A colleague is leaving, for greener pastures. here he is merely a small inexperienced staff hidden amongst one of the 5 branches of the organization. Is he the best? definitely not. for there are better ones. But outside, there are places that will take him for a $800/month increment in a position that is like so high that in normal working day, people working in my level will not be contacting. Is the green-eye monster coming out of the shadows? absolutely. That news kinda sparked off a series of job-hopping thoughts in many of us.

So i was thinking. In a couple of years, I would not have to worry if I'll be unwanted outside. I just need to flash the cert, and act like I'm damn worth the money you're paying me for.

I met the COO yet again yesterday at the company Christmas lunch. I dread meeting him, for he always uses the same question as the start of our conversation, and always ends the conversation with a reminder of some unpleasant stuff that I'd gladly forget. well, to hell with that. You just wait till my backup plan is in place. Then I'll simply smirk when you say the same things over again.

Some insensitive comments someone made also has me frowning for quite some time.
but it's okay. for I know that's not important. yep. like telling me things that down my mood invigorates me. exactly the opposite- so i slept well last night.

My sleeping pattern is absolutely screwed. and so is my food-induction routine. I have a hearty diet. someone reminded me again. and I do not need reminder that I feel like I'm going to evaporate into thin air if this goes on. I am eating well and I think it's the digestive system that makes my body all knobbed. Like no matter how much I eat, I no longer feel bloated or full. so that is making me miserable. you know how much I enjoy the feeling of contentment in the stomach after a good meal thinking that the day can end coz I am fed.

and the VP attitude irks me. Yep. Talking about changing the corporate culture and appreciating your people more doesnt mean that one has to look down on others and feel superior for we are leaders and the blue-collar jobs are for those people that you wont mix around with.

mind him. a lousy speaker than tries to instill action plans and inspires subordinates shld not act all snotty. Feels worse than high school when you know you can never be compared to the top 5 schools for the elites in the nation yet the educators kept brainwashing the class that we are the cream of the crop. and the physics teacher telling us that the NA and NT students are useless and stuff. You know the kind of feeling when you look at them, supposedly in respect, but turned out that they're some hypocrites just wanting to meet their own targets and appraisals for the academic year. People turn out just fine without adding kerosene and starting a fire. thank you.

and I am where I am because of opportunities. I kept thinking of the Nepal video in year one and feel so glad that the cards I'm being dealt with are good in the first place.

You know what I want to do most on rainy days?

It's here! One more month till 2010.

Somehow the years get shorter as I get older.

Last year this time, I was still blissfully ignorant of the kind of life I will be leading this year. I was still a young college student away from home having the time of her life.

It felt like 10 years. The twinkle is gone and I no longer find the need to flash the camera at every single moment worth capturing. Or maybe all the moments aint worth the effort now.

I still look forward to the same old things, like sleeping, a cup of coffee, a book with a quilt on rainy days on that rocking chair. Just that non-working hours have become the prerequisites to all those things to be happy about.

Today he came over and I finally understand a tad of how he feels every time we arrange to meet and me looking like work is pulling me down. For the past 5 months it just seems that only I'm the one with the horrible work-life balance and yep. I feel damn guilty. and even more so after receiving Royce after work. and some days the thought of settling down early dont seem like such a bad idea after all.

But work has to come first, at least for two and a half more years. Working hard towards that goal. If you really have to know, I really can't see myself there in 5 years time. Internal promotion is absolutely out of the question. Maybe another company. It's not that I don't enjoy the work I am doing now. I've come to a stage whereby I'll come home, to spend time logging in just to check my performance in the previous shift. So I know I'm one level higher than where I started out. Good, but not enough. I need to conquer the next, for people have expectations. The money is not for free. Yep, but so is my mental and physical health. And would I trade this for that? Maybe I would.

I look at my friends who have already changed/ is changing/ will be changing jobs. All the best for your new jobs. Surveys have shown that the first 6 months in a new job is the most stressful. I can vouch for that, and let's hope the next job is a better one. One with more pay, better benefits, and nicer colleagues. No point moving from bad to worse yeah. and know that if you feel miserable, remind yourself that I'm stuck. until I get that money ready in the bank. lolx..

and yep. The Kuching and Italy trip have been booked. At last something for me to look forward to. To break the monotonous work streak. So I guess I'm really stuck. Yep, talk about choices.

Astrological predictions. lolx

Beware of taking a job for which you are utterly unsuited. Yes, you need a steady income, but it's important to hold out for the right kind of work. Opportunities related to the arts, charity work, or psychology are highly favoured. You might also thrive in the hospitality field. These days, it's practically impossible to get good customer service. That's where someone with your diplomatic talents comes in. Stress this ability when you go on job interviews.

An unusual routine you were forced to abandon could be put back into action. It will take some time to get used to working strange hours and running strange errands. Still, your work won't ever be boring.

December. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

time, gone.

Finally found the time to visit my grandparents as well as my aunt & family.

Combed vivo for florist and bought a stalk of rose for my grandma's bdae. she's still that happy after receiving flowers from me. so i'm glad she likes it. Gifts are the best when they can make one smile. regardless of the cost. So together with an angbao and the usual extra allowance, I suppose that makes up for the lack of time to visit her after starting work in July. at least it lessen the guilt.

2 years and 7 more months to go.

God, please know that I'll like to stay strong.

Give me the serenity to be at peace with all things at all times, the courage to stand up to what I believe in, and the wisdom to ignore all the intolerables. Amen.

I can feel it

Time for a wardrobe change. and I have no idea the difference that few kilos can make.

Shocked. Everytime I was alone in the office ladies spending the precious 5 minutes to myself and scare myself half to death with the notion that something aint right. or rather, seriously wrong. I put on a piece of pants today that used to be tight, and realised that I need a belt now. I no longer use the digital weighing scale underneath the dressing table for every bit lost cant be easily gained back. and it's kinda depressing. I'm maintaining my usual diet, and might even be consuming more tidbits with the frequent snacking. And not to mention the absence of any exercise in my day-to-day life. But somehow the metabolism still remains high and the energy intake doesnt seem to be enough. The guys in the office commented that I'm scary coz I eat a lot. Like a lot. Not normal for a female. Or maybe they just havent meet that many females in the office. And yes, my manager unofficially told me today that I've became a male in my line of work. Not because I want to. But because I have to. So the expectation is kinda like: u're a female so u're expected to have the usual blah blah qualities like being meticulous and stuff, yet able to act like I have the OTHER good qualities of a male. Anyway, my hormones are kinda screwed now with the irregular sleeping pattern so maybe I do have some of those traits. I think stress is playing a rather major role in my life now that I've started working and expecations are rising, if it aint high in the first place. Struggling to make things work, all the time. and explaining for every small details that may or may not be out of my control. and if it's not. why and what could be done. I was thinking today how it used to be like, say 15 years ago when the trade was booming (it's still booming) and haven been privatised, yet. I heard stories, wonderful ones, that I hope was still on but sadly not. Then again, when money gets in the way, everything gets OUT of the way.

So today I came back from a scoring day at work and realised that even with 2 hours of sleep I can jolly well function for more than 12 hours. and find myself amazed and wondering again how far one can go. Like where exactly is the limit. Like whether the same situation will happen like playing SIMS. fatigue sets in and one drops to the ground and catch some sleep then continue to wake up and go abt their activity.

so back to the scoring thing. My morale was on a uphill hike until those damn phone calls pushed me down the ladder. not once, not twice, but numerous time. If you do well, they want better. So ultimately I'm always racing against time, and trying to beat targets time and again. when you do extremely well in one area by sacrificing something else (one's always got to prioritise stuff), they expect u to maintain the one that u sacrificed AND also do well for the 1st priority. So the grey areas just gotten bigger. and things aint black and white anymore. not that they are in the first place. but the grey got diffused, if u know what i mean.

----------------------

Wanted to bitch about work but stopped.

Didnt want to see myself whine to myself.

I'm not there yet.

Hopefully.

----------

some random stuff:

Mom was doing the laundry on a rainy day. and it reminded me very much of KR and seeing the crane lights in the distance shining in from my window. the same detergent smell with the cold air and the scent of fresh air in the early morning. same old same old. and i like that coz it's comforting. to an extent that i think i'm addicted. and one day when i have my own home, i'll make sure i have throws all over the house during the rainy season so i can indulge.

Got this crazy urge to go shopping. Just walk around and look at what the shops have to offer. not necessarily spending money, but just roaming the streets listening to xmas songs and people watch. Just looking at random stuff that one may or may not require. sometimes i need a warm hand to go shopping with. on rainy days especially. but things dont always go as one wants. i already have an almost non-existent social life and the shift adds on to the anti-social lifestyle i am heading towards. yeap. talk about work-life balance.

need to find another way to reconnect with myself.

A million thoughts.

and no voice to project those words.

Living makes us dumb and dumb-er.

Or rather, acting like one.

Thinking of the vacuum-packed bah kwa back in the CJ hostel looking out at flurries outside the window.. smiling at the 'coming to meet u the long way round' quick message, the funny coins required to ride in the trains there, plus the super long wait at the bus stop in the cold and the ulu bus journey to the national park in Gapsa. The can't-believe-its-true time frame with all the happy memories compact.

OK. back to reality.

Watsons is bringing in DHC. yep. I think so. The pre-marketing bottle looks like it. which means i have an alternative source of makeup remover when this runs out. lolx. no need to go to Japan or Korea to buy!

and i'm excited, not coz i can stick to my original makeup remover, but more of guessing the correct brand with one look. lolx.

Love it. the rainy season.

Seeker.

Of all the things in the world, I asked for a happy meal that satisfies the stomach of all my loved ones.

And if that aint enough to bring contentment, I don't know what else could.

Seeking those intangibles. Everyone is invariably looking for those stuffs and choosing to fulfill them with tangibles.

so if most people are just one of the rest, then maybe everyone should be grouped with the majority due to them being unique. Yes, you belong to the majority because everyone of us is unique.

The ideal roster is one that gives me 2 + 2 with the original standby days as it should be.

As the time goes, all I look forward to after the end of work is to sleep right through the fatigue and wake up to a nice meal or greetings from someone.

and to top it off, some little treats like chocolate or ice cream in the fridge.

like a kid. yep. but that's like the ideal day to day life i'm looking forward to.

Rewind to 365 days prior to today.

Stuff to fill

Paycheck is in, again. That makes me just 8/9 away from this journey.

If i keep this going, maybe I'll hit 39kg by Christmas.
Yep. tell me about going on a diet.

Expensive stuffs don't bother me. and i wonder why they don't. Shouldn't i just stand with the majority? Knowing i will not be happier in the long run with those purchases but decided to go ahead anyway. and what's life without splurging money on stuff that fulfill only wants in the short term esp since i'm earning my own keep.

i'm bothered. and think that sooner or later i'll get high blood pressure due to the stress level, and require money to see a psychiatrist. then again, who in this time and age aint bothered with money? Keep thinking that no matter how much i earn, it aint enough. some days I look back at my $1300/mth salary a couple of years ago and think how crazy i was to even think that that amount of money is enough for a living. Minus CPF and the monthly allowance for parents, there aint even enough for transportation and meals. then again, meals were provided back then.

then i look at myself now and think that at where i am now, it feels like not enough. not enough at all. not enough to do things that i want without considering for the future. and so i'm confused with the priority at the moment. keep thinking of wanting to grab more moolah before i cant do so. keep thinking of how great everything would be if one day i strike the lottery and can continue to work with minimum burden. yes, i feel like an old lady dying for a way out of her miserable life. and the funny thing about all this is, i'm having all that i wanted. a challenging job that pays relatively well, a cert that opens door and supportive love ones. yet the grass is still greener on the other side.

but as we all know, when one crosses the line, there's always another one out there.

so learn to be pessimistic. For there'll be less lines to cross.

Looking forward to the rainy season.

next month come faster.

I want to travel!

Sometimes all one wants to hear is the simplest greeting for a special day.

and if that is not possible, all else doesn't matter, really.

Recently I know i've been working hard, for the fatigue came back. When i can feel my heartbeat with my toes after a long day at work and my body goes limp after hitting the sack, I know i'm maxed out.

coz that's what happened back in Tok when after not being able to feel coz of the chores and cold, i can still count my heartbeat lying in bed, with my toes. the veins there somehow don't stop sending signals to the brain even after u feel numb all over.

I spent a good 8 hours into my bday at work, come to think of it, it feels like i've sold my soul to the organisation. i thought we'll be heading out for supper last night and i'll be able to at least spent time away from work to properly rest for a moment to note the start of a new year. but as usual, in ops shit happens all the time. so i ended up hungry, and miserable. for when things dont go as well as expected, it's hard to be happy. optimism gone with the wind. it's hard to keep the mood upbeat al the time, esp when the work env keeps throwing shit at you, and things make u fall time and again.

can only get use to it i suppose. that's what i prepare chocolates in my bag, for situations like that. so i was popping cocoas the whole night trying to keep the mood up by faking the hormones using whatever that is in chocolates, plus keep my stomach happy with the high energy intake. yep, the body can be fooled, but not the mind.

so now let's be realistic. I want new bags for my bday, new work shoes and new work clothes. and i know these can be fulfilled. i can buy them myself. haa!

Now, to my strawberry cake. YUM!

Takuya Kimura and Josh hartnett. yep. =)

Looking forward to Christmas!

counting down, to my favourite season of the year.

random

Different paths taken by different people.

Friends you used to hang out with, being in different places doing different things, leading different lives.

and facebook enables us to have a glimpse into the snapshots of your friends' lives.

work, study, at home, abroad.

like fun is the new life. no. letting people know that you're having fun is the new life.

don't want to be left alone when the tough gets going

Exhausted. very.

Knowing that the best thing is to be left alone yet can't help but engage in conversations that cause emotions to fluctuate. Like swinging from one extreme mood to another when the spark from that one little stone actually is able to start a fire.

45

The desire to hit the minimum to give the gift of life, as a gift for myself. and knowing that that aint gonna happen anytime soon.

So let's be practical and turn to the tangibles.

Yep, a new bag, new shoes and new clothes will do.

and maybe I should get a new laptop for myself. when this one fails to perform.

we shall see.

For all

Have you ever experience the transitional period where you keep searching for something but you have no idea what it is and where to find it?

Knowing that you've foreseen the circumstances of action or inaction yet not doing anything in the hope that your inaction will lead you down the path that has yet to be traveled?

Recently keep feeling that i'm not in the zone for anything. not even for resting. and that every minute spent is a step closer to the end of the month, and a step closer to the next year.

Need some screaming pills.

but knowing that even if there is somehow some means to obtain it, it wouldnt help coz if others find your toe a little out of line, you're game.

----------------------------

ok, random stuff..

aint there a saying that people live in denial? so if i think i'm crazy, am i not? or because i think, therefore i am?

realising i have most of the symptoms of the big D, just missing the death part

and the chili that i misplaced last year appeared mysteriously in the kitchen counter-top. and yep, a stress-ball's gonna do what a stress-ball's gonna do.

Fierce

As far as I am concern, that is not the limit. There's always another line at the end of this one.

Knowing that I am not as indifferent as I though I am when my body sends signals to the hypothalamus that at the rate I am going and enduring, getting high blood pressure is simply a matter of time.

Yep. As if I don't know. Looking forward to the days of joining the shake-leg-coy. and knowing that being a homemaker doesnt make you a party member of the company..

It's sad

Thinking about random stuff today.

The thought occurred to me out of nowhere that it's sad how life turns out.
The way we all strive to live to be better off in anyway, but essentially, we try to get an education that occupies most of our time when we're young because we're not physically fit enough to contribute to society, then we grow older and start to work so we can put bread on the table in order not to fulfill the basic needs of survival, then as we get older we look for stuff to divert our energies beside work, like starting a family and owning material possessions. and in return we have to be slave to time and money. then we start a family so that life would seem natural and complete, and we spend the rest of our lives ensuring the survival of the next generation and that in the circle of life, everything goes on, with or without you.

and the funniest part of it all, is that life goes on with or without you. yes, sadly.

I don't remember the last time I was this heavy.

For all I know, 45 is the normal weight, but am hovering much lesser than that as of now.

My initial plan of donating blood 4 times a year seems to diminish as my body adjust to the nutritional balance of my food intake and state of mind.

and i wonder just how much more to go before I should see a doctor.

some days I stepped into the washroom only to realise that I don't recognise the face I see in the mirror.

and yes, that scares me to death.

so i return to those things that make me happy. yes, the sources of happiness.

don't know why. like back to the tone of the old blog.

Like still in that state of mind.

Like ageing but not maturing.

Just growing older but not wiser.

Like everything else that is unexplainable.

Like knowing it takes just 21 days to form a habit, and that trying to believe that things will be as expected after a month. but forgetting that it takes just 7 days to forget a habit as well.

Getting out of the matrix

Seems like everyone I know got something to say about their work life once they got out of the matrix into the circle of damned.

yep. out to the real world.

Sunset

yep. waiting.

Something to look forward to?

Need those stuffs to keep me motivated.

Last time there used to be deadlines that I know I'll meet, signifying the end of a period and the start of a new one.

Like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Somehow this time round it seems like everything is clouded and haze is all over those stuffs.

Like the ticket to freedom costs much more than the pot of gold credited into an invisible source of moolah accumulation at the end of the month.

I thought I'll come to forget the feeling of being so tired, since the 17 odd hours i put in every other day in Tok. but life always find someway or another to make a joke out of you.

So here I am, zombie-like and trying to please myself more than anything in the world.

and looking for stuff to keep me sane. things that bring me away from the feeling of being suffocated.

Like searching for the feeling of going away like last year. Like having no responsibility and smiling like all the thousands of photos in the hard disk.

Like the need to go away after a period of work. Like planning for a trip that makes it possible for one to look forward to and count down to happy days.

Like feeling so lucky after work being doted on and cared for.

Like thanks. Thank You.

Thinking of how to reduce the impact of stress on the throat and realising that it's mission impossible in my line of work. especially when you're on shift.

Work

Shift is something that hasn't bother me much, yet.

It is work regardless of the time of the day or day of the week.
It is hours spent away from things I'd rather do.
But it is something that keeps me sane and reminds me that there is always things out there that I can seek to be better at. Or skills that one can hone for the future. and that no matter how good you think you are, there are always people better and wiser up the chain.

and when things get me down for a moment or two, i try to remind myself that if there happens to be a point in time when people stop telling me where and what I should do to improve, then they've given up on me. and then I'll be left alone and will definitely stop improving (for the better). It is only when you reach those brick walls often enough that you know that you're moving forward instead of back.

and so often enough I thank whoever is upstairs that gives me the ability to sort things out even with this nasty temper and personality of mine.

Cursing and swearing is the norm there, but I need not make it a 'here' thing.

Stuff that matters

More important things than caffeine in the world.

Without them I'm only zonked.

without some other stuffs, I don't think I'll be as O-K-A-Y. or maybe I will. will you?

independent-day come faster please!

Seeking the thing(s) in order to be motivated.

There has never been much stuff that I am interested in, so right now it has been further reduced. maybe i should be amused. but am not.

looking forward to being independent at work, and not still under the 'training' phase. i don't like relying on others too much though i believe in working t-o-g-e-t-h-e-r.

I survived.

So I'm officially just 35 months away from freedom.

Trying to be more independent

Not just financially, but with everything.

Financial independence is easily achievable with the following guaranteed:
1) a roof over my head
2) food on the table
3) no other commitments and responsibilities

But else, all other contexts of the attainment (or even the lack) of independence involves much of trust. Oneself, as much as others.

People talked once in awhile about 50k. and so i told them if i have 50k, or even some backing from higher authority, maybe it'll be easier to watch the days go by. but it's a fact that i have neither. so i'll have to go with the flow.

one big question: What comes after work?

In life there should be a flow, and I'd very much rather I'm the lead actress in that Mercedes (or was it BMW?) advert about living life backwards.
It seems like a nice choice to damn one's life to work in the first 40 years of one's life since one won't remember what happened in the first half anyway, then following by some crazy plans since one has all the money earned, and the health to enjoy it.. and then going on to pursue an education where one drifts off into forever and dying in dreamland as a child.

well, that is just my ideal kind of life. I jolly well know that if one does not have the basic building blocks like speech and physical abilities accumulated from young, then how do we even work for the first 40 years..

Hmm.. the symptoms of thinking too much, again.

Shrinking memory radius

Those group mates that once were. Now gone.

Will i take the initiative to contact them in future?
No.

Will they do the same to me?
Yes.


Memories lasted till the point in time where we sat during meal breaks in the middle of / in between classes talking about how little we learnt from the start of the module till then. What we aim to achieve at the end of our schooldays.

People forgotten, till facebook pops up some familiar name with a link.

you click on it, bringing you to the current going-ons in their lives, and you wonder if somewhere, sometime, other acquaintances are doing the same- not remembering your existence until they chanced upon chance.

Then somehow it brings about this sombre mood where the fact sinks in, the fact that even when your paths crossed, it means little than yet another maybe familiar face in future.

and that, is sad. For it seems like at the end of the day, we are all solely me, me, me for we are the only ones living with ourselves 24/7.

and as time goes, the theory of 6 degrees of separation may well be just an ideal term which is only possible on paper. For those steps may well be invisible, or so weak that one will never reach the 6th. which is to say, we are all so NOT connected that it amazes me. yes, especially in this technologically advanced generation where we all buy into the theory that the world is flat.

yes. and all over the invisible dimension of the world wide web, people are coming up with a zillion programs and applications just to make those lines more defined. Things like facebook and iphones. yes, hail those intangibles that make up our world.

Will be officially a working adult out of school by this time tomorrow.
Uni convocation will be somehow like what we went through in poly (I suppose), so nothing much to worry about. I recalled a mad rush and panic for preparation the night before poly commencement BUT somehow this time round I know I've reached the end of the edu journey hence it's only the paper that matter at the end of the day, and no one will remember how I look like on the day of the ceremony, yes, not even myself.

Yes, and my parents are more excited than me. Can you believe it?!

and the saddest thing of what I learnt these 22 years is that the easiest route to a better future is that passport (read: cert) that gets you across customs. The entry level to a hell lot of stuff.

and the reason behind that is the society we embrace. This practical yet moronic mindset of my fellow citizens that make us force ourselves into a certain mould so as to fit in, better.


alright. to the topic of work. I am now at legoland looking at systems that make my eyes crossed, somehow. and i go home at the end of the day feeling like i've been filled to the brim with stuff. For the time being, it is really exhausting. But i can foresee the sense of fulfillment that comes with experience.. and of course the moolah that flows in with the fatigue I'll accumulate as time goes. Well, what do you expect? ALL passion, no ka-ching $$ ? sorry. I've already been mould-ed. lolx

Was browsing through my thoughts in the Tok blog and suddenly felt overwhelmed by emotions.

4th of July just passed and I found myself recalling the sugared duckies with the flag. Then soon after we'll be celebrating Christmas in July with hot cocoa and Kahlua. Last year this time I do not have time to complain. I was like on my 3rd consecutive work week or something without any rest days, holding more than one job plus working close to 17 hours every alternate day. I can almost imagine the creepy numbness at my fingertips. The unexplained weakness of arm muscles from hauling food bins OVERHEAD and into the dumpster.

Yep. should anyone say that I am a xiao jie/ gu niang, maybe I should retort by asking if they've ever tried working as a dishwasher at the most popular restaurant in town. If no, then talk to my hand.

Training phase

I know it is the right one when your mind doesn't work the way it used to work when you feel undervalued and unappreciated.

I know that if everything goes well, the pot of gold will be at the end of my rainbow for sure.
... And in the event that I screw up, the cause-and-effect theory ain't too hard to swallow either.

Plus performance to reward keeps the motivation going.. So I do not foresee how this will end up like the hospitality sector where one sits by thinking your department is the ONLY one bringing in the revenue..

Maybe I'm wrong. But let me be mistaken till 2012.

To the one staying above, THANKS.

------------------------------

Commencement this Sunday. I can hardly believe I've finished running around the track and have reached the finishing line. I have yet to feel the effect of stumbling head on into the rat race. Today I met a uni friend at Kovan MRT. She's currently hired at some investment banking company as an intern drawing an INTERN pay of $1500 per month. like WTF. seriously... all other interns earn like 700 bucks. those at auditing firms take 600. but well, that's where the money lies huh.. so I guess somehow I must tell myself that between money and passion, I CHOSE somewhere in between. Of course all must be aware that the scale is ALWAYS tipped to one end. ^.-

She posed the question: How does working full-time feels like?

Somehow I was truly lost for words. Somehow the situation has yet to hit full blast. I am still sort of strolling and admiring the flowers before someone throws a pail of dirty water at the walkway, and screams at me to get off their yard. yes. not that yet. Maybe that's why I can only properly evaluate the situation half a year from now, then a year from now, 2 years from now, and right after the bond. By then I should look like 30 with wrinkles and crowfeet. yep. Maybe.

Slowing down the ageing process. Maybe all we're seeking is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, regardless of one's wealth. All we're looking forward to is to be more stable, more secure, more dependable. yes, on ourselves. The HOPE for a BETTER tomorrow, no matter how contented we are. For if we can have more of one commodity, why would we want to settle for less? Yes, I'm starting to think that my mind works more like an economist than not.

For the many more 12-hr ++ shifts that I will be enduring for my coming days, wish me all the best.
thanks

and check out dilbert comic strips on the left!

I was browsing uob website and found out that you can personalize some of the supplementary cards with a sign off at the top right hand corner.

ok, how cool is that?! I find that nice. Imagine (just imagine) mom's face when you give her the usual birthday card every year. She receives it with the usual smile and proceeds to open the envelop which holds that card, to find a personalized supp card for all her spending. =)
or your sis's 21st bdae, you handed her a card and she gives you this *chey cheapskate give me hallmark/blue mountain's card only* look. Then 10 minutes later you'll hear her telling her friends about how she got this new supp card as a birthday present. For someone who isn't working or does not have the ability to, yep. that should be a big deal. It's not so much of the ability to spend without or outside of your limits, for the giver will surely know and expect you to be in control before you're being presented with the card. BUT it's the trust and nice personalized touch that one is giving, not so much the value of the gift.

so now maybe the banks can start thinking of ways to charge for people to personalise their cards. I know it's already available for cashcard and ezlinks..

okay.. random stuff.. I'll be meeting the odin peeps tmr.. it's been so so long since i last met up with them. Like before i left for korea. Like before everything happened.

and i'm starting work soon.
Being financially stable is very important to me as an individual, and i'm really looking forward to that. I know it won't be like the usual part-time days when you look forward to payday at the end of the month just so you can buy something that you've been aiming for awhile. I know i'll very much still be looking forward to payday every month, but on top of that comes a great many other opportunities that will be available to me once the money comes rolling in.. and other responsibilities assumed by default.

dreading the commitment, yet looking forward to it. it seems like I'm standing at the shoreline with the waves crashing around my feet, advancing and retreating, advancing and retreating...

Happiness can be so so simple...

if everyone overlooks the fact that money is the root of all evil~

Looking at those happy faces on social networking webbies.. and u'll realise that 90% of those pictures posted were those that are exchanged with Yusof Ishaks, somehow or another.

Be it at a restaurant, outings with friends (which include some kind of activities/ food = money), flowers, cakes, new material goods etc... all those damn tangibles that are much sought after.

=(


so we know that money cannot BUY happiness.. but in order to be happy, pls hand me those vitamin 'M's..... i need them for survival. and ultimately how happy u are depends on how contented you are with ur current situation.. and one can only start to think of needs other than physiological ones when the most basic ones are met, which all boils down to the availability of kaching in ur bank..

eton mess~

yeah!

I need fruit flo, the big one, with extra berries.

Tired of the marathon even at the starting point.

and currently, it feels as if I'm waiting for the gunfire at the ready, get set, go mark.

How do i explain to others how I am feeling right now?

When given the time

Instead of chasing after some absurd or even impractical dreams, I chose what most people do - watching the days go by and not knowing which day of the week it is.

We are all attached to the anchored, secured feeling. So when faced with prolong periods of rest, the sense of restlessness come into play. Time, then, display the stark contrast between now and anytime elsewhere. Day in day out waiting for something different, something that makes my life worthwhile at the end of my time where I can look back and go in peace knowing that out of the billions of people walking on Earth, I am me and have not lived my life like a puppet on string listening and following what the rest of the world is doing, what other people believed to be the right way to do things. Rather, MY way of doing things.

Consciously or subconsciously comparing everything with everyone else. Tiring chore. Comparing grades, material goods, sportsmanship, talents, abilities, friends, partners, the makeup on my face, the shoes on my feet, the books i am reading, the games i play, what i do in my free time, the amount of money i have in the bank, where i've been, the people around me, how i treat other people, how i this, how i that, and in later part of life, my job, my family, how i raise my kids, how i fare as an adult and most of all how i carry all that judgments all my life. It's a chore knowing that nothing matters as much as how I see myself but conformance is a disease, for it brings joy- to those who managed to extract a sense of superiority over the rest, and comfort (if they fail)- as they are with the majority.

Finding meaning, real meaning. Giving up everything, campaigning for AIDS all over the world trying to make a difference? Implementing changes to save the Earth? or just making oneself feel better by retaining what one has now and making small changes? Support the ribbon campaigns, donate money for that is what humans are less likely to part with given a comfortable lifestyle and not wanting to make major changes to their lives while trying to make themselves feel like they've tried their best in making a difference..

Just like passion, sometimes one has to keep reminding oneself that only money rule this world now, not those intangible feelings that are unanchored to anything else. and for that, we are all slaves. somehow or another.


Maybe it's just me. but given the time to be paranoid is not healthy, at all.

The things we do- for memories are selectively retained

Took time to browse through the pictures I took in Seoul, and the memories just came back like I was there yesterday.

The school, CJ House, and out... The many a gatherings and outings and celebrations and drinking sessions... the times when there was zilch responsibilities and absolute freedom to do what your heart tells you to do, and not what your mind says you should be doing. The genuine happy smiles frozen in a place that transcends time and space. the random crazy ideas we had, the happiness and nil restrictions that we all seek.. the almost trouble-free lifestyle, living in absolute comfort and ease. all those gone with the wind once we step on board the journey home. I see the face i see everyday in the mirror being captured in pictures by friends with expressions I never thought i have, and can never replicate in front of a camera now.

The decision to put pressure on the camera shuttle is a consideration of a split second. any later the photo would not turn out the way it is, but before that lies the opportunity to be at the right place at the right time.

i love this ad

I traveled around New Zealand in a Spaceship named Alien and gen 1 Mazda convertible.
It was a thoroughly relaxing trip that tempts me to consider moving out of the sunny island in search for a lifestyle with slower tempo.


and yep. Singapore is only the size of LAKE Taupo.
We did Zorb, 4WD, went to see the thermal pools and had a dip in the mud pool, kayaking Milford Sound etc... too bad the Fox glacier hike got cancelled due to bad weather. =(
I like Top10 holiday parks for the cosy accommodation and splendid kitchen. I like traveling around in a car-pervan. I enjoy seeing rainbows everyday (almost) and taking in greenland as wide as my eyes can see and the beautiful sceneries that one can never view back home.

Going away makes all the difference. Liminality. The space between two familiar phases that seems like an entirely different zone. Now that i'm back typing this in my room looking out of the window (only to see the windows of my neighbours and the sun glaring) makes me feel as if i've nevr been away at all.

I've freedom for one more month, and all i want to do is to go away in search of more time alone.
Sipping lattes or flat whites in a cosy cafe lost in thoughts and the feeling of euphoria when the sun beats on your back while the winter air envelop you. going extremes and feeling like there's nothing between you and everything else. Maybe i do have claustrophobia, living in a city state.

FINALLY

i'm just me. don't say that i a bit a bit then like this or a bit a bit like that.

I get very defensive when people raise their voices, and i am extremely sensitive to tone variations in conversations.

walking along the swaying scales it's hard to find a balance, and i find myself being affected easily when it tends towards one side or the other.

if it affects u, go chill~

perfect weekend. ^^

Went clay pigeon shooting at bukit timah gun club clay target range on friday.
It reminded me much of the days i did rifle, pistol and archery.. Just that this time round, my targets were moving. the recoil, the sound/visual of the targets splitting, the weight of the shotgun etc.. the activity makes me feel good about myself, plus exceeding my own expectations make me happy, but i suppose that applies to everyone. and hearing compliments every now and then aids in sound mental well-being. =)

Went pit biking in malaysia yesterday, i've always wanted a class 2 license for like forever and this sort of make up for not being able/ giving up on 2B. Dirt biking in the plantation areas climbing slopes so steep that i never even though i'll be able to on foot and riding around at levels so high i know i'll break a bone or two if i fall.. and thoroughly enjoying the thrill of losing control. it would've been perfect if only the glove lining didnt slice my skin open. damn it. and every time i pull the clutch the material bites.

the pineapple made up for the warm day outdoor. and it was just a pity we didnt continue into the afternoon, if not someone could've had more fun.. =) next time we go try the atv~!! woosh!! then we can go at even faster speed without the feeling of the bike vibrating so hard it seems as though the oil tank is going to explode under the hot sun. lolx..

and finally i got to eat the seafood lunch!!! and the massage was definitely value for money!
the dvds we bought is enough to last us a good couple of months too.. ^^

i was so exhausted that i slept right through sunday.. this weekend i've had so much fun in a semester put together. Maybe coz all i have left for my education life is a paper on saturday. plus going back to jogging helps in stress management. sorry if i snapped a time too many recently. and thank you~ i had a lot a lot of fun. =)

Somehow keeping this blog seems like a torture recently.
I no longer find joy in sharing what I think, regardless of whether the stuff makes sense or not.
I find myself staring at the create post page blankly for goodness know how long till I know I've sat out the intense moments. then I'll type in some lame words or another that means little.

I missed those reflective moments where my thoughts go in a million directions and I spent some quality time alone communicating with myself and find out what I need and want in a particular period. I am happy when I managed to understand and love myself better every time I go through the routine memory un-cluttering process. and continue learning from myself when i look back and see it in words how i felt and reacted when i was younger, all my fears, confusion and immaturity.

Just ignore me. Some days things just hit from nowhere. Then one looks back and only realised that you've made a loop and is about at the ending point. and what's scary is not completing the race, but knowing that the ending point is right where the next starting point will be. damn!
and performance in one lap isnt going to help you win the race.

ARGH

Need to find a way out of this ridiculous period.

Most unbearable time of the year.

PMS.

Presentation.

Report.

Exam.

Rat race.

some days i can't stop the scales from tipping

I'm still suspecting the symptoms..

TWO weeks of school plus one exam before i get my ticket to the rat race.

As usual, the week leading to hell week has nothing to contribute to my emotional well-being.

Need to seek the motive in motivation before things can get going.

and when that fails, fall back on heuristics to get things done.

One step at a time.

Maybe i don't have any.

I hear nothing of the best 5 qualities as of yet.

swaying scales

Been raining on off recently. Don't ask me why. I'm no weatherman.

-

I ran a few searches regarding my suspicions. and yes, ask no questions and i'll tell you no lies.

-

I guess certain things still holds its weight on the route to self-actualisation regardless of what i've said or done to convince myself.
And i'm beginning to feel that it is the trigger of the ripple effect.

-

Every situation seems insignificant on its own.
But somehow combining them brings about an exponential effect.

-

THE swaying scales.

Some days i dunno what to say anymore, or if anything matters.

Today i made the decision to terminate the account, yep. I felt like screaming i don't care but deep down i know i do.

that's life.

One step at a time. and i'm tired of all the things in line. i'm thinking of going fishing some day. just me, the pole, a good book, a stool and some nibbles. on a good day out.
or me, the rocking chair, a good book and a cup of tea on a rainy day.

somehow simplicity gets complicated with direct proportion to time. and i feel myself taking backward glances over and again. no wonder i was told i look sad. yep. forlorn i suppose.

can someone tell me my best 5 qualities to make my day?

Some friends reminded me that it's the start of week 9 today. as if i need any more reminders that the deadlines are fast approaching and i find myself procrastinating, as usual. like thanks.

somehow counting down the days doesnt seem half as bad if i'm looking at travel as the goal at the end of this period, not work. definitely not that.

Hate this characteristic of mine that can't follow what the norm is doing by sitting by and letting others do what they can while claiming ignorance. yes, i hate it with a PASSION.

and it is beginning to feel as if i set myself up for unhappiness.

that damn flaw.

All the excess heat, with nowhere to disperse, rises up to my brain and my head seems to be on the verge of exploding. okay, i am talking about my temper, not my brain.

I finally gotten down to sending the pictures that i promised Mike i'll send once my laptop is functioning. and that promise is like a good 2 months ago, a good 2 months ago when I'm comfortably enjoying the start of winter in Seoul.

I hate this feeling of looking back at the all smiley pictures in folders and thinking why i am still not contented after all the happy days that i've been through. I wonder why all happy stuffs seem so surreal and that i feel as if i've never even been away for the good part of last year. maybe that's how people in coma feel. The void that is almost non-existent.

Whatever!

and it doesnt help that the newspapers are full of travel promos that tell people to get away.
ARGH! I look at those and find it hard to convince myself that i'm still me despite all that has happened. Life in this practical place picks right off where i left it in the first place. and that irks me endless.

Giving thanks for the opportunities aplenty that never fail to present themselves should we have that bit of determination and courage. and the sad part is that everything balances. so with that brings the desire and greed to want more. The more one has, the more you're given; the more you'll expect, and the harder it is for one to feel contented. and that, is exactly how i feel now.

Current job market = :(
so i guess i should be grateful that i have a job.
Prof whatever's-his-name just mentioned in class this week that the org I am joining will most prob consider a pay cut, the 2nd ever in the firm's history. and he told us that the industry aint doing very well. negative 2% for last quarter and expected to fall this year. like thanks. so that means i can expect a decrease in expected income AND incentives when i jump head on into the rat race.

nothing seems to help nowadays. everything seems so bleak. and there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

i'm starting to have jitters about the uncertainty in life after uni education. work-life aint so easy to strike a balance. and i aint confident that i'll able to handle work like how a mature adult should. or rather, i guess the older i get the more risk adverse i am.. and yep. i'm afraid of failures, even before i start making any mistakes. plus it's a pain to even have a scratch on that clean slate that i start out with.

forced to move on, reluctantly.

there's so many things i want to do in life, and so little time to achieve all of that. A hospitality degree in Switzerland costs 60k a year and living expenses a good 40k. If i have 100k to further my education in the hospitality industry, maybe i'll trade that for 10 more diplomas in various fields. ok. i think i'm able to do only 9 with 60k but that'll take me like 27 more years to complete my education. Maybe i can then be the 1st person who has 10 diplomas in the guinness book of records. then i suppose i'll be another step closer to self-actualisation according to Maslow.

for now, i'll just make the most of the rest of the 3 months as a student-student. and be glad that i have no one to account to besides myself.

Mental fatigue.

Somehow everything seems complicated, much more than when i left, now that i'm back.

Maybe it all boils down to the lack of utilisation.

samples. thx PL for the link.

http://www.fr3b.com/referral_program.php?referrer_token=ee134a6bbb274af6a2b766166e38b1eb

Some days the trail of thoughts that follows on board 151 drives me nuts. I just keep thinking of stuff that loops endlessly till my mind gets too tired and drift off.

Today was stuff on the additional year or years some people spent before entering the rat race.
I am a year behind some people in this aspect, but never consider that as a 'waste.' somehow once we hit polytechnic, age becomes this meaningless figure that is not attached to life. No one notices, and no one cares. We start on a clean slate, and it's just the same as uni. in fact, i feel very much disgusted with myself letting my thoughts run on the batch of poly yr ones born in the year 92 which seemingly make me seem like some old hag left forgotten at the end of the world. It's a stupid random thought and i couldnt help but felt irritated.

Sadly today was just one of those days that i loathe the journey to school and back. The scorching sun that glares through the tinted glass no matter which side i choose to sit, the rumbling of the bus with the stupid engine burning the soles of my feet, the jerking movement that never fail to start and end with this sound that seems as if something is steaming and going to boil over, the sickening feeling of being stuck in a traffic jam during peak hours and the lack of adequate personal space for the long journey side, front and back, on top of many others.

and i'm glad some days i have it easy.

I keep wanting to stay at home and lax the days away.

Ever since I'm back from korea, I don't recall being among the crowds save for xmas eve. Even then we were seated very comfortable in a quiet restaurant AWAY from people milling about doing last minute shopping.

Somehow the trip seemed so surreal, it's as if I've never been away in the first place. and the only way i can convince myself that I indeed spent a good 100 days away from home in a foreign land with peers that I'll treasure and memories that I'll hold dear for a lifetime is the pictures I snapped. But that too, risks being taken away from me forever as my laptop crashed (yes, sadly) the second last week prior to returning and is currently in ICU and my data has a possibility of being erased forever. If those are gone, I shall have to bid farewell to the pictures of Tok, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Seaward, Vegas and Seattle. the best part? I was the unofficial photographer of our WAT trip and I have yet to pass the pics to Pam & Jo.

Right now i missed wrapping myself up in warm clothing and sipping latte not minding the time ticking by and talking about random stuff. I miss Seoul, and all the more i miss everyone. =(

This Christmas I stayed at home popping pills, sleeping, and wondering when I'll get better.

Merry Christmas peeps.

and in case you're thinking... yes I'm back.

Seven

Seven is one of my fav nos, and that is exactly the number of days left in Seoul.

I'm missing someone terribly this season.

I've drank at least 10 cups of latte in the past 3 weeks from various cafes, so much so that I think i'm addicted to caffeine. It snowed heavily last night and we were out happily enjoying the weather. This guy saw the 4 of us looking so damn excited and he asked "Is this the first time you've seen snow?" and when our replies were unanimously positive, his second qn "Are you all from SINGAPORE?" muahaha..

I enjoy the snowing process but dislike the slippery floor and the weather condition the day after. I slided to school this morning feeling like I'm skating with shoes and that any uphill is going to kill
me just the same as a downslope. Thank God I survived. and Thank God for skype.

The constant negative temperature makes me a little emo lately.
Flurries outside my window with the sun glaring far behind, comfort music from the 90s playing softly from my laptop and the consistent engine rumbling of the heater make time go at half the rate it is supposed to. and when your world slows down, somehow everything gets magnifies and clear as keanu reeves avoiding the bullets in matrix.

I think it might be the numbing of ones senses thanks to winter and partly coz I've 2 weeks more of freedom and total independent (well, besides social support from KU khakis) left before i depart taking with me the good memories of this trip, that makes me so sensitive to my surroundings. Or maybe it's simply cause the year is coming to an end.

I'm missing my sunny island. the place where I know I'd want to return even if I have the chance to go to the moon. Like i mentioned before, you'll know where you're supposed to be cause nationality is based on where your heart belongs and not where your body happened to be born.

I think there's a need to keep reminding myself that 2008 has been a great year, much better than what i could have hoped for, ever. There is a need to reinforce the positivity so that I don't get too comfortable with all that i have and forget about giving thanks for all that I've received.

and right now i want to survive the cool winter in Seoul and return to the summer in Singapore.

i think it's the weather, loose leaves circling on uneven floor and eventually being blown away with the dust into the distance, i'm missing home so badly.

Looking at msn weather forecasts for Seoul, SG and Tok, I suddenly miss SG endless rainy season a lot. A LOT.

This blog is almost dead.

Been more than 3 months since i left my sunny island, and barely 3 weeks till my return.
Drifting, drifting drifting knowing that one day i'll return to shore.
Minimal worries about whether my bank acc will hit rock bottom compared to Singapore.
Back home there's always this constant voice telling me not to slack and wait for my bum to become as round as my face and to fully utilise my free time for the acquirement of yusok ishaks so much so that i think my brain has got a mind of its own.
Over here there's absolutely nothing to worry, for i know everything is temporary.

It feels real good to spend money knowing that u'll never have to consider the item in terms of the number of hours you have to exchange for it. it's pretty cool that the people here are so environmentally conscious that u shldnt expect a plastic bag for ur purchases if you are carrying a bag or ur hands are free and that u have to pay for plastic bags in SUPERMARKETS (or at least home plus!) when their streets are lined with trash every night and people spit everywhere. it's amazing how they can smoke then just spat in whatever direction its convenient, especially in the direction of the wind.

I think there's a point in time when u cant help but wonder if u're slowing losing your own culture in the midst of adapting to another. Somedays i'll forget how local food tastes like when i'm having dinner at some restaurant with my friends asking for second helpings and i help myself to tissue on the table like that's what i normally do. i guess when i go back home i'll grumble about the lack of 물 하고휴지 in eateries. and walking along the streets avoiding portholes. i suppose singapore has such an excellent infrastructure that everywhere is accessible and user-friendly. i'll miss seeing girlpower everywhere with horrendously high heels and super mini bottoms at a temperature lower than 5 degrees C. i'll miss seeing hordes of high school girls looking like twins walking hand in hand in a row with their booming voices that can be heard two streets away.
i'll miss the expression on the ahjuumas' faces when we settle our bills telling them "아주맜있어요!!" walking alongside people embracing another culture. and the sad part is that everything is bound to go away for i am but a person trying to fit into another culture, like oil in water.

The average temperature that i am withstanding outside is like a freaking -4 degrees C.

Caught a conversation between two exchange students at the shuttle bus stop today.
One of them was saying how she really feel for all the students from tropical countries.. and she named a few which i barely rmbr except for Hong Kong. the other person then added something about never getting to experience this transition at our home countries. and yes, Ms. A then suddenly thought of MY sunny island. she said "oh yes, and SINGAPORE!" or maybe it was 'especially Singapore.' i was frozen on the spot trying not to move lest the wind gets into the jacket. Ms. A then said that for her she's quite used to it so she just needed to decide whether "it's cold" so "i need to wear a cap." yeah. for poor sunny islanders we need to check the weather forecast like ten times a day just to see if we should wrap ourselves up like a penguin before we step out of the room.

it is THAT bad. Last night it was -4 degrees C too, but msn weather forecast predicted it felt like -10. and our dearest Mabel and Jackson actually ate ice-cream with gloves on. this is the coldest i've experienced and just when i thought i can survive this, Jackson met Mr. Vomit today and that Korean was telling him that it's going to get EVEN colder. like thanks. now all my optimism got blown away with the cold wind.

lucky for us the weather is going to be slightly warmer for the next few days. i think i'm going to stay in this weekend.

Was on the topic of superficiality with Lynn on the way back from a supposedly fun and amusing place thinking about how shallow MOST people are- and that includes me i suppose.

As mentioned only about ten times in my previous entries, i'm tired of the weightage that so many others put on a piece of flimsy paper that may or may not be worth the investment at the end of the day. Most of the time it's just a visa in the passport. yes. for short term entry.

I can't remember exactly how it started or whether it even has an ending. all i know is that the journey is still the most important throughout.

rubbish

The KUBS scholarship is in, finally.

Publish Post

That means shopping, and the rate of reducing moolah.

Aint sure if i will be able to keep up with the no need to think thrice or a million times before buying rule. and whether my bank account can sustain my buying behaviour this season.

Can't get the cadbury song out of my mind recently.. the 'wouldn't it be nice' advertisement. yep, wouldnt it be nice if i have... ... ... but so far i'm thankful for all that i've gotten.. so forget about those if-onlys and should-have-beens..

Went to this famous samgyetang restaurant at Tosokchon today with a buddy of Mabel's boyfriend's friend who was here on exchange last fall. sometimes quality of food is directly proportionate to the ka ching at the end of the meal. a nice change compared to the usual cosy homey relatively cheaper restaurants. tonic for the cold weather, something that warms the heart.. ginseng in actual fact.

a million things to do in 3 weeks and none accomplished. like how efficient can i be when i have all my weekends packed in addition to the outings on weekdays? this week i've been out 4 days out of 5 and will be going jalan-jalaning tomorrow before the hair appointment and we're going nami island on Sunday. partly because it's the place where winter sonata was filmed, but personally it's the longing to see an island in autumn where the leaves are falling. cycling around the place with the loose leaves ruffling below when the wheels go round and round. having great company and laughing in the wind. i guess that's as close as i can get to a fairytale? reminds me of the film what dreams may come. if only everything is so magical.

Right now i am a little irritated with the stupid heater which switches off every 5-10 mins or so after blowing warm air coz the organisation is extremely environmentally conscious and wants to save the earth! (as if! more like save electricity coz heating is expensive.) so when it's like 6 degrees c outside the freaking heater suka suka on and then off so tell me who would want to get out of bed like 50 times a night to RE-on the heater? smart move. i wont. for i can snuggle under that not-so-warm but can-still-make-it blanket and hug my bolster tight. yep. that's how i get through the night. and i foresee that the heater utilisation time wont increase anytime soon. time to get a quilt?

Happy Birthday Lynn!!

When i was her age, i thought everything was impossible. At least unachievable within a short time frame. Looking back at the past year, it's amazing how the-journey-of-a-thousand-miles-begins-with-a-single-step makes all the difference.

and at the same time feeling how easy it is for everything to go away.

Late entry

Should have blogged the Wednesday the week after my birthday. But then there's mid-terms (out of which i missed one module's exam) followed by the Jeju trip right after. After coming back there's just tons of things to do like laundry, interim report and uploading of pictures which took forever.

Rewinding back to the time just after my last entry, i went to bed just before dawn thinking that nothing in the world can stop me from indulging the entire Saturday doing whatever that pleases me and then start revising for my papers. i dragged myself out of bed before noon feeling that it's going to be just like any normal day. then WH called to ask me to pass her chocolate biscuits which she left with us the night before so she could have it for lunch. i went to our usual meeting place looking like a walking zombie- sleepy eyes, super messy hair and damn cui sleeping attire.. rang her doorbell but the intercom refuses to connect to her suite. our dear PL called from the 5th flr and asked what i was doing upstairs coz WH is at the 4th flr. seriously i didnt suspect a thing. and yes i got the biggest surprise i could ever ask for in my life.

you know the kind of lightheaded-ness shortly after you wake up and certain things happen that makes you wonder if you're still dreaming. yes, i've been there. and he still asked why i asked 'why are you here'.. someone told me he got a company retreat till saturday mid-day. hur hur.. but nonetheless it should be clear how happy i was. right? ^.^

The rest of the surprise i shall leave out. For those moments are mine to keep. ^_^

The double 2 club

I turned 22 in Seoul. Despite it being my very first birthday overseas, the presence of friends who took time off to celebrate with me makes this an extremely memorable affair and all of a sudden anam-dong feels like a home away from home. We first went to this cheena restaurant with red lanterns and had a scrumptious dinner. Martin sang me a German birthday song (sweet lyrics! and thanks to him for the translation), Tien Kwan sang me half a Cantonese birthday song plus the zoo version, Xiang Feng sang me a chinese one together with China national anthem (thanks to Jean's prompting), Samuel sang me a liang po po hokkien song (the local flavour! brought a piece of Singapore to me), and the rest managed half a korean birthday song on top of the normal happy birthday song. on top of that, Jean got someone she knows to speak to me over the phone in dialect (cant rmbr whether it's hokkien or teochew) wishing me happy birthday and yes. i had a conversation with a stranger in DIALECT, on the eve of my birthday, in a chinese restaurant, IN KOREA!

All these remind me of the phrase “在家靠父母，出外靠朋友。”
I'm so glad we met here, thousands of miles away from our hometown.
Somehow on my 22nd birthday i feel so much more mature compared to when i was 21. I wonder if it's the experiences i accumulated through these 12 months, or that being on foreign land makes me more independent henceforth more sensitive to my surroundings. or maybe it's simply because everything is unexpected. like we were all having so so so much fun that i almost forgotten that it was going to be my birthday in a couple of hours. like living in the moment, for the moment. it's like a huge huge bonding session with people from all over, people that I never thought i'd meet 2 months ago.

We proceeded to Star Beer to chill after dinner. Aishah brought paris hilton along and we sat there trying to get other people high. 6 litres of beer plus peach soju as well as normal soju. chatting about everything and anything while trying to get our faces into every single photo. that was really really fun. After drinks we headed over to Lev's birthday party at another pub. His was another grand affair with lots of international students, mainly from Europe.. The finale of the day was 노래방. we were practically screaming throughout the hour, with the tambourines ringing plus aishah and kian hong dancing in front and the rest crazily laughing at the back..

I came back to find my besties' video clips in youtube. I can imagine them recording that in vivo with people staring. Hey girls.. i want that cake k!! thanks for the surprise.. =) though i don't really understand the part about the card and open-in-sequence thingy that QY mentioned.. lolx.. i suppose the postman must have lost his way somehow coz there's no card.. will check the postbox tomorrow.. =) thanks for the birthday song girls! and the yummy looking cake that i didnt get to eat!! =(

My dad called my cell on his way back from work asking me how everything was and wishing me many happy returns of the day. It was really unexpected so i was really really glad.. and my phone bill prolly will hit its all time peak next month.

Birthday has never been a yearly event for celebration but if i can reflect on all the above mentioned and feel such joy and happiness from the deepest of my heart, i think it is indeed special.

For all the friends that has walked with me and are walking along me, THANK YOU.

To Mummy, a bigger THANK YOU! for all that you've done as well as the moment in time we shared 22 years ago. I LOVE YOU!! ^.^

With this i put a stop to my fourth 18th birthday and embark on a new journey seeking the number 23.

About this period in time every year, the voice inside my mind will surface. And as the years go, the voice gets louder and i get extremely sensitive to my existence. Like questioning who i am, what i want and whether i am on the right track. As far as i am concern, i'm all good and set for whatever that comes. But as with all things invisible, there's always a desire to quantify and tangibalise.

Reward for good behaviour measured against amount of money spent on materialistic stuff that actually doesnt really matter but serve it's purpose simply because of the level of difficulty in obtaining it.

This season i thought up a list of wants as proof to myself that i'm just like any other people.
I want to get the twin stars that i lost a couple of months back.
I want a new timekeeper to remind myself that life is short.
I want/ need to replace my tool of communication though i'm kinda sad that it's plague with sickness and almost impossible for regular functions.
I want to obtain a new purse for this is something of years ago and looked as if it's been through many catfights.

Things that i know i can jolly well live without. but somehow at this point in time it seems appropriate for a change.

change. yes. it is the only constant.

the best gifts are those that make people smile.

Autumn is officially here, and all i want to say is 秋天别来~

The Japan trip is officially off, unless i struck lottery. that means the chance of me going to 일번is zilch. So we're changing strategy, in order to fulfill expectations with the minimal resources on hand, we're going to somewhere nearer to home. think Asia.

Was counting down the other day. It's only 81 more days till i return to the sunny island. This is my 6th week in Seoul and i am loving it. I love korean food, and i suppose everyone will agree that we'll do better with lower standard of living here. paying 6+ for a simple meal is the norm. i kind of miss the cheap $3/$4 hawker center food and the cheap cheap snacks back home.

i want mee goreng!

Personal request

I miss you

Tired, even after 12 hours of sleep. I suppose the fatigue comes from restlessness of being alone in a confined space with nothing much to do except access to the internet and a variety of snack supply.

Today I woke up with the feeling that time is elastic and i have the whole world to myself. I sat in front of my laptop and did the usual aimless clicks on streaming websites, watching shows that i've already seen and viewing the photos that we use to record our experiences. The sun was so glaring in the afternoon and it is always in this kind of setting that makes me feel so alone. like everything seems so insignificant & unanchored, and the world will continue revolving even if i'm not a part of it.

I suppose the grass is always greener on the other side. and being away from home makes me feel like a totally different person. i need a hug. and i want it now.

Recently there were moments where i forgotten that i'm on foreign land.
Life gets so comfortable that it didn't occur to me that in a matter of weeks, all these will go away as with WAT. Liminality. Maybe simply because it's the transition in between periods that make these kind of experiences special, yet distant.

Tok seemed like a quaint story i heard from a friend instead of the extreme lifestyle i've been through last month. and being surrounded by humans blabbering korean is sort of becoming a comfort. It's like gliding on water. Somehow embracing change is exhilarating. especially when you know there is no other way out.

In less than a month's time, i'll be a year older. In barely a year's time i've been through so much. the adventures that i never thought i'd seek and the opportunities that came knocking.. Living life to the fullest. yes. between doing and regretting and regretting not doing, i'll always choose the former.

Things always get better when we think them through logically, and refuse to let emotions rule.

It's my second week in Seoul, and as with all away-from-home experiences, this trip brings a whole lot of time-alone for reflections.

At Alaska Backpackers' Inn, Anchorage, i chanced upon this quote on the wall.

I am not the same having seen the moon from the other side of the world.

I guess being away from the familiarities makes one more grateful, no matter how thankful we might say we are.

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Started going to the gym this week, and hopefully over the weeks to come. Exercising makes me feel healthy and happy. I didnt turn on the TV in front of the machines (yes, they have a LCD TV attached to each treadmill AND bike with numerous channels selection!) today, for somehow the act of having nothing to distract makes the act of exercising more qualitative. Like time somehow became this void un-pegged to any timeline. Let's just hope i'll keep this up instead of going shopping at Insadong, Dongdaemun, Nandaemun or Myeong Dong.

5th day in Seoul.

The process of burning THE hole in my pocket is fast accelerating.

The standard of living here is high, even higher than the already-quite-expensive Singapore.

FYI, my mailing address is:
Room 533B CJ International House
Korea University
Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu
Seoul 136-701
KOREA

Dormitory number: 82-2-3290-0213
hp:+82-10-5780-7319

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The school is so damn big, and castle-like. It takes me an average of 20 minutes to walk to school via the GENTLE-R slope way and another about 5 minutes to school, and about 15 minutes via the steep-until-highly-likely-to-sprain-ankle route, which is nearer to LG-POSCO (business school). It feels kind of weird to be in such artistically designed architecture that I don't feel like I'm coming here to study at all. Am still in the traveling mode, post-work mindset that i can spend money. Have bought most of what i needed, and the giant super mart is 5 bus stops away though it costs like SGD6 to get back to the hostel (it takes me an average of 15-20 minutes to walk from the subway station to the hostel)!! so all in all maybe never save alot.. lolx..

I foresee the need to stock up on cup noodles, snacks and ready-to-microwave food (coz there's only like 2 pans in the kitchenette i think).. and lots of beverage coz the THOUGHT of STROLLING down to the cafeteria just put me off my appetite. Seriously, there isnt even a need to exercise. i figured i burn away all my calories just by traveling to school, though by right i live on school property!!!!!!

Dun get me wrong, i am grateful to get a room here coz this place is suite-like. It's like a condo, minus the swimming pool. the communal bathroom and toilet is actually only shared among 2 rooms, which is like 3 people. lolx.. they even bothered to install those condo-like door viewer thingy that u can see the visitor's face from a screen inside and press the 'door open' button or talk to the perosn outside when the equipment is like within reach to the door and it aint noise-proof. lolx.. imagine the money they spent for nothing. it doesnt improve the quality of life for students at all. maybe they can invest in more pots and pans.. lolx.. The room is spacious, and we have aircon PLUS fan. the windows actually have mosquitoes net in case we need to air the room.. they have the same type of dustbin i use at home, and i can borrow vacuum and iron from the reception. yes. they have a reception desk with security guard AND an ATM right in the lobby.

The range of beauty products is beyond imagination. Girls, if u need anything from Korea, let me know..

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School starts officially on Monday. I am soooooo looking forward to it after the long summer vacation, after the slog-until-you-think-you're-almost-dead-then-stop time. I am so going to enjoy my time here shopping and eating, and not to mention study a bit.

Dont think i'll be posting stuff here. for updates, please refer to the picture-speaks-louder-than-words-site AKA facebook.

~bye~

I'll be leaving tonight. Alone.
Going away in search of a priceless experience and knowing that i can and will only become a better person after that.

Thank God for friends that i can count on in times of trouble. PL and KH don't know exactly how grateful i am for their help and advice on KU matters when i was in Tok. If you're reading this, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! we'll have a fantastic time in Korea, and Japan if possible..

6 days zoomed past in the blink of an eye. I barely have enough time to bask in the sun before setting off yet again. My grandma made fish head curry specially for me and my aunt whipped out a feast just because i'm back. My relatives gathered so that they can see how much i changed (or not) then wish me all the best for yet another trip.

somehow i'm missing home even though i'm physically still here. I suppose i'm already prepared for this journey psychologically. now all it takes is for my body to follow where my mind should be in the next 4 months.

I'm back pple!! back where i belong!

It's weird that nothing much changes even though i've been away for more than a hundred days. Like everything that happened in the 3 months is kind of like living in liminality, such that it's as if I skipped through that phase and return to my original lifestyle. Like none of it has ever happened, like everything is sort of a dream, something that's unexplainably far away. Maybe that happened only because I'm back where i KNOW i belong.

There's no awkward silence between conversations, no weird moments where you don't seem to know how to react or what to say. Like i've always been here though i was away.
Chatting with my mom in the kitchen rambling on and on about happenings in my life, just like i did before the trip. Bickering with my siblings on the mundane happenings- nagging my sis to turn down her laptop volume so i can sleep and ordering kheng to stop staring at the monitor and go to bed, telling my bro not to come home too late if he's out for supper and reminding my dad not to drink so much before he sleeps etc.. It is indeed strange for me that barely a month ago i was so desperate to come home. Now i'm home, finally.

Now all i need to do is to gear up for Korea, and prepare myself to be away alone again for yet another 4 months.

A million things my mind cant seem to process in this cold weather. extended period of cold makes a person withdrawn and a little depressed. Like the sun has gone into hiding and there's nth much in the atmosphere to bring smiles. it's constantly been about 7 degrees AND the constant drizzle and the wind condition add a whole load to the numbness on my skin. I look forward to morning everyday (okay, these days when i dun have to work) just so i can switch on my laptop and skype. Like no matter how unbearable things seem to be getting, it's just going to get better. it can only get better.

Just 12 more days till i return to my fav place in the entire world. back to the familiarities that i long so often, and into the arms of the one that i've been missing so dearly.

13 working days left and I'm missing sunny Singpore. The other day i caught myself humming the songs we sing come national day. Then i realised how much i miss home.

We celebrated Christmas in July this week and last night we went around the rooms distributing hot chocolate with baileys and kahlua as a touch of festive cheer with a dressed up pixie holding a portable CD player with xmas songs blasting. The three pigs tagged along and simply need to smile when the door opened and say happy holidays and merry xmas to those guests who obviously get rather excited seeing a crowd in Tok. Yes, a crowd in Tok is rare.

It got me thinking. I'll be back for Christmas this year. Seems like i'll still be in time to end off the year and get ready to start off the next at home. not at some faraway land where i don't belong.

Come August come. Can't wait much longer.

accummulated entries

Decided to upload something here instead of the shared blog which we apply the rule a-picture-speaks-a-thousand-words kinda theory. the posts that i've accummulated in the past few weeks.

16 July, AK time. 12.15am

Couldn’t get to sleep tonight. I must have over-rested today (if there’s even such a word). Woke up exceptionally early today with the excuse that I want to eat breakfast so that the girls will wake me up no matter what (or at least try their best). The motive behind that was as simple as to make sure that I’m up and about by 8 to make a phone call. The internet was down yesterday and I was worried that I couldn’t get in touch via skype, msn or phone call (My US calling card has a 1 minute talktime!)

And boy, wasn’t the 2 of them surprised when I could drag myself out of bed after sleeping like 3 hours and still look awake and not complaining that it’s cold.

Happy Happy Birthday!

I KO-ed at 10, totally zonked out and not even remembering to drink swiss miss. Drifted in and out of sleep with Ditty and Jena talking outside. Was in a dazed when I FINALLY woke up at 4.15pm. the amazing thing is, I dozed off right after dinner while waiting for Jo to finish using the internet. Like thanks! How much of a pig I can be.

I’ve never looked forward to a full day of slacking as much as today. You have no idea how much just lazing around as taken a whole new meaning with the crazy workload we sort of innocently drag ourselves down with. I’ve no idea I am and can be that hardworking. To me, 10-12 hours shifts are manageable given that I have ample rest AND that the work is relatively easy. It never crossed my mind that spending 17-18 hours of my waking moment in a day for work is feasible at all, and manual work at that. That is, before I even know Tok exists.

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Work is beginning to take its toll, if it hasnt.
Making beds has scale new heights and will never be the same again.
Been thinking that all these while all I wanted was a change. Some out of the ordinary adventure that enables me to test my limits and see how far I can go, alone.

We’re more than halfway through this journey.
It’s an experience which I doubt I’ll forget and it’s something I don’t mind going through again in a different way when I’m older. When I can travel comfortably onboard the cruises and come to Tok as a stopover destination, enjoying all that it has to offer.

This season, I got all that I wanted. I got this. THIS.
Someone put me in a place so inaccessible and unheard of I reckon only a handful of people in Singapore knows about it.
Someone up there IS testing my limits, for real, for He has been pushing me to my limits regarding extreme weather conditions and cuisines.
I’m going through what and how it feels like being the minority national and racial group. Back where I belong, I always stand with the people at the longest line.

Living independently was what I dreamt of when I was younger. I thought I knew about the downside of freedom and standing on my own feet. Now I know that there’re no loved ones to turn to when I am feeling down, no one to make decisions that are good for me and forces me to follow, no one that detects firsthand that I ain’t in the best condition. It’s so reassuring having family and friends around you that you know can and will reach out to you without second thought when you need help, and simply just be there for you, not ten thousand miles away. As the Chinese saying “yuan shui jiu bu liao jing huo” goes, it’s nice for them to be there, but they cant really help much due to the distance.

The other day I kept thinking of tourism sociology during work at snow shoe -the concept of people travelling. That thought kept running through my mind. People go away so that they can better appreciate what they have when they return. I too, believe we all go away in search of what we are too blinded to see when we are in our comfort zones. To be grateful for what we have and where we belong, or MORE thankful for all that we have. The opportunity to go away, the option that is free for us to choose. Seems like sometimes we go in search of freedom only to realise at the end of the day that we want to be where things seem to be restricted, where the start and the heart is- home. Everyone can live alone, I can too. But given a choice, I definitely don’t and won’t want to.

Have always thought of myself as someone independent and being able to take care of myself but when left alone, I go into this state of helplessness. Then I remember a particular point that Prof. Lim mentioned. Some concept on self helplessness, something about social support I think… This job gives me so much time to ponder that I am able to see the bigger picture and actually fit what I learnt into the mundane happenings. From what was taught in ops, about how JIT came about, the underlying concepts behind The Goal; what matters ultimately is to maximise the ENTIRE supply chain, and not simply maximising individual’s department because by focusing on the various departments the supply chain will NEVER be operating at its optimal. So when I was making beds, and hearing supervisor saying over the walkie to get us to go strip a particular room when we were doing something else and following their command will most certainly result in downtime of at least 10-15 minutes, I was shaking my head and thinking why don’t these people go back to school and learn through concepts that by doing what is logical ALL THE TIME does not necessarily means that they are always doing the right thing.

Not only that, I thought of concepts like JIT and RFID when inventory (the necessary evil) becomes a BIG issue on site. They have boxes of past years stock of products lying in the shed and taking up so much space, and they apply the FIFO method for inventory management. That means that every year, the establishment is simply utilising OLD OLD stock while placing orders for current year’s products. That means that no matter how long this place is going to be in business, they will always be using old stuff that never seem to run out. So I wonder if any of them has EVER been through college or even appropriate training. Don’t any of them know about writing off stuff that has little or no value to the organisation (especially the accounting department!!). and they actually do stock count at the end of the season for every single item they have, including pens! So what is RFID for huh? Plus I certainly have lots to say about their management skills. So I reckon none of them has been through management classes for they have absolutely no idea about human resource management, and that in THIS century people management is of utmost importance to every organisation. That is in addition to the fact that retaining and motivating staff should be the underlying goal (especially so for service sector) as it is the staff that provides the thing that they are selling and the thing that determines the quality of work produced. And haven they heard of Ron Kraufman -the service guru that mentioned that internal guests are as important or even more important as external guests? (and I learnt that in poly!) And being staff and internal customers of an organisation, shouldn’t we be treated with a little more respect and understanding? They must get it in their heads that this is not a factory that they’re running here. Operation is all about tackling the everyday challenges that does not run on clockwork. And that, is the beauty of ops. If they can’t see it, then sadly they will never enjoy this industry, and maybe they shouldn’t be here.

I’m so glad I have the chance to go through business communications to know more about dealing with people of other cultures. That there are people who live in other parts of the world and leading lifestyles that are vastly different and we have to be more sensitive, forgiving and understanding. That is what we all have to learn as the world gets smaller through globalisation. That is what people living in the nation where most other from the rest of the world thinks is THE superpower must start to be aware of. They’re lagging behind while the rest of the world catches up. Soon they’ll find themselves like frogs thinking that the sky is only as big as it looks from the bottom of the well.

We’re all not so different from one another. We live and we die. We go to places to start anew or find our pasts. We ponder lots and we stand by our beliefs. By chance (and choice) we end up meeting. As our paths crossed, shouldn’t we be kinder to one another? I think the world has enough misery to last a millennium and it’s a fact that I don’t plan to fly ten thousand miles here to be in a worse state than back home. For once I am sure that I will return a much better person. Let’s just wait and see.

July 5th 14:29 24th consecutive day
It’s my last day working at snow-shoe motel and as with all farewells, my mood plunges like never before. And the phone call in the morning certainly aids in the gloominess, so work didn’t really go as planned. I ended work early today, for things don’t seem to go right. I have no idea if Candy was irritated because we are leaving after joining them for such a short time or that the issue of requesting for someone to stand in for tomorrow frustrates her on top of that. Anyway, it doesn’t matter no more.

Have been waiting for mom and dad to call since the last conversation, which was like more than a week ago. I really dislike it when I waited, and waited, and waited and no call came. And I hate it when people get my hopes high then don’t deliver. I prefer the underpromise-overdeliver kinda situation and have always thought of the phrase “aim for the moon for at least you’ll land among the stars” bullshit. Aim low-ER so that the euphoria will be tons better if you scale expectations.

It doesn’t help that the internet connection is down for what seems like eternity and it felt (and still feels like) I lost contact with the rest of the world stuck in this place. My calling card is officially down to ONE miserable minute of talk time, which is approximately the time taken to connect the call and say “hello! Can you hear me? Hello? HELLO? Can call me back? My card is running out of minutes!” ARGH.
Being in such a place and feeling like that makes me claustrophobic. Like the world seems confine. MY world.

Anyway, back to the call from Mom and Dad, have been waiting for updates from them just to know that everyone’s fine and things are “as usual”. I don’t want to hear that something unexpected happen when I’m away. Call me selfish, but I want to be there for every single moment (good AND bad) and situation that happen. That’s what being family is for. Sharing moments. And I don’t want to miss any of it. Called them in the morning before work and got to know that they tried calling but cant seem to connect the call using calling cards. So dad used his cell phone and yep. The usual yadaa yadaa- which I find oddly comforting.

There’s always the moments after I hang up a call whereby I’ll just sit while the seconds tick by with thoughts and emotions suddenly gushing up from nowhere. I have no idea if that happens coz my mind cant process information (not fast enough anyway) when I’m listening or in a conversation so things happen in sonic speed during the silent aftermath. The same goes for today. I found myself staring into space with a million thoughts running through my mind at 8. The good thing is, chef Selvy made sunnyside up for bfast. It’s the FIRST whole egg I had in 2 months! And You have no idea how an egg can make me feel so much better just because it is one of the comfort food.

stuck @ Tok

I'm in Tok, but apparently they've never heard of unlimited internet.. so it's a monthly subscription thingy such that even single byte counts..

Anyway, the following is a blog my friends and i created, but doubt there'll be pics anytime soon coz of the limited byte thingy.. lolx..

http://stuckhere-tok.blogspot.com/

The Last Frontier

PJ in Alaska. Someone who is afraid of the cold living in one of the coldest cities in the world. Sounds like a joke.

The weather is getting colder i think. Or maybe I've just been hiding in the hotel room where there's entertainment AND heater. There's no fridge in the hotel room, which pretty much shows how cold their weather here is. We opened the window slightly, and placed milk and fruits on the ledge. and amazingly, that functions as well as a square box below the TV.

You cant possibly imagine how elated i am when we realised that internet access is available in-room, FOC. coz it was stated that not all guest rooms get free wireless coz some places it's not detectable. like wth.

The hours spent in Seattle was unforgettable. A reminder of how safe Singapore is. Amazingly, we spent like more than 17 hours in Seattle roaming the streets and slacking at the airport. It isnt so fun when we cant shop and the shops are closed and what's on the streets are those homeless, if not drunkards, or a clique of pple who looks like they don't have a decent job and aint schooling.

Anyway we arrived safe and sound in Fairbanks, where the days are much longer than the night. It looks like afternoon all day long and the darkest moments are those at 2-3am, navy blue sky. I find myself energetic, which is amazing. Like i've red bull with me all day long.

Wont be updating. Keep a lookout for photos in facebook peeps. Take care! i miss all of you!!