Goodbye 2008, Welcome 2009!

Wishing all a great and blessed year ahead, may all your dreams come true and good health to all!

We are happy to see the flares from the ships, it would be too crowded to be at the Marina to watch the fireworks.

The Good Old Days

Tiong Bahru, Singapore holds a special place in my heart. It is one the "unspoiled" neighbourhood where some of the authentic architecture of the good old days still remains. It is also the place where I spent the first 5 years of my life. Still remember those days where we live in a little apartment with grandparents and neighbours with open doors mingling. It is very different these days.

This is also where I can find good authentic cantonese cuisine. Next year, Meredith and Ryan will meet up in Australia. They look like a pair going on their first date. Who knows? Maybe this photo will come in handy a decade or two later? For now, they look absolutely so sweet together!

Christmas is Here #2 - It is all in that Little Blue Box

As in previous years, my dear hubby has no idea when it comes to buying gifts. He just simply has no clue. He blames it on my fussiness. And I have long learnt that it is not possible to instill romanticism if you do not have it. Or it is just his engineered mind that believes that practicality is what matters, so you won't get to receive gifts that are of "no use" - like flowers. Anyway, so this year, he asked me again the same question.

"What do you want for Christmas...and anniversary?"

Okay, I don't blame you for lumping the two events together in one bundle, afterall they are a day apart. But can you for once think of ideas yourself?

"Why don't I bring you to the shop and you can choose anything you like?"

Then it won't be anything like a surprise!

"But you cannot take surprises, I know you."

Okay, I am inquisitive ok, if you put a packaged gift in front of me, I won't stop thinking what it could be. I will guess it till I got it right. But am I being punished for that?

To cut the long story short, I gave up. So instead of going to the shop, I gave him a riddle to solve. I remembered doing this last year too. The riddle goes like this:

"The key to unlocking the mystery lies in a Little Blue Box"

Tell me, which guy doesn't know the answer?! I cannot believe my guy doesn't know it. He asked the little man, who said:

"Mommy, is it something you can eat?"

You mean Chocolates? NOPE.

So I gave him another hint.

"The little blue box is in Takashimaya."

To cut the long story short again, he insisted the little blue box is in Lucky Plaza. He just wants to see me mad (Actually, he already knew what the LLB is cos he has searched the net apparently - okay, quite smart).

And when he and Ryan went into the LLB, I received a call.

"We found the LLB, and we BOTH have the same taste. But when we wanted to buy it, our jaws dropped."

So in the end, there is no Little Blue Box for me. But this is an important lesson for the two men. They have learnt three things:

1) It is no secret, the Little Blue Box never fails to win a woman's heart.
2) The Little Blue Box is NOT in Lucky Plaza (it never is, and never will).
3) You need to be prepared ($$$) before walking into the Little Blue Box.

Christmas Is Here...

The Christmas season is here again. Each year, when I hear the Christmassy songs in the malls and feel the December breeze, I just kind of feel nostalgic. It makes me look back and reflect what happened through the year, and what's to come. And when I hear the carols, I really miss those days when I was carolling with my Church friends. Those memories of the good old days...

It is strange that no other festival makes me feel this way, not Chinese New Year, or the New Year whatsoever. Christmas gives me a special feeling. It is that feeling of being around friends, exchanging gifts, and also the celebration of Christ's birth.

I was in town today with Ryan to buy some gifts. I told Ryan that it is time for him to think about others and buy something small for loved ones. He was really excited about it. He has been saving some money and today was a good chance because TS has a friend's gathering. So we headed for City Hall. I was shocked when I found out that Ryan brought along...$100! We were on the escalator when he took out the big note and looked at it. To that dear boy, it is aaaaalot of money and it was so sweet that he is willing to spend it away on his parents.

I asked him if he wants to share TS's gift with me and when we were in the shop, he was shocked to see that all the items were like $200 and above. The look on his face was indescribable. He said worriedly, "Can we choose something cheaper?" And the salesgirl brought others for us to see and he kept looking at the price tags. The sales girl was laughing away. It was the first time I see him reacting this way. He is so grown up! He was looking around the shop for nice designs. He has a good eye actually, a good taste (just like his mommy haha!)

Ryan wasn't expecting any Christmas present because he said the Bionicle we bought him some months back will be his Christmas present. But how can I not buy my dear boy a gift? So I went to the toys department and I asked him to choose a nice toy for a friend's nephew. When I went to pay for it, he looked a little disappointed. I thought he is really magnanimous but he is in for a surprise, I cannot wait to give him the gift.

Cousins Rule

Ryan's cousins:

Christen - 6 years old
Aidan - 8 years old
Ryan - 9 years old

Iljimae

This is a must watch for all k-drama fans. The theme song is really really poetic and beautiful...

When you know your voice is more distinctive than your looks

You know something is not quite right when someone recognises you by your voice rather than your looks. I was at the university cafe with my friend when an undergrad came in front of me and greeted me. He was my student and I was his Music teacher. I think I was the only teacher (other than the Art teacher) who is familiar with most students in the school because I had to teach most levels and classes Music lessons. So it is also understandable that I do not remember all their names (except the cheeky ones, and those who are more than what you would call "cheeky"). But I remembered him clearly, because he always wears a wide grin. He is different from what he was 10 years ago. He has lost the baby fats and has grown way above me, tanner and well built. A fine young man! But he still wears the same grin. So we had a short conversation and part of it was:

"Oh, you can still recognise me after all these years!" (I was hoping that he would say, "you still look the same" or "you have not aged!")

But he said,

"At first I couldn't make out if it was you, but when I heard your voice, I knew it was you."

Oh great. Thanks. So do I have a really distinctive voice? But I don't really care for a distinctive voice. What I do want to hear is that...I still look the same!!

The Waiting Game

Ryan finally bought his birthday present (after such a looooooong wait) with the hongbao that was given by his Aunt Serene. With that budget, he bought a Lego Bionicle and happily fixed it immediately he reached home.

The hongbao was stashed away safely for sometime. We didn't want him to be obsessed over toys and we have been really quite careful about that. You know how crazy they can get over some toys, especially in Singapore where these things are so easily accessible. One moment, it was power rangers, next moment, the kids throw aside their power rangers for pokemon, and then bakugan and whatever guns and mons there are. It was just crazy. We taught him the value of money and how we can benefit others more. I think it is really important to instill these values as they grow up. It hasn't been easy. We have got through those days of screaming and unreasonable tantrums. You know, the usual, "Why my friend can have everything and I can't?", "I want it now, now, now?!", and "You are very unfair to me". But these days, we are starting to see changes in Ryan. He has grown up.

He has waited. And discussed the budget and discussed with us what he should get. He doesn't expect things to just fall from the sky anymore and has learnt that toys are not the priority now in his life, there are others. And when I see how some Singaporean children behaved these days, I am glad that I have endured and chose to spend more time with him than work.

Potato + Pork

I don't really know what's the origin of this dish, but it is an improvisation from various recipes from different cultures.


Sliced onion rings
Minced pork/ lean pork slices
Mixed vegetables
Potato slices
Corn starch
pepper & salt

1. Marinate the pork with some soy sauce, cornstarch, salt & pepper.
2. Coat the potato slices thinly with corn starch
3. Heat some oil in the pan and fry the potato slices till slightly brown on each side.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Add new oil, fry the onions and pork slices/ mince meat
6. Add the potato slices & the mixed vegetables
7. Add 1 Tb of soy sauce
8. salt and pepper to taste
9. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch (1 tsp mixed with hot water)
10. Cover and let it simmer
SERVE

Day of Reckoning

Check out those clouds! A storm was brewing right outside our apartment. It didn't look so scary but the camera was able to pick out the texture and dimension of the dark clouds. It was like a day of reckoning...

What Tomorrow Brings

We absolutely love this (expensive) toy

I have been thinking of getting a mean machine for a few years now. For the past year or so, I love my Sony T100 but I think it is time....

At the Sitex Fair, I got a good deal for this camera which comes with a lot of freebies. I was wavering between the Canon and the Nikon but Nikon won me over. Like what many would agree, good photography is a matter of the lens, not the camera. I think the Nikon lens on the D60 is cool. When you hold it and take the first click, it is just an EXPERIENCE. I don't get that with the Canon. Besides the service at the Canon counter just sucks. They were trying so hard to undermine Nikon. When I asked what are their strengths against the Nikon, the salesman arrogantly whipped out this file and showed me a list of Nikon "flaws". He added, "You want made in Thailand? Then buy Nikon." Man, he should go for some attitude review.

I had wanted the D40 but it was sold out...anyway it is ok, cos it is a 2 year old camera already. I don't know all about the photography jargon but I know this is a cool camera. When TS knew I bought it, he said, "okay, you can take over the Sony now." Over my dead body...I will paste some hello kitty stickers on it.

Welcome to the online community, Ryan

Ryan has been asking me for a year about setting up his own blog. Well, this holidays, I helped him set up one. He has some great ideas actually. Check out his blog at www.Ryan-nation.blogspot.com

My Lil Muse

I love taking pictures of Ryan, I think he is my muse too. He is very photogenic in my eyes. Notice something different about the quality of these pictures? I bought a really cool (new) camera at the Sitex Fair Singapore. The Nikon D60 SLR. I am really besotted with my new toy. I decided to understand more about photography and learnt some tools of photography. Maybe pick up some of my father's legacy who was a camera/ lens technician.

See something "scary" in that first photo? Reminds you of "The Eye"?!??