Cat fight

So this whole GC business is all over e web now n I decided to click the links to check it out. After a min or two of reading thru, I started yawning. Then I closed down e link. Seriously, if reading abt cat fights from self centered individuals appeal to u, then this one's for u. I believe the rest of us haf more important things to do then wasting time finding out abt this saga. The blogosphere is simply too saturated. Bloggers are every where. Alright, good night, sleep tight!

Merry merry xmas

Merry Xmas everyone! Hope yr Xmas eve n Xmas were wonderful! Mine was pretty good, despite myself feeling slightly feverish at 37.6 degrees with lower back aches as usual. We had a Xmas eve gathering at sis's place with each of us bringing food for e potluck. I cooked salmon, yf prepared sushi, Yn cooked spaghetti that was slightly soggy, AT brought chicken n ham, YP bought rainbow cake n the most shocking of all, Breadman bought 2 melons for $89! Those are jap melons FYI, with the trademark "T" stalk. Needless to say, all of us were excited over this extravagant purchase! Haha. Anyway, mom then cut one up for us to taste. Mind u, this melon is really juicy! It is really sweet too! But I will never ever in my life spend so much money on a fruit. Thanks ah, Breadman, for letting us haf a chance to taste this premium quality fruit! Eh, next time, when I ask u to get fruits, dun be so atas can? Get normal ones from giant n NTUC can? Hahaha. So after the meal, all of us then proceed to play the card game saboteur. That's really a mindreading n strategy game! So far it is still hard for me to deduce who's who. I guess i need more practice then! Merry Xmas once again, everyone !

Tooth Decay

Ever since the dentist told me that I have a tooth decay n that I would require a tooth filling, I was utterly devastated! My 25 year streak of having good teeth is gone! Anyway, dentist has advised me to start flossing. I have always avoided doing that because it makes my gum bleed. Anyway, 4 days haf passed n I am proud to announce that I have been diligently flossing my teeth after every meal, like finally, haha. I m also trying out this ayurvedic therapy of doing oil pulling, in which I hold oil in my mouth for 15 mins, while swishing them around. It serves to improve oral health n helps to heal cavity. Hopefully it works! Keeping my fingers crossed!

My 8th Month in the Social Service Sector

Today's 1 Dec 14 and it marks my 8th month working in a nursing home, as a social worker. I joined on 1 April 14, on April Fools' Day, hence my joining date will always be memorable to me because I thought it was a joke from the company when they asked me to start work on that day! Probably you may wonder, what my job entails. I must admit I was offended when I heard the phrase " why do u need a degree to work as a social worker? Anyone can do it." I believe my profession ought to be respected n recognized and I m glad to learn that the MSF n MOHH are going to come up with a Social Workers' Framework by early 2015. This framework is gonna be really useful for mid career switchers as well as existing social service professionals who wanna switch between the different sectors e.g from a hospital to a nursing home etc. I m also heartened to learn that more n more youngsters are joining this field n for the right reason of course. Most want to give back to society by contributing their services.

Anyway, to cut the long story short, I love my job! We are probably one of the few organizations which has meetings about festive events celebrations like Xmas, CNY etc. We always have to plan for activities for the residents. Our upcoming celebration will be on 19 Dec, Xmas Celebration n this week all of us are busy with the preparation, deco n stuff. As each department has to enter the Xmas lantern making contest, all of us are tied up with this craft making business. Ours is special because we use all recycled materials! Plus our residents were involved in it. So I hope to win the top prize! Shall distribute the prize money with the residents if we win! Back to my job scope, so far I have done case assessments, whereby I will need to head down to the hospital/nursing home that applicant is currently in, to assess if he is suitable for nursing home placement or not. Then I will follow up with the family for admission n financial counseling. If all's well, applicant will b admitted. I have also helped my residents to apply for financial help, like IDAPE and Eldershield n MFEC n the recent PIONEER DAS and CHAS card. On top of that, I also did means testing n medifund applications. That aside, I also conduct activities for residents, such as art sessions and karaoke sessions. I bring them for haircuts as well. The downside of my job is to deal with the passing of residents. Often, we attend their funerals as a mode of respect n we try not to get too emotionally affected. Anyway, I am proud to say that I m 1/1000000000 of a nursing student! Haha. After reading the referrals for nursing home placement, especially the medical background section, gradually u will become equipped with some form of medical knowledge. I have learnt lots of medical acronyms as well! Try figuring what these acronyms mean: LOC, SOB, ROM. I learnt that mardopar is a medication for Parkinsonism. Dulcolax is a medicine for constipation. Aspiration is when water or food gets into the lungs. Pneumothorax occurs when the air is trapped in the lungs. This medical knowledge shall continue to expand as I get exposed to people of different medical conditions. So far, I have dealt with OCD patients, psychiatric patients n anxiety disorder patients. Suddenly my Abnormal Psychology knowledge becomes useful. It is as though whatever u have read on the book is truly reflected in front of your eyes. It is so cool, yet challenging at the same time.

I have had downs in this job as well, family members scolding u, whether face to face or on the phone, inability to conduct my activities due to a lack of time. Once u stop being consistent, the residents do not feel that we treat them seriously, then they might be half hearted abt continuing with the activities. When they say they do not feel like continuing, I felt a little sad. Is it because I didn't manage my time well enough such that I have to sacrifice their activity time so that I can work on the other paperwork? My department is still in the midst of hiring new staff. So let me know if u are keen to work as a social worker. A degree in psychology/social work will suffice.  Anyway have u figured the acronyms? They are: Loss of Consciousness, Shortness of Breath and Range of Motion. Ok hand me a medical report n I will decode it for u. Hahaha. Too haolian.

To end off my post, I m appreciative of my work, my boss n colleagues n my special residents who make work less boring. Whenever I m drained from work, I just head to the rooms to do my rounds, n to talk to any resident I spotted along the way. Today I just held a resident's hand as I led her to our office to admire the lantern she was involved in making. The joy on her face when she sees it: priceless. Thanks for giving me a second lease of life, I will strive to make the lives of others different.

Llao llao

Woke up at 445am today for The Big Walk 2014, held at nicoll highway. Haven't joined such mass events for the longest time I can recall, this year's participant count totals up to 18 000! Amazed! Anyway, to cut the long story short, I still enjoyed the walk despite it being poorly organized. There were many pauses here n there because many pple were taking photos, n many were armed with selfie-rods. I guess the whole new meaning of mass walks is changed with technology.. I feel kinda sad though. How many of those walkers are really here for the walk? I can say that 80 percent are there for the photos, which they want it to be Instagram worthy. And then garner the most number of "likes" on facebook. I went with cousin n sisters and the only photos we took were before e walk started. That's all. No pausing here n there during e 5km to take selfies. A little too overwhelming I feel.

Anyway, to end the day with a sweet note, I managed to get my hands on a cup of Sanum, the famed froyo from Llao Llao (pronounce as yao yao). Usually it will take an hour to queue, but i was lucky enough! There were only 2 pple in fromt of us during this Sunday afternoon. The Sanum ($6.50) consists of frozen yoghurt, with yr choice of 3 fruit toppings n 1 crunchie n sauce. My choice was watermelon, mango n blueberries with caramelised sunflower seeds, drizzled with rum n raisin sauce. My verdict: wrong combi! Too darn sweet.... I didn't know the rum n raisin is sweet too. Plus caramelized sunflower seeds. Aiyo. Anyway there were plenty of sauces to choose from, but the marina outlet only labelled 6 of them.. N rum n raisin happened to b one of them. Haha. So u know, first time orders jitters. Anyhow name the toppings u see being labelled. It's a little pricey n it isn't that fantastic. Thus I m not sure what the hype is all about. Next stop shall be Honey Creme!

Lucky, Britney Spears

My first song performance, a duet.  This was done in collaboration with a girl from the States. Hope you enjoy! http://www.smule.com/p/181361689_77551649

I can cook

If I can cook, u can cook too!
These are some dishes I cooked for sis while staying at her house. Hope u are salivating! Anyway I m a person who loves noodles more than rice, as u can see.. Haha. 

Media Interview

Tomorrow there's gonna be a media interview from The Straits Times and I will need to be there with my resident. Kind of excited about it cuz it will be featured in the papers! What should I wear tmr? Pants ? Or dress?Teehee. Looks like I haf to wake up slightly early tmr to dress up.

Shopping Tales

Went to IMM to do some massive outlet shopping after our indoor baseball session at home run Singapore. My loot of the day? It's this denim bustier from Guess. The best part of it? Only 15 bucks! Heehee. It's unbelievable that the original price is $135! This marks my first ever item from Guess by Marciano. 

Children Little Museum

I have told Breadman for the longest time that I wanted to check out the Children Little Museum, located at 42 Bussorah Street because of its cute nit bits. It isnt the usual type of museum that both of us always go to. Our usual spots would be the Art Science Museum and probably the Asian Civillisation Museum. Oh yes, not to forget the Singapore Art Museum and also one of our latest finds; the Gillman Barracks.
So finally, after 1 year of discussing about this place, we finally visited this place some time back. As you can see, back then my hair was long, so this was definitely way before my hair shaving on 5 July 2014. Haha
No editing for this set of photos because a few of the photos were blurry as they were taken in dim light. So I guess editing wont do much help to resolve this issue. Hence, what you are about to see are the most natural photos, which can be overexposed etc.

We start off the date with lunch at a restaurant in bugis, Kotsujiru Nabe. The word Nabe always amuses us because it is pronounced the same way as a vulgar word. Crudeness overload. Haha. Will not talk much about the food because I cant really remember the names of the dishes we ordered but I'll show u the pics.

                                     The hungry man donned in checks.

Oh yes! I remember this dish! It is the Soup Gyoza with mochi skin.The real dish looks distinctly different from the menu. This was pork dumplings cooked in cabbage broth I think. The selling point is the skin of the dumpling, which is made of mochi, instead of the usual skin. Thus, it is really chewable and I took sometime to bite into this. It is akin to eating muah chee with meat. Didnt like this a lot. 

 Breadman ordered this dish which I cant recall its name at all. Probably it's teriyaki chicken ramen? This was a far more delicious dish as compared to mine. Reminded me slightly of Ajisen's Ramen's version.
Ok now that our tummies were filled, it was time to embark our journey down the memory lane, to revisit our lost childhoods.

It was a Saturday and there was a small crowd, mainly tourists. Though I frequent bugis as I go there for my praying sessions, I seldom walk around this area. Thus, I have yet to discover many hidden gems of Singapore.  

This museum is pretty small, thus it is kind of a hit or miss thing. Try spotting the friendly robot to locate this place! Some background info about this place: The Children Little Museum was formerly known as the Grandfather’s Shop  until 2003. It was started by three local vintage collectors who wanted to share a slice of the good old days with people, especially for our current generation of youngsters who seemed to have lost touch with all these intangible memories. Once you enter the museum, the shop owner, this man in his 50s to 60s will greet u pleasantly and collect a $2 entrance fee from you. There is no ticket/receipt issued to u so this is based on a trust system. You trust that I paid. Etc. Also, he is ever so helpful to help u with the photos. There is also no area that is out of bounds for u. So shoot away! 

 Lots of familiar childhood games. My eyes caught a few of my favourite games during school days.

 I still play with the bubble thingy that you blow using this miniscule straw. Haha.

                                      Posing with the robot!

           My turn to pose! My face looked so puffy in this one. Time to lose weight!

 I have no idea what is inside. Wanted to purchase it but stopped my itchy hands.

 Toys galore! I was pretty excited to see toys, even though I have passed the age whereby I play with them.

 The owner really has a huge stash of collection, from toys to antiques to other stuff.

 

I love tiffin containers! I am using one of them right now. My loving mom packs dinner for me on some days when my sis and I are lazy to cook. Haha. Food somehow taste better when packed in such containers.  

There is indeed a myriad of things in here. I was blown away, literally.  Each corner is packed with surprises waiting for you to uncover.

                                         Elvis Presley fan, anyone?

 Anyway, I first heard about this place through someone's blog, so it pays to read! 

                            I wish to have nice and thick hair after this!

 

Nostalgia factor x10

                Damn fat face. I think right now my face is not that round now.

              No idea who's in the photos, but i think it might be the owner's ?

 There are 2 storeys, so after you finished level 1, which can take around 10 mins, you move on to the next. 

You know those paper dolls in which u can change their clothing? I love them!! I still love them right now and I will be happy if I can still play with them. Haha. There was a time when I made my own paper dolls. Needless to say, they werent that nice looking. 

Sot the zylophone. I think most of the 80s kids have played with it. Looking at these toys, I feel sad for the current generation, whose toys are ipads and other electronic gadgets. Dun you think that these toys are much more appealing? It seems way more fun to play with them than to watch cartoons on ipads. I condemn the technology. Hmph. 

I like the fact that the owner carefully categorizes the toys/trinkets. It really does evoke fond memories of my primary school days. Those were the days of 5 stones and hopscotch and 20 cents tidbits with toys. How I wish I can revisit those days again. The green uniform, the rocky paths of the assembly area, my first ever sailormoon bag etc. Those were the good old days. I admit I am old right now.  

Do you still remember the Pets series workbooks and textbooks? Oh darn, why didnt I keep a copy of those books back then? Then I can look at them once more.... It is really important to have keepsakes. One fine day you will go back and look at them and u can then tell your children about those days.

                  This is another popular game. I love this game! I still do, right now.

Cold drinks, anyone? Erm, the red liquid was a little dirty with dirt and brown things in it. Haha. Probably the owner should change it regularly. 

                                   Somebody preparing for shaving!

                           Our complexion looked pretty good here. Haha.

                               Hello, Ah Seng Toy Store, may I help you?

                          The school bell is ringing, time to end school!

 Some of the items are for sale, but they dun come cheap. So next time, please open a shop to sell vintage goods! There are bound to be businesses.

 

                         I think this bike is real but it seems to be just put on display.

           Trippies Cafe, not sure if this is another  make-believe item or is it real?

That concludes our trip to Children Little Museum! $2 for 1 hour (that's the time we spent, but u can spend more time in there) of fond childhood memories, surely worth it! Head down to this place if you havent, it guarantees a whole new experience! Be prepared for dusty toys though as this place is not all that neat and tidy! 

Children Little Museum
42 Bussorah Street
Singapore 199460
$2 Entry Fee   
Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm daily