Happy Niu Year

Hello folks. First things first, happy lunar new year!

With each passing year, new year and other festivities becomes routine and a good time to catch up on rest and while the day away eating bah kua and other ny goodies. My long break started last friday, stretching all the way till 31st Jan; taking only a day of leave. It was the usual spring cleaning and reunion dinner at home. Thanks to lil sis who strongly protested against steamboat for dinner, mum whipped up yummy dishes!
Last year's chu xi, the big family (of friends) and i welcomed the year of the rat with a big bang; everyone lighted up fire crackers and there was a mini display of fireworks at a friend's dad's bungalow in JB after our family's reunion dinner.
I gave that load of fun a miss this year. Instead, mum sis darling and i headed to Chinatown. Its my first time there, the weather was good with a lil drizzle, cool breeze and tons of people squeezing and pushing their way around. We parked ourselves some good distance away from the temp stage setup along eutongsen street and waited in the sticky crowd. Then everyone counted in unison; 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2..1..Happy New Year. Those few minutes of fireworks display and fire crackers made the wait worthwhile.
Passed a lion dance display outside a temple. I love lion dances; everyone does! The lion was 'spitting' oranges with 4 numbers written on it. The first one M 'horpped' was hit away by a fking china man, who then scurried to the ground in search of the mandarin. "What's yours will be yours" The subsequent one that came his way was a clean catch.
Bought 4D the very next morning; just for fun larh.
The next night was gambling with thebigfamily. Heart wrenching that M lost a fair bit!

Visited paternal grandpa and maternal grandma; some other uncle and aunties were there too.
That's lunar new year for me. Food, gambling and more food such that i might have forgotten my roots.
For those whose January didn't track out well, lunar new year gives us a good reason to start everything over again.

To end this abruptly, i'll be at Batam over the next two days; a short getaway for some sand sea sun shopping spa and at the same time, celebrate our first valentine's day together.
Till then, drink lots of water, eat 2 servings of veg, fruits, pineapple tarts, cookies and bah kua everyday, live in peace, stay in health, save money, upgrade your skills and wait for my return!

Love all of you.

EGLY, give me the bolster tonight cannn.
TTHX, get well really soon.
CCYY, sorry for not meeting you up before you left. I feel very very bad but i needed to be at home lah! Muack.
KCW, hope you didnt get any skinnier eating yucky rice papers in vietnam.
CNHP, CHCY & LSYL, see ya on 7th Feb; you girls make the most boring lectures fun!
KM, S & R, i miss all of you alot.
PSS buddies, see ya for our mini reunion dinner when i'm back.
Cookie, meet up with you really soon ok.
YPL, though i doubt you'll ever drop by this journal, thanks for your well wishes.
And to all of you, thanks for being in my life!
Last but not least, EB, love you lots.

Spring Cleaning

Some things I threw out during spring cleaning:
1) Huge glass jar of dried flowers from bouquets WS gave.
2) Barely used brown bag
3) Handbag WS gave.
4) Cards from people who don't matter anymore.
5) Workbooks from church's class.
6) All things for curly hair.

Things I've been contemplating to throw:
1) 'Nurse' uniform
2) That Blue Thing
3) Novels
4) Bibles
5) Figurines
6) Notes from tertiary education
7) Skipping ropes
8) Cards from WS

And, guess what?!
My first (and previous) holiday to an ang moh country was in 2004. (Not that i'm complaining, but Carmoh and Kel are BOTH away for HOLIDAY!)
Tracy Tan has been giving me cards since i was 16.
Carrie has been sending Christmas cards since 2004.
WS had a card for every festive season and wrote messages via postcards.
Marcus gave cards which wrote the most creative messages that'd melt every girl's heart.
A Genting trip's group photo inked on a metal card hasnt faded; since 2005 (i think).
I was so skinny (arms and face) in tertiary days! The photos proved it all.
I'm a huge vain pot when i was a lil girl.
My first plush toy was called No-name, i picked her from SIA.
I tried OralB'sBrushUp; not bad at all!
Mum washed my bed sheets and cleaned both of my room's windows.
I've not used the whitening gel cause i'm too afraid to fit on my retainers; now that my teeth have shifted, its gonna be so painful!
I found plastic teeth set on stone and threw them without thought. good bye g.v.black!

Finally cleared out some junk!
whilst mum is rummaging through my junk (like a karang guni!) and approved of everything i threw. lol.

10 Things M Does

1) Does the laundry while i snooze, folds crispy sun dried clothes while i laze under the ceiling fan.
2) Cooks dinner while i go for a short work out.
3) Sends me to work even after we agree on a central drop off point.
4) Wakes me up by tickling my feet.
5) Dentifrices my toothbrush.
6) Pats me to sleep after a nightmare.
7) Holds my hand in the middle of the night to drink water in the kitchen that's 5 steps away.
8) Brings out the trash.
9) Shells giant prawns for me at a BBQ without complaining bout fishy smelling fingers.
10) Sweeps the floor almost everyday; his loosing battle against my fallen hair.

Closing 2008

I've been procrastinating on an entry for the closure of 2008 until a conversation at work with my boss left me quite embarrassed.
Me: OPG taken recently, *stares hard at treatment chart*, June this year
Boss: Last year.
Me: *really insistent and solemn* This year.
Boss: Last year.
Me: *look again really closely.* Oh ya you're right. Last year.
So maybe it's time to put a close to the rat race year.

Looking back, there were alot of changes this year.
I met new faces, drifted from some friends, tried new things, changed boyfriends, went on to the private sector, started schooling, etc, too many to list and go into its details. So lets review the NOW.

I love my sister, alot. And i think my mother too. A few nights ago, i dreamt of her in bright white light, telling me she's fatigued and wants to rest, that i should take care of my sis and the house. I asked her to hang on in there. I woke up in sweat and teared.

Trayc too. I miss the good 'o times we have dinner after work, talk till late night and her stay overs. I like being a sloth. I hope it's all good on your side. From sec 4 till now, same o words; only a phone call away, love.
Of cause we can still have such times but i get so drained after work, all i long for is a good bath, dinner and couch potatoe the night away. On my off days, i sleep till cows go home, have some personal time, do some reading/housework and the cycle continues.

The trio at Sunnycove. There's so much to talk about when we meet. And i look forward to meeting them. There's alot of mental relief and laughter. We talk bout work too. It's fun, like growing up together.

Needless to say, M. He's got his practical side, yet spoils me silly. And i appreciate that he pampers me and never want to take that for granted. We're still logging our everyday lives with each other. And started raising funds for trips together. $1 fine for every vulgarity blurted.

Finished 1 (out of 6) semesters at school. Boy, the modules this year (see, now i'm getting the years right) are really tough.

Health hasn't been tiptop condition. Episodes of allergic rhinitis are really irritating me i might consider going for functional endoscopic sinus surgery. But still thankful for functioning organs, ligaments and muscles. LASIK went well too, still working without glasses/lenses. Yippee!

Work's good; 6 months since i joined 'em and i think they're happy ok with my performance. I think i can do even better with more education and exposure. I've been sitting on writing my biography for the website; cause there's really nothing to my name! Oh good lord save me.
6 more months of bond to pay for and i'm a free bird! July! July go Bali ok SunnyCove!

Bought 2 new furniture for my room; a sealy (read: silly) bed and a princessy chair & study table, all fully paid for out of my own pocket. I love my bed; its really comfy!

And everything else i have in my life to thank god for. There's never enough, there're always bigger dreams and material wants, but looking around me, i'm glad to have what i have. They call that contentment.

I've decided to straighten my hair! I'm so so so scared, really. I've not seen myself in straight hair since i was 17years old! Then it'll be back to keeping out my curly wurlies all over again. Life's like that.