A Meme About Me

I have been "tagged" to do this. Looks quite fun and harmless - and a good way for you to enter my psyche once more..... :)

1.What were you doing 10 years ago?
Feeling that I was 10 years older.

2.What were you doing 1 year ago?
Gallivanting...erm no no...working in India, Delhi - on a roadshow for Singapore Fashion Festival.

3. Five snacks you enjoy.
Pocky, wasabe nuts, tictac, sorbet, pineapple tarts.

5. Five songs to which you know all the lyrics off your head right now.
1) Tong Hua - Guang Liang
2) Can't Help Falling In Love - Michael Buble
3) Eternal Flame - Bangles
4) In The End - Linkin' Park
5) It's My Life - Bon Jovi

5. Five things you would do if you were a millionaire.
1) Clear my debts
2) Make a donation to the underprivileged
3) Save it for my future house
4) Go around the world in 80 days
5) Invest - and grow my money!

6. Five bad habits.
1) Sleeping late. Very late.
2) Rubbing my eyes.
3) Late for work. Always.
4) Forgets I'm a girl. Sometimes.
5) Forgetting friends' birthdays.

7. Five things you like doing.
1) Sleeping
2) Blogging
3) Reading
4) Singing
5) Web Surfing

8. Five favorite toys.
1) Laptop
2) IPod
3) Canon Powershot
4) Boggle/Scrabble
5) Mahjong

9. Five places I enjoy hanging out at.
1) Borders @Wheelock Place
2) Kinokuniya @Ngee Ann City
3) Apple Store @Cineleisure
4) That CD Shop
5) Wine Network

10. Three jobs I would take up if I had the skills.
1) Full time author in the likes of Neil Gaiman and Stephen King
2) Entrepreneur
3) Professional Pianist

So what else do you NOT know about me?

The Lost Blogs

There are over 13 million people in the world currently blogging, but what about the blogs written by the iconic men and women who (unfortunately) died before the Internet was even invented?

In this witty and original take on the most important technological development since spam, THE LOST BLOGS offers hundreds of blogs from the most famous minds in history, detailing their hysterically personal (and impersonal) revelations, such as:

- John Lennon's thoughts after meeting a young woman named Yoko Ono (and her strange interest in the Beatles' publishing rights).

- Tips of the trade from Jesus Christ's carpentry blog, including how to build a combination water and wine rack.

- How a stray hot dog nearly derailed Ghandi's hunger strike.

- Jim Morrison's original lyrics to Light My Fire

Written by one of the few people I truly respect, Paul Davidson is not only a prolific writer, he's also a journalist, a TV producer, NPR commentator and screenwriter. Check out his blog and indulge in more than 1,000 entries and be entertained by his caustic humor and cynicism. Words for My Enjoyment should be a daily dose for all budding writers.

As for The Lost Blogs, grab it before it hits the stores in May. Pre-order now by clicking below. And no, I don't get any commission for promoting this book.

The Lost Blogs : From Jesus to Jim Morrison--The Historically Inaccurate and Totally Fictitious Cyber Diaries of Everyone Worth Knowing

Love Is In The Air

It is such an overrated event I agree.

But what da heck?

Happy Valentine's Day anyway.

If I Were A Man

I often wondered how it would be like to be born a man. Too many times, I've been told that I'm very "man". Something of a faux pas, it seems.

I think they are not referring to the physical attributes - because thank heavens - I believe I still possess some similarities to the fairer sex. What makes me so "man" is probably the way I think, behave, feel, speak and possibly react, under certain circumstances.

Case in point (1):
After a fruitful meal, I stood up and was about to walk across the wet field to get to the car park. It was a much shorter walk really. I was reminded by my boyfriend that most girls would choose the concrete walkway, rather than aim straight for the muddy fields. "Only guys do that!" he'd exclaimed. Girls will be worried about getting their shoes wet and their feet muddy, and of course, the idea of trudging over the grass wouldn't really that appealing and oh-so-unfeminine.

Can you be just a little bit more "girly"? he asked.

Case in point (2):
It was another one of those days when I could never seem to get a waiter's attention. Normally, I would simply wave until someone spots my wobbling fat arms. Sometimes, however, my impatience gets the better of me and a sharp, shrill whistle would escape from my lips. The last time I did that, I was awarded five horror-stricken looks from my friends at the table.

Case in point (3):
Once I was celebrating a romantic occasion with a guy. I created this whole amazing race concept where he had to retrieve a rose from the restaurant staff and crack a code in order to find his seat. When we finally met at the table, he was visibly upset and embarrassed. I found out later that he was extremely uncomfortable being the focus of attention and the unwilling recipient of the rose.

"That's what a man will do for the woman, not the other way round!" he shrieked.

I wish I was a man sometimes.

1. I would command a larger share of voice in the boardrooms.
2. I would be able to romance a woman - and feel good about it.
3. I would be able to flirt shamelessly and get away with it. (Women who do the same are sluts.)
4. I could pee standing up. Best thing is, I don't have to queue outside the cubicles.
5. I could sit with my legs open and still look cool.
6. I could smoke, holler, and talk with my mouth full all at the same time.
7. I don't have to cover my mouth when I laugh out loud.
8. I don't have to worry about getting pregnant.
9. I am free of sanitary towels and tampons.
10. If I do get to the top, it is LESS likely that I get there by sleeping with the boss.
11. I only have one thing on my mind all the time and it starts with "S" and ends with "X".
12. I am not expected to multi-task.

This list is of course, by no means exhaustive. I am sure some of you would have more outrageous reasons why it is so wonderful to be a man.

Meanwhile, I think I should just go paint my nails.

"The desire of the man is for the woman, but the desire of the woman
is for the desire of the man.” - Madame de Stael

iGod

Have you ever wonder how marvellous it would be if you can have a conversation with God, just like friends do?

Wouldn't it be fantastic if you can get a reply for every question you ask, every comment you make and every stupid thing you say?

Maybe He would even care enough to ask me questions about myself, and actually listen to what I have to say?

Maybe, just maybe.

In fact, He's online right now.

Click here to start chatting with Him --> Conversations with God


WARNING: Avoid serious analysis on the above topic. To be taken with generous dosage of light humor.

Gadget Geek v2.0

I have been surfing the net for the last couple of days, and found some really interesting items. You've really got to see this.......


All-in-One Living Units
Space constraints? You've gotta check out this bedroom-kitchenette-dining area-bathroom foldable living unit. Everything folds up into one cupboard-looking thingy which you can wheel around like a push-kart! I am impressed......... Now all I have to do is find a place to park this contraception.

Andrea Zittel's A-Z


Radical Toaster
If one piece of toast isn't enough for you in the morning, here is the answer. The toaster has six compartments for toasting! Then the compartments come off the main assembly and swing open, so your toast can stay warm on the hot plate.

Kitchen Contraceptions


Laser Turntable
Retro is coming back in an uber-cool way! If you are a vinyl freak, this one's for you. This gadget uses laser beams to explore the grooves (much like a CD player) and boasts the ability to play a record thousands of times without damaging the vinyl!

What do you know? The manufacturer's motto is "No Needle, No Wear". Need I say more?


ELP Laser Turntable

James Bond USB Cuff Links
These must be the coolest cuff links in town. The ultimate USB fashion statement, these cuff links are made of sterling silver and can hold more information than your trusty memory. Ready for some ala James Bond espionage - in the most trendsetting way?

USB Cuff Links

Slider RAZR
Time to dump the "old" clamshell Motorola RAZR for their new RAZR Z Slider. Sleeker and slimmer, this new slider phone makes you feel just SEXY. Comes with 1.3 megapixel camera, mp3 and a 2.2 inch screen for all you blind bats.

Slide Me


RED Hot Chilli Stuff
If Bono has his way, you will soon see the introduction of a special edition red iPod from Apple. He unveiled the red Amex Card recently as part of Product Red - a new brand of red merchandise created to help fight the global battle against HIV. The idea is that around 40% of the profits received from the sale of these special red products would go to the Global Fund to Fight Aids.

More uber-super cool gadget reviews in Gadget Geek v3.0....watch dis space.

SHIT by Kelvin David

You can be shit faced, be shit out of luck or have shit for brains.
With a little effort you can get your shit together.
Find a place for your shit, decide to shit or get off the pot.
You can smoke shit, buy shit, sell shit, lose shit, find shit, forget shit, and tell others to eat shit and die.
You can shit or go blind, have a shitface or just shit your life away.
People can be shit headed, shit brained, shit blinded and shit over.
Some people know their shit while others can’t tell the difference between shit and shine.
There are lucky shits, dumb shits, crazy shits and sweet shits.
There is bullshit, horseshit and chicken shit.
You can throw shit, sling shit, catch shit or duck when the shit hits the fan.
You can take shit, give a shit or serve shit on a shingle.
You can find yourself in shit or be happier then a pig in shit.
Some days are colder then shit, some days are hotter then shit and some days are just plain shitty.
Some music sounds like shit, things can look like shit and there are times when you feel like shit.
You can have too much shit, not enough shit, the right shit, the wrong shit or a lot of weird shit.
You can carry shit, have a mountain of shit or find yourself up shit creek without a paddle.
Sometimes you really need this shit and sometimes you don’t want any shit at all.
When you stop to consider all the facts, it’s the basic building block of creation.
And remember, once you know your shit, you don’t need to know anything else!!

NO SHIT!

- by Kelvin David (written when he was young and filled with angst)

An Eulogy

In loving memory of
Kelvin David
25 November 1977 ~ 13 January 2006

I am dedicating this blog entry to a dear friend of mine, Kelvin David, who passed on recently on January 13, 2006. He was 29 years old.

I met Kelvin on Friendster.com. On July 19, 2005, I received a message in my friendster's mailbox:

heya there....hows it going?....hope the days coming along real nice for you. i saw your picture right here online...and thought i'd send you a lil msg just to say hi. i mean if i cant use this friendster thingamagic to make new friends then i dont see its purpose at all. so if you're up for some shits and giggles...holla back yah. you can add me on MSN if you have that or if you like reading, i think i have a pretty good read on my blog...you know with me living with a terminal illness and all: www.kelvindavid.blogspot.com

well...i said the msg would be short...so keep my word i shall. you take care and keep safe. keep smiling. enjoy the rest of your day and week ahead i reckon. hope to hear from you soon.

God Bless.

kelvin d.

That's Kelvin for you. He was frank, straightforward, confident and possessed the most positive attitude on life I have ever seen.

When I first met him for dinner, I was pretty impressed by what I saw. He was literally tall, dark and handsome, and spoke extremely well. His eyes were bright and intense, as if they were devouring every twitch of emotion that flickered across your face.

He flashed a big grin when he saw me and held out his hand. I instantly warmed up to this stranger, whom I could not help feeling an aching pain for in my heart. Kelvin had a perfectly shaved head, which emphasized his sharp facial features and piercing eyes. Somehow, I felt that being skinhead was probably more a result of chemotherapy than of choice. But he looked extremely at ease, and happy.

Yes - "happy" is the word I would use to describe Kelvin. A guy like him would live forever in my mind as the most inspirational person of my life. Despite the chains of cancer tugging mercilessly at his life for the last 6 years, Kelvin soldiered on - bearing the armour of Faith on his frail body. He could be in excruciating pain. He could be feeling nauseous from the medication. He could be pricked with needles all over. He could be puking whatever he had just eaten.

But the Kelvin that appeared in front of me was always smiling. Always chirpy. Always witty and mean (at times!). Always gregarious. And always have something to say.

He regaled my friends and I with stories of his fight with cancer. He spoke of it as if it was no big deal - probably to make us feel better. His faith and love for the Lord swept him high up on a pinnacle of peace, arming him a knowledge of a paradise beyond the world we live in. He made no excuse for being ill, and lived life to the fullest. He believed we should cherish all the people we have around us, because we have something he didn't.

He didn't have time.

Kelvin was the one guy who has touched me with his amazing courage. He knew his time was limited. He knew how much time he had left - as we practically counted down the months he would be with us. He knew too that he would not waste his life moping in misery, or throw a self-pity party. He expressed himself verbally whenever he could. He threw caution to the wind. He took risks and accepted challenges. He laughed heartily and teased relentlessly. He was generous with his compliments and frank with his opinions.

Most of all, Kelvin was emotionally strong and highly positive - constantly showering words of encouragement on his friends - even when he was the one who needed them most. I remembered he would look me in the eye and tell me never to look down on myself.

The last time I saw him, he said I was a wonderful girl and that any man who won my heart would be the luckiest guy on earth.

I have always thought of myself as a strong woman, someone of astounding courage and strength. Knowing someone like Kelvin has humbled me immensely. If I have been in his shoes, I might have great difficulty walking in them. Those shoes were laden with lead and spikes, threatening to rip your soles apart if you step ever so lightly on them with your barenaked feet. But tread on them Kelvin did, and he even skipped in them in a spirited dance - warming my heart with his sunshine smiles and egging me on with his indestructible strength.

Kelvin always knew that the Lord was with him - and he found solace in that.

I am sorry I have not been a better friend. I am sorry I wasn't there when you left. But I will always miss you and remember what you meant to me. You may not know, but your incredible spirit lives on in me. Whenever I feel defeated, I will think of you in your spiked shoes, and I will draw myself up in strength and be comforted by the memories of your beautiful smile.

Thank you Kelvin for who you are - wherever you are.

"I've always thought of writing as a long ride...you never really get to end of anywhere, you might think it’s the end of the ride but it’s just not over. "

- Kelvin David

10 Things To Do Before I Die

John Steinbeck once wrote, “It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure on the world."

I am fatalistic. Or at least, I think I am.

I like to imagine the various ways I would die. Sometimes when I lie in bed at night, staring at the plain white ceiling, I can even see my soul hovering over me - looking down at ME - looking up at my soul. It's freaking eerie.

Heck. I even have a grand plan for my funeral.

Then I start ticking off the things I have done in my life. Things I have not done. Things I should have done. Things I must do.

Sometimes the list changes - depending on what I am going through at that point in my life. But it does not differ too much from this not-so-exhaustive list. Unlike Suspicious Bastard - I don't wish to be God. It just takes the fun out of everything because being God gives you absolute power to do whatever you want.



Then what's the point of having a wish list?

The sado-masochistic streak in me love the long, agonizing, torturous process of getting what I want - so that I can ultimately die a truly gratifying death.

After staring at that ceiling for quite some many years, I figured I can finally settle for this list (for now at least).

10. Visit Jerusalem. I'd see it as the most humbling experience of my life to retrace the final steps which Jesus had taken before his crucification - on the rugged stones of this ancient city .

09. Write Memoirs of My Freaking Life - Vols. I - III. Trilogies and beyond get readers hooked as proven by Rowling's Harry Potter series, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings epics and the most recent James Lee's Mr Midnight teenage horror trash. It's about time to exhume those skeletons in my closets...

08. Publish A Magazine. I ought to do this before they hammer the final nail into my coffin. I figured a magazine not only fulfils my insatiable appetite to write, it offers a channel for the remarkable writers that I know a chance to pen their works too. Another dream? Possibly....but not entirely impossible, is it? Success comes to those who dares to dream, or so I was told.

07. Chill out in Maldives. Appallingly extravagant but absolutely de rigueur. The magnificent sapphire, glistening bed of waters beckons to me, and stirs up a yearning so deep that I can almost taste the sea on my lips.

06. Teach. Something I have always wanted to do. The kids I have taught in the past awakened a part of me I never thought existed. They are always eager to please. Perpetually attention seeking. Their innocence sometimes almost makes me feel guilty about being an adult. If I can choose to make a difference, I would like to make a difference in their lives.

05. Volunteer. Too often, I convince myself I have much more important work to do. I have been greatly blessed and have yet to pass these blessings along to someone else who needs it more. There's no excuse and there shouldn't be any. For I have eyes, but yet my heart's blind.

04. Keep a pet. A dog preferably - I prefer wagging tails to feline claws anytime. It will probably be my only best buddy left when my human companions are snugly six feet under.

03. Backpack. That means to explore the world with the clothes on my back, stake out budget hotels, snare cheap exotic buys and make new friends on my travels. How about a travel blog to immortalize those breathtaking landscapes and grandiose infrastructures, and record unique happenings, if any?

02. Aging gracefully. The worst thing about growing old is watching yourself waste away. Nothing can be more depressing than to allow yourself to decay physically, and meekly accept the inevitable deterioration of the spotless mind. The best revenge against the sands of time is to age beautifully - by living an unconventional life, honing our skills, developing life's wisdom, enhancing our body, mind and soul - and most of all, continuing to believe in love.

01. Complete the Bible. There's a reason why this book is the bestseller of all time.


Fiction has it that the moment before you die, your life is played back in 8x rewind speed. History cackled to live and in those flashbacks, you'd wish there are some things you haven't done, and some that you have. If only there is a formula to determine when our time will come. Then we can plan on a timeline the stuff we need to get done before the "deadline" (no pun intended).

Death rolls out no red carpet for anyone but rather - wields a cold, menacing scythe over your head like an impending thunderstorm. I could never dictate when I am going, but I can decide what I want to do before that.

With this list, I am hoping that when my life is being rewound, I would not feel that stabbing pang of guilt which eats into you and makes you feel you have just wasted your time on earth.

I'd say, weave your own red carpet - so that when you hit that rewind button, there will be no regrets.

“Live life so completely that when death comes to you like a thief in the night, there will be nothing left for him to steal.”

Musings on Love - by Neil Gaiman

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it?

It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up.

You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you.

They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore.

Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart.

It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain.

I hate love.” – Neil Gaiman


That's Neil Gaiman for you. I personally don't think he hates love. He probably hates all the hurt, pain, discomfort, agony and vulnerability that come packaged with LOVE - without a life-time love/time/money-back guarantee. In economic terms, LOVE would most possibly be a significant high-liability investment with zero returns.

Gaiman probably knows more about love than anyone else - to be able to describe it so perfectly and aptly.

After reading that passage, I realised I "hate" love too. But no matter how hard I try, I cannot help falling in it. It is what makes us - complete. I'm sure everyone needs it just as much, no matter how much they claim to 'hate' it. To say you don't need love, is as good as saying you can survive without air. I've read somewhere that men are created with an innate need to be with someone. And that's why we are constantly searching for that person - instinctively, subconsciously, unknowingly, unwittingly - throughout our lives.

Someone once said,"To love someone is nothing; to be loved by someone is something; but to be loved by the one you love - is everything."

What do you think?

Love seeketh not itself to please, nor for itself hath any care, but for another gives its ease, and builds a Heaven in Hell's despair.- William Blake

Wanna Be Her Valentine? - Part 2

The Love Faerie is BACK......

Miss Valentine #1, as expected, sent hearts into a state of flurry and male hormones scuttering busily all over the world wide web. Her mailbox was filled with proclamations and declarations of interest (not 'love' yet) from enamoured suitors, bedazzled by her sweet smile and pleasant disposition. Of course, my flawless description of her added that final magical touch to her already beautiful soul.

Has she got a Valentine's Date yet? Well - only Cheryll Ms Charming Sweetie Pie knows the answer. I shall leave her to update you guys on her "Singapore Valentine's" finalists.

Oh - I have this extremely funny tidbit that I absolutely must share. Gotham Penthouse actually dropped me a note to offer a free bottle of wine to the man who gets the date with Cheryll! My post actually nabbed her a sponsor! Hahaha... They offered to host the couple at their club and has cheekily gone ahead to chill the wine - awaiting for the V-Day.

Love is in the air, isn't it? Without much further ado, here's the Love Faerie with Miss Valentine #2 - Michelle!

Let me see - how shall I describe Michelle?

She's a hot babe, a sexy chick, a sassy lass, an adorable girl with a surprisingly innocent and girlish charm about her. Despite her happy-go-lucky disposition, she is really a very sensitive soul. She surprises you with what she knows sometimes, and shocks you with what she doesn't.

At first glance, Michelle looks like a fair princess with her porcelain-like complexion - but hold your horses - she's no Paris Hilton. She plays the guitar, the keyboard, the drums and wields a Grade 8 cert in piano.

My rantings on this blog suddenly seemed muted in comparison. How can anyone who looks so good have so many talents? Life is so unfair.........!

Whereas Cheryll's saccharine nature makes me seem like a two-horned, fork tail she-devil (in fishnet stockings and ultra-mini black leather shorts!), Michelle brings out the BIG sister in me. I tend to spend more time playing Aunt Agony, and making sure she is not being bullied by some disgusting predators lurking precariously around her. She beams like the Miami sun when she is being showered a lot of attention, tender loving care, and of course, compliments.

But then again, which girl doesn't? We are all suckers for romance.

As I have proudly proclaimed, I am flanked by a bevy of girlfriends who are single, pretty and whom I dearly adore. Michelle happens to be one of them. In one of our gossipy exchanges, she reveals what she is looking for in a guy:

• At least 1.7m tall
• Well-spoken
• Well-groomed
• Witty
• Humourous
• Good fashion sense
• Sporty
• Good looking

Once again, I must emphasize that I do have her blessings to post this online so don't shoot me for it. My friends are a shy bunch - and it's not in their nature be extremely explicit with their feelings, actions and words and hence, they are often misunderstood for being cold, proud, unfriendly and distant.

Guess you have to know them better before you judge right?

If you like what you've read, drop her a note (with your pic please...) at mich-pam@mail.com.

As they always say, it's only an introduction. The rest is up to you baby.

"It's not the men in my life that count -- it's the life in my men."
- Mae West (1892-1980)

30 is the New 20s

JAN 10, 2006.

Yes. I've finally touched the golden number 30. It was a night worth remembering, no doubt. There were many memorable Kodak moments, and if I looked at the photos 30 years later, I know they would still bring that grin to my face.

It was a night where my closest friends, old and new, came together to honour the anointment of my Big Three-O, which I shamelessly welcomed with open arms.

It was a night where I am overwhelmed by the love showered upon me by my friends, simply just by being there.

It was a night where I squeezed four tables with over 20 friends who hailed from all over - my ex-MTV girl buddies, my cohort of ex-interns, my present colleagues, my long-time IRC friends, my MSN chatters, my blog readers, my personal friends as well as friends' friends.

It was also the night where everyone in Bar None sang a birthday song for me.

It was the night I've got to eat my favourite mango cake, kindly sponsored by Glen and Kristina.

It was the night where I danced, partied, drank and got a birthday kiss on stage - all thanks to the devious schemes plotted by my cheeky and wayward gang.

It was the night where I drank over 20 shots, some beer, some champagne, half a flaming lamborghini and many other suspicious-looking liquids that were being shoved into my face in the name of "birthday toast". I lost count and consciousness at almost the same time. I forgot my name too, I think.

It was a night of revelry, laughter, sexy moves on the dance floor, loud talking over even louder music, tons of alcohol gargling, presents, cakes, posing for photographs and acting silly and bimbotic.

This is how a 30-year-old woman should embrace her coming of age. In all splendour, pompous fanfare, fireworks, orgasmic joy and a bunch of wild and crazy friends who's either heading the same way or have already surpassed it.

To all of you who have been part of that unforgettable, irreverent, quirky "baptism ceremony" of mine @Bar None that night, thank you. Your friendship meant more than all the best presents in the world (except for that grossly overpriced B&O ten-CD changer hi-fi system).

If it had been the Oscars that night, you would have snagged the Best Supporting Friends Award. And now ladies and gentlemen, here are the nominees.....

Angel, Bee Lang, Bryan, Catherine and friend, Cheryl, Cheryll, Daniel, Danny Boy, Dennis, Eisen, Fidelia, Gary, Glen, Isabel, Jack, Kristina, Michelle-Pam, Pamela, Sabrina, Vivienne, Wei Qi and Yen.

Last but not least, thanks to Bar None - Pammy and Willy - the super duo for the superb hospitality and wonderful drink treats! Willy, you owe me one drink for not showing up before I got totally smashed. I shall claim it from you, you bet I will. :)

================================================================

JAN 11, 2006

I used to joke about my birthday celebrations every year. I have different groups of friends and hence, it can take up to more than a week to complete the round of celebrations! It feels as if I was having my own Elvina's Birthday Festival hahha.....

Anyway, I met up with my ex-MDIS classmates and their spouses for a second round of celebrations - at Chong Qing Hot Pot. Since everyone came in a pair, I thought I should bring my date too! Here are the photos - and don't forget to check out my extremely adorable and irresistibly cute godsons, Adam & Williem!

My heartfelt thanks to Ben and Belinda, Jacinta and Steven, Gillian and Williem Snr., Daniel and of course my two beloved godsons - Adam & Williem Jnr. !

In between the rest of the week, I was meeting colleagues and other friends for tea, supper and drinks. I have two more groups to grace with my lovely presence over this weekend - after which I can finally wrap up my birthday festivities!

“I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me,
I'd like to be the help that you've been always glad to be;
I'd like to mean as much to you each minute of the day,
As you have meant to me along the way.”

Wanna Be Her Valentine?

This should be Hotel Solace's most interesting post to date.

Allow me to introduce a very special friend of mine - Cheryll. She is one of the sweetest girls I have ever known, both inside and outside.

She is patient, very kind and extremely "teasable"! It gives me a cheap thrill to tease her relentlessly and watch her girlish reaction. Somehow, it never fails to tickle me. The greater her reaction, the more she amuses me.

I can be quite gruff and blunt, whilst she's the exact opposite. While I laugh heartily, she giggles. While I am extremely verbal with sexual jokes, she turns as red as a tomato, but enjoys the joke nonetheless. While I am strong headed and confident, she is modest and awfully sincere. While I am cynical and assertive, she is very giving and tolerant.

In short, she's really one cute babe. It is a wonder we can even click, and very well in fact.

Now for the wonderful news. She is single and very available. Though I strongly believe she would have no problems getting a date, but as her good girl buddy, I feel that I have a responsibility in helping her screen the guys.

With her blessings, I was 'appointed' her personal marketing agent. Hence my blog became the most perfect channel to start the quest for a perfect Valentine's Day date.

After many rounds of brainstorming and close-door boardroom discussions, we have shortlisted the following criteria to snare the perfect date:

- Someone who can connect with her intellectually
- Pleasant looking
- Makes her laugh; someone with a sense of humour
- Trustworthy
- Good tempered
- Preferably someone who drives (cos she stays quite out of the way)
- Financially stable
- Well-spoken
- Level of Horniness - 8/10
- Romanticism will be a BIG plus

* Mummies' boys are not eligible to apply

If you like what you have read so far, do drop her an email (preferably with your recent photo too!) at cheryll@mail.com. I have been promoting my blog readers aggressively to her, telling her what a wonderful bunch of guys all of you have been - and most importantly, a huge percentage of Hotel Solace guests are SINGLE!

So no harm making one more friend right? What's more - she's not only single, she's also incredibly cute, awfully sweet and absolutely adorable!

Just to reiterate - she may be single and available, but she's definitely NOT desperate. She's just such a dear friend to me that I make it my grand mission to help fix her up with a wonderful and fun date for Valentine's! Otherwise, given her shy nature, she will simply spend a romantic day lazing at home - and what a WASTE will that be!

What are you waiting for?

"Trip over love, you can get up. Fall in love and you fall forever."

New Year Tribute ~ Hotel Solace

Cast off the old, the new has come
The past should stay right where they are
The new year brings, a new beginning
Pack your bags and follow the stars

Forgive all debts
Release all pain
It's time to face the world again

Grief no more for time waits not
Many promises lay abound
Let go in peace, leave it to God
2006 is here and now

Love yourself first
And begrudge no one
Your new life has only just begun

So my friends, take a deep breath
A brand new start, let's all embrace
Believe that life will be awesome and great
And so will be, this Hotel Solace.

Happy New Year, my esteemed guests of Hotel Solace.

May the blog be with you.