Seraphical Dreams.

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Listening to: "Summer Rain" by Cal Thomas
Reading: "Web of Deceit" by Glenn Meade
Mood: Happy

+:: Initial D ::+

The June hols draw to a close today ... argh! Can't believe how fast it has been ... i'm not ready for school! :) Ha ... oopz ... i sound like my students .. hiaks~

Caught the movie "Initial D" with Mikey Mike on Friday .. no actually should be Saturday morn - coz it's a 12:40am movie. :) The movie theatre was thoroughly packed to the brim! Had a good time having frog legs porridge for supper b4 the movie! yumz!

I never really had a thing for Hong Kong movie but I whole heartedly admit that the recent spat of Hong Kong shows - Infernal Affairs, Fist of Fury & now Initial D have performed beyond my expectations! I think they've improved tremendously & I muz say I really enjoy them!

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This holz has been a really packed but fulfilling one. Significant events this June muz have been:

1) One week of giving 4 hours Math remedial in the mornings each day

2) One and half week of intensive English Enrichment Program Coordination from 7am - 5pm everyday.

3) Planning, Coordination & Conducting Innowits Staff Training Workshop with Paviter

4) Planning, Coordination of Henderson Intermediate (New Zealand) visit in July with Sally.

5) Buying goodie bags for New Zealanders with Ain, Meiqi & Ximin @ Concourse... love those gals!

6) 3E4 class chalet!

7) Hong Kong holiday with Ping Ping

8) Hanging out with Jocelyn, Cheryl & Elaine @ Chalet, some wine bar late one night

9) Meeting up with Pock Hoe & Elaine @ SOFRAs! Both the company & the food were yumz

10) Gatherings at Great World Coffee Bean & Roland's house with Mikey Mike, Traven, Gauis & Roland

11) Catching "Mr & Mrs Smith" & trying some funny Japanese stuff with Rowan

12) Catching "Initial D" & enjoying Frog Leg's Porridge @ back alley with Mikey Mike

13) GB Chalet & camp

6:55 AM

Friday, June 24, 2005

Listening to: "Stay for a while" by Angie Storm

Reading: "Web of Deceit" by Glenn Meade

Mood: Contented & Happy

+:: Innowits @ Henderson 2005 Coordinators- Puff & Ruff ::+

Ever experienced the inate sense of joy & pride when you've managed to succeed in doing something really well & above expectation? Well, i have, once again. :)

A colleague & I were chosen to be trained in the area of Innovation Protocal some months backs. As part of our training, we have to do two projects related to the school, before which, both of us have to conduct a one-day workshop training for all the staff in our school. It was rather nerve-wrecking, yet fun @ the same time. Fun because I've enjoy doing things out-of-the-box involving creativity & activity, & also because I've got a great co-worker; nerve-wrecking because I've so many projects running @ the same time & training for all 64 of my colleagues. ... how not to feel a little intimidated? :) But it went really well! :)

For our workshop, my partner & I decided to make it fun, relaxing, enriching & active. So as opposed to conventional staff training, ours had lots of group work, games, adventure, group presentations. Even the set up of the room was filled with balloons, colorful posters & chairs arranged in unconventional style to make it a relaxing atmosphere. We even got the staff to "shadow" students to their fav hangout in Orchard! At the end of the course, the feedback from the staff was awesome! they throroughly thoroughly enjoyed themselves! Even the head of heads of the school said it was "excellent"! Haha ... ^5 to my partner as well! :) My colleagues also commented we both worked well together & looked like we were having fun conducting it ... which we were! :) So ... all the hardwork & preperations were really well worth it! *pat on my own back*

6:50 PM

staff of henderson having a gd time

6:30 PM

My partner in crime holding my creation

6:27 PM

Adding value to their work

6:27 PM

Trying to explain in a nutshell to everyone

6:26 PM

One of my creations

6:25 PM

Good laffs

6:25 PM

Another one of my babies

6:23 PM

another one of my creations

6:20 PM

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Listening to: "Separate Lives" by Stephen Bishop

Reading: My own blog

Mood: Exuberant

::+ Hong Kong 16-19 June 2005 - Adventures of Best Friends Ping & Xian +::

On 16th June 2005 (Thurs), two best friends, Yueping & Lixian, who've known each other for almost 14 yrs embarked on their very first holiday abroad together - Destination: Hong Kong.

Day One (16th June, Thur)

Departed from Singapore @ 8.05am on board Cathay Pacific 310, reaching Hong Kong @ 11:20am. Always loved the feeling of a flight take-off. Absolutely exhilarating! Gained the acquaintance of a friendly American investment banker currently based in Japan named Andrea. Watched "Seoul Raiders" on board ... I laughed hilariously & loudly ... much to the amusement of my two other travelling companions. But .. it was a farnee show wot. =)

Upon arrival, the 2 gals + 1 new friend made their way through the maze of the huge Hong Kong airport ... I was famished so while waiting for the coach to fetch us to the hotel, I had my 1st Hong Kong McDonalds Sausage Mcmuffin ... yumz. =)

It was pouring. The coach fetch us across the gorgeous bridge @ Lan Tau Island to Kowloon, breathtaking views & really tall buildings captivated us. At a really narrow & crowded street named Jordan Road, we alighted at our destination - Shamrock Hotel. Small but enchanting, we stepped into an even tinier room - Room 216 which will serve to be our "home" for the next 3 nights.

We embarked our journey by walking .. exploring every crook & cranky of Kowloon, spanning from Tsim Sha Tsui where there were handprints of famous stars known as the Avenue of Stars, which faced Hong Kong Island, to Yau Ma Tei where rows & rows & rows of shops greeted us. At a dessert shop along Canton Road, we spotted Louis Khoo, the handsome actor a few tables away from us. We couldn't resist & seized the chance to sneak a snapshot @ him. Fortunately or unfortunately, the flash captured his attention & he turned towards our attention. *faint* Our giggling amused the people in the store ... silly Singaporeans. =)

When night fell, we went to Temple Street to explore the famous bazaar there ... nothing much. Food wise, we trooped into the first store we set our eyes on .. wasn't fancy but surprisingly, the food was great & the people were real nice & friendly.

Day One Pictures >>>

9:05 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 - Good Bye Singapore!! Off @ 6:10am Termial 1

9:00 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 - Beautiful Orchids in Singapore Airport

8:59 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 - With Andrea, an American Investment Banker we gained acquaintance with on board our plane to Hong Kong

8:58 PM

Hong Kong 16 June - Shamrock Hotel Room 216

8:57 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 - Shamrock Hotel Bathroom .. so tiny!!

8:56 PM

Hong Kong 16 June - Kowloon Scene

8:56 PM

Hong Kong 16 June - 1st Meal (Shrimp Dumpling Soup Noodle 5*/10*)

8:55 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 - Gorgeous Tsim Sai Shui!

8:54 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 - Jackie Chan's Handprints!

8:54 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 - Walk of Fame Kowloon: Tony Leung's Handprints!

8:54 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 - Through the eyes of the camera man!

8:53 PM

Hong Kong 16 June 2005 -Starstruck! We saw Louis Khoo in a restaurant we patronised!! So Handsome!

8:52 PM

Listening to: "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion

Reading: My own blog
Mood: Exuberant

::+ Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Buying our 1st MTR train tickets +::

Day Two (17th June, Fri)
We awoke to a cloudy day & were thrilled as we anticipated in great expectation what was to come today. We made our way to the nearest MTR Station - Jordan Station situated just next to our hotel. It was an easy feat getting our train tickets as Hong Kong's transportation system is almost similar to ours.

We made our way to Central Station on Hong Kong Island. Upon arrival, we were absolutely mesmerised by the beauty of the towering skyscrapers looming way above us. It's almost similar to Singapore's Shenton Way area. People were busy & well groomed. We managed to find our way to the central Tram station, that would be bringing us to the Peak - one of Hong Kong's most visited tourist attractions which offers a stunning bird's eye view of the surounding city skyline, the world famous Victoria Habour & Kowloon. The Peak Tram ride itself was really unforgettable with incredible views to the Peak. The track is so steep that nearby buildings appear to be tilting! =)

At the Peak, we visited Madam Tussad's - a collection of life-sized wax figurines of famous celebrities including Jacky Chan, Andy Lau, David Backham & even MM Lee KY! I had an awesome time taking photos of me, holding on to my favourite celebrities affectionately! Andy Lau's heart was literally beating! =)

Barely reeling from the surreal experience, we made our way down from the Peak via the Peak Tram seated backwards! =) We then proceeded to explore on foot central Hong Kong Island. We were awestruck by the beauty of the buildings. Hopping into the 1st promising looking eatery place, we feasted on our first dim sum meal since our arrival & it was fantastic! Yumz! yumz! Their "har gau", "char siew bau", "siu mai" were fantastic!

As it began pouring again, we hopped onto the first electric tram that came along. It brought us to an sub-urban area called Kennedy Town. It was quiet but nice. After a short while of roaming, we hopped onto the next electric tram that came along, which brought us to Happy Valley ... somewhere near Causeway Bay where a huge shopping complex named Times Square resided. As we were not keen on shopping, we mainly explored the streets nearby.

We decided to return to Kowloon earlier so that we can catch the night scene of Hong Kong Island from Avenue of Stars. Hence, we boarded our first Star Ferry. With the gentle breeze carassing our faces & beautiful sights in a distance, this is truely what dreams are made of! But well, as we were seated there watching the sky turn dim & lights coming on, it rained..*bummer*! We ran for shelter & ended up buying an umbrella & had a simple dinner before ending our day! Nonethless, it has been a great great day!

Day Two Pictures >>>

8:51 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Hong Kong Island: Tall Skyscrapers & Electric Trams!

8:50 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Hong Kong's Gorgeous Subway Stations!

8:50 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Taken on the way up to the Peak in the Peak Tram - Incredible!

8:49 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - The Tram that brought us to the top of the Peak .. beautiful!

8:49 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Taken on top of the Peak - Breath-taking!

8:48 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Madam Tussads: Me with Andy Lau! So Handsome!

8:47 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 -Charlie Chaplin..lost for words

8:46 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Taken with Michael Jackson ...doesn't he look jubilant after being acquitted?

8:46 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Dashing Bon Jovi .. *sigh*!

8:46 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - James Bond!! Heaven!!

8:46 PM

Hong Kong (17th June) - Dim Sum Lunch Con't!

8:45 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Dim Sum Lunch!!! (8*/10*)

8:45 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - On Board an Electric Tram

8:44 PM

Hong Kong 17 June 2005 - Pacific Coffee Cafe & Rainy Days

8:44 PM

Listening to: "Burn The Ships" by Steven Curtis Chapman

Reading: "Web of Deceit" by Glenn Meade

Mood: Exuberant

::+ Hong Kong 18 June 2005 - New Territories - Shan Shui Old Mansion +::

Day Three (18th June, Sat)

The day for us to explore the unknown has dawned again ... & this time, we will be heading towards the New Territories. To get there was really no small feat. It requires a dose of courage, a dose of adventurous spirit & a dose of good navigational skills! Even a local tour guide admired the courage of 2 Singaporean Urban girls! =)

We boarded our loyal & faithful MTR train to Kowloon Toon interchange & changed to another train (much like changing from our MRT east line to North line) & then changed into another train called KCR (Kowloon-Canton Railway) which brought us to the New Teritories. We travelled a great distance to go to a place called "Shan Shui" to see an old beautiful building. When we arrived at the desired station, we had to board a local bus to reach the secluded area only to find .. the building is under construction. *faint* We then took the KCR to travel to another station "Tian Wo" to see an old wishing tree ... only to find the tree is dying. *double faint* By this time, we were absolutely seasoned travellers on the local tansportation. =) By this time, it was almost evening. Wondering what to do for our last night, we decided to head back towards Central.

Then we had one of our most exciting part of holiday! We boarded a double-decked public bus which took us to Stanley Market. The journey was exhilarating - Riding up & down the mountainous roads along the narrow coastlines is an adventure not to be missed!! Especially when you sit at the front row on the top deck -- like what Ping says: "It's a cheap thrill!" :) We got to see the mountains, the gorgeous sea, the beautiful buildings ... gosh.. I'm running out of words! We got to sit by the sea & relax upon arrival. After which, of course we enjoyed another round of thrill ride!

We rode the bus back to Central where we toured the IFC tower .. one of the world's tallest building. It's a commercial cum shopping complex ... very very classy! Even the movie stub collector wears a tuxedo .. can you imagine?? We took the Star Ferry back to Kowloon & my oh my ... the night scene of Hong Kong Island is absolutely breathtaking! It's really times like these I wish I had a video camera.

Amazingly enough, we had to stagger for another one & a half hours before we found a decent place to eat ... fancy us starving in a country known to be food paradise!! We finally settled at the restaurant - next to our hotel! *geesh!* But its was a sumptous meal of dim sum & more dim sum & roast pigeon & goose! Yumz!

Day Three Pictures >>>

8:42 PM

Hong Kong 18 June 2005 - An old Post office in Sa Tin

8:41 PM

Hong Kong 18 June 2005 - Taken @ Stanley's Market near Repulse Bay

8:40 PM

Hong Kong 18 June 2005 - Hong Kong Island's Spetacular View @ night

8:39 PM

Listening to: "Burn The Ships" by Steven Curtis Chapman
Reading: "Web of Deceit" by Glenn Meade
Mood: Exuberant

+:: Hong Kong 19 June 2005 - Homeward Bound : Our Plane CA735 ::+

Day Four (19th June, Sun)
We checked out of our hotels & bid farewell to the wonderful hotel staff with reluctant hearts. The place has been so beautiful & clean, the experiences so surreal & the people so polite & helpful. How could anyone bear to leave? But alas, reality tells us otherwise! But! Wonders never cease!

We made our way to the airport via a small minibus, on the way we were both quiet, trying to absorb as much of the scenery of this elegant country as we could with the time we had left in it. At the check in counter, we were told that the plane was packed & we might have to be separated but the airline crew will try & make alternative arrangements for us if possible... but not in the way we had least expect it to be!

Once we board the lane, we were ushered to our seats ... in the FIRST CLASS! *shreeks* First class on board 2005 best airline of the world! Can you imagine that??? We sat in huge lush chairs with personal TVs, table laid with table cloth, offered wine, addressed by name, served gourmet food! It was too good to be true! We were so amazed that we took so many pictures of ourselves! Silly Singaporeans! :) I happily watched "Hitch" in my large cushy airchair & had the time of my life living like royalty! But ... it's good to be home. :)

8:37 PM

Hong Kong 18 June 2005 - First Class Food is unbeatable!

8:25 PM

Hong Kong 18 June 2005 - First Class seats are great!! Personal TV with table that has table cloth!

8:25 PM

Hong Kong 18 June 2005 - First Class Life is awesome!!

8:24 PM

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Listening to: "Fingerprints of God" by Steven C Chapman
Reading: Nothing

Mood: Discouraged & Hurt

I Refuse To Be Discouraged

I refuse to be discouraged,

To be sad, or to cry;

I refuse to be downhearted,

and here's the reason why..

I have a God who's mighty,

Who's sovereign and supreme;

I have a God who loves me,

and I am on His team.

He is all wise and powerful,

Jesus is His name;

Though everything is changeable,

My God remains the same.

My God knows all that's happening;

Beginning to the end,

His presence is my comfort,

He is my dearest friend.

When sickness comes to weaken me,

To bring my head down low,

I call upon my mighty God;

Into His arms I go.

When circumstances threaten

to rob me from my peace;

He draws me close unto His breast,

Where all my strivings cease.

And when my heart melts within me,

and weakness takes control;

He gathers me into His arms,

He soothes my heart and soul.

The great "I AM" is with me,

My life is in His hand,

The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,

It's in His strength I stand.

I refuse to be defeated,

My eyes are on my God;

He has promised to be with me,

as through this life I trod.

I'm looking past all my circumstances,

To Heaven's throne above;

My prayers have reachedthe heart of God,

I'm resting in His love.

I give God thanks in everything,

My eyes are on His face;

The battle's His, the victory is mine;

He'll help me win the race.

God is in control.

(Taken from http://www.ruthshaven.com/christian/discouraged.html )

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us". ~ Rom 8:18

10:45 PM