New Lease

 Brendan has found a new job. He is still in the surveying line but has moved from Export to Construction industry. The company he works with is a small company that takes on sub-contracts from property developers and construction works. It is rumoured that Facebook will have its Singapore office at this new building- The South Beach. (situated at the old NCO Club). The South Beach is a new design lifestyle hotel, consists offices, apartments, retail and F&B.

Viewed from South Beach

 Viewed from Penthouse

End of School Term

Some worksheets from Colin's portfolio

 He says this is a Firetruck, Fireworks and a Ladder.

self portrait with very faint lines...

Finally found

As the date draws nearer, I got anxious trying to find the right gown for my director's wedding. 

Firstly, I have fat, jello-arms...... so it is hard to carry off anything sleeveless. 

Secondly, I have two, long scars at the armpits. They are dark-red, bold and long, so it's quite hard not to stare and I don't want to see people trying to hide their shocked faces. Some masseurs told me they thought I had boobs job done.

I had shopped at a dozen boutiques, big & small, including departmental stores the past month and was relenting that I might be under-dressed again, so as a last attempt, I asked of the Universe to "send me a nice gown for under $100". 

Finally, on Friday, of all places, I found a suitable gown at OG Orchard. OG is a place my aunts get their brassieres and nice heels, and those NINA dinner dresses for the elders. But it really doesn't matter where I found my dress as long as I'm able to feel comfortable in it. The in-built sash could cover-up the scars on my under arms, yay!

Ham & Mushroom crepe, tomato soup.
@ Plaza Singapura 

Volunteerism

This afternoon, we had a workshop on Volunteerism.

When I was first informed about it two weeks back, I thought that I should opt out because I really don't have time to volunteer on a regular basis. Plus, if I have the time to go cut the toe nails of another elderly, I should first go cut the toe nails of the three dependents at home. However, as I do part take in community efforts on an ad hoc basis especially with our CEO being an active PBM, she will always call for our assistance and ask for volunteers for the various befriending work she does; be it fundraising or run a marathon, or bring the kids out for an event. So I went to find out the various structures of volunteering and the areas it covers. You can choose a cause that you feel for, eg: children, at-risk-children, low-income family, counseling, handicap, old folks befriending.  You can check out The Lion Befrienders http://www.lionsbefrienders.org.sg/

I am glad that they've got it right.

If you've understood volunteerism correctly, you will know that it is not always you enriching other people's lives. If you are lucky, you will be humbled by the experience that it is actually them, enriching your life. 

So many people always say-- Give back to society, Give back to the poor, Give to the needy. 

They think they give and the receiver benefits. 

I say, if the volunteers are capable of touching the hearts of those in need, they will be surprised by the effects. 

They will know that it is them who have been enriched. 

And I am glad that the Speakers at the workshop, they all know that. They didn't pitch about "giving back". They say-- Come, volunteer. And discover for yourself. 

Layer 2

Ok, so now solving layer two has become easy.
With a solved layer 1, turn the cube upside down and you will see an inverted "T" (a short T)
In the inverted T position, rotate top layer to form a normal, capital letter T (inverted), browse and decide if the top middle piece should be exchanged with the tooth to the right or left.

If moving to the Right, do -- Up, Right, Up, Right, Up, Front, Up, Front. (these are the steps)
as to the orientation, it will be -- Left, Up, Right, Down. Right, Left, Left, Right.


If moving to the Left, do -- Up, Left, Up, Left, Up, Front, Up, Front. (these are the steps)
as to the orientation, it will be -- Right, Up, Left, Down. Left, Right, Right, Left.

Do this two times for each sides (four sides), you will be able to complete two layers of teeth in correct positions. Yay! 

What I did was to recite in my head, "Up Right Up Right, Up Front Up Front". like that. So easy right? Orientation wise, logicalize the steps. Eg: If your intention is to move the tooth to the right, the actual movement starts with Left, further actions are just reversed, so that becomes easy too.

When you overlap two different learning modalities, it is easier to eventually learn it rather than lumping everything into one big chunk, my brain can't process one chunk. Actually, I developed this trick from learning the violin. It's like, firstly learning the EADG open strings, then add fingerings eg: 1 on A, 2 on E. Then add bowing (up bow down bow, double up etc). Do one section of the song at a time. Do a small section until you have muscle memory before adding the next small section. When practicing, play from beginning to the section you're at, until finally the whole piece.

So now........ the last layer and the last top face of the Rubik's..... I hope I can accomplish learning it. At least it is doing something I thought I could never, ever do, albeit nothing celebratory because it didn't come naturally. But can still celebrate effort lah har? Don't be stingy.

"The Good Dinosaur"

Yeah, next Tuesday bringing KiCo to watch "The Good Dinosaur"

Toilet Roll

At a toilet cubicle.

Me: Okay, that's enough, stop playing with the toilet paper. 

Kiki: I'm not playing, I pull this (toilet paper) down so other people can use. 

She meant so that the next person could reach the toiler roll without having to fumble.

Save Fast with Fives

November- $220!
October $160
September $125

Yeah

Jelly Belly

  Jelly Belly 

Birthday Weekend

 The whole tin of milk goes into the minibar 

 Twin room

Deluxe Room @ S$620 per night for a normal room with minimal amenities.

This is inflated room rates. Nobody pays this kind of rates one lah. 

I mean, the oddball holiday-maker may pay that kind of rates but mostly, the locals just go join the RWS membership to get a cheaper room rate or not at all (since RWS always gives its members complimentary room nights). Whatever price the hotel puts on paper, they might just back-charge half of it to its Marketing Department as part of Marketing cost since it is Marketing that issues the comp room. That way, Marketing has an expense while Room Sales has revenue. Well, that's what I guess anyway.

 Milk, milk. 

Colin asked when will I bring him to take "the roller coaster on a rope". Took me a while to figure out he was referring to the Cable Car!   Cable = Rope. (thick wire ropes are also known as cables, by the way).  The cabins travel up and down, similar to roller coaster minus speed, and they're on a rope. Therefore, "roller coaster on a rope" aptly describes Cable Car doesn't it?  No wonder his speech therapist says he comes up with "original ideas" despite the lack of vocabs. To describe what he wants to express, he searches for words that he knows and puts them together in a childish way.

 The first-ever present I've received from Kiki-- 85 cents from her Piggy Bank.

 I really do love this Black Sugar Mask, you've gotta try to know why.

Thanks to Iresh, she surprised me with it   =)

Fruit & Veg Salad @ $10.50.... I think Cedele's better. 

After checking-out from the hotel, I brought KiCo home and then I went out to shop for a dress for.... company's director's wedding in December. So stressful attending black-tie events. Hope to find a suiting dress soon. 

Went for the last of The Hunger Games.

I am satisfied with its humbling, "positive end". 

The entire Hunger Games concept is that of civil war, oppression, treason, rebellion, throw in some heaviness of doomed romance in the face of endless adversities, complex romance between young, innocence and romance toughened by survival needs, plus the overall, underlying message of having good faith in human kind despite all the power craze, betrayal and evil that we are capable of. It says the thirst for revenge is hard to satisfy, but still among us are people who would rather heal than seek revenge, and that's hard. 

Excerpt: (from .telegraph.co.uk)

The epilogue to the Hunger Games trilogy reads pretty bleakly: set years in the future, it suggests that Katniss and Peeta have managed to find some level of peace, living together in the rebuilt District 12, and raising their son and daughter – “my children, who don’t know they play on a graveyard”. The text also reminds the reader of the nightmares “that won’t ever really go away”. In order to survive, and avoid being overwhelmed by horror and despair,  Katniss says: “I make a list in my head of every act of goodness I’ve seen someone do, It’s like  a game. Repetitive. Even a little tedious after more than 20 years. But there are much worse games to play”.

 Happy Birthday to me. 

Finally, one slice of cake before the end of the day to mark my 42nd year of existence. 

May I continue to be me.

Meanwhile

This little boy is naughty, cheeky and manja.

He becomes quite animated and talkative every time after speech and drama class, I'm glad that he enjoys the class. His school teachers have also told me that he's making progress. He said things like "raining cats and dogs" to describe a heavy downpour, and "waiting for ages" to describe a long wait. (waiting for ages came from me). So anyway, his teachers are happy with his progress.

Saturday 20th November

 Went to JL's baby's full month celebration. 

After violin class, we went Tokyu Hands again.

 Adopt-a-pet campaign

One Grand Aunt bought her a haversack for P1, another Grand Aunt gave her $20 to buy anything. 

We bought a dog-designed Pencil case at Tokyu Hands, for exactly $20.   Well,,,,,,, don't think it'll last for six years but,,,,,,, we'll see lah har.

 I'm not supposed to read the scroll but I read it anyway. 

Kiki had a complaint to make but she's not sending it to anyone. She's just venting it on paper. 

She tried to put the complaint to me when we were travelling on the bus but I told her I didn't care to hear. (so mean of me). She was unhappy that while I yelled at her, no, while I howled at her when she dropped my Rubik's cube (at home), I did the total opposite when Ryan did the same (at the party). I had told Ryan "It's okay, don't worry about it" when he dropped my Rubik's and a few cube tooth came off. Of course lah, firstly, Ryan is my nephew. Secondly, he dropped the cheaper Rubik's. Thirdly, I was gonna send my good Rubik's for diagnosis at Ken's, so I wasn't concerned about having a spoiled cube. But still, I guess she was rather hurt over the unjustifiable howling I had given her. (I've already told her that no matter how angry I appear to be, it will only be for two days. After which, I will always find a healthier way to deal with the situation.) But I guess that kind of emotional processing is a tad sophisticated for a six-year-old because all she did was to hold up her arms over her head and squatted down when I howled at her. I have to forgive myself for that, I over-reacted. I have a bad temper and I need to learn to be on relaxed mode by default.

Her other complaint is that I had ignored her at the party. 

Well, I've asked her to socialize but she was still holing up in her shell. I mean, for me to make an effort to talk to some less close cousins also require effort from my part and I've already been making more effort to mingle more in order to set an example for her.