Diet, New Job & Dimsum!

Jun Wen was not at all supportive nor eager when I became in the thick of my plans to lose few kilograms. In fact, he was rather annoyed. His exact words were "做人开心就好，何必把自己搞得那么辛苦?"

He doesn't understand, I love attending weddings, even more so my own wedding; everything including my diet plans has to, by hook or by crook, go according to plan.

To sabotage my plans, he proposed that we eat out a hearty meal for dinner every Sunday (and let down the creator of the food guide pyramid). Another reason he came up with this rule was because I'm not in favour of snacks or supper on weekdays. Hence, feeling guilty that he was still hungry when I wasn't, he would adamantly not eat and slept with a half empty stomach on weekdays.

Last Sunday Victor's Kitchen, a humble place renowned for its custard buns, was where he decided to have the hearty dinner. Simba happened to come across this place, as it is opposite a Gundam shop where his geeky friend frequents. Although the food was served a little cold, it was wickedly good.

Shrimp Roll




Overestimated ourselves once more so with a 100% full stomach we spent 20 minutes slowly munching on the leftovers.




Steamed chicken in Chinese wine.



Prawn dumplings

Teochew dumplings



Custard buns, the main character.

Smiling on the outside, but was worried about my weight inside. I mean real business this time.

Siew Mai. 

It was a mess because...

He took one of them out and displaced the rest.


Christmas & Dieting Dilemma

As known to all, Christmas signifies giving and sharing, which means many chocolates and snacks will lead themselves on my desk. Today I ate so many chips I had to clutch my tummy all the way back home (I can't reject anyone since I'm still a newbie in the workplace, I should be totally nice!). 

"Dear colleagues, I know you mean well but please refrain from putting any snack or chocolate on my table as my wedding is drawing near."

New Job

Time in the hospital flew past because of the endless (motivational) meetings, orientations and rapport building. I'm now 3 weeks into my new job!

Being the only Research person in my department was a total brand-new feeling; afterall I'm helping the Operations department do research. But I was very grateful that everything has already been clearly planned out and organized before I came and it's like they are just waiting for me to come and fill in whatever they need.

My office is filled with Operations Executives and mostly ladies! Their dress sense is top-notch; I find myself glancing a little too long at what they wear everyday. 

They would spend every penny on anything that catches their attention, just like how I used to! 

They don't exercise and eat plenty of snacks. Jack & Jill's spicy potato chips used to be my favourite when I was in Primary but gave them up after learning from Health Education that they do nothing but harm to my body. 
I was indeed fascinated by how large their appetite is! One was sitting in front of me in the office (the partition that separates us is transparent) and I have never seen her stop eating before. She later confessed that the snacks given by our common colleague were too tempting, so I gave her mine and she accepted it without any sort of hesitation. She offered me chocolates from her pack again and again but I had to remind her that I'm on diet!!

One ate up Salted Caramel's waffle with ice cream after our Christmas dinner (she said she wasn't full from the dinner when she had steak). I watched in fascination (and horror) as she gobbled up her dessert and I must have stared a bit too hard and long that she told me not to judge her and not to react as if she is a monster! 

They are not afraid to speak out during meetings and this is some solid confidence that I should master! 

People in the office would come forward personally to introduce themselves. 

Doctors in my team are approachable too and being attached to them was an inspiring experience since I watched them teach nurses in the nursing homes we collaborated with. 

Christmas dinner with new colleagues :D

I'm smiling again! The people at work are kind and this is all it matters. Choosing to leave my last job was the best choice I have ever made. I deserve to be happy and love myself, and love the peace I'm having now; I don't have to endure any bit of the meanness anymore! :) I was taught never to be someone who can't control her anger, as this type of person loses in every single situation and is unlikeable, but now if ever there is one lesson that I will take home from my previous workplace, it will be to defend myself. My New Year resolution for the year of 2014 is to be kind but firm and to have the tenacity to see it through!

Anyway, I have moved on, and am feeling alive again with my emotions kept in check, and every new day is a day to be thankful for!

My friends, if you are currently in an unmanageable situation that keeps you unsatisfied and unhappy, I suggest you change your situation. U have a choice to be happy and more importantly u deserve to be happy, so if it takes getting out of the situation instead of salvaging it, by all means do it.

My workload is manageable too, as an Admin Assistant is here to assist me with data collection and she is really good-natured and capable. Love her! Now I can go home on time and spend time with my loved ones!

:D

Merry Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

It's the time of the year again!

Merry Christmas!

I have not quit blogging. Just busy!

EAMES Exhibition at ArtScience

KFC's Korean spicy chicken. The temptation to eat it is killing me, but you know I can't keep sabotaging my own diet plans. Till next time then. :(


Let's backtrack a little to Simba's birthday. We went to the National Geographic's 50 Photographs Exhibition, as Simba is a fan of National Geographic and I want to see artistic photographs taken with remarkable and almost backbreaking efforts. I'm deeply sorry for laughing at Joanne for being a fan of the Discovery Channel and National Geographic years ago but I now realise that these channels are awesome with a capital A, due to Simba's and his ex-roommate's influences. His ex-roommate has keen interests in nature and animals, so apart from showing us videos to inspire us to care for our planet, his snapshots of birds were used in photography contests were also presented to us with great enthusiasm. :D


The Chop House, the Steakhouse which originated from Hong Kong and has an average rating of 85% (though rated by a small sample size of 13 people) from hungrygowhere.com, became an alternative for us to dine in since Simba got off late from work and Jamie's Italian was full house. Attracted by the impressive reputation of the restaurant, we decided to give it a try.

A small birthday gift that I bought for him from KSL's Factory Outlet Store (FOS). I was initially hesitant to buy it since the small prints (somemore squirrel prints) are considered too loud for him, but TW who helped me try it out actually looks good in it, so I just had to buy it.

The beer I couldn't finish. 

Long time since I drank some beer
(as it dawned on me one day that I should be a healthy individual for like a month lol).

Pasta is always my first choice for any menu which has it, 

but Simba's loud protests stopped me in my tracks.

The sausage was too deep fried for my liking, so I couldn't put myself through another bite.

3 sauces to go with the course.

Simba who "gave me face" went to put on the tee before dinner was served.

His Chop House Steak Burger, which he, the activist against food waste, painstakingly finished it.

What's a birthday without a birthday cake?

I ordered Bailey's cheesecake only to find out that we can't judge a book by its cover. Don't be deceived by its professional presentation; it is only mediocre and without any hint of Bailey's.

Ambience was there to make up for immense lack of satisfaction in the taste. 
We were indeed baffled by the fantastic reviews but since they were based on mostly steaks and chops, we could only blame ourselves for being too adventurous and not listening to others' recommendations.

The weekend following his birthday, we were ready to view photographs that tell of individual stories behind them at ArtScience Museum.

We headed to the museum with a deliberate plan to view just the National Geographic's 50 Photographs after getting daily reminders from the advertisements at Serangoon MRT station. But we fell for the "gimmick"as Simba's friend likes to call it, and bought tickets to 2 exhibitions at a cheaper price as compared to buying for 1 separately. Hence this became how we had to divvy up our time for EAMES and 50 Photographs (cos I spent a ridiculously long time at any 1 exhibition).

EAMES Exhibition:

Charles and Ray Eames were a couple who lived in the 1900s and pioneered the movement from traditional furniture designs to more modern and sophisticated ones. They owned Herman Miller Inc., a reputable furniture making company and were known also for their photography arts and board games' designs.

Having seen and read about their marvellous designs through this exhibition, I think they were so good at what they were doing!

Eames Hang-It-All Coat Rack.

They ditched the idea of building a traditional standing coat rack and designed something that is small, practical and fun. From his website, I read that Ray Eames designed a wide range of whimsical toys and furniture specifically for children because of a simple reason - he wanted to give them to his grandchildren.

Did I say they loved photography too?

These photographs which gave prominence to individual components that make up the furniture were so brilliantly taken.

A box of toys that were part of their toy collection.

I love how vintage they look!

Designers have exceptional taste when it comes to decorating their house. These toy trains were exhibited in the display cases of the Eameses'.

Swivel chairs and children's coffee tables were a big part of their design scope.

Designer's cupboard. I love the Lego brick-like design on it

and its cleverly blended colours with the same hue!

Eameses' metal chairs that were great for patios and as a matter of fact, great for picnics in these patios.

The Eameses were always intrigued by the Indian culture and so upon exploration, they invented designs that had elements of the culture. What he was holding up is what they call the leaf plate to hold food as part of their notion to being eco-friendly.

Mathematicians, Astronomers, Scientists and Inventors who lived during the 1700s and 1900s.

As many mathematical methods were named after their creator, we could recognise a few of the Mathematicians. 

Issac Newton

Pierre-Simon Laplace

Carl Friedrich Gauss

Leonhard Euler

Among all others, I think Galileo Galilei's work in astronomy was honourable as he was one of the first to delve into knowing more about our universe, including observing planets for the first time through the telescope he constructed.

The Eameses cleverly used monochrome on their adverts to attract potential customers back in the days and now you can still see posters whose designs improved from this displayed in shops of Singapore and they still look contemporary and cool.

Look at how the chairs fit in with each tile design and how the integration of every little detail can make the whole poster look very compelling.

When you look in through the lens of this 3-D View Master Reels, you will see stereo photographs taken by the Eameses themselves.

"House of Cards", a game that captured many kids' hearts.

The six slots on each card enable the player to interlock the cards so as to build structures of myriad shapes and sizes.

This photograph was staged to look as if it was taken candid and so, it would explain my stiff shoulders and arm gesture.

Lounge chair for big bosses.

During World War II, bulky, uncomfortable metal leg splints were used for soldiers who suffered from leg fractures, but were of course inefficient. Thus, the US Navy called upon the Eameses to create a lightweight, inexpensive leg splint. The resulting design is a wooden, highly sculptural yet function device that could be mass-produced and being modular, conveniently and inexpensively transported.

(from: http://www.metmuseum.org/)

Near the end of the exhibition hall were an open space where some of the Eames' furniture was on display.

My kind of chair. Somehow it jogged my memory of the illustration in which Alice met the King and Queen of Hearts and their soldiers after the tea party in Alice in Wonderland.

Another designer's metal chair with leather coated on the parts where your shoulder and butt need support.

The Eames Lounge Chair, first chair that the Eameses designed for the high-end market.

The checkered sofa is a classic example of Pop art, 
as it comprises of metal industrial grid for legs and a bold, multi-coloured sofa cover.

Toy ducks to float with bubbles in your bathtub.

Nelson Marshmallow Sofa
Relentless, bold designs like this, even without consideration on its practicality are my preference. 

You can still find some of these Eames sofas from Herman Miller and on eBay.

A humorously written marriage proposal from Charles to Ray.

People in the past proposed using love letters which is a simple but sincere way to express your love. Though I must say if it were me, a person living in the present modern world, at the receiving end, I would demand at least a decent dinner! :D

Thanks for reading! :D

Anger is sometimes good for me, cos I know it's time for me to set things right. 不要惹女人，没听过吗？

My family ain't no charity. I REPEAT, MY FAMILY AIN'T NO CHARITY.

My mum only worked there for 2 weeks, and you actually borrowed money from her during that short period of time. 

I didn't know that. If I have known, I wouldn't have let it happen.

Wow some good story you deviously made up right there, I almost cry, but your crocodile tears will not work on me, you scheming woman.

The 1st time you called and asked for my mum, I thought, "Wow such a nice young lady, wanna catch up with my mum just few days after she resigned."
I was so naive. I can't believe myself for being so stupid. 


My mum thought you called because you finally 良心发现 and want to return her the money BUT YOU STILL HAVE THE CHEEK TO ASK FOR MORE. Thank you for spending an hour to catch up with her before going into the sensitive subject. You are one of the reasons why I have been so cynical about humans. Some humans are just so unbelievably thick-skinned and driven by ulterior motives. 


You call everyday, twice a day, to ask for money. I feel so sad for you, you must have exhausted your list of potential lenders that you have to beg for money from someone you knew for just 2 weeks. You are so desperate you even called our house at midnight. My mum already has a good-for-nothing brother who comes shamelessly knocking on our door every week to ask for free food and money, despite my younger brother's sarcasms. No thank you, she doesn't need one more.


If you can't manage your own finances, it's your own problem. You earn twice as much as my mum who only earns $5/hr, but you complained about your low salary and the ridiculous OT hours to her! Do you know her ankles hurt after standing for few hours? Do you know she has to visit the doctor every month to relieve her ankle pain? You are a healthy 18-year-old who can tolerate long working hours, yet you want to take away all the money that she will use for doctor consultations. I APPLAUD YOU, WICKED WOMAN. You must be suffering from narcissism, poor you. Everything must be about you, you and only you.


The money we give our mum is for her to spend on the things she likes, not for you to spend on whatever fake problem you made up. 


My mum may be a bit of a pushover but I tell you I will not let you take advantage of her! My dad, being his usual big-hearted, will genially ask you to call back later when my mum is not home. YOU CAN MESS WITH ME, BUT ONCE YOU MESS WITH MY PARENTS, YOU ARE DEAD. I WILL NOT HOLD BACK TO PROTECT MY PARENTS I TELL YOU!


The next time you call and I pick up, unlucky you, cos you are in for some deep shit. I have rehearsed over and over again the sarcasms I'm gonna throw at your face. I know who you are since you just work opposite our house, but lucky you, I'm no shrew, I won't make a scene at your shop, but I will stare right at you whenever I see you, female dog.


GO BACK TO YOUR OWN COUNTRY! TAKE HOME YOU AND ALL YOUR MADE UP PROBLEMS! IT'S SO CONVENIENT TO GO BACK, IT'S JUST BESIDE US, SO ALL THE MORE YOU SHOULD SCRAM BACK!