Countdowns

At the blink of an eye, it is approaching the time of the year to have the New Year countdown. While people out there are playing hard during such occasions, I have never been excited about all New Year countdowns.

When I was a student, the New Year countdowns symbolised the end of the long school holidays and the start of a new school year with more difficult school work. For the recent years, the New Year countdown symbolises the end of yet another year and as I look back at the new year resolutions which I made a year ago, hardly half of them have been accomplished and yet I am another year older.

Can't help getting the blues for this coming 2010. I am getting 30!! When Chinese New Year comes, I can bet the relatives will be bugging me when I will expect a baby, especially when I am no longer young!! *roll my eyes* I hope none will ask me to seek medical help!

Eeeks! Hope my birthday will never come!

感谢水声

昨天夜晚，我独自回家。
踏进屋门，一片漆黑，鸦雀无声。
我开了灯，开了窗，开了小池塘的水流。

悦耳的水声打破了房子的寂静。
突然间，我不再感觉寂寞。

感谢小池塘陪伴我度过每个独处的时刻。
也感谢曾经陪伴我的小鱼儿们。:)

Cruise to Malaysia

I went on a cruise again, this time on board Superstar Cruise Libra for a 4D3N cruise to KL and Penang, with my husband, his mum and sis.

Though the vessel was smaller than Superstar Aquarius which I cruised on last year, we had a cabin with porthole. :) However the weather had been cloudy the past few days and we couldnt really catch a nice sunrise or sunset. But it was great fun to view the sea and sky just from the cabin!

Arriving in KL Port Klang... The link way connecting the harbour to the terminal hall, where our coach to bring us to Mid Valley Megamall awaited.

Mid Valley Megamall reminded me of Vivo City - with its size and branded boutiques. Basically there was no bargain up for grabs, so a 3-hour allowance in the mall was more than enough for most of us.


The new harbour in Penang, which coincidentally had its first opening on the day which our Superstar Libra docked at its pier. So we were warmly welcomed by the local authorities, together with their traditional drumming as heard in muslim weddings! Even the custom officers greeted us with a smile just like PR officers!


Queensbay Mall in Penang, some what like Suntec City.

Chinese cuisine on Superstar Libra.


Dim sum breakfast.

Italian seafood pasta. Creamy and authentic!

Italian grilled chicken with a unique taste.

Another Chinese meal with totally different dishes and soup.

The only show on board which we were allowed to take photos. "The Underwater Escape" performed by world magician Charles Bach from Las Vegas. He managed to hold his breath for more than 2 mins underwater to set himself free from the chain and locks. Bravo!

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On the whole, the trip was enjoyable and the service by the crew was excellent. It would be better if we were given more time to explore Penang's unique heritage, architecture and... food! We only get to try Penang Laksa and their Hokkien Mee (prawn noodles). Aww....

老天保佑

老天保佑，保佑我永远也不会得糖尿病。

我宁可得癌症，起码医的好，可以过普通人的生活，大不了死了就一了百了，离开人世，脱离烦恼。

糖尿病还比癌症可怕，它永远也医不好，永远得控制饮食，吃一辈子的药。若病情控制得不好，还有可能影响到肾，肝，眼睛，甚至中风。到了那个时候，我有能力照顾自己吗？

老天保佑，保佑我永远也不会得糖尿病。我好爱吃蛋糕，好爱吃巧克力，好爱吃水果。天气热时，我超爱吃冰淇淋，喝泡泡茶和可乐。我也好喜欢吃面食，好喜欢马铃薯制作的一切。可是一旦得到那个恐怖的病，我就得跟我喜爱的一切告别了。

那活着岂不是很痛苦？

老天保佑，保佑我们大家都远离那个可怕的病。

Bargain books at HMV

Ha! Bought these 2 bestsellers at HMV last Sat at the City Link Mall branch. Yes, HMV actually sells books! And at a very cheap price too - 1 for $12.95, 2 for $20! Can you believe it?

Glad that I finally bought "The Time Traveler's Wife". Had wanted to read this book way back in 2006, now that even the movie is out shows how long I have been delaying the read. :)

Too bad HMV didnt have a copy of Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper". Had wanted to read this book back in 2006 too and till now didnt get to borrow this book from NLB. HMV had "Nineteen Minutes" though but its story of a court case involving violence didnt really interest me.

Dale Carnegie's series are worth collecting too, I have read his "How to enjoy your life and job" (mentioned in my blog last year in Aug) and find it really insightful and awesome. :)

Oh yes, I saw 2 of Mitch Albom's books on sale too - "The five people you meet in heaven" and "Tuesdays with Morrie". Too bad I have already read them, or I would have bought them too.

I must say the selection at HMV is not wide, but you may just find something that you like, and at unbelievable prices too. :)

What knowledge is of most worth?

Today I shopped for a blood glucose metre with my mum at Unity pharmacy and we were glad to receive so much new info from a pharmacist, as if we had visited a doctor.

Besides demonstrating how to use the metre step-by-step and advising my mum on what types of food to avoid, the pharmacist also recommended a type of supplement Sugar Guard (made from bitter gourd - thus "bitter gourd tablets" in short) to help balance the glucose level in the body.

I feel that it is really cool that pharmacists have such vast knowledge on medicine, health supplements, health-related issues and even operating of health devices. The way that this lady pharmacist spoke, though a bit dramatic (for comic relief, I suppose), did provide us with not less info than if we had visited a doctor. Furthermore, she had recommended us with relevant, inexpensive health supplement which was not something that a doctor would normally do.

I gradually can comprehend what Herbert Spencer (English philosopher, 1820 - 1903) meant when he believed the knowledge that was of most worth was "the knowledge needed to pursue those activities which directly minister to self-preservation". Doesnt that simply mean knowledge on health issues? Of course! How can a soldier save himself and others injured in a war if he has no knowledge on first aid? How well can we keep ourselves from being infected by H1N1 virus if we do not know anything about hygiene practice? When our health is not there, how can we succeed in doing any other things?

Glad that I have always been reading health magazines. :)

Hooray!

Ahhhh!!

I couldnt believe my eyes when I first looked at the weighing scale. And I opened my eyes wide.

I have lost 1 kg!

My hard work has paid off! The jogging works! The pilates works! The stop-snacking strategy works!

Yes! I am on the right track! Will continue till I lost 1-2 kg more! :D

Trying to lose weight

The most important thing on my mind now is trying to lose weight - fast. Well, besides wanting to look good at a friend's wedding (and fitting nicely into the evening dress) at the end of the month, I am seriously scared of having to replace all my clothes that I normally wear to work. Already 2 pairs of G2000 pants and a pair of Lawman jeans are impossible for me to squeeze in. My skirts are still wearable but that wont be convenient if I work with young children. I seriously do not wish that the rest of my bottoms need replacement soon!

For the past week, I have been faithfully following the most basic rule of losing weight - do not eat more calories than I burn. As such, I have been trying to stop snacking. In the afternoon I only have either an apple or a fruit juice for a snack (so hungry!) I am trying to avoid sweet things and stuffs with high carbohydrates too. And I am beginning to wake up earlier to do some exercises like jogging or pilates.

Haiz. After trying for a week, there is still no signs of weight lost. *depressed* My stomach is still so bloated after meals and even my T-shirts seem to get tighter. :(

I think I really have to put in more effort in burning more calories per day. My target is to lose 2kg in the next 10 days. That's about 200 grams per day. Possible?

I knew it

I knew it. I just knew that sooner or later, I would cut my hand when slicing the lotus roots.

I HATE SLICING THE LOTUS ROOTS. The roots are hard, of irregular shape, and when the chopper slices through, it cuts through the holes inside and the slice of root breaks. When this happens, the chopper may just slip, and slash through the skin on my finger. Wow, that's a lot of blood lost, considering a sharp chopper has been used. The good thing is, the "slice" of skin is still dangling on the finger (and not on the chopping board).

You know what, I have this sense of failure all the time when I am slicing the lotus roots. It is simply impossible for me to cut completely round slices all the time. Wonder if it is due to the knife or my strength applied?

Anyway, I conclude I HATE SLICING THE LOTUS ROOTS. It is either I break the lotus slices or I cut my finger. It is so difficult to choose between perfection and safety.

Getting fleshy

Hm. I realise I have put on quite a bit of weight lately... a total of 3-4 kg! This comes as a shock as I have never seen my weight approaching 50kg ever since my JC days. And the strange thing is, when my face and arms were "fleshier" few years back, I had weighed lighter then.

Hm. I guess the fats have accumulated elsewhere now... like in my tummy and butt. Yes, I am developing a belly... and "fleshier" butt and thighs. So much so that those bottoms that used to fit nicely are too tight to wear now and those that used to hang loose are getting tight as well.

Hm. I guess too much snacking is the main culprit. This is something that I need to reflect upon... Hm.

Jurong Safra Club

My trip to the newly opened Jurong Safra Club began when I wanted to check out the Kbox outlet there (as the Kbox outlets near my place - Lot 1 and Jurong Entertainment Centre - had closed down). At first I planned to take a feeder bus there from Boon Lay Interchange, but hubby found out that it was just a stone throw from there. In fact it was just a 5min walk! :)

Entrance of Jurong Safra Club

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This Kbox outlet has only 28 rooms. Those guests who

did not make reservation were turned away....

Kbox room with touch-screen monitor for songs selection. You may also select sound effects like hand-clap, cheer, whistle and jeer to play after one song is finished, haha!

Cozy ambience with pretty wallpaper


Reminiscing the good old days with Coca-Cola posters....

Each room was given a pack of protective covers for the mics.

We checked out other facilities at the club as well....

Swimming pool with some variety of water-play facilities.


Kidz Amaze - giant children's playground.



Lots of slides, slopes, balls, etc within the playground promoting physical development in children. Entrance fee is not cheap at all, about $12 per entry, accompanying adults pay $2 each.


Grand ballroom for functions.


Restaurants like Jack's Place are available.
There is also a unique foodcourt based on Japanese theme.

Water feature along the corridor.

Hmm.... We are considering getting the membership at $30 per year, I think. The member is allowed to bring in one accompanying guest to the swimming pool each time. Maybe that will force us to go swimming at least twice a month, since we have already paid the fees... :)

小月

Yesterday's 4th episode of 《溏心风暴之家好月圆》 left me pondering over a character 小月.

小月 was adopted by the family when she was 18 months old. However she grew up to have strong ties with her family. Yesterday's episode featured her quarrel with her aunt which ended with her grandpa instructing her not to interfere with his family's matters and causing such unhappiness. Those who watched the entire segment would know that it was the aunt who told a lie first and sparked off the fight between the two women. What 小月 wanted to do initially was to protect her mum's and grandpa's interest but she ended up getting blamed by her grandpa.

I see 小月 in myself sometimes. Not that I get accused or blamed by my family or friends. But the part when she "interfered" with something that she couldnt see eye to eye with does resemble what I always do at home. When I see things being done in a slipshod way, I interfere; when things are in a mess, I interfere. Why? So that things are done systematically and everything turns out neat and pleasing to the eyes. And guess what happens? Most people like to do things they way they want, even though the way I suggest is really more organized.

Ha, a lesson learnt from 小月's misfortune: Just leave things as they are (as long as there is no danger)... After all, what others do dont concern me directly. No use fuming over someone's stubbornness and disrupt the peace in the family or workplace. :)

Lottery and me

When I was teenager up to the time when I was in my early 20s, whenever I walked past the queue at the Singapore Pools counter, I would secretly "despise" the folks in the queue, thinking that they were a less hardworking lot, only dreaming to strike it rich one day. I also felt that if they could save up the money that they placed on the bets that never seemed to win, they might be much richer by now.

Strangely, when I walk pass such a queue now, I would heave a sad sigh secretly in my heart. Why, most of them are poor folks who wish to buy a "hope" from the lottery in order to have a better life. It is not strange that many of these people are the unemployed, retirees or housewives. I mean, how often do the rich buy lottery? Basically they do not need the winnings! I must confess that even I myself tend to buy more "hope" when I am not generating income. My mum has been buying more "hope" these days too, as a sudden windfall will take care of all her medical bills and buy her more tonics and supplements.

In my opinion, buying lottery has no harm as long as the bets are small. It is not the same as gambling in a casino or placing bets on horse races where peer pressure exists and one may lose everything overnight. A person definitely has better self control when buying lottery at a Singapore Pools counter.

Of course I am not trying to advocate buying lottery here. Just penning down the changes in my viewpoints regarding this fascinating game. :)

Changes

I have been helping my mum out at her place lately, with the daily washing, cooking and cleaning, and even uncovering ant nests! Sometimes I also notice there are better ways of storing things or keeping things neater. But when I suggest the changes to my mum, she would brush them all aside, saying that there is no problem with the current arrangements.

Haiz. She is resistant to changes.

生日快乐，爸爸！

今天跟一家人一起庆祝爸爸60岁的生日。:D

虽然只是在餐馆吃了简单的一餐，然后回家切生日蛋糕，可是大家都很开心！（尤其是妈妈！）

祝爸爸生日快乐，身体健康，笑口常开，心想事成，愿望一一实现！:D

午后闲情

昨天心血来潮，烘了一打mini muffins :) 有3种不同的口味，有oreo cookies, blueberry 还有chocolate chips!

再配上一杯blueberry smoothie... Mmmmm..... 感觉真不错！:)

好久好久没那么悠闲了，真是难得！:)

Tetra bag

My second sewing project - tetra bag - completed!

It turned out to be simpler than I thought, because the denim fabric was of a nice thickness and made the sewing by machine easier. I didnt have to unpick any problem stitches and that really saved a lot of time. :)

Yeah, I have a new bag to carry around whenever I go somewhere nearby! :)

P.S: The name "tetra bag" comes from my sewing book, but I guess the authors mean "a bag in the shape of a tetragon".

My first sewing project

Do you own a tissue pouch? Do you use it?

Ha, I always wanted to have one, but somehow I didnt buy any. Never had I dreamt that my first tissue pouch would be machine-sewn by myself! :D

Well, it took me almost 2 hours to complete the first one, from measuring and cutting the fabric, ironing the fabric at various stages to create the necessary creases for easy sewing, to unpicking ugly stitches and re-sewing.... hmm... it was not as simple as I thought!

Then I decided it would be more efficient to work on more fabrics at the same time, and along the way, time-saving ideas struck me as well. The subsequent tissue pouches really took much lesser time to complete, about half an hour each on average? I must admit that my machine stitches were not fantastic, but I believe my skills will get better as I have more practice.

What a good buy of my Brother sewing machine at $125! :D

My next project? Hmm... can't decide! Too many ideas!

I am back! And what a journey it had been!

Gosh! When was the last time I posted an entry?? 13 Feb 09! More than 5 months ago. And now I am back, finally. Guess what, today I have completed my last assignment for my course, and I am handing it in on Mon! :)

What a journey it has been during this 10-month course... Very tedious, very tiring, very taxing on the brain... I feel like I have never thought so hard in my life! Every weekends had been spent doing assignments that seemed to be never ending, and there were presentations every now and then, whether they carried marks or not.. Goodness knows how many powerpoints I had prepared for those presentations!

But there were fun moments too, such as making ice cream in class during the science module and doing a group collage using all sorts of materials during the art module. And there were class excusions too, like a visit to Australian International School to learn about their play-based curriculum and to SAM to appreciate the art pieces (and to complete 3 art critiques on 3 pieces of artwork, which took me 3 weekends to complete, for I am an art idiot!) Oh yes, the Bedok library performace too *faint*, where each of us had to put up an individual rhyme and song (with actions) as well as a group rhyme, song and dance as part of our music and movement assignment. Gosh, can you imagine putting up a public performance as part of your assignment? I recall that we only had 4 days (including Sat and Sun) to prepare for it. But I must say I enjoyed practicing the group dance to the tune of S.H.E's 《不想长大》, even though from the video recording we looked hilarious.

I must say this course requires a lot of thinking and creativity. There was an assignment requiring us to write a Math story using powerpoint... and there was one requiring us to write a language story using words that start with a particular letter of the alphabet. Guess what was the letter I was given? Letter Y! *faint* couldnt really write a fantastic story with so few words that start with Y. I recall using up almost all the words that I could find in the dictionary!

And there were times when we were "forced" to give individual presentations (and no marks given for them) to the whole class, like bringing a children's storybook to do storytelling (and I had to borrow a nice and short storybook from the library that I knew would not bore the adults to sleep) and presenting our philosophy as a preschool teacher to the whole class. Ha, I remember my philosophy was the 3 Ps - passion, patience and persistence.

All modules have a group assignment and individual assignment. I am glad that I had done most of my group assignments with a same group, of which 2 of them are current childcare centre operators and they have lots of resources. When I worked with this group, we never had to meet up over the weekend to discuss our projects and work had always been allocated efficiently. But the drawback was, most of the time I was the one to compile the group assignments.. and the good thing? They always "trusted" my work and nobody bothered to make changes, so at least that part saved me a lot of time, ha!

In this course I have met a lot of people with great passion to educate young children. They may not have high academic qualifications but they are nice people who are easy to get along with. There are also some who show determination to further their studies to be a better educator - they started out doing a certificate in preschool education, then a diploma, then they intend to carry on to do a diploma in leadership! I really admire their determination, because for me, I will never want to go back to the days of working and studying at the same time - I want a proper life please!

Although it has been hardship for the past 10 months, I must admit that I have learnt a lot, and I believe many things that I have learnt in this course (and other memories) would not be forgotten easily. Ha, a mixture of nice and horrible memories!

Joy

Joy, the most positive of the emotions, is also the most elusive. Seek it and you may not find it. Try to experience it directly and it may elude you. But live a normal life and it will appear spontaneously.

Joy does not occur so much on its own as it does as a by-product of something else: a pleasant surprise, a happy thought, a good friendship. In other words, this emotion is indicative of feeling good about oneself, others, and life in general.

-- Beaty, J. J. (2006). Observing development of the young child. (6th Ed.) New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall