How to deal with betrayal

Ideally you see someone's true colors, find it unpleasant and make a beeline for the door.

Now how do you get rid of a lousy ex-friend who hasn't changed (still very much a taker & not shy about it) who's still hanging around the same social circles with you?

My Christian values says clearly to forgive, suck it up & love. But I just can't - not for a lousy person. It's not like charity, you just reach out and help. She's not needy, she's just a unrepentant taker, unabashedly so.

Telling her to her face what I feel about her would seem unkind. So what to do?

The reason for the season is Jesus.

Have a blessed Christmas everyone. May Jesus be in our lives always.

Jin boh eng

Other than a handful of meetings with headhunters and a couple of interviews, I should be free & relaxed. But I'm not.

Reminds me of Parkinson's Law, which states

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.

Jin bo eng! Gotta go.

Mental note to self : no spicy food at lunch

Probably after being in Taiwan where with the exception of mala hotpot, is a very bland cuisine in general.

I now cannot stomach firey Korean or anything too spicy at lunch which is typically my first meal of the day.

Bleeh!

Almost Christmas

I spent the last weekend attempting to walk 50km.  I was greatly humbled, when I decided to quit at the 26km mark when we walked by Buona Vista MRT station.  The soles of my feet, my foot arc, my knees and shoulders were aching, but most of all, my right ankle was starting to throb real bad.  I figured, I could endure the pain and finish the walk, but since I was that close to home and my good buddies were quitting as well, I might as well throw in the towel.

Walking, apparently, isn't all that easy.  I thought I could go on and on... My aged body didn't think so.

I've hung up the Christmas wreath, I've gone to Penitential mass, now it's time to prepare my list of blessings this year.  So here goes :
- traveled a fair bit in 2010 : US, India, HK, Shenzhen in China, Krabi again.
- my mom and I are friends now.  It's truly amazing.  I enjoyed India with her!
- my health is good and I'm healthier/sportier amongst my hardcore buddies.
- my hardcore buddies who are nice enough to know when to suck it in and when to buy me lunch.  Aww...
- the really smooth transition back to Singapore while balancing the demanding job in Motorola.  I love my car!
- enjoying the break and catching up with friends in a relaxed way not possible with a full time job.
- upgrading my status to Aunt-to-be cum godma-to-be with Ian & Michy's baby. 
- my family & friends who stuck by me through the icky times all thru the years.

Through the eyes of a tourist

I've been playing tour guide, showing Ashley around.  We had bak-kut teh then we had drinks at the Marina Bay Sands.  MBS I think that's what it's known as in short.  Place seems ok, if they were attempting at sophistication, then it's not quite there.  They did however, reject our entry to the top floor bar on account of my flip-flops.  I pleaded Ashley's Taiwan-ness to no avail.  They did accept my running shoes (thankfully kept it in the car).  It was a rainy day, and the bar was full.  So we settled ourselves for a drink at the downstairs lobby lounge. 

Tomorrow I need to take her to Sentosa.  She seems to know exactly where she wants to go, makes my job easy :)

I'm baack, anyone missed me?

I needed a break from writing, not from a lack of content (I believe I can rant endlessly) but to calm myself down a little.

It's been rough of late. Emotionally, on the job front, and also I guess adaptation - much like a delayed reaction to my return to Singapore, straight into the thick of action.

I took 2 trips since quitting Motorola. India was another one of my longtime dreams, to see the Taj Mahal. And it was everything I imagined it to be, and way more! http://www.flickr.com/photos/8062670@N07/sets/72157625460539261/

Since my return, I've been surprisingly busy. There're still the sport activities with friends almost every night and in the day time, it's been either errands, or catching up with friends over lunch. Amazingly, it wasn't til Thu and Fri (yesterday & today) that I finally had a chance to sleep in.

I've still got a few more appointments to keep, IPL with Karen and I need to go shopping. Firstly to get a royal blue dress for Jo's wedding - I am to be Chinese MC & also 姐妹. Of all the friends I've done this for, this one should be the most fun. Looking forward to that.

Also on my to-do list : Christmas shopping. I tried, I honestly did. But it is too overwhelming walking the malls. A friend is going to donate $ she typically spends on Xmas gifts to charity this year. It's a little bit of a defeatist attitude in my case, but honestly, it sounds more practical.