simpled

lc-a

( +1 )

Well, I have survived my second trip to Thailand, and still feel, this may be where I want to retire. I could see myself living in Pattaya for sure. Bangkok, while nice to visit, and fun to enjoy the wild night life, I think it's not a place for me to live.

Retirement could come as early as 2012 or as late as 2015. We will just have to see how money and the housing market fairs.

Macbook off JoikuSpot
Originally uploaded by stingerx.

...gps location enabled, eeks!! :p

last night i dreamt that i baked and stuffed a whole catfish, just like my mom use to do.

shredded black ear mushrooms
soaked bean thread noodles
ground pork
chopped celery
pepper & salt
onions
garlic
nuoc mam
cilantro
bean sprouts

i was alone in the kitchen where we first lived
with the olive green stove and matching refrigerator.
i used her cream colored oven mitts with the prairie flower pattern,
the pair i was deathly afraid of getting dirty and would sacrifice my hands for.
the sensation of putting them on made my heart rate speed up,
i never put them on in real life.


i can't recall what her hands were like before they became arthritic.
i want to stare at my hands and from that, deduce hers.
but it'd come out distorted.
i take after my father.

Some schedule mix-up had me rush from Maris Stella to Bukit Batok in like 25 minutes....

I decided to pace myself after my teaching commitments today and slow down a bit, even though I was due (again!) at Maris Stella for the penultimate band practice leading to tomorrow's competition. Took the train to AMK Hub, my 2nd visit there this week, had dinner at the food court (again!) . Was nursing a headache all this while...went down to the basement pharmacy (yes Yuna that same one!) and bought some Panadol and mineral water.

Actually hor I want to complain to AMK Hub.
Dunno which enterprising people started a shop there, near the pharmacy, selling...
DURIAN PUFFS....

VERY SMELLY!!!!!!! Some more the place air-con leh.
:((((
It worsened my headache.

I can't imagine those people working near there...smell durian the whole day.....

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Another round of competition. I guess the Marists were humbled by the results of the last round of competition (thanks to those-of-you-who-know-will-know-who) so we are heading to the battlefield tomorrow with zero expectations... hehe. Anyway it has been quite a tiring process and I think we all need a big rest after this. But having said that, I think they have really improved a lot in their playing. There are two foreign bands competing in the same category as well (Open Division, Singapore International Band Festival), one from Thailand and another from Hong Kong, and I guess these would be the ones to watch out for. Oh it's gonna be at the Republic Polytechnic Cultural Centre in the evening....

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I just cooked Maggi Mee for supper, something I haven't really done in a long time. My dad actually has a rather special recipe for cooking it... which he passed down to my sister... and...ermm.... I think I got it wrongly from my sis....cos my Maggi Mee just doesn't taste as good as hers...aarrghh.
Just thought I'd share it here...hehe.

Heat water in pot.
Add Maggi curry powder (the one in the satchet... but I prefer the Chicken flavour one instead though, must remember to buy that one tomorrow)
*this is the definitive ingredient*
Add one part TOMATO SAUCE and two parts CHILLI SAUCE to the mixture and mix.
Add Maggi noodles.
Quickly slice an onion and red/green chilli (with the seeds removed!) and set aside.
Crack open an egg into a bowl and carefully REMOVE THE EGG YOLK!! (yucccckkkkksss)
The noodles should have softened by now, add the onions, chilli and egg, and mix until the soup base thickens.
Add more sauce or water to suit individual preference in thickness of soup!
I like it thick...


... and... enjoy!

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And I just made a split decision...
you'll know about it in a couple of days :)
I'm going to be quite poor again....
but for the sake of networking.......and opportunity....

Two old photoshoots and a recent one.

When I was younger, I thought there was no big problem that cheesecake cannot solve. 

Of course I never liked cheese cake but just the thought of having cheese cake was comforting in itself. Better if you are in a cozy kitchen corner in Florida and in the company of 4 old ladies who have perfected the art of hilarious sarcasm. Even before gay boys were bitchy and oversexed sluts thought themselves cool, the Golden Girls showed how it should be done - with class and perfect timing. 

The foursome even make Carrie and company look utterly juvenile. Proof that you don't need designer clothes and Manolo Blahniks to come up with a memorable show - just some solid writing and an amazing group of actors. That show should have gone on forever. 

While I was out to a few people in my previous work place, I was warned that this new, bigger organization may be a bit more conservative.

My old company has a anti-discrimination clause in the employee handbook and will cover your partner's expenses if you have gone through proper civil partnership ceremony. People are gay-friendly enough, but not that friendly unless they are friends.

But the new company surprised me by allowing us to nominate our partner to be covered under company benefits, as long as we have lived together for 6months. Regardless of gender.

Then I found out that we are rated in the top 10 on the Stonewall Equality Index.

I think we have some Diversity and Inclusion induction next week for all new joiners... I wonder if it involves kissing straight men to make them feel inclusive... having said that... there aren't that many cute people around, despite a work force of more than 6000...

Today I attended the first day of a 2 days course called Crucial Conversation. It was quite an interesting course teaching a person how to deal with another person at work or at home when a conversation turns 'crucial'. The definition of 'crucial' here is that the conversation ceased to have a common purpose.

So far I am still trying to absorb the materials that has been taught. Next is perhaps how to apply these knowledge into practice. I have a lot of such 'crucial conversations' at work with my colleagues. Hopefully i am a wiser person by the time the class ended tomorrow.

i didn't recognise the number, nor the voice on the phone.

she asked if i was miak, and if i knew terry, and if i was close to him.

the last time i saw him was almost 2 years ago.

i asked if there was anything wrong.

she went through a few other names, and asked if i knew them. some i did, a few i didn't.

i asked if anything happened.

then she said, my friend committed suicide this morning.

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i remember terry who joined my orientation group. he skipped much of the orientation, being the slacker that he was. he stayed on the same floor in hostel, in fact, he moved into my old room. he was from the same faculty as i was, so it was natural that he inherited my notes.

i remember terry's dead squirrel. he bought the squirrel and smuggled it back from a trip to bangkok. one afternoon, i was in his room, i just told him i think his squirrel was dead. he said it was just sleeping. i replied - i don't think squirrels sleep with their legs in the air. and yes, it died.

i remember terry being pissed drunk and puked all over himself and i had to help him to the shower.

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my friend, i do not know the demons that haunted you, and i saddens me that you weren't able to share your burden with me. i only pray that you rest in peace.

Met up with Gym Colleague who was in town shopping.

Haven't met him in ages...... must be like almost 6 months liao. He looks a bit different, can't place my finger on it though.

Then during dinner, kena paparazzied by M sitting in the corner.

Had to act natural so that he can get his shot. Haha...... i think i did a good job, but then again, i got lots of practice already from being around JX :P

Finally I got my hands on a pack of polaroid 600 film and damn was it expensive.
Canada blows.
Anyway, I wanted to see if my camera worked by taking a picture of myself. And it did work! A little blurry because it was too close, but I have 9 more shots to get used to it!
Ta dah!

meh
( sky+smoke )

http://www.tenthdimension.com/