"La Storia"

one intricately weaved bad year for me, and its about to end soon........

"La Storia"

oh wellz...so much for having a break before starting to work. kinda lucky to get a temporary job at the world's biggest company. citigroup. eventhough will be working for citibank (a division of citigroup), i guess the experience will be worth it. i guess for some work experience, there is never a better place to start than this. well all of us have to start somewhere somehow, its just getting the experience and moving on from there.

kinda felt privelaged to be at such a place. all i can say, soak it in and learn. well i'm quite satisfied with the job scope they gave me, it maybe adminstrative but hey who's complaining...hehe =) ----(guess its better than working else where for a temporary job) hey who knows... i might consider working for them in the future... so lets see where my feet and experience will take me to. =)

anyway looks like i will be busy for the next 2 months or so. muahahaha...

"La Storia"

boring boring boring return to singapore for me... a return that i should not have taken... lately have been witnessing alot of changes that i have to adapt. crazy i tell you...aiyah...faster let me work let me work... hahaha

to all my friends who seem to be down or feeling stressed out... dun be like that for long, for new and better days are ahead. =)

"La Storia"

back in Singapore for nearly a week already. quite a bumpy rough week i might say. so many things happened around me within a week. kinda feeling all drained out and stuffed up at the same time. really lost at this moment in time. wondering where my future lies.

glad the worse is over, and hopefully many new and better days will be ahead. going for my job hunt soon, hopefully will be able to get a job at the bank. wanna gain some experience in customer service. get some cash out of it too. so that i can pay up old debts and get by this holidays. hmmmmmm...

have to head off to the doctors soon to do my medical check ups too. as well as do some catching up with my family and friends too. well it seems that reality is catching up soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~

i finally had time to do a simple revamp on this blog too. will be making more changes soon. i just can't seem to find time to make the changes. oh wellz...just have to be patient.

"La Storia"

This blog will be updated soon...

Name Four Things You Are Thinking About Now :
- sociology of race and ethnic relations
- integrated marketing communication
- what should i eat for dinner
- how are my friends

Name the Last Four Things You Have Bought:
- Something for Samson's Birthday
- KFC meal
- Coca Cola
- developing pictures count anot?

Name the Four Drinks You Regularly Drink :
- Water
- Coca Cola
- Orange juice
- Apple Juice

Name the Four things You Wish To Have :
- A superb job
- Anti-aging formula, wanna live as long as i like
- A time machine, so can travel back in time to adjust this screwed up life
- Peace in the world and happiness for all =)

Last person chatted online with?
- Lynette

Last Time You Cried?
- The night before

What's Under Your Bed?
- Boxes of nothing, Cobwebs probably, and lots of dust?

Current Clothes
- Bermudas and short sleeve tops

Current Desktop Picture:
- My graduation group photo

Current Screen Saver:
- Blank

Current Worry ?
- Tomorrow's exam!!!!

Current Hate ?
- Lack of time!!!!!

Favorite Physical Feature Of The Opposite Sex
- Eyes

Favourite Place To Be?
- Home Sweet Home

Least Favorite Place?
- The Exam Room

Favorite Color(s)?
- Blue, white, green and black

Do You Believe In An Afterlife ?
- Hmmm interesting question

Current Favorite Word/Saying?
- Booo

One Person From Your Past You Wish You Could be?
- Me, Myself and Richmond

Favourite Days?
-Fridays, Saturdays and Holidays!

Favorite Bike?
- GT bikes are coolz

Favourite Cartoon Character?
- Garfield

Favourite Food ?
- Oyster Omelette (Hao Jian)

Favourite song?
-

What do you like to do most?
- EAT!

Do you like to eat fish or chicken?
- Fish, especially those lovely sashimi bits....hmmmm

Do you like to complete your homework in school or at home?
- can i dun get homework? =)

Do you skip school often ?
- nopz...but in uni quite often late for class...haha

What are you doing now?
- Procastinating away all the time i had to study for my exam!

This blogsite will be upgraded and revamped. Bloggin from me will cease for a temporary basis until further notice. A new identity will be forged in this new year. So stay tune for more. A temporary blogskin have been adopted.

Cheers
Richmond

"La Storia"

Happy Birthday Clueless!

its been one year since this blog started out. all the ups and downs, all the joy and sadness. hmmmm kinda fast aint it? oh wellz. this is the good news about it.

the sad news is, i have decided to shut this blog down from today onwards. it might reopen sometime in the future or it might not. i have no idea of what to say or do.

so this is me signing off from Clueless: the next revolution
au revoir everyone =)

"La Storia"

had a great day today. finished up my sociology of family and generation revision at lightning speed. intense 4 hrs of non stop reading of materials. now i just need to extract the important bits tomorrow. its all good for now... praying that the weather will be great and sunny sunshine good. hehe

tonite had a spooky evening with my 2 buddies. talking about all that is supernatural and stuff...all the goosebumps all stand liaoz lah!.... hahaha probably to get into the mood to watch resident evil 2 muahahahaha

was wondering should i take up real kung fu fighting lessons anot. hmmmmm probably want to head off to china or japan to learn martial arts in the future. or just learn it here by practising at the back yard...hahaha yeah right...

ok off to my virtual martial arts world.....hehe

"La Storia"

slack slack slack...can u imagine how slack i'm... had the cheek to head out to the backyard and chill out. didn't do much for the past 3 days like i should have... oh wellz.. =)

to go home? not to go home? when to go home then? when is the best time to go home? ish ish...these are some pressing questions for me to answer within the next few days.
~~~~~~~~~

was just goin thru the fashion stuff just only...gotta admit, the trend is heading back to the 60s style, with most of the top fashion designers leading the way. oh boy...wonder when can i get my hands on one of those stylo milo hugo boss suit collection...hahaha oh wellz...all i can do now is to oggle at it, damn it.

hope to start doing my research on politics soon, as well as my interest in the airline industry. exams exams lets get it out of the way. roughly 14 days more before all is over. woo hooo...

"La Storia"

let's recap what i did and was involved in this one whole year... (and since the start of bloggin)

picked up my piano =)
continued with my bible knowledge =)
concentrated on studies ....ahemmm
had a tango with a gal
re-learn my french =)
went to church =)
gave my best shot with uni stuff =)
said goodbyes to many friends who have since graduated =(
lost contact with some of my friends who have since graduated =(
stayed off campus and loving it =)
i've moved on since that last tango
stirred up some controversy =p
got implicated in rumours =(
went to gym!
involved in united nations volunteering scheme!
involved in my own country's political climate!
baked lots of cheesecake =)
made quite a bit of weird dishes and stuff with housemates =)
had whamming fun time with close friends this whole year =)

~~~~~~~~~

i probably had more to say, but i guess i'm lucky to have all these experiences so far. some aint fair to me, but hey...this world aint fair anyway. had my fair share of highs too, really had a swinging good time with all my friends.

now lets decide whether to close this blog. its been one year already. how time flies. this one small blog had its fair share of high and lows too. haba haba goo goo ga ga. its been a long and winding journey.

its probably the wrong time of the year to be doing this recollection (just right before the darn EXAMS!) but oh wellz...i need that breathing space. digest all that has happened and is happening right in front of me. so i'm here picking up the pieces. if only my prayers are answered. i'm sure slowly and surely they will be answered if i continue to pray every night.

"La Storia"

gooo gooo ga ga haba haba shingydy dingydy ding dong. ok. i feel the need to clear things up today. alot of people might presume i will move on get my life straight, forget my past relationship and get another. now let me tell you all. this aint happening. i did get my life back on track but aint going around getting another significant other half.

i have seen and experienced enough to close up that department. where my future lies is found only in my strength to continue to help the less fortunate. i doubt i have that added dose of heart power to juggle a relationship.

phew! controversy is such a killer. the best bit of all these happening is when you are seated quietly almost everyday in your own room staring out the window. rumours are fanning the flames of me dating someone are really a pain in the arse. now i know why i'm so determined to go into the public relations field. =) i'm testing it almost everyday. hahaha

You're the smirk,a frown-smile hybrid that's a
little bit cocky and usually associated with
evil or arrogant,but attractive people.You
probably just don't give a damn,but it's
everyone else's fault if you don't because
you're too awesome to have any real faults.


What Kind of Smile are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

"La Storia"

twinkle twinkle little stars lit up the sky in an array of colours. wondering if one of these days i can reach one of those stars. it will be great to see the sun from outer space too. or earth and moon from outer space. ish ish...

"La Storia"

had a relaxing weekend. slowly and surely exam fever is creeping up. oh wellz...goin to hit the sack soon and snore away the nicest sleep tonite. before engaging the final hurdle of my current university life. ok... time to pig out and sleep. =)

You are Form 0, Phoenix: The Eternal.

"And The Phoenix's cycle had reached
zenith, so he consumed himself in fire. He
emerged from his own ashes, to be forever
immortal."

Some examples of the Phoenix Form are Quetzalcoatl
(Aztec), Shiva (Indian), and Ra-Atum
(Egyptian).
The Phoenix is associated with the concept of life,
the number 0, and the element of fire.
His sign is the eclipsed sun.

As a member of Form 0, you are a determined
individual. You tend to keep your sense of
optimism, even through tough times and have a
positive outlook on most situations. You have
a way of looking at going through life as a
journey that you can constantly learn from.
Phoenixes are the best friends to have because
they cheer people up easily.


Which Mythological Form Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

"La Storia"

what kind of world this world would be if things didn't happen the way it did? what is it like to be living in a totally different world?

i'm concerned of my own abilities. i'm running out of steam. gotta put some solar cells on during this coming wk and absorb all the good sunlight!

haha

"La Storia"

hard to express somethings, but just wanted to say thank you to all who have supported me, criticized me, and helped me along the way. what i have achieved today is what all of you have influenced and moulded this path for me.
~~~~~~~~~

lets see today it hailed on campus!!!! its the third time i have seen hail storms already!!! coolz! but the most beautiful thing about this is, it happened in the day time. so everyone was just there standing watching the white hail cover the ground as it pelted the whole campus in a rumbling orchestra....

"La Storia"

i'm head over heels. i'm lost in the world. i'm dreaming of you. i'm restraining myself. i'm keeping quiet. i'm holding back. i'm not too sure of what to do. i can't see the future. i only want to say so much. i wish we had more time. just alittle more time to make things happen.

as i sit by the window gazing into the stars, playing the music sung by a good friend over here. soothing the soul that has been confused and amazed. how much longer must i wait......

"La Storia"

sometimes i really wonder should i get so involved in somethings? i can only say that after all the effort put in, i really want to see it through whenever i can help. it will only get better each time. this is the first time i've seen myself really pushing so hard. probably someone i fondly knew back then pushed me over that cliff. it spurred me to push harder in things i do.

it seems that the old administration is almost fully retired, except one person. i'm just glad i saw it through all this time, even though there was differences and way of doing things. hmmmmm, dunno...wellz...

exams exams....

"La Storia"

its been a hot hot hot day! but its great great great day to lie upon the grass and ponder, get a tan and do some drying of laundry =) love it...woot!

have been worried with my assignments and exam fever lately. its unlike me to be so nervous, probably the 'final semester' fever is setting in on me. never realise the satisfaction, the pressures, the goals, the expectations and the reality of this will get the better of me.

wonder how much more effort i gotta put in before all is settled. i'm in confusion and at times lost on what should i do now. everything seems so fast and slow at the same time. realise i'm headed down that road of uncertainty. i seem to be lost in that transition.

	Cheer Bear You're the Care Bear cheerleader! Your spunky personality and optimisim lifts everyone's spirit. Though you want everyone to be happy, you stand your ground on issues you feel strongly about and this can bring disunity among your friends. Despite this, you are a true believer in working together.
Take the Which Care Bear Are You? Quiz!

"La Storia"

have been busy with my final assignment for my entire bachelor's degree. the hours of effort into it can kill, but its for the big picture right? hahaha

the weather is fine over here, as i bask in the sunlight. hope to get a tan but not the cancer bit...hahaha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

lately, i have been surfing around my friends' blogs. it seems everyone is going through some form of transformation or realisation. at the same time i had a great chat with 2 friends.

some questions i was posed at that time of the chat was really interesting and something i never thought.

"How has going over to Australia changed you?"
this number really got me thinking real hard. i really never actually took notice of how much i have changed or how much i have learnt. i just knew. i still talk as though i'm back home in s'pore. i never really took an interest in learning the aussie accent (like so many other people would question you why "you don't have aussie accent.") i'm definitely learning, but i can't seem to remember what i have learnt... probably one day when i'm away from Australia, then i would realise how much i have changed, but right now if you asked me... i'm still the same guy as usual. =)

"La Storia"

tainted memories break down the foundations of hope. discarded dreams slowly wither away. white petals flowery pasture soothe the soul. drunken and sober does not make a difference. i dunno why i held everything all inside. i've got one small problem, without you i'm not me. jesus can forgive but i cannot forget. i scream into the twilight nite, only to whisper these words, i'm sorry...

"La Storia"

wellz...after a long awaited moment, i have finally uploaded some pictures for my mock graduation. its in my webshot...so go and take a look. wellz...i'm too tired to do anything at this moment.

gotta do my marketing strategy assignment later, if not heads will roll =p

"La Storia"

i'm overwhelmed today, woke up to an aching body and injured right wrist. felt like a rock, heavy and unmovable. really didnt know what to do. realised that today is mock graduation day, with photo-taking and stuff. didnt know who should i ask to come and take picture with or what...

gotta apologise to those i didnt take picture with, and thank you to all who took with me. =)

it was a great day. now lets just hope the pictures turn out wellz. =)

"La Storia"

tired tired tired... old old old... translate that into a day like today... means... no fight no drive no stamina no killer instinct like i used too. =(

sometimes i wonder how did i balance so much things at one go? spreading myself out too much? handling so much activity at one go? wellz...

right now my wrist hurts and the worse bit, its my master hand... i'm using my left hand to type this whole entry out tonite. can u imagine how slow it must be, with all the mistakes =)

oh wellz time to hit the sack and snooze.....Zzzzzzz

"La Storia"

what a day, had a great time to relax today, great company and great movie. =) needed this break for a long time now. wondering whether should i head down to the city over the weekend? probably have to depend on my group assignment then.

"Une Nouvelle"

the news column is finally back! after a long lay off hahaha. wellz its going to as interesting and more related to topics close to heart.
~~~~~~~~~~


UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors
UNHCR started to work with Goodwill Ambassadors in the early 1980s, when Richard Burton and James Mason were first appointed to make media statements and public appearances for the refugee cause. Today, five UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors with very different professional and personal backgrounds use their talents and time to advocate for refugees: Barbara Hendricks (named in 1987), Adel Imam (2000), Angelina Jolie (2001), Giorgio Armani (2002) and Julien Clerc (2003).


Giorgio Armani, Courtesy of Armani Group

Julien Clerc, Courtesy of Eliot Press

Barbara Hendricks, Courtesy of UNHCR

Adel Imam, Courtesy of UNHCR

Angelina Jolie, Courtesy of UNHCR


Goodwill Ambassadors communicate the message of respect and compassion for refugees to the general public in a uniquely powerful way; they capture massive public attention through public events, television shows, radio interviews and popular magazine articles. They effectively use their privileged access to mass media and other resources to give a voice to refugees, who are often victims of forgotten humanitarian crises and who often suffer from uninformed negative stereotyping. Goodwill Ambassadors also voice their support for refugees in meetings with world leaders, diplomats, teachers, national and community officials, as well as the public at large.
~~~~~~~~

wellz there you have it, our world's 5 Goodwill Ambassadors, my dream job to work with UNHCR =), despite knowing that it does not pay well or help much to boost a career, its the satisfaction of helping others that burns within me. living compassionately and making the world a better place is what most of us dream about, but seldom rarely put forth that idea and make it happen. but i guess this news coverage on UNHCR is something new to most readers, hahaha, anyone would have thought Giorgio Armani to be an Ambassador? i doubt most of you would know that.

=) i'll be back with more news soon. if not just check out the website for UNHCR, and lets play our part in making this world a better place, with smiles and not frowns. =)

"La Storia"

comm谷nt 芍llez vous? as the french would go... lol... wonder how is everyone? feeling recharged or simply just exhausted from studying or working?

"sometimes actions are misintepreted and many people think otherwise, when will people understand to be discerning and clear in thoughts?"

i'm so ready to take on the world all alone after 2 fiasco. both have moulded me in a manner even i myself is in a rude shock to understand. all i can say for better or for worse, its my life and i'm taking all the chances i have left. clearly its an impact that i'm taking it with me for life.
~~~~~~~~

bright sunny saturday morning, so disappointing, coz i won't be going to seaspray, coz its going to rain over there. =(

"La Storia"

its thurs morning, a bright and sunny day greets me. but here i'm stuck in my room, hope to go out there and absorb some fresh air and sunny sunshine... hahaha

probably go to the back yard and read some books later. actually was thinking to have it now... oh wellz...cheers people, enjoy your day =)

"La Storia"

assignment are a constant hazard, as i struggle to finish up my 2nd last assignment. damn it. can somebody just screw things up alittle!

just took time off and explored some of my friends' blogs. as usual, i'm tickled by Jac's ever great blog entries, alittle bit turned off by the lack of update in Zyan's but still enjoy his background music, excited by the changes in nette's, groove to the goo goo max by eadwine's great photography skills in his, constantly amused by our favourite and spontaneous Geraldine, like the 2 cents worth in Kijin's, happy to see Samson all excited and happy in his, and many others like Stacey's, Samantha's etc...

oh wellz...back to mugging the books...

back to being all home alone today...again... =(

wish i was back in west house 49...

"La Storia"

its the 28th of september, 2nd day of the one week semester break for uni. it sure doesnt feels like having a break at all. assignments are really crapping up our lives. oh manz...

back to reality, lets face it, assignments do suck. studies do suck sometimes, no matter how much i love studying. lets hope that desire doesnt burn out soon. hahaha

its been how many days since i left singapore? i'm left staring at the calendar, looking at the months and counting the days. i'm away for nearly 9 months. it seems so long ago, but yet it seems so fast. time really do pass by real quick. i want to have more of a university life.

wonder if i could study and work, or study and don't work...hmmmmm must be really rich to do that. oh wellz...... =) i'm glad to have done something in life... graduating soon anywayz.

"La Storia"

what a chill out saturday! great fun! my lazy saturday morning was reintroduced into a burst of life with a road trip! wellz, headed off to the countryside of drouin for a fruit farm introduction with my mates, yan.c, yan.y and irene. was expecting to see some berries, but alas no such luck but had some experience on citrus fruits instead.

our next destination was really to bring the gals to see the nicest tulips we have seen in years. probably not as nice as when i first saw them, but really had fun taking loads of pics. (will upload some of them into webshot for all to see) and on the way there we picked up irene's friend, leng (ok dun really know how to spell)..hahahaha

our final destination was really the highly anticipated Melbourne Royal Show, at Flemington racecourse showgrounds. well on a great saturday, nothing beats getting the showbags we want and catching a glimpse of what the whole of victoria has to offer. was quite surprise at the smaller scale of this event. but it was all good, less of a traffic jam and clutter.

waited for the whole evening for the one thing the gals have been promised by me and yan.c.... superb fireworks! well we were not dissappointed at all. it can't be compared to those major events' firework display, but to witness something like that on a great day already was something just unique. well the day was highly eventful, had great fun and company.

reach home on the same night, and i slept like a pig....ZZZZzzzz....

"La Storia"

the day draws near, the month is nearing the end... how shall i go forth into my future? i'm in a pleasant mood. =)

the morning is fresh and the night's sleep was fantastic, but the moment i twitch my brain cells alittle whilst sitting down here, the dreaded word ....'assignment' comes into mind....hahahaha oh wellz...looks like i gotta get it over and done with by tonite.

i'm off for my long awaited and alittle bit out dated and procrastinated date with the roads this morning. hmmm tackling the road will be quite difficult today. i wonder how would i do. nahhhhh i have that confidence but cautious to be aware of my weaknesses. so gotta brush it up. ok off for it now. wish me luck... yikes =p

"La Storia"

not too good, just taken ill this morning, dun feel too well and had a splitting migraine in the morning, lol and i look like a bird-brain, melissa can vouch for that when she commented on my hair just now at the meeting, hahaha and VJ had to give me that look of his... hahahaha, oh man, i think i'm in the worse shape.

i've got 2 assignments due and "overdued". i'm starting the first one, hoping to finish the 2nd one by sunday. i realise the burden on my shoulders are heavy already. there's so much things i will be forced to decide, my future looks like crapz.

"oh wellz, crapz it maybe, plough the roads i must,
earth that bind the feet, sky is out of reach,
flock in the direction, blind as the bat,
only to see a glimmer..."

"La Storia"

and as the day trickle by, i shared the joy with my fabulous housemates and family yan.c & yan.y of another day well spent and things achieved ...hehehe great day today i tell you. dinner was a sumptuous lotus soup, stewed chicken, spicy tofu and top it off with ice creams and coca cola... hahahaha

hmmmm i guess life can only get better or worse in some cases.

"La Storia"

so the story ends for one of my fav. australian idol contestant... lol oh wellz... still got courtney, ricki and anthony... hahaha

kinda feelz sadz for the idol contestants, especially with the amount of pressure they going through. though i'm not in such a position to feel or say anything bout that, but sort of can see? feel? perceive that feeling... oh man...

oh well, back to the drawing board for me, back to the assignment writing and back to the busy busy planning schedule.

"La Storia"

well it seems like the year is about to draw to a close. in the blink of an eye, i'm standing right here in the middle of september. spring is in its full bloom.

alot of decisions have to be made. alot of questions need to be answered. problems to be solved. i'm looking forward to meeting them all soon. i'm not daunted by those things, but rather excited and alittle nervous. =)

i've put in alot of thought during the past 10 days. i see light in what had happened. i'm ready to move forward alittle bit faster. scale to new heights and prove myself wrong.

"La Storia"

exhausted. the road trip to get stuff done for the upcoming events was truely beyond imagination, who would do such a thing... only 2 jokers. listening to tamil pop...listening to crappy radio stations... kiling antz... and driving the car down like some punk kids, with big logos attach to the sides. oh wellz...

"La Storia"

one word to sum it all up for today....


~Fantastic~

"La Storia"

what is in the past scares me now....as the hour approach, i'm running and hiding away from it all. what happened more than 3 years ago still haunt me deep in the heart. images from then cripple me during my sleep. will the heart ever learn to forget? why is my heart still heavy?

i have to face the situation and live. the desire burns within to give up and escape. where does my heart desire? can i think clearly in this troubled world within.
~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Birthday To You.

"La Storia"

sometimes i wonder where does this feeling begins, since when my heart was poisoned? tired and worn out, apologies doesn't have the same effect. deep in my heart, a hatred brewing, how do i move on from this pain? from you, you broke my heart and tore it to pieces, stirring the hidden devil within. charred and blackened by hurt and pain, only the brightest heart of gold can penetrate that dusty chamber. bitterness so strong, forgiveness for reconciliation seems so impossible. your words in a letter only make it harder and pain forgotten re-lived. how do i then hold on the last ounce of goodness within to break loose from all this madness and chaos.

i found this somewhere by an unknown author, its just words to reflect but goes a long way to calm that soul down.

"IF"

"...if you plant honesty, you will reap trust,
if you plant goodness, you will reap friends,
if you plant humility, you will reap greatness,
if you plant perseverance, you will reap victory,
if you plant consideration, you will reap harmony,
if you plant hard work, you will reap success,
if you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation,
if you plant openness, you will reap intimacy,
if you plant patience, you will reap improvements,
if you plant faith, you will reap miracles,
but....
...if you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust,
if you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness,
if you plant pride, you will reap destruction,
if you plant envy, you will reap trouble,
if you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation,
if you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation,
if you plant greed, you reap loss,
if you plant gossip, you will reap enemies,
if you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles,
if you plant sin, you will reap guilt."

(Source: unknown author)

"La Storia"

i finally got the promises made returned. its really heart warming and to know that. maybe my answers were answered maybe the life after me was good. its been a one bumpy ride for me. feels like being a car rally race. =)

really great to see the trees and the flowers blooming. this means the Fruits! are coming soon. muahahahahaha. Peaches, Prunes and Nectarines! wahahahahaha

i know yan.c and yan.y did some potato planting, hmmm and i think we have a surprise package in the tomato plant. lol. i think this house is a farm! oh not forgeting the spring onion plant growing behind.

~~~~~~~~~~

not forgetting we had a great evening yesterday making our own roti canai! we had peanut butter, peanut butter and nutella, telor (egg), banana, planta (butter) and garlic flavoured rotis. lol spread with chicken rendang, chicken curry and tandoori chicken. well i can only say that 6 of us are stuffed! =)

~~~~~~~~~~

"someplace to go,
somewhere to flow,
someone in tow,
someone to hold,
something to know..."

"La Storia"

had a great chat with someone i barely knew yesterday, the wisdom and insight that person gave me, enhanced not only my understandings but widen my own perspectives. what seem to be only just a personal reflection can shake the grounds that laid all foundations.

past and present what does it matter? our situations are totally different. i criticise the manner of the past and some don't see it as constructive. i have to respect by showing humility and tact. in the other end of the spectrum my comments are seen to be destructive and to extract self praise.

angry past creeping up on us? or angry mob that have nothing to do but take it out on an issue? a bad case of PR? a bad case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time? i doubt it. if those who commented took notice i'm sure they will be proven wrong at anytime.

i'm just sitting right here by my window, gazing upon the flowers that are blooming, reflecting on issues that have come and gone by. its been a great time chatting with that person, and i have learned alot from it. i'm always wrong, they are always right. chin up and move on.

"La Storia"

somethings are hard to explain and of no use to explain. i guess i have to be humble and chin up. however just take into consideration, while i'm doing that, are those who criticise me doing that? have they reflected what they have done, their mistakes or achievements? lets not continue this relentless debacle of who did more than one another or what i should do or what i should have not. did you all not think that i have learned and grew from it?

if you still think what i did was wrong, don't make that same mistake as i did when you are in my situation. i know you all will never and thats good. for me this blog has been a source of argumenting my situation into perspective, to reflect and to recollect. what use is it to us now to harp and criticise each other on a past situation when right now we have already moved ahead? i receive my fair share of criticisms already and taken it with a pinch of salt.

i think all this is quite amusing for me... hahaha to see both sides of the coin in such a light hearted manner. maybe it was right for me to blog this sensitive issue here and gain feedback. i'm glad i did. all this will help me bridge the gap between both misunderstanding parties. now lets all work hard in closing that gap. =)

"La Storia"

just finish a 2 day in a row presentation, totally exhausted and drained out of brain juice. did some blogging that stirred a string of comments. oh well, what can i do or say? i'm glad just to have the fiercest of critics and the staunchiest of friends both have been great source of advice and inspiration.

i can only say this, my reflections about what i have blogged is my recollection and have no airs in it. i started writing on the basis of thanking those whom i had a wonderful experience with. i wish not to take credit and definitely don't deserve anymore than i deserved already. its a team effort, its the 'family' effort that i truely hold dearly to.

i have learnt to let my actions speak rather than words do the talking. i'm glad to have comments from gal, boy, noel, john, harvey, and fact. i have no intention to take your comments just as it is but will strive to improve on what i have done or failed to do. however if the six of you actually want to criticise me please stop using an alias. if you think i would consider all these comments to be a personal attack, you all have been truely mistaken and have not known the Richmond you all just scarcely know. if your comments derived from any frictions i had with you over time, i'm really sorry to have stepped on your foot to cause such a skirmish over these 2 days.

my dear friends your constant support and intentions will always be my pillar of strength and source of inspiration that i will translate into a constant, positive energy. alot of people underestimated me and misunderstood my actions.

~~~~~~~~~~~

humility, patience, loyalty, faith, courage and love. i learnt, i strived, i died and i lived for, only to be cast down upon a thousand fraction and crushed by the sombre waves. when oh when will i learn the true values of them all....

"La Storia"

cont'd from where i left off.....

yupz thats how i remembered my time in 2003 with 2 different sets of "family".

2004 began with renewed hope for me, as i started my 2nd term of presidency. however as the first 3 weeks passed i was disheartened by my own capabilities and failures to sustain.

my 3rd "family" included, Darrel, Samantha, Stacey, Samson, Zyan, Evon, Lyell, Yan Chyuan, Joo, Vanee, Sarah, Jason, Gaurav and Michael.

i remembered how we all started to plan for the year ahead. culture night was on the mind of all. maybe thats the reason why we were all exhausted. Darrel was our valuable vice president and now the current president, he's such a great character and never stops to impress me each time i worked with him. he has since taken over the torch from me and has done and even more impressive job than me.

Evon is new to the committee and was handed the toughest job we had in clearing up all the messed up finances. I was humbled by her dedication to solve our money problems. Vanee had this nice smile in each meeting that brought the meetings warmth and glow and was our welfare officer.

Sarah was my marketing research coursemate and my capable committee member. she single handedly accomplish things i gave her despite having to cope with 5 units in her final semester. i was impressed at her level of commitment and dedication even though she knew it will be all hard work and no rewards. its been an honours to meet someone like her, and its that character that touch my heart and drive me to push on.

Joo our big and super friendly member who hails from korea. he has impressed me with his credentials for organising the website but was only let down by the insincerity of the student union and IT dept for not giving us their best help.

ok here comes the best bit...my trio boys...great characters. great fun to be with. learnt alot from them too, Jason, Gaurav and Michael. hardworking lads but was really bogged down by their own studies and had not much time with us in the committee, but always rised up to the occasion and gave their best shot. =)

with the team in place and our time concentrated on making the event a success, we gave our best shot. i had not much of a say in the culture nite and most of the responsiblity fell onto our dear stacey who was terrified i supposed by the daunting task. she took it in her stride and gave it all. i was totally comforted by how samantha sacrificed her time off studies to give it all for the committee in arranging the culture nite. it brought me to tears each time as i took solace. i feel useless and helpless in the wake of organising such a big event. alot of them sacrificed their time to put up an event for the rest of the student population. deep down i tried to escape from the responsiblity.

it has become a burden for me as my path was filled with obstacles i tried to climb and to overcome. it would seem useless and uneventful to challenge myself to beat the odds. i gave up. there was alot of pressure on me to handle both student affairs, my own personal affair and family. well i guess looking back at it, i have grown and learnt alot from my dealings, mistakes and achievements.

personally i took up alot of 'beatings' from my closest friends here, their valuable criticism drove me up the wall. i had to take action but was only buckled under the pressure of affairs of the heart. i didnt take it well and exercise caution as my failing health was at risk. yet the biggest critics were my staunch supporters and gave me every help needed to get things right again.

i decided long before we held our elections that i would step down. i know its no use moving on in that capacity i held. i deeply regret stepping into the fray of student politics, but was deeply honoured by those who gave their continued support. and in some shocking fashion i must say i handed the baton to darrel to carry on the work we have all set to achieve from generations.

i knew i would draw heavy criticism for making such a sloppy change and for all the negative outlook i had for ISA. if i have to then, i will bear that burden for ISA and all the students that it represent. in reflection after all this time, i realise all good leaders will strive their best and this is one area i failed badly.

come this semester, i witness a big change, a new team under the leadership of darrel and Vj. they moved things faster than i did. they had make huge gains in organising the committee and enhancing the the reputation. i'm so impressed with their work rate.

this team consist of darrel, VJ, evon, stacey, melissa, clayton, samson, rachel, lyell, mufaro and abraham. i'm sure they will do very well and improve on what many generations of ISA committee has done so far. they have proven track records and though some of them are new to job but already has shown good capabilities. i've been impressed by the standards of their activities and publicity. lets see how this semester ends...as i close my chapter with ISA and move on.

an honour, an opportunity to work with people i knew just only and become part of a family that has guided my path throughout this university life.

this is my story, a story i hold so dearly in my heart and to share with my family and friends. its been a wonderful learning experience, a wonderful time and beyond my wildest imaginations.

"La Storia"

happy for ISA! yippie... just can't ignore the fact that i have to praise those who have fought hard and kept it going after all this years...

it started off with the team i first knew...somewhat a makeshift team
we had sherman, sangee, ee san, debbie, lynette, melissa , stacey, zyan, jaime and myself...

imagine 10 of us having it up and running for 2003 sem 1. after how the previous president threw the gauntlet down to sherman, with nothing to work with... hahaha kinda scrappy and fun i must say...

i had that same thing coming when i took over... most of them graduated... sherman never knew what to do in handing stuff over...i was shell shocked as the new president... i only had zyan as my only remaining committee. jaime moved campus. and eventually we had yan chyuan on board even before the new semester started... things were gloomy for us...

student participation was at the lowest in all times....ISA almost ceased to exists... support was at its all time lowest and our reputation was just so...

kick starting something almost dead is like mission impossible...i had to work doubly hard sacrifice hours at home with my then west house 49 family on coming out ideas and innovations to reinvigorate ISA back up.

things were dim in my eyes...i see myself as a failure. a failure that ISA might fall and go under my leadership. try i might i was speculating alot on the future of ISA. this was a test for me. an obstacle i had to take, it was my baptism of faith and strength. taking courage i took the plunge and set forth with just the 3 of us in driving seat to move ISA back into the driving gear.

jaime before leaving gave us her last contribution to the future of ISA... our newsletter theme name, Mosaic. a wonderful name to describe our cultural and racial diversity within this small campus. i was thrilled and so was zyan and yan.c.

we started off what seems sloppy now but the best idea we could come up with then. our first newsletter to call for new blood into the ISA committee. we took this into our first new week of the semester. praying that our prayers and hope will be answered.

a few students came forth and took the challenge. the challenge to bring ISA back up to its feet and be a true student body for all international student. it was hardwork for us all and they took it with great faith.

my family within only came now... samantha, stacey, puifong, zyan, yan chyuan, samson, sue, melanie, lyell, michelle and zeliha. my first baptism of fire for leadership, for a direction to serve and to dedicate. i have not seen any better dedication than this team. we had our highs and lows...we had our funs and crapz...

working from scratch. we work to organise our functions. we work to organise activities for our students. we work to improve relations with others. we had alot to do. i took the bold initiative to change the committee structure and introduced new positions. probably we always had a good laugh about it back then and now...about how i ruled with an iron fist? like a dictator? hahaha well we don't really had a choice.

samantha was our lovely secretary who used her experience to revamp the book keeping system and its still being used even today. stacey our hardworking activities officer was really daunted by her job but took it with stride and produced many great activities that are still in our memories.

puifong my housemate, my personal advisor, our great finance officer, under my constant naggin and supervision used her accounting skills to sort out our finances and did some new changes to how we track our money...it sort of become our foundation. zyan our ever talented activities turned publications officer (becoz stacey dowan to be publication officer hahaha), he had a very big hand in producing the best collections of ISA newsletter in all time i deem, a true work of art and something hard to reproduce considering the kind of resources we had back then.

yan chyuan, our webmaster back then, tried his best to deliver but was hampered only by the lack of input from us all and the lack of resources but he gave us knew insights into our webpage and how to get it up. samson my mooo mooo public relations officer, a true gem, hard working and willingness to learn and gain new experience, brought a new dimension and his infectious laughter into meetings and activities.

sue was part of our new generation of committee members otherwise known back then as general committee members (now its known as executive committee officers.) she had the bubbly cheer each time and did her best to help out and contribute ideas. melanie, my sista, my team member, a tall personality (considering she is tall for a gal) hehehe, contributed alot into this committee with ideas and hard work.

lyell our senior and trusty advisor and member of the committee, a lecturer by day, and a cape crusader with us by evening during meetings...hahahaha. michelle member of the committee, was hardworking and a valuable asset to us during her time with us and contributed alot into laying the foundations. zeliha our welfare officer, a constant smile and contribute to helping solve student problems, and was our belly dancing queen hahahaha.

well this was the team that got me craving for more and dedicating to something worthwhile. this will be cont'd tomolo... hahaha

"La Storia"

hmmm lately i have not showcase my "une nouvelle" already....will do it over the weekend...have been really busy with my double presentation over the 2 days...really drained out of brain juice already... must add some fresh "relaxation" time into the body before i climb the next hurdle...

A 2000 and 3500 ESSAY DUE NEXT WEEK!!!!!! ARGHHHHHHH

ok...hahaha had pizza today with yan.c and yan.y... lol aussie special...hmmmmm going to have some for snack later...

well from now til friday evening its relaxation time...so if anyone wants to join me...just buzz me...if not i'm off to the world of the Gunbound...wakakakaka =)

"La Storia"

damn it damn it damn it...why why why... crazy week crazy timetable crazy study load...all in this two weeks.... and i'm loving it loving it.... =p

can i wrangle someone's neck now? need to destress...10 hrs from now, i hope to give my individual presentation on gender relations within the family and how it actually proliferates into the wider society. damn it....how how how....after a draining day on wednesday with all the classes and presentation preps...i dun think i can last another day without sleeping...crazy!

ok i think i shall sleep. and just wreck my final semester with a lousy sociology of family and generations result...hahahahaha you think i would????

ok back to work...everyone take care and study hard lor...

"La Storia"

such a pity... a fine individual blinded by others... and led astray by those around... when will that person ever learn? well i'm praying everyday and attending church to know how to find that strength and courage to move hearts. its so difficult. its almost impossible. i knew someday this will happen coz i read that heart like a book...that stony heart. that cold fallen heart...

~~~~~~~~~

a busy week for me. can someone wrangle my lecturers necks...hahaha well...at this very moment i miss being with someone. i'm at the stressful peak of my day with presentation materials to prepare. i've not taken my dinner yet. the body is moving slowly.

oh come on Richmond you can snap out of it. =)

well...i'm sure some of us will have that stupid damn day like mine somewhere along the days and the weeks and the months and years and decades, well i dun think we can make it centuries though =p (though i wish i could)

"La Storia"

well...a nice day to begin with...went for class...it rained no doubt but yet its the kind of weather that is great for sleeping...nah... i went ahead to make my roti canai and telor...well it came up well for a beginner...hope to make it crispier next time round...well off to sample it in my own domain now...tata...feast your eyes on these man..(sorry for the blur image...haha to protect industrial secret mah...yah right) =P

"La Storia"

well what a day for me...off to church as usual...then headed to for my marketing grp thingy...well it lasted from 12 noon to just about 1030pm just NOW!!!! hahaha crazy stuff i tell you... there were 3 heads going nuts in the room just trying our best with this presentation thingy...

well...i'm sure we will be very satisfied with what we did...oh brudder...that tells me i've gotta start on my other sociology presentation for thursday coming....damn it...

well off to do more research and chill out with some new songs...hahahaha

oh by the way if the pics you can't see them go to my webshot link...its all in there... =)

"La Storia"

hmmmm the time of the year where the Tulip Farm and the trip to the Royal Melbourne Show is at hand...

great fun at the showground...had the tatoo back then and had loads of fun checking out the showbags, animals and stuff...really a annual event worth going to... we did go last year and there will be another one after all, this year... too bad no one is organising a trip there... well we will be making the trip down ourselves then... so just check it out pple... here are some pics





Royal Melbourne Show

Ticket Prices are:

(at the entrance)
$20 for adults
$10 for child
$15 for concession
$10 senior

(after 5pm or a.k.a after dark)
$15 for adults
$8 for child
$12 for concession

(group bookings for 10 tickets or more)
$16 for adults
$9 for child
$13.50 for concession








Tulip Festival

Ticket Prices are:

Adults: $14.00
Concession: $12.00
Children (under 16): Free, if accompanied by adults.
Groups: $9.50 per adult in pre-booked groups of 10 or more

"La Storia"

ok...the day pass by slowly... i did pratically absolutely definitely nothing... =(
i just laze it away eating going to gym, eating and sleeping...well i think i needed the break...hahahaha.....eating cheesecake now...and its yum yum yum

well later in the night i will start my work... another busy and hectic week for me coming up, so i better move along with the already piling up workload...hahahahaha

i'm ready to RUMBLE!!!!!!! grrrrrr..... =)

"La Storia"

what can one do? i'm not too sure... i'm in a limbo rock now... a decision i have to make...so far yet so near... to do or not to do is the question...

i want to excel and i want to be the best, yet hampered by only the one thing that drives this world... what shall i do? who shall i turn to for advice for help? must i give up and plunge into the world i so dread...

let me see whether i can change the situation =)

i have no explanations i have no answers, only just questions...
~~~~~~~~~~

somethings are hard to explain. i'm disappointed twice in my life. both of which i placed trust and place faith in it, tried very hard to nurture and explore, learn and grow in it. yet i'm left only with an answer that don't seem to say much... promises broken, words not kept and actions otherwise... i've gotta get away and the worse bit is i can't forget... no matter how much i try to forget, it keeps on coming back to haunt me...things happen for a reason

i can only cleverly disguise so much of my heart...otherwise its just another rotten place to be at now...hahaha =p

"La Storia"

some dreams are real some dreams are not...how bout dreams of the past? i dreamt of a past event that happen nearly 2 years back ....of someone i just knew alittle bit better recently...after all this time...

timeless dreams, countless events...

~~~~~~~~~~

just had dinner, just had badminton, just had a glass of wine, now i'm alittle stoned, confused and needing help......today just passed by as though nothing ever happened....kinda scary....

"La Storia"

a brand new day of the month... a brand new start for many... some of us starting out a new beginning as another chapter closes... and it has been good for some of us and some of us are feeling down...

but for me today it started on a worse day of the week hahahaha...can faintz man... wednesdays are the worst day of my week... well i guess evon and stacey can share in this sentiment...hahaha

well a plus for me today is the improvement in ISA. the association is improving every step along the way(and i'm glad that i was part of it every step of the way, while i was here in gippy...) today's news are all good news for me...criticisms and praise are constructive points for the committee to learn and grow... and i'm saying those who are in it are maturing and growing each day as we tackle problems (not only just ISA but our own problems) there is no explanation, it really took me by surprise...

i never expected that i could drive something for so long, 2 years of pure hard work, working along side with the best, the funniest, the most hardworking, the craziest and lovable bunch of student volunteers. its an achievement. its a bright spark.

crazy it seems...but my time in this campus is finally coming to a close, as i move on to another chapter in my life. a sense of satisfaction, a sense of contribution and nothing is in vain. i'm sure all those who know what i have done will acknowledge that. =)

"Une Nouvelle"

Flowers


Name: The botanical name is Helianthus. The Greek word "helios" means sun and "anthos" means flower.
Origin: South and West of the USA.
Colour: Most sunflowers are bright yellow with dark brown centres, but varieties are appearing now which have tan, orange, maroon or striped petals, and green-yellow centres. Some are even without the central disc, but are fully covered in petals instead.
Trivia:
Facts: Sunflower stems were used to fill lifejackets before the advent of modern materials. Low-pollen sunflowers have been developed in recent years which not only helps asthma sufferers, but extend the flower's life
Language of Flowers: The dwarf sunflower means "adulation".
Medicinal: The sunflower is grown for the seeds and oil it produces.Each mature flower yields 40% of its weight as oil.
History: The flower was cultivated by North American Indians for many years as a food crop The nutritional value is still the main reason for growing it in many parts of the world. Only recently have we begun to grow sunflowers for decorative reasons..

Food Facts

ever wondered what your body does with your dinner? after a meal it begins to divide all that kilojoules among your organs...

10% to the kidneys
10% to no one really knows where this goes...
5- 10% to the heart
10% to the brain
10% to thermogenesis (to break down what you just ate)
25% to the muscles
2-3 % to fat cells
23% to the pancreas, liver, spleen and adrenal glands...

well there you have it...

so the next step is to give you all a great recipe to try out....hahahaha

Recipe



The corn coulis also pairs nicely with pork tenderloin, shrimp, or grilled chicken.
Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 45 min

ingredients:
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
4 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup corn (from 2 large ears)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/2 lb plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
30 large sea scallops (2 1/2 lb total), tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary

preparations:
Cook shallot and garlic in 2 teaspoons oil in a small skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add corn, basil, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender and beginning to lightly brown on edges, about 4 minutes. Add milk and scrape up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then remove from heat.
Pur谷e corn mixture in a blender at medium speed until very smooth, about 1 minute. Force pur谷e through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, pressing hard on and then discarding solids. Cover coulis until ready to serve.

Toss tomatoes with parsley and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.

Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saut谷 half of scallops, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Saut谷 remaining scallops in same manner.

Reheat coulis over low heat, covered, then spoon 2 tablespoons onto center of each of 6 plates. Arrange 5 scallops per plate in a circle on coulis, then spoon tomatoes into center.

Each serving contains about 222 calories and 5 grams fat.

Makes 6 servings.
(By Epicurous.com)

"La Storia"

well, everything is go go go, so far so good...heading off to the gym in awhile and hope to be doing some really beneficial exercises and weight lifting.

the day really started off slow for me...was doing the ISA elections stuff, all are in place and lets see who will come forth and lay their commitment and dedication to serving at the highest level of the student body for international students. hmmm so far the response is good...at least to me...better than nothing...

got down to doing my assignments for the next 2 weeks, of which all of them are killer papers and presentations.... was really happy today also...but keeping it to a few selected people to know...hehe...glad that i finally get to this point in life...ok will keep updating and the "Une Nouvelle" bit will be out later tonite... au revoir people.

"La Storia"

well alot of stuff happened over the weekend. lets see, zyan went MIA over saturday...and i was like frantically looking for him...had great company over the weekend too. had irene to accomany me to gym to work out when zyan was busy with his lab block. had yan chyuan, yan yan and zoe accompany for dinner on sunday...hmmmm claypot rice, char siew, seaweed soup and cheesecake...we are stuffed. watched the movie "along came polly" again with missy...

now i'm rushing to do the poster for ISA elections...most of it is done...just need to click the "print" button...hahaha not the way i want the poster to be like...coz it sucks i think...well....this is just the first poster...really have to cramp loads of info in there...so i got no choice...but the subsequent ones will be better....ok now off to uni...

back home around 530pm...changed and was off to deliver somethings before heading to the gym to workout again...pushed alittle harder today and was feeling good with it...slowly but surely gaining back all my lost physique and strength...came back and had a turkey steak dinner...yum yum but had to prepare to head off for marketing grp meeting...oh brudderrrr....

now i'm home and goin to chill out with music and relax... adios amigos, au revoir =P

"La Storia"

wake. breakfast. gym. make liang cha. deliver liang cha. lunch. chat. sleep. olympics. dinner. chat. wel....this is about it....for now...

listening to some really heart pounding and inspirational instrument stuff mp3 at the moment...hahaha (hopefully

my workout at the gym have paid off dividends. i'm fitter (i think so, can feel it somehow), stronger (slowly getting back to where i left off), toned up the body and well i'm feeling great from it too...

=) *grinz*

well dinner was super full ...beef rendang, bak kut teh, green bean soupie... wanna explode already hahaha...but was delicious...hmmmmm =) thanks to both person who let me taste the nice soups...

well now i'm home...all aching from a whole week of intensive gym training...but somehow feeling super fit...well contradiction.... =p

"La Storia"

lovely weather, timely treasures. looking around me as spring blossom into something fresher. past memories seems lovely, painful, sad and happy...

well somethings i said before did come through and true... to regret now for those who didnt listen, well...there is nothing you can do... i'm happy that my convictions and foresight was right, sad that something purely innocent was taken... but a lesson learnt is a lesson earned. grow with it and you'll be alright...

only time will tell that other things i said would come true... only then we know who is right or wrong... till that time comes...i'm learning to enjoy every moment, my patience and determination has turned bitterness into sweetness. only those who understand this virtue will reap its reward...

i'm smiling =)

"La Storia"

some thoughts for today, does responsibility sounds terrifying to everyone? i think so at times, and its this challenge that made me a fighter. i wonder, do people consider the responsibility part before taking up or doing something? from being a leader to raising your children or having a pet....well i guess we will only know when we are in it...some people suck at it, some people are good at it...

well lately i have been drawn into a world, a world with only me and my room. a simple me and a simple room. what goes on out there beside those things that are important to me, i do not know. i'm packed to the max with stuff to keep me occupied all the time. i have wasted a bit of the time back then looking and seeking an answer that i'll never get from someone. but right now i am looking at how silly my critics look now...guess they are being confused...their own world falling apart...i guess what goes around comes around....karma? retribution? i'm not too sure, but i'm surely praying about it and hope that their lives will turn out good too...

i know how it feels to be down...so its no use putting people down...never do unto others what others do to you, put yourself in their shoes...and you will realise how bad it is...and how much pain you were going through...

"Une Nouvelle"

Asean a.k.a. Association of SouthEast Asian Nations. This regional body comprise of 10 nations,
Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and VietNam.

ESTABLISHMENT AND MEMBERSHIP

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by the five original Member Countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Laos and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999.

The ASEAN region has a population of about 500 million, a total area of 4.5 million square kilometers, a combined gross domestic product of US$737 billion, and a total trade of US$ 720 billion.

OBJECTIVES

The ASEAN Declaration states that the aims and purposes of the Association are: (i) to accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian nations, and (ii) to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

In 1995, the ASEAN Heads of States and Government re-affirmed that ※Cooperative peace and shared prosperity shall be the fundamental goals of ASEAN.§

Fashion




Facts

lonely hearts at risk?
loneliness and depression are bigger risk factors for heart diseases than stress, ranking just as high as smoking, high blood pressure and cholesterol, according to the National Heart Foundation. people who were socially isolated increased their chances of suffering from coronary heart diseases by as much as five times.
(hmmmm....)

"La Storia"

this is my story....

sleep 5am, wake up 830am, rush to uni, class at 9am til 12noon, break for lunch, library, class 2pm til 5pm, 530pm meeting til 830pm, badminton 840pm to 945pm, dinner 10pm, in front of computer, and WHAT THE FREAKING HECK AM I STILL AWAKE!!!!!!!!!

well i guess the body is about to collaspe from exhaustion...so i'm going to sleep now...adios people...

~~~~~~~~~~

"Flowers are a perfect replica of human life: planting, growth, bloom and withering. I guess flowers say it best from birth to death." -- Jim Moretz

"La Storia"

just got back from marketing group meeting...well not really tired yet...but YES i'm starving...have been hitting the gym lately and increasing my fitness training...well so that also means a healtier appetite wahaha....everything is looking great so far...

just now was on the way back with stacey from the meeting, and guess what we saw a koala bear just crawling slowly from the road to the trees, just along our houses... well a beautiful night capped with a special appearance from our cute friend there...its been wonderful lately =)

well i'm going to hit my marketing books now...sheeesh....
(entry 1.15am on 25th august)

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marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing marketing

kill me please.... =(

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well off to gym to thrash things out... =) go away stupid marketing...grrrrrrr

"La Storia"

what was my day like? a very busy one indeed. well it went like this....wake up. breakfast. classes. booth. lunch. readings. computer. gym. dinner. movie. blog. study...and now....

well just a passing thought i just had...kinda feel stupid after what had happen to me...never knew it could be this hard. 乾�襞疶侉衈衈�...thats how i will put it... maybe its just bad karma for me...something i did and i was punished.

well the punishment is good and i guess making me concentrate on helping others is good too...well....i'm off to do my readings for marketing which is giving me a big headache. guess i will sleep early and wake up for my jogs and study after tat...well gdnites people....

"Une Nouvelle"

Alzheimer's disease

Definition
Alzheimer's disease is a group disorders involving the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. It is marked by progressive deterioration, which affects both the memory and reasoning capabilities of an individual. It has no cure and the only way is to better manage it.

The onset and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are usually very slow and gradual, seldom occurring before the age of 65. It occurs in the following three (3) stages:

Stage 1: forgetfulness, poor insight, mild difficulties with word-finding, personality changes, difficulties with calculations, losing or misplacing things, repetition of questions or statements and a minor degree of disorientation

Stage 2: memory worsens, words are used more and more inappropriately, basic self-care skills are lost, personality changes, agitation develops, can't recognize distant family or friends, has difficulty communicating, wanders off, becomes deluded and may experience hallucinations

Stage 3: bedridden, incontinent, uncomprehending and mute

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bon app谷tit

creamy tofu salad sandwich


This looks and tastes like egg salad, even though it's made with tofu. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min

1 (14-oz) package firm tofu, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Accompaniments: sandwich bread; lettuce leaves; sliced tomato

Finely mash tofu with a fork in a bowl, then let drain in a sieve set over another bowl, about 15 minutes (discard liquid).
While tofu drains, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, turmeric, and mustard in bowl, then stir in tofu, celery, chives, salt, and pepper.

Makes 4 servings
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rose




Name: Botanical name Rosa

Origin: China and now cultivated from America to Africa and from Eastern Europe to the Far East.

Colour: Available in every colour except blue and true black.

Availability: All year round and probably the best known and best-loved flower in the world.

Varieties: For extra scented roses, look for 'Sterling Star' (lilac), 'Jacaranda' (blue-pink), 'Osiana' (peach-cream), 'Sterling Silver' (lilac) and 'Extase' (pink).

Care Tips: Limp roses can be revived by standing up to their necks in lukewarm water in a cool room. Do not bash the stems as this prevents them taking up water effectively. Don't remove thorns unless for a hand-held posy, as these can cause wounds where bacteria can enter. They have a vase life of around a week but can last even longer.

Trivia:Facts: In the 19th century old scented roses were used to make jelly. The red rose is the symbol of England and is worn on St George's Day. It is also the symbol of love and is hugely popular on St Valentine's Day, when roses make up the largest proportion of the ?22 million spent on flowers in the UK on this day.

Medicinal: The crusaders when defeated by Saladin in Jerusalem returned to the west with rose plants which were then cultivated by monks in their monastery gardens for their medicinal properties. Rose water was successfully used to cure all kinds of ailments, such as trembling, constipation, drunkenness, skin and throat infections and insomnia. There is some truth in this as we now know Rosa rugosa hips contain high levels of Vitamin C. Indeed, rosehip tea is often recommended in pregnancy. Rose oil can reduce high cholesterol levels. Roses are used in face toners and perfume and are one of the most effective anti-ageing ingredients.

History: Not surprisingly the Rose has always featured strongly throughout history.

"La Storia"

had a wonderful dinner at samson's place just now...hmmm thanks again dude...it was well done...hope to have the same steak dinner again soon...muahahahaha... well other than the dinner appointment, i was at church, singing my guts out...haha oh well....anyway hopefully i won't miss the saturday weekend mass next week...well yes if some people you are wondering, i'm attending church services everyday saturday evening and sunday morning...its for some silly reason and hopefully my determination in doing this will help answer my prayer for someone to be blessed in her life and that she will be well protected. =)

well its 3am right now, i'm stuck with my readings, stuck to the online world chatting and yes stuck to blogging too...hahaha

well i wont be putting up any articles today...tomorrow i will bring more news bulletin... =)

"La Storia"

well how many of us have been heart broken? well i'm guessing alot... i'm one of them, but i will stand up again. all of my strength is gone, but i've been rebuilding it. i will come back stronger and prove my critics wrong. everything inside me back then is wanting you and needing you and i'm so in love with you...but from now on its not going to be like this...

i have long been mislead and confused by this and by love...i found my guiding strength out of this already. i'm going back to where i'm truely needed.

its this fighting spirit and determination that got me thru' times as low as this... and it will get me thru' this one too... those were also the things that once attracted your attention.
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if anyone wants to join me in helping others...please join the United Nations Volunteers online volunteering programme. they require expertise on alot of things...from website design, photography to even auditing... and i know some of you who read my blog are expert in some of these fields. lets all work together hand in hand to make this world a better place. =)

and for all my fellow singaporeans there is the National Volunteer and Philanthropy which you could volunteer when you are back home.

if you all realise only the average person will work half their life, try to make it good and be happy...but those who are brilliant are those who make it big in their lives, help others lead a brilliant life and are leaders in their own fields respectively.

well not everyone likes Bill Gates...but he as a billionaire he don't forget others...he donates more than half of his wealth into charity programmes organised by the Gates Foundation, and to vaccine programmes as well as to aids and polio treatment. some people might say his microsoft company is a monopolistic one and his critics maybe harsh...but have they mentioned his charitable act? what made him give half his wealth to charity??? to avoid taxes?? maybe...but why give taxes and be absorb into a country where most of the money goes into the pockets of lazy individuals who make use of the 'dough' system. when the money can be better spent on people who really need them. if you say his rich, he can afford to give...yes but he worked hard for it and he deserve to be rich. if you can't do that don't complain. try giving half you earned so hard to charity...maybe then you will understand...(this is just a simple example and may not be accurate, all of it are my personal thougths)

"La Storia"

had a tiny weeny mini, affair with the floor today...well i was magnetically stuck to the floor for a short period of time...no matter how much i tried to get out of its grip...the floor had this huge force over me...weighs a ton over me...well after half an hour or so of strugglin i finally broke free... well what a heart wrenching moment for me...

well...just wanna comment on the most powerful women in the world...for me i think the most powerful women might be them in the list...but well the scariest of them all...wahahaha *drumroll*....tada...yes if you have guess it...IT'S MY MUM! hahahahaha

haha =p

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well i have to get on with my tight schedule...and i'm kinda behind time...i think i need a personal assistant soon...gotta get my other half soon to run my life on time... hehe any takers? =p

just kidding...i'm going to get moving now...so well to all who read my blog...enjoy your evening...and in french i would say..."bonsoir" good evening..... =)

"Une Nouvelle"

Nato
it is an alliance of 26 countries from north america and europe, its main purpose is to champion the ideology of freedom, democratic values, provide and maintain security, resolve all disputes peacefully and create a economic link between the member states.

member states are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Rep, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.

world facts
top 10 most powerful women in the world:
1. Condoleezza Rice
2. Wu Yi
3. Sonia Gandhi
4. Laura Bush
5. Hillary Rodham Clinton
6. Sandra Day O'Connor
7. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
8. Megawati Sukarnoputri
9. Gloria Arroyo
10. Carleton Fiorina

(source forbes.com, 2004)

others

"La Storia"

well...its 930 am right now...i'm feeling great for the morning, had a good fitness train up just now...feeling really 'up' there now...well hopefully the rest of the day will be even better...

=)

well this is the afternoon bit of my life today...had a meeting with Lyell and Rachel in the morning...got the pics i wanted to redevelop, well also had lunch with Lenore and Sheali just only and oh boy we are stuffed... now i'm about to head off to do my appointments and later to the radio to DJ with the rest...well hopefully going to be a wonderful evening later...haha ok will be back to update more later...seeya

ok this is the evening update...haha well did go for radio..it was kinda fun but i was too tired...and had other things on my mind...well i'm in the thinking mode right now...with all the sensitive feelers all out and scanning for answers...hahaha

just finish my marketing meeting with stacey...well we were confused by our assignment but finally solved it with a phone call...well gotta thank darren for clearing our confusion...i think i going to collaspe again...whole day i have been running around and packing my schedule really tight...

my eyes are red and my heart bleeding...the strength is gone...the faith in that one thing i have been broken by someone...and it opened my eyes to see the world in a different and harsher light...i'm moving on and going to silence all my critics, and i will make them regret...

"Une Nouvelle"

health~
US researchers have found that eating fruits regularly may help ward off macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. those who consumed more than 3 or more servings of fruits per day have a 36 percent lower risk of developing macular degeneration. eating fruits not only helps you live longer and ward off age-related dieseases or illnesses to a certain extent. (wow, so lets all start a healtier lifestyle with fruits yah) (source Men's Health)


bon app谷tit





Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 5 1/2 hr (includes chilling)
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup whole milk
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons instant-espresso powder*
6 large egg yolks2 tablespoons sugar

Special equipment: 8 (4- to 5-oz) ramekins or pot de cr豕me cups
Garnish: bittersweet chocolate curls (see cooks' note, below)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300∼F.
Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream, milk, espresso powder (to taste), and a pinch of salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until espresso powder is dissolved, then pour over chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in another bowl, then add warm chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure and cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Line bottom of a baking pan (large enough to hold ramekins) with a folded kitchen towel and arrange ramekins on towel.

Poke several holes in a large sheet of foil with a skewer. Divide custard among ramekins, then bake custards in a hot water bath, pan covered tightly with foil, until custards are set around edges but still slightly wobbly in centers, 30 to 35 minutes.
Transfer ramekins to a rack to cool completely, uncovered, about 1 hour. (Custards will set as they cool.) Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.

Cooks' notes:? Pots de cr豕me can chill up to 2 days. ? To make chocolate curls, shave off curls from a piece of chocolate at room temperature using a vegetable peeler.

odds

Odds of developing alzhemier's: 1 in 16
Odds of being struck by lightening: 1 in 10,000,000
Odds of being in a plane crash: 1 in 1,000,000
Odds of having a royal flush: 1 in 649,739
Odds of becoming a millionaire in a casino: 1 in 600,000
Odds of being hit by an asteroid: 1 in 20,000
Odds of getting in a car accident: 1 in 7,000

"La Storia"

well just caught the movie Hellboy...it was alrite...kinda freaky and interesting...out of this world...but hey not a totally impossible future or isit already present amongst us? haha well all of you gotta watch the movie to find it out then...

life is just getting better each day, i know deep inside there my heart has a place for that someone...i can't deny that...but i can only pretend so much to move on...you know, i know that it is totally impossible for me...coz in me i can feel it, and when you know that everything will be good with that person you just know...somethings are impossible for us to control or do...this is something good...coz i know deep down i'm true to my heart and i lived the moment...and i'm enjoying every bit of it in memory...well thats the best of me... =)

"La Storia"

YEAH! i got the most important bit of my life settled already...woot woot...really really happy...brightens the day up...well i guess only samantha knows it so far (coz i met her at the post office) YEAH!

well i got some new fotos added onto my webshot...so go chk it out pple...all the gorgeous looking man and woman of our time...haha well almost all except me... =)

me off to never never land to celebrate a victory...