Not sure what to write here.

Recently experiencing some body changes and need to wait to see the doctor to confirm. After hearing about how some people can still experience pregnancy symptoms but the foetus actually has no more heartbeat, I have been mentally preparing myself for this possibility. Because the line on my 2nd test was fainter than my 1st test. Does this mean the hCG hormone levels are dropping?

Our December holiday plans are hence in limbo because of this.

IF this pregnancy is successful, it is probably going to be pretty life changing. Anyone who knows me well knows that I hate kids! Now I'm gonna have to be stuck with one for life. Not looking forward.

IF this pregnancy for some reason is not successful, it is also probably going to be life changing. But maybe on a smaller magnitude. Maybe it will make me realize that I do want to have a kid of my own after all and re-evaluate how I look at them.

Either way, KIDS ARE LIFE CHANGING (and noisy and troublesome and blah blah). That's why I don't like them.

And oh, our wedding anniversary is coming up! So fast!

And we moved house! To a low cost budget hostel... haha well it does seem like it's a low cost budget hostel to me. That's another story for another day.

My life has been taken over by Pokemon Go!

Still in a funk at work.

The post-holiday blues are REAL.

Shrouded by a sense of doom and gloom once I stepped into office. The last time I felt this way was when I returned after a 3 week long honeymoon. Back then I felt very overwhelmed by work and had a crazy urge to quit my job.

For 10 days, I forgot that I even had a job. Life was so carefree! After 10 days, I feel that same sense of dread and gloom. 

Maybe longer holidays aren't such a good idea now. I should aim for shorter breaks maybe? Less taxing on the bank account too.

The lucky thing is I'm not as jetlagged as I imagine! In fact I was functioning pretty well despite arriving at 5am in the morning after a red-eye flight from Incheon.

Hello June.

Slightly more than a week to Gillian's wedding!

And also I would like to say that 1st June is not the halfway mark of the year.

Sorry I cannot. I think people who say that 1st June is the halfway mark cannot count and I secretly judge them for that. Hah!

Popping by to say HELLO! I'm still alive and kicking!

Another new month!

Getting increasingly tongue-tied (finger-tied?) when it comes to coming up with blog posts. Should I cease blogging?

Mundane things that I do in my daily life seem far too trivial for this platform (there's always Dayre for such content). Plus it's quite inconvenient to actually post photos.

Blogs seem more suitable for "heavier" content which to be honest, my brain is not capable of producing at this life stage. Nothing "heavy" going on in my life now also ahaha. Which I should be grateful for.

Too much of my life experiences contained in this URL. A bit of a pity also la.

Anyway I would like to add that initially I thought I would get a comfortable sum of money for my PB this year to replenish my starving bank account... but then after allocating money for insurance savings, trips, and possible home rental, and paying off all my credit card bills and debts, I have about zero left. Yikes! I have about $20 left in my DBS account now #truestory so the vicious cycle of perpetually being penniless continues....

I wonder how people actually manage to stash tens of thousands of dollars away?! I can never seem to grow my cash!

Down with my usual sensitive airways cough (bye money) at this time of the year which is unusual... usually I get it after I come back from a cold country. I suspect it's coz I went to jog last week when it was terribly hazy in the evening.

Also getting itchy butt syndrome!

Hello March!

Somehow almost 20% of the year has gone by?! The days are long but the weeks pass by in a flash. Term 1 is almost over.

And needless to say, weekends feel even shorter.

Spent Friday evening catching up with Gassers and Saturday with some new found friends - feasting at Parkroyal Pickering's Lime and KTV and shooting darts. Haps!

Also trying to pick up something new this month - roller blading! Had a go at it yesterday and I could roll along merrily... but I can't brake. Ahahaha.

I miss my old activities like baking a little but since I don't have all my tools with me, I can't do much. Sundays are usually such a rush for time also - mass, grocery shopping, ironing, evening jog, mask, prepare breakfast/lunch for the week, and before you know it, it's 12am!!!! #wheredidthetimego

Cursory update over, just so that I won't forget what happened in my life during this period. Haha.

Indeed.

Heh!

Happy belated Vday!

Slumpy's birthday falls on Vday so I bought a cake and we sang a birthday song for him :)
(Squishy and Rolly's birthday is on 22 Feb - they are non-identical twins)

Oh yes, Brown is their cousin who looks perpetually solemn.

It wasn't the most romantic of Vdays coz we had a little disagreement/incident. But it's all good now!

I got my teeth cleaned (and nagged by my dentist) and was told that I had to get my wisdom tooth extracted at the hospital. Better remember to get that done soon coz I have a feeling I will forget alllll about it.

Then I got my eyelash extensions removed because half of them have fallen off already! The eyelash-ian (?) was quite surprised that mine only lasted 3 weeks because it was supposed to be able to last a good 4-6 weeks if you take care of it well. I'm like super chor lor plus it's really hindering how I wash my face. Although I must say, they really make a difference to the eyes. A few teachers said my lashes were nice! But a few of my real lashes fell off with the extensions :( so I better give them a break now.

(My brow resurrection is still holding up pretty well though it has faded considerably in the weeks after!)

Concluded the evening with the 10km Brooks Marina Run and I think we did well! We went at a very steady pace and managed to finish the run without stopping, and at a very decent time too. 

Rewarded ourselves with dinner at ECP

Trying to recreate what we ate for our first date hahaha

(Answer: Sambal kangkong, sambal stingray, rice and sugar cane - but we got greedy and added sotong and chicken wings LOL)

Also volunteered at the CEE as a reception couple on Friday. If there's a "ministry" that I have to join, I wouldn't mind joining this. One thing they told us during our EE weekend was that through our love for each other and our marriage, we can show other people God's love. And that was one of the things that struck me the most. Haha not sure if I make sense. Still quite bad at explaining this thing.

So anyway I mentioned that I was still looking for a baptism name and one of the couples told me to pray about it. Honestly I really (1) don't know how to pray and (2) too lazy to pray haha. So I'm thinking maybe I'll just flip the bible or look at all the Saints' names and find one I like. But for now Sophie is still quite a strong contender.

I AM SO SLEEPY.

You know that semi-permanent feeling of having your head in a wooze and eyes half open and yawning uncontrollably every 3.5 seconds... THAT IS ME NOW. If not for the fact that I'm typing something, I think I can and will fall asleep in 5.341241 seconds.

Have been feeling very sleep deprived these 2 days although I didn't make much changes to my sleeping schedule. Don't think I'll be getting much quality sleep this weekend either coz I'll be away at the Engaged Encounter weekend. Zzzzzz

Permed my hair recently (!) but instead of sexy voluminous cascading waves I got flat limp and straight hair -___-" 2 days after I permed and washed my hair it became as straight as an ironing board. Whuuuuut I paid good money ok! Good money for the hair to look fabulous!

To be fair it was fabulous for like maybe a day.

So I called the salon to complain - or not, since I just politely informed them about the sad lasting power of their perm and asked for their advice - and to their credit my stylist said he could help me do it again. Please give me a stronger perm next time!

True story - my eyes closed by themselves for more than 3 seconds so it's definitely not a blink and I think I may end up typing gibberish - as I am wont to when dozing off - so I shall end abruptly here.

Terrible! No time to do anything!

Helping out with the decor for Yuanshan's wedding... seems like there are ten thousand things to prepare just for the decor! Aiyo. When it's my turn I think I will turn into a Bridezilla :x

Snippets of the weekend just past:

  

Mostest beaming after Garfield Run!

The pinks and purples at the successful Hen's photoshoot! Was sweltering hot but great fun!

 

Atas dinner at Pollen! Here's my perfectly cooked salmon

And snippets of last last weekend:

 

Up close and personal with a panda haha

 

 Baked some white chocolate macadamia nut brownies

And snippets of last last last weekend:

 

FOOD (belated Father's day lunch)

 

MORE FOOD (great pig organ soup with selected organs) 

 

Brunch on a Sunday!

That seems to quite accurately sum up July. Not including never ending work at work.

I could go on and on and on about last x 4 weekend (meetup with Ichee after 4 or 5 months and melty charsiew) and last x 5 weekend (Hatter Street, cream puff baking class and meetup with Gassers after 3 or 4 months)... but ok I need to sleep, so till the next time, whenever that is. I need to find some time to blog and compose some coherent thoughts!!!!!!!!!

In case I go MIA again, this is what's up:

This long weekend: KL to attend a dinner/leisure trip/get stuck in a terrible jam back home

Next weekend: Yuanshan's wedding

Next next weekend: National Day and I HAVE NOTHING SCHEDULED! Woohoo!!!

HELLO JULY AND 2ND HALF OF 2014

Am nodding off now... 

LOL did my first ever presentation at staff contact time this morning... was a ball of nerves. Luckily it was short and sweet. VP just told me that my voice was very loud during the presentation.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Sorry I just find that very amusing hahaha. Evidently he has not experienced the extent of my powerful lungs... which only a select few privileged ones get to experience. Also I would attribute this to my many years of KTV training although those sessions have since dwindled.

Microphone + Si Yi = LOUD NOISE

So on Saturday I went for a hair cut and did hair treatment and had fabulous, smooth, swishy hair without a strand out of place!

Then I remembered I had to wear a helmet later -___- Poof! There goes nice hair. Hair blow until so nice also no use because it's going to turn flat on top and the wind is going to blow it and tangle it again! >:(

Frivolity aside, a few days ago we came up with an unofficial list of #woesofridingabike so I'm going to add on to it.

1) RAIN
2) SCORCHING SUN
3) which results in tanned skin and unsightly lines
4) ULTRA HOT in the KPE
5) helmet hair
6) cannot scratch when hair or head gets itchy
7) danger of falling to my death if I fall asleep (I have fallen asleep but have not fallen to death... luckily. But the danger is very real folks!)
8) cannot carry big bags and barang barang
9) cannot wear tight skirt
10) face and everywhere gets super dusty
11) risk getting hit by carpark barrier if your bf wants to save on parking fees (the barrier once missed me by a few cm but luckily I had a helmet on so... at least you know you won't get a concussion LOL)
12) risk getting crushed by big vehicles (esp after the horrific incident where this huge truck or cement mixer or something smashed into a bike at a traffic light... I super dislike riding near those huge vehicles)
13) must shout over the wind or can only talk when stopping at traffic lights
14) cannot use phone
15) .... to be continued when I think of more

And here are the pros:

1) can squeeze in between lanes and bypass traffic jams
2) no need to queue up to right turn
3) can almost always get parking lot... or if that carpark has no lot for bikes then just park anywhere else hah
4) carpark fees/ERP/petrol is considerably cheaper
5) ... also to be continued

This is a post to inform that I'm not dead yet.

4 day week this week and also luckily for next week (to celebrate our achievements in 2013/14). Can't wait for the next break already!

There wasn't much that we could do when stuck in the mountains for 6 days with intermittent connection to the outside world.

So we chatted, discussed in depth about our digestive systems, about shitting, about donkey and cow shit, and yes. A lot of talk about shit in general.

And admist all the talk about crap, the motley bunch reflected deeply found that there were indeed many life lessons that we picked up from all that dogged plodding, rocky steps, wading through mud, ups and downs, and puddles of poo.

Stemming from this, I present to you the 10 Life Lessons that we gleaned from trekking.

Life Lesson #1: Don't keep looking down at the shit in front of you and miss out on the bigger picture.

This life lesson is applicable in more ways than one, literally and figuratively. I take this in its literal sense, especially after I got a neck ache from looking down all the time to avoid the dung. After a while, everything I saw was just rocks and dung. Rocks and dung. More rocks and dung. Not pretty. In my attempt not to step in shit, I really missed out on the stunning views around me. So folks. Look up once in a while. You may be surprised by what you see.

Life Lesson #2: Don't be too quick to judge. Give everything a second chance.

On our first night during the trek, we ordered a serving of momo (Nepalese dumplings) for dinner. Momo is supposedly one of the more famous dishes in Nepalese cuisine, but honestly the serving we had was pretty mediocre. Captain Poh then banished the dish from our meals for the next few nights till the second last night of the trek, when we decided to give Momo a second chance. And lo and behold, the chicken momo served was delicious. So folks. Don't be too quick to write off something after a first try. It may bring you a delightful surprise in future.

Life Lesson #3: Follow the shitty way, it may make your life easier.

Ah this. While trekking, we noticed poo smeared all over various rocks. I would try to avoid stepping on the dung and would usually do some weird hop and skip to avoid it. But well, our 4-legged friends are the one leaving the trail of dung behind, and they would definitely be more agile and adept at manoeuvring the rocks than we are. It didn't take us long to realize that hey, perhaps the shitty way is actually the easier way to get us up. So folks. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you gotta step in shit. No choice. (I'm sure we all stepped on dung at some point, though I did make a conscious effort to avoid it at all costs. And stepping on dry dung is much better than stepping on wet. Still shit, but marginally better. So find the better shitty way out wherever possible.)

Life Lesson #4: Just when you think life is tough, there will be someone worse off than you.

With the hot sun beating on our backs, clambering around uneven stone steps, and carrying a heavy bagpack with knees that feel like they are giving way any moment, it's easy to whine and feel like you've been handed a bad lot in life. But just as you think you have it bad, there is someone else doing back-breaking work, lugging 30kg worth of load UP a bazillion steps without a whimper. This is part and parcel of their daily lives for these hardworking, weather-beaten porters. Then you see a  group of Japanese elderly, probably in their 70s, trekking and enjoying the sights and then you look at yourself. So folks. Really, sometimes the situation isn't as bad as it seems.

Life Lesson #5: There is ain't no mountain high enough.

We only trekked to Poon Hill, a vantage point that stands at 3,210m. Along the way, we saw so many snow capped mountains, offering stunning views of the Anapurna mountain range. There is still Anapurna Base Camp, one of the more popular trekking routes in Nepal, which we didn't get to go. There will always be taller, more beautiful mountains to conquer. So folks. Aim high. There is really ain't no mountain high enough. There will always be something higher, taller, stronger, better. Make that your next destination. (But having said that, I think I'd give Everest Base Camp a miss.)

Life Lesson #6: One is better than none. Two is better than one.

Haha this one is a classic that has been around since our KK days. Uttered from the lips of Am (our trainer from Adventure Quests - who helped organized our KK trip), this memorable quote originally referred to the number of trekking poles that one should have. LOL. So folks. The moral of the story is be prepared. And work with what you have. If you only have one pole, well it's better than none. One pole will still save you from plenty of slips and falls. But if you have two, all the better!

Life Lesson #7: Even shit has many uses.

Along the way we saw a lady using cow dung to build her house. Think she used it as cement for the foundation or something. Dried cow dung apparently is rather strong. And while we were playing a game with our guide Kumar, he also chose cow dung over donkey dung for very practical reasons - because cow dung has more uses. So folks. When faced with shit we gotta be creative and work with what we have!

Life Lesson #8: Always shower before the Chinese.

Captain Poh taught us a life lesson on how to guard your own space. Not to generalize but some of the ATs are really quite intrusive. Sometimes you just gotta be more territorial when dealing with people who jump queue or eat into your space on the clothes line. I'm on the fence about this being a life lesson but if I were to really wring something out... folks. Sometimes it's good to be a little aggressive to get what you want and to protect your own rights.

Life Lesson #9: Sometimes the longer path is the more scenic path.

Ade and WX wandered off and got lost towards the tail end of our trek and ended up taking the longer path. I'm not sure if they did see more scenery than us though. Hahahaha. But yup. Sometimes the longer and harder path is indeed more rewarding. So folks. Patience is a virtue yeah. And you will be rewarded for your tenacity.


Life Lesson #10: Sometimes you need to get lost to discover yourself.

We didn't really get lost (except for Ade and WX - see point above) since we were under the excellent care of our guides. But once in a while it's good to take some time off, wander around, lose yourself in the beauty and inspiring work of nature... take time off social media (very difficult for an addict like me) and discover yourself. So folks. Follow the guides without knowing where you are heading to. Unexpected views may greet you - like when we stepped out of the forest to be greeted by rolling hills and blue skies. Because before you know it, this was what happened when we returned to the city and had wi-fi:

 

Hahahahahaha all staring at their phones during breakfast

So this concludes my very rambly and lengthy post as well as the 10 Life Lessons from trekking. Today is also my 大寿 hahaha and yup another year older and wiser. This year I really can say that I became wiser since last year was a very very eventful roller coaster year. Sometimes you gotta be trampled on to know what you really want. Haha. Luckily this was not a life lesson that I learnt from trekking (imagine being trampled on by buffaloes/horses/donkeys/goats/sheep!!!) but still a good life lesson nonetheless. 

Last year I wrote that I wanted to learn how to dive and I did! Haha pretty much on track on doing the things that I want to do. For now, I shall "enjoy the journey"!

Also starting my new year on a new note, officially accepted a new post on Halloween and will be expecting to start in January, so let's hope all goes well with that. *crosses fingers and toes* The problem is now how to break the news to my boss... ahhhhhh.

So yup looking forward to a happy birthday today with a staycation planned and the year ahead can only get better! :) (Also please I need more money. Thanks. Haha.)

So I saw this on Facebook:

Look at the tree and choose the one that is immediately most appealing to you.
Don’t think about it too long, just choose, and find out what your choice says about your personality.

Haha I like 8, 9, 7, 2 and 5. In that order. And I think they all describe a certain aspect of my personality rather accurately. There is no one tree that fits all!

Here are the descriptions if you're interested to try it too:



1. You are a generous and moral (not to confuse with moralizing) person. You always work on self-improvement. You are very ambitious and have very high standards. People might think that communicating with you is difficult, but for you, it isn't easy to be who you are. You work very hard but you are not in the least selfish. You work because you want to improve the world. You have a great capacity to love people until they hurt you. But even after they do. . . you keep loving. Very few people can appreciate everything you do as well as you deserve.

2. You are a fun, honest person. You are very responsible and like taking care of others. You believe in putting in an honest day's work and accept many work-related responsibilities. You have a very good personality and people come to trust you easily. You are bright, witty and fast-thinking. You always have an interesting story to tell.

3.You are a smart and thoughtful person. You are a great thinker. Your thoughts and ideas are the most important. You like to think about your theories and views alone. You are an introvert. You get along with those who likes to think and learn. You spend a lot of time, thinking about morality. You are trying to do what is right, even if the majority of society does not agree with you.

4. You are perceptive and philosophical person. You are a unique, one soul of your kind. Next to you there's no one even slightly similar to you. You are intuitive and a bit quirky. You are often misunderstood, and it hurts you. You need personal space. Your creativity needs to be developed, it requires respect of others. You are a person who clearly sees the light and dark sides of life. You are very emotional.

5. You are self-assured and in charge. You are very independent. Your guiding principle in life is 'I'll do it my way.'. You are very self-reliant and know how to stay strong for yourself and the people you love. You know exactly what you want and are not afraid of pursuing your dreams. The only thing you demand from people is honesty. You are strong enough to accept the truth.

6. You are kind and sensitive. People relate to you very well. You have many friends and you love helping them. You have this warm and bright aura that makes people feel good when they are around you. Every day, you think about what you can do to improve yourself. You want to be interesting, insightful and unique. More than anybody else in the world, you need to love. You are even ready to love those who don't love you back.

7. You are happy and unflappable. You are a very sensitive and understanding person. You are a great listener who know how to be non-judgmental. You believe that everybody has their own journey in life. You are open to new people and events. You are highly resistant to stress and rarely worry. Normally, you are very relaxed. You always manage to have a good time and never lose your way.

8. You are charming and energetic. You are a fun person who knows hot to make people laugh. You live in a state of harmony with the universe. You are spontaneous and enthusiastic. You never say no to an adventure. Often, you end up surprising and even shocking people. But that's just how you are. . . You always remain true to yourself. You have many interests and if something proves of interest to you, you will not rest until you acquire a profound knowledge of this area.

9. You are optimistic and lucky. You believe that life is a gift and you try to achieve as much as possible and put this gift to the best use possible. You are very proud of your achievements. You are ready to stick by the people you care about through thick and thin. You have a very healthy approach to life. The glass is (at least) half full for you. You use any opportunity to forgive, learn, and grow because you believe that life is too short to do otherwise.

Super sleepy, super stoned, super slow moving day.

Hate Mondays. Long weekends and holidays make Mondays bluer. Why are some people genuinely interested and enthusiastic about their jobs? (e.g. my boss and my other female colleague.) I can't seem to find that. When my many bosses talk to me I give them my best stoned look and answer them in a ultra sian voice. Totally deserving of the Employee with the Worst Attitude award haha. Maybe the end is near! Either they fire me or I quit!

Yeah seriously people always say do something you enjoy so that it won't feel like such a drag. My job to me is not fulfilling, nor enjoyable - it's just a means to pass time so that I won't be labelled as a good-for-nothing slacker and to earn some money (peanuts btw) so that I can do things that I enjoy.

And oh I don't know why but recently I've been cursed with a very greedy mouth. I feel like eating everything and anything for almost the whole day when I'm stoning at work, and as a result gained back the 2 kg I lost :( and possibly more (stopped weighing myself ever since the weighing machine in the gym broke down) so I'd rather stay in the self-denial zone for a while first till I feel less pudgy. :(

Now I'm staring at cakes on blogs and drooling. :( Sian.

11 月1日出生的人

爱情运：
今天出生的人，恋爱大都不平静，也不平凡。因为在这一天出生的人，具有激烈的情感和强而有力的性欲，以及支配欲。
对恋人有时候表现得极为温柔体贴，可是一下子却又变得很残酷；有时候表现得很热情，有时候却又显得极为冷淡。对自己所爱的对象极为忠实，却也很善妒，同时希望对方付出与自己同等深切的感情。

今天出生的寿星，对异性而言，是相当具有魅力的，但是，在开始交往的初期，天蝎座绝对不会轻易泄露他的缺点。不过，千万不要大意， 也许你一直都可以感觉得到，似乎有人在不知不觉中，悄悄的靠近你，直到你察觉，你已经被他掳获了。再也没有人比今天出生的人，具有更巧妙，且更自然的方 法，在不知不觉中去掳获或欺骗他人的心。今天出生的人骄傲自满，这可以从他对周围的人称赞或恭维的话中看出来。他们想要控制所有的人，而且极端厌恶懦弱的 人。想要和今天出生的人好好交往，要有随机应变的智慧，以及强而有力的性格；这样才能获得他那充满精神性以及肉体性的热情爱恋。

Hurhur so I am the type who will sneakily capture your heart without you realizing it. That must be part of my hidden charm that I have yet to discover. But one point is right, I expect the other party to 付出 as much as I do. 我是具有激烈的情感的人ok!

Anyway the asshole has decided to break and patch with his girlfriend for the umpteenth time... whatevs, I don't even take him seriously anymore when he says "It's over". Asshole is someone who cannot stand being lonely, who is so desperate for companionship that when the girl threatens to leave, he will beg her to stay. He thinks that the love he has for her is like, oh-so-great and nobody else can possibly love her and accept her as much as he does. Asshole also on the other hand, complains that he is being treated like a dog, not respected, and cannot stand her princessy and spendthrift ways, among many other things...

As of Christmas Eve, they broke up (for real this time, he says. He even removed her from Facebook so that means he's dead serious!) because she can't stand his hot temper and as of Christmas day, they're back together again! (And yes, he added her back as a Facebook friend. And then blocked me the very next day.)

爱情是这样给你们玩弄的吗？说分就分，说在一起就在一起？超幼稚。

I think they totally deserve each other and they are a perfect match. Even though I hate to say this, but they look compatible (definitely much better than me with him). So continue playing your childish mind games with each other. Of course after all the shit he put me through, I have no intention of wishing them happiness but ok, 做人要适可而止。I cannot be too evil if not I also won't get good karma.

Funny how the universe has a way of reminding you what you don't wish to remember.

In pilates class today, my pilates instructor randomly told me “你的男朋友很高 hor。”
I was all ?!?!?! were we seen somewhere?! and he said he saw us at Bishan before. All I could do was to awkwardly say 'Uh, yeah.'

Last week I bumped into a colleague from my old department in the toilet and engaged in some small talk with her. She was asking if I was going to get married because I told her I may not be around in the next few years to witness the full completion of the building.

Me: No la, I don't even have a boyfriend
Her: No?! What happened? We all thought you had a boyfriend! We were all saying that you all look quite compatible.
Me: /awkward/ Errr. No la.

So has my whole company seen us hanging around somewhere? I haven't even seen him much for the last 2-3 months so whatever they saw must have been way way back. So much for keeping things low-key.

And I want to eat my Bishan chicken rice. I miss my chicken rice!!! :( Haven't had it since mid-September. Think I'll have that for lunch this Friday.