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');document.write('Friends and Family Blogs
');document.write('Wine Entry : Swords Select Botrytis Semillon 2005 (Australia)
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\"\"
\"\"Digging through my collection of wines, I found this bottle of Sword Select which I bought in Melbourne\'s Queen Victoria market. Exceedingly good value for money and tastes really good.

Smell : Mild, fragrant honey

Taste : Akin to thick viscous honey, with a slight flora grass at the end

Description in the front of the bottle : The luscious wine displays an abundance of citrus marmalade and honey characteristics that give it a smooth palate and a lingering finish.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine News : The Dragon arises!
');document.write('
-
\"\"
I was surprised by this news article claiming that China has already overtaken Australia in terms of quantity of wine produced. However, it looks like a good deal of it was consumed domestically. Only 8.5 per cent of bottled wine was imported. We have already started to see some Chinese wine in the Singapore market, but thankfully we are pampered with a range of wines from France to Australia to USA.


Credits : mypaper.sg
\'\'/
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');document.write('Wine News : Asset Wine Management Fiasco
');document.write('
\"\"News on the Asset Wine Management Fiasco. It is also sad that the reputation of wine has been tarnished because of a few black sheep. This is the second Wine investment company after Universal Asset Group.

The old adage still applies everywhere be it wine/investments/money \"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.\" Do you seriously expect to get returns of 20 percent within a period of two to three months? Nonetheless, my sympathy to those investors who were deceived by these con people.
-
Credit : TODAY Newspaper
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Sale : Crystal Wines - 2005s on sale!
');document.write('
-
\"\"
Crystal Wine is offering sales on their stash of 2005 wines. Total of 24 reds but no Sauternes. Pricing ranging from the lowest at S$ 70 for Ch La Fleur de Bouard to S$780 for Ch La Mondotte.
Domaine de Chevalier 2005 WA92 looks to be the smart buy at S$103.

\"Perfect in every aspect, 2005 wines are consistently highly rated across the level and it is hard to go wrong when you buy from this vintage! High quality grapes are ensured by the extremely favorable weather. Moreover, different winemaking techniques and decisions by the winemakers also resulted in a vast range of variety for customers to choose from. Reds, dry and sweet whites are all said to be wonderful for this vintage.\"

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('On the roads.
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Sent from my iPhone

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Fair : Carrefour Wine Fair Suntec Carrefour Atrium 20-30 May
');document.write('
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\"\"

Carrefour Wine Fair Suntec Carrefour Atrium 20-30 May

VIP Night is on the 19th May at 7pm
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Burning tree
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Fire fire everywhere! @ACM
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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('ACM
');document.write('

Sent from my iPhone

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Kids being themselves.
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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Jojo.
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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine News : Sunday Times Article 25 April 2010
');document.write('
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\"\"
Didn\'t realise that the Denise Wine shops are going to be renamed Straits Wine Company. The Denise Wine shop name is still familar in KL, Malaysia. I agree with the interviewee, experiential learning of wine is the best way to educate yourself. Drink more!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Apple pie! I like!
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine News : Wine Etcetera by Wine Angels - April & May 2010
');document.write('
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\"\"
Wine Angel, the Dempsey road wine bar has lauched their electronic newletter starting April and May 2010. Read it here.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Red!
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Entry : Lamothe Bergeron 2003 (French)
');document.write('
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\"\"
This was a bottle of wine I picked up at the previous Carrefour Wine fair. It is interesting in the sense that we have a local wine community website \"the Local Nose\" that recommended it. Therefore, I thought it would be really exciting to taste a wine that was recommended by the Singapore Wine experts. My comments are that they have done a fairly decent job in recommending a wine that was reasonably priced @ S$28.90 and pleasant to drink.


\"\"
Smell : Blackcurrent aromas, but muted

Taste : Smooth and easy, not fruit driven ripness as expected from a 2003. Classic bordeaux.

After taste : Structured tannins that would have appreciated some age to them.

Description at back of bottle : The engraving featured on the label is taken from the book \"Bordeaux et ses vins\" published by Editions Feret in 1898. It depicts the chateau as it was constructed in 1868.

The wine has the rich, dark, sensual taste of very mature fruit. It balances classical elegance and an all consuming sensuality, doubtless becuase it is equal parts of Cabernet and Merlot.
\'\'/
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');document.write('@east coast beach again. Low tide this week.
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Ikea and Scott\'s.
');document.write('

Sent from my iPhone

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Cool dude.
');document.write('

Sent from my iPhone

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Jared and his parking problem.
');document.write('

Sent from my iPhone

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Checkpoint 3
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');document.write('
');document.write('@Palawan beach with the trio.
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Checkpoint 1
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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Easter is coming...
');document.write('
Our Easter tree... slowly decorating one egg at a time.
\"\"

Mummy and Daddy is very proud of my recent drawings, they said I improved a lot. Look at my train. I am super duper happy. :D
\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Aunty Zhang Li\'s birthday
');document.write('
Mummy prepared a lot of food... yummy... and we love the chocolate macaroons...
Chocolate Macaroon and Cucumber sushi
\"\" \"\"
Zebra striped cake before and after decoration
\"\" \"\"
Dinner celebration
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Nice Thai food!
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Fair : Carrefour Wine Appreciation Night 4 Mar 2010
');document.write('
Carrefour Wine Appreciation Night 4 Mar 2010 at Plaza Singapura. Kinda of odd that the Wine Appreciate Night is held after the Wine Fair had already start on 1 Mar 2010. \"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Tiger year
');document.write('
15 days have flew past... the Chinese New Year is over so quickly. We did not go back to Singapore this year to celebrate CNY, so it was a pretty quiet one. Mummy just played some CNY songs and taught us to sing it. We also wished Gong Gong, Por Por, Yi-Ma and some others \"Gong Xi Fa Cai\", \"Xin Nian Kuai Le\", \"Wan Shi Ru Yi\". Mummy gave us an ang-pow each but she hide it under our pillow. Jonas found it very quickly as he likes moving his pillow around. I had to take a hint from Mummy before I found it. We cannot use the money here because Mummy gave us Singapore dollars. Naughty Mummy. Guess we can only use it the next time we visit Singapore.

Miss you all in Singapore especially Gong Gong and Por Por. Wish you health and happiness in the Tiger Year! \"Hu Hu Sheng Wei\"!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Jared! 3 darts per second!!! Woahhh
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Fair : Carrefour\'s Exciting Wine Fair is Back! Plaza Singapura Atrium, 1 to 14 March
');document.write('
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\"\"

The highly anticipated Carrefour Wine Fair returns! WINE, WONDERFUL WINE is a fabulous opportunity to stock up on every kind of wine, from everyday labels to collectibles and special occasion selections.

Snap up amazing bargains from around the world, and don\'t forget the great Lucky Draw where you stand a chance to WIN a wine cellar worth $500!

Furthermore, take advantage of FREE DELIVERY when you spend just $150 and above.
Come to WINE, WONDERFUL WINE and find incredible prices, vast variety and lots of surprises.


\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('The girls kept asking to eat breakfast. Jillian likes beehoon while Joanne likes mee. Jared is combo!
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('@Chingay. Highlight for Jared. Carrera 4.
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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('@Chingay. Empire day off
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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('@Chingay. Dreamcatcher
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('@Chingay. Wushu
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('@Chingay. Paranakan sayang sayang
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('@Chingay. Bali power!
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('@Chingay. Japan minute.
');document.write('

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\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Entry : Grand Bateau Bordeaux 2005 (French)
');document.write('
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\"\"Smell : Chilled it too much to get much of a scent

Taste : Smooth and flavourful of mixture of cassis and wood.

After taste : Evolved mild spice that is delightful.

Description at back of bottle : The boat which decorates this label is the mythical galleon of the famous Ch. Beychevelle, our sister company which sponsors the creation of Grand Bateau. Grand Bateau is a harmonious blend of the grape varieties 75 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet sauvignon. Aged partially in new oak barrels for 6 to 8 months, the wine is rich and round, medium to full bodied and has luscious ripe red fruit flavours (plums, prunes and cherries)\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Moving on to a new space
');document.write('
Hey everyone,
 
We\'re shifting to a new blog..
 
Please update your bookmarks to http://thegadgetboys.blogspot.com
 
See you there!
 
The Gadget Boy
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('WIne Entry : New Year 2010 wines tasted!
');document.write('
Happy New Year 2010 to all my readers! It has been a wonderful journey for the past 4 years enjoying and savouring the various wines available in Singapore and the region around.... Hope to have more liquid pleasures in the future...

Here were the wines tasted over the new year holidays :-

Kahurangi Pinot Noir 2004 from New Zealand Nelson region

Smell : Alcohol driven with fragrance of cherry candy

Taste : Flora and fruity majority being cherry. Flavourful with no tannins.
\"\"\"\"
Elliot Rocke Estate Mudgee Ice Wine Semillion 2007 from Australia NSW region

Smell : Mild flora scents

Taste : Medium flavoured sweetness with no bitterness. Nice rare ice wine from Australia. Not usually seen.\"\"




\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Happy New Year!
');document.write('
Wanna enjoy such a beautiful day and a bright start to the new year... not going to write more.... have fun and a blessed year ahead.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Merry Christmas...
');document.write('
and a Happy New Year....

We had lots of fun this year for Christmas. Mummy and Daddy took a lot of pictures, so will need some time to d/l and then u/l. From buying and decorating the Christmas tree to receiving and opening our presents. Mummy also tried baking a log cake for the first time, we had lots of fun decorating it. :D

How I wish every day is Christmas.... lots of fun, presents and food.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas too!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Fair : CARREFOUR Cheers 2010 Wine Fair 21 Dec 2009 - 3 Jan 2010 (update)
');document.write('
An Update...
\"\"

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Fair : CARREFOUR Cheers 2010 Wine Fair 21 Dec 2009 - 3 Jan 2010
');document.write('
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\"\"
The highly anticipated sales event of the season is here!
CARREFOUR CHEERS 2010 WINE FAIR
21 Dec 2009 - 3 Jan 2010, Carrefour Plaza Singapura Atrium

Celebrate this spirited of seasons with some great wine and other alcoholic delights at true value-for-money prices!

Make a date for Carrefour\'s highly anticipated CHEERS 2010 Wine Fair, where you\'ll find an extensive array of wine, beer and alcoholic beverages from all around the world. Carrefour\'s FREE DELIVERY comes in handy, so stock up for the party period and save a fortune.

Don\'t forget to enter our exciting Lucky Draw to WIN a superb wine chiller.
See you soon, at the Carrefour Cheers 2010 Wine Fair where savvy drinkers enjoy their fill of fabulous value!

And bring your POSB Everyday Card for rebates!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Circus and...
');document.write('
We went to the circus yesterday and had lots of fun. It was our first time and we went there together with Joshua and Auntie Rachel.
\"\" \"\" \"\"
It was also Jonas\' first time on the horse, a circus\' horse.
\"\"
Our first live christmas tree, can anyone spot Thomas? It is from a book from our Yi-Ma, titled \"Thomas and the Christmas tree\". It was supposed to be a Christmas present but Yi-Ma told Mummy we can open it earlier as we can hang the ornaments on the tree. How did Yi-Ma know that we have a Christmas tree?
\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Happiness!
');document.write('

\"\"

Happiness is hugging a cute ??!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Entry : Chateau Solon Sauternes 1999 (French)
');document.write('
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\"\"
Got this bottle from Carrefour at $35. It was a orange-gold colour in the glass, high level of temptation but kinda of disappointing upon tasting.

Smell : Citrus orange peel intertwined with alcohol and spice.

Taste : A little over the hill, orange-lemon. No overwhelming honey influence.

After-taste : Tinge of bitterness and oak at the end.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Happy Birthday.....
');document.write('
to me....
Mummy and Daddy organized a birthday party for me yesterday. Boy, was I super duper happy for days before it and yesterday too.
\"\" - Car cake before decoration
\"\" -Cake made by Daddy
\"\" - Am I the birthday boy?
\"\" - I want that car on your crown.
\"\" - Eating cookies alone
\"\" - the cookies, called LebKuchen(Gingerbread cookies) available during X\'mas season.
\"\" - My family
\"\" - Can you tell how many little ones are there?
\"\" - The birthday cakes....
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Edible Coupons
');document.write('
This morning while having breakfast, Gabriel heard his mama (grandmother) reading something out from the newspaper.

M: Oh, there are yummy coupons for food here.
G: *ears pricked* Huh? Yummy coupons? What is it? Is it nice?
M: No, it\'s coupons to buy food. You can\'t eat them.
G: Then why did you say it\'s yummy??? *sounded irritated*

I was laughing my head off. What a great way to start my day! Of course I had to explain to him what his mama said and what coupons are later on.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Muscle Tearing, Cardiac Risk Workout.
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There?s a new workout I just discovered that ensures you get an all body muscle development. No muscle groups are left out and there are no intervals or sets to worry about. Some running is thrown in to ensure you do not forget to pump the cardio part too. You do need to ensure you have at least one of these equipments to get started. Though for beginners, it is strongly advised to start on the lighter weights like a couple of kg first. You do not really want to overstretch your biceps or triceps while in the midst of a full workout. The last thing you need is to have your spinal disc pop out of its position while doing the grandfather clock routine.


I signed up for a trial membership recently and it was exhausting. The name of the workout is kidscercise. Oh yes ladies and gentlemen I kid, pun totally intended, you not. Kids are your best workout if you do not have the time to head for the gym nor the money or the body. They make you carry them though they can walk perfectly fine, make you swing them like a pendulum in a grandfather?s clock and hang on your neck while your exhausted biceps take a break from carrying them. They work you harder than your gym fitness instructor and they do not give you gentle encouragements to go for that one last bench press. They are relentless and will demand you for one more lift, one more swing, and then before you can even catch your breath, they are back for another round of catch me while I jump off this step.


It?s the ultimate workout series which will leave you wondering which will end first, the workout or your heart. To cap it all, the exhausting workout requires a final a sprint trying to catch one of them running off to complete the full session of anaerobic and cardiovascular workout. I do not recommend you starting off with both a 5 year old and a 2 year old at the same time though I thought it would be a synch. I ensure you, unless you have been a regular gym enthusiast and by that I mean you really working out your muscles and heart and not your eyes, starting off with a 6 months old would be a much better idea and progress along the way as you build up your stamina.


One thing great thing about this workout is you do not need to sign up for any fancy gym membership nor head to one fix location to get your muscles and heart pumping. You can do it anywhere, at home, at the shopping mall, at your friend?s home. The only thing you need though is to get your own kids or borrow one from a friend who actually owns one. You really do not want to end up doing your workouts in prison. I do not think carrying grown men and doing the grandfather clock routine is quite the same.

\'\'/
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');document.write('Role Model
');document.write('
Last night, while he was sitting on the toilet bowl,

G: Daddy, can you give me my Berenstein Bear book?
D: Huh? You want to read while doing your big \"er-er\"? (passing motion)
G: Yes, I want to be like Uncle Leonard.
D: *slap head*
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Entry : Reserve der Comtesse 1993 (French)
');document.write('
\"\"One of my fav wines, I have a vertical from 2000 to 2006 at the moment.

Smell : Mild blackcurrent still emboding significant alcohol amounts


Taste : Well mellowed for its age, no major fruit but with nice tannins.


After-taste : Smooth with some spice at the end.


\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('What to do?
');document.write('
The school holiday is just around the corner and I am frantically looking for holiday programmes to occupy Gabriel. If not, he\'ll be bugging me everyday - \"What are we going to do today?\" It\'s not easy trying to fit the activities to the dates perfectly as most of them coincide with one another. But so far, we have a trip to Kajang, a wedding, a doctor\'s appointment and a concert on the calender. And that is good. So, it\'s going to be a busy busy holiday for us.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Photo - 18.11.2009
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\"\"

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Concert
');document.write('

\"\"

His first formal concert in his kindy. His teachers did a good job
getting these really cute outfit for them.

He had a great time even though he was super grouchy by the time the
concert ended.

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Talking to the wall?
');document.write('
That\'s mostly the case when Gabriel talks. Nobody hears him, except
us, his parents. Of course. Sad but it\'s true.

Sent from my iPhone

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Di Di Raphael and I!
');document.write('

\"\"

\"\"

\"\"

Here\'s a few pictures of us tonight!
 
Di Di was sleeping the whole day and he was in a great mood for pictures! Nice!
 
We read with him after that. I think Di Di Raphael really enjoyed the stories in Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Fair : Wine for Asia 2009 - Tastings
');document.write('
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Managed to get some tastings in during the Wine for Asia 2009, the good and the bad.

Mangosteen Wine from Thailand

\"\"Made by Chiang Rai Winery of Thailand, the smell mimiced a normal wine pretty well. But the flavours were so odd and medicinal that I would recommend staying away till it improves in the future.

Terravin Hillside Reserve Pinot Noir 2006

\"\"

\"\"

Smell: Sweetish, cherry candy

Taste: Ripen cherry and flora driven flavours, invites the second sip

After taste : Some fruity acidity

Craneford Barossa Valley Shiraz Basket Pressed 2007 Australia

\"\"
Smell : Fragrant raspberry and mild honey

Taste : Smooth, easy, summer sunshine berry driven

After-taste : Calm mild and easy down the throat


Bushmere Estate 2006 Unoaked Chardonnay from New Zealand

\"\"

\"\"Smell : Daffodils, lily flora scents

Taste : Pleasing and light hearted

After taste : Round and easy on the palate


\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('25.10.09
');document.write('

\"\"

I love to smile!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Fair : Wine for Asia 2009 22-24 Oct 2009 Suntec City
');document.write('
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Wine for Asia 2009 was held this year at Suntec City Convention Centre at hall 403-404.
I managed to squeeze sometime off to attend on the friday afternoon session.

\"\"Good number of wine booths and display of wines for tasting and reviewing. With a special session for Australia wines in the evening.\"\"
What I particularly liked about this year was the great bordeaux tastings of both 2005 and 2006! Just a side by side comparison of the wines confirmed that I had made the right decision on stocking up on the 2005s. They were a notch above the 2006s in terms of intensity and drive.

\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Photo - 20.10.09
');document.write('

\"\"

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Fair : Crystal Wine\'s French Wine Fair (site visit)
');document.write('
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\"\"
\"\"
Hi all, managed to find time to visit Crystal Wine\'s French Wine Fair and I was not disappointed. Bought three bottles of sauternes and two bottles of red bordeaux. There was generous tasting samples of about 20 wines. Wines that were available for tastings were highlighted prominently at their respective racks.\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Dear God
');document.write('

\"\"

Please help me to be a good boy... And also help Daddy and Mummy so
that they don\'t smack me when I do naughty things.
(one of the many things he prayed for last night)

A nice picture of the boys. :)

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Photo - 14.10.09
');document.write('

\"\"

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Photo - 12.10.09
');document.write('

\"\"

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Jonas\' birthday party
');document.write('
Birthday cake for Jonas
\"\" \"\"\"\"
a mini birthday party for Jonas with Joshua and Jarell. Jonas got a Thomas the tank engine for his birthday present.
\"\" \"\" \"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('WIne Fair : Crystal Wine\'s French Wine Fair
');document.write('
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Publishing for my readers\' benefit....
Crystal Wine is holding a French Wine Fair on 11 Oct 2009, from 10am to 6 pm and located at their warehouse, located at 2 Alexandra Road, #02-09, Delta House. There is also free wine tasting available.\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('MDFT
');document.write('
Given the nature of my work, people tend to associate me with a lot of running. By running I mean serious marathon running where you pound the road on endless lengths of miles. The very thought of running makes me ill. My body rejects exercise. I swear every time I go for a run, the distance akin to a marathon runner doing their pre run stretches, I fall sick. My heart migrates to my knees, my kidneys surface to my chest, I forget my mother?s maiden name and I lose all control of my limbs after 5 minutes. If you ever see some guy running like he is trying to fly, feebly flapping his arms, legs wobbling as it strides forward combine with a major asthmatic wheezing, it is probably me. Cruise up and say hi. I?ll try to return the greeting. Do not take offence if it sounds gibberish. It?s a ?hi? attempt at my precarious state.

My brains must have been fried to even make a decision like going for a run. What is wrong with it??!! My body isn?t made for such physical test. It is soft and needs a lot of creature comfort like a nice ergonomic shape sofa with plush memory foam cushions to support my heavy head while I lie there watching re-runs of Friends downing a tub of Ben & Jerry?s Chucky Monkey. No, it is not a reference to my chucky state.

So just because I advise customers on their gait, assess their foot type, talk about shoe technology, match their foot to the right pair of shoe while listening to them regale their stories on their runs people assume that I must run too. So where do you run? Are you taking part in the coming marathon? I always tell them the same thing. Different bodies are made for different running distances. Some bodies are made for long distances, some middle distances and some for short distances. Mine?s made for ultra short distances. My specialty event is the MDFT ? Mad Dash For Toilet.

My technique for personal best is to down a carton of fresh milk and wait for it. I am lactose intolerant. Then I hold it back till it threatens the last frontier before I do my sprint. Not quite world record yet but I am working on it. I sometimes also compete in the DFLCD ? Dash For Last Chicken Drumstick. This requires a lot of agility, speed and brilliant acting. You cannot let your competitors know you are eyeing that very last piece of delicious Kentucky Fried Chicken lying on a greasy plate. You got to act nonchalant, that you have no utter desire for it so that the others will let their guard down before swooping down like an eagle on its prey.

Victory belongs to the fastest. Say?s who this is not the same as an Olympic event. While not quite the gold medal around your neck but then you can?t eat that now could you? What use is that when you are starving? Don?t you dare try for that last Chicken wing, I got my eyes on you.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Awake
');document.write('

\"\"

We hardly take photos of him awake, partly because it\'s easier to take
photos of him sleeping. Also, he\'s sleeping most of the time.

So, here\'s one of him awake but he was on the way to dreamland.

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Carrefour Int\'l Wine Fair - The Bordeaux Experience 2-14 Oct 2009
');document.write('
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Just to let my reader\'s know, Carrefour is holding their next wine fair at Suntec City Atrium from 2-14 Oct 2009.\"\"

\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Happy Birthday Jonas!
');document.write('
Jonas is 2 today... we\'ll be having a simple party at home for him. Look out for Mummy\'s birthday cake creation coming next. We helped to make the cake last night but Mummy did most of the job including the decoration.

Stay healthy and happy Jonas! I love having you to play with me. :D
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Preparing for...
');document.write('
Jonas\' birthday....

Showcasing my brother\'s photos... hahaha
\"\" \"\"
Jonas and his favourite Thomas the Tank Engine.
\"\"
Both of us on a bus in Singapore.
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Travelling through London airport on Trunki.
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Family photo with Thomas the Tank Engine balloon.
\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('I Don\'t Know The Real Name.
');document.write('
I just learnt something odd on a visit to the company?s overseas branch office. While having lunch with some new colleagues I casually asked this new guy who is who when it came to names on the emails I had received from them. As I had just popped into the new office and took a glimpse of everyone there and wasn?t formally introduced, I had no opportunity to learn their names. So the best way was link their faces to their emails as I had been previously corresponding with some before heading over. He looked at me and went ?I only know their nick names. I do not know their real names?.

I looked at him and burst out laughing as I found the concept hilarious. Imagine you only know all your colleagues\'s baby names given by family members and when the courier guy comes and say I have a parcel for so and so, the receiving person will come into the office yelling do we know anyone named so and so. My new colleague went on to add his nick name is ABC but his real name is ??..a 250 letter worded name.

Told him his nick name is fine by me. I do not need to learn his real name nor that of the rest of the colleagues. All nicknames suit me perfectly over here! I figured it?s a lot easier to remember 2 to 3 letter names than their actual names with practically all the letters in the alphabet thrown in, some with the same alphabets appearing more than 5 times.

So I guess my previous theory of changing my name to something unpronounceable to avoid getting more work will have to go back to the drawing board. I thought I was a genius! With a difficult name to call the boss would just pick someone else to do the work. You?err?? never mind, Tom you go get this done. But now I know better. He will just probably give me a nick name and I still have to get the work done. Damn nick names.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Sleeping Child
');document.write('

\"\"

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Entry : Mauta Valley Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2005 (New Zealand)
');document.write('
-
\"\"
Bought this at the NZ airport in a two bottle bundle for ~NZ$20. It is a steal considering how much more it will cost here in Singapore.

Did not have the full wine tasting review, but I would say it is over average on the sweetness and very much an aromatic and fragrant wine.

Description at back of bottle : This singel vineyard wine is grown in the Judd FAmily Vineyard in Gisborne. A tropical spicy sweet wine with lifted floral fruit and a rich oily palate.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Back in those days
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\"\"

Back in those days when colour wasn\'t invented yet, I took my
colourless spades and buckets to the beach to play on a colourless day!

Picture dated some time in the 20s. 2009 that is.

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Spotted!
');document.write('

\"\"



Spotted somewhere on a street near you!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Having Fun in the Rain
');document.write('

\"\"


It started raining just as Daddy wanted to bring me out scooting. I\'m out of school this week trying to fend off this stuff in my dreaded blocked sinuses!

Mummy gave me a chance to do one of the things I love best : Playing in the rain! WHEEE!

Next time, my Di Di will join me for sure!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Dreadful Words & The Opposite Sex
');document.write('

Men dread receiving the following words from the opposite sex in no order of horror.


Nothing is wrong almost always mean EVERYTHING IS WRONG! You are in deep ass trouble and yet you have not the slightest idea what. Which makes it worst. You just turned EVERYTHING IS WRONG into YOU ARE SOOOO DEAD aka you are one step closer to meeting Satan.


I am fine is another variation to nothing is wrong except that you are not in deep a crap hole as the former. Usually when you get this you are mostly in the know of what you did wrong so you are not so dead. You are not scot free but still not in a good place. It just means you need to create a different sort of hole and it affects your pocket. Buy a lot of her favorite flowers. If you do not know what are her favorite flowers then you have taken a step back. You had officially just screwed yourself from this resolvable situation back into the nothing is wrong zone. Hello Satan again.


We need to talk is another one that hardly leads to anything good much less a fulfilling conversation. In fact we need to talk translates into you need to stop talking to each other forever. They usually start out calm for a few seconds leading to confusion and end up with not so much talking just mostly shouting, screaming, name calling, crying and in the end you cannot even recall what the need to talk is all about. Once the talk ends, so does the relationship.


I have a headache. Yes the pail of water dunk on your flames. Make that icy cold water.


Then there is the silent treatment which doesnt involve any words ironically because it is the nuclear holocaust of all words. They all die in this instance and the black and white movie world takes over. You shudder with this cold chill running down your spine. You will shift uncomfortably in your seat, you feel like your underpants has lost all its elasticity suddenly and everything is hanging loose inside including your ding dongs. The ultimate torture until her hand phone rings and it?s her best friend on the line. The sun is out! She is yapping away happily. A ray of hope for you now, fact that she is talking means no more silence and she may even throw you a bone. She hangs up the phone and the sun is engulfed by the massive black hole. No sun, no ray of hope. You find yourself struggling to gasp for air. You are back in North Point holding on to your ding dongs again.


You are my best friend. How does this become the dreaded word? If it is not coming from your other half but someone whom you wish is. It is the sucker punch. Takes the wind out of your sail and you find yourself walking with your head down with hunched shoulders. You become a zombie but not a very good one. You have no wish to go around scaring anyone like a good zombie should. You just hate being the best friend to the opposite sex you are attracted to. A guy cannot be a best girl friend to another girl. Physically it is just not possible. We don?t like to shave our legs.

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Drawings
');document.write('

\"\"

Recently Gabriel has been drawing a wider variety of things besides
dinosaurs.

(top) Lion Dance
(bottom) Dragon Dance

I just love the smiley faces he put on the dragon dance troupe. And
they all have hair on their heads too! :)

\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Godpa and Godma come to visit
');document.write('

\"\"

\"\"

Godpa and Godma came by to have a look at my little baby brother.
 
Here\'s another picture of Godma carrying him.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Last update before we head south
');document.write('
Singapore, here we come again.... so will be MIA-ing for a while again until end September. When we come back, I\'ll start to attend kindergarten with kor-kor. So may not have much time to update.

Yesterday was fun, we went to celebrate Fu Long\'s birthday at the Zoo. Fu Long is the baby panda who was born on 23 Aug in Vienna Zoo 2 years ago. Yesterday was also Aunty Stephanie\'s birthday and today is Yi-Ma\'s birthday. So a very very happy birthday to the 2 beautiful aunties. Hugs and Kisses from all of us here. See you soon....
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('The Chong Family
');document.write('

\"\"

And here\'s everyone with Di Di!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('New family picture
');document.write('

\"\"

\"\"

Hi everyone!
 
Here\'s a picture of my family with my new baby brother included!  See how Daddy chose a shirt colour to match so nicely!
 
Di Di was such a good boy today!  I can\'t wait to bring him home!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('My Baby Brother
');document.write('

\"\"

\"\"

I\'ll try to take a few pictures everyday so everyone can see my brother.  He doesn\'t have a name yet...
 
Here he is doing the classic after-shower Samsui boy pose!
 
I am sure his eyebags are there since he didn\'t get to sleep much. Mummy said Di Di was pretty much doing yoga throughout the night, every night for the last month or so. I can imagine how much sleep he got!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('My New Baby Brother!
');document.write('

\"\"

\"\"

Hi Everyone!
 
Mummy gave birth today! I have a new baby brother!  I hope he grows up fast so I can play with him. I can\'t wait for him to come home... I miss Mummy too!
 
Isn\'t he cute?  Daddy tells me I looked like that when I was born too... I\'m waiting to see the proof!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('The F Word Conversation
');document.write('
I never imagine a conversation like this can ever happen but it did and its? been pretty hilarious to be using the F word without cringing as much especially when the other party isn?t a guy and she thinks it is insanely funny. What was a normal conversation on the internet became pretty out of control because of some emoticon I had showing a Storm Trooper, for the clueless the Storm Trooper is a character from the Star Wars trilogy, doing the humping motion at the car park. It popped out onto the screen after I had unknowingly hit some key word liberating him onto the screen to do his deed.

Now the problem was I had turned off the emoticons on my messenger so I did not have the slightest inkling as to what the other party was seeing on the screen. So when my friend said the Storm Trooper was funny and proceeded to share her version of funny emoticon doing the same motion. This is where it started to get insane as unknown to her, I cannot see any emoticon of hers and all I saw were the words ?got one for you. f***? appearing on my monitor.

You can imagine my moment of silence seated staring at my screen with a swear word peering back at me. What? What did I say? It took a whole eternal 2 seconds before it dawned on me it was the key to an emoticon from her. So the moment I turned my emoticon switch back to on and seeing her F*** emoticon, the rest of the conversation went the way of intellectuals. She had a funny looking emoticon, a stick drawing of a man doing the hump and his manhood swinging about like a limp sausage out on a thumping mission.

The F word dominated every sentence that was bounced back and forth with both parties trying to outdo each other with creative ways to throw her F at me and my F on her. ?You got one funny F***!? ?Hit me with your F***?, ?The Storm Trooper is a stupid F***?, ?For a good F*** look for??, ?I need a good F*** do you have more?? ?One good F*** is better than none.? ?I have to admit yours is a good F***.?

Of course the inevitable was bound to happen. Keying in both her F*** emoticon and my humping Trooper to see if they both hump in synchronization. I suppose this conversation will go down on record as one with the most sexual innuendos without really going that way. Rib tickling nonetheless which I reckon will go on for another while each time we meet online.

For the record, they do synchronize after a while. Pretty gay if you ask me.\"\"\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine News : Wine Investors worried after firms being investigated close shop
');document.write('
-
A wine trading and brokerage service shop has hit the newspapers after wine investors submitted complaints to CASE.
\"\"My personal opinion is that Wine is for drinking and there are lots of other investment vehicles available. With your eyes wide open, know what you are buying into. When I buy a bottle of wine from the supermarket, I know that I have the pleasure of savouring it\'s contents and have an opportunity for me to blog about it. If I put money into a Wine investment, I do not physically see the wine, or have an idea about how to sell it in an illiquid market. Quoting a well-known local columnist \"Alternative investments such as raw land, art, wine and antiques, they are interesting and fun, but are thinly traded , hard to sell and rarely pay off as promised.\"

I have been approached many times to invest in Wine, I have yet to put a single cent in for the intention of trading wine for investment. I have however, purchased wines current vintages at relative lower prices, so that I can drink them later and not pay high prices for them. That is just supply and demand economics, less bottles as people drink them up, means higher prices. But bear in mind you have to pay the expenses for keeping them in good condition.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Mummy is amused...
');document.write('
She kept laughing because of my superb memory... When Mummy cooks porridge for me and I refuse to eat, she would tempt me with pork floss. It has been a week since she last offered it. Today, I was half-way through the meal when I suddenly said \"I want pork floss\". At first, Mummy didn\'t know what I want, because I usually say something like \"I want Thomas\", \"I want Nintendo\" etc. When Mummy realised that I was asking for pork floss, she could not stop laughing. In the end, she still did not give me pork floss. I ended up with Nintendo. :(
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Yummy muffins
');document.write('
I helped Mummy to make these yummy muffins... it was fun playing with the mixer, putting in the paper muffin cups and scooping in the batter.
\"\" \"\" \"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Picnic day in Kindergarten
');document.write('
It happened on 10 June.... Family members invited but Papa was away on business trip, so there was only 3 of us.
\"\" \"\" \"\" \"\" \"\" \"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Yummy....
');document.write('
Mummy made these yummy cupcakes specially for me....
\"\" \"\" \"\"
Look at me...... Mummy calls me a scary white monster.
\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Happy Birthday
');document.write('
to Gong Gong....

We made and decorated a cake together specially for you. :) Hope you had a great birthday. We ate the cake too. :D
\"\" \"\"
\"\" \"\"

And my turn to have chicken pox.... Kor-Kor is back to the kindergarten.
\"\"
Kor-Kor when he had chickenpox.
\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Spectacular!
');document.write('
So it?s been weeks since I started looking young and struggling to keep the goatee from getting jam in the paper shredder in the office. It?s hazardous keeping it to a nice luscious length. Some days it looks cool and my image right, other days it?s just a bad goatee day making me look like a terrorist. But I suppose its worth it as I found out the other day some of my colleagues who do not really know my ancient history thought I was 8 yrs younger than I really am and another pal?s new bride thought I was about that age too. I got to go get myself another dozen of these stupendously miracle eye frames! They say age is but a number. Yeah mine is now minus 8!

The thing that I am still waiting to happen is the hot young chicks bit. So far it?s been mostly the older ladies giving me the eye. Unless you count this cute youngish short chick on high heels who kept checking me out while I was listening to some cds in That CD shop as success, its been not really happening. She had this exotic mix look and was also browsing through a couple of discs wearing a translucent back floral top and a pair of tight jeans. Damn, if I wasn?t on an appointment!

Anyway, back to the older ladies I think it?s due to the spectacular, oh pun absolutely intended, success of the eye wear. They think I am some young dude and the young girls are not keen on young dudes but older men! Damn again! I never ever win!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine Entry : Furano Wine - No vintage (Japan)
');document.write('
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\"\"
Bought a half-bottle to try Japanese wine made in Hokkaido for around S$12. A commendable attempt that is trying to mimic French Bordeaux region wines. Dark vibrant purple in the glass.
\"\"Smell : Blackcurrent and raspberry scents

Taste : Blend of wood and dark fruits interlaced with some sweetness.

After-taste : Some oak at the end but overall very pedestrian.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('School Player
');document.write('
It started innocently enough with two of my team members approaching me to join them in a game of table tennis after they had secured the services of another to help them make it a doubles team. And then it began. \'Did you know she was in the school team back in primary school?\' gushed one of my team mates on the experience of one those participating in the upcoming game. I think it?s in me not to like losing so I replied instantly ?I was also a school player in my primary school?. ?Wow really??!! That?s so impressive!? ?Yeah I used to play table tennis in the SCHOOL canteen.? I added.

You should have seen the expression on my colleague?s face after I said that. I was not sure if she was still impressed or really just stun into silence. I would really like to go with impressed but given the conversation that had just transpired, being stun into silence would really be more appropriate. Just then another colleague who overheard the conversation chipped in, ?You know, I used to play interschool table tennis, I played it with my friends from different schools at the nearby community centre.? That just wrapped up all there was to the conversation. We decided it was best to leave her still standing stunned while we headed out for lunch. She should recover sufficiently after we are back.

School seemed such a long time ago and I really remembered those days where we would head to the school early just to catch an hour?s worth of ping pong or table tennis in the canteen just before the school starts for the day. Then there?s always time for a match just right after a paper during the finals examination or in between the breaks before the start of another paper. It was little wonder I never really went far when it came to good grades. My mom never really understood why her hard working son would go to school so early daily but still struggle for a pass grade. I hope she never gets to read this!

So anyway, word got around that we were going to have a round of ping pong right after work and more decided they wanted in. Death matches have been set up and balls of fury, I love that movie and Maggie Q of course, will be served come this Friday. We were talking about the upcoming game over lunch and one colleague lamented that she doesn?t play table tennis and another said we should play basketball because she?s better in that game.

I couldn?t resist it. With my greatest charm and grin, I turned to her and said ?Basketball? I can play that. I used to be a school player.?
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('No Kindergarten...
');document.write('
for 2 weeks..... because I got CHICKENPOX.... *boo hoo*

It is so itchy, and I cannot go out and play. I am so sad. Please take the chicken pox away.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Wine News : To buy or not to buy Bordeaux 2008s
');document.write('
-
-

\"\"
Two newpaper articles that talk about the 2008 Bordeaux. My personal view, though I have not had the opportunity to try the 2008s, is that they are not of the class as the 2005s. The sellers are talking it up to try to boost sales. With the Global Economic Recession, buyers are not biting.
\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Some nice pictures of me and bro
');document.write('
\"The family that eats together, stays together\" :D
\"\" \"\" \"\"
Our favourite posts, on the bright yellow chairs by the window.
\"\" \"\"
At the zoo...
\"\" \"\" \"\" \"\"

Not so nice... when \"Kor-Kor\" fell down in Kindergarten and had a stitch on his lip.
\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Fountain Of Youth Discovered.
');document.write('
So right after depressingly being addressed as an uncle by a real life uncle and by real life I mean 20 years older than myself, I needed to seek out the fountain of youth. The one that will make me young again, least looking younger than someone clearly 20 years older than myself. And the answer to the miracle of youth aside from attempting to consume goat?s placenta is simply $460.

Yes, I had once again made the plunge into the world of expensive eye wear. A pair of turtle shell frames which will turn back the clock. Add a 5 day old goatee and tada! I am now officially 6 months younger than I was minus the magical glasses. Put back on my old frames and I aged immediately. Put that new one on and wala! It?s a time machine. Oh yeah. Best investment EVER! I bought 6 months of my life back. Well, sort of.

These are magical frames and I am convinced they make me young again because today when I was having lunch with my colleagues, one who is just sweet 21 was sprouting some youngster lingo and I totally got it! The rest of my colleagues seated next to me couldn?t figure out what she was saying and they are in their 20s! What did I tell you? They are really magic glasses. I am dead certain if I take them off and replaced with my previous frames that same colleague would seem to be speaking Greek. Put them back on and she?s speaking perfect English. Nice.

Those who convinced me that turtle shell frames are perfectly suited for me and they make me look young again claimed these classy glasses will turn in the chicks. Young chicks will be crumble for the look of a powerful young achiever who has the world at his feet. Ok a major overstatement but thanks for the effort people.

Unfortunately the only chicks I had managed to get take more than a couple of looks at me the past 5 days were mostly matured ladies. My colleague was certain that one of the matured lady intentionally did a Sharon Stone on me while we were out for lunch a couple of days ago. But thats debatable. No doubt some of the mature ladies were pretty hot but it?s not quite the promised land of young hot chicks. But I suppose 1 out of 2 isn?t half as bad. I guess the in thing now is older ladies dating younger man. Hmmm?looks like I just stumbled on another fountain of youth. Dating ladies clearly older than yourself! I am a genius! See what did I tell you about the magical glasses? They make me smarter too.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Yang Yang
');document.write('
I am Yang Yang.... and the Vienna Zoo has a Yang Yang too. :P

\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Birthday cake for Aunty Rachel
');document.write('
It has almost been a month since we celebrated Aunty Rachel\'s birthday but the cake is yummy yummy.... so must show here :D
\"\" \"\"


\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('The Wrong Side
');document.write('
So every once in a while you tend to forget how old you are, sometimes deliberately and sometimes you just simply forget because you are really old and age tends to mess with your memory. Just the other day I was talking to my colleagues and they were trying to work out the age differences of those of us hanging around the pantry and I couldn?t be sure of my age. I had to actually do a mental calculation deducting the year I was born against the year we are in only to discover to my horror I was on the wrong side of thirty. Very wrong. Oh my god! I AM OLD! A couple more years and bam I?m on a different scale except this time on the right side of forty. Not much of a consolation that is though.

Some of my colleagues were discussing on buying the lottery and since the numbers we had to pick from were from 1 to 45, we decided to buy everyone?s age as our lucky numbers. I went through the digits and they were like 22, 23, 24, 27 and then it jumped a whole decade plus to 38. The only saving grace from the whole exercise was that there was another number after 38. Again it wasn?t that much of a consolation.

Just when you think it couldn\'t get any worse, reality check hits you right smack in your face and you are called an uncle. In this part of the world where we live in, the term uncle doesn?t always make you a relative of the person calling you that. Generally, it?s used loosely on someone who is more of an elder as a form of respect.

Now, I?m fine being termed an uncle, don?t get me wrong but I?m not so fine being called an uncle by someone clearly older than myself by a good 25 years! That?s just depressing! My company had organized a sale recently and some UNCLE approached me and started a small talk about how he?s not sure if his son who is in his late teens will like the design and color of the shoe he just picked and all. Since it was a lull period, I decided to be a good salesman by participating in his conversation.

And then he did the unbelievable. He called me UNCLE! He is bloody in his 50?s and he called me an UNCLE! U.N.C.L.E.!!!! ?Eh uncle the shoes cheap huh, all past season huh.? *Wink* ?How often you guys do sales like these huh uncle? ? *Wink* I had a good idea where the shoe he picked for his son was going to go after he called me that. Right into his mouth, down the esophagus and out of his ass that?s where! And he had this habit of trying to do a cool charming dude act with a wink every now and then when he passed some comment which he thought was smart like ?cheap because its past season?, ?shoes are all from china today?, ?some shoes don?t last but your brand is the most lasting? ?my face is crinkled and needs ironing but I have no idea why I called you uncle still.? Alright he didn?t say the last bit but he is in his 50s and for some reason he felt compelled to address me respectfully as an elder of the clan.

Now nothing thrills me to bits than to be recognized as a leader of a clan which are generally helmed by people in their 80?s or look 80. So, thank you uncle for making my day. I finally get the respect I had hankered for my last 38 years. I am now officially an uncle. I need to go eat some goat?s placenta. Anyone know of a sale going on for that?
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Blood and stitch
');document.write('
Boo-hoo.... I am seldom home so early, but I had a great fall today and my lower lip is badly hurt. My parents had to bring me to the emergency and they gave me a stitch. It was so painful that I was crying very loudly. Now I don\'t feel like eating, drinking or talking. :( Mummy hopes that it doesn\'t leave a scar. Have to revisit the doctor 2 days later.

Anyway, today is my cousin Denise\'s birthday. Happy Birthday Denise Jie Jie!
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Brain Check
');document.write('

I came across this quiz on the papers the other day and had a bit of fun trying to work out the puzzle.  If you are into a workout of a different sort, try this one.  I think its pretty rewarding when you finally figure out the answers.

Essentially you used the clues given and try to figure out which is the right answer in the table and fill it all up.  Go on, give it a go.  It?s rather challenging, well for me anyway but could be a walk in the park for you.  I managed to get it all right so that was a nice feeling knowing that I am not as mentally challenged as my school results claim!

QUESTION : WHO SPEAKS GERMAN?

  HOUSE 1 HOUSE 2 HOUSE 3 HOUSE 4
COLOUR        
PERSON        
INSTRUMENT        
LANGUAGE        

1. The piano player lives right of the drum player.

2. The green house is occupied by the bass player.

3. The drum player lives in the third house.

4. The bass player lives in the first house.

5. Francis plays the trumpet.

6. The trumpet player lives in the red house.

7. Charlie speaks Japanese.

8. Bobby lives left of the Italian speaker.

9. The French speaker lives right of the grey house.

10. Edward lives in the brown house.

END OF CLUES.

Source : Tan Kin Lian?s Intelligence Quiz.

ANS :

  HOUSE 1 HOUSE 2 HOUSE 3 HOUSE4
COLOUR GREEN RED GREY BROWN
PERSON BOBBY FRANCIS CHARLIE EDWARD
INSTRUMENT BASS TRUMPET DRUM PIANO
LANGUAGE GERMAN ITALIAN JAPANESE FRENCH
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Hits the nail right on the head
');document.write('
I\'ve been too lazy to write and pretty busy of late so here\'s something I read the other day which I absolutely agree.

Food for thought - \' Nobody is worth your tears, and the ONE who is won\'t make you cry. \'

Ditto that. Couldn\'t agree more.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('I was right!!!!
');document.write('
I knew it! My gut feel was correct about my impending lottery big win! Blah to all the fortune tellers who said this year is not a good year for me in lucky money wins! Neh Ni Neh Ni Boo Boo. I won! I won the recent lottery. The prize money was a cool 1.7 million buckerooos! Ahhhhh I can smell the scent of my dollars and the look on the lottery counter lady?s face as I cash out my winnings. Every single piece of a whole sweet $20. Ten pieces if she gives me in $2 or two pieces if she gives me in tens. Whooyeah! Who?s your daddy now eh!

Alright so it?s not that big prize winner I was predicting myself to be. But hey $20 is still the start of the road to my big money, the elusive bucket of gold at the end of the rainbow. There?s still plenty of time to go before the year ends and this year 2009 is THE year that I am going to collect my riches. Thank you Singapore Pools, my favorite other uncle that?s not really my uncle but its like an uncle that gives you money for no reason other than you being good for the year. No wait I think that?s Santa Claus. You know what I mean right? Who cares what you think. I still have the whole of April to December to fulfill my dream. Let?s see who will be laughing then wise ass!

Ok so I didn?t win the latest lottery but this Wednesday it?s my turn to hold the cheque of 2.2 million. Yeah let me see you cry because you are missed out on the ?to treat? list for being a non believer. I will so win that! If not there?s still another 8 months to go. Stop laughing. Bugger off. I hate you all. Maybe I should just save my $20.
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('Mozarella Apple Rose Tart
');document.write('
In order to maintain sanity and not driven crazy by my illness, Mummy mtried to make something special. It is called Mozarella Apple Rose Tart. Do you think it looks nice? It is very tasty and yummy too.
\"\"
\'\'/
');document.write('
');document.write('18 months...
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Wow! Time flies.... I am already 18 months old, 1.5years on this earth. It has been a long time since I last updated the blog. Because we were very happy holidaying in Singapore and then we are still adjusting to life back in Vienna. Cold cold weather is not nice at all.... nose is running all the time and infections come too. :( Mommy is getting worried that I\'ll be losing weight as I am now eating only 1/4 of my usual appetite. The doctor claimed that it could be due to antibiotics. Haiz... hope I will get my appetite back soon... missing all my favourite food. Till I get better, you people out there take care too.
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');document.write('It\'s good to be awaken.
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Frequently your heart rules your head and makes irrational decisions that usually comes back to haunt you. Even though the rational part of you, your brain, says you shouldn?t do something, the heart will accede and over rule what is best for you. Hence I guess it?s only right the heart is the one that gets hurt the most since it makes the dumbest call. Most of the time, the sentimental bit in you thinks there?s always a possibility of things working out between yourself and your other half when it didn?t go right the first time round. Especially when things are seemingly improving and the thought arises that maybe it didn?t get off the right footing the first time round. This is the heart talking here. The head will go ?dude, if it didn?t work out the first time, it?s probably right.? The heart will go ?but she?s putting in more effort then ever before, more attention then ever, maybe she has decided that you are what she really miss.? ?I say give it another chance, you deserve it.?

This is the time when the hurt gets even more painful when you realized that the leopard never really changes its spots. It gets worse when you find out that all you believe in her are just lies that she pans out frequently to mask what she really is thinking and doing while you are unaware. Least she thinks you are. So I say, the lies you discover the second time around are the best because they finally awaken in you that your heart was the fool and the head is always right. They clear up all the mist that is preventing you from thinking clearly and while the heart has to smart from its second attack, time will eventually heal all pain.

It?s good to be awaken.
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');document.write('In My Elements
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So last Friday, my elements were all in place. There I was seated next to not one but two cute babes, in between them to be exact. One had short hair with nice big eyes, pouty lips and brooding look. I don?t know why she wore that look all the time but I am sure it wasn?t me that caused it. Maybe it?s her style. The other had this wet look with her hair, cheeky smile and very in your face type. They were just two extremes from each other. One just gives you the look and doesn?t talk much. The other just couldn\'t stop talking. She tells you stuff that you sometimes don?t really need to know but she?ll let you have it anyway. Every once a while she?ll give you a friendly jab in your ribs to let you know that she?s still around and I have not fallen asleep with her constant jabbering.

Alright, I?ll admit. My elements weren?t exactly that in place, more like all over the place. I was seated between my buddy?s two kids. The one who doesn?t talk much because she is just one and I think the only word she did utter the whole evening was an uurh. Maybe it was more of a wuurh. I couldn?t really make it out but I think she was trying to tell me to pick up the biscuit she dropped between her baby seat and her dress as she was pointing to it. Maybe she was saying dumbass because I couldn?t really understand her. The other one who is coming five was wearing a wet look because she just finished tearing down the lanes of East Coast Macdonald?s on her shinning red skate scooter with wheels that light up when in motion and matching shinning red safety helmet. She was in my face because she wants to clean her sticky hand filled with ketchup and fillet o? fish mayo on my cheeks. Lucky for me I was much taller so she had to make do with my pants.

I have this sneaky feeling that every time my buddy arranges a hang out dinner thing, I?m asked to go because they needed a baby sitter. The kids? entertainer so the parents can get to eat their dinner in peace while I do this peek a boo thing with them. I made a mistake once doing that and it became a repeated act over the next hour. I did the stunned look when one poked me with her tiny finger and it drew shrills of delighted laughter from them. I thought hey that?s not too difficult. Bad judgment call. I had to do that another hundred times over the next hour till my system literally went into shock from all the muscle cramp in my facial expression.

Next Friday I?m making sure I get real babes. Not real babes as in babes because they are really babes but babes as in ladies babes. Arrrrgh. I have to realign my elements.




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');document.write('It\'s going to happen!
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The winning prize to the local lottery was close to two million dollars the other week and there was only one lucky person who can lay claim to it. Well we do not really know if it?s just a person or twenty other co office workers who have shares to the same winning ticket. What lousy luck then, two million becoming one hundred thousand overnight. But of course it is still a pretty sum of money if you aren?t greedy like me.

So there I was comparing my ticket in hand against the winning numbers. The first winning number matched the first number on my ticket! Hey good start I thought. The second winning number matched the second number of my ticket too! Awesome! A bead of cold sweat came trickling down my forehead. My hands turned clammy. I realized that I could be that sole winner, the one on the road to riches!!! Woooooooo yeah baby! My eyes turned to the third winning number and that?s where it went downhill from there. Like a striker on route to scoring the winning last minute goal to clinch the World Cup and he trips and misses the gaping open goal. What an anti climax.

2009 started with a whimper for the world economy and everyone?s edgy with their rice bowl. But not me because I have this very strong feeling 2009 is going to be my year. The year I?m going to be rich! Rich! Rich! Rich! Woohahahahahahah.. chokes? cough?cough?cough. I need to work on my Dr. Evil laughter. I don?t know why it needs to be that type of laughter. Maybe it?s because money is the root of all evil? Anyway back to my riches story, well not yet but soon. Despite the negative write up on the year for my zodiac sign which states no luck in the lucky money department, I snorted at the report. Who are those experts anyway to poo poo my instincts. I?m master of my instincts, I?m going to win the big lottery and it?s going to happen!

This year! 2009! I?m adamant. It?s in my gut. I?ve been planning the distribution of my wealth in all possible formulation, worked and reworked it till perfection. I deserve to be a winner. 2009 is the year that?s going to make me riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiich! Ok, so that?s what I said in 2008 and the year before that and the year before that and I vaguely recalled making that claim too in 2005. Oh shut it. I hate you all. Oh well there?s always 2010.
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');document.write('Flag Day
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So today my colleague who?s seated next to me walked back from the ladies and announced to me ?I?m Bleeding!!!? Under normal circumstances when I hear something like that I would either a) pass out cold, b) call for an ambulance, c) call for an ambulance and pass out cold or d) call for two ambulances, one for her and the other for me and then pass out cold. In her case, I know that she always never mean what regular people would understand from a statement like ?I?m bleeding?. It?s only her time of the months? non fatal lost of blood. But having said that it also means sounding the air raid warning sirens and scrambling for any cover you can find. Save yourself for the love of god! It?s D Day! Stay away from a non fatal bleeding woman or you could be the one who is bleeding fatally.

I mean how do you know if a girl is just in her regular cycle and not plain crazy? Unless you are her boyfriend, husband, lover, you never really keep track of the dates. Then again even if you do watch the dates, you could have remembered it wrongly and end up being congratulated for being a newbie parent. Of course there are times you are just lucky to be seated next to one who is kind enough to give you a head start or you may innocently walk into a mine field.

How do you really know if it?s safe or it?s time to fly low and stay low? I have an idea. Create a mini flag pole with 3 different colored flags, a Yellow flag, a Red flag and a Green flag. When she raises a Yellow flag, it signals an impending air raid but you are still free to roam around, just always stay close to cover. A hoisted Red flag signifies a nuclear holocaust. Godzilla has been awaken and risen from the deep sea tearing any brave, well dumb would be a more appropriate word in this instance, man apart should he stand in her way. A Green flag is everyone?s favorite. The guy?s favorite anyway. It?s the all clear sign that you are able to skip about carefree. You can even venture a couple of teasers and you won?t get your eyes stomped out with a stiletto. You may actually earn a giggle from her or even win the first prize ? some happy time.

For the sake of all dumb mankind?s subsistence and preventing us from being consign to extinction will someone please build this flag pole. If it doesn?t work, then maybe some lucky ones may get a pole dance by his lady on a green flag day. Providing he can still see with the stilettos sticking in his eyeballs.
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');document.write('Two big heavy balls
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Recently I had been experiencing some joint pain on the finger next to my index. That?s right, my middle finger. It felt like it?s been bruised badly and whenever I rubbed it, hurt like I had slammed it on something concrete. I don?t recall getting it injured nor used it for any other activity that may bring a certain pleasure to my ex girlfriend. Nope, she didn?t ask for me to help her relief an itch on her back by scratching it the past couple of months so that couldn?t be it either.

Maybe during one of my driving excursions I had to express displeasure at a fellow driver?s antics on the road and showed him what I really thought of him at that moment. Maybe he stopped his car, came over and showed me what he thought of my way of expression with my middle finger. Maybe he crushed my middle finger or slammed it shut on his car door repeatedly. Maybe the pain was so excruciating that I blocked that scene out of my memory which would explain why my finger feels like its badly bruised and I don?t have a single recollection of how it happened. Maybe.

Or maybe not, as recently my pinkie finger started displaying similar symptoms. Same type of bruised feeling and honestly, no one uses a pinkie to exhibit your anger at another person. So that really rules out my middle finger escapade too. I think its something less sinister or more pending on how you look at it. It?s a sign that my aging body is starting to get lazy. The blood flow that is. I think the big problem is the issue with the ?chi? in me, it is weak. A little like how Anakin Skywalker ended up joining the dark side.

So I was telling my dad about it and he came out of his room with this huge set of balls in a box and passed it to me. It?s the type you see in movies filmed with ancient China as central themes where usually either some evil kung fu master is seen using it or the emperor would rotate them in one hand. Basically it is two balls sized like a super inflated ping pong ball each and made of either metal or cold marble. What you do is you put them on your palm and skillfully and very carefully rotate them around on your palm.

Believe it or not, it works like a miracle. Ten minutes of that rotation of the balls on my palm and the joints actually started to feel less painful! I was skeptical when my dad passed them to me initially but really I figured what more harm could happen except when I drop them on myself. It works! It really works! My two fingers felt a lot better and a lot less painful. The ?chi? is strong again.

A word of caution though. If you ever decide to try one of these miracle balls to improve your ?chi?, you should really avoid dropping them while using it because that may present a different set of problems altogether. They weigh a ton each. Ok that?s just a figure of speech but it feels like a ton. Should you drop one of them on your toes, you may start showing middle fingers to everyone around you on the spot and they may not really take too kindly to your reaction. Then even the balls wouldn?t be of any help to your fingers bruising.

Either that or use them alone in your room. That way you are free to show all hand signs when accidents happen and still not have bruised fingers. You just have to figure out how to unbruise the toes.
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');document.write('Sleeping and Bad Karma
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You know what just bothers the hell out of me. What makes me wake up really moody and ready to kick the first person I see? It?s a good thing my mom leaves home early or else it wouldn?t really be funny to be kicking your mom. It?s bad Karma man. Anyway what eats me up and keeps me in this mood are erratic sleeping patterns.

Have you ever experience waking up an hour or so before you are suppose to because you really need to pee? I mean REALLY NEED to pee. The kind you are not able to sleep it through. I tried doing that and the whole period I will be in this dream where I will keep looking for a loo and have a really good go but each time coming out still feeling the massive urge. The feeling like the job?s not yet done. Then I will go again to another toilet. So basically the whole dream runs into the same pattern. Heading to different loos releasing all stocks and still leaving feeling unsatisfied. It?s a good thing that dreams do not translate to reality or I would have changed my mattresses like hundreds of times.

So you drag yourself out of bed unwillingly with a willing bladder and head for relieve. After that is done, you go back to bed, bladder feeling good but then sleep is over. No matter how you will yourself to sleep, make pacts with the devil, you still cant sleep and then the alarm goes. Sleep is over time to get up. Arrrgggggggggggggh!

Another type of sleeping problem that I have and basically makes me ready to kill someone is you toss and turn the whole damn night staying wide awake. You watched as the sky turns black to slight orangey and just an hour or so before its time to get up, you fall into deep slumber. Then the alarm goes. You will really want to kill someone. Its great if you are about to fight a war but not so great if your mom is the first person you see in the morning. It?s bad Karma man. Really bad.
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');document.write('Coming Home and Old T\'s
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This will be a short one ?cos my slip disc is back. The pain is just annoying and I shouldn?t be sitting down so much. I felt I had to write this before I forget. I just had dinner with a couple of friends and I recalled a particular conversation with an acquaintance in a car as we were helping out at a friends wedding. We started to talk about all our girlfriends current and ex and their expectations and he on his ex girlfriends as he just got married. He said that he met his current wife and they went out only on a few dates before he decided that she is the one. After a few months of further dating as a couple, they made the decision to get married.

I asked him what triggered it and he said this, which I felt made a lot of sense. He said when he is with her, it is so comfortable and vice versa. It felt like he had come home. It?s like when you reached home, the feeling is one of comfort and ease. I think he hit the nail on the head. If you are always fighting with your girlfriend or boyfriend you tend to want to not be with the other person till both cooled down or worked things out. You don?t think it?s a home you would want to come back to. You will always want to stay out as late as possible as it is not a place you want to be.

Ex girlfriend has this group of girlfriends which also included a guy who would call all the girls whenever he is alone. Whether he is driving to work, at work or driving out of work. All his conversations were mostly idle chats and I never understood why he would do that all the time even to my ex girlfriend. It was much later I figured it out. He is trapped in a relationship with his wife where he cannot divorce her and the only way he can escape from his personal hell was to talk to everyone but his wife. They allowed him to be himself and he can forget his problems. He will stay out as late as possible, hit home dead tired and head to bed. This way he doesn?t need to speak much with the wife. It?s a sad situation but again same reasoning as to not wanting to come home. Not comfortable for him.

Like another friend said, being in a relationship that works is like wearing a very old t-shirt. Doesn?t fit as well anymore because of the tenth thousand times you washed it but it?s still always the first you pick to wear to sleep because it is the most comfortable. Food for thought. Next time you want to know if the other party is the one, think of home and old worn pajamas t shirt!
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');document.write('WTF????!!!!!
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Ok so I don?t always get it. So I don?t always click with everyone. Given my nature, it would be pretty hard for me not to be able to blend in with almost any group. A fact that can be attested by people who know me best or not. So I could never fathom why my ex has this strong need to engage in the company of this group of girlfriends of hers. Neither the topic nor conversation is least enchanting or funny. Well to me only I guess. I mean if at least one of them was funny, it would have been really hard to not want to be in their company all the time.

The worse is when someone tries to tell everyone something funny and the only person that?s really laughing is the same person, now that?s just really???? Which was how I felt when I accompanied my girlfriend then, and joined her girlfriends at a members club next to the sea. She loves the place and she loves them. I loved her dearly so I went along. The only person in the group apart from my ex whom I can talk with was not there so I can say they are boring. In all fairness, it was only that one night I was there with them when I made this judgment. No wait, I have hung out with them on other occassions before too. Ok it is official then, they are boring.

The topic sort of went like this?.? Oh I said blah blah blah.? ?Ha Ha Ha Ha? Note the laughter came from the speaker who had her fingers posed like some high society lady right after that statement while the other hand held nachos. The rest were having blank looks but wearing polite smiles. Fine I was the only one wearing a polite smile, the rest were smiling for god knows what. Then she proceeded to clarify, which I wish she didn?t, ?Actually this was what happened?.she said this, so I said this. And then she said this, so I said this and that?s how it all ended up with me saying this.? This was again followed by another round of Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha from the speaker mostly.

What the fxxx???!!! What the hell was that??!! It was because I came for my girlfriend and not for the company or I would have leaped over the railing and drowned myself in the open sea. Because I love her, I resisted this very big urge to reach over and choked her beloved girlfriend till she will never speak again. Either that or spanked her till she never dares to pretend to tell a funny story. IT?S NOT BLINKING FUNNY!!! I couldn?t even force out a chuckle. Not even when I tickled myself hard. My toes will drop off first before they can laugh at that.

Well, I never have to hang around them again or someone is not going to speak for a very long time. The only good thing that came out of my breakup with my girlfriend is I am no longer compelled to be with them as I am beginning to find a growing feminine side to me?being BITCHY!
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');document.write('Failure as a human being
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I was in Bangkok recently for a holiday hoping to find a fickle of spark to rekindle my dying relationship, a hope in finding what was lost in transition over the past few months. Anyway that?s another story. What really made me re-look and re-think of myself as an ok decent guy was a scene which still haunts my memory till today though it was merely a couple of days ago. It was rather late around 10.30pm and I just had a really bad fight with my girl friend but we still decided to head for a badly needed massage. My back was bloody killing me and it felt ready to snap into two if I stood for another minute.

We walked really quickly hoping to still catch our intended massage at a nearby centre from our dining place before they closed. As we walked past the many tightly shut shops on the dimly lit street, I saw a plumb lady seated by the side of one of the closed shops cuddling a kid. Now if you have been to Bangkok, these would be a scene repeated many times over on many corners of the street. Poor people, poor children begging for some spare change you could throw down. As I turned the corner a memory of what I saw made me cringe at my indecisiveness to do a little charity. A small act of kindness to a fellow human being.

I thought I saw her cuddling a child who looked a lot bigger than most on the streets begging. The child likely to be a girl was plumpish like her mother, age perhaps 10 or 12 based on her size, and was all wrapped in a cloth like sarong. On her forehead rested a previously white face towel already covered in soot. The pace that we were walking soon took me far from where I last saw the lady whose child had her eyes closed like she was sleeping but the image of her was firmly etched into my head.

As we walked into the massage centre and took our respective packages paying some 500 baht each, I felt a sense of guilt handing the money over the counter without batting an eyelid to feel better about my back but yet hesitated in doing the same for the lady. Her child was likely to be running a high fever and given their plight probably couldn?t even afford medication and she had to resort to the basics of wet towel over the forehead. Soon the pain on my back was soothed away under the skilled hands of my masseur but the ache in my heart wasn?t.

We were done at midnight and we hopped into a taxi to head back to our hotel, to our comfortable king size bed with warm lights and designer fittings. As the driver sped away, we passed the scene where I last saw the lady and there she was still holding to her sick child tightly.

I closed my eyes and turned my head away in disgrace and disgust with myself. Ashame by the very thought that I failed as a human being to another.
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');document.write('Brother turned 3
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and I am 14 months old. My brother is super duper happy yesterday, he had 2 birthday celebrations. They organised a birthday celebration for him in the Kindergarten, baked a cake and made a crown for him. He kept wearing his crown all day long and refused to removed it until he went to bed later than usual. Must be all the sugar in the blood. :P He was even wearing it this morning. I think he loves having birthday a lot as he gets lots of attention, presents and sweets. Mummy kept telling him that today is Daddy\'s birthday but Antanas kept saying it is his birthday. He\'ll have to wait for another year. ;)
I had helped Mummy to made a special birthday cake for Antanas as recently he fell in love with Thomas the train. So ta-da, this was Antanas\' and Daddy\'s birthday cake. Choo-choo....
\"\" It is Mummy\'s first attempt at decorating cakes, so the frosting is not very well done but nobody cares as we don\'t like to eat it anyway. Easier to scrap off this way. :P
There is a lot of hidden stuff in this cake, can you spot or guess it? Can you see Antanas\' name? Can you see the number 3? Can you see 2 piggies and a rabbit? Plus Daddy\'s age is also there, but don\'t think anyone can guess it from the cake. Only Mummy and Daddy knows. :)
Antanas, his birthday cake and presents.
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Daddy and his birthday present.
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');document.write('It\'s been a long time
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Hello... I have not been posting for a long long time.... Because I am always in the Kindergarten. Mummy finally thought I should be posting some pictures of myself especially since it is related to Kindergarten. We had Latern Festival celebration on 13Nov.
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Jonas takes over when I got tired.
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Jonas was busy with food as usual and I am kpo-ing about what others are doing.
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We went to Bogi Park with Auntie Rachel, Joshua, Auntie Tracy and Jarell on 7 Nov. I had a day off from Kindergarten as all the supervisors had to attend a course. It was so fun that I don\'t like going to Kindergarten anymore.
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Jonas, the food monster, with food in his hand again.
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This is my favourite yellow slide.