Monday, December 18, 2006

Taking things LITERALLY

Mum to Dylan (who was playing rough): Dylan, don't go overboard! Don't go too far!
Dylan (indignant): I was just round the corner! Nearby!

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Conversations with Dylan II
Me: What are you going to do with that magnifying glass?
Dylan: You can fry ants with them.
Me: Fry ants! Why would you want to do that? That's mean!
Dylan: I've seen it done before.
Me: I don't think God will like you frying ants with that.
Dylan: Why does God like ants so much?
Me: Why does God like you so much?
Dylan: (pausing to think) I don't know.
Me: Well, so what are you going to do with that magnifying glass?
Dylan: I don't know... I won't be frying ants with them... Posted by Picasa
We got our colours!

A bit late blogging this, but our company finally got our own colours this year. All in 5 years of setting up the company. :)

Well done, 82nd! Posted by Picasa
I see you watching me watching you...

Cobalt's really good at this staring game. He usually wins.

Heh. Posted by Picasa

Monday, November 13, 2006

Conversations with Dylan

...about God

Dylan: God's very busy. Don't you think He should make a clone to help him with his work?
Me: He's all powerful. I don't think He needs a clone. Besides, if He made a clone, would the clone be God too?
Dylan: hmm... I don't know. Would he?
Me: I don't know. You asked the question, you think about it.
Dylan: Well, there's now God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Maybe He should make a fourth.
Me: Is there a need for a fourth?
Dylan: God's very busy.
Me: ...

...about Studying

Me: What are you gonna do after class today?
Dylan: We're gonna buy me a reward.
Me: For?
Dylan: I've just had my exams!
Me: And? You didn't get 100 for anything.
Dylan: I got 10/10 for spelling.
Me: That's not an exam.
Dylan: Yes it is.
Me: In any case, I don't see why you need to get a reward for studying. You should study for the sake of wanting to study.
Dylan: Not everyone wants to study for the sake of studying. And not everyone needs to study. Like clowns. (no offence to clowns out there, but this is a 7 year old speaking) I mean, clowns probably go to clown school, but it's not the same.
Me: That's not true. Even clowns study. There's nothing in life that's easy. I still don't think you need a reward for studying.
Grandma (from behind): Tell yiyi it's motivation.
Dylan: What's "motivation"?
Me: If you don't know it, you don't deserve the reward.
Dylan: Not everyone wants to study.
Me: So what are you gonna do after class?
Dylan: Buy my reward.

...about Going on Stage

Me: So why are you going on stage later?
Dylan: I don't know.
Me: You don't seem to know a lot. You attend the school don't you? Surely you know why they're putting you on stage.
Dylan: I think it's some advertisement they're making us do to promote the school.
Me: So you're getting paid?
Dylan: No.
Me: Why not? You're doing an advertisement for them.
Dylan: I don't know.
Me: You don't seem to know a lot about what's happening. I think you should get paid.

...about History

Dylan: Yiyi, when do we start studying History in school?
Me: In Secondary 1.
Dylan: Why do you think we only start studying History in Secondary 1? Is it 'cos it's difficult?
Me: Kinda, I suppose. There's a lot to read and understand.
Dylan: Science is difficult too, but you start in Primary school. I think you start History in Secondary school 'cos it's scary. History's scary, isn't it?
Me: No. I think it's 'cos it's kinda difficult.
Dylan: I think it's 'cos History's scary.
Me: ...

Tuesday, October 31, 2006


And the K-madness continues...

Came up with this last night. *grin*

What an inspiration for learning the language.

*rofl*

Monday, October 30, 2006

Lao-Tzu says...

"He who knows does not speak, he who speaks does not know."

Random things to think about

Educational Colonialism in our classrooms?

Worldwide homogenizing.

Societal Convergence.

Social orientation and cognitive processes - cognitive processes can be modified through cultural exposure (and a certain level of internalisation by the receiver).

Sunday, October 29, 2006

K-Virus

I've been infected.

Badly.

It all started with a simple curiosity over the show My Name is Kim Sam Soon (내 이름은 김삼순) cos I had read somewhere that the show started a "Sam Soon syndrome" in South Korea where women started to question their social position and worth based on their marriageability and looks (the Sociologist in me could not resist such curiosity). I didn't even watch the show from the start. I'd totally forgotten that it had started its run on TV. Then one fateful evening, I was channel surfing and... TA-DAH! There it was. And I was hooked. Helped too that the lead actor was such a sight to behold (*grin*).

So well, I'm now just about obsessed. I shan't even try to hide it. As you can see, I've even worked out how to type Korean using my QWERTY keyboard.

Mad, mad, madness.

Good thing though - I am *so* not alone in this. My happy scrappy nutters of friends are equally giggly and schoolgirl giddy-headed about the cute actors and singers. Never thought I'd get this crazy at this age, but hey, the convent girl lives in me. Ho ho ho!

Badly infeKted I am.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Now this makes sense to me...

"The heavy is the root of the light...The unmoved is the source of all movement." Chapter 26, Tao Te Ching
If Western thought looks like this...

...then I am totally Asian.

"Either a thing is in its place or it is not. If it is in its place, then it cannot move. It is impossible for a thing to not be in its place; therefore nothing moves."

The Greeks were mad I tell you.

Monday, October 09, 2006

We've moved!

Ah... I've had so many things I've been wanting to blog about for the longest time, but I somehow never got down to it. This, though, I gotta blog.

We've finally moved! We've finally got a place we can call our own! It's not a huge place. Small and cosy, only 65 sqm. But it's ours! We've got a wall full of books (something both of us have always wanted), a proper study room, my own little kitchen (little is right), a rain shower...! :)

I wear a broad grin now. I've not slept this well in a long while.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

22 Days To Go

Counting down.

We're finally moving out. Can't wait. Yet, while I eagerly anticipate having a place I can call my own, a place in which I can do as I want, when I want, how I want, I am keenly aware that the enthusiasm is not keenly shared by all in this house.

In a country where apartment living is really the norm, and there's hardly enough room for more than one family per apartment, it's amazing how culture, which expects sons to remain in the household even after marriage, has outlasted the practicality of such living arrangements.

My in-laws own a huge house. There is enough space for us here, so in this regard, I am luckier than most by far. Yet I reckon if they lived in an apartment, my mother-in-law would still want us staying with them. Nevermind that a single room is hardly enough to grow another family in (and people ask why we still haven't started one).

Culture defies all logic sometimes.

Nevertheless, logic has prevailed. Again, methinks. 'Cos we're finally moving out. Either that or the evil-mind-controling daughter-in-law is secretly to be blamed. How cliched. We could make a movie out of this. Truth be told, the decision to move out was my husband's (glad as I may be about it). I'm a firm believer of letting the man lead the household, make the decisions, all that.

Culture defies all logic.

22 more days to go.

Monday, July 24, 2006

I am in the Land of Stupid...

...where Bob the Builder and Thomas the Tank Engine have to speak American English in order to be understood. I kid you not. I turned on the TV on Sunday morning and horror of horrors, there was Bob speaking in heavily American-accented English! As if that wasn't enough of a shock to my system, Thomas followed after with the same drawl! Goodness! And then Angeline had to suggest at breakfast that there's still Paddington Bear that they had not got their hands on yet. I totally lost it and screamed, "NOOOooooOOOOO!!!!" The absolute nightmare should that happen. But then after I had calmed down sufficiently, Tien and Angeline pointed out that the Yanks getting to Paddington was highly unlikely because

1. They would have to explain where "Lightest Peru" was; and
2. They would have to answer to questions on whether London was in Peru,

among others.

Too much to explain.

Monday, June 26, 2006

This is it!

Hardly slept a wink last night. KM thinks it's cos I've slept too much all weekend. I reckon it's got more to do with the body clock having gone absolutely haywire thanks to 7am nights in the past week. I sure know how to prepare for the start of the school term.

Taking the bus to work feels weird. Since I started working, I've never taken the bus. MRT, maybe. Never the bus. What's even weirder is going to work in town. Never before. I figure I'd quite enjoy it.

Well. This is it.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Lunch Time Conversation with Jasmine

Me: Let's have lunch
Jas: Subway
Me: No. MOS Burger
Jas: NooOOOoooOOooooo!!! You always want to have MOS Burger!
Me: You always want to have Subway! Why don't I go get MOS and you go get your Subway?
Jas: That's not eating together!

We always have the same conversation. Why we even bother each time, I dunno, cos it never changes...

Ha ha ha...
Nervous, nervous

I start at my new work place tomorrow and I feel like I'm not ready to step into something new yet. 2 weeks of leave haven't been enough! I don't feel rested, I don't feel rejuvenated, I don't feel charged up and ready to go yet! I just wanna stay at home and scrap more, space out more, scrap some more...

*sigh*

I feel energy-less and nuah...

meow.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

I'm free! I'm free!

Whee!!! Today was my last working day in MOEHQ. I still have 2 days of course to attend, but other than that, free! FREE!

Just before I left today, Benny asked me, "Are you sure you won't miss this place?" I told him, "Nah. I have enough photos of this place to remember it with." *broad grin* Strange though. I truly walked out of the building without even so much as a twinge of nostalgic loss (whatever that means). Guess it was really just time to move on and move out. I'll miss the people though. I had good colleagues. Fellow SHeeP who, for some reason or other, always indulged my nonsensical outbursts and need for madness - hopping around (literally), coming in coordinated attire (red day, pink day, stripes day, mandarin collar day, red & green christmas day), singing Christmas songs 6 months too early. They were more than colleagues. They were friends who were there when I needed to vent, when I needed to cry. Not just when I needed to laugh.

"Are you sure you won't miss this place?"

If the place is made up of the people, then yes, I will.

Next stop, Singapore Arts School. I pray I will be equally blessed with friends there.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Bongo Bongo!

On a whim, we went to the Night Safari for dinner tonight - BONGO BURGERS! My Lamb Burger was puuuuuurrrrfect! And what's more, there was a performance by a group from the "deepest, darkest depths of Borneo" (yeah... rite...), flame throwers, fire eaters and what not. Quite so entertaining, really. :D

Bongo bongo bongo bong... Hehehehe...

Saturday, June 03, 2006

7 Gypsies Preview Class - Oh so disappointed!

After all that hype about 7 Gypsies coming to town in their caravans loaded with things to sell at the flea market, all I can say is that I felt so let down that their wares were simple and few.

*sigh*

A group of us Lofters were given the opportunity to attend a 7 Gypsies preview class at Laine's Paperterie @ Wheelock Place, an opportunity we jumped at so quickly, it barely took us 18 hours to get all the places filled up, discount or no! For weeks, the ladies on the Loft spoke of nothing but the preview class - what exciting things we could get to see in the class, what new ideas the 7 Gypsies latest line of scrapbooking products would bring, and what cute new embellishments we could pick up at the flea market - gypsy style as we were promised - to add to our pages.

Sadly, much of the 7 Gypsies items were sold out before the preview class even took place, and the album kit we were greeted with this evening felt like a sad show of leftovers. The sample we were provided as a guide for our project was little less than inspiring, especially for the experienced scrappers among us, and flea market items seemed to be made reluctantly available to us.

For $68, the class felt overpriced. And though Sharon was a sweet and most accomodating instructor, I left feeling thoroughly let down by the class content and material shared. There's really no need to attend a class to complete the album which we did, and my pocket certainly feels the pinch of a class wasted.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Bintan Lagoon - the Last Resort

We're back from our weekend getaway, and sad to say, we would've rather got away from it sooner. The resort's too large to be cosy, too far from the beach to make it a beach side resort (in my opinion), and the food was BAAAAAD!!! If anything could've saved the weekend, it would've been the food, but that was pretty awful (they didn't even get the local delicacies right! Satay sauce was too dry...). I had indigestion both nights we were there. :(

Ah... No more Bintan Lagoon for us.

One thing good about the weekend though - we got to spend time with each other. At least. :)

Friday, May 05, 2006

We're one!

Can you believe it? Cos I can't. :) My friends think it's cos it's been a happy year for us. It hasn't been an easy year, that's for sure, but yeah, I think it has been a happy year. It's been a year of learning, growing and learning some more.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Friday, April 28, 2006

Vote for Gan Kim Yong!

I've been going round, telling everyone I know to vote for Gan Kim Yong. He's the nicest minister I've worked with. My colleagues think I'm mad, but I tell you, I'm his biggest fan. Hahahaha... He's a great boss to work for. Humble, real, nice, and gives clear directions. If only I were in his constituency. Too late to change address now. I would've if I'd known. Darn.

VOTE FOR GAN KIM YONG!

Saturday, April 15, 2006

About Pocky

On way home from Turf City with 3 boxes of Glico Pocky in the bag, Kee Min tries to open one of the boxes. "But Pocky is an at home food," I tell him.
We're home now. Time to open the box of Pocky. :D
Too-bad situation day

I stepped into Giant at Turf City, hoping to get me some pencil leads for my lead-less pencil. They don't have any. Kee Min asks me if I managed to get any leads. I shake my head and tell him, "It's a too-bad situation day. They don't have any pencil leads on sale. Too bad."

Kee Min says I say strange things. Shrug.

Monday, April 10, 2006

Global Language, Heightened Sensitivities

Today's the last day of the Global Language Convention held in Singapore. I've been attending it over the weekend, and I must say, it has set me thinking about a lot of things, and I'm not sure where my mind is headed on most of the thoughts.

Nothing brings greater awareness to yourself than being at an event that supposedly brings like-minded people together (or in this case, people of the same profession), where you try both to seek a personal identity in the midst of similarities, and try to search for others truly like you once you think you've found that self-identity. I babble. But let me try to straighten out my thoughts.

I've spent more than 7 hours each day over this weekend among (mostly) language teachers in IB schools in the region, and most of them, English Language teachers. Every other person you ask the question, "where are you visiting from?" responds with "Hong Kong" or "Shanghai" or "Tokyo", but throw a stone in any direction and it's bound to hit someone with blonde hair with a strong British or American accent of some sort. We spend hours talking about English being a global language that brings minds together, opens cultures up to each other, and in the same breath, say that English leads to the loss of indigineous cultures and identities, loss of native/mother tongues.

All of us speak English, and all of us are trying to classify each other into what kind of English you use. Is English your first language, second language, foreign language, mother tongue? I don't know the answer to that with regard to myself. Does it matter anyway, since I live in Singapore where no one has never asked me that question before? Should anyone else ask me even?

I'm on my own at this conference. But it's held in Singapore, so that's supposedly familiar ground for me. But I'm on my own, and desperate scans through the entire conference area brings no comfort - I find no one like me. I'm not unable to be independent. It's not like I'd get lost in my own country, or that I should get unnerved in a place I grew up in. Everyone else around me speaks English, so no worries about striking up a conversation, right? While that may be so, I find lots of people looking awkward, not knowing where to fit themselves either. Yet when I try to talk to them, I don't feel like our awkwardness brings us together. I move on. And finally, what do I find relief in? Someone who sounds just like me! She doesn't look like me. She's Indian. I'm Chinese. But she sounds just like me! She's Singaporean! We CLICK. INSTANTLY. And I feel a great sense of relief. Seriously.

English doesn't unify us. Goodness knows what English does to us. Brings about access to information, but certainly doesn't make me like the rest of the people at the conference. The conference is like this HUGE international school, where international simply means a gathering of many different types of people who really haven't found comfort with each other, even if they are able to speak the same language.

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Squiggly things in our food

Kee Min and I went to the Bar & Billiard Room at Raffles Hotel for dinner yesterday, and guess what Kee Min found in his food? Worms! Teensy weensy ones, but they were squirmy and wriggly and just writing about it makes my hair stand!

We called for a waiter and asked what he thought those wriggly things were. He looked shocked, squirmed and promptly took the plate away and said he'd check with the chef. Maybe worms were on the menu last evening. Who knows? We never got an answer. We waited, and waited, and finally stopped the assistant captain and asked if we could finally know what it was which infested Kee Min's food (which he'd also, probably, already partially ingested). He nodded some, scurried away and left us waiting again.

Finally, the captain turned up, and told us that it was likely to be from the oysters because, "you can't wash the shells with very strong chemicals." Like we cared what the process used to clean oyster shells is. We just wanted to know what it was that was squirming around in the plate, and it took such a long time to get such an unsatisfactory answer. It's not like we were trying to get a free meal or anything. We just wanted an answer. Like that was so difficult to give.

We're not going back there again. And neither should you.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

What a day

It's been a most frustrating day. Never have I had a day overcast by the absolute stupidity of others. I would go into it, except that I've ranted it all out of me already, and I'm plain exhausted now.

Bah.

Monday, March 27, 2006

The definition of "Elaborate"

I bought a birthday cake for my dad yesterday, which my sister described as "elaborate". Dylan looked at the cake and asked his mom, "What's elaborate? Does it mean girlie?" And Uncle Kee Min said, "Elaborate means complicated and fussy. You're not far wrong."
Creative Writing = Nuisance Blogging

Kee Min's blog got locked by Blogger cos it was deemed a "nuisance blog". "Repetitive and non-sensical" was what they described it to be. Trust a computer to know what creative writing is.

Friday, March 24, 2006

@ 64

My dad'll turn 64 on Wednesday. I'm planning to do a mini scrap album for him with little sections highlighting what I think he is at 64. I'm just missing a current picture of him and my mum, and realised last night as I was going through my stash of digital photos, that there isn't one of him with just my sis and me, and of him with his sons-in-law! Gotta find me a way to sneak in a shot this weekend!

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Scrap deprived

I am so scrap deprived. I haven't actually done any decent scrapping in more than a month, possibly even two! Been coming back from work past 8/9pm almost every night these past few weeks cos of work, house stuff... I am determined to scrap tonight! I only hope I'll have the energy to when I get home.
Standing Around

That's what we did most of yesterday. My colleagues and I were arrowed to be ushers at the 41st SEAMEO Council Conference Opening Ceremony and Welcome Dinner yesterday. I think I ushered a grand total of 4 Ambassadors and maybe 2 or 3 directors. And it took me all of 6 hours to do that - 3 hours in the morning, and 3 hours in the evening. A good day of skiving if you ask me. Heh heh heh...

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Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Way above budget

I've been trying to keep my scrapbooking budget to $50 per month, but just looking at my "ready to check out" list, I've already hit $80 with all the new CHA stuff. *gag* And I'm not even done shopping yet!

Sunday, March 19, 2006

I am so mad! I waited so long for a lot only to have a huge, obnoxious, maroon merc swoop in and take it! I drove up to the driver, wound my window down, and said to him, "Just thought you might like to know that you're an AWFULLY RUDE MAN!" SOME PEOPLE!

Friday, March 17, 2006

BHG

I think I am a new fan of BHG mags (Better Homes and Gardens). For some reason, their mags come to Singapore dirt cheap - the home improvement ones are only S$5.95 and the new & improved Scrapbooks Etc. is now S$6.50 - S$0.55 more than it was before, but still much cheaper than Creating Keepsakes or Simple Scrapbooks. And the mags really aren't too bad. I got the Simply Perfect Storage one, and I've already started making notes in it on what I'd wanna do with my new place once we start renovating. Can't wait!

Till then, back to my paper... trudge trudge trudge... It's almost 12mn. Work is killing me.
My Muppet Personality

You Are Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
You take the title "mad scientist" to the extreme -with very scary things coming out of your lab.
And you've invented some pretty cool things, from a banana sharpener to a robot politician.
But while you're busy turning gold into cottage cheese, you need to watch out for poor little Beaker!
"Oh, that's very naughty, Beaker! Now you eat these paper clips this minute."The Muppet Personality Test

Oh goodness! Some might even attest to its truth!

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Today

Today was such a non-day at work. Didn't feel productive at all.

Was greeted first thing in the morning at the office by a document filled with questions from the boss. Questions on things added to my original paper. Then had to go out for a thank you lunch hosted by one of our ministers for a committee whose work has finally concluded. That lasted till 3pm. Then it was back to the office with the same question-marked paper, only this time, there were more gaps that had to be filled. I reckon it's 'cos whoever added to my paper didn't make a good case for whatever was added, so I now have to re-write something I didn't actually write to begin with. And he wanted it done tonight. I politely told him it wasn't going to happen. Not tonight. I just wanna do some major lounging on my bed with 2 new mags I just bought.
Lazy Kitty

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This is the scene that greets me everyday when I come home - Cobalt flat out on some soft, cushy surface. Most days, it's our bed. Today, it's the rug. How lazy can any kitty get?
"Only an atheist can be a good Christian."

I read that this morning. Interesting thought, really. That you should believe strongly that no god actually exists, so that you may focus on the one true God who does.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Time to take over the bed!

It's a constant plot everyday. To take over our bed.

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On a separate note - I take terrible pictures. I think I should take up a photography course or something.
A shared burden makes a lighter load

I woke up this morning with a few thoughts in my head - sabbath, sleep, still... I think I have truly forgotten how to be quiet with myself in God's presence. I need to go on leave.

That said, I seem to have a clearer mind today on what it is I have to do. I need to "drop" some charges. Well, not "drop" and abandon them completely, but I think I don't give those around me enough credit to do what they are supposed to do.

Time to let go or go beserk. Easy choice, y'think?

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

What it really is

So I shared with the group what I thought about my commitments. Thing is, I don't want to let anyone down, or appear to start things I would not commit to completing. I'll finish whatever it is that I've initiated. I'm just tired, and I don't want to move on from point A to point B tired. I think I've totally forgotten how to be still. I can't even be still long enough to complete this post. My mind is flitting about too quickly. Sometimes, I think I need to have my mind wired to my blog. That's the only way I can keep up with my thoughts. My mind races ahead of me. There's this to do and that to think about and this person to meet and that person to take care of...

But I am reminded. This seems to be really an infinite deal of nothing, isn't it? Just a flurry of goodness-knows-what. What does it really come down to anyway? Nothing it would seem.

Utter rubbish. That's what it is tonight. Just say it. Rubbish. Geddit? Nevermind.
Scatterbrain

My thoughts are all over the place. Everything's just pulling in all directions and the end result is that I am tired. I am extremely tired. I am almost fatigued. I'm tired of all the stuff I have to do, stuff that I am expected to do. I'd like to be rid of the responsibilities and just find time to myself.
How many am I responsible for?

Last count, too many.

Some, I feel responsible for.

A good number, I feel I'm made to feel responsible for.

I need someone to be responsible for me.

Monday, March 13, 2006

Scrap Projects

Will they ever be done??

1. Charissa's album
2. Mummy's album
3. Duplicate wedding album for PaMi
4. Papa's album
5. 2006 chapalang
6. 82nd Coy

Monday, March 06, 2006

We got our flat!

We got our flat, we got our flat, we got our flat!!!

Let's do the dance of joy!!!

Thursday, March 02, 2006

What occupies my subconscious

1. Kitty would eat my wedding ring and I would have to fish it out of the kitty litter thereafter.
2. DHE would experience enlightenment and bring ex-DDHE1 back (but then that would be a curse upon ex-DDHE1, and we like him too much to see that happen to him).
3. How in my new home, kitty would be kept out of range from my bedroom so I'll never have to hear his frantic litter scratching in the wee hours of the morning.

I dream good dreams. Hahaha...

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Diary-aXed

My diary-x account has died. Irretrievably dead. Apparently there was this major server death plague or something going on over there. So well... it's gone.

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

And on the top of the list...

...of things to look forward to, moving out has to be it! I think about it day and night, night and day. Getting my own place, having my own kitchen, picking out my own utensils and cookware... I can't wait, and I certainly do pray that the house we want will be the house we can get!

Monday, February 27, 2006

Ticklebrain?

I just realised my blog address is "ticklebrain.blogspot.com". I must've come up with it, though I don't know why it's called "ticklebrain". Did I come up with it? My head feels oddly itchy on the inside now.
Flit, flat, flop

I have a million and one thoughts flitting through my head but I'm unable to tie any of them down.