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My first Christmas tree

Never had a Xmas tree before, but decided to invest in one for the lunch party this Fri. Went to get more blings to fill up the tree more. And here’s what I got for slightly less than $14:

Tree: $9.90 with 23 ornaments
Addtional 2 packs ornaments: $4

5 days more…

I FINALLY FINISHED THE GODDAMN SHOPPING!

170 presents. What a feat.

I even bought a Xmas tree just now. Cheap. Was wanting to get a tree to have the atmosphere for Friday’s lunch, but the tree costs cheaply with one price, and the decorations cost 3x of the tree. And then I found a tree of decent just now with decorative items that cost slightly less than $10! Yay.

But the paying experience wasn’t that good. This temp was super slow, fiddling with the scanner and such. Had gone off to the carpark before I realised that I was charged for 3 trees instead of 1. Then pushed the trolley back 2 floors down to get a refund. The customer service was quite pissed coz it wasn’t the first mistake of the cashier who served me.

Was super hungry after everything. Didn’t even have time to do more of my own shopping coz the delay was there to do a refund. So I didn’t manage to get my wrapping paper.

Sian-ness.

Well, a lot to do the coming week. Prepare for the party (wrapping and blah blah), plus packing. I haven’t even checked my gears or even brought my suitcase out! Shit.

Something to look forward to though…8.5 days of working left before 2010.

Buy and wrap

Bought 100 items. Left 70 to be bought.

Wrapped up some of the 100. Wrapping didn’t seem to be too big a problem. But I admit I just anyhow-ly wrap those odd-shaped ones. Can’t be bothered to go make it nice. But of coz it’s not like it just came out of the dustbin la.

Tomorrow morning going shopping. Nite another round of shopping with the Paradizer. Probably another round on Saturday too.

I think I did more shopping this month than compared to that for the first 11 months of the year. A bit gelard liao. Even my knee is starting to scream a bit liao. Feeling it now.

Up the chase

Die la. Nearly 1am I’m still ‘chasing’ the 学警出更 show becoz it’s the last episode tomorrow and I might not be able to catch it. So I had to resort to 优酷 coz mysoju is under repair for that episode.

Now still waiting for the show to load properly on 优酷. *yawn*

Of tresses and dresses

Went for a haircut today coz was just passing by. Actually my fringe was just irritating me and my hair looked wild.

My hairdresser said that I had not dropped by some time, and my hair was last coloured eons ago. I told her I no longer have the patience to sit properly for dyeing hair, unless my mum is also around.

Probably CNY time.

Suddenly I imagined myself in short hair. The last time I had short hair was in Sec 3/4. That was like so many years ago. I thought of cutting off my hair probably for CNY just to have something new.

Just a thought. I’ll ponder over it.

Went to Parkway to do a spot of shopping after the hair cut. I didn’t know Cotton On got some pretty interesting clothing (albeit cheaper with lower quality) and footwear. I used to go in for a look, then after a round exited the shop. Probably also due to the shop being quite small and crowded. Since then they’ve moved to a bigger space which looks much like a Topshop kind of outfit.

I got a pair of leggings, flats and another pair of shoes meant for gift exchange in office. I liked the leggings so much that I nearly bought another exact pair which was nonsensical actually if I really did that. If you do realise, their stuff are actually from China, which explains why they could sell it so cheap. But their clothes can actually get quite stylish. I saw a blazer filled with silver sequins which surprisingly doesn’t look outrageous but to wear that to office can be quite…bright. Maybe more for dinners and cocktails. And no, I didn’t get that.

Shoes sell for as low as $10 a pair. Decent but not too high classy look of coz.

I found a new place to shop again next time.

Shop till I drop

I didn’t realise that shopping for 160+ people can be mighty exhaustive. I did that today, but only managed to complete half the quota.

Went IKEA, picked up a variety of stuff, and spent over $600. Still barely halfway done. Decided to come a second round because my car couldn’t take in anymore stuff, plus 2 of us can’t carry things anymore.

And mind you, that’s just the buying bit. To wrap the same number of gifts within the next few days will be another big mission. I don’t want to think too much about it coz it’s quite scary.

Went on to Orchard to get the stuff for the bosses. THAT another difficult thing to do. We set the budget to $50 each. Went to Crabtree & Evelyn to settle the stuff for the lady bosses. By then my legs were starting to hurt already.

Actually I was thinking the items at C&E could be cheaper. But doesn’t seem so. Was thinking to get one of the items for the CEO gift exchange, but overbudget. Actually he didn’t give me any budget and he would have gladly paid for it, but it was thrice the original minimum set.

Probably see how later then.

Went to Takashimaya, bought some towel gift packs. Can’t buy too much also too coz I dun think a lot of people would want to get a towel set. But with a small budget it’s challenge to get something presentable, useful and general to suit a lot more people.

The gift wrapping counter was full of shoppers. It was worse when we were done and going off. A lot of the gift wrappers were part-timers, more like those who were having their school break.

CT wanted to go to Paragon to get wine for the male bosses, but I really CMI. Should have switched to flats instead of just shopped with my heels.

By then, the crowds were getting bigger. Roads were jammed everywhere, ECP was very bad coz a big truck broke down on the 4th lane. I could only have dinner past 9pm.

And for a while, I could only sit down and not move at all because my legs were aching from the shopping and clutching so much in the massive jam.

Literally shop till I drop.

And my car is now like a convertible that can only take 2 passengers, coz the boot and back seats are already full of shopping bags.

Second round soon…Quite a daunting thought. And who says shopping is fun everytime?

Simple can be fun

Cinnamon has fun with a laser pointer light.

Was just chasing after a pointer light that was shining itself on the floor and against the wall. Even after stopping the game, she was still hanging near the wall, waiting for the laser light to appear again.

Right now she is lying down, facing the wall.

And what did Caramel do? Just laid down by the side thinking, “why Cinnamon so bodoh har?”

Nope, he didn’t even lift up his head to look what’s the light about.

Shows over the long weekend

Last weekend I caught 2 movies: Ninja Assassin and Mulan.

Now I can understand why Rain nearly wanted to give up during shooting of this show. It’s so tedious and bloody, and looking at how he trained for this movie…so tiring even as a bystander.

The show is one pure action show, with lots of gruesome and some vulgar profanities at the beginning of the show. In fact, the first word that came from this movie is ‘f**k’ and not said once, but continuously spewed from the actor (not Rain).

If you like action, this is quite entertaining. If you expect some fantastic plot, nope, it’s a very straightforward movie.

Special effects – actually can’t see much coz most of the attacks by the ninjas were in the dark. Only can hear them being flung around but couldn’t see the fei biao that much.

JH who watched the show thought it was similar to a horror movie with looking how the people were cut up, some still talking/screaming while parts of their body gave way before they finally collapse. Haha.

|||—|||

Mulan was same like Ninja Assassin. The theatre was almost fully booked on a Friday nite. Similar to the original story, a lot of tearing and moving scenes. Very normal only.

Majestic looking like other war shows. All the big groups of people fighting together. Coupled with friendship and love, no less.

Other than that, can’t find anything else to write about it.

But I guessed the recent news about Vicky Zhao getting married, and even 5 months pregnant in Singapore waiting to deliver, is just some gimmicks for the movie. Just to get people sit up and notice about her.

The news had been coming in and out for so many times, that it seemed *yawn* now.

It’s fun, but…

Went around yesterday morning for the gift exchange thing coming along 2 weeks later. While it’s fun to organise a some sort party, it dents a bit of happiness when you find some people around you who refuse to be cooperative enough to join in.

Some of my colleagues were trying their luck to get out of the gift exchange thing, but some little persuasion did the trick. Some were so stubborn, that I really can’t be bothered with it. Just a shadow cast over the season.

The best dept who showed pretty much enthusiasm, had been talking and asking me so much during the past few days on the gift exchange thing, was a nice thing on the whole planning part. At least there were people who were willing to let their hair down to enjoy a bit.

And because the gift thing is going to expand so much more, CT and I gonna be shopping our asses off, but she’s been pretty helpful and proactive in finding some items which can be used as a mass gifting programme. I like such partners in working out an event, just like doing a school project.

I’m running really short of time, so the coming weekend is going to be spent around the cashier area paying for the purchases. I need to buy one for my gift exchange, one on behalf of CEO, 5-6 for the directors, and nearly 200 small ones for everyone in the office. That’s a lot ain’t it? And one colleague whom I picked on behalf for his gift exchange, actually was trying his luck to help him buy one too. I just can’t be bothered with that man. Dun even know if I can finish mine on time.

I just hope that we get enough presents for everyone. Right now, everything is just based on estimation, including the buffet and gift exchange.

Wish me luck.

Jailbroken

This was before:

This was after:

And you think Cinnamon is really a 小姐 like she looked? Think again.

For those who deal with a lot of angry customers

An award should go to the Virgin Airlines desk attendant in Sydney some months ago for being smart and funny, while making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo.

A crowded Virgin flight was canceled after Virgin’s 767s had been withdrawn from service. A single attendant was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travelers.. Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, ‘I HAVE to be on this flight and It HAS to be FIRST CLASS’…

The attendant replied, ‘I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be happy to try to help you, but I’ve got to help these people first, and I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.’

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, ‘DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?’

Without hesitating, the attendant smiled and grabbed her public address microphone: ‘May I have your attention please, may I have your attention please,’ she began – her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal.

‘We have a passenger here at Desk 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Desk 14.’

With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically, The man glared at the Virgin attendant, gritted his teeth and said, ‘F**k You!’

Without flinching, she smiled and said, (I love this bit) ‘I’m sorry, sir, but you’ll have to get in line for that too’..

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow~

Toa Payoh + shopping + Animal on display + Cinnamon in bag + Pet Movers + Mutts and Mittens + Snowing.

Went to TPY with the dogs coz needed to bring them to the dog run right after that. I was sitting there on the bench while waiting for G to check out phones, when a group of kids kept hovering around me, like I was on display. Coz both the dogs were with me. Caramel on leash, and Cinnamon in the bag. I forgot to take a photo of that but she’s absolutely adorable. I even wanted to take her out but she inched in further into the bag. So cute.

Went round to Pet Movers after that. The snow session was on today again. This time I took photos of the dogs with the snow coz it was blowing in the right direction today.

The dogs ‘harrassing’ Chaser

Denver by the house

Cinnamon in the Xmas house set up by the people at Pet Movers

Cinnamon always by my feet

Denver enjoying the ’snow’

Let it snow let it snow let it snow~

And if you think why Caramel and Chaser ain’t in my photos, well, they were both chasing after chicks and hunks and running around, so it’s kinda impossible to shoot anything of them.

*Photos taken with Blackberry Bold.

Cacio e Pepe Italian Restaurant

Went past this quaint looking Italian restaurant off Paya Lebar Road and decided to try it out.

The place was not furnished fantastically. In fact, it reminded me too much about RC and Cafe World in FB. Very sparsely decorated.

There were only a few seatings in the restaurant, and the owners are the ones serving food, with 2-3 chefs in the kitchen. They have this big oven thing for pizza, I think.

First served was the bread which was buttery and goes very well with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Yums. Ordered a second serving, in fact.

2 pieces each. Nice and crispy.

Another antipasti which we ordered was the calamari.

The portion of calamari was generous, of coz slightly more expensive than other restaurants. The sauce is non of those tartare sauce or mayonnaise but of tomato base, so the tangy taste actually helps to balance the fried mouthfeel from the calamari. Best thing is, the sauce came piping hot. Good combination.

3rd starter we got: Arugula Salad with feta and shaved parmesan cheese (can’t remember the exact name in the menu).

Quite nice too.

My main dish: the seafood risotto with squid ink, which was one of their specialties.

Ok, basically you can’t see anything, but there are squids, clams, mussels and prawns in there, with shaved parmesan cheese.

I found this dish to be too salty for my palate. But the saltiness doesn’t come artificial from too much salt. Probably it’s the sauce itself. I didn’t find myself extremely thirsty after eating it, though I had some hard time finishing this.

All these, with a plate of beef lasagne and Erdinger beer – works out to $80 odd.

The service is top notch though. When asked about the quality of the food, which we voiced out about the risotto, she said that we should have told them earlier so that they can change and recook a new portion for me. Oh wells, where else do such service display? Like changing the food to make it less salty? I thought that would have been an insult to the chef!

Anyway, the place do serve lunch sets Mon-Fri at $12.80 each. If you work around the area, might be interesting to try out. But seems like they could get really full house for lunch, so best to reserve seats in advance.

Good area for parking in front of the restaurant too. It’s a great place for gathering and quiet meals (they have tables for 2 up to even 10 odd).

If you feel like indulging in some nice Italian food, maybe you can try this out.

4 Rochdale Rd
Singapore, 535817, Singapore
+65 6281 1905

View map here

**Photos taken with BB Bold, without flash.

Be careful what you wish for

Next time, be careful what you wish for.

Not long ago, I said I wanted to fall sick coz I was hovering between sick and not sick. I wanted to be sick to get it over and done with. Now I regret wishing for that.

Coz I dun seem to be recovering at all. Still having sore throat (getting worse, in fact), sometimes runny sometimes blocked nose. And feeling really tired at times because I can’t sleep deeply at nite. I was even tearing last nite, I guess due to my flu. I must have looked like shit coz my CEO actually asked me if I was still sick about twice or thrice this week.

The problem is, I feel really sick in the morning. Then at late morning and after lunch, I feel sick again after feeling better after the first round. Then at about 4pm+, I feel sick again.

So it’s always like, when I finally get my turn to see the doc, I dun feel so sick at that moment, so maybe the doc thinks it’s just nothing serious, coz I dun have a fever.

Talked on the phone halfway, then I start choking and coughing coz it felt just like sawdust down my throat.

Even my customer asked if I kena H1N1.

Thanks lor.