A quick tally shows I only worked 17 full days this month, meaning, I had 14 possible days of rest. Possible. I say this because with the Lunar New Year and first-day-of-school shenanigans, having proper rest during all those 14 days was almost unthinkable. Now, there were a few occasions where whole days were spent lazing in my pyjamas but what I need to feel recharged is to be so relaxed as if I’m on some resort island sitting by the beach, reading a good book, sipping a cool drink.

Oh, right. That’s coming up in three and a half weeks when we celebrate Dia’s 30th. At Sentosa, yes. At least, it’s a fancy enough resort. ;)

I think I need some sort of regular happy place. Or at least have something to look forward to each week. Too many weekends have been spent either catching up on work, or doing something so inconsequential that I don’t feel like I have been making proper use of the free time I’m given. Perhaps I need to spend more quality time with family and friends. It’s never dull when you’re in the company of loved ones. :) Hanging out at a picturesque locale is simply a bonus.

All that said, will someone please take me here this weekend…?

. . . . .

Song of the Day

Down By The Water, by The Drums

1. Why is time moving sooooo slowly?

2. I wonder what font that is.

3. Aw man, not another acronym!

4. Why can’t this be a musical?

5. Why isn’t anyone texting me?

6. Geez, my nails are dirty.

7. I wonder if this is an appropriate time to go to the toilet.

8. Why don’t we have more chocolate?

9. Please keep it short… please keep it short…

10. *sings to self* *forgets lyrics* *spends next 5 minutes thinking about forgotten lyrics*

Now allow me to leave you with this.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

Rise and Fall, by Craig David (feat. Sting)

I’m not going to lie. Money is a concern. I’m not struggling, but I’m afraid that I will right after I graduate. And I feel entirely responsible for my retired parents. Taking a full year (or maybe even two) off work just to chase a dream is going to cause an unwelcome interruption in the cash flow department. Repaying huge tuition loans thereafter isn’t going to help.

So why quit then? Why am I even making such plans? Because, like Dia so astutely verbalised, I have done my part in the 5 years that I have committed myself to teaching, and it is time to move on to do something that I’ve wanted to do since I was 15. And also because I know I’m not going to suck at it (this last sentence entirely my own but the sentiment was shared).

I’m extremely certain I will pursue my Masters next year. I have thought about it long and hard, and that decision has been more or less made. The only issue I’m grappling with is if I should do it locally or overseas. Money aside, a side-by-side comparison of programmes show very different career paths. The local option appears more inclined towards a career in communications management in the civil service as I champion various public campaigns; the overseas options gear towards writing and publishing, allowing me to develop skills in journalism and possibly art direction as well (two areas I’ve always been excited about).

The main reason why I’m even considering studying internationally is because I am of the belief that doing my Masters overseas will allow me to bring something else to the table. I want to have knowledge of international perspectives. I want to provide alternative views. Although, the fact that I already attained my Bachelor’s from QUT may be enough reason for me to go local now. Still. It’s always good to gain new experiences, no?

I still have a number of months to go before I submit any application. And quite honestly, I do have enough faith in the Lord to know that He will provide me, and my family with the finances. I just don’t know if I should even consider doing my Masters locally. Because, really, the course structure just doesn’t excite me as much.

Thoughts?

. . . . .

Song of the Day

It’s Ain’t Over Til It’s Over, by Lenny Kravitz

Lunch at my uncle’s was gut-busting. My aunt cooks really, really well so you can imagine how tormenting it was to have to control my intake. It wasn’t the most elaborate of meals but everything tasted of perfection.

Naturally, we started off with Yusheng:

Following that, we indulged in a very delectable spread featuring Fried Bee Hoon (Vermicelli), Broccoli with Abalone & Mushrooms, Kong Bak Pau (Chinese Braised Pork with Buns) and Tom Yum Soup.

Bloated from all that, I lumbered through the next couple of houses and struggled to strike conversations. It wasn’t until the second last house that I regained my bearings and managed to stomach a few more snacks.

The buddies then came over for dinner and we finalised plans for Dia’s 30th. We realised how it wasn’t going to be a cheap affair, but neither were we going to scrimp on our own 30th birthday celebrations. As much as it’s just another number, there’s no denying (for us at least) that 30 is a landmark age. So we settled on a staycation at Capella (because the girl doesn’t do cheap) after plenty of deliberation. It may not exactly be a weekend getaway at a nearby resort, but it’s certainly fancy enough. ;)

And because it’s not a festive season without some alcohol (I think?), Min brought a bottle of Baileys to share with us:

A toast to all of us, and all our other girls who turn 30 this year!

Here’s to another 16 years of friendship, and even more to come!

*clinks*

. . . . .

Song of the Day

More Today Than Yesterday, by Goldfinger

Lunch was a scrumptious bowl of Chicken Curry with 3 slices of bread.

The parents had Ayam Pongteh.

And that was my only meal of the day, no thanks to the incessant snacking while waiting for guests to arrive. Yikes.

When evening came, I immediately assumed babysitting duties, as I am wont to do each year. To my credit, I am a terrific babysitter. How do I know? My four-year-old nephew Elijah was extremely upset when it was time to leave. Everyone wondered if I had some kinda special game that got him so hooked. All I had was a Magna Doodle board and plenty of imagination as I played along in his constant “killing” and “reviving” of a certain Jango Fett. I know right. BOYS.

It also helps that the cheeky fella was adorable.

Dad was mesmerised by my other nephew, Rafel, and couldn’t stop cuddling him. But really, the kid was that huggable.

My family and I are heading out to visit the rellies tomorrow. That means more food, and more trouble for my waistline. The gym is gonna appear extra laborious this week.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

If This City Never Sleeps, by Rosie Thomas

My dad loves it heaps though, and never fails to decorate the lobby right outside our apartment.

It’s become a bit of a highlight for our neighbours (and their visitors) who actually look forward to it each year. No kidding.

We get a fairly large number of visitors each festive season, and we usually have a good assortment of goodies awaiting them. This year, though, I think we might have outdone ourselves with 11 different types of snacks, including three variations of pineapple tarts:

I can only think of one other household (the Gohs) that serves more food.

Reunion dinner at our place is usually quite low-key with only our immediate family members. As such, we don’t typically have a huge spread, serving only four dishes: Ayam Pongteh (Braised Chicken with Salted Bean Paste), Chicken Curry, and my two favourites – Hee Peow Soup (Fish Maw Soup with Cabbage, Fishballs, Prawn balls and Meatballs) & Ngoh Hiang (Pork & Water Chestnut Rolls with Beancurd Skin).

This year, we opted to save the Ayam Pongteh and Chicken Curry for the extended family who usually come over for lunch or dinner, thus explaining the lack of photographic evidence.

As much as I love that we have Monday & Tuesday off, I’m well aware that I’m gonna have trouble adjusting back to the daily grind right after all this. Oh well. Here’s to a prosperous and joyous long weekend!

Happy Year of the Dragon! :)

While visiting the latest addition to our family this evening, I was really captivated by how handsome this little guy looked. This future rocker, son to the cousin James and Joana, is beyond precious and I seriously can’t get over how handsome he is. But I’m bias. ;)

Everyone, meet Jed. Jed, everyone.

I was immediately inspired to write this poem upon reaching home. No kidding. That’s how much I adore this little dude already.

Hey there, little guy
Is that a twinkle in your eye?
Dreaming, wondering
Of a future blissful and gleaming

Hey there, little guy
Full of promise and hope, hereby
Experiences and journeys await
Of voyages and escapades

Yep, I can’t wait for the kid to grow up! :p

. . . . .

Song of the Day

Hummingbird, by Trey Lockerbie

So what’s a coughing, phlegm-filled girl to do on a Thursday in between sleeping off the meds? Go on Pinterest of course. And look at pictures that inadvertently cause drool to slide down the side of my mouth like a slippery sucker.

I never quite understood how Dia can look at pictures of food all day, but after two straight hours, I get it now. Not only do they make your screen look absolutely delectable, they also give you great ideas for future parties/get-togethers. Here are some easy recipes that I particularly want to try out next time I have friends over:

Cheddar Bay Biscuits (recipe)

Ham and Cheese Sliders (recipe)

Bacon Strip Pancakes (recipe)

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets (recipe)

Nutella Bread Pudding (recipe)

The rest of the recipes I’ve pinned are here, if you’re interested. :)

(Don’t quite understand how Pinterest works? You can read about it here.)

. . . . .

Song of the Day, because I’m taking a trip down memory lane back to my secondary school days…

Voices That Care, by Various Artists

Mum: “You know Chinese, right?”

Me: “Um… I guess?”

Mum: “What should this read?”

*stares at words*

Me: I. Have. NO. IDEA.

Apparently the words fell out while my father was taking this festive scroll out of the store. He can’t read a word of Mandarin (having taken Malay when he was in school) so he just placed them back randomly. My mother’s really bad with Mandarin having failed it all her life, so she couldn’t help. Me? Well, I still believe that B4 I scored during the GCE O Levels was a complete miracle.

So what did I do?

I immediately took a photo and sent it to my friends for visual confirmation (it was wrong, of course; the last two words needed to be swapped so it reads ying chun jie fu), who were tickled that we all didn’t know what it should have read.

What do you expect from a crew who only says four auspicious wishes (gong xi fa cai, xin nian kuai le, nian nian you yu, bu bu gao sheng) whenever we toss the yusheng during Chinese New Year? We fill the rest with English phrases or incoherent ramblings.

Just another typical Peranakan family for you.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

San Andreas Fault, by Natalie Merchant

As routine as life gets, I never know for sure what’s going to happen each day. Truthfully, I kinda like the surprises; they keep life interesting and more often than not, they serve as reminders of God’s faithfulness. And boy, do I need to have faith this year.

2012′s gonna be filled with uncertainties. Mostly because it marks the end of my personal 5-year plan, and – believe me – I’m all ready to reassess my vocation. I’ve never liked the idea of staying in my comfort zone for too long. I need change. It keeps me from getting lazy/complacent/overly-jaded. Yet, it also brings about a whole truckload of questions and concerns. Hence, as much as I’m excited about making major changes in my life, I’m also pretty nervous. So if you share my faith (or even if you don’t), please pray that I will continue to seek the Lord’s guidance and have the confidence to see things through. :)

Speaking of which, I never see through all my New Year’s resolutions. So I told myself to be less ambitious this year and instead of resolving to achieve a whole bunch of things, I’m gonna set about endeavouring. You see, by not calling them “resolutions” it already feels less pressurising because it doesn’t come with the expectation of ensuring they get accomplished by year’s end. Agree?

- Be a better steward of time and money
- Make healthier eating choices
- Be more patient towards my family

That’s it. That’s all I have this year. But they’re not easy. BELIEVE ME.

Already, I’ve failed somewhat in the Good Steward of Money department, making several purchases for work. But in my defence, I really was running out of work clothes. Also, the print on this top was just too cute.

I did a little better food-wise. Dinner was grilled salmon with roasted potatoes. Healthy enough, yes?

And again, that’s why I’m calling them endeavours.

. . . . .

Song of the Day, because it’s always good to kick off the new year with Christian Ska! ;p

World Without End, by Five Iron Frenzy