The Dice in the Board

Happy Anniversary to Me Living in Singapore!

2012-02-15T08:01:00.005+08:00

I have been living in the Merlion City for a year now. Hooray!

In the beginning, it's as if I were living in a dream, in a perfect world. I have seen it through the eyes of a tourist, a worker and a devoted admirer, aware of its flaws but fascinated by its beauty. There are trees and plants everywhere. The sidewalks and the streets are all clean. People abide by strict rules and live neatly in their own worlds. They communicate in their own languages with their free minds. But amidst all these, I think of them as a facade revolving life more on physical and material things.

Everyone knows that the this developed island is congested and stiffing with immigrants and foreign workers. Work is so much the demand. In the name of excellence and world-class standard, working for progress and money is like a pressure cooker without an outlet. Only God knows when it will explode. There is so much to do in so little time that caring and reaching out to others personally is almost next to impossible. People pause for coffee or tea only to stimulate the weary mind and get it over to work again.

Moving on, here are my answers to three BIG questions people mostly ask me.

Question # 1: What are the things you will miss about Singapore?

Answer: I think these are the ONLY five:

1. Comfortable public transport

Avoiding cabs is a good rule of thumb, if you don't want to pay unnecessarily. If you're using a smart phone with GPS on, you're surest you won't get lost. Use your legs, walk and take the MRT or bus whenever possible. Here, interesting finds can be located in almost every corner so walking, quite literally, gives you better chances to explore.

Everything I needed is just a stone throw away. The transport system is so efficient. Pedestrians are guided with traffic lights with countdown timers and maps in bus stops and train stations. Small piece of advice, though: learn how to use the maps and your GPS well.

The last thing you want to have is "I don't know" for an answer. Yes, many times I've been on the road (Redhill, Chinatown, Aljunied, Orchard, Punggol, City Hall, Bugis and Raffles Place are all I can remember now) feeling lost. I asked locals who man stores and stalls, thinking that they should be most familiarized with the nearby territory of their work area. But alas, all of them have replied "I don't know" or "不知道" then pointing to others (or coach me to the wrong direction) 100% of the time. Aigoo.

2. Clean and filtered water

When you get thirsty, take advantage of the clean and filtered water from the faucet. You can go to any public toilet and drink from there. A bottled water from any convenience store is expensive (at least to me). Water from hawkers also mostly requires some payment.

3. Being safe

Security is undoubtedly the best attribute about this place. Here you can you take a stroll down the streets in the wee hours of the morning without worrying about being mugged or drugged. Also, there are no earthquakes (yet), forest fires, landslides and volcanic eruptions.

4. Free copies of newspaper

I take MyPaper and Today every day to work. I don't mind if I can't get unpublished contents that are censored. I just want something to read. Hey, at least I'm informed of some news after all.

5. Workmates and church mates

If I were to go to Singapore again in the future, the reason is definitely not to rekindle the stressful moments, tour around for the attractions or the food but to visit the people I've made friends with. These are real people who cared for me who had always given me strength and support.

Question#2: What's the best Singaporean dish?

Answer: There's a lot of tasty treats. But as a pescetarian, I can only recommended dishes which are safe for me that I know. Local Singaporean dishes to try are: seafood char kway teow, carrot cake (not exactly carrot but radish), chili crab, fried prawn noodles, sambal stingray, laksa, oyster omelet, fish soup or congee and fish head curry. Don't go to fancy restaurants. Eat on the cheap. Dine in at hawker areas.

Question#3: Where's the best place in Singapore?

Answer: To me, it's our house. Haha. Apart from it, I like hanging out in Orchard even though I don't shop there. This is just because it's near to our house and I could hear many people talking in Filipino making me feel like I'm home (in the Philippines).

Also, it's nice to watch people of different races walk and converse there. Sometimes I just sit and observe how they act, joke, share, get mad, smile, frown, laugh, conclude...in restaurants, in the malls and even outside in the street. I watch them, appreciating the beauty of life and all His creations. I'm just fascinated with the whole thing. I feel the pulse, settle in to the pace.

My Favorite Hello and Hardest Goodbye

2012-02-14T11:41:00.005+08:00

I took the day off from work last Thursday, very excited. I slept almost all afternoon to prepare myself else I'd be so sleepy past midnight. Her plane was set to land at 11:55PM. I left home four hours earlier. I had dinner and also bought for her. She must be hungry; I knew she has not eaten before or during the flight. My sister accompanied me via Skype while I was waiting in the arrival area in Changi airport.

Scanning silhouettes, I tried to remain inconspicuous about my search. The time was right but she has not gone out yet. What's taking her so long? I knew I couldn't miss her from the crowd. I came with a jacket on but air conditioning in the budget terminal was not enough. Sweat began to form on my forehead, so I removed my jacket and blended with everyone else. At 12:25AM, she met my gaze, coming out from the exit.

MOMMY! ♥

I didn’t really expect myself to be jumping up and down quite so giddily. But I was pretty excited to see her (with knots in my stomach and everything). After giant hugs and lots of talking, finally we headed home.

For the many past months, I've been saving a lot for this occasion: her visit. I planned to treat her to many restaurants and just let her choose whatever she likes. I've been like a soldier, composed and disciplined, who didn't worry about my personal comfort but was set on pleasing only my "commanding officer," never forgetting what is due to my honor.

My mom is really the sunshine in my life when I'm a stormy cloud, even when we're far from each other. We fawn over each other and get so deep into these conversations of outpouring affection but then try and pull ourselves out, for fear of being too cliché. We finish each other's sentences, sometimes thinking we're mind readers.

My mom is so quirky and bubbly that whenever I see or hear her, I smile. She always gives me that instasmile or instalaughter. She reminded me what being happy is and has shown me that I've been missing out on happiness for far too long.

So what was in our itinerary? On the first day, I toured her around Novena: to the nearest SingPost, IRAS, Velocity@Novena Square and Novena Ville. We had breakfast in Burger King and went into FairPrice and Cold Storage where she checked items repeatedly but happily. Groceries are like her Disneyland. Grocery items amuse her, especially unique vegetarian stuff for Daddy. We had lunch in Fish & Co. and then traveled to Little India where she found more vegetarian diners. For almost every one she saw, she's reminded of my dad and hoped that he could also join us here to taste and experience all food delights. Sheng Shiong at The Verge was our next grocery endeavor where we bought a number of varied frozen vegetarian products not found in the Philippines.

At 3PM, we checked in at Fragrance Hotel-Ruby in Aljunied and took a bus straight to VivoCity, HarbourFront. My original plan was to purchase the Sentosa Noon Time Play Pass but time was not enough for my chosen four land activities. Instead, we roamed around the island, enjoyed individual passes and laughed to our hearts' content. The two growling tummies were satisfied after having dinner at Din Tai Fung and Food Republic's Thye Hong for the famous local flavor: fried prawn noodles.

On the second day, we set forth to the West: Clementi Town Centre, Clementi Mall and had lunch in Shin Tokyo (Ramen Ten) inside CityVibe. Mommy bought food vouchers from JuzToday.com last year, so we had Japanese sushi buffet, free ramen and green tea for S$15/pax (S$18 off). Our next stop was in IKEA, Queenstown, where we stayed for like three to four hours pleasing our eyes with exquisite designs and functionality of pieces of furniture. We passed by Chinatown, Clarke Quay and Nicoll Highway shortly on our way to Esplanade: The Millenia Walk, Marina Square and Theatres on the Bay, the premier destination in the waterfront area of Singapore. My ultimate purpose of us going there was for her to try cereal prawns in batter with curry leaves in the nearby Glutton's Bay (Sew An food stall). I bought her two packs of those cereals to cook at home.

Full again, we needed to lose the calories at once. We walked to the Helix Bridge, an engineering marvel replicating the DNA structure linking us to Marina Bay Sands (Bayfront). The balls of my feet went dead after walking around all day through night but surprisingly Mom was still okay. How could she defeat me?! I didn't cry because of that; I did when I thought all my sacrifices had paid off. They were worth it, seeing how happy I made my mother. When she said that never in her life had she dreamed of being in such a spectacular place, I was moved to tears and so was she.

On the third day, we checked out of the hotel in the morning and packed things up back at home in Newton quickly. We rode a bus and MRT to Botanic Garden and Haw Par Villa. It was my first time to the Tiger Balm Garden. Indeed, it's an odd theme park and considerably one of the most offbeat tourist spots in Singapore. It was a good thing that my mom has some knowledge on Chinese mythologies so she had some appreciation on the freaky statues and such weird colorful elements.

We had our late lunch in Holland Village: Sumo Salad and Holland Village Market and Food Centre's Pontian Wanton Noodles and the long-queued chicken rice stall. Next, we alighted at Promenade for another grocery escapade at Carrefour in Suntec City Mall and went to Suntec exhibition hall's IT show to look out for technological gadgets on sale. Mom thought of buying a blu-ray player but after much comparing of prices decided to just buy one online from eBay. Immediately after, we headed North to Somerset and Orchard for window-shopping and dinner. We met with Ahia Gilbert, Achi Kathy and Achi Cely in Marché, bought stuff from H&M, Paragon's Market Place and Takashimaya's Cold Storage.

Back at home three hours before her flight, we packed her bags and got ready to the airport. Achi Cely accompanied us from Kallang to Changi. In the departure terminal, after seeing that the bag was overweight, we transferred some of the things inside the luggage to the hand-carried bags. I didn't want to take a cab home so I must go back before 11:30PM to catch the last train. It was already 11:15PM then. Because of the rush, we didn't have our last dramatic episode but exchanged hugs and goodbyes.

Time was 11:45PM when I reached the MRT. Of course, I could not take the train anymore. Thank goodness, a bus came that drove me straight to opposite Orchard station. I was home after an hour, tired but gratified.

In this whirlwind of life, there are those moments (often few and far between) when things just magically fall into place, when everything is just as it should be. These are times when you just want to press pause and inhale the moment into your being. My mom's visit has been a fast but magical one. I cherished every moment of it and I'm thankful that for once again in her life, she felt comfortable having me lead the way.

Little Wushu Princess

2012-02-03T23:57:00.002+08:00

At last it's over!

I was on leave today to get prepared for the wushu performance tonight. I changed my form last two weeks to an iron fan chop-chop routine and only got short time to practice.

Thank God, my efforts were applauded with great fervor by the large audience. Ex Singapore prime minister Goh Chok Tong was there at the very front table as a VVIP (very very important person?). But I don't know his face (haha) and my eyesight is poor so I couldn't really see the people.

Venue was at the Fond Garden Restaurant inside Kallang Theatre near Stadium MRT Station (Circle Line).

We (me plus 7 other FGA members) arrived at 6:30PM but since my number is second to the last one, we stopped over at the mall beside the theatre to have dinner and to "standby." I saw this giant helium-filled Chinese man and thought it's really cute. Douglas helped me take a picture:

♠

In three minutes, there's a clean slate to dream on, a beginning that is tangled up in the bedsheets of an end. Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all just words that melt together in the space between 12:00 and 12:00:01. Blink, and a new day is born.

Tomorrow we're going to Peirce Reservoir and Pulau Ubin: pure nature. I will take close-up photos of grass and plants and green living things to make me remember to see. It is therapy to notice the beauty in the chaos of nature, to predict what happens next in the seasons even though each year it’s different, to believe in a God who holds everything in His hand. Good night.

Even the longest day is only 24 hours.

2012-01-28T21:58:00.000+08:00

“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

For the days when you are so inspired that you see sparks, when tears come just because life is a miracle, when you see the beauty in the mundane and ridiculous, know that we need your perspective. And tomorrow, so will you. So note them down.

For the days when you want to throw your laptop in the trash, when you want to hide under a cloak of invisibility and hope no one notices, know that you have the freedom to hide if you want. But is that really what you want? Know that there's always someone who cares.

For the days when you desperately need a break, when you want silence more than chocolate or sleep, when your soul flails about inside you for a breath, take one. Breathe in the mystery of God and receive His favor of you.

Be loved. ♥

2012 for the Year of the Snake

2012-01-20T14:00:00.007+08:00

Lunar years of the Snake are 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001 and 2013.

I'm not a grave believer of astrology, feng shui, horoscopes or anything of related sort; I just find their accounts marvelous. It’s interesting how the different accounts for different people and settings are created—with various angles and meanings.

I'm not insanely devoted to read and analyze all of them. I only selected the predictions for my sign—a few which seem sound—and summarized them. If you're an Earth Snake (born in 1989) like me, then maybe you can benefit and learn from the findings I got below. What's ahead for us in the year of the Water Dragon? Here's what Chinese astrologers had to say.

The prediction: For the past couple of years, things were good for you but in this year 2012, your fortunes and luck prospects decline sharply. You will face a tough year as the stars and energies in 2012 are not in your favor. You will encounter misfortunes, obstacles, mishaps, loss and the general bad.
My 2 cents: I shall strive to overcome and subdue these negative energies. We may not be responsible for the things that will happen, but we are completely in control of our attitude and reactions. The best we can do is to adopt a policy of optimism and joy. I'm a firm believer in mind over matter. Our attitude affects our actions, so choose a positive one!

The prediction: Your inner chi is unstable and your confidence diminishes. It's a year better to consolidate than to take financial risks. You should also be concerned with manifestations of accidents, financial losses or obstacles in your path of growth.
My 2 cents: I shall think things through before making decisions and conclusions.

The prediction: Health and relationships will be good.
My 2 cents: I shall thank God and have greater faith. Despite the loads of incoming negativity, if I’d still be empowered with good health and good people to count on, then all of the adverse will be weakened. It's the people offering up love, silence and laughter that make the days filled with mind-numbing uncertainties and exhausting pain a bit more bearable.

The prediction: The intrinsic connection you share with the Dragon will create some unique opportunities for you! Your zodiac allies are the Ox and Rooster. They will bring you much luck so mingle with them more often. With their help and support (especially the Rooster), obstacles will be less overwhelming, good fortune will be multiplied and success shared will be so much sweeter. Your horoscope secret friend is Monkey. This is someone you can always depend on, someone who will stand by you during tough times.

My 2 cents: I shall stick with people having these Chinese horoscopes more often. Haha. The closest Monkey, Rooster and Dragon to me are as follows:

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone!
恭喜发财，万事如意，主里蒙恩！

New Member of the Circle Line: Bayfront

2012-01-14T21:28:00.004+08:00

Marina Bay Sands leaps into festivities as it welcomes the Year of the Dragon as well as the opening of Bayfront MRT station at its doorsteps on January 14. Train commuters can arrive directly at the integrated resort via five different entrances at Bayfront MRT station, including Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Sands Expo & Convention Center, and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. -SoShiok

Today marks the opening of Bayfront MRT station and I just had to be there. My primary purpose was to go to MBS The Shoppes, Asia’s leading shopping and dining destination, without tiring myself to walk down the Helix Bridge. I was not planning to buy anything from there; my intention was to claim Achi Kathy's prize from a scratch card (received from registering to be an MBS member).

the prize

I gave mine to Eva, my backpacker friend, last month as she wasn't able to get one. In turn, Achi Kathy gave me her claim card and told me to get her prize for my own in my next visit to MBS. Sadly, the prize was already forfeited.

As consolation, I just enjoyed touring around Bayfront, Promenade and Esplanade. The Spring festival / Chinese New Year displays in the malls enthralled me. I was also able to watch a Japanese person demonstrate ikebana (art of flower arrangement) in Suntec City. Ikenobo, its origin, is celebrating its 550th anniversary this year.

Back at home, I thought God must have pitied me so much for not taking home any actual reward that he sent Ahia Gilbert who gifted me an 8-GB flash drive in a shape of a card. Yayayayay.

I'm a Brave Bear

2012-01-14T19:15:00.002+08:00

Life as of late? 在工作方面, we're in transition phase, wherein I'm handing over my responsibilities to my colleague so she better be prepared to take over before I leave the company. We've been so busy doing rounds of system testing and content development once again. My eyes blurred at many instances; I just wanted to go home and sleep right away. But I also have pending tasks for my writing job that must be accomplished and submitted on time, so I had to spend less time sleeping in order to get to my goals. I thank God for giving me strength and persistence required of me. After 1.5 weeks of being much occupied, 終於辛苦了!

Last Thursday, our company director had treated another employee who's soon leaving and me to a farewell lunch, along with our HR manager and accountant. I felt the pang of realization the next day that I only have 1-2 months before I'm out.

♠

I'm anxious about is my upcoming wushu performance. I never asked for it. But since the chance was given, even if I'm not totally prepared, I said okay, I'd go for it. It will be a solo performance for a Chinese New Year 2012 celebration, here in Singapore. I've been thinking about what form to present two weeks now. Since I don't have any weapon with me (e.g. broadsword, cudgel, straight sword, dagger, etc.), I'll just be performing with bare fists. I need time and concentration to practice. It's tempting, I must admit, to back out. Can I make it without embarrassing myself? I looked up to the sky and asked the clouds, but they didn't answer. Anyway, I still got three weeks before d-day.

To motivate myself, I bought my costume last week in Chinatown. Hahaha. It was my first time to go to the night market in Pagoda Street and to wander around Chinatown, Singapore. I really felt like I was back home--in the Philippines. Sweet.

Timely Inspiration for the Start of 2012

2012-01-01T15:05:00.003+08:00

What a great movie to start the year!

1 hour and 49 minutes and I'm done watching In Time.

1 hour and 49 minutes and I still could not stop thinking about it.

The movie has an unusual storyline, something like a psychological experiment. Some critics say that it is a stark baloney with flat-footed plots and silly scripts. But overall, it is super interesting (at least to me)! It twists the concept of life and challenges viewers to rethink how they live their own. How so? Let me give you a brief introduction of the story.

In the future, time is the new currency. Human beings are bio-engineered to stop aging when they reach 25 but the catch is that they will only have a year to live unless they prolong their life. On the day they turn 25, each human will have a neon clock tattooed on the left forearms (like a watch) which starts ticking and marking a countdown of the time they have left to live--in years, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds.

Like currency in the real world, time is earned through working (i.e. 8 hours of work in day will earn you 2 days) or in the case of the wealthy, inheritance. It is spent on commodities (i.e. a can of soda costs 10 minutes), transportation (i.e. a ride home costs an hour), utilities, leisure, or in rare cases of benevolence, donation. Also like currency in the real world, time can be robbed away and passed down onto others unwillingly. So imagine living life knowing when yours is going to end and knowing that others can easily steal the remainder of the count from you.

Movie trailer:

The idea of time as currency has huge metaphorical and thematic potential. It makes me ponder on the investment of time as a life or death matter while realigning my perception of what’s worthwhile. And suddenly, I have this little jolt of energy that makes me want to jump up. Formed are molecules of courage that may become a potent mix of heady belief and a sense of invincibility. The right tools are all we need to convert those molecules into action and transform the mundane into fascinating. Matched with the right energy, our relationships with the right people are drawn and all the productive output drinks from that oasis of energy.

The bottom line here, I think, is that (pardon me for this cliché, but) it's important to live it to the fullest and happiest because the sands of time cannot be stopped and once the clock stops ticking, it can't be restored.

Use your time well. Be a greater version of yourself. Appreciate life's ups and downs. Make every second count before you run out of it.

I'm motivated to be both a bowl and a spoon (hey, not literally). I'm inspired to invest my time in others, to fill their lives, to share and give what I can and seek nothing in return. If in all ways I can't be of any operational help, I'd just look into their eyes and let them know they're not empty but are loved.

Are you ready for 2012? Even if you're not, say yes! To quote Neale Donald Walsch, one of my favorite book authors, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

I believe that when we (as student) say we're ready, the "teacher" appears. So take a leap of faith with me. We’re on the verge of something wonderfully beautiful.

Ending notes | Other awesome quotes by Walsch:

“Do not waste the precious moments of this, your present reality, seeking to unveil all of life's secrets. Those secrets are a secret for a reason. Grant your God the benefit of the doubt. Use your NOW moment for the Highest Purpose- the creation and the expression of WHO YOU REALLY ARE. Decide who you are- who you want to be-and then do everything in your power to be that.

It is not nearly so important how well a message is received as how well it is sent. You cannot take responsibility for how well another accepts your truth; you can only ensure how well it is communicated. And by how well, I don't mean merely how clearly; I mean how lovingly, how compassionately, how sensitively, how courageously, and how completely.

If you think your life is about DOINGNESS, you do not understand what you are about. Your soul doesn't care what you do for a living-and when your life is over, neither will you. Your soul cares only about what you're BEING while you're doing whatever you're doing. It is a state of BEINGNESS the soul is after, not a state of doingness.”

“If you want the best the world has to offer, offer the world your best.”

Our motto for the year: Believe you can and you will.

Dos Mil Doce

2012-01-01T13:48:00.001+08:00

Happy New Year!

See You at the Back Door

2011-12-26T15:15:00.009+08:00

Often, it is in these last few days of December that we look back at the crooked path we’ve worn throughout the year. It's also in this season when we feel grateful for every chuckle, snort, giggle and guffaw that this year brought our way, when we remember the kindred souls who took in our words, understood from their own perspectives, and gave us advice and comfort. Our learning then becomes enhanced, and using the same past, we can plan for the near future's bite-sized portions.

Weighted down but ready, we bring our bricks and baggage to pave a perfectly patterned road ahead. But then we have to acknowledge the fact that shift happens and we can't plan it away. As always, the earth shifts, cracks occur and we start to stumble; yearly, wearily living along another winding path. We can make scenarios and contingencies, but we just can’t be sure as there is simply no way to chart the changes that come along.

♠

The two words that have repeatedly ran to me during this beautiful and bumpy year? Too much. They creep in as I over fill my to-do lists. Without fail, the end of the day arrives and I'm shaking my head when I anticipate the items that are still not off the day after. The two words pop up as well when I ponder the expectations people have on me and when I think on how I should work to disallow them to crash around my feet. (Prayers are a big help with contiguous breathing for calmness.)

It's also in these last days of the year that we let go of the mindset of excess. The least [and best] we can do? Leave as much baggage as that can be left, to feel lighter and happier as we wander across the rest of the next pages of the calendar. We lace up our marching shoes (and perhaps we'd be walking the same paths together). We ask God every day, "What are You going to do today that will blow my mind away?" For whatever it is, we just have to keep our faith strong and believe--for He may choose the least promising for us but in truth preparing us to be the best.

♠

Why this post is filed under News: I could wait until January first, the New Year’s Day, for the release of this announcement. But since this is my final post for the year, I'd want it to be extra special, one that would make a mark of another milestone.

Over 50 people already know this but the rest of the world also has a privilege to know.

I'll be going back to the Philippines for good on March 13, 2012.

See you later.

Enjoy the holidays!

Revel In a Money-free Christmas!

2011-12-16T16:21:00.010+08:00

Oh wow. This blog is turning one year old in three days. And it's the Christmas season once again lurking around the corner, waiting to pounch on all of us.

Every day as I go home on a bus, I see festive lights in Orchard Road inviting more attraction than ever--for people to go for year-end sales, discounts and store promotions. This increased shopping frenzy influences minds and before we know it, our savings have dwindled down to nothingness. Christmas, the season of giving, becomes interpreted in a manner skewed from its tradition; it becomes a season of giving out money to these "vendors!"

What Lies Beneath It All?

Essentially, we remember the birth of Jesus Christ through humble praying and gathering. We don't need to spend extravagantly; celebrating Christmas can also be done in an affordable way. Here are just some suggestions:

1. Stay Indoors

Instead of spending the monies on restaurants of great splendor for lavish luncheons and dinners, have your Christmas party in the comfort of your home. After all, home is where the heart is. Having your dearest friends and family spend Christmas in the warmth of your home is a heartening and exciting affair! Arranging for a potluck among your closest ones not only saves money for everyone, but it also allows everyone to taste a variety of delicious home-cooked dishes among great company.

2. Sing Your Hearts Out

Instead of heading down to the coolest (and incredibly expensive) clubs to party with strangers, why not engage in a more meaningful activity such as gathering a band of pals and heading down to a nursing home or an orphanage for some good ol’ carolling fun? The aged and the young, who live in both nursing homes and orphanages respectively, are often destitute of familial love. Spending time with them singing Christmas carols will bring joy into their hearts and will certainly bring smiles to our faces.

3. Get Your Hands Working

Christmas does not mean that you must spend bags of moolah purchasing gifts for everybody. The most precious gifts come from the heart and aside from showering your loved ones with unspoken love and attention, take some time to make something for them. Touch the hearts of your loved ones this Christmas with a handmade card, an elaborate cosmetic box or even a lovely handsewn pouch.

Therefore, I Conclude...

In the hullabaloo of modern life, Christmas has been transformed into a season of commercialism. However, it is important not to lost sight of the essence of Christmas and the crucial values that are associated with it, such as love, peace and joy. These values have no price tags attached to them.

This year's Christmas will be the first time I won't be with my family. But I know I won't be miserable because I'd spend it with my hearty housemates, SG friends and colleagues.

Though I will be missing Santa Claus...

*Sniff*

and my magic Snow Man, too.

Sound Off! Help-Portrait Singapore 2011

2011-12-13T13:20:00.005+08:00

What is Help-Portrait?

Rooted from the US, Help-Portrait is a non-profit organization composed of photographers coming together across the globe (54 countries) to use their photography skills and give back to the less fortunate (those who didn't have their photos taken for the longest time, some even since the day they were born)--on the same day, December 10.

Help-Portrait Singapore was established two years ago, but it was only this year when the group had realized the mission successfully. And I'm just so happy to be part of it. I'm not a photographer or videographer but I helped with my own special way. You see, people in the pictures would not appear as beautiful without me. :P I was the hairstylist sans professional training, experience or expertise--but with a certified caring heart. ♥

As the assigned lead hairstylist (walau-eh!), I considered the angles of people's faces (of different ages, races and countenances) and the texture of their hair matched with the limited products and props I brought. Hard work was paved off when I saw smiles of people fully satisfied of the designs I creatively concocted. My "clienteles" in Singapore Council of Women's Organisations were mostly women, while all were men in Breakthrough Missions except for the wife of one resident.

Funny was when a number of them thought and commented that I was a pro, maybe because I extoled much confidence and downright shammed that I knew (and sure of) what I was doing. But, oh my gosh! It was my first time to ever groomed people's hair other than my sister's and mother's. I felt rewarded with their compliments and also with the amazing and inspiring life stories they have shared with me.

I witnessed them received their printed photos with a glint in their eyes. True enough, every photo illustrated a sketch of humanity. It would be an item they'd cherish for the rest of their lives, as it mirrored both (a) the joy they had when they welcomed our help and got pampered; and (b) their self-image making up for all the pain, survival and hardship they have surpassed.

Once again, I have earned an involvement with such great exposure. I've met wonderful people and saw residents in the shelters in a different light. We volunteers worked through day until night. We were bone-tired yet lit with hope; we're grateful that we had been spared and motivated to help those who had not been as blessed.

Now I'm excited for the release of post-processed photos and video documentations of the event. Stay tuned for the news and update by visting their website.

Accords from a Grateful Heart

2011-11-24T10:48:00.001+08:00

Ever had the feeling of running so fast as if you were floating and you couldn’t feel even your legs?

Metaphorically, that's what I've been feeling for many months now. I feel like being one of His many experiments who stand alone in rehearsed crowds lost in a maze of widowed daydreams, trying to find tomorrow with transient eyes shut to the reality of yesterday. I feel like living a dream; I am asleep, with my mind awake wandering around and just trying to stand strong against the inertia of time. Sometimes I ask, why am I here; what am I doing here; how can I surive the next day?

It is when I lock myself inside my room and when I am all alone at night that I can open my mind to think about all these. This is when I not only see but recognize that I am just one of the many questions which camouflage as the answer trying to find a way out. My mental freedom is being held hostage by the knowledge inside the cages of isolated thoughts.

I see things like dominos in slow motion. When all pieces are congruent and positioned in the right places, they begin to tumble down from one to the rest. When I'm fed up, all I do is pray and wait, with pools of salty tears mixed to make an ocean that drowns myself in. But in most times, my utmost patience still drives me to hope.

Let me share with you a quoted story of the Four Candles, which have been imparted with significance by our church's network coaches:

There are four candles.

The first candle said, "I Am Peace, but these days, nobody wants to keep me lit."
Then Peace's flame slowly diminished and went out completely.

The second candle said, "I Am Faith, but these days, I am no longer indispensable."
Then Faith's flame slowly diminished and went out completely.

Sadly the third candle spoke, "I Am Love and I haven't the strength to stay lit any longer."
"People put me aside and don't understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them." And waiting no longer, Love went out completely.

Suddenly, a child saw the three candles no longer burning, he cried and said they're supposed to stay lit until the end.

Then the fourth candle spoke gently to the little boy, "Don't be afraid, for I Am Hope, and while I still burn, we can re-light the other candles."

With shining eyes, the child took the candle of hope and lit the other three candles.

Moral: Never let the flame of hope go out. With hope in your life, no matter how bad things may be, peace, faith and love may shine brightly once again.

Hope can be found everywhere. It's just not bottled and packaged precisely the way we want it to be. And with hope, we say thanks.

Thanks to Almighty God for all His blessings and mercies toward us throughout the year.

Thanks for people who broke and tore us down,
who hated us, criticized us and stole away air from our lungs,
who supported us, empathized with us, cheered us up and helped us,
who appreciated, loved and cared.

Happy Thanksgiving day!

11.11.11 Warped Zone

2011-11-11T17:33:00.000+08:00

It's 11.11.11 and early on at midnight, I read my Twitter feeds flooded with mushy, special wishes for today and angst towards (again) the end of the world. Keeping on with the trend, if ever I'd still be awake to catch the time at 11:11 tonight, I will use my default wish: I wish for love, positivity and good health for my family, friends and myself.

But I neither think nor feel that there is power in numerology and that there is meaning that accounts for certain dates in the calendar. By contrast, I believe in living each day as if it were our last and praying every day on our hopes.

As we're now more technology-oriented, I've figured a better way to combat anxieties and remind us how to deal with life whenever interruptions of our day-to-day operations occur. Don't ever commit suicide and just hit the Escape key but CTRL+ALT+DEL.

CTRL (Control): Take control of your life, take 100% responsibility and clearly understand what you want.

ALT (Alternate): Look for alternatives to get different results. See things with a different perspective, a positive one.

DEL (Delete): Delete all negativity in your life including attitudes and habits that are not working for you.

Remember that when the world starts to fade and the fiery reds burn to ash and you can't see the colours anymore, understand that it's not the world that's fading--but you that's standing in the light.

Touchdown Manila in 12 Hours

2011-11-05T08:07:00.004+08:00

I'm so excited that I couldn't sleep well last night. I think I just slept for five or six hours. I'm not sure of what I'm more excited about: Louie fetching me at the airport or seeing my family for the first time personally after nine months! You do the guessing. : )

Both can be right, so just give yourself a thumbs up for trying to guess either.

Nine months of not living with my family (meaning not having anyone to cook, do laundry and iron clothes for me but myself) was like being in a mother's womb or cave but this time, my metamorphosis into becoming a more organized, more patient, more disciplined, more experienced worldlier and better person became fuller. Yes, living alone in a foreign country provided me the avenue to learn how to become independent, self-trusting and more sociable (because in order to adapt, understand and learn others' ways, I need to always communicate with them).

I'm a jotter, with the days of my life penned on these [web] pages minutely detailed and written meticulously. However this time, I have a feeling that my next few days in Manila cannot be described in coherent sentences, and my feelings expressed through pictures will do them better justice. When words seem to fail and fall through me, photographs will not. Photos will be posted on Facebook. Wee!

Slimming Treatment at Marie France Bodyline

2011-10-29T23:09:00.001+08:00

You have 27% body fat.

That was how the doctor casually said it. My heart jumped. I could not believe it! Although I was not expecting anything, the fact that I have 27% body fat makes me feel sad. Aww...Hahaha. It's hard for it to sink in.

Today I attended a free consultation with Marie France Bodyline in Orchard and had myself pampered with a body wrap sample for 25 minutes. I saw the ad last week and thought to give it a try. I want to know more about myself and the trial was free of charge so I took the "bait" and prepared a strong mindset as not to be pushed by the usual forceful consultants to purchase their sets of high-priced treatments whatsoever.

I arrived at their place early. Upon reaching, the receptionist handed me an information sheet for me to fill out. Then she offered me a cup of green tea while waiting for the doctor who will analyze how much body fat I need to lose, how many sessions I will have to take and the type of slimming therapy I need to go through.

After around 10 minutes, the doctor greeted me, introduced herself, quickly measured my height manually and had me step into an electronic weighing scale which measured the amount of excess body fat I need to drop.

Height: 158cm
Weight: 47kg
BMI: 18.8

With these, I fall under the category Normal, however the doctor said that I need to lose 3kg more. She said the normal percentage of body fat I need to maintain is only 17% while I have 27%. Actually my weight varies in a rather consistent manner in a range from 45kg to 47kg. She asked about my eating habits. Well, I'm a vegetarian; I don't eat fatty stuff, I take boiled vegetables every day, I don't consume much carbo and I don't eat too much sweets. She asked if I exercise. Yes, I do regularly. I swim, perform several kinds of dances, yoga stretches and cardiovascular activities in the gym. I do about 100 situps and crunches every day plus jumping jacks which I cannot count. I hate sitting around in a long period of time. My housemates, friends and relatives can all testify to this. : ))

In return, my questions to her were: How can you confirm that your machine got accurate results in terms of knowing the amount of body fat? How was it able to calculate the body fat I have when it only took the value of my weight against my height? If the other body measurements (e.g. wrist, thigh, waist, hips, chest, etc.) were not put into the equation, then can we assume that every person who has this combination of weight-height has the same percentage of body fat?

She could not reply. *rolls eyes* Oh my God. What an awkward moment. Instead, she recommended the packaged treatments tailored to my body needs which cost S$3000 inclusive of 30 sessions of cold body wrap that burns fats, slimming massage and fat mobilization with the use of their machine. Additionally, she said that these treatments do not require exercise and dieting. And because they are running a promotion now, I can get to have all these at a discounted price of S$1000.

Still, No, thanks, Doctor. Even if the prices were cut down by half, I won't go for it. I'd prefer my natural way of slimming down. (Exercise is my friend.) And maybe, if I had just let out the honest evil in me, I'd turn the table and ask her if she wants to follow my program--because the doctor was fat herself. Oh my God +1. Amen to that.

Nouns and Verbs

2011-10-21T14:16:00.000+08:00

名詞 > 動詞

I don't why but nowadays (or even in the past?), nouns have more value than verbs. I mean people are in constant melee to have nouns: family, friends, material possessions, events, money, love, happiness--all things you can think of--and then judge others on the size of their "collections."

A is better off because she has a bigger and shinier diamond ring than B.
A is envious of B just because the latter has a more spacious house.

It's like we have neglected the fact that verbs (or gerunds) are the mother of all nouns.

Being happy brings happiness.
We go around looking for that person, the love of our life, forgetting to actually be in love.

We strive for knowledge, but the act of learning is something we do grudgingly.
We want peace but getting along doesn't creep in.

Are actions too common that they are better off to be hidden under the rug? Or, are they so "shy" that they wanted to be pushed into the shadows of the trophy we put onto display?

Verbs are only accepted if we have the nouns to back it up.

A person who sings is not a singer without an album that is recorded.
A person who writes is not a writer unless a book is published to prove it.
A person who cooks is not considered a chef without a restaurant to cook in.
A person who finishes the race needs a ribbon to validate that the track is crossed and finished.

Why can't we just be contented with verbs? In other translation, why does the end have to justify the means to make the journey worthwhile, or just enjoy the journey itself? When we value life more than living, it's easy to fear death and forget that every minute we are dying.

Just saying. : )

"Life is a game played on us while we are playing other games." ~ Evan Esar

P.S. I like metaphors, not because of their artistic and figurative way of expressing themselves; not because of the creative outlet it can be as a means of expression; not because it somehow gets you more to see the point; and not because it makes me sound like a clever brash (haha). I like using metaphors because I'm tired of having to repeat the same words all the time. ; )

The Last Roar, Almost!

2011-10-16T11:19:00.008+08:00

Picture credit: http://thelionking.com.sg/

I was hoping to get a free ticket to the Lion King Musical last two Thursdays ago. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get one, so I found my own way and got discounted tickets at least. I searched via GumTree and bought four tickets from Max, who sold us S$55/pax instead of the original price of S$65/pax. The show opened last March 2011 and was supposed to close last June. But maybe because of great public demand, it got extended to the end of this month.

My housemate, Aby, is so much of a big fan of the Lion King production that if given a chance, she said, she'd watch it for the second time. She was one of the first in the first batch of people who reserved and bought ticket for the show. She even bought a book-memorabilia as a lovely keepsake, because audiences are not allowed to take photos and videos while the play is on.

Yesterday, I've finally experienced and witnessed this "astonishing triumph of theatrical imagination" (quoted from London Evening Standard). It was a grand show filled with colorful and incredible costumes, artistic changing of backgrounds and wonderful songs that made me relish my childhood escapades much. The venue was at the Marina Bay Sands Theater. The atmosphere was trembling. The characters, I could see, were truly dipped in zeal and drenched in devotion as their voices and dance moves sparkled with eminent gracefulness. Every bit was just so...hauntingly beautiful that even before I went to sleep last night, the melodies were still in me.

Aside from the cute and funny Timon and Pumbaa, my favorite character was Rafiki whose voice echoed in the whole of the theater and astounded the audiences. Her performance was so captivating that you could almost feel the emotion running through her veins, transcending her own body, filling up yours and covering you in goosebumps. It was hypnotizing (perhaps adding to this was that she sang in Swahili, a foreign language we all couldn't understand).

I'm also proud to say that the kid who played as the young Simba is a Filipino! Here's a stolen shot of him and Mufasa:

It was my first time to ever watch a live musical. I was so moved!

As said, the show is still playing until end of October. You still have two weeks to make that purchase while tickets are still available. So quickly now, book. : )

Sample Videos Taken From YouTube:

[in]Completely Complete

2011-10-16T10:07:00.001+08:00

Last Friday after work, I attended this seminar called "Incompletely Complete" which talked about relationship plans--how individuals and couples find completion in their search for a life partner.

The guest speaker was Jessica Kwan who five years ago had answered God’s call to serve in full-time ministry because of her love for Him and an immense passion in mentoring young adults. With extensive pastoral and mentoring experience with young adults in her church and integrated creative approaches and open dialogue, she motivates young people to reflect on who they are; identify their passions, potential and principles; and help them negotiate personal and professional challenges.

Here are my top three key takeaways from the talk:

Every one of us is already complete (even if we're still single), with God as the center of our lives as he had surrendered to cast our sins away. If we practice and uplift our good relationship with Him, then we have already met this criterion of having a well, absolute life.

However, we will be further complete or completely complete if we're to be with a man or woman as partner in marriage. Since He created every being to be in the likeness of Himself, then if we experience "the other" of us through our relationship with the opposite sex by love and submission, we become fully united with the Creator.
We cannot super confirm or double confirm if he or she is the ONE for us (by God's rightful plan) unless we get to know the other person better through time, and nothing prepares us in correctly answering the question before the after-marriage events.
We will have problems regardless we're single or married.

For singles, external and internal pressures come in the way often. Examples are those from family members, attached friends, media and the social culture who would push singles especially in the late twenties to early thirties and ask them whenever they meet the million-dollar question: "Why are you still single?" And then, they'd try to introduce and match-make him/her with whom they think is suitable.

Oftentimes, these don't work, and the problems arise over and over again. Tip: If you feel irritated and bothered of people asking you the big question repeatedly, you can ask in return, "Why are you so ugly?" (I couldn't stop laughing when Nalinee, the host, cracked the joke.) Why? I think it's effective! Both wouldn't have straight answers. And both parties would feel appalled! (Hey, at least you have your retribution next time, you know.) Haha.

For married couples, we know that every bit of decisions and perceptions are different so understanding each other and having a give-and-take relationship are really important. Marriage is a wonderful thing designed by God, but it’s not perfect and it’s certainly no fairy tale; it is one of the greatest blessings and deepest joys, but it also takes work and sacrifice. The best way we can prepare for it is to run after God with everything we have. He will bring the togetherness in us so that we can do more than we ever could apart--and no classic fairy tale can pull this off.

The Do-not's:

"Do not marry the person you think you can live with but the one you can't live without."

This person should not complete us but complement us.

"Do not marry someone who has characteristics you feel are intolerable."

You may plan to change him or her in the future, but that probably won't happen.

"Do not marry impulsively."

Marriage is a critical decision we should not leap into without careful thought and prayer.

I hope you've learned something from this post. Thanks for reading! Also, thanks to Lynn and company for having us taste her baked potatoes before the talk began. It was delicious!

Hello to mommyLou, my faithful cute rabbit, who I was thinking about during the entire talk. Who loves you? Me. ღ♥ღ See you soon! : )

The Trekker

2011-10-12T15:27:00.001+08:00

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

Albert Einstein wrote this quote in a letter to his son, Eduard, on February 5, 1930. I wonder what the son thought about it. Regardless, there are only two ways: one is to accept and another is to differ.

There are so many quotes by Einstein that I lovelovelove. But when I read this one, I kinda went…ick. I mean--okay, we are given the opportunity to choose to just keep moving. But there are also times in life when the "just keep moving" mantra is not applicable. If we keep on going without knowing if we're heading towards the right direction, we might be getting off a worse track.

I want to live a life in which I can jump off that bicycle (that might just as well be heading in circles) and sit and savor a sunset, a laugh, a moment of perfection found in everything...because life is meant to be savored, absorbed, adored and experienced. This is true even for the parts that stretch me and those that rub uncomfortably against me. Yup, these can be sat with, experienced and better yet, learned from.

In every opportunity presented, I ask myself what I've got to lose. If it's something really dangerous/risky, I'll avoid it. Else, I'll have to try. But nope, I don’t want to move in circles or keep heading in the same atrocious direction. I want to hop out of the madness and listen deeper to the very thing I’m tempted to rush through.

Where Everyone Walks As Fast

2011-10-10T17:11:00.010+08:00

Dotted Yelllow Lines = Solid Yellow Lines

The Circle Line is now complete.

These are the routes I can follow to get to work:

everyday ride: Direct Red Line: Newton -> Bukit Batok (about 75 minutes including bus travel)

for days when I feel I'm going to be late in "my definition of late": Transfer from Red to Green and back to Red again: Newton -> Raffles Place Interchange -> Jurong East Interchange -> Bukit Batok (about 65 minutes including bus travel)

new: Newton Station -> Bishan Interchange -> Buona Vista Interchange -> Jurong East Interchange -> Bukit Batok (same as the second one: about 65 minutes including bus travel)

Just to be clear, the Circle Line was opened in stages with the first being Bartley to Marymount; second, the Eastern end of the loop from Tai Seng to Dhoby Ghaut; and now, the final portion in the West which runs from Caldecott to Harbourfront (rolled out last Saturday at 5:30am). Overall, the 28-station Circle Line took an entire decade to be built.

Yes, third route did save me 10 minutes; however, I don't consider changing my travel pattern because...have you seen how many times the word "Interchange" appeared in the third bulleted item above? That's how many times I need to get off the train, walk fast (or run) to the lift/escalator/platform of the different line of the next train, say "Excuse me" about 10 times, submerge myself with the crowded trains' standing passengers and keep track of the next station (else I might be required to take return trips) which is tantamount to saying that I need to stay wider awake—in the end goal of saving 10 minutes. Whoa, I'd rather not.

My everyday commuting journey offers me comfort, from the time I enter the train (I can sit down and relax as there's not much passengers going to North) to when "Bukit Batok" is called.

Through searching and searching for unique news about the SMRT, I've found this image from a forum:

The picture is truly an epitome of SMRT's tagline: Moving People, Enriching Lives.

I'd end this post with three big questions:

When will this ever happen?
Will there still be cabbies and private cars by that time?
When will this ever happen...in the Philippines?

WIN Sh!okDeal H&M Shopping Voucher

2011-10-07T14:01:00.002+08:00

How would you pronounce a word which has an exclamation point in between? Wah, don't know leh.

Try this: Sh!ok.

At first glance, I thought I'd pronounce it as "shhh" (as if to tell people to be quiet or keep a secret) and "okay" altogether. But then, as I looked through it closer, the word is "shiok," which is used commonly used here in Singapore and Malaysia to convey happiness or feeling of sheer pleasure.

Sh!okDeal

It is a deal-of-the-day website that features discounted gift certificates usable at local or national companies in Singapore. So Shiok+Deal means that the deals they're offering will bring you sheer happiness. Exactly, if you win it. : )

The site now offers a giveaway: SGD 100 worth of H&M Shopping voucher!

Paritipcation was easy. I just clicked on the "BUY" button and checked out. I paid S$0 and won a chance to take home the prize. I was then issued with a voucher containing a voucher number which I posted in their Facebook page (as part of their instructions).

To triple my chances of winning, I'm publicizing this deal even more to everyone present online.

Follow Sh!okDeal's Facebook page here.

Updated with Facebook's New Leap

2011-10-01T22:51:00.003+08:00

I gave an unconscious nod when I saw this tweet:

Facebook is turning into a bigger and bigger giant day in and out. It is always evolving into a platform for sharing more of your life, never less. It's one online scrapbook that interconnects you with everybody else who has online presence in the web.

According to many sources, the new format, Facebook Timeline, should be available to all Facebook users within the next two weeks. So keen, I had found a way to be one of the first users of the change release. And excited much, last Monday, I have activated the Facebook Timeline and changed the layout of my profile with the help of tips from TechCrunch. My page now looks like this:

Better Data Visualization

As compared to the old design, the change is quite a massive one. If you noticed, as shown above, aside from your profile photo which is the only thing customizable in Facebook (and nothing else like layout of widgets, background design, other personalization and css stuff), now you can have a cover which is a banner picture that goes across the front of your page.

Then on the right side, you can scroll your profile's timeline by month or by year. One click allows you to scan through old memories you can heartily reminisce with--the pictures you've uploaded, the funny funny links and snippets of stories you've shared, your emo and cheesy status messages and your friends' comments and reactions all over again.

It tracked me back and helped me remember my first encounter with the site. It was on May 26, 2008. My first friends were Henshel, Gianne and my sister, Leigh.

It was only on December that year when Louie and I became friends in Facebook. I remember I was the one who pushed him to create an account. Oh oh oh. 3:)

The timeline also offers assigning of a photo to your previous and current jobs.

Inadvertent Over-sharing?

What I'm just concerned about is the privacy this social network holds. In this new format, there is more "self-expression," which means your friends will know a lot more about what you read, what music you listen to and videos you watch. The term that fits in the scenario is "passive sharing." Also be careful when authorizing apps because once you add it onto your timeline, it will automatically be permitted to add posts to your feed that your friends and subscribers will see.

There's also the fact that Facebook tracks your data even if you've already logged out. You can read more about it here.

My Say

This move by Facebook will result in more diversity. Friends (and subscribers) can view your interests in a more granular aspect. Your life will be more presented to the public and project slices of your life translated to Facebook's version of reality.

I think one of the main reasons Facebook did this is that the personal updates, settings and preferences shared by individuals online will be much more "targetable," from a marketing perspective. The negative thing as I see rightly state is that Facebook is pulling more partners in, which is the opposite of what I personally believe the web should become (i.e. more about you and less about the advertisers). I believe that data should be something centered on the individual and in the individual's control and benefit.

The best way to summarize the change is that users are no longer sharing what they’re doing. Your Internet history is sharing what you’re consuming. However, like it or not, Facebook will go on without you. So better move on with it, else stay ignorant, resistant to change and hide—under a boulder in the hinterlands.

Vroom Vroom Weekend by F1 Singapore Grand Prix

2011-09-24T12:58:00.008+08:00

This weekend, hundreds of racing fans from around the globe came over to Singapore to watch the F1 (Formula 1) Grand Prix sponsored by SingTel. Some have even participated in the black market to secure their tickets. The event is held in Marina Bay area, which started yesterday and will end tomorrow.

People have been asking me if I'll be watching it and all I've been able to give them was a blank stare and a "no."

I know that F1 is more than a sport and a motor race in itself; it's more than a measure and presentation of drivers' abilities to drive faster with elan. It’s all about teamwork and strategy with unexpected turns and twists etc. It's also a testing bench where car manufactures test the latest technology that will be equipped in some years in our cars.

However, the fact that I do have a vague interest in car racing makes me unexcited by the spectacle. I'm just sort of "meh." The media hype around makes me feel that I should care, though. Why, it's part of like a grandiose history in Singapore.

I can watch it on YouTube videos online, just to heighten my understanding on the fuss. But they say being on the track or in the grandstands watching it live is a lot different: Your heart pounds, just witnessing the drivers overtake and race each other at speeds up to 360 km/hr. Well, I'll be near the Circle Line today, so I might hear the roaring engines at least and remotely, the sound will be like an old radio playing in another room.

What to Do Now that SGD is Dropping

2011-09-23T16:05:00.000+08:00

Oh my gosh. Look at that declining trend! Investors are exposed to the sinking Singapore dollar. Why has the SGD been weak these past weeks? Is there a rebound in sight? So Singapore, too, is badly affected by the worldwide economic breakdown and crisis? I thought the SGD should be on a sustained trend of appreciation still because it's a business and investment hub of neighboring countries in Asia and also some parts of the world (e.g. Europe) as AU/UK is tightly connected to its finances. Now I've read in the newspaper that Singapore’s inflation unexpectedly accelerates as housing and food costs climb. Well, it seems set for a choppy ride this year as well, and probably the next upcoming (?).

The lowest SGD versus PHP from the time I came here was $30.86 (on July 17) and the highest was $35.34 (July 18--the next day!).

I'm not an expert in the interplay of economics, politics and currency trading that drive global currency values, but I don't fret because I know that the Singapore dollar is backed by solid fundamentals. The island-state boasts an enviable foreign-exchange war chest of great amount of $ reserves and account surplus anyhow.

So how?

In the midst of all these fiscal downturns, most people's advice is to invest in gold. The premise is pretty simple. Generally, the price of gold tends to move in the opposite direction of the dollar for these reasons:

A falling dollar may lead to inflation in the U.S. due to rising import prices, and gold is a traditional inflation hedge.
Anxious stock portfolio holders and investors often keep the dollar because they seek safety in uncertain times. However, when the greenback shows signs of weakness, many of these jittery investors move on to gold. And as the dollar drops to new lows, gold will be rising to new highs.

But despite gold's reputation as a safe haven, it's actually one of the most volatile investments around. Given its flightiness, I don't think gold is a good choice for most people. It's the kind of investment individuals are more likely to buy after it's had a big run, which is precisely when it's most vulnerable to a big fall or a long period of stagnation.

I think it would be best to invest in love instead. Invest in people who live out the call to love. including yourself. Invest in good relationships and people who are committed to shifting the paradigms of the world and challenging the status quo that is calling for aggression, crisis and [unnecessary] over-consumption.