Thursday, December 30, 2004

I REMAIN CONVINCED OF THIS ONE TRUTH:

.. that I have not yet become the person worthy of the person who is worthy of me.

May I continually strive for a better attitude.

emotionally impacted.

While the topic on everyone's mind recently has been the Richter 9 earthquake and the resulting tsunami(s), it has been hard for the average man in the street to relate to the plight of the victims. Though Singapore is a nation in relatively close proximity to Sumatra, we are blessed to have been sheltered by the landmasses of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, as well as the relatively narrow straits that do not allow walls of water to build up. Thus, even though we are physically closer to the quake epicenter, we are completely unscathed. And though there are disaster relief funds, donation drives and medical mobilizations, to the average Joe life simply goes on as usual. The reality of the catastrophe has not yet hit home to many.

Five minutes ago, I opened an email from an ex-classmate that went like this.

Just a quick note: a close family friend is one of the 18 stil missing in Phuket. It's my mother's best friend and I'm rather close to her as well. Prayers appreciated.

Suddenly, the disaster was brought a step closer to home. Someone out there, someone I know, is grieving and worrying for someone involved in the catastrophe. Her life has been changed in a tangible way, and through her, my illusion of stableness and above-it-all-ness has been shattered.

What does it all mean to me? It casts a face upon the disaster, brings the human side of the suffering into clearer view, and makes me feel all the more fortunate that I am not the one writing that email. But I am better able to empathize. SMI, I'll be praying for your friend.

On a side note, there are updates on the tsunami relief efforts here at the tsunami help blog and plenty others (read Mr Miyagi for the list.) Friendster is also chipping in to help if you are a friendster user. More direct, though, call 1900-911-1110 to donate $ or post a cheque made out to "Singapore Red Cross Society" to the following address:

Singapore Red Cross
Red Cross House
15 Penang Lane S238486

Indicate behind:
"Tidal Waves Asia"
and include your name, address and telephone number if you want a receipt.

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

I am a xian2 qi1 liang2 mu3 candidate!

.. yes, a la Juan Juan. Why so? Isn't the first requirement of a xian2 qi1 liang2 mu3 the ability to cook?? And since when does HUIMING cook??

Ah Hah! Here lies a little known fact: I make a mean potato salad. And I boil fantastic water. Tah Dah! So, any candidates for the post of "Husband of XQLM Huiming" must have the ability to down innumerable quantities of potato salad, potato salad and only potato salad. And drink boiled water, boiled water and more boiled water.

I am in such a weird mood this morning, don't you think?

Oh well.

But my potato salad is nice, as evidenced by the members of Section 5 and 6 last night at our combined section outing. Hee. And my ability to shout loudly above the noise of 50 screaming people was also proven. Hey, XQLM must also have the ability to control a gaggle of kids ok?? Also the ability to talk nonsense freely in front of many and be the joke of the party (hm, since when was that ever in doubt?) was put to good use as the MC for the night. Renjie is also to be commended for being even more lame, and even more funny, than me. What a lethal combination to put as MCs! I think most of the people from Section 5 and 6 were kept in stitches the whole night through.

*a nagging voice in the back of my head reminds me that ANOTHER quality of an XQLM is to be able to sew. ahem*

I really am in a weird mood this morning. And I have to go back to work now. Oh well, if any potential candidates are unable to stomach too much potato salad and this kind of sewing (ie. being kept in stitches), may I refer you to the model XQLM
Juan Juan? *wink wink!*

Before signing off, some pictures of the night:


The Shuai Ges and Mei Nus of 5566! (Section 5 and 6!) Notice that the gals are in blue and the guys are in pink. Hm...


The Zhuang4 Nan2 of Section 5. Hey, now I call you all strong men already, so you must carry more chairs the next time we need to lay PIE ok?


With MF and XY a la POM.


MF, XY and Alex.

Sunday, December 26, 2004


boats at pier 39 in SF

flags outside moscone convention center, SF

the old mission in sonoma

carmel-by-the-sea. so christmassy!

good composition? you decide.

Maxie and Bambi in the sunlight. Aren't they gorgeous?

in the courtyard of a HK block

a roadside drink stall. do not ask me why, but i simply think it's beautiful.

ask me not what she is doing; i do not know. ask me not what she is thinking; i do not care. this simply makes a great photo (in my opinion)

a vertical view of a HK house

a HK road

a romantic sunset at the Peak.. sigh, why is the bench empty?

boat people's life

a corner for relaxation in Stanley

a tiny, hidden temple overlooking the sea

the sun setting through the bamboo groves on victoria peak

old building in HK. I love the richness of the red.

Friday, December 24, 2004

my photos..

are up at http://www.phloggernation.blogspot.com

I've decided to keep that site specifically for phlogging. Yay. There'll also be a permanent link on my sidebar, so enjoy!

Note: this is some, not all the pics. More on the way soon!

what a giant surprise..

From Tickle's Tests:

Huiming, your secret to success is your Ability to Organize

The devil probably isn't in the details for an organized individual like you. When it comes to planning a birthday party, a summer vacation, or a project at work, you're the person who makes sure that it goes off without a hitch.From you inbox to your shoeboxes, you're well versed in the art of organization. We wouldn't be surprised if the contents of your closets, drawers, and cabinets were filed, color coded, or alphabetized accordingly. Prioritizing, planning, and putting into order is no easy feat. But it's part of what you do best. And it's also part of what makes you one of the best! Bravo!

******************

Can I just laugh my head off now? Me, organized, my leg!

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

And no surprise, my beauty lies in..

Plain Sight

Your Beauty lies in Plain Sight.
Plain, simple and the girl next door. People tend overlook you as you are the "normal girl", but you're actually very beautiful. And you have plenty about you to set you apart, but more that
lets you blend. People love the stability you have because as others may come and go, you will always be there and you may always be the same. You like simple things and that's what people like about you. You most likely enjoy things most consider normal, like movies, shopping, that sort of thing and are very friendly and probably have many friends. You are sweet and kind and that shows on you, but you're also strong and not very naive. You're a rather well-rounded
individual. Even though some people pass you off as just another girl, shrug it off because they don't know what they're missing.

Some Things That Represent You:

Element:
Earth, Light

Animal: Cat

Color: Pinks, Blues, Browns

Song: Girl Next Door by Pilot

Expression: Simple Smile

Quote:
"To the world you may be one person, but to
one person you may be the world."
Where Does Your Beauty Lie? ..::Original Pictures Are Back! Detailed Results::..
brought to you by Quizilla

Drat. And here I was thinking I was something special. According to QuizFarm, I am also hopelessly middle-class, so there go my notions and aspirations of anything higher. Sheesh!


i'm back in singapore!

and blogging this from school.

yes, i went back to work already.

yeesh!

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

100 things about me..

1. My Christian name, Joy, is supposed to stand for "Jesus, Others, Yourself." Someone told me that on my baptism day.
2. I chose the name myself!
3. But no one ever calls me Joy anyway. LOL. Don't start, please.
4. I am wondering how I am ever going to reach 100 things right now. Yikes!
5. I blog when I am bored - ie there's nothing else to do, or (as in now) the shops aren't open yet.
6. Thus, when you see me blogging long blogs, it means I am really bored and you should call me and rescue me from my boredom.
7. I do, however, manage to make computers and all other electronic devices fail within two weeks of getting my paws on them, so long blogs followed by long silence still means I am bored.
8. I am not kidding about the electronic devices failing.
9. Therefore, I sold both my Palm and Pocket PC in favour of a good old diary.
10. I like my diary too because I can put stickers on it (yay) and write in different coloured pens (double yay!). Imagine doing that on a PPC. *shudders*
11. By the way, I am half cured of my colourful-pen-addiction habit already. LOL. At my worst, in JC, I had over 40 different coloured pens that I would lug around to school every day. When I mean half-cured, I mean I have only about 20 different colours now.
12. I love to write. Was that ever in any doubt? Writing is my favoured form of communication, but I seldom indulge in it because of the TIME taken. Ugh.
13. If I could ask for only one more thing in the world, it would be to have more time.
14. The greatest gift I can ever give any person or any cause is my time.
15. The current scent I am raving about is Victoria's Secret's For Her 2.
16. The current cosmetics line I am raving about too is Stila! But it's an expensive hobby, hey hey..
17. Lipglasses from MAC are fantastic. But I already have three.
18. I have an extremely multi-national family. Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, USA, France.
19. This arises because I have am extremely large extended family.
20. And no, I cannot for the life of me remember the correct forms of address in either English or Chinese.
21. I also have an extremely bad memory for faces, and I have the worst time connecting faces to names.
22. I only remember rubbish like the registration number of my mother's old cars (SBE8415J, SBG5549R), my old phone numbers that I had when I was a kid (4666995, 4699366), and my parents' IC numbers and bank PIN numbers (hey, I'm not stupid).
23. I have been perpetually trying to lose weight since the age of fifteen. But my success rates have varied wildly over the years. The skinniest I ever was was during and just after JC2. I aspire to that same weight now. =)
24. At fifteen, I weighed 70 kg. I am not kidding.
25. I am also 158-159.5 cm short (the measurement varies based on time of day and accuracy of measuring tape) and I have NEVER made it to 160cm in my entire life.
26. Does that qualify me as a member of the SFU (not San Francisco University, but Short, Fat and Ugly)? I'm just kidding. Sorry to any SF Uni graduates out there!
27. IMHO, the most important thing in life is love. To be assured that you are loved and valued no matter who you are and what you do is a knowledge that brings tremendous self-assurance, humility and strength of character.
28. I aspire to be a better servant.
29. My most recent Christian reads were Robb Thompson's "Excellence in Attitude", and I am still ploughing through his "Excellence in Ministry". They are not easy books to read but well worth the soul-searching.
30. My most recent non-Christian reads were Michael Crichton's Timeline (unfinished, because the book belongs to my aunt, and is sitting somewhere in Las Vegas right now) and Dan Brown's Deception Point (not a patch on Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons)
31. I nag anyone who smokes.
32. I live in a country where the thermometer seldom dips below 30C. Yet I am addicted to wearing jackets.
33. I have decided to cut short this blog to "50 things about me.." because I am running out of things to write.
34. I am also prone to last-minute, spur-of-the-moment decisions. See 33 above.
35. I love having dogs around. Thanks to Maxie, Bambi and Coco, who've made my sojourns away from home this time a little bit more home-like!
36. I have a high, kiddish voice. But it used to be low and mature. Rats, I am regressing as I age!
37. I am twenty-five. But I sound like a fifteen year old, look like a twenty year old, and think like a thirty year old. How schizophrenic!
38. I want to go to graduate school some day. One day. When I have the freedom to.
39. Ditto the above for Bible College.
40. I understand the power of human relations from the hospitality I've received from my mother's friends as I travel. But it doesn't mean I'm motivated enough to keep up MY human relation. LOL. Good for you if you're on MSN/Yahoo/ICQ, because these are probably the only methods of keeping in contact that I use!
41. I love to travel. But not alone *ugh*.
42. Countries I've been to: Hongkong, China, Mongolia, France, USA, UK, many parts of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia.
43. Countries I aspire to go to: Israel, North / South Africa, Spain, South America.
44. I am also a photography buff, but an extremely amateur one.
45. My secret dream is to be a National Geographic photographer. Note I say dream; I'm not going to pursue it! hah!
46. Secret dream number two is to be an interior designer / architect.
47. I am tone-deaf and have no sense of pitch.
48. Yet, I play the piano and I would also like to learn to play the guitar and the violin.
49. I also sing karaoke (please do not try to imagine what I sound like!)
50. I am really glad I've come to the end of my 50 things.

Have a good day!

My last few days in HK!

Notice how I am much more excited (with an exclamation mark, no less, in my title) about these two days than I have been over the past four. Hah! It comes from having company, that's why! Thank you, Leo and Alice, for coming out to pei2 wo3 for the past two days - I think these two days put together have been better than all the preceding four. It's great just to walk around and get lost, knowing you are in the company of natives who will promptly get you un-lost (or, in Leo's case, get even more lost, mwahahahahaha) the moment you get tired of roaming. =) Yay!

So, I wind down my final day in HK, slowly screw my head back on, and get back into my workaholic (in Jan's words, octopic, haha!) mode that *crosses fingers* will last me for another year. Yuppz, going on vacation is good indeed! It's really refreshing to be away from work - and work - and more work - of many kinds, for at least a while. For the morning after I touch down in Singapore, I will be right back in school. Sigh. Oh well. As I've said, dissipation does not become me, but did work have to start SO soon?

Saturday, December 18, 2004

DISSIPATION..

does not become me.

I yearn for a purpose for my days.


Amazing how I have so much time to blog in HK, isn't it? I feel trapped! argh! not able to go around myself, having to listen to the grouses (and be the companion of) my mum's friend's 92-year old mother, and not having anyone to talk to. Sheesh! Leo, come home quick and rescue me! I want OUT of this boredom.

Look, I did ANOTHER quiz:


yuki
You're Yuki - the mouse.


Which Fruits Basket Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Hongkong!

I shall continue my blogging on HK! *beams* Not like I've written anything beyond the two sentences on Kungfu, but hey, I'm not bothered. Hee.

Oh! I digress for a while to stick up *yet another* pic from the quizzes I-so-love-to-take. Lookie all:

Chamomile Tea
Chamomile Tea...
You are Chamomile Tea.
Your an original! Helpful to anyone in need and
always willing to lend a hand, you take action
but not through violence, people listen to you
for you have a knack for giving wonderful
advice! Many look up to you and you try your
best not to let them down. You have many
friends steadfast or no who consider themselves
lucky to be near you. You may have been hurt in
the past but you dont let that stand in your
way! You have a wonderful outlook on life and
try to see the good in people which is an
awesome gift!


What type of Tea are you? {-With Anime Pictures!-}
brought to you by Quizilla

I am chamomile tea? Ugh, what's that?? Came-a-mile tea? Come-on-mild? Calm-and mild? *shudders*
Anyway, as appeasement, it has the nicest picture out of all the others.

End digression!

Yay! Let me continue my HK rhapsody..

Hong Kong is, in a word, beautiful. All places are good to look at I guess, but I think what really makes a place stand out as beautiful in my mind is the variety of sights that are available; the kind of thing that just makes you want to turn the next corner, and the next, and the next ad nauseum because you don't want to miss the next, priceless scene / slice of life. Like a tiny temple tucked away up on a hill, facing only the sea; old people playing mahjong in the front courtyard just off the main shopping street; a full-fledged Italian restaurant hidden in the maze of alleyways; dai pai dongs with enough space to seat only four on the single table in front, so on and so forth. Photographer's dream. And with the winding coastline, you simply want to shoot every vista you can, because you know that a different scene, in a different light, waits round the next bend. And the mountains! Hills, really, by any but Singaporean standards, but as you wind up and down the hillsides on their *really non-straight roads*, there is so much of a sense of being on an island, because the water's visible everywhere. Not like good ol' home, where you have to practically be ON the beach before you even know we're surrounded by H2O, and to all intents and purposes no one cares for the experience. Have I mentioned the buildings? Impossibly thin buildings rise to an incredibly tall height, each different from its' neighbour but yet so close; it gives the idea of a mishmash amalgamation of many peoples' visions and dreams. I just want to stare at each, from every possible angle, till the uniqueness and character of each structure becomes intimately known. But they pass along, like sunlit shadows (ok, oxymoron) in my dreams, as the car/ tram / whatever I'm in whizzes by. The alleys that run in between the buildings look dark and forbidding, but I cannot wait to traipse (knowing me, more like trips, however) down one and see what remains out of sight of the world in general. By the by, it is a mistake and a folly to simply remain at ground level in HK; every floor of a six-storey building might have a different experience to be discovered. Stanley, for instance, has a second, parallel and more relaxed bazaar above and behind the one at the foot of the hill. To al you lucky souls who are in / going to come to HK, things off the beaten track but not to be missed:

1. Stanley Market! This is so NOT HK-like *especially if you squeeze into TST/Mongkok before* because it's relaxed, laid back and on the waterfront.

2. Star Ferry rides! Whether it's just across the harbour from HK to Kowloon, or to an outlying island, the ancient ferries and docks will see you immersed in a sense of nostalgia. Each ferry has a different name, proudly printed in English and Chinese on its' prow; like Twinkling Star, Glowing Star, Shining Star etc. Sorry, this is SO not "off the beaten track" as promised, but it MUST be tried!

3. The Peak! And you MUST walk the Peak Road! At 2 miles, it's not too long but you get a fantastic view of HK. Go in the afternoon, walk till sunset, then take the Peak Tram down; although it runs two ways, down is definitely the scarier. And, if you can, squeeze into the first row from the front for a view you will *not* regret. Believe me, there is a reason for sure you descend backwards by building the seats that way; sitting facing down would be an oxymoron cos you'd fall out of the chair the moment the tram begins its' heart-stopping >45 degree descent.

4. Eat supper at Hor Hor (Ke3 Ke3 in Chinese) in Sheung Wan (I think). Both sweet and savoury foods are to die for, and the fried-egg-chee-cheong-fun and almond paste deserve special mention. Yum. Open from 6pm to 3am. The newspaper vendor outside also has THE cutest dog. =)

More? Sure, after my next few days. Tata for now, for I want to stick myself on a ferry and float to the outlying islands! Yay!

Friday, December 17, 2004

The world premiere of Kungfu!

I went to the world premiere! and saw Stephen Chow in person! Whoohoo!
More details tomoro, babes and hunks!

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

PLEASE READ

I AM GOING TO BE IN HK TILL DECEMBER 21ST, TUESDAY.

This is instead of the original 18th, Saturday.

TEN REASONS WHY I COULD LIVE IN AMERICA..

1. The cheap, cheap, cheap Sally Hansen, Stila, L'Oreal and Maybelline stuff. Did I mention that they were cheap? And you can buy these at *tah dah* 24-hour supermarts like Walmart's and Target! Whoohoo!

2. The endless sense of SPACE. The phrase [wide open wonder] suddenly seems to make perfect sense, as you gaze along kilometres (i REFUSE to say "miles", nyah!) and kilometres of undisturbed shoreline / horizon / roads stretching out into the forever-and-ever-ongoing distance. Carparks, too, well at least if you're NOT in San Francisco. Fantastic vistas for the photography buff.

3. The general sense of good-naturedness that people exude. Example: when you walk into a store, the attendants seek you out to greet you with a cheery "Good morning, how are you doing today?" The accepted answer, of course, is "Good / Fine / some other positive term" and when you begin to confess it, you really feel better! And you can take your time to browse and not buy a single thing and you will get just as sweet a smile as you exit. All this is done without motives; it's genuine good-naturedness.

4. The way people are flexible and go out of their way to serve you well. Like changing arrangements for airport shuttles, being able to return goods at the store, etc etc etc. The idea is really just to serve you better in any way possible.

5. The appreciation of art and alternatives. The country's not as straightlaced as many Asian countries are; galleries abound and so do museums. Alternative lifestyles are not looked upon with prejudice but rather tolerated, if not embraced. Seriously. I think sometimes white people might feel out of place in SF - they are probably outnumbered by Asians, Hispanics etc etc etc. Yet the city hums on with a happy contentment. You might be a hippie with the weirdest dress sense and say hi to a kid on a bus, and the kid's mother would probably smile and wave in return. That wouldn't happen in Singapore! This, by the by, is also one of the reasons why NOT, actually; will elaborate more later.

6. The education system. It is very student-centred and they take pains to make it so. Not the teacher-centred rhetoric that we in Singapore try so hard to acheive. Yes, our kids learn more and faster, and can recite facts and tackle tough math problems with much greater ease, but it is the American people who as a whole are more vocal and more able to tackle challenges; better able to think on their toes and better able to present their thoughts. Guess who, in the end, becomes whose boss. =)

7. The presence of things like CHOCOLATE MARTINIS (haha, not that I'd drink one, but that it even exists is amazing), IHOP (International House of Pancakes for you unfortunates who have yet to ever taste a REAL buttermilk pancake like the ones they make. Trust me, Mac's breakfasts are a pale shadow), baked potatoes that are are bigger than you can hold in your two hands (okay, I'm either exaggerating or have really small hands - you get to decide which is true) and BEN AND JERRY'S ICE CREAM (Yes! Ben and Jerry's rules the world!). This is the reason I get fat. Sob.

8. Feeling freaking small sized, anyway, regardless of getting fatter, when I go to buy clothes! Oh my gosh the people here are so HUGE, that the underwear shops have contraptions you might use to hold two watermelons. Or maybe draw the Stars and Stripes on and hang outside your window. mwahahahahahahahaha... clothes stores have evening gowns that look like tablecloths (and they wear like tablecloths too, I swear; I saw in Vegas!). Despite this, however, most American people carry themselves with a self-confidence and lack of self-consciousness I find sorely lacking in Asian people, myself included. Fat, thin, tall, small, Jesus loves us all, hey?

9. Cheap books! Oh my gosh! I will NOT elaborate any further, or I will miss my lunch, but books like Da Vinci Code go for $7.99USD (ie. about SGD13-14, sorry no calculator) etc etc etc.

10. The ease of intra-country travel. Travelling on Southwest Airlines is almost as easy as ABC. whoohoo!

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

.. AND TEN REASONS WHY NOT! =)

Hey, I changed the time on this one to make it appear after the "ten reasons i could live in the US" one! Hey hey, it makes for more coherent reading, lah!

1. NO ONE SPEAKS SINGLISH! Oh man! Proud as I am of my hodgepodge nation and its hodgepodge mishmash of language that is Singlish, I am simply going nuts trying to enunciate perfect English all day long. Give me my LAHs, LORs and ANEHKUANs! Oh my gosh. I can't even MSN or YahooMsg in short forms, i have to take pains (i assure you, PAINS) to "write long". Help! In honour of the above, I will blog in Singlish for the rest of this entry (ok, ok, at least this paragraph please.. *winks*)

Mana ehsai anehkuan eh.. buay sai kong Hokkien, Malay n Chinese sibeh susah la. Hwah I tell u, machiam everybody down there speak english until like so perfect liddat, if i talk like this wah ka le kong, nobody can understan. Chin cham eh! Must every minute also try to watch my angmoh. England non-powderful pp sure CMI. And then hor, i speak got no American accent mah, so pp cannot understand me even my grammar is perfect. Then lagi must repeat again n again. Siao. No wonder everything down there oso so slow. Jia lak liao.. Wah eh angmoh peng you say Singlish like pidgin English liddat. I agree eh. But still sibeh proud of our chapalang everything pun eh sai language. Hey, this is called SYNTHESIS okei, high level of Bloom's Taxonomy eh! Take everything from everywhere, all throw together still can make sense. Singaporeans good eh?

English Translation:
"This is not possible! It's really hard to speak pure English without inserting some words of Hokkien, Malay or Chinese. People are so used to pure English, no-one would understand me if I spoke Singlish. It's terrible. I have to watch my tongue all the time to make sure I don't lapse. Singaporeans whose English is not too good will be in trouble trying to communicate. Also, because I speak without an American accent, most people cannot understand me though my grammar is perfect. So I have to repeat myself again and again. No wonder it takes so much time for me to get things done! Sheesh. My American friend says that Singlish is like pidgin English; I agree, but I'm still really proud of our hodgepodge language. Hey, this is called synthesis; it's a high level in Bloom's Taxonomy - to be able to draw things from different sources and make sense of them. Aren't Singaporeans fantastic?"

2. I will get FAT in no time. Yes, one and half weeks worth of American-sized portions (not that I can ever finish more than half my plate) and American eating style and I can feel the extra tyre round my stomach already. Ugh. And the worst thing is, the food is SO GOOD you don't want to stop!

3. The embrace-all-things philosophy that most Americans have. It's good (see my Ten Reasons Why I Could entry) but it also means that there are plenty of "off" influences around. I wouldn't want my kids to grow up in such a tolerant society that they lose all their personal values and convictions in favour of a love-all, tolerate-all mindset. Because there are some things that are just plain wrong. It's great to be exposed to so many things, when you're mature enough to weigh right and wrong, but not if you're an innocent, impressionable child.

4. The ignorance and condescension of *some* people. You'd be amazed how many "Oh, isn't Singapore in China?" and "You speak very good English!" responses I still draw. Yes, I have no right to demand that the denizens of this great country know where mine is; but hey, since everyone else in the world knows where America is, shouldn't the reciprocal be true? And for the record, MANY countries in the world learn English as a first language - not just mine! And we learn more than one too. Ironically, though I speak English, Chinese, some Cantonese, some Indonesian, some French and some Hokkien, I am laughed at by my family as terribly inept at languages because I don't speak Hainanese (lingua franca for my father's side of the family) and Hakka (ditto my mother's side). Life's unfair! =(

5. No non-dim-sum and non-stir-fry Asian food! I nearly died in happiness in HK today cos I got to eat my fave Cai Xin / choy sum or whatever name you call it by. A caixin by any other name would taste as good. =) Yes! How I miss non-potato, non-carrot, non-onion and non-pepperoni-like vegetables, HK-style porridge, heck even Teochew-style porridge, soyabean curd, sugarcane drink, Portugese egg tarts, Hokkien mee, goreng pisang, ang tao ni, yew char kueh, beef char kway teow, fried rice (nearly typed friend rice, LOL), malay kueh, double-boiled soups, Hainanese chicken rice etc etc etc. I might even get generous in my nostalgia and admit I miss Ke Ai Ji from Coronation (OMG NO, just kidding!). Sigh. Still a born-and-bred rice girl at heart.

6. That everything's so FAR AWAY from everything else! Good on the sweeping vistas, but I wish they could somehow condense into tiny little slices of land when you need to traverse them. I mean, to get from one stall to another in the same mall, my aunt DRIVES across the carpark lah. That's how long the mall is because it's just a series of shops strung out in a line! Like, compress all of them together and stack them up already! As a side note, I am SO glad to see TALL buildings in HK. Yay. That's a sight I sorely missed in Vegas (not so much in SF, but hey, believe me, our tall buildings are MUCH MORE and MUCH TALLER.) Sorry, what Asians don't have in bodily height, they make up for in building-ly height. Hey hey!

7. That everything else (other than the things I mentioned previously in the other post) is expensive, expensive, expensive. Did I mention (all together now:) expensive? I mean, you can't hardly have a decent meal for less than 5 USD. Please! in a Singapore hawker centre, $5 SGD would get you food, a drink and dessert to boot. I must learn to earn more money or learn to never save. Even their public transport is freaking ex! USD 1.25 for a bus ride, USD 3.15 for a train ride (that was only a mid-length journey) and a (get this) USD48 for a taxi ride that lasted like, at most, 30 minutes? Sheesh!

8. Lack of cute, funky handphone covers. I mean it! I am the Princess of Trawling Pasar Malams (aka night markets) to find Funky Handphone Covers. Ask all my friends who've ever seen me near one. Almost everyone comments on my pink HP cover because no-one's ever seen it before.

9. That everything, besides the 24-hour supermarkets, opens freakily late and closes freakily early.

10. That I would be an alien on US soil for ten years and more. My aunt's been there for close to seven years and she and her hubby are still waiting for their green card. Yikes.

Monday, December 13, 2004

i am BROWN? Ugh!

Look! Tickle's Tests say I'm a BROWN? Ugh!

Huiming, your true color is Brown!


You're brown, a credible, stable color that's reminiscent of fine wood, rich leather, and wistful melancholy. Most likely, you're a logical, practical person ruled more by your head than your heart. With your inquisitive mind and insatiable curiosity, you're probably a great problem solver. And you always gather all of the facts before coming to a timely, informed decision. Easily intrigued, you're constantly finding new ways to challenge your mind, whether it's by reading the newspaper, playing a trivia game, or composing a piece of music. Brown is an impartial, neutral color, which means you tend to see the difference between fact and opinion easily and are open to many points of view. Trustworthy and steady, you really are a brown at heart.

Yuck! Why can't I be PINK, PURPLE, WHITE, SKYBLUE or some other frilly, delicate colour? Why brown?? Ugh!

Day TWO in Las Vegas

Yes, my SECOND continuous day with uninterrupted, unadulterated INTERNET ACCESS! hey hey hey! I've even changed my MSN nick to ahming ~ i have INTERNET access! mwahahahahahahaha! It is just SO good to be back splashing my thoughts and feelings across the WWW.

So, I organize my thoughts for the day:
1. I have a genius for a cousin. Nevina Elizabeth Warsito, at the grand old age of five, is reading chunks of text off books and pronouncing, correctly no less, bombastic words like "electronics". She also, by the by, talks incessantly and argues with her parents on lots of things. And her arguments actually make sense! Am I impressed or am I impressed? Wow!

2. Las Vegas is a crazy city. Really. The casinos are themed after various things, and no expense is spared to make sure the interior of the casino, and often the associated hotel and shopping mall, are fully reminiscent of that theme. Today, I was in the Forum shopping mall; it's Roman-themed, by the way, and so each corridor of the mall is done up as some kind of ancient Roman street, with the ceiling a painted sky that changes from light (ie daylight) to dark (ie. night) blue. At the intersections of corridors, there are fountains, statues and an entire Michelangelo-Sistine-Chapel-like painted ceiling in one section. You could take a mini-tour of the world by simply strolling into more of the buildings along the stretch - like Paris (it is NOT run by Hilton group though!), Volcano (apparently Hawaii) and Treasure Island (some Mediterranean/Carribean mix). There are more I can't remember. Sheesh. I wonder how much money they spend on doing these things! the ostentatiousness of the entire makes me feel unclean.

3. Attended church this morning with my aunt. Having seen this church and many others in other nations, I am struck again with the strong discipleship and foundation we are prepared with in our church. Many people in this nation are Christian by mere profession and not in deed; the church was kind of staring at me when i sang loudly and lifted my hands during worship. And sad to say, besides my aunt, who runs the equivalent of chorus board ministry, I was probably the only one who did. I'm not being proud, judgemental or condescending.. but I am sincerely grateful for all I've learnt in my home church and how my faith and the application of it has kept me strong through it all.

4. I went to Target and Walmart's! Whoohoo! Now, to someone who's a native of this nation, you would probably laugh at me for being excited over the equivalent of a really large grocery store/Carrefour's/supermarket, but it is JUST SO COOL! They have ALL the stuff you could possibly imagine. Including clothes. And bags (my aunt bought me two) and accessories (i bought my mum a pretty rose brooch. Yay!) And food. And pharmacy goods, and cosmetics and everything under the sun. AND.. drumroll.. they are open *crows* TWENTY FOUR HOURS A DAY! A late night shopping spree, anyone?

Sunday, December 12, 2004

i am now in LAS VEGAS.

hey all.. my time in SF has paseed, and I'm now floating around in my aunt's home in LAS VEGAS, capital of hedonism, exhibitionism and sensuality. Sorry for the long appellations, but that's really how it seems to me. Everything is larger than life; loud, bright, and plastic. Everywhere you go, there are slot machines; yes, even in the baggage terminal of the airport. It seems like LV is trying too hard to maintain its reputation as gambling city. People smoke everywhere; and as i walk with my aunt, uncle and 5-year old cousin through the casino to reach the restaurant we are going to for dinner, i feel the irresistable urge to catch my little cousin and shield her from the influences that pervade the atmosphere. I find it disturbing that a so-called 'family friendly' restaurant has servers who dress in the skimpiest of miniskirts, that public shows that children go to include risque jokes and bawdy dancing, and that my little cousin actually LIKES those shows and accepts them as part of her normal life. She's FIVE! My GOSH!

~digress: it kind of reminds of a poem called 'Rising Five' (Seamus Heaney i think) - growing old before your time.

My opinion of the Strip might change tomorrow, in the daylight hours when its' denizens are perhaps a little more sane. But sitting here in comfortable LV suburbia, with the Strip far behind and far away, I find myself happier and more at peace. For all my hip (or at least *attempted* hipness!) dressing, blondie hair and multiple earholes, I am a conservative at heart when it comes to how people should dress, behave, and spend their lives. What is life without purpose? What impact does a soul make when it seeks only to gratify its' own desires? It seems to me, as I have realised in recent years, to be the ultimate selfishness. I do not pretend to be anywhere near selfless, but I want to move away from selfishness and self-centeredness every day. Read: Robb Thompson's Excellence in Attitude - what a person with an excellent attitude should be like!

Wednesday, December 08, 2004

the loong post continued..

Not too long, actually, since I feel SO pressured to be quick on the comp when there are just ten for about a hundred plus people to use. =P We've been to Alcatraz, (blah) Fishermans' Wharf (blah), Union Square, Nob Hill (woah, nice houses, i wanna go again just to get shots of the houses!) Chinatown (as in all places colonised by Chinese the world over, squeezy, cheap and soooooo cheena it makes you long for home), North Beach (kind of like Little Italy; I WANT to go and hang out there and sip a hot chocolate and watch the world go by!) Macy's (quite ex) and Saks' Fifth Avenue (REALlY ex). Bought nothing from these two except cosmetics from *ahem* STILA, which is like 25% cheaper here. Yes, Tiffany and Keqing, if you read, it means your Christmas present is bought. Yes, already! =)

Also been to Hard Rock Cafe, and like HRC's the world over, it is an icon that tourists flock to all the time. Food's OK, shirts are bought (yes, Keqing and Tiffany again) and I got a box of chocolate mints for my mother in an Elvis guitar case! whoohoo! Pier 39, which is where this is, also provided an excellent place for donut eating (hot donuts + cold wind = so shiok!) and I think i've gotten my year's worth of carbs from the donuts and the *heavenly* Ghiradelli (say Geer-ar-delly, as their shop notice proclaims!) chocolates. Also had my gelato (there's a glutton-y picture of me with it), chocolate clusters and used up my 64MB SD card. Never fear, though, cos I brought a 512MB with me too; mwahahahahahahahaha, there will be LOADS of pics when I'm done!

The thing I've enjoyed most, surprisingly, is the solitary walk I had this morning through Union Square. Though most of the shops were not open, it was good to walk through the streets and soak in the essence of San Fran. Starbucks takeaway in hand, people stroll down the streets. Shop attendants drawl 'How're you doin' and I'm learning to respond in kind. The buses rattle down the roads and the sun rises behind hills. The view down a street, any street, is, I think, quintessential SF; all the roads here are REALLY straight, by the by. Buildings pile on top of each other; and basements are the order of the day. The light is diffuse and the sky blue; the leaves on the maple trees are a brilliant red. The flowers in the flower shops cannot be more beautiful, even though it is early winter. Come to think of it, the season probably explains the price (2.50 for a rose, siao la!) I think strolling, with no agenda in mind and no one else around, has become my favourite way to explore a city. France, Ulaan Baatar and now SF. Yay. Perhaps I shoud go climb more hills and tone my leg muscles? Hey, Nob Hill is a hill! =)

a really loooong post on SF!

Hello all! *waves madly*
I'm BLOGGING again! mwahahahahahahahahaha.. courtesy of the nice 17 inch LCDs set up by Thinkquest in their Thinktank (read: slacker's room). Only downside is that EVERYONE can see what I write because the screens are mounted so *high* that I'm almost craning my neck to see what goes on. I am SHORT. =(

Let's start with a really quick expansion of the stuff that appeared in my sideblog:

1. Flight
LOng Long LONG flight! three hours to HK, a stopover just long enough to get off the plane, run through a security check (so stupid) and get back on. Groan! Then another 11 hours to SF. Surprise #1: It was already full dark when we touched down at 5.30 pm. Beat that! Yikes!

2. Airport
Of all the things. Cannot find the sibeh irritating airport shuttle. So after waiting in the cold for almost an hour, we went to get on the shuttle bus to the *beat this* WRONG Mariott hotel. How to know that there are THREE hotels with the same name in the same city! ARGH! Ended up cabbing to the right Mariott. Urgh. Touchdown was 5.35; but we only managed to reach the hotel at 9 plus. Oh man! I miss Singapore's *convenient* and *accessible* public transport system. REALLY. The whole SF only has ONE MRT line, believe it or not!

BTW i nv bring my cable so I'm not able to post pics.. Will make up for it when I'm back in SG, I promise.

~cracked lips
~nosebleed
~getting fat
~no time to shop
~bawls!

I will blog more, but the shops are opening NOW. Tata, till the shops close! =)

Friday, December 03, 2004

the blankness of my blog

i shudder to look at the blankness of my blog, for it reflects the blankness of my mind.

snapshots from my life:

10. Watching the magnificent sweep of a tree-lined avenue as I careen down the road to NIE, and suddenly the revelation that I miss the place too - for it reminds me of halcyon student days when the world and I were yet young.

9. Missing talking to my friends. Try hard as I might, I cannot pretend that I enjoy solitude.

8. Racing the rat race, knowing that I am just a step from falling off the wheel, and that it is only God's grace that keeps me on - that by my own strength I would be lagging far far far behind. Yet, knowing that there is still an indeterminable distance to run, I need to rely on Him even more.

7. Straining behind the double curtains at Logis to catch the words that Pst Robb Thompson spoke. Let the revelations sink into my soul, Lord - servanthood and humility. Amen.

6. She cried across the table from me that night.. A shock, because I had always imagined her strong and unfailing. As I reached my tentative hand across the table, I wanted more than anything else to be able to share that burden. Because I feel for you as a leader and as a friend. And I'm sorry if the revelation came a little late.. I hope I have made some progress. =)

5. The lights searing my eyes as I walk past the gates of the church. Perhaps this is what the entrance of heaven is like?

4. Not wanting to stop singing.. Your Name is like honey on my lips ~ Your Spirit like water to my soul ~ Your Word is a lamp unto my feet ~ Jesus I love You, I love You ~ and meaning it with every fiber of my being.

3. Liu and Lin becoming Matthew and Leah. How the world has changed. =)

2. The wind in my hair of late, always blowing it in the wrong direction. Yes, the Holy Spirit's reminding me to renew my mind, I say!

1. Blogging for perhaps the last time in two weeks - for in 41 hours (and counting) I'll be on the plane to SF. Hey hey hey! =)

watch the blankness of my blog.

Monday, November 29, 2004

Wedding, Part the Second!

I am lazy to upload my pics here. But go to the link in my sideblog for the pics that I put on Webshots!

Only one more pic from me here:


I like this pic cos I actually look good for once! Yay!

Wedding, Part the First!












a more coherent version of the weekend. =)

It's now ten am on Monday morning, and I think I'm sufficiently recovered from my lack of coherence to give a better account of my weekend. So, hereeeeeeeeeeeee goes...

Friday night! It was Tiffany's birthday party, and we had dinner at Maison du Fontaine (some French restaurant in a converted colonial bungalow along Scotts Road.) The food was good, although the guests and waiters were mutally horrifying (the waiters by the *non-cultured* way in which we ate our food, probably!) mwahahahahaha.

Scenario: A tiny cup no larger than your soup spoon in front of you.. the stuff in the cup's reported to be asparagus SOUP. What to do if you're impatient, don't-care-about-image old me? Why, lift the cup to your lips and down the whole thing! Wonder inside why they are so 'kiam' with soup - hey, when i say a tiny cup it's really tiny! AND then, see a bowl full of the *real thing* (vege n mushroom soup) arrive, and realise that what's just gone down your gullet is the BREAD DIP. Oh man....

Anyway. I was initially reserved about attending, because Tiff is, what, 16? and so are all her friends.. and I know none of them because I'm her *tuition teacher*, for gossakes! and in turn i over-react and underdress to the point that no one believes I'm 25. But OH! by the way! I bought new silvery shimmery shoes from Isetan at Wisma. Lookie all:



MY BEAUTIFUL NEW SILVERY SHIMMERY BLUE SHOES!
and all for only $13.00! mwahahahahahahaha...

After.. went over to Goodwood Park. Oh, dear blogders! Did you know Goodwood Park is Liang2 Mu4 Yuan2 hotel in Chinese?? oh my goodness! It's a literal translation! mwahahahahahaha! Saw the initial stages of the Preparation to Zheng3 Ah Cheks, and lent my hands and feet to the task. We ended up eating supper at Fong Seng (oh gosh, I haven't been there in AGES!) and getting rained in (you know, angmohs get snowed in) till nearly 1am. UGGGGHHH.

GOD IS SO GRACIOUS!

I am SO tired.

But God is gracious.. I've managed to survive a more-or-less mad weekend!

Truly, His grace is sufficient for us - my deadline for marking keeps on getting pushed back and back and back - it really gives me time to attend to urgent things.

AMEN.

Even in the little things, too, God has shown me His grace. At 2.30 am, driving home after a long and exhausting Sunday (and Saturday anf Friday too for that matter) I would normallu end up parking on the 4th of 5th floor. But today, as I drove past a lot on the second floor, a car just turned out. Like that! at 2.30am ~ wow~ and so I was able to park there and get my weary body n feet home fast. Amen!

Sunday, November 28, 2004

Friday, November 26, 2004

I know where He is..

I was browsing through some friends' blogs that I hadn't been keeping up with for a while. Saw an article on Keeve's blog that he entitled "What about me?" It is a post that certainly touches a chord in many people's hearts. I have to admit, I do feel that way at times - it's a familiar seesaw I ride on once in a while - and I'm sure many of us do, too.

Grow up, Ming! I know where Jesus is.. I know where my calling is.. I know where my loves lie. I no longer need anyone to lead me on to all these. It is a human failing to require human love and human recognition all the time; it isn't necessary because we have God's incomparable love above all. At the end of the day, it is He who will reward us with the good-and-faithful-servant appellation. The lesson is two-fold too; we know where He is; will we lead others on to Him?

Take on the challenge this December, dear blogders.. to grow up and out of dependence on others and build your own altar; and begin to lead those who are lost and weary into His house.

Thursday, November 25, 2004

Melting in sweetness!

Guess what I found on my table today!



Yes, indeedy! I melt in sweetness! Thank you Jas, Cindy, Gill n Shuting for e cookie.. yummy.. It's part of the get-Miss-Wang-Fatter conspiracy is it? hee.. Thanks all the more for your sweet note! Enjoy your after-exams euphoria.. =)

*contented sigh..*

come back to me, my darling!

I ripped my plastic flower earstud out of my newest earhole while towelling my hair dry just now. Owieeeee... but worse, the backing of my earstud flew off into some remote corner of the Master Bedroom Toilet! Argh! It's my fave earring! How how how am I going to wear my Purple Plastic Flower Earstud without the backing! Argh!

*mourns for lost Earstud Backing*

Being the clever and innovative woman I am, I immediately thought of a solution.

I pulled the backing off the matching earstud and stuck it onto my ear! Tah dah! I managed to keep my plastic flower earstud in my ear. But it means that the matching earstud's going to languish evermore in my earring case. Sob.

*brightly* Not that it matters anyway, because I am the kind of siao zarbor who keeps five different earrings in her five different earholes. But *wails* I MISS my little nubby piece of plastic!

It's probably languishing in the toilet bowl / sucked up by my mother's vacumm cleaner / covered by my father's newspapers by now, but if you happen to see a nubby little piece of plastic with a hole through it lying somewhere in the vicinity, please do tell it that there's a matching earring and a bleedy, pus-sy earhole waiting for it in Yew Tee.

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

empathy profile.. from queendom again!

Introduction
The ability to empathize is one of the most essential skills for leading a fulfilling and meaningful life. Empathy is defined as the ability to identify with and understand the feelings, cicumstances, and motives of another person. People who are empathetic are able to see things from another's perspective and figure out what makes people tick. Empathetic people also are better at reacting appropriately in varied social situations, and because of this others tend to be very comfortable in their presence.
If you don't believe that being empathetic is extremely important, take a moment to consider the opposite. Not being empathetic would mean not being accepting of other's opinions, not being understanding about the hardships of others, and generally being in the dark about the way other people feel. Would you want to be friends, colleagues, a partner, or otherwise associate with someone who could not understand where you were coming from, or was constantly judging you for acting in a way different from his or her own? The resounding answer the vast majority of people would give is "NO!"
Human beings have an innate desire to feel socially accepted and understood. That is where we derive our confidence, sense of self, and feeling of being connected. Empathy is to thank for such positive connections. The following is an interpretation of your Empathy Quotient.


Graphic Results

score = 96

Interpretation
Your Empathy Quotient is extremely high. Individuals in this range are able to recognize the emotions of others very well and understand the underlying motivation behind their actions. You are capable of putting yourself in other people's shoes and seeing their particular perspectives, which is an essential skill for creating satisfying and meaningful human interaction. Your friends and family count on you to understand where they are coming from and this creates a kind of unspoken bond. You are able to get along with people from all different backgrounds and your friend base likely reflects this. You are open-minded when it comes to other's actions - you don't fall victim to making snap judgments. You tend to see both sides of a story and the shades of gray in between, and as a result, are able to give people a sense of perspective when they can't understand a situation.
Your high level of empathy likely makes you a magnet to those seeking advice. They know that you are always there to lend an ear and that you have insight into problems and possible solutions. You are very flexible in your thinking and don't resort to dogma when considering the ways of another culture or group of people. Your open-mindedness and ability to empathize are truly outstanding. If you ever feel yourself slipping in this respect, refer to the advice section below for helpful reminders.

Advice & Tips
Empathy Advice, Tips, and Exercises
Here are some ways anyone can increase their empathy quotient:
Pay attention to how others are reacting, and what they are communicating to you. Putting in the extra effort to really listen and observe can teach you a lot about human interaction and emotions.
While you certainly can't fake empathy, you can increase your connection to other people by truly listening and trying to put yourself in their shoes.
Build meaningful relationships that teach you about human nature.
If you're not sure how someone is feeling, ask for clarification (if it's appropriate); a simple "How are you feeling?" or "Could you explain your perspective to me?" might do the trick.
Put aside your own preoccupations to consider what might be going through other people's minds in different situations. Ask yourself how you would feel in that person's place. In every situation, there are several perspectives. Try to identify at least 2 or 3 different ways to look at it.
Put empathy in action. Get involved in helping people in some way (e.g. volunteering); the closer you get to a situation, the more you should realize the difficulties others might be facing.
Pay close attention to body language and facial expressions. Although there are some bodily cues nearly everyone gives to show an emotion, every individual has their own particular ways to express certain feelings. It may feel overwhelming to learn to interpret everyone's idiosyncrasies in your life, so start off slow and observe each person when you can.
Ask people for clarification. If can't tell whether your friend is expressing disbelief or distaste when s/he rolls his or her eyes, just ask.
Give your time to others. It is impossible to increase your ability to empathize if you're totally self-absorbed. The best way to learn is to spend time with others and practice active listening.
Take your time when deciding how to respond to emotional topics. Don't allow yourself to 'fly off the handle' or make a snide remark when someone says something you don't agree with. Think about what led this person to have a different opinion than you, and respond only after taking time to figure out how others are likely to interpret your words and actions.
Play devil's advocate to your own beliefs. This exercise can be initially emotionally painful, but will help your empathy grow immensely. Take time to think about what it is you believe in. Now think about people that you very much disagree with or dislike. Write down why it is that you and these people are in disharmony. For each point you make, write an explanation for why this person or group of people would feel differently than you do. Try your best not to resort to juvenile explanations like "This person feels this way because s/he is an idiot" or "These people do this because they are immoral." Making such statements discourages empathy and encourages blind prejudice.
Go out on a limb and ask questions of people that you think you know the answers to. You will likely be surprised at what you find.
Cultivate the golden rule - don't do anything to others that you would not want them to do to you.
If you are having a hard time figuring out what makes someone act a certain way, engage in a little mental role-playing. Assume you are this person, connect all the pieces that you know about him or her, and see if you can rationalize their behavior. If you can't do this, you likely don't know enough about him or her to know why s/he is acting a certain way. Give people the benefit of the doubt that they act on their reasons and beliefs, not out of taking pleasure in perversity.
Expose yourself to a viewpoint or situation that you've been hesitant to explore or have been purposefully ignoring. If issues such as the AIDS crisis, global warming, animal cruelty, or world hunger (just to name a few), has you running the other direction, swallow your pride and fear and educate yourself about an issue. Take one at a time and explore them. You will no doubt come out of the experience more aware and empathetic than when you began.
Above all else, keep in mind that increasing your ability to empathize will add great richness and meaning to your life. Being able to connect yourself to and understand the emotions of others will add depth and insight to your relationships to others, as well as give you a better grasp on overall human nature.

lang hua yi duo duo!

浪花一朵朵 (陳慶祥/阿牛)
我要你陪著我 
看著那海龜水中游
慢慢的爬在沙灘上 
数著浪花一朵朵

你不要害怕 
你不會寂寞
我會一直陪在你的左右 
讓你樂悠悠

日子一天一天過 
我們會慢慢長大
我不管你懂不懂我在唱什麼
我知道有一天
你一定會愛上我
因為我覺得我真的很不錯

時光匆匆匆匆溜走 
也也也不回頭
美女變成老太婆 
哎喲那那那個時候 
我我我我也也
已經是個糟老頭

啦~~~ 我們一起手牽手
啦~~~ 数著浪花一朵朵
啦~~~ 美女變成老太婆
啦~~~ 已經是個糟老頭

tralala! memories of a more idyllic time. =)

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Like, STOP asking me anything anymore!

It's one of the things I hate about being at home for extended periods. My ever-well meaning parents will keep on coming in, every five minutes, to ask me things they have asked me TEN times before, if not more. ARGH! And when I've gotten my concentration back and begin to start work again, the OTHER parent comes in and offers food / asks another question / starts to talk / tells me something that i already know / etc etc etc. ARGH!

There goes the scene of happy domestic felicity that's supposed to reign in the holiday season. It's nice being at home, but I would LIKE to be able to do work, for once, WITHOUT interruption. And so, I leave my beloved computer and escape to Juan's house for some peace and quiet. How ironic. ARGH! farewell, world and computer, till I get my work done!

Monday, November 22, 2004

This post was taken off my group blog, oddperspectives. Have a look - see what zookeeper's said about genetic engineering and my response below:

I think the crucial difference is enhancement versus determination. if not enhancement, then why do we bother to dress well, even? The slippery-slope idea of enhancement can be extended all the way down. There's no paranoia for me here though.. haha.. I have become something of a clotheshorse in the past year. *winks*

as a biologist, and seeing the things that genetic engineering makes possible, I am both excited and scared. Genetically engineered bacteria are already extant and have been, and in use, for decades. Do we accept their use? For the most part, yes. Would you and I be willing to do without decontaminated soils, oil-polluted oceans and cheap animal feed? Hm... not a particularly strong agreement, even from me. Let's take it a step closer to home. How about genetically engineered plants? We all pay less for our vegetables simply because they have been genetically engineered to be pest-resistant, frost-resistant and more succulent; to ripen faster on the stalk and carry more nutritional value. Rice can and has had an entire biochemical pathway knocked-in for the production of Vitamin A; this rice saves the lives of millions in poorer countries who would not otherwise be able to avoid Vitamin A deficiency. Would you do without these?

One step the closer - genetically engineered animals. Salmon, cows, mice, cats and sheep. Probably, at this point, many of us would begin to shake our heads in emphatic denial. No? What's the difference between animals and plants? The difference, may I postulate, is the ability to feel and to experience emotions, ie the indwelling of what some might term a 'soul'. We become uncomfortable when we imagine that the subject of our manipulations may actually have feelings about it, and yet no choice in the matter. This is piercingly close to the state of a human embryo if it were to undergo genetic manipulation. Cosmetic enhancements like makeup and plastic surgery are done at the choice and with the consent of the individual; they merely enhance what is already present and do not change the genetic constituents of the person. I am still who and what I am, before I take off my makeup. Thus, I am NOT a backer of genetic engineering, in the sense of tinkering with a human before birth. ie transforming the entire organism. The body is the seat of the soul and the temple of the Holy Spirit, and should NOT be tinkered with lightly, especially for cosmetic reasons alone.

Let me leave you with a final observation, from a commentary i once read in Reader's Digest about genetically manipulating embryos: Parents should not saddle their children with admission standards for birth. If we allow cosmetic GM to occur, is that not exactly what we are doing?

Saturday, November 20, 2004

am I very bu4 zheng4 jing3?

*frowns*

My mother tells me this morning that I am very bu4 zheng4 jing3 and not ladylike enough. By her reasoning, I will not be able to "attract normal men". RIIGGHTTT.. any girls wanna date me now then?

argh! just let me be me!

Friday, November 19, 2004

inspired by dark clouds: the gathering

And the sky weeps rain
Like my teardrops fall
The water is too heavy to be held in any more.

Will I survive the storm?


DO NOT, under any circumstances..

..live in Yew Tee.

It is THE uluated hotspot of the universe. Beyond YT, the road ends and meanders off into army camps, factories, cemeteries and chicken farms.

WHY would anyone want to live here?? Argh! Argh! Argh!

In fact, it's so uluated that my cab driver this morning revealed that Yew Tee's one of the hottest spots for 'calls'. WHY? Because no taxi driver in his right mind would cruise past an end-of-the-road housing estate, that's why! No cabs will appear, therefore, unless you call for them. And so I *freaking* had to wait HALF AN HOUR at the MRT station, no less, to get to the head of a three-person long line. And it was 10-something am, nowhere near the peak hour! Wah biangz.

On the other hand, the number of empty cabs floating around increases dramatically after 10pm or so. Because Yew Tee's so far away from civilization that it takes at least an hour to get anywhere much further than Jurong East, that's why! URGH!

And oh! Pot shot at Singapore's urban planning: There are only two major roads that serve Choa Chu Kang, namely the KJE and Bukit Batok Road. Upper Bukit Timah Road doesn't count because it parallels the KJE and BKE, and gets hopelessly stuck anyway whenever there's a jam on the expressway - what do you expect from a two-lane wide artery that has to absorb the flow from the only expressway to serve Woodlands, Yew Tee, Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang? so, whenever there's a jam, there are as good as NO alternative routes. ARGH!

*angst from a zit-tormented woman in the forgotten hinterlands of Singapore.*

I miss living in Clementi! *bawls*

email from my favourite fellow SPAlestinian!

My fellow SPAlestinians,
In Jan 2004, the MOEssad drove us out of our strip of land called "My free time". We threw stones at standardization last year, yet we got a standard reply – "Just DO it". Though President Booksh announced plans for SPAlestinian independence in 4 years, but for many of us, it'll be 1 year and 1 month more!
Do you really think that the reason we must be confined to special rooms just to mark SPA is simply on security grounds? Peleeeease! MOEssad wants fertility rates to increase, hence, they have introduced a morbid form of dating called SPA-dating. (Thank you MOEssad, that's so thoughtful of you, at the rate you're going, some may end up with 2 Bachelor Degrees after joining – talk about life-long learning!).
Gotta go now. SPA marking awaits and guard duty at exams. Being a Protest-Ant, I'm not attending xxJC's dinner. They can keep my staff money and have my share of dumplings. Just give me back my life. Hope you get yours soon too (with the dumplings).

One with your sufferings,
Paulestine

biological angst!

i have a huge pimple in the middle of my forehead.

how gross.

but it doesn't stop me from blogging at THREE AM in the morning! Hah!

This is so totally NOT helping my complexion.

*argh*

i'm also in my constipated, no-appetite state due to it being that time of the month.

*argh*

in case you have noticed, i am writing incoherently.. ill-befitting my status as the reigning queen of proper english *winks*

it's sheer frustration at not being able to get my new template up and running properly after six hours over two days.

*argh* [no strength for a loud exclamation]

forgive us while we redress, forgive my face while the keratinocytes multiply out of control and the neutrophils get killed and slowly molted down to pus inside my pimple. forgive my writing while no ideas run through my head. where have my *wink* incisive wit, *blink* sense of humour, and *squint* desire to sleep gone??

*argh*

I'm going out with a whimper, I am..

THIS IS JUST TOO CUTE!!!!!!!!! OH no! it's the Bu4 Shuang3 can ~ with me..attempting to match the 'seh' of the can by looking Bu4 Shuang3 as well. I'm posting it up, huge pimple and all, because I JUST CANNOT RESIST the silliness of this! Hah!

versus THIS! Tah-dah! No railings!

normal, barred and railing-ed view..

twenty two floors worth of laundry, and the ground far far below.. This is after the removal of the Disobedient Pole.

my father and mother in the kitchen, taken from my perch off the ledge.

Thursday, November 18, 2004

Hanging out the window!

I'm sorry, I'm running late, but I just HAVE to blog this..

I hung out the window of my flat just now!

nothing remarkable, just that my flat's on the *23rd* floor and I was *whole-body out* on the window ledge.

The culprit: my mother's disobedient washing-hanging pole - it slipped from the metal bracket and was hanging precariously by one end. You can imagine the consequences of that pole slipping and falling 23 floors to the ground - not only an instant, life-taking projectile, but it would also knock 22 floors worth of laundry off their perches.

What on earth.

Enter ahming, the heroic she-man/he-woman to the rescue! With my mother gripping me tightly, and being more of a hindrance than anything else, I climbed onto the ledge and pulled the pole back.

The feeling was pure exhilaration. Having the wind blowing in your hair, watching the world go by without the hindrance of bars and window panes ~ wow.

I have, by the way, realised that there's a pretty good view from that ledge that you can't get from anywhere else in the house. Pictures taken from the ledge will come later after I'm back from my dratted excursion-to-school.

*beams*

I did, by the by, get stuck on the way back in. *still as clumsy as ever* But that's inconsequential. I enjoyed hanging out the window. =)

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

un-title me..

i have realised it's such a bother to append snappy titles to a post ever since i made my titles visible. especially when i can never sustain a topic through a post. darn.

yes, indeedy, i have again wasted a day in front of the computer - this sedentary lifestyle i'm leading is going to be too much for me soon. it IS the teacher's life - to vacillate between complete boredom during the holidays to total burnout during the school daze *pun intended* and I am no different from most. I am not one of those happy people who can occupy their days knitting, baking, and being happily domestic day after day after day. I crave purpose. I crave activity. And I crave it all the time.

How am I going to cope with my next two months before school re-opens? School is not everything, but it does take up the most part of my time during term time; what, then, am I going to fill it up with? I have thought: and here are my resolutions for the six weeks that remain of 2004 -

1. To lose weight! Yes.. my eternal bugbear. I've always said that if i could take 5 kg off myself and put it onto various people (juan, mz, ivry et al) both parties would be perfectly happy. well, I'd rather take the fats and dispose of them through running.. ugh.. and gym-ming.. double ugh. But, by the end of 2004, I'd like to see a more lithe me!

2. To touch base with many people - including my ushers, my friends, my leaders and my CG members. That was in no order of merit, btw. =P Now that i've the time, i hope I can be a useful and serviceable person to those around me.

3. To know God deeper - many people say that it's during the toughest times that people turn to God; I'd like to remain constant and go on more.

4. To focus on my goals - to cut off all extraneous items - to put my heart and soul into what I want to achieve. I have been unfocused, at many times; let that change! Let me focus on being a better usher, a better servant, and a better leader. My one main distraction - the lack of a member of the male species in my life - WILL be relegated to the backstage. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness - and all these things shall be added unto you - amen.

I feel so much better after penning that down! Okay, typing that out. =P i SHALL be purposeful. See you, world! I'm off to zip to my newly set tasks.

queendom!

more quizzes for the quiz-mad me. http://www.queendom.com - long and lengthy!

182 questions done and 82 to go! this had better be good!

So, I am a.. Giver
Your genuine concern for the people and community around you makes you the Giver. Your high moral standards and compassionate attitude do not allow you to stand idly by in the presence of any kind of injustice. You are a magnet, attracting those seeking direction, advice, and a role model. When people turn to you for help, you reflect thoughtfully on the issues at hand, and don't give up until you reach some kind of insight or creative solution. Your interactions with others are characterized by warmth and caring, and your empathy and altruism do not go unnoticed. Others find you quite pleasant to spend time with. Your emotional stability and ability to give to others are gifts.
PS. i scored 80 for agreeableness!

right.. =P now i know why people always run to me for a listening ear!

a long and long weekend

i am tired. 'nuff said. a long and amazing weekend has passed.

have YOU got your calling and anointing yet? the calling is great but so is the grace that must accompany it.

randomness#1: my um theme song:
~yes you will go/where i want you to go/you will sit where i want you to sit/bulletin for you? yeah yeah.. yeah yeah..

randomness #2: i have decided:
~ to stand aside and do nothing; i will NOT betray confidence and trust. "greater love has no man than this: to lay down his life for his friends." your friendship means much; one day, perhaps, you will know the extent of this sacrifice.

randomess #3: my ear throbs
i believe my 5th earhole is infected, or my body's reacting to the silver earstud. my ear is red, swollen and throbbing, and so is the nearest lymph node. i've pulled out the piercing stud (quite a painful operation, i assure you) and stuck in a plastic one. i hope it helps.

i AM tired. good night, world!

Friday, November 12, 2004

~a friend closer than a brother.. and never anything more?

was talking w iYi yesterday on the bus.. about how different we are in terms of personality and approach. i do tend to agree with her that she is more of the 'xiao nu ren'.. and i am more of the 'strong tower' kind of woman, whom people tend to see as a friend (sexless, one might assume!) and not an object of affection. through my experiences, I have become a domineering, take-control and take-charge person who, i suppose, is viewed as more of a workhorse than anything else. Only those who know me well, who see beyond the authoritative, work-oriented and endless-capacity-for-work side of me will see that it is not all that I am, it is not all that I am. Yet it is an integral part of my character - and that is my greatest failing - that i have learnt to be too strong, too well - and it ends up that i am unapproachable and seen only as a teacher, worker and simply a friend (perhaps a friend closer than a brother even) but never anything more by the vast majority of people. i daresay many brothers have been 'scared off' or 'scared of' by me! iYi was right - she said it would take a really strong man to be able to stand me - haha! not physically strong (although the person would probably have to be in order to carry fat ole me around!) but strong in terms of character. 80's words are really prophetic.. i AM too D for my own good.. i will HAVE to learn to lay down my character and to be submissive at times. i struggled for the longest time with the "equality of males and females" debate - but I have come to realise that males and females ARE equal, just called to different roles - egomango blogged this sometime ago. while i learn, i hope i don't scare off too many people! =)

The essence of graciousness is selfessness.

'nuff said.

Thursday, November 11, 2004

NaNoWriMo flirtations~

Hello, world!

That's the phrase I intended to start my nanowrimo entry with. But after discovering that
1. no one actually reads what you've written~
2. you don't actually need a plot for the novel~
3. i have no idea what to write a novel on~

~i've realised that i probably will end up reproducing my blog posts on the novel, i have decided to Simply Continue Blogging and let my blog be the reflection of my life and my times. after all, i can't even sustain a topic through the length of a post without obvious and monumental effort; how on earth am i going to sustain the length of a 50,000 word novel? But do go visit the nanowrimo site - http://www.nanowrimo.com and have a peek at the novels-in-progress! Meanwhile, those of you who want to see MY novel in progress, check back this blog ba. =)

also - today is the day i celebrate a good friend's birthday - my dear, all i can give you is probably not what you want - i cannot give you that no matter how hard i try. let me try then, to make you happy in other ways; with a multitude of ku-niang and pinkie stuff for the oozing-with-honey sweetie hermione jasmine liyi! hey hey, a quarter of a century's come and gone, and you have enriched many lives for it. In the next year to come, may your life be a testimony and light to even more souls around you, and may all you desire be yours. I am so glad to have known you as a sister and a friend - and yes, I STILL owe you your ku-niang blog layout! eek! Have a great year ahead!

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

I am a GENIUS! mwahahahahahaha...

I have an IQ of 164!

People with IQs of 161 and above are considered to be Genuises.
*ahem, ahem*

Please address me as "Genuis-San Huiming" when you see me next! hee..



More ego-boosting quizzes from http://www.ivillage.co.uk/quizcentral!

Have fun!

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

the BIOlogy teachers strike again!



anna, paul n titus! (The Leaf is an extra in our happy family story..)



yes, did I mention it was jungle fever..



alex n me... what's with the leaf, you ask? It was jungle fever theme la! =)



Hello..


We are advertisers for Kao BIOre, and go around BIO-ing pepole who do not give us their autoBIOgraphies when we ask. No, seriously. We are the BIOlogy teachers of Hwa Chong! Roar!

me and sam! Hey, we look GOOD here! Quick, date us, somebody! ahahahahahaha..



from right to left: Lay Hua, Yew Tin, Ms Lam n me!



staff dinner..

see pics of staff dinner! =)

Similar pic to jus now.. except angela n aunty too lazy to move back n join us.. haha..



On the bus:..


On the bus: from top left corner, clockwise; Jayce (the Mee Kia Princess), Li Yee (oozing with honey), me (Perpetual Bad Hair Day), Angela (Da Jie, Security Princess) A, E, and E's mum (Aunty.. who else!), Evelyn (Er Jie, Osim Princess..) and Esther (Xiao Mei Mei and Princessweiwei!) =)

The place where we had dinner!


Despite the glowering skies, the facade of the building shone bright in the afternoon sun.. =)

Retro-y sunset shot. Nostalgia, anyone?



Not a Proton advertisement!


Me, as a Bio teacher, should be advertising Proteins instead! erpz.. the point of the shot is, of course, the RAINBOW.. shot courtesy of jayce! =)