League starting in 2 weeks time!

Seriously I am not exactly cheering..

8 games, other than 2 at 7.30pm, the rest are all played 3pm or 4.30pm slots. 2 of which are on saturday after my 1pm swim sessions, and 1 after the biathlon on 7 Mar.

Right half and right back are out after reconstructive operations.

Doyen of the team is finally putting her foot down this year to retire.

2 mainstay players failed their routine fitness test.

Goalie is still out after giving birth to her (cute!) baby.

Not half of the mainstay team are down for training at any one time before this week.

I dont think I am as fast as past years. It's going to be challenging to play on the left side..


Sigh..I can only cross fingers...

Things I dont understand about Chinese New Year

(i) why is it always asasociated with hoping for windfall?

I happened to watch the repeat of the Channel 8 countdown program the next day at my uncle's place. At the stroke of midnight, the song played was something about 发大财. There are so many songs about 迎春，万象更新..but why only 发大财？

(ii) why CNY songs just are not the same as Christmas carols

I cringed when 933 started flooding all the CNY songs over the airwave. But as usual with all droned in mechanism, I will still hum semi-automatically while driving and even at odd weird timings (like waiting for lifts). But they are just not the same as Christmas carols. One friend volunteered that it's cos carols are soothing and peaceful, while the CNY songs are all 咚咚锵s, ie as lively as possible.

(iii) why it seems like an excuse to gamble?

ban-luck, mahjong (ok..I did play but then I had played socially even when its not CNY, so its different!)..we dont need to wait for IRs, prob just CNY season all year round maybe.

(iv) why bak kwa only during CNY?

actually if you ask me, I also dont know why bak kwa and pineapple tarts which I both loved during CNY just dont have the same appeal to me pre and post CNY. Only when placed alongside with the other mountainful of junk food I will zoom in only on these two. And at whichever stops I go for the visiting, these two are still as tempting as when I spotted them at the first stop. But once CNY over..the craves just vanishe into thin air.


p/s， one 欠扁问答题courtesy of Ah Xiu : 有人打抢东西，有四个人- 东东，南南，西西，北北， 谁是哪个劫匪？

I cant help it since I mentioned it earlier :p hahaha~

Have a Moo-verlous year!

祝大家，牛年大丰收！

Realised that I had more friends who sms CNY greetings compared to new year. Since I lost all my contacts a while back, I was quite busy trying to ask who were the sms-senders. But it feels good that my contacts are updated again :))

Anyway hope that it will be an ox-picious year ahead, after a garbage rat-ish year, for a few things :-

国泰平安 - end the wars, rebuild homes and peace around the world

丰衣足食 - economies to bounce back again, and everybody has enough for their homes and families

心想事成 - for stuff that I want to do, want to try, and want to achieve

and of course....I wouldn't mind

财源滚滚 - for the occasion trip to Singapore Pools. It's time I draw some dividends? :p hahahahah~

DIY time!

Something which I had not done for very long. The last time that I can remember was probably JC when I made pouches (hand-sewn mind you..not machine) for presents, and of course the small doll shelf which I made from a discarded metal shelving and yarns.


It started with the car, which I had driven to the car care center for the sealant coat. And being a Sunday, I had to wait for 4 hours before it can be collected. So after whatever is necessary to be done there, there was still a lot of time left..so there wasn't anything else to do in a mall, other than window shopping of course (this being the season of spring cleaning, I had to restrain myself from bringing more stuff to my room when I should be clearing it)

And then I saw the pair of earrings. Going for only $6.

At the back of my mind, I remember the look of my earring case. It was stuff to the max in all its cubi holes with all my earrings. I became lazy to keep my earrings after wearing them, simply cos I would have headache trying to rearrange for space to keep them properly. I have a headache just thinking of where to keep this new pair of earrings.

On the other hand, my gatherer-instincts were telling me that I will definitely kick myself if I dont grab it.

So I did :p

Anyway, so I had better think of some way to start organising them properly, and I remember seeing someone's amazing collection of earrings on a rotating stand beside her bed (yes, it's you..you know yourself :p)

So I went to google/ebay, but I cant find one that I really like. But one of the googled page caught my attention. DIY earring stand she made from a grease splatter (it looked like a soup ladel with metal netting as the base). And that gave me an idea.

So today I went to look for the Ikea frames from eons ago that I stashed somewhere, followed by Spotlight for some tulle (the type they use to make ballet tutu and can-can dresses). Spotlight is such a lovely place, I can spend hours there..I dont know why but I just love looking at and touching the cloths, beads, ribbons. Went home, dug out all my ribbons, cardboards (I still have craft stuff even though I had not done anything for so long.I feel like a garung guni man sometimes) and started my mini project while watching Kill Bill 2.

And the final product..Tada!

My verdict?

• I should have gotten white tulle instead of black, think it will look nicer against the frame


• ok, the pink ribbon is UUGGGLLLLYYYY..that was a bad decision. The ribbon was some left over stuff and was the only one with the right width to glue along the frame. But then come to think of it, if I had used white tulle instead of black, it may just turn out well..since I cant change the tulle (I still got enough to make like 6-7 more!) I will probably cut away the ribbons and replace with another one.


• I need a bigger frame - those above are only about 1/3 of my earrings. Haha~

Next step - one big frame and putting up the framed earrings onto the wall.

And this is how the frames look like on my wall now.

The ribbons are changed, and all my previous loots are hanging nicely. I realise that it has saved me a lot of hassle too..when thinking of what to match with, and also real easy to just put them back.

Maybe it's ok now to buy more earrings :p heh~

Meet Aidan Mazda2

Battle Cry

I emerged from this week feeling battle weavy.

It could stem from the fact that i'm e only oae who is left wondering why was I the only one is fussing over a good location for dinner, and travel plans for feb. Yes you can be busy, of course I understand. But I dont see e sincerity. I might as well do my own stuff if that's the case..

Or it could be that CNY is nearing, and i'm dreading the passing of each day, meeting people who meant less to me than my circle of friends.

It could also be e argument I had with my mum, over an issue that had its roon in a insensitive comment she made years ago. Heck, the real reason could even be so historical to the time when I was four.

Maybe e toll of not sleeping well is taking effect in e crankiness that I exhibited esp in e morning. And it's a bad time to discuss family matters. In e morning. 30 years may had been enough time to notice that.


Finally, it's the realisation: once a bastard, always a bastard. no matter how many years has passed, and a leopard wont change its spots. Now I would really relish the chance to throw one slap across his face.

Yes, this has been a pretty bad week and I really need to vent.

My days from establishment is about to start..

This week is a week for the "need-to-dos".

I was just telling my dinner companion that it's not a good sign that I was restless during the 3 days workshop I had to attend, the last being today. It could be

• the flu-ey-ness (and still flu-ey..),
• the pre and first days of the auntie's visit,
• the fact that the sessions were indeed too long to sit and listen attentively.

Whatever it was, I was just hoping that it didn't arise from being anti-establishment. I was never the rebel, but I can feel something rising up..maybe it's easier to put it down to PMS.

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I have got 8 books waiting for me to read

4 from the National Library. I'm always amazed by the fact that I can find books that drew my attention, everytime I check the shelf. Though I have less discipline to finish them before the due date nowadays compared to last time. So from the National Lib I got

Triple by Ken Follet ( I was trying to see if I can find the sequel to Pillars of the Earth), Someone like You by Roald Dahl (how can someone of such morbid mind also write stuff like BFG and Mathilda?!), Gaiman's Neverwhere and 尤今小说选 (yes, I had to check her out. Some obscure shelves under Singapore Selection, Mandarin Section)

3 from Harris, all on 50% off. I told myself that I was only going to browse when I found myself gravitating towards the big "50% OFF" signages..oh well....I ended up leaving the shop with ..

Margaret Atwood's Penelopiad (I expect another depressing read similar to The Hand-maid, made me almost think twice about being a woman in the next life time), Gaiman's Anansi Boys, Mark Haddon's A Spot of Bother (I like the last one I read from Haddon 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time', going to see how this one turns out)

1 from Bookmooch. The Piano by Jane Campion. Mooched on a whim. I love the fact that I can recycle my books so they dont take up my shelf space and collect dust..cos there are already enough stuff in my room collecting them. Dust I mean.

As you can see, I got big plans for the upcoming days. And I am quite looking forward to getting my fingers ink-smudged :p

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People have been asking me where am I travelling to..in this period of away from establishment. The trip to Indon aside (that is only happening in Feb), I am indeed planning to travel...

Within Singapore that is.

It came to my mind last month, what I would do if I would have so much time on my hands. I started thinking about places I have heard of, but never been to, in our own island as well. I have some stuff lined up..

I checked out STB's website (I mean, they are supposed to be the best guides right?)..but I guess I may be better off skimming places that comes to my mind..and of course my cube neighbour contributed a few funky ideas :D

Now it waits to be seen if those plans will be put into action..

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Btw, I drove past Cathay (the one next to Plaza Sing) last night, it was so pretty at night! I didn't get a good shot though..

So Penny..

Anyway, I suprised myself by doing another entry.

But I was trying out the ipod FM transmitter my friend passed to me (thanks ZA! :D)..and I was thinking what nice albums to put on for the drive home. And I decided to put 戴佩妮's "So Penny..". And it was definitely a right choice (I reaslie that choices I do instinctively usually better ones..)

Actually she is a really good singer, but guess 才女 wasn't so popular compared to sexy dolls like Jolin Tsai (ok Jolin fans, this is purely my own opinions ok..you can *heart* Jolin for all you want but I prefer artistes who are more than enhanced boobs and fancy dance moves)

I was you-tubing for one of her songs "透气” but found none. But chanced upon this. I guess it's hard to come across someone who sings stuff like that nowadays, and what's more write her own tunes and lyrics.

My first car

I was driving home as I was recounting the things I need to do on Friday and Sat..

Fri..

(i) I really need to get my a** to the 2 banks - but I need my mum at the 2nd bank, but better to hit the first bank early morning before the crowd start milling in..but mum only can make it late morning or afternoon..

(ii) I need to check out those tyres before I get my new car on Sat..both the one at Bt Batok and the other one at AMK..

(iii) I want to go Giodano Ladies sales..

(iv) I need to go back office..&^%$..

(v) I got to go hockey training at night.

now..how to plan the most logical route..so dont waste petrol.

But no worries, cos today just pumped full tank in the morning.

Aiya, donno whether too much petrol will be left by the time I hand over the car on sat when I collect the Mazda 2..

....

OH.

....

I AM HANDING OVER MACY OVER ON SAT MORNING!!


Suddenly I was hit by a pang of sadness.

My first car.

Which I collected nearly 5 years back. My first automobile after my first owned bike (which together, the bike and I both survived through that spectecular skidding incident on AYE. That is another story on its own). Somehow the name "Macy" stuck with the car though it started off as joke between me and my then boyfriend. Hmm..me really. The then boyfriend didn't appreciate the joke too much. Which was probably why we weren't together anymore :/

Somehow, it is really quite silly to attach so much emotion to a non-living thing, but thinking what this car has seen for the past 4 plus years with me, I would say she has seen quite a bit of me at my various moods and people I was with. I must say, I havent treated Macy very well for these 5 years, but I can imagine that she is always rearing and ready to go for all these times.

I guess everybody will always remember their first car somewhat..no matter what kind of cars they continue to drive next time.

放逐第一天

First day of leave..and I had to fall sick.

It had to be the windy dinner at Dempsey last night. The spot I sat was just round the corner of the wall, where the wind seems to have gathered speed around that same corner so I was like in a wind tunnel for the whole of the dinner, whereas my dinner companion felt that the weather was "just fine".

I thought that I still felt alright on the way home, before I slept, and when I woke up. It was only when I went out this morning that I felt that something was not right, cos I was breaking out in some cold sweat. My fears were confirmed when my lunch kaki said I felt feverish.

And so, I had to miss my second swim lesson (dont think I was to be stuck in a situation where I will be shivering in the pool) so that I am at least in one good piece for the workshop I had to attend for the next 3 days.

What a bummer.

Hitting the pool

I can hear my heart thumping as I was walking in to the pool. In a way, I sort of understood the reasons for nervousness, which were kind of silly on all counts.

One was that I havent really had be in a class with other people in swim suits, the last time that happened was when I was like 6?! (But then you would have been in swim suit when you go swimming right? Er..yeah..but then I dont have to be in such close proximity mah. Not logical I know..but then fears are not logical most of the time).

Second was that I was totally inadequate in freestyle, again the last time I swam that was when I was 6, since I always found breaststroke more comforting, in that the head would get to go above water now and then (this fear is pretty logical..people will get to see you struggling; also imagine the lack of air and gulping swimming pool water,with donno some thousands of micro organism, is quite bad when you are 30 years old, not when you are 6 and probably think the water in the pool taste somewhat like the one from the tap at home. :/)

Anyway, all these in the name of trying out new stuffs for the new year (with more to come..it's going to be an interesting year!) So, on new year's day itself I had signed up for Safra Biathlon, which I had always told myself I would try it out since uni days (but then it had always been hockey, followed by work..). In the end, I guess it's always easy to find excuses cos that will mean I dont have to move out of my comfort zone. So I pushed myself a little in this case.

And that meant having cold feet prior to the first session of the swim training package that I signed up for (I realise that I may need professional help, and also that means I dont have to do the swim time trial, which I would never be able to make the cutoff timing). But I had already paid for it and if I dont go through this, that means the registration fee for the race will be happily donated to the army people for free (sometimes I wonder why I pay for such stuff and torture myself..okok, all in the name of challenging myself and putting myself on a regime so that I wont not start growing mould)

So..it was reporting to the 2 instructors from Tribob, changing, and hitting the pool. And yes,

(i) I struggled with the freestyle. So I was grouped together with another 5 who were also slightly weaker, and started our drills.

(ii) I was out of breath most of the time. Breathing is so much more difficult when you cannot get the rhythm and I can feel that I probably look blue in the face most of the time . The drills were broken down into 25m each leg, leisure swim to the other side, then 25m back, leisure swim again. Leisure swim was always the chance for me to pull my life back (in breast stroke of course), which always seems to be just a thin line away by the time I reach the designated 25m mark

(iii) I gulped water. Period. I dont want to think about it already :s

The instructor say, there is hope yet. I just it is enough for me to hit the beach on 7 March.

想念“沙漠里的小白屋”

在使车的时候， 脑袋又开始四游。想到二月要到中爪哇，旅程的安排，突然间联想到小学时候读过一本尤今的游记 “沙漠里的小白屋”。还记得那本游记记载的种种- 吃棕果，阿拉伯女性的约束，回教拉曼丹月的民族写照， 当然还有作者在沙漠生活的日常点点滴滴。没想到，十多年前读过的，尽然还记得。

现在尤今在哪里？

Google 这时最受用 :p

列出的有98%都是中国网站， 新加坡的，少之又少。在这个年轻人把华文识成老土的时代，疯狂于harry potter 和 twilight 之类，没有多少人会知道尤今吧。

我看我假期的时候也要跟尤今再叙缘....当然要先把欠NLB 的款项还清。忙嘛！哈~

Post 五月天飚唱会

The sky looked menacing as I was speeding along Sheares Bridge (speeding because I was tempted by the first 20 mins of the Revenge of the Sith on TV) with the dark clouds gathering over the sky around Indoor Stadium area. Thought I will be late, but then.. my friend (the one whose arm was almost crushed by me in my excitement when he offered his spare ticket)was even later .. 害我望穿秋水 :/

But in the end he came just in time! After he met up with another 2 friends, off we went into Stadium Green.

Whee!

The concert was fantastic! Woohoo~ 阿信，石头，怪兽和玛莎真的玩到很high．可惜冠佑没来。可是代替鼓手也很配合表演。The weather had also turned for the better..clouds gone and gentle breezes swept Stadium Green.

五月天上台咯！

阿信~！it's time like this when you regret not checking the specs properly when buying digi cam.. 5x is not enough！ that girl with the phone cam can even zoom in closer!

My Singtel"sponsor".haha~

This is my favourite shot of the day. 石头solo.

After encore

Now my friend and I are on FB..discussing about Mayday's coming August concert. Pre-sales vouchers are on sale now. Going to buy mine soon ：D （bought liao!)

五月天 如烟

如烟 Ru Yan - 五月天 MayDay

有沒有那麼一首詩篇 找不到句點

青春永遠定居在 我們的歲月

男孩和女孩 都有吉他和舞鞋

笑忘人間的苦痛 只有甜美

有没有那麽一个明天 重头活一遍

让我再次感受 曾挥霍的昨天

无论生存或生活 我都不浪费

不让故事这麽的后悔

有谁能听见 我不要告别

我坐在床前 看着指尖已经如烟

Ponyo On the Cliff by the Sea

I wanna watch!



I had always like the animes from Gibli Studios, which started with a chance encounter with My Neighbour Totoro, which led me to buy a whole collection from Poh Kim (the video store) later on. It's surprising that the different stories are quite poignant, each with their own morals message and bigger social issues. Like, Princess Mononoke and Nasicaa of the Valley of the Winds were insinuating the damages to earth if we continue forest logging and dumping toxics on our land. Grave of the Fireflies bring back the dread of the WW2, its images jarring against the modern flourish of the modern city at the end of the show (it was a real tear jerker! I dont think I have ever cried so much over a cartoon =.=")

Then recently, it was the big screen Spirited Away and the latest, Howl's Moving Castle. Although I was quite lost during Howl's Moving Castle, but the graphics and the flow of the story is something that is uniquely Hayao Miyazaki.

Cant wait to see Ponyo..and I cant get the tune out of my head! :p