Economic woes..

Well.. globally, everything in the world is rising, except our salaries.. haix..

But then again, here's a little stuff to perk you up, and may sometimes bring some shock to ya..

1. Lee Hom is one of the new ambassadors for BRANDS'!


Well, I'm not telling you how I know this, but check the following Youtube video out!
Wang Lee Hom has become one of the ambassador for BRANDS'. Surprising? At least to me =)

2. The Taiwanese Government encouraging Taiwan citizens to spend!


Despite the Chen Shuibian's saga in Taiwan, the Taiwanese Government is doing this (read article above) to help the Taiwanese people to spend..
(Haix.. why don't the Singapore Government do this as well?)

3. COE (Cars <1,600 cc)drops to an all-time low of $2!



This is unbelivable!! $2 for a COE? (read article above).
As my colleagues had said, this is even cheaper than chicken rice.. haix..
(But then again, if I remembered correctly, my house neighbourhood sells chicken rice at $1.50/plate, but then again, portions are amazingly tiny and if I were to eat it, I don't know where to place it in my stomach =P).

This could only means people are tightening their pockets and not willing to spend.. If only these were good times.. haix..

4. Shell petrol drops another 5 cents!

Well.. Not too sure whether you readers realised yesterday, but I certainly did! Shell petrol dropped another 5 cents, and the charges are estimated to be as follows:

Formula 95: $1.55/litre after disc.(down from the previous of $1.60/litre after disc.)
Formula 98: $1.62/litre after disc.(down from the previous of $1.67/litre after disc.)

Not that I'm driving, but guess it must be good news for those who are driving.. but then again, food prices are going up, so it somewhat balances out!

5. Budget brought forward!

Now that the Government of Singapore is bringing forward the Budget from February 2009 to January 2009, and businesses would be the first one to be considered in their agenda, what would you like the Government to change in the lives of us, consumers, and typically Singaporeans?

** By the way, if you have not realise, electricity tariffs is coming down! Read the same article here lah (if you have not done so!)

Anyway, for me, I have a few requests, and let's see whether the "jeng hu" (Hokkien for Government) will buy this or not?

- Lower the GST from the current 7% to maybe 3% or 5%?
- More cash payouts.
- Govt. to support company, so no pay cuts and higher salary increments.

What do you wish to have the Government do for you? Discuss (in my tagboard that is!)..
(Wah! Machiam like 'A' Level General Paper hor! haha..) =P

I only need Vitamin M,
<<< abriel >>>

Blur..

Oh my goodness! I got a shock of my life this morning..

I was on NEL train, and as usual, I was hearing my phone's mp3 player.. and then, occasionally, I peeked at the signboard telling you which stop it was.. and guess what! The sign shows "Punggol" (which clearly shows that it is faulty), when the train actually was already at "Chinatown".

For a moment, I thought I was in the wrong direction, and was almost about to get out of the train..

Oh man.. this is scary.. I don't know why I was so blur today..

** Btw, I have spent 3 nites sleeping with my quilt.. I tell you.. it is so so comfortable! =).. I want to sleep again!!

I need sleep,
<<< abriel >>>

More "Mac" accessories to buy..

Well.. guess what! I've just found out that I need 2 more accessories/software for my Mac lappy..

- AppleCare Protection Plan ($446)
(This is a must-buy, because if happens that the lappy is spoiled and over warranty, repairing it would be super expensive.. This AppleCare Protection Plan comes with an additional 2 yrs warranty on top of the current 1 yr warranty.
So I have no choice but have to buy this loh!)

- Upgrade RAM memory from the current 1GB (2 pcs of 512mb each) to the future 2GB (2 pcs of 1GB each). The price ranges from $178-$198.
(Well.. this is very weird. I get a lot of quotations for this, and the lowest was $129. But not too sure whether they got wat I mean, because everytime I call, they tell me different prices.. haix.. but oh well.. I shall take it as $198, so if its cheaper, its a bonus..

I have did a rough calculation.. and the total I have spend is close to my current PC.. which is about $850.. so ya... let's see how long this worthy investment is going to last me, because I've high expectations of Mac doing my publicity stuff for church, etc..

Money woes,
<<< abriel >>>

Incoming "Mac" user!

This weekend is one of the enjoyable weekends I had.. read on to find out more..

Saturday (16/11/08)

Led worship in church.. and God was really amazing! I had an agenda of 2 praise songs, and 2 worship songs.. but because I overlooked the words for one of the songs.. but God was good.. He gave me a song, "I Surrender All", which I have been listening to it on my phone's mp3 player, since the day Tjow has lent me the album.
It is Michael W. Smith's latest album, "A New Hallelujah". It is very good.. You should get it someday.. Anyway, click here for a sample playlist of the album, "A New Hallelujah".
And while you are at it, you can hear the song, "I Surrender All". It is really beautiful, and everytime I listen to it, I'm very emotional over it.. The lyrics are really meaningful.. It is just a few lines, but it speak volumes.. so ya.. Here are the lyrics:

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His Presence daily live

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee, my blessed Saviour
I surrender all

So ya.. And this song really speaks to the congregation during worship (becos as I have mentioned earlier, it is only 2 worship songs throughout the worship! I didnt have any fast songs! God has prompted me to keep in a very prayerful mode, becos I have started the song, "I Surrender All", with the intention of teaching the congregation, but as time goes on, somehow I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to not go with the fast songs.. just stay in the prayerful mood!.. and whoa! I'm glad I did!), and I can feel that God was in our midst.. so ya.. To God be ALL glory! Amen! =)

After church, went to Seafood Paradise @ Defu Lane 10 for dinner; was recommended by Carlise (my church mate).. it was good I tell you.. click here to find out more!

If you want to find out the dishes we've ate for the night, here it is:

1 - Creamy Sri-Lanka Crab (Signature Dish 1)
2 - Sri-Lanka Crab with Glass Noodles (Signature Dish 2)
3 - Black Pepper Sri-Lanka Crab
4 - Crispy Fried Baby Squid
5 - Spinach with Egg Trio (Egg Trio = Chicken Egg, Salted Egg, Century Egg)
6 - Fried Tofu with Golden Mushroom
7 - Longevity Fried Noodles

It was a very good spread and all of us had a great time of fellowship! =).. and its quite cheap actually.. $26/pax.. so ya..
But what I like best is actually the "Sri-Lanka Crab with Glass Noodles".. oh man! It is so good! The gravy is like sharks' fin gravy (which actually I requested for my favourite black vinegar and pepper), and the glass noodles is like super smooth, with the gravy's flavour all seeped into the noodles, which gives a very good flavour! The whole dish deserves both my thumbs up!! =)
**Oh.. a word of caution! If you want to eat this dish, you have to be prepared to wait for 45 mins!! and pls pls.. ask them to serve this crab dish FIRST before other crab dishes.. if you can wait, make this "glass noodles crab" dish the first item to be served, and then you start to eat other food.. because once you "mix" the flavours of the crab dishes (eg: having black pepper or creamy crab first before the glass noodles crab), then you would feel that it is not nice already.. trust me.. it was tested and proven last nite at the dinner.. so ya.. =)

Sunday (17/11/08)

Upgraded my SingNet Broadband from a 8 mbps (after free auto-upgrade from 5 mbps) to 10mbps Unlimited Broadband for a mere $9.95 more on my monthly subscription, and for this upgrading effort, SingNet is rewarding me a 13' White MacBook FREE-OF-CHARGE.. and its their current promotion. So ya..

Here are the specifications:

SuperDrive
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor 2.1GHz
13.3-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
1GB Memory
120GB Hard Drive
Built-in iSight Camera
Mac OS X Leopard and iLife '08

And because of this, I was out and about at Challenger Superstore @ Funan, to get my Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, and this costs me $239 (non-member price is $249).. super expensive lah.. but then, without MS Office on my new Mac, is like really make my Mac useless..
I actually wanted to upgrade my Mac to an aluminium one (of course with slightly better specs) for an additional $499, but after doing my sums, not very feasible and also I'm not say a very heavy user on my new Mac, so no pt.. the most, I just upgrade my RAM (original is only 1GB.. Plan to upgrade till 2GB, and I'll be happy!.. but that would cost me some money... just wondering how much loh.. haix.. I think I would only koe the cost when on the same day of collection loh!!)..
I was actually on the verge of buying a Norton Antivirus for my Mac, but then, fortunately, a salesperson was serving me, and he tells me actually that no point buying Norton Antivirus for my Mac, because it doesn't protect my Mac directly.. So I heeded his advice and didn't buy it lah.. it was $89 if I have bought it ok!!

This is actually my last chance to grab hold of the opportunity (ie. SingNet giving away free laptops for upgrading), because my current Broadband plan is expiring in Feb 09, so before that, I have to renew contract, or else, I would be paying a much higher price of what I'm having now! so ya.. and IT shows are only every 3 mths, so if you do your sums, its not very possible..

Actually end of November, there is Sitex, so I'm just wondering why SingNet is doing its promo so early? Why don't wait till Sitex then give? So this maybe because they are not participating? I don't know.. so as to avoid disappointments, I rather take it now loh!
Moreover, I need a laptop for my business trips, as I plan to write reports in my hotel room after everyday, or else, I will die.. haha.. so ya.. thinking ahead lah.. moreover, if I'm ever required to do some designing work, at least I got a Mac to work with! So it is killing 2 birds with one stone!

I also got an Norton Internet Security 2009 software ($72; non-member price is $79) for my PC.. this one is a yearly thing.. cannot say don't get one, because my PC (aka. desktop) is still my main computer use!

After Challenger @ Funan, proceeded over with my parents to IKEA Alexandra to look look see see.. My parents just want to take a walk, since they didn't go down last week.. moreover, I'm IKEA member, so 2 coffees are on the house, so we went to the restaurant, and they sipped onto free flow of coffee! Woohoo~.. We also ate our dinner there.. so ya.. so its Meatballs with Lingoberry Jam, and chicken wings for dinner again.. haha..
Oh.. the almond cake is also very good.. but it was shared, so not so caloric on my tummy.. haha.. =P

I actually didnt want to buy anything, but then, I saw some essentials for my office (in particular, a water jug), and so I bought one! It was quite cool! It has a detachable freezing element in the middle of the jug (in the form of a plastic rod filled with distilled water!).. but I took out that.. just empty one to put in office for myself lah.. so ya..

Then I went to the bedlinen section, and bought myself a mattress protector ($12), a quilt ($25) and a quilt cover with 2 matching pillowcases ($59).. so ya.. it is to re-decorate my room.. need to inject some life into my room liaox.. its getting stagnant! ahhh.. need a room revamp!
Guess I have to pack and revamp my room someday then! =)

But I have spend quite a lot today, till the point that I don't wish to total the sum I spend.. haix.. I'm spending again, but then again, pumping money into Singapore's economy will lessen Singapore's risk of having a recession!.. So I'm helping the economy ok! =D

The things I have to achieve till early Jan 2009..

- Christmas presents
- CNY 2009 clothings
- Dye hair
- CNY reunion dinner
- CNY goodies

I certainly hope I'm getting my bonus at the end of this year, or else, I die liaox.. literally die..

I'm tightening my food belt these few days, so you don't see me spending on food as much before lah.. or at least, be more thrifty when it comes to food.. so ya.. =)

And it doesn't help that I'm also saving up for Taiwan 2009.. haix.. I need Vitamin M!! Anyone care to give me? =P

Okay lah.. need to sleep liaox.. super tired now.. have spend like 3 hrs on this blogpost liaox.. power rite? haha..
Going to sleep with my new quilt tonite.. Woohoo~~.. and its like quite cooling weather.. so ya.. I'm going to snuggle up on my bed now.. =)

Eagerly waiting for the arrival of my Macbook,
<<< abriel >>>

Weird women!

My goodness.. in the course of today, I met two weird women.. allow me to elaborate..

First, it was during lunch @ NUS Arts Canteen..
As usual, it was crowded, but becos my colleagues and me went for lunch (6 pax to be exact), we managed to find the table after quite a while..

I was the first to buy my food and was the first one to do so.. I sat down and then another colleague came back with her food.. then 4 seats were left empty.. and then, about 5 mins later, a gal came over and ask if the seats were taken.. I said "ya".. but I think she has mistaken that I said "ok.. can sit".. then she was about to sit and I told her that "the seats are mistaken".. and then this gal was like, "oh.. you mean the seats were taken?".. ahhhhh.. *screetches in high tones and walk away*.. my colleague, Kian Hong, also saw it and he also said "this gal wanna attract attention only..".. which is so true lah.. oh my goodness..

Then another one happened when I was on my way home in NEL train.. This gal machiam like don't care.. her arms brushed me like a thousand times lah.. then she open her front portion of the bag, also machiam action so big, and I was reading a magazine, when her forearm brush me again.. my goodness.. for a moment, I felt like this gal has outrage my modesty lah.. ok.. I'm exaggerating.. but well, it feels very uncomfortable for strangers to just keep brushing you.. one or two times nevermind.. I think during the trip, she has like brushed me close to 20 times! I mean it..

What's with gals nowadays? Or is it becos I'm too hot for them to handle? haha.. kidding.. oh well..

Women are weird!,
<<< abriel >>>

IKEA rox!

Shopping at IKEA has never been happier until today.. oh man.. the stuff there are so nice, and they are at bargain prices.. oh man.. bought some stuff..

I feel like going back there again someday.. Oh.. did I mention that everytime I go there, I would just keep smiling and smiling? My knees will just grow weak at the sight of the beautifully interior-designed showroom.. oh man.. haix..

I don't care! I'm going there for the meatballs with lingoberry jam someday again(and oh.. I bought both at the supermart! wahaha..), as well as also the furniture.. its the atmosphere in IKEA which makes me feel welcome everytime I visited the store! =)

I love IKEA,
<<< abriel >>>

Being longwinded..

Well.. today I have experienced what you can call, some long-winded ppl!

I have been on a project meeting today and it lasts from 0900 hrs - 1300 hrs!! 4 solid hours and guess what! There is still no conclusion, and these 4 hrs, the same ONE point was being discussed/argued/explained over, over, over and over again! Everyone was fed up..

The poor innocent me, I did NOT speak a word! I just hear one ear in, and out the other.. only minor information, I managed to zap into my head.. After that, its empty again.. haha..
And it doesn't help that I was hungry and cold.. machiam a begger like tat..

Its not a good feeling afterall ya koe...
Fortunately, lunch was good, becos I went with my 2 bosses to Maxwell Food Centre to eat... so ya..

Ok.. I'm super tired now.. Need to sleep!

Some ppl are born with more wind.. haha.. =P,
<<< abriel >>>

Hectic week!!! Tired & exhausted!

Fwah! I'm extremely tired.. After I was back at office since Tues (28/10), its working in office everyday from 0800 hrs to 2300 hrs.. and its work NON-STOP ok!.. This happened from Tues - Thurs..

I'm experiencing burnout now.. and thank God its the weekend, or else, I would just die of exhausion.. so ya..

This week is hectic becos I got a lot of trials to do for my current project.. according to my boss, it should not be so hectic from tomorrow.. oh man.. I wonder how true.. hmmm..

** I spend my weekends doing my office work.. In office, cannot finish, so must bring home during weekends to do.. haix.. sianx..

Ok.. I gtg and sleep liaox..

Tml is the start of another new work week,
<<< abriel >>>