pre-holiday stress?

Oh man, I'm going to Melbourne (Yay!) in a few days' time and just when I thought that I had finished up my pile of work, some interesting opportunities came in. Of course, I gotta work on it, who can say no to more $$$? Tee hee. It's not only about the money, it does give me an immense sense of satisfaction to 'matchmake' the right jobs to the right people, and having more 'higher' levels of jobs to fulfil this time round, it's also a fun learning experience for me to talk to those 'bigger' people. But, the pile is scary and I'm really feeling quite stressed these few days.

It's interesting to see how different people manage stress. For me I recall my previous 'breakdown and chillout for a day' and I think everyone needs that timeout once in a while. Most people become depressed due to external circumstances not within their control. Mostly due with relationships, if not then work-related financial issues.

For me, I become depressed when, thinking that I can handle whichever situations, I realized after that I actually can't, and then get down that I can't. I'm not that ambituous or capable but I always feel that I don't want to 'short-change' myself by wasting time slacking when I could spend it on more profitable pursuits. I always felt that I'm intelligent but I have wasted away my time, too much, galllivanting around, being sociable, in the past. And now I need to focus.

Anyway, it's always a comforting thought to know that anyone can excel even though he/she has a limited skillset. It only takes a little bit of thick-skin to ask people for help, opportunities, and recommendations and I'm glad I have done so.

Meanwhile I need to start packing...

lookalikes combo - BACK! By popular demand

One of the most surprising things about the World Cup is that we discovered a North Korean player that seems separated at birth from TheBoyfriend. Hmm... should we say about 98% similarity?


PRESENTING LOOKALIKES! Jeng jeng jeng!
Back by popular demand, here are the quiet celebrities in our midst. Heehee.

Please don't take offense if your genetic combination resemble any animals... ... you are still beautiful in God's sight...

Our resident bachelor who always manages to turn heads in The Church, Jelly. He's a good friend, good guy!

Some gals told me that Jelly looks like... Tay Ping Hui!


When did Tay Ping Hui act in a period drama??




Buay tahan, both also like to pose for the camera...

There are other guys in The Church who look like celebrities!
Jonas Brothers?
Stephen Chow?
David Cook?

Yes! Yes! Yes!

(the one on the right)




See...

[R], on the right...

This fellow.... of late, a stunning crooner and 'hardworking' boy:



May consider being a famous actor and Producer in the future?

Woo, did David Cook walk past me?

David Cook lookalike (must use a bit of imagination)






Can't see the resemblance?
Let's take a closer look...





Exactly like David Cook style on his album cover.


He sings, well too.

Clone's brother who looks like Kim Rae Won! Hot hot hot HOTNESS!Last seen on a cooking show at 11 pm (Channel U?)

Sorry girls, he's taken and in Malaysia...

Well, people have commented that I do look like a celebrity too... in certain angles...

Presenting to you my Rui-En pose...I also have a dimple...

Or maybe after some thick makeup application, can pass for 'Little S', Barbie Hsu's sister.
TMNT was our childhood favorite... the show and the toy. Everyone in my era was well acquainted with the four 'mutant turtles' and we all respect the great 'Master Splinter'.

Guess who?

It's Kie.

If you look deeply into his eyes... somehow, you feel like it's looking at Master Splinter!
Now over to the local scene...

The famous or infamous pastor from City Harvest, Sun Ho...And guess what, at the next table, we have Architect looking like a dead ringer for Kong Hee, her husband!

We have both Pastors in our circle of friends, how cool is that!!!

On the ground scene, I spotted a guy who looks like a younger, thinner, Pastor Bryan.

Oh yes, he said jokingly that he can 'takeover' if Pastor Bryan is taken ill. Bad boy...

But I think our favorite lookalike has to be...

Master Splinter.

self-sabotage

I just don't understand the sort of people who like to ... for lack of better apt words, 'sabotage' themselves. Lately, I've been seeing a lot of such people who come from the 'insurance' or 'financial consultant' industry. I've many good pals there and know of superb people in the field. But the ones who have worked there for around 2-4 years and are top in sales, and now, tired of running, they want to come out, just irk me to no end. Some are rude. They answer rudely to all your queries and are quite haughty... for instance, a 'senior consultant' with about 3 years of experience, he really spoil my day after I gained him an interview with our client... he said... other cos can offer him a higher position... is that all they can offer? In the first place, it's still interview stage, in the second, I've already explained clearly to him about the opportunities and he was the one who wanted to submit the application. Not only wasting my time, he proceeded to tell me off when I told him he only has a 'few' years of experience. He screamed off his head that he has had 'extensive' experience.

Sorry, but 3 years' does not count as 'extensive' to any HR Manager. For this fellow, he is definitely burning his bridges with me, and thinking too highly of yourself will not get you anywhere, seriously. I really can't believe the other fellows, whom I also thought were good and also helped to gain them interviews, one of them carried along with him, a plastic bag to the interview. Ummm... I don't know any one of my friends who would do that( I hope not)... of course, he did not get the role. Another one started off by telling a story to the Head of Department and HR Manager... and tried to gain control of the interview!

It's really maddening because we are on their side, trying to help them to facilitate this process, even telling them what to wear, what questions to prepare for, etc. And then they pull this sort of stunt. There are too many from the same industry with a similar pattern that I have to say I now no longer share a positive attitude in helping these people find their dream job. This has not happened over a long period, in fact it happens over a few weeks, and they all have stellar sales record which is something that will gain them an interview for a sales position. But other than that, they lack the basic life skills to 'make it' in the corporate industry. And then they blame the managers, blame the people, blame the world when they should take a good look at themselves. Anyway, most of us do this self-sabotaging act to ourselves as well. Not at job interviews, but at other aspects of life. Sometimes there are something we want very much in life, and there are steps to fulfil it.

Like if you want a higher management job at a corporate co, you HAVE to study again, take some certs, etc. Or if you want to change to another line as well, sometimes. If not a real cert, then at least talk to the people in the industry, attend some helpful courses, do something with your time that channels your dream into a reality.

It's the same for people not wanting to be 'left on the shelf' - male or female. Though the male have better prospects, even though their good looks may wither, they still can find a mate, or use $ to import one lovely girl from our neighboring countries... for the female, as it is often quoted, after 35, all hope is gone! So I think being proactive is good. Being proactive means asking your friends for help. I have female friends in their early 30s who ask me for help and don't you think I will love to help them? Of course, it takes a humbling of self to ask me also, most likely I will 'suan' them first... but if I do think a guy is suitable and he is open, I will make effort.

Being proactive means changing yourself. Sometimes the most basic things are so glaringly obvious... Like the guy who brings a plastic bag to the interview *cringe*... it's so obvious to any one of us not to pull those stunts, but you may have a glaringly obvious unlikeable trait to the opposite sex that you may not notice. So maybe you can ask those 'true' friends for help. I'm sure their comments will help you tremendously in your personal development.

Guys always like girls to be feminine. (Except for the rare ones, mostly angmoh, that like tomboy looking girls like my friend J)

One of my guy friend had a really bad impression of one lady, our mutual friend. Due to her facebook photos... In most of those photos she has, she always have those gung-ho and 'attitude' poses, for fun, of course. But he said it was disgusting and too manly-scary. I was quite shocked at his strong comment because he is a really nice, easygoing guy and I least expect a comment like this from him!

Guess she scared away the more maidenly guys. But I think a lot of people judge you from your photos, not on purpose, but they happen to chance upon it. In fact, some of my other guy friends have commented positively on some of my female friends in their group photos with me, and even drooled at my lovely lady friends. Well... I try not to encourage it but at least they can take it that they are being attractive to the opposite gender... =P

urban slang made easy

Some new words have been making their way into my speaking dictionary lately. Heard of 'chillax'? It means a slackerish, laid back, hang out and no stress feeling. Haha!

Chillax, chillaxin', chillaxing.
Here's how to use 'chillax' (chill + relax) in a sentence.

'what ya doin? '
'Just chillaxing at East Coast, dude.'

'why did you write/say/do/that...'
'chillax la bro... I was only joking'
'finished all my work today, now time to chillax'

'Cougar'

More commonly known as a much older woman who prefers the company of younger men,
It can also mean a really hot older woman (Also known as 'MILF')
There are also 'pumas' , who are younger cougars (30 plus year old women with slightly younger men)...seldom used though.

'Don't turn around but there's a cougar sitting behind you.'


FTW

Means 'For the win', is a more positive outlook than the opposite 'WTF'... In gaming terms it means something else but popularly now it means either a positive encouragement or someone has done something good, or 'best'. How to use:

'Man Utd bought Bebe for 2 billion bux. FTW!'

'Bedok bak chor mee. FTW!


PWN (pwned, pwn-ed, pwning)

Either means 'owned' in gaming terms ... (pwned) due to proximity of both letters being next to each other on the keyboard and misspelt by a programmer, it has grown in popularity to use 'pwn'.

Locally, it also means a gunshot sound, albeit a rather cutesy one. Try sayin 'pwn pwn pwn'. You get what I mean.

And if you have spotted some weird hairdos on teenage boys recently, it's called 'The Bieber'. Similar to our bygone eras of 'The Crewcut' (square top head popular with military personnel), The Armani' (a very cool dude hairstyle which needs lots of wax or gel to spike up the top and sides are kept short but with sideburns) ... Let me introduce to you, 'The Bieber'.


Justin Bieber's hairstyle, a front-swept fringe. This can also be a girls' hairstyle. Other popular hair guys include Zac Efron, Robert Pattinson, Adam Lambert but none as uber cool as The Bieber! I do see many many teenagers having this style now. Sign of the times!

Turtle

A photo for the weekend. Guess where? It's at Ion Orchard! Taken by Sherman of Rebirth Photography.

sittin' on the fence won't get you nowhere

There's an important question that all of us have to ask ourselves...

As you know, there's always a gap between the rich and the poor. If you could choose, would you want to be in the richer half or the poorer half?

Seriously, without a doubt, I think everyone in their right mind would say, richer half, of course!

I feel that many people shortchange themselves when it comes to choosing this path though. In many circles of devout believers being rich is almost obscene - or for that matter, being rich because of your success. I think that if you got it fair and square through your persistence and working for it, you should be proud of yourself for pushing yourself hard where others do not or can not.

But choosing this path takes sacrifices of course. Longer hours for some. More stress for some. Investments of time, money, effort, etc. Some of which may turn out to be futile. The road may be challenging but then again, definitely an exciting one. We will meet all sorts of characters and have the rose-tinted glasses pulled off our faces when we see the true nature of some... many people choose to take it easy though and just float through life. I am one of them. Thinking back, I can be too slackerish at times, although I always believe in working smart, not hard... I seem to always hit the minimum self-target that I set and then while the time away. In fact, I believe I am wasting quite a few hours of productive time each day.

So I hope to put the time to good use and churn out something good.

I also realised that those who score all 'A's in school may not turn out to be as successful as those with a killer EQ + hard work + smart work + connections + x factor in life. You see many models and actors are good looking but often the 'crowd favorite' or the most likeable ones may not be the most good-looking ones. Even the top sales representatives. Everyone has the perception that the ladies have to be very good looking or the guys very suave. But often it's not the case. There is some magic formula and I bet 'sitting on the fence' is not part of the equation.

Being in the 3rd month in this job, apart from this month, I have managed to hit all my personal targets. Yes, I did put in effort to do so. Any newbie in the industry would have been proud of my achievements. But compared to the go-getter and gung-ho attitude I used to have in my previous sales job, I think I lack that which I used to have, and I need that to go the extra mile. It really takes a go-getter attitude to talk to people when you're not in the mood or when they are not nice to talk to.

Compared to my new colleagues, I am still ahead. Some of them did not manage to close any sales in the first month... it's really God's grace that I did it so easily and thought it was so easy! I know better now...

Time to move my butt off the fence...

Picking up where it leaves off

A ghost from the past contacted me this week.

I guess I have been waiting for this to happen sooner or later. I mean, I felt like it would happen someday, there was a silent wish in my heart for us to be on good terms again.

After all, he was my best friend and we used to waste all our available PH... spending time with each other. Somehow, in the last months, I thought that I had found a 'replacement'. But the replacement could not 'make it'.

You know those kind of friends, they are the special ones. Those who actually bother to ask you how you are doing in the various aspects of your life. Those who you REALLY look forward to meeting and will save up little funny tidbits of your life to share with them. Those with whom you can take long midnight walk and chats and no alarm bells will sound for 'trouble'. In a nutshell, you can be transparent and share heart-to-heart.

Those kind of friendship that I always hope it will last a lifetime. But being realistic, also know deep down that it's kind of difficult.

I was happy he contacted me and remembering those cherished moments, glad that he remembered me too. It's too much to hope for a good outcome, but this little moment lets me know that I can have a bit of wishful thinking come true once in a while.

learning to deal

I happened to see entering a cinema, an old schoolmate, we were in the same CCA. She was barely recognizable but I recognized her with a shock. She was one of those 'A' class girls, the elite in school who could all make it to whichever JC they chose. Back then they never thought of choosing a poly, the only question was 'which JC', how times have changed. Now the brightest ones choose poly. They were the ones who took Higher Chinese, a foreign concept to me, and some even took something known as 'Chinese Literature' !!! While we not so intelligent beings played basketball after school, watched movies with our 'steads', and sat at taka square exchanging information with similar beings.

Anyways, the most shocking thing was how she looked.

I remember her as quite a pretty girl. She was about the same size, but, oh how horrendous. She was wearing an ill-fitting shapeless white tee, ill fitting jeans, and a severe bob haircut not unlike the ones we had in secondary school. She looked like an auntie from afar and I wouldn't care to be associated within her age range.

I tried to look for something flattering to be honest, but could find none... gosh.

It's funny, the way things pan out for some. We would assume that those elite girls would do well in life, as expected, being smarter, landing better jobs, attracting the same social strata of husbands, making smart choices about their investments and career, etc. But somehow through the years, and as we age, that does not paint a full picture. I remember we all rejoiced for one of our schoolmates who had to repeat a year of school. She became a manager at her early 20s when most of us were still figuring out how to deal with things.

Many who weren't doing so well in their secondary school do become good at some point in their career, take TheBoyfriend for instance. You don't want to know his PSLE score... if you really want to know... well... it's hilarious...

Others seem to do well all through school, but only have a mediocre career and other measures of success would show they are doing only passably well. Hmm.

I just thought that things aren't what we expect after all. We never expect to become friends with so-and-so, and thus when the friendship turns into years-long comfortable as a cup of warm tea and long car rides kind of friendship, it is somehow, always a surprise. For many of my friends, we seem to be strange bedfellows. Our friendship was always met with quizzical eyebrow raising and a wondrous look, like, 'oh really? You are friends with her?' look; because, no one had expected that such a nice thing as a beautiful friendship could come out of a chance encounter. Or maybe I just don't look like the kind who would befriend such. (Sadly, as I later realised, most girls would brand the kind of guys I find fascinating as friends 'boring like a piece of cardboard', 'weird' or 'very weird'. But they always bring me to interesting places and share fascinating facets, eat ice cream happily while chatting, and are ALWAYS generous, so I really can't agree!)

It takes a little bravery of the spirit to open oneself to share with these beings, wondering if anything could come out of it, saying something and hoping for a response that, you know, strikes all the right chords with you. But so frail are the human relationships that seem strong yet crumble at very minor things.

Like in (human) relationships and for 'those whom we dated/crushed/had insatiable feelings for', I've always marveled at those who kept in good humor with their ex-girlfriends, and all of them gals to boot. I've always asked them, 'how do you do that?' I never had such luck and perhaps a big part of the equation is my fault to be honest. On the other hand, I had always wanted to casually chat with "those whom my affection happened to fall upon in past moments", or even just sms-ing to ask them about their latest happenings. The curious side of me wants to know what's happening in their life... have they settled down, maybe what kind of girls they settled down with...

Growing older means we have to deal with these things. In corporate terms, this is called 'conflict management'. It seems the ones who do it really well are rewarded with higher positions and don't we all want that sometime in life? But first we must learn how to deal with our inner child of not wanting to grow up and be in a fairy tale where all seems to work out exactly as what you have hoped for.

Unless, of course, it's a dream come true. =)

sands

Had some nice couple time getting suntanned last saturday. Nice spots to take photos while soaking in the view of the city skyline and the Marina Bay Sands. The Helix was nice, heard it changes colors at night. Nothing much at the shops though, most of the branded ones aren't open and the usual suspects were all opened, UOB, Charles and Keith, Foodcourt, lalalala... it's really huge though, makes for a great walk workout if you happen to be wearing heels... and totally no fun to shop. Prefer orchard for serious shopping. There are some nice sculptures to look at and a nice cake dessert place near the hotel entry to the skyline park which cost $20. We don't think it's worth the cost to go up...like, so depressing, we'd be looking at the cbd and reminded of a pile of work, seeing our office.... on a weekend! And so we didn't go but there was a long queue, mostly elderly tourists...

a little shopping

I really like Leonardo DiCaprio. I've watched his first few movies as well as his recent ones. Most lately, 'Inception'. What a masterpiece and one of the few movies that has kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time... gripping, powerful imagery and all the actors in the show pack a strong performance.

This month is coming to an end and work-wise is a bit of a roller coaster ride for me. I've actually been in the sales cycle but I must say I don't really enjoy the highs and lows. The fulfilment is great when you hit the highs but the lows make me a whiny, ranting person, easily bored... so... I guess with every sales-related job we have to develop ways of coping. Sometimes my job leaves me a huge chunk of time in the afternoons so I am trying to gym, or go on long walks to stay healthy. Meanwhile I do hope that this month pans out better than I've expected. I only placed two people early this month and so got rather edgy throughout. I tie performance and productivity to my self-esteem, I guess. But this week, the last week of July - how fast time flies - should turn out to be a good one. Fingers crossed and prayers answered, there should be two more people being placed in really good jobs, and I have 10 people going for interviews this week, so out of the group, half being placed will be nice. It's a last minute push to the end of the month, and it helps that rather of attaching a 'cash value' to their heads, I see them as people. Being slightly more lovable this month, I do spend more time to explain to them how to score at interviews and the whole process, I hope they can have a clearer view and be more reassured. I'm also excited at meeting some of them after their first month on the job (hence a meal treat is expected from them to me, teehee) and seeing how their career progresses. Of course, most see keeping in touch as a way to 'touch base' with your network and, I could possibly make more money by headhunting them again, but I don't really see it that way. I really wanted to meet up with them , learn from them because all of them are professionals with many years of experience in their own right, and if I do manage to prop up their career again in the future, then it will be a bonus. After all I can't possibly meet every single one of them - I can, but I'm not inclined to be social just for the sake of it! Plus, some of their mugshots are really cute and there's a little sinister despicable me wondering if they are just photogenic or are really as cute as they are on their passport photo. My passport photo doesn't do me any favors.

Me and TheBoyfriend went shopping yesterday - rare, but now that he goes fishing so often I have a rule that he must spend time doing the things I like as well. So we went karaoke previous week and did a bit of window shopping last weekend at Ion, fast becoming one of my favorite places. We went to 'The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands' too but apart from a nice dessert place selling delectable cakes, the whole place was still being retrofitted and not many shops were open. Anyways, I took him last week to a bag shop. I've decided (for the moment) that I will not save up to buy my first LV, miumiu, or what have you... as I don't really take care of my bags, I think the investment will look old too soon. If I had a blessed month and earned a significant sum, I think I'd rather spend it on upgrading my face, investing, a nice watch, something like that.

But I'm not a fan of cheapo bags either so those in the Agnes B, Longchamp, or Coach pricing range of bags will suit me fine! So I took him to this bag shop to show him a lambskin puffy bag I liked and to see what he though of it. Yes, he thought it was lovely as well. But more surprisingly, he fell in love with a gray leather satchel with dark chocolate straps. TheBoyfriend doesn't like these stuff easily so I was really surprised. Heh. And he said that I'm making him more vain. We went to another outlet of the shop at Marina Sands and we were told it was the last one. So sad! But trusting in my womanly instinct, as we happened to chance by orchard yesterday, we simply HAD to walk past the store again. You know, when there's something you can't get out of your mind and you like it very much, it's always the case that it's 'the last piece' or sold out.... or don't have your size... stuff like these always happens to me... (like that time I liked a super nice beige shorts at m)phosis and 's' was sold out.I contemplated buying the 'm', I could fit it too, but the 'm' was the very last one and it looked a little worn, so I passed. The happy ending to this story is that I found a similar and cheaper beige shorts at bysi! whee!)

And the shop... was open! At 10pm! Who would have guessed.

So in we walked... ... and came out with two bags. TheBoyfriend bought the one I liked as an anniversary present, yay, and the last gray one was the last gray one, but there was ... one more gray one coming in this week, so we 'choped' and paid for it first. Double yay! Very happy, thanks to my women's intuition...if we had never walked past the shop yesterday, if we had never asked, and if the sheet of bags coming in was not in yesterday, we would have lived in regret of not having this little thing that we liked very much. Haha.

For those interested to know, mine's a square puffy lambskin bag very much like a cushion, similar to the ones at Chanel. The color is an unlikeable (shit) brown, but somehow I always can carry off those dull colors...

And that's all the shopping we'd be doing for some time now. I'm going to try not to eat at any restaurants or expensive entertainment whole month of August, saving up for my trip in September... though I doubt that's possible as we're surrounded by shopping malls and good food. Still, I hope I can demonstrate restraint...

Like speech bubbles without words

You know the feeling of having so many things to say, but not really knowing when to say it so you just put it aside, as if thoughts, feelings, things like these can be put aside, and then when you have that all so familiar feeling, you try to think of what you wanted to say just then - but it's been so long that you forgot already? But yet you still remember the kind of empty feelings - like speech bubbles without words. Or like wanting to take a photo but you forgot to bring a camera and you try to remember the picture you wanted, but only a hazy outline of colors and images figure out.

And being judged for what you feel or think or judging others. I feel that most lies are made out of people wanting to be nicer people, or rather not letting other people knowing their true thoughts. I try not to judge people as I believe sincerely in everyone being different and unique. But sometimes I can't help but think badly of people who refuse to grow up. Maybe I'm like that too. Maybe I take a sinister pleasure in letting my issues go over my head. Holding on to them because it means holding on to nice memories which proves I have feelings after all.

I had a weird dream days ago. I dreamt of living in a kingdom just like ours, just that the divide between the rich and poor could be easily seen. As rich people had the money to buy mineral water, they did not drink the natural water and were so spared from some strange disease that plagued the poor people, who could only drink natural water, and the water had trace elements of an unidentifiable contaminant. After years of drinking the water, their heads became puffy, and their noses bulbous. In short, the rich people did not have to go for cosmetic surgery to have the upper crust look like in other first world nations because simply by being able to afford mineral water, they looked much prettier and superior than those who couldn't. I don't know if this dream is an analogy for something happening in my mind/life, but seeing all those people with bulbous noses, me being the upper crust in the dream and living in a mansion, I somehow envied their carefree village life and finding true love, looking beyond the bulbous noses. They were grostesque to a certain degree but it's nice living in a world where you accept yourself as being yourself and not try to change the status quo, in some sense. When a couple has to depend on each other during some duress circumstances, it's actually much more romantic than bickering about the thousands you both make and who makes more. We should all be a little more happy in this country, having clean water, relatively cheap entertainment, and accessible transport. But we are not, and why?

Anyways, I saw on the news a few days later about some part in India having trace elements of uranium in their water which affected many children to have intellectual disabilities and unnatural physiologies, and I was stunned to see how my weird dream actually was the life of some poor folk in a country not that far away from here.

Roll 2 - Nostalgic Series

Due to the cloudy days of recent weather, was hard to take nice shots. Also being more experimental with this roll of film, many shots came out too dark or blurred. But here are some I really like.

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, ping-pong table 'doubles' up as a temporary bed. My fave shot!

Abandoned and abused. Alcoholic father?

Leisurely post lunch cuppa at Raffles Hotel 'Ah Teng Bakery' with lady friend.

They don't make interchanges like this anymore! Bus Terminus (as it was called), Serangoon Interchange. Now that everyone takes the circle line, few people wait for bus here on a weekday afternoon, so lonely the terminus...

Buah buah at taman sentosa johor baru.

Bones

Note to self! Hahaha.

I always dress for the weather - can't tolerate the furnace to wear long sleeves or fitted clothes so I'm always in airy clothes.

Been watching too much CSI, NCIS, Bones and lately Dexter that I take suspicion at anyone who stands too close to me in the trains... they might be serial killers. Anyway Bones is my favorite, replacing the previous favorite House. I'm seriously addicted.

Going to collect my 2nd roll of developed film and hope I took some lovely shots, fingers crossed. The world seems so much more interesting and cheerful when viewed through lenses of imagination, in this case a wide lens toy cam.

a singapore postcard

The charms of our little island state abound throughout the world that so many people want to work here.

Yes! Somehow the rumor has spread that we're clean and safe. Actually, I don't think we're that safe but, well, maybe safer in terms of no robberies, although someone of bangladeshi descent stole my adidas vintage sneakers and someone of ah lian descent stole my converse slippers.

I now keep my expensive footwear in the house instead of in my recess area.

I receive job applicants from the most varied of places. French, Germans, even Moldavians. I actually didn't know this country still existed, silly me. Numerous Filippinos now disguising themselves with Chinese names. Yes, they apply with Chinese surnames in their emails. Numerous mainland Chinese with bad English, some hilariously funny. It seems everyone wants a piece of our 'burgeoning economy'.

And I also write postcards every week to people all over the world. Sometimes words fail me as I wonder how to fill up the tiny space on the back of the postcard with interesting insights and information.

I find that the one thing I like to write about my country -is the one thing that I love the most about my country.

And what do I love about Singapore?

Many people have written about how clean they've heard it is. (A reputation for being clean? Hmmm.)

I love the fact that we are so close by to neighboring countries.
Because I don't want to turn into a boring Singaporean, since I was in my late teens, I avowed to myself that I would travel as often as I could. Even with a low budget, I'd just make myself a nuisance to the unfortunate souls who knew me and bunk in with them. This was done to Melakan Chester and Melbournian Ange. Haha! Or, I didn't mind traveling solo and bunking solo also. The solo experience enabled me to chat for hours with any smelly backpacker from the European nations.

I'm not complaining about our little island state, how hard it is to get a flat for newlyweds - the process, I'm realizing, is truly scary. A roof over our heads is just a simple dream, one might say a basic need, even. But those "new roofs" are only able to be ready... 5 years from now. And, there is a less than 10% chance of getting them, ie 4000 people applying for 500 flats scenario. The scenario is the same for "new roofs" everywhere in the island. Bad.

Of course we might consider an "old roof" but the current VERY nice "old roofs", no one is selling. The other "quite nice" "old roofs" owners are asking for such a high price that it is quite ridiculous for newlyweds to buy. And don't forget that we are looking for a roof about 2 years in advance from other newlyweds.

The most scary impending scenario is if we delay this 'search', we might reach the profile of being unable to buy a flat because we are too 'rich'. In other words, may the 'rich' people look for a condo instead. But we are not that 'rich' to afford one! That kind of income bracket is the worst to have in Singapore!

Of course, it's a good problem right... too rich to live in gahmen apartments. Tsk.

Then again, there's not much choices once you think about it. Every one here is following some kind of internal code in the roof over our heads thinking. Since wait so long for a flat, buy a bigger one, 4 room or 5 room. Plan to sell the flat, 'upgrade' in about 5 years' time. To a condo. Then a bigger condo. Or buy another flat for investment. So forth.

I wonder if I go against this flow of thought what my repercussions would be? End up in a lousy home, homeless, or scarily living with my parents till I'm wrinkly...Maybe that's why in those Mandarin local dramas they go for rich doctor chaps who already live in fantastic mansions.

Actually, this ideal is not realistic cuz the rich doctor chaps are usually quite senior, and they live in small condos. The big mansions belong to the really senior ones. LOL...

Patriotic or no, most Singaporeans enjoy our national day by spending it somewhere else, same idea as me, in a nearby country. Where one weekend is cheaper, food is better, place less crowded, and more relaxing. Since we're so nearby other asian countries plus our currency makes it worth the while, let's travel more and forget about the housing woes that beguile us.

It's arty friday

These oil paintings brings out some nice feelings.

They are done by a leading Finnish contemporary artist, Kaj Stenvall.

It features a well known and familiar looking duck in different contemporary settings. What I like about it, not only is it painted well but the feeling it gives the viewer, some irony, some amusement but also for some paintings, a feeling of angst, lonesomeness, content or idealism. Hopefully if I ever go to those scandinavian countries one day I can see his art.

You may read more and view his works here:

http://www.kajstenvall.com/