21

Celebrated my 21st birthday on 21st October 2007, Sunday (actual day is 22nd October 2007) at Hometeam NS Pasir Ris chalet.

Here are some of the photos:

Ordered a 10 course buffet menu from Meng Hiang Catering.

My 4th aunt from Muar happened to be in Singapore so I invited her too.

2 KG blackforest birthday cake from Han's. Yummy!

Sis is 6 years and 5 days younger than me. We always celebrate our birthdays together.

Family.

Friends.

Making a wish. Wanna know what I wished for? I am not going to tell you. Hee~!

The cake cutting "ceremony".

Look at who is really cutting the cake! Both sis and I don't know how to cut the cake, so Eng Hwa and Hui Jun had to help us with it.

I am officially 21. Nothing out of the ordinary happened after I become 21, but I am still excited about being a 21 year old. I have yet to do anything which requires me to be 21 years old and above, but just the thought of not being restricted by age makes me feel like an adult, no longer just a kid. It makes me feel that I am finally part of the society. =)

Essay Showcase I: What are my personal goals and how will a higher education help me attain those goals?

While I was organizing the files in my laptop, I found an essay which I wrote a year ago. The question was, "What are my personal goals and how will a higher education help me attain those goals?"

This was what I wrote:

In the past twenty years of my life, I have seen many people struggle to make ends meet each day, while some others take the basic things they possess for granted. The poor are becoming poorer, while the rich are becoming richer. Poverty is a problem in many countries, more often in developing countries. It is a problem that will exist no matter how hard governments try to eliminate it. It is amazing, yet scary, what money can do to people. It is also astounding to know what people do with money. Money, being an important part of our lives, should therefore be studied in detail and knowledge in the subject should be used to help the needy.

Mr. Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and also the receiver of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, once said in an interview, "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but only by teaching him how to fish do you feed him for life." I find his words very meaningful. By giving the poor money, it will only solve their problem superficially. Only by teaching the poor how to make money will the problem of poverty be entirely solved. The poor can stand on their own two feet. There is no need for the privileged lot to sympathize with them. Mr. Yunus had helped the poor by making loans readily available to them without the need to put up any collateral, which was previously impossible. Inspired by Mr. Yunus, I hope to do something for the poor as well. I want to help the poor by teaching them how to help themselves.

I always believe in making my money work hard for me instead of me working hard for money. I also believe that money makes the world go round. Though money cannot buy everything in this world, it is irrefutable that most things on Earth are powered primarily by money. Without money, there is much that cannot be done. I dislike the idea of money being a stumbling block in life and so I long for financial freedom.

I am currently studying for a degree in banking and finance. With the knowledge I have and will acquire from the course, I will be able to attain my goals more easily. In the course of my study, I will learn how financial institutions manage risk, how financial markets trade risk and how new instruments to control risks are developed for the benefit of the economy as a whole. Such knowledge will enable me to manage money more efficiently. I will also be able to more effectively educate the poor on how to manage their own money.

The essay was limited to two pages of an A4 size paper, thus the short essay. Though short, it won the praise of a director of a MNC. I am so proud of myself. =P

Where are all my friends?

I was creating a list of the people I want to invite to my birthday party and I realised that I don't have that many names like I had expected. I have left out some people who do not attend parties, some who I don't wish to see and some who I think will not turn up even if I have invited him/her. After leaving out these people, I am left with only about 20 names. That is a far cry from the number of contacts I have on MSN. It was only then that I realised that I haven't been keeping in touch with a lot of people. I think it is time to catch up with old friends.

New height.

The examination result was released on Tuesday. Surprisingly, I did well for Corporate Finance and as expected, did badly for Macroeconomics. Academic year 2007/2008 will commence on 10th September 2007, Monday. It will be my final year. Since I did well for Corporate Finance, I have decided to study harder this year and aim to graduate with at least a second upper class honours degree. Wish me luck.

Happy 42nd National Day!

I fell sick on Wednesday and had to take a day off work to see the doctor. Went to see Dr Frank Lee at Admiralty Family Clinic, which is near where I live. Thought he was quite good and the price he charged was reasonable, so I decided to see him again. When I went into the consultation room, it was a different doctor on duty. What surprised me was, the MC was signed by Dr Frank Lee! The two doctors have the same name! That was not all. I was charged $46 for a 5 minutes consultation! That is twice what I was charged on the previous visit! I had the same symptoms, but I was given different medicine. I took the medicine and felt slightly better, so paying $46 was not so bad after all.

Went to SP to meet Mark for tea in the afternoon. It was very warm so I suggested that we go to an air-conditioned cafe. Mark told me there isn't an air-conditioned cafe in SP and suggested that we go to NUS. I was surprised and did not believe him, but decided to follow him since he knows the place better than I do. We went to Olive Cove at NUS administrative building and spent the rest of the afternoon chatting there.

After the chit-chat session, I went back to Woodlands for tuition. Bought a cup of honey green tea and a box of takoyaki from Bubblemix at Causeway Point B1 for dinner. They were having a promotion when I was there. A cup of bubble tea was selling at only $1 and a box of takoyaki was selling at only $2. The honey green tea was not too sweet and the green tea was not too strong. The takoyaki was a bit too hard, but it was still alright for me. For that price, I have no complaints. =)

I just threw away my only contact lens case together with my old pair of contact lens and I need to get a new contact lens case for the new pair of contact lens I was wearing. It was already 1015PM when I was back at Admiralty Place and all the optical shops were already closed for the day. I told Daniel about it and he offerred to help me get a contact lens case. He came at 1AM just to pass me the contact lens case. Wanted to treat him to a drink at Macs to thank him but I forgot to bring my wallet and he ended up giving me a treat instead. HaHa~! We stayed at Macs to talk till about 2AM before he sent me home.

Went to Marina Square to watch the fireworks with Weiqi on National Day. We thought the fireworks would start at 745PM so we started waiting under the stars at 730PM. We waited and waited, till it was about 815PM before we hear the first blast, which came from, not the stage, but the top of UOB tower! The whole fireworks show lasted about 15 minutes.

After fireworks show ended, we quickly made our way to Zara to hide away from the huge crowd out there. Finally managed to catch some breath in Zara, which was kinda empty. Found nothing we like in Zara, so we went up to Cavana where Wei Qi had a plate of sichuan chicken rice for dinner. I didn't wanna eat chicken rice, so we went to Killiney cafe where I had ice cream waffle and iced coffee.

Met up with Daniel again to pass him the very pretty contact lens case from Freshkon I bought in the day. We sat under my flat to chat till about 1AM. He showed me many funny photos he took while he was at JTC and I shared with him the photos I took of the beautiful fireworks I had seen earlier.

Woke up on Friday morning with 5 unread messsages on my mobile phone. Had overslept and forgot to inform Sarah that I will be on MC for the day. Rang Wei Qi up and asked her to go to the polyclinic with me. While I was waiting at the polyclinic, I received a SMS from Fabian asking me to go to the club with him as promised. I had no choice but to say yes. Asked Wei Qi to go with us and she agreed.

We went back to my place after spending more than 2 hours at the polyclinic. Washed up and had dinner before going out again.

Shopped at The Central at Clarke Quay before meeting Fabian. It was the first time I went to The Central after its opening.

Had a little snack at the Hong Kong style cafe at the B1. I love the iced milk tea they serve! There is still room for improvement for the french toast. I still prefer the french toast served at Xin Wang.

After the satisfying snack, we went up to the shops. Bought two dresses, two tops and a cropped cardigan from Celeste. Yes, clothes again. HeE~!

By the time we were done with the shopping, it was already 1030PM. We were tired from all that walking so we just found a place in the shopping mall and sat down to wait for Fabian. While waiting for him, we got bored and decided to take some photos. Only one was presentable, so I am only going to post that photo.

The first time Wei Qi goes clubbing.

We waited till 12AM before the boy came. Gave him a good scolding before we made our way to DblO. HaHa~! When we reached DblO, we were stopped from entering because Wei Qi was in slippers. No luck trying to sneak in. Went back to Crazy Elephant for a drink instead. Drank till I was a bit tipsy before we left.

Took NR2 home and was surprised it only took me about half an hour to reach home. Reached home at about 4AM. I was so tired that I went to bed without removing make-up! Woke up at 8AM to remove make-up and went back to sleep again.

The next time I woke up it was already 1PM. Took a bath and dressed up. No special occassion. I just felt like dressing up. By the time I was done, it was time for dinner. Went to Yishun 923 for dinner with my family. While we were savouring the famous chicken rice, the lights suddenly went off! There was a black out. Power supply was only restored 10 minutes later, but business was as usual. I could still hear the chicken rice seller chopping chicken! I wonder how he managed to chop the chicken in the dark without chopping his own fingers too.

It had been a fun week for me. Gotta go back to work again tomorrow. Wonder when can I have another break like this again. =(

Happy Chinese New Year!

We had a network reunion dinner at ZhenFa in Marina South last night. Original plan proposed by Liqin and I was a small network reunion dinner for Carpe Diem members, but because we invited Mr Yuanjie, Mr DongXu, Mr Guan Xiang and Mr Alvin, we had a bigger network reunion dinner with members from other divisions as well. =)

Carpe Diem occupied two tables and we had lots of fun playing and eating together. When we were all too full to finish the leftovers on our table, Mr Travis suggested that we play Zhong Ji Mi Ma; Whoever got the number had to eat one item from the table. All of us got it at least once except for PeiShan. It was super duper fun! HaHa~!

After dinner, Yong Chuan suggested that we go to the Hongbao River for a walk. Carpe Diem decided to go on foot while the rest went in Mr Yuanjie's car. From there, the adventure begins.

The route we took:

Marina South -> Marina City Park -> Nicoll Highway -> Marina Square -> Suntec City -> Esplanade Drive -> Hongbao River

We took 1.5 hours to reach our destination. Most of the group left when we reached Marina Square, but Qing Yong, Liqin, Wei Qi and I made it to the end. =) However, by the time we reached Hongbao River, most of the shops had already closed. We left after visiting the 12 zodiac animal display.

Though it was a tiring day, it was fun hanging out with so many people who think alike. Hope that we can have such gatherings more often in the future.

Happy 2007!

Went to our company's new year countdown party yesterday. It was a new experience for me. Never been to a countdown party that is so happening! All those simple but meaningful activities and all those friendly and fun-loving colleagues. Some of the colleagues who have been my good friends since school days, some of them I only knew some two weeks ago at our office and some whom I only met at the party itself. It was my first new year chalet with them and I am sure that will not be my last. It was the first time I really enjoyed the new year. Hope that my decision to join the company will be a turning point in my life.

Happy 2007!

Southbound train service disrupted after a man was hit by a train at Yishun station.

Woke up earlier than usual today so that I would not be late for my driving lesson at Yio Chu Kang. Ended up being late for more than half an hour instead. Someone jumped off the MRT tracks at Yishun and the southbound train service was disrupted. I had to alight at the Sembawang MRT station to take the shuttle bus service provided by SMRT to Yio Chu Kang MRT station 'coz I had no other alternative. The bus ride from Sembawang to Yio Chu Kang took about 45 minutes.

As I was late for more than half an hour, my driving lesson only lasted an hour today instead of the usual one and a half hour. I was thinking about the incident that happened in the morning and it made me have an ominous feeling that I will have an accident. I couldn't concentrate on driving throughout the whole lesson. I would stop even when I had the right of way. Also got a scolding from my instructor because of that. SiGh~!

The incident in the morning really spoil my mood for the whole day. It didn't bother me this much when similar incidents happened previously. I wonder what is wrong with me this time round.

I was here.

Was invited by EeHui to attend the opening ceremony of a pottery exhibition which showcases works of her teacher, her mother, her sister and herself. Each pot is a masterpiece. All of them were beautifully crafted. EeHui's works are simple but creative. I particularly like the one with the funny expressions.

Glad I took some time to dress up and make up before I went over. Almost all the guests were dressed in formal wear. Didn't expect the event to be such a grand one so I was dressed quite casually. Luckily, I didn't wear jeans like I had planned to earlier on.

Was stopped by celebrity wannabe, Steven Lim outside Paragon. When I saw him, I just thought he looked kinda familiar. Took me a while to realise who he is. I was quite scared of him and shunned him. Quickly ran into Paragon so that he couldn't get me. HaHa~! Don't know what he was doing there though.

Must thank EeHui for the special invitation to the exhibition. It was an eyeopener. We had a good chat too. The first time after so many months. EeHui, I miss you lots! I need to see more of you to compensate me for your no-show at the last gathering! HaHa~!

For those interested in pottery art, you may want to visit the exhibition which is held at Paragon level 5. It is opened from 11AM to 9PM daily till 6th December 2006.

My first practical driving lesson!

Woke up super early this morning to get ready for my first practical driving lesson. Was so excited that I couldn't sleep the previous night. Went to Yio Chu Kang MRT station to wait for my instructor, Mr Ng, at exactly 8AM. From there, we drove to Lentor, where I get some hands-on. Learnt how to negotiate gradual and sharp bends (though I am still not very good at that), how to make an U-turn, how to brake, how to control the speed of the vehicle and most importantly, how to drive. Mr Ng was very patient with me. He did not scold me when he was correcting my mistakes. Looking forward to my next lesson, which is on this Friday. =)

Met Joanne at Yio Chu Kang MRT station at around noon time. She had to pick up some baking stuff for her mom at The Adelphi before we go to Vivo City for our shopping spree. We were supposed to alight at City Hall MRT station but ended up alighting at Raffles Place MRT station. Only realised that we alighted at the wrong station when we couldn't find the place at Raffles Place. Took the train back to City Hall after seeking help from the staff at the passenger service counter.

Had lunch at Funan I.T. Mall after picking up the baking stuff. Ordered a sambal sotong rice set but it looked and tasted more like green curry sotong briyani. Couldn't finish the food 'coz it was too yucky.

Took the train from City Hall to Harbourfront. Vivo City is a huge place! Couldn't really remember where we went and where we didn't. We were there for a whole three hours before we left. Found a few pretty tops. Bought two tank tops with diamantes from Esprit, a pretty blouse from Mango and an empire top from Forever 21. Finally found something I like at Forever 21. There are more variety of clothes at Forever 21 in Vivo City as compared to the one in Wisma Atria.

I really enjoyed myself today. Have to thank Joanne for walking around with me the whole afternoon even though her shoes were biting her feet. Best friends forever! Love ya!

Singapore Expo - Asia Pacific Food Fair and Singapore Home and Design 2006 exhibition

Cancelled WuDong's tuition for this afternoon just to go to the Singapore Expo for the Asia Pacific Food Fair. Though there were many cars queueing outside the full carpark, the traffic was very well controlled. We were able to find a parking space within minutes, much to our surprise.

Saw the Singapore Home and Design 2006 exhibition at hall 6A and walked in to take a look. SsangYong was having a promotion for its new MPV, ActYong. Daddy and I were immediately drawn over by the cool exterior of the vehicle. While we were busy examining the car, mommy spotted Bryan Wong at the neighbouring booth. We were also told by the salesman that Bryan's new car was parked right there in hall 6A! It is a sporty red ActYong. Suits him perfectly.

Went on to view Felicia Chin's dream home for some interior design ideas. It is a dream home designed specially for Felicia Chin. I was impressed by the smart designs. Small but space efficient. Shan't elaborate more. If interested, do make a trip to the showroom at the Singapore Expo hall 6A.

Moved on to the Asia Pacific Food Fair after the Singapore Home and Design 2006 exhibition. Daddy met his old neighbour, the lady boss of Hai's at the Hai's booth. It was she who recognised daddy and asked him if he remembered her. A very cute auntie. Her son is kinda cute too. ^_^

There were lots of people at the fair and I was hit a few times by rude visitors. It was suffocating in there. The exhibitors were not as interesting as the ones at the last food fair. Didn't buy much. Didn't even wanna try the samples.

Ended up liking the Singapore Home and Design 2006 exhibition more than the Asia Pacific Food Fair which was my main purpose for going to the Singapore Expo. Really disappointed with the standard of the food fair this time.

Happy 20th birthday to myself!

It is my birthday today. I believe that wisdom grows with age, so I am happy to be one year older today. =)

Daddy and mommy came back from Taiwan yesterday. They bought lotsa things for us. More than what we had expected. They went with two luggages and came back with four. Among the many things they bought were four big boxes of royal jelly, which they claim to be my birthday present. Didn't get the Majorlica Majorca eye shadow I wanted though.

Had lunch with Pauline and RouShen after tuition with Yati. Walked all the way from Khatib to Yishun! My legs almost broke! Thought it was just a short distance. I really appreciate the MRT station at Khatib now. =X

Daddy came to pick me up at NorthPoint and we went to Parkway Parade from there. Isetan was having a sale for cardholders. Bought Anna Sui's concealer, loose powder and a limited edition shimmering lipstick. Spent a total of $138 and received a gift pack which consists of their latest whitening skincare products and a very pretty 'Secret Wish' cosmetic pouch.

Anna Sui's 'Secret Wish' cosmetic pouch

Topped up the amount to $150 with 3 Skin Food sheet masks and got $15 worth of rebate voucher. Wanted to get Anna Sui's mask and conditioning mist pack with the voucher but mommy wanted to use the voucher for her Shiseido softener. =/

Bought lots of cosmetics and skincare this month and of course, spent a lot of money. Spent almost half of my monthly income on skin care and cosmetics alone.

Part of my skin care and cosmetics purchase this month.

I know that is quite a bit for one month. I have decided that I shall not buy anymore skin care products next month since I already got so many this month. Geez, it is high time I start saving.

My first purchase from Chanel!

Was feeling super lazy today and decided to skip the Macroeconomics lecture today. Since both JiaRui and I are not going for the lecture, we got one of our IM team mates, Pirakash to help us to submit our assignment which is due to today.

Took a cab to town after passing our assignments to Pirakash.

Went to the Chanel counter at Isetan to get the eye tonic which JiaRui strongly recommended and the T-Mat which I found to be good for controlling shine on the T-zone after trying the sample the SA gave me.

We also went to JiaRui's favourite departmental store, Tangs, where she got herself a grey cap from Nike. She put it on immediately after we left Tangs. I felt like I was walking with a celebrity trying to hide herself from public attention. HaHa~!

Walked over to Takashimaya after Tangs. Bought a Q&A book for FTT from Kinokuniya. Wanted to get some recipe books as well but decided not to since I don't have much time to meddle with food anyway.

Came back to Admiralty to teach ShiYing so that I won't have to run all over the place like a mad woman tomorrow. Deliberately arranged to teach her at 3PM so that I won't bump into Mark when I leave her house.

Went over to Geraldine's house in the evening. She was having some kinda family gathering at her house and her aunts mistook me for her other aunt. Her cousins were very cute. One of them even greeted me good afternoon before I enter the room and bidded me goodbye when I left the house. HaHa~! Before I left, heard one of the aunts asking her kid's opinion about engaging my service. I am still quite popular, ya? *Grinz*

Jaslyn called to cancel tuition for tonight and her mother made me go for tuition on Saturday night instead of the usual Saturday afternoon. I don't understand why she dislike tuition in the afternoon. The daughter and the maid are coping very well with the afternoon tuition sessions from what I have observed, but the mother insisted that they can't cope. Super fussy woman who fusses over nothing.

No appointments tomorrow morning. Gonna sleep early tonight to make up for lost sleep. Need my beauty sleep badly.

Wonder Irene!

I know I have said this more than a dozen time, but I am going to say it again. It is tough being the eldest child! Besides being obliged to be the role model for the younger sister, I also got to be her temporary mom while the full time mom goes on holiday. Not only do I not get a single cent for doing so, I also got to fork out money from my own pockets for the groceries! Please don't come and tell me that I ought to appreciate my mom more now that I have experienced how tough it is to be doing her job or how it feels like to not have her around in the house. I do appreciate what my mom does for us and acknowlegdes the significance of her existence, but I must say that she is not having it worse than me. She, as a full time mom, does not have to go to school, study, do assignments, take tests and work on top of her duty to take care of the family. I, on the other hand, have to do all of the above! I am not wonder woman. I need to rest too. I can't assume the role of an elder sister, a dad and a mom, all at the same time. I will break down! I mean it physically and psychologically. My body is protesting. It is not getting enough rest. The dumb haze is making it worse. Wanted to see the doctor today but I was put off by the thought of the queue at the clinic. The sight of the huge pile of laundry to be done gives me a headache. I wonder if I can last till this Saturday. I may just faint tomorrow and end up having to celebrate my birthday at the hospital this Sunday.

Please also don't tell me that I can take advantage of my parents' absence and enjoy the freedom that comes with it. I have got so many things added to my already jam packed to-do list because of their absence and there really isn't any time left for me to enjoy myself. In fact, I would be much better off if they haven't gone on holiday.

Just look at what I went through today and you will understand my plight.

Overslept this morning and woke up just in time to go out for tuition with Charlene and Shermaine. Had to rush out of the house without any food. The three hour tuition was kinda torturous as my stomach growled non-stop.

It was almost 4PM when our tuition ended. Neither here nor there. Decided to go back home and cook dinner instead of eating lunch.

Dropped by the NTUC located at the Woodlands Civic Plaza on the way home and bought some groceries.

Passed by Causeway Point on my way to the Woodlands MRT station and decided to go to The Face Shop and pick up some masks. Was short of $0.20 to qualify for the membership. A girl named Samantha from HCJC who was in the queue behind me was kind enough to volunteer her receipt and saved me from buying another bottle of nail polish. From there, I lugged 4 heavy plastic bags and a big paper bag full of masks to the MRT station, where I took a train back to Admiralty.

At Admiralty, I met XiangHong, who was happily chewing on some french fries. We talked for a while before parting ways. We were supposed to meet for a movie yesterday but didn't 'coz Pauline couldn't go on leave. God must have known that I miss my dear friend so much that he decided to arrange a coincidental meeting for us today. =)

Started cooking after unpacking all the things in the plastic bags once I reached home. Cooked baked rice, lemon chicken and an omelette for dinner.

My first attempt at cooking lemon chicken. Looks not bad right? It tastes delicious too! HeE~!

My specialty, baked rice. Are you hungry yet? HaHa~!

The simple dinner for two poor sisters.

Made a big mess in the kitchen. Spent some time cleaning up the kitchen. Did the laundry after mopping the floor.

See what I meant?

7 simple steps to clear skin.

As promised, and also to celebrate my blog's 100th post-versary, I shall blog about my beauty regime today. I do not have a very good complexion but at least my face is clear most of the time (except for that time of the month). I feel that is something to be proud of. HeE~!

I am a lazy girl to begin with, so I only do simple things to maintain my skin. I do not visit salons for facial treatment. Instead, I do it myself at home. These are what I do:

Step 1: Wash the face with a cleanser.
Make sure there are enough bubbles before applying it on the face. This is to ensure that the cleanser is evenly distributed on the face. Wash the T-zone first before proceeding to wash the cheeks as the T-zone is more oily as compared to the cheeks. Rinse the face in cold running water.

Step 2: Exfoliate.
For this, I like the Ginvera marvel gel as it effectively removes dead skin and blackheads.

Apply minimal amount of the marvel gel on the forehead, the two cheeks, the chin and the nose. Massage these areas in a circular motion, smoothing out the marvel gel. While doing so, white particles will be formed on the face. Rinse the face in cold running water.

Step 3: Mask.
I use all sorts of mask. Have used wash-off masks, peel-off masks and sheet masks before. Each has its own advantages. Wash-off masks are good for deep cleansing, peel-off masks are good for removing surface impurities while sheet masks are good for hydration. The type of mask to use is dependent to the individual's needs and preferences.

I like the masks from The Face Shop. They carry an extensive range of masks at affordable prices.

Step 4: Toner.
Choose one that contains less alcohol so that it does not dry up the face. Use a cotton pad to apply it to the entire face.

Step 5: Eye brightening essence.
I have serious dark eye circles due to frequent late nights. Had been trying lots of products but so far I have not found a product that effectively solves my problem. Despite so, I still use my Fasio eye brightening essence and Toujour La Vie eye firming serum every night. I find both products quite effective in reducing puffiness though.

Apply the essence to the eyes using the ring finger. Gently dab the essence around the eye contour from the inner side of the eye contour to the outer side of the eye contour.

Do not pull or tug at the delicate skin around the eye as it will cause fine lines to form.

Step 6: Whitening cream.
I am using the Fasio extra white whitening cream to lighten my skin tone.

Just have to apply the whitening cream to the entire face, carefully avoiding the eyes and the mouth.

Step 7: Moisturiser.
Similary, apply the moisturiser to the entire face, carefully avoiding the eyes and the mouth.

I am currently using the Shiseido Pureness 3-steps. Love the mattifying effect the moisturiser has on my face. My face feels and looks good after using the moisturiser. Two thumbs up!

That's it. 7 simple steps and I am done. Will take some time to do all these but for the sake of healthy looking skin, it is all worth it. =)

Disclaimer: The above records my personal opinions and is not written to advertise or to influence anyone. Regime recorded is only for reference and may not be suitable for everyone. Try it at your own risk!

The haze is back!

The haze is terrible. It is making me sick. I may need to see the doctor soon. SiGh~!

My skin which is very sensitive, is also affected by the haze. I find myself buying a lot of beauty products recently. The reason being the condition of my skin is getting from bad to worse. It is important to take extra care of our delicate skin with the wind blowing the haze in our direction. Spent a lot of money, but I feel that it is money well spent. Found some really good products which work well for me.

I bought the peel-off rice mask pack from The Face Shop after reading about it in the October issue of Seventeen. The introduction on the label says that this mask pack works deep to remove impurities and dead skin cells. It also says that rice extract helps to restore vital nutrients, moisturizes and protects the skin. I find that to be quite the case after using the mask. My skin really did feel cleaner and more hydrated. In fact, it is so good that I used it when doing facial for mommy. She too felt the effects of the mask. It is truly amazing.

Bought the Fancl Inner Active Pack while I was shopping at the Fancl counter in OG Orchard Point last Sunday.

It functions to banish dullness and dispel roughness in just 15 minutes! It is true! I applied the mask to my face after cleansing and rinsed it off after leaving it on for 15 minutes. After I dry my face, I could feel that my skin was smoother and more supple. I am not kidding. It really worked!

Enough reviews for today. It is getting late and I am tired. Will share my beauty regime and more product reviews in the next entry. Shall turn in soon. It is going to be a long day for me again tomorrow.

Fighting on.

The past two weeks had been terrible. It seemed as if my life only revolves around lectures and tuition. There was simply no time for other activities. On some days, like Mondays and Thursdays, I would be so busy that I had to literally run from place to place so that I could make it for the next appointment on time. Previously, it was the money which drove me on. Now, even the money couldn't turn me on. This spells trouble.

I am in a dilemma now. With a few students graduating and some students suspending tuition for the vacation, there is a sense of urgency to recruit more students so that I can save enough to pay for the examination and course fees due next year. However, recruiting more students will mean reverting to the hectic lifestyle I used to live, which I dread. ArGh~! What am I to do?!

Sophomore year.

Went back to school as a sophomore today. It is the start of the 2006/2007 academic year. Our first lecture for the year was Investment Management. A very interesting lecture was delivered by our dearest Miss Koh Siew Min, who taught us Principles of Banking and Finance last year.

The lecture began with a very 'informative' speech by one of Miss Koh's students, Royston, who kept laughing the whole time he was up on the stage. Well, at least he entertained us for a while.

We learnt about derivatives today. Am quite familiar with other financial instruments such as equities and bonds, but derivatives is something new. Found it very interesting and asked a lot of questions during the lecture. I was the only one shooting questions to Miss Koh during the whole lecture. I am surprised by my enthusiasm in the subject. HaHa~!

We were also given two tutorial questions to do. Will start doing the tutorial tomorrow, before I get more from the other lecturers.

Went to the Popular bookstore in school after the lecture to get the IM textbook. There was a very long queue and there was very little space for us to stand around as the area is pitifully small. It was a relief to finally step out of the bookstore after we paid for our purchases. I could hardly breathe in there.

Very happy with my first day of school. Wonder how long that enthusiasm will last in me. Hopefully, it will be there for a very long time. I need to do well.

Genting Highlands

Was in Genting Highlands with my family from 3 September to 5 September. We took a package from Grassland and paid S$92 per person inclusive of a two-way coach ticket and 2 nights' stay at First World Hotel, meals not provided.

The coach left Boon Lay Shopping Centre at 7AM on 3 September and reached Genting Highlands at 245PM. We went straight to our rooms after checking in. Stayed on the 15th storey of tower 2. No view to comment 'coz we stayed in standard rooms where the windows face those of the opposite tower.

Our room.

We went down to First World Plaza after leaving our bags in the rooms. Mommy needed to get a comb, so we went to Sinma and ended up buying more than what we need, as usual. Bought some tidbits from the snack shop too.

Dinner was at Hou Mei. I had Hawaiian chicken chop with BBQ sauce. Tastes good but the chicken chop was a bit hard.

Wanted to catch Monster House at the cineplex after dinner but we missed the last show of the day. Went back to the room to take a shower instead.

Sis and I went to First World Plaza again for more shopping after dressing up. Went in to Vincci to look at the shoes but there was nothing I fancy. Same for the other shops there. Ended up not buying anything and went back to our room to sleep. Kept waking up in the middle of the night 'coz not used to sleeping so early.

Woke up very early the next morning to wash up. Had breakfast at Burger King. Ordered a King set which includes a cup of hot mocha, a burger and a packet of hushbrown. The hushbrown does not come in one big piece, but in many small round pieces. Never eaten such cute hushbrown before. HeE~!

Bought two tickets to the indoor and outdoor theme parks for sis and I.

My tag.

We went to the outdoor theme park first, which was a very wise decision (by me! =P) because it rained after we were done with most of the rides outdoor. Went on the Pirate Train, Matahari, Cyclone, Spinner, Flying Dragon, Double Deck Carousel and Super Toboggan. We went to Dinosaurland and went boating too.

Me on Spinner!

On the Matahari.

Sis and I on the boat to Dinosaurland.

Going in to Dinosaurland!

Dinosaurs in Dinosaurland.

Fossils at Dinosaurland.

The Super Toboggan!

All ready to go!

Up, up and away!

Boating!

Me pedalling away.

Nice scenery on the boat.

On the Double Deck Carousel. Reliving childhood. =D

Look! We even saw a London bus! It is actually a cafe.

We went back in to the indoor theme park at First World Plaza when we got bored of the outdoor rides. Got on a few other rides there.

On the Ferris Wheel.

On the Venice Gondola. We got the whole boat to ourselves. HeE~!

Little Venice.

On the Rio Float.

Sneaked into the casino with daddy and mommy at midnight. Stayed there till 2AM. An eye-opener, but not to my liking. The smoke in there makes me tear. Moreover, I don't gamble. Went there out of curiousity.

Checked out on Tuesday morning and took the coach back to Singapore at 230PM. It was raining and the roads were slippery. Fortunately, the driver was quite skillful and we reached Singapore safely at 9PM.

Though I enjoyed the trip, it feels good to be home. =)

Shopping is addictive.

You walk into a shop with the intention of buying only one item which you need but end up buying other unnecessary items instead of the one you set out to buy initially.

Does the above sound familiar to you? Well, it happens to me ALL THE TIME. All the more is the case recently.

Bought a lot of accessories these few days. Got a new belt at Bugis Street, a retro headband from Chameleon, a necklace and several earrings from SK Jewellery and TAKA Jewellery. Cannot remember what else I got. Too many. =/

Spent so much at SK and TAKA that I qualified for membership (SK Jewel Card and TAKA Privilege Card). Now I have two more cards in my wallet. It is bursting with cards (not money). My poor (both physically and financially) wallet. =(

Bought a lot of clothes too. Fortunately, I don't shop at high-end boutiques. Bought most of my clothes at Giordano, Hang Ten, Samuel & Kevin, Metro and OG while they were having sales. I am quite a bargain hunter. Am always looking out for sales and offer items. When one is poor, she will try to make do with whatever is available to her. I may need retail therapy very often, but I shop within limits. =P

The tulip minis I ordered from Old Navy is finally coming to Singapore. Hopefully can see it next week. One more piece to mix and match with. Think I am more or less ready for school. HeE~!

Saw George Tay and Vanessa Teo at Causeway Point today. They were paying for their purchases at The Face Shop. Didn't go up and say hi to them though. Checked out Vanessa's blog when I got back home just now. It was only then that I realised that the two of them are an item. Was still wondering why the others in the group weren't with them. Now I know why. HeE~!

Think I should start reading a bit of Corporate Finance before school reopens since I have the textbook. Probably start reading during the kids' one week break so that I don't forget what I have read. My memory is getting from bad to worse. Time to invest in memory boosters again.