Girls Just Want To Have Lunch

All staff from COE was treated to a fruit luncheon (including snacks) on Thursday.

One of the attractions included king of the fruits, durians. The lunch was scheduled between 11 to 2 pm.

Around 11.30 am, my co-workers and I trotted to the canteen. Our jaws dropped when we saw the avalanche of people. Clearly, the fruit luncheon treat had appealed to the mass.

Looking at the situation, we decided to combine forces and split our group in order to enjoy feast faster. One of us was tasked to *chop a table for all, while the rest queued up at different stations to collect fruits and snacks for our group respectively.

This worked well. Shortly, we had gathered an array of yummy cakes, chocolate fruits fondue and juicy fruits (including durians, lychee, longan and the like) for our indulgence.

Guess team work always work wonder in all scenarios, including a fruity feast:)

*Chop in Singapore context means reserve

Never Had A Dream Come True

I did it!

Never thought my dream of completing a course in Mass Communication (MC) would come true. To cut the story short, I decided to embark on the diploma in MC last year after a prolonged procrastination..

Guess my efforts paid off when I was invited to attend my graduation over the weekend, awarded with a distinction in MC:)

On that day, I arranged to meet up with my best friend from my class at the hotel half an hour ahead of the schedule. Although formal dress code was indicated on the invitation letter, most were dressed to kill! So it turned out to be quite an eye-opener for me.

One of them was spotted wearing pink tights underneath a black dress. Another was seen wearing a super-short skirt. Almost equivalent to a mini-fashion show. As a result, the entire graduation ceremony became more colorful and vibrant, albeit eye brows were raised on stage.

Ironically, a few even wore jeans to the occasion. This seemed wrong. In my opinion, the casual dress code conflicted with the dignity of the event and needed to be addressed!

Being Internet-savvy, I browsed through the web to see if there are quick tips to save the day for graduates-to-be. And I found this interesting site.

Do you have any golden words to add?

Dancing Queen

Couldn't believe I was drawn to the dance floor when the DJ spun Abba song!

It all happened when we initiated a hen night for our bride-to-be friend at St James yesterday. For those who have not been to Singapore, the venue is home to the largest one-stop clubbing hub that offers nine distinct outlets, each with its individual theme, from world music and jazz to contemporary dance and mandarin-pop.

Not an avid clubber, I am perplexed why people enjoy drinking and suffer the side effects of hangover such as lying in the pool of own puke at the public toilet or being entangled in a fight.

I wish someone would invent a device (with buttons of the various hot clubs) that allows one to drink from the comfort of your home and dance to the music in a virtual clubbing environment depending on your mood.

I think that would be popular.

Fly Me To The Moon

Today was the start of another weekend. It’s time to party and let your hair down.

So I made an arrangement for a sushi feast with my colleagues after work, followed by hearty drinks. During the dinner, I proposed to the ladies "I’ll tell you some of my personal details. You tell me yours. There’s a good chance we’ll all get something new we can use."

Going round the table, we bared our souls truthfully and focused on the art of relationship mainly. We bounced off some interesting ideas from each other. Being ladies, we could also commiserate with each other some of the common issues we faced in our relationships.

At the end of the discussion, we concur that the important thing to sustain the relationship is to define your version of romance and be appreciative of touching gestures from the partner, whether big or small. After all, reality goes to show: Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus.

We Are The Champions

Decided to participate with my co-workers for a charity relay run this August (6 by 2.4km).

So I went for a run this evening, hoping to improve my personal timing for my 2km. Realistically, I hope to set a personal best of 12 mins and below.

Unfortunately, it poured so I had to adjourn half-way. But good news is I managed to revert to my form of 12 mins 51 secs:)

Can't wait for my next run now!

Release Me

It's mid-way into the week and I can't wait to count down to Friday for a couple of reasons:

1) School's graduation at the place where I work (Friday)
2) Sushi feast and drinks with co-workers (Friday)
3) My own graduation (Saturday)
4) One year birthday party for my nephew (Saturday)
5) School's Alumni dinner (Saturday)
6) Hen's nite for my good friend with lots of partying* (Saturday)
7) English Tea (Sunday)

and the list goes on... including a personal one:)

*Watch out for the cool images to come!

Little by little

I am back and smiley again.

Feeling on cloud nine after I completed a major event without much hiccup for a visiting Professor today.

Then I got a free ride from a colleague back to school from the event venue. We had a chat and I learned that he is staying in Aljunied, not too far from where I stay at Toa Payoh. Somehow, the idea of car-pooling struck me and I proposed to him casually. He is in accord on my suggestion as he doesn't mind picking me and others in Toa Payoh before going to NTU. Good news is his proposed rate is $30 only, which works out to be $60 cost savings for me if I discontinue my current private bus service.

Back in school, I decided to lend my hand to a co-worker in preparation of the goodies bags for his imminent dinner event for NTU alumnus.

And it felt so good. I want to do it again:)

PS: Guess a friend of mine trying to chat with me from Japan today also lifted my spirits somewhat...

Back For Good

Blog is currently under maintenance (technically and psychologically) especially after a poor run today.

Will be back for good.

Bad Day III

Caught a Spanish movie with some friends over the weekend.

Based on the synopsis from a movie review site#, Summer Rain is an experimental non-mainstream movie about young men growing up in in southern Spain in the 1970s. An adaptation of a novel, the director, Antonio Banderas's debut film, displays a very personal quality, unfolding as if from a memory.

However, being an artsy movie, all of us were scratching our heads clueless on the take-away of the movie when it ended.

Then comes the blow when I learnt that Kimmi is out of championship contention for realistically following the lacklustre performance in German Grand Prix...

And the update from my friends enjoying themselves in Japan does not help either...

Hopefully, next week will be better.

#Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/summer_rain_2006/#

Bad Day II

On the same day, I was looking into the logistics arrangements for an impending celebration lunch at the staff restaurant off the school. Among other things, one of them included car park lots reservation for the staff assisting the projects demonstrations.

As I am aware that next week is our convocation period for the graduates, I merely told him that I would advise if his request could be met for the following reasons:

1) This peculiar request from internal staff is out of my responsibility for organizing the event
2) The overbearing attitude of co-worker demanding 5 specific car park lots locations
3) I have no control if the security department would accede to my request for 5 parking especially during the peak usage of the car park

Focusing to solve the above issue, I thought of the following "I" ways out of this situation including:

1) Ignore the staff's request
2) Inform him that security has turned down his request without writing in at all
3) Induce him to take care the transportation himself
4) If 2) takes place, then I can advise him that I would be available at car park to guard his car, while he loads the computers into his vehicle
5) If 3) fails, I will escalate the request to my superior to "reject" his request formally

Your suggestion/s, please!

Bad Day I

Today was a bad day for me at work!

Following my editorial suggestions yesterday (please see my earlier blog "Hands Up!"), my publication colleague (ie our unofficial chief editor) shared her candid comments with me about taking back the full control of write-ups. I mean I can understand her point about leveraging off the team's efforts rather than having her to look into my written articles once more before we publish them. More importantly, she has explicitly expressed the need for me to learn to delegate tasks to the team members based on their individual strengths.

Truth is always painful! After listening to her openly, I concur with her and will propose to our superior to let my publication co-worker takes care of all write-ups in future.

In case you get bored with my frivolous talk, I will continue the happenings on this very day of "a series of unfortunate events" (if I may borrow Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Hands Up!

My work requires me to edit articles/publications before our School releases them.

Unanimously, my publication colleague whom I acknowledged her as the "chief" editor of the team is usually the last person to edit as well as vet the text. For my current project, campus planning, I submitted the text to her like usual. After she modified them, I had a second look and counter-proposed two changes.

For some reason, she was not receptive, so I hands up and went by her preferred text for one of them. For the other, I pushed along with my suggestion as I felt it was easier for the readers to digest.

Guess language is like art, where you can't please everybody. Do you agree?

Super Trouper

Had a good run today, albeit covering only 4km.

Guess my past two months of training have paid off when I reduced my last 2 km to 12 mins 55 secs making me feel like a Super Trouper today:)

Fantasy

Self-invited to a movie with friends and their folks yesterday.

You guess it! It is “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” by renowned fantasy director, Guillermo del Toro. In my opinion, it is not a awesome movie as the story is rather perfunctory. Nevertheless, there are likable moments in the movie such as the sassy little tumor.

According to the dictionary.com, fantasy is defined as:

1. imagination, esp. when extravagant and unrestrained.
2. the forming of mental images, esp. wondrous or strange fancies; imaginative conceptualizing.
3. a mental image, esp. when unreal or fantastic; vision: a nightmare fantasy.
4. Psychology. an imagined or conjured up sequence fulfilling a psychological Lneed; daydream.
5. a hallucination.
6. a supposition based on no solid foundation; visionary idea; illusion: dreams of Utopias and similar fantasies.
7. caprice; whim.
8. an ingenious or fanciful thought, design, or invention.
9. Also, fantasia. Literature. an imaginative or fanciful work, esp. one dealing with supernatural or unnatural events or characters: The stories of Poe are fantasies of horror.
10. Music. fantasia (def. 1).
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
11. to form mental images; imagine; fantasize.
12. Rare. to write or play fantasias.

Then it strikes me that the line between a dreamer (imagination) and a lunatic (hallucination) is rather thin. Guess the difference lies in the pleasure that the former could deliver to the audience/people.

Time for me to own up. I never thought this movie would have a sequel. To begin with, selling a superhero movie about a character who looks like Satan is never a sure thing. Still I have never been happier to be wrong.

Guillermo del Toro, director/writer, deserves to receive most of the credit for this movie. However, it is Ron Perlman, the guy under Hellboy’s red makeup, who makes the story endearing. Packing in more of the charming yet growling, cigar-chewing character in the movie has made Hellboy more engaging to his fans. In reality, he is a living, breathing person who just happens to be really red. Underneath his hideous appearance spells plenty of personal problems. In short, he is the kind of friend one would want to hang out with.

It is when one is hooked on the movie’s bizarre characters that Hellboy II is most fun. The defining moment in Hellboy II I must say is when Hellboy and Abe decide to get drunk, play mushy music, and share their love issues openly. It is wonderful because their emotions are so raw and real, yet their appearance is anything but.

That juxtaposition will just draw you in, and leave you longing for more time with Hellboy and his strange-looking buddies.

At the end of the movie, I have had an enjoyable time and hope it will be the same for you.

PS: On a daily basis, fascination with red continues. This time the’cycle chic’ matched her pink bike. The picture is available at my friend's blog.

Reflection

Not sure if you have experience the same...

Say you send an invitation to the "target audience" depending on your objective of the get-together. What's the likely response?

If you take a chapter in my life, today happened to be a gathering the chums from my ex-company. For some reason, most did not respond to my email till I sent a gentle reminder to my friends. In the end, only one friend turned up for afternoon's tea with me. Rather dispirited.

Well, the only chum who turned up also shared the same sentiments as I. Currently, her company requires the team to rotate to take charge of the team events for all. Incidentally, both of us felt that the invitees tend to take the organizer for granted. I will explain further.

If the person is keen to join in the event, he/she will certainly offer alternative date if the proposed does not meet the schedule. Rather than having the organizer to write back to the same person for another date after hearing the unavailability. On the other extreme, we also see invitees who do not even bother to respond to the invitation (@RSVP).

The most welcome category is those who appreciate the initiative and efforts of the organizer by confirming if he/she could attend the occasion. In the case of wedding RSVP, I am sure the couples would vouch for this group too.

Which group do you fall under?


@RSVP = Please reply (Used at the end of invitations to request a response)

Runaway (Part III)

Welcome back!

Here are more unconventional thoughts:

- Walk backwards on the street
- Paint my face as a joker and scare the kids (Inspired by movie "The Dark Knight")
- Pretend not to have money for a meal in the restaurant/lounge, and offer to wash dishes (for restaurant)/sing a song (for lounge) in exchange
- Video shoot a movie while watching in the theatre (Ripped off from "Seinfeld" sitcom)
- Donate hair to wig-making company
- Fly a kite in the city
- Self-recommend for a "cameo" role in a musical

Let me know if you also have similar ideas.

Runaway (Part II)

More ideas are coming your way, so stay tuned tomorrow:)

Runaway

Guess today is one of those days, when I want to break away from my routine lifestyle...

First, I stayed longer in the office and missed my private bus intentionally. Next, I synced up with a friend to meet him near his office at end of the north east line, and then travelled back to city.

Some other ideas spring to my mind:

- Have a picnic after running at stadium (which I really did yesterday with my kid niece & sister)
- Take dessert before main course
- Take a bus to Changi aiport without any sending-off/receiving obligations
- Eat an ice-cream cone from "bottoms-up" (literally)
- Cycle to work (when I have purchase my folding bike)
- Prepare my own lunch before I leave for work
- Be the emcee for our school's convocation (in presence of 2000 guests)
- Live in a tent indefinitely
- Marathon movies in one evening (3 movies non-stop)
- Travel and sing/write round the world till my money runs dry
- Bake a cake/pastries for my family and friends
- Stay up all nite and try not to doze off (struggling now...)

Your suggestions are welcome too.

Eye Of The Beholder

Was at a friend's place to catch F1 live last Sunday.

That's when I noticed his mum had adorned a new Kolam outside his house. For those unfamiliar with the name, it is defined by Wikipedia site as:

Kolam (Tamil:Beauty) is a decorative design drawn in a variety of sandpainting using rice powder by female members of the family in front of their home, especially near stone forming the bottom of the doorway. A Kolam is a sort of painted prayer -- a line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. They are generally symmetric.

As I read on, I learnt that Kolams are considerably practised by Hindus in South India. They are also thought to confer prosperity to the homes. For special celebration, limestone and red brick powder to contrast are used.

The sole purpose of a Kolam extends beyond decoration. Back then, kolams drawn in coarse rice flour are mentioned to invite birds and other small living creatures to eat it. By inviting other beings into one's home on a daily basis, it is said to be a tribute to harmonious co-existence everyday. It is also a sign of invitation to welcome all into the home, especially Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity.

On a spiritual level, it is even traditionally believed that the lines must be completed in order to symbolically prevent evil spirits from entering the inside of the shapes.

Interestingly, it is also said to be beneficial to the health. As it requires the artist to bend down each morning, it is said to aid her digestive system, reproductive organs as well as in the overall stretching of the body.

Kolam also needs the artist to be better focused and improves the concentration when she begins her day.

Hmmm... Now I really feel motivated to learn this art, don't you?

Born To Run

To continue my story yesterday, I did a charity run for underprivileged kids (Milk Run) with a friend in the afternoon unregistered*.

I figured why not if it was for a good cause? Albeit I would be considered an "illegal" runner given the fact that I did not sign up for it.

Unfortunately or fortunately, we touched down 15 minutes late for 9.4 km run (thanks to my friend)...

Being the more creative person among the duo, I proposed we joined in the 6km Flag Off intended for underprivileged children (below 17 years of age). Neither one of us looked youthful to pull it through, so I decided to exercise my imagination (well-preached by Barney).

Why not we snuggle up to one of the younger kids and posed as their buddy to guide as well as motivate them through to the end of the run? The plan was impeccable as the organizer had also arranged for volunteers to lead the younger runners to the finish line.

Guess it worked:) And it felt so good, I want to do it again!


*Due to my slothful nature and procrastination..

Wait Until Tomorrow

Let's be real.

Tell me who has not fallen into the trap of procrastination?

Especially after I did a charity run with a friend followed by an adrenaline-pumping British Grand Prix today. Hence, I have decided to retire early and share my thoughts with you tomorrow.

Good nite, all.

Crunch N Munch

For those who have been/stay in Singapore, the inhabitants are united by a favourite pastime ie munching. And I mean big-time including myself:)

Currently, who is our food darling? Move over, donuts. It is Chewy Junior Cream Puff now! A kind of dessert in between cream puffs and donuts. And chewy *Applause*

Today, Chewy Junior sells more than 3000 puffs daily! The craze has also been featured on our main local paper, the Sunday Times. With 13 delicious flavours to choose from, the customers are spoilt for choices.

For quick decision making, check out the array of puffs posted by Chewy Junior.

So what are you waiting for?

That Don't Impress Me Much

Received an email from the vendor yesterday who supplies portable display systems to our school.

Here's what it says:

Six steps to Effective Displays

* Attract attention
You can attract attention to your display by effective use of color, light and shape.

* Arouse interest
Your display should have an attention getter -- something that brings the customer over to look further. For example, if you are displaying a pasta machine, display it with pasta coming out of the machine, or with a variety of pasta shapes. Shoppers will stop to look at the display to see how the machine works.

* Create desire and ambience
Your display should make customers want the product by showing that it is just what they need. The display should demonstrate the qualities of the product, its use and its benefits. Along with the pasta machine, you might show a checked tablecloth, a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine.

* Show applications
In the case where the product might involve more processes or explanations, show visual applications or step-by-step demonstrations for better visible comprehension.

* Win confidence
Show customers how you can help them put it all together. Display related objects that tell customers you have more than just the pasta machine -- include an Italian cookbook, cooking equipment and table settings.

* Motivate the purchase
If the first five steps were done well, the customer should now walk in and buy the product.

Somehow, it strikes me that the above steps are similar to a courtship:)

Otherwise, that don't impress me much...

Break

My next post will arrive tomorrow.

Take A Chance On Me

Today I have given myself and my friend another chance!

For those reading my blog the first time, it has been a while since my friend and I build up our friendship. Ups and downs like most people...

Take communication for instance. Being together for a while, one naturally feels that he/she understands the other person. Through my experience, I have to correct that the gap of communication only gets wider when both parties cut down on their chat or even cease to talk. Then issues will surface when one starts to question the other person about the meaning of the relationship...

Certainly, one shouldn't rush to conclude without allowing each other to hear his thoughts. After all, friendship is a wonderful thing:)

If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try

Not Ready For Goodbye

Another new day, a visit to the clinic.

So far, all is better after some adjustment. Guess it will take a while for things to settle down, but I believe this is the best decision for me.

Anyway, managed to meet up with a friend this afternoon, who has taken a break from work to sort out her life. Now how many people can say goodbye to a job and pursue things he/she wishes to do in life? Bravo!

If I am in her shoes, I would love to do the following:

- Explore the world in a folding bike
- Do volunteering overseas
- Upgrade myself in Mass Communication
- Take up basic tennis lesson again
- Learn driving
- Pick up new language
- Record a debut album (for my own pleasure)
- Learn the must-travel spots in the world
- Enrol in pastry/dessert making courses
- Master pool table tricks

What about you?