The Potion that came in a Plastic Bottle

Although I do not know what it means by "quenching" my "bridal thirst" (sounds as though I'm thirsty to be married). But the potion may just be doing its trick. Things are falling into place! Tho' haphardly.

Batu Ferringhi

Couples' Retreat in Penang.

Let's just say that we had greater expectations from its food.

9 x 3 = 27

Happy Birthday, honey!

Looking through the pictures that we took randomly over the weekend, I found out that there were more pictures of this pitcher plant at Hort Park than those of us. (-_-)

Something in its shape intrigued him.

And another one. Out of the many he took. As long as he finds one bigger than the previous one.

♥ing you!

The Eventful Bintan trip

Kind of difficult to get in the groove of blogging again once I lose the momentum. It was at the stage of “Hey, why bother?”, but I know that I would appreciate that in time to come. Like, when I’m old and cranky and couldn’t find a good storybook or movie to relate to, to pass my time.

There is this recent paranoia that gripped hold of me after a convo with a friend – how uploaded pics on the internet can be so rampantly abused elsewhere where you probably do not know exist. Makes me wonder about my own privacy security after hearing what she said about her experience. Guess I have to be real selective with what I upload on the Net now.

Our trip to Bintan in that one week break was great, but fraught with a couple of mishaps. The sky was a bright blue and the sea was sparkly and the slight sea breeze was singing, I swear. Makes you wonder how breathtaking Bora Bora, Maldives and Mauritius will be! Yes, it’s my lifetime resolution to go to those places at least once in my lifetime.

It’s not as if I hadn’t been to Bintan – the last time (maybe, 10 years ago?) was with my girls at Clubmed Bintan. And how the prices soared since then.

1st Day:

- Had a dip in the pool after our arrival and felt a tad awkward in my bikini. Almost flashed myself to all in the swimming pool after I took off my top and my bikini string came undone. JX freaked out obviously.

- Air rifles. I’m good la. I shot down a golf ball at my first attempt, to the shock of the instructor and JX. (JX was bragging about having gone to NS and that he had handled weaponry.) There were videos, but... that story comes later.

- A massage which wasn’t exactly satisfactory because my masseuse was sneezing the whole time. Didn’t hear her wash her hands before she placed/wiped/rubbed her hands on my body.

2nd Day:

- Drizzling. Each of us got a temporary tattoo to humor ourselves. Mine took a helluva long time to dry up. Had to return to our room and watch MTV while checking on the ink. Just had to smudge mine the last minute because I was getting really impatient as the sun had come out. Screamed for JX to fix it up.

- Lazing by the beach with music blasting beside our ears. Played with the crashing waves like kids.

- Big gloomy clouds ruined our play. Had some food and a satisfying massage by the sea.

3rd Day:
- Jet ski! I pointed to the picture of jet skis on their phamplet and said matter-of-factly, “Two!” to the person manning the booth at the beach. The guy raised his brow and JX looked at me questioningly, “Two? We ride separately?” I nodded and proclaimed that I wanted to ride the jet ski myself – doubt he wanted to sit behind me anyway. JX looked away slowly - I know he had that nagging worry about my safety but he knew me too well. And oh gosh... it was exhilarating!! I squeezed the accelerator and went all out to catch up with the guy who showed us the skiing area. Following his weaves through the wave crests and yelling into the wind and tasting the sparkly salty sea water splashing against my face. JX and I raced up and down way out in the sea, trying ignore the niggling thought about the sea's depth beneath us. When we eventually got off, I was actually aching from gripping onto the handles of the Jet Ski as I was flying in midair as the Jet Ski bounced off the waves.

- Frolicked in the sea with the sun beating down on us. The finest sand, the clear waters. Totally felt that I was in a world of our own.

- Dune Buggy. I wasn’t too keen actually. I was videocamming our ride, JX at the wheel, where he lost control of the buggy because we went uphill and hit a different ground consistency, resulting in us crashing into a tree in the middle of the track. The video was rolling all the while. On hindsight, it would have been pretty hilarious - I was chiding him as the reckless driver when the crash happened and I screamed the next moment before the whines in pain, whilst the video was filming my thigh in my momentary paralysis. Due to the sudden hard jolt, I was thrown off my seat but thrown back into my seat because of the loose muddy rusty seat belt which grazed my neck pretty bad. Was in slight shock. I was almost in tears from the sharp burning pain at the side of neck. JX had a nasty scare and was worried about my wound and the possibility of a bad infection. The mood was ruined, basically. And just when we were about to hit the main roads and leave the jungle, I realized, to my horror of all horrors, that JX’s handphone was no longer with me. I had shoved his handphone (which I was holding onto to take the video) into my pocket after the crash, so that I could hold onto the loose filthy seatbelt and that it would not graze my raw wound. Major panic. JX sent me back for first aid before he headed back to the jungle with the instructor to locate his handphone. I was feeling so terrible. ALL of our pictures and videos taken in Bintan were in there! And the special sentimental value of the saved messages to JX. It was such a downer, it ruined the remainder of our trip.

Last Day:

- Picture taking and filming videos. To make up for the lost pictures, though it was obviously not the same. :

The Nonsensical Team in The Ultimatum Showdown Spoof

The things we do when we have the time, space, and a neon plastic air rifle in our hands. What can I say - we're such lousy actors. Laughing "corpses", and a question that was asked without a need for its answer before putting bullets into the same person whom the question was posed to, shooting blanks while the victim waited, and urged, to be shot.

Wonder why we weren't frisked away by Changi Airport's security. Playing with that gun and playing dead. Pretty sensitive, no?

NG. Actor yelling "cut!" himself.

Not an average day out on a Sunday with cousins for the average person, don't you think?

Me, the Emo Emu

Has been such a long hiatus, I know.

I have contemplated on how to go about blogging on the happenings in the recent weeks without sounding like an annoying emotional blubbering idiot – and I figured, there’s no other way.

Because, I was, and am, very touched! Shi had ever called me an easily touched “emo emu”, but what’s wrong with that? If you’re happy, laugh; if you’re upset, cry; if you’re touched to tears, let them flow! Life’s too short to ponder if you should be displaying your emotions on your sleeves when you’re indeed feeling that. Why make it so complicated when it’s in actual fact, so simple? (Although I’m not advocating a melting shouting showdown with your boss when he pisses you off by calling you back into office to print a 2 page document just as when you are stepping out of the office on a Friday night after a long grueling day, when he could have jolly done so himself. Or... should you?)

JX asked me if I had changed, because of him, from a hardy girl who rarely cries (in his eyes, at least) to a somewhat silly blubbering softie. Like, he spoilt me. But if there was that change in me, I think I should accrue that to having almost kicking the bucket near 2 years back. One day you are leading a plain, if not boring, life, going through the motions, and you were suddenly thrown off the track and straight into the dumps where you lumbered around desperately like a helpless headless chicken, living second by second, minute by minute, day by day; while your spirit and determination wanes. So when you manage to bounce right back, from the dumps, you are bound to appreciate what you had/have; plain or not, boring or not. You will learn to appreciate that what you had taken for granted - simple things - are actually so precious.

And that’s what changed me. I endeavor to live life, and not just plain living. While I don’t exactly mean that I will go bungee-jumping every other day and go round the world in 80 days on a bank loan, I resolve to be true to myself and everyone I care about and live happily as I would allow myself everyday. That is good enough for me. Simplicity is happiness in its own right. Happiness, is all in the state of one’s mind.

So, JX sprung a surprise proposal, but even before he sang his song and got down on his knees to pop the question with the ring in hand, I was long crying. Heck, my tears had already sprung when my besties popped out of nowhere with a humongous bouquet of roses and a rolling video camera. The venue he chose was perfect, it couldn’t have been any other place – the hospital’s chapel. The same hospital that we both were born into, the same hospital that cared for me while I was struggling for my life, the same hospital that saw me relearning how to walk, and the same hospital’s chapel where he had cried silently and prayed for me to return and recover.

And making JX and my besties being part of it all added that extra boost of dramatic surprise – my emotional dial went straight into the dangerous red zone. I was short of wailing emotions.

Although come to think of it, I do not know exactly how I was feeling at that point in time. Shock, mostly, I guess. And when realization hit, touched. The thorough planning to set the surprise up, while he bombarded me with “smoke bombs to mislead my 6th sense”. For the record, my 6th sense was not usually that dull if not for his devious intricate planning.

And I was reduced to a blubbering idiot within mere seconds from an expressionless dull look, as described by Shi. I must have made everyone bewildered with that sudden onset of gushing tears. “Hey, that wasn’t part of the plan!” Me, rooted at the doorway of the chapel, crying, clutching tightly to the overwhelming bouquet of roses. Ha, I got you guys there. At least.

Of course, my answer was obvious. In fact, I thought we were going to do away with the entire proposal works. Everyone whom I cared about and who cared about me, knew how much JX means to me, and vice versa. The ordeals that he stanchly underwent when I ran into some tough patches, the pain he silently endured while putting on a brave and cheerful front before me as I lay on the hospital bed no matter how tired and emotionally exhausted he was, the little stuffs and details which I said or did flippantly which he took note of, the efforts he put in to just make me happy - I do feel, so very fortunate...

It was nice to have the Sisters and some of the hospital staff present to congratulate us and all. Felt a little queer with the photoshoot for the hospital's newsletter though. Got a little sense on how wedding photoshoots are going to be like, and boy, I doubt it's going to be easy.

Ending the day with a high-tea at Goodwood Park Hotel with our best buddies was a very nice touch. Could not have been any other way. It was really great, getting to share my happiness with my girls, just as it was for JX with Nick. It was emotive too, knowing that Nick, who helped JX with his logistics and planning so that JX could keep up with his nonchalant front before me, had a night shift before and hadn’t had much sleep.

I was so utterly moved by the entire setup, the endomorphine hormones went into overdrive that lasted me for days. I actually woke up the next day, thinking that it may be a dream. It was that surreal. But when I realized it’s not, my emotions kicked up again. Yeah, geeee.

Wondering if I should upload the video here when I get hold of it from Shi. JX’s concerned over his cracking voice and singing, while I am just plainly, simply a mess.

Durians @ Pulau Ubin o'er the Weekend

THAT two-six Weekend

Uploading pictures is a chore. And I don't know if this is a wise idea. It's so small it's almost meaningless. But I guess you could click on them if you're interested in the first place.

The Queen & Mangosteen:

Rose wine + A little Beer + Good enough food + Interesting Loo + Surprise Cake + Other Birthday Girl & Boy in Da House + Talking about Acceptance and Generally, Life + So glad Ying drove me home.

**********

Fig & Olive with K+S:

A quiet Fig & Olive on a Friday night + Walking around The Cathay + Random Shopping + Vintage-looking Ribbony Earrings with tinge of Gold (I like ribbons!) from K + Trying on and on and on to Locate a place to sit down and drink + Ended up at Cafe Cartel with Mocha and Waffles + Recycled Gift + A Lift Home from JX + A Goodnight Hug & Kiss

**********

Wedding Lunch @ Marsiling CC + Tampopo @ Liang Court:

Getting lost in Marsiling + Recognizing the route to JB and turned the other way hastily + Malay food for Lunch + Family Dinner at Liang Court + Turned out Jo wanted to bring us to a place at UE Square instead + Settled for Tampopo + Long Wait + Played with a mannequin's wig + Headmistress-salesgirl with extended hand "Give Me" while Mum was WITH us + Great black pork ramen at Tampopo + Even greater eggs + MJ @ home + Never gamed :(

**********

Sentosa + Vivocity:

(Blazing) Sun, sand, sea + Lunch at Sakae + No conveyor belt + First touch with a snake (surprisingly the touch is not that freaky, it's just the darting tongue that I cannot stand) + JX's a natural with snakes + A food-robber Monkey on the Go + Staring at uncles oogling at bikini girls + Ice cream sorbet + Maybe Not-so-innocent Kids + Vivocity Shopping + Arcade + Reminiscing the Past on a Sentosa Night + Surprise Presents from JX

**********

Tampines 1 + Turf City:

Uniqlo is a disaappointment + Rainy + Tired & Sleepy + Headed to Turf City to return the car + Irritating obnoxious Ah Seng + Maze + Crappy Carrot Cake at Turf City + Home + A good Nap that I didn't have the whole weekend.

= A Very Happy M.

**********

SMK's Day-Off

Had been wanting to get the pictures of the day that SMK went to the botanical gardens on our day-off. So tough. Cos they are about 120mb in all.

Zzz.

But so sweet of S -

She scrapbooked it!

S+M+K

Had a mini-celebration with K+S to commemorate our 13-year-old friendship over the Easter weekend. By staying over at my place. Not very happening.

Probably the most happening thing was us trotting down to the convenience stall to get supper – without our bras (except for S, who claims she needs every support that she can get).

There was a lot of marveling of old stuffs we had done for each other though (with S shrieking sporadically each time T-Rex goes near her). And my unfaded neo-prints. And our old pictures. K demanding me to burn our secondary school prom picture. Debated why I looked like a mama-san with cockroach feelers for my JC prom, while I wailed that I won’t want to look like that for my wedding when K+S believed that I would.

After the “adventure” of trying to get our supper hunched-back, we had instant noodles and sparkling wine. And exchanged songs on our mobiles via Bluetooth, with our legs propped up. Again, reminiscing songs from “our era”. Gee, weird auntaaaaaaays...

And then there was a debate over who was a better host while we got ready to sleep. Sharing more secrets before dozing off... and trying hard not to fall off the bed throughout the night. And then, S woke up with a sty. Not that my house is a sty, but I meant a sty on the eye.

I wonder how many more stayovers we can have in this lifetime. Would we be like those housewives on that silly show “煮妇的假期”? Hahaha.

Here we go... again.

Introducing, "Newbit", "Rocker", "Bruce/Bruise", "Orbit", "Cotton", "小白", "Wayang", "Bitty", "T-REX". Jo decided.

A Belated Boogey V-Day Post

No, I don't have a Samsung phone but I love them.

I had a nose booger stuck in my nose and JX saw. After he exclaimed his sighting, I went - "Yeah, it was stuck there for a while and it's irritating the hell out of me. Should I dig it out?"

JX looked at me, and I couldn’t quite understand his expression. But I proceeded to remove that offensive muck obstructing my nasal tract. At that point, JX yelped somewhat hysterically while I laughed away sinisterly with my index finger standing tall and proud, propping a biological weapon.

In our struggle (me trying to get close to him, while he getting away from me), that sticky booger got a portion of itself onto JX’s black shirt. He shrieked and went on nagging some gibberish while I laughed away, with my finger sticking in mid-air.

He commanded that I flick it away. But I placed it (somewhere) and told him whenever he past by that place, he would then think of me (in disgust or lovingly, up to him). I think he shrieked again, because I couldn’t quite hear properly while I was going on with my insane laughter.

We walked along, and in a while, I revealed to him matter-of-factly, “I think I’ve got some more stuck in my nose. What do I do now?” He thought the booger episode was over. He forewarned me not to dig it again. What would he do, if I did, I don't know.

And then I lit up like a bulb, “Oh, I could do it the grampa-style. You know, hold down the other nostril and snort it out!” And I proceeded to do that, aiming at a grass patch before he could stop me.

I failed miserably. I turned to look at JX in a dead-panned expression and he couldn’t stop laughing. I had slimy/sticky snot all over my nose. It somehow slapped itself upwards instead of rocketing out and away. While he was laughing away, he still managed to warn me not to touch him till I get home and clean up. Along the journey home I did not manage to flick the booger away because it was too clingy to its owner.

He told me, wisely, that I didn’t block the other nostril tightly hence the pathetic failure.

“How romantic ya, our Valentine’s Day celebration!” I grinned, sticky booger in hand.

“Yeah, 4 years into our relationship. And on Valentine’s Day. And you are already the way you are... I wonder what’s next in time to come.”

Oooooh, you will know. :D

P.S.: Yes, it was in public but it was dark and almost no one was around as we walked home. I do have some social etiquette ok.

A Hairy 牛 Year

Acceptance

It had been a devastating time for all when Norbit left us suddenly. It took us all a while to get used to the fact that Norbit is gone forever. We all missed him terribly. And truthfully, my heart still wrenches as the nasty memories attack me from time to time - him fighting for his life on the operation table, eventually struggling to get close to the oblivious me when he was near his death, his limp body as the vet tried to resuscitate him, the words that finalized his life...

Jo said she was sorry that I had to be the one to witness the entire ordeal and for selfish reasons, she was in a way blessed to be spared from the agony. But a large part of me was glad that I was there with him when he needed me most. I just wish for Norbit to know that we all loved him.

It is still painful now, but it gets better and it will pass. In time, I know, I will think about Norbit and smile instead of crying.

JX said, "That's it. We'll not have any pets," after rushing to my side and witnessing my crumbled state when he heard the news.

My heartbroken parents were also a little apprehensive in getting another pet now. My dad went, "See, I told you. You have to expect this when you get a pet. You will be heartbroken when its time is up." My mom then added, "That's why I didn't want us to have a pet."

But... would you rather protect yourself from potential agony, from sad memories - and hence no happy memories, to not love and be loved in return; OR to create happy moments despite knowing one day, it probably will all end, short-lived or not? I choose the latter. So what if you are living, but not a life?

Letting Go

... is just so hard.

You have been a great friend. All of us love you, you know that. We will miss you so terribly...

Goodbye... Norbit.

Norbit, please get well soon...

Christmas with my Girls

We have another MJ kaki

I have been playing quite a bit of mahjong lately. And Norbit loves the noise that the tiles make.

Merry Christmas

P.S.: Love this couple-pyjama Christmas present from Ryan! Though, I thought Adam's leaf should be near bottom of the shirt, near his groin. Hur hur.

Walking Norbit

...can be quite boring.