沙滩宝贝

“媛媛，去冲凉了，好吗？”

“不要！”

“冲了凉，我们去吃饭饭了！”

“不要！要沙！#$!&沙！”

“你要玩沙是吗？”

“是！”

“下次爸爸妈妈再带你玩沙，好吗？今天我们要去冲凉了。我们两个星期后再来！妈妈肚子饿了。妈妈要吃饭饭了。媛媛跟妈妈一起吃饭饭，好不好？”

费了九牛二虎之力，用了三寸不烂之舌，才说服了黄靖媛去冲凉。

今天是我老爸服务了一辈子的吉宝船厂的家庭日。几天前他把票给了我，所以我们又再踏上了圣陶沙的沙。

媛媛在沙滩上玩得很高兴。她好像是一个小小的科学家在认真地做试验，一会儿在研究浇了水之后的沙为什么变得不太一样，一会儿又把沙子抓进装满了水的小水桶，看着沙子“消失”，一会儿又惊讶地看着她老爹怎么那么厉害，能够在沙子上画图画！她简直就是玩得乐不思蜀！

这个沙滩宝贝～～


　　　　　　　　　　我们出发咯！

　　　　　　　　　　我明明只带一粒皮球，为什么爸爸还藏一粒在他的肚子里？

　　　　　　　　　“我有一只小毛驴，我从来也不骑，有一天我心血来潮骑着去沙滩～”

　　　　　　　　　　妈妈说天气热，要我多喝水。可是我已经一肚子水了，妈妈～

　　　　　　　　　　没办法，只好趁妈妈没注意，把水挤掉一点。我简直是个天～才～

　妈妈很贪心，新买给我的泳衣太大件了！泳裤根本不能穿，太松了啦！妈妈～拜托啦～

　　　　　　　　　　你看，我又走光了啊！

　　　　　　　　　　爸爸，麻烦你不要跟我抢玩具可以吗？

　　　　　　　　　　我在思考严肃的问题，不要吵我。

　　　　　　　　　　啊？原来要戴上传说中的thinking cap才想得通哦？

　　　　　　　　　　真不明白我妈妈，干嘛要拍这种老套到不行的照片～

Old For New

When I opened the mailbox yesterday, among the other mails was this:



My thoughts immediately went to our 4-year-old Compaq PC, which since middle of the year have been behaving crankily by auto-rebooting every so often, sometimes obstinately refusing to boot-up and protesting with a loud BEEEEP when the power button is depressed, and then eventually dying on us completely when the failure to power-up gradually increased to 100%. We have got this PC shortly after returning from the UK in 2003. Notable upgrades to this unit included an LCD monitor, active speaker set with subwoofer and a quite recent addition of a DVD-writer drive. Anyway, after reading the flyer I remarked...

Me: Acer 有 promotion 可以把旧 PC 和 laptop trade in $700 leh. 要不要把我们的那架坏的电脑换掉，买新的？

Angie: 哇，酱好啊？那当然Ok 啦!

And so this morning we showed up at Funan IT Mall Level 1 Atrium at 10am, after having our breakfast at Maxwell Market. The event was slated to start only at 11am, but already, there was a substantially long queue.

However, we noted that most of those present in the queue didn't have any hardware with them, and quickly realised that they were all there not for the trade-in offer, but rather for the redemption of the free Acer optical mouse (worth $49.90). Wah, got free things leh! No wonder got people queuing since even before 9am lah (I was later informed by a Acer sales staff there)! Since we were there, absolutely no sense in not picking up the freebies too. The redemption of the free mouse was limited to one person per household, and valid to the first 100 households on a first come first serve basis. As the staff went around giving up forms (to record address for verification purposes) to those in the queue, we realised that we were 50th in the line.

At the first sight of the Acer sales staff, I went up to ask...

Me: Hi. I'd like to know if there are any requirements with regard to the condition of the old PC and laptop for trading in?

Sales guy: Any condition.

Me: My old PC has problems with booting up. Would that be elligible for the trade-in?

Sales guy: No problem. You just bring your PC here.

Swee.

What followed then went smoothly too. They took in my old Compaq CPU and LCD, presented me with a $700 voucher, I went ahead to an ATM on Level 3 and withdrew the $$, made payment, and that was it. Our new laptop - the Acer Extensa 4620 - original price $2,098, price after trading-in $1,398.

By the time I was handed the laptop nicely packed up in the free laptop bag, Angie has also received the free Acer wireless optical mouse. Works like a charm with the new laptop.

Swee.

Billingual Baby

MM says we need to be proficient in both English and our mother tongue.

Papa says not everyone whom I play Hide & Seek in the future might understand Chinese.

That is why I am also learning to count 1 thru 10 in angmor.

Nah. Choo. Chwee. For. Fai. Schik. Nana. Aye. Neigh. Chin.

Tag: An Idol You Were Really Crazy About When You Were In Your Teens

Allllrightttt~~~!! Here's Angie starting another tag.

The title is self explainatory, so i guess we need not do the tag rules here.

I admire lots of artists when I was in my teens but I was those "sensible" types who would not spend lots of money to buy their photos or go to their concerts etc... because i was a poor student! I didnt even buy magazines. I had a JC classmate who bought almost all the entertainment magazines he could find in the newspaper stand. I was one of his closer friends so he would tear out the pages which contains the news/ photos of the artists I like and give them to me. So thankful I had such a friend!!! hahaha~~~

In my JC days, I was totally crazy about Hacken Lee.李克勤. I adored him after I watched a Cantonese Drama series《淘气双子星》shown in RTM2, i think? At one point in time I even wanted to become an entertainment news journalist so that I might get a chance to meet him in person! However the editor of an entertainment magazine whom I spoke to asked me to "forget it" because I had "good paper qualifications". Errr....? Well....

Okie, people, show and tell time, who was the artist you were totally crazy about when you were a young chap?

1. Clement
2. Astee
3. MamaTang

Freedom of Speech

During the car journey to 奶奶's place on Wednesday evening, Jaimie yanked out one of the pictorial books that mommy uses to keep the little one entertained while on the road, and started 'reading' it all by herself!

Like the Duracell Rabbit, she just went on and on and on. The clip below captures a portion of her rather animated recital (in Jaemish, of course). Here's what I'd call speaking in free style. ;)

老二的哲学

最近工作方面比较空闲，看了好些书，包括《刘德华画传》（黄晓阳著，金城出版社）。

里面相当详细地描述了刘德华在演艺圈的成长，他的事业，他的生活，他的爱情，他的个性等。我印象最深刻的，是刘德华的“老二的哲学”。

在刘德华年轻的时候，有人批评刘德华说，他演戏比不上周润发，唱歌比不上张学友，跳舞跳不过梅艳芳。在演艺圈，他注定没有出头的一天。

性格好强的刘德华说，只要他非常努力，他演戏可以排第二，唱歌可以排第二，跳舞也可以排第二。很多个“第二”加起来，就是第一了。

这样的看法，我觉得非常有意思。山外有山，天外有天。何必去争第一？“第一”的定义，何止于“第一”？很多个“第二”，其实比“只有一个第一”重要。

很简单的道理，但是我却从来没有想过以这样的观点看待事情。难怪刘德华是许多人的精神偶像。

Short Stroll on Sunny Sunday

Weather this morning was too wonderful for us to idle it away at home. Mommy suggested that we bring little Jaimie out, to a place she hasn't been before.


Daddy's Princess all dressed up for her maiden trip to...


...the Singapore Botanic Gardens! It's been some time since our last visit here several years ago, and the changes made were really pretty significant. The main entrance area was totally unrecognisable. The old metal gates were gone and there're now large kois swimming merrily in ponds, welcoming visitors and attracting numerous avid photographers too. Jae got quite excited over seeing the fishes.


Yes yes....the place has indeed changed alot, dear. Not to worry though, we can still find our way around. There's no need for you to start playing tour guide and get all pointy about the routes to take. T_T


Ahh...a familiar sight at last. There are some things that have not changed, after all.


When it involves things she really likes, Jae can be very buey-paiseh...like how she didn't need any invitation to join her "new friend" in playing bubbles.


Jae fell down while running on a rough cement tar track. My heart wrenched when I saw her raw skin on her right knee. The little one didn't so much as utter a sound of complaint as she picked herself up from the ground, merely calling out for me to brush away the sand particles on her hands and legs. She's one tough cookie, this girl.


We managed to only venture to this location, near the NParks HQ, before mommy suggested that we take a break and then head home.


Here's Jaimie....taking a break.


Guess what? Just as we were about to journey back, we bumped into little Darryl's family. Wonder if they eventually did manage to visit the Jacob Ballas Children Playground or not....

"My Desktop View" Tag

Am on a tag roll of late. haha. Got reminded by Angie that I still otang this one from MamaTang.
*************** START COPY ****************

My Desktop Free View Instruction:

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop.It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun. You can do a screen capture by:

[1] Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key).

[2] Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).

[3] If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.

C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants

iRonnie - I Set No Corner Thess - Thesserie Rebecca - Skippy Heart Knoizki - A Dialogue With K, Beng - Kauderwelch, Vanidosa Marie, ,Vanidosa at blogspot , MyGoodFinds with KK, Dom Lawrence, Rebecca, BluePanjeet, ROSE , KNOIZKI, SARDONICNELL, Girlie the hipncoolmomma, Happy Family with Jacelyn, LovelyMummy with her family,Healthfreakmommy - picture of her 2 girls , Anggie – a happy laughing boy, chanelwong-OurFamily, MamaTang’s simple desktop view, Clement's Sentosa Trio

*************** END COPY ****************

Well, here it is. The screen that greets me each time I power up my DELL Inspiron 640m:

Mostly shortcuts to video and photo editing applications. Pic was taken (by ezrababy) at Sentosa Palawan beach on 9 Aug 07 during a BayB Supplies Forum gathering.

Would the usual suspects who have not yet done this one please raise your hands, thank you. Ah, that'd be:

1. Stardust
2. Idy
3. Angie

"Dokodemo Door" Tag

Wah. This is the first time Angie initiates a Tag, so of course must support support.

Hmm....first of all, I've gotta translate this Tag post from it's original Chinese explanation into one that contains plain English instructions, else before this can go anywhere (aha!), we'd be flooded with questions on what is 任意门 etc.

******************Start Copy******************

1. Dokodemo Door (任意门) literally means "Anywhere Door", and is a gadget that is often used by Doraemon and his friends, which allows the users to travel to anywhere simply by walking through the door.

2. Strictly speaking, the dokodemo door doesn't allow the user to travel to other dimensions or fantasy worlds, in this tag the taggee is free (and encouraged) to choose your favourite place from any world that exists in any books or movies, fiction or otherwise.

3. Choose your desired destination that you'd like the dokodemo door to bring you to, and indicate why you'd like to go there.

4. Forward this tag to whoever you'd like to extend this magical journey to.

******************End Copy******************

I'd like to walk through the dokodemo door and come onboard the hovercraft Nebuchadnezzar. There, I'd be able to meet the great Morpheus and offer myself to become part of his crew so I'd get the opportunity to fight alongside The One. Of course, the real attraction is the opportunity to get plugged in, and get loads of cool stuff uploaded directly into my brain via my skull socket. There're just too many things that I'd then be able to learn that I'd otherwise never master in the Real World. And all I have to do is to ask Tank to upload me the (fill in the blank) programme.

Besides the mandatory Jump training programme, I want to learn to paint like Michelangelo, sing like Jacky Cheung, fight (and yell) like Bruce Lee and cook like Chef Gusteau. If I prove to have 'talent' I might even learn a lesson or two from Neo on dodging (or even stopping!) bullets. I wouldn't mind meeting the Woman in the Red Dress either. I'd pass on the Tasty Wheat, though.

I know Kung Fu.

I'd now like to invite you to step forward and through the dokodemo door. This way please :

1. Joyce
2. Idy
3. Stardust

苦命的老Chio

看到我们的车，我不禁要为它悲惨的命运哀叹两声。

前前后后（真的是前前后后！）被别人吻了几次，几天前又凹了一个洞。为什么呢？因为车主（不是我…）在停车的时候一时失手，磨擦到了停车场的柱子。只是外国人礼貌的亲吻脸颊，又不是法国式的舌吻，我们玉洁冰清的老Chio就看不开了。

老Chio是我们最喜欢的一辆车。但是天嫉红颜，这辆车越要守身如玉，它越被别人侵犯。上一辆车子Toyota Vios，它专门引来一些狂蜂浪蝶，干些“偷”情的事儿。扫水器被偷、轮胎打风入口的螺丝也被偷！莫名其妙！看来，每一辆车都有它们的个性。

老Chio啊老Chio，我们都知道你洁身自爱。你其实不用整天去撞墙或撞什么的去证明你的清白。好吗？

The "Turn Back the Clock" Tag

Thank you MamaTang for being my regular supplier of tags. I have been receiving a healthy dosage from her recently.

In this latest one, the taggee is supposed to write about the age that he/she wishes to get back to. I have always openly confessed that the year I spent in UK doing my MSc(WES) course has been a real highlight in my life. In the case of this tag, however, the UK year would have to settle for second place.

Top position brings me back to the year 1992, when I matriculated into NUS. That was the year I fell head over heels in love. I was 20 years-old. She was 18. We chatted over the campus computer network. Ok lah...a bit of qualification here - the falling "head over heels in love" bit didn't really take place until 1993 lah. Anyways, the reason why this holds top spot for me is because unlike many of my peers, the number of romances that yours truly has ever had stands at a staggering grand total of....

One.

Satu.

一。

いち。

Une. Comprende?

I mean, 初恋 = 终恋? Come on! What was I thinking? So yah, it'd be great if I could have another go at it. Insert token. Ready. Fight. That'd really double my score, wouldn't it? From 1 to 2. Yay!

*******************Start copy************************
Instructions:

Title: The Age That I Wish To Go Back To
Requirement: Write about the one age that you wish to go back to and why?
Tag Mode: 5 blogger
1st - You list down their blog name and blog url and add to the list below.
2nd - Let the blogger you want to tag know they have been tagged by commenting in their blog or etc.

Amidrin wish to go back to age 22 to correct back some mistakes in life.
Lemonjude wish to go back to age 6 to enjoy kid’s life.
Hui Sia wish to go back to age 16 to meet her first lover again.
Shireen wishes to go back to age 14 to relive her fun-filled childhood days.
Anggie wishes to go back to age newly born to have a full complete & loving family.
MamaTang wishes to go back to the time where she last saw her dad.
Clement wishes to go back to age 20 to fall in love again.

*******************End copy************************

Now, for this tag, I'd just like to pass it on to she who is the subject of my time-travelling fantasy.

十八的姑娘一朵花

My dear little Jae-Jae.

You are 18-months old today. That's midway between your first 365 days and your next one. Here, Papa has a few words for you to commemorate this little milestone you've reached.



Be unafraid to stand tall.


Reflect on your past footsteps, your current standing and your future path.


Have the courage to take that next step forward. There's no shame in accepting help from others.


Cast your sights far...


...and soar to great heights.


Celebrate the tiniest of your victories. Be grateful for the smallest of successes.


Enjoy the journey. Take a break when you're tired.


Most of all - Be confident. Be comfortable. Be yourself. There are bound to be others with different opinions - they are entitled to them. Don't let them bring you down. Remember, dear...


...you'd always be the best in our hearts.

Lotsa Love,

Papa.

[All photos above captured by Mommy on 6 Oct 2007 (Sat)]

几时进托儿所？

本来，我们是相当肯定要在媛媛过了2岁不久后就把她送进托儿所，让她学习独立、学习群体生活。但是，最近她生的一场病，让我有点却步。

一个小小的孩子，生病了却不能说明自己哪里不舒服，想如何被安抚，只能通过痛哭来抒发自己的情绪。晚上因为身体不适而睡不着，要趴在妈妈身上寻求安慰。我的心，真的是揪成了一团。媛媛发烧了一个星期，今天终于完全退烧了。但是鼻子还是卡着浓浓稠稠青青黄黄的鼻涕，喝奶的时候还是要停顿下来张开口呼吸。心疼，心疼，心疼。

每个把孩子放进入托儿所的妈妈都说，进托儿所开始时一定会比较常生病。我一想到之前连续几晚的煎熬，我根本都不忍心了。如何让一个小小的孩子忍受更多身体上的折磨呢？不忍，不忍，不忍。

于是，和老公商量，等媛媛稍微再大一点再送她进托儿所吧。托儿所是肯定要去的。我们商量了之后，觉得明年11／12月的时候会比较好。那时媛媛大约30／31个月大，表达能力、适应能力、免疫能力都应该比较强。到时，再让她去过愉快的学习生活吧！

Sleepless in Bt Panjang

贱。

命贱的人就是这样。有多一点睡眠的时间都无福消受。病了两天，爽爽睡了两天，今天，现在，凌晨4点，喂了媛媛吃退烧药后，就无法入眠。

从前的我不会这样的。我可以连续睡12个小时以上。睡到中午12点，睡到当时的男朋友现在的老公打电话约我出门吃午餐我才爬起床。那时，可以心无旁骛地睡觉。时间可以任我挥霍。有了孩子，这样的奢侈就不再有了。跟时间赛跑，在工作，家庭和自我中游走，寻找平衡点。被牺牲的，是睡眠。后来也就习惯了，所以从前不能想象的只睡4-5小时，变成支持我第二天继续冲刺的精力源泉。

所以我说，贱。天生的劳碌命。

2007年10月4日，武吉班让未眠夜。

媛媛的月亮

最近，我利用“月亮”作为媛媛的“赏识教育”。

只要一看到月亮，我就猛地称赞媛媛，说是因为她很乖，所以月亮才会跟着她。比如说从她奶奶家看到月亮，我就刻意在坐车的时候指月亮给媛媛看，然后从停车场走回家的时候，也大声惊叹月亮喜欢乖小孩，所以跟媛媛回家了。

为此，媛媛感到非常快乐和自豪。每次看到月亮，她都很兴奋地拍怕自己的胸口，喊：“媛媛！”意思是月亮喜欢乖乖的媛媛。

有一次，媛媛在晚上哭闹。我瞥见窗口的月亮，就抱她到窗前看月亮，对她说：“月亮叫你不要哭哦！”她几乎是马上就噤声。抽抽噎噎地说：“媛~媛~”

这一招真的蛮好用的。看不到月亮的时候，我会告诉她今天月亮要跟别的乖小孩回家，月亮要轮流看不同的乖小孩啊！看到月亮的时候，就称赞她是一个听话的好孩子。有时媛媛任性不听话，我只要搬出月亮，她就合作了。月亮，成为媛媛的守护天使。

虽然这样讲很不科学，但是我希望媛媛的心中，永远有一个美丽的月亮。

"5 Posts" - Tag

Thanks to MamaTang, I've got this tag to work on, to ease those draggy hours that are my standby duty. Thanks to those draggy hours that are my standby duty, I get the opportunity to complete this tag in record time - MamaTang's own entry was dated 1 Oct 07, and it is now barely 2 hours into the day!

Here are the rules for this tag:

--------------------------------------------------------------
1. Post 5 links to 5 of your previously written posts. The posts have to relate to the 5 key words given below.

2. Tag 5 other friends to do this meme. Try to tag at least 2 new acquaintances (if not, your current blog buddies will do) so that you get to know them each a little bit better.

3. Don't forget to read the archived post and leave comments.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Simple enough (but hor....simi see "meme"?). Anyways, here are my 5 links:

Link ONE must be about FAMILY:
The New World - In which the word "Family" literally takes on brand new meanings for the original incumbents.

Link TWO must be about FRIENDS:
Super Uncle/Aunty Band - In which a group of overaged friends put up a spirited attempt that eventually crashed and burnt.

Link THREE must be about YOURSELF:
Yours Truly, Factually - In which personal disclosures were made in my very first tag entry.

Link FOUR must be about your LOVE:
最重要的小事 - In which reference was made to a song I love and inferences drawn with regard to the people I love.

Link FIVE can be ANYTHING you choose:
Sleepless in Ubi - In which the namesake of this blog was explained, in an early entry made during yet another span of draggy hours that were my standby duty.

Now that I'm done, I'm pleased to announce that this tag shall be passed on to...(The usual suspectson blogroll lor. Who else?!)

1. Stardust
2. Noelle
3. meekfreek
4. Angelcow
5. Chinmama

The International Gal of Mystery

The little chameleon can easily slip into one of her many guises, adopting different nationalities even, to fool the untrained eyes of those who conspire against her (e.g. attempts to feed her foodstuffs that do not agree with her tastebuds).

Jae the Chinese gu-niang.

Jae the Dutch Lady.

Jae the Iranian girl.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Wars

Greetings. I am Baybi-wan Jialoti, the youngest ever Jae-di to graduate from the Jae-di Academy. Observe how skillfully I wield my light-sabre. My master tells me I am too young to use the heavy-sabre now. How do you like my new Jae-di robe? I inherited this from my Master.



"Use the Force, Baybi-wan.", my Master never fails to remind me. I train hard each day, under the harshest of conditions and the strictest of discipline. This is the only way to develop a keen mind, an agile body, and a green hand.



This is me with my venerable Master, Jae-di Master Yoma.

Me : Yo, Ma. What's up?
Master: Beware the Dark Side, my young apprentice. Things you can't see can trip you. Always remember to turn on the lights.

Little Miss Messy II

They say we should let our children explore with crayons too!

Look at my master piece!!!!!!!!