A Rainy Afternoon

After the rain ... Raindrops on the window

Ten sentences that took me ten minutes to read

Pardon me, this is in Chinese ....
----------------------------------------------------



只有十句话，我却看了十分钟 ...


第一句

如果我们之间有1000步的距离
你只要跨出第1步
我就会朝你的方向走其余的999步


第二句

通常愿意留下来跟你争吵的人
才是真正爱你的人


第三句

付出真心　才会得到真心
却也可能伤得彻底
保持距离　就能保护自己
却也注定永远寂寞


第四句

有时候　不是对方不在乎你
而是你把对方看得太重


第五句

朋友就是把你看透了　还能喜欢你的人


第六句

就算是believe　中间也藏了一个lie


第七句

真正的好朋友　　
并不是在一起就有聊不完的话题
而是在一起　就算不说话
也不会感到尴尬


第八句

没有一百分的另一半
只有五十分的两个人


第九句

为你的难过而快乐的　是敌人
为你的快乐而快乐的　是朋友
为你的难过而难过的
就是那些　该放进心里的人


第十句

冷漠　有时候并不是无情
只是一种避免被伤害的工具

Universal Studios Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa

It has been ages since we went pak-toring (other than shopping for baby stuff and occassional dining out) ... Chanced upon this promo when surfing net last night ... Hmmm, set me thinking "Why not ...."

So, decided to plan a surprise for my wife ... this morning, told her that tonight will bring her to some new place but didn't say where ... keeps the suspense ... heehee

Guess the place?? ... Universal Studios Singapore !! at Resorts World Sentosa ... finally we are going there after it opened its doors couple of months back

The drive there was uneventful ... heavy traffic as usual on CTE towards AYE, near PIE exit ... upon entering the bridge to Sentosa, keep left and enter the RWS carpark, else have to pay admission fee to Sentosa lor

Looking for a place to park was harder than i thought ... many many cars ... haiz ... eventually parked and had to walk some distance back to get to the escalator up to Universal Studios

Bought the tickets @ $2 each

and we went to check out the Hershey's store, near the entrance ... You won't miss it ... and next to that is a small store selling popcorn ... wow, long Q (must be good lor, typical Singaporean style, see got Q, must join in ... lol)

Tasted the different flavours first (can try one, good ah) and then decided to get a small pack of cashew caramel crisp popcorn ... guess the price!! woo hoo ....

Alright! Time to go in ....

This is the start of Hollywood street




A few of the shops selling stuff and makan ...

even got a cinema "Pantages" which was screening "Shrek 2" tonight ... tickets are only $3 each

and we met Shrek and Fiona "LIVE" !! Wow ...



Here they are walking past Eunice :)

My wife and daughter ... They are the best and greatest!!

Took a photo of my new ride :P ... lol

And rested our tired legs, to wait for the fireworks show to start ....

But then, 8pm came and went, still no fireworks?!?
Asked around and the staff says there isn't any fireworks show at all leh ...

Hmmm, sure bo? We tot everyday got fireworks (machiam Disneyland), both of us also blur blur ... lol

Took some more photos (till camera bo battery liao, oops, forgot to charge full) and then, time to go back home!!

A long walk back to the car .....

Till then, next time perhaps .....

Tweaks and Themes

One of the things i like to do every now and then is to play around with tweaks and themes, be it OS desktop or mobile phone.

But somehow never got around to designing and coding one of my own .... hmmm .... maybe next time will do one ... heehee

Here's my current desktop, which i am quite happy with at the moment ... it is using Rainmeter as the customization engine.

Credit goes to Lightning at Sunset and Customize Your Own Killer "Enigma" Desktop

Love and Time

Writer Gary Jennings said this: "Love and time, those are the only two things in all the world and all of life, that cannot be bought, but only spent."

I love that. And HOW I spend my love and time is what it is all about.

My work and interests require me to spend probably an inordinate amount of time in front of my computer. At least according to my wife Bev.

She and I were talking one day about death and funerals and what to do with each other's remains. I asked. "What will you do with my body? Burial? Cremation?"

She answered, "I think I'll just have you stuffed and propped up in your chair by the computer. That way when I walk through the room I won't even notice that you're gone."

I got the point - too much computer time. And how I spend my time and my love is all important.

The question I ask myself is this: "Do I generously and freely give love and time away - and especially to those closest to me?"

Charles Francis Adams was the United States ambassador to Great Britain during the Lincoln administration. He had the habit of keeping a daily diary. He also taught his son Brooks the value of journaling his activities in a diary.

One memorable day, eight-year-old Brooks recorded, "Went fishing with my father, the most glorious day of my life." It must have been a glorious day, for the next forty years Brooks repeatedly mentioned it in his diary. It became a life-long memory.

His father also wrote about the fishing trip. His own diary on that pivotal day for his son reads, "Went fishing with my son; a day wasted."

He didn't get it. That one single day he generously and freely gave love and time away to Brooks may have been the one of the most important days of his son's life. Did he feel that, as a United States ambassador, his time was too valuable to be "wasted" with his children? History seems to show that a fishing trip with his son paid huge dividends in Brooks' life.

I only hope I will spend love and time so well.

-- Steve Goodier

The Rose

A nice song to relax on a rainy Sunday morning ....

Some say love, it is a river
that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
that leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger,
an endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower,
and you its only seed.

It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking
that never takes the chance.
It's the one who won't be taken,
who cannot seem to give,
and the soul afraid of dyin'
that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been to long,
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong,
just remember in the winter
far beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed that with the sun's love
in the spring becomes the rose.

A Day of Indulging

Been a while since we pamper ourselves ...

Body massage and facial at Spa Dor ---> $60
Subway melt sandwich ---> $13
Strolling hand in hand along Orchard Road ... in the rain ---> Priceless

Hahaha ... Ya, the rain came pouring down ....

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me

Ice Cream !!!

Mmmm .... slurp slurp

Dad's For Life

A heartwarming video about fathers, for fathers

First produced for the Dads for Life movement by the National Family Council and Fathers Action Network to encourage fathers in Singapore to be more involved in their children's lives.

Commissioned by the Ministry Of Community Development, Youth and Sports (Singapore), Little Red Ants Creative Studio is proud to work on this project with renowned photographer and first-time director Tay Kay Chin.

Makan Oishi Food

We went ...
We ate ...
We left ...

Burp ...

Be part of the Happiness Revolution

All how you choose to think about life

We are already in 2010!!

Wow, time flies, no matter whether you are having fun or not ... So, why not be happy and smile while time passes you by?

It's all how you choose to think about life ...

I AM THANKFUL:

FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS DINNER IS HOT DOGS TONIGHT
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE


FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS


FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME
NOT ON THE STREETS


FOR THE TAXES I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED


FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS


FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT


FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE


FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME


FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH


FOR THE PARKING SPOT
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION


FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM


FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
WHO SINGS OFF KEY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR


FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR


FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD


FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE


AND I AM THANKFUL:
FOR THE crazy people I work with
BECAUSE they make work interesting and fun!!


AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL

BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME

Share this with someone you care about ... I just did :)

Live well, Laugh often, & Love with all of your heart!


If you like this, here are some more:

Be thankful for what you have
Feeling More Thankful

Never Too Late

Katharine Hepburn once said, "Life is hard. After all, it kills you." And it can kill you early if you don't figure out how to change. Let me explain.

The expression "turning over a new leaf" refers to turning pages of a book. Just as the plot of a novel changes from page to page, people, too, can change their lives. Indeed they have to if they are to live well.

I enjoy reading about ancient cultures. And it occurs to me that most of the old civilizations are gone. Some have left little behind except ruins and rubble. What happened? Where are the people, their music and ideas? Why are they nothing more today than a collection of stones visited by tourists and curious historians?

The answer, of course, is not the same the world over. But Arnold Toynbee, in his work THE STUDY OF HISTORY (1987), says that the great lesson of history is this: civilizations that changed when confronted with challenges thrived. Those that did not change died. In other words, when life got hard, it killed off those who didn't make needed changes. The key to survival is often about "change."

And what about us? What about you and me? It's good to accept ourselves as we are, but when an unhealthy attitude or a destructive behavior gets in the way, when we wish we could change something about ourselves, we had better change. People who embrace change thrive; those who resist it die.

If you have been waiting for a sign to make that needed change, this may be it. I am convinced that it is never too late to be the person you might have been. It's never too late to be happy. It's never too late to do something different or to do something better. It's never too late to change a habit. It's never too late to live.

Begin making that necessary change today. Then tomorrow, and every tomorrow thereafter, can truly be different.

-- Steve Goodier

The Gift

A story about an old Bendix washing machine helped one man get through the valley of loss.

His parents acquired the washer when John Claypool was a small boy. It happened during World War II. His family owned no washing machine and, since gasoline was rationed, they could ill afford trips to the laundry several miles away. Keeping clothes clean became a problem for young John's household.

A family friend was drafted into the service, and his wife prepared to go with him. John's family offered to store their furniture while they were away. To the family's surprise, the friends suggested they use their Bendix while they were gone. "It would be better for it to be running," they said, "than sitting up rusting." So this is how they acquired the washer.

Young John helped with the washing, and across the years he developed an affection for the old, green Bendix. But eventually the war ended. Their friends returned. In the meantime he had forgotten how the machine came to be in their basement in the first place. When the friends came to take it away, John grew terribly upset -- and let his feelings be known.

His wise mother sat him down and said, "Wait a minute, Son. You must remember, that machine never belonged to us in the first place. That we ever got to use it at all was a gift. So, instead of being mad at it being taken away, let's use this occasion to be grateful that we had it at all."

The lesson proved invaluable. Years later, John watched his eight-year-old daughter die a slow and painful death of leukemia. Though he struggled for months with her death, John could not really begin healing from the loss until he remembered the old Bendix.

"I am here to testify," he said, "that this is the only way down the mountain of loss...when I remember that Laura Lou was a gift, pure and simple, something I neither earned nor deserved nor had a right to. And when I remember that the appropriate response to a gift, even when it is taken away, is gratitude, then I am better able to try and thank God that I was ever given her in the first place."

His daughter was given to him to love and nurture. She never belonged to him, but he had the awesome privilege of sharing her life for a while. When he realized that simple fact, everything changed. He could now begin healing from the tragedy of her loss by focusing instead on the wonder of her life. He started to see Laura Lou as a marvelous gift that he was fortunate enough to enjoy for a time. He felt grateful. He found strength and healing. He finally knew he could get through the valley of loss.

We all experience loss -- loss of people, loss of jobs, loss of relationships, loss of independence, loss of esteem, loss of things. What if you view that which is lost as a gift you were given for a time? Perhaps that simple choice of trying to reframe your loss will change sad memories into thankful ones. And perhaps it will get you unstuck and back on the road to healing and wholeness.

-- Steve Goodier

Letting Your Soul Catch Up

Did you know that practicing some form of relaxation is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself? Taking time each day to quiet your mind and breathe deeply, can make a big difference in how you feel throughout your day and into the night. And dedicating a day every week for mental and spiritual renewal is equally important.

We're told that the word "relax" has its origin in the Latin word "relaxare," which means "to loosen." When we relax, we are in effect loosening tension, releasing tightly held energy and letting go. From the state of relaxation we can experience calm peacefulness.

Another great word is the Hebrew word "Shabbat" which, of course, is a day of rest. But it quite literally means to "quit; stop; take a break." Whatever you are doing, stop it. Whatever you are saying, be quiet. Sit down and take a look around. Don't do anything. Don't say anything. Fold your hands. Take a deep breath...

Extended periods of rest are a biological necessity. The human body is like an old-fashioned wind-up clock. If it is not rewound by rest, ultimately it will run itself down.

A group of Americans made a trip with Brazilian natives down the Amazon River. The first day they rushed. The second day they rushed. The next day they rushed. One day, anxious to continue the trek, they were surprised to find the natives seated together in a circle.

When asked the reason for the delay, a guide answered, "They are waiting. They cannot move further until their souls have caught up with their bodies."

Do you owe yourself time to let your soul catch up with your body?

-- Steve Goodier

Shell Fuel Promotion

A lazy saturday ... Went to queue up for the Shell fuel promotion - $1 per litre of FuelSave 95 or 98 ... just for today only, 10am till 6pm

Many, many cars in the long queue indeed ... were you one of them??

Pumped a full tank of petrol, went home to lim kopi and take photos of the never-ending queue ... lol

Luckily got Cisco police to control the traffic, if not, i am sure there will be ppl who try to cut queue ... then, will be chaos!!

Today is Friday

Been a while since my last post ... How's life for you?

Me ... Started a new chapter in my life ...

- Become a father to Eunice Ng, our baby girl
Here's a slideshow i did for her full month!!




- Bought my first new car
.... after 10 years ago, when i bought my first second-hand car in 1999, later sold off to scrapyard, before i ORD in 2003

Buying car is a liability, if dun need, better save the money ... Mainly, i buy for convenience sake cos need to use for work and family, rather than spending money on taking cab and still need to wait for cab some more ... hahaha

Was deciding between these few models:

Suzuki Swift - 1.5l engine power, comes with pretty good options, price around 55k after cash rebate

Honda Fit - 1.3l, good fuel consumption, can get between 14 to 16km per litre (for auto) but price quite ex, around 60k

Kia Picanto - 1.1l, drives well, decent fuel consumption (between 12 to 14km per litre for auto), a good Point A to B car, price 43k

After doing my sums, i decided on Kia Picanto cos i just need a budget car, dun want to spend too much.

Went down to C&C to test drive ... end up couldn't get any freebies from the agent, only neg for remote alarm ... lol ... which i thought should come as standard!? wtf ... also have to pay extra 1k for factory fitted leather seats and 500plus for paint protection and rust proofing ... haiz, what to do ...

A consolation is that the agent really help to push hard for the delivery ... I got the car in just 2 weeks after booking and successful COE bidding ... Woo hoo!! That was fast ...


On hindsight, i should have booked the car in Apr or May 09, when COE was just about 5k and Kia Picanto only cost around 33k ... that is a massive 10k discount wor


- At work
... closing off 2 projects, so not too stressed out now, can take a breather before moving on to next project


That's all i have for today ... Enjoy the weekend!!

You can shine

Why am i different from others?

Why do you have to be like others?

Our Little Bundle of Joy

Putting It Out There

We used to play spin the bottle when I was a kid," says comedy writer Gene Perret. "A girl would spin the bottle, and if the bottle pointed to you when it stopped, the girl could either kiss you or give you a nickel. By the time I was 14, I owned my own home."

Gotta admire persistence. Because rejection is hard to take. Especially when it comes from someone you know. Or, come to think about it, someone you don't know.

And we all want to be appreciated. We like being valued for what we do and who we are.

American football coach Bum Phillips lives in a world where one can become a hero or a heel in an amazingly short time. One mediocre season and a coach, even a good one, can be out of a job. Like Phillips once said, "There's only two kinds of coaches -- them that's been fired and them that's about to be fired." Sounds like they might want to make friends with rejection.

Few things hold people back more than the fear of rejection. They don't ask for what they need because the answer may be no. They don't ask their boss for a raise or for more time off. They don't ask for help. They are afraid to be the first to say "I love you" (what if they don't hear "I love you" back?). They don't ask for a better deal or a lower interest rate. They don't submit that manuscript to a publisher. In short, they don't let their wants and needs be known, for fear of being turned away, turned down or turned out.

But the wonderful truth is this: If you can accept NO for an answer, you can ask for anything. ANYTHING. When no is an acceptable and okay answer to what you'd like, you can fearlessly ask for whatever you need.

I love the expression, "I'm just putting it out there." Just put it out there. Ask. And don't worry about the response. Nobody can say YES if you never asked. Just put it out there and don't be afraid -- you may be surprised at the answer you get. Sometimes people just need to be asked. And if you don't get the response you want, are you any worse off than before?

Hey -- I'm just putting it out there.

-- Steve Goodier