

I don't know what I would do without those old uncles who make a living repairing the shoes along street corners. They are a dying breed who fixes shoes at such low prices. And most of the time, they're very skillful!

Just had a pair of heels fixed by an old uncle who sits along Robinson Road. And as I waited for my shoes to be fixed, I just thought of how sad it would be when I will no longer see these old cobblers with their little stools and all their gear crouched at little street corners.

It's Not a Love Bite!

Friends who have seen me recently have asked if the red mark on my neck is a love bite. While I'd like to say I been having some amorous liaison with some hot hunk, the truth of the matter is that it's caused by eczema! Been having eczema and heat rash often exacerbated when I perspire after my jogs.

So yes please, it ain't no love bite!

Pseudo Autistic

To borrow a term coined by my friend to describe people who are rather anti-social and tend to be rather quiet, I think the term "pseudo autistic" is one that suits me fine.

You see, I'm horrible when I find myself in a situation where I don't know many people. Like last night, when I went along with my friend to her friend's party. I just couldn't do the mingling thing and try to chat to people I didn't know. Seriously, I feel uncomfortable in such situations and then my pseudo autistic tendencies will surface. But well, at least on my part there's self-awareness of these tendencies so maybe I'm on the lower end of the pseudo autistic scale.

I'm fine with one-on-one or small group interaction though. Maybe it's because I just don't find that so intimidating. I'm quite shy by nature. Was a shy child, am a shy adult. I take time to warm up to people and often I need people to draw me out.

So if you ever see me at a party and I come across at being aloof, I'm really not. It's really shyness more than anything else!

Fireworks

I have been very fortunate to catch the fireworks display twice during the Chinese New Year period because of some celebrations at Boat Quay.

I happened to catch it again tonight from the comfort of my room and it was so beautiful to see the colours adorning the night sky even though those coloured streaks and shapes are so transient.

Did you know that there are now fireworks that burst into the shape of a heart? There's even a double heart one where two hearts are linked together! There's also one which bursts into a red star within a white round circle.

Watching fireworks light up the sky is one of those things which can never fail to put a smile on my face and a laugh in my heart.

Friday musings

Got notification of my salary review two days ago. At this rate of increase, I think I�d only reach the $5k mark at retirement age. And even then, retirement is being pushed further and further back these days. Quite a depressing thought. And by the time I reach the $10k mark, I�d be six feet underground and that�s probably only because people are burning paper money for me.

�

I was talking with a financial advisor about two months ago. He calculated that if I wanted to have a monthly income of $3k after I retire at 65, I�d have to accumulate about $2.46million in savings by retirement. I nearly choked on my food and fell off my chair when I heard it. But it�s totally plausible when taking into account inflation. How to make so much money? Can somebody tell me? Beg, steal or borrow?

�

A friend I had dinner with last night told me of how her two female colleagues in their early 20s asked her if her boyfriend was rich or not. She was appalled (naturally) as what kind of question is that??? When she told them that no, her boyfriend isn�t rich and that he�s still in uni, they went �Then how do you survive??? Don�t you like rich men???�

I don�t understand the mentality of these women. Do they mean to say that they expect their boyfriend to pay for everything? And that they cannot survive on their own without a rich man for a boyfriend?

�

In yesterday�s issue of URBAN, two women who are self-confessed shopholics were featured. One of them is in her early 50s and spends all of her $1500 income on shopping. Her philosophy is that one should live in the moment and there�s no need to bother about saving. She leaves her husband to bring in the money for the rest of the family. The other woman, a young lady of 25, spends a big portion of her salary on shopping. She shops almost every day as she works in Wisma Atria. In order to have more money to shop, she eats at McDonald�s every day (yucks!!!) and pays for her meals there using her EZ-link card �cos she says her mum tops up the card for her all the time. I'm surprised she isn't at all embarrassed about admitting this 'cos I certainly would be!

...

I have to work on Saturday and next Saturday as well. The whole day. Sacred Saturdays are burnt. Boohoohoo.

...

I�m thinking those two women seriously need some help in curbing their shopping addiction!!!

...

To those two spineless colleagues of my friend's, I say "C�mon, get a bit of backbone already!"

...

I bought a $2 TOTO ticket for this week's $10million draw. I went for Quickpick. I bought only one ticket 'cos I figured if you're meant to win you're meant to win. It's the first TOTO ticket I've ever bought. I might just have beginner's luck and then I might not have to worry too much about retirement. Draw's tonight!

...

I'm not being paid enough to have my Saturdays burnt without complaint.

Radio Gag

To celebrate radio's 70th anniversary in Singapore, there's this 70-hour radio gag going on right now with several DJs from the local radio stations. I think about seven DJs are taking on this challenge where they can't speak for 70 hours all for the cause of charity. If they succeed in doing so, the particular charity that their radio station is supporting will get $70,000.

I'm thinking it must be really difficult for people who make their living from talking to shut up for 70 hours. I mean, it's difficult for any person! Even for myself, evidently not the most talkative and sociable person in the world, I find it difficult to not talk at all for one day. But I think for the DJs it's not that bad as they are allowed to communicate with others through writing (e.g. SMS or just writing on a piece of paper), just not talking.

It's intrinsically human to want to communicate and socialise. Humans are, after all, social creatures. Even if one wanted to live like a hermit, it's quite difficult to do so in modern society.

A friend once told me that she had gone for a nine-day meditation retreat. During the retreat, all the participants weren't allowed to talk to one another at all. Most of the time, they were alone--spending time reflecting and getting to know their own self. She said she found it hard not talking and communicating with others in the first three days but after that, she actually found it very refreshing and that it was a good time for her to get to know herself.

I don't know if that kind of retreat is for me. I suppose it would be a good challenge but it's not something I want to take on just yet. I don't think I could survive the first day!

Trivia

Some little trivia about myself which I wrote down for a meme...

1. Diamonds or pearls?
Both--i'm greedy.

2. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Jarhead

3. What is your favorite TV show?
None at the moment. Hardly watch TV.

4. What did you have for breakfast?
A big cup of freshly squeezed fruit juice made by my mummy.

5. What is your middle name?
NA

6. What is your favorite food?
Cantonese food.

7. What foods do you dislike?
Anything that has too much milk and cream in it.

8. Your favorite Potato chip?
None. Don't like potato and all its spin-offs/derivatives in
general.

9. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
None.

10. Favorite drink?
Water. The best thirst quencher.

11. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where
would it be?
Europe

12. Favorite brand of clothing?
No particular brand. Just as long as it's comfortable and the
cutting suits me, I like! I like shopping at Far East Plaza...it's
like some belated teenage craze.

13. Where would you retire?
Sydney.

14. Favorite time of day?
Any time when i'm not in the office. So that probably means
evenings and nights.

15. What laundry detergent do you use?
Dynamo

16. Coke or Pepsi?
None. Don't drink both.

17. Are you a morning person or night owl?
Morning person.

18. What size shoe do you wear?
7

19. Do you have pets?
Yes. One collie and one poodle.

20. Favorite Candy Bar?
Don't eat sweets.

21. Favorite season?
Summer. Love it when's the sun's hot and one can hit the
beach!

22. Piercings:
Left ear, right ear.

23. Eye color:
Dark brown.

24. Ever been to Africa?
No

25. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday. Then i get to go to the beach.

26. Favorite flower?
Sunflower-- 'cos how can one possibly not smile when you
see one?

27. Favorite ice cream?
Rich, dark chocolate ice cream

28. Disney or Warner Brothers?
Disney

29. Favorite fast food restaurant?
None. Hate fast-food. Avoid them like the plague.

30. What color is your bedroom carpet?
No carpet. Closest thing to a carpet are both of my dogs
who seem to love lying around in my room.

31. Which store would you choose to Max out your Credit Card?
Cold Storage supermarket. A gal needs her siupply of food. I
would choose NTUC Fairprice for its cheaper prices, but alas
NTUC doesn't accept credit cards.

32. What do you do most often when you are bored?
Read.

33. Bedtime:
11.30pm - 12am

34. Ford or Chevy?
A Volkswagon Tourag can???

35. Lake, Ocean or River?
Ocean--best for outrigger canoeing, snorkeling, diving,
kayaking,

36. How many tattoos do you have?
None. Don't intend to get any either.

37. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Don't care. I just know I like to eat both.

38. Favorite Cocktail?
Dunno. Not much of a drinker.

39. Red or White wine?
Red. Then I can take my time to sip it without having to
worry about it turning warm and not being nice to drink
anymore.

40. Where would you go for a girls or boys weekend get-a-way?
Any Club Med beach resort.

恭喜发财

Happy Chinese New Year to all! Hope the year ahead will be filled with lots of good cheer, food, banter, friendship, money, romance, health etcetc. Just everything good lah!!!

I trust everyone has been eating well so far! I've been eating way too many pineapple tarts. I shouldn't, but I can't resist those lovely little things calling out to me. Also way too much kueh lapis at my friend's place last night.

Ah well, what the heck. Just eat and be merry!

Single & Ready to Mingle

Yep, that's me. I'm bored with my love life (or lack thereof really). Basically I'd just like to meet new people. But that seems really difficult!!! Seriously, how does one get to meet new people???

Perhaps I'm finally feeling the pressure as I slowly see more and more friends settling down and having kids. Just on Wed evening, I went to the hospital to visit a friend who had just given birth to a baby girl. While I was there, another friend announced she was getting married.

I often think of life as a journey on a bus. Some people on the bus travel the whole journey with us, some get up and then get off, some start off on the same journey but leave at some point, some get up at some point and never leave.

Sometimes, I feel like my bus of life is moving a lot slower than others. Yet, I also don't feel like I'm quite ready to settle down. There seems to be so many things to do and places to explore in this world. While I know what I don't want, I don't know what I want.

Frustrations at Work

Working with the mainland Chinese can be a VERY frustrating affair. In the course of my work, I deal a lot with the mainland Chinese. The frustrating thing is that they take ages to give you answers, everyone isn't willing to make a decision for fear of taking responsibility for it and they insist on clinging on the old way of doing things.

It's driving me insane and I feel like my job's hanging on the line because of these people I have to work with. Honestly, I'm worried about getting fired because even if it isn't my fault, the blame's going to be on me because they're our clients. No one's going to pity me and in a profit-driven company, who's going to give two hoots about me--one of the lowest life forms in the company?

No Television

It might surprise people to know that I hardly watch TV. Honest to god, I've never watched an episode of The Apprentice, Project Runway, Desperate Housewives, or any hit TV drama, comedy or reality series of late.

Friends have been telling me I've been missing out on A LOT. Olduvai has told me that I HAVE to watch Grey's Anatomy. OK, maybe I'll make time for this since I really like Sandra Oh.

Funny thing is that I don't really feel like I've been missing out on a lot. I'm not even sure why I've kinda lost interest in TV. It just seems like I have other things to do, so much so that I don't have time for TV. Hmm.

Historical Inaccuracies

I've been watching the Korean drama serial 大长今 Jewel in the Palace ever since my mum brought home the VCD set which her colleague had lent to her.

Anyway, despite being frustrated sometimes at the slow pace of the show, I love watching it because of all the food which is featured in the series. It's a feast for all the eyes watching the characters prepare all the food for the king and his officials in the palace kitchen. OK, I also love the lead actor Ji Jin Hee. His character is so cool and so sweet and he has such a lovely smile! *melt*

But I have a bone to pick with some historical inaccuracies. In one episode, they had an ambassador from China visit Korea. It was supposed to be set in the period of the Ming Dynasty. He was then served the 满汉全席 by one of the cooks. If one wants to be nitpicking, this technically wouldn't be possible as the 满汉全席 came into existence in the Qing Dynasty

满 refers to the Manchurians who ruled China in the Qing Dynasty. 汉 refers to the native Han people of China. The 满汉全席 is a banquet which combines the best of the cuisines and cooking styles of both groups of people.

In any case, I don't even know why the Koreans would be cooking the 满汉全席 when it's something unique to China!

Get Me Out!

I don't know how it happened, but I just found out that my blog is one of the links on a webpage titled "Sensual Mystique", and it's a webpage rounding up places where one can buy lingerie in Singapore!

Bizarre!!! I have to find a way to get my blog out of that page!!!

Shortest Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, a girl asked a guy "Will you marry me?"

The guy said, "NO!"

And the girl lived happily ever after and went shopping, dancing, camping, drank martinis, always had a clean house, never had to cook, had sex with whomever she pleased and farted whenever she wanted.

THE END

And no, i didn't write it! Mine would go something like that:

Once upon a time, a girl asked a chef (a very good one may I add) "Will you marry me?"

The guy said, "YES!"

And the girl lived happily ever after and went shopping, eating, drank wine and champagne, always had a house full of food, never had to cook, and ate whenever and whatever she wanted.

THE END

:p

Post-River Regatta

In saying that I am disappointed with the results of the weekend�s races, I think I echo the sentiments of many of my teammates. I honestly thought we would have done better.

I felt horrible when I saw the anguish and disappointment on Nick�s face after the results for one of the races were officially announced. We made it only to the semis for all the four events we were aiming for. As with all sprint events, the results were often determined by split seconds, nanoseconds, milliseconds, whatever. But whatever it was, a loss is a loss. Or in this case, losses.

I guess what shocked me personally, was how other teams we normally didn�t lose to had stepped up, improved and beaten us in this race. I don�t think we practised any less than they did, but what were they doing right that we weren�t? I still can�t quite figure out.

Anyway, that�s the short of the weekend�s competition. At least it ended on a high note with a team dinner at a coffee shop along Keong Saik Street. Putting aside the day�s disappointments, everyone made merry with a lot of beer drinking, beer drinking competitions and other silly but fun ruses. The usual jokers in the team made everyone laugh with their hilarious antics and we really brought the house down. I think the other patrons were pretty cheesed off by the noise we were making!

Afternote

Sometimes it pays to be vocal and assert your rights as a consumer. I received the email below after my angry spew in the guest comment card of hotel #3 in Beijing.

Dear Xxxx,

Thank you very much for taking the time to fill in the Guest Comment Card. I apologise to you that our staff were not flexible when an extra bottle of water was requested.

To make it more convenient for our guests, we have decided that we put 4 bottles in the rooms on Plaza Floor rooms and in all suites.

To show our care to you, I would like to upgrade you to our delux suite for your next stay. Kindly send me a email when you book your room next time.

Regards,

Ronald Ma
General Manager
Tianhong Plaza Hotel, Beijing
(Managed by Radisson Hotels & Resorts)

Ha, you'll bet I'll be emailing for my deluxe suite next time round! And I'm glad they have come round about the water!

Which Side?

When faced with a double bed, which side do you usually choose to sleep on? I don't know why, but I usually choose to sleep on the left. I just prefer it. Maybe it's because I paddle on the left in a dragonboat and I've become more partial to the left.

And now it's time for bed. Am going to jump onto the left side of my king-size bed now! And I can look forward to a decent breakfast tomorrow as well! I want to have a hearty omelette, bread, cheese, hot tea etc. You'll bet I'll stuff my face with food tomorrow morning!

Funny Job Title

I couldn't help but be amused at the job title of this job ad I came across:

Job title: Master of the Universe

A super-smart, super-fun and super-cool person is sought as the Assistant to Managing Director of Asia City Publishing Group - the region's largest provider of city living and entertainment information. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for a fresh graduate who is ambitious, brilliant and extremely well organized.

Showers

The world hotel association (is there such an organisation?) or whatever association that governs hotel standards should make it mandatory that all hotels around the world fit their rooms with Hansgrohe shower sets.

What's a girl gotta do to get a decent shower???

Boredom Personified

The Chinese have a really different notion of decorum. They have to thank everyone and anyone there is to thank for the holding of the conference.

I sat through one of the most boring opening addresses in my life this morning. Get this, there were probably about 10 freaking opening speeches and addresses I had to endure from various "distinguished"/"honourable" (the Chinese seem to LOVE those words) guests who all end up thanking the same people over and over again. They cannot leave out anyone. Well fair enough, 'cos it's only right to acknowledge people for their efforts. But surely once is enough???? Do we really have to get different people thanking the same people 10 times????

Like get on with it already!!!!

*rolls eyes*

The Saver

The Mother, appalled by the way I spend my money, yesterday pointed out to me an article in the papers featuring a 30-year-old man who has amassed $250,000 in total assets in just six years of working life. He has even written a book on how he did it.

So I of course go "WOW!" at his ability to amass so much moolah and went on to read to find out more.

After reading the article, I figured I would also be capable of achieving the same feat if only I:

1) Were an engineer. And one at HP to boot (I bet they have fat bonuses). I'm 100% sure that anyone in the engineering field is paid heaps more than I do.

2) Saved 60% of my take-home pay. Saving 30% is considered a feat (have yet to be achieved. eeks.) much less 60%!!! And then I would have to have a lot of luck when it comes to choosing which funds to dump my money in.

3) Ate only at McDonald's and food courts which to him are considered a luxury already. He tells me this after I spent like $100 the day before just on food. He and his girlfriend only go to fast-food eateries, food courts and hawker centres for meals. Wah, this is like torture to me.

4) Played Dungeons & Dragons with my friends as my only form of entertainment. OK, nothing against Dungeons & Dragons or Jails & Phoenixes or whatever, but there's no way I'm giving up my dragonboating, canoeing, concerts, travel, books etc. Sorry, but I don't see any work-life balance there!

5) Had a boyfriend who buys a $218 mp3 player for me and is so thrilled by the gadget that he returns to Sim Lim Square to buy a $48 one for himself. Very sweet. We do need boyfriends like that--splurge on girlfriend then spend so little on himself. Now if only this guy could just release more of his bounty.

New Clothes

Ooh, I'm wearing my new clothes today! I feel pretty! :p

And for more bimbotic fodder, please go to Slumbering Girl's entry on how to hide bodily flaws in the art of photography. Her entry cracked me up. Heehee.

Cold

Cold is the theme for Illustration Friday this week. "Cold" reminds me of:

- ice cream
- ice kachang
- snow
- my office
- aaccccchhhhoooooooo!!!!
- my cashmere coat
- snobs

Movie Lull

I haven't been to the movies in four months. I find it quite incredulous when I think about it. Maybe it's just 'cos no movie has induced a burning desire for me to want to catch it. The last movie I watched on the big screen was Batman Begins. Geesh.

After that, I caught one or two on the mini-screen. That is, inflight entertainment on board planes! I watched Sin City, Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and The Longest Yard.

This year's selection of movies doesn't seem very good. I don't seem to recall watching anything that has really struck me as awesome. Or maybe I've just been plain lazy about making the effort to go to the movies!

The Things People Do

I don't know why my friend bothers to sms me to tell me he's back in Sg for a week and then says he's probably going to be too busy to meet up. Mad.

Silly Instructions

I find voice message recordings like that extremely dumb:
"For English, press '1'. For Chinese, press '2'..."

Like HOW would someone who doesn't understand a word of English know that he/she has to press "2" for Chinese??? I don't think these customer service people ever thought about that!

I Was Wrong

Oh OK. So I was wrong. My office server didn't ban blogspot sites after all. It was a glitch on blogspot's part. Good. I'm happy now. :)

Ban on Blogspot

I think my office server has just placed a ban on blogspot sites. There goes all my reading pleasure. Argh.