The aftermath

Photo by Mark Lee

The wedding is over but we are still relishing the moments. When you see stupid grins on our faces while spacing out, you know we are reliving the memories in our heads again.

A quick note of thanks to the bridal party though gawd knows if they actually read this blog!

Wedding Party on Saturday...
Customary Sisters - yes, the last one to get hitched amongst all. Good thing they are still on hand to help out because I can't imagine if I have to haggle for my own bridal self that morning.

Customary Brothers - have to say I am suitably impressed by Kenneth Cole's old college buddies especially after they brought him to St James for the stag night.

Eric and Hua as Emcees - we still prefer Eric's exaggerated versions in the car rides but guess it is a wedding after all (thanks for the tissue, Hua!)

Yuxin, Candy, Leng - for holding the fort at the reception

Wedding Party on Sunday...
Lara & Sixth Sense - real door bitches at the door and lovely, lovely speech! For the record, I did not have to pay them for those wonderful gushes of me, me and I mean us muahahahah. And for making us declare our love pledges on stage!

Colin (Pauline) & Kits - electrifying on stage. You two should go on emcee-dates and crash other weddings. If Pauline was there, you would have made a great threesome.

Kenny - for entertaining the kids with balloons and bubbly. Only you can do it lah...

Emma - for getting a lot of make-up involved and making me look bridally.

Mello & John - now I WANT an iphone

Jonathan - for covering bases forgotton :)

Mark & Ribena - the super-wedding-coordinated couple who captured truly memorable wedding moments (Mark) and making it worry-free (Ribena) for us.

Pio, Surath & Danny - for making it possible for Kenneth Cole to dance with me and granting us really inappropriate songs at a wedding

Last but not least, to all who were there who made it fun, fun, fun.

~SeamonkeY~

Stupid Things

Stupid (but very key) items Kenneth Cole and I "discussed" over the new house
1. the position of the toilet roll holder ("Because its very hard to fold if the roll is found on the left of the throne when we are both right-handed")

2. the design of the toilet roll (he wanted those with spring-back middle that holds the roll and covers that prevent the paper from getting wet. It was too ugly for me and let's face it, it would take a shorter time for me to finish the roll than putting an actual one into the contraption.)

3. the position of the dining table lights ("But why must we have the lights right in the centre of the table?" "Why not???")

4. the colour of the surface top that the chicken bowl is placed upon ("Black accentuates. White just makes the bowl look stupid.")

5. the non-acceptance of my DIY furry red chair at the our new pad ("It doesn't go with anything." "Seen too much action.")

Sure. Laugh at me now. Your turn will come.

~SeamonkeY~

Commitment Rash

My rashes are back again.

This time round, my dear colleagues suspect its an allergic reaction to getting married.

~SeamonkeY~

Reno Rash

To add on to the fear of shopping, we suspect that the new house is also giving me a mysterious rash.

The rash came on two weeks ago which a doctor accounted as a "virus that manifested itself as a rash instead of the usual fever or flu". But upon monitoring the fluctuating outbreaks, we realised last night that its pretty much tied to my visits to the house which is undergoing renovations right now.

This must be a sign to stop me from intervening in Kenneth Cole's plan for decor-domination or nit-picking with contractors. I have a sneaking suspicions that he is secretly pleased I am now banned from the nest till renovations are over.

Fine. Guess I can't help out with the cleaning-up after the reno as well for the sake of my very sensitive skin. Muahhaahhhh.

~SeamonkeY~

The Fear of Shopping

The first piece of item that we bought for the house was not a big-ticket item like a sofa but the wash basin for our bathroom. I called it the "Chicken Bowl" because its oriental motifs reminded me of those bowls with rooster designs I used to eat out from when I was a kid. The bowl was to offset the masculinity of the all-black bathroom. It was love at first sight when Gracie and I spotted it, much to the contrary how Kenneth Cole felt when he saw it. It took me 2 hours to convince him to that the $65 item will be the signature item in the bathroom after his first sight of it and give and take, another 4 weeks before the actual sighting, of me setting his expectations of it.

The second piece of item we bought for the house was the mattress. Well, the mattress and the bed frame packaged in one anyway. For a very cautious person, Kenneth Cole closed the $4,000 deal in less than 2 hours. The mattress felt good, the frame was in a clean design we like, and the salesman was g-o-o-d. The trouble with impulse buying is the post-purchase dissonance that comes with it the day after. It starts gnawing at you and you feel compel to check up on the internet to see if it was really that good of a deal. As it turned out, it wasn't. In a nutshell, we paid premium prices for a housepouring drink which was repackaged in a martini glass served by a cute bartender.

Kenneth Cole will most definitely be spending the whole day today mulling over it. I just want to forget the incident with...more drinks.

~SeamonkeY~

Personal Hygiene on Board..Not!

There I was, minding my own business on the MRT, sitting in a corner seat when the commuter next to me started to Clip. His. Nails.

Thoroughly disgusted, I text Kenneth Cole of my dilemma. Is it rude to get up and leave for another seat? Then he will know that I am leaving because I am dissing his act of clipping nails on train. Should I be bringing my shaver on my next train ride so I can remove my leg hair on my way to work as well??

In an effort to make sure no nail clippings get caught up in my hair, I flipped like a shampoo model. Thank goodness the trauma was over in two-and-a-half stops and he stopped at his pinkies.

~SeamonkeY~

Kodak Moment

Photo by George Wong www.aphotostory.com

I like this picture the same reason why Kenneth Cole didn't take to it - the fact that our faces were covered.

As effortless as it looks, it took all three of us fumbling about under the veil for a good half hour, waiting for the "right" breeze. Kenneth Cole and I had it easy. George had to balance between his left hand sticking up to hold the veil and his right, cramped under the weight of his camera.

~ SeamonkeY~

Paper (Non)Sense Continues...

Further to the Paper Sense posting I made in July, OCBC again sent me another 3-pager statement to reflect that the $0.04 credit I had in the card has been adjusted and both parties are now even.

I hope they put that $0.04 into really good use, like into the planting of a tree perhaps. I really do not see why they had to send me (again, I emphasize, a 3-pager statement) statement again to reiterate what has already been arranged during my phone conversation with customer service.

~SeamonkeY~

Inflation Busters

Inflation Busters 101. Inflation stands at 6.5percent,your $100 is now worth only $ 93.50.

A plan that will help you save money, beat inflation and still enjoy life.

Movies at $ 6.50 no booking (Save $ 3 per movie for a couple date)
Get the GV card, for free. Movies on tuesdays are good at member price $ 6.50. Head to GV Tiong Bahru - near town, near your office and no need for booking. Sure got seats!
Thats a $ 24 savings if you watch movies twice a week.

If Tuesdays are not your free days, go for Safra cards that give you $ 8 for a Weekend movie at any GV. All NS man are entitled to apply for membership card, which costs $ 101 for 3 years - work out to S$ 2.80 per month. Your breakeven point - watch at least 1 movie a month (2pax).

Drive Smart - Be a fuel efficient driver
If you drive, there are a hundred and one ways to be fuel-smart. You could save on usage just by following these:
- Ensure sufficient tyre pressure
- Remove unnecessary weight (bags, books, containers etc)
- Be gentle on your accelerator and take highways whenever possible.
- Minimise waiting in car, natural air smells better ya.
- Car Pool esp during lunch time. Save petrol, builds relationships!
- More info on http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/page.cfm?tagID=268

Credit Card Points
Dont thrash the bill after reading, check the points. Redeem movie tickets, shopping vouchers, grocery vouchers. NTUC Linkpoint card are your best bet - points accumulated can be exchanged for vouchers and offset your purchases. That essentially knocks off a few percentage off your bill.

Dining Out
Plan your outings with Credit Card Leaflets in your hand. Know which restaurant allows you to enjoy 10%-15% discounts off your meals. Generally DBS, HSBC & Citibank cards have good discounts at most restaurants. Check : http://www.streetdirectory.com/restaurants/singapore/reviews/dbs/

Shopping for Shoes
I used to pay Charles and Keith $ 25 -35 for a pair of shoes. Mondo, Vincci are some of the other brands within my shoe rack. My mentality : cheaper shoes, but larger quantity to match 100 different clothes and 100 different colours.

Then I realise on average these shoes breakdown once every 3/4 year. Either the strap break, the rubber soles come off, which will need Mr Cobbler to put it back at $4 (comes off again 6mths down the road) or the glue thins off and its time to buy a new pair.

A pair of shoes from CK Tangs, nice but priced at $ 60 over, can last me for 2-3 years at least. Thats a $ 30 savings per pair, and they look nicer.

If you go to Tangs at the right time, you can buy $ 60 shoes at half the price!

Plan your pub visit before 9pm
Most pubs have a Happy Hour serving before 8.30pm or 9pm. Do a straight after dinner drinks, to enjoy your one for one or a special price for your Magaritas or Kilkenny. Order your last drink at 9pm, leave the pub at 10pm and go for a 11 or 11.30pm show. After show, take the Night Rider back or find a GV near your home to minimise cab fares.

Botak Jones or Lawry's
If you aint chasing the babe and couplehood has settled into that "I dont need to impress mode" hey Botak Jones can serve pretty good steak at a much cheaper price. Its still steak, the ambience may not be as special, but if you are lucky you may be served by bubbly pretty babes/ hunky dudes. Dig into the fries, they are nicer than Mcdonald's!

Good planning, owning the right card, driving the right way - 3 simple rules make great inflation busters.

Anything other buster methods?

Realise pre-inflation days, people will call this post "cheapo". Now a new phrase is here to stay "inflation busters"

~6th Sense

Random Thought #37

I get the tester-toiletries set out for body lotion, hand cream, eye gel. But how do people test facial washes, shampoo, shower foam off the shelves? And these are often half-empty when I browse through the bottles. Is there a secret-tester-washroom I am not in the loop of? Do shoppers really test them out there? In the open? Like they are models in a shampoo commercial?

~SeamonkeY~

6th Sense's making structural changes to her life

I once hear someone say, change is good. Even the gurus echo it.

I think this sentence holds true, especially for me - one who gets bored easily.

People change for many reasons:
1) for the fact that their life has been too stagnant
2) for throwing a dash of spices in their lives
3) for the fact that the world is changing, and environment forces one to change "inwardly"
4) for the fact that non-conformance to changes will result in undesirable consequences
5) and for the fact that life is all about changes!!

If our daily life mirrors each other every day, 365 days a year - we will all get bored, very bored. My dad has an interesting analogy. When my mum and my grandma (aka mom in law) quarrel, dad says "this is good, day in day out face the same person and do the same thing is boring, these people just need some quarrels to spice up their lives" - That I think is an interesting out-of-boredom changes to make. So quarrels are good. Haha :-)

See between couples, quarrels help you understand each other more :o) but of course too much of anything is bad :o(

No I am not propogating quarrels, my focus is on positive structural changes.

So these are my structural change plans :
1) Late no more - Never to be late for church and for Ray's Muay Thai class anymore. Respect to God, and to the Committed Instructor.
2) Perceptual Change - Never to think that beggars on streets may be cheaters - so what if they are, you do good, u feel good. How they use your money, thats between them and God.
3) Make the impossible thing happen - I dont think I can do business and make a success out of it. But I dont try I wont know. So I hope my "sideline" (Itouch events) can kick off and be a mini success at least.
4) Change my work-scope - 2 simple accounts, yes how far can I go? Its a matter of perception, if you think it sucks it sucks. So, I am going to initiate sales/mktg activities and turn two dead mouse into hmmmm.....a Disney Success? :o)
5) Make full use of avail resources - Yes I have a gym membership, just like I have a regular Muay Thai class, I wan a regular gym routine that I stick with rain or shine.
6) Hairstyle - Time to change a new hairstyle. I'll do that in Japan. The best change starts from the head! :o)
7) Shed some Kilos - Said that a dozen times. Cant say I didnt lose. But I need to lose some MORE!

Ok, that makes me feel inspired :o)

*Aspire to Inspire*
~6th Sense

Is it really too much to ask?

Not one for regular male-bashing, the only thing that truly annoys the hell out of me is something (that I noticed) men tend to do – over promise, under deliver and do not know how to manage expectations.

Case in point, my designer at work. Alpha-male #1. He is holding me hostage. Why must I nag like a mother and cajole like a girlfriend in order to receive work that is 3 days late when the brief was given ages ago? I must be a real sucker because every time he said he will submit “tomorrow”, its usually sent 72 hours later. I dun really care if you have to go out – do I look like I work around your social calendar? Feeling constipated just waiting for him. Just like a silly girl waiting by the phone for a guy to call when he says he will (but you know he won’t).

Another case in point, our home decorator. Male too. Appointment at 4pm, called 2.5 hours earlier to say he can’t make it as his drafts are not done. Why doesn’t he have the balls to call a day earlier to reschedule? Was it to make us sleep better last night knowing that we will be seeing the drafts of our new place today? Now I’m left with a perfectly sunny Saturday without plans as we had revolved our ENTIRE schedule around him. That really made me boil.

Typical. Men.

~SeamonkeY~

It's the barber's fault!

What happens when your boss and your husband
look like one?


Did God lack creativity when He made my husband?


I still believe God is creative. It's the barber's fault.

No Sell Aiya

Buyer was keen to purchase the HTC Touch Dual from me. Names have been changed to protect user privacy. His name starts with D and I think its a male name unless the parents got into the unusual fix of naming the daughter a boy's name, in hope for a male heir.


Dooh : Sorry for e late sms. ur htc touch dual still available?
6th Sense : Yes

Dooh : How many months old and how much u setting? Sorry I exited from internet already
6th Sense : 3 to 4mths old. Warranty is one year. Why dont you name a price, cos I forgot how much I list:-) think I set 400 or 500plus? I am open. Original price is 800plus

Dooh : Condition?
6th Sense : Very good used twice then keep liao. Hmmm not a savvy pda user. Warranty still valid for the next 8 or 9 months at least

Dooh : My budget not more 300. any chance?
6th Sense : M1 promo 368 if sign plan. original price is 848. I throwing in whole set with headset, pouch, and SD card, if can give 360 its a deal :-)

Dooh : Aiyo without contract is always very ex la. I hv line to recontract at only 268 but no intention to d so. lets' deal at 300la, we can meet tomorrow in town area
6th Sense : I can meet you in tomw afternoon. We meet middle lah 330 k?

* Comments : Look Mr Dooh if you can recontract why arent u doing so, dont try to pull a fast one on me *

Dooh : Aiyo give me 300 la. quick deal and u can spend more time shopping liao la. My location Queenstown, you? Lets meet in e late morning or else evening also can

Dooh : Oh where is your office? I can go pick I can up. Aiyo 300dollars la, I poor man who just lost my phone thats why, Already upset all data lost liao. Help me la, sell it to me at 300la.
6th Sense : I work in Queenstown can meet tomw lunch. Hope you can give me 330 la..i waiting to take the money buy another second hand phone le. Otherwsie I am stuck with a button spoilt phone.

6th Sense : My office is at alexandra technopark..if u driving, turn in from alexandra main road.
Dooh : Near HP?

* Comments : I wrote that purposely to test if he belong to the family of "Rich-make-poor-people-poorer". Reminds me of my ex-lady boss, a rich wife of ex Speaker/MP who can be driven dead or alive by every dollar and cents *


6th Sense : Yes near HP, u driving means u got money lei. I really need the money to buy anor phone. Er please be nice enuf to give me 330. Extra 30dollars also cant make a full tank :-)

Dooh : you driving to work or I can meet u at train station before u start work?
6th Sense : Meet at Queenstown train station. I dont drive, Meet Lunch time cos i start work at 11am.

Dooh : I will use my company car to get there. How about meet before you start work? Ok for me, lunch can be on me at e coffeeshop next to the station la. Let's deal at 300, pls bring along the whole set with purchase receipt

* Comments : For sure! This is a rich man trying to rip off a salaried employee whose money has shrinked by 6% due to inflation. Did you say u were driving a company car, omigod, you own a company! Sorry not selling, matter of principle *

6th Sense : Its ok. I am sure there are other interested buyer, thanks for the offer.
Dooh : ok good night

1.04am - sms conversation ended at this time- :-(

~6th Sense

Paper Sense

OCBC keeps sending me monthly credit card statements even though I’ve discontinued the use of my card ages ago. I’ve gone paperless for most of my bills already – just didn’t have the right sense to call in to ask OCBC to stop because I’m hoping they would appeal to their common sense and stop the next month. But they never did. For 1.5 years.

The green side of me finally made me pick up the phone at 11pm one night to ask them to stop.

After six minutes on hold with messages informing me that the call centre is experiencing a high volume of calls (really, who in their right mind would be making calls to their banks at 11pm at night?), a real person, Mr. X, finally took the call.

I explained the situation and Mr. X said the reason why I am still getting statements was the I have a credit of four cents in my account. Incredulous, I told Mr. X that OCBC can keep that four cents, but to just stop sending me administrative documents. Not a problem, said Mr. X, we just need to “zerorised” your account but please let me put you on hold first. Another 2 minutes later, ok, its done, informed Mr. X, anything else I can help you with?

Despite Mr. X’s chirpy service at ungodly hours, I’m let down by the fact that if I didn’t make the call, the statements will probably keep on coming. OCBC probably spent more than four cents by sending me all these paper work for the past 1.5 years. Can’t imagine how many others besides me have “slipped through the cracks”?

~SeamonkeY~

Business Class to Bangkok

A weekend trip to Bangkok isn't exciting for Singaporeans anymore. I've had friends who are just doing day trips to the City of Angels now - arrive, brunch, shop, massage, seafood dinner and then catch the last flight out from Bangkok back to Singapore. 

Just completed my most recent trip to the city. Ironically, what use to be the draw for me in Bangkok (the shopping) cant't be compared what I think is the least important of any trips i.e. flights and accommodation. 

Kenneth Cole decided to redeem his miles for business class for our flights. Actually, he booked it too late and there wasn't any coach seats left. And after getting on SQ's business class, now I'm craving for another flight out....and i hate to fly. What's the difference between coach and business? For starters, (1) service is really a lot friendlier. I can imagine why the tai tai slapped that stewardess. (2) Linen towels in the bathrooms. One-time use only and gets thrown into the trash. Not very environment-friendly. (3) Noise-cancellation headsets. No more plastics headphones that will ruin your hair. (4) Meals. I chose a low-lactose one for fun for my return trip. Figured the low-lactose meals also = low-salt = high fibre = bland. I consoled myself by thinking its to balance out the lamp chops I had for my flight to Bangkok. 

Friggin' flights were too short. Damn. I'm a converted business-class fan. 

Pictures of the boutique hotel I stayed at next.

~SeamonkeY~ 

Guess What Are These Made Out Of?

~Ribena~

What is This?

Guess what is this?

~rene

Alley Cat View

Picture of the alley next to my office. Guess this is how the neighbourhood looks like to the prowling cats of the estate - they are the real landlords.

~SeamonkeY~

Happy Faces

Spotted these smiley faces at the wet market last weekend. Couldn't resist and snapped it when the stall owner wasn't looking. Can you guess what they are? Clue: They looked too happy to be eaten.

~SeamonkeY~

It's a Wrap!

This is long overdue but I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all my friends who came down to the Rock the Sub and Blues at the House gigs. I feel so looooooved because I know some of you bought tickets just to support my first project at T. Hope you discover some good music along the way!

Tell-tale signs that you have been to a good gig:

#1 The queue to the female washrooms is never ending.

#2 Bracing through crowds of sloashed-out folks during and after the event

#3 Pervs standing at the back of the stage watching artists' butts for 3-hours instead of just buying a ticket. 

#4 Gatecrashers who scheme, scam and try to talk their way into free admission. I love throwing these people out. And while we are on this subject....

- To the "media personnel" who was wearing all manners of media passes and who used the WOMAD name in vain...shame on you for name dropping and how dare you mess with the ten-year-old history WOMAD Singapore has built up. You picked the wrong gig to crash. 

- To the lady from "Ministry of Labour", I am pretty sure this name is no longer in use in the public sector and NOooooooo...write in through the proper channels if you want enter the gates to find out if "the under-aged" are performing on stage. Tip: Come in with some sort of identification, at least the "media personnel" above had 5 or 6 media passes to choose from. 

~SeamonkeY~

Thirty-Nothing

Received well-wishes and prank calls from old friends and a flaming waterfall from new ones. Kennen Coles even sent flowers (though I think guilt paid a huge part since he can't spend the day with me). Overall, not a bad haul for turning thirty. 

And I'm not even hungover.

~SeamonkeY~ 

My First Bridezilla Moment

Oh gawd. 

The photographer requested for a picture of my wedding gown so I asked the bridal boutique for it. Boutique sent over pictures of two gowns that "I have selected" and they were wrong wrong wrong. And the fact that one of them was absolutely hideous. 

*panic sets in*

Wrote a tactful email to boutique that both were definitely not the gown I have selected and attached a really flowery description of how it looked like. Followed up with a call when email was not answered within 3 minutes. Girl who serviced me had left for the day so no one can help me. Now I'm left to kill 18 hours of wild thoughts that my perfect gown was bought / rented out / altered / smeared with red paint. 

~SeamonkeY~

Adeline

Adeline is a really farney "auntie" I met during the course of my work. Her company supplies logistics like tentages, barricades, stages, anything to make an event work.

I'm supposed to come up with an idea to cordon off the river promenade for the Blues at the House event (shameless self-promotion again: if you have not bought your ticket, buy now! Blue Shaddy not to be missed.) and came up with using fabric to tie on to some lightweight barricades to keep pervs who may want to watch from afar but not buy tickets out. Anyway, being a bit concerned of how lightweight these barricades are, I check with Adeline if they will "fly" given that the stretched fabric will give the added force to do so.

And Adeline said, "If the wind is anything like the Myanmar disaster, of course will fly lah. If its any other type of wind, then I need to ask teekong.com already."

~SeamonkeY~

My first blading lesson

Decided to sign up for roller blading lessons with Cc, it's like finally... after countless times of falling down, ex-bfs trying to teach me to finally hurting my tail bone really bad to which the doc told me to stop blading for awhile and to better get blading lessons from the professionals. Paid about $98 (incl of GST) for 5 lessons (note: u join 3 others as well, so not personalised training).

We were late today for the lesson and had to walk briskly directly to the skate school at East Coast. Cc who has been running very frequently was walking about 15 steps in front of me and i was trying to catch up. It was a smack at my face when she said, "Oi you used to be so fit, what happened?" (Yes i used to be the one that could have been the 15 steps ahead of her type) What can i say, 8 mths of work life in X company changed my physical training habits. Either working really late or being so mentally drained that hitting the gym 3 to 4 times a wk and strict dietary habits very quickly soon became things of the past. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

Anyways, had Justin as our coach today. First thing i told Cc was that, oh man he looks so young, prob half our age. I guess when he started teaching he was way off his age. I would say very experienced. I'm a total baby when it comes to roller blading. So i had to start from scratch while Cc was already blading away and doing cooler stuffs. Fine by me, because i'm a firm believer of building the right foundations first and asking the right questions, then everything else will just fall into place. Fell twice actually, haha. But being an ex-dancer, I know how to do it with grace (actually part of the lesson is also to know the right mtd of falling). Put on a straight-face and get up again.

On the whole, i think i burnt a few cals and had a great time. :) Ooh... body's starting to ache actually... see i told u i need to get back in shape. :P

~ Lara ~

Happy Mother's Day!

Just wanted to wish all mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day!

We had quite a special sunday service at church today, specially dedicated to all mothers. To Honor, to encourage and to appreciate them, being the selfless mother and wife to their family.

Indeed, being a mother is not easy. And there is definitely no 10-year series, white papers to read or training for this job. You will just have to take it when it comes.

I thank God for my mother. Much as sometimes I am frustrated with her, but she never gave up loving me, taking care of me and guiding me through my years of life. She's my friend, my pillar of strength and a role model that I can mirror after. I guess much as she draws strength from me, I feed off her strength as well. Thanks to her, even tho there are quite a fair bit of 'storms' i went through recently, she's been there with me to tide me through. I will never forget the time she's spent nurturing me and keeping me company when i was hospitalised as a kid (yep went thru pain and the hospital was like my annual chalet).

So would just like to declare it out loud that I love you mum!

On a lighter side of things, it's all feeling darn strange. I actually had 4 people in church wishing me "Happy Mother's Day"! I'm like HUH? Do you see my kid running about? Or where's my husband? Or does it mean that my age is starting to reflect on my appearance?

Wah lao....

~ Lara ~

Yesterday Once More

Last night was a night of nostalgia as McGracie and I trudged down memory lane (i.e. places where we have not been in years), heard old music, and bumped into old friends and nemesis.

We began at Tonkichi – the last meal I had there was in the late ‘90s? The fry was still as good but prices have gone up by 30% since I was last there! Still, free-flow of cabbage and rice remains. In fact, we spotted a lady who went diligently around tables with a giant puff-up ball of shredded cabbage. It’s a scam really; the vegetable is just there to make you feel slightly healthier about yourself. And then you indulge in more fry.

During dinner conversation, McGracie was told that Sparks disco had been converted to a high-end Chinese restaurant. Disbelieving me, we set out to locate it on Level 7 at Ngee Ann City and never found the Sparks-in-Chinese-restaurant-clothing. It’s like it was never there. We welcome all those who have information on its whereabouts.

Passing by The Sub next, The Great Spy Experiment happened to be playing after the screening of Control, the film on Ian Curtis. We went in to catch the last few songs and to hear Saiful and gang masquerading as Joy Division by requesting everyone to go to myspace and facebook to look for them. Cute.

Sweltering in the black box’s heat, McGracie spotted L, her ex-boyfriend’s ex-fling which makes L, McGracie’s ex-nemesis. What probably made it worse was that L didn’t even break into a sweat even though she was in a leather jacket. “On my gawd, she is still into all these stuff? Even Al has moved on to become a mother.” said McGracie. Al is another ex-fling of her ex-boyfriend.

And to end the night, we met En, my old director and mutual LMF-fanzi after the performance. En went on and on about the last LMF gig we caught in JB and the shows we used to stage. And now I have to invite him to the wedding.

I’m rambling I know, but last night got me thinking that I used to have more fun. Would paying a mortgage, deciding on a wall colour and sharing a bed with KC kill everything else?

~SeamonkeY~

Time for some shameless self-promotion

ROCK THE SUB / 12 indie bands / 6pm / 7 June 2008 / Tickets from $13.50* (comes with a drink for all you alcoholic fiends) from The Substation Box Office and Timbre outlets.

BLUES AT THE HOUSE / 7 blues bands from Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia + Stage set against the river / 14 June 2008 / Tickets from $22.50* (with a drink too) from The Arts House Box Office and Timbre outlets.

Show your love for me, peeps. Buy a ticket.

www.timbre.com.sg

~SeamonkeY~

AM/SAE/AE wanted...

Intelligent adrenalin-junkies out there who are looking for job in the digital world (actually fresh grads can apply), let me know...

AM - Send an email with a brief bkgrd on yourself to chyna_pigg@hotmail.com

SAE/AE - Apply here: < http://jobscentral.com.sg/viewSimpleProfile.php?eid=20205&jid=111312 >

Ps. Yes I wish I was actually talking about my own company, but sadly not... :D

~ Lara ~

Strange Encounters

Had drinks with some friends today... lo and behold, next table, was my ex-player bf from many yrs back (my velvet days). It was really strange to see him again, let alone seated at the next table to where i was. Heard that the whole nite he was trying to smile at my direction. Honestly, I can't be bothered.

So who's this guy i hear u say... He's the one who looks like one of the HK singers (alex to) and drives (use to at least) a lotus convertible and a 5-series BMW. Tries all ways to upkeep his extravagant lifestyle and doesn't believe in downgrading.

If you ask me, i'd say he's downright stupid. That said, ok fine, as long as he's happy.

Ps. It's the 3rd day, still no pings from J. I hope he's well...

~ Lara ~

A New Campaign

For Farmboy, for Lara and for myself...this week is the start of "Getting-rid-of-your-baggage" Campaign.

It can only get better tomorrow because today really sucks.

~SeamonkeY~

Saturday @ home

It's funny how I actually consider Work to be my new best friend. Well at least you stop thinking about things...

Just thought it's funny that i received a random call from a marketing agency for "Beauty Slim", saying that in line with the company's 1st anniversary, i've got a free facial... honestly Big deal! But what really intrigued me was that they actually used a guy to call up which i presume predominantly a whole tel line of women. He's got such a deep, masculine voice with a nice American accent that it's hard to even be rude to him or to cut him off. It's quite a nice tactic actually...

Yes, i'm feeling better. Thanks for your concern. Still missing him badly...

~ Lara ~

Painful Friday...

It's Friday. To many, Fridays are like the best day of the week, and it would mean going out for drinks, hanging with friends to watch the latest movie, catching up over dinner, being with your loved one etc. You know, I use to look forward to Fridays, like a reward sorta thing, spending time with your loved one where every min was precious. And when if it's someone you love dearly, it doesn't have to be your 5-star restaurant, just hawker will suffice. What matters would only be the moment. Now maybe that may never happen again. Even if it does, i don't know when...

(Ps. I did txt to 'open the door' but he didn't walk in.)

"Get a life and move on" I hear you say... "Enough of the wallowing already". Well this is my blog right? I've got the right to air my piece.

Truth is that in the state that i'm in, I am in no state of being the social butterfly... Absolutely no mood... not that my friends aren't impt, but it's just a certain loss that you have deep within that nothing can ever replace.

I've had my fair share of r/s and break-ups. To date, the hardest for me ever is to liberate someone whilst still loving him deeply (it's my 2nd time). I'm not exactly sure how the story will end, only time will tell.

Stupidly, earlier on, I was watching the TCS 8, 9pm drama earlier on, they had to have a scene where the girl was going to leave the cty, the bf was hanging around her block downstairs waiting for her. In a nutshell, this girl revived the guy's once-dead heart and he was determined not to let her go, because they both know that they will never be happy if they ever let each other go. The guy proposed, girl cried and they both hugged each other.

*BIG SIGH* OK maybe such things only happen on tele/movies.


~ Lara at a loss ~

Defining agony

Have you ever felt so alone? You can cry and scream, yet no one sees your tears or hear you? This weekend was pretty much one of my worst weekends ever. Even though I'm christian and i've got my God, but i'm only human, i still do feel that he's far away from me at times.

Feel there's no one who really understands me. No one really bothers reaching out... and all these while, i've been the one who's doing that. Trying to be the best that I can be. And each time various individuals keep 'pokin' at me, expecting me to take every shit. The final pin that broke the camel's back had to come from my own mother. Never did i know I would have the courage to walk away in a huff from her, but i did. Raced home, locked myself in my room and cried. Cried so hard that hours went by... cried to sleep, woke up, cried somemore again... I kept screaming out "God help me pls..." it was an agony that is pretty much indescribable with words.

Evening came, mum knocked my door and asked me what's wrong with me. I pushed her away and ask her to leave. I couldn't and didn't want her see me in this state. But I guess a mother's love prevails and persists. Even though you push her away she still loves you just the way you are, that was literally love in action yesterday. Told her what's wrong, i started screaming and then it was her turn, she cried and i cried. We talked things out and she finally prayed for me...
Through this whole ordeal and the emotional exchange that i had with mum i realised a couple of things, that she is already very proud of me in all that i've done and that i'm her strength. She draws her strength from me because sometimes she feels that my dad and bro isn't there for her. And through it all, she loves me dearly and just doesn't want to see me hurt. And i guess that's y she is the way she is with me...

Ytd was my 5 mths anni with J, he wasn't with me. Maybe he's fuming away and that i've made him irritable and mad. Feel as though i've been reduced to the ever subservient girl...Honestly i don't know why things turn out this way, i'm tired. All i ever want is to be the best for him. I only wish i can turn back the clock to the time we first met. Things were so different then...i bought him a gift anyhow, maybe i'll pass it to him when i meet him.

Am on 2 days MC because of a terrible migraine as a result of the past couple of weeks of 'pain'. Just saw the doc, he actually asked if i was going to be suicidal. haha... I'm not stupid, i still consider life to be a gift from God. Even right from birth, i already know that i've got a destiny in my Father's kingdom. I'm already feeling slightly better, drawing strength, hope and joy from my heavenly father.

Maybe there's a lesson to be learnt from all these. What doesn't kill, make you a stronger person.

~ Lara ~

What is wrong with this signage?

How can it be a storewide sale if it is on selected items only?

~SeamonkeY~

Food for thought

On a daily basis, as a couple both should be mindful of the reason/s of why he/she entered the relationship in the first place.

Then perhaps relationships in general would be more blissful.

Maybe...huh?

~ Lara ~

Who pissed me off today

I like man to be A MAN.

Man enough to take things in their stride, be generous and magnanimous at heart and stay cool when things get messy and solution-ised and not be a complaint freak.

A colleague in office, a man biologically, a woman in thinking (names forbidden in this blog).

I stay by the rule, if you think the company is not fair to you, didnt give you a good business unit to handle, leave by all means and find a greener pasture. I am aghasted at man whining non stop to the whole world and not coming up with solutions. Even more terrorised by such lady-man who start "verbally attacking" colleagues who are not responsible for the lousy accounts he has on hand.

Typical conversation with he-she, which at times pisses me off:

6th Sense : Hey customer is looking for this PC model which is under your care.
He-she : Customer didnt call me to ask for it
6th Sense : Customer needed 5 headphones frm my side and 1 from your side, so naturally they spoke with me and want me to pass the message to you.
He-she : hmm...ok lor. Anyway she have this headset wat, she can open from her stocks and treat it as a demo item lor
6th Sense : ok, you may wanna speak with her direct then
He-she : Customer didnt call me, you can call her lor

He-she : *giggles* Today your dress like pyjamas like that
6th Sense : *graciously* Hahhaa yah it looks big on me yeah! I cant find a belt to match it lei
He-she : *infront of a slight crowd* I know I know...nowadays you come to work late, so you just wear your pyjamas to work.
6th Sense : *forced smile*

Politics. Jealosy. Anger. Watever. I am not losing my cool. Rest assured I dont want to be talking to this lady-man anymore. Potential of being "betrayed" by him.

For christ sake do you have to tell the whole world I come in late?!

I smell danger with lady-man. Wonder what his wife sees in him?

6th Sense (*pissed but still cool*)

Who impressed me today...

Stress... don't you just hate that word? I'm suffering the repercussions of "Stress" now, having rashes on my neck and body.

I work in an interesting and "colorful" company, filled with "colorful" characters and not to mention, their "colorful" language... where the F-word seems almost as pleasant as "Hey...Gd morning, you look nice today!". A more recent update was that we actually had this as a point on a deck, and i quote "profanities are allowed here". Goodness me... i really wish people will stop swearing, it'll just make the world better place to live in.

Back to my "colorful" company... i am always interested to see how other men treat their women, be it gf or wives. And i guess to date, i can quite safely say, i know who the wonderful gentlemen are. :)

I bumped into one such gentlemen at the lift whilst on my way down the building. Hardly really speak to him, but my sources have told me that he can be really hot-headed and has quite the temper when it comes to work. When it comes to love, he's like a softie and is like the sweetest to his gf. Even when he's hard at a discussion with his team, if and when his gf calls, he picks up, tells her politely that he's at a discussion and will call her back later. I mean, the men who actually does that these days are far and few between.

Anyway, the conversation went like this:

Lara: Hi! Going back ah?
Man: Um, not really... i'm going for a drink.
Lara: *Raise eyebrows* Wah, so much energy, after such a long day at work, not tired still need to go and 'entertain'?
Man: Actually I AM tired... but my gf is meeting her friends. So i'll like to be there. Duty calls...
Lara: OH man, i think you're really sweet.
Man: I think so too... Ok here's my stop, taaa....

Okkaay... this may sound simple enough but all i can say is, given the industry that i'm in, and knowing what sort of person he is, I'm impressed.

~ Lara ~

In fact I do have a problem...

I was told today that perhaps I should reflect to see if I had a problem... for the second time. The first was my mother. I've always strived to be the best that I can be, be it at work, when i'm at home, with friends and with r/s. So how can there be a problem with me? Actually, come to think about it, I think I do have a problem.

I'm a peacemaker by nature and naturally but unfortunately, because of that, I tend to want to please people (esp the ones I'm close to), consciously and subconsciously. As a result of it, sometimes I end up internalising things and stressed, even getting a tad too sensitive.

Smiling even when i'm internally not happy, doing the stupidest things just to make someone smile, accommodating to conversations even though I had a really bad day, not saying my piece just to maintain peace at home. But, all I ever want is for the people that I love to be happy.

And unfortunately, this is a hard problem to solve and i don't think it'll ever be out of my system. So, God help me...maybe i should start cardio boxing again... need to channel my frustrations out.

Melancholicly yours,
Lara

Not just another wedding...

My nephew, Gav, got married this wkend. And though i'm not entirely close to him, but I had a wonderful time at his wedding, and my blessings to them both for eternity. I have attended many weddings but i have to say, his was by far the sweetest. The couple have been friends for the past 15 yrs and a couple for 13 yrs. The entire nite, both couldn't take their eyes off each other. They kissed each other just before they entered the ballroom. She teared when he sang her the wedding singer song "Growing Old with you". She hugged him, he took care of her every need. He beamed with pride the entire nite, showing off his new bride... 13 yrs!
I thought to myself they must have many long years ahead of each other. A love relationship that will stand through time.

What really impressed me was that they have been together for 13 long yrs and yet, they seemed as though they are celebrating their 1st mth anniversary. What is their secret... how do they do it? I wish...

Anyway... i wish them both well.

~ Lara ~

Names Schenames

I usually do not take notice of such things but ever since I have started house hunting, junk mail is not longer junk but carefully sieved through for housing information.

This was spotted at the void deck of Kenneth Cole’s home. Nothing really of interest to us but I was tickled pink by the names of the agents. In such a competitive market, you really have to pull out all stops in a bid for potential customers to give your flyer a second glance.

In case you have a problem sqinting, agent on the left is called Ah Boy and agent on the right is called Kiasu Ong.

~SeamonkeY~

Room with a View

This is the view from my new office.

Plans are already brewing in my head to turn this roof access into a permanent VIP area overlooking the stage below. Hmmm… maybe its best to wait till after my probation.

~SeamonkeY~

McGriddles...My lil fun experience...

I've been having a pregnated craving (in the figuritive sense, silly) for McDonald's breakfast since I last saw the standee with the McGriddles Poster a week ago. McGriddles is essentially your hotcakes meet sausage McMuffin (Seriously! Just nd to replace the Muffin bun with hotcakes bun). For those who love sweet and salty type food (like SeaMonkey), well this could possibly be your thing.

To me, the McDonald's brand and food speaks of FUN. And you have to take your hat off the McD's peeps... and possibly bow in awe "we are not worthy" when it comes to branding and product development and innovation. McGriddles to me is the perfect example. I absolutely had no idea what it was to begin with, all i know was that "McGriddles" sounded FUN. So that sparked my curiosity and triggered that 'pregnated' craving within the foodie in me. And even though when i unwrapped the McGriddles, sausage with egg, the hotcake bun was quite soggy, i didn't mind it. To me the whole experience was fun to the max.

Did i like the taste? It was not too bad. Would I eat it again? Probably not, the sweet/salty thing is really not quite my thing. I'll stick with my usual Egg McMuffin. But hey, when it comes to personal preference and taste, it's highly subjective.

Ps. Did you know? McD's write press releases about every single new burger they introduce to the market. It was fun when i was doing their PR many yrs back.

~ Lara ~

Well... can't think of any title for this... so Shoot me!

Previously Lara was caught up in her own world, now that she's back... Actually, she doesn't know if she's really back... Ok, she's now confused.

Met Seamonkey for a couple of drinks earlier (I guess it's now more convenient :D ), anyways, it's always wonderful to be able to engage in some girly banter now and then. So on my way to Seamonkey, I dropped by at MAC to buy zoomlash (the mascara)... and for marketers who totally endorse the whole social networking scene, i have to say this... MAC ZoomLash totally ROCKS! Retailed at only $21 but for me it's the best brand of mascara in SG.

Background to this... I'm trying my best to be a wise steward of my money, so i'm trying not to splurge on make-up or beauty products. Ok, products concerned... a mascara and a btl of shampoo.

Case 1: Mascara
- Went to Guardian and got suckered in to buying a Maybelline branded mascara. Yes, thanks to the stupid sign that says "Japan's No. 1 Best Seller". Ok fine... spent about less than $15 for it. So the next morning, i tried it...and it TOTALLY FAILED ME.
- As if one bad experience with a cheap brand wasn't enough, i had to go try another. Loreal's latest telescopic range of mascara. Forked out another $10-odd, only to find that it wasn't looking like Penelope Cruz's lashes, and it seemed as tho i had nothing on my lashes. So totally failed as well...

Moral of the story: Forget about saving and stick to my trusted brand, it's still cheaper than doing your own 'market research' on the other cheaper alternatives.

Case 2: Shampoo
- I have this diva friend who totally digs supermarket brands of shampoo. As most would know i can't use supermarket brands and only use salon brands. It's not that i'm spoilt, i really don't have a choice.
- So she recommended me to use Loreal Elseve. I've just started using my 2nd bottle of the shampoo and it's starting to cause my hair to drop and flakes starting to appear on my scalp. Being someone with already having weak root problem, I cannot allow this to happen. I mean, it will be a total disaster if i potentially end up looking like a cancer patient so young!
- Since then, i've caved in to buying my trusted brand of Kerastase and Rene Futerer (works esp well if you've got weak roots problem).

Moral of the story: You need to know how your body works. To each his/her own, if you can't take cheap products, don't. Some things are not worth saving the $$ for.

Ok... i'm tired now.

Signing out...
~ Lara ~

Air Head

I know that the Singapore Airshow is old news but I have been meaning to load this up for a while now. I have been offline for a while and you can't expect me to blog at work, do you?

Went to the Airshow with Farmboy and as usual, when we get together, its all hoots and sexual innuendos. Yes, that boy needs to be laid soon. Make that immediate. Who knows that a family affair like the Airshow can be so (s)exciting?


~SeamonkeY~

On The Job

First week into the new job and I have already

* developed a love-hate relationship with my new mac

* rescued two day-old kittens from the rooftop

* bribed the chefs with teh and kopi

Looks like its off to a rousing start. Oh yeah, the music rocks too. 

~SeamonkeY~

Nibble my feet Spa Fish!

Nestled in the greens of Sungai Tengah, the Fish Spa in Qian Hu has (unknown to me) been attracting screaming crowds. We just became one of them. Hmmm..more like KP.

The little spa fishes nibble your dead skin. They are known as Spa Fish or Doctor fish, from the carp family. KP's 30 over years of Dead Skin was indeed a "charging moment" for the fishes. Big and small, they charged and nibbled away at Kp's accumulated dead skin, obviously sending that poor chap squirming and laughing away with each ticklish moment.

Great fun to see the fishes going in between the leg hair to find a spot to nibble. They are like eagles, no prey escape their eyes. This time, no dead skin escapes their formidable nibble!

G'eed to send you laughing non stop with the tickle (if you are one of those who cant stand ticklish-ness). By far, Qian Hu offers the cheapest. $ 10 for 30 mins but they dont keep track. We fed ourselves to the fishes for a good one hour. Seamonkey highlighted we could keep the towels and slippers. Is that a compensation from Mr Qian Hu - "Thanks for feeding my fishes, pai seh hor, please take the china made slippers and towels as a token of my appreciation"


Fish Spa, Qian Hu Fish Farm
71 Jalan Lekar, Agrotechnology Park,
tel: 6766-7087

After wandering through the fishy surrounds of this farm in Lim Chu Kang, try out its fish spa in a big communal pool ($10 for 30 minutes, with slippers and towels which you are free to take home)

~6th Sense (the occassional pedicure means, business is just so-so at my side of the communal pool)

Uncle AWOL

There are three things I like Chinatown for - cheap toiletries, even cheaper CDs and fishballs.

So to my dismay, I reacently discovered that my favourite CD shop in Chinatown changed hands. Its a tiny shop at Pearl's Centre (the one smack right outside Outram MRT) nestled in between Giordano and my other favourite - the fishball stall.

Instead of the always cheery, middle-aged uncle I find sitting behind shaky stacks of CDs, a surly looking girl took his usual spot instead. Ever optimistic, I asked the girl
"Do you have the new Jack Johnson album?"
"Jack Johnson?" blank look. "Ask him, ask him." she pointed to another sales assistant.
"Where is the regular uncle?"
"I dunno. Ask him, ask him"

"Oh Jack Johnson, there you go..." he said, passing me Jack's Curious George soundtrack from ions back.
"Do you have his latest?"
"He came out with a new one?"

Disappointed. "Do you have The Roots?"
"Erm, you look under R."

I searched and gave up...
"Where is the regular uncle?"
"I dunno. They didn't say."

First of all, Uncle knows where all his CDs are kept in that strange non-alphabetised, organised chaos manner. No one has to search for CDs because he knows exactly where to dig them out from. This is the man who gently chided me when I asked for POD (for the record, I was asking on a friend's behalf) "Pod? Pod? Oh you mean Payable On Death. P.O.D ah?" he said then. This is the man who knew the difference between Ryan Adams and the other Adams. This is the man who generously passes out his business cards and says "Next time, call before you come so we can check the stocks for you."

Uncle will never ask me to look under R.

~SeamonkeY~

Pie Pie Baby

I love pies. Eating them, baking them, dissecting their fillings… so I got really enthusiastic when a new pie shop opened near my home.

I was even more excited when I realised it was not a pie franchise from some AM country but truly a locally born and bred business idea. All this from just its namesake.


I was so amused I had to bring Sixth Sense to check out the shop. She was equally tickled when we spotted its email address simidaiji@piekia.sg.

The only clue given to the brains behind this ingenuity is this manga version of Pie Kia Shop’s owner/chef spotted on their packaging, complete with dyed streaks and an earring.

So if you are ever around my area, do check out their Toa Pie Kia (big pies with crumbly crust, just the sort I would like to perfect), regular Pie Kia (smaller pies with a flaky crust, picture below) or their Pie Seh (fruity dessert pies). And of course Sixth Sense had to add her 2-cents worth and came up with a Hokkien colloquial playing on the word “pie” for another range of pies they can start. But it would just be rude to print the name here.

*hint: contains a character from our favourite anatomy*

~SeamonkeY~

Happy Valentine's Day, Folks!

Lurve makes you do the wacky.

~SeamonkeY~

The Mist MUST WATCH !!!!!

Since the days of 6th Sense, I have never felt extremely exhilirating for any other show till The Mist came about.

Written by the psychotic-looking Stephen King, he brings you into a world of mystery, one that has made me sit up as if walking into the cinema screen, one that has made my heart skip multiple beats and my tears trickle for the lost souls and the hopeless survivors.

Story starts with an unusual storm. One which many thought was a mere freaky weather which will come and go. Life goes on in this small town called Maine. People gathered in supermarket gossiping about Military Projects and hell break loose when a frantic man came running in "There's something in the mist", with blood trickling down his forehead and a fear-stricken face.

Creatures from God-knows-where, they fly, they kill, they suck. Unbelievers snare and claim creatures do not exist in the world. Lips zipped once they saw tentacled creatures eating up a young boy and dead half-body right outside the mart.

Who were these creatures?

Were they part of the Military Project to explore the "other world"

The story heightens with Marcia Gay (acting as Mrs Carmody) - she claims the biblical theory of the end of the world, a sinful world to fall according to God's will and when night falls, death will come knocking.

Irritating and totally unaccceptable in a moment when people were finding ways to save themselves out of the supermart!

Then the unthinkable happens, when driven to desperation, God becomes the pillar people hang onto. Vulnerability drives religion as people started embracing the biblical theories, Marcia became a paster in supermart.

Blood-thirsty creatures rob more lives. Marcia rob their minds through preaching the word of God. The ironic part, the believers wont getting God to save them. They believed death was inevitable for God's will was to punish, hmm..not quite a good light shone on christianity, anyway...

So on one hand you have the hero trying to think of ways to escape while the "extremist" are intending to face death in God's name. Internal rivalry robs more lives, as if the blood thirsty creatures were not enough.

Push comes to shove, a gun shot was heard. Marcia lays dead on the floor - internal rivalry loses ground. Guess what happend at this point? Audience clapped!! Oh mine, how much we hated Marcia the irritating preacher obstructing the lifes of so many!

Thomas Jane (the male lead and the hero) brings whoever he could bring along in the escape route. Quick-witted and smart, Thomas creates emotional highs and lows in this show. Just when you thought they were safe and sound, driving out of destroyed town, the unthinkable must happen.

No petrol. How stupid!

Life came to a stop, Thomas search for bullets. 5 pax in the car, 4 bullets left. Sad, sad, sad. After all the ordeals, the survivors sat in the car despaired, creatures still roaming outside the car. Has life really really come to an end? Is this really God's will, I mean what are the chances of having so little petrol left in the car such that you couldnt even travel more than 300m from the supermart? Oh well, its a show!

4 gunshots heard. Thomas was the only survivor, he screams his lungs out, he runs out of the car calling for the creatures to devour him.

And guess the ending?

Go and watch it!

~6th Sense (show rating : wasnt even holding KP's hands throughout the show)

The First In...

...Many months

That i was actually served sad food at home.
Nothing feels crappier than to come back after a hard day's work and eat really bad dinner (esp when i had only salad for lunch). So here's the menu for tonite:

Staple: Rice (1 Tablespoon)
Main:
- Onion infested prawn omelette (Detest onions - 1 Tablespoon)
- Chicken breast and spare parts (hard meat that tasted like cardboard and the literal skin covering the bones bits) (1 Small piece)
- Corn Starchy Asparagus with shitake mushrooms with oyster sauce (A couple of strands)

Nuff said... Forgive me father, i know that there are many starving Ethiopian children around the world and that I should be thankful. But i really can't swallow them all...

That although i had a job and was working, but feels like i'm doing REAL work now.
I'm glad that things are starting to pick up at work. I feel i'm actually contributing. So though really busy, but it's well worth it. :) That said, i'm kinda peeved that my bonus + pay's not in yet. Major sian-ness...

That I had decided to return to blogging.
Damn Pai Seh *Blush*

...Many years

That I actually had a client screamed her lungs out at me.
Yes, she did! I actually found it hilarious (and it wasn't even my fault). The perils of servicing life! Forever being at the mercy of your clients... So to be or not to be a client. Perhaps lara, you should give that a serious consideration.

That I actually found someone that I can love and having him love me back.
Oh i actually sent a text to my guy, JW to complain of the bad dinner that i had, he called me the next 5 mins to tell me that he's flying over with a couple of small cakes. :D And everyone goes... "Awwwwwwww" hehe... Seriously, i'm glad to have found someone like JW that i can love and get loved in return. He makes me laugh and brightens my day. Gives me a sense of security that no one has ever given to me (i'm not talking monetary). But the sweetest of them all is that He says that he'll take care of me...

So definitely the first in many years... Lara's feeling blissful. :)

~Lara~

How to Screw Up Interviews

#1 Do practise short-term memory loss and keep your candidate waiting while you enjoy a long, leisurely lunch and then proceed to taaaarik those cigarettes.

#2 Do have 3 persons on the panel – a young chap who doesn’t seem to have a vested interest in the interview, a real wheeling-and-dealing CEO and the obligatory female person.

#3 Do not introduce yourself from the onset but only when candidate asked for your name card at the end of the interview.

#4 Do look lost and awkward in between questioning while rummaging through your heads what next to ask.

#5 Do remember to not peruse the resume PRIOR to the interview. All reiterations of the resume and clarifications can be made face-to-face with candidate, prolonging the already torturous interview.

#6 Do ask seemingly intelligent questions such as “What is your perspective on marketing?”.

#7 And upon candidate’s pursue of the context behind the seemingly intelligent question, repeat the question louder as if the volume of your voice would make up for the lack of depth of question.

A lesson well learnt for $6.70 of cab fare and 45 minutes of my life. Cao ah-beng.

~SeamonkeY~

After months of trying

I have finally discovered how 2 persons can fit on a single bed and still achieve a good night's sleep.

Answer lies here below in technicolour details for the rest of you still trying to work out the equation (besides buying a double bed of course):

~SeamonkeY~

I am Amazed

..at how men get fascinated with tools, screws, nuts and bolts and all that circuitry stuff. Anything that test their handyman or mobile skills get their adrenaline shot up to the highest brain cell.

I am sitting now, as I pen in this girly diary of ours, at the infamous rc track at Queenstown. Infamous for "stealing" boyfriends and husbands from the women who wish they were the remote control the man turn twist and manoevre all the time.

Sitting here, watching the adrenaline boys changing tyres, coming back frm the track wide eyed sweating profusely and grinning from ear to ear then turning serious to prepare for the next race, its an eye-opener. These boys, dont need drugs to get high.

As I see cables lying all over the soon-to-fall apart wooden table, boxes of screws and what nots, and the woman who gather around the table with their kids and cleo magazine, me with the IBM. I think such is the meaning of compromise, which I am beginning to understand.

You can only wish you were their remote control. For now, I am just satisfied sitting here learning psychological behaviours and seeking compromise with the man, the BOY I mean.

~6th Sense

Left Behind

It's a bit like being dumped, really.

So along came someone. His pockets weren't deep but you didn't mind because he was free-spirited, stood by his causes and had great taste in music. You thought this was the right one – everything fitted. As time pass, it started to fizzle. Then the speech came I think this is not working out. Its not you, its me. We can hang on for a couple of more months but we can't avoid the inevitable. Heartbroken and apparently oblivious as hell too, you attempted to plough on. Few days later, I can't do this. I'm sorry but you have to move out in two weeks time. I need space. Crushed. Ego bruised. You question about yourself. And then you learned about the sealed truth. It really wasn't you, it was someone else.

Now you walk away. You look for someone new.

~SeamonkeY~

In Transit

6th Sense posed a hypothetical scenario to me which I in turn, raised with Kenneth Cole.

Job A pays 3XXX, offers the same scope of works you are doing now, is in the music/entertainment industry. Job B pays 4XXX, again offers the same scope, but for a completely different (read: boring) product.

SeamonkeY: Which job do you think I will take?
KC: Based on your track records, Job A.

SY: But which job SHOULD I take?
KC: (pause) $4XXX… professional engineers sometimes don’t even make that much you know.
SY: So your answer is B then?
KC: Yah.. it is $4XXX. Job B.

SY: So what’s the job to take as a fair decision for both of us?
KC: (even longer pause) Hmmm....Job A lah. I don’t want you to come back every night and bitch about work. Big house but empty. You need to be happy.

I’m very glad I made the biggest decision of my life based on a really good pair of shoes.

~SeamonkeY~

$^&#%@^&$%

pissed / cheesed / annoyed / bitter / enraged / fuming / hot /indignant/ furious / mad / offended/ outraged / provoked / riled / sore / angry / incensed / boiling / upset / livid

betrayed / heartbroken

~SeamonkeY~

New York, In Love

I only buy books at airports for long flights and since there is still an outstanding fine from the National Library Board since 1992, my current reading materials are now limited to stuff lying around the house – and its quite a fair bit given that my sis stays over pretty often nowadays.

My sis is still hung up about New York since her 3-months love affair with the Big Apple more than ten years ago so its not strange that she is still reading the New York magazine regularly now. I do think I would be as hung up as her if I had been there for a longer while (oddly like the idea that it is one of the very few cities in States that encourage you to walk instead of driving everywhere) but for whatever that I had experience in New York in that short span of time, it was enough to entice me for repeated visits in time to come (fingers crossed!)



In the meantime, I have the year-end double issue of New York magazine that has dished up the third edition of reasons to love NY to be contended with. I'm at #27 and it's a lovely article of how couples who have met on the infamous subway and lived happily ever after http://nymag.com/news/articles/reasonstoloveny/2007/42047/ All the more reason to love New York. Why can't our MRT be like that?

~SeamonkeY~

BBQ-ing into the New Year

What's a BBQ without funny pictures of sausages?

Males do not plan for frivolous stuff such as anniversaries, birthdays, eves of important holidays while females read too much into them. I’m ecstatic just to learn that Kenneth Cole made reservations at a restaurant. I promise to find a balance between both points of view in 2008.

Perhaps as an indication of what’s to come, the new year was ushered in quietly with a corridor BBQ for two. Save for the nagging thoughts at the back of my mind that neighbours would either #1 Call the police to complain or #2 Jostle a spot around the pit with us, BBQ-ing along the corridor was refreshing, intimate and reminded me of kampong days.

I came up with BBQ and KC came up with corridor…still fine-tuning that balance.

~SeamonkeY~