3 weeks

I hope I'm not the only one who has issues with weekends. They're deplorable in the sense that you spend the entire span of five working days counting down to Saturday and Sunday, but take 48 hours to squander it away.

We're finally down to planning the details of the itinerary of our year-end getaway. It's particularly exciting this time round, because it's going to be just us against the world. I'm a sucker for down-to-the-minute planning, while le Fiance is just fine getting dragged around by me. At this point of time, the initial plan to travel on a generous budget doesn't seem too appropriate, because a greater event with an even larger budget is currently in the works, and I'll find a suitable occasion to share it with those concerned. :)

We took some time out over the weekend to check out the building progress of our little abode in the North-East. It seems like the contractors are wrapping the last of the piling works, as the huge boulders, the piling machines and the deep pits indicating the location of each block seen this July have all disappeared. We'll check back sometime next April to update the building progress. Who knows, we may even be getting our keys one year in advance. *fingers crossed*

Can't wait.

I can't wait for December.

November 2012 heralded many opportunities, mostly under the guise of adversities and challenging tasks. For one, I was given the opportunity to cover an organisation-wide event, probably the largest I've ever done so to date. The venue alone was a sight to behold, and the invaluable knowledge shared by the other veteran photographers will be something I'll imbue within me to take to the next venue of opportunity.

Skyfall: 007

Bérénice Marlohe is my favourite Bond girl of all time.

I doubt anyone sane in this world would want to be in Bond's shoes - his bad luck seems to snowball every time he twitches a muscle. But then again, Bond gets all the babes, including French bombshell Bérénice. So it's justifiable for some to get sniped, cut an old wound up for some bullet shrapnel, and have an Aston Martin DB5 from a personal collection and a childhood home blown to smithereens. Skyfall has also given birth to Silva, another one of my top 5 villains of all time. Ingeniously played by Javier Bardem, the terror is exuded in a traumatizingly calm manner. But if you're not convinced just at yet, at least take a listen to the theme song Skyfall by Adele. She's probably sold you half the package with that song alone.

Into October

This could have easily become my favourite film of the year, if it hadn't been for the unforgivable twist towards the end.

Savages was chiselled off the recent spat of brutal killings by the Mexican drug cartel, yet unrealistically set in picturesque Laguna Beach. As if the gory scenes weren't traumatising enough, Director Oilver Stone injected the amorous threesome comprising beach bunny Ophelia (Blake Lively) and her two lovers, Iraq war hero Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and philanthropic Ben (Aaron Johnson). Ben and Chon are best friends in college, and also co-own a weed plant. When they turn down an invitation from the Mexican drug lords to start a joint venture, Ophelia's life naturally became the bargaining chip. The kidnapping of Ophelia set the duo on a wild goose chase to track down her whereabouts before embarking on their runaway plan.

You must be laughing at the absurdity of it all; two hot-blooded men risking their lives and businesses to save the woman they share between themselves. How many men in the world are willing to share the love of their life with someone else? "These two men must love each other more than they love you. Otherwise, why would they share you?" The sting of these words has made it my all-time favourite slap-in-the-face movie line. As in life, how do you know if the love you thought was yours didn't entirely belong to you after all?


October heralded a wave of opportunities disguised in the form of challenges waiting for me to rein them in. Amongst them, a photography assignment for a company event!

I've really got Le Fiancé to thank for this opportunity (he was Le Organiser of the event); it brought me closer to fellow colleagues and important decision makers, and gave me the chance to practise my rusty photog skills with challenging lighting conditions and overzealous participants. Thank you for striking another Bucket List item off. :)

In the meanwhile, plans for our trip is falling nicely in place with the booking of hotels and airfares. There's simply too much we wish to do and too many places we want to visit, which 12 days definitely won't suffice. Now it's down to planning routes by the day and shortlisting the perfect lens to buy for the trip.

Watch and learn

This weekend has sent the clockwork in my head into overdrive. I simply could not keep up with the pace at which the melange of mind-blowing information was being fed to me involuntarily and ripping me abruptly away from the growing-up phase. Suddenly, the monsters living out in those prime time TV serials have all crawled into my life to live just next door. My perception of the adult world just gained another facet, one that isn't pretty to look at at all. But it will be a lesson learnt from the victims of circumstances that I will cross fingers and toes not to commit.

We all have to grow old, but I'll only do so with you

I had the most amazing birthday week.

The entire nation was rustling to a restless rhythm last week when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge came to town as part of their SEA tour. It's one of the many times when I thank this job of mine for giving me the chance to strike off one item on my bucket list.

 The event brought the British community out in full force - as well as the Royal Couple's Singaporean fans - to welcome them at Strathmore. I was just across the media pit and was lucky enough to snap this beautiful shot of an English mother bringing her toddler out to catch a glimpse of the Royal Couple,  together with a zealous fan of the couple posing for a shot for the ST Online camera.

The crowd - and media alike - were thrown into a frenzy. Because the whole community was waiting for this once-in-a-lifetime chance.

I'll have to admit; I'm still starstruck. There was definitely something so magical about the Duke and Duchess which kept everyone so awed. The small gestures they exchanged, the way they glanced at each other, how they always complete each other so well... Everything about them took my breath away. Kate was contented in a Raoul blouse-and-skirt and her L.K. Bennett pumps, of which the latter has been prudently worn over and over again on many occasions. And it wasn't difficult to spot her sapphire wedding ring even from a distance - a reminder of her humble upbringing yet royal marriage. This experience will be the one I will bring with me as a reminder to always stay frugal and thankful no matter how temptations lurk. Thank you, William and Kate.

Of course, my very own prince in shiny armour planned me a lovely birthday.

This is the umpteenth time I've said this - I'm suckers for simplicity. I'm a habitual skeptic, so bombastic shows of affection are nothing but hot air to me. Instead, I crave the bare basics because I need the fundamentals to keep myself grounded in this flamboyant world of change; it is often easier to lose one's footing and fall head first into a freak show than to stay sane and logical.

Since my birthday gift from le Fiance this year is a bowling ball, it made perfect sense to spend some time improving on my mediocre skills. Haha. Nevertheless, I believe it's a blessing in disguise; it gave us another level on which we could bond and interact.

Plus I was treated to an ear feast at Jane Zhang's concert. 

The concert would have been more memorable if it hadn't been for the lazy audience, who remained unmoved and reserved throughout the concert. Having been a performer myself, Jane's disappointment was visible despite her stellar performance. Nevertheless, she executed every song beautifully, pitch-perfect and nothing short of stunning. One guy even took the opportunity to propose to his girlfriend. Despite the crusty old-fashioned proposal, we both cried tears of happiness for them, only because it takes one to know another. And she said yes, too. :)

Then le Fiance let me loose at Brewerkz - another item to strike off my bucket list. I haven't seen him allow me to drink in public so willingly before, and I was truly appreciative of that. I'm definitely getting better, judging by how we could hold intelligent conversations past midnight.

I'm well-fed, thankful and geared up for this next leap before our year-end vacation.

Cherry on top

An unpaid advertisement for Twelve Cupcakes - because their Chocolate Mint spoke louder than the supposedly good Red Velvet. Yummy visually and gastronomically, but punishing to the waistline.

As I end my third week at work in a new environment, it's only human that I start to evaluate my choice to transfer to the ground. Unlike "up there", as they all call unanimously, my new office is bustling with energetic young managers earnest to learn and perform together as a team, as well as well-weathered seniors to keep us from veering off-course. The support staff are a fun bunch to be around, especially when they call us their "xiao hai zi" (little kids). I'm still starry-eyed and getting used to the fact that there's staff reporting to me, and not me reporting to everyone else. A senior raised a challenge to me while chatting on the bus ride home today, by betting a meal on the duration I'll last in this race. "Let's wait and see," I retorted. And I'm bent on claiming that treat.

Heartstrings

Time flies when you're spending time with your loved ones.

I saw a lot of myself in Brave - the foolhardiness, the rebellious and headstrong daughter she believed her parents could never own, the older sibling who's always failing to keep the younger ones out of trouble, the one who's always running away. The movie itself had been a pleasant surprise, as with all Pixar films, with little twists and turns planted cleverly in the plot.

Long weekends never fail to feel shorter than normal Saturdays and Sundays put together, and this inverted difference seems even more evident when the weekend is all you'll ever have before the storm hits again. So we decided to make the best of it by going for a special fitting session. :)

Mr Jack le fiance had tried to get me into bowling on many occasions but to no avail, largely because I would keep gripping the house balls and scrapping my thumb badly. Bad pain was a huge deterrent, so I wasn't too keen when he wanted to get me my own bowling ball. The ball did all the persuasion, though. I didn't need to grip the ball with my thumb anymore, since it's tailored to my palm size. The weight was substantial and yet manageable. The cherry on top would be the pink and black swirls design which would turn any girl green with envy. Thank you, and I promise I'll put in my best to learn and improve. :)

Happier

One month ago, I took matters into my own hands when the Director asked to speak to me. It had been a casual chat, but my agenda was clear. I decided that I've had enough of trolling around a cold and segregated work environment where everyone's just minding their own business and watching their own backs. So I told her that I was ready for the massive shift whenever there's a vacancy ready for me.

One month on, I've settled into an all-new work environment, with new names and faces to commit to memory, countless new work processes to pick up and master, and a vibrant buzz around the office to get used to. After watching how policies are being worked out under the pedestal, it's high time I put this knowledge into good use to help those who really need it and penalize those who err despite being in the know. I'm happier now, I'm sure.

When a woman says "fine"

This very moment, I'm praying for regret to pelt those who have foolishly believed that I will always have their backs. I've had more than my fair share of enough.

[Movie] The Dark Knight Rises

When everyone else leaves you behind, what's left of the faith that's betrayed you?

Let's not be too greedy here - I've had enough of the laments about The Dark Knight Rises being a lacklustre version of The Dark Knight. I believe that every angle, every pixel, every gigabyte of the film happened for a reason. To the undiscerning eye, Bane is an unfinished villain specimen, Bruce Wayne is a weak hero and Selena Kyle fails to shine in leather. It is always to nit-pick out of context, instead of taking a third step back and taking in all the perfect imperfections. How Christopher Nolan put all the broken pieces of Gotham, Bane, Miranda Tate and Bruce Wayne together to roil all our innermost fears is a marvel to behold (don't mind the pun). Nolan also made use of this final chapter to make blatant stabs at bureaucracy, herd mentality and cowardice in the face of fear. The only disappointment? There wont be anymore Christian Bale behind the mask.

Stop and stare. Hard.

I've decided to stop Googling for wedding bands, just like a friend has stopped researching on her wedding gowns because "they are all starting to look the same". I think it's starting to catch on with me, even though I have no idea when I'm going to buy them. Suppose that gives me more time to do research instead of rushing into it within the next year or so. I finally see the pros of balloting late for a house - at least the pressure to get hitched isn't as great since you can't really see the imminent deadline just as yet. Research is good, but too much can be nauseating.

Anyway, we've finally paid our downpayment and signed the Lease of Agreement for our little nest yesterday. It is always comical to deal with our own CSOs - the expression on their faces when they key in our reference number into the system and our particulars pop up is priceless. Anyway, despite needing to fork out every single cent on our own, I'm glad we did so and were able to do so without taking personal loans from our parents nor breaking the bank just to buy our home. Our careful calculations also ensured that we would never need to pay a single cent in cash for our monthly instalments in the future.

Downpayment - checked

Life, accident, critical illness, hospitalisation insurance - checked

Commencement - checked

Joint account - checked

Now it's just a matter of saving and paving a smooth-sailing road to our big day. :) I don't give a damn about people who talk about my longer-than-usual engagement period, because these people probably don't have the luxury of time, or maybe because their marriage cert is a MUST and not a WANT. You get the idea. The latest Cosmo had an article on long engagements, which I could somehow relate to. I don't need the pitying glances nor the condescending remarks - those with their rings on their fingers and noses in the air should realise that they are the ones with a larger margin of error. So stop asking already. When we've decided, I'll bless you with a envelop with my red bomb and an angbao to deposit your arrogance in.

Movie - Ice Age: Continental Drift

Ice Age 4: Continental Drift was awesome possums, save for the occasional screaming kid in the cinema. 

I liked how the movie attempted their own version of continent formation, courtesy of the prehistoric squirrel as the resident troublemaker. Being driven by the tectonic activity to seek asylum, our woolly mammoth, friendly sabertooth tiger and sloth faced even greater adversity when they became stranded on an iceberg and subsequently fell captivity to a gang of marauding pirates. I shall quit feeding spoilers - just watch the movie already. Shallow jokes aside, the movie captured the concept of 'family' from multifarious angles - between a grandparent and her grandson, between a father and her angsty teenage daughter, and between friends who stick by each other. If only those retarded parents could better educate their kids to stop screaming randomly during the film.

Brownie Moment

I'm too lazy to do any work.

#browniemoment

Overcome

Finally!

I had been especially emotional watching Jack and his pals prep for their commencement ceremony last July, largely because I wasn't able to graduate at the same time. My commencement will be a painful reminder of that fact yet, at the same time, be a pat on the back of consolation that I had taken the plunge for an extra semester. The payoffs were invaluable, and I had gained so much more than I could have done so if I were to 'walk the worn-out path'. I will wear the scars of this battle proudly as I march up the stage next Monday to receive my scroll. Counting down 7 days!

Yesterday was well spent - we parked another portion into our account, dinner with my family, mahjong session at home (all of us got walloped by my Dad's mahjong skills) and a midnight movie date with Spidey!

I'll have to hand it to Andrew Garfield - with The Amazing Spider Man, he literally took the preceding Spider Man films by the nose and shown those guys who's boss. Face it, we all love a superhero with a to-die-for bedhead and a ripped physique like Garfield, not a particularly un-sexy Maguire with droopy eyes and oily hair. It also helps when your off-screen girlfriend is also your on-screen girl. And like all Marvel-themed films, a grotesque-looking villain with a sob story plays a huge role in cementing the plot together. Oh oh oh and do spot the very cute cameo by Marvel Man Stan Lee! :) (I've always had a problem trying to do so and, upon thinking about it, I'll probably go watch all the past Marvel films just to spot Stan again.)

Too much for a day

So they say, time flies when you're having truckloads of fun. There was finally some peace and quiet for the past four days because the rest of the family was overseas. 

I dare say, watching Prometheus is a test of true courage and a strong stomach. The back-to-the-future theme resonates with other similarly themed films such as Avatar and Alien, though Prometheus packed a more gory and vengeful interpretation of the meeting of Mankind and extraterrestrial beings. Seeking our predecessors, the story preaches, is equivalent to opening a can of worms we won't be able to contain. 

Chanced upon this wedding show in the papers a couple weeks ago, so Mr. Jack and I decided to make use of this opportunity to check out what Changi Village Hotel has to offer, and take a short break while we're at it. The rooftop solemnization was the only wow factor of the entire show, given the sea view and the possibility of an evening solemnization with the beautiful sunset as a backdrop. Apart from that, I guess the hotel has to work on its wedding venue deco and size, i.e. we're looking for a venue that can house about 30 tables, and that was something Changi Village's ballroom can't fulfill. Besides, our wedding date is still nowhere in sight nor on our minds, so it was more of an R&R for us. Nevertheless, if anyone's interested, you can grab the package booklets from me. :)

Spur-of-the-moment movie on Wednesday since I had an external meeting in town. I was reluctant to waste my money on what I deemed a B-grade movie, but The Dictator was a surprising production.

Could we label this a political satirical film? After all, the film unabashedly poked fun at every single American perception of Arab idiosyncrasies. I wonder how many Americans realize that they were really just laughing at themselves after watching the film. The Dictator is a timely reminder for us to keep in mind what real democracy is.

And a really belated birthday celebration for Hong Ying!

And I could still remember how we would wait for the school bus together at the flight of stairs just by the road in primary school. Have we known each other for 16 years?!

Wedding bells from the outside

I'm a sucker for gorgeous automobiles, so I just needed to ruin the tempo of my post by kickstarting with this awesome Chrysler stretch limousine by Lotus Limos which we chanced upon while attending a friend's wedding ceremony at Pagoda Street. (P.S.: It turned out that the stretch limo was my friend's wedding car.)

Anyway, congratulations to my dear Karthi on crossing this final leap into married life! While it was inevitable for studies and work to put a wedge between our friendship, but it was good to see that we're both growing up, falling in love with the right ones for us, and having the courage to choose to love and hold just one special other.

To double the joy, Siti's engagement party happened to fall on the same Sunday! We stayed just long enough to chat, have some photos taken with the bride-to-be and grab a bite from the buffet spread.

Now.

Post-magic

Life is back on track - my workload is increasing at a rate that's comfortable enough for me to handle, my mentor drags me around to meet the decision-makers, I'm still inhaling knowledge every single working hour, just as the handover date inches closer. While this isn't quite the ideal situation I was hoping for, it beats reverting to my old, direction-less form.

On another note, the construction of our BTO has commenced! Okay I'm a little slow - the fencing and piling has commenced back in April, and will probably be so until at least the end of the year. We all wish for a safe and stable home, don't we? The very thought of owning a home of our own is... basically nothing but magic on our part.

Fizz bang

Julie was up to no good over the weekend.

I'm motivated to conjure up magic in the kitchen only when I'm craving something. Then I would spend the next hour to a day messing around in the kitchen putting stuff together but end up touching little to none of it. On retrospect, perhaps that's my kind of therapy.

If you really have to make these strawberry jelly hearts for your loved ones, you can find the recipe on this awesome blog:
 http://cooking.storyofbing.com/2011/07/strawberry-jelly-hearts-cheesecake/

Movie: Men In Black 3

I'm often too burnt from a day's work to write anything intelligent, or write even anything at all.

We all love Men In Black, be it in black and white, animated series or the version with Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. Maybe it's the slightly morbid fascination with outer space extra terrestrials. Or maybe we just want the MIB's kick-ass jobs, smart Armani suits and Neuralyzers to click in the faces of people we find a pain in the butt. This time, MIB3 incorporated a painfully realistic life lesson into its plot - it is impossible to have your cake and eat it to. You'll have to get diarrhea any other way. It was nostalgically comforting to know that Smith and Jones's onscreen camaraderie continued to work magic despite the MIB movies' long hiatus from the silver screen, though it could have been better if they had better writers working on the script to spice up the dialogues with intelligent banter. Nevertheless, it's a good film for a hearty laugh or two, just not good enough to make me want to catch it in 3D or IMAX.

Dark Shadows aside...

Several hits and misses this week, but I'm glad I'm over and done with it. The process of picking up skills for my new portfolios is good pain, but the struggle to build management skills is... gosh. It's slightly disheartening that some peers are looking to greener pastures out there, I'm optimistic of the opportunities open to me here. The spontaneity of things keeps me wide awake and obliged to be in the know, and sends the adrenaline coursing through every inch of me.

Anyway, have I told you how Johnny Depp seduced the hell out of cinema-goers?

The year was 1752. After rejecting the love of the sorceress Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), Barnabas Collins was turned into a vampire and buried alive. It wasn't until two centuries later that, upon being dug up from his grave, that it dawned upon him that Angelique has replaced the Collins as the dominant company in the cannery industry at the fishing port of Collinsport. In his attempt to settle into the modernity of his descendants and rebuild the Collins' business, he faces up against against Angelique in a love-hate relationship. The only reason to watch this movie... is if you're suckers for Johnny Depp in yet another eccentric persona. I've never had a thing for Tim Burton films, and even more so after watching Dark Shadows. It doesn't matter how many Burton films have given Depp his Academy Awards; you can't weld a stellar cast together with a bad script and expect sparks to fly. Eva Green, Michelle Pfiffer and Depp himself lent nothing more than their names and their futile attempt to work this film. You can't fault Michelin chefs for bad dishes if they begin with the wrong ingredients. I think I've never given a worse review to a supposedly performing cast. 2/5

Movie: Marvel's The Avengers

The 6-month wait for this blockbuster was worth every single IMAX 3D ticket. :)

... largely because we miss Ironman so very much. I wasn't too fond of the odd combo put together to form the Avengers Initiative at first, but each character grew onto me as the plot progressed. Even the least liked Hulk earned his/its way into my all-stars list of accidental superheroes. And thanks to Jack, I gave my first IMAX 3D experience to the Avengers, unregrettably. And the fact that I grew up with these Marvel comic characters and watched almost every single film crafted with them as protagonists made the experience more wholesome - to remember the Hulk as the huge green terror with a soft spot for a particular girl, Thor as the lightning warrior with a terrifying half-brother, Captain America as the involuntary subject of an experiment and Ironman as the chauvinistic playboy who built a suit with an everlasting source of energy. Gosh now I feel like rewatching every single superhero film again.

On the other hand, I've got something to lament about. This. Ugly. Thing.

Excuse me, if I haven't gotten it wrong, Tony Stark drives an awesome Audi R8. Not a Honda.

Can't wait

Following the booking of our flat and securing our ideal home loan amount, I'm feeling more comfortable with discussing about our interior design. I consider it a boon that we'll be handed an empty flat with the bare minimum done, because that means that there's greater flexibility in designing our dream lovenest and we don't have to incur unnecessary costs tearing out stuff that has been pre-done. A preliminary discussion with Jack revealed some of the similar concepts we have in mind, so that's kind of like a good start. I've also been putting Pinterest to great use by using it to sieve out design concepts for quaint kitchens and alternative layouts to make the best out of our pinhole kitchen.

Bulbs are cute and easy to replace, but a hassle to clean after cooking up a storm.

And the great leap... into our 50th month.

As my portfolio is almost finalised and Jack's workload piles up, it's getting increasingly difficult to spare up weekday nights for each other. We're both aware that this first few years in the workforce is going to be a crucial period of make-or-break for our career and, with so many life-changing milestones in the making, we can't afford to be lax or throw in the towel.

And thanks to Kenzo for a lovely present. :)

Movie: Battleship

Where were you?

Battleship had been a pleasant surprise. To be honest, I walked into the cinema expecting another Pearl Harbour-ish flick featuring a heartrending til-death-do-us-part love story between a Marine and a Sports Illustrated model. But the film kept me knitted tightly to Jack throughout the entire 130 minutes with each twist and turn, as the boys (and one odd Rihanna) outsmarted the enemy time and again. Again, you might wish to spoil your own movie experience by reading the synopsis, or you might want to catch it in the cinemas before it ends its run. Oh, and try to do so at GVmax, because it's the only cinema that hasn't disappointed me since Day 1.

My heart will go on... again.

I deserve to be kicked for attempting to swear off Titanic 3D. Thanks to Mr. Jack for opting me in.

Titanic's love story has grew weary, even almost cheesy, to me. While the two lovelorn girls sitting beside me in the cinema were fawning and gushing and sobbing unabashed over Leonardo DeCaprio throughout the entire movie, I was revisiting every splendorous nook and cranny of the ship in my head and mumbling every dialogue I could possibly remember. The 3d wasn't the wow factor; what impressed me big time was the poignancy of the characters' speech. The class differentiation could not have been greater than it was then and it was through such adversity that love emerged. I was also able to resound with Rose's urge to run away from the confines of her societal status, away from the cage into the wild. Rewatching it on the big screen also allowed some hidden nuances which I haven't been able to read to sink in easily. While this isn't the kind of love I would envy, but the strength and bravery of the protagonists are qualities I wish I can imbue in myself.

Anyway, I've been invited to Pinterest!

And I'm hooked. Creative Commons have crashed through the glass ceiling into another definition with the birth of Pinterest, allowing users to pin up pictures that inspire them. Perfect for me to organise ideas pertaining to home deco and weddings. If you're a friend of mine and you wish to give this tool a go, simply watsapp me and I'll hook you up with an invitation. :)

Sparks fly

I realize I watched most of Sam Worthington's films. He may be 36, but he's still quite the looker.

After Clash of the Titans, my interest in gods and demi-gods grew immensely; I was intrigued by the complex relationship web connecting every Greek god to each other. The sequel Wrath of the Titans continued to weave in the story of Perseus' life after the Kraken's slaying with the capture of Zeus by his evil twin Hades in a bid to revive their father Cronos. You can go ahead and read the spoilers here, or simply pop by the cinemas to catch it before it ends its runs here. It'll definitely make more sense if you'd watched the prequel, but it's good on its own too.

... ... ... And we finally booked our lovenest.

It hadn't been our first attempt at trying to secure a flat, despite our circumstances as "insiders". Contrary to what people always assume incorrectly, we do NOT have priority nor special treatment when it comes to buying a house. In fact, this flat came only on the third attempt, almost half a year after our first shot. We decided to wait out after our second try (we were rejected flatly), after some careful calculation by Jack. We knew we wanted to secure a home of our own as soon as possible, since BTOs take up to 4 years to build but, at the same time, we realised that it is only with financial security that we would be able to handle the entire payment of a home on our own, without our parents needing to fork out anything for us. So when I secured my job, we nosedived into a hunt for the next ideal housing project. And we're glad for all the circumstances. More in the next entry. I'm slightly more than being in the state of exhaustion.

To many many more

A light version of the cast for those who loved The Hunger Games.

As raved by everyone who watched the film before we did, it was worthy of every cent paid for. Beyond the female protagonist's foolhardy bravado, what that was particularly conspicuous was the injection of numerous political innuendos to re-create political situations currently being experienced by various parts of the world. Thought-provoking, raw and real.

And we're 49. :)

This past month has been spent adjusting to our new relationship and, to my pleasant surprise, it feels as though I'm starting from the beginning and falling in love all over again with the same charming guy. Every day brings about something to anticipate in the future and another thing to learn about each other, even after 4 years together. This new paradigm in life seems very much more exciting, and I just can't wait to delve right in. I'm well-fed, feeling loved and is loving with a generous heart right now.

One plus one

一家一，是疼愛。

一家一，是包容。

一家一，是尊重。

一家一，是一束花。

一家一，是一個吻。

一家一，是一道菜。

一家一，是一杯酒。

一家一，是一輩子。

一家一，可能會爭吵。

但是，

一家一，會永遠幸福。

Personality Test: www.colorquiz.com

I have no idea how some personality tests work, but I guess this test from www.colorquiz.com is pretty accurate. Give it a go if you're bored enough. The results may amaze you.

Your Existing Situation

"Outgoing but unpredictable and unstable. Likes things to go her way, otherwise she becomes agitated, indecisive, and fake in her activities."

Your Stress Sources

"Seeks freedom and the chance to do as she wishes; avoids restrictions or things that try to hold her back. Feels an intense amount of pressure being put on her and would like a chance to escape in order to do the things she wants and needs to do for himself. However, she lacks the determination and motivation to escape and pursue her own personal gains."

Your Restrained Characteristics

"Tries to participate and involve herself in things going on around him; however, avoids conflict and arguments to reduce stress and tension."

"Finds satisfaction in sexual activity, but is emotionally detached which prevents her from becoming too involved."

Current situations force her into compromise and placing her own hopes and desires on hold for the time being.

His arrogance causes her to take offense quickly. Only those closest to her know deep down she is sensitive and sentimental.

"He is able to find satisfaction through sexual activity, but can be restless and emotionally distant so she never really gets too involved with others."

Your Desired Objective

"Has a strong desire to contribute and influence others, but it can make her restless. she is driven by her desires and hopes. Enjoys a wide range of activities, but she may spread herself to thin taking on too much."

Your Actual Problem

"Feeling tension and stress brought on by situations which are out of her control, leaves her feeling helpless, anxious, and in adequate. In order to build her self-esteem back up, she looks to others for recognition, respect, and encouragement. This can be a problem since she tends to blame others for her shortcomings. Searching for solutions that are geared toward her needs and self-consciousness."

Your Actual Problem #2

"Feeling held back and restricted from moving forward, looking for a solution that will give her more freedom and less obstacles."

Learn and yield

This newly engaged couple has been... learning to cope with this indefinitely transient period between engagement and marriage. My workload ha finally picked up, while Jack's intray seemed to have procreated spontaneously while he was on leave. And it doesn't end there.

While I'm still coming to terms with that rock sitting on my finger (definitely not in a bad way), we've started to lay inroads for the future. Decisions will only get tougher, because it isn't just going to be the two of us when we make plans; every single twitch will have to be sounded off to the parents and whosoever's in the picture. As much as we are independent thinkers, we have to take into consideration whoever's within splash distance.

But til then. :)

And another chapter begins with 'Yes I do'

I haven't gotten used to this yet.  :)

It seemed like it was just yesterday that we were mugging in one of the Engineering tutorial rooms when he popped off his very own ring from his finger and asked me if we could be together. It was deja vu all over again, four years on, when he got onto one knee and popped THE question every princess is waiting for in her fairytale story.

I wish I could put into words fully the torrent of emotions I'm still experiencing, one week on, but words can only do so much. The rest has been kept in this beautiful place called memories.

It's time to herald a new chapter, a new beginning, a freshly etched slate in our lives.

Yes I do, forever and always.

Mosaic of life

Apologies for sitting on it; the past 6 weeks heralded too many changes for me to sit down and take a breather. Positive ones, though. :)

Work is coming in at snail's pace; everyone up there's scrambling around too much to bother with me. It's good in the sense that there's ample time for me to sit down and read the theoretical stuff, observe the social forces acting within the department, build rapport within and beyond the department, as well as search for foodie spots. Jack has been a great help too, be it in terms of clearing my doubts related to policies or simply providing a venue for frustration-venting. Of course, we have to acquire the extra skill of keeping our work and personal lives separate, especially when we're working in the same organisation. I'm soaking it all up, before shit hits the fan.

And hello to my new baby. :)

Despite advice from peers to pick the popular iPhone 4S, I went the other way - towards the Samsung Galaxy SII. It was a difficult decision made simpler after hours of Googling and Youtube-ing "Samsung Galaxy S2 vs iPhone 4S" - I needed a machine that works for me, not the other way round. While others lamented the S2's sheer size and tricky navigation, I embraced its flexibility and amazing AMOLED display. Most importantly, it comes from the school of hard knocks. iPhone 4S? Challenge accepted.

Caught Underworld: Awakening. If you've caught the previous few Underworld movies, you'll probably be in awe of Kate Beckinsale's leather-tight physique and her weapon-wielding battle scenes. Awakening shifted the storyline away from the hybrid-vampire battle by incorporating werewolves into a large part of the plot. While I'm disappointed by the anti-climax, the only saving grace was the cliffhanger - that only means more Underworld to come!

Planning Valentine's Day this time round was extremely mind-boggling - apart from selecting a dining spot that would make that day extremely memorable, the $10 budget I set (to prevent overspending on presents by both of us) almost cost me an arm and a leg. I didn't want us to fall into the commercial trap of Valentine's Day and yet be able to enjoy the night with each other.

These couple of months have left us on tenterhooks, though the seemingly long wait was well worth it. All the planning, the calculating, the fruitless attempts - it was all well paid off. Almost four years into the relationship, and Inever thought I would be this blessed to be in this position of decision-making. And no, it's not a baby we're waiting for. :P If everything goes as planned, all downpayment will be accounted for from our own pockets, without a single cent from our parents. :) Now that's what I call smart. And contrary to what many believe, we didn't have any priority at all. In fact, this was our THIRD attempt.

Now, it's counting down to the 27th. :)

I need to learn