So, Chinese New Year is just round the corner. Like really, just after this weekend. To me, weekends are like corners. You go right around it and before you know it, it's over. And you can't really see what is beyond the corner, till after it.
Okay, enough about corners.
So yes, Chinese New Year, or otherwise known as Lunar New Year. It's the Year of the Dragon. I don't really buy into the whole horoscope thing but a lot of people do. My mum, for example, buys into it hook, line and sinker. Don't get me started on her fengshui stuff.
The reason I don't buy into it, is because I do not believe in luck.
I believe that I am blessed.
Erm...okay, not about to go on a long post about this.
Just wanted to wish everyone a happy Lunar New Year. It's a good time to meet up with relatives, friends and enjoy the food and snacks. If you do get angbaos, good for you. If you don't, eat more food. If you are giving ang baos, be a cheerful giver.
Happy Dragon Year! :)
Showing posts with label give thanks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label give thanks. Show all posts
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Inspired...
I like reading blogs. I read a few blogs..some famous, some not-so-famous...or should I use the word "popular"?...and some are friends' blogs, or introduced by friends via their blogs. You get the drift.
I read them rather regularly and if I missed out on a whole load, I'd continue from where I stopped. I rarely comment just because I am too lazy to. I mean, I am even too lazy to blog.
That said, I've recently (like, today) been introduced to this blog, A Blog About Love, by my college friend Zhing, who is a lovely and AWESOME PAWSOME blogger herself. And I have not been able to stop.
I mean, I've literally been reading the whole day...from the first post to...well, I'm still mid-way through her blog posts. So much for work huh? Oh yes, did I say I started work already? It's been 8 weeks, although out of which I was on leave for 2 weeks. What can I say? I plan my holidays waaaaaay in advance. That should ALWAYS be the way to holiday.
Oh yes, so back to the blog. I won't say too much about it, and leave you (whoever you are) to read it for yourself. I just wanted to say how inspiring they are, as a couple, and how I totally get what they are writing about/saying. After all, I am living it - being happy with myself, the way I am and who I am as a person. I love their energy for life and the energy they emit. It's exactly what I hope I have been doing in the last 2 years, and what I hope my friends will all have.
Sending love and happiness to all!
I read them rather regularly and if I missed out on a whole load, I'd continue from where I stopped. I rarely comment just because I am too lazy to. I mean, I am even too lazy to blog.
That said, I've recently (like, today) been introduced to this blog, A Blog About Love, by my college friend Zhing, who is a lovely and AWESOME PAWSOME blogger herself. And I have not been able to stop.
I mean, I've literally been reading the whole day...from the first post to...well, I'm still mid-way through her blog posts. So much for work huh? Oh yes, did I say I started work already? It's been 8 weeks, although out of which I was on leave for 2 weeks. What can I say? I plan my holidays waaaaaay in advance. That should ALWAYS be the way to holiday.
Oh yes, so back to the blog. I won't say too much about it, and leave you (whoever you are) to read it for yourself. I just wanted to say how inspiring they are, as a couple, and how I totally get what they are writing about/saying. After all, I am living it - being happy with myself, the way I am and who I am as a person. I love their energy for life and the energy they emit. It's exactly what I hope I have been doing in the last 2 years, and what I hope my friends will all have.
Sending love and happiness to all!
Monday, January 09, 2012
Back For Good
So...2012, huh?
Well, the grand plan to stay away until I squeeze every second of my student visa did not come to fruition. Personal decision. Good, personal decision.
We did have a good run, didn't we? (I know, it's just "I" but the many "I"s make a collective "we". I'm schizo like that.)
1 year. It was such an amazing one year.
First, I visited a whole lot of beautiful and amazing places (outside of London). There was Paris before school started in September, Amsterdam snucked in during the Michaelmas term, Austria (Salzburg and Vienna) a week before the term ended and when it was snowing beautifully, Israel right after the term ended, a roadtrip to York, Edinburgh and Lake District during the Christmas period, and to cap off the year 2010, a nice visit to Oslo and Stockholm. Lent term saw me heading back to York and Edinburgh with some Singaporean friends via rail, and then another roadtrip to Bath (via Stonehenge), an unexpected stop at Exeter to queue for the iPad2, and a week of bliss in Cornwall. Easter holiday was spent at my aunt's in Basel, Switzerland, where I had some much-missed homecook food and Swiss treats (lotsa chocolate!!).
Of course, I cannot forget the days at Manchester. I finally saw my first live match at Old Trafford, Man Utd vs Chelsea no less (which the home team won 2-1). I toured the museum and stadium twice over on two separate occasions. I did a super last-minute and tiring bus trip to Manchester to catch Gary Neville's testimonial match, which saw the Class of '92 return to play. I saw David Beckham play, clean up real nice and be a real gentleman, signing autographs and letting us flash our cameras in his face. The shopping at Manchester, in my mum's words, was "better than London". I agree it is easier, but "better"? I disagree.
There was Bicester Village (ok, not London, but close enough), days upon days walking down Long Acre to get to Chinatown, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Knightsbridge, Bond Street, Selfridges in particular, Harrods (at times), Westfield at Stratford, plus possibly my most regular place to go: TESCO EXTRA at Surrey Quays. I think I can never shop in Singapore again. Really.
And the food, oh the food. I really didn't miss the food in Singapore. Part of the reason was that I could cook, and my friends and I did cook regularly. We made soups, dishes, rice, pasta...and just to boast a little, we were very successful with our Hainanese Chicken Rice, Bak Kut Teh and Ko Lo Yuk (Sweet and Sour Pork). In fact, we had a wonderful Chinese New Year reunion dinner! And if we didn't cook, there was always Gold Mine (best roast duck in the world), Yauatcha (1-Michelin-starred dim sum), Lido (dim sum and more), C & R (Singaporean/Malaysian food), Jasmine Princess (I think...at Mayfair, dim sum), Belgos (musselssss and beer) and the best pho in the world at Cafe East! At the very least, we could always count on the takeaway place near our residence. Singaporean noodles or fried rice, anyone?
School life was a rollercoaster ride. There were days of relative quiet, when all you think about is showing up for the two days of lesson and pretend you know what is being said. Then there are hurried days of preparing for presentations, writing your essays, wondering if what you said or wrote made any sense or did someone called your bluff. There was the mugging that we Singaporeans were so used to, the tension and stress of exams, the 10-minute blank-out from the word 'GO' before you furiously start scribbling whatever you can possible remember and attempt to string into proper sentences. Halfway through, you start panicking about the lack of time and how you still have 2 or more questions to complete. Your hand feels limp but you still need to muster whatever strength you have left until the examiner says, "STOP. Please put down your pens." You scribble that last word, hoping no one saw you, check that you have your name and pray that somehow, God's hand was on that paper, not yours. You feel that relief and it's as if everything you mugged for that subject has been poured out, together with your relief. It repeats. Twice.
And after the exams are over, it's the dreaded dissertation. I started my studies not knowing what I was going to write, and then, having a feel of what I wanted to write. It changed after several discussions with the adviser. Not much, but just narrower, and narrower...and it's a discovery of just how ambitious or totally clueless you were when you first started thinking about your thesis. It was the latter for me. Then you kinda put it aside over the Lent term, and the holidays, and the exam period, and only really start on some serious work when you are done "resting" after the exams. Then you (I) generally panic for a few weeks, wondering what to do, how to do what, when to do what...and the biggest question of all "HOW AM I GONNA CHURN OUT 10,000 WORDS?!?".
The first step was to get the resources and documents. That meant many trips to the library to borrow thick, heavy books, photocopy as much as you can (*ahem*, as the copyright laws allow for, I meant), and for those you deem important enough, to hog it with your life and bring it home. There were also trips to the British Archives, which to me was quite the eye-opener. I touched REAL official documents from the past, letters which heads-of-states, kings and presidents signed, memos, etc, and took photos of these documents for my research. Ingenious suggestion from one of my profs.
And then, it was to read ALL these material and make sense of it. I also started just typing ideas out and reproducing chunks of information on my laptop, while organising my thoughts and my study area. By then, I had reduced my living/dining room to my study area. Everything was on the floor, on the coffee table, on the dining table, on the TV console. Finding a place to eat or sit meant removing some materials and relocating them somewhere else for the time being.
And then, as you start putting your thesis together (from skeleton to having some actual meat) you realise you've been wrong all this time. The real question should have been: HOW AM I GONNA KEEP MY THESIS TO 10,000 WORDS??? This process, might I add, took me a good 2 weeks. And that includes formatting and writing the references and bibliography. Not. Fun. At. All. When I finally got it done and ready for printing and submission, it was not really "Phew! My thesis is ready!" but more "I don't care if it makes sense! It's less than 10,000 words! I can't wait to get it out!!!"
But really, the past year had been such a great experience. I liked living on my own. I liked London. Most of all, it made me appreciate everything I had in Singapore: the conveniences and awesome things about Singapore that we take for granted (good leaders, transport, food, good but comfortable standard of living), my family and my friends. There is still no place like home.
Except for shopping.
Well, the grand plan to stay away until I squeeze every second of my student visa did not come to fruition. Personal decision. Good, personal decision.
We did have a good run, didn't we? (I know, it's just "I" but the many "I"s make a collective "we". I'm schizo like that.)
1 year. It was such an amazing one year.
First, I visited a whole lot of beautiful and amazing places (outside of London). There was Paris before school started in September, Amsterdam snucked in during the Michaelmas term, Austria (Salzburg and Vienna) a week before the term ended and when it was snowing beautifully, Israel right after the term ended, a roadtrip to York, Edinburgh and Lake District during the Christmas period, and to cap off the year 2010, a nice visit to Oslo and Stockholm. Lent term saw me heading back to York and Edinburgh with some Singaporean friends via rail, and then another roadtrip to Bath (via Stonehenge), an unexpected stop at Exeter to queue for the iPad2, and a week of bliss in Cornwall. Easter holiday was spent at my aunt's in Basel, Switzerland, where I had some much-missed homecook food and Swiss treats (lotsa chocolate!!).
Of course, I cannot forget the days at Manchester. I finally saw my first live match at Old Trafford, Man Utd vs Chelsea no less (which the home team won 2-1). I toured the museum and stadium twice over on two separate occasions. I did a super last-minute and tiring bus trip to Manchester to catch Gary Neville's testimonial match, which saw the Class of '92 return to play. I saw David Beckham play, clean up real nice and be a real gentleman, signing autographs and letting us flash our cameras in his face. The shopping at Manchester, in my mum's words, was "better than London". I agree it is easier, but "better"? I disagree.
There was Bicester Village (ok, not London, but close enough), days upon days walking down Long Acre to get to Chinatown, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Knightsbridge, Bond Street, Selfridges in particular, Harrods (at times), Westfield at Stratford, plus possibly my most regular place to go: TESCO EXTRA at Surrey Quays. I think I can never shop in Singapore again. Really.
And the food, oh the food. I really didn't miss the food in Singapore. Part of the reason was that I could cook, and my friends and I did cook regularly. We made soups, dishes, rice, pasta...and just to boast a little, we were very successful with our Hainanese Chicken Rice, Bak Kut Teh and Ko Lo Yuk (Sweet and Sour Pork). In fact, we had a wonderful Chinese New Year reunion dinner! And if we didn't cook, there was always Gold Mine (best roast duck in the world), Yauatcha (1-Michelin-starred dim sum), Lido (dim sum and more), C & R (Singaporean/Malaysian food), Jasmine Princess (I think...at Mayfair, dim sum), Belgos (musselssss and beer) and the best pho in the world at Cafe East! At the very least, we could always count on the takeaway place near our residence. Singaporean noodles or fried rice, anyone?
School life was a rollercoaster ride. There were days of relative quiet, when all you think about is showing up for the two days of lesson and pretend you know what is being said. Then there are hurried days of preparing for presentations, writing your essays, wondering if what you said or wrote made any sense or did someone called your bluff. There was the mugging that we Singaporeans were so used to, the tension and stress of exams, the 10-minute blank-out from the word 'GO' before you furiously start scribbling whatever you can possible remember and attempt to string into proper sentences. Halfway through, you start panicking about the lack of time and how you still have 2 or more questions to complete. Your hand feels limp but you still need to muster whatever strength you have left until the examiner says, "STOP. Please put down your pens." You scribble that last word, hoping no one saw you, check that you have your name and pray that somehow, God's hand was on that paper, not yours. You feel that relief and it's as if everything you mugged for that subject has been poured out, together with your relief. It repeats. Twice.
And after the exams are over, it's the dreaded dissertation. I started my studies not knowing what I was going to write, and then, having a feel of what I wanted to write. It changed after several discussions with the adviser. Not much, but just narrower, and narrower...and it's a discovery of just how ambitious or totally clueless you were when you first started thinking about your thesis. It was the latter for me. Then you kinda put it aside over the Lent term, and the holidays, and the exam period, and only really start on some serious work when you are done "resting" after the exams. Then you (I) generally panic for a few weeks, wondering what to do, how to do what, when to do what...and the biggest question of all "HOW AM I GONNA CHURN OUT 10,000 WORDS?!?".
The first step was to get the resources and documents. That meant many trips to the library to borrow thick, heavy books, photocopy as much as you can (*ahem*, as the copyright laws allow for, I meant), and for those you deem important enough, to hog it with your life and bring it home. There were also trips to the British Archives, which to me was quite the eye-opener. I touched REAL official documents from the past, letters which heads-of-states, kings and presidents signed, memos, etc, and took photos of these documents for my research. Ingenious suggestion from one of my profs.
And then, it was to read ALL these material and make sense of it. I also started just typing ideas out and reproducing chunks of information on my laptop, while organising my thoughts and my study area. By then, I had reduced my living/dining room to my study area. Everything was on the floor, on the coffee table, on the dining table, on the TV console. Finding a place to eat or sit meant removing some materials and relocating them somewhere else for the time being.
And then, as you start putting your thesis together (from skeleton to having some actual meat) you realise you've been wrong all this time. The real question should have been: HOW AM I GONNA KEEP MY THESIS TO 10,000 WORDS??? This process, might I add, took me a good 2 weeks. And that includes formatting and writing the references and bibliography. Not. Fun. At. All. When I finally got it done and ready for printing and submission, it was not really "Phew! My thesis is ready!" but more "I don't care if it makes sense! It's less than 10,000 words! I can't wait to get it out!!!"
But really, the past year had been such a great experience. I liked living on my own. I liked London. Most of all, it made me appreciate everything I had in Singapore: the conveniences and awesome things about Singapore that we take for granted (good leaders, transport, food, good but comfortable standard of living), my family and my friends. There is still no place like home.
Except for shopping.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
A Million Love Songs Later
Yeap, still keeping with my trend titling with song titles or lyrics.
This song has been stuck in my head for 2 days. I haven't actually sung it out loud (why haven't I?), but it's been there alright. Not sure what triggered it. Perhaps something I read on FB.
So, this morning - no wait, it's afternoon cos by the time I woke up it was already noon.
So, from the moment I woke up to now, which has been all of 1.5hrs, I have had a few realisations:
1. 1990, was 21 years ago. More than 2 decades! Oh man, oh man, oh man.
2. There is too much negativity online. Not just the things people say, but the way they say it. There is so much cynicism, bragging, sarcasm, envy...and the list COULD go on. I've been asking myself if I really want to read stuff like that. Do I? No, I don't. So what can I do about it? I could be selective in what I read/comment/like. I could try to post stuff that do not emit a negative vibe. Or, maybe, I could get off social networking sites altogether. The last one is, for now, just a thought. I could do the first two though, and I WILL!
3. I am perfectly contented. Not envious of anyone, of their lifestyle, of their career, or what they've got. I know, so surely, that I am EXACTLY where I am supposed to be in life. It doesn't mean it's all bubbles and strawberries all the time, everyday, but once again, I can't deny that I am truly, unabashingly, undoubtedly and knowingly HAPPY about my life, and where I am in life. And I wished everyone, especially the people that I love, would get that same perfect contentment in life and get to know how this feels. Because baby, it feels good! It feels victorious.
Right, so it's a rainy day in London-town. Great day to stay in. I'm gonna make me some lunch and let the words come right through my fingers (thesis!) until I am all hungry again.
Missing all my peeps! :)
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Goodbye Sunny-and-nowadays-flashflooded SG!
So the day is almost here. And by almost, I mean, just tomorrow. Yup, I'll be flying off from a hot, humid, tropical island, to a cold, gloomy, dry and bustling city!
Feeling excited, happy, and have been waiting for this day to come since, oh, can't even tell when. The countdown seemed to take forever, until the last couple of days, where it all seemed to flash by so quickly. Maybe it's the multiple farewell lunches/dinners/karaokes and the works.
Yet, also feeling slightly anxious. I don't know if my brain will activate when called upon. Not sure if I'd fit in. Not sure about a lot of things.
So God is my strength. And in times like these, I shall rest in Him and enjoy everything that He brings forth. I thank my Abba Father for everything and everything more.
Till a year later, SG!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Mac-ed Up and Ready to Go!
Hoohoohoo.
I am so delighted because I have finally bought a Macbook Pro. And now, I feel as if my life is complete. I don't miss my HP laptop at all. AT ALL!
Okay, so I'm exaggerating just a little.
But I am very happy indeed. My baby looks so cool. Awesome.
And in other news, I have finally got my visa. I got it on Thursday, exactly a week before I fly. What a relief! I had been all antsy the entire time my application was processed, thinking of reasons it could be rejected. But of course, the Lord is with me and I claimed favour over my application. As usual, my Abba never fails to deliver. Praise Jesus!
So the question which I've been entertaining as the day draws closer is, "How's the packing coming along?" Well, I'm please to say that the packing is somewhat done. Just some finishing touches that can only be done the day before I fly. Otherwise, I'd say, "All my bags are packed, and I'm ready to go..." :)
The nervousness is somewhat getting to me. I feel ill-prepared for it. Partly 'cause I've been watching a Korean drama for the last 2 weeks or so, and as most are, I've been caught up in it. I feel kinda dumbed-down now because it is so frivolous to watch Korean drama and laugh and cry. Plus the invigilation a week ago has also been a mind-numbing experience.
5 days to go, amigos!
Sunday, September 05, 2010
5 Sep 2010
I must remember today. This day. This weekend.
What an awesome weekend; what an awesome day I had.
What an awesome weekend; what an awesome day I had.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Overwhelmed.
I think the stress leading up to today made me very tensed. It was super nerve-wrecking. Having gone through two times of hopefulness, and then to be told "please try again" when the bank does not seem to wanna help, is not helpful at all.
I'm glad the bank saw the light, and could now help.
And as nerve-wrecking as it was, I managed to pull through and got it done.
There, it's done. My part is done. Now it's not up to me.
And I have only 23 days to go.
EVERYTHING is riding on this. So I am still...very...worried.
I feel quite faint just thinking about it.
And then, trepidation sets in. This...that...what happens if...how am I gonna...? All kinds of questions. All kinds of scenarios.
Oh dear God, I know you'll answer my prayer. I have favour. I claim favour. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name. Amen!
I'm glad the bank saw the light, and could now help.
And as nerve-wrecking as it was, I managed to pull through and got it done.
There, it's done. My part is done. Now it's not up to me.
And I have only 23 days to go.
EVERYTHING is riding on this. So I am still...very...worried.
I feel quite faint just thinking about it.
And then, trepidation sets in. This...that...what happens if...how am I gonna...? All kinds of questions. All kinds of scenarios.
Oh dear God, I know you'll answer my prayer. I have favour. I claim favour. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name. Amen!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Living on the Edge...or a Prayer?
*le sigh*
I wouldn't want to say that my biggest fears are coming true, because my tongue holds power. So what I don't want to happen, I will not say.
However, I do want to whine a bit.
I had this grand plan in my head. A plan which would start 6 months ahead and would prepare me for greatness. Problem with plans is, they never happen EXACTLY the way you want.
So I've had bits and pieces of this plan coming to fruition, while the other bits are kinda falling through. Falling. Not fallen.
And now, with less than 2 months to go, and because of some miscalculation and lack of awareness on my part, I am made to sit and wait for at least another 2 weeks before I can get another go at it. Booooo!!!
So, I'm living on the edge. And a little worried.
I keep reminding myself to cast my worries and cares onto Him, and enjoy the next couple of weeks, which would be really exciting and happening! Since He has brought me so far, He'll also bring me there. THERE.
So there. in 2 weeks' time, I will head down to 'that office' and submit all the stuff, and it shall be fine. And then, a few days later, I will be told that I am given the green light and it's all systems go!
I thank the Lord, and claim favour and all things good.
In Jesus' name, AMEN!
I wouldn't want to say that my biggest fears are coming true, because my tongue holds power. So what I don't want to happen, I will not say.
However, I do want to whine a bit.
I had this grand plan in my head. A plan which would start 6 months ahead and would prepare me for greatness. Problem with plans is, they never happen EXACTLY the way you want.
So I've had bits and pieces of this plan coming to fruition, while the other bits are kinda falling through. Falling. Not fallen.
And now, with less than 2 months to go, and because of some miscalculation and lack of awareness on my part, I am made to sit and wait for at least another 2 weeks before I can get another go at it. Booooo!!!
So, I'm living on the edge. And a little worried.
I keep reminding myself to cast my worries and cares onto Him, and enjoy the next couple of weeks, which would be really exciting and happening! Since He has brought me so far, He'll also bring me there. THERE.
So there. in 2 weeks' time, I will head down to 'that office' and submit all the stuff, and it shall be fine. And then, a few days later, I will be told that I am given the green light and it's all systems go!
I thank the Lord, and claim favour and all things good.
In Jesus' name, AMEN!
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