happy gal 88

This blog is about all things that make me happy. Why happy gal? Because I strongly believe that life is short and we must treasure every second of it. Why brood and live life unhappily?! I hope every reader finds some happiness on this blog : ) See my Korean blog - Seoul Far Seoul Good - @ http://www.seoulfarseoulgood.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

How time flies


The long weekend was over at the blink of an eye.

I finally put up my travel blog with an inaugural posting on my Korea trip.


I also finished watching another Korean TV drama – Lovers in Paris or 파리의 연인. It has an interesting plot but the ending was really weird. I wonder what the producer was trying to do with the alternative ending - sure made me feel cheated that I’ve sat through 20 hours just to have the producer tell me that the story is starting all over again. Anyway, this will probably be the last drama that I'm going to watch for a while unless they are good comedies. Sigh… sometimes, I think of my own sad love story after watching these serials and that's bad for my soul.

Talk about happier stuff. Today is exactly one month after I made my New Year’s resolution. So I thought it’s time to review them. I’m glad that I’ve achieved the first one and will be on the way to achieve the second one. I’m also in half a mind to add another one – take part in the Singapore Biathlon. But I may not have time to train for it. Maybe next year…


Sunday, January 29, 2006

Have a Prosperous Year of the Dog!


恭喜发财,万事如意,新年快乐!

Today is the first day of the Year of the Dog and according to Chinese customs, I’m another year older. In the new year, I wish for great health for my parents, wisdom for my forever immature brother, and great relationships and wealth for myself.

And I must remember not to binge too much on the New Year goodies since I’m still trying to lose the weight I’ve gained from my recent trip to Korea. I’m thankful I’ve got my programme lined up over the next three days before work starts on Wednesday.
So far, I’ve jogged 6km this morning and I even cooked Korean seaweed soup and spicy rice cake! Looks like the Korean craze is not showing any signs of abating.

Over the next few days, exercise will be top agenda, with movies, shopping and maybe some baking thrown in. Maybe not the last activity since I need to rest and recover from my trip.

To all my friends, here’s wishing you good health, more wealth, great career and a very successful year of the Doggie!

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Winter in Korea

안녕 합세요 (Hello/ Good morning)
감사 합니다 (Thank You)
알만네요? (How much?)

These were the top three Korean phrases that I used when I was in Korea for a week. How time flies! It’s only been two days since I touched down in Singapore and I’m beginning to miss the Land of the Morning Calm.

In the past week, I covered Jeju, Mount Sorak, Yong Pyong, Everland, Lotte World, Nami Island, Chuncheong, a little part of Seoul… but the tour itinerary was really too packed. Looking at the Seoul map I collected from Incheon Airport, I realised I hardly explored Seoul – Nadaeman, Dongdaeman, Myeongdong etc. Very little time was also given for us to explore Mount Sorak.

I guess this trip has given me a rough idea of what Korea is like – the people, culture and food. And the conclusion is – Korea is really beautiful. I hope to visit again soon. And this time round, I’ll ascend Hallasan in Jeju (maybe parts of it since I’m no mountain climber), explore Mount Sorak, improve my skiing, visit the Palace and temple in Seoul, and last but very important, spend at least three full days shopping in Seoul. But I’ll have to improve my Korean first. Before that, I’ll have to find another 사보 since the earlier one must have given up on me.

Anyway, look out for more interesting stories on my new travel blog which I hope will be ready by next week.







Sunday, January 15, 2006

Le Grand Voyage

For once I decided to give Korean movies a miss and watch a French movie instead. Entitled Le Grand Voyage, the movie is about a Muslim teenager living in France who was forced to drive his strict father to Mecca for his pilgrimage. Along the 6,000 mile journey, father and son relationship unfolded as they picked up two ‘hitchhikers’. At one point, the son even walked out on the father. As an audience, I first detested the father’s autocratic hand in ruling the family and making decisions for all things. But later, he gained my respect in that while he may not be educated and may not speak other’s language, he was a wise and kind man. The long journey was also an eye-opener for the young teenager’s innocent mind. And I think he grew up quite a bit after the journey… alas, just as he was beginning to know and (I think) love his father more, the latter died. The soulful echoes of his cries brought tears to my eyes. The message is clear – it’s too late to cry when the person is gone. You need show him that you love him while he’s still alive.

In many ways, Le Grand Voyage reminded of my own father, who is at times too autocratic for my liking. He is also a man everyone in the family fears. My situation is of course not as bad. Of all my siblings, I’m the only one who dares to joke with him and call him names. And he is a really sweet man -- making sure that all my clothes are ironed even when he's sick. I remembered once when I was quite sick and he suggested all kinds of incentives just so that I'll get well.


The movie has once again reminded me that I should spend more time with him and make him happy. So that when the day comes, I will not feel sad and regret not doing this and that.

Don’t miss this film. C’est très bon!

P/S: Glad I saw this movie. It was a refresher course for my basic French ; )

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Korean ABCs

안 녕 하 세 요. (Hello)
저 샌 디 진 입 니 다. (I'm Sandy.)
싱 가 폴 에 서왔 어 요. (I'm from Singapore.)
다 음 주 한 국 가 요. (I'm going to Korea next week.)

For the past month, I've been busy trying to pick up Korean language. And it's been really tough when it's DIY. What spurred me on? Well, it was brought on partly by the Korean craze. But more importantly, I started learning because I had plans to travel to Korea this year. In fact, I’m going next week which is why I’m desperately trying to learn and write down as many phrases as possible.

While it's been difficult, I managed to learn how to recognise, read, write and type some words... all thanks to 2 reference books, the Korean Tourism Website and a friend or my 사 부 (teacher). And of course not forgetting all the Korean VCDs that I've been watching. (My parents think I'm nuts watching them in Korean when I can do so in Mandarin.)

It's been challenging because Korean sentences are structured very differently compared to English, Chinese or even French. And the way words are pronounced, how it changes when words are linked up can also be quite a challenge. Not to mention the different verb endings, tenses etc which I plan to learn when I take up formal lessons later part of the year. Learning a new language makes meI feel like a five-year old all over again. And a very impatient five-year old too - because I think I'm learning too slowly and I don't have the opportunity to practise.

Having said all these, I've had fun learning it. It's interesting that some Korean words are similar to Chinese words or some spoken dialects.

Guess I'll test out my very limited Korean when I go to the Land of the Morning Calm next week!

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Time Out



It’s only the second day at work and I’ve fallen sick. Gastric flu, so says the doctor. But I think it’s my stomach going on strike… yeah, finally, it has decided to rebel against the owner for working it too hard with her constant snacking. Seriously, I have no appetite for anything. So, looking on the bright side, falling sick’s not too bad if I get to lose some weight.

The year didn’t seem to start well for my family. Mom fell down yesterday and might have fractured her hand. Dad looks old and tired. Sometimes, I wonder how I would cope without them. I hope that day won’t come so soon.

Anyhow, I shall not let these dampen my mood. 2006 shall be a greater year!

Monday, January 02, 2006

Three Cheers for Korean TV Dramas

I’ve just finished watching my 9th Korean TV drama – My Name is Kim Sam Soon – and I must say it was good. So far, the time I’ve spent watching the last three series have not gone to waste. Here’re the reviews:

A. Save the Last Dance for Me (마지막춤은나와함께)
This drama tells a story of a rich man’s son, Kang Hyun-woo, played by Ji Seong or Ji Sung, who lost his memory after an accident. He was saved by a village girl, Ji Eun-soo (played by Eugene or Yoo Jin) and her father. As all drama goes, he falls in love with her but almost lost his life again. This time round, he remembered his previous memory but lost the most recent one he had with the girl he loves. They went through a lot just to be together but…the ending’s not quite what I would have liked. Nonetheless, I found the plot interesting and I could stay with the drama throughout. Ji Sung also acted his part pretty well. And he’s quite cute too.

B. Oh! Feel So Young! (오! 필승 봉순영)
In this drama, Ahn Jae-uk plays Oh Pil-seung, a lazy bum who was supposed to be the illegitimate child of a rich magnate’s son. He grew up in a fish market community in Pusan and was thrust into the world of the rich and powerful when the family ‘claimed him’. He fell in love with Bong Sun-yeong (played by Chae Rim), who is a sales girl in a supermarket owned by Pil-sueng’s rich family. This is really a hilarious TV drama and I laughed so loud in many of the episodes that I was scolded by mom a few times. While the ending could be more conclusive rather than open-ended, I thoroughly enjoyed it – a must-watch for those who love comedy sitcoms. Laughs aside, the series shows that it’s much easier and happier if we lead a simple life than fight it out in the corporate world.

C. My Name is Kim Sam-Soon (내 이름은 김삼순)
Another comedy romance, I was told this is the best TV drama in Korea for 2005 and I can see why. It tells the story of a 30-year old baker, Kim Sam Soon (played by Kim Seon-ah) who is desperate for love. A day dreamer, she did find love in a 27-year old owner of a French restaurant, Hyun Jin-Heon (played by Hyeon Bin). A man with a sad past, Hyeon Bin is a cheeky and immature 'boy-man'. While I don’t think singles in their 30s should be stereotyped as ‘old maids’, the comedy did give me a few good laughs. It inspired me to improve my baking skills and perhaps I will also find my true love. The last part of drama also reminded me again that “In life, don’t look back at the past, don’t worry about the future, just live each day to the fullest.”

I've got another 3 series to watch but I better watch it before I turn into a big fat couch potato!



Sunday, January 01, 2006

2006 Goals

Sinoqualmie Waterfalls, one hour off Seattle
(If only a rainbow appears everyday of my life)

It’s the time of the year to think through and list down what we want to achieve in the new year. Before I do that, I must confess that I’ve lost the list that I made last year after my palm crashed. And because it was a long list, I could only remember two. So, I’ve decided to keep it short for next year and prioritise them.

Here goes:

Top Priority
Goal #1
: Get a place of my own


Goal #2: Get my Yoga Instructor Certificate

Goal #3: Spend more time with family, especially my parents

Others:
Goal #4
: Learn two new skills – read and write in Korean and ice skating

Goal #5: Stop binging on chocolate and lose the extra fats I’ve accumulated this year

Goal #6: Manage my finances better and save some money for rainy days

Goal #7: Do some voluntary work… maybe teach baking skills to delinquents who are running a café

Goal #8: Be happy, always!

I know having 8 goals is a tad too many but all good things come in 8s. So… I’ll just have to try and see how many of these I can achieve by 31 Dec 2006!


Happy New Year everyone!