Voice of an angel...

She was so good she made me cry...never heard a voice like this before. Bless her. :)

All Blacks Trash!

Oh yeahhhh...Rugby World Cup is back! And a rare chance for me to catch my favourite team, All Blacks, do a ferocious pre-match "Haka" and play a mean game...ahh, my heroes *melt*

All Blacks trashed their oily Italian opponents in their first World Cup match 76-14. Italy is one of the strongest rugby teams in Europe, so this is a sign...a sign that All Blacks will be Champion of the World!

France ranked 3 worldwide and is also the host nation this WC had a dismal first outing having lost embarassingly to Argentina (6): 12-17. Blah...

Australia wakarooed their way through Japan 91-3. What is Japan doing in the Rugby WC?!

England, the no. 1 and defending champion was lack lustre considering they only managed 28-10 win over ranked 15, USA. Pfft!

Happy Anniversary!

That's right...a year has gone by without a single blog from me. To start blogging again after a long hiatus is a lot harder than I thought! "Del" seems to be my favourite key. My thoughts are fragmented and all over the place with so many things to talk about but don't know where to start. Perhaps, I'm putting unnecessary pressure for my return blog to be perfect, to be all-encompassing, to be an engaging read for my friends and whoever stumbles upon it. Guess, the best way is to just dive into it and do a recap of how my year actually went...kinda self-indulgent but hmm...it's my blog after all! Haha...

August 2006
1. Made my frist trip to China, flew to Shanghai with my bro. But he went west (Pu Xi) and I, to the east (Pu Dong). Was lucky to get free lodging for 10 days bunking in friend's apartment. I was alone a lot but they were good 'me' time. This was really a long awaited trip after I left my last job in July without another in waiting. Such is freedom where I didnt have to answer to a client nor be a prisoner of 'urgency' and deadlines. So I took my time and went any where my legs took me...walked around aimlessly bumping into quaint little lanes and shops, took pictures, fascinated with all the building's architecture along The Bund (yeah I was crazy enough to spend half a day taking pictures of every buidling's door). And so captivating are the interior of The Peace Hotel and the old architecture of "Yu Yuan". Well, you haven't been to Shanghai if you haven't been there.

2. Lucky to have been part of the 60,000 crowd celebrating National Day for the last time at the National Studium. A contradiction of moods that day - pensive yet celebratory. Picturesque sunset as the stadium's backdrop, quite fitting as the curtain drew upon the national icon. Thanks Dave for the ticket and all the lovely captured moments.

September
1. Took on a freelance project back at Batey on SIA account. One of the most draining projects I've ever worked on. Took all of my days, nights and weekends for the next 3 months. But on hindsight, this project taught me stuff about me I never knew and the nice 'kuchi-woochi' feeling to be back at Batey House again seeing many familiar faces (they've been there since I left Batey the 1st time in 2003).

2. My godson, Kenshin's first birthday! Gee, how fast babies grow. Was completely in touch with my childish self when I was picking out a present at Toy'r Us. Love those Fisher-Price toys...the folks there sure know their colours and all things cute!

October
Cosumed with work! Absolutely no life. Was a recluse. Computers and pdfs took over my every waking hour.

November
1. What a bummer! What a diva! Was an absolute disappointment when Robbie Williams cancelled his concert at the National Stadium. This would've been the concert of my lifetime (MJ probably doesn't even come close! Yup, I'm bias this way. Heh.) Alas, not meant to be.

2. Became a permanent suit at Batey. Work wasn't really exciting but it paid my bills, colleagues were wonderful, had an iBook to work on (sucker!) and my clients had a great sense of humour, and we got along. Which are rare!

December
Christmas-shop like crazy, had nice Christmas lunches with colleagues who weren't on leave (like me!) and 'gulp' at how the Christmas lights-up looked like they belonged to Little India! And ooohhh...can't forget this one. I received the most expensive Christmas present ever - a Gucci limited edition bag. Never thought I'd spot a Gucci as I causally told my mum to walk in for 'look-see', never thought I'd own one, never thought I would be so lucky to receive one as present. Never say never! I'm very thankful. Proud owner of my first "Kuci".

January 2007
Hmm...this month is a blur to me. Probably didn't do much except work. Duh.

February
1. Happy Birthday to me. A quiet one. But my colleagues showered me with lots of love...lots of flowers in my favourite colours and a big surprise gift of a "Designer's Guild" purple wallet with embossed floral patterns! So me!

2. Godson called me "ghert-ma'" for the first time on my birthday! How cute.

3. Was hospitalised for 3 days at a depressing Class C ward in NUH. Admitted with pain and questions, discharged with even more pain and more questions. Another story altogether.

March
1. Been to my first Mosaic Festival! Ploughed myself out of the office for this midnight session with Rickie Lee Jones (who?). Read from reviews and understood from colleague who is a huge long-time fan of hers that she is a legend and an extremely talented musician. But piang...I couldn't understand what she was saying and singing half the time. She looked and sung as if she was in perpetual high on substance. She sure didn't sound like what I heard on the samplers. I wasn't the only one disappointed, even her loyal fan, my colleague, went home perplexed.

2. For peeps who missed "Titoudao", make sure you catch it in the next instalment. So much old culture and tradition within the great big set, with costumes and changes aplenty, and a fantastic cast of brilliant actors. Can never go wrong with Pamela Ooi as the lead "Helloo! I'm Tiiii...tou. dao!" So small, so loud, so cute! I brought my mum along and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.

April
Batey lost SIA officially. A poignant moment for Batey (Ok, I'm actually speaking for myself) having had this account for 35 years. Without SIA, Batey will no longer be the same. 35 years is a very long time and Batey can be proud, very proud, to have built SIA's brand equity to what it is today. But a loss is a loss and there's only one way and that is to move on.

May
1. Went to Bangkok with Awdrey and Sharon, my 2 good friends from secondary school (let's not mention name here!). Finally a trip together after years of talking about one. There was much to eat, shop, walk, spend, eat, eat, eat and eat..great trip except we each didn't have one good night's sleep taking turns sleeping on the soft, lumpy extra bed. Oh well, I still luuurve Bangkok!

2. Very fortunate when I was offered a job in a direct marketing agency. It's very different from advertising and design (my playground for 6 years) and is completely out of my comfort zone which for a long time I have embraced the fact that it's the only way to escape the trappings of the draining life in ad agencies. So having no mutual illusions, my boss took the chance with me and I, took the chance with myself. It's been 3 months and I am still counting my blessings.

June
1. Busy with handover to TBWA on SIA account. Hectic. My swansong before I left Batey.

2. I surprised myself with my bravery and went through Lasik! I used to think I would likely fall within the 30% stats of people unsuitable for it. But thanks to Sharon who asked me one fine morning and gave me all of 2 seconds to reply if I wanted to go for a lasik suitability test. "Sure, why not?" I thought to myself, almost with a hint of schmuckness that I'd certainly be not suitable (friends would know I suffered from severe dry eye and subsequently developed an allergy to contact lens in 1996). Haha...the things that run in my head! Oh well, the rest is history! It's the most liberating experience ever after wearing glasses for 20 years! No more scrambling for glasses in the morning and feeling like a geek - had to wear glasses even to friends' weddings and clubbing. Now, I can wear mascara *blink blink* and have my very first pair of sunnies I can actually wear and not fall over, tripping like a clown. Go Lasik!

July
1. Ooh hoo! In Bangkok again at company's cost! Mostly work and some play but was good to be part of charting the company's future and bonding with the colleagues. I finally understood the adrenaline of speed shopping.

2. A new baby is born! Her name is Renee and she's princess to Flo and Ringo whose wedding I had the honour of being the bridesmaid. How time flies! It's funny thinking now how Flo and I used to say we'd set up a hip "Spinter's Club" when we get old...hahaha. Oh well, plans change...oh hang on, it's not as if we 'planned' on being spinsters. ;) Anyway, Flo's confinement nanny whom we call Auntie Helen not only knows her babies inside and out, she can cook a real mean meal, even for 20 in a day! She did for Renee's first month celebration that spanned over 3 days! It's catering service at Flo's kitchen...popiah, kong bak pau, laksa, curry, babi pong teh, glutinous rice dessert, ang ku kueh and red eggs...erm, I'm sure I left out one or 2 more! Sorry sorry back to Renee. When she greeted the world, she looked so much like daddy. Over a short time, she's grown to look like a doe-y, double eyelid (like mum!) princess who has not yet developed audio control when crying. Hehe...she's going to steal hearts! Isn't she cute!?

August
1. A relapse of the pain and strain I suffered in February (which will be another story altogether) lead me to see a physiotherapist for the first time in my life. Massages were excrutiatingly painful. If you think they are like your leisurely anti-stress relief spa-type massages...so wrong! Every session was as if turning boulders (my shoulder muscles!) to cheese. And I ain't exaggerating. My Welsh physiotherapist who plays rugby regularly (screams "tough") even exclaimed once "crikey...ur muscles are shite!" and I thought I heard his fingers crack, too. I literally suffered sweat and tears then. Not that I'm 100% well now since damage was already done...but I feel so much better.

2. Purple dino "Barney". Flo detests it, swears never to have anything to do with it and banning it from her home even though she's got Renee now. She thinks it's a senseless prancing genderless confused 'thing'. Haha... And other friends who swear that it's the only thing that keeps the child still for what may be otherwise a 'police (parent) and thief (child)' situation. Anyway, Gerald and Adel's daughter, Natalie, turned 1 this month. Hearing that she laughs on seeing a Barney, I thought why not go on the 'offensive' to make her happy. She is, afterall, a baby and babies should be happy and chuckling a lot! So, Dave and I bought her a Barney haversack, Barney soft toy key chain, bouncing Barney and even a Barney puppet for her parents to entertain her. It's Barney invasion! Oh I'm now a proud member of Toys'r Us! Erh hem...you need to spend at least $50 for a free subscription.

3. My first ever walk-a-dog-athon (yeah, all of 2km) at West Coast thanks to David who took Cotton along for the day out. I have neeeeever seen soooooo many dogs at a single location! You won't believe but it's only been recent few years that I slooooowly overcame my fear of dogs. My long time friends will atest to that. I am a changed woman! Anyway, Cotton has a funky name - Chinese crested powder puff. She's definitely and very luckily the prettier sibling. Trivia - in the same litter, there are more of them looking naked with sporadic strands of hair on the top of their head and a small puffy lot on the chest. Eugh! :P Cotton was lovely during the walk... she was friendly and fluffy. And, she didn't bark a single time! Dogs like that I looooove. *ruff*

Wooooh...what a feat I managed such a lengthy blog! And if you made it this far, an even greater feat you haven't been bored...hehe :) But thanks! This could be an indication of your interest in my life. If you read on hoping to find scoops of gosp...you could be sore by now (you know the phrase "sorely disappointed"?). I'm such a sucker for people leaving comments on my blog...makes me feel important *wink* So please please please...leave one behind. I don't really care if you choose to be anony. Heh. Anyway, I'm glad I got over the toughest part - picking up where I left off a year ago - and got the blogging intertia going again. Check back soon! :)

Never walk into a shop you have absolute weakness for...my potential extravagance - Coach Chelsea Nubuc Satchel.

But mind over matter...until I find a job with decent pay check. I'll just be content looking at it from here.

Adious...

Here's the parting shot of my desk...

And the view I'll miss (it's just to the right of my desk above)...

Fondly remembered...21 July 2006.

Fast Fingers

This guy, Cambry, can play Rachmaninoff's piece with such ease from memory. Gee, he plays faster than I can type! Besides, I've never seen a black guy play classical music before. He's simply fascinating. Can't imagine how much hard work he's put into to master a Rachmaninoff's. And I wonder if he's big like the master - 12-freaking-inches, handspan I'm talking about people...hands...

An Inspiration

This guy, Matt Harding, is such an inspiration. He's been to places that we only talk about. Check out his travelblog here www.wherethehellismatt.com