Sunday, August 29, 2004

NUS Geog Dept 75th Anniversary Dinner

yupz..the geog dept is already 75 years old! to quote Dr. Huang, we call it a 'diamond jubilee'. it is really amazing that the geog dept of NUS has been ard for so long and i am happy to be part of a dept that is considered one of the 3 oldest depts in the faculty of arts and social sciences, NUS. today's dinner was held at orchard hotel. went there after work...was feeling quite tired coz today was quite busy.my colleague and I, Phoebe, call it 'tornado' coz soemtimes many people need our attention at one time.

the food was good! it was a buffet style dinner and the desserts are tantalizing! but ultimately, the company was good. i am glad to see my uni pals again..some of them still pursuing their hons while the rest have already graduated (like me). had lots of laughter and took pictures. pity that i did not bring a camera, *sad*. when i was talking to my uni pals, i thought about the 3 years i spent in NUS, of coz the most memorable moments will have to come from the time i spent in geog soc room. in NUS, a number of us get along well with the lecturers coz some of them are also involved in geog soc activites. sometimes in between classes or on the way to the arts canteen, we will bump into the lecturers and start a short conversation. but today at the dinner, we just smile and say a simple 'hi' so as to acknowledge each other's presence. so weird ya....it's like as if we are total strangers..hmm...maybe the environment is not within campus..that's why a bit 'weird'. got to talk to Dr Chang, my favourite lecturer who taught me tourism when i was in year 2. he has blond streaks in his hair, so cool! one thing abt him is that he is able to interact with the undergraduates really well, has a lively presence when delivering his lectures and most of all, he makes boring topics interesting!! i would say that he belongs to the 'new generation' of lecturers, who dares to think out of the box in teaching methods. so i am not surprised if he wins a best teaching award from NUS again...he deserves it! *smiles*

by the way. Prof Savage, the former HOD sang a few songs...erm..his singing is quite ok....sth like those you will hear on GOLD90.5FM. a very knowledgable man with a passion for geography. much of tonight's laughter came from Dr Carl Grundy Warr who was one of the MCs for the dinner. (the other MC was Dr. Chang). Dr Carl was quite blur sometimes and other times, he is so energetic!!! hehe...

hmm...i hope that in 25 years time, i will be able to attend the 100th anniversary of NUS Geog Dept. by then i will be 47 years old!! woohoo! middle aged lady liao...wonder how will i be like at that time?? hopefully a slim, wrinkles-free,successful career woman with a loving husband. as for kids..hmm....no comments now....haha

*listening to:'Art In Me' by Jars of Clay

posted by Jiatine @ 12:39 AM 0 Comments

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

self discipline!

think i put on weight...my pants like a bit tighter than usual and my weighing scale showed that i increased one kg!!! *pulls hair* man...no joke...frankly after losing 14kgs last year..a kg increase is really big thing for me..i know i sound really 'what the...' but that's me lah...coz the thing is if you have gone thru what i have, then you will truly appreciate what i meant. many of my friends say that i look ok...not really plus-size ( a nicer word for 'fat') but personally, i still feel that i do...really loh...*can sense many people hammering my head'

one thing about me and i am not afraid to confess it here is that i was and still is sometimes, am emotional eater...when i feel depressed,lonely,angry or stressed i will turn to food as a source of comfort..really...that is one problem that i am throwing to God...firstly, it is bad for health esp for long term and secondly i think i am destroying myself emotionally too

think when it comes to eating, i need to have self-discipline..very impt..i know some friends cannot stand me when i eat out...hahha..well, sometimes, that plate of salad is really enough for me loh. oo..also to have self-disciplne in terms of exercising! that is so impt...practicing my swimming now and also attend aerobics...hee...hopefully next will be kickboxing..

*listening to: 'everyday' by Philips,Craig and Dean

posted by Jiatine @ 10:15 PM 2 Comments

deleted

the previous post and comments have been deleted by me. why? simply because i do not want to engage myself in a discussion that just makes me more questionable to any one. the reason i wrote that blog was because i was so damn LONELY that night and complaining to myself that how come i have got no company except elena. thank God she was there. was horribly troubled that day lah, got into my depression moods. so if anyone was pissed off by what i wrote and begin to wonder why i am like that, i just say 'NO COMMENTS'. each of us has our own mood swings and i just reflected that in my blog k. frankly i am feeling damn horrible now....on the verge of crying liao...this is my blog that i use to express my thoughts abt anything, the good,the bad and the ugly. some of you may change your perception of me after reading the entries, that is sth i cannot control (thank God!)

the usual noisy, 'give-in-to-you','anything also can' Christine aka Huijia also have mood swings ok. But i always make it a point not to tell other people of my probs unless i cannot take it anymore. and for those who know me long enough, my facial expressions usually betray my inner thoughts. BUT nowadays, huijia's 'dramatic facial expressions' are diminishing to a certain extent.

sometimes i wonder if it is a good thing to write almost everything on my blog coz i know people do read it. frankly, all of us apply, to a certain extent, 'self-censorship'..you know..to craft out a blog entry..but sometimes i cannot be bothered but just type and type...some people call it 'no flow' or 'unstructured' but who cares!! this is not a term paper!

*listening to: 'Something More (I Need To Praise You)' by Kristy Starling

posted by Jiatine @ 9:57 PM 1 Comments

Sunday, August 15, 2004

untitled

served today in church for 3rd and 4th service, did not manage to listen to the entire message though..will wait for the cds!! hehe..church was VERY VERY FULL today esp during 3rd service!! many people ended up sitting on the floor in the auditorium. had a really enjoyable dinner with cheryl, danny and janette. talked abt alot of issues for example, is God really there? how to believe in Him when i am facing really horrible situations?' we are in this freakin' society where we have to work' etc etc. really interesting coz everything is so real! we dun usually talk aloud such issues among ourselves in. everyone do, to a certain extent, doubt(ed) God and His existence in one pt or another. I do too! esp when i am terribly down, when it has been a bad day etc... it's like 'God! where were you when i needed you most?!' or 'why must i go through all these???!!' but have we ever ponder and stop to think God is revealing some stuff in our lives that needs a fixing? perhaps to train our patience in Him.i am still learning, haven't reach the level whereby i know everything..actually, we wun be able to know everything coz we are not God! it is always a learning process..cheryl once told me that many of us know this and that..but it is a different issue whether we are living what we know...i mean we all know that faith pleases God, and it comes by hearing and hearing His word..but are we living it? hehe....a pt to ponder

was bathing when i suddenly thought of the song, 'because you loved me' by Celine Dion. thought of God's love and thanking God that I am still alive after surviving through those times when i was young. i know what it's like to be worrying about 'when can i have a permanent house to stay without renting rooms??', to be living on my own once every 2 weeks when i turned 13, to see that others have an earthly father and i do not, to see my mum crying over estranged relatives, but most of all, I know what it's like to be overwhelmed with God's love when you are 'low on love'. i am not trying to boast myself that i have gone thru what i have gone thru..there are many people out there who have gone through personal challenges in their lives as well. remember that there are no mountains too high for us to climb, because God is always there 24/7 to lift us up!

"Because You Loved Me"
For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in youI'll be forever thankful baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through through it all
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love I had it allI
'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is trueI was blessed because I was loved by you
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believedI'm everything I am
Because you loved me
You were always there for me
The tender wind that carried me
A light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration
Through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believedI'm everything I am
Because you loved me
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
*listening to: 'I'm Your Angel' by Celine Dion and R. Kelly

posted by Jiatine @ 11:47 PM 0 Comments

Saturday, August 14, 2004

at home on a saturday night

need a life man! finished work today, went to orchard *again* to find a halter top for a dinner, did not find anything!!! nothing caught my eye and my dinner is like 14 days away!!! *pulls hair* went to topshop, tried a halter..but not nice leh..sad..actualy saw one really gorgeous halter top with jewel designs at warehouse. but i did not even try it coz it costs a whopping $149!!! what the...so ex! i can buy many tops with that amt of money!!

listening to WKRZ91.3 pn my way home and i felt like going to a club to dance (been ages since i club) and have a few drinks..need to relax a bit lah..u know that kind of relaxation..was thinking of asking my girl pals..majority will be with their bfs ( i mean i wun want to disturb them and ask them to go to a club with me out of the blue....bfs are still more impt mah), the others are not those who like to go 'such places'. as for colleagues wise, still getting used to them. so in the end, left me, myself and I..so sad yah..decided to 'balek kampung' loh..haiz..really no life.

let's be frank here, not everyone clubs and/or drinks yah..wait wait..i am a social drinker ok..no those hardcore ones..and i am not really in favour of drinking till vomit..so ew....yucks! anyway, so was mentally listing those who, to me, will go to clubs etc..then in the end..all eliminated. sad yah, me like that one...will suddenly have an urge to go clubs or bars..but of coz not alone loh...

now me stuck at home..in a sense..was so bored just now that i took a 30mis walk ard my estate...there's pasar malam...so took a look. after i have moved to my new house, i have this 'new hobby' of walking around my estate when i am 1) bored, 2)depressed, 3) argued with mum, 4) to exercise. it's windy at night and most of all it's peaceful..so i will bring my hp, listen to the radio and take a cool night stroll..=)

I WANNA GO NEW ASIA BAR!!!

*listening to: some trance music on WKRZ91.3FM

posted by Jiatine @ 10:30 PM 2 Comments

Wednesday, August 11, 2004

Ooohhh I got invited!!

yay i got invited!! hehe...so next time can post rubbish here liao! hahahahaha...

posted by Syl - Breseis @ 9:43 AM 5 Comments

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

i need and want a spa treatment!!

i seriously need a spa treatment, or massage, or a facial!! to pamper my skin for a while...had my half day today, was busy in the morning so was glad that I am able to R&R after work today. wanted to watch a show myself, alreayd planned last night...on my list is 'carla and connie' and 'fahrenheit 9/11' but felt tired, think i will doze off while watching the show..so i am postponing till next tues!!heheh..ok back to spa treatment.yup, i went to spa espirit at Paragon to get their brochures. took a look at them and selected a few to try. dun mind spending money on spas treatment once in a while, just to pamper myself!

nowadays, there are so many spa treatment centres opening up....a big trend...and the common thing is that they are of coz targetting at the 21-40 age grp women...that is those who have a comparatively higher spending power. usually, their 'ingredients' are based on aromatherapy, herb extracts etc...reminded me of those folk medicines..hehhe

hmm...to those of you who are reading this, hehe...one of my items on my wishlist for christmas this year will be a spa voucher from Spa Espirit at Paragon! haha..very frank hor..think some of you must be thinking, 'wah,so fast think of christmas liao!' *grins* so u know what to do people!!

*listening to: the sounds of my fingers typing fast on the keyboard and the 'uh oh!' from ICQ

posted by Jiatine @ 11:13 PM 0 Comments

missing someone

it takes a long long time to forget someone... guess some of you know what i am talking about. yah, i am missing someone. it has been quite a long while, thought that when i started working, i will be ok..but, think i was deceiving myself. Lord, if that desire is not from you, take it away! i know i am not the only one here, many other people are in the same situation as i am. just that, i wanna write it down to feel better..i was in the very 'suan' period a few months back..had cried a few nights, one time in church when i thought about it. now not that bad.

partly my fault as well. now i cannot even bring myself to talk to that particular person as in the past. some of my friends tell me that it takes time, yah i know that but how long?! sometimes i really wish God will just erase everything, as if nothing has happened. went for drinks in the past to just relieve that unhappiness, but i know it is redundant. drinking will not solve the situation, it only gives temporal absence of the problem.

there are many times that i just wanna be alone, totally alone. or drown myself in reading books, work till late nights or even simply cut myself away from the world aka switch off handphone. i have a close friend who is in almost the same situation as me. we talked abt it and ponder why are we in this situation. my advice for her (if you are reading this) is if you like that particular person, and subtle signals have been sent, take the chance. do not wait, otherwise regrets will pour in...

*listening to: 'I don't wanna know' by Mario Winans feat P.Diddy

posted by Jiatine @ 12:47 AM 2 Comments

Sunday, August 08, 2004

'cold war' and coffee connection

just had holy communion in my room. was having a 'cold war' with my nose..hehe....had a sudden attack of cold this morning on my way to church for no apparent reason. But i figured out that it must have been the accumulcation of late nights and unhealthy food that i consumed over the past few nights while i was working. anyway, i trusted in the Lord and had communion, confessing that I am healed. moments later, my cold became better! nasal passage cleared and felt much better!! hallelujah! so happy and blessed! hehe..nothing is impossible for God, not even a pimple or cancer!

went for 3rd service today with cheryl, thought i was going alone coz my friends did not go with me. well, it's ok to go alone to church, used to it liao, hehe. anyway, today both cheryl and i wore the same tops!! (white, round-neck basics..those lycra ones) also the same coloured jeans!! haha..i was like 'wah!'..today, i am in my Adidas sneakers and a sling bag. sermon was good, Pastor Prince talked abt the story of David, King Saul and Jonathan. He applied that into our daily walk with God and as usual, he was in his humorous self..hahah...today he tried to behave as 'deranged'..so funny! it's great to be in church and soaking in His blessings.

after church, went with cheryl to 'The Coffee Connection' at Milennia Walk. seldom have a chance to have fellowship with her alone...hehe..had a good time drinking coffee and ate a salad..ooo! have to try their 'Potato and Crazy Apple Salad'!! sadap!! it's like a meal you know, so nice...chucks of potato with tangy lemon mayo, lettuce, crisp apple chips and raisins! unique and yummy.must try! wanted to buy anothe rone..but reckoned not..hehhe...i am a lover of caesar salads too! hee..anyway, had my usual latte.BUT it was after a 'raspberry latte' that i ordered..wah.salah..too sweet..no comments. the service provided there was VERY GOOD! friendly staff and as usual, i chatted with them as if we are friends!! hahahahah...feedback that their salad is '5 out of 5 stars' but their 'raspberry latte' is erm...=( u know, sometimes, foods are best left to be simple and in theirr 'original flavour'..i still prefer my cafe latte..no additions of whatsoever flavour...just original...yum

*listening to: '8th world wonder' by kimberly locke

posted by Jiatine @ 9:58 PM 0 Comments

Friday, August 06, 2004

deprived of movies

since i started working, i haven't watched a movie till last tuesday! watched 'mean girls' with yiling and hadi. i would say that lindsay lohan is a star to look out for! she's good! she has transformed so much (and physically too) since i last saw her in 'The Parent Trap'...i hope she becomes a 'decent actress'..not ending up like those who took drugs, spent their lives away in hollywood clubs and acting in B-movies..anyway, yah...i am deprived of movies!! it's either no time to watch or my schedule doesn't compromised my friends..when i am free, they are working. when i am working, they are free!

wanted to watch 'harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban', did not catch it..so sad..i am a HP fan! will buy the dvd..(once i buy a dvd player.haha) other movies that i missed: 'super-size me', 'brotherhood' and 'king arthur'. now i am looking forward to 'collateral' (starring my all-time fav actor TOM CRUISE!! hehe..he looks so much more gorgeous as he gets older..hehhe), 'the notebook', 'carla and connie' (the actress from My Big Fat Greek Wedding is so so so hilarious!), 'the village' (me a no fan of horror shows, but since it's by the director of The Sixth Sense..hehe..why not???), 'saved' (starring mandy moore), 'house of flying daggers' (hehe..reminded me of 'coruching tiger, hidden dragon'), 'de-lovely' (coming soon to singapore, sth like 'chicago' but not so jazzy..starring robbie williams, alanis morrisette,diana krall) think i make use of my half days on tues to watch the shows myself..hehe

*listening to: 'whatever' by Steven Curtis Chapman

posted by Jiatine @ 12:34 AM 1 Comments

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Hide my Soul

feeling down...'suan'...listening to a song called 'Hide My Soul' by Avalon..feeling all sorts of emotions..pain, envy,jealousy,lost,hit,tears...decided to write down the lyrics though i cannot catch them 100%...thank God for Jesus who sees the pain behind my smile and the tears running down my face....thank God that in the eye of the storm, Jesus is still there..the same, yesterday today and forever....

"Here i am, with nothing left to say, how can i even speak?
All my dreams are scattered like ashes.
Can you see the pain behind the smile, the tears running down my face?
Will the sun ever shine on me again?
Where can i hide, oh...
Where can i hide, oh....where can i hide, oh...
I will hide my soul in Jesus
I will rest my heart in Him
When the storms of life brush over me, I wouldn't let them in.
There'll be no pain in heaven.
But for now and until then, I will hide my soul in Jesus
Now i know, there's nothing I can do, nothing that I can say.
You alone are the anchor of my soul, and all that's in me.
And you see all the pain behind my smile, the tears running down my face......"

what do i really want in life? do i dare to go after my dreams? is conformity causing me to waver? and doubt? what does it mean to be successful? how do i overcome the 'goliaths' in my life? i am not alone in facing the 'goliaths'. oh Father! u are always there in the midst of blurriness, u alone are my rock whom i can safely depend on. amen.

*listening to: 'You Were There' by Avalon & 'Here I Am To Worship/Call' by Hillsongs

posted by Jiatine @ 12:49 AM 3 Comments

Sunday, August 01, 2004

fireworks display!

went to 4th service today with janette, cheryl, danny, jesper and sylvia...was feeling quite tired actually...just that i din show it. danny actually said that i looked pale!!guess he could really tell that i am tired. but i look forward to every sunday, co there's church! time to feed my spirit and really have fellowship with God..not that i don't on other days..but going to church and heraing the Word of God just perks me up!!haah..anyway, after service we went to marina square to catch the fireworks display..man.it was a tough journey getting to marina square. SO MANY PEOPLE!! i dun really like crowds esp in enclosed space.. marina square is like a 'ghost town' revitalised with throngs of people going to marina promenade to watch the fireworks display.

getting dinner was a big time problem!! both BK and Mac at Marina Square were SO SO SO crowded..first time in my life, i see such long queues in a fast food restaurant...the reason being many people are there to catch a glimpse of the fireworks while having dinner u see. GAWD! so many people..i really pity the people working at both fast food restaurants..it's like non-stop ordering and the queue is perpertually getting longer. for me, i have worked as a waitress before..so can understand the kind of stress they face...being in a 'pressure cooker' environment..churning out the food fast (coz fast food mah), taking the correct orders and of coz making sure that money matters dun get haywire. when it was my turn for me to order, i was told that there were no fries! first time! bet they did not anticipate such large crowds..but somehow in the end they managed to have supplies of fries...the guy who was serving me was like in a semi-' i cannot take it' mood..was perspiring and loked so exhausted..kelian...he should be paid more!!

the fireworks were beautiful!! esp those that went high up into the sky and exploded in 'golden shimmers'.. read from the newspaper that the fireworks are from US..was telling janette that for every firework i see..there goes our income tax money...they cost a bomb!! think hundreds of thousands of dollars..not surprised if they come up to millions! but well, this is part of the national day celebration..so worth it yah..it's like creating an atmosphere of fun whereby singapore is a place to live,work and play..sounds familiar?? hehe...one of STB's slogans lah...haha..just remembered it from my GE2218 geog lecture! hahah..life goes on..no matter what happens

*listening to: 'Life Goes On' by LeAnn Rimes

posted by Jiatine @ 11:54 PM 0 Comments

shoes shoes shoes

i have been wearing the same pair of black flats from charles and keith to work 80% of the time and my mum has been bugging me to buy a pair of new shoes. i would love to!! provided i find the 'right pair'. for me, shoes are very impt..need to be comfortable, stylish and most of all prevent me from falling!! ever since i fell down from the tiny weeny stairs at SingPost HQ 2 mths ago, i have a phobia of wearing heels. that fall made me change my shoe-buying habits. NO MORE heels, GO FOR FLATS!! i mean if really need heels, they have to be a max of 1-inch only. when i fell at SingPost, i was wearing a pair of 2-inch plus charles and keith shoes (brand new somemore) on a rainy day..climbing down a tiny-weeny staircase w/o any support...a classic receipe for a fall. end result? had two stitches on my left shin as the fall caused a small but deep wound. according to the doctor (whose clinic is conincidentally at singpost), he could see my leg muscles..GAWD! frankly now, i can still feel the pain on my left shin, using medicated oil nightly to rub it..the bones are still aching a bit..

anyway back to shoes..hehe..yah now when i shop for shoes..the first thing i look out for is ' heels or flats'? today, while i was window shopping with a friend in Taka, we went to a Gucci store...btw, i am so in love with their monogrammed bags (esp those with bamboo handles) . i saw my 'right pair' of shoes!! flats (gucci seldom have flats..they have shoes with killer yet sexy heels), cool design, distinctively unique, leather and it's black!!! *grins* the price tag?? hehe....$295 only..haha..it's on sale! i actually dun mind buying it..i tried the shoes..comfy BUT a size too small for me!! as in i can wear the shoes (in terms of width) but the size is small due to the cutting..i was so disappointed!! bu then, when i left the store, i thought abt it..perhaps it's not meant to be mine...an hour later, i was thinking..'wah, $295 for a pair of shoes...abit ex hor..i can buy many pairs of charles and keith shoes. BUT it's GUCCI!!' after some moments of mental warfare, i told myslef 'cannot be too indulgent, bills more impt!' hehe..so u see, ur girl here is still sensible ok..but, anyone who is reading this blog now and feels STRONGLY that u can bless me with a pair of GUCCI BLACK FLAT SHOES, i welcome you with open arms!! ahhahaha *laughing out loud* hehe..can also be my very advanced birthday pressie..dun have to buy alone..ask others to contribute too!! ahaha...*evil grin*

ok lah, i am not that spendthrift ok.....the most ex shoes i bought was the Hush Puppies court shoes...$70..coz it's really comfy and dun give me blisters!! cool yah. i wear them to work too..heheh.. hmm..need shoes!!

*listening to: 'Wait For Me' by Rebecca St James

posted by Jiatine @ 1:45 AM 2 Comments