End of January

Wow it's almost coming to the end of January and it feels funny Chinese New Year is not here yet cos' this year CNY comes pretty late in February. Much had happened this period while I have not blogged. First of all, I parted with my car of nearly 5 years- My Ford Laser.

This car has certainly served me well. It has not had a break down during these 5 years except the time when the battery went flat. Sometimes I find it strange when you are about to part with something, i.e my Ford Laser's engine started to sound louder and louder since the day I found my new car and decide to scrape my Laser. But still, the car continued to serve me well till the 19th of January.

I'm lucky that I managed to get my dream car ever since I bought my Laser, i.e a Ford Focus. 5 years ago, with the COE at $32,000, it cost over $85,000 to get a Ford Focus. It was beyond my means. But in December, I was glad Cindy told me not to be lazy and go to Ford showroom to look around. Hence, on our anniversary, this Ford Focus was a pleasant surprise for us, and it didn't cost $85,000.

See the last digit of the car plate - "M" which means "Marcus" Hahaha!

I'm glad I didn't get a Toyota Altis (which many has labelled it as a "Uncle Car"!!!) It will be so unlike me to get something that almost everyone owned. I know Altis is a good car, but everywhere you go, you see one!! So boring!! Hahaha!! So I'm super happy that I managed to get a Ford Focus and it's made in Germany, not Thailand!(Haha, yaya papaya la!)


The old and the new changed guard.


This month also see the Singapore football team participation in the Asean Championship reaching it's climax. Yes, once again, we are in the final of the Asean Cup (Formerly known as Tiger Cup) But we were made to work hard in the semi-final by our neighbour across the Causeway. 55,000 packed into National Stadium as we witnessed a nail-bitting victory courtesy of a penalty shoot-out. I was there with PT and her family, KK, ZM and 2 of my former Sunday football kakis. We were there as early as 6, but the stadium was almost half full then. Really glad our own people made it there to give the national football team the Kallang Roar.

I was sitted besides the Malaysian fans but what the heck, what do you think they dare to do in front of almost 53,000 Singaporeans? So I was braved enough to even taunt them with my Singapore flag! We didn't exactly played well and I must admit I thought when Malaysia scored, we were finished. Cos' the Malaysian's defence was playing really well and the more we keep pumping endless high balls into the Malaysian half, we certainly looked doomed. But one of this long ball found Noh Alam Shah and his header was only half saved by the Malaysian's custodian. I thought that's it, he should get to the rebound. Then suddenly, "Zoomed" the ball was sent into the net at 200km/hr by Mohd Ridhuan! Game on!

This Wed's final is already beginning to look like another sell-out match. I went to Jalan Besar Stadium to get the tickets at 5pm and the grandstand tickets and children's $2 tickets were already all sold out! I'm glad I got myself and 4 other friends tickets to the match. I believe we will be able to truimph over the Thais! Rock on Lions!

Suddenly saw a sad news on TVBS Channel 54. This Taiwanese celebrity Xu Wei Lun has passed away after she was involved in a car accident. Even though I only see her in "Xiao Qi Da Cai Shen", her death really saddened me. To see such a person suddenly left this world is surely the saddest thing that the world can ever experience. That's why I must say again, do not take the person around you for granted. Cherish these people who are closed to you. We only live once and time will not wait for us. I have seen some celebrities being interviewed saying "Why Lao Tian Ye" must take away such a good person? Oh well let's not say "Shang Tian" is not fair. Our life on Earth is not about staying here for long and forever. It's really about what we have done and enjoyed here, i.e the quality of life spent here on Earth and not the quantity. This world will pass us 1 day and Shang Tian(or God) always have better plan for us in the other world. Hope Xu Wei Lun will enter heaven and be happy forever there.


RIP Xu Weilun

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 10:40 PM

2nd Week of 2007
Sat & Sun always passes so fast. Managed to meet up with 2 groups of friends over these 2 days, and watched the Asean Cup (formerly know as Tiger Cup) at the National Stadium (Hmm...why I always hear news of it going to be demolished but still I'm going there to watch football??!!) Alvin seems to be the only person who will watch any Singapore related football matches! Nobody else around me really give a wink to local football which is so sad. But he had made plans on Sat night so I had to go to the stadium alone. Even though I was alone, I managed to be entertained by this ever-shouting female fan sitting behind me. In fact, she was providing the commentary for me throughout the match! But I must admit she was very courageous and trying her best to lead everyone around her to follow her cheer and shouting. The Vietnamese fans covered half of the stadium and the noise they made really impressed me. Once again, I must ask, where's our own fans? It's really not a good sight to see more away fans than home fans. But I was happy to see many Liverpool fans missing their club's match with Watford at 840pm to be at the National Stadium to support their own country!

Singapore donned their new blue Nike kit but it was not a good start as we struggled to hold on to a goal-less against Vietnam. Hopefully, as they get into their stride, they will put out a better performance against Laos tomorrow.


Both teams singing their respective national anthem.


The Lions having their war cry before the battle!

Thursday and Friday seems to be cherished by me nowadays. On Thursday, I was hoping that time will crawl. Then on Friday, I really wish time will just stop! Went to Ding Tai Feng on Sat and met Charlene, Ruth, Lauretta and Desmond. It's been a long time since I saw them. Ever since Cindy moved to the West, chances to meet them has decreased. Not that I am lazy to travel to the East, but daily lives have been almost the same, i.e. traveling to SGH after work. So there's really not much time to hang out in the East. I was surprised to receive Christmas presents from all of them! Poor them, I didn't get anything for them!

Looking forward to the new week. Really have to enjoy everyday and not always looking forward only just to Sat and Sun! (because they passes so fast!) I think having friends to go out with makes me happy and if there's something after work that makes you look forward to, working days won't be such a struggle.

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 9:56 PM

Monday and some pictures...

I kept telling myself Monday will pass quickly and true enough, here I am...5mins to Tue, blogging away before Monday ends. Actually my working hours are really short compare to the 9 to 5 working hours that most people have to endure. As school have just started, I am still in the midst of teaching the topics, hence, no homework to mark until now. But from tomorrow onwards, the days of marking the pupils' homework will start! And hopefully my neck will be strong enough to withstand the "marking sitting posture" everyday! Today I went home at 4pm and watched Real Madrid suffer a 2nil defeat to "I used to support them" Deportivo La Coruna in the Spanish League. Depor always seems to only do well against power team like Real Madrid and Barca, they tend to be fired up whenever they face such opposition. I fell asleep and didn't pick Cindy from work to go SGH!!! Haha... She knows already, whenever I don't reply her sms at around 555pm, it seems...Marcus has gone to meet Grandpa Zhou!

Cindy asked me a question last night. Will I ever forgive her if she betrays me in our relationship? I told her I will cos I think to sustain a relationship or love someone all our lives is not easy. People changed, so do our environment, our attitude. So it's not surprise to realise someone who loves u dearly now will stop loving you 10 years later. Scary right? But I think this is a fact of life. I think even God don't have the power to make me love Him all his life. Sometimes I may get angry with him when things don't go right, so not to mention, a human being! I will even forgive a murderer, not to mention someone who don't love me anymore. And I won't blame her if she is betray me, cos it might be my own doing (eg. failure to care for her, fail to add sparkles to the relationship, etc...) that makes her love for me to decrease. Haha.. I talk like very easy like that, wait till it happen to me then maybe I won't be so cool! But this is really what I think I will react...

Below are some pictures I took of the food I have been eating and the pond...


This is the Sukiyaki I had at the new Jap restaurant, Raku Zen, at Milennia Walk.


This is the Sukiyaki I had on Sunday at Sushi Tei. I still prefer this one! Yummy!


This is He Ji, located at Jalan Kayu, which sells wanton mee, which you must wait for more than half an hour for the food to be served to you!!! Happy waiting!


See, this is the wanton mee I had, $4.


And this is my nice and cosy pond which the terrapin has been trying to escape from!

Hope you have a great Tuesday! And hope my Liverpool can beat Arsenal in the Carling Cup tomorrow night!

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 11:47 PM

End of Week 1 2007
===============

A week has passed in 2007. Guess what I saw tonight? A comet! Yes! I actually saw a comet for the first time! Me, Cindy and Carol was walking towards Forture Seafood Restaurant at Bukit Timah when I looked up the sky and saw the comet. Carol immediately said "Liu Xing Yu!! Quick Quick, make a wish!" Haha... If it is true, my wish is really for my mother-in-law to recover and be able to live life back normally. When I asked them what wish they made, Carol actually made 2 wishes! Haha... Comet reminds me of this song "Bei ni qu kan liu xing yu..." by F4!










Saw something similar to this comet.

This week has been fast, cos' there were only 3 working days. 3 brand new working days, 3 days facing new faces in classes. Ok, here's what I've been doing this week.

4 Jan Thu : My longest day at work. Last year was also like that. Had the first assembly of the year and the principal talked for almost an hour to the kids about self-discipline. If they don't have that, then we, adults, will have to start controlling them. How true. When we give them privilege, they better cherish it. Or else, we will have to start controlling what they do in class and they will lose their privilege. So, kids, better be self-discipline!!! Re-inforced what the P said when I was back in class with the kids. During lunctime, I was happy to have lunch with 2 of my colleagues. Had a good bowl of prawn mee. Didn't know this Redhill market have such nice prawn mee. The soup was really thick and shiok! Thanks colleagues for introducing! After work, as usual, went to visit my mother-in-law in SGH.

5 Jan Fri : Relieved to know it's Fri! TGIF! Went work slightly earlier and was able to buy some breakfast for my colleagues. I always think buying breakfast for colleagues is such a happy thing to do! My breakfast even helped 1 colleague when she was complaining of being hungry at 3pm! She was telling this colleague JT that she was hungry and I overheard it, so I brought ang ku kueh to her. Then JT shouted "I am poor...!!" Get the joke? Went home at 3plus and started washing my pond. It was tedious man I tell you. Scoping and pouring dirty water away, filling and pouring clean water into it and arranging the big chunks of rocks in the pond! My back and legs were aching at the end of it all!

6 Jan Sat : Cindy went to meet her ex-neighbour cum childhood friend at Compassvale. Before we reached there, we went to this noodle place at Jalan Kayu for lunch and we waited more than half an hour for the wanton mee to arrived. Cindy was hungry and beginning to feel moody. Nearly had my first conflict of the year! But thank God, I bought some nice otah from a otah stall a few shops away to curb her hunger!!! I saw so many people around our table having otah and was wondering what's the big deal about it. Then I overheard this woman beside us saying it will take a long time for the mee to arrive. When the mee finally came, I must say the noodle was really good! It was bouncy and shuang kou. And they made the noodle in the shop! This shop first started in Malaysia in 1945, called He Ji.

Went home after putting Cindy down at her friend's place. Did the class name list and some powerpoint for Monday's lesson. Cindy went to meet another friend in the evening at JP. I was supposed to accompany my mum to visit my cousin who just had a heart operation but he wasn't home, so I went out for dinner with my mum. Had a nice pork ball porridge at Bukit Gombak, near Kexin's house. So tempted to sms her that I'm near her house! Haha!

The night ended badly as my beloved Liverpool crashed out for the FA Cup to Arsenal, at Anfield somemore... sobs... sobs... but then again, in life, sometime you lose, something you win. Well, kan kai dian Marcus!

7 Jan Sun : Sunday...having Monday blues... haha..nope, told myself to enjoy the Sunday and don't worry about tomorrow. Woke up only at 12plus and miss going to the morning Mass. Went out with Cindy to meet Carol for lunch. Yeah, had my Sukiyaki again, this time at Sushi Tei! Really nice interior this Sushi Tei at Raffles City. Beginning to think those who prefer Sakae Sushi really don't know what is good Jap food! Haha... Carol and Cindy went to have their hair done at Funan while I went about getting the materials needed to make the pigs for the CNY programme. Met Michelle Kok, my practicum pal from Yuhua and knew she was married! Haha... So am I! You know, she is someone whom I does meet quite often. Have you ever had someone in your life whom you always bump into? Well, MK is one of them.

Went to Forture Seafood for dinner with Carol again!! Wow, who will have the privilege of having both lunch and dinner on the same day with mykk!!! She thought she saw "Torture" Seafood Restaurant as we were approaching the coffeeshop. We had hotplate tofu, sweet and sour pork (the sweet n sour pork ribs is still better!!!), herbal chicken and cuttlefish with celery (Should be cuttlefish with 3 pieces of celery lah! So much cuttlefish and so little veggies!!!)

Ok, Man U is leading Villa by a goal now. Stupid PC can't read the bluetooth thingy and I can't upload the pictures I took with my hp during these few days, so no pictures today. May the week be smooth and my body be healthy. God bless you who is reading this.

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 11:00 PM

2007
3 days have passby peacefully. Really, what I wish for 2007 is for the year to passby me peacefully, nothing too exciting, nothing too rewarding, nothing too complicating, just simple and smooth. That's me. I am someone who don't really love taking risk. I will not walk under the air-cons that are hanging out of HDB flat, i won't go near danger and will prevent bad things from happening. But of course, I'm no God and if things bad gonna happened to me, it's beyond my control...Sad, but true isn't it?

So what have I told myself as I faced the new year... I have told God, to let me be more faithful to him, not to sin, to forget as soon as I've forgive, to be more Christ-like. I have told myself, to forget all the bads in 2006, start the new year fresh, don't let others' perception of me in 2006 stucked with me through 2007, let all bygones be bygones, look ahead, not bad. Not to get into any quarrels, conflicts, especially with people close to my heart. So far, 3 days into the new year, so good.

Just to summarize my first 3 days of 2007-

1st Jan 2007
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0000hrs : had a different countdown. but actually i don't really countdown, think i only did that during 2000. this time, spent my time with my family at Coffee Bean. didn't do anything spectacular, just sipping through the latte and sending MMS to my dear Cindy and my sis.

1300hrs : Woke up to a brand new year, guess what i did?! painted my bedroom with my 2nd Uncle!!! Haha... Someone went to play mahjong and lost terribly! Hahaha... what a new year to start with.

2245hrs : EPL Full time score : Liverpool 3 Bolton 0. Woohoo! What a way to start the new year for my beloved Reds!!!

2nd Jan 2007
==========
1300hrs : Woke up to the 2nd day of new year.

1730hrs : Had my first hair cut of 2007.

1900hrs : Had my first dinner at a restuarant in 2007 with FTM (minus Dejiecouple). New place, Raku Zen, took over Sushi Tei, at Milennia Walk. The Beef Sukiyaki was good, but the soup has no fire under it so it cooled down soon. Hmm.. still i still prefer going to Sushi Tei for Beef Sukiyaki. Beginning to be my favourite Jap. dish liao!

2200hrs : Ah Mei Kaya Toast at Railway place near Hillview. Talking and feeling positive for the 1st working day of the year the next day.

3rd Jan 2007
==========
0930hrs : Visited mother-in-law in SGH as she was having difficulty breathing last night. Glad to see her able to talk normally again.

1100hrs : Started work finally after the long break! God please bless me a good day! Teaching P2, 4 and 5 this year. Nearly got a scare when I saw this hyperactive kid in my P4 class, but later as I went through the name list, realised he came to the wrong class! Phew! But i do pity my colleague, who is taking this kid again this year! P5, was really excited to see kids whom I taught back in P1. Just show how long I have been teaching and how old I am already! Haha...

Nitetime : Change water for my pond and realised one fish actually got stucked in the filter and was struggling, scoped it up and hope it will survive. Then realised one of the tortoise came out of the pond and was lying beside the glass door!

Haha... that's my 3 days. No conflict yet! No PMS yet! Phew! God bless me on the 4th day ok?

Marcus XA
YNWA @ 10:39 PM