miserable

it's christmas and new year time and i am in no mood to be happy or to celebrate anything.  although there are people around, and i get to spend time with doggy, i can't seem to be happy.  i miss teeruk so much that i want time to travel quadruple the speed it normally does.

i like to feel that i'm needed... somehow... and now that we're not living together and hardly ever talk, i feel that he doesn't need me anymore.  that his life is fine without me and that i'm the only one being miserable from missing him so much.  and i can't even tell him that i'm miserable.  i have to support what he wants to do and keep hoping that the love that we have built is strong enough to withstand the time and that his feelings for me will not change.

it's just so hard having to change from being together all the time to not knowing when i will get to talk or to see him again.

most nights i cry myself to sleep..... and he has no idea.

mixed feelings

tonight is the last night i'm spending at the sail @ marina bay - our home for the past year.  i am happy to be moving out because it means a step closer to you.  but i am also sad.  i've never done well with good byes - even if it's to a concrete block.

incomplete

ever since you relocated for work, i've been sad everyday.  i don't understand myself.  why is it so hard to be apart from you?  i try to be strong but i often breakdown when i realize that you won't be walking through that front door anymore.

i know it's something that you have to do.  i know it's not the right time.  but you have no idea how hard it is for me to not know when i'll get to see you, or when i'll hear your voice again.

i feel so pathetic being weak, i don't want to be weak.  but i miss you so much.  i miss hearing your voice.  i miss seeing your face everyday.  i miss your hugs and kisses.

i'll try my best to be strong and i wish you all the best in accomplishing your goals and be the person you want to be.

i'll wait for you ok.  please come home soon.

Double meaning

I think the recent Stella Artois ads are quite eye catching.  Their current tagline is 'Perfection has it's price'.  It's very simple in design and there are no clutter of messages.  But at least one of them made me confused about what they are really trying to say.

'Expensive Until You Try It'

What does that mean?  It tastes cheap??

If I can tweet on BKK-SIN flight Nov.6th, 2009

• I think the plane will be on its wheel all the way to Singapore
• The screen is showing the wrong info, hope the pilot remembers the destination
• Ooh... fish ball green curry...
• Ooh oh... the cabinet in the toilet is held together by masking tape
• At least the service on this flight is much better than SIN-BKK flight
• My hand sanitizer splattered when I opened it -_-

If I can tweet on SIN-BKK flight Nov.4th, 2009

• It's about to take off and I have to use the toilet... URGENTLY!!! >.<
• This flight have no TV
• I wish I can tweet on the plane
• Is it just me, or had TG inflight service dropped dramatically?
• Don't take my coke!!
• I think the guy next to me wants to use the toilet but is blocked by me and my food tray
• Tweeting is like talking to yourself
• Gonna try to sleep now
• Do you put a full-stop "." when you finish typing your tweet?

Lost

At the walkway towards the train station, there was an old man leaning against the wall, looking lost.  He was standing in a light yellow coloured puddle of water.  I'm not sure if it's his own urine or not but speculated that it's not since his khaki long pants were not wet.  He looked weak and alone.  Everyone gave him a once over but no one stop to ask him if he needed assistance.

His wrinkled thin face and facial expression made him looked so lost and abandoned.

As I walked further away from him, I imagine what it would be like if that old man was my father.  But more importantly, why didn't I stop to help?

Two Nights @ Swissotel Nai Lert Park, Bangkok

Swissotel Nai Lert Park, Bangkok is NICE!!!

There are 3 separate sections - with 3 different decor.

We get to stay on the 3rd wing which looks down to the Gallery on the first floor. I like this wing the best.. hahaha... it's simple and modern. The decor of the first wing is more traditional Thai, with a pagoda and a koi pond. The second wing overlooks the lobby area, and the third is more secluded. The night that we arrived, there were still tables and chairs arranged at the Gallery, so I guess there was a function there earlier. I can see why though, the location would have been great for events.

my baby - the doggy

i miss doggy. he's currently been relocated to chiang mai where my parents are helping me taking care of him for a while. i miss him so much!!! i can't believe i've become so attached to a dog. but he's like.. my baby :(

at least he looks happy.. lots of space to run around

Chupa Chups

so i was walking home from work and i saw this bus...

next time, when you're in doubt... go get yourself chupa chups... might make you feel better about... erm... sucking

am i wrong?

am i wrong to want to be stable? am i wrong to want to start a happy family? am i wrong to want to settle down instead of having to wonder where i will end up? am i wrong to want to start planning the future without having any doubts in my mind? am i wrong to want to know what the future holds for us?

it feels like i'm back in the beginning when nothing is certain... i'm still wondering if anything will ever be certain

Magnum Ice Cream

this is what i saw while walking to the train. it's a new campaign for magnum ice cream.

"pleasure is desired fulfilled". hmmm... if i don't desire it anymore (hence, desireD), but somehow it happened, is it still considered a pleasure?

this was the only pole that had "desired" though, the rest is "desire"

One Night @ Fairmont Hotel, Singapore

OK, I change my mind from the previous post - One Night @ Raffles Hotel, Singapore.

Fairmont Hotel is now my new favourite.

Maybe it's because I prefer the modern architecture, maybe it's because we got to stay on the penthouse floor, but definitely because of the bed.  OMG! It has to be the softest bed I've ever slept on.

I won't go into much detail about the hotel itself because it's actually pretty standard facilities of a 5-star hotel.  But, while my Teeruk went out to play tennis, I filled the bathtub and immense myself in the steamy hot bath... with soft lounge music in the background.... arrrrrrrr......heaven~  

One Night @ Raffles Hotel, Singapore

One of my Teeruk's job is to experience the services at the hotels he is promoting, many times by actually spending the night. So... it doesn't surprise me if he comes home and tells me to pack my things because we will be spending the night at a hotel. BUT, on the night of July 21, 2009, he surprised me by telling me that we will be spending the night at Raffles Hotel, the most expensive hotel in Singapore!!!

We've been to their buffet many times before, but I was in awe the minute we stepped into the hotel area. We were checked in by Lydia, who proceeded to introduce herself as our butler for the night(!!!). She took us to our suite, all the while explaining the uniqueness of the hotel. The hotel resembles a manor, with the scent of royalty floating through the air. It was elegantly decorated throughout with dazzling chandeliers. The atmosphere really does make you feel like you are the most precious person in the world.

The hotel has two main areas: the Palm Court, and the Courtyard. Our suite was located in the Palm Court area. While we were walking towards our suite, Lydia told us that we have been upgraded and would be spending the night in the Charlie Chaplin Suite, one of 12 Personality Suites at the hotel(!!!).

OH MY GOD! When she opened the door, I was speechless! The room is HUGE!!!!! She proceeded to show us around the room, and introduced us to Joo Heng, our SECOND butler (O_O!!!) for the night. After the brief tour, my Teeruk realised that he needed to dry-clean his shirt so Lydia offered to come back after we settle in, and enjoy our legendary Singapore Sling, and take us to look for alternative clothing to wear while his shirt is being dry-cleaned... great service!

On the way to the gift shop, Lydia showed us pictures of famous people, who have visited the hotel, framed along one of the corridors. The hotel welcomed the likes of George Bush, Charlie Chaplin (of course), and Queen Elizabeth.

After walking around for a while, we went to the pool area - which looks more like a secluded pond in a secret garden. Since the hotel only has 3 floors, the view from the pool is actually surrounding buildings, but it was SOOOOOOOO relaxing that none of that mattered. We went there quite late so we had the whole place to ourselves.

What's sad about this stay though, is that I had to wake up early to go to work. But, of course, not before I had breakfast at our private veranda(!!!).

The Raffles Hotel is so far, the best hotel I've stayed in.

Never Pass The Broccoli!

I don't really know much about Eurovision until my other half showed me and explain to me what it's all about. Apparently, this is were the likes of ABBA and TaTu started.

Anyway, this song has been playing in my head the whole weekend.

Educational System

I recently attended my company induction(after 5 months of working here) and through one of the presentations, somehow the presenter ended up talking about the education system.

He said that American education system tends to teach you the broader view, while British education system is more specialized. Hence, people who've studied under the British system all their life would potentially have a more specialized skill.

I've studied under British system during my high school years, AND American system during my bachelor degree... BUT... I was also under the Thai education system during my primary school years, PLUS Australian system during master's degree...

SO.... what does that make me???

A perpetually confused individual O_O

MyTwitFace

In the year 3000, Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook will merge to become a giant time-wasting website called "MyTwitFace"- Conan O'Brien

I've recently synced my Twitter page with Facebook. So this is what I've been doing lately

1. update status on Twitter
2. sign in FB to see if it appears on status
3. wait for someone to comment on my status
4. wait for someone to update status on Twitter
5. if anyone commented on FB = reply on FB
6. if not, wait to update status on Twitter
7. back to #2.

Such a vicious cycle. And it's getting tiring. I don't understand why I do that. It would have been so much easier just to update status on FB.

Also, is it weird that one of the main reasons I want an iPhone (or BlackBerry) is so that I can use Twitter and FB while I'm in the bathroom??

Actually... just found out that I can update Twitter status from the Twitter App page on FB... doi~

cute doggy

doggy was soooo adorable when he was young... not that he's not cute now, but when he was a puppy, i just want to squeeze him and hug him all the time.

as i wasn't very good with the tricks and all, my role is to watch and learn, and vdo tape the cute moments.  then i remember, i have one of the most cutest (and funniest) clip of doggy when he was young... and greedy... and clumsy... all at the same time. 

cuuuuuuuuuteeee >.<

nose

the dog is annoying. he jumps at me, he scratches me, and he rarely listens to me. but even though he's annoying most of the time, imagining life without him is a bit sad. in fact, when we had to move here and he had to stay in a boarding kennel for a couple of weeks before the flight, i actually felt like crying seeing the guy carry him away in his crate. i mean.. he's so cuuuuuuute.

i've never had a dog before, and i don't know the right way to teach him tricks or taking care of him, so i lured him to do tricks with the only thing he really like.... food! anyway, after many weeks and months of luring him with boiled soba noodles, i taught him 'nose'. he jumps up and touches his nose to your nose. he misses sometimes and hit your eye, or your cheek instead, but once he calms down, he gently touches his nose to yours. awwwwwwwwww

isn't he cuuuuuute??? i'm so proud of myself and felt that no other dog can do it (even if they can, they're not as cute as my doggy)

by the way, that's not me in the vdo, that's my male stunt-double :D

BlackBerry vs. iPhone

The battle of the mobile phones are always intense. And there are just too many mobile phones out there to choose from. So how does a phone company fight their biggest competitor? This is what BlackBerry did when they launch the BlackBerry Storm:

If you honestly think that Apple is going to just sit by and let BlackBerry have the last words, you have obviously been hiding behind an undiscovered mountain somewhere - Mac vs. PC ring a bell?

And the battle continues...

I wonder what Samsung or LG, or even Nokia (although I'm not counting much on it), will come up with to join in the fun. LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!

Thai Life Insurance

It's difficult to create an ad knowing that you only have a maximum of 90 seconds to make an impact on the viewer. It's even harder to sustain the same effect throughout the different versions of the ad.

Thai Life Insurance series of TV ads really excelled at leaving an impact. The first time I saw their ad was when they came out with "Daddy" version of the TVC. This was first aired in 2006 - and it still stuck with me to this day.

It's so simple, isn't it? They've captured the essence of family life and how important it is to spend time with those near and dear to you.

There are many other versions within the same ad series, but another one that really stuck with me is the "My Son" version. The first time I saw this ad, I was with a friend. At that time I was living in Bangkok and she came over to my place after work to watch a soap opera (due to traffic, driving home at that hour would mean her missing the soap opera). Anyway, during the commercial break, we were laughing at another ad until this one comes on. We did not know what it would be about but because of the music, and because we've seen the "Daddy" version a gazillion times, we know it has to be another Thai Life Insurance ad. Imagine the change of mood. From LAUGHING so hard we can't breath, to CRYING so hard we can't breath.

Other versions of the series include:

• "Marry Me"
• "My Girl"
• "Grandpa"
• "Grandma"

Enjoy Jakarta 2009

Many countries seem to be promoting their tourism campaign at the moment. Whether it's "Sparkling Korea" or "Awesome Philippines" (which happens to be a joint effort with MTV Asia). Indonesia is another country pushing their tourism industry with "Enjoy Jakarta" as their long running campaign.

Recently I've seen a lot of Enjoy Jakarta TV commercial. The proposition of the ad is that you can do anything and everything in Jakarta, whether you're there to enjoy marine tourism, sports, shopping or dinning. Yes, you can enjoy dinning in Jakarta. At first I thought it was a typo. Then I thought, nahhhh... Jakarta Tourism Board won't let that happen. So I look it up (still thinking that it has to be intentional)... According to dictionary.com: dinning = a loud, confused noise; a continued loud or tumultuous sound; noisy clamor.

So... let me get this straight... if, IF, it was intentional, they're promoting this as one of the reasons to visit Jakarta? Really?? Is there something special about Jakarta noise that I didn't know about?

Anyway, I kept watching and I also learnt that Jakarta is also a destination for great entertaintment. Thinking that it's probably due to my bad eyesight, every other time the ad came on, I stare at the TV to confirm what I have seen. Recently, the version shown on TV doesn't show the script anymore. Maybe they finally spotted the mistake?

So... to prove my point (because, really, no one believed me), I found the Jakarta Official Travel Website. And there it was, in all it's glory, the TVC for the world to see. For the world to learn, just as I had learnt, that Jakarta is a destination for great entertaintment.

Question: don't they have to check these things before they air them? I mean, spend a lot of money on this big campaign, only to have spelling mistakes, not very ideal is it?

update June 29, 2009: I just saw the ad again, and they've amended the spelling mistakes. Hooray for spellcheck!!!

Farah Fawcett dies at age 62

another icon also passed away today. but this one doesn't seem to get as much publicity as the King of Pop. maybe it's because people know she is suffering from cancer, or maybe towards the end of her career, she started to fade away from the scene.

in any case, i still believe she is one of the most iconic personality in the entertainment industry.

Rest In Peace, Farah Fawcett, Charlie's Angel

1947 - 2009

Michael Jackson dies at age 50

this is BIG news.

it gave me the same feeling i got when i first found out about the Tsunami in Asia, Twin Tower incident on 9/11, and Pricess Diana's untimely death. yes, it's that big.

and it's as it should be. he's a big icon in the music industry. i would put him up next to Elvis... or Pavarotti.

he was one of the first (if not THE first) international singer that i listen to. i remember trying to memorize all the words to Heal The World - listening to it over and over again.

Rest In Peace, Michael Jackson, King of Pop

1958 - 2009

Command A (or Ctrl A if you're using a PC)

A friend of mine recently made an error while she was formatting this supposed 'joke' to send to a bunch of friends. I was one of the intended recipients, and I was one who did not get the 'joke' - because what she sent out seemed like a blank page.

A few complains and 'huh?'s later, she told us that it was an error in formatting and that we should highlight all and see what happens.

Ok... so it's probably not the first time this kind of thing happen. And truth be told, it's probably one of the ways some dodgy websites used to hide themselves from spiders. But I never thought of it as invisible ink for the digital age.

I was quite amused. Interesting, no?

Cookies

Have you ever tried Tom Yum flavoured cookies? Or Laksa? Or Chicken Rice?

Sounds weird, huh?  Cookies are supposed to be sweet, but there are more to it than the average cookies at The Cookie Museum.

One thing that lured me into The Cookie Museum is the decor.  It's set up to look like an elegant living room in a Victorian style setting.  You'd feel like a Royalty just walking into the store.  (I actually started talking to the salesperson in an English accent once -_-').  The cookies there are nice too.  I especially like the Lemon Cranberry cookie.  The savoury cookies are not bad either.  I tried the Tom Yum flavour, and it tastes a bit sour (lemony herbs, i guess), but not too strong.  The Chicken Rice flavour is nice too (and actually tastes nothing like chicken rice).

It's quite pricey though.  There's only 1 size tin and the price starts from SGD$38 per tin.  So you better make sure you've tasted it before you buy it - and that's another thing that I like about The Cookie Museum - they have mini cookies for tasting! :D

Earth Hour 2009

Just so you all know, I did participate in Earth Hour this year.

How?  by using someone else's lights.

I just wanted to see the city during the black out, so I went up on the lounge floor.  With the vantage point, I get to see the area pretty clearly, which included some of the tourist spots in the city.  I guess it was pretty great... although I would have thought they would turn off the lights in the lounge, but they didn't.  Good in a way, cuz I can read my book while waiting for the lights to come back on.

Peanut Butterflies

Weird name for a blog title right?

The title actually describes 2 things that I recently tried and enjoyed very much

The first... peanut sesame call - which is essentially fried dough covered in sesame with a ball of peanut butter inside.

The second... butterfly buns - it's really just fried dough.. haha... a bit sweet... but very nice.

I know I shouldn't eat too much fried stuff, especially fried dough... but they're yummy!!!

colors colors colors

this is what i see on my work table

my new toy: the pantone guide!!

my blue bottle

one of the things i look forward to when i go to work is this blue bottle

it's a bit sad isn't it? i don't know what it is, but i just want to fill it with water and carry it wherever i go. 

Cuppy Cakes

The first time I actually tasted cupcakes from this 'exclusive cupcake boutique' was when a department at my office bought it for everyone.  We were given 5 tiny cupcakes each.  The presentation was really cute.  The 5 cupcakes were cased in a clear dome-shaped plastic container.

I don't normally like cupcakes because I always feel it doesn't really have its own forte.  It's like a cross between a cake and a muffin.  Anyway, what I really like about these cupcakes is the cream on top.  They are so delectable!!! That's the reason why, a few days later (ok fine... it was actually a week later) I went to find the store and bought the normal size ones.

The first one that I got was called 'Sunrise'.  

It's got a strawberry cheesecake sponge with zesty lemon butter cream whip.  DELICIOUS!!!

The second one was called 'Mango Tango'.  

This one has a chocolate sponge with tangy mango butter cream whip.  YUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

Anyone craving delicious cupcakes will sure to be impressed by the range of cupcakes and the decor at this 'exclusive cupcake boutique'.

OH! they do customized cupcakes too!

misses

so here are the things i miss (not in any particular order)

- sydney

- friends in sydney (you know who you are.. )

- pyrmont

- darling harbour

- pancakes on the rocks

- fishing

- monorail

- paul's place (it's actually a chinese restaurant near UNSW that i don't remember the name of)

- easy way tea

- star city

- the beaches

- playing uno for a free meal

- the cliffs 

- going for a drive

there are so many more things that i miss but i can't remember

i know i miss my tofu... :( 

even though he's only at work, but i miss him....

all i wanted was peanut butter

i spent the day being bored out of my mind and while watching an episode of "The Nanny", i suddenly have a craving for peanut butter sandwiches.  so that's what i did at precisely 8pm today... i ventured out to find peanut butter.

i guess i could have gone to the nearest 7/11 and see if they have peanut butter, but as i've spent the whole day at home, i need fresh air.  so i went for a walk... 

after finding peanut butter about an hour later, i realized that 

1.) i'm tired

2.) i'm thirsty

3.) i'm a bit further from home than i expected

4.) i have no idea which direction to continue walking, and

5.) i forgot to bring my train ticket so i couldn't (or wouldn't) take the train back.

so... after a stop over at starbucks, i started finding my way back with the help of signs on top of high-rise buildings - because i don't remember the street names....

while wandering around the city, taking random turns at buildings that look familiar, i realized that i wasn't worried that i was lost.  in fact, i was quite thrilled.  it's a bit exciting to be lost - mind you, if i were to be lost in a deserted area i would freak, but i was lost in a city filled with skyscrapers so it was amusing.

anyway, what started out as a quick trip to get peanut butter turned out to be a very fulfilling 2 hour walk around the city.

hmmm... maybe i should get out more....