What happens when you have long and short-sighted at the same time?

This would be the most economical and practical method :)

...the one who jus let out yet another loud burp :p

Horton

Rating: ***1/2

Cast: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell

Genre: Animation

Watched on 21 Mar 08 at Tiong Bahru with Chup. Light and entertaining without much boring moments. The storyline is something new and refreshing.

Attack of the mushroom!

There's a problem with the new house! Some people complain their house is too stuffy and lacks of ventilation. For mine, it's totally the opposite. My house is TOO WINDY. The wind is so strong you can hear it howling like the revving engine of a motorcycle . So loud that the sliding window makes loud continuous rattling noise! Even bedroom doors rattle and make "Knocking" noises. It's the truth! People turn on their air-conditioners when their room is too hot. For me, I turn it on because the room is too windy. When I turn on the aircon and shut the windows completely, the rattling noise will be reduced substantially. Luckily we found a solution to the rattling window. We stuffed thick pieces of paper from 8-days magazine. Why 8-days? Chup claims the paper is thick enough and is off good quality. Whatever...! As long as it stops the rattling. And we stuck long strips of cardboard on the door frame to stop the knocking noise.

2 problems gone. What's next?

As the title warns, it has something to do with mushroom. They are mould and mild-dew. Same family, aren't they?

This next problem that we have no solution to is the extreme humidity and dampness in our bedroom. Again, this must be highly contributed by the lush amount of greenery from the Kent Ridge Park behind the house.

Check out the dressing table of my room.










Nothing unusual, except my bed is not made? Look closer...







Are you getting a better idea now?
Zoom in closer and you can see the mold and milddew growing on the chair!!! Help!!! What can I do about it??? They are spawning and growing uncontrollably! I attempted to wipe them and had to throw away the cloth I used. The cloth turned rusty green in colour. Subsequently, I put a container of Thirsty Hippo Dehumidifier under the dressing table. It doesn't seem to be helping too much. After all, the instructions say that Thirsty Hippo is to be positioned in an enclosed or small space. Don't think that space is considered enclosed at all...

And that's not all. Check out the tragic end to Chup's jacket too!
















...the one who is at lost on what to do

Latest Pics

Some recent photos taken within Kent Ridge and the estate. The 3rd photo is a Collared Kingfisher.

Chup

Big Bird

One morning Chup looked at me and commented that I look like Sesame Street's Big Bird nowadays. All he needs to do is paint me yellow. I've been doing a lot of thinking after that, thinking and thinking..., imagining the protruding tummy and posterior. I do look like Big Bird!

And just like magic, when we were at Plaza Singapura on that same day, a poster of Big Bird appeared like magic right before our eyes when we came out of the lift.

And to convince myself further, I sought some help from Photoshop and my suspicion was confirmed. I do look like BIG BIRD!!! Help!!!!!!

...the Big Bird of course

Too much?

Had an hour to kill yesterday, before picking Lin, and I went to the Botanic Gardens. Then after we got home, the daylight was still pretty good, so Lin and I went to feed the turtles. The top 2 shots are from the Botanic Gardens, and the bottom one of the squirrel is from Kent Ridge Park. Lin has complained that our blog is veering too much into nature photography. I also think I ought to spend more time on my 'real' work. I've been having too much fun! Think I'll cool off with these photos for a while...

Chup

Greek Masterpieces from the Louvre

Today was the last day of this mega-exhibition at the National Museum and it was a Sunday. The gallery was packed. At $8/entry, it wasn't cheap, and the collection was small. Lin and I went with Vony and Maru after lunch. Most of the exhibits are marble sculptures from the 3rd century BC, or Roman copies of the Greek originals. These are my personal favourites, all roughly life-size. They are magnificent specimens of beauty and grace. I mean that hand, holding what I suppose is an apple, has got to be the epitome of Grace, if something as abstract as grace can be made physical, and you easily forget that you are staring at a man-made rock from 1,900 years ago. Were they actually painted over in their original condition? Probably not, but they would look quite different from the black-haired, black-brow models in real life. 14 centuries before Michelangalo, unknown, under-appreciated artisans were shaping marble with skills unrivalled until the Renaissance.

Chup

Essential Essentials

These photos were taken a long time back when my ex-colleagues and I went for karaoke followed by an ice cream session at Serangoon Gardens after work. I commented why some of them can survive with teeny handbags while others bring a luggage to office. Aren't we all ladies? Don't we have quite similar essentials?

Inspired by V's blog, I decided I too shall unveil the secret that Men has always been wondering about. What the hell do their girlfriends/wives carry in their handbags??

So my ex-colleagues gamely surrender their handbags for my yet another weird survey. After being colleagues for 3 years, they are quite used to my eccentricities by now. Just to digress a bit, I've conducted surveys on them asking questions like:
1. Do they shower in the morning?
2. Are they still a "V"?
3. How often do they change their undies?
4. Do their man place their "brother" in upward or downward position under normal circumstances... and etc etc.
Those were the days... How I miss these colleagues of mine. It is very difficult to establish true friendship in an office setting. But in that ex-office I managed to. Amazing but true. Till now, eventhough I have moved on, we still catch up and talk like old friends whenever we see each other.

Like I said, I digressed.

Alright, I have 6 specimens altogether. For their privacy, I don't question the owners what are the items inside their bags. I just put everything out and take a photograph. So anything unknown to me shall be labelled "Unidentified" :) Of course if you happen to be the owner and would like me to label these "Unidentified" objects correctly or if I have labelled anything incorrectly, you are free to let me know discreetly. I would then make necessary amendments.

Now, sit back and enjoy... and tell me: Which type of handbag are you?

PS: You can click on each photograph to have a clearer view.


1. Prayer book
2. 3 cheque books
3. Takashimaya vouchers
4. Unidentified zip lock
5. Rosary
6. Handphone
7. Tissue paper
8. Sanitary pad (Don't say yucks! We are women who bore you your children)
9. Coin pouch
10. Mickey mouse notebook
11. Key pouch
12. Pen
13. Another pouch
14. Bunch of keys


This bag belongs to someone who is travelling overseas. This probably explains the numerous pouches for different currencies coins and the other 'extras'. It probably doesn't represent her 'daily handbag' when she is not travelling.
1. Hand fan
2. Medicated Oil
3. Pouch of money and pieces of paper
4. Cotton buds
5. Used boarding pass
6. Inflatable pillow
7. Comb
8. Unidentified
9. Shower Cap
10. Pouch
11. Rosary
12. Another pouch
13. Unidentified
14. Pouch no 3
15. Pouch no 4
16. Plastic bag of medication


1. Umbrella
2. Tissue paper
3. Pouch of makeup
4. Namecard
5. Handphone pouch
6. Coin pouch
7. Comb
8. Wallet
9. Notebook
10. Unidentified




1. Wallet
2. PDA
3. Notebook
4. Sweets (essential for bad breath, hunger and fainting spells)
5. MP3 player
6. Hand and body moisturizer
7. Compact powder
8. Tissue paper
9. Makeup pouch
10. Namecard holder
11. Pens


1. Phamplets and discount coupons
2. Newspapers
3. Diary
4. 3 packets of tissue paper
5. Wallet
6. Makeup pouch
7. Unidentified pink object
8. Water bottle
9. Sweets
10. Another pouch
11. Bunch of keys
12. Handphone







1. Novel
2. Unidentified
3. Pouch
4. Scribbled notes
5. Bunch of keys
6. iPod
7. Wallet
8. Sweets

That's all for now. Hope you enjoyed our exhibits. Please come again. Goodbye...

...the one who's going to the National Museum to view the Greek Masterpiece soon. Last day today

House guests

Lin is particular of who comes into our home and these 2 were on the unwelcomed list... They were gently let out after their obligatory ID shots...

Chup

What is this?

I mentioned that I saw 3 new species of birds today. But I'm not sure about this one. It looks like it belongs to the Bulbul family but my limited book doesn't have something like this. It's got this Mohican feather that it can raise at will. In fact, now I'm not even sure if the bird I named as Yellow Bittern is in fact a Heron... I've got to get a more complete book!

PS; I came across 5 of these while jogging at Kent Ridge today (19 Mar). I've found the name of this bird: it's a White-crested Laughingthrush.

Chup

Addiction

Exactly a year ago, I was holed up in the Hyatt hotel in Jakarta, trying my hand at comic strips. This holiday, the new hobby is bird photography. Except it's turning into a bit of an obsession. These were taken on the way to the tennis court at my old place this morning (15 Mar). Caught the Yellow-vented Bulbul stooping and clutching the spider. Spotted 3 new species that I could find the names to today. At the marshes was the shy White-breasted Waterhen. It has this smiley face. The few of them made a racket behind the trees. Then there was the Common Iora, the yellow-breasted hyper-active bird. This one (2nd last photo) is a female. The male has a black-top head. The last one is the Paddyfield Pipit. No including common birds like the Javan Myna and crows, that is 8 species of birds I've seen around Kent Ridge Park so far during the last 2 weeks.

Chup

The lure of the park

The sun was out in full force today (14 Mar), after days of gloomy weather. The birds were chirping outside and as I hung the laundry, I had to fight an urge to go to the park again. You've got books to read and articles to write, one side said. You're on holiday, the other half argued. Besides, you missed the Yellow Bittern yesterday, and it's out there waiting for you. Remember the Canon ad on TV, where everyone was waiting for the school bell to ring and then they all dash out with their cameras to take photos? That was how I felt. What's half an hour in the park? Well, it turned out to be an hour in the park and another hour downloading and photo imaging. Was it worth it? You bet. Maybe it was dumb-ass luck, but I was waiting by the pondweed where I saw the Bittern once, and suddenly its beak came out and grabbed a dragonfly. Gave me a shock but this time the autofocus didn't fail me! It's my fav shot of the day. Took another shot of the bird further down the lake. And found the Golden Web Spider here too.

Postscript: Being a bit more read up now, I wish to correct the names of the species of the birds posted in this entry. It's a Little Heron or Striated Heron in the first photo, and the Chinese Pond Heron in the second photo. I was mistaken, there was no Bittern. (1 Apr 2008)

Chup

Furniture for old and new house

Just for our own record. We tried to spend minimally because we are only leasing the new place for 2 years. Ideally the new furniture just need to last us 2 years :)

Total cost $3,053.50. It was quite substantial after all, huh... Of course nothing if you compare to houseowners who spend like $6,000 for a set of leather sofa.

These are meant for our old house so that we can rent out the place as "Fully Furnished"
The tenant is very lucky to have many new furniture.
So far all the units that we have viewed have worn down and dirty furniture.

One mattress for old place one for the guest room in our new place. We left this storage bed in the old house because it was too heavy & difficult to dismantle. We then bought the exact same bed for our new place.
































And the following are for the new place



















1+4 Dining Set $168+$20=$188






























...the one who'd be spending some Taka Vouchers tonight

Dragonflies and Birds

There was an hour of sunshine this morning, so I walked to the pond next to my block again. I came across 6 monitor lizards over the space of 50m. They must have missed the sun a lot. The White-throated Kingfisher was on the same tree and same branch, so I tried to get a better shot this time. Saw the Yellow-vented Bulbul again, peering out the tree beside my block. Also on a flower bed nearby was the Olive-backed Sunbird (bottom 2 shots), a tiny fella of 11cm. Its "metalic" blue upper breast means this is a male. It has a very long tongue that it uses to lick the nectar from the flowers. I saw the Yellow Bittern too, but by the time the camera's autofocus worked, it had gone behind the reeds...

Chup