JoAnnA :: GOD's gift of GRACE

Still surviving.............

2006-10-29T03:39:00.000+08:00

Some gust of "wind" kinda blew me back to this blog again. It's been almost A YEAR since I last blogged and it's 3.30AM in the morning. Morning hangover? Haven't blogged for this long tells you something about TEACHING....it drains you!
Shall keep this short coz no one reads long wordy blogs these days. "Powerful thoughts should be described using as little but yet profound words as possible" <-- How true? Anyway, the school holiday has begun...bet you, the "twats" are idling around somewhere out there...I am crossing my fingers that I won't have to deal with any "special cases" when school reopens. Many things to look forward to:
1) Having to return to school as per normal to complete all the Admin work such as EMPS, Strategic Planning,Dept Planning, SEM, CHERISH Awards
2) For a GOD-LY reason, I have almost 6 weddings to attend!!! God Bless my soul!
3) The silly NPCC Officer Basic Training Course which lasts for 2 weeks + an intensive 4D3N Adventure Training Camp @ Pulau Ubin. (of which event till today, I still don't understand why I ended up here!! arghh!!!)
4) This is really something to look forward to: 3D2N in Bintan @ some villa with the CRAB gang (my close colleages)

Well planned holiday eh? Who wants a holiday like this?

lol =) Heard this silly joke from Bee again (from his lecturer who never fails to inject humor into lectures), thought I should share:
A : What do you call a person who does drawings, portraits, paintings, etc?
B : An Artist!
A : Then what do you call a person who deals with Science?
B : Scientist obviously!
A : Now, what about a person who thinks alot?
B : Thinker? Phylosopher?
A : NO! A tortoise! (Thoughtist)

Think I shall use this in future since the students always tell me "Ms Lee, but I thought......" See if they'll ever dare to tell me they thought and thought and thought..........how irritating.........

I will survive (x2) ................still survivng....

JoAnnA was HERE !!!

2005-11-21T22:18:00.000+08:00

Was just wondering if anyone thought I was DEAD since I haven't updated for like ages and have been Missing In Action (MIA). Much has happened of late, that I seriously don't know where to start. But I guess I have to do it somehow, sooner or later...and this feeling errks me.
The official holiday for teachers (my school only) has been declared and it starts this week, but we are only allowed to leave the country/ go abroad, only after the school's Graduation Nite @Shangrila Rasa Sentosa a.k.a Prom Nite (which is on the 29th Nov)!!! And meanwhile, in between, this so called -> HOLIDAY means, you don't have to officially report to school or be present, UNLESS you are expected to, or if you need to get some thigns done. BUT, in between, we still have to return to school for some official meetings, just like the 2 days of "SCHOOL ENVISIONING" this Wednesday (12 - 6pm) and Thursday (8.30am - 6pm).
Now, to start off, I obviously can't remember all the happenings vividly so I'll just type whatever comes to my mind at this point. As for pictures, I don't know why I just can't get pictures loaded up from Picasa/ Hello. Same prob as the last time..(maybe someone who sees this cna enlighten me??)..wondering if God's playing a trick on me anot. When I finally decided to update the blog, I can't load the pics. So many pics anyway. Anyway, here's the vague update:
-> Warren (Bee's bro) got warded into KKH (2 weeks ago): This fella, had high fever and difficulty in breathing on the midnight when he returned to Singapore from China, on a school exchange programme. Bee and his mum, had to rush him to KKH (don't ask me why KKH but anyway, I just learnt something new and that is, it's not only meant for childrem and babies but it serves patients up to the age of 16 years old) and the doctors suspected that it might be related to the Avian Flu coz when they did and X-ray for him, they found patches and they said it could be Pneumonia. So, that boy, was warded in an ISOLATION ROOM for a whole 5 days, and in between, we all had to ferry to and fro there, just to entertain him., this super big BABY...Anyway, the final result was Negative.. *phew*. We concluded that it might have been the bad chill he might have caught when this SUPER HERO, took off his jacket when he was perspiring when he was up at the Great Wall of China....anwyay, it didn't worry all of us much or alarm us much when he got warded coz he has been in and out of hospital umpteen times since young! So its considered a norm eh?
-> Went to Upper Peirce Reservoir (6th Nov): Bee drove me up there and for the frst time, I saw wild monkeys along the road...it was really interesting. They we the smaller species of monkeys and they are quite tame I woulds say. Anyway, the view from the top of the reservoir was breathtaking...(too bad, can't laod the pics). Anyway, before we left, an interesting incident (or should I say bad accident) happened. But I shan't elaborate coz it kinda makes me feel guilty though Bee and I weren't directly involved.
-> American Carrot Cake with Lemon Cheese Cream (12th Nov): For the first time, I baked American Carrot cake and it was succesful. I never liked carrots, much less even eaten the unappealing American Carrot cake which is sold almost everywhere. But I dunno why, inspired by Mrs Freeman, I "plucked up my courage" and decided to bake the carrot cake. Everyone who tried it, loved it, even I myself, was hooked by its taste. 100% no carrot taste, 100% Delectable!!!
-> Went JB for High Tea (12th nov): Went JB with Bee and my family for High Tea with my extended family..haha..one of the usual gatherings again.
-> Seafood Italian Risotto with Oxtail Soup (18th Nov): Had inspiration and mood to cook so Bee came over after school and togetehr, we whipped up the above....was great, better than our first attempt awhile ago.
-> KTV session (20th Nov): Went for KTV with Bee and Mag (Bee's sis). Had 100% fun, thanx to Bee's singing and his endless silly entertainments.

Now, for the lastest and most important news ->

I'm a 100% Hongkong TVBI fan!!!!

Have been struck by some TVBI bug of late...started getting addicted to TVBI Comedy serial dramas and have been frequenting all these TVBI Rental shops lately. Also got Bee, his mum, sis, bro, my family hooked onto these serials man...such that we're like having some TVBI MARATHON !!! Till date, I've finished watching a total of 3 serials and am half-way through my 4th....they're all recommendable and really worth watching:

1) To Catch The Uncatchable - 25 episodes
2) Shine On You - 30 episodes
3) My Family - 21 episodes
4) Wars of In-Laws - 20 episodes

I'm gonna stop here as of now...will try uploading the pics again tom. Hope it works. Meanwhile, I have the whole of tomorrow to "idle" away..maybe I shall get all those things on my waiting list done tom, that's IF I'm in the mood...Mum's having sore eyes and she's on MC till tomorrow , so I have company!!!
Because of the TVBI "epidemic" I've been on the go between my own house and my 2nd home (Bee's place) of late..so these two places are my only haunts...the only places to find me.

I have no idea as to why I've been eating non-stop recently. I keeping thinking about food. All the time round the clock, I seem to be munching on snacks inappropriately...urrrghhh..I have no appetite during my normal meals but I keep snack frequently...it must be the doing of my mind, to make up for the loss after dental surgery...I HATE to know the truth that I'll freakin' put on weight like nobody's business if this goes on..BUT HOW ????
Anyway, Estee's back too, 3 days ago...but I only got to know about it yesterday....the last to know *sigh*
Till then,

~TVBI rocks !!!~

*The TVBI bug is contagious....may the epidemic remain and reach you in time to come...hehehe...*

In the meantime, it you're bored, check this out: Some silly website for entertainment purposes:

-> www.dickchan.blogspot.com

-> http://www.livejournal.com/users/kutu/219148.html?view=296460#t296460

(This is a live journal of a jackass that ought to be shot dead straight in the head!)

Plain bored......

2005-10-30T18:17:00.000+08:00

It's 6 plus in the evening now and I'm "stranded" on this bed with a mad man (it's bee) behind me, happily snoring away, sounding louder than the thunder! FREAK! Anyway, I think the wound in my mouth is healing fast. I've started to take in more solid food but of coz still in super small but frequent meals. Just muched on a Fillet-O-Fish from MAC but it took me like half an hour to finish 3/4 of the burger. Still, I think it's an achievement, rite! Am terribly looking forward to tomorrow. Will be going to Changi General Hospital to remove the stitches in my mouth. When the stitches are removed, it also means I've gained 100% freedom! I can move my mouth any angle, chew on anything comfortably. The stitches have really restrained my chewing-motor skill that I feel so sick of eating....this feeling really hit me so hard yeasterday when we (bee & his family) went to Long Beach Seafood Restaurant to have a seafood feast. All my favourite seafood dishes-FRESH (Lobster sashimi, Crab, Ham, Sea bass, etc) were odered but my stupid mouth was not in favour to chew all these yummy food and because of that I seriously gave up eating half way through. Seafood has always been my favourite and imagine, how disappointed I was! Was a total spoiler man! I told bee that I would definitely eat all those food that I've been unable to eat, to make up for all the loss man! I feel so irritated!
Now we're waiting for Mag to get back from her pak-tor-ing...then we'll head out. Meanwhile everyone's slackin' around in the house and I, have totally no idea what to do to entertain myself. So here I am, blogging nonsense again. Think I'm gonna check out Xiaxue's blog coz I just saw something about it being flashed across today's newspaper, regarding some Handicapped Toilet thinggy...wth!

Bear with Me....

2005-10-28T17:23:00.000+08:00

Ahhh...finally I'm back! Was supposed to be blogging to past time the past few days but I was seriously in no mood to do anything but wallow and lament in misery, about my "swollen-like-rhino-face". Anyway, I don't know what's wrong with Picasa. Just when I was in the mood to start blogging and uploading pictures, it kept saying "Error, Image upload failed"..things just never go the way you want them to right? Ah huh...but I'm not gonna let this spoil my mood to blog! Actually, I don't know what's wrong with me. 2 hours ago, I was in this gloomy mood (as usual like the past few days) then suddenly (for no reason), was lying on Bee's stomach, chatting with him then when he left for gym (with his uncle), my mood suddenly took a turn for the better, like it reached it's peak! It felt as if fairy godmother or I would say GOD, suddenly healed me! I feel awake, energetic and the best part, I immediately headed for the toilet (to excrete waste)...wah..nothing feels better than being able to excrete waste so smoothly after being constipated for 4 whole days! And now, here I am, blogging again! YEAH!!!
I've been on super soft diet the past few days and I'm so sick of all these food man - porridge, liquidy stuff and ice-cream...In fact, I didn't eat much and ended up vomiting a mill' times the past two days prob coz I developed gastritis. But imagine, I can't eat hot food (if not the gums might bleed) and by the time I am into half the bowl of my food, everything's already ice cold! So disgusting...so for all these, my weight as dipped an all time low of 44.8KG!!!! You thought I'll be happy? I thought so too at first...btu not now anymore. Before I went for the surgery, I kept telling my dad that this would be a good way to lose weight eh. But right now, I am telling myself: "I don't want to lose weight this way...so pathetic...there's no joy in life, without food!"
Anyway, I want to thank my dear FATHER, MOTHER, SISTER, BEE and GRANDMA for whom without them, I wouldn't have made it till today man. Their moral and physical support really helped me so much! Dad, mum and sis all took leave to accompany me to the Changi General Hospital that day....soem would have thought "kua zhang!" but they went coz they were concerned. They stood vigil by my side all the way till I was discharged. The moment the nurses wheeled me to the operating theatre, Mum and Sis were there, the moment I opened my eyes, they were still there! This is something no one else would go all way out to do for you, except your very own family members. I'm really touched...As for grandma, everyday, without fail, she cooked all my soft diet for me, despite knowing I'll not finish it up. And Bee, needless to say, he's been here every moment he could, trying to entertain me even though he knows I can't talk much. For a man who can say "You really look the same, as beautiful as before to me" even when you know your face looks as BIG as the ass of an elephant, I think, that's really sweet. Plus still buys you roses, feeds you, accompanies you to eat your ever-so-yucky food and sleeps with you even though he so much wants someone to hear him talk. These are all the sacrifices in love that you make, in which money can never buy.....
All that aside....wanted to elaborate the exact sequence of the whole process of my surgery but I think I'm gonna cut it short coz Bee will be back in an hour an he'll be taking me out, yeah! I've been stuck at home for 4 days already! I said the very first thing I wanted to eat when I'm well (in which I am not yet well but who cares) would be : TANJONG RHU BAO, DIM SUM @ UPPER SERANGOON, MARCHE ... Amazingly, just now he volunteered to take me to Geylang to buy my bao, then eat beancurd at the famous Geylang store then go for a stroll, without any queries.
Okay, so here's the main story:
"Checked in" to the day surgery centre at 8am and waited for a whole freaking 2 1/2 hours before my turn! Then came this nurse who made me walk this super long stretch of corridor (without my specs), actually I was kinda scared and fearful just that I looked brave on the outside then we came to this dimly-lit PRE-OPERATION THEATRE where I was told to lie down on some super high operating bed. I could make out that in the same vacinity, there were some patients who were already on anaesthesia and looked like dead corpse..then all this creepy feeling like in those drama serials came onto me. Was scaring myself then man. But the nurses who tended to me were all very nice. Finally was wheeled into the PREPARATION room where there were many nurses together with the Anaesthetist waiting for me. The anaesthetist was a weird man. He kept tapping my hand to locate my veins to insert the needles for the drip, then when he finally inserted the needle, it hurt hell lots man and the next thing I knew he said was "Woah! Overestimate!" and I felt my blood gushing out like a fountain, dripping all over the floor. Of coz, he cleaned up the mess he made. And, I didn't see coz I was blind! After that, suddenly everyone left the room and I was lying there all alone. Behind me was this door to the ANAESTHETIC THEATRE and while I was lying there, I could clearly hear people shouting "AVRIL, lift your head, take a deep breath! OPEN YOUR EYES, AVRIL!" THEN, it was my turn. I only remembered, the whole theatre looked like a dome, and there were many people around, then the weird anaesthetist again, inserted some medicine through the drip. Then another explained to me that he was gonna apply some loccal anaesthetic into my nose to numb the nose coz they would be putting a tube through the nose to the mouth to help me to breathe. Before I could clearly grasps what he said, he already did it. And it felt super awful! The last thing that I can remember as of now was they then gave me a mask and asked me to breathe in and out hard. The gas didn't smell awful or what but I think it took me only four breathes before I was totally knocked out. The first breath -> I felt ok, the second-> I felt dizzy, the third -> I felt suffocated and I even asked the nurse "Am I supposed to breathe through nose or mouth and I feel suffocated!!!" Then, I was gone.
The next moment I was awakened by someone calling my name. And the nurse told me, everything's over! I was in the POST OPERATION THEATRE were they monitored my heartbeat and all. The nurse said I was one of the last to come in, but first to get up. I could still hear other nurses trying to wake some other patients beside me to no avail man. One even vomited. Ewww....All I knew was, I kept telling myself, I wanted to get outta here. My throat felt so dry and sore and I was bitting on to two long gauze (like a sealion with overgrowing teeth). I probably cried unconsiously in my sleep coz mum said my eyes were super teary. Don't know was it the dream that I had or was I subconsciously in pain...hahaha..but I'm glad everything is finally over! YEAH! The dental surgeon who operated on me had to come round to check on me before he could approve to discharge me. And by then, it was already 3.15PM. I was one of the earliest to be discharged. I was totally wide awake and was even talking with my sister man! My condition was better than expected. And the dentist said it was thanks to : AGE (the younger you do the surgery, the faster you recover). Anyway, the dental surgeon was a cute handsome chap...hehehe....mum and sis agreed and yesterday, they were teasing me about it, saying he must have been mesmerised by me that's why he took 1 1/2 hour to do the op while others didn't take so long. WTH!!! Grandma says she wanna go see how handsome he is man..hahaha...
I haven't really spoken much or opened my mouth much for fear the stitches might snap anytime...my mouth's so sore from all the closing man....I'll load the pictures up as soon as Picasa's ok. Gonna enjoy recuperating in my 8 days of MC! Am gonna remove stitches on Monday.

~ JOANNA WAS BRAVE! ~

Am I scared or what?

2005-10-23T20:31:00.000+08:00

I don't know how to describe my feelings right now man. Is it APPREHENSION? Or just plain FEAR? I don't wanna be framed as "a WHIMPY ass"...but I think I'm truly AFRAID of the surgery on Tuesday. The dental surgery to remove all my 4 wisdom teeth. To think I was so gurung that day, when the Dr asked me, "So how? Remove all 4 together?" and I went "OK lah..all 4 at one go better right. It's sooner or later also." Don't ask me why I said I was supposed to get them extracted on the 19th but still haven't got them removed. It's a super long story...and I don't wish to recollect. All I can tell you is: In future, if you really want to get your wisdom removed, when its really hurting, NEVER go through the Polyclinic route. It would have killed you by then. The procedure's draggy, the service is horrid...the only benefit you get outta it is: You pay for the whole surgery at a subsidised rate (that's if the polyclinic gave you a referral letter to go to the dental specialist at hospital for surgery) and you can pay the remaining through medisave (excluding the extraction for the top wisdoms). So,it's

Time spent, vs Money saved...which you'll prefer? You choose......

Anyway, I've been living it up the past few days...been eating like a queen as if I was really gonna die tomorrow or something. But its half true coz after the surgery, I can't eat solid food for days...I'm gonna look so pathetic and etc....the nurse who briefed me said that the possible side effects are:

- swollen face

- blue black marks

- loss of appetite

but all these depends on individual......so....I hope the "best case scenario" will happen to me....

Just foudn a new hangout yesterday and Bee & I went to check it out yesterday. It's a board games cafe called OASIS located opp Bugis Junction. good place to hangout for big groups. The deal's great.

$10 per pax for: 2 hr of any board game + 1 free drink (the drinks are their own concoctions and they're quite cool) + 1 snack. How's that...a new way to pass time. Mind you, if you're in for those common Monopoly, Risk, Battleship, you can forget about going there...the games they offer are mostly quite old strategic games which I think you can't really find locally. They have big sofas and tables...the only thing is, the shops kinda small (its those shophouses size) so I think the most it can host up to 7 group of people. But I realised yesterday that most of the people there are regulars and they come in big groups....Bee and me (who were in twos) were the only ones in twos......Kinda funny lah....But if you really wanna go there in groups, you gotta do it early...coz I realised that when we went there about 7plus, there was only one group of people and we were thinking like "why nobody one?" But then we realised the crowd only starts streaming in after 9pm...and you really have to queue after that.....

Anyway, I've taken some pics but the cam's with Bee so, no pics to upload yet. Gonna stop here....I think the next time I'll be updating would be after my surgery when I'm gonna be on MC for 8days, with nothing to do at home.

Details are as such:

Dental surgery @ Changi General Hospital

25th October 2005 @ 8AM

Am gonna be on general anaesthesia (which means I'll be put to deep sleep)...I am apprehensive and I think I'll just admit that I'm a WHIMPY ASS.....urrrghhh...I'm really scared.....sounds scary..now I'm thinking how brave mum is man..to have gone under the knife so many times without showing any fear.....kill me!!!!

Marking can KILL!!!!

2005-10-13T09:01:00.000+08:00

Am in school right now. It's marking day but had to report to school at the same time. Anyway, I'm STONED!! I'm still stuck at my first class - Normal Technical. Tabulating the marks now! And their marks are already demoralising me man...URRGHHHh. Started off all enthusiastic just now but now, my brain is like saturated and my eyes are "crossed"!!!! Someone help me! It's only 9am, an hour has passed but it felt like as if a decade has passed. Time is "strolling" way too slowly.....But then again, if it doesn't pass at this rate, I'll never be able to finish marking my 8 classes by tom (DUH! My head wants it tom!) YEah, I know it's like challenging the impossible..but what to do?
Never knew marking can be so monotonous yet so taxing. I'm really getting my first taste of it. Everyone's in their very own niche, crazily buried under all the scripts, with music blarring trhough their ears. Ah huh...I see some walkigna roudn in a daze, just like me. In need of a break. When I was younger, I always thought marking was gonna be fun. Just follow marking scheme and TICK, TICK, TICK right? What can be more tough than doing so? Well, you'll never know until you're at it. For your info, when we set papers, we also have to come up with our own marking scheme, anticipating all kinds of possible answers. BUT the thing is this: no matter how much you can predict the answers, you would still have unexpected funny answers (which I don't know how these students could have come up with)!
I only feel like doing one thing now and that's writing a poem to describe how I feel rite now: Maybe shall write a HAIKU (since I just thought my tuition kid how to do it )
Sitting here right now

Life can never be "better"

All STONED and going NUTS!!!

Going downstairs for coffee break with the rest. Now you know why the main population in Woodbridge is made up of teachers? Don't be surprised to find me their one fine day.......

Confused and Sad.......

2005-10-12T22:10:00.000+08:00

My heart was just challenging my mind a moment ago...It went like this:
Mind: "It's been days you haven't updated your blog you better do it right now! Or you'll never start. Type soemthing!"
Heart: "Aiyah, since you already didn't update for so many days, a few more days won't kill. Very most tomorrow then update loh!"
Nearly died....this could probably be the reason why sometimes, people die of heart attacks! The heart wasnt to leave, but the mind fights on. Urrrghhh!
Anyway, I had long wanted to update my blog since Sunday. Back then, I had alot of topics on my mind and alot to write about. But as usual, the more I had to write, the more I can't organise my thoughts, the more I'll never get down to it and it accumulates. Like now, when I have no choice....
Anyway, just an update for today:
- Today was the last day for the SA2 exams *students, say "yeah!"*
- And a good way to end the whole exams, was with my paper! The sacred Home Economics paper.
Days back, I already went around "scaring" all my girls, class by class, that my paper was one of the shortest paper (1hr) and they have about 18 pages (Express), 43 questions to complete. the students all went "Wah" with their jaws wide opened. The motive was to push them to study and not to assume that they could study for my paper the day before.
Anyway, I invigilated the 1D girls throughout my paper. In the beginning, as I walked around and peeked at their papers, I was pleased to know that they knew their work. (I think all those scaring must have had an effect on them somehow or another. I was wicked...hehehe....). But nearing the end, I realised many of them were still scribbling away and in fact, many did not complete the paper on time. Alot of blanks.
My conclusion:
Too many questions, too little time OR Too difficult.
Throughout the whole paper, no one stopped writing. All were scribbling throughout. And when it was nearing the last 15minutes, my heart started sinking. Anyway, I told the students that the exams are over and told them to forget about everything and enjoy themselves, at least for now.
I remembered walking around the classroom (Examination venues) before the paper, all of them were busy studyign and I asked a few, "confident?" They were apprehensive but some were looking forward to it. But the "aura" was totally different the moment the paper was over. I walked around and ran into some again, their faces were written with doubt and disappointment. My express girls told me: "Ms Lee, why you set so difficult one? Want to kill us ah?". But one of the Normal Acad girls told me" Thank you Ms Lee, you set so easy" Well, I don't know how true is that and I've yet to see her paper.
Then, when I went back to the staffroom, Mrs Soon and Mrs Freeman went "Jo, your paper was so long and thick! Alot of girls couldn't finish in time!" And then, that was it. My heart just started aching like mad. I felt real bad. I didn't want everything to turn out this way. I just hope the girls won't blame me and would kinda understand my situation. I was torn in between being asked to set challenging papers (which I know my girls cannot meet up to that standard) with NO CHOICE. My papers were vetted for 4 times but nothing about my the quality of my questions were raised. Instead, it was all the "cosmetic errors"! Well, I felt really victimised. I mean, I knew the standards of my girls better than anyone do...I mean, I teach them. My first draft was more straightforward. But was told to change this and that, too simple, etc.....Home Economics, I believe, everyone expected, to be the most easy to score subject, but I think the paper would have changed everyone's perception. I definitely didn't want to pint he girls down heard. i mean, some questions have to be give away right? The girlsa re not in Sec 4....if we keep thinking about challenging questions, everythign would becoem overwhelming for them and this would in turn demoralise them! Urrrghhhh....Torn between the students and my department.....
The best part was, I've already started marking my Normal Technical papers. And they are really bad. There was one question (asking them to fill in my table), in which I've already formatted properly (knowing the girls would never read instructions), but through the vetting, I was told to shift the questions above the table. And guess what? The whole class of girls, did not complete the table at all! Obviously coz they skipped reading the questiosna t the top (I bet they though it was part of the instructions) And becoz of that, the following questions were all gone!!! 5 marks just gone! My heart really ached! I really love my Normal Tech girls and I tried to give them give away questions, but was told to change (despite me refusing to, at my 2nd and 3rd draft!). You know, afetr marking all the papers, I have to do a report analysis for all the paper and gather feedback etc. I think I'm gonna be in for it. How to answer? When it wasn't my mistake in the first place?

Whatever lah...

Anyway, just got back from catching the movie "Deuce Bigalo, European Gigalo". I would say this 2nd part is more "dirty" btu it was still comical. Enjoyed it though.
Bee picked my up from school today at about 2pm and we headed to TM for lunch at Fish & Co. Our movie was at 7pm and while we were eating, we were contemplating if we should just hang aroudn TM till that time or should we just head home and sleep first. Then, I told Bee I wanted to go for pedicure (coz just nice, my toe nail chipped off when I kicked the table). Bee agreed to go for pedi with me too, so immediately, I made an appointment (anyway it was only next door, Century). Bet many must be thinking "wah, Ben goes for pedi? Must be kidding" Never imagined rite? This is not his first time already....hehehe....the last time he was out with his friends, they all spotted his nicely painted glossy nails and questioned him. So today, while he was doing pedi, he said this again "I think when I meet the guys again, they're gonna spot my toes and ask me again and I'll tell them, Yea I went for pedi again. And they must be thinking I'm a freak!" and he gave me a very comical face. Ha...many passer-bys who walked past the nail salon (open concept), never fail to look in and give Bee a very surprised yet puzzled look. There was this old lady who stood outside the salon fro about 5minutes to stare at Bee man. In my heart, I was like thinking, "What era are we living in? Its a norm for men to go for pedicure nowadays. If you think that only gays go for pedicure, then I think you ought to try otu what pedicure is for yourselves! They don't only paint nails! They scrub, clear, massage, etc! Our physical appearance also includes our nails! Imagine a guy with smooth silky complexion, stylo hairstyle, branded from head to toe, good build BUT dirty black nails! Ewww...it'll be sucha turn off!!!
Anyway, shall stop here already. Getting tired and tom and Fri would be marking days but will still have to report ot school at the same time. Pray for me. I'm gonna die horribly...I have 8 classes to mark and all marks must be in by Fri !!!!!

Home-made Popiah by mum (on Sunday)

Was at home with everyone on Sunday (didn't go out with grandpa)...so I found dad in his room packing his old documents and I came across this....looking at all hhis old documents, dad started telling me alot of stories....I was laughing away like mad. It felt as though we were reliving those days when I and dad were super inseparable (when I was young)..I think over the years, age drew a distance between us.....

Dad was actually quite a charmer rite!

Did you see that? They were graded for Hygiene????

Then I came across some old treasures of mine.....

My PSLE scores !!!

(On my office work desk): An overgrowing heart-shaped plant that Bee planted for me

My "mini palace" in the car (Made up of a pair of PIGs(us), a pair of Unicorn, a pair of Wedding pillows + my pink GLADE air freshener. Ben's blue one is by his side aircon.)

My tuition kid, Madeline

"I'm not looking, I'm not looking but you better don't hurt me. Or I'll scream!"

"Mother" of the Mini(s)

2005-10-04T23:17:00.001+08:00

Shall make today's entry a short one. Too tired to think anyway. Today's the official commencement of the Second Semestral Examinations (SA II). So it's nothing but invigilation for all teachers for the following days till next Weds (12th Oct) which is the last paper - Home Econs!!!
Took half day off from school to go for my dental appointment, to remove my lower wisdom tooth. Bee picked me up from school at about 10.30am as my appointment was at 11am. Was very apprehensive and afraid on my way there. Everything bee said, seemed to inject more fear and apprehensions into me. My heart just thumped faster as we neared the polyclinic. It was then that I concluded, I could have "Dentist phobia". It never occured to me back then coz during Pri and Sec school days, I never had such fear.
Anyway, when we arrived, had to register and there was this two OLD "ladies" (who seemingly dressed like tai tais) who were bugging and hogging the receptionist at the counter for 15 whole minutes asking nothign but rubbish and the receptionist was also "one typical kind"...so as Bee and I were standing there waiting to register, I happily entertained myself with their exchange of words. As I was waiting, Bee poked fun at me and I got really mad and I seriously told him off. How mean can he get! On one hand, I was desperate to get that sickening wisdom tooth out, on the other, I was praying that the dentist would tell me that its too complicated for him and that he'll have to refer me to a specialist dentist for surgery (so that makes my fear go away temporarily, at least).
Finally got to see the dentist and all he did was examine my tooth and he was indeed a fast worker. In less than 5 minutes, he explained everything to me and the result was the latter - go to Changi General Hospital for day surgery. My ehart let out a relief but I knew this day would come again man! Urrrghhhh!!! So, the big day would be on the - (Please note down**)
Date: 19th October,
Day: Wednesday
Time: 9.10AM
Venue: Changi General Hospital, Specialist Dentist Clinic
Event: Day surgery to remove Joanna's wisdom tooth (I learnt that in dentistry term, its called "Impacted tooth")

Remember I was saying weeks back, Bee and I had a craving for steamboat? Well, we got down to it. It was a tedious process tryign to plan and prepare. Steamboat ain't easy, my friends. Not unless you want to dine with simple unfresh food. Ours was all pure, fresh and home made ingredients, except for the yong tau foo. All tribute to ME! Actually, initially, the plan was to eat with Cal and Lee ! Cal's house but apparently they were busy so Bee and I decided we have it ourselves, at my house. But then again we thought it wouldn't be very nice if both of us were steam-boating alone leaving my dad, grandma and sis with their "tao pao-ed" food rite! So we asked them to join and grandma helped out abit with preparing the pig's stomach. The steamboat was a success, why? Coz even dad, a fussy pot, enjoyed it! Of coz we made exceptions to cater to his likings lah, a sacrifice made k! No sotongs, no crab...very sad..but nontheless, all was worthwhile.

Steamboat

Mum prepared her very own version of Bak Kut Teh yesterday and it tasted real great man. It's been years since she last did that. Anyway, at this juncture, I must say this: My mum is really a good cook. She cooks dinner everyday for my family with no qualms or resentment, even though she's tired after a day at work. And the best part is, she doesn't just cook simple fares. She experiments with everything. Ask my friends, they know best! I probably inherited mum's genes that's why I'm a Home Econs teacher now eh? Mummy, wan sui !!!!

Home-made Bak Kut Teh

This is the interestign part, that's why the title for this entry. I used to be very techno savy years back, always bought wat was the latest and most up to date (eg: Samsung handphone, Bought a whole new set of computer, Bought my digi cam, etc) but coz I was aging, plue school was so hectic, I had no time to chase. But recently, all these mini(s) started flooding the technology world and make headlines everywhere. So Bee and I were talking about the iPod Mini (back then when it just made its first appearance) and he was also eyeing on the 02 Mini PDA phone. I didn't really think much about all these but I thought maybe it would be nice to have these in possessions in my wishlist. And guess what? Days back, my aunty told us that she'll be giving us her iPod mini coz she'll be buying the iPod Nano. So, my wish just got fulfilled itself. So I'm wodnering if the next item on my wishlist:
O2 Mini would also come true anot.....hehehehehehe.
Anyway, the conclusion is that, I think, the more you do not eye/wish/ pray or think so hard for something, the mroe it wouldn't affect you and the more it'll come true, naturally somehow or another. Anwyay, I wasn't even really after all these Mini(s)...couldn't care much and it wasn't as if I was dying for them, unlike in the past when I so wanted something so badly, I'll make myself get it.

Mini No. 1

InspireD.........

2005-09-29T22:35:00.000+08:00

School only functioned officially for half day today. The first half of the day was Prayer service for the whole school for the exams then followed by an inspirational talk by an invited guest speaker, DR WILLIAM TAN. Well, anyway, he's the person I want to narrow down to, for today's entry.
Anyway, just a brief intro for people who don't know who he is. He was on newspaper and hit our headlines before for breaking the record of completing 7 marathon in 70 days crossing the 7 continents, all in a WHEELCHAIR! Struck by polio since the age of two, he was paralysed waistdown and has been wheelchair -bound since. This is his exact profile:

Name: Dr WILLIAM TAN
Age: 46yr
Creditations/ Job: Scientist, Neurosurgeon, Wheelchair marathoner, Paralympian, Genetic Doctor, Volunteer, Inspirational speaker, etc....

I have to admit, days before he came, the whole office was talkign about his arrival and many were excited but I was know a toot about him! I was ignorant. And there I was, thinking "who's this so inspirational man..was he one of those talk big typical inspirational speakers again???" I really looked forward to meeting him to see if he'll tell us to set goals, etc...
It wasn't until he entered our hall in his wheelchair, with our students and teacher cheering so enthusiastically for him, that my impression of an inspirational speaker, started to change. He wanted to play a DVD to start off his talk but there was some technical fault and it took about 15 minutes before the technicians settled it, while he tried to entertain all of us with some slight introduction about himself. When he finally started, he showed us a 3 minute DVD of him conquering the marathon and in the midst of the video, the background music was "Reach" by Gloria Estefan. It was so appropriate. Anyway, the video featured him rolling his wheels so hard and there were many scenes which I felt that he already wanetd to give up, could see that he was bending down low and was tired...and if it was anyone of us in that circumstance, we would have just easily gave up, seriously. But he did not. He chose not to. Instead, he perservered., with determination. And what he got in the end, was a World Guiness record that he broke. An additional title to add to his "collection" all becuse as he said, he chose to:

"Defy the Odds"

Anyway, I was very touched by the video and frankly, I nearly cried. Watching him all tired and all, I felt he was so strong....and I felt like a useless able-bodied bum!

He went on to share his version of "The ABCDE of positive life, where

A - Attitude (good attitude)

B - Big goals (don't set big goals. Set small goals that we can easily achieve Eg: Telling yourself that you'll perservere for ten minutes more, then you tell yourslef another ten miutes more and so on.)

C - Creating an Action plan (create a realistic plan for whatever goals you set and get down to doing it)

D - Diligence, Determination

E - Eureka (when you succed, scream "Eureka")

Lastly, he shared about his life story of how he was once a kindergarten dropout (all because he was always teased by his friends and he fought back and got kicked out) to a top student who got a book prize in Primary school and headed on to Raffles Instituition then next to pursue his PhD in Science and Medicine in Harvard & Oxford. Of course when you read this, you would say "wah" but to get all these qualifications, it was definitely not as smooth sailing as it was. And that was how he referred this to LIFE. Life always has its LIMITATIONS (whether by Self, Circumstance, etc). He being a handicap, was rejected many times to gain entry into Medical school. He wanted so mcuh to be a doctor and while he was studyign science, he felt it would be useless if he was a doctor without having to go through medical school so year after year, he just sent his application but kept getting rejected until one day, they decided to let him try. Many a times, the first thign people say to him was "Are you sure with your condition, you can make a good doctor?" His professor even once said to him "You are wasting a space in Medical School" and I think it hurt alot. But he wanted to proof all these people wrong and at the end of it all, he topped the medical school!

Oh and during his marathon, he had to race with 205 athletes and at the start, he showed a picture of everyone in line, then when the gun went, everyone rushe and then there was a picture of this long strecth of muddy road on the mountain with his back facing, he was all alone after awhile...everyone was ahead of him. Then came the best part..the road uphill was very muddy with alot of gravels and rocks and his wheels just kept sinking in. But no one helped him. He pushed hard...and the wheels fell apart! That was I felt, the most low-down period of one's life I would say. What can be worst than having your main equipment failing you at that time. But he replaced the wheels with his very own wheelchair (which was not meant for racing coz it was high and for that, he had double work to do and that was having to bend down to steer).....

Anyway, I shan't type on coz there's really too much he said in an 1hour. And I'm tired and can't organize my thought no more. All I can say is:

Who can give more inspirational talk than a handicap man who's been through all the limitations in life with an attitude? No one is in a better position than him. With all his real life experiences and stories, I feel really touched. It felt realistic and down to earth. I seriously admire him for his will to live life so bravely. Never have I seen a man with such strongly will to live, even when he is not totally able-bodied, like any of us. I fell totally ashamed of myself.....

Anyway, he also though us a new four-lettered word that he nearly sued when he was feeling the most lowdown :

"Q-U-I-T"

This word made me stronger....many times in life, I seriously wanted to QUIT...I nearly gave up, but the reasons to quit were nothign amounting to the challanges he faced in life. I wanted to quit because I felt I was too stressed with studying in school, I wanted to quit because I'm so tired of marking books, I wanted to quit because I hate having to travel to and fro Singapore, etc....such a silly thought!

From now onwards, I will keep tellign myself "1 more clas to mark, 1 more class to mark" and before I know it, the week is over and I've finished marking all my classes....

If you wanna read more about him here are some links:

http://staff.science.nus.edu.sg/~sivasothi/cycling/rideforhope/williamtan.html

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040711/5/singapore95097.html

Btw, he volunteered to give this talk to our girls for free, hoping to spur some last min inspirationf or our girls to press on for the examinations. He's been to many schools this far. And recently, I heard he's been helping polio patients in Indonesia. He's trying to raise funds for the Cancer patients in Singapore so I think he should be coming up with some record breaking marathon soon again...I am looking forward to it. He brought along with him some inspirational posters (for sale) that he has gotten designers to print, with his personal autograph. Gonna purchase it tomorrow. Anyway all proceeds would be goign to his fund raising events for charities.

I'm looking at life on a lighter note. I feel enlightened!

ToDay'S EnTrY

2005-09-27T22:36:00.000+08:00

Am listening to David Tao's compilation and it's what gave me inspiration to blog, that's why I'm here blogging in the mid-week.
*sigh* Someone just have to pop me the "sacred" question again: "When are you getting MARRIED?" I've totally no answer to this question and I've been questioned almost one million times throughout this whole year, by friends all over, including my close friends and cousins! Is it time to hear good news from a couple who's been together for almost 6 years? I think so too.....For the benefit of the doubt, I'm just going to end all your doubts once and for all:

"Sad to say, as much as Ben & I hope to settle down asap, all these are beyond our circle of control (factors to consider:Ben's studying, I've just embarked on my teaching journey, Age, Finances, etc). But the good news is, we ARE definitely going to settle down together. We are preparing abit here and there, sourcing for things once in a while. When we do get down to announce the BIG 'thing', be assured

that you wouldn't be left out!"

So for those who were dying/ yearning to know the conclusion of this 'cinderella' story, here's it. If this is what you wanted to hear. Meanwhile, this is what we've been doing so far.......

Saving up for wedding: Wedding Fund Spell Saving Bank

School was unusually quiet for today. All pupils sat for their English SA paper today, that's why. Too used to the noise that I felt rather uneasy throughout the whole day.

Anyway, this is officially the last week for lessons, after which, the next 2 weeks would be the Examination period, followed by post exam activities (No more teaching!!!) and that's the end of academic year 2005! Time really flies!

Last week was a hectic week because it was the Research Assignment Practical Exam. The students did a research on Fruits & Vegetables and through the process, they were supposed to create/ invent their very own fruits and vegetable recipe and last week, they were supposed to cook their dishes in class. So this was some of the end results. I was totally impressed at the effort majority actually went through. Didn't really mark them based on the taste of their dish. You will know why when I say "Don't judge a book by its cover"

Pasta and Salad (Courtesy of 1B)

*super spicy* Sambal kangkong rice with apple and Dessert (courtesy of Esther and Zebrina)

I nearly burst out in flames...the sambal was really spicy and me being a person who can't take chilli...the combination was kinda weired rite, but I would say it's creative and interesting. The students' kinda creation.

Tomato pasta

After a whole week of assessing all the dishes of 8 classes, I must say, I learnt alot of new things and got many new ideas from the students (practical and impractical ones though) and I got inspired by them so thus I ended up getting down to it myself:

Inspired by students:Strawberry & Banana yoghurt smoothy and Clam Chowder

Yoghurt fruit salad (Something so simple yet an idea I never thought of! Replacing all the fattening mayonnaise/ salad sauce with yoghurt! It tastes GREAT!)

Fried rice with Japanese royal squids (Cooked fried rice on Friday when mum was not cooking coz she went out shopping with my sis leaving me to cook for the rest at home.)

Ben and I headed to Toa Payoh after he ended school on Saturday. We were both as usual, super bored and didn't know what to do. Coincidentally, there was a health event going on at the Toa Payoh HDB hub and it was filled with lotsa people! There were many booths which provided FREE health screening and as expected, there was a super long queue of people waiting to take the health screening. We came across this BMI machine that they've been pormoting at supermarkets and we decided to give it a try. The ridiculous thing was, the machine concluded that "You are at risk of developing nutritional deficiency and osteoporosis" and of all things, the assistant (a man), had to announce my reading so loudly in a very ridiculed tone with a funny look on his face he said "You're UNDERWEIGHT you know!" Then he went on to say this after Ben's result was out "You must cut down on your weight alot alot and give some of your fats to her lah!!" I was totally pissed off.......

Total opposites..but opposites attract, don't they?

Hope this entry is long enough to entertain my readers (and myself, working my brains) don't expect much coz I'm not any of those super active blogger with high ratings etc, that's why you don't even see me in those "Top blog of the week" Never will I get there...I'm blogging to entertain myself and also as a form of keep-sake purpose just in case I lose my memory tomorrow..... *touchwood*

Signing off, "mIRC style"

---{@ flowers for you.....

ChiLL OuT NighT

2005-09-18T22:07:00.000+08:00

Ben and I got home around 4AM this morning. Were chilling out at oBar with Cal and Lee. The day started with a movie (The Longest Yard) at Cineleisure @ 7.30pm after which, Cal and Lee met up with us there and we were contemplating to chill out at Altivo (at Mt. Faber) or Blu Bar (usual hangout). Then as we headed to Magazine Road (obviously to Blu Bar, we drove past oBar and all of us decided to just hang out there. We were there at about 11pm and there was not much of a crowd. Played some lame drinking games as usual and Cal and I chatted while the guys were both busy watching ESPN Live and chatting about some MEN stuff. Amazingly, we finished our drinks (that's: 4 Lychee Martinis, A jug of Rum Coke and 4 Tequila shots) in a jiffy and by 1AM, we were already getting kinda bored and the crowd was getting unruly, so we left. Felt it was early so Bee suggested we go "liat kao" either at East Coast, Seletar or Mt. Faber and Cal sounded super enthusiastic about it.
Off we headed to Mt. Faber and when we were there, we realised that ALTIVO was under renovation (or was it already closed down?) so it was like a blessing in disguise that we didn't head up to Altivo in the beginning or we would have been utterly disappointed. What puzzled me was that there were many cars parked by the side of the road but not a single soul lingering around the pavements! Anyway, we decided to climb up this super long flight of steps up to the Mt Faber Peak and guess what? There was where all the people were! Then in a distant, we saw many lanterns hanging on a tree, then I remembered about the Lantern Festival. Being up there at the peak, with your loved one, under the bright full moon, with colourful lanterns was indeed super romantic. It's definitely a romantic place to propose to your loved one. No woman would reject a man under that circumstances. Maybe for me, prob the only thing would be, my jaws would drop and I'll start seeing stars and think I'm the luckiest woman on earth (like in those super dramatic cartoons!!)
We left Mt. Faber at about 2AM to head for DIM SUM supper (as I insisted). Lee suggested we try out this Dim Sum shop at Geylang and there we were, chatting and feasting the night away. Ben even suggested that since we were already in Geylang, we might as well cross to the opposite road to eat some durian after Dim Sum, but we didn't in the end, coz Lee apparently didn't like durian, claiming that he was allergic!!!
Cal hasn't sent me some of the pics we took last nite so I won't be uploading them today. Maybe when I've compiled all together then I'll upload them all at one go. Meanwhile, sleep tightz!

~HappY Mid-Autumn FestivaL~

A HunDreD YeaRs???

2005-09-16T22:59:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : 100 years (Five For Fighting)

Has it ever occured to you that you have only less than a hundred years to live?

What good have you done so far?

Are you making good of the years you have left on this earth?

Do good. Don't leave this earth only to be taunted by guilt.....

ReflecTions

2005-09-16T21:59:00.000+08:00

Was just chatting with Seow online...made a msitake, mistook (ST's Kelvin) for Seow and I just clicked on his nick and just started bombarding him with endless questions, until he asked me "I think you msg the wrong person"...OMG! Super paiseh..but anyway, because of this folly, I ended up chatting with both Kelvins...anyway, have not spoekn to them for quite sometime already....(that's the prob when you know two people with similar names...haha). Anyway, Seow was just telling me about going to U.S with Jos during the holidays but her VISA was not approved so on and so forth. I was commenting on how RICH he was and guess what? He told me he wanted to give her a memorable 21st birthday that's why! My heart was like "Wah, that's surely an expensive 21st eh, what a generous bf you are!!" He was rumbling away about having to part with all his hard-earned money that he saved during the NS days, than I suddenly typed:

"Money cannot be used to measure love! Love's an investment!"

I just typed that without thinking....then these words suddenly replayed before my eyes and then it struck me in my mind....hmm...love indeed is kinda like an investment, rite? It's a risk taking investment in which you are never sure about it's returns.

Tahta aside, anyway, I think I'm beginning to appreciate life...it can be rather monotonous and routine at times but sometimes, you can find joy outta monotony too. It's been about 5 months since I started teaching in St Joseph's and I think I've kinda blended in and adapted to everything there. I truly enjoy the TEACHING more than andything else! BUT of coz NOT the endless administrative duties plus having to teach 4 classes of Civics & Moral Ed.!! These things dampen my enthusisam at times! But it's coming to the end of term in 2 weeks time! So fast...but I guess that's how life always is. By the time you're so in tune with everything, it's about the end of everything! Good things don't last! WHYYYY?????

Bee has school tom, in fact, every Sat from now on (sux!). By the time he ends, half the day is gone!! And God knows I hate going out on Sundays because the next day (Mon)is a school day and I just wanna stay home on Sundays to slack and "grumble" and wallow in misery.

Bee promised to take me to the movies tom, to watch "The Longest Yard" because he postponed the initial plan to watch it with me tonight, just because he was: LAZY to get his damn BUTT outta his house!!!!! That's why, here I am, pathetically enjoying "peace" alone at home while everyone else is OUT! I shall just wallow in self pity, RIGHT now..hahaha =)

Signing off *muackz* ....

What was I up To?

2005-09-13T21:46:00.001+08:00

I must "brag" about my record breaking day! I had lessons straight from 7.45am till 3.30pm, STRAIGHT!! Mind you, without any break! Actually my lessons ended so late today was because I conducted make up lessons straight afetr school for 2 classes! Luckily I was smart enough to combine both classes together (though they were from the different streams). So I talked non-stop for close to 8 hours today!
Tuesdays are my longest days and the the only day I kinda dread. I love teaching my girls but I think the timetable kinda sux big time lah. I mean teachers do need so break in between or something. Another of similar day with sucky timetable for me would be Thursdays. Plus I have tuition on these both days, what could sound more scary than adding so much stress for oneself rite? Urrghhh..that's life for you, when you're in the working world. Everything just piles up and it drowns you slowly (like the song "killing me softly"), yet you cannot retaliate!! All you can do is suffer in silence nad "grope" your way through darkness till you find light (in which you never would). Anyway, the pictures are the latest updates of what I've been up to recently. I'm making an effort to take photos (everyday, if I can) to at least update something about what happens each day.

Fried Seafood Udon (Saturday: Ben and I were so sick of eating out that I decided to whip up something, with whatever left overs I can find at home and I came up with this!)

Went shopping over the weekends (was down with "school re-opening syndrome" - self diagnose) and then I went home and as I was packing my shoe cupboard, I was amazed at the collection of footwear I had man!

Amazed by my crazy footwear possessions

Dream bridal heels (Bought this pair of high heels 3 yrs back, just for Ben's commissioning ball. Cost me a bomb just because it was Swarovski crystal. And I only wore it ONCE! I think the only next appropriate time to wear it again would be during my wedding....it better be soon, before this heels starts moulding.)

Deadly posessions in my cupboard (The top clothing rod is already filled to the brim and I'm in the midst of accumulating somemore to fill the bottom rod as well...ha!)

Workout day: Gym-cum-swimming session @ Seletar Country Club (Ben and I were so bored, we decided to re-visit Seletar for some workout since he claimed "it's been a long time since you last exercised, eh?")

Innovative? Making full use of money! (Courtesy of my pupil, Sherilyn)
I was collecting money from my Sec 1F girls and all girls formed a queue and as usual, being girls, they were chatting happily away (about what materials to use to sew for their Utility holder). Then along came Sherilyn (who's kinda playful and chatty + itchy hands), who amused me with this creative innovation of her's (as she claimed). I was caught off guard and started laughing non-stop! I don't know how to narrate the exact situation and put it into words but what happened was like this:
I called Sherilyn (as I was busy looking at my name list): "Sherilyn, where's your $2.20 huh? Then she came, opened her palm and showed me this and she said "nah, Ms Lee".
For a second, there was silence and I just looked at her and she looked back at me with a very funny expression (like, "what's wrong?") and then...we just LAUGHED like mad!
Probably the non-stop talking thorughout has kinda made my whole day so mundane and boring that this incident just suddenly burst my laughing hormones.

Anyway, I'm very happy with things between Ben and I, our relationship in general. Things are moving smoothly and at least, I think we're heading towards a similar goal. We meet everyday, without fail. Some of you must be thinking "kua zhang!" rite,but that was exactly Ben's mentality yrs back...now, meeting everyday is not just seeing each other physically or to fulfil each other's role as a couple, but it has a special meaning which I cannot explain. Both of us just look forward to meeting each other. In fact, this has become a habit such that when we're not by each other, we feel funny. I mean, this is special for the fact that this can still happen between a couple who's been together for about 6 yrs (exceptional to those "honey-mooning" couples), I think this feeling is special. I feel Ben's a totally changed man and he said I was a changed person too....Just now, as we were talking, I asked him to reflect on us now and in the past and he said that probably as we grow older, you kinda meter out your priorities in life. The material things no longer matter. I remember there was a rough patch when we both were arguing about meeting up. On one hand, he didn't see the need to meet up so often while I was demanding and just wanted to meet up and unwillingly when he does, we end up squabbling and not meeting eye to eye for anything back then. But now, his temper has changed so much, in fact, I must say he has no temper already (compared to the past, I think thos ewho know him will agree).
Now I really believe in this chinese saying "chuan dao qiao tou, zi ran zhi". As people grow older, their thoughts tend to "automatically" straighten out and they become more sensible with their actions and thinking. We just opened another Joint account and are saving..I can sense and know that he wants to commit to something. We'll be going to HDB to check out about the procedures and the policies for purchasing houses when my holidays start.
I'm HAPPY...I see the light and the direction we're heading to, TOGETHER.....Thank God!

TiMe and Tide WaiTs for no Man

2005-09-06T23:04:00.000+08:00

I feel like screaming out soooo.....LOUD now !!! It's Tuesday already and I've not even settled down to start setting my exam papers! On one hand, my mind keeps telling me "Hey, luckily it's only Tuesday", which somehow comforts me (coz I still have 5 more days before school re-opens) but on the other hand, it tells me, "Hey, it's already Tuesday, when you wanna start? Even if you start now, you'll not have enough time!" OMG!!! I'm PROCRASTINATING again..and the thing is, I told myself that I'll wake up early today to start work but guess what time I got up? 1PM !!! The worse thing is, I still have plans for some activities the coming days ahead so which means these days would be a no-no for any work. Ben was planning to go Zouk for Mambo tom which means tom and Thursday would be burnt coz by the time we get up on Thursday, half the Thursday would have been gone! And then, I'll be left with Friday to rush my work and printing in school, coz school's outta bounce on Saturdays and Sundays. Old habits die hard, I'm a person who cannot push myself to work until the very last minute, when I'm really left with no choice, I'll start panicking and start to get stressed out..but that's the only time I can produce good quality work too....uurrrghhh..HOW? HOW? HOW? GOD, is there something wrong with me? Am I a defact? Am I psychologically or mentally unsound? Am I undergoing some unknown brain disease? Oh Gosh.....
If a genie ever asks me (that's if GENIEs do exist) what I'll wish for, I, in almighty pride would say, "Grant me nothing, but TIME." How's that? *lame*
Went for a last minute hair cut at Cindy's place this afternoon. Initially, the appointment was only booked for Ben to have his hair cut but since I was there, I thought I might as well get my hair done and so, I did! And as usual (always becoz of me), we spent a whole 3 hours at Cindy's place. I think it's so hard to be a man sometimes..always having to end up waiting for women and the best thing is, at the end of it all the patient wait, you still have to fake a smile even when you are at the verge of ripping off allt he hair on your head and wishing you were better off dead than having to sit there (in the salon) for 3 WHOLE HOURS! That's why, I always salute all men...for all the timely unseen "sacrifice" that you ppl make, which we woman, tend to overlook.

Nothing Better to Do

2005-09-05T19:13:00.000+08:00

As the title already explained itself, I just wanna share this picture that I captured just moments ago....beautiful day break....view from my very own room window, in Tampines, Singapore.....

~Beautiful Day break~

Teacher's Day 2005

2005-09-01T02:14:00.000+08:00

Am down with a terrible cold man, and it's all thanx to these:

Culprits!!!

Was dead hungry last nite and thought since there was so much nice food, why waste so I gobbled down my fav TIM TAM Mint and Black Forest Fantasy (New flavour*) plus a slice of Goodwood's D24 Durian Mooncake (that was damn sinful) oh and + Red Deli's Honey Soy Chicken Potato Chips. Bet you all must be amazed by my appetite rite? I call this: GLUTTONY...hahaha...actually I have no answer as to why I snack so much but I just know that I hate eating proper meals.

Anyway, it's been days or weeks since I last updated and I was (again*) LAZY...I hate it when there are major events in my life, coz it means I'll have alot to blog (and you MUST be thinking, 'ain't it good, then you have something interesting to write about right?") but the more things I can blog, the lazier I become..and soon, it accumulates and then you start to develop an anti-blogging syndrome which makes you wanna stay away from your blog, FOREVER!

But since I'm already here (forced myself to *nah*), I shall update you the latest, of which, was the TEACHER'S DAY CELEBRATION, my 1st Teacher's Day, to be precise. I've uploaded quite a number of pictures and they are all in sequenceof timing so, I think pictures speak louder than words:

My first Teacher's Day present!!!
These muffins came one day before Teacher's Day and they were made by my Normal Technical girls! I was having lessons at the computer lab when Stephanie and Gillian popped in and surprised me with these....I was seriously touched. This is something I would least expect: NT girls, using the skills you thought them, to make something meaningful as present for Teacher's Day! I shall vote this: The Most Sincere Teacher's Day Present 2005! A Priceless Gift!

TEACHER'S DAY CELEBRATIONS (31st AUGUST 2005)

Theme: Retro

Anyway, this was the whole sequence fo the day's programme:

1/2 day school (7.45am - 1pm): Teacher's Day Mass

Teacher's Buffet by student councillors

Students' Performance

* Teacher's Performance (to make up for Youth Day celebrations)

We gave the students a surprise(intentionally) when we told them we were gonna perofmr for them to make up for the Youth Day performance that we owed them. Anyway, the whole performance by all of us was very entertaining. Every teacher and staff in SJC had a part to play. We "telecast/ produced" our very own "SJC Idol" contest, LIVE and in between, we had many short funny adverts that were recorded by us. I don't know how I should describe everything exactly in here, but I have the whole video clip with me and I am proud to say, I had a part to play in the adverts too! You'll enjoy watching them just like our students did. I think students love to see what their teachers can do for them, besides TEACHING.

Commotion in the Staff Room...all dressed up, all ready to perform (Look at that stylo woman in blue leatehr tranch coat, she's none other then my ever friendly colleage, Mrs Cindy Soon. Doesn't she resemble someone from American Idol?)

Student's performance: Retro Dancing

Teacher's Day Dinner 2005

Theme: Hawaiian

Our Teacher's Day Dinner was a Dinner-Buffet-By-The-Sea at Shangri-la Rasa Sentosa. The programme for the evening was supposed to start at 6.30pm but many of us were already there by 5PM because many had signed up to try the TRAPEEZE (Free of coz, thanx to Shangri-la. The public rate is at $50) Don't ask me how it felt coz I did not try the trapeeze for some personal "girl" reason.

Oh, by the way, all of us Beginning Teacher (a total of 7 of us, including me) had to perform an item and with my silly suggestion and idea (we couldn't coem to a final conclusion on what the ideas that were suggested!), we came up with our own version of STOMP (The musical group that uses kitchen utensils to create music) and we created "noise" outta our school song and also re-vamped the "We Will Rock You" cheer too. Anyway, you wouldn't wanna knwo the outcoem coz we kinda embarrassed ourselves...hehehehe.....

Glimpse of the ever beautiful scenery from Shangrila

Outdoor celebration by the sea

This atmosphere makes me so wanna get married quickly....*hint hint*

Dressed to Kill! Hawaiian Babe contest

Was totally forced by the people at my table to dress up for this funny Hawaiian Babe & Hunk Contest, using leftover materials. Ultimately, you should know our group didn't win coz I obviously looked more like an Eskimo if not, an Alien !!!

In summary : Teacher's Day Gifts + a stack of cards (not in picture)

The whole celebration came to an end at about 10.30PM and most of us headed for our home sweet home while some retreated back to the Shangri-la's hotel room for the night (at discounted rates). But nonetheless, I must say, I enjoyed my very first Teacher's Day and indeed with it being my very first, it will defintely remain in my heart forever. Wanna thank all my students out there and here's the message:

"You girls are like my Sunshine. Without you people, I don't know what would life be for me. You girls, never fail to brighten my day with the little tricks you have up ya sleeves. We may never know if our paths will cross again, but I would still sincerely want to wish all of you well, because a Teacher's wish is forever as simple as hoping to touch as many lives. Remember the equation:

Teachers + Students = School "

~Being FaT~

2005-08-27T17:30:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING: Same Side of the Moon (Corrinne May)

Did a Body Analysis test yesterday in school. One of my male colleagues bought a Body Analyser and he brought it to school for us to try it out, so he asked anyone who was in the office to try out the machine. I've taken this test before back then, when I was doing my Nutrition studies in Temasek Poly. It was one of those machines that could analyse our % Body Fat, Bone Mass, % Water, Metabolism and etc, by sending electrolytes throughout our body by testing iour body's resistance against it (Or something like that).
Anyway, I happened to be in the office settling some admin stuff and didn't know what was going on when Mrs Soon and irritatin' Mr Fan (our Operations Manager) insisted that I did the Analysis. Unwillingly, I stepped onto the machine and within minutes, the results were out and these colleagues of mine, made a big wooha outta it and kept framing me: The Healthiest and Skinniest teacher of SJC" WTH!!!

See the pictures and you'll know why....

The Results

......against The Guidelines

The Results said this:
- Body Fat: 18.3% (Normal range: 17% ~ 24%) and for that, my colleagues kept saying I'm underweight!!! I was irritated!
- Visceral Fat Level (Fats ard the organs): 1 (Healthy range is 1~12)
- Muscle Mass: 8 -> Thin and Muscular
- BMR Age: 16 (which means that my metabolism rate is still at 16 yrs old, lower than my actual age, which is an indication that I have high metabolism rate)
Now the thing is this: I am totally unconvinced by the results! I know I can't doubt a machine but I feel that the results are all a fraud man! Firstly, I feel and know that I AM FAT and I eat alot, especially snacks! So what's with the low or close to underweight % Body Fat? Secondly, I don't even exercise much these days, how can I fall under the Thin and Muscular range? Thirdly, I know I still DO put on weight so how is it that I have High Basal Metabolism Rate (BMR)???
Whatever it is, I'm only convinced by myself and my eyes...I still feel that I'm nothing but FAT all over...I need to look at myself in the mirror one fine day and realise that I look like the size of Nicole Kidman, than I'll be convinced that I'm not FAT, in which I know, it's IMPOSSIBLE....so wth rite?
Ben had just left for JB with his rugby gang and would be back late in the night. I'm sitting here, rotting away while I have a whole pile of work waiting to be done., but I just can't get down to doing it right now! I'm brain dead!

A simple fare for lunch on Sunday

Oh yah, Ben came over early this morning and we went to Geylang for Dim Sum breakfast, then headed back to Tampines Mall to catch "Bewitched". It was kinda funny...but nothign coould beat "The Wedding Crashers...one of the funniest movies I've watched lately. I give it my two thumbs up!

I think Ben and I are both very sick and tired of all the crazy chase and rush that's in our life....we're very tired of everything in life...we both share the same sentiments and that is: we just want to build our very own world and be invisible to everyone and everything on this earth and just lie in each others arms and not care about anything, just let everything whiz past us....can GOD just freeze time or just put everything to a stop??? Maybe I shall suggest to him that we head down to the beach next Saturday morning, to take a breather, to take a break away from everything. Shall ask him to drive to Pasir Ris or East Coast, park there and we'll wind down the window, lie in each others arms, play Corrinne May's songs (to heal and rejuvenate our souls) and enjoy the sea breeze-cum-fresh air blowing at our faces.......

When things just go on and on, StuPidLy....

2005-08-20T22:57:00.001+08:00

Just wanted to do an update on our very ordinary Saturday. Anyway, for the past few weekends, Ben and I have been going on public coz we wanted to rekindle the days we spent travelling by public. I guess after going around in a car, when everything just becomes too convenient, you tend to lose your sense of communication with each other. Most of the time, within minutes, you can easily get to your destination, grab whatever you want and go.
Well, so as planned, we met up at Orchard MRT and took a stroll to Goodwood Park Hotel for our Lunch Buffet...the spread was kinda good and the atmosphere was that of an old English feeling, similar to living in a cottage up some mountains (because we indeed walked up the super steep slope to before we could get into the hotel). There was no crowd, only a few families, so there was peace (as I had wanted). We also had the honor of having Mr Jack Neo in our presence as he was just sitting opposite our table. At first, when I sat at the table, I didn't notice it was him until my KPO-ears probed to listen further and from his distinct hoarse voice, I looked up and double-check to see if it was him, and it really was. He was with this familiar man (think some director who was on TV before too) and what really amused me was their dual-language conversation. Our Mr. Neo was conversing with this friend of his, in Mandrin while the latter replied in English and it didn't sound like a formal conversation but a very casual, friend-to-friend kinda talk ! WTH!

@Goodwood Park's Hotel - Coffee Lounge

A wide spread for hungry PIGs like US!!

We left Goodwood Park ard 2pm with our stomachs filled to our hearts content and the next thing both of us wanted to do in common was: SLEEP!! Haha..... anyway, as God always has it planned, it started pouring so heavily that we were stuck in the hotel for almost half an hour!
Next, we headed down to roam all the shopping centres, and our usual hang outs...and when we finally arrived at Takashimaya, both our feets were sore and aching....and the best thing was, we've not bought anything, and we were already feeling so bored and I even had the intention to head back home to sleep (of coz I didn't say it out!). So, we walked past Zara and saw some unoccupied seats on the bench outside, we sat out tired butts down and sighed......We were seriously bored. Now the funny thing is this: Why is it always the case, when we were younger and didn't have the money to really shop, we would still come down to town endlessly every week to roam the whole stretch of Orchard without feeling sick and tired, BUT now when we have all the money in the world, we can't seem to find anything to shop for?
Well, we were so bored that we both came up with a silly idea to start a dumb game and that was to do a survey on
1) How many beautiful females or good looking males can we spot within 5 minutes -> Result: 3 Females, 2 Males.
then we moved on to conduct another silly survey:
2) How many "matching" couples can we find in 5 minutes (as in couples who fit each other in terms of looks and natural bodily language) - Results was pathetic: 5 couples
3) How many pregnant women can we spot in 5 minutes - Results was a whooping: 11 women!
That was how bored we were.....anyway, we headed back to my place ard 5pm and initially, I had already planned the menu to cook for dinner but all thanks to the undigested food from the buffet, our stomachs were still full by then.
We had planned to watch the movie "Valiant" but everywhere was almost sold out by the time we went back (so suay, this was the first time I didn't book through online booking) so we decided to watch "Mob Sisters" because I heard from my mum that it was a comedy and judging from the posters of the movie, it really looked like one. So we bought the tickets from Century Square, for the 9.30pm movie. The verdict and movie review was this (Ben): "The most cock up and screwed up movie of the century." I agreed too! It was really a dumb show with no story line...at the end of it all, I still didn't know what the outline of the story was...plus with Ben who was making so much noise cursing the movie on and off and sighing, that made the movie not worth two cents!
Anyway, I'm brain dead now...can't think already so gonna end off here~

HoT TopiC

2005-08-12T09:18:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Walk Away (Corrinne May)

Today's a friday and I'm stuck at home when I'm supposed to be in school teaching in class rite now...urrrghhh...I'm sick (AGAIN!!!)...all thanx to the trip to Carnival@Marina with the students yesterday. The place was jam-packed with students from different schools all over Singapore and secondly the weather was bad..it was drizzingly all the time.
We had about 3hrs to spend there and guess what? Half the time was spent on queueing for some super lame and stupid SAF Jungle Discovery Ride. Indeed it was really some "discovery". Sat on some 2.5 tonne vehicle which brought us into a make-shift "jungle" where many army guys were demonstrating or I'll say acting, how the army fights and etc...it was then that I was thinking, "Oh, I didn't know army guys had another extra talent for Acting, besides wooing/ boasting about themselves with girls!"...is that what they are doing all the time in camp, during their NS? But I must say this, their acting SUX! It only impressed those little sec school girls in my group who were happpily screaming away when the land mind exploded and the army guys were firing at their "enemies"....BOY! All the childish act...I'm glad to say that at least I wasn't like that back then. Anyway, I was so bored during that ride that I took a video of that lame "fighting" while the army guide in our vehicle was explaining some things. He talked as if it was damn obvious that he memorised a script!!! Well, all I can say is, everything was damn lame. Probably coz I think they've been repeating the same old procedure for each trip for don't know how many times X how many days. Only one word: S-E-L-F P-I-T-Y. I'm sorry but I have to say this: I seriously don't know if NS guys are in camp for too long or what, and they've been deprived of seeing people of the opposite sex, such that one they see one, they start eyeing you like anything, and the next moment, you'll see a few of them gathering around and "whispering" in their ever-wonderful Hokkien-Singlish, "wah liu eh, li ki meng yi lah..." How predictable and childish rite? I nearly wanted to tell them, "lin bu old enough to be li eh mother liao!" But I tot I'll give that sarcasm a miss and give them a superficial smile instead. HA! What is the world coming to? What is NS doing to our male, they're all becoming either more GAY-ISH if not more UN-MANLY or trying to ACT MANLY !!! It seems the typical topic they always engage themselves in, would be about F%^&&*King some girl if not it'll be some complains about some stupid "OCCIFER"!!!
You sit by a cafe and hear a group of guys talking so god-damn loudly and if you listen on further, you definitely cna identify that they're the NS guys! Even the way they dress and prob their stupid hair cut also!!!! EEEkkkksss!!! Freaks me out!
Anyway, what really caused me to be sick was firstly probably coz of the weather (I'm allergic to rain) and secondly coz of the smell emitted by the students! Nearly vomitted and fainted while I was queueing for the Jungle Discovery Ride. Let me tell you this: The smell from students, really ain't no joke! It is fatal and can kill !!!
Anyway, that's all for now...I'm feeling drowsy after the medication...

Busy......

2005-07-30T23:09:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Fly Away (Corrinne May)
*Listening to Corrinne May's Fly Away, late into the middle of the night ain't no joke man...it's "biting" my soul and I so want to cry out loud now man...I guess I've been keeping too much in me and it's starting to feel as if my world's gonna crumble any moment....urrrghhhh!!!!

Am so freakin' busy with school...everyday just whizzes past me like nobody's business and I'm like a mad woman everyday, chasing after time, chasing after the students and all....what the hell am I doing man???
Anyway, I was just "doing" some day dreaming plus some thinking and this came to my mind:
Has it ever occurred to you that for a certain damn reason, there are just some"certain" people whom you work with, that happen to always be able to "siam" or getthrough (escape) everything with 1001 reasons BUT are still able to get through life the easy way or even best of all: Climb up the next scale, while YOU , on the other hand, have to slog your bloody guts out and still get arrowed to do everything?? I bet many of you would agree with me that you would have actually faced such people in life somehow or another, be it in the working world or in school, when you have to do project work, RIGHT?
Well, to put it in a Nice way, I would say these people are very SMART (cunning) to be able to always "escape" from their duties, and isn't this the way the society works, "If you want to succeed in life, you can no longer rely on beign Hardworking but rather being Cunning"
Seriously, I wonder if this s the motto of such people. Anyway, to put it in a Not-So-Nice-Way, these people, are just plain freakin' L-A-Z-Y !!!!! And it's because these people are so "clever" in making themselves look like ANGELS, it in turn makes you look horrible in every others' eyes!!! What the HELL!!!! Ahh.....but nevermind, no one has yet to offend me...I just hope that like people usually say "There's justice in everything and that people up there will have eyes to see the doings of the bad" I hope so too man...I hope things will come to light one fine day...and I'll just wait and see how long can these people go on hiding like that.

Update.....

2005-07-12T21:07:00.001+08:00

Am aching all over from standing 8 periods straight from 7.45am all the way to 1pm...absolutely no break at all! I'm a Powerful Teacher man! No doubt about that...by the end of 5 years, I should be able to conquer the whole of Bedok Reservoir without any prob! Say 'YEAH'......
I think I'm abit MAD...but this is the fact what teaching can do to you...you either get real MAD by the environment or you'll be the extreme opposite: Pretend and Act Blur. I suppose the latter will probably prolong your life when you're working in an environment that you wish you could just run away from. Haha.... =)
Anyway..my day did not just end at 1pm. The most dreadful thing was the Departmental meeting that followed! The most horrible thing that can happen to you is to be stucked in a meeting where your HOD can just rattle on non-stop for a freakin' 3 hours, without even catching hints that his/her listeners are already bored by his/her monotonous speech! I was indeed stucked in that very situation. I mean, to be "up there" I thought you should at least be able to speak, can be in control, give motivational or even inspirational speeches, right?
Anyway, just wanted to update what happened lately.

Saturday (9th July) - Chocolate Buffet
Thanks to my cravings (again!), we headed down to Fullerton Hotel. The journey to the hotel wasn't that smooth coz of the silly road blocks (thanks to the National Day Rehearsal @ the Padang)and we were rushing against time coz the reservation was at 8pm and they would hold the reservation no longer than 15mins. Nevertheless, we kinda enjoyed the whole buffet, though Ben already started feeling "gelak" after his 2nd round.

Sunday (10th July) - Met up with Estee, Diane and Shufen (finally!)
Finally got a chance to meet up with the "supermarket gang after so long. We met in a Japanese Restaurant in Bugis and we ended up chatting non-stop for hours. I remember 5 yrs back when we were together, our topics of discussion mainly evolved around cute guys and stuff. But this time round (5yrs later), we wereall discussing about Marriage, the In-laws and all...thanks to our the expertise advices from Diane-the-Wifey.

Monday (11th July) - BBQ at Ben's aunty's house
Anyway, gotta end here now...this afternoon's meeting has brought upon me, a terribel headache which It hink can last throughout the week...wth!

Enjoy the pics though......

Yummilicious Choc Exotics

Mmmmm........all smilez

The AMAZIN' Legendary Choc Fountain

Mag & I

Now: Mr & Mrs Ben

3 yrs down the road..........

ProuD working Mum!!!!

I'm indeed dreamin now...or maybe shall I say, I've been dreamin all these while, of wanting to become Ben's good Wife and to be a good mummy....Maybe you can say that I'm really dying to be a mum..I can't wait to experience what it'll be like!!!! Ahhh...if only life was that simple.................

~Living in Simplicity~

I see the LIGHT!

2005-07-04T10:42:00.000+08:00

Yoo Hoo...finally, the BRIGHTER side of life is coming to LIGHT!!! It's the Youth Day school holiday and I'm "resting" at home (FINALLY) after all the days of getting up so early when ppl are still in deep sleep. Maybe that's the sacrifice I have to make as a teacher..but the good thing is, when there's school holidays, we get a share of it too....Well, now I truly understand the meaning of "Grass is always greener on the other side". I still rem a week ago, my mood was the total opposite...I was again in Depression...no positive encouragement could get thru me. All I could think of in my mind were this two things:
"Life really sucked!" and "Why did I choose this path? I wish I wasn't a Teacher".
The worse day of my life was the day prior to school re-open....I cried the whole day and even the first few days of school. Ask Ben...every moment I saw him, I cried...But luckily, he was so nice to actually accompany me throughout the week, pick me up from school everyday, stayed over my place. I think he knew I was feeling so down and just needed someone to be there or I'll start thinking nonsense again....My Parents and Sis (especially) were also there for me.. I think they also knew how I felt though I didn't express it out to them. But prob coz everythign I said sounded very Negative. I'm feeling very LUCKY..I'm indeed very LUCKY...I can't imagine what my world would be like, without them...I don't think it would be spinning without them!
Well, all I could remember was I kept thinking about the Negative points about being a teacher. Things like:
1) Having to get up earlier than everyone else does
2) Having to prepare endless lessons for the students
3) Having to wreck your brains to think of creative lessons
4) Having to attend endless courses after school
5) Having to clear up endless Administrative matters
6) Having to deal with students/ predict what's to expect from diff students (I'm always keeping my fingers crossed, that I'll never have to deal with difficult students
7) Unlimited working hours with no OT pay and etc.....
The Positive points never emerged in my head until I attended my CONVOCATION last Wednesday. I realised that I was grumbling about the no. of periods I had in my timetable. I thought my 31 periods (including 8 classes of Sec One Home Ec and 1 class of Civics & Moral) was already too much to take (the guidelines for Beginning Teachers was 22 ~ 24 periods/wk) until I realised most of my friends in the other schools, actually had more periods than I did! Some even had a freakin' 38 periods! I think the schools are stretching us like rubber bands man! Just because they are short of Home Ec and Food & Nutrition teachers compared to the other subject teachers, doesn't mean they should stretch us like anything.....Anyway, things only took a positive turn after the week ended. Having spent one whole week in school, I realised that the postitive side of this profession could be:
1) When it's school holidays, we also have "holidays"
2) I only need to face stduents and not the big BOSS everyday.
3) I have the freedom to plan my lessons the way I want to.
4) School operates on the 5-day working week basis
5) No one breathes down my neck.
6) I don't have Date Dues to meet (so far), etc....
Maybe if we are willing to open up, life doesn't seem so bad afterall...Even before school re-open, I already told myself that I didn't like this school and because of that, I kept asking myself why did I choose to become a Teacher and was even planning ahead how I'm gonna DEFINITELY give up Teaching after my 5 yrs. True enough, the first few days of school really sucked for me..I just didn't feel "home" to the school, coz I unknowingly kept comparing this school with my previous school, Temasek Sec. I think that the thing about life is being able to appreciate whatever we have and make the best out of it. However bad a situation may seem, there is definitely some goodness in it and it's up to you to find it.The fact is that I am already posted to this school and it's gonna be a permanent posting for the next 5 years (at least 2 years), I have to make the best outta it or I'll be suffering everyday of the 2 yrs I'll be here, right?
I'm kinda starting to love teaching but I still prefer teaching in a Primary school though, not because it's an easier job (which it is not!) btu rather because I can naturally relate better to kids than teenagers. I was even day dreaming that day, that maybe after the 5 yrs with secondary school, I'll ask to transfer to a Primary school and work my way up there to being a Principal..haha...(wishful thinking on my part..but at least it's a postive side I see in myself, towards Teaching)
Anyway, here's the pictures from my Convocation...enjoy...

The 3 Big Beauty Teachers

Happy Parents

Me & Ben posing for a pic under the HOT sun...

Happy Mum...

I have yet to post the pictures from my Bangkok trip as promised coz I really have TONNES of work to do in school...didn't even have time to catch up with ST's who's back in Singapore (am feeling so bad). Have really been isolated from the world man...Anyway, I'll try to update the pics when I find time coz there's kinda alot of pics and I've yet to upload them to my com. Being in this profession requires alot of energy and it definitely kills alot of brain cells at the same time, so any slightest chance I have for rest, I'll jump at it....
~Jo~

BiTTer, BiTTer.......

2005-06-14T11:08:00.000+08:00

I don't know what's wrong with me man..I HATE myself man...I think I'm PMS-sing again...it's already 11.30am and Ben and his mum are leaving home on their way to pick me up already and I still haven't bathed nor finished packing!!! I suddenly feel very low-down man!! I think its depression again...I want to enjoy this trip but I'm feeling bloated and all (from the PMS) and the moment I think about the endless work I have to prepare for lessons and start slogging next week, it already dampens my spirit...makes me wish time will come to a stand-still. Let's say if there's nothing I have to do when I'm back, I think the feeling will be different...then I'll really enjoy the trip bah???

Anyway I just read Joy's blog and as I read, I really feel very very happy for her...though everything about her is about GOD, but I truly feel that GOD answered all her prayers..I think it's her faith in GOD...haiz...just as I and Ben were reflecting my dilemna and doubt about religion...anyway, as I read her blog, I just felt so light-hearted and can even feel her happiness..I think it's the song in her blog that also added to it. But the thing is, the moment I closed her blog, then I reflected on myself. She was offered the Degree, she was in a dilemna coz of all the other factors (2nd subject, financial pay, etc), and she prayed hard, God really answered her prayer, very miraculous! Then I kinda like see that through her strong faith, GOD is working his wonders on her...then I asked myself:

1) "Where am I? Where's my Faith?"

As I'm really happy for Joy, at the same time, I ask myself, what about me? Now she's got the Degree (paid through all her hard work), all my friends (Estee, Caline, Jamie, Ben, Lee, Jason, etc ) are doing their degree, and where do I stand? Then all the regrets start streaming in...spoiling my damn mood....

I think I am gonna just cry on the plane and let Ben make me feel better...I'm feeling so bitter and low-down now man...hate PMS-sing..it's got lotsa side effects!!!

I'm Leaving, on a JeT PLane....

2005-06-14T10:17:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Leaving on a Jet Plane (Chantal Kreviazuk)

Yay!!!

I can't believe I'll be leaving Singapore (alas!) for a 5D/4N trip to Bangkok in 3hrs time! Soon I'll be hearing "Last Call for passengers Ms Joanna Lee & Mr Benedict Goh"...haha...Anyway, we're FINALLY proceeding with our "long-procrastinated" anniversary trip abroad. It's been about 7 yrs plus since I last went there with my family and I heard that things have kinda changed alot in Bangkok. Actually what "provoked" me to go to Bangkok was:

1) All the interesting things I heard from Caline, Lee & friends who just got back from there, as well as Ben's parents who also just returned last week

2) Mainly the Amazing Thailand Sale...I'm a big shoppaholic.....gonna see how AMAZING the Thailand sale would be, though the last time round Iw as there, I didn't really buy much coz was tourign around most of the time...you can't do much when you're with your family eh....
Will post the photos up when I'm back....meanwhile, ciaoz and may all Take Carez!

I WILL MISS SINGAPORE!!!! <- for real?

Just some Recent Pics......

2005-06-08T13:59:00.000+08:00

(28th May): Night out @ Chinatown Roof Garden

Dinner: Maguro Sashimi, Japanese Curry, Ladies Finger, Tomato Meat Balls & Crabstick

Wake up Breakfast

An Artistic Picture: "9 Generations of Juicy Grapes"

Mag's Lucky Flush

And Finally, here's it, our long found Lighted Dice which we went all over Singapore (someone told us to check it out at Autobacs @ Bukit Batok, only to find a fragrance dice instead of a lighted dice. Anyway, sicne we travelled so far, we also bought it.) just to look for it, and when our hopes were all gone, we found this at a makeshift car shop in Toa Payoh, on the same day, while on the way to haircut. Anyway, now, the car has two pairs of dice! And multiple aroma/fragrance to tantilise your senses coz I also bought the Goodaire Car Deoderiser! I'm "Car-Accesories-Crazy"

A Lesson learnt:

The more you're in search of something, the more you'll never find it. It's always "So near yet so Far!"

Our Beng-yyy Dice!!!

WHYs????

2005-06-08T13:09:00.000+08:00

Have not logged in for some time...life's really in a mad rush now, though it's the June Holidays...on the surface, it seems as if I'm supposed to be enjoying coz I'm away from school and so on, but physically, I'm busy with many other unforseen stuff...things like, Dreamin about the BIRDS, Staring at the CLOUDS, Wonderin' why it must always RAIN so on and so forth..*nah*...that's just besides the point...these are just the little things I do when I finally get a breather from the work that I'm really busy with. Just liek I just got home from a "5D Free & Easy in SUNRISE CLOSE" while his parents were away on a 5D Free & Easy to Thailand! While they were there to visit some monks and the temples, here I was, "chasing" the sun (to hang the clothes out to dry), rushing the meals, watering the plants and trying to revive the dyin' banana tree....You gotta picture this to understand the humor in this.
*Picture and Imagine:
His parents:
In a sacred temple on a mountain top praying to the GODS...
Back in Sunrise Close: (a mad woman)
1) Jumping out of bed with messy hair, waking the siblings who need to rush for an appointment,
2) Running down with all the rubbish to chase the Rubbish Collector
3) Chasing the blardy SUN that never wants to coorporate and keeps playing hide and seek while you hang the clothes out
4) Find the blardy newspaper that was thrown under the car by the stupid news vendor who has lousy flingin'skills
5) Make the bed
6) Prepare breakfast only to realise the eggs in the fridge are super STALE !!!*never occurs in my own home!*

Anwyay, I've decided to come up with my own "JOANNA's COLLECTION of WHYs", a special column where I'll put up at the end of each entry from now on. Each time, there'll be at least two "WHYs"...these are questions that I've never understood or found an answer to. I'll applaud anyone who can give me a logical answer to my WHYs, in which I doubt, anyone, at least for now, would be able to answer my WHYs, coz I'm not so simple,...shows that my thoughts are too deep to apprehend.

TODAY's WHYs:
1) WHY is there no DEGREE in FARMING???
2) WHY can't we lead simpler lives?
3) WHY must human envy and get jealous of each other?
4) WHY isn't there a word called HOUSEHUSBANDS?
5) WHY can't Men out talk Women?

JusT Another DaY.....

2005-05-17T10:08:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Rush Rush (Paula Adbul)
*just like how my life's in a mad rush rite now....

Just saw Bee off to take his exam at Expo....sounds like the typical wife, seeing her husband off to work...was standing under the end of my blk, seeing him cross the bridge...or is it the scene of "mother seeing their kids off to school"?...aiyah whatever it is, it's a significance of love, be it motherly or wife-ly...He came over this morning with the intention to park his car at my carpark and take a bus to Expo instead of paying for the parking there, which he complained was freakin' expensive. Quite a typical calculative man lah huh.....so anyway, we went for Dim Sum breakfast before that....as I am elaborating, I seriously think I'm like the typical housewife, aunty and whatever nots man...the woman that wakes up in the morning, goes for breakfast with husband, see him off to work than wait for him to return home...what have I become???? The only difference is that I did not prepare breakfast coz was too lazy and tired. But am gonna cook lunch later so again, the "husband" comes home from work (in this case, Exam) and then it marks the day!! Well, I've been doing these things for years....so its nothing special already..don't he ever dare take me for granted man...I am the type who may subdue to my husband but I'm still a female chauvinist pig inside..be nice to me and I'll listen and "serve" you like a wife would...but I'll become a tyrant the moment you try to think you can bully me...that's me for you...and no one knows it better than Bee......

Anyway, have been kinda busy lately. Just went back to NIE yest for some Talk on Special Needs, which we have already done and taken it as part of a core module (for exam)...we should have been EXEPMTED from it man!

Have yet to update the photos for the SAF Visit last week, @ Nee Soon Camp...was indeed and eye-opener...one of the visits which I felt was more meaningful and wished it lasted longer (wow! So unlike of JOANNA!!!!) Will updtae it later..

No. 1 BIG THING!!!! The permanent school postings were out last week (way before the day it was tentatively said to be out) and it took me a week to "digest" and believe it before I'm announcing it...*nah*...I'll be posted to:
CHIJ St Joseph Convent
which is located in Sengkang...this place will be my home for the next "good" 5 years or so...or even less...but I'm not so apprehensive this time, coz I'll be going there with one of my classmates, NETTY, my dear verbal sparring partner since the says in TP...she was there for the Temasek Poly attachment (SIP) 2 years back...and she told me the school's alright. Well, I grew up in a mixed environment all these years, so I seriously don't know what it'll be like to be in an ALL GIRLS environment, much less, be Teaching there.

Now, the stupid thing is, just as I thought I could really enjoy the holiday and plan some trip with Bee and my friends, right after his exams end on the 19th May, there I was told to report to school on the 24th May!! *damn it*.....kinda screwed lah....I kinda look forward to my new school and all but not so soon man...the moment I commence school, it'll mark the start of my working careeer...and that'll mean, less time compared to the good ol' student days...haiz....now, can someone tell me: What is LIFE ????

Oh, before I forget, I blacked out last Friday...don't ask me why...it was Menses-related...was really bad this time round, the pain was super excruciating...for a moment, I broke out in cold sweat, started shivering and turned pale then green..the next moment, my sight darkened and I the last I remembered was, everything went "pop" and I couldn't hear anything...think I really scared my sister man when she saw me that day, but without her, I could have lost my life, and thanx to Bee too....I wouldn't wanna just leave all becoz of a stupid menses cramp man...yeah, I've gotta weak uterus...hafta watch out and take care, who asked me to be the unlucky minority.....

Anyway, enough of lamenting, before I bore anyone to death...am gonna take a typical-wifey rest first, then start preparing the ingredients to cook for lunch...haiz....is this my FATE ????????? hahah.....*lol*

all smilezzzz =)

A Series of XXXXXXXX Events

2005-05-09T22:26:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Grow Old With You (Adamn Sandler)
* the only positive thought I have in mind and for this entry right now....listen to the dialogue in the beginning....

Kinda lazy to elaborate and type everything out in full sentences..so here's the recaps of today and the past few days (that's if I rem), in point form:

Sunday (8th May)
1) Mother's Day
2) Went over to Malaysia to celebrate Mother's Day with all my aunties and cousins
3) The Duo's (Cal & Lee, Cassia & Samuel) had left for a 7-day trip in Thailand

Monday (9th May)
1) Went to school in the morning for some useless "Evaluation & Feedback' session - which was a total waste of my time...lasted only 1 damn hour and I had to spend 1 and 1/2 hour travelling there...as if I really had nothing better to do!
2) Got back from tuition - was totally worn out and tired during tuition plus my tuition kid (Madeline) brained-filled me with never ending curious Science questions about her hamsters and stuff..the usual of a kid....
3) Grumbling about having to go back to school tomorrow again for some stupid NE Seminar

At this very point, I'm just thinking that NIE seriously has attitude problem man!They have to organize a whole list of Enrichment Programmes for us in such and unorganized manner...breaking them up into short hours on separate days just for the sake to "occupy" our time throughout this month so that it seems that they did not let us off for early holiday....wth!!!! And to be frank, many of these enrichment programmes, I would say, are totally 100% irrelevant ...and I don't see how it'll ever benefit us in anyway, be it now, tomorrow or in the near future.....

*an ideal letter to NIE from an irritated member of the public

Dearest NIE/ MOE,

Don't go organizing a list of your 'Enrichment Programmes for Graduating Teachers' for the sake of occupying our time or for the sake of telling the media that "we put our teachers through intensive workshops or enrichment programmes and what nots"....they are so unappreciated by us or I would say, ME...we could have done so much more meaningful things and important things like planning our lessons, that is required in our Teaching profession, than having to DRAG ourselves to such programmes that never seem to have any benefit for us in anyhow (esp with regards to your Evaluation or Feedbacks Sessions....). I'll rather we never knew of such sessions so that you'll never hear feedbacks from us..because it'll save us the time to pen down our comments and also save you from the agony of hearing all our "so-positive" feedbacks which together, comes with a heavy load of improvements that you'll bloody have to make....save everyone the trouble...

Tuesday (10th April)
1) Start of Bee's exams - Maths Statistics
2) I'll be forgoing my Advance Theory Test (for the second time) - in exchange to sit for the computerised test instead.
3) Will be staying at my in-law's place - All because I have to reach Khatib at 8.15AM the next day (Wednesday) for the another EXCITING Enrichment Programme - SAF VISIT!!! *yeah*

Now you see, life can never be more exciting than it ever is right now...especially when you're in NIE...you don't have to worry about having too much time in your hands.....

Knockin' Off

A TriBute to the People's PresiDenT: Dr Wee Kim Wee

2005-05-07T16:58:00.000+08:00

News of the late Dr Wee Kim Wee's passing has flooded the media and every Singaporean's mind..it has been the headlines of late, at least for the past few days. Many interviewees have commented about how good he was, towards the VIPs all the way to the "Ordinary People"...no one had any negative comments about him.

What about you? What have you got to say about our late Dr Wee?

I may not have personally known him, I mean I'm just one of the 4 million Singaporean..how is one able to reach out to all of his fellow Singaporeans? But at least, I knew he made a point to reach out to as many. He led a humble life, and because of that, he could bring himself to the level of the ordinary people, like us. I would say that in the past, I would have heard of him and prob just know that he was our president...but what he has done for us, no one knew....Only when they played the video reflection of his past, then we all knew how much he has contributed to Singapore...but have you ever thought, "Why is it when a person leaves, then only would people start to appreciate the person and start bringing out all the positive things about the person? Isn't it too late?"

I may not have even met him in person, nor even got to shake his hand or see him from afar, but from the video that has been repeated the past few days, of him and his values and beliefs/ philosphy, there was something that he said that really touched me:

"We came into this earth with nothing, we shall leave with nothing"

and

"In the eyes of the LAW & GOD, all of us are equal. I may have been a President for a period. But if you remove the word 'President', I am Wee Kim Wee, like the taxi driver... "

Which man can bring himself to say such things, with pure sincereity and humbleness??? You know it when one is "faking it" or just saying for the sake of saying...I have to admit, I cried after watching the video...a man who could live off with wealth, fame and all, instead chose to live life with such Simplicity, yet left this world with NO REGRETS.....

Now, the question is:

"Would you be able to live this world with NO WORRIES nor REGRETS????? "

Think about it......

To: Dr Wee, my Respects to you. I'll remember you always.....

From: An Ordinary Singaporean

The VerdicT DaY

2005-05-04T23:52:00.000+08:00

Caline & I were kinda bored with nothing to do and we decided to bake something or cook something for the guys. So I suggested she come over to my place and we'll cook up a whirl .
Met her after my tuition lesson last nite at TM to get the ingredients. We had a hard time decidign what to bake and finally, I suggested baking Fresh fruit tarts. After buying the stuff, we went back to my place for my mum's "Zha Jiang Mian"...was great man. Anyway, Caline put a night over and we spent the night playing mahjong together with my sis (again with one leg less).
Got up at about 9AM from all the noise Ben made upon his arrival....and then, we started WORK for the day...the weather was freakin' HOT and as we baked, we kept complaining non-stop..really can't imagine how those bakers can stay in the kitchen for the whole day man!
We only finished baking all the tarts at about 11.30AM and then had to move on to cook the Japanese Curry Rice for lunch as Lee was coming over at ard 12 plus. Caline prepared the ingredients and I just cooked as she went to bathe and prepare for the arrival of her prince charming...haha =)

Fresh Fruit Tarts

Japanese Curry Rice: Looks pro rite!

Their Verdict???

Anyway, all the two "MEN in Black" did were to taste our food and give their comments..obviously they had only expressed the POSITIVE eh.....or they would have "gotten it" from us....

**COURTESY of Jo**

3 Dog's Day Out to Doggy's Cafe

2005-05-02T22:33:00.000+08:00

It was a holiday and having nothing to do at home, I decided to go to grandpa's place to follow sis, mum and aunty to treat the doggys to a meal at a Doggy's Cafe @ Serangoon Garden. We left grandpa's house at about 4.45pm and below are the pics for the outing:

Excited Snowy scanning the surroundings

Snowy giving a retard grinz =)

Snowy: "Where's my share! Now, get this dog her meal !!"

Kidco: "Now, which of you kicked my butt??"

Snowy: "Bro, I told you not to challenge me..you're older than I am and you've got eating probs!"

I was trying to BRIBE Snowy with my "Death By Chocolate" ice-cream

Rover: " I used Darlie! What about you? "

HuGzzzz.....
**jo**

Camping @ East Coast

2005-05-01T23:10:00.000+08:00

Event : BBQ-cum-Camping @ East Coast
Venue: East Coast Site F
Day : Saturday 30th April 2005 - Sunday 1st May 2005

After all the thorough preparations and anticipation, the long awaited day finally came. It was a fun night though, despite me spending most of the time, trying to dust away all the sand off the mats and tents....a NEAT FREAK indeed!
We arrived at the Camp ground at around 7.30pm and it was already kinda dark. There were only the 4 of us, Lee, Caline, Ben & I. Prior to that, we all met up at my house to pick up all the stuff (which was a humongus load of stuff - as if we were going for a Refugee camp) and then we headed down to shop for somemore food stuff at Parkway Giant. Majority of the main items were provided/ "sponsored" by Me:

- 6 men tent, 4-men tent
- 2 picnic mats
- Colourful Ice-box
- Super torch (that I claimed, could light up the whole of East Coast)
- 2 x 2-in-1 Torch-cum-Radio

We kinda had a super hard time pitching the damn tents coz it was our first time and plus it was already getting darker, despite the help of my POWERFUL torch. Seow and Jos arrived shortly after the tents were pitched and they helped to set up our "illegal" BBQ pits (disposable BBQ pits). By the time we could settle down, it was already 8.30pm and we were all worn out but we kinda enjoyed the process though, that's where the fun about camping came from.

Anyway, Caline was the one BBQ-ing most of the food, sitting infront of the burning hot BBQ pit.

Food Items:
- Chicken Wings ("personalised" by me)
- Pork Fillet ("personalised" by me)
- City Satay
- Taiwan Cheese Sausages (which the guys loved....super yummilicious....)
- Garlic Bread
- China Purple Sweet Potatoes
- Pandan Mantou (for supper)
- Alcohol: Corona
- Drinks: Iced Teas
- Loadz of Tidbits & snacks

Anyway, while we were bbq, Seow kept asking when Leong & Alvin would be coming, coz Mr Leong claimed that they would come straight after supporting their friend in the Mr Singapore at about 10pm...but Seow, who had to go back to revise for his last paper next week, did not stay to see Leong & Alvin, who only arrived at barely before midnight! Anyway, I think the pictures would speak more.......

The ideal couple posing for a quick pic after settling down

Me, Ben & THE stupid Hermit crab....

Couple 2

Mr & Mrs Poppins, popping their heads out of the tent

Ahhhh......after a nice bathe, Lee had to show us how clean he was

We entertained ourselves with quite a no. of silly games like challenging each other with "Pick Up Stix", playing Bluff with the poker cards.....then we also chatted under the stars....the night was real still, no breeze at all....

Fatigue finally got a hold on us at around 5AM, and we finally retreated into out tents and slept, while Leong & Alvin left for home.

I woke up at around 8.30AM, by a loud disturbance from some silly kids screaming away and I went over to look for caline, who was also awake. I was still tired and it felt as if I've slept for quite long, but in reality, we only slept for a mere 3 hours! The sight of the whole beach and sea in the daylight, was definitely betetr than the night..it had more "LIFE".....Both guys were still asleep and with the slight morning breeze (finally), Cal & I didn't have the heart to wake them up, so we entertained ourselves with Yoga (by the beach), chatting, playing "STRESS" and Solitaire...until about 10.45AM, when the both guys automatically woke up, miraculously....

ol' time game: "STRESS!!!" Stressing ourselves out in the morning......

The Morning after effect

Terrorist Lee in disguise

We washed up and started packing up and finally left the camp site at 11.30AM. After which we all headed to Kenny Rogers for "brunch" and Special Cheng Tng @ Bedok Food Centre. Ben sen all of us home with me in line first followed by Caline and then Lee....

All of us were damn tired by the time we reached home. Well, I slept soundly thoroughout from the moment I reached home (2pm) till 8.30pm in the night, and I bet the rest did too.....

Well, all of us enjoyed the camp though it was short and we're planning to organize another one soon, of coz, with more improvements: A more Powerful torch (that could really light up the whole beach), Portable Fan, A 10-men Tent (Stable and pro one), Hammock, etc

Special thanx to:

1) Our professional "neighbour": who came as an extended family (8 tents) and looked as if they were camping for good, well equipped with all the facilities, including a TV, Karaoke set (entertaining us with their so out of tune singing), blarring Sound System, Super Powerful Lighting....

2) The stars in the skies: For making full attendance, lighting up the skies so beautifully

3) The other Campers in the Park: For inspiring us to make improvements for our next trip because you were so well equipped with tables and chairs, mahjong tables, hammock, cupboards, etc....

4) Couple 3: Seow & Joscelyn for turning up and trying to help set up a Camp Fire, sourcing around for Wood and all....

5) Couple 4: Leong & Alvin for finishing up all the food and entertaining us with crappy games and stories....

and most importantly,

6) Couple 2: Caline & Lee for everything..for being the in-charge together with Ben & I

7) Ben: For providing transport and technical help and bringing laughter.....

8) Caline & Myself, for even taking the initiative to carry out this whole plan.....don't we deserve some credit too?????

DiNNER on CraVinG InsTincTs......

2005-04-29T23:18:00.000+08:00

It's Friday and as usual, Mum didn't cook so usually she would da pao dinner back for us on her way home after work. I was home the whole damn day, doodling around with anything and everything, Mei too...we've been dead bored, since the moment she quit working at Punggol Seafood and with me, having completed my last exam paper at NIE (finally!!), we've been slackin' at home like mad...didn't really go out much coz Bee's preparing for his exams and Mei's Vincent was working...so we kinda got close to each other this mean time, doing stupid things like playing Mahjong (with one leg less), Monopoly, Uno Stacko, etc....kinda dumb tho'...
So, the moment Mum called and said that the Koo Kee Yong Tau Foo stall didn't open so Mei can't have her Yong Tau Foo, I rejoiced, coz I just suddenly had cravings for Thai Express's Red Ruby (tho' I HATE eating Red Ruby, but their's was way too ir-rrrresistable)..so I pestered Mei to go with me to Siglap (again!!) and we'll have dinner together, My Treat!
And there we were half and hour later..so on...last minute and all....we left the house at 7.30pm, leaving Dad, Mum and Grandma to "savour" in their da pao-ed dinner...*wicked grinz* while we hailed a cab and headed straight to Siglap.....where Mei had the liberty to choose where she wanted to eat the dinner.
In the end, we came to a compromise: To have dinner at Cafe Cartel & Dessert (Red Ruby) at Thai Express, next door.

At Cafe Cartel - while waiting for our food to be served

Anyway, we ordered Soft Shell Crab with Prawn Fritters (which Mei had a damn strong craving for) & Seafood Pasta..and to tell you, the food SUCKED big time! The soft shell crab portion was super small (diff from the other outlets) and the seafood in my Seafood Pasta could barely be seen and those that could be seen, were as hard as RUBBER!.....NEVER go to Siglap's Cafe Cartel..

Actin' serious only....

Nevertheless, the horrible food didn't really upset us lah ...maybe coz we both were in good mood or I would say, in the "Right frame of Mind".... =)

So, we headed to Thai Express, next door......

FREE Advertising for Thai Express....

Do we somehow resemble each other? Obviously Mei looks better.....*hints*

The Yummlicious BIG Red Ruby i kept pestering Mei to eat...

Tryin' the Banana Fritters with Coconut Ice-cream & I didn't really fancy them...

-JoAnnA-

When Things go so WronG....

2005-04-28T23:22:00.000+08:00

Everything's going so damn wrong man! I'm F$%^*&(Kin' pissed now....my CPU is making so much noise for no bloody reason (I think the fan's broken down or what), the people who are supposed to get back to me have not yet gotten back to me...it seems like everytime plan any event have to go all way out to "beg" ppl just to come...darn irritating...like wth!!! You think it was easy planning something? It's not as easy as that loh..there's so much "back stage" planning to do, with the food and all and you think I like it? Everytime I keep saying I'll wash my hands off such things already, I'll end up doing it again. What's wrong with everybody and everything lah??? Urrrghhhhhh!!!!!!!!

~ Coz we're livin', in a Material World and I am a Material Girl ~

===PhoTos of the UnForGeTTaBLe===

2005-04-28T16:41:00.002+08:00

"Teachers escaping from Sports Day duties to Kallang Hawker Centre for kopi and a breather"
*Temasek NIE Traineee Teachers 2005*: (L-R) Me, Veronica, Zakiah, Denny, SooHong, Marilyn

Will never forget the memories we had together through that short Teaching Practicum....we held on and helped each other pull through the rough times....it's amazing how strangers coming from all walks of life, can just get along well.....missed the times we would look forward to lunchin' together at the staff lounge and gathering around to sing kindergarten rhymes to de-stress

Driving for Real???

Where's Beauty & the Beast.....

Japanese Samurai Fighter, Ben Ichigogawha, in action!!!

Or do I look like a PANDA?

*Courtesy by "Self-proclaimed" Pope Benedict XVII*

To the MooN and BacK

2005-04-28T15:07:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Superman (Five For Fighting)

This is freakin' sickening man...last nite I decided to make a comeback with the blog and wrote a whole long page of entry with alot of feelings...and something stupid had to happen when I clicked "Publish Post"...it said "Server Internal Error"...and there I was!!! All my efforts were gone, totally wasted my darn time!!! What a way to start a comeback....blogger really ought to do something man..there's always alot of cork up with their server and all. So sickening! I gotta SCREAM OUT LOUD!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I can't really recollect exactly what I wrote..coz it was the mood there and then that I just typed everything out in words.....why do stupid things always have to happen at the wrong time?
I think I vaguely remember saying that I was gonna make a comeback with my blog, I also wrote about how meaningful my Teaching Practicum in Temasek Secondary was and how much I've learnt thru that short 7 weeks, just by really putting into practice what I've learnt all these 4 years. I just remembered that when my Coorperating Teacher (Ms Lim) and the Principal asked me "What have you learnt through this experience?" I only got this to say :

"Teaching is definitely more than just delivering your facts to the students.

Its about Personal Satisfaction, trying to reach out and get down to each and

every student and when you know that at the end of the day,

then recognise your efforts.

And when you look back at the end of it all,

even the "naughtiest monkeys" can put a smile to your face

and bring warmth and joy to your heart."

Really ought to thank Ms Lim for giving me a good headstart...her ever-going enthusiasm and headstrong character really inspired me to look forward to start my journey in Teaching. I really can't imagine if I entered a school with teachers with the wrong attitude...then in the end I come out demotivated and all, then my mind would definitely be filled with negative thought and I'll dread the 5 years of bond even before I embark on my journey....*phew*

Really looking forward this Sat's Camping-cum-BBQ outing with the rest of the usual "gang". It was a tough time trying to arrange a good date where everyone would be available and free and Caline and I nearly wrecked our damn brains like shit, before we postponed from last week to this Sat, all becoz of Leong, who was still havign exams. However, only got to know yest that Seow still has one final paper next week...btu I kinda managed to use "reverse psychology" on him such that I think he'll be coming (70%)...see, that's how hard it is to fit everyone's busy schedule. And how this camp came about? Hahaha...all because I wanted to make use of the 4-men tent that I bought months back...anyway, also borrowed another 6-men tent from Juan so....Lee was saying he'll want a tent to himself so I dunno what he'll be up to.

Gonna take up a tuition assignment soon. Thanx to Caline who liaised everything for me from our schoolmate, who now runs a tuition agency. All I know is, it's gonna be a Primary 3 Girl, have to teach her English Maths, Science, twice a week for 1 and 1/2 hour each time...it's been a year plus since I last stopped tuition.

Meanwhile, from next week onwards, NIE has a whole long list of so-called "Enrichment PRrogramme" for which I'll have to attend, liek soem talks, some visit to SAF, visit to ITE College East and etc....and Baby's gonna end his exams on the 19th May after which I'm gonna get my permanent postings the very next day (20th MAy) *crossing my fingers*

Gonna log off for now and tune back again for my updates....

P/S: Listen to the lyrics of thi song: Five For Fighting's Superman. It can be interpreted in two ways: From a Students' perspective and from a Teacher's perspective. It's very meaningful..even in whatever roles we play..it's not easy to be whatever role we are in....coz we ain't no Superman nor Superwoman.....

SUPERMAN

I can’t stand to fly

I’m not that naive

I’m just out to find

The better part of me

I’m more than a bird...I’m more than a plane

More than some pretty face beside a train

It’s not easy to be me

Wish that I could cry

Fall upon my knees

Find a way to lie

About a home I’ll never see

It may sound absurd...but don’t be naive

Even heroes have the right to bleed

I may be disturbed...but won’t you concede

Even heroes have the right to dream

It’s not easy to be me

Up, up and away...away from me

It’s all right...you can all sleep sound tonight

I’m not crazy...or anything...

I can’t stand to fly

I’m not that naive

Men weren’t meant to ride

With clouds between their knees

I’m only a man in a silly red sheet

Digging for kryptonite on this one way street

Only a man in a funny red sheet

Looking for special things inside of me

Inside of me

Inside me

Yeah, inside me

Inside of me

I’m only a man

In a funny red sheet

I’m only a man

Looking for a dream

I’m only a man

In a funny red sheet

And it’s not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...

Its not easy to be me

~LURVE JO~

FLy me to the MooN.....

2005-01-29T13:21:00.000+08:00

Yah, indeed I really wanna sing the song "Fly me to the moon"....I'm really happy man. Practicum posting was supposed to be out on Mon,31st Jan, but just now when I called Pauline to ask her about something, she told me that the posting was already out! My heart was racing with my head man...I was excited yet gan cheong, that I would not get back to Temasek Sec. Anyway, CONGRATULATE me!! I got posted back to Temasek Sec for my 6 weeks practicum!! I was really looking forward to going back to Temasek SS coz the last time I did my attachment 2 years back, I really enjoyed my stay there. However, this time things would be different...I'm going there as a Trainee Teacher this time round where I'll be assessed on my teaching, lesson planning, etc unlike the last time round when I was there to assist Ms Lim (the Home Ec head)....then again, this time, the responsibility and expectations of me would be much "heavier"...and I'm kinda excited, yet apprehensive towards it. Imagine having the Principal, my NIE lecturer and the Home Ec teacher all sitting in during your class to assess you for at least 2 times, without you knowing when they'll turn up? What if I was caught off the hook??? Haha...anyway, I would say 6 weeks is not long, neither is it too short...the last time my attachment to Temasek SS was for 10 weeks and when the 10 weeks was up, I was like "huh? I'm so accustomed with things here and it's over!!"
Last nite, I had a nightmare about me in Temasek teaching and the pupils were not listening and all and ther other parts of the nightmare, was totally ridiculous..this was not the first time I had nightmare already..Prob subconsciously, my mind was very stressed in the inside, about the posting and as much as I've been trying to look calm and all...my mind still gave me away..during my sleep...UrrGhhhh!!!
Just now, the moment I checked my posting, it felt like even better than striking 4D or TOTO man (though I've never striked before)..haha...I've msged Ms Lim and she asked me why I only knw the results now coz they have gotten our postings from MOE since school reopen and she tot I knew! No wonder she sms-ed me a few weeks back asking me for ideas to do up the Home Ec room...haha...I'll be meeting her next Sat @ 10am at Temasek Sec Home Ec Room to discuss my schedule and my lesson plans...
Will be heading to M'sia at ard 2pm to celebrate grandma's birthday with the rest and will only get back at ard midnight....CNY is drawing nearer and it seems like tiem is racing against me again....Ben and I will be going to ST's church, Living Sanctury Brethren Church tom..Ben says he's seen the light and he wants to go to church coz he's been distancing himself from GOD too much...ST has only bee to Living Sanctury for a month plus and she said well like the worship and all coz it's very good....oh and Leong claims that he'll be goign too coz it's so near his place, at Lorong Ah Soo...he better not be half-hearted again...hahah
~JoAnnA~

5th Year Anniversary

2005-01-26T23:00:00.000+08:00

Indeed it was our 5th year together....time really flies....We wanted to keep it simple this year, so it'll be even more memorable, coz we've celebrated in the extravagant ways the last few years....now I think, at this stage in love, we just yearn for each others company...
School ended at 3plus and as usual, he came to pick me up. We planned to go down to Balstier for Bak Kut Teh coz I've been craving for it since last week...I dunno why, but every week, I have sudden cravings for certain food and it can even be a few type of food at one go...at this point in time, I must really thank Ben for bearing with me..coz each time I crave for something, he'll either go and get it for me, or we'll just immediately head down to get what I want...(Thanx, Bee) Sounds as if it's the usual doings of pregnant women eh...haha...I'm not, but prob in future when I really become a mum, it might become worse man..and maybe it'll become a pre-natal disorder: CONTINUOUS CRAVING FOR FOOD (24hrs)..I can't imagine what'll happen to Ben man...ha..
Last few things I remembered craving for (last few weeks):
Tanjong Rhu Pao (at Geylang)
Bak Kut Teh (Balestier)
Laksa (Katong)
Churios (Heerens)
Kaya Toast (Jurong Point)
Duck Rice (South Buona Vista)
Hainanese Chicken Rice (Malacca)
Crab with sauce
Zha Jiang Mian (Mum's)

And the funny thing is each time I crave for that food, I will haunt that place a few times simultaneously until I finally get turned off!!! It's quite terrible as you can see....I'm not surprised one fine day when any of you call me just to find out I'm somewhere overseas, just to eat whatever I've craved for...

Anyway, that aside...after Bak Kut Teh, we headed back to my place and just relack Jack as usual..... I went to bathe and Ben kept bugging me that he wanted to use my com, but apparently he did that coz he wanted me to find out the letter he had written for me, which he placed on my keyboard...and to play along, I preteneded I didn't see it...but on the end I gave in lah huh...he was quite cute man...still very naive in his ideas for surprises (Hello!!! Can someone teach him...) and the best part was he folded the letter into the shape where we used to pass letters to each other when we were dating back then!! It's been so logn sicne I last received any letter from him man...Oh gosh, he remembered!! I kept him busy reading some stupid Feng Shui book my mum bought whiel I read his letter and naturally, as I read on his letter, I just cried....I dunno how much I should say or how seriously people take me for when I say "I really cannot afford to lose Ben"...this is very deep down in my heart...it looks as if we can be individuals and independent on each other, but it's because deep down in out hearts, we're already so used to being together. It's like the oxygen we breathe..we
breathe every second..it's there, but we never take note of it, but yet without it, we'll just die....he's become and integral part of my life man...and really, without him, I dunno how to face life (not that my parents are unimportant or what...)

lying in his arms....

EnjoYing each others company...

4-page-long Letter of LoVE frm BeN

After lazing around doing practically nothing for 2 hours, we sudenly decided to compete with each other on playign the piano...and you'll know who won....

Me playing...(the ULTIMATE pianist)

Also playing... (the "Fake" pianist)

Simple yet super SWEET

Anyway, he said over at my place and we left for school together the next day....that was all for our "celebration"...we're practical and simple lah...we dun go for BIG things...after you're together for so long, you'll wish to lead a toned- down life...afterall, if you're going to spend your lives together, what's there to be afraid about having no time to do any special things together??

Oh yah, inspiration came to my mind suddenly in the nite and I sms him a poem that went like this:

"If I has eyes but can’t see you,
I’ll rather God made me blind.
If I have hands but can’t feel you,
I’ll rather lose my sense of touch.
If I have legs but can’t walk down the road of life with you,
I’ll rather be a cripple all my life.
But if my heart can’t reach out to yours one day,
I’ll rather be up in heaven, where I’ll find eternal happiness with you"

....sounds quite geeky but it just came to my mind....

~Lovin' each other 4eva~

Diane's Wedding

2005-01-24T20:40:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : From This Moment On (Shania Twain) *switch on ur speakers to enjoy the pics for tiz blog =)

Attended Diane's wedding and indeed it was something so different from the norm....totally simple, yet sweet and sure memorable. Below are the details and the pictures would speak for itself:

Event: Holy Matrimony of Keith Sim & Diane Kwok
Date: 23rd January 2005
Time: 4.45pm(be seated)
Venue: Singapore Art Museum

The church solemnisation was in this art gallery that looked like those ancient historical churches in Europe..had alot of wall carvings...everything was kept simple and sweet.....

Waiting for the BRIDE to enter....

While waiting for the bride to enter, we noticed Keith (the groom) looking very anxious and nervous. There was a false alarm when the host got us all standing up to welcome the bride, coz we all looked in the direction of the backdoor, but the bride did not come in (their was soem crop up) and then again, we caught Keith damn nervous, peering to the backdoor (must have thought his wife ran away eh..)

and FiNaLLy....here comes the BRIDE...(after that long wait)

Exchanging Vows..very touching moment

Leaving GOD's sanctury as "Keith & Diane" Entering holy grounds as Husband & Wife

After the solemnisation, we all proceeded down to the "sacred" Garden & Glass House where the outdoor dinner & some performance was held...we waited awhile for the bride to get changed and come down, before dinner started..so meanwhile, we posed for some snapshots and caught up with some long lost people...we were served appetizers by some chef which was walking around in this big round tray...and they tasted real unique and nice...

Gathering of ex-ECF(church) ANDRO cell grp members,
with our "mother", Mu Lan lao shi(2nd frm left)

BesT FrienZ...(unheard crying out to await this day)

BeautiFuL shot of Us (Courtesy of Estee)

(In the garden tentage) Waiting for bride to come down: Gemi,Estee & Me

And finally:

Here comes the couple making their entrance

The bride was very busy I guess, no where in sight and we had a hard time trying to find her just for a snapshot and finally again...a snapshot with the GORGEOUS Bride, after dinner......

In the Glass House: Snapshot with the BeautiFuL bride

After dinner, I had nothing to do so I went around clicking my cam just to take pics of the whole setting just for my blog.....

One side of garden...

Another side of the garden...(don't ask me abt e statue..)

A RoManTiC Dinner Buffet, with authentic nice food (different from the norm)

As the dinner was going on, there were some performers singing life, int he Glass House, while we dined outdoor, under the moon...so,the whole atmosphere was nice and appropriate...after dinner, we were told to gather at the Glass House again because the groom was gonna sing a song to the bride! And guess what he sang? He sang the song which Adam Sandler (in 50 First Date) sang to Drew Barrymore...it was damn sweet man...

Well...I would say, the whole wedding was definitely memorable from all the 21 years of weddings I've attended...most of all, who would have expected that Diane, our quiet princess, would be the first amongst the "Market" (Shufen, Me, Estee & her), to get wedded off first....now...everything seemed so mysterious yet exciting...who knows who's next on the list??? Within a few months, I've attended 2 of my own friend's wedding and I think it's the starting point in life where slowly, your friends get wedded and start their own family...as much as I'm dying to get MARRIED (sssshhhhsss!!!) and to start my very own family and have my own Precious BABIES (which I am really looking forward to)...I'm kinda apprehensive about doing so too...coz I'm afraid I won't make a good wife or mother or daughter-in-law or whatever...and I'm afraid what comes ahead for me, like all the obstacles in life...I mean, after 21 years of being sheltered and protected...you'll find it a lil' difficult to come outta your shell and start living the lives your parents started off too..who's not afraid??? I feel like a new born turtle, suddenly...don't laugh...coz I'm facing a new stage in life, and have to move on even if I dun want to, coz my parents ain't gonna shelter me and feed me by hand forever!!!.....These are my real inner tots..bet u never knew rite...everyone tot Joanna was so calm, natural and brave...I have my soft side of doubts about life too, k....

...........Wedding BeLLs..........

Reflection TiME.....

2005-01-24T10:57:00.000+08:00

Utterly disgusted, pissed off n feeling F#$%^&Ked up by you assholes... <- that's exactly how I'm feeling now...don't ask me why or get shocked and make some snack remarks like "relack lah or wah, Joanna is angry"....even GOD has temper, so PLZ dun be so "SHALLOW"...think before you speak or make some stupid assumption or conclusions, k!!!
You must be thinking "what's the whole issue here" or "Jo must be PMS-sing again"...once again, if you think so shallow-ly, you really don't know me...how many times have I really gotten pissed off? And I dun get pissed off over an issue/disagreement...most of the times, its accumulated over many issues concerning deeper insights about ppl's doings and character...so just in case you dunno who I'm referring to, let it so be YOU!! you, You, YOU, n YOU!!! If YOU still dunno who I'm referring to, then you're really an ass...but after reading what I've written and it pricks U a lil', then YOU should know who YOU are....
Call me sensitive,and whatever shit, if you must....but I just HATE being taken for granted. You know how being taken for granted can add up to be so serious and make you wanna just really send that F#$%^Ker a slap and tell him/her to F#$%^K off????? So let this be a warning to all YOU(s) out there: "Don't YOU go around taking me for granted. Appreciate whoever has, in your life, somehow helped you, though however small. Don't go shakin' ur ass after getting what you've wanted" I am not an idiot-equivalent who'll go ard & let YOU continue taking me or in any case, Ben, for granted k...so dun expect anymore shit from me (us)....
The above msg is not targetted for the "SUPERFICIALS" out there coz in whatever depth ur knowledge may be, u'll never understand what I'm talkign about, so I'll just advice u to not think so much and just remain "SHALLOW & SUPERFICIAL" as u are..
Just in case your mind's already seeming through the possible target of this msg OR before u start concluding n pointing fingers, the above msg, was and is never directed at BEN, nor anyone in His or My Family...so, happy guessing k!
Lastly, here's some soul trigger for YOU: "Think about how you'll feel being taken for granted off or taken advantage off, esp by ppl whom you're close to or even by the ppl ard u."

SicK again...

2005-01-22T09:51:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Karma (Alicia Keys)

Yah, I'm really sick again...down with the big FLU and fever...thanx to Cyn and Ben who "passed" it on to me (though my resistance was strong) and also to spring cleaning...what the heck!
Eveyone's asking why I've not been updating..you see, been so busy with school and assignments lately. School starts at 8.30am from Mons to Thurs, which means I get up at 6.15am everyday...this semester is only 6 weeks for me coz of the upcoming practicum and all and now, we're already into the 4th week of school...so imagine how we've been rushing through school like mad with all the assignments again! Super sickening.... sometimes, I so wanna cry out to GOD and ask him to just make me disappear into thin air man!!!
It's Diane's wedding tomorrow and I'm kinda excited to see how this friend of mine would look in a wedding dress and all...she's only 23 (a year older then me) and is a staff nurse (completing her bond this year). I kinda miss the days when 4 of us (Estee, Shufen, Diane n I) were once so close in church until we were called the "market of ECF" coz when the 4 of us together, we can really gossip non-stop and we're always the most updated with any kind of gossip....but as years pass, all of us slowly left the church and went in our own ways and with all of us being so busy with school/work or bf, family and stuff, we seldom meet up at all. Heard form Estee that Diane had all along wanted to further her studies abroad and migrate to another country int he later years, so prob that's why she's getting married earlier, anyway, both "husband and wife" have already been working for some years, so I dun think it's a prob for them to marry young. Her church wedding would be held at Singapore Art Museum (coz her dad's an artist) with dinner served after that....well, I'm looking forward to wish her and Keith, the best and "zhao shen gui zi" coz I haven't had any close friends getting married or giving birth yet and I'm like kinda excited man....God knows who'll be the first amongst all of us eh
I'm waiting for Ben now, coz we'll be heading down to Toa Payoh to get our hair done for the new year....I kinda feel that this new year is very quiet and there's no atmoshpere for it man...there's really not much ppl in the malls these days compared to the past....prob it's coz of the Tsunami which ushered in the new year in the wrong way...
I'm gonna rest awhile more before I get changed and get going...what's ahead for me? I really don't know.....
~sigh~

Weekends...//

2005-01-08T11:34:00.000+08:00

It's a Sat morning, a gloomy one to be precise. I just got out of bed and the clock greets 11.30am....hmmm...what's on the agenda today? I have no idea but at the moment, Ben's in school to sit in for a lecture which he kinda missed yesterday coz he was late...these days, I've never seen him more serious and hardworking than before and I think he deserved credit for that. Prob coz his exams are nearing too and maybe, at this age, we prolly are more serious about how our results can affect our future. Ain't it great??
Anyway, woke up yest morning at 8am to get ready for school which started at 10.30am. Was greeted by some "unpleasant news" from my grandma which kinda gloomed my heart and made me moody for the first half of the day...The moment I walked into the balcony, she said this "I tell you something ah, yesterday the TV said that next year cannto get married coz it's a bad year." I dunno what was teh purpose of significance to this message but then, it kinda had an impact on me coz though I dun exactly know when I'll really get "hitched" but still, it's not really somewhere too far, yet not someone very near. Dunno which nook started all these but judging from my instincts, it could be some "feng shui" master again...it can be quite irritating sometimes when they come up with really silly new "things to do/ not do" and then those ppl who believed in whatever they say, will go like "the fortune teller/feng shui master says......." On the other hand, I dunno what's gotten into me this time...I never really believed in all the ridiculous things they say, but I dunno why this time? Somehow I feel that wedding or marriage is a big thing and prob it's not something worth risking upon?? Or maybe I'm just thinking too much (again)
On a lighter note, things seems to be going smoothly for some ppl and I'm very happy for them ah...I mean seeing your close friends happy and all, you'll feel relieved and just feel like blessing them...
It's drizzling now and the sky's rather gloomy, not a sun-shiny day to start of with...Sats have been kinda aimless to Bena nd I coz we really have no plans for Sats and sometimes, we really do dread it too...like what's there left to do in Singapore? Even catching a movie and all seems so "unnatural" for us, we both drag ourselves to the cinemas or sometimes, we just slack at home. And we never liked going down to town on weekends coz it jams like anything and the crowd can kill! Is Singapore that boring? Does anyone have any suggestions for some interesting things to do, for a 5-yr old couple????? *sighs* At the moment, our plan for today is to go to the gym at the country club then head down to town (??) for a movie..which I dunno if we'll end up putting off and just slack at home due to lack of motivation.
School's going on the fast lane for me man...There's only 6 weeks of lessons for us and lessons are like crash course!!! Thanx to the 3 mth practicum (aka internship) ahead, which I kinda look forward to, that's if I get into the school I requested for: Temasek Secondary School, where I had a pleasant internship the last round....
Gotta get going and adios!

May Romance be with all my frenz out there!

ScHooL Re-opeNs...

2005-01-06T01:29:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : When A Man Loves A Woman (Michael Bolton)

p/s: Firstly this song's specially put up for 2 couples. One couple who's just/almost gotten together and another couple-to-be (whom everyone are wishing the best for them and hoping to hear good news soon), You know who you are, eh......

It's only the 3rd day into the school re-opening and I'm almost half dead!!! I missed school on the first day (Mon) coz I was down with cough, the cold, ulcer and cramps( again) and was on MC, what a way to start school. And again today, I have a sprained neck!!! I can't turn my neck to certain angles and if I accidentally do, it'll hurt like hell and it'll just piss me off man!! Ben just picked me up after school and made a trip down to the chinese physician who just gave me medicine and some ointment. He told me that he would not try to massage it back for me coz the pain will just slowly go away and massaging it might only make me in more pain the next day. The medicine would help reduce the pain and I really hope so...my neck has brought me so much inconvenience even though it's been only like hours since it started.
Anyway, just to recall abit of yesterday. I walked into class and for a moment, I was stunned coz I tot I saw Sylvester in my class!!! Apparently it was Juan who had her hair cut and again, she had to repeat her whole pathetic sad story of the fate of her once long and beautiful wavy hair....anyway, Juan, if you do read this: Your hair will grow back, dun worry =)

SLY No. 1

SLY No. 2

School was supposed to start at 8.30pm and end at 1.30pm but however, coz it was first week, so there was no tutorial so we finished lesson at 10.30pm. As usual, Cynthia came up with soem crazy suggestion to go to the KTV and simultaneously, we all agreed. So, we headed down to the nearest KBox at Jurong East. Now the mysterious part. This was our 2nd visit to this branch and the last visit was also somewhere last semester, ard the same "atmosphere" and stuff..back then, we also ended lesson at 10.30am and had nothing to do! Anyway, we were allocated to Room no. 52, the same one which we were allocated, the last time!! (another coincidence!)...anyway, yesterday's KTV session was like a deja voo man!!! Since everything was so coincidental, Pauline, being the Toto-4D queen she was, analyzed and came up with the lucky no. "5252" which she so wanted to buy only to be desuaded by Juan (holy queen)..hahaha...
As usual, we had alot of fun lah huh...need I say further??? What can a KTV room turn out to be, when you have 4 crazy teachers-to-be???

Crazy KTV Session

lookin' on the bright side......

New Year, New Resolutions (2005)

2005-01-01T23:58:00.000+08:00

Caline came up with a last min plan to have a mini gathering at her place to countdown to 2005 and we planned for a small bbq which turned out so well...everything was made shift...As usual, I bought the food stuff. And I bet, all of us had fun that night. The best part was, we were supposed to choose between two place to bbq, either along the corridor outside Caline's place or at the roof garden under her block. Apparently, it was raining so we chose the first. And we ended up bbq-ing outside the lift lobby of her house!!! Scaring away her neighbours and all!!1 We managed to bbq and finish up all our food using our evry own "made-shift bbq-pit" which ended up with cracked tiles (which were disposed) and a burnt shoerack (courtesy of caline...)
We had quite a no. of alcohol and we were thinking how to finish them up so we all ended up playing card games and "fortunately" finished a bottle of Martini and half a bottle of Vodka, thanx to some silly game which we all had so much forfeit from.
Initially, there were a no. of "new comers" and I thought it woud turn out very akward btu I was proven wrong...everyone blended so well, like chilli with garlic ( like in Thai Chilli sauce)...and we all really had lotsa fun...at the same time, a hush hush get-together, which I've been looking forward to. gone are the days I long to attend big and havoc parties, squeezing with all the crowd and all.
Suddenly, I think I've grown older, and passed a stage where I used to hang out and stuff....I think at thsi stage in life, I look forward to something peaceful and warm..and prob it's also partly becoz of the Tsunami and the solemn-cy from it....something in me has changed...I just wanna spend more time with my friends and family, appreciate them more....I can't imagine if I'll just "leave" like that, with so many things undone, so many words unsaid, so many dreams unfulfilled...life suddenly seemed so fragile to me...
Anyway, here's my New Year's Resolution for 2005: it's gonna be simple and realistic
1) To save up and start planning for my BIG day
2) To spend more time with my friends and family
3) To love and treasure the ppl ard me
4) To update my blog very often
5) To be a good teacher
and lastly..
6) To keep as closely to all the above resolutions

Couple no. 1 : Mr and Mrs Seow (Joscelyn & Seow)

Couple no. 2 : Mr and Mrs Leong (Leong & Charmian)

???

Biggest King & Queen

The BIGGEST Countdown party

We left Caline's place at ard 4plus, all tired and worn out, but we all had real fun though it was only a small group, agreed? Anyway, Lee was present despite all his talk about not being able to join us and stuff...but why was he there in the end? Who managed to make him forgo his countdown plans as promised? It's for me to know, and you to conclude.....
=)

Malaysia Trip 2004

2004-12-30T22:27:00.000+08:00

Just got back from the Malaysia trip (Genting, KL and Malacca) on the 28th. The whole trip in overall, was superb...the never-ending "eating sessions", the shopping, all the nonsense and fooling ard and most of all, the company (Ben, Mag and Warren)....without them present, I think, the whole trip would be so boring (obviously!!!)..We really let our hair down and fooled ard like anything in the hotel and all and I'm sure after this trip, we're even closer than we already were.
Just a brief recap of the overall trip. Originally, the plan was to depart from Singapore on the morning of 22nd Dec, but we left for KL on the 21st evening instead coz of some unforseen circumstances. Ben's dad was travelling back to Singapore on the 21st afternoon from KL when his car broke down and he was stuck at KL...so, his mum immediately changed the plan to drive up to KL immediately...imagine this: I was shopping ard and was on my way to Ben's place after my waxing session, taking my own sweet time and all when Ben just called me and told me that we have to leave for Malaysia immediately...Was kinda shocked but the lucky thing was, I had already packed my stuff earlier and had brought the luggage and all to his place days back (heng!). You see, I never liked last min packing...I'll get stressed up and forget some stuff in the end...
So there we were on our way up to KL at 7pm, with Ben driving at a freakin' 160 - 180km/h constantly...I bet he never felt anything more 'shiok' about driving than that day. We arrived at KL within 3 hours and checked in to the Sunway Pyramid Tower Hotel @ KL for the night. The hotel room was very nice and the bed was super comfy. We left for Genting the next morning and spent the next 3 days there before we headed down to spend the next 4 days at KL (staying at the Pyramid Towers throughout, shiok only!)
You gotta rem this: We ate non-stop throughout the trip, at least 4 meals a day...before my food could digest after a meal, it was food again...and mind you, Ben's dad bought us to eat all the famous eateries for all the meal throughout the whole trip man!

Genting (22nd - 24th Dec):
Arrived @ Genting on 22nd afternoon and checked into the hotel. Took 1 hour to finally check into the hotel room and we had 3 rooms in all, 1 room for the parents, the other for us. The hotel room freaked us out coz it was kinda smalla nd didn't gave us that "warm" feeling...
Bought the 2 day pass for the Outdoor Theme Park and spent only a freakin' 3 hours at the theme park...Genting hasn't really changed much and on that day, I think we were all not in the mood to play...suddenly, the rides all just look so boring to us. Anyway, we managed to sell the 2nd day pass to two couples and even made some profit outta it, thanx to Mag's talking skills. The rest of the time was mainly spent in our hotel room..in which the 4 of us just squeezed into 1 room, leaving the other room vacant (should have just sold it to someone else man)...most of the time, we entertained ourselves with the Poker card and Mahjogn travel set which we brought along, whiel Ben's parents were at the Casino throughout the 3 days there...Ben and I only went to the Casino on the last nite and we only spent 3 hours there, in which we just lost our 300RM to a stupid jackpot machine. Our luck was obviously down and it just wasn't our day...anyway, both of us have no interest in gambling, sitting infront of a machine and just pressing a button..I mean, how interestign can it get? But I gotta tell ya, the casino was super high class (it's my first tiem in onw anyway) and everythign was super organized and orderly, super high-tech too (shuffling machine, computerised blackjet, etc) Amazing!!! And this is the funny part: One of the machine behind us emitted smoke and gave off a very strong gas odor...Even machines do get tired...how poor thing!

Arrival at First World Hotel lobby

Outdoor Theme Park

Lazy to walk...

KL (24th - 28th Dec):
Left Genting on the 24th morning and went down to KL, checked into the same hotel.
24th - Sunway Lagoon Pyramid Shopping Center
25th - Sungei Wang, BB Market Place
26th - KLCC
We were at KLCC in the afternoon shopping and all and we were outside Mambo waiting for Mag and Warren who were trying on clothes when we felt slight tremor. Asked Ben's father what it was and he said it was something to do with the building's structure and we thought nothing much about it not until we reached back to the hotel at night and found out about the Tsunami through the news. Luckily we didn't head down to Penang, which we initially had a plan to....
27th - Megamall, Central Market, Chinatown
KL was where we spent most money on shopping like mad...I think Mag and Warren got the biggest feng shou (harvest)..bought mostly Roxy, Quiksilver, Mambo, Topshop, Zara stuff. You must be thinking we're mad coz all these branads can be found in Singapore rite? But the range in KL was wider and the things mostly couldn't be found in Singapore! Mag and I bought a no. of similar things...hahaha....Oh yah, and we watched Kung Fu Hustle on the last nite in KL too! Quite a dumb show I would say!
All in all, my harvest:
- Roxy Sports Bag (119RM)
- 2 Roxy coin pouch (23.90RM x 2)
- 1 Roxy surf shorts (159RM)
- 1 Topshop long sleeves (76 RM)
- 1 Rattan Bag (39.90RM)
- A pair of casual shoes (46RM)
- A halter neck top fom Message Boutique, that I liked so much and which costs me a bomb!!! (99RM)
and, a lot of funny candy-cum-bubble gum sweets
And the total cost: S$270++........worth it rite!!!!
Also not forgetting the 7-eleven opposite the hotel, that we visit almost everyday, just to get our snacks. We snacked alot in the hotel, coz it was so comfy....felt like in heaven....

Purple X'mas @ KLCC

Check tiz out!!!

This blog doesn't permit me to put up so many pics so you can check out the rest of the photos in my online album at :
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2134769311
(ID: stressed_within Password: iluffbenedict)

That's all for the trip....the Tsunami thinggy came as a big hit and it has not only affected many ard us but also made me learn a lesson: 1) To treasure my loved ones and 2) Appreciate that I'm living in Singapore. The new year is up ahead and the Tsunami just had to spoil the whole atmosphere...why can't it just let the last few days of the year just wrap up peacefully? I can't imagine that the Phuket I went ot just 2 yrs back, is reduced to nothing.......
Meanwhile, the holiday's coming to an end...I shall think about my new year's resolution and stick close to it...

~to be continued..............~

Going AwAy.....

2004-12-20T23:53:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : I Believe (Fantasia Barrino)

I'm back home tonight for the last nite before I leave for holiday on Wednesday morning on a 6 day trip to Genting, KL and Malacca with Ben and his family. Will be back only on the 28th night so expect to see no updates for my blog..hehe...anyway, I got the "gang" members their christmasy pressies and I hope they like it...all are necessities, things that will be of use to them..and I really hope they'll like it coz I had a hard time wrecking my brains getting them their "personalised" pressies...hahaha...how nice of me rite...anyway I've given them their pressies before I leave coz anyway I wun be spending X'mas in S'pore, for the first time...I miss my family =( but anyway I've already made it up to them hugely man, with all the big meal treats and presents too...I'm like the Santa Claus eh...haha..I mean, like seems so short sometimes, if I can make others happy within my means, why not? Though it may not always be the value or quality of the present, but as I always say, "it's the heart that counts". I've packed my stuff and already brought them over to Ben's place since last Sat and I made an excuse to come home tonight just to see my parents and my irritating sister and I'm starting to miss them already....though I'll only be away for 6 days but still, as I grow older, the more emotional I become, esp with my family (mum and da to be precise). Funny eh, how I used to always want to go against them in the past just to "fight" for my freedom and all and always end up in trouble..but when now I'm given everything, I feel so "intimidated" to exude the power of freedom I have. It's true when people say, "Home is where our heart is" <- so true.....I have all kinds of mixed feelings now in me and I think it's that time of the month again, so that explain why the emotions start pumpin' ard...pardon me. Anyway, even till today, mum and I still bicker over silly things and I think it's probably becoz our "ba zhi bu he"..haha, but the funny thing about both of us is, our bickers are only for the moment, after that, we're fine with each other! Actually, deep in our hearts, we love each other alot and alot...prob mum just doesn't know how to express her love for us verbally or even through physical actions, but every single thing she does, is for all of us at home, and only us, that's why I just love her so deeply in my heart too...."Mum, you're really God-sent..I Love You!!!" (Please tell my mum this just in case I never get the chance to say it to her).
Anyway, I dunno whatssup with people recently..consecutively 3 days in a role, there are murders, if not suicide cases...like wth!!! But there's this funny side about the supernatural that I dun understand (though I'm definitely not a believer of any of them)..why is it such that there is always a particular type of death at certain "seasons" of the year??? Take for example the "people fallin' into MRT tracks" cases??? If one happens, it'll continue like for the next feww days or weeks...is it really true that there's such a thing as "the underworld lookin for replacements"???
Hmmm...this is what confuses me and till date, I've found no explanation to it, or maybe I'll just never find one.
Anyway, gotta go pack up and replenish the sleep I've lost the past few days...will be back on 28th so, till then, SAYONARA, my friend(s)!!! Oh and just in case if there's anything urgent, I can sitll be contactable on my hp, thanks to the auto-roaming technology. But only contact me in genuine cases, unless you wanna be responsible for half my bill =)
Signing off,
Santalina Jo
p/s: btw, guys, if u all have no plans for countdown for the new year yet, can someone take the initiative to volunteer to come up with some gathering so that we can countdown or something? I'm sick of the yearly "asia's largest coutndown party" at Sentosa already...promises shit! I think I'm looking forward to a more peaceful and meaningful countdown instead of getting sandwiched between tonnes of ppl.....

MeRRy X'maS aLL......

2004-12-15T22:27:00.000+08:00

Feeling super sianz and down now...why?? I also dunno why....anyway, nothing much happened of late, so I didn't really bother to blog..didn't want to waste space....now, lemme recall what happened lately ->
There was Eileen's birthday at NSRCC last Thurs, to mark off the last birthday I'll be attending for the year (at NSRCC at least)...it started off with my birthday celebration there. Then there was my distant cousin, Don's wedding which was held at Pan Pacific on Sunday. He's like 23 yrs old this year and like, woah, he's already married and even held his wedding at Pan Pac, quite an achievement for a 23 yr old, I would say....anyway, he was also from St Hilda's Sec and was the very first batch of guys St Hilda's enrolled the moment "she" moved to Tampines, from Katong. My mum was saying, his wife and him were classmates and were together since then back in sec school days...so counting 1, 2, 3.....though they're kinda young, but being together "that" long, I think it's also time they settle down also...
Oh, the past few days, I was like shopping ard...was in town on Fri and Orchard was like super jam-packed!!! We left Orchard ard 10plus and it was STILL jam-packed with ppl...this is what X'mas shopping can do to ppl...anyway, when we left finally left Orchard, the parking fee at Ngee Ann was superb! It amounted up to a tiffy $11.60!!!! The first time we a broke record...anyway, we were there like since afternoon ard 1plus, so, I guess it should be ard there...I think many would think why in the world we decided to park at Ngee Ann rite?? Well, I forgot it was a weekday! Usually it'll be a per entry thinggy on weekends and that slipped my mind. We even walked from town to Suntec to catch National Treasure, then travelled back by public to Ngee Ann...hahaha....last week, we were smarter, we parked at Suntec and decided to take public to town...it was indeed a wiser decision...
Anyway, this is what I bought for Ben for X'mas...all the chapalang things...and I never wrapped them also lah:
1) Quiksilver Surf Berms
2) Fox Tee-shirt
3) Bossini Blue Blouse
4) Ben Davis Shirt
5) A book with "100 Reasons Why I Love You"
and I also bought X'mas pressie for the "gang"...so guys, though I'll be away this X'mas, but that doesn't mean I escape from this season of giving k....haha....come claim your pressies lah huh....
Actually come to think about it, till date, I've spent about $1000+...and I dunno on what!!! Hope my mum or sis doesn't see this blog man!!
Leaving for Genting-Kl-Malacca with Ben's family from next Tues to the following Weds, so guys, plz dun miss me while I'm away k...we'll get together for countdown, probably?? How's that? Can someone just volunteer to plan something while I'm away..
Till then, here's warmly wishing all of you out there:

A Merry Christmas

BranD New DaY....

2004-12-04T13:21:00.000+08:00

Juz woke up at 12 plus....hmm...at least I didn't get up from the wrong side ofthe bed (anyway I only got one side to get up from coz my bed's against the wall...deh!) coz yesterday, everything just didn't seem to work and everything was going against my will man! Firstly, I woke up with my ankle aching (and now it ain't better but worse!) then I was in post-PMS mood, and Picasa just didn't wanna let me upload my pic and a whole line of IT problem flowed in so damn smoothly. When I finally got to upload the pic,I started typing my blog and it was damn long...and guess what, when I tried to publish post, it said : "Sorry, we're unable to process your request"! I nearly died right on the spot!!!!! Luckily when I clicked "back", everything I typed was still there....then when the blog was finally up..I dunno what happened to my template and my wordings man...they just went outta place...but thanx to Lee, he helped me to meddle things back...IT stuff really need inspiration one and I, obviously, wasn't in that mood...THANX DUDE!
Anyway, I kinda woke up at this time coz I didn't wanna wake up early and idle ard with nothing to do..waiting for Ben to come at 2pm...it's like waiting..and I'll just go crazy....so, actually I was up at ard 9am but I looked at the clock and forced myself to go back to sleep..in the midst, I actually was semi-conscious (obviously) and checked the clock about 4 times...till I finally woke up at 12plus....We're supposed to head down to town today for jalan jalan coz I think it's been like centuries since I last went down to Orchard man, compared to the past when I was Orchard Queen. I think I'll feel like a mountain tortoise today. And I suggested we go public today, go back to a day in the past when we both started with nothing..hehehe...and it's also been a long time since both of us really had time to spend with each other..most of the time, it's always in the presence of his siblings, if not his family..NO, I'm not complaining or what but I mean as a couple, united together (what crap), we should still have our own private time once in a while rite? It doesn't mean when you pass courtship, all romantic stuff goes too....guys..better rem this!!!
Well, Ben's coming at 2pm and it's the stipulated time he gave me...I didn't want to give him a specific time coz he NEVER makes it on time, be it late or early...and being kind, also doesn't pay. He always has 1001 excuses for being late, and I, HATE ppl who live in a world with no time! What's so difficult about being on time????? I really don't understand and this problem runs throughout all the members of the GOH family (I don't mean ST). In teh past, when he had no car, in the beginning of courtship, he never dared to be late..then it started and now, even with four wheels, he can STILL be LATE!! So dun blame me when I appear late for meetings with you guys co I'm never the one LATE..you know the CULPRIT! I really can't imagine how he'll ever make it for the auspicious hour on his wedding day man...I think I'll vomit milk...shan't think about it anymore before it affects my mood for the day and the whoel outing today will be ruined. If any of you have suggestions or methods to help ppl who never fail to be LATE, plz advice me, I'll be damn ass GLAD...
Gotta get going now...gonna take my own sweet time coz my instincts tell me, I always do things on time and never get paid in return...who cares~
-M.E-

JuZ to SuM Up........

2004-12-03T23:41:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Accidentally In Love (Lilo & Stitch)

Just got back from the physician...apparently, I sprained my ankle...it's like an old injury working up.....arghhh...ben came this morning coz he couldn't get up for school in time, prob coz yesterday by the time they got home, it was already 1pm...but nontheless, i have to admit, yesterday's Steamboat gathering at ST's place, really was damn FUN and FUN, what else??? I can't be bothered to write anything much now so here's the recap, SHORT & SWEET (now, it makes sense when they say a picture depicts a thousand words):

Sunday, 21st Nov 2004 : Ben's Birthday Chalet @ NSRCC
For the pictures, you guys have to go to this webbie to view coz it's too big a file to put up in here:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2134769262

Friday, 26th Nov 2004 : Surprise appearance at Ben's house
Because of his party preparation and stuff, I hadn't had much time to celebrate his birthday with him alone, our usual practice, so I decided to spring him a mini surprise by baking a cheese cake for him and cooking a meal for him such that when he comes home after school and opens his door, all the food will be nicely spread out on the table, with me in hidding....but anyway, my plan didn't work coz firstly, this dude decided to stay back in school to study till 4pm..and my plan to cook for lunch was down the drain...so, I couldn't cook for lunch and neither for dinner (who eats dinner at 4plus)?...and apparently, those nook ass cousins of his, were at his place, quite a spoiler....and Warren, of all ppl, is another nook case, who is a blur cock at everything..all he ever knows is to play his DIABLO...Anyway, I took a cab down to his place with the cake and everything...and since my plan was kinda ruined, I hecked it.. just placed the cake on the table with the plush toy and shooed the asses upstairs...and waited patiently for his arrival back home...his parents where out of town so we all had peace for 1 week...it was mmmmm.....HEAVEN...

Cheesey Cheese cake

In the end, I cooked for dinner, with him around....he meddled and played his lil' BIg chef role again...and this was the result: A Happy Ben, with NICE home-cooked Meal.....the hungry "ghost" (nook asses), walloped up everyhting as if they were just let outta "hell gates"

Lucky Man (Deep Fried Dory Fish, Cereal Oat Prawn, Sambal KangKong, Satay & Fish cake)

This was the cake I bought for Ben, from Baker's Inn, right after Leraine's wedding

Baker's Inn Designer Cakes

Saturday, 27th Nov 2004 : Leraine's Wedding
It was a damn busy day for us coz I was one of the "sisters" and had to help out in the morning at Cyn's house, during the whole ceremony of "fetching the bride"...and Ben, had to help "chauffer" some of Cyn's fren to the guys house which was nearby....it was quite fun being in the whole thing coz I think we both learnt quite alot about the chinese tradition...I never knew the tea ceremony thinggy was a chinese tradition, not a religious tradition (coz I thought only buddhist practice tea ceremony!!!)

A pic with the newly wed

Their wedding dinner was held at Fullerton Hotel and to be frank, other then paying for the ambience and "class", all esle SUCKED....and I'm now even more convinced by my own conclusion about holding wedding dinners at "high-class" hotels....anyway, I never wanted to hold mine at a hotel...for that price you pay, I can come up with something even more unique and better quality and definitely more memorable, involving all guest so if you wanna know my ideal plan, you just have to wait patiently for that day to come...I gurantee you, no regrets.....(P/S: Sorry Leraine, if you ever see this, I think you'll know what I mean...)

Wedding Dinner @ Fullerton Hotel...........

cont'd.....

2004-12-03T14:54:00.000+08:00

Sunday, 28th Nov 2004: Ben's Birthday, Birthday lunch treat
Ben stayed over at my place after the wedding dinner last nite and mum was saying they'll treat Ben to lunch since it was his birthday...as usual, went to pick grandpa and we lunched at our favourite haunt: Sizzler.....after lunch, we went back to grandpa's house for awhile and Ben played with Kidco, who was so delighted that Ben came that she couldn't stop kissing him all over....

Kidco LoVes Ben

Monday, 29th Nov 2004 : Mini BBQ Dinner
We decided to have a mini bbq in the evening, with the purpose to celebrate our last nite of freedom and peace, before Ben's mum returns from Japan and start wreckin' havoc again...so here's it...I cooked fried rice and it was fabulous...

Our very mini private BBQ

Wednesday, 2nd Dec 2004 : Steamboat gathering @ ST's place
I think I dun need to elaborate on what happened rite, coz those who will be reading this blog, are present themselves....but overall, it was damn fun...all the talking cock and what nots, with Jason LEONG claiming the dead-drop title of: "Mr. HOT"...plus some debate about guys' and girls' mentality in a relation (now you understand why Men come from Venus & Women, from Mars)...and some super cute conclusions by ST, about the theory of feeding a guy to make him FAT...oh, not forgetting to mention, the ending of the "story": 'Was it Lifen or Charmian???...ask Leong yourself if you wanna know....

Singapore IdioTs wannabe(s) .... =)

Family pic

Self-proclaimed StaRz (Mr. HOT bod)

Our host, Estee & darlin' Kelvin

and lastly........

King & Queen of Everything!

I think that wraps up my summary about everything so far....it's mid afternoon and the wind's blowing strong..I hear my bed calling out to me and I'm gonna just fall in...now, thanx to my sprained ankle which screwed up my whole exercise regime plan I have for next week and the upcoming weeks, to lose weight....#$%^& it!!!!!

Upcoming event next on my calendar would be Eileen's birthday on Sat and she'll be having a chalet, the same unit, as Ben, from next week Thus to Sat..I agree with Lee that becoz of all of us, I think the only reason I visit NSRCC is to attend ppl's birthdays..I think Eileen's would be the last to mark the end of the year....

* Many a times in life, we fall in love accidentally and as time passes, you realise that this special someone is that someone whom you've been in search for, all these while...*

To my friends out there: if you've not found that special someone, may you find that special someone somewhere over the rainbow...the wait is long, but it's worth it...If you've just fallen outta love, roll over it soon, coz someone esle out there who's meant for you is waiting for you to find him/her...Don't ignore or deny love, that's waiting at your door....

~darlin' Jo~

Lack JacK............

2004-11-19T18:41:00.000+08:00

Today's yet another of my "slack day"...woke up at 12pm...actually was sleeping in and out of my dreams coz I didn't know what to do if I woke up earlier till Ben comes after school...so I just slept on all the way till he called me after he ended lessons. We met coz I wanted to go to Bugis and a few other places to get some of his stuff for this Sun. He came over at 12.45pm and we headed to Golden Mile to have my favourtie Char Siew/ Roasted Meat Rice (the only place I'll eat Char Siew Rice) for lunch, before heading down to Bugis..then Ben decided that since we were already so near Suntec, might as well just settle and get all the food stuff and drinks n BBQ stuff at Carrefour there and then...it was a smart idea though coz initially we wanted to get the stuff tom so that Mag and Warren can help out and it'll be much easier....anyway, when we were at Carrefour, there was not much crowd or should I say there were very few "souls"...I can't help but kept laughing to myself that he was so clever and we made the right choice to get everything today...on one hand, we can slack at home tom and that it won't be last min shopping..on the other, we wouldn't have to squeeze or rush with the weekend crowd then end up getting all unhappy with each other as well.....hehehehehe.....I'm writing a checklist now..very thoroughly, of all the stuff to bring...you should know how a careful person I am...I will get worked up and cannot enjoy in peace if I've forgotten to bring something along when I stay out, even if it means just a toothbrush....
It's 6.45pm now and I just got back 15mins ago..packed some stuff coz I'll be going over to Ben's place tom le...in 15mins time, I will start my TV marathon...Double Happiness will be on "air" then, followed by The Singapore Idol results then the My Mighty In-Laws....hmmmm....now, as much as I think that I want the best for all the remaining contestants...I know that out of these 3 who've got this far, one will have to sadly be eliminated...and that's how cruel the fact is...I dun want to out it across my likes or dislike for whoever but judging from yesterday's performance, I really hope Sylvester would make it through...coz I think he's got it...all of them have their flaws huh...if one can sing, then he or she would have a problem with image...if not vice versa...nothing's fair and no one's perfect...just hope Singapore's wise enough to make the right choice...the fact that Oli, Sly and Tau Pok can make it that fair, I believe there's at least something in them that has made them come till this far....ain't it?
Think I gonna take a "speed bathe" then rush down to catch my show le.....can't think of anything more to write...prob coz of PMS....I'm unfeeling now, numb all over...

TiMe n TiDe WaiTs for No MaN....

2004-11-18T14:28:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Run (Lighthouse Family)

I shan't say "I'm back!!" coz I was supposed to be back updating since exam ended last Wednesday but coz I was so stressed up after that last paper, I immediately fell ill and just didn't wanna do anything but loosen my nerves. Imagine, right before I entered the exam hall for that last "battle", I was down with a sudden cold then fever came along during the paper...and I nearly wanted to just raise my hand to back out, but nevertheless, I hung on.
Anyway, i think I've enjoyed enough this far, to recoop all the mental stress I had went thru juz for this exam man...and now that I'm back here on a Thurs afternoon, after the routine cleaning up of the house, I decided I should no longer procrastinate and just kick start off and fight that very minute of laziness in me. Seriously, if I really haven't typed up to HERE, I really dunno when I'll ever start man...and more things and events plus pictures will be accumulated which equals more work to update which then equals to all the more I will be even lazier to update....*neh*..look at what laziness has done to me?? If writing a blog was having to pen it down like in a diary, at least there's still some excuse for me to "escape" but...it's only typing and I'm like already so lazy....I assure you, TECHNOLOGY will DO me in, in time to come...I'll meet my DOOM -> MR L.A.Z.Y... I've given almost my all to "him" man...and now he's coming back to drain the rest outta me....*aHHhhhh*
Anyway, a few short things to take note:
1) Estee's back from Aussie (since last Thurs) and she'll be here for good till Feb next year..coz she'll be using this holiday to do her summer semester here in Singapore, which means she'll finish and graduate one semester ahead of others.

2) Today (18th Nov 20004) as of 12AM, it's JASON LEE's 21st!!!! Let's wish this dude here a very happy birthday!!! 21st means you're in the adult gang...and the other's will say "oh now you can do what adults do..like watch RA, etc.." <- like, how lame can these ppl be? We no need to be 21 just to do alot of things..anyway, since I became 21 9mths back, nothing has/ had changed actually and I'm still ME...

3) Mag was choosen to join the Roxy Girl Model challenge and last last weekend was the semi-finals at Heerens and guess what? She got into the finals which will be held at the Sentosa on the 27th. It'll be a big beach party and to enter, we'll need to buy entry ticket which is in the form of an EZlink card..kewl? But too bad, on that day, Ben and I have to attend Leraine (Cynthia's sister's) wedding, for the whole day. I have to be the "sister" and at night the wedding banquet will be at FULLERTON HOTEL....maybe after that we might still go catch Mag at Sentosa...

4) REMINDER: This Sunday (21st Nov 2004) is Ben's Chalet...He'll be celebrating his 21st in advance. All those who're supposed to turn up, please just confirm the venue one more time coz there's a change in the unit no.
Those who're coming by public, there'll be a free shuttle service at Tanah Merah MRT Exit A. If you wanna knw the timing for the pick-up, please ask me coz I doubt anyone will be going public.
Venue: NSRCC, 10 Changi Coast Walk, BUNGALOW UNIT 11
Time: Dinner will start at 6.30pm (BBQ-cum-Buffet)
*Those who wanna come early, please feel free to, coz we'll be there after 2pm. And if you wanna stay, feel even more free to, coz there'll be alcohol and mahjong session and poker session too...all the big gambling n etc...

So now to update you on what you have been missing...I shall just separate the events into two: Before Exam, and After Exam.
Before Exams: On Halloween, Ben and I went to NYDC in the afternoon coz I was dying for the mudpie (again)..so we went to the Suntec branch one..and as usual, being a westernised restaurant, they obviously celebrated Halloween and had all their scary props put up..0amongst all the props, the one that really made my goosebumps stand was this tombstone that they made and placed at the very entrance of the restaurant. And the best part was it looked damn real and it was a "tribute" to this "Huang Xiao Mao" a.k.a Small Yellow Cat...and it had a picture of the cat...piangz..the extend they went to do such things...damn touchwood man...I was amused by it and tooka few pic with my hp cam but till now, I still dunno how to upload it to my com apart from sending it thru MMS to my e-mail (which costed me a bomb!) Anyway i've bought the data cable and when I learn how to upload, I'll definitely post it up coz it looked SO REAL!!! Anyway those passer-by walking past, none failed to look in, esp at that tombstone...there was this old couple who sotpped and stared and then said "choi ge lei, dai ga lai xi !!!" (meaning = *touchwood man*)

After Exams:
Basically straight after my last paper, Ben came to pick me up and I went back to his place and for two whole days, I did nothing but really slack around like anything. I stayed from Wednesday all the way till Monday...hahaha..it was the company over at 48 Sunrise that perked me up lah...coz adding us up, there are a total of 4 of us and we're nothing but ppl up to mischief...talking, bickering etc....On that faithful Friday, was my first encouter with mahjong, and it was forced...Ben's mum wanted me to paly and she said she would teach me...Mag also just learnt how to play nto long..I was damn afraid coz there has been countless attempts of my friends trying to teach me but I just never got it right...there I was, as I was learning while playing, I was crying in my heart, dying for Ben to come back from school to rescue me!!! Anyway, I've got the hang of it and I would say, it's quite addictive coz teh following days, we all kept playing mahjong...until Ben's aunt suggested for a gathering cum mahjong session at his house on Sunday, coz his aunt also just learnt mahjong...
On Saturday (13th), we finally headed to Wild Wild Wet (after a thousand years of procratinating)...btu we after all the li li le le (dilly dallying), we only reached Wild Wild Wet at 4pm!! Left only with 3 hours to play...Ben was not enthu coz as usual...he will always make alot of stupid comment about hwo not worth it is to pay so much when at jurong you get the same shit and stuff..but for me, it's the fun that counts what..I mean since it's newly opened, we should go try once rite...though Mag and Warren has went twice...Ben was saying we just play allt he rides once and we'll pack up and go...such a spoil spot...btu in the end, we had so much fun along the way that we were the last few to leave the damn place....hahaha....below are some pics:

In the toilet: Our very own Roxy Babe!

The reknown "Tampines Maid"

Together, we make the best of both worlds!!!

Final shot before leaving

The GOH Quads

Downtown East's Sesame Street Theme of the Year

Sunday: Everybody came over to Ben's house and it was super "re nao"..it felt as if we were celebrating Hari Raya as well man...anyway..what kept me busy was entertaining Ben's two lil cousins....ReAnne who's coming to 2 years old and Javier, the 6 mths baby boy...ReAnne was super active and super friendly. Being only 1 year old plus, she was already so intelligent and mimicks the adults so well...whatever we said, she followed suit and what makes you like her so much is her curious eyes, esp when she asks you questions...needless to say about her size coz she took after her parents who were very big built...she pronounces words so accurately that it can make you faint man...haha...and on the othrhand, Javier, who's still super young, and knows nothing, needed alot of coaxing...Becoz the adults were busy talking and playing mahjong and the kids were too young to take care or whatever, I was volunteered to take care of the kids (anyway I like them so much)...I was playing with Javier after dinner, trying to do all the baby stunts and he was so happy that he kept jumping on my lap..and smiling and drooling all over...ReAnne, also loved babies and she kept following us wherever we carried Javier...hahaha...

Communicating through Baby Language : ***********?????

Well tomorrow's a Friday and will be my last resting day for the week before I have to prepare for another "event" which is this Sunday's chalet...On Sat, we''ll be going to get all the food stuff and etc...and it'll be another busy week ahead..I'm still contemplating if I should get a job or like JoY said: "Rest lah..what for work when next year you won't have such holidays le"....Ever since 2 years back, had never worked during the holidays le...I can still imagine how I was so hardworking years back since Sec 2..where I started worked at my mum's company then the so many other companys (SPH, MCL Land, Nippon Express, BBH, Caston, AC Nielson, Keppel Comms) every school holiday.....dunno if it's becoz I'm AGING or what...I've no longer that energy I used to have, nor the enthusiasm to do anything....

Sis is having her GCE O's final paper on Monday and I really wonder what she plans to do after that, for the next 3 or 6mths...It' always feels as if she's only Sec 1 in my eyes....but now, the "BABY" of my family has completed Sec 4....I think mum and dad can rest and relax le.....time has taken a fast turn...cherish what you have peeps....

My holiday's here and for me, I think it's time to catch up with some friends and things I've lost touch with becoz of the busy school schedule I had...Eileen called me up last week and told me she's with Binzz and that Char is no longer with Aaron ...think there's lots more for me to update myself with....

Like this song, Run, sometimes, you just really feel like running away from everything and be alone...be in a world with nothing to care about....

---{@JoAnnA@}---

My ImmorTaL.....

2004-10-26T10:47:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : My Immortal (Evanescences)

Hmm...nice weather to start off a day with...it's a warm sunshine after rain and it's kinda cooling now...makes me in the mood for sleep again..Just got back from breakfast with Ben. He came over this morning to pass me the Korean VCD, Stairway to Heaven, that Mag borrowwed from her friend which got all of use hooked onto it, I kinda dislike those sappy Korean shows, coz they do nothing but CRY non-stop..but....well, no doubt, this one's the best, it even got the guys hooked..we started our "marathon" only on Sun noon and Ben and Warren already felt like beating ppl up coz of some stupid charater in the show...it's those "qian bian" part where the good one gets tortured and the bad one gets everything and all...I watched until Disc 5 on Sat and I had to return home, what a spoiler. Anyway, after watching this drama, I thought that I have another good recommendation for my mum who's a crazy Korean drama fan...(eeekkkksss) and who knows when I was telling mum about it, grandma (who just returned from her "malaysia holiday") happened to hear about it and she got all excited and stuff, coz she also watched that drama (must be with aunt and gang) Imagine, I was like telling her I only watched till Disc 5 and she was like, "wo kan dao di 10 ji ah...hen hao kan le!"...deh! Even grandma's hooked on that drama...she never liked koeran movies and had always asked my mum not to stay up so late to watch those korean movies that Channel 8 has been playing so damn late in the night. At this point, I must say something, "DAMN! there must be something about those sappy korean movies that's hooking everyone...but what up with it???" Anyway, I've burnt all the VCD coz Mag needs to return her friend the VCD tom. So if you want, you can borrow from me but before that, do me a favour, dun pass it ard coz it's against the law to copy VCDs...it's piracy...but WHAT the HECK lah, who cares!
Yesterday, Ben and I were in the mood to study so, we decided to do so since we've been procrastinating like for "years"!! But in the beginning, we couldn't decide on a venue to do so. I need a big table to study while he, needs aircon but it's definitely neither at my house nor his, coz both, I would say, are TOO conducive...conducive enough for us to easily reside in our dreams. Finally I suggested Temasek Poly coz when I was studying there, I always thought TP had the best environment for studying...big tables and all, be it indoor (school library) or outdoor, outside the lecture theatres of each school...there are plenty of study benches..and the best is, there is always enough wind, to blow your mind away (that is if it's not a hot, humid afternoon). Originally, he was supposed to come over at 1pm but ended up he came only at 1.30pm and everything was delayed and pushed back..haha...alittle of procrastination here and there...you always have this sudden urge to study but by the time you really get down to it, you feel like just running away from it...You carry ALL the books, notes and evern coloured pens and markers along, all geared up and by the time you really reach the destination you wanna settle down to study, you just feel like "FORget it lah, lemme take a rest first"...Agreed??? All of us have our lazy dayz lah...so back to the story...we by the time we had lunch and finally settle down at one bench outside the Engineering LT, it was already 2.15pm. There was practically not a single soul in TP and it's coz they're having holidays already..wth...I miss those days of havign holiday earlier then the rest. After lunchin', with all the food in my stomach and the Carbo digesting, sleepiness started creeping into my head and Ben's as well...(just as we anticipated)..I decided not to force myself yet, so I read my CLEO mag. Anyway, whatever it is, we still managed to study lah...quality, not quantity. 4 hours of inconsistent concentration is nothing commpared to 1 hour of FULL concentration yeah...so ppl, dun deceive yourself when you think you studied for 4 or 5 hours and think its a great achievement. According to researchers, a human's brain cannot concentrate fully on something for more then 1 - 2 hours.

Takin' a break from StuDy....

We wrapped up at 5pm and headed for my Aerobics Dance class...dunno why the cardio exercise was a little slow paced compared to the past few sessions...still, we never escaped the "hands" of exercising to TECHNO tunes...except that instead of the usual "Heaven is a Place on Earth" era, we danced to "Barbie Girl" and etc...nevertheless, by the end of the workout, Cyn and I nearly dropped dead (as usual)...Anyway, at the cooling down session, our trainer usually paly slow songs and yest, this song , My Immortal by Evanescences caught my heart...those groovy inspirational feeling again...that's why I've decide to put it up...
I have a test tom at 8.30AM for the stupid subject that I HATE most, Use of English in Teaching..actually, I dun hate the subject, rather the Lecturer who's like a block of WOOD, slanging her way in the stupid fake angmoh accent....damn sianz...meanwhile, after tom's test, I'll have to start my revision for the 2 exams on 9th & 10th Nov....
Ben just called and told me that Serene from KAH Motors called and told him that he can collect his car by tom if not Thurs...hehe...kinda excited....oh and his car plate no. is: SFN 5532 D <- so eeky....not very nice no. le compared to his mum's car, SDL 232 L <- like stylo lucky no.
Meanwhile, ppl, chill out if you've ended your exams k...though I know most of us in the tertiary level, are mugging away like mad....

CheeRs,
~Immortal~

A RevieW......

2004-10-21T19:05:00.001+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Can You Help Me (Usher)

* I think I'm beginning to lurve Usher's songs more and more, like anything man....esp his groovy slow song...it churns some special feelings and thought in me men....

In the blink of an eye, all my lessons in school has ended..suddenly, school comes to a halt, just the total opposite of what happened 3weeks ago when I was rushing in and out of school, rushing like a mad dog to meet the datelines and etc....quite scary...and alittle sad...as of today till when my exams commence (9th), it is my study week and I have like about 2 weeks plus more...time really flies man. The end of the year is here, Christmas is coming and then, it'll be the New Year, 2005 and I'll be another year older, AGAIN...suddenly, life seems to be zooming past me damn swiftly man, I totally can't recall of even reflect what I've done for this year. All I know is, I entered NIE in July and school term has ended!!!! July to October -> that's a freaking 3months and this semester sure is very very short........Anyway, I'll start my revision for my 2 papers next week.
A quick recapitulation of what happened since last week till today:
Sat (16th) - Went to Caline's birthday party held at her aunt's condo, Dahlia Park....met quite a few old sec schoolmates(caline's "gang")...all the chiobu's which make me feel like burying my head under, dunno where..anyway, saw Ben and I left after staying there for 1hour plus coz we were feeling damn ass akward lah...it was basically Calin'es own close gang and not that I'm close with them or anti-social or what...but I just didn't know what to talk to them about...so...we left...
Sun (17th) - Was at home preparing my materials and lesson plan for Mon's Microteaching Presentation.
Mon a.ka "THE BIG DAY" - Had my microteaching session and the moment time was up, I felt the burden and pressure in my heart just dropped...felt damn ass relaxed after that. though the microteaching was nothing big deal but just some teaching session to assess how we would deliver and deal with a class of students.
Tuesday - Had to cook Pizza, but Pauline, Juan, Cyn and I just refused to cook coz Ms Tng's food are forever expired!!! So we just faked our way through adn coz of that, straight after my lesson, I was super tempted to make my own pizza again, so I told Ben and he agreed and asked me to bake it for their lunch. I went to NTUC to grab all the pizza ingredients then headed to his place. Too bad, didn't manage to capture any pic coz before I could take any pic, Ben & his bro had walloped the pizza, but I can assure you, you won't be disappointed if you ate my pizza, coz I'm super generous with ingredients (it'll pile like a mountain, with yummylicious cheese oozing everywhere), don't believe, ask me and I'll do it for you...I stayed at his place until I finished the 9PM show(last episode) and by then, I was too lazy to go home so I stayed over and Ben said he'll send me to school on the way when he sends his bro and sis to school.
Wed (20th) - Woke up at 5.50AM (wth!!!) coz needed to take turns to bathe. My lesson was at 8.30AM and it's the lesson I DREADED most so by the time we dropped Mag off at VJC, it was 7.30AM...I suggested going for breakfast and kopi at Ya Kun at Parkway coz I just wanted to "drag" time and just didn't wanna go school early....Had 2 breakfast sets which cost $7.60!!!!! Each set consist of 2 eggs, coffee/tea and the "sacred" Kaya Toast, which I think can't "beat" the one at the BoonLay Kopitiam, which Cyn and I eat almost everyday and have yet to get sick of it. It's cheap and tastes superb man!
Thursday (21st) - TODAY: Hmmm...just had our portfolio sharing...because of the portfolio, I slept at 3AM last nite man...had to gather all the experiments and textiles application that we did throughout this sem...mine was lying all over...some was even missing...hahaha...
Friday (22nd) - TOMORROW...I dunno what will await me...but I certainly knw I'll be slacking for sure, not in the mood to start revision yet...it's not like me to start any revision on the last day of the week..I prefer to start fresh on a Monday instead...hmmmmm or maybe, the most I might do is to revise my Elementary Malay notes coz there's some speculation that there'll be an Oral test or something during this Sat's lesson.
It's 7.45pm now and I'm gonna catch the last bit of Double Happiness and the rest of the TV programmes lined up tonight, Singapore Idol and the 9pm serial (The Swimming Challenge)....till then

Caline -> The Babe and Me -> The Maid........ =(

Cheezzzz....

A nice couple pic

Hear Ye aLL...

2004-10-14T23:23:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : My Place (Nelly)

Here's just a tiny mini announcement for Ben's 21st Birthday Celebration..thanx to Char..she's helped us booked the venue and confirmed it.

Date : 21st November 2004
Venue: National Service Resort Country Club (NSRCC) <- those who attended mine, shld know where
Time : 6.30 - 7pm

It'll be a BBQ thinggy...and there'll be seafood...so the early bird catches the worms....there will be alcohol (not the kiddish Jolly Shandy crap and whats not..) so can mix your own concoctions...if you need to pour out your sorrows and what nots...here's the best time ah....
Looking forward to see you guys there too...as for the activities, you guys should be more familiar than me lah huh...So...let's take it as a chance to let your hair down(esp since it's after exams for most) and treat it like a get together too...
Further details will be revealed again so check this blog out...return soon k

CheeRs
~Jo~

StucK On You....

2004-10-13T20:17:00.001+08:00

NOW LISTENING : U Make Me Wanna (Usher)

I'm back updating again....was on MC since Monday till now...Dr said it was the flu bug and this time it'll take about 1 week to recover so meanwhile he said I was "highly contagious".. <--??? Anyway...much has happened lately but I dunno where to start and how to start too...also blame it on my laziness for not being consistent in updating my blog...school life has somewhat suddenly slowed down for me, leaving me with only 3 weeks plus to await upon the sacred examinations....life has been so hectic the past few months and looking back, I seriously have no idea how I got thru all that rushing in and out, to and fro life, havign to meet endless datelines...telling you frankly, the Dr asked me if I preferred examinations or projects..I finally declared, "EXAMS!!!"...all those projects, assignments and presentations had really driven me nuts...drained whatever was left in me...all I remember was me travelling to school on the sickening MRT, rushing to catch the bus and by the time lesson ends, it's about 5plus...rush and squeeze with the working crowd...and by the time I reach home, it'll be about 7plus 8?? And I'll be totally exhausted to do anything...and the nest day, the same routine happens...sometimes it drives me to a point I ask myself this: " Just why the hell am I doing all these, making myself so unhappy and miserable?" I sympathise with myself...The only time I enjoy, sad to say was, the breaks we had which were so SHORT, that we could only haunt, the NIE canteen...and even that turned into a luxury, although we see almost the same food, same stalls, everyday...sometimes I just wanna puke.....Well, but now, I think it's a passing phase in my life, at least...where the adults claim, it's our prime time in life where we have the vigour to "fight" or "cheong" in life....I'm SICK..... =<
For all these while, lucky I still have Ben by my side...we meet almost everyday I would say...ppl say that you get sick of each other if you see each other almost everyday but I beg to differ...the more I see him, the more I find solace and comfort and the more I WANT to see him...coz he's my only JOY (not that my family is not..) the only thing I look forward to...like for now, he works at Funan on Tuesdays and end only at 7.30pm but even though I end as early as 3pm, I am willing to wait and spend my time finding things to do allt he way till 7.30pm, just to meet him for a dinner that last no longer than 2hours...my life's that pathetic....and well, guess what? The more we see each other now..the more we feel inseparable and we totally don't bicker anymore...
Anyway, I am so pissed with my old printer that just didn't want to print anything that I bought a new Canon Print Scan and Copy printer, hoping to solve all the problems I'm facing from having to click the "Print" button, but have nothing being printed out....BUT...the stupid thing is, this new freaking printer which looks like a big wonder, with so many functions, just cannot work with my com, ever since I plucked it in the day I bought it! More problems occurred...it hung my com so many freaking times that I'm so sick and tired of it...now, it just keeps saying there's no connection with the printer...I told my IT expert cousin about it and he told me he long knew my USB got problem...then what you want me to do??? This com's working so fine...it's the best com...everything's working so well...I've got the best modem, etc....wth!!! I HATE computers!! If they work fine, they're just wonderful servants but when they don't, one thing can just clog up every shit and you just cannot get anything done...why can't they just work the way you want them to????? I bought the com to solve the sickening printing problem and instead, I've brought more problems....F%^&*K it lah!!! Seems like I've gotta send my com or printer to the shop to get them just do up everything properly for me...why can't I just buy the com with everything inside, with no problem at all in the future??? Can't everything come as a whole good package with every hell freak installed?????????? URGGHHHHHH...*shout out loud*
Here's a few photos I promised...they've all "expired" but still....enjoy:

First Aerobics Dance lesson (27th Sep), outside the Dance studio...

It's been a long time since I last cooked at Ben's place...so I decided to whip up some nice yummy dishes
(From Top):Steam Crab,Cereal Prawns,Stir-fry Cabbage, Fried egg with Onions and Otah(bought)....the result? Ask Ben & Family

Ready for Aerobics Lesson 2: just woke up and forcing a smile....

Cynthia: feeling proud of "her" achievements...

Ok..I'm gonna take this chance to thank Ben and the rest who has been around me during this trying period of time in my life....Ben (if he ever sees this): Thanks for ferrying me & my frens here and there, helping to cut short and shorten the torturing travel time...I promise we'll have mroe time ahead during the holidays...and we'll find a way to relax and enjoy or slack to the max, liek we did last time k, though you still have school during the hols... The rest: Thanx, whoever you are, for lending me your ears, for hearing me pour my unhappiness, my grievances and all...I appreciate your presence around me and I thank God I had/ have friend(s) like YOU! Knowing you're there, is good enough for me...
Btw, to all, tentatively, Ben will be holding his 21st birthday at the same venue as me, NSRCC bunglow..the details will be out once Char confirms the booking for me...will update you peeps again but PLEASE>....do turn up k!!! Esp the usual GANG and ST GOH, who MISSED mine...hehehehe...this time I want to SLEEP with you!!!!Only ST!
That's all for now....
~JoAnnA LovE~
p/s: something to keep you thinking...if an office administrator and a new trainee teacher earns almost the same monthly salary, considering their job scope and all, why is it people still choose to teach???..think about it....

I'm Fine.....

2004-10-01T11:50:00.000+08:00

I bet many of you have been wondering "Where did the wind blow Joanna to rite"??? Haha...as usual...you can guess my answer..I've been BUSY...anyway, I'm stealing sometime off during my MOTIVATIONAL WEBSITE DESIGN lesson now to do up my blog while the lecturer is kinda blabbering away. Makin' full use of the lab's com...I ain't as lucky as you guys to have a laptop coz I dun think I need one at the moment...kinda cool to be able to use the laptop and go online anytime, anywhere..but neh..I dun have the time to carry the laptop ard..I think my books weigh heavy enough...
Anyway, thanks, Dude Lee & Seow for taking the trouble to tag on my tagboard...at least I knw that you guys still bother to come to my bloggie...
Well, just to update..went for my 1st Aerobics Dance class on Monday..wah damn ass tiring...the moment the instructor came in, we jumped, dance non-stop until the class ended..so all in all it was 1hour plus and by then, Cyn & I half-dead...hehe...shows how long we've not really done vigorous exercise but it was quite SHIOK!!
Then on Sunday, I went out wiht Ben's family coz they day before I stayed over...it's been quite sometime I stayed over and Mag has been kinda bugging me about it so I did last Sat..so back to the point..we were at Suntec coz Ben's dad wanted to go WinterWear to find something but we happened to walk past the convention centre and saw the Chevrolet cars at the hall..so we all went over then I didn't expect his parents were so "On"..really decided on getting the Chevrolet Hatchback and they said it was for their dear son, Ben....usually ppl just look look & see see...then, their plan then was to sell the Odessey & get the Volvo XC90 plus the Chevrolet hatchback for Ben...on the spot, they made the appointment for testdrive with the salesperson on Tuesday. BUT..the story did not end here..on Tuesday, they decided to send the Odessey for servicing at Honda then head for the appointment with Chevrolet but guess what? When I called Ben on Tuesday afternoon, he told me they bought the Honda Civic already!!!!! And it's a black one...That was a last min "might as well" plan..So no more Chevrolet which means they didn't go to the Chevrolet showroom. So now, they are keeping the Odessey till next year(to get the Volvo) and Ben's waiting for his car to arrive! If only buying cars were as easy as buying underwears uh!.....That dude, is excited though he don't look like he is...all he said was he felt "over the moon" when they told him it was for him...well, now the "baby" <- the car, would arrive by mid October...and we're all looking forward to it.....
School's getting more and more hectic coz over here, our sem's coming to an end...one of my lecture has come to an end & we're having a month to study before that exam..for those non-examinable subjects, lessons are still on-going, with alot of assignments n projects in place of exams, to be submitted soon.
Just realised, that amidst of all these, we've all been so busy and possessed by our own school work and all that we've all not even spoken much much less, met up....Guys, I think we'll "make up" for that during the holidays. Btw, Estee's gonna do her Summer semester here in SIngapore so which means she'll be back in November after her exams & will be having lessons here, during the holiday period..she'll only leave in Feb....Yah Hoo!!!!
I'm looking forward to Aerobics again, though I've been aching for the past few days...
~gtg...bye!~
Joanna Banana <-- ?????

Something to Share...

2004-09-23T17:46:00.000+08:00

Woah...this whole week have been a super duper busy week for me...all the deadlines to meet for the assignments given during the holidays....sadly, it wasn't a holiday (or "RECESS" , as NIE puts it)..it was AssignmentsWeek more like it...maybe to "illustrate" it better...I might as well list down the recent assignments I had:
1) TCX 127: Design A Poster promoting Home Economics Awareness Week (due: 20th) - DONE!
2) TCX 127: Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan (due: 20th) - DONE!
3) TCX 125: Coursework A Questionaire (due: 21st) - DONE!
4) TED 101: Webquest (due: 23rd) - DONE!
5) TCX 126: Design Brief Portfolio (due: 23rd) - DONE!
6) TLE 251: Site Map for Web Design (due: 24th) -DONE!
7) TED 101: Reflective Essay (due: 30th) - Upcoming...
8) TLE 121: Effective Writing Assignment 2 - Essay Topic Writing (due: 30th) - Upcoming...
9) TED 213: Assignment 2 Interdisiplinary Teaching (due: 1st Oct) - Upcoming...
9) TCX 127: Design a Written Exam with TOS (due: 1st Oct) - Upcoming...
10)TCX 125: Investigative Task Coursework B (due: 5th Oct) - Upcoming...
11)TCX 127: Micro Teaching + Lesson Plan (due: 11th Oct) - Upcoming...
There's definitely more to come...all the above are the bigger projects & assignments...does not include the weekly tutorial assignments man....my Life in NIE - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, sux like anything man!!! I'm so stressed up, for the first time in my life....I'm busy almost 24/7!!! Mon - Fris are jam packed with nothing but rushing of assignments plus travelling up & down to school...WTH!!!
Anyway, managed to catch the movie"Dodgeball" with Ben on Mon. we actually wanted to catch the movie on Sat coz we were in town but we didn't in the end coz it was damn ass crowded..the whoel of LIDO was packed with freakin' loads of "beings"...we immediately backed out...It was also lucky thing we watched on Mon, @ Dentury Square, comfortably with no crowd at all....coz it was a weekday. So i encourage you beings out there....if you're one who dun like watching shows by having to queue endlessly for the tix & squeeze like mad then PLEASE watch it on a weekday afternoon, coz even the most Top-of-the-charts movie also would not have alot of ppl watching it then. Dodgeball was kinda funny lah..just that I didn't like Ben stiller acting that role..it's not that he didn't acted it well, he did, BUT...he was a little unnatural...I feel that Rod Schneider woudl have doen a better job for that role coz for any particular show (eg. comedy), you ahve to have that nature in you..acting can be trained or instilled but it'll no longer look so natural...nevertheless...Ben stiller was damn CORNY in that show man...allt he silly sex gestures he made...particularly his super indiani thick & bushy eyebrows which look as if they were gonna join up together.
Oh anyway, before I leave (coz I can't think of what more to write) Estee's been counting down to the days before she flies back to Singapore and by today it's : 50 more days to go.....bet that girl is DYING to fly back here almost immediately if given an opportunity...firstly to aim to see her Kelvin..then of coz her family..and not forgetting, ME (I hope... =)
For now, enjoy my photo taken after the Dodgeball show....my eyebags are proof of my hardwork.....

*trying to act cute*
~ciao amigos, baby~

It's Been a LonG TiMe....

2004-09-15T18:39:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)

Now, for some groovy lurve song..
Surely it has been a SUPER DUPER TRIPLE long time since I last logged in. I bet all my "avid" readers cum fans have probably flocked to some other blogs instead of mine, after a few attempts to see if I've updated my blog, only in vain, rite? Well, there's only 1 plain, good reason and that is: I've really been busy with school work. Assignments after Assignments....that's my life for the past few weeks...especially when it was nearing the holidays...suddenly, there were so many assignments we all had to complete...and truthfully, holiday hasn't been holiday tiz far...When school closed for the holiday last week(Fri), I seriously did not look forward to it...I had a total of 6 assignments due by the opening of school, which is next week!!!I think the NIE lecturer's probably got a screw loose in their brains ang they thought that TEACHERS are FREAKs who don't have their own life, but are supposed to DEDICATE their entire LIFE to TEACHING...MY FOOT!!! That would not be my life, if I have to say! I wouldn't give up my life for TEACHING! I LURVE to teach but not to the extend of giving up my life for it.... Anyway, right now, I've only by far, completed 4..which is somewhat quite an achievement to me, I would say...*round of applause* The remaining assignments I have in hand are the not-so-difficult ones...So, I'm coping fine...dun worry =)
At this juncture, I have uploaded some pictures and they are the ones that remind me of the recent events....the rest, I've forgotten and actually I think there was just nothing much lah...

This was taken Last Sunday (12/9/04): Prayer at Grandpa's House

Kidco in her super act-cute pose ......

Basically, this was taken after many attempts (at least 10 times)...coz this girl is very agile and mischevious so it's very hard to catch her in a good pose....or probably she was waiting for FOOD....

Hungry Dog <- Now this is what you get, A Hungry Dog, during the Hungry Ghost Festival.....even dogs drool over food don't ya know??? In this case, it was roast duck...

View from the TOP <- It's easier to catch this lil' twart in pictures coz he's kinda too old for mischief so he can't be bothered to move around....

Taken yesterday during Project Meeting at Pacific Cafe, CityLink (14/9/04):

Legs in the world, Unite!

Was getting kinda distracted from discussion so we decided to try out something new...can you guess who's leg is whose?

I'll bang & bang till I blow your head off...... <- Cyn as usual...trying to be funny with no-nonsense Lynn....was she really thinking or looking at the passer-bys?

NOW...here's me in an elegant(???) pose....was sinking in the BIG & COMFY sofa....if you got the chance, check this place out yeah? Anyway, I think the setting for this pic makes me look as if I visted the palace or something....

Am I small or is the sofa too big?

Now folks, I hate to say this, but I HAVE TO: THAT's ALL for now....I gotta go...have some other powerpoint presentation to embark on....God knows when will be the next time I'll be updating my blog.....Ask him...Ok lah, I'll try when I can squeeze some time k.

To ALL, with LoVE ~JoAnnA Lee~

"GARFIELD & Odie"

2004-09-05T01:18:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING: White Flag (Dido)

My title tells it all...today's a Saturday and as usual after my Elementary Malay Lesson, went to meet BBB (Big Boss Ben). We both HATE Saturday classes coz it drains us out..coz of all the lessons we have during the weekday, we already have no time to meet up, then come SATURDAY (<- what a nice name)..dread it...by the time we finish school, it's about 12plus n at that time, I hate going anywhere, firstly coz it's damn HOT and it'll be freakin' crowded at any corner in Singapore!
So anyway, we decided to head back to Tampines to catch the Garfield movie, instead of heading down to Orchard, where I had a premonition it'll be "sardine-packed". Our show was at 2.30pm and we reached Tampines at 1.30pm so we went to eat and walk ard to look for BBB's vitamins (suddenly so health conscious???). The show was only alrite lah...nothing very fantastic, just alot of animation and some silly cute stunts by Odie (the dog) esp the part when he/it danced to the tune "Hey mama, it's that shit that makes you move, mama....." other then that...it's so-so...it's a simple story to entertain the young minds..coz most of the time, I heard the kids in the theatre laughing n screeching damn loudly. For me, I laughed for the sake of laughing...hahahaha.....
After the movie, it was already 4plus and by then, we were both tired and about to switch to "SLEEP MODE" le...so we headed straight home to my place where Ben knocked out almost immediately....He slept thru all the way till 9pm then left and I went on to watch those documentary on pregnant women (Here's Looking at You Babe and the Channel 8 one)...such a coincidence eh, so many pregnant documentarys on Saturday itself...Is Saturday Mummy's Day? Anyway, it's certainly also very coincidental that about 5 of our local celebs are pregnant at the same time( just in case you dun know: Wong LiLin, Zoe Tay, Evelyn Tan, May Phua, Ivy Lee <-again)..sometimes you wonder if they're in "cahoots" with the government for the new child policy man...hahaha.....
As promised, here's a pic I took with my new phone camera..I'm surprised...it's kinda sharp for the fact that I used the lowest resolution...I mean Samsung sure never failed me in its photo quality technology as compared to Ben's Motorola...but every phone has it's ups n downs lah huh...just make do with it...

Garfield & Odie, forcing a smile.....

Right now, I can't think of anything more to write other than to juz switch off my com and sink into my bed..It's calling me! And I certainly can't resist temptations....
Before I take my leave, here's something inspiring that someone sent to me:
"Most folks well worth the memory
have their statues carved in stone.
But teachers mold their monuments
in living flesh & bone."
What ya' think??? I think that's how GREAT we teachers are...As MOE puts it: "MOLDING the Future" OR "MOULDING the Future"...think about it....
~Nitez & HuGGs~
p/s: I promise to put up a passage written in malay once I've mastered it well but meanwhile here's this:
"Saya bangun pada pukul 7.00 pargi. Kamudian saya mencuci muka dan memberus gigi. Selepas itu saya mandi. Selepas mandi sya mamakai pakaian dan pergi ke dapur untuk sarapan. Saya minum secawan kopi dan dua keping roti."
Figure it out....

"When you fail to plan, you plan to fail"

2004-09-01T18:41:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING: High (Lighthouse Family)

You can actually see that I've kinda failed man..failed to log in for days...where's all the determination I had!!! Been really busy that's why...everyday is assignment day...all the project work, discussions and assignments are making me spin and even before I can breathe when I hand in one assignment, the next comes along, right in front of my face! Man!!! Haven't I got a life too??? Anyway, today's Tacher's Day and every Pri, Sec and JC students are having a day off from school but not US, the future teachers to be!..What is this man...anyway, it doesnt make much diff lah,coz every Wednesday, I only attend school for 2 hours and will be dismissed by 10.30am. I made an exception to rush home straight after school today to see what is the earliest timing I would arrive back home when I end at 10.30am...and I also "planned" to go home and promised myself to make up for the sleep I've lost (thru having to get up so early just for the 8.30am lesson). So guess what? My plan was running smooth...by 10.50am, I was already in the MRT in BoonLay station, waiting for it to "take off". At first, I was telling myself that I'll walk home from Tampines MRT but during the whole journey, I kept dozing off and felt too lazy to do so..so I decided to alight at Bedok and take bus 67 or 31 that will stop at the bus stop rite in front of my house..I know someone must be screaming "wah damn lazy leh, Joanna"!! But if you were me, wouldn't you do so too, when it's a hot afternoon and you've been dozing off a few times in the train which neevr seemed to reach your destination stop???? Anyway, I got off at Bedok and instead of heading for the desinated bus stop, I just unknowingly walked to Baleno and ended up trying and buying some tops then I headed next to Giordano and bought something again...DEH!!! I didn't knwo what I was doing lah..the only excuse I think of now to cover-up is: There was sales!!..though I didn't buy any sale item!...hehehehehehe...
By the time I got home, it was already 1pm....amazingly, feeling guilty and all, I told myself I'll just bathe then go to sleep...but I started cooking then I bathed and then I suddenly decided to iron all my clothes...so here I am now, 5.45pm, still wide awake! But I know my eyes are looking but my mind's in a whirl...not thinking anymore....Well, I dunno if you'll say that I'm procrastinating or not, but since I've already wasted my whole afternoon doing things I've not planned to do, I have decidided to do finish up all my assignments once and for all coz anyway, I've no appointment or plans tonite....who knows...this time I might just end up in bed, and from taking a nap, I'll just sleep over till the next day...hahahaha....
Hey, I can't think of anything more to write as for now and if you realised, I've not taken any pic recently coz ever sicne I got my new handphone, I have not brought Mr. Casio Exilim out for sometime le...and I have yet to upload the pics from my hp to the com..mainly, I am LAZY....this is one of those days I feel damn unmotivated and un-inspirational....WISH ME LUCK!!!
HappY Teacher's DaY, Ms LEE.....

~Ms JoAnnA LEE~

*Some songs inspiraing me now: Lighthouse Family (High, Lost in Space, etc) & Five For Fighting (Superman, The Beautiful, A Hundred Years, etc)...I particularly like them coz their songs are veyr inspirational, at least to me...oh and not forgetting Hoobastank's The Reason...
Now I suddenly the Fun Factory's I Love You, just came winding into my mind..I remember this song was so popular during my sec school days man, eh Caline???..If I can find the link, I'll promise to put it up!!! Meanwhile appreciate the lyrics:

Chorus:
I love you,you know that I do
What can I do, to find the truth
You know I love you, forever and ever
We'll be together and I'll do it all
Just for you

Rap 1:
From the first time I saw you, you had my heart
I didn't know how to talk to you, I didn't know how to start
Two weeks later, I saw you again
My heart was beating faster, it was adrenaline
Your eyes, your smile and your beautiful face
You caught me in the act
And I thought I was to race
Let me tall you that I'm shivering inside
I wanna hold your hand
I wanna hold you tight

*Please be with me, my love's so deep
What can I do, to be with you
(Chorus)

Rap 2:
Sitting in the room, waiting by my phone
Travelling on the tour bus, can't wait to come home
Miles and miles bewteen the two of us
I need you girl, or my heart will burst
I knwo it's hard for you, when I'm far away
But every single hour and every single day
I think of you, in a special way
I love you girl, and my heart just stay

*Please be with me, my love's so deep
What can I do, to be with you
(Chorus x2)

End (talk):
This song is dedicated to all the lovers out side
If you once found the right person
Never let her go away

HaPPy, sha la la la......

2004-08-26T16:58:00.000+08:00

Hidee!!! I'm very happy right now...almost floating on cloud nine man...it's been a long time since I got any surprise (from anyone) for quite some time liao and today, my PRINE CHARMING (you know who *hint hint*) surprised me by coming to my school to pick me up. I know it's like ,"DEH, what's so big deal!!" but to me, it's A BIG DEAL...though physically it's nothing big lah huh...coz today we weren't supposed to meet coz apparently after meeting up after school for the past 2 thursdays, we both came to a conclusion that we have really no energy to go out even though it'll be only 2pm (when my school ends) coz our brain cells would need a rest after 4 hours plus in school. Anyway, because of that, yest, I insisted that my group members and I sit down and discuss our report assignment after school today (@ 1.30pm). Lesson ended at 1.15pm today, a bit earlier, but I felt that was already enough for me coz I came to school early for the 8.30am lesson and since then, we had lessons for 5 hours non stop, with no break at all...call this my MOST TAXING day. Just when I walked out the classroom all hungry and grouchy and stuff, an sms came in and it read, "where are you? I'm waiting for you at the carpark..." I was like, grinning to myself in my heart coz though we had decided not to meet, he still turned up! (You know we girls are unpredictable creatures..we say one thing but expect you guys to guess the real meaning..Like say if we're angry and tell you to get lost, we dun really mean it..just STAY there and be abit "thick-skinned" and after venting our anger on you, our heart will melt for you again....you get it..)...But the thing was, I had a discussion to attend....I was a lil' panicky then..so I called him and he agreed to wait though I told him I'll take about 20mins!! This are things which sometimes, he would simply have no patience for...but today?? Hmm..anyway, we finished the discussion within 15mins, though short but very fruitful, and I immediately sped off to the carpark, smiling away...He drove me home (BoonLay to Tampines, imagine one end to the other end, with no complains...) and though we both were damn exhausted by school already, we still found the last bit of "zest" in us to talk about what we learnt in school today...hahaha...quite funny...
At least things took an upturn later in the day, coz I kinda woke up from the wrong side of the bed this morning..everythign I wore seemed to make me look so damn ass FAT in it man...or maybe I was...aiyah but I can't be bothered now lah...am kinda planning to sign up YOGA, if not Aerobics soon...
Now that I remember...I think days back I was complaining to my mum saying if Ben was maybe a few years older then me and already found a stable job, with our current status, we would have kinda got married or gonna get married le...the reason I can't now unlike the others ard me who are getting hitched is because, Ben and I are of the same age!!Or to be exact, he's 9 mths younger...whatever it is..with his age, plus the 2 yrs delay from NS and all, by the time I start working and all (even if I went to the U) he would still be studying....that's why all my ideal "fantasy" of getting married young and giving birth young and all...is "dashed" so to say...haha...but luckily Ben and I have sorted out this difference which has been making me upset recently...I mean I knw we can't do anything about it and he's not in anyway to be blamed too(I totally dun blame him)...haha...we're just aking it that GOD has picked us out from the rest to make us go thru a longer route, a more "sacred" one before we can really settle down in the eyes of GOD...aiyah...it's better that we continue knwo each other longer then get settled down so fast like the norm and end up with alot of trouble, like not being able to accept each others' living habits etc....We both have kinda passed the average years majority "spent" in courtship before settlign down man...hahaha..though I've known him this long, I'm still not bored and am still anticipating to find out more about him plus many many more things man...there's definitely so much more to learn about each other, even when you're married, rite?

Ms Joanna Lee

That's all for now...I'm gonna rest awhile before Cyn comes over and we'll start "mugging" for our assignments due next week....
~Infinitos =) ~

I'm ReCHARGED!!!!!

2004-08-25T17:09:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Always (Atlantic Starr)

Got back home 2 hours ago and was doodling ard with my stuff and idling and day-dreaming away as usual so now here I am, 2 hours later, trying to blog. Anyway, school was only 2 hours for me today..WTH...travel 1 hour for a 2 hour lesson!! I better not whine so much coz I'm the only lucky ass that ends lesson at 10.30am today..Lynn, Juan and Cyn ends in the afternoon...hehehe....Well, have been sick for the past 2 days and today I'm back at school, feeling so much better and it was like, hmmm...a new start? Like I was granted a new life, by GOD. Anywayz, after my lesson ended, I decided to follow Cyn and Charmaine (my classmate, not the Charmaine you all know) to the canteen for lunch and before I could snark a stupid remark about the freaking weather ("It's gonna rain again!"), the 5-minute-typhoon revisited us at NTU/NIE once *again*..this time, it rained like as if someone lost a soccer match up above "there" that they had to send flood to the very earth I'm living in man....the downpour was freakin' heavy such that we couldn't even see the trees from the opp forest...for a moment, it felt like we were in GENTING HIGHLANDS...Hmmm...I think such unpredictable weathers should be well expected/ foretold in the coming months ahead coz I think we're nearing the end of the year and the monsoon season awaits us.....When the rain kinda subsided, I quickly headed for the bus stop to wait for the freakin', tortoisey bus 199 and guess what? It was the non-aircon 199..the type of old feeder bus we used to take yrs back, with shaking /vibrating window panes and all...well, as said, the bus ride felt more like a roller coaster ride for me esp when it went thru the endless SUPER high humps we have in the campus...(guess it's also good lah...supposedly it'll help to stop those stupid ah biang'z cars from ramming their F#$%^&Kin' engine within the campus zone) so I think SBS ought to do something to the suspensions of these OLD vintage buses if not, just GET RID off them lah huh...it's not as if we'll save alot if you provide us with non-aircon buses!!! DEH!
A moment ago, I just read LEE's bloggy and the first thing I saw was written in BOLD was :" I WANNA BE A BLACK!!"...LEE, are you sure?? Then you better specify which type of BLACK you wanna be leh...the BANGLA also black leh...surely you dun wanna be a BLACK, physically rite? You might just want to have the good characters or personalities they have eh...plus their build..!!! Think again... And as I read on, I came to this part where he wrote his daily regime for facial tips, which he named : "Jason's Tips for a clearer smoother face" wah hah...I read the first part about drinking water and my natural instinct immediately was: I picked up my bottle and started drinking and I tot that was the end of it, not until I scrolled down his page further and realised there were like at least 7 other following points!! I nearly got choked on my water! For one, I was shocked yet impressed by him! A guy, and he knows much more then me! Ain't I supposed to hide my head in a pile of dung or what??? Besides the daily cleanse, tone, moisturise and masks once in a while, I know nuts about the other nitty gritty detailed stuff that he mentioned in there!!! And for God's sake, toning and moisturising is something that I do as and when my mood comes (but cleansing is soemthing I wouldn't skip, for sure). I sure have a whole range of skincare products which I put out there for display neatly in my toilet (coz I always get so tempted to try them out coz their packaging look so attractive!) which I've only used once or twice! I think I gotta do soemthing man...I must admit, I'm a HAIR-person..ask my friends and you'll know what extend I'll go to, just to maintain my hair....I'm also super particular about my clothes, the way they're hung in my cupboard (according to colour and length) and the way they're pressed (ironed) to make sure they're totally crease-free. I'm a fussy-pot..the total opposite of Mr. BIG BOSS BEN....
I'm gonna take a lil' nap then start off with my lesson plans and assignments again...the new PM expects alot from teachers man....*sigh*..sometimes I really wonder if I've landed in the wrong profession anot.. but nonetheless, I have to comfort myself that it's a "VERY fulfilling job"..I will keep thinking that way to make myself feel better UNLESS I get posted to MONFORT SEC or ST GABRIEL's or even MARIS STELLA....then it'll be a diff story then..who knows that'll be the END of the chapter in my life???
~Awaiting what awaits me~

MC

2004-08-24T22:12:00.000+08:00

NOW LISTENING : Your Song (Elton John)

Don't ask me why, but I'm SICK *again*...I can already hear Estee naggin' at the corner of my ear, "aiyoh why you always sick one?" ...but what can I do? Probably I was born a weakling?? Or am I that lousy?? Awhile fever, a while flu, if not sprain here, if not hurt there....I've been like that since young and it's genuine everytime..it's not like I'm faking of what. That day my friend was telling me, "wah, you sneeze already can hurt your back, I can't imagine if you cough, probably we'll have to help you pick up your bones man...!!!" I'm not surprised if that really happens...like, just look at me lah....
Anyway, it all started with yest...I had the journey to school to thank for making me in this state that I am now...I caught a cold from walking in and out of the MRT, then in and out of the classroom. One minute it was freezing cold, the next min it was humid out there.....amidst the 3 hour tutorial cum lecture, I was already half dead...freezing and sneezing like mad...Ben came to pick me up after school and brought me to see the doc. By then, I was already totally numb all over...
Didn't go to school today coz I felt worse then ever...woke up with my head feeling heavy and dizzy...then Ben came over to "take care of me" (supposedly) but he took care of my computer instead..but nonetheless, his presence alone, was already sufficient...after eating my medicine for the morning dosage, I suddenly felt my body at its worst condition...I felt like puking, yet my tummy was grumbling and my head just spinned non-stop...I tried to lie in bed but just couldn't get to sleep and the best part was my throat was damn dry (you know that terrible feeling you get when you're down with a runny nose..the passage where your nose leads to your throat - a.k.a trachea)....then, FEVER came...I ate the fever medicine and half and hour later, I broke out in cold sweat and everything was fine, even better then before...it was like a miracle taking place in a slit second. Ben was saying, one min ago, I looked as if I had visited the gates of hell *touchwood*, the next min, I look as fine as a "fish"??? I also dunno what happened lah...maybe that fever pill was a miracle pill? But if it was, then why when I took it yest, it didn't help as much as it did today??? Hmmm..I ain't no doctor...so i wouldn't know but as logna s I'm fine, I'm happy...
I'm getting kinda drowsy now so I'm gonna turn in...mind me if whatever I say above doesn't link or make sense in anyway...I'm just writing whatever word that comes to my mind...you should know, a sick person can't think for nuts!
+Jo+

JoAnnA :: **GOD's gift of GRACE**

Still surviving.............

JoAnnA was HERE !!!

Plain bored......

Bear with Me....

Am I scared or what?

Marking can KILL!!!!

Confused and Sad.......

"Mother" of the Mini(s)

InspireD.........

ToDay'S EnTrY

ChiLL OuT NighT

A HunDreD YeaRs???

*ReflecTions*

What was I up To?

TiMe and Tide WaiTs for no Man

Nothing Better to Do

Teacher's Day 2005

~Being FaT~

When things just go on and on, StuPidLy....

HoT TopiC

Busy......

Update.....

I see the LIGHT!

BiTTer, BiTTer.......

I'm Leaving, on a JeT PLane....

Just some Recent Pics......

WHYs????

JusT Another DaY.....

A Series of XXXXXXXX Events

A TriBute to the People's PresiDenT: Dr Wee Kim Wee

The VerdicT DaY

3 Dog's Day Out to Doggy's Cafe

Camping @ East Coast

DiNNER on CraVinG InsTincTs......

When Things go so WronG....

===PhoTos of the UnForGeTTaBLe===

*To the MooN and BacK*

FLy me to the MooN.....

5th Year Anniversary

Diane's Wedding

Reflection TiME.....

SicK again...

Weekends...//

ScHooL Re-opeNs...

New Year, New Resolutions (2005)

Malaysia Trip 2004

Going AwAy.....

MeRRy X'maS aLL......

BranD New DaY....

JuZ to SuM Up........

cont'd.....

Lack JacK............

TiMe n TiDe WaiTs for No MaN....

My ImmorTaL.....

A RevieW......

Hear Ye aLL...

StucK On You....

I'm Fine.....

Something to Share...

It's Been a LonG TiMe....

"GARFIELD & Odie"

"When you fail to plan, you plan to fail"

HaPPy, sha la la la......

I'm ReCHARGED!!!!!

MC

JoAnnA :: GOD's gift of GRACE

ReflecTions

To the MooN and BacK