Thursday, January 31, 2008
Outrage
Two weeks ago, a local (used to be) afternoon tabloid reported the murmurs from the people about the ERP gantries creeping nearer to our homes. This was in specific reference to the ones in Toa Payoh Lor 6, and some near Hillview.
The official LTA response was that they were built as a "stand-by", and there was no intention to switch them on anytime soon.
In today's papers, the inevitable (and unsurprising) thing happened. They are going to switch them on after all. LTA calls these roads arterial roads now. Err... what about the poor heartlander who needs to do a school run to drop his kids off? Businesses who operate in the industrial estates around Toa Payoh? Aren't u affecting them too?
We are lemmings. We will forget these instant about-turns made by the bureaucrats soon.
Yes, there is a need to balance traffic control and costs. And whats this about discretionary road usage pricing? Thats a load of bull because there is no point of making it discretionary if you lock all the roads down. What next? Money to be deducted immediately when we start our cars?
I am outraged by the about-turn by LTA saying that they were not intending to turn the ERP gantries on anytime soon. Apparently, 2 weeks was what they needed to change their minds.
The official LTA response was that they were built as a "stand-by", and there was no intention to switch them on anytime soon.
In today's papers, the inevitable (and unsurprising) thing happened. They are going to switch them on after all. LTA calls these roads arterial roads now. Err... what about the poor heartlander who needs to do a school run to drop his kids off? Businesses who operate in the industrial estates around Toa Payoh? Aren't u affecting them too?
We are lemmings. We will forget these instant about-turns made by the bureaucrats soon.
Yes, there is a need to balance traffic control and costs. And whats this about discretionary road usage pricing? Thats a load of bull because there is no point of making it discretionary if you lock all the roads down. What next? Money to be deducted immediately when we start our cars?
I am outraged by the about-turn by LTA saying that they were not intending to turn the ERP gantries on anytime soon. Apparently, 2 weeks was what they needed to change their minds.
Life Is...
Like photography, life is about observing the things that happen around you, waiting patiently for the best time to take a shot, looking out for that "million dollar" shot that may make or break your day.
Life is also similar to photography because at every opportunity, we should stop and look back, and look out for the shots that we have missed, with the possibility of back-tracking and taking a look at things from a different angle. Or if not, learning about that opportunity that was missed, and knowing how to see it if we pass something similar in the future.
As we grow older, we should start to figure out what we need, what we want, what works for us.
Its not an easy road to walk. But walking forward is something we have to do.
Life is also similar to photography because at every opportunity, we should stop and look back, and look out for the shots that we have missed, with the possibility of back-tracking and taking a look at things from a different angle. Or if not, learning about that opportunity that was missed, and knowing how to see it if we pass something similar in the future.
As we grow older, we should start to figure out what we need, what we want, what works for us.
Its not an easy road to walk. But walking forward is something we have to do.
The Circle of Life
Call it because God has a plan, Fate, the Cosmic flux of the Universe...
They all allude to the "theory" that all things happen for a reason. Movies have been made about it was well, where the lead actor stubs his toes, bends down, cursing and swearing, but doesnt realise that by bending down, he missed having his head sliced off by a buzz saw.
I guess looking at life this way makes one easier to live with oneself. It will be easier to move on from the mistakes we make, the wrong we've done (but have repented severely for), and the carnage we sometimes leave in our wake.
I guess being a Buddhist and believing in reincarnation helps to. Your life is not a one-chance only. Your life is a reflection of your previous ones, and until you see the "Light", a direct cause of your next one.
Life. Its never easy, its never about being alone, and like energy, is never created nor destroyed, just passed on in another form.
They all allude to the "theory" that all things happen for a reason. Movies have been made about it was well, where the lead actor stubs his toes, bends down, cursing and swearing, but doesnt realise that by bending down, he missed having his head sliced off by a buzz saw.
I guess looking at life this way makes one easier to live with oneself. It will be easier to move on from the mistakes we make, the wrong we've done (but have repented severely for), and the carnage we sometimes leave in our wake.
I guess being a Buddhist and believing in reincarnation helps to. Your life is not a one-chance only. Your life is a reflection of your previous ones, and until you see the "Light", a direct cause of your next one.
Life. Its never easy, its never about being alone, and like energy, is never created nor destroyed, just passed on in another form.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Fortune Cookie
A colleague passed me a fortune cookie from Guardian yesterday.
My fortune read, "Have a Holiday Overseas 3143".
How appropriate. I think the numbers are supposed to be "lucky numbers".
My fortune read, "Have a Holiday Overseas 3143".
How appropriate. I think the numbers are supposed to be "lucky numbers".
Monday, January 28, 2008
Last Weekend
Things that made me smile last weekend.
1. Finding a pair of jeans in exactly my size
2. Realising I need to divest my existing portfolio
3. Catching up on lost sleep
4. Photo taking in Kampong Glam
Things that made me frown last weekend.
1. Realising I need to divest my existing portfolio
2. Sleeping cos I had nothing to do
3. Noisy cousins
4. Stupid drivers
1. Finding a pair of jeans in exactly my size
2. Realising I need to divest my existing portfolio
3. Catching up on lost sleep
4. Photo taking in Kampong Glam
Things that made me frown last weekend.
1. Realising I need to divest my existing portfolio
2. Sleeping cos I had nothing to do
3. Noisy cousins
4. Stupid drivers
Sunday, January 27, 2008
I know I sound like a girl when I say this, but...
Retail therapy really does help improve one's mood.
Perhaps its the fact that you are being around many people.
or the fact that you are purchasing something that will make you happy.
Whatever the case is, save for the crowds, retail therapy has lifted my mood a little bit this weekend.
Perhaps its the fact that you are being around many people.
or the fact that you are purchasing something that will make you happy.
Whatever the case is, save for the crowds, retail therapy has lifted my mood a little bit this weekend.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Krispy Kremes
I just had my first Krispy Kremes that a colleague bought over from Hong Kong.
After all that anticipation, the good things I've heard about it... my reaction was one of -_-"
I mean, whats the draw of it? Its too sweet, yes, the texture is quite good compared to the local ones, and they don't go "flat / soft" even after having left the shop hours ago...
But will I rave about it? Nope. Its nothing special leh.
After all that anticipation, the good things I've heard about it... my reaction was one of -_-"
I mean, whats the draw of it? Its too sweet, yes, the texture is quite good compared to the local ones, and they don't go "flat / soft" even after having left the shop hours ago...
But will I rave about it? Nope. Its nothing special leh.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Haunted
By various dreams which sap the physical strength from you.
Resulting in fatigue when you return to the realm of consciousness.
Tired. Sleepy. Need coffee.
Resulting in fatigue when you return to the realm of consciousness.
Tired. Sleepy. Need coffee.
Symbolic
Yesterday, I finally removed the sign.
Symbols, we use them to remind ourselves, to give ourselves hope, to act as milestones, to motivate us...
Like the simple stacked stones on the Himalayas, used by the sherpas to remind them of those lost to the mountain. Or the religious artifacts we wear on ourselves.
Symbols, we use them to remind ourselves, to give ourselves hope, to act as milestones, to motivate us...
Like the simple stacked stones on the Himalayas, used by the sherpas to remind them of those lost to the mountain. Or the religious artifacts we wear on ourselves.
Removing them raises the anchor that has held us down.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Busy!!!
Been a busy week for me at work and socially! Hooray! At least there is some purpose to my life, and I'm not just wasting oxygen.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Three Things That Made Me Happy Today
1. Met a friend for lunch
2. Meeting the boys for poker
3. Learnt a new skill
2. Meeting the boys for poker
3. Learnt a new skill
Monday, January 21, 2008
Three Things That Made Me Smile Today
1. Made a new friend.
2. Long lost friend asked to meet.
3. Had good kway chap for lunch.
2. Long lost friend asked to meet.
3. Had good kway chap for lunch.
Monday Laughs
1) DON'T LOOK AT NAKED LADY
Boy 1: Why do you run from a naked lady?
Boy 2: Becos my mum said that if I look at a naked lady, I'll turn into stone. A part of me is getting hard already!
(2) NAMES OF WIVES
A malay man had 4 wives, and he called his...
4th wife..... baby doll
3rd wife.....china doll
2nd wife.....barbie doll
1st wife..... panadol !
(3) HOW INDIA GOT ITS NAME
This is how India got its name.....
The king was having sex with his mistress while thinking a name of his country and his mistress ask him "is it In Dear?"...
(4) RESEARCH FINDING
Research shows men are fatter than women because every-night men get fresh milk & 2 big papayas women only get 1 banana, 2 peanuts & 1 tea-spoon of starch!
(5) ARAB MAN
An arab was being interviewed at a US checkpoint.
'Your name pls.'?
"Abdul Aziz "
"Sex? "
"Six times a week!! "
"No, no, I mean male or female! "
"Doesn't matters, sometimes even camel !"
(6) SERVICE
Sex is like a restaurant.
Sometimes you get full satisfactory service, and
sometimes you have to be
satisfied with self-service"
(7) HAPPY MAN
What makes a happy man?
Daughter on the cover of cosmo.
Son on the cover of sports illustrated.
Mistress on the cover of playboy
and .. Wife on the cover of "missing persons"
(8) SWIMSUIT
Why was the 2-piece swimsuit invented?
To separate the HAIRY section from the DAIRY section.
(9) GOOD AMBITION
Teacher: What do you want to become?
Little Johnny: Doctor !!
Teacher: Why?
Little Johnny: Coz its the only profession where u can tell a woman to take off her clothes and ask her husband to pay for it.
(10) DENTIST
Woman complaining to dentist: "It's so painful, I'll rather have a baby than have a tooth removed."
Dentist: "Make up your mind soon, I'll adjust the chair accordingly."
Boy 1: Why do you run from a naked lady?
Boy 2: Becos my mum said that if I look at a naked lady, I'll turn into stone. A part of me is getting hard already!
(2) NAMES OF WIVES
A malay man had 4 wives, and he called his...
4th wife..... baby doll
3rd wife.....china doll
2nd wife.....barbie doll
1st wife..... panadol !
(3) HOW INDIA GOT ITS NAME
This is how India got its name.....
The king was having sex with his mistress while thinking a name of his country and his mistress ask him "is it In Dear?"...
(4) RESEARCH FINDING
Research shows men are fatter than women because every-night men get fresh milk & 2 big papayas women only get 1 banana, 2 peanuts & 1 tea-spoon of starch!
(5) ARAB MAN
An arab was being interviewed at a US checkpoint.
'Your name pls.'?
"Abdul Aziz "
"Sex? "
"Six times a week!! "
"No, no, I mean male or female! "
"Doesn't matters, sometimes even camel !"
(6) SERVICE
Sex is like a restaurant.
Sometimes you get full satisfactory service, and
sometimes you have to be
satisfied with self-service"
(7) HAPPY MAN
What makes a happy man?
Daughter on the cover of cosmo.
Son on the cover of sports illustrated.
Mistress on the cover of playboy
and .. Wife on the cover of "missing persons"
(8) SWIMSUIT
Why was the 2-piece swimsuit invented?
To separate the HAIRY section from the DAIRY section.
(9) GOOD AMBITION
Teacher: What do you want to become?
Little Johnny: Doctor !!
Teacher: Why?
Little Johnny: Coz its the only profession where u can tell a woman to take off her clothes and ask her husband to pay for it.
(10) DENTIST
Woman complaining to dentist: "It's so painful, I'll rather have a baby than have a tooth removed."
Dentist: "Make up your mind soon, I'll adjust the chair accordingly."
Of Betrayal and Happier Things...
I seriously thought I would never be a victim of a betrayal by friends again... After years of fine tuning, refining a careful selection process, devising tests of loyalty and good faith, and making numerous wrong judgments along the way, I thought I would never get hurt in that way again.
Until I found out something this weekend.
I'm more disappointed than hurt to be honest. Disappointed in my judgment and reading of his character and disappointed by his actions. And, those who know me and my carefree attitude know that it does take quite a lot for me to be this way.
I used to be more cynical when I was younger... but I realised at some point in time that there is still good in the world, and that I should give it, and in so doing, give myself a chance to experience it for what it is. And although I knew I would get hurt along the way, I wouldn't change a thing at all.
I hope for his sake, that karma has a way of letting him taste his own medicine.
----
But anyway...
----
So there we were, watching the Man U - Reading match on Saturday. When my friend YX commented that my blog was perpetually sad and that I should make an effort to write about happy things once in awhile.
She suggested that I should write 3 things that made me happy in the day.
Thanks YX, I will try to blog happier things from now... ignore the top part of this post. LOL.
Until I found out something this weekend.
I'm more disappointed than hurt to be honest. Disappointed in my judgment and reading of his character and disappointed by his actions. And, those who know me and my carefree attitude know that it does take quite a lot for me to be this way.
I used to be more cynical when I was younger... but I realised at some point in time that there is still good in the world, and that I should give it, and in so doing, give myself a chance to experience it for what it is. And although I knew I would get hurt along the way, I wouldn't change a thing at all.
I hope for his sake, that karma has a way of letting him taste his own medicine.
----
But anyway...
----
So there we were, watching the Man U - Reading match on Saturday. When my friend YX commented that my blog was perpetually sad and that I should make an effort to write about happy things once in awhile.
She suggested that I should write 3 things that made me happy in the day.
Thanks YX, I will try to blog happier things from now... ignore the top part of this post. LOL.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The 5 People You Meet In Heaven
I finished Mitch Albom's book last night. Its been a long time since I
a) read fiction
b) read a book which I felt impelled to finish cover to cover in one sitting.
After finishing it, I randomly texted 2 friends about the book. Because I thought they would be the one who would most benefit from reading it.
The spoilers are here at Wikipedia.
But for all you lazy persons out there, these are my personal interpretations of what the 5 people meant.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
You should stop reading from here if you are going to read the book.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1) Our lives are all connected. Everything and every person happens for a reason. Even strangers may affect our lives.
2) We all make and are on the receiving end of sacrifices. We need to realise the sacrifices made for us.
3) Hate will consume you, and forgiveness will set you free.
4) Love does not have to end. It just becomes a memory which we need to nurture and grow.
5) God has a plan. And we are put at whatever place we are for a reason.
It was agood great book.
a) read fiction
b) read a book which I felt impelled to finish cover to cover in one sitting.
After finishing it, I randomly texted 2 friends about the book. Because I thought they would be the one who would most benefit from reading it.
The spoilers are here at Wikipedia.
But for all you lazy persons out there, these are my personal interpretations of what the 5 people meant.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
You should stop reading from here if you are going to read the book.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1) Our lives are all connected. Everything and every person happens for a reason. Even strangers may affect our lives.
2) We all make and are on the receiving end of sacrifices. We need to realise the sacrifices made for us.
3) Hate will consume you, and forgiveness will set you free.
4) Love does not have to end. It just becomes a memory which we need to nurture and grow.
5) God has a plan. And we are put at whatever place we are for a reason.
It was a
Monday, January 14, 2008
Hope Hurts
I am either a sucker for pain, or I am not letting go of hope although it is the one thing that can hurt me real bad...
Sigh...
Karma has a weird way of making a point.
Sigh...
Karma has a weird way of making a point.
Ironies
Its Monday...
For the rest of the week, as with the weeks before it, I will be telling myself that this week will pass faster if I look forward to the weekend...
But the truth is, what do I actually get accomplished during the weekend?
I sit around, watch tv. Go out and spend time with myself.
Its ironic that now, when I have a car, and the time to really spend with someone, I have lost a someone to spend it with.
Such is life's ironies.
For the rest of the week, as with the weeks before it, I will be telling myself that this week will pass faster if I look forward to the weekend...
But the truth is, what do I actually get accomplished during the weekend?
I sit around, watch tv. Go out and spend time with myself.
Its ironic that now, when I have a car, and the time to really spend with someone, I have lost a someone to spend it with.
Such is life's ironies.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Grr...
Like a moth to the flame, I seem to be a sucker for pain.
I guess this is karma getting its way back at me.
Why do I let things hurt me time and time again?
Grr... angry at myself.
I guess this is karma getting its way back at me.
Why do I let things hurt me time and time again?
Grr... angry at myself.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Exercise
I told myself I would try to exercise everyday now...
But I couldnt get up this morning.... and have a meeting tonight... grr...
Shall get it done TOMORROW!!! (says the world's worst procrastinator!)
But I couldnt get up this morning.... and have a meeting tonight... grr...
Shall get it done TOMORROW!!! (says the world's worst procrastinator!)
Friday, January 04, 2008
Friday Funny
A man kills a deer and takes it home to cook for dinner.
Both he and his wife decide that they won't tell the kids what kind of meat it is, but will give them a clue and let them guess.
The kids were eager to know what the meat was on their plates, so they begged their dad for the clue.
Well, he said, "It's what mommy calls me sometimes."
The little girl screams to her brother, "Don't eat it! It's an asshole!"
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Happy New Year and Thoughts
The New Year was celebrated quietly...
Somehow, it doesn't feel very different from any other day. But there are some minute changes though...
A close friend has left to work in HK.
I am alone once more. With the irony that the one I care for does not care for me, and those that I do not care for seem highly interested in my life.
Thank goodness for close friends and family, who stay constant throughout.
This year, I shall embark on a few new projects for my life. Lets see how they all pan out.
2008, shall be the year of change.
Somehow, it doesn't feel very different from any other day. But there are some minute changes though...
A close friend has left to work in HK.
I am alone once more. With the irony that the one I care for does not care for me, and those that I do not care for seem highly interested in my life.
Thank goodness for close friends and family, who stay constant throughout.
This year, I shall embark on a few new projects for my life. Lets see how they all pan out.
2008, shall be the year of change.
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