Zendes

I passed my IPPT (ver 2010)!

2010-03-10T11:42:00.003+08:00

After my failure last month at Khatib FCC, I finally managed to pass my IPPT at Safra Toa Payoh today. The last time I failed because of the stupid 2.4km run. Did not even manage to complete the 6 rounds. Just felt my lungs gonna burst & my legs were like jelly. I realized that I had not really trained hard enough. Not to forget the extra kilos I've gained over the year make it even harder for me.

This time round, I made sure I trained hard enough on the treadmill. Well, it did not matter that I won't be able to get any cash incentives if I passed at Safra. Frankly, all I wanted was to pass the #@*#*% IPPT & avoid the dreaded RT!! I'm going to start my new job this month & it's not gonna look good on me if I tell my boss I need to go off early cos of stupid RTs. This is why I'm determined to pass this time round.

The 2.4 run on treadmill was really a killer. I was so exhausted I almost fainted. I really could not believe that I could complete the run even though I had a few practice sessions. The only reason I could think of was that God had given me the strength to finish the run. Below sort of summarized what I had been going through:

1 min - "this is gonna be easy"
3 min - "mmm.. getting a bit out of breath liao"
5 min - "legs felt like jelly already. Wad! only 5 mins & not yet halfway done!"
7 min - "Puff.. puff... puff... I gonna die!!!??!"
9 min - " God, pls help me!!"
10 min - "my legs gonna break.. y my vision is a blurr??"
11 min - " my mind is a blank" (PTI was tokin abt some crap but I just can't be bothered liao!)
12 min - "......"
12:49 min - " Thank God"

PS: I've been nursing terrible muscle aches & pain in my shin for almost a week liao. What a price to pay for passing my IPPT. I hope my posting serve as an inspiration to those struggling to pass the IPPT. Just dun quit & preservere! U CAN DO IT!!!

Updates

2010-02-18T22:43:00.002+08:00

So much had happened since my last blog update(which was 5 mths ago!!).

- new house renovation was finally completed & major furnitures & electrical appliances moved in. Must say that reno is really not easy & takes up alot of time. Luckily i was on leave in dec & jan & manage to settle alot of stuff. If not, really dunno how long it would take to complete the reno.

- quited my job in jan 2010 & had been jobless for almost 1.5 mths. Started my new job on 8 feb.

- went to macau with rain in jan & really had a gd time touring the places & visiting the casinos.

- failed my IPPT(it's my 2.4 again!!) Swear that i will train harder n pass before my birthday!

- had a great time celebrating the Christmas & CNY holidays. Felt really sucky after all the holidays are gone. Why must gd times pass so fast??

House Opening Ceremony - Part II

2009-07-25T22:54:00.000+08:00

Today went to our new home again to inspect for defects. Got our shortlisted contractor, Michael, to come as well so that he can take on-site measurements & help to check for defects.

This time we went in the daytime & can finally take a gd look at our lovenest. Our hm was bright & airy. Really love the park view & we could even see part of a ship docking at the shipyard for servicing. What I like best abt our hm is the bay window area that overlooks the park. Could see teenagers playing basketball & families strolling in the park or kids playing. Think muz really decorate the bay window area & make it a comfy place for us to rest & relax while enjoying the view outside... haha!

Felt that the MBR is a bit small & had 2nd thoughts abt doing a mini WIW. Previously, we can only plan our design from the floor plan. But now with actual viewing of the place, guess we will need to adjust our expectations & design!

Hope that Michael can give a gd price for the reno. Will await for him to give us his updated quote before deciding whether to engage him or not. Meanwhile, here's some fotos of our new hm:

View from our home

Living room

Bedroom 3

MBR

House Opening Ceremony

2009-07-23T22:35:00.002+08:00

Today went to open our new house door. Really felt so excited since this is the very 1st time we are stepping into our new home. We actually went at night with rain, xy & our guest of honour - my mom! We reached there at almost 8pm. Glad that there are no contractors 'lurking' around the lift lobby. We went up to our unit & took some photos beside the main gate as momento. Then its time for our grand opening ceremony!

I took out the keys & both of us open the main door together. 1st impression of our home is that it's quite bright! This is even though there are no lighting in the hse. Reason is that our home is facing park & the park lightings actually illuminate our home. Frankly, the hse gives a comfortable feeling even without lightings & I think this is very important. We walk round the hse with a small torchlight & opened up the windows to let the cool air in. It's really a unique feeling to preview our hse in the dark.. haha! Overall, we're quite satisfied with our new home. We could even see a bit of the shipyard from our windows.

Can't wait to start renovating our home & move in...

Finally collected our new house keys

2009-07-22T23:04:00.003+08:00

Today is a special day for us. We finally collected the keys to our new love nest! We are now the proud owner of a 4 room HDB flat in Sembawang. Our appt with HDB was 1.10pm but we reached there early to buy the fire insurance first. Waited for a short while & our queue no. flashed on the screen & we proceeded to the room to collect the keys. Everything was quite smooth & the HDB uncle was very professional & efficient. We signed quite a no. of documents & finished the whole process in less than 40 mins. Was pleasantly surprised that we only need to produce the marriage cert by Jul 2011. This means that we'll have more time to prepare our wedding! Phew.. what a relief. Was still thinking what reasons to give for deferring our submission of the cert... haha! Our CPF was totally wiped out but we're glad that we've finally got a home we can call our own! Now it's time to focus on our renovation & furnitures...

Getting keys soon

2009-07-10T12:41:00.003+08:00

Just got informed by HDB that we'll be collecting our house keys on 22 Jul morning. Really feel so excited right now. It has been a long 2 yrs wait for our new flat & it's finally ready. Guess getting a new home signals a new chapter in our lives. Preparing for renovation, sourcing for furniture & stuff, repayment of housing loan... feeling a bit stressed out already! Hopefully, things will turn out well...

2009

2009-01-10T15:43:00.003+08:00

Every new year brings abt new hope & dreams & 2009 is no different. Despite the gloom, I think it's time to take stock of the blessings we had & also look forward to better times. Agenda for 2009 will be:

1) Go Japan in Mar
2) Plan for reno in Apr
3) Collect hse keys in Jun
4) ROM in Dec?

Will add on the list as time goes by...

Relaxing day

2008-12-03T16:45:00.006+08:00

Today went to meet up with my gay bro at Shenton Way for lunch. The place is really crowded during lunch time. Can imagine how difficult it is to find a place for makan during the peak lunch time hrs. We went to one of the small eateries at Temasek Tower to fill our stomach cos it's more cosy & less crowded. Eat halfway & it started to rain heavily but the skies soon cleared. After that, I went to Robinson Towers to open a new stock trading account with Phillips Capital. Had always wanted to open an account but juz couldn't find the time. But since I'm on leave, it's a gd opportunity to do all these things that I had planned had been delaying for a while. The account opening was fast & I'm left to wonder what to do for the rest of the day. In the end, I walked to Fullerton One & spend an hr or so at Coffee Bean enjoying a relaxing time. It's been quite a while since I had such peaceful moments coz the cafe was almost empty. Spend the day watching the tourists milling around at the Merlion, taking photos & having a gd time. A pity that darling was not with me to enjoy the coffee, cos she was busy at work. Sorry dear, next time I'll bring you there hor..

a solo ice mocha...

2008-11-23T21:44:00.002+08:00

The yr is almost coming to an end. Always love the year end feeling due to the Christmas & new year holidays. This Dec I will be forced by the company to clear all my 2008 leave. In a way it's good coz I have been longing to take a rest after such a hectic schedule for the past few mths. Had been thinking of what to do during my leave. Prob won't be going overseas due to the sky high prices for tour packages during the peak season, although I know that darling was hoping to have a nice Christmas overseas. This wk, will try to plan on what to do during my leave. Hopefully, I won't be lazing around at home & wasting my time away.. haha.

Belt tightening?

2008-10-26T15:21:00.002+08:00

Flipping newspapers nowadays seem to be a torture. Credit crisis, banks collapsing, recession, retrenchments, ordinary folks losing their hard-earned money overnight... the bad news just keep coming. It's hard not to sense the gloom & doom atmosphere around. I had neva expected things to turn out so badly until colleagues started talking abt an impending retrenchment exercise in my company. Who will the axe fall on? Will he be the guy sitting next to you or could it be you yourself? Will we still have a job comes year end? Rumours & gossips started flying around & ppl were really de-moralized & frightened by the prospect of lossing their rice bowls. It hits on me suddenly that you can just lose your job unexpectedly. Yeah, although I dun have a family with kids to feed, but losing one's job must really be a heart-wrenching & scary prospect, especially when you did nothing wrong except that you have became just a cost-cutting tool of your company. Although the company did not retrench anybody eventually(a company wide pay cut was done instead), I still feel wary as there are no certainty that the economy will not fall further & more drastic measures have to be done.

With a pay cut, I guess it's time to eat less at fancy restaurants & spend less on unneccessary items. Well, quality of life may drop a little but I guess it's still ok. I've been through the previous downturn in 2001 where jobs are hard to come by & pay was low. I survived with half my present pay the last time with less savings & probably this time round, I'm in a better position to survive the recession. But with my new home completing & marraige next yr, things may be a bit tight & tough going. Really hope that things will turn out better next yr. Otherwise, it will really be tough on everyone..

Anyway, despite all the gloomy news, here's something to wet your appetite & cheer your day:

ice cream from Seoul Yummy. good recipe to cheer your day!

Back from Thailand

2008-09-07T23:14:00.003+08:00

Juz got back this morning from Thailand after a 2 wks in-camp training there. Really had a tough time there coz the weather was extremely hot. Worse part is that it was start of rainy season so it was hot & wet at the same time! Not to forget, need to forgo all the comforts at home like warm shower & a nice bed. Also missed my darling a lot during those days. Some times it takes an experience like this to make you treasure the little things & comforts in life. Anyway, juz glad that I'm back & was given 2 days off to compensate for 'burning' our wkends in Thailand. Hope to make full use of my rest days to do the things I want before going back to hectic work again.

What am I working for?

2008-08-10T21:23:00.003+08:00

Past few weeks had been really hectic at work. The moment I stepped into office & it's work, work, work & more work!! The project I'm doing has been having facing endless problems. The worst part is that some colleagues from other dept had been less than helpful & even creating more obstacles for you. Guess boss has been feeling very frustrated too & sometimes giving 'attitude' problems.

Every day I prayed for strength, faith & energy to meet all these challenges at work. The thing that kept me going is the thought of having a better life with darling & learning new stuff each day. Despite the challenges, I neva regretted taking up this job as I had gained much knowledge & skills. There are so many things to learn & I really feel that this industry is what I can be in for many yrs to come.

Sigh.. now is really a critical time for my project but I had to go for my overseas reservist for 3 wks! Really feel very disheartened recently with all the hectic work & still have to make time to train for my IPPT. I'm getting less & less sleep & ppl had commented that I had slimmed down a bit. Looks like all these stresses are taking a toll on my health. Whatever it may be, I can only pray for God's strength & wisdom to continue this difficult journey.

My new flat is almost finishing(now building the flooring for my unit!!) Went with darling to see the flat on Sat & we were amazed by the speed that our flats are growing. Can't wait to renovate my new home & move in with my beloved wifey. These are things that really keep me going. Hope everything with turn out right for me.. my career.. love.. & home.

I need to slim down

2008-07-12T23:00:00.006+08:00

Today went with darling to a cosy restaurant at the Grassroots Club called The Naked Fish. Ordered their recommended dish - seafood platter for 2 person. Got prawns, mussels, calamari, scallops, dory fish, fries & rice. The platter also comes with soup, salad, tea & desserts. All these for only $32++!! This is the cheapest seafood platter we had ever seen. Really eat till very full & can't walk properly. Although the food was nice, the service was a bit lacking as the staff seemed short-handed & din clear the tables promptly. Also had a hard time trying to get the attention of the staff as they seemed to be running around & not attentive to customer's need. Anyway, here's a picture of the dish to wet your appetite:

Ytd also went with darling to a korean restaurant at Sq2 called "Seoul Yummy"(nice name!). What attracted us there was the very affordable price of the food, Most of them were below $10 although their desserts were a bit ex at $7.50 - enuff for 1 full meal. I ordered the beef rice while dear had spicy chicken hot plate. Food was quite ok except their korean barley drink dun taste like barley but instead taste like coffee water. It's like they forgot to wash the cup after using it for coffee & then you pour water into it.. Haha! Here's more pics to wet your appetite again:

My home is growing...

2008-07-06T22:31:00.003+08:00

Went to SBW Green with darling to check out the progress of our future home on Sat. Was surprised that our home is 'growing' taller & taller by the day. It's already on the 12th floor & very soon we'll be able to see our unit. Felt really excited to see our flat been constructed & progressing well - like seeing our 'baby' growing up & becoming an adult... haha. When we selected our flat last Nov, I was thinking that 1 & 1/2 yrs is really a long wait for our love nest but now, everything seems to be going so fast & in the next few mths, our flat will be ready! Muz really start planning & saving more for the reno & furnitures liao. Hopefully, we'll not have to resort to borrowing from banks for the reno & stuff. Anyway, here's some pics on our love nest under construction:

Busy week

2008-06-29T21:54:00.002+08:00

Has been really busy at work. From the time I stepped into the office, it has been work work work all the way! Well.. one thing gd abt this is that time really passed very quickly & before you know it, it's knock off time!

Today went to the showroom for the new condo at Bishan Park called Clover. Was really wowed by the really BIG bathroom they had. With the big windows, I can imagine having a 1 hr bath & enjoying the soothing park view... haha. One unit even had 4 bathrooms altogether. Makes me wonder why u need so many bathrooms.. keke. Can imagine how the maid will suffer cleaning the toilets n bathrooms. Anyway, can only oogle at the showroom since I would not be able to afford a condo. Hopefully, one day I would be able to stay in condo with a great view.. Mmmm...

MIA?

2008-06-22T19:54:00.004+08:00

Realized that I had not been blogging for the past 6 mths!! Not much had happenned recently except that me & Rain went for a short Hong Kong trip in May. Really had fun touring the country - shopping & eating all the way:) It's the first time we went to Disneyland & we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves there. Love the small world & the fireworks display & we really bought tons of souvenirs.. haha. Every time went holidays I was always amazed at how my dear can shop n shop n shop non-stop. Poor me really walk till legs go numb wor... Haha. Anyway, here's some photos to highlight our trip to HK.. enjoy :)

What's my new year resolution?

2008-01-01T22:03:00.000+08:00

Another yr came to a close & a brand new yr has juz begun! It seems like ytd when I posted my thoughts for 2007 in my blog on 2/1/07. Guess time waits for nobody eh?

Never thought that 2007 would be such an eventful yr for me. So much had happened. Went to Korea with Rain in May. Really had so much fun touring the country coz Korea is really a beautiful place with great sceneries & friendly ppl! Had also been baptized & became a Christian on Aug 26. It has been such a struggle to make this decision coz Rain was strongly against it. Also wrote an 'emotional' letter to her on my decision & hope that she will understand. It was really a tough & testing period for our relationship. I'm not sure if Rain has forgiven me but I promised that I will do my best to let her understand.

Went for reservist in Sep for 2 wks & was also actively looking for a new job. At last, my efforts paid off when I was shortlisted for 2 interviews. Eventually, I accepted an engineering job in the semicon industry. It was also another tough decision as it meant that I had to forgo my yr end bonus if I were to changed job in Nov. Wasn't sure if I can do the job & was really worried abt my prospects if I can't do well in the new job. Trust me, it had really caused me a no. of sleepless nights! After much consideration, I finally took up the job offer & is now 1 mth into my new job.

Another eventful episode for the yr is that me & Rain finally got a new flat! It was really diffcult to look a new hse & we are glad tat the search is finally over & we found our love nest!! Although the flat will only be ready in 2009, we are glad that we can have some thing to look forward to..

In the new yr of 2008, my resolution would be to work hard in my new job & hopefully do well. Will also try to make Rain happy & not let her be upset often :p My Rain also wish that I can get a car & go Japan for tour :) Well.. all i can say is that I will try my best, but no promise wor. Hopefully, this yr will be a gd & happy yr for me!

Christmas is here

2007-12-25T17:28:00.001+08:00

Went to Sun with Moon on Christmas eve with Rain, Wendy & XY. After that it's off to Dempsey Rd for some chill out session. First, we went to Ben & Jerry for some ice cream desserts. The ice-cream was nice but the price is really ex! Luckily its a treat by the girls.. hehe. At ard 10pm, we went to a bar called "Oosh". Its really a nice place with a relaxing atmosphere & a live band performing. We had a great time chit-chatting & drinking. When it was 12 midnight, we started to exchange our presents. Naughty Rain kept my big present till the last & tried to trick me into thinking that she only bought a small present for me. Anyway, was really touched that she bought a nice Casio G shock watch for me - something that I had wanted to buy for some time. Here's a pic of my new beloved watch:

G-Shock - compliments from Rain :)

It's crap to work on a Saturday

2007-12-22T22:18:00.000+08:00

Today had to go back office to supervise contractors doing some drilling works. Wad man! Really hate working on a sat coz every sat morn I always relax relax at home, reading newspaper & having a cup of tea. Some more can't take my company bus becoz the bus sets off at 7am but I only need to reach office at 9am. In the end, had to take mrt & bus to office. How I wish I have a car to drive around :) Guess this is going to be my new yr resolution!

My dream car - the ladies not included:

Homes by the Park at Sembawang

2007-11-01T23:26:00.000+08:00

1 Nov 2007, 11am - I'll always remember this date & time coz it's when me & Rain finally got our new home at Sembawang. Although the flat will only be ready in 2010, we are glad that we can finally get our love nest. It was really a nerve-wrecking experience getting a new flat. I personally went to the site 3 times juz to get a feel of the place in the day & at night. I even conducted an 'interview' with one of the residents in the area... Haha. Then on the selection day itself, my darling almost gave me a fright when she couldn't get a cab to HDB Hub & our turn to select was coming soon!! Luckily Rain managed to arrive abt 10 mins to selection time & we went in to select our unit smoothly.

The HDB 'uncle' officer seemed very experienced & explained everything to us clearly, before we start signing lots of documents. After that we went to pay a deposit of $2000 & also had a tour of the HDB showflats. When everything was done, we juz couldn't believe it - we finally got a house!! After that, it was celebration time at the nearby Crystal Jade Restaurant & a KTV session to sing our hearts out!! It had been a tiring day but well worthed it. In the meantime, will start reading more interior design magazines & come up with ideas on how to renovate our future home soon. Stay tuned!

October Rain

2007-10-22T22:30:00.000+08:00

It's amazing how much changes can be made within 1 mth. In Oct, I came back from reservist, went for 2 interviews, got a new job, tender my resignation & got a chance to select flat - all within a span of 1 mth. Like ppl always say, the only constant is change itself. Sometimes feel so overwhelmed by all these changes & decisions to be made. Even the weather is changing so rapidly in Oct. It was so hot in the beginning & now its raining day & night! Guess the rainy season came early this yr...

@sick@ Part II

2007-09-11T13:13:00.000+08:00

I can't believe this - i'm sick again! Seems like this flu virus is very persistent. It's another $28 going into the wallet of my family doc. Think I should seriously consider enrolling for a VIP card from my friendly neighbourhood clinic!

On second thoughts, if there is really such a card, it will be a card I wish I would neva have to use at all!! :p

@sick@

2007-09-03T12:04:00.000+08:00

In case u all are wondering why I'm posting at this time on a monday noon... well, tat's becoz im sick for the 2nd time in 3 mths. Went to see my friendly neighbourhood doc & was given 6 different types of medicine!! Antiobiotics, cough syrup, decongestant, lozenges... u name it & I hav it!! Total damages done - $42. With this amt of medication, I prob would get worse from medication 'poisoning' than from my flu. What to do, no doc = no MC - tat's a simple formula... Haha! As I'm writing this, the effect of the medicine is slowly affecting my mind. With the gloomy weather, guess its the perfect time to snooze & recuperate. Hope to get well soon..... ZzzzZzzzzz

Do u wait for things to happen?

2007-09-02T15:24:00.000+08:00

It has been quite a while (6 mths to be exact) since I updated my blog. I'm really suprised that time can fly by so quickly. There have been so many things to do lately & I juz dun seem to have enuff time! Wish I had 48 hrs each day. Guess I really had to sit down & organize my time properly. Some times I wonder what I had really accomplished in life so far. Think I should really be more proactive & stop wasting my time. My new motto will therefore be:

"Do you wait for things to happen or you make things happen?"

No more holiday mood

2007-02-25T17:20:00.000+08:00

Sigh... the hols are over. Why does good times pass so quickly? It has been a hectic Feb, with all the valentine's day celebration & chinese new yr holidays. All the eating & drinking is really making me feel very unhealthy leh. It's time to get my fitness routine back on schedule & start doing my jogging & gym training. Recently, ppl have commented that my face looks fat. This is really disheartening. I will strive to reduce my puffy face & show everyone that a leaner & more handsome me!! Yeah...

Good times will not last forever

2007-01-06T22:55:00.000+08:00

Flip the newspapers nowadays & it's not difficult to see gd news everywhere - "Economy grew by 7.7% in 2006", "STI hits 3000 mark!!" & "7.2 mths bonus for Kepfels employees" Walk on the streets & you can't help feeling that everyone is happily shopping with a great smile on their faces. It couldn't have got any better than now - with ppl getting big bonuses & salary increments. Time to go on the long awaited Europe hols or get the car you have been eyeing at the showroom for donkey yrs!! With so much gd news & rosy outlook, what can possibly go wrong? Well... everything & anything!!

Call me a pessimist but when u reached the top of the world, the only place u can go is DOWN! Good times will not last forever. What goes up has to come down eventually. No matter how rosy the future may hold, we should not forget that bad fortunes can strike at any time & in the most unexpected ways. It's impt that we should not get our heads clouded by all the gd news & forget this impt advice - "when times are gd, prepare for the worst!!". Things are so much different now as compared to 10 yrs ago. In this globalised economy, what happens in 1 part of the world will inevitably results in a chain reaction ard the world. I can only pray that the gd times will last as long as it can. I hope that when D day finally comes, we would at least be prepared for it.

A Brand New Year

2007-01-02T15:08:00.000+08:00

I love Ikea

Wanted to update my blog for a long long time but just couldn't think of something interesting to write about. Well, this really sums up my life in 2006. It was quite an uneventful & boring yr for me. Not too many ups & downs like in 2005. Not that I'm complaining, but sometimes when life becomes a routine, you just hope that life could be a little more interesting. Nothing much really happened in 2006. Could only recall the time when me & Rain applied for our 1st HDB flat but was unsuccessful. Work has been quite busy with some probs here & there. But overall, felt that it was a bit of waste not to have achieved much in 2006.

With the new yr, I already have some plans & hope that I will be able to carry out these plans sucessfully. Watch this space for more updates!!

Balloting is like lottery

2006-10-24T15:21:00.000+08:00

Heard that the balloting results will be out some time next wk. I'm not hopeful that we will get a q num, but just feel that at least after the results are released, we can plan our next move. Now considering whether to look for resale flats or wait for the next walk in or balloting. Really feels that buying a hse for a new couple is so tough. You have to consider not juz your financial status but also to fight with so many others for a flat in a gd location. Buying a new hse is a huge financial comittment & naturally, ppl will want to make sure it's afforadable & in a gd location with gd resale value. Juz hope that our hse hunting mission will be a successful one so that we can start our new life together soon.. :)

The haze is back

2006-10-07T14:07:00.000+08:00

This haze is really getting bad nowadays. Really makes u feel like in Genting except the stupid 'chao ta' smell. There is no escape, even in the comfort of my hse! Really envy ppl who have air-cons in their hse. At least u can juz hide in ur room till the haze is over!!

Ask Mark today if he was affected by the haze & he told me that it has no effect on him! Said that it's because he is used to bad air since he is working in a construction site.. haha!! He can't even smell anything wrong with the air. Seems like he is really immune to the haze. Sigh... really hope that this haze crap will be over soon. Btw, anybody got lobang for air-cons?

The haze is back
It's really bad
It makes ur nose itchy
& ur head groggy
CO2 SO2 & NO2
plus the smelly carbon too
They make up the PSI
& gives ur nose pee-sai

I hope clear skies will come soon
I really hope it do
Pls spare my nose & throat
& let my health be good...

Juz dropping by...

2006-08-10T23:13:00.000+08:00

Looked at my last post & realized that I 4 mths neva update my blog liao!! Looks like i'm getting real lazy. Not like my darling who always update till its like a food review blog.. haha. Anyway, really nothin much to say now cos brain is getting rusty. Will drop by again when i'm more awake & has more inspiration to write my blog...

Life is a bore
Give me roar
Wanna strike ToTo
& buy motor
...... (to be continue... i no inspiration la!!)

After the rain is gone

2006-04-16T16:13:00.000+08:00

After the rain is gone
Will sunshine be here again?
After love is gone
Will life be the same again?

I try to escape
I try to look away
But all I see is your face
And your innocent smile

My heart says I love u
Yet I juz couldn't say the words
Many things are beyond my control
I juz hope u can understand

Will we be together again?
Will we hug each other again?
Only time will tell
Whether we are lovers or pals...

Vday Celebration

2006-02-12T20:27:00.000+08:00

Celebrated our 4th Vday in advance today. Bought a bouquet of white roses for her. We went to Outback at Millenia Walk for a our dinner & took quite a lot of fotos there. The food was nice & the atmosphere was cosy. We also went to Atrium Lounge at Marina Mandarin hotel to chill-out. Its really a romantic & classy place to hang out in. Both of us, who are poor drinkers, ordered some mocktails instead of alcoholic drinks & juz spend the lovely night chatting & listening to the music. Really feel so relax over there & we even suggested goin to the lounge at Westin top floor some time soon. Enjoyed ourselves thoroughly today & we look forward to our next Vday celebration soon!

I pass my IPPT...

2006-01-24T21:38:00.000+08:00

Phew.. managed to pass my IPPT for this year again. Ran like mad for the 2.4km on treadmill. Thought tat it would be easier to pass on treadmill but realized tat it was far from it. Almost felt like dying during the last 4 mins of the run. Was thinkin of my wifey & dunno why I suddenly got the 'power' to push on & complete the run.. hehe. After the IPPT, really felt very hungry & gobbled up a bowl of Katsu Don & a nice cold bowl of ice mango longans. Well.. u can say tat its a small reward for passing the test. Looks like I can relaz for the next few months till my IPPT window opens again after my bday.. haha!!

AHH CHOOOW!!

2006-01-22T17:22:00.000+08:00

Seems like the air is getting bad. Came back from the gym ytd morning & started to have running nose. Sumtimes I wonder if the gym is dirtier than our good old hawker centre toilets. With so many ppl using the gym equipment & sweating all over the place, u can't help wondering what kind of viruses & bacteria lurks around. Well, what to do? I'm not rich enuff to afford my very personal gym. So its back to my favourite SSC gym every weekend to smell everyone's sweat while keeping my body fit & macho... AH CHOOOW!!!

(tissue, anyone?)

Good bye 2005

2005-12-30T23:51:00.000+08:00

My gay bro has been asking why I did not update my blog for so long. So well, here's my last entry for the year. Din know tat ppl have been waiting 'eagerly' for my updates.. Haha!

It has been an eventful year for me. A change in work environment, going to Taipei, close shave with pneumonia & a 'hotel stay' in TTSH... it couldn't get any beta than tat!! Life is so full of fun & surpises man. As the year draws to a close, it's time to reflect on wad we have done for the past 365 days. Ppl said tat we should not dwell too much on the past but I guess it's gd tat every1 should take a look at themselves for the past 1 yr & see wad u could have done beta & learn from life's lessons.

Recently I have been feelin so tired & unmotivated. All e festive celebrations & gd food dun seem to make mi feel any beta. Wad a way to end the year man! Mb they call these the pre 30s male menopause syndrome(Wahaha!!!). I juz hope tat things will get beta next yr. Work has been so tiring & sumtimes I juz feel like doin nothing in e office(hope my boss is not reading this!!). I'm really askin myself how i can be motivated to work harder. Mb should seriously tink abt improvin on my work atitude. Oki la.. enuff of all my rumblings. Will end tis last entry with my usual crap poem for all my fans out there...

It's time to say good-bye
To Year Two thousand & Five
Time waits for nobody
We should not live in fantasy
The years come & go
The mths, weeks & days also
Let's look forward to the New Year
& sing our songs of cheers..

Shit happens sumtimes..

2005-11-01T22:54:00.000+08:00

Life is so unpredictable. Sumtimes life seems to throw shit (& I mean lots of shit) at you all at once. Sumtimes ppl can really be down on their luck & u juz feel helpless. But I guess nobody can be unlucky all the time. If u r at the bottom of the pits.. the onli way is to go up. Whatever life throws at u, u can either face it or avoid it. If its really shit, I guess I would face it bravely then to hide from it & be a coward. Life is juz like driving down a bumpy country road. There are potholes, mud, & even cow dung along the way. If you try to avoid them, u may end up in the ditch & be stucked forever. I believe that if u focus ur mind & body & preservere, sooner or lata, u will reach ur destination. We should all face shit bravely & neva let them stop u from reachin ur goals.

In life, sumtimes shit happens
But pls do not be saddened
Life is like a roller coaster ride
Going up & down like the tides
Pls do not be discouraged
Face it wif all ur courage
For life can sumtimes be good
Like the fairy in a children's book..

Health is Wealth

2005-10-11T22:04:00.000+08:00

It has been a dreadful past 2 wks for me. It all happened on 26 Sep, just a day after i updated this blog abt Rain's sickness. Never did I imagine that I would encounter the worst sickness in my life after this. I felt unwell in the morning & started to have chills in the office. Soon the fever came & I was weak all over. Took half a day off to see the doc. Did not really worry abt my sickness & tot that its juz the common flu which I would get over soon. But I was so wrong. Juz when I tot I was well, the fever came back to torture me again. Over the next few days, it was back to the doc & conducting blood tests for dengue fever. However, all the test results were negative. My body got weaker & weaker by the day & I started to worry abt wad disease I could have contracted. My body was screaming for help & my mind was in a daze. I was like a walkin zombie. Finally, the fever came back with a vengence on a sat night & I was rush to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The nurse took my temperature & it was 39.6 deg!! I felt like dying & had to endure another 3 hrs before I saw the doc. Took a blood test (again??!!) & xray & was told that I had an unknown "patch" in my lungs. The doc could not aceratain wad was this 'patch' in my lungs & I was eventually admitted to hospital. It was abt 2.30am & I was lying in the hospital bed wif a raging fever. I was told that the doc was busy & could not attend to me immediately. After an hr, I could not take it anymore & had to ask the nurse for help. The kind nurse gave me 2 panadols & a wet towel to reduce my fever. There I was, lying in bed with hardly any strength to move & a fever tat seemed to engulfed my whole body. I will neva forget the horrible feeling of helplessness & sadness. I almost felt like on the brink of death. It was not a feeling I would want to experience ever again. The doc finally came & interviewed me in the middle of the night & fortunately my fever had already went down.

In the early morning, I was wheeled to the radiography room for another round of xray. The doc came at ard 9am & I was told the shocking news tat I actually had pneumonia!! How the hell did i get this disease? I was perfectly all rite before the fever came. How could it be? Many questions went through my mind but there were no answers. I was put on a drip with a cocktail of antibiotics to combat my illness. But the fever seemed to hang on to me like a leech & refused to let go. This went on for 2 more days & the doc was getting worried. It appeared that the 1st cocktail of antibiotics was ineffective. I was totally devastated. Strange tots started to cross my mind. Will I survive this disease? I have so much things I hav yet to do & accomplish. I cant juz die like tat! My mind & body seemed to hav given up hope & tears started rolling down. It was time like this when u finally realize that life can be so fragile - like a candle in the wind. In these difficult times, my tots were with my family & Rain. I told myself I hav to be strong for the sake of them. They must be praying and waiting for me to get well soon & I muz not disappoint them. I will fight this disease....

The new antibiotics finally worked & my fever went down on tues. It neva came back after that & I was finally discharged on fri (7 Oct). I was not fully cured & had to recuperate at home but this was much beta than stayin in the hospital. Right now, I'm still on medication but I felt much beta than the past 2 wks. I hope that I would be able to get well by end of tis wk & return to work soon.

This terrible episode really changed my prospective of life. Not matter how rich or successful you are, it is useless without gd health. I finally realize how much my family, gf, frens & colleagues cared abt me & I'm really glad that they hav given me so much care & support during my sickness. I just hope that I will not hav to let them worry again. This experience has taught me that life is really short & I should live each day fully. No matter wad happens in the future, as long as you have live life to the fullest, you will hav no regrets. I'm glad that God has given me a chance to realize this & I promise myself that I will not waste my life away & will treasure every moment of my life & bring joy to my loved ones - coz we neva know wad will happen tmr....

2005-09-25T14:59:00.000+08:00

Looks like Rain is sick again. Feel so heart-pain to see her taking medicine all the time. I wish I could make her feel beta. We had such a enjoyable time watching "A Date with Vampire III" at her hse ytd. As we were watchin the tv, I could imagine us cuddling in our cosy sofa when we have our 'love nest' in the future. You knoe, sometimes we can juz hold hands together & feel so loved wihout saying anything. She always steal a peek at me & would give me such a loving smile that melts my heart. Dear, pls get well soon & dun let me be worried, ok? Will bring u to our fav crab restaurant to satisfy ur craving when u get well... ;)

Look on the bright side of life...

2005-07-31T15:29:00.000+08:00

My dear Rain is offcially jobless now. I know that u are worried about your finances and whether u can find a new job soon. Ytd when i was queuing up at G2000, I took a peek at u (like u always do to me) and saw a tinge of sadness over ur face. U were staring blankly at the clothes and seemed to be deep in thoughts. I know that it was not easy to make a decision to quit and i'm sure u are uncertain about the future. But dear, let me say that no matter wad your decision is, I will always support u. Its neva easy to take the 1st step to change, but i believe that everything will turn out juz fine for u. I know that u are a strong girl & with your persistence & preserverance, u will definitely succeed in your job hunt. Of course, u should not forget that there will always be someone by your side to accompany u through the ups & downs of life. So, please be optimistic and cheerful always ok? Like I always like to say.. 'look on the bright side of life...'

Look on the bright side of life
Coz life is like pang sai
sometimes its so smooth
like a creamy poo
but at times the poo dun move
& you are stuck in the loo..

Treat your worries like your poo
They are smelly & uncool
Flush them down the loo
& all your worries too
It will lend u much relief
& give your mood a lift

So please take your loo break
& make your life feel great!!

Anniversary 2.5

2005-06-18T14:02:00.000+08:00

Sweetie is sick today & I feel so worried for her. Bought 2 jars of honey to soothe her throat (it should be able to last her till 2009). Wish I could do more to make her feel better. Good health is really important so pls take gd care of urself k?

Its our 2.5 yrs anniversary today too. Feel so glad that our relationship is still going strong & steady. We discuss abt our future together & we hope to have some sort of 'action plans' to achieve our goal. However, we need to carry out our plans secretly in case some ppl 'copy' us & hijack our plans.. WAHAHA!!

I love the pool..

2005-06-04T14:28:00.000+08:00

Spent the late afternoon wif Rain at the Yishun Safra pool. Really nice to enjoy & relax at the pool. It's well worth spending the $82 for a 3-yr subcription to Safra club.. haha. Rain had improved tremendously wif her swimming skills & i'm so proud of her. Really enjoy ourselves silly playing wif the slides till my backside got cramp! However, I cant say the same for the jacuzzi. The water was so hot that I feel like a chicken in hot soup! Rain seems to enjoy the heat though (was suspecting she got really 'thick skin'). Anyway, we made a decision to go to the pool at least once or twice a mth rather than to spend our weekends goin shoppin & spending our hard-earned $$. So glad that both of us enjoy the pool...

I love the pool..
Its so cool
I love the rides
Down the slippery slides
The jacuzzi was so hot
I feel like a cooking pot
Life is so much fun
To play like a fool
At the swimming pool...

New Office

2005-05-20T13:33:00.000+08:00

Finally endured a long week in my new office. Seems like I have been thrown into the deep end of the pool & left to keep afloat on my own. So much new things to learn, new colleagues to know & a brand new work environment. Many projects were left hanging after my predecessor left & I'm having a hard time trying to even grasp what's going on now. Boss is breathing down my neck & expecting mi to be 'productive' soon. Colleagues are expecting mi to take over the tasks which my predecessor had left behind. Looking at the huge piles of files (I called it the Great wall of China) is enuff to cos a major headache. They say work is neva fun & i guess if i wanna to hav enuff $ to pay my bills at the end of the month, then I beta buck up & sort out all e mess asap! No more coffee breaks & chit chats 4 mi then. Well, at least now I have a huge cubicle with a pentium 4 PC & a cosy chair all to myself !! - thats wad i tink a 'real office' should look like..HAHA..

A tribute to my washin machine

2005-05-10T23:54:00.000+08:00

Machine Machine you're so noisy
Machine Machine you wash my undies
You give me holes in my undies
I will forgive
You wake me up every morning
I'm so angry
Now that you're broken
And in machine heaven
I will miss ya.. & not be forgotten.

Zzzz

2005-05-08T23:01:00.000+08:00

Am I lack of sleep or wad? Woke up at 12 noon, read the news & had lunch, surf a bit of net & it's time to sleep again!! Took a 'nap' from 3 to 6pm. Think I really had wasted a gd sunday juz sleeping my time away. Well, can't really blame mi cos the weather was cooling after a heavy downpour in the morning. On 2nd thoughts, I din really wasted my time today - Sleep is a gd way to recharge myself so that I can face new challenges ahead!! juz some rubbish from a lazy bum...

Taipei Day 5

2005-04-05T21:53:00.000+08:00

Woke up at 430 am in the early morning. Felt really tired & sleepy. We took our luggage down to the hotel lobby to checked out. Was glad that our driver was already waiting for us with his mini-van outside the hotel. We loaded our luggage & were soon on a long journey to CKS airport. As it was early morning, there was little traffic & our van cruised along the expressway smoothly. We reached the airport rather early & checked in without a hitch. Soon, we were on EVA Air Flight BR225 back to S'pore.

Overall, we had an enjoyable & memorable stay in Taipei. The weather was cooling, the people friendly & the food was great! And of coz, how can we forget to mention that it was a shopping paradise (Rain would most likely agree wholeheartedly). There are many places of interest that we did not go, either due to time constraint or becoz the place was too far away. It would have been perfect if we had more time there. For example, we could have visited more night markets or have a try at the famous hot springs in Beitou. We also did not sample most of the famous food there. However, we were glad that we 'conquered' most of the muz go places in Taipei & we really hope to visit Taipei again. Till then, we beta start saving for our next overseas trip!!

Taipei Day 4

2005-04-04T21:36:00.000+08:00

It was our last full day at Taipei & we coudn't help but feel a bit sad. After breakfast (I was starting to get a bit sick of the same buffet breakfast..haha), we went back to Taipei 101 coz we didnt really toured ard the place on our 1st day & we also wanted to go to the viewing tower there. To our disappointment, the viewing tower was closed on Monday!! Wad man! Well, looked like we were not fated to see the whole Taipei cityscape from Taipei 101. We did some shopping there took the mrt to Taipei Main Station. From there, we went to BookStore Street & later came across a building called Muo Tian Lou with a viewing tower too! We quickly bought the tickets & took the express lift to the top floor. Although the Muo Tian Lou was not as tall as Taipei 101, we still had a breathtaking & clear view of the whole of Taipei City. Most of the landmarks like the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall & even Danshui was visible. We took a couple of photos & then set off to Ximenting again coz Rain wanted to do some more shopping(wad a shopping queen!)

We returned to the hotel to rest for a while & then went abck to Pacific Sogo for our dinner & some more shopping. After that, it was back to hotel to start packing our luggage for our departure the next morning.

Taipei Day 3

2005-04-03T21:06:00.000+08:00

The weather was perfect & sunny in the morning & we decided to do some serious sightseeing. We set off to Yang Ming Shan which is a muz go for tourists visiting Taipei. We dropped off at Shilin station & took our 1st bus in Taipei to Yang Ming Shan. The bus journey took abt half an hour to reach the terminal. From the bus terminal, we had to walk a fair bit to Yang Ming Shan Garden. There was quite a crowd probably becasue it was a sunday & the weather was excellent. The view there was breathtaking & the air was very fresh. Although the afternoon sun was shining, we did not feel hot at all from all the climbing & walking. We took many pictures & felt adventurous enough to walk further into the hills. We soon came across a nice water fall with a number of locals soaking their feet in the cooling water. Seeing such a gd opportunity to soothe our tired feet, we wasted no time in taking off our shoes & socks & joining them!! We left Yang Ming Shan ard mid-noon & took the same bus back to Jiantan station. From there, we took a long train ride to Danshui.

Danshui is a coastal town with a spectacular view of the ocean. We strolled along Danshui Old Street which was filled with many shops & kiosks selling food & souvenirs. We bought some local foodstuffs & souvenirs to bring back to S'pore. Rain suggested we should take a ferry to Yu Ren Ma Tou (fisherman's harbour) which was quite near to Danshui & I agreed. We bought the ferry tickets but had to wait quite a while due to long queues of ppl taking the ferry. Yu Ren Ma Tou, as the name suggests, is a small harbour with many small boats & sampans. There is also a nice bridge called the Lover's Bridge which connects a small island to the main isalnd. The place was exceptionally windy & cold & we were almost freezing. Had a quick dinner there & took the return ferry back to Danshui Old Street. We stepped into the nigth market again & had more food & shopping.

We returned to the hotel late at night, feeling tired & sleepy. However, we feel that it was the best day of our stay in Taipei coz we really enjoyed the sightseeing at Yang Ming Shan & Danshui. Really glad that we had a eventful & memorable trip today with lots of photos to bring back.

Taipei Day 2

2005-04-02T20:39:00.000+08:00

Had breakfast buffet at the hotel. It was raining outside & we decided to do some 'major' shopping so that we can stay indoors to avoid the rain.

We went to the famous Ximenting area which was a bit like our Orchard Rd. Feels like in Japan with all the colourful signboards & fashion shops. Was surprised that a number of artistes like Cocco Lee & 5566 would be performing there & many fans were already waiting in the rain. However, we did not stay long enough in Ximenting to see them. We walked around Ximenting & managed to buy some clothings at quite resonable prices. Our next stop was the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. The place was really hugh & we managed to take a few photos despite the rain & having to balance our umbrellas, bags & cameras!!

In the evening, we went to Pacific Sogo which is a 12 storey shopping paradise! However, most of the stuffs were branded & we didnt spend much of our time there. We proceeded to Shilin food ctr & night market next. The food ctr was really crowded & filled with all kinds of delicacies at very affordable prices. We wasted no time in sampling the food as we were very hungry. Had the famous super big & crispy fried chicken cutlet, fried egg wif oyster & mixed fruit juice. After satisfying our stomach, we went to the night market which was juz nearby. The place was really filled with shoppers & tourists. Shops & make-shift stalls lined the alley & there were many interesting food & articles on sale. The atmosphere was really buzzy & noisy & we had a great & memorable time there.

We went back to our hotel with tired legs but was glad that we had an interesting & fruitful day in Taipei. After a hot shower to soothe my aching body, its bedtime & sweet dreams.

Taipei Day 1

2005-04-01T22:12:00.000+08:00

It's my birthday today & Im on my way to Taipei!! Reach Changi Airport at ard 11am & cleared immigration by noon.. Our flight, EVA Air BR 226 took off at 130pm - a slight delay which means we would reach taipei at ard 6pm. The flight was smooth & we were like excited kids on excursion, waiting eagerly to reach our destination.

We finally reached Taipei CKS Airport at ard 6pm. Clearing immigration was a breeze but we realized it was almost dark & weather was windy & cold. We bought our bus tickets at e airbus service counter & was informed that our bus would not be going to our hotel!! Wad e heck man! Well.. tats something unexpected but not really a prob as we could still dropped by near e hotel & take a cab. Waiting 4 e bus took another 20 mins due to traffic jams & we were left waiting at e bus stop, smelling fumes fr e other buses..Haha.

We boarded e bus at ard 645pm & were soon on a long journey fr CKS Airport at Taoyuan County to Taipei City. Traffic was really busy & e bus almost came to a crawl in certain parts of e expressway. We finally reach taipei city at ard 8pm. Alighted fr e bus & soon hailed a cab to United Hotel. Coudnt believe cabs were everywhere in sight & it was very easy to get 1. We reached our hotel, checked in, unpacked & were all ready to GO!! Really hungry & we made our way to e Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall (SYS) mrt station which was juz a 5 mins walk fr our hotel. We bought our single trip train tickets & arrived at Taipei City Hall Station. It was really chilly & hazy in e streets & I actually feel a bit disappointed tat e city looked dull & smoky, wif lots of cars, scooters & fumes. We ask ard & made our move towards Taipei 101. On e way, we saw a nice shoppin ctr named New York New York wif a minature Statue of Liberty in front. We took some fotos & had our dinner at e food court. We also saw e Taipei 101 building & we coudnt believe tat e top of e building was shrouded by clouds!! Really amazing. However, e building was not well lit & we coudnt get a gd pic of it. We also visited e Warner Bro's cinema & passed by a beautiful street wif blue-lit trees. A foto moment not to be missed & our cameras started clicking away.

Time really flies & most shops were closing. We took a slow walk back to e mrt station reluctantly. When we emerged fr SYS stat, we realized tat we had forgotten how to get back to e hotel!! Our hotel was not veri tall & prominent & we had some difficulties in finding it. Well, not big prob again & we managed to find e place after some 'trial & error'. We were really tired fr all e travelling & walking but glad tat we would have 3 days ahead of us to explore Taipei.

$Bonus$

2005-03-21T22:09:00.000+08:00

Juz got my bonus payslip thro email today. Glad that after all the mistakes & blunders I made in my work last yr, I still manage to get something decent. Most of e bonus will help to cover my Taipei trip & not much will be left. Without e bonus, it would have been difficult to go on a trip abroad. Really have to thank my bosses for not blaming me.. haha. Looks like I have to work doubly hard from now onwards...

Taipei here I come

2005-03-18T20:41:00.000+08:00

Finally book our Taipei trip at Natas Travel Fair today. Had to wait till the very last min b4 we can find a suitable free & easy package. It was really not easy to walk around e travel fair & comparing the different packages on offer. The crowd was huge & many booths were fiiled wif ppl making enquiries. Looks like S'poreans are really hard-cored travellers..Haha!! It's 2 wks more to our trip & I can't wait. Really need a break from work & go enjoy ourselves silly. Looks like I have to start planning e itinery as well as packing my bag liao.

Technology...

2005-03-14T22:48:00.000+08:00

Finally got my webcam & mic from Sim Lim Sq. Downloaded the skype software & now its free phone calls everyday!! So happy... Its amazing how technology is helping us to save $$. Now a call to XY in Oz is free & the voice quality is so clear. My mum cant believe u can actually get free overseas call & keep asking mi how is e phone bill!! Haha... Wif the webcam i can also see my lovely Rain every nite... Ahh.. so gd to be able to chat wif her & see wad she is doing at home. Technology is such a blessing...

Jelly days...

2005-03-12T23:53:00.000+08:00

Had a taste of Rain's dessert making skills today. Gobbled up 6 jellies made by her. Not bad considering its her 1st attempt. Was really touched that she made the effort to wake up early to prepare them. Darling, I have this to say - keep up the gd work & pls make e jelly more bouncy next time hor! Keke.. I will wait for ur next surprise!