Summer

I met Summer while I was walking out of my house to get dinner. My eyes were on Summer the moment I spotted her. She was being walked by a domestic helper. I couldn't help but walked nearer to her. Such a sweet gal, looked so cuddly and so full of warmth, I felt like giving her a big hug at that moment. Oops, you must be wondering who Summer is. She's a four year old golden retriever. Such a friendly gal too! The moment I was near her, patting her, she was wagging her tail and was looking affectionately at me, so willing to make a new friend. I went near her nose and she started sniffing all over my face, ha! That domestic helper must be wondering why this silly gal was so crazy over a big dog :P She asked me if I had a dog...At that instant, I really felt like having a dog, a doggie that's mine...Hmm, well, I have enjoyed that moment with Summer :) Wonder how Summer is feeling in autumn...

Bro is back!

Bro is back to disturb my soft toys again :P Look at that grin on his face! Haha! Anyway, he wanted to watch F1 this evening so we decided to lunch out together and have dinner at home today. We went to Peach Garden at Thomson Plaza for some dim sum. It was really crowded when we reached there at about half past one. Hmm, I wouldn't say the dim sum over there was really that great, well, I kinda ate coz I was famished :P My brother ordered the pig trotters with vinegar. The gravy was fine but I thought the meat was not that tender, nah, not really good. Have enjoyed the e-fu noodles though (Well, I better coz it was recommended). Wow, was really full after lunch. Lunch was followed by coffee at Ya Kun, I should say all my family members are coffee drinkers except for myself. We chatted and chatted...Guess what, my brother and my parents have planned to go for a short getaway in Malacca coming week. Well, needless to say, I will stay home :( so envious of them. They were talking about what to eat and where to go...I wanna go too! :P

As I am blogging now, my brother is watching F1, Lewis Hamilton has emerged champion. You know, it is kinda interesting how people can be so fascinated by those cars going round the same track 61 times and the amount of hard work put in for every race. Well, I must say I have learnt some stuff about this F1 thingy from my brother :P

To my horror

From Dictionary.com...
horror (n): an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; a shuddering fear

Having not given up on Thai horror movies, decided to catch "Phobia 2". It consists of five stories. After the five stories, it just left me wondering what horror really is. "Phobia 2" seemed kinda different from "Shutter" and "4bia". In "Phobia 2", I feel that there was much gore and a couple of grusome scenes where skin was ripped apart and blood squirting out like water from a water fountain. The teenager being stoned to death has kinda shocked me and shaken me a little at the beginning. Goodness, that was really too high a price to pay. Subsequently, in almost every story, there was sight of great amount of blood. Well, it left me wondering if the sight of great abundance of blood and lotsa gore do create horror or was it more of disgust? I also realised that there was also lotsa loud noises in those stories, maybe to heighten the level of fear. Ha, I thought I kinda like the last story, interesting to combine humour and horror. The boys (previously acted in "4bia") in the story did a great job! Heh, I thought I was more entertained than horrified by them. Hmm, in general, this movie has not really disappointed me but I sure hope that horror is not solely defined by or confined to gore and grusome scenes. A good plot would be good to captivate me or those who are looking for more content in the story. In that aspect, I think "Shutter" did a great job.

To my horror level for "Phobia 2": 3 out of 5 stars :P

When the warriors meet (Part 2)...

A great pleasure to be invited for dinner by Zai over at his place yesterday. Heh, was invited last year but paiseh, could not make it. It was just a simple gathering for us...Rene, Joyce, Edmond, Raymond, Zai and myself. Zai's mother cooked, well, what can be better than homecooked food! Snacked on lotsa Hari Raya cookies before dinner too! Loved the mee soto soup for dinner and oh yes, must add that chilli thingy to the soup to make it real 'potent' and spicy! Reminded me of that tasty mee soto that we used to eat at the canteen at our previous workplace. Joyce would add lotsa that chilli thingy. Ha, we ate till our noses were kinda runny, well, it was still as shiok last evening I must say :P You wouldn't believe how long we have chatted, talking about life, work, politics, gossips :P, travel experiences and everything's under the sun. I think we all went back home near midnight. Hee, it always feels good to be remembered and I am glad a group of us still meet up once in a while. It was a simple dinner, a simple gathering but I am sure it's a treasured moment :) Thanks for having me!

IDD 2009

Lost, confused, puzzled, perplexed, left out...That's how I felt as I sat in the theatre at the National Museum with many others last Monday. I felt like I was the minority. Don't misunderstand, I would not say it was really a negative or bad feeling. To a certain extent, I kinda enjoyed the different 'conversations' that were going on all around me, allowed me to understand from their perspectives I guess. Do they feel what I have felt when they were amongst the hearing?...On Monday, I was invited by one of my colleagues, Kelvin, to attend International Day of the Deaf (IDD) 2009 at the National Museum. Well, I really do not know what I would expect from this event, thought I would just go and check it out and maybe gain better awareness of things and people. I was waiting in the theatre for the event to begin and all around me were people who were hearing impaired. Most of them seemed to know each other, they gave me the impression that they were pretty close-knitted. There was hardly any noise in the theatre as they were all using sign language. I don't understand at all what they were trying to communicate to one another. Communication is indeed powerful as it just reaffirmed the fact that it could come in so many forms. They were so expressive, be it facial expression or body language. I must say I am thankful for the experience and awareness that day, I walked away from this event with these words in my mind and maybe something for us to think about...Action speaks louder that words...It is not actual deafness but deafness of the mind.

The past, the present and the future

I miss blogging the past few days, had the strong urge to do so but just could not seem to find the energy. Haven't we had moments that we really wanted to do much but our energy level just did not allow us to accomplish that? But then again, one could argue that it's all in the mind and not the body...Well, I don't think I was really ready for work for the past two weeks. Haha, the lazy bugs are really creeping in, tunnelling themselves into every single cell of my body. The interesting thing is I don't seem to be bothered by their invasion at all. Sometimes, in the midst of the busyness and all, I just choose to kinda ignore or probably place myself in a denial stage. Heh, stop babbling away again, freaky gal :P Life can be summed up in three words...Life goes on :)

Hokkaido Ramen

Jiaqi suggested trying the famous ramen at ION Orchard, the one which has a never-ending queue outside the restaurant. We queued and waited patiently for a table. Well, we did not really wait that long, probably about twenty minutes. That place was certainly not a place to have a cup of tea and chit chat. Most would just savour the ramen and make a quick move. I ordered Shoyu Tontoro Ramen, the soup was thick and rich. But thought it was a little salty for me. Wow, the pork was really tender! I also like the egg, the yolk was a little runny and soft, gilded beautifully in my mouth when mixed with the soup. It wasn't really that huge a serving but it's pretty enough to fill the stomach. We also ordered the softshell crab salad but it was a disappointment. The salad dressing was a little too much and too sour, could not also taste much of the softshell crab. As we left the restaurant, the queue of people waiting for a table remained long and the crowd remained persistent, determined to try the ramen. Hmm, well, I guess for me, it is always good to try new stuff but I think for this one, once would be enough.

When the warriors meet...

When the warriors meet…I should say at at one point of our lives, we have fought battles together. There were times that we were dragged through mud and debris but there was always a hand reaching out to pull you out of it or even having someone beside you, willing to go through the ordeal with you. There were times that we were defeated, bruised and battered but there would always be words of encouragement. There were times that it was so difficult to smile but there was always a tinge of humour that sprouted out in the midst of chaos. I am proud to have fought with this group of warriors, ha, a group of crazy and fun loving warriors…

Dear Rene, Joyce and Edmond, thanks for the lovely dinner on Friday (or should I say it was a big feast that we all had :P) on behalf of all the three October babies! We have moved on in life, every one of us in different directions but I will never forget those days as colleagues and friends. Joyce dearie, thanks so much for arranging those gatherings all these times although we are now kinda everywhere, hee! Hugz! Here’s wishing you guys many more years of joy, satisfaction and passion as you continue to fight for what your heart desires.

Stuffed with love

Ingredients: multi-grain loaf, lettuce, cheese and honey peppered turkey (my all time favourite!)
Method: stack everything neatly together :P

Have been making effort to prepare breakfast for myself this year, just a simple sandwich but I think it's good enough for me. Well, I will also make sure that two other people at my workplace get to eat these sandwiches, heh, guess you know who you are. I better go sleep soon lest I won't be able to wake up early to get ready those sandwiches.

"In this life, we cannot always do great things. But we can do small things with great love." ~ Mother Teresa

Look who's cooking!

My father was calling the shots in the kitchen today. Gugu gave us some roasted pork that he made himself and my father suggested frying slices of it with bittergourd. Well, my father rarely cooks although I think he does not have any problem preparing a meal at all. Was kinda nosy so went to the kitchen to take a peek at how he was doing. My mummy prepared all the ingredients and my father was all ready to show off his skills, ha! I guess my role was just to eat the finished product :P I should say it's nice and fragrant. The pork was nicely roasted by Gugu in the first place and when stir fried with the bittergourd, I thought it just went so well with rice. Heh, my father also took pride for what he had prepared and even suggested ways to cook the soup that was brewing. I listened and smiled, hmm, it would be good to see my father in the kitchen more often. He just has got his own style of cooking :)

Instant...or maybe not so

My father was away on one of his golfing trips with his friends so I was kinda like the chauffeur for my mummy. She needed to go my uncle's place to pray to ancestors and my grandparents today. We went a few places to buy those stuff for praying before heading to gugu's place. Second Gugu came to help carry those stuff from the car, have not seen him for months, ha, he's kinda still the same, cigarette in his mouth. Well, except for maybe I just realised that he has aged but humour in him has not really changed much. Headed home around noon time right after giving my mummy a ride to gugu's place, dun usually hang around in these kinda meet up sessions, mostly meant for my mummy's siblings to catch up a little. Just before saying bye to Mummy, she warned me not to eat instant noodles for lunch, heh, I smiled. But I did feel like eating instant noodles then, with lotsa vegetables and fishballs! Well, headed to the wet market to get cai xin and fishballs. The uncle selling fishball was clearing up and decided to give me a discount of twenty cents :P One would usually be able to cook a bowl of instant noodles in minutes but maybe not so for me, I will make sure I spend time preparing those ingredients I like to include in my bowl of noodles, I guess it's not really that instant for me :P Wow, the soup was nice and sweet coz I used it to poach the cai xin and carrots. Simple lunch that I had prepared for myself but I savoured every bit of it, great satisfaction, yummy :)

Tapestry of care

When I saw this book at Kinokuniya some time back, I knew I had to read this book – “Tapestry of Care, Voices of Medical Social Workers”. I am currently reading the part on abuse. This book allows us to take a look into the world of Medical Social Workers (MSWs). It brings us through their journey of challenges as they handle a wide array of problems faced by patients. There are stories of pain, suffering, despair, human resilience, joy and many more real life accounts. I would say their work requires much courage, all of them are human beings and I guess one of their challenges has always been handling and managing their own emotions, to discern the difference between feeling emotions and feeling emotional…I remember almost bursting into tears along the corridor of the hospital thinking about the case of a cancer patient I was handling when I was a SMSW on attachment, feeling so lost and helpless. There was also fear and uncertainty when I entered the isolation room for a patient with tuberculosis and when I made my first home visit at a one-room unit in a HDB flat. It was kinda dark along the corridor and there was a whiff of stench as I walked along one part of the staircase. But I knew I had to move on, the patients needed that support and assistance. Talking to my supervisor and keeping a log book for reflection did help at times like these…

You know, in a hospital, you hardly see this group of heroes – the medical social workers. But they are always there, doing their part to care for and support patients in one way or another. There is one commonality amongst them…a heart that cares much and deeply for people. Today, as I continue to read this book, I would like to salute these unsung heroes in the hospitals for their love, care, dedication and commitment in their profession. It is my great pleasure and honour to be able to listen to all your voices in this book. Thank you for sharing and for all the lessons that you have made all of us learnt along the way too. Will always remember the journey I had tread on as a SMSW, those memories and life lessons will always be kept close to my heart.

Baby

Seeing Pepper never fails to remind me of Sunny Baby...Baby, you are in my thoughts, love ya lots! Muack!

Daydream

Got this quote from my sis's blog...

Don't ever confuse the two, your life and your work. That's what I have to say. The second is only a part of the first.~ Anna Quindlen

Nice one, sis. I like it! Take a break if you must k, let's not forget to be nice to ourselves at times :P ...As I was driving along PIE this early morning, I was in my usual daydreaming mode. I imagined myself staying and working in a farm. It was early morning, woke up, smelling the fresh morning air. Went to the stable to feed the horses, brush their shiny coat of fur, talk to them, looking into their eyes and smiling at them. They could be such good listeners. Time for breakfast...hot scones, raspberry jam and a cup of English breakfast tea. A golden retriever, my good buddy, was sitting next to me, wagging his tail, ever so affectionate. Went to take a walk along the river nearby, sitting by the edge and immersing my feet in the water, it was so cooling. The murmur of the water, the surface of the water glistening under the morning rays. Occasionally, you could see schools of fishes making their way down the river. It was time to pick apples from the trees, felt like taking a bite on an apple as I picked the first one. It looked so crunchy. Before long, there were two baskets filled with apples, freshly plucked. Hmm, what about baking an apple pie for tea time? ...Goodness, can somebody stop this crazy gal from daydreaming?! Well, the sudden and heavy downpour kinda woke me up from my 'dream' while I was driving. Time to concentrate and time to really wake up, silly gal!

Teochew Ah Muay

Have a cup of real bitter tea after your meal - the Teochew style

Traditional Teochew yam paste, with pumpkin and gingko nuts!

Miss Nicey Angeline wanted to recommend me this Teochew restaurant so we decided to head there this evening. Erm, is there something on my face that says I am kinda a glutton coz friends around me seemed to be recommending and bringing me to places to eat. Goodness, it must be my face :P Anyway, this Teochew restaurant is Chin Lee Restaurant. It's at Bedok North Road, located at Blk 115, #01-285. We were there pretty early so not many people. But according to Angeline, it's good to make reservation as it's usually quite crowded. Calvin also joined us for dinner. We ordered homemade tofu with mushroom (fresh and smooth!), roasted chicken with garlic (interesting but thought the garlic was kinda salty), sambal kangkong (vege was crunchy and sambal was nice!), fish maw soup (lotsa ingredients, I think my mummy will like it!) and fried kway tiao (Teochew style, good, not too oily). For dessert, we had the traditional yam paste, it was smooth and I really felt like a Teochew gal eating that, has just got that traditional flavour. My grandma will like it! Hmm, but we thought it was a bit too sweet. Realised that the menu also has some other interesting and traditional Teochew dishes. I think I am gonna bring my parents there one of these days. Heard the crispy pig trotters is good and should try the coffee pork ribs too, there seem many more kinds of dishes to try, greedy gal :P Thanks Miss Nicey Angeline for the recommendation! Thanks for the company too! Muack! :) Good, you are learning to enjoy yourself, ha, learning all the bad things from me!

My Angel

This will always be a lovely and beautiful chapter in my story...

Bear hugz

He caught my attention today and without much hesitation, I bought it. Well, it's not for me though lest my mummy would nag about space for all my soft toys :P Gave him a big squeeze and a huge hug before he was being wrapped up to be given away as a gift. Hope that he will always bring warmth and lotsa smiles to others...

Chef Mark

When Mark said that he wanted to cook dinner, I thought I had heard wrongly. If I can remember correctly, the last time he really cooked was hmm...was it probably about seven years ago? Wow, I mean, that was really a pleasant surprise! It's indeed my honour today to be able to taste the food that he was gonna cook. I was abit nosy so went to check out what he's cooking. First, it was the salad dressing...olive oil, soya sauce, chilli sauce, honey, Japanese sesame paste, pepper. Well, as for the rest, decided to just leave him alone to deal with the rest :P Dinner was whipped up pretty fast I must say, someone was really serious at work, ha! The toasted bread with fresh tomatoes, sardine and lettuce was my favourite! Creativity set in when soba was mixed with was it clam chowder? I thought the taste was just right but Mark found it too bland. The salad dressing was light with the correct sweetness, blended pretty well with the greens. But I wonder how it would taste if we added some lemon or orange juice to the dressing, tangy? Well, I am kinda impressed with the acclaimed 'anyhow-cooked' meal by the chef. Although just simple ingredients from the supermarket, great effort was needed to put everything together. I finished every bit of dinner. Dear Mark, thank you for the wonderful ingredients you have included in today's dinner...time, effort and thoughtfulness : )