i miss Hall 5 Pao Pao Cha

A Bank's Apology

Somehow they've been making several system/human error.
And along with their sincere apology, we received shopping vouchers and movie passes.

well, though it's exasperating at times to deal with the inconvenience of their mistakes, it's nice to receive vouchers =)

i'm waiting for a car, an all-expenses-paid trip to Mauritius and perhaps a sea-front villa at Sentosa.

C'mon XXBank! Make more mistakes, up the gift, and i'll surely forgive you!

Ouch.

Got me a sprained left ankle and a bloody right knee.

Oh well. But it was fun while it lasted.

but i think i'll stick to badminton.

Hello There, Hello Here

Hello There.
Why do you read blogs?
Why do you read my blog?
Is it because you are my friend and are concerned?
Is it because you want to pray for me?
Is it because it's an innate voyeur instinct? - that you know my thoughts and i don't know that you know?
Is it because it somehow interests you, speaks to you?
Is it because you are a spy, or a federal agent?

Hello Here.
Why do i blog?
Is it to help me think and reflect?
Is it to brainwash others to my way of thinking?
On certain things why do i NOT blog?
Is it to honour God?
Is it to avoid stumbling others?
Is it to be politically correct and to avoid troubles and controversy?

Longan Taste Test Part 2

Since the last Great Longan Competition, Longans all over Singapore have been coming forward to express their indignation that they were not invited to participate.
So we held another round of Taste Test, this time with a bigger panel of judges (including pastor wor!).
Here are the results!

1. UFC $1.50
2. Hosen $1.50
3. Flying Horse $1.80
4. Hand $1.75
5. Ng $1.25
6. Narcissus $1.75

Some things you might want to know.... or not...

• Hosen is called Hosen coz the company that produces it is called Hock Seng.
• Hand Brand longan is a little sour.
• Narcissus is distinctly the worst. None of the testers needed a second try to confirm it. They should stick to making mushrooms.
• Testers like cans with pull-open lids. But when it comes to the crunch, it's the taste that counts.
• Longans definitely are from plants. Some still have a woody smell (?!?!?!?)
• Thai longans are good. Generally. No wonder we always buy dried longans whenever we go to Chang Mai.
  

i had two chocolates now they're gone

i had two chocolates
my friend gave them to me.

chocolates are the best.
Rain makes you happy when you are happy
but sadder when you are sad.
But chocolates can only make you happier.
so you can eat one to celebrate.
or eat one to elevate.

chocolates are the best.
except when they are gone.
especially when they are gone too quickly.
and the moment they are gone
i wish they are still here.
sometimes there is a disappointment
when it doesn't deliver the high i expected.
when it washes off too cleanly
there's no lingering bitter-sweetness
just nothingness, like it was never there.
can i live the rest of my life with a melted chocolate in my mouth?

sometimes when things are black and grey,
Chocolate promises to bring the colours back.
Why does it bring colours one day,
and nothingness the next?
Did you forget your colour pencils today, darling?

i need more chocolates...
just one more...
maybe this time it'd last?

please, may i have a chocolate?

At the Staff Lounge, and , what is a gracious society?

At the Staff Lounge
Because of the lack of space at my desk, i marked at the staff lounge table instead. it's more comfortable, there's music, and having company definitely helped!

L was there, and i learnt about Latin and other languages.
Y was there and i learnt about differing views about teaching languages to young kids.
T was there, and i was given history/ ethnic lessons about my roots - teochew, Upper Serangoon/Hougang thingy.

I think marking together is a good bonding activity. And a good learning opportunity.

Does not holding the door mean we are rude?
When A reads the papers near me, she often covers my papers partially when she turns a page. Perhaps i am too much of a territorial being, but i do notice such things.

"Ok, maybe she doesn't realise our papers are too close together," I'd think, and shift my papers away.

Then when she began covering entire sections, including the part i was reading, i wondered if i have ever offended her. i mean, how could anyone not notice THAT right? plus the table is huge. why squeeze next to me and keep trying to cover my papers? But then she was quite cordial with me at all other times, so i didn't think anymore about it.

Today it happened again.
And soon after, B came too, and he did the same thing!!!!!! He covered my newspaper with his!

At this point, let me make it clear that i am NOT complaining about them nor ranting in anger a la Xiaxue. I'm not angry at all, I was just surprised. I grew up learning i should not block my grandparents/uncles/aunties/ parents' view of the television, and hence thought everyone would be careful not to block others' view of the newspaper.

So i was surprised to find 2 persons who did not suscribe to my parents' teaching.

My first thought was that it simply was their culture. (they are of the same nationality.)

Then i thought some more and realized ... hey, it could be ME who's weird and hyper-territorial! (there's a carved pattern at the middle of the headrest of our bed which serves as marker between munch's side of the bed and mine.) (What! i need my space right!)

You see, logically, what's the big deal about having to lift my papers and shifting it slightly when i want to read the covered bits? So, possibly, to A and B, (and possibly everybody in the world except me) this is simply not an issue at all! Maybe everyone reading this is thinking, "Siao already. Why is she talking about people covering her page? Just shift then can read already wat. Liddat also can blog."

Somehow, what everybody sees as a non-issue, i may see as inconsideration!

Now, a while ago, and ever so often, we read complaints about Singaporeans being rude and ungracious. Who decides what is gracious and what is not? Are we SOMETIMES judged to be rude and ungracious because our habits differ from The Critic?

Like how it's common for people here to use cellphones on the train but the Japanese regard that as rude?

Or take the door holding issue. OK, when someone's arms are occupied, or is too weak/little/old to push the door open, or an access code/card is needed to re-open the door, it IS only right to hold the door open if there's someone right behind. Because it really would help/ convenience them.

But if my arms are free to push the door open, i wouldn't mind it in the least if the person ahead of me simply walks right through without holding the door for me. I quite prefer that actually. It makes for smoother traffic.

Plus, what if there are many others after me, all young and strong and not pushing prams? Does it mean he/she would have to stand there till the stream of people ends?

Sure, it looks and feels nice to have someone do that, but only because we are "taught" that this behaviour is a manifestation of graciousness. It doesn't really make a big difference practically.

Note to young gentlemen: Still, do it anyway. Society prefers it.
And we all have to live by Generally Accepted Protocol.

Like China has to stop spitting coz The Critics who are going for the Olympics find that offensive.
Like Singapore has to smile and open doors, coz The Critics who are here find these important.

It's not a matter of good or bad, right or wrong. It's just a matter of who The Critic is, what The Critic happens to like/dislike, and whether we want to pander to The Critic's preferance make The Critic feel at home.

Generation gap

Funny how the comments on my blog entries always seem to run off at a tangent.
I talk about scary freaky chicken, i get comments about alien-like behaviour.
I talk about obsessive-compulsive behaviour, i get comments about my husband and learning piano.

I think it's a youth thing.

Their minds just work differently. What is the main point to me is not what interests them.
I teach my students that sometimes practice and repetition is needed to help us learn and master things, and all they remember are the funny japanese uncles and the Zuiikin Girls going "You drive me crazy" or " I was robbed by two men".

Weird.
But so cute.

Obsessive-Compulsive

Throat hurts bad.
The kind that feels like a razor blade is slicing the throat, and makes the eyes water.
My fault... should have gone to bed a little earlier last night, but was marking - and watching tv till 2am.

i'm quite obsessive-compulsive sometimes. I never used to watch tv, then suddenly a silly craze would start and i'd watch too much. Like the Meteor Garden phase, the Prison Break phase, the Law & Order phase. And i'd read all the episode guides as well.

Dunno what was wrong with me last night. I watched and watched and watched. Desperate Housewife, After Hours (gosh that was one lame, pointless show.) , some sit-coms that i cannot remember, Beauty & the Geek (I like!!), L&O, MAximum Exposure, America's Next Top Model...

I felt sick, i wanted to sleep, i knew i had to wake up early the next day, YET I STILL WATCHED! (and marked... marginally...)

I'm baffled. Am i not a minute-pinching miser when it came to Time? What came over me? i squandered 200 min yesterday!

Or, like when i played silly computer games. And i mean silly! like the catch butterfly game, or the mice-swopping game, or the pipe-building game, or even like minesweeper, or Jewels. Or haha.... snake, when i first got my cellphone.

After each round, i'd keep thinking i died a stupid death and that i could do better, and i'd try again and again.

"One more try and i'll stop"

...

"AHHHH that was dumb! That round not counted. Coz got stupid mistake. One more try.".

....

"AAAAAHHHHH... try again..."

...

Until i hear the birds...and look up... and realize... Damn. Sky's bright. I forgot to sleep AGAIN. And my finger hurts from clicking too much.

And then there was the time i read about a pianist who practiced every day with a bag of beans next to him. Each time he played a song perfectly, he's take a bean from the bag and put it on the other side. Whenever a mistake was made, he would put ALL the beans back into the bag, and start over. And he'd do this till he got the beans all across.

So i was inspired to do that too, and spent 8 hours on the piano that day. I still didn't manage to get all the beans across. Which probably explains why i'm far from being a professional pianist now.

Well, at least THOSE harmed only myself. Then there were those times when i needed company to indulge in my latest obsessions. Like how i made munch play through the ENTIRE BOX of Taboo at one sitting.

"Nooooo! Why were we so slow? With our understanding of each other and communication, we should be able to get all the answers!! Try again!"

"Hey. all correct! So fun! Let's try again!"

" NOOOOoooooOOOoo, that was lousy. We must try again..."

And i refused to let him have dinner till the box was completed.

And that was before we got married, yet he still went ahead and marry me... that sweet, brave thing...



Madness? (i mean me, not munch)
Well, let's just call it determination or "age quod agis" shall we? ;)

A Good Start to the Week

"Dear CG,
Just wanna share with you my joy of waking up to God's word!
Remember the plan i shared with u after service? I tried it today. So Pastor Tiak's voice woke me up this morning, and i tell you, it's hard to press the snooze button and break my "covenant" when i am woken up by the Pastor's voice =P
So for the first time in more than a month, i got up straight away, had time to iron clothes and still get to school by bus! (i've been cabbing recently)
But the best part is that joy of hearing from God right from the start of the day. Know something amazing? I randomly put in a sermon CD, and this morning i was pleasantly surprised that it was related to yesterday's sermon- about the Word of God! Hehehe... i'm a sucker for this kinda "coincidences" and God knows it. =)
So i was reminded that bible reading is not like drinking coffee - read already, suddenly high. Sometimes it's more like taking vitamin pills. You may not feel the effect straight away, but you keep taking them, because they build you up.
I was reminded that like babies naturally crave milk, Christians should naturally crave the Word of God. If not, we are like sick babies who have lost their appetites. Then we need to seek help!
And i am reminded about how the accountability cards really helped me - even though i was at first appalled by the idea of it.

Wheeeee.... The word of God is sweeter than honey and it nourishes the soul. It makes up for lack of sleep, it lifts the spirit, it brings us closer to God and makes us more aware of Him.
HAve you had your milk today?
=)

Luv,
Shuyan"

Enjoyed the combined service yesterday.

Enjoyed the presence of enthusiastic teens.

Loved the fact that Brightonites are just so... Brightonitish,

knew God is with us,

and there was a hopefulness.

Today was a great day too.

Love waking up hearing God (via tiak, via cd)

In school, felt my class is very lovable. haha...dunno why. anyway i always find students lovable during exams coz they are quiet. Quiet = cute. Like rabbits. Haha... okae, not always.

Another wonderful thing about exam season is that i get to go home early. =) So i was in school for only 7 hours today!! but of coz, i still have to mark when i get home. but it's nice being home alone for awhile each day... it's like i have my own space again.

Re-listened to ytd's sermon, snoozed on the floor for awhile, gonna have dinner with munch, then having ihad session tonite.

Only not-so-fantastic thing is that i'm having a sore-throat. Agh. Must be the durians yesterday. But at least it's a non-teaching week, so still can survive school.

I'm so happy.

I don't wanna stray again.

Ever!

Munch's back i can hear him!

byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

=)

Freaked by a Chicken

Was gonna dun4 ji1 tang1 for my cg, so went to NTUC to get some chicken...

Now this was what i was expecting...

But when i looked into the bag, the HEAD WAS STILL INTACT.
The cold lifeless eyes were still intact.
It was a freaky DEAD ANIMAL can!

Somehow when i think of "chicken" i think 'food' more than 'animal'.
When they're neatly sliced into fillet, or nuggets. or even just frozen and headless, they resemble food more than dead animals. But when the head and eyes and stuff are still there. Sheez. Gross. It crosses over from 'food' to 'dead animal'. It's just too scary.

so i settled for half a chopped-up chicken instead.

erks. that image of the dead chicken in the bag is so haunting.

Here, let it haunt you too! =P

Strangled and Suffocated in a bag... and NOW, you wanna eat me?

Funny how i may know that chicken meat is from Chicken-the-Animal, but never quite connect them. Perhaps coz i see them as distinct items.

Chicken-the-Meat is , well, Food. KFC. nuggets. bbq food. Neutral - like bread and green beans.
but Chicken-the-Animal is like... Avelyn's pet. the mother of the cute lil chicks i used to keep when i was little. Until they grew up and grandpa made chicken curry ... AHHHHHHHHHHHH ahhhhhhhhhhh AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
puke puke puuuuuuuuke!!!

i dun suppose ppl of that generation had problems connecting Chicken-the-food with Chicken-the-Animal. Nor do they have a problem with the connection between Chicken the Animal and Chicken the Food.

Wonder if in the future, people would still know that Chicken-the-Meat used to be Chicken-the-Animal. Maybe most people would never even get the chance to see chicken-the-animal. Maybe they'd think that it's made in some factory, or grew from a tree, or it's like a potato or something.

maybe.

Taste Tests: Canned Lychees and other results

An integral part of our married life is shopping at the supermarket. It is kinda fun... though after 5 months, the things we buy are getting quite predictable. Our buying habits are fundamentally quite different. I always go for the cheapest brand on the shelf, whereas munch seems to always go for the most expensive toilet paper/ juice/ fruits/ almost everything.

"It's just packaging!" I insist, "It has the same softness/ sweetness/ taste/ use/ quality!"
So we decided to do taste tests. On Kimchi Noodles, Canned Longan, and now, Canned Lychees.

And here is the unanimous conclusion (btwn 2 judges):
1. Hosen
2. Mili
3. NTUC

Incidentally, Hosen is also the winner of the Longan category. Its fruits are firmer, more fruit-like. Other brands tended to be too soft - like they've been left in the can for 5 years and are already starting to disintegrate.

But of course, it's all subjective.

NTUC didn't do so well... but before everyone write off cheapo housebrands forever, i must say that their kimchi noodle was ranked #2!