Friday, June 29, 2007
June is generally a happy month ... a month for frequent gatherings & birthday celebrations. A month where I receive the most pressies as well ... heh..heh ..
Brought Mom out for dinner at Mouth Restaurant @ Chinatown Point for her birthday. Food was mediocre for the price that they charged so I wont recommend anyone to go to that place unless you wanna have nice roast duck or char siew.
This is one of Mouth's signature dishes where individual prawns are wrapped by vermicilli and deep-fried. Crunchy at first bite with the thai sauce dip, but dun feel any special kick after the 2nd bite.
Crumbs all over the table ... Sis is a messy-eater & I think she is mighty proud of it ..
Sis showing off her new hairdo and styling prowess with the help of the Gatsby "Ah-Kwa Gel" endorsed by Ah Kwa-looking Kimura Takuya - her idol absolutely. In her fervent support of products he endorsed, she now has 3 different types of his Ah-Kwa gel of different holding power. Can u believe it ??? ha.ha.. Crazy gal ...
Think the cut is not bad. Looks quite good even w/o styling.
Anyway, she was lamenting on the size of the cake I bought for Mom's birthday. Very small meh ?
Mom loves posing as usual ... *tsk*tsk*
Anyway, she was lamenting on the size of the cake I bought for Mom's birthday. Very small meh ?
Mom loves posing as usual ... *tsk*tsk*
Bey tahan this couple ah !! Display affection so openly ... ai yo ...
Now moi turn ....
Now moi turn ....
Look at the cutie card the Nun Gang bought me !!! Angpow enclosed = )
Very happy with the walnut cake Mom made for me. Had a stack-up of Old Chang Kee curry puffs & snacks as my "cake" last year ... Every year shall be different ...
At Prego for dinner earlier on in the evening.
Calamari !! Prego made one of the best in town ! Batter is good, not too floury and crisp to the bite. The tartar sauce with a little bit of spice and a spritz of lemon that came with the dish, gave the calamari an even better taste !
Tagliolini Neri in Salsa di Scampi - I never leave Prego w/o having their squid ink pasta simmered with just the right amount of butter and garlic... Heavenly .... *yum*yum*
Ambience was good, service was good & Prego even had a team of singers belting out theatrical & big band songs at dinner time. Great place for dinner and to chill out but having a conversation is alittle difficult with all the singing. I have a weakness for places with high ceiling so I will be going back more often ; )
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
11:28 PM
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Goodbye Carefree Days ~ Hello Tg Pagar
As the day draws near, I feel a tinge of sadness that my carefree days are coming to an end ... end of my hibernation ... end of day-dreaming ... end of chasing the stock market *tsk*tsk*
When will another such opportunity comes along I wonder ??
My dreams of backpacking & working in UK will be shelved for the moment ... but not for long, I hope ...
Time to buck up & pick up momentum !! Was given a little insight of my portfolio by HR this morning. Sounds pretty challenging with lots to learn & pick up definitely ... Next few months will be put on a steep learning curve but that's the challenging part ! Better to be always learning & improving than to be stagnant or going round in circles. So looking forward to be part of the changing cityscape !!
Hello to new leash of life !
Anyway, had a mild "heart-attack" this week ... stock prices all 跳楼 ... The market correction predicted in August is coming earlier than expected. Time to release & risk getting burnt ...
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
2:32 PM
Friday, June 22, 2007
I was quite impressed with the facilities of AMK Polyclinic when I went there to get my antibiotics this morning. I thought I would be greeted with foul stench and hordes of people queueing up unruly for their registration. I was so wrong ....
Wah, the place upgrade already you know ! ... somemore got electronic queue system and spacious waiting area with pleasant-looking counter staff to take your registration. Not bad ah ... facilities and counter service has definitely improved by leaps and bounds over the years ... but just one thing that could be improved. That's the waiting time ... My goodness .. when I saw the estimated waiting time to see the doctor after my registration, I nearly fainted .. It said ... 3 hrs & 20 mins .. If Im really that sick, I would have fainted before I reached the doc's room.
Apparently some old aunties were also lamenting about the waiting time. One 60+ Cantonese auntie was overheard telling another patient-in-distress that she would have died before the doc can see her if they (docs) dun speed up. ai yo ... *choy*choy*choy* These Cantonese aunties ah ... ...
Despite the long waiting time, I had no other complaints. Of course, the experience was made more pleasurable esp when you kena a young handsome doc. *grinz* MOH not bad know. Nowadays employ ang-mo doc in polyclincs. Mine was Dr Mark Floss and his brown curls reminded me of pork floss. Nice accent, nice brown eyes ...
So U see, how will the trip to the doc be torturous when you walk out of the polyclinic with a smile on your face ?
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
11:50 PM
Red Alert ! Especially for ladies ...
Early this year, I read in the papers of a few occassions where a few Buddhist and Ayuverdic practitioners were slapped with accusations of using their religious position to manipulate women... There was one who was accused of molesting a married woman whilst practicing meditation or something to that extent. Another obviously enjoyed the attention from his legions of female fans and accepted lavish gifts from them.
I do not want to make a judgement as to whether they are guilty of all these juicy things that we read on papers. Nonetheless, if we were to come into contact with practitioners who claim to be able to give you the moon and the stars, or invite you to his house for consultation or show you "the way", please question his intention and it's necessity. Especially if you feel extremely attracted to him at the point of contact or for no rhyme or reason, .. that is the time where you need to pull back your horses and look at things logically.
I was nearly the victim of a sick lama 5 years ago. I just started to practise chanting and meditation then and was really wide-eye with wonder on the visualisation and breathing techniques that I could learn. The first time I met him was at one of the Sunday prayer sessions. I was pretty surprised to learn that he was practising lama from Taiwan who left his job to practise Buddhism in Nepal. How pious I thought ! At first, my friend and I did not sense that he was up to no good as we hit it off and we were rather pleased to have the attention of a young and handsome lama. By and by there were tell-tale signs that he had something up his sleeve.
Other than offering to cook for us, he extended invitation to teach us meditation one-on-one in his rented apartment, both of which we didnt take up. On some occasions he also made weird remarks like how long hair could be used as a sexual magnet to lure the opposite sex (he had long hair) and most people were missing "something" in their lives .. etc .. ok, you get the point.
The final showdown I had with him was when he tried to steal a kiss from me. Ok, dun laugh ... this is serious matter ... So at that point, all the alarm bells started ringing and after shaking him off, I alerted the temple committee at once. Thankfully, words spread and the other branches issued a warning notice to the rest of the practitioners cautioning against him. We never heard from him since.
My friends were in a laughing fit after I told them the story with some dramatic expressions thrown in to make it more exciting. But my story-telling ended with an anti-climax when one of them commented that it was a blessing that I was picked as the prey instead of the other pretty & innocent ones. = ( So mean right ??!! Argh ... In retrospect, it's truly a blessing that I didnt fall for his nonsense and it was indeed his bad luck to have met me.
Now, I'm alittle worried to hear of another friend who seems to be in awe with her Ayuverdic doctor although she feels that he is "hum-sub" (lecherous). He also happens to be the same person who hit the headlines on Straits Time Home page for being accused of molesting his student sometime back.
So ladies, please exercise caution and if all else fail, run when you smell danger or something amiss. A woman's first instinct is never wrong ! Dun be fooled !!
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
4:40 PM
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Moi felt like a bird whose wings are clipped. How nice if I can have a dip in the pool, or out for a jog .. get a nice tan instead of sitting home all day to nurse the stupid flu.
*sneeze*
There goes again .. .. sigh .. Off I go to the doctor later to get another round of antibiotics.
These days, I was toying with the idea to buy myself another watch despite the fact that the drawer of my dressing bureau is already filled with watches. Well, an addition to the watch collection doesn't seem to make any difference anyway, so nothing is going to stop me. heh..heh..
I love white watches, bags ... anything in white !! Even flowers ! But one thing's for sure. No more new watches in white. Was doing a stock count yesterday & realised I had 5 timepiece in white and my favourites are from DKNY. Lurvvvee this brand !
A bye-bye gift from my ex-colleagues. Love it's clean lines & simple design. As my Dad said, the face is so big that even the blind can tell the time.
I cant .. I cant resist when I saw this blink-blink displayed proudly on the shelves when I was shopping for my cousin's birthday present. Good for evening wear & goes well with most clothes. Hadnt found the right occasion to wear this yet. Quick, somebody date me !
My proud collection of DKNYs. Ta-Da !!
Birthday present from parents 2 years back & this is one of Fossil's signature pieces then. I called it the Tick-Tock watch cos the robot will change positions to the rhythm of tick-tock-tick-tock like a grandfather's clock.
Here is just a few of my favourite time-pieces. Wait till you see my sis's collection of Tag Heuer, Guess & Tissus watches, you will be bowled...
Hmm ... what should I buy next ??
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
9:39 AM
Monday, June 18, 2007
It all started with a bad throat arising from heatiness the day I met PapaBear for lunch ... then within a day, the heat went up to my temples. That left me in a daze for a few days ...
Clever me, thought I could cure myself after reading a few TCM books, so I bought myself some herbal tea. Really, Ho Yen Hor Herbal Tea is a miracle tea ! I will recommend anyone to try this to relieve body heatiness. The fever subsided but the healing effect only ended there.
As if it hadnt had enough of torturing me, phlegm started to constrict my airway and blocked my nose till I had to breathe through my mouth. Unwilling to give up, I continued drinking herbal tea and told my mom I just needed to avoid heaty and sugary food when she nagged and nagged to get me seek medical advice.
Yesterday, she finally reached her limit.
Looking at me coughing non-stop, she snapped,
你以為你是神醫啊 ?!? Faster go & see a doctor.
At that moment, I suddenly went blank .... Yar hor ... ... I really think I'm Medicine Buddha can cure myself meh ?? Siao boh ?? Going bonkers izzit ?!?
Been missing gym and swimming sessions for a few days already. I really got to get well to start exercising & building up my stamina for the 10km run in Sept. Looks like I need to pay a visit to the doctor. Yucks, dun like cough mixture = (
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
10:01 AM
My friend is not joking when she said she doesnt need to visit a manicurist. Just look what she has stocked up at home !
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
12:00 AM
Sunday, June 17, 2007
My family is unique.
Cos none of us look alike.
Neither my sis nor I inherit any specific facial features from either parent that will link us as a family. That's what makes us special I thought.
But my character is a give-away that I'm their kid.
Quick temper - from Dad
Mischievousness - from Mom
Easy laughter & humour - from Mom
Sociable - from Dad
Procrastination - from Dad
Loves to eat - from Dad
So, Im alittle more like Dad than Mom.
This Father's Day is unique. Unique because I came to realise how much more we are alike in-terms of character than physical appearance.
I also came to realise he is a very lucky man to have such a wonderful wife who can cook, sew (as in complex stuff like cheongsam, blouses & skirts .. dun play-play ah) and handle finances as well as having 2 lovely daughters who didnt give him much headache since our childhood days.
Some people can say their Dad is the best but wait till u hear mine. No other Dad in this world will fetch their daughters around (sometimes at wee hours), make egg & corn beef breakfast for the family, squeeze orange juice every morning when Im going on a diet, fold my laundry (sometimes), clean the house, take leave to bring me around Singapore to seek medical treatment for my skin problems, take time-off to fetch me to attend job interviews. Where to find such a Dad ??
I couldnt understand when I was much younger why my "macho" Dad dropped tears when he listened to a recording of the nusery rhymes and songs I sang for him at 3 years old, which was sent to him whilst he was serving his overseas work posting. Now I know .... for he's a great family man.
So whenever we have some disagreement, I will think of the orange juice, the foc trips and the breakfasts & I will go ... Ommmmmm ... *meditative alpha state* cooooool down, nun ...
I cant be angry with him for long cos we're of the same character ... Bound to have clashes.
So Dad, I will cut you some slack ... Happy Father's Day =)
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
10:51 PM
Tibetan Nun at 3 months... Chanced upon this photo while spring-cleaning the house recently ... Wadda cute baby !!Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
3:14 AM
Never turn down an invitation to go to your friend's newly renovated condo if he/she invites you. Cos this is what you might get to see & experience ...
Going to his house was like walking into a showroom ! His living room became my favourite as soon as I stepped in !The first thing that caught my eye was his clever use of different colour and texturised wall-paper to bring out the ambience and classiness. The living room would be normal looking if not for the tinted glass frame, which gives the area a spacious feel and blends well with his colour theme. Looking at the white leather sofa, sleek goat sculpture in gold beside his TV console and lovely chandlier , there is no mistaking that he spent a huge bomb on decorating his house.
As I breezed through his house, cant help but notice dull colours like black, brown complemented with white wallpaper - usually colours which I will usually frown upon, could create such a warm yet uplifting effect ! Not only is the colour scheme themed, all his decorative light pieces are also made of crystals.
Can you now understand why I cant take my hands off the walls ??? The white wallpaper along the corridor leading to the rooms is simply exquisite ! *woooh*
To complete the look, he invested in a set of plates from Tiffany's bamboo collection and bought matching table mats. For the first time in my life, I ate hor fun and fried rice ta-bao from hawker centre on chinaware and crystal plates ! What an experience !!! Can you imagine how stressed I felt trying to be graceful eating hawker food and be mindful not to dirty his cotton tablemat ? .. .. Once should be quite enough really ... give me good old plastic plates anytime... *tsk*tsk*Oh and not to mention, the centrepiece on the table and roses at the side table were also arranged by him ! What a talented kid = )
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
1:57 AM
Monday, June 11, 2007
Today is really not the day to do anything intellectually stimulating. I've been in a daze all day. *yawn*
This happens sometimes ... Whole day will pass in a daze and suddenly I get so lively and chirpy at night, like a nocturnal animal. Hmm ... I should go for a jog later. Kab will be dragging me out to "Mustard" for a carbo-ladden Bengali food feast tomorrow with the usual gang. Got to burning calories way ahead so that I can indulge tomorrow. Who will like a spoilsport who goes "Oh, I cant eat this ... this is too fattening ... any salads on the menu? ..." ?? So exercise now, eat later ..
Yo, Bengali food !! Here I come !!!
Anyone read posts by "ishootieatipost" ? This chap is quite something. He's a general practitioner and he loves food like anything. Lovers of local food will be delighted to see his yummilicious photos of food he sampled around Singapore. My Dad is a HUGE fan of his and will log on to his site once every few days to check out his posts and take us out to pig-out. Was pleasantly surprised that my Dad actually surf the net and is even more savvy than moi when it comes to food sites. Just like when I came to know that my mom managed to burn a CD on PC without bothering me & sis, I was so proud of her !
So, morale of the story, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE WHAT UR PARENTS ARE CAPABLE OF ... hehe ...
Anyway, yesterday's workout was such a blast. Had 2 guys running alongside me in the gym. Dont get me wrong ey. Neither was I not eyeballing them nor are they the eye-candy material. Somehow I appreciate their "companionship" for going through the same mental struggle I had especially when Im trying to push myself to go a longer distance. The pounding of feet on the treadmill was in unison and I felt like as if they were rallying me on. hehe ...
This is what I call Motivating Yourself Positively = )
Okay, off to gym I go. Fellow joggers, wait for me !!
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
6:12 PM
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Nothing beats resting your head against the side of the pool during sunset, arms & legs stretched out flapping at the water, looking at the clumps of white/grey clouds stained with red streaks roll by, after a few good laps.
ahhhhh ... this is life ..... *bliss*
Once in a while, excited shouts from the children at the other end of the pool broke my reverie and fellow pool users swam past sending ripples that set me rocking softly, like a piece of fallen leaf on water. So relaxing ...
Nearly forgot how wonderful it felt being in water ! So carefree .. so at peace especially when the kids dont try to playing "catching" in the pool crossing your path while you are gasping for air & trying your darnest to finish the lap. So noisy sometimes ... felt like giving them a jab in their ribs with my "frog-kick". heh..heh..heh...
This has got to be one of the best exercise there is. My back got injured recently ... ai yar .. forgot how I twisted my back but my rock-hard mattress is not to be blamed definitely. I manage to nurse it back with TCM, frequent Chinese massage and swimming. U know the thing with Chinese massage, the more painful it is, the better it feels? Especially when the therapist manage to locate a blocked vein on the back and try to rub the knots away .. Wahhhh .... shiokamania !!
I know Im silly to suspect the weeks of jogging had caused it, but I cant help but link the slight strain on my ankles with my back. *sigh* Could be the wrong way my ankles land and my weight of course. = (
I had been reading up on jogging techniques and apparently the right way to jog is to land on the ball of the feet rather than the heel first. ohh ... did I do it wrongly ?? *shrug* Im doing 4 to 5 km each time now. Hope to hit 10km and join the Shape Run in September. Somemore got free Nike T-shirt and goody bag. *tsk*tsk* Yeah ! 加油! Gambatte !
By the way, does your heel hurts the instance it lands on the floor every morning when you get out of bed ? If you experience this and manage to find a cure for it, please leave me a note. Hmm ... getting old already ...
To those of you who had been nagging at me to blog, U KNOW WHO U ARE ... ha.ha.. Here it is. Enjoy !
Tibetan Nun ~ Om Mani Padme Hom
10:56 PM
Chants for inner peace but secretly aspires to be a *bellydancer*
Laidback but not yet a slacker, nothing captures my attention for long... 
