Life is the ultimate teacher, but it is usually through experience and not scientific research thhat we discover its deeper lessons. We are all here for a single purpose: to grow in wisdom and learn to love. We can do this through losing as well as through winnng, by having and by not having, by succeeding or by failing. All we need to do is to show up openhearted for class... So fulfilling life's purpose may depend more or less on how we play than what we are dealt with. You have to be present to win.
- Kitchen Table Wisdom by Dr Rachel Naomi Remen.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Photo A Day Calendar 2010: Jan / Feb
I decided to use the Creative Imaginations Calendar Kit for this year's PAD Calendar. Love the clean lines and simple format. And I made sure I carry my new camera wherever I go, and I have photos for every single day...truly a photo a day!
Here's the January and February ones...
Here's the January and February ones...
Please Dont Get Me Anything When You Go Overseas
Whenever friends or family go overseas (be it a business trip or a vacation), they would ask me if I want anything? My standard reply is: Thanks for the thought, but please dont get me anything. Just enjoy yourself on the trip and take lots of pictures to show me.
The reason is: I HATE shopping for other people when I am overseas (be it a business trip or a vacation). Yes, the word is HATE. On an overseas trip, I have enough stuffs on hand to worry about (whether I can find my direction; whether I bring enough clothes; whether I can get food that will suit my palette, etc.). I really dont need to worry about someone else's shopping list!!! So I do not ask my friends and family to shop for me when they go overseas.
Two scenarios:
(a) People help people to buy specific items from the country they are visiting (because the items are not available in Singapore; because the items cost less from the other country).
This one drives me up the wall. Especially when the requests come from friends or colleagues... people who are not as important to me as my loved ones : ( I do not think it makes sense for me to spend my precious time hunting down items for other people, when I can be enjoying myself touring around or spending time with my family.
If I happen to come across the item while I am touring around or spending time with my family, then I dont mind just picking up the item. But when people give me a list (or even just one item request), the obligation is there and it makes me feel bad if I dont accomplish the mission, so I would make that part of my itinerary... and I would hate myself for acceding to that request in the first place : S
(b) People buy souvenirs from the country they are visiting to give to family, friends, colleagues, who did not go on the trip with them.
This one drives me up the wall and down the other side!!! I dont understand the rationale behind this exercise at all. So you didnt go on that trip with me, and you were working your butts off while I was on holiday... So I HAVE TO buy some presents back for you??? To share a piece of what you could not get??? To thank you for working while I was relaxing??? Call me "socially ill-mannered" or "selfish", but I do not think it makes sense to have to "justify" my well-deserved break from work, and "compensate" other people who did not go on that trip with me : S
Besides, if you have not visited that country with me, what good does a keychain or a photoframe or a mug bearing the name of that country provide you??? There is no meaningful connection, except as a sore reminder that I went away for a holiday while you were stuck here???
Besides, I also HATE the awkwardness and embarassment of missing out on gifts for a few persons... so I have to make sure I have something for everyone... I'd spent the whole trip taking stock of whether I have picked up a gift for my father, my mother, my brother, my sisters, my husband, my sons, my mother-in-law, my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law, my nephews, my niece, my good friends, my good friends' children, etc etc... what's the big deal???
Having said that, I would still shop around for gifts when I am overseas. If I come across something that I think so-and-so will adore, I will pick it up and just give it to her when I return... just because! Or I will save the gift for her for Christmas!
So please dont be upset if I didnt get a gift for you when I return from overseas. (Frankly I dont care if you are...)
The reason is: I HATE shopping for other people when I am overseas (be it a business trip or a vacation). Yes, the word is HATE. On an overseas trip, I have enough stuffs on hand to worry about (whether I can find my direction; whether I bring enough clothes; whether I can get food that will suit my palette, etc.). I really dont need to worry about someone else's shopping list!!! So I do not ask my friends and family to shop for me when they go overseas.
Two scenarios:
(a) People help people to buy specific items from the country they are visiting (because the items are not available in Singapore; because the items cost less from the other country).
This one drives me up the wall. Especially when the requests come from friends or colleagues... people who are not as important to me as my loved ones : ( I do not think it makes sense for me to spend my precious time hunting down items for other people, when I can be enjoying myself touring around or spending time with my family.
If I happen to come across the item while I am touring around or spending time with my family, then I dont mind just picking up the item. But when people give me a list (or even just one item request), the obligation is there and it makes me feel bad if I dont accomplish the mission, so I would make that part of my itinerary... and I would hate myself for acceding to that request in the first place : S
(b) People buy souvenirs from the country they are visiting to give to family, friends, colleagues, who did not go on the trip with them.
This one drives me up the wall and down the other side!!! I dont understand the rationale behind this exercise at all. So you didnt go on that trip with me, and you were working your butts off while I was on holiday... So I HAVE TO buy some presents back for you??? To share a piece of what you could not get??? To thank you for working while I was relaxing??? Call me "socially ill-mannered" or "selfish", but I do not think it makes sense to have to "justify" my well-deserved break from work, and "compensate" other people who did not go on that trip with me : S
Besides, if you have not visited that country with me, what good does a keychain or a photoframe or a mug bearing the name of that country provide you??? There is no meaningful connection, except as a sore reminder that I went away for a holiday while you were stuck here???
Besides, I also HATE the awkwardness and embarassment of missing out on gifts for a few persons... so I have to make sure I have something for everyone... I'd spent the whole trip taking stock of whether I have picked up a gift for my father, my mother, my brother, my sisters, my husband, my sons, my mother-in-law, my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law, my nephews, my niece, my good friends, my good friends' children, etc etc... what's the big deal???
Having said that, I would still shop around for gifts when I am overseas. If I come across something that I think so-and-so will adore, I will pick it up and just give it to her when I return... just because! Or I will save the gift for her for Christmas!
So please dont be upset if I didnt get a gift for you when I return from overseas. (Frankly I dont care if you are...)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
My Life in 1.5x1.5 Inches
I finally put the last bit on my A-Photo-A-Day Calendar project for May 2009 to Dec 2009... and here are the lot.
I get such a surreal feeling looking back at the pictures and recalling the events that happened or the people whom I met or the places that I went...
Now to go work on the 2010 lot... it's July already!
I get such a surreal feeling looking back at the pictures and recalling the events that happened or the people whom I met or the places that I went...
Now to go work on the 2010 lot... it's July already!
Monday, July 12, 2010
My Life Based On My Faceboook Updates
(I think I can do better than this... but until i get my act together... for now, here is a snapshot of my life for the past 1 month based on my Facebook updates!!!)
Jun 7 8:59pm
SC has shrunk again... The scale read 43... Jialat!
Jun 18 11:52am
SC wants to go pin cha and sprout mo shui... and read a Chinese book.
Jun 20 11:50am
SC has locked the door from inside. She is safe. Focus n get the job done!!!
Jun 21 11:42am
SC is loving her Mor Mor Shawl from Action City!!! She wants to buy more colours to match her wardrobe!
Jun 23 1:27am
SC's best friend finally downloaded the game "Words With Friends" after her many pleas and nagging! Now they can keep in touch more regularly : )
Jun 23 9:40am
SC is at NTUC stocking up on Redbull n Sunshine butter rolls n 1.25L mineral water n Pringles seaweed chips n Tamago Boro n Van Houten chocolates n Nissin seafood cup noddles. Getting ready for the stock-in marathon at the warehouse today...
Jun 23 2:52pm
SC just hooked up with her Primary 2 friend on Facebook - happy to hear that he is fine (and still single and available) and his parents are very fine : ) - hope to meet up with our parents soon!
Jun 28 8:54am
SC is back to taking public transport to work now that the school holidays have ended... Got to get used to longer and crowded commute again... And if she can get off Facebook, she can catch up on some decent reading too!!!
Jun 30 7:59am
SC must charge her iPhone bao bao (full) today... Lots of messages coming through!
Jul 5 8:16am
SC is hunting for Canon photo papers for her Selphy ES1 printer... Her Photo-A-Day projecct has been on hold for 2 weeks since she ran out of the photo papers : (
Jul 6 11:37pm
SC is extremely grateful to a kind soul who helped her hunt down the Canon photo papers, and helped her buy two boxes... Cant wait to print my pictures! Thank you sooooo much!!!
Jul 7 9:51am
SC is going to attempt to read The Diamond Cutter (Chinese version)... Let's see how long she takes to complete the book!
Jul 9 9:26am
SC is worried she might just collapse onto the mrt floor... Although she's standing, she keeps dozing off... Struggling to stay awake!!! Toothpicks, anyone???
Jun 7 8:59pm
SC has shrunk again... The scale read 43... Jialat!
Jun 18 11:52am
SC wants to go pin cha and sprout mo shui... and read a Chinese book.
Jun 20 11:50am
SC has locked the door from inside. She is safe. Focus n get the job done!!!
Jun 21 11:42am
SC is loving her Mor Mor Shawl from Action City!!! She wants to buy more colours to match her wardrobe!
Jun 23 1:27am
SC's best friend finally downloaded the game "Words With Friends" after her many pleas and nagging! Now they can keep in touch more regularly : )
Jun 23 9:40am
SC is at NTUC stocking up on Redbull n Sunshine butter rolls n 1.25L mineral water n Pringles seaweed chips n Tamago Boro n Van Houten chocolates n Nissin seafood cup noddles. Getting ready for the stock-in marathon at the warehouse today...
Jun 23 2:52pm
SC just hooked up with her Primary 2 friend on Facebook - happy to hear that he is fine (and still single and available) and his parents are very fine : ) - hope to meet up with our parents soon!
Jun 28 8:54am
SC is back to taking public transport to work now that the school holidays have ended... Got to get used to longer and crowded commute again... And if she can get off Facebook, she can catch up on some decent reading too!!!
Jun 30 7:59am
SC must charge her iPhone bao bao (full) today... Lots of messages coming through!
Jul 5 8:16am
SC is hunting for Canon photo papers for her Selphy ES1 printer... Her Photo-A-Day projecct has been on hold for 2 weeks since she ran out of the photo papers : (
Jul 6 11:37pm
SC is extremely grateful to a kind soul who helped her hunt down the Canon photo papers, and helped her buy two boxes... Cant wait to print my pictures! Thank you sooooo much!!!
Jul 7 9:51am
SC is going to attempt to read The Diamond Cutter (Chinese version)... Let's see how long she takes to complete the book!
Jul 9 9:26am
SC is worried she might just collapse onto the mrt floor... Although she's standing, she keeps dozing off... Struggling to stay awake!!! Toothpicks, anyone???
Thursday, July 8, 2010
52Q - backtracking (week4 to week6)
Another lot which I caught up on... seems like I am the only one in the group staying on track... what happened to the rest???
Earlier on, someone commented that she was amazed that I still have time to scrap despite all the madness! Much as I know that it was not a malicious comment, I have to admit that I felt BAD / GUILTY that I did make time to scrap (when my colleagues dont scrap their personal stuffs anymore)...
People see scrapping as a leisure thing, and time spent on it is opportunity cost for productive work... they do not see that I have to keep at creating so as to keep the passion and interest for scrapbooking in me... this indirectly translates to my work...
More importantly, I scrap because it is my therapy... I need this to feed my soul and keep it going despite all the madness...
I am trying to come to terms with that... And kill that guilt because I know it should not be there in the first place!
Earlier on, someone commented that she was amazed that I still have time to scrap despite all the madness! Much as I know that it was not a malicious comment, I have to admit that I felt BAD / GUILTY that I did make time to scrap (when my colleagues dont scrap their personal stuffs anymore)...
People see scrapping as a leisure thing, and time spent on it is opportunity cost for productive work... they do not see that I have to keep at creating so as to keep the passion and interest for scrapbooking in me... this indirectly translates to my work...
More importantly, I scrap because it is my therapy... I need this to feed my soul and keep it going despite all the madness...
I am trying to come to terms with that... And kill that guilt because I know it should not be there in the first place!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
52Q - backtracking (week1 to week3)
Here are the past questions... I am slowly trying to catch up...
Friday, July 2, 2010
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