childhood memories

They say being a teenager is tough, ppl seem to forget about young adulthood.

Anyway, here are some of my favourite childhood memories

1) Raspberry ripple icecream waffle biscuit. Only available opposite my pri/sec school.

2) $1.50 lunch

3) Swinging and singing “somewhere out there” Yes, i sing..and i was in a choir.

4) Countless library trips and UNO games in the most unthinkable locations (e.g. buses).

5) Going home on a tiny school van (pri sch).

6) Toa Payoh park (the one behind the bus station now).

7) Hop scotch!!!! My coin purse rOCKs!

8) Practicing the flute with the school band. I miss those girls.

9) My ever first youth camp.

10) Sunday school. “the B-I-B-L-E, now that’s the book for me…”

11) Reading- Range from Ronald Dahl to Sweet Valley High (yes, what was i thinking?)

12) The tiny bus tickets-you used to add up the last 2 digits. 13 means good luck?

13) Being a prefect. My organisation skills training started from there. Trying to organise 80+ prefects, including a ‘not-there’ head prefect isnt fun. My assistant was brillant though.

14) Coffee bean gatherings. I do miss the blackforest chill and how i have to save up for them!

15) KOPITIAMS- especially having breakie with grandma. Street 13 bishan.

16) Science Centre trip when I was three. I told dad that I will walk from our Boon Lay house to the centre. I lied. He had to carry me when we were half way there. mwahahaha.

17) Accompanying grandma to chinatown. She would give me a lesson on the different types of herbs and mushrooms. =)

18) Swimming with mum.

19) Girl nights out with my best friends. Remember our sentosa trip?

20) The excitement of christmas. Seeing the lights, presents, trees and knowing that Jesus loves us.

It is strange, but i havent felt the Christmas spirit for the past 2 years. Besides, the shops are all about selling things, not about the spirit. I understood the true meaning of Christmas, but I was too tired of the whole commerical sellout of it.

This year, I feel different. I feel the spirit of giving. I am getting excited about Christmas again. Maybe i am happier and less anxious. Perhaps I finally feel more settled.

Jumble

I booked my flight. Finally.

Exam tomorrow- I’m really not sure what we learned in that unit. I know we learned SOMETHING, but it just seems all over the case. The lectures were quite disorganised. Doesnt help when we know the lecturer is quite harsh when marking.
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I went over to a friend’s place to pass him his bday present. As usual, it was late and i apologised sheepishly for that. All of us were college friends (with the exception of Mr. AR who knew him since sec sch), and we sat down to have a short chat. It struck me how strange it was, how things change and what we have become.

For one, i am still a STUDENT when all of them are making good money. That doesnt make a big difference though, for the topics seems… mmm..

1) Houses- All of us spoke about buying properties. The couple went to see a financial planner. We were discussing about house loans, mortage, bank interests, land value, good areas for investments……

2) Marriage- The girl’s sister just got married. To a millionaire. Naturally we spoke about the wedding and how grand it was. That it got to her plans for their wedding…and then it struck me that I should be really expecting a wedding invite from them in the next few years. Now, this girl wasnt sure for a long long time, and now, it sounds like she is…

3) Pregnacy- She was shocked when I said chances of falling pregnant decreases dramatically once you reach 30. Actually, it starts decreasing once we hit 26 anyway! Oh, have a child before the age 30 and chances of getting breast cancer decrease. Have sex and the chance of cervical cancer increase. It’s really your choice… either way, it doesnt look good.

4) Work- and the benefits each company gave. Obviously i was quiet. One said free internet service, the other has a few more annual days leave, the girl had bbq pool party, massages, nice bosses……… I have paper.

5) Furniture- Yes, we talked about that. Bed frame, type of beds, good deals.

Just 2 years ago, we spoke about 1) finding a job, 2) where to get the cheapest food, 3) how many more exams to go, 4) When are we going back to home country.

With the exception of no 3, (obviously contribution from my part), the rest were not touched.

Our priorities, relationships, circumstances changed. I enjoyed the conversation (trust me, at that stage, if it is not psychology, it’s good). The topics feels ‘grown up’ things that will bore me if discussed a few years earlier. It signals a shift i guess. Doesnt mean we are all ‘grown up’, just simply a shift towards that route (hopefully?).

How I missed the childhood innocence. The fantasy world as a child.

Ah, the ambivalance.

What’s next?
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Congrats to Kitson and Irene on the birth of baby Hiroshi (yes, that is the baby’s name). It’s a BOY!

I bought baby stuff for my new cousin. Bootees and toys. Hey, he is afterall Irene’s son. How exciting.

Complaints of a tutor

1) Referencing- APA format. Enough said.

2) Emprical Research- means peer-reviewed journal articles. Not from http://www.psychology.com

3) Quotations- usually for one sentence, not a whole paragraph.

4) Organisation of material- hunting all over the place for information is no fun in an report.

5) Track the original article instead of doing ( ___ , cited from ____ ) in the whole report.

6) Grammar (mine is bad, but if i can spot yours, that’s worse…and if i can spot more than 5 in one page, please seek help).

7) Double spaced and paragraphing please!!

8) And after repeating all the above 2 times in class, there isnt any excuse for not doing them.

Kelly Clarkson

She is a great vocalist- her live singing is fantastic. Her concert?- i want to be there again.

She said that she would like parents to know how they can have such an impact on kids…. I agree. I think there is a fine line of blaming parents for everything or just being aware of your childhood and then accepting it there. But having seen some parents who are self-centered, you wish…just wish…they could see the burden in the little child’s eyes.

So here is to all parents (or soon to be, or future…)

“Because Of You”

I will not make the same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break the way you did,
You fell so hard
I’ve learned the hard way
To never let it get that far

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don’t get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I lose my way
And it’s not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that’s weakness in your eyes
I’m forced to fake
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
My heart can’t possibly break
When it wasn’t even whole to start with

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don’t get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I watched you die
I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don’t get hurt
Because of you
I try my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don’t know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I’m ashamed of my life because it’s empty
Because of you
I am afraid

Because of you
Because of you

Birthday

I’m 22 now. Of course, since MA does not always = to CA, I dont feel like a 22. Perhaps older.

ANYWAY! it was my birthday yesterday… no, i really didnt hv anything special planned.

It kicked start with one of the girls from the clinic bought me a cake on Saturday. Then, SW asked the class (which consists of 1st and 2nd years) to sing the ‘happy birthday’ song to me- that was seriously embarrassing.

Pavarotti’s Concert later that night. I wouldnt called it part of my birthday celebrations, it just happened to be chucked right at the night before my birthday. It wasnt planned- seriously, Mr. AR’s workplace was one of the sponsors and they were selling tickets for $55. How can we not go to Pavarotti’s concert for $55!?!? We confirmed the seats like…1 day before? I mean, the cheapest tickets was going for $101, the seats we were at was like $191. Now, it didnt help when the PRiDE parade was at the same day……. and since the stadium was near the parade, you can imagine the mix of fireworks and Pavarotti’s voice.. Having said that, i enjoyed the concert. His voice sends the shrivers down your spine. “Ave Maria” almost made me cry.

Smses from Ruth, Dad, Peggy and Ben greeted me (somewhere between 12 midnight to like 6 am in the morning…..).

Sunday: I went to church, sang praise to our wonder Father who gave me life, who blessed me…… How can I not be thankful for what I have? Freo to get some fruits n veges. Yes, i know, this girl, spending her birthday doing groceries shopping. I had a whole day of class on saturday, when am i suppose to buy food? Freo is my getaway, is the place where my worries can be left behind at uni, home, everywhere… but not freo, not the lake. No, not these 2 places.

Anyway, i saw this lovely bag for $36! Made in vietnam. I was so tempted but no, i need to save $!

Had a simmons icecream-that is my fav part of going to freo. reached home at 2pm, rang home..grandma forgot my birthday! :p she was so embarrassed… but i love her. She was like..”come home and i will make it up for you” Ah. Mum sent me an sms as she wasnt at home.. I think she was impressed that i got a full length mirror for my birthday (think dad is in trouble…). The other guys got me an idog =) I had an interesting exchange of sms with her trying to explain what is an idog! It is moving now, with “home” -by micheal buble playing at the background.

Did laundry, went to the dryer… rushed home to get ready for dinner.

That’s the mirror..That’s me.. That’s my skirt! :p cant see my face? blame the photographer. That was a candid shot.

Dinner South Perth Oyster bar.

Dessert-the waiter surprised me.

I just happened to mention ONCE that i dont mind waiting coz it is my BIRTHDAY and i WANT the Foudant! It was wonderful…. ah..the chocolate, the vanilla bean ice cream. I enjoyed every bite.

The dinner ended with Haz calling me from Germany. HAZ!?!! She remembered and she called… telling me that everything is going alright for her. That made my day , to know she is safe and sound. Honestly, an hour before she rang, i said i am going to ring her parents to see how she is coz she hasnt contacted me for like ages.. not even replying my email!

Finally, a phone call from Velda =)

I’m contented.

PS-ok i cheated, i mini edited some bits of my assignment in the morning before i went to church-i printed it out and set it aside though. And i read some information on couples communication and relationship counselling- hey, i need to prepare for my clients ok!?