Something about December

December is here again…

Pic source: Google.com

A cool raining day was my favorite gift, especially in the morning time. As the door opened up, I could feel the chilly breeze rustled through my cheeks. The sky was cloudy and dark still. I was mesmerized by the glittering lights around the Christmas decorations located at the opposite hotel’s main door with a glimpse view of giant Christmas trees at the background out of the glamorous tall ceiling’s lobby. It made me dazed for a while and wondered if I was at the other part of the world on a splendid winter. How lovely it was!

Some people walked briskly trying to avoid the drizzling rain. Some were wearing delicate raincoat and boots in anticipation of it. Flamboyant umbrellas were opened up everywhere and there were glory morning crowds as people trying to get to their workplace safely, on time, and dried.

Pic source: Instagram

The traffic lights were blinking non-stop - from red to green, green to yellow, and then from yellow back to red again. Its silhouette on the wet floor shimmered beautifully.

As I walked along the street, I slipped one of my hands inside the left pocket of my coat. Another hand was clasping my other half’s arm. He was holding the umbrella with another hand. I felt secure and warm. It was a bliss moment and nourished my heart with immense pleasure.

I looked secretly towards the upper part of the transparent umbrella. The rain drops fell on it softly, as gentle as the drop of the snow flakes. Soon, it turned into strings of water flow and fell uncontrollably depending on the wind direction. Tick tock heel sound, whooshing sound from the passing by cars and yellow taxis, hmm…. I just loved that moment!!!

Pic source: Instagram

We walked into one of the Café located at the roadside and settled ourselves at one of the tables outdoor. A cup of cappuccino accompanied with a piece of chocolate melted our hearts. And this song, this familiar song in the background, made the moment perfect, just perfect, for this beautiful December…

Who really needs a gift 
When love is meant to give 
I can still recall 
Carry with me always 
Every Christmas dream 
They live in you and me 

Let all your memories 
Hold you close 
No matter where you are 
You're not alone 
Because the ones you love 
Are never far 
If Christmas is in your heart

Splendid time together - Steamboat, gals night out and TNP Big Walk 2014!!!

Ingredients for Steamboat :)

Whole afternoon our land was blessed with a falling rain. What a perfect time to have a steamboat!!! :) Just nice we had planned to celebrate the upcoming one of my besties' Birthday at her house. We met up in evening time at the nearest supermarket to buy the above ingredients. By the time we reached her house, we were all hungry and therefore, prepared our dinner immediately!!!

Steamboat Feast - ET Birthday :)

Dadadada.......

This was how our steamboat looking like!!! Sliced meats, canned meat, sausages, prawn balls, home mixed pork meat balls, cheese tofu, tofu, assorted mushroom and vegetables, with mixture of sesame and scallions dip and chilli sauces. We prepared two different types of soup - chicken stock and Tom Yam flavor. Hmm.... what a hot and delicious food under the perfect weather!!!

Three of us used to work at the same place but two of them were there at different time. I've known PY for more than 10 years now and ET slightly less than that. Even though they had moved to many different companies to work at, we still maintained this friendship and some events made both of them to become closer. I was like a bridge to both of their friendships.

Perhaps, it was fate ba! A beautiful fate that made me feeling so lucky knowing them. With them, I could trust and share my secret (also they could trust me with their secrets). We offered comforts at times when we needed the most - office matters, relationship broke down, and so on. We remained loyal to each other and kept our secrets from leaking out to other party. It was because we respected each other's privacy and preferences in life.

During those longest years, we sometimes fought and kept quiet to each other. However, it didn't take long. Those friendships feeling were just there. We could just get back together as if nothing was ever happened. We indeed forgave and forgot those small little things :)

As we grew up and became more mature, we had become a much more understanding person and treasure our friendships more. Our relationship was not always serious too! We laughed, joked, and teased each other with no tears coming out.

We had shared countless events through our passing life such as: birthdays, Christmas celebration; attended many events like Run For Hope, OCBC Cycling, and today's The NewPaper Big Walk; met up on regular basis for simple things like dinner, lunch, karaoke session, and so on. And the best thing was they always allowed me bringing my dear son to join on our activities so that I could still spend my precious times together with him.

Best Friends Forever - Cheers!!! :)

Thank you my dear friends for the friendship you offered! For your understanding, love, care, concern, help, supports, and many priceless gifts in life! I really enjoyed our time together last night. Dinner, drink session, cutting Birthday cake, etc. As if we were back to teenager's time, PY, me and my son were sleeping over at ET's house and slept together in ET's room. We chit chatted until 2.15am before finally fell asleep.

At 5.10am we had to wake up as we were joining our first The New Paper (TNP) Big Walk together. We reached the starting point by 6.35am at Nicoll Highway MRT and by 7am we started to walk 5 km journey ahead. We had great times together surrounded with many beautiful sceneries and people around us. Below, please enjoy the photos taken during the day!!!

The New Paper Big Walk 2014 - Singapore

Good morning Singapore!!! Superb weather!!! - The New Paper Big Walk 2014

Beautiful Sunday morning over Singapore Flyer - TNP Big Walk 2014

Singapore city center - TNP Big Walk 2014

View over The Float @Marina Bay and Helix Bridge - TNP Big Walk 2014

Another great time together!!! - The New Paper Big Walk 2014

Our reflection from ET shades - The New Paper Big Walk 2014

So, hope all of you have a great weekend too with your loved ones! December is coming very soon! The last month of the year, another busy month full of gatherings and celebrations!!! Live your life to the fullest and be grateful always guys! Make your 2014 memorable as always!!! Have fun!!! :)

True friends never part...

That afternoon we had a tea and chit chat about things in life - mostly about what happened around our lives - such as: career, dreams, aspirations, and so on. We then came to the topic - ‘true friends’.

Like an old man he advised me to choose my friend wisely in life, as not to let other people take advantage of my kindness, and that by this age I should have learnt whom my true friends are and let go those who can’t wait to see me down and unhappy. 

His sentences struck me. I realized that it’s been some time since the last time I thought about it.

My mind roamed to the recent past few years. I looked back into my own thought. I think, I was too naive, even at this age. I trusted everyone that I just barely knew and met. Some I hadn’t even met before. Perhaps it’s in my nature. I always thought positive about anyone based on what I read, what I heard, but never even bother to find out from people surrounding them, who should have known about them better in real life.

I don’t know about you. But for me, I think, when you are honest with someone, you expect them to be honest with you. When you are opening yourself up to the friend you trust, you are also expecting them to be opening up to you. Nothing to hide and we keep this secret just between us. But of course, not everyone was willing to do the same.

Or perhaps, like he said, they might just take advantage of the kindness that I offered. 

I told him that I never expected anything in return by doing so. It was purely kind intention, to make others happy. 

He continued, “Yes, maybe that’s what you thought. But someone might just think otherwise. Instead of being grateful to you, they just took you for granted. They didn’t even bother to treat you right. Some even lied or hid the truth from you.”

“Well, whatever it was, I left it to karma,” I replied him, that simple only.

“Anyway, whatever goes around comes around. But by doing so, the person had to bear the risks of losing that friendship,” I said.

Suddenly I laughed at myself as I said this, again, to my stupidity, “Ah, maybe there was no such friendship at all at the first place. Perhaps I wasn’t worth much in their lives,” and then frowned for a while.

“But what hasn’t happened yet, I must be wary of. Well, just take it that I paid my debt back to them in this life. I feel better this way,” I continued, as usual, looking always at the bright side of life, and smiled.

We were quiet for quite a while and only sipping sound was heard with a background of a falling rain. What a wonderful moment! Both of us were contemplating with our own minds, as mine was looking at the beautiful memories I had with the rest of true friends that I currently had.

Tried to catch the falling rain :)

Slowly we heard these beautiful lyrics from our neighbor’s balcony door…

Day will break, stars will fall
And there’s always something you forget to say.
Don’t dismay,
True friends never part.

Time will pass, paths will stray
And there’ll always be someone who will break your heart.
There’s no point being cruel,
True friends never part.

We’ll meet again, trust me my friend
There’s no harm in goodbye.
Give me your glass, follow your heart
Wipe that tear from your eye
Time makes amends, don’t be afraid
You’ll not let love pass you by.
Remember this,
True friends never part.

PSLE Results Day!!!

PSLE 2014 - Xin Min Primary School

 
Today is a BIG day for all Primary 6 students all across Singapore. They were receiving their PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) results this morning at their respective school. Parents were allowed to go to the hall to listen the Principle and Vice Principle's speech and to witness the awards delivery for those well-performed students.

I took leave today in order to accompany my son to the school, together with my hubby. We were giving him a moral support and to witness the last day of his school attendance in his Primary School. Six years passed by too fast. I still remembered the day I went there for the very first time to register him for the Primary 1. Now my son has grown up and become a teenager very soon.

Inside the hall, we were provided seats based on the class. Not bad. Many parents, guardian (usually grandparents), some siblings or relatives of the students, came to support the students. This year, we also received good news that every students passed the PSLE results and able to continue their study to the Secondary Level. Tears were coming out from my eyes when the Principal was announcing this news. I was very happy to all of them. Their hard work was paid off.

Once all the announcement was over, students were led back to their class. Last chance to sit together in their class. Parents were waiting outside and peeked how the results were finally distributed to the student.

I saw my son's face not that bright when receiving his results from his teacher haha... When he came out and showed us the results, it wasn't as much as what he expected earlier on, but we were still very happy because there were improvement on Chinese subject and at least, he didn't fail his Math. Wow! :)

He got the average marks only, but he was still happy because there were still few other friends who got lower marks than him. Just too bad that he couldn't go to the Express class and had to enroll for the Normal class, which caused him to study longer by one year.

My colleague was sending me message, asking about my son's results. When I told her about it, she asked me, "Is he taking it well?" I replied, "Of course." She then said, "Good! That's (my son's name)! Always positive and happy go lucky :)" Then I told her, "Yes, it's a much more important quality rather than just having good marks in life :)" She replied, "I agree! Most importantly is the kid is healthy and happy! :)" 

She was indeed true! There were many other students who got much higher marks than my son, but she/he ended up crying because it was not as good as what they'd expected (too high expectation from themselves or from their parents - also from society).

Another funny thing was that some parents whose child got better mark than my son, were hoping that their child to get lower marks. Why? Because even though their children fell under Express class, the marks were not high enough to enroll the good school that located nearby their house. They thought that at least with lower marks than that, their children still could be accepted in that school, but under Normal class. I was shaking my head hearing that.

Anyway, there were many funny things resulting from this exams. I'm glad that it's over. For Singaporeans, PSLE exams were as if the University's exams results. Students were given very high pressure, even at this age.

My hubby and I didn't expect much from him as we didn't want to pressure him so much with the academic results. Therefore, as long as he had tried his best, we were happy enough and with this grades, hopefully he still could be accepted to the school located nearby to our house. That's the only hope that we have. And like what my colleague said, most importantly, the kid is healthy and happy!! Right?? :)

Happy 10th Anniversary Overcome Life!!! :)

Yayyy!!! Today marks the 10th Anniversary of Overcome Life. Happy Birthday to www.reeverking.blogspot.com!!!

Uugghhhh…. I’m so exciting and happy for you!!! :)))


Celebrate with mini Lemon Maringue Tart and tea :)

Thank you Overcome Life for always being with me through ups and downs, happiness and sad, celebrating so many special moments like Birthdays, Anniversaries, participation in many events, a place for book reviews, quotes posting, traveling journals, etc. for these past ten years!

I’ve been logging you in and out from many different countries as to post whatever things that I felt at that point of time.

I’ve been posting thousands of photos and pictures here too, which almost reviews big parts of my life journey together with my families and friends.

Because of you I would be able to know many new friends, which some that until now I have never even met in real life before. But through you I knew them. You connected us with each other - supporting and encouraging us at the moments when we were sick, lifting us up when we were feeling down or in needs of support; wishing and praying for our good health and luck; sharing our activities, places, cultures, experiences in life, and so on.

I felt much better after venting my sadness, disappointment, enraged moments with you, and at the same time I felt very grateful that you gave me strength and talents to immediately turn my feelings and emotions into positive things over what happened in my life.

Sometimes I couldn’t wait to share my happiness too with others :) Sharing of joy, love, happiness, gratitude, contentment, passion, appreciation, believe, hope, and optimism. I felt good to share these positive things with them.

I couldn’t imagine what my life would be without you. Very special thanks to blogspot.com that exists until now. Without your support, my blog would never exist in this online world and I couldn’t share many stories with everyone.

Without you, I'm nothing :)

Above all, thanks to all my readers who have been passionately reading my posts, pressing the G+1 button when you love it, sharing the link around through Google+, Twitter, Facebook, and for leaving your valuable and caring comments into my blog post.

Wish all of you a wonderful day and remember to always live your life to the fullest!!! Take care! :)

Hugs and kisses,


Overcome Life’s blog writer :)