Piggy needs more money... '@'!!!

A few years ago, I kept an expenditure log. I didn't have as much spending power as now and I used to be quite the thrifty one. (Note: the phrase is "used to be". Sigh.) I don't think I can be labelled a spendthrift now either cos I do feel the pinch when spending on big ticket items on myself.

Anyway, my latest pinch was experienced after I bought the 2 bags mentioned in my previous post. In fact, it's more than a pinch. It's a burn, cut, whatever... just know that it's a super painful wound, cos after that day, my desire to shop was significantly reduced. Hmmm... I think if you show me a bag now, I won't have as much craving for it as I would before. Hee, turning over a new leaf, am I?

Well, something else that cured me of the shopping bug was when I checked my bank account yesterday. Alamak!!! Reality check. Need to save more, more, MORE!

So now it's back to the expenditure log. It's really useful and keeps me on my toes cos I can literally see how much goes out of my pocket each day. I'm starting to carry my Kate Spade organiser around with me so I can keep record as and when I need. Don't wanna wait till next year to start this log!

PS. I spent only $5 in all today on 2 meals. Heehee. Good start... good start. ;D

The BAG post

Have I ever mentioned that one of my greatest weaknesses is my love for BAGS???

It so is lor... despite my vast collection of bags (it's the biggest collection I have apart from my notebook/ pen collection, and it definitely costs more than stationery!), I feel I could never have enough of bags. It's like how some girls have a shoe fetish, and just love acquiring pairs and pairs of shoes, or like how some guys simply can't make do without the latest gadgets in their possesion. In fact, it's exactly the same way I feel about bags.

Not all bags catch my attention and make me go weak in the knees though. I always make purchases based on 2 principles -- functionality and 'feel'. Without either of these conditions fulfilled, a bag wouldn't have much appeal to me. Unfortunately, there are so many bags out there that seem to meet my criteria!

Here're my latest guilty acquisitions: 2 small hand-carry bags from Jim Thompson. I usually go for big bags cos I like to be able to just dump many items in one place, but I realise there are times when small bags would come in handy, so I do have some small bags in my store.

I saw the first one at the Jim Thompson corner at Takashimaya, but didn't buy it. Just wanted to consider it more so it wouldn't be an impulse buy. But I did love the design and the various compartments. Plus the colour's something I didn't have in my collection. What I love most about it is the base. It's small in size, but the broad base allows me to carry many of my essentials and more. :)

After *ahem* a day of consideration, I decided to check out the Jim Thompson store at Raffles Hotel, based on Hubby's suggestion. Actually I dunno why he encourages me to pursue my frivolous desire for bags... but anyway, I found the bag I wanted and, sigh...the second one caught my eye. It's made of good quality Thai fabric, not leather, and it's woven really nicely. Again, it's also a small handbag but I like the special look, single colour but of different shades, not plain.

The bags are not like branded or luxury bags that are so expensive to own, but this is the first time I bought more than a bag for myself at the same time. I think I need Hubby to write me a contract for me to sign, just like what I did to him to stop him from stepping into watch stores for the time being. I really need a restraining order! :p

When I returned home that evening, I was feeling so bad about spending on 2 bags just like that that I decided to shock myself into disciplining myself more when it comes to this weakness. I... made...a... list. A list of all the bags I own and would still consider using. And I'm not even gonna claim back the few bags I lent Beebee and which she has kept for a very long time... no point. I can't even finish using all those I have at home! :p

THE SINFUL LIST:

* 7 Tommy Hilfiger bags (assorted) -- 2 were gifts from Hubby

* 3 Burberry bags (assorted) -- 1 was a gift from Hubby

* 2 Loewe bags (assorted) -- both gifts from Hubby

* 2 Jim Thompson bags (small hand-carry)

* 1 Coach shoulder handbag

* 1 DKNY sling pouch

* 1 Calvin Klein big tote

* 1 Coast clutch

* 1 brandless bag bought from a department store in Japan

* 1 Victorinox backpack

* 1 Nike sports bag

* 1 big Le Coq Sportif lookalike large gym bag from Hong Kong -- gift from Sophia

Omg! See why I need a restraining order? I can't and shouldn't deal with any more bags... I'm already doing some of them injustice cos I seldom carry them now.

~HELP! I'VE GOT TO STOP!!!~

New communication tools!

Finally, Hubby got a new mobile phone to replace his previous Panasonic one -- yah, one might wonder: "Panasonic got handphone meh?!" That's cos the phone he used to carry was one that he bought three years back. So he's certainly quite deserving of a new phone.

Here's the new Nokia E71 phone he got. And it's Hubby's first-ever Nokia phone. He actually checked out a few phones, this included, and found out from online reviews that this one's the best of all those he was interested in. It did take him some time to get more familiar with the Qwerty keypad instead of the conventional mobile phone one but he's ok with it now. Screen's nice, and there're lots of functions that come with it. Hubby's really pleased with this. He spent hours and hours just exploring these functions!

And er...erm... here's my new Samsung G400. Ok ok! I'm terribly guilty for switching phones when the previous one I bought was purchased just last year. (Beebee already gave me a 'scolding' when she found out that I had gotten this new phone :p). But I really like this. There were also problems with my previous one on a few occasions and I happened to come across this when Hubby was enquiring about his E71 in the store. This is a newly-released phone, and is the first clamshell to have an exterior screen that responds to touch, so I can access some everyday functions without having to flip open the phone. I'm a loyal Samsung fan so having found this one that is reasonably priced and possesses aspects I like, I thought I just didn't wanna pass up this good opportunity. Am happy with it too. It's not as fanciful as Hubby's but I'm contented. :)

PS. And like I always say after getting a new phone, "I don't think I'm gonna buy a phone for a very very long time to come!"

Mission Accomplished!

Yes, it's done! Hubby completed his mission of constructing the Lego car he bought recently. It's pretty fun watching him do it so intently and seeing fewer and fewer blocks left in the plastic containers as they find a 'home' somewhere in the car and get neatly pressed in place. I also got a kick out of helping Hubby do some of the pressing.. hee. ;)

Above: The view of the construction at its different stages
Below: The completed vehicle! *applause* The 2 pics show the convertible with and without its top.



Hee, and below's the new home of the vehicle -- in Hubby's prized corner of his Alonso-Renault collection. Yeah, he decorated it some more on his own and rearranged the exhibits so this part looks nicer than before. :)

Boy, one can never tell what'd happen...

Yesterday was an unbelievable day for both Hubby and me... it was, as Hubby commented, like a fantasy that came true... :)

Hubby and I didn't have the smoothest time planning and carrying out our ideas for marriage back in 2006 when it came to my parents, especially my mum. There was some sort of conflict and there were times when situations were awkward or uncomfortable. But I'm just glad that since the day we got married, everything just kinda fell into place and we've all been able to spend nice family times together. But wow... what happened yesterday was more than anything Hubby and I had ever imagined.

Ok, first things first. Hubby and I joined my parents and Beebee in attending a little celebration at Hortpark. One of my older cousins became a happy dad recently and the party was to celebrate the baby becoming a month old. His mum, who's my mum's fourth sis, had invited us there, and specially mentioned that she would like to meet Hubby too. Hehe. So off we went, and yes, Hubby's appearance managed to satisfy the curiosity of my aunts. ;)

A simple vegetarian buffet was held at one of the function rooms at Hortpark, and we had a chance to go ga-ga over the adorable baby boy. He's such a nice baby! But a little sleepy then cos despite so many people crowding around him, he just continued sleeping and smiling at the same time! *Awwww* His dad's a staunch Buddhist, and so he got a Buddhist name -- Dao4 Xing2. I suppose it means that the boy will grow up to be someone who travels along the path of righteousness and does good deeds. :) Heh, a few of my relatives asked when it'd be our turn to have a kid cos my mum seemed to enjoy herself carrying little Dao Xing so they said she'd get her turn after I gave birth. Beebee also told me she wanted a little nephew/niece to play with. Haha. Anyway, I just gave my relatives a mysterious shrug and smile when they said that. Heh.

After the gathering, Hubby and I headed home with my parents and Beebee. Of course Beebee's a regular visitor to our home, but my parents hadn't come since they visited before our home was totally furnished, so we were both glad that they finally came over. And that's when the surprises started unfolding...

Papa and Mummy played ping pong at our place (first time in my life I witnessed either of them playing ping pong, much less together! @_@). Catch them in action!!!



Mummy actually sometimes looks like she's dancing instead of playing ping pong cos she 'slides' here and there and raises her bat in a Japanese geisha dance style in order to return shots. Haha. And my dad... wah, he's into smashing and jumps about at times. Really an eye-opener just watching them play! :D

Then later on, we all took turns joining in playing, but towards the later part of the evening, Hubby played with Papa, while Beebee became their guffawing spectator. And guess what Mummy was doing? That's another surprise: She was playing Guitar Hero! Hohoho... think she saw Beebee playing earlier and wanted to try it out. Papa also tried but er... CMI lah... think he's better at ping pong! :p

What an eventful day! And from the way Mummy played Guitar Hero, I can tell where I got my 'undying spirit' from -- whenever I play games, I usually strive on to break my previous records or to compete against others (including the computer) even if I have to keep trying and trying. And that's what Mummy did... she was playing the song "Surrender" and kept pressing "Retry" so as to complete the song... she did that for at least like 20 times lor...@_@.

Then we all went out to Jurong Entertainment Centre for dinner at Pizza Hut to end the evening. It was the first time Beebee gave the whole family a treat! Earning money on her own already mah... Big girl liao! Heehee... thanks, Beebee! ;)

Clockwise from top left: chef's salad with roasted chicken, creamy chicken meatballs (yum, my favourite Pizza Hut treat!), ocean platter, and the main courses we ordered -- Mummy and Hubby's same choice of crayfish pasta, my light (and thus bland; a bit of a regret for trying to be health conscious :p) chicken pasta tossed in olive oil, and baked chicken pasta with pineapple chunks for Papa, and Beebee's baked tomato sausage pasta (which she also regretted cos she didn't expect it to be so strong in tomato taste :p). Anyway we tried one another's course so it wasn't so bad for Beebee and me in the end. Hee.

Gee, life certainly leaves us with loads of unexpected twists right? If only all were as positive as the events that took place yesterday. ;)

Work in progress...

Hubby's on a mission. Serious mission.

He brought home many many parts of a beautiful vehicle and has to construct it successfully. Not a super easy task. Requires a whole lot of patience and concentration. In fact, he's right next to me as I type, with eyes wide open and mumbling to himself about the parts from time to time. Eheh. So cute.

He...has to build... A LEGO TOY CAR. (*background playing "Mission Impossible" song) It's the first LEGO set he bought since we were together, so it's pretty commemorative, especially since he's always been a LEGO fan but just didn't purchase any sets till now. :)

The exterior of the box which holds all the precious pieces (front + back). This set is interesting cos it can transform into 3 different vehicles, instead of the parts forming just one. That's also why Hubby chose it.

There! We had a mock opening ceremony where Hubby got me to press and tear open half of the box with him. Haha. So many packets of parts and manuals to look at. We didn't want any of the parts to go missing or be mixed up with other parts, so I went to the kitchen and dug out many of my plastic microwaveable containers that I kept, and washed them clean so Hubby could pour the pieces into different containers.

Am sure looking forward to the completion of the project! ;) Hubby ganbatte ne!

A Friday evening

Yesterday was the evening I was supposed to attend a theatre production (by 'order' of the school) cos the big boss plans to stage our own school musical of the same story next year (here comes Monster Stress again!!!).

Anyway, before I got to the designated venue, I spent some quiet time alone... and actually enjoyed it. Hubby left home with me in the late afternoon but he proceeded to meet his... *ahem*... friend. So I ended up at Bugis alone with over an hour to kill before I had to walk over to where the musical was staged -- the National Library.

I rarely have such time to myself on a weekday evening out there in a bustling mall whereby I have to walk around and eat dinner out there. At first I thought I'd be totally bored, and for a while, as I walked about aimlessly, I did get a bit bored. However, a peaceful feeling settled within me as I managed to find a cosy corner spot at Sakae Sushi for dinner. It was slightly before 6pm, so there wasn't any noisy crowd, just a few diners talking quietly among themselves. I got a few dishes off the conveyor belt, and oh ya! I discovered a new item on the menu which incorporated 2 of my favourite Jap food treats -- chawanmushi + unagi = unagi chawanmushi! Heehee. So of course I went ahead to order that off the menu. ;) It tasted good, but basically it's just plain steamed egg with 2 small square pieces of unagi on the top, so I think I'd still pick the conventional one in future. :p

Stayed at the restaurant for more than half an hour, just eating slowly and reading my current novel. Sometimes I'd look up to do some people-watching for a while too. Hmm... this lone time felt interestingly serene and relaxing to me. It's as if I'm an invisible individual, just watching the world go by and immersing in my own quiet leisure. :)

After I left the restaurant, I went down to the basement where J.Co was and bought myself a light yoghurt with strawberry and kiwi toppings. I know... I know... I'm supposed to stay off such desserts but I just felt like I wanted to pamper myself a bit. (Plus, it's a light yoghurt that's 97% fat free ok. :p) Heh. So I got what I wanted and just strolled off out of the mall and down the streets towards National Library, savouring my cold fruity yoghurt. Nice! I enjoyed both the yoghurt and the walk. :)

Finally, I reached the National Library. It was closed for a staff annual event; only the drama centre section was open. Met up with some of my colleagues there. We were to watch "The Wizard of Oz". Sigh, the service staff at the reception area leading the ushers weren't professional/ polite (so different from those at the Esplanade) but forget it, shall not bring up the upsetting incident here. Anyway already complained a whole lot to Hubby when he came home last night liao. :p

And thank goodness the musical was great! It comprised both local and foreign talents and every actor/ actress played his/her part real convincingly. And I loved the stage props and lighting and music cos they really blended with each scene so well that they managed to evoke emotions from the audience. There were also some hilarious parts in the show. And the costumes -- so perfect for each role! I especially enjoyed watching the Munchkins -- they had actors kneeling down to portray little people, and each actor had to also control a specially made puppet that looked like one of the Munchkins as well. Ingenious! And they were all so cute. Loved the Winkies too cos they were so funny with their singing and marching. Really enjoyed myself watching the performance.

The main cast:

Dorothy Gale -- Mariel Reyes

Zeke/ Lion -- Timothy Julian Nga U On (hosted Mediacorp programmes and acted on TV before; quite a familiar face)

Hunk/ Scarecrow -- Dwayne Lau

Hickory/ Tin Woodman -- Robert Jenkin

BOTH THUMBS UP for this theatre production!!! :)

Bouquet, anyone?

I'm not a very 'flower' kinda girl, but I've always thought you'd get a nice feeling when someone gives you a bouquet, or even a stalk of rose (the ones I get are usually from students on Teachers' Day, not Hubby. He's only given me one small bouquet all these years we've been together -- bought from one of those buzz stations at bus-stop one some more. :p)

Anyway, if you think bouquets are nothing more than just flowers, think again when you see the following pics...hee.

So kawaii ne! Beebee emailed out these pics recently. Love the way the flowers form the cute doggies. Now THIS bouquet I want. Haha.

Reflection on children & parenting

I once came across this quote: "Simply having children does not make parents."

How true.

It seems that, while there are couples who love children and who reproduce to complete their family, or to take their love to a higher level, there are also many others who have kids simply because they see it as a part and parcel of life, without fully realising how heavy the responsibility is.

In Singapore, it may be astonishing to the average Singaporean, who lives comfortably, that there are many many real-life cases in which parents cause their own children's downfall. One has no idea the pain and suffering that these children go through at such a tender age, when they need the most emotional support as they undergo adolescence.

No matter how naughty, rebellious or lazy a child may seem to be, there is always a root cause of his behaviour. And often, the root cause is the parents.

In my view, no one should have the right to have children unless he/she knows what being a parent entails. It's a LIFE we are talking about. If we decide to give life, we should have what it takes to be able to sustain that life to the fullest, be it in terms of financial, mental or emotional needs.

Some parents obviously do not fulfill the above unspoken criteria, but just give birth to one child after another, thinking that all they need to do is to keep them alive. In the end, the children suffer, and when they grow up, they continue the habits of their parents, and hence the next generation suffers too.

It's a vicious cycle, but one that seems to be getting out of hand in the Singapore context.

I was just discussing with a colleague today how all couples who decide to have children should be made to attend a parenting course which imparts to them the skills and knowledge required to be good parents. It is just so sad to hear of the lives of kids being ruined forever simply because their parents do not know how to cater to their needs.

I don't claim that I would one day be a perfect parent. But at least, I know I will try to be as good a parent as I can be.

It's a barren land. Now.

Trees gone. Birds left homeless. Grass eliminated.

In their place now stand huge slabs of cement, muddy land and lots of tracks left by machinery.

It's confirmed. The place is supposed to be ready by 2012. By then, we should be able to view, from our TV lounge, 40-storey blocks of apartments, a 3-storey carpark with a rooftop garden (hopefully for our viewing pleasure as well) and more amenities.

Meanwhile, we'll just track how it progresses.

Sigh.

Hush Puppies Warehouse Sale

Yesterday I met up with Beebee at Bukit Batok cos she had asked me to go along with her to a Hush Puppies Warehouse Sale at their office near Bukit Batok Swimming Complex. They set up shop outside the office and, despite the wet weather, drew quite a crowd. Some even came in cabs with their families.

The items on display were mostly apparels-- men, ladies and children; no shoes though. Not bad lah, the deals. Many of the ladies tops were going for $10-$19, and underwear for both males and females were pretty cheap-- ladies $10 for four, men $8 for a box of 5. Pretty good. Just too bad I didn't spot anything that was cheap and that I really liked, so I behaved myself and didn't buy any (though was tempted to a couple of times). Another thing stopping me from buying was the thought of Hubby nagging at me about my overflowing wardrobe which I had just cleared, but even so, I could imagine him saying "You got so many clothes already still buy... just clear wardrobe then wanna fill it up again...LPPL what, like that...blah blah blah...blah blah blah...", and I'd never hear the end of it, so I decided to save my ears from the 'torture'. :p

Anyway, Beebee was the lucky one who walked away with a few items. It was quite fun lah, just rummaging through the sales items, hoping to come across a steal. I hardly attend such sales on purpose, but I guess next time if one comes along, I'd be interested in going, as long as it doesn't require long travelling time. Heh.

Cosy BBQ & mini birthday celebration :)

Hubby and I received an exclusive invitation for a BBQ @ Hougang some time ago, and we attended it yesterday, much to our enjoyment. :) It was held in celebration of HZ's birthday, and in the early evening, we appeared at HZ and Jess's place to meet up with them. They had catered food from <http://www.ezb.com.sg/> (must check it out! It's a great website for ordering pre-marinated BBQ items) and we were to BBQ the food ourselves at a pit in the neighbourhood.

I'm not very experienced at barbecuing food, and previously, whenever I attended BBQ gatherings, it would always be some others standing at the fire settling the food. Heh. But yesterday, I experienced what the fun was all about -- we took turns barbecuing the food and I enjoyed myself placing the food on the grill and turning it over occasionally. Haha. The simple joys in life. Plus the environment was cosy. There wasn't anyone else barbecuing except for the four of us, and it was a amidst some greenery and a short distance from a playground. Very cosy area, indeed. :) Too bad I'd left my camera in my handbag, or else I'd have taken pics of the place and the food we ate.

The food! Yes, yummy yummy. So tasty lor! We had a variety of items-- chicken wings, cheese sausages, cream dory fillet, stingray with sambal chilli, corn, potato, satay, sotong etc. The sausages and chicken wings are my favourite. Heehee. Ate quite a few of them. :p

After that, we gathered back at HZ and Jess's place and had a follow-up celebration, during which Jess presented her darling with a special home-made tiramisu. Check it out!

I was so impressed with her efforts to do this while keeping it a secret from HZ. She told us that she had to ensure he was asleep then get up on her own to work on her present in the kitchen until like 4am or something. Wow... really yong4 xin1 liang2 ku3. ;) And it smelt and tasted great, with the heavenly aroma of coffee. Nice job! Can just picture the 'pains' she went through to make sure that everything went smoothly. Not easy keeping secrets from one's other half, especially if you have to hide something when he's around in the house too. Heh. Think HZ must be so touched too. Hee.

Hubby also presented HZ with a set of Jeffrey Archer's novels to add to his collection. Hope he likes it! :)

Singapore Biennale 2008 @ South Beach Road

I went out with my class earlier this afternoon on an arts tour at South Beach Road, one of the few locations in the central district of Singapore that was part of the Singapore Biennale 2008, a display of world-renowned artists' works which takes place once every two years, hence the term "biennale" (pronounced "bee-na-lei", which I only just found out. Thought it was "bi-ann-el" at first. :p)

It was pretty cool. The displays were put up at this really old, run-down building just across the road from Raffles Hotel, built in the 1930s. There are several rooms, and each room showcases exhibits of a unique theme. Although it was so warm in there (it's not air-conditioned) and the kids and I were perspiring as if we were all roaming about in a giant sauna, we still enjoyed ourselves tremendously as we followed the guide around, viewing the art installations. Below constitute interesting displays that evoked many oooohs, ahhhs, waaaahhhhs, wows, and whoas from us. Heh.

Here's a romantic verse on display way up on the external walls of the run-down building, in both English and Chinese. Had one of my boys read these aloud while we were waiting around outside, and he was so "drama" when he did it, despite mispronouncing several of the Chinese words (eg. "kiss" sounded like "smell", which got me teasing him), that he made us all giggle. Heh, he was such a good sport!

These are supposed to be pictures of coastal villages and such, but the interesting thing is that they are created using bits and pieces of leftover food. According to the guide, the artist, like many other artists whose works are showcased as well, believes that art is not confined to certain tools, and that virtually anything can be used in artistic expression. (Think in the above pics, there are leaves of cooked kang kong, crabmeat, pasta, brown rice etc.)

Here're a couple of other exhibits created using a food item. But no hands were involved in this. Guess what? The only material used was chewing gum, and the artist sculpted these using nothing else but his teeth, tongue and saliva. As our humorous guide says, "He just chew chew chew, and then pui! All these come out." Haha. But what impressed me was the first display -- looks like a mother cradling a baby. Genius, man! (But what was a bit disgusting was the wet saliva hanging off the gum statue. :p)

Next, we went into this room where there're overhead projectors, and the screen's on the floor, made of real sand. Video clips are shown on the sand-screen, and the sand complements the essence of what was being screened. The first one portrays the idea of a man being persecuted as his body lay buried beneath the ground while his head was set on fire after it was bandaged several times. (That one horrified a number of us. Luckily the image isn't sharp so not so traumatising.) The second one is a well in which lay a mirror that reflects water, instead of the water lying directly in the well.

Oh this one's nice. Many of us liked this immediately. It's a swing made of flourescent lamp rods made of glass. This one symbolises a combination of the idea of childhood and fragility, which depicts how childhood can be so fragile and easily destroyed if one does not show sufficient love and care to a child.

There's this room with the floor filled with black cards, and the artist wants to offer space for anyone who steps into the room to interact with the display of cards on the floor. The kids had a good time just kicking or shuffling the cards around. Heh. (Erm, me too. :p)

This other room also caught our attention -- it's a tiny room, with walls made of compressed junk materials, with some looking really old. We were scutinising the junk materials, and saw plush toys, old TV, old radio, bird cage, books, oldies tapes etc. Heh, the kids were so interested in this that the guide had to constantly scream in a joking tone, "Don't touch ah! Later the whole thing collapse!" (Think he was really half-seriously concerned cos so many kids were all trying to squeeze into the room. Haha.)

A door? Nope, it's not a real door, but a really good sketch of one on a plain white wall in a dark room.

We also loved this part of the exhibit and even took a few class pics here. It may seem like just a normal paint job done on the walls and ceiling, but in actual fact, it's made of orange translucent tape carefully plastered across the room. (Look carefully at the window panes and gaps at the side of the room and you'll see that it's not paint.) Wow, the pains and patience one must have to create this.

This hair salon surprised many of the kids with its play on reflections/ mirror images. Haha, must be there then can experience it for yourself.

Oh and this is a little mystery that fascinated us. There's this spot under a tree which was all white and a bit powdery and sticky at the same time and had bars of dried-up soap lying about-- many many bars! And when we neared the area, we could detect the strong smell of the soap. There's also a small tub and stool sitting there amidst this pool of soap. The guide says that someone would shower there twice a day, leaving the soap behind. Gee. ??? (Yeah, and half my kids asked if they could visit again at the time when the person is showering so they can see who it is/ see him showering. *faint*)

Well, there are more artworks to be appreciated there; would take a very very long time to post everything. But basically, I enjoyed myself there, particularly cos I was also with my own form class -- great kids, fun-loving but well-behaved-- so I was able to view the displays without having to really discipline them much. Also had fun ooohing and ahhhing with them. Haha.

Good job, Singapore Biennale 2008! ;)