Another Color Quiz

Took this test some time ago. I thot it's more accurate than the last one :)

You yearn for simple joys with your friends and family. Down-to-earth & mature, you are a voice of reason for your companions. When in times of need, you have a calming presence among your friends.

You treasure stability & serenity. Your preferred vacation will be a relaxed stroll through places away from the hustle & bustle of city life.

You are most likely to be at a quaint little cafe on a Sunday afternoon, than squeezing through busy Orchard Road.

Raffia

Hahaha altho the personality test profile is quite true, the actual design looks so serious & old :P

Raffia is a collection of neutrals and interesting greens that signify a timeless appreciation of diversity. A person drawn to this palette appreciates texture and the importance of tactility in all surfaces. They wish for a sophisticated environment that is also casual. They seek a balance with nature and time.

My Sink. I Sink

When the sales lady said "The stainless steel that we used are all 304". I was like "huh?". Haha and she didn't explain what that meant. Thanks to Google! I found out what that means. Altho i probably won't remember it later on :P (Source: http://bohausiaw.blogspot.com)

Earlier on, Irene managed to convince me to get a stainless steel sink. I had thought it to be "lao tu" until i saw a display & heard many negative comments of that granite "wannabe" material. So here i am now, looking out for a S/S kitchen sink.

Material of Sink - Stainless Steel (S/S)

304 means a mixture ratio of 18 Chromium & 8 Nickel Alloy. Nickel is more expensive than chromium. So by right, the higher the number, the better? Anyway, a blogger said it doesn't matter cos we aren't buying a rocket. Heheheh.

Thickness of S/S

I took fancy in 1 of the sinks at the shop, especially so when it comes with a dish rack (cos i dun intend to get the wall-hung type...as of NOW...my mind keeps changing) and a chopping board that fits on top of the sink nicely :)

The downside is that i felt the material was kinda filmsy. Upon research, my worry was not unfounded. Thickness does matter! Blogger Phil recommended an ideal 0.9mm thickness while a more economical choice would be 0.8mm. The higher the mm, the bigger the hole of one's pocket *frown*

Shape

Square corners or rounded ones? I tot the former looks more stylish until bb pointed out to me that it's difficult to clean the corners. Hee, i didn't think of that.

Finishing

Polished, silk, brushed and linen? I only know matt vs shiny! heheheh. Blogger Phil prefers linen. I have no idea how the word linen can be linked to a sink.

Country of Origin

I like the way this blogger ended his art of choosing a sink. He's crude but funny. He said never believe the salesperson when he/she said the sink is from Italy. Coincidentally, the sales lady told me the sink is of Italian "parentage" but made in Taiwan.

Hmmm...more research is needed. At the end of it all, i will become a Jack of all Trades, Master of None! Hhahhahahahah! *thunder roaring laugh*

家: 第一节

To some extent, i fit the definition of a hoarder - a sentimental one. I keep lots of knick knacks from the past & current. Year books, chemistry notes, toys & birthday/CNY/Xmas cards, you name it, i've got it :P I hope to be able to display them at a place i called "My Home" someday.

Every turn paths a new light, a fresh perspective.

Despite facing many domestic conflicts, the thought of owning a property in my name wasn't really strong. Can't recall what sparked it. It only slowly took shape when Ah Bu and a few singletons were planning to get their own flat in view of age.

I reckon that first step was taken when i shifted to a rented room all the way to Sengkang. As the arrangement was going to be temporary, i knew i had to get my own place soon. The next few months saw me tagging along for flat viewing with Karen...then on my own.

The long and short of it is that October finally came and I made a major commitment - buying a house :)

Dedicated to a great lady

Dearest 姑婆,

Thank you for being such a wonderful family friend of ours. You have showered unconditional kindness on our granny. You will be greatly missed and fondly remembered in our hearts. Rest in peace in the kingdom of God!

The news did not come as a shock to me but still, my heart felt more than a tinge of grief. This morning, i was just thinking how is she after being discharged from the hospital.

I never knew she had hone cancer, recovered and had a relapse. I took comfort that we visited her about 1 month ago & spent some time with her.

God called her home & shortened her physical suffering. She passed away peacefully, having fulfilled whatever she had wanted to do.

There are some people who have done a whole deal of great, exciting things in life and the world of "strangers" grieve dramatically after their departures. But most aren't extravagant. This gentle lady is like many but none of them. Simple as she have led her life, she unknowingly touched lives of those around her, by just doing small, mundane but kind deeds.

She was Granny's closest friend. She would call & find out how things were. Although she knew how grumpy Granny can be, she spared no reservations to care for her, be it just a simple phone call every other day.

I told Sis - we can grieve but life moves on. The more important thing is we will remember her in our hearts.

TNF 100 2011 - 3rd & Final?

Damages: 1 one-cent coin blister on my left big toe

Despite lack of training (big time!), i managed a completion within cutoff. Geez, i didn't even know there was a midpoint cutoff at 27.7km mark.

The night before

- Had a pasta dinner at Pizza Hut. Not a big portion but nice enough.

- Packed 3 Nature Valley(NV) Chewy Bars that i bought from Brisbane, 2 NV Honey & Oat, some Natural Confectionery "Love Snakes" and some concentrated Berry Gatorade (both from B too!)

- Read the route map, just to be aware of the water points. However, blur me printed the one without the water points. Duh! Still, i made sure i roughly know how the route goes & returns. Little do i know this small detail was going to be a major complaint among a lot of participants.

- Hit the sack at 11pm

An hour prior to flag-off

Arranged to meet Serene at 7.15am. The start time was re-scheduled from 7.30am to 8am. Quite last minute (i didn't even know about it until i saw Ben's FB posting). Well, it didn't matter much to me since it meant i can sleep for half an hour more! :P But it made helluva difference to a group of M'sian runners who are going to catch a flight at about 3.45pm for another marathon at home! They have to finish within 6 hours! Possible only if you are a very conditioned trail runner under LOCAL heat. Tough! I thought.

At start line, there were more unfamiliar faces than familiar ones. My gang has kinda "retired" from local races and some were just not keen after being "bitten" once at this race.

Queued to weigh our bags. Altho it was mandatory to carry 1.5l of water, they didn't check the physical content. As long as the weight exceeds 1.5kg, it was okay to go. I had 2+ kg.

Said a few "hi"s and took a few pics. Before i know it, the whistle blew (or was it an air horn?).

From MR to BT

We ran up my favorite "sec-sch-cross-country-resting" stretch that overlooks the reservoir. This year's route was more or less the same as last year's. Only difference to me was the Ulu Sembawang PCN portion. I wasn't sure if the killer 10km inside Lor. Asrama is going to be part of the route again. Tried to the best of my ability to run as much as possible. Started walking 1km before Rifle Range. And yes, life is easier after NPark built a stairway on this upslope that used to turn muddy on wet weather days.

Exiting MR, we took Nangka Trail and arrived at BT carpark. At this point, i'm quite unhappy about myself. I know, for sure, that the race is taking us via BT's usual biking trail and i trained there so many times. I actually almost followed a racer & turned right towards Visitor Centre! Thankfully i saw some runners climbing that small ascent & quickly told him to head straight. I told myself to be focused & not get distracted by others.

After Dairy Farm, i can't recall how i got to this place. It's actually a road that divides the 2 forests. Could it be the Wallace something? Anyway, I saw a lot of runners & they told us to take it left and U-turn after the toilet. At this juncture, i was glad i'm not that far behind from the middle pack. It was a check point where all of us get "scanned" (and i only knew from Serene after the race that there is a barcode on our bib). I jokingly said to another fellow runner that it felt stupid to go through that gantry with no beeping sound. I was the ignoramus :P

From BT to Zhenghua to Ulu Sembawang PCN

Took the Belukar Trail to the oh-so-familiar-yet-dreadful Zhenghua vegetation area. Less than a month ago, i was here with Serene for AAC. Guessed that helped. It was almost the same route to Ulu Sembawang PCN, but more direct. Bumped into a few friends here...Kim Hong, Kai Wei. Oh ya! It was so embarrassing. KW raised his hand to say hi to me. Somehow i grabbed his hand while running past him, in a "yo brother" fashion. It must be the heat.

Instead of exiting the trail & crossing the lights over to Woodlands (where the Sports School is), we turned left. Ah! Now i know! Voila! We are inside Lor. Asrama! Hmmm, should i be happy? Well, i should :) From here, i followed the directional signs...quite brainlessly. Why bother? Don't think i will ever come in alone for training anyway :P

Lor. Asrama

The heat was usual. Hot. But last year was worse.

Just kept walking until a remark woke me up (thank God !). I was running/walking alongside this girl. She was complaining about some pain (ha...she sure isn't alone) and saying she didn't have enough time to make it to the cutoff at 27.7km. I exclaimed "huh?!" but immediately regained calmness when she said her garmin read 26.smtg km. We have about 15min left. I told her we can make it if we continue walking quickly.

Within 10min, we reached the checkpoint which was rather empty. Suddenly Dom appeared from behind & told me to hurry along. They were gonna cut everyone off at 1pm...12 minutes later. Phew...ok. At least i'm here. Wanted to top up my water but i reckon it's enough to last me til next CP i.e. out of Asrama back to ZH PCN. Then lo & behold! There's this hill which i later learnt it is named Hill 265. It seems daunting but it really isn't that tough. I like trekking, you see :p

On my way out, i bumped into a familiar face (but i didn't know his name). He seems to know me as a seasoned ultra-run participant since he introduced me as one to the runner beside him. What an irony! All of us are walking by now.

Just before exiting Lor. Asrama, someone from the shelter offered us stuff. It took me a few seconds to recognize him to be Tekko. I was so thankful as he handed me this sng bao. It was a plum & orange ICE COLD pack. It really perked me up!

Back into Zhenghua PCN

Was surprised to see Kelly sitting by the road, taking pictures as i cross the road back to the water point. Earlier on, she pulled out from the race due to an injury flare-up. Tot she had gone home already. A few other supporters cheered me on, citing another 17km to go. I told them i would complete even if i have to crawl (but i added a disclaimer - not if i faint halfway :P).

This stretch always seem soooooo long and the weather is always soooooo hot here :( Nearing the end of this dreadful part, a guy caught up with me and said "there's a tape on your bum". I nonchalantly replied "it's to mend a hole". He nodded and overtook me. Wonder who is more embarrassed? :P At this point, i had about less than 3 hours to complete 15km.

I tried very hard to keep that guy within my sight. Finally caught up at the end of the PCN towards BT. There lies this support desk just before the official water point. The folks offered me drinks which i politely declined at first. Then I heard the Sundown keyword - COLD towel! I remembered how that small icy hanky freshened me up at the 85th km. Reject no more! Then the cans of Redbull floating in the ice box were too tempting to resist. I asked for one & they gladly agreed. After thanking them, i hurried on. I knew time was catching up.

Back to BT

Was calculating the time in my mind as i plodded quickly. A boy RAN & overtook me. He chose the sun while i took the shaded biking trail. Just before the exit to Rifle Range, he turned back. Apparently he was unsure if he had taken the correct route. I confidently told him to turn left after the upslope. Afterall, it's the same return route as last year's. He said he didn't remember taking this path then and asked if we have got sufficient time. I replied positively - that is if he doesn't slack. Hmmm, was i referring to myself? :P

Along the Rifle Range Road, there was no one apart from the traffic warden. My worry was the monkeys. You see, i am holding the now-empty Redbull can in my hand. I imagine them attacking me so i started making loud sighs. Hopefully that camouflaged my fear. Hehehe.

MR again

Finally back onto MR grounds! Caught up with more runners here. I gave myself 20 minutes to clear MR outskirts in order to save the last hour for the main trail. Then, I was happy to see this veteran lady again! We were overtaking each other but i lost her for a long time after ZH. I pushed on to stay close but she was so consistent that i was off her heels after Ranger Station.

Told myself that i need to get another person to pace. Then i spotted this group of girls whom had overtaken me at the early kilometers. From then on, i didn't let them leave my sight. About 3 runners overtook me later. 1 girl came beside me & panted really loudly. I tried not to show my "what are you doing?" face & focused on my own breathing. She then sprinted, overtook me to join the girls in front. Apparently, her teammate was 1 of them & she was pacing me in order to reach them. Then about 0.5km away, this guy ran past me and said "Quick! Cut-off!". I recognized him cos he was taking pictures of runners along the way with his handphone. Sure takes a lot of effort!

I ran on & on, refusing to stop even though i was already on the boardwalk that will take me back to the finish line. I couldn't take it for granted that i have enough time. What if my watch was slower? It's better to push on than lose that 1 second.

Finally, i close in to the finishing line. In contrast to the past years, there were more people around to cheer me on! I responded with a fatigued but relieved smile. Then slowly but surely, i cross the finish mark - a contented runner :)

Sunny Days @ Brisbane

Woken up from a nap. Looking out at the blue skies. Missing Brisbane :)

The past week has been the most relaxed & happiest for 2011. No fixed itinerary yet everything fell in place. With the "Wiggly Woo" tune still stuck in my brain, a smile uncontrollably surfaces. Especially when i recall cute bb dancing away. Hee. Nice :)

2Oct - Brisbane Airport & Tamborine Mt

We touched down in the wee hours hence had to sleep at the airport til 6am when the car rental staff came in. It was an easy thing since the airport couches were comfy and the peeps that were around are there to stay for the night too.

The light from the sun woke us up & the Thrifty guy came in on time. Settled the paperwork. Grabbed a quiche, bruffin & latte while waiting for the car to be ready. It didn't take long.

Since it was too early to check in, we headed for Brisbane City.

Izzit really spring? It was cold and i didn't bring adequate clothes. Thankfully bb's oversized grey fleece saved the day(s)! :) After much SUPERmarketing at Coles & Woolies, it was time to leave for our next destination. I had to be dragged out...literally :P Tamborine Mt, here we come!

After much zig-zagging, we finally found Escarpment! The search was worthwhile. We were pleasantly greeted by the cosiest room nested in a rainforest surrounded by fresh air. There was even a fireplace! Tho we didn't need it. It's spring :P Where the bed was, we could watch TV. A tough battle with the couch tho.

No. 3

Oh! I must mention this BIGGGGGG jacuzzi bathtub with golden taps. How indulging!

After a hot shower, we drifted off to a nap. Erm, it was meant to be a nap initially but the tranquility turned it into a long one :P It was way past dinner time when we woke up. Luckily, we bought enough food to make dinner.

3Oct - Tamborine Mt. (Skywalk & Glow Worm Cave)

8.30am - the earliest we woke up for the entire trip...cos of free brekkie!

I love the button mushrooms! Yummy!

Stopped to take in the sights

Nature walk in the rainforest and ...

Skywalk!!!

Actually we thought it's overrated. Costs us AUD18.5o per person to get in and it didn't even take an hour. But well...we are tourists.

Beautiful Wisteria

With some time to spare, we popped by the Botanic Gardens. Was a much nicer place and the best part? It doesn't cost a thing.

A fascinating tour of the glow-worm cave. A pity the beauty can't be captured on film. The closest comparison is the "stars" on an Emirates plane.

Cute doggie at the backyard

Guy fixing the cable. Doggie's owner?

Waddle waddle

Our Trusty Ford for the trip

Drove back to the Knoll section to search for the waterfall. Didn't manage to find it but the walk was good exercise :P

Just in time to catch the sunset! See the rainclouds? It's gonna be a beautiful sunset! And so we waited...

and waited...

and waited. When we almost wanted to drive home...

Yippieee!

All thanks to this couple who was also there for the sunset (with wine & food) at the lookout. The sun appeared a minute after we "decided" to drive off. Indeed, some things take perseverance and patience.

The day ended well with a sumptuous dinner of lamb shank, stewed beef, choc. brulee & (gluten-free!) orange & almond cake :)

4Oct - Next stop, Gold Coast Broad Beach

See you again, nice place!

A refreshed me after 40 minutes of bb-driving-bb-snoozing

Imagine our excitement when we realized we got a spacious corner room with 3 windows (including the balcony) facing both sunset & sunrise :)

The bed was sooo...sooo comfy. We never woke up before 9am for the next few days

Beach View

River View

Pool view

The hotel is linked to the Jupiters Casino via the monorail station that is located right at its premises. How cool is that?!

Our dinner - cheap, fast and tasty fish & chips

5Oct - Gold Coast, Byron Bay

We rose early (enough) for a morning run. Skipped breakfast & headed straight to the beach. Has wanted to run to Surfer's Paradise but got kinda lost without a map. U-turned & decided to take a stroll back. The weather was so nice - a little sunny but breezy. Spotted a (dead) pufferfish & another unknown fish along the way. Forgot my cam so have to fall back on my photographic memory. But i guess my mediocre digital skills won't be able to capture the whole feel *just close your eyes*

JIT for brunch! Satisfied my craving for a pizza at this cafe just below the hotel. What next? Haha...had to do a bit of convincing to drive to Byron Bay. I'd visited the place more than 10 years ago with Stacey & Cecile - my 1st Oz trip. Remembered it to be a beautiful & happy place. Ha well, we rewarded ourselves with ice cream after a long drive & climb to the lighthouse. That was just 1 of the many reasons why.

After a long long drive and my long long fight with Monsta-Z, we finally reached Byron Bay - another Australian state : New South Wales!

How can we leave without indulging ourselves with some hokey pokey + strawberry sorbet?

Meanwhile, a pleasant surprise awaits us...

We arrived back in our room that overlooks this awesome sunset.

A facial mask & some sweet wine complete yet another lovely day.

6Oct - From Broad Beach to Brisbane Central

We had planned to wake up at 5am to catch the sunrise but it was cloudy. So we slept in.

Redeemed our welcome drinks at the gaming centre. Had my 1st try on the jackpot but no luck. I don't even understand the game...hhehe. Hence we bailed out with the remaining $3 - cash :)

Went for our brunch of kebab, baklava & sushi.

And i kept reminding myself we had to get the "Benny Hill" Christmas chestnut! Hahah! I totally wasn't expecting this tune when i pressed the knob at the side of this funny nut. Embarrassed :P

As we set off back to Brisbane Central, i suggested driving past Surfer's Paradise. Sort of a trip down memory lane thingy :)

Thinking that we missed the 2XU at Gold Coast, we were delighted when 2XU appears right at our face at Brisbane. Risking the possibility of getting another traffic penalty of "overtime" parking, we dashed into the store. Half an hour later, we are happy customers with good deals of a running skirt & new compression tights.

The Central branch was more business-like as well as ancient. The lobby reveals it all - dark but lit with tons of big candles. The room was not as bright but my mood was still light. Afterall, the bedding is the same - designed to make us feel as if we are in our own nest. Yay!

Before long, it was dinner time again! After gym, we headed for the Jap Curry House at Elizabeth Arcade but i guess we were too hungry. Both of us didn't order curry rice :P

7Oct - Mt Coot-Tha, Moreton Bay (Manly) & South Bank by Night

Here's a little something to remind myself not to jump to conclusions :P

While driving to Mt Coot-ha, i saw these words outside a store & excitedly remarked that it's cheap to get married in Brisbane.

Then...

The 9 behind was blocked by a lamp post. Duh me.

Perhaps it's not the flower-blooming season, the Botanic Gardens was so-so. But i still got smtg out from the visit. 1) Not all bees sting and these look like flies 2) Cosmonautics is the science of space travel

The lookout point that was higher offers a prettier views. Wanted to chill out at the cafe but the prices clearly imply a tourist trap.

And so with nothing much to hang around for, we moved on to Moreton Bay.

Though the tides were low, there is a certain peace in this place. We just sat back & did nothing. Bliss :)

Dinner was eventful this night.

Bratwurst by Treasury Casino.

Churros w/choc & cream (my first & i fell in love with it immediately) from the South Bank market

Jap Curry Pork Chop Rice at the other restaurant

Friday night was bustling with activities, which contrasts with a week day evening on the Brisbane streets. Or at least that's what it appears to us.

8Oct - Rest & Relax & South Bank by Day

brekkie of caesar salad w/smoked salmon, foccacio bread & Robert Timm's Mocha Kenya coffee

the church that we almost went in on the 1st day...well, not really :P

after some adventure gear shopping nearby, we headed back to Chinatown for...

the Big Deal (again) at Red Rooster! This time round, with peach green tea

we were in time for Valley Fiesta. How lucky!

(tho' i can't appreciate what the rock bank was playing)

Another grand church

By the traffic lights, a kangaroo backpacker & hill-billy me. Hhahaha!

Late munch at South Bank during the day! Yay!

Diamonds in the river!

This trishaw service seems to be operated by youngsters only & it's some kind of green cab

The Jap restaurant was not open but it led bb to remember a delicious find :)

Pancakes with brandied apricots

It used to be a church

After filling our tummies, we picked up our luggages & fill up Fordie's tum tum before handing it back to her boss, Thrifty.

Thanks Fordie! You have served us well :)

9Oct - Singapore

Sunset at B. Same sun but at a different B

Life is magnifique :)