My Events Calendar for 2008

So I guess I won't be hearing from you guys envying me that I'm always on time off, annual leave or training course, cos I'll probably be grounded for the next 4 months. That's why I taking whatever opportunities to start my clearing leave here and there.

Aly was reminding me the other day to start stocking up on Maggie noodles, just in case, we've got no time for lunch. I even have a sleeping bag in my office ready for overnight camps. But no to worry about missing on my favourite TV programs, cos the office has a huge Plasma TV and not forgetting aircon 24/7.

Below is my events calendar from now till beginning of January 2009.
Those in higlighted in orange are the ones that I'll be anchoring.

12-13 Jun 2008 Workshop on Social and Health Challenges of Population Aging
19-20 Jun 2008 Buddhism and the Crises of Nation-States in Asia
26-27 Jun 2008 International Workshop on 'Autonomy and Armed Separatism in South and Southeast Asia
10-11 Jul 2008 Reassessing the Origins of the Cold War in Southeast Asia: A Roundtable on the Sixtieth Anniversary of 1948
28-29 Jul 2008 3rd Singapore Graduate Forum on Southeast Asia Studies
31 Jul-1 Aug 2008 Workshop on "Return" in Asia: Experiences, Ideologies and Politics
4-5 Aug 2008 Conference on Resilience and Transformation of Families in Asia
14-16 Aug 2008 Workshop on "Icons in Motion: New Directions in the Study of Religious Iconography"
11 Sep 2008 Asia Trends 2008
22-23 Sep 2008 Migration and Diversity in Asian Context
24-26 Nov 2008 Workshop on Early Economic and Cultural Exchange across the Bay of Bengal
5-7 Dec 2008 5th Great Asian Street Symposium 2008 (GASS) - FUTURE-ASIAN-SPACE
End 2008/Early 2009 Religion, Ethics & Law in Asia Workshop Series I: Making Islamic Layers/Judges in Malaysia and Indonesia
8-10 Jan 2009 Converging Forces, Conflicting Values: Rethinking Heritage in Asia

More "Char Bor"?

BREAKTHROUGH! I cut my fringe and had my hair permed last night.

The last time I permed my hair was during my secondary school prom night. It was so disastrous that it haunted me for years.

Seeing Carol permed her hair recently, made my hair itch a little. However, must thank my "very" encouraging colleagues, who even accompanied me there. However, having them around can be a quite a pain :P Don't know who is actually having a hair cut, they were literally making decisions for me. But I trust their them lah!

They say I look more "char bor" (ladylike) now -- except when I start to talk or walk. *piak*

Excursion to the New T3 Airport

Secondary school friends from Paya Lebar MGS

We called ourselves - The GILA Group

Celebrating Alvena's birthday at the new T3 Airport. The Kopitiam foodcourt at basement 2 was very crowded that night. Only in Singapore, will you find local people traveling all the way there to have a meal. (Gee, I'm one of them)

The viewing gallery is such a disapointment.

It is being separated by the 2nd floor departure hall lobby.

Birthday gal, Aunty Nana and the kids.

That's what went behind the scene of taking picture of the kids.
2 cheerleaders & 1 photographer

Bakers in the Making

Carol called yesterday and asked me if my kiddos and I wanna baked some rock buns/fruit cakes on Sunday. I was so proud to share with her that I've got the receipe still, as I have inherited my younger sis's Home Economics textbook from her Secondary 1 days (1990, I think) It's really ancient!

Carol was the patient chief chef that afternoon, giving instructions and teaching the kids to pour, measure, sieve flour; and eventually came the utlimate step -- the rub-in-method of the butter into the flour, which is a disaster in the making. The kids got so much dough on their fingers and we eventually ask them to stop and to wash their hands. Although the receipe mentioned that the portion was sufficient for 24 cookies, but we ended with 16 cookies instead.

Heheh...you wouldn't want to know what goes behind the kitchen and also the extra germs that were added into the mixture! It looks as if the kids are playing their regular Playdoh. Erh.. Gavin didn't dare try the buns at all.

Since we have some ingredients left, Carol and I decided to bake another lot of muffins, but this time round without the kids; they were busy watching TV already.

Don't they look yummy to you? But Carol commented that the taste was horrendous and they taste nothing like muffins at all. Hehe... confessions here! I forgot to add salt to it. :P

A Special Stamp on My Passport

I've recently got a special "Guilt-free approval to travel without husband & kids" stamp on my passport, supported and endorsed by my most honorable Minister of Manpower cum Home Affairs. (I thought I better penned this down in black and white and all colours, while the stamp is still valid.)

At the Good Friday service on 22 March, Pastor was sharing to the husbands about releasing the woman to where God wants them to be and not be bogged down by housework and the kids. And that just confirmed what we shared earlier in the afternoon, just before attending the service.

Gavin was sharing with me that he met a former colleague, who had enlightened him about spending time with our own parents. With the passing of his dad 2 years back, he did experience regrets of not spending more time with him. And for the first time, he had actually verbally released me to go and join my parents in their annual travel -- without him and the kids. He agreed to babysit the kids for me.

Frankly speaking, I didn’t dare dream of traveling alone, as I’m worried and guilty of leaving Gavin to cope with the kids by all by himself. Thank goodness, Gavin also realized that I probably won’t be able to enjoy my time with my parents, if I were to travel with my kiddos, as my eyes will suddenly multiply by 8 folds and turn into a 16-eyed disco-lights ball monster.

Finance is the other factor, thus, over the years, it’s either all go or all don’t go. Anyway, it’s not cheap traveling as a family. The last time, I estimated having to spend more than $2K just to the Genting Highlands, and it’s not even that far away. Anyway, I have learnt from my previous trip to Batam that kids are easily contended with the simple activities. And guess what? The kids enjoyed swimming and Pizza Hut most when they were at Batam. And I can do all on the green, green grass of home on the island called Singapore.

When Gavin was in his twenties, he had the opportunities of travelling together with his parents and sis to the US, Europe and Japan. And suddenly both of us only began to realize that I didn’t have that opportunity. Yah, what have I been doing in my twenties? After graduating, it’s like starting on a new career path which paid peanuts as a freshie and after that got to start saving for wedding. Then, got married at 25, the life got a bit mundane with changing of diapers, feeding the kids, housework and now coaching in the kids’ studies.

It’s never too late. I think now is the time to relax. My parents too, slogged in early years of their marriage and now, they are always traveling and doing things together, as if their second “pak-tor”.

Hehe… sometimes, I joked with my colleagues how I wished our company could send us overseas (except to Aceh and on Adam Air flights) to organize an event and I could take extend my stay there and travel a bit … hehe Before my mind started to wonder elsewhere, Gavin reminded me that he only allows me to travel with my parents, so that it will be meaningful and not for my own leisure trips with friends. Hmm, he can read my mind. I sometimes wonder if there is a cloud caption floating above my head.

So sisters, let’s arrange to join mum and dad to somewhere this year shall we? We haven’t done that together since secondary school days. I think the last time was donkey years ago to either Indonesia or Thailand?

On the Rosier Side

I'm very suprised and touched when Gavin bought me a get-well-soon rose today as I was down with a very bad stomache and puked thrice during the last 2 days. (No, I'm not pregnant!)

In fact, last week, he bought me a stalk after our Church Senior Pastor gave a family talk during Santification Week (the Good Friday weekend) to the husbands to love their wives , not only through words, but also through actions.

That first flower was chosen by Joel and paid by daddy. But the best part is knowing that Gavin was following up with regards to our conversation, which we left off during Valentine's Day this year. He added on that he finally found a stalk that is not only big and beautiful but also cheap and it only cost him $1. I wished he would just simply smiled and keep the finer details to himself.

I remembered he mentioned 2 days before Valentine's Day that a stalk of rose cost $3. And I purposely reminded him on Valentine's Day itself that the rate per stalk actually went up to $7. I didn't even bother asking him about where's mine, as I knew along that I married a very practical man.

Actually, there were 2 ocassions, which I still remembered vividly. Once, when we were on a group outing to Cameron Highlands, after much perstering, he finally bought me a bouquet of small champagne roses - all wrapped up in newspaper. And the second occassion was of course the compulsory wedding bouquet of champagne roses (my favourite), which I think was part of the wedding package.

After that, my husband went on to add that it doesn't have to be on Valentine's Day to receive flowers and it's better than none right? Yeah right! In my heart, I was thinking -- one stalk a month, for 12 months. I'll probably have to wait for a year to accumulate my dozen of dried roses.

Stalk 1 - 28 March
Stalk 2 - 2 April
And still counting.

Baby No .3

Didn’t you know meh? That’s my number 3 - Jolene.

No lah, that’s Joel all wrapped around in my pink towel. And he hates it when I call him "Jolene", and I often threaten him with the name change, if he is to continue with his crying spasms.

Actually during my last 2 pregnancies, I did plan for names for both sexes. So you can imagine, how bored I am when I'm pregnant that I started naming my child even before I knew the gender of the baby. And if I were to have a gal, I would call her - Ethel.

Recently, a close friend of mine from secondary school gave birth to set of twins. She also has a boy prior to the twin’s arrival. In addition to that, another of our friend from the same GILA gang is pregnant again with her third child.

No wonder I'm having this nightmares of those 2 gals cajolling me to join them in the pro-MCYS policy: “Ai, come join us leh. We are all having 3 children! The new quota for our GILA gang is 3."

And my old naggy neighbours have from time to time persuaded me to take a gamble and to try for a gal. I cannot take a chance of having yet another boy. This type of gamble is for life man! I've long decided to close my factory, mainly because of the lack in childcare help. My hands are really full with the 2+1 boys at home. Nothing will make me “dong san zai qi” (means to stage a comeback).

However, I’m still excited for Angela and I sincerely rejoice with her. Indeed, this child is God-planned and he/she will bring the blessing of God to the family.

Wow! Our GILA group consisting of 10 adults and 8 kids (and 1 forthcoming) are really booming with children. It can be quite a challenge nowadays to source for a place for gatherings.

This picture was taken in 2006
Thanks Nana, for the correction.
You always have a super memory with dates.
Missing from the pictures are: Judy (who was stationed overseas) and
the new additions to our group Shayna and Aaron & Asher (twins)