D-day @ iDA

It's the D-day again. Half day (all due to an interview scheduled at such a bad timing - this afternoon).

Routine bores me, so I'm kinda happy to leave, but at the same time a little sad to part with this place, which has such pleasant environment and amiable people. Not forgetting my window seat that allows me to enjoy the sights of rain and shine. I won't miss the lunching here, definitely! Nor the daily morning bus shuttle from the MRT station. I prefer a slow walk among the busy morning bustle - those heavy traffic, peak hour rush with all the white-collar people... However, it isn't so possible with my 830am start, I need to wake up way earlier than my 7am to do that. In the bus (shuttle to office), I saw the blue-collar workers working at the site by the road (building of the new circle line). Something I normally wouldn't take note of, I wondered how early have they started their morning. I looked at how professionally they were carrying out their task and couldn't help but to admire some people for what they are doing.

As I was pondering... I know deep down, I'm getting closer and closer to where I want to be. 让我们一起加油吧！

--- Edited on 3rd Dec ---
to show you guys the view from our drink dispensers cum lunching area

It's Yakult day

The banana day wasn't too long ago, and it's the YAKULT day today. It's apple-flavoured, and served very chilled.

Eaten some kinda of pineapple rice with chicken steak for lunch, that didn't taste at all like REAL food! Accompanied by Marigold's new pink guava - which was pretty dilute. Concluding my "Best place to work", Suntec actually falls short under its food category... there is almost no good food around here although you get a nice view working high up in the city area. Tanjong Pagar has to be my favourite. SPH wasn't too bad with the surrounding coffee shops and its own cafeteria with very delicious Malay kuehs.

Actually 11 days here goes really quick, 2 more days and I have done my job!

Shoe-wrecking, and how to survive it!

I am a shoe-wrecker...

Shoe-wrecking can be nerve-wracking. Seriously.

This is the... nth time my shoes broke/tore/split/whatever. Okay, it happened again yesterday, arrghh. I have so much countless experience that I decided it is time I should share some tips on how to save your day, in fact your face too. Or even your poor feet.

Shoe-wrecking situations & solutions (my experience and your possibility):

1. Someone stepped on the back of your heels, just as coincidentally it happily falls into the "gap" between the mrt ground and train.
Demand payment, at least $10 more than the cost of your shoes or if you're not embarrassed by the passer-by since you're already embarrassed enough, ask for twice the amount!! Alternatively, ask the culprit to get you a pair of shoes from the nearest shop (bit unreliable) or inform train staff to retrieve shoe if still intact.
((EDITED 20/12/06)) Forgot to talk about the real solution thereafter. I guess you have to go barefooted and then take a cab home (can't imagine walking on the road or taking a bus?). Or get someone to bring/buy you shoes.
I'd chose the first choice, since it once happened and fortunately that poor guy was too guilty and insisted on paying me.

2. Shoes disintegrated after you left home and walked about 1km.
Get help, ring anyone at home to bring you another pair. Or if it's still in walking condition (before it reaches the final stage), make your way home in the quickest but most gentle manner.
My old running shoes had this problem, the sole came off, soon you see all the bits falling apart, like powder!

3. Shoes split open or tore when you're out (at work or in public).
This scenario is the worst, but it greatly depends on how bad the condition of your shoe(s) is in. It always help to have a pair of slipper in the office (now you know why!!). Here we talk about a few different level of damage/wreckage:

• Covered shoe's mouth/body split open.
  Try stapling, if you're in the office. If you're out and nowhere near stationary, look for "sticky" options in your bag. Like price tag, stamp (the sticker sort) or even Handsaplast (I tried this and was praying no one was looking at my "plastered" shoes). Next, with this temporaily help, find the nearest shoe shop, get a cheap substitute, or if you want a better lasting pair, shop carefully.
  
  
• Flats/sandals similar to flip-flop with its center strap/support snapped.
  I'm afraid you have to do floor-dragging till you find a nearest shoe store or hopefully someone is kind enough to bring you a pair.
  
  
• Heel(s) broke.
  Try breaking the other pair, and make do with flats for the time being. Next, find the nearest shoe shop, get a cheap substitute, or if you want a better lasting pair, shop carefully.
  
  
• Heels with strap(s) that snapped.
  Happened to me yesterday. I was almost frantic when I couldn't find any Handsaplast in my wallet. Don't worry, I found a new alternative. Hair rubber band! Girls with short hair, no harm carrying some. I managed to secure the base of the heels to my feet with my hair band and walked all the way across the road to the mall to get a new pair. Imagine having to drag one feet across the road?? Jesus.
  
  

Any other situations you have encountered? For guys/men, I guess you can do with barefooted - still look manly when you do that! That is all I can think for now. All the above can happen with different shoes under different circumstances, but I hope it proves helpful to you :)))

心不定

每当生活变得平凡无味。。。我期待着一些突如其来的变化，惊喜或一种陌生环境的到来。我需要的是改变。一个能让我的心停止寻找，一个能让我那迷失方向的自己感到心平气和的某某地方。能看到雪花，能在秋季里在落叶下漫步，能与大自然做邻居，能在那寒冷的气候里双手围着蜡烛的燃烧取暖！！ 大城市的生活使得我好厌倦，好疲劳。那繁忙都市人的生活看来不太适合我啊！

又下起倾盆大雨了，突然间我感到十分温暖。。。if only I could smell Tommy's nose now.

今早试了Caffe' con Cioccolato，味道还真不错！比起Latte con Cioccolato，它更像咖啡。可能天气冷的关系，我现象很想喝一杯热Cioccolato！！！

Colors

A bunch of bananas in the office

Today... everyone else seem to have decided to wear yellow together. From pale yellow to mustard yellow and also a striped (almost typed stripped!! it's a total different meaning!) bumble bee. I wasn't informed, maybe it was their staff meeting yesterday where they created the theme. I wore RED today, striking. I felt a bit like tomato, with the rest mustard... Or an apple among the bananas. Someone else wore orange, so I guess at least we are all ranging from this to this.

Actually I think it's much more fun when you do such a color cult, then you won't have to be indecisive about what to wear the next day and have something to look forward to (seeing other people in the same color). Imagine lunch time, you see this bunch of "colored" people together, it should be quite eye-catching and funny. Haha. That is only if you're up for it and has a colorful wardrobe. Some people wouldn't follow because the color doesn't complement the skin color or figure... but hey, its all just spontaneous fun.

Thinking about this, I do have a lot of different colored tops:
Pink. Orange. White. Black. Green. Blue. Red. Yellow. Grey. Brown. Cream. Purple.


It started to rain at 1030am. 'Winter' is Singapore is rainy and cold; not as cold as Europe but still cold, considering how hot and humid it has always been. 1055am, the rain ceased. I feel like I'm the weather girl, but can't help noticing all these changes in my surrounding. 11:05am, I see a bit of light... something is dying to come through that misty grey sky.

Got a text from my lil sister that she got the NAC (National Arts Council) job, I'm pleased for her. Finally a permanent job after what 8 months of doing nothing, searching and a few crappy temp jobs. The first job should always be a good learning experience, I guess NAC has chosen her because she's fresh outta school and probably very eager and willingly to learn. I do have some comments about NAC, but shall keep that for myself/gossips than spreading around here - in case I get sued.

The coffee machines here have spoilt me. I love the italian one as it brews nice choices like Cappuccino, Caffe' con Cioccolato (will try this soon!!) and Latte con Cioccolato. The other one brews good Nescafe coffee, Tea Tarik, Milo and Japanese green tea (suits well when I do sushi!).

It's freezing but not snowing :(

It started drizzling... not long after that blaring sun was forcing its way through the blind. Her (why female, cos' in german it's DIE SONNE) sunlight was too much on my eyes and I lost my concentration. The weather has become very unpredictable (as my life is too), it suddenly changes in the next minute. It was so sunny 15 minutes ago, nobody would have expected the whole sky to turn grey and like a mist it covered the once so beautiful skyline.

Feeling a little cold, I went on to make myself a cup of nice hot tea. Standing by the window watching the rain falling so quickly, I almost thought I saw snow. The drizzle looked so alike, like those snowflakes making its way down... Very quickly, very finely, I wish they were snow! It got heavier and heavier and I realised these wet water droplets would never be snow in Singapore. Where can I once again feel that numbness and pain - from building a snowman, from having a snow fight...

Cioccolato, don't you just love them

Life is not so perfect, so sometimes we need to do with less!

About my chocolate craving the previous day, I found a solution - Maltesers. They were my favourite but now I prefer dark chocolate and those without artifical flavouring or coloring. So far, Lindt is good but too expensive a taste for my frequent "mouth itch". For those whom are not very into chocolate, here's a picture of Maltesers. Oh I bought the milk and also the dark chocolate version (they have a white chocolate one as well).

On the inside, it's crunchy.

Anyway, I want to recommend you a (German) chocolate [pictured below] called the Reber Mozart Kugeln. I tried in Germany. And they do have my favourite MARZIPAN!!!! Oh, I found another brand exactly the same, Mirabell Mozart Kugeln from Salzburg, Austria! Which is the genuine one?? They look sooooooooooo.... identical. Whatever it is, let me show you this chocolate, and you decide whom you want to buy it from. LOL. Singapore has some speciality shops for chocolate, and they have it!

So let's take a look at what it's made of!! Each Mozart Kugeln has a heart of finest marzipan surrounded by dark and light praline cream with a coat of rich dark chocolate! Don't let me confuse you, Kugeln (which means "balls") is just one of the many choices they offer! Take your pick and drool~

Den Regen mag ich...

(DAMNIT, MY IE CRASHED!!! I HATE IE. IT NEVER WORKS PROPERLY!!!!! So there goes my "99%" done entry, scheisse.)

"Plok... plok..."

I was drawn to the sudden splattering at my window. I turned and saw huge droplets falling from the sky. Very heavily... Within minutes, the rain ceased. Amazing. Not even a drizzle. The clouds had hovered over the clear sky, I noticed shades of white among the cluttered grey. It paints a very dull image on my window right now!! Time to time, I hear the thunder calling... who is it that it's beckoning??? The lighting just flashed across the sky...

I love the sun, but I love the cloudy days as much. I could almost feel the temperature drop outside, just like the air-con in my office I believe. But I yearn much more to be out there, breathing that fresh cold air. It feels just like autumn, as real/close as it could get, just without the leaves turning red and stinging chilly winds.

It drizzled... for a few minutes. My feet are cold and it reminds me of cold winter.

Banana? I want Marzipan chocolate (not from England!!)

Everyone in the office gets a banana today. Monkey day? Banana day? Fruit day? Perhaps they have a weekly fruit theme, like an apple or orange next week?? It didn't do much for my sweet tooth but at least put to good use for my "itchy mouth".

Arrgghhh... I have a very very very very bad craving for chocolate today... so desperate for a specific kinda, with 3 rounds of walks in the supermarket, I couldn't find what I fancy. Why am I so picky with good chocolate? Like everything else...

November wake-up call

After some days of early mornings, I seem to have adapted. Am I very adaptable? But there isn't any more birds' chirping, except on that first morning. How weird!!

Adventure Click is still keeping mum, when is the news going to be out?? Or am I not shortlisted... I'm still hoping to hear at least something from them!! Tell me, yes or no!!! The voting results have also changed, more and more people are voting for Germany, and it overtook Greece which was first on the list.

The dress code at work is smart (casual), moreover my surrounding tells that jeans are better kept for Friday since we're at the same level with the Board directors. Last night, I dug out a whole stack of clothes and began ironing. I had no idea what I should wear, I never need to dress formal for most of my previous jobs. So it's always a headache in the morning. The good thing is my sister is up at the same time, so we often exchange remarks about one another's dressing and help each other to make better decision. So having a sibling of the same gender is not that bad, isn't it.

Dragonboat is hurting me like hell, I wonder why it gets worse and worse after more sessions. My body felt like ripping apart on Sunday, wasn't a good time to relax. My poor fingers were 'injured' at the training because someone stupid wrapped plaster around the paddle and its rough surface was tearing at my flesh the whole 2 hours!! However, despite I was physically tortured, we did something hilarious. We paddled under the Merlion's spitting 3 times. Those tourists and people in the duck tour/sampan boats couldn't stop snapping pictures of us. I might have to give second thoughts about continuing, maybe I should return to pilates which I'd prefer more.

I haven't see any money coming in yet, though doing a temporary job now does mean situation is improving. I dislike $ but I still need them to live...

My dear friend is having job trouble and might not be home for Xmas, which is really a let-down because it's already so near to Christmas! I sometimes ponder over what's the main motivation for her to want to remain in a foreign place, is it the greed for money, the desire to succeed in career or is it for a man who is not worthy of her admiration - I hope she makes the right choice :))

After all these time, I realized a lot of places can be your home but the one with true friends and love (not just romantic love, but all other kinds) is the best one to be in. Stay true to your heart:)

The bird song...

Have you heard the birds singing...

I bet most of you have... This morning, one of the rare time I have to get up @ 730am (after so much night shifts and late hours), I almost can't remember when I last woke up this early. I heard the birds chirping, had a taste of the morning freshness (air!! perhaps there's so much more oxygen!) and felt the buzz of the morning rush - this I don't quite fancy. I'll be hearing these chirping and singing for another 2 weeks, a little bothered about sleeping early and waking up 4-5 hours than I usually do. But, it's a nice change after seeing so much of the darkness than the day. I hope I can be like the chirpy birds, full of chirpiness!!

一位刚结识的朋友

他邀请我去喝一杯咖啡！我很爽快地答应了，结果之后他又邀请我去喝一杯啤酒！他还问我想和他共享一杯红酒吗？！我心也没想 那么多， 多一位朋友也无妨嘛！当晚，他顺口问我隔天能一起吃饭吗！我没答应，只是设防转移话题！其实今天和昨日正在举行划舟比赛，我们都是同组的会员。我拒绝了和 他一起吃晚饭的邀请，但是他却提议再去喝咖啡！我们不是已经喝了吗！我开始对他产生反感，好讨人厌啦！！！ 他是缺乏朋友吗还是我想太多了，你能告诉我吗？我真的对我现在無憂無慮 (haha, traditional because I can't find my way to type the special "lü" in chinese!) 的生活毫无怨言！我不想有某个人一直询问我每天的点点滴滴，琐琐碎碎的事物！！

Austrian Kaffee

Wiener Kaffeehaus - this is where I was yesterday.

Yearning to try something from Vienna without spending a bomb on an air ticket?? LOL. I sound like I'm their promoter (but I'm not!), but I do like their Sachertorte. That delicious chocolate cake accompanied with fresh cream, I love the chocolate coating. And guess what, it's very reasonably priced. When I last went to Pacific Coffee, not only has the size of their cakes shrunk, it's overpriced too. So are many coffe outlets with that $6 for a cup of coffee. I also witnessed their sandwiches being patronized as frequent as the Sachertorte, portion wasn't too miserly as well. For coffee, I tried the einspaenner, wasn't too bad really. It wasn't bitter though it was black coffee but somewhat acidulous. Next time maybe a Maria Theresia or a Melange! A few more plus points, I read they have free broadband access (wireless?), pretty decor and a very cosy setting. A place for a good book perhaps!

Besides their homepage, I also found an article on this virgin Viennese café (in Singapore) for a more indepth interview!

A good start... whatever it'll bring

Suddenly, my life is getting busier... I meet a lot of new people... I have been out daily for the past few days... I have started my active lifestyle (gym and yes, dragonboating). Everyone was startled at my new hobby, maybe because I look like a teeny thing, you couldn't believe how much I can contribute to that paddling, hehe... Anyway, I must admit, the training is tough and getting tougher each time! Last weekend, it was so intense because some people had to train for the upcoming race this week, and the newbies had to endure the session too. My arms hurt...

Today, I am so delighted because it's the first time since so long I can SPEAK GERMAN with people and have them understand me, and well at the same time I could understand some of them. It's amazing, because we have a bunch of people (Germans, Japaneses, Spanish, Singaporeans and Indonesian) all fluent or trying to learn the language. It gives me such a kick to be able to say something in German. Oh gosh.... so happy!

I feel very emotional today while I was reading the book by John Gray. I'm just another typical woman, am I not?

p/s: Another thing, I begin to detest online freaks, people who demand your attention all the time and say nasty things. I wonder what are these people looking for online... Get a life, arghhh...

我想去，你想吗？

好想喔！！

在那么多人和镜头前说话还是我的我第一次，这么难忘的第一次当然要和你们分享！哈哈！其实我不会很紧张，可能是因为自己拍了好几次的“自我介绍”片段的关系吧。但是还是少了不了一些小差错，唉，真是的！

今天我们都能投选我们各自想去的国家，当中我只去过德国，而且名单也包括了不少我想要探访的国家。如果是去德国也好，可能会有让我练习一下德语的机会 - 我那像“半生熟的蛋”的Deutsch! 哈哈！我投了希腊，因为印象中白白的建筑加上篮蓝的海洋该是很美的吧。我也想多了解一下那对我而言好陌生的文化，人们所吃的食物，他们所庆祝的节日。说来说去我还是一个对事物（特别是食物）非常感兴趣的人！

在评判发问第二道问题后，虽然我脑海里有好多的答案，但是瞬息间想表达出来还挺难的！我脑袋也一时空白，词汇也乱得一塌糊涂！！ 不是很乱啦，但是我始终都觉得我可以做得更好！

今天也来了不少竞争者，我不明白我们那些在网上报名的为何没有优先权！大伙们今天还不是一样都能报名吗？

我很希望很希望真的能够和你们一起看世界！！挑选我吧！！！！ *fingers crossed*

p.s: 我最想去的地方包括：葡萄牙，希腊，瑞典，捷克，匈牙利，奥地利，丹麦，波兰，澳洲，纽西兰，台湾，香港，日本，越南，埃及，南非，加拿大。粉红色代表也在投选名单里。

Notre Dame de Paris

Picture taken from www.notredame.com.sg
© 2006 NDP Korea Co. Ltd

Hmmmmmm.................

For the opening show tonight, it wasn't as good as I expected. Or did I raise it a little too high?

Personally, I think the performance is 3.5 out of 5... but I'll give 4 to their acrobatic dance which I really like! A lot of well-dressed people and well, a true-blue French musical (in french!).

It's a little difficult trying to read those English/Mandarin subtitles, after a while, you just want to forget about the screen and concentrate on every little thing that is happening on stage!! A very complex love story between Quasimodo (main cast), Frollo, Phoebus and Esmeralda, with narrator, Gringoire. I was expecting more from Gringoire, but Frollo seemed to stand out among them, I think he did much better job. Actually so did Esmeralda.

Despite I'm not a big fan of the language (French), I'm always open to watching musicals. Keen to watch the first French musical in Singapore, click here for Notre Dame de Paris.