Monday, December 31, 2007
The year in review
2007 is the busiest year of my life and this, I’m not exaggerating. Some say that that’s because I’m a pig (in the Chinese horoscope) and pigs aren’t meant to have a good year. I’d like to believe that this has been a fulfilling year bustling with activities, which naturally means I open myself up to more risks, setbacks and stresses.Now that the year is finally ending (in about 6 hours time), it is time to recount the experiences and store the achievements, blessings and heartaches in Jo’s hall of archives – at long blerdy last.
Blessing #1: Completing Uni
After two years of assignments, exams and school-going evenings, I am finally done with school. I received my results for my final modules last week and was pleasantly relieved that I passed with a good grade. All I gotta do now is wait for graduation!
Blessing #2: Doing G! mag
Starting the magazine isn’t that much of an achievement, but keeping it going is. Getting through the first three issues hasn’t been easy and admittedly, there were times when I felt like giving up. I am thankful that God has given me the strength and determination to hang on, and I will continue to do so as long as He wants me to.
Blessing #3: Being a freelance writer
Throughout the year, I’ve written 11 articles for Healthy Times and Simply Her which add up to a rather beefy portfolio and additional income. I don’t know how I got through those late nights, juggling assignments and articles, but now that it has ended, who’s complaining?
Blessing #4: Staying employed
Ever since the first month I started work here, I wanted to throw in the towel but I decided to stay on so that I don’t rock the boat while I complete my studies. In a blink of an eye, I’ve been working here for almost two years already and I know that I definitely wouldn’t have got through this trying period without God. It’s certainly time for greener pastures…
Blessing #5: Becoming a Godma
It’s a great privilege for someone to actually think that I’m worthy of being her spiritual guide. Edith is an awesome God-daughter and I’m thankful that she has been placed in my life to remind me that I constantly need to be a good Christian. The past months have been tough on her but I know that she will only get stronger through her ordeals. Looking forward to a lifetime journey ahead dearie!
Heartache #1: Hating my job
I guess it’s easy for people to say it can’t be that bad, but it is! I know that for a fact becos I’m going through it everyday. And being on leave for the past two weeks has confirmed the fact that there’s nothing to miss and nothing to look forward to when I return on Wed.
Heartache #2: Unhealthy me
First, a toothache which led to the extraction of three teeth. (Two of which are my wisdom teeth). Then, rashes which popped out of nowhere to irritate the shit out of me. I think it’s also a record number of MCs which I’ve taken in a year so much so that if you’re having a sore throat or fever, come look for me and I’ll know what to prescribe you.
Heartaches #3, 4 & 5: Getting my heart broken
I’d rather not get into details as yet, but let’s just say that the last week of Dec was painful and I almost lost my bearings for awhile. The scars are still lingering and I sometimes wonder what I could’ve done better. This heartache is not caused by Hil, in case you’re wondering. In fact, he has been a pillar of strength for me, without which I would have still been stuck in a rut.
Ok, to sum it up, 2007 has been busy, torturous but fulfilling. And I can't believe I'm saying this (especially after heartaches #3-5) but I am looking forward to a great new year ahead. Have a great one people!
Posted by Jo at 6:02 PM
Monday, December 24, 2007
My Christmas Gift
It's Christmas Eve and I'm all dressed up for a family gathering at my aunt's place followed by midnight mass and a night spent with precious friends.The past week has been a rollercoaster of emotions, or as Hil commented, "so emo". But yes, I have made peace, with myself, and I'm ready to welcome Jesus with open arms. So if you, like me, can't seem to find the "Christmas mood", remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
Thank you for stripping Your divinity and becoming one of us so that we, can share in Your divinity. Amen.
Posted by Jo at 6:51 PM
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Who stole my Christmas?
It is day four of my two-week leave and I can't seem to bring myself to let loose and enjoy my well-deserved break. Perhaps the unfamiliarity of being so free all of a sudden has left me disillusioned (although I must say that I’m not exactly free-free). Maybe I've been working so hard the past year that I've forgotten how to have fun. The scary thing is, I went about wrapping Christmas presents, writing cards and watching my long-anticipated Home Alone DVD series, but at the end of the day, I feel really empty inside. It's such a weird feeling for a person like me who's easily satisfied and excitable by times like these.Whatever the case, I'm determined to shake off this thing that has been bugging me. I'm quite sure I know what the problem is, and I have exactly four days to fix it.
Posted by Jo at 10:55 PM
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
SMS please
Irony is:...having time to blog but no inspiration to.
...waiting all year for December to come and not knowing what to do.
...being on leave yet there's more work to complete.
...longing for some friendship but I have no mood to meet.
...wrapping gifts and writing cards although X'mas seems passe.
...saying I'll have faith but I still doubt everyday.
Irony is feeling hopeful, depressed, free, frustrated, happy, and helpless all at the same time.
Slap Me Silly please.
Posted by Jo at 11:38 PM
Monday, December 10, 2007
My friend went to Bali and all she's got me was this lousy entry, which btw, is 3 weeks overdue…
Note of caution: This is a very, very, very long entry.Prelude
Two days before my trip to Bali, I was down with a bad flu and sore throat. It got so bad that I had to see a doctor to get an MC, which meant that I didn't have to work from Wed afternoon onwards. It turned out to be an extremely short week since I was on exam leave that Monday as well. Anyway, being at home gave me time to rest, recuperate and get ready for the trip. I also came up with a mental list of things-that-I-must-do-in-Bali which will be mentioned in the following paragraphs.
My mum, being my mum, was so worried and bombarded me with a list of to-dos and to-brings, including a statue of Jesus (which she specifically instructed me to place in the hotel room for God's protection), and four tubes of diarrhoea medicine and panadol, in case we got sick during the trip. Oh btw, I didn't tell her that I was sick for fear that my to-bring list and her incessant nagging would be prolonged. Ssshh...So, on Friday, my mum came into my room to say her goodbyes and gave me an angbao with $60 inside. For good luck and a safe journey, she said, but deep down, I kinda knew she gave it to me in case I didn't have enough money to spend. I kept the angbao in my wallet and prepared to leave. She wanted to send me off at the airport but she had to work, so instead, she made sure that my dad and bro became my personal escorts. At 4pm, Hil came over to my place and the four of us took a cab to the airport.
Day 1 (Friday, 16 Nov)
Stepping out of the airplane was like taking a time machine back to the 80s. The warm air which greeted me as I exited provided an introductory welcome to Bali. Obviously, I was still too excited to be bothered. My colleagues and I entertained each other while waiting for our turn at the checkpoint. When we've collected our luggage and were ready to go, Hil hadn't arrived yet. He was due to touch down 5 mins after me but was stuck in the long checkpoint queue. So I told my colleagues to go ahead first while I waited for him to clear the customs. And they were nice enough to make a trip back to the airport to pick us up so that saved us some money on cab fare.
Finally, at around 11pm, we arrived at the Santika beach resort, which is a 10-minute drive from the airport. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the place is as beautiful as the pictures I've seen on their website. Authentically designed, the moment I stepped out of the cab, it finally sank in that I was in freakin' Bali. We waited for our room keys and received a cooling glass of lemongrass as our welcome drink. I can't remember if I've actually drank lemongrass before, but perhaps combined with the heat and exhaustion of the travel, that drink immediately became a highlight of the evening. It tasted slightly minty and sweet - the very thing I needed to refresh myself. Anyway, the concierge informed us that all the deluxe rooms were fully occupied and upgraded us to the Garden Double Queen Bungalow instead, at no extra cost. You can imagine my ecstasy when I saw the place...
My day started at 8.30am with breakfast buffet at the lounge, following which I had to work while Hil ventured out to recce the area and do some shopping. Two of the doctors were giving a health talk on aesthetic procedures to a room filled with women, about 120 pax to be precise. This event was in collaboration with Femina’s 30th anniversary, an Indonesian female magazine. The talk went well and it ended at 1pm with a buffet lunch, which btw, was woo-lala because it gave me a sneak preview of all the Balinese food available. After eating my fill, I parted ways with my colleagues and officially began my holiday.
After walking along the streets, we ended up in the Discovery Mall shopping centre - air-conditioned, much to our relief. Bali's really hot. I don't think it's much hotter than S'pore but I guess they have less shades and trees. Anyway, the shopping centre was enjoyable. We bought many of the souvenirs there becos the prices were around the same as those in the streets. We also found our favourite Baskin' Robbins ice cream parlour! Fyi, a scoop of ice cream on a cone is like S$1.50! Happy sia! If we were in Malaysia, it would have been at least S$3.
So we shopped around until 7pm and left the shopping centre to look for a place to eat. Then, just outside the mall, two people offered us free donuts. It was a good marketing ploy and Hil was saying that it shows how confident they are of their products - which incidentally, were sooooooo good that we headed back to buy two more. (We totally fell into their evil plot!)
After our breakfast, Hil and I met up with two of my colleagues to share a cab into Seminyak, another part of Kuta where there's supposedly an endless stretch of shops. This time, we were wiser and bargained our way into better deals. The thing that cracks us up is how the Balineses like to use the calculator to tell us the price even though they can converse in English. And Hil likes to speak to them with the Indonesian accent which until now, I can't figure out why. Ha...Check this out: It took us about half an hour to reach Seminyak by cab, and about 5 hours to reach our hotel by foot. By the time it was 4pm, my legs were so achy and sore. I was telling Hil that it's so ironic that I actually feel more tired on a holiday than when I'm at work. When we finally arrived at the hotel, we ordered two glasses of ice cold lemongrass drinks and I tell you, that was heavenly!
After our legs were well-rested, we made our way to the SFX church 10 mins from the hotel. I was impressed to find that the church is air-conditioned and uses a projector for the song lyrics and readings. (Was kinda expecting a rundown place with no aircon and torn hymnals.) When I entered the church, the pews were almost filled up with people from all walks of life, all over the world, all skin colour. At that moment, I felt a great surge of peace within me. That's the beauty of the Catholic church, the universality of it which discriminates no one and welcomes anyone. Prior to the trip, I was feeling spiritually low and never did I expect to find God, let alone find Him in Bali. When I knelt down to pray, God blessed me with new eyes to see the happenings in my life and I saw how His mighty hands have been constantly guiding me and leading me to where I am today. It was a moment of overwhelming serenity which left my eyes welled up and a heart which is longing for His gentle touch again. And you know, the song Give Thanks played at that very moment. It's like His angels were cuing me to thank Him for all the blessings and graces I've received in my life!
After mass, Hil and I went for dinner at an outdoor restaurant and feasted like royalties. A Balinese lady and her keyboardist entertained us with some songs and we noticed an Italian guy trying to flirt with her. Then she invited him to sing a song together. Eeks, gross. Well, I was half expecting him to screw it up but he sang really well. Then, the lady looked over at our table and mumbled something which obviously I didn't hear, so I said yes (cos I assumed that she was asking if we like the food & the music). She must be thinking that we're some cheena-mama PRCs who don't understand English. Turns out that she was actually asking if Hil & I wanted to perform a song cos she saw us bobbing our heads and mouthing the words. Ha...and I said yes to her. OMG. She walked over and passed the songbook to us but Hil was so paiseh and kept rejecting her. I didn't mind singing (since we were in a foreign land and nobody's gonna recognise us anyway) but after hearing the Italian guy belt out his guts, I felt rather paiseh and decided to not give these foreigners a bad impression of us Singaporeans. Hahaha...
Day 4 (19 Nov)
Today was a special day for Hil and I cos we were celebrating our 8th year and 7th month together. And finally, after 4 days in Bali, we headed to the beach for some sun and sand! Much to my excitement (it’s one of the things-that-I-must-do-in-Bali) and Hil’s reluctance. But you see, that’s the art of give and take to sustain a relationship for 8 years. Haha…
The weather was great and as we strolled to the beach, we busied our hands with two bottles of ice cold beer and our iPods. I was looking forward to getting a nice tan but the kia-si side of me remembered the words of my wise doctors. “Never leave home without sunblock…” So I decided to apply layers of sunblock before soaking in the sun while Hil opted to remain shaded. I really enjoyed the breeze blowing in my face, watching the clear blue waters moving with ease, and listening to Corrinne May as the lyrics sank into the depths of my soul. The peacefulness of being at that very moment was so euphoric, I wished life could be so simple and beautiful.
Hil's view of the beach. Oops.
After an hour, we walked along the shorelines, hoping to collect some nice seashells as souvenirs but we had no such luck, so we proceeded to the hotel’s swimming pool for a quick dip. Unsatisfied with my tan-less results, I decided to ‘relak’ on the beach chair for a while before joining Hil in the pool. And just as the tones of my skin started changing (or so I thought), the sun’s heat became a lil’ too unbearable for me. That’s after barely 5 minutes in the sun. So I dived into the pool to join Hil.
After washing up, we took a cab and headed to Denpasar – a 20-min drive from our hotel. This was supposedly the capital of Bali but when we got there, we were sorely disappointed becos it wasn’t a tourist hotspot and the items they sold were mainly for the locals. It was like the AMK of Bali basically. So we looked around, mindful of the time becos we had an appointment at 6.30pm back at the hotel. Just as we were about to make our way back to Kuta to do some shopping at the Discovery Mall, we met a friendly cabbie who suggested taking us to a marketplace which sold a lot of cheap stuff, so we followed him. Hmmm…let’s just say that he took the term 'marketplace' very literally. After taking a brief tour, we told him to send us back to Kuta.
At 6.30pm, we headed across the street from our hotel for a two & a half hour Balinese massage (another thing-that-I-must-do-in-Bali). This included an aromatherapy Balinese massage, body scrub/exfoliation and facial. It was a good experience which certainly helped to relax my tensed shoulders and back. After the massage, we had delicious ginger tea and brownies as part of the refreshments. All that pampering for only S$35 per head. And I loved it that the masseur tied my hair in a funky bun.
I woke up feeling bittersweet, on one hand reluctant to go home and on the other, grateful for this opportunity to have a short break. After having breakfast at the hotel lounge for the last time on our trip, we set off to Discovery Mall (again). Most of the shops weren’t open yet so we decided to hang out at the beach and enjoy the morning breeze. At 10am, our favourite ice cream parlour opened and we became the first customers of the day. Then, we went back to the hotel, packed our bags and called a cab to the airport.
I was quite anxious for two reasons: (1) It’s my first time taking the plane alone, (2) Hil will be alone in a foreign land for almost half the day (his flight only leaves at 10pm). Anyway, Hil sent me to the airport and after I checked in, I wandered the duty-free shops aimlessly and finally decided to settle down to wait for my flight. Thank God for my trusty iPod – I used the time to reflect on my trip. The experiences I had over the past five days was something that money can’t buy and as I was floating on a mental high, a Singaporean family of three sat down beside me, disrupting my sweet train of thoughts. That was a snap back to reality and I immediately knew they are Singaporeans becos they started talking, or rather, shouting in Hokkien. Sian.
Onboard the plane, I sat beside an Indian couple and decided to watch ‘Stardust’. It’s a good movie and this time, I was determined to finish it. When the stewardess asked for the headphones during landing, I continued watching the last 10 mins of the show muted, trying to catch up with the Chinese subtitles. So that’s why I needed to study Chinese back in school. Haha…
So after landing, I went to the duty-free store to buy a bottle of Martell for my parents as requested and I was delighted to see my whole family waiting for me at the arrival gate. =)
That’s it. Phew! For a full collection of the pictures, pls click on the box below.
