Very Much Around

It's been sooooo long - hah! So much has happened since April... so little time to write about it. But still very much around :-)

Random: One of most recent my favourite pix.

Gideon is 7

He's in a BIG school!
He's shy to kiss me at the school gate!
He has his own laptop!
He MSNs!
He's trying to find out more about FACEBOOK!
He's SEVEN!
He's a BIG boy!
Happy Birthday my little BIG Boy!

Happy New Year, Happy Valentine's

It's my first entry since we welcomed 2009. Time flies. Yet some things never change - I still lazy most of the time... hah!

It hasn't been a wonderful start to the year, really. Health-wise, work-wise. But we did reach one of our most important milestones - Gideon going to Primary One, being a SAINT :-) He's really enjoying school but getting him to be serious about school work is another hurdle we've yet to cross.

The Lunar New Year came and went - all too quickly. This year, we had the Lion Dance troupe from S'pore Poly (Terence's students) visiting our home. The kids of course had a blast! I was more concerned with the lion's "feet" on my white flooring, and the lion's shedding of its "fur" and sequins.

A Lunar New Year B&M family portrait

No one struck Toto, no one hit the 4-D but in this economic climate, having a job still, is already a blessing.

We celebrated Valentine's last evening with dinner at Barossa, a new Australian restaurant at the Esplanade. Food was good but the company, as usual, was great. As usual, it was Rena who made it happen :-)

It's been some time, eh?

My! I just realised I've been away from this page for the longest time - since Sept??? Yes, that's how busy (and lazy) life has been. Work is madness and once home, I crash, pass out...

It's not going to slow down - year-end or not. After an entire week in Shanghai conducting POP training, I dread thinking what's in store tomorrow when I head back to the office. Trip was fruitful. Managed to accomplish other POP items apart from the training. And finally getting to meet and spend time with our Marketing gals in China - they make me feel old. All so young, enthusiastic and energetic. Of course managed to catch up with RO over a nice Italian lunch, and Aik Hong & Noel over dinner :-)

I also just realised my hatchday had come and gone in a flash. No pictures put up even. So this is going to be a "cramp all" post - from birthday to Shanghai.

HATCHDAY

The team bought me a fab Korean birthday lunch at Dempsey (can't recall restaurant name)


With my best friends and God sons :-)

SHANGHAI

A satisfying and relaxing breakfast at Tian Zi Fang - so relaxing I only remembered my camera after breakfast :-)


These 2 are at the same place! Littered with quaint local designer boutiques, cafes and art galleries while plenty of old folks still live above in these 2-3 storey brick blocks. Forget Xin Tian Di in Shanghai, Tian Zi Fang at Taikang Lu is a must-go!


Perfect harmony of old and new.

Chen Yifei's art studio inspired the transformation of Tian Zi Fang.


My home in Shanghai.

Oh! And there's one more photo I adore, taken some weeks ago in the office - that's the day when "North America" showed up in black and white! Kodak moment!

Say cheeeese!

Spree Wheeee!

Took the day off to do nothing. Of course, with a blackberry and a handphone, doing nothing is near impossible. Wasn't a complete day without work on my mind - sigh!

Anyhow, I managed to get to Vivo City and spent $300 within 30 mins! Geez! I think Mel is right - Chennai was traumatic enough to make me vent on 2 pairs of gorgeous pants, 3 tops and a dress. Not bad for $300, really. From one of my favourite local brands, GG<5.>

I'll have a great week to look forward to now - new clothes!

Hello Bugz

Yes... we've got another bunny. This time, Gideon decided to name it Bugz... It's more like a dog than a bunny, really. Check out the way it rests with legs all stretched. Hope this one works out this time :-)

Welcome home Bugz!

The Big 'I'

I = Incredible
N = Noisy
D = Density
I = Intrusive
A = Amazing

My trip to Chennai, India, was nothing short of "eye-opening"! From the moment I stepped out of the airport until when I got back to the airport to head home 5 days later. The city is INCREDIBLE - it is incredibly PACKED! The people were nothing short of incredible too! They were incredibly accommodating, 'yes' to everything (but actually delivering is another story altogether).

It is NOISY! We joked that the locals can drive without a steering wheel but not without a horn. It was like the honk replaced the indicators, informing other drivers that they are going to be cutting right in front of you (heads on at times). The vehicles actually remove their side mirrors! Not surprising considering a 3 lane road is really, a 5 lane road.

DENSITY is an understatement. The streets are packed! With taxis, their version of a "tuk tuk" called an "auto", cars, motorbikes and lop-sided buses! Yes, people DO hang out the buses - just like what you see on TV!

INTRUSIVE behaviour - it's not you, nor them, it's just the way it is! The Indians have no idea what personal space means. You encounter this "closeness" the moment you get off the plane. Their trolleys, laden with the flat screen TVs, blankets and toasters from Mustaffa, roll right into you. They are simply oblivious to the fact that others around them happen to be human beings. On the flight en-route to Chennai, I had a big belly in my face everytime the seat belt sign went off - Mr "Govindasamy" (like I know his name...) had to open the overhead compartment each time. I say "open" and not "take something" cos he NEVER took anything. It's like, he just had to open to check that his trolley was still there! Argh!

Having said rather nasty things so far, I think Chennai was an AMAZING experience. From the busy cross junctions where vehicles give way to crossing cows, to the beautiful hotel (http://www.raintreehotels.com/) I was put up at, I must say I have learnt to appreciate the order we live in, the neighbours we live with, the environment we so often take for granted.

Amidst the disorder, Chennai does have a certain charm. It is a city of extremes - the filthy rich, the unthinkably poor; the run-down houses lining the dusty streets, the stand alone houses stretching for acres (some complete with a real forest with real deer and fed cows); the rusty buses, the gleaming BMWs...

I never got to take many photos but the images are edged in my memory for sure. I may return, next time more prepared. Much more prepared to appreciate the city for what it is not.


Road disorder & an "Auto"

Goodbye Spotty

I bought a Holland Lop bunny for Gideon on Friday - having been told that it requires minimal attention and looking after. Had also been told pets are great for an "only-child". Gideon named it SPOTTY (it's got a spot on it right eye area). Gideon spent the afternoon yesterday playing with Spotty in the balcony. And this morning, Spotty was lying there motionless :-( Spotty has passed away. Not sure what we did wrong. His breeder said it could have been shock as baby bunnies have weak hearts. And spotty could have been unused to his new environment. For some reason, I think Ter and I are more distraught then Gideon. Guess he has not been too attached to Spotty, yet. I'm now unsure if I'm ready for another one... what if...?

Haven't even gotten the chance to take a pix of Spotty as the camera battery died yesterday. Thanks to Yu Ming for this photo he took on Friday when Spotty arrived in the office.

Goodbye Spotty!

Term 3 Performance

Gideon performed at his Tien Hsia Term 3 graduation showcase last week. The monkey faces he kept making were hilarious and the scratching during the performance was rather embarrassing (video upload problems - will try again). But optimistically, I think these are signs he's enjoying his class now and not afraid of standing in front of an audience.

And he scored 46/50 for his test... again unbelievable! Haha!