@+LuLu+@ 's BLoG.....

It's 2019

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 15:43:00 +0000

It's 2019 and I forgot I have a blog. God bless Google because you didn't go bust like friendster did along with 20 blog posts from my teens. I no longer hate my job but I definitely am very surprised at whom I used to be versus Who I am now. Definitely have lost abit of zest for life along the way, but who doesn't after a decade of corporate corporate work. But the same things I thought were relevant from year 2007, about holding back and not giving your all. I am still the same, never going all out but have much to give the world actually. Malaysia has changed so much, in 2018,we literally changed government for the first time in history since 1957. Campaigning and networking in Anak Bangsa Malaysia Selatan in Singapore proved to have paid off. Along the way I have volunteered myself over two elections to watch the vote counting process. I'm still an auditor at heart but recently am seriously knee deep into financial crime compliance. I am adamant to believe that I'm helping the world become a safer and better place for us all whenever I work on an AML project. Signing off for the night. Love.

Fret Not, Complain Less....

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:15:00 +0000

At times like these, I wont surprise myself if I talk and fret and complain about work, work and work... I feel like I have the tendency to do so, but truth is... it's a form of self idolatory or putting onself on a 'higher' plane.

I figured by telling everyone around me how long and how hard I work is actually a form of self-centredness which isn't healthy for me or the people around me.

So, I complain not, and pray to continue to hold on to HIS promises.

It's comforting to sit and talk about how shitty your job is but there was once a choice was made and I made that choice.

Can I still be idealistic that 'change' is possible in a place and time like this? I guess not, but I know God is telling me that he is indeed placing me in where I am for his purpose, and he knows he has surely equipped me to the best of his abilities for me to not just survive in this ordeal but to thrive.

I'm not my own person, I'm his child, of the God most high...

So let's be victorious shall we?

Does this happen everyday?

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:47:00 +0000

I'm Deeply Loved, Highly Favoured, Greatly Blessed...

By faith and not by sight...yet he shows me, by sight

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:07:00 +0000

Today will be one of those days where I'll remember exactly what I ate for dinner, what I wore, the conversations I had for many years to come, maybe even an entire lifetime. Not because of the people I met or talked to or the "delicious" food I had for dinner but because of the ONE person who did it all..

Our batch mates were having dinner in a classy suburban mall not too far off from our workplace. It's training week, and a little get together with good food and good company always sets you off to feel that you really do like your job, well at least at the very moment the crispy bacon chip dipped in rich caesar dressing fills the cavities of your mouth coupled with the agreeable feeling to the topics and flows of conversations on a very long dinner table.

I strolled towards the parking lot with two of the most entertaining and interesting girls you'll meet at a workplace like mine. We queued, mind not focused on the task at hand (which was to pay the parking fee) while chattering away on nonsensical jargon, stirring up a good laugh. What could go wrong on such a pleasant evening?

As I was leaving the basement carpark, my hands reached over the gearshift to fish around my bag on the passenger seat for my BB (a gift fr the sister) but, alas, the palm of my hand was not able to recognise the grippy, rubbery texture of my BB's cover. Alarmed and afraid, I pulled over and searched, this time, frantically...

When I realised that my BB was definitely not in the car with me, my heart sank, and my mind went "shit, that's it..." But the spirit-man inside of me wouldn't allow the utterance of that aloud, instead my mouth moved as if having a life of its own, professing over and over again, in Jesus' name, in Jesus' name, Lord, I'll find my phone. Then I uttered right after, "Thank you Jesus!" which, thinking back, I feel, was strange....I have yet to find my phone!! yet alone stood a high chance in recovering it given the circumstance.

Determined, I got out off my already stationary vehicle and marched towards the mall's lobby. I noticed a security on a buggy on my way there. Strangely, he flashed me a queer smirk sort of smile (I thought he was just doing his 'guy' thing as is with most foreign working class men do to most local women of a certain ethnic race). I was too busy thinking about and feeling exasperated from the loss of my phone to respond.

I reached the lobby and immediately spotted a security behind a cashier sort of desk. I pleaded (sort of) with him and managed to get a hold of his mobile.
As the dialtone rang, a man came right up to me. I looked and realised he was the security on the buggy.

Only in my wildest dreams would I expect that a BB would appear in the palm of his hands as he fished inside his side pocket... or maybe I dared not expect, only to have my hopes falter and shatter to pieces soon after...but you know what? God is an awesome God and definitely a God of miracles. My miracle happened right before my eyes today, eyes that only knew how to see then, believe...

I guess my daddy God knows my ways, no matter how many times he reminds me over and over in his book and in the music on my ipod to 'walk by faith and not by sight'... he still does it this way, by sight...

I have faith, I'll always have faith and what I write here will remind me of that faith to keep on having faith.

The man on the buggy whose name is Sam is from Nepal. I'm sure he will be greatly blessed because God is a faithful God.

Thank you Jesus... Hallelujah, Praise Him!

After 6 months of work...

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:56:00 +0000

It's hard to imagine that I'm no longer a kid going to Uni on mummy's dollars. Everything happened so fast that before you realise it, life just passes you by, just like that...

I shocked myself today when I decided to pay a visit to my blog to realise the last time I chaptered anything about my life was 6 months ago! Then I realised....that was exactly when I left the student life for the 'so-called' grown-up routine of work...

And who would know that I would end up in this line...of all the professions in the world.

I realised one thing I hate most about this job, I find it hard to say goodbye to an office each time I enter and leave it about 2 months later. It somehow feels like I'm changing jobs every 2 months.

The people you interact with on a daily basis, people whom you've grown accustomed to, warmed up to, ate with, laughed with, even people who aren't employees of the firm that employs you. You miss them somewhat, everytime you leave and move on to a new place, you think of them....sometimes....and wonder, will I ever see this same face again ever in my entire life?

So I've decided to develop a new habit, I'm going to snap a picture of every office I've been in and post it on this blog, no names, no descriptions, no location, no address, just a picture, to remind myself of a particular moment/place/phase in this life and profession I'm in...

To keep track of the countless people that have came and went as I weave in and out of their offices, month after month...

Here's my 3rd office, but 1st picture:

AviAddXSub: Adding SRT files into an AVI (no compression)

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:35:00 +0000

I figured it out!
Amazing programme, AviAddXSub.

If you're one of those people who just got yourself a DIVX player or a PS3 you'll wanna know how in the world you can watch your divx movies with subtitles, without burning up your computer compressing all your videos via hard-subbing.

AviAddXSub adds a soft sub stream (links them) to your avi file.
You don't distort you video file. It took me an average of 1 minute to add the srt stream in.

If you're running on a 16:10 ratio you might wanna do this:
Love it!
Now I can watch my k-dramas in peace.....

We've All Grown Up

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:31:00 +0000

Finally, we've all grown-up with the Twins turning 21 ystd.

Ah, Mum would be so proud you'll think, seeing all four of us pass into adulthood for real. Uncle Kay Ming said something that struck a chord with me the other day. I always thought, well, life hasn't been so tough really, without dad being around and all. I've or we've (Pegs and I) always seen mum as childlike, non-dependable, etc etc. But, if you'll ask me now, I think she's amazing. It's no shit to be a house-mum one minute and be responsible for 4 school going kids overnight. I think we turned out pretty good, all 4 of us, and I've been feeling pretty grateful for mum to be well, just like mum.

Yea, we had those "Mum, why the hell do you not...." moments. Or "Mum!! seriously, you need to be more decisive and stern" But heys, I realised to be on the sideline screaming and shouting and being critical is so way easier than being thrown into the situation in itself. I believe, God is just so good and faithful in his way of making things work for our family.

It is strange to talk about all these now, in fact I think this is the 1st time I'm actually talking about this so openly but with the unfolding of certain recent events, somehow my thoughts
came to this. Gugu's hubbie lies unconscious in the hospital, and it's so de-javu to see all these unfold before me. I see myself as my cousins so many years ago, waiting outside the ICU, not comprehending fully the situation at hand and what awaits. I pray and pray uncle will get up soon and walk like a normal person would, talk and laugh and eat and cry. It's just not right for anyone to not have this with their dad. I pray they could for a long time more.

Strange, lately, I'm growing fonder of the twins, wonder why? It's amazing to see Edwin Loo tell mum on Facebook (public declaration) that he misses her. I'm amazed, touched and at the same time at awe... It's one of those cliche super touching moments where the viewers weep. I feel like that too.

Mon-D-Day

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:29:00 +0000

I'm psycho-analysing the situation a tad too much says my most trusted ex-roomie. Maybe I am,
but what am I to do. A decision will come soon, and another will have to be made.
I pray that God will guide me in my heart to the best one... I believe there is no right and wrong, but which is better? I'll search for the peace in my heart, that's the only way I'll know.

exceptional life = exceptional career?
-Heavy assumption I must say.

An unexpected twist

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 08:06:00 +0000

Our friend really has his way of doing things. No matter how intelligent, or analytical you think you are, you'll never ever ever be able to forecast his next move. Trying will be futile, i think it's time to give up. If there is one person on earth that shouldn't and can't be psycho-analysed, thats him.

So what's next? We'll see...
Blood pumping, heart racing.

Just this hour...

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:32:00 +0000

Which is more painful? Not work and screw up? or work hard and still screw up?

I'm defeated at this hour. I just want to sit and cry for a while, just let me be sad for one hour. Why the sadness if it's been worse before? I guess this is life. When you put yourself out there, we risk getting hurt. But we can stand it, we're made to...

It's a painful realisation to come to your limitations. You can't comprehend why, there's not an single ounce of understanding in anything. You believe things didn't happen cos you didn't go all out for it. And when things still didn't happen when you did, it's painful, very painful....

So, do we stop here and wallow in our miserable little hole so that we can stay here with this sense of fake security, this superficial envelope, nope we dont.... but for now, I wanna do just that, just this hour, just for one hour.....

Checklists...not done (short term)

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Just a post to remind myself of my 'checklist' of things that I want to do which I've not...
If its in your blog... you can't avoid it.

1) able to read chinese newspapers
2) ~~dive once a year~~
3) sky dive
4) bungee jump
5) learn to converse in korean
6) visit my sister
7) visit the forbidden city
8) visit indonesia, vietnam and thailand.
9) get baptised
10) ~~start work permanently~~

My First DIY Frech Manicure....

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:44:00 +0000

Took me 1 hour plus... thanks Myrtle for the set =)

why why am i such a nail person?

Understanding Nationalism...

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:26:00 +0000

As a young student, I used to read my 'sejarah' textbooks fervently, not because I was a total nerd, but just because 'Sejarah' was my favourite subject.

I'll forgo revision time for other subjects just to be more proficient with my 'sejarah'.

When I read all those stories about 'Nasionalisme', I always wandered.... how did they do it?

Remember the page in our textbook about AMCJA-PUTERA? They had like fractions all over, and then they became bigger and bigger until they formed a coliation, and had a central committee. (although our textbook was bias in it's style of delivering)

Today I got to witness with my own eyes, the same history. One day, it might be in my children's 'sejarah' textbooks, but to make sure it does, seems like i'll have to do my part.

Tonight was one random night where an acquaintance shoots an invitation via email to a relaxed BBQ party. I'm here in Singapore, not many things to do (actually got many things to do), so sure! why not? On top of that, some YB is coming. Surely, something exciting right? come on who doesn't wanna know the inside stories on the ongoing Malaysian political drama?

The funny thing is, the 'acquaintance' was someone I met so briefly because I decided to hunt down 'NO TO ISA' T-shirts, following the passing of friend (Markus Ng) whom only after his passing, I realised, was such a great person, such a great Malaysian.

So the acquaintance, turns up at my Uni's back entrance one fine afternoon via SMS arrangements to deliver the controversial T-Shirts. That day I kept asking myself, "Oh gosh, Penny, why are you doing this? since when you're so extremist, radical one?" I questioned my motives and intentions of getting the T-Shirts. But, God is really unpredictable....

I met the T-Shirt 'seller' who turns up in a snazzy black Getz, and got to chat with him a little... (I was shocked, cos I thought he was a lady given his unisex chinese name after being romanized, cos I'm sure it's far from feminine in the chinese)

Then he asked me this question, "Why do you want to get these shirts?" I was stunned. Actually I don't really know why. I hardly know RPK (ok I dunno RPK). I don't really know what does ISA really do to people....and I had no real intentions of joining a candlelight vigil anytime soon.....

I told him the truth.... "Well, a friend from school passed on, and he was into these things"...

(I think it's our humanly way of expressing grievance over one's passing, like to honour him, we wanna continue championing his beliefs?)

"wait, is your friend Markus? Markus Ng?"

So it seems, the t-shirt seller heard of Markus from other like minded ppl. So he gave me more shirts to give away. So I emailed some friends to tell them the story. That I thought, was already such a coincidence and miracle chance encounter in itself.

But tonight....was different. It's really history in the making in my opinion.

It turns out the BBQ party was really an unofficial start to Anak Bangsa Malaysia (ABM) in Singapore/Johor.

So I've been getting forwarded messages on Facebook about starting up an ABM-SMKDU from Markus' highschool mates (my seniors), i thought well I'm not there, so......

Suddenly, I realised, this guy (Haris Ibrahim), who doesn't even know Markus personally, is the one who started ABM (refer to this blogpost dated 6th Aug 2007), but apparently in his recent blogpost dated 23rd Feb 2009, he said he had conveniently forgot about ABM, and he posted Markus' Anak Bangsa Malaysia Namecard and said... "Markus reminded me".

See how surreal all these is? I found my way to the BBQ because I felt sad/inspired by Markus' story and looked for NO TO ISA T-SHIRTS in Singapore. Haris Ibrahim was reminded by Markus about ABM and decided to revive it.

Inspired by Haris Ibrahim, my t-shirt seller acquaintance which turns out to be not a t-shirt seller but actually a great Malaysian, supporting nationalism in his own way in Singapore, decided to start-up Anak Bangsa Malaysia Selatan.

And tonight I saw history in the making, and I had to write this down.

Friends, let us make sure this makes it to our children's 'Sejarah' textbooks

and the only way that's going to happen if we come together to make this a reality.

p/s : oh if you want me to vigil with you now, I will....

For a better Malaysia!

anak bangsa malaysia,

pennyloo

(Your Name) pledges to not google/view/share/upload Elizabeth Wong's pictures/videos

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:52:00 +0000

Why I'm doing this?

I'm totally appalled at the newest chain of events that's befalling our already dirty politics swarmed nation.
So i thought how do we respect a person's privacy? I think if I were in her position I wish people (friends, supporters, family, public etc) would never see those compromising pictures/videos of me.

So, we should pledge to not view them or upload or share simply because we believe in this thing called 'VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS!'

Let's Not Get Political About This Yet, I'm simply addressing the basic principles of Human Rights.

IF YOUR BELIEFS ARE PARALLEL TO MINE, PLS COPY PASTE THE TITLE OF THIS NOTE INTO YOUR FACEBOOK STATUS.

Thank You for reading this note.
God Bless Malaysia!

Sometimes you cant help but be inspired...

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Not feeling like blogging, but rather, happenings this past week has been rather sad and inspiring at the same time...

I love my country, I love Malaysia.

And I don't even know why.

Guess, that's why people say, love is indeed blind.

3 more months to go, living on the most non-islandish Island in the world.

(have you heard of he's an islander, and then you imagine, hawaiian prints? well, i guess suits would have to do here)

I'm starting to miss this place. It's not home, but it has become a part of my life.

Today I jogged/walked along the Pandan Connector to the end (where the old junk of a bridge brings us towards a park connector which leads to Bukit Batok.

I couldn't not notice that there were white geese flapping around the canal. Did i say white? yeaps it's quite ironic, cos the backdrop of the canal were rows and rows of factories.

Hmmnn, point to ponder. Better scrubbers?

This island is really really much better managed. and you wonder why? (haha)

God please let me know where you want me to be?

Sighs, this child here again, always whining...

that's what we do best, whine...

*Ystd night I just got another "wow, you speak very good English ar?" (for a Malaysian) again....

How does a girl hang around Geylang alone without getting harrassed?

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Here's how....

-No offense to anyone, this is just for fun.... (girl in pic modeled voluntarily)

Why we did it?

-We miss home.

Jingle Bells

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:26:00 +0000

Felt like picture blogging this 'morning'. Time flies, and is still flying, soon Christmas would be here, and we'll anticipate another new year, 2009, nope, scratch that...the world is dreading 2009. Even saying the number 2009 makes it seem like a big black hole or something that could suck you right into its darkness. Issit really that dark? I dunno, GOD knows.

Below are pics that were shot randomly one Sunday evening (didn't wanna go home) around Orchard with my ol' trusty K550i. Still love my phone! its been a year!

My adorable grandmother commented, "Aiyo, qing nian de shen tan jie pu siang shen tan jie, siang, ing tu ren de dipawali"

That was the exact thought running through my mind whilst my uncle drove past Orchard, only that, having so many Singaporeans in the car, I chose to remain mum.

My cousin Ben was funnier, he said it is as though Hitachi (lighting sponsors) didn't have budget this year and decided to call up India, China and everywhere else. The lighting manager would say something along these line "Err, hihi, I'm from Hitachi, this year economy not so good leh, got any free leftover lighting from deepavali, hari raya? anything at all, pass it over here, can?"

Charming ain't he? The youngest addition to the Chia family, Othnael Chia. (I hoped I got the spelling right). He is the starking resemblance of Ethan Ruan from Taiwan's Hit Drama this year, Fated to Love You (Bien Li Tie Ni Hai Zhi).

Oooh, my mum always told us, no girl, you don't expect mummy to take on a nanny role when you have kids ok. "wo pu yau ar, ge...better ni men zi qi 'kau tim'" Four is enough already.

Then, when she saw Othnael, guess what she said? "aiyo, girl ar, if your son look like him, I don't mind taking care of him..." (My aunt -Ottie's mum shot us a puzzled look)

Yeaps thats my mum....when she came down to Singapore last week, the first thing she said when she stepped into my new room, "Girl, you should buy some wallpaper and cover that yellow stain on your wall" *Roll Eyes*

But I love my mother very much =) Muaakkss...

Charming ain't he? a hungry Dog gotta do what a hungry Dog does...

I went for a Malaysia vs Singapore basketball game. We lost although there wasn't one Singaporean on the Singaporean team. This is a short but weird testimony. The Sunday before this game, the message was : God wants to bless you. You can say I have faith and I believed that. During the game, I noticed ppl getting beer (cos they are company sponsored) I told myself and God subsequently, ah, God, can't I have a beer too? a free one, cos I'm too poor or cheap to buy one. Moments later, 2 guys from the lower bleachers turned around and passed us 2 beers, for free! Amen? yeaps, hallelujah.

God wants to bless me, even in the smallest, weirdest, nonsensical way. WHO gave us the idea that, God has NO time for trivial requests in our lives? Like he's too busy up there sorting out scrolls of prayer requests? He's GOD man, nothing is a mess up there, everything is just perfect!

One thing I'm praying for now, make me study!

A New Creation...

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:22:00 +0000

I spent the past one week scouring the bible. Yeaps, it's really not my cup of tea (usually) to scour the bible. It's not that God came and spoke to me audibly, but I figured he conjured me to do what I dislike. It started last last cellgroup meeting in CF where we were going through the book of Exodus.

I don't know about Christians in general, but I've always taught the 10 commandments as important as a child (primary school) cos its printed in colour and graphics fanciful and all on the first page of my Zondervan, NIV Teen Study Bible. Pegs got it for my 11th Birthday.

However for the past 5 years or so in RLC (Renewal Lutheran Church), our senior pastor, Dr.Joshua Yee has always totally disregarded the 10 Commandments. Yeaps, you can say he is a Grace preacher which is kinda weird considering he was raised a traditional Lutheran Pastor. That was why he started 'Reneval' Lutheran Church.

I always felt Pastor Joshua's teaching a tad too extreme for my fancy. Week after week, you'll see signs pasted on the backboards "Your Year of Supernatural Abundance" quoted from some verse in the bible. Next year, Supernatural something and then something and something. But every year, the theme would be something 'abundance' something 'supernatural' or somewhat 'prosperity' sounding.

Every month or so, we'll have this 'anointing' prayer sessions, where entrepreneurs gather for a prayer service to pray for 'favour'. I found it a lil annoying, nevertheless, my mum, being the simpleton that she is, urged me to go for one anointing session to pray for financial assistance from LSE (London School of Economics).

Oh, and generally, RLC is kinda deemed as a prosperity church. Even my sis thinks she didn't really like attending RLC cos of its 'prosperity' teachings.

But, you know what's so funny? Both of us are ardent fans of Joseph Prince who leads a seriously 'prosperity' church in Singapore. (or thats what the Singapore public thinks)

Of course, many months after that, I got a letter from LSE's financial office, offering me a 12080 pounds Bursary, renewable yearly (depending on your grades).

I didn't really think, it's because God poured 'favour' on me just because I asked and I think I almost forgot about the anointing session because shortly after, I was rejected based on academia. So I didn't go to LSE in the end. At the back of my mind, reminding myself not to 'forget' Gods' intended favour, and somehow wanna 'honour' (repay) him.

So I came to Singapore instead to continue studying, and naturally ended up attending NCC (New Creation Church, Joseph Prince's congregation) weekly. Naturally, cos I first liked him from his CDs, I listened intently during service instead of 1/2 sleeping back home to Pastor Joshua. (heys, I like Pastor Joshua kays, but my heart was not right, and God had a plan for me)

And I received much from those Sundays sitting in, listening intently.

Now as I type, I realise how God positioned all these mish mash of things to happen to me to send me the message. Of knowing him, the true gospel of his Grace.

I understand now why the 10 Commandments is irrelevant and why Pastor Joshua always disregarded it (somehow I managed to wake up at the wrong time and sleep past the bible justification bits). I understand now that God does not need me to 'repay' his 'favour' bestowed unto me, and no I won't be cursed for that either. And I understand why people pray for favour. Its not being greedy or conceited. We're coming before him, on our knees asking him to take over our finances, because only him can make us victorious in every area of our lives. It's a surrender rather than 'prosperitism'.

And most important of all, No you won't deliberately continue sinning just because you're 100% forgiven in Christ. When you receive his love and grace, and draw closer to him, you will bear fruit, and this is what I've always missed out on. I need not bear fruit unwillingly on my own, I only need to Focus on Jesus, and naturally, He says I will bear fruit. And I am.

Cheers to our Lord, the Alpha and Omega.

Oh my current favourite song, Rock Productions (yet to be officially released) :

You Are The God Who Loves

written by: Karen

Saviour of the undeserving

You have beckoned me with love

You designed all Heaven's Glory

Yet You came, restored my worth

Majesty stripped of all honour

Man of sorrows on that tree

The God who fashioned nature's wonders

Yet You stooped to rescur me

This is love, spoken through Your brokenness

This is grace - crowning me with righteousness

You are the God who loves

You are the God who gives

Salvation, favour, victory as I stand and see

You are the God I love

You are the God I give

All honour, glory, adoration for eternity

Singapore vs Malaysia, what I think?

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:21:00 +0000

This was the latest email I sent to Emily, and I felt compelled to add it into my blog, cos It really accurately describes what I feel about Singapore right now.

Hi,

Yeah, I'm pretty much settled, only that i have to start job application soon.

Which is quite stressful, sucky. But it seems that SIM students are not really highly regarded in Singapore.

In fact, we are treated or looked at as leftovers in society. It seems that if u cant get into NUS, u drop down to NTU and then SMU, then when choiceless, provided your parents cant afford to send you overseas, You come to SIM.

However, I dare say SIM students are not the kind of 'quality' students you would find in NUS o NTU but I dare say they are of quite diverse background, some quite talented actually. Usually they are the smart slacker kind. They dun seem stupid or anything, just lazy lor.

People can't seem to tell I'm not local, in fact they get quite shocked when I say I'm Malaysian. Apparently i dont have a MALAYSIAN accent. What is the MALAYSIAN accent? go figure? i think its supposed to be a cina accent since 80% of chinese in malaysia dont speak english as their first and i figured if you're malaysian and you come to singapore to study and you chose to study in SIM, chances are you are not from KL, prolly JB or some other part of Malaysia, and chances are, cos you couldn't get into NTU or NUS and chances are your English won't be superb? I dunno these are just meaningless assumptions.

It seems we are the only KLrians at SIM (SIngapore Institute of Management). When it comes to alien and foreign things, and i dare say we PJ or KL english speaking kids speak better english and mandarin than the Singaporeans. It's not that their vocab or grammar sucks, its the pronunciation. They really Singlish everything lor.

Its like they cut their tongue short or something, like they have a LAZY tongue. I am starting to pick it up and that sucks cos I think I usually speak quite audibly and clearly, like my enunciation is quite good. Now i dunno.

But, really everything is really organised here. One person make a complain to any authority, immediately it is RECTIFIED. I can really feel the difference in the efficiency here. There isn't the tidak apa-ness u often just take for granted in malaysia. ONe thing is for sure, Singaporeans are way more punctual, cos their lives run around the public transport system, so every minute counts, u late one minute, wait next bus, which could jeopardize your whole journey plan. Cos we have those online checkers and SMS thingies to check the exact minute your particular bus will arrive at your particular stop. Its all very techie and gizmo-ish here. EVERYONE has the latest nintendo, or PSP or ipod or Iphone or whatever not la.

Its normal to go for bible study and not see bibles cos people use electronic ones. Almost every tom dick and harry here owns a PDA.

Wifi is really almost everywhere near important, malls, cafes, libraries etc. The best is the national library board (NLB) i mean i think singaporeans are so spoiled, they get FREE access to so much info and content, reading materials and most ppl don't use this access. They take for-granted. Like i PAY 50 bucks for a one year membership. Of course there are tons of libraries islandwide, with diff wide selections of books, audio, visuals, CDs etc. And you can borrow one book from Library A and drop it off 3 weeks later at Library B. Can renew online also for a small fee. But like i said, everything is pretty very predictable here, so it gets kinda boring, like nothing could ever really go very wrong u noe what i mean? u cant like get lost like in KL, driving around.....

Ok i typed too much rubbish about singapore but this is what i feel la of this place. But ppl here are generally very sheltered, hence, very nice and concerned. Helpful lor... of cos where I live is quite up class la. I think if u go west to the industrial side its a diff story.

Keep in touch my dear emily.

I really miss u guys so so much.

Hope to see u soon!

A new place, quaint ol' Singapore innit...

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Hey Liz, if you're reading this, no the previous photo of that huge 'basic' empty room is my uncle's spare room. Its a half storey up there for me only, and it has no nothing. So yea, was there for a month shuttling back and forth the 'ends' of Singapore (East and West).

Pandan Valley Condo

Below is my current room. Its a really old development but it's huge (the vicinity). Last time, they could afford to allow for large open spaces in condo developments hence we have quite a lot of garden/park space. This is my temporary en-suite master-room that I'm sharing with Rachel. The other roomie is in a single room by herself in the same unit. Its a penthouse, but like I said its old and a bit run-down, But I'm happy.

Doggie in his new bed

I could really get used to this room really, but soon (2nd Nov), we 3 girls are moving to a larger private entrance master-room in which we shall call home for the next 8 months. The big room is in the same unit, just that it is currently occupied by an indonesian Girl by herself. (they are filthy rich)

Penny's Corner

Our Fridge

Supermart Under our Block

Look at all that juices!

Cereal anyone?

My first dinner

Hi Mr Post/Bill Machine

No worries if we get sick

Our Pool area

Feeling Fat?

Need some alone time? (library)

Play some ball, baby!

Quiet neighbourhood

Pandan Park Connector

Bad Hair Day? (under my block)

The way to DOVER MRT

Thats all for my new home for now...next post will be about the other bigger room, with the private entrance. My owner is this sweet grandma kinda lady. She made fu chuk yi mai for us the other day (and for herself too). Loaded super loaded Malaysian lady...lalalala

I'm HAPPY! Oh and I have a 3000SQUAREFEET rooftop to dry and sun my clothes and DOGGIE and my blankie... and I love KAKAK, she's so cekap.

The lil treasures of Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:06:00 +0000

I'll halt my writings on Kinabalu and Sarawak, (just because I'm too lazy).

I need need to write this down now. My initial thoughts and impressions of my new home, Singapore (an F.O.B.'s Point of View) cos I don't know how much longer I will be a FOB. So I really want to know what I thought when I was a FOB in Singapore, if I happen to read this post years later.

First thing first, factual things about me and Singapore.

Where do I live? My uncle's house in Pasir Ris. I live in their 1/2 storey of their 2 and 1/2 storey (like my house)

My temporary room and doggie and his new ezylink friend.

Where do I go to School?

-SIM. No not SIM city or NUS or NTU or SMU rather Singapore Institute of Management.

-What the...?? Its the largest PRIVATE University in Singapore.

Note : I didn't drop out of my course at HELP Uni to come to Singapore, still am will always be a UOL external student....Swt

Where is school?

-Minimum : 1 hour 30 minutes from Pasir Ris, school is@Clementi.

Do I plan to move?

-Yes, 12th of Oct, this Sun.

Move Where?

-Pandan Valley Condo@Ulu Pandan Road@Clementi near Holland V

-FIRST ever Freehold Condo Development Project in Singapore (1979)

-Built by DBS

How far is it from school?

-5 minutes (6 intranetwork bus stops)

How much am I paying?

-A lot

Do I get my own room?

-nope, not even sharing, TRIPLE sharing...and I'm paying? ALOT.

-but i get laundry&ironing services and occasional cleaning services.

How do I get to school(currently)?

1)BUS (Uncle's House to EW1@PasirRis)

2)MRT (EW1@PasirRis to EW23@Clementi)

3)BUS (EW23@Clementi to SIMHQ@ClementiRoad)

SBS BUS52 to Uni

Mangrove Swarm@Pasir Ris Park@Sunset

Sabah Adventure : Days 9,10

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:49:00 +0000

Oh gosh, finally I'm almost at the end of my Sabah Adventure posts, but there's still Sarawak! urgghh and i promised myself to pen it all down in a 'real' diary (pen and paper) then i decided to settle for blog posts...... ok penny....one step at a time.....

Once we came back to KK, we finally went to Little Italy to eat! You know being in Sabah and all at first I thought it was stupid to go eat at some Italian Joint...but OMG, the food here is amazing, really good Pasta here......They have like so many types to choose from not like here (fettucine? spaggheti?) Over there there's everything! you can mix match as you like. I swear at least 10 different choices of pasta for every pasta flavour.... btw, it was packed...we had to wait to be seated, in KK. @ Little Italy, KK

Day 9 and 10 were lazy days. It was a Monday and a Tuesday (22nd and 23rd July 2008).
For the whole of Monday, we decided to go to one of the 5 TARP islands, so we told Vince our plans on Sunday night. He got us arranged for Monday with Borneo Beach Bums (God, I love that name!).
They operate from ShangRiLa@TanjungAru, talk about 1st class service (thanks vince!)
He sent us out there early morn in his trusty white pick-up, as usual he's downing his malt and taking in grass all day, again that same old "marijuana" record of his playing over and over again on his radio.

We decided on Pulau Mamutik, and was transfered in by a highspeed boat. (life jackets on of-course)We got snorkels from Vince, and rented fins on the island. Only one restaurant on the island, despite the monopoly, prices weren't bad at all. I got an indo-mee with egg for lunch@RM3.

No worries about losing your things on this island, no one cares or will take anything, go swim freely in the sea, leave your things all over the beach, completely safe! (amazing place)

The waters were pretty choppy cos a storm was seeming to set in, surprisingly, the storm never came, just that the waters remained choppy and the sky looked like it was ready to engulf us. Snorkeling here was almost as good as diving (although diving is of course better) but u can see where I'm coming from, it was good despite the fact that everything is still a NEMO. Pretty good muck diving here. Shallow warm blue waters, rather high density of corals and small schools of fishes, sea-urchins (urggh) and some other weird sea creatures which I can't seem to place.

The shore-line at Mamutik is pretty much shallow all the way to a couple of meters out then suddenly there is this sudden increase in depth (a cliff in the water). But don't worry, buoys are generally placed to mark shallow and deep waters.

We swam for hours in the sea with our snorkels and fins (no life-jacket). At first, I felt like I would drown anytime (choppy waters) but later on you get so caught up with the fishes and what not, you forget about drowning and be mesmerised by its beauty.

Lazy, to be continued...

Sabah Adventure : Days 7, 8

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:57:00 +0000

Why Why...am I such a lazy person... I guess people just can't change... I'll always be a procrastinator.

I must write all these down before I really forget...

So 20th and 21st June 2008 was spent on Labuan, The Pearl of the 'Orient'

Fi and I got up pretty early today (20th) and took a short walk(10 minutes) from our place (Jalan Dewan) to the Jetty (Jesselton Point). Since the Sun rises an hour earlier here, everything is bright by 6.00am.

At Jesselton Point Jesselton Point

Unassumingly we took the 2nd Class ticket (economy) on the Ekspres Kinabalu to Labuan which was a whopping 3 hour high speed ride away! We were basing our purchase on memories of past experiences on Langkawi's 45 minute ferry rides... Please remember, and remember, and remember, whenever you HAVE TO get on a high-speed ferry for 3 Hours to anywhere at all, always, and always, and always, and always buy 1st Class Tickets!

<---Someone is about to Puke (from diesel fumes trapped in 2nd class chamber)... We met up with Chong at the Labuan Ferry Terminal (he flew in from KL and walked to the ferry terminal cos 1. He is kiamsiap 2. He had time to walk or 3. He is just plain macho) We decided to not hunt for a car first, and went food-hunting...Honestly, there is absolutely nothing nice to eat on Labuan Island, so don't bother looking, just eat! We got a cute quite ok new kancil for RM60/day which is ok byLabuan stds...there aren't many car rental service providers, unlike Langkawi...

Driving around the 'tiny' island in the Kancil Chong and 'his' tree

Labuan, The 'Pearl' of the Orient where 'business' and 'Leisure' meets.

What a corny tagline, but I wouldn't say this lil tiny baby is the 'Pearl' of the Orient in terms of Leisure... not sure about business though.

It was drizzling the whole day, we parked the kancil at the above spot facing the sea and sat 'in' the storm... I seriously didn't want anymore alcohol after the 'PADI' celebration night, but a can of Hein was RM2 and our trusty coke was RM1.60? I felt stupid.....so yea I bought the Hein and a RM10 plastic mat.

When the rain ceased, we got out to sit on the RM10 mat. That was the best part of Labuan I think, to sit facing a 'teluk' where the wind blows in the strongest while sipping on some cold beer.....saying nothing...just taking in the breathtaking sight and enjoying the gushing wind thrusting and sweeping past your face.

Nightime in Labuan (especially Saturday night) is very very different from its Day. The scene on the left is a typical hawker stall on the street just like how you would find all over KL/PJ or for that matter, Malaysia.

For some reason, most of the time, ppl drank beer whilst consuming their food. Hardly ever you see 'teh ais' or some 'normal' drinks on the table.

3 Brunei Chinese guys were sitting at the next table. One came over when we were convincing Chong that the 'iphone' is heaven... The dude asked us where to get the iphone around here? We told him we ain't local, so we dunno...
We chatted for a while, he invited us to a 'club' after dinner...told us to come pop by 'pop in' if we're free... we said sure...we'll see....

Of course, there is nothing we can do in Labuan at night even with a car and a room at a pretty rundown Inn (Melati Inn) but hey its RM55 a night for a queen bed and aircon. Chong read good reviews of the Inn online, and he wonders why....

After some lazying around the room and some toilet activity, we went around searching for the 'pop in'... I think Labuan Town roads are really idiotic, the way they are built and designed, we went round and round in circles for at least 1/2 hour before we finally 'pop in'... To our surprise, we saw bouncers at the door with a desk..Shits! got cover charge... we went check it out anyways...RM5!! hahaha

The place was not bad at all.. live phillipino band (of cos not as good as the one at Shenaningans), flat screen TVs showing football, nice bar, nice music. I noticed many girls dressed really skankily, (me, not a clubber) but Fi said, nola in KL the girls also dress liek dat one...some even more keng chau... I was like oh..ok.
Boy was I right, these ain't those 'hot' KL type clubbing chicks, they are real chicks... I saw their big mama hen doing her rounds in her Mama Coat...discussing 'business' with her 'clients'..
OMG, we are in a whorehouse!!!

Chong got some...or was offered some...I dunno about him, cos I'm a girl...I'll puke if I had to do any of them...Fi and I agreed, bad-shape....
After a couple of free beers (courtesy of Brunei) we left around 1am, the time when ppl were leaving the club because the clients are on their way to performing their 'transactions'....

We left right after brunch (briyani) the next day.. Bought some duty free and ciao-ed...1st Class!

P/S : Melati Inn is good because it is in the no-whore side of town...

Sabah Adventure 2008 : Day 3, 4, 5, 6

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:02:00 +0000

That was 17th, 18th and 19th of June...
Basically, the last three days was filled with lessons to get my PADI OWD license...

OMG diving is awesome...love it...the thing with people is that, when they go for a world scout Jamboree, they vow that they'll DEFINITELY go back, or they go for OBS and VOW to definitely become a C.A. or blablablabla...

Just hope that my loving diving now wont be a blablabla thing....that I'll really go around the world clocking in 'bottom-time' hahahaha...

Good thing is at least a few friends are divers, so It'll be easier and less boring...
Btw, the first day of OW lessons was a theory/video thing, which is OMG so so boring..
But then again, I was so so sleepy from the night before that I'm sure I slept through quite a substantial amount of it... Luckily even in a haste, doing the paper, passed! On the dot....

Boring Video

Getting on at Sutera Harbour Jetty

Before we put on the wet suits

I am so round!!

First dive was crap, Sapi Island...not that Sapi sucks, I suck.
I have a problem sinking, when we had to take out our equipment underwater, I kept floating all over the place!

Second Dive was also Sapi Island, much better dive actually but still sucks for me.

Third Dive was also Sapi, this was when I started to really dive properly...It was the last of the 3 days of the PADI OWD course....8 Koreans came onboard to just leisure dive...apparently they are like damn pro, got dive-master amongst them... Did talk to them a lil, but it was so so hard....language problem...

Fourth Dive (last) was the best, got a hang of how to sink and float without moving any limbs...and since I'm a 'floater' I keep trying to sink, cos with a small kick anywhere, I'll flat up...btw it was at Hanging Gardens, Pulau Gaya... The reefs were like a small bukit that slopes upward underwater...will have pics later...one of our friends had a underwater camera...we're supposed to be capped at 18m, but I swear it was somewhere around 25-30m cos I'm one of those idiotic 'kiasu' divers who keep checking my gauge all the time...

But nevertheless, not for that depth, we'll see nothing la.
Saw like colourless lighting up squid, lots of live corals...fishes...the nemo kind...and I dun even know what are they so I cant say....previously at SAPI everything was like dead...cos we were muck-diving near the shore, lots of sandy storms due to inexperienced flippers blasting sand all over the place...

View from Wisma Sabah (Dive Training Centre)

First night after the theory part, Fiona and I ate at a street market...it was drizzling, so dinner was this nasi campur ala kampung style...nice to eat actually...We were in search of the 'famous' philipino market actually, but ended up at this random market...it was drizzling...eat lo...

Nasi Campur Melayu

The following night we finally got to the Philipino market with another backpacker we met, Nazrin from SMK Sultan Abdul Samad. Currently we just moved from Borneo Global Backpackers to Tropicana Lodge...I like BGB, but its just too far...So we're currently sharing a six bed dorm room with him...

Filipino Market

Our Squid(RM7) and Tenggiri Bakar(RM7)

Our Ketam (RM5) and Sotong Kecil(RM5) Bakar

Sting-Ray(RM6) Bakar

The last night after we got certified, one of our fellow diving batch mates, Toby who's native Sabahan from Lahad Datu took us for Chinese Seafood..yay yay yay!!! I was good...really good...and cheap too... I dunno what it is but for some reason all Sabahan guys have this thing that they MUST pay for girls...puzzled...We ate like a kilo of large prawns(RM52) and 1/2kilo soft shell crab cos Nazrin cant take hard shelled (RM25+) and a steamed fresh 'sepan yu'-800gms (RM50) and a Sabah Local Vege...

The freakin big plate of prawns...

View from Tropicana Lodge's Jungle RoomZZZZZ

Random pic...omg they have AMOS too?

Sabah Adventure Day : 2 (16th June 2008)

noreply@blogger.com (*@*+LuLu+*@*) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:41:00 +0000

Didn't manage to blog yesterday cos we were out late...or more like early...

Yesterday was an eventful day, very very eventful in-fact.

We realised our accom. Borneo Global Backpackers is a good value for money place...everything is perfect about this place, cleanliness, staff, facilities, practicality...only 1 major setback and a minor one..

1) major : it is not in KK town...if you walk its 15minutes away...kinda inconvenient for girls you see...this is Malaysia! and its hot. There are buses from here to town for 50cents tho...but they stop at 8pm....BGB provides free shuttle to Centrepoint mall at 7pm and back from there at 10pm..

But I'll give this place a 90% anyways...

2) minor : the rooms are quite stuffy, it gets better once u turn on the fans high speed and open the door for a while...

Anyways, yesterday we did not start on our OWD PADI course...instead tropicana lodge's owner Vincent called us up in the morning to offer to bring us around.. Yea if you're wondering, he's kinda the hippie kind, so yea, if u have good 'aura' he'll be very very nice to you. So I guess we're one of those with good 'aura'. And maybe cos we walked far and wide searching for his lodge in search of our friend the day before...haha

He came and picked us up... and then went to his lodge to meet his 'friend', a professor from University of Montreal, Canada : Stephane Bernard... that guy is a kind sweet Dr.....but you'll think he'll be PHD (permanent head damage) like Dr Goh Seng (maths wiz) but nope, this guy is a whacko, at least whilst on vacation I guess... He and Vincent were drinking toger beer like Sabag ran out of water. In the car, In the hostel, In restaurants, at the waterfall... Oh btw, we went out of town to the countryside (courtesy of Vincent) to the KionSom Waterfalls, no tourist there...only locals.

Vince said its a local secret, he don't just bring anyone here...haha...lucky us...but it was beautiful!
The water was cold...and the current were strong but yet it doesn't push you far enough to fall to the next pond....and deep enough for diving...but scardy cats like me, can't do that.

Locals taking a dip

Fiona by the main water-source (no swimming here)

Vincent and 'Dr' Stephane Lunch, Prawn Tomyam Noodle..so darn fresh!

Tamu
Ikan Todak
Sashimi-able fresh Tuna... Vincent bought one for RM27 only!
Sea Grapes RM1 per basket
Somekind of sea fungus/algae/seaweed

We went to Vincent's house to put up a small Barbe for the Tuna...The girls did the salad with the sea grapes, some mango, chillies, lime and simple syrup and cooked 'Nasi Bukit' found in Vince's Cupboards...red in colour....really really good rice.

View on the way back from the waterfall
Vincent's Lodge
The salt baked Tuna
Tuna flesh...some parts semi cooked...yummm!
Sea-grapes salad 'ala' kerabu

Ok, thats all for yesterday, Vince is coming to pick us up for our OWD PADI in like 15mins...i better get off....

*@*+LuLu+*@* 's BLoG.....