Happy New Year 2008!

It's the end of 2007!!

Just this day last year I was resting at home and getting ready for the big happening night at Sentosa..for work -.-" (what a spoiler..spending the night with banglas and victimised damsels).

This year today, I am somewhere else, but think will still see banglas and victimised damsels tonight.......hmm.......

It has been an interesting year, and prob ended with a surprising twist :p

2008 sure looks promising, and definitely more interesting than 2007!

Well, in the department of new year resolutions.. not that I can ever remembered what was it last year..

but I would sure like to do the following in 2008
(i) Attain my 12% and more
(ii) Do my advanced diving (it is taking too long!! Could have done it like 2 years back)
(iii) Learn how to cook
(iv) Be able to look at life straight in the face (heck..that's what going up the next age bracket is for right?! At least make the numbers worth its while :/)
(v) Spend more time with my loved ones and friends

To all whom I cant get to wish you in person/over FB
happy new year!

无题

Today was a too good a day to waste spending in the office. The sky was alomst cloudless, perfect for a day out at the beach. It's funny how the wet/cold weather accompany christmas die-ded along with the passing of the holiday.

Nevertheless, today was still a day in the office. Albeit a very empty office. Most people were on leave, and by afternoon, I was the only person left in my division...好无聊。Sent out whatever was owing (finally!!), but knowing that it will definitely boomerang back. It feels like haggling, overlaid with big and offical sounding words.

2008 is coming soon. A friend passed the comment that there will usually be a lot of stuff happening towards the end of the year. Stuff dont mean parties, gatherings - the comment was triggered by the news of the assasination of Benezir Bhutto. A big event for the current, a small ripple in the long river of time.

A little bird of peace flew into my office unannounced..

The fox squirrel from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind kept popping into my mind.

Darn..I am getting too introspective again. Time to cut hair.

无底洞

Heard 2 heartbreak stories today. One was long brewing, the other quite totally out of the blue.

For the first, it was a LDR - my dear friend met the guy while in NY, and she decided to pursue her career in LDN subsequently. Issues came as they stayed apart. They broke up. Tried to get back together again. And things are still not looking good.

For the other, the couple seems to be quite in love from the start. But it seems there were turbulence beneath the surface and things just snapped.

Made me wonder - why exactly do people hook up?

I know it's damn weird that I am thinking of this now, esp since I just bit the bullet myself (I am not blogging about this,cos it's too personal and close to the heart to put it on www :) maybe some time later..)

让我想起Tanya's Chua's 的无底洞..

穿梭一段　又另一段　感情中
爱为何总填不满也掏不空
很快就风起云涌
人类的心是个无底洞

尝试亲吻　尝试拥抱　或沟通
没有好感再尝试也没有用
大多数人都相同
喜欢的只是爱情的脸孔
很快就风起云涌
人类的心是个无底洞

Reality check or vicious thinking pattern? According to a coffee partner, it is definitely a reality check. According to the Leo, it depends on what you choose to believe in - believe in the sceneraio (good/bad) and it will happen (good/bad).

I guess I have to be able to hold my own..given the question marks that I have. I should be able to take things as they come, which is why the lessons from previous failed relationships should prove useful in this juncture?

I seriously hope so. It feels like learning to ride the bicycle - after falling so many times and suffering so many scrapped knees and elbows, dejections, disappointments...will I still be able to muster the courage to try another time, recalling the previous failings and figuring what will make it work..another accident waiting for happen or finally be able to glide effortlessly on the two-wheeler?

Maybe I should just quit listening to sad love songs :p

Xmas Gathering at Qiu's place

As tradition dictates, the team has the annual Xmas gathering cum gift exchange dinner :) Cant remember where we had it last year (was it also at Guat's place?feels like it..I mean of course that is why you got married and got a house right, so that you can host the team periodically for all the appropriate vices...bingeing and MJ!:p)


Was super hungry when reached Guat's place, and the steamboat had already started. Zoomed in straight to the steamboat table. So didn't have time to take photo.

The state of the steamboat spread after a group of hungry hockey ladies came and swept the food clean..




And I didn't even manage to capture the sinful moments with the delicious cake from Bakerzin, the chocolate from Royce (yummmm.....)


Which I regretted not snapping from the start, as that would have prob been the most vulnerable time for them to be captured on cam..cos after that when everybody is fed and full with all the cake (we celebrated the Dec babies) and stuff, everybody became conscious of tummys or being caught in comprimising positions (with the additional warning given by Ah Xiu)..and it was difficult to get shots which will not disgrace anybody if posted on the world wide web :p

So only posting the respectable ones here:-
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And I was only left with this one -.-"

After censoring comprimising poses, double chins, tummies, flurry movements, hands blocking face..

Well at least I tried!

Anyway Ger (btw Ger is preparing for her new album since the last which had her song "Special Angel"..looking forward to it!)was sharing some of her perspective on star signs on relationship..thanks for the recent developments of me and Ah Xiu And it somehow translated to how we play as players. I seriously think left backs are seriously discriminated due to the tendency to be heard due to the proximity to the umpires...so earth signs are still generally peaceful people!

3 more days to Christmas! (A melacholy take)

Had it bad today. Erratic sleeping pattern is taking its toll when woke up at 4am for no rhyme or reason. Followed by mad rush in the morning, and by the time I got out of the car, I realised that my lower back is super stiff, and it was taking me at least 5 secs to straigthen up each time. The last it was this bad was when I pulled my back towards the end of the league. Its either the PMS or I could have pull my back again (by carrying what?! maybe standing for most of the day in heels yesterday? cannot be bah...). And no one to talk to at the end of the day...super bleh...

Seems like a bad prelude to christmas :/ But other than today, the christmasy feeling was building up :)



What is christmas without the tree? Fresh pine tree at Swee Sun's and Faith's place.











Celebrating Christmas - the Indo-Thai way. First festive meal on wed..with another few more to come







These 2 were on repeat on my WMP since after the lunch :) Somehow christmas carol feels different when it comes from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald.

Frosty The Snowman feeling the humility (the guys are idiots ..bought christmas cake for them they had to disturb the poor snowman..tsk :p)

Had to grab more pressies tmr. And Sun morning is designated pressie-wrapping day cum room springclearning (aka landmine clearing. I need floor space in my room!).

Suddenly I donno what to expect for Christmas anymore

(i'll blame the melancholy on PMS coupled with the bad back :p so will be gone in while after some whining)

Btw if anybody has photos from the front of the stage for the session on Thurs, pls send me! :)

Christmasy Mon

First day of work after 1 week of Kop Kun Ja, spicy stuff and service apartment that magically made itself up everyday after a long day out.



My room is a landmine of bags, goodies to be wrapped for Christmas and 战利品which await to be packed :/ (how I wish my room can magically make itself up..)

Sat and Sun was spent resting and supposedly packing (well, most of the stuff are already in their place in the cupboard..but still a few more to go. Shld be able to clear by the Bbq this Sun). But still managed to catch up with friends :)

Had coffee on Sat.



And was told unceremoniosly that that my nails looked the colour of the mushroom soup...bleh..so rude :(

And dinner on Sun. Thought was late but when I arrived, dinner had already started with Swee Sun and all already ordered some stuff, and was told to just keep ordering new dishes. So as more people came, there were more dishes..源源不断。有点像回家团圆的感觉 :p

Monday came. Drizzling rain didn't help..so felt quite dampened by the time reach office. Was jolted into the christmasy mood though, when I remembered that I had to grab something for the office gift exchange thing. So lunch was spent scouring. And it suddenly dawned on me that Christmas is really just around the corner?!!

Somehow felt like I still have a lot of time to prepare..darn..I only got a week left to buy the remaining presents!!! Shit...no time liao.

I remembered reading sometime before, that some people lament why the need to buy nonsensical and frivalous pressies for christmas - all commercialised and essentially, frivalous. Well, so long as it makes people happy, a little bit of joy would probably make the world a better place to live in.

The Journey Home (A pictorial story)

Day 6 of BKK and the Journey Home

Last full day in BKK. Guys' finals against Msia was yestereday night. Went to do some wrapping up shopping at MBK.

Happy as a skipping cow..

While in the cab to MBK, Xiu showed us that she was well prepared for some wild fun in BKK..

Hmmmm....

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Ta-da!! Happy insect- repellent stickers (that really came in handy when we were near the wilderness while at the stadium)

We split up, Qiao and me went to Siam Center to check out some stuff while Xiu went to gallivant at MBK

And we thought we found the perfect Xmas gift for Jun zi..

And we met back together for lunch..had the spiciest noodles :s But the pork neck is good !

After that we took the cab straight to the stadium. It was quite an adventure by itself, given that the driver couldn't read the sms (eye sight bad I guess...and we still dared to take his car..) Had to call Kaew who told him what we wanted to go. And it was an hour's drive subsequently, through god-knows-what route he took.

Took photo of the driver's license in case he drive us to sell..and I will throw the phone out of the cab, if anybody discovers the phone..well..at least can trace..

well, at least I was prepared and not like the 3 behind? started sleeping once on the cab?!?一点防范意识都没有..tsk..:p

Anyway we arrived safe and sound :D

The start of the guys' finals. We lost, by a very big margin.

All I can say is, after the last few days, can really see the widening gap between us and Msia. It has only been 6 years and the difference is so great. 心痛。Sometimes I wonder..what if I or the few of us (who went to watch and also those who didn't) had stayed and played..but then it was my choice who decided not to continue after weighing all the options.

The flag raising and prize giving ceremony.

After the ceremony, as we were waiting for the bus (and swatting kamikaze wilderness mozzies..that was when Xiu's happy condom-lookalike-repellent-stickers came in handy), we saw Patrapong!(the one who gave CK an apple in 1997 or 1998 during the Junior Asia Cup..CK remember???) Actually his real name is Chatnarong, and he came to Singapore to play during the Junior Asia Cup then (oh...I remember the cute Korean No 16! :p). He actually remembered us by name...and I can only remember that he was the-one-who-gave-CK-the-apple-guy :p I should have taken photograph together with him.

Well, going home today.

Shopping - $XXX (Shall not remind myself in case heartache..go figure..)

Food - $X

Massage - $X/4

Memories from watching the games at the side - Priceless

I'm so glad 12 Dec has came..back to reality liao..

Day 5 BKK & the morning after..

We spent the majority of today at one location - Platinum Mall

For those who had been there, you would have understood that Platinum is a haven for shopholics - 5 levels of shops, majority selling different stuff, wholesale prices. So it wasn't surprising that we were there from 1130 am till 6pm, and wished there was more time if not that we have to be at the tailor for fitting before 8pm :p

But leaving at 6pm could have been a mistake cos there was already a jam heading towards town center and a lot of taxis are either refusing to pick us up, or charging exhorbitan fares. Tried our luck at Amari Watergate hotel which was directly opposite Plat Mall and ended up taking a tuk tuk.

After the tailor it was massage time!Qiao brought us to Coran at Soi 11.

A standalone bungalow. Could have missed the place cos the walkway was dark and obscure..

Posh looking..but the price is really reasonable!

Hmmm...what to choose..

Qiao having a cuppa with me..

Qiao pointed out that the portrait hanging above the table was a bit ..erm...suggestive..

Finally time to start!

Walking towards bliss

While the 3 of them chose Thai massage, I opted for araomatherapy..and I ended up having the nice room (while the 3 of them were having their mssage lying on mattresses on the floor kind..muahahah~)!!

Happy me after the session

We went to look for food. But was hijacked by some interesting roadside push carts on the way

Guava for lots of fibre

And something so sinful that I wouldn't be eating in Singapore...FRIED CHICKEN SKIN!!! YUMMY!









So the day ended up nicely :)).....

.....waking up this morning with all the lactic acid kneaded from muscles out in full force :/

Day 4 BKK

It's war time!!












While Qiao and Xiu decided to go watch the guys' games against Myanmar, and also to watch Thai vs Msia ladies which will decided our girls' fate, guat and I decided that we are not that keen for the long ride to the stadium and decided to do something more interesting, which centers around Siam Center and MBK :p

So anyway there wasn't anything much to blog about - if you a guy and totally not into shopping, whatever happened in the 8 hours of non-stop walking (with half an hr of lunch break and 1 toilet break) will probably bore you to death or drive you crazy just imagining yourself going through it. If you are a girl and the kind who will go ga-ga just by the thought of spending one whole day collecting 战利品, sorry..not being here just makes that much of a difference of not getting that bargain or nice dress :p

I rewarded myself at the end of the trip with this :-










I cant say that my left arm feels the same way though..

Not sure whether the red welts will show in the photos..but those were from slinging plastic bags.

How our living room looks like at the end of a typical day

With xiu busy chatting with Mr Hougang..

Hitting Platinum Mall today. And I definitely need a massage after 2 days of gym and 2 days of swim and yesterday's walking :/