Crabs. The Aftermath.

Action around the table at crab night…

- the inner “beng” and the blossoming of the inner “lian”
- the firefighter groupie and the firefighter-to-be?
- the parents who are grateful to get away from their kid for one night
- the Wii fanatics (must get raving rabbits game!)
- the daughter with boyfriends who always eat too much rice

~SeamonkeY~

C is for Crabs

Crab night tonight and I am so looking forward to it. Not just for the crabs at Melben Seafood but probably more for the action that I will see around the table *hint hint*

Crazy kids. It's the holiday air.

~Seamonkey~

Breakfast Orgasm

Just finished season 2 of Dexter which is absolutely my current favourite indulgence.

Aside from the very addictive plot and the talent of Michael C Hall who plays the serial killer, Dexter, watching the opening credits of the show is truly a joy itself. Beautifully shot with closed-up angles of breakfast and the daily mundaneness of getting ready for work, it just makes me wonder why my mornings can’t be like that.

For the uninitiated, watch the credits now as it is. And then I would suggest to watch an episode of Dexter and see what the credits are really about. Get it here www.sidereel.com/dexter

~SeamonkeY~

Congratulations to Mel & Jon!

~SeamonkeY~

Not Another Food Blog...

Nope this isn't another flog for over-opinionated reviewers. But the Moo-moo II burger found at Vittle's along Sembawang Village is worth checking out.

At only $12.90, not only do staff DO NOT discriminate against special requests (see the pristine layering of Seamonkey's moo-moo and the gooey mess of Kenneth Cole's), diners get free flow of popcorn and no service charge or GST is applicable.

It's a great reason to get your fingers dirty.

~SeamonkeY~

The Big Cheese

Go ahead and laugh.

http://www.mywedding.com/garyandsy/

~SeamonkeY~

Fighting Inflation

An article on Sunday Times came out on how one family is fighting inflation. Here’s my ways how to (derived over the weekend while out):

#1
Keep that Sentosa 1-day pass to see if it works for another day.
Sentosa just raised its per entrance price – just in time for Zoukout maybe? That’s just $60,000 from a one-day’s event if they do get another 20,000 on Siloso Beach this weekend. So smart. I guess they are also fighting inflation.

The how-to?
Entrance pass are valid for at least 5 months. The catch that its only for a one-day entry. Sentosa always station friendly staff at the express train gantries and the cards dun always work. So just look confused and the staff will whip out their staff cards for you to gain entry.

#2
Stop eating from the Chong Pang nasi lemak stall at Food Republic located at Vivocity.
It cost me $8.30 (!!!!) for a plate of coconut-rice, sotong, a drumstick and a side veggie.

The how-to?
Maybe I should stop being such a pig and order less. Or I can just eat from the Chong Pang original stall at Yishun. Kenneth Cole reckons it will cost only 3 bucks at Yishun. It only says one thing.. I bet the rent is super-high at Food Republic. All those nostalgic looking decor cost more because you obviously can’t find them easily now.

#3
Be one with vouchers.

The how-to?
Buy and enjoy everything on promotional/redeemed vouchers. That 5% may look little now but every penny counts. We caught The Kingdom on Citibank’s vouchers. I’ll probably take up that complimentary spa package deal this weekend too – figured the after-spa sales talk will be a breeze since one is still floaty with good feelings from the massage. The glazed look should be able to fend off aggressive sales persons trying to make year-end quotas.

#4
Super subs.

The how-to?
Always look for substitutes. On a campaign for trying out new things for KC’s birthday coming up soon, we have decided to go for some nasty fish reflexology. Underwater costs $35 for a 20-minute session (and dun forget that damn $3 Sentosa entrance fee!) and another spa that offers the same service costs $38 too.

A 30-minute session at Qianhu Fish Farm costs $10 and you get to keep the slippers and towel. Sure, its communal but there is 3,000 fishes to go around in the pool.

Its going to be a tough 2 years ahead for all Singaporeans, better buckle up for the ride now.

~SeamonkeY~

Happy Bird-Day To Me!

I'm a happy baby... here's why:

1. 28 Nov: Just before I go on leave, i've had my colleagues throw me a surprise bday party. Was totally touched to see people who actually like me (from work) and considering i'm only 5 mths new in the co.

2. 30 Nov: Had dinner with the girls. There's nothing better for a bday than having close friends spending time with you and sharing with you the special occasion.

3. 2 Dec: Had a terrific bday dinner at Town Restaurant with my family. Was exceptionally touched to have my 4 yr old nephew spend close to 45 mins creating a birthday card for me. Awwwwwwww... AND... what a treat? Guess who decided to pop into the restaurant this eve? JET LI!!! He and his fam were seated just 2 seats from my family's table! Totally star-struck!

4. 3 Dec: Spending the day with the man. Don't know what's in-store but He's already left me something at my door step with a note that says "I want you to smell like me tomorrow." Hahahahha... I mean we've seen couple tees, couple in same color... Presenting a couple who smells alike! BEAT THAT! :P

~ Happy Lara ~

Seamonkey 1 : XBOX 1

The little white box is back from Game Semetary and with a vengence too. Newer, flashier and with more games.

I'll be waiting...

~SeamonkeY~

Is there another side to their story?

What has the Internet done for you recently? Downloaded some free music, caught glimpses of the latest celebrity sex tape or flamed your ex-husband who left you when you are seven months pregnant?

That's exactly what this to-be-mummy did here http://mylittlenewhope.blogspot.com. This link was forwarded to me from a friend and I did my part by sending it to a couple of friends to get their POV on the entire situation.

Personally, I do feel much for the girl but on the flipside, Chilliseedz and Ribena were however more objective about the situation given that the "flamee" i.e. the husband has not spoken out yet. We wonder if he will start a blog to air his side of the story.

When things like this are available in such an accessible medium, it will get ugly, no matter how innocent it started out to be.

Is happily ever after still possible?

~SeamonkeY~

The Anniversary

Kenneth Cole and I came up with an ingenious plan celebrate the A. on a budget of $53.20 or some ridiculous figure in view of the big savings plan. You have been warned. Do not embark on this if you are trying to impress some new chick. She will probably think that you are being cheap.

It obviously cannot work because its December. Malls, credit cards and restaurants are all conspiring to take that last dollar from you with the seemingly "in-the-background" Christmas carols, the "exclusive" card privileges and the "eat-now-diet-later" buffets.

So I screwed the budget and signed us up for a CPR Heartsavers course instead. Sure its more than $53.20 but at least there will be some guaranteed heart pumping and mouth-to-mouth action.

~SeamonkeY~

Smashing Dirty 30!

GALS LETS PARTY TOMORROW?

REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN WE DRINK @ZOUK & GET REALLY DRUNK? WE SCREAM WHEN ITS RAINING MAN (OR AT LEAST I AM THE ONLY ONE SCREAMING). WHEN THE DRUMS ROLL AND THE BASS COMES, LARA LETS HER HAIR DOWN, SWINGS HER HIPS WHILE SEAMONKEY GRADUALLY MOVES TO THE BEAT AND RIBENA GETS COMPLETELY LOST WITH DONT KNOW WHO (HAHHAHAHAHA). DAYS WHEN OUR EYES ROAMED AND HIT ON THE SWINGING BACHELORS. DAYS WHEN WE DONT HIT OUR SACKS TILL 4AM AFTER THE DISCO CLOSES AT 3PM. DAYS WHEN YOU KNOW ALL MY DARK SECRETS COS I AM GONE WITH ONE FLAMING PIECE OF SHIT.

I MISS THOSE DAYS

RE-LIVED IT TOMORROW? MINUS THE FLAMING PIECE OF SHIT. MINUS THE PUKING.

~6TH SENSE

Dirty 30

As Seamonkey puts it, rene's Dirty 30!

Dirty Thirty, Thirty Dirty, Dirty makes Thirty Dirty and Thirty makes Dirty Thirty. I sell seashells on the seashores.

How did these two words get coined together? Shed some light...pls will ya?!

Anyway, I recalled back the list of todos I wrote on this blog few months back. Here's check done/undone time~~

1) From 57kg, I wanna go right down to 52kg. So that's 5 kg to shed (NOT DONE)
2) Improve my golf skills to hit at least 150m (range I mean) (NOT DONE)
3) Pick up a dance or a language which I really like and continue practising for long term. (NOT DONE)
4) Go for an eyebrow re-embroidery. (DONE)
5) Do my eye lasik(DONE)
6) Do a gals night out at Bangkok and have really good fun. (NOT DONE)
7) Do something really impromptu - totally unplanned, totally unknown, totally "just do it" spirit. (NOT DONE)

2 out of 7 - this is no good!

~6th Sense (...what else before 30 becomes dirty?)

Korean Dramas, iLike...

Am feeling warm and fuzzy after watching the Korean movie "My Girl and I" off Ch 62 (so much for a Sun eve, huh). And, Thank God for Korean Dramas... No i'm not an avid Korean Drama Fan but i must say that they do help when you're not entirely in the brightest of spirits and perhaps when you temporarily stop believing in meeting that special someone... am feeling so much better already... :)

~ Lara ~

Seamonkey 1 : XBOX 0

Kenneth Cole's XBOX 360 suffered the fate of the dreaded three Rings of Death (or ROD as most XBOXers affectionately refer to it). Which means I have his utter and complete attention during his siesta....well, till it gets fixed anyway. For the record, it wasn't me. It just died on him.

My life has changed experientially without the little white box. Really.

6th Sense, a penny for your thoughts? *evil laugh*

~SeamonkeY~

EQ

A sales job is likened to the job of a Geisha.

You have to entertain all different type of clients, ranging from clients who work in the mafia industry right down to the decent salesman who opens a provision shop or a multinational organisation.

Geisha calls for a skill of wide general knowledge, to be able to speak from proper business terms to mafia language, ability to pally with the rough, the irritating ones and the decent good looking ones.

Geisha smiles all the time, whether the client is nice or horrid, handsome or ugly, stupid or smart, irritating or watever. Its a case of smile, and all things will go well.

Even if the customer shouts, she smiles.

Even if the customer screams at her stupidity, she smiles.

Such is the life of a salesman.

A salesman like me, smiles infront, curses at the back, smiles infront and black face at the back. Laugh when the jokes are mediocre, praise the fella even when his hair's in a mess, act cool when you are hard up for that order, get close even though you wanna stay 1km away, pretends its the best deal when you know its not the best, apologises when you make mistakes and apologises when your colleagues make mistakes, treat them to what they like to eat not what you like to eat, then I just pray that dont like Indian food.

That is external PR

Internally, smile to your sales colleagues cos you know they have tips that will help you, have breakfast with them and take their sexist joke cos you know they have tips that will help you, pretend to be grateful when your boss helps you to get that Order when you know he is trying to outshine you, smile to your logistic colleagues cos you know you rely on them to send out your goods, smile to the accounts department cos you dont want them breathing down your neck on your customers' outstanding bill, smile to the warehouse people cos they can jump queue when you need them to.

Then, may I ask, who SMILES to me then?

Sorry but I am in a foul mood, super foul mood.

~6th Sense (will I stand the test of my EQ?)

i am writhing in pain.......

Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?Why must woman have menustration?

Writhing in tummy cram.

~6th Sense

1408

Caught this show on DVD last night. Must add this to my favourite movie list.

The story goes, John Cusack a not so famous ghost writer writes about 10 haunted hotels. A much inspired writer with not so many enthusiastic fans, he continues his ghost trail despite his lack of popularity with the titles. Its a case of passion over reality.

His passion brought him to the Dolphine Hotel room 1408 in the busy streets of New York. 50 over deaths within a short time frame, and none last more than an hour in THAT room. Cusack's instinct was a clear mocking of the hotel manager played by Samuel L Jackson.

In the initial few minutes, he was still cool as a cucumber, still in his state of disbelieve, until the clock radio turn on suddenly with the timer reading from 60mins...counting down.

No one lasted for more than an hour.

He gets transported to different worlds, a world of pain where he sees his daughter Katie and his aging dad, to a world of witnessing the past few residents who stayed in 1408, how they committed suicide due to despair. Poor Cusack asked for help, they send people to his room. But Cusack wasnt there, he was clearly in the spiritual realm that he never believed in.

Fast track...did he last an hour?

He died, story doesnt show if he lasted an hour but I believe he didnt. I might have missed this part cos I was on the phone for quite a while...someone tell me if you have seen the show.

At the end of it all, did he believe the spiritual world now? I am sure he did, but it was too late.

~6th sense

Blessed to have friends...

I use to think that friends aren't that important. I learnt my independence from friends at a tender age of 8 where I was terribly osctricised due to a variety of reasons. Perhaps I was an ugly duckling and over-weight. I never quite fit in to any group. And also perhaps, I was too matured for my own good. I didn't understand the whole meaning behind "Eh, let's not friend so-and-so! If you want to friend her, you're not our friend." I'm like Huh? So childish one ah... So yeah, wasn't quite able to be on the same page with most people my age. I remembered that i use to come home crying to mum thinking that there's something sorely wrong with me, of why nobody loves me... I remembered mum just hugged me and told me what's most impt is that God loves me and my family loves me. The rest, nevermind... Oh well time passed i toughened up... to what i am today.

I would say that i'm pretty strong in my own right. I use to even think that even if i'm the only one in this world and i don't have any friends, i'll still be able to survive. And to certain extent, some guys lament that i'm too much like a guy, my strength and independence is overbearing for them to handle. So ok, i learn and change to someone a lil softer. To start to let guys lead in terms of a relationship, to stop wearing the pants etc. I guess i've caved in too much that with the recent break-up, i experienced quite a fair bit of the 'pain'.

Back to my initial point, "Friends". This post celebrates the beauty of "Friendship". That i'm glad that i've got friends supporting me and are constantly behind my back to make sure that i'm ok. Although the person that i really wish shd be in the picture but is not, i'll leave that out for the time being... i really shouldn't be too dependent on that person.

Bottomline, Friends are important no matter what and they are my true gems. I feel totally blessed that they are my Friends for life!

Ps. Feeling much better already. Starting to be a lil more cheery... Thks to you guys!

~ Lara ~

Lesson #63 in Social Networking Skills

Answer a question with a question. This is an excellent way of not revealing anything private about oneself and yet remaining an accomplished conversationalist.

"So, when are you getting married?"
(usually asked by the happily just-engaged, the just-marrieds and back from honeymoons, and the ones in their first year of blissful marriage)
You: Smile. "So, when are you having kids?"

"So, when are you having kids?"
(usually asked by the happily just-knocked ups, the proud fathers-to-bes, and the ones who had their bawling baby less than a year ago)
You: Smile. "So, are you still having sex?"

~SeamonkeY~

Love + Technology don't mix...

We all relish at the advent of technologies and the embrace of it to enhance our lives in work, or play. With technology, communication becomes much simpler. Just to mention a few, IM (MSN, Yahoo, Skype etc), IP telephony, emails, phone, texting, or even with social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Friendster etc.

As we ride on the superhighway of technology and the sophisticated communication methods, yes, they make us all the more efficient. So what happens if we're speaking in the context of LOVE. I suppose they do help in communication when it comes to keeping the 'flame alive' when the couple is in a long distance relationship. But i find it sorely cold when we're talking about the modern day context of courtship and love (within the same geographical location).

We've embraced technology so much that we displace the traditional means of listening to his/her voice, going on dates/spending time with each other and perhaps even writing love letters/cards seem stoneage. The result: Absolute coldness which is totally impersonal.

My observations:
+ Men would rather IM than pick up the phone to talk to the girl that they are pursuing or currently seeing.
+ Men would rather text than talk on the phone.
+ Use IM to confront emotional issues rather than talk Face to face.
+ And recently, communicate a break up via text. ("Wuss!" - As Sea Monkey aptly labels him.)

Are the modern men of today really that non-confrontational? Why do they have to hide behind technology to speak their mind and not face issues like a MAN?

I guess what i'm saying here is, technology is good... and using technology to some extent in a relationship is still acceptable. But understanding the essence of the word "Balance" is key. That said in any given healthy relationship, there should be good dose of communication between the couple either via phone, and time spent together.

Then again... i'm just ranting, and perhaps the guys i've been out with are pure jerks. So then where have all the good men gone?

~ Lara ~

Still on criagslist...

After another hour of reading "Best of" on craigslist, I realised I'm as crazy as them for reading as they are writing to (their):

1. Cats (girlfriends'/neighbours'/strangers')
2. Roaches in the house
3. Fridge in the office
4. Some guy on the subway
5. Some girl on the subway
6. Interns
7. Pidgeons who eat up crap on the sidewalk
8. Boobs
9. Annoymous neighbours who leaves annoymous post-it notes on doors
10. Stalkers
11. Mudders-in-law
12. Potential folks who may marry their ex-wives
13. More cats (cat writers are just funnier than dog writers)
14. New York/LA/Philly
15. The President (theirs, not ours)
16. Ipods
17. Some chick who worships the devil http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/lou/106752674.html (this has to be one of the best, the bestest excuses I've heard for dumping a guy)
18. Vietnamese waxer
19. People who would like to adopt a one-fin, special needs stuffed penguin
20. Angelina Jolie

You're my inspiration.

~SeamonkeY~

craigslist

I. Am. Addicted. To. It.

As a non-participant of craigslist (I neither post nor answer to any services or listings - its is 40,000 miles not within my range), I still get a kick everytime I check out its "Best of" http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/all/ list. These folks are talented (and twisted) without knowing it. Its my current favourite skiving site at work now.

Take that, Facebook.

Check out this posting on craigslist:
i love cat puke
Date: 2007-04-14, 9:48PM CDT

After an 11-hour shift at work today, i just want to go home and relax. My cats wait for me by the door and yell for food. I crack open a can of 9Lives and split it 50/50 in bowls for them.

Cat #1 is a hog and finishes his half first.
*one minute passes*
Like a nuclear reactor meltdown, cat #1 pukes all of his half back into his bowl, licks his chops and saunters away. Mission accomplished, everything is fine.

*one more minute passes*
Cat #2 finishes his half, repositions himself in front of Cat #1's bowl, and eats all of Cat #1's regurgitation as well. Chops are licked.

*one more minute passes*
Cat #2 volcanoes half of his stomach back into the same bowl. Cat #1, probably wondering now why he is still hungry, goes and eats Cat #2's fresh spew (which contained Cat #1's original blowout). It is somewhat surreal, as there is no left over cat puke, and the cats act as if nothing happened. In one way or another, dinner has been served.


Brilliant.

~SeamonkeY~

Thy value worth measured in ?

In modern language, worth is measured by commercial organisation like Forbes by a person's asset - fixed and liquid.

Kwek Leng Beng the property tycoon, valued at USD 3.6billion worth of assets. His value is governed by the hectares he owned and the huge sum of directors' fees.

Hong Kong Li Ka Shing the all powerful figure of the SAR is valued at USD 18billion a year, a far cry from Kwek's 3.6billion.

We move even further and we see Bill Gates, the drop out genious is whooping a handsome worth of more than 100 billion!! The website didnt even point a figure, just too huge I think.

Then Forbes did the 100 celebrity - ranking the most powerful and best paid celebrities. Fame kicks in and occupy a factor for measurement.

Its fame, glory, and money that drives the measure of a man's worth on earth.

Then I start to think what about the worth of the day to day man who takes the subways, eat a plate of $ 2.50 (if you still can find this price) Char Kway Teow, pays 70cents to read Straits Times, earning a sum enough to pay off the HDB loan, Insurance plans, one trip a year to Phuket or Bali (max), shop at Series not Zara, flags that occassional taxis when it rains, scrimp and save when Marriage is on the cards, in great euphoria when they receive a 3 months bonus which quickly disipates into the plans and loans.

Thy value worth measured in ?

Cross over to the way God' measure of a human's worth. Our time on earth is temporary and our real worth is governed by how much we desire God, where we will be when we leave this earth. Our real worth is achieved when we sit beside God in our after-life. Our worth is a summation of the way we hold ourselves, our behaviours, our heart, our thinking. Our worth is measured by our works and our desire to serve and obey God.

A stark contrast from Forbes measurement.

I wonder if Forbes adopt the testament's way of measurement, who's in? or is everybody's out?

Its unbelievable but I have the "6th Sense version" of measuring thy worth.

Worth is a summation of how a man treats his friends/family, his love & sacrifice for his family, his upright-ness in thoughts, his ability to garner respect from people around him, his ability to share his love and success, his ability to spread cheers and laughter and add to his own life and the life of others, his ability to create an impression through his virtues.

That, is a MAN's worth.

In essence, at deathbed, we ask not how much assets have been declared on the will, but how many people have you loved truly madly deeply in this life time.

6th Sense (* in a very inspired mode to write this today)

Active Aging

Something interesting I read on today's copy of Mind Your Body.

One of the features today was "Sex can still be good in the golden years". It essentially presented some older folks who are still getting it on and having plenty of fun with it and how everyone can get on the game plan.

One of the interviewees was a Mdm C (with her full name and occupation declared in the article) who had designated Mondays as their day, said "We wake up late, go for a slow-paced breakfast, have lunch, and then we have out tender moments in the afternoon when we take our naps." For the less initiated, please read in between the lines hor.

Kudos to her for sharing this and shame on the rest of us who are usually hush-hush on our own sex lives, let alone declaring it on the national papers. Incidentally, Mdm C also has 2 grown-up children, aged 25 and 27. As I read the article, I wonder if her kids are thinking to themselves that Mondays are now really bad days for genging MC.

~SeamonkeY~

kboy and jgal

Kenneth Cole and I attended kboy and jgal’s wedding and it was exactly what I needed. Who knows weddings can be a pick-me-up…especially one that takes place over two days?

We have been trying to plan ours but its been most often a one-step forward, two-steps back scenario. More often than not, I feel like just taking off with KC and forget about all this preparation rubbish.

Of course it helped that one of the wedding events was a champagne brunch which meant that we could kick back and get completely smashed. But seeing that big smile on kboy’s face, he looked really, really, genuinely happy to be married to jgal – that was the pick-me-up I needed.

To their happiness.

~SeamonkeY~

Public Housing, the Urban Myth

1. Its high time to raise the 8K household income ceiling for buyers of new HDB flats. Unrealistic at this age and time, me and Kenneth Cole tried ways to get around it but its impossible unless you would like to spend your honeymoon in the slammers like Mr. AMK Curry Puff (on that note, who were you trying to kid?? 5,000 puffs a day and only declaring $18,000 in annual income a year. Come on, IRAS can do the math).. and this leads to rant #2

2. As an alternative, we have the Executive Condos which any household with a less than 10K income is eligible for. Sounds good on paper. Private housing facilities at public housing prices (or rather at a 30% discount off regular prices) and comes with a grant too. Trouble is, with the property boom, an EC just costs a bit less than a private condo with 999-year or freehold lease in the same suburb areas. So that's out too...

3. ...so the only option for us is resale flats. I am so going to get smack for ranting about resale flats after just one day of house hunting. What can I say but we are a herd syndrome lot (just like the Oscars voters). "En bloc millionaires, booming private property prices, hey let's raise our valuation till sky high! Someone will buy our flat since so many can't go for new flats due to points #1." And I'm not even talking about the supposedly 'hot' areas like TPY or AMK. These are northerners trying to pull a fast one with a 30K - 50K valuation tags. I too, can do the math. For that kind of price, at least come with tasteful fittings. I dun pay for bad taste.

http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10296p.nsf/PressReleases/013D33A80BFF99244825731A0026A9E2?OpenDocument Obviously no one reads press releases anymore.

~SeamonkeY~

Got Match.

It's been 3 mths and i'm finally confirmed at my new job! It's been very challenging i must say but hey, it's only through the challenges that you get to learn and grow.

So what have i been up to these past 3 mths? Well pretty much work and then it went on to work and dating. Being in the tech industry, i'm pretty much open to anything tech-related. And well, yeah, that includes looking for Love online as well. Don't get me wrong, i said i am open to looking for love online but i am not actively searching.

That said, i got really curious about a certain dating site one day, "match.com" and decided to go try it out to see if this site actually works. I thought it would be fun since i was Single then and was into researching on social networking sites.

"OH, What the heck!" I thought to myself and typed my profile in and uploaded my pic... then it came to the part where i was prompted to sign up for a package. OK fine, less than S$30 per month (as opposed ot S$1K or more for the other prof dating agencies) and i thought it would be quite a neat investment if i'm blessed to find someone through match.

Cut the long story short, i've only met 2 from match.com.

Profile of M1
Industry: Financial Services
Age: Abt 9 yrs older than me
Height: Very tall
Looks: Could be better
Spoken: English with a hokkien beng accent
Body type: Avg
Smoker: Yes; about close to a pack a day
Nicknamed: "The Yelper"

My takeaway:
- Very weird. Told me he likes me after the 2nd date. And expects me to report my every move (GOSH!). Speaks very LOUD, quite embarrassing...
- Can't take the hint when i started to withdraw. Even 'scolded' me via sms that I should worry about myself than him.
- He actually 'broke up' with me when nothing's even started so that he can go see another girl he just met on the plane! OH GAWD!! Loser...

Profile of M2
Industry: Aviation (Commercial)
Age: Abt 2 yrs older than me
Height: Just right
Looks: Pretty good; Boyish
Spoken: English with malay accent
Body type: Toned
Smoker: No
Nicknamed: Doesn't deserve one.

My takeaway:
- Let's just put it this way. We had a little bit of character imbalances and we're at different stages in our lives.
- Nice guy nonetheless, something could have worked out if the element of "Focus" was in the picture. But it's cool... we're still friends. :)

After M2, my experience with match.com went downhill. The system doesn't serve up what you've placed in your requirements. E.g. You enter the age limit as 30 to 39. You still get matches of men who are in their 50s... I mean... Helloooooooooo

OK, nuff said about match.com and the dating escapades. I finally met my 'match' online but not through match.com but through one of the more common social networking sites, to which the bkgrd of how my profile got served up to him was rather awesome. I love the fact that we're so connected spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Difficult to find someone like that given my character... So far, he's been really sweet to me, and been really amazing.

In short, Lara's feeling blessed and happy with the match. And yes, it's like... FINALLY...

~ Lara ~

MY BAD!

I'm SOOOOOOO sorry babes!!!!!!
Totally bad organising on my part...



Ribena

From a Forwarded Email

The Problem
What am I doing wrong? Okay, I'm tired of beating around the bush. I'm a beautiful (spectacularly beautiful) 25 year old girl. I'm articulate and classy. I'm not from New York. I'm looking to get married to a guy who makes at least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keeping mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don't think I'm overreaching at all. Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives? Could you send me some tips? I dated a business man who makes average around 200 - 250.. But that's where I seem to hit a roadblock. 250,000 won't get me to central park west. I know a woman in my yoga class who was married to an investment banker and lives in Tribeca, and she's not as pretty as I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? How do I get to her level?
Here are my questions specifically:
- Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics- bars, restaurants, gyms
- What are you looking for in a mate? Be honest guys, you won't hurt my feelings
- Is there an age range I should be targeting (I'm 25)?
- Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the upper east side so plain? I've seen really 'plain jane' boring types who have nothing to offer married to incredibly wealthy guys. I've seen drop dead gorgeous girls in singles bars in the east village. What's the story there? - Jobs I should look out for? Everyone knows - lawyer, investment banker, doctor. How much do those guys really make? And where do they hang out? Where do the hedge fund guys hang out?
- How you decide marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for MARRIAGE ONLY.

Please hold your insults - I'm putting myself out there in an honest way. Most beautiful women are superficial; at least I'm being upfront about it. I wouldn't be searching for these kind of guys if I wasn't able to match them - in looks, culture, sophistication, and keeping a nice home and hearth.
* It's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests*

The Answer
I read your posting with great interest and have thought meaningfully about your dilemma. I offer the following analysis of your predicament.
Firstly, I'm not wasting your time, I qualify as a guy who fits your bill; that is I make more than $500K per year. That said here's how I see it. Your offer, from the prospective of a guy like me, is plain and simple a cr@ppy business deal. Here's why. Cutting through all the B.S., what you suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring my money. Fine, simple. But here's the rub, your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity...in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won't be getting any more beautiful! So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset. Not only are you a depreciating asset, your depreciation accelerates! Let me explain, you're 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you! So in Wall Street terms, we would call you a trading position, nota buy and hold...hence the rub...marriage. It doesn't make good business sense to "buy you" (which is what you're asking) so I'd rather lease. In case you think I'm being cruel, I would say the following. If my money were to go away, so would you, so when your beauty fades I need an out. It's as simple as that. So a deal that makes sense is dating, not marriage. Separately, I was taught early in my career about efficientmarkets. So, I wonder why a girl as "articulate, classy and spectacularly beautiful" as you has been unable to find your sugar daddy. I find it hard to believe that if you are as gorgeous as you say you are that the$500K hasn't found you, if not only for a tryout. By the way, you could always find a way to make your own money and then we wouldn't need to have this difficult conversation. With all that said, I must say you're going about it the rightway. Classic "pump and dump." I hope this is helpful, and if you want to enter into some sort of lease, let me know.

~SeamonkeY~

Simply BAD attitude

Finally, something blog-worthy...

Scene
Heartland Mall

Lead Actress
2 salesgirls
Moi aka me

Script
M: how much is this black necklace?

SG1: $10

M held it in my hands and walked around for half a min. Decide I'd put it back and walk around the mall to see if I can get anything else instead. 10 mins later, I decided I'd go back to the set-up (it's not even a store) to get that necklace.

Went back and picked up 2 necklaces. A red and a black one.

M: How much is this? (shows SG2 the red necklace)

SG2: $10

M did some simple calculations and said

M: So 2 for $20?

SG2: No... the black one is $19.90

M wonders... did I hear wrongly the first time round. Turned to SG 1 who was just beside me and said

M: Just now you told me it was $10?

THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHT

SG1: Just now I tell you $10 you don't want, now it's $19.90

WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?

I just said forget it and walked off and I could hear SG1 telling SG 2 in a ya-ya-papaya tone "just now tell her $10 don't want, now $19.90....."

What? prices go up in a matter of 10 mins? Am I missing out on a red-dot 10-min sale? Freaking attitude!!! If she was on msn with me, I would have slapped her face big time... hmph!


ribena - "shop-abused"

The power of forums

Forums are what merchants fear most and like most. Companies with fantastic products and fantastic service have everything to gain. Companies who fall on the other end of the spectrum have everything to lose!

I have never put forums into my decision making process, seriously. While many net users are already adding into forums, doing facebooks, I am still pretty much contented with Internet banking, blogging and my yahoo photos.

Kp's been quite a +ve influence on the way I do things at times. He is one big forum fan when it comes to his remote control car. He's someone who googles more than I whine =p

I was hunting for furniture, and little did I realise the guy whom my bro bought his furniture from, was so +vely recommended on forums. His furn is sold to retail stores in town, that basically meant I will get the best price and the same quality from him. He got my deal.

Food adventure trail 1.2 - forum was raving about Dian Xiao Er, their famous roasted duck with ginseng gravy. I swear we both licked-clean that plate....making sure not a single ounce of ginseng gravy was leftover.

#1 salon @ Bishan, they do great eyebrow embroidery. The brow specialist is Amy, she's got superbly steady hands, very friendly and she is really much better than the expensive Jean Yip. What I pay Jean Yip, I paid her half but got many times better. Forum recommended her as one of the best eyebrow place with fully packed schedules, celebrities and stewardess visiting her place. I love my brows now!

I simply love them!

~6th Sense

The Bride Who Caved

Never thought I would be the sort to pick up bridal magazines and talk endlessly about the 'big day' but here I am, eating my own words.

Yesterday, I bought my very first copy of bridal magazine. 480 pages of glorious advertisements and content all promoting wedding related stuff from the perfect napkin holder to that dream gown that not only downsizes your hips but magically add 2 bust sizes at the same time. I swear it weighs close to a kilo (all the better to do some weight lifting exercise as you skim through the pages...such a little multi-tasker). For the uninitiated, it costs $8!!! And I'm embarrassed to say that all is keeping me from buying more, is that they are too heavy to carry around.

I'm practicing a lot of self-restraint already. I mean, for a person whose most of my adult life is involved in events, I ought to be smarter about these things right? NO.

You folks have been forewarned. From now till next year, every other word, thought, perspiration from me will be about the 'big day'. Thank gawd Ribena is taking me gown hunting soon (mostly to shut me up, I suspect). Can I just say I'm so glad she got hitched first and I held her hand through it (at least I hope I did?) and now its payback time. No need to pore through magazines and online forums for information, just bring along a married person for the ride.

~SeamonkeY~

Legit Spray

And that, my friend, is a bottle of pepper spray. Homemade.

I always assume that pepper spray is available in Singapore until my recent search for it turned out to be not. My first (and only) bottle was bought a few years back while backpacking through Malaysia and Thailand, purchased over the counter at Watson's in KL...how easy is that?

This recent search is for Zaza's birthday present as well as for her impending trip to the States. I mean, she is flying off thousands of miles to meet a man in person for the very first time. Psychos are aplenty in US – haven't you been watching CSI or even better, true life re-enactments on Crime Night (that's Friday for us losers staying at home on a date night) on Discovery? Sure, the disclaimer on CSI is that characters portrayed are all fictitious, but dun you wonder where the writers draw their inspirations from?

Anyway, back to the pepper spray...

Turns out, pepper sprays are illegal in Singapore. What's a girl to do for something handy against perpetrators? Ems gave me the brilliant idea of mixing actual pepper with water and storing it in a spray bottle. While shopping for pepper at the supermarket, I came across tabasco sauce and the bulb went off in my head. Emptying out the tabasco sauce into the bottle and viola...pepper spray!

Zaza's new weapon of choice is good for robbers, snatch-thieves and even for the occasional pizza or spaghetti. As Charissa puts it, it even leaves a impossible-to-remove stain on potential criminals' clothes. Handy indeed.

~SeamonkeY~

A Walk In the Dark

We were walking along Bukit Timah Road, just opposite KK Hospital towards Newton Food Centre when a Taiwanese (judging from their accent) couple stopped us.

Taiwan Chick: Can you direct us to Hotel Royal?
Seamonkey: Oh, its that way (pointed to the opposite direction).
Taiwan Chick: Oh, but we just came from there. You sure? (took out map to hotel)
Seamonkey: Yes. You need to walk across the roundabout at Newton Food Centre. We are headed that way too. Its about fifteen minutes walk.
Taiwan Chick: (looked exasperated)
Seamonkey: Its really not that far...
Taiwan Chick: Of course not far for you both...you're in love!

(-_-") Awkward pause for 3 seconds.

Seamonkey: Or you can take a cab. Five minutes only.

Kenneth Cole and I gave each other strange looks and thought how being in love (or not in love) can affect walking distance.

~SeamonkeY~

Curse of the Wisdom Tooth

I've been hit by the worst curse ever! The 'Curse of the wisdom tooth'... Well it's not cos i have got to have it extracted, rather, i'm having a severe gum infection as a result of my upper and lower wisdom left tooth. Here's the thing, if i'm overly stressed, haven't had enough of sleep, coupled with the foray of my over-indulgence of dark chocs, ice cream plus the ever so wonderful food... i would essentially land myself in big trouble, i.e. the Gum infection. IT's all related Gums, wisdom tooth, lack of space... oh well you get the drift.

Here i am seated in my room... really wishing i was back at work. All in all, i've been given a total of 5 days of MC. So i feel really bad because i've left my team at work to hold the fort and i can't be part of the excitement. Call me workaholic but i've always been plagued by the irrevocable "R"... Responsibility. Hence, been having quite the guilt for being away from work for that long.

I'm miserable... i have never been in so much pain and never had so many jabs (other than when i was lil i.e. 5/6 yrs)... that will be in 25 yrs of my life.

Yes i was having syntomps of the gum infection late last week, and up till Sunday afternoon i was still fine... I took my dad out to Waraku (which was excellent). Things took a dif turn on Sun eve when i was out with the Roo to watch the movie "1408" (which btw, was pretty gd). There was an almost burning sensation happening to my gum... by the end of the movie, it was so bad that i had to scram home without having dinner. To cut the long story short, here's a quick summary:

Mon AM:
- Woke up with a swollen left cheek the size of a Ping pong ball
- Headed for the dentist immediately and was given abt 3 or more jabs to bring the swelling down... also darn the nurse for having to put so much pressure on my mouth whilst taking the x-tray.
- Was told that the severe gum infection was due to my wisdom tooth and had to get it extracted. But they can't do anything cos my mouth was still swollen.
- Collected the medicine from the auntie nurse:
Auntie Nurse: "Come i give you strong painkillers!"
Lara in Pain: "I'm allergic to Aspirin, you sure i can take?"
Auntie Nurse: "You wait ah..." *runs to into the doc's room* OH doc says CAN!
Lara in Pain: "Mmmmrph... ok"

[Was given 2 days MC]

So went back, had lunch and ate the medicine. Lo and behold... at 6pm, i woke up with a SHOCK! Where on earth did that BULGE on my right eye come from? IT started to itch terribly.... Imagine this: Ping pong ball sized cheek and swollen goldfish eyes... Aiyeee... Was totally badly disfigured!

I decided to go see my family doc who was just downstairs my block. Had to totally SIAM all forms of glares, least they start to think that "The Aliens have landed on earth".

I brought the medicine my dentist had given me that morning to show my doc. One look, he knew it was the painkillers that gave me the goldfish eyes. He immediately made me take an antibiotic jab and gave me a round of anti-histamines to take for the eye.

Note to self: I'm never going back to that dentist to do my teeth/gums ever again! Dang that auntie nurse!

[Given another 2 days MC]

Tues came round, i called my Doc as the antibiotic jab i had on Monday doesn't seem to be working as fast as i hope it would. Turns out the effect wasn't instantaneous... And he advised me if by Wednesday, the swelling and pain were around, i'd may have to go in to get a dbl dosage of antibiotic jab.

Sigh... Wednesday (today), sad reality is that although i'm slightly better... but it's not recovering as quickly as i hope it would. The goldfish eyes have gone away.... i'm still left to fend the Ping Pong ball cheeks.... I went anyways for the jab... Doc gave me another 2 more days to rest at hm....

Ok call me paranoid... but i've just made an appt for tmrw with the dentist that my bro and sis-in-law goes to, which apparently, did quite a good job on both of their teeth. Reason? I'm just worried that there might be some pus somewhere beneath the swollen gums, that may be left to rot... And i just want to be 100% safe. God knows if i'm going to be jabbed more tomorrow... but this week is definitely one jabbing painful week for me...

~ Miserable Lara ~

#57 The Case of the Missing Plant

We came back to the office to find our plant missing. This is reminiscent of the lion that went missing from the festival site in 2005 (which is still MIA till now) except that I unwittingly stumbled onto something online today that may lead us to the plant.

We sent our plant to be babysat by our next door neighbour. 2 weeks after the festival, we found out that the plant never stepped into the restaurant. All we have now is this blog entry posted by another mysterious neighbour who may very well be the last person to see the plant alive.

http://therapeutik.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/womad-2007/

Another one bites the dust.

~SeamonkeY~

Egg White Magic !

A new concoction :

Egg White : Tightens pores and whitens.
Grapefruit Essential Oil : Acts as astringent, cleans pores and controls oil production

The two combined together, put them on your face for 20 minutes, you will feel a slight tingling sensation which comes from the essential oil. Spread the concoction over your chin and jaw area as well, the egg white when dry tightens the face (prevents sagging flesh at the chin/jaw area). Its the tightening effect that gives you the pore tightening function!!

Benefits : skin whiter/fairer, pores smaller.

~6th Sense (trying out a new concoction, will need some time before I know if it works!)

My Work Personality Profile

Always been fascinated with Personality checks. Not because I dont know myself well but its just amazing to spot inaccuracies or wrong analysis and marvel at how they can guess some things right. And there is the last question of "Am I like that?" - those are moments of self discovery.

Thats what amazes me with Personality Checks.

So this company that has been interviewing me gave me a personality test to test how I am, when it comes to work. First up, at work and after work, I can be slightly different. Always happen for most people. Guess I have worked long enough to know how one has to defend and protect oneself at work, make harmony with all colleagues if possible, should some not gel with you, its okie cos no one can have chemistry with the entire company, just smile to everyone (even though you dislike them) and be a nice person to every person who is nice to you, be firm and if need be, be nasty to people who might take advantage of you or "harm" you and of course, when needed, be more agressive and show some unfriendliness when needed to "put enemies in place".

Its all a case of be nice, and be nasty when you need to.

So here's my personality profile at work :

6th Sense Self Image and at Work
- Accurate and precise. Positive and proactive approach
- Though detailed oriented, you may appear disorganized and can become bored and frustrated if tasks are routine and repetitive
- Not aggressive by nature
- Not confrontational and antagonistic
Irene Chia’s Behaviour under Pressure
- Become quieter (depends. If I am faced with time pressure and people dont give me what I need, my decibels can hit higher!) heeeeeee...........
- Increased dominance to become more direct (short term change)
6th Sense is motivated by security and compliance to standard operating procedures. (makes me sound so compliant in nature, eh, I think I am more of a rule breaker lei) Enjoys democratic relationships and recognition for a job well done.
Describing Words: Friendly, Outgoing, Mobile, alert, cautious, detailed, precise, accurate, defensive, non-aggressive, anxious, social

~6th Sense (red means disagree, all else agree)

My last entry...

no no no i aint leaving this world yet!

haha...i am claiming this my last entry before i get my new eyesight!

I am feeling a little scared but yet I hang onto God's assurance and his blessing for a smooth and successful surgery. I know I seem damn kua zhang cos a thousand and a million people do eye lasik like makan bee hoon like that.

Hahhaaa...thats me, i worry too much.

I even went to the extent of getting Ribena to pray for me over MSN...hahhahaa.....she probably almost fell off the chair!

then..Ribena ask "you can pray yourself wat"

I was like "you more annointed mah".......wassup? Do i think prayers get to heaven when its prayed with someone who works in church? hahahhah Dur Dur Dur

I am kiasu so I need double assurance.

And yes KP will be accompanying me for the surgery. Call that triple assurance! Hhahaha :-) If I could make him go into the surgery room with me I will (hahhaa).

~6th Sense (doing my eye lasik this afternoon)

I wan buy work motivation!

I have been looking for jobs, and because of that, I seem to be dropping to an all-time low on motivation levels.

The usual symptoms are showing, taking MCs, Skyping more, Surfing more. Thats not good. People are chasing me for things not the other way round.

If I could buy motivation with money, I would. Dont wanna get into trouble here before I gets the other boat confirmed.

There again, if not of Low, I would really stay here for another 2 years or so. Its no good getting asked "hmm, you are switching jobs every 2 years, is that a trend?" or

"hmm, are you looking for a job to settle down in or are you still trying out?"

How do you fend such questions at interviews?

~6th Sense

Lara's ranting again...

I'm sad, tired and angry all at the same time. A BIG sandbag is very much needed now... i so need to throw a couple of punches. From how my Friday has left me, i am rather sure that this wkend will be bad, although my sweet bro-in-law's rose did cheer me up a little. Tried to be hopeful and dismissed certain thoughts but i guess i'm right in the end. Too smart for my own good? Go figure...

Sorry, but i'm ranting... because, I'm sick and tired of having to wait around and do nothing. I hate to be at the back-and-call of peeps. It's like as if there is no consideration of the other's schedule and having a thought that other peeps actually have a life! Yes you're right, I was asked to go out but it didn't pen out in the end. I'm not ranting because it's just happened, but i have noticed that this has been somewhat happening to me all the time. Maybe i'm too nice. I don't scratch out peoples' eyeballs out when they do that to me... maybe i should start doing that.

I just wish people would be a little more considerate. If make appt and cannot make it, please tell the other party in advance, not unless it's due to some worthy emergencies. In anycase, this is just pure courtesy and common sense.

BLEAH

~ Lara ~

No more Jon for me :(

11 Aug marks my last personal training session. I gave it my best shot today within my limit... i was so darn surprised at myself to have go through the arduous regime quite without feeling the pain (Quote from Jon my trainer, "You are not a beginner anymore, you can push yourself to do more.). Don't get me wrong, i'm far from the softie or a weakling who shrills / complains when jon adds in more weights. Each time, I go into the gym with just one focus "No Pain, No Gain... so shuddup and train!"

What was more painful to me with the thought that today will be my last time with Jon as my trainer. What will do without my trainer? Who's going to motivate me? Who's gonna teach me new exercises to help tone me up? Thoughts flew about my mind, as i followed my trainer around the various exercise stations.... whilst hearing him complain about a 'painful' customer. He's much become like a friend to me. Even though i give him Hell for always asking me to wear shorts to train with him. Don't get me wrong, he's a nice guy and doesn't have any ill intentions, just he's not quite seen me in casual wear other than my nike gym gear, and is comfortable with me as a friend.

Back to the physical training bit... i guess to make me feel better, i have to go back to my main objectives for getting a trainer.

a. To understand my body. I really wanted to know my physical problem areas, is it my thigh, back, tummy etc. And to learn from the trainer what i should be doing.
b. To get through my fear of the machines and weights and to really KNOW how to use them.
c. To train my core muscles so that i would be effective as a dancer.
d. To understand all of the above so that i can start crafting my own regime.

Hence the investment of time and money... So did i achieve the objectives? I certainly have. And i've learnt so much from him. I guess right now, it all boils down to me having to discipline myself and to really start doing my own thing.

Speaking of discipline... *Lara pops in Orange Dark Choc biscuits + Rum and raisin chocs!* Such is life! :D

~ Lara ~

Lara's finally writing again...

Lara's back and it's great to see my pals keeping the blog active with heaps of their own updates. I think perhaps i should also start changing my profile for the blog too. :D While it's technically true that i'm deemed to be the 'glam' queen amongst my dear pals here, but i've got no more 'hilarious dates' to tell. I guess i've passed the stage of being the 'serial dater' (c'mon everyone comes with a past rite?) to only spending time with people who are worthy.
That said, at this stage of my life, i've pretty much given up on meeting someone nice. If it happens, so be it. Otherwise, i'm happily independent doing the things that i wanna do. There is NO stopping me.

On the job front, all i can say is that it's been great fun! It's just been slightly over a month, and i can still say that i'm enjoying myself. I've got a great boss, colleagues and working in a job that marries both marketing and technology, what more can i ask for? I've been pretty much full-on working since the day i started. I'm learning so much more and it is indeed very challenging. I reckon it's fine since i am the sort who gets bored easily. I also feel thankful and very blessed to have parents who love and care for me, every morning, my folks send me to work (after seeing me lug the lap top to and fro from work daily).

I've been asked if i'm "Ambitious" by some friends after having observed my routine these days. In all honesty, i'm not. But i always believe in giving my best in all that i do. That's a mantra that i live my life by.

So if the question then you're asking if i do happen to meet someone and get into a relationship now, will i neglect the person? Nope, cos i believe that Love is a priority to me. And if it's anything that i place as a priority in my life, will most definitely find a place in my world, mind, heart and time... :)

On a separate note, there seems to be an 'invisible force' that is bugging me. Feeling melancholic and i want to get out of it. I don't know if this is what people call "mid-life crisis". *wondering*

~ Lara ~

Beauty Tip 101

Beauty need not come with a huge price tag, I learnt.

And so the saying goes, 天下没有丑女,只有懒女人!

没钱也能漂亮! Beauty tip 101

DIY MASK
Quaker oat milk mask

Directions
Blend the oatmeal so that it turns powdery.
Mix it with fresh milk.
May add some vinegar if your skin is alright with it.
Buy a pack of mask paper from SASA. These mask papers are compressed and need to be soaked into water for it to expand. Once it expands, open it up and it can be used to hold the ingredients on your face. You dont wan oatmeal dripping all over ur house! :-)

Oatmeal - controls excessive oil sebum production
Milk - whitening and softening effects
Vinegar - clears blemishes and whitening.

result : my face isnt as oily as before! i love the immediate after effect

- my face feels like those in the commercial...heee...but of course it only feels soft, it doesnt look as soft as those in the commercial ....blah!





~6th Sense
(credit to KP's mum for teaching me the oatmeal milk trick! thanks to my mum's garlic-vinegar concoction)
and Down with expensive face care labels !!!) hhahaa....

Space Invaders

Today is the first day that my sister and brother-in-law have moved back in with us. I'm all behind the reason why they moved back and for the bigger picture at hand, I hope they do stay put here for the next 9 months or so. For the folks who ever wished their older siblings would hurry up and moved out, them moving back in again is a big thing. I'm one of those and its just strange how the little things I take for granted can't be freely executed now.

Practising what The Secret preaches (think positive), here are some observations I've made since reaching home 2 hours ago:
- I am not good at sharing bathrooms. Sharing hotel bathrooms with others are fine since it is always temporary and bathrooms get magically cleaned up by efficient but elusive housekeepers. I spent half my shower time yesterday cleaning out the grime on the toiletries rack and the bottles for fear they would appear icky. The toiletries rack is now overflowing with bunch of stuff I dun even recognise (The Secret in me thinks: Now you can try out a whole new bunch of products)

- I probably can't waffle as much as I want to around the house. For those who knows me well, I can waffle even while doing housework. Depending on whats on TV, doing laundry or dishes would take me a good hour (during CSI "the original"). Cleaning my room (and this is the basic picking up of loose items on floor, stacking up mags and books, changing of sheets, emptying the basket) would use up another hour (Heroes). Another half hour (30 Rock) is spent on preparing for stuff for work next day and another half hour (30 mins of House) for night time beauty regime. I can't waffle as much as I now relinquish 100% control of the remote control (The Secret in me thinks: The extra time spent non-waffling cant be used for constructive matters like uploading more useless items for sale on Yahoo Auctions).

- For the lack of better terms, my "Mello's Melons" won't be able to get out much. Kenneth Cole told me its rude to point so I have to abstain from it in the house from now on (The Secret in me thinks: More back support?)

The good thing is I saw my dad sitting around the den hanging out with my sis and brother-in-law after dinner. I'm all for them staying.

~SeamonkeY~

The Secret

The topic of a column in a local magazine this week was on Rhonda Byrne's The Secret.

To be honest, I didn't know it was such a hit worldwide till the column mentioned it. It's a self-help book with the basic theory that positive thoughts will attract and lead to positive outcomes e.g. if you want to lose weight, you must think of "thin" thoughts instead of "I must lose weight" thoughts. Have to say I'm still a bit sketchy on the details as I have not read the entire book. Self-help books are just not my thing.

Anyway, Kenneth Cole told me about the book because his mentor at work suggested it to him for leisure reading. Didn't think much about it until we chanced upon it at a bookstore one fine day. The Secret will open the doors to everything you ever wanted – wealth, success, even love – and browsing through the 'true-accounts' offered by a variety of people in the book, I find it hard to believe that this basic theory works...sounds a tad too easy.

I vaguely remember one of the stories I read in the book was how the Secret can help in the relationship department. This woman was practicing the Secret to look for her one true love. She did everything in a positive light from clearing one side of her garage to make room for HIS car to making her house more acceptable for living for TWO but it still didn't happen. Then she realised the only deterrent factor was that she wasn't sleeping on one side of the. She wasn't positively thinking to make room for a potential partner.

Her true look came as soon as she started to sleep on one side of the bed. Warped but apparently true. Who knows? My bed is a single.

~SeamonkeY~

Really?

"lucky you're not my wife. you're so high maintenance."

I high maintenance meh? I don't need expensive things to make me happy. Saying that, if people want to give, no reason to reject what.

Actually i think most girls are like that... all they really want is to feel that their partner put in effort to plan something for their birthday.

Even if it was a packet of hor fun at a park or beach with candles around, i'd be just as thrilled and happy. What would really switch me off is to ask me "so where you want to celebrate your birthday? what you want to eat? where you want to go?".

so. really? am I that high maintenance?


ribena
wondering....

What Do You Wanna Be?

I was asked at an interview, I asked all of you the same :

IF YOU COULD BE AN OLYMPIC DELEGATE, WHAT DO YOU WANNA BE?

and..WHY ?

~6th Sense

The Ring

In 6 hours time, I need to drag my ass off the bed to accompany Kenny in search of the elusive proposal ring…it better be a damn big rock.

~SeamonkeY~

I wanna do all these.....

Before November, I wanna get all these done:

1) From 57kg, I wanna go right down to 52kg. So that's 5 kg to shed.

2) Improve my golf skills to hit at least 150m (range I mean)

3) Pick up a dance or a language which I really like and continue practising for long term.

4) Go for an eyebrow re-embroidery.

5) Do my eye lasik

6) Do a gals night out at Bangkok and have really good fun.

7) Do something really impromptu - totally unplanned, totally unknown, totally "just do it" spirit.

Mark this blog entry. I will be back to tick against them when November comes.

Many mini achievements make greater achievements. The sum of parts is greater than the whole.

~6th Sense (getting cranky today)

I M M O O D Y

Yes I am.

And I dont know why.

Nope it isnt the big 3.

Its just probably a feeling of lacklustre (if that is such a word).

I slack the whole day@work. Didnt do much stuffs except for surfing the net, check my personal emails, gossip with friends etc. At mid-day my day got lifted up slightly with a call from an interested party who would like me to fly to BKK for an interview. Position to be based in Shanghai.

The downside, she aint paying for my flight.

Then, I took KP's suggestion and politely asked to do a telecon interview instead. There is skype, hallo?!

Took the day's opportunity to update myself and read through some new product infor, that is considered as work and it probably took up 2 hours of my time, which is 25% of the total work hours.

Met my uni mates in the evening. Was I involved in the fun and laughter? Did I feel at ease? Dont know why I just find my social skills suddenly withdraw.

Checked and confirmed this isnt PMS.

Returning back home, I see my new super single bed arrived (outgrown my single bed already) but it arrived with scratches and with a T shape leg to support the bed frame. I didnt realise there was a T shape leg below (looks horrid).

Thats me, irritating me, never check properly before buying.

Spoke with KP on phone (our regular night calls), his work is driving him into a "i just wanna nua" stage once the sun sets. That explains his monotonous tone of voice which slowly lulls me into the deeper end of the "sian" scale.

The day hasnt been that bad for me, seriously.

But I M J U S T M O O D Y.

D O N T K N O W W H Y

The New Future

As I listened to the suit described this new credit card his client was launching, all I'm thinking was how his client sleep at night.

Citibank just launched a new credit card with a monthly limit of S$500 that was clearly targeting at tertiary students. It's actually meant for 18 – 35 years old who do not make the S$30,000 a year cut but it seemed to be using the age old marketing gimmick of 'get-them-while-they-are-young'.

In the near future, we will have 21 year olds bankruptees. Scenarios such as this "I don't always have much cash on hand. A credit card will come in handy when I want to buy that $399 Hugo Boss shirt. If I wait for my $150 weekly allowance, the shirt might be gone." will never happen to junior college student Sng Ren Zheng, who is keen to apply for a card after he turns 18 next month according to a Straits Times report. Instead of 'getting-them-while-they-are-young', I think its 'getting-them-in-debt-while-they-are-young'.

And the icing on the cake? Instead of a 24% interest rate, this new fancy clear card has a 28% interest rate to guard against default risk and bad debts.

I take back my rhetorical question in the beginning of this post. I think the Citibankers are sleeping very well indeed.

~Seamonkey~

Taking stocks before the Big 3

I am almost in full admiration of individuals who quit their jobs to travel indefinitely. The free-to-roam spirit swept me before but never quite get down to doing it - blame it on the lack of sabbatical benefits in Singapore and the lack of guts to roam without $ coming in.

A church mate of mine, is doing just that.

I asked - why are you doing that? Her matter of fact answer - to do something I wanna do before I hit the big 3. Now, that got me thinking.

What about ME? What have I achieved for the past 3 decades? What holds for me in the second half of my life (assuming God takes me away at the age of 60). What do I wanna do and have not yet done?

We aint talking about marriage here, babes and dudes. Its about personal gratification and doing what you wanna do before your life gets intertwined with a second half.

Time to take stocks...

Having walk the pyramids, see a real mummy, take photos at the Great Wall, see and feel snow, stayed in a villa, go to the border of North and South Korea, eat duck foetus, lived independently for 2-years, study overseas and have fun without parental presence, try to make it as a Property Agent, paid for my parents' tour trip, get baptised....the list stops?!

Have I achieved enough? Have I ventured enough?

What do I wanna do before I hit the Big 3? Thinking...thinking...thinking...here's my list of un-practical and illogical ideas.

Have super big boobs that will make me lose balance?

Have a super sexy model-like body to strut and show off?

Backpack and Travel alone to Tibet?

Turn blond-haired and go wild with thy dressing?

Have really long hair like Rapunzel? =p

Spend all my money on eating bird nest and get super duper glowing skin?

Work in a South Africa zoo and live among the animals?

Stay 3 days 3 nights in a Jungle off Mount KK, ALONE?

Walk and get lost in an island which nobody knows?

Join Singapore Idol and be a super star?

Start a School for Dummies.

Open a "sex shop" with money back guarantee to make you cum / come / cum / come ?

Start a consultancy firm on how to bitch your men around?


~6th Sense (what trails behind as I run towards the Big 3?)

Say It With Music

I happened to tune in to a dedication programme tonight on a radio station and got reminded me the reason why I do not listen to such programmes anymore.

The caller who called in was a tertiary student cramming for a chemistry paper. Within 2 minutes of the chat with the DJ, I got to learn that he is an aspiring actor with a passion in arts, stuck in the science stream and was in a limbo on how to have his cake and eat it too. I also learnt that he was alone at home and he went to school in the morning to finish up ‘stuff’. The DJ kindly entertained him by giving advice but was that a “roll-eye” in his voice I imagined?

It must be tough to listen to similar sounding dedications all night long, especially on a Saturday night. Bet DJs sometimes wish to receive a call that starts with the question “Which is your favourite scary movie?” in a sinister voice. I wonder if DJs make fun of dedication callers as they chug down beer with mates after their shift?

~Seamonkey~

Funny man

Cool Water

Simply Irrisistable!

the more we get together...

Crabs were a let down this time... so small. got a feeling we kena kon. pepper crab was ... gooey... didn't quite like it. steam crab was ok... then again $10 each.. heck it la.. just wack...

Amongst the 3 of us, we had 2 steam crabs, 2 pepper crabs, a plate of kai lan and a plate of har cheong gai... i even wanted prata after that but was outnumbered.

so... the highlight wasn't the crab... but i sure enjoyed catching up with one another. as we share and tok about our struggles and advises... something dawned upon me... we have all really grown. the struggles we face are no longer petty issues of yesterday but of a deeper level. Even as we each shared our responses to situations, i realised... we've grown... older...wiser...

i love my friends... they've seen me thru different seasons of my life, different phases, different sides... and they're still here with me... i love u girls!


ribena
otherwise now known as "dora the explorer"

Monday, 7.30pm, Hougang

CRaB-GaLoRE!
Steam crab, pepper crab, butter crab, chillie crab
we will conquer, we will survive!






Crabs going at 2 for $20

A Peek into Lara's World

I'm 2 weeks into my new job and I'm loving it so far. My stint with this new company has started to challenge me both physically, mentally and spiritually. I liken it to that of a "commando training camp". That said, I choose to remain positive and strong that through-it-all, I will be G.I. Jane, knowledgeable and tough... ever ready to take any challenge that come my way. It's also been a struggle spiritually because sometimes in all the busy-ness, you tend to take many things in your own strength and you tend to forget the bigger 'FORCE' within yourself and that's my Big Daddy up there. The truth about it all is that I can accomplish so much more if God is in everything that i do.

I do apologise... Lara's in a much serious mood these days. But these are just some of the many things that are running through my mind lately.

Still, i'm enjoying myself especially learning all the new stuff the new position demands of me.

In the LOVE dept, well... lets just say that i now understand what it means by "my heart is really painful". But as all of Lara's gd friends know, "she will survive"!

Another melancholic piece of news... Gi just told me that she's leaving for US come aug for 3 mths or more. On one hand is that i'm happy for her that she's moving on to her next phase in life, and the pastures may be certainly greener over there, but i'm sad cos i won't have her around me anymore for a period of time. With the possibility of her even not coming back in a LONG time. I will miss her. *sniffs*

Sigh...

~ Lara ~

WOMAD Singapore 2007 - Part 1

WOMAD Singapore 2007 - Part 2

Argh...the title field is not working? Is anyone else having the same problem?

Anyway, I broke the news to my folks. Didn't think I was going to say it out now but it was a spur of the moment thing. Another reason for not breaking the news to them now was that I figured I wouldn't have answers to any of the questions they might fire at me. What I didn't expect was that my parents were so laid back about it – guess it runs in the family.

After breaking the news ever-so-subtly,
Father: (paused) There's pineapple in the fridge.
Mum: Ok (went back to sleep)

Yep, definitely runs in the family.

~SeamonkeY~

WOMAD Singapore 2007

Sorry but I have do do a little plug for my own ulterior motives. If we do not hit 10,000 folks on the Friday night, Im stuck with the festival director for the remaining days of the festival so here it goes...

GET YOUR WOMAD SINGAPORE TICKETS FROM FAR COAST NOW AT ONLY $40.

LIMITED TO 800 TICKETS ONLY.

In case you are wondering where Far Coast is, its located at International Building, Orchard Road. Its the best deal we have done, even better than my own staff discount ok *winks*

Will be posting the 10th anniversary festival promo video soon...watch this space.

A little delayed but...

CONGRATULATIONS SEA MONKEY!

You've finally got that BlinkBlink you dreamed about! I'm sssooooooo happy and excited for ya! It's cute coz when you went away for a long trip, in India, I dropped the bomb on you. Now, when I'm far far away in France, you dropped the bomb on me. Twice, I had to call you. Come to think of it, I should have saved your sms and send it to you "Call me now!". hahaha..

Good news from afar. India or France, it doesn't matter. What's most important is that you've gotten your BlinkBlink! Kidding! What's most important is that you found someone to spend the rest of your lives together, through good and bad!

You wore a hot, sleek, sexy black dress. He wore his sauve, cool KC. You wished for a Chinese but not so Chinese guy with a stable job. Wala!

Time to make a new wish :)

Ribena
Back from Spain

Women - Rise up!

Just an observation about MEN (in general) that i don't get, so perhaps if there's any guy out there who would like to enlighten me on men's psyche pls do...

Men can tell you anything you want to hear for the moment or say they will do certain things for you (i seriously think it's one of their tactics), prob hoping the girl's emotions will get the better of them... And chances of their words unfolding into actions, will probably be minimal. Again, i'm not referring to ALL men, it's just a general observation base on my experiences (my own and from what I hear).

Just sharing my 2 cents worth... Over the years, I have learnt the best way to tackle Men or situations like these is to listen with a pinch of salt. It's also important that women should start to learn how to be thinkers, be rational beings and stop allowing their emotions to delude themselves. Women should learn how to safeguard themselves from being hurt. Ok again, i'm not saying that every men is out there to cheat you, but all i'm saying is to be smart and don't be too quick/rash to do anything. Before any action is being attempted, think first. If still unsure or blur, please consult a good friend or your buddies around you.

It's time that women should rise up and be strong!

~ Lara ~

Lara's Rambles

Was at Vivo City today doing what most typical SG women or tai-tais would do... Shopping and catching the sale at Zara. But i'm kinda happy... got some stash for work. Oh back to my "Pink Dress" for my friend's wedding saga. The boutique told me the last min that they couldn't concede to my alteration request. So i didn't get the dress in the end... so i'm gonna to wear just a dressy pink top and a white pants. C'mon, come to think of it, for starters, Pink is NOT Lara at all... secondly, I may not wear that dress again unless it's another dinner party and thirdly PINK is so NOT in fashion this season! So, better not waste money... :D

And and.... my gawd, guess wat? My mother's in the Donut Craze too! And i thought this fad only belonged with the young sweet things of today... Mum was like urging me to go join the line at the donut shop, "Vinco" to buy her half a dozen of donuts. In her own words, "I really like the donuts! It's very nice! Light and airy..." Yes MUM, but 6 donuts? [Lara glares at mum]

Picture this, my parents who hardly exercise, eating their life away "Char kuay teow, fried dumplings, soft drinks"; while Lara's seen eating her yong tao foo soup with no oil... And now they want 6 donuts for dessert/tea? But then again, Mum knows I definitely will get her anything she likes, and she's right. I relented and joined the freaking line in wait for the donuts.

Anyway, it's TGIF, going out to hang with my gfs tonite at some chill out joint, it's my friend's hen's nite today, but i doubt it's going to be a crazy one. Then after, i'm going to watch "Transformers" with Gi... Lalalla... i'm excited cos it's i don't usually get to hang with Gi till late, so tonite will def be fun! :)

Just to keep u guys updated... it's my last weekend of nothing and i start work come Monday Pronto! :) Can't wait... Woo hoo...

~ Lara ~