Ahem!

Flapper

2012-01-23T12:36:00.006+08:00

People who don't sleep at night get to make friends with the nocturnal. By people, I mean me; by the nocturnal, I mean my regular visitor, the bat. The first time he came, we didn't get acquainted. I was on my way to bed when I saw the dark little thing swooshing back and forth between the living room and the kitchen. I ignored it and continued on my way. The second time, there was drama. Lots

A Climbing Don't

2012-01-21T02:46:00.001+08:00

An important, extremely important, lesson I learned today: don't check anything out on your way up. Really. Strictly no sight-seeing. No matter how interesting. This is what happened, Reader - I had just clipped onto the second quickdraw of the route when I noticed little white speckles at a corner. They weren't on the wall - they were sort of "hovering" a little above. I moved closer to have a

BUSY

2012-01-10T23:55:00.001+08:00

This is absolutely the first time, ever, that I use CAPS for a post title. Seriously. I've been in a daze for the most of the past three months or so - constantly occupied from morning till evening on weekdays and working through quite a few weekends and public holidays. I'm not a workaholic - far from it - I don't enjoy work any more than the average working person, but if I have something I

Fly A Plane

2012-01-03T21:12:00.005+08:00

There is a phrase in Chinese, pronounced "Fong Fei Kei" (abbrv. FFK) in Cantonese, which translates literally to "let the airplane go"... or so I think, in my flawed mastery of the language. It means to stand someone up. We translate that to "fly someone('s) aeroplane" in local colloquialism. Oh, and a person who habitually FFKs is endearingly known as "The Pilot". I found it rather amusing that

The Last Day

2011-12-31T03:55:00.000+08:00

Reader, do you sense the heavy air of finality? Well, of course not! We're all happy we're gonna have a NEW year... though, I'm not exactly thrilled right now. Or, at all. I should be in bed, catching up on sleep, having joyful dreams, but instead... About 12 months ago, I made a list of lessons I've learned, in the place of resolutions, which people in general love to make and then break. I

The Pick

2011-12-30T00:59:00.006+08:00

Right after I bought my first guitar, more than a decade ago, I was given an orange D'Addario pick. I never really used it - I couldn't hold many chords properly (still can't) and didn't know any fancy strumming patterns (still don't) - so I only learned the simplest songs requiring plucking one or two strings at any instant. Those I do with my nails, so the pick was just... mine. For ten long

Partner Yoga

2011-12-12T13:04:00.000+08:00

One of the lesser reasons I enjoy yoga is the fact that it can be done totally on my own. Of course, that doesn't mean that I don't love and appreciate my (former) yoga buddy of 4 years - but she was a luxury, not a necessity. A partner in any kind of activity is a bothersome requirement, as compatibility in competency and level of commitment and/or passion in the activity is very important to me

Queen Procrastinator

2011-11-24T22:48:00.003+08:00

I started this "project" a few weeks after I came to know of my friend's pregnancy. It is supposed to be a blanket for the baby, and my plan was to make it about 25 x 25 inches. I used a smaller than my usual pair of needles, so the stitches are closer together and the resulting fabric thicker. It takes about 8 stitches across and 12 rows of them to make a square inch. That translates to a lot

Together As One

2011-11-10T23:11:00.006+08:00

This is the 2011 production by YKLS! Reader, if you are not acquainted with choir shows, think Glee, with the following differences: 1. Solo parts are minimal and most of the time, all members sing together in beautiful harmony - not in the style of A Diva + the rest of them doing backing vocals 2. These people really can sing, very well, and live - not at all like the auto-tuned,

Brian Tan

2011-10-31T21:50:00.002+08:00

Were there really a better place after death, Were there really a day we'd meet departed ones again, When we ourselves have taken our last breath, And be free of all worldly suffering and pain; Were it that the end isn't the end, Though mortal existence must cease, The spirit does death transcend Into eternal bliss and peace. Great musician, inspiring leader, incredible man. My thoughts are

A Birthday

2011-10-23T20:40:00.003+08:00

I am grateful for having had a not too shabby year - with loving family and friends, a good enough (*ahem*) job, and excellent health. I am grateful for being physically and mentally fit to do the things I love. I am grateful to have the ability to think before I speak/write/act; to look at matters from various perspectives; to understand people who think differently from me. I am grateful

Occupational Hazard

2011-10-19T23:59:00.002+08:00

Reader, have I ever told you the extent of my clumsiness (and absent-mindedness, thoughtlessness, silliness, forgetfulness etc...)? Long story short (I'm tired and I want to go to sleep) - I knocked over a bottle of ink while I was refilling my markers. It fell over the edge of my table, onto - well, me. In addition to splatters on my printer, chest of drawers and floor, I got splashed all over

Nikon D90 at the Walls

2011-10-17T22:39:00.003+08:00

Bee Ree climbed, Shell was official photographer, and we had so much fun! =) (Photo taken by the photographer using iPad2, of the climber attempting to photograph the author)

Musician Extraordinaire

2011-10-07T13:48:00.009+08:00

Dear Reader, it's been over two years since I first performed on stage with the choir, accompanied by a full orchestra, conducted by a dashing, charming and sexy conductor. I wrote about it here. This brilliant man, conductor and violinist, is Brian Tan. From the very first rehearsal, we were smitten by him - all at once serious but friendly, very professional but full of fun, passionate,

Hello Sunset

2011-10-04T22:58:00.003+08:00

Crazy is she who finds the need to blog at odd times from odd places... or perhaps just eager to jump on the chance to use this Blogger mobile app (she's had for a while but never used) with the perfect excuse...I didn't really catch any sunsets... bummer, but the beach was quite a fine change of scene =)

My New Elektra

2011-09-27T01:06:00.010+08:00

After a year and a half of once-a-week climbing, my very first pair of climbing shoes, the Cragsdance, show hardly any wear. Here's a photo Shell Shell took of it on its very first day: And, 18 months later: Apart from being a little worn, and much dirtier, it is still good. The soles are still solid and everything else intact. So, what's a girl to do when her climbing buddy found holes in

Broken

2011-09-18T23:36:00.004+08:00

Don't ask. I found it like that after several days of not playing, and of course, "nobody" did it. Reader, you may remember when they were new, not yet two years ago. Funny how, after all, I didn't need to decide, based on approximated reasonable wear, when they should be changed. I've never changed my own guitar strings - I had help both times they were changed - fortunately or unfortunately,

Random Kindness

2011-09-15T01:44:00.001+08:00

This year marks the tenth from when I first started teaching. I remember then - when my passion to teach was the only reason I taught and when I expected similar passion for learning from those I taught. I was very young and inexperienced; I would get angry easily and would give the students (many of whom were almost the same age as me) a good scolding for the littlest offence, I would raise my

Loh Mai Kai

2011-09-04T15:48:00.001+08:00

That's Cantonese* for Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chicken. When the week-long holiday started, I lamented having nowhere to go and having to spend it all just being at home. So, I declared I'm going to whip stuff up in the kitchen, and my mother, being very supportive, got me all the required ingredients. Such then, I had no choice but to go ahead and do what I, in a moment of frustration,

Char Siew Pau

2011-08-31T21:07:00.007+08:00

That's Cantonese for Steamed Buns with Chinese BBQ pork filling. Dear Reader, you may or may not remember this post I wrote some time ago of making steamed buns. Of course, the batch which I wrote about was an embarrassment. The second batch I made using that recipe was better, but not great. Prior to that time, I'd made steamed buns twice, using a recipe I got out of the box of flour I bought.

Post-Midnight Post

2011-08-29T04:38:00.004+08:00

There is nothing extraordinary about this post, really, because most of my posts are post-midnight anyway. What is odd about me writing right now is that it is really very late, I'm feeling rather tired, it's been raining for a few hours (which is perfect for sleep!), I'd been in my very comfy bed, tucked under my very soft and fluffy comforter... but I couldn't sleep. My mind wouldn't rest. Many

"Busy"

2011-08-25T18:04:00.007+08:00

There are lecture slides to prepare, tutorial questions to set, classes to conduct. There are students to entertain, databases to update and manipulate, talks and training to attend. And it's been less than a week since I got my hands on that much needed software, so I really hadn't much time to get any work done. That's the truth, but not entirely - I found time to go for climbing and yoga,

Temptation

2011-08-19T00:18:00.000+08:00

It is something I'd been lusting after for the longest time. Being a little luxury I could use, but do not absolutely need, I've decided to not give in. It is nothing less than crazy to want something so very badly, yet disallow myself to have it. There it was - as I'd seen it countless times before - sitting prettily, beseechingly, imploring me to come near. I went near. I reached out to, took

Whitewater Rafting

2011-08-06T03:55:00.006+08:00

It would be lovely if I could just litter this post with photos of the beautiful countryside - the clear water of the river, gently flowing, tumbling over rocks large and little, bubbling over little falls; the bright blue sky, the pleasing green foliage, the host of pretty butterflies - but I do not own a water-resistant camera. Yes, it is quite a bummer. I remember once a upon a time my girl

Still

2011-08-05T01:34:00.002+08:00

Traffic jam. Jam when it's time to go home. Jam when it rains. Jammed till I'm numb in the driver's seat. Numb. Numb to the usual irritants. Numb to the unattainable want of a direction. Numb to the increasing loss of the zest for life. Numbed till conscious efforts are needed to stay functional. Conscious effort. Conscious effort to focus on the positive. Conscious effort to ignore the rest.