To live and love.

travel

2007-07-17T18:13:00.001+08:00

Hi dearies,
I'm sorry for not updating this site for eons. For a leisurely read, this is my kenyan journal> breakfastinkenya.wordpress.com
And I'm now in europe, am having the time of my life!

everything in its time

2007-02-10T16:57:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I wonder what lies ahead

How long till my hunger is fed

They say it's hard to make it in this part of town

So many people on this merry-go-round
Some folks try astrology

Some turn to crystal balls

To find an answer, To get through it all

I just fall on my knees and I try to pray

In the silence I can hear Him say

The river runs and the river hides

Out to the ocean and under the sky

I promise you, the answer will come

Hold on to patience and watch for the sign

Everything in its time

I often feel like I'm two steps behind

Somebody must have moved that finish line

There are a thousand reasons

Why I should give up

But I'm stubborn in the things I believe

The river runs and the river hides

Out to the ocean and under the sky

I promise you, the answer will come

Hold on to patience and watch for the sign

'cause maybe there's another plan

One I still can't see

A little surprise, like your love in my life

Funny how time changes how we see

The river runs and the river hides

Out to the ocean and under the sky

I promise you, the answer will come

Hold on to patience and watch for the sign

Everything in its time

people

2006-12-12T00:12:00.000+08:00

Christmastime's here again in the blink of an eye. Time to look through those addresses in my aged diary, hoping to get some cards done before christmas is over. Discovered many little notes left by people who've crossed my path sometime or another, and have left a footprint in my heart- some of whom I cannot picture anymore- and I'm saddened by how I might never see them again. Those who've come through the corridors and dining halls of Ormond and Kendall in my time, or whose abodes I've been through in country Victoria, or whom I've prayed with or shared a room with during those OCF camps. I wonder where you are, how you're doing, and whether you've forgotten me as well. Let me just leave some names on this blog for my reminiscence... Evan & Aileen Brough; Stan and Marion Kerr of Kerang, Rolf and Liz Malmo of Yarrawonga, Audrey and Francis of Malaysia, Helga of the Netherlands, Ninoska of Peru, Habib of Bahrain, Helene and Claire of France, Ben of Botswana, Annie of Shanghai, Noor of India, Ormondians- Chilton, James Yu, Mei, Joe, Alicia, Wesley, James Reynolds, Jess Edquist, Alex Holmes, Alex Ong, Rashi Viz, Chris, Sarah, Hannah, Amelyn, Emma. All my dearest OCFers, from my cell groups, easter camp comm, melbourne uni, so many of you. Chin, David, Lih Rui, where are you? And all my vet school mates. I know there are more people I wish to mention, but I can't remember.

=.=

2006-11-28T17:19:00.000+08:00

God is good all the time.

living

2006-11-15T12:06:00.000+08:00

This journey is my own.

rain

2006-11-10T00:35:00.000+08:00

pitter patter came the rain, light dancing drizzles a minute but angry drops the next
twice in two days she seemed extraordinarily moody
but it don't matter when the company's right
it don't matter what the weather's like
even if it means scrubbing dirt off the back of my shirt
or walking through puddles with brand new white shoes
i wish it were so cold, the moments would freeze.

Love is...

2006-11-06T00:17:00.000+08:00

Thank you for the song dudes. Of course I remember it, you can't imagine how touched I was.

15th Oct 2000

Love is a wonderful gift
That you have given to me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see

Now I live for You alone
All my sins You have atoned
And I give You all my praise
All my life I will follow after You

Love is a sweet sweet gift
That makes me soar on eagle wings
Your grace has set me free within
When You died on calvary

CMI MuSicWorks 2000

extravagant worship

2006-11-05T23:41:00.000+08:00

Worship- an act of sacrificial obedience.
The very first time 'worship' is mentioned in the bible- Genesis 22:5.
"(Abraham) said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
Just before he offered Issac on the altar to the Lord.
Wow. Can I worship you Lord, like that?

Complete- Parachute Band

Here I am O God I bring this sacrifice
My open heart I offer up my life
I look to You Lord Your love that never ends restores me again
So I lift my eyes to You Lord
In Your strength will I break through Lord
Touch me now let Your love fall down on me
I know Your love dispels all my fears
Through the storm I will hold on Lord
And by faith I will walk on Lord
Then I'll see beyond my calvary one day
And I will be complete in You

Positive Pessimist Radiating Optimism

2006-10-26T00:21:00.000+08:00

ESFP - The Performer
You scored 63% I to E, 52% N to S, 9% F to T, and 68% J to P!

Your type is called the performer, and you very much feel "all the world's a stage". Your type is part of a larger category called experiencers or artisans. You are playful and funloving, and wish to help all those around you lighten up. You radiate warmth and optimism. Your motto is "eat, drink, and be merry". You share your type with over 10% of the population. You don't like to be alone - ever, if possible. You are always up on what is new and hot.
As a romantic partner, you are fun and affectionate, leading an active life full of friends. You are naturually happy-go-lucky and supportive of your partner. You dislike confrontation, and will avoid conflict discussion at all costs. You tend to let things go, hoping they go away on their own. You feel most appreciated when your partner is affectionate and acknowledges the good deeds you do, but doesn't make a particularly big deal out of them.

One of those personality tests again. Which is... disturbingly accurate. It wasn't that nice knowing through a test that my personality is common to more than a tenth of the population. But I reconciled that God has made me who I am, unique in all manner, which is all that matters.

He not only loves me, He really likes me. -.-

link-http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=16567335035599898597

human nature.

2006-10-21T02:37:00.000+08:00

The cup is always half full... of poison.

Like how I wouldn't talk about the yong tau foo uncle kindly asking me if he'd given me enough chilli sauce for my noodles, and how his wife came to my table just a few minutes later to make sure I had enough chilli sauce. But I might just grumble about how dilute the coffeeshop milo was in the morning.

Like how clients very readily write complaint letters rather than thank-you cards. Conversely, I wouldn't mention an understanding grateful kind of client but would happily rant about a stupid one. Looking on the brighter side of things, I suppose the latter sort would contribute to our little book of Veterinary Anecdotes. =.=

blah

2006-10-12T01:17:00.000+08:00

I reckon that there are more pros than cons to being concise. If I were concise, I would say that in conversation, I would find it quite adequate to bring my point across by travelling in a straight line from point A to point B, without feeling a need to extrapolate and deviate from side to side through point A to A one, A two, A three and A four in a convoluted manner, sometimes even extending to point C, before I return to, or reach, point B, all in a blossoming flowery explosion of ideas which were thought to be essential in the explanations. Another good example of conciseness would be that if you tried to summarise my writings, you would very likely be successful in only condensing it to, at the very best, fifty percent of their original lengths, if you wanted to preserve their meanings. This is in contrast to a non-concise writer (i.e, a figurative smoker), whose writings you would probably be able to summarise to about five percent of their original lengths whilst still bringing their messages across quite effectively. If you speak to a non-concise person, you would be brought on a mental roller-coaster journey, and it would take you much concentration and effort to hang on and follow the conversation and its connotations. Or maybe, if they perceived that an event was too complicated to explain without dire consequences, they might just neglect to explain anything at all, or attempt to put forth a few words which generally end up quite an inaccurate reflection of the actual facts. This would then, of course, leave the listener perplexed and as a result, quite frustrated indeed. On the other hand, an innately concise person would avoid much misunderstanding and get straight on to summarising the current situation in a couple of sentences, allowing the listener to understand the critical points in a minute, leaving less important elaborations for a later time or date. I am concise, and therefore am not a journalist, writer or storyteller. Though I have had thoughts about attempting to be less concise, I think I have decided to stick to being what I am. No harm done.

Or I could have just said.

'Short' goes with 'sweet' for a reason. How much easier it'd be to live life with child-like simplicity. (Not ignorance. Seek wisdom from the Lord.)

*****

Jesus hung on a tree for us. His love and grace is all surpassing and sufficient.

Grace- noun
1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.
2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.
3. favor or good will.
4. a manifestation of favor, esp. by a superior.
5. mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.

Grace is a divine favor, one which I do not deserve. Look around, there is much pain and grief. I should be the one nailed to that cross. I should be the one suffering from that debilitating illness. But I am not, because the Lord has been gracious to me.

Thank you Lord, Jesus.

*****

And it's finally happened. I took a risk and put Noddy back on my bag... and lost his left leg forever. >.<

Chocolate :)

2006-09-30T00:07:00.000+08:00

You are Dark Chocolate

You live your life with intensity, always going full force.
You push yourself (and others) to the limit... you want more than you can handle.
An extreme person, you challenge and inspire the world!

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

A penny's worth.

2006-09-22T23:39:00.000+08:00

To love with passion
is akin to tossing your soul into an ocean wide
to gasp and drown
be swept away
or to forever be unravelling
its mysterious beauty.

Sidetrack...
Just glanced at today's date. I'll be a quarter of a century old in a quarter of a year's time. I feel... old. And ignorant. I wonder where those years have vanished into.

Train of thought.

2006-09-21T14:29:00.000+08:00

Hm, isn't this scary. >.<

Puke.

2006-09-21T01:50:00.000+08:00

Food poisoning! Broken my record for not puking for the longest time ever-18yrs now. Let's see if I can sustain the next 18yrs.
The panadeine's really taking effect, I feel like I can stay up the whole night, which really isn't very desirable for the moment.
I haven't showed us a picture of dear lil Tink for awhile. Here's her on mum's bed looking all cutesy.

Photobucket!

2006-09-14T02:15:00.000+08:00

Leaves, beanie, sunshades and seashells on Pulau Perhentian. See that little black dot in the water? That's criss. :)

Hybrid orchids at the National Orchid Gardens.
Stunning!

101 posts so far.

2006-09-12T13:08:00.000+08:00

Random thoughts. I could write so much, but I wouldn't end up doing so. Maybe because this space looks cluttered when I do.

I met Kelly, a lovely Scottish girl, on saturday. She'd done the rounds in Australia, New Zealand and South Asia for a year now, and is returning home. She had a few british friends on a working holiday too, and I wonder why I don't know any singaporeans at all who will go on a working holiday. We paid to enter the Orchid garden in the Botanic gardens, and I saw a real pitcher plant for the first time. Didn't really go chomp-chomp-chomping on insects with evil teeth like I'd imagined.

Thank the Lord I had a good night at ae (but with a pyo, as Jenn had spoken unto me...), and a good rest at home later. Nothing beats mum's home cooked food, even if the dishes have been on an 11 day repeat cycle for the past 24years.
The venetian brownie ice cream thing was far too sickly-saccharine-sweet for a human to digest. I would possibly relish the rich belgian chocolate drink a lot more on another day by itself.
Afterward, I hear the news reporting 9-11, 5 years on, the recollection of its horrors and repercussions. Protesters getting arrested in Zimbabwe. Lebanon and Israel.
What decadence in this little dot on the map in contrast to the desolation we only observe through a lighted box.

I look forward to my days off so much. Such a sloth, not wanting to stretch the brain cell.

Maybe I don't understand people as much as they think I do? Withdrawing is probably a result of something you keep, that you don't want the world to know. Or of the realisation that it's only God and you that matters. But God made us for fellowship. No man is an island.

Today

2006-09-04T00:05:00.000+08:00

After we stitched the prolapsed buccal pouch of this hamster in and she pushed it out 15mins later at 410pm and we had to replace, put 2 stitches in, plus a little x-ray ecollar on her, which made her depressed and which I thought would make me late for Keith's baptism... I was the first of us to arrive at church!

I am always late for what I plan to turn up early for; and always early for what I plan to, or think I would be late for. I am always early meeting Ruth. :)

A friend said...

I seem like a bird let out of her cage.

And I still cannot help but wonder what it must be like to have 6 people after you at the same time.

>.<

2006-09-01T23:47:00.000+08:00

And so I tested out the power of words tonight. The sense of foreboding came, but we prayed, declared that it will be a good night, and God is true to His words. It was a good quiet night. :) Apart from the fact that I didn't find the thing stuck in the throat of this gp, which has disturbed me till now. It made me wonder how unworthy I am to be attempting to save any living thing at all. I have deep admiration for those who have dedicated their lives to the healing of human beings, to be bearing such a great responsibility and burden upon their shoulders. My closest friends especially, giving their souls to this most high calling even though it means being stifled by everything- the system, superiors, and the very beings they give their best for.

Urggghhh I really feel like whining tonight! This is just not me... wwwm.

But you know, for the first time in months, I truly feel alive.

Foreboding

2006-08-28T23:34:00.000+08:00

At 625pm today, I had a sense of foreboding about the evening. I knew that it wasn't going to be good. Mentioned it to Dane and he said exactly the same thing. What do you know! It certainly didn't turn out well. Why is that so? Is there a spiritual force behind what we feel, what we say, and what actually happens? Just two hours ago, I was believing that it was a coincidence, or an accurate sixth sense of mine. But in the last few minutes, as I type this, I am suddenly reminded of the power of our words and declarations. Speak forth words of blessing and you will be a blessing; speak forth curses and you will be a curse.

Pastor Derek reminded us that life is about God and me. I covet, envy, hang on, strive, with all worldy desire, but nothing fulfills besides the Holy Spirit. They tell us not to be content with the status quo, but how can you constantly be discontented? What if the Lord doesn't mind us being mediocre? And I'm asked to face the music; to not run away. In a sense you're right, I might be trying to run away. But on the other hand, I know that I have to do it, it is an opportunity for me to find God again, to be forced to rely on Him only. It sort of came as a slap on the face- realising that I tell others to let go and place their most precious possessions on the altar, trusting God to do whatever He wants with them. But not doing it myself, because it is so difficult, so difficult. My mind rationals that it is more prudent to hang on, to be safe. But that is not what the Lord wants of me. He can only bring His work to completion if I surrender my life and all in it to Him.

I spayed Tink yesterday. Pauline was right in saying that you should never spay your own cat. Her skin landmarks were probably displaced by her previous injuries, and man was my incision caudal. I had to extend it to become 3cm instead of the normal 1cm, poor little thing. Cut through muscle instead as well. >.<

Hm I don't know what I'm writing tonight, all in a jumble. No Grey's anatomy, silly Emmy's.:( Wonder if my pyometra dog will be alive tomorrow. The crazy cat which swallowed a needle and thread certainly will be, even though he bit his poor grandma owner multiple times.

Breeding

2006-08-12T00:52:00.000+08:00

I wrote a whole lot on Maya and how she was leaving tomorrow to have babies in the Philippines. How it was another stop to a start. How it was beautiful feeling her babies kick in her belly, and how miraculous childbirth is. How she looks a whiter shade of pale each day, and how I wouldn't like to go through the pain of it. And that for now, would rather stick to my anti-breeding campaign. >.<
But it all got lost because this internet thing felt like deleting it, and I can't even get mad at it.
Oh well. I shall sleep.

Where reality is like a dream.

2006-08-05T00:10:00.000+08:00

I only remembered that caption after reading through criss' blog tonight. It was in some perhentian brochure I think? We didn't really understand it at first, but after some thought it did start to make sense. It was all like a dream which came and went too quickly. Or partial sense probably, because it is rather like an escape from reality instead.
I just felt sorry for the green turtle who came around to shark bay that night, seeking solace in the darkness to nest, only to be subjected to harassment by a rowdy, light-welding bunch of humans.
I loved the shy Christmas Tree worms, always avoiding contact but popping out from their holes in the corals in an array of rainbow colours. And the little families of brightly striped clownfish always close by the dancing medusa-tentacles of the sea anemone. Oh, and this little hermit crab, conscientiously making its way from the shore to sea, violently withdrawing into its shell when it noted my existence, peeping out after a few minutes, walking a few more steps, and frantically hiding in true ostrich style again when I made my presence known. Poor little hapless fella.

twelve midnight

2006-07-22T00:05:00.000+08:00

I'm totally whacked today, it's a strange feeling. Felt more like a ball than ever before! Adam says... you gotta push yourself to get business. Huuh?
Discovered much of secluded Singapore today on pet shop and farm visits. It's a split second feeling of cool-ness being in a multi-coloured scrub top in the midst of up-class shoppers in holland v, but when the sun comes down on you it is literally a rather hot, sweaty and dusty job.
12am, early night to crash. -.-

The Black Pearl.

2006-07-16T23:46:00.000+08:00

Hail, ho, and a bottle of rum! To Captain Jack Sparrow!

As Mel mentioned- Jack Sparrow is absolutely irritating. And yet, still totally cool. We like him.

There was a point of time in Friendster that I had Pirates of the Carribean down as 'favourite movie'. (gee now that I'm checking, it is actually still there.) A few years after I'd written that, I looked back and wondered why, because it seems to be neither a classic nor an epic. And then I'd decided that it was because of the dog and the keys, on top of the beautiful, fiesty keira knightley and of course. Orlando Bloom. :)

I seem to be growing up though. I prefer Johnny Depp to Orlando Bloom this time round. Ugh.

Well, after watching Dead Man's Chest tonight, it all came back to me. I can't pinpoint the exact reason why it'll be one of my favourite movies of all time. But a few, probably, like the dog and his keys (set free this time!), inevitably time-transporting me back to my childhood moments in Tokyo Disneyland and that scene of a few pirates coaxing the dog to give them his keys. I vividly remember it appearing right after the boat would plunge down a short waterfall when we'd be busily drying ourselves from the splashing water and getting over the short adrenaline rush. I often wonder if the ride still exists. Apart from the reminiscence, it was all in all awesome. I relished the cinematic experience...notwithstanding slight distractions from the spine-tingling Hans Zimmer compositions sometimes.

P.S. Walt Disney Pictures has changed its opening.. er.. whatchamacallthat... trailer? Introductory scene? It used to be just that colourful little 2-D picture of a castle, but now, it's a full on 3-D bird's eye view of the castle. It's beautiful but I sort of like the old one. >.<

Luf and Eeming had gone bridesmaid dress-shopping yesterday. Is it a tinge of longing for what I've left behind in Melbourne that makes me feel just that little pang of envy? Yet on the other hand, I don't feel too much about missing out on what they have- after all, I have one of the Wong Clan here, missing out with me. (now is that selfishness or what.) But to be reminded yet again, that I have indeed left that life and unavoidably, some of the friendships, across the Indian Ocean, is once more an awakening of the senses all at once bitter, sweet, five-spiced.

half past eleven

2006-07-08T23:30:00.000+08:00

"Yes I know. I'm fat. You're short. But I can diet."
-ML to Dane, in response to his comment after she'd weighed herself. *ouch*

So Felix didn't play with his brother's mobile phone. His brother left it lying on the table with the message open and he happened to read it. Well I shall be comforted knowing that it's the thought rather than the surprise which counts. :)

Haven't felt so exhausted in awhile. Goodnight all, I'm hitting the sack before midnight tonight.

arghs.

2006-07-08T00:16:00.001+08:00

yes murphy loves me.
besides being confused about the 101 things I seem to have to do today and tomorrow, there needs to be an icteric husky with a you-owe-me-a-living owner who comes in at 815pm, screaming whenever you try to touch him, freaks all the other canines out, and produces a ?? blood report. Well.

*breathe*

Yup. So, even if Felix is reading this, though he has no reason to, I don't really care, because... Ruth!!! I tell ya...he was playing with Eric's phone and realised that I am going to deliver a cake. Why would anyone play with their brother's phone and read their smses? Ugh! >.<>

Not sure if this is how it looks like, but the website certainly makes me drool.
http://www.chocablock.biz

In contrast.

This was my dinner last night- the taglitalle tricalore, from the foodcourt in marina square. Shermy commented, thoughtfully kind enough after the dinner, that it looked like puke.

Faithful

2006-07-06T00:25:00.000+08:00

Wicked ice-cream profiteroles from Bakerzin this afternoon. Savoured with mum, to the tune of Someone to Watch Over Me. :)

We browsed level 2 of Takashimaya today, a first for me! Had always thought it was an upclass taitai sort of area. But hey, there were sales. Mum roamed into the japanese-type-brand clothes section, tried on a few blouses, persuaded me to try on one, then persuaded me to buy the same blouse as her! Thank goodness, in a different colour. How strange is that! Granted, it was quite a sweet blouse. >.<

We sang a song called You Are Faithful today. It was beautiful...

You are faithful, I believe Your Word is true

You have never left You children begging

You are faithful, and my heart ascends to You

As I lift my voice to praise your name

Oh I love You no matter what I see, no matter what I hear, no matter what may seem to be

Oh I love You no matter what I know, no matter how the winds of life may blow

This one thing I know, this one thing I know, that You are faithful.

randoms

2006-07-05T00:11:00.000+08:00

Maf & doc2 were comparing their gymed arm sizes (??) and the conversation went as follows-
doc2: "mine's bigger..."
Maf: "no mine's bigger..."
doc2: "hm. Sam, whose arms are bigger?"
Sam: "er... my thigh is bigger!"
Maf & doc2: " ... "
Sam: " Well you see. I've learnt never to come between 2 women who are arguing."

He's got a point, doesn't he. Are women that bad?

Noticed a chinese lady at the bus stop this morning with this lime green pair of shoes and stockings. Just thought it an amusing combination.

I've decided that the nonya and meat dumplings sold at the fruit shop (which we all feel is just a front for something at the back...) down the lane at Srgn Nth are the BEST ever. It's gone up by 10cents, which I thought was a lot, till I realised that it's only 10cents in 2yrs, which I suppose is ok. Much better than Glory catering at east coast...though I haven't tried the other 2 (or 3) famous dumpling shops along Joo Chiat Rd. Will do so next week!

I'm so glad my weekend's here again. I so need sleep.

Fake happiness.

2006-07-04T00:35:00.000+08:00

"You have a tumour which causes the release of increased amounts of serotonin. This results in a false sense of euphoria. So your happiness is... fake."
-Grey's Anatomy

Well! I wouldn't mind having a tumour like that, would you?

Anyway, I've decided again that Murphy does love me. One after another, and to top off the day without a break, a lovely fat dog pyo. It was so very oily. Uuugh. >.<

Goodbye Springside!

2006-07-02T21:56:00.000+08:00

Gotta rattle on about a few things before I forget.

Today was supposedly, my last day at Springside. Deja vu, this scenario, but it doesn't affect me half as much as my 'last day at North' did. Well I'm back to North on tuesday, and though I'm not looking foward to the convoluted 93/74 route there, I am certainly craving for uncle's bachor mee and strawberry milk ice! ^^

Went for a secondary 401 class gathering yesterday- it's been 9 years since anyone bothered to organise one! Twas surreal. More than half the class of 42 girls turned up (well done Karen!!), most of which I hadn't seen in... 9 years! Freaky thing was that everyone looked the SAME. No one grew fatter or thinner, taller or shorter, quieter or noisier. The loudest girl was still the loudest girl, the corny ones still corny, the sweet ones still sweet. And though the time spent together yesterday was short, I could catch glimpses of each individual's peculiarity, or you may call them nuances, as evident now as they were in our school days. Amazing! We are at our core, what we are, and we don't change very much even as time goes by. It was a totally lovely time of reminiscing (I didn't hear no bitching, mind you, and this is a class of girls!), lining up in class register number order (??), figuring out who was married and on the way and not. Only one of us is married, 3 engaged, and the rest... nowhere near. Ugghhh, and we're all a quarter of a century old! It must the rg culture that makes us... er.. lots. :)

some more crap

2006-06-30T22:42:00.000+08:00

I am so proud of myself. I finally remembered to ask the coffeeshop uncle and came to a revelation that the brown crispy stuff in Tau Kua Paus are not, contrary to popular belief, lard or some other kind of disgustingly fattening substance. But rather... fried yam!!! It's funny how people can eat it for 2-3 decades of their lives and be happily ignorant about what goes through their bodies.

Saw Pepper the cat again today, and she was as sweet as ever. :) Though she's prolly slightly blind on one eye. I wonder if animals can see colour, and how much detail in their existence actually matters to them.

Am I what I protray myself to be... laid back and relaxed... or am I somewhat intrinsically uptight and anxious? When I follow a lead, is it the fear of making mistakes that makes my frame rigid? Is my eagerness to be able to anticipate the next move a result of wanting to do it right at first go? Thus the lead needs to reassure, to be firm but relaxed; strong yet gentle; decisive yet accommodating.

I'm a ball!

2006-06-27T00:22:00.000+08:00

Was greeted by our groomer this morning with a "Do you want to join the hunt?" Apparently, a hospitalised stray cat had.. er.. escaped. Considering how he got through a cage door, a surgery room door, an office door, up the stairs and out the window into the wild, I must take my hat off to him. Several people proceeded to search the area for him, much like rummaging through a needle in a haystack. Actually, it's more like searching for ONE live bacteria or flagellate in a toilet bowl.
Morning madness aside, it was happily announced that my roster has tentatively changed yet again- I'm back to North and taken outta Springside! One branch is paying another for me, and a colleague aptly commented that I'm like a ball.. one of those squishy ones with eyes. Rollin around. Ugh. Makes me wonder when this tiresome game is gonna end, though I know I'd brought it all upon myself to begin with.

fuzz

2006-06-26T01:09:00.000+08:00

"there are only 2 things which are infinite: the universe; and the stupidity of man."
-arland quoting dennis quoting Einstein.

I was going to record this on friday but I forgot. Saw a review for a lovely feline called Pepper who'd been run over by a car a couple of weeks back. When I first saw her, she had multiple broken skull bones, a fractured hard palate, a bulging left eye and a broken lower jaw. We all thought that she might sustain some permanent brain or eye damage, but after a feeding tube, a repair of the skin wounds and hard palate, she made a remarkable recovery and was almost completely back to normal on friday. The thing is that... she seemed to recognise us. She purred and was completely contented having me stroke her, though her owner insisted that she usually was afraid of the vet. Her owner said that she knew, and I think she really knew, that we'd helped to save her life. It was amazing because I haven't yet come across an animal who has shown such obvious appreciation of our efforts to help them, but rather have had most of them attempt to..er... maul us. It was really a warm and fuzzy feeling. :)

Got to the rooftop of the Esplanade with Ruth tonight, at last. The vending machine there is cute, and sells cute jap drinks! God gives us some friends who become kindred spirits, and she's certainly a shining angel in my life. Didn't realise that in primary school when we constantly squabbled and pulled each others' hair out though. >.<

Well then, it's a monday tomorrow, and I wonder if it'll be blue.

. . . .

2006-06-24T22:45:00.000+08:00

4 castrations today, 8 balls, 2 retained. :P
Oh another note, my grandpa and uncle were talking about the DHL hot air balloon which has been hanging around the city lately. (or has it been there for ages?) Well yeah it is attached to the ground by a string. But it is also 40 storeys high and is the closest you can get to a.. erm.. real one. Costs around $20 to get up for 10mins, but, in my opinion, still very much more worth the money than that bungee ride thing in Clarke Quay. :P
Also finally got down to bringing up to my parents the fact that they'd been saying "kueh-tu-pat" and "bang-ge-wan solo" forever, causing their poor daughter widespread ridicule. >.<

. . .

2006-06-24T01:16:00.000+08:00

Just before heading out from the clinic orchard this evening, I hung around reception talking to a couple of my colleagues. I mentioned how it was late and yet I was going out for dinner, and how I'd probably be zoned-out again tomorrow. And our nice transport guy, also hanging around, picked up my comment and went - "Oh no, life is short, you can't say that. U gotta do things. Make use of your time. You're only young once." A reflection of my sentiments.
My name is 'green'. Green could mean a few things, as pointed out by a few people today. The colour; youth; envy; naivety. I'm probably a combination of those. Particulary envious of other people's abilities, getting into viscous-cycling-conversations, believing that people are cool, even if they don't feel so themselves. Isn't it ironic.
I saw a beautiful white dress yesterday which I should get for next saturday's wedding. I wonder how one can spend $600 on 29 pieces of clothing in a day, when the struggle to spend $99 already makes me procrastinate so much that my size will probably be gone by the time I make a decision.
Staccatoed thoughts aren't these. Immersing oneself in a myriad musings tends to help in filling the blanket void.

Things I did today.

2006-06-21T23:44:00.000+08:00

I find it a little difficult to start sharing again like that. I don't know what to share about, or what matters to anyone. I suppose blogging is really a kind of self-gratification; letting people in bit-by-bit into things which might not bother them at all, but which you'd like them to know anyway, which you'd like them to learn about you.
Someone adequately put it- "my mind drives me crazy". I happened to chance upon an open diary of a 19 year old single mum with a 2 year old daughter, entitled "life and times of a teenage mum". It put things into perspective.
I went with Christine and pierced my right upper ear today after 2 yrs of putting it off. It seems to take a certain kind of trauma in my life to make me do stuff like that. To make me remember certain things. The belly ring was due to a night at AE, though it's now only a scar to show for. When the event overwhelmingly shadows the hesitance and contemplation of something as totally trivial as getting a ear pierced, I realise I do not need to waste any time and effort pondering over it. Carpe Diem.
Got that pair of slippers with mushroom prints on it. Literally slipping back into an old shoe. No need to endure unnecessary physical pain just to look good in high heels for the world.
Wondered again why Paterson is pronounced as Patterson.

Time

2006-06-19T11:32:00.000+08:00

I will start writing again, dearies, I will. It will take me time to get used to it again, to share as much as my heart feels. I trust that time is instrumental in the Lord's deliverence of His soothing peaceful touch upon man's spirit.

About God.

2006-04-21T00:20:00.000+08:00

I hadn't noticed the comments I'd gotten over the past few days till just then. It brings me back to a passage I'd read about 7yrs ago written by C.S.Lewis.

... Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God did not exist -- in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless -- I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality -- namely my idea of justice -- was full of sense. Consequently atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning : just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be a word without meaning.

Makes sense?

(c.t.) The lindy hops rocks! ^.^

Goodbye north.

2006-04-18T00:54:00.000+08:00

I discovered bright and early this morning, to my bewilderment. That today was my very last day working at MPN. Obviously, due to the nature of circumstances, I've been very much unbothered about my roster and therefore didn't take notice of it at all. Till Sam said "hey! this is your last day here you know?" Granted, it isn't much of a difference from next Monday being my last day there... but when things happen even a moment before you've prepared yourself for it, it becomes somewhat of a shock to the fragile system. Has it already been 2 years and more? I still remember the first time I'd found my way there, on the long bus ride. They were in the surgery room, Shana sitting at the side, as I was introduced to the staff. Colleagues turned friends, relationships built, only to be scattered again. Such is life I suppose.

Good friday.

2006-04-15T00:51:00.000+08:00

Till this date, 77 posts on this.
On this good friday-
Beloved grandma's 1st death anniversary.
Ginger is made to die.
Jesus chose to die.

She's in heaven looking down on us, and I can't wait to see her again to say I love you. I don't know where he is, 'cept that I beginning to miss his little meows and rubs. And He... omnipresent, rightfully in my heart, but oftentimes displaced.

moments

2006-04-14T01:07:00.000+08:00

in the past couple of weeks, i've
applied for the amazing race
wondered why the enchanting amber moon descended at 120am
discovered cluny park and its 2 black swans
gotten completely drenched at Macritchie
eaten like a king
worried over major job changes
been mistaken for a china chinese again
realised that still water runs even deeper than I thought
taken an online test which says I follow my heart not my head

thank you God, for life.

A rainbow in the rain?

2006-03-24T01:55:00.000+08:00

When all the world’s a slumber
Capturing dreams broken asunder
These cares are the company of me
As I gaze out upon the soothing sea
Frothy waves rolling beneath my feet
To the east a glistening skyline picture of peace
Whilst the west a walk into darkness solitary
Amidst ponderings of naivety and honesty
Laid bare as a silverweed ocean tossed
When winds blow south how do I ease sailing north?
The glow of comfort beckons me to stay
Through the knowledge that venturing is the only way
My Father’s voice beside my ear a gentle tone
This earth you thread upon is not home
Therein the dim path may lurk certain danger
But n’er forget - my promises lie over yonder
Why fear when my hand is to grasp
A beautiful voyage awaits if you’d only trust

stuff it.

2006-03-21T23:23:00.000+08:00

Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

And thus we make the effort, but are disappointed many a times. When you have others' best interests at heart, and therefore choose to be honest, but have your good intentions backfired and used against you instead... what's the point? When being responsible becomes oppressive instead, I wish to stuff it all, and just... disappear.

But what about...

2006-03-21T17:17:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, my hands crack and dry, and more freckles appear on my face. I get chided for not taking care of myself properly. But what about the girl who has had her face disfigured and her hands burnt off after her car burst into flames when a drunk driver crashed into it? 40 surgeries later, she is able to sit in front of national TV, full of spirit, giving a testimony of life and strength.

Sometimes, I am envious of others with functional, loving families. But what about a comparison with the alcoholic, abusive husband, whose wife remains faithful?

Sometimes, I grumble about not having achieved much. But what about the frail old man in his torn shirt, laboriously pushing his heavy cart through the streets every daybreak, picking up scrap cardboard pieces for a living? Does he earn enough to feed himself?

Sometimes, I spend a few minutes watching variety shows in which people run around doing silly things like finding yet more places to eat, shop, or couples to matchmake. But what about the other channel I flip to - on the screen appears scenes of people rioting amidst limp bodies strewn on dirty pavements.

Sometimes, I get grumpy due to the endless stream of flashing red lights appearing on my computer monitor arrival list. But what about the young single parent who juggles 3 jobs a day just to keep her little boy?

Oftentimes, my life needs to be put into perspective.

Cheek to Cheek

2006-03-17T01:13:00.000+08:00

Heaven, I’m in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Heaven, I’m in heaven
And the cares that hang around me through the week
Seem to vanish like a gambler’s lucky streak
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Oh I love to climb a mountain
And reach the highest peak
But it wouldn’t thrill me half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek
Oh I love to go out fishing
In a river or a creek
But I don’t enjoy it half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek
Come on and dance with me
I want my arms about you
Those charms about you
Will carry me through...
Right up to heaven, I’m in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing, out together dancing
Out together dancing cheek to cheek

-.-

Change

2006-03-14T23:39:00.000+08:00

Tis a journey all but fleeting

Prancing through the wilderness a-seeking

Of pixies and faeries flowers and leaves

Dreams are but castles in the trees

By the wave of the conjurer's wand

In a burst of fiery colour and sound

All is frozen for a moment in time

Awakened to fresh rhythm and rhyme

***

She blinks once twice thrice

Disbelieving unconceiving of this reprise

Till blue grey skies shroud the heavens

Choking her pathway with a mist thickened

Is it really such?

A painful touch

Or does the gentle whisper of a guiding tune

Linger and hope to be found soon

Will this mystical story e'er be told

Of which only the seeker will behold

And relate, in reminiscence of a bygone strife...

About her ever-changing dance of life

Lindy

2006-03-10T01:12:00.000+08:00

Dance is somewhat like alcohol. The more one indulges in it, the more one loses inhibition, is enabled to embrace fun and laughter, throwing aside the cares of the world momentarily. It is a swirl of the senses in harmony with one another- movement, music, touch and sensation all in one, which is a display of artistry to the onlooker and is pure joy to the dancer. Even to the mere amateur.

I love the Lindy Hop! :)

Ginger wants to die.

2006-03-07T22:46:00.000+08:00

Been a week since the eye enucleation on Ginger happened. He's 13 years old.. what was I thinking? I encourage others to put their pets down humanely if they suffer, and here I am, rejecting what I preach, prolonging this wretched fella's miserable life. Why do I so desperately want him to live? Do I sincerely care for him or am I wanting to prove something? He meows at the call of his name, uses his litter tray, jumps from the treatment table into his cage, seemingly strong. But he cannot eat, sneezes when he drinks, and looks at me with eyes that say...human, if you can't help me, please let me go.

Change

2006-02-28T00:22:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, someone said I looked like a designer. It was the most exciting compliment paid to me by a stranger in a long time. :)

The past couple of years have seen a change in me. Outwardly, and possibly inwardly. For the better or worse, I do not know. Financial independance, as a friend adequately mentioned last evening, 'is liberating'. Responsibility is now mine to behold, and no one will suffer excessively if I fail.

Brokeback Mountain

2006-02-27T00:43:00.000+08:00

Just watched a heartwrenching Brokeback Mountain. Long, boring, slow-moving, say what you will- but I felt it was a captivating, and yet profoundly down-to-earth story. I wonder...if such an intense and passionate forbidden love were allowed to blossom freely, without the constraints of normality as deemed by society, or the backdrop of mundanity... would it be as poignant and beautiful as it were? Living, always with a vision of a more fulfilling idyllic life, ignoring circumstances, despite the knowledge of its impossibility. Tragic or so it seems, to have it shattered by death's wings without ever knowing what could have been. I suppose, it was the only kind of closure that made sense.

Amazing Race Asia!

2006-02-22T00:18:00.000+08:00

One thing's sort of been... consuming my thoughts over the past few days. Eunice mentioned on Friday (and boy was it a mistake!), that the Amazing Race is taking applicants from Asia. I was fanatical about it for the next 48hrs. What a chance of a lifetime it would be, going on a trip like this! Although I'd always mentioned to Jason that we would fail an amazing race together (er..after losing our way N times in Taiwan), now that it comes to the crunch, there's nothing more I'm wishing for than to get into this race with him. (but well, such is life, it's ok dearie we'll go around the world in a relaxed manner one day yah?)
I reckon my friends are a more irrational bunch as compared to the general population. Poor Dale had most of his friends telling him that he was crazy, mad, or had nothing-better-to do. My dearest Ruffy, at least, would like to join me, but has normal-responsible-adult matters to consider.
Well, what is it about? What's the big deal about leaving work for a mere 5 weeks, i.e 0.2% of your entire working life to do.. something else? To get out of the stuffiness of the stale cubicle, experience the wind in your hair, the adrenaline rush through your veins, the breaking of cultural barriers, the loss of affectedness.
Oh, I'm dreaming.

What are we?

2006-02-16T23:28:00.000+08:00

Who am I compared to Jesus? What are my pursuits, power, excellence or stature compared to His? I fix my eyes on Him; and realise that I become smaller, and smaller. Yes, He wants me to rise above mediocrity, however, my focus needs to be on living a life which pleases Him. That would be a life in which goodness is epitomised. For when all is said and done, does it matter what people will remember me for? They will also return to dust and ashes... In eternity, it is God who reigns, and thus it is only between me and Him.

To think that once upon a time, all He wanted was for us to behold love and joy in a plentiful garden. Why can't we reflect on the simplicity of that plan sometimes? I feel that it would make life a lot less complicated.

' "Look at the joy of this man," says Fisher. "He has just won the most important thing in his life: the opportunity to pass along his DNA." '
-Anthropologist Helen Fisher, on the scene of a joyous newlywed couple.

My first love.

2006-02-14T01:12:00.000+08:00

It's 1hr and 13mins into Valentine's Day 2006. Was pondering that on my way home today... haven't spent a Valentine's Day in all of my 24years with a proper..er...human date. >.<
With the exception of my Lord... whom I'm going to spend later after work with. He's really the only one who's always there for me, whenever I need Him. What would I do with Him!

Trust in the Lord

2006-02-09T12:05:00.000+08:00

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;...
Ps 37:5-7

Best Magazine Ever

2006-02-04T23:46:00.000+08:00

I was enthralled to find this in the mail yesterday- my very first issue of National Geographic, subscribed. :)
Remember the times when I'd beg Dad for a subscription but would be declined as it was a "waste of money".
It is great to be financially independant.
(whilst remembering half of the world's population lives below the poverty line.)

Positive Pessimists

2006-02-02T02:02:00.000+08:00

Mum and I decided, over lunch today, that we were both positive pessimists. We expect the worst in every situation, so as not to get too disappointed, but we try to remain cheerful about our circumstances.

Mum used to be a positive optimist. But ever since marriage, she's been dragged down by the huge figure of negative pessimism dad is.

And therefore, I am what I am.

But- I want all these to change. I don't want to continue living a life feeling mundane, lousy and useless. I believe that I will be able to achieve the many things that the Lord has planned for me, only if I am able to envision myself doing them. I cannot limit God in my life. When the land is flowing with milk and honey, but inhabited by aliens, I want to be like Joshua- full of faith- who'll say, "my God is much bigger than what is before me. Because of Him, I am well able!" I will go only as far as I see myself going! Since I am a child of the most high God, and I have His favour upon me, good things will happen to me. The going will not necessarily be easy... but it will be GOOD.

This will be a year of breakthrough. :)

Furries

2006-02-01T01:25:00.000+08:00

It's been awhile since I've put up pictures of my furballs! :)

Tink, she loves to plonk herself on any item of clothing I leave on my bed. She's licking her belly here, and believe me, she really isn't as fat as she looks... >.<

Snuggly cuddly willowy tinky

新年快樂！

2006-01-31T00:37:00.000+08:00

I've had a lovely beginning to the lunar new year, much more so than in the years past. I've been to chinatown 3 times in the past 2 wks, which is more than the number of times I've been there in 24years. Man, is it an interesting place! Was there at 1am on chu yi, thanks to Dale's crazy idea about searching out his friend in amongst the insane crowd. (you move at approximately 1m/min) There was an absolutely ridiculous amount of Taiwan mua chee on sale!! And though I'd told myself not to buy anymore, I ended up..er.. buying more. Including some jelly stuff, which, to my surprise, was delicious! Was also sucked into buying some super absorbent mega-sponges promoted by an extremely opportunistic salesman. Be assured that I will give an update on its efficacy. :)

It was different going to grandpa's place without grandma around. Though she hadn't been able to talk for the past few years, her presence and saccharine sweet smile were enough to fill the atmosphere with the love she always exuded. The air was thin and lacking her beautiful soul. Ah well, such is life. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, spirit to heaven, where I'll see her soon.

My last family visitation today was to a grandaunt's place. Her husband is debilitated, whilst her daughter has been polio-striken since childhood. But both her and her daughter are such icons of optimism and inspiration, forever cheerful, joyful, and never ceasing to praise the Lord for His goodness! Couldn't help comparing them to my other relatives, who, throughout the day, only cared for talk about wages, shopping, television shows and self-improvement.

I just want to learn how to give thanks like that, in all circumstances.

Days gone by

2006-01-27T23:43:00.000+08:00

Looking through the pictures from a student friend in Melbourne...
Realising once again that it's all behind me now.
A twang of reminiscence spirals through my heart...
It sort of hurts.
Friendships left behind, scattered as leaves fall from an autumn tree.

天下無不散的宴席．

What's on TV.

2006-01-23T23:37:00.000+08:00

After a hamster, rabbit, and 2 dog pyometras in one day...
Warm dinner at 9.45pm, thank the Lord.

Sat back wanting to catch a glimpse of Desperate Housewives to see what all that aggressive advertising and Golden Globe fuss was about. But oops it only begins on Feb 6.
Today it was the Victoria's Secret fashion show. Fabulous lingerie on absolutely stunning strutting supermodels with angel wings. Glitter and glam, seemingly magical stuff, magnetises me for a moment but vanishes into a cloud of dust down to earth in the backdrop of the scheme of real life.

Ugh

2006-01-22T23:48:00.000+08:00

I met a man called Almeida at Southbridge the other day. Before even knowing who I was, he offered to buy me a drink, just because Jason and I looked like a pleasant-enough couple who actually appreciated the music. After chatting for awhile, he decided that he liked me, a lot, because I like Charlie Gabriel, Thelonius Monk, and have no interest in Kenny G. He said that he had a few Gabriel CDs which he could dig out and pass to me. To my surprise, he wrote to my workplace a few days later mentioning that he hadn't been able to track down his CDs, and instead, enclosed a 4-page long dissertation by Pat Metheny slamming Kenny G's work. (it was pretty convincing actually.) To top it all off, he postscripted a question about whether I was related to Dr J.Tan.

Geez. People are strange. (though nice I must say)

....

You can leave problems with work at work.
But problems with family will stay, shrouding your life.

Mushy Post no 2.

2006-01-20T00:00:00.000+08:00

Oooooops. You know, I made a mistake. I had thought that your poem was meant to be for today, and that my post for today was meant to be for yesterday. >.< (but it's still not as big a mistake as yours la hor. Hee2.)
Well, you earn! Bleah. So here's a lil one for you too.

Wide night, expanse through the sky
Moonbeam cast shadows I find
For you are there
And I am here

Twinkling star so winsome
I wish I may
I wish I might
Behold you once more

For your eyes they speak
Of a heart after His
And your spirit
Of kindness and compassion

Placing my hand in yours, I regard
My soul complete
I could sit hours beside you, wordless
And be the blessed-est girl on earth.

P.S. Underwater World was fantastic!! All these marine creatures, absolutely stunningly God's display of creativity!! The cutest ever was the Dugong and the leafy seadragon. :)
(and though Mr Cheong claims to have donated some kind of big fish, I did NOT see it. I reckon it's died and they've been bluffing him.)

Trust His Heart

2006-01-19T01:10:00.000+08:00

2 years back, and 2 weeks back. Have we changed?

Hi honey! :) I love you!
(Gee I'm gonna be looking back at this post in a few wks and be puzzled at how I've become even marginally mushy. Really not used to it. It must be your influence. Ha!)
With a tune and music, this song can pierce right through your heart... hope it'll encourage you as it has me.

Trust His Heart

All things work for our good

Though sometimes we can't see how they could

Struggles that break our heart in two

Sometimes blind us to the truth

Our Father knows what's best for us

His ways are not our own

So when your pathway grows dim

And you just can't see Him

Remember you're never alone

God is too wise to be mistaken

God is too good to be unkind

So when you don't understand

When you don't see His plan

When you can't trace His hand

Trust His heart

He sees the master plan

And He holds our future in His hand

So don't live as those who have no hope

All our hope is found in Him

We see the present clearly

But He sees the first and the last

And like a tapestry

He's weaving you and me

To someday be just like Him

He alone is faithful and true

He alone knows what's best for you

There he goes

2006-01-15T22:54:00.000+08:00

New Year's eve at the 4th floor of Taipei 101, waiting for the countdown to begin. The marble floor circumferentially encircling the cafe in the middle had names of almost any city in the world you could think of. Just so happened that we sat right in front of this. The place in which we met; in which he has returned to with a heavy heart; in which lies the path I must take.

My better half has flown away again, and I am left behind in a-fluttering of dust. I feel... sad. He's feeling really sad too. Today I know not how else to describe it.

Innocence

2006-01-08T22:13:00.000+08:00

"It's her eyes. They're so big and bright... and empty. Just like Ken's."
-my mum, on Tink (my kitten) and Ken (my brother).

I'm a greenie

2006-01-07T22:59:00.000+08:00

Qing, your true color is Green!

You're green, the color of growth and vigor. Good-hearted and giving, you have a knack for finding and bringing out the best in people. Green is the most down-to-earth color in the spectrum — reliable and trustworthy. People know they can count on you to be around in times of need, since your concern for people is genuine and sincere. You take pride in being a good friend. For you, success is measured in terms of personal achievement and growth, not by status or position. Rare as emeralds, greens are wonderful, natural people. It truly is your color!

Some Tickle.com test. "Green, your true color is Green!" Donch know about the way it describes my personality, though.

Hello goodbye

2006-01-06T23:55:00.000+08:00

Soaring above the plains
Yet again
My heart heaves
How many farewells
Can one's soul withstand?

I floated afar
As an apparition thereafter
Drifted out of surreality
Into tangibility
Responsibility
Conformity

Fear, a mist
Renders me myopic
Blind to the path which might
Or mightn't? Be there
But to linger
And linger
Over more than a thousand morrows
Only tears down further

I came back to discover that the globe had completed another dance around the sun.
It is 2006!
Another year of beginnings. And endings.

Ice Bat

2005-12-28T01:41:00.000+08:00

1.43am and I've only packed halfway through for Taiwan tomorrow.
Distracted by everything else.
Been wearing the same winter clothes for 7yrs... daggy.
'Tis Tink being haunted by my new friend Ice Bat (isn't he ugly!). He comes with a paragraph of sweet nothings: "Ice Bat lives in an ice cave inside an icebox. Anything he touches turns to ice... yet he warms your heart! Ice Bat is lookin' to chill with you. He wants to sit next to your computer (which is also frozen) and hang out. Ice Bat wants to go with you. Why? He thinks you are cool." :)

Blessed Christmas!

2005-12-26T01:23:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas peeps!!!
Went to watch A Jazzy Christmas the night before last with the Jeremy Monteiro Trio along with Leroy Jones, Craig Klein and Charlie Gabriel. It was totally mind blowing, the synergy between the musicians... the way the trumpeter starts singing in perfect tune a split second after he blows the last note on his instrument. Charlie Gabriel.. cute little old man who packs a punch on the clarinet and sax more than his age and stature would behold. Amazing. Totally. The best $80 I've ever spent on a concert. *chestnuts roasting on a fireplace...* no.. *gao lucks roasting on a fireplace..." (arghs)
Had a lovely family dinner last night, and an even lovelier cell group dinner tonight. The Lord's blessed me with so much. Christmas... when love came down. Thank you God!

Getting older

2005-12-23T17:09:00.000+08:00

It's 2 days to Christmas! Been caught up the commercialisation of it all, buying gifts and stuff. These past few days have sort of floated by, maybe coz I've been running about Singapore with Jason. Think the greatest achievement was Wednesday- went cycling around Pulau Ubin and decided to ignore the barrier on the path towards Chek Jawa and made it there! Though it was high tide... again.
Turned 24 yesterday. (gee. Feel a lil old) Jason got me a pair of pyjamas with cartoon cat prints (ha!) on them, a beautiful bouquet of roses which was delivered to my doorstep, and a card with a pencil sketched portrait of us, which really reminded me of the picture I drew of little Daniel for Ruth about 10 yrs ago. The highlight of the day was.. er.. the Chronicles of Narnia. :P And not forgetting the call from the boss midway through dinner, scolding me unreasonably (I felt) for nothing in particular.
I suppose, even with the call, it was all pretty special. :)

Jack of all trades, master of none.

2005-12-15T01:17:00.000+08:00

Sloth her long dark arms encircle
Slender and genteel
Promising comfort without pain
If I would just remain
Content with mediocrity.

Am I chasing after the wind
For self gratification?

the weekend past

2005-12-13T23:55:00.000+08:00

When the boss books in an extra 2 surgeries for you on top of the 5 you already have, he can just mention "sorry" and get away with it. Oh well. *tired*

I've had a wonderful weekend (i mean the real sat-sun weekend). Was quite a mad rush on sat- dinner with Criss after church hospitality after work. note: Coffee Club's swiss mushroom melt and banana cheesecake are absolutely sumptuous! To top it all off, Southbridge. The evening was sorta ruined by an obnoxious waiter who almost picked a fight with Dale for no good reason at all. Really bad customer service, and poor Dale. But at least I got to hear Misty played by Jeremy Monterio. :) Sunday evening was spent manning a Club Rainbow booth at Novena Square with 2 quite unfriendly 16 year old girls. They were moaning about how 'there's no love in the world' after a few attempts at asking for donations and being rejected by passers-by. A few kind souls really made my day though... twas only after this that it occured to me how much one can make a difference by just sparing a dollar or 2. Then there was this really naughty Arabic kid who came to disturb us, throwing our stuff off the table, hitting the girls and making aggressive growling noises! Scolding didn't seem to help, and worst of all, his mum totally ignored his atrocious attitude, continuing to window shop purposefully obliviously. Gee people discipline your kids if you wanna have 'em!

Polly's back and is a total nuisance in the clinic. She screamed each time I stepped outta the consult room, or as-and-when-she-liked, prompting many a client's eyes to dilate before asking "er... is that a BIRD you have behind?" To which I'd answer "Yes. She's been talking nonsense all day and is really irritating." Only consolation being they'd find it really funny.

Made it to the Expo for the 2nd half of Holiday on Ice... it was splendid. (Thank you SO much. Albeit that wrong turning after which the airport control tower appeared in front of us.. that was scary.) Can't remember the last time I saw figure skating live. Brought back memories of Year 12 in Perth when I first saw Tara Lipinski skate to Journey to the Past at the Winter Olympics on TV, and was totally bewitched by the magic of it all. How Denise and I would rush to the rink after school sometimes for lessons, and how I'd keep on practising backward skating and try to jump a turn. Still remember it being really secluded at Berrigan Drive, and if Denise weren't there I'd be the only asian skating by myself before I got chased away by the ice hockey players who always came at 6pm.

Am listening to A Christmas Story by Point of Grace. It's delightful! (esp. track 11 Jingle Bell Rock!) http://www.pointofgrace.net/index.php?content=musicchristmas

Jason's confirmation presentation is the day after next. 4 days more and I'll be meeting you at Changi. It's been 4 and a half months. Seems so long, my enthusiasm is subdued... surreal-ity. Can't wait for the day before you come when I'll be all excited again. :)

:)

2005-12-08T23:20:00.000+08:00

(this is trivial stuff)
I had a breakthrough yesterday. Bought one of those small ladylike handbags! Been meaning to get one for approximately the last 5yrs in an attempt to look less kiddish, but always ended up with something more... teenager-ish. Just got scolded by a few friends the other day for still using a winnie-the-pooh wallet. (but but but. I like pooh.) Also, I did some successful shopping for presents. What's wrong with me.

Just caught Perhaps Love with Sarah, after getting coffee on the house from Starbucks. (christmas open day!) The movie, as its name suggests, is about love... found and lost. It has a beautiful soundtrack and cinematography, though it was...ultimately depressing.

Gonna be totally busy from today till january, but it's gonna be awesome. Jeremy Monteiro @ SB, Club Rainbow @ Novena, family/cell group/new friends'/old friends' gatherings, wakeboarding, Chronicles of Narnia opening in cinemas on my birthday. :) And the icing on the cake, Jason's visit! (note: visiting, not coming back.) Thank God for Christmas- no not only because of all these blessings- but because Christmas is evidence that Emmanuel, God is with us... and it's only because of that we live... we REALLY live.

Irony

2005-12-04T23:11:00.000+08:00

In between going through piles of tissues blowing my nose and wiping my tearing eyes, I ponder over the last 24hrs. (note: no I've not dumped or been dumped...it's one of the most severe bouts of allergic rhinitis I'm having. The chlorphenarimine doesn't seem to be working. Wish I had some steroids with me.)

***
Ok that was last night, after which Ruth came along and we went out. I got my first parking ticket ever!! 4/12/3005 12:12am, Rule infringed: R3, Cap 214, 4(1), Holland V. I suppose it was my fault not putting a coupon, thinking that I needed an overnight coupon (which I didn't have), though when I checked later all the other cars had put normal ones. (??) Oh whateva. But my company was worth the fine.:) Thanks babe, you bring sunshine into my life!

So... I now ponder over the last 48hrs, and thank God that my runaway nose has decided to return to its mistress.

Met up with a few high school friends on friday night. Apparently I hadn't informed them that I've been back in Singapore for 2yrs (oops), and therefore had a bit of a scolding. One of them has a new 33yr old boyfriend who zoomed by in a bright yellow Lamborghini to pick her up, car disappearing before the sound of its accelerator did. After which my other friend commented quite matter-of-factly, "Yeah we call that the yellow one. He's got..about 4 more, one's a Ferrari and another a Merc." It was all a bit scary, how some of my friends have changed.

Yesterday, Jackie Pullinger spoke at the 4pm service. As a teenager, she'd obeyed the call of God to set sail from England whilst praying, on the boat, about where to get off. 40yrs on, she's still in Hongkong, her final destination on that trip, working with the destitute, prostutites, drug addicts and the gang triads. She simply stated that many more "normal" people were needed in fringe ministries, rather than broken-hearted people who take so long to be healed themselves before they can help others. They serve out of a grateful heart, being able to reach out to people going through the same hardships as them. She stressed that it's not exactly just HER ministry to be housing 300 homeless people- if a church of middle class people could come out of a willing heart and care for just 1 homeless person each, the gospel would go forth with so much more effectiveness. She spoke of how, in such a time as this, the generation of young people seems willing enough to give their lives to Christ, and that it's the parents' generation which is unwilling to let them go. She beckoned the people of the service to "let your children go", just as Abraham was willing to let go of Issac. She said : "I find so much joy in giving my life to Christ like that... but it's killing too. We are all so tired."
Her message tugged at my spirit. I partially understood why I sense that my life will be a nomadic one. Because God knows full well that if I stay put in one place long enough, I would be as I am now...quite contented with middle-class life. And very soon, I'd be so comfy that I certainly wouldn't budge. The prospect of leaving Spore is painful enough even now. And I'll definitely end up being one those who'll say: "Some people are called to missions. I've been called to stay here and support missions."
(gee I hope I don't read this blog in 5yrs time realising that I've really ended up like that)

Ironically, immediately after church, my friend took me to Holland V in his brother's Volkswagen convertible, with the roof down. As he said, it's just like a high-class motorcycle. I mean, it might be lovely driving like that at 80kph in springtime along some countryside road...but along Commonwealth Rd flanked by lorries and taxis? Just... wrong.

A gift

2005-12-01T23:11:00.000+08:00

Been meaning to post this picture since my trip to Kluang. It's a diary that dearest Mel surprised me with. Made from scratch, the cross-stitched cover all the way down to each page leaf! I'd bought this pattern from Nakhon Sri Thammarat 2 yrs back whilst on a mission trip, thinking that I'd have the time to stitch it as a reminder to "Slow down and enjoy God's work". As it ironically turned out, I didn't, thus sent it to Mel to make for herself... but she gave it back to me instead!! Sweetie! :)

God is good, all the time.

2005-12-01T00:29:00.000+08:00

"For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." Matt 12:34

Oh Lord, may it be so that my heart will overflow with things of thy Spirit, out of which will come speech that reflects thy goodness.

These were a couple of songs I felt the Lord lead me to choose on Sunday for worship today. No underestimating the power of these words.

Be Magnified

I have made You too small in my eyes O Lord, forgive me
And I have believed in a lie, that You were unable to help me
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong, heal my heart and show Yourself strong
And in my eyes and with my song, O Lord, be magnified

Be magnified, O Lord, You are highly exalted
And there is nothing You can't do, O Lord, my eyes are on You
Be magnified, O Lord, be magnified

I have leaned on the wisdom of men, O Lord, forgive me
And I have responded to them, instead of Your light and Your mercy
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong, heal my heart and show Yourself strong
And in my eyes and with my song, O Lord, be magnified

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone, I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory, let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone

We have displaced God off the throne in our hearts. We've limited Him to what our minds can fathom, trusting in only the future our eyes behold. But God does not work within the boundaries of the human imagination. We've just gotta let go and let God; only then will He be magnified. Jesus Christ asks of us to place our trust in Him alone; which means walking by faith and not by sight.

From me here to you there

2005-11-29T00:01:00.000+08:00

Somewhere on the other side of this wide night
and the distance between us, I am thinking of you
The room is turning slowly away from the moon.

This is pleasurable. Or shall I cross that out and
say
It is sad? In one of the tenses I am singing
an impossible song of desire that you cannot hear.

La lala la. See? I close my eyes and imagine
the dark hills I would have to cross
to reach you. For I am in love with you and this

Is what it is like, or what it is like in words.

-Words, Wide Night, Carol Ann Duffy

Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living. -Jim Elliot

Of life and death

2005-11-26T01:08:00.000+08:00

Make a wrong turning into the BKE towards Johor from Mandai Rd because they didn't make it clear in the first place, and there's no turning back. Exit at Woodlands Ave something and make a U-turn, and that'll land you either on the SLE (CTE, PIE??) or the BKE, still towards Johor. Get onto the SLE, and that'll land you in Woodlands Ave something-else which goes on forever with no U-turn. Get back onto the SLE and that'll take you back to Woodlands Ave something and you're square 1. Finally get onto the BKE (PIE, city), and get all confused when it suddenly becomes the KJE (keep left) and PIE, city (keep right).

*faint*

After all that, made it to a friend's father's wake. Thank the Lord, she's doing as well as a person who's just lost a father could be. She described her father being the best ever, her and her sisters' best friend, well-loved by colleagues, church friends, and everyone else. No regrets there, closure to 2yrs of battling with pancreatic cancer. Heartwrenchingly sweet, yet laced with sorrow.

Missing my grandma, wondering about my own dad, wondering what people would say of me when I die. Most importantly, what God would say of me.

And I'd like to say, at the end of my life, as Paul did in 2 Tim 4:7 : I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

somewhere over the rainbow

2005-11-23T02:28:00.000+08:00

Fortunate me! Got to catch Harry Potter on complimentary tix, after being mildly disturbed at the idea of having no one to watch it with. Thanks so much for the company, you. :)
Over supper at Crystal Jade, Dale was reminiscing (as usual) the experiences he's had playing with friends in various bands past and present...about how the ability of a musician to reach out to the audience, to touch a cord in their hearts is what determines his success, rather than how well he's recognised or how much he fetches a gig. And we were back to the question of what I've always really wanted to do, and what I really want to do right now. Got me thinking... I've wanted to be a Walt Disney figure skater or animator, or some wildlife researcher. Come to think of it... I've tried these things. I took ice skating lessons, doodled cartoons, attempted a course at zoology. But as time has passed the former 2 fade away to become distant dreams. What comes upon me more strongly now... the idea of playing music- christian, or jazz- in a band, as part of a greater company; or performing the lindy hop. Just that I can't do any of these at all. Playing jazz at Southbridge? Ha. Sings *dream...dream dream dream...on*

Sigh

2005-11-22T00:04:00.000+08:00

Weird weird weird weird people all around me. Or maybe it's all relative... everyone's normal and I'm weird. Sigh.
A client today-
(talking to Doggie regarding ex-wife, whom Doggie stays with): "you're ok ya? Who says we're going to put you to sleep... we won't. We'll put the lady to sleep, not you, ok?"
I got bitten by a dog... on my face. (how did I manage that?!)
Another drowned in her own blood right on me.
Murphy loves me. If you want to knock off on time because you're dead tired, you'll have dying animals come into your clinic after 8pm.. and then they'll die, making you feel utterly useless.
And to top it all off, I've conceded that I can't play the piano for nuts. Sigh.

Certain Revelations

2005-11-18T23:19:00.000+08:00

1. I love jazz but. Playing jazz is impossible. :( It's a bunch of accidentals.
2. One by one, all my friends are gettin married. *shudder*
3. Tink is a pig, not a kitten.
4. Be careful of how you deal with certain clients or they'll call the cops on you.
5. My mum is hilarious.

Kluang

2005-11-18T00:30:00.000+08:00

Twas such a kampung! One shopping centre with ah-lian shops; one Mcdonalds; no Starbucks; one mountain. Not unlike Yarrawonga or maybe.. Werribee (ha!) in Victoria, or Wollongong in NSW. No wonder Mel wants to, or rather needs to, get outta the place. She mentioned how complacent people would become staying put there, without a need for ambition or drive for a better career or quality of life.
Makes me ponder over why we need a drive for ambition, and whether there is anything wrong with contentment in being a country bumpkin rather than a city yuppie.
We had her quarter-of-a-century celebration at a roadside seafood foodstall in Ayer Hitam, which sounds like a decent town but in actual fact is just a (singular) crossroad with a few imitation soft toys and fake flora shops. That was the best seafood dinner I'd ever had! For the first time in my life, I actually enjoyed eating crab (flower crab?) as the shells could be broken and I could at least taste some meat with its superb sambal sauce... not to mention the asam fish and tofu and sweet potato leaves. *swoon*
Met her ah-gong and some of her extended family as well. The scenes of her uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews (the whole jin gang) wandering in and out of the bungalow conjured images of my own mum and her family in the 1960s, when it was still the norm that big families live together. Something sweet which modern S'poreans would never experience.

Mel's cheeky niece Olivia who'd refused to let me take a picture of her.

All that's left of the Yap family's sawmill. Rest of it had been burnt down a few yrs back and they're just waiting for the wall to rot away...

AND I FINALLY GOT TO EAT MY RAMLY SPECIAL BURGER!!! :))) (thanks so much auntie for buying it for me!)

Ahem... well, food aside, it was just such a lovely time of being with a dear friend again after a long while apart. Thank you Mel for spending these 2 days with me. ^.^

P.S. I had the BEST sleep ever without Willow and Tink. But...I actually missed them!

Places

2005-11-13T00:31:00.000+08:00

MacRitchie Reservoir.
A lovely place to stroll in. I reckon that the HSBC treetop walk has the World's Most Stable Suspension Bridge. Especially in comparison to that rickety bridge we never made across during our sec 3 Melaka geog trip! (silly rain. And we came back with more than our fair share of leeches.) The kiosk at the pavillion serves a fantastic mee siam and fan choy... reminiscent of our tuckshop days.

Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
Finally got tickets for my Kluang trip on Wed. (here I come Mel!) It's most ancient and very much like a piece of Malaysia cut out and pasted in Singapore... I was pondering over that till Mel mentioned that it's still owned by KTM Malaysia. Go figure! The government here surely would've turned it into a purely historical and non-functional site a decade ago.

Church Of Our Savior.
Where a bunch of beautiful and joyful people come to worship our Lord Almighty. :)
Sovereign is the Lord my God
Of this I shalt give no second thought
Though falter I might I ought
To trust His plan intricately wrought
Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?
Would you still believe God when He is silent and will not speak?

Mt Faber.
Romanticism isn't as splendiferous as we make it out to be. Splendour-ful. Splendous. Splenderous. ? *grin*
The strawberry and chocolate-on-chocolate milkshakes are to die for! (well, maybe to kill for. Ah but which one would land you in hell?)
Pulau Bukom has Shell oil refineries and chalets to go along with it.

Chasing after the wind.

2005-11-10T17:46:00.000+08:00

A few verses lept at me today-
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
-Eccl 1:18
Which explains why I always sing "I'd like to be a Toys 'R Us kid" in all sincerity.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
-Eccl 12:12-13
My brain is cluttered.
Jesus I could sing, in the tongues of men and angels, but if I have not love, I am just a clanging cymbal, an empty sound
The question then, is how to embody love.

blogs

2005-11-09T02:14:00.000+08:00

Just read these on random blogs-

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

The spaces between your fingers were created so that another's could fill them in.

Sweet words.

Hepatitis A?

2005-11-09T01:50:00.000+08:00

Wonder if I've really missed out on so much during my 6 yrs down under.

Went to Ang Mo Kio for dinner with my colleagues and made some more new discoveries about Singaporean food, yet amazing them with my ignorance. We had such things as chut-chut (snails?), la-la (cockles?), belachan kang-kong, chilli stingray, oh-lua (oyster egg)... bunch of 5 girls eating like we'd just gotten outta prison! And if that wasn't enough, Suj then went over to Mos burger to get some fried prawn thingies, frozen strawberries, and apple pies.

Think I can almost hear my stomach crying out for help. >.< Though it is still much better off than most people the world over who ain't even got anything to put in their bowls.

spectacles

2005-11-08T00:06:00.000+08:00

Does anyone remember the time I gave the word "spectacle" to be used in a poem or prose... but we could just never come up with one?

After all these years, someone did it yesterday, in a matter of 10mins! And beautifully too. (genius)

Thank you. :)

love is a many splendoured thing
spectacled visions - which zephyrs doth hide
closely guarded by thy splendour of thy night
without of great turbulent waves of light,
man chews thy cud oblivious of bite
of an insect so potent it just really might
put all into perspective unless thou gripe
into thy fallacies of life thou would then delight
of love - many a splendoured thing thou would invite..

The final Word

2005-11-07T00:33:00.000+08:00

In the end...

nothing else really matters, does it.
'cept for

one all-encompassing

Love.

Such joys

2005-11-04T23:56:00.000+08:00

As Jazz @Southbridge, gelati @Venezia, wakeboarding @Punggol. Little pleasures in life, over this Deepavali/Hari Raya holiday. (well, holiday for most)
Thank God for a manageable Deepavali on AE duty at the hospital- it certainly didn't turn out as badly as I'd been expected it to based on my previous experience last Vesak Day. In the species list was 2 hamsters and a chinchilla. >.< But, the best part of the day was meeting my cell group for dinner and gelati, then impromptu-ly adjourning to Southbridge with Mich, Keith and Dale. It was awesome enough having the house band playing (with the coffeeshop-uncle-pub-owner on vibes!)...and wow did we get a pleasant surprise when Jeremy Monteiro turned up and took to the stage! In the words of.. erm.. someone, quoting his friend- "No orgasm lasts as long as this.." JM's rendition of My Favourite Things brought back childhood impressions of the Sound of Music with interjections of its familiar tunes, yet constantly luring me again into the maturity of the present with all its twists and turns... finally concluding whilst the euphoria lingered way past his music. :)

Wakeboarding! Totally worth the early wake-up, travel to the end of Singapore, aches and pains, seriously!

Fisherman next to Seletar Island. Never knew such primitive activities existed around here.

Reckon our poor instructor (some law student dude doing this part time) was traumatised by how rough us bunch of girls could be. Talking about peeing, pooing, and what else have you!

Chums

2005-10-29T23:29:00.000+08:00

Finally this thing lets me upload. Happy now Paria Doc 2? :) Willow and Tink looking quite comfy and chummy on my bed. Sweet! Although Tink is rapidly shortening my lifespan by waking me up at least 2hrs before the time I'm meant to wake up every single morning. >.<

Just some things

2005-10-27T23:42:00.000+08:00

Myriad thoughts
The likes of.
what do i want to achieve before i die
aren't the reasons for having kids totally selfish
i'm going to get scolded for underquoting again
i don't do anything much well
In the midst of.
the US national guard death toll in Iraq hitting 2000
hurricane wilma
murder around the corner
2 yr old little vanessa dying of leukemia

Rather than sitting around doing nothing on my butt, the best action to take would be getting down on my knees to pray.
And then, I snuggle up to Tink and Willow. All warm and fuzzy. God's wonderful little creations. Takes my mind of things for awhile.

Monday blues

2005-10-24T17:17:00.000+08:00

'Tis a gloomy day. The people at work are not feeling too good because of certain misunderstandings; I had a depressing conversation with Jase last night (phDs are NOT good for the soul.); and the weather outside certainly matches the atmosphere inside. On the up side of things- I'm hoping that the weather would make it quiet in the clinic later.

Polly absolutely hates me. Took her to Dale's home (kind new fosterer..;) last evening, and for the next half hr or so, he managed to stroke her beak and back surprisingly effortlessly. But whenever I tried to do likewise, she'd lunge visciously to attack!! It was an amazing phenomenon. Apparently she does the same to the girls in the clinic...but even if she really were a sexist avian, it still totally puzzles me how she differentiates us females from the males. Pheromones? Appearances? It can't be voice because I was trying my best to remain silent whilst approaching her. Hm...God's creations... marvellous and strange indeed.

And Discus fish!! Never knew they were so pretty. :)

Polly put the kettle on...

2005-10-21T23:55:00.000+08:00

Here we go! The poor thing started to have a SBL (sick bird look...) just after 3 days of being cooped up in that small lil cage.

Wasn't able to publish this post yesterday for some strange reason. But I was mentioning that I'd taken a walk through the CBD again whilst mum was having her piano lessons. Came across Ang Siang Hill (barely a few square metres across I reckon), a bunch of tourists at Tian Fu Gong (where the hokkien huay kuan was founded and subsequently my primary school Tao Nan!), Telok Ayer Green, arty-farty shophouses running equally arty-farty businesses. The CBD really hides a heap of treasures in its nooks and corners.

TGIF. :)

Bubs

2005-10-20T00:14:00.000+08:00

I live in a bubble. Honestly speaking I am ashamed to be confined to the spaces of my comfort zone, with the knowledge of many other more pressing and consequential issues the world is facing. But I cannot (or rather I feel like I cannot) escape the reality of my situation and the responsibility I carry in this sphere of mine.
I reckon Singaporeans are the most dissatisfied bunch of people around. We complain endlessly about the rigidity of our education system, the dictatorial nature of our supposedly democratic government, the materialism of our people, the lack of grace in society, yadda yadda yadda. Many a times, I've sat down at tables and overheard people at the next table criticising Singapore to death. How easily we've taken everything for granted. I certainly do not agree that our country is perfect, but how else can we live in comfort, peace, safety and cleanliness as we do so now? Shouldn't we start learning how to thank God for the leadership we have, rather than waiting for the day the Opposition wins the polls?
But anyway.
The nth stray, Bai Bai, with a large burn wound on her back. Shana's TLC (with daily Bactigrass changes) has been wonderful... after just 3wks, her wound is less than half its original size! Totally amazing!

..I'm trying to upload a picture of a Macaw in my clinic but it's not working. Walked in the other day and found her there, waiting to be rehomed. Her name's Polly and she talks, dances, and laughs at me. Hm. She can even say "whateva". :)

Jazz by the beach!

2005-10-16T01:26:00.000+08:00

At Siloso. I've been wanting to catch a live jazz band for the longest time ever, and since Dale was playing in the big band tonight, I was glad to have a few cell group mates tag along to Sentosa. It was a blast!! Lovely night, lovely ambience. The Jitterbugs team was there, and Vania and I were lucky enough to arrive in time for a basic swing dance lesson given to willing audience members. I absolutely love the Lindy Hop, and this just brought back memories of the very first time I'd seen the Lindy Hop danced to jazz by the Yarra River along Southbank in Melbourne, totally entrancing me. I'd told myself to learn the Lindy Hop then, but of course, never got down to it. (I'm still resolute about learning it someday.)

Anyways, back to my original point. At the end of our instructional dance, Vania and I were asked to continue dancing for a bit by a couple of guys from Jitterbugs. The guy whom I danced with was a good dancer, and, so, so cute. ^.^

All in all, I totally enjoyed myself tonight. :) (and not just because of the cute guy!) Music and dance... food for the soul. :)))

Coffee's not good at midnight.

2005-10-15T01:03:00.000+08:00

Why do I drink coffee at 12am at Coffeebean when I'd spent the hour before that reminding myself not to do just that considering I have to work tomorrow? ... *brain grumbles whilst eyelids get heavier*

Finally plucked up the courage to call the aunty who'd wanted to adopt the little grey kitten. She didn't seem at all disappointed, but rather went on and on about how it's good to let Willow have the company. And thus, I have her, this nameless little furball. Or rather half a furball coz her butt's still bald. Naming suggestions so far: Pillow (cheesy rhyming), Maybelline (she's got huge eyes) , Wind (in the Willows), Cammie (short for Camomile). Etc. Naming's a headache.

Really should be getting to sleep girl. You're looking more like a panda each day.

^.^

2005-10-14T00:24:00.000+08:00

Jase really is quite amazing. He compliments my weaknesses and balances me all up. And he has a faith which I don't. God has been graciously reminding me time and again of how blessed I am to have Him and him, and of how much they both love me, and of how much I love them both. :)

...

2005-10-13T12:49:00.000+08:00

“My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,” the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”

~Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

2005-10-13T01:22:00.000+08:00

As we sit here in our cozy little bubbles...
People continue to die in the ravaged Kashmir quake zone
More Iraqis get killed in suicide bomb attacks
Bali protesters demand the death of bombers
New Orleans is still in a mess
200, 000 Guatemalan homes have been destroyed by Hurricane Stan

BBC news- survivors in Pakistan clamour for aid.

We can only pray.

Randoms tonight

2005-10-10T01:03:00.000+08:00

Taking care of a kitten is not unlike taking care of a baby. *tired*

"The operation's gonna be so expensive? I might as well buy a new dog right or not?" - client with a blocked dog.

Miss JoyLynnJaffarTanxx had her 21st celebration yesterday- finally, after all these years. So wish I could've been there... but I'm here, and I shan't pine over something that I couldn't do. Blessed Birthday Goosey! (if you read this, which you probably won't, so nevermind I'm soliloquy-ing) Are you sure you don't want a belly ring? :P

Spectacles bought on impulse under pressure.
Retro, old-fashioned, or just... off?
Ok, girl, stop being obsessive over this.

Praise God for paving the way to East Timor!!