Coffee?

2010-03-19T22:08:00.002+08:00

I have reached a milestone in my life where i have gotten married and i reached the big 3.
But things don't seemed to be too smooth for me this year. So many unhappy things have happened, my cough, my job .....
these things don't seemed too big, yeah... it's not like a life and death issue. Maybe I have been leading a life too smooth?
I guess not.
I recall every part of my life i encounter some difficulties. broken relationships, problems with family, studies and so on. After i graduated, life has been a bit more stable.
The point that I want to acknowledge that I have yet to accept failure in life. I have never failed a single exam in my life ( i mean major ones), i have always been outstanding at work, i have a happy marriage, etc.
Recently, i had some disappointments at work. I really felt that I have never been so mistreated in my whole career life. I slogged like a slave and I achieved results. I am a competent worker and I deliver my stuff on time and in good quality. But recently, I fell and I feel like I have been super mistreated by my superiors.

Someone spoke God's word to me before - Vengeance is His.
I have been thinking about this for some time, I have been trying too hard to take things into my own hands. By doing this, i have hurt people and in the end I gained nothing.
I should not be the one trying to get even. I should just let God solve these problems.

It's tough that I have to keep telling myself to love the people who have hurt me. Anyway, i need to surrender all these negativity and hurts and vengeful feelings to the Lord. I pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort me.

"Do not say, I will recompensate evil; wait for the LORD and He will save you" - Prov 20:22.

2010-02-27T18:16:00.003+08:00

Oh my!

Guess what, it's the 27th Feb today... I havent been updating my blog for more than a year!
what has happened for the past year?

I got married...
I went to Hokkaido...
I changed job...
I am halfway through my masters... passed 4 modules! hurray!

Well, that sounds like a whole lot of things. :)

2009-02-14T18:09:00.002+08:00

Today is Valentine's day. 14th Feb!
I got a bouquet of sunflowers... not too bad... :P

Last week and this week, i had good messages from Pastor.
About marriages and relationships... what are the 5 things that man and woman look out for in a relationship? till now i only got the 3, the last 2 shall be disclosed next week!

Woman
1) Affection
2) Conversation
3) Honesty and opinions

Man
1) Sexual fulfilment
2) Recreational companionship
3) Attractive spouse

2008-11-03T17:54:00.003+08:00

wow, it's been 1/2 year since i updated this blog.

What have I been up to for the past few months? Basically it was just work and work at my new workplace.

But the past week has been slower, thanks the to retreat at tanjong pinang. i took some photos with my hp, didn't turn out so well.

2008-05-03T22:19:00.003+08:00

Pere Bay

Waiting to set sail for the dolphins!

2008-05-03T22:16:00.002+08:00

Some pictures taken in Mauritius.

Casuarina tree along the beach.

2008-05-03T21:58:00.004+08:00

In March, I was actually in Mauritius! Cannot believe it, I was there working for about a week.

My favourite beach is the Pere Bay, where the waters are really clear and blue. The next best thing was sailing out to the sea. The sea was so blue, it's like watercolours. It was supposed to be a dolphin viewing trip but unfortunately, there were no dolphins that day.

I was completely sunburnt. But it was a very rewarding trip, with God's blessing over the work I was doing there, as well as a good break.

Mauritius is a good place to relax. There are many beaches but I guess is expensive because Mauritius is really far from Singapore, it is already near South Africa.

Majority are hindus and they speak french, some english and their local language. They serve all kinds of food, Indian, Chinese, etc so meals were not a problem for me. The good thing was I had 4 days to travel around on my own because of the 2 public holidays I had there. I stayed at Labordonnais, which is in the heart of the city but far away from the beaches.

2008-05-03T21:52:00.002+08:00

I am finally back in Singapore for good!
Managed to clean up my room, bought some furniture and did plenty of exercise!
But still I think I did not shed much fats because I ate so much.

Dim sum with boing and gang was great at Imperial treasure today. I had so much, dumplings, porridge, etc etc. After that was drinks and snacks at Muddy Murphy's. It is a nice Irish bar with very original decorations and woody feeling. The next time I shall bring along a camera. :)

Tomorrow shall be taking a break at Bintan. Too bad Banyan Tree was full, have to take Angsana as a replacement.

I think I better plan my time wisely for the next week. After one week's of rest, I feel like I have been sleeping too much.

1) Get my documents done for new job.
2) Read up the information for new job.
3) Buck up on quiet time.
4) Catch up with ex-colleagues.
5) Catch up with Charlie.
6) Recce wedding venues.
7) Finish reading my story book.
8) More exercise!

That should be about it. :)

2008-02-07T18:07:00.001+08:00

Shanghai trip 26dec07-29dec07

Restaurant at old town and xin tian di

2008-02-07T17:42:00.000+08:00

Oh my, today is already the 7th February... Time flies. my last update on my blog was during my 2nd month od work in Hong Kong, now is already the 7th month! I had nicholas coming over, baoying, huiling and friend... and Yen in Sydney with me. It has been fun and interesting.
Hong Kong was really cold for the past week and I am so glad to be back in Singapore for the CNY. Just came back from JB actually.
So many things happened for the last few months, I went to Sydney for my work, Shanghai for holiday. It has been a roller coaster ride in the office. New honda accord!
I have not even had time to think of the resolutions for the 2008.
Well, at least I have booked my wedding package, next thing is the venue and date.
2nd thing, work i guess shall leave it as it is... nothing fascinating and I don't wish to think about it too. BUT praise the Lord for a good appraisal and increment. Lord, thank you so much for your providence.
If i continue to travel, I don't think I can take up my masters yet.
I need to shed some fats, I am getting fatter! Targetting 2-3 times of exercise a week.
I need to seek God more and let him take over my emotions. I think my heart has been controlling the mind too much, sometimes the the heart rules the mind and then before I know it, I start spouting nonsense in front of people... No way. God, please take over the steering wheel of the emotional driver before she does anything rash. God, please help me to be a wiser person. God, let the Holy Spirit show me revelations! Lord I want to know more of you and your Word.

2007-09-29T18:32:00.000+08:00

2007-09-29T18:23:00.000+08:00

This is already my 2nd month in Hong Kong... I have been working on a project here. It has been challenging... Different working culture but people are generally nice. I think it is not the customers that I find difficult to handle but rather, the colleagues. A new company means I got to relearn everything, the software, the functionalities, new business requirements. This risks management was certainly not easy but i guess it is still manageable now...
I guess it is to be able to swallow the pride that now i don't know anything and I got to learn everything again, to regain the creditbility in the new company of colleagues and bosses.
I didn't really expect myself to be so unadaptable but i think age is catching up. I am no longer fresh from school. People have higher expectations from me now...
And the most challenging thing to me, is to be able to handle the emotions while I am away from home. I miss my family and friends in Singapore...
I have been praying that God will make me a stronger person, give me wisdom to learn new things and protection against politics in the office... Well, God has been GOOD :)

2007-08-15T23:08:00.000+08:00

Musee d 'Orsay

2007-08-15T23:06:00.000+08:00

Versailles...

2007-08-15T22:58:00.000+08:00

2007-08-15T22:55:00.000+08:00

Champs Elysee

2007-08-15T22:49:00.001+08:00

My ROM on the 16th June 2007 :)

2007-08-15T22:47:00.000+08:00

2007-04-21T15:41:00.000+08:00

The beach again...

2007-04-21T15:34:00.000+08:00

Jesline & Aaron ... we were ahead of them.

2007-04-21T15:26:00.000+08:00

Where the river flows...

After the water rafting, we were brought to a water fall.

2007-04-21T15:11:00.000+08:00

Rubber Plantation

Group photo :)

Patong Beach

2007-04-21T15:02:00.000+08:00

Phi Phi island from the plane. It looks really nice, just that my camera didn't capture it properly. And too bad, there wasn't enough time to explore this island.

I was away in Phuket from 14-17 April. It is a very happening place with streets and streets of shops selling clothes, bags and shoes. The place is clean, beach is clean and flooded with tourists and friendly Thais.

We even went water rafting and elephant trekking. I have always wanted to try rafting! Didn't really plan for it but a friend suggested so we went ahead. And we even went for massage every single day.

2007-04-05T18:27:00.000+08:00

Well, today is already the 5th April.
Office is pretty quiet because tomorrow is Easter, most people are on leave today.

Finally got quite a number of things settled for the ROM... The wedding package and the venue.
The next step is to fix an appointment to choose the dress and confirm the number of guests.
We have decided to have the ceremony at Conrad function room by the pool so that there is a relaxed atmostphere and yet, the guests can be in a cool shelter... of course, it's burning a hole in our pockets.

oh yes, and the solemniser... better get all these things done soon. :)

2007-03-17T14:06:00.000+08:00

The Batam trip together with the CG has become and wonderful and sweet memory at the back of my mind... The present is filled with hopes and a journey to be embarked on together.

2007-03-17T14:01:00.000+08:00

When Two becomes oNe...

2007-03-17T13:58:00.000+08:00

My cute cousin, this was taken a few weeks back at my place. We were having a bday celebration for his sister. :)

2007-03-15T11:31:00.000+08:00

My main dish was FISH!

Sausages and Ascargots

More food... ... :P

2007-03-13T19:15:00.000+08:00

The oysters I had at Gourmet Plus :)

2007-03-13T18:53:00.000+08:00

It's already March! I have so terribly busy because of the new projects that were implemented in Jan. My bday and vday just passed! Swoosh!
Nothing really special was done, I had my bday dinner at The Jewel Box @ Mt Faber with Nic. Vday we had our dinner at Gourmet Plus @ Frankel Ave. The food was not bad at both places. Scenery was nice at Jewel Box...

2007-01-28T18:00:00.000+08:00

My buddies, of course the photgrapher is me.
For some reason, i am feeling quite sad today. Feel like I have less and less friends. Friends are so precious...

There are few friends I can trust and hang out with nowadays. Nevertheless, I am happy that I still have buddies who care for me, especially people who grown up with me and have known me since young. And I genuinely share their joy and blessings. I am happy when they achieve something and when they get married. I really pray for the best for them and I hope that God will continue to bless them and protect them.

2007-01-28T16:27:00.000+08:00

I need to set my goals for 2007.
1) Financial -I need to save more $$$, target x figure.
2) Education - Take a diploma in finance. Pray pray that I can get some sponsorship.
3) Creativity/ Hobby - Take up photography... i have been eyeing some of the SLR cameras, hopefully can get one by Feb when I get my vouchers. =)
4) Leisure - Travel again!
5) Spirituality - Constant quiet time.
6) Emotions - Anger management.
7) At least once a week exercise.

What goals did I achieve in 2006?
Well, i manage to save a bit of $.
I got my diving license!
I had a breakthrough in my salary. =))
I had my holidays in Bintan, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
I completed 2 bible study lessons.
I think I failed in education and emotions. =(

2007-01-28T16:19:00.000+08:00

Ruins of the St Paul's taken at Macau on Christmas eve 06.
Sigh, can't believe that time passes so quickly... before i can catch my breath, it's already coming to the end to january 2007.
i haven't even written anything in dec 2006, all my trips to Japan and HongKong... Oh man, i wanted to write something so that I can remember the things I have done and the places I have gone to and yes, the photos.
And I haven't even had time to write down the goals for 2007!
Day to day i am just trying to complete my work and rush home to sleep. It's a never-ending race against time. =(

2006-11-20T22:06:00.000+08:00

Today is the start of a new week.
I had a walk up the Bukit Timah Hill, last sat. Feels very good to be able to relax myself. I love the greenery and it's cool to walk in the forest. And my friend brought me to the quarry.
A colleague recently came back from a Brazil trip and he bought me some coffee... Funny thing is the farm that grows coffee beans is called FAZENDA SANTA IZABEL.

2006-11-20T21:57:00.000+08:00

2006-11-15T22:42:00.000+08:00

This is Tanah Lot, one of the places i visited in Bali. I can never forget the beautiful sceneries, the beaches, the yummy food, the spa and the handicrafts. Xiaoyan took a picture of my backview while I was strolling down the streets. I remember we even bought a few scarves that cost about SGD$2 per piece.

Below is the view we got at Jimbaran, where the whole stretch of beach sells seafood. Most people were early to have drinks and to watch the Sunset. We were there enjoying the view at Sharkey's.

These were the places i visited last year, 2005. Still recall that XY just quit her job and wanted to go for a holiday. Coincidentally, I was also going for interviews and got my current job during that period of time.

I had to told myself to be more thick skin to apply for leave because i had been going on leave for interviews! And just 3 months back I was on leave to go Taiwan. Ha, but this was a fruitful trip. And this is the place that I want to go again! The next time I go, I will make sure that I have a good camera to capture the beautiful shots.

We spent one afternoon suntanning at Kuteda, Seminyak. How relaxing to sit there the whole afternoon reading, enjoying the view, having delicious finger food and drinks...

2006-11-15T13:12:00.000+08:00

Saturday, 11th Nov 2006 was Desiree’s BIG day.
I was early there for the holy matrimony. The Pastor preached about Ecclesiastes…. God created everything beautiful in its time…

The wedding service was held at Conrad. It was a pretty cool place, and the couple was really creative… Instead of having photo albums, they displayed their photos in frames and placed them around the area. They even made their own souvenirs for the guests, some aromatherapy candles placed in small glass containers. Really appreciate the efforts they put in to make it a great event for the guests.

Thereafter was lunch. It was delicious and the couple even danced… The bride’s gown was a blue, flowing dress. It was tailored made…

Unfortunately, my photos didn’t turn out that great. Time to get a new camera…. Sigh.

Night time, we went to send Vanessa off at the airport because she was going away…. To France to work… Me also want to go Europe! It was a funny scene because she had her family members and friends sending off and it feels as though she was going away for 3 years when she is only going for 3 months. Hahaha.

2006-11-10T12:06:00.000+08:00

Yeah! Today is Friday, the most awaited for day of the week!
I have been looking for a story about the dog statue that I saw in Shibuya… finally found it -
Chu-ken Hachiko (lit. the faithful dog Hachiko) was born in Akita in 1923 and was first brought to Tokyo in 1924. He and his owner, Mr. Eisaburo Uyeno, were inseparable friends right from the start. Each day "Hachi" would accompany Eisaburo, a professor at the Imperial University, to the train station when he left for work. Upon returning, the professor would find the dog patiently waiting, tail wagging. This happy routine continued until one fateful day in 1925, when the professor was taken ill on the job and unfortunately died before he could return home.
Despite the fact that Hachiko was less than two years old at the time, the bond between dog and owner was strong. Hachiko continued to wait each day at Shibuya station for a friend who was never coming back. At times, he wouldn't return home for days at a stretch.
The Akita became a familiar sight to commuters as he kept his vigil for over ten years. On March 8, 1935, Hachiko finally went to meet his master. He died on the very same spot he last saw his friend alive.

2006-11-07T19:00:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday was the same old schedule. Morning i had church and then afternoon was following Nic around…

Well, service was like a finale to Pastor’s preaching about giving to the building fund and everyone gave their pledges, including me. Ever since I learnt about His Word, I have been more generous in my giving, especially to people around me, even when it comes to birthday gifts. I have learnt not to give something that does not cost anything to me.

When I think it comes to giving to the church, we really need to give with a vision. I believe for most people, it is a test of faith. Sometimes I could feel myself struggle, especially when people start to criticise or question my actions. Just like my insurance agent who was questioning about my financial-planning… She felt that I was throwing in money into something that I could not see, and rebuking me for not loving myself enough to save all the tithings for myself. Well, we are living in the same world but of different worlds. God is my Jehovah Jireh and I live in the expectation that He will bless me exceedingly abundantly. I want to live as the one who blesses, not as one who only gets the blessings.

Some people seated in the hall were in tears, I guess because they really were giving their best, to the very last amount in their pockets and most importantly an amount that God spoke to them about. Well, if we don’t sow in tears, would we reap in joy as written in Psalm 23:5?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

One of the units I visited yesterday after service was on the 23rd floor of Mandarin Gardens and gosh, the view was breathtaking. The living room has a sea view and the bedrooms were facing the city. No wonder it was selling for such a high price. Years ago I was there for a BBQ and the place has not changed much. The maintenance was probably well done.

And then dinner was at Parkway Parade. There was nothing much there and the mall was crowded. I tend to avoid crowded places nowadays because it’s really “sian” to see so many people after 5 days of hustling and bustling city life. Saturday at VivoCity was a nightmare… It was our gathering to celebrate Boing’s birthday and we couldn’t find a single seat at the Food Republic. Finally we gave up and went over to harbourfront for dinner.

But we discover that the rooftop of Vivocity was fantastic. I shall go over again when the Vivocity craze has died down. Anyway dinner was great at THE ORANGE LANTERN, www.orange-lantern.com. I finally have a chance to taste the Vietnamese coffee. Vietnam is one of the places I want to visit. Hopefully, my leave in Dec will be approved. I need a break man…

2006-11-04T14:50:00.000+08:00

It's been a really hectic week. The project is coming to a peak and my boss is not around for these 2 weeks. Sometimes i wonder if I would be better off in another industry.

Wed, i attended Priscilla's wedding. It was wonderful and i thought her photographer was fantastic. The photos and videos were all very well done. I always thought photography is a good hobby to pick up, this is something i am thinking of picking up, just that a good camera costs a bomb!

Just happen to come across a photo taken months back. It was a BBQ at punggol with the bunch of wonderful friends from Singtel. Anyway, really must thank Desiree for being such a great host. The food was delicious, nicely marinated chicken and beef, corn, vegetables and corn... yummy.

2006-10-16T19:20:00.000+08:00

The haze today is really horrible! I heard that it has reached a PSI of 130. I cannot see much out of the office window, everything has been hidden by the smoke. The air smells burnt... I feel so deprived of fresh air... I miss the bluey bluey sky and waters and the white clouds... :(
Some view I had in Batam of the blue sky and clear waters.

2006-10-14T18:44:00.000+08:00

Today has been a pretty slow day... but it's always great to be off from work. yes, it's the weekend! Probably going to catch the world trade center later.
I decided to post some of my holiday pics here... Really miss the beach resorts and yearning for a holiday. Well, guess it's always holiday mood at the end of the year. Everybody's planning for trips to europe and australia... Let me just look at my photos to recollect my memories at my favourite places.

The Rawa Beach is one of my favourite beaches and it's great for a weekend getaway. It is a 30 min boat ride from Mersing, Malaysia... The water is clear and you can see fishes at knee length's depth water. It is a island with some chalets, that's all. You're on your own there.

There is a jetty where you can get a good view of the sunset. The whole island basically is quiet and peaceful and there a few locals there. We are probably the only group of asians on the island.

I went snorkelling and it was an amazing view underwater because the water is so clear and there is so much life in there! I actually stupidly stepped on a sea urchin during the high tide and gosh, my leg was numb for a moment. Thank God it was not serious. =)

At night we had barbecued seafood for dinner. After that it was games at the beach. The 10 of us played our childhood games. It was very fun and enjoyable.

The beach was pitch dark because the island had very minimal amenities. Our torchlights and handphones were our main source of light.

We left the island the following day after lunch. It was a very short getaway but I felt that it was really fulfilling because the island was very uncommercialised. Everything was in its most natural state. I went there august last year. Supposed now it is the monsoon period and there should be plenty of jellyfish... not so good for snorkelling. I am definitely looking forward to this island again. =)

2006-10-13T13:43:00.000+08:00

Yeah. This is my first blog message.
Not very sure what to post for today. Let me put some pictures that I have taken with my DOPOD... hee hee...