“November should be the month, but why he is not out yet?” she questioned worriedly. Day after day.. excitement became restlessness. “Until one fateful day, a big moth landed on my belly and you came to the world hours later,” she told me.

Her statements put me in deep thoughts. Am I “Liang San Puo” (from Chinese literature Lovers) reincarnated? Nope, they turned to butterflies, not moth! Am I an immortal from the moth clan who got reincarnated due to wrongdoings? Perhaps, I watched too much Chinese fairy tales. All unrealistic thoughts swirling my mind. Anyway…

2 years after the first post, Once Upon A December - 22years of living, here am I again celebrating my 24th Anniversary.. No longer celebrating alone during semester break in University (2 years ago), and unlike last year, celebrating with my schoolmates in a Japanese Restaurant, Singapore.. this time I was accompanied by my fellow colleagues in Banjarmasin, Indonesia. It’s a memorable one indeed as the hotel lounge singer and other hotel staff get together and sang me a birthday song as well.

Celebration at Hotel, 9pm

My heart melts as candles burnt. It was a touching memorable moment. Thanks for all the wishes I’ve got from you guys. May all our dreams come true. World peace, and say no to global warming!

Updated on 3rd December 2008

I thought I am finished with this post. I am wrong. Good times haven’t ended yet. I’ve received a wonderful surprise from the hotel today.

Birthday Wish from Swissbel Hotel

After all day work, back to my hotel room, this is placed on the minibar. Although my name is spelled wrongly, I really appreciate the effort. With this, I would say this is my best birthday ever as everyone in the hotel are aware about my birthday.

2 Birthday Guys

Coincidently, it is Jan’s (colleague) birthday today, one day after mine. All of us gathered and went for a nice dinner at a restaurant to celebrate our big day.  Just came back from the dinner. Surprises all day long.

Still remember my previous post “Life Before Banjarmasin, Singapore”, mentioning about my old bunch of friends, here they are… the two photos above.

old friends (top), juniors n coursemate (bottom)

Ya, it was my favorite day again yesterday, Wednesday. This time it’s not because I’m having off day on Wed (by the way, I’m having my day off everyday now for 26days.. haha), it is because I’ll be able to join the weekly gathering in Singapore. Din see them for almost 3 months, we have lots to chat. This time we made it at Ministry of Food Japanese Restaurant at Marina Square after they knocked off from work.

As for the day before yesterday, I was busy with my coursemate and juniors at Ang Mo Kio S11 Food Court. Had a BBQ Stingray, fried oyster omellete and a chicken chop.. yaya.. that’s too much, i know.. but i just can’t resist..

Talking bout food, this is a list of food I’ve eaten since the first day of my leave, 12th Oct (until today, the fifth day):

Mee Goreng, Baked Spaghetti w Pork Chop, Guo Tie, Nasi Briani, Seafood Toji

12th Oct:
Singapore Prawn Mee
Chicken Rice
Char Hokkien Mee

13th Oct:
Minced Meat Noodle
Meat Balls Soup
Otah Otah
Mc Griddles Breakfast Set
Pisang Goreng (Fried Banana)
Yee Mee Soup
Chinese Dumpling
Iced Red Bean with Milk
Wa Tan Hor Fun

14th Oct:
Chicken Rice
Seafood Soup
Singapore Prawn Mee
Chicken Chop
Fried Oyster Omelette
Ikan Bakar (BBQ Stingray)

15th Oct:
Baked Spaghetti with Pork Chop
Guo Tie (pan fried Dumpling)
Nasi Briani
Char Koay Teow
Seafood Toji
Myojo Instant Mee Goreng (home made)

16th Oct:
McDonald Mc Wings
Chicken Burger (eating now)

Haha.. I hope this list of food don’t scare you. I lost count of how many meals I’ve eaten a day. Anyway, I am enjoying my life to the fullest.. and will be enjoying more soon.  I’ll be having another friends gathering in Johor Bahru this weekend… and travelling back to Penang, Malaysia next week. And will be broadcasting to you in Bangkok, Thailand! I told you, I won’t waste any seconds during my leave days before I go back to the cowboy town.

Cheers for life!

It’s Wednesday again. And as a promise to myself, I got to come out with a post. But I have lots of stuff to share after not writing for so long previously.. and it’s hard for me to decide which to write first. Finally I’ve decided to write in parts.

In the previous post “1st Anniversary for Not Writing“, I did mention about my new job with a Dutch company. My life changed a lot since then. Joined this company since March 26, 2008. I was allocated straight away to a project in Banjarmasin, Indonesia although I was based in Singapore.

Before I get more into Banjarmasin, let me elaborate on Singapore. Completed my studies and graduated during August 2007. However months before graduation, I have already got myself a job in Singapore. Although it was not my desired one, I took it as a stepping stone for a better one in Singapore. It was tough at the beginning. Well, as a surveyor (geomatic engineer).. nothing is easy. Furthermore, the pay is not up to my expectation .. thus, it was really a hard life for the first 3months..during probation. Life goes on…

I was lucky to have a bunch of old friends. “Old” in the sense of relationship period. I was accompanied by friends which I’ve known them for more than a decade. Some since kindergarten. Our ties were so strong that we never miss our gathering almost every Wednesday, ya.. that is today.

Candid Shot.. F.R.I.E.N.D.S

A shot before Krabi

Wednesday means it’s time to go early after work for everyone… shut down computer, pack our bags, punch our cards.. and rush towards the nearest bus stop… to everywhere.. sometimes in Orchard Road, Tiong Bahru plaza, Dhobby Ghaut, Clarke Quay, Chinatown and etc.. for a nice dinner, shopping, karaoke and gossiping!

Karaoke Chill Out

Whenever someone’s birthday that day, he/she will be the one who will buy us a nice dinner. That is how we enjoy life… Besides that, I was sharing a room with one of them. A kindergarten, primary and secondary school friend indeed. And now room mate. For almost every Monday or Tuesday.. we’ll definitely spend our time in a cinema. No matter it’s a good or bad movie, we’ll still watch…

Sometimes our gatherings even extend out of Singapore. They had some in Hongkong, Batam.. but I only managed to join a few.. such as Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Sentosa Island and Krabi, Thailand!

The Beach, Krabi

Krabi Trip, Thailand

Gosh, writing about all this, i really miss the good old times. My daily lives is well organized that time. Everyday after work, either gatherings or gym session at the nearest Clubfitt centre. Sunday, either a movie, shopping, eating or sleeping. Haha… Led a quite healthy life.

Until one day, my life changed… completely….. to be continued

p/s: For more photos regarding my friends, do visit here: FLICKR or FRIENDSTER

This is why I love self portrait-ing. I can snap any emotions I desired in my mind. Whether I want myself to be smiling, in deep thoughts..  or sad, I can take control of how I should look in the photo. And you know what.. you’ll definitely be satisfied with the end product.

This is what I’ve got today. An underexposed photo.. taken just beside the window of my hotel room, where the soft sunlight shines towards the left side of my face. Closing my eyes and portraying myself in deep thoughts… suiting to the today’s theme.. “Inspiration 2″. And here comes the end product taken using Nikon D60:

Get inspired for the second time since 2007

Still remember the first “Inspiration” photo I’ve shot. It was on 2007. I could still recall, that was during my campus life. Back from my last Faculty Nite party, I was thinking.. why waste? I was with my new shirt.. and start posing in front of my little tiny Panasonic Lumix camera on the cheap Sakure tripod bought for just RM20. I was very happy with the photo.. and yet, the best pose I had of all until today, when the second version was produced.

Close your eyes, breathe, relax and get inspired

Another reason I love self portrait so much is, it is one of my way to keep records of myself. How do you look during these dates… you’ll start realising that you’re getting old through the photos.. I bet you! I’ve already felt that…

I could still remember the first time I start self portrait-ing… it was with a green apple. So satisfied with the portrait that gave me the drive to continue until now. And that’s how I improve my photography and photoshop editing skills to this extend. I believe you can see the difference.

An Apple a day keeps the Doctor away

So, stop wasting money paying for studio photos… with lots of makeup and sometimes ending up not satisfy with the photos. Get a camera and do it yourself!

More self portrait photos here