Moved...

It's 2 in the morning, and as I looked out of the window, I see most of the households in the surrounding blocks have their lights off. Hmm...not like that back in my old neighbourhood.

Yep, I've moved...I've wider and lower windows (almost like louvres that extend to the ground) in my room now, so that makes it easier for me to look out of the window and see stuff. My old house has higher windows (the old type of apartments), so given a really short girl like me, I can see the top part of opposite buildings and the sky. Let's see, the nearest blk to my apartment is still a distance away, unlike my old place, where I can look into the lower units and see the partial layout of their rooms. So that means it's more airy now and I certainly appreciate that. Yesterday, it rained so much (rain stopped some time in the night) that it made the place so much cooler. I didnt need to turn on the airconditioning nor fan when I went to bed last nite...and I had my blanket on. Oh...and I've finally fulfilled a littel fantasy of mine - to sleep next to the windows, and look out and up into the sky to see the stars. *grin*

The furniture in my bedroom isnt going to be completed till at least 2 weeks later (I can forsee that), which means to say I have to 1) sleep on a mattress on the floor till then and 2) use a low TV console as a desk for my laptop -.- What a bummer huh...but oh well...wat to do. AND, with the furniture not completed, means there are lotsa stuff I can't unpack & unload...So I'm gonna have to be surrounded by boxes of barangs. But well, at least I have settled my furniture...theoretically. I hope everything will run smooth and fit.

It's been a hectic and eventful week. Lotsa things happening, lotsa moving and lotsa life-altering and shifting...literally. haha..I've complained enuff about the moving I guess, and like I told myself (and to whoever I've complained about the moving to), that it's not going to change things. I've gotta live with it still, so may as well try to make the best of it and look at the good side of the move. There are good stuff I can associate the move with of coz, just that in my opinion, I'd rather not have to move, coz I like my old place. Sigh..oh well. Mabbe with time, I'd come to appreciate this new place more..hopefully.

I was on leave today...again yes...=) But sadly, today is the last day of my 'clearing leave period'. Time certainly flies. I went to run some errands today; and went to take some passport photos. I tried going bck to this pro studio in clementi, but sadly I could find it no more. In place is this kodak studio and so I thot "ok, why not..can't be that bad". I can tell u, I feel so cheated loh...ok, mabbe it's me, but the fellow made me sit against a white wall, used a digital camera thats not even as gd as mine, and after he printed my pictures, I could see bad cropped colours in my bckground. Sheesh...I can do a better job than him loh...my digital cam is better loh, my photo-taking skills probably better too loh...and my photoshop skills DEFINITELY better than him! All he could do and I couldn't, is printing my pictures on the instant photo paper. Kinda makes me wonder, if I had given him my photos (nicely taken & photoshopped) and asked him to just print, would he do it?...At least I would be assured the pictures turn out ok. My photos seriously look like sh*t loh. For one thing, it looked like someone had offended me. I had this grouchy, tired look, and I looked as though I didnt smile (which I did...just that it wasn't wide enuff...yeah, and the guy didnt even prompt me or tell me loh). The original studio I used to go to is good. Even with passport photos, they make u sit in their studio, give u time to freshen up, give u a professional pose, and use professional equipment. AND I'm sure the guy is professional, or at least trained. I wonder where they have shifted to. Sigh. I'm super tempted to re-take my passport photos. I think I just might...No way Im gonna submit my application form with a scroogy face like that!

I'm gonna have to cover an event tomr nite (sat nite...bummer) There's Galvin's house-warming tomr afternoon, there's the girls' nite out tomr nite. Guess I'm going for neither. I don't think I can wake erly enuff for the former, & I've gotta run back to office to grab the camera before covering the event; and for obvious reasons, I can't do the night outing too. Crap huh...

Hmm..guess Im not really in the mood to blog tonite. Coz there r so many things I wan to blog about, but don't feel like it. Till next time then.

This and That

It's been such a looong time since I can stay up THIS late and still not worry about having to wake on time tomr morning for work...only because I'm on leave! Ha...feels great indeed. For once, I can indulge in my nocturnal instincts. Heh...

I was feeling hardworking about three hours ago (that's 1am), and in fact had settled down to finish an article that was alredy 97% completed. I was gonna move on to start on the next one when I got distracted by Blogger, and I actually logged in to change some feature. Well, you would have noticed that I've transported my blog to the new system that supposedly boosts easier template movement and stuff like that. I've actually moved my blog a couple of days ago, but I wasn't really in the mood to try to fiddle with the features I originally had, so I left it at that first. Somehow, I got into the mood just now, and thought I would spend a little time tweaking the details. And that little twiddling actually took me some 3 hrs. -.-'' But well at least it wasn't entirely in vain. I've tried putting back most of what I used to sport on the old blog, though some stuff I think I shall not put them back, so as to accomodate the new stuff...ie. PHOTOS on the side bar! Yayy...well, not that I can upload the full album here, but at least I can put a "preview" sort of shot and if you guys are interested, well, u can just click on the link and there you go! transported to the full album where u can enjoy the photo splash. As you would alredy know, I'm such a "camera-girl" *big grin*

Ok, do check back regularly for new stuff, esp the pictures. Coz I've still got so many pictures and albums not uploaded on the photo site, so that means I can't link it here as yet. Once I get those up, I shall link them here too, in chronological order.

Time to go back to my work, then get some rest before I wake in the morning to start my packing. -.- Didn't I say my life has spiralled into a monotony? *blech*

Happy Lunar New Year...

...to one and all =D

So are we all on an angbao windfall? Haha...well sadly, not me. My angbaos have shrunk. But well, I'm still ok about it. I mean, everyone likes money (c'mon, who doesn't), but it has more or less gotten to a point where you wouldn't whine and kick up a fuss about smaller angbaos...the first grumble that sort, but after which even you would forget about it =)

Every year my new year is more or less the same. We don't have to go from house to house to do visiting, because all of us will congregate at my grandma's place. That's the relatives on my dad's side. We don't do my mom's side coz firstly, there was never such a 'tradition' and secondly, well, we aren't close. We are close to the relatives on my dad's side. So, the first day settles it.

And following that, Monday and today, I stayed in in the earlier part of the day to do packing. I was supposed to do visiting to two bosses' place today, but one girl couldn't make it, another couldn't confirm if she could make it, and the other isn't in Spore. Oh well...we'll probably do dinner after work on one of the evenings after work (as per invited by one of the bosses). So stayed in to do packing in the earlier part of the day. I went for a movie with my bro in the evening - the local show "Just Follow Law". Not too bad for a local movie with a local budget. Haha...Ok lah, it's really not bad. Funny scenes, but basically I've always felt that Jack Neo is able to see (and employ) beyond the normal/usual layers of society and present perspectives that's synonymous with the society at large, yet still acceptable (probably) with the authorities. Kudos to him.

Yesterday's programme was waaay more fun. For the first time, my sister, my brother and myself brought my parents to KTV! We were hesitant initially, whether they would like it there. But my mom is always curious to see new/different things (that either she's read/heard about..not necessarily that she will like it though. So it was a 50-50 thing). The first "surprise" was that my dad was game to say ok about going the night before, and even though on the day itself, he didn't take his usual nap in the afternoon, he didn't even suggest/indicate that he was tired/rather stay in. Digress: My dad wakes really really erly in the morning coz of work. And by early, I mean really early - 430 in the morning, and he's outta the house by 5-530. He takes a nap in the afternoon after he comes home, and he doesn't sleep before 12 every night. I can barely handle the lack of zz when I go to bed like 2 and have to wake in the morning for work at 8. Shame on me, I know.

Anyways, I'm so so so real glad we went to KTV. For one thing, he works practically everyday so he doesn't have much opportunity to enjoy. The other days when he doesn't work (rarely), he needs to rest. But more importantly, the gathering was SUPER fun =) kinda like a bonding session. I mean, we all know that my dad likes to play punk sometimes, crack lame jokes with his poker face on, disturb my 'naive' mom..stuff like that. But we saw a side of him that we've never seen before (coz we never brought him to KTV). He can't sing, yes, but he was on and game to belt out songs. Of coz, I was mindful to select songs that he would know how to sing. To our surprise yet again, he was equally fine with singing some of the pop songs too...even though he committed endless faux pas through the night - he either dunno the tune, dunno the lyrics, sang too fast...stuff like that. Haha...and he would occasionally make us laugh by singing in some weird voice. Serious fun =D And he's a good sport too...even though he needed to wake early for work, and our session wasn't due to end till 1130, he insisted that we stayed through. So sweet of him right...Hee

I guess though my dad was never the "I love you, ah girl" type of father (after all he still was brought up the traditional chinese way), but I think he's already surpassed my expectations of a dad. Me being the sort of emo, touchy-feely sort of person, I would be sorely disappointed if my dad is a super fierce, straight-faced, expressionless person...and I don't mean just in terms of facial expression, but of outward behaviour too.

I guess I have taken after my dad in more ways than I realised. My sweet tooth (proven to be from him rather than my mom) - the ice-cream; our similar taste-buds - the mandarin oranges yoghurt, milk; my cheerful demeanor, my easy laughter (and I'm super grateful to him for those genes!); my brains (I'm no genius but I do have some thinking power still)...haha..That's not to say my mom is erm, low IQ or whatsoever...but my dad definitely is a street-smart one (super good in maths too). It's a shame he didn't get to complete further education after sec 4 (money issues typical of average households in the past), coz I'm certain he will excel.

Since I've began to realise a lot of common traits, and began to know my dad more as a daughter, I know that he has the characteristics, the traits, the personality that I want in my future partner too. Before you get the wrong idea (there's this illness about liking your own parent right), I'm sane ok. I'm just saying I want my partner to be like my dad - the family man who takes care of the family, a giving soul, a self-sacrificing person, gentle yet firm person, humourous, easy-going...the list can go on. I can use all the positive adjectives I know and it probably still won't be enough. I'm not saying he's perfect...he isn't. He has his flaws too. But his good certainly outweigh the bad. My mom is one lucky woman. Hahaha...

Anyways...didn't realise I've gone on and on about my dad. Ha! My room is in such disarray now...Piles of stuff everywhere. And oh boy...have I got lotsa more packing to go! I finish one 'section' and another would pop up that demands my attention too. With the karang guni woman I am, I hoard rubbish and stuff, so you can imagine the stuff I had to go through (whether to throw or to pack off to the new place). Officially, we are all gonna shift on 1 March, which is like, next Thurs alredy. Tomorrow is another packing day, at least during the daytime. I meeting the girls for our weekly run tomr evening at the stadium. I've been pigging out incorrigibly, that I wonder how many kgs I've piled back on *shudders*

So once again, the long holiday has come and gone. I've always loved the later part of the year, coz that's when the longer holidays are and happens in tandem. Not to mention those are my favourite holidays too - Xmas, NY, LNY...There's always something to anticipate. Heh...Well, the next holiday would be Easter Friday. Pooh...

This work week and next, I'll be on leave most of the days. Putting things in perspective, I'll be working 3 days out of the 8 days! BUT well...that's enforced leave. Remember I said I still have leave from 2005 that I was supposed to clear before 2006 ends? Well of course with things happening so rapidly, there was no way I could go on leave. My boss gave me a grace till end Feb. Well just nicely coinciding with my house-moving. Gives me time to stay home and do packing. Except that I will also be doing work. I brought all my stuff back to finish coz of the evil deadlines. -.- I can already foresee my life over the next few days - work, packing, work, more packing...Not to mention the possible calls from work. Oh yes, I have lotsa errands to run too. But really, what a bummer! Sigh...the only upside I can see? Well...I get to sleep in later I guess. I should be contented huh =) With the consecutive days of leave I would be on, it is just perfect for going on holidays man! But sadly...You know, like for instance this weekend, I'll be on leave from Fri, next Monday too - that's a long weekend. Tues & Weds I have to go back to work coz I'm covering events, then I'll be on leave again Thurs, Fri and over the weekend. Long weekend too! Though actually, I foresee myself having to cover an event on 3 Mar (That's a Sat). Oh well...can't complain. I think I will certainly suffer from post-multiple-leave stress upon returning to work "full-time". Hahaha...

I super have the urge to go East Coast...or Sentosa...somewhere "beachy" =) just to have fun. But well...while I'm on leave, most of my friends would b working. Like who will be "clearing" leave like I am...

I super have blown my budget this month...My heart has bled to death that it no longer feels anything when I shell out $ for this and that. I've got stuff I want to buy for my new place, I'm buying a new mobile, and not to mention the essentials too that I'm low on supplies. I've exchanged my prezzy with my fren - he got his new toy, and he gave me vouchers to buy my new toy with. Kinda like I'm buying for myself of coz, but well, that's all in the name of good fun & thoughtfulness =D I've to top up some more too of coz...that explains the pocket bleeding further. And I can't prolong the purchase of my new toy, coz I've to return the mobile to him before he goes away. Anyways, I keep telling myself that my high expenditure is taken care of by my bonus - it's additional cash, it's not eating into my savings. Yeah right...

Right, time to go back to my work now. I'm slipping back to my nocturnal nights again these days due to the holidays and leave. I hope I'll be able to revert to the earlier biological clock that I have had a hard time tuning previously when I go bck to "full-time" work eventually.

Will do some pictures next if I have time =)