Busy busy

Hi all, just wanna start with a big.......

YAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNN

Yah, that's my yawn these days... I've been pretty tied up these days so not much time/energy to blog...

All tied up

Luckily for me, I got a very responsible co-blogger to carry on blogging on my behalf and doing a better job than me. :D. Like her, I am very sian now.. sian cos of some family issue that is going on behind my busy schedule of work and project.. why is family ties so hard to maintain? sigh... oh yah, and someone at work seems to think that i am a very political figure at work too.. looks like i have to watch my back more in the future... don't wana end up like this...

Anyway, its getting late and its time for bed... good night~

Pete out

Another Satisfying Weekend

Had another long overdue meetup with friends last Friday. Managed to meet up with Sally and Carol. We were supposed to meet up more than a month ago for Carol's birthday, but alas... Anyway, we finally met up! We had dinner at Soup Spoon at Paragon, and did some catching up.

Say cheese - With Carol

Pucker up - With Sally

One for the album

The evening was just spoilt by me having a terrible stomach upset, which left me stranded in the toilet for more than half an hour. I really thought I was not going to come out alive. Stomachaches and upsets are really just the bane of my life, that I have just created a group on Facebook called "I get stomachaches for no rhyme or reason...and then puke the hell outta me". If you are also a victim like me, please join the group. I need to see if I'm actually abnormal! Ha ha!

Pete and I attended a convention hosted by SIM on Saturday at Suntec. Thanks to Dad, we got complimentary tickets. In order not to disappoint, we dragged ourselves to Suntec on a rainy Saturday morning, and sat through talks on Branding, Old Chang Kee's Corporate Cuture, and the Re-hiring of Matured Workers. What were we doing there, huh?? Actually, some of the talks were rather interesting, and we did pick up some stuff here and there. Met an ex-boss from ASME there. It has been quite some time, and it was nice to see her again.

On Sunday, we made a journey to the east. We started with a visit to the MPH sale held at EXPO. It was quite disappointing for us. I managed to purchase 3 books, but Pete left empty handed. Continuing our journey to the east, we headed for Changi Airport next. There is something about Changi Airport that I just love! Maybe it's the holiday atmosphere that I associate with it. Pete, on the other hand, who has made several overseas trips for work, shuddered a few times while he was there.

We managed to see the much hyped-about A380. From the viewing gallery, we were not able to see its grandeur that we did in the media. It looked just like one of the many SIA planes parked outside, just a little bigger.

A380?

We ended our visit to the Airport with dinner at Popeyes - Chicken and Biscuits. It was my first time having it, whereas Pete has already tried it in Korea. The fried chicken was alright, nothing to rave about, but the fries, biscuit (buttermilk), and even the mash potato were something else. I do not mind having it again :) The fries tasted like the A&W curly fries!

Popeyes - Chicken and Biscuits

Nothing too spectacular about the weekend, but I enjoyed it, maybe because it was not spectacular, just the way I like it...relaxing :)

Girls' Nite Out

Met up with Cindy and Yammie (Gen) on Tuesday night for a mini celebration for Yammie's birthday. It was quite a successful night out, I must say, considering the tight schedules. We met for dinner at Sakae Marina Square before heading for drinks at Morton's Bar at The Oriental Hotel. Cindy and Yammie finally got to try the Chocolate Martini that was long overdue (haha!), and I had the Singapore Sling, which left me burning hot and tipsy for the rest of the night!

We all brought our cameras and spent the night fiddling and puzzling over new cameras, and laughing at ourselves. Here is the outcome from the fiddling of our cameras:

Had an enjoyable time, ladies! :D I am looking forward to our girls' day out in December. Better start planning and applying for that day off soon!

SIAN - Hokkien adjective which conveys boredom, weariness, frustration and emptiness

Recently, the ambience both at home and at work shout SIAN. My mom has been frowning a lot recently, contributing to the sian factor.

Frowny Mom

At work, nothing troubling, it just feels slllooowww, like now...tick tock, tick tock :P... Is it because we are approaching the end of another year? Or is it just me, just feel sian lorrrrrr *shrugs shoulders*. The sianers (people who feel sian) at work are coincidentally, the usual suspects who perpetually want to take Urgent Leave. We are so sian that we are sian of saying we are sian. Like one of the sianers says, we are beyond sian... You know what, I think the problem just lies with us. Sigh...don't know how...sigh...sianz...

Seems like another 30 years before the weekend comes again. Sian.

Looking back over the last weekend, it passed by in a flash, despite it being a long weekend for me due to the off in lieu I took on Monday for Hari Raya. So fast, so sian. Spent Saturday at Pete's place, and watched 2 movies. One was an old Korean movie, Marrying the Mafia, starring Jung Joon Ho and Kim Jung Eun from the drama Princess Lulu (my fav!). The movie was a little disappointing, just watchable standard, funny...but not hilarious.

Marrying the Mafia. Verdict: Watchable only. Quite Sian.

The 2nd movie was If Only, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. It's a story that reminds you to treasure and appreciate your loved ones, and not take them for granted. The storyline reminded me a little of an old movie, Sliding Doors, starring Gwyneth Paltrow. If you can afford the time, If Only is worth a watch.

On Sunday, I was invited to a friend's place for Hari Raya. Had a good time catching up with ex-colleagues, and not to mention, I was stuffed with the food and snacks prepared. Pete, on the other hand, met up with his friends and did a "walkathon" within the Raffles City-Suntec-Bugis Triangle.

Our leave in lieu on Monday started with a breakfast of toast, which for some unknown reason, caused me to have a slight stomachache, so it was rather sian jit pua. We had lunch with my frowny mom later :P, and did some grocery shopping with her, and in the midst of it all, we were caught in a terrible downpour with the bags of groceries. Sian lor. However, Pete and I braved the rain and fufilled our plan of singing our hearts out to drown our sian-ness that has been built up over the past week. 2.5 hours at K-Box which cost us only $20 in total. That sure alleviated our sian-ness. To further neutralise our sian-ness, we ended the day with some Anderson's ice-cream. Verdict: B&J still rules!!

So now here we are on a Wednesday, back to work and all. At this moment, Pete is most probably in the process of failing his IPPT. Having the siannest time at work these past few weeks, I promise to dedicate this entry to him, so here it goes: This very sian entry is dedicated to Pete. May you see the light amidst the codes and all soon. To my fellow sianers at work (I hope you know who you are), this entry is also dedicated to you all/both. May we all feel unsian soon.

To the rest who are bored enough to read our blog, I apologise for this depressing entry, and promise to try and post something more.....entertaining, I hope, in the future?!

May you have an unsian week ahead!

Antics

Yippee! Yippee! Yay!!! It's Friday...at last! Monday's going to come round again real soon, I know, but for now, the weekend is drawing near :)

This week has seen a fair bit of "buttering" of naughty students by my boss, mostly for poor attendance. We have heard our fair share of crappy reasons given for missing classes *rolls eyes*. Most of the time, someone in the family back home (mostly poor old grandma or grandpa) would have fallen ill, or broke a leg, or arm, and there is a need to fly home for a visitation. Why would they want to do that? Like curse your own grandparents?? If grandpa or grandma has already passed on, I think they would be turning in their grave to know they have been conveniently made used of for truancy! Of course, there are genuine cases, but more often than not, this is just one of the many excuses the students would come up with.

As I look back at the "buttering" this week, I can't help but marvel at the students' antics:

• When questioned, student A said he missed some classes as he went for medical checkup. Fine, Boss said, then produce medical supporting documents for them. Student A said the documents are not with him, and then asked if we could just forget about them, and he promised to come for classes everyday. Boss said no, you said you went for checkup, then we want to see the documents. Student A then went off. About a half-hour later, student A approached me and said he would like to see Boss again, for he has a confession to make. He said he did not go for any checkup, and actually just skipped classes, and he has no documents to submit. "Why did you say what you said then??" I exclaimed. Because he was nervous and could not think of any reason to give when questioned at that time, he said. *SIGH* Anyway, Boss saw him again, and just gave him a warning. But she was touched that he came back to confess. Awww...

• A few weeks ago, student B, with atrocious and precariously low attendance was called in. When questioned, student B said he was not used to the time difference between Singapore and his home country (which was maybe about an hour difference??), and thus was late for several of his classes. Hmmm..... that was about 5 weeks into the course, surely one would be adjusted by now, no.....? Despite the "buttering", student B did not change his ways. He sent a sms to his teacher 2 days ago and said he would be late as he...believe it or not...took the wrong bus...HUH?? Anyway, he never turned up for class at all that day. He did not make it, maybe he was stuck in Mandai or Sungei Ulu Ulu. (As I'm writing this, student B is being "buttered" right now at this very moment. MAJOR one.)

• Speaking of time difference, I remember a few months back, student C told Boss that she was often late because the time on her watch is not synchronised with the time on the classroom clock. The reasons these students can come up with!

• Saving the best for last, student D applied for leave to miss class for half a day because he was going to audition for Project Superstar, and he seriously expected the leave to be approved. Like seriously expected it.

Despite lousy reasons, this week is also a week of confessions, with student A turning back to confess, as well as students matter-of-factly saying "I missed classes because I felt lazy", and "I did not come for classes because I went out to play with my friends".

To end off these what my colleague would call, jaw-dropping replies, a short conversation with a student who was late for a test took place this morning:

Me: Why are you so late?

Student: 因为我早餐吃得太慢了.

Me: .............

Anyway, I'm so glad the weekend is here. It's here, it's here, it's finally here, for it's about 10 minutes more to bell-ring! Here's wishing you a great weekend ahead, and to Karen and Howard who will be flying off for a vacation to the UK, have a good trip!!!

Out...

Stuffed

Im feeling so stuffed right now, I seriously think I look like this:

Fat face... oh, okok, maybe not that adorable...

I guess I overate during dinner, that if you were to poke me right now, I may just burst. Just wanted to show my appreciation to the cook (a.k.a mom) by finishing the food, lest she turns grumpy :P

Over the last weekend, Pete and I stuffed our faces with sweet treats as well:

Sun with Moon Japanese Dining & Cafe's Tofu Cheese Cake - Tasted suspiciously like the lemon cheese cake we attempted before

Green Tea Parfait - Contains green tea ice-cream, chestnuts, red bean paste, dumplings, sweet cakes, cornflakes...

Mother of all sins - Oreo Milkshake (Cafe Cartel)

Met up with my cousin, Sharon, on Saturday. I guess preparations for her wedding next year has got her all so excited that she has to drag every couple she knows, perhaps, to all the wedding shows in town. Pete and I were "coerced" into attending the one at The Legends - Fort Canning Park. Sharon had 2 other couples in tow for the show as well. Well, lucky her won a wedding photography prize in the lucky draw.

We wonder if we will succumb to Sharon's persuasion to attend a wedding roadshow this weekend ha ha.

Meanwhile...I think I am succumbing to the lao lang disease...

Zzzzz..nitez...and...out...

Fight for kisses: The fight between Father and Babies

This is something that I stumbled upon online and found it very interesting. Enjoy!

Fight For Kisses //// www.ffk-wilkinson.com
Uploaded by killafather