shall start from last tuesday:
4/10 CHALET!!! @ aranda country club!
ya, the same place as last year and the year b4 too
but this yr, our chalet is on the 2nd floor.
pro: cleaner, don't have cockcroach
con: more troublesome for bbq
huiling and i went to pasir ris mrt together coz she came down from johor. luckily, causeway jam so i got to have lunch b4 meeting her. still we weren't the latest.
we played loads of card games esp. bridge. also got big 2 and bluff.
we also played mahjong.
some of them played uno stacko and were really noisy, screaming so often
on the 1st night, we had potluck for dinner, ie everyone brought some food to share, actually not really 'everyone', just some. then some really disgusting happened but i think no one else knew abt it. i ate some red ants! yucks! it was bcoz i left my pepsi on a table then when i drank it again, i didn't look and ended up eating some ants... i didn't scream or tell anyone abt it... just washed the cup and threw it away...
then at about 12mn, most of us went to the arcade b4 going back for more games
i slept at abt 4am. of course no space left on the beds so i took one of the bed cover and used it as a mat, a blanket cum a pillow. then abt 6+, some of them went to the market to buy stuff for bbq so i got to sleep on the bed till 8+
after waiting to bathe and having breakfast, i joint the market ppl in preparing the bbq stuff. there were lots of great food like cheese prawns, chilli sotong, chilli stingray and of course chicken wings! all seasoned by themselves.
then linyan, yuh shin and i joint huiling, laura, casie, xiebo and yuanyi for cycling. huiling didn't know how to ride so she had to learn. then my bicycle chain dropped off so i had to push my bike all the way back to the kiosk b4 riding to pasir ris park. then on our way back from the park, another group was cycling towards us and one of the guys clashed into yuanyi causing her to have some bruises and the front part turned all the way round. but at least, the guy fix it back.
after that, we had lunch b4 going to the arcade. initially, we had fun but later, after realising that the machine had actually deducted more credits than it should, we went to tell the assistant but i ended up arguing with him. though he let us play other games to make up for our loss, i didn't feel great at all. stupid.
anyway, back at the chalet, it was soon time (5.30pm) to go to the pit to start fire but we found some guys burning paper there. so sheena told them off and made them clear up. liming told us that they were from tchs coz she recognise her ex-classmates. we also couldn't hide our identity coz liming was wearing the tracker t-shirt.
after they had cleared up, sheena and gang spent one and a half hours starting the fire while the rest of us hang around. but the coal remained burning very well and the food was cooked rather fast. i took the job of applying butter but after some time, wanxuan wanted to do it.
the chicken wings were delicious but i couldn't eat the sotong and prawns though i was offered those yummy stuff... coz i have rashes... i was also offered stingray but i though since there was alot, i shall eat later
mr derek tan came at abt 7+ and chat around. huiling had to leave at 8pm so xiebo, yuanyi and i went up with her to get her luggage coz i wanted to buy cup noodles for later on and they wanted to send her off.
but by the time i went back to the bbq pit, all the food was gone so i didn't get to eat the stingray. i was really surprised coz it was not even 2 hours after we started bbqing.
then we went up to the chalet to celebrate michelle and ruyan's b-dae. it was supposed to be a surprise but xiebo, who was the coordinator, was a lousy one and they knew everything liaoz. so everyone started guai4ing her.
mr tan had bought the b-dae cakes and we sang them the songs b4 they fa1 biao3 their gan3 yan2. then we took photos b4 continuing to play.
some of them watch the chn 8 horror show followed by ju-on (fervin brought the vcd).
me and a few others stayed in a rm to play cards coz we didn't want to get ourselves scared. then later, we found out that fervin had actually brought her male friend in to watch ju-on. she was leaning against him so we started gossiping abt them. she had spent the 1st nite out and at changi airport with him and also the 2nd day too. she daring hor
and he wasn't the handsome macho type leh... quite big sized and casie thot it was mr lim...
then later, the ju-on grp had toilet break and came to our room toilet coz the other room ppl were asleep liaoz. they were really scared and when yiling was in the toilet, she kept want the rest of us outside to talk so that she wouldn't be so scared
still, they went on watching
we slept after more playing at abt 3/4+. we put a mattress on the floor so that there's more bed to sleep on. so i slept on the bed but didn't have a blanket so i was really cold.
on thur morning, we talked abt jc choice coz registration was from wed to fri. then we played some more and took photos b4 checking out
the lousy camera hai4 me got alot of photos not saved coz it was my uncle's and i didn't learn how to use it correctly.
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friday i slept until very late so didn't go for band. and i had to decided on my jc choices and do the online registration. then at night, me and mom went to play badminton at civil service club with her colleagues.
saturday, my ulcer still not recovered and i still very tired and lazy...
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sunday, uncle ah hee's wedding!!!!!
everyone had to go to batu pahat, m'sia!!!
i'm finally going overseas after 4 years!!!
ah ma, 1st uncle and his wife, 3rd, 4th,6th uncle and their whole families and 1st aunt's daughter (coz aunt gave birth on 25/11 so she and her husband didn't go) and my mom, dad and me met at the coffeeshop to board the coach to batu pahat. there was also ah hee uncle's close friends and his wife's youngest brother and the matchmaker.
we set off at abt 9am
the bus ride was 3h long... alot of time to catch up with my cousins and know what they are doing now
found that zihui and ruilin actually listen to 5566 songs! and they are only 10! the boys are still playful as usual.
when we reached our destination, we had catered buffet lunch which had a very wide variety and was very delicious. then we went shopping at a local shopping centre. it was rather hot. maybe poor aircon system or none at all...
there was very little time (abt 1h). i only bought a sleeveless t-shirt. i want to go bowling but mom refused to... then we went back to my new aunt's terrace house to bathe.
at 6pm, we set off for the restaurant where the wedding dinner wld be held. we prayed at the temple opp. the restaurant b4 going over. the dinner was supposed to start at 7pm but some stupid ppl were late thus they delayed our time of returning to singapore...
the first few dishes weren't of any good quality and the sharksfin was fake (my mom said). the service was poor. there was no changing of plates (we had to ask when we wanted) and the tea, which wasn't hot, was only refilled when we asked the waiter to. some ppl went onstage to sing karaoke but 1 auntie cldn't sing well at all and she sang so loudly some more!!! ai yo, pity my uncle, she destroyed the big day
i was sitting beside the matchmaker who had smelly feet.... so u can imagine how unbearable it was for me...
the last few dishes tasted better, esp the suckling pig, really nice
my new aunt's youngest brother drank until his whole face was red and he went around bursting balloons at us.
we left at abt 10pm and slept on the bus but i didn't slept well at all coz the bus was so bouncy and i literally flew up a few times. by the time we got back home, it was 12+am
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this afternn, i went for a check-up on my scoliosis and was discharged coz my height already remain the same so the scoliosis wldn't worsen. then i went shopping for a digital camera but mom refused to buy coz she cldn't decide and wanted to ask her colleague
wishing; 12/01/2003 11:15:00 PM
Have Read
'04 year-end holidays (highest number of books read in a long time)
-The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (gd read)
-Princess Diaries: Third Time Lucky by Meg Cabot (fun read)
-Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (must read - inspirational)
-Slab Rat by Ted Heller (full of office politics and R21 stuff - not for kids)
-The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (makes u want to finish it)
-A walk to remember by Nicholas Sparks (simple but meaningful)
-The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (can identify with)
-The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (romantic love story with too much R21 stuff)
-Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks (even more R21. ugh)
-The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
-Unstrung Heroes by Franz Lidz (autobiography about his four uncles and father)
-The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
-The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (very unique POV of an autistic boy)
-The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (love the breadth of the plot, one of my favourites)
-Wild Orchids by Jude Deveraux (alternating between two first persons' view - unique, but don't like e plot)
-Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder (philosophy tb in a story; gets abit dry though plot saved)
-forgot what i read...-
-Working Wonders by Jenny Colgan (story of an urban planner)
-Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (impressive intelligence with bits of great humour)
-Just between Us by Cathy Kelly (thickest bk i've ever read-600+pg, too long for me but not bad)
ha, started a few bks but didn't enjoy them enough to read more.
'06
-Life of Pi by Yann Martel (novel based on true story; a lot to learn from the book - animals, religions,
survival, appreciation of simplicity; marvelous descriptions of both the tangible and the intangible,
such that I could feel their realness; bits of very enjoyable humour; a must read)
-The Complete Analects of Confucius, Volume 1 - Asiapac Comic Series (some good teachings.
didn't read everything though)
-The Parable of the Pipeline by Burke Hedges (lent to me by Shujun; like she said, its a short version
of Rich Dad Poor Dad - good financial tips)
-The Alchemist by Paul Coelho (simple story with deep meaning)
-Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
(hai, doesn't seem to be working for me - cos im not applying..)
-haven't been updating from Jun'06 to Jul'07-
'07
-Take a Chance by Sarah Webb (very interesting twist towards the end)
'08
-A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer (very saddening. made me realise how significant family is in how a child behaves)
-Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden (refreshing book with many pics)
-The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Rui Zafon (amazing how people can think of so much plot to pack into one book, wld b a gd tv series)
-The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (the story is interesting but i think the ending cld hv been better written)
-This Book Will Save Your Life by A.M. Homes (a bit thought-provoking on relationships but i didnt like e abrupt ending)
-Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner (gd knowledge but partly qte repetitive)
-For One More Day by Mitch Albom
-The C Words by Mark Mason (made me keep wanting to read on. light & funny)
'09
-Return to Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (another good read from Deveraux)
-The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (gosh such vivid descriptions! very well written book. i liked d theme of friendship and the realness of the story)
'10
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (a must-read!! i love the expressed thoughts of the protagonist, esp those about friendships, and the writing style - it seems like she's telling me her story specifically to me)
How to Save Your Own Life by Michael Gates Gill (an inspiring read, for emotional liberation and greater joy in life)
Reading
on hold
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
Waiting for chance to get hold of
The Little White Car by Danuta de Rhodes
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon or The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
My Left Foot by Christy Brown
Gotai Fumanzoku or An Unsatisfactory Body (Translated into English as No One's Perfect) by Hirotada Otatake
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Other Recommended Readings by Marc
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin – Few books have had as significant an impact on the way society views the natural world and the genesis of humankind.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – Gladwell looks at how a small idea, or product concept, can spread like a virus and spark global sociological changes. Specifically, he analyzes “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.”
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens – This is a tale that lingers on the topic of attaining and maintaining a disciplined heart as it relates to one’s emotional and moral life. Dickens states that we must learn to go against “the first mistaken impulse of the undisciplined heart.”
Lolita – This is the kind of book that blows your mind wide open to conflicting feelings of life, love and corruption… and at times makes you deeply question your own perceptions of each. The story is as devious as it is beautiful.
Getting Things Done by David Allen – The quintessential guide to organizing your life and getting things done. Nuff said.
How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman – 900 pages of simple instructions on how to cook everything you could ever dream of eating. Pretty much the greatest cookbook ever written. Get through a few recipes each week, and you’ll be a master chef by the time you’re 30.
Honeymoon with My Brother by Franz Wisner – Franz Wisner had it all… a great job and a beautiful fiancée. Life was good. But then his fiancée dumped him days before their wedding, and his boss basically fired him. So he dragged his younger brother to Costa Rica for his already-scheduled honeymoon and they never turned back… around the world they went for two full years. This is a fun, heartfelt adventure story about life, relationships, and self discovery.
Self-note: Tip for my future business =D
give employees reasonably high pay to keep them- otherwise they are unlikely to stay loyal.
treat employees not according to how well they treat me but how conscientious they are at work
(of course, musn't expect them to only do work throughout the entire working hours -
give some breathing space too, we are humans, not machines) Movies watched(listing started on 6jan08)
in cinema from VCD/DVD
1Sep07: "Hairspray" w TK, GH & SH
14Sep07: "Ratatouille" w mom & extended family
28Dec07: "The Pianist" w Jus & Pam (heartbreaking but good lessons; i recommend!)
2Jan08: "I Am Legend" w Sherm (scary! but good acting; thought provoking; i recommend!)
5-6Jan08: "A Good Year" alone (excellent show! i like the acting; funny; good lessons; touches my heart; i recommend!)
11Jan08: "Le Grand Chef" w WLing, JT & Irene (good! funny, very touching, :) nice; watch if like humour+meaning+food)
7Feb08 (CNY 初一): "Ah Long Pte Ltd" w parents (pretty hilarious - but u gotta understand dialects, some teary parts. wells typical of jack neo movies but with diff content)
11Mar08: "The Leap Year" w Sherm (so sweet! :) and apart from couple relationship it touches the theme of mother-daughter and best friends too)
6Jun08: "P.S. I Love You" w Sherm (don't know if its coz we watched it on laptop, coz it didn't impress me as much as it did for him in cinema)
8Jun08: "The Forbidden Kingdom" w Lisa, Karen & Sandy (ums..guess i'm really not into kungfu)
8Jun08: "What Happens in Vegas" w Lisa, Karen & Sandy (simple,relaxing show)
7Jul08: "我和狗狗的10个约定" w Sherm, his ma & sisters (very simple,touching but actually not my type of show)
10Jul08: "Before Sunrise" w Sherm (hmm maybe watchg on laptop really affects appreciatn of movies..)
30Sep08: "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" w Sherm (i didn't like it as much as i thought i wld when i saw the ads)
31Dec08: "Yes Man" w Mom (inspiring and funny)
11Feb08: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" w Mom (not as impressive as i thought it wld be)
1Jul09: "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" w Yumei, YY & Matt (the best thing was the soundtrack. heh.)
14Aug09: "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" w Joyce (it was awesome! best action movie i've ever watched)
17Aug09: "Food, Inc." w SYL & RuiQ (learnt some stuff abt the American food industry but it was a bit boring and not worth the $10)
22Sep09: "The Time Traveller's Wife" w WB, VanD, WLing, CHL, Irene, VanQ, Mf, Pg (i liked it. having read the book really helps w udsg)
21Nov09: "Gokusen" w Mf, Eva, Tony, Sarah (funny inspirational movie)
24Dec09: "十月围城" w Tony, WLing, VanQ (action action and a bit funny? tony criticised the plot. my fav scene was the running n jumping through the crowd along the five-foot ways w/o cuts)
30Dec09: "Sherlock Holmes" w Irene, Tony, Sweetee (my favourite genre of books made into a movie - what else can be more cool? acting effects humour excitement suspense all in)
12Jan10: "Avatar 3D" w Mom (didn't appreciate the digital effects which everyone wowed about. content etc was so-so. cathay's 3D glasses were too heavy for me)
8Feb10: "The Truman Show" w Ky n sis n Yuhshin (a must-watch. very thought-provoking, funny. reminder to be spontaneous and create your life the way you want, instead of falling into a typical routine
14Feb10: "New York, I Love You" w Mom (I loved it! a good couple movie with meaningful pointers to keep it going. but i think some stories could be more developed)
16Feb10: rewatched "The Pianist" (still find it good, tho i still feel first viewings are the best)
17Feb10: "Valentine's Day" w CHL n WB (laughed throughout - a feel-good movie; liked the fact that the various stories binded tog so well with the little surprises here and there, vs NY ILU in which each story was separate)
20Feb10: "赤壁二" w Addy, Karen, Sharon, SJ (should have watched the first one first cos i ended up not knowing who's who and what's happening and had to keep asking :/ and couldn't pay attn.. if not i think it should be a pretty good movie..)
4Mar10: "Alice in Wonderland 3D" w Mf (i found the 3D effects of this @ CCK Shaw SO much better than Avatar @ The Cathay =/ and the movie was much more enjoyable too! - cheered a sad me up :)) favourite quote - the Mad Hatter: “You used to be much muchier before. ... You have lost your muchness.”)
18Mar10: "Nodame Cantabile" w Irene, Mf (i thoroughly enjoyed some of the orchestra pieces - SO impressive! the expressions of the actors were really amusing :D)
23Apr10: "Ice Kacang Puppy Love" w Mom (funny, touching and meaningful - about love between friends and family. i cried 3 tissues! cos some touching parts i could really understand the feelings of the characters involved)
Inception
Letters to God (very simple Christian movie)
22Nov10: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" w Ame, Irene (they loved it. pretty good, i guess the main problem i had was that im not familiar with HP :X)
13Dec10: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" w Sj (not bad, could follow the story unlike HP. like the meaningful teachings, too long - in a post)
2Mar11: "The King's Speech" w Ame (hilarious, inspirational, tho it doesn't impress me that much to understand why it's the Oscar winner)
Mar11: "10 Things I Hate About You" very funny. silly sweet high school romance. just right for having breaks in between doing homework
23May11: "Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides" w Wb Yl Ame Pg (pretty good - scenery, freakish parts, fighting scenes, dressing, humour, bits of Christianity like when the Spanish said "only God gives life")
6Jun11: "Xmen First Class" w Wb Ame Pg (i was very keen on watching it and it was really good! intellectual, makes sense, cool action, some humour)
9Jun11: "Legally Blonde 2" w Irene (seems like some dumb blonde movie but kind of meaningful too - speaking up for yourself and what you stand for)
17Jun11: "Something Borrowed" w Sandy Lisa (quite funny, somewhat meaningful wrt friendships. they didn't like the lack of sense for one part tho)
16Jul11: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" w Irene, Sweetee, Kw (not bad. i didn't understand some parts again but the humour and effects were pretty good)
Aug11 "Horrible Bosses" w Ma (she fell asleep! gosh. the movie was very crude i must say but there was the humour)
25Oct11: "The Three Musketeers" w H (i would rate it 3.5 for humour/intellectual language and 4 for action. it's by the same producer or director as Sherlock! but a bit less awesome albeit a good chill out movie)
5Nov11: "Real Steel" w Hl (action packed but not too hardcore for me. i liked that there was the father and son element and how the father eventually softened his heart and especially the part when charlie was having trouble telling max sth and max was so understanding saying "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." touching and demonstrates true fighting spirit)
12Dec11: "50/50" w L (adopting her words - a heavy topic put across in a lighthearted way, but not taking away d meaning. most of it was rather hollywood-ish trashiness but there were a couple of punch lines "u can't change ur parents, but u can change d way u respond to them.")
25Dec11: "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" w KY (ultimate action packed! super tense almost throughout the movie, and interesting Tom Cruise made it such that not everything happened smoothly - he would jump and misland and get all sorts of injuries..it's really the courage to jump without hesitation even though you are not sure you'll be alive after that. KY loved d movie and said she would watch it again!)
3Jan12: "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" w KY (i love mystery (: and the witty sarcastic dialogues. good level of excitement with the action. didn't understand some parts as usual. i like Holmes and Watson they depict such a true pair of buddies ;D)
23Jan12: "You are the Apple of My Eye" w mom (now i understand why guys like this movie so much - the anxiety of chasing after a girl and the acts schoolboys do to get the girl's attention and hopefully affection. the initial fluttering and the subsequent quarrelling)
22Mar12: "The Iron Lady" w KY (really love Thatcher's sharp words. inspiring and thought-provoking, tho i was still left uncertain of what to do with my life, the movie is definitely an encouraging one)
29Mar12: "Barney's Version" w SJ (a funny movie of a screwed up life of a man who had 3 wives, smoked and drank but very heartwarming at the same time, the relationships with the dad and the 3th wife - quotable quotes!)
27Apr12: "The Hunger Games" w Mom
4May12" "Avengers" w MF n PS (funny, action-packed)
7Jul12: "The Amazing Spiderman"
21Jul12: "The Dark Knight Rises" (fantastic depth, loved the twists)
20Aug12: "ParaNorman" w Mom (simple funny animated movie, heartwarming support)
Performances watched (listing started on 25Apr10)
20Jan10: Patrick Marber's Closer by outoftheBLUE, NUS Science w Pam (
13Mar10: The Rain Came Down Like Pearls the Night I Died... The New Musical - Sing & Tell by Mark Chan w Addy & Jy
21Mar10: Quintessence by NUSCO w CHL
