Random things that happened recently...

Ever since I got FB, I havent been diligent in my blogging...
but here goes: Random things that happened recently...

Suffered a bump on my Shin...

Scrapped my shin against the edge of the pool when I was supporting my kid to exit from the pool..

Me too black, cant see the bruise yet, will probably take a while before it blushes...

bump is evident....

Soooo OUCH!

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My newest adult lady student gave me these...

She says 女人must look after our out look and maintain even when we age!

She says I should use these since my hair gets chlorinated so often...

before it becomes a tuft of grass, i better look after it!

So sweet of her lah!  

She also cooked these,

and insisted to give it to me for my dinner after our swim class.

It's my fav soup!

* Recently i have the honoured to be invited to my other swim student's house to eat the Pig Trotters she asked her mother to cook for me! She knew I love Braised trotters!

There goes my Diet! But i feel so loved and blessed!

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I received these in the post...

I have been accepted by SIM...

gona be a 穷学生 again!

 

When I graduate...I would have just turned 34yrs old...

Provided I dun repeat any of my modules!

Must take note of the school term breaks n holidays!! kekek!

Movie *單身男女* n *Inside Job*

Watched two movies today:

a Romance Comedy that is practical... (for once)

*单身男女* Don't go Breaking my Heart*

Synopsis
Cheng Zhi En (Gao Yuan Yuan) comes from mainland China and works as an investment analyst in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong her personal love life and career are not running smoothly. His ex-boyfriend is married and the investment market suffers from financial crisis.

Her work is always stressful and her best consolation is a male executive working opposite her office called Zhang Shen Ran (Louis Koo), who is handsome and always advises her during the times of need.

One day while she is taking a tram she accidentally meets up with her ex-boyfriend (Terence Yin) and his pregnant wife (Selena Li), and leaves them immediately. During that incident she almost get knocked down by a car. She got saved her life by Fang Qi Hong (Daniel Wu) who dresses like a beggar.

And in order to thank him she gives all the things given by her ex-boyfriend to him so that he could sell them away. Actually Qi Hong is a frustrated architect and always get drunk. Zhi En encourages him to quit drinking, start from scratch once again and leaves him a horned frog.

Zhi En has plan to date Shen Ran but he already have an appointment with another lady. She feels sad like a broken hearted woman after knowing this. She also has an appointment with Qi Hong at the park but she herself fails to show up.

Three years later Shen Ran becomes Zhi En's boss. She feels his boss is very low class due of his 'playboy' character and Shen Ran has intention to marry Zhi En. At the same time Qi Hong quits drinking and becomes the country's renowned architect.

Qi Hong moves to the office building opposite Zhi En's and the two get back together once again. He also has love interest with Zhi En. Both men are after her at the same time. Who will Zhi En choose in the end?

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Something more solemn n dark...

*Inside Job*

The subject of Inside Job is the global financial crisis of 2008. It features research and extensive interviews with financiers, politicians, journalists, and academics. The film follows a narrative that is split into five parts.

The film focuses on changes in the financial industry in the decade leading up to the crisis, the political movement toward deregulation, and how the development of complex trading such as the derivatives market allowed for large increases in risk taking that circumvented older regulations that were intended to control systemic risk. In describing the crisis as it unfolded, the film also looks at conflicts of interest in the financial sector, many of which it suggests are not properly disclosed. The film suggests that these conflicts of interest affected credit rating agencies as well as academics who receive funding as consultants but do not disclose this information in their academic writing, and that these conflicts played a role in obscuring and exacerbating the crisis.

A major theme is the pressure from the financial industry on the political process to avoid regulation, and the ways that it is exerted. One conflict discussed is the prevalence of the revolving door, whereby financial regulators can be hired within the financial sector upon leaving government and make millions.

Within the derivatives market, the film contends that the high risks that began with subprime lending were transferred from investors to other investors who, due to questionable rating practices, falsely believed that the investments were safe. Thus, lenders were pushed to sign up mortgages without regard to risk, or even favoring higher interest rate loans, since, once these mortgages were packaged together, the risk was disguised. According to the film, the resulting products would often have AAA ratings, equal to U.S. government bonds. The products could then be used even by investors such as retirement funds who are required to limit themselves to the safest investments.

Another point is the high pay in the financial industry, and how it has grown in recent decades out of proportion to the rest of the economy. Even at the banks that failed, the film shows how bank executives were making hundreds of millions of dollars in the period immediately up to the crisis, all of which was kept, again suggesting that the risk/benefit balance has been broken.

One topic which few others have addressed is the role of academia in the crisis. Ferguson notes, for example, that Harvard University economist, and former head of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Ronald Reagan, Martin Feldstein, was a director of the insurance company AIG and former board member of the investment bank J.P. Morgan & Co..

Ferguson also notes that many of the leading professors and leading faculty members of the economics and business school establishments often derive large proportions of their incomes from either engaging as consultants, or speaking engagements. For example, current dean of the Columbia Business School, Glenn Hubbard received a large percentage of his annual income from either acting as a consultant or through speaking engagements. Hubbard was also affiliated with KKR and BlackRock Financial. Hubbard as well as current chair of Harvard's department of economics, John Y. Campbell, deny the existence of any conflict of interest between academia and the banking sector.

The film ends by contending that despite recent financial regulations, the underlying system has not changed; rather the remaining banks are only bigger, while all the incentives remain the same, and not a single top executive has been prosecuted for their role in the global financial meltdown.

Will i ever be able to afford my own place?

Ok, confession... I dreamt of owning a place of my own... someday... with a ring on my finger or not.
and I would like to stay near my parents...
I strongly believe I should exercise my rights to buy a HDB 1st... then mayb a private property...

The recent uproar over DBSS flat pricing is demoralising...despite repeated views, comments, feedback... or mayb i should say "civilised arguments"... the govt is still not doing anything...

I read this forum input from Netizen Patrick Tan and I am rather impressed by his ability to articule his views in a very constructive manner... c'mon, singaporeans like to complain right? It's not useful as not possible corrective actions is offered! This man is different!

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ST Forum Home > ST Forum > Story

Jun 21, 2011

FLAT PRICING

Four questions on DBSS

I WAS appalled when I read Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan's response that Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) flats should not be compared with ordinary HDB flats ('Don't compare DBSS flats with regular ones: Khaw'; Sunday).
Instead of addressing the problem head on, we are fudging the issue here.

First, the land on which DBSS flats are built is Housing Board land. Unless HDB has profited from the land sale, the private developer must have bought the land at a subsidised rate.
  

Second, the flats sold are subject to the same HDB regulations. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, and in the mind of every ordinary Singaporean, those are just better- designed HDB flats.
I would like answers to the following questions which, I think, is in every ordinary Singaporean's mind:

Is the land on which DBSS flats are built not HDB land and sold at a subsidised rate?

Why would HDB allow a private developer to bid for land at a subsidised rate without any form of control on the selling price of flats built on that land?

Is that not allowing the private developer to profit at the expense of ordinary Singaporeans?

What is in it for HDB when the private developers profit at the expense of ordinary Singaporeans?
For a private developer to buy the land at a subsidised rate and then sell the property at market rate - that is gross profiteering.
The Housing Board's mission is to build affordable housing for ordinary Singaporeans. For a major part of our history, it fulfilled its role well. But, over the past several years, it has completely lost its direction and purpose.
Young couples have to defer marriage because they are unable to get a flat and prices continue to skyrocket beyond the reach of ordinary Singaporeans. It is time for a change.

Patrick Tan

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Some of my cats hating/scarily friends blasted endlessly abt Govt caring more abt Cats than Citzens, Trust me... I am torn on which side i wanna be!

Yes, I have cats, 2 ! n I knew I was violating the laws of keeping cats in my flats all along, can u imagine my relief when Mr.HDB looked into this matter?  Hey, like any Human Parents... I just wanna keep my kids safe away frm the dangers on the streets! I want to be a Law Abidding citzen too u know!

And I dream of affording a place of my own too... near my parents... wedding ring or not... now try imagining how torn i am living in the heart of the whole uproar, Tampines?!

And we all knew that the GRC Tampines was under.... the previous Mr.HDB... well, casting my vote in an objective manner was a tough call for me already... hence I was really glad that the new Mr.HDB will be addressing these problems...

So far so good... except for the "Don't compare DBSS flats with regular ones" (Then compare with what? when they are sitting on the land allocated to HDB and govern by  certain HDB rules (like not cats?! ONLY 1 dog?! )

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Singapore

Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story

Jun 19, 2011

Don't compare DBSS flats with regular ones: Khaw

Following the stir caused by the recent high prices of a Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) development launched by a private developer, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan (above) sought to explain the difference between DBSS developments and HDB flats. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG

FOLLOWING the stir caused by the recent high prices of a Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) development launched by a private developer, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan sought to explain the difference between DBSS developments and HDB flats.
In his latest blog entry on Saturday afternoon, he said that price control was not a term of the contract when private developers tender for the site, and buyers can choose to walk away from the purchase.
Mr Khaw wrote that on his part, he is ramping up BTO (Build-To-Order) launches and working on pricing them appropriately.


The DBSS development in question - Centrale 8 by developer Sim Lian, to be located in Tampines - will set a buyer back $880,000 for a five-room unit. This amounts to $750 psf, typical of suburban condominiums. The social media scene was abuzz following the news. The discussion thread on straitstimes.com garnered 116 comments in one day, mostly negative.


Here is the start of Mr Khaw's latest blog entry titled 'DBSS Is Not HDB': 'A private developer's DBSS launch in Tampines, with the upper end of the 5 room units priced at $880,000, caused a stir in the social media. The negative reaction was not surprising. DBSS is a class of housing type between HDB flats and Executive Condos (EC)/private condos. It forms a tiny portion of the total housing options for Singaporeans.


'While HDB flats are designed and priced by HDB, DBSS flats are designed and priced by private developers. If the private developer prices it too high and there are no takers, there will be no sales. Netizens would like MND (Ministry of National Development) to come in and tell the private developer to cut its price.


When they tendered for the land, price control was not a term of the tender. If contracts, after they are awarded, can be varied arbitrarily, this will damage Singapore's reputation as a business hub, with severe repercussions.

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When the govt is supposed to be the quick one to adapt and listen to the hearts of the pple... it was the private developers who beat them to it!  This morning's paper!

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Jun 22, 2011    IN THE ST NEWSPAPER TODAY

Prices slashed after DBSS flats uproar

Five-room units drop from $880,000 to $778,000 now By Cheryl Ong             

DEVELOPER Sim Lian Group has slashed the prices of its Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) flats at Centrale 8 in Tampines by up to $102,000.
The move follows the public outcry at the record prices of the designer Housing Board (HDB) units launched last Thursday, when the developer asked $880,000 for the biggest five-room flats.
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I made me question if the country I so love, should be ruled in a Private Ltd or Public Listed manner.....

对不起, 我爱你... but...

对不起, 我爱你... but... So sowie my kind of love hurt u...

I only have a few soft toys i keep these days...
Dun really cuddle them but I placed 3 of them on my bed these days...
One day I was just cleaning my room and changing the sheets then I realised something...
All those I kept on my bed... were from pple whom i love, but i have hurt them in my kind of love...

Friendship love instead of Romantic Love...
Romantic Love that failed to blosoom, mainly due to my own cowardness...
Friendship love, leading to Possessive n overprotective...

So sorry my friend...对不起, 我是爱你的!

FB Lurkers, Blog Lurkers - they are everywhere...

Recently 2 persons (unrelated to each other) asked me this question: "how are u?"

Strange as we are not exactly on those sms/whatsapp/phone chit chatting terms... it's outa the blue really.
Best, one of them asked me: "I read ur blog to keep progress of how are u n ur cats..."
1st alarm went off in my head- STALKER!!!

My natural reply would be: "Well, then u would already know how I am doing from my blog..."
"It's better to here from the horse's mouth mah!"
 "There's nothing out of the norm, i dun lead an especially exciting life... it's all in my blog..."
"Ok, take care and catch up soon for kopi yah!" (I think he got my hint and ended off like this, ok-give him some points for high EQ)

Then another pple called me outa the blue and ask me
"How are u doing?"
"I am doing fine but I am not free now & really had to go..."
"Oh...u are not at home now?"
"Nope, and I really gota go now... talk to u again k."
"ok." Followed by an sms saying something like this: "I have some time to kill and in ur neighbourhood, thot u might be free for kopi, since u not free nvm, next time.."

WTF?! U have some time to Kill? & I feel like Killing YOU already...
I'll be sure to avoid u when the "next time" it happens again.

Dun get me wrong, i like pple asking how I am doing etc... but not random pple outa the blue! Pple whom u were not close to in the 1st place! n Esp pple who are "Lurkers". I learnt this term from my fav read these days by Jason Hahn (u can find his articles at the back of Ei8hts magazine)... It means pple who "stalk" other pple via their Blog, FB etc... they lurk around these places knowing all about u, but they will not provide a single information abt themselves... a.k.a they have nothing on their FB abt themselves except the asking u to be their millionth friend... etc... or they tell u they have a blog, but refused to give u the address link and then they in term stalk u on YOUR blog/FB.
How fair or rather how SICK is that?!

I know pple like that, that's y I refused to have FB for so bloody long... and i have "Lurkers" who already stalk my blog... msging me/commenting in my Blog almost immediately upon reading something there... Bleah. If they are close close frends, I dun think I'll mind that much. In fact I will be really flattered... that they cared abt my well-being. But if they are not on my "defence" list....GET THE HELL OUTA HERE!

So there goes... i have to change my Blog address again...
& succumbed to the headache of allowing certain access for FB "friends"... to date, I have 33 friends on FB... if need be, I'll open another account for "admin" purposes...

P.S: the fact that u can read this now... u are that exclusive few on my "Defence" list...
NOW, come rescue me from this blasphemy!!

Ripped off?

Feeling ripped off?

I feel like a carrot head, of cos I knew this already when i presented my head to the Fruit pple...

I seemed to beg "CHOP MY CARROTHEAD.... PLS...!"

Somethings are better when old...

I have a thing for sad oldie songs...
Recently came upon these 2 songs which I really like...

1) 张惠妹 - 别在伤口洒盐
好久不见你瘦了一大圈
苦笑的脸忙而累
你说好男人绝种了
爱一年往往要伤个叁五年

你拒绝再看见晴天
却总问离快乐有多远
爱的平衡点小心拿捏
该醒的时候你却还想醉
最后只有往幸福门外退

别让昨天在你伤口狂妄的洒盐
一碰就痛一想就悲
爱一遍教人老了好几十岁
别让昨天在你伤口狂妄的洒盐
冲掉心中爱的馀味再活一遍

那种人不值得留恋
那些爱拖一天错一天
相爱的情歌你听不厌
相仇的局面你又躲不远
你步步的往自由门外退
(music)
怕寂寞的人在城市中相爱
你要勇敢一点点

2) 陶晶瑩 - 離開我

我把你的电话从手机里消除了
我把你的消息从话题里减少了
我把你的味道用香水喷掉了
我把你的照片用全家福挡住了

A* 你让我的懂事变成一种幼稚
你让我的骄傲觉得很无知
你让我的朋友关心我的生活
你让我的软弱陪伴你的自由

C* 离开我　你会不会好一点
离开你　什么事都难一点
车来了　坐上你的明天
车走了　我还站在路边*

D* 离开你　你会不会好一点
离开你　什么事都难一点
风来了　云就　会少一点
你走了　我住在雨里面
啊~哈啊~MUSIC*

A* C* D* D*
你走了　我住在雨里面
啊~哈啊~MUSIC

巧克力战狗(chocolate dog warrior)!!

Wow! So cute!

This is my student, Denise's

巧克力战狗(chocolate dog warrior)!!

Someone asked me why the name? His name is actually Bullet, according to Denise, cos he literally Zips around like one!

My friend, E, was the one who came up with 巧克力战狗 to describe a Chocolate Coloured Poodle...
Confession, I have never really liked Poodles, I thot of them as Sissy Dogs with a Hair perm and often now, a perpetual bad hair day... But after having my kitty babies, I am starting to appreciate why pple keep poodles...

1st of all, Poodles "dun drop hair"?
There's a lot of misconceptions that Poodles "dun drop hair", they do! C'mon! Even babies will drop a few strands of hair! their dense curly coat traps whatever fur that is shed. So it usually only comes off when u brush/groom the dog with a slicker brush! The means alot of reduction in manhours vacuuming the doghouse (whatever belonged to u, now transfers ownership to the master dog btw). Hence, Poodles are great for pple who have a reaction to allergen. Another misconception here, allergen allergies are not, repeat after me, NOT! caused by animal fur! It's actually the "Protein dust" in the air, aka dried saliva of animals (when they lick to groom themselves).

2ndly, Poodles are Showoffs!
It's true! They love the attention, the limelight! They fish for compliments! U may even save on treats to train a poodle. They are natural performers! That's the reason why they are used by circus to perform all sorts of tricks! Finding a Dinosaur is easier than finding a Poodle with Stage Fright! Hence, highly trainable poodles find their ways into our heart - from amusing Hind Leg stand, to the annual GongXiGongXi shake, or jump thru fire lit hula hoops! Not sure how they will response to "Play Dead" thou, since they are rather difficult to keep still.

Personally, my dream dog will be a Chocolate Labrador Retriever (拉布拉多猎犬 - Say: La-Bu-La-Duo Lie-Quan). I once chanced upon someone walking his giantic Choc Lab and I stopped him in the path to chat up (this is the one time I am really brave to talk to a complete stranger whose a hunk)! But alas, he must be disappointed that I was more interested in his dog then him.... i asked for the lab's name instead of his... was I rude?! Anyway, it's Milo! How very apprioriate! Well, it definitely sounds better than "Ovaltine" right?!

I have never been able to pin point the exact breed of dog i would really like, but after that faithful day, I know that I would like a Choc Lab. I love Labs! in fact, I love all dogs! My dream is to have a Big dog + a cat (or two)... cross my fingers and pray we can all live in peace under one roof!

Actually, I really dun mind any breeds, I may even chose to adopt from the ASD (Action for Singapore Dogs), Mongrel Lovers or SPCA. Provided I can afford Private housing...
With the current property rising feverishly, I seriously doubt I will be able to do that...
I may just settle for a Chocolate Poodle instead!!!

I may risked being caught in the fad of owning a 巧克力战狗 ( the fad included having an Apricot/fawn coloured poodle also- anything but white). But hey! At least I will look just in place posing next to my 巧克力战狗 , without any fuss of how Burnt my skin is! These days, nobody likes standing next to me for photos... they say it made them look sickly or they looked like they were putting on cheap make up foundations (which dun oxides)... My future 巧克力战狗 will not have these complains!

See! I'll make a good 巧克力战狗 owner

and photo buddy!!

i Succumbed to Facebook... finally

I guess I am no longer from Venus...

Ok, I guess it's a Lame joke... but the last time some cute guy asked me : "Do I have ur facebook account?" when we bid goodbye (probably wun see each other for a long long time again).
I was thinking: "Duh? How can u have my FB when u havent ask and I only had close contact with u like 2 days ago?" Of cos.... I also do not have facebook..... or rather... "Did not have"...Somehow the way he asked the question, I felt it was a cleverly crafted one....
The correct question I thot he wanted to ask should be: "Can I have add u in my FB?"

My reply was : "Nope, I do not have FB..." then he was like dumbfounded... mayb he was thinking "should I ask for her msn then?" (Or maybe it was my wishful thinking....) Sensing his astonishment, I calmly replied:"Yes.... I came from Venus and u frm Mars.... Keke!" Sensing his return to Earth... but I nonchalantly continued: "Anyway I have ur number lor =) "

That is done... Of cos after we finally bid goodbye, I sent a msg to thank him for his help over the past couple of days and it's nice to get to knw him better... =)

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Anyway, I have been thinking for a long while now... with the possibilities of going back to school again in Aug... where most of my classmates will probably be younger than me by 10yrs... FB could really come in handy...

I admit I have been missing out on my close friend's life for a long time now... sowie gals...

One of the reasons why I had managed to resist FB is the uncertainty if I could withstand the temptations to poke into my ex-es FB photos/ profiles etc...Once in a while, I still get the prompts from FB abt them updating their FB profile/etc...

Somehow I am convinced that my "kaypoh-ness" is ok, considered Healthy, according to Starry... i did poked ard abit in FB... i surprised myself, now that it's at the tip of my fingertips... I became not very interested liao leh!
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Starry gave me a crash coursed on FB after I opened the account and started me on the photos.... most of which extracted from her albums... I am simply too lazy to load my own! Hahhah! Except my kitties...

I hope I will not be addicted to FB, to live and breathe FB literally... flooding the walls every few secs on what i am doing or thinking.... i should just tweet abt it and bomb my subscribers.... not on FB wall.... faint. But I think i will b guilty to post interesting photos or food I am eating... oh no! Am I am addicted to FB already?!  Gosh! It's like a venom- gets to the heart within seconds!

Havent really understand FB... one think for sure... if anyone of my friends starts to give me problem on whether this or that photo can post or not... i might just delete this friend. hahah! Too troublesome.... get a life! set ur own privacy setting... not at my expenses pls....

Meanwhile, I really need to learn how to post on wall - MOBILE... that will be me..

Tips on Privacy settings/ Account settings  anyone?!

Not the one in trouble, but feeling very troubled....

Some things bad happened at home...
Someone got into big trouble...
Someone got implicated by the Big trouble....
I learnt of the trouble late last week, and I have been deeply troubled since...

Somehow, the person in trouble dun seemed too troubled...
it's not fair...
While the one innocent party who got implicated is living every single day in fear,
dejection and mournfulness, trying to not getting into further trouble...

At this stage, I feared that I may get deeply implicated into this trouble too....
i fear my own safety.... i fear my cats' safety... should i lock or send them away?
I was offered a safe refuge place to hide up for the next few days... but trouble can still find me...

This is one nasty trouble... abusive both physically and verbally... someone has to pay for this...
The punishment will be bloody in hell...
This trouble will not end, it has just started and sin already commited.

Oh Lord, I am so troubled.... Please Hear my Prayers... =(

I love my new Lappy Bag!

Since I got the laptop, I have been keeping a lookout for a decent lappy bag...

Something I can fit into my motorbike box comfortably... something I can carry around comfortably...
I succumbed again to my vice of  "a-good-bag-must-have-many-configurations-of -carrying".

So finally, I went down to the wholesaler to check out this bag... i planned to visit 2 wholesalers... but I had already shortlisted the 1st one...

1st attempted failed. Hard time finding the place in Ubi and then the office was not opened. I had already emailed and tried calling for the past week and decided to try my luck today. Luckily the sharing tenant of the office informed me that the staff will usually come in only in the evening and was very kind to give me their office number instead, so I could call and ask them if the bag company's staff came in. So blessed!

I made a returned trip in the evening and finally got the bag! So happy!!
I saw the retail price tag.. it says $32.00 and member price $28.80 (10% off).

Here goes... my latest!

This is what I love most abt this bag!

-it's slim like any laptop sleeve (which I can also put into my bag).... yet I can play with the different carring configurations!

I was told by the boss that this was designed by a Top Design Student from Temasek Poly and was sold widely in the polys. It was originally meant for MacBook hence the 14" - 15" size. It was also sold widely in the States and was very well received there till the recent financial crisis which hit many sectors.

Although it came only with one sling (which means I cant do the Backpack configuration)... I managed to use my "Deh-ing" skill on the boss to give me another one. After some "gentle persuasion" aka Deh-ing, he took out the sling from another bag and gave it to me.

I was so impressed  by him that I bot another laptop bag intending as a gift for my friend, but of cos I told him I wouldnt put him in a difficult spot to give me an extra sling... he just smile and say

"of cos of cos!" He thanked me for my support and sent me all the way out to the door downstairs!

& So I have been told.... I am good with "Deh-ing" pple.... but I remb in my 1st few r/s, I was told that I duno how to "deh" enough.... for that I was faulted... Guess I have grown more Manja!

OMG! I am in love with my new Laptop bag!

Orders anyone? I can buy in bulk and get a even better price! 

C'mon, Name ur price... =D

Born Introvert, Nurtured Extrovert...

Pinky brought my attention to this article when warning me that she is going into "Hibernation" mode.

Time to time, I will  do that too. But I have learnt to recover faster each time.
I thought this article totally describes my character and some of the frustration i have when "socialising" with pple....

Here goes:
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Extract from : Hush is the word , Janice Tay, For The Straits Times (26 January 2008)
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WE HEAR a great deal about freedom of speech but what about freedom of silence?
Ironically, from the nation that talks the most about talking comes a push for the right to say nothing at all.

It comes in the form of an American magazine article entitled Caring For Your Introvert by The Atlantic correspondent Jonathan Rauch. Written in 2003, it continues to draw more hits than any other piece on the magazine’s website.

As an introvert, Rauch says, he belongs to one of ‘the most misunderstood and aggrieved groups in America, possibly the world’.

Being introverted does not necessarily mean being shy; it just means that people tire you out.
While extroverts need company like the Energizer Bunny needs batteries, introverts recharge by spending time alone.

But Rauch makes it clear that introverts don’t harbour a grudge against the rest of the human race: ‘We love people…We just can’t socialise with them all the time. We want to hold their hand or hug them or just sit quietly and read a book with them.’

What introverts don’t want to do is go to parties and make small talk.
But the world is filled with people who do – and they set the standard for what is considered normal and desirable behaviour.
Some introverts learn to keep up a stream of conversation (I think this is me now....)  but those who can’t or won’t tend to get labelled as shy, aloof or arrogant.
Rauch notes that female introverts have a harder time because people don’t usually think of women when you say ‘strong, silent type’.
But whatever their gender, introverts are almost always outnumbered in politics, a field where what you say appears less important than how you say it – and how often.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda seems to be one of the few ‘introverts’ who have risen to the top. I don’t have conclusive proof that he’s one but I have my suspicions because whenever people try to describe him, the same words keep cropping up: undemonstrative, self-effacing, steady, grey. (irks!!)

According to an article in The Times last September, when a supporter encouraged him to ‘express his personality’, he replied: ‘I have no personality.’
But of course he does. It’s just the kind of personality that’s at the other end of the spectrum from former premier Junichiro Koizumi’s. Though I think most people, and not just introverts, would look dull beside somebody who has a habit of breaking into Elvis impersonations.

But, writes Rauch, ‘if we introverts ran the world, it would no doubt be a calmer, saner, more peaceful sort of place’.
I don’t know if this is true. But I do know that in a world run by introverts, no meeting would last over an hour because they don’t think by talking; they think by thinking. ( i like this!!)

And I know this because I’m an introvert too. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy conversations. In fact, I consider them one of the best ways to have fun with another person without taking your clothes off.
But I can’t have them all the time. In fact, I don’t have them a lot of the time, which prompted one friend to say: ‘You’re so quiet I sometimes forget you’re there.’

Ouch. Still, this could be useful if I ever decide to become a ninja. Or wallpaper.
By now, you should be able to work out on which side of the conversation gap you belong. And if you’re an introvert, what can you do?

First, understand what you are – and look after what you are.
If you need time away from the maddening crowd, take it. Fighting this is like resenting your need for sleep. (ME time!!)

Rauch recommends helping extroverts to be comfortable with their opposites. It can be hard to relax with another person when silences keep breaking up a conversation. But not if you understand that ‘if someone is being quiet it doesn’t mean they’re having a bad time; it doesn’t mean they’re depressed; it doesn’t mean they’re lonely or need psychiatric help or medication’.

If you’re an extrovert, be confident that the introvert next to you is enjoying your company. If he isn’t, don’t worry about it. It’s not like he’s going to tell you.

So, yes – I think it’s time to raise some awareness. Start by sending this article to 25 people within the next three days. Failure to do so will mean being trapped at 75 parties where people won’t stop talking at you.

But whether or not extroverts take any of this on board, introverts should be prepared to meet them halfway because we are, let’s face it, not the easiest lot in the world to live with.
Having once had to keep a dinner conversation going around someone who sat silent with his eyes down for hours, I can understand why extroverts get frustrated with us.

There are more ways to fit yourself into a conversation than by talking; you can do it by showing that you’re listening. Just looking interested can take you as far as a well-placed witticism because who doesn’t like a bit of attention?

But why should introverts have to go to such lengths, you may ask. Let me be clear about this: You don’t have to do anything, except maybe breathe. But what you do or don’t do will always have consequences.

The trick is to read far ahead enough to see those consequences, decide if you like them – and then act. Come to think of it, you don’t even have to breathe if you don’t mind losing your vital signs.
But whatever you decide to do, I hope you’ll be happy with yourself. And from there, to be happy with others.
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So.... This is me.... but Pinky said I am too expressive to be a classic introvert! I replied with :"I am just more opinionated than usual..." and with that, I just proofed my point!

I have learnt overtime to deal with my "introvert-ness....", how to make pple around me accept me better.... feel less frustrated with me.... in fact, i think i am so good at it these days that pple would never believe me when I admit that i am actually quite shy deep down. Pple tend to think that I am a social butterfly and a party animal sometimes... but that's just what another psychology-trained friend said of me, "Born Introvert, Nurtured Extrovert..." This brilliantly sums up all that I am....

As I told Pinky last night, I actually find Comfort and Solace in Silence.... just not the awkward kind...

So my dear friends, Will u accept me for who I am?

Havent been to JB for a long time!

I havent been to JB for a long time and after 4 straight days of hardwork, decided to venture into JB today.

The last time I went JB like today (taking public transport-bus) was like 10 years ago when I frequently go there alone. I was awaiting for enlistment and had alot of time on hand, my friends were all working already and to avoid any crowd at all cost - i had always go there alone.

My must do is
1) Eat Aunty Annie pretzels!
2) Mayb eat KFC - kampong chicken very small, must eat the 3-4 piece meal then enough!
3) Mayb eat Secret Recipe!

YES... all eating activities... but of cos i love shopping at PADINI. Always can get gd deals!

What surpised me was that the bus ticket still cost only $2.50 per trip (S$ in and RM$ out).... after 10 years?!! WTH?! They never increase price at all lah!?

Also, I was caught in the midst of having to scan both my index fingers for the new regulations that has been implemented by the MYS govt.

Generally I had fun the whole day... just that it was tricky to manage my emotions... I think I was not the only one...
-----------

I was faced with a sudden scenario and had to execute a "rejection" to the person... and then have to spend the whole day with the person in JB pretending nothing happened... so sowie my dear friend...
i just have a different taste for my cup of tea....

When I returned home and read the papers,

this was my horoscope:

If only i knew earlier.... then I would have been more careful!
It did made my life more interesting.... interestingly troubled...haiz...

美香园(Mei Heong Yuen Dessert)

Went to claim my extended Warranty and Anti-virus that came with my lappy. It was at Chinatown Square.

And since I am already in town and craving for a filling lunch... I planned to go to temple street's 美香园(Mei Heong Yuen Dessert) (read here!) to fulfil my Rice Dumpling craving... I managed to evade the lunch time crowd and arrived at 1145am! No crowd or tissue paper choping seats! Yay!

The rice dumpling is special,

unlike anything I have eaten b4....

I am quite a rice dumpling fan actually!

 It was filled with Yellow Bean!?! After chatting with the Lady boss, she told me it makes the dumpling smoother and less Ger-Lat! It's the same Yellow Bean used to make Dou Suan btw! Of cos there were lumps of Pork Lard and wau piang! They melted in my mouth faster than M&M's chocolate lor! YUMMY! Then there was my favourite Chestnut + Salted Egg Yolk! Superb Yummy!

I also ordered my favourite Sesame Paste Dessert and asked for ice... the lady boss was rather surprised but she didnt question me, instead of adding into the bowl, she provided me the liberty to decide how much i like with a separate bowl of Shaved Ice! Superb Service!

我要吃你了!!!

Must return again!
The GIANTIC Rice Dumpling cost $5.50 and the Sesame paste $2.50. Lunch was $8 and beyond my normal budget but Heck! it was too good to complain!