Bye 2011

After sorting out the finances, feelings and finishing things off at work, I am ready to face the new year. Here I am, going to bid farewell to 2011.

Next year will be a new challenge. After reaching 30, suddenly I feel adventurous again. Maybe I should do some investment. Maybe I should do something in future that is not for the sake of money, e.g. volunteering at an olive farm or vineyard! Filling bottles with olive oil, stamping on grapes... how carefree is that compared to slogging away in front of a computer??

As everyone gets more competitive, I get more the opposite. I don't want to compete, to be part of them, I want to do something totally the other way round. I want to hide, do my own things and not care about the competition. Living in a society like today stresses me out, they make us constantly worry about our retirement funds, about surviving the inflation, about how much the government taxes us and not improvising, about how most of us struggle to afford a roof over our heads.Why have things changed so much in 20 years? Why? Why? Why? Why are things not so cheap like the past, why aren't buses 25 cents... I would give up the MRT, LRT and whatever we have now if things could go back to the past.

Anyway, I have to accept life as it is, try to be contented as we should. Alamak. The older we get, the more we think. The more we think, the more we worry. Can I be a bit more retarded please? (but I'm kidding!!!)

I have so much to write about the past 2011, I shall start another entry on that.

I hope you guys are ready for 2012 in less than 30 hours!!!

Onboard Logos Hope

If you have no idea what or who Logos Hope is, you're not reading the news, either that or you haven't been out of the house for ages! Check out the link to know more about the huge vessel currently visiting Singapore. It also holds the record of holding the world largest floating book fair. Onboard are 400 crewmembers from over 45 countries who have a common goal of serving the common good, 11 of them are Singaporeans. How I envy them :) With my sea sickness, I doubt I would be able to sail around the world like them! Still, I went for a visit, bought some books and cards, the blanks cards are from various museums in United Kingdom - save me a visit :p Do pay them a visit, as it is their first time they're here, and hopefully not the last. Logos Hope is owned and operated by GBA ships registered under a charitable organization in Germany (I just found out too!) and the ship has sailed around the world, helping countless people in need. Suddenly, I feel like joining them.

French nails

First time, french manicure. Of course, it's not on my own hands. Sister never painted her nails, but when I asked if she wanted me to paint for her. She requested "french manicure", I think it has to do with the word "french", she can never seem to get that out of her head. It's not perfect, but it's easier than I thought.

Using Sally Hansen colors.

On the side note, here are my colors. Please note that the painting is a little horrid as I did this after so much gift wrapping, my hands are tired :p

Cola - just the color of the drink, Cola

Cynthia - Teal blue, I call it Peacock blue

Being a volunteer

Besides those activities "forced" by the schools and the companies, this is my second time volunteering. I remember the first time, my sister and me sold paper tulips to raise fund for cancer. It was hard approaching strangers for donations, but when people willingly came up to you, it really made our day. I begin to see and understand why volunteers volunteer when I am one myself. I hang out with people often of similar goals, whom want to do good, to contribute without asking for anything in return. I used to envy these people, I always asked myself why are they so kind, what do they get in return... But today, I don't (and I never found out the answer till today) because it is really enjoyable being one of them. They are usually very nice people whom want to give an extra hand, and the happiness we derive from it, it isn't money. It is the satisfaction we get when we meet other kind people who are willingly to support our cause.

p.s:
On my first day (Mon) we wrapped 35 gifts in 5.5 hours;
On my second day (Fri) we wrapped 119 in 5.5 hours;
On my third (Sat, Christmas eve) we wrapped 98 in 3 hours!

Just for you

Merry Christmas my dear friends!

Gone

(fluff)Friends is gone. Another game losing money and decided to close down the app? But they had done so quietly and so many are angry about it because they spent real money on it. I never have the habit of spending on things like that, I probably don't understand how people get so obsessed and began to spend their money on online games that would not give them anything back, except a few minutes of pleasure. Oh well, some people do.

Bye my beloved virtual Tommie. He's the pet giraffe I have in (fluff) for years. Afterall, I still have the real one by my side :)

30 goodie packs

They come in cute Daiso transparent bags, each fronted by a Santa Claus on a red Christmas wreath. They are selectively packed with Cheezels, Twisties, Andes, Palmer, Toblerone chocolates and some others. Thirty of them. I have meant to give them away to friends and colleagues.

After being a day or two of "Ms Santarina", I am now left with just a few packs to be given out. This year, I have decided to do it a little different, I have allocated some for the auntie at YAMI yogurt, the receptionists, an administrative uncle and two cleaners in the office. The reactions from them varied but it pleased me watching the joy I witnessed on their faces. I wanted to describe it to you, because it is just so different from the ones I get from my colleagues.

Few hours ago, my Facebook status wrote,"Giving the cleaner a goodie pack is more satisfying than giving them to my colleagues. Those are the people who need to feel appreciated." Isn't it true? My mum once worked as a cleaner, and I really detest people who tend to not show them any respect.

So I shall describe the reactions from the few people I mentioned above.

#1 - New receptionist
She has been here for a couple of weeks, thus very new and still warming up to the place. When I passed a goodie pack to her, she seemed really surprised and thanked me immediately. Later that evening, she actually "opened" the door for me which she usually doesn't (pressing a button to release the security door).

#2 - Administrative uncle
A Malay uncle who has been doing the courier and the ad-hoc stuff in the office. Everyone knows him but few really talks to him. He was standing in for the receptionist for lunch when I presented him with a pack. He seemed very glad too. When I saw him again, he actually gave me a very sincere smile.

#3 - Receptionist
She's a familiar face to all and a couple of times I had some small talks with her. Nothing serious or too personal, just very general things usually. When I handed over her a goodie pack, she reacted like the new receptionist, then sent me another thank you message over the IM.

#4 - Cleaner auntie (office)
This plump auntie loves to eat. She would eat at any chance. I would sometimes give her some food as it's her next pastime in the office besides cleaning. She's a little lazy but overall quite harmless, except for her greed for food. So when I gave her a pack, it seemed like just another of the occasion I gifted her food.

#5 - Cleaner auntie (toilet)
This poor auntie always has this grumpy face. I could understand as my mum was once doing the same job. She once cursed and swore when someone made a mess in the toilet, I would too... I couldn't stand it when I see some inconsiderate bitches leaving the toilet paper all over the floor or left their mess in the cubicle. She always come at specific timings to replenish the stuff in the toilets, so I waited for her the whole afternoon today. She's also often left stranded outside the door when the receptionist is away, she would press the bell but no one came to her aid. Then I would go to her rescue, often enough for her to recognise me. She would smile and thank me. Then I realised, she's very amiable afterall. Today I went in while she was cleaning the toilet, suddenly stood in front of her and gave it to her. She was shocked when I said,"It's for you!" She recovered and said in Mandarin,"For Christmas?" I said,"Yes!" She gave me a smile that brightened my gloomy day; I am so glad she knows she isn't forgotten.

#6 - YAMI yogurt auntie
The auntie I met when I was a teenager. I haven't visited her for a few weeks now, feeling a little guilty and decided to have one for dinner today. It was about closing time, she was more busy than usual, doing her closing. She seems a little hostile than usual, but soon warmed up when I chit-chatted with her. When she handed me my yogurt, I handed her the goodie pack. Her face lit up and said,"So sweet! Thank you!" I have heard this a few times when I gave out the packs, and always have thought it's a very common thing to do. But hearing that, it sounded like I am an alien!

Why? Tell me why?

I'm having a bad day, or should I say I had. So serious that I didn't have the appetite for food, I only had a cup of yogurt and some chocolates. I'm afraid of this society, I'm sick of being in the rat race, I'm tired of competing against others, I have had enough. Living in a place like this, in the world today, I am easily not contented. I don't know why, perhaps I should just do something else, without the sake of earning money. People can volunteer and get paid nothing but still enjoy it. Why do people like us get paid, doing something not as enjoyable, and still do not get the desired happiness?

Perhaps The Red String Book has an answer.

p.s: Thanks Joy for getting a Kinder Joy to cheer me up. She knows I love Kinder Surprise but they are almost non-existent in Singapore now.

If you suck at gift wrapping, come to us!

I came to know about this event when I did a google search on charity gift wrapping - Love for a dollar. It's basically providing Christmas wrapping service for kind donations going towards Salvation Army. I love my handicrafts, so it is perfect for someone like me. I also found quite a few like-minded people on the same journey.

This morning, I started my first shift. It should be a warm-up before I do it again on Christmas Eve and the Friday before Christmas which I can foresee madness. The first two and a half hours, we literally had no one coming to us with gifts, except for a few kind donations. But later on towards the late afternoon, customers streamed in, mainly students, aunties and uncles whom are not at work. I must say we are quite lucky, we did not encounter anyone who refused to make a donation - any amount, even though we did state a minimum of a dollar. I heard from my fellow volunteer, she encountered one auntie whom made them wrapped the gifts and claimed to have no money when she was carrying a branded handbag and wearing gold necklace. Unfortunately, such people still exists. I hope I don't get to see them during my shifts!

Christmas nails

Oh dear, oh dear... it definitely has been a while. What have I been so busy with!! Now I'm back for a little short entry, just to let you know I'm still here! ;)

Here's a little entry for the nails I did for Christmas :)

China Glaze - Ruby Pumps

China Glaze - It's Alive