under attack!

My limbs are under attack. From insects. Cos the welts on my arms look suspiciously similar to sandfly bites.

Sometimes it gets really itchy. And they are only on my arms, just behind me shoulders and ankles. Ankles are the newest collection of itching welts.

I should take a few pictures and post it here, but it'll seem like some skin disease centre ad. Not too appealing.

But bloody hell, stop biting me!!! And just when summer is here too! I suspect may be all that going to the park thing. DAMN YOU ENGLISH INSECTS!!

Day before was in S's garden doing gardening (don't ask me why), and kena bitten by this blood sucking caterpillar/mosquito look-a-like. And after that it was just a red dot that spread from .05cm to about .1cm in diameter. S looked at it and said it's weird cos he's never come across it before.

grrrrr.

So may go to the medical centre and get some medication. Or maybe to Boots to get some cream, under the section isle of "cream for diseased".

Nose also peeling and red, I think it's eczema, but it's been there for about 2 weeks now.

Sigh. To have good skin.

On another note,... I miss my Ali G.

Keynesian Theory

If it was anything that came out of my education in Economics, it sure wasn't that of Keynes' theory of aggregate demand and supply (*gulp* got visuals of the graphs already). What I do remember of Keynes was his dismissal of all events in the long run.

And it struck me today, that that is sooooo true. With things changing so rapidly, what is permanent? Practically nothing.

Certainly not your job. Not all friendships...relationships? Hell no!

It's weird. I've always hated change, and I still do. But at this point in my life, where nothing is going to be what it is in 6 months' time, I've come to terms, albeit grudgingly, with this state of ephemeral confusion and chaos.

Makes me wonder that sometimes, should I just live for the moment and abandon all thoughts of "how will this affect me down the road? what long term thinking and investment? Should you invest long term in a career? In a relationship?

What's the point anyway? If it doesn't work - NEXT!

All that carpe diem crap does make sense and when things hit you good while you are carpe diem-ing... it is really good. And when shit hits the fan, so what? Things will all even out anyway.

So Mr. Keynes does have a point doesn't he?

"In the long-run, we're all dead"

things you never thought you'll do

For me, that is taking really long walks, sitting out in the sun, lying on the grass having a picnic. But those are exactly what I've been doing the past few weeks.

Took a really long walk from school to home. Was nearly 1 hour walk. (To see where I've covered, just follow the yellow brick road on map I've extracted from Google Earth*

Thanks to my new birkies, would have died without them. Sure, sure I know they are not the best looking of shoes, but in the right colour, and right design, (ie the Madrid, cos I have them dammit!) they can be fashionably cool and chic.

Though must say, the smell of sweat plus suede sure don't go together. Got a bottle of Scholl shoe odour spray from Boots today. Hope it works, or will have to do the horrid German fashion of socks with birkies! Fashion faux pas!













View of Bath Skyline from North Road


*Best invention on earth, after the air-conditioner and radiators. Costs you next to nothing to fly from UK to Singapore and BACK!

damn you jeans!

After 30 something years of pui-ness*, short-sightedness, shortness, fat arms, bow-leggedness, higher propensity towards:

- high blood pressure
- SLE
- diabetes
- heart problems
- stroke
- eczema

I have found another reason to curse the very existence of the double helix that have brought about my being.

I am starting to look like me sis! ARGGGHHHHH

All my life, most people have always said that we look different. But in recent years, people have started commenting that we're looking alike.

The first few comments I waved it off...then along came the pictures and even I thought that I looked like me sis... god forbid! Sure she has always been the prettier one... but I don't want to look like her! Muahahhaha We even have the same - one eye smaller than the other problem when we smile, comes out real obvious in pictures!!

Just like me dad and his bros, they've all merged into ONE LOOK. The Leo Brothers Look.

Scary.











Me, with new hair-do. Think me eyes look like L from Death Note. (cousin will know what I'm talking about.)


*While trying on my trusty ole' sisley jeans the other day, realised that the fly kept coming down. Initially tried to attribute it to a spoilt zip. But I think it's cos I've put on too much weight! Pui-ness: Hokkien and singlish-nised for fat-ness.

the pop effect

A closeup in the mirror revealed a little white spot. Using the edge of a tweezer, I prodded it and goodness gracious me...there was a little tail sticking out from the little pore opening.

The squishy, gelatinous, white head was like a little plug, plugging the pore. I raced to the bathroom, got tissue and then opened cupboard, which had a huge mirror in it.

With my face just 2 inches from the mirror, I examined the whitehead. And slowly but surely, I coaxed the little bugger to reveal more of himself in the open.

"Stop hiding and come out!" I said to him.

Blood and serum came gushing out from the surrounding sore tissue.

I eased its little tail in all directions, and used the edge of the tweezers to hold its tiny tail, then kiaped* it tight and "POP"! The white head was out!

The feeling was one kind of shiok.

Super shiok.

Last week, saw 3 pus-y spots on S's back.

"May I squeeze them? Please?"

"Alright, go on then." said S.

"Seriously?" I replied in disbelief, cos this was the first time he's allowed me to squeeze a spot.

And before he could change his mind, I hurriedly dragged him to the window for better light. Then drawing on my years of experience, I gently eased the pus out. It went POP.

Pus was green, semi solid. So shiok.














Me at North Parade Park on a Sunday afternoon. The life!

*Kiap: Onomatopoeia. Hokkien word for clasp

coffee?

So much so for being diligent and finishing work on time. I am done with my assignment, which is due on Monday. I finished it on this Wednesday. Which leaves me Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday free. Thursday and Friday was spent with S, so that kept me occupied. Saturday and today, Sunday I am so bored, cos all my friends are still on their assignments.

I've no one to ask out for coffee. S is busy car hunting and seems to think it's a guy's thing, so didn't bring me along. Can't ask friends out cos every is busy.

I should have gone London this morning.

Suddenly miss my coffee sessions with Geraldine, or Janet or Salinah. Or just driving by to the rascals' place to play with them. Or go hang out with my cousins. I don't ever recall being this bored and lonely before.

xxx break xxx

Just back from kitchen, just ate semi-cooked chicken... now feeling utterly sick in me tummy. Hope I don't get salmonella poisoning.

2 hongkies and a malaysian

2 Hongkies and 1 Malaysian popped into town today. It's Fanny, her mom and Fanny's hubby Walter.

It was really nice of them to pop into Bath, and fetched me from home. We did a roundabout to school, Roman Bath (Just the outside), Java, Circus, Royal Crescent and popped back to the City Centre for a walk.

It's so nice to meet people from back home... I miss THEM!!!!!! We talked, gossiped, and gossiped more about Mrs Lim, aka Pauline Peh. I do miss the bunch at work.

Fanny came on a fantastic day, the weather was so great, and the sun was hitting Bath in really beautiful light. Seeing Fanny's mom reminded me of me mom... wish she was here to see the spring flowers, I know she'll love them.

Anyway, today was actually warm. I was sweating!

Look at the tulips? Aren't they pretty? I think I shall develop some of the pictures of the flowers for my mom. :)

one a penny, two a penny...

hehehhe, Easter, what does it mean to you?

Bunnies, chocolates, easter eggs, and in this country, hot cross buns!

Always wondered what they were (I bet my cousin Yann did as well) cos the ladybird nursery rhymes book had that "Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns" and the illustration always looked so yummy.

Well here it is - it's raisins bun with some spice in it. When you toast it and put butter on it, ooooooooooooo sedap!* BTW, the cross on the bun doesn't taste of anything, in case you are like me, wondered my whole life...

Oh forgot there is Simnel cake as well. It's fruit cake with marzipan!!!!

Somehow the food for easter seems pretty much the repeat of Christmas. I mean look at the list:

Christmas - Easter
Minced pies - Hot cross buns
Fruit Cakes - Simnel Cakes
Chocolates - Easter Chocolates (same type except now egg shaped)
Mulled Wine - Cider/Beer/Wine

Not beri creative leh.

Mac is making a whirling sound. Back-up! Back UP!

*Can put peanut butter, jam, or PEANUT BUTTER N JAM! hmmmmmm

the grass is always greener

It's funny that at the start of the academic year, almost everyone I know in my class had hopes of staying on in the UK to work. But gradually one by one resolved either to go back to their home country or to leave the UK.

As for me, I still harbour hopes that I'll get a job offer here and stay on. Not just cos of the grass is greener idea, but the patch at home is stinking of cow shit. Just as the economy is recovering slightly the government (meaning the ministers themselves) wants to bump up its pay.

And why? Oh, becos earning $1.2million isn't enough for them. And nevermind that GST rate has and will increase, cost of living in recent years has shot up tremendously; and yet, they tell us to be contend with a "high" income of $4,500 a month? The basket of goods used to measure inflation probably hasn't changed since 1965. So by right, if $4,500 can get you a house, pay for your parents livings, living expenses, insurance, and dare we common folks even dare dream...a car(!) and still have money to save after all that, shouldn't $1.2 million be plenty for you?

I mean, pardon me but try living at that a take home salary of $4500 (less CPF) or less, and see if you survive a month. Oh maybe then I should be ever so grateful as to get the 80% government subsidised housing that I am staying in?

Ooooo Honestly, what will I do without the government?

They talk about creating jobs for 3.something million people, and giving another 1.3 million jobs to others.

Where were you when I needed my job?...Oh I forget, creating jobs for the other 1.3 million other people.

Catherine Lim wrote that the government should not just compare their salaries with the private sector, but with other highly efficient and uncorrupted government. And indeed they should. But would they? I think not.

So, with any given chance to get out of that shithole I will. If you want that tiny island to grow to a population of 6 million, you're very welcome to, cos I want no part in this nepotic, egotistic, autocratic, socialist madness.

£200 poorer

Okay, here's the verdict on Bicester Village.

It's fantastic. All I need now is a credit card that doesn't belong to me - stolen, borrowed or given, I don't care. Oh, and the ability to charge, charge and charge!

I told S that I spent £200 shopping, and he thought that was a bit extravagant, till I reminded him that things in the UK cost a BOMB!

It was quite a long drive from Bath, and a bit intimidating at first, since this is the first time I'm driving in the UK without a GPS!!! Thank goodness for road atlases.

What's good at Bicester:

• Reiss - High street fashion (in-season clothes) at discount. Plus they were running additional 10% off.
  
• Ted Baker - OMG I think my chow atas taste for all things expensive have just gone up a notch, but bank account seems to be er...going in the opposite direction
• Paul Smith - had really nice clothes, but I couldn't afford it.
• Anne Fontaine - Had some interesting nice white tops and shop smells damn nice too. But shirts were going like for £80 and upwards.
• French Connection - What else can I say? It's French Connection.
• Burberry - If you're into it, I'm sure there are deals to be had. Except it wasn't exactly my cup of tea.
• L'Occitane - So many things, so cheap!
• Anya Hindmarch - So nice, so nice, soooooo nice. Anyone got £400 to give me?
• Karen Millen - this was a bit of a mixed feelings thing for me, while I like their stuff, it's still too ex and no different from high street prices.
• Bodum, Bodum, Bodum!
• Jimmy Choo - I touched god today.
  

What was disappointing:

• Tod's - Offered only 10% if you buy 2 items. I mean this is an outlet, want to be so atas, don't have outlet lah!
• Furla - Damn ugly bags they have. What happened?
• Calvin Klein - machiam pasar malam shop
• Folli Follie - Everytime I think there's something nice in there, I go to the shop and it's a disappointment.

training

Since we're all off from school the next couple of days, a few of us have decided to take tomorrow off - no school work, no discussions, no nothing...except SHOPPING!

We've hired a car and yours truly will be chauffeuring 6 other people to Oxfordshire, to the wonderful retail outlet of Bicester Village. So this will be the start of my training for the Heathrow bus driver position. We'll also go by Oxford to look at some abbeys, buildings boys on rivers punting, but that'll take probably all of 20 minutes hahahah.

We're all so excited, I cannot wait. Which makes sleep tonight a lot harder!

Full writeup of Bicester Village to come.

i want mommy!!!!

These couple of days been longing for home-cooked food. Sunday lunches at home are usually my favourite fan shu zhou (sweet potato porridge) with a few side dishes. My mom knows that it's my favourite.

Anyway yesterday I got tired of the range of food at Sainsbury's & Asda. I just wanted something soupy. Like Ban main. So I ended up buying pot noodles, adding a lotsa water to make it soupy.

Today I wanted just the usual stuff that my mom would make for me. So I went to the kitchen and ransacked the stock of Chinese food that I've been hoarding for moments like these.

Of vital importance... Ma-Ling luncheon meat - fried to a crisp and with loads of ketchup. See exhibit A.

Second was the load of ikan billis that my mom sent over. Fried as well with loads of sugar on it. So it was sweet and crispy. Yummy.

Third, rice... with ketchup. Nothing like rice with ketchup to remind you of home.

The vege was an incidental dish as I thought I needed some fibre etc. You know, the healthy stuff, tho these were all frozen veg so I can't imagine they had any vitamins left in them.

While it is not as yummy as mommy's home cooked food, just munching on food with eyes closed, it almost feels like it.

A by the way victorious achievement this week. I got offered projects from Intel & HP this week. Initially thought Intel didn't want me (HOW CAN ANYONE NOT WANT ME???!?!), but I was on their reserve list and they called me only on Wed.

Of course I was feeling damn tulan after Intel offered my friends and not me, so I worked really hard for HP and was offered the position 10 mins after they interviewed the last candidate. wooohooo!

Sad thing is, HP is in Bristol, while Intel is in Swindon. And most of my friends have projects in Swindon and so they will go there together. :'( Well it's an experience. It'll be interesting to see what it's like working in 1. an angmo country and 2. almost all guys environment.















Exhibit A: Clockwise from left: Ikan Billis with sugar, Luncheon meat, veg with oyster sauce
Exhibit B: Layout authentic with rice and chopsticks from home.

well pissed off

I didn't get that project with Intel. And I should have known that I wouldn't because I wasn't that prepared for the interview.

Another friend, though wasn't given topic of her choice at Intel, was wanted very much by the team. She was very well prepared. She has slides, diagrams, statistics - you know, the kick ass stuff.

Now why wasn't I fucking prepared to do that kind of work if I wanted that job that much.

And to think some others got called back and I not, I feel like fucking kicking my ass.

This is a reality check, the final project is a foot back into the working world. Sure...fine and good that I am living in an unreal world, and DO NOT want to return to work yet, but it fucking pisses me right off that I have not been accepted by Intel.

Fucking pissed off that I am so laid back and not doing anything about it. This is what I wanted right?! An MBA and a better job, so fucking stop sitting on your fat ass and do something about it!

knn hurry up lah

While standing in line at the cash register today, just before a couple who bought 95 items, I really felt like socking someone.

Firstly, the uncle and auntie (actually they were like around my age I would imagine) had NINETY-FIVE items. So it is taking longer than usual to process their transaction.

Secondly, the girl was trying to be chatty and cutesy, pretending to punch the guy while packing. Knn...95 items don't even try to pack a bit faster. And the guy was useless. Standing there, taking forever to open those plastic bags to put 2 items in.

Annie shouted to me, in sarcasm directed at them,"Tricia! Stop holding up the queue!"

My eyes rolled in their direction.

Moral of the story:
Women late 20s, 30s, shouldn't act cute in unnecessary situations.

you can now leave your comments on kittyblankie.blogspot.com

My cousin told me that she couldn't leave comments on my blog. For the longest time, I was thinking - why doesn't anyone leave comments. It seems that I've set it to "Only registered users" can leave a comment.

Anyway that has been rectified. So fire away those comments!

The next couple of weeks will be pretty much on our own. I kinda feel that the school term is ending. Our last lectures together, in a class of 30, will be on 16 April 2007. My last class for the year is on 11 May 2007. It does all sound quite soon doesn't it?

While taking the bus home today (today being a brilliantly sunny day and yet still chilly to remind you that winter is not over yet), I realised that I haven't explored all of Bath yet. I haven't been up to Beechen Hill, Lansdown Road, Priory Park. Nor have I gone to visit the Tate, Science Museum, the National Gallery or just sat in Trafalgar's Square in London.

I can't be going home yet!

But 2007 will be over, sooner than you think.

sainsbury's should employ me

Since it's almost 6 months to graduation, and my career options are slowly being struck out from either lack of interest or lack of a brain to comprehend the kind of information that needs to be... so the solution is simple

I think Sainsbury's should hire me.

I mean look at my blog, here, here, here and here. All comments and endorsement by me of Sainsbury's. And you know that I'm not being biased, cos I do give bad feedback on their food. Muahahahaha


Anyway latest food review Sainsbury's Onion & Roasted Garlic Houmous Super good man. I can eat a whole tub of it!

So. J. Sainsbury's CEO, ex-Bath MBAer, wanna hire a fellow Bath MBA soon to be grad? :)

pooi, pooi, pooi, pooi, pooi!

Taken from Sainbury's website of their Vegetarian Vegetable Butternut Squash and Goat's Cheese Lasagna

"Layers of fresh lasagne pasta filled with roasted red onion, roasted butternut squash, spinach and roasted leek with creamy goats cheese and tomato sauces."

Sounds good right? I had to add salt, soy sauce, sugar. And even after all that seasoning, it was TASTELESS! What a waste of £2.49!

heh, though somewhere at the back of my mind, I can hear my cousin going,"eh, you should have known that of a vegetarian meal!" heheh this time I have to concur with her!

Interview tomorrow. Wish me luck!

drumroll...another rascals update

Called my darlings again today. B1 was in an extremely good mood and was talking to me. He was so excited about going to the UK in September, after his birthday (which is still a good 5 months away!) But can sense that he does miss me. Both of us were planning to go to a toy shop. He said I could stay at Linda's house ...he would pretend to faint and I would laugh at his jokes and how he will do somersaults on the fields outside in the garden I can't wait.

My mom then said that yesterday, my dad threatened to hit her (not sure if he said that seriously or as a joke, either case it is sad :( ) and B1 went up in front of my mom and said," if you hurt mama, I'll fight you." B2 saw her bro doing that and did the same to protect my mom. So it's a good thing my mom has the rascals who love her.

B2 was still high about her zoo trip, which happened on Sunday! And she told me that she saw something.. wasn't sure what she said. And then told me she had dinner and ate rice. She sounds so much like B1

a wedding ring

I got a HUGE surprise today. :) I thought it was a 2 carat solitaire proposal in Royal Mail, since it came in a signature robin egg blue box and white ribbon - one that I adore.

Gotta admit, I am a sucker for Tiffany anything. As long as it comes in that blue box and luxurious white ribbon - I'm sold!

As it turned out, it was a beautiful keyring from Tiffany. Great birthday gift too. Cos it's one that I will NEVER buy for myself, and it's just great to get as a present. So here I am absolutely pleased and grinning like an idiot while holding onto it.

Anyway, it's starting to get warm now, and the floral landscape is changing - from barren to one full of flowers and colours. I have to bring my camera to school and take pictures of the spring flowers. Fields of daffodils, primroses on the roundabouts in Bath, trees with pink blossoms. It's just absolutely beautiful. I took a picture while doing work at S's house that day - it was of his garden, and it's really pretty. There is this tree just beyond his garden that has the prettiest pink flowers on it - no leaves, just flowers. I've never seen anything like it before.

Yesterday did the most chow ang mo thing. I actually shifted my work area to catch some rays of the sun. :) As much as I love the difference in weather - that it's bitingly cold when the wind blows, and how soakingly wet when it rains in winter - it's nice to just lay out in the sun and catch its warmth. Hard to believe that this is the same sun that practically fries your skin in Singapore. :)

Ahhh, almost makes me not want to go back.

12,056 days old

Happy birthday to meeeee. My 21st birthday was quite uneventful. Since I had school that day. And then it was meeting S for dinner. He got me a cake, card and a lucky bamboo plant, seeing that I was eyeing it the last time. Then treated me to dinner. Which is a lot, considering i gave him a card telling him he can claim a gift from me within 30 days.

Hmmm it's always so hard to buy stuff for men!!!

My mom called me at 5am, thinking it was 6 (it's still too early mom!!) to wish me happy birthday. And I got a load of pix, videos and cards from the rascals. B1 initially didn't want to talk to me, but 2 mins after my mom hung up, he told my mom,"Call yee yee I want to talk to her." And of cos got a shelling from my mom. So he was super tearful when he called me. And wished me happy birthday. Then said mama's finger is getting better, so I must be getting better. (Don't know what he meant by that)

Then after 2 mins, he gave the phone to my mom. But then returned to the phone, now all happy, and talked about Lazytown, and how he wanted to be Spartacus.

Have uploaded video of B2 who has grown so much! She is such a darling!