anniversary 1.5

im sleepy....

im supposed to be working on the orientation program presentation but argh..


im surfing and daydreaming

cos Dan & I are dating tonight.. its a 1.5 yrs anniversary. Yeah.



Classy date tonight at nice restaurant

2 weeks ago surfed and read xiaxue's blog, clicked on the link to Indulgz... CANNOT RESIST the good looking food. Sent the link over to Dan ... 100% effective



who could resist? Not Dan.



U can go and view the restaurant's site from her blog... i lazy to check ... indulgz.com or something. Bet when you browse it, you will wanna go too





*yawn*



Dun judge me cos i have not been eating expensive food. the most expensive is fishnCo like once in 2 months...













Present:






HIS

samsung i780. nicest phone for browsing. we signed a mobile internet plan for this. now can msn at work and reply to emails in restaurant... like some career minded couples

actually im v mean. i wanted this. but i wanted to pass it off as a present for him. so i ask him to choose, den i scolded him for not choosing this cos he took v v v v v long to decide...

hoi but he loved it k. he said its liberation when he tried the msn. its windows mobile 6 so its like a computer in ur hands

now can msn during meetings. meetings when lauban goes on and on and on....

Her

He got me the black one...

which is nice. good thing its a surprise cos if i were at the shop looking at all the possible colour, id be thrice torn between black or white or pink

Dan is all for black. so yup... thats what i got. v nice... its a digital media player. 4 gb!! he say that way i can put all the 5 teresa teng cds in... (ripped from my dad.. but i love teresa teng)...

yeahh... DATE LATER... luv dates. not those after work dinners where we eat when we are exhausted...

now that i've got a 10.1 cybershot.. i will take pictures... later!

CPS

back to work, i had a call from a His Excellency, High Commisioner

then a few of the older staff told me i lost a lot of weight... i think its partly psychological, either that or i really was a fat ass

and then I was pulled to take these pictures for today's coporate seminar. Im one of those who were being special mentioned (or some said, over-mentioned) by director, for service excellence and the award ceremony for last year

den i was told i look too pale and worn-out....

Hui meh???

But i still think the pics look ok...

this is our workplace

the pretty ones who are also good people... haha

den la-ma and I decided to look dumb

~ end~

love

when i ran to Dan.. this is what he told me

" but pls never, ever think that just because your mum neglected you, or you were an average performer in school, that you can never break out of this or are not meant for good things. You are. Everyone has the right to dream and hope, and to set their goals however high they want and work to reachfor it. Maybe not in their current job or situation, but rather somewhereelse. Of course it can also be in their current job and situation. But either path has good and bad, and we have to take both. But what we do havei s a choice.

like you said. A successful (how do pple define success), high paying performer with bad health, no social life and potential mental problems(you know) who is constanly unhappy in life because he/she feels a void,versus a normal, average worker with moderate pay but with a healthy life after work and maybe a happy family environment too. Ultimately, everyone has to make this choice. In my earlier years here, i always questioned myself why do we have to work so hard. Yet other pple in other jobs seem tobe doing just fine and also have time to rest and play after work. I guess,it is attainable, as long as we are prepared for a pay cut. We can go for alower paying job like a clerk or secretary, and then can go home and relax everyday

its what you want out of life i guess. the choice is ours. we can stay and piah, or we can stay but just do a moderate level and go home otd, or we can leave and piah in something we believe in, or we can leave and just take a comfy job and go home or socialize everyday. options options :)

but don't ever think that we are not entitled to dream and hope. That is our God given and blessed right :)


I love this guy..
He is always there, with the right words...

Photo.. mc mania

On the brighter side of taking MC





I get to upload the trial photos taken my our 10.1 Cybershot camera.. *hiak*





Tried and tested at Swensens on the saturday that we did NOT go for the southern ridges walk





Dan had a Mega Burger.. its as good as it looks

My curry rice.. was not so good.. i barely ate half

----------------

Latest updates on my designer items quest

Dan gave me the PRADA PHONE...

And those who've heard me speak of my dream to go out shopping with my daughter in future.. since I have my papillion and she (if im lucky enough to have one) will carry the "baby" papillion...

now who wouldnt want to be my baby daughter!

and those who have heard me gush over Angelina Jolie and how hot she is

GAWD! dont great minds & beautiful people think alike... (roars)

sick at home

Its been a good half to one year since Ive been off on MC
Maybe i am depressed, i dunno..

Throat got infected on sunday, turned bad on monday morning, so went to the 24hr clinic. Paid like $57 bucks for fast treatment. Doc gave me 2 days of mc, so heck it. I took it.. even though work is piling crazy on my desk

Yesterday was bad, today im all better so im starting to feel bored waiting for Dan to come home. He disallowed me to go to work too, cos of my tendency to get "abused".. no one leaves me alone over there

Maybe my bosses will interprete this as my breaking point.. but you know what, i really dont care.

Maybe its seeing that pigu and laoshu are going to HK next week together, and i cannot join them because of my stupid frozen leave status, due to a systems project that is equally frozen

Maybe its guilt... guilt that all the energy I have left everyday is used to bathe and watch an episode of Friends (for sanity).. its been long since i can spend quality time with Dan. I guess its just made up for by the fact that we work and stay together.. but otherwise.. sigh. we almost dont work together too.. being in different teams and being in different projects. As my leave is frozen, we have to push back our travel plans too

Maybe its my family.. yeah left with just weekends for them. Drifting apart from brother too..

Maybe its friends.. I know some of them are really facing challenges now,but i can no longer be with them as before

So as i was telling Dan the other day, i wish to be so much better as a daughter, sister, friend, gf...

Why cant I?

Because they couldnt emphasize more, at work, that I am the "rising star" being developed. I have to take the harsh conditions together with the big bonus. So they are willing to decrease my public liaison duties to get me involved in high level political work. So I must work on a public holiday, I must come up with value added political stuff even though there are days I dont have any

So a shot at your career
VS
A normal life

I have not decided. this depressing issue had made me cry a few times. i really think im losing myself in this whole thing

Is this supposed to be?
That we can no longer be the person that we were when a job and realities of life sets in?

Or should I give everything up, just so i can go back to being myself?

my happy self? the giving self?


(*yah... 2 days off work and i dwell on such issues... anyone has answers, please)

" I want you to know that we are very hip, happening people. Now if you'll excuse me, im going to go back to reading obituaries:

Ha.. here is making up for 2 lost weeks

Last week was Dad's bday

Like every bday baby, he wears a bib

hahah crabs at Jumbo Restaurant!

-----------------------------

before that, we fooled around at promotees lunch

and analysed who has the highest nose

here is laoshu's.. most natural

I was trying very hard... anyway here, i curled my hair again.. hhaha

pigu tried.. but....

Pigu tickled me... how not to. just look at her... she is adorable

It was as if she saw herself in the papers , doing something stupid...

HAAH

My Bosses

- screened-

not for the weak

hahah

I dunno why but this photograph cracked me up

except for her anorexically ugly arms, VB looks fine

her hermes bag looks great with the marc jacobs dress

but her son...

hahah

that suit,

that expression.

Makes my day....

- Parents bday-

Mar+ Apr is a shac month for me and dan

Mar 28 - My Mum's bday
Dan n I got her a necklace with pearls and diamonds... from SK
My mother's response was "aiya I have a lot of jewellery already"
oh man nothing can please her!

Mar 18 - His Mum's bday
Dan n I got her a coach mini handcarry. it is so adorable.. all the Cs and white.
She loved it, i can tell. She was smiling and saying these "hey so pretty...AIYAH STOP WASTING MONEY... hey very cute very cute.. AIYOH DONT BUY LIAO I HAVE SO MANY BAGS... thank you thank you!"

Coming 25th is both our DADs bday...

My Dad: got him a china phone. he always like to try them for fun cos of the lower costs. I got him the china's version of iphone to play around with. we'll see his response


His Dad: buying him creative Xmod. that enhancer for sounds in pcs, home theather... yeah his dad is into such things... we'll also see his response.

My guess: Men are usually "expressionless" to gifts
hahaha

_Yearning_

I wanna go on a tour.....

To Sydney... Germany, Japan...

Wherever...

But my leave is frozen due to system testing... possibly up to august....
Dnd... up to Nov.

Tell me how am i supposed to take a break....

Wringed

you can give yourself another pat on the back for maintaining your good writing. Master can see your maturity shining through. A good sign indeed

Leadership

- screened-

contents too awful. perhaps it was you ;)

*WHOA!*

i had insomnia last night
But today.. im so so so thankful
So thankful for GOD's favor

Morning I came in, after being awake from 2 -5am...
I know we are getting our performance bonus and increment letters today...
but heck, i was so tired
and i saw this email by our DD

Dear Esther,
I am pleased to inform you that your Performance Bonus (PB), Growth Bonus
(GB) and Merit Increment (MI) awards are above the norm.As PB is considered based on individual performance and relative ranking,the awards would differ each year.You have done well. Keep up the good work.
Best regards,


I was like WHOA.. above the norm leh, Not bad sia. But predicting like at the most few hundred dollars above others
Den my boss emailed to say there were only 7 senior officers in our department who got this above norm thingy...
Well its stilll a long way before promotion for me...but this is like the next best thing.

2 officers, about 6 yrs into the job, got promoted this time... hahah means I keep this up and still have 4 yrs to go?

ok la
i was still expecting a max 4K bonus onli... until at the end of the day
DD hands me my letter


I GOT CLOSE TO $9K BONUS!!!!!!!
WAH LAO!!!!

and my salary hit a Landmark figure
meaning to say in <2 years, my salary had jumped $1K

i knew my performance was not bad for last year because of the award winning event, but i thought it will be dismissed as rubbish or something....
Anyway me and my sisters exchange letters all the time. I know i really got a crazy lot more than they did. talking thousands of dollars difference
I kind of feel bad, but i know they are sincerely happy for me, cos they know my circumstances and how hard i work

But most most most importantly
Thank you Lord for all these, the favor, the opportunities, the environment
i know im bad, sometimes i curse this job, or i whine
but Thank You Lord.


--------------------------------------

either something interesting to share. I actually have some value in the market.
Some ang moh guy liasing vehicle stuff with me ends up to be someone who owns a London broking firm in singapore

He was so impressed with me, he sent me a compliment, and he offered me a JOB
I told him im no bank and finance qualified person, he said its not about qualifications. He is impressed with my attitude

Haha

I know i wont take it. But I had to be polite so i told him id think about it
$$$$ is so not my thing
i kind of agreed with Laoban that Im doomed to be in law administration for life.
hahahah

of course i agree with him
one of those days.. i love my job
im going to buy everyone i love a little gift!!!

Easter Sunday

~ Celebrating resurrection of our Saviour today ~


~ Victory~




-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I think those who know me, should know that im very into those designer items lately.


Or what my sis calls "Brand conscious"


Ok la i admit that I have not been frugal. My count of possessions include 2 burberry bags, 1 LV bag, 1 burberry wallet, and just last week Dan got me this LV vernis ludlow...





cos he knows how much i like it... it is so pretty i tell u


(I think he feels bad cos i buy him phones to play with)





Yep but its a road of no return.. u crave and crave after your first item. So i actually did some planning in Jan that I will be getting a weekend Gucci tote. the kind that would look so gorgeous when im wearing 3/4 pants. the kind that you can stuff lots of things in. Den i will try to justify the purchase by saying it can last long and be a diaper bag when i have a kid


oh wait i think i have a picture of it..

so rugged with attitude...

I did my research in the boutique, lady say it costs a $850. I was like ok what... and Dan said it look nicer than other $1K over bags.

Check out my stupid attitude la. $800+ bag i say ok what.

But nvm... im not buying this anymore after this session of drooling. You'd find out why

You know why i planned splurging, cos come tuesday we will be getting our letter telling us how much we are gettng for our:

Performance bonus

+

Growth Bonus

+

Merit Increment ( i hope this brings my salary to the next landmark figure... pls...)

Im expecting a good figure for all 3 items because of what DD told me when i asked him about my grading last year, during appraisal. He was like.. u did well, u will know when you see your bonus (shy laugh)

Got my hopes all up

But im still for conservative estimate. Based on HR minumum calculation-- minimum is like for people who do only their core expected, so not those who did impressive revolutionary stuff that grabbed the management's attention... can get chao chao like... 2 x gross salary

not bad what. So i thought worse case scenario i can get that amount. So i can buy my gucci tote

Sigh

but my brother just entered republic poly. Im actually very thankful to God about his results. He is a guy, the least he must have is a diploma rite.

I kinda feel like things for guys are a lot different. So at times i know its foolish and futile but i'd rather my brother has my brains and luck. Im not saying that Im damn smart or anything... but im at least comfortable. But I will not feel good holding a degree and if my brother didnt make it and end up with no qualifications.

So i used to talk to him, telling him i know how singaporean gals are like. im one myself and i know. Its hard enough to find a gal, but with this education thing in the way...

Ya but thank God everything worked out ok and he got into RP. Good thing there is RP too.

So now, back to the finances

My brother just bought a laptop. Cost my dad about $1.5K. So i figured the only right thing for me to do, being blessed with this bonus, will be to reimburse my dad for that. Its also my duty. My dad has a car and family to support and I dont.

After that I have to pay my credit card bill, and save the rest cos lets face it, im not getting any younger.

and the increment also goes to my brother's increased pocket money for poly.

So bye bye Gucci. I know i will feel a lot better with this decision. I never want to be selfish and indulge in designer bags while my family struggles with another tertiary education.

So I told God , I tried my best. Back in Uni i gave tuition to give myself pocket money. Now Im still paying off my uni fees. Now, i know a lot of people tell me i should watch out for myself instead trying to increase my burden with these little things.

But I know everything makes me a stronger, not bitter person.

:)

I still thank God for everything, you know.

Qing Gong Feng Yun

Laoban says im a "thoroughbred political scientist"

he made me demo in our unit meeting... diu lian....

Since so, I shall present to you, my friends, our blockbuster story

called... PALACE POLITICS... aka Qing gong feng yun

actually the players are:

of course the beautiful 4 cpd gals la

u know we are soooo beautiful that we are famous

i met a 3 mth new staff at a course last week, she told me she heard our department a lot of beauties

*roars*

so a dept of beautiful gals, sure will stab each other to gain attention one rite

so come the male players

actually there is only one player



DAN



cos the rest of them are actually pigu, laoshu and jelly's bfs who are not really in the palace



but i gave them roles too... when we went for a $300 crab dinner!!! ($300 leh. wa lau)







Presenting....












Up left.

Jelly as Zhu Long fei... and her guard
as in every gu dai show, a couple who offends the state rules get into the pig basket... except in my happy palace politics there are no deaths.
this happened because jelly did not tell us that she was together with ernie-san ... she did not tell us for 2 weeks. That is unacceptable.
Hence she rolls around in a zhu-long with us


Next

Me as Huang-lian Hou... supposed to be HUANG HOU. cos i am the lawful wife of the Emperor. but because I have lost my appeal, thus the emperor's appetite for concubines, I become a Huang Lian Po....
My arms are crossed because I am crossed. haha

Below me
Danny as...
HUANG SHANG LA... the core of all these female backstabbing

On his shoulders
laoshu as MA PI FEI
(ass-kissing concubine)
always wanting to be the most loved concubine of Huang Shang. Will do anything to keep her position. constantly whispering into the emperor's ears. She is the reason why the other 2 concubines have been banished... one into the zhu-long, one.... u'll find out later

the story about this concubine, her true love is actually an official (played by kou-di). But since her much publicised royal betrayal, he had his head sewn into a very very tall green hat that he has to wear for life. No wonder LU MAO GUAN is weeping sorrowfully

and at the corner
Pigu as LENG GONG ZHU (Cold Palace Princess). she has been banished into the cold palace after Emperor was brainwashed by that MaPi Fei. To ignore is the greatest punishment, thus she is in depression. The royal physician COUNSELLOR, played by the noble Kerni, is there to keep her sanity...



HAHAHAH
Work drives us nuts.
Forgive me all boyfriends of my dear colleagues

WHAT WOULD LIFE AT WORK BE WITHOUT U ALL...

I will not waste chalk

Ive started on Dan's complete Simpsons collection

So funny...

I like irony

ah ma 55th bday

Ah Ma (of the company) turned five-ty-five last sat

so off we went to the URA bungalow

q a nice place though, may consider applying for it and have a weekend of fun with all of us

except that we will not be gettin this one, getting something called a VILLA for our division level, which only meant it faces the park and sea

we tried smiling..

we tried huang fei hong

we tried being sneaky

den la ma and meinu arrived. la ma brought her baby gal along so she was in non-crazy, all-mothery mode

and i think meinu is v happy cos she just left our company,

has a huge (i think 5 carat) diamond ring, and is getting married to one of our ex colleagues

having the perfect wedding , guy and gal both so good looking, wedding pics in melbourne, dinner at fullerton

except.... we are not invited.

hahaha

but all the best for her la, she so chio

HAPPY BDAY AH MA!!!!

-------

End: if u can make out these videos and watch them to the very end....

WHAT IS LACKING IN MY CHALET ACCOUNT?

a ghostly encounter?

I have two

Love and Marraige

For those wondering...

A student asked a teacher. "What is love ?"

The teacher said, "In order to answer your question. Go to the padi field and choose the biggest padi and come back. But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick."

The student went to the field, go through the first row and saw one big padi stalk, but he wondered....maybe there is a bigger one later.
Then he saw another bigger one... but thought may be there is a even bigger one waiting for him.

Later, when he finished more than half of the padi field, he start to realise that the padi was not as big as the previous one he saw, he knew he has missed the biggest one, and he regretted !!!!

So, he went back to the teacher with empty hands.
The teacher told him, "...this is love... you keep looking for a better one, but when you realised later, you have already missed the person...."


"What is marriage then ?" the student asked.

The teacher said, "In order to answer your question, go to the corn field and choose the biggest corn and come back. But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick."

The student went to the corn field. This time he was careful not to repeat the previous mistake.

When he reached the middle of the field, he has picked one medium corn that he felt satisfied, and come back to the teacher.

The teacher told him, "this time you bring back a corn.... you look for one that is just nice, and you have faith and believe this is the best one you got.... this is marriage."

tired

- screened-

My problems are over now, but perhaps yours are still lurking around here

Life is Ironic

Photoseries- Life is Ironic
Created By: Danny and Esther
Copyrights reserved


I saw this.




So Barney and his little gf wants to go to the fire station.
Let me teach you a thing or 2 Barney.
Let me show you some things that have never crossed your purple dino mind in your i-love-u-u-love-me-we-are-happy-family world

A firestation.....





... can also catch fire.
otherwise why the fireman so sian

Not only that...




A Policeman also can get Jailed
you think they do all the catching?

Now out of the jail and into the streets





You dont go and believe Bob the builder la
His tow truck also can gena towed one la


Shocked?
You probably can think about how your fish died
You thought it died because it was old...
thats what you mummy said...
Ive been keeping it's death cert for some time... I think its time i should show it to you







Sigh... we tried to save it my dear
it could not make it to the buoy.. and drowned


So you are frightened eh? Now that is fear, something new to you.
Fear... and you think you know all about fear


What makes you think Birdie is happily flying in the sky
Like anyone else, it has a fear of heights

and on the ground

While the cactus can take thirst
it can fear the heat.
so sit and sing in your air con room and feel good

and when night time comes
and when you are listening to the lullaby

remember someone out there is afraid of the dark like many of us are, but forced to be a bat

You never knew, did you?

So many things in this world are fake, dear.

OH DEAR....

Look what I have done to you .... Barney