Brie and the ONE

I’ve been told by my colleague that today is my 3rd consecutive day I’ve had sandwich from the Sandwich shop. I am also shocked that I’m still patronizing them despite all that I am procrastinating. Today was redemption day for the folks of the sandwich shop. Had my best sandwich in ages from them today. Nuff said.

Tried the Brie & Ham Baguette and was totally blown away by it! The thick brie cheeses are divine! and the ham!; Lions and tigers and bears – OH MY! so worth every penny of my $7.20. The Snapple however, is a tad too high at $3.20 though.

Now back to last night. I went out with HER! haha…actually, it’s me, HER and Johnny. We caught the sword has 2 edges by StageIT and it was okay, for 15 bucks, I don’t expect Toy Factory Quality anyway. The experience was overall good…and sweet…haha…

Meeting porkie, kiyo and hyena later for dinner and after that, a nite of well deserved mahjong! can't wait.

And now the gross thing: I'm caltivating the habit of not wearing shoes in my office...haha




Look at the cheeses! And dosen't the ham look bigger than those found in the Pineapple and Ham Baguette?

My and my shoeless feet...haha

more sandwich(shop)!

Had Malay rice, but the temptation of The Sandwich Shop’s roasted beef with cheddar sandwich was too tempting! Moi have been eyeing on it since yesterday that I got insomnia thinking of it last night and couldn’t sleep till 1 a.m.!

So today, after moi had my Malay rice (tried another café in Shenton House but not as nice as the cheap one I’ve always had in the same building) , decided to zip to Sandwich Shop one block away to get my roasted beef with cheddar sandwich and(!) a yogurt with granola (man, I am really in love with granola!).

Blew a staggering $11.50 at the deli ($15 on lunch when you include in Nasi Padang, moi is getting broke!) Had my 1st half of the triangular sandwich the moment I got back to the office and yummy…but then again, where’s the roast beef?! Not to mention that the beef's ain't that big a deal, tasted flat and not beef like! Is it really cos I’ve had the best beef in Argentina and that’s rest of the beef sucks? Haha…Nah! Seriously, the beef in the sandwich really, really, really sucked! Consolation in the veggies though, as they are fresh and crunchy and thank goodness to them, they were able to help the sandwich taste better; the cheddar cheese looks suspiciously like Kraft slices though...The great veggies tells me maybe I’ll take vegetarian next time instead...but moi ain’t a lawn mower, so think I’ll pass on all veggies sandwich!

My take after trying 2 sandwiches from the sandwich shop is that skip this place unless Bank of China Tower is too far for you, Moomba Tuckshop have way better sandwiches that are even fresher and cheaper with thicker and more generous servings of Roast Beef!


Cute packaging, and look at that cherry tomato! Talk bout over-priced cheap stuffs in a stylish package…


Simplicity at sky high prices...


Donde esta el Bife? Where is the beef?


Love the packaging, hate the price and quality of food, So darn lucky O'Briens below my building SUCKS BIG TIME and you're the only other gourment sandwich shop that moi can walk to can not pant around my vacinity. Pray VERY hard that there's no competitor coming up!

Allure of Middle East

The developing markets of China and India are increasingly gaining foreign investors, but Singapore companies hoping to ride on these markets’ boom need to rethink their expansion strategies by striving to seek entry into non-traditional markets where they can have an early mover advantage and face lesser competition. In recent years, attempts by various countries in Middle East to diversify their economies, and instead focus on education and training for its people so as to prevent over reliance on oil and gas, gives Singapore companies plentiful opportunities into the Arab region.

There exist good bilateral relationships between Middle East and Singapore, but it is only in recent years that trade between the two has surged. There was a year on year increment of 32 percent, in trade between both countries from year 2003 to 2004, and the region is now Singapore’s sixth largest trading partner. Both countries have traditionally been linked economically through petroleum related products, but as the region is going through rapid expansion plans to beef up on its infrastructures, many Singapore companies are now involved in areas of constructions and real estate.

Countries in Middle East have realized that strong infrastructures are fundamental to align themselves with other world markets, and Dubai of United Arab Emirates (UAE) is considered to be the most successful in spearheading the construction revolution. Well known for its ambitious world-class projects, Dubai is now seen as the model for success which other nations in the region are now emulating. Qatar, for example, has reportedly set aside US$100 billion to improve its infrastructure over the next decade, and plans to add 150 15-storey towers by 2007. With increasing competition around the region coupled with more foreign businesses expecting to seek entry, countries are also seeing the need to build more industrial parks, setting up of meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) areas, improving road works and airports and strengthening of its financial markets to appeal to these investors.

Local firms should take advantage of the positive image generated by our business organizations in Middle East and seek entrance into areas which we have proven track records. We are recognized for being competent in sectors like transport, logistics and infrastructure building, and such strengths has enabled local firm DP Architects to nab the contract to design Dubai Mall, set to be the world’s largest mall. The success of Singapore as a well established brand name provides our businesses with added credibility should they decide to venture into the Arab region. Moreover, Singapore companies have another advantage over other western players as we are able to present the same level of expertise at lower rates.

Nonetheless, a construction boom in the various countries does not mean that local companies will face a smooth journey while conducting businesses in the region. There exist problems and various constraints when a country undergoes intensive real estate development. Though lucrative, such fast paces of developments will bring along with it a series of challenges and problems like raw materials allocation, labor shortages and difficulties in obtaining appropriate resources through the limited channels. The heavy commitment required for large scale projects also meant that local companies will require a pool of readily available expertise on location to provide knowledge and guidance. Hence, it is essential for companies to ensure there are staffs stationed on site to help make work well-organized, and whenever possible, businesses are advised to engage a local partner to share the work and risks involved. Most Arab countries are willing to co-operate with Singapore firms as they value the importance of knowledge transfer, as well as the job-creation prospects that such cross border ventures may bring along.

A report by International Data Corp (IDC) puts Middle East and North Africa as the third fastest-growing IT region in the world after China and India, and this signifies an enormous market in a region where other sectors such as e-government, logistics and financial services are also starting from scratch. Singapore’s robust IT infrastructure is well known in the Gulf Region and this is another reason why companies like System Access and Crimson Logic, which have set up operations in the Arab region, have managed to secure projects and deals with various parties, ranging from financial institutions to governments in countries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. By taking advantage of setting up operations in the region ahead of others, these companies have managed to exploit their early mover advantage to establish a presence, and help pave the way for other local companies.

The cosmopolitan culture in countries like UAE and Qatar will also enable smaller business without massive capital structures to carve a niche for their brands and products. Numerous smaller scaled companies involved in food and fashion can now use a city in the region as a base or launchpad to showcase their products to the world. Pastamania has eleven outlets in the region currently, and home grown shoe retailer, Charles and Keith, has also expanded their operations to Middle East, through a franchise agreement with a leading footwear player in the Gulf ,which sees them having up to 20 stores across various countries by end 2006. Nonetheless, as a growing amount of multi nationals are seeking development plans in the region, Singapore companies need to anticipate increasing competition in terms of prices as it will become inevitable. In addition, companies should not expect prompt results in business processes which they are accustomed to in Asia. This is because negotiation processes in Middle East are generally time consuming and will hence require patience. Therefore, it is vital to have the necessary contacts and social networks to help guide an operation along.

The array of business opportunities in Middle East is only starting to unravel and attract foreign investors in recent years, thus the region’s economies have much room for improvements. Hitches and drawbacks like the region’s backward financial systems, inappropriate exchange rate policies, and lagging political and institutional reforms will deter investors, and only with such systems aptly in place will these Arab economies be even more appealing.

In spite of everything, there are few countries that understand the dire consequences on its economy of such apprehensions and have since implemented political reforms and embarked on projects to strengthen their financial sectors. Foreign banks are now able and willing to establish a presence in the region to attract multi nationals, as well as to gain foothold in capturing a share of the lucrative Islamic banking segment. Bahrain is currently building the Bahrain Financial Harbour slated to be the financial center of the Gulf Cooperation States (GCC) which comprises of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. On the other hand, Dubai has its own financial exchange at the Dubai International Financial Centre where foreign banks like Deutsche Bank and National Bank of Kuwait have since established offices. With regards to trade, Saudi Arabia has inked two agreements and a memorandum of understating with Singapore to set up more conducive investment frameworks and to boost trade collaborations, while both Jordan and Qatar have free trade agreements with our government to encourage more cross border cooperation with enhanced trade status to Singapore exporters and service providers.

Singapore companies should strive to expand into the region, but they also need to realize that perseverance is essential to sustain their businesses. Firms should be realistic and not expect fast gains within a short period of time. Negotiations with Arab businesses are established on building strong personal relationships, but even though, issues pertaining and discussed while negotiating should be kept personal and not be revealed until the contract has been signed and finalized. The most crucial aspect in ensuring a footing in the region is the obligation to commit and have a local representative to oversee operations and be in tandem with the rapid development of these economies.

The Arab region is no doubt slowly progressing with varied growth rates and growth plans in different countries. As they liberalize and diversify, Singaporean companies will find it easier to gain entry, however, companies should seize an opportunity for early entrance where there are lesser competitors. Local companies should engage in our area of expertise and help mould a region still at its infancy stages. Nevertheless, we must first be able to understand the unique business culture of Middle East and recognize the importance of due diligence as different countries in the region calls for different strategies.


References:

Supplement 23, Feature on Middle East, The Business Times, 28 May 2005

Singapore, Saudi Arabia ink deals to boost ties, The Business Times, 11 April 2006

Opportunity knocks in the Gulf, The Business Times, 18 April 2006

Qatar beckons, The Business Times, 8 June 2006

la dolce vita

no, my italian shopping sprees on Etro and Gucci is not here yet.

Rather, I wanna share with all of you on my passion; the zest that keeps me going-Food.

Food to me is akin to the refreshing feeling you'll get when you peel a citrus and inhale the citrus oil in. The feeling that has no expression to describe for. Get my drift?

Before i proceed further, just wanted to share with all of you this funny sign i got from the menu at my lunch place, a jap restaurent that sells really cheap and affordable food, in a comfortable air-con environment tuck on top of a busy shop:


Have you spot the funny? By the way, there ain't pasta in Jap cuisine, is there?

Now, I wanna share with all of you about the Dbl Choco Tea Cake from the Sandwich Shop: at $4+ for a relatively large chunk (i managed to slice it into 5 pieces at the office) it's not exactly that expensive, but the i reckoned the reason for the Double in the name is purely a gimmick to lure innocent chocolate lovers like me to part out with our dineros for it. The chocolate favour as excruciatingly thin; I would not even sell this as a chocolate cake. The dough was also tad too dry. Pale in comparison to the sandwiches, heck, even the horrendously priced granola with yogurt is much better despite the heavy price tag!

It definately do NOT taste as chocolaty as it looks...

the heavy butter used does provide me some comfort though...

K, next up is that i am so happy that june is here cos it means that the sourthern hemisphere is going through cold weather and this equates to a great supply of clementines from these countries! I have always loved Madarin oranges, especially those small ones. They're just darn divine! not to mention horribly cute! These little fellows are simply amazing and they are usually sweet, unlike those darn oranges! I actually thought these lil fellows are called Mini Mandarin oranges untill last yr when my Americano fren corrected me and told me the proper term is Clementine. I bought tons of it in NYC (not to mention cherries too...) and realised that surprisingly, those Clementines from Chile taste the best, from my experiances with purchase at Whole Foods...Sadly, maybe Lat Am is way too far for us here in Singapura, therefore all that I'm able to get in our local marts here are those from Australia (ever realise that almost 90% of everything on the shelves are from down under?) Taste-wise, it's more sour than those from South America, but since i like a tinge of sour ness in my citruses, i dun really mind anyway. Oh, this is also the time of the year where you should really check out Necturines from USA...they're divine too...but please make sure what you bought are Necturines, not peaches (moi mummy bought peaches thinking they were Necturines...roll eyes...peaches got a furry coat mummy!)

Oh, and also green apples are also wonderful at this time of the year, so go all out my frens...indulge in some great fruity time today!

They are just so cute!

All together now...Awww!

new hideout

firstly, i wonder if it's me internet connection or what else, but somehow, connectivity seemed to be really slow for me lately...

k, now the impt thing: had an in-promptu meet up with hyena and kiyo yesterday.

as usual, went for dinner and had coffee (seriously, the highlight of our meet-ups is the bitching). those crab xiao long baos from DTF are divine...better than the normal ones...after that, we were walking ard aimlessly and trying to find a place for coffee, starbucks at wisma was filled, and so was rood republic, then had the urge to see wat nice movies are currently showing at Lido, and realised that the choices were so disgusting...

realized that the old pasta fresca is now Dome, and decided to go for coffee there, wonderful place, not crowded and just perfect for a nice session of more bitching with good ole frens... we're so happy to find a new hide-out in town...great!


poor wan hyena was so papparazied in this photo..haha...


Dome with it's classic interior reminiscent of a 30's saloon

so the story goes...

got an update on my nemisis's blog and boy oh boy, other than the photos of her showcasing herself proclaimed "I attracted so many stares in this outfit; but has it occur to you that it's cos you look aboese and disgusting in those minis when you have thighs the width of a 100, no, make it 1000 years old tree trunk" photos, this update by the deluded lady-boy(it's a she, but she does looks like a he) just brings a whole new sensation and realms to the word: Pathetic

she was mentioning that how lucky it'll be to be her boyfriend (which i doubt will occur within this century) and that she will buy him the bike of his dreams.

OK, the image i am getting from this is that she is gonna buy herself some love, might as well pay for a top notch male escort, with helluva figure and looks with those $ spent on the bike.

i wonder why would some peeps wanna be so stupid and pay to get suck horribly expensive stuff for their partners? well, maybe if you're getting married, but bf/gf? hmm...i hope to receive LVs and Loewe too, but i think the only LVs and Loewes I'll be getting are those I buy myself with Daddy's or Mummy's money...at least until I start earning my own wages that is.

i think that this lady-boy fren of mine will be those that will go all out for her partner, and may even, gasp!, forgive her partner even though he cheats on her (there's another note on how she'll never forgive her partner should he cheats by the way...) i mean, hello?! he's not even interested in you and you want to give him a bike conjurred by images of you two together! how sick is that?

shudder.

here's my life!

no! i am not showing myself sans clothings darlings!

just wanna share with all my shallow hobby of collecting bags and shoes so here's my pride!


clockwise from top left: Loewe, LV, Jack Spade, Coach


Clockwise from 12' oclock: Black Kenneth Cole, Mohogany Gucci, Mohogany Prada Boots, Brown Kenneth Cole Reaction, Brown Gucci, Blue Camper Twins, Brown Camper Twins, Adidas Originals.

So all together now, ROLL EYES...

all's well

Just an update on my the missing nephew, apparently, he was found in kuala lumpur after my cousin placed an advert in the papers and some reader saw it and notified the police.

I'm just darn puzzled where on earth did the 13 yr old get the money to ride a bus to k.l. on his own? just what's going ard this world? my mum said that's there's bound to be some bad company who kindda 'lure' him.

really pitied my cousin, imagine staring at the four walls for the past 1 week without having the slightest idea or clue where your own son is?

Singaporeans are just so darn lucky, i guess this's something whom locals without any relatives residing in a foreign land will ever understand...

i was just telling my mum over dinner just now why the hell would some kid try to provide for himself at 13? i was 13 and yes, i had the urge to provide for myself through dream of working in McDonald (ya, i know i know, of all places, but hey, even fann-i-have-1-and-only-1-expression-when-i-act-wong worked there too), but hello, at the end of day, i want to be able to come home for family warmth, and someone to wash my laundry, and provide dinner for me without me ever having to think of what to do to get the next meal. Is mine a selfish thought? i dun think so...maybe that's just me, but seriously, even those in USA whom preach about Freedom don't ever leave home till 18 do they?

teenagers are going through a stage where they cannot even think for themselves! that's why, if i ever have a kid, i'll not give him any LVs but rather buy and flaunt in front of him/her, ok, maybe give them a wallet considering their ever increasing prices for small items. Moral? let her or him realize this is what you may get from me if you stayed with me till 16...haha...Materialism at its best. Seriously, after one's had the first LV, why would him/her wanna suffer and use synthetic leather? ya ya ya, call me shallow but that's only because you have not ever use LV b4. it's akin to air-con or even the fridge, why do you want to not use your fridge to store food when you have it? one sentence sums it all up, human beings, after experiencing la dolce vita, will never want the life of a beggar unless there's no choice. face it. that's life.

this is bad for moi

just realised that for the past 2 weeks, I've been downing at least 4 tea bags everyday at work, an usually, i'll start off the day (as in get rid of the bloodshot eyes in the grotesque morning) with my lipton white tea (whiff of apricot just makes my morning better!), then, after that, when mid morning comes, I'll take the japanese green tea (do you guys know that green tea is not sencha!)

this is followed by my M&S assam, and usually, i'll have 2 tea bags of green.

over dosage of caffine...bad for my health, and one more thing...haha...

one of the partners, yes as in PARTNER, not manager, for the firm, was just directly behind me as i am typing this, gosh, breaking out in cold sweat now! haha...figure it'll be worse if i stopped typing and switch window...so what to do, just type openly lor! haha...

what's there left for me to bitch?

cannot believe that the weekend is ending so soon!

always find it to be amazing how the countless pursuit of monetary satisfaction can drives someone to slog for 5 weekdays for eternity, and yet, whatever you earn is not enough to cover what you'll be spending in the 2 days of weekend. seriously think that singaporeans are way underpaid.

had a bombshell dropped on me last nite...not exactly bombshell, but just something shocking. well, i had this cousin (daughter of my mum's elder sis) whom stays in Johore, and she has a boy who's in sec1 this yr. yeah, rebellion stage and since it's a single parent family with my cousin as the sole provider, often a times. the boy can feel neglected. Last i heard when i was evesdropping on my mum's conversation, that boy left home.

you've heard it rite, he just vanished. apparently, on monday, after he came back home from school, he packed his clothes and then played a david copperfield act on my cousin.

is it just a stage for the teenager? i wasn't like that when i was 13, and i must admit that i was rebellious in school too. but the thought of leaving home and causing stress and distraught to my mum (who cares about my day anyways) is simply too m,uch for me to bear, ok, and the fact that I'll never be able to provide for myself. I knew that the only way to gimme a great life filled with LVs and Hermes is to get an education. Which is why i realize the importance of a degree. Besides, only with education will i get a job that can provide me with money to feed myself and mum. though chances are that i'll wan to stay alone, but still, i think i need to TT money to mum in malaysia too rite? Did my cousin's child not realise that single parent has it much tougher? Although I have a Dad, and I am grateful for him for providing me with all the materialistic stuff I can grab hold of. Family warmth? Nah, not worth much when he's in the picture.

I always knew how impt my mum is to me, we two are always here to provide for one another. we're just like gteat friend,s and besides, i admire my mum's tremendous patience for being able to stay under the same roof as someone who's so picky and arrogant and moody as me. She's been through alot; with the 'cheating' of money by my Dad to start his biz and application for his Gold Amex in the 80's which my DAD till date thinks is a matter of fiction conjurred by my mum's over imaginative mind, and the constant travelling by him since the 80's thus neglecting the biz and my mum and me (and boy was i a whiny irrtating baby from what i heard) followed by the additional family over in Brunei.

did my cousin's son not realise that his mum had it worse then my mum? She got cheated by her husband in Sabah, had to fly alone with the baby in her arms all alone to Johore and pick up all the bits and pieces herself. It's not easy for her to achieve what she's got this date. Which explains why I always admire what a mother can do just to keep her and her family safe. it is something that guys will never be able to understand (myself included) So please do not come tell me how great your father or boyfriend is, because till the end of it, the woman will be the stronger one. That's life and men with our ego just cannot accept it. When will men realize that we are merely there to shelter and not protect the family.

For my cousin., I believe she can and she will get through this. afterall, she's been through worse. my advice, once he's back, send him to a boarding school in Kangsar.

To end things on a lighter note, here's more pic of my office.

my place's the one in the middle (with an unglam chair)

That's the Biz Risk Management team


This's the Consulting arm...Richard (the other angmoh) table's the one facing the wall.

Huge SMILE

i am happy, even though i am now sleepy.

Just saw a sms on my phone and it was her...oh my! can't believe my eyes!

Johnny just told me bout them going to catch thanuga's play on 29, and now she's asking me if i wanna go with them...hee...and i thought i'll be asking her out first...

that's it on 29 july...gotta keep it free man!

the sandwich shop

today, i had lunch alone. yes, ALONE, or rather, make that alone in the office...

decided not to follow any of the interns out and instead, i made a trip down to The Sandwich Shop over at Robinson Rd which Miss J had been craving about the fresh ingredients on the sandwiches they used.

True enough, after 3o min alone in the office where I played my MP3 (cos Class 95 online is blocked, darn!) and $10.40 poorer, the Pineapple and Ham baguette and Honey Yogurt Granola was indeed, very nice. Despite only 2 (!) pieces of ham, the baguette was still nice; i gobble up everything and boy was it delicious. the price tag however, has still not settled in. I paid USD4.30 for a granola thrice the size of the one I bought from the Sandwich Shop when i was in NYC and that was divine. here, i mean, why are they charging NYC prices for sizes so much more smaller? man...

nonetheless, TSS was a good alternative to the local delights we have ard here. for peeps like me who simply loves sandwiches and yogurts and granola, can i have more shops like these that sells FRESH and CHEAP bistro food instead please?

Pineapple and Ham baguette and Honey Yogurt Granola

the ham on the ham sandwich...duh?

I admire him

Ever since Paul Tan, Biz Dev Manager from Banyan Tree, gave a talk to my BSM class on working at Banyan Tree and working for Mr Ho Kwon Ping, I've been deeply captivated by Mr. Ho's philosphy. He's so charismatic and a cool leader, akin to Glenn (that is if you consider Area Co-ordinator for Corp Comms in SMU to be a leadership position)

Was doing a write up, and found this quote from Mr. Ho which I think is so cool and amazing!

“I am not a technologist, so I had to build a brand”
- Mr. Ho Kwon Ping, Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings, on importance of establishing a brand

whoa. amazed. deeply amazed to be exact.

so want to work for them despite its SME status, but who cares for christ's sake, it's the Bayan Tree!

okies, so my team did not get shortlisted for the capitaland retail campaign. as much as i would like to moan and whine and spend the next 20 lines complaining bout it, my dear friend k.s. managed to get mt attention sidetracked - this week's issue of 8 days. featuring designer bags. featuring tons of designer bags. featuring tons of designer bags with ann kok and her tiny miserable "it costs me only 170 back then but now it's 400 bucks" ah-lian looking LV (yes, LV!) bag.

in fact, if i remember correctly, prior to her leaving singapore and trying to make it big elsewhere, she starred in this channel 8 (back in those days, there's only one miserable cina channel) drama with edmund chen(or some other guys?) where she played a lawyer. and she was carrying this particular tiny miserable LV bag (despite her ah-jie status back then)

anyway, the important thing bout this issue of 8 days is not about LV (so been there done that, dar-lings!) but rather, I've finally managed to find out how much the Loewe Amazona bag, which was distributed FREE to "I only have 1 and only 1 expression when I act, be it happy or sad or distressed or whatever look" Fann Wong, Michelle "Huba-Huba" Chia, and Ann!

The Loewe Amazona cost a whopping S$8000.

Ok, I know Loewe is expensive (and you guys thought that only LVs are ex), but I did not know that it is that freaking ex!

I mean, hello? I only got mine for 1200, Euros that is. but still, it's not 8000 sing dollars! even after taking 20% off due to the "Europe bag in Asia so price are inflated to suit cheapo Asian consumers" syndrome, it is still 6000+ Sing dollars! okay, so i AM right in buying my Loewe way before it gets popular in Asia. which just goes to show that moi was, is, and will always (haha) be a trendy trend spotter. haha. you guys must be so rolling your eyes now., but seriously, how many of you knew that Loewe is actually a brand in the first place? Did you guys knew that Loewe is from Madrid in Spain? and that It was bought over by LVMH (as in the coglomerate that owns LV, and LVMH=Louis Vuitton Martell Hennessy, yes the liquor) and that Narciso Rodriguez,the uber hip american designer, used to designe their women's ready to wear? Or that LVMH also owns Tag Hauer?

Okies, enough of Loewe and LVMH, anyway, I also found out the Bottega that I crave for, but alas it's a woman's design, and moi will never never carry woman's bag despit loving the design, costs ard 2000+ to 10000+ sing dollars? oh, by the way, another trivia, Bottega is under Gucci Group.

to end it off, here's my top brand in the particular ranking for my favpurite brand for bags. and this list has not changed since Yr. 2000.

Gerald's Best Leather Bags List
1. Hermes (only befitting for this brand rite?)
2. Loewe (yes, surprisingly, not LV cos I like the "I'm stylish and I so do not need flashy logos to show off" look epitomized by these top 2 brands)
3. LV (and I'll prefer Taiga, or Nomad or Damier Leather, the Reporter in Monogram was no choice ok!)
4. Mulberry
5.Tods

That's it. No prada, no gucci, no nothing else. and to my detractors who are all rolling eyes and shouting " you are so shallow" comments now, i've this to ask: do you guys even noe where mulberry's from?

*Smirk*

official break

hola todos.

well, miss j has a bad back and she just cannot bear with all her suffering; so she's now on her way home (infact, she may be in the cab as I am typing this now)

this equates to another simple equation which moi formulated :

intern + boss not around = official slack/skive time

now i can go research the net for my you-rope trip...the article on India can wait till tommorrow. Besides, what's there to do in India (LV only has like 2 shops in the spectacular land of the maharaja)

Urban Oasis

Hey guys, moi is back with something delightful to share con ti ! Miss J is in high spirits for the past 2 days, which makes me wonder…is she on some caffeine or sugar high since her Thailand trip fortnight ago?

I swear that the stuffs we 2 have been talking for these 2 days is way much longer and more diverse than the entire 5 weeks prior combined! Guess she’s right when she says that Brits are actually nice human, just that they need to warm up to you first (and apparently, it takes more than 4 weeks of 8.45am-5.45pm Mon till Fri interaction, to warm up to you)

Anyway, did moi tell you all that her British Airways brother is joing her in Singapore (en route from Dubai) last week of June? Well, and she told me that she has been invited by this MICE congress(as in Meeting, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions, darlings, not those rodents) from 2-4 july, which provides her with free(!!) 2 (What the hell;2!!!) nights stay at Raffles the Plaza (oh my, 5 stars u know!) , but she was lamenting on that all these are provided FOC on the condition that she has to meet min. of 10 different companies, and from what she told me, she’s choosing stuffs like New Zealand Trade, Royal Caribbean, Orient Express, Australia Trade and Holiday amongst others (in other words, all that she’s meeting are Hotel/Tourism/Holiday related!) I can so roll my eyes now while she's out of office...

Guess working in small companies within a 1 man dept. does have its perks. Roll eyes. But from what she was saying, all she can think of is the discounted Spa treatments she can get while on her 2 day all expense paid congress at the posh hotel in the luxury of her suite.

How warming, I can so imagine how she'll be enjoying when her family's here (Dad's flying in from Hong Kong) and she'd be retreating with the luxurious 300 thread count Egyptian Cotton bed linen in her suite with a view , with Spa treament nonetheless. Truly befitting for a Brit (or any human)

what the hell am i doin' here?

There's this song that is very special to me, in fact, it is my favourite song. Weird, because, considering my taste in music, no one would have guessed i actually listened to anything played by this band.

It is a song which one of my closest fren in Sec that introduced me to. But unfortunately, i screwed up the friendship. Sorry Jo-ann, I've finally said it after all these yrs. But i no longer know wher you are or what you are doing. You were a great fren, and the time we gang had was great.

To all you reading this, i shall not put the title nor the group whom sang this. If you're hardcore, you'll know...

When you were here before,
Couldn't look you in the eyes
You're just like an angel,
your skin makes me cry

You float like a feather
In a beautiful world
I wish I was special
You're so fuckin' special

But I'm a creep,
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doin' here?
I don't belong here

I don't care if it hurts,
I wanna have control
I want a perfect body
I want a perfect soul

I want you to notice
when I'm not around
You're so fuckin'special
I wish I was special

But I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doin' here?
I don't belong here, ohhhh, ohhhh

She's running out the door ...
She's running out
she's run, run, run, run...
run...

Whatever makes you happy
Whatever you want
You're so fuckin' special
I wish I was special

But I'm a creep,
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doin' here?
I don't belong here

I don't belong here...

que sara, sara, sara

when i was just a little boy, i'll ask my mother what will i be.

will i be handsome, will i be rich, who would've guess i'll end up being bitchy

Guess the word 'bitchy' never crossed my mum's mind at all, all she knew was that i was very talkative, yes, even as a kid.

sometimes growing up as the only child does feel lonely, especially when you see other peepps have their sibs to go out with, i also admire (the courage of, and not the luckiness of) other sole kids who can get on perfectly well with their extended family. never for me, i always think that my father's side have very disgusting people.

I am much closer with my mum's side though, but still, not that close...

i do love being the lone ranger, it gives me the ability to appreciate and not get sick of doing things myself. i love travelling alone without the hassle of suiting others, i love waking up whenever i want without someone else to fight over the bathroom with me. most importantly, i think that i am able to appreciate my mum and dad better than any others. I am afterall, the only person they can depend on when they are old. i am also able to realise the fragility of life, anything bad, and i'll be all alone. Pessismistic or self consoling? maybe, but there's nothing i can do now to change the fact that I am a long renger can i?

besides, i'm too old to be able to stand having another crying baby in my home. and pls do not even get to how my folks are gonna have a baby at their age. shudder. period

i was involved with miss j in a conversation yesterday about marriage. she said that she cannot understand why singaporeans need to have such lavish wedding dinners; and why would anyone want to share such an intimate occasion with tons of other people, plus why the couple seemed to invite any "tom, dick AND harry" they can get.

this is when geraldine said that it is a matter of face for the typical asian family.

i actually think miss j is rite.

why share such important occasions with other ppl whom u may not even like? who cares if my dad has face; it's MY wedding, not his. Why does the asian parents have to make use of their kids to show off their success?

Geraldine goes: it doesn't matter, the parents'll pay for everything anyway

and i thought: not a bad idea, but seriously, i prefer you to gimme all that money. Ha!

I wonder if I really wanted a wedding I have always dreamt of. She'll be in Vera Wang, and it'll be held in a cathedral (although I am not christian, and I'll never be one, ever. period.)

the wedding photos will be like what benjamin brett (aka julia roberts' ex) and talisa soto had. i distinctively remembered the one in B/W where they were looking at each other.

and the ring. it can only be the 6 prong diamond ring from tiffany.

but will i be able to afford it? why do i wish for such a great wedding? is it due to the lack of such by my own folks? am i looking at something to cover what my mum cannot experienced?

finally, how long can the wedding last? most importantly, why spend all that money for memories? why give oneself such beautiful images when all that matters is happiness? can there even be happiness in the first place?

i love weddings, and i love kids, but seriously, i do not see myself being in one. kids do indeed bring lots of joy, and although i hate them, it is rewarding to have them.

just what am i looking at in my life? is the countless pursue of materialism gonna satisfy me? it does, i suppose, but what happens after my folks leave me? My LVs and Hermes(if i can ever afford one) will not talk and provide for me.

Do I have to go the road of adoption? i dunno.

hyperventilate!

oh.my.god

i was gasping when i saw that just moments ago!

can't believe my eyes when i saw that one of my pal is dating a guy whom is in my proj gp with me last term, as in, they both were in my proj gp.

warped logic, considering that i dun even think they were supposed to be like, friends, not to mention, dating!

I knew that guy was dating one of my Spanish TA (who was on exchange in Mexico while my pal and him were doing project together) and last i heard from another friend, the guy was dating the Spanish TA after she broke up with her bf. Now my friend is dating the guy whom dated the Spanish TA. Warped, warped, warped.

in shock, in utter disbelief, when did they start?! gosh, i know, i am being bitchy and gossipy, but that's just me. HA!

wierd dreams are made of these

i had like the bitchiest dream last night, or rather, this morning.

I was shopping in a department store with a lady, think she resemebled my mum, but who cares, anyways, all i can remember was that there're tons of designer brands on the racks. Section A was Von Frustenburg, then another on whatever~ anyway, mum picked this dress from whatever brand (knowing that in real life, mu mum who happens to be an Auntie whom do not buy expensive clothes, the dream seemed even more dreamy) then I commented that it look fat on her.

yah yah, so i was being bitchy again (even in my dreams)

anyway,s fast forward to me looking at this rack of handbags, and actually picked up a handbag and see how it looks on me! HORROR! gosh, I am so not interested in ladies handbags on me! anyway, to make matters worse, it was a ferragamo! if it is a woman's handbag on moi, it'll only be an Hermes. PERIOD.

so i place the bag back on the rack after realising that it was a ferragamo (with round metallic steel handles that has the ferragmo carved into in and just the handles weigh a ton)

then, this tall model like sales assistant (MALE!) came and gave me the "dun even touch it u cheapo" look and i think he even let out a grunt!

Man, I got all bitchy and and went ballistic. then the alarm went off.

so what's the moral of the dream? that feragamo bags sucks or i'll never be able to afford one? or could it be something else?

whatever~

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have high extroversion. You are outgoing and engaging, with both strangers and friends. You truly enjoy being with people and bring energy into any situation. Enthusiastic and fun, you're the first to say "let's go!" Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high. In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas. You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits. A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

nil

just figured that i have not updated my blog in like, 1 week?

guess i'm getting tired to blog...

anyway, work's fine, and i realized that into my 5th week, I'm geeting like shitloads of stuffs now...But Miss J is, as always, nice enough to tell me to take my time (I mean what can she do anyways right? Kill me?)

Oh! I'vealized that the business pack I've conceptualized for BDO is gonna be printed and BDO peeps will carry it along with them whenever they are on trade missions! Ha! I've a brochure to call my own! Bona-fide copy writer...haha. Oh, apparently, Mark Chong was in Business Times 2 days ago for conducting a 1st of its kind research in Singapore about IR (Investors Relations, NOT integrated resorts) Huge photo of him huging 2 gals whom I presume are his assistants.

Oh, by the way, I am typing all these in my MS Word then transfer over to the webpage cos, *cough cough* it’s pretty obvious I’m skiving if I’m typing on my internet browser, ain’t I?

Oh, back to my workload, ok, where was moi?

So, I’ve been task to do snippets of articles, or rather, task to search for snippets, to be placed in the upcoming newsletter, and also, I’m trying to write an article on business opportunities in UAE (very little information on that, so moi’s just gonna drag)

Also, I’m doing a snapshot for various countries to be placed onto our internet (if it’ll ever be placed on it that is)

Other than that, I’ve been told that I am gonna scan tons of business cards and upload into the database. There are only so many new programs my lappie can undertake you know? Mine’s not a very powerful lappie not to add.

Oh, and who can forget the calling to verify the info? Hmm, I’ve not been doing that since last Friday and seriously, I doubt I’ll be able to finish it. Sigh.

Lions and Tigers and Bears

Oh my!

Can't believe into my 3rd tea bag now...still, nothing beats yesterday's record of 4 !

still tired...

Rotting away

Miss J is away for a workshop (i think it is about Adobe)

So I have been rotting away since 10.15am, and she'll only be back after 3.30.

Tried to update the database but IT called and told me to NOT use it till after lunch, which means, I am officially able to slack. No? I am unsure tambien.

I spent around 15 min earlier flipping through The Peak (sadly, Singapore's No. 1 best seller for socialites Tatler, is not available for my office. I reckoned it's cos my pathetic office is only number 5 Accounting firm, not the Big4...haha)

I actually prefer The Peak, there's at leats articles to read. Tatler, from moi's experiance from reading at specialist clinics is that the magazine feature page after page after page of tight, tunt, impossibly pert bosoms and faces. Maybe that's why Tatler is in clinics. Oh, speaking of which, those walking silicons in Versace gowns should realise something: Please tighten other areas of your body other than boobs and face. Moi is talking about the necks and hands, NOT what you are thinking. It's a socialite magazine du rigour, not some sleaze. It really freaks moi out whenever i see a gorgeous gown on a nice face with perkiier that Naomi's boobs, but look at the neck and hands. Gosh, i am thinking that the gown is being hung on the Century-old Angsana Tree with tons of vein lines in botanic gardens.

Hello there? It's a ball, not a floral show! Socialites need not compete with any plants u noe! So stop showing those wrinkly hands and necks. I so do not want to get freak out by the veiny tree in the garden when I take a breather outside!

Oh! and here's something scary to show to you readers out there. I got a pic of Irritatin Hong Kong Gal, who had to go for lunch alone yesterday cos her fellow NTU fren took leave and went back to campus for subject registration(case of fastest fingers first for those pathetic NTU'ers) and luckily, moi had lunch date with best bud lunchmate Madhi-The Tudung Gal.

HKG is the one on your right. The one with specs. And at this exact moment, she's irritating me again. So i took the cina tea bag from pantry, there;s no need for you to be so amazed that I am not drinking my usual self-own assam tea bag. And there;s no need for you to ask if my teeth are brownish...and self answer that it's actually ok to have brownish teeth 'considering that you drink so much tea'

One word: Whatever~


Post lunch update:
The wireless connection at BDO sucks. Period. I always get mine working in the morning and after moi is back from lunch, it always goes away! I spent 30 min after lunch trying to find a spot that works in my office, not only that, I was like a mad man plucking and connecting various peep's cables into my lappie. All failed. Luckily it's now back online again, wonder when it'll fail again(!)