Happy New Year!

Have a great

Special thanks to hand models Adi, Cliff & Yao Ching.

Drawing The Line

How can one ever know when the person you treat as your best friend also feels the same way about you? Another thing is, when does a person actually go from being just a friend, to a best friend? Or when do you decide that you should drop the thought of ever meeting up with certain people?

In my case, I never really had a best friend as I couldn't make up my mind. Plus there was an incident where someone actually accused me of getting "a new best friend". This someone wasn't even considered my best friend, and I don't see why she had to say that when I was telling her about the new people I'm getting to know. I guess that's why I take my time in calling people one of my best friends as 'people who matter - don't mind, and those who mind - don't matter'.

The people I would consider my best friends know me enough to know I don't give a shit about too much things. Maybe that's why I have one of the strangest bunch of people in my besties list. However, not everyone with a quirk can easily fit into the list. There are restrictions on whiners, people who are too narcissistic and/or too conceited, the kind that are too depressed, and the kind that ask the questions that are either too stupid that I'd ignore it, or is so stupid I can't answer without making them feel stupid after. Well so I'm being a bit narcissistic and conceited here... but I don't care because this is my blog after all.

Anyway, I personally don't know how many people in my besties list actually consider me in the same way, but I'm fine even if they don't because they're worth the time and effort I'd gladly give to them. I guess it's the 90%-10% balance thing that determines who you'd consider your best freind, or at least I do. I'm sure if someone who doesn't even return 10% when you've given 90% is not worth keeping. While the people I'd call my besties have given back at least 90% themselves.

Now, what I wonder is if some people know that I don't think of them as my best friend, and if some even know that I actually loath going out with them. If you don't know that I don't really care what people think, don't consider yourself my friend. If after 5 years you still can't spell my name right even when I have it spelled out in full then don't consider yourself my friend. If you don't know after 3 years that my ANNUAL Christmas party is held on the 24th of Dec, at the same location, and especially after I told you about the menu, u know the drill. Don't try to send me on the guilt trip for things u can't remember because if I ever find out the truth, the guilt trip you'll be sent on on might kill you inside. Don't try to tell exaggerated stories to try and see how gullible I am, because I honestly didn't bother listening to your bullshit and was just nodding off as my brain took a nap. You people in this last group isn't even worth my 10%, which I rather just keep for myself.

Another Year Has Passed

Rochelle

Another year older & (hopefully) wiser.

Lucky I'm In Love With My Best Friend... Lucky... Arrrrgggh!

Love - how is it that one subject that is supposed to be on the other spectrum of hate can garner so much of it that it starts to frustrate someone?

Well this all started after a car ride listening to the particular song "Lucky" over and over again, that I've got to the point where I find the song and the subject rather disgusting. I would understand how some people say that they're in love with and marrying their best friend. But sometimes too much of a good thing is just not good.

Anyway, getting frustrated about the song and all is another story. What got me thinking was something Mandy said to Eddie this morning that made me realise a few more things about the treasured bunch I have, and all this jazz about being in love with your best friend. I can't remember what exactly Mandy said, but it was about the guy friends I invite to my xmas parties over the years. Then some sort of discussion in between and after narrowing everybody down, Eddie is the only single, available, heterosexual guy that is invited as my friend to the xmas party. That's also to say that he is the only guy that I can attach such labels to with regards to the people in my treasured list. So that's to say that if I should fall in love with my best friend, Eddie would be the only option. Well in this case, I'd say Eddie is the guy after my own heart. As he put it to someone before, I'm a female version of him. I could say I love him to bits as a friend, as someone with very similar interests, but when it comes to being in love with him, I'd say I don;t seem to be swinging in his direction. Plus I really would like to keep it that way as I seriously enjoy what I've got right now.

As for the other guy in the list, the 'problem' with him is that he's homosexual, or at least what I've heard anyway. Although he hasn't told me personally that he is, he's too effeminate for my tastes. Personality-wise, he's like my sister with regards to all the shopping, fashion, and vanity, and too fussy an eater for me to be in love with. As I've told Amy before, I don't care how handsome someone can be, but I can't stand a guy who's has more facial products alone compared to the hair, facial and body products I have in total. Ok, so that's a bit of an exaggeration but when we travel, his toiletries bag is at least twice the size of mine, and I'm not carrying travel-sized bottles of lotions. Anyway, what I love about him is his love for pastas. The man after my own stomach this time?

Then there's the one person that got me thinking really hard. The one person who looks and acts like a guy, but is a girl. Now she's the one that made me stop and really think of a whole lot of "what if" questions. What if she was a real guy? If she was, I think that I could fall in love with this one. Personality-wise, I'd say she has a lot of qualities that are right up there on my checklist. So what's the problem here? Other than having to turn lesbian, nothing really. As with all my other treasures, I love her as well, just that I'd rather not ever cross lines, complicate things, and lose a perfectly great friendship - which reminds me why the song disgusted me in the first place. Somehow I rather keep a great friendship the way it is than try to take it a step further, fail and have the friendship fall apart.

It's rather strange that among the 3 different personalities, they've got a strange mix of masculinity with femininity. Eddie is the man's man that is 'in touch with his feminine side' to a certain degree that girls seem to like to call him up for bridesmaid's duties... or maybe he's just good at entertaining and bargaining? Number 2 seems to have an equal balance of both ends, while number 3 is all female but seriously in touch with the testosterone running through her veins. :P

Merry Christmas One And All!

Hope Santa has brought you all the things you wanted.

Another Reason To Stick To SIA When Heading To Australia

So maybe I'm biased when it comes to the flights I decide to take while on holiday. Other than the miles I gain from my travels, I do like the fact that certain flights do come with your own personal entertainment. However, after reading that another Qantas flight goes into trouble after take-off, it just shows me that sticking to SIA to travel to Australia is a good choice.

25th July

2nd September

7th October

It's the 4th incident within the year, and those are the ones that were reported world-wide. Apparently it is because the airline is using really old planes. Well if that's the case, when will they start changing to a new fleet? Before or after a major crash?

Where Do You Think You Stand?

Some people are better off forgotten, some best if they're out of your life, others just need to show they're still alive, and a handful will be treasured for a lifetime.

In this time where almost everyone you know seems to be on some networking site like Facebook, it's not hard to find out the number of people you know. Just counting the number of people I know through school, and school-related activities, I've already got more than a 80. Add to that spouses that come into the picture later on, and friends of some of those friends you're closer with, and even some family of those friends as well. That adds up to over a hundred people. Then you head out to work and you get a few more people to add to your ever-expanding list. I could say the list is a genuine reflection of the people I know - basically acquaintances.

So now the question is, where do I draw the line in regards to adding people in my life? As proper friends that I would actually bother to spend time with and wouldn't mind keeping contact with that is. If anyone has ever bothered reading everything in this blog, they would probably figure out that I have a my "handful" already narrowed down. The people you love to bits and treat like your own family, and maybe even better than how to treat some of your own family.

Then there is the "general public" which I wouldn't mind setting a day aside to meet up with. They're the ones that I don't see for a rather long time, and maybe distance makes the heart grow fonder, thus meeting up seems to be a good idea at times. Somehow, there are a few of them that I've to be all fake with, and there are some that just irritates the shit out of me at the end of the day. Which leads me to wonder if these I should sometimes even bother going out with these people and just put them in the "just leave me a message" pile - the type that just has to 'update their status' to just show me they're alive.

Amy says I'm too soft-hearted when it comes to people I've made friends with. That I give in to too many people and not shoot them down enough, leading some to take advantage. Problem is, the handful know I've got a sharp tongue, and although I do use it with them, they know better than to do something so stupid as to warrant a lashing. It's just that the people who I end up being really fake with that are the ones that can't take too much sarcasm in the first place, therefore I can't be myself, and that leads to them thinking they've got me wrapped around their little fingers? Vicious cycle!

Sometimes I really do envy the fact that she can just cut off all ties with people she don't want to know anymore. I personally think that every person (and even animals) that steps into your life has some sort of purpose, good or bad. I do agree that cutting people off in your life is a necessity when the person seems to just bring you down in some way. However, I think that I should be cutting off more people and add those that piss me off too many times into the "junk" group. Most likely the people in this group wouldn't even realise that they should end up in the group because they're too full of themselves to start with. Even dating tips tell you that you shouldn't talk about yourself all the time and let the other person get something in once in a while. I think i just found out the reason why the very same people also seem to keep moaning about not being able to find the love of their lives.

Finally, the people who already left an impression but are better "erased out of your memory". The biggest problem with this group is that they've already made a big impact in your life and left such lasting memories that the simplest things can trigger all of them to come back. So I guess I've taken it well enough because there were a lot more good memories than bad, and even though I still hate how the situation ended, I find there's no use in staying angry when I did nothing wrong.

Oh.. and I can't forget the ones that are now just memories, but the ones you'd love to keep in "scrapbooks". The type that you would love to be able to share with the people you know for years to come, the ones who I've loved and lost through death, or maybe just the ones that came in and took my breath away.

Now time to figure out where people fit in my life. Since I'm in the mood for clearing things out, guess it might be good to take a look through and re-categorise the people in my life as well.

Doesn't Matter To Me

There was quite a bit of discussion the day after this piece of news was announced. As usual, there were varied views about how this cooling off period would affect the voting outcome during the general election. However, in my case, it wouldn't matter till MM Lee is out of the picture.

Even at 28, I've never got the opportunity to head to a polling station other than to accompany my mom when she did her part during the presidential election where the late Mr Ong won. For all the years I've been eligible to vote, the president was nominated, and no one ever dared challenge for control of the constituency I live in. Not to say I don't like the place I live in, but I wouldn't mind seeing some political campaigning go on here.

Maybe it's just to feel like you actually live in the same country? I guess the only other people who would understand would be those in the Marina area.

Getting Help Or Just In For The Free Ride?

Was watching a few shows that have been airing on weekdays between 1 and 6 in the morning, and an episode of "Food 911" that got me wondering if some people got themselves on certain shows because they truly needed the help? On this particular episode, the couple being helped seem to be more interested in eating than learning how to prepare it. It just happens that the host of the show brought them out to see how the masters of the trade created their pieces of work. What was disgusting to watch was that instead of taking notes on what the masters were doing, they showed more enthusiasm when the food was presented to them to have a taste. Worst bit was how they devoured the food like such gluttons, stuffing it into their mouths to the point their nostrils flare up just so they can breathe. And that was even before they tried their hands at making their own food. Maybe it's the strict hygiene practices that I've had to follow at work, or it's just the way this couple turns me off, but the way they did things just had me complaining to Amy about it.

Following this show was "Oprah", and it just shows the other end of the spectrum. The people featured on this particular episode desperately needed some help with their homes. Maybe they couldn't afford the home make-overs that was given to them, but the gratitude shown for what they've been given at least gives you an inkling of how much they have wanted, and needed, the help.

Well, if I was to be a bit more skeptical about people, I'd say that some people are really good actors who know how to win over people's hearts and tug at their pursestrings. However, it is not really hard to see the difference between someone who really needed the help, and someone who wrote in, hoping that they would get some freebie off a show. There are many shows that seem to be giving out help to people these days, especially after the economy took a turn for the worst. At the same time, you can see a few people who are writing in just to try their luck to get something. Maybe it's the 5 seconds of fame, or just tickets to watch a recording of the show, but creating a rather lame sob story isn't the best way to do it when there are a lot more people who really deserve the help.

I guess at the end of it all, it's how these people show their gratitude for the help they've been given. Some just take it for granted, as if they deserved to be helped. While the deserving ones always cherish the moment and whatever else that has been given to them.

One Last Breath @ 1043hrs

After going to bed at 7am, I was woken up by my mom's phone going off, and the strange thing was I heard her answer this call in a particularly sombre tone. Thinking it might be one of the stupid telemarketing people calling, I rolled over and dozed off. Mom came in a while later and asked if I'd like to follow her to the nursing home where my grandfather was staying in. Thinking it was another small issue, I just grunted my no. Then she followed the request by "Ah Kong dying already", to which I just grunted. I was still too tired to even turn in bed to ask her why this time it would be for real.

Still smooshing my face into the corner of my pillow, my thoughts started churning, and with all the calls that kept my mom's phone ringing, I couldn't sleep anymore. I was seriously considering sleeping in a little more, just to not see my grandfather take his last breath. However at the same time, I could not just let my mom go alone. She asked me to go, and there was a reason for it. With the thought in my head that it was better that he died, I rolled out of bed and changed to go out with mom.

Walking into the nursing home, we were asked to go straight up to the room without even having to sign-in, but with the elevator taking its time, I managed to get our details down even before it arrived. With the policeman outside a room, I was guessing that my grandpa had been moved from his usual spot. True enough, he was in the isolation ward, and we were greeted first by the policemen and EMTs. As mom went in first, I was still looking at everyone when I saw mom stop in her tracks, and jumped like she was shocked by something. I was still looking for my grandfather when I realised what had shocked my mom - laying on the bed was my grandfather with a blanket pulled over his head. Everyone didn't seem to know how to approach us until mom asked when he was pronounced dead.

Finally realising that we were not going to go into hysterics, everyone just went about completing their paperwork, taking their leave as they were done. Soon the doctor came in to certify him, and get all his paperwork done. I guess they aren't used to people looking them straight in the eye in this kinds of situations. Most probably they were expecting people who broke down and cried.

I guess after 4 family members and a dear pet dying, you end up crying another day. Or maybe it's just that this time, we were kinda waiting for him to take his final bow.

Bye Bye Ah Kong. Thanks for EVERYTHING you've given me in my life lessons.

I Think I'm Done

Well, I guess I'm happy with how the blog looks. It's simple enough and shows exactly what it's all about.

Now all I have to figure out is how to change the background for my travel blog.

Starting Your Life Together Cursed By The Neighbourhood?

So it has probably happened to everyone that is around my age - getting asked that dreaded question, "So when will it be your turn?", in reference to mrriage. Every time I get that question I'd answer that if I find someone to settle down with, I'll not have a wedding. If I didn't have to sign papers, I wouldn't even bother.

This morning's event just made it all more likely that I'll stick to my ideas. While here I was happily snuggled up in my bed, someone started honking their car horn, followed by another and joined in by a few more, which eventually ended as one big blast of horns for about 10 seconds. As if the first honk didn't wake me up, the group blast just made me start cursing at whoever was blocking the one-way exit (or so I thought). It didn't end there though. The idiots had to keep on honking as if honking would make whatever blockage disappear.

The horns stopped blaring after I heard some screaming, and I was glad for the person who got more annoyed than me to get up and curse, but again I was mistaken. The screaming continued, joined in by guys who were also shouting, and I just had to have a look at the clock. 7.30 a.m.! Bloody 7.30 a.m. on a Sunday morning and these idiots have to start a fight (...or so I thought again)! Then came the shout that made me realise what the fuss was all about...

"HUAT AH!!"

...and I was about to get out of my bed and shout something of my own in response.

My hopes of them ending their 'conversation' between the guys on the street and the girls from the apartment were dashed when the next thing I heard was "1...2....3... I want nobody, nobody... bak chiu..." Yeah "bak chiu" was what I heard, and I seriously wanted to give them black ones at that point. Now in the midst of wishing I had a deaf ear like mom, they went on to sing the damn thing two more times. Finally making the squealers in the apartment happy, the grunts made their way up just to create more noise.

Looking out of my house, I see that there were quite a few neighbours who were out wondering what the fuss was about, and the faces didn't seem all to happy about the noise these people were creating. Then I wonder how many neighbours were actually cursing these people just as I was? It could be just me, but I doubt anyone who was out partying last night, and people who planned to sleep in on their only day off in the week, would appreciate such a irritating wake up call. Weddings held under the block usually start getting lively at 10am, even funerals don't make as much noise as these idiots did.

So maybe you planned on telling the whole world you spent quite a bit on getting the ugly car for your special day, want to show off that you have the support from a good bunch of friends, that you're bride has an equally supportive bunch. Please, save the show for any other day except Sunday, or at least give some consideration for people who are resting even though you have opted to use up your Sunday. I know tradition sometimes need the people to get to a certain place by a certain time, but it didn't say to make so much noise that people start cursing upon you.

Now You Know Who You Are?

Another thing is I don't get where this stupid idea of blasting your car horn came about, but I know one thing is that the horns are supposed to be honked when the groom arrives back to the brides' parents' home, AFTER the bride has visited her new in-laws. NOT when you come to pick your bride up. If taking tradition into consideration, what horns were blasting when there were only carts pulled by horses/men in the olden days?

Guess for all of you who intend to get married and stick to traditional ways, be a little considerate as to the time and day which you decide to start waking the whole neighbourhood up. Or maybe you just don't think your marriage will last in the first place, and don't mind a few curses towards you both on the day you start your journey together?

The Pandas Are Coming!!

Finally, we won't have to travel by air just to get a glimpse of the black and white bears! Well, not just yet, but in a few year's time, we won't have to. Check this out!

To think I went all the way to Taiwan, waited in a long line, jostled with the crowd just to get see the bears long enough to take a photo, and then I had to move along with the crowd so that the rest in line behind me could get their turn.

Now they're going to be in the zoo for 10 years (that's if they cope well)! Yay!

To Caroline & Marc

Congratulations!

Welcome to the world Amberly.

Time For A Slight Change

Finally getting down to changing the look of this blog. Going to keep it as simple as possible and less cartoonish. Guess maybe I'm trying to make it reflect more of the person I am now. Only problem is I'm not really good at this whole html, css, xml, xhtml (blah blah blah) that the new blogger layout is using. I need help, and Homer^ doesn't cut it. Hope it doesn't take too long!

Back To Reality

To Dawn & William

Congratulations!

Welcome to the world Myron.

Why I Blog?

Once again I head to bed and I'm stuck with this strange feeling that keeps me awake even when my eyes can't stay open any longer. I was strangely struck with the question; "Why do I blog out my problems?". More specifically, "Why do I blog out all my troubling thoughts when I can actually talk to someone about it?". I have actually wondered why is it that I can be able to let go of my frustrations through making a little story to post on the tangled web in cyberspace and something in my mind just popped.

After listening to quite a few people telling me about the problems in their lives, I somehow realise that I can't seem to let myself burden/bother someone else with my troubles. The problem is that I actually feel guilty about unloading on someone else. Even though I've managed to get comfortable enough to bitch about things with Amy, it's probably because we make fun of the whole situation, and laugh at the whole issue, that in the end that it doesn't feel as though I'm unloading shit off onto her.

I guess in the end, I'm still more of a listener and rather have my fingers do the talking.

So to the ones who know I need to let something out but just won't talk about it, don't think that I don't want to share my problems the way you might be able to, it's just that I don't want to deal with that guilty feeling after I do.

Oh, by the way, text messaging is another form I find useful. Hahaha!

Footprints On The Heart

What is the use of having a best friend when we all die in the end? Does it not just give one more person to get hurt or feel lost when your time has come? So the thoughts might be a little bit morbid but the question popped into my head one night and I just couldn't stop thinking about it.

I guess it came out because of Adi's soccer coach, Bernard, who collapsed at a game and never recovered from the stroke he had. Well we all know life is unpredictable and if it's your time to go, you'll leave one way or another. As it can be seen on the multiple messages for him to fight through and recover, and then followed by all the condolence messages, it's quite obvious that he's touched quite a few lives. These people, however, are mainly the players in his team, and people who know him through the game. What I'm wondering, is that how many people that he'd call his best or closest friends in school have kept in touch long enough to know that he's passed on.

During my grandmother's wake, the people I saw were mainly old neighbours, friends of relatives, and of course, relatives. So maybe due to her age, or more precisely the era when she was born, school wasn't a necessity and you don't even hear stories from her about having a close childhood friend. Furthermore, she was married and already a mom when she was still a teenager. As for my uncle's wake, I wasn't really sure who was there, but I knew that there were people close to him like best friends who paid their last respects. My uncle, however, died before he was even 50, and I guess that would be considered young compared to the age people tend to live to now.

Then there's my mom's case. She doesn't seem to talk about any one particular friend she had in school but I know of a group of girls she kept in touch with till the few years just after I was born. So I wondered how many people will I keep in touch with and for how long? As it is, I'm cutting people out of my life as some are seriously dead weights and just pull u down in life. I know the people I'd like to see to the end of my time, but I'm questioning if it is even possible. Although communication with each other has significantly been made easier than before, there are times when people just give up on using new gadgets. Then there are people you know from work, and you wonder if they're keepers or the friendliness just ends once you depart from the company?

There's also the bit about knowing if any of your friends have passed on. Especially now when I don't read the papers that often, getting my news either from tv or the net, I don't really get a glimpse of the obituaries. (Told you it's a bit morbid) It's not that I think friends of mine are gonna start dropping dead anytime soon, but death is something that is almost always unexpected. I was thinking more into the future, when (hopefully) we're all old and passing our time in some nice way (wheelchair racing perhaps?), if we would even remember the people we now call our best friends? If we do, would we be able to make the effort to head down to pay our respects?

In the end, it all boils down to the fact that a death of someone I know, even as briefly as Maria (Shirley's mom), or Bernard (Adi's coach), still affects me somehow. No matter how many unexpected deaths you hear about, you still feel the bit of loss for the family once you've gone through your own.

Off To Western Australia