29 Nov 2005 — Haha, guess what everybody? William and I missed our flight to Singapore earlier today, so typical of us! But luckily, we were able to get onto the next flight, which is 4 hours later, so I’m still able to get home by tonight, and Billie’s still able to catch his connecting flight to New York.

So the last few hours, we’ve been to the food court, shopped for magazines, did our tax refund, and now, yes, now this very moment, we’re in the Krisflyer Lounge. Yup, it’s my very first time flying business class. Hee hee, rather excited like a little kid. Billie said part of the experience is to come check out the lounge, but actually the one here no big deal, I was kinda expecting something a tat nicer. Lots of makan and drinks if you’re interested, but expecting to be fed quite a bit on board the flight, so won’t bother with the cup noodles and sandwiches… don’t waste space.

So yes folks, in a few hours I’ll be back home! Can’t wait to see all you guys and girls who’re back there! Ok, they’ve just announced that our flight is ready for boarding, so I’ll talk to you later.

25 Nov 2005 — After becoming an expert on answering questions like “How close can you park to another vehicle when parked parallel to the kerb?”, “Are you permitted to tow a caravan with a person riding in the caravan?” and the like, ladies and gentlemen, I have taken my very first step in obtaining my driver’s licence. Yes indeedy, I have finally taken my Driver Knowledge Test (aka theory) and am proud to announce that I passed on my first attempt! Heng ah! Never waste the $33.

Unfortunately… this Billie forgot to cue me in on the very important fact that in the event that I pass, I will actually be issued a Learner Driver Licence until we were already in the car on the way to the centre! To which my instant reply was exactly the same as when he proposed back in Sep: “Why you never tell me?!! I never wear makeup!!!” Hee hee, so bimbo. Which explains this ghastly photo, so pale, like ghost like dat. Somemore I so gei-kiang , thought for a change I shouldn’t smile with my teeth showing, a little too chirpy for a licence, afterall most times when we’re instructed to show it, can’t be a good thing… but the effect of the photo: lagi worse, I have this almost sinister look on my face. Hor hor?

What to do? What’s done is done. Next time when I get my actual licence must make sure I doll up until 美美.
Read more »

19 Nov 2005 — On Saturday, Sumie, Billie and myself were invited to Amy & Eric’s engagement. So exciting, our first since we arrived more than 4 years ago. But before heading off to the restaurant where the party was held, we first made a quick stop at their new home in Bankstown — first time too for all 3 of us. The house itself was really nice, new and comfy and very tastefully decorated. Oooh and it boasted a huge courtyard, great for BBQs and other gatherings. How envious, only in their early-early 20s, and the two of them are already homeowners, not tenants like Bi and I. Well, hopefully in a couple of years we also have somewhere to call our home, somewhere with walls we can legally nail hooks into…

But enough about us, today’s leads are Amy and Eric.

Both Sumie and I think they make a perfect couple, really compatible! And even though we’re not Amy’s parents, somehow today, both of us felt some sort of 感触 that “our little Amy” is now all grown up with a house and family of her own… (sigh of joy) So drama.
Read more »

16 Sep 2005 — Having visited both the Great Wall and the Forbidden City the last time while we were in BJ, I wasn’t particularly keen to play the tourist during this trip. However again with Weiling at work and a few hours to kill, I thought I’d do so today. Have heard some pretty good things about the Summer Palace, but it was a bit far away, on the outskirts of town, and so I decided on 天坛 or the Temple of Heaven (ToH), which was right smack in the middle of the city instead. Still feel rather wary of travelling around on my own, my biggest concern — being taken for a ride by the cabbies, so always must pretend that I’ve lived in Beijing for years.

Turns out the driver I got was pretty nice and friendly, and before long, we were on the front steps of the ToH, so I reckon I didn’t get cheated.

For those unfamiliar with this place, I’ve taken the brief description of it from UNESCO’s site: The Temple of Heaven, founded in the first half of the 15th century, is a dignified complex of fine cult buildings set in gardens and surrounded by historic pine woods. In its overall layout and that of its individual buildings, it symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven – the human world and God’s world – which stands at the heart of Chinese cosmogony, and also the special role played by the emperors within that relationship.
Read more »

17 Nov 2005 — Boy time sure does fly! Didn’t realise it’s already been 5 days since I last blogged. So what have I been up to? Hee hee really girly things like making my own ring cushion, arranging and personalising wedding favours, creating our ROM guestbook and just generally planning everything down to the minutest detail. Might sound really silly and frivolous to some, but I’m actually really enjoying myself. All these activities are allowing me to express my creative side, which usually doesn’t come into play very often. But when it does, it is all-consuming! I can get lost for hours just selecting the right font for the tags or photoshopping a picture till it’s just the right size and colour or mixing and matching ribbons till they fit perfectly, etc, etc. Always thought I’ve got some 小小的天分 for art and design, even wanted to be an interior designer at one point. Hmm, maybe when I’m 50, I’ll go for drawing lessons proper and really learn how to paint. In the meantime, I’ll just nurture that creative spirit through these little ROM projects. Feels good for the soul.

Also, just received pictures of my grandfather’s 88th birthday from Evelyn, my kum-moh (mum’s younger brother’s wife). My mum’s second in line in a family of seven children. And with several of my aunts spread around the globe, it’s not often that all seven of them get to be in Singapore all at once. But for this occasion, they made it! First time in years!

“Grandpa and his 7 kids”

This picture includes all the in-laws and “outlaws”. (Evelyn’s the one in the pink top in the front row. She’s my favourite kum-moh, then again, she’s my only kum-moh! But she’s great, a bit xiao like me, maybe more, and she’s just a few years older, so very kaki-kawan.)
Read more »

12 Nov 05 — So with Admund and Siew Yin gone, what have we been up to other than me birthday? Well, Billie’s been trying to work when not pestered by me, and me, heh heh preparing for our ROM of course! Just about every girl’s favourite project in the world isn’t it? Well, other than the BIG wedding of course. But man, it sure hasn’t been all that easy, especially when you’re trying to organise things remotely. Take the venue for one, quite a few times, I almost threw the towel in, proclaiming “I’m not getting married!” Right. But frankly, couldn’t have done it without Jeff and Serene who went round scouting all the places for us, liasing with the restaurants and being “our eyes” for us. Jeff also took tons of pictures so at least we have some idea of what the places look like. Frankly Singapore changes so fast that a lot of the locations we were considering we’ve actually not even been before! Really really had to stretch our imagination… But finally after much consideration, and even more negotiations, the venue has been booked. Hoorah!

Oh, oh, oh and after the venue, the next most important thing was of course finding the right wedding bands. Somehow the notion that this was something I had to wear everyday for the rest of my life created a certain amount of anxiety — we better better make sure it’s a design we won’t get sick of wearing or looking at! We must have visited at least 30+ places, from the poshy-poshy upmarket ones like Bvlgari and Cartier to funky hippy places at Paddington, until my Billie want to scream out “Enuff Oredi!” I think. We were down to two designs we really love. One: the Georg Jensen “Fusion” rings (on right), which would cost us A$3200 for just the 18K gold ones! Or Two: a matching set of rings at some neighbourhood shop called Linda Jewellery in this really ulu suburb called Rhodes (we just happened to pass by ‘cos there was an IKEA there). Here it would costs us only about half the price for the two rings in white gold, and I even get 0.5 carats’ worth of diamonds in mine. So just two days back, sick and tired of searching, we settled on the latter option. Hah! Rhodes?!? Who would’ve thought!? You really never know where and when the right one might just pop up, kinda like men…
Read more »

11 Nov 05 — Just a few pieces of fantastic news both for ourselves and a couple of our friends.

Firstly: Hooray! After close to a year, William and I just received the news that our application for Aussie PR has been approved! Yay! Now we’re eligible for Medicare, and if I apply for Uni, I pay local rates, not international ones, plus I get to enjoy local student fares for public transport (half price)! Wowee!

Also on our homefront: after 12 years, Billie has finally got his rotten tooth fixed.

He broke it when he was 17, in some roller-blading accident. Over the years, it got blacker and blacker, and he’s been rather conscious about it, never really smiling wide for the cameras. Well, now he can! I was so moved when I first saw the “new” him that I couldn’t help but cry. It’s good that he’s finally done something for himself.

And now on to our friends.

Over in Japan, Sumie’s son, Shunsuke, has just passed the exam to qualify as a public accountant, which is considered a very prestigious vocation there. Both for him and Sumie, it has been a long, arduous and stressful period, so heartfelt congrats indeed!

And in the US, lo and behold, Sherry (my colleague from the days at Be. magazine) has just gotten married! Here’s what she said about George, her partner: …The gist of it all is that I met someone wonderful, fell in love and it’s turned my world upside down, more or less, in a happy crazy sort of way… It’s one of those things that people tell you that I’ve never believed till I met him - that you’ll know you’ve met the right one when it feels really right. I finally understand what it was that they were talking about – this knowing that this is someone you’re happy to spend the rest of your life with. Aww… isn’t that wonderful? I’ve found mine, hopefully those of you who haven’t will meet your “right one” soon too!

And some pictures of course:

L: The joyous couple
R: That crazy 6-layer chocolate cake they served as their wedding cake!

8 November 2005 — Yup, 2 days ago was my 29th birthday! Thanks to all who sent their well-wishes, including Wendy who remembered despite going in for an op, Sumie who sent her greetings all bright and early, my parents who called all the way from Zhuhai, Sean (how do you even know it’s my birthday?!?), Shihui, Kiat,

Peiling who never fails to send me an actual paper card in the mail,

Amy who gave me these gorgeous books a month ago!

And even Ray, my acupuncturist (albeit a very impersonal message, probably sent by his receptionist).
Read more »

4 Nov 2005 — Before we knew it, a week has passed, and Admund and Siew Yin were homeward bound. Tried to get them to stay for a couple of days’ more, but SY had to work half-day on Saturday?!? Wil and I both agree that had it been us, we would definitely have taken that day off too. Not as disciplined! Anyway for their farewell dinner, we had rented 千杯不醉 (Drink-Drank-Drunk) and were going to get pizzas from Dominos, just a take-it-easy movie night in. And we had just gotten desserts and drinks from Coles, when suddenly it came to me. Mexican! And we knew the perfect place for it too — Montezuma’s at Crow’s Nest, which is just a stone’s throw away. This is after all their last dinner in Sydney, how can be so mundane as to have pizza right? Besides, Bi and I have been eager to correct our less than satisfactory experience in Cairns, and Ah Meng and Siew Yin have never tried it, so what are we waiting for?

(I’m sorry if my blogs are turning out to be about food, food and more food. I oso dunno why?!? Seriously, a lot more goes on in my life than breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper! Really!)

The restaurant was packed when we got there, a very good sign for a weeknight. And like their Parramatta branch, this one at Crow’s Nest was also decoratively adorned with Mexican curios of all colours, sizes and forms. Very lively and vibrant and filled with the chatter of people enjoying themselves!
Read more »

2 Nov 2005 — For a while now, Billie and I have tried to get our visitors to go bushwalking with us, but other than my parents who were kinda tricked into it at the Blue Mountains, no one has actually took up the invitation till Ah Meng and Siew Yin came along. In fact, not only did they agree, they were so onz as to prepare a whole picnic meal! Wow, and familiar with how well Ah Meng cooks, we knew we were in for a treat.

That morning itself, Siew Yin woke up bright and early to prepare the ingredients even before the rest of us were awake. A couple of hours later, with beehoon and chicken wings in tow, not to mention some desserts and mangoes, we were all ready to set forth! Destination: Middle Cove.

Just look at how pristine and unspoilt the environment is!
Read more »