September is almost here...

Here come the -ber months.

Can't believe August is over in a few hours. Time is flying by so fast. Haha!

Feeling much better this afternoon. I slept last night with no AC and with the fan directed towards another part of the room. If that didn't make me sweat through the night, I don't know what else I could do to kick the fever away by sweating. Hehe.

I woke up this morning with an aching body. I wasn't sure if I could do my agenda for today - museum duty and church.

Thankfully, things continued to improve throughout the day. I went to the 9AM Mass at Novena. From there, I proceeded to the National Museum.

I had a small group today - a British guy and his Japanese wife, a young French couple, and an elderly Australian lady. It was a good group. Thankfully, I didn't faint during the museum tour (Lol! As if!).

After finishing my guiding assignment, I was feeling much better. I was tempted to head to Orchard for a little jalan jalan but decided I shouldn't push it. Instead, I just messaged Tipz that I would pass by his place to get my brolly.

From Tipz's place, I took the train back. I've just been resting since I got back. I'm tempted to get myself busy with activities but I am trying very hard to just stay put at home. Hehe.

The next two weeks at the office are going to be busy. A lot of changes happening. There is no way I should fall ill again.

There goes my Saturday...

Mini Wok Soup. That was my dinner tonight. What was supposed to be a paella dinner (which I was really looking forward to) became a steaming hot noodle soup.

Unfortunately, the temperature rose after I finished gym. I woke up from my nap feeling drowsy, exhausted and burning with fever. Argh, argh!

Serves me right though. As soon as I felt better this morning, I went to the gym and went for Pump as well as Combat. By the time I was doing Combat, I was already feeling that fever was about to set in... again.

True enough, it came back with a revenge.

I forget that I'm no longer in my teen years. I really should know when I need to rest and when it is okay to just keep on going. The tragedy of 28-year-olds. Lol!

Tonight's plans were to watch Boyhood and have dinner at the Singapore Night Festival Village area. The paella place at Pasar Bella had a booth at the Night Festival Village area. I was really craving for it.

Thanks to the fever, here I am at home, in bed. I'm wearing a t-shirt, a thick sweater, boxers, pyjamas and socks. The AC is off, the fan is directed towards the side of the bed. I'm really determined to kick the fever tonight as I have some errands tomorrow. :-S

Thankfully, the soup did me well. I was sweating midway through dinner. Yay. Now, I'm just waiting for my laundry to be done. Afterwards, I think I'm going to turn in early tonight.

There goes my Saturday...

Movie date plus MkSurf8's birthday celeb last night...

What is up with this weather? It has been raining quite heavily in the morning these past few days. All of a Sunday, it becomes hot on a Friday.

What makes me even crazier is how my body temp seems to have difficulty adjusting to the sudden change in the weather. This has always been the case since I was a child. Haha! Thankfully, I was able to get rid of asthma-ish attacks as I grew up. I would, however, get feverish with the crazy weather changes.

Just like yesterday. Lol.

Still, I did not let it stop me from having an awesome Friday at work and an even awesome Friday night.

First agenda for the night was movie with NB Boy. Originally, we were supposed to double date with Mon and Richie. However, plans had to be rearranged after Mon, Richie and I received a text message from one of our good friends. I was thinking of postponing the movie with NB Boy so we an just do the second agenda for the night. Thankfully, I was able to find an earlier screening time of the movie The Hundred-Foot Journey. Mon and Richie did not get to join us anymore for it.

The movie had a very simple story. It was, however, filled with good lessons and positive values. The other thing I absolutely loved about the movie was the location - the French countryside. Throughout the movie, I mumbled "Oh my God!" several times as sceneries of rural France appeared on the big screen. Oh god, I wouldn't mind retiring in such idyllic surrounding. Haha!

From The Cathay, NB Boy and I took the bus to head to our main agenda for the night. The birthday gathering of good friend MkSurf8. The birthday boy booked a room at the Ritz-Carlton and some twenty plus (?) of his friends showed up to celebrate with the birthday boy. NB Boy, I have to say, did a good job in mixing with the crowd though he doesn't speak Filipino. It was also great seeing friends chat with him. If only I could move whatever it is we have forward...

Anyway, it was an enjoyable evening as always! Any gathering hosted by MkSurf8 is sure to be a happy one. I left the party close to 1AM. In the cab on the way home, I wasn't feeling very well. By the time I laid in bed, I was already feeling the fever. Few hours later, I turned off the AC and I popped two paracetamols. Thankfully, I woke up because I was already sweating.

Gosh, I've been up since 6AM. I just didn't turn on the lights because I wanted to go back to lalaland. Major fail. So now here I am writing. Lol!

May this weekend be as awesome as Friday night.

Something to look forward to...

Over lunch, my conversation with a good friend at work dwelled on the fact that I'm going to turn 35 in less than two months.

I can't really remember how our convo was steered into that direction.

My guess is because we were talking about how her life was going to change in a few months time. Aside from the fact that she is going to tie the know, this friend is also going to move to the other side of the world. Two major changes in one go.

I think that was how I got started in talking about my upcoming birthday. I told my friend how it is sort of a big deal for me since I consider it to be a milestone. It is a milestone because I consider 35 to be my mid-life. Haha!

Somewhere along the conversation, I told my friend, "Not to be morbid, but if I returned to our Creator tomorrow, I would actually be fine. I feel like I've accomplished quite a lot in my life these past three decades. Sure, there are other dreams but really, I can't think of having any regrets if the Lord suddenly decides it's time to go."

Then, I told her, "The difference between you and me is this. After you get married, you're going to have kids. After you have kids, you're going to have to keep on working because you have to send the kids to school, and so on and so forth. I don't have that. We don't have that - that set path in life that most straight people can easily choose to take."

My friend replied, "I don't know how to put it into words, but I know what you're saying."

Then she added, "I read somewhere that three things in life are essential - someone to love; something to do; something to look forward to."

We agreed that for her, all three boxes are ticked. In my case, I have number two. I may have number one in the near future (I hope). Or maybe not, but I know I'll still be fine. What I'm kind of missing is the number three. I do have plans but they're still up in the air.

In a previous post, I've written about how the constant message I've been getting from Him is, "Wait." That I've been patiently doing. In fact, one of my prayers every Sunday is to tell Him what my plans are but ending it with "Your will be done."

I guess I would rather that I really know what to look forward to. Right now, it's still a gray area. It adds pressure to the weird feeling I'm having about turning 35. Haha!

The three things considered as essentials in life sound too simplistic, but there is some truth to it. Maybe things should be less complicated from 35 onwards. Haha!

There are a list of things to look forward to, but the ones I have are all short term.

For now, I look forward to finding some place that leads to citizenship. I need something permanent. I look forward to getting back into a relationship and eventually, getting married. Yes, it dawned upon me that I do want to get married. And I'm talking about a wedding that includes my family and my partner's family plus friends. I look forward to a few holiday trips, including the US and a return to my favourite cities in Europe. I look forward to attending the weddings of a few loved ones.

These are all good, but I need something more major to look forward to for the next 35 years of my life.

A night at the museums...

If Saturday daytime was a workout overload, much of Saturday night was an overload on arts and culture.

It was the second night of the Singapore Night Festival. Jon asked us if we wanted to go check it out. I have really been meaning to go to the festival, and I was doubly happy that a bunch of friends were also keen to go.

The evening started with dinner with Richie and NB Boy. Unfortunately, Mon couldn't join us because he already had prior commitments. NB Boy and I met up with Richie at Cathay to have dinner at one of the restaus.

From Cathay, we walked over to the green space across Cathay, whereby food booths, a mini flea market, a performance stage and some kind of light installation were set up.

While waiting for Jon and Lara, we checked out the different booths and the light installation, had some mini-pancakes for dessert and watched a bit of the onstage performance.

Afterwards, we started our museum pilgrimage starting with the National Museum, followed by the Peranakan Museum and finally, the Singapore Art Museum where we met up with Tipz.

Hmm, I enjoyed the most the "Divine Trees" setup at the National Museum as well as the various exhibits at the Singapore Art Musuem. Divine Trees, done by a French artist, features surreal light projections onto the towering trees outside NMS. The result: faces of divine figures on the trees as if they were looking down on us mortals.

Meanwhile, the different exhibits at SAM never fail to tickle the senses. I must admit. After guiding for an art exhibit last year, I became more receptive towards Contemporary Art. Haha! It was also pleasant to see the works of a number of Filipino artists showcased at SAM.

There were still several other setups to visit but it was already close to midnight. I, personally, was already starting to have art fatigue. Haha! I would definitely want to go back again to check out the setup at the Armenian Church and some of the other galleries at SAM.

Pump + Combat Saturdays...

As Tipz mentioned in his blog, it turned out to be a weekend packed with activities.

First order of the weekend was a grueling Body Combat and Body Pump class.

Initially, I was doing the Combat/Pump Saturday combo solo. After awhile, Jon was finally convinced (coerced?) into spending a few hours of Saturday morning at the gym. Then, Tipz also started to make the trip to the West to join us for classes.

Last Saturday, there was another addition to our triumvirate - Jon's housemate Lara. Congratulations are in order for her because she survived the insane Combat class and managed to walked out of the class in one piece. Haha!

As much as I enjoy the classes, what I don't like is the time spent queueing to register for classes. The official policy is that registration for class is 20 minutes before it starts. However, people start forming a queue 30/40 minutes before class to ensure that they can get a spot.

I feel like it's a lot of time wasted on queueing. Good thing I have my trusted Kindle, which keeps me company during queueing. Haha!

I wish there was an app that allows gym members to register for a class. Registration for a class would only be available 30 minutes before each class. This way, no one will be signing up his/her name for all the Pump, Combat or whatever class for the entire year. I dunno how feasible this is, but I'm sure it's doable.

The Saturday routine is really something I always look forward to. One, I like the instructors for both classes. They can really motivate the class to do well. Two, I am able to put in more effort in class becase I don't have to wake up at 530AM the following day. Ergo, I don't mind uploading the weights at Pump and kicking higher at Combat.

Anna, Gisele and Bee do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge...

Three people I'm surprised to see do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge - Gisele Bundchen, Anna Wintour and Anna's daughter Bee Shaffer.

Wtg, girls!

Looking forward to James Jean print in a few weeks...

Some time last week, I received an email that James Jean was going to release a print some time this week.

I took note of the date and set a reminder on my phone. Yesterday and this morning, the alarm for the note went off.

Once I had proper access to a computer, I went online and checked the print that was for sale - Tiger III.

No doubt it was a James Jean. The print was hauntingly beautiful.

I debated for a short while whether I should get the print or not.

What helped me start clicking "Add to Cart" and processing the order were the following: 1.) It's a signed and numbered time-limited edition; 2.) Never to be re-printed; 3.) Who knows when James Jean will release a print again; 4.) The price, including shipping, was affordable considering it's a James Jean.

In less than 5 minutes, I placed an order for a James Jean print. I checked the site again just now and the sale has now been closed. I'm really glad that I decided to grab the opportunity to get my own James Jean print.

The sale was just for twenty-four hours. I don't know yet what the edition size will be. I'm crossing my fingers it won't be more than 100, or at the most, 250. Haha!

I first learned of the Taiwanese American artist when he collaborated with Prada a few years ago. Fully Booked invited the artist to Manila in 2009. I was grateful to have had an opportunity to meet the artist, have two books autographed and have a souvenir photo with him. Thankfully, I have a youngest brother who was willing to accompany his Kuya.

I remember that I was in awe of his prints that were on exhibit at Fully Booked. Who would've thought that I would one day have the opportunity to have my very own James Jean? Early birthday pressie. Haha!

Random lunch convos...

Over lunch last Saturday, the conversation with Jon and Tipz touched on the topic of people we date.

We were talking about a friend who was dating someone new and about another friend who also started dating someone new.

Somewhere along the discussion, I said, "I think I'd go for someone who's smart and I can converse with over someone who has a pretty face."

The statement was of course followed by a caveat - that the person still has to be pleasant looking. The person has to be someone I can present to my friends and maybe, even my family.

During lunch today, the conversation with my usual lunch kaki dwelled on the same topic as above. Only this time, the statement came from him.

He said, "I want someone I can connect with. Everything else is just a bonus."

Having heard this, I told him that I have the same thoughts. I said, "I don't know if it has something to do with maturity. But yeah, I do someone I can talk with and connect with rather than someone who has a very pretty face and nice body."

This was then followed by, "I was going to say I wonder whether it has something to do with age. However, you and I both know that there are those in our age range who are still immature, while there are those who are still in their early twenties who have a more adult way of thinking."

So I'm guessing it is a level of maturity? Or maybe it's not even about maturity. It is about knowing what one wants.

We all have our own checklist of what we want in our partner. I guess this is true. After PG Boy and after the first ex, I would evaluate my checklist and see if any of the things on my checklist needed to be revised or updated. I would find that there are a few characteristics that I would want to remove or add.

Edit as we move on along the way. Hehe!

Same reservoir, different trail...

The morning walk today proved my though that Mr. Lim and I have covered all possible trails at Macritchie Reservoir.

Initially, Mr. Lim suggested we do a new trail that he hasn't done before. His message said, "Let's get lost with this new trail." The words "Let's get lost..." didn't settle very well with me as I only prepared for a half-day walk today.

Still tired from last night and with a bunch of errands to do, I told Mr. Lim that I had to be home by 1PM.

Thankfully, he had another trail in mind.

From our usual breakkie place, we drove over to Bukit Brown cemetery. I thought we had to go to walk again within the cemetery. The idea again didn't sit very well with me as it is Hungry Ghost month. Haha!

Turns out we would just park at the usual parking area and from there, cross over to the side of the Singapore Island Country Club.

The trail we took this morning leads to Jelutong Tower, which I have not been to.

I must say that this trail is one of my favourites because at one point, I was able to have two beautiful sceneries at the same time.

To the left, it was the well-manicured fairways and greens of the SICC. Immediately to the right is the natural, wonderful landscape created by God or Mother Nature or some higher being.

It was a really lovely view.

The walk to Jelutong Tower was close to 3 kilometres. Upon reaching the tower, we stayed for a few minutes and just enjoyed the fresh air and the surrounding natural beauty.

Whoever said Singapore is all towering condominiums and skyscrapers is definitely wrong. Hehe!

If I wasn't so tired from Saturday's activities, I would have continued with our nature walk to HSBC Tree Top. It was just 1.4 kilometres from Jelutong Tower.

However, it was already close to 11. Thankfully, Mr. Lim agreed when I suggested that we start heading back to his car. We just agreed that we will set aside a day for a much longer walk.

I have to organise one nature walk for the guys. I should bring them to the HSBC Tree Top Walk one of these days...

The Boys in the Band at Alliance Francaise...

My plans for Friday night were just to attend the Body Pump and Body Combat classes at Cathay. Since I missed the Thursday night routine with Tipz, I was decided to hit the gym to end the work week and officially start the weekend.

However, I woke up to a tweet mention from Orallyours saying that the off-Broadway production The Boys in the Band is playing this week at Alliance Francaise and that it is worth watching.

As soon as I got to work in the morning, I messaged both Tipz and Richie and so the scrambling for tickets began. Haha!

I went to the Sistic website to check for tix. At first, I thought that tickets were already sold out because I couldn't get the site to work. (It turns out there was a bug in the morning).

Close to noontime, I received a message from Richie - a photo of our tickets for the Friday night 8PM show. Yay!

It was my first time to watch a production at Alliance Francaise. I didn't even know they have their own theatre. It was a small theatre which was quite suited for the production. The cast didn't have their individual mice (I think) so it was definitely impressive how they were able to project their voice into the somewhat huge space. The production design was very simple. There were no stage changes. But it worked. The setting felt like watching a play at a university. The difference was in the actors. We were watching professional actors, who I'm guessing have had extensive theatre experience. How they managed to remember close to two hours worth of script and with no intermissions, I have no idea!

The story itself was amusing and entertaining! It was very close to home since it talked about topics that my evening companions and I could relate to. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments, but there were also the shift to a more serious tone. Google The Boys in the Band for the summary.

The Boys in the Band was certainly the better way to end the work week and to start the weekend, rather than hitting the gym. Haha! It's a very good thing that Orallyours alerted us about the production. Otherwise, we wouldn't know about it. I'm really glad that he keeps me informed about all the productions that are currently playing in town. It's great to know a fellow theatre lover. Haha! Thank you, Orallyours!

Fun weekend in KL...

So I spent the long weekend in Kuala Lumpur with one of my very close friends from Manila.

A month ago or so, my friend told me that he is planning to take a job in KL. I wasn't sure if he was joking. When he started asking about living overseas and I started doing some research for him about the income tax in Malaysia, that's when I thought that he was really serious about it. When he sent me his papers from the company so I can take a look at it, that confirmed that he was going to take the job.

I'm unable to divulge his identity because he still hasn't resigned from his current workplace. His trip, in fact, was very hush hush. I could relate because I did the same thing when I was planning to move to Singapore a few years ago. I would fly over the weekend without telling anyone. Hehe!

The news that this friend decided to take a job overseas is a big surprise. I've always thought he is too attached to his family. I know that he is doing well with his career in the Philippines. I know that he is actually financially stable. Plus, there's also the fact that he is in a relationship. One more big surprise is the fact that he accepted in a city he has never been to. Lol! Talk about leap of faith.

The trip over the weekend was his look-see of the city. He was also going to have a meeting with his would-be new boss.

Since I had nothing planned in Singapore, I told him that I will join him if I can find cheap airfare. Luckily, I did. I was able to get a return flight for just $103 via TigerAir. For a less than hour flight, it was actually okay.

I was very excited to see this friend. We agreed that we would just meet at the airport. I think the trip was really meant to happen because our arrival times were so close to each other. My plane was scheduled to land 10 minutes ahead of his. Is that a sign or what? Haha!

If it were up to me, I would have filled the weekend with activities for him to be a bit more familiar with the city. However, he told me that the point of the trip was "to fall in love with Kuala Lumpur." After he said that, we just decided to stay within KLCC and Bukit Bintang area. Hahaha!

Though this is my nth trip to KL, this is still one of the most memorable ones because I still managed to do a lot of things for the first time. Who would've thought? I'll write about that in a separate post.

Also, this is the first time that I have a decent photo with the Petronas Towers. The first time I went to KL, I was on my own. I worried for my camera being stolen so I didn't really get to have a decent photo with the towers. The other time I went was with my Mom. Unfortunately, she cannot take a proper photo to save her life. Another instance was just me again but I didn't have enough time to roam around the city.

This time, I knew I was going to get a good photo because this friend knows what he's doing. And because I was going to be with this friend, I knew I had to pack my Comme des Garcons with me. Lol! I decided I'd go for the red one to pair it with my white shorts. It'll be my Happy Birthday, Singapore attire. Haha!

It was a good trip indeed. More details in the next post. Looks like I will be flying quite often to KL soon. Or maybe he'll be flying frequently to Singapore... especially during the Club 21 Mega Sale. Haha!

Happy 49th birthday, Singapore...

2008

2010

2011

2011
Happy 49th birthday, Singapore!!!

I fell in love with you in 2008 for a holiday with my friend Richie and Mon, who you already adopted then. Three other friends, Jean, Joi and Lloyd, were also here. I remember telling Richie I want to move here one day. I remember him telling me to come move.

It would take a few years though before the dream becomes a reality.

Two years later, I visited you again and I am still very much in love with you. December 2010. It was a very special occasion. Together with a bunch of friends from Manila, we all flew in to join the Standard Chartered Marathon. I did the 21K and it was such a memorable run for me. The trip was also made more memorable by the fact that I had met more friends who lived in Singapore - Sarge, Ian, Joann, Rej, Kym, Jon, Cyprus, Miguel. Chris moved to Singapore a few months earlier. I still remember that night I left Richie and Mon's place. I was really determined to come to Singapore and make you my home.

It turns out that I wouldn't have to wait long. Four months later, I would be boarding a flight to Singapore to start my new life.

The past four years have been really amazing. Like any romantic relationship, there are a few times that we may have had arguments. But you know that my love and gratitude for you will always be there.

I've been blessed to meet friends from different backgrounds - Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian, Filipino, and so on. I've experienced several opportunities. Opportunities which although I believe are achievable even if I were still in the Philippines, it became more accessible when I was here.

You've taught me a lot, Singapore. You've taught me that I'm a Filipino and that I am also a part of a bigger home, Southeast Asia. I'm not just from the Philippines. I am from the Nanyang region. You've expanded my point of view on how I see things.

So whether you'll still have me in 2016 (when work pass renewal time comes again) or not, you will always hold a special place in my heart, my dear adopted country.

Happy birthday, Singapore!

Good news shared by good friends...

Schadenfreude: the German word which means happiness in the misfortune of others.

Now, what do you call happiness in the good fortune of others?

Today, I felt blessed that two friends messaged me to tell me about the extremely good news they received today. One friend messaged me in the morning, while I was having breakkie. The other friend messaged me around noontime. However, I only managed to reply to her and chat with her in the evening.

It was a good start and a good end to the day, imho.

For the first friend, it was about finally getting her fiancé visa after months and months of waiting. For the second friend, she shared that she finally bagged the job with a new company after being in between jobs for a few months. I was genuinely happy for both friends as I knew about their concerns right from the start. Both of them have always been included in my prayers every Sunday at Mass. So, I couldn't be more delighted to hear that the prayers have been answered.

I will be honest though. For I am only human, I wondered in mind to Him, "What about me, Lord? When will it be my turn?"

The thought didn't last very long as it became clear to me what his message was, "Wait. It's not yet time." And he used both of my friends as his instruments in delivering the message. Though different circumstances, there was one thing common: both had to wait. Both had to remain faithful and prayerful. And in the end, they received what was in store for them.

Call it reading too much into things. Maybe. But the faithful and trusting person in me firmly believes that that was Him telling me His message through my friends.

The message has been consistent. Last Sunday, the readings at Mass carried the same message. As the priest paraphrased it, "Walk away from your fears. Walk towards the path of faith."

It's easy to fall into the trap of being kancheong. I've been described to be as such by a few people. Haha! Slowly, slowly, I'm learning to let it go and put my trust in Him. My constant prayer is for Him to increase my faith. Then, I begin to worry less and I get excited about what He has in store for me.

For now, I'll just keep on doing what my first friend told me, "Enjoy while waiting."

Oh, about the verse above... If I were ever to get a tattoo, I now know what my tattoo will be. Matthew 6:34.

Rants on a Tuesday afternoon...

I got angry today.

In the almost four years that I've been with the company, today was the only day I got this angry.

Out of heavy frustration, I was on the verge of being nasty. The good thing was the other person was in another country and in another time zone. Haha!

Still, I fought very hard with myself not to write a nasty, emotional email on why this person would be the cause of my early death. Lol!

There have been major delays with a project I recently took on. The delays were understandable because of the deliverables needed for the project. What was making me furious was that this counterpart has no initiative to keep me updated on the status of the tasks assigned to their team.

Dear counterpart. Meet the word "pro-active." It might not save your life, but it might save your job. Harhar!

At one point, I turned to my team mate next to me to rant. "You know, I can choose not to care and I won't be on the brink of a cardiac arrest any time now." We just both laughed.

The thing is, borrowing Grace Coddingotn's line, "I care about what I do. I do, or I still won't be doing it."

Maybe tomorrow would be a better day. Maybe tomorrow that person would already have been replaced. Lol! In that aspect, I couldn't be bothered and I couldn't care less.

Uneventful Monday, yay....

Quite uneventful Monday.

The day (or the week) started at 530AM. I had a brief struggle to get out of bed. Haha! I finally got up at 540AM and rushed out before 6 to head to the gym.

I'm glad that I was able to drag myself out of bed for Body Combat. The usual teacher wasn't around. The substitute teacher was just as good. The best part was that there were only 8 of us in class. That gave everyone enough room to kick, punch and move all around. It is so much better than evening classes in which you have always have to look behind/beside you to make sure you don't kick someone.

I left the gym feeling very energised for the day/week.

As for the entire day, it just went by without much fuss. I should be grateful for that. Perhaps, it's because it is still a weekend in the US. Tomorrow is when all the emails will come in. Haha!

There's a slight issue I'm dealing with thanks to a vendor who's not performing very well. I've been tempted to write an angry email on so many occasions. I decided to just finish this one project first and afterwards, I will write a detailed email enumerating all the "what could have been better" items.

After work, it was either I head back and keep myself busy with something or do something else. I chose the latter. I met up with Mon and Richie for dinner and chit chat.

On the way home, I continued reading the Pulitzer winning novel "The Goldfinch." Hmm, the pace of the book is a bit slow. I was tempted to read something else, but I decided that I must finish it. (Great! I just saw news that Warner Bros acquired movie rights to the book. All the more reason for me to hurry up reading the book. Haha!)

When I got home about an hour ago, I just did my usual house chores. I'm just going to finish this post and then it's off to lalaland. Waking up early tomorrow for yoga.

Much more relaxed weekend...

Compared to the Hari Raya weekend, the weekend that is about to end in a few hours is significantly more relaxed. Haha!

Whereas the activities during Raya weekend were nonstop (I was sleeping past 3AM for three consecutive days), my schedule this weekend was a bit more relaxed.

For Saturday, I just did some house chores in the morning before heading to the gym by 10AM. I like the class schedule at the nearby Fitness First. Body Pump. I get a one-hour break. Body Combat. Since I could bring in a guest during weekend, I invited Jon to join me for Pump. I also managed to convince him to stay for Combat. Yay!

By the time we left the gym, it was almost 3PM. We had lunch at one of the restaus in the mall. I got home around 430PM.

It only gave me enough time to rest a bit before heading out again for dinner and a movie with Jon and Tipz. I was somewhat craving for something sinful so we decided to go to Tonkichi at Shaw House. It was a good choice since the cinema was also in the same building. Mon and Richie joined us for dinner.

Following dinner, Tipz, Jon and I headed to level 6 for the 930PM screening of Guardians of the Galaxy. It was hilarious! I definitely want the soundtrack.

As soon as the end credits started rolling, I checked the time. It was almost 12 midnight. I checked the last train departing for Jurong East from Ochard. After seeing that I had about a few minutes to catch the train, I said a quick goodbye to Tipz and Jon. They decided to stay behind and wait for the bonus scene after the credits. Meanwhile, I walked/ran from Shaw to Orchard station.

Thankfully, I was able to catch the last train. How do I know it was the last train? When I alighted at Yew Tee, the info screens at the station already changed to "Train Service Ended." Whew!

MkSurf8 invited to a hohol at his place. As much as I wanted to go again, I had to say no because I already said yes to a Sunday morning walk with Mr. Lim.

So today, I found myself up at 7AM. Around 9AM, Mr. Lim and I were already on our way to Macritchie Reservoir. We've been to Macritchie numerous times.

However, today was my first time to do the other boardwalk trail at the reservoir. It was a very easy walk. We covered about eight to nine kilometres. My Runkeeper app paused at 4.5 kilometres halfway so I couldn't tell the exact distance. Since the terrain was very flat, it didn't feel like a 9 kilometre walk. Haha!

For lunch, we headed to Serangoon Garden Food Centre for the famous braised duck. Unfortunately and surprisingly, the shop was closed today. We still had a good and cheap lunch thanks to the neighbouring braised pork stall.

In the afternoon, it was just QT with JC at Mass followed by grocery.

The readings and the homily at Mass today were awesome! In summary, the key message was "Fear to Faith." The message was to walk away from fear and walk towards faith in Him. I messaged my colleague Paula (sort of my fellow Word warrior) about the readings and homily after Mass.

It was definitely a good ending to the weekend and a good start for this brand new week. Thank you, Lord, for all!

Don't fall for me...

Don't fall for me
I'm a foreigner
For while I could be your lover
I don't know if I'll be here forever

Don't fall for me
I'm a foreigner
What future is there for us
When my life here depends on a work pass

Don’t fall for me
I’m a foreigner
You tell me I’m the best part of your year
I tell you I don’t know til when I’ll be here

Don’t fall for me
I’m a foreigner
More than friends, less than lovers
Surely you deserve much better

Don’t fall for me
I’m a foreigner
Don’t get your hopes up too high
Because in the end, I might just say goodbye

The last thing I want is for you to cry...

Bad poetry as a result of a very good date tonight. How many times do I have to tell NB Boy? Don't pin all your hopes on me. I'm only going to break your heart.