Musical inclinations..

I have spent the whole week listening to Yanni’s Live in Acropolis concert excerpts found on YouTube, and mid-week onwards, on DVD (Thanks Zul!)..

and for the first time,

I have somehow experienced the feeling of quiet joy.

I was never a fan of classical music, relating it to the drab experiences of Music lessons in school.
Music was a subject for me during the O levels and the teacher in charge somewhat nipped what could have been utmost passion, in the bud.

Peaceful.. Felitsa.. One Man’s Dream..
Quick tempo.. Marching Season..
Contemporary with wonderful solos.. World Dance (not within the concert mentioned) and For All Seasons..

I liked every track on this set.

Reminds me of days when I got the chance to listen to orchestras and school bands during the Youth Festivals.

The Mr searches for these pieces and lets me listen to them, letting me learn various genres of music.
An afternoon can be spent on YouTube or Cubase, listening to songs and trying to do our own covers.
And I love every moment of it.

We’ve been doing this for over a year now. Him trying to get the right notes, me giving choice of the right pitches and intonations and then together, we listen to the tracks over and over again, until we’re satisfied with it.

We don’t intend to blow our own horn by saying we’ve recreated masterpieces but for our own self satisfaction, we compile and we do our own original pieces. Singing’s a little hard to do though, I’m too shy to sing and he more often than note hits a wrong note.

But we’re happy.

And today, he covered Yanni’s Keys to Imagination just for me, after dragging out his late grandfather’s violin from the storeroom.

But underneath all that missed notes, pitches and tempo,
the most important thing to us,
is spending time together while doing something which we can really relate with.

We may not have professional certificates, but we try and we learn,
and we make ourselves happy.

We don’t have to pretend we like it,
and we don’t have to tolerate it just for the sake of each other.

Hmmm, my post today seems quite messy.

Oh well.

So many things..

Over the great SG shutdown CNY weekend,

I spent much needed time with my loves.

Friends..

The Mr..

And food..

Ya lah food, then? Tengok muka orang tak payah makan is it?

I’ve been spending quite a few afternoons at the nearest Starbucks with my “younger sister” Ash..

Who, at the nice, ripe age of 20 (this year) is still trying to come to terms that the local workforce is not in favour of students on a 10-week break and who can’t speak Mandarin to save their lives..

Keep trying darling. I’m sure you’ll be able to get more funds for our afternoon coffees.

I, on the other hand, can’t resist downing the Mango Cheesecake Starbucks now offers, apart from the Chocolate Amer.

At the rate I’m going, I hope my wedding outfits will still sit nicely on my shoulders and not on my tummy.

Oh, all that whipped cream. I am still in love with the White Chocolate drinks they have.

I know, I know.
Boycott Starbucks they say, because of those claims that tell us to boycott everything hailing from Israel or anything remotely Jewish.

Most of the inventors or great leaders are Jewish or come from Israel or have got affiliations there.
Hell, I know I posted up something earlier with reference to the Gaza crisis.

But what’s $13 on my part for a coffee and a slice of cake?
Israel pun, aku haus jugak kan.

If we really wanna get petty on it,
then boycott everything la. Medicine, designer clothes, technology. All Jewish-affiliated what.

Oh, and finally I read some time back that Saudi Arabia has given aid to Palestine.
So yes, they’re not that bad after all.
Ni sheikhs semer slow-motion, bukan apa.

Anyway,

I also managed to get my NWA buddies out for lunch at Siam Kitchen @ Bugis Junction.

Daljit (my love!), Amalina & Yati.

Amalina, the baby of the group still cannot stop talking.
She apparently permed her hair for $40 in Vietnam and can’t stop sharing about her “massage” experience where apparently the “masseuses” asked if she wanted to be massaged “down there”.

The way she talks, you know she’s still…

Never mind.

Yes, my NWA girls. Daljit and Yati.
Daljit: “Eh dowan take picture la. Shyyyy…!!”
Yati: “Is my hair okay?”

Sigh.

I think the experience at Siam Kitchen was generally sucky.

Service was slow and the food, cold and rather tasteless.

Amalina had the Pad Thai, which I think is merely Thai bee hoon goreng.

Daljit had the Green Chicken with Basil.
Macam ayam goreng dgn telur ajer.. Hehehe..

I had the Mango Fish.
Fish coated with batter, fried, and uh, mango on top.

I forgot to ask Yati what she had. I was too hungry.

The Mango Dessert came with hot sticky glutinous rice and coconut cream. The combination gave me a major headache.

I had to sit beside Miss Excited-About-Everything.

I feel so old. Ugh.

It was lovely meeting the girls.
Daljit, we’ll have our very own lunch date one of these days alright!

Before I move on to the topic of the Mr,

here’s someone I haven’t mentioned for a few months now.

Putri Natrisya Insyirah!

All of 8 months old now, and TEETHING.

She drools all over my shoulder and gnaws at my finger.
Gigi baru 4, macam jagung.

She’s happily running all over the house in a walker, that my MIL has resorted to tying her walker to the sofa so she can’t go near the TV cabinet and grab hold of anything.

I wonder why her hair isn’t growing out yet. It’s been 7 months since we had that cukur rambut ceremony for her.

Okay, now the topic of the Mr.

We’ve been spending lots of time together, especially since he was asked to clear some leave from work.

We headed down to Fyewerkz Studio so he could catch up with some of his friends..

Tangkap lagu dengan Fender Strat nampak?

He’s been really attentive to me nowadays.

Even bringing me to Beach Rd on the eve of CNY just so I could have my dose of mee goreng mamak.

Something’s fishy. Hmmmm..~

9 more months to go..

Before I sign away my youth & body!

LOL.

Next up: Our marriage preparation course in February. All of 14 hours. I wonder how my rear will take it. I’m not one to sit quietly for hours on end. Look what happened to my college education.

~

Just have to share this excerpt from a conversation I had with Immelia earlier on..

About a certain friend’s husband, who we never had the chance to ask his name, but whom we aptly nicknamed “Mr Beefcake” because of his huge biceps.

Apparently he toned down in the recent pictures we saw.

Immelia Izalena says:
thats mr beefcake?
RaeLynn says:
ya
RaeLynn says:
no more beef i think
RaeLynn says:
lol
Immelia Izalena says:
YA
Immelia Izalena says:
looks like
Immelia Izalena says:
the cake
Immelia Izalena says:
only
RaeLynn says:
LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Just before I blog about my weekend..

Here’s something else I have on my mind before I next blog, including my barrage of photos..

..

I feel like I’m the last person someone should come to, when they’re plagued with problems. Financial setbacks, heartaches, sibling rivalry..etc.

I’m no good at dispensing advice. I take things too light-heartedly and I feel like I’m probably blessed with the ability to be detached from most things, giving me the drive to be able to complete my further studies, work for my family and settle down at the age of 24 (Insya’Allah) with someone whom I feel is right for me.

With that, some of my friends probably think I’m the person to dispense advice, since I seem to have it easy. Hell, I’m online most of the time at work, merely a click away. But my dear friends, sometimes I feel like I’m just another one of the LITTLE PEOPLE. I can impart my views on matters, I can sell for what it’s worth. But you can’t live life according to my values. We’re all different, we’re individuals. What works for me can’t possibly work for you tit for tat.

I’m no morale booster just because I look and sound like Miss Know-It-All. I’m with you as a friend because I love your company. Please do not sell yourselves short, my dears, just because of a setback or two. Forcing situations to make it work will only backfire on you in the long run; it only brings about the feeling of loss, the feeling of being short-changed.

There are things which can be pursued relentlessly, but more often than not, we need to let go. Letting go builds our mental resistance, and like the saying, what does not kill you, will make you stronger. You only die; wither inside, if you let it happen.

There is so much to life, there is always tomorrow (well okay, unless you drop dead, and when it comes to that, you don’t have to worry no more) so why worry too much about what you’re lacking in? We are told to accept other people, their flaws and all. Well accept the fact that we too have flaws that we are unaware of. We’re not perfect. Instead, work on the things you are aware of. Work on your strengths.

Be that man or woman you admire. Why let it happen to other people? Let it happen to you too.

So anyway, I hope my darlings, whoever they might be, will just remember to love themselves first.
Please.
If we all had it perfect, we’d be married at 16. All of us. Own a private home or a swanky car. Stuff like that. Be happy with what you have, not what others have.

That said, my MSN is still open for chat.

Happy CNY..

It’s the weekend of the Chinese New Year, y’all. And this time, it’s the year of the Ox.

Yeah, MY year. 12 year cycles, and it will be my 24th birthday this year.
According to the Chinese calendar, being born in 1985, makes me a Wooden Ox I think. Something about the element of Water, Wood, Metal and Fire, if I’m not mistaken.

That, and being an Aries. Hmmm, a difficult person? Or just a believer in oneself?

We shall return after the weekend.
With plenty of pictures.
Okay, just about 20. I think.

Happy stuffing yourselves with oranges, y’all.

And for those of you who suddenly realize you need to get groceries or stuff for culinary emergencies over the weekend,

BEST OF LUCK.

Ugh.

If there’s anything I can’t stand..

it would be

HEARING
READING
SPEAKING

extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely

..

BAD ENGLISH.

I know I may not have been exactly a scholar’s dream of a linguist,

but I just wish some people would treat the English Language with dignity.

That,

and my darling girlfriend just passed her driving test yesterday and called me ecstatically afterward.

I am so happy for you my darling Immelia.

I just don’t want to sit in the front seat just yet.

Good morning world..

Here’s my way of saying Good Morning to everyone..

Double Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows, courtesy of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Oh yessssssssss, come to Mama..

Prepare prepare..

Another 9 months to the wedding..

And I finally managed to get to sit down and finalise bookings for catering and other bridal stuffs.

I’ve got to sit down and compile my list of invitees already. We don’t want to end up having too few cards for the guests, do we?

I’m contemplating on getting matching material for my best girls, but out of the 4 I have in mind, there’s probably 1 who has forgotten who I am to her.
Well, if she doesn’t want to turn up for my wedding, or if it’s not THAT important to her, I’ll be sure to know where I stand when it comes to our friendship. After all, one does not shelve a ten-year friendship just like that.

Should I even put her on my best girls list? I don’t know. Then what if she turns up and finds that she’s the odd one out? Hmmmm..

I finally settled on Sue Crea’xion as my bridal choice. I went to the Pameran Pengantin with my parents yesterday at the Singapore Expo and I felt that the package they offered was pretty good.

So I’ve gotten my bridal dresses/makeup, catering and photographer down pat. Now I just need to figure out if I’m going to design my own invitation cards or order them, as well as get the exchange gifts with Hasni.

9 more months. That’s gonna be real fast.

Figure I could also save up for a honeymoon in Boracay or Cebu? I hope so.
Or maybe we’ll end up in Rawa Island.

I have this overwhelming urge to reproduce already.
LOL. I’m just kidding.
My mother says that over-hopeful ladies don’t quite get what they want, a.s.a.p.
So I don’t wanna jinx it.

Oh oh oh, and I so want to get one of those cakes from Sugarly Nice.

But Mr Hasni says..

“$750 for a three-tiered cake? Will it last 20 years? Because I sure as hell don’t feel like eating $750!”

Mr Scrooge.

Come into my world..

Nothing like Kylie Minogue to start the day ey?

I’m feeling ultra listless though.

Just one of those days where you don’t want to check your email..
Don’t wanna switch on the TV and get the daily dose of news..
Not up to having breakfast or lunch..

Well, pretty much just about anything actually,
BUT MUST LOG ON FACEBOOK LA.

I think I’m getting addicted to FaceBook.
This, despite me reluctantly setting up an account after Immelia and Sobban pujok-ing me last year.

The news nowadays is a depressing lot.

Is the Gaza war over now?
I last switched on to Channel NewsAsia two days ago.
In fact while I was in Selangor/KL, I was sickened by the non-stop images of the suffering and the dead on Palestinian soil.

To achieve peace, you must have war?

I can’t remember which idiot said that.

And from what I’ve heard, (please correct me if I’m wrong on this, this is merely based on hearsay.. okay, from my mother, how dependable can that be?) that Saudi Arabia actually blames Palestinians for the Gaza crisis. And that the Iranian President’s appeal to S.A to stop oil supply to the US in view of the US’s support of Israel.

IF this is true,
SHAME ON SAUDI ARABIA.

Instead of helping to ease the tension, they are pointing fingers now?? Why? Is it because they are too afraid to rile the US, causing the US dollar to drop, hence affecting the global economy?
No one’s asking the S.A to make it a permanent move. After all, S.A is the biggest supplier of oil in the goddamn world!

Just like a spoilt kid, sometime’s you have to take his/her toys away for him/her to stop their tantrum, before you can knock some sense into them.

But hell, they rather join in with the finger-pointing.
And as for the US, shouldn’t they mind their own business?

Why do they always have to voice out about something?
Mind your own country man!
When is Barack Obama gonna take over already?
I wish he’d do something about it after his inauguration. As it is, even North Korea is waiting for him to take over before they resume talks on anything.

As for now, his choice of a First Pet is not really comforting you know.

And despite all this useless banter, people are dying, kids turning into orphans, killed in the very schools and homes which are supposed to be the safest places in their short lives so far.

Is this the kind of world I want to bring my kids up in?

Where people turn void of emotion.
Hell, it’s the ‘in’ thing now to video a dying person and post it on YouTube rather than use the same mobile phone to call for help.

See what I mean by not wanting to switch on the TV and watch the news?

It’s MEGA depressing.

The other office.

Spent last week at the Petaling Jaya, Selangor office.

One of the perks of working with the current company is that, I’m pretty much relaxed, able to do my own thang.

And when summoned to the HQ, my trip’s all paid for.

One can’t be too picky. After all, some time away, is better than none right?

This is my Malaysian counterpart, Zarina. I liaise with her 90% of the time.

When I first met her, after talking to her on the phone lots of times, I was surprised to see that she did not fit the mental image I had of her in any way.
She’s as short as me, much thinner.. but a loud voice to boot.

Oh, and she’s married.
To a senior sales exec with Shell.

I figure that means she’s not working for the money.

This is the view from the apartment that the firm lets out to its staff.

The Menara Megah condominium (oh, it’s not as grand as it sounds) at Jln Ipoh is a three-bedroom flat and the firm owns 8 apartments in the same building.

I sleep in the living room because it’s too huge for me and it gives me the creeps.

My senior who drove me over to drop me off, was pretty irked off when he found out that the previous tenant, one of our staff, scooted off with the bedsheets, the tv cable box and pretty much wrecked the water heater.

So the next day, I had to put up at the three-star Crystal Crown Hotel which was only two streets away from the office.

The room service is fantastic.

Super prompt replies which is a plus point for me, because I seldom leave to eat once I’ve checked in.
I’m super lazy, and besides, when there for work, I don’t see the difference with claiming a restaurant bill and a hotel bill.

The Curry Laksa was superb.
I never had anything like that before.

I did ask for the noodles to be changed to Kway Teow instead though.
I love the flat noodles.
Oh, and there was a generous amount of Lady’s Fingers. I loveeeeeeeeee sungguh-sungguh!

That’s Apple Pie A La Mode.

The Apple Pie was a little dry for me.
But the vanilla ice cream, with cherries, jelly and walnuts was a perfect combination for me.

How I love staying in hotels. I don’t have to clean up afterward.

Pancakes for breakfast, accompanied with chicken sausages, hash browns and slices of watermelon.

The pancakes tasted suspiciously like roti naan.
A little too “elastic” for my liking. I left them alone.

Oh well, at least I didn’t starve.

Anyway, back to Singapore this week.
Back to work.

Right after I finish stoning.

*yawn*

Service? Pffft.

I’ve had it up to here with people who pretend to listen.

Scenario 1: Went to KFC, ordered meals for everyone in my family, after a bloody day at work; trying to maintain balance with files, my handbag and the bags of food.

Reached home, and voila, missing food. Paid for in full, but a Zinger is missing. And of all damn things, it has to be MY Zinger. Everyone else in the family has something to eat, but no, MY Zinger goes missing.

FUKC.

Scenario 2: Went to Rasa-Rasa Seafood, that damn place near Woodlands Checkpoint. I fucking hate this place, but because Hasni likes the food, we end up coming here most of the time.

I HOPE YOU IDIOTS OVER THERE READ THIS POST.

You want issues? I’ll give you issues.

1. Your “waitresses” should stop taking orders from only men. What? Wanna score a Singaporean man so you can stop working at some seafood place, is that it? And when a lady is ordering, the eye contact should be the lady, yes? STOP LOOKING AT OUR MEN!

2. When I order something, I expect to get it. Not wait for half an hour, and have you look back at me with a blank face. People come here to eat, idiot. Not just play time with you when they’re ordering.

3. When food comes, it should be HOT. As in, freshly cooked, warmed up, whatever. You don’t serve half a chicken, sliced, just because it’s a family order, and tell me, “Oh, you should have said earlier you want it warmed up.” The chicken was bloody COLD! Like, out of the fridge cold, alright? So don’t tell me, I need to tell you I want to have it warmed up!

4. When I ask for the menu, it means I want to order. Don’t give me the menu and go missing. I have no time to seek you out. And I swear to God, I am not a person with patience; I am resisting the utmost effort to swing the menu in your face.

Is this some national conspiracy to make people eat out less in order to beat the recession?

If it is, then it’s working. Fukcing idiots.

..

I haven’t complained in a long time, so yes, boy are you guys in luck that lao pa niang (lady boss) is on fire today.