no one sleeps when they are supposed to.

I just said it in FB. I love 2006.

I am actually very pleased the way my life turned out. No one looks back and wonder why I spent the year after I graduated bumming around, working only a third of the year (which is actually ok considering I make 3x more than a usual fresh grad).

To this I will clear my throat and correct them that I managed to

- Quit a job and end a bad relationship
- Snag a SIN-SFO-SIN for 399SGD.
- Spent 12 days (of which 2 were in the clouds) by myself BUT not alone in US of A.
- Meet someone cute (arguable whether it was a good or bad thing)
- Decide to leave the country for a year just like that *snap*
- Travel to Munich, Frankfurt, Roma and then settled in London
- Found a job within a week of arrival
- Had a blast of a London summer
- Made shit loads of money (in my humble opinion) and spent it all away travelling.
- Couchsurfed in Spain
- Had a white Christmas with my aunt's family in Calgary
- Went to Chicago and New York on an extended "en-route" back to London.

If you don't think this is a feat, and you think spending your year working in the miserable paying job which makes you a sinister person who makes awful snorting noise at people who actually live their lives is what you still prefer to do, then

fine by you.

Because for me, my memories are etched forever.

the seemingly mandatory look-back-at-2008 post

not the best fan of monkey see monkey do but i guess there is no harm looking back in time to see how a year looked for hui.

work : moved from huge struggle to small success. secrets to success - pride, people, persistency and passion. glad to finally see the benefits reaped - since june. should be staying on for now.

love : moved from single to married. from houseless to hugely in debt. from ringless to solitaired + bulgaried. what more can i say but yes, i have found the right one (although i am a fifa widow now that he has found his true love in a game)

friends : meeting up less than i like because of the busy schedules mainly, but also because i am a lazy bugger. if i decide to make a ny resolution, this will be part of it. but thank goodness all turned out well - the 2 most important ones are joining me in the married club next year (ok, maybe the year after for the other one)

so what can i say? apart from my recent attempt to reconnect with my inner gym rut self in order to look good by oct 09, i guess i will try to turn up at work on time, get more done in less time to have better work life balance, be healthy, exercise more, eat less, hope that everyone i love remains healthy. that's about it.

yup. oh, and i was lying in bed half dead during the countdown because i was ill. boo!

The impossible dream | sleep

It was cold in SR4.4 School of Economics and Social Science. I decided to pop over to the Kopitam to buy a teh C at 9pm. Of course, I am on caffeine high.

Only 2 words. Sibei cham. 1.37am and I cannot sleep. How to work tomorrow?

But have to try lar. Guess re-reading the mandarin coursework should help. Will try now.

P.S. Dad says the yen keeps going up. Not likely my Canon DSLR price will drop in a years time. How? *ponders over the thought of the many other things i need to buy*

Night.

The November Splurge

Remember my one luxury item a month? I've decided to buy a DSLR for November and learn photography for real. It has been something I have talked about on and off but had done nothing about. Time to get down to it and make it real. If I can go for business mandarin lessons, there is nothing else I cannot do.

I don't know which model, or even which brand, but I'm pretty set on it. So once my other half comes home, I will get him to go along with me, which is like a bit of a happy birthday present to myself as well.

Non obligatory non pressurising tip for those who wants to buy me a present but have no idea what - you can contribute to my DSLR fund. Non monetary contributors can also contribute in suggestions and tips. I don't want to spend a bomb, but don't want to get a piece of crap. What are the must have accessories etc will be good.

Who says people should stop spending in times like this? Just have to take a cautious approach, that's all!

The Laws of Attraction

Excerpts from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A more modern consensus among New Thought thinkers is that the Law of Attraction says people's thoughts (both conscious and unconscious) dictate the reality of their lives, whether or not they're aware of it. Essentially "if you really want something and truly believe it's possible, you'll get it", but putting a lot of attention and thought onto something you don't want means you'll probably get that too.

Many modern proponents say that the Law of Attraction has roots in Quantum Physics, though no reputable scientist or publication ever supported the alleged scientific credentials of this theory. According to proponents of this law, thoughts have an energy that attracts like energy. In order to control this energy, proponents state that people must practice four things:

1. Know what you want.
2. Ask the universe for it.
3. Feel and behave as if the object of your desire is on its way.
4. Be open to receiving it.

Gonna try it?

Things that need to be done vs things I wish will get done by itself

Things that need to be done:

Sort out wedding venue
Decide on wedding date
Find a wedding dress
Sit and wait to be screamed at by my wedding planner
Work very hard to make more money to pay for things and people to solve my problem for me
Lose weight
Spend less time doing redundant things online
Study mandarin

plus lots more.

lalala

no more shopping for a while.

A Splurge A Month.

Working is hard enough. It is important to self reward. Since June 2008, I have implemented a buy a gift for myself once a month, (excluding impulsive and/or inexpensive buys, or necessities). These once a months are things I usually will not buy, and may or may not be expensive. Should it be expensive this month, I will need self motivation to buy something less dear the next (or alternatively, work harder to get more commission to make it up).

So far my buys have been:

June: Bonia red shoes
July: Longchamp bag
Aug: 2 FCUK shirts
Sep: Braun Buffel wallet + my Hokkaido trip loots
Oct: Coach wristlet (although it's not yet time, but I have ordered it from NYC already!)

It's great to look forward to a splurge a month because I believe (at least in my line), the more you spend the more you earn! Ambitions and goals help.

Next up is digital SLR camera for my birthday month, but that I am not sure yet if I am up for learning the new skill. ;)

I survived!

I pulled off my Audrey Hepburn's breakfast at Tiffany look with the dress I intended to wear for ROM but was black, hence rejected by everyone; the pretty gloves I bought in London without any intention and idea of where to use; the cheap costume jewellery which apparently, some of my colleagues thought were part of my si dian jing (4 pieces of gold); and best of all - I pulled off the singing performance! All these days of practicing using my diaphragm were all worth it - it's not the same playing an instrument and singing.

And I am now back from Hokkaido where I had a lot of fun. Now for work to start all over again. Boo!

Annoucement

Even though this may not be big news, I just want to say that I am generally very very happy with my life now. I got a wonderful flat with great happy tenants and a good ROI, a happy family who gets along with the husband, and the best husband in the world. I have passed the trials of the beginnings of each job, the months of anxiety and frustration is now over and I am starting to cruise. My boss has high hopes on me and I am eager to be groomed. I think I found the right job for myself!

Thanks for all my tolerant friends who have stuck by me through the good and the bad. My personality test result may tell me that I am someone who is eager to please and love for everyone to love me, but I think they are slightly wrong there. I am eager to please and love those who I think I want to love and please very very much. The rest will be treated like Newater.

Having said that, kudos to all, and may this smooth sail after so long be with me for a while.