How to Grow "Love"

1. Pick a good heart

2. Plant it in a bucket of Trust

3. Water with Care & Good Thoughts

4. Add some Romancing occasionally

5. Remove the misunderstanding leaves

Ingredients of "Love"

4 cups x Understanding

200g x Caring

1 packet (frozen) x Forgiving

375ml x Unsalted Romance

Handful of Hugs

2 teaspoons x Sweet Kisses

Lots of Love

+ Add some sprinkling of magic to make it special

Summit of Mt. Kinabalu

I want to witness this first-hand.

First Ray of Light on St. John's Peak, Mt. Kinabalu

Photo Courtesy of: travelgaia.com (some blogger)

Monday blues are kicking in. Boy, am I glad that I have already survived through the first half of the day.

Let’s see. What have I done over the weekend? Saturday was spent with Cynthia, whom I have not met since 2004. Still cannot believe that she’s in town. Gosh, I really miss the J06 gurls in Aussie-land, and the times when they address me as “Grandmama”. We had nasi lemak @ Bugis, followed by ice-shaved dessert @ Ice Monster. It was shiok! Food was great, and more importantly, the catching-up moments. Hearing the stories that have been happening in Cyn’s life, the adventures she had in Taiwan during her holiday and the love story between James and her. It certainly warms my heart.

Cynthia – You’re such a beautiful babe, not just on the outside but on the inner beauty of your heart too. Keep radiating gorgeous! Am so looking forward to the reunion when I am back later this year.

Youth was next. I miss the young little things @ church. There’s something energetic about the young little lives @ The House of Prayer. Perhaps it’s their youth or the fact that they’re so darn cool about almost everything. I love the way they are super duper friendly to literally everyone who walks in. Bear in mind that it’s really only my second visit yet I feel so much part of the gang already. That’s pretty neat I’d say! Thanks Steve, for bringing me in. It’s my prayer that somehow, our Lord above will use me to bless the lives of the little ones. And be blessed in return. Thanks too, for the moments of honest sharing. I'm ENcouraged.

Sunday was spent rotting @ home, playing with my niece and trying to make sense of her random “Ahs!” or “MaMa!” (since her mom, my sis, ain’t around, we figured that her “MaMa” doesn’t mean “Mom” but something else.). It’s quite a sight seeing the baby princess nodding at every single question that we asked her.

We: Joanne, you want to eat?
Jo: *nods head furiously*
We: Joanne, are you full?
Jo: *nods head furiously. Again.*

We wonder – should we or should we not feed her? To play safe, we decided to feed her. Again for the 3rd time in one afternoon. Small wonder she’s getting taller. And fatter.

Gosh, I love my life and all that is in it! Thank You Jesus, for the little joys and simple pleasures of life. Woohoo!

"Beauty World"

My last Sunday evening was spent with Wayne & Sheryl as we spent the night watching "Beauty World", a local musical production casting the likes of Irene Ang, Neo Swee Lin and Daren Tan.

URL: http://www.beautyworldthemusical.com/

An entertaining night, as we laughed our heads off with the mix of English, Cantonese and an occasional Hokkien slang or two from the good-natured Ah Hock. Glittering costumes, snazzy dance routines coupled with a few heart-warming songs, you can't help but feel that this is perhaps part of what the Singapore culture is all about. Young and warm, with a big mix of cultures and languages all immersed into one, creating what I believe many Singaporeans will be proud to declare Home.

Despite the lack of depth in plot, I do enjoy the snippets of Cantonese dialogue that Wan Choo used every so often, Frankie's uninhibited freedom to express his deep love for Ivy and definitely definitely, the love songs that tug at your heart's strings. Overall, I decided I do like the musical and its "rojak" of cultures. After all, I am also a Singaporean at heart, whether or not I call this little red dot my home. Now, that will be another story to tell.

After the musical, we went to City Space, one of my favourite hang-out places to chill over a glass of cocktail while soaking in the night view from the 70th storey of Equinox. Nothing beats good company, a glass of good wine and meaningful conversation. We had a blast!


Since my last visit, I discovered that City Space is now smoke-free, has a new carpet change and serves chips on top of their yummy roasted cashews! Bliss! Made a mental note to visit City Space more often from now. My cousins will be most pleased to know this. And finally, a few pix we took of the night. Lina is blessed.

Long Stem S-T-R-A-W-B-E-R-R-I-E-S

Xiao Mei got them into office one day and had me intrigued by the long stems - I just had to take a shot.

City Space @ Equinox

Was with Wayne & Ivan last Friday night at City Space. It's the guys' first time there, so was pretty glad they liked it. Among the few places I've been to so far, City Space is probably one of the nicest places I know to chill out and relax, minus the cigarette smoke atmosphere that is. Been a really long time since I last saw Ivan, an irony considering we lived in the same neighbourhood (guess that pretty much explains how our work dominates such a big part of our lives).

Nonetheless, it's good just hearing from Ivan the kind of stuff he's been up to. Of course, Wayne & I were rambling on about our cruise trip too - and the zillion silly things that happened to us. Speaking about cruises, I am seriously seduced into the thought of going for another one. It's addictive for people who are looking for get-aways and personal retreats. After last week's drama at work, I am so in need of another break soon.

This coming week is going to be another saga at work again. Kinda dreading it yet knowing at the back of my mind that there are issues that need to be resolved, especially before the month of May ends.

Mental Note - Lina, you just have to keep moving forward. Be brave and know that you have the support and love of many behind you. Know where you stand and in the words of a wise friend, "you are strong enough to stand on your own feet - stick by your decisions no matter what others may say, and know that you are deeply loved and cared for by many around you."

I am Blessed.

SuperStar Virgo Cruise

Went for a 4 days 3 nights cruise on SuperStar Virgo last Sunday. The last time I remembered going on a cruise was when I was a little young kiddo, pulling down some jackpot @ the casino and picking up seashells along some Langkawi beach at one of our stopovers - a family trip.

This time round, I am travelling with Wayne and re-living the experience of going on a cruise not as a kiddo anymore, but a young adult. We had 2 stopovers, one @ Phuket and one @ Langkawi.

There's simply too much to share about this trip we had. To sum it all up, it's one rich, meaningful and totally unforgettable experience I ever had in my life. Definitely going for cruises again!

Met a Nepalese selling candlelight holders along Patong Beach in Phuket, a Malaysian family of 3 with a little boy who is probably one of the most spontaneous kids I've seen, 2 sisters from Melbourne whom I got along so well that I grabbed the email addy of the elder sister - promising to meet up if I ever do return back to Melbourne. Encountered probably the most friendly service crew in the whole world on this cruise, with every single crew member making you feel like you are the king or queen on board this cruise. Surrounded by honey-mooners, young families, elderly tour groups and old couples who just struck a cord in your heart seeing how loving they still are after years of marriage.

And there's a few things I've learnt. I learnt that just like stars in the sky, there is always hope for every situation. It's only a matter of whether you see them or not. Sometimes, they are hidden from your view, but it doesn't mean that they are not there - just like starry stars. If you wait long enough, you will see twinkling stars in the night, winking back at you. I learnt that love requires a lot of hard work, but once you have it, you will never let it go. I re-discovered the beauty of a child's innocence, how their remarks can sometimes put a smile on your face, because you know that they are not tainted yet by the society's standards of behaviour. I am reminded that the world is so big that our problems really do not seem that daunting after all, especially when I was on the observation deck, looking out to the horizon and realising how vast the ocean is.

And the gorgeous sights I've seen - dolphins swimming freely in the ocean, eagles flying without a care in the sky, a rainbow against the dark clouds that threaten to rain, fishes that sorta skim on the surface of the sea (was later informed that they are known as flying fishes).

This trip is certainly a personal retreat for myself. Love it, love it, love it!

Phantom of the Opera - 6 April 2007

Spent my Good Friday evening watching "Phantom of the Opera" with Wayne, Ketang & Xueni. Incredibly moved by the musical, despite this being my third time watching it in my life - the 1st in my teens and 2nd when I was in Melbourne. Still reeling from the emotional impact of the play. A truly excellent musical to watch.

And below are some pics we took at the theatre foyer.

Erwin & Mei Ching - Married @ Last

Brother and Mei Ching finally got married on 30 Dec 2006. Being a part of their wedding means quite a big deal to me, especially since Mei Ching is also a friend of mine. Now, with an additional member to my family, it just feels really exciting. Can't quite describe my feelings exactly but I feel real superb!

Praying that the Love of Christ will bind both my brother and his lovely bride together - strong and tight - till the day they meet Jesus face to face.

My brother is really a grown man, with his own family to love and care for. Never quite thought it's possible...Does that mean it's time for me to really start being an adult as well? All along, I have always indulged in the knowledge that I am still a young kid, basking in the love and warmth of my family. Now, with my sister's birth of my baby niece and my brother's wedding, I can't help but wonder - am I really turning into an adult?

Somehow, that knowledge seems a little too profound for me. Or maybe I am just slow.

Sneak Preview - My Niece!

A Hazy Afternoon in the Singapore CBD

My Last Day @ Kuala Lumpur

San Francisco Coffee - Found Only In Malaysia Within Asia

Spokesperson for A & W's Famous Curly Fries

Sights of Kuala Lumpur

The Gorgeous KLCC Park

The Spectacular Twin Towers

Refreshed @ the Fountain - within KLCC Park

Interesting Discovery - They call this "Fatman's Steamboat"

A & W Restaurant - Extinct in Singapore!

Genting Highlands - 29 September 2006

The Beaming Sistas

A Foggy Day @ Genting Highlands


The Slippers that Carry Us Through

Schoolmates Gathering

Recent pic taken with my secondary school mates.
From left: Wayne, Me, Xueni, Elene

Min + Tim

Oh yeah! Huimin's FINALLY Mrs Loke!!! Woohoo....!!!! *beaming*

Super happy to share this couple's joy and happiness today. Jesus is definitely with them in this marriage. Praise God!

It's been a real priviledge witnessing how they started from friends to being a married couple now. Really blessed to see and share in the moments.

"I love you both! Have kids soon!"

My Bangkok Trip

Returned from Bangkok on Saturday night.

My trip is a pretty smooth one. A little disappointed at the shopping there though. Seems that prices have gone up quite a bit since my last trip a couple of years back. Can you believe this? I did not actually get anything!!! *annoyed face* Didn't see anything much to my fancy and also, I was a little reluctant to pay for the prices. The prices there are about the same prices here in Singapore!!!!

On the other hand, the food there is cheap though. And good too!!! Had Thai food and seafood most of the time. I think I've put on a few pounds in my short 3 day stay there. Haha....oh no!

Visited Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Chatuchak Weekend Market, Siam Square, MBK, Emporium - the few major tourist places we went. It's pretty fun playing the bargaining game though. Hehe...sorta gives me a sense of achievement when I managed to bargain my way through on a few stuff, like food and cab fare. Hehe.....

The hotel I stayed in was pretty bad though. Stayed at this budget hotel called Samran Place, and we had the lights cut off in my room - TWICE!!!!! There was some problem with the wiring I think, and the mechanic had to come to my room and fix the wiring problem on both occasions. Pretty annoying, when I was feeling absolutely tired out when we returned to our hotel room at midnight and find the electricity out on us! Not exactly very welcoming.

Reckon I'll visit Bangkok again if there's a chance. Perhaps not for the shopping, but for the food! Will have to shed a few pounds in the meantime before I go there again to get fat!!!! Hahaha....

Exhausted & Updates

Absolutely worn-out this week.

Clocking in OT since last Thursday to clear as much work as possible before I leave on Tuesday. It amazes me just how much work is done AND not done in my short 9-month stint in this company. At the same time, the many friendships I've made during this short time, I know for sure that a few of these r/ships are definitely gonna stick with me for life. Praise God for that! Hehe...*thumbs up*

Received a few miracles this past fortnight too. For starters, I got a job! Haha...pretty miraculous how I even landed myself this new career opportunity. And this new vocation is definitely something that will stretch my capabilities and enlarge my skills set - setting a firm foundation in this career path I have chosen. Until now, I still couldn't quite figure out why this agency would even want to hire me, considering the experience (lack of) and miserable skills I have at the moment. The way I see it, it's God's favor bestowed upon me. I am blessed.

Signed my appointment letter this morning and spent my entire morning observing my new colleagues @ work. Helped in a few tasks as well. Reckon it would be beneficial for me in assimilating into the new work environment when I officially commence work on 6th June. Having said that, for those who wanna date me out, you folks better do it before then!!! Hahaha...

Mr. D is arriving in Singapore next week. Pretty excited about it. Will be going Thailand as well next week for a short 3D2N stay. Just thinking of the stuff I can get over in Bangkok, and more importantly, the low prices - I can't wait for next Thursday to come already!!! *beamz*

Haven't been sleeping well since last week. Reckon it's the spate of events during this period that has been pumping adrenaline into my body system. I find it difficult to rest well at night. There will be heaps of stuff running through my mind when I am lying on the bed, making it impossible for me to drift to sleep. Definitely not a good thing.

This has led me to one conclusion.
Lina is not suitable for the fast-paced lifestyle. Haha...

More to say, but shall save for the next post. Meanwhile, the pics you see here are taken in Johor on 13 May during a day out with my colleagues. Would have post their pics up too except that they have warned me about uploading their faces on my blog. So too bad for you readers. It's only my face you got for now. And the yummy lunch we had @ Pelangi Mall.

Wedding Bells @ Park Royal

Attended a wedding banquet on Sunday @ Plaza Park Royal Hotel. It's my brother-in-law's sister's wedding. Hmm..does that make her my sis-in-law too? Haha...confusing relations!!!

Anywayz, it was a jolly good affair, although I attended the banquet with my uncle and knew less than one-eighth of the people there. The reason why I am there in the first place? My mum was sick and I had to be the representative for the night with my uncle. A few hiccups during the banquet kinda annoyed me though. First it was the ballroom. The air-conditioning, for some reason, didn't quite work. And to have 30 tables in a ballroom, with faulty air-conditioning, is just NOT cool. My bro-in-law complained a few times to the manager in charge, yet nothing was done until near the end of the banquet, where they actually placed a portable fan on the stage for ventilation. Not a pretty sight for a wedding I must say. Remind me never to have my wedding banquet or even advise anyone I know to have their banquet @ that hotel. The service there is pretty atrocious!!!

As much as I love attending weddings and witnessing couples promising to love and to hold each other for the rest of their earthly lives, it can be a pretty awkward situation when you are seated at a table with nobody that you knew, except for your partner, which in this case, my dearest uncle. We were practically dumb the entire evening, except chatting with this really friendly guy seated next to us, and talking about textiles and bowling the entire night. Pretty entertaining, although I have absolutely no idea on how bowling tournaments or how the textile industry actually works! Haha....That uncle was friendly, no doubt about that.

Got to see my sister in the new evening gown she bought last week. Pity I didn't bring my camera to snap her in her outfit. My bro-in-law looks pretty suave too. And I am green with envy witnessing just how doting and attentive he is to my sister! Aww...so sweet.

All in all, despite the few hiccups, I still did enjoy myself tremendously. After all, how often do you bear witness to a new couple entering a life-long journey together? No hiccups could ever spoil the joy of such an occasion!!!

And finally, here's me in my outfit for the night.....

What's in May?

Just had a delicious round of chicken chop noodle for lunch. Yummy yummy...*satisfied*

Had a quick drop-in to the library as well and borrowed a few books relating to public relations & marketing communications. Time to roll up my sleeves and immerse myself in the world of communications. Been a long while since I last applied anything from my studies to work. Reckon it's time to refresh my memory once more. Especially since I have tendered my resignation yesterday.

Yes, you heard me right. I tendered my resignation yesterday. My last working day will be 23 May 2006.

As for my next step, no concrete plans yet . Toying with the idea of doing a part-time graduate diploma course. Sis advised against it. She doesn't think it's a wise step to take. Hmm...have got a month to decide since enrolment ends in June. Meanwhile, I'm just going to start my job-hunt process and be selective with my next vocation. So if anyone wants to date me, I am free from late May onwards! Haha...

On a visual side, here's a pic of me & my girlfriends taken @ East Coast sometime last year (after roller-blading). And both these terrific gurls of mine are engaged!!! Wonder when it's gonna be my turn...hehehe...

*daydreaming on a Wednesday afternoon in office*