Chronicles of May

Well, this has been an eventful month. I'm going to miss May so much when the new month comes around tomorrow. 

The first and second week of May were marked with examinations and then my birthday. I visited Gardens by the Bay with my mother on the 10th to "celebrate" the summer holidays as well as to see the tulips from the Netherlands. 

On the 11th, I had a post-birthday dinner at Outback Steakhouse with the family. 12th June is officially the start of the summer holidays. 

The much anticipated Star Trek: Into Darkness featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain opened in Singapore on 16th May. I watched it in glorious IMAX 3D at Shaw Lido with my friend on the 18th. It was an awesome experience as we were seated right in the middle of the giant screen. As a fan of his whom main reason for watching this film was because of him, I grinned/laughed at inappropriate moments. There's just this sense of pride in seeing him in his breakthrough role in a Hollywood blockbuster. For the second time, I watched it with my cousin, who is a fellow fan, on Monday, 20th May. 

The following day, I went back to the university to pay the rest of the fees for the Thailand field studies, in cash, I might add. Sometimes, the university can be so rigid and inflexible. 

I had a short and nice meet up with my good friend from secondary school on Wednesday. Ahh, the good, old days of secondary school where stress means doing homework and passing tests/examinations. 

The final week of the month was passed in a frivolous manner. This is my idea of relaxation; of giving my brain a break from all those months of hard work. When June comes around, the countdown for the field studies starts. Of course, I simply cannot wait to get home. I will be literally counting the days till I get back to Singapore, to my comfortable life, home and bed. 

22 years

Now that it is 12.02AM, it's Happy Birthday to moi! 

22 years in existence and I hope everything will just go smoothly for me. 

On a more awesome note, my examinations are finally over, after dragging on for 3 weeks! Liberty has never been sweeter or well-deserved! Regardless of the grades I will get, I am glad to learn many new concepts and ideas and questioned what people have been taken for granted. This is the one aspect I like about Geography as a discipline. It explores areas which can be touchy or "out of sight" to many people. 

I shall enjoy the few days of summer holidays before I leave for a 6-week Thailand trip which is going to my life. 

Celebrations

This came a bit too late but oh well.

I officially celebrated my birthday last Saturday with a dinner at Bosses at Vivocity. It has been such a long time since we went there.

On Sunday, I got to celebrate at my cousin's house with Awfully Chocolate cake, pizzas and KFC. Yes, I realised this is the 3rd year I had a cake from Awfully Chocolate. I'll change next year on.

I know that people usually have a obligatory 21st birthday party but I'm not like others, right? Parties are not really my area or my division. I will feel so awkward being the center of attention. So, no thanks.

On Monday, since it was holiday in lieu for my brothers and I am on holidays anyway, the parents took a day off and we went to catch The Avengers on IMAX at Shaw Lido.

The movie is really awesome! I'm not someone who really like action-packed movies but The Avengers is an exception. Perhaps, I just have more interest in certain heroes movies than other superheroes, say Superman or Batman. To be honest, I think a strong motivator for my liking is the share of good-looking actors in it. Lots of girls certainly thought so.

I added a couple of new charms to my Pandora bracelet. I chose a blue swirly Murano glass bead and a red enamel poppy flower bead. Actually, I wanted to get a flower dangle but it costs too much. Maybe, I will get it later on. Maybe, I will change my leather bracelet to a silver one. All these could only happen when I get my pay so I have to grit my teeth and put in more hours during this holiday.

I already received my traditional gift, a key, from the parents. It is a heart-shaped key pendent, made from rose gold with two little diamonds from Lee Hwa Jewellery. I usually prefer silver jewellery but because there was a lack of designs from the silver collection, I chose to go with rose gold instead.

All in all, I'm extremely grateful to have "survive" for this long and cheers to many years to come. I once told myself that I have to live till I manage to visit the countries I like.

21st Birthday

Source: A Study in Pink

Today, I celebrate 21 years in existence. Today, I reach a milestone in Life.

Of course, there is still a long way ahead for me.

One more day to my birthday!

Can't Deal

What was I thinking when I thought I could handle two exams on one day, one after the other?!

I wasn't sane. I must be mad.

After last semester, you would have thought I'd wise up, but no. Oh god, no. A series of circumstances caused me to make this "stupid" choice and now I am paying the price for it.

How can I memorise both Methods and Lifespan Development at the same time?! My brain isn't built for this!

On the other hand, once Wednesday is done, I am throwing out the books, figuratively. It will be party time and I intend to slack all day, everyday at home and gorge myself on Tumblr and fanfiction. I am going to paint and read again. I'm going to watch movies and go out again. I'm going to drown myself in TV shows.

Oh, in the midst of all the grousing and angst, let's not forget my birthday is right around the corner. I'll be 21 and I guess I've to be more mature, maybe.

Less Than a Month

Thank goodness it's April. It means that in less than a month time, I will be enjoying my first "summer holiday". I can almost taste the freedom. I gave myself a week of hiatus to have fun online before the tough job of preparing for the finals. Sigh, examinations. I abhorred exams.

In a month time, I will be celebrating my 21st birthday which is not exactly a big deal in Singapore.

Well, technically, you are an adult and sure, you will be eligible to vote. But mentally, I am not and don't relish being one. There's nothing great about being an adult other than the fact that you can book a hotel and tours. I can officially go on holiday trips on my own but as if I could do so.

I do know what I want as my present though. I am going to buy more charms for my Pandora bracelet after waiting for a year.

I won't be holding the 'obligatory' birthday party because it is not my kind of thing. I will probably regret it when I am older but hey, why do something you don't feel comfortable with? It's not as if I have lots of friends I can invite anyway. It's sad but true.

For now, I just want to get the finals over and done with and get ready to welcome May (and the holidays) with open arms. I have so many plans for the holidays. It's just too bad that I won't be able to go overseas. Please, let there be a miracle.

Birthday Dinner

Celebrated my belated birthday dinner at Paradise Inn at Changi Airport Terminal 1. The mango sago is just so delicious!

And that concludes my 20th birthday. I'm already looking forward to the next.

Celebrating 20 years

Today, I officially turned 20. The big 2-0. Still not quite the adult as you have to be 21 to book a hotel room or go into a casino. Nearly there but not quite.

Thank you everyone for the wishes and gifts, even if it's just a message on Facebook.

Mothers' Day & My Birthday

On Saturday, after the adults had cast their votes, we had lunch at Bosses at Vivocity to celebrate Mothers' Day.

On Sunday, my aunt bought 2 chocolate cakes from Awfully Chocolate, one was pure chocolate while the other is chocolate banana, to celebrate Mothers' Day as well as my birthday. That evening, we ate pizza.

Today, the parents took a day off as my mother had a checkup near Orchard Road. I finally managed to buy The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide from Kinokuniya. And it's in hardcover, no less.

I also bought a bracelet from Pandora. I wished I had more choices to choose from, but the beautiful ones are too expensive. I got one murano glass and 2 sterling silver charms. When there are memorable moments in the future, I guess I could just add on to bracelet, which is supposed to be the whole point.

It's been a wonderful weekend and though tomorrow is my birthday, the days leading up to it are always better and full of anticipation. I'll like to thank everyone who have make this birthday special for me, especially the parents.

1 more day to my 20th Birthday!

Days Leading up to May

April is coming to an end. Wow, I know I have said it many times but time sure does fly when you are on holiday.  

Today, a new semester starts in Temasek Polytechnic but of course, it is over for me. Do I miss school? I guess. A little.

May is a month fill with importanr dates. Labour Day is on 1st of May, a Sunday, which means the next day will be holiday in-lieu. Polling Day is on 7th May, a public holiday. Mothers' Day is on 8th May after which comes my birthday on 10th May. Gasp* I am hitting 2-0. I am not ready to be a "real" adult.

Vesak Day falls on the following Tuesday, 17th May and Graduation is on 24th May, another Tuesday.

So you can see, May is not a good month for work, but it's a good month to relax. As with so many holidays, there will be a need to do catch-up.

Fieldtrip & Shopping

On Saturday, 15th of May, the group went to the Singapore Philatelic Museum and Lau Pa Sat for our field trip. This was for the purpose of our Special Interest Tourism Project.

Overall, it was quite fun as this was my first time going to the Singapore Philatelic Museum. It was truly an eye-opener for me.

We then ate at Wendy's for lunch at Lau Pa Sat.

In the evening, the family except my mother went to Orchard Central and CentrePoint. It was sort of to celebrate my belated birthday again. Besides, I wanted to get clothes from Esprit as it's my birthday month and I get 20% off as a member.

We ate at this Ramen place which does not sell udon. And I saw this store called Jewels which sells beautiful chocolate pieces for an extraordinary price. They are almost art pieces! It's really cool though.

After which, we went over to CentrePoint where Robinsons is having sales. I wanted to bedsheets because I have only 1 at home. However, I didn't manage to get one due to I didn't know what is the size of my bed. Also, no design caught my eye. Oh well.

I went down to Esprit with my father. I did get 2 pieces of clothes. Why, oh why is Esprit so expensive in Singapore? I swear if I go to USA I will bring back lots of clothes.

We had ice-cream at Haagen Dazs.

Celebrating 19 Years

On 8th of May, Saturday, the family and I went to The Cafe Cartel at Marina Square. It was alright, I suppose. Nothing too special about it. I still prefer Swensens.

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Originally, I wanted to shop and had ice-cream or something, but because it's the exam season for my brothers, we had to get home for them to revise their work.

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See? For 10 years I have suffered on 10th May since my birthday always falls on exam season. To view it in another way, it means I can have extra good luck eh?

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Anyway, I hope that this week, my parents will be in a good enough mood for us to go out for ice-cream. I really want to go shopping at Esprit as I get to enjoy 20% off right now. It's a chance to get clothes at a discounted price.

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It's Mothers' Day on the 9th of May and since we celebrated it last week, this week we were supposed to bring 2 dishes from each family.

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My Aunt cooked chili crayfish, cockles and scallops. We bought black-pepper ribs and chicken. My other Aunt bought sushi. And not forgetting, a cake to celebrate my birthday and Mothers' Day.

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It was a divine chocolate cake! It's really smooth! I wanted to go for Awfully Chocolate but seeing that it requires ordering at least 3 days in advance and I'm lazy to do so, I'll have to pass. My Aunt bought this cake from Choc-A-Bloc which was just as lovely. It's completely a chocolate inside and out.
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At least things picked up on Sunday.
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So, I'm officially 19 now. Not much change is there? Age is nothing but a number. It doesn't mean everything changes when you turn one year older. Perhaps, though, you start to feel weary and wish for something extraordinary in your life.
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PS: a shout-out to those who wished me happy birthday! I truly appreciate it!
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C'est le Dix Mai

Bon Anniversaire à Moi!

Célébration de dix-neuf ans.
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Hooray! Things did pick up afterall! I'm quite the happy girl!
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I shall do a post on celebrating Mother's Day and my Birthday when I'm less busy.
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Le meilleur reste à venir (The best is yet to come)
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Cheers!
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18 going on 19

"The problem with a rat race is that even if you win the race, ultimately, you're still a rat"

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How true is that? I just love that quote. It's said by someone, I can't find the name, and is found inside the Strategic Entrepreneurship book.

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But, I rather be a winning rat than a loser who is a rat.

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Huh? 18 going on 19 and already wary (weary) of the world. With 2 days left to go, I can't help but feel squeamish.

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Don't everyone? As one gets older, uncertainty and insecurities set in. One realised that the world still turns even if you are left behind.

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Is 19 too young a age to notice these things and worry? I've always been the worrier and dreamer. I have lofty goals and dreams but with a side of practicability.

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I can't seem to get myself happy these days. Perhaps everything will change for the better when SIP ends. Then, I can get ready for the final leg and work on making my trip a reality.

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Honestly.

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Ahh well, got to get my act together. Didn't I come this far?

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3 more days to my Birthday!

Slipping Through My Fingers

"Slipping through my fingers all the time, I try to capture every minute, the feeling in it"
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"I felt like someone had kicked my legs out from under me ... I was out of time. And I wasn’t ready."

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"Time passes, even for me"

All the days seem to have speed by without me. Looking back, I wonder at what I've been doing all these days.

You know it's time to start school when I starts to reminiscence about the good, ole days that is the holidays. Seriously, I can't seem to get ready for school.

Going back is like preparing for another battle. I can almost smell the need for victory, again. Of course, there is only a way forward and that is the only path to take. No cross-roads here. There is to be only one end. And that is for me to emerge as the victor.

I really, really don't want the time to pass so quickly. Yes, I have been granted almost 2 months of holidays, more so than many others. But, it seems as if I have not done many things constructive, huh.

I am like a jellyfish. Floating around all day and night. I go where pleases me. I can do what I like, when I like. I don't have to care about people judging me and pointing fingers. If I want to sleep the day away, I will because I can.

I literally hold time in my hands.

However, there is a sinister underplot, as I am controlling my time, time is controlling me as well. I'm standing on a ticking time-bomb. Sooner or later, the bomb will burst and I have to go back to reality.

Fantasy is good while it lasts.

I went back to read my previous posts, it seems as if it was still the first day of the holidays. Really. The days did speed past. I was still on the platform but the train has already left the station, with everything on it.

I live in the past, I must admit. I live for the future too. As for the present? I try my hardest to live for the moment.

Typing all these makes me think that there is something whacked about myself. Normally, I aren't this sort of person. Ahhh, who am I kidding? I'm always this sort. I like to overanalyse things, make myself all strung-up over tiny matters, lose sleep over them and start over again the next day.

There are only a few days in the year where this does not strike.

Lots of thoughts jumbled in my mind. I'll try my hardest to write them out.

Oh right. I might as well write this together with this post.

Working in a "tuition" centre, I realised that being the kids of today are quite pitiful actually. Myself included, I guess. But, they still have a long, long way to go.

As I get older, thoughts like these start to plague me. Higher education, career, money-matters, etc.

I wonder if I have the goods to make it in this world. I wonder if I'm good enough to survive in the corporate world. I wonder if I can get a good job and stay with it. I wonder whether I can fulfil my goals and dreams.

I guess we all have a hand in molding the future we want. But, life, there is just so much we can't control. Life is full of surprises and shocks, ups and downs. One day, you are top of the world, the next, you are nothing.

I just have an epiphany. Life is the greatest when you are young.

This is a short teaser, no doubt a grave one, leading to my 19th birthday. It's almost fore-boding...

Photos from my birthday and Mothers' Day 2009

~My Brithday Presents~

Wolfy-dog: A "derogatory" term for by "Edward" in reference to "Jacob".

It's just a private joke.


Mug-shot of wolfy-dog.
Ain't it cute? A wolf dressed in sheep's clothing

My Swatch watch!

It's called Sepaflor and it's from the Spring/Summer Collection 2009.

It's love at first sight!

My Birthday cake from Four Leaves

The whole family, with me in the "special" seat for the customary birthday photo

My cousin's pet, Lucky, sniffing my hair

A nice photo together with cousins & brothers

On the swing in a Coffee house

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Finally, I've decided to update the photos taken for Mothers' Day and my birthday 2009. Yes, it's been long.

I've planned to put more than these but due to the time constraints, this is the best I can come up with. Time constraints is equal to me being lazy as high definition photos take a long time to load and if I load them on photobucket first, it will still take a long time.

So, that being said, this is just the start. I promise to upload more miscellaneous photos soon, maybe by this week.

Till then~

Updates

Well, well, it's been too long.

There are many things to update.

Firstly, I'll start with my 18th Birthday! On Sunday, 10th May, I bought Chocolate Classico from Four Leaves to my cousin's house. I forgot that it was Mothers' Day too and Four Leaves was almost sold out on the cakes. That cake was one of the few left.

I'll post up the photos next time. Thank you all very much for the presents, cards and wishes!

A big thank you to my great friend, Sharon, for your card and message, my friends in Poly and Secondary School, my Aunts, brothers, my lovely cousin, Rona, for the cute wolf toy and wishes on my blog/SMS/facebook at 12.00am! I was also pleasantly surprised by the wishes from some Cullenists from twilightlexicon.

It's been a wonderful 18th Birthday! Tomorrow, I'll be celebrating my belated birthday with my family. Woohoo, Swensens! And dare I say, a Swatch watch?

Secondly, I burnt my arm on Wednesday. It's been a ugly mark on my left arm. Soon, there will a 'cross' scar on my arm as I burnt my arm before.

Datelines are approaching. 20th May, I'm handing up my 4 news articles for Cross-Cultural Psychology. 25th May, for Human Resources PBL 1.

That's what has been killing me. PBL is really one big problem! I won't go on, since I've already dedicated an entry for it.

Thirdly, I've finally finished reading The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks! It's a beautifully written story, with a bittersweet ending. I don't understand why I put it off for so long. Now, I can watch the movie version in peace, since I finished the book.

Fourthly, I'm looking for Venetian glass beads to make a necklace. Beading is an expensive hobby.

My muse is not with me, therefore, my writing don't flow on well. Well, that should be all.

Mid-semester exams are coming soon and I've got to start revision. Holidays are coming too.