Friday, I'm in luuurrrve.

This goes out to my very special girlfriend for a night out of girl talks + spiritual sharing + catching up ♥♥♥
So much love, but I could burst from the Din Tai Fung alone :)

A picture speaks a thousand words,

Honestly, it makes me chuckle, doesn't it just speak volumes of the levels of enthusiasm at that exact moment?

Come what May,

(The ideal situation I'd love to be in right now)

It's ending April and just in a month so many changes have taken place, as if my entire direction has taken a turn.
Nonetheless, I shall stay calm (read: Calm, not clam, I typed clam at first) and still be thankful that I stood by what I'm passionate about - no regrets :)
It's 9am and I'm sitting in the familiarity of my office desk, the sound of routine photocopiers and office chatter still ringing in my ears.
4 months, no doubt am I going to miss this place.
The shrill voice of Meryl from across the office or Zachary popping by my cube to discuss one of his taking over the world plans on a sleepy afternoon, little joys in the midst of office life.
Can't wait for your first book out from command school :(

Names have been changed to protect identity.

I'm no April's fool,

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See the Sun,

Sometimes, it's the smallest things that fill the most room in your heart.
Amen to that, but what can I say except: "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."

P.S. Out with the girls yesterday night, was really good catching up and all with pizza @ Timbre! And hooray to unglam pictures on Shiany's mac, I'm really going to miss all of youl when you're all strewn in different continents :( We need this Oovoo thing http://www.oovoo.com HAHA



Shoutout to Karen: Have a safe trip over to Belgium :) Belgium chocolate teeheehee ♥♥♥ Journey mercies, hope Eyjafjallajokull doesn't decide to blow up again, take care and come home soon so we can spend quality time before you leave for U to the S to the A windy city.

List in the making,

1. Possibly get a hair trim/wave
2. Finish up Undercover Economist by Tim Hartford
3. Finish up Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
4. Bake those cookies
5. Work on my presentation slides
6. Come up the LJG explanation for the presentation
7. Get mentally prepared for interview on Monday 5pm
8. Get pretty letter paper for farewell notes
9. Stop drowning in yarn
10. Event on monday :)
11. Send in my resume
12. Get headphone that are compatible with F480
13. Pack my messy room
14. Retail therapy
15. Meeting my girls!!

I need to start making lists to look forward to, and time will pass.

Take flight,

It's funny how things are turning out, as a cause and effect of one another.

Interdependence, they say.
It's like ... weaving a knitted masterpiece with that string of yarn :)
(Side note: Still struggling on learning how to knit)
I'm starting to see how His plan is starting to fall in place, it's not an outright affirmation on how my path goes on from here but rather that I'm starting to see the bird's eye view of it all.
With the ENTP nomination, with moving on to the last stage, my work exposure with the 1001 people I get to meet and interact with, my wonderful colleagues, OCS and relationships forged throughout this short yet significant phase. Your Grace overflows, and I thank You not only for the smooth sailing periods but the hiccups too.

Like scripture says, Man may choose his path but it's God that leads and guides his direction.

"So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other." Genesis 13:11

It's hard to accept it and we try to remain in control but that's what we think because ultimately we can never rely just on our own strength.

It's scary how one chapter closes, and it dawns on you how far time is moving yet at times it moves so slow the process is excruciating. Yet the withering of a flower means the bearing of the fruit right? (Haha yes I'm working on the 6th May presentation right now, Le Jedy Garden for the win) I don't know where I'm going to move on from here, but I'm not shelving it aside like one of those Admin files from the Registry. This is such a subtly work related post, you would say; if you actually drew out the parallels. I beg to differ, because I've been so immersed into the work culture to actually pick them out haha.

The weather's getting colder these days, I wish you were here to make the cold a little warmer.
My phone is my new best friend, even with the crappy phone connections and having to hear you through word messages. Reading them at 5am before work, even as I scramble out of bed still all cosy under the warm sheets after my bedside table vibrates with your message I look forward to every morning :)

Dad left for Beijing a couple of days ago and he just called back from the Great Wall! (Oh very exciting) and he bought Mummy a cheongsam which I'm extremely excited to see how it really looks. (Note: A cheongsam is an oriental fitting dress made fashionable by socialites and upperclass women in Shanghai from the early 1920s) The other time he went to Aussieland and bought placenta moisturizer, Mumsie was clearly not very impressed.

Reminiscing through my archives and past memories, I honestly don't think I have changed much. (In character, I think and hope) Speaking of which I shall go sneak some pieces of Japanese pickles while Mumsie makes sushi, teehee.

Meeting with Estelle, and then meeting the girls at Timbre@Arts House or Substation tomorrow, they don't accept reservations for tomorrow I hope we get seats!

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Figments,

It's the second day and there's this dull feeling in my lower abdomen, something that you can't just ignore. (Cramps or gastric I can't really tell anymore) Or perhaps it's just the rawness of the prospect of the next three weeks. (Prayers really help for that peace of mind and I'm thankful for that!)

Either way, I wish it'd go away.

The office is getting colder, and in this I don't just mean it literally. Slowly, my fellow comrades are leaving us behind, for future prospects in greener pastures. My office source of sunshine on those grey cloudy days. I'm having my turn in three weeks, but between that and me is just a pile of work and projects plus one milestone event in the LEAD calendar.

It's been indeed an experience, and I'm thankful for the (nearly accidental) chance of landing on this internship, with 7 May marking my departure. I've met new people, new ventures, new chances to do things I never imagined myself to do. (Yes, figures included) Still seeking His direction for the next path to take, and contemplating embarking on my other job offer. Of course part of me is tres excited on the future, eager to move on as uncertain it may seem right now. Yet I guess there's another part of me that wishes I could be on top of the mountain away from civilization just reminiscing and reliving all those days of summer.

The myriad of smells from the after-showers outside gushes in to fill my room as I force open my bedroom windows. Raindrops race down the sides of the panes, isn't this so strongly familiar? Raining bathroom ceilings, you would say. And I would smile in acknowledgment. I just know it.

Now if you were to excuse me, I shall find something to munch on after replying my emails. What can you say, we are creatures of habit.

9:04pm

Sitting, waiting, wishing.
Don't we just do that all the time?

Connections through time, as Yuechin puts it, I present to you our date at Food for Thought @ Queen Street.
Food was good (Try the apple berry crumble and the profiteroles look irresistible!) while company and the special service we had was greater :)


That every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, it is the gift of God."
- Ecclesiastes 3:13

So amazing how our social circles overlap four-fold.
I look forward to our next meeting (This time with food items we know we gotta try or die)

♥

8:25 am

Tying thoughts, fraying knots,
Rejoice to a whole new level of Monday emotional blues, I'm extremely sleepy trying to jolt all temptations to shut my eyelids, even for that split second.
Tossing and turning on Monday morning at 2am isn't my definition of getting rest, and neither is forcing to pretend that my cramps don't hurt at all.
Projected claims for disbursements are long overdue.
This post screams Help.

Today spells three more official weeks of Office Crazy Schedules.
(I end on May 7)
And yes, pun was intended.

Lunch meeting soon, yay to informal discussions over formal issues.

Possession,

“What is it? My dear?”
“Ah, how can we bear it?”
“Bear what?”
“This. For so short a time. How can we sleep this time away?”
“We can be quiet together, and pretend – since it is only the beginning – that we have all the time in the world.”
“And every day we shall have less. And then none.”
“Would you rather, therefore, have had nothing at all?”
“No. This is where I have always been coming to. Since my time began. And when I go away from here, this will be the mid-point, to which everything ran, before, and from which everything will run. But now, my love, we are here, we are now, and those other times are running elsewhere.”
–A.S. Byatt, Possession

A moment,

Yet another blessed (sandy)mental day, sounds familiar?
Flinging my bag and myself, for that matter, across the room unto my bed after a day well-spent out seemed like the perfect excuse to slug around.
Well, a small NETS approval slip folded into an awkward looking plane, roughly the size of my palm, jumped out from my bag and rested next to me.
Yes it didn't end up in the bin and yes, I didn't throw it away.
It really still holds the memories of that early morning where your watermelon-lychee laced breath promised "One day we'll fly in that."

What young dreams, glittering in the crisp morning sunshine.

It's Wednesday,

A week into possibly the longest leave in the two years ahead.
But let's count our blessings because it's been nothing but blissss.
Great weather for parade last Thursday morning, despite being given electric hand-held fans which amuses me up to today.
Awesome company of people in Superheroes! for assessment on Friday which translated to an unforgettable experience :) (Next round next week wheee)
Kenko fish spa on Monday (warning: ticklish), dip in the pool plus Marina Barrage escapade but reduced to a sheltered night picnic because of the rain.
On a side note, Marina Barrage is amazing, please take time to marvel in the views and not run away because of lightning fears.
Tuesday I work my butt off and wake up to yet another gorgeous Wednesday early morning well spent @ Kith cafe tucked in the corner of Watermark@ Robertson Quay.
Simple toast with homemade jam with watermelon juice, hilarious magazine articles with great company by my side really brightens up any day!
Massage + Shooting zombies off television screens (RESIDENT EVIL) composed the other half our agenda, before class gathering where I waited 45 minutes for my dear classmates to arrive.
Only to realize that Aston's doesn't take reservations, we settled for pizza and pasta but nothing really mattered much since it was just so good to see everyone once again and catching up, just like good ole times :)

I don't have pictures though, so I shall leave you some of feet.


Ciao!

The opposite of stressed is desserts.

Since I'm home all alone with a painful tummy and barely able to get out of the house, here I am in an attempt to revive this piece of virtual land I somewhat own.
Or perhaps it is an attempt to appease myself from tucking away this nearly neglected corner of my life.
Being unwell is such a chore :(
I'm craving for Crystal Jade la mian xiao long bao.

The past weeks or rather should I say months have been filled with my own fair share of downs and ups, but most importantly timely reminders from Him on life paths and priorities, which we will eventually have to juggle full-time.
But along with the arduous task of keeping at the balls of my feet on my 8-6 routine everyday, little joys like weekends well spent with my boy + filling up my schedules with all the love from my colleages and friends and girlfriends on the weekdays to the brim. (Up to the point I sometimes exhaust myself from Mon-Fri)
Attending launch invitations and served fine dining has been an experience, but not to be blinded by it to forget the amount of hard work put into each assignment and project that scrolls along.
Scholarship and university applications/assessments are nearly coming to an end, I dare hope.
And I'm looking forward to the day getaways next week, following Russell's POP two days ago.

Pictures galore, most on facebook though.

D&D promos - Jester and the King





Food for Thought - North Bridge branch with the girls! Sandra's birthdayyy, we love you ♥♥♥



Dinner out at Demsey's Culina
Ben & Jerry's @ Demsey


Vatician masquerade ball D&D @ Marriot




Desserts @ 2am desser bar



In-between office breaks :)








Wala wala @ Holland Village






Gang @ The white bar

Assessment with the Superheroes, you guys were awesome! Glad to keep in touch :)

Gang @ Mindcafe Boat Quay



Carren's Baptism on Easter @BPGC, congratulations on your new chapter of life ♥♥♥



Group shot outside @ Dragon Restaurant for dim sum buffet




Girlfriend's birthday pictures @ her place, happy nineteenth once again, I love you and thank God for such a close friend I can connect with spiritually and emotionally ♥♥♥
Thanks so much for having us over, plus your mum's hospitality :)
And company of my AC girlfriendssss :}






POP finally!




Next week promises to be sweet, hopefully at least.
God bless!