Countess Jae

Wanna play hide and seek?

Jae can be the seeker!

课室里的小幼苗！

7个星期前，我们第一次带媛媛到Baby Jumper Gym上试用课。昨天，媛媛从Littler Walkers I“毕业”咯！虽然是短短的7堂课，但是我们看到了媛媛的进展。我们看到媛媛学会遵守教室的规则。老师分乐器或学习道具的时候，一定坚持孩子们用他们的方式表达“谢谢”。该还东西的时候，老师也坚持孩子们得归还，并教导他们快乐地和道具说“再见”。我们也看到媛媛对于群体生活有多一点的认识。最明显的，就是她学会了攀网。对于音乐的敏感度也增加了。最近，她都在哼哼唱唱自己的歌，还自己设计一大堆的动作。每次我们问她“要不要去上课？”她都大大声地喊“要！！”看她学习得那么愉快，我们就决定下个学段继续让她上Little Walkers II。一个学段的学费要$350++++，可不便宜！但是见她学习得愉快，我们也觉得钱花得非常值得。我们并不期望媛媛会学会很多，我们只是想让她觉得学习、上课是非常愉快的事，奠定她日后学习的态度。

最后一堂课时，我们请媛媛的老师Poh Cheng跟媛媛合照。还记得第一堂课，媛媛坚持不肯让老师碰她一下。昨天，老师说“hug hug!”，黄靖媛给了老师两个爱的抱抱哦！

10月7日，媛媛又将开课咯！

超级明星脸?

This My Heritage site really quite interesting leh.

I just did one Celebrity Look-Alikes widget for Angie. Check it out!~



Also made a morph widget. Can see it here. Hahaha...

Look alike meter!!

Got this meter from mamatang's blog. Interesting!!

超不爽

今天，我们两夫妻坦诚对对方超不爽的一件事。

老公对老婆的不满
我常常把闹钟调早一点响，因为本auntie有赖床的恶习。每天闹钟响的时候，我都梦游似的去把闹钟按掉（或者用脚去踢老公把闹钟按掉），然后若无其事地继续死睡。大王被闹钟叫醒了之后，就无法再入眠了。他其实很想学我一样继续多睡个两分钟，但是他就是没有办法。每次他在床上干躺了5－10分钟之后，就会火很大地把我叫醒去刷牙。而他，就在我刷牙洗脸的时候继续躺着不动，补偿自己，并且等我叫他起来刷牙才觉得报仇雪恨了。他很气我干嘛把闹钟调到那么早，然后把他当后备闹钟。这是大王对小的不爽的地方。

老婆对老公的不满
每次媛媛晚上（其实是午夜／凌晨）需要喝奶，或哭闹的时候，都是我起床安抚孩子。睡眼惺忪地爬下床去哄孩子、闭着眼睛走到厨房泡奶、半梦半醒地帮孩子换纸尿片…尽管精神还是处在睡眠状态，我的手脚还是非常麻利。因为我要尽快滚回我的床继续睡我的觉。但是，10次当中有10次，我要回到床上时火就会很大。因为某人故意滚到我的位子去睡，还胆大包天地抱着我的抱枕！我不客气地把某人推回属于他的地盘，狠狠地把抱枕抽回来，极不爽地躺在被某人的体温弄热了的床褥上，然后找周公抱怨。不需要起来做工还敢敢霸占需要起来做工的人的东西和地盘！真是佛都有火！这是本女王对某人不爽的地方。

人家说饥饿的人是火气很大的人。嘿嘿，睡眠不足的人，火气更大！

"One Word/Sentence" Tag

Alrighty.

Here's the second tag that I've got, and learning from a previous lesson, do your tags quickly so you'd still have people left to pass the tag to when you're done.

This one is directed to me by Idy, and it comes without any specific instructions but simply a series of questions that, judging from the tag title, the taggee is required to provide short, one-word or one-sentence types of answers.

That's straight forward enough. So, here we go.

*****************************************

Where is your cell phone? Quietly resting on my shelf, hoping fervently that there'd be no calls from my boss tonight.

Relationship? Traded my girlfriend for a wife 9 years ago.

Your hair? No need to go to Beijing 101, yet.

Work? Not if I can help it.

Your sister? As far as I know my brother has no intention to go for sex change.

Your favorite thing? Toto jackpot winning ticket.

Your dream last night? Getting favourite thing above.

Your favorite drink? Jasmine honey drink.

Your dream car? One that is not accident prone.

The room you’re in? Study.

Your shoes? Sized US10.

Your fears? They lead to anger which leads to hate which leads suffering and eventually to the dark side.

What do you want to be in 10 years? A 45 year-old guy.

Who did you hang out with this weekend? If you mean last weekend then that'd be my two girls.

What are you not good at? Where to start on this one...

Muffin? Yes, I'd have one please.

One of your wish list items? See favourite thing above.

Where you grew up? Singapore, where I'm still growing...sideways, not up.

Last thing you did? Havn't done that yet, but I imagine would be lying in coffin.

What are you wearing? T-shirt and pyjamas pants.

What aren’t you wearing? Makeup.

Your pet? Very dead.

Your computer? DELL Inspiron 640m.

Your life? Is like a game of Kinigu - random chance, making and calling bluffs, plus a large dose of friendship.

Your mood? Moody.

Missing? See favourite thing above.

What are you thinking about right now? The answer to this question.

Your car? Lao Chio.

Your kitchen? It's not mine but my wife's.

Your summer? I get it for 12 months a year.

Your favorite color? Home Team Blue.

Last time you laughed? No, I intend to laugh some more in the future.

Last time you cried? I'm sure there'd be more to cry about too.

School? 21 years' worth.

Love? Yes, I am in it.

*****************************************

Done. Yay. Now, you shall be it -

1. stardust
2. chinmama

"My Birthdate in History" Tag

Such are the nature of things - when they don't arrive, you can wait till the cows come home and they won't be here; when they do come (things, not cows), they do so in waves.

They've got sayings for this probability-defying phenomenon, for both good things and bad.

好事成双

祸不单行

Anyways, it has been a pretty long time since we last received a tag. And then it happened. I got tagged. Two times. By two bloggers. In one night.

The first came from Mama Tang at TangSanctuary. Since this is the easier one, I'd start with it before proceeding to the one from Idy at Twin Terror.

Ok, tag rules:

1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. Type in your birthday and search your birthdate : February 4.
3. From the results, list down 3 events, 2 births and 1 holiday.

****************************************************
3 Historical Events That Occured on Feb 4

1. 1789 - George Washington is unanimously elected to be the first President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College.
2. 1792 - George Washington is unanimously elected to a second term as President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College.
3. 1976 - In Guatemala and Honduras an earthquake kills more than 22,000.

2 Births on Feb 4

1. 1940 - George Romero, American director, screenwriter and producer
2. 1953 - Kitaro, Japanese composer

1 Holiday on Feb 4

1. Independence Day in Sri Lanka (1948).

****************************************************

Ok, I'd like to send this tag over to:

1. Angelcow and Happypig at Obasan & Ajuma
2. Idy at Twin Terror
3. Joyce at The Chiah Family

洗刷刷

After witnessing other BayB toddlers being instilled with the good habit of helping clean up the house, mommy suddenly realised that she had better start coaching our girl in the art of homemaking too. Gotta start the training young, she said, lest our girl ends up having difficulties in getting married as a result of losing out to the competition. Whoever said being a 贤妻 is gonna be easy? 妈妈真是用心良苦啊...

Ariel and 海龙王 at the Chinese Gardens

The is our first visit to the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations even that has become an annual affair hosted by the Chinese Gardens. Each year, there'd be specially designed lanterns being put up all over the otherwise quite mundane park, to attract locals and tourists alike to bask in the festive mood while enjoying the spectacular sights and sounds.

This year, the organisers ran a theme of magical oceans. The Chinese Garden was transformed into a mythical aquatic home of enchanted sea creatures. There were penguins, sharks, sea lions, mermaids, octopus, dolphins, polar bears (?) and lots and lots of very colorful fishes. There was even 海龙王 and his hosts of guards welcoming us at his 12 metre tall Crystal Palace, near the park entrance.

The lantern display event started on 5th of Sep and would run till the 30th. We chose to go yesterday cos we learnt that there would be fireworks on Saturdays. Alas, our batteries (and patience) ran out way before the time hit 10pm, which was when the pyrotechnics show would commence. Nevertheless, Jae appeared to be quite fascinated with the vibrant lanterns, the animated displays and the upbeat music. Out of sheer coincidence, we even bumped into 3 families from the BayB Forum~! Thought that to be quite amazing considering the very huge crowd that was there last night.

After spending just over 2 hours at the Chinese Garden, we dragged our sweaty, tired bodies and a sleepy and quite cranky baby back to home sweet home...

喜相逢

今天带媛媛到裕华园去看灯饰。之前在baby forum里就有好些网络妈咪说可能今晚也会到裕华园去，但是大家的时间都不能确定，所以也没有一起约时间见面。我在往裕华园的路上就想：“人海茫茫的，到底相遇的机率是多少呢？”

结果，我们一到裕华园不久，就遇见Joyce和她美丽的小公主佳颖，走到一半，竟然遇见只见过照片没见过真人的Grace和她的宝宝Megan。然后，就在一棵大树下、一只嘴巴开关开关个不停的猛龙前，见到Idy一家人。在人山人海的裕华园里有４个网络家庭碰面了！天呀，买马票都没那么准吧？和一个网络妈妈见面已经很了不起了。我们竟然碰到３个！

这也太神奇了吧！如果我们没有缘分，或者不认识对方，或者我们到不一样的forum去，就会彼此擦肩而过。然而，因为我们都上网到同一个forum去，从虚拟的朋友变成真实的交情，然后在同一个傍晚在裕华园里碰面，这种感觉真的很奇妙！

如果，如果我们有时空机，如果，如果可以穿梭到任何一个时空，我们会不会在没有认识彼此之前就已经在某一天某一个场合见面了，或者擦肩而过了呢？光是这样想，就觉得非常有趣了！

随着年龄的增长，对“缘分”这两个字有更深的领悟和体会。 缘分，是不能用机率来算的。

谁说虚拟的世界没有真实的朋友？对于今晚花好月圆的喜相逢，我感恩。

喜相逢之一：Mama Joyce, Baby Cherrlyn

喜相逢之二：Mama Grace, Baby Megan

喜相逢之一：Mama Idy, Baby Ilis

A highly efficient teleconversation

Recently, the very friendly and efficient support staff from my workplace has become very fond of calling us on our personal mobile for the most trival matter. That's how they become very efficient.

Just this evening, at 6.10pm, I received a call from them. And this week is school vacation week.

Me: Hello?
Evil lin: Hello? Angie ah?
Me: Yes speaking.
Evil lin: Are you in school now?
Me: (raised voice) Of course not lah! (SIOW!)
E.L: Oh, i thought you are mah. Because that day I rang XXX and he was in school.
Me: (while scratching head trying to understand the logic) What's up?
E.L: There is something that is passed the deadline and you have not submitted.
Me: What's that?
E.L: Please check your email.
Me: Huh? What deadline?
E.L: Please check your email.
Me: What is it regarding?
E.L: Please check your email. You are supposed to reply to either Su or Mrs J.
Me: What???? Are you talking about XXXXXX?
E.L: Yes.
Me: I have submitted. And the content is XXXX.
E.L: When did you submit?
Me: LOOOONNNNGGG AGGGOOOO.
E.L: Is it? Which group are you in charge huh?
Me: XXX.
E.L: Angie Ng huh?... you are in charge of XXX group huh. The content is XXXX huh?
Me: YES!
E.L: Ok i go and check.
Me:(WTF)

And this group of people were just awarded $2500 for outstanding contribution award. *applause*

You win.

爸爸要看８８１

今天老公有半天的休假。我２点３０分放学，５点钟学校有教师节彩排，我需要留下来。中间的空挡，正好可以到学校附近的电影院看３点场的８８１。多么理想和完美的计划！

但是，我们２点４５分抵达电影院门口，却发现３点场的戏竟然售罄！

爸爸要看８８１，脸上难掩失望的神情。妈妈安慰说没关系，等光碟出来，妈妈买来送给要看８８１的爸爸看８８１。

Clock Goes Tick Tock

What's worse than being sleepy but unable to sleep cos there're loads of work to be done?

That'd be being sleepy but unable to sleep despite there being nothing to be done.

Well, ok...I know that is highly debatable. But really, when the single tasks assigned to you to be carried out for a period of 14 hours is to sit there, to stay awake and to wait for things to happen (while praying that nothing does), you get to become painfully aware just how slowly time crawls.

A second is precisely a second, right? I mean, unless you're diving into the world of Einstein and dabbling with theories on Relativity, Time is a river with a constant flow rate, measured in seconds, minutes and hours.

It is the mind that makes it feel otherwise. It is the heart that makes happy moments zip by and lonely ones pan out in slowmo. Time can be the Yangtze when you're enjoying yourself, and can be reduced to a trickling stream well, on occasions such as the one I'm in now...

9月假期快到了，万岁！

终于，终于，终于看到曙光了！第三学段终于快熬完了！9月假期终于快到了！我感动得想流泪啊！

“第三学段”是所有老师的恶梦。因为那是非常非常忙碌的一个学段。大家都把上半年没完成的事推到这个学段，并把第四学段的事推上第三学段，腾出多一点时间来给学生做考前复习。而第三学段又有校外部分的校外考试，教师和学生都疲于奔命，与时间赛跑，与周公做拉锯战。

9月假期虽然只有短短的一个星期，而这一个星期，至少有一半的时间要用来改第三学段改不完的作业，一半的时间出考题，剩下的时间备课（一半加一半不是一，因为还是要挤出多一点时间的）。这个假期也不算是什么假期。但是这个假期意义非凡。因为过完了这个星期，就意味着我们的好日子终于快到了。真的有苦尽甘来的感动呀！

我们在教育界就是这样，忙的时候简直会死人。假期的时候才可以安心休息。但是也不是每个老师都可以安心休息。教毕业班的老师要等到学生考完A水准才能放松紧绷的神经。负责2008年迎新会的老师更加是不要幻想有“假期”这回事。苦命咧。

总之，有假期好过没有。不要无病呻吟。老公在我9月假期那周的星期四和星期五请假。我们又可以一家人环岛游啦！

万岁！万岁！万万岁！

忽然很想唱五月天的歌！！

牙牙学语翻译机？

市面上有没有这样的一种翻译文件或机器呢？

真希望有这么一台！

因为媛媛处于牙牙学语的阶段。很多时候她除了讲一些有意义的词汇，她也会咦咦呀呀地大发伟论，或叽叽咕咕地自言自语。有时，她也会叽叽歪歪地大发脾气。

我们都很喜欢听她讲的婴儿语。这个时候，只是一个过度期。她一天一天长大，这样的话语就一天一天的减少。但是，我们也很想知道，这个16个月的小冬瓜脑袋里装的是什么？她口里其实要表达的是什么？

很多母亲本身就是翻译员。但是我不是。唉！能当孩子的翻译员，感觉一定很棒吧！只有妈妈听得懂的话！好象是妈妈和孩子之间的暗号，多亲密！

希望有一天我也能够成为孩子的翻译…

安抚小孩的绝招

什么东西，小孩离家出国，不可不备？

奶粉？纸尿片？奶嘴？手巾？湿纸巾？

其实，是贴纸。

贴纸是人类非常伟大的发明。因为它可以让两个已经在高凳上坐了2个小时陪我们吃“不肥”(buffet)的大人，再继续坐下去。很神奇吧？

今天老公和Ah Seng各别跑了6公里和21公里之后，决定晚餐要大快朵颐，补充体力。我这个连50米都没有跑的人当然很高兴，因为可以名正言顺地吃大餐，然后明天又可以和老友投诉体重加重了，但是绝对不是我的错。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
好了，言归正传。

我们约了在同乐酒家吃点菜式的自助餐。两个小孩也吃吃喝喝，搞到满地的狼藉。我们已经饱到快昏睡过去了，可是还是打起精神每人点2－3客甜品。（点3客的是我而已）小孩已经闷得快抽筋了。于是，我使出最后的秘密武器－－贴纸，往他们脸上、手上贴上去。两个小朋友惊喜不已，互相研究彼此脸上的星星。我们又争取到了10分钟安心安静地吃甜品。

所以，贴纸是离家出国，不可不备的东西。切记！切记！

（媛媛和Seraphine都对自己的最新造型感到十分满意）

The Singapore Bay Run 2007

Ah Seng cajoled me to take part in the Sheares Bridge Run & Army Half Marathon event. For him, the 21km run was a compulsory, annual affair. Being the first time participating in this event, of course I didn't sign up for the Army Half. Not even the 12km. Modestly, I decided to just do the 6km "fun run".

I signed up for the run some two weeks ago, at Yishun SAFRA (the online registration was already closed by then). Registration fee for the 6km run was $12, for non-SAFRA members (HTNS membership didn't count). I was handed a dry-fit Bay Run T-shirt, and a number tag. Not bad leh, I thought, though I have been told previous years' T-shirts were better (Alvin: This year's T-shirt material very thin. And the design very ugly!)

My Singapore Bay Run T-shirt with number tag

To get myself well-rested in preparation for the run, I went to bed earlier than usual last night, at 11:30pm. I set the alarm on my watch to sound at 5.35am. I'm not sure if it was the warm weather, or Jaimie tossing and turning beside me, or the mental pressures due to the deliberateness of my intentions, I found myself totally unable to fall asleep. Eventually, I only managed to doze off at around 2am. So much for good intentions. Darn...

Some three-and-a-half hours later, I got up. Didn't feel quite as rested as I'd hope to be, but wasn't about to change my mind about the run. Ate two bananas that Angie had gotten for me, and headed out.

While I had been told that "there'd be 60,000 people attending this event and there's no way you'd be able to find a parking lot at Marina Square by the time you're there", I still decided to try my luck, having woken up earlier than I needed to be for the 6km run, which was to be flagged off at 8am. True enough, the Marina Square carpark was jammed packed with cars. Even the handicapped lots were occupied, as well as any nooks and corners that drivers could position their cars without blocking other vehicles too much. Just as I was about to give up and try other another carpark further away, I noticed this chap in his car cranking up his engine. Many envious, not-as-lucky drivers drove past me as I reversed into the freshly vacated lot.

Since I was there early, I had an hour or so to while away before commencing my run. Spent most of it at the floating platform area, watching those super fast runners of the 21km run (who started their runs at 5:30am) making their jubilent last hundred metres dash through the finishing line. Noticed that amongst the competitors who came in early past the finishing line, there were quite a number of females, and also veteran runners. Utmost respect is what I have for these people. I sat at the spectator stand of the floating platform, listening to the high-energy tracks like "Eye of the Tiger" that the DJ was playing, and watching the very beautiful sight of sunrise over the horizon. The environment was nothing short of electrifying.

It didn't feel long at all when I realised that the time was 15 minutes prior to flag off time. Together with a large crowd, I made my way from the floating platform to Esplanade Bridge, which was the designated starting point for the 6km run. While waiting on the bridge, we were treated to some fringe performances by some samba percussion group and some costumed chaps on stilts. Defence Minister Mr Teo Chee Hean arrived on the dot, at 8am to officiate the flag off. The crowd let out a cheer and then off we went.

For my run, there wasn't really much that I can be proud of to want to recount over here. It didn't do much good to one's pride when one got overtaken by 小妹妹s and 老伯伯s one too many times. Suffice to say that I'm just happy that I crossed the finishing line on my twos instead of fours.

Will I be there again for next year's run?

If the T-shirt is nicer, perhaps.

CMI

刚才在看《校园Superstar》总决赛的现场直播。两位主持人说还剩下三分半钟的电话投选，呼吁支持者踊跃地拨打投选号码，然后便请出了这比赛打入八强的“非常帅气”的男同学来表演一首合唱歌曲。

过门一播，我就有一点期待。因为发现是五月天的《离开地球表面》。

“丢掉背包 丢外套 丢掉电脑 再丢唠叨 澳澳”

Wah Piang eh！！ 我差一点要晕过去！真的是...太。难。听。了！

不是我鸡蛋里挑骨头。我也晓得这些是小朋友，并非什么专业歌手。不过我也的确没有任何过高的要求咧。之前的几首参赛歌曲我觉得都还ok的。不过就是这首八人合唱我真的 cannot take it. 唱得不行，跳得也 cannot make it. 如果 Cedric 在，他肯定会说 "Oh my god. It is too poor!"

当他们唱到“我再也不要 再也不要 委屈自己一秒”，我发现这正是我心中的念头。

于是立刻把电视关掉。

有个性的小孩

今天在排队提款的时候，听到一个中国妈妈用手机和她的孩子对话。

母亲：为什么昨天我跟你说了，今天你又不听话了？
孩子：…
母亲：是，你跟别的不听话的孩子比，就是听话。跟听话的孩子比，就是不听话！
孩子：…
母亲：你别给我喊。
孩子：…
母亲：什么？你说什么？听话的孩子就没个性？…

随后，母亲生气地把电话挂了。

听话的小孩就没个性？这句话真耐人寻味。

Reminiscing

Wasn't feeling that fantastic in the office this morning, so browsed through my Video folder to see what I can find that might possibly lift my spirits somewhat.

Found this. Played it. Instant relief.

This clip is 7 months old now, and in it, 9-month-old Jaimie was barely able to stand up unsupported. Aiyo...time really flies and babies really grow up very quickly.

5 years down the road, when I'm having one of my blue days, I'm sure this little clip will still do the trick it did today.