Pursuit of Enlightenment

Being THIS close…

2011-08-11T04:05:00.006+08:00

Being this close to winning or getting something doesn’t matter. What matters is that it fell through. It’s a done deal not in your favour.
There I was, dashing through the passageway that connects the boarding gate to the plane. I could see the air stewardess at the plane’s door waving violently and shouting “No, we’re flying off! Please get on the next flight!”. And then they released the connecting arm.

Perfect! I missed my domestic flight from Los Angeles to Sin City. Next flight with confirmed seats is at 6am tomorrow morning. In the meantime, United Airlines placed me on waiting list for the 3.45pm flight. Last I checked, I am number 7 in the queue. And the plane’s seating capacity is 50. Is that great news or what? I need God’s intervention to put me on the next flight out to Vegas.

As I slumped exhausted and thoroughly spent in the lounge seat, the thought that was on repeat mode was “How could I be this close and not get on?” Suddenly the voice of reality boomed out. “It doesn’t matter how close you are. As long as you missed it, you’re screwed. No amount of ‘what ifs’ will right the wrong. So beat it and deal. Next time, don’t be this close. Close it.”

It sucks but I appreciate my inner no nonsense voice. It shakes and wakes me up all the time.
(God is good and he put me on the next flight out. And missing the first flight of my life makes me plan all my future US flights in a whole new way. Lots of transit time is required. I missed this flight with a 2 hour buffer. And I didn’t even take a toilet break after customs clearance.)

Latest blog entry in 6 months!

2011-07-10T16:47:00.001+08:00

Here I am, logging into my personal blog after a long hiatus of 6 grand months. Lots happened. Perhaps it’s just 1 main biggie that consumed my life and time. Gosh. It’s been a rollercoaster since end January I don’t know where to begin. But I will survive, rolling with the punches.

It’s strange that when I feel and experience so much, I am less inclined to write about it. I would rather waste time browsing through other people’s sites (and I have some really very inane sites on my blogosphere hitlist). Perhaps it’s the need to live out a hyper-real life vicariously through looking at how others are going about their lives.

Oh, I caught Transformers 3: The Dark of the Moon the day before its official launch. That's really nice in the midst of the humdrum existence that now plagues me.

Stages of Domesticity

2011-01-07T10:27:00.011+08:00

I always feel that if someone else can do it, I can do it too. This applies to every aspect in life.

So, many ladies need to whip up a meal for the household. Alright, cook did I. Nothing fanciful but decent enough.

But when it comes to cleaning, I am motivated solely to have a clean bathroom. So I zealously scrub my "throne" and make sure that the basin area is kept spiffy, dry and nice. This is tending specifically to my personal toilet because I really couldn't bring myself to labour similarly on 5 other units in the house. (Apart from the common bathroom, the rest are all unused. Phew!)

Chinese New Year is around the corner and there's this nagging feeling that if I were to neglect other nooks and crannies, I will be a very embarrassed host when people open my storeroom, kitchen cabinets and examined my window panes and the accompanying grooves closely. And there's certainly no feel good factor if at the back of your mind, there's unattended mess building up somewhere.

So, it's my fortune to have a good friend refer her part-time helper to assist my household for operation cleanup. It's been 1 hour since she has been at work in my kitchen and "Omigod! What she has done in an hour, I will take 5 to achieve!"

Is it the lack of motivation for housework or I am just a plain slow coach? I really think it's the former.

In future, I shall not be adamant. Admit that although I can do things just like others could, some things are better left to the professionals in their respective fields.

This moment of enlightenment makes me feel very liberated.

Quotation to End 2010 and Start 2011

2010-12-10T08:32:00.005+08:00

Was at kikki.K Stationery & Gifts and flipping through some diaries when I chanced upon this inspiring quote.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~Mark Twain

2011 appears to be an eventful year ahead. First, I will be attempting an amazing feat that will surprise even myself. Next I will be thrown into a new role (like it or not) and finally right before March, I will begin the grand plan, which I aptly named Magnum Opus. As with all masterpieces, this one will take time to gestate, execute and lastly bring to fruition. Hopefully, before the end of next year, I will reveal it on this blog.
Lots of courage, plenty of luck, with my proposition and God's disposition, I pray the journey that lies ahead be blessed with easterly winds that smoothens the ride.

Quoting from another writer

2010-11-12T02:10:00.003+08:00

There is this blogger by the name of Dorothy who co-wrote the now defunct Fashion Nation. She curently blogs here.

I am so impressed by these paragraphs she wrote that I am going to place them down on my blog.

Here's quoting Dottie:
"Someone should write something for our generation. After all, we are in a desperate need to be defined by well-written words.

But what exactly can be written of us? We are not as foolishly brave, or as recklessly crazy. We have too much but do too little. We want everything because quite frankly, we do not know what we want at all."

Ah, the essence of our generation, so finely distilled.

Failing Fiction

2010-10-23T19:02:00.007+08:00

It was a relatively quiet Saturday afternoon. I was in Raffles Place then popped by City Hall for a short while before making my way back to my parents’ home. Parents’ home. It used to be just home. Now there is a need to distinguish between that and my matrimonial home.

Perhaps I have been living in the Northwest for too long. I find it comforting and familiar. Not to mention a more convenient place to live in. Location wise, it pales in comparison to my matrimonial home, which is so much closer to central Singapore. However, this neighbourhood has everything. A suburban mall, an impressive Sports Complex complete with a ‘wave pool’ and eating places right across the street where we reside.

The aforementioned suburban mall has everything. And ‘everything’ by my terms, has to include a community library. So before I headed back, I stopped by the community library. On a whim, I decided to pick out a fiction book. Something light and fluffy to read for a change. But when I was conducting the catalogue search, I was stumped. Which fictional work should I borrow?

“Eat Pray Love” …was the first search. As the movie is currently screened in theatres, all the books were checked out. Hot item I guess. Wait a minute. That’s not really fiction, is it?

I thought really hard and finally typed in “The Last Lecture”. I knew there and then that I had failed miserably in my attempt to read stories. It’s been eons since I read something that had been made up. Was that in secondary school? Fiction no longer appealed to me past a certain age. Has realism set in since my adolescent years? I missed a good read…a real fake story. And I have officially lost the desire to immerse myself in a world of make believe. Escapism is not an option? Sad case I am.

So I walked out of the library with 2 books. Both non-fiction. The second book was a random find lying on a table near the checkout queue. I liked Robin Sharma's first book, so I decided to give this a go too.

First Urban Decay Shadow Box

2010-09-24T01:21:00.004+08:00

I covert Urban Decay's "Alice In Wonderland" box of eye shadows but I was too late. China's Sephora never meant to carry it and Ebayers simply capitalise on it being 'Limited' and made it too pricey.

When I returned back to Singapore, I needed to make up for the loss and bought a Deluxe Shadow Box at Sephora, Ion Orchard. It costs $63. Definitely on the steep end but when I swiped on the colours, I was sold!

Very pigmented, very smooth application. In fact, sorry to offend M.A.C. lovers but Urban Decay's shadows beat M.A.C's offerings hands down. No debate about it. From this day forth, I will be a religious follower of UD's shadows. I am waiting for it's "Naked Palette" to hit our shores. It's taking too long though.

A Sweet Tooth

2010-08-21T13:00:00.001+08:00

I have acquired a sweet tooth recently. Alright, I confess. I love desserts all along. But these days, the savoury puffs I used to like, even the yummy quiches, are not going down well with me. They taste different in a bad way. The only thing consistent with my tastebuds is that sweet stuff still retain their original taste.

So, yes, I am digging them right now.

A mini shopping trip at Millenia Walk's new wing, PARCO Marina Bay, brought me into Trixilini. There, I finally got to sample Soap n Sorbet's range of skincare and perfumes.

I ended up buying Tokyomilk's "I want Candy" Parfum.

Here's its product description:
A decidedly different collection of brilliantly paired fragrance notes housed in an alluring glass bottle decorated with an image of a delightfully delicious pastille. Crisp apples, peaches, violets and roses crushed and distilled to perfection.

Doesn't it sound nice and fresh? I am loving my new perfume. It's a refreshing change from run of the mill mass offerings from Issey Miyake, Escada, Marc Jacobs, Chloe...

I am now on the lookout for a clean fresh scent smelling like freshly cut grass and morning dew on leaves. Lemme know if you have a recommendation.

Lusting After Liabilities

2010-08-05T15:59:00.004+08:00

“Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly” Baz Luhrmann mentioned in his awesome song “Everybody’s Free”.
I say, “Do NOT read fashion magazines, they will only make you broke”. Most of the things I buy, I lusted after them at first sight in their printed media form. Call it targeted shopping for me but magazines do a fine job of preying on the purses of women.

Here are 2 items that I would so like to get my hands on currently:

1. Piaget’s Possession Pendant (in Yellow Gold with an Emerald): Price Unavailable

2. Kate Spade Book of the Month Clutch (The Great Gatsby): $385 USD/ $650 SGD
Made of silk twill and leather, this one exudes a vintage, nerdish yet chic vibe.

Much as I have a weakness for beautiful things, I have enough discipline not to cave to such worldly desires—till I have some excess cash for them.

Smoke Out!

2010-08-02T19:00:00.001+08:00

One thing I hate about living in China is that there are no smoking related controls in public places.

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As I was walking into the hospital one day, a local strolling towards me had an unlit cigarette in his hand, ready to light it on his first step out of the building. I can imagine anyone entering the building will have to cross his nicotine cloud later.

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Diners smoke in air-conditioned, enclosed restaurants all the time. Eating in these places is a race against time to finish up your food before you sniff in all the smoke. It’s unfortunate but we dine at MacDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut when we eat out most of the time because these are joints that do not allow patrons to smoke.
Shanghai, unlike Suzhou, is already placing restrictions to prohibit smoking in most restaurants but recently, when I patronized Crystal Jade in Shanghai, there was a typical huffing and puffing local male in the restaurant and the staff did not even bother to advise him against it. Does legislation even work in China? After all, who would chase their customers away? And it is a difficult habit to break, a social norm that has deep seated roots.

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For this alone, I cannot imagine raising your children in such a place. One of the latest posts from a Singapore based blogger, “Xiaxue”, nicely resonates with my abhorrence for smokers. I credit her for the 2 posters below:

How well put. At least the situation is rather contained in Singapore. On a typical day, I can enjoy a smoke-free environment wherever I go. And of course, I eschew places where smokers congregate.

7 Deadly Sins: Extravagance

2010-07-05T14:53:00.009+08:00

I returned to Singapore recently mainly to see a doctor. The doctors in China, namely Suzhou, are quite unreliable. When I requested for a blood test to be done to ascertain a specific content, they dismissed it and REFUSED me. It sounds ridiculous seriously because they can milk more profits from the patient but perhaps, when a country has a population of 1.3 + billion and counting, the value of an individual's health/ life is treated with levity.

When in Singapore, visiting my doctor in Orchard Road, Paragon, is an expensive trip. Less so for the charges, more so for the temptations of shopping joints that beckons me after the appointment. And there was a pent up desire that was dangerously on the brink of eruption. I didn't buy anything much in China.

To cut the long story short, in 1 hour, I bought 2 watches from BCBG.

Royale Watch in Emerald Strap

Plisse Watch in Royal Purple

Guilty pleasures--that's the oxymoron I am living out daily. And yes, you've guess it right. Watches/ Timepieces are one of my many weaknesses.

Singapore Food in Suzhou

2010-05-21T23:42:00.002+08:00

I get my weekly dose of Singapore food from an outlet called "Food Loft" located in InCity Shopping complex. This complex houses the supermarket chain "Walmart" too.

The Char Kway Teow they serve here is top-notch by my standards. Moist, ample sweet sauce and stir fried to perfection. No cockles and pork lard makes it all the more my cup of tea.

Thumbs up.

I am heading there to get my fix this weekend again.

Practical Lesson 101

2010-05-10T00:06:00.002+08:00

My family (mum, father and sister) often jeer at me when I boast that although I do not lift an arm to cook at home, I will be a master chef if I aspire to cook professionally. They will roll their eyes in disbelief and say that the sun will rise in the west if that day ever comes.
What is so difficult about cooking? It’s not rocket science and you don’t need an MBA to do it. But to do it well, one needs lots of practice, a dash of creativity and lots of passion. The kitchen after all, is Hell’s furnace and if one decides to go professional, he has to undergo the baptism of fire to become a master of the culinary art.
Today, I had my first practice for cooking chicken rice. And here is the finished product.

Like I said, it doesn’t take a genius to cook. Not only is it edible, it tasted good. Delicious is not a term I can tag to it, but with practice comes mastery. Pity it’s not the craft I desire to hone.

My 1st Puppy Love

2010-04-30T21:44:00.005+08:00

I am a cat person. I love how these creatures exude their feline grace ever so effortlessly. Dogs on the other hand are just too wanting for my liking. Definitely not Ivy's best friend. Besides, I never pet a dog in my life. All the horror stories of getting mauled and disfigured by some rabid dog must caused my trepidation towards them.

I am therefore delightfully surprised that this huge creature is such a sweetheart. On crabby Saturday morning, when I entered the office for a general meeting, I was greeted by this approaching white monster. My first reaction was to turn back and run but pride got the better of me. There were about 5 subordinates milling around and I couldn't possibly be such a wuss.

There I stood, rooted to the ground with fear as the abominable white dog came over and snuggled at my legs. Hm...no bark, no show of teeth, no tongue licking. Phew!

His name is Ah Wang and his fur is white as snow. Testing the waters, I stroked him lightly. He didn't turn his head. No bark, no teeth, no tongue licking.

All clear.

I bent down to examine his fur. How very lovely.

He grows on you and when we started the meeting, the creature was locked in the M.D.'s office for 4 hours. He stayed in there quietly without kicking up a fuss and when we returned, the office looked as pristine as we left it. No paper was out of place. Is this a good dog or what?I was thinking of hitching a ride from this sledge puller but oh well, this is as good as it gets. (By the way, I didn't sit on him, in case you think of dialling the SPCA)
=P
I can't wait to see this fella again. He's a dream come true. Doesn't bark, doesn't show you his teeth, doesn't slobber all over you with yucky dog saliva, holds his bladder and rectum well till he's outside. And the fur. Take him for a shave in summer and the fur can be used on coats for winter. ;-)

为人民(币)服务

2010-04-13T23:28:00.003+08:00

I was very frustrated with the hassle of China’s administrative policies today and was on the brink of a psychotic meltdown. Three trips of running to the local Suzhou Industrial Park One Stop Service Centre and my request had been refused due to 3 separate reasons. Why can’t they just tell all “Dos and Don’ts” to save me the multiple trips? @#%&
When I got back to the office, I looked down at my mouse pad and cooled down a little. I bought this to constantly remind myself the reason I am here in China—breathing the polluted air, eating the dubious food and dealing with people I don’t really like.

In Our Element

2010-04-04T16:30:00.002+08:00

Today, a spot of online surfing provided me with the inspiration for this post.

An ex-educator, Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, was interviewed for her success as a freelance writer. How does “Lonely Planet” and “Singapore: A Biography” sound? (See interview here, http://nanzinc.com/the-professional-freelancer-yu-mei-balasingamchow ) Her blogsite is: TooManyThoughts.

A friend, Sean Seah, who took Korean language classes with me a couple of years back, left his high flying sales engineer job and turned to wedding photography full-time. His company, www.firewerkzfilms.com seems to be doing well and capturing many happy memories for newly weds.

These people, to name a few, are in their element.

Then, there are others who are simply doing well but haven’t arrived. A meeting with an industry counterpart had me hearing this statement, “Yea, I am stuck here” twice within half an hour. It may have been said in jest or modesty but something in his eyes tells me it’s for real.

Am I in my element yet?
No. I am still an entrepreneur in training.
The current role of managing a modest set-up in China makes me extremely restless. It’s supposed to be an opportunity to learn the ropes before flying solo but the industry seems to be vastly different from what I really want to venture into.

It’s actually very ridiculous to want to abandon ship just less than 5 months into the new role. Doesn't look good on my resume but when you're working for yourself, to heck with resumes!
I feel an internal clock going ‘Tick Tock, Tick Tock’ and honestly, sink or swim, why can’t I learn as I go while pursuing my dream business full time?

My bosses (3 of them) wouldn’t be happy to read this. Then again, there is only a 1% chance of them getting their eyeballs on this article. That 1% is through divine intervention and I doubt God conspires against me.
I am jumping ship this year. Adiós Misters. bosses!

Sistas Shots

2010-03-17T14:03:00.006+08:00

Haven't taken photos with Aileen for sometime...

Here are a few to share.

For those of you with siblings, especially those sharing the same gender, I have this curious question: "Do the younger ones tend to grow taller than the elder? Why?"My sister apparently snatches my food when we were young. No doubts about that. We were also often mistaken for friends when we hang out together because we don't look all that alike. Which is good. My mother hasn't wasted another 40 weeks just to reproduce a 'photocopied version' of her first offspring.

2010- Quarter 1 closing

2010-03-16T03:02:00.000+08:00

Time flies! The end of March is imminent upon us and I haven't really much fabulous updates on the home front. The dark cloud is dispersing well and I have regained a sunnier disposition. Afterall, the only way is up when one hits bottom! I have found that a long term goal helps to alleviate the immediate short term pain I am going through now. If I know I am 'suffering' for a greater cause, I will be stronger, braver and happier.

Was telling my husband (I actually feel awkward with this term, perhaps I will call him Mr. Rabbit in future?) that I have a concrete 5 year plan which contains 1 intangible and 1 tangible item apiece.

Intangible=>selfless goal=>family oriented=>produce 2 kids

Tangible=> self centered goal=>material oriented=> 1 posh apartment overlooking the Marina Bay skyline

I pray with all my heart these goals will materialise after 5 years! Wish me luck!

Rusty Poet at Work

2010-02-08T03:01:00.007+08:00

I am a regular reader of http://www.renzze.com/ as the blogger is a lovely well travelled fashionista whose entries I relish to vicariously experience the exciting slice of life she leads.

Won a dress in a giveaway she held recently with compliments from the ClubCouture (the online store) she endorses.

Photo Credits from ClubCouture

Here is my winning entry:

I was led to Renzze.com through Les Dames
A fashionista clad in beautiful ensembles from silk, chiffon, cotton and lame
Caught my eye and my breath she took
Went to her blog and I was hooked
What Renzee is wearing today?
Chloe, Bebe or Hermes whatever be it may
She looked stunning anyway

Fashion, food, travel, adventure and life
Her posts are interesting and variety is rife
Despite her claims of being an amateur
Her Canon entries reveal depth worthy of an author
How else can a picture a thousand words tell?
Love, action and energy they spell
Emotions evoked they capture so well

Endless are what I like and some reasons I may miss
What matters most is the lady she is
Ashley has beauty, brains and substance
She leads a life full of passion and abundance
Infectious is this zest of hers
Inspires she does readers like us
An avid visitor of this blog I am thus.

I must confess I love all things pretty and nice
Online shopping is not my sole vice
Shuttling between Singapore and Suzhou is a bore
Managing a company is my chore
Reading is my reprieve for brain clogs
Induced by stress from toil and slog
Panaceas are they: books, magazines and blogs.

Looks like the rusty poet in me is still alive and kicking. \(^-^)/

Blindsided

2010-01-31T22:18:00.001+08:00

Depression sneaked up on me this Sunday evening. An utter sense of helplessness and "poverty" consumed me and left me feeling completely wretched. Soon I was reduced to a teary mess and I am pretty sure this emotional breakdown is not due to hormonal imbalance that I can blame physiology for.
No, I am not in any form of debt but I am immensely impoverished in recent times. Perhaps it's a 'change in lifestyle' shock symptom. Maybe it's because my bank statement is translating into a bearish graph. Whatever it is, while people are moody over their pittance of an annual bonus/ increment, I bemoan the non-existence of these in my current situation. And it gets to me that I do not know when I will 'come out of the woods'. Or can I get out of it alive?
It doesn't help that Chinese New Year is around the corner and I am expected to distribute generous tokens of appreciation to the elders this year. This exacerbates my pain and I sink further into the quagmire of total despair.
Sleep has always been an amazing panacea. I hope this time, it does its magic once again.

An unforgettable liner

2010-01-21T15:09:00.003+08:00

This statement is oh so true!

“Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like.”
~Will Smith

Legalised Daylight Robbery

2010-01-19T12:57:00.006+08:00

Went to watch Avatar with my husband in Suzhou Science and Cultural Arts Centre because we were too impatient to catch it back in Singapore. Our decision resulted in forking out 100 RMB per ticket (20.50 SGD). It’s the most expensive movie ticket we’ve ever bought!
Which brings me to the point; crowds in China camp outside cinema theatres to buy exorbitantly priced tickets to watch a movie not in their native language. The average monthly income of an urbanite in China is 2800 RMB (569 SGD) but the population here spends money like they have lots of cash to burn. Prices of consumer products, food and entertainment defy the theory of relativity.
The million dollar question is: What’s the secret to leading this sort of lifestyle?

Suzhou Science and Cultural Arts Centre

Crumbling down with Haiti

2010-01-18T11:10:00.003+08:00

Call it coincidence. The day Haiti was struck with an earthquake, I was down with the dreaded flu. Throat infection, feverish, body ache, runny nose. I departed for home half an hour prior to after office hours. It was the worst flu I ever had and I was out of action for the entire week. I avoided watching television and stayed off the internet too. I was literally cut off from society.

The nose congestion persists and the flu is receding into an occasional cough but I got back to work this Monday.

I wish to be back in Singapore soon...

To Singapore and Back (Dec 2009-Jan 2010)

2010-01-01T10:45:00.000+08:00

I returned to Singapore and managed to catch the New Year's fireworks on television. It was one of the loveliest and longest display ever. Looks like we are all set to usher in the new year with much aplomb.

I think as we age, the new year resolutions list gets shorter (or disappears altogether). Realism is a by-product of aging.

2010, I am forgoing a svelte figure (no gym bunny on the treadmill). I am also taking long-term goals off the radar for now. I will just have 2 items in the list. The rest of the to-dos will take care of themselves, just like work that needs to get done.

1. Commence script for "40 weeks"

2. Concentrate on Project 'Magnum Opus' and bring it to fruition

Sidenote: Most impressive fireworks to date: Burj Khalifa (Dubai, UAE). Over 800 metres (2625 feet), it's the tallest building in the world to date.

Noise: Hear/ Listen, Digest, Excrete

2009-12-15T10:41:00.002+08:00

Less than 1 1/2 months into the job, I am starting to receive passionately written letters in my mailbox and ad hoc visitations to my office. I believe these "kind" attention from opportunistic employees is dispensed in a bid to 'suss the new manager out'.
There they will stand, relating in earnest their side of the story, their grievances and difficulties. Woe betide these long suffering souls. Honestly, I am surprised they lasted so long in the company.

Am I the "Messiah" they have been praying for?
Do they think I have the authority to veto decisions made by the executive M.D.?
Are they trying to capitalise on my apparent naiveté?

Here I am, trying to keep my focus in spite of the background noise. After all, apart from learning all about the trade, I am ultimately numbers driven.
Organizational management is definitely part of my R&R but without the fuel ($$), there will be no existence of the organization per se.
First things first. Especially when we're talking about navigating a SME/SMB.

Listen versus Hear:
When you are listening, you are actively trying to hear something.
In contrast, hearing is something that happens without any intentional effort.

Personal modus operandi: Listen, absorb, retain, digest, filter the crap, keep the nutrients, store them for growth, place the nonsense in the recycle bin and restore them to 'trash' crappers in future.

Sighting 2: Looking for love

2009-11-27T18:51:00.004+08:00

Thanksgiving, then Black Friday. Oh! The only depressing thing about these is that I am unable to partake in the merry making and the USA sales. I always feel left out of the crazy sales in US on this day.

The only thing worth looking forward to is the television drama serial "The Little Nyonya" which Suzhou TV station will air tonight at 10pm. Cool, that's another "Singaporeany" offering to quell the home sickness.

I took a picture of this advertisement to make friends (by letting everyone know his QQ--MSN equivalent account number). What a lonely driver he must be. But look at the amount of dust on his van's rear which makes it a blackboard for his scribblings. YUCKS.

And so it is--the polluted place I now live in. (My lungs are collecting dust as the days go by). Think wonderful thoughts, think wonderful thoughts...

I Scream, or Get Creamed

2009-11-26T17:08:00.004+08:00

It's nearing 1 month since I've temporarily relocated to Suzhou. Apart from the awful weather (anything under 15 degrees is terrible, by my standards), work is taking its toil on me. I have to admit figures ain't my cup of tea--especially when they don't concern monetary numbers. To eyeball product lists, part numbers and horrors of horrors Bill of Materials lists (BOM), you can imagine how many mind bombs detonated inside my head!!!

Thank God for after work ice-cream and those cheap thrills 'Hit the bugger who pops up' arcade games. Thank you for saving my sanity.

Dairy Queen (DQ) Waffle Bowl Sundae
The Waffle Treat comes in three varieties. This one contains caramel and pecan nuts. To be more precise with the description, Waffle Treat goes like this: Start with a waffle with the edges dipped in chocolate and molded in a bowl while still warm and soft. Two scoops of ice cream are placed at the center of the waffle, instant-freezing chocolate is added, then a generous amount of whipped cream, caramel syrup and, finally, pecan nuts.

Singapore food cravings…

2009-11-25T13:00:00.000+08:00

One weekend, we decided to check out Food Loft at ‘IN CITY’ shopping mall.

Mind you, this mall is not only spacious, it houses Sephora, Mango, Zara, Pull and Bear, H&M.
Strangely, I didn’t feel a hint of excitement. Perhaps that’s because of the season (don’t like winter) or it’s due to the lack of moolah. Converting things to SGD not only is a hassle, it’s a sure mood dampener for shopping inclinations. Why are things so expensive in China? I feel so poor. Golly.
I digress. Here are the dishes we ordered. I thought that was quite a fair bit for 2 but locals here eat like it's their last meal on Earth.

(Curry puffs-20RMB, Hainanese Chicken Rice-28RMB, Hokkien Prawn Noodle-30RMB, Hotplace Tofu with Omelette-25RMB)= 73RMB (15SGD)

Sighting 1: A non spitting Merlion

2009-11-24T15:13:00.002+08:00

They call it déjà vu.
Well, well, I guess the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (中国—新加坡苏州工业园区) goes beyond importing management systems.

FB woes

2009-11-23T13:50:00.000+08:00

Sigh. It’s not my fault that I am in the company of beautiful people. But oh, the bane…
Today, my beautiful cousin, G, wrote a quick note to check why the hell some friend of mine from Facebook (FB) tried adding her on multiple occasions. I believe the fella must have been overly zealous.
Over lunch, upon reading the message, I rapidly typed a ‘Good riddance’ note to the bugger.

Here’s how it goes:

Dear R,

Please DO NOT add people from my list whom you do NOT know personally and making yourself a nuisance.

I do not want to waste time providing any explanation to my friends and family about pesky 'befrienders' who are unfortunately, associated with me.

By the way, I know G is very pretty. I think so too. She is my beloved cousin, who will be marrying the love of her life soon.

If you're still single and are looking out for a potential soul mate, please look elsewhere. SDS/SDU is the best place to seek assistance. I would have done so myself, had I been in search of a life partner.

Yours truly,
Ivy.

Yes, to all my beautiful female friends out there, (like PJ and A), please pardon me if R bugs you likewise. Sometimes, you can’t control these social networks, or how well/ badly your supposed friends behave. Let me know and I will give them a piece of my mind.

Finally a functional blog!

2009-11-21T18:04:00.000+08:00

The blog skin source I use as my template recently busted the Photobucket storage limit throwing my site into disarray. Yes, it's often the tech-unsavvy who are held hostage to the foibles of others.
After much deliberation, I reverted much to my original setting causing some settings to be lost along the way.
I will just have to revamp the look of this personal online diary in the months to come.
However, I am glad I finally have a functional site to post my entries. I have so many things to blog about. =)

Back from Italy!

2009-10-17T13:36:00.000+08:00

I am back from Italy. It's a 'love-hate' relationship with the country. Intend to post my updates and pictures up in due time. Here are a few: These are taken by my LG 5 megapixels phone--the day when my camera went out of battery from trigger happy fingers.

Jim Rogers' Sighting-Singapore

2009-08-12T16:14:00.000+08:00

I am sure I wasn't hallucinating when I saw Jim Rogers walking towards me in Suntec Tower 3/4.

My heart gave a lurch and I would have approached him for an autograph if I was not munching on something.
Anyway some quotes for thought:
"If you were smart in 1807 you moved to London, if you were smart in 1907 you moved to New York City, and if you are smart in 2007 you move to Asia."
He relocated to Singapore in end 2007. He chose not to move to Chinese cities like Hong Kong or Shanghai due to the high levels of pollution causing potential health problems for his family. =)

Slideshow of Huang Shan

2009-05-26T00:59:00.000+08:00

A picture paints a thousand words. Let the slideshow do the narration. =)

Mount Huang-Huangshan Visit

2009-05-24T15:48:00.000+08:00

I never expect myself to scale so many mountains in my life.
I have just returned from my visit to China and a chance decision took me to Mount Huang or Huangshan (黄山).
I intend to upload more photos soon but the weekend is precious and so, here's one for the time being.

Yes, I am above the clouds and close to the sun. Time check: 5.16am (Sunrise at Brightness Peak of Mount Huang). Everest someday?

Daily trivia: Mount Huang, also known as Huangshan (literally "Yellow Mountain"), is a mountain range in southern Anhui province in Eastern China. The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks, pine trees, and views of the clouds from above. The mountain range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China's major tourist destinations.

LG Steam Washer Advertisement

2009-05-11T02:20:00.001+08:00

This is too cute. If only my teddies are so thoughtful. ;-)

Quote of The Day-3 May 2009

2009-05-04T11:53:00.000+08:00

"One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. Which road do I take? she asked. Where do you want to go? was his response. I don't know, Alice answered. Then, said the cat, it doesn't matter."

(Quote from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll)

This is my favourite quote of the moment. It is my constant reminder for the need of a clear goal.

Quote of The Day-28 April 2009

2009-04-28T16:27:00.000+08:00

"Doing something unimportant well does not make it important."~Timothy Ferriss (Author of 'The 4-Hour Workweek')

Quote of The Day-27 April 2009

2009-04-27T12:41:00.000+08:00

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."~Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist and novelist.

What Price Education?

2009-04-13T13:26:00.001+08:00

Received a Beijing call. Pleasant surprise as it is from a friend who had relocated to China sometime back. As we chatted, the conversation led to his young son starting Primary 1.
If you do not know, the cost of living in China can be too much to bear sometimes. In a place rife with counterfeit products, fake goods (foodstuff even!) and substandard service, the system punishes people and makes them pay 'premium' rates if they want quality assurance.
Education is one of them.
My friend is sending his son to a British International School in Beijing and he said he is cutting back on his personal expenses to give his son a 'better education'.
I ran a check online and here is one:

Shanghai Singapore International School (SSIS)
288 Jidi Road, Zhudi town, Minhang district, Shanghai 201107
TEL: 62219288
Website: www.ssischool.com
Following the Singapore school system, the Singapore Chinese (second) language syllabus is also taught. Fees range from USD 7,000 for kindergarten to USD 12,000 for upper primary (P4-P6). The school is a 3-storey building which includes an indoor gymnasium, computer labs, a science lab, and drama room. There is also an outdoor playing field and mini basket ball courts.

Very impressive. 7000 USD for kindergarten. And we complain tertiary fees are rocketing. I am SO looking forward to being a parent residing in a developing country.

Plastiq Fun-Anteprima

2009-04-10T00:34:00.000+08:00

I have no idea what hit me. I thought fashion is going green these days but somehow or rather, ladies must be attracted to shiny objects--be it in the form 0f glitter make up or account depleting diamonds.

Fortunately for myself, I can do without much of the latter, save for significant jewellery pieces that carry symbolic meanings.

Today, a shiny (ungreen) object caught my eye.

Now, Anteprima Plastiq wire bags have been around for the longest time-since 1998. I think subconsciously, the image of the bag imprinted itself onto the recesses of my mind since Junior College school days when it had a counter in Takashimaya, Orchard.

More recently, another standalone shop has been opened in a very visible spot in Raffles City. I think somehow the liking to the bags crept into my heart quietly without fanfare.

Pre purchase, I read up on the labourious knitting technique of the PVC wire cord. The special cord has iridescent light diffusing properties. Reacting to all types of light rays, it emits a multi-directional shine that glitters like beads. This unique material is resilient in nature allowing flexibility in shape and volume.

Go to the website: Anteprima Plastiq

Current object of desire? Anteprima Standard (Wire bag) in Argento

At a price tag of 33,600 yen or $500 + SGD per bag, it is a little hard to stomach
that you are paying so much on plastic materials. Although they claim it takes an entire day to knit the cord into a bag, the production line is in China and you know the design house is capitalizing on cheaper labour to manufacture their products.

Oh well. So I bought one. Equally well made, same material but different design. I half suspect the source is the same, just that these were made from the available unsold raw materials and sold for a song. Might as well. I don't think I will pay good money for plastic instead of durable leather.

Photo Shoot 2009

2009-04-07T14:46:00.000+08:00

Visited the Laneige roadshow at Bugis Junction recently with Aileen to pick up some products and they have a complimentary makeover with purchase. So here's my first photo shoot of 2009.

Spring/Summer 2009 Look

Korean Food at Franky's Kaffe Kitchen

2009-04-04T04:36:00.000+08:00

Photo credit from joslovesfood

Fiona bought me lunch one Friday afternoon and being Korean, she recommended a nice cosy Korean cafe at Millenia Walk called 'Franky's Kaffe Kitchen' that serves authentic Korean fare.

We had bibimbap -steamed rice, meat and vegetables and ddok bok ki (떡볶이)-korean rice cake in spicy sauce.

Bibimbap (I love the minced beef! It's marinated to perfection)
Rice cake in spicy sauce (The type ladies eat while bonding in K-dramas. I won't risk talking with my mouth full of it though. It's sticky, chewy and choke inducing, if you're not careful.)

The setting is laid back on a placid 'end of week' afternoon. The food was yummy and the company was fabulous.

Most Wanted Dress of the Moment-Toga

2009-03-28T15:08:00.000+08:00

I haven't have the opportunity nor the time to scour through my wardrobe but I am 90% certain the I don't own a proper toga dress. Mission: Get 1 perfect toga dress asap. I am sure I will look fabulous in it. ;-)

Song on Replay--Lily Allen's "The Fear"

2009-03-26T00:30:00.000+08:00

This song got my attention while I was listening to the radio (after a 4 month break from local channels) and I LURVE it.

- Lily Allen Lyrics

Of Boys and Girls

2009-03-24T23:44:00.000+08:00

I remembered enjoying the movie CJ7 (a boy meets alien movie) tremendously. However, like many viewers, I was duped into thinking the lead character was played by a real boy. Alas, it's a girl.

It's a little mind boggling that her act and image was so convincing that she literally pulled wool over our eyes.

I always have this desire to try looking like a boy---for a couple of days. I wonder how I will look. Hm...

International Women's Day

2009-03-09T12:06:00.000+08:00

Happy International Women's Day 2009. On a random note, I was returning home tonight when I saw 2 little puppies playing with each other while taken on a walk. As they were frolicking on the grass patch, a cat watched on unblinkingly. The owner threatened to leave them behind by turning to walk away and the dimunitive pups ran hastily to follow suit. The still cat ogled on till they disappeared out of sight before rousing from its reverie.
I felt a sudden pang of sadness for the stray creature and wondered if it too entertained the notion of 'what if'.

'What if it has a place to call home rather than roam the streets?'. 'What if it belonged to someone?'
I have never contemplated whether cats which love freedom cared for a sense of belonging but on this windless cool evening, I could almost feel that they mind their rootless existence in the neighbourhood.

The Perfect Evening

2009-03-05T15:15:00.000+08:00

Just yesterday, a highly acclaimed drama sequel 'Perfect Cut 2' started its run on Singapore free to air Channel U.

I like the first series and with the 2nd installment receiving rave reviews, I awaited with bated breath to catch it on television.

This series is more graphic (think close up shots in the OT) and with the introduction of Edmund Chen who plays a character I can totally identify with, I am giving it the thumbs up sign.

Coincidentally, a couple of hours prior to watching the debut episode, I was at the venue where most of the clinic scenes took place.

Bamboo Grove @ The Landscape Garden

Garden Cafe

Strange mushrooms in the clinic's 'backyard'

Up Close

Under Construction

I wonder what are they building?

If this is a residential site, I want to buy the property here!

Tick Tock Tick Tock--What are you waiting for?

2009-02-27T12:29:00.000+08:00

And so it has come to be that your truly is totally neglecting my blog.
Why you may wonder? Ah, what else but a change of priorities. Although blogging provides me with immense pleasure and I relish putting my thoughts onto paper (or cyberspace for this matter), it appears that I value spending my time on the more important aspects of my life.
1. Reading
2. Learning
3. Planning
4. Practising
5. Marrying (and handling all the nitty gritty that goes into making it happen)

So rather than output, I am stuffing myself silly with input.

(*Pregnant pause*)

29 years into my life and I am still so far behind in so many aspects. And of great importance is the absolute aspiration to be a successful entrepreneur and CEO that fronts Fortune magazine. If I were to continue on the path of my previous trajectory, NOTHING is going materialize.
Therefore, isn't it wiser to kickstart on all of that? My waking hours are thus invested into these areas that I need to build on.
I will be writing on my progress and thoughts of my new life on a new blogsite.
This blog will still be updated with pictures, personal life updates and all. So, it's good to tune in once a while.

XOXO,
Ivy

2009-Year of the Pursuit of Passion

2009-02-12T12:47:00.000+08:00

Everyday, I suffer the pain of living with my inadequacies (9 year old creates iPhone application).
It just goes to show that sometimes, devoting your time to your passion is the most important thing in life.
This year, I will do just this. Follow my passion and let things fall into perfect place.

May the force be with me.

Wilson's Promontory & Hamilton

2008-12-22T03:02:00.000+08:00

Snapshots of my Hunny Bunny and I

From Wilsons Promontory--The Southernmost part of mainland Australia

To Hamilton--Where Baabaa black sheep are sheared
I really wish we are PRs in Australia and holidaying like this during our annual vacations. Doesn't matter that the landscape is pretty standard in the Land of Oz. With the beautiful ocean, the mesmerizing blue sky and fluffy white clouds, man can live on love alone.

What's in store for 2009? Greece, Korea, Japan or Italy? ;-)

Summer in Melbourne

2008-12-21T02:37:00.000+08:00

Geelong Beach (Sculptures made from recycled timber)

Returned from Melbourne recently and I cannot but help raving about how I Absolutely L-O-V-E summertime.

Dawn breaks earlier and the sun sets later. Effectively, there are more daylight hours to maximise a fabulous day.

More pictures up soon!

Colour Me Beautiful

2008-11-16T16:51:00.000+08:00

After missing out on MAC’s Manish Arora Eye Palette collection—which is considered the beauty stash loss of the year, Shu Uemura’s Mika Ninagawa Holiday Collection 2008 is something not to be missed.

A comparison of Shu Uemura's Palette (upper) and MAC's Palette Shades (lower)

I am looking at the beautiful eye colour palette offerings. Although the Adorned Marguerite combination is the one I will get, I can’t keep my eyes off the other two-namely Midnight Winter Sakura and Secret Luscious Rose.

But like what the economic figures reveal, it’s a time of needs not wants that should be driving purchases in recent times. I can’t practice that though but all I can say is “Moderation is the key”. =P

More Product Information of Shu Uemura's Eye Palette:

MIKA HOLIDAY COLLECTION EYE COLOR PALETTE - ADORNED MARGUERITE Express yourself with this limited-edition eye color palette in Adorned Marguerite. These vivid colors create a sweet and innocent makeup look. This palette includes seven pressed eye shadows and one easy to spread cream liner. A double ended applicator (sponge tip and eyeliner brush) is also included.

Longing for Longchamp

2008-11-02T04:10:00.000+08:00

Ha! It appears that when I am idle, fashion holds me intrigued.

This is when I know that I am partial towards fashion than towards makeup. I guess Jenn and I would complement each other very well if we were to start a blog together! She's the makeup maestro and I shall be the fashion reporter.

Of course, the following write-up is 2 seasons too late and I shall blame it on work and leisure lack thereof.

Longchamp Le Pliage Bande Dessinee tote:

The concept behind Dutch photographer and fashion illustrator Robert Wagt's original illustrations for Longchamp is a comic strip about the life of a fashion victim visiting Paris, New York and St Tropez.

I think it gives the plain Le Pliage series some "oomph" factor. The classic version is a tad overpriced.

Prancing in Prada-licious Lace

2008-11-01T02:57:00.000+08:00

I always thought lace makes mature ladies out of girls. Sometimes they are too tacky, other times they are plain grandma-ish.

But when I set my eyes on Miuccia Prada's Fall Collection, I grasped. My attention was riveted. How can something be so beautifully elegant when it's see through?

It's worthy of a classic.

Thing is I don't think I can afford to own/ willing to splurge on this. I am sure lace is going to take this season by storm and soon, mere mortals with a modest pay check can own a respectably pretty lace dress too!

Daily Sustenance

2008-10-10T11:27:00.000+08:00

My daily dose of sanity includes a little thinking out of the box. A bit of dreaming about how life can be and will be in the future. This gives me strength, courage and most of all, that energy to carry on.

My life is synonymous to running a marathon these days. And although running is one of my most hated form of exercise (come on, it's like hamsters on a treadmill), it ever so often increases my threshold for tolerance and pain. Just when I thought I have run out of steam and am ready to give up, the electronic counter on the machine tells me to hang in there as the end is near. In the end, I push myself harder and complete the distance. And hey, when it's done, it does not seem that tough anymore, is it? Guess I am sucker for punishing activities then. ;-P

However it's when I am doing awfully boring things like running on the treadmill that I transport myself to another world—a world where life's perfect and I have it at my feet.

In memory of John Lennon-Strawberry Fields (Central Park New York)

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create." ~Albert Einstein

Keeping my sanity

2008-10-08T13:17:00.000+08:00

It has come to a stage whereby the floodgates of work are perpetually kept open and work gushes in at a rate whereby I am just scooping water up in buckets and ‘fighting’ against drowning.
Forgive me but…WTF? What's happening this September/October? Even my immune system is not cooperating. @#$^*($!

What would your vote be?

2008-10-02T16:59:00.000+08:00

Got this from an Australian colleague and decide to have a go at it.
Gosh, looks like the 'fella' I voted for is likely to lose big time--well, at least according to global votes cast.

Here, you all try this too and view the results:
http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com/

September Baby

2008-09-24T00:11:00.000+08:00

Before I continue on my US posts, allow me to place my birthday entry first.

5th September arrived and I am another year older. I don’t think the thought of adding another candle to the cake matters as much as the nagging consternation that I have nothing to show for the years I have lived. But since the anniversary of my birth is a cause for celebrating my existence, I shall not dwell on such unpleasantries for more than 5 minutes.

Took a day off, compliments of the company and slept like a log till 11am. It’s been so long since I last slept in and my, what an absolute luxury. I totally missed my spa appointment and had to call them up to reschedule. Thankfully, they were able to acquiesce to my request. Took a cab down to the city, indulged in a massage and a milk hydrobath (not tainted milk I hope…) and headed to Funan IT Mall to buy a birthday present on behalf of my fiancé.

Does the previous statement sound strange? Haha. Yes indeed. The man himself was unable to return to Singapore to spend the special occasion with me. However, he sends his love, well wishes and a ‘no budget, buy whatever you fancy’ decree. Believe me, I was extremely tempted to stroll into a Chanel boutique to procure that long coveted 2.55. Alas, my conscience got the better of me and I decided the bag must be a gift bought willingly and personally by my beloved .

So, we agree that I should finally take the initiative to buy an MP3 player. It is an item that's perpetually on my ‘To Buy List’ but it's something I am not motivated to take the trouble to acquire. On this opportune day, I headed to Funan with my heart set on buying Creative’s Zen X-Fi (32G).

It is a micro power gadget complete with an FM Radio. What’s not to like about it? Alas, only the headquarters in Jurong East carries the 32G version. I walked around aimlessly and entered an authorized iPod seller shop. My allegiance to Creative was gone with the wind the moment I set my fingers on the iPod Touch and the rest they say, was history.
So this is the story of my quest for an MP3 player. I am officially a victim of subliminal marketing messages from Evil Apple.

P/S: Thanks bunny for your generosity. You're the best!

Exploring New York City-Part 1

2008-09-07T01:57:00.001+08:00

I started out at 7.50am and wandered around, snapping photos of the sights of morning NYC before getting to the pick up venue for my 5 hour city tour.
The streets were quiet and devoid of much human activity on a fine sunday morning. I find NYC a filthy place and everywhere I go, litter are strewn liberally on the streets. The worse thing is there's a sickly stench of urine on most walkways. For a bustling city, I find this appalling and unacceptable.
Brushing off my disapproval, I started doing 'window shopping' literally as none of the shops are open for business. I thank God for this situation.
Here is the slide show for this solo morning walk.

Next up: Group tour for NYC! Stay tuned!

Tube Dress Shot (just for Jenn)

2008-09-02T00:26:00.001+08:00

Hiya Jenn,
I have returned to Singapore since 30 August! =)
Here's a picture of the tube dress:

Day Trip to New York-24 August, Sunday

2008-09-01T04:08:00.000+08:00

I was terribly jet lagged when I arrived in USA on Saturday morning. By the time I checked into Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa, I was dead tired. After checking my emails and running downstairs to buy a cup of coffee and a stale cheese croissant, I plonked onto the bed and fell into deep slumber till 11pm. By then, it was too late to go out for some food and I reckon the hotel's room service will bring up terrible tasting food grudgingly (Room service ends at 12am for ordering food). I was too lethargic to bother about my whiny stomach, took a shower, planned my New York trip a little and went back to sleep. After all, I needed to leave my hotel at 6.20am for the train station to catch the 6.57am service to New York's Grand Central Station.

How I looked for the day: (Believe me, this is the only day I bothered to take pictures of myself in the room. Yes, I am this lazy).

I wore a mustard yellow Forever 21 tube dress with crochet trimings. It's a little dressy though. But hey, it's New York. I changed into sensible flats before getting out-which is one of the most sagacious decisions I have made this year. ;-)

The train station at a Dunkin' Donuts counter where the half asleep duo serve coffee, donuts and muffins with faces more sour than their sour cream bagel. I settled for a bland latte and a putrid looking blueberry muffin (of course I didn't finish that!).

And here are the rest of the trip to Grand Central-in the form of a slideshow. I will continue my Sunday in New York entry tonight.

USA-New York New York=> Connecticut

2008-08-22T09:52:00.000+08:00

I am flying off to America this evening. Gosh, 3 times within 1 year! First to Connecticut, then San Diego, now back to CT. Will be dropping by New York on Sunday for a walk around. Thank you my sweets in the Stamford office. Can't wait to see you all again.
And those lovelies in Singapore, you will be fondly missed. Will bring some delicious American junk food back for our mini 'pantry'/ cozy food corner.

You will be missed too, Bunny! Will come to CN to visit you soon. Keeping up the jogging. \(^-^)/

XOXO,

Ivy.

(This time, I had better remember to bring my cable to transfer my photos to this blog!) Omigod! The long haul flight ahead. (=_+)

Ephemeral moments

2008-07-27T03:30:00.000+08:00

The afternoon shower coolness lingered in the air as I made my way out the office last Friday evening. As I strode past Starbucks, I walked into a bubble cloud. A child was amusing himself by blowing soap bubbles. He giggled and chased them after every exhalation. The bubbles burst into nothingness upon contact and the scene got me wondering…
I think we all love playing with soap bubbles at some point in our lives. Perhaps like me, you still do. Why do we revel in such an activity when it reminds us of the transience of happiness?
I must be in a melancholic mood and cold grey evenings tend to trigger this bout of wistfulness.
On a happy note, I bought myself a bottle of red nail polish today. I seldom wear polishes and should I paint them, they would most likely be coated in a safe shade of subtle pink. Didn’t know what came over me but I reckon it must be the desire to don on more mature and womanly hues on my fingers from now on. ;-P
OPI names its polishes in the most creative fashion and this bottle is called “An Affair in Red Square”. It is part of its Russian Collection. Hm...nice.

Wedding Bells A Ringing But When Thou Art Do They Sound For Me?

2008-07-18T15:00:00.000+08:00

2 very dear friends got married to different individuals this month. It is with deep regret that I have to miss both of their celebrations. One took place overseas and the other was held on a day I had to actually work! =(
Congratulations Shian and Jenn!

Anyway, this is indeed a year for weddings. A colleague is currently busy with his wedding preparations and as he busied himself with all the arrangements, I am constantly reminded of the fact that I have decided to register my marriage this year. I promised both of us that it will be done in 2008! Now, the thing is, I haven't a clue to kickstart my wedding plans. Indoors or outdoors? Simple or elaborate. If it's the latter, looks like pandemonium will rule since we are well into mid year. But the intent is strong, the mind is set and despite fuel hikes, I am going to grease the wheels and axles to get things moving forward; surely and smoothly. Wish me luck!

Now Reading...

2008-07-14T14:15:00.000+08:00

I think a book review is totally unnecessary for this book. Light reading material with a storyline (I think one can finish it within 5 hours but I suggest covering in at a leisurely pace when your mind is most receptive to its contents).

I resisted picking up this book for the longest time-mainly because of its title. As my blog readers will come to understand, owning a Ferrari IS one of my life’s goals. “Whatever the heck should I read something that goes against my dream?” I dismissed it off with ill concealed disgust when I saw it displayed on the shelves.

What made me take a second look and purchase it then? The words in fine print did. The line between the title reads “A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny”. Maybe if my destiny includes buying that sold Ferrari, I may well benefit by understanding how best I can achieve that more swiftly.
And well, an international bestseller no less. Curiosity got the better of me and I bought it after deliberating over it in Kinokuniya.

Was it good? You bet. Was it useful? Yep. As with all self help books, it imparts a number of wise teachings. Nothing rocket science but it brings a lot of issues into perspective. I am reminded to focus on my passion and seek out my ultimate life purpose. Sad to say, to date, I am not doing so. It’s time I take action.

Last but not least, I am very impressed with a line in the book that goes “There is nothing noble about being superior to some other person. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self”.
Well said. I guess it’s time to run my own race.

Link to a very good summary of the principles taught in this book:
http://www.kuzzuk.net/weblog/books/monk-ferrari-mindmapsummary/

Sidetracking to Fathers' Day 2008

2008-06-16T14:30:00.000+08:00

Alright, before I continue with entries of Japan trip 2008, here's a short write up of the poorer cousin of Mothers' Day.
Sad but true, Fathers' Day always tends to be more low key than Mothers' Day.
We took Dad to Central Mall whereby he had a good number of restaurants to choose from. We skipped Tung Lok and Tomton although I kinda like to try the latter some other time. In the end, after much deliberation, he 'settled' for Waraku.
My parents are camera shy folks but we took a couple of them in loving poses. I will refrain from putting them up online (maybe Mum will freak out if she knows of her photos circulating in cyberspace-so yea...)

Photos of Aileen and Ivy:

Ocha for 2

Waraku Given the Vote of Confidence (Be warned-Portions are huge!)

I make a Silly Peace sign in photos for a reason. Guess why?
I find it hard to smile into an inanimate camera. This makes it easier. Bizarre? Perhaps. True? Totally. By the way, I love the baggy island dress I was wearing that day. It was love at first sight for it reminds me of a Monet masterpiece.

First Day Out in Tokyo

2008-06-13T14:26:00.000+08:00

Been a while since I posted pictures of myself online. Indeed, some friends on blogosphere sounded the alarm that if I don’t do that in the near future, they will forget the way I look. ;-(

Thing is, I have to confess that I am an amateur when it comes to taking self portraits. In fact, they are quite a chore to take. This perpetuates the vicious cycle-lack of practice, onerous task, bad shots, and aversion to self photography.

Oh, whatever! =P

To be honest, I didn’t have a clue where I was going after shooting these pictures. With the spirit of a city explorer, I headed out on foot to goodness knows where in Shibuya.

Day 1 Continued (By Day and By Night Slideshow)

2008-06-06T15:20:00.000+08:00

These shots are all taken from the window of my hotel room. Being on Level 35 helps a lot. Now I understand why people will pay top dollar for an apartment in the 'air'.

Slideshow for Tokyo Day 1 (Afternoon)

2008-06-06T14:30:00.000+08:00

Although the flight is a mere 7 hours and the A380 makes the journey bearable, I was rather tired by the time I checked into the hotel. Nevertheless, the superb view perked me up briefly and inspired these photos of the room's amenities.

Let me know if you are unable to see this slideshow from Photobucket.

Status Report

2008-05-27T21:29:00.000+08:00

I left for Tokyo on Monday evening, 11.45pm and touched down at 7.30pm Tuesday morning.
Arrived at Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel at noon and freshened up.

Staying on Level 35

The bathroom facilities are fantastic (talk more about it later) but to my horror, there wasn't any iron in the room. Instead, I found a 'Laundry and Pressing Services' price list. I AM SO DEAD.
My clothes are crumpled beyond redemption and I needed to be in office the following day properly attired. By that I mean looking presentable. Travelling for less than 5 days on the road does not entitle me to Laundry services claims. CRAP.

A glance down the price list sent a chill down my spine. Ironing for a ladies jacket costs around 10 sgd! Goodness gracious me! I took out all my clothes and hung them in the wardrobe. Counting the potential 'Pressing Services' cost almost induced a cardiac arrest. No way I am going to pay for something so inane, much less when I am not reimbursed for it. It slipped my mind that the iron and board provided in Western regions do not apply to Asian destinations.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I will think of a solution by tomorrow.

The city view is pretty good in my room. Will post more pictures up upon my return.

PS: Cannot find my camera transfer cable and my work laptop does not have an SD card slot. Pictures will be up the following week.

XOXO,
Ivy.

To Tokyo, to Tokyo…

2008-05-26T01:21:00.000+08:00

I am leaving for the Land of the Rising Sun later this evening. Here’s to a safe trip. May I get to see some sights recommended by all of you. Thank you for your recommendations Mavis, Xinyi and Andrew (from Tokyo).
Yep Wilfrid, I will take photos, lots of them.
Bringing my camera's cable along so that I can post them up at night when I am in the hotel. As for now, I am dead tired. Still need to work today. Hope the approval to work from home goes through.

Praying for rain

2008-05-25T01:30:00.000+08:00

Sunday, 3.30pm.

And finally, it rained. Not the pathetic drizzle that evaporates instantaneously into vapour the moment the raindrops touch the ground. It is the thunderstorm we have been willing to take place for the entire week. The kind that is capable of clearing the heat in the air, soothing flustered souls and giving withering plants life again.
And rained it did. Sweet, wonderful storm.

That takes one wish off the list. The other ‘rain’ I am praying for is yet to be. Please let it come soon. But instead of placing one’s hopes on the external factors, isn’t it better to be the rainmaker?

Asian Destination

2008-05-15T01:46:00.000+08:00

My next destination...let the pictures do the talking. May, 27May-1June 2008. Time is not on my side. An intriguing city, rich culture, city of fashion and good food.
And all I have on my mind is, so near yet so far. If only this is not a work trip. Any must dos in Tokyo to recommend? Drop me a comment!

Beautiful Saturday

2008-05-11T12:18:00.000+08:00

After the longest time, I took a well deserved break. The Saturday was all mine to spend.
Went for a massage to ‘untie’ the knots on my back and had a milk hydro bath to make the trip a lil’ more luxurious.

Took a leisurely walk in Raffles City Shopping Centre and discovered that they have implemented a new upmarket concept to the mall. I am so out of touch. Strolled aimlessly around and found that the brand ‘River Island’ has nice offerings. Did not try on anything from the shop though.
Bought a white embroidered top (I can never have enough white apparel), a purple necklace from a quaint cozy shop called 'Aliya' and decided to settle on sitting in a café to read my Forbes magazine.
Ordered 2 cakes (banana cheesecake and Royaltine) and a Mocha Tropicana at Coffee Club. The drink is a lovely bouquet of passion fruit, chocolate and coffee…unique but not something I will order next time. The food is passable, the place was not as quiet as I would have liked it to be (hey, it’s the weekend after all) and suddenly it dawned upon me that I enjoy my own company too often, too much.

“Solitude is painful when one is young, but delightful when one is more mature.”~Albert Einstein

What a Ride!

2008-05-02T01:15:00.000+08:00

Was having coffee with a friend when we saw a booth with these kiddy rides outside Toys R Us.

Ivy: Look at those animals. Cute, eh? If I were still a child, I would want to sit on one.
M: Gave me a look of belief.
Ivy: Come on, don’t you have a childhood?
M: Alright. But still…
Ivy: I would allow my (future) child to go for a round if (he/she) requested.
M: I believe you. Like Mother like child.
Ivy: Hey, why not? But he would have to convince me first. Man, those rides sure don't look cheap.

After a while, we saw a fortunate kid climb onto one and start riding laboriously around in circles.

Ivy: It does look a tad ridiculous. Gosh, moving back and forth to manually move that animal. Now, this is crazy.
M: So, still want a ride?
Ivy: Rolls eyes and shakes head.

Before we left the café...

Ivy: Say, how much do you think a ride like that cost?
M: 2 bucks max.
Ivy: I think you don’t know the market rate. I dare say, it’s at least 3 bucks. Let’s go check it out.

Walked over to the booth and I asked the bored looking counter teenager:

Ivy: How much does a ride like this cost?
Guy: $3.20 for 5 minutes for the smaller animals, $4.50 for the big ones.
Ivy and M: (Faints!) >_<

The Boost from Without Lifts the Soul from Within!

2008-04-30T16:00:00.000+08:00

Was feeling under the weather one day and IM-ed a fellow colleague about it. Next thing I was handed this glass of booster drink. I think the sweet gesture perked me up faster than the drink did!

It is an absolute bonus to make friends out of colleagues and I think when we do, we will find that despite freezing temperatures, office is a warm and fuzzy place to work in!

Viva Voodoo Fun!

2008-04-30T14:58:00.000+08:00

Matthew 5:39 in the Bible says “…But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also”.

I have been blessed with very nice colleagues all this while. It is too perfect I think. I love them all and I count their company as my daily blessings.
A bastard has been sent to spruce things up and to remind me not to take things for granted. Yes, perhaps that is so.

Mr. ATWB is one big @#%*ing asshole. He disregards people, is completely unhelpful, very dense and tries to kill you by writing loaded emails to our director. I have tried for 3 months to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’s just a ‘cool’ person who needs some time for us to find some redeeming quality in him.
Nah, so wrong. It just gets worse to the extent that you want to run to IKEA and buy that funny Voodoo doll to poke at him at night.
\(o_0)=O POW!

Do you have an arse faced co-worker in the office you badly want to inflict pain upon? Here is a really good game to vent your frustrations on: http://www.vivavoodoo.com/
It helps you steer clear of committing homicide or getting forced into attending compulsory anger management classes.

Amen.

Brainworks

2008-04-29T06:00:00.000+08:00

Our brain is like a muscle. Don’t give it a regular workout and it will turn flabby.
For 8 hours of my life on weekdays, I feel my brain wasting away. It scorns at the tasks it is made to work on, complaining that they limit optimal performance. Maybe I should put it on my desk one day while I work. Ha!

My brain is underused, I am nevertheless overworked and I am a grouchy walking time bomb.

Mind Boggling Brain Facts (by Dr. Dan Korow)
• Weighs only 2-3 pounds

• Compactly designed to fit inside the human skull

• Contains about 10 billion neurons, and 100 billion glial cells

• Has an estimated 100 trillion synapses (neuron interconnections)

• Performs 1015 computations per second

• Holds at least 1014 bits (binary digits) of information

• Potential brain capacity is estimated at 20 million books- filling a 500 mile bookshelf

• Filters irrelevant stimuli or information from important data

• Directs and controls sequential brain activity like a “Central Programming Unit”

• Recalls facts and events

• Recognizes objects and faces

• Remembers navigational routes

• Reasons, plans & solves complex problems

• Comprehends written & verbal languages

• Develops & fine tunes grammatical & pronunciation skills

• Appreciates visual beauty & the musical arts

• Intimately associated with emotional states, morals, and behaviors

• Regulates & coordinates tissue function from the cellular level leading to muscle activity

• Initiates innovative and creative activity

• Senses humor

• Integrates all the above features and yet functions as one unit!

Gosh, seems like we are under-utilizing our brains most time. Come on, stretch it!

Wishing and Hoping

2008-04-19T14:59:00.000+08:00

I wish to be younger. 3 years younger is all I wish for. There are so many things in my early adulthood left undone.

I hope to have a black Chanel 2.55. Sigh. It goes so well with everything, especially with my business suits.

The Punk in Me!

2008-04-13T18:00:00.000+08:00

Was deliberating over this hoodie at Hard Rock cafe (San Diego) on my last visit. Decided to take my food first to prevent another impluse buy. The Apple Crumble at Hard Rock is really yummy! It was a satisfying meal. So, did I purchase the hoodie in the end?

Ah, the punk in me said yes and followed me home it did! ;-)

The Smile that Stole a Heartbeat

2008-03-31T03:08:00.000+08:00

I am not particularly into Korean actors. While ladies swoon over the likes of Kwon San Woo and Bae Yong Joon (did I even spell their names correctly?), I was admiring Kim Tae Hee and Son Ye-Jin. It then came as a surprise that I really find this actor (Oh Ji Ho) in "Get Karl, Oh Su Jung" really suave.

The crow feet and creases form when he breaks into a smile is too simply charming. God, it does say something about me being partial to older men. Wrinkles? Nah, they are just the marks of character accumulated over the years. =P

Easter Feasting

2008-03-16T13:58:00.000+08:00

A walk through Ralphs in San Diego reminded me that Easter Day is around the corner.

How cavity inducing these sweets look. Oh how cheery to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! Now, let's fill up our Easter baskets!

'Birds? Marshmallow Easter Birds?!!!' o-0

On Another Note

2008-03-16T12:00:00.000+08:00

This creature is a character in the latest Stephen Chow's film 'CJ7'. The movie was entertaining and CJ7 is soooooo adorable that I know that merchandising deals are in the pipeline to capitialise on suckers like myself to buy into these stuff toys.

Oh well.....Who cares? I reign over a kingdom full of stuffies big and small. =P

First Update

2008-03-12T14:16:00.000+08:00

(Ok, I don't mean to act lame, but I was flashing the 'Peace' sign to hold my fringe in place from the breeze)

Returned from San Diego 2 Tuesdays ago at 1am in the morning and it was announced over the public system at the baggage belt that my luggage is missing from SIA’s system.
In the end, I stayed an extra hour in Terminal 3 to file a ‘Lost and Found’ report. I was so zonked out at work that day. Nope, no extra day of leave because I knew there are matters for me to attend to immediately in the office.

The silver lining is that my luggage is not lost but delayed. Bloody United Airlines. They were too slow to load it from my domestic connecting flight from San Diego to LA (unto the SIA plane bound for Narita-Tokyo). As you can see from the picture, my domestic United Airline flight is a turbo propeller plane and let me tell you, the journey’s rocky like a rollercoaster ride. The bumpy turbulence fraught flight is one of the most exciting I have ever taken. To think I can fall asleep in it!

I am going to load the rest of the pictures up over the weekend (I reckon-Sunday) but the picture above is the one I like most. Just because it’s taken at a Famous Pancake Café in San Diego called “Richard Walker’s Pancake House”. Yummy!

Its operating hours are from 6.30am—2.30pm. That’s short considering that people eat pancakes and ‘breakfasty’ food at any time of the day. Are the pancakes delicious? Hm…pancakes are all the same. How badly can you err on the taste factor of such food?

o-0

Happy Canberra Day

2008-03-11T01:30:00.000+08:00

Realized that today's Canberra Day! What? Because of that, a pre-scheduled meeting with another counterpart over there is cancelled. -_-

Ok, taking this time to login and blog. Haha.

Daily Trivia:

Canberra Day is a public holiday held annually on the second Monday in March in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to celebrate the official naming of Canberra.

What a wonderful excuse to add another holiday to the calendar. \(^-^)/

Hotel California

2008-02-18T19:25:00.000+08:00

Zipping off to California this coming Wednesday morning. To be specific, I am heading off to San Diego.
Sitting on a plane for an entire day is no joke. But the initial grouchiness is gradually being replaced by a nice warm happiness. Yes, it’s still chilly over there. But it’s great that I get to travel more comfortably on our local airline—a lovely upgrade from my sweetheart.
And of course, I am looking forward to exploring the place for 2 days apart from the conference we have to attend. Maybe a game of amateur golf on Torrey Pines Golf Course? I pray for a safe and fruitful trip.

Any recommendations of what to do while in San Diego, Xinyi and Darren? =P

Tick Tock, Please Stop the Clock!

2008-02-11T15:45:00.000+08:00

I wish I had more time in a day. Overheard my director telling someone over the phone that she wished she was given just 1 more hour a day and she would be contented.

I wished I had more time to work on things outside of job related tasks, to improve myself, to make my days more fruitful--like writing scripts, reading good books and reading the papers--LEISURELY.

I know it's not possible. So, apart from using up sleeptime (this is not recommended) and striking time wasting activities off from the schedule, I guess I have to speed up to free up time for my 'Want to Do' wishlist.

Godspeed then!

Happy Lunar New Year, folks!

2008-02-07T16:16:00.000+08:00

To all:
恭喜发财, 心想事成, 步步高升, 万事如意!

May 2008 brings abundant blessings and happiness to you and your family.

XOXO, Ivy.

Definitely No “Swee”t Deal

2008-02-06T05:30:00.000+08:00

The devil may have possessed me to walk into a theatre playing “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”. It was unfortunate to be catching a movie on a Monday evening at 9.30pm with nothing of significance on the screen list save for a morbid musical. I had intended to watch “Kite Runner” but I would need a Porsche to get me to Cathy @ Handy Road within 20 minutes.

No spoilers here. But halfway into the movie, when Helena Bonham Carter was making human meat pies out of unfortunate victims, I was fidgeting in my seat thinking of getting French fries and a latte after it ends.
Yes, gore and macabre have no effect on me. It was shocking the first time blood spurted out from mangled throat arteries but as the gruesome scenes repeated themselves, I was rolling my eyes in disbelief.
How this crap nabbed 2 Golden Globe awards is totally beyond me.
Perhaps I am missing something here? Costume design, superb acting and commendable art direction? They didn’t appear that great to me anyhow.
I walked out hastily when it ended, wondering whether it would inspire any impressionable teenager to go on a throat slitting spree soon.

Spring Cleaning Day

2008-02-05T02:30:00.000+08:00

Pathetic me. What do normal beings do when they apply for a day’s of leave from work?
Head to the beach, chill with a pina colada and be unashamedly lazy.

Me? I am exterminating dust bunnies and packing up the mess that has accumulated in my house all these while I have been hard at work. Geesh. Perhaps I have brought it upon myself. My wants have grown into a monstrous pile that is gurgling in my room, patiently waiting to consume me.

A Good Day

2008-01-26T07:45:00.000+08:00

Click comic to for an enlarged view...

Today is a good day. I cleared everything for the week and for a moment, there’s a sense of emptiness. It’s been work, work and more work to date and suddenly, bam wham! Nothing. All done. It’s been the only day to date when there’s absolutely not a single thing to do for an entire span of 5 hours.
I can hear the crickets calling in the background. My stress level high rockets and I think I am getting withdrawal symptoms.
How can work ever BE completed? I am missing something?
As I busied myself with finding something constructive to occupy my idle mind, it dawned upon me that I have temporarily lost the ability to slack. Simply put, I have forgotten how to rest and relax.
I needed to be re-conditioned to do so. Weekends are no longer R&R days. In fact, I work harder on weekends. Gracious. Time to zone out and to revert back to things I enjoy outside work-i.e. blogging.
Cheerios guys!

Upsetting the Equilibrium

2007-12-29T15:50:00.000+08:00

Something happened to me on Friday that threw off the balance of things.
Call me a creature of habit but I tend to like it when things go as planned, my way. And there I was leading my seemingly uneventful but placid life, planning on setting up new routines for 2008 when suddenly someone walked over to my desk at the end of the work day and in all seriousness tells me he loves me!
How often do you get that?
After I had confirmed it’s not a prank, I freaked out. This is one crisis I have no prior management experience. I was caught unaware, unprepared and dashed out as soon as I could.
Maybe the year is kind and decides to present an opportunity for me to sue someone. Geesh. It’s year end and an immense problem has royally plunked itself onto my lap to handle. To ignore or confront is the million dollar dilemma now. God help me.

Merry Christmas to All!

2007-12-24T18:30:00.000+08:00

It's Christmas Eve today! I shall use the time to update my blog tonight. Silent night, holy night, Ivy the bore will spend this evening typing on her computer by the 'fireplace'. No parties, no caroling. Just me and my family. In the company of one another. How wonderful. =)

The Loots…

2007-12-15T15:26:00.000+08:00

Heard raves about Bath & Body Works and decided to try it out. Apparently crazychick has a slash of them pending usage too. Whoa!
Victoria’s Secret toiletries are a little suspect so I didn’t go crazy over them. But for Bath & Body Works…yes I did!
In the end, I was their last customer for the day and the stuff is too heavy for me to lug back to my hotel. So the shop girls Annie and Gigi told me they will make a personal trip to Sheraton to drop off the bags. Oh my! I was overwhelmed with gratitude for their superb service and wanted to express my satisfaction with gratuity. Unfortunately they declined. Now I am going to just have to write in to the company in praise of their staff. In all, it was a truly phenomenal experience.
I didn’t buy any body wash because of constrained luggage space, only lotions and eau de toilette makes better sense to bring home. I am using the Sweet Pea now and I totally LOVE it!My only regret? I could not drop by the shop a second time to help Esther and Leia buy their requests. Sorry, sorry!

Sino Cravings in US

2007-12-14T15:30:00.000+08:00

Ironic, but often we crave Chinese fare in a Western land. If you’re craving for some decent Chinese cuisine at reasonable prices, you can head down to P.F. Chang’s for a nice meal in the States.
I like the elaborate shop front and the interior—done in the style of the terracotta warriors and horses ("兵马俑") in Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s tomb.
Food’s quite yummy, a pity I did not snap any pictures. The restaurant’s perpetually packed but there’s a bar diners can have a pre-dinner drink and wait for a table. My glass of Japanese plum wine cost a mere $5 USD and it pleased me that I wasn’t ripped off.

Getting a Taste of the Famed Donuts!

2007-12-14T02:36:00.000+08:00

When Scott offered to buy us Krispy Kreme for breakfast one Wednesday morning, I was filled with immense gratitude for his kindness.
Come on, it’s the donuts I have heard so much about and not tasted yet!
Here is it! WOW! o-0
Sugar overload for the day.
Verdict: They do stay crispy all day. Too sweet and second helpings not recommended. In fact, I didn’t finish an entire donut by myself. I tested all of them though and well…folks in Singapore, Donut Factory is worth the queue more than Krispy Kreme. I guess bringing in the franchise for this product then would make little business sense, especially when the incumbent is actually yummier.
So, when Scott arrived in Singapore after we've returned from Stamford, true to the personal promise I have made to him, I allowed him to try our local donut offerings. Peanut butter glazed, double chocolate and spicy cheese. =P

Northern to Southern Hemisphere Memories

2007-12-13T15:30:00.000+08:00

I know I actually have not posted any entries of my United States and Australia trips. To be honest, they were too short and of a professional nature that I could not afford to invest some time in personal leisure activities. Especially so for the U.S. trip, I only managed to squeeze in some time for shopping in the evenings-which is not very productive anyway.
So, here are some photos and all...a backlog of November's month of hectic travels.

Finally on Facebook

2007-12-12T15:30:00.000+08:00

Hi peeps,
I have finally joined Facebook. Now I will start exploring what makes it such a fabulous social networking site. I have requested for some of you to be added. But I don't think I have many of your emails etc. So, if you would like, please add me using this email: ivyvictoriayeo@gmail.com

I have heard that people spend lots of time on Facebook. Hm...I am still watching my Youtube program so I guess chances are, it's going to be unlikely for now. =P

Current Pre-Occupation

2007-12-11T14:50:00.000+08:00

Environmental conditions aside, one perk about living in China is that I really enjoy their free-to-air television programs.
Now that I am back in Singapore, there are times when I would miss the television offerings in Greater China. Fortunately, technological literacy allows many of us to gain access to international media over the Internet.
So yes, this is my current pre-occupation. Viewing Dr. 于丹‘s 百家讲坛之 "庄子心得"和孔子 "论语心得" over Youtube. It’s applicational philosophy at its very best, so if you guys have the time, it’s good to take a listen to the tracks. As for myself, I am hooked.
Here’s the weblink: Yu Dan's Bai Jia Jiang Tan