Zara Sale

Last night, I dreamt that I saw an ad proclaiming a Zara sale and indeed, it started today!
However, I must say that my mind isn't any crystal ball - don't bother relying on it for upcoming sales or weather predictions. Zara's sale could be predicted - given that her sister brand, Massimo Dutti's sale started last week, it is logical to expect one within the next few weeks. Tip: Zara sales always start on Thursdays. Thus, I had been faithfully looking for the Zara SALE ad in the main section of the ST, located towards the last few pages . :D

Anyway, I made my way down to the branch at Liat Towers (the main one), which had the nice black and purple striped polo that I'd be eyeing. Thankfully, I managed to get the last piece in my size! Phew! I took it before another guy saw it. (He should be thankful though, I might have clawed his eyes out if he laid a finger on what I wanted). An observation: even though it was a working day, there was a huge crowd thronging the store. I suspect there are a lot of people like moi, all waiting for the Zara sale. Tai tais, poor(er) people (like me), unemployed (like me too!) - Singaporeans are real good at shopping!

While queuing to pay up, and I must add, it was a very very very long queue, I met this girl who's a first year accounting student at NTU. She enquired what size T-shirt I wore as she was buying one for a friend of a similar built. In our conversation, she commented that I have a nice built. !!!!! Gush, flush, blush, whatever. It's nice to get complimented. Wheee! Hair-pee! Motivation to gym more...

Got to know her a little better, where she works at and stuff so maybe I'll visit her one day...

Just maybe... since I won't get staff discount from her...

Someone slap me.

Back to Management science. Mid-terms are just a few days away.

Weekend

Playing with myself (with my camera) at 2.00am on a Monday morning.

Arty Farty shots eh?

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If weekends are for rest, then my weekend wasn't exactly a weekend.

Intro to Quantitative Finance; dinner buffet at Mirama Hotel with Lynette, Shawn, SQ, KP, Shuhui, followed by a beer at a pub opposite Suntec; Gracelina's birthday. Gave up on Naren's as Woodlands was just to far away and pushed away an extended family gathering at East Coast. So many things, such a short span of time.

This week, 3E/4E gathering awaits; KHMC army mates gathering; another family gathering; volunteer tuition again.

Am I in demand or is it just peak season?

I need to exercise to burn fats from all the food.

School starts

School starts for me in approx 1.5 hrs time.

Woe to me and those who are in the special term. I had to cut short my trip in Pulai Springs resort Malaysia just to come back...to study. Jacuzzi, buffets, air-con room and discovery channel (No, I don't subscribe to cable cos my Dad's a staunch supporter of his own company or rather, he just refuses to pay. You decide.)

As much as I would like to crank start this aging brain of mine, I have a feeling that there's a tad too much rust in it for it to be salvaged. Woe to those with cranky brains! Why am I not excited about school?

Winston Wu, approaching 21, about to head to SMU to start life as a freshman. There are so many reasons to be excited. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. Explain. (25 marks)

Taken from the school of psychiatric studies final year exam paper 2007.

Headed for the no-brainer Fantastic Four movie after school with.... The Fantastic Four. Shuhui, moi, Sun Quan and Piang...

Lame... yes I know. -___________-"

It just happened to be a coincidence.

Anyway, I'd rather be the Human Torch or the Silver Surfer. Not THE THING.

Shopping

Brought Gloria shopping today...

Had some help from Chrystal so it was as traumatising standing in the female departments.

New York New York tasted good; mudpie brownie and ice-cream sinful but heavenly.

Bought wallet from Project Shop - wheee!

Management Science should be called Management Math/Statistics cos there's just so much of math and stats. Science? huh?

7 hours of shopping and dead tired.

Sleepz.

Zzzzzzzzzzz.

Random Thought

I'm contemplating getting contacts.

I think I look quite good without my specs...

maybe because I can't see really well without them.

-_________________-"

First stay of unemployment

I woke up this morning...








...unemployed.



Another phase of life, my first job, ended yesterday with teary goodbyes, lavish farewell lunches, a short work day... Darn, I wished it happened that way.

Actually, the last day of work was spent trying to finish an audit, no lunch treats a couple of pictures with fellow colleagues and a chat with my manager who wished me all the best and said, "You've been a great help."

While my departure was not accompanied with much fanfare (woe to shameless me), there're 2 other treats coming along my way - belated farewell meals, at a hotel and an unconfirmed location (manager needs to organise her schedule).

5 months into my first job, I'm glad I persevered through, even though I was so tempted to quit after 2 weeks. Hours were long and I felt as if I wasn't learning anything, still thinking that debit and credit simply meant money in, money out. Lol. There has been much to learn, from learning to be patient and meticulous in the vouching of transactions, to passing my first few audit adjustments, I'm glad I followed through the process. While it wasn't easy at times, I've surely developed in some way or another and I am quite confident of a good headstart over my fellow schoolmates (teeheehee). While that is so, i credit myself for fighting for chances to learn and expressing my desire to take up more challenging jobs. Being shameless does help you know...;)

Admittedly working life sucks and some of the parting words from my colleagues were "Enjoy yourself in university, before work really starts." Indeed, it will be a challenge to find joy and fulfillment in one's job but that's the challenge.

Student life awaits me. I'm TRYING to get excited.

Out of work, back to school

They were naked as I walked past them on my way to lunch.

By the time I saw them after work, they were clothed.

Mannequins! If you were thinking something else... hmmm...

The This Fashion outlet on the first floor of my office building has undergone a makeover. I thought they had gone under the water; bust; accumulated losses maxed out but no, they went through an extreme make over and now they're back in business!

But I must say they are very efficient in getting back into business. It seems like less than a week of renovation. And yesterday, they place was just full of boxes and unfitted cabinets. At the end of today, the clothes were on their racks, the mannequins dressed (save for one, which KP and I joked was the newest fashion). This Fashion ain't no Zara but I guess it does have its fair share of the market.

One more day of work. I'm going to be financially independent, again. The prospect of it kinda sucks.

playing around with my camera and daily devotional guide on a random night.

Bye Bye Old Church

26/05/06

Finally managed to catch Spiderman 3 on Sunday with Andrew and Gracelina. Though there were minor hiccups along the way, we managed to find seats for the 10.30pm show. So, after waiting for almost 8 hours, we finally got to catch the sequel, in the process boosting the box-office ticket revenue. It didn't disappoint.

During the 8 hours, we made a visit to Andrew's office; left a scandalous note; saw the the newspaper articles that he appeared in; gave feedback on the design of his new website; and got to know more about the events management business he ran, which was eye-opening and appeared really fun to be involved in.

We had dinner at Serangoon market, where along the way, I was spotted by Vinna. Vinna: I was on a date, true, but with two other people ;). Anyhow, she said I looked good that night. :D That's the best part. Haha.

Over dinner, I found out that Andrew and I are suckers for romantic, sappy, REALLY SAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPYYYYYYYY, romantic things while Gracelina abhors chummy scenarios. I suppose she could stick to someone who showers her with Swarvoski crystals but unfortunately, the said eligible bachelor does not stand a chance in her books. Neither do Andrew and I.

Recently though, I found that I sort of yearn for some sort form of companionship. Is it work stress, talk about Andrew's foray into wedding events and the myriad wedding magazines that I perused in that few hours at his office or too much of the channel 8 drama xing4 fu2 shuang1 ren2 chuang2 and it's lovey-dovey theme song?

"Would you be there to love and to be with me

Would you say that your love is always true

Would you swear that you'd always be the one

To take my breath away... "

Hormones I conclude. Hormones. Hello?! I'm almost 21!

Sheesh.

Andrew and I love Moulin Rouge. We concur that:

"The greatest thing on earth is to love, and to be loved in return."

27/05/06

Faithfulness

Two characters

Elder Brother: William
Younger Sister: Winnie

[William looks troubled, paces around his room?]

Winnie
Eh kor, so your a-level results can get you anywhere you want?

Wayne
Yup

Winnie
Even the really good ones?

Wayne
Mmmhmmm.

Winnie
Even the ones far, far away?

Wayne
Mmmhmmm.

Winnie
So why do you looked so troubled?

Wayne
I can’t decide between SNUMT (Singapore National University of Management and Technology) and University of New York (UNY, pronounced “uni”).

Winnie
Seriously, SNUMT is such a bad name. Of course New York la! It’s such a beautiful place! (breaks into a New York! New York! Sort of jingle). Besides, you can go look for Ugly Betty – get me her autograph.

[Wayne flicks his head and stares at her]

Wayne
I’m speechless…

Winnie
You just said something. Anyway, what are you worried about?

Wayne
It’s the money. The cost of going there is four hundred grand - that’s enough to buy a house! And I don’t want to put additional strain on the family finances.

Winnie
That’s true. But it’s a great opportunity!

Wayne
Yeah, but some people I’ve consulted are telling me it’s not worth the money – I could settle for SNUMT’s double degree and get it for 20 times less UNY. But it’s my dream to go to New York, [starts to speed up] and yeah maybe I’ll get to see ugly betty, and I could work in those big banks and head to Central Park….

Winnie
Wait a second…I think we’ve got carried away. Where does God figure into all this?

Wayne
Well, I prayed that He’d close all doors if He didn’t want me to leave.

Winnie
Well, there’s His answer!

Wayne
You don’t understand Winnie... I’ve asked me for additional signs to confirm the decision but they don’t seem to be coming true. All God seems to tell me is “I’ll be faithful whichever you choose.”

Winnie
I believe He’s giving you a choice then, with the assurance that He’ll be faithful whichever way you go. Heading to New York may be a huge risk, but He will pave the way for you, He promised. Or, you could stay here in your comfort zone.

Wayne
[Sighs]

Winnie
The only thing is that you could be forgoing something big that God plans for you - and you could really regret it.

Wayne
But I’m so afraid I’ll screw up, then all the money will go to waste…

Winnie
But it’s God we’re talking about! He knows what you can do and what you can’t! He’s got everything planned out for you and He’s promised that “He’ll be faithful.”
Take this opportunity to see God in action and you’ll never be the same again.

Wayne
What about those people who disagree?

Winnie
There’ll always be people who disagree with whatever choice you make – those are dangerous distractions. Most important though is that you keep your eyes focused on the prize - On God.

Wayne
I guess you’re right.

Winnie
Just know that having faith is a way of acknowledging God’s faithfulness.
Don’t just stare blankly at me. Repeat after me.

Winnie/Wayne
Having faith is a way of acknowledging God’s faithfulness.

Wayne
That’s deep man. Profound. Thanks.

Winnie
[Goes to her room and gets a stamp.] I can’t help much in the 400k but here’s a stamp to post your decision. It’s your call.


[Lights down]

This is the script that I wrote for the final drama at Bartley. The building, which I've been familiar with for the past 21 years of my life, will be torn down to make way for a spanking new one. This is in anticipation of an influx of new members from the new HDB blocks, which will rise from across the street. Perhaps it's a prophesy that the dead may rise again; on the flip side, it may be a mockery of the dead - that the dead will be dead and there is nothing they can do if the living were to encroach upon their final resting place. I digressed.

For the record, I do not have anything against NTU. Just read the script - and for those who managed to catch it, you'll understand that what happened on stage did not represent the scriptwriter's intentions. I thus rest my case.

Anyway, I'm quite glad that I've developed my own style and that people recognise it. I've written scripts for church dramas for over 6 years (gosh!) beginning with Free Gift?! in 2001 and I suppose my audience (which has grown with me over this period of time) have grown accustomed to my style and sense of humour. I do appreciate it when people say things like, "You wrote it right? It was so you!" I guess part of it is a recognition of my own personality, something that's Winston, something that people enjoy about me. ;)

The script was written in response to the things that were happening in my life, at the stage when I was making a choice between NYU and SMU. This was how I felt... This was my rationale for choosing NYU initially. Even though the ending in this script has gone in the opposite direction, and I have settled on my current decision, I must admit that it was a little hard watching the drama play out onstage. Indeed, while I may say that I am at peace with myself, there are the occassions where I just wished some things were different - and it stings when people say things like "Wow! That's a really good opportunity" when I mention my offer from NYU. Is it regret? Perhaps. It was, and still feels, like a part of me was torn away, a dream maybe gone unfulfilled. But God has shown that He is faithful in the current path I have chosen and I can attest to that. I do find comfort in a feeling that though I may not be able to go to New York right now, I will have the opportunity of fulfilling my dreams some day. Some day. Some day. Just not today. Not right now... Not this moment.

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01/06/07

Went to the IT fair today (again), this time with my parents. Thankfully, it wasn't as crowded yesterday. I'm still searching for that perfect laptop - one that will serve me well over the next few years and is value for money (no doubt it's free, but I still want to be fully maximise the budget that I'm given).

Gloria and I got high on the car ride home, perhaps a direct result of the vanilla and oreo milkshakes from Secret Recipe. Anyway, we started out with imitating artsy and fartsy (the puppets from Front on Arts Central) , moved on to random clatter before it culminated in a medley of Avril Lavigne's "You were everything" (not sure of the title) and another song, which title I am unable to recall at 12:53am in the morning. It was similar to a scene from a chick flick - two sisters jumping on their bed in nothing but their cute little underpants singing to a tune of Britney Spears. I am such a sister to my sister. Argh. If Vodka had a new flavour to honour the both of us, it would be Absolut Madness. Haha.

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