Happy 5th Birthday Kiddo!

A rare moment of her looking rather serious and pensive .. but after I took the photo, she quickly ran off giggling and asking me to catch her...

My favourite little person turned 5 years old this year. She's taller, much cuter and has a happy, cheeky and adorable personality.

She still loves to see me "remove" my thumb ( I wonder how much longer before she figures out my trick) and I'm always very happy to see her. She likes me to swing her around like a monkey and I'm quickly finding her very heavy to swing around. She loves an ice cream treat and I love seeing her grin when I give her a one.

Here's a picture of her as a little toddler. heehee...

Can't remember exactly how old she was when this was taken but I'm sure her Mom knows.

I remember that as a toddler, she already had such a friendly disposition that she was always smiling, even at strangers. She rarely made a big fuss about anything (hmm, ok, perhaps her parents might disagree here) and she was always very quick to see food on the table and to want some too.

Anyway, Happy Birthday again kid. Happy growing up!

Wearing Green ok, I'll be off huffing & puffing for 2 weeks, so I don't think I'll be online much.

Scribbled by Hobbes at

Cool Photos & the lingering thought of leaving

Sometimes when I come across such wonderfully inspirational photos on the web, a part of me just feels like quitting my job and just going out there to just take pictures.

See here for the Kodachrome Slideshow
All Copyright belong to the respective owners

How wonderful it would be to be able to travel and experience all the places and people that I can only read about. Like the Antarctica, China, the Silk Route, Alaska, Africa, Himalayas...heck, I'll even settle for Vietnam or Cambodia now.

It's not that I don't enjoy my work any more - I still do, even though it is a struggle to deal with situations/problems that I don't have direct input/'control over - almost like fighting with one hand tied behind. Sometimes it drives me crazy to know that certain situations/problems could have been very simply avoided had there been better input/thought in the decision process.

Perhaps it's because I've been somewhat in the same job for so long now that the amount of satisfaction I gain is becoming smaller. Think Diminishing Rate of Returns. Either that or I'm getting way too cynical for my own good.

Anyway, it's always easier said than done. How could I just leave? What about my responsibilities and obligations? What about my studies? How am I going to support myself? Will this support the life/family I want later?

So here I am again, back at square one.

My little Claim to Fame

The picture above was chosen to be exhibited at the Singapore Art Museum for a photography exhibition/event on Sunday, 12 July 2009.

How cool is that? :D

The picture is actually an interior shot of St Peter's Cathedral in Rome, Vatican City.

Woo Hoo!
















Just received my exam results... and woo hoo! It's much better than I had expected.

Exams









I think I will never, ever be good at taking exams.

First of all, I hate them. It's the 21 century already...haven't they already invented some brain scanner that can measure the amount of knowledge that you have? If they don't, they should! Better yet, invent some method of uploading knowledge ala The Matrix. Now, wouldn't that be cool?

Second, I hate the anxiety that comes with exams. I feel sick, tired, my stomach's in knots, I can't sit still and I get easily distracted (as evidenced by this post) from my books.

Arrgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sigh...ok, back to the books.

Tired









Feeling very drained and tired.

What else can go wrong?
Life really sucks these days.

When it rains, it pours.

What can go wrong, will go wrong, and has gone wrong.

Sigh...

In desperate need of a good break

...Work, school, online quizzes, meetings, assignments, last-minute work requests…

I hardly have time to relax anymore. Most days by the time I'm home, my brain cells are pretty much fried - all I want to do is to crawl into bed.

And to think I used to be able to wonder what I was going to do with my weekends, and even take time to go do some photography. Sigh.

I guess I should count my blessings. Given today's crappy economics, I’ve still have a reasonable job which is also paying for my course. I’m relatively healthy but yeah… losing a few kilos would be great tho.

So even tho I’m really busy but life is still quite happy. Thank God.

But yeah... I'm still longing for that 5 day beach resort getaway with included daily american breakfast. heehe

Old & New
My beloved Seiko suddenly stopped working a few months back.

When I brought her in for servicing yesterday, the techs told me that it was beyond economic repair as her internals had been ravaged by rust (due to water seepage).

I was stunned and upset to hear that as I had expected her to be fully revived when they changed her battery and change the faceplate.

Sigh….I really liked this watch because she has a special significance for me (D & S had given this to me for their wedding) and its a really nice clean looking beauty - not to mention she's been with me for almost 5 years now. Rust really sucks.

On a less somber note, I’ve gotten myself a new pair of glasses.

Not bad huh… Ray Bans leh.

For my glasses, I’m rather fussy. I want a frame that is:

• Titanium frame - all the better to resist my corrosive perspiration and once-in-a-while-careless handling

• Spring-loaded hinges – for that snug fit and to accommodate my fat face.

• Wide frame – again to accommodate my fat face.

• Simple conservative design - Bcos I ain't really the flashy type.

Curiously, I’m not that fuss about the design of the frame. I think I tend to keep to a rather conservative design with muted colors. My new pair’s design is rather similar to my old one, except for the color. Plus I usual get someone to help me to chose one that looks ok on me. This time round, J helped to pick this one.

There wasn’t really any wrong with my old pair, except that the frame’s color is faded, and there’s a rather long irritating scratch on the left lens. But I needed a spare pair on standby so I thought it’d be a good time to make a new pair.

Ogre

Ogre is a "Tank" built around a Zamor launching system nicknamed "Hailstorm". It uses three XL PF motors, controlled either by a standard PF remote, or by the on-board (black) NXT using the Hitechnic IRLink. It also has a small wireless "spycam" attached, so that the driver can "see" what the robot sees. The result is a lot of fun to drive around, and even more fun to watch it autonomously detect, target, and destroy loose LEGO targets.


This is way too cool... I WANT ONE!!!!

Imagine the havoc I can wreak with this. heehehe...

So who screwed up?
This explanation by Calvin of his Lemonade Stand's business perspective has resonance with the American Auto industry's position in the economy. Remember that this cartoon was drawn over 15 years ago!

Rainbows

Sometimes, when you are simply rushing through life and dealing with its stresses, little things like a rainbow can be so comforting and inspiring - just like an unexpected kiss.


Of course, it also brings to mind the ultimate song about Rainbows...

Design For Living
华丽上班族《生活与生存》



http://www.huayifestival.com

http://www.esplanade.com/whats_on/programme_info/design_for_living/index.jsp#tabs

Synopsis
Survival calls for intelligence while living requires wisdom. A female boss feels threatened by a rumour. To secure her position and power, she begins to play mind games with others in her office, stirring up a hornets’ nest. Who will be the ultimate winner in the ensuing struggle for love, wealth and power?

Created by the director of the highly-lauded What is Man? in Huayi 2008, this theatre piece humourously portrays the struggle that urban people today go through when faced with the myriad challenges and complexities of survival and living.

Starring famed actress-director and Golden Horse award-winner Sylvia Chang (Tempting Heart), as well as popular Taiwanese idol Joseph Cheng and actor/host/comedian David Wang.




It's been quite a while since I've written anything here. Life has been packed to the brim and lots been happening since Christmas, like my studies have started. M came back for a short visit and went off again.

It's been really tiring but its been great so far. I hope it continues that way.

As you can see from above, I recently went to a play. Generally, I like going to plays/musical performances but I've never really made the effort to find out what's on and to go. Lazy lah..movies are so much easier and cheaper also.

Anyway, when I learnt that it was a Mandarin play, I became rather hesitant. I wasn't sure if I'd understand it fully, and then it would be quite a waste of one ticket on me. But I went along in the end.

And it was surprisingly very good. There were actually sub-titles for mandarin-deficient people like me but for most time, I could understand what was going on. hee...which means my mandarin is actually not that bad lah.

And the play was really funny but very appropriately poignant as well. Overall its was very worth the money and effort (I had to rush/walk from Raffles place to Esplande) to watch.

Design For Living
华丽上班族《生活与生存》



http://www.huayifestival.com

http://www.esplanade.com/whats_on/programme_info/design_for_living/index.jsp#tabs

Synopsis
Survival calls for intelligence while living requires wisdom. A female boss feels threatened by a rumour. To secure her position and power, she begins to play mind games with others in her office, stirring up a hornets’ nest. Who will be the ultimate winner in the ensuing struggle for love, wealth and power?

Created by the director of the highly-lauded What is Man? in Huayi 2008, this theatre piece humourously portrays the struggle that urban people today go through when faced with the myriad challenges and complexities of survival and living.

Starring famed actress-director and Golden Horse award-winner Sylvia Chang (Tempting Heart), as well as popular Taiwanese idol Joseph Cheng and actor/host/comedian David Wang.




It's been quite a while since I've written anything here. Life has been packed to the brim and lots been happening since Christmas, like my studies have started. M came back for a short visit and went off again.

It's been really tiring but its been great so far. I hope it continues that way.

As you can see from above, I recently went to a play. Generally, I like going to plays/musical performances but I've never really made the effort to find out what's on and to go. Lazy lah..movies are so much easier and cheaper also.

Anyway, when I learnt that it was a Mandarin play, I became rather hesitant. I wasn't sure if I'd understand it fully, and then it would be quite a waste of one ticket on me. But I went along in the end.

And it was surprisingly very good. There were actually sub-titles for mandarin-deficient people like me but for most time, I could understand what was going on. hee...which means my mandarin is actually not that bad lah.

And the play was really funny but very appropriately poignant as well. Overall its was very worth the money and effort (I had to rush/walk from Raffles place to Esplande) to watch.

My New Shiny Toy!

See what I got for Christmas!


Isn't just too cool & sleek?

And It's a Sony. :)