Goodbye 2005, Hello 2006!

Today is the last day of 2005 and I’m glad I ended the year in a great way!

I woke up early this morning, baked two types of muffin, – carrot cornmeal and apple raisin muffins – had two hours of tennis under really wonderful weather and ended the day having dinner with two very good friends. What a better way to end the year than do something I love!

While there have been tears during the year, there have been joy too. All I can say is it’s been an eventful, fruitful and happy year for me. And I hope 2006 will be an even happier one.

Here's a toast to 2006!

2005 Best and Worst

The Best…
Best Bake – My Yumi Chewies Cookies – My Fair Lady, Muscle Man, KnockOut Hunk and Sugar Babe – because they were sold out in just 2 hours during the President’s Challenge and raised S$280
Best Buy – Coach handbag for less than S$200 @ Camarillo Premium Outlet, Ventura, California
Best Dining Experience – My first French dinner @ Au Petit Salut
Best Hotel Stay – Beverly Hills Hilton, Los Angeles (a must-stay if you are going on company’s account)
Best Moment – Meeting Jang Dong Gun
Best Movie – Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (You can be fat and happily in love who someone who loves you for who you are… isn’t that sweet but I think it happens only in fairy tales)
Best Outing – Disneyland, Los Angeles (It was a real magical experience, one that I’ll never forget)
Best Shopping Experience – Camarillo Premium Outlet, Ventura, California
Best Trip – Two-week trip to the US covering San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles
Best TV Drama – All About Eve

… and the Worst
Worst Bake – A quick bread that turned mouldy the next day
Worst Buy – Two pairs of shoes that gave me blisters after many wears
Worst Dining Experience – Can’t see what I was eating at a restaurant in Evason Resort, Hua Hin and feeding mosquitoes at the same time
Worst Hotel Stay – Arnoma Hotel, Bangkok (You could hear the toilet flushing next door!)
Worst Moment – Something work related (No details to be given since I’ve decided not to use my blog to bitch about my job or anybody)
Worst Movie - The Promise (It hurts to put this down but I'm a very objective person)
Worst Outing – Being chased by a marshal at a golf course for being too slow
Worst Shopping Experience - Fighting the crowds along Orchard Road doing Christmas shopping
Worst Trip - None since I only took 3 trips this year ; )
Worst TV Drama - Winter Sonata

Happy Days

Happiness is contagious.

This was the conclusion I drew after I saw these two brothers rollerblading and having the fun of their lives. Watching them blade, hearing their laughter and seeing the joy on their faces! They were just so happy blading away and could still laugh heartily even if they fall. I was lucky to see them when I was out on a photo shoot yesterday.

Looking at them made me really happy. But I was also very envious of them. As adults, how many of us are able to let go completely and be carefree like children? I don’t think I’ve laughed so heartily and happily like them for as long as I can remember. I guess I have gone through, or for that matter, most of us, have gone through too much in life – failures, jealousy, pain, illnesses and the list goes on… Nonetheless, I will continue to be a happy gal. And I hope you would too.

Looking at them also reminded me of the importance of family ties. The two boys were obviously very close… I hope they grow up to be just as good buddies. I think it’s quite sad that many of us drift apart from our families and siblings as we grow older, have our own friends and families. Quite frankly, I can’t remember how many times my family gets together for a meal these days. Maybe once a year? I do hope this will change in the coming year.

Last but not least, I think this Christmas has been a good one. While there were no parties nor expensive presents, I had a good time.

A Christmas Date with King Kong

Love is full of sacrifices. This may sound cliché but this is what Mr King Kong felt and did. Here is the full story…

24 December 2005

Instead of partying the night away, I made a blind date with Mr King after much persuasion from a friend. Spent three hours with him and adored him at the end of the date. As fate would have it, Mr King was already dead by then.

Mind you, Mr King was not your usual kind of man, umm, I mean date. Instead of 5Cs (Car, Condominium, Career, Cash and Country Club), he’s got the 5Hs – Hairy, Huge and Horribly ugly, but yet Humorous and ‘Hunky’ (yes, gals, please note the inverted quotation marks!. And a sweet creature he is, protecting his loved one from mercenary T-rexes amongst others. As fairy tales would have it, all men around him paled in comparison.

Mr King made sacrifices and paid for it with his life. All because he fell for a creature of another kind from another world – a woman! He certainly deserves an Oscar nomination for playing the savage beast tamed.

That’s all I’m saying so as not to spoil the fun or romance for those who have not dated Mr King yet. And date him you must! The cinematography, special effects, and superb acting from the supporting human cast made this a memorable Christmas eve for me… ah… so great is the power of love.

Photo caption: Mr King was resurrected three hours later when Miss Kong found him and kissed him for three full minutes on his big dark lips. And they live happily on the island called Singapore serenading each other all day long.

My 12 Wishes This Christmas

Santa will get a stalk of tulip for each wish that he fulfils this Christmas. And there's a bonus stalk if he makes all my 12 wishes come true. Merci Beaucoup, Santa! (Photo taken at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, March 2004)


It's that time of the year again when we can ask Santa for presents. And this Christmas, I Wish…

1. … there are no more squealing brats on board buses, trains and planes to irritate me… somehow they never seem to run out of air
2. … for SKII complexion
3. … for Kate Moss’ legs
4. … I have 48 hours a day so that I pursue all my dreams and hobbies
5. … there’s no more terrorism so that people who love to travel (like me!) can see the world with a peace of mind
6. … I can be ‘zapped' into another country in a second through a hologram – no more long hours on the plane… wouldn’t this be GREAT?!
7. … the sun will always shine whenever I do my sports.
8. … all the singles in this world will be happy and NOT feel lonely even though they’re alone.
9. … for happiness for the unhappy souls
10. … for warmth, food and shelter for the homeless this winter (A trip to San Francisco last year opened my eyes to the many homeless who had to brave the cold every night... )
11. … for good health and happiness for my family and all my friends

…and last but not least, I wish…
12. … I can have a private dinner with Jang Dong-gun

Guess I better stop day dreaming and get on with life. But I still hope Santa will make my wishes come true. Because I’ve been a good gal in 2005 ; )

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Best Week in 2005 – Have U Counted your Blessings?

When the going gets tough and your journey is blocked by obstacles, may the sun's ray and warmth guide you to clear the many obstacles you are facing. (Photo taken at Yosemite Park, US, March 2004)

Although there are two more weeks to go before 2006 begins, I must say 11 – 18 December has to be the best week in 2005. Here are 8 simple reasons:

1. I had a week of very successful shopping! (I probably won’t be very happy when I get my bills but who cares?!)
2. I finally bought my new 3G handphone.
3. I baked lots of gingerbread boys and cookies to give away as Christmas presents.
4. I received a number of very nice compliments.
5. My friend in Shanghai found and bought old JDG movies for me.
6. I msn and chatted with an overseas friend for the first time.
7. I managed to squeeze in some time to tidy up my room today.
8. The best part has to be meeting my idol, Jang Dong-Gun. And I managed to take some nice photos. They’re not perfect but it’s tough having to fight with over 600 fans to get close to him.

Hope everyone is feeling as happy as me… if not, I hope the happiness will travel through the cables and reach you through the world wide web!

If you are still unhappy, try counting your blessings!
If you are unhappy about not being able to go for that French dinner, just think of those in Africa or India who have not had a full meal for days.
If you are unhappy about not having a house, just think of those who do not have a roof over their heads and may not pass this cold winter.
If you are unhappy about having to work for long hours, just think of those who do not have a job.
If you are unhappy and lonely about being single, just think of those who are unhappy being married or worse, abused by their partners.

Don’t you feel lucky and happy that you are able to surf the Internet, have three good meals a day, a roof over your head and living a carefree life not having to be at someone’s beck and call?

So, start counting your blessings today!

The Promise that Cannot be Kept

As an ardent fan of Jang Dong-Gun, I was sad for the great actor after watching the much talked about movie, “The Promise”. Jang Dong-Gun played a slave, called Kun Lun, who fell in love with Princess Qing Chen (played by Cecilia Cheung). Qing Chen plays a temptress whom four men love. Unfortunately, she will only bring them tragedy because of a promise she made to a goddess.

It is not JDG’s fault that the movie was given a bad rating. I think Chen Kai Ge had a fantasy gone wrong. JDG acting was great, but the plot was weak and there were just too many crappy things – the play on feathers, the slow motion, the bird cage where the princess was kept, a faggot king… sigh. Some scenes were so ridiculous that all I can do is laugh and feel sad for JDG. But credit must go to the 'foreign' actors – JDG and Hiroyuki -- for saying their lines in heavily accented Mandarin.

And the moral of The Promise?
Not all is lost after watching the movie which is about choosing one’s destiny and going against fate. I personally, strongly believe in fate -- What’s yours is yours. And what’s not meant to be yours will never be yours. -- This strong belief helped me get on with life during my darkest moments. This is also how I live a life with no regrets.

So, the movie wasn’t that bad afterall. And I’m not saying this because I’m crazy over Jang Dong-gun… well, perhaps a little : )

But JDG, please promise NOT to do such a movie again… how about a sequel to All About Eve?

Click here for more photos of Jang Dong-gun in action in Singapore: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sandyl808/album?.dir=4792&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

Jang Dong-gun Forever

Not once but twice - yes, I shook Jang Dong-gun's twice yesterday. I'm smiling as I'm writing this - never would I imagine coming up close and personal with my idol of two months.

While I felt a little foolish chasing him from the airport to Heeren and then the cinema and trying to avoid the media at the same time, I have only one thing to say - it was WORTH IT - every second of the 8 hours I waited. Crazy, isn't it?

But he's really drop dead gorgeous! I must really thank my friend for getting such a good seat at the charity premier - row 2, aisles seat - the aisles he took to walk up and down to meet his fans. That's not all - Just when I was really sad that I had lost a roll of films I painstakingly shot during that day, the cinema called and said they found it. What a miracle!

Having said all these, seeing him has brought me back to earth and reality. Jang Dong-gun can and will remain only an idol - someone I have a crush on. While I try to be more level headed, I still can't stop thinking of him. His mesmerizing look, his sincere smile, his eyes, his great tan will remain etched in my mind, forever.

The media had only good things to say about him. I'm sure many fans here are ecstatic about him denying having a girlfriend. But I'm a little sad. I think he's too nice a guy to remain single. Since he can only be admired and respected from a distance, I wish he will find his true love and bring love and happiness to the destined one.

Thank you, JDG. I feel like I'm the luckiest and happiest gal in this universe. Now I must wait patiently for my photos and hope there are 2-3 good ones that I can put on my blog.

Have You been Naughty or Nice?

It's 12 more days to Christmas... guess it's time for me to stop all that mindless shopping and do some stock take. I've decided to confess so that Santa won't skip my house this Christmas!

So, here I go….the seven ‘deadly’ sins I’ve committed in 2005:

Pride/Vanity – Excessive complaints about my weight despite people telling me other wise. Thank goodness my friends have not abandoned me for sounding like a broken record.

Envy - Pencil thin legs are what I would die for... since I love to bake and I can't eat everything, I've been spreading the fats around. But I'm sure my friends love it!

Gluttony – This one’s easy… I’ve developed an addiction to chocolate this year and I think I’ve consumed enough to last me for the next 5 years! Sounds scary, doesn't it?

Lust – Going all out to get tickets to the Charity Premier Screening for The Promise so I can meet my idol… I've been quite shameless but what the heck, you only get to meet your idol once in your lifetime!

Anger – Three years of yoga and meditation still can’t keep my temper in check, especially when I talk to my family. So, impatience and anger are weaknesses I must work on in the coming year.

Greed – I don’t crave for more money or material things but I want more TIME. I’ve been stretching my weekends so much and I wake up so tired every Monday.

Sloth – Keeping my room spick and span is really challenging with the many hobbies that I have.

Have you reflected on your past year? If not, do so and beg forgiveness from those whom you have ‘sinned against’. You’ve got another 18 days to do it so you can start 2006 afresh with a peaceful mind ; )

So Near Yet so Far

My idol, Jang Dong-gun is finally coming to town... and many thanks to my friend, I'm going to the Charity Premier on 14 Dec! I'm so excited. And a couple of us are even planning to go to the airport to welcome him to Singapore. I think I'm a little crazy. This is really 2nd adolescence! Guess I'll just enjoy the fun while it lasts.

If anyone thinks I'm crazy, there is someone who's worse. Apparently, one auntie brought $5,000 to the cinema and wanted to buy all the 100 charity tickets.

Admidst the madness, I read some news that he may be attached. And that brought me back to earth. Well, I'm happy for him if he is happily attached because he seems like a really nice person.

Just hope I get an autograph from him and take some nice pictures next week.

Watch out for more pixes and stories ; )

Simple Act of Love

Buddha Statue at Po Lin Monastery, Lantau Island, Hong Kong 2004

Christmas is a time we give thanks and remember those who have helped us in any way during the year. Very often, we thought a gift (which is often what they may not need) is good enough. Well, on one of my recent shopping trips, a little boy touched my heart…

...He was no more than 10 years old. As I boarded the subway, I saw him swinging irritatingly on two bar handles leaving me with nothing to hold on to. Then, someone vacated a seat near where I was standing and I heard the boy shouting to someone in the next carriage, “Ah ma, zhe bian you wei” (Grandma, there’s a seat here!).

Simple words these may be but I was touched. So were the three teenage gals beside me who commented they didn’t expect the seemingly nonchalent boy to take such good care of his granny. Unfortunately, in our hectic city life and schedule, we rarely see such display of affection and filial piety.

Have we made time for our family, especially our aging grannies or parents as we focus on our career, hobbies, nucleus family? Personally, I think I could have done better. My weekly dinners with my parents have not been as regular. Suddenly, I remembered someone I knew who would not answer the mother’s phone calls nor visit her when she was alive. When she died suddenly, I think that someone was quite sad… but it was too late.

I'm reminded that we must remember to treasure those around us when they are still alive. And our parents and grannies are simple people… Just buying their favourite food or titbits will make their day.

In the new year, I must spend more time with my parents, and I hope you will too… for without them, you and I will not exist.

In Celebration of Life

Today is my birthday and I've decided to do a list of the Most XXX (A-Z) things (pardon the way some superlatives were used)that have happened in my life or I've done... happy reading ; )

Adventurous - Scuba diving
Beautiful - Watching sunset on Wakiki Beach, Hawaii
Challenging - Managing my finances
Dreamy - Striking a million dollar lottery and retire immediately
Embarrassing - asking a friend if she's pregnant when she wasn't
Flattering - Friends asking me to submit photo for Hot Babes page in the Sunday Times
Gorgeous man I admire - Jang Dong-gun, who else?
Horrible - A trip to Phuket that ended with an ambulance ride to hospital from the airport
Innovative - Making and selling accessories
Joyful - Should I say it's being single again? Because life after that has never been happier and better
Kiddy - Having a crush @ age XX
Lustful - sh... this is a secret
Meaningful - Selling cookies to raise money for charity
Naughty - Getting drunk with a group of all-male college friends. Thank goodness they were very nice friends.
Outrageous - Going for blind dates ; (
Proud - Setting up my blog
Quick - Gobbling down a plate of chicken rice in 3 minutes
Romantic - Giving someone 12 handmade cards for his 6-day overseas trip... one to be read after each meal
Scary - Going for an operation at 21 years old
Torturous - 17 hour flight to the United States... tough passing so many hours when you can't get to sleep
Unforgettable - Trip to Yosemite Park... the scenery, peace and smell of pine are etched in my mind and it's what I think of when I meditate
Valuable - Reading and writing skills
Wonderful - Coming home each day for Mom's home-cooked meal
Xpensive - A half-carat solitaire ring
Yummy - Home baked mud Cheesecake
Zzzz... (boring) - Washing toilets

So, what am I looking forward to as I enter another year? More fun and happiness of course...


Note: Fireworks photo courtesy of Christopher Leng ; )