note to all young men:

Ok you guys out there that want my sister's number, or address, or msn and stuff... please register with either cecilia or me. Since she "grew up"- to us it feels rather like it happened overnight- we decided that we need to step in to keep all the cannot-make-it guys at bay given her sudden popularity with species of the XY DNA type. Particularly if you guys are of the dunderhead-sified or ugly genre, please don't bother. If you are one of those interested, please send your resume- photo required- and we'd process you when we have time. Should you "pass" and make it to the next round of interview, we'd be needing photo-proof of your identity, said achievements and future plans.

Note to neth: please don't bother applying. You've been trying hard enough for the past ten over years.... :)

my heart is tired, really...

I like to think I'm relatively good at taking care of other people. I listen, I encourage, I give good hugs and I have wide shoulders. I try my darndest to make time, I make people laugh and I fix problems. I try my best to keep my spirits up, I give way and I close one eye alot of times- sometimes two. I let people take advantage of me knowingly and I know sometimes my insane schedule gets the better of me, but I do do my best to do what needs to be done.

The last few weeks have been rough. More than I can bear sometimes.
So, apologies to whom it may concern: I need to take care of me now.
Others will just have to wait.


If You Want Me To (By Ginny Owens)

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why you brought me here
But just because you love me the way that you do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If you want me to

'Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise you're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will go through the fire
If you want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But you never said it would be easy
You only said I'll never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear you answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering your love put you through
And I will go through the valley
If you want me to

rie should not keep cyber pets

Ever since I got my Powerbook last year I've been absolutely fascinated with my dashboard and all the funky widgets I could download. I had some butterfly generating one (I've since gotten bored of it), a Yoda one (where you type in phrases and Yoda reads it back to you in Yoda speak), a crossword puzzle one (Mich would understand this), minesweeper, mastemind and a ton of other totally useless but entertaining stuff. One of the widgets I downloaded was a dashboard Chi Pet, that's the turtle looking thing on the left. The idea is I have to "water" my Chi Pet daily by clicking the little water button and "grass" would grow.

Well, I've tried countless of times to get my Chi Pet to grow; I do my best to remember to water the darn thing: I even got the "grass/hair" thing on its "shell" to a decent length. But, I've never reall been successful at this pet thing. The only pet that works is my tiger Escher (he growls each time you reload the page) who basically doesn't need feeding. I do feed him the little steak every now and then, that's about it. The last time there was the stupid Momo pet? I spent more time slapping the pink bear I had just cos its reaction was to run amok- it was the most amusing sight. Maybe I shoudl adopt another one...

don't speak

Don't ask. Don't tell.

If I'm not allowed to ask simple questions, how am I going to make complex decisions? Some people have this need to hide everything away as though there is something to hide, something worth being ashamed about, something shady and secretive. Some part of their being, their life, their psyche maybe, that they need to keep in the shadows. Well, let me tell you something my friend: continue to live your life with big fat bold lines around each sector of your soul, continue to horde your "secrets" because there will come a day when I will stop caring, stop bothering, stop caring. Remember, every action has an opposite reaction. Don't tell me what I can and cannot do within the realm I function in. Don't dare dictate what I can and cannot say, talk or ask in the world I've so carefully built. If you want to tear it down, go ahead... I want to see you try.

Go on: live like you have something to hide, I promise you I'll give you something real to regret.

Rie's in a foul foul mood.

Ps: To you guys who like to call and ask if I'm writing about you everytime I rant- don't. Really.

cooper's sister

My family, sans me, went to the animal resort/farm place yesterday it seems and who should they meet? Cooper's sister. I think it might be his little sister but I'm really not sure. She's a lot smaller than Cooper who is growing at such an alarming rate its scary. He's matching Mango already, who, I give you, is a rather small Retriever but still, she's a full grown dog and he's barely into his fifth month. He's now known affectionately as Mickey Mouse cos his ears are too huge for his face. It's a phase all German Sheps go through I'm told. He's such a cutie.

Oliver, Cooper & Gang

One of my favourite blogs to read is this site called "Oliver Daily" a blog featuring Oliver ( a dog) and his baby brother (hugo); its basically a collection of photos of the dogs, and sometimes other cute beings like the totally adorable kid with gorgeous curly hair, which the owner uploads daily. You can check it out here: Oliver, daily


My sister and I have always loved the Oliver site and wanted to do one for Mango when she came last year but, alas... So we finally decided to make one for Cooper! I know its mainly supposed to be about Cooper but I insist on putting pix of my other dogs as well. We do our best to load a pix a day; but you know me... Go see here: Cooper & Gang

His ways...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD."

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
(Isaiah 55:8-9)


Angie shared this verse with me a few days back.
And when she did, I wondered why she did.
Now, I understand.
God does everything in His own time.
And gives you what you need before you even realise it.

cooper bear

Oh, isn't he the cutest thing?

gifts in progress

Like my friend May, I'm getting a tad excited about Christmas. I know people say I should be more excited about my upcoming wedding (its a 69 day countdown according to my countdown widget) but its Christmas that has gotten me excited. Well, that and the mooncake festival- but only because I love mooncakes, the ones with yolk, thank you very much. My sister and I have taken to sing Christmas carols in the car much to the amusement of our parents who think we're half mad and I've caught myself making gift lists; what to buy for whom and how I'd like to wrap them all and stuff.

Anyway, I was clearing my room earlier today in a bid to make way for having to share my room come November and tarried to keeping the little ceramic metropolitan museum of art (its a pencil holder, for the unitiated). You see, I have a boyfriend that absolutely sucks at buying gifts and this was what he got for me the very first Christmas we spent together. It came in a gorgeously wrapped gold box with matching ribbons and a ornate card that only the NY Metropolitan Museum store can pull off and oh... I was so very excited.... what might it be? Earrings, brooch, antique? No... it was a pencil holder.

I still remember his eager, happy face as I was opening the gift- I'm assuming he must have put in a fair bit of effort to get me something quite expensive, yet within his budget (we were poor students then) from a pretty place in a prettier wrapper that was practical, useful and well, from the NYMpM. I've amassed a Man U t-shirt (original, kids size, no less so I can wear as a baby tee), an industrial fan, a Guess top, a Tiffany's ring, a Sapphire ring... so, I guess we are making progress...


Thankfully....

the girl's going off to meet the king

My good friend Clary is going off to see the king!

Ok, to be more precise, she's going off to King's College, London to read law and I am so very excited for her. By the way, that's her sitting between Amelia and I.

Clary and I have known each other since secondary school days- she's a year my junior- but got closer in our uni days thanks to a one Dr. Rappa (Otherwise affectionately known between us Rapster, the Raps, fat man... the list goes on but that's not really the point here). We were just talking about it the other day but we don't reacall how Amelia joined the mix but she did and the three of us have been good friends for a few years now. We've seen each other through many of life's dramas, E! Entertainment moments and shared fears, desires, strange philosophies, gossip, whining, bitching and much much more.

So, for the next few years, I guess, the trio's down to two. Sigh.

Clary: All the best babe as you start this totally rad new chapter. Will miss ya loads. Go there, kick ass and know that we're rooting for you always. Love ya loads. And, oh, remember my socks and Prince Harry if you can manage... :)

cooper update

According to my little sister Mariann, Cooper, our german shepherd puppy just turned four months old. Its open for contention as to the exact date of said birth within the family but we concur he was born sometime in May, so we simply accept that our little puppy boy is just that.... a puppy.

Thing is, Cooper had a minor surgery and due to stitches, he had to stay outside by himself for a good two and a half weeks. We weren't allowed to excite him; so that meant no playing with the little bugger, or tummy rubs or fetch. In any case, he recently, with the removals of his stitches, returned to the fold in all his playful irreverant glory. And, I don't know, maybe its just me, but he looks WAY bigger than I remembered.

Well, if the vet is anyone to go by, we can expect a HUGE dog when he's done growing....

welcome to the family

Its taken a long while for my good friend John but finally, he's taken the plunge and joined the ever-growing mac family at Katong. He's now the proud owner of a brand new, totally swanky imac. You know, only one of the most gorgeous computer desktops ever to be designed, made and sold. (The photo on the left is a photo of him having taken a photo off his imac. )

Note to neighour: I think we can host our very own mac-meet up. Look how far we have come since your orange imac days... :)

my friend's has gone mad

My good friend Clary and I were in the middle of a really nice dinner at Ristorante Oso- one of our favourite restaurants- having a nice little farewell dinner for her in lieu of her going away to UK (King's College Law Program, no less) for a second degree. And in between exquisite slow-roasted-for-8-hours-lamb and oh-so-gorgeous-chocolate-tart I received a phone call from a psychologist friend of mine (her identity's withheld for soon-to-be-apparent reasons) who was in high distress. *twilight zone music sounds in the background*

Of course, since she works with sex offenders, abused kids, dysfunctional people in general, I figured that for her to sound that bad- to the point of desperation= the situation had to be positively dire. I don't know, maybe the sun had decided to burn itself out, or her pet turtle suffocated or the world received news that they were stopping the production of oreos or nutella. Or worse, they were going to allow the little bush to run for a third term. *heart mocks palpatations*

So, through her rants and raves via a crappy Nokia phone with poor reception and a place that was teeming with loud Italians... I finally figured out what her utter distress was about. She, my 26 year old smart-as-hell girlfriend, was worried that Paul Twohill (or is it Toohill, I'm not sure. I don't really care anyway) might get kicked out of Singapore Idol. And she, my usually-down-to-earth and generally rather mature girlfriend whom I rely on for support every once and a while, was TOTALLY UPSET that he had sung badly and might not win the damn title. *rolls eyes* And she admitted to have voted FIVE times for the stupid eye-liner-wearing-male-version-of-an-Avril-lavigne-wannabe! For the record, I like Avril. But, back to my story.... *roll eyes again*

Anyway, to make things worse- as if they could get any worse- my mom, who's a huge Jonathan fan (I think he's the Ah Beng looking one that can actually sing) scored tickets to watch the results show and said Madwoman is going with her. And needless to say, she's excited as anything.

Sigh.... Isn't it amazing that you could be friends with someone for years and stand totalyl amaze at how a person's mental age can regress so? I say its a case for Ripleys....

no more crocodile man... sigh...

1962- 2006

At 11am today, the 4th September 2006, Steve Irwin was fatally wounded by a stingray barb to his heart whilst filming a sequence on Batt Reef off Port Douglas for his daughter’s new TV series. Emergency services were called from Cairns Rescue Base and met Croc One, Steve’s rescue vessel at Low Isle on the Great Barrier Reef. The Croc One crew performed constant CPR during the thirty minute dash to Low Isle, but the medical staff pronounced Steve dead at approx. 12 noon.

His producer and closest friend, John Stainton said on Croc One today,“The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest Dads on the planet. He died doing what he loves best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. Crocs Rule!”

Read more on: www.crocodilehunter.com


To be honest, I'm not a huge crocodile fan but he got me curious enough about them to become highly upset that I missed the supercroc exhibition that came a few years back. Plus, his enthusiasm for these darn reptiles were too infectious and I simply loved the totally hilarious manner in which he talked. Ah well.... My sister's real upset; she plans to eat many many stingrays now...

face-in-the-beans

Can you find the face in the beans?

Advanced Global Personality Test Results

I saw this on JW's blog sometime back and decided to take it. I love these silly online tests... however accurate and inaccurate they might be. (note to all Agents: What a throwback to our tickle/emode days. Think mahjong and strange what-puppy-are-you tests.... )

Advanced Global Personality Test Results Extraversion |||||| 30% Stability |||||||||||||| 56% Orderliness |||| 13% Accommodation |||||||||||||| 56% Interdependence |||||||||||||| 56% Intellectual |||||||||||||||||| 76% Mystical |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Artistic |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Religious |||||||||||||||||||| 90% Hedonism || 10% Materialism |||||||||||||||| 63% Narcissism |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Adventurousness |||||||||||| 50% Work ethic |||||||||||| 43% Self absorbed |||||| 23% Conflict seeking |||||||||||||||| 63% Need to dominate |||||||||||||| 56% Romantic |||||||||||| 50% Avoidant |||||||||||||| 56% Anti-authority |||||||||||||||| 70% Wealth |||||||||||||||| 70% Dependency |||||| 23% Change averse |||||| 23% Cautiousness |||||||||| 36% Individuality |||||||||||||||| 63% Sexuality |||||||||| 36% Peter pan complex |||||||||||||| 56% Physical security |||||||||||||||||||| 90% Physical Fitness |||||||||||||||| 64% Histrionic |||||||||||| 43% Paranoia |||||||||||||| 56% Vanity |||||| 30% Hypersensitivity |||||||||||||||| 63% Female cliche |||||||||||||||| 70%

Take Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com



Stability results were moderately high which suggests you are relaxed, calm, secure, and optimistic.

Orderliness results were very low which suggests you are overly flexible, improvised, and fun seeking at the expense too often of reliability, work ethic, and long term accomplishment.

Extraversion results were low which suggests you are very reclusive, quiet, unassertive, and secretive.