Randomness

Once again, I found myself slacking off into the void of utter laziness, into the abyss of absolute procrastination. Uploaded several pix but haven't got the time to write. The wkend had been an fulfilling one, with many goals met and loads of money spent! Starting with some chaos at home. Shit's piling up literally in my lavatory. Our humanity was restored when the plumber was called in. After several futile attempts at unclogging the WC, the experts were called in. The ultimate cause was never found.

The plumber was called in at 1030am and in 30mins he came! Efficiency came at a cost though. The damage -- $200 (after much haggling!! Our WC didn't even cost us that much!) According to sweetie who was the supervisor of the entire project, it took a mere few minutes to chisel the pedestal and give the pipes a good air pressure to force whatever's stuck down there out of the way. The whole time sweetie was complaining about how ridiculous the charge was...wonder if we've been fleeced!


A new year present for our home sweet home. New Stove (costing us a whopping $544...aiyo that doesn't sound like a lucky number)! we've been wanting a new stove and triggered by the new stove over at my in-law's place, we decided to take some timely action. Afterall, the old one was a hand-me-down. The colour's Mirror black and we had to pay $20 extra for it...don't ask me why...probably it's a popular colour? Now I can check if my hair's in place as I cook! haha..Sweetie had an infuriating time waiting for the delivery though. It was told to us that installation would be between 11 -3pm...sweetie waited for what seemed like eternity and finally at 330pm the workers came! So much for punctuality. Better yet, they did not call before coming! Still, I love my new stove to bits! Finally no more luminous sooty flames! We did a massive scrubbing of our pots and pans, now they are shiny and bright, ready to welcome in the lunar new year!


The pocket's really getting empty during this period. Apart from the ordering of new year goodies, investment also had to go to gifts for family. Somehow buying things doesn't seem too fun! However, sweetie doesn't seem to feel the pinch. Or perhaps he's numbed by the whole insanity. He gave in to temptation and bought himself a pair of Tag Heuer frames! I was the accomplice. I thought it looked good on him and the poor boy has been wearing the old pair since we got married! It's about time! Still, the $660 price tag was a huge amount to swallow! Fortunately, that's after massive discount from a friend who deals with TG frames. It's a bittersweet feeling to see sweetie so happy parting with his money, yet we are struggling to make ends meet. Also, I'm always condemned for buying so many bags and clothes, yet the $660 is supposedly something he deserves! URGH....just yesterday I was discussing with him my contemplation in getting myself a new bag which I had been wanting since forever...his reply "NO! U've got tons of bags!"

Oh well, in some ways, he's right. Thus, I focused elsewhere....MASSIVE CLEANUP:
Threw away three bottles, but bought 3 new fragrances! haha...Love the New Summer Fragrance for men by CK....n I simply had to upgrade my bottle of Gucci Envy!Bags that are going into the recycling bin. Nope, these are not groceries for the month..they are stuff cleared off the fridge..mostly Expired! *GULP*..fortunately, I did good in making full use of most of them. Majority have been 80% used. :)Threw away some, but bought HEAPS! A trip to GIANT cost us close to $200....n there's still lots more to purchase...URGH....I need more moolah!

Flashback to weeks ago.....
Meal with great company, D and BY at one of our favourite haunts: BLOOIES @ Siglap. On a separate occasion ....Found this lovely cafe at Thomson after a satisfying Japanese meal at Sakae Sushi...Been a while since I had Japanese. The decor of the Little Part 1 cafe is really cozy. n with games and books at that cafe, there won't be a dull moment.


Lastly, I leave you with a rather mind-provoking mini-conversation on the demographics of Singapore which I had with Big Bro just the other day:

Big Bro: Do you know that the fertility of Chinese in SG is 0.25?
ME: no la..not so low la...
Big Bro: Yes, it's true....many don't have kids or perhaps have one
ME: it's true though...I heard of many friends who rather have dogs than kids
Big bro: then why are u guys not having a dog or a kid??

hahahahhaa....Ya hor....WHY?? i wonder wonder wonder......

Short nuggets of life

Been reading loads of blogs and realised that I've been neglected my own. Cobwebs are hanging precariously on my blog! Sorry for the inactivity. Not that it bothers you a bit. It's all inspiring to blog yet irritating all at the same time. It's a sad affair.

Well, for the last two wks, a fair bit had been happening, which probably would render me over the hill prematurely! Been religiously slapping on my La Mer in feeble attempts at self-consolation. Shan't digress and whine about aging.

Short nuggets of life.....

Invited good friends over for a feast the previous Sunday. Been a while since I've whipped up a glorious meal. This time, on the menu were Fish head curry; Prawn Paste Chicken (I've finally found the way to fry it to perfection! Thanks to L and X who came by to "experiment" with me); "4 seasons" French Beans; Eggs; Watercress soup (Delectably sweet this time unlike the previous attempt where the soup tasted bitter. They say it's due to the fact that the watercress is "old"..hmm...how in the world would I be able to decipher its age!!?). Fish head curry had a success rate of 90% ...something's missing but everybody's opinion is varied eg lacks curry powder, lacks sugar, lacks salt -- which makes me ponder "Is my curry fish head that bad?haha".

Being city slickers, it's inevitable that work is pretty much an everyday affair. In fact, sometimes, my work cause me to be a little dislocated from the rest of the working world, but life goes on. It's hard to slow down, but sometimes we just need to..otherwise, we may suffer it's repercussions --- SICK! Yes. that's what I am right now. Cough, Sneezes and vomiting -- all attacking me with one single blow. My vomiting episode must have scared sweetie. He was sleeping peacefully when suddenly, my bouts of puke woke him up. It must have been indigestion. Eating such a heavy dinner at 11pm was the culprit. Unfortunately, the word "REST" is missing in my dictionary. Thus I can only depend on my staple beverage now -- WATER. Have to be strong!! My mental and physical strength are waning!


On happier notes, we celebrated Teddy's 31st birthday on Friday 22 Jan. Feels like Chinese New Year with so many familiar faces gathered. Minus the season greetings that will cascade out during CNY, rowdy peals of laughter from the boys reverberated throughout the house. The mood was pretty euphoric and the endorphins certainly reached a high when the gambling started. Those men can sure gamble, anytime, anywhere! *Applause* Speaking of CNY, it's quite a dread that it's round the corner. Used to be a joy but after marriage came ang bao giving. That isn't so joyful amidst the economic crisis. Crisis or no crisis, the tradition still stands strong. Been trying to clear things bit by bit. Am sooo thankful I cleared my clothes during the school hols, otherwise, I'd be having a tough time doing so now. However, there's still lots to do -- washing of curtains and bedsheets, cleaning of windows (thankfully with the help of Comfyhomes, first round's done!); clearing of bags and the list goes on. I'm quite a hoarder. I probably got this trait from my parents. Fortunately, in this aspect, sweetie's a great help! Love him to bits for this. This year, I would not be engaging part time maids for mommy coz (1) she pissed me off (2) she treats maids better than she treats me (3) I paid for the whole house to be cleaned, but she's always asking maids to do only the living and kitchen. So yes, instead of hyperventilating, I shall take the more holistic approach -- BO CHUP (don't care!)


The thorn enjoying the company of the many roses.
W scooping up the last ounce of aphrodisiac like an avaricious glutton!

It's not easy to handle chores and work all in one. We have to cram as much as possible within a finite number of hours. And since I'm quite a hoarder, it makes things harder. Will have to confront the skeletons to make space for more hoarding! haha..Already I've snagged up a couple of quick deals online. Hopefully there's still space to store! I need a bigger walk in closet!! *delusional* You may think that I hoard only clothes...boy are you wrong! Spring cleaned my fridge just the other day and had to throw out a whole lot of expired stuff!


So much to do, so little time! Need to make appointment for my next vaccine, cut my hair (Bangs or no bangs? hmmm); visit the bank to obtain fresh wads of notes, and most importantly, nurse myself back to health. Maybe I should give myself an off day tomorrow...watcha think?

He's the MAN and she's the woman behind him?

The wedding of the decade unfolded on 10 January 2010. A beautiful start to a new endeavor between Romeo and Juliet. Perfect Chemistry.

THE story unfolded 13 yrs ago when he was an ordinary 13-yr-old, scrawny, sun- bronzed Ah beng who often spotted a razor haircut, stiff with spray whilst she was a petite girl with lustrous hair drawn in thick shiny braids. It was almost love at first sight. There was a look of enthrallment each time he saw her walk pass. However, she was in genius class, while he didn't really make the mark. Being in the same school added to the agony. After what seemed like eternity, he finally won her heart during his Poly days, when they were 19yrs of age. His devotion for her grew together with his waistline! This ordinary boy has turned into a sloppy, corpulent paunchy man with a great mass of curly hair. On the other hand, her porcelain complexion is still prominently enhanced by her long black tresses straddling her shoulders and she's still the petite girl he knew years ago. Though his physique changed, the love's still strong. I guess love is blind because love is unconditional.

After years of courtship, they finally decided to tie the knot, albeit the very poor proposal if there's any at all! A ring was bought and she was expected to put it on, on the auspicious day. Typical Singaporean. To give him credit however, he was sweet enough to apply for a HDB flat secretly. Unfortunately, it didn't go through as they were earning heaps. (Under Singapore's law, a couple will not be able to obtain a housing loan from the government should their joint salary be more than $8000).

Preparation for the big day took months and the big day finally came:


The smirk hasn't changed after so many years! It has become his trademark!

GATECRASHING...shake your bon bon....

Gatecrashing. It gets tougher each time as the sisters try to outdo their attacks. THis time, the boys were given a task of dancing to the tune of "Nobody" by the Wonder Girls. A hilarious moment!
Bros and Sis clad in customized pink tees! A welcome concept by all. Finally! No more little cocktail dresses and ties at gatecrashing! It must have been the best moment for the bride for after 31 yrs, she has waited for this day -- To STEP ON HER HUBBY!!
After 31 yrs, our dear A is no longer THE man. Now SHE's the Man and HE's the woman behind HER! (PS: for the record, he "graciously" allowed her to step on him after failing to step her her feet...orhhhh...so sweet!)

Helpers arrived for rehearsals at 430pm. Most of us needed a drink before the event to get us into the mood!

Doesn't she look adorable in that dress?? Coupled with those luminous jet-black eyes, she definitely outshone Fann Wong!!




The groom A was perspiring copiously when he heard that the vow would be made in two languages! haha...It was probably worse than taking an oral examination as beads of perspiration rolled down his cheeks. Listen carefully to the fumble. Nevertheless, it was a touching moment. We could have sworn a teardrop was rolling at the brim of his eyes!



It was one of the most entertaining weddings! Even the hotel commented that they have not seen such a spectacular stint pulled off so well in a long while. Friends of over 10yrs were pulled together for a dance entry, a prelude to the happy couple's first march in. We danced to the tune of Jolin Cai. It was great fun! This was followed by a spectacular display of poppers as the couple made their grand entrance, with the groom crooning to a love ballade by heavenly king, Jacky Cheung. With friends like these, who needs enemies?



The second march-in's entertainment level was just as high. With many being educated in a Chinese-ed environment, the song 甜蜜蜜 seemed to strike a cord with the audience.
It felt like a massive alumni gathering for CCHS. Out of 50 tables, there must be at least 7 tables filled with seniors and juniors!



An emotional moment when the mask was taken off. It's times like these that I feel he's not as irritating or MCP as he seems.

The Star of the night. 个人演唱会!

A few songs and drinks later........


He was a goner even before the night was over! A few songs and drinks at the KTV (part two of our celebration) and the groom staggered back to his room, leaving the bride speechless and all alone to fend for herself against monstrous bunch of liquor attackers!

Revenge is Sweet!


4 yrs ago, sweetie was "violated" by the monstrous A!

Love is the beauty of the soul. In love, there are no impossibilities. The best things in the world cannot be seen or touch. It must be felt with the heart. I wish my endearing friends A & L everlasting love and a blissful life ahead! :)

Recounting a productive day

I commence writing with a heavy heart. Been reading more blogs than writing! Terrible. Too much reckoning. Spouting too few words of wisdom. There's simply too much on hold. With CNY looming, it's inevitable that little me is scampering around, sourcing for the best buys for parents, in-laws and God Parents. It's the same routine each yr. I'm always the one going the extra mile in pleasing the oldies. If left to sweetie, I think he'd probably just say "Let's go on holiday". Typical.

With 2010 into its sixteenth day, I must say (with much regret though) that today's the only day I woke up early without an alarm clock and did loads. Am planning to whip up a mean dish this Sunday and since Sunday's the only day we probably can sleep in, I decided to do my marketing today. Didn't expect the cost to be so high over at Marine Parade Market though. Felt like I've been fleeced, especially for that $17 fish head! Perhaps coz the seller spoke English to me! Marketing, breakfast and cleaning up were all done by 10+am. This was followed by a series of admin work which needed serious sorting out. Managed to steal a quick nap before job proper started at 230pm. Fortunately for that power nap, I was able to last this long.

Rushed like a mad woman and was once again infuriated by screw ups in schedule. Just when I thought everything has been settled. Wish parents can be less protective, stop pampering their kids and accommodate my timing! That's the downside of the job. Am reluctant to re-look at my schedule. Will probably do so later. Sigh. Got news that G's in hospital and just had surgery, thus I rushed down after work to SGH. That place is a maze and there isn't a carpark next to every block! Was so frustrated as I had to beat the clock. Visiting hours ends at 830pm and I arrived at SGH compound at 820pm!! Fortunately, my muscular legs didn't fail me. I sprinted to the designated block and made it just on time! Ward 56. Before me was a lady who used to have the most upbeat smile plastered across her face...G looked like she has aged overnight and was perpetually tired. Pained me to see her that way. But we all know that God is kind and would look after her. She was not relying on morphine anymore thus was feeling the true intensity of the pain. 3 ribs were taken up and on her sides were 40 stitches waiting to be taken out! The poor girl must be hurting. Thankfully, hubby J was right beside her all this while, giving her support and love. Touched. I pray that her tumour's benign. This is the second time this killer cell's discovered but we all believe that she'll be strong and pull through it all. One's mind grapples with shock when you wonder why such a kind soul is plagued with such a condition. Had a good chat with her for almost 2 hours and rediscovered our friendship on another level.

Supper/ dinner was at my favourite mee sua place. Tried my luck and dated Jas who happened to be on her way home. Yeepee. Amazing that our friendship has passed the test of time -- We knew each other all our lives. Right from Primary one! Come to think of it, there are a couple friends whom I know since P1 and are still v much in contact! Cool. Am glad I managed to speak to Jas. Her bubbly nature has this indescribably way of cheering someone up. It's infectious. I'm happy once more and see light in the future. The panacea is to be focus and work towards my goals. Must endeavor to achieve more! Dreams is what one needs. Fuelled with dreams, I believe I'm able to face with any predicament *fingers crossed*. The new year has brought about contemplation and resolutions. I just hope I can keep them!!!

Lord, You said if I fear You and shun evil, this will bring health to my body and nourishment to my bones (Proverbs 3:7-8). I will not die, but live and proclaim what the Lord has done (Proverbs 118:17)

PS: Sweetie is already asleep. It's 2am for crying out loud! Feels weird. Doesn't seem like we've been spending quality time. How to when he sleeps at midnight and I'm back at 11pm and when you mk time for him, he's out gallivanting/ golfing/ entertaining. It's a vicious cycle. To maintain the sparks is of paramount importance. Heard an advice from "uncle agony" from Men's Health. He says that to please one's partner or maintain a healthy r/s, the man should do smth sweet (flowers, a gd meal, cool etc etc) for the partner at least once a mth. When was the last time your guy did something sweet and surprise you? The "sweetest" I've got recently was probably to know that he cooked dinner and left the extra plain rice for me!

Caught in a vortex of frustration

It's only been the 6th day of the mth and I'm already caught in a vortex of frustration. Perhaps due the fact that it's the first day in a long while that I've worked till 1030pm. The night owl's back again...then again, he has never really left me. Work aside, the yearly scheduling has been chaotic. It's that time of the year when you think u've done your best in fitting everyone in and alas, the schools/parents/other more important subject tutors has to spoil your plan at the 11th hour. I wish I can take it in stride and be more hard-hearted to say no to people who simply cannot accommodate. Somehow, the only thing that puts me off is the fact that I seem to be at people's beck and call. It's a race against time and I'm in perennial denial that I've got more than 24hours in a day. Suffice to say, I'm burnt out. I hope things will take a turn for the better and by next wk this time, I'm able to say that I'm energised by the journey from frustration to competence and comfort. I hate all these absolute dilemmas. Spoils the day.

On a less whiny note, when I felt that I'm bereft of love, sweetie surprised me with a little montage (complete with one of my favourite songs) he made of our Bali trip. Real sweet. The montage that is! haaha..the power of the Mac! He even burnt it onto a DVD which has an awesome menu page! It's inspired me for my next personal project...*secret* My irrational rage momentarily turned into tears when I saw that episode. With the back of my hand, I wiped away a tear.

I would thank you from the bottom of my heart but for you my heart has no bottom.

The start of new things to come

It may be 2010, a brand new year, but no fresh routines seem to be carved out (yet). The Sunday started off lazy. Fatigue from the whole year's work and all the partying probably ate me up and took over me as manifested by the time I got up today. Well, it's not too bad -- 11am :).

The day progressed with grocery shopping and heaps of overdue filing and laundry. Felt good with the amount achieved though it didn't seem apparent. Sometimes such feelings are difficult to measure empirically. The warmth of the sun caressed me as I made my greatest achievement -- READING more than 3 pages! for those who don't understand what so magnificent about this feat, I seem to have an "illness", and that is I'll fall asleep after reading 3 pages of any nature. Be it a feature article in a magazine or the latest episode from Twilight, you won't find me past 3 pages! Hopefully the bug leaves me in 2010 as one of my resolutions is to READ MORE!

2010's a good start for some. In particular Big Brother....won his first Toto of the year! Though not too big a deal, but still a handy sum to start the year. Fatty also won a tiny sum. Thinking that luck may just overflow to my side of the pasture, I decided to place my bets on my car plate number. Am not a gambler. In fact, this probably happens once in a blue moon. I guess, what's mine will be mine. You've guessed it -- I did not win the lottery :(.....Big Brother was nice enough to share his joy. Brought me and sweetie to Coffee club for desserts and coffee. Sweet.
It's the soccer season again and I treated the boys to some Taiwan delicacies -- WASABI CUTTLEFISH. Awesome stuff which brought tears to many! haha
The day wouldn't end off nicely without food. Calorie laden dinner tonight was at Joo Chiat. There's hordes of stalls along the stretch, each with their tantalizing spread.


Service was not to my delight. Someone must have stepped on the old lady's tail as she was rather snappy. There was one large table at a corner but she said it was a dead corner thus wasn't big enough for the 5 of us. Next, a family of 4 came and instead of asking us what we'd like for dinner, she allowed them to place their orders first! They were obviously acquainted but still!!!! The food fortunately came rather promptly. Ba Kut teh wasn't all that fragrant. In fact, it's more like pepper soup than anything else. I asked for a refill but was told to wait. Only upon asking twice did the refill come. Efficiency -- Zero. Fish head curry seemed to be their specialty as everyone seemed to be having it. It was enough to appease my cravings but it was a tat too sour.

However, this meal inspired me to plan my menu for Chinese New Year. Hopefully I can find time (and budget) to cook for my family again and prove that I'm not some prima donna. My culinary skills would be put to the test in feeding some picky tastebuds. Am already thinking of trying out assam fish, prawn paste chicken, garlic prawns...just to name some. It's not too early to think, it's afterall only a month more! CNY is on Feb 14 which coincides with Valentine's day...which probably means some love birds wouldn't get to celebrate it on the day itself!
The night wouldn't be complete without desserts. Thus, I had to do my nightly shopping. Was checking though updates on Agneselle and guess who I saw? MY COUSIN! OMG! Agneselle invited three lucky buyers for dinner. I think she must hv spent heaps to be one of those "lucky" buyers! The world has become smaller because of the Internet!

A wonderful start to 2010

HAPPY 2010!!!
This is the first post of the year and it didn't come easy as it's the first time blogging using my Mac! At long last, I'm using it. Am still rather confused by the various shortcuts and functions and am certainly not inclined to using the mouse. I'm constantly reaching out for my mouse but end up grabbing air! But an apple mouse cost close to $100! Ridiculous! Was struggling with getting the photos into collages but failed miserably. Apparently the previous software (Photoscape) which I was using doesn't have a Mac version! So if anyone has any suggestions, PLsssssss let me know!

Sweetie and I decided to spend NYE cuddling up at home. Seems like maturity has kicked in and he's not longer in the league for rowdy parties. It's been a few years now that we've missed out on the yearly NYE party which is held at Bayshore. I missed it quite a bit but am pretty thankful to spend the new year with my dearest. Am tremendously blessed that we've pulled through yet another year and I guess it's pretty special to start the next one quietly together. This is the time we say our prayers and show our thanks for having each other in our life. Above is the scrumptious meal we whipped up together. (well, technically, majority were by me...he was napping the whole time! That PIG!)
Tried two different ways of frying Prawn Paste Chicken. Taste wise I think I've attained 88% of the kungfu, but texture's really needs improvement. Tried using cornstarch flour and no flour....two different results, both of which I'm not too pleased with! Hopefully I can perfect it soon and whip up a mean meal during CNY.
Philippine Lala -- AWESOME stuff! The meat is succulent and the juice which oozes out as you stir fry is heavenly sweet! coupled with the ingredients, the aroma is to die for! One taste of it and you'd be begging for more! Doesn't come cheap though --- $10.90 per kg! In fact, the whole meal was quite exorbitant -- $20+..haha.....

After the tantalizing dinner, we sorted out some technical stuff. Imported files from PC to Mac and from Mac to PC. sweetie had a hard time figuring out how to import my emails over. Thank goodness I have a computer engineer as a husband! Being a tech-deficient person, all I know is drag and paste! oh n Ctrl Alt Del! haha The Fireworkz @ the Floating platform on Marina Bay was awesome. A whole 8 mins display which led us to a new year.


Cheers to the new year! Sipping away my favourite wine. Really hope that 2010 will bring more hope, luck, achievements and milestones!

NEW YEAR DAY!...How else to start the new year but Shopping!!! Mind you, sweetie was the one who suggested that we visit the newly opened 313 @ Somerset. Honestly, with an array of shopping centres sprouting out these days, I don't understand what's the big fuss over 313. The shops are disappointingly the same old thing which you'd find at any other major shopping mall! Nevertheless, I bought heaps! haha
Overwhelmed with excitement when I saw the 3 storey Forever 21!!!!! I almost gave an exultant leap when I found out that there was a sale going on!!! Bought a few dresses...yeepee!! New Year clothes...can't wait for the rest to arrive through mail! *wink*...It's an addiction I tell u...my wardrobe's already bursting at its seams. Have been procrastinating about donating my old clothes. Somehow, I feel most charitable organisations can do with more money and not clothes!
Plus, they are so new and well maintained, I'm a wee bit reluctant to part with them. Thus the three big bags of old clothes are still lying quietly in my store room.
FINALLY! Gladiator heels! Sweetie chose this for me. Claims that the rest looked Chin-cheong. Sometimes he gives pretty good advice. note, it's SOMETIMES.

My Loot! 2 pairs of shoes, 3 dresses and a top. Not bad not bad...a good start I say!
Next up, for a totally different experience, I pestered sweetie and brought him to the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It must be at least 10 years that I've last visited that place! It's HUGE! THe light afternoon breeze touched my cheek as I entered the familiar park. I could hear the chirping of birds, oblivious to the people observing them. Fresh air filled my nose and cleared my mind. It was truly an experience of a different kind.

Sweetie didn't need much persuasion in photo taking. The tee he was wearing however was of a totally WRONG colour! Camouflaged real well!! haha...
There's even a stage for performances in the middle of a lily pond! Several groups of people were laying on their mats, enjoying the serenity.
Not bad if we could do some yoga at the park!
As the sun rose higher into the sky, it gave me a deliciously warm feeling -- not too hot, not too cold. Regulars in the park clustered in their favourite areas. Children ran round boisterously whilst their parents gossiped about the latest scandal of their neighbourhood. Young couples settle down in quiet "secluded" spots under the trees, admiring each other, totally ignoring the rest of the world. I drank these sights in and went deeper into the park to see gigantic trees standing in the middle, their roots resilient and spreading. It's such a joy to be escaping from the urban life and not weaving through crowds of people.

Did you know that a ginger flower looks like this??

Time seemed to tick away especially slowly today..not that it's a bad thing....we had dessert treat from Big bro @ Coffee Club. A sweet start to the year. My resolution for the year..hmm..haven't really sat down to think, but certainly hope that finances, career, health, love and family aspects will be smooth and flourish. Hopefully milestones will be made. It never hurts to dream right?


Dreams can often become challenging, but challenges are what we live for. But I can't dream forever. Spent 2009 dreaming for quite a bit though some achievements have been made (The biggest yet is my affirmation of my teaching skills in Creative writing). Hope 2010 spells more action. Afterall, action is the foundation and key to all success.

Life is a series of steps. Things are done gradually. Once in a while there is a giant step, but most of the time, we are taking small, seemingly insignificant steps ont he stairway of life.

Ralph Ransom