Dilemma @ work...

Got an offer personally from the big boss today to officially promote me to even higher ground... to accept or not to accept... it's a tough tough decision... but think ultimately I'll place my emotional well-being, happiness and my family in first place... so... most probably, when the time comes again for me to give a reply, it'll be an 'uh-uh'...

Wheeeee...!!!

Last Saturday, Hubby and I met up with Beebee and RC for a morning trip to East Coast Park. Beebee'd wanted to learn how to cycle, so she got RC to be her coach. Hubby and I just tagged along, thinking that we'd just watch her learn (or, according to cheeky Hubby, laugh at her if she fell :p) and perhaps enjoy some leisure time of our own there since we hadn't been there for quite some time.

After watching Beebee try to balance herself on the bike with RC guiding her (with the nice bike rental ah pek occasionally popping by to give advice as well) for a while, Hubby and I decided to rent a double bike to ride along the stretch of ECP on our own. Just like Beebee, I didn't know how to cycle (fell so many times learning as a kid that I stopped learning), so I wasn't sure if I could really double-bike with Hubby. Plus, it was Hubby's first time double biking too. But thankfully, it turned out to be such fun! I didn't have to worry about balancing etc, just had to pedal along with Hubby and enjoy the experience of cycling. Wheee...!!! It was really fun, especially since I got to enjoy my favourite sea view, sound of the waves and breeze at the same time! :D So relaxing... sigh... until...

Hubby made me learn how to cycle on my own. This was when Beebee and RC took over our double bike and went off on their own, leaving the single bike that Beebee had been learning to balance for about an hour (but to no avail) with us. Poor me was coerced into learning how to balance, the same way Beebee did earlier, and I guess we sisters just weren't good at it cos the fear of falling interfered with our learning. Anyway, the whole process of trying to balance just made me very frustrated and grumpy. Luckily, Hubby offered to take me double biking a second time, so I was able to cool off soon after. :p

Following the biking experience, we headed down to Orchard to jalan jalan. Had lunch at Hip Diner USA at Cineleisure cos we were attracted to the 1-for-1 main course promotion they had. Not bad, ordered four main courses and a cream spinach (yummy! Now THAT'S the most delicious item we had!) and paid only approximately $40 in all, including GST and service charge. Pretty worth it. But then, I wouldn't say the food's fantastic -- just ok. Only the cream spinach... yes! That one's certainly good. Again, I'm really inspired to make my own cream spinach one day! Must go supermarket shop shop and try to do all these on my own during the June hols! Heehee. ^_^

Oh wow... the next one must mention. Beebee and I fell in love with... a female model! Hehe... we were at Paragon, and the FJ Benjamin 30% discount party was on at a few stores, and we noticed a couple of gorgeous mannequin-looking people walking about in the stores. At first we were just so taken by their exotic fair (and plasticky-looking) skin, but later, as we walked by Banana Republic, we learnt that these were actually models possibly flown in from some cool country to pose as human mannequins at the display windows of the stores. And here's the best-looking female model that got Beebee and I drooling...

Sigh... check her out. Ain't she a doll? These people really look perfect, don't they? Fair complexion with rosy cheeks, great hair, cool figure... and this lady above would smile straight into my camera whenever she sensed that I was trying to take her pic. Oh... *swoon* Guess this is what they mean by 'love at first sight'! :p Wonder if Hubby'd be jealous... haha... but don't worry lah... I'm still 'straight'!

Sigh... still feel like double biking now... though got mildly sunburnt, I don't mind... it's the closest I can ever get to enjoying cycling! ;P

Debate over ad

Today, an article in The Straits Times highlights a controversial debate over the recently-aired advertisement titled "Funeral". Some people are totally turned off by this ad, saying that it sends the wrong message to singles out there, asking them to settle for 'second-best' and imperfection when looking for a life partner instead of encouraging them to go through careful selection before settling down. Others beg to differ, seeing it as simply a moving short film that reminds us that even our partners can have flaws; it's just a matter of whether and how we learn to accept them for what they are.

I agree with the latter view. I'm one of those who'd cry when I watch this ad. The eulogy delivered by the Indian lady never fails to move me, and what's important is that it reminds me of how I should cherish even the imperfections that my partner may possess, because it's these flaws, together with his positive traits, that make up my partner, and without these imperfections, there'd be no him for me to love, and be loved by.

After all, how do we define what's 'best'? How do we know when we'd meet the 'best' person for us? And if we can't even answer these questions with certainty, how then do we know that someone we meet is not the 'best'?

I have friends and colleagues who are single, and have a list of criteria that their 'Mr' or 'Mrs Right' must fulfill. Even when they feel comfortable with someone they meet, they'd shrug it off, saying that that person's not totally their cup of tea, and thus refuse to take any step to develop the relationship further. As time goes by, some of them start to feel that it is increasingly difficult to meet the 'best' person, and even lament about not having pursued relationships with people who were once a part of their lives. Now that these people have moved on with someone else, only regret is left.

Of course, no one wants to be with someone he doesn't fancy at all, but if we feel the right vibes from someone and know him enough to like him for what he's like, why should we keep chasing blindly after an invisible someone who might or might not even exist, and let this present one slip us by?

I guess I'm just thankful that I've found my life partner and have settled down happily with him. There might be times when we have issues with each other, but what counts is how we get over these unhappy times and continue to love each other. (A bit mushy here... *blush*) I was never the type to initiate anything with a guy, and would always go by my 'feelings'. Though I wasn't totally sure about how the relationship would progress when Hubby first told me he liked me, I'm glad I didn't say no to him and was willing to commit to a relationship and work on it with him. After all, I was already comfortable with him as a friend, so why not as a partner for life? :)

Sigh, I do have to count my blessings. :)

Birthday Treat

Yesterday, we took Mummy and Papa out for dinner at Kublai Khan Mongolian BBQ & International Buffet @ Park Mall to celebrate their upcoming birthday this week (yeah, very easy to have 2-in-1 celebration cos their birthday falls on consecutive days). ^_^ And I enjoyed the fun Beebee and I shared on our way to town as we battled with each other in my new DS game. Haha.

Papa was the one who suggested this place, so I'd made a reservation the day before. But it turned out that no reservation was necessary, cos less than half the restaurant was filled with diners. That's surprising to me, since I learnt that it used to be really packed on weekends when it was located at Ngee Ann City previously. I guess the human traffic at Park Mall just can't be compared to that at Ngee Ann City, even if the food's okay.

And we had quite a feast, even though the variety's not as good as other Sakura, which was the last place we had a family buffet meal at. And as with all the buffet meals we've enjoyed before, we were all full after about an hour and a half of eating, so the last half an hour before we asked for the bill was spent eating the rest of what we ordered slowly. Sigh, we really must master the art of eating at buffets and learn to take it easy at the beginning instead of enthusiastically devouring whatever appeals to us. Haha. And as Mummy said, the one who got the most out of the buffet meal was, once again, Hubby. That's cos only he eats the expensive raw stuff like salmon and oysters. Heh.

Haiz. This week must make up for all the food consumed last night again! (Seems like these days I'm always making up for feasts I enjoyed, only to indulge in another one... :p)

Watch Galore!

See what last weekend brought us...

Yeah... watch-crazed Hubby came across some watches that he couldn't resist... and on the same day, he infected me with his madness for watches too! Of the watches above, THREE are now sitting comfortably on his watch shelf (only the all black one in the top right hand corner's mine).

Here's what happened on Saturday:

• late afternoon ~ went around Orchard after having lunch at PIL's place
• stopped at Tangs watch department, which was where the craze started
• hung around the Nixon watch counter for a LONG time while Hubby looked at 3 watches of a particular series that appealed most to him
• picked 2 of them in the end (see bottom 2 pics) and happily left the store
• had dinner at Lucky Plaza
• dropped by a watch store and then it's my turn to be captured by this all-black digital DKNY watch that Hubby first noticed
• old lady there wasn't willing to go down to the price that Hubby wanted to bargain for, so we left and took a bus down to another store that Hubby was familiar with, hoping to get that bargain
• were told that the watch was actually an old model, and no longer selling at the store
• looked around and Hubby spotted his third watch of the day -- a classic-looking piece by Hamilton, which happens to vaguely resemble a Mont Blanc, a brand which Hubby admires
• we then left the store after purchasing that watch; Hubby --> :), me --> ;(
• walked to Bencoolen and Bugis to check out other watch stores, but none carried that DKNY watch I wanted
• END OF DAY

For the rest of the evening, Hubby, despite feeling pleased with his purchases, was guilty and felt very bad for me, so the next day, he specially made a trip back to Lucky Plaza to get the watch for me. He couldn't get it at the price that he'd hoped the previous day, but he was willing to pay a little more so that I could get it (it's actually pretty hard for me to really like a digital watch that much to want it so bad).

And get it I did! Thank you, Hubby! Wore it to work today... even though it's a digital watch, the metal bracelet and shiny face makes it suitable professional work wear too. And cos it's a solid black all over, I felt like a tough, macho girl... haha. Kids, don't play play ah! :P

Obtw, Hubby also kept repeating that he wouldn't buy any more watches for the rest of the year... heh, we shall see! :D

Yummy Mexican Fare

Yums! Had a simple but satisfying Mexican lunch prepared by a couple of colleagues as a finale to the school's celebration of International Friendship Day today.

We had fun making our own chicken burrito from the various ingredients prepared. There were even tortilla chips to go with it. I especially liked the guacamole (avocado dip) that went really well with either the chips or chicken. I'm even thinking of making my own from scratch one day! It's simple -- just mash the avocado, squeeze in some lime or lemon juice, add some onions or cheese, and sprinkle some salt to taste. After that, mix everything thoroughly and leave it to chill in the fridge. Might try it as a healthier alternative to mayonnaise as sandwich dressing. Heehee.

After the meal, I volunteered to help with the washing up in the Homec kitchen with 2 other younger temporary colleagues -- one's an intern who's attached to me for one of my classes, the other's someone on school experience. Had fun talking to them as we washed and dried the dishes and stuff. It's a nice relaxing end to what was a somewhat packed and hectic day of lessons and celebrations. :)

And yes, the weekend's here too! But I've tons of work to clear as well, and this weekend will be really busy since tomorrow we're visiting my PIL and Sunday we're taking Mummy and Papa out for their combined birthday treat. Shall get a headstart and continue clearing work tonight...

Strap craze! Ahhhh....!!!

Remember recently I have this thing about not buying leather bags? I still have no desire to buy such bags cos I don't wanna see myself contributing to the killing of animals to glamorise ourselves. But of all people, Hubby chose to do the exact opposite. Look at what he happily came home with just now...

Earlier in the day, he already SMSed me, saying that he'd become a 'cow-killer'... I knew he had gone off to his regular watch place to stock up on some watch supplies, but harlow! I never thought he'd purchase this many straps at one go (and he so very proudly showed them off to me)! *faint*

Sigh... I'm happy for him cos he really seems so delighted at what he managed to purchase -- right at this moment, he's gingerly packing them into small clear bags to safekeep -- but at the same time, I'm kinda guilty about all the leather that's entered our home. Aiyoh. Such a dilemma. Oh well. Nothing I can do about it... I can't possibly say NO to Hubby enjoying his passion, can I? :S

Random thoughts...

Had a sudden craving for sushi today, so after leaving the office and feeling satisfied at having been pretty productive at work today, I walked all the way to the nearest neighbourhood shopping centre to get my sushi from Cold Storage.

Actually what I had in mind was to get something special for Hubby as his supper treat cos today's the 16th, a special number to us of course. ^_^ Wanted to get some nice slice of cake or cute pudding etc, but thought better of it since Hubby is still occasionally coughing, so my thoughts were diverted to sushi, my all-time idea of a yummy but healthy delight. That's when my own craving started...heh. So besides getting Hubby some raw sushi, I got myself a few cooked ones for dinner. :)

Although the walk to Cold Storage was only a distance of a few bus stops away, nothing too strenuous, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Usually I'd just take a direct bus straight to the shopping centre, but decided to walk today cos I wanted some exercise and thought it'd be really relaxing, considering I was feeling good about being productive earlier on. And yup, the walk was certainly rejuvenating. Just walking along the pavement, crossing roads, walking by people waiting at the bus stops, letting vehicles zoom past me... it felt like a simple luxury in life.

I guess sometimes when I'm too caught up with work and everything else, I fail to take time off to appreciate the little joys in life. But recently, I once again find myself paying more attention to nature's gifts -- the trees, the sky etc. -- when I'm on the move, and it kinda soothes me at least for a short while before I have to return to the stressful routine of work. Especially the sky... when I stare at the clouds in the vast sky, it seems as if every problem is so minuscule that they shouldn't matter at all...

Okay, I'm rambling. But it's good to ramble and just release random thoughts, whether it ultimately makes sense or not. And that, is another little pleasure in life. :)

Mrs Fat

This is what happens when you put a woman who's working on a Sunday but craving for entertainment together with a man who's got the whole day for leisure and behaves like a cheeky little boy at times...

Tada! Mrs Fat is born.

12-hour leisure

As they say, "Mai3 Dong1 Xi1, Chi1 Dong1 Xi1, Mai3 Dong1 Xi1, Chi1 Dong1 Xi1..." Yeah, Hubby and I, together with Beebee, did just that last Saturday-- we met in town at 9am plus, and ended our day of leisure about 12 hours later... but we had quite a bit of fun, so the time just seemed to fly by!

Actually, I had an appointment with Dr Yap, which was why I had to be in town so early in the morning. Am happy to be given a clean bill of health based on the previous blood test results that I took six months ago. :) Oh, but after all the restaurant food we had that day (and the Cornetto ice-cream that Hubby rewarded me with for battling the flu bug recently), I'm feeling kinda guilty and have resolved to go back to a lighter diet for the next few days so as to compensate for all the guilty pleasures over the weekend. Heh.

Here's all the food we had out that day for all 3 meals. They're all not bad but I didn't get that yummy satisfaction that I hoped to get after eating at a restaurant. Breakfast at Delifrance was expensive lor -- I had the second set with the chicken patty (think MacDonald's Big Breakfast tastes better) while Hubby and Beebee each took half of the first set. Portion's not big although these 2 sets cost like $20! That could have gotten us three breakfast value meals at Mac's. So I think this'll be the last time we eat breakfast at Delifrance.

Then after a bit of shopping, we stopped for lunch at The Pasta Shop by Sakae (Wheelock Place). Same thing happened -- price of each pasta item we ordered was about $15-$16, yet the portion's no big deal actually. We each finished eating our meal within minutes of its arrival after waiting quite a while for the food! Only Hubby was happy with his cold pasta that consisted of raw salmon slices and salmon roe. :p But at least we were served by this really gentlemanly manager who spoke impeccable English and treated us like VIPs as he led us to a table and offered to place our bags on a vacant seat for us.

And finally, dinner was at this small Japanese eatery at the basement of Bugis Junction. The spicy miso ramen I ordered failed to impress me -- noodles were quite stiff, and for almost the same price as a bowl of ramen there, I could have ordered a value set with a side dish and drink at Ajisen Ramen, where the noodles taste better! But I was the only one with complaints about this meal though. :p

Oh well, at least now we know which are the better places to visit. Hee.

Oh yeah, and there's the story of the G-shock that Beebee was eyeing...

Beebee first saw this at a watch store at Bras Basah (think she's got good taste!),but wasn't willing to pay the amount it was retailing for. So Hubby, being the valiant BIL who's so passionate about watches, brought her to Bencoolen Street to see if she could get any good deals from there. Unfortunately, this watch is pretty limited in stock, and they'd all been sold out from the stores there before we arrived. Thank goodness the watch was on sale at a 20% discount at a store at Bugis Junction, so Beebee was able to get the watch there. But hehe... Hubby had to persuade her to get the watch by offering to pay $20 since Beebee was so adamant about not forking out any amount greater than what she could have gotten the watch for at Bencoolen. So funny... Beebee's really that firm when it comes to $$$ and Hubby's really that passionate about watches, so much so that he'd gladly pay for Beebee to own a watch she liked! Haha...ok la, spirit's worth admiring... ;)

It's also good that we managed to buy birthday gifts for both Papa and Mummy -- Beebee and I decided on a Goldlion reversible belt with 2 changeable buckles for Papa and a pashmina and silk shawl from India for Mummy. But we also need to think of where to take both of them out for their birthday meal soon...

Sigh. After that full day of leisure, it's certainly hard going through the motion at work today...such a long week ahead...

Ping Pong Itch!

That's right -- I'm dying to play table tennis! It's been like a month since I last played the game, mainly because Hubby fell sick and then it was my turn and so on, plus I'd been occupied with other things even on weekends, so I really really miss the game now.

One other thing that contributed to this rising itch to play is the 9pm drama "Table of Glory" on Channel 8 that I catch every single weekday night, even if it means having to work before the TV. Initially, the trailer shots that preceded the show didn't manage to impress me much, but I like Joshua Ang (oh yes! I feel like an old aunty worshipping a teenage idol... haha) -- and have admired his looks and acting since I watched him play the role of a seemingly rebellious but actually kind-hearted teen in "I Not Stupid" -- so I thought I'd at least try watching the show just to catch him on TV. But later on, the plot thickened and the acting from most of the characters was quite convincing, so I became caught up with the story and now have to turn on the TV by 9pm for 5 nights a week. Hee.

The poise of the table tennis players in the show and their looks of determination also inspired me to play the game in an even more competitive way. I even challenged Hubby to a game! Haha... it's not cos I think I'd definitely beat him; he's still got more control and can deliver smashes way better than I can, but I'm just in a competitive mood after watching the show. Heh.

Anyway, tomorrow's Good Friday (happy happy PH!!! :D) and Hubby's at home in the morning, so guess what we'd be doing then? *Pick Piak Pick Piak Pick Piak*... YES!!! ^_^

Weirdos...

Have there been times when you thought or said, "What's up with that guy?" I guess in life, we all encounter all sorts of people, but today, I came across TWO pretty extreme characters.

THE MAD 'PRO-AMERICA' GUY

Ok, this one really really freaked me out. There's this man whom I sometimes see at the bus stop near my place -- the one where I take a bus to work in the morning at 6 plus. He's rather tanned, and looks like a Malay, but he totally doesn't dress or behave like a normal one. He's ALWAYS wearing the same baggy T-shirt that screams "I love America!" cos it's got the American flag design all around it, a pair of army pants as well as boots. His hair's all long, curly and unkempt. Just looking at him dressed this way all the time is enough to disturb anyone who sees him, but he acts in an insane manner too. Before today, when I noticed him, he'd just be quietly sitting or standing somewhere at the bus stop, staring hard at people who walked past him, but today, he was carrying a portable radio on his shoulder that was blasting some English song, AND singing loudly along with the song. Imagine the noise he created at 6 plus in the morning when the neighbourhood was still considerably dark and quiet. And when his bus came, (thank goodness it's not my bus!) he boarded the bus with his radio still blaring and him still singing away while the driver and all the passengers on board stared at him. I think he looked like such a nutcase that even the driver didn't dare to say anything to him, perhaps afraid of provoking him or something.

THE STARER

Well this one I met on my way back home (pretty eventful journeys to and from work today huh?). There I was, just sitting on one of the long rows of seats at the side of a double decker bus, minding my own business, when I suddenly felt a pair of eyes fixed on me. I looked up to my right and noticed that, just a seat away, there was this bespectacled middle-aged woman staring intently at me with her eyes real wide open. Usually when you catch someone staring at you, all you have to do is to just stare back and that person'd just turn away. That's what I did, but that's not what happened! I kinda looked at the person directly and she just kept staring straight to my face for so long till I was the one who felt compelled to turn away. Omg. And she just kept staring till it was time for her to alight. That lasted a good few minutes, possibly close to ten!

What the...???