So Early...

Definitely sleepy still, but had to wake up 'cos we have to be at the dive centre by 7am this morning. As usual, whenever we need to go anywhere early in the morning, I will be the one to wake up first while D is still in bed. Reason being I take a while to get ready, and will also be the one to make kopi for HRH.

Had a couple of wine last nite and had my first taste of the shisha, apple flavour. This is the middle eastern tobacco, smoked from a nice looking thing called a Hookah of Egyptian design. We were with D's ex-colleague (together with her other friends) at one of the Middle Eastern cafes in Arab Street/Bali Lane area last night, and I must say, the experience is quite interesting. In fact, the entire Arab Street area is worth a visit at night. Some of these cafes are really great places to chill out, where I really felt transported to another time and another place, like in the Arabian nights or as some one put it last night, "It's a harem". Hehe. Now, where is that cute Sultan?!?

So we had possibly abt 3 hours of sleep (and D is still sleeping while I am typing this... drats), and we have a dive later this morning. A continuation of the PADI underwater photography that we are taking with D's good friend, who is an instructor. I reckon the vis in S'pore waters will not be that great, but a dive is still a dive, I will still be able to see stuff. The common gripe by the locals, especially the younger divers, is that "there is nothing to see here", and most prefer to be certified in Malaysian waters. Of course it will be easier to look for stuff in crystal clear waters, but I feel, if a person likes to dive or professes to be a diver, will still be able to appreciate the underwater environment no matter what. So why the discrimination?

Drats, D is still sleeping... I can't believe it, he has more hours of sleep than me now.

It's New Year's Eve, D and I will be at my good friend's place (a secondary school friend of mine, 16 going on to 17 years of friendship, and back for the Xmas/New Year hols from Vancouver) later tonite for the countdown. Come of think of it, five years ago, we did the countdown together too while D had to work throughout New Year's Eve due to the Y2K bug situation.

Got to go wake D up before we are really late.

Lazy on Monday

I just woke up about 20 min ago, although not exactly on my own accord... my mobile was ringing incessantly.

D & I have been back home in sunny and sudden stormy S'pore since Thurs night, and it's been days & nights of various activities: underwater photography theory lesson, parties, dinners, booze and hospital visitation ('cos D's mum has been hospitalised).

So it's "recuperation time" today, taking things easy and eating all the local food that I don't get to eat in HK. I think I will have my Ah Kun Toast & Teh-Ping later, and during the week, my BBQ stingray, local chinese carrot cake, satay...

Top News This Week

2 more days before the end of the top news this week... WTO.

I was in Causeway Bay yesterday, on the way home, when I saw a huge crowd standing on the pavement and heard loud drum beats and shouts.

As I walked closer, I saw lots of police standing around, whilst further ahead were the Korean demostrators in straight lines and walked with military precision. This looked interesting, I thought, given that such demostrations could turn ugly, but then again, it's not everyday I get to see a demostration.

Lots have been said about the Koreans demostrators, and I do admire their strength and beliefs. Although I don't quite agree with some of their more extreme actions (violence towards others or suicide) to state their case, still it takes lots of guts to fight for your livelihood.

That day, the demostration was a peaceful one which required each individual to walk 3 steps before kneeling and kowtow. A Buddhist ritual.

There has been a more visible police presence and lots of preparation has gone into securing the area where the WTO is held. Besides, HK has stipulated areas for such protests and demostrations, and generally been tolerant to the huge no. of protesters who have come from all over the world.

I can't imagine S'pore hosting the WTO and allow the possiblity of such protests, perhaps all the possible protesters would have been "blacklisted" and not allowed to enter S'pore. Safety first lah and can't look bad in front of the important people you know.

Challenging Problem For Today

If you are tied up like the guy in the picture, how would you save yourself?

Got this from a colleague.

If you have a solution, feel free to post your comments.

The solution will be posted at the end of the week.

Bird Nest Milk Pudding

After sending D off at the airport early in the morning and attending service at another church, I had Dim Sum lunch with 2 colleagues. We went to this restaurant near Times Square at Causeway Bay, and to my surprise, the restaurant didn't have my favourite Char Siew Soh on its menu (even tho' the picture was on it). Our tummies still had space for dessert and we each ordered this interesting dessert concoction... food not for the soul, but for vanity. Real bird nest this one... although it probably isn't the top quality type.

You

You see

the good in me

even when I am blind to it;

the pain that I can become

but you choose to ignore it.

You listen

with your ears

and your heart

through the storms that I rage

till it comes to past.

You touch

my soul effortlessly

each day;

spoken in whispers and hugs,

gentle and simple.

You and I,

how can it be?

Separate entities

together on

this ride of our lives

Home Alone Sunday Onwards...

D will be away in Sydney this Sunday morning for work, and will only be back next Sat nite. Even though this is only for about a week, it takes me back to those awful 9 mths last year when we were miles apart. I just simply don't like the idea of being away from him.

I will miss his silly antics (the latest being the irritating cha-cha-cha dance), the hugs and kisses, the grins and cheesy jokes, the sarcasm and tucking me into bed each nite. Stilll, it is just for a week, but it is one week that I can't wait for it to end even before it starts. Worse, temperatures are projected to dip below 10 degrees C in the 2nd half of the week and D isn't around to keep me warm. Sigh.

Right now, D is typing furiously on his notebook and msn with a colleague somewhere. Channel News Asia is on with the daily news report. I am just trying to stay awake for as long as possible, at least till I finish this blog entry.