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Sunday, November 14, 2010

the awesome friends

Three days ago, I received a call from Meili, her tone was solemn as she conveyed the message to me. Ericia has been admitted into the hospital for liver failure and she was to be operated on Saturday 13/11/10. Her chance of survival was 30%. I was shocked and lost for words. I haven't been meeting up with the polyforum peeps since 3 years ago, and to receive such news... how could such thing have happened to Ericia? She is pretty, sociable, capable.. We were to wait for news for Pengfei, who was in contact with Ericia's brother..

Saturday came, and after my resume photoshoot, I met Meili and Pengfei and we cabbed down to.... Sentosa where Tim was and he will drive us over all together. I was wondering, why couldn't we go straight to the hospital? And besides, they told me the operation was at 8pm but it was already 8pm by the time Pengfei came to fetch us.. but in any case we followed Pengfei to meet Tim. We got up the escalator towards USS and when we reached the ground level, I heard a Birthday song and a brightly lit birthday cake! SO, it was a birthday celebration for Meili and I!

Ericia was well alive, laughing.. saying "I'm supposed to be dead by now". Our whole Polyforum gang (plus Junyi, Calvin, Ruby) was there.. Meili and I looked at each other in surprise and the next moment we were attacking Pengfei. Seriously, I was so worried for Ericia! But then again, I was so gullible. How could Ericia be playing Farm games on FB when she was hospitalised? Lots of loopholes and they revealed all their tricks and stories.. what an interesting surprise!!

We then went to Chili's and had our dinner where we talked about old stories..
Calvin's gonna join PAP right? lol

Tim drove so we had a second session at Robinson's Quay TCC. We talked and talked about other stuff.. White Peach Yogurt Drink was good!! Tim's treat :p Left at 1am and Tim drove ALL of us back.. Toa Payoh>Yishun>Jurong>Kovan>Balestier.. isn't that crazy!! we were all so confused with the expressways.. changing here and there... he's awesome!!

you know, it's kind of amazing how much we can still relate when I have been missing out so much on their lives, and them, on mine. the 3 days cruise in 2007 has interestingly bonded us together until now, and I'm grateful for this friendship. countdown to MBS outing!

Monday, October 4, 2010

hall 9 dinner and dance 2010

02.10.10
this year's theme was Oriental Fusion!
i was part of the sub-committee and it was an awesome experience!
although i was totally tired out and still feeling the fatigue after 24hrs......

i shall let the pictures do the talking :D

venue - onboard ship ChengHo

i was the pageant coordinator + official Polaroid photographer (door gift) for the night

with Hinho

Sinyee, who was feeling a little seasick

Japanese, Indian and Chinese :D

with my Orientation Group :D

Toshihito-senpai with his Japanese school uniform

Shanghai Tang?




The dragon onboard Cheng Ho




Trying to be funny on the stage during the break

with Loi (Wx's boyfriend!)


more pictures on facebook :D

Sunday, July 25, 2010

超人JAY-跨时代演唱会!

24/07/10
JAY CHOU THE ERA 2010 WORLD TOUR!




I think I was rather lucky! to have gone to the concert :D
My brother was supposed to go with his gf but he had to go overseas for a work trip so the ticket came to me :)

Being a fan... wahaha. My last concert was Eason's..










Lightstick POWER! Concert must-have!


































The 3D effects were AWESOME!
the props were minimal because they created visual effects using a 3D screen.
Jay was so suave with his 自弹自唱~
I love the Four Seasons theme - Sang 稻香(Spring), 阳光宅男(Summer), 龙卷风(Autumn), 想你就写信 (Winter)... the crowd was super high during 阳光宅男!

But I wished Jolin was his special guest :(


Jolin and Jay at Taipei concert 2010

SEE?! AWESOME-NESS:)

but still i enjoyed the concert very much :D
jay is really talented.. <3

Friday, June 18, 2010

Live responsibly, live sustain-ably!



























REAP - Responsible Energy Advocate Program

I am a Responsible Energy Advocate! :)

Attended these 4-days workshop on energy conservation sponsored by Power Seraya --
though not directly related to my course of study, it was very enriching!!
we have to come up with a project proposal + do an energy audit for 3 families at the end of this whole program...

i'm loving how all these are turning out to be.. i learnt so much AWESOME stuff..
workshop by Mr Robert Steele, talk by CEO of Power Seraya (so inspirational.....), visit to Power Plant on Jurong Island - the technicians who showed us around were so interesting and knowledgeable! i really enjoyed my trip there... and i made good friends! Cecily, 'Lychee' Li Yhee and Pui Yee :) i'm known as the impatient one :D

who says business student can't do green! ;)

ohhh ohh.. i got into marketing! alrightsssss ;P


left the workshop today for a brief 2 hrs to attend an interview at DENSO for an overseas exchange program.. it was WOW~ panel of five (one from Japan, one from Thailand, three from SG) versus 3 participants! there were doctorate students, graduating students.. and i'm just a puny year biz student hehe ;p they asked quite a few questions, and we finally had a discussion question.. the 3 of us worked tgt and i think we did really well!! :)) got to know Garen from NTU who is an awesome fellow.. and Sean who has this really cuteee pencil case made from a tape holder... RECYCLE :D
i'm keeping my fingers crossed for this program!! XD

ohh why does it clash with ABCC ambassador programmm........oh wellssss

people, remember... we need to do our part for the environment! start with simple things like turning your air cons up by one degree... IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

count your blessings;






























went down to a primary school in the East to help out with a Mathematics study interview.
there were 2 groups of students from 2 schools situated next to each other.

i was in charge of student profiling today, and was tasked to ask them about parents' occupations etc. i realised a lot of their families are not very well-to-do, despite the increasing impression that Singaporeans are better-off now as compared to our parents' era.

one student i asked had a family of 7,8 people but she lives in a one-room HDB flat.
another had her father coming out of jail only recently and her mum is still serving her sentence.
one reluctant student revealed after much probing that BOTH the parents are in jail.
some don't even know where their fathers and mothers are.

"never seen her before";
"no father";

was what they said.

another girl was quoted saying:

"I HATE my mother"


my heart was so heavy when i heard all these.

it made me rethink my many materialist wants and made me appreciate more that i have a complete and happy family.

i could feel their awkwardness, especially when their answers were "no father" or "no mother".
however they are really cheerful kids, despite their family backgrounds.

seriously, what more could i ask for?


i wish for them to grow strong, and happy lives.



count your blessings, people ;)

Monday, May 3, 2010

TAIPEI (14)

24 June 2009
科技大樓→西門町→新加坡

visiting the old neighbourhood - we lived in my uncle's house 5 years ago



my mum wanted to buy konbu from the wet market



my uncle's house is very cool, his daughters' room is Japanese style, i loved it...
it would be weird to impose on him every time we come to Taiwan, so we decided to spend a little money for hotels instead.

i could remember him as a very very nice guy who took us out for dinner, bought us big and sweet strawberries which were in season, went to stay in his bro's house and left his whole house to us.... i still send him new year cards but i dunno if he receives them cos he doesn't reply (probably too busy with his business..)

would love to meet him again :)

had breakfast at the shop near the neighbourhood - still there after 5 long years.


9am at SOGO - to meet Uchikawa san and Dozono san
HAHAHA.. fancy meeting my Japanese friends in Taiwan.
Kuroki was missing :(

They were busy preparing for their fair so mum and I shopped around...

Bought Tai Yang Bing from B2 - bad experience.
the Tai Yang Bing was broken, and the mixed box wasn't "mixed" at all. the fillings were almost the same. so i wrote a super long letter (trust me, it's really long. if you look at it you won't even want to read on. it's all traditional chinese and i spent almost an hour writing it)to SOGO Taiwan and they requested for my number to apologise to me directly. I am still thinking whether to give them or not. Also no compensation. Already back in Singapore.

Here's the letter if you want to read....

Dear Administrator, I am from Singapore, and was in Taiwan in June. I sent my feedback previously to the SOGO online message board, however no replies nor actions were taken. 我來自新加坡. 我之前留過言,但並沒有收到任何回復. 我和我家人在6月17日的中午去了SOGO復興,臨走之前我們在B2逛了一會兒. 我的哥哥聽說台灣的太陽餅很好吃,所以我們想了很久終於選了璞真記. 因為也不知道好不好吃,所以買了4個當時那個服務小姐很不禮貌的說了一句:”你們看這麼久只買4個啊?” 請問單單買4個有錯嗎? 不過我們是遊客,反正都不會再回來,所以也沒追究. 我哥覺得璞真記的太陽餅很不錯,所以在24日我們回國之間,我和我媽媽特地跑了一趟. 因為要趕回國的班機,所以9點之間就在SOGO外頭等了. 多謝一位熱心的清潔工人,我們才知道B2 10點才營業,所以在B3逛了一個小時. 因為服務小姐(是和之間同樣一位)告訴我們告訴太陽餅綜合16裝有4種口味,所以我們決定買太陽餅綜合16裝,并向服務小姐)要了一盒新的. 但她卻拿了display那盒包起來. display那盒明明就有一些破碎了!!我們再次要求,她就說太陽餅本來就應該是破的(真的嗎??我不知道…), 然後換了一, 兩個給我們. 因為趕時間,所以沒有再要求.既然是SOGO,不會有問題的吧? 大錯特錯.回國以後,我們發現到16個太陽餅幾乎全部都碎了..!!(我們很小心了,因為同樣的服務小姐跟我們說一定要手提)而且,綜合裡面有至少6個竽頭,根本沒有我哥哥喜歡的原味!!搞什麼啊??只有3個口味,芋頭就佔了差不多一半…這是什麼種的綜合?? 這次的經驗然我對SOGO很不滿,不要說服務,連貨品的品質都不能保證!! 特地跑去買,人也到了新加坡,又不能退貨, 沒辦法要給了親友們破碎的餅當禮, 很無奈你知道嗎? 我知道我也有不對,應該先檢察不過服務小姐也不應該給我們錯的information啊..要是外國的旅客都有這種經驗,SOGO的名譽就會下滑.. 台灣很好玩,台灣人也很親切,是個好地方,但卻沒想到會在最後一天,在SOGO遇到了不愉快的事.. I am very disappointed with the service recovery, and I hope necessary measures will be taken to make sure nothing like this happen again. 我的國語不是很好,打這條留言就花了我好多時間,也無非想要SOGO進步,跟得到合理的解釋和交代.我想留言的各位都是這樣想的..我們可以不留言,但這樣SOGO的服務永遠都不會改善.. 我希望SOGO也用同樣的時間調查這件事,不要再給我和大家一個 官方的回答…請給我們重新相信SOGO的理由…謝謝… 你也不必叫我打什麼專線,因為我也不了解會不會有國際費用..電郵我也寄了.. 只差投訴到日本SOGO罷了… 如果顯得沒禮貌,請願諒.. 謝謝.. 儀/Singapore

Even I dread reading the letter again. My eyes hurt.

The Tai Yang Bing was nice but the service sucked. If I was still there I'll complain until they compensate me double the amount. (yes i am complaint queen! but i study hospitality, you cannot blame me...)i am really angry because the staff gave wrong info, and sold us inferior products.
SOGO/Japanese Service isn't invincible after all.

they called me and they are going to courier another box of goodies over XD

back to Ximending to meet the sleepy heads.

Dedicated to Joanne:




He looks different from angle up and down. haha.

I really don't understand why the remote control is secured with the room key.
WHAT IS THE RATIONALE?

Hotel: Red Cabin 紅菱閣
Other than the super duper hard bed (it doesn't move an inch even when you jump in it), the receptionists are friendly, it's affordable and convenient. you can book rooms in english too, so very tourist-friendly.


bus to airport.



despite taking 3 bags each, all luggages came to a total of 40+ kg only. I think we decided to hand carry many stuff..

filmsy air ticket. they are really going paperless, aren't they?
it almost feel worthless..

i would love to stay but i was penniless..
(there are still some bills to be paid, we used CC for 2 of the hotels)
OMG............................

walking to T2 to get some medications (money from mummy, really ZERO NT$$)

saw some exhibits... kids wrote their wishes on them...

希望我全部都第一. Jeff.
真的很希望....


希望我能考上第一名,這樣爸爸,媽媽會很開心.

我希望考試第一名. 全家平平安安.

Seriously, is winning that important?
Is victory just for your parents? I feel a bit upset after reading all these..
what kind of education are they getting?
Most of them were about getting first, and their ambitions...

Primary school art??



Ok, if you see these pictures you know we are on our way back to Singapore...




that was a pretty sunset we saw...
happy ending to everything :)

**

can't believe we are back in Singapore...
i miss the night markets, the endless cheap shopping, the street performers, the mountains, the friendly(and social responsible) citizens....

we are planning to go there every year :D
you dunno what you have been missing until you have been there!!

TAIPEI (13)

23 June 2009
台北後車→西門町→士林夜市


some pictures before we leave for Taipei again...






awesome breakfast!!
look at yx hahaha


Kaohsiung was good! if only the weather was better...




YUMS :)


Bian Dang!





we forgot to alight at Taipei.

yes we FORGOT!

Kaohsiung to Taipei was a loonngg 5 hours ride, we didn't want to take the bullet train because it was a bit more expensive (actually come to think of it it's just 25 bucks more for half the time...)

so i think we were drowsy after such a long sleep... and also because they announce Taipei as the next stop just before the train reach the current station... (opposing to Singapore which announces the current stop, so we took it as the NEXT stop after that was Taipei) so it was like,

Announcer: "下一站:台北"..
Us: Oh.. next stop.. let's get ready..

so we were getting ready and i stood up to straighten my clothes and stuff and glanced out of the window...

(sign reads Taipei) "Oh Taipei.. hmm so there's a little Taipei in the stop before.. or do they show the name of the stop before you reach? that's good...."

"no,wait.. Taipei? ...Taipei!"
(looked at the digital signboard: Next stop - Songshan)

HUH?
by this time the train was picking up its speed already....
choochoo...

We then panicked and the impact was in our face: we missed the stop -__-"
now, what can be the best situation and worst situation:

Best: Alight at next stop (mins away)and take another train back
Worst: Alight at next stop (HOURS away)and take another train back

we took our train schedules and checked. it's amazing how people work under pressure..
efficient.. haha

and so we realised Songshan was 7 mins away from Taipei (THANK GOD!!! what if it was 2 hours? we could have wasted 4 hours in total then)

upon reaching Songshan we rushed out to find the platform back to Taipei.. and we were in time for the next train.. phew :)



The afternoon was scheduled to get souvenirs for family and friends in Singapore - imagine! an afternoon just to get the souvenirs.. and there were not enough to spare despite buying so much..... (we bought about 10 boxes of pineapple tarts, 6,7 packets of muah chee, 2 big packets of nougats, 3 and more boxes of Tai Yang Bing.... like New Year like that...)

We split ways today so we could achieve more...

brought my mum to Hou Che Zhan to get some clothes and stuff...

The exit Y13 I was talking about in an earlier post..

my mum and her prized pineapple tarts.. travelled here JUST for the tarts...
But I must say there is a reason why they were awarded for the tarts..
值得排!!! awesome stuff


Met Bro and YX at Ximending.
We were like."Once you arrive at XMD,switch on your walkie so we will know each other's locations". Yes,we brought walkie talkies to Taiwan and I'm sure we saved a lot on phone bills..

we shopped around till evening when we proceed to Shihlin, our favourite night market.


the famous mee sua in front of the temple..

(yes i really like mee sua and i requested mee sua and bubble red tea on the last night...)

more shopping... i spent my remaining NT$$ here..
sad to say i was ZERO NT$$ by the time i got back to singapore..
so did most of us T.T
(we brought S$800, S$1000[including hotels] so you can see the damage done)

the shopping and food killed us....
but we enjoyed them... hahaha

Chicken not Little




random video we took - it was funny for all of us...
and my mum was acting la, she wasn't angry..