Here's My Story

(1) ... a slight change in environment may yield different results than previously. (2) ... even adults have to say "please" if want things done faster/correctly. (3) ... it is better to push the boundaries gradually rather than suddenly. (4) ... clear and consistent words with actions work better than otherwise. (5) ... actions have consequences. (6) ... sometimes we just need hugs.

I'm guessing that most people would have wanted to rest after travelling from Singapore at 8pm and reaching Canberra the next morning at 9am with only half an hour of sleep. I didn't. Firstly, I wasn't exhausted. Secondly, I figured it's best to try to adjust to local time as soon as possible, which means sleeping only at night. I supposed taking nap in the afternoon is ok but definitely not in the morning. However, we (my sis, her hubby and the twins) went back to my sis's place mainly to dump my stuff and also to let the twins have some healthy snacks. They are so adorable lah! Although they are well trained by my sis and her hubby (with no physical punishment involved), they of course still exhibit typical behaviour of toddlers around the age fo 2 e.g. saying "no" regularly and trying to exert independence by not holding hands at times (but after awhile, they'll want to hold hands again). As I'm keen to get hold scout around and get hold of ...

I was so focused on other things and the fact that I only slept for half an hour in the plane (tail-bone was sore, apparently because seat is not for small person like me) that I forgot to take any pictures at the Sydney's international terminal. Oh well. So I started with taking picture of the Qantas bus shuttle from the terminal to the domestic terminal: It's free specially for Qantas passengers. Virgin Blue has its own shuttle too. All other passengers use the "T bus", which I've forgotten whether it's free or not. The bus is comfortable. Only issue I have is its frequency: it's mostly at 20 minutes interval. I sure hope I can catch on in time on the way back because my domestic flight reaches Sydney at 4.50pm and the international flight is at 5.50pm! The boarding gate, Gate 16, is the furthest away from where the bus arrived! By the time I reached the gate, it was already 7.50am, which was the time for departure! Fortunately there were signi...

"It's all coming back to my now!" I totally forgot how hard it is to get out of bed in the morning when it's cold and I'm all so warmed up under the comforter :-) Also, for some odd reasons, after catching up on news, blogs and other stuff, I was again so tired I sleep at past 12 noon and woke up only at past 2pm! I'm feeling tired again right now, which is just 1.5 hours after my lunch. Gah. I'm beginning to suspect it's due to lack of exercise. Think I better go out for a walk outside shortly after this. Some fresh air should be good for me.

Statistics are like bikini: what they reveal is suggestive; what they hide is vital - I forgot who said this

Just another proof that animals are smarter than some moronic people I know. Original source Mother duck's 'bird brain' saves ducklings She grabs police officer by pant leg to lead him to her brood trapped under grate Nicholas Read Vancouver Sun Don't mention "bird brains" to Ray Petersen, because after what happened this week, he won't hear a word of it. Petersen, a community police officer for Granville Downtown South, was walking in the 1500-block Granville Street (directly under the Granville Bridge) Wednesday morning when a duck came up and grabbed him by the pant leg. Then it started waddling around him and quacking. "I thought it was a bit goofy, so I shoved it away," Petersen said in an interview. But the duck, a female (he thinks it was a mallard), wasn't about to give up that easily. Making sure she still had Petersen's eye, she waddled up the road about 20 metres and lay on a storm sewer grate. Petersen w...

qantas , originally uploaded by cronus . This Friday night, I'll be flying to Australia to visit my sister, her hubby and her adorable twin sons. I'll be there for two weeks. Oh yeah!!! It has been a year since I last saw them and it is my objective to do that each year. I've also chosen mid-spring as the time to visit as spring is my favourite season. Weather is mild. Cool, not cold. Just enough warmth. Flowers all around. But this time, it'll be a bit different because of my nephews. My sis has cautioned me that there's likely no time to play board games (oh man) as they don't even have time to sit! So it's probably either activities that all of us can participate or I'll have to do it alone. I'm thinking of paying a visit to the National Museum as the last time, it was a rush and I didn't get to look at all the things inside (everyone else was sitting around waiting for me hehe). I may also visit Floriade: the Flower Festival, where the...

For past readers, you would have noticed (as otherwise it may be time to pay a visit to your doctor) that I have changed the layout of the blog. The main motivation is to enable me to blog larger Flikr picture (in previous layout, this contraint resulted in this tiny picture ), to embed comfortably Youtube videos (in previous layout, this video was touching the margin) and to insert larger version of my own Flikr photos, if I wish. I spent hours browsing the web for something suitable and finally settled on this. It seems that this has a few drawbacks too but nothing noticeable to readers and not significant enough to bother me. I would dearly love to hear your opinion. Unfortunately, on hindsight, I should have taken a screenshot of the old layout so that more readers can comment and hence only those who have seen the old layout would be able to comment. Please let me know which looks/feels better. Thanks!

Rick: Oooh it's finally here Me: Huh? Why? You're distressed by the current financial turmoil and would like to seek advice, is it? Rick: No ar. Me: Then why so excited? Rick: Been long time since I received magazines Me: *Laugh* What? You are suffering from...err...err... Rick: Ya, ya. Withdrawal symptom. Me: *Laugh louder* Boy, I'll have to blog this. Rick: Don't be crazy lah. Me: Why? There's something wrong with it, is it? Can't be seen in public? Rick: Errr...no ar. Me: *Snigger*

For those who couldn't resist falling for someone you know you shouldn't. Goodness knows I have. You took me wrong just because we kissed And now I don't know how to say goodbye I know it's wrong when you're holding me like this Still won't you stay, let me love you for awhile You know I'm not that strong when I see you smile Can't you see This is all a big mistake I should try and walk away But I need someone to hold me And I know there's no way that this can last Still I know that if you ask me to I know I would stay Tonight, just for tonight You look at me and you don't understand You know I'm not the one that could feel your dreams I can't believe that this is how I am Still won't you stay, let me love you for awhile You know I'm not that strong when I see you smile Can't you see This is all a big mistake I should try and walk away But I need someone to hold me And I know there's no way that this can last Still I know ...

Shakespeare Insult Originally uploaded by dramamath (To see the highlighted text in the picture, click here ) Remember my post about a colleague's resignation ? Boy, how I wished it is truly his funeral. Close to lunch time today, a colleague asked whether I have any lunch appointment, of which I didn't. I didn't perceive anything unusual about that since it is usual that if she is free for lunch, she would normally ask around. As expected, she did. The colleague who resigned ("the resignee") also joined in. Earlier on, it was revealed that the resignee is having trouble with HR about leaving on the date he wants, which is mid-next week. However, there was already talk on Monday of having farewell lunch for him. So off we went for lunch at a restaurant. There was even joke that this colleague was paying for lunch since he should have a nice increment moving over to the new job. It was another colleague who paid for lunch first. So naturally, someone wanted to kno...

This is for you, sis :-) THE TERRIBLE TWOS Do the “terrible twos” really have to be so terrible? Just ask any two-year-old. The answer will most assuredly be “no”. If there is one word that characterises the period between 15 and 24 months of age, it is “no”. “No,” he doesn’t want to eat his cereal. “No,” she doesn’t want to have a bath. And – you can be sure – “No,” he doesn’t want to go to bed anytime at all. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the“terrible twos” is the tendency kids have to spill things, eat horrible things, fall off things, flush things, and to get into things (our son Ryan used to blow bubbles in the dog’s water dish, which horrified his mother). The picture sounds bleak. And admittedly there are moments when a toddler can wreak havoc on a home. However, even with all the struggles, there’s no more thrilling time of life than this period of dynamic blossoming and budding independence. And it passes by all too quickly. There are many parents of older chil...

Quit? Originally uploaded by -hbm- Yet another colleague quit earlier today. His "funeral" (i.e. last day) is sometime next week. That'll make 4 funerals since the beginning of the year. Before this, a few of us have indicated to our boss the need to hire to replace the 3 who have left. I would have been contented if we can even get 2, especially in this environment where actuarial people are poached left, right, centre and sometimes even below the belt ;-) Our boss has just recently broached the idea once again with our top boss, sitting at our largest office, situated outside singapore, but instead, she suggested that should we need help, we can ask the largest office to lend a hand. Huh? Excuse me? Since when that office can help us during our peak period? They are even busier than us so much so that almost every year they have asked us for help! That's a ridiculous idea. So hopefully with this latest funeral, at least a "wedding" (i.e. hiring) will be pe...

There are 3 kinds of actuaries: one who can count and one who cannot count.

"Following the problems in the financial services sector in both the UK and the USA, uncertainty has now hit Japan. In the past 48 hours, Origami Bank has folded, Sumo Bank has gone belly up and Bonsai Bank announced plans to cut some of its branches. Yesterday, it was announced that Karaoke Bank is up for sale and will likely go for a song, while today shares in Kamikaze Bank were suspended after they nose-dived While Samurai Bank is soldiering on following sharp cutbacks, Ninja Bank is reported to have taken a hit, but they remain in the black. Furthermore, 500 staff at Karate Bank got the chop and analysts report that there is something fishy going on at Sushi Bank where it is feared that staff may get a raw deal." - Anonymous

I have so far collected 21 figurines prior to Sunday, not counting the 6 Transformers in my display cabinet. My Naruto collection can be found here while the best quality figurines I have are these . People who know me might be surprised that I do not have more since I love a number of Japanese anime. However, I only buy if they look interesting to me and it is nicely done (hmmm sounds like food). This is regardless of whether I like the character or not. I would dearly love to add more figurines of quality similar to the Inuysha collection. Now, those are expensive (and I bought them at a discount). Perhaps it's time to pay the Marina Square shop once again. I have recently bought more. However, unfortunately due to having my camphone as the only digital cam I have, close up shots of these small figurines did not turn up well. So I've taken shots with their respective boxes. Actually, I've intended to buy only Sai and Sasori figurines: But they are sold as a set together ...

This story was printed from TODAYonline A busy Sunday afternoon at the park Residents at Tai Hwan estate unhappy over proposed workers’ dorm Monday • October 6, 2008 Lin Yanqin yanqin@mediacorp.com.sg IT HAS long been a pleasant spot for residents to relax and for children to play in, but yesterday afternoon, this leafy park in the middle of the Tai Hwan estate — just off Serangoon Gardens — saw a crowd gather for a very different purpose. Already unhappy about having a temporary foreign workers’ dorm in their vicinity at Serangoon Gardens and further dismayed that a new access road for the dorm was to run right along their estate into Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, the 100 or so residents were here air their views to their MP, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua . In a 90-minute question and answer session, Mrs Lim sought to dispel the belief that the dorm was a “done deal” and that the consultation exercise had merely been lip service — a view held by several residents present. Ongoing roadwork at the ...

I'm sure the following tv scene is familiar to some of you: Sexual tension's in the air. The couple gazed intently into each other's eyes. Their faces gradually inch closer to each other. Just a millimeter...and bam! They are now in bed, under the cover. Jeers and curses go around the living room. So anti-climax, right? Now imagine that your dreams are censored. You and your dream partner are fooling around and then something happens to stop it. Curse the person who's causing it, right? But what if it's you?! Yup, yours truly is mysteriously sabotaging such dreams. In my dreams, I'm usually the one who stop it, albeit meant to be temporary, because reasons like "this is not the place, let's go elsewhere", "my parents may come back any time", "this is not comfortable", "I'm already interested in someone else" etc. But somehow, even if it is "fixed" accordingly, something else interrupts or often than not, ...

“If you can start the day without caffeine; if you can get going without painkiller; if you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains; if you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles; if you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it; if you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time; if you can forgive a friend’s lack of consideration; if you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, through no fault of your own, something goes wrong; if you can take criticism and blame without resentment; if you can ignore a friend’s limited education and never correct him; if you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend; if you can face the world without lies and deceit; if you can conquer tension without medical help; if you can relax without liquor; if you can sleep without the aid of drugs; if you can honestly say that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against...

Company's dinner and dance was just way too long! Dinner started only at 8.45pm, way later than any wedding dinner in recent memory. Last dish came only past 11pm. That was the first and will be the only time I'm attending it. It's a shame because the food was great and the two hosts (local celebrities) were quite entertaining. Well, since I was in a hurry just now (just created this blog!), I didn't have time to do a proper introduction. Ok, the truth is that I'm lousy at doing such thing. I'll do it in point form, ok? I'm working as an actuarial consultant Chinese Malaysian but working in Singapore S&A Reads both fiction (fantasy/science fiction especially) and non-fiction (history especially) Plays computer game (Heroes of Might and Magic, Titan Quest, Civ3) Into Japanese anime Bit more details can be found in my profile. Through this blog, I'll be penning my thoughts on various things. It is also a way to keep friends and family updated and hopef...

Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? Hmmm... Woah! Look at the time. I really have to get dressed for company's Dinner & Dance. It is supposed to start at 6.30pm but I understand that it functions more like a wedding dinner: starts after 8pm. Bah, in fact wedding dinners I've attended recently starts before that. Since I would be hungry way before 8pm, I had a small packet of instant noodle. I know it's unhealthy but it's filling and no MSG! Just a few cents more expensive than those with MSG. Koka's the name. Ok, I better get dressed.