Dear Diary...

1. Had fun at group study, participated, asked lots of questions
2. Had a nice time at Sakae Sushi, chemistry with everyone :)
3. Finally opened a Retirement Plan :D

1. Took mom to her Senior Citizen's Annual Dinner
2. Got VIP parking space... yippee!
3. Got angpow from Auntie Teresa
4. Got angpow from Auntie Ah Keat and Uncle Johnny
5. First lesson back at Saori's

1. Tidied the kitchen!! Something I've been wanting to do for a long time!! :D
   Hurray for Pearly
2. Had such a good afternoon nap, been a long long while since I had chance for a nap...
3. Service: Drove mom to Senior Citizen's Open Day as well as sing-a-long, glad she had a nice day!

1. I woke up early and cooked pasta (yes Arashi's Bambino theme song was still playing!)
   It tasted good! Man, I'm getting better at this :)
2. Received AngPow from Yvonne's mom. She behaved and responded well today
3. Received Oranges and cookies from Kee Shin Pearl
4. Calmly settled Ama's bill, discharge, and arranged transport, paid nursing home
5. Got a present from Digital gang

1. Though it was first day at work, wasn't so bad, kept patient with my students


2. Visited Ama, brought herbal chicken soup that mom made, she enjoyed it!


3. Cooked fried noodles for mom, it was yummy lah!


4. Enjoyed a refreshing watermelon juice :)


5. Cleaned the kitchen


6. Actually had fun teaching Nicole and Samantha


7. Had fun playing Fusbal and Car IQ with Sherlotte


8. Did CCPD for mom

1. If I were to write only one thing to be grateful for today, it would be enough.Today's dana was such a good 'refresher course'/booster...Bhante Cattamalo really made me think! A lot of things that he said resonated with me.

• Don't always 'react' to Perceptions, if you do, you'll always lose your temper, lose patience, hate.... instead see things as they are
• Always bear in mind the 3 roots: Greed Hatred Delusion
• Even if you "need" to follow rites and rituals, give some "meaning" to it.... eg when blessing with water,... think of the coolness and let it keep you cool and mindful, not losing your patience even after you step out of the door, let the coolness always remind you...

1. Was a succesful dana, Mom attended and it was "uneventful"
2. Got an opportunity to send Mrs Fong's brother home
3. Watched Valentine's Day
4. Though I was running late, still kept cool and didn't let it bother me. Wow! The dhamma talk was indeed good!
5. Bought stuff at Popular and Cold Storage
6. Visited Ama at hospital
7. Had delicious CharKoayTeow and BakSteak cooked by EngHoe's parents
8. Watched nice movie, Wild Child

1. Ama's op successful
2. Got the bank draft for Ama's op
3. Shopping spree!
   2 books, 1 magazine and one lovely notebook, diary refills

Today on the 3rd day of CNY only I felt somewhat the spirit of CNY.
Dressed up nicely and went visiting to Poh See's house. I like her new place. She cooked laksa. Gosh I think it's one of the nicest laksa I've eaten. Tapao for ama to eat also.

Another festive experience was that, me and Esme were stuck dinnerless for quite sometime... every place we went was jam and no parking and or no seat. We decided to tapao and eat at my place, but guess wat, my place visitor carpark all full. Then we decided to be "romantic" and i went upstairs to get cutleries and eat at Gurney drive... but guess wat, jam too! So we ended up at a little park near Midlands, just sit there and eat... haha.....
Esme said this is now "our spot"... haha....

And the most touching thing for today was...
Esme and Eng Hoe followed me to visit Ama in GH..... awwww!!!

And of course, got angpow from Eng Hoe's parents and brother.. hee!
Joys of being single... collecting angpow....

I think dressmaking is a very good practise, it teaches patience, and at the end of it you're rewarded with something beautiful :)

1. Printed and pasted patterns, printed instructions, did some research on terminology and dressmaking [15 Feb 2010]

1. Got a nice surprise visit from Si Oon, Berns and her mom.
2. Got AngPow from SiOon&Berns, and her mom
3. Visited Ama
4. Played Scrabble with mom
5. Got an SMS from Ms Tan
6. Printed out and pasted my clothes pattern!! :)
7. Eng Hoe called to say he's burning Three's Company for me, Jack Tripper,.. woot!

1. Sleep and wake up late
2. Mom cooked otak otak, rather nice
3. Visited Ama in hospital, she got to talk to all her children [mudita]
4. Fetched Mom, Tom and Auntie Mary to Mr Yeoh's house (Margaret)
5. Auntie Mary gave me very nice "geng geng" cooling drink
6. Got AngPow from Mr Yeoh
7. Got AngPow from Auntie Mary
8. Relaxed at home watch TV, Addicted to Love (Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick, I love them individually, but them together... hmm I dunno,... )
9. Watched American Idol and inspired!
10. YONNE CALLED ALL THE WAY FROM INDONESIA!!! So great to hear her voice again :)
11. Got very enthusiastic about sewing, found a lot of patterns online

With Valentine's Day around the corner, dunno why this year I'm feeling that crappy feeling, was ok previous years. Is it because this year there is actually SOMEONE within reach? Hmmm like that isn't it better to have no one within reach... then no crappy feeling.

So let's try to rationalise things here.
Why do you "want" him to be your bf?

• You want someone to talk to and share with. You can do that as friends. Does it have to be exclusive? Be mindful of this selfish human nature.
• Don't you have enough "commitments" already?
• Godsister complication...
• He has a lot of other friends, doesn't have time for you. But on the other hand, isn't it what it's about... you have your own friends and things too, but you compromise and make time for each other.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Waiting-For-a-Guy-to-Call-is-a-Big-Mistake&id=1201323

Things to do:

• Read "He's Just Not That Into You"
• Sew
• Watch Jdorama

1. Had a nice time out with colleagues for lunch



2. Successful shopping day out at Tesco with mom



3. Bought Nodame bag



4. Bought Eat Pray Love (Elizabeth Gilbert) - 20% discount for Popular's Welcome voucher



5. I found out later that actually Eng Hoe asked Esme to go Tesco to buy the Nodame bag for me... Awwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



6. Gave Esme the book, The Notebook



7. Ate MacDonald's Prosperity Burger with mom



8. Bought me a bin, measuring cup

1. Reached Carla's place on time.



2. Had a nice parking lot right outside the entrance



3. Carla behaved well and learnt new stuff



4. Mom cooked yummy Wan Tan Mee



5. Practised piano during lunch break



6. New Korean students (Piano Idol potentials?? Yes!!)



7. Allenna and Allennie behaved well



8. Wan Jun did well during SR



9. Eunice absent so I got to practise, got back into the groove! [way to go! you turned a negative into a positive!]



10. Mom gave me a nice hand massage



11. Goes to show Time Management pays off. When things go "smoothly" you get less pissed off and attract good things

Jennifer says: The year of the Tiger will be more flexible cos Felines are flexible. Cheers to that!

I didn't feel like writing Gratitude Diary yesterday...
but I guess the more you don't feel like writing it.... the more you NEED to....

anyway... for today.... here goes!

1. Managed to do a bit of yoga today
2. Practised piano for over an hour today
3. Managed to read newspaper too! Some very nice articles
4. Arrived on time for work today
5. Mom cooked yummy food today.. and fantastic salad for dinner,.. and not forgetting wantan... both soup and fried!! boy i'm lucky!
6. Sherlene got 20x USD100 notes in her angpow from her "patron" (i'm including this in my post in my effort to practise Mudita) :)

1. Woke up at leisure, nowhere to rush to
2. Watched Mr Magorium and his Wonder Emporium on TV. Love Natalie Portman.
3. Cooked Chicken Chop with mom. Rather successful and tasty!
4. Cleaned the altar
5. Finished reading The Notebook.
6. Started on The Notebook (the movie)
7. Email from Winnie
8. Email from Abbie

Mr Magorium, a very inspiring movie. About believing in yourself, and the magic that you have within you. The young boy with many hats, wow, he really teaches me that it's ok to be different and express yourself and do the things that you like and make you happy.

1. What a way to start the day! Brandon gave me a bag of CNY goodies, a very cute year of the Tiger card and a box of pineapple tarts.... awww.... the mom is so nice lah! :)
2. Mom cooked amazing lunch and dinner for me... very tasty hokkien char, with nicely seasoned roasted chicken and perfect egg salad!! :)
3. A surprising email from Yng Ling.
4. A spontaneous phone call from Quei Nee.

1. Jennifer's timing is impeccable, as always. She sent me a CNY card together with a sticker. She's SOOOOO SWEET LAH!!!
2. Mom went down to maintenance office to help me pay the maintenance and get the quit rent statement.
3. Found wholewheat pasta at Tesco
4. Bought rice "bucket" after searching for a long time :)
5. Email from Winnie
6. Enjoyed Lam Mee at Tesco today
7. Got a very heartwarming SMS from Esme today

Bah also says:
i like to think of the WORST case scenario...and then immediately i feel better
because i think no matter what happens....i can deal with it
ooh ooh and also think....all things, good and bad, shall come to pass...
then you are focussed on the present
i think the older you get, the more life experiences you have the better you handle challenges

1. Awwww Evelyn's so sweet, she bought me lemon pie.... it totally made my day!
2. Mom cooked yummy claypot rice
3. Mom in good spirits
4. New bedsheets!

Life is about all the small things eh :)