an inspiring story

a few days ago, i read a quote from Paulo Coelho's latest book that inspired me.

it goes somewhat like this

to keep searching for your soul mate, you have to risk disappointments, rejections and failures.

quotes are such wonderful liners.

pride and fear of rejection stop girls from asking guys out.

when was the last time you asked a guy out?

were you rejected?

human in general are terrified of rejections.

but its worth it because you tried. and you wont regret not knowing if only.

i shared this with my girlfriends and they love it.

i told one of my girlfriend, thinking she'd love it. but she gently chided me and said "why do you need a book to tell you that?"

i agree.

the following is dedicated to a special girl with an inspiring story:

i was moved

but you need to let go

and keep walking tall no matter how.

when dark clouds seem to follow endlessly above, it will eventually clear after the rain.

light will emerge through the darkness again.

i was wrong to tell you "this is life".

this is only one episode of life.

moving on with grace and looking forward to the next chapter helps.

and then i'll welcome you into my world.

i promise i wont tell.

i'll show you that moving on is easier than you think

*hugs*

a becoming tuesday

i met rox! walking goddess. so long never see you grow so tall!

both tired but happy to see each other

finally caught Let The Right One In last night. the viewing was ending soon and i dont wanna miss it. overall great movie with a unique plot. a couple of scenes shocked me but generally, i'd classify it as horror-romance. the grossest scene was decapitation.

the company was lovely and we made new friends. hung out entirely with my good friend's (bx) best buddy's (jeff) good friends. i call them our third degree friends. they were nice people who made polite jokes.

qi was so sweet to come along for the movie even though she was under a lot of stress at work. i felt really bad and wanted her to cheer up. sigh my qi is the silliest sweetheart. im bringing her for a massage next fri! she totally deserves one. row darling got a kick out of chilling and wants to form a party group next. i have a feeling she will get what she wish for =)

maybe there's something i should tell you

childhood indulgence
sorry i broke the rules and had a cup!
weird how i could resist ben&jerry's
but not this.

my appetite is bad. really bad.
when it's good. i suppose it's really mighty good.

my appetite should be bad more often.
this way, my weight stays safe.

out of sight
out of mind

i dont know
i guess i just want to say i've been acting a li'l silly

silly is good
keeps me alive

i always remember the ones whose voices stood out from the pack
i've a knack for it

even if it's fleeting
im glad my heart is beating

maybe that's something i shouldnt tell you.

someone made my day

Claris says:
i was thinking of u n those memories at junction 8 flew into my mind..

Claris says:
heh thats how we click from there..
read ur blog occasionally

Claris says:
im glad u moved on :) really happy for u..

Claris says:
no matter what hairstyle u have changed, i know u are still the sweet gal that i know
always enjoyed talking to u
funny though u are younger than me but u really make a good counsellor!

we hadnt been in touch for a while now that we are both busy. but she was constantly on my mind when i flicked through the contact list in my mobile or when i visit Bishan. more recently, i thought of her again when i was thinking of my long gone belly piercing. she was the special female friend whom had the same fancy idea and so we went to pierce our bellies together. her piercing outlasted mine by mere months.

she is a very unique person. the first ice queen i know. the girl with the cool charisma. the girl with attitude.

oh claris i miss you.

hmm.

i am about to do something drastic to myself.

sis is not encouraging though i really really wanna do it.

i'll give myself 1 week to think.

i honestly think this is a good idea.

anyway, i just did myself a favour and bought a new clutch wallet to replace the old one. i also bought a fitting t-shirt dress for the beach.

i indulge when river island is on a sale.

terence is drinking again tonight, i heard. told cia to tell him on my behalf, to ''keep up the 'good' work!''

i've been standing too much today. my back and feet hurts like crap. cant wait to hurry home!

the welcomed weekend

you know you've been thinking too much when the tiniest mention of someone made your heart skip.

gorgeous friday it is.

i can finally breathe.

gearing up

i cant wait for july to come. and then october.

i look forward to a geographical change.

quart life crisis or not. being 25 is cool. why? i like the stability in finance.

it feels nice to be saving up for something. putting words into action, im setting up a travelling fund for my travelling expenses to redang with the old souls from anderson.

july please be here already.

i decide to roll with the times

had been feeling very out of sorts for the past week.

tonight, at this miraculous moment. it struck me.

this is the quart life crisis i hear people lament about. specifically, my quart life criss-crossed.

how queer to be feeling it myself. im generally a spirited person. no current setback to upset me either. but i am upset. with myself.

these thoughts are surreal.

i like to be more happy by myself than with myself. singularity is fabulous. i cannot discount that theory.

sadly, how this works out to the quart life confusion is that the theory stems from deep seated fear of not being able to handle another failed ...

well, i am okay. a thoughtful night is all im saying.

pictures amassed from the past few days //


new teal bikini


that wakeboarding morning on saturday


new maryjane for work


my passport is expiring
the photos are exactly 10 years apart


bleeding from the nails after a badminton session on sunday


further proof of delicate hands


the girls viv and ber


row and bx


my bedok 85 craving satisfied


bedok 85 delight


dining with special people


tired but happy to be here look


to die for


indulgence


ah balling dessert


eyeliner shopping during lunch on monday


mala steamboat with sheena on tuesday

met up with sheena dear to swap new updates and catch up on the now old gossips. glad to receive fresh perspectives from her once again. we had a wholesome night all to ourselves. gone were the exhilarated giggles and rants. our session was minus manda who had to overtime for her event.

i had an enjoyable night. some people just grows on you =)

ignoring the external world

very seldom will i ignore people.

there is the im right-you're wrong people that i'll ignore.

the type who goes "hi" every single time i log in to messenger.

and there's the ex-es.

other than that, it's really because im tired and being closed up.

i feel very flat right now. very numb and void.

retail therapy

havent done real shopping in god knows how long. i cant even remember the last time i shopped for myself. the only peeve i have with shopping is lugging all the bags around. other than that, im living in a li'l blissful state right now. im not really a fan of shopping. but im one of those people that buys the first thing that catches my attention. real shopping to me is really sensual, not just about stocking up on essentials/groceries. that is already being done to death in my book.

shopping is rewarding

the shopping haul: 3 basic spag tops (different colours), 3 ribbed shorts (same design, different colours), 2 footwear (1 milan maryjane for work, 1 T-front sandals for casual), 1 b/w flirty ensemble (definitely casual), 1 thick grey belt (for work/casual), 1 knit cotton long cardigan (work/casual), 1 teal coloured push up bikini (swim/beach wear), 1 pair of goggles (swimwear), a bunch of hairbands

price: a three figure sum

whoa! the feeling is priceless. i earned myself a worthy membership at the UK fashion house.

lovely!

im gonna try my hands at wakeboarding with the babes tomorrow. new friends. i fret about breaking my shoulders as they've been aching the whole of this week.

never mind that as long as the company is good.

ggreeeeaatt. what an unexpected weekend.

i wish im at zouk tonight.

the priority list

a dramatic morning ensued. inwardly. battled thoughts of confrontation but decided it was meaningless.

saw a note that simply destroyed whatever good mood i was in. miscommunication is underrated. and hurting.

good thing i arrived earlier and managed to hide the note from my same desk coworker. no reason to ruin someone's perfectly good mood like that.

the art of playing dumb came in extremely handy today. there are times where one must refrain from revealing emotions openly. this was one such time.

the evening ended off being rather toned down. i also saw the need to sort out my priority list.

it's been rough but i feel a tinge better already. special thanks for the call to check on me, cia dear!

the week summed up

this week had mostly been mundane and uninteresting save for a business lunch on a stormy afternoon at a bistro-restaurant near villa bali. the food was nice and the service exceptional.

i'd think im very used to bad service and though im always nice when properly spoken to, i hardly lose my cool with bad service people. once, i had a run in with an atrocious sales woman outside bugis junction. she was downright rude and demeaning. i almost wanted to punch her motor mouth because she was so arrogant. thinking back, i think i did the right thing by reporting against her to the company which was right above the site she was poaching customers from. i did feel bad for possibly making her lose her job. but only slightly. i later found out she was a mental case. unbelievable.

anyway, i have not experience such good service in a long while and that lunch brought back memories of my hey-day in the service industry (the long defunct liquidroom). i wouldnt exactly say i was the most outstanding service person around but i did however enjoy my job back then.

well, back to reality. i had prawn and arugula linguine which looks like this...

...al dente style

so, the guys in my office are crazy about golf and i just gotta share this two hilarious clips with you guys.

this is just a teaser

this is the funny one!
it made me go hahahahahahahaha in one shot

this week's been rather low key. im definitely in dire need of a recharge. if wakeboarding dont materialize this sat, i better start arranging something sporty soon.

a dreamer

i've often dreamed of places i could be at. where the weak-minded will find peace while the strong will meet their nemesis. it's a place where the spirituals are drawn to and where their destinies will unfold.

it's the place where one finds her/himself. where the answer lies in the heart and not the mind.

could i, would i...?

im but a dreamer tonight.

solemn

today was an okay day. i was quite beside myself. if words could describe how i feel, it'd have to resonate between being numbed and trapped.

a simple hug, the presence of a friend, or just hearing the familiar voice of a close friend sounds welcoming. i hesitate. guess it's just mad rush hour and like many cookie cutter executives, im rushing back to my pad...to solace.

gosh please dont remind me it's only tuesday.

im so into it

every year, there is bound to be a movie that makes me cry.

this time, it's happened again with He's Just Not That Into You.

i am soo glad i caught it with the right people =). the company makes all the difference. having said that, i actually think it's a great date movie besides being a chick flick.

also, there were moments we could all relate to in the movie. such as breaking up and moving on, obviously.

(spoilers ahead)

quotes like "A man who wants to make a relationship work will move mountains to keep the woman he loves" and "I need you to stop being nice to me unless you're gonna marry me" are keepers.

there were a few funny moments too, such as one...

African Woman #1: I'm sure he just forgot your hut number!
African Woman #2: Or was eaten by a lion.
African Woman #3: You guys are awesome!

overall, the acting was awesome, plot well written. there's nothing i dont love about the movie. and im into justin long who played Alex the love guru. the movie certainly utilized him well.

movie mania

im going to catch the flick, He's Just Not That Into You, with the girls tomorrow.

but what i really wanna catch next is Let The Right One In. it's a frightening swedish dark film about mortal-vampire tween romance. sounds really boring but wait till you see this...


i havent seen a good horror movie in a long time. a very coming-of-age movie this one.

so the girls and i ended up economizing the weekend with wallet-friendly activities on friday night.


tgif with the girls


my pink souvenir from hk


cat's shimmery face powder


it's a dark shade of pink that i like


a perching cat

just got back from a productive day of chilling by the pool, at dynasty the sleazy ktv and rocher for the beancurd (for the third time within 2 weeks, not to mention my first three times).

good to meet up with katt, row and bx today.

sidetrack, i heard a story today. it made me so upset i almost teared. it wasnt because of a sob story. it was much more than that. what could be more horrible than a simple request that's not granted to go terribly wrong? i could visualize the pain and horror of being misunderstood, accused, mistreated and worse, alone and defenseless all at the same time. it was heartbreaking for me to hear but im glad it was resolved. to the girl who will read this eventually, you're every bit as loved. here's a BIG hug! =) *rubs bruises*

a lil happy

about today.

my plans.

and goals.

the future, though unknown.

about TGIF.

about myself.

and more importantly, my discipline paid off.

and im at my happy weight.

sometimes i operate from a lot of positivity.

time flies

its gonna be my 1 year anniversary at the workpad mid march. through a conversation with aaron, the ex-intern, i was reminded of how time just disappears.

currently in my ipod is part of a song by Clay Aiken (On My Way Here) which i really like:

On my way here
Where I am now
I've learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I've fallen hard
But I've been loved
And in the end it all works out
My faith has conquered fear
On my way here

really really apt song for how im feeling tonight.

caught 3 movies within a month. not a bad count going by my standard.

just to recap, benjamin button has witty humour and dialogues but disappointingly predictable in its ending. brad and cate was quite the pulling factor. at least they made it less painful to watch.

slumdog millionnaire has really good storyline but lacks depth. i also feel like im watching a live who wants to be a millionnaire "thug" version. people actually applauded when the credits rolled. i was so stunned i had to verify with cat.

marley and me is very much a family flick. not to sound cheesy, it does make me want a marley for myself. it's a happy movie. definitely not for the restless. pretty darn draggy.

i've been having dry cough. thought it might be some virus circulating till i realized i've been offered chocolates of the dark variety by my coworker a little too often. obviously i accepted with glee. =P

time for bed! im bushed.

you were always on my mind

thought i'd like to pen this down while it's still fresh in my mind.

how does sentimental women fare in the sea of love? given the baggage they carry over to the next relationship, would they be less in demand and undesirable?

say to say, i do think so. if i were a man seeking a relationship, i wouldnt be attracted to women with too much baggage. its too much work. but when is a baggage in excess? i guess it depends. either way, we are better off being upfront about it.

the only good that came out of it is that we're more sensitive towards the feelings of others. perhaps more empathy, and less critical.

i think i speak for alot of us. and this entry didnt come out of nowhere.

virtuous circle of habits

this week was spent mostly in an incredibly good mood. despite receiving a little heavy flak for misgivings about myself, it's liberating to know that people i dont even know have such strong faith in me.

the conclusion is simple.

remember this, i do not claim to be anybody but who i am. everything else you make up in your mind.

say, if you dont like me. just brush me off and move on. simple. or, if you've to say something. be a man and say it with your true identity. though im glad to know your world revolved around me for that short span of time.

i am actually nice so please dont rub me the wrong way.

issue aside, i've been inundated with sports lately. a very good sign im headed for the slimville. no matter, im getting my tan back. i think i like it. fair skin or not, i'll still be caring plenty for my skin. you could perhaps say it's my single-minded pursuit. it would be psychologically unbearable if my skin problem rebound as a result of my sports scheme.

at the workpad, things are improving in terms of camaraderie and workload.

selective working pictures for your viewing pleasure.

the interviews first.

interviewing the russian

the partner

the stroke patient i spoke about in an earlier entry

the director

the press

sharing a humourous moment

our charismatic emcee and program director, Mitch

the event

seeing green?

the healthy refreshment

the chef taking a breather

the MP

the personal trainers

more coworkers

the chirpy lady in charge of operation



the "up for anything" funny ladies

the platter that's mostly picked off

that was almost 2 weeks ago but it felt longer than that.

yesterday, i was showing off some screen saver picture of mine to bx and he told me he have more of those familiar shots in his camera. never thought these pictures still exist. gosh those were the finest memories of 2007. my skinnier moments with row...

at blu jaz enjoying a peaceful dinner


i miss the bonding


and i miss the youth

about many days back, i sent a few text messages to the faithful beach crew. at the same time, i roped in a couple more new ones. lo and behold, i ended up with more than i bargained for.

the earliest to arrive
a first i think


taking a dig at the drenched ones
(myself included)

we got about 3-4 hours of gorgeous sun and the sky started pouring mercilessly afterwards. the funniest thing happened when we decided to board a 10 minutes tram ride to head back for a shower and ended up without a shelter over my heads. we had to huddle together and pit ourselves against the cranky elements with a picnic-sized straw mat as our "group umbrella". it was the most hilarious moment.

with half-soaked qi


solo


bx attempting a funny


yong an


new friend, jeffrey aka the frisbee dude


me trying to look my best


but not really feeling my best
haha!


our belongings all drenched


the sky cleared
trudging to bathe


uniquely qi


grooming pantry


his fashion glasses


pulling a holier-than-thou look
me: your glasses are reflecting light
him: even better! can up my nerd factor!


she: i need a hairdryer


before


after
me: you look so pleased! hahaha.
him: again!


the official "after"


all prim and ready to scoot


the docile nerd
with cheeky sightings behind


the fashionable nerd

the "hsiao jing teng" look

the weekend is coming to another closure. looking forward with glee to more of such weekends. the guys had lots of fun too and have been booked way in advance for another get together session like yesterday. i feel fine and fully recharged already with a great week behind me.

gah. im not sleepy yet. was hoping to catch up more on my sleep today but i spent the bulk of my time reading the papers. what a dorky sunday.