It's 2 days to Christmas, and here I am, feeling a little tired. To be honest, VERY tired.
Something happened in the office last night. It wasn't anything big, but the impact was felt 100 times. Once again, I was discriminated by the HR department. They don't invite me for meetings when everyone in my department had been invited. The excuse given was that the meeting was conducted in Japanese. And they assumed I wouldn't understand. Well, I can understand 70% of what everyone is saying all the time, If not 70%, definitely 50%. But, it's OK. I get it. It's my own fault for not being fluent in Japanese.
But last night, it was different. They were handing out books to everyone. Motivational books, you could say, and one of them was in English. And yet, once again I was excluded. The temporary staff who has joined under 6 months gets it. Not me, though. So, what is your excuse now, Mr. HR director? On top of being a non Japanese speaker, I am now illiterate too?
Well, here I am writing this down. Just to prove to you that even though English may not be my mother tongue, I still can read and write!
Something happened in the office last night. It wasn't anything big, but the impact was felt 100 times. Once again, I was discriminated by the HR department. They don't invite me for meetings when everyone in my department had been invited. The excuse given was that the meeting was conducted in Japanese. And they assumed I wouldn't understand. Well, I can understand 70% of what everyone is saying all the time, If not 70%, definitely 50%. But, it's OK. I get it. It's my own fault for not being fluent in Japanese.
But last night, it was different. They were handing out books to everyone. Motivational books, you could say, and one of them was in English. And yet, once again I was excluded. The temporary staff who has joined under 6 months gets it. Not me, though. So, what is your excuse now, Mr. HR director? On top of being a non Japanese speaker, I am now illiterate too?
Well, here I am writing this down. Just to prove to you that even though English may not be my mother tongue, I still can read and write!
- Mood:
disappointed
Courtesy of http://www.mangetupon.co.jp/gorokutoblo
Prior to coming over to Japan, I have seldom seen stark blue skies. Skies without a single spot of white in it. No clouds, nothing. Just pure blue everywhere we look at.
I love it! Apparently it is a common sight on a clear winter's day, but heck! There ain't no winters where I came from. So, for all my friends and family back home, let me share the view with you:
And in case you doubt that, here is the sky as a backdrop to my apartment:
Isn't it just breathtaking? Many of you who come from or resided in temperate countries before, may be going, "Gee...this girl is crazy! Blue skies? What's the big deal?" But for someone who comes from a tropical country, this is something short of amazing.
Nature is such an amazing thing, isn't it?
I love it! Apparently it is a common sight on a clear winter's day, but heck! There ain't no winters where I came from. So, for all my friends and family back home, let me share the view with you:
And in case you doubt that, here is the sky as a backdrop to my apartment:
Isn't it just breathtaking? Many of you who come from or resided in temperate countries before, may be going, "Gee...this girl is crazy! Blue skies? What's the big deal?" But for someone who comes from a tropical country, this is something short of amazing.
Nature is such an amazing thing, isn't it?
- Mood:
thankful
Courtesy of http://www.mangetupon.co.jp/gorokutoblo
My my, I can't believe how long I have left this blog idle. My bad.
Anyway, I shall try to make up for all the lost time.
First up, I had bought some of the Cooking Kit from Prima Taste, and this time round, I decided to go for the Prawn Noodle. Some visiting friends had kindly helped me buy the Hokkien Dried Noodle, also from Prima taste, and so, I am now able to make this dish.
While shopping for the ingredients, I had not expected to find kangkung. I mean, although they grow in abundance back home, by the drains no less, here in Japan they are scarce commodity. So, imagine to my surprise, I found them next to the bean sprouts. Costs an arm and leg compared to back home, but what the heck! I bought it anyway. About 400 yen i.e. 6.00 SGD or 12.00 MYR for a small bunch...no no! I must not keep comparing to home prices!
So, here are some stunning visuals on the final results:
And here is one, closed-up:
Not bad eh? I sprinkled in a little of the deep-friend shallot/garlic mix that my Mom had made for me. The taste was heavenly!
Prior to that, about a month back I think, I had made some Mee Goreng, also courtesy of Prima Taste. However, at that time, I had no yellow noodle, and so I made do with the local ramen noodle.
Camera was a little shaky, so the picture is a little blurred. Still, it tasted good!
Inspired by all these, I have now with me, the Prima Taste Singapore Chilli Crab mix. Will probably cook it with prawns as the crabs here are a little different. Plus I don't know how to clean a crab...
Anyway, I shall try to make up for all the lost time.
First up, I had bought some of the Cooking Kit from Prima Taste, and this time round, I decided to go for the Prawn Noodle. Some visiting friends had kindly helped me buy the Hokkien Dried Noodle, also from Prima taste, and so, I am now able to make this dish.
While shopping for the ingredients, I had not expected to find kangkung. I mean, although they grow in abundance back home, by the drains no less, here in Japan they are scarce commodity. So, imagine to my surprise, I found them next to the bean sprouts. Costs an arm and leg compared to back home, but what the heck! I bought it anyway. About 400 yen i.e. 6.00 SGD or 12.00 MYR for a small bunch...no no! I must not keep comparing to home prices!
So, here are some stunning visuals on the final results:
And here is one, closed-up:
Not bad eh? I sprinkled in a little of the deep-friend shallot/garlic mix that my Mom had made for me. The taste was heavenly!
Prior to that, about a month back I think, I had made some Mee Goreng, also courtesy of Prima Taste. However, at that time, I had no yellow noodle, and so I made do with the local ramen noodle.
Camera was a little shaky, so the picture is a little blurred. Still, it tasted good!
Inspired by all these, I have now with me, the Prima Taste Singapore Chilli Crab mix. Will probably cook it with prawns as the crabs here are a little different. Plus I don't know how to clean a crab...
- Mood:
listless
Courtesy of http://www.mangetupon.co.jp/gorokutoblo
It's Fall, another favourite season of mine. Beautiful colours and weather...although I have not seen much of the good weather thus far. We are into the rainy season again, but hopefully just a short one.
New season, new look. I hope you like the new colours and images.
i have been neglecting this little blog of mine, not by choice, mind you, Work has been crazy! Plus I had gone home for a break during the Silver Week. It all adds up, and only now do I have time to write update this blog.
Nothing much has been happening, just work, work & more work.
However, things can only get interesting from now on, yes? This coming Friday will be my beloved Sakamoto's butai. Really looking forward to it, as I have really good seats this time. Not first row, mind you, but still pretty good center seats.
Sister & nephews, yes all 3 boys under 12, are coming for a visit! So, it means spring cleaning for me, from now till next week when they arrive. They have jam packed their days with activities, which I can only join on holidays and weekends.
After they leave, then I have short mee time, until my BFF come over from Singapore for a visit. Both of them, and we plan to go Takao-san together. So, off to Ukai Toriyama again. Must make reservations fast this time.
Next up, is V6 concert in Taiwan. I will be there for the long weekend in November. Yippee!
Then it is another sister visiting again in Dec.
I supposed that wraps things up for the year. But we must not forget the not so fun stuff, i.e. work! I have many plan deadlines and also closing.
Right, now it is back to cleaning and packing. And if I still live, I shall update a bit more with old news and photos.
Toodleeloo~~
New season, new look. I hope you like the new colours and images.
i have been neglecting this little blog of mine, not by choice, mind you, Work has been crazy! Plus I had gone home for a break during the Silver Week. It all adds up, and only now do I have time to write update this blog.
Nothing much has been happening, just work, work & more work.
However, things can only get interesting from now on, yes? This coming Friday will be my beloved Sakamoto's butai. Really looking forward to it, as I have really good seats this time. Not first row, mind you, but still pretty good center seats.
Sister & nephews, yes all 3 boys under 12, are coming for a visit! So, it means spring cleaning for me, from now till next week when they arrive. They have jam packed their days with activities, which I can only join on holidays and weekends.
After they leave, then I have short mee time, until my BFF come over from Singapore for a visit. Both of them, and we plan to go Takao-san together. So, off to Ukai Toriyama again. Must make reservations fast this time.
Next up, is V6 concert in Taiwan. I will be there for the long weekend in November. Yippee!
Then it is another sister visiting again in Dec.
I supposed that wraps things up for the year. But we must not forget the not so fun stuff, i.e. work! I have many plan deadlines and also closing.
Right, now it is back to cleaning and packing. And if I still live, I shall update a bit more with old news and photos.
Toodleeloo~~
- Mood:
busy
Courtesy of http://www.mangetupon.co.jp/gorokutoblo
Recently, I have been quite active in Facebook. Managed to find a few old friends, and it has been fun. Catching up on gossips, looking through their photo albums to kinda catch up with what has been happening in their lives.
And then, this particular friend of mine was posting about dealing with turning 40. Gasp! My my. I remember a time when we were in college, hanging out at some mamak stall, and this very same person had said something that made me cry. Honestly, I don't remember what it was about, and in fact I had forgotten all about it. Until I met up with this friend on FB, and he reminded me of that. My friend, if you are reading this right now, please rest assured that it must have not been that great a big deal. After all, I had had no recollections of it, except that mamak stall bit...it was all vague.
Anyway, I digressed. 40. The BIG FOUR-O. It will be my turn next year. I can't believe that I am turning 40... I don't feel 40, nor do I look it. In my own eyes, at least, though most of my acquaintances tell me that too. But still, it is a fact. 40. Wow.
Looking back at my life, I guess I have had quite a blessed one. I am no one famous, nor am I a millionaire. I am just one amongst the millions. Average life, average income, average looks. But boys and girls, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being average. I may not be able to fly First Class from US to Asia, but I have flown that route. I may not be dressed in Prada from top to toe, but still, I can afford to buy one Prada handbag occasionally. I may not look like Jennifer Aniston, but well...you get the gist.
I think I am able to safely say that, when it comes to my turn next year, I will be embracing the 40's and not be dealing with it. Sure, my life is in no way what I had envisioned or planned when I was in my teens. Back then, I was very much influenced by the American Dream, i.e. marry a good man, and we will live happily ever after in our nice mortgage-free home with its white picket fence, and our kids running around happily. So, should I be crying buckets over the fact that it didn't come true? I don't know. Ask me that in another 40 years...perhaps I will have the answer then. But right now, at this moment, I am happy to be living my single life in Japan, and having my own home in SG, sans picket fence, that will be mortgage-free very soon.As for kids, to be brutally truthful, that is probably the one area that I will regret. I love kids, though everyone tells me motherhood is not all it was made out to be...
Some of you may wonder why I am rambling on about all these. Well, I guess it is about mortality. Reading about all these deaths of superstars and others, I wanted to make it a point to let everyone know. In the event that my time is up on earth, please remember that I had lived my life fully. Many a things I may have had to give up, but in return I have received many more that I had not planned on. So, if I have to present the Balance Sheet on my life, It will be one where the assets far outweigh the liabilities. What about you? What does yours look like?
NOW...I need to go reverse one accrual...the house cleaning that should have been done months ago...
And then, this particular friend of mine was posting about dealing with turning 40. Gasp! My my. I remember a time when we were in college, hanging out at some mamak stall, and this very same person had said something that made me cry. Honestly, I don't remember what it was about, and in fact I had forgotten all about it. Until I met up with this friend on FB, and he reminded me of that. My friend, if you are reading this right now, please rest assured that it must have not been that great a big deal. After all, I had had no recollections of it, except that mamak stall bit...it was all vague.
Anyway, I digressed. 40. The BIG FOUR-O. It will be my turn next year. I can't believe that I am turning 40... I don't feel 40, nor do I look it. In my own eyes, at least, though most of my acquaintances tell me that too. But still, it is a fact. 40. Wow.
Looking back at my life, I guess I have had quite a blessed one. I am no one famous, nor am I a millionaire. I am just one amongst the millions. Average life, average income, average looks. But boys and girls, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being average. I may not be able to fly First Class from US to Asia, but I have flown that route. I may not be dressed in Prada from top to toe, but still, I can afford to buy one Prada handbag occasionally. I may not look like Jennifer Aniston, but well...you get the gist.
I think I am able to safely say that, when it comes to my turn next year, I will be embracing the 40's and not be dealing with it. Sure, my life is in no way what I had envisioned or planned when I was in my teens. Back then, I was very much influenced by the American Dream, i.e. marry a good man, and we will live happily ever after in our nice mortgage-free home with its white picket fence, and our kids running around happily. So, should I be crying buckets over the fact that it didn't come true? I don't know. Ask me that in another 40 years...perhaps I will have the answer then. But right now, at this moment, I am happy to be living my single life in Japan, and having my own home in SG, sans picket fence, that will be mortgage-free very soon.As for kids, to be brutally truthful, that is probably the one area that I will regret. I love kids, though everyone tells me motherhood is not all it was made out to be...
Some of you may wonder why I am rambling on about all these. Well, I guess it is about mortality. Reading about all these deaths of superstars and others, I wanted to make it a point to let everyone know. In the event that my time is up on earth, please remember that I had lived my life fully. Many a things I may have had to give up, but in return I have received many more that I had not planned on. So, if I have to present the Balance Sheet on my life, It will be one where the assets far outweigh the liabilities. What about you? What does yours look like?
NOW...I need to go reverse one accrual...the house cleaning that should have been done months ago...
- Mood:
contemplative
Courtesy of http://www.mangetupon.co.jp/gorokutoblo
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}