'Single-Handed Brilliance'

i've never seen a person who plays a piano concerto entirely with his left hand.. which is why this concert was titled 'Single-Handed Brilliance'.. technically, he was flawless.. it seemed like his hand was just floating and sliding along the keys.. and he was totally immersed in the music, and the audience could feel that.. bravo to this young pianist, Alexandre Tharaud..

and kudos to Singapore Symphony Orchestra.. as an amateur orchestra player, i know how hard it is to really concentrate and play well for the entire concert, let alone an entire symphony that lasted near 1 hour.. i admitted that at some point of time, i did drift off for a while, but the whole concert was really good.. and of course, i can't complain much, because the tickets were free.. haha..

along the walkway from the Esplanade to City Hall, there was a series of artwork done by kids, and damn, they are creative.. initially, i thought those were some usual drawings and models, until i realised that they used Crocs to make some of their models.. that was my first time seeing rubber shoes being made into animals..


Croc-rhino!


can you spot the Croc?



and some of their drawings really amazed me.. i doubt i can draw/paint like them.. the only thing i can do is to anyhow doodle and scribble.. haha..

and then this one, to all Patrick-the-starfish fans.. haha..

and after a supposedly-relaxing night, it will be hell after that.. kids on weekends, and another hell-week at work.. and i'm not kidding.. bless me..

一个盲人与导盲犬的故事

here's a story to share, after reading it from the Chinese exam paper which my friend has set.. haha.. i find it very interesting, and it leaves us something to think about.. =)

~~~~~~~~~~

一天，一个盲人带着他的导盲犬过街时，一辆大卡车失去控制，直冲过来，盲人当场被撞死，他的导盲犬为了守卫主人，也一起惨死在车轮底下。

主人和狗一起到了天堂门前。

一个天使拦住他俩，为难地说："对不起，现在天堂只剩下一个名额，你们两个中必须有一个去地狱。"

主人一听，连忙问："我的狗又不知道什么是天堂，什么是地狱，能不能让我来决定谁去天堂呢？"

天使鄙视地看了这个主人一样，皱起了眉头，她想了想，说："很抱歉，先生，每一个灵魂都是平等的，你们要通过比赛决定由谁上天堂。"

主人失望地问："哦，什么比赛呢？"

天使说："这个比赛很简单，就是赛跑，从这里跑到天堂的大门，谁先到达目的地，谁就可以上天堂。不过，你也别担心，因为你已经死了，所以不再是瞎子，而且灵魂的速度跟肉体无关，越单纯善良的人速度越快。"主人想了想，同意了。

天使让主人和狗准备好，就宣布赛跑开始。她满心以为主人为了进天堂，会拼命往前奔，谁知道主人一点也不忙，慢吞吞地往前走着。更令天使吃惊的是，那条导盲犬也没有奔跑，它配合着主人的步调在旁边慢慢跟着，一步都不肯离开主人。天使恍然大悟：原来，多年来这条导盲犬已经养成了习惯，永远跟着主人行动，在主人的前方守护着他。可恶的主人，正是利用了这一点，才胸有成竹，稳操胜券，他只要在天堂门口叫他的狗停下，就能轻轻松松赢得比赛。

天使看着这条忠心耿耿的狗，心里很难过，她大声对狗说："你已经为主人献出了生命，现在，你这个主人不再是瞎子，你也不用领着他走路了，你快跑进天堂吧！"

可是，无论是主人还是他的狗，都像是没有听到天使的话一样，仍然慢吞吞地地往前走，好像在街上散步似的。

果然，离终点还有几步的时候，主人发出一声口令，狗听话地坐下了，天使用鄙视的眼神看着主人。

这时，主人笑了，他扭过头对天使说："我终于把我的狗送到天堂了，我最担心的就是它根本不想上天堂，只想跟我在一起……所以我才想帮它决定，请你照顾好它。"

天使愣住了。

主人留恋地看着自己的狗，又说："能够用比赛的方式决定真是太好了，只要我再让它往前走几步，它就可以上天堂了。不过它陪伴了我那么多年，这是我第一次可以用自己的眼睛看着它，所以我忍不住想要慢慢地走，多看它一会儿。如果可以的话，我真希望永远看着它走下去。不过天堂到了，那才是它该去的地方，请你照顾好它。"

说完这些话，主人向狗发出了前进的命令，就在狗到达终点的一刹那，主人像一片羽毛似的落向了地狱的方向。他的狗见了，急忙掉转头，追着主人狂奔。满心懊悔的天使张开翅膀追过去，想要抓住导盲犬，不过那是世界上最纯洁善良的灵魂，速度远比天堂所有的天使都快。

所以导盲犬又跟主人在一起了，即使是在地狱，导盲犬也永远守护着它的主人。

天使久久地站在那里，喃喃说道："我一开始就错了，这两个灵魂是一体的，他们不能分开……"

这个世界上，真相只有一个，可是在不同人眼中，却会看出不同的是非曲直。这是为什么呢？其实，道理很简单，因为每个人看待事物，都不可能站在绝对客观公正的立场上，而是或多或少地戴上有色眼镜，用自己的经验、好恶和道德标准来进行评判，结果就是--我们看到了假象。

kid is having his major exams..

boy: teacher! my maths paper, last 5 questions i dunno how to do leh!
me: wah! like that, die liao lor..
boy: yar lor! haha..

*tsk tsk.. still have the mood to laugh..*

now i'm starting to worry.. if this happens for the rest of his papers, there goes the hope of him getting into his dream school..

boy: teacher! i know you got superpowers right? can you become invisible and sit beside me during my exams?
me: yar right.. you wait long long..

silly kid.. haa..

September's playlist..

playlist for September - Filipino teleserye soundtracks..

yup, don't laugh.. i do watch filipino dramas (they termed it teleseryes) one ok.. although some of their storylines are a bit exaggerating and ridiculous, but my main motive is to learn the language k.. haha..

that's beside the point..

every music has a story to tell, so do these soundtracks.. they add meanings and feelings to the shows.. and some of them do have special meanings to me as well.. =)

i'll highlight some songs here, but do try to listen to all of them.. haha..

1. Para Lang Sa Yo (Only For You)
this song is really very recent, and the teleserye is still ongoing.. basically the song is inspired by the love story between the two main characters in the show (who also happens to be real-life couple).. what i like about this song is the voice.. Aiza Seguerra.. she really has a very very nice voice.. =)

2. Makita Kang Muli (I'll See You Again)
ok, this is special for me.. the very first pinoy song i tried learning.. i remembered my friend was playing this song the entire afternoon.. non-stop.. and i started to sing along to the first few lines of the chorus.. and after that all my other friends started requesting me to sing (because i'll sound weird singing Tagalog? haha).. it will make me remember my Bago December 2006.. =)

3. Maybe
heard this song while watching my first teleserye.. at least it's in English and i understand it.. haha.. or at least that's the only thing i could understand out of the whole show, when i was still grasping the basic "i-me-you-they-we" Tagalog words.. haha..

yup, till then, enjoy the music! hehe..

you can't have the best of both worlds..

sometimes you really can't have the best of both worlds.. even when you are trying very hard to achieve the best you want for both sides, somehow the master almighty above just doesn't let you have it your way..

there are so many things i wish to have, i wish to do.. and because i can't have it totally my way, choices have to be made.. sacrifices too.. ouch..

well, at least i can try looking on the brighter side.. =)

oh.. and HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!! haha..

countdown to PSLE..

oh my god.. 1 more week to PSLE.. which means, more kids-days for me.. AHHH!!!

not that i really hate them, just that kids do give me problematic and fustrating moments every now and then.. i should actually thank them for being my sole source of income during my school days.. and there are still days with silly jokes that make me wanna laugh my head off.. haha..

the first time i'm seeing a kid through his first milestone of his academic studies.. please don't make silly careless mistakes again!!! like i've always said, i can't be sitting beside you during exams..

and once PSLE is over, i need to tackle the other 2 kids..

now i look at my schedule.. it's really no-life.. no~~!!

playlist for september..

sorry for the delay, blame my computer screen if you want to.. haha..

theme for september's playlist: motivational..

yes, we do need some boost at the lowest points in our lives, and songs are good medicines to the souls.. =) they can make you cry, they can make you stand up again.. whether or not they make you work harder or strive better, at least they can make you move on and get over with your saddest/angriest/frustrating moments.. haha..

so yup, enjoy.. =)

they are leaving on a jet plane..

huijie is now on her flight to London, to a place where she can let her creative juices run wild, where she knows she can reach out to her stars and pursue them..

seeing her carrying all her own luggages, walking in the departure gate, i really take my hats off to her.. a young girl who dare to choose to walk the path less taken.. once again it reminded me of the day i returned from Bago.. i have no idea why that moment suddenly spurred up, but it hurts.. a little..

ryan will be on his flight to Korea tomorrow, where an exciting (i presume) 4-month exchange awaits.. start practising your korean now, ryan.. haha..

as for me? i'm still stuck here, temporarily.. haa.. of course i would wish to be able to fly around, travelling to places, and if possible, be a travel guru.. haha.. there are so many places i want to explore, so many different cultures i want to experience..

but no matter what, Bago always hold a special place in my heart.. it may be a wonderful thing to have snow falling on your head on christmas night, or it may be an awesome sight to see the entire city light up from the top of the tower.. but it's even more meaningful when i know i can spend my christmas with people i can call my second family..

i look forward to my filipino christmas.. i want my filipino christmas..

surprise call..

haha! thank you saldo, putol and franz, for bringing me a surprise, after a mentally-exhausting afternoon..

i can't promise i'll be back for christmas, but i'll try my best.. =) really miss you guys so much.. i still think of my ice-box cake, the early mornings outside the house, the rides to Bacolod.. and most of all.. ikaw ang lahat!! mga kaibigan ko! =) miss na miss ko tayo! haha..

i still want my Bago december..

early Teachers' Day, early night..

there's only one good thing when the computer is spoilt.. i get to sleep early.. haa.. but i still can't get over the fact that i can't watch my final week of my drama!!! arghh..

had an early Teachers' Day greeting yesterday, and i'm still quite amused by the presents the kids gave.. they are not very practical, but i can make them useful.. haha.. my only hope for them is to get good grades.. i was surprised when the boy got 80+ marks for both Maths and Chinese.. he usually flunk when it comes to doing speed, but surprisingly he got them all correct.. but his "engrish", not good.. he always ask me to do him a "flavour" by telling him all the answers, and he just coined a new word "prettiful".. wow..

as for the girl, i've nothing to say.. sigh..

here come weekend..

yes! i survived my 6-day-kids week!! haha.. although i kept thinking why the weekend is not here yet.. i shall give myself a break.. go shopping!! hehe..

and it's a Bon Jovi week! haha.. bought their new cd, and i have a compilation cd of theirs in my office.. haha.. like his new songs, especially (You Want To) Make A Memory.. =) Bon Jovi rocks!! woohoo~!

jazzy night..

i'm glad that i went to the SCO's concert with Chris Brubeck's Triple Play yesterday.. i think that was the only concert the Singapore Chinese Orchestra was able to make me rock along.. haha..

it was an interesting mix of music - jazz with chinese music.. and i was truly amazed by the three members of Triple Play.. Chris Brubeck played the piano, the trombone and the electric bass guitar, and it was enjoyable listening to his compositions.. Peter Madcat Ruth is the first man on the harmonica who can make me go "wow~".. and Joel Brown, his jazzy-country style of playing the guitar is sensational too.. =)

at the end of the concert, i gave them what they deserve - a standing ovation.. but a pity, Singapore's audience are like woodblocks.. they listen, but they don't enjoy the music, they don't groove with the rhythm.. how to become a world-class hub for performing arts when these are the reactions performers receive?

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was having dinner with the NUSCO peeps earlier on, and we suddenly remembered this childhood cartoon of ours - Mojacko, or familiarly known as 宇宙小毛球.. i used to watch it when i was younger, probably in my secondary school days.. haha.. i can't remember what the whole cartoon was all about, but the ending theme song is still familiar in my head.. and i find the lyrics meaningful.. =)

i wonder if i will get to watch this cartoon again..

numerology reading

found this numerology reading from a friend's blog.. do try it.. kinda true, in some aspects.. haha..

Your Birth Day number is 15

You are highly creative and artistic. You also have a gift for languages (like learning Tagalog.. haha). No matter what you do as a profession, your love tends to be the arts, especially the visual arts, such as painting, calligraphy, or sculpture (is it? i prefer music leh). There is a yearning within you to ground within the family or community structure, but there is a hint of wanderlust, too, which makes grounding difficult (haha.. like how i keep wanting to go overseas). You want the best in your life, and you strive for it.

Commitment to relationships - especially home and marriage - is a central issue in your life. You must be willing to bring out the best in your partner, or the place you live. In the same way, you must truly commit to your own abilities - make the most of them! Honor your talent and cultivate it with hard work and refinement.

You are very sensitive. Criticism has a very negative effect on you. For this reason, you tend to support others to the point of denying yourself. You want to live according to the Golden Rule, which is that you treat others as you would want to be treated.

You are generous and understanding. As a parent, you are devoted to your children (we will see this, in ten years time.. haha) and can maintain stability and love within the family. You tend to be demonstrative in your affections. You are responsible but keep your own counsel and make your own decisions. You probably look young for your age (yeahhey!). In addition to your artistic talent, you possess sound business and financial instincts (which explains why i keep being the treasurer?). You tend to be thorough and conscientious in your approach to business, traits that pay off in the long run.

You must beware of becoming too soft in relationships. People can see you as an easy mark, or abuse your well-worn shoulder, upon which many tears have been shed. Be more than a willing ear. (hmm..)

You have considerable talent as a healer, but need to develop the actual tools of the healing vocation in order to truly help others. You are multi-talented and with focus and determination, you have great potential for success.

borderline-pass mango graham..

i tried making the mango graham cake again.. i give myself 6/10.. i still can't make it perfect the filipino way!! arghh!!



a very fattening filipino dessert.. just look at the thick layer of cream.. haa.. they call it the 'ice-box' cake.. because you will put it in the fridge and freeze it.. and there's a joke shared between the house gang and i.. 'eat the coke and drink the box-ice'.. haha..

and they even prepared some for me to bring along to the plane leaving Bago.. aww.. the taste of 'hometown'..



tried making it while i was there.. it was so much better than this one.. haha.. all thanks to Joy.. Joy! Tricia! what's wrong with my ice-box cake? how to make it perfect?? why don't you guys come over and make one for me? haha..

M.Y.M.P

yup, as promised, every month i'll change my playlist, and with a headstart, the theme of the month is --- M.Y.M.P



M.Y.M.P (Make Your Mamma Proud) is one Filipino band that has made me see the Filipino music in a different light.. their acoustic music is smoothing, something that you will yearn for more..

Juris Fernandez has the beautiful voice that will melt your heart with all the love song renditions, while Chin Alcantara has his fingers slide smoothly on the guitar.. they are a duo whose performances never fail to wow the audience..

the first time when i hear their music, i was so much attracted to them, that i was searching for their CDs the next day i went to the shopping mall in Bacolod.. haha.. and everytime i hear a new song from them, the song would end up in my MP3 player very soon.. haha..

and many of their songs became an instant hit with the Filipinos.. songs like "Love Moves (In Mysterious Ways)", "I'll Never Get Over You (Gettin' Over Me)" and "Only Reminds Me of You".. =)

so, i'll say no more, and you guys just sit back and relax, and enjoy the music.. =)

missing them..

Bago never fail to make me smile..

i was having a little unhappiness at work yesterday.. oh well, over trival matters.. but really, a call back there cheered me up a lot.. it was really nice to hear tricia's voice again.. =)

cheese cake and nice food with my Bago gang also lightened my mood.. it always bring back memories whenever we come together..

the BHBH3 had a presentation at the Asian Civilisations Museum yesterday, and funnily, the people who went were all from the big BHBH family.. haha.. nice to see things are going well for the Bago community.. =)

my dreams are simple, but the paths are always full of stumbling blocks.. i'm slowly clearing the paths, climbing over those stumbling blocks.. but every time i cross over a block, down come another.. sigh..

oh well.. i have my filipino Skyflakes biscuits in my office.. i miss my graham cake.. tricia! joy! make one for me!!

no more Bago December..

somehow things don't go as what you expect them to be.. and i have no idea why it's happening this way..

my initial plan was to find a part-time job to save up for my trips, and leave the country after my kids' end-of-year exams in November.. i had also wanted to go on a holiday to Bangkok after my exams last May.. then my grandpa got ill, and all of us devoted our time to him.. i couldn't dare to mention about my plans to my parents for fear of adding to their worries..

then grandpa got well.. but came a job offer from my teacher.. pay was low, but all i wanted was to earn enough for my trips.. i accepted it, and i had to give my Bangkok trip a miss.. and because of the job, i had to push back my plan for going overseas till after January next year..

thinking of the possibility that my parents (and maybe grandpa) would be angry and disappointed if i'm not going to be around during Chinese New Year, i further pushed my plan to end February..

and now, i blur-ly took up the position to be in the NUSCO concert committee for next year's concert.. i don't know if i'm not firm enough to reject it, or if i feel that i should do something for the orchestra.. it would mean another postponing of my trips to end March..

all the responsibilities are piling up.. my job, my kids, the concert committee, plannings for my trips.. and family..

the thought of not being able to spend my christmas in Bago is making me feeling down.. the thought of not being able to see familiar faces, the thought of missing out all the laughter, the thought of not being able to hug my friends who have been like a second family to me..

i have always look forward to December every year.. but this December is never going to be the same.. i want my old December back..

horrible kid..

me: ok, read this word.
girl: seasons.
me: good.. so read the meaning out.
girl: 4 sections of the year associated with different types of weather. (actually she didn't know how to read 'sections' and 'associated'.. haa)
me: ok, so here they say there are 4 sections.. that means 4 different types, right? tell me what are the 4 seasons.
girl: i don't know.. Singapore don't have what..
me: yar, so? it doesn't mean you won't have to learn..
girl: ah.. i know.. korea has, right?
me: yar.. you've watched those dramas right? which one can you remember?
girl: i don't know.. not my country what..

WAHHHHH!!!! kill me!!!

should i be sad for her lack of intelligence, or should i be glad for her patriotism?? please enlighten me..

a night at Global Sounds Cafe..

hmm.. apart from the mudane and tiring work life and annoying kids, nothing much happening these days.. but here i am, recommending a nice place for chilling out.. =)

the Global Sounds Cafe.. =)



an unique cafe.. what i like about it is its coziness, and its theme.. quite a variety of musical instruments on display, and some for you to play around with them.. =) and interestingly they have things like the thumb piano, the thunder tube and some squeaky thing that reminds us of a friend.. haha..

and it's kinda suitable for us the slackers-amateurish musicians.. haha..



food there is alright, offering what most cafes would.. popular choice would be their tiramisu.. the service is good too.. the people there are always on their smiling front.. despite me standing at the counter, asking to smell the fragrance of the tea leaves before deciding what i really wanted.. haha..

as usual, we had fun with photo-taking..


oh, so cheesy.. haha.. though i like that slogan.. haha..


yes, me acting cute again.. and i think joyce is sick of me doing that.. haha..

and they had some special marimbas which we had fun laying our hands on.. haha..


yup.. Global Sounds Cafe is situated near Smith Street (i think.. haha).. walk to the end of the Chinatown Food Street and you will see it.. =)

it's a nice place to explore, and just sit down and relax.. by the way, the chairs and sofas are very comfortable, so comfortable that i can sleep there.. haha.. oops.. =P

i want my sleep back..

i hate it when i have to vent my frustrations on my kids.. yes, my kids can be irritating and the way they retort back my questions with "i don't know" can make me clench my fists and go "arghhhh"..

i used to be able to fight back their silly tactics.. but not these few weeks.. i got frustrated so easily that i don't how to get through the lessons..

i suppose work has drained away all my energy.. even though it is no-brainer, the long hours and the occasional warding off knifes that may come stabbing are tiring.. and having to teach the kids after work makes it even worse.. not having enough sleep is killing me too..

and this is going to be so, at least for the next few months.. but i will adapt to this..

i will..

little tiger is back..

our little tiger is back!! haha.. =D

after her 10-month stay in London, our dear huijie is back for her holidays.. =) a friend i truly admire, i'm glad to see her well and fine.. and of course, happy to see her doing well in pursuing her dreams.. =)

cheese and chocolate fondue has again united us, and we had so much laughter during dinner, teasing each other, updating each other about what is happening in our lives.. haha..

so many interesting stories, yet so little time..

so many things have changed since our expedition to Bago.. we have since moved on.. aline and waipeng are getting married, huijie is happily studying art in London, ryan is busy with his student activities (as usual).. as for me, the end of school days, still finding the direction i want in my life.. there are many things i wish to achieve, there are many things i know i can't..

but yes, we have been working hard to reach out to our dreams, we have been trying the best that we could in whatever we do..

our hearts are still attached to Bago, and i wish for the day that the 5 of us could return to Bago together.. =)

a week's thoughts..

i think i've over-worked myself.. such that my forgetfulness is back to haunt me again.. i was standing outside the door, searching frantically for my keys, and somehow i couldn't think of where and how i might have dropped them.. i had to call my mum to open the door for me, and then i saw my keys lying on my table.. arghh..

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sent peiying off this morning.. was spending the previous night at the airport with a bunch of friends.. i guess i was too tired to really enjoy the company.. haa..

anyway, yes, i wish her the best of luck.. it's not easy to be able to go overseas to further studies, and i'm always envious of friends who are able do that.. i'm sure she will definitely reach out to her dreams and do well.. =) waiting to see you again next year when you return!

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i think i'm a bad friend.. of course not in terms of being a bad influence (i've an image of a tutor to set.. haa) but i think i bully my friends a lot..

it's always them who put in more into the friendship.. and i admit sometimes i really take them for granted.. but i truly feel that i'm very blessed to have friends who sincerely care for me, and they are there whenever i need a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear to rant to..

really, a big thank you to my friends.. =)

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i need more sleep.. better still, give me 30 hours a day.. haha..

ah.. this post is really so random..

new music playlist..

have created a playlist (look to the right column).. somehow the songs in there are the sadder ones.. haha..

anyway, i will change the songs, perhaps once in a month.. =) i'll also introduce nice pinoy songs through that.. haha..

yup, so peeps, enjoy..

the day of commencement..

the end of a chapter, the beginning of another..

the commencement was just an event that signified the end of my academic education.. 18 years of schooling (since nursery) isn't a short timeframe.. almost a quarter of my life! haha.. but again, i believe in life-long learning, though not neccessarily academic-wise.. haha.. and besides, i hate exams.. haha..

but this was an important moment for my parents, with all the investment they have made.. i think it's something all parents would be proud of..

for the first time of my blogging history, i present to you, my parents! haha..



see? i got my grey-hair trait from my dad.. haha..

and i was surprised when he bought the NUS commencement lion for me when i told him it was a waste.. $40 for a plush toy leh.. haha.. yeahhey..



and of course, i was happy to see friends there.. it was glad to have them to be part of this milestone of my life..



biyun, who has seen me through my ups and downs in NUS.. it was these 3 years that have bonded us closer.. we celebrated our birthdays together in the midst of exam preparations, we slept through lectures (on rare occasions, i must stress.. haha), binged on chocolates during our stress-high periods, complained to each other about horrible people in school.. thank you my friend, and let's look forward to our tai-tai life.. haha..



another surprise, when kaiwen called.. a coincidence that her brother had the same commencement session as me.. a very close friend from JC, somebody who never failed to cheer me up, give me encouragement when i needed them..

and of course, many other friends who were there as well.. =)



i'll miss the free time i had as a student, the friends and the fun.. now, it's time to work towards my aspirations and dreams.. =)

or maybe, work towards the goal of earning big money, so that i can buy this $50 baby dress from TopShop for my future kid.. haha..



haha.. kidding.. =D

graduation photos..

ok, here are the photos.. after selecting those more presentable ones.. if not it would be 250++ of them.. =D



to view all photos, click here: graduation photos

graduation photos galore..

haha.. sorry for the long no-post.. busy with money-spending activities.. haha.. so, photo galore for making up..

took many pictures with the peeps from NUSCO before my commencement.. whooping 259 photos.. will upload them to somewhere else.. but here are some highlights.. =)

main characters: me, helen, peiying, andrew, daida - class of 2007.. haha..


me acting cute..


i think i looked weird playing the piano with the gown..


with our instruments!


i like this one.. haha..




tossing it up into the air!


at our familiar grounds.. haha..


act cute again.. haha..




this looks like a family portrait.. keke..


posing around, while Jin Lao Shi helped us take photos with his Nikon SLR.. free photo-taking by professional photographer.. woohoo..




guess who's who.. (ok, it's kinda obvious..)


i'm the little gold ridding hood.. haha.. or rather, i look like somebody from Lord of the Rings.. haha..




i think i acted cute too much..


assembly point!




with Mr Lum, a fatherly figure, who has sorta seen me growing up since my secondary school days..





yeah.. meanwhile, hang on for the full album.. haha.. =)

kids make me sick..

sometimes kids really make me sick..

me: so, what's the first step?
girl: what?
me: we did so many examples already, you should know by now..
girl: what? i dunno!

(after revising the first step again..)

me: ok, then the next step?
girl: what?
me: what? you tell me, not i give you the answer..
girl: then what?
me: then what what?
girl: how i know??

(my goodness.. so i had to do the whole thing with her again..)

me: ok, next question, do it yourself..
girl: har? i forget how to do already..

(wah biang oei.. that was the n-th time i was going through division questions..)

me: hoy.. look at what you are writing.. this is a division question, not multiplication question..
girl: i only know how to times, dunno how to divide..
me: they are opposites of each other what, and we did so many questions already, and don't tell me that you forget again hor..
girl: aiya, don't care lar..

(eyes big big.. this kind of student exists.. my god..)

me: see, the same mistake again.. what is 7 x 8?
girl: 60
me: wrong
girl: 64
me: wrong again
girl: correct what.. wrong meh?
me: wrong
girl: then what?
me: count it out, don't guess.. maths you cannot use guessing one..
girl: then how?

(i really wanna puke..)

US$1000 to do volunteer work?!?

i'm not giving up.. =)

was searching for organisations which i can work with for my overseas volunteer work.. came across quite a few, majority are US-based.. still trying to find more organisations that are Singapore-based, or with branch offices here.. so that i know they are in existence, something i can trust..

and to my horror, many organisations charge more than US$1000 for the fees to volunteer overseas.. my goodness.. why would people pay that much to volunteer??

i understand that fees are required, of course we can't be staying and eating for free in foreign lands.. but US$1000?!? and some organisations require a fee of US$2000 for a month's stay.. wah biang.. with that amount i can go tour Europe.. my god..

and i don't understand why people always have this misconception that you need lots of money in order to help the poor, or to do volunteer work.. yes, money can do a lot of things, but it can't bring you everything.. wasn't i able to gather boxes full of clothes and toys for the children? wasn't i able to get sponsors to donate stationery?

but anyhow, i still need my parents' support and approval.. pray for me.. pray real hard.. =) it's gonna be a long road down.. must persevere.. haha..

ice-skating again..

great, now my knee got a big bruise..

second time back into the ice-skating rink after 7 years, the enjoyment of re-mastering the sports is there, but it's not when you have a fall (and i had it more than once), or being pushed by people.. so i still want my Ben & Jerry's.. bleahz..

the wacky Pluck..

it was the most hilarious musical concert ever, one you could laugh your head off listening to classical music..

Pluck is a comedy string trio that presented this concert, The Specialists.. formed by Adrian Garratt (violin), Jon Regan (violin) and Sian Kadifachi (cello), they are the most entertaining musicians i've seen so far.. filled with comical special effects, this performance was indeed something worth all the laughs.. =)

smoke emerging from Adrian's violin, burps becoming part of their music, 2 persons playing with 3 violins, an angel descending from above, flying cannonballs, and many other funny performing tricks that they have come up with.. how often do you get to see that being collaborated with classical music pieces? =D

and it was so amazing to see Sian being able to play the cello standing up and moving around on stage.. and her quirky costume..

but my fave is still Adrian.. he's the best manz.. haha..


left to right: joyce, jon, sian, adrian, me, helen, biyun

after the performance, we managed to catch them outside the studio, and so we got their signatures and took photos.. and it was interesting to chat with them about music too.. =)



for more of their information, visit their website and watch excerpts of the performance of The Specialists here.. (and Pluck, i'm helping you guys spread the words! haha..)



if there's ever a next time that Pluck comes to Singapore for another performance, i'll be sure to catch it.. =) or unless i'm rich enough to go London.. haha..

BBQ at peiying's house..

it was perhaps the last big gathering for us yesterday, before peiying leaves for the U.S. to further her studies in music.. and food is always the main draw, especially so when the orchestra has many good eaters.. haha..

BBQ!!! =D

and i'm proud to say that i can start a fire myself on my first attempt!! successful leh.. haha.. see? i'm quite garang.. what the boys can do, i can too!! haha..



got my hands all black with charcoal, and a few bubbles on my fingers after being scalded by the hot charcoal and fire..

it was the usual BBQ food, and we tried BBQ-ing fish too.. and it was real good manz..



and look how greedy we were.. haha.. no, i should say that, we adore food.. haha..

but i always look forward to the end of the BBQ, when everybody gets too full, and when all the food gets cleared up.. because i can peng-kang marshmallows!! haha.. i can chomp down many marshmallows, because there's always room for dessert.. haha..

i'm happy for friends who are able to go far, to pursue their dreams, because sometimes i wish that i could be like them.. but nevertheless, i wish peiying all the best, and one day, we all will get to hear many of her wonderful compositions on world stage.. =D

shrek 3 and surprise presents..

things aren't that bad now, or so i hope.. at least there are things to cheer me up.. =)



Shrek 3!! went to watch the movie with friends from the orchestra.. it was damn hilarious.. and those shrek babies, so cute!!! my favourite part of the movie - when the baby shrek appeared in shrek's dream and called him "da-da" with the eyes big and wide.. haha.. laughed my head off..

i wonder if they sell these cute plush toys here in Singapore.. haha..


and i received my squid rings, all the way from Bago!! yeahhey.. and also the t-shirt from tricia and family.. =) thanks so much, my friends! finally, i have my own TRY t-shirt.. haha..

i still want to catch Pirates of the Caribbean 3.. and i think i missed Spiderman 3.. maybe i should try out those rental stores..

another monday..

thanks my friends, for the concern.. =) things are getting better, but i am going to dedicate more time to take care of my grandpa..

constant attention and care is all he needs now.. with everybody rotating duties to look after him around the clock, let's just hope that things will get better.. =)

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i've seen the video of my Bago City experience, made by biyun.. indeed it brought back special memories, laughter and tears.. although it's not professionally-perfect, i still like it.. =) perhaps i will upload the video, when all final editing has been done.. thanks, biyun! i really owe you a big one.. hehe..

ah gong, please hang on..

exhausted right now, after many hours in the hospital and settling the adminstrative stuff and his medication.. but at least ah gong is back home now.. =)

it scared me how fragile life is.. it made me regret how i didn't spend more time with the two old ones.. it made me realise how precious they are to me..

yes, sometimes i took them for granted, sometimes i was so wilful when under their care.. but they love me nevertheless..

it hurts when i see him wheezing away, and i could do nothing to relieve his uncomfort.. it hurts when he still ask me if i have eaten, even when he himself had no appetite.. it hurts when i see him drifting in and out of his sleep, talking about things that did not happen, imagining that he was still having his regular smoke..

and it hurts, when he told me that he knows that he is old, he knows when the time will come, and that i should not cry..

now i just want him to be happy and enjoy his last few years the way a grandfather who have been loved by many should be..

i love you, ah gong..

morning blues..

a mix of emotions in the morning.. wasn't a good one..

ah gong has been admitted to the hospital.. it was more saddening to see him lying on his floor (he sleeps on the floor, with just a pillow beneath his head) wheezing with difficulty.. while the other kids were sitting in the living room watching cartoons, not knowing what was going on.. ignorance is a bliss? perhaps..

and earlier, i woke up from a dream, that left me in a frightful daze.. i was running away, from people, from a situation so much similar to what i'm facing right now.. i believe that dreams are ways of interpreting what your subconscious mind is going through.. i was running, many times i came to a corner, many times i came so near to being stopped.. to a point where i was so frightened of the thought of being caught, and not wanting to witness that, i forced myself to wake up..

for a short while, i sat up, trying hard to sort things out.. i knew it was only 5am when i saw the living room's lights were on, and dad was preparing to go for work.. i tried going back to sleep, but the frightening feeling was still there.. it was only when i started seeing the break of dawn then i slowly drifted back into sleep..

i think i need a slow night walk tonight after seeing the kids..

a broken necklace..

i'm sad, that the necklace tita bambie made for me was broken.. =(

i treasure every little thing that i got from Bago City.. from friendship bracelets, presents from dearest friends, to Coca-cola glass bottles and a fallen christmas ball deco from a tree outside an old church (which ryan said it was a good sign.. haha)..

every little thing has a special meaning to me.. every little thing has a special story to tell..

i like the necklace tita bambie made.. she likes making accessories.. on some nights i will see her sitting alone in the living room with all her beads and wires.. i have no knack for these things, but i can see that she really puts in her heart into making those accessories..

and now, it's broken.. =(

commitment and expectations..

sometimes, commitment and expectations will pull you down.. there are many things you would wish to do, wish to achieve, things you look forward to.. but because of the commitment you are being tied down to, and people's expectations of you, your wishes and dreams may have to be abandoned..

when you have finally decided to pull yourself away from all these burdens, you may realise that, time is not on your side.. or maybe, heavier commitment comes to you that you may not be able to pull yourself away..

i don't want to leave any room for regrets.. but are there choices?

being pessimistic may be the way for now.. i'm not giving up hope, although negotiation may have to come into play..

take not the road less travelled, rather make new roads, blaze new
trails, find new routes to your dreams..

if only that's easy..

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my Bago trip video is soon to be completed (i owe you one, biyun! =D).. doing the final acknowledgements and accounting for all the sponsors and beneficiaries stuff.. i hate doing the post-project work.. oh well, for the sake of my future projects..

it's over!!

yeahhey!! i passed!! i'm offically out of the evil clutches of NUS!! haha.. =D

i was so worried over PL1101E - Intro to Psychology.. negative marking leh.. and that LSM3252 - Evolution and Comparative Genetics.. screwed up the oral presentation and had to deal with the irritating tutor..

but it's all over!! yeahhey!! =D

and the kids, overly noisy and talkative today.. and the boy kept saying he's cute and handsome and smart and talented and blah blah blah..

boy: teacher, i know you like to see me..
me: wert, who wants to see you everyday..
boy: but i'm so handsome and cute!
me: you know the meaning of cute? it means adorable but ugly.. so that means you are ugly lor..
*muahhahahaha*

and he spilled my cup of coke, and sat on his chair until he fell over.. haha.. heck, i was indulging in my ice-cream then.. haha.. what a nice parent.. =D

i'm going to celebrate with Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Shrek 3, more shopping and pyscho-ing my parents for my trip.. heheh..

but still no tv.. damn..