My Thank Roll

Another year came and went (adiós 2014) and we're now venturing into the second month of the New Year already! Happy 2015 everyone ;)

If we are turtles and could live up to 150 years, one year would seem like next to nothing. If we are butterflies and may only have a lifespan of 1 month, even one hour would be so precious! But as humans with an average life expectancy of about 70 (if nothing goes wrong, that is), how should we live our lives? What should each of us achieve as our time peters out?

The break of the new year may trigger many of us to take stock of what we have and should have done and perhaps create new year re-solutions. But it's different for me this year. Instead of coming up with lists of things to do/achieve, I pondered about the people who'd helped me to become what I am today, and how my life would turn out if it were not for them. They are kind, helpful people that I am really thankful to have met throughout my life. I thought it will be truly wonderful if I thank all of them here and now.

So, let us kick-start 2015 with a THANK ROLL!

A HUGE thank you to all of you! To me, beautiful people like you are like angelic white flowers roaming about the surface of the earth! 

  

1. The "bubble uncle" I met from 5-9 years old for literally 'bubbling up' my childhood - thanks for your bubble tricks that you did to entertain me and the other kampung kids. I'll never forget you ;)

2. Joanne, Xiu Hui and 4-eyed zhou for being my childhood friends since I'm 9 years old. The marble games, catchings, Risk board game, dancing sessions, late-night story-telling, forest walk and swimming/fishing in the canal or long-kang (drain) will be remembered as long as I live - we were the dirtiest kids around!

3. Shinyun, for being my primary school bestie. I still remember the pre-dawn walks in the school field (Bt. Batok Primary, now defunct) where it's cold enough to see our warm breath when we breathe out. And also: The 50 cents mee sua and lor mee, the hop-scotch and five-stones sessions, and the times we buy little packets of fish food from the nolstalgic school bookshop (with lots of stationery wares hanging from strings in the air!) to feed the fishes in the big pond.

4. Not forgetting the German couple who lived at the top floor of our 4-storey hdb building (I lived on the ground floor) in Bukit Panjang back in the year 1992 (est). I'll never forget the checkered high ceiling in your house, the built-in picnic table, your huge carpeted master bedroom and the ballroom dances you have taught us girls.

5. The golden couple of our neighbourhood - Jack and Jill. It started out as we kids joking about both of you being together (being 'Jack' AND 'Jill' from the famous nursery rhyme) and you two actually got married few years later - you know, we couldn't be happier to see both of you getting married! To Jill jie jie (sister), thanks for the dictionary you'd given me back then (perhaps you saw that I loved reading dictionary?), and those air mail that you've send me, literally from the air, from your apartment window on the 16th floor. You apologised in those mails for not meeting us kids as often because you were studying for your exams. Thanks for all your care and concern :)

6. Shu Hui, Peiwen, Michelle for being my secondary school sisters. I'll remember the sweat, tears, laughters and vomits. (Eeeeks!)

7. Simon Lim for bringing me around Singapore and sometimes halfway up the Peninsular Malaysia to attend weddings, meet your friends and basically eat, drink and be merry - with your 'wives' no less! Wife no.1: Gold wing [which we crashed at Keppel Road, head-on with an oncoming car and you thought that I was going to lose both my legs], wife no. 2: Black bird. PS: I don't use 2 straws to drink green tea anymore :) That was the goofy me.

8. Brian and Yienshen for being my bestest polymates! Won't forget the lessons, projects, exams that we've went though together. And the extreme fun that we've had in those night cycling trips across Singapore! (Talk about dangerous and ghostly encounters! Haha!)

9. Hun Boon for your warm, true friendship. I really treasure our time.

10. Uncle Tan Gek Hwa for being such a nice uncle/ah pek. Thanks for treating industrial attachment students like me with warmth, care, apples, late lunches and best of all, laughters. Keep scooting! And did I mention that you really looked like my primary school bus driver uncle??

11. Teng Huat Tian for winding up as my 'supervisor' in the attachment company. Firstly, it's because I want to hide from that naggy manager. Secondly, because I know I can learn alot from you since you are one of the best there. You know what? The best thing I've got out from the attachment is to came to know you. You are my best buddy. Really. And that moment at late-night where you brought me a mango mousse cake just because I crave for it while pregnant [in 2010] - it's priceless! I'm still thankful to you for that! Hee...

12. My SAF BMT batch girls, Navy coursemates [like Ong Lay Leng and Ah Sin], LST shipmates [Amanda, Wei Ming, Don] and NDU divers. The memories at Pulau Tekong, Sembawang Camp and Changi/Tuas Naval Base and Iraq will be deeply etched in my heart.

13. People who looked out for me onboard ship and on shore: Col Bernard Miranda, Encik Chia Yew Lam, Ah Lu, and the 2 silly guys!

14. Especially grateful to the 2 lecturers in NUS who interviewed (and passed!) me - you have changed my life for the better. And to Dr. Nicholas Hon for teaching your subjects so well, so succinctly. Love your lectures. And also to the other respectable lecturers and assistants who worked really hard to pass on their knowledge to the students. I'm grateful! I don't have permanent friends in uni but there was one particular girl from Malaysia who is really kind and warm. She literally warms up the artic-cold lecture halls everytime I see her. Her constant handphone messages makes life in uni so much more beautiful. Thanks Hui Yee ;)

15. ICA instructors and coursemates (e.g. Hui Fang, Azlan, KK, etc, etc). You guys rock, big time. Because you know what, you'd made up the happiest period of my life. I am literally on cloud nine! Haha. Like seriously, I am so happy very single day. Love you people! Love my job, my colleagues and team members. I have the chance to lead my team because you guys are willing to lend me a listening ear. Your efforts in your work are heartfelt, appreciated, and duly noted in your reports. I hope I did not disappoint you guys in any aspect.

16. Special thanks to Mr Phua Gek Lian for being the best colleague I ever had. For one, you know your job exceptionally well, and two, you don't hold back when it comes to sharing your knowledge and helping your team members. You have my full respect. Salutes! By the way, I cried on my last day of work partly because I could not work with you as a team anymore. If there's such a thing called love for another human being without lust, a love for another person just because he is such a genuine, kind soul, that person will be you ;) I'm grateful to have met you. Best wishes to you and may happiness and health be with you and your family always.

17. Another nice person is the ever-so-jovial ajumma, Mdm Leow Sok Ting. Thank you for being such a real person: what I see is what I get - nothing's hidden. I won't forget the laughter you induced in me. I love you! You really brighten up the workplace. Your joyous personality is so contagious.

18. The classes of primary students at the tutoring centre that I have taught in 2001. The handmade cards I received for Teacher's Day are still with me. Super priceless! You guys have given me a lot of inspirations and aspirations. And to my niece and nephew, Shannon and Damien, for letting me be a part of your lives. Seeing both of you growing up from birth, to toddler, and now to being school-going children is such a delightful experience.

19. My brother - a marathon/triathlon junkie. Although we quarrelled and had cold wars before, I will always be thankful for things that you've done for me. E.g. you were awakened from deep sleep, and you jumped up and ran out of the house, in the middle of the night to catch the robber, when I told you I had just been robbed. Once, you gave me money to eat (we were really poor) from the pay you earned while working as a rubbish and dish collector. Those days where we have to earn money for our own three meals while struggling to study was... [me: sighing, shaking head, smiling pensively, and speechless] Like they say, it's always nice to have a big brother who looks after you. Especially so when life bites at you.

20. My baby sister. I know you are grown up already but you'll always be my baby sis! Thanks for listening to all my constant nonsense and nagging for the past 25 years (est.) of your life. Thanks for politely polishing up the horrible food that I used to cook for you many years ago. Remember the cards and letters you'd given me? They are well-kept in my "treasure box".

21. My hubby and son. Thanks for just being here and there, being yourselves, being alive.

And the rest of the beautiful people who "sent coal during snow" (provide help when one most needs it)

• The person who 'saved' me while I was drowning in the sea. Although it was a misunderstanding (I faked a drowning act) I am still thankful for your help. I mean, what if I'm really drowning?! (est. 14 years old)
• The lawyer who came up to help after witnessing a pickup truck hitting me and sending me flying across the road at Petir Road. He gave his namecard to my friends who were with me and offered his services, pro bono. (est. 15 years old)
• The couple who came up to help after witnessing my bike accident (as a pillion rider) in Keppel Road in 1999 (est.). They came over to prevent traffic from running over me as I lay on the road while waiting for the ambulance to arrive and even offered to be our witness. (17 years old)
• A lady supervisor of the Giant Supermarket at Pioneer Mall who helped me up when I fainted while I was heavily pregnant. (28 years old)
• A lady officer who helped me up when I fainted at the canteen of my workplace. (yes, I fainted twice, while pregnant) (28 years old)
• People who offered their seats without asking for it while I was pregnant. And people who offered to help carry my pram up and down the bus without wanting anything in return. Grateful, grateful! (28 years old)
• The wonderful feeder bus captain who is oh-so-helpful in many ways, looking out and making sure about this and that, especially to the elderly and children. He even helped to search for my key pouch on the bus when I couldn't find them. Thanks for spreading your kindness in our little neighbourhood. (33 years old)

Wow! Completing this thank roll is such a catharsis - all these gratefulness that have been building up inside me can finally be released! But I know I can never thank these people enough. If you are like one of these kind people, please continue bringing love and joy to the people around you, like a wise quote from Mother Theresa: Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier... Isn't this such a beautiful way to live our lives? Who knows, someone you help will be thankful to you forever :)

The Song Of My Life

Love's Theme by Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra


This is the best-loved song of my life. I can replay it non-stop for the whole day. Why is it chosen as such? Maybe because it was frequently heard on the local radio during the most carefree days of my life - I am finally financially stable, got a job I love and I met my husband-to-be. Or perhaps I simply have great feelings toward this song. It reminds me how beautiful life is and how great it is to be simply alive.
 



Even the sky and land can smile. A man's face winking at you. Can you see?

Here's a short note about how I deeply feel when I hear this song:

Suddenly, you burst into a new realm of boundless, ultimate expansion, both of your mind and also your body, releasing the energy of unlimited love in you. Now, you have the capacity to embrace the whole wide world.

This is a song of total freedom, of absolute liberation!

I'm grateful simply for being alive, to be even breathing in air, to feel, touch, see and be aware, awake and conscious. It is such an ultimate bliss to be able to experience life itself, even for a short span of several decades.

For that, I'd say: Life is already a celebration by itself! So, love and laugh through life!

[Click here to listen to song]

My University Courses and their Definitions

Do you have a keen thirst for knowledge? Well, I was rather curious in just about everything out there when I was much younger and it wasn't until university that I knew what I wanted to study in depth. I can still remember clearly when I was in primary school, a group of psychologists came to our school to give a talk about the 4 main types of personalities of people (I could still roughly make out the slide that was shown then - it was more than 20 years ago!). That was really interesting and it had aroused my interest to know more about the brain and behaviour. But somehow, things faded out and I ended up studying Electrical Engineering for my diploma. Thank god I studied real hard and was able to get into a university (at a much later age though) and finally studied my favourite subject: Psychology!

So, if you are on the search on what you really want to study, the following definitions of the courses that I've taken may be of help (I majored in Psychology and took various introductory courses on the rest of the below-mentioned subjects). Now go on and decide what you would love to study :) Good luck!

PSYCHOLOGY
The scientific study of human mind and behaviour (Visit this page for more info)


Some of the courses I've taken are:

Abnormal Psychology - A study on abnormal behaviour and a broad range of mental disorders and their cultural, environmental and biological causes, and also their treatment options. This core module covers most of the common mental health problems identified for children and adults, e.g. eating disorders, behavioural problems, attention deficits, learning disabilities, schizophrenia, anxiety, stress, depression, personality disorders, sexual adjustment, substance abuse, suicide, and dementia. (source)

Cognitive Psychology - A study about the internal brain processes like motivation, attention, analyzing, judgement, language, attention, problem solving and decision-making.

Biological Psychology - Focuses on the biochemical processes and physiological aspects of the brain.

Developmental Psychology - Focuses on physical, emotional, intellectual, social, perceptual and personality development of an individual from birth till adulthood.

Social Psychology - Social psychology courses are focused on the scientific study of social influences on behaviour and the interaction between individuals and groups. Topics studied in this class include such things as social pressure, leadership, nonverbal communication, persuasion, obedience and the bystander effect.

Health Psychology - Focuses on how biology, psychology, behaviour and social factors influence health and illness. It also focuses on promoting health as well as the prevention and treatment of disease and illness.

Adolescent Psychology - A subfield of psychology that focuses on children of 12-18 years. Adolescence has commonly been characterized by issues such as rebellious behaviour, lying, cheating, school performance problems, negative attitudes, disobedience and disrespect, sibling rivalry, drug and alcohol abuse, pressures from peers, depression, and issues of sexuality. (source)

Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology - this field focuses on increasing workplace productivity and related issues such as the physical and mental well being of employees. Industrial organizational psychologists perform a wide variety of tasks, including studying worker attitudes (e.g. job satisfaction, motivation) and behaviour, evaluating companies and conducting leadership training.

Memory - Topics range from sensory memory all the way to long-term memory. Evidence for different types of memory systems such as episodic, generic, implicit, and procedural will be discussed. Biological and developmental bases for human memory will also be covered. (source)

Personality - This branch of psychology is focused on the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviour that make a person unique.

Emotions - An in-depth study of various types of emotions, its nature, functions and consequences.

(main source)

[PS: After finishing my studies, I've since narrowed down my area of interest: to be a counsellor focusing on reducing people's daily stress. Well, this blog sort of fulfils my aspirations by letting me be an "online counsellor", don't you think? :) Yes, I'm bent on making you happier in as many parts of your life as possible! It brings me blissful joy! I can think about this topic day and night without getting tired of it.]


PHILOSOPHY
The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence.


ECONOMICS
The study of how individuals and society choose to use limited resources in an effort to satisfy people's unlimited wants.


GEOGRAPHY
The study of earth, the distribution of life on it, activity on it, and others like the weather and physical features of the earth.


SOCIOLOGY
The study of  human social behaviour, its origins, and others like organisation.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

The integration of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment, to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to clean up pollution sites. (source) [This is one of my favourite subjects of all time. Enjoyed every lecture!]

My crazy uni days

Honda Civic SIR: The VTEC Growl

When I was young and restless I loved to speed while driving. And I am truly thankful to be still alive and that no one was hurt. But I'll never forget that feeling... as an extract from a car magazine (WHEELS) skillfully explained:

... Once the turbine wheel starts boosting up at 3,000rpm, cold air is immediately sucked into the open turbine mouth...into the engine for a thorough combustion... with excess pressure getting relieved through a Blitz Blow Off valve audibly announcing sharp throttle lift-off.

This is where things start to really heat up. Once the tachometer exceeds 5,500 rpm, all hell breaks lose as the sound of the T28 turbocharger at its full 1.3 bar of boost is then drowned by the awesome VTEC growl as it hits its full 8,900rpm rev range at the third gear. By then, everything around would look seemingly dreamy, as your nose starts to bleed...



His Honda Civic (SIR) in 2004 (Note: Ignore the Tigger)

Ok, my nose did not bleed. But I wouldn't dare to speed now, esp. since I've had my child. I even feel that it starts to get dangerous when I drive above 70km/h (43mph). Once my friend even revved up to 280km/h on his Honda Blackbird, with me as the pillion rider. It was surreal. With only my fingertips left hanging on to my friend's waist, I almost flew off with my helmet! If someone were to do this to me now, I might faint. I guess, my heart can't take such thrills anymore.

Anyway, I've listed the rest of the vehicles we've owned before - just to savour those memories. Right now, as our family pocket is shallower, Jeff is even considering selling his car and taking the public transport instead. I kind of support him for that. Doesn't it feel lighter to own less?

 

Enjoy our rides!

 

 

His BMW R1200C Cruiser. His '1st wife'

He sold his '1st wife' to get me through university.



His Toyota Corolla 1.6.

Then, we traded this Toyota car with SIR. We almost fell off a cliff with it a few years ago! Phew..

Took this photo with my phone camera (VGA, hence the poor resolution) and sent to Tigger (hubby) who was in London for a one-month course. I missed him so much then that I voluntarily washed and polished his car. But that was the first and last time I washed his car.

 

Feelings of longing for him turned to horror and panic when I couldn't get him and when he did not return my calls after I saw the news and footages of London bombing (2005) being broadcasted. Thankfully, he was safe.

 

Seeing this picture brings me back to that horrifying but grateful day. But still, that was the last time I'm washing his car.

 

 

My Piaggio FLY 150 Scooter

Sold this scooter when I'm 2 months pregnant. Luckily, zero accident or baby Tigger won't arrive on earth.

My Suzuki Swift 1.5

After bidding farewell to my scooter I bought this car. Again, proudly zero accident - probably because I'm moving like a snail while pregnant. And I sold this car soon after I left my job. How is it going, darling?

 

His Mitsubishi Lancer Ex 2.0 MIVEC

The only vehicle we have now. And of course, my rusty but trusty old friend, Bicycle.