Me, Fat?!

realised that my clothings are getting tighter and tighter as the week goes by...
probably due to my last month was full of farewell lunches and dinners...
even mum commented that i am fat...
i guess mums don't lie, do they??

went for a jog just now as my first step to shed some kilos...
as well as to start training for the Army Half Marathon (also known as the Singapore Bay Run) next month...
only managed to complete 7km...
a far cry from my usual 10km or more previously...
somehow the additional weight is making my running tougher...

came home and told mum i would probably not have dinner over the next couple of weeks...
that's probably the fastest way to lose weight...
i will still try to run regularly...

Lunch Kakis...

i found out today that my colleagues like to lunch on their own...
it so ended up i had to pack lunch back from Golden Shoe (cos i could not find a seat)...
but it was still manageable since we have quite a nice lounge area outside our room...
and now i have to start scouting for lunch kakis now...
so far Tuesday and Wednesday are settled...
Thursday i had to run errands...
left with Friday...

Ju Liet’s Birthday Dinner...

celebrated Ju Liet’s birthday at Tony Roma’s Suntec City...
had to queue for a while...
the food was superb... much better than Black Angus...
the chicken was tender, the ribs were tasty...
and the appetiser platter of rodeo chickens, potato skins and cheese sticks were delicious...
adjourned to NYDC for dessert after that...
their Irish Cream Mudpie has shrunk in size very very considerably...
it is now about half the original size back in the late 90s...

Ju Liet was my colleague in the Auditor-General’s Office which we joined after our graduation from NTU in 1996...
we were quite close then cos we were both in the same Welfare Committee...
had so much fun organising events for the office...
after we both left in 2001, we drifted...
and when she was posted to the US for a few years, we hardly kept in touch...
since she is back in Singapore permanently recently, we were able to meet up more frequently...
although it has always been the three of us (Ju Liet, Ming and me) plus Ming’s son, Lucien...
we enjoyed each other’s company a lot...

so here’s wishing Ju Liet a Happy Birthday...
may the year shine on her and bless her with happiness, good health, laughter and lots of love...

I Want To Believe The Dark Knight...

two movies in two consecutive nights...
having read so much positive reviews about the movie, i went into the cinema with great expectations for The Dark Knight...
and came out disappointed...
was expecting lots of action since it is a summer blockbuster... but the movie was too long and too draggy...
the movie was saved by Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker... and the dark soundtrack...
as well as the thought-provoking dialogues...

in contrast, i have no expectations for The X-Files...
partly because it has opened quietly without much fanfare and we ran out of choices at Downtown East Cathay...
the movie was simple and a little gory...
the familiar X-Files tune still intrigues me...
Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny both looked aged...
but then again, The X-Files was first shown more than a decade ago...

i want to believe in the good of all human kind...
no matter how bad the situation is, there is always hope...
hope for the better...
hope for a miracle...

My First Three Days...

first day in the new office was nothing but boring...
no access to the internet, shared drive, etc...
submitted the requests to IT...
had a brief orientation by HR...
introduced to some of the Department Heads...
sent emails to ex-colleagues to keep in touch...
received some updates from them about the passing of a colleague...
had a Departmental welcome lunch…
received SMSes from friends and ex-colleagues asking about my well-being…
i am so blessed…
decided to leave by 6:30pm...
walked to Clarke Quay and took the North East Line home...
train was crowded… but was home within 30 minutes...

second day my boss was on urgent leave...
access still not granted...
read up on the past audit working papers for the project i have been assigned...
read up on some of the company policies available on the intranet...
bored to death...
met up with three ex-colleagues for lunch at Clifford Centre...
used the coffee machine in the pantry for the first time...
the Nescafe tasted funny...
left the office at 6:10pm...
bought 5 ties from G2000...
thanx to Wei Fern for her G2000 card that gave an additional 15% discount on top of the 30% already given...

third day went by quite smoothly…
chatted with boss in the morning about the project assigned…
met Jason for lunch at some Japanese hot pot place (Hito) at Republic Plaza…
i did not that there are eating places in Republic Plaza…
and i also did not know that there is a link from the MRT station to Republic Plaza…
in the past, when i go to California gym, i would walk in the open air area…
looks like i have tonnes to learn / discover about Raffles Place…
a typical lunch in RP is like this:
10 minutes to decide on what / where to eat (can be shorter if one is straight and not fussy)…
20 minutes to queue for seats…
5 minutes to order…
20 minutes to wait for food to be served…
20 minutes to consume food…
total it takes about 1 hour 15 minutes…
that is excluding travelling time…
i have to get used to the crowd and the buzz in RP…
even in the morning, the escalators are packed with human beings…
quite a sight, actually…

leaving office at around 6pm today…
heading home first for a quick shower…
drive dad’s car to Downtown East Cathay for The Dark Knight…
read and heard so much about the movie, especially Heath Ledger…
will see it for myself…

Cherish Life...

received an SMS from my ex-staff to inform that one of the Accounts girl has passed away…
so sudden and so shocking…
we were still talking about her last week…
and she was still around on my last day…
somehow, i did not take a picture with her on my last day…
she has been one of the most dedicated staff in the company, working late most of the time…

cherish life…
cherish those around us…
cherish what we have…
cherish ourselves…

Bintan Trip...

was too tired last night and went to bed after i reached home…
woke up this morning at 6am to pack my luggage…
although it is a short trip, i still managed to pack quite a fair bit of stuff…
mainly clothing for the next 3 days…

reached Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (TMFT) at around 9:40am…
Sonny was already there waiting…
got our boarding pass (which is an electronic card) and had our breakfast at Killiney Kopitiam…
cleared customs and proceeded to the boarding area…
the place was packed for a Saturday morning…
we were surprised that so many people were heading to Bintan…
most were Singaporeans, with some Japanese and Caucasian tourists too…
bought a bottle of duty-free wine at the mini duty-free store…

the ferry ride was not as bad as i had imagined…
cos the sea was not choppy…
reached Bintan within 1 hour…
customs clearance was efficient and we were out in less than 15 minutes…
took the Angsana shuttle bus service to the resort…
once there, we were whisked into a private room for check-in…
quite efficient, i must say…

as both of us were hungry by then, we started scouting for food…
went to the open-air restaurant by the beach but was disappointed with the menu…
settled for the main café in the resort, Lotus Café…
we ordered a Rujak (which is mixed fruits in peanut sauce, similar to our Rojak), mee goreng and nasi goreng (both came with two sticks of satay and fried chicken)…
we were served keropok (crackers) before the meals arrived…
during our delightful and delicious lunch, a lady delivered our room key to us…
such personalised service… we were very impressed…

after lunch, we went to our room…
well-equipped with toiletries, insect repellent, incense, mineral water, TV, safe and a mini-fridge…
rested for a while before taking the shuttle bus service at S$6 per pax to the Pasar Oleh Oleh…
the rain came and we were stuck near the main entrance…
after a while, the sky cleared and we were able to walk around the pasar…
was disappointed by the size of the pasar (which means market in Malay) and the things they were selling…
a few eateries, nothing much to do and we decided to eat…
had popiah, lontong, fried chicken and fruit juices…
cheap and very good…
took the 6:45pm shuttle bus back to the resort…
showered and had our red wine while sitting at the balcony, enjoying the night view…
hit the sack after that…

breakfast was included in the package…
normal international breakfast…
went for a swim and some sun before the rain started pouring down on everyone…
as the rain got heavier, most of us decided to head back to the rooms…
had a quick shower before we proceeded to lunch at the Lotus Café…
i had my club sandwich while Sonny had the pasta…
ordered a Rujak again…
gave the dessert of the day, tiramisu, a try and was disappointed…
it was chewy and tasted like cheese cake…
after lunch, we went back for more sun…
tanned for about 2 hours before heading back to shower and get ready for dinner…
took the free shuttle bus to the Kelong Restaurant in Nirwana Gardens…
went for the ala carte menu and ordered 5 dishes…
sambal kangkong, squid, garoupa, butter prawns and crispy chicken…
too much food for the 2 of us… lolz…
but we enjoyed ourselves a lot…
it was breezy sitting out in the “kelong” having dinner…
while waiting for the shuttle bus back, saw the sky filled with stars…
big and small ones shining brightly and lighting up the sky…
as both of us were tired after a day of sun tanning, we went straight to bed…

after breakfast, we walked along the beach from one end to the other…
took some photographs along the way and on the rocks…
tried to book a lot for massage but was initially told they were fully booked…
after some re-arrangements, the receptionist was able to accommodate us for a 1.5 hour slot…
1 hour of Aryuvedic body massage and half an hour of head massage…
checked out of the resort by 12pm and headed to the spa for some pampering…
the rain came while we were being pampered by the masseurs…
felt totally relaxed after the massage…
had lunch at the Lotus Café before taking the shuttle to the ferry terminal…

despite the rain throughout the 3 days we were in Bintan…
this was the most relaxing holiday I have ever had…
the service staff in every area of the resort was top-notched…
friendly, courteous and always ready to flash you with their smile…
made our days throughout our stay there…

My Last Week...

please don’t be misled by the subject…
i am not dying…
i am referring to my last week with the company i have spent my last 4 years and 9 months in…
as the day for me to leave the company gets nearer…
i am feeling more and more sad (or “sadder” for the sake of my team who could understand the joke)…
this job is the longest i have ever been…
my first job was 4.5 years, followed by short stints of about 1 year each in my next 2 jobs…

since i tendered my resignation, i have been busy with farewell lunches and dinners…
could not fit everyone into my schedule eventually…

started clearing my cubicle as well as the things in my notebook…
so much of junk to be disposed of…
i could not believe myself… to be such a slob…
sent boxes after boxes of materials to the shredder…
without much consideration…
just do it, a wise ad once said…

the morning of my last day was spent with my ED…
discussing with one of my staff on taking over some of the review responsibilities…
did not allow that to spoil my mood for the rest of the day…
after lunch, together with another colleague whose last day was also today, we went to Goodwood Park to buy their famous durian puffs for the office people…
went around distributing at around 4pm…
busy taking photos with colleagues from various Departments…
left the office at around 7:30pm…
had dinner with my staff, my ex-boss and a couple of colleagues from another Department…
took more photos after that…
had my goodbye hugs from all of them…

another ex-colleague SMSed me this morning that i should just leave as per normal…
so that my staff would not feel the loss…
but i don’t think it works that way…
reality will still set in on Monday when i stop turning up for work…

my staff insisted on getting a Swatch for me…
after much deliberation, decided on a very retro one…
thank you everyone for their wishes, kind and encouraging words…
as well as all the gifts and presents…
you guys take good care too…
and most importantly, stay connected and keep in touch…

specially dedicated to my staff:

to Khim Siong,
do take up the challenge to hold the fort after my departure…
there is no right time to lead a team…
you have to explore and find your way around…
only through that are you able to decide for yourself whether you are cut out to be a leader…
i will be waiting for you to drive me around in your new car pretty soon ya…

to Ling Ling,
gonna miss all the silly jokes we had throughout the 2.5 years together…
keep me updated with all your travel plans…
and remember to continue with your yoga sessions…

to Peter,
unfortunately you were not present on my last day…
hope your operation wound has healed and everything is alright by now…
i always admire your ability to juggle so many things at one time…
but do dedicate equal (if not more) time to work too…
remember it has to be work-life balance…
not either extreme… ;-p

to Ranelle,
being the youngest and the newest, you have shown great courage…
and like you said, being the rebel, you have adjusted well in Singapore…
hope you continue to learn about our country and the financial industry…
although i was not the one who interviewed you, i was glad that we had quite a good working relationship…

Hellboy...

the usual Sunday breakfast with my parents...
came home and helped mum with her mobile phone settings...
before meeting Sonny for lunch and shopping at Giant...
good to know that he is feeling better after seeing the doctor...
ironing board cover, detergent, toothpaste, air freshener, juices, fruits, dried goods, etc, etc...
of course Ben & Jerry's and Magnum ice-creams...
ultra sinful, i know...
it is amazing the things one needs for the house...

saw Hellboy on channel 5...
did not enjoy it...
especially the ending...
so lame lor...

Tea @ R66...

had one of the best lontong in Singapore...
in Bedok North actually...
and the kuey chap was good too...
packed lontong and mee siam home for my family...
mum liked it too...

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rested for a while before heading out to Kerry's place for tea...
it was very hospitable of him to buy kuey kuey and white tea to serve us...
caught up with each other...
it has been a few weeks since we last met...

dinner was at Qianxi restaurant in the Civil Service Club...
my last time here was more than a year ago...
the standard of food seemed to have dropped...
but nevertheless, they were still good...

Hellboy II

dinner was chicken rice in Downtown East...
cannot remember the name of the shop but it was delicious...
wanted to try their fish head curry but no patron was eating that...
abandoned the idea...

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Hellboy II was quite draggy...
the creatures were nicely done though...
will be watching the first one on channel 5 on Sunday...
to see if it is any better...

somehow felt hungry after the show...
drove to a coffeeshop nearby for prawn soup noodle...
at this rate, i will definitely put on a lot of weight in no time...

Facial Sunday...

had facial at Bella Marina Square...
three weeks flew by just like that...
scary...
dinner at home...
and off to bed...
another week ahead...

BBQ...

breakfast was at Bedok Central...
and Sonny drove me to The Arcade for my pre-employment medical checkup...
the queue was quite long...
took me slightly more than an hour to get everything done...
headed home for a short rest...

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it has been a super long time since i last had BBQ...
this time it was at an ex-colleague, Ming's place...
finally we were able to get the old gang from AGO to meet up...
interestingly, all the married couples had kids...
with Swee Kim and Kim Siang in the lead with two...
unfortunately, their baby boy was crying most of the time and they had to leave early...

as usual, i was the uncle playing with the kids...
kinda tiring climbing up and down and kicking balls...
but it was still fun...
luckily the kids do listen to me most of the time...
at least they will not go out of control...

i fell in love with the chicken wings...
and had at least 7 or 8 of it...
and the satays, sweet potatoes, corn and otahs too...
so glad that the girls bought my favourite drink now, Coke Zero...
i must have had 3/4 of the bottle...

Changi Village...

was supposed to watch Wanted at Downtown East...
ended up in Changi Village for nasi lemak and chui kuey...
ultra sinful... but simply sedap!!

as we were early, no ah qua to see...
hahahaha...