Lasik!!!!

After quite abit of research, alot of conversations and discussions (with my friends and relatives that have done the surgery) that Phill and I (with much trepidation) decide to embark on lasik surgery. We were quite prepared to throw our spectacles and contact lenses away. However, the thought of having to slice part of our cornea to do the laser surgery was a lingering and frightening thought.

On Christmas Eve, Phill and I went and did our assessment and were given the all clear. The doctor (Dr Marc Tay) advised us that we didn't have to go for intralase (blade-free) because we had regular sized corneas and there wasn't any point paying an additional $1000 more per person. With that assurance, we decided to make the leap and go for the blade (microkeratome).

Phill before the surgery

Phill after the surgery

My feelings after the surgery was different from Phill. I realised my fears before the surgery was unfounded because everything was done so quickly and so painless (that was my greater fear that I could feel my cornea being sliced). Dr Marc Tay was very reassuring and I appreciated that he did the countdown - 20% done, 40%, 60%...so I know that it was coming to an end. And I just told myself to keep focusing on the red light. However, after my right eye was operated on, I had to drive the thoughts of what the doctor was going to do with my left eye out of my mind (the slicing, the burning of flesh, etc) and just focus on the red light. Phill on the other hand said that his heart never beat so fast in his life. He isn't sure if the operation is worth it yet.

Our Puppy Is Born

We've contacted a breeder of golden retrievers since May and was glad to be told some weeks ago that her dog, Shyla was pregnant, and even more thrilled to read the email from Carol that our pup (1 of a litter of 8 puppies) was born on Christmas Day. What a present after the gift of love in Christ Jesus!

Movie: Amazing Grace

I watched this movie about 2 months ago but hadn't blogged about it so thought I should since the movie made quite an impression on me. Although the character of William Wilberforce was the main protagonist, I was very much attracted to William Pitt, Wilberforce's friend and England's youngest ever Prime Minister. I was attracted to Pitt's character because he gave really good and sound advice to Wilberforce and he paved the way so that Wilberforce's plans will bear fruit. He felt sad when Wilberforce was sad and happy when Wilberforce was happy. To me, he was the epitome of a very good friend. And when Wilberforce died, he was laid to rest side by side with his friend, Pitt. Sometimes, in life, you can find such true friends that they become your brother or sister.

Which made me think of the friends I have. I can't say I have friends at my present workplace with whom I could share my innermost thoughts. I've found with a colleague or two that whatever I say or whatever news I share gets passed around. I wish I could trust a particular colleague but I've given up cos nothing is sacred with her. So I was recently abit down that she disappointed me so. And I suppose to a certain extent, I've seen through her as a person. Good friends whom you can trust and whom you can have a heart-to-heart are so difficult to find. I thank God though that I have friends I made in my previous workplace in Australia that I still hang out with and whose company I enjoy very much. With 2 particular friends who are about 15-20 years older than me, we can sit and talk over a meal for 3-4 hours straight without looking at our watches and then realise time has flown. It has happened every single time! Age is no barrier to our friendship and I'm glad they're my friends!

Which also makes me miss my friends in Singapore because they are the ones I can have heart-to-heart talks with but then again, thank God for technology cos I can always drop them an email. But it doesn't beat being able to sit down for a chat after work.
I pray for a friend at work I can trust!

A new future for Australia!

Phill and I attended an election party at my parents-in-law house and it was fun! We both wore our "Kevin 07" T-shirts and had our family friends over from Alexandra too. I was abit apprehensive about wearing the T-shirts initally cos I didn't know if our family friends were liberal or labor but apparently they're the latter - phew! And they all had a good laugh at our T-shirts - probably even impressed at our fervent support for Labor.

I was very surprised and delighted when the defining result came through at past 10pm that Labor had won enough seats to form government!!! I had enough of the Howard government and earlier thought that if Liberal still wins another term, then the next best result will be if John Howard could lose his seat - so imagine my joy when both happened! Both the Liberal party and Howard were kicked out of government!!!

My hope for Australia is that we have a better future - a brighter one too!

Kindness...to lift the spirit

I had to be in Melbourne today as I was attending a course on planning law, which was really useful and good! I enjoyed it and yet realised how much more I didn't know....shucks!


Anyway, after the course, I was walking around and walking towards this cafe that had bar stools facing one of the main roads (Bourke St) and a few guys in suits were sitting on the bar stools. On the pedestrian walkway was a beggar and then I heard a whistle and a shout-out to the beggar from the guys in suits and was wondering if they were going to taunt and tease him. Then I turned around and saw them pass him a brown bag, which I think is some food as they must have seen him look through the dustbins. And the way the guy in the suit handed the beggar the food was understated and not showy like some people are with "see, i'm doing a kind deed" was even more touching. It really made me smile inside!


I was also the recipient of a kind deed with one planner whom I know offering me a lift back home so I didn't have to wait around until the evening to take the train home. And she asked her friends whom I realised I knew cos they worked in the same town I work in and I had a lift back in the car. I was happy and grateful!!!

Heritage Planning @ Bendigo

Eerie House

One of only 2 houses in Australia with an old Dutch style roof - only one other house in Qld has the same type of roof. Owner wanted to preserve this house but was told the construction quality was poor but the roof was another thing and worth preserving.

A cemetry also tells a story - of families during the Gold Rush who lived through hard times and had to bury their children. This cemetry was on a hill and while the men worked, if they looked up, they see the cemetry above - how sad for the fathers to be reminded of their loss!
The headstone for a very young child...I felt bad taking this photo.

I went with a colleague, L, to Bendigo for a Heritage Planning course, one which they considered a Spring course rather than a summer course since it was held in November. I've never been to Bendigo and while I liked it, I preferred Ballarat and Geelong where I went on a field trip (for the subject Rural and Regional Planning) and communications workshop respectively. I met some of L's fellow students as her course is with La Trobe Uni but my lecturer teaches at both universities (RMIT and La Trobe) so he organised a combined Heritage Planning course for both students.

I was really fighting hard to stay awake during some parts of the course and at some point, I became really frustrated and fed-up because one of the other lecturers (not my lecturer who is in tuned with the energy levels of his students - he usually finish his classes early) kept talking even though some of the stuff had been mentioned already. I hate when people repeat themselves and love the sound of their own voice. Enough already and what a waste of my time! So, while I enjoyed some of the course, I found some of the lecturers not very effective or interesting either.....zzzzzz!

Now, to do my assignments - due on 19 February. But...........I need a break first!

Faith and Belief

It is with great joy when I heard from my dad that my grandma has taken the step of faith and confessed her belief in Lord Jesus Christ.

My aunt Melissa accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour last year too and knowing that I'll see them in heaven fills me with joy, comfort and peace.

Thank God for answered prayers!

I still remember that when my great grandma came to accept the Lord, she had said she was looking for such peace all her life and she had finally found it.

May all of us who believe never lose our faith but to grow it and strengthen it, with God's help and guidance!

Peter Sandman Workshop

The views from my hotel room and I absolutely love the views and my room!!!

I've never been to Geelong before and had the chance the past few days to head there for a Peter Sandman workshop that I had the privilege to attend for work training purposes. It was such a good communications workshop which taught us about engaging the community proactively. I could have sat and listened to him for ages.

I also got to know colleagues from other organisations and other regional offices. Some were really nice while others were really strange. 2 particular people were strange in that they were insistent that they be heard and that their views be taken but when it was others' turn to speak or offer their opinion, they didn't listen. I became really grateful for my colleagues back at my office and how they were really helpful, supportive and co-operative in getting work done.

It was a good trip driving to Geelong and back home with my boss. We had good conversations about work, about my studies and about her studies when she did them. She was admirable cos she studied and did her masters while she was looking after her children. She used to wake up at 4am to study until 7am then fed her newborn baby. I'm not sure I can do that.

Fit for fire duties

I had a medical test at work today to test my general health and well-being and had some tests such as for lung capacity that I hadn't tested for previously. The lung test was tough. The doctor handed me a black roll (looks like a toilet roll!) and then made me blow and I blew up my entire breath after like 3 seconds. Then he told me to do it again and said to just keep blowing out my breath. The next time I did it in like 5 seconds but it felt like it took ages. I've never taken a test like that before and boy, was I tired. A little disappointed with my lung capacity but the doctor said the result was an average result, generally the result most people have anyway. And I asked for how I could improve my lung capacity and he said to take deeper breaths and also more cardio exercise, EVERYDAY!

Anyway, the test was also to see if I was fit for duty during bushfires. And the outcome? The doctor ticked the box for A which is the best fitness ability and he said I am fit to be a firefighter! What? Me?! NO way!!!!! I smiled but it will only be in my dreams cos I'll be a liability rather than an asset.

I've also attended a briefing recently for information officers and so am assuming that was what I'll be doing which is basically ascertaining the information we receive and decide who to dispense the information to. It sounds like a challenging, interesting and sometimes frustrating opportunity. And that's because of the tight deadlines involved and the different personalities that's in the mix. Well, I know it'll be a great experience and an eye-opener and if the time comes, I hope to be helpful.

Nathan Buckley...retires...sob!

It was to be expected cos he's 36 already but I was still very sad (especially after James Clement's retirement earlier) when I heard he announced his retirement. Buckley will remain one of the rare players who deserved a premiership medal but wasn't fortunate to play in a premiership winning side although we did come close several times after 1990, last time Collingwood won a premiership.

A committed player whom as a supporter you can trust will definitely give his best. He is among the best on and off the field and it will be different for me when I don't have him to look out for. When I first went to Australia in 1996 and was introduced into the sport of aussie rules, Buckley's unusual looks and passionate play and Damien Monkhorst's humour made me look out for these 2 players. Monkhorst has long retired but it was a delight to see Buckley play for 11 years since.

I still hope to see Buckley around...he'll be missed!!

A Sad Day....

It was a sad day when I learned one of my favourite footy players retired...James Clement - why? Principled, disciplined, great to watch but more than that, he is HOT!



At just 31, still fit and more than capable....it is a decision hard to fathom but you did bow out at your peak!

Wonderful: Kite Runner

I had to read Khaled Hosseini's Kite Runner for book club this month. And just over the weekend, I realised that I hadn't read the book so I decided to bring it along on Monday afternoon on the train to Melbourne and I finished reading it in 2 days!!! Such a gripping book that I just couldn't put down!!!

We had a stimulating discussion from the book and we were dismayed at how weak the protagonist was! There was one point during the discussion when one of the book club members turned to me and asked,"so, is there kite flying in China?". I smiled and just turned to the whole group and said,"There is kite flying in Singapore and I remember the stories my mum used to tell me about my uncle and his kites and competing to cut down other kites so I can relate to the kite flying described in the book."

Someone else had to tell her that there was kite flying in China. I didn't know that so I couldn't answer her. And I thought she was rude to assume I was from China!!

Another move and then...peace

I've recently moved (yup, another move) to work for another planning team but I'm still in the same department and unit but doing a different type of planning - statutory planning, which I think will be better for me as I'm a new planner and need to start from the basics (learning more about micro planning). I started work at the strategic planning (macro planning) unit previously but found myself feeling lost because I didn't have the experience nor had the understanding of the work that went behind the strategic work.

The new planning team are also made up of colleagues which I get along better with because they're a crazy bunch of people - fun-loving but who also work very hard. I look forward to working and learning from them!

On another note, I have also been recently approached by another section in the dept to help out as a media communications adviser temporarily while they look for someone permanent. They asked if I was interested in it permanently (and to submit my application if I am) but I said I'm happy to help them temporarily but intend to return to my planning job. I've asked my supervisor and he very kindly said he will support me after he teased me and pretended he won't let me go. The manager I'll be working for, from what I've seen so far, is really nice and I know I'll learn alot from her. This temporary position also pays better because it is of a higher band (band 4, from my current band 3).... sweet!!!

Moving....

Phill and I, with the help of my parents-in-law and 2 family friends (a couple in their 70s), moved our worldly possessions from our 3 bedroom unit in the Mansfield township to a rural property (22 acres) at Lima yesterday.

For the past week, Phill and I have been busy packing away and he was getting abit too laid back and too calm about all the packing. I keep seeing things that remain unpacked and he kept saying they will be done. But I wanted them done way before we had to move and I think the packing and stress really made us get on each other's nerves!

However, this morning, we did have things packed and when my parents-in-law and family friends arrived, they helped us load the truck (which we loaned yesterday) with the lounge suite loaned to us by my friend Lynn and her husband Steve, and then they returned with the truck and managed to load all the big items - fridge, King size bed, treadmill, washing machine, dryer, and dining table all onto the truck. We made it in one go! And my mum-in-law, family friend (Joan), and I cleaned the house and vacuumed it too. We managed to do them all under 3 hours which I was really impressed. It took the stress away and my parents-in-law prepared and helped us with alot of things that helped lightened the stress of moving.

First thing we set up at our new house (not really new, it's about 20+ year old weatherboard house) was.....the TV!!! Priorities, priorities. However, we couldn't find the remote control for some time but I managed to after a few hours and ruffling through some bags. We are leaving the rest of the unpacked stuff for the next year or so to unpack. For now, we're just having a break from the stress of it all....

Field Trip to Western VIC

I joined the students in my rural and regional planning class for a field trip today. We met at Bowen St (RMIT Swanston St campus) to board the coach to head to Western VIC (a part of the state I haven't explored before). I sat next to Jacqui, who shared all her yummy food with me - there were oranges, titbits and a good conversation. I first met her at our first class cos we were one of the first few students who arrived at the classroom early.

We travelled to Rockbank first which was a sad looking town. And although there were some beautiful houses, the general neighbourhood was forlorn and most of the houses were very much separated from each other. We were shown a subdivision that didn't quite work cos not many people bought the plots of land and built houses, thus leaving those who did looking abit lonely.

We also drove through towns like Bacchus Marsh, which I thought was a really nice looking town (despite its name - Marsh?!) and its residents look like they had alot of pride in their town cos it looked clean and inviting, Ballan, Gordon, Ballarat (which looked very interesting!), Buninyong, Enfield, Rokewood, Shelford, Bannockburn, and Little River. Some pics below:

The above photo is a part of Rockbank (I think - it was one of the first few sightings in our trip) and an example of perhaps a declining town. From a distance, you might be able to see a sign saying "Lion Park" and our coach driver said she visited it when it was a Lion Park previously. Now, it just looks abandoned, leaving a reminder of its former glory.

The above pic is one of the random pics I took when the coach was driving us to another town. But i thot the houses to the left of the pic look really grand and against that landscape (abit brown perhaps still suffering from the effects of the drought we've had), I thot it was quite gorgeous!

The above 4 pics were taken at Ballan where we had a short stopover (first town we actually alighted from the coach to stretch our legs and had a look around). The top pic is obvious - the hotel, post office, a quirky cafe and gallery which made use of recycled materials to decorate its outdoor yard, and a hardware store that looked pretty authentic of shops of earlier years.

Even though it says Beechworth Bakery, this bakery wasn't in Beechworth but Ballarat! That might have given you a hint as to the good reputation of the bakery at Beechworth (not a franchise) which I recently visited and their cakes and pastries weren't bad but the cappuccino wasn't great.

The above 2 pics are some street scenes of Ballarat - a really bustling town that has already outgrown its physical space. As potential planners, my lecturer asked us some questions such as how would we go about expanding the road and pedestrian areas to accommodate the growing population, and diversion of traffic so that traffic jams could be eliminated or reduced, and how would we arrange the commercial, educational and social areas of the town so access to these different areas are easy.


The above pic was taken around the area of Mt Helen which was rather quiet and scenic, although it rained steadily when we were in that area in the afternoon so from the little I saw through the rain, that's what the area looked like.

The above was a shopping complex at Bannockburn, our last stop to head to the toilets. After that, we headed home and boy, were we glad. We were quite tired and the rain helped lulled us to sleep. I enjoyed the trip as my lecturer was able to point areas out and explained how different uses of land are complemetary and others were conflicting. So, the lessons we had in class in the previous weeks came alive for me!

Sweet Hour of Prayer by David Tao

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!


Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!


Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!


Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight.
This robe of flesh I’ll drop, and rise
To seize the everlasting prize,
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

My New Jamaican Husband

Phill had "Crazy Hair Day" today so he tried this wig he had last night and I whipped out my camera and started taking pics. Only thing was cos I was laughing so hard, it was difficult to get sharp photos and I ended up with more hazy pics. He said the day went well today and the kids and his colleagues loved his hair! What's there not to love?

Other random pics taken this month include:

A beautiful viewlooking from my parents-in-law's new house built on our property on a particularly cold morning.....gorgeous, if I say so myself.

My birthday present from Phill - a Philips hi-fi stereo that connects to my iPod.

The amazing amount of dirt Phill vaccumed the first time he did so with our new Dyson vaccum cleaner that we love!!!

Tagged Answers

I've been tagged by Christina, so here are my answers (including questions Frank posed too):

4 Jobs I've had in my life:

1. Selling local literary publications in a small office at 16 (pressurising and didn't make any sale after 3 days and got my dad to bail me out. my bro wasn't happy cos he had sold quite a few books by then and I ruined his bonus)
3. HR admin and receptionist at Apple Singapore (vacation job)
5. Admin and receptionist work at Marcam Singapore (vacation job)
7. Arts Administrator at National Arts Council & Heritage Officer at Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Arts

4 Places I've Lived:

1. Ang Mo Kio (Blk 105 and Blk 648, same as Mr Eng) in Singapore
2. Casuarina Road in Singapore
3. Churchill, VIC, Australia (at uni then)
4. Hougang

4+ Places I've been on Vacation to:

1. Taiwan
2. Hongkong
3. Macau
4. London, UK, and...
5. Brussels, Belgium
6. Berlin, Germany
7. Paris, France
8. Istanbul, Turkey
9. Vietnam
10. Cambodia
11. Thailand
12. Indonesia
13. Virginia, Missouri, Washington DC (USA)
14. Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Melbourne, VIC (Australia)
15. Shenzhen, China

4 Places I would rather be in (living?):

1. Right here in Australia
2. Singapore
3. Canada
4. Can't think of a nice 4th place

4 of my favourite food:

1. Steak
2. Anything spicy (can't just name one dish)
3. Durian
4. Unagi-don or Bi Bim Bap Dak

4 Things I want to do before I Die:

1. Have kids
2. Have dogs
3. Finish my studies
4. Holiday around the world or a cruise to Antartica is also pretty good

4 Things I like to see in Heaven:

1. My loved ones that have gone before me
2. Jesus Christ
3. God
4. I'll like to know what my responsibility is and if it's playing the harp?

4 people I'll like to bring with me to heaven:

1. Phill
2. My parents-in-law
3. Their family friends
4. All my friends

4 Things I like about Phill:

1. Very funny
2. Very handsome
3. Understands me
4. Loves me

4 Things I like to Change by This Year:

1. My weight (need to go down)
2. To add to the family
3. More organised for exercise, sleep, studies, etc...
4. To allocate money for charity

4 Stupid Things I Did in My Life:

1. I once joined my classmates in laughing at a topless photo of a male classmate who was quite chubby and when the photo was taken down by a guy I liked, I snatched it from his hand and posted it up again - i am disappointed in myself that I laughed at another person's expense and also lost the respect of a friend.
3. I burnt my leg when I was 5 leaning against an exposed pipe in preschool (at Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church) and kept quiet while it swelled and later bled. If my friend hadn't raised the alarm, I'll still have been suffering.
5. Cut my hair really short when I was 19 and Phill hated it (2nd time in my life I cut my hair short).
7. Bought expensive stuff, whether they're toys or something that were a fad, and then lost interest in it.

Work

My supervisor came back this week after being on leave for slightly more than a week. Admittedly, the past few weeks haven't been bad at all and our working relationship has been warm and cordial. She even gave me approval to travel down to Melbourne on Monday morning so I could attend class when I thought her usual reply would be for me to take leave to do so. And she even thanked me for letting her know. That was really nice!

And one of my colleagues made a comment that he noticed I'm happier when certain people aren't around. I didn't want to say too much so I simply said I'm happier when I have work to do and not twiddling my thumbs. And I've learnt quite abit the past few weeks, alot from the consultant who sits next to me. He really took me under his wing and made sure I was engaged in some form of work and learning, which I appreciate.

But today is his final day for a while cos he's going on a driving holiday with his wife and some of their friends for the next 2 months. They're travelling from the eastern end of Australia to the western end, all in 2 months (!!!), so that'll be one big driving trip. I'll really miss him and look forward to his return soon.

Dinner @ Willowlake

My parents in law took me to dinner at Willowlake, a beautiful restaurant, at Macs Cove, some 15 minutes drive from Mansfield. It was a rather cold night and we chose the table that was one of the closest to the wood fire. Yet everytime the main door was open, a gust of cold air would blow in and it was enough for me to have the shivers. And I had thick padding, both artificial (clothes) and natural (my fats).

For dinner, my parents in law and Phill had pork belly (which was YUM! YUM! YUM!) and I had duck which was DELICIOUS too! It was really difficult to pick which was the better dish. Phill and I were last at the restaurant last year when we had dinner with colleagues from my previous company. I realised how long we've left it to have dinner at the restaurant. I hope our next visit won't be in 6-7 months time.

Anyway, my parents in law gave me a birthday card and money for my pressie. But my mum-in-law said something interesting when I opened the card and saw the money. She said it was for me to buy a dressing gown when I go to the hospital to have a baby. Talk about implicit pressure...okay, now I'm abit hot under the collar being watched for a bulgeoning belly that isn't because of a baby but because of my lack of exercise and love of food!

Art and Birthday

I don't feel any different today being my birthday although admittedly, not as down and sad as I was the previous year about leaving my 20s behind.

And i remembered not that long ago (at the PIA conference in Perth) I was asked by 2 Asian delegates if I was 25, so that put me in a good mood! Cos if anyone can tell an Asian person's age, it should be another Asian - I'm making a general assumption here. Most non-Asians generally speaking think I'm a good few years younger than I am so that always makes me happy too.

Anyway, I met Phill for lunch at Benalla Art Gallery and I had a warm chicken salad (which was yum) and he had lamb shank although he didn't really like it when it arrived because it had alot of tomatoes in it. I enjoyed our lunch and our conversation and we took time out to walk around the gallery to view the exhibitions, which fulfilled one gaping hole I've had since leaving Singapore (where I saw more art events and performances working for NAC).

It was a beautiful day and work wasn't too stressful either.

Transformers...More than Meets the EYE!

We were in abit of a dilemma today as we debated between watching the movie Transformers or visiting the Great Wall of China exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. In the end, because we had a 11.30am lunch reservation at the dim sum restaurant Shark's Fin Restaurant, we decided we'll see if we can make it to a 12.30pm screening. But as we tucked into our yummy lunch, we were trying to enjoy the lunch but eat it fairly quick and to our fill so we could make it to our movie. We ate all our favourite dishes, paid up, left the restaurant and got to the cinema at 12.30pm. Phill wasn't confident of our chances of getting tickets (there was a long queue on a Monday afternoon!!!) and getting in before the movie starts. But we did!

And it was a great, non-stop action movie! I loved it and it did bring back some childhood memories of Transformers and my brother's toys. I loved the fact the toys were like 2-in-1. They were trucks and cars but also robots. You were paying for one toy but in fact, getting 2! I think my brother was very precious about his Transformers toys and he used to forewarn me about not touching his Transformers toys - that's even though he was 2 years younger than I am. I'm not sure if I did test his patience on that one though I won't be surprised if I did cos I did love playing with them, perhaps one of the few macho toys I enjoyed. I definitely preferred my Barbie toys and accessories over most other toys.

But back to the movie, it was fantastic! My favourite part in the movie was when the Autobots transformed from trucks and cars into robots! It was so realistic that I could see where the part of the truck were on the robot (when they transformed into their true selves) and how funny was it when they were trying to be quiet in the garden of Sam Witwicky. It was funny and action-packed. Love, love it! I can't wait to watch it again!

"Knocked Up" A KnockOut!

We arrived in Melbourne yesterday for a 3 day trip - Yeah! Most of yesterday was taken up watching footy at MCG - Collingwood (our team) vs St Kilda. The umpiring was AWFUL but we finally won, which was a relief, cos I had enough of the row of St Kilda fans sitting behind us going on and on and gloating about winning when the final whistle hadn't even been blown yet!!! SHUT UP! So our win definitely shut them up! And Phill and I stood up and kept singing the team song despite the supporters of both teams having upped and left already. We sang the theme song about 6 times and yet it wasn't enough! I think anyone can tell we don't come to Melbourne much to watch the footy....heehee!

Amidst going to the bookstores, shopping, and eating (ate at Chom Chom, a Singapore Cafe, and had Japanese food at another cafe), we watched the movie "Knocked Up" which had really good reviews and publicity. Most papers gave between three to four stars for it and I read reviews that said the director did try and make the story believable. Who would believe a gorgeous girl would sleep with a less attractive guy? But cleverly done, many stages in the development of the story and the various relationships/ friendships in the movie was not only believable but it struck a chord (except the non-commital issues).

When Alison's (played by Katherine Heigl of "Grey's Anatomy") bro-in-law sought some private time, I could see that struggle in relationships around me, where the guy want some space for himself and the wife pulling him back which leads to resentment between couples building. After the movie, I had this discussion with Phill in that most times, when guys want time to themselves, who end up holding the kids? It's the woman, the mum. The character Pete (played by Paul Rudd) should have offered to take the kids sometimes so his wife could also have her own private time instead of insisting he needed private time for himself.

On a separate issue, I enjoyed watching the movie because I find Katherine Heigl really pretty. I first saw her in Grey's Anatomy and cos I don't really follow the show, I was surprised when it was not her but Ellen Pompeo (who plays Dr Meredith Grey) who was the star of the show. Katherine is so much prettier and I read somewhere she had to fight real hard to get a pay raise in the show while other actors like Ellen got it easily. I think the show's producers should increase Katherine's role as Dr Izzie. She did very well in the previous season when the patient who loved her and whom she adored died. It was so sad that the first time I saw the video montage and heard Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars", I teared up.

Death Next Door

My neighbour, Eva, who lived next door to us passed away on Sunday. We didn't even know about it until Phill read it in the papers today and called me at the office to tell me. No wonder we haven't seen her walking around the past few weeks. She usually walks past the front of our house to speak to the neighbour who lives next to us, on the other side. She can sometimes be seen doing this walk back and forth almost 5-6 times each day. Maybe it was a hint for us to walk out to say hi but I don't cos I'm sometimes too tired to make conversation.

But...I always make conversation whenever I bump into her or when I drive out of my driveway and see her standing outside her house, I'll stop, wind down my car windows and have a good chat with her.

But I can't help feeling like I could have done more. It was really a toss-up between being a good neighbour and wanting my privacy and space. She had a tendency sometimes to sound fairly bossy in terms of saying what we should do to our place. But it could be her way of making conversation. But honestly, it was her smoking that was a big turn-off.

I know she is almost blind and can't use the stove or oven cos she can't see and has her meals delivered via a local Meals on Wheels service organised by the local council. I did offer her to come over for a meal but she didn't take it up. She offered me her lemons from her beautiful lemon tree but I didn't take any either.

She has friends who visit her daily but she still seems lonely. Perhaps her blindness limited her activities and exacerbated the loneliness and quietness in the house. She has children who lives in Mansfield but she has lamented her daughter chose to live overseas than with her but she spoke fondly of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The street we live in, Parwanoff, was named after her husband because he built the 6 units that are on this small and private street. I remember her stories about her husband and I can tell they were very much in love. However, I got the sense that she really lived when he was alive but life seemed to have stopped for her when he died. She always talked about wanting to die because she was blind and not knowing why she was still alive. She did finally get her wish when she passed away at 78. I felt sad she died fairly lonely but it may also be a matter of perspective since she had friends who cared enough to visit regularly but maybe she wanted familly...

Blissfully Married....Still!

Phill and I celebrated our wedding anniversary today! We had breakfast at a local cafe and I had an entree size of the cafe's Big Breakfast which had bacon, sausage, eggs, mushroom and hash brown and it was YUM! Phill had a foccacia and a big glass of iced chocolate. It was a yummy meal and something different than a dinner as we've had quite a few nice dinners recently. We also received sweet sms-s from ah yi (thanks!) and our parents (altho mine sms-d, his called - has to do with distance).

It's been 2 years since we celebrated our special day with family and friends. We recounted the day saying things like:
Phill:"I picked you up from your house at this time".
Vic:"We arrived at our hotel around this time".
Phill:"We had our wedding ceremony about now".

The memories of our wedding day still remain strong and it was a beautiful and special day that is worth reliving again and again. I can remember how happy I felt, we felt, and I remember wishing I could have all my family and friends in the same room again, without me having to wear an elaborate dress this time.

Let Me Not Be Ashamed

Unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
Unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
Oh my God, I trust in Thee,
Let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.

Let none that wait, on Thee be ashamed.
Let none that wait, on Thee be ashamed.
Oh my God, I trust in thee,
Let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.

Show me Thy ways, Lord teach me Thy paths.
Show me Thy ways, Lord teach me Thy paths.
Oh my God, I trust in Thee,
Let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.

The above song was one of the few songs we sang in church this morning but this one particular song so resonated within me that my tears just flowed freely. It spoke to me especially the line "let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me". Thinking about my work situation and feeling like I'm being treated like a fool, it was so good just to be able to sing my woes to God. I didn't know how to express myself but thankfully through this song, I could. And always, after church, I always feel better about a situation I may feel sad or sore or upset about. It'll be like suddenly the clouds will disappear and things are not as bad and I can focus on the merits of the situation and not just see the gloom and doom and be despondent. I sink to the depths of being down and depressed, however, when I don't hear His Voice and talk to Him. I need my Saviour!

What Makes A Good Boss?

The unpleasant work environment I'm currently in, which sometimes feels toxic, has pushed me to compile a list of what makes a good boss (to me):

1. Reasonable (preferably, don't say no when I want to take annual leave cos I'm willing to complete my tasks and do my handover to whoever is handling my work in the meantime);
2. Even-tempered (nothing worse than a boss that stomps to work, grumpy as anything, and then another day, act like you're his/her friend???!!! Schizo?);
3. Organised (I don't like a boss who sits on work and then with 1 or 2 days to go, pass it onto me to complete before the deadine - in QUICK TIME - when he/ she had it weeks ago!!!);
4. Know their stuff (please don't try and correct me when I know you don't know what you're talking about and you're trying to behave like you do - don't insult yourself and me!);
5. Don't wield their authority cos they can (A boss needs to realise they don't own their staff but do own their output and don't say "No" cos you can, definitely leaves a sour taste on one's mouth);
6. Sets an example (I have a supervisor who expects me to do as she says but not as she does. One eg, I wanted to take half-pay leave, she said I can only take some of my leave half-pay even though she takes ALL of her leave on half-pay - why? cos she can, she's my supervisor);
7. Doesn't lie or gossip (nothing worse than discovering your manager will never tell you or your colleagues what he thinks but he sure will tell you what he doesn't like about your colleagues and vice versa, unfounded or not - very unprofessional and immature.);
8. Willing to share their knowledge and teach (Some are born teachers, others are not, but as long as one is willing to teach, the workload can be shared. I am not learning as much as I can in my present job cos I am held back and not involved in the main work and in meetings [only involved with 3 since I started work]. Mostly doing admin and project management which is only part of my job description.);
9. Stands up for me (My supervisor is definitely quick to stand up for me when external party questions my work, which I appreciate.)
10. Trusts me (If you have given me a task, taught me, given me a deadline, please do not stand over my shoulder and watch while I work or call me every 1 hour to ask for an update. I can and will do it and will show you. If I can't, I'll ask you.)

That is my list so far. With more work experience, the list might grow longer.

This past week, it hasn't been as bad as it was previously. But I found out that a training course I wanted to attend and which my supervisor said wasn't that great and I can read it from a book, I found out she signed herself and the manager up for it???!!!! And then the manager said she's a good supervisor because she is firm and puts her foot down (I am neither rebellious nor recalcitrant, why does she need to put her foot down with me?) and the other supervisor should learn from her?! Yes, if one intends to make it onto the list of poor quality bosses.

Money article on "How Good A Boss Are You" -- http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/27/news/economy/annie_927.fortune/index.htm

A hero mourned

The funeral for Brendan Keilor, the lawyer who died helping a lady who was in danger from a gunman, was held today. Reading several articles about his funeral, one statement struck me and will stay with me for a long time. His wife, Alice, had mentioned, and this was part of the eulogy given by one of Brendan's close friends, which was Brendan had to do what he did because to walk away "would have made him party to it". This reminds me of a bible verse (which I have trouble finding) which goes something like if you know what is good and do not do it, that is sin.

And after reading Frank and Chris' comments in my earlier post, I now understand how rare a person such as Brendan is because most of us (me included) will calculate the cost before we step forward to help a fellow man. Yet the bible said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) Yet the lady Brendan helped wasn't a friend, she was a stranger, which makes him one special HERO!

Shooting in Melbourne - 1 dead!

I read this The Age article this afternoon abut a shooting in Melbourne this morning!!! 1 guy died trying to shield a woman from being shot by a gunman! This is so unreal....

After work, I got onto MSN Messenger and had a short discussion with my friend, Frank, in Singapore about the shooting. And he said as a father with 2 kids, he's not sure he'll be so quick to help because he has 2 kids - definitely understandable cos if I have kids, I'll definitely think of them first. But I told him when things such as this happens, you don't give yourself time to think, you just re-act, and based on the kind of person you are, you either step forward to help or run away.

The guy who died, a lawyer, happens to have 3 young kids. Now, they are left fatherless....their father set them the ultimate example by giving his life for another!

Gaining Peace

During church today, when I was still very troubled and frustrated with what had happened at work the past week, one of the bible verses cited were the following:

Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV-UK)
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

I've heard people use the expression of words jumping off the page to speak to you and the above verses did, when I thought about the apostle Paul in chains and writing the above letter to the Philippians. Especially verse 13, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength". I realised then that I've tried to survive at work on my own strength and that I really need to lean on God and depend on Him. And even when some people are so difficult to love, I can speak to Him about it who will help me do that.

You know, I find loving your enemies one of the most difficult things to do:
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27-28).

For people who want the worst for you, who take delight in seeing bad things happen to you, who plot to trip you up, HOW DO I LOVE THEM? I WANT TO HATE THEM!!! That's why I love growing old, then with experience in life, I hope not too many things will faze or ruffle my feathers and my tolerance will be higher. And also, I can't love my enemies. But God can do so, and I can, only through Him who gives me strength. I'm still learning...

Dreamt of a Daughter

After coming across this blogger's website and seeing the cute pic of her son, I had a dream last night and dreamt that I had a daughter, about 3, who looked like Phill but had my stubborn personality. And when I told her to do stuff, she kept saying, "No, Mummy!". I almost wanted to smack her! But she was sooooo cute! What a sweet dream that I hope will come true one day, minus the stubborn, disobedient part pls.

Simplify Your Life

I was reading this article about happiness at work and remember another forwarded email previously about having more control over your life by simplfying your life. The writer then went on to say that because most people are materialistic, they amass alot of debt and feel stuck in a lousy job because they have bills to pay. But if we simplify our lives, we would have more control over our lives and feel less bound (ball and chained) to a lousy job.

Which then begs the question? Is it better to be in a lower-paying job but happy, or higher-paying job but unhappy? Ideally, the former, but depends on how lowly paid. If it's too drastically lowly paid to the point you feel you're giving to charity by continuing to work for the company, then probably not.

I'm in a higher paid job now and admittedly, I was happy with the potential the job brings - still am. And I'm enjoying moving into this new field and learning so many different things. Thankfully, I found myself liking this shift in occupation. However....I've been having some problems with my supervisor, to the point that the other supervisor in our team (2 supervisors and 1 manager overseeing them) has approached me several times to ask if I'm okay and question why I've been treated the way I have - no idea (my supervisor can be unpredictable in moods and I feel at times of being bullied). I'm trying to hang in there and wait until a year before I suggest being transferred.

I don't want to be a wimp cos I know friends and even family have had difficult/ nasty bosses to work with but when it affects a huge part of your life, you wonder sometimes if it's time to make a choice to be happy. However, on a website that I read http://www.bigbadboss.com, being happy is sometimes the sweetest revenge.

An Unplanned Drive

My parents-in-law, Phill and I went to Violet Town bushmarket this morning and while we were driving back to Benalla for me to pick up some stuff, we were talking about this nice, scenic town, Yarrawonga, and Phill said, "let's go there". And so, we did.

We had fun! It was about almost an hour's drive there but considering it was the long weekend (Queen's Birthday on Monday), the traffic at Yarrawonga wasn't bad. We had lunch at the RSL (Returned Services League) Club there and I had a mushroom and chicken penne, which was YUM! What I was impressed with was a big airforce plane placed in front of the RSL Club. It drew customers there like bees to honey. I suppose having the pokies (jackpot machinese) helped too. We did a short drive around and then we were homeward bound.

Miss USA

Phill wants me to include this photo of Miss USA, whom he thot was HOT, but then later realised, only in this photo. =P

Miss Korea should have been Miss Universe!!!

I reckon Miss Korea should have been Miss Universe!!! The other contestants such as Miss USA and even the winner, Miss Japan, only looked good at some angles but Miss Korea is the only one that looked consistently good. What a shame! She was so graceful and carried herself so much better than the other contestants. I reckon she was ROBBED!

And Miss Singapore, Jessica Tan, was good-looking too!!! The rare time Singapore's rep actually looked like she can match with the other contestants. She should have been in the top 10, and even the top 3!!! She is no less prettier than the winner and I saw how well she carried herself.