Having fun online

was trying this really cool site out

See.. this is me as a simpson...



Look like me?

Been dreaming about...

tis the season isn't it?

With the whole world on leave... seems that work somehow gets slowed down, the people whom you are looking for ain't around... and everyone seems to be busy with something else rather than work.

It doesn't really help to be sick either, sick with suspected food poisoning, though i'd prefer if it was gastric flu. Otherwise, i'd have to throw away a barely touched, newly opened tub of Ben and Jerry's ice-cream. However, this would give me the perfect excuse to buy my heart's desire, a KitchenAid ice-cream attachment for my so-beautiful and capable Artisan mixer.

Isn't it a sight to behold. Using this attachment, i can make up to 2 quart of ice cream, sorbet myself.

i have asked for that... but it's been ppppffffttt at as a gift.

So, the other thing that i've been eyeing on are these pairs of shoes..

Shoes for me to go stomping around with... but since i have gotten similar ballet flats from GAP, i wouldn't be needing the boots anytime soon and i'd rather not jinx wat i have in order to get the shoes..

So... off to Sydney to get my Christmas present/s? I wonder what i'd get.

Tee hee hee

i likey

you bet that i'd be using this gesture!

What ifs

the weather is making me feel melancholy, after all, it can be depressing when it's cold , wet and gloomy.

Days like these makes me think... think of lots of what ifs. There's so many what ifs in the world... sometimes you wonder things that you may have done, other times you just wonder about how things become the way they are.

while changing for work this morning, i found an airticket booking slip for one of my travels..an airticket booking that i had to make changes to, which lead to to think about all the events that happened leading up to today.

Things would have been so different if the original plan happened... but things happen for a purpose and i'm just taking things easy and going with the flow.

It's going to be a blast

Guess where i'm going to be on New Year's Eve?

The most exciting New Year's Countdown i had was back in 31 Dec 1999, along Orchard Road doing the countdown drunk.

The next most exciting one was in Hong Kong, 31 Dec 2005. We, the company of gluttons were more interested in our soya bean curd that came in a tub.. rather than being out there and checking out the fireworks. Har har har... exciting huh?

But this year's new year's eve is going to be a blast. i can't believe that in less than 25 days, i'm going to be in Sydney, taking part in one of the world largest (second after Rio De Janeiro) and most lavished countdown parties!



Being one of the first major cities in the world to welcome the new year, Sydney's celebrations to welcome the new year with over a million people watching floats and 80,000 fireworks on the Syndey harbour.

isn't it brillant? i never even fathom the idea.. but with fireworks that goes on the whole night, it's probably going to be at least 100 times better than Singapore's.

Photo opportunities everywhere! i am so excited!

Remind me please

no more double serving of tea just before bedtime!

Blah...

i need to sleep!

My creations

i really enjoyed my baking classes last year, inspiring me to embark on my own baking journey.

Needless to say, i enjoyed this year's too!

Our cakes were X'mas theme.. so there were lots of holly and snow and such!

The first cake i baked was a fruit cake.



We kept asking the instructor where's our rum for the cake!!!

:P

And despite my miserable attempt at making a squirrel using royal icing... i managed to make santa quite easily!

You just need to do things in little steps!!



See how cute they are? Looks like they are wearing G-strings from behind





And from the front... our very nice instructor helped us to piped the beard and hair.



I added the sideburns!

Muarharhahrhahrhahrhahr

My yummy carrot walnut cake

Updates?

tons of things have been happening.

don't know where to start.

Let's see... my photography?

i discovered that a few of the pictures i took got published. one in the papers for some work related event.. and one in a book from the states. It's pretty cool!

Things are really great... somehow, it is true that things will come to you when you are happy and at peace.

i'm really forward to moving on.

So true..

A tribute to all of the very "Nice Guys" in the world. You are appreciated more than you know.

http://www.duggity.com/node/4620

Must go and watch Stardust

It is absolutely brilliant. I love the updates made to the story in the movie version!

Diving

Realised that i haven't been blogging for some time.

Too many things have been going on. And yes, i have been busy watching all the rugby matches... didn't think that England is doing too well. South Africans are brutal.. Wallabies have a great kicking game going.. and All Blacks, when they do attack and attack well without all the fumbles, they are poetry in action.

Been catching up with some stuff that i have neglected over the years - diving. I really missed that. Due to the log absence from diving, i was really apprehensive about going in again. And after taking a sort-of-refresher in Nha Trang, Vietnam, I'm back in action.

On the last dive trip, saw sea turtles, moray eel, rays... it was fantastic.

So when's my next diving trip... i hope soon.

Meanwhile, i'd be planning for my NZ trip!

Yeah.. finally... NZ, here i come!

Drool fest

Yeah...

all the late nights started already.

Too bad Jonny Wilkinson is out injuried.

Never mind.. here's a picture to keep me happy meanwhile.

I missed him!!

Did i tell you that i was at the budget terminal waiting for my flight to Hanoi for my vietnam holiday when he arrived? And guess what i found out on Sunday? He was at a Bak Ku Teh restaurant that i frequently go to. And it's mere mere mere seconds from my place!!



I want to cry liao! it'd be my hang out man.. even more than now!

Welcome to my life

(from Unshelved Comics http://www.unshelved.com/archive.aspx?strip=20070815)

So talented

I love this movie!!!!

and can you believe that i missed him when i was at the airport waiting for my flight to Vietnam? He was at T1... while i was stuck at the other terminal.

Sigh...

Land of the cones...

It was a good trip from North to South Vietnam.

Met lots of travellers, had great fun, wonderful travelling companions



and lots of luck thrown in our way.

Dilemma

Now... surely you must know that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is coming out this sat. And Surely you must have heard that there are leaks of photographs of the actual book out there on the net.

Now.. given that you have ordered your copy.. am waiting for the book to be delivered... would you go and take a peek at the leaks? After all.. isn't that what you want to do? Just to find out wat happens?

I'm in a state right now... i want to read and know wat's happening.. why is there an embargo n the first place? Why can't people just read wat they want to read? All the secrecy? Just buy a copy and read.. that's it.

BTW.. please knock me on my head if i ever feed the dog durians again... waking up 3 times in the middle of the night to let him go and poo is no fun at all.

Waking up every morning

if you get to see this every morning as you wake up, wouldn't you want to just say, "Aaaaahh.. heck it.. i'm not going to work today!"

Cool article

I like this article

Gives the whole professional an uplift!

I want to zhng my car...

with a new paint job with racing stripes.
fix up the interior
get sport rims..

and hopefully it'd look as cool as this car



From Flight of the Beetle Bee, HERE

Beat up but darn cool!

And if it is all nice? It'd look like this!




BTW, Transformers the movie? One of the best movie i have seen!! Even better recent releases such as Spiderman 3 (even wth Handsome Harry), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End!!

It is a must watch and i'd be getting the dvd too!

Love this...

Exciting....

Best discounts for Harry Potter 7.

Harry Potter Read-a-ton/Slumber party for my fellow HP fans!

Isn't that cool??

I'm so excited!

Who wants in?

Cravings!

Bought a new book, courtesy of a gift card from Kino last night.

Crave: Cheese Desserts to Die for
by Mac Woo (Author), June Lee (Author)


It's got wonderful recipes inside... and i'm itching to try them out.

Just in case you do not know, it was a finalist for best cheesecake book in 2007

And you know what? I want to learn how to make mango mousse cheesecake and jelly hearts!!!


As baked in a course by Valerie Kong

(picture from Sweet Decadenze)

FFFWWWAAAHHH!!!

Pavement Art

Went Raffles City during lunch to check out Julian Beever's chalk drawing. i was hoping to catch him in action but no such luck. The drawing was completed.




did a perspective crop.. was thinking how it'd look like from the top :P




From the other side



Isn't it amazing?

Watch how it is done here...

Pavement Picasso

Julian Beever..

He is so cool.



Me going to see tmr!!!

He currently working a piece at Raffles City!

very cool..

and i'd be bringing my CAMERAS!!!

YEAH!!

Be posting the pictures up after that!

After watching this movie...

i can't wait to read the book.

Quickly.. i need to get my hands on Bridge to Terabithia!

A wonderful drawing...

that combines my 3 loves...

Can you guess what they are?

by Leslie D’Allesandro Hawes

Lost & Found

The still of the office was broken by the sounds of, "Guess what i found in lost & found?"

After so many years, i couldn't really think.. and was waiting for my colleague to tell me wat she found.

Instead of yelling out the answer.. she actually walked over to my cubicle and show me her dustbin.

Then i saw this...


Apparently, someone turned in a pouch... and it was left at the counter.. no one checked it until it was brought into the office a day later.

Initially, the squeaks were thought to be from a handphone.

Well.. now we know.

Anyone out there lost a hamster in a pouch?

In light of the ministers' pay hike

oh well...

Falling in love with...

i can watch this ovwe and over again....

And this is a great one...




Mr. Darcy!!!

buskers... good ones

i have always enjoyed watching buskers... good ones at least.. those who's singing or music playing doesn't make your skin creep or cause goose pimples (i get those very easily).

What do you get if you get one of the best classical violinist, Joshua Bell to busk for the morning crowds?

This is what happens.

Pearls Before Breakfast

Hrrrmmpp.. i'm sure that lunchtime or dinner time will be very different.... as in you DON'T have that much urgency to get into office and start reading emails and doing what you have to do.

I'd wish i'd have to time to listen though..

Such a wonderful performance.

Check out the last video in the article where Joshua plays Paganini's Caprice No.24.

It is wonderful.

The Gold Compass

Yeah yeah yeah.. i'm looking forward to this too!!!

With much passion

New recipe and it's wonderful..




i lovey it!

It's revealed!!!

The book cover of the new and final Harry Potter!


Have you pre-ordered yours yet?

STARdust!!!

And here is it...

At least the trailers, wallpapers and images.

Starring some notable and very likable actors like Rupert Everett, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Claire Danes, Peter O'Toole, i simply can't wait for the movie, Stardust by Neil Gaiman to show in August!!!

Yeah yeah yeah!

BTW, the opening of Sandra Lee's 2nd solo exhibition was last night and her art pieces are wonderful. The closer you look, the more you'd get out of it. The details to the art are mesmerising and it is so open to the viewer's interpretation as the themes are universal. You really have to go and check it out (nice reviews here)! The exhibition is now on till 30 April 2007, Level 5, Marina Mandarin Hotel.

The thing is that i got more and more depressed when i saw dots on the art signifying the sale of the pieces. On one hand, i am darn happy for her.. on the other hand.. when will i ever get one to decorate my place?

As the rest of my friends and colleagues who was at the exhibition yesterday... today's 4D day. Buy 4D strike and we'd be getting our fave pieces.

Oh.. and please remind me to get a couple of her catalogue for the legal deposit.

This is funny...

While i think that libraries can't be replaced by google... this is really good advice though!

Come and see!!!

Cakes and puke!

Tastes better than it looks. Though the figuring on the cake was supposed to be a squrriel... and kudos to the Captain at the resturant who recognised it as a squrriel and not a tortorise or even a dinosaur.

BTW.... after my very nice meal and dessert in the resturant, i almost threw up as i opened my car door and took a whiff of the insides of the car. See, my car had an unfortunate episode and someone/something threw up cuttlefish!

It's bad enough if it is just puke.. it is worse when it is cuttlefish!

You know how bad it is?

Come and smell it.

BTW.. you have been warned!

I'm trying so hard to remove the smell.

Washed the car, put onions to absorb all the smell.. and lemons to freshen it. Now i need pandan leaves!!!

Another Tremor Felt?

Hrrmpp.. after this interesting episode, did not think that tremors will be felt right smack in town.

It did happened and somehow, the next building was evacuated. Not mine though..prob the building manager has full confidence in our building..

Marhuarhar har.

Read about the eartherquake here.

Music and Lyrics

It is finally out...



And it's one of those movies that will leave you with a smile... especially when you need a silly chick flick that is funny, entertaining and romantic.

Though it is predictable... it is too enjoyable.. Hugh Grant is too cute and you'd be surprised at his moves and even his voice. Think that he's one of those actors that ages so ever dashingly.

As for Drew Barrymore, i do like her as well and i was pleasantly surprised that she sings too in the movie.. and i do like her girlish voice.

If you like flicks like The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates, Fever Pitch.. you know.. those cheesy flicks..you wouldn't be disappointed by this one.

Got the soundtrack already and it's on repeat mode in the CD player.




I'm going to get the dvd once it is out.


kekekkekkekeke

p/s.. speaking of movies, i'm really glad that Pan's Labyrinth won 2 Academy Awards!!!

You've got mail

A very talented friend was one of the artists invited to vandalise one of the otherwise plain and boring mailboxes/postboxes right smacked in town under the STAMP project recently.





So, why this illustration? Read about it here. Do drop by and check the mailbox out!

In all honesty... i really like the outlandish lines, the funny sheep clouds.. fish on stilts (which reminds me of Dr. Seuss' One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish) and the journey of the girl with the red balloon is taking. i wish that i was the girl with the red balloon... just going places.. and exploring... endless possibilities really.

Well... i'm looking forward to her exhibition in March with a Red and White theme.. with free wine, booze, cheese and pictures to see. And bookmarks to collect!! i'd love to have a piece of her original art... but i can't afford it!!! AARRRGGGHHH!!!

Do drop by if you are interested in looking at the whole series. Info will be up on her website soon (still under construction).

ETA: While IMing the artist last night... i was saying how i like balloons and how her painting reminded me of other books that featured balloons and their possibilities...

Do you know which ones thery are?


You Can't Take a Balloon into the National Gallery (Picture Puffins) by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and Robin Glasser

You Can't Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum (Picture Puffins) by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and Robin Glasser

You Can't Take a Balloon into the Museum of Fine Arts (Fairytale Foil Books) by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and Robin Glasser


Not forgetting one of my fave books

Where Do Balloons Go? An Uplifting Mystery by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell

I'm inspired

With my new toy...i am inspired..

well.. especially after my not-so-great-looking but good-tasting attempt.. i will try try again.

And i'm amazed at the collection that the library has... for the beginner to the expert.




Cakes to Dream On: A Master Class in Decorating (Hardcover)
by Colette Peters (Author)



Wedding Cakes You Can Make: Designing, Baking, and Decorating the Perfect Wedding Cake (Hardcover)
by Dede Wilson (Author)



Tempt: Cupcakes to Excite (Hardcover)
by Betty Saw (Author)


Well.. given the amount of time that i had.. i decide to try one recipe from Tempt, so i made these tonight!!!



Chocolate mud muffins.. i think that they taste great!! And are sososo moist and yummy!!

p/s.. to the person who may be thinking of asking me to make a wedding cake.. do note that my attempt to make fudge icing for the mudffins failed!!!! So... even though i would want to try... you better be prepared to eat all the failed cake attempt products!!!

Objectively Newbery?

As a librarian, I aim to read all the award winners to update myself on the books that have garnered notice over the year.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (Author), Matt Phelan (Illustrator) is one of this year's winner. However, it does seems that many librarians have found this book to be objectionable, mainly due to the fact that it contains the word, "scrotum" which normally doesn't appear often, especially in children’s literature. And on the first page for that matter.

From the NY Times,

"The book’s heroine, a scrappy 10-year-old orphan named Lucky Trimble, hears the word through a hole in a wall when another character says he saw a rattlesnake bite his dog, Roy, on the scrotum."

"The inclusion of the word has shocked some school librarians, who have pledged to ban the book from elementary schools, and reopened the debate over what constitutes acceptable content in children’s books. The controversy was first reported by Publishers Weekly, a trade magazine."


Well.. seems that this book is banned in some libraries.. i wonder if it'd be in ours. Now.. i really can't wait to get my hands on this book and read for myself.

Cheesy Wheezy...

I'm looking forward to this sappy movie!

Kekekek



And this song is very nice.



Will be definitely checking out this movie when it is out

Music and Lyrics starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore

Made these

Creamy mash potatoes with cucumber and shitake mushroom salad with my latest toy.




And curry puffs.. need more work though... i think i lost my touch.. after all, the last time i made them was over 8 years ago.

It is things like these...

that makes me feel happy.

i used to have a lecturer who really made my lessons a real joy to attend during my masters program. He was very knowledgeable, entertaining.. and even made the dictionary interesting to us.

He often tells the students that reference work is either triumph or anguish... you either find it or not.

Hence, it was a surpise that he sent us a email on a reference enquiry. Now.. if he couldn't find the answer... who could?

When we first saw the question... my colleague and i just went.. woah... what to do?

Even though i was on duty, the enquiry by right was not mine to handle. But i was really curious after all.. and just did some searches on it.

As i searched for the answer, i grew more and more confident that i was able to find the answer to his enquiry.

And yes i did give him a most satisfactory answer to his enquiry.. even though i believe the answer isn't exactly what he was expecting at all.

There's a whole twist to the reference enquiry.

Needless to say.. after i closed the enquiry... i was jumping up and down.. and doing my evil laughter in the office.

Muarharharharharhar..

The feeling of solving a puzzle that your ex-lecturer couldn't solve?

PRICELESS!!

Darn funny...

My friend told me about this ad..



darn funny..

and just in case you are wondering..

yes, we get such people in the library..

yes, we try not to roll our eyes..

i got it!!!

picture taken from www.tabletools.com

Am so broke now..

P/s... manniqueen.. you sure you want a cake from me for your birthday? I can most certainly attempt!!!!