The Quiet Clarke Quay

I went to Liang Court to collect my book from Kinokuniya Bookstore on Saturday afternoon after my class.

When on my way to the MRT station, I passby Clarke Quay which I had not been there for years. So many changes since then.......

In case you are lost.
The colourful Clarke Quay

I love this design

Any idea what shop is this? I can't figure out.

Alarm Clock

I left home to work at 5.40am everyday, passing few blocks before reaching bus-stop. The street was quiet and I can count the number of people walking on the street. Familiar faces but seldom did any one of us greet to each other.

The street or I should say the car park that I pass by every morning was so quiet that I can hear the ringing of the alarm from one of the windows. Ring….ring….ring…ring… but no one seems to be wakening up in that room. Hearing the ringing continue, I began to wonder did this wake the neighbours instead. Ha ha ha.

So coincidently, I was talking about waking up in the morning as special friend has been sleeping late recently.

SF: “I guess my alarm clock is not working.”
Me: “Alarm clock? I set my HP alarm to wake me up since they have this feature on the hp.”
SF: “Using HP? I don’t think this can wake me up.”
Me: “Well, then set to the loudest voice lor. Can always give it a try”
SF: “……..” (No reply)

Now I know why some people prefers alarm clock, you might need one that is loud enough to wake your neighbour before waking yourself.

Check out for the top ten most annoying alarm clocks.

$$$$ For Future House

I went to this Home Ideas Exhibition 2007 held at Suntec City.

No, I am yet to get my own HDB flat, still a couple of years to go before I reach the eligible age to buy own flat. But it is good to know the market price for the flat and the renovation charges; after all I still need to have enough saving before moving on to the next step.

To start from zero, I will have to get a HDB flat, guess might be a 4-room flat which might costs around 250k in few years time. (I can’t believe a 5-rooms HDB flat can cost more than 700K today). Then at least a 40k is needed to have fully furnished house, not much of luxury lifestyle at this cost. So a total estimating of 300K will be spend to get a roof, which hopefully can turn up a home for myself. Not a small amount, I mean how many people up there can really save so much in order to have comfortable shelter.

Of course, all of these can be pay by installment. Even paying the deposit itself can be tough for a single. Hmmm, I guess more than half of my earning will be gone by paying off all these debts. To those experienced guys up there, am I right?

Some of my friends teased me that I should get one man; at least I have someone to split all these costs. Ha ha ha, what an idea!

So at the end, to achieve for a home sweet home, I have to work harder than ever. Hope my goal in life does not stop for this house only.

Watching Two Movies Over Weekend

Weekend always seem to be so short with so many things to do.

I bought a new super single size King Koil bed and cabinet for my room on last Sun and was expecting their delivery on sat late afternoon(3 to 6pm). Asked my family to stay home and wait for them, but ended up they only arrived around 6 to 8pm. Thanks to the new bed, I managed to sleep quite well for the past two nights and hope this will lasts, hee hee.

Hmmm I still managed to watch two movies, one of them is FOC.

When Shrek married Fiona, the last thing he had in mind was becoming the next King. But when Shrek's father-in-law, King Harold, suddenly croaks, that is exactly what he faces. Unless Shrek (with the help of his trusted companions Donkey and Puss In Boots) can find a suitable King for Far Far Away, the ogre could be stuck with the job. The most promising candidate, Fiona's cousin Artie, an underachieving Medieval high school slacker, proves to be more of a challenge than they bargained for.
Director: Raman Hui, Chris Miller
Main Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy
Genre: Animated / Comedy
Running Time: 93 minutes

My rate: **1/2

I feel ……. I didn’t watch the first two so have no idea on the storyline. Quite funny and entertaining one but frankly speaking, I will not watch it if this is not FOC.

On Sunday

Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and the gang would have only one reason to pull off their most ambitious and riskiest casino heist—to defend one of their own. When ruthless casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) double-crosses one of the original Ocean’s eleven - Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) - Danny and the gang team up one more time to see if they can break “the Bank.” Director: Gore Verbinski
Main Cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 122 minutes

My rate: ****

I feel….. I always love to watch this kind of movie. How the evil beaten by the good using their intelligent, the high and latest technology and most of it, the handsome and beauties on the screen. And in this movie, how the Casino 'win' the gamblers' money, so better watch out when you visit Casino next time.

What’s keep a love relationship lasts?

Love
Trust
Communication (of cos not in harsh way)
Commitment
Patient
Little tolerance, I guess.
(What’s more to learn in this learning curve?)

If one of the above is losing, can this relationship lasts?
==========================================

One more to add for the above, that is Understanding.

What’s next to increase?

We were told of the GST years ago, from 0 to 3%, then 5% and now 7% on the coming July. Now, milk – fresh, evaporated and condensed – has cost more in recent weeks due to global demand, increases between 10 to 55 cents.

Today, when I went to the venting drinking machine during break time of my class, surprisingly I realized there are increases of price for all can drinks too. From $0.90 to $1.20, from $1.20 to $1.50, almost 30% increased. My goodness, why they always like to in-line with our salary increment period? No wonder I never realize the good feel of my increment salary, cos it was always ‘eaten up’ by all increases of our living costs.

Now I begin to worry, what’s next for the increase? Maybe coffee and tea with milk?

Mint Museum Of Toys

I have been wanted to go this place since long time. Today, I happened to be at City Hall area so I get special friend to go with me.


So happen that today is the last day for the Musuems Alive, we still stand the opportunity to have 1-for-1 admission.


The museum show a world class collection of toys that bring us back some of our memories, and we might have not see most of the toys too. Today is a good journey for me at this five-storey building, enjoying looking at every toy. I took a lot of photos and thanks to the museum, this is allowed.


If you have not yet been there, enjoy viewing the photos.
And see which one is still your favourites.

Gathering With Old Friends

After long organising for this gathering, finally I met my old friends. The last meeting with this group of old friends was during one of their wedding dinner, that was more than two years ago. My god, time just passes like this, and here we are again, 4 guys plus one lady, that's me, had lunch again after such long time.

We talked about our recent update, our jobs and old time story. Nothing much change for most of us except one of them married and the other with his next generation. The meeting was not very long but at least I finally managed to meet his little baby girl.

The little baby girl just woke up so can't make her smile........... It is great to meet old friends at least once a year.

After that, I went to watch Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End.

In the follow-up to PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, we find our heroes Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) allied with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) in a desperate quest to free Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from his mind-bending trap in Davy Jones' locker - while the terrifying ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman and Davy Jones, under the control of the East India Trading Company, wreaks havoc across the Seven Seas. Navigating through treachery, betrayal and wild waters, they must forge their way to exotic Singapore and confront the cunning Chinese Pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat).

Director: Gore Verbinski
Main Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Chow Yun Fat
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Running Time: 170 minutes

My Rate: ***

I feel............. nowsaday is it a norm that the movie is so long? Almost 3hrs in the theatre, sitting at 5th row watching this movie is not the very good choice. Thanks god I had popcorn with me to go thr the whole movie, guess it was not as nice as I expected. That's why I feel the time is clicking.

I don't quite like the storyline, which made this just an enternainment movie to me only. There are so funny parts that made me laugh, haha.

"Eat With Your Family Day"

Singapore government has designated Friday, May 25, as Eat With Your Family Day, urging people on a Web site to strengthen family ties through the "simple act of sitting down and taking a meal together more frequently". (The annual "Eat With Your Family Day", which always falls on a Friday before the start of the mid-year school break for students)

So our management also enhance this and we were told to knock off on dot today, unless urgent stuff to clear. But I don't see much people here will really bother about this. I personally feels that if we can't or do not wish to have dinner together with your family on your normal days, do you think you will care much on this 'special day'.

So how often do you have dinner with your family, sitting together on the same table. Lucky me will have at least 3 or 4 times weekly.

Of course, government intention is very much appreciate but does it work effectively or not, who knows?

Life is getting busier again, so plan ahead.

After attending each core unit subject, we will bounce to have at least two assignments to do, giving us approximate 3 weeks deadline to complete. Luckily, my group (so far we have our own fix study group) is very hardworking, to finish our assignment as soon as possible before the snow ball gets bigger after each class. But still, the scenario will not end till we complete our whole course. Even heard from our previous batch students that our study will be quite busy and tough during the week in Perth, which will be during this coming July.

At work, there are still a lot of outstanding issues to be settled. My attachment to Engineering is still in progress and so is the IQC project. Anyway, who have ever finished their job at work? That’s why we are being employed, hee hee.

Despite having so many things to do, I do hope I can have relaxation during the week. Like my favourite facial, my massage and a little outing during the weekend. Hmmm, I must have a good planning.