First Year in SG

***lifted from friendster.

It's my first anniv in this new chapter. :)

Everything started as a coincidence, SG was never part of my plans.

Looking back, so many things happened the past year, learned a great deal about life and gained new friendships. Still, not much has changed, probably just more time to explore new things and places. Sale hunts, food trips, short leisure courses, occasional concerts and day tours have become a favorite getaway. :)

Sharing a nice SMS msg from a friend:
There is no key to happiness,
the door is always open.

To add, whether you're unhappy, bored or unsatisfied.. everything is a matter of choice!

Whether it's a 60sgd spa or 0.60sgd sundae cone, I'm still good. Life is simple. :)

The First Musical Instrument Class

I once wished that I'd be able to play at least one musical instrument.

Last Saturday, I finally went to sign up for a musical instrument class. As I mentioned many times, I dont fancy the common things ;p. Guess which one I signed up for?

Dan dan dan dan...

Guzheng. :p

It's an old classical musical instrument of Chinese origins. The type of instrument that the typical long-haired leading ladies of 'flying' chinese movies would play. Flying here means lipad-lipad na olden setting, like 'Love of the Condor Heroes' (if i remember the title correctly.

Besides, it's the closest I can get to a piano. Piano courses here are absurdly expensive. Piano was actually my first attempt in 2004, but I stopped after 3 classes. Tinamad gumising nang maaga.

I hope I'd manage to play some basic tunes with this guzheng. Wish me luck. :) and oh probably someone should lend me this 'flying' costume, I want a picture like that taken while playing hehehe.

Good Job

For once, I feel good.

It's been quite long since the last time I received any feedbacks from work. Since I set foot here, I already cancelled out any expectations careerwise, whatever about work. I still don't have any long term plans here so why bother office politics and kiss-assing deeds people are putting up. Simply put, I just dont care much. Keber, wala akong paki. :p

I think this is a better approach, prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Other than that, no need to give a d*mn. All I care about is that I hope I won't commit fatal booboos that will prompt people to fire me :p

Early March I was given a task in this new telco project that was actually not part of my scope. Well it was of no basis, but just simply because the people involved in the project were too busy and I seemed to be the least busiest :p I was given tons of things to analyze (nieks I was confused) The supposedly person (Indian) who should help me out is an OC friek, he was dictating some queries for me to write. And then he told me 'You put an inverted comma'. I was stuck. What? Yeah inverted comma. After few seconds he seemed impatient, went to my pc and pointed to one button 'Here is the inverted comma'. My golly??? It's the apostrophe! Crazy terminology.

Anyway, that started my first time to take-home work. I spent a few puyat nights to organize those stuff. This seems to be a 'hot' project among the top management. I sent them the analysis as instructed. And I got a comment 'good job Leslie' :p

Naks ang haba ng buhok ko. :)

and the busy days are yet to come. Bahala na, I just hope I will still have time for my leisure classes,.. and if it's not too much to ask, I hope I'll get a raise! Hey I'm turning 1 year old in this company soon. Time flies!

Cooking Classes (to the next level) :)

Out of curiousity, I enrolled in a formal cooking class. This time it's Chinese Restaurant Cooking class. :p Take note, it's restaurant cooking and not basic home cooking. :p See, I have high hopes and high dreams. haha

Below are some pictures of the instructor chef's masterpieces. Good subject as well for photography, i think my cam loves the food too. :)

I'm on TV :p

March 6, I had a scheduled project meeting in the morning (extra lng ako dun actually, nakikiattend lng). By chance I was nakaporma that day, wearing all black plus my new yellow curly cardigan. Probably I woke up at the right side of the bed.

When I entered the conference room, the project manager from the client side called my attention. He's someone of high position, a mid-40s man.

In a clear voice he said, 'Hey, I saw you on TV last night'

I was surprised, 'huh what?'

He answered, 'Yeah in the ChannelNewsAsia. You were in a meeting in a conference room. Your company was featured in the news right'. People in the room started staring at me. (buti na lng I was decently dressed)

Then I suddenly remembered that I did have that sort of encounter last February, when I was asked to be an extra to sit during the shooting, and I was hardly nakaporma that day, sayang! (I blogged about that too!) I thought it wasn't gonna be shown on air.

There goes my first official appearance on TV.. and it is outside Philippines!

Fabulous. Fantastic. Awesome :p

'Di Naramdaman

It does feel good to have old friends coming back and sharing life's stories.

My good friend in high school messaged me in friendster one day and that started our frequent chikahan recently online. We've lost touch after high school and drifted apart leading our own lives, until few months ago she popped some greetings.

Funny to hear her say that she was glad 'I'm still the same' person, she even doubted whether I would reply. Why are most people expecting that I have changed? :) and what is wrong with me?? :p

Anyway, of course when girls get together, they talk about boys haha. It was amusing to hear her love stories. One funny thing is there are guys who claimed na 'nanligaw' pero 'd naman nya naramdaman'. HAHAHA that sounds familiar :p I wonder why some guys just can't get it straight across? It wouldnt harm to be a bit straight-forward. Why wait for destiny when you can create your own fantasy :)

There's also one incident where one guy sort of ditched her because the mom is against them. She mentioned that some FilChi guys are known to be mama's boys. That is the second time I heard that comment this year. I never really thought about it, havent noticed that with my circle of friends. For me, I am never against about being obedient to parents, but merely following without rationalizing, that's something else. We're all entitled to our own happiness and we should take full responsibilities for our own lives.

Save the Last Dance for Me

My last dance class just ended. That's basically 3 social dances, for cha-cha, disco rock and rock and roll. I dont know how to differentiate, some just look like typical swing steps to me.

Dancing is fun. And what makes it more fun is that I was partnered (again) with the instructor for the whole of last session, as pambawi siguro. (refer to some previous entries). Whoa, it was really overwhelming to dance with an expert. Girls take a back step and follow while guys take the lead - that is the basic point as the instructor explained. Nasa diskarte tlaga ng male partner yan.

For once, I feel graceful. and oh I must admit I was mesmerized for those few minutes. Haha balik crush-crushan blues, typical professor-student crushie thing in school. It lasted for just an hour :p

Unexpected Invitations

My college friend just bore her first child last January. And to my surprise, she sent me a mail that I will be one of the ninangs. I have a new inaanak! I cant go home again as my last leave is only 2 months ago. Uso nga pla ang proxy. :p So pano ang gift.. I really dont know if some Filipinos still find gifts in 'cash' as offensive. Haha I really dont care, cash is good. :p Besides that's the best I can do given that I'm far away. Hehe I just deposited some money into her account.

And again unexpectedly, I got a wedding invitation for March. Pinaabot sa isang common friend who went here for vacation. I have this mindset probably passed on by my parents, that with or without my attendance, it's mandatory to give gifts whenver you receive 'invitation' in paper. This one I still dont know, should I again deposit money to someone's account?? Waah

I dont know whether I should feel happy that I am remembered. Or otherwise. hahaha gastos ulit. :)

Extra Challenge: Chinese Poem

I just notice I forgot to post my Chinese masterpiece. I think this would be my first and last attempt to create such a long poem :). It has 28 stanzas, 8 liner each stanza. AND it RHYMES! I finished this last December, got me churning for appropriate words and phrases, what a challenge! And oh, I miss my petix days hehe. :)

Seriously, I really feel good when I learn a skill without having any formal lessons. For me, Mandarin is definitely not something I learned from school. The exposures just accumulated to my present level now. I don't have any special skill to be proud of. If there's one single thing I can do better, let's say more than 50% of the filchi fipinized population, I guess this is it. :p

Sharing my first stanza. :0

風花雪月 眼花遼亂
天長地久 海枯石爤
字字句句 深印心坎
不知不覺 回憶片段

Pitstop for Feb

So many grrh things this week. Kamalasan - when it rains, it pours.

Lost in Telco
This is my second day in the new client site, a telco. After almost 2 months of petix period, they put me into this project (at mukhng susulitin na ang bayad sa kin!). First, the site is very far, I consume 1hour of traveltime one-way. And the annoying thing is the bus that takes me to the business park from Jurong MRT seems to 'cease' operation from 930am onwards everyday grrh. Napapataxi tuloy ako kada nalelate, mahal! Second, this seems to be a 'hot' project, there are three high-profile high-position high-salaried people in this team. And seems like it's automatic that I am the 'assistant' alalay to the diyoses, woah okay lng I dont mind. I'm more worried that it's a make or break for me. Pag magkalat ako d2, patay. Anyway I dont mind, take it as good learning opportunity :p. I've been attending long business requirement meetings, and I have to be the official seksitary taking the minutes of the meeting. Gosh, it's killing me. My attention span is very short, like anything that exceeds one hour seems to send a signal to my brain to yawn. Yawn yawn maghapon humihikab at inaantok.. kakahiya. And I barely understand the telco industry (yet), lost.

SICK (again)
To make the matter worse, probably my health failed me again. I usually eat at home (yeah my own cooking :p) There was a night na tinamad so went to the nearest hawker. The next day I had sore throat. Hindi ko pinansin. Then it rained also, so viola instant cough, runny nose, clogged nose. I am a druggie (I've said that before). I HATE BEING SICK. I drank some western medicine, also bought chinese herbal tea (uso d2).. and this adds more to drowsiness during meetings. Uggh.


SHOCK
The extension cord in my room got busted. One night it sparked and created a big noise. I can feel the flame which is like 1in away from me (and also my laptop). I was shocked. Good thing houses here have the automatic system for turning off the main fuse switch whenever there are hints of short circuits. The whole house was in blackout, my housemate turned the switch on again to have the electricity back. I was speechless for a moment. Muntik na akong sabugan.


CLASSES
My classes (leisure classes) are weeknights. Given the new location, I am always late :( There's one annoying thing in dance class, my partner (who is shorter than me) always have a hard time turning me around. As in exaggerated, nasasagi yun buhok ko at nasira pati ang clip ko. Minsanan naapakan ako. And worst, ang bigat ng movements nya, nakakahilo. Out of martyrdom and ethics, I never complained (we were asked by instructor to raise complaints if we want to change partners). It was my second to the last class, and finally the dance instructor seemed to notice it at long last.. At ako na ang pinartner nya (hehe o well ibang level at least for once kapartner ko ang instructor)


RIPPED OFF
I had a tooth cavity (again!). And I dont know why I keep on having cavities despite that I brush my teeth at least 3 times a day! (after every meal). Knowing the overpriced dental services (medical in general) in SG, nagkukuripot ako, I was hoping it can wait till my next Manila vacation hehe. The hole's getting bigger so I thought I really should have it fixed before it calls for any tooth canal (which is much more expensive). Saturday I broke my usual routine and woke up early hehe (10am is early :p). Ridiculous dental clinic weekend hours, all dentist clinics near Bishan only have morning 9am-12nn operation hours. Anyway, so arrived at this first clinic, they told me I'm too late for today's appointment because it's full already, I should go back tomorow at 9am. whooat!! I asked for the charge, they told me around 60-80sgd depending on the hole, whether it's big or not. That translates to 1800-2400php. Hmm a 60sgd is enough to buy a handbag or a blouse or a pair of shoes or facial or buffet. Sayang hehe.

Went to the second clinic, good thing they can still accomodate me. The tooth filling service costs me 45sgd here. (around 1400php) Cheap price for SG. But then again spending 1400 for pagpasta? 350php lng charge ng dentist ko sa Manila! hahaha. Again the rule of thumb here in SG 'THOU SHALL NOT CONVERT NOR COMPARE!'


HOUSE
We're again experiencing delaying tactics of the doomed housemate family. I really wonder WHEN will this ever end. Hindi pa rin umaalis. It's really a 'sh*tty' condition living with people who are far beyong the norm, and all these weird habits and personalities. Doomed. D*mned.


I read somewhere that everyone's share of BLESSINGS and UNHAPPINESS is equal. So I hope my blessings will even out this negativities soon.

What's Your Name Hidden Meaning

Nice read. 80% accurate. :p

What Leslie Wong Means

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are very charming... dangerously so. You have the potential to break a lot of hearts. You know how what you want, how to get it, and that you will get it. You have the power to rule the world. Let's hope you're a benevolent dictator! You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are deeply philosophical and thoughtful. You tend to analyze every aspect of your life. You are intuitive, brilliant, and quite introverted. You value your time alone. Often times, you are grumpy with other people. You don't appreciate them trying to interfere in your affairs.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?