Birthday Celebration

I'm supposed to publish this post on 29.9.05 but i guess i had to delay it. So, here's the update! And sorry, the pics are not that clear. :o)



It is funny how celebrating my birthday has become more and more out of the ordinary. Visiting Institute of Mental Health (IMH) can never be a part of yesterday’s itinerary but it did. No one will ever believe me that I did spend a few hours at IMH for an excursion yesterday. What am I doing there on my birthday? Ask the school.

In actual fact, visiting IMH has changed my perception of people who are mentally ill. They have no one to rely on except for the nurses in the hospital. Currently there are about 1500 patients who are permanently staying at IMH and this figure is growing. About 400 patients are able to go back to the society where they could live independently. I’m sad but at the same time I thought that ultimately it’ll make me a wiser person and I know I would be able to make a difference in their lives. Then I knew, I’m on the right path. A wise choice I’ve made so far.

I’ve never been to the old Woodbridge Hospital. It’s a waste. It was huge, 145 hectares (about 145 football fields). Now the new IMH (also called Buangkok Green Medical Park) is only 30 hectares. But I was surprised that the hospital looked more like a country club than a hospital. Cool man!

The only disadvantage about this trip is that we were not allowed to enter the wards mainly because they had to protect the patients’ identity. But most of us are curious and hoped to meet the patients. None of them did except me and H. We were so busy taking pictures when this old man approached us and said that he wanted to take our picture and his picture too. Before he went away, he said that we are both very pretty. Cool huh! At that time all I could think of was – a perfect closure.

Above is a picture of the equipments used during a post-mortem. Pretty scary!


A picture of the bathroom used by the patients in the old Woodbridge Hospital.


The Woodbridge bell - Sorry i've forgotten to take the pic of the bell. Haha..

It's My Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to ME!! To LYC who is EXACTLY 1 year younger than me - Happy Birthday to you too!! I cannot wait to meet my darling... :o) Thanks to all my friends for the birthday wishes via MSN. Thanks to L for the cake. Thanks for the upcoming voucher my colleagues are going to give me. Haha.. i already know even before i got it.

Famous birthdays:

Skye Bartusiak - 28 Sept 1992
Hilary Duff - 28 Sept 1987
Gwyneth Paltrow - 28 Sept 1972
Mira Sorvino - 28 Sept 1967
Janeane Garofalo - 28 Sept 1964
Brigitte Bardot - 28 Sept 1934
Arnold Stang - 28 Sept 1925
Marcello Mastroianni - 28 Sept 1924
Al Capp - 28 Sept 1909
Ed Sullivan - 28 Sept 1901


Today, I have mixed feelings and it will be this way on every birthday from now on. I’m 28 on 28th Sept. Match huh? I’m happy but at the same time, I’m remembering the demise of Isam's father who have left his loved ones behind exactly 1 year ago. His father was the best. I’ve never seen such a perfect father in my life. I remember spending my birthday last year at his house with a few other close friends. I cannot believe this is happening too soon. I can see the sadness in Isam’s eyes. I can still remember that look. And writing this can bring me tears because I’ve known Isam since 1990. That will be 16 years by the end of this year. Isam has given me lots of advice which have somewhat made me a better person. I can never thank him enough. Thanks Isam! I share your sadness at this very moment.

Al-Fatihah…

Hardships...

Things happen for a reason and it must be my sensitive nature that I’m affected by other people’s life stories. It must be a cycle that I’ve always believed in. After happiness, comes sorrow. After sorrow, comes happiness and it repeats itself over and over again.

I pray that my mom would be freed from the stress that has been tormenting her these past few days. I’m so worried for her health and I know that she will always take things seriously. Ya Allah, please save us from this misery. But don’t worry mom! I’ll be there for you no matter how hard this is going to be.

The other, an old friend, has been in distress for a long time and I truly hope that things would turn out well for her. I almost shed tears when the story was told. I felt the pain. May Allah swt help you through this turmoil. I cannot help much but what I advice you is the best I can give to you. Ultimately, it’s you who could make a difference in your life. I’ll pray for you too.

All i know, GOD knows what's best for us. I'm sure there's a blessing in disguise despite all the hardships that we are going through.

Makansutra....

I held a pre-birthday celebration at home last Sunday and ordered the famous Chicken Curry Bun from Golden Pillow 933. It's my first time eating this. Really, it's quite delicious!! For those who lives in the west, home delivery is still the most convenient alternative. And the delivery is just 1 hour. I thought it would take longer than that...

195 East Coast Road, Singapore 428900
Hotline: 63238 933
Operating Hours: 11.00am to 9.00pm

My wishlist continues...

These are the things that i want to buy but don't have the money. Or is it that i just couldn't part with my money? I think that's more like it.

1) Papillio sandals - Madrid - English Garden Black (Size 35). I wanted the plain Birkenstock - Madrid - golden brown colour but i thought the plain ones are too common.

2) Esprit - pinstripe wrap shirt (Size S). There's another white top that i really love but i couldn't find the picture from their website.

3) I've decided not to buy the irresistable Apple iPod Nano Mp3 player because my O2 mini can just do with a larger SD card - 1GB.

4) DKNY Be Delicious by Donna Karan. I'm currently using this. Love the fragrance. It's finishing soon so i need another one.

Tiffany ATLAS? Collection

~ Numerical ring from the Tiffany ATLAS? Collection
~ Eighteen karat white gold: three diamonds, carat total weight .18, color grade G-H, clarity grade VVS-VS.

I'm totally in LOVE with this gorgeous ring from Tiffany & Co. My birthday is coming soon and i thought of getting this for myself and eventually get rid of one of my Tian Po ring.

I finally have one item in my wishlist. Who wants to buy this for me? :p Perhaps Darling...hehee


Updated @ 2350hrs

Went to Tiffany & Co. with L just now to check out the ring. It looked soooo DARN GOOD on my finger. I almost bought the ring. I should've but i didn't. I had to think it over before i make that BIG purchase. From now on, jewellery from Tian Po, Lee Hwa, Soo Kee, Goldheart, D'Meyson doesn't appeal to me anymore. So should i buy or should i not? I'm so indecisive. Hmm...librans.

Meeting the Principal

The principal of Southern Cross International College (SCIC) came from Australia and gave us a short speech just now. It was a weird moment. As usual, i was sitting in the front row and i could only smile whenever he looked at me. The 'interruption' wasn't appropriate coz everyone was not prepared for it and we were in the middle of a lesson. I thought, the best is to give a speech before the lesson starts. Anyway, he seemed like a nice man - very down-to-earth and didn't have that stern look. By the way, this pic is taken from the official website of SCIC.

















Dr. Nicholas Bagijn
Director

I had to run some errands after work with L and then rushed to school. Late for school again! I collected 'STOMP' tix from one of the Sistic outlets in Specialist Shopping Centre. L bought 23cents x 35 pieces of stamps and accompanied her to Orchard Neighbourhood Police Post to make a police report on her lost ic, staff pass, NTUC link card, etc. Before we entered the NPP, we had our bags checked by this policeman who was talking on his handphone most of the time. It must be so darn boring sitting alone outside. If he's an NSmen i think it's like 'heaven' for him but if he is a full-time policeman, i wonder if he could last another day doing nothing, and staring at the table the whole day. If it's me, i'll be bored to death.

On my way home from school, i saw an ang moh holding a bottle of alcoholic drink and wearing a black t-shirt that says "Good guy goes to HEAVEN, Bad guy goes to PATTAYA". I thought it's really funny. Then, taking a second look at him makes him look really creepy. He dressed like an 'ah-beng' ang moh. Except that he's really tall. Just imagine that!

Dream Theater - Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory

I have no idea why i'm listening to this again. It's been more than 5 years now. I've kept this CD long enough and i think it needs to be heard again. And hearing it again brings back lots of memories. I bought this CD not because i'm a fan of Dream Theater but because this CD is extra special. It is not just like any other ordinary CD. The songs are all linked and you won't know that you are actually listening to another song. It brings you through every scene of a murder that took place in 1928. It's like watching a movie except that you can only listen to it. You can visit this link for a complete analysis, by someone who calls himself Mystery. Here, i have one of the scenes and to me this song has a very deep meaning. It has touched my heart so much.

Oh, i remember going to HardRock Cafe many years back to see the famous Bass Guitarist, John Myung, in action. I am totally impressed by his talent. I don't know why not many people turn up that time. Probably it was held during the day. And i got his signature too. I wonder where it is right now. Hmm...

7. Scene Five: Through Her Eyes

Nicholas:
She never really had a chance
On that fateful moonlit night
Sacrificed without a fight
A victim of her circumstance

Now that I've become aware
And I've exposed this tragedy
A sadness grows inside of me
It all seems so unfair
I'm learning all about my life
By looking through her eyes
Just beyond the churchyard gates
Where the grass is overgrown
I saw the writing on her stone
I felt like I would suffocate
In loving memory of our child
So innocent, eyes open wide
I felt so empty as I cried
Like part of me had died
I'm learning all about my life
By looking through her eyes
And as her image
Wandered through my head
I wept just like a baby
As I lay awake in bed
And I know what it's like
To lose someone you love
And this felt just the same
She wasn't given any choice
Desperation stole her voice
I've been given so much more in life
I've got a son, I've got a wife
I had to suffer one last time
To grieve for her and say goodbye
Relive the anguish of my past
To find out who I was at last
The door has opened wide
I'm turning with the tide
Looking through her eyes

Too busy to blog...

I've been so busy lately. I did not have enough sleep too. I didn't even have much time at work to leave comments on some of my blogmates. At the most, i just visit for 5 minutes and had to get back to work. Furthermore, my colleague from retail came on Monday to join my team. Welcome L!!! You will not regret it. Trust me! Oh.. and about our conversation, i'm glad that we both have the same views. I've always been afraid to tell someone about it coz i know people will see me differently. I guess now, i'm not alone. Thanks gerl..

Daphynaz and i are working like a dog now since we found out that our colleagues are getting a pretty good sum for the commission. We know that we can achieve that amount. So everyday, we'll encourage each other to work harder and compare our sales so that if one of us fall short, the other will work harder. Sometimes, i feel that i'm blessed to work with these people. It is difficult to find really good colleagues and i've been in retail long enough to know all these. I'm not sure about other companies but i find that people in our retail shops are somewhat similar. Or either, they were influenced by other fellow colleagues. Well, i'm glad i'm outta there. For now, i can't quit yet! Everything is just too good to be true.

Darling and i watched The Cave the other day. It's a pretty good movie! Worth it. Plus watching it with darling, makes it even more worth it! :o) Darling, can we watch Tim Burton's Corpse Bride? I love Tim Burton's movies!!

3 things you don't know about me...

I've been tagged by ThOts, asking me to list 3 random facts about myself that my friends might not know. And then i have to tag 5 other friends to do it.

Sounds interesting! Now let me think...

1) Sometimes when i watch a horror movie or even the current series of The Incredible Tales, i'd get scared (for nothing!) and will tend to imagine that the ghosts are coming to get me. I know it's crazy. Then i would sleep with the lights on till dawn. I would also cover myself with my comforter and made sure my ears are covered too. There's a history about covering my ears when i sleep. One fateful night, about 7-8 years ago, i was about to doze off when i heard a woman's voice in my left ear and making the scariest voice i've ever heard in my entire life. The voice was like it is from an old lady, deep and a little hoarse. It sounds like her lips was so near my ear. I was sure i was awake. I couldn't have heard wrongly. So, since then, i've been covering my ears with a pillow when i go to bed.

2) I have a ONE funny habit, that is to rub my nose. Initially, i didn't notice it till my sista and my mom told me to stop doing it. Whenever i rub my nose they would say,"There, there, u rub your nose again!" Then i would do it a few minutes later, without realising it. I cannot stop it. I just did it automatically. Now, i have to try to stop this stupid habit. I look ugly whenever i do it. Sigh!

3) I don't drink fizzy drinks because i hate the feeling when i burp later. That gassy feeling up my nose are so darn uncomfortable. I can stop drinking them but i cannot stop myself from burping. So, i choose to avoid fizzy drinks if i can. My favourite is still plain water. No matter how beautiful the wrapper is on the syrup bottle or whatever syrup my parents bought, i wouldn't touch it. Next favourite drink is milk. If there's milk in the fridge, i'll drink it first followed by water. If i eat out, i'll usually buy ice lemon tea.

That's all i can think for now. Or is it that i'm restricted to only 3? My list could go on and on. So, let's pass this on. Who's gonna get tagged now?

~ Snail
~ CrystalLime
~ Pearlyn
~ Daphynaz
~ Isam

LOTR

I came across a blog that plays one of The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship Of The Ring soundtrack. I'm a fan of LOTR and at that time, i even bought the soundtrack CD. Out of 18 songs, there are only 4 songs with lyrics. They are The Prophecy, The Breaking Of The Fellowship, May It Be and Aniron. I must dig out the VCDs and watch it again!

May It Be ~ Composed & Performed by Enya

May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home

Mornie utúlië (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

May it be the shadows call
Will fly away
May it be your journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun

Mornie utúlië (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now

To help or not to help?

A couple of months back, one of the cleaner at my area approached my father and asked for help. I know this sounds fishy. In fact, it is. My father is very friendly and he would greet these people and chat for a few minutes before going home. He would tell them to search for things like wood, etc and later gave them some tips.

One day, this cleaner, A, wanted my father to apply a handphone line for him. He said that he would pay my father. That very night my father asked for my opinion. With no hesitation, I shook my head and said ‘NO, NO, NO!’. I told him that we cannot be sure that he’ll be work here for long. Furthermore, the line will be registered under my father’s name and my father will have to bear all cost if A would run away and return to his hometown. I also told my father to ‘lie’ to him. My poor father had to tell him that he used his name to apply a maximum of 4 lines already. I felt bad teaching my father to lie. I myself have a problem lying. I usually couldn’t because it will really show in my facial expression.

And true enough, about less than 2 weeks ago, his employer sent him and a few other cleaners back to their hometown. Then, my mom said that we’re lucky we didn’t apply for him. I think if my father didn’t ask me that time, he’ll be in deep trouble right now!

The lesson is I will never ever apply a handphone line for other people other than myself. I can only trust my mom and dad. To tell you the truth, I don’t even trust my other family members to use my name that way. It concerns money and if anything goes wrong, the relationship will turn sour. I wouldn’t want that to happen in my family. I’ve seen it many times. It’s getting tiresome. I also know that some irresponsible people took advantage of their aged parents to apply for a handphone line. And after a few months, they disappear, leaving their poor parents to pay for their outstanding bills. Bad huh? I totally despise these kind of people.

Now, why can't problem sometimes arise without the presence of $$?

Pharmacy in India

My colleague sent me this yesterday. And now, I'm not in the mood to write anything. So, there you go. Just pics!

The Haunted House!

My colleague sent me this creepy, so-called, mystery game.

In order to go to the next room in The House, you need to solve by clicking a few times on the picture (with hand cursor) in each room - if not, you will not go to the next room. Good luck!

Don't forget to turn up the volume! The dead is coming to get you....Hahaha..

Click me!

Pay back time...

It's not about revenge nor i have a grudge on someone. I just need to pay back the days i didn't fast for the previous fasting month. Stupid me, i didn't take note on how many days i missed. So, usually if i've forgotten, i have to pay back 10 days. That's how my mom does it too.

Today is my 5th day only! I have 5 more days to go. I can make it! This is usually the case if i do this last minute - I had to fast during my working days. If only i could've started earlier, i would've finished my debts by now! :o(

The story continues...

In case everyone's wondering what happened to that customer, here's the update!

I met Mr Customer yesterday at about 10 minutes past 5. I told him to come between 5-6pm but he came 10 minutes before 5. Hmm, he’s early! I’m surprised. I thought that he’ll be late or maybe he won’t come at all. And every time I see his handphone number ringing on my call master, I’ll mumble to myself, "Haiya! What does he want now?" Phobia! And I was instructed to collect the goods at 5pm only. That is because the S&C department have not yet collected from the courier department. Lots of people involved here. So, it’s kinda tedious.

I took the slightly torn paper bag filled with the goods and some documents for the customer to sign. I probably know why the paper bag is not smooth and clean anymore. Those numerous trips must have caused all that. I’m pretty sure it was passed on from one person to another many times. I was wondering why they couldn’t and wouldn’t want to give me another clean paper bag. Hmm…

The meet ~

When I saw him sitting there, I knew he is the ONE! (Sounds like matrix ah!) Slightly on the plump side but when I started to talk to him I can feel that he’s not as horrible as I thought he might be. In order to maintain my cool and remain professional, I apologised. Chet! That was hard man! I said, " I understand that you are on MC today and I’m sorry that you have to come all the way here to collect your goods!" He was alright with that but he said that he’s supposed to stay at home and rest since he’s on MC. Apologised the second time! Whoa, those words coming out of my mouth was extremely heavy. I can feel it in my chest. Anyway, we shook hands and he left.

That’s the end. I’m happy that this case is now closed. No more worries.

FAILED DELIVERY over and over and over and over again...

I DON"T BELIEVE THIS!! I’m so bloody pissed with one of my customer.

1st delivery – Sent to XXX address.
2nd delivery – He called back and request to send to YYY address but he was not at home.
3rd delivery – Re-send to YYY address and he is still not home.
4th delivery – Repeat to him numerous times that the deliveryman will be there between 6-9pm and confirmed over and over with him that he’ll be there to collect the goods.

He called me this morning and said that he’s sorry beacuse last night he went to see a doctor. Now I cannot be bothered anymore, if he wants his stuff, he’ll come down and see me personally to collect his goods. Do you know how tedious it is to liaise with the deliveryman? Changing address and all that? And the fact that we did all those courier for FREE? He must be kidding when he told me that he couldn’t make it last night. I even called him 1 hour prior to the delivery that he’ll be at home. And he said that he'll be there. Tell me, does he still deserve a good treatment from me? I’ve been sooo bloody nice to him from the start, now it’s making my blood boil! Really, really boil!!

Planning stage

Three of my colleagues (Daphynaz, GT, Cat) and i are in the midst of planning to go to NZ. Woohoo! Guess what we'll be doing there.....

Fruit Picking!

I don't know if our plan will work but all of us wanted to gain the experience. Imagine working in a fruit plantation, picking juicy strawberries, kiwis and most importantly it's - STRESS FREE!! And after that, we could go for a short tour. I came across a website by Kiwi Careers. But there are other websites looking for people who are aged between 18-30, single or married with no children. If that's the case, i'll be going alone coz my colleagues are no longer within that range. Most fruit pickers are backpackers or students on holidays. Why backpackers? It's their life saver! When they run outta money, they'll pick fruits to earn that extra cash to continue on with their journey. And they pay quite well actually, between $80-$150 per day. Here in Singapore, we work like a dog and get a peanut salary. Unfair right? Comparing a normal admin job here, i think the pay is much lower than happily picking fruits.

Picking fruits has been in my head for a long time already. I even told my father to go for it since he's already retired. He thought about that for a while but it didn't happen. I have no idea why i'm thinking about this now. And surprisingly, my colleagues are also interested. It's going to be a lot of fun! Now the only problem is arranging our annual leaves...

Xiaolin Showdown by Warner Bros

Kids Central - Sundays, 11.30am
My sista told me about this just this morning. It's really fun to watch. How i wish she could've told me earlier. Now there's 2 episodes left. Must watch, must watch...And i like Omi best!!!

Xiaolin Showdown TV Show Facts
East meets West in this anime series based on Xiaolin, an ancient Chinese martial arts. In Xiaolin Showdown, four warriors unite to find and protect the Shen Gong Wu, sacred artifacts with supernatural powers that control the powers of good and evil. These objects can only be captured after an extreme "Double Dare" showdown occurs between the good and bad characters.

Xiaolin Showdown - Main Characters
Omi - Omi is a Xiaolin monk-in-training who leads the warriors to collect the Shen Gong Wu. He represents the element of water - he's like a tranquil pond that can quickly turn into a tsunami.
Kimiko Toho - This ultra-hip Japanese chick possesses the element of fire, which is why she's prone to explosive outbursts.
Raimundo Pedrosa - Raimundo is a street smart Brazilian circus star. He represents the wind element, and his special technique is the Typhoon Boom.
Clay Bailey - This kung-fu-fighting Texan cowboy possesses the element of earth. He's never in a hurry, and uses a slow and steady style to fight off the enemies.
Master Fung - Master Fung is Omi's teacher. Courtesy of The WBHe's a mentor to the Xiaolin team, and guides them in their travels.
Dojo Kanojo Cho - Dojo is a 40-foot long fire-breathing dragon who guards the Xiaolin Temple. He takes the warriors around to locate the Shen Gong Wu.
Jack Spicer - This goth-dressing bad guy wants to rule the world, but needs to find the Shen Gong Wu first. He challenges the warriors to Xiaolin Showdowns with the help of his robot army.
Wuya - Wuya was an evil witch who lost the first Xiaolin Showdown and was imprisoned in a Chinese puzzle box for a thousand years. Now, she's an evil spirit who needs the Shen Gong Wu to return to her physical form.

Xiaolin Showdown - Fun Facts
1) The first opponent to challenge the other to a Xiaolin Showdown gets to set the rules of the battle. 2) A Xiaolin Showdown starts after saying, "Gong Yi Tan Pai," which means "go" in Chinese. 3) There are over 40 Shen Gong Wu artifacts, including the Fist of Tebigong, a metal fist that packs a punch, and Changing Chopsticks, which shrinks the user to the size of a grain of rice. 4) Tom Kenny, who is the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, provides the voice of Raimundo, and Wayne Knight, who is probably best known for his role as Newman on Seinfeld, is the voice of Dojo.

Playing with boxes

Baby Blues

I used to play with boxes during my childhood days. It's like the most fun thing to do. And it feels especially good when i get new boxes because it's hard and not as soft and torn as the old ones. I used to think that i have my own home and i'll live in it the whole day. The thing is, i'll never get bored playing with boxes. I'm not tired of it coz i'll be fully occupied doing crazy things with it.

Kids nowadays are missing these simple things in life. To me, the simple things are the best. Most of the time when i think back, it'll carve a smile on my face and wished i could turn back time and play again!! Can i? hehee... :o)

I'm Back....BUT someone's leaving...

I am not going to stop blogging...at least not for now! I'll only stop if i'm really tired of it and certainly not because of some jerk i don't even know. I'm sure my readers would distinguish between the real me and the fake me. Haha! And to find out that that person actually took the trouble to sign up for a blog and link me and moddie...sheeesh! Whateva...

Anyway, enuff about all that crab...oops..crap! Today is my colleague's last day of work. She spent all day packing her things and clearing any outstanding emails. It's not even 3 mths since she first joined this company, and now she's leaving. And now i have no buddy beside me to talk rot with. And the thing about people leaving is that, i really dunno how to react on their last day. There's so many things to say to her but i couldn't bring myself to say it. So all i did was to give her a BIG hug. It's not easy to find someone whom i can really really click with. But of course anyone can easily get along with me because of my simple nature. So, it's really that difficult for me to see her go. :o(

The other person leaving is my favourite lecturer, Mr Naidu. At the end of yesterday's lesson, he eventually confessed to us that he'll be resigning from his Chief position by the end of this year. Now, THIS is really bad news. He was the one who set up the school from scratch. He's the Founder, man! Unfortunately, it's the management that have caused this. And the school will not stand today if it's not for him. Also, one of the reason that my classmates and i are studying here is because of him. I asked him,"Are you sad to leave?" He could only look down on the floor and kept quiet. That was the most heartbreaking thing i've ever seen. His facial expression shows everything. There's sadness in his eyes and all his hardwork goes down the drain. The person replacing him - that mad woman, CP. Gosh! She must be the happiest woman on earth to take over that position. As always, she'll talk about how much she charge her patients and all that stuff. Money, money, money! What else could she be thinking about, huh? Aren't we supposed to help people and not taking advantage of their unfortunate state to dig a hole in their pockets? Inhuman...that's all i can say!

P.S. Thanks to isam, daphynaz, crab, moddie, thots & crystalLime for those kind words. You guyz are the best! Oh crab...betol ke nak ajak gi Mustafa? *giggle*