[JAN] A Date with Nature

One thing that's vastly different between me and pops is probably his experience with nature and his love for the great outdoors.

He has been an Odacian in his JC days, he has been to 2 or more Outward Bounds, he goes trekking, diving, camping, and he loved all those experience.

Me, I'm a 100% city girl. I definitely feel more at home navigating my way through Orchard Road than a nature trail. 

So when pops was trying to convince me to climb Mt. K with him, I was VERY hesitant. My instinctive reply was, "NO."

But after much thoughts, we managed to convince myself that this will be one exciting adventure. And it will probably open us up to a new way of seeing the world :)

And because pops has been so accommodative to me throughout these 4 years tgt, I feel that it's my turn to accommodate him and do sth with him that I've never imagine myself doing.

So on Sunday, we went to Bukit Timah Hill to train for our climb and to season our shoes.

Believe it or not, it's my first time ever to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

We took a total of 1.5hrs to climb a 2km trail (half the time I was taking photos) and it's so cute to hear pops reminiscing abt his days in the outdoors :) The climb was awesome as we were greatly blessed with amazing weather once again, and beautiful sights along the way.

Bring On 2011!

Some weeks ago, we were having cell group meeting and we had to think of a word to describe our 2010.

The word that I have chosen was "New".

2010 was "new" because it was full of new experiences, new stages of my life, new friends, new responsibilities.

Jan 2010

I got my licence (just before pop's bday)!!!

Feb 2010

"Married off" our first Chaos girl :)

May - June 2010

Had the best travel experience ever for my Grad trip :)

The month-long Spirit of Europe trip saw

- new friends (more than 30 of them)

- new experiences of "backpacking", doing midnight laundry in the middle of the trips, staying at hostels, planning our own itinerary, and tons more exciting new things

- exploring new places that swept me off my feet and keeps me wanting to return

- new loooots! :X

June 2010

Embarked on the next stage of my life with my 1st perm job :)

Feels really blessed that the workplace is really near to home, I'm doing sth that I'm interested in and I've met lovely people :) To top it off, poppy's just 2 levels down and XM's working opposite!

July 2010

Officially GRADUATED!

Aug to Dec 2010

It's crazy how the few months zoomed past, I must have been kept sufficiently occupied :) Numerous new experiences along to way:

- Took interviews in the very room I had mine just some months ago

- Brought in new staff

- Went for career talks and fairs

- Designed job adverts

- Participated in my 1st "Amazing Race" and won 2nd!

- Ran a 10K marathon

- Went through ISO audit (:X)

- Got my own namecards :)

- Experienced the exhilaration of seeing the figures in my bank account grow (slowly)

- Got my 1st BONUS :D

And also held new responsibilities:

- Started giving allowances to my family

- Bought and started paying for my own insurance

- Able to treat my family to nice food and little gifts occasionally

- Bought Christmas presents for all my loved ones with my OWN money for the first time

2010 had been a yr of transitions and changes, as 2011 rolls in with new challenges and new opportunities, I remain thankful for what 2010 had taught me and pray for renewed strength and motivation to take on 2011 with great faith and enthusiasm!

In the Spirit of Europe

Less than a month away!! :)

of bloating and pimples.

Finally me and pops settled our air tix b4 the emirates fare offer ends.

Managed to get return tix to London - Gatwick at $880 inclusive of tax :) Happy!

Din fly to Heathrow coz it's 100+ more expensive.

And we're transiting at Dubai haha how exciting is dat... (thank goodness it's only a 4 hrs transit)

We're flying on 13th May and coming back on 12th June. 1mth in Europe omg!! :)

Had dinner at PS and went IT Fair to get new GPS!

Met up with grace, sarah and teresa for dinner.

SUPPOSED to be XLB buffet one leh!

Sarah if u're reading this.... better book nxt time k! I wanna eat!! haha

Still, it was great fun to meet up with them lah.

Chronicles of Salah at Work was a great hit during dinner.

Fantastic plot and the actress was a natural.

Had indigestion and a breaking back aft dat...



Made them a little gift each to make up for all the times I missed gatherings and all the birthday presents, cards and wishes they've been giving me.
I really feel so guilty!
Must meet up frequently and eat nice things tgt k :D



Went to meet pops and co. at arab st aft dat.
They were supposed to be on a diving trip, which got postponed due to bad weather over at Tioman.
How disappointing...
But thank God, they got to know the news b4 setting off, not so worrying :)
Well, at least they still get to go aft 2 weeks!

So pops stayed over last night and we had mac breakie at my fav mac

I drank the OJ and felt like I had stomach ache.
Went toilet and realised that it's the fav time of the mth.
Sigh.

U noe how everyone's looking for ways to predict particular things and trends (be it human behavior, criminal behavior, consumer behavior, stock market, property market.... wadever u name it)
I tell u, nth predicts period as well as PIMPLES and BLOATEDNESS.
damn scary these 2 things.

And I think because of the OJ, I'm having cramps.
Totally no mood to do anything useful at all.
But Addictive is due WEDNESDAY.
shit.

For Bread and Water.

We went to STA today and booked our tour.
Ahhhhh~!!!

Departed with $500 as deposit.
There goes half my ang-bao money.
I hope everything goes well from here :)



We applied for the student's card hoping to get some discount when we travel.
We need to save as much money as we can during the trip.

I cant wait. I'm so excited.
I wanna be in Paris, Rome, Venice, Prague, London. And everything else along the way. :)

Ah!! I have to stop thinking. Keep my mind on wad I have to do 1st.

And I tell u guys a secret.
I just watched Legally Blonde. Again.
I hate to say this, but I derive some weird kind of inspiration from that movie.



I dunno why.

Ok, onwards with Spending Addiction....

As I dream abt my days in Eu (eating bread and drinking water :| )

Have a Kit-Kat.

Presentation on Friday went alright, the ending was... extremely unexpected haha

Went to meet pops aft settling some sch stuff.

Supposed to meet PPs for dinner at Illuma to "discuss" abt grad trip.

Interesting but irritating order system...


Food was alright though...
Popped by the Korean restaurant on the other side coz the PFM cliques were there :)


Wore matching jeans dat day :D


Finally got to watch Alice in Wonderland!!
Tim Burton + Johnny Depp = Never goes wrong.



Loved it.
JD was fantabulous, esp when he recited the jabberwocky poem haha sho cute.
I dun think ANYONE else can do a better job than him in all his quirky roles.
And I love children's tales w a dark dark twist. Burton does it just nice.


The make-up was fantastic. It was like art.
And they always managed to make him look sooooo bad. In a good way.

**Disclaimer: When it comes to JD movies, I may be A LITTLE biased on the reviews. Coz I'll always like it :D

Took some photos in the cinema. I think they look really clear even w/o flash!

If any of u are still wondering if u shld get an S90, dun think alrdy lah!
Sad thing is dat I haven't got time to play w the functions proper yet :|

Poppy came to stay over :)
Saturday morning we woke up early to go tuition at church.




Morning suns are gr8 for cam-whoring. :)

Spent some time talking to ZW, QB abt out grad trip plans.
They told us that they went to Europe.
And the more we talked abt it, the more excited we get....................
And we started to have some really crazy idea~~~

Still, we went w our original plan and headed to the Aussie tourism board at Novena to collect some brochures.



And had lunchie at one of those old-sch coffee shops near by.
They serve great shio ba by the way :)


Den we had this sudden urge to go to STA branch at bugis.
Very strong urge...
And so we went....

B4 we left the car, me and poppy said a prayer to commit our gradtrip plans to pops because we believed that no matter how much time and effort we put into planning sth, only God's plans are the best.

We got a couple of catalogue and got to know that the 20% offer for Topdeck tours is still on till monday.

We sat at TCC and the crazy idea seem to be festering into sth that might actually happen!


Yes we might be gng Europe for grap trip omg!!
:X

To be confirmed on monday, I hope it happens :D

And finally, a satisfying dinner at Taka (I love the eggplant. and the pork. and the fired intestine!!)

And aft dat... I went home to rush for my research coz I have a proj mtg the nxt day -_-
Still, it had been a great weekend :)