Family | What Season?

Friday was the happiest day of the week for me, full of promise.

What more with the coming holiday on Monday to celebrate Labour Day, the weekend was even sweeter for me.

Unfortunately, Friday was a very stormy day instead. I had to cancel my trip to Wify's shop because I was drenched wet even with an umbrella, at the side of the road trying to get a cab.

Saturday was at least a family get-together day with all 3 of us at my wife's shop. Well, better make the best of it anyway.

The erratic weather kept the crowd from reaching its full potential, but fortunately did not dampened the Customers' spirits to shop, basically because its payday and the long weekend. Click photo for more.

Abode | Vote Me

Going to the polling station on Saturday, 6 May 2006. Singapore's General Election 2006. The people decide the future of this island.

Tampines GRC is one area being contested and my wife and I are casting our votes that day. We received our polling card in the mail box yesterday. Polling station at Poi Ching School, just beside our home, like the previous GE before.

Should be very concern with the future of the nation, but honestly, not really. Does not sound patriotic, but I am, trust me. Maybe because I feel it in my gut which party will actually win. Nonetheless, there is that underdog chance or hope going on, every election exercise.

It seems to me, the campaigning is more interesting than the outcome. An irresponsible mentality, I know, but I just cannot help it. Click photo for more.

Photo | Friday Flare

Had a flare on Friday, the eve of my favourite days of the week - yes... the weekend! The flare of having a long weekend it seems when I spend time outside on Friday after work.

This is the 11th post of my Photography blog which I started with Click! Singapore section.

Taken with my S700i Sony Ericsson cell phone, I took some normal sights I see whenever I go for Friday prayers, and additional photos I snapped while going to my wife's shop after work to give a surprise with dinner and spent time with her at the shop until closing time.

The photos did not turn out that well or sharp considering the cell phone is not good to take photos with low light as it was evening at Bugis Village then. Click photo for more.

Escapade | Monday Blues

As always, Monday is not a good day for me.

After a weekend off, going to work is such a pain nowadays. Cannot do anything about it right now, nothing seems can be rectified to make it normal for me to wake up on Monday morning to go to work.

Nothing works for the time being to somehow psyche myself to feel at least normal to go to work everyday. I know there is a whole level of stuff I need to settle and not just this Monday blues excuse I give myself.

Though I had it bad. Not until I get to hear someone else's life story. Painful and devastating, nothing compared to my constant "bickerings." Something real, something that affects the whole family. I learnt that my life is still better than someone. For that I thank God. Click photo for more.

Thank you Carol - A Revision for the honor

Family | Sick Today

I was about to eat my breakfast this morning in the canteen at work, when my wife called me on my cell phone.

Apparently, I missed a call from my son's school earlier; only to realized a miss-call when I picked her call up.

The school has informed my wife to fetch him back home, as he was not feeling well after his PE lesson. Strange thing though, there were another 4 students, who were unwell too after their physical exercise lessons.

I left work urgently to get to my son; and for him to learn that breakfast is an important meal of the day. Click photo for more.

Family | Tax Returns

Had a little accident with the keyboard button while filing my income tax for Year 2006 online earlier.

So an amendment email with full details of my relief requests and income statement per my IR8A form was sent today, the last day of online e-Filing is available.

Quite unease to give personal details over the email instead of direct to the website, but the IRAS email is correct and the IRAS officer's email asking to do just that left me no choice, since the re-filing option on the IRAS website was turned-off for some unknown reason.

Hope that settles it. Now payback time! Click photo for more.

Family | Bye Comel

Mom called me today with a very sad news.

Her little kitten my Sis found abandoned on 2nd April at the foot Mom's flat, where the children's' playground is, has died.

Mom named it Comel or Cutie. She nursed it to health for a week from its diarrhea state, but it came back again. This time Comel refused to take her milk. Her stomach bloated and hard.

Sis took it to the Vet on the morning of Good Friday. The Vet said that the kitten was otherwise healthy, but with its diarrhea and traces of blood in his liquid stool, his condition was definitely not good. Medication was given, but... Click photo for more.

Escapade | Hair Treatments?

Never really bothered about my hair, even when my barber told me that he noticed my hair is thinning around the crown region.

I just did not care or grapple with what I should do if it was really true. I was in "denial."

Once a while styling me hair everyday to work becomes apparent to me that my hair is slowly, but definitely receding. Nothing much you can do for MPHL as it is genetics, but Mom and Dad still have good set of hair.

So why should I get worked-up for, until Sudoku.

Yes, Sudoku the Japanese, 1 to 9 numbers game triggered to remind me that it is happening. I should do something about it. Click photo for more.

Photo | Bugis Junction

Not quite out of the woods yet, but feeling much better now.

Keep telling myself that I cannot control everything that is happening around me, I just have to learn to relax and try make myself happy. One way is definitely blogging.

This post is the 10th Click! Singapore post of my Photography blog.

The snapshots I took while "prowling" around the vicinity of Bugis Village, where my wife and I set-up shop for her Ladies Fashion Jewelleries and Apparels.

Good thing the photos turned out satisfactorily, even with dark clouds above, using my S700i Sony Ericsson cell phone. Click photo for more.

Family | SmartTV Installed

About a month ago, I was impressed with a personality test that came with Starhub SmartTV viewing habits survey that I took part in.

On the 7th April 2006, I received a comfirmation email that I was picked to take part in the pre-launch of SmartTV. Replied that I was interested and a day later, a phone call from Starhub arranging to fix an appointment to install the DVR at my home.

Good Friday was the earliest spot given to me which they came and installed in less than 15 minutes. My son was the most excited person as this is like a new, improved toy for him.

Now, we get a complimentary viewing of all the cable channels except PPV for a month before it reverts back to our normal viewing package. Now use it, explore it and feedback any glitches it may have. Click photo for more.

Family | Now Open

Finally, we have realised our dream to open a shop that we can call our own. Chic Couture how has an address!

Located at Bugis Village, 2nd Floor; we are so excited that we finally completed set-up and started business on 4th April 2006.

So far so good, as more and more people are aware of our shop and the outlook better than we had in the first week, which was quite scary when we had lots of window shoppers instead.

Still very new to test the "market" with our collection of Ladies Accessories, we have to weather the "storm" and sunny days ahead since we have already committed to have our little shop we proudly call our own. Click photo for more.

Escapade | My House

Blog-surfed to Ellen's Coffee Granules and stumbled upon yet another personality test.

This time it is with a twist; you need to draw a house and yourself in the garden. With that, answer a few questions and the result comes out. She named her masterpiece "Little Girl's House."

I named mine "No. 1 Serenity Place."

Unfortunately, the code given for the drawing does not work with Blogger, so I resorted to copy-and-paste it onto my post instead. The drawing did not appear as nicely as it did when I drew it at Draw A House website.

It does not seen to analyse the drawing though, but the answers that were given returned the combination of expected results to you. Nonetheless, it was fun drawing it free-hand using your mouse. Click photo for more.

Family | Adopted Kitten

Mom has a new responsibility that started yesterday.

Both Dad and Mom have decided to take in a kitten left abandoned at the foot of her block.

Helpless, only a day or so old, with eyes still not opened yet, the kitten was found hungry and crying for its mother. For compassion from the passers-by.

The cruel act of someone to leave a defenseless baby, knowingly that it will not have the slightest chance of survival on its own; saddens me just thinking about it. A life so little, but a life nonetheless.

I am happy for both my parents who are very compassionate, nursing it back to health and have it added responsibility - a fun one, I might add to their lives with this little addition to their household. Click photo for more.

Family | MRI Results

Sick not fully recovered from my bout of cough and flu, I took half day off in the afternoon today to accompany my Mom to TTSH for her MRI results taken a week ago.

Dr. Fong Shee Yan, Orthopaedic Surgeon in charge of my Mom's case has suggested therapy for a while to see if her sudden numbness or painful cramping attacks gets less frequent and bearable that surgery will be the last resort for her.

Mom's showed a little apprehension from the idea of surgery because of her age and the risks that may come from it. Paralysis is her biggest worry, what from all the talks from relatives about adverse outcomes from such procedures.

Since I have asked all the concerns and understood what is going on with my Mom, its time to let therapy work its miracle for her and have a get together with the rest of my siblings for a collective understanding of Mom's condition and what is in store next. Click photo for more.

Family | Medical Leave

I finally have succumb to the cough and flu after days of on-off feeling like I was going down with something.

On medical leave today to rest my tired and aching body with medication, but mentally I still cannot escape the many things that are going on with my life right now.

I can only stop thinking about it when I doze off to sleep from the effects of the medication.

What with the gloomy situation at work, both my parents health problems that require very frequent hospital follow-up visits and the anxiety of whether our small business investment will be successful enough; nothing incredible, just manageable.

All these things seems overwhelming to me, but my biggest worry is the slowly, but surely gloomy condition at work. At least that is how I honestly feel, that has the whole weight on my shoulders. Click photo for more.