Poverty-mindset

Cuz of the mng discount card that i possess - and there's 10% disc until 31 Jan upon showing the sms & vip card,  one colleague, naming her C for convenience sake) went shopping with me during lunch time yesterday...

Personally, I think she's more asset/cash rich than me - considering her age, she can be my mom- so naturally richer la.. But her mindset.. nope..

Question: Is it a waste of money to go to the professional to do a manicure/pedicure.. especially if it's an important occasion? C was astonished that I paid $28 for my mani (which I thought was reasonable) and commented that why I don't I pay her lesser to do it? (!!!!) Told her nicely that cuz the professional peeps will remove the cuticles and buff and shape the nails, hence better than a d.i.y - she restorted that she won't have dead skin cells since she did a lot of washing.. - Doh.. the external layer of our skin ARE ALL DEAD CELLS!  So i retailed that similarly, I don't go to the beauticians to do facials (cuz I don't think I need that yet.. ) so if one spend on pampering the face, the amount I did not spend, i pamper my hands.. * decided to ignore her after that cuz.. it's a mindset problem*

Then @ mng, she didn't buy the pants that she initially liked but bought another top instead (cuz it was cheap.. - it was $29 before the disc..) I saw this cutesy meow tee and it was (to me) at a alright amount.. uhm.. it was only $35.. Thought it was the year of "cat" (okie, tiger.. but the tigers embossed on the CNY decos are so cutesy.. ) and there's still 10% disc.. so I bought..  C was shocked that I paid $30+ for a tee.. so i replied that the material of my top is much thicker than yours ma..

Gosh.. come on, if i donned a blinkblink ed hardy tee and when she realised the price tag, she will be blown over..

Oh please, if you can spend that a few hundreds @ G2000..  what's the big deal of a $30+ tee.. (I guessed she would think I'm mad to spend $90+ on a pair of shorts rite?) Oh well.. doh...  i won't go shopping with them ever again... Cuz till now, another of my colleague still harped on the black (limited edition) hello kitty mac mirror that I bought( after sooo long..).. cuz it cost $40+ (but hey, it's a dual mirror - with a normal mirror and a magnifying side!)

but here's the meow tee I bought.. :)

oh, yeah.. I think she might think I'm crazy to tithe my 10% of my bonus too.. (she's too of the same faith...) which I happily did earlier this morning!! :) Uhm,  since God provided me with the 100%, i simply just return only 10% mah, afterall, the gah men made us contribute a larger percentage to our cpf account ... :)

first!

Nah, I didn't win any award or first prize..

On thursday evening, in the midst of my irritating coughing spells, I was singing back up for the pnw of the first session of our zone o'nite prayer meeting! (Was supposed to take the pnw with summer.. but both of us cold feet.. so.. eugene led, we backed him up..) And.. the overnite pm was not just our minizone's but also included some other cgs... Fortunately, mer and i were back facing the crowd.. so it wasn't that scary.. just like normal pnw with the mic.. but uhm, think my voice didn't sound as bad as I thought will be... :) but most importantly, got presence, so.. great.. :)

To commensurate the event, i took a pix of the rather worn shure mic i was holding...

I think that was the second time that i did a bv for a zone thingy.. think the first time was for a zone's 'women's meeting' a few years back .. that was more scary cuz it was in the children's church room i think...

oh well.. at least, i know the voice not that awful when amplified.. :)

I hate coughing...

I thought that taking the H1N1 jab would shield me from flu attack.. Nope..

I was plagued with this digusting sorethroat/ coughing spell since last week... It was that bad on that i went to the clinic on thurs evening and gotten medication ( doc gave me mc but sigh, didn't rest at home on fri cuz of urgent work matters on fri.. and I would be on leave on monday & tues..)

Nope, the numbing lozenges did not work.. it was tear-jerking to cough, swallow and no appetite cuz of the lozenges.. :( I guessed the screaming/shouting during kai & ivory's wedding on sat made it worse.. which developed into blocked & leaking nose...)

And.. it was just nasal on monday during the wedding dinner.. (haha.. i styled my hair with tongs.. and haha.. many peeps dun recognised me.. haha.. it was cute la..princessy.. but nope, will not do that permanently.. ) back to the virus. It got progressively worse on tues - the nose was blocked and i'd finished my medication. So I went to my GP. YAY! Two days MC.. effectively.. it was a long weekend for me..

And i got a shock of my life last evening that I was supposed to take over from charlene to do pnw (together with summer) for the opm. Uhm??? Even in my 'non-coughing' condition.. i'm not confident... So, told steven that I'll support summer lo.. (;o) Was supposed to do chorus board - which I never done before too.. but thanks to jac, who gave me a crash course over msn previously... * And out of sheer madness, i did up the slides within 2 hrs (while toggling with work screen..) *shhhh*

And realised during lunch time today that pastor will be sharing the word today.. omg! stress ah.. phew.. but phew.. i've cough.. so me not leading.. lalala.. ;p

uhm, pray that the cough will be gone before the evening comes.... ahem...

yummy egg tart!!

yummy.. my dinner... :)

see it's sooo creamy!!

it tastes good.. or perhaps, i'm too famished...  Gotta clear my table and scoot off asap.. appt @ 9. :)

Midnite black toes

Decided to pedi my toes b4 gym. Sat in è chair since 630. Took 1.5hrs, but am one satisfied customer. Shld had döne my mani there too.
Hungry. Cuz ate juz an apple pie n a tuna bun è whole of today! Lookg 4ward to tug into my kfc eggtart! Reminds me of what i ate in hk!

lunch time trade-off

Realised that time is running out and i won't have time to diy my 10 nails tonite.. *cuz i have yet settled the 'sabo' items yet... so decided to hop down to vivo during lunch time to have the manicure done..

Wanted to go esBoudoir (cuz of rave reviews of netizens when i googled..) but no free slots for walk-ins.. so i went over the nails @ the laquer room instead (which i found - uhm not so good reviews.. but then it's pertaining to staff who was no longer with the shop..)

Uhm, it was not too bad.. But i am certianly not enticed/ bowed over by the convenience factor.. (cuz it is near workplace..). I would definitely continue my package with O.P.I @ the lac bar (but think it's shifting to Milenia Walk after CNY cuz the current building - the ogivily centre will be redeveloped.. ) - this is in comparison to quality of service ba.. :)  but it was not too bad..

chose this dark purple/red hue - which uhm.. i don't know the name - (but i <3 the naming convention of O.P.I colours...)

Not in time for a pedicure, so would prolly do so next monday, before the wedding dinner.. :)

Uhm... yay! Think i will have limited hours of sleep tonight.. gotta reach Jurong East @ 6am.. Gosh.. I think i've to wake up @ 4plus? :)

Happy bean!

Was @ one of the mr Bean outlet a couple of day ago..  Saw this beanie picture that was made from soya beans..  it reads "为您服务".

happy bean that brings a smile to my face

i am speechless..

Just came out of my GM's room.

Uhm, I think I'm unfeeling..

GM seemed so excited with the bonus.. I am like okie loh...

I think I am in a generally lobo mode now.. Cuz Damien who is darned excited yesterday annouced that his grp across the board is getting a 9 mth..

Nah, what I got was definitely MUCH more than the crappy one I got last year...

Actually, in actual comparable quantum, is slighlty lesser than D's but in the total quantum given (ie. plus the "retaining amount" it's uhm 13mth ba.. haha.. uhm not 13th mth) Gosh.. i will need to pay much more tax in 2011 then.. Drats.. (but 2010 tax will be lesser cuz of 2009's sucky bonus.. haha)

oh well.. lala.

wild life in the park!

Woke up with a bad headache that persisted since Thurs evening.. (It started with a slight headache.. but slept late cuz mom wanna watch the "当我们同在一起" final 2 epi on Mio.. so slept ard 2plus.. )

Decided to pop a pandanol and perhaps, hopefully it would dissipate after a couple of more snooze, hence informed my department secretary that I would be taking half day urgent leave and return to office in the noon should I be better.. )

Miraculously, the headache got better.. in a couple hours.. after breakfast (cuz couldn't get back to zzz). Decided to fulfill one out of the two 10km runs for the week (as instructed).. it was already 1015 when i headed out..

Pasir ris park was empty except for the workers from National Park and some eldery folks, a couple of baby in prams with mom in tow and a class of students (should be from the nearby sch - out for some outfield exercise?).. Peaceful, unlike the weekend.. I like!

Decided to snap a few pic cuz haha.. didn't have the chance - cuz I don't like the 'touristy"-feel of snapping away at everything.. but I preferred running in the park to running on the road (unless it's during late evening..) cuz air is fresher and I get to see animals! Saw a tiny squrriel before.. it was jumping from tree to tree.. reminds me of the flying squrriel (which looks like a big piece of bak kuah when it opend its wings to fly) from nite safrari.. but the baby squrriel is cuter! And not to mention the strays meows.. basking in the sun.. or snoozing in the shade.. but not the black crows that is attracted by the rubbish and food residue from the bbq..

Piz from my trustworthy SE:

one of the ponies @ the Gallop Stable taken from quite afar.

one of the wild hen/rooster that is roaming around the park freely..  they were at another end usually.. Think I heard it crows at dawn before.. (okie.. the sun has well risen when it crows.. )

the clouds, the wind, the coconut tree.. makes me feel like I'm on vacation..

Anyway, I thought of taking lunch before heading to office.. so.. consumed my packed healthy lunch - red boiled potato + baby carrots + 1/2 chicken breast!

but uhm, think stomach discomfort arose.. and remains bloated .. and kept passing gas.. Decided to head to the gp, which was apparently closed for the day when i reached at approx 4pm. :(

Self-medicated again - (applied 如意油 - the minty-smelling oil that mommy rubbed on babies' tummies.. to get rid of 'wind').. was sorta feeling less bloated by 5plus..  And headed out to gym cuz my pt was @ 7.

And.. merciless e killed my lower limbs - and instructed another 2 hr run after the training (but yay! no 2 hr weekend run!).. In total - did 27-28km yesterday! Oh well... at least there's some result.. cuz even he commented that I've shrunk in size.. :)

And yay, I dropped another 1000g from last week!! Woot! At least I won't look that bloated in the sweet pink dress I got for ivOry's wedding.. :)

Apples are everywhere

Alright, the mass is going on an apple-craze.

I was in a dilema whether or not to get the iphone.. but actually there are more cons to pros to get it..

Pros

1. It's fun!! I wanna play with the apps.

2. My iPod of 30G is FULL. (and my old iTune library is stuck with my old crashed cpu and i have no backup and i dun want to erase the iPod contents..)

Cons (just to list a few)

Firstly, more than 50% of the commuters (be it on the transit, the buses) are using fiddling with it. And uhm, some of them are (i think) not the targeted consumer group.  And I saw a domestic helper (i.e. maid) using it too.. Uhm (not that i'm an elitetist, but I don't like using something that EVERYONE and ANYONE is using.)

Secondly, my mobile plan is bundled with my broadband under the mio plan.. so.. I've to wait till end may to be eligible for recontract (actually, I only changed my moblie phone last May...)

3. It's available only in BLACK & WHITE. I know there are tons of casing.. but still casing is casing...

4. The inbuilt camera is not superior than my SE's.

5. EVERYONE is using it. (My bro just got his.. but then again, he's a MAC-advocate!.. )

6. I don't want to be tied to a 2 year mobile plan.

7. EVERYONE is using it.

8. It's huge and rather bulky..

9. EVERYONE is using it.

10. Uhm, it reacts only to human touch.. i.e. I can't poke at it with my nails..

11. EVERYONE is using it.

12. EVERYONE is using it.
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Alright, I think it's evident that I don't like to possess something that everyone (and anyone) has.

So, I got this APPLE instead...

..

Conclusion.. I will not get an iPhone. At most, I will get an iPod touch.. haha.. :)  * I need to get a new iPod.. cuz the OLD one is dying out.. )


I think i might get a berry.. (haha.. afterall, my gadgets are all named under berries.. -  cuz i like the berry fruits...)


Apple-wise, I might get a iMac instead.. haha.. :) cuz it will double up as my TV too.. but that's just a good to have.. cuz uhm.. AnB is coming soon again...

Better than expected..

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be... I think my zone cgl knows of my anxiety (cuz I emailed him) and kindly met up with me for dinner before the meeting.. :) (So I need not pop into the meeting alone.. ) I guessed one of the reason he wanted me to assist him with the pastoral aspect of admin was.. get me to open up to him (open up meaning.. communicate face-to-face instead of emailing/sms him - in this aspect, i'm a bit 宅rite haha...)?

Felt good to see summer ministered to after i prayed for her.. (but it's not me, it's God.)

Pastor shared a simple but thought-provoking message.. - tree of life vs the tree of knowledge of good & evil... - which was something along the line which I has been questioning myself for a really long time...  having the ability to process thoughts/ to perceive/reason many a times result in a dilema whether to do the perceived right or against the norm (but seemingly alright with God).. at times like this, i wish i was more bimbotic and less intelligient...then, u won't think so much, reason so much, and simply obey.. :) but nah, i like how God has wired me up.. and thank goodness, i'm no bimbo.. I'll try to rely less on my reasoning and more on His leading..

Uhm.. so.. it turned out better than what I'd expected... I've a feeling things are going to progress @ a much faster pace...

Facing what i dread facing...

Plans for tonight - screwed... didn't know that it will start that soon.. * I thought first meeting no need to go de.. * until the sms @ 5pm..

So, my evening gym plan is screwed. :( (And hence, I will attempt to wake up earlier tomorrow morning!) I will stick to plan of collecting VAIO (without battery) from bugis [YAY, it's ready!! hope the prob fully rectified!], then take a bus down to the meeting venue..

googled the meeting venue.. realised that it was just adjacent to where i was yesterday afternoon - went there to attend a collegue's dad's wake. ( attended TWO wakes yesterday, I guessed it must be the His prompting that i decided to don all black!.. and coincidentally, both colleagues' dads passed on on the same day.. sad, but glad to see that they (my colleagues) look alright and composed.) And I found that I've a direct bus home! * I think I might not be able to attend the first choir prac next week le.. * Oooo.. but I've not informed the authority yet. See how things go tonight...

Kinda scary for me.. cuz it's been 2 years plus since the last meeting I went to... (not including the jws meetings for all zones..)  Actually, I don't know what I'm afraid of ... aiz...

i ran like a lion?

That was what my nike+ page assess the runs i did  (those recorded by my nike+ sportsband) in 2009 ..

 

I ran at least 1,048km (should be more, cuz some of the runs not recorded.. ) in 2009!

I burned 58,497cal, enough energy to power my iPod for 20 days of partying!! (woot!!)

Wow, i'm impressed with myself!! :) *pat on the back!*

Having that said, I weighed myself after my training (and 2 hours of run - cuz i owed e two weeks of long runs already, and he is sure naggy...) and the weighing scale (really the old fashioned scale whereby u row the scale to make sure the tip balance.. - so rather accurate ma.. - unless the calibration is out..) showed that I lost 400g from Monday.. (I weighed myself after a short 45min run on Monday and i was :) that i finally went below the 55 mark.. was 54.6!) So.. today, being still bloated (i into the second day of 'pampers' wearing time of the month...), i dropped another 400g!! Cool!! Or maybe I lost water in these few days? (but I drank a lot of water yesterday to ease the cramps.. and today as well..) So... I must give credit to the naggy e who enforced the crazy running habit...

Happy that I did overcome the flesh and ran the 2 hours inspite of uhm.. the womanly perils of the month.. and happy that I got company home tonite after the tiring three hours of workout.. cuz met e @ the station.. Uhm.. which i became the support pole for him during the journey..  - eh.. cuz train ultra packed and gotta stand thru'out and i'm just of the right height.. doh.. (which he kept poking fun @ my not too tall frame... evening during the training.. doh.. lalala.. whatever..) Uhm.. ^.^"

Tired...  ate this interesting (i reckon to be healthy) dinner to continue with my quest of mass reduction..

it's quakers' instant oats with lowfat milk & 2 teaspoon of milo powder.. :) *cuz i can't figure out what's 40g of junk food (that's of approved/acceptable indulgence for my losing of 400g).

Yeah.. time to rest.. looking forward to concert tmw!:)

First concert of the year!

Actually, I've not attending concerts for a long time to come.. Think I only caught one muscial last year (CATS). Can't recall the last concert I went to. Think was coldplay... a really long time ago..

So when I checked my yahoo mail one week ago, I saw this mailer from Attributes - on the David Tao concert giveaway... so I tried my luck.. but nope, didn't get it. (but one of my friend did.. - cuz she posted it as a status in fb i think..) Nah, i am not a fanatic but i think his music is cool. :) & i know a tune or two...(Though I am certainly much more fluent in Mandarin, I don't really listen to the Mandarin tunes...... (but I'm definitely not a kantang.. )

So i was :) :) :) when i saw Kei's message.. YAY! I have a tix to the concert!!

i sent my vaio to the hospital

Since Christmas eve, my barely one month old Vaio was giving me the blue screen daily and refused to boot up at the inital try... I seem to be able to overcome that by restarting it normally after the blue screen warnings... (i tried all means except resetting to factory settings . but to no avail.. ) Until last Sat. It was officially GONE!. Cuz it just refused to boot up.. and kept looping back to the recovery page but can't  recover...

So I've not been updating my blog, feed my pet@ pet society, water/till my plants @ country story, retreive my cooked meals @ cafe world.. (which meant earlier nites.. haha which one news report purported that one can beat the blues by sleeping early )..            

last shot of my vaio loading the "country story" on the nite JUST before the blue screen error.

Hence, admitted Vaio to the service centre @ bugis during lunchtime (which i cabbed down and thank God i didn't get admitted - cuz the cab uncle was speeding like...F1 and he grumbled @ tis female driver who sped thru  red light - sexist man that commented, if you're a female driver, you should not do that.. - what the?? if u are male, u have the licence to speed thru' amber/red light?? )

so am using my work ibm for 'comic relief' till Vaio is discharged.. (abt 7 to 10 waiting days.. not too sure why the service guy kept stressing it was waiting days.. maybe it's not working days, but 7 to 10 days of waiting?? )

oughta sleep.. else, i'll be having blues..

It came to pass.. within minutes...

This thought was going through my mind while in the holding area before service on sunday.. and what was said/shared during the 'prep talk' minutes before reinforce that..

And I was sort of distracted by this thought during the first two songs of the pnw (alright, i was having a little debate with God on that thought - whether i want it to materialise or keep things status quo - and the prep talk edged me towards the act of 'dissipation from' then maintain status quo..) which resulted in early streaking of the cheeks during the 3rd praise.. (okie, it was a real carnal tussle then..) see my feeble attempt to illustrate (with ms paint application)...

Alright, was more at peace after the pnw..

cuz the halo side won.. :)

Towards the end of svc, pastor tan got us to write down the three things that we desired to see happen this year.. And my abbreviated point 3 came to pass within minutes after the service... and that partly has to do with the tassle @ the beginning of the service... cuz now I've to attend the tues meeting unless instructed not required.. which meant i may no longer need to be in the holding area before service soon... cuz i won't be meeting the compulsory requirement of attending tues prac...

still two wishes came to pass almost instanteously ... (okie, first was the break to think through (and likely eventually fade out) the other (which i'd written - was overcome the fear of L..) :o (oh well, i asked for it didn't I?) ;o

I cut my wrist with my nails!

It's not a failed attempt at suicide. I was juz trying to grab a tissue to dab at è lil pimple which i'd scratched by accident and bled slightly. But my thumb brushed ever lightly across my wrist and i saw a piece of skin came attåchd to my thumbnail!( N my nail ain't that long, juz 2 mm over my thumb.)
Gosh, è spot which my nail has dug into turned crimson!!

Nt too sure if i'd burst anything major- on hindsight, unlikely- i did what i'd recalled from first aid - clean, put on plaster, apply pressure, elevate. Was darnd worried when è plaster look very staind, despite elevation, i put an ice cube over è wound. Uber numbing effect. Changed a plaster and that wound bled slightly still. But nt so painful, hence took è above pix to 'commemorate'. Still it was not as bad as è cut i'd in è middle of my left palm while i was 8 or 9- i was cutting soap with penknife while holding è soap on my palm. That was ouch n rather bloody!

Anyway, yup, strong long nails are dangerous! Greater motivatn for me to keep short nails! But that meant- no pretty manicures! :(

A new YEAR!!!

Read a friend's post on his reflection for 2009 - i like this picture that he created to illustrate his reflections on 2009.. cuz it's truly an reflection (from all angles..) (though another friend commented that he saw "poos") lol.

source: asterix

Nah, 2009 ain't that bad year after all, as compared to 2008. It's rather easy, nice and relaxing year.. at least no dark days.. :) No great exploits achieved, maybe except for better fitness level acheived and shed some pounds off.. (and a great excuse to change my wardrobe.. HAHA).

2009 had been a good year, cuz of friends who lit the way when it's dark, and thanks to those who encourages me to go beyond my limits, and the wick-trimmers who help me to try culitivating patience and to endure long sufferings - though probably you won't even know you are my wick-trimmers.. and not forgetting my leaders who have such faith in me.. :o

And thankful to God who never gave up...*blessed*

So.. farewell 2009, welcome 2010! :)