Shhh! Secret Life of a Princess

Random, provoking thoughts from a self-confessed princess :: with focus on motivational learnings from the media. I hope to inspire everyone to be the best they can be

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Fleeting Moment of Happiness

I woked up at 8am today (yikes!) on a Sunday and decided to do what I have not done in a long time back in KL: Jogging. Yes, and because there is such a beautiful garden next to the flats I am staying at, it became more of a prerogative for me to jog there. Chinese Garden with an adjoining Japanese Garden they call it. And to my delight, the garden was a sight to behold. Ok, well not that great but everything is still new to me in Singapore. :P

I regretted not bringing my camera as I could have captured so many fleeting moments of happiness which reminded me of the photography style of one of my friend, Ian Chew who would focus his photos on one greatest thing on Earth: emotions. It is "the" moment that would have gone lost forever if it had not been captured on film. It also reminded me of TV Smith's unique photography which profoundly capture the humour or light side of life.

While jogging by the gardens and lake, I could have captured those "moments". Moments like a blonde haired child being thrown to the air by his parents while crossing the fiery red Chinese arch, a candid shot of a couple in their wedding gown bantering about which location by the lake to take their wedding photos and a monitor lizard walking out prudently from its hiding place to cross the small Chinese bridge in the bonsai garden. Fleeting moments of happiness, I call it. Just stay tune, I will capture these moments and post it here for your enjoyment. Well, being alone certainly builds that extra observation intensity with extra focus on the finer details in life. And that is why the best things in life are FREE. :)

Btw, the photo above was courtesy of my friend, Chin Geh who was in Hangzhou for work. Hope he doen not mind me copyrighting it. :)

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Singapore The Triquel




















Well, as I am proud of my place of residence in Singapore, I am showing you the photos here. My beautiful high rise flat and the park I face and intend to jog in very soon. Waking up to this scenery every morning is just pure serenity and tranquility.

Friday, May 19, 2006

Singapore The Sequel


Look at the apartments that I am currently staying in Singapore! Beautiful?!!!


Gotcha! This is the view of the beautiful condo/apartment from the room of my flats in Singapore. There is also a beautiful garden next to it called the Chinese Gardens that I plan to visit for my morning jog one day. A prominent pagoda sits in august in the middle of the park just like any olden Chinese recreational garden. Nice view huh. So nice to wake up to this view every morning J

Anyway, I have packed and settled. My room is just nice with a queen size bed. If you want to see it, you gotta make it trip to Singapore to visit me. Not expensive what, just RM30 for each journey here. Besides it is so worth it to come when I can provide free occomodation and you can buy cheap cheap cheap should I say it again CHEAP clothes, electronics and food here. The Great Singapore Sale is coming, starting from 21 May to 23 July 2006 with incredible price cuts everywhere. Besides I just found out I can get free passes to the beautifully enhanced Singapore Zoo and Night Safari from my company. So now, you have no excuse not to visit me.


Government Efficiency
Malaysia: Got my new MyKad in 8 hours. I swam, had lunch and went back to the NRD office to wait for another 3 hours as I was not told what time to expect it.
Singapoe: Got my work permit in 3 hours. The other 2 hours I was having lunch elsewhere as I was told to come back at 2pm.

Civic Consciousness
Malaysia: People pushing each other to get into the bus.
Singapore: People line up and a guy even gentlemanly let me enter the bus first. J

Transportation
Malaysia: I had to endure hot air in the LRT and public bus
Singapore: I was watching Urban Legends 2 on a public bus J

Facilities
Malaysia: No public gym and swimming pools are scarse. Libraries are scarse.
Singapore: Public gym, swimming pool and hawker centers available in each town area and free for staff use. Library easily available. Of coz la, the country so small.

Cost of Living
Food
Malaysia: A bowl of noodle costs RM3.20 in a stuffy hawker center. A bowl of noodle costs RM5.50 in KLCC.
Singapore: A bowl of noodle costs SGD2.50 in an airy hawker center. A bowl of noodle costs SGD4.50 in Takashimaya. Dun convert la!

Doctor
Malaysia: Can see your regular doctor at RM25++ for a simple fever.
Singapore: Have to pay more than SGD50 for medication for a simple fever. Or did I go to the wrong clinic?

Health
Malaysia: I bring water to work everyday as the boiled water in office looked dirty.
Singapore: I can drink water straight from the pipe.

Clubbing
Malaysia: Some classy, some not. Some cool crowds, some not. Generally picking up with more in The Curve and Zouk in KL. Singapore: Classy and varied crowds, not rowdy, very courteous & classy indeed.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Harlow from Singapore!



Land of the kiasu, a FINE country, they call it. And I am here now, stepping on this land which I presume will give me richness in finance and in knowledge, or so I thought. Well, we will see.

To start off, I could really commend Singaporeans with their courtesy and politeness. Nowhere will you find guys who let you go on the bus first and strangers talking to you on streets except for Australia. Hey, I have not been to other countries, so dun blame me for the lack of knowledge ok!

Anyway, I arrived here with ambivalence. An uneasy feeling of leaving home and especially being here alone with little friends and relatives. An exhilarating feeling of stepping into the territories of the unknown and exploring new places and opportunities. A missing feeling of all my colleagues in Maxis and friends in Malaysia who have made me feel like a queen before I left. An excited feeling of the career options (cross my fingers) that lay ahead of me now that I have taken this step. Well, imagine this mix of feeling especially when my bf left me alone in my room and I stared at the walls of my room, wondering “What have I gotten myself into?!!!!” Why did I leave a comfortable company with benefits and good project opportunities for this?!!!! Anyway, I had to be strong, I made this decision and I will stick with it. Regardless of the consequences, I gotta take it like a woman (as women are stronger and more aggressive nowadays)!

My new office is not bad. At least I know things can be done fast with fewer forms to. Just grab your stationaries and you are ready to go. I was introduced to the CIO on the first day and the rest of the IT managers. Here in Sg, I love the fact that I will pay cheaper for branded goods like Haagen Dazs and Giordano. I like the fact that there are sufficient facilities like gym, pilate classes and swimming pool that charges only SGD1.50 per entry and food stalls that charges only SGD2.50 for a bowl of noodle. And best of all, free Wi-Fi EVERYWHERE! Yipeee! Wait till the shopping season and I will tell you more.

However, what I gained the most from being here is the fact that I learn to appreciate again what I have taken for granted. The comfort of being at home with tv sets blaring into the wee hours of the morning, the luxury of knowing that dinner will be served every night, the security of being in a country that you alr know how to get around but most of all it made me appreciate people I am closest to in Malaysia, from my family members to my loving boyfriend to my truest friends in Malaysia. I have forgotten how warm it must have felt to have people around who I can turn to anytime. Most improtant of all, it made me see my boyfriend again in a different light, a truly caring and compassionate one who will always put me first no matter what. While the toast is still warm, absense makes the heart grow fonder. :)