And they said, don't laugh at others

For it'll happen to you. 

FML. 

One song on repeat the whole night, on Spotify Premium. One song. FML. 

(Background story: I used to laugh at Markus because he listens to only one song at any one time on his playlist. It'll just be that one song for months, on repeat, during his commute to and from work. His usual app stopped working one fine day. He asked me about Spotify. He just wanted to listen to a song on repeat - but obviously Spotify Free wouldn't let him do that. So this boy upgraded to Premium just to listen to songs on repeat. It was something I'd tell the world about because it is ridiculous. I'll shut my mouth from now on.) 

Helloooo Taeyang

Update: ok, after watching it 50 or so times, I think it's time to finally sleep. O.m.G. 

Omg. Have you seen the duet of Taeyang and a fan on Fantastic Duo ("Eyes, Nose, Lips")?? 

IT'S INSANE! 

I've played that video like twenty times. I even downloaded that episode of FD with English subtitles just to hear what the judges and other contestants have to say about the performance.

It's the bomb. 

Went to find the English translation to the song and oh gosh, pretty sad breakup song. 

A few people commented on FB that they cried watching the video without knowing what the lyrics meant. Yes it is that much feels! 

Taeyang seems like quite a nice guy. 

Keyword: quite. 

Dude was so shy at ICN airport when he was right beside me. Wtf. Don't know if he's shy or stuck-up. 

Regardless I think I like him already! 

Hormones

All is great about being 30 - except the damn hormones!!!! 

I'm having the most serious breakout in my life. Many colleagues said they went through it at 30. It sucks. 

30 is a great year, but it sure isn't pretty. 

One of the best quotes ever

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown”

― H.P. Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature

For one who has always been the kind to fear change and the future, I say, this quote is spot on. 

Doubt

The mind is all doubts. 

The world mourns

Picture source: Postsecret 

Best illustration ever.

-__-'

Raising the bar

Just finished watching Raising The Bar (HK). 

From the show I learned how easy it is for a couple to stray in marriage if they don't communicate and don't give enough time to one another. More so if promises are not kept. My heart stopped every time Vivian brought her relationship with the bookshop owner to a next level. 

Vivian and her husband are both lawyers and they don't have time for each other. Something I can expect to relate to. :( 

The bookshop owner looks like a "goldish uncle"!! Creep. 

Also, from the bookshop owner, Vivian found in him what her husband lacked so she got attracted. Sadly, this was what happened to a couple I know. Miss X cheated on Mr Y because the guy she was with had a caring, homely side that Mr Y didn't have. 

I believe it's time for me to revisit Love Actually. I remember it was much applauded by critics because the movie tackled different types of relationships. I never understood how it got those stellar reviews as it was dead boring to me. I should watch it again now that I'm older and understand relationships a little better. 

Global warming

I touched down from Frankfurt at 4.30 pm, and the weather was 34 degrees Celcius. Since when was 34 a norm at 4.30 pm? 

Anyway when I got into my regular to go home, the taxi driver was complaining about the weather. At the same time his entire car stinks of cigarette smoke. I almost suffocated. When I got home, mum complained about it. This morning the fiancé complained about it. 

IMHO, don't complain about it if you're not even trying to help with environmental issues. Do you have a right to? 

Mum and Markus are about as lazy as it gets when it comes to recycling. Mum claims a recycling bag in the house is ugly and a hassle. She drinks from new bottles every day. Markus is lazy too, and he uses ONLY air-conditioning which is an extreme waste of energy. 

I think it's about time we effing wake up to reality and start to get our asses moving about conservation of resources and the environment. Every fucking bit counts. 

If you used to use the tap at full flow, how about halving it?

Set your air-conditioning to 24 degrees Celcius. 

Reuse plastic bags from the supermarket. If you're buying stuff that's going to cut through/poke/tear plastic bags (rice, instant coffee powder, etc.) bring a recycle bag. 

Call local authorities in charge if you see a neighbour burning openly (especially in my BP taman). 

Plant more trees.

Change out inefficient shower heads - those that are spraying in all directions except at you. 

Tackle the leaky taps as soon as possible. 

Bring our own containers to pack food. 

So many ways to start. Start now!

Fair trade

Think of where your toys could potentially be from. 

It's a Sunday and there's too much food on FB

I've been feeling ill since last night. Couldn't sleep because I feel really nauseous. I wish I could vomit it all out but no I ran to the toilet a few times and only once I did vomit. 

Still feeling like shit after 16 hours. 

I realize also I can't go on Facebook today. Too many food posts. Way too many. Each time I see a picture of food, I feel like I wanna throw up. 

This feeling sucks so much. I'm so tired but I can't sleep because of the nausea. Checking out tonight T___T

One week ago

Couldn't sleep in the crew bunk. So I made this collage. 

Orchard Road everyday

I've been going to Orchard Road every single day this week, and for the last week I was there every single off day that I was in Singapore. 

I don't think I've ever been there as often as this and it's beginning to look like a second home. 

Being in Orchard is bad because I keep going to revisit things on my wish list. 

I've so many things on my wish list now. 

:( 

Right there at the top is a sewing machine and a bag. 

The bag is risky because I've not been heavily shopping and the last time I bought a bag was ages ago. It's only a matter of time before I walk into H and tell myself, "Screw saving money I'm spoiling myself today." <--- that has happened one too many times. 

Then there is this pair of shoes which the honey and I think is beautiful and will be really nice for the wedding. Its price is beyond what I'd normally pay. 

Then there are more shoes which I probably wouldn't wear much and these are sports shoes. 

A time-bomb is ticking. It is anybody's guess when this will go off and what it is I will cave in to. 

Exams are over

Today during one of the scenarios for first aid (we do this scenario thing in the mock-up, with the plane seats etc. so that we can experience doing chest compressions in the narrow aisles of the plane), there was a sharing session. 

In fact there always is this sharing session every year during first aid. Crew share their experience with passenger death or near-death onboard.

 

Every year, there would be a few crew who have such experiences in their flying career. Having done this for 7 years, I've gone through this sharing session with so many people (because we see different people every year). It's always incredibly sad to hear that passengers didn't make it. CPR knowledge is so important. While most cases don't make it, there have been miraculous cases of passengers being saved. Today's miraculous story was of an old lady who collapsed in the galley because of a heart attack. How lucky was she that her seat was very close to the galley so she managed to stagger to the back to get the attention of cabin crew. How lucky was she that there was a passenger onboard who's a cardiologist - and how lucky was it this cardiologist was seated next to her - who took no time to get to her in the galley. CPR was carried out successfully. She passed out again after regaining consciousness so CPR was carried out again. And so it continued until the plane landed. The dear old lady survived. It's almost meant to be that she lived. 

Others weren't so fortunate. 

Safe travels everyone. 

SLEEPY

I hate being on ground.
On the first day I did a day-course to "enhance pax relationship". Basically, it's for passengers with reduced mobility and disabilities. It's a requirement to go through the course if we want to fly to the US and UK. Once every 2-3 years we need to go through the course.

Today and tomorrow are drills and exams for safety and evacuation in order to renew the license to fly.
Jumped off the slides today. Did safety demonstration. Got updated on security situation worldwide (latest: alert for Turkey and Europe, several passengers blacklisted by the airline for molesting crew). Got tested on door operations for the three fleet I work in. Fire-fighting drills. Plane crash scenario.
Tomorrow - theory test for most of the above, first aid (either CPR or choking for adults and infants), evacuation commands and I hope that's about it.

This is so tiring. Can't wait to get my wings back on Friday.


DYK: Comfort cats/dogs are allowed onboard to ease your anxiety?
 

Sweet potato love

I love sweet potatoes. 

I bought them in Japan because Japanese sweet potatoes are even sweeter! 

The future MIL steamed one for me to eat while I work on my quizzes for the annual safety and evacuation procedures exam. 

These sweet potatoes are truly yummy. Imma buy some pumpkins back next. 

Telling time

I came home at 11.45 pm to see my landlady with her teary daughter downstairs, waiting for my landlady's transport. 

She was going away for flight for the first time since her mother went back to Malaysia. Before this, her mom was here for about 2-3 weeks. 

Her daughter, R, doesn't like the idea that now she will be with her other grandmother alone most of the time. 

I coaxed her and said that I will be around to play with her tomorrow so let's go up. The girl nodded and went upstairs with me. 

In her room, she said, "Jie Jie see you tomorrow."

Oh no. 

I think I'm grounded tomorrow. And the day after (due to standby duty). 

Anyway, I think I'll try to teach her how to tell the time. 

She's 7 and still can't tell the time and days of the week. 

When I was a kid, I had to learn how to tell time because I had to be in front of the TV when my fave cartoons start! For the same reasons I've to know my days of the week. 

Nowadays kids have iPads and cartoons are on demand. Who needs to know what time it is when you can watch your favourite cartoons all day long? 

I REALLY wish R has a toy clock but she hasn't got one. How can a kid not have a toy clock?! Consequently I'll have to rely on a cardboard, a marker, a pencil and an eraser. AND LOTS OF PATIENCE. 

4th

Four years have whizz passed.

The fiancé told me to meet him at the bus stop in front of the Thai Embassy along Orchard Road. I had just finished my facial when he called. I got there and wondered where he was. Looked around and saw him hiding behind a board HAHAHAHA. 

He emerged from behind this temporary board (for some renovation) with flowers. Awwww. Still so cute! 

We had dinner at Lewin Terrace.

The staff helped us take the above photo and framed it for us. I felt so honored when the chef came out to thank us because I've never had that before! And when he knew we were leaving he stood near the stairs to say goodbye to us again. So honored. 

(For example at Gunther's, I saw Gunther come it briefly to mind some business and then off he disappeared into the kitchen again.) 

We don't drop enough at these restaurants I guess for chefs to come out. We don't order $500 wines, or any exotic meats. Or maybe a complain would suffice but I only had compliments for the chef today:) 

Such a wonderful evening! 

#itsnicebeing30

Hello HND

Today I flew in to Tokyo through Haneda airport. 

Exactly 6 months ago (Oct 5th), I came through this airport with Markus (from Osaka) to go back to Singapore as his fiancée.It was a memorable trip. 

Arriving at HND today reminded me much about that holiday. I miss being in Japan with Markus so much. 

Due to bad planning then, we have plenty of unfinished business here. We will definitely be back here again. 

El Capitan

As I am writing this, my MBP is installing OS X El Capitan. 

I was on Snow Leopard before this. 

Up until a few years ago, every OS upgrade requires the Mac user to PAY for the OS. I think it's like US$20-odd. 

So obviously I didn't upgrade to Mountain Lion. 

When OS X Mavericks came out, I remember Markus had wanted to install it - for what reason I can't remember. Apple insisted he install Mountain Lion first before the machine can install Mavericks. In other words, he had to pay for an OS (Mountain Lion) that he won't be using at all. 

When Apple dropped the big cats (Jaguar, Panther, Snow Leopard, Tiger, etc.) for Mavericks, the OS also became free. 

Upgrading the OS has its share of problems. When Yosemite was launched I had wanted to upgrade it since it is free.

However I also read in forums that several people lost all data in the computer during the upgrade. The upgrade is suppose to migrate you from one OS version to the other without really affecting your personal files. 

I became wary of that and held back the upgrade. 

Today, I have no choice but to upgrade. Spotify is warning me that I won't be able to use the program soon because my OS is too old T_T

I'm really hoping everything goes well. Of course I've backed up my music and photos. But digital files are such that it could get distorted during transfer and you won't know it until it's too late. 

Envy?

A few weeks ago, an aunt told me over lunch that she's so envious that I have a job that's so suited for me.

Nobody she knows can sleep quite like me. People with difficulties sleeping are definitely not recommended for this job. It pretty much requires one to sleep whenever, wherever.

I also love shopping and which other job will take me to the best cities to shop?

Well I can understand her envy. 

But I also envy others who get to spend public holidays and other festivities with their family with their regular jobs.


When I leave The Company one day, I'll know if I envy myself.

Biggest creme brûlée ever

I love creme brûlée. But this I had trouble finishing.

Another 11 new products

Le new Singapore beautician started me on another course of products. 11 in total. That's about the same as the 11 standing products that I have from my BP beautician. 

The problem with my BP beautician is she's damn bloody painful. She was recommended by a relative (who was really persuasive) some months ago and now I dread facials because of her. She doesn't help my acne problem because she creates more when she squeezes my skin so deeply. 

The new Singapore beautician is freaking expensive. I mean, really expensive. 

To put it plainly, it's almost RM1k per session. The cost comes from the IPL shots for the facials. I'm sure I'm helping her pay for her Orchard Road store rent too. 

(You do realize now I've to walk down Orchard Road bare-faced? I've never been this brave in my life!)

Money is well-spent if it can cure my problem skin around my jawline. It's getting from bad to worse. I don't wanna say it but from two spots it burst into a whole patch of bumps after my last BP facial. One patch each on both left and right jaw. Maybe it was about to be inflamed and it was just the timing. I don't know. Not quite looking forward to the next facial in BP. Incidentally I have about 10 left in the package, with a whole lot of products that have to be shelved temporarily. 

After facial I had about 2.5 hours to kill before the fiancée is done with work. 

So off I went to try Cedele's gula melaka cake. I've been eyeing it for some time but never got around to try it.

 I would say it's quite good but a tad dry. If you've Ang Moh tastebuds then this cake might taste a little peculiar to you.