Paris, je t'aime

春节.团圆.贺岁

新的一年又来了。随着一个新的开始，个人最感受到的是自己年龄的增长。同时也非常怀念较年轻时的日子。小时候过新年，的确是不一样的。不过，春节期间大家团圆，聚在一起吃饭谈天却是没有改变的。互相祝福，把好运带给家人和朋友们也还是新年时候大家会做的事。唯一不同的是，我比较可以感受到的是亲人与朋友之间的凝聚力。可能随着年龄的增长，我更加能够珍惜这可贵的亲情关系。

今年的新年比往年更简单。家里的准备工作并不多，大家比较注重打扫整齐，除旧迎新。除夕那天再增添一些新年装饰，我们大家便轻松地迎接新年的来临。一顿简单的火锅团圆饭，大家都吃得很开心。我想重要的是大家能和睦相处，高高兴兴的坐在一起吃饭。我想新年团圆的意义就是如此。

初一早上，大家互相祝贺，小一辈从长辈手里拿过红包，家里一片喜气洋洋。我们家里有一个新年的传统习俗，那就是初一的第一餐，我们都会吃素。这不但是家里信奉佛教的表示，也象征着朴实健康的开始。我本身喜欢素食，也注重健康，所以我每一年都非常期待！

新年就如此简单。大家一起吃饭，一起到庙里祈福，一起看烟花，也是一种乐趣。

my V-day at home

I spent my Wednesday at home today as I was down with stomach flu. How does this happen? I do not know. However, it wasn't such a bad thing to be able to stay home for the entire day. Even though it is Valentine's Day today, I guess it does not really matter. Whether I am not well or I am well and active, I guess it seems like a normal day to me. Last year's Valentine's Day was spent with 3 other friends. The funniest part was looking for a place for dinner. Actually it is not so difficult to look for a place for a meal if you are in town. However, on a day like this, most of the places transformed into dimly-lit space with tables arrangement set for 2. We went to a few places, and there we were, feeling rather left out with all the special v-day menu and the special furniture arrangement. It seemed like this day was exclusive only to couples. Well, we still managed to find somewhere nice for the 4 of us, single ladies, passed our mid-20s for a simple dinner, our way of celebrating Valentine's Day is to celebrate our friendship. I find it really warm and sweet. I would love love to be out on this day, meeting my friends, my buddy for a meal!!! But well, I guess I just have to stay home and be a good girl so that I can recover faster.

I wake up this morning with a couple of sms and that warms my day. A msg from moo saying she has something for me in my letterbox, a msg from buddy to ask me how I am doing (I know she is so so worried yesterday.) and later on, another one from Lynda. Thank you ladies. My day is really much warmer and more joyful.

Anyway, decicating this V-day to all singles out there, enjoy life with all the freedom we have, and live life to its fullest!!

welcome a friend home

TT came back from New York on Sat. We had a long afternoon get together yesterday with the rest of the gals, and for me at least, nothing seems to have changed. I guess that is the best part of our friendship. Although sometimes we had our differences in the way to think or do things, we still able to maintain this friendship of 10 over years. I think is also precisely the differences in our characters that help to maintain peace and always coming to a level of compromise. Well, welcome home for the Lunar New Year, TT!

We met at coffee club at 2pm and only to leave the place at 6.30pm. It was a long 4 and a half hours of chatting. Even though DR is in Hong Kong, she is never missing from our conversation. hehe!! Anyway, it was quite a pleasant afternoon.

a test

I read this on Buddy's blog. Then, I saw it on K1's blog. So, is my turn to try this on a ... busily bored monday afternoon in office. And it is just so true..... If I continue to dream and only dream, things will turn out rather... well, not so good. So I guess whatever I want to do, just do it! (that is if I really really know what is it.)

Your Working Style
You have a great deal of warmth, but may not show it until you know a person well. You keep your warm side inside, like a fur-lined coat. When you are care, you care deeply, but are more likely to show your feeling by deeds rather than words. You are very faithful to duties and obligations related to things or people you care about.
You take a very personal approach to life, judging everything by your inner ideals and personal values. You stick to your values with passionate conviction, but can be influenced by someone you care deeply about. Although your inner loyalties and ideals govern your lives, you find these hard to talk about. Your deepest feelings are seldom expressed; your inner tenderness is masked by quiet reserve.
In everyday activities you are tolerant, open-mind, flexible, and adaptable. If one of your inner loyalties is threatened, though, you will not give and inch. You usually enjoy the present moment, and do not like to spoil it by rushing to get thing done. You have little wish to impress or dominate. The people you prize the most are those who take the time to understand your values and the goals you are working toward.
You are interested mainly in the realities brought to you by your senses, both inner and outer. You are apt to enjoy fields where taste, discrimination, and a sense of beauty and proportion are important. You have a special love of nature and a sympathy with animals. You often excel in craftsmanship and the work of your hands is usually more eloquent than words.
You are twice as good when working at a job that you believe in, since your feeling adds energy to your efforts. You see the needs of the moment and try to meet them. You want your work to contribute to something that matters to you-- human understanding, happiness, or health. You want to have a purpose beyond your paycheck, no matter how big the check. You are perfectionists whenever you deeply care about something, and are particularly suited for work that requires both devotion and a large measure of adaptability.
The problem for you is that you may feel such a contrast between your inner ideals and your actual accomplishments that you may burden yourself with a sense of inadequacy. This can be true even when you are being as effective as others. You take for granted anything you do well and are the most modest of all the types, tending to underrate and understate yourself.
It is important for you to find practical ways to express your ideals; otherwise you will keep dreaming of the impossible and accomplish very little. If you find no actions to express your ideal, you can become too sensitive and vulnerable, with dwindling confidence in life and in yourself. Actually, you have much to give and need only to find the spot where you are needed.

Wow... comes with a list of ideal career
artist . beautician . botanist . carpenter . clerical worker . computer operator . counselor . dancer . dental and medical assistant . designer . dietician or nutritionist . factory worker . food service worker . forester . gardener . geologist . marine biologist . mechanic . nurse . occupational therapist . optician . physical therapist . police officer . recreation leader . secretary . teacher . veterinarian

weekend

Saturday...

It was planned to be a quiet saturday, starting with exercising at the gym. However, due to some last minute changes, it wasn't what I had planned things to be. Zoom down to Clementi from town, upon receiving a call to say Aunty Ranaa wanted to visit the Buddhist Lodge personally. Hence, it was a trip there, and with much luck, we earned a simple yet rather satisfying vegetarian meal. I felt a little embarassed having to nudge around the elderly with my plate of vegetarian food. But it was really so crowded and the commotion at the food table was unavoidable. Aunty Ranaa made her way home on a cab, and I was kind of worried. I still hit the gym anyway, and waited for her call. A phone call from her at 2.30pm finally made me felt more at ease.

my brother came back from camp last night. he looked even more tan, and much stronger too! hehe! His dose of funny stories from camp was really a joy to listen to. Dinner was simple, packed wan ton noodles, and i went to bed really early at 11.30pm. I was tired.


Sunday...
It was a quiet sunday like any other sundays. As usual, a feast for my eyes on Japan Hour early sunday morning is a must. Even though going to Japan seems like a rather distant dream, I enjoy the show tremendously. I guess for me that was enough =) After breakfast, I decided to do some work, but realised my laptop was infected with a virus. I spent some time on it, and finally got it quarantined. All seems fine for now. I zoomed down to Vivocity after doing some file backup, but I was still late for my appoinment with the JC gals. My 2nd visit at Vivocity yesterday and I still felt kind of small in that big huge volume. One day, I shall visit it early morning, just to feel the space without so many people everywhere. We shopped around, walked around, and more shopping, window shopping most of the time. After 2 hours, we sat down for a light snack. The japanese dessert was nice, but a little expensive for the portion they served. At the end of the afternoon, we still had not found the gift we were looking for. Well, we bought a card so that was still something achieved.

Somehow, I realised I have become more quiet these few days, even at home. My friends probably felt it too yesterday. But I just enjoy listening more I guess.

I like this snapshot I took yesterday on my way home.