Introducing a handsome young man

Abut 3 weeks ago, a good friend Astrid gave birth to her baby son, Noah...

AWWWWWWW so adorable....




Everyone, meet Noah. A very handsome, promising young man.
( he is smiling at 3 weeks old ! how can he not charm his way into your heart ? )
Oh dear..is he going to be a heart-breaker when he grows up ?

Keeping the Dream Alive

if there is one song in the world that can make me cry, it is this one.

From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Say Anything
Performed by Freiheit with the London Symphony Orchestra, 1986
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Tonight the rain is falling
Full of memories of people and places
And while the past is calling
In my fantasy I remember their faces

The hopes we had were much too high
Way out of reach but we had to try
The game will never be over
Because we're keeping the dream alive

I hear myself recalling
Things you said to me
The night it all started
And still the rain is falling
Makes me feel the way
I felt when we parted

The hopes we had were much too high
Way out of reach but we have to try
No need to hide no need to run
'Cause all the answers come one by one
The game will never be over
Because we're keeping the dream alive

I need you
I love you

The game will never be over
Because we're keeping the dream alive

The hopes we had were much too high
Way out of reach but we had to try
No need to hide no need to run
'Cause all the answers come one by one

The hopes we had were much too high
Way out of reach but we had to try
No need to hide no need to run
'Cause all the answers come one by one

The game will never be over
Because we're keeping the dream alive

The game will never be over
Because we're keeping the dream alive

The game will never be over

CD sorting

I sorted out all my CDs and I counted them, put them in the right pockets, arranged them by date, ran through 5 years of old videos, pictures, university notes. I have 633 Cds, enough music for a lifetime and enough memories to keep me going forward.

Isn't digital age suppose to help you reduce clutter and space ? I am not sure how 600 odd Cds is a reduction of space...

Miles

Distance between Singapore and

Germany : 6281 Miles
Turkey : 5025 Miles
Victoria, Canada : 8000 Miles
U.K : 6851 Miles
Brazil : 10855 Miles
United States: 9057 Miles

You know the song, 5000 miles ? ya... I will walk 5000 miles for a best friend hug and to spend a day with my best friend, who hopefully is going to be back in asia soon.

And Victoria is unfortunately so far away.

pictures cure me

when my whole world is topsy-turvy, the skies are gloomy, the air smells bad, when EVERYTHING sucks and I just want to jump on my bed, curse and swear, shoot someone with 10000000000000 paintballs at the exact same spot ! (i know that i cannot do it in real life ) I just blog with many many pictures. These pictures actually tell a story that i dont want to explain because I will get upset and shoot 10000000000000 painball so enjoy !



Photograph by Jimmy Chin
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Photograph by Cydney Conger
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A Singing Weekend.

I spend a good portion of my weekend singing away with my friends. Two groups of friends, two very different groups with very different songs.

Friday Night, Lucky me, I had XF, TW, JL and DL ( 4 guys with very powerful wonderful singing deep voices ! Lucky me ! ) singing with me, even a ride home. Thanks XF ! I enjoyed every minute of singing, everyone was singing close to perfection and I was so dazzled and swept away by guys who can sing and sing well.
Particularly, 千里之外 by 周杰伦 and 费玉清 ... 费玉清's voice was sparkling clear as compared to 周杰伦 !

Saturday Night, what was suppose to be a mahjong night turned out to be a singing session again. This time with the girls. It was good to sing old songs from the 90s, laugh at the silly MTV and silly dance movements !

One of my heros.

I heard about her death when I came home from work and tuned into Channel News Asia. She was one of my heros. I remember the first time I read about her, I was 15. I was deeply inspired and was amazed at how strong a person she is. I seen countless interviews and read her speaches.

What struck me most is her determination to survive in the toughest times, how she stood out from the rest and her dedication.

I shed a tear inside, and I know we lost someone great.

Article from Channel News Asia

96-year-old war heroine Elizabeth Choy dies from cancer
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 September 2006 1838 hrs

SINGAPORE: She was known as a war heroine, a humanitarian, a politician and a teacher.

96-year-old legend Elizabeth Choy died on Thursday, after a battle with cancer.
Family members said she died at 2pm at home, surrounded by her loved ones.
The wake will be held at the St Andrew's Cathedral.

Elizabeth Choy was born Yong Su-Moi in Sabah in 1910, but moved to Singapore in 1929 to further her studies. Responsibility came early to this eldest of 6 children when her mother passed away early. Of Hakka descent, she became a teacher to support her siblings - a vocation she returned to later in life.

In 1941, Elizabeth Choy got married, but life would soon turn hellish.
Both she and her husband were captured by the dreaded Japanese Kempeitai when Singapore fell. Accused of passing food, medicine and messages to British prisoners-of-war, she was locked up and tortured for 193 days.

In a recent documentary, she recalled these times to her grand-daughter, Andrea.
"My most agonising torture was - besides all the kicking and punching - nothing compared to the electric shocks - they applied electricity to my bare body," said Elizabeth.

After the war, the War Tribunal asked the war heroine if she wanted her torturers executed.

Her answer was no.
"If not for war, they would be just like me. They would be at home with their family, doing just ordinary things and peaceful work. Let us pray that there will be no more war," said Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Choy went on to be awarded a number of medals for valour and service to the nation, including the Order of the British Empire. There were fun times as well, such as the little-known fact that she turned to modelling to supplement her income during a 4-year stint in the United Kingdom after the war.

After returning to Singapore, this war heroine then turned to politics - making history by becoming Singapore's first female legislator. She then stood for elections in the Queenstown branch but lost.

Elizabeth Choy then left politics to go back to her first love - teaching.
She spent 40 years doing this. Asked some years ago which part of her remarkable life she wanted to be remembered for, there was no hesitation.

"Teaching is a noble profession. You have young people and you help to mould them so teaching is very important," said Elizabeth.
In the end - perhaps that is indeed Elizabeth Choy's lasting legacy.
She taught a nation what it is to live a life less ordinary. - CNA /dt

Tagged...

Tagged by...Alma in Edmonton, Canada ( i think ! )

I am thinking about...
how I can finish all my work in one night, my beloved AIESEC Victoria and family and friends scattered around the world and when I can finally go get my manicure.

I said...
very little to my parents in the last year I was home.

I want to...
go back to Victoria

I wish...
Jenny will get transfered to Singapore office.

I miss...
-my two favourite restaurants- Japanese Village Restaurant and Pho Hoa Vietnamese Noodles in Victoria, BC, Canada
-Odgen Point in Victoria, BC, Canada
-being a student

I hear...
The TV, MSN windows, Microsoft Outlook Email Chimes, the air-conditioner and my neighbour's dog.

I wonder...
If I am not named Celine, what would my name be ?

I regret...
taking the banana milk shake... doesnt taste too good.

I am...
a geek wannabe and I am proud of it.

I dance...
All the AIESEC dances because when I dance, I know I belong to a youthful, dynamic and kick-ass organization.

I sing...
when I can, as much as I can, when I am happy or sad.

I cry...
softly inside and when I am alone because I have a tough exterior.

I am not always...
crazy

I write...
when I am inspired.

I confuse...
a lot of people about who I really am.

I need...
sleep

I should try...
to save more money

I finish...
This at 11:18pm on Tuesday night - September 12th, 2006.

I tag....
Emil ( coz he doesn't update his blog )
Janine ( coz she will update her blog )
Iskandar ( coz he will do a good job )
Jenny ( coz she needs a good reason to update her blog )
Sai ( coz she can start to have a blog )
Celeste ( coz I can't find her blog anymore )
Joan ( coz I have not heard from her for a long time )
Craig ( coz I would like to know what he is thinking and doing )
Winnie ( coz she is lazy to log in and blog )
Wai ( coz he surprised me with his message ! )

On a quest

I took the trainto work this morning and I saw a young mum with her son, he must be 3 or 4 years old. In the crowded train, I could see that he felt constrainted to his 2 inch of space, that little active kid was despearte to jump around, move around.

It didnt take long for him to get grumpy, impatient and very soon, he was crying. And what I saw next made me smile, laugh and think very hard.

Just as he is about to make a big fuzz, his mother reached into her bag and pulled out a small baby pillow. Instantly, he stopped, he hugged the pillow and even magnaged to smile. A small baby pillow that has probably accompanied him for most of his life managed to calm him down, it was his vade mecum.

Then I thought of what my vade mecum is, now.. I am on a quest to find one. ( its not going to be a pillow, that i know for sure, I think I will start in the bookstore )

My Horoscope for today..

Daily Horoscope for Aries (March 21 - April 19)

Reach into your imagination and pull up the treasures from the hidden depths. Even if what you get isn't pretty, make sure you own it, for it is part of you. There is psychological work for you to do as you integrate something that isn't yet conscious. Even if you don't say anything out loud, accept your inner contradictions.
Thursday, September 7, 2006


Strangely, its true....

I am ashamed

I am feeling quite ashamed of myself and I feel bad about something I did not do.

On most days, when I take the train or the bus, I always make sure I am the first to give up my seat to someone who needs its more than I do or in extreme situations, I will ask a teenager to give his seat up. Usually its a courtesy act, I pay no attention to it and it makes me feel good inside.

BUT

Today, I was talking on the phone while walking down the steps of the train station. I had one hand on my bag, the other hand on my phone. I saw a blind man, i know he has intentions of walking down the steps but he was hesistant. I paused for a moment and decided between my friend on the phone and helping him. Just as I was thinking, a young man came along and helped him down the steps.

After watching the young man, I felt really bad because I really should not have to think about helping a blind man down the stairs . I really should have hung up immediately. I felt sick in the stomach and disappointed at myself. What was I thinking ? And because of it, I am so ashamed.

I hate this sick in the stomach feeling. SIGH !