I finally know Mr J's full name - from the various testimonials by doctors and charitable organisations that he showed me yesterday evening.
Jai Ram Singh, born a British subject in present-day Pakistan, when that country was under British rule. He earned his medical degree in Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal. Later on, he came over to Malaya to work in what is today known as Singapore General Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital. He then quit and opened his own clinic, Siglap Surgery, along Upper East Coast Road. He ran his practice downstairs and lived upstairs. While he was trained in surgery, he specialised in "making your eyes and lips look good and ridding you of your scars, with a special technique", he said.
This kind doctor would charge $2.50 to $3 for medicine and sometimes wrote off his patients' bills even if they didn't ask him to. Other doctors charged the usual $10 and more and accused him of undercharging. But he said he merely wanted to make medicine affordable for his patients. Plus, he only needed to make enough money to live simply. He also pointed out that Singaporeans wanted good service and effective medicine, not cheap drugs that couldn't cure them.
Mr Jai also volunteered at missions hospitals in India, and I think Malaysia.
Today, because the orthopaedic doctors he visits knows he waived his patients' fees in the past, they also do not charge him for his visits. And, I finally know what he has been suffering from since 1980/1981. It's arthritic-osteoporosis. He said he's always hurt in the back, but only a month back, the pain became very severe. I've also seen the huge bottle of pills, and packets as well, that help kill his pain.
It did occur to me that perhaps I've been too naive to believe everything a stranger says. But I don't think he could have forged all those yellowed testimonials. And he speaks too well to be considered an "ordinary" person. Somehow, I feel so drawn to this old man, it's really weird. There's just something about his mannerisms and kind eyes that makes me just want to care more.
Ever the gentleman, he's always placed a table on rollers between the both of us when we talk. I think it's got to do with the fact that he cares about propriety - he did mention he didn't want me to think that he would take advantage of a lone girl like me. Well, it's quite amusing actually! With his unsteady gait, he could never do anything untoward to me!
I just can't stop thinking about him. Well, more like worrying. Went to the temple to check if they could deliver food to him. Dead end there. Called up Toa Payoh Methodist Church to see if they wanted to link up a cell group to befriend him. They will get back to me about the possibility.
Right now, I think the best thing to do, seriously, is to wait for Monday when he can call Touch Home Care again to arrange for an appointment with the lady in charge. I'm praying he qualifies for the programme cos it covers meal deliveries, home help, some healthcare etc....Perfect for him. Hope it doesn't cost too much too.
It's terrible growing old alone. I just hope he never EVER falls. His bones are too brittle to withstand any such force. Oh, he's getting a phone soon. Great! Then it won't be so difficult contacting him anymore.
Friday, December 31, 2004
Thursday, December 30, 2004
I chanced upon Mr J
It's been too long since I last wrote.....two months? Well, today I just had to write. Welcome back slumbering gal.
Not many pple know this story, but there was this 78-year-old (think he's Eurasian) man I met at Braddell MRT station abt two months back. His spine was arched like a mini camel's back. He carried a plastic bag in one hand and with the other, he tried to balance himself as he shuffled - what I believed was 5cm at a time - towards the turnstile. The stranger acting as his crutch looked so much to be in a hurry, I decided to take over.
When I probed, he offered part of his name, told me he was married with no kids, wife had died and he was on his way to shenton way to see his doctor for his spine problem. He was walking perfect just three months back before the spine problem attacked. Feeling a pang of compassion, I got his address and visited twice. He lives alone in a cluttered three-room flat in Toa Payoh. Well, the third visit was yesterday but he wasn't home, so I left a packet of lunch, seven 10-cent coins for him to call, and contact numbers of welfare organisations he could dial. Now to think back, apart from feeling like I really wanted to help, I was also intrigued by his perfect English, sense of wit and humour, as well as independent spirit - which I witnessed in that brief 10 minutes I led him to the turnstile.
In fact, he just called with a conversation that I didn't know to take as kind advice or a chiding. He offered thanks, but firmly said he wanted to return my coins. Then he said: "Don't go out of your way to be kind because this is a cruel world. I'm offering this advice from my years of experience, remember I told you I was a doctor? People can misconstrue your kind intentions, so don't go out of your way to be kind."
As soon as he said that, because I'd offered to visit him today or tomorrow, he asked me to give a time. And then he said: "Well remember I told you I have testimonials from my ex patients? I want to show them to you, so you can decide if I'm a parasite or a service to society."
What do you say to an old man who tells you this?
I'm curious to hear more stories about his days as a surgeon, plastic surgeon and missionary doctor to Pakistan, India and other countries. I'm even more excited to hear his philosophies and beliefs about life.
It feels like Tuesdays with Morrie. Only that today's Thursday.
Not many pple know this story, but there was this 78-year-old (think he's Eurasian) man I met at Braddell MRT station abt two months back. His spine was arched like a mini camel's back. He carried a plastic bag in one hand and with the other, he tried to balance himself as he shuffled - what I believed was 5cm at a time - towards the turnstile. The stranger acting as his crutch looked so much to be in a hurry, I decided to take over.
When I probed, he offered part of his name, told me he was married with no kids, wife had died and he was on his way to shenton way to see his doctor for his spine problem. He was walking perfect just three months back before the spine problem attacked. Feeling a pang of compassion, I got his address and visited twice. He lives alone in a cluttered three-room flat in Toa Payoh. Well, the third visit was yesterday but he wasn't home, so I left a packet of lunch, seven 10-cent coins for him to call, and contact numbers of welfare organisations he could dial. Now to think back, apart from feeling like I really wanted to help, I was also intrigued by his perfect English, sense of wit and humour, as well as independent spirit - which I witnessed in that brief 10 minutes I led him to the turnstile.
In fact, he just called with a conversation that I didn't know to take as kind advice or a chiding. He offered thanks, but firmly said he wanted to return my coins. Then he said: "Don't go out of your way to be kind because this is a cruel world. I'm offering this advice from my years of experience, remember I told you I was a doctor? People can misconstrue your kind intentions, so don't go out of your way to be kind."
As soon as he said that, because I'd offered to visit him today or tomorrow, he asked me to give a time. And then he said: "Well remember I told you I have testimonials from my ex patients? I want to show them to you, so you can decide if I'm a parasite or a service to society."
What do you say to an old man who tells you this?
I'm curious to hear more stories about his days as a surgeon, plastic surgeon and missionary doctor to Pakistan, India and other countries. I'm even more excited to hear his philosophies and beliefs about life.
It feels like Tuesdays with Morrie. Only that today's Thursday.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Manga frenzy
This may sound unbelievable, but I'm hooked onto Japanese comics (or what you know as manga)!!! I bring them to work, read them on the bus and train and even in the toilet!!! Err...sometimes while walking too. I'm into the Kenshin series, which, translated into Mandarin is Lang4 Ke4 Jian4 Xin1.
It's about this 28-year-old Japanese samurai called Jian4 Xin1 who used to be an assassin working for the previous Japanese government. He looks too petite to be the brilliant swordsman he is, but he fights a mean battle when he needs to. He decides to atone for his sins by not killing any more, so he yields a sword that has its sharp blade on the opposite edge instead. During his travels, he meets a 17-year-old pretty lass who practises Tao gungfu (of cos sparks fly), a 10-year-old boy who used to be a thief and a 20-something hooligan who loves to pick fights on the street. All become excellent friends and of cos, support each other through all the terrible battles that come Jian4 Xin1's way.
At 2am this morning, I finished reading the bulk of book number 17, which chronicles the end of this very powerful enemy who wanted to take over Japan. Jian4 Xin1 nearly dies taking him on, that's why the fights were sooooo exciting!!! Like you don't know what's gonna happen in the end, what new martial arts skills each one will pull out etc... This enemy is drawn as a mummified creature because he was burnt alive by the former Japanese government after it realised it didn't need him anymore as an assassin. Because of the horrible fire that he survived, his body contains a huge amount of heat that he has not been able to expel through perspiring. So in the end, he kinda self-destructs cos he exceeded the amount of time he could exert himself through fighting Jian4 Xin1.
Ah well, that's just ONLY A BIT of what the entire series is about. My brother bought the books in 1994, can you believe it??? And I'm just reading them now. It's incredible, I just can't put down the books. Every time I come to the end of a major adventure, a new one starts. I now understand why my mum used to scream at my brother in the past for getting addicted to comics. If there's one good thing that has come out of my current obsession, it's that my Chinese has improved. Yay, I guess?
Oh, and I think reading the comics beats watching the anime, though I haven't caught the TV series yet. The author has this way of drawing each scene such that it keeps you hooked. I don't know how to explain man... :)
It's about this 28-year-old Japanese samurai called Jian4 Xin1 who used to be an assassin working for the previous Japanese government. He looks too petite to be the brilliant swordsman he is, but he fights a mean battle when he needs to. He decides to atone for his sins by not killing any more, so he yields a sword that has its sharp blade on the opposite edge instead. During his travels, he meets a 17-year-old pretty lass who practises Tao gungfu (of cos sparks fly), a 10-year-old boy who used to be a thief and a 20-something hooligan who loves to pick fights on the street. All become excellent friends and of cos, support each other through all the terrible battles that come Jian4 Xin1's way.
At 2am this morning, I finished reading the bulk of book number 17, which chronicles the end of this very powerful enemy who wanted to take over Japan. Jian4 Xin1 nearly dies taking him on, that's why the fights were sooooo exciting!!! Like you don't know what's gonna happen in the end, what new martial arts skills each one will pull out etc... This enemy is drawn as a mummified creature because he was burnt alive by the former Japanese government after it realised it didn't need him anymore as an assassin. Because of the horrible fire that he survived, his body contains a huge amount of heat that he has not been able to expel through perspiring. So in the end, he kinda self-destructs cos he exceeded the amount of time he could exert himself through fighting Jian4 Xin1.
Ah well, that's just ONLY A BIT of what the entire series is about. My brother bought the books in 1994, can you believe it??? And I'm just reading them now. It's incredible, I just can't put down the books. Every time I come to the end of a major adventure, a new one starts. I now understand why my mum used to scream at my brother in the past for getting addicted to comics. If there's one good thing that has come out of my current obsession, it's that my Chinese has improved. Yay, I guess?
Oh, and I think reading the comics beats watching the anime, though I haven't caught the TV series yet. The author has this way of drawing each scene such that it keeps you hooked. I don't know how to explain man... :)
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Sending off
In a short span of three months, two close relatives have passed on. First one to go was my very dear fourth aunt in July. And just last week, my maternal grandpa left us so suddenly. The latest death, especially, has unravelled a long trail of issues that have left me with such mixed feelings. Some members of my mother's family have jokingly suggested I write a book on the family. You know, with the complicated happenings over the last 50 years in this household, I think I could really win a print prize with the book. A short story prize, maybe.
BURIAL AT SEA:
At 10.30 this morning, nine of us gathered at Clifford Pier to take the bumboat out to sea to scatter the ashes of my grandpa. The boat took us out to somewhere in East Coast, which the Singapore Casket employee (who came with us) said was less dangerous cos there were fewer boats around in case of a possible collision.
There were some light moments. Like when my oldest aunt, who was cradling the bag of ashes so carefully, was afraid that she would drop the bag while crossing from one shaky bumboat to another. We told her to sling the bag on her arm but she said she didn't want my grandpa to be "gong dio" ie hit against, in Hokkien. My cousin and I looked at each other in amusement, while my mother just chuckled.
When we reached East Coast waters, each of us grabbed a handful of my grandpa's bones - they were all reduced to tiny pieces - and threw them out to see. We then scattered fresh flowers. It was all over in a matter of five to 10 minutes.
Another light moment: Uncle R followed the Singapore Casket employee's instructions word for word, dumping the two plastic bags in the water as well. We all couldn't help exclaiming: "Ah? Plastic bag also throw into the sea?" My mother added, without a slight laugh: "Isn't that littering?" Then as usual, there was a racuous, but short, discussion on why he shouldn't have thrown the non-biodegradable plastic bags as well. Uncle R's answer? Just following instructions what, how I know?
MANDAI CREMATORIUM AND COLUMBARIUM
This new construction is really worlds apart from Mount Vernon, where my dad's niche is housed. The Mandai place looks like the NUS Cultural Centre and I'm not joking. The dead are sent off in style here. The architecture is so modern and minimalistic, using light-coloured wood, glass and metal as its main building materials. There are also peaceful pockets of green park, with seats, for you to relax in, like a country club. There are rectangular pools of water that just remind you of Zen. Very peaceful and I think that's the idea the designers wanted to give the place. To give grieving family members a sense of peace.
Even the contraption transporting the coffin into the service hall is automated. The service hall looks fit to house an intimate performance. The ceiling and spotlights are so fashionably designed, there's even a skylight directly above where the coffin lies. My brother said it sort of symbolises the dead rising to heaven when you see the rays shining through the skylight.
The viewing gallery is also so different from Mount Vernon's. During my dad's funeral, it was extremely traumatic to see the coffin shoved into the hole for cremation. But at Mandai, through the viewing window on an upper storey, you simply look down and watch the automated contraption carry the coffin through a doorway. After which, two zen-looking wooden doors close slowly. No shoving needed. It was all very clinical I must say.
After that all 15 of us walked to Block C to visit my fourth aunt's niche. It was also the first time my mum and her siblings visited their grandma's niche, which was in the same block. And here, a mystery was solved. You see, my grandpa is the adopted son of his foster mother (ie the grandma I just mentioned). But my mum and her siblings never knew how he was related to his foster mother.
It's really complicated to explain here, but at the niche, they found out (through the help of me and my cousin who can read Mandarin) that my grandpa was actually the nephew of his foster mother. That is, my grandpa's biological father was the brother of this foster mother.
Anyways, this is just a foretaste of the complicated nature of the Gan family. Maybe one day when my mind is clearer, I'll turn novelist for their sake.
BURIAL AT SEA:
At 10.30 this morning, nine of us gathered at Clifford Pier to take the bumboat out to sea to scatter the ashes of my grandpa. The boat took us out to somewhere in East Coast, which the Singapore Casket employee (who came with us) said was less dangerous cos there were fewer boats around in case of a possible collision.
There were some light moments. Like when my oldest aunt, who was cradling the bag of ashes so carefully, was afraid that she would drop the bag while crossing from one shaky bumboat to another. We told her to sling the bag on her arm but she said she didn't want my grandpa to be "gong dio" ie hit against, in Hokkien. My cousin and I looked at each other in amusement, while my mother just chuckled.
When we reached East Coast waters, each of us grabbed a handful of my grandpa's bones - they were all reduced to tiny pieces - and threw them out to see. We then scattered fresh flowers. It was all over in a matter of five to 10 minutes.
Another light moment: Uncle R followed the Singapore Casket employee's instructions word for word, dumping the two plastic bags in the water as well. We all couldn't help exclaiming: "Ah? Plastic bag also throw into the sea?" My mother added, without a slight laugh: "Isn't that littering?" Then as usual, there was a racuous, but short, discussion on why he shouldn't have thrown the non-biodegradable plastic bags as well. Uncle R's answer? Just following instructions what, how I know?
MANDAI CREMATORIUM AND COLUMBARIUM
This new construction is really worlds apart from Mount Vernon, where my dad's niche is housed. The Mandai place looks like the NUS Cultural Centre and I'm not joking. The dead are sent off in style here. The architecture is so modern and minimalistic, using light-coloured wood, glass and metal as its main building materials. There are also peaceful pockets of green park, with seats, for you to relax in, like a country club. There are rectangular pools of water that just remind you of Zen. Very peaceful and I think that's the idea the designers wanted to give the place. To give grieving family members a sense of peace.
Even the contraption transporting the coffin into the service hall is automated. The service hall looks fit to house an intimate performance. The ceiling and spotlights are so fashionably designed, there's even a skylight directly above where the coffin lies. My brother said it sort of symbolises the dead rising to heaven when you see the rays shining through the skylight.
The viewing gallery is also so different from Mount Vernon's. During my dad's funeral, it was extremely traumatic to see the coffin shoved into the hole for cremation. But at Mandai, through the viewing window on an upper storey, you simply look down and watch the automated contraption carry the coffin through a doorway. After which, two zen-looking wooden doors close slowly. No shoving needed. It was all very clinical I must say.
After that all 15 of us walked to Block C to visit my fourth aunt's niche. It was also the first time my mum and her siblings visited their grandma's niche, which was in the same block. And here, a mystery was solved. You see, my grandpa is the adopted son of his foster mother (ie the grandma I just mentioned). But my mum and her siblings never knew how he was related to his foster mother.
It's really complicated to explain here, but at the niche, they found out (through the help of me and my cousin who can read Mandarin) that my grandpa was actually the nephew of his foster mother. That is, my grandpa's biological father was the brother of this foster mother.
Anyways, this is just a foretaste of the complicated nature of the Gan family. Maybe one day when my mind is clearer, I'll turn novelist for their sake.
Saturday, September 18, 2004
An earful of everything
Singaporeans, I must say, are a pretty spoilt bunch. I was having a facial done today (yes, so that I'll have beautiful skin at cocoatina's wedding) and there was a conversation going on about overpriced eggs between my beautician and a customer. It went like this:
Customer (in Mrs PCK manner): Aiyoh, you know ah, that day I went to buy eggs and you know how much they cost? $6.50 for 10 eggs!! The eggs were soooooooo small leh!!! My goodness, they were the smallest eggs I've ever seen!!!
Beautician: Boh bian lah...if don't put eggs, boh hoh jia (ie not nice to eat). Like for maggi mee, you must put egg lor...if not boh hoh jia...
(I interject, in my mind that is: Wah lau, maggi mee don't put egg can die meh?)
Customer: Aiyoh!! I can't believe the eggs are sooooo small leh!!! I try to look for other eggs, got the pigeon...eh no, is the quail is it? yar the quail eggs and the century eggs. But aiya cannot la...
Beautician: Boh pian la....
And the customer repeats her point like I don't know how many times man. Seriously, it's not like there's a shortage of a staple like rice...That eggy conversation aside, I must say that I was enjoying quite some good music at the same time. My beautician has good taste in music I must say. The radio was on and Class 95 had their soft rock session on and the songs were great! There was She's in Fashion and this other Guns n Roses song etc...Love soft rock though I don't know that many titles. Was so inspired (and also cos Leo has been intro-ing me to lots of his soft rock songs, like Red Hot Chilli Pepper and Maroon 5 and Gin Blossoms and Third Eye Blind etc...). Yes, so bought the Maroon 5 CD from Gramophone, which I'm listening to now. Very nice!
Oh and on the way to Gramophone, I passed Jeffrey busking at his usual spot outside Centrepoint. Jeffrey is actually Leo's blind cousin who's damn good at guitar-playing..basically he's a one-man band la. And I just had to stand and listen to his wonderful guitar blues. Said hi to him and he played a George Benson fusion jazz piece for me. Haha. Inspired me so much again I bought a George Benson CD from Gramophone too.
And err...I bumped into Malcolm at Gramophone and he intro this CD called Double Take by this duo comprising Roger Wang (guitarist) and Mia Palencia (vocalist - very good - only about 19 years old). Has jazz songs, original compositions and pop ballads. Some are in English, some in Tagalog and some in Malay. Quite a refreshing change from the usual jazz CDs cos somehow I realise they all sound the same after some time and play the same songs. This duo is like the Asian Tuck and Patti. Haven't listened to it carefully yet, but I liked the sound when the Gramophone guy played it. (Oh Malcolm was the one who recommended the George Benson CD too.)
I guess I'm quite broke now cos I bought some other stuff from OG today too :)
Customer (in Mrs PCK manner): Aiyoh, you know ah, that day I went to buy eggs and you know how much they cost? $6.50 for 10 eggs!! The eggs were soooooooo small leh!!! My goodness, they were the smallest eggs I've ever seen!!!
Beautician: Boh bian lah...if don't put eggs, boh hoh jia (ie not nice to eat). Like for maggi mee, you must put egg lor...if not boh hoh jia...
(I interject, in my mind that is: Wah lau, maggi mee don't put egg can die meh?)
Customer: Aiyoh!! I can't believe the eggs are sooooo small leh!!! I try to look for other eggs, got the pigeon...eh no, is the quail is it? yar the quail eggs and the century eggs. But aiya cannot la...
Beautician: Boh pian la....
And the customer repeats her point like I don't know how many times man. Seriously, it's not like there's a shortage of a staple like rice...That eggy conversation aside, I must say that I was enjoying quite some good music at the same time. My beautician has good taste in music I must say. The radio was on and Class 95 had their soft rock session on and the songs were great! There was She's in Fashion and this other Guns n Roses song etc...Love soft rock though I don't know that many titles. Was so inspired (and also cos Leo has been intro-ing me to lots of his soft rock songs, like Red Hot Chilli Pepper and Maroon 5 and Gin Blossoms and Third Eye Blind etc...). Yes, so bought the Maroon 5 CD from Gramophone, which I'm listening to now. Very nice!
Oh and on the way to Gramophone, I passed Jeffrey busking at his usual spot outside Centrepoint. Jeffrey is actually Leo's blind cousin who's damn good at guitar-playing..basically he's a one-man band la. And I just had to stand and listen to his wonderful guitar blues. Said hi to him and he played a George Benson fusion jazz piece for me. Haha. Inspired me so much again I bought a George Benson CD from Gramophone too.
And err...I bumped into Malcolm at Gramophone and he intro this CD called Double Take by this duo comprising Roger Wang (guitarist) and Mia Palencia (vocalist - very good - only about 19 years old). Has jazz songs, original compositions and pop ballads. Some are in English, some in Tagalog and some in Malay. Quite a refreshing change from the usual jazz CDs cos somehow I realise they all sound the same after some time and play the same songs. This duo is like the Asian Tuck and Patti. Haven't listened to it carefully yet, but I liked the sound when the Gramophone guy played it. (Oh Malcolm was the one who recommended the George Benson CD too.)
I guess I'm quite broke now cos I bought some other stuff from OG today too :)
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Here comes the flower girl! Haven't you noticed that at almost all weddings, the flower girl snatches all the attention away from the bride, no matter how beautiful the lady in white is? And so, if I had a chance to ever walk down the aisle in my next life (tho I don't believe in next lives...for the sake of making a point lah), I would rather turn up as a flower girl rather than the bride. Don't have to worry about horrendous wedding preparations, just have to walk. Even if I made a mistake, it wouldn't matter. After all, everybody would just laugh and then coo "oh so cute!!!". Just like Lourdes here testifies to it (nope she didn't tell me, but I'm sure she would have if I asked.) It's cocoatina and kelly's wedding rehearsal that she's preparing for. One more week to go for The Big Day!!!
Monday, September 13, 2004
Sparks flew
Someone pls call the fire brigade. I think my flat might burn down anytime. No disrespect to other people's religious practices but I just don't understand why some people are still burning their joss paper on the grass and not in the huge metal bins. It's such a fire hazard!!! (Yep, it's the hungry ghost festival again.)
I was walking at the void deck just now, on my way home from work when a frenzy erupted before me. Some people were chasing after their joss paper - which were ON FIRE - cos the wind had started to blow. Well, the pieces of paper flew past me and landed 1m away from me. I almost stretched out my feet to step out the fire, but decided against it. Why did I have to risk spoiling my perfectly nice pair of M)phosis sandals right? Cos of some people's inconsiderate behaviour. Scenes of a blazing Block 296 did flash through my mind for a few seconds, but I figured out what the heck man, I'm not going to end up with a pair of disintegrated footwear cos of some people's foolishness!!???!!! Right???
So off I went. To a piping-hot meal waiting for me. Call me selfish but my flat's still standing. Hopefully it will still be tomorrow. Sheesh.
I was walking at the void deck just now, on my way home from work when a frenzy erupted before me. Some people were chasing after their joss paper - which were ON FIRE - cos the wind had started to blow. Well, the pieces of paper flew past me and landed 1m away from me. I almost stretched out my feet to step out the fire, but decided against it. Why did I have to risk spoiling my perfectly nice pair of M)phosis sandals right? Cos of some people's inconsiderate behaviour. Scenes of a blazing Block 296 did flash through my mind for a few seconds, but I figured out what the heck man, I'm not going to end up with a pair of disintegrated footwear cos of some people's foolishness!!???!!! Right???
So off I went. To a piping-hot meal waiting for me. Call me selfish but my flat's still standing. Hopefully it will still be tomorrow. Sheesh.
Wakeboarding: Yeah!!! Finally went for my first wakeboard outing!!! Very fun :) Pretty pleased that I managed to get up on my third try. But I must say balancing is quite a tricky thing. All the gals on the boat managed to stand too. My arms, back and thighs are all aching badly today. So weak! Haha, couldn't even take off my shirt properly. So painful...Must be using some wrong muscles, plus the lack of regular exercise. Heh. Looking to go again the next time. Hopefully won't ache so much then!
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Bird's eye view: It's great fun living on the top floor of this pretty high HDB flat in Jurong West, I find. From all of 16 floors up, you can see the Jurong Lake, the teeny weeny Chinese Garden in the background...No rolling hills and green meadows, yes, but it's still a view many don't get to see everyday! (This is Leo's home by the way.)
Book-a-pub
Guess where I went today?
Well, I was browsing through books in a....pub!!! Hmm...ok, more like a function room above BQ Bar at Boat Quay. There was a second-hand book sale going on and Kel and I went to take a look. Not too bad, I bought three books:
1) Dave Barry is from Mars and Venus (which I started reading on the train ride home - quite funny!!!) by Dave Barry of cos.
2) The War of the Worlds/The Time Machine by HG Wells
3) Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle
Kel chose the quirky ones, which you'd probably can never find in the library.
We couldn't take our eyes off the books cos we're so afraid we'd miss out a stunning title! We were like digging through the boxes of books and we err...went two rounds. Would have gone another round if I didn't stop us. Haha. Well, I'm in high spirits today :)
Well, I was browsing through books in a....pub!!! Hmm...ok, more like a function room above BQ Bar at Boat Quay. There was a second-hand book sale going on and Kel and I went to take a look. Not too bad, I bought three books:
1) Dave Barry is from Mars and Venus (which I started reading on the train ride home - quite funny!!!) by Dave Barry of cos.
2) The War of the Worlds/The Time Machine by HG Wells
3) Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle
Kel chose the quirky ones, which you'd probably can never find in the library.
We couldn't take our eyes off the books cos we're so afraid we'd miss out a stunning title! We were like digging through the boxes of books and we err...went two rounds. Would have gone another round if I didn't stop us. Haha. Well, I'm in high spirits today :)
Monday, September 06, 2004
Multitasking
Is it true that women are better multitaskers than men? That's what a girlfriend said last week. Well, as far as I know, it's the total opposite for me. I've been a terrible multitasker my whole life!!!
Sigh...today was a bad day at work. Find it quite stressful trying to juggle many things at one time. I suspect most times I waste my brain juices figuring out which thing to do first. Then when I start doing it, I worry that I might not have time for the other assignment. Hate it. Don't know how Leo does it. He seems totally unperturbed having many things on his plate at one time.
:( Oh well...Freddy Boey once said he always does what's important for the day first. The rest? Just push it to later. Wish I could do that without worrying!!! Gonna start the work day early tomorrow. Then at least will have enough time to do work.....off for my slumberzzzzzzzzzzzz
Sigh...today was a bad day at work. Find it quite stressful trying to juggle many things at one time. I suspect most times I waste my brain juices figuring out which thing to do first. Then when I start doing it, I worry that I might not have time for the other assignment. Hate it. Don't know how Leo does it. He seems totally unperturbed having many things on his plate at one time.
:( Oh well...Freddy Boey once said he always does what's important for the day first. The rest? Just push it to later. Wish I could do that without worrying!!! Gonna start the work day early tomorrow. Then at least will have enough time to do work.....off for my slumberzzzzzzzzzzzz
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Water babies - TLG and me
Aaarghh!!! Got that ugly tan line down my back!!! No choice I guess...got no time to go swimming during evenings, so I've to sacrifice some beauty in the afternoons.
Went swimming with The Little Girl (TLG) today. Haha, she'll kill me if she knows that's what I call her - the all grownup teenager that she is :) Again, she was late and I decided to do my 20 laps while waiting for for her. If I didn't carry out my laps routine, I think I'd just feel so fat man. Just as well she was late. Haha.
TLG is really quite funny and gungho in her own way. I helped to correct her breaststroke rhythm/technique/breathing. And when she found she could swim further than before, she became very gian. Insisted on progressing to the deep end to swim the length and tread water!!!
But as usual, she's still got that short attention span. While learning to swim the breaststroke, she would suddenly do her self-invented Dog Paddle. Or launch into this weird-looking freestyle with her arms flailing in the air. Or do a rather ungraceful water ballet, throwing her legs in the air. Haha. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to knock herself at least five times against the wall and floor of the pool. Kena the nose cos she was blinded from water in the goggles after attempting a lame dive and couldn't see the wall she was swimming towards (for a moment I thought she was gonna have a permanent bruise!). She hit her forehead on the floor while trying to do some mermaid turn under water (it was supposed to be water ballet) and when she swam into a boy, she, well, crashed into his goggles. Hit her eye. Wah lau. She the best.
She's somewhat like me, turns dark at the slightest UV ray. But she says her darkness looks like dead skin!!! Hahaha. She actually slapped on suntan lotion in a bid to get "golden brown" skin, in her own words. But err....didn't really work lor :)
Went swimming with The Little Girl (TLG) today. Haha, she'll kill me if she knows that's what I call her - the all grownup teenager that she is :) Again, she was late and I decided to do my 20 laps while waiting for for her. If I didn't carry out my laps routine, I think I'd just feel so fat man. Just as well she was late. Haha.
TLG is really quite funny and gungho in her own way. I helped to correct her breaststroke rhythm/technique/breathing. And when she found she could swim further than before, she became very gian. Insisted on progressing to the deep end to swim the length and tread water!!!
But as usual, she's still got that short attention span. While learning to swim the breaststroke, she would suddenly do her self-invented Dog Paddle. Or launch into this weird-looking freestyle with her arms flailing in the air. Or do a rather ungraceful water ballet, throwing her legs in the air. Haha. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to knock herself at least five times against the wall and floor of the pool. Kena the nose cos she was blinded from water in the goggles after attempting a lame dive and couldn't see the wall she was swimming towards (for a moment I thought she was gonna have a permanent bruise!). She hit her forehead on the floor while trying to do some mermaid turn under water (it was supposed to be water ballet) and when she swam into a boy, she, well, crashed into his goggles. Hit her eye. Wah lau. She the best.
She's somewhat like me, turns dark at the slightest UV ray. But she says her darkness looks like dead skin!!! Hahaha. She actually slapped on suntan lotion in a bid to get "golden brown" skin, in her own words. But err....didn't really work lor :)
Friday supper club
Too much food, too few people. Us girls from the cell were supposed to have an all-girls' get-together tonight, but some didn't turn up at the last min and FOUR of us had to gobble down a dinner meant for errr....seven I think!!!
There was a whole pot of curry, fish, veg, pork, baguette slices, huge plate of glutinous rice (very yummy!!!) and heaps of bee hoon specially cooked by Cuiwei's mum. Well, there were also plans to cook waffles for supper...but errr....we were kinda stuffed!!! Ad even asked Cuiwei to bring eggs for the waffles cos she thought she would not be able to find them in the stores. Haha. Bird flu crisis la...eggs out of stock :)
Of cos, we watched Singapore Idol after that full meal. Nice Ad recorded it cos most of us missed it on Thurs. Christopher Michael Lee is sooo cute!!! Haha. Only 19 years old, real sunshine boy. Perfect lil' brother to have for me. Haha. Celine's rooting for him too. Not bad la, can sing. Finally, some good male looks on the show. Heh.
Then...errr....we watched Laws of Attraction. Pirated VCD, quality real bad but show was good. Typical romantic comedy: boy meets girl, girl hates boy, girl falls in love with boy. Awww....my perfect kind of show. Heh. Not to forget Mr Brosnan in the show - he upped the eye-candy factor.
There was a whole pot of curry, fish, veg, pork, baguette slices, huge plate of glutinous rice (very yummy!!!) and heaps of bee hoon specially cooked by Cuiwei's mum. Well, there were also plans to cook waffles for supper...but errr....we were kinda stuffed!!! Ad even asked Cuiwei to bring eggs for the waffles cos she thought she would not be able to find them in the stores. Haha. Bird flu crisis la...eggs out of stock :)
Of cos, we watched Singapore Idol after that full meal. Nice Ad recorded it cos most of us missed it on Thurs. Christopher Michael Lee is sooo cute!!! Haha. Only 19 years old, real sunshine boy. Perfect lil' brother to have for me. Haha. Celine's rooting for him too. Not bad la, can sing. Finally, some good male looks on the show. Heh.
Then...errr....we watched Laws of Attraction. Pirated VCD, quality real bad but show was good. Typical romantic comedy: boy meets girl, girl hates boy, girl falls in love with boy. Awww....my perfect kind of show. Heh. Not to forget Mr Brosnan in the show - he upped the eye-candy factor.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Mummy Dearest
Every morning, I feel like a queen. Well, kind of. You see, it is without fail that breakfast - make that takeaway breakfast - will be on my dining table.
Mum always makes the morning meal different. Sometimes, it's bread with ham. Other times, it's toasted bread with melted cheese. Or it could be bread with my favourite hard-boiled egg (kinda between soft-boiled and hard-boiled actually). And each time, she would wrap it up nicely with a piece of paper towel so I can eat it during my three-min brisk walk to the MRT station. Yes, I'm usually rushing for time.
Bread's not all I get, actually. Mum knows I'll be too lazy to pick out fruits from the fridge (She says I don't take enough vitamins) so she'll pack grapes/cut-up honey dew/peeled oranges in a yellow container. Get this, she even puts in toothpicks or a small fork so that I don't have to dirty my hands!!! Recently, she's even got a nice lil' plastic contraption that's a knife at one end and a spoon on the other for me to cut my kiwi into half and then scoop the pulp out.
Yar, I'm known as the girl in the office who always brings fruits to eat. Once a colleague even asked me if I lived on landed property cos he thought my mum was some kind of very free tai tai who had all the time in the world to prepare breakfasts for her 25-year-old working daughter!!!
Oh well, my mum's not an idling tai tai. But she really loves me lor!!! Haha. So that I can sleep longer.... :p That's the whole point right?
Mum always makes the morning meal different. Sometimes, it's bread with ham. Other times, it's toasted bread with melted cheese. Or it could be bread with my favourite hard-boiled egg (kinda between soft-boiled and hard-boiled actually). And each time, she would wrap it up nicely with a piece of paper towel so I can eat it during my three-min brisk walk to the MRT station. Yes, I'm usually rushing for time.
Bread's not all I get, actually. Mum knows I'll be too lazy to pick out fruits from the fridge (She says I don't take enough vitamins) so she'll pack grapes/cut-up honey dew/peeled oranges in a yellow container. Get this, she even puts in toothpicks or a small fork so that I don't have to dirty my hands!!! Recently, she's even got a nice lil' plastic contraption that's a knife at one end and a spoon on the other for me to cut my kiwi into half and then scoop the pulp out.
Yar, I'm known as the girl in the office who always brings fruits to eat. Once a colleague even asked me if I lived on landed property cos he thought my mum was some kind of very free tai tai who had all the time in the world to prepare breakfasts for her 25-year-old working daughter!!!
Oh well, my mum's not an idling tai tai. But she really loves me lor!!! Haha. So that I can sleep longer.... :p That's the whole point right?
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Virgin entry
It's been two looooooooong hours.
That's how long I've taken to figure out this blog. Even had to call Kel up to ask him how to upload my photo into the profile section!!! Haha. Loser man.
The main reason I've started blogging, well, actually, is to make full use my brand new Casio Exilim. Muahahah!!! I've finally gone digital and have been snapping away like crazy. Miss my trigger-happy days back in uni.
I mean it's different using my trusty-hardy-manual Nikon compared to my sleek mini digital beauty that's the size of my palm. Using the Nikon was real photography, and there was that feel-good CLICK. Now it's more like, just anyhow shoot la! But hey, I think it's still art! Enjoy...
That's how long I've taken to figure out this blog. Even had to call Kel up to ask him how to upload my photo into the profile section!!! Haha. Loser man.
The main reason I've started blogging, well, actually, is to make full use my brand new Casio Exilim. Muahahah!!! I've finally gone digital and have been snapping away like crazy. Miss my trigger-happy days back in uni.
I mean it's different using my trusty-hardy-manual Nikon compared to my sleek mini digital beauty that's the size of my palm. Using the Nikon was real photography, and there was that feel-good CLICK. Now it's more like, just anyhow shoot la! But hey, I think it's still art! Enjoy...
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