Everyday I'm hoping to fast forward to April... please time fly! 彡

March will come in less than two weeks...
Nothing changes... I'm still the same old me.

It has been a while since I posted on this personal journal, but not because I'm busy. I just couldn't stay focused on what I need to do. Well, that explains it.

Back here. I just want to share bits of my weekend...



The girls and I planned a dinner gathering at Ssikkek BBQ @ Novena Ville. I was surprised by the terribly long queue but guess what we made a reservation. The reasons for the popularity could be because of their good food and great service, as well as reasonable prices.


At $22.00+ per adult, the Korean grill BBQ buffet offers a range of 5 types of beef, 3 types of pork, chicken, sausage and prawn. There are also cooked food which includes fried rice, japchae, kimchi pancake and many different varieties of banchan (Korean side dishes). It is definitely a value for money buffet, making it an ideal place to go if you are on budget.


There are a wide range of condiments such as sesame oil, salt, garlic, onions, soya sauce for us to use in the grill. Therefore, one could attempt to whip up a variety of dishes. You can also create stews by wrapping the meat together with garlic, onions and gochujang (Korean chilli paste) in leaf vegetable.


The service was efficient. They changed the aluminum foil frequently, which was great. The space is cramped but well ventilated.


While the rest were busy grilling the food, I volunteered to peel the shell off the prawns. It takes a lot of skill to cook it right... and I can't do it.


It was a satisfying dinner and I would love to go back again! However, eating too much greasy food isn't good for our health...


This place is a MUST TRY. They have 2 branches. The one I went to is at Novena Ville and it's crowded. I suggest you make a reservation.


Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ Buffet

Address: 275 Thomson Road, #01-01/02, Novena Ville
Tel: +65 6254 8123

Weekday Lunch $12.00+, Dinner $22.00+
Weekend Lunch $22.00+, Dinner $22.00+




The blogmates and I decided to have a chill-out session at Timbre @ The Substation. Oh please, how much I miss this place... great food and awesome ambience. But since I have been there many times, there is nothing more to talk about...



Or perhaps I should emphasize this gathering served to bond us closer together because we have been too busy having fun to talk about how each of us have been doing. But maybe... we are just out to have fun. After all, that's what we do best as a clique! ☺


Timbre @ The Substation

Address: 45 Armenian Street
Tel: +65 6338 8030 (Call after 5pm)


I guess that's about all. Work and play. That's my life right now. Till here! x

Labels: Cousins*, Girlfriends

Everyone knows, Chinese New Year is the longest and most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving.

The first day of Chinese New Year is a time to honor one's elders. My family visited the oldest and most senior members of our extended families...

At my maternal grandmother's place,
{where I used to stay when I was a baby}


Grandma even prepared some of our favorite dishes, Curry Chicken and Braised Pork Belly. From young, we were so in love with her home-cooked meals. After all, nothing says love like a home-cooked meal.


Due to tight schedule, we had a quick meal before leaving for our next destination. Therefore, we didn't get a chance to catch up with our maternal aunts and uncles, and cousins. Furthermore, the chances of us meeting them in the rest of the year are slim. And, unlike my brothers, I rarely bump into my kinfolks.

At my paternal grandparents' place,
{where my elder brother used to stay when he was a baby}


During our family gathering, the youngest generation will always become the center of attention. In another words, all of us have our moments; now or before. I guess that's fair.


So my aunt suggested that we take photos with our grandparents since we don't always have photo moments together. My grandpa was spontaneous, whereas my grandma wasn't ready for the shot. Therefore, there was just us as the rest of my cousins were not there at that moment.


Also, my brothers and I took a photo together. Well, I guess {without the caption above}, anyone will think that the one on my right is my boyfriend and the two on my left are my elder brother and younger brother {respectively}. It's okay, I get that a lot!!!

After the visit to our paternal grandparents' place, we will always be reminded to visit our extended families of the paternal side...




On the 13th day, people will eat pure vegetarian food to clean out their stomach due to consuming too much food over the last two weeks. However, it was different for me. I ate as much as I could since the food was prepared to my liking. And what's more can I ask for, when Jing Long specially bought the grill table because I wanted grill cooking so badly.


It is a rare occasion to have most of the cousins* presented that night. Like Christmas, this is another occasion that we will celebrate together. And if you did realize, it's the beginning and the end of a year...



We played ban luck and/or mahjong before we rushed off to catch the last train... But sadly, Conan and I missed our last bus so we decided to have supper at McDonald's. And we unknowningly chatted till around 3am before we headed home...


I was really glad to see everyone again, after coming back from Japan. Of course, this gathering wasn't easy to plan but Jing Long did it well and I'm so proud of him. All thanks to this dearest brother and his mom~ :)


So that's how I celebrated with my family and friends for this Chinese New Year. Just two days, as the rest of the days I was enjoying in Japan.

And before I end this post, this is the best wish I received {from dearest Joshua}:
"This is going to be a good year for you & your family! It's your year! Ahaha!"

WHY?!?!?! Because my brothers have 'long' in their names and I was nicknamed after them as 'longlong'. So it will definitely be a good year for us! Hehehe~ :)

Labels: Cousins*, Family

Although our conversation seemed a little boring but I enjoyed the sumptuous dinner with my dad, mom and brothers. My stomach is filled with good food {that ushered in wealth, happiness and good fortune} and I'm feeling bloated in my belly!

We decided to play card games...... I think I lost a few bucks? But you should know better that every parent won't want their child to be losing. Therefore, my dad will always spread the money he won to us. This time round my youngest brother received the coins which added up to S$20? In our hearts, the biggest winner is always our dad!


Now, I'm in my small cramped room. It looks much neater since I had packed for my vacation to Japan. Everything {except facial products, etc} is in the luggage and I'm ready to fly on the 25th. I'm so excited about this trip!!! ✈

Labels: Family

I said I would, so here I am--
to list down my New Year's resolutions.

Well...
I always think the harder I list them all, the hardest it is to achieve.
Go with the flow will be the best answer for someone like me.

But...
This time it unknowingly came to my mind.

And...
I thought I would share it here.


So, let's get it started...

☐ Improve well-being: exercise more, lose weight, eat better, drink lesser

Since August 2010, I have been with Wellness for Life Chiropractic, where the chiropractors adjust misalignments of my spine to achieve optimal alignment in it and to establish uninterrupted nerve flow, so that my body can function at its best level. It is not an easy journey as I had to do 4 different types of stretching daily, as advised. It takes up 1.75 hours of every 24 hours. As difficult as it seems, I chose to continue the journey after 1 year with them, only because of my health. It showed a significant improvement at month 12.

With that said, I have to keep to my 'Original Schedule of Adjustments' (OSA) because 1 missed adjustment in a week can set me back in my healing an entire week. I also have to constantly remind myself that home traction and postural exercises are as important.

Beside that, back in July 2011, I had my weight taken. According to my Muscle-Fat Control, I need to gain 11.6kg muscle and lose 0.7kg fat. It's visceral fat (intra-abdominal fat) - the fat that surrounds the internal organs. In other words, I have to lose the excess 0.7kg of visceral fat, also known as "belly fat". As much as I hate to say it, I need to lose weight in my stomach! So please stop saying I'm skinny! Just like how the fat people dislike skinny people for saying they need to lose weight, I dislike it when people say I'm skinny and I need to put on weight instead of lose weight. They don't understand how tough it is for skinny people to hide their belly fat!

Therefore, I decided to eat better and drink less. I have been skipping dinner or eating dinner late, which is really bad for my health. But that's just how my family do. Also, I don't always drink but on occasions like birthdays and festivals, I might drink a little bit more than I should. Now I need to learn to say no to alcoholic drinks!

I have made a commitment to improve my health. What about you?

"Happiness is Wealthiness is Healthiness."


☐ Improve finances: save money

I have been saving since the beginning of 2011 but I didn't meet my savings target for 2011. It just goes to show how I lose focus in the midway. To make worse, in 3 days of last December, I agreed to go to Japan this January. I still can't believe I did that but I have no regrets. Firstly, it is one of the countries I want to visit. Secondly, I'm going with friends I want to travel with. Thirdly, I don't need to worry about the itinerary. Fourthly, I may get to touch and see snow. Lastly, I truly feel I deserve a holiday!

Therefore, I promise myself to save harder when I'm back as to hit my saving target as soon as possible. I should be able to reach it at end of the first quarter of this year. The most challenging part is keeping the money; to never spend a single cent of my saving. If I did it, I will then decide my saving target for 2012. It will definitely be lesser than that of 2011 because I am determined to take some time and money out to learn something new. I'm also planning to set aside a small amount of money for my parents.

So, I can't expect myself to save as much as I did last year, unless I get a reasonable pay raise soon. I mean, really soon.

"Fail to plan, plan to fail."


☐ Improve career: get a better job

Talking about finances, I might need a job that can provide me with a better salary and has more beneficial. I'm embarrassed to say my current salary is the average salary for a graduate. And I feel certain that I deserve a raise! If it doesn't happen any time soon, and even if it doesn't reach my expected salary, I will consider looking for a new job.

However, there are many things to take into consideration before I decide to quit. As you may know, I have been with this company for approximately 1.3 years and I'm getting more comfortable at my current job. Even when my colleague and I encounter conflict in the office, we will attempt to resolve it. I believe, that no matter where I go, I will face people who are negative, people who oppose my ideas, people who piss me off or people who simply do not like me. Conflict is a fact of life and that's why I'm staying positive in this current job.

Also due to my tight schedule, since I'm taking some time out to learn something new, I'm unable to get a job with high stress and/or long hours. I don't want to be overwhelmed by stress, leading to poor health for myself. I make sure I avoid physical and mental stress at work.

Hence, I will make a decision at a later date. Even though I have always been reminded that, "The sooner you start, the sooner you will be working at a job you love, one that fulfils you, that challenges you, that you look forward to each and everyday."

"If you don't get out of your shell. You are just a NUT!"


☐ Improve education: learn something new

As I have mentioned before, I'm learning something new and I have made up my mind on just these two things; to learn to play the piano and to learn to drive. I think that's more than enough to occupy my time?

When I was younger than 7 years old, I refused to learn to play the piano. I also refused to learn ballet. When I attended higher primary school, I admire people who can play musical instrument and I deeply regret my decision. Sad to say, until today, I can't read music. But my parents have encouraged me to go ahead and learn it. So last december I visited the music school and ordered a digital piano. It will be in our house on January 14! I'm kind of excited, and I'm looking forward to take up piano lessons! I somehow hope that my brothers will learn it too! ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

As to driving, my parents have been encouraging me to learn it since I was 18 but it was not what I wanted. I always wanted to learn to ride until recently. I changed my mind. I guess I have went through the rebellious phase and I'm starting to appreciate and respect my parents' decisions. As of now, I have decided to learn to drive after I put aside S$2000 for it. If everything goes well, it should happen in this April.

Labels: Personal

Last New Year's Eve was spent with Kai Xin and two other close friends, watching fireworks outside Marina Square! We had a sleepover and I was forced to wake up to play with a stick of sparkler... thinking of it makes me smile! ☆~

At that moment, while I was witnessing the most awe-inspiring fireworks, Gi Siang as well as Sing Yee were there at the same location but different spots. So, this year we made the effort to gather together for a year-end dinner...


It might seem like we were having a reunion dinner, held on Chinese New Year's Eve, during which family members get together to celebrate. But, it was actually a very rare day for us as we don't usually come together. Everyone has to commit their own personal lives and it's not so easy to get away with.

It is not the 'Perfect Ten' yet but I'm still glad everyone make time for this gathering... a very memorable end to 2011 as well as a meaningful start to 2012. And so, without further ado, let me share with you how we prepare, cook and eat...



Then, we gathered in the room to play 'Taboo' (Singapore Edition), a word guessing party game. The objective of the game is for a player to have their partners guess the word on the card without using the word itself or five additional words listed on the card. It's not as easy as it seems unless you understand your partner's words and ideas.

Before the clock struck 12, we sat in a circle around the presents!!! Christmas is twelve days long... we have our gift exchanges on New Year's Eve as we didn't meet as a whole clique on Christmas Eve nor Christmas, due to our schedules.


When it was 12AM... "Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Happy New Year!" We continued with a few rounds of 'Taboo' before we processed to 'Drunken Tower' drinking game that I bought for Yvonne as the gift. It just hit me that she and her boyfriend will be interested in it as they drink very often with their friends?


As it was the first day of a New Year, I didn't want to admit (HAHAHA!) that I was very unlucky on that night. I drank more than I should... even though I was NEVER the one who caused the tower to fall! But Sing Yee happened to remove the block that states 'Drink one(two) with player to the left' and Sam happened to remove the block that states 'Drink one(two) with player to the right'. Still the worst feeling was when you painstakingly remove the block that states 'Drink one(two)' OHMYTIAN!

After hours of drinking, we decided to have the chocolate fondue with fruits! SINFUL (BUT WHO CARES!) Chocolate is my favorite and I can have it any time anywhere. Even N O W, I'm having the Royce' chocolate received from Gi Siang.


But as always, there is a price to pay. I got home in the morning to realize that my brothers were not at home!? In others word, none of us spent the first (second, minute, hour) of 2012 with our parents! I was feeling very guilty at that moment and couldn't get it out of my head, I had to tear! QQ

Then a sentence hit me, "Love your parents. We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old." That was exactly what I feel... my brothers and I have been neglecting our parents in one way or another.

And that morning before I dozed off, I unknowingly came out with a list of resolutions {kept in my mind}! It is so unlikely of me to do that and I'm thinking of sharing it in my next post...

Labels: Girlfriends

be happy.
♥ love life.

+齐meow
09 July 1990

Typical ♋ian;
I'm a suffering soul and sometimes lose control of my emotions. I need you to be understanding and not give up on me.

✉ tan.jiaqi@live.com







1-1-20eleventh
Facial Expressions ◭
Let's do it every year!
Awe Night at Marina Barrage
It all begins with a smile...
MEESKA MOOSKA MICKEY MOUSE
KEEP IN MIND!


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