週末萬歲

雖然週三的公定假日把這一週的工作日減少了一天，但對週末的期待反而有增無減！或許這就叫“貪得無厭”。

終於，終於，快樂的日子降臨了！

雖然得完成報告、準備考試，但是這一切都不及辦公室裡雜七雜八的那些東西來得叫人頭痛。這兩天想做的、必須做的事還真不少，其中包括：

1）領取race pack
2）看牙醫
3）回娘家吃飯
4）和MQ喝咖啡

當然還有永遠做不完、越積越多的家務⋯⋯

這樣的生活夠充實吧？

我怎麼突然覺得有些累了？哈哈！

Self-Discipline

There are so many things that I need to do and want to do..... Yet, I am always procrastinating. I seem to have lost my self-discipline......

As December approaches, I'm running out of time to finish the things I've set out to do. Running through the list of my 2010 resolutions at this point in time tells me that I would most likely have achieved only ONE of the listed items. This is BAD!

For the new year, I really need to review my priorities, set SMART(er) goals and be less ambitious. Getting a few things done is better than having a long list of unaccomplished goals.

原來我還會感動

也許老了，開始對事（歌）不對人。竟然被感動了⋯⋯

《我能給的》

妳爸媽劈頭問我一句話 我不回答
他問我能不能給妳一個家 我愣在那
不回答不代表我沒有想法
不回答不代表掙扎
有些事心裡明白 卻不能夠明講

我沒有權 沒有錢 沒有房 只剩夢想
但未來的路實在太漫長 我也害怕
害怕讓她陪著我一起闖蕩
害怕她空轉了時光
所以我不說大話 怕說的比做的差

有些話不能表達 有些話當時我沒有講
但是我不會讓她陪我累 但是我不會讓她流眼淚
能給的我都給她 這是我心裡面說的話
就算會累死我都不會怨 因為她就是我的全世界

PS：“怕說的比做的差”這句歌詞在網路上引起了討論。邏輯上或許有些錯誤，可能是顧及韻腳的關係吧。但誰管它呢？或許這也顯示他的作詞功力離黃偉文、林夕等大師還遠著呢。

雜感

2010年就快結束了。有些迫不及待，以及更多更多的害怕。

時間若按年計算，似乎一年過得比一年快；若按月計算，則又顯得有些漫長。我總是徘徊在矛盾的邊緣，搞不清（也不想搞清）狀況。

日子難熬的時候，只能激勵自己往前看，期待著年終的那一趟旅行。那是給自己的年終奬賞，也是今年唯一一次的“長假”。身心極度疲累，是時候換個國度，釋放靈魂了。選擇到一個不需要行程表的國度，或許潛意識裡就是希望能夠卸下不必要的包袱和壓力，好好放慢腳步，享受生活。

開始倒數⋯⋯但願2011年會更好。

2010 AHM & SSBR

It's official - 2 hrs 37 mins and 31 secs. This is my personal best so far.

When I crossed the finishing line last Sunday, my iPod Nano read 19.6 km. That's 1.4 km short. Never mind, I shall trust the organizer. They are "world-class" so the official distance must be correct. I shall choose to believe that as the timing was better than expected. Haha!

I guess running 2 half-marathons is probably the only thing on my list of 2010 Resolutions that I will accomplish. The rest??? They will be carried forward to 2011.

PS: Maybe I can skip the run in Dec. :)

In the Name of De-Stressing

For friends who know me well, I am not really a chocolate lover. I don't mind eating chocolates but I am not an ardent fan. Given a choice, I normally would not choose a piece of chocolate cake or a scoop of chocolate ice-cream. I am also not one who can finish an entire chocolate bar on my own - at least not in recent years.

But there is something chocolatety that I have difficulty resisting...... For the last one month, I had to buy something every time I walked past the ION outlet. You know, it's the craving for chocolates when you feel down and how buying (note: it's about buying, not eating) them can make one happy.

I conclude that it's all because of stress that I ended up with all these limited editions! (Yes, "limited edition" is another word that I have low immunity against). Now, I've got to finish them soon before the "best consume before" date.

See, stress (due to work) is very bad. I should stay at home.


Top row from left: Darjeeling tea, fruit bar; Bottom row from left: Pear, Rum & Grape (my favourite!!!)

決定自己的DNA

這張照片帶給我很多很美好的回憶。

我最喜歡的就是這個管弦樂的部分，還有這個版本的《起來》⋯⋯

YQ說“Dream On”用錯了。或許吧，但這並不是重點。

很多時候重要的，說穿了，只是感覺而已⋯⋯

To-Do-List

跑步歌單沒有，我的to-do-list卻長得要命。

這個週末主要“任務”包括：

1 做家務、收拾房間（否則家就便成垃圾窩了）
2 買衣櫥（得為新衣服找個家）
3 找驗光師驗眼睛（最近生活在一片迷蒙中⋯⋯）
4 跑步（再不練跑就來不及了）
5 購物治療（每天的減壓治療）
6 看《Inception》（沒那麼快下畫吧？）

還有還有⋯⋯

週末只有兩天、48小時，怎麼辦？

跑步歌單

休息了近三週，昨天終於又穿上跑步鞋，沿著自己目前最喜歡的路線跑了7.7公里。

出發前還以為可以完成10公里，看了看天色後決定縮短路程。結果老天爺並沒有掉下任何眼淚，而我卻少燃燒了幾十個卡路里。

最近似乎流行發表跑步歌單，我也想湊湊熱鬧，但發現我的nano裡除了一張梁靜茹的專輯之外，其餘的都是五月天。我並沒有特地為了跑步而規劃出甚麼歌單。大部分的時候不是選擇"shuffle songs"就是從五月天專輯中挑一張。最常被挑中的是《愛情萬歲》、《後青春期的詩》和《DNA演唱會實錄Disc 2》。有時間的話，我也想設計出我的跑步歌單。或許這樣能有更多推動力。

目前最想加入歌單的竟然是這首⋯⋯

《我是誰我是誰我是誰》
詞曲： 廷廷(Magic Power)

我是誰 你是否常常這樣問自己
我是誰 總是活在別人的期望裡
我是誰 是誰又擅自幫你定義了
你是誰 只有不是自己才安全

為什麼 你以為這個世界很美麗
為什麼 你愛這個世界勝過愛自己
為什麼 這個世界不給你平等待遇
為什麼 到底做錯了什麼

朋友都說你太太 太奇怪
在背後把你當成笑笑 笑話看
每一個動作都被瞎猜
他們說你是個不能容忍的存在

你想要的很 很很簡單
不過就是最普通的的 的平凡
誠實做自己有時候很難
但是請你勇敢的試一次看看

無論他們又說什麼 閒言閒語無法傷害我
世界上只有一個我 沒人能代替的我
無論他們又做什麼 小動作無法打敗我
我知道自己是最美麗的
The most beautiful

會不會 上帝把你的靈魂放錯了身體
會不會 是故意整你不是不小心
會不會 你常常都覺得力不從心
會不會 堅持要做自己太危險

憑什麼 難道比較特別就是不對
憑什麼 先下了註解在認識之前
憑什麼 只不過想認真的活一遍
憑什麼 隨便就把人定罪

朋友都說你太太 太奇怪
在背後把你當成笑笑 笑話看
每一個動作都被瞎猜
他們說你是個不能容忍的存在

你想要的很 很很簡單
不過就是最普通的的 的平凡
誠實做自己有時候很難
但是請你勇敢的試一次看看

無論他們又說什麼 閒言閒語無法傷害我
世界上只有一個我 沒人能代替的我
無論他們又做什麼 小動作無法打敗我
我知道自己是最美麗的
The most beautiful

我是誰 這個問題困擾你多少天多少夜
我是誰 誰有資格決定你怎樣才是對
我是誰 我是誰我是誰
我就是我你就是你 認真做自己的人最美麗

這應該是偶像劇效應吧？哈哈⋯⋯

害怕

可以不要去上班嗎？⋯⋯

句点

一切都结束了，在14个月44场之后。

難得清閒

過去兩個月忙得不可開交。只能怪自己自作自受、自討苦吃。這樣的日子算算看還有四個多月之久⋯⋯

週末難得清閒，感覺很舒服。可惜好日子只能持續到下週，然後又得回復非人生活。還是別想太多，好好享受現在。

頭莫名疼痛，可能是熬夜的後遺症。喝完黑咖啡，稍微舒緩了一下。坐在客廳飯桌邊打字，從大門望出去，看見的是飄著雨灰灰的天空，樹葉微微搖曳。看樣子這場雨還要下一段時間。好的，又有藉口不去跑步了。哈！

這樣的天氣總讓我想起台北。最近真的很想念台灣，甚至想拋開一切到那裡住上一年半載。問題是即使要念書，我也不符合入學標準，真是糟糕。或許就只能抱著這個夢想入眠，希望現實生活中的遺憾能在夢境中得到慰藉。

雨越下越大，能見度似乎減低了。一些地區又要淹水了吧。今年的夏天確實非比尋常。

很快又是星期一，漫長的一週又將開始。想到就害怕！

我得抓緊時間，完成想做的事⋯⋯

Lunch

We are not very adventurous when it comes to food but for some unknown reason, we decided to try out Nonya food.

So on a sunny Saturday afternoon, i.e. yesterday, we made our way to this Nonya restaurant along Tanjong Pagar Road.

The ambience was cosy and very comfortable. We could see the sun shinning brightly from the glass panel on the door. We were thankful for the air-con. It is indeed one of the best inventions to date.


We ordered 2 starters and 4 mains. Of course, not forgetting dessert.

Otak Otak & Kueh Pie Tee

Chap Chye Masak Titek

Ayam Buah Keluak

Udang Masak Assam Gulai

Steamed Seabass Nonya Style

Durian Chendol, Chendol & Gula Melaka

I must say that the service was quite good. The restaurant forgot to charge us for our desserts and when I informed them, they said it's ok as it was their mistake. Wow!

《我以為》

這幾天腦海裡總是縈繞這首歌。我想是《下一站，幸福》後遺症。

詞：黃婷　
曲：品冠　

妳曾說不想有天讓我知道　
妳對他　有那麼好
妳說會懂　我的失落　
不是靠寬容　就能夠解脫

我以為我出現的時候剛好　
妳和他　正說要分開
我以為妳　己對他不再期待　
不縱容他　再給妳傷害

我以為我的溫柔　能給妳整個宇宙　
我以為我能全力　填滿妳感情的缺口
專心陪在妳左右　彌補他一切的錯　
也許我太過天真　以為奇蹟會發生

我以為終究妳會慢慢明白
他的心　已不在妳身上
我的關心　妳依然無動於衷
我的以為　只是我以為

我以為我的溫柔　能給妳整個宇宙　
我以為我能全力　填滿妳感情的缺口
專心陪在妳左右　彌補他一切的錯　
也許我太過天真　以為奇蹟會發生

他讓妳紅了眼眶　妳卻還笑著原諒
原來妳早就想好妳要留在誰的身旁
我以為我夠堅強　卻一天天的失望(卻輸得那麼絕望)
少給我一點希望　希望就不是奢望

後續

今天各大報章都報導了五月天週六的演唱會，並給予了相當高的評價。

兩大天團同時開唱，被媒體拿來比較是預料之中的事。為了不得罪任何一團的歌迷，比較的結果可想而知。

看了報導，我開始相信我確實是要求過高了。

或許，我太習慣把注意力放在缺點上，而往往忽略了其他更重要的。

儘管這樣後知後覺，我仍是無法讓心情完全平復。真搞不清楚自己究竟在執著些甚麼。

再給我一點時間吧⋯⋯

《下一站，幸福》

最近比較忙－－忙著工作、練跑，還有追看偶像劇。

上個星期天終於忍不住，買了《下一站，幸福》的DVD，所以過去一週週日晚上一回到家就迫不及待地追看。

其實故事蠻老掉牙的，某些演員的演技也蠻爛的，可是卻讓我很感動⋯⋯


活著的意義究竟是甚麼？⋯⋯

幸福的定義又是甚麼？⋯⋯

生命其實很短暫，要如何把握每一天，讓每個日子滿載幸福？⋯⋯

2010 五月天變形DNA［無限放大版］

該怎麼說（寫）呢？⋯⋯

或許因為太期待，失望也跟著加倍。

下午的滂沱大雨我想是罪魁禍首。聽說因為下雨的緣故，不少器材壞了，需要臨時修補，延誤了開場時間。

天不做美，又能怎樣呢？

比原定時間晚了整一個小時十五分鐘才開始，卻比以往的演唱會早結束，也是沒有辦法的事嗎？我想除了我之外，還有很多人都無法相信演唱會就這樣結束了。所謂的句點，彷彿沒有畫下。只有一個encore，這絕對不是五月天的作風。用《溫柔》做結束，不是不好，但感覺怪怪的。是我被寵壞了嗎？是太習慣他們的成功方程式，所以無法接受這樣的改變嗎？

即使阿信從後台廣播演唱會結束了，下次再見，還有很多人和我一樣賴著不走，堅持相信那是阿信開的另一個愚人節玩笑⋯⋯最終走出去時還是無法置信。MJ說她無法釋懷，甚至有些氣憤。我完全理解。WH卻認為，已經在燦爛的煙火下結束了，我們還有甚麼好埋怨的？或許這就是expectation不同吧。或許真的是所謂的愛之深，責之切吧⋯⋯

聽說演唱會原本應該在晚上10點30分結束，而在那個時候，警察已經出動了。五月天堅持到11點40分，把encore唱完。聽了之後，覺得有些釋懷。

若是真的，我想我們或許對他們太嚴苛了，我突然覺得有點內疚。

若是真的，或許要怪，就只能怪我們的大環境不適合搞戶外演唱會⋯⋯在我們的大環境ready以前，或許還是在室內舉行比較好，想在戶外唱過12點，就只能在台灣了⋯⋯

又或許真正讓我失望的，不是沒有唱過12點，而是那草草的完結，還有始終等不到的阿信親口的解釋⋯⋯說不上來我究竟想聽到甚麼（警察來抓了，我們只能唱到這裡？？？），但我深深相信，句點可以畫得更加完美。

除去大雨造成的延誤與不便，以及比預期短的演出，其實也沒甚麼好嫌的。曲目與去年的相似，早在預料之中，所以昨晚的一些不同，對我來說還頗為驚喜，尤其是開場的《春天的吶喊》和管弦部份的《後青春期的詩》。阿信的狀態還不錯，雖然有些時候還是出錯了。周圍的歌迷都蠻high的，幾乎全場都是站著的。不知道怎麼搞的，開場的“飛車”，我竟然沒看到。看了報紙才知道有這項特技表演。

當然，最後的那場煙火很棒，彌補了昨晚的不完美。

現在，還是無法完全釋懷。就像昨晚對MJ說的，我需要時間“forgive（這樣說似乎過於嚴重）and forget”。我想，前者我已經做到了，至於後者我還需要一些時間。因為太過在乎，所以無法把失望的感覺當粉筆字一樣輕易擦掉⋯⋯

這種感覺很難被別人理解吧？

A Gem in the Heart of Orchard Road

We had tea at this lovely cafe, tucked behind or rather, inside a furniture shop.



I love the setting! The bright and cheery colours of the chair made the small little place very cosy.



The ambience more than made up for the lack of wide selection of tea and snacks. The tea selection can be broadly classified into 2 - floral or fruit tea. We ordered a medium coffee, french rose tea and crispy salmon wrap.






This is indeed a good way to spend a weekend afternoon!

Coincidentally, there was a write-up on the cafe in yesterday's Today Weekend. I hope as more people find out about the cafe, it will still preserve its tranquility.

Home Sweet Home

This is my last night of hotel stay for this business trip.

Hopefully, I will go home as scheduled.

Montgomery, Alabama

We were at Alabama, the southern part of US, over the weekend.


We spent more than half the day flying from Boston to Atlanta and then to Montgomery. By the time we checked into the hotel, it was past 4 pm.

The hotel is located at the south of Montgomery. I like the hotel a lot - it has got this quiet calmness which I found very attractive.


My room


View from my room


Our US colleagues were very nice. Two of them sacrificed their Saturday evening and brought us out for dinner at this restaurant called Jubilee Seafood. I didn't have a chance to take photos. It would look quite strange if I were to take out my camera and snap photos of my food. I ordered a grilled grouper with pecans which was delicious!

We had a precious Sunday for us to rest. There was nothing much to see around the hotel so I stayed in the room almost the whole day. I only went down to the lobby area for breakfast and took a short walk before the team meet up for dinner at 5.30 pm.

This was my lunch.


I took some photos of the surroundings before dinner. See, the place is really "ulu"!!!







I have absolutely no chance to go shopping at all!

There goes my only weekend!

The place is so rural that we drove for an hour before finally deciding where to dine. We went to two "restaurants" and decided against eating there. The GPS wasn't very helpful. It took us on some deserted roads and we saw a black cat crossing the road for the second time in this trip! Black cat? Hmmm, I have one in my bag!

We decided to go back to Jubilee Seafood and it was closed! Luckily, we found a pretty nice restaurant nearby and we felt so relieved. Haha!

Adventure in Alabama!

Boston, Massachusetts

The flight to Boston was supposed to be delayed but we were lucky. The air traffic congestion was cleared and our plane departed on time. Once again, we arrived late at night. It was about 11 plus pm when we checked in. It took us a really long time before we finally got the room keys.

The session at the 4th location went well. We were happy to cross the half-way mark! As suggested by our US colleagues, we drove to Harvard Square and spent close to 40 mins walking around. I think this is going to be the best part of this business trip!

Boston is beautiful. I am seriously considering making this one of our holiday destinations... but I really hate the long flight.

Back to Harvard Square and Harvard University. The area is very nice and we were blessed with good weather - sunshine and blue sky. We heard it was raining the day before!

Harvard University







Harvard Square







We drove back to the hotel to take a short break before joining our US colleagues for dinner.

The hotel we stayed in



The head of this US unit brought us out for dinner. The food was fantastic and I think the bill came up to quite a huge amount!

For starters, we had the Shellfish Platter.


Gigantic Lobster - a must-try in Boston! I took the liberty to order one for myself.


Besides the mains, we also had marcaroni cheese and fries. I was too busy with my lobster so no photos.

For dessert, we had 3 items.

1. Sundae


2. Boston Cream Pie


3. Baked Alaska



It was really an experience! Trying to eat lobster in the dim lighting was challenging but I wouldn't mind staying back in Boston for one more lobster meal. :)