The pics below aren't of me skiing though... it was waaaayyy too cold for me to bother to remove my gloves to take pics. But my instructor said he'd email the pics and videos (to show me what I was doing wrong =)) so I'll post that some other time.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
More skiing!
After the 1 hour group lesson and a bit of practice with Vineet on the bunny hills, my instructor took me straight to the top of the mountain! And the next day, I was able to go on my own! (Well, with Vineet following me of course =)) It was great fun.. and one of my few achievements during my stint as a bum... maybe I'll become a ski bum!
The pics below aren't of me skiing though... it was waaaayyy too cold for me to bother to remove my gloves to take pics. But my instructor said he'd email the pics and videos (to show me what I was doing wrong =)) so I'll post that some other time.
The pics below aren't of me skiing though... it was waaaayyy too cold for me to bother to remove my gloves to take pics. But my instructor said he'd email the pics and videos (to show me what I was doing wrong =)) so I'll post that some other time.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
First Day Skiing!!
Vineet, Saral (his brother) and I are at Mont Tremblant, Quebec. We decided to spend Christmas here and go on a 5-day vacation. So while Vineet and Saral hit the slopes yesterday... I went to ski school! =)
Tremblant is really beautiful.. all I imagined a ski village would look like. Here's a picture of the village taken from the gondola.
And here are some pics of me at ski school! We were taught how to slide on the skis, walk with the skis and snow plough to break and slow down. Thank God they had adult classes so I didn't have to join the 3-year olds =)
Looking forward to private lessons today... and taking even prettier pictures cause it just snowed last night! =)
Tremblant is really beautiful.. all I imagined a ski village would look like. Here's a picture of the village taken from the gondola.
And here are some pics of me at ski school! We were taught how to slide on the skis, walk with the skis and snow plough to break and slow down. Thank God they had adult classes so I didn't have to join the 3-year olds =)
Looking forward to private lessons today... and taking even prettier pictures cause it just snowed last night! =)
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Condo Storage Space... AARGH!
Anyone living in a condo can probably relate to the fact that storage is one of the biggest problems. We just accumulate so much stuff through the years! That was the problem I had which was why for the past 2 months, there was no accessing the master's bathroom as it was piled from floor (and bathtub) to ceiling that you can't even open the door!
For me, one of the biggest considerations is shoe storage. Shoes you can't simply pile up... and you cant' just stack up boxes cause they'll be harder to find or to access. And my problem is I brought 2 big boxes filled with shoes (on top of the ones I brought in my suitcase and the ones I donated already). It simply would not do so I've decided to live with about 20 pairs for now and left all the open-toed stuff (which is the majority) in storage. Vineet says I should now adopt a one in-one out policy on shoes.. yikes!
Then there's the bulky stuff! The linens (of which we still shipped about 8 complete sets) and sweaters & jackets (about 2 boxes). It's crazy how much space these things take up!
Then there's the clothes... have you seen the size of closets in condos? Unless you get one with a walk-in, you really wonder how everything can fit! I guess it didn't help that in Singapore, when Micey moved out, I filled all 3 bedroom closets + 1 3-drawer chest with clothes.. hehe. The thing is 6 out of 7 days, I'll still stare at my closet and say I have nothing to wear! Because some things you just end up keeping even though you know you'd never wear them again. =)
Then we come to the bags... and apparently I shipped1 1/2 boxes of bags. I have a bag tree (a highly recommended solution for bags) out but decided to still leave 1 full box in storage cause it was just too much. And speaking of bags, where can I keep the 3 huge suitcases I brought over.
And not to mention the ornaments, picture frames, books (which you'll probably never touch again), old electroninc devices, vases, etc. etc.
So we conceded that it was a physical impossibility to put everything in and subscribed to a self-storage facility. For $75 a month, you get this 5'x5' space to stack boxes to your heart's content (or at least to 8' high).
The problem is getting the stuff there... it took the whole of Sunday to get the stuff out of the bathroom, sort it, bring it down to the condo loading area (it took about 8 elevator trips), load it to the u-haul, bring it to storage and unload (thankfully they had a better dolly and it took 3 trips), return u-haul, come back home and bring empty boxes and trash to condo recycling area, and clean up the condo. That took the whole Sunday but 3 days later my body still aches!.... Thank God the master's bathroom is clean now (courtesy of Molly Maid =)) and I can soak in a hot bath. ;-)
For me, one of the biggest considerations is shoe storage. Shoes you can't simply pile up... and you cant' just stack up boxes cause they'll be harder to find or to access. And my problem is I brought 2 big boxes filled with shoes (on top of the ones I brought in my suitcase and the ones I donated already). It simply would not do so I've decided to live with about 20 pairs for now and left all the open-toed stuff (which is the majority) in storage. Vineet says I should now adopt a one in-one out policy on shoes.. yikes!
Then there's the bulky stuff! The linens (of which we still shipped about 8 complete sets) and sweaters & jackets (about 2 boxes). It's crazy how much space these things take up!
Then there's the clothes... have you seen the size of closets in condos? Unless you get one with a walk-in, you really wonder how everything can fit! I guess it didn't help that in Singapore, when Micey moved out, I filled all 3 bedroom closets + 1 3-drawer chest with clothes.. hehe. The thing is 6 out of 7 days, I'll still stare at my closet and say I have nothing to wear! Because some things you just end up keeping even though you know you'd never wear them again. =)
Then we come to the bags... and apparently I shipped1 1/2 boxes of bags. I have a bag tree (a highly recommended solution for bags) out but decided to still leave 1 full box in storage cause it was just too much. And speaking of bags, where can I keep the 3 huge suitcases I brought over.
And not to mention the ornaments, picture frames, books (which you'll probably never touch again), old electroninc devices, vases, etc. etc.
So we conceded that it was a physical impossibility to put everything in and subscribed to a self-storage facility. For $75 a month, you get this 5'x5' space to stack boxes to your heart's content (or at least to 8' high).
The problem is getting the stuff there... it took the whole of Sunday to get the stuff out of the bathroom, sort it, bring it down to the condo loading area (it took about 8 elevator trips), load it to the u-haul, bring it to storage and unload (thankfully they had a better dolly and it took 3 trips), return u-haul, come back home and bring empty boxes and trash to condo recycling area, and clean up the condo. That took the whole Sunday but 3 days later my body still aches!.... Thank God the master's bathroom is clean now (courtesy of Molly Maid =)) and I can soak in a hot bath. ;-)
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
The Tree is Up!
The deadline was set at Dec 1. If we hadn't bought or put up the Christmas tree by then, I didn't think it would be much use anymore. But we got it up with almost a week to spare! And what's great is we found some capiz Christmas decorations too... from Walmart of all places... but they're made in the Philippines! =)
Friday, November 24, 2006
I am the Sun... apparently =)
Since Cyn so nicely pointed out in an email to me that my posts are not at all "somewhat daily", I felt pressured to post. And since I couldn't think of anything to post, I promptly lifted off her blog and took this test.... and I found out I am the Sun.
Am I the sun or the lion? Not really sure with these pics!
You are The Sun
Happiness, Content, Joy.
The meanings for the Sun are fairly simple and consistent.
Young, healthy, new, fresh. The brain is working, things that were muddled come clear, everything falls into place, and everything seems to go your way.
The Sun is ruled by the Sun, of course. This is the light that comes after the long dark night, Apollo to the Moon's Diana. A positive card, it promises you your day in the sun. Glory, gain, triumph, pleasure, truth, success. As the moon symbolized inspiration from the unconscious, from dreams, this card symbolizes discoveries made fully consciousness and wide awake. You have an understanding and enjoyment of science and math, beautifully constructed music, carefully reasoned philosophy. It is a card of intellect, clarity of mind, and feelings of youthful energy.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
Am I the sun or the lion? Not really sure with these pics!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Happy Halloween
Thought it's appropriate to post this greeting with a pic of my very first carved pumpkin (created with Pio and Mai). I actually only drew on it... Mai did most of the carving =) And she has the cooler picture with the candle in it.
Meet Joey!
He's our new puppy! He's a Yorkshire Terrier - Pomeranina mix. So far, he's super tiny! He only weighs 1.8 lbs but will get to about 5-7lbs. max =)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
The Internet never ceases to amaze...
Having just moved to Canada, am just getting into the groove of things so still have a bit of time on my hands. And am still a bit jetlagged. Today I woke up at an ungodly hour (630am is ungodly for me... and for most people I know) so I got a glass of milk and a magazine to lull myself to sleep. However, the magazine I picked up (Business 2.0) kept me wide awake with it;s featured article on "The Next Disruptors". These were technological innovations that would obsolete current industries / technologies and would give rise to other new opportunities. I got so curious I've just adopted 2 of the internet-based gamechangers.
The first is www.jajah.com. It allows free phone calls over the Web with no down;loads, headsets or adapters. It could change the game for telecoms companies and Voice over IP services like Skype, which is what most of my friends use.
Calls are free from mobiles / landlines between US, Canada, China, Hongkong, and Singapore (yay for me!) and frm landlines of most European countries. You just put in your number, the number you wish to call, click on the site... and you get connected on your phone within minutes! I used it today to bum a free call to greet Ate Dits in Singapore (it's her birthday today!). For other places, there is a bit of a charge.
I hope the service lasts. They're depending on people to adopt a "fair use" policy - which is max usage of an hour a day and to use some of their paid services like scheduled calls and videoconferencing.
The second is www.netvibes.com. It allows you to create a highly customizable Web Start page - moreso than other personalized portal pages like My Yahoo. They have a HUGE variety of feeds you can put on your site depending on your interest and it is idiot-proof to use. Just click, drag and drop!
There were other sites which is really interesting like www.zopa.com - which is a peer to peer lending site that allows both lenders and borrowers to get good rates. Unfortunately, only UK residents can participate. Plus other innovations which are non-internet based like EESTOR, which is a ceramic power source for electric cars that can charge in 5 mins to drive 500 miles at a cost of $9 (vs. equivalent $60 cost for a regular car. And supposedly, unlike the current crop of electric cars, this one's power and driving capabilities are expected to be much better - just have to wait till 2008. =P
The first is www.jajah.com. It allows free phone calls over the Web with no down;loads, headsets or adapters. It could change the game for telecoms companies and Voice over IP services like Skype, which is what most of my friends use. Calls are free from mobiles / landlines between US, Canada, China, Hongkong, and Singapore (yay for me!) and frm landlines of most European countries. You just put in your number, the number you wish to call, click on the site... and you get connected on your phone within minutes! I used it today to bum a free call to greet Ate Dits in Singapore (it's her birthday today!). For other places, there is a bit of a charge.
I hope the service lasts. They're depending on people to adopt a "fair use" policy - which is max usage of an hour a day and to use some of their paid services like scheduled calls and videoconferencing.
The second is www.netvibes.com. It allows you to create a highly customizable Web Start page - moreso than other personalized portal pages like My Yahoo. They have a HUGE variety of feeds you can put on your site depending on your interest and it is idiot-proof to use. Just click, drag and drop!There were other sites which is really interesting like www.zopa.com - which is a peer to peer lending site that allows both lenders and borrowers to get good rates. Unfortunately, only UK residents can participate. Plus other innovations which are non-internet based like EESTOR, which is a ceramic power source for electric cars that can charge in 5 mins to drive 500 miles at a cost of $9 (vs. equivalent $60 cost for a regular car. And supposedly, unlike the current crop of electric cars, this one's power and driving capabilities are expected to be much better - just have to wait till 2008. =P
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Am I really part of the "old" group?
The past months, there seems to be more emphasis on my age.. more comments.. more teasing. I guess hanging out with a group with people that are anywhere from 3-8 years younger than you can have that effect.
Yesterday was the last straw though.
I was walking on Orchard and was stopped by a guy who was taking a survey. He was nice enough an he said he gets a dollar for every form completed so I said yes. One question on the form though asked age group... and there were only 3 choices: "16-19" "20-24" and "25-55". What the?!?!?!
Yeah, I know that at 29 years old I'm well within the 3rd group.... but they just lumped me up with the 50-year olds? *sigh*
Yesterday was the last straw though.
I was walking on Orchard and was stopped by a guy who was taking a survey. He was nice enough an he said he gets a dollar for every form completed so I said yes. One question on the form though asked age group... and there were only 3 choices: "16-19" "20-24" and "25-55". What the?!?!?!
Yeah, I know that at 29 years old I'm well within the 3rd group.... but they just lumped me up with the 50-year olds? *sigh*
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Forcing Open Mic Night!
Here's the gang that forced an Open Mic night, even though it had long been cancelled in Hard Rock Singapore...
Who would have thought...?
... that I'd actually agree to go out to a dancing place. And more so, that I'd actually stay up dancing (or at the very least standing and tapping my feet) the whole night! This used to be the norm when we first moved to Singapore but it's been such a long time!
Here's a pic of Eshan, Trisha, Emman, Me!, Kaisy and Kate getting the night started at Butter Factory...
Here's a pic of Eshan, Trisha, Emman, Me!, Kaisy and Kate getting the night started at Butter Factory...
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sentosa Sundays - 2 in a Row!
The last time we went to Sentosa (barring the company offsite) was in October 2005 and I had posted "Sentosa Sundays"... but now we've been back the last 2 weeks... hmmmm... wonder if it will go on?
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Monday, August 21, 2006
See you soon Vineet!
Aug 21. Just took Vineet and his 3 HUGE suitcases + 2 carry-ons to the airport. The guy at the check-in counter was nice though and didn't charge him anything. Anyway, that isn't the point.
Am sad that he's gone.. and that it signals that am closing on one chapter of my life. Life with him in Singapore.
But at the same time the goodbye wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Cause I know I'm following soon and I know pretty much when. I imagine the trip to the airport would have been so much harder if the future and the time we'll see each other again was still open-ended or uncertain.
But I know that soon I'll be in Canada too!.. and that's something I'm looking forward too!! (Yes Del, I'll call you this week to make kuwento =))
Hope you have a safe flight Vineet!.. posted this just in case you get online access on the plane or on your Frankfurt stopover.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Must-Have Beach Accessory
What's a beach trip without a good book? It's an absolute must-have right? That's how I feel so I was desperately browsing the bookstore at the Changi airport when my friends and I were on my way to Bali. Took a risk with 2 books that I chose after just 3 minutes of browsing on the shelf and they turned out great!!!
The first is "Freakonomics - A Rouge Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. It's an awesome collection of quirkly little findings on how the world operates - but backed up by data. (Like a good P&Ger, I always say Data is King! - damn, what a Proctoid I've turned into =)) It's an especially good book for the times when you don't have several hours straight to hunker down and read... cause each chapter is about different topics. It also gives you time to kinda reflect on the crazy facts that he points out. A seriously entertaining MUST-READ.
The second is "The Chairman" by Stephen Frey. Ohmigod.. as I was writing this I just realized all the books are written by Stephen/Steven! Anyway, back to the point. While John Grisham specializes in law stories and Robert Ludlum in cold war, Stephen Frey focuses on suspense/thriller in the world of business... specifically the world of private equity. Turns out he does have authority to write on this as he s a principal at a Northern Virginia private equity firm. He previously worked in mergers and acquisitions at J. P. Morgan and as a vice president of corporate finance at an international bank in Midtown Manhattan! Good timing for me to stumble onto his books cause I've just about read all the Jeffrey archer (my fave!), John Grisham and Dan Brown books. Apparently, he's published 7 other books so I think I can schedule more beach trips now!
The first is "Freakonomics - A Rouge Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. It's an awesome collection of quirkly little findings on how the world operates - but backed up by data. (Like a good P&Ger, I always say Data is King! - damn, what a Proctoid I've turned into =)) It's an especially good book for the times when you don't have several hours straight to hunker down and read... cause each chapter is about different topics. It also gives you time to kinda reflect on the crazy facts that he points out. A seriously entertaining MUST-READ.
The second is "The Chairman" by Stephen Frey. Ohmigod.. as I was writing this I just realized all the books are written by Stephen/Steven! Anyway, back to the point. While John Grisham specializes in law stories and Robert Ludlum in cold war, Stephen Frey focuses on suspense/thriller in the world of business... specifically the world of private equity. Turns out he does have authority to write on this as he s a principal at a Northern Virginia private equity firm. He previously worked in mergers and acquisitions at J. P. Morgan and as a vice president of corporate finance at an international bank in Midtown Manhattan! Good timing for me to stumble onto his books cause I've just about read all the Jeffrey archer (my fave!), John Grisham and Dan Brown books. Apparently, he's published 7 other books so I think I can schedule more beach trips now!
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
ZeeZeeLand!!!
Yeah, yeah.. so I'm cheating. I'm posting this 4 1/2 months after the fact... I'm a fake blogger!!!... SUE ME.
I was just printing out this picture (on my new Canon MP500 that I bought on sale at the Singapore IT fair this weekend;-)) and it reminded me of how much I enjoyed my New Zealand trip last October. For me, this picture captured the feeling throughout that vacation... just happy, giggly, enjoying life without a care in the world...
But I didn't really want to talk about it anymore... but will just let a couple of pictures show the wonderful vacation which showed the many facets of New Zealand. In just 10 days, you see so much: endless road, clouds, mountains... farms & castles... lakes & beaches... GLACIERS... and get to do so much: feeding the lambs, attempting a hot air balloon ride, cruising along the fjord, shooting down the rapids. Awesome.
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