My family are planning a trip over to Manila to visit me! It's been a long time since we had a proper family vacation. I could still remember the previous trip was to Bangkok for the millenium countdown.

Now, we're planning a trip to Boracay! Or maybe Palawan, Bohol or Cebu.

I can't wait to laze at the beach with my family & tan my arse while drinking magaritas or daiquiris.

I miss beach holidays. Am gonna start learning scuba diving too & hopefully I'll be able to get my open waters before they arrive, so that I'm able to go scuba diving with Kor.

I'm starting my dream already...

It's been awhile since I last blogged. Have been busy at work with everything that's happening. We've brought in the client-facing piece & thank god it's smooth without any hiccups so far. Phew.

Anyway, what have I been up to? Nothing much really. Finally had my voice back last week & have been cooking more lately too. Brought food to work on Friday & I reckon I might do so pretty often. If only I've got the time to cook.

Also, I've signed myself up with Fitness First to be fitter. Yes, I've got a gym right below my condo & it's free, but I can't meet the timing!! Also, I'm not an equipment kinda girl, I prefer classes. Speaking of which, I nearly died yesterday during spin class. It's tough. No joke. Was on the verge of giving up, but I persevered on. Am going next week if time allows. Gonna go for Body Balance class on Wednesday after work. I am determined to keep fit, lose a little bit of weight & tone up.

So, here are the dishes I've cooked though most of it look the same cos I like my chicken stir-fry rice. Hoho. This is just to show my parents that I've been cooking & not eating out all the time.


Rice with beef which was tooooooo salty. Nearly killed me because I added too much light soy sauce. ... ...


Rice with omelette & beef bolognese


This is what I have got breakfast during the weekend. No time during the weekday because sleep is so precious to me. Haha!


What I just cooked. The rice was leftover. Rice with minced pork & stir-fry vegetables with chicken.

Hung out with a couple of my female colleagues today & went shopping. I dived into the MNG sale & was surprised to find it rather empty! Definitely different from how it is in Singapore. Got myself a new denim skirt & 2 basics for gym. Even went to get brollies at Landmark because it's the monsoon season & I've gotta be prepared.

We're gonna go to Greenhills next weekend for cheap shopping & good food. YAY!

I am gonna get my scuba diving licence here too. Hopefully I'm able to get it quick, before my mom's birthday so my brother & I can go scuba diving maybe? :D

Alrighty, time to skype my parents!

It must be the weather cos I'm sick again. I don't know where I got the cold from. No, don't worry it's just cold & sorethroat. I do not have H1N1 alright? Have lost my voice completely all thanks to the training I was giving yesterday for the entire day. Am supposed to train the staff here for the rest of the week, but I can't do it now. I wonder what would happen next Monday. Shucks. ):

Am being placed on a 'ban' by the company's nurse & I'm not allowed to talk for 4 hours. She wants me to have voice rest.

Sigh. Why am I prone to losing my voice? Everyone around me is telling me to bring a mini whiteboard around. Dang it.

I feel like a mute cos I'm unable to talk & I have to write on a paper to get whatever I wanna say across. SIGH.

Till then. Hope I'll get well asap. Bugger.

Have been back for a week & thank goodness it isn't as hectic as the past few weeks.

Went over to my best friend's place & their place is awesome. Love the boogie couch & the whole house. Played with Lucy & she's so cute. She was gurgling away & we had lotsa chats.

Haven't had great yummy dinner for the whole week & that was good. Loved it.

My cable & broadband are so unstable & they keep going online & offline every now & then. It happened 10 times in the past 30min. How great. Pay so much for such lousy shit. They were supposed to send someone over this morning & no, no one came.

Anyway, I'm gonna change subscriber. Had enough of SMART Buddy & it's pissing me off. I might just jump on the Globe bandwagon. I don't know if I should get a postpaid line or just stick to a prepaid. Hmm.

Decided to cook lunch today & hmm.. It turned out pretty alright just a lil salty. Haha! But, it's much more edible than previous attempts. Here's my latest attempt in cooking. Haha.

This short trip back made me realized so many things. I'm truly blessed & my life can never be better.

I was back solely for Daddy's 60th. Thus, I didn't contact anyone or meet up with anyone because I wanted to spend time with my family. Parents are getting old, grandparents are even older. So, I don't have much time with them & I don't want to miss growing old with them, to watch them age gracefully.

I've got very loving parents who love me so much. Daddy & Mummy didn't want me to waste money flying back, but I did. Why save on the SGD315 just so I've got more savings? They matter more than money. Afterall, I can't bring the money to my grave. I would just use that money to buy myself a nice coffin & have a nice funeral. What's the point really? Why not pamper my family whilst I can?

Came back & spent some quality time with my family & I really loved it. Was nice to celebrate Daddy's 60th. Was a quiet affair with the family & met up with my paternal relatives. Drank red wine with my uncles, aunties & cousins. Was a nice feeling just sitting at the table even though we didn't chat much. Was nice driving GC & my dad around.

Mummy was so busy this weekend that she hardly had any time for me. But, it's alright because I know she's doing something she loves & also, something she enjoys. I'll be back next month anyway & I can still see her. Wish I had more time with her though.

I've got a loving granny who fussed over me while I was back & took care of my every need. She even helped me put the things I wanted to bring over to Manila into the boxes & taught me ways of how to not hurt my hand while carrying those heavy boxes. She's a smart lady whom I admire so much.

I'm so blessed to have known GC for he's been nothing but a sweetheart. He pampers me so much till I think I'm kinda spoilt (not that I'm not already). He bought me a Louis Vuitton Damier Koala Wallet in Ebony. ♥ It's so expensive though. That silly. (:

Got my Trevi from Vina & I'm loving it. Worth every bit of the S$1,900. & now I've got matching wallet & bag! :D

Lastly, I've got an awesome househelp who takes really good care of my family & me, of course. She cooks my favourite food when I'm back, ensure that I don't have to lift a finger to do any household chore. She looked after my every need & even offered to come over to cook & clean for me. She's a gem & I'm glad we've found her.

The only thing I feel a tinge of sadness over is not being able to spend time with my friends 'cept my colleagues as I had to go back to the office to hand in my expenses & pass my boss' Blackberry to the company.

Seriously, what more can I ask for? I've got everything I need, people who love me so dearly & people whom I cherish as much as they cherish me - loving grandparents, wonderful parents, extremely sweet boyfriend, great friends, understanding boss, lovely colleagues & the list goes on.

I'm really blessed & I thank God for giving me all these. (:

I'm back in Manila again... Emotions running slightly high & this short trip back made me realize how blessed & lucky I am. & also how much my family mean to me.

Will blog again when I've got a clear head.

Don't ask me when it's postponed till, but yes it is postponed. I won't be going back so soon for that 4 weeks because of some delay in the project. Thus, mine's delayed as well.

However, I'll still be going back this weekend to celebrate Daddy's 60th & also to see my grandparents, my parents & GC. Also, I have to go back as I won't be able to see Keira for quite awhile. I need to see my loved ones. I need time away from work...

This short trip back would be for my family. So, I'm sorry friends... You guys gotta wait for that 4 weeks. If only I had more time though... But oh well.

Anyway, I tried cooking myself some dinner just now. Tried frying myself some chicken fillet & it's quite tasty without pre-marinating it! I fried it with no oil & only added a bit of sea salt & ground pepper. Yum.

Made some japanese curry to go with it too. Silly me actually forgot that the plate was hot after I quick defrosted the chicken in the microwave. I took it out immediately with no cloth/mittens. I burnt my right index finger & now there's a little bump. Dang, it hurts.

So, here are the photos of the chicken & yummy curry. I didn't know (skinless) chicken fillet can produce so much oil. Thank goodness I didn't add any & the oil came from the remaining fat on the fillet. Eww.


in the midst of frying


end product


yummy curry!

This post is to show Mummy that I'm eating my fruits. Have cut up an apple & a honey pear to bring them to work tomorrow.



I want to be healthier, eat healthier & be fitter. (:

I tried cooking myself rice in a pot today & it was a success! Well, I know some of you must be wondering it isn't too difficult a task anyway. But, I don't really cook. Yes, am too pampered at home & now I'm suffering. Boo.

Tried frying myself some chicken teriyaki & some of the skin got burnt. I think I need to lower the heat next time. ):

In short, lunch was horrendous. I suck at cooking other dishes apart from spaghetti, instant noodles, eggs, pancakes & french toast. Blah.

I need to experiment more, hopefully not on the expense of my tummy.

Need to get some ingredients so that I can fry the leftover rice tomorrow night.

I'm such a lousy cook & it's embarrassing. Haha.

Ahhh... The sun's out!! Finally after so many days of rain.

Please remain this way so that I can go for manicure later. :D

Saw this wall post on my facebook & it nearly put tears in my eyes...

As I'm still lacking a rice cooker because of the expensive electrical appliances here, anyone knows how to cook rice in a pot?

[editted]

Oh my. This is easy. I might be able to save money on the rice cooker! :D

( Read more... )

I'm so lazy today that I don't even feel like lifting my bum off the chair to go downstairs for a manicure. My nails are so fugly now because half of the nail polish have come off & I'm lazy to go get nail polish remover to get them all off. I'm thinking of getting a french manicure, but am not sure of the standard here. I hope it's good.

Been playing Wahjong on Viwawa for the past hour or two. Guess I should get my laundry today so that I can go for a manicure tomorrow without worrying that I might ruin it.

I need to find something to do before I bore myself to tears. When will it stop raining? ):

I've been here for the past 4 months & as weird as it sounds, I'm starting to love it. Have not regretted my decision & in fact, I'm enjoying every moment of it despite being extremely busy at work.

After my decision was made up & before I shifted out here, I heard so many horrible stories about Manila. Having spent 4 months here, I have to say it isn't half as dangerous as how people have made it out to be. In fact, I've got to say Metro Manila is pretty much like Singapore just that it has worse traffic & air pollution, dirtier & the roads aren't as smooth as Singapore's. Apart from that, I don't see much of a difference.

Yes, food wise it isn't as yummy as back home because the food here has got much more flavour in a sense that it's saltier, oilier & sweeter. But, you're still able to find decent food & it's got quite a variety of cuisine. If you were to ask me, I'd say the standard of living is slightly lower than Singapore, but not much to be honest.

Of course, we've gotta be careful when it comes to safety. One just gotta be more alert & don't take it for granted that it's safe everywhere. Be street-wise. Remember to have your bag close to you & that you're able to see it.

Also, cabs here are cheap, but be careful of the "white man tax", which also applies to us Chinese. As long as they know you're not local, they'll tend to charge you more. Some of them don't turn on their meters, so just get them to do so. Don't expect change to be given to you if you take a taxi. It's very different from Singapore whereby cab drivers would usually have change for S$50. If you give them PHP200 or even PHP500, they'll tell you they've got no change & expect you to get out. Therefore, I always keep PHP20, PHP50 or PHP100 in my wallet so that I won't be in situations whereby I've got to "tip" them. Take for example, the cab fare's just PHP52.50 & you give him a PHP100 bill. Most of the time, the drivers would just pretend you're giving them a tip & not give you any change back. So, what I'll do is usually tell them "Just give me back PHP40 would do." Of course, the taxi drivers here are really picky when it comes to passengers & don't expect the cabs to be in good condition. Some of them seem like they're gonna break apart!

Generally, I prefer shopping here than in Singapore be it grocery or just plain window shopping. The people here are courteous & they give you the space you need when you shop. They don't follow you round the shop like some puppy dog. But, they'll always be nearby whenever you need assistance. Also, if you've got plenty of things that you've bought from the supermarket & they see that you're alone, they'll help you carry your grocery to the taxi stand & even wait in line for you. Don't expect international brands to come cheap here. The prices are comparable to those in Singapore.

In short, it's quite an experience be here for 2 years. You get to see the richest & the poorest here, which might just be a street or two away.

Did a work from home today because I wasn't feeling too well. It's weird how my boss, his fiance & I all had the same problem. I had the runs & felt nauseous since last evening, my boss felt nauseous & his fiance has the runs. Must've been something we all ate.

Sigh. Am still working, but am feeling too tired to continue. Darn month end & why do I hafta be sick now?!

Will go visit the company's doctor tomorrow. I miss home all of a sudden. I miss having chicken/pork congee when I'm sick. ):

[updated]

Think I'm down with Gastroenteritis (also known as gastro, gastric flu, tummy bug in the United Kingdom, and stomach flu). I've got most of the symptoms stated..

Gastroenteritis often involves stomach pain or spasms (sometimes to the point of being incapacitated), diarrhea and/or vomiting, with noninflammatory infection of the upper small bowel, or inflammatory infections of the colon.[1][6][7][8]

It usually is of acute onset, normally lasting 1–6 days, in some cases even longer and is self-limiting.

* Nausea and vomiting [Nausea - Yes; Vomiting - No]
* Diarrhea [Yes]
* Loss of appetite [Yes]
* Headaches [Yes]
* Abdominal pain [Yes]
* Abdominal cramps [Yes]
* Bloody stools (dysentery - suggesting infection by amoeba, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella or some pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli[4]) [No]
* Fainting and Weakness [Yes to both]

& I was reading bout the swine flu updates on Channelnewasia & came across the world map.

I reckon it's really a good way of knowing different places in the world. There are some places I've not even heard of & I never knew Russia was thaaaaaaaat huge.

Go take a look!

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/fluoutbreak/map.htm


_{Gonna be a mad rush to get household items for the next couple of days before I shift in.}

I finally went up to my apartment after much procrastination. Finally took photos of my place so that I'm able to show my parents & let them have a peace of mind.

Will post photos here when I've got the time, but it'll be under lock & care. In the meantime, it's all on facebook, but it's also not open to all. (:

Am in need of sleep & I'm going to bed.

Gotta go household item hunting during lunch tomorrow. Busy, busy, busy bee. Sigh. I'd better set myself a budget before I overspend on little household items.

I wanna head home early for the remaining week cos it'll be the battle of the shitpit starting next week - month end reporting. Oh my.

Shifting this weekend as my stay in Fraser Place would be up. Another exhausting weekend. Boo!

Just finished ironing & I spent quite a short time at it. I'm on fire! Zoom zoom zoom & I'm done. It's not exactly that crisp, but definitely much better than last week. Haha! At least my silk top doesn't have much creases. :P

Thank goodness I don't have much clothes that need much ironing. Most of them are just wash & dump back into the wardrobe. Phew. I need more clothes like that!

So anyway, I woke up early today for some furniture shopping with my best friend & his family. I was basically tagging along so I could spend time with bubba goose. Was cuddling her loads while they went furniture shopping. I'll do mine tomorrow near the office since what I hafta get are just small items.

Not sure if I'm going out laters with them again. I might just go to play with the bubba. We'll see about it. Am wondering where my parents are. They're away. Pout. I want to chat wit them. Mom & dad, where are you both?!

Okay, time for some music blasting, lazing around & maybe some sit ups. I need to stay in shape or be in an even better shape. Carrying the goose around sure can tone your arms! How she has grown.

Alrighty, time to wait for my parents to come back from wherever they are. Taa!

It's been an extremely tiring week for me. Problems after problems at work, having to clear up other peoples' mess, having to sort out my housing issue. & it's finally the weekend. I slept for more than 12 hours straight cos I was absolutely knackered.

Yesterday was a mad rush for me because my house lease was due to start yesterday & my landlord has yet to receive the deposits, & the contract was yet to be finalized. So, after some pushing & escalation by the big boss of IB Ops, I finally saw some light to it.

Was quickly whisked out by my broker 15min to 7pm. This is the earliest I've ever gotten outta the office since I shifted here (even during those business trips). So, it was checking of the house, getting my keys & voila! I'm a proud tenant of my new apartment!

Am so tempted to go up today, but I'm just too tired. I might do so tomorrow to snap a few photos of it to show my parents, whom I've not talked to him 2 weeks. Where are they??

I'll be shifting in next weekend & I can't wait. It's so awesome & I've got a wonderful landlord. Am so blessed to have met them. They've been so nice, so patient & so understanding. Now, it's a new chapter to my life on how I'm gonna look after myself, sort out the daily expenses etc. I used to not have to worry about anything at home & now, I need to start looking after myself.

I need to start looking for the number of my previous househelp. I think I've left it in Singapore. I need to start contacting her to see if she's willing to be my part-time househelp since she's got her own baby to look after.

Okay, I'll update again at a later stage. Till then.

I've got a list of bags that I want to own or have owned. Well, the list is always increasing. Haha!

( My list goes on... )