jpurney thus far

it has been a fruitful week .. met up with dear friends which i havent been making time for .. and realising that everyone has progressed so much.

am glad to have spend time with my family and got down to having my mum at the bridal studio : )

am going to set up facebook to re-connect with my lost frens ..

DIY facial

as it is dangerously drawing near to our photoshoot day, i have no choice but to resort to some diy treatments for my face.

i really wonder if it is like that for other brides to be ...

dark eye rings ...'chicken' wings .. gee mum just simply plasted tea leaves on my eyes and said .. maybe the computer could do some thing ..

i think so too ..

Singaporeans and 4D

well, i would have never been caught dead buying the golden ticket ( or tickets ) alone. but i did so today. was horrified when i saw the long long queue. but something happened while i was in the line. an elderly chinese man approached an indian man to help him buy his numbers, essentially to 'cut' queue. without hesitation the indian man agreed. well this is just living proof of one thing: Singapore is a multicultural society and we can certainly live together peaceful ( 4d and food binds us together )

gee this sounds like an NE lesson...

off to meet old friends : )

return

it's an odd time to be blogging. but at least i've returned to rant a little about the current happenings in my life. i started off wanting the blog to be a place where i could document my journey.. well it has in certain ways, captured that.


attended a wedding today. touching. i have no idea what is going to happen when it is my turn. i tell myself not to cry. but i seriously doubt it. was reduced to 'heaps' of tears today at a friend's wedding. it is exactly what i thought of a wedding to be ... simple ... heartwarming ...


it's like i just went through a crash course on marriage preparation ... now to deal with the house renovation.

no qualms .. have been very blessed so far although i learnt a hard lesson about dealing with agents.

the journey continues ( a dear fren cant make it for my wedding ... )

time

what does one do with time on their hands ? whine? complain? i dunno .. it's got to do with mood i guess. even with the free time. nothing more can be done with it unless accompanied by the right mood. i suddenly find myself with some free time and i havent been able to put it into concrete use.

chill for once i tell myself

pictures

once again i've failed to load up any pics . had wanted to put up pics of lovely flowers and just realised that i've left them in the SD card. i'm beginning to sound low tech. i cant help but to think that i have indeed pass the stage of my life where i'm so 'in the know' or be involved in activites or things that are so 'in' .. am i complaining that i'm old .. well not really. just that i'm indeed older.

never knew that picture taking can be such an art... in offence to avid photographers.. i myself am particularly interested. it is just that over the course of these two weeks, i've actually learnt the art of distinguishing a good photo with a very average one

movies

i love movies.. it is amazing how one can be 'transported' to another world altogether while watching a movie.. i love romantic movies too .. : ) "aw .. so sweet" .....as we all go .. gee.. i feel the girliness in me . well enough of that . i guess that explains why a fairy tale never fails ... why a sweet ending never fails to capture everyone's hearts..

p/s: am now reading reviews on The Nanny, probably wouldnt be able to catch the movie due the many reasons .. i cant wait for the time for my batteries to recharge.. looking forward to photo taking day !

Long neglected

havent been in a mood to write.. i guess my reading bug kicked in and i've been reading instead. bought two books from borders during a sale.. also with decided to use some credits which i had been given .. in between was the task of fashion design which i've very much embarked on my own. i guess we are just all so over work. i'm just praying for that special moment amist all these planning .

need to recharge my batteries first..

help

am thankful for all the help i could possibly get ...wish i have more to share my joy with

lazy

am full, happy and simply lazy on this rainy monday evening ..

am thankful

the wedding video

how should we do it ?
fun
comical
reflective
serious ...

dad

an easily contented man
simple
kind
selfless

constants

some things in life are constants ..

and for the some of us , we like it that way...

growing older

sometimes it just strikes you..

how much how you acheived
what have you contributed to the society
how much have you grown over the year
how you spend time on what you value the most
how has life been ...

life

a sunday

i've always thought of the ' sunday blues' whenever sunday comes. it's like somewat of a withdrawal like feeling that one experiences due to the coming work week. But this sunday is a little different. not beacause it is a holiday tomorrow but there is just this little feeling of contentment and relief.

i'm glad that ppl around me are moving on and are happy, i'm glad for the simplest things i have in my life .

in our crazy pace of life, we forget the simple things we have to keep us going each day.

contentment

A Powerful Quote

"knowledge can be created in the classroom and doesn't just have to come from the teacher."

rethink

i would like to think that students are able to use fact and figures to support their thoughts and opinions. (that is critical thinking ) also there is just simply no running away with the trusty pen and paper test. but of course just like the writer puts it. why is there a need for teaching to test and teaching to develop skills be mutually exclusive?

A good teacher is one who is able to marry both !

inspiration ..

i like this..an answer to my long-time question

A letter to the Forum

As an educator of 20 years the letters on education in Singapore and the West by Mr Gan and Ms Bava beckon a response from me. The crux of the discourse stems from our understanding of “teaching to test” and “teaching to develop skills”-critical thinking skills.

Based on the comments, the perception is that the Singapore education system is based on rigorous testing while the West – the UK and the US –encourages critical, creative thinking. Both these methodologies of instruction have their merits and flaws.

In Singapore and the West, the measure of success in education is based on test cores, so teaching to test will boost the students and society’s perception about the intelligence of these students. Teaching to test also requires quite a bit of drills, often repetitive and boring, going over the same problems, the same situations in various forms. This is boring for both the student and teachers.

As an educator in Los Angeles, my experience of teaching critical, creative thinking is filled with mixed results. Students are encouraged to speak up and participate, and they generally do. The problem with this form of participation is that the discourse has no merit because it is based on their personal opinion that contradicts generally accepted data. The premises of their arguement are substantiated not by facts but by fantasies.

In truth , “teaching to test” and “teaching creative , critical thinking” are not mutually exclusive methodologies; rather , they complement each other. It would be to the students’ advantage if they could use the information generated from readings and respond critically and creatively to the ideas. The task then is for the teachers to come up with various types of lesson plans , using materials that apply to students’ lives , or materials form the past that are still applicable today. This is true for all levels of students.

Ong Wooi-Chin

a good deal

i'm really crossing my fingers ( and toes ) for a good deal. i really hope to seal the deal soon. : )

deadlines

i'm dangerously missing the datelines for my preparation. Have not booked a bridal gown designer. horror. although i did enjoy the whole process, I realised that the whole decision making portion of it is more complex than what i had thought it would be.

i seriously hope this weekend will be productive. This is quite a busy season for dd. hanging in there. still want to remind myself that i'm lucky to have gotten a roof above our heads.

I've also offically 'started' my keep fit programme. Quite a shocker for myself too. am terribly motivated by the pedometer. At least it acts as a form of motivation!

Towards a good weekend !

being 'old'

all signs around me for the past one week has been pointing at the need for one to upgrade, one to do better, one to acheive something. the constant need to upgrade

gee

the profession

i read with disbelief on how any individual could actually comment that "teachers just teach, they dun educate." gd grief. well i'm not about to launch into a verbal attack, i'm glad that two readers have readily offered their two cents worth in response to that comment.

teaching comes from the heart. maybe one should revisit their schooling experience before commenting on what teachers do. spare the poor teachers.. it is a lot of hard work and heartache ....

pictures

lack of pictures. maybe i really do need to take the effort to go picture taking. well at least it serves as good visual memories. busy week adn i'm going to the zoo this weekend. hope to return with some new found inspiration!

rush

it is unbelievable how fast time time is passing. with this national day long weekend. at least we managed to get to one shop. wat a weekend! i will be the first to join for joy, the day we confirm our package. It is time to move along.. a crazy month ahead.

i was just thinking .. it is kinda stressful to be in ur 30s when u havent achieve anything in ur 20s . it is the start of another work week . strive on !

the journey thus far..

have heard of the saying , it is not the destination that counts but the journey.

after hearing all the horror stories of wedding preparation, it is no wonder one would enter the journey with much caution , worry but I'm glad to say that I've learnt much thru this journey.
am thankful.

it is a lot of trust , hope and luck i guess when searching for suitable companies to help us...

some things can wait

certainly health and family are more important than anything else .

often we are so caught up in our crazy world, working .. but how much time do we spend on the most important things in our lives. it is time to take stock and set out piorities rite.

joy

counting my lucky stars ...

i finally found the perfect gown . oh pls wat a cliche i tell myself, but i guess when one experiences it , one will understand. but .but ... but ... the practical side of me has spoken :S

i'm just glad i could actually find something that i like . at least i've an idea of wat it looks like , instead of some fuzzy wazzy idea in my head. it helps if i actually decide that to replicate it instead.

seriously think that the gap between the upper class and the middle class is really widening . with this economic boom .. prices for most things are on the rise. taking heart that at least some things are priceless ...

first reader

welcome cuz ..

strange

ppl complain when they are busy , ppl complain when they are free.. ppl just simply complain.

i think i'm going kuku ...

wedding registry

I was just reading an article on the latest tread with regards to bridal registeries. well this doesnt happen here , and certainly it is not exactly part of our chinese culture. given the fact that we have always been giving newly wed angbaos. however the article interest me . the fact the dream trips and other exotic adventures could count as a gift.

wonderful

which reminds me , not much has been done with regards to our honeymoon.

hmm.. a wedding registry ...

weekend

i am still terribly inspired and motivated after our good progress ( although we have not comfirmed anything except our dinner venue) last weekend. Been hoping for the arrival of another weekend. I am glad that it is already tuesday : ) yipee.

it is one of those days where i experienced a sudden realisation . it is one of those quiet moments , for me at least , although everyone around me seems to be going on well with their daily business. I was just running some errands when suddenly it hit me that i'm getting married.

and wat it means to me . very powerful . very real ... it is actually happening .

i want to remember this moment

rest, thoughts

those dreamy pictures really do set me dreaming ....

inspired

part 1

yesterday was an interesting day.. never knew shopping could be so fun ! am truely inspired by ppl who are passionate about thier work, who love art, who has great business sense and who truely want to provide a from of service. I think truely think that these ppl are gems.

am very inspired by the lady who spoke to us at Fairy's Inc. She has given me new meaning to the word marriage. I get the feel from her that it is not some 'money making' opportunity but rather it is about the union of two ppl and there is a real need to have something special and meaningful. That special thought, feeling is often lost.

many times in our business, in our crazy cycle of work , we forgot the true purpose of a marriage. i am really glad that through this journey of searching and planning for our big party , we met ppl like her who helped us to make meaning of this big day. to remind us what is so special. to allow us to feel that fuzzy feeling again. after all it only happens once in our life.

part 2

photos. the search for the bridal shop and photography has just started. am not relly a person who is extremely particular about my gown. i seem to like most bridal gowns from different boutiques.

this is when the thought strike me . shouldnt photo taking and bridal gown/ suit selection be decisions that we make seperately? instead of having everything bundled together?
unfortunately i guess it is only market savy to have bridal shops tie in with photographers.

loved the pictures done by travis ong. loved the emotions , loved the expression, loved the mood. that's what a picture should do and 'say' to someone who sees it. i hope to have pictures who say a thousand words. pictures who tell a story . not just some table top picture but a picture with words. lovely

suddenly it screams to me; budget !
am just glad that dd is in this with me. he has been really patient over my gown changes or maybe i had low expectations of his tolerance level for this keke :)

i guess when it comes to budget , we are just a bunch of ppl who are just not at the stage of our lives to ask for the cake and eat it. something has to go .. in this case i am glad i've made a few important decisions during our search this weekend. photographes and rings as they are for us to keep.

i am glad the journey thus far has been so meaningful : ) am thankful

step 3

never really thought that this day will really come : ) went down to the first bridal shop today . heard rave reviews about it so i guess i really got to see it for myself. trust is the key word i guess. i just dun really want to go round and round looking for gowns. hopefully we can settle one within our budgets and something simple and elegant

: )

random thoughts

i guess i'm in the mood for rambling .. although i often fault writers who do so, well this is a different context i guess. thanking my lucky stars fro home cooked food and having the luxury to just write in peace. i guess it is really a great idea to just rest at home. just sit back, surf the net .. read up on stuff and let loose.. it makes all that difference to the next day.

i noe it sounds simple and crappy but i really so appreciate this little alone time that i have. chill out .. but then again i just cant wait for the weekend to be here.

i'm quite excited at the prospects of checking out custom made rings. interesting idea suggested by a fren.. it's really great to seek ideas from different girl frens..

weekend

i'm waiting for this weekend to come by .. it is going to be exciting :)

an icon

one of my most loved views.. ( had nearly hit the kerb while trying to catch a glimpse of it ) I guess the skylight is going to look very different in just one or two years time..

how many cranes are there ?

amazing .. the IR

a beauty

hopefully this will remain as it is .... untouched ..

blogthings

the person who came up with blogthings certainly have a good idea of what bloggers are up to .. well at least for the matter me . keke .. ive been trying out the quizes for the past half hour. interesting results .. well this wat i term as 'self-help' :)

love reading but ..

well .. i love reading but sometimes having to read for a different purpose really makes reading a chore. i love really to know the plot , to know how the characters had develop along the way. but poor writing simply makes it tough. but of course we noe no one is a born writer , we all learnt.


i just attended a session on blogging today and i thought that it is interesting to examine how blogging could actually be an educational tool as well. hmm ... i guess with the correct purpose and intention, any vehicle could possibly be a good vehicle for educational purposes.. ok this could be a speeing statement.


on a seperate note,
maybe it would be interesting to do a video on a life of a taxi -driver , or just a show, a segment , a piece of writing about taxi drivers. they are just such intriguing characters . i guess i say so now cos i've just encountered an interesting one today. He had many thoughts. Well i do understand his concerns , i was wondering at the back of mind ... are his thoughts representative of folks in his age group . hmmm ... still wondering

a tribute to sunny : )

this is a tribute to my Sunny !



well never thot that i will be doing this one day .. but am just gald that i can always count on my little sunny. who has never failed me ..

three cheers ! hip hip sunny !

timeline

no idea why but i dun seem to be able to click on the title box.

am sick.

hope to feel better soon. think i poisoned myself unknowingly. feeling weak and drowsy.

one thing did perk me up though. the prospects of getting a custom made ring : ) hee hope it fits our budget.. praying for smooth sailing preparations ... no high expectations at all. am just going to take pride in one meaningful part of the event and be happy with it.

i do really think that my worries about getting help for chossing of gowns, make up are not unfounded.. with everyone being so busy i really cant expect much .. after much searching and reading up , i managed to craft a timeline. i guess it really helps to put everythign in perspective. for now i just hope to get well and fit soon.

food poisoning is really no joke.

task list:

• check out bridal studios
• get someone to marry us
• the rings : )

step 1

after a month long search.. this was where we started ... but decided against it

gorgeous !

gorgeous !

crocs

trusty shoes !

look harder ! a rainbow

always look on the bright side of life :)

part 2

You Are An ENFJ

The Giver You strive to maintain harmony in relationships, and usually succeed.Articulate and enthusiastic, you are good at making personal connections.Sometimes you idealize relationships too much - and end up being let down.You find the most energy and comfort in social situations ... where you shine. In love, you are very protective and supporting.However, you do need to "feel special" - and it's quite easy for you to get jealous. At work, you are a natural leader. You can help people discover their greatest potential.You would make a good writer, human resources director, or psychologist. How you see yourself: Trusting, idealistic, and expressive When other people don't get you, they see you as: Bossy, inappropriate, and loud

What's" Your Personality Type?

truth

unbelievable. well of all ppl i seriously think that i will be the last person working on a personality test. but then again it can be quite interesting .. :) any truth in this?

a test..

Your Personality ProfileYou are happy, driven, and status conscious.You want everyone to know how successful you are.Very logical, you see life as a game of strategy.
A bit of a loner, you prefer to depend on yourself.You always keep your cool and your composure.You are a born leader and business person.

unwell

virus. thank god i have a break tom ...

"always look on the bright side of life ..."

beautiful..

i hope it is worth our every cent ..

(disclaimer: photo taken from http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/singapore/shangrila/details)

fever

dun feel good today . fever. wonder how did the virus just hit me so suddenly. body's aching . i guess i will see the doc tom, just in case ..

want to be well soon

phew .. i made it !

ok i survived. and it wasnt as bad as what i thot. i guess i'm really getting old either that or the ppl around me are getting married at a much younger age.

i'm just glad i had all the support that i could possibily have...

the war in my mind

well , sometimes it is just seems that i worry too much , i think too much or i'm too concerned about the well being of the ppl around me. good grief .. got to let go . the session today went along just fine. thank gdness for dad heading the show and for dd being extra careful and understanding . things lighten up towards the end with the sharing of stories and experiences. pheww.. see i worry too much ..

finally we can make a decision .. moving on

desk.. empty

the whole decision making process has certainly taken my mind off my actual daily grinding. should have taken a picture of my desk. now it is empty. then again the memories will stay and i guess it serves a better purpose..

moving on ...

i'm not late

it is good sometimes to just take a step back from the rat race and calm down. i',m glad to read abt a fren's experience through her blog. calming down and acting decisively is going to help.

i just hope to be able to put a deposit on our choice wedding venue by this week. i hope

The day

ok no pictures. this is no good.. hopefully i can do something about it this weekend. i'm really thankful to be home safe and sound.

tomorrow is one impt day.. it's a day where everyone meets. i cant imagine what would happen. planning for a wedding can actually be a full time job. geez but i certainly feel that i need to get on with life. there is just so much more to do . call me a non traditionalist. it''s really not that i'm disrespectful but i'm really confused by the practices of yester years ( already i think referring to it as 'yester years' is disrespectful ) .. i'm not about to start a protest here but i'm just really hoping and praying that all with be fine after 'the day'. that everyone will just lay their cards and be happy about the final decision. And that there is no need to double guess one another's thoughts. dun like to be in the middle of this.

fairy tale vs reality

reality bites .. so much truth in that phrase. i'm just thankful that dd is still holding it all together despite everything that is happening. i feel that i could have done better. threaded more carefully on the 'tofu' . help ! what an experience this is ( it is still happening , explains the present tense used)

dream vs ability

can we afford? is always the question. once in a lifetime ! my heart screams to me but this message usually dun last for more than 3 seconds before my mind screams to me .. budget.
i've been dreaming and crossing my fingers everyday since the searching and decision marking process started. i'm hoping for the best.

reality vs fantasy

this part of my entry certainly seems quite out of point but today's interaction with close frens made me realised one thing.. escapisim. the older we grow, the more often we will slip into this mode... y not, as least it allows us to think that we are 'free' .. for a gd half hour or less?

this is one of the moments where i'm thankful that we cannot stop time ..

short break

we managed to squeeze in a short break despite all the stuff we got to do and the crazy work schedule. I'm praying that all will be fine and that we will have a safe journey there and back. think mum is worried sick.

hopefully i will be able to upload some pics when i return. did part one of my shift today. looking forward to the new beginning

as the journey continues...

ok, i havent been penning my thoughts all too often. I've so much to write abt but somehow i think deep within me i'm still battling with myself on the purpose of my blog. well enough said. decided to write as i wish. i'm confusing myself.

the past week has been an interesting one. luckily no one knd of 'blew up'. well i guess it is seriously not easy to prepare for a wedding. as much as i also say.. i'm ok.. no worries, anything is fine. it just hits you somehow when you realised that it is Your wedding. Are you going to plan for one of the most important event in your life with an ' anything goes' attitude? that's something that i have been asking myself. was just reading another frens blog and i chance upon her thoughts about this whole experience... 'you only get married once' geez .. need i say more about how brides -to -be feel.

it's just one day .. but it is one special day : )

crazy hours

think i really got to do something about my crazy sleeping hours. this really doesnt help when everyone else starts 'operating' at 9am. I've just turned my clock upside down. maybe i should live in the states . nite ( got to do something about uploading my pics ) currently in conflict with self about the purpose of my blog ...

the strangest things i think about at 3.30am ... sleep

excel spreadsheet king

dd is now officially known as the excel spreadsheet king! He is a rare talent, i just cant believe the amount of work he has done to it easier for us to make a choice. talking about choices.. it has been an interesting 2nd week. : )

an exciting event

i must thank dd for saying this out loud to me today . "It is an exciting event, we must enjoy it !" wat a timely reminder ..

just when there are 1001 things to do . shall not ramble on and on abt the nitty gritties.

enjoy,relax

drawings

this is dd's secret talent! I had no idea.. the drawings. Beautiful ! our new home ..

time

found something interesting today .

a short poem written by my cousin .
our life ruled by a clock .. mental. physical, biological clock ..


boo
tick toc, tick toc
,it is getting very hot,
tick toc, tick toc,
quick, quick, beat the clock
tick toc, tick toc,
hurry now and break the lock
tick toc, tick toc,
i wanna get out of the box!

my mother

somehow it's just deep inside me that makes me feel that i should do this ..if only i can express myself a little better

a little tribute to my mum

harsh but never meant to hurt
tired ,drained but never fail to care
many problems of her own but never fail to treat my problems as her own
deserves a good break but will never take that way
with the daily grinding difficult to bare, she is one fighter who cares..

a short story

this is a story written by my 11-year old student.. i should be proud of his work. In a way I am. But I just cant help but think about his hidden message... is this a vehicle for his thoughts?. i will never know. for I've left . i wish i could help. but it seems there is this much i can do ... take care my boy .. u are one special child ...

The apple trees

As dawn broke over the hills of the botanic gardens, the farmer climbed into this tractor and switched it on. It spluttered and groaned before roaring into life. The farmer picked up a bag of apple seeds. This particular bag of seeds was very special as the seeds were very special breed of apple trees that produces sweet, juicy fruit and colourful flowers. He sowed them a long huge plot specially reserved for these seeds.

The seeds soon germinated and everyday, they received extra-tender care from many farmers at different times of the day. They also got watered with a nutritious formula for them. The seedlings soon grew into trees.

One of the trees was shorter than the rest as they all were competing with one another for sunlight and nutrients. That tree often got teased by the other trees. They call him names, made sarcastic remarks, whispered bad things about him and were very nasty.

The tree told his only friend, the old barn owl that lived in the little tree. The owl advised him to ignore them and not to provoke them. But the other trees just continued.

One day, the little tree told the farmers that he saw worms in the other trees. When the farmers asked the others about it, they replied: “No, he is just jealous; he is the one with worms!” the farmers believed the other trees. The little tree was so angry that his leaves rustled and his branches cracked.

The next day all the trees were teasing the little tree and making rude remarks. The little tree shouted at them, “My roots are deeper than yours!”

“Who cares about roots, they don’t show right!”

The little tree angrily dug his roots deeper into the soil, feeling determined to show how useful he could be.

Jus then there was a huge storm. A furious wind blew and lightening cracked like a crooked finger across the sky. The other trees groaned in pain. They could not stand up to the storm as their roots were not deep and their trunk had rotted away because the worms ate their trunks, they al toppled down with shouts. But the little tree stood firm as his roots were deep and his trucks healthy.

After the storm, little tree was the only one left standing. No without competition, he grew taller until he was taller then the others had been. His fruit was enjoyed by generations after generations and his leafy branched provide shade for everyone.

I

am having a meaningful break so far . a very intriguing idea was just mentioned today by my lecturer.

'I' is the shortest possible word.

word is defined as a string of letters put together which make meaning. well in this case it is amazing how 'i' can have so much meaning on it's own ...

dilemmagon problem solver :) if only life is so simple ...

break

a great start to the break ... must say that i'm terribly inspired by the lecturer..

the dilemmagon problem solver : )

hmm.. problem with phone ..cant transfer pic. will solve it

heavy heart ...

leaving with a heavy heart ... but i guess ... the best is yet to be ...

leaving..

why do all good things come to an end , come to an end ...

fry's getting married...

happy for her : )

the place

now where will it be ? at least we've got a roof over our heads. we were once contemplating about using the car as the 'roof' and the caltax toilet to help us with our daily needs. i must say it's very clean though... ok . bad idea

a beautiful start

love this pic .. well it should help to kick start my blog ..

day 1 of blogging about my journey to the start of another journey ...

gee it is as if I do have that much time. Well been contemplating the idea of blogging for the longest time . personal diary vs blog . well pictures do speak a thousand words .. just want to keep my memories ( with pictures ) saved, in my new digital world...

i've decided

ok .. the blogging world wins .. so here I am !