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Secret Santa

It’s the company’s tradition to buy someone (randomly allocated) a gift he/she wants. Budget $20.

With our recent move into the new building at 50 Scotts Road, the arrangement was, we buy for JWT people, they buy for us. A good way of “interaction”.

What I wrote as my wish this year..

  1. iPhone Juice Pack. Which I regretted the following week, ‘coz I fulfilled it myself at Comex.
  2. Nikon DSLR
  3. Canon DSLR

I was hoping to get Apple voucher for the first item (before I bought the juice pack myself).

Coz I was on MC on Mon/Tues, and on leave on Wed, I saw a huge gift on my desk when I reported back to work on Thurs!

Gift from Secret Santa!
Gift from Secret Santa!

And I tell u.. it’s FREAKING HEAVY!!!

Everyone was curious about what it contained. Hahaha!

So I started “unboxing” it!

*Didn’t take a video of the unboxing process*

A peep from the side.. DoubleA box?!?!

Couldn’t resist the curiosity anymore. Took a scissors and cut away the wrapping paper. Hahhahaha!

Got my first wish fulfilled!

Wish #1: iPhone Juice Pack
Wish #1: iPhone Juice Pack

2nd wish fulfilled..

Wish #2: Nikon DSLR
Wish #2: Nikon DSLR

Not bad leh.. high end model somemore!

3rd wish!

Wish #3: Canon DSLR
Wish #3: Canon DSLR

How exciting!

But! What exactly is inside the box?

*cut* *cut* *cut*

That’s A LOT of masking tape used!

And here goes… tadah!

Inside the box..
Inside the box..

Thank you my Secret Santa! But I don’t drink wor..

Much as I’m disappointed I didn’t get anything USEFUL, I had fun unboxing the gift!

Gave the Chang Beer to colleague instead.

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Gastric Flu

Started feeling unwell while at Yusheng’s wedding on Sunday. The dishes started to make me feel nauseous. With the loud music in the background, headache started to get worse as well.

Kept telling myself, that I’m going to take MC the next day. Zhiying (Henry’s wifey) even said that I’m allergic to Mondays LOL.

Woke up on Monday, feeling relatively ok. (That always happens when you want to take MC).

Until I felt the stomach (or was it the gastric) trying to grind something. The feeling came and went, several times. Decided to visit the doctor. I thought I was having indigestion, coz I wasn’t feeling hungry despite not having breakfast (yet).

Alas.. LS-ed while on the way to the doc. Argh. Quickly got my queue number and ran (literally) back home. The LED displayed Q number 06 when I left. Mine was 10. Thought I missed my turn when I went back to the clinic 20mins later. LED displayed 08, Nurse said it’s not my turn yet. (Strange, so few ppl on a Monday, yet the service so slow?!)

A good 40mins later, I was in the room with the doc. Told him the symtoms, first thing he asked, “you sure you not pregnant hor?” *faints* Which was logical, since my symtoms matched those of a pregnant mummy who are in their first trimester. Hahah..

No no.. I am NOT pregnant! Stop laughing, if you are right now! Don’t ride on MY misery!

After some checks here and there, doc concluded I had gastric flu. I heard of the term before, especially when Clauds got it few months back. But I’ve never had it in the past, unaware of the symtoms. I just felt bloated which I brushed it off as indigestion earlier.

Another 10mins wait for medicine collection. Slowwwwww! But nevermind, I have 2 days MC!

Went back home, took the pills (argh! I hate pills!), had a bit of bread and off to bed I go. Not drowsy but was feeling weak from the LS, and queasy.

Had porridge (those that had ingredients in it, not the teochew style) for lunch. Finished the whole plate! But I slept through the afternoon. Woke up with headache. Too much sleep, so I brushed it off.

Couldn’t eat more than 5 mouthful of dinner. Went to bed feeling a little bit hungry.  All food smell made me nauseous.

(Doc said to avoid milk, now I can’t even drink my fav Milo to replenish energy 🙁 )

Kept waking up throughout the night. Had hard times trying to fall asleep again. Too much sleep in the afternoon?

Tues

Woke up feeling slightly better. I’m referring to the LS part. But the gastric was still trying to grind something (stones I think!)

Headache’s still there.

Lunch was porridge again. Didn’t finish it.

No memories of what I did on Tues, think I slept through the day again. Grinding stomach (but no pain wor.. just the grinding feel), headache. Enough.

5 mouthfuls for dinner. No more. All food smell made me nauseous.

Took a long time to fall asleep that night. Kept waking up coz of the headache, and the hotness of the Nefful pajamas that I wore to sleep.

Wed

Damn the headache. No more MC, had to go office already! Just when I was about to leave house, it got worse. Had to take the day off to rest instead. Damn u headache!

Heard that the little boy’s coming over! That’s my motivation for the day haha! Woohoo~ Got a little bit excited!

That’s when I realise.. the headache was caused by the tight veins at the back of the neck. Any slight movement of the head will trigger the pain.

Couldn’t wait for Lele to come. Much as I know he will open my transformer boxes again, I still welcome him. haha..

Couldn’t stand the pain anymore. Made a trip down for a back massage. Felt so much better, the left shoulder wasn’t in pain anymore (though the pain that came after the massage was INDESCRIBABLE).

Oh did I mention I was working as well? Sigh..

Felt so much better on Wed that I attempted a PROPER dinner. 10 mouthfuls! Well done! That was a great improvement!

Thurs

Went back to work. Backlogs to clear from the many emails on Wed. No choice!

Lunch was a headache. There’s literally NOTHING that I can eat!

Bread & water are my best friend! *hugs*

Ended up had fish porridge from Newton Food Centre. Thankfully I managed to finish the whole bowl.

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Until today, I still control what I eat. No oily food. No spicy food. No milk. No coffee. No tea. (But I attempted 2 pieces of smoked salmon last night, seems pretty fine!) I try to eat as plain (but yummy) as possible.

3 kg lost over the week. Not a bad attempt! Keep up the good job! Can I do it all over again, minus the LS and the nauseous feeling please?

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Trip to the ulu West of Singapore

Was so excited when I saw 24Seven’s tweet on visiting Singapore Discovery Centre!

Reason being
– my last visit was 10yrs ago
– can’t forget the helicopter I saw there (I’m a fan of almost everything guys like)
– taking train to Joo Koon seems interesting
– my plurk khakis are going! (Victor, Huishan, Qiquan)

Woke up freaking early (you know I don’t wake up anytime earlier than 10am), met the group at Joo Koon MRT at 10am.

Was really excited about visiting SDC. Anything about Singapore!

SDC holds different exhibitions every 3-4 months. This time, it’s about SG Tidbits 365. An exhibition that tells you the best kept “secrets” about Singapore. I like the name of the discovery hall – The Shiok, The Ulu and The Obiang. Just the name alone you can feel the Singapore-English here.

SDC tells you a little bit of the Singapore history, and how it foresees Singapore will be in the future. Nothing government. A place not to miss if you’re new to Singapore and would like to understand more about her.

I like this pic! Photo credit: Qiquan

Thanks to the arranged-guided tour for the bloggers, we get to try the SAR21 rifle, which we were told it’s the exact same one the guys use in army. Feels shiok to be holding a rifle! :p There’s a pistol (SIG SAUER P226) shootout next door too, which we didn’t try.

As part of the package, we get to watch 2 movies at iWerks! Have long heard that the ticket price at SDC is cheap! $7 for all days! 3D shows inclusive! Beats paying $15 (i think) at GV for a 3D show!

Thanks Singapore Discovery Centre and 24Seven for organising this trip!

PS: I didn’t take that many photos, ever since my camera failed on daytime-outdoor shots.

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Congratulations Yusheng & Liting!

Attended Yusheng & Liting’s wedding dinner tonight!

Supposedly I had 2 wedding dinners to attend, but had to sacrifice one. Yusheng’s the lucky one! 🙂

It must have been fate to be classmates for 4 years. Secondary school days are always the most memorable days for most of us. Wasn’t close to them during school days, very surprised that the 2E4 guys never fail to include me in their gatherings in the recent years. Loved hanging out with them, the lame jokes from them. They never fail to make me laugh! But I’ve been told I didn’t laugh loud enough! *faints*

Truth to say, it’s a little awkward when the whole group are guys, and I’m the only female (excluding their gfs). But it’s all in the name of fun. I don’t keep in constant contact with them, it’s heartwarming that I’m remembered as the class monitor (monitress), and that their gfs knows me by name too! Really very touched, thanks guys!

Had a fun night tonight, the thumbprint joke made my night. haha!

Will upload photo(s) when I get from the guys.

The class monitress signing off.

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A Christmas All Decked Out

A Christmas All Decked Out
A Christmas All Decked Out

The photo said it all.

I wonder how many of us remembered looking forward to trips-to-Orchard during Xmas seasons, when we were young.

At least I did. I loved looking at the decorations, though I loved more about the going-out with the family & cousins.

As we got older, as we start getting busy with our own lives, such trips get forgotten. Viewing decorations can be a way to bond the family members. At least.. that’s how I view it.

I’d stopped walking down Orchard Road during Xmas, for the purpose of viewing / appreciating the decorations. As years go by, you’d realise they’re actually all the same. They aren’t as interesting as they had been when we were young.

So what’s so interesting about this year’s light-up?

Was invited by STB to attend the light-up ceremony on 7th Nov (yes this is a super overdued post!). So together with Huishan, Victor, Qiquan, DK, Claudia, Lester & GF, we attended the ceremony as Media!

Feels very good ahhaha!

Guest of Honour was His Excellency President S R Nathan.

With some performances by JazzKids from Kids Performing & clients from AWWA Teach Me..

Photo credit: Claudia
Photo Credit: Claudia
Photo Credit: Claudia
Christmas tree made up of recycled ornaments
Christmas tree made up of recycled ornaments

And off we go to the arranged-Hippo bus that brought us round Orchard – that’s themed A Christmas All Decked Out.

The whole stretch of Orchard was split into 3 zones.

Blue Zone - where the Snowman stays with winter christmas
Blue Zone - where the Snowman stays with winter christmas
Orange Zone - Reindeer comes out to play
Orange Zone - Reindeer comes out to play
Red Zone - how can Santa be missed out?
Red Zone - how can Santa be missed out?

Other than Orchard, places like Marina Bay (themed A Glitzy Christmas by the Bay) and Singapore River (themed Christmas by the Singapore River) are also beautifully decorated. A pity the hippo bus tour didn’t include these locations due to APEC. And being the lazy busy me, I didn’t had the time to check them out.

If you walk past participating buildings for the Orchard Road’s Best Dressed Building Contest, you can vote for your favourite best-dressed building!

Of course, how can Christmas be fun without Christmas Sales? I won’t be able to tell you where and what (too broke to go shopping!), but you can check out STB’s Celebrations-Packed Singapore site to find out more!

I have a new-found love for walking down the lighted-up streets – friendship bonding. The photo said it all.

Thanks Benjamin for the invite! I had a great time!

More photos on flickr!

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Thanks for making my day

Yes I know I should be doing up the overdued entry, but personal thoughts never fail to come when I’m preparing to sleep!

Was reading through the feeds on Google Reader when I saw this from Mingli’s blog.

我想我没那么坚强 每个女孩其实一样
渴望着爱情的好 渴望被拥抱
却都害怕爱让人受伤
承认我没那么坚强
不过是一而再的逞强
小心将情绪收藏 比傻瓜还傻
刺猬的坚强全都是假象 哭吧

That’s the lyrics to Wen Lan’s song new song I think. This stenza seems to be reading my mind, my thoughts, my feelings. Wanting to make a step forward but afraid at the same time.

Nevertheless, a small action from u made my day (night actually) tonight. Thanks! You know who you are :))

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The taxi incident

How many times have you made a cab booking and the driver didn’t appear?

There’s currently this law that says cab drivers can only pick up passengers from taxi stands during certain hours of the day. With that, drivers are NOT ALLOWED to legally pick up passengers from Shaw Tower, right? Since there isn’t any taxi stand AT the building itself.

I have heavy bags in tow tonight. Called comfort hotline using office line. “Auto-pickup location: taxi stand before Shaw Tower. PRESS 1.” Ok did that. “Sorry that is an invalid location. Please wait for our operator to assist you.” WHAT?!?!?!

Directed to operator.

“What’s your location ma’am?” Hello? It’s a fixed line leh? Cannot see from caller ID meh?

Shaw Tower, I said.

“Oh ma’am, cannot pick up from Shaw Tower.”

Hey your auto-pickup said taxi stand is an INVALID location.

“Is the taxi stand number XXX?”

Sorry I’m not too sure. Have yet reached.

“ma’am please call us again when you reach the taxi stand”. HELLO? I cannot book cab when I’m < 5min away from pick-up location meh?

Dun worry I’m just 5mins away

“Ok. Please wait for the taxi number.”

Ok thank you.

“taxi: comfort sonata XXXX. arriving in 7-10 minutes”.

Huh so long ah.. Ok lor..

Takes bags and leave. (bags already packed before making the call)

Reached downstairs. Ehhhhhhh so many vacant cabs lor! Why I still book cab ah? *facepalm* since made booking liao, wait lor. Cannot cancel booking so many times, comfort will blacklist you de. Bo bian. WAIT for another 5-8mins lor.

Walked to taxi stand abt 100-200m away. Ok lah.. Not very far. But laptop and mooncakes HEAVY leh! Sigh..

Wait. Vacant cab zoom past. Wait again. MANY vacant cabs drove past. ARGHHHHHHH. If you cannot reach within 7mins then dun accept the booking lah… 🙁

10mins. WHERE’S THE BLOODY CAB???????

Depressed. 🙁 I want to go homeeeeeeeee

Oh here comes the cab! Eh driver! Where are you going??

The cab with an “on call” sign drove PAST. Oh no! No way am I going to walk BACK to Shaw Tower with my heavy bags!

Gave the driver 1min. Where’s the phone call? Don’t they usually CALL when they don’t see any passengers waiting?

No call.

Fine! Dials 6552-1111 AGAIN. CANCEL BOOKING.

BLOODY HELL. A hungry man is an angry man. Fits this scenario perfectly.

Thankfully a vacant cab appeared less than a minute later.

Reached home ONE HOUR FROM THE TIME I MADE THE CALL.

Wah laos. Super angry man!

Now who’s the one who said CANNOT PICK UP FROM SHAW TOWER huh?

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The extra candle 2009

Suddenly inspired to hv a post with this topic.

All plans failed for the day. All the talks abt going for a nature walk, going to the optician, making a portfolio of the pinkys… FAILED.

The phone started ringing non-stop from 7am. I slept only at 3, having spent a fair bit of time on the post on the F1 trip. Not that I’m complaining of my sleep being interrupted, I’m in fact feeling very blessed having friends remembering the date. =) Regardless of how distant we had been. How long we’ve not been keeping in contact. How close we used to be. How close we are now. Thank you my dear friends!

Finally woke up at 11 and was too lazy to leave hse by the time I had lunch.

Procrastination won. Ended up sitting in front of the laptop. Didn’t feel like watching the long-overdue shows. Got too bored and decided to get myself a meaningful present. Searched for a webhosting company and finally www.cloudie.sg is alive! Not an empty shell anymore. Hahha.. For the time being, it’s my experimental project. Until I move this blog over.

Kept thinking to myself, why am I still doing work when I’m on birthday leave?Yes.. cloudie.sg is currently running on wordpressmu. A research that I’m doing at work to better-house some of my works and probably increase performance.

I feel so… dead. Think I need to get it over and done with, and take a proper break from work. When passion becomes work, u need to keep the fire burning. Else the passion will go and u’ll feel unmotivated with work.

Back to topic. Hahah digress too much already! The day ended with mcdonald dinner. It’s so… Unbelievable.

Some me-time for the day. Though procrastination spoilt the plans. Ended up nuahing the day away. But hey at least I got my site up!

Can still be considered a well-spent birthday I guess =)