Krabi Eco-Trail Conservation Project
http://krabiproject.tripod.com/FINALLY, after 5 mths of preparations/meetings/facilitation, this trip is happening today. Leaving at 6am from the Budget Terminal, gathering at 4am...yawn...
As usual, did my last minute spacking of stuff, run some last minute errands, stil have time to eat cake & drink tea...
A bit worried about the girls on their packing & wat they will bring for the trip. No matter how much we prep & manage their expectations, still think they are not ready :/ Heck, la, just take it when it comes & bet a lot of hilarious episodes will happen in this 10 days. Oh, suppose to fly back on fri morning too but we extended our stay there for 2 more, so flying back instead on a Sunday, 11 June... then it's another whirlwind of firming up my itinerary for England till 22 Jun..
Pray Krabi wouldnt rain too much, hope wouldnt kena leeches ( i still shudder when I remember how HQ got that leech so close to her a**), hope wun kena anything (cos i was unwell, so din take any jabs).... heard that there's tiger-sighting at the national park wor...
OK, everyone be safe, including Sg pple... hold on to the gossips and updates till i'm back!!
p.s the photo-image very cute horp.s.s. can u imagine aparticular alumni wearing tt uniform, holding the flower?
Alumni Initation & Flea Market
Thursday Marina Square to ChinatownThis is wat i ate on Friday from lunch to dnr-cum-supper..Lunch: Hot & Sour Handmade Noodles, Spicy Wantons, Beancurds, Xiaolongbao, Fried Beancurd Skins...Soya bean Drink...Tea Break: A huge slice of strawberry Strudel, Another Munchie: Greedy me gobbled on a Beard Papa's Chocolate EclairDnr-cum-Supper: Roti John, picked on CJ's beehoon goreng, kept attacking ZXL & lulu's tissue prata, Teh Tarikthe flat stomach frm Australia trip is now inflated like a balloon... :(FridayBukit Timah to Beach Road Army Market to Orchard CineleisureWas at a PTM at Bt Timah, not bad...YW was good at presenting across to the parents, brought the gals to Beach Rd Market despite me being v late for my flea market..shows them some landmarks and became a tour guide for them in a way...missed those times when being a small gals, u just look so innocent & trusting without trying...Highlight of the Day: The Flea Market!!Highest Sales Target Award : Mrs Chua & Ms D, who even sold tshirts for our next door vendor...who happens to also look like Mr Team S'pore! they called Mrs Chua 'lao ban niang'.Weirdest Sale: A Soccer ball covered with Botox's teethmarks for $2 (again by our top salegirl Mrs Chua)Most CMI Clothes: Serene's checked/U2/never-wear-before-&-tag-still-there long sleeves & Earthwear!Inspired by Serene, CJ brought her fair share of shorts... Strangest Customer: Bought a total of $80(when most tops are selling for $3-5) worth of stuff...My Proudest Moment of the Day: Selling Serene's grey lok kok faint Adidas as 'vintage wear' for $5, and after that selling her polo green cargo jeans for $20 which looks like...:/Next target for tomorrow, selling serene's white long sleeves topMost hilarious sight: 6 girls all carrying odds & ends crossing road, taking lift....me a 3/4 length mirror, serene & chinghui a HUGE sports bag between them (one shoulder strap on serene's shoulder, another on lulu's shoulder - imagine them entering/exiting lift), CJ carrying big bags & MS D's dismantled hanger, sharon & kmin all carrying bulky bags on both sides of shoulders....Satisfying moment: In CJ's car, listening to Jay Chou's songs, eating cheese bread, heading towards Holland V to celebrate instructor's birthday with the long mirror laying across lulu's & my lap.....
Tribes
Read an interesting article in Action Asia about tribes....
getting your own tribe.
Some brillant chaps thought of an online tribe, where upon reaching a target membership of 5000, it will become a reality & ceased being an online entity. Only 100 of the tribe will be allowed to live on the island at one time, and of course you'll still need to pay membership fees covering cost of food & accomodation during your stay.
These modern tribal people will be in charge of their own destiny on the island, no eletricity, only two houses on the island, then they got to solve problems like sleep where, eat what. u can imagine quite sparse, like LOST or SURVIVAL...basically ang mohs will adore this idea but chinese will scoff at it kind ('pay money to suffer' mentality)....
currently there's only this chief head who owns the island but does not want to release to some pple who are not environment-friendly but rent out to these chaps for this brillant 3-years long plan....
Recently been holed up at home watching LOST Epsiode 11-15, these are the must-watch episodes...so damn exciting! getting better and better, the previous Season 1 gaps are filled! aiyoh, cant wait to finish before Krabi..otherwise gotta wait for more 11 days...
Free from Fever, Cough & Sore Throat
for 5 mths which is a miracle for me, the previous time i fell sick was Dec 05.....and i was just gloating how i haven't been falling sick ever since i quit my joband today, felt feverish, sore throat, hint of flu...OD on chocolates last night, damn....din do much the past 2 days, was nuaing at home...when i remembered i have not taken my jabs for Krabi! Always remembered things when my schedule picks up, now dunno how to squeeze in the visit to TTSH Travel Clinic, furthermore, now not well.....and i'm collecting my fujitsu laptop at LONG LONG LAST! Yippeee............P7120XP, stone black, yay yay....With this new purchase, DO NOT doubt that I'll not be frequenting high tea places, lunches/dinners that will cost me more than $10 (with drinks), taxis, expensive hobbies (ok lah, once in a while wakeboarding is permitted), what else....hm....that's all, i'm actually quite low maintenance...Countdown to sawadeekrabi: 8 days
Baby Marcellus
Arrival of Baby Marcellus....see photo album
Lime Flea Market & Birth of Marcellus
Flea MarketOK! All set, with the booth at $30... all kinds of rubbish forms to fill up..think they need to streamline their operations man...pple at lime is super unfriendly..meeting at SSC 6pm to go throu meeting agenda..erm..think this is part of a job occupational hazardhttp://www.lime.sg/2006_04/fleamarket.htmMarcellusCalled Ms Tok on friday, she told me BB's due date was 23 May, i wanted the little one to come out earlier in order to attend his man yue a mth later AS i will be leaving for England on 22 June..AND he actually did!!! Mama Tok gave birth to BB Boy Marcellus on 21 May, 1242pm weighing at 2.74kg...gonna visit her with Jen later at Thomson...first bb within our arts club group...hope all the aunties wun spolit him....sigh now waiting for Lynn's turn in July i think.......
It's as though I'm working
Yes, totally busy again for the week...manage to only nua on my sofa couch staring at my tv on sat & sun....
wat's happening this week so far..i completed the wicked junior & finally found soduku level 2 boring..
on monday i had a short (i mean really short swim with cj), we talked & shared more than we swim..then brought her to office visit & i had lunch with mike...always nice to have lunch & hear his views on stuff...
tue...yy's celebration dnr
wed....jog with CJ frm TM Stadium to Mdm Chu'as house in Pasir Ris..dead tired....a LTAW's mtg w shy rainbow...met the cute commando in the previous projct... :p and oh, think i'm helping out in this year's LTAW...sigh,to more busy days ahead...good also, fill in the void and not think too much about stuff.
thu...lunch with a charismatic looking guy!! and a great gathering dinner with some of the gals who i havent chatted with for the longest longest time...
fri...hang out with Den & had a rush-here-rush-there massage & da vinci movie... yes, refer to ZXlL's blog on how many ways to eat a cake...the poor cake, so atas in the box, shape & ingredients, kena eaten by 4 unglam gals with chopsticks & soup spoon....but surprisingly, taste much better, i wonder why..hmmmm
sat...8am, bukit timah and had a wonderful 4 hrs session with the 15-yr-old gals, all enthusiastic & with never-say-die attitude...
sun...visited my grandparents with my sis...
u know it's funny cos since i was 13 yrs, i thot of earning money so i can give my grandparents some allowance, not my parents first...strange. i love my grandparents very much, in any case, i grew up with them in the kampong since young & think i spent my best years of my childhood there, whenever i recalled there's always a nice feeling about it...
hm,...and also, my physio smsed me today..:/ i shall be brave & go out with him..haha..tho i'm a little uncomfortable abt it...
Counting down to my Krabi trip...10 more days to go! 
Anyway my sister called this 'Mashimaro with a bad hair day' but i love it, cos it supposedly wriggle its backside....
The Wicked
not sure how many of you know this, first got to know it when i read digital life, and today, i finally tried it, oh boy, i was hooked!! morning, took me to complete level 1 - 19...LOVE IT LOVE ITit's the same addiction when we tried to 'escape from crimson/ blue/viridian rooms' & solving the 'da vinci code'.......try the wicked junior, The wicked is more for IT-savvy people..
Mixed Signals
... something was amissed... feelings not right....time to let go of certain emotions...wrong timing... let it goSong :Alone Again, Naturally
Pink Skirt for ZXL
Today's main objective..celebrating yy's birthday, ate muesli cake ordered by instructor at zxl's house....
We passed by TF, cos weather was hot, aircon was good & zxl commented the new outlet was more 'atas'....we went in....the moment we stepped in, we spotted pink skirts! guess who needs pink skirts for jean's wedding? i picked 2, pls vote for the skirt that u think zxl will look good in them...1. Pink Skirt with Lace
2. Pink Bubble Skirt
But of cos, zxl say the pink dun match her skin tone...CAST YOUR VOTE NOW!
Can We Be Simple Girls?
It's one of those catching up sessions with the girls....this time, we talked about relationships...how Sg gals think too much on relationships & things around them, we would anlayse, dissect the situations with like-minded gal pals, share strategies on scenario plannings & asking 'what if' questions...My MSN nick was 'I Want to be a Simple Bimbo'....but really, sometimes i really want to think simpler. Sometimes, we are too sucked into the system and expectations start to rise higher & become more complicated, sometimes to a point of no return... thus, higher educated gals seems harder to lower expectations & lead a simple life. naturally, with higher expectations, lead to more complicated problems that requires a lot of thinking...at least it seems to me that almost everyone i knew, had a problem...Everyone will choose their methods of dealing with problems... I chose to vent out my frustrations through sports, it's a damn effective way to let go of pent-up frustrations, at the same time, make u feel tired & have a good night's sleep.
As for my fren, she chose the ostrich way ..to bury head in the sand and not think about solutions or problems..(funny cos for a moment she cant remember which animal stick their head in sand, so she started to talk abt camels & kangeroos!!)
But To All My Wonderful Gal Pals, Hang it There & Everyone will be FINE..just remember to think simple, live simply and life would be so much easier...i'm trying my best too
After the Are You Happy question?
Wonder how many people took this test...but straight after that, i did ask myself i am truly 68% happy? I seem to lack so many things to be truly happy...on the other hand, i do have a lot of stuf that makes me truly happy too...contradicting rite..that's me for u loh...i guess it boils down to how contented you are with life now & not to be too demanding about your expectations....??
Like for example how much i miss work & colleagues, being in control of situations, being challenged to perform & actually i felt top of the world when i'm asked for my professional opinions...Yet on the other spectrum, i have no regrets quitting & being incomeless as i spent the past 2-3 mths catching up with my good frens, esp those that i havent met up for ages but we still manage to talk & confide as before!!
Yes, i appreciate all renewed friendships made during this past 2-3mths, new or old..That's what keeping me so busy, meeting people but i enjoyed the catching up sessions...
A typical week for me is as depicted like the past 3 days
9May, went out at 12pm, came back at 12am
-3hrs went gym & SSC cubicle-hopped (a lot), 3hrs consultancy wrk, 3hrs volunteer wrk
10May, went out at 9.30am, came back at 11.30pm
- Went RP for 4hrs, Cut hair for 3hrs, Meet AhBeng, Viv & Den for Dnr 3hrs
11May, went out at 11.45am, came back at 7pm
- Went lunch with Von & consultancy work again...this day was slightly better for me...
so yes, i'm happy...cos i felt life is great after all the heartaches, unhappiness at work, strained friendships, bad hair/temper/luck days....it's all worth it if you just slow down your pace..enjoy the bus/mrt rides, enjoy the greenery, listen to ur MP3 music, cracking your head over a small soduku puzzle...i also realise that i smiled more & laughed easier..tho i see more wrinkles, i chose to see them as laugh lines..brightens up my face! :)
Tho, i have a new peeve bugging me...is that my blog's sidebar is now my bottombar...alignment was very wrong in my blog and i dunno how to adjust it back!!! so HTML, anyone?
How Happy Are You?
ok, i admit..i got this from one of you..HAHA!
| You Are 68% Happy |
 You are a very happy person. Generally, you feel content and that all is right with the world.Occasionally, you have a down day - but you have the ability to pick yourself right back up. |
empty chairs and empty tables
i am a little skeptical about writing in ling's blog..
it feels as if i am intruding into her privacy..
but i thought of sharing this with you..
i cannot resist walking towards the last aisle of the division to witness this for myself..
lulu has left..
no more of lulu's personal stuff on her "previous" cubicle..
what's left were the empty chairs and empty table,
and the files filled with soon-to-be scrap paper..
i did this every time a friend left the office..
i will pause my footsteps,
look around,
lament about the differences and move on..
what else can i do??
although new people will start streaming in to fill these empty cubicles,
the feelings and memories will never be able to be replaced..
that is when the alumni group comes in..
to let the story continues..
Lime Flea Market & CJ is back
Emailed the lime flea market person on thursday and still no replies from them!! now got peddlers & wares..just no boothes....I'm adding to my 4 hrs chat marathon..sunday hi tea with the HPA gals and we ate & chatted + later part we played hilarious board games with 5 alumnis & one ms Pervert (who happens to like her nickname VERY MUCH) and we also discovered that this nick suits her very well too...at least better than Ms Juice Diet..which i'm very tempted to change...
And guess wat, i nearly saw mr isetan today!! missed this opportunity by that 5 mins..damn...!!
____________
My thoughts appears very haphazard as i seem to blog about like 4 diff topics that i have difficulty choosing a suitable title...
4 hrs chat.....Mushrooms & A Steering Wheel
Girls can talk a lot, guess no one will deny that...On thursday, I met up a with a close friend that i havent catch up for a super long time, we chatted NON-STOP for 4 hrs, 7-11pm...but it's great to hear from her and also to share what i was going through recently...On Friday, indulging our favourite activity..eating with a group of 12 gals over dinner..joking, laughing & chatting happily for also 4hrs....Saturday, which is today..i met up with my gal frens frm arts club..and yes, we chatting for 4 hrs (me talked again for 4hrs 3 days in a row!) for lunch at Halia, Botanic Gardens...among the flowers, birds & the bees...Funny stories that dun appear to be funny when you are in it....Girl friend relate this to us today...Story 1She told us that her neighbour's flat was flooded with water cos their sink's pipe burst...and guess wat, cos they use laminated boards and despite mopping up the water, mushrooms sprouting out from the cracks in-between the boards...there's white & black, the round & flat kind in the living room..i know of one person who have mushroom-phobia...and maybe ask friends to pluck out the mushrooms for her...Story 2A couple was driving a vintage car in australia making a u-turn...the steering wheel come off in the husband's hand...the husband was actually contemplating whether to jump out of the car if necessary but the wife too busy screaming to respond to him...Wat will you do in these circumstances?
Outing w the Girls
3hrs in office & A Dnr is enough to chase the blues away.....
as usual i was at my fav activity when i'm back in SSC...cubicle-hopping to talk to all the wonderful HPA gals...consider the nice guys as gals too....tho lesser cubicles to 'hop'.
share 'Dr Secret' with them even tho i felt some of them dun need it...and nope, my real living 'proof' dun have black menses or bigger breasts....so no need to worry abt steroids...
Dnr was the usual noisy affair, we even got a 'xiang fang' aka VIP Room complete w Karaoke Set..ZXL came late, here's how she manage to find us
Manager : Can I help u?
ZXL: i m looking for friends, the noisest table
Manager : oh, upstairs
RUDE LEH, ZXL!
there is always a dinner highlight ...Mdm Lim(without a reason!) spouted tea..this time the victim is me.....(read zxl's blog to understand background)....
My First Rally.....
It's a wednesday evening, at Nee Soon Central..we walked frm MRT towards an open field just when i thought, strange, it's quiet....then realised the looming crowd of people surrounding a white stage in the field...
Facts About Rally1. The crowd!! HUGE crowd that attended WP's rally...we gotta fight weaved in between so MANY people to get front views...walked at least 5om 2. Men are more politically-bonded to rallies cos the ratio of men to woman is 50:1.... 3. Rally MUST be staged at muddy field, give the muddiest to the opposition parties, double it with the huge amount of trampling, the field is in a TERRIBLE condition --> resembles rice paddies4. Everytime Low Thia Kiang made a statement about certain issues..it's ALWAYS responded with a resounding WORKERS' PARTY! x 3 (then waved & raised flags) .....
How to identify a fellow rally-goer...just have to look at their footwear...
Super Mario
When I was young, my bro & sis was hooked on Super Mario..the lil guy with a handlebar moustache who wore red overalls..with catchy tunes...We relived the memories when my bro's friend sent him this clip
Plans, plans & more plans
It's a planning week for me, cos there's so many outings to plan...First, this friday have planned an outing for the SSC gals (stil SSC despite majority already not SSC) to basically eat, drink be merry...Second, Saturday planning another outing w my uni frens. Last outing before all of us officially turned into aunties (cos Ms Tok's delivery due in late may, hope her water bag dun burst during lunch) and before a little fellow invade our gal's mthly gathering *horrors*Third, gotta plan for my Krabi Project discussion...w my busy fellow facilitator & sec sch gals who are busy than the adults.....Fourth, gotta plan to work 'free' lance for friendsFifth, lunches & more lunchesSomemore, my alumni chairman arrowed me to book the flea market on 27 & 28 May(which none of ssc gals replied to my appeal to join)..which i havent book yet....So if suddenly one day i din turned up for any appointments, meant i forgot among my busy schedule....and i havent plan for my england trip... so am i busy or wat...a hint to my chairman, since so many pple joined the alumni...can arrow them to do some work too?! hah
Random Topics
Glad i hv a blog, cos i always forgot things..serves as a reminder to myself
1. Krabi Project.....
They had a session when i was in australia..suppose to try & build a bench in school...those of u alumnis of this girl sch...u wil know it's ur sch if u see the bench (or..duno stil there..read on..)
Anyway, fellow facilitator & teacher IC wrote emails praising the gals & said they manage to build a bench legs within 3 hrs, i ws impressed! totally diff from the past session that worries me to think abt their capabilities of bench-building...so i was thinking..HOORay girls, u did it!
then, my my call to fellow facilitator..he told me..erm..the bench broke the nxt day, the legs not sturdy & not standard enuff, that's y it keel over...'oh..' was my only response..so back to the drawing board to rethink wat went wrong.. also i read a girl's blog, appraently wat account for the 'instability' of the bench is instead of a rectangle, they got a trapeze shape of the legs..eh??..i hv no idea wat went on....
so if u see a half-done bench in ur alumni school, let me know..........
2. Travels...
I'm slated to travel to Krabi (stil dunno why, re-read point 1) in June for 10 days..raining season...actually was looking forward to this experience..always wanted to participate in an overseas expedition as a participant, however i'm past the age..so this time round as facilitator..
England trip..comments abt my itinerary..'why these places, wat's to see in york?'..'eh, y u shooting N, S, E, W all over england?' eh..i dunno leh..just wanted to visit those places i feel are interested & just indulge in the atmosphere and to eat Devonshire Cream Tea!? hah
another place to add to my 'To-Travel' List
Land where they measure Gross National Happiness (been wanting to go since dunno how long)
Jerasalem
3. High Teas...
Had tea on sat & sun wif 2 of my best gal fr ens at the usual place at Holland V
hm, got to know a new plc to hv hi-tea..corduroy & finch, nice ambience
