“Life's Full of Temptations”

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Whip it is directed by Drew Barrymore?
She is impressed...


But thou shall never bring skates 2 a movie like tat...

sHe iS juZ a noRmal humAn bEing...
shE eAts, shE sHits...
sHe woRks,shE plAys...

nO maTter iF shE takEs uR coMmitteE,
sO saVe uR sacArsm...

foR thE bEst friEnds wiThout fAcebOok aCCount...

tHis iS whAt shE diD iN rEdanG...


wE haD bReakfasT...

wE sAw thE blUe bluE sEa...

wE huNg oUt aT thE beAch...

wE taNned...

wE sAw thE siGn!...

wE wAtched thE mOvie...

wE chiLLed...

wE sNorkeLLed..










wE fiGht...

wE mAde uP...

wE weNt tO a bEach pArty...

wE toOk pICtureS oF thE sTars...

wE toOk piCtures witH hOtel siGnage...

The Sunday Times



Mar 14, 2010



I was a foreign worker once



By Teo Cheng Wee

Despite the intense debate about foreign workers in Singapore these days, it didn't cross my mind that I was a foreign worker myself not too long ago.

I was reminded of it only when an American friend met me for dinner last month. I hadn't seen Nick since we were both working in Yellowstone National Park seven years ago.

That was in 2003 and the Sars epidemic was in full swing. Since my faculty dean said he couldn't remember a worse time for students to graduate, I decided to take a summer job in the United States.

Going to Yellowstone was a big financial commitment for me. I forked out $3,000 out of my own pocket for the visa and a placement - a huge sum for someone who hadn't started working.

The idea was that I would be able to make back all that money and have a little left over for travelling. The recruiting agency said it was easy to make more than US$1,000 a month.

Besides, the job sounded nice on paper. 'Hospitality crew', it said on my application form. We were told we could work at a lodge's front desk. Or sell souvenirs at the gift shop.

What a great way to meet people and make money, I thought.

I ended up cleaning toilets and making beds.

Then came the second surprise. I wasn't going to make as much as they said I could because we were overstaffed. Granted, the agency never promised anything, and I could only blame myself for being too trusting.

So when my stint ended, I barely made enough to cover my initial fees. I later found out that the company had taken in too many foreigners.

This was a perennial problem, Nick said as we tucked into our nasi lemak.

One year they hire too many, the next year they hire too few. It was a cycle because finding the balance was impossible, he said.

Foreigners bore the brunt of this. We either couldn't find enough work or worked ourselves to death.

It was different for the Americans. Those who came and didn't like the job could simply up and leave. Many of them did, grousing about the menial jobs they were doing alongside us. The only ones who stayed were long-term employees who held managerial posts such as Nick.

Going home wasn't an option for the foreign gang, of course. Our programme was for students. If $3,000 was a big investment for a Singaporean, it was humongous for those who came from Romania or Thailand.

Those were difficult days but a lot of fun as well, I reminisced with Nick as we finished up the beef rendang. There was a kind of bond that formed among us foreign workers.

I remember whenever we were sick of the bad food at the employees' kitchen, the Asians would share our instant noodles. The Taiwanese had particularly tasty packs of beef-flavoured mee. The Thais did miracles with their homemade chilli paste.

And once in a while, we would splurge and pool our money together for a pizza at the employees' pub.

Nick was one of the few American friends I made, because we were the only two people in our village who could discuss English football.

I told him I had hopes of becoming a team leader on the housekeeping team then. It was a supervisory job that came with a welcome 30 per cent pay hike.

My work was competent, I was well-qualified and I spoke better English than a lot of people there. But I ended up being supervised by a string of American high school graduates.

Still, I don't regret those days, I said.

As we moved on to our teh tarik, I laughed that I had forgotten about my own foreign worker roots, even as we Singaporeans grouse about foreign workers who come here.

My experience isn't even anywhere near as harsh as those who leave their harsh lives to toil here, I remarked.

'Well, let me just say that at Yellowstone, you guys were the best,' Nick quipped as he sipped his drink. 'You work the hardest, the fastest and never complain. The locals quit, they call in sick. Many had drug issues too, right?'

I nodded and smiled wryly. We were treated quite disposably for people who were 'the best', I thought.

'Seriously, the park couldn't have run without you all. We really appreciated your help,' Nick stressed.

I didn't reply.

For once, my mind was on foreign workers everywhere and I was thinking - it certainly doesn't feel that way.





yoU cAme bAck fOr hEr...
whY?




DHL jUmbo jEt..
*siGhs*

iPhone don't allow her to upload photos from e phone to blogger...
Only facebook & flickr, how unfair!!! =[

anD thE cYcle wiLL rEpeat iTself...




viA ruMpledoOdles




thE sweetEst cO-hort maTe evEr..
caLLed tO asK hEr iF shE's gOing hoMe aftEr thE gatHERing,
sO aN eXtra hElmet caN bE bRought...


aPpreciAte thiS geNerousity...





likE thE eFFects...

女子报仇十年不晚...

iT's nEver tOo lAte tO settLe thE scOre witH yOu,
eVen iF shE dOnt striKe, soMeone elSe wiLL...


juSt bEcause yoU aRe sO fuCCCCCCCCCCkeD-uP,
yoU bLArdy bitcH, ()@&#*@$^*(#&)%(&)@&#(*!&$)@*)...


DIE DIE DIE!




tHe thiNg thAt mAde hEr sO happY,
tO disappOint hEr iN thE enD...

nO stRikiNg cuRbs,
anD nO stOppinG iN yeLLow bOxes lAter...


pLEase pLease plEase,
hUat aH!!!

mUms caN bE fruStrating...


bUt thEy aRe suPerb
whEn thEY demAnd foR a kiSs bEfore yOu leAves foR woRk,
thEn stiLL deManding foR a huG whEn yOu repLied yOu're iLL,

whEn thEy tuRn oN yOur aiR-coN bEfore yOu geT hOme,
oR hAng oUt yOur launDry foR yOu...




lEt's dO thiS mUmmY!




shE waNna dO thiS lAter...

dOnt hOpe.




huMans aRe sucH creAtures oF hAbit...



viA ruMple


cAn sOmeone bUy hEr sOmethiNg liKe thiS?
wHat dO yOu caLL woRds liKe thiS?


aHhhh, shE wAnts sHe waNts...





shE doNt miSs yOu aS oFten,
bUt aT tiMes shE dOes...

sHe sHoulD kNow bEtteR,
thAn tO hoPe aNd bE dEpendEnt...


oN aNyonE, fOr aNythiNg...

Maid of Honor Duties


Pre Wedding

Help in going with the bride to look at different locations for the wedding. Many times the Bride needs help in choosing where to have the ceremony and party besides what day and time to have the wedding. Ask if you can participate in this process since it can be a very stressful.

Help the bride choose her wedding invitations as well as possibly address the invitations if she needs your support. Many times a bride may outsource her invitations but if they need to be addressed by the family, your help will be key in reducing the load of tasks to complete.

If the bride needs help in ordering and choosing decorations and favors, your opinions may be helpful in making decisions for narrowing down choices and making sure the decorations are in on time for the wedding, shower and bachelorette parties.

Go with the bride when she is shopping for her wedding dress as well as the Bridesmaid Dresses. It is very important to help make sure the dresses are ordered and arrive in enough time for alterations! It is helpful for you to attend the multiple fittings in giving your friend some feedback in how the dress looks and fits.

Many times the groom does not want to go to register with his bride-to-be. You can be very supportive by going with your friend to register for her wedding gifts as well as letting other guests know where the bride and groom are registered. This is a very fun experience so take part in the choosing if she needs help.

Help the bride in the seating arrangement. This can be a very difficult process with the more people coming to the wedding. Many times it makes it easier to draw out the tables and move people around until you have a close to perfect fit. Note: It is very helpful to bring this drawing to the wedding just in case there are any mix-ups, you will save the day!

Host and Plan the Bridal Shower as well as the Bachelorette Party!

Help keep order and organization with the other bridesmaids.

Attend and help out during the rehearsal dinner. Many times the bride, groom and their families are pre-occupied and forget about things which is where you can save the day by being organized.

Field messages for the bride and her family to make sure you are up on any changes (especially if they are last minute changes that affect the other guests).

Attend all bridal fairs with the bride as well as cake and catering tasting.


Wedding Day

Make sure the bride arrives to the ceremony and that she has everything on the Maid of Honor Checklist that we have created to make your life easier.

Assist the bride in getting into her dress and makeup

Be the messenger if the bride wants to communicate messages to the family or groom so you are always up on what is going on.

Visit the reception room and party room (if possible) to make sure there are no problems or issues. It is much better to be proactive.

Help make sure the bride has privacy if she needs some quiet time before the ceremony.

Be the witness in the signing of the marriage license which is an honor!

Help the bride with her veil and train (if she has one). I have seen many weddings where brides have tripped on their train which takes away from her experience for a moment.

Be your friend's "right-hand-woman" at the altar. She may be very nervous and you can be the calming source with your presence.

Keeper of the brides bouquet during the ceremony. Make sure you have a free hand.

Keeper of the groom's ring. It is your task to also make sure the groom's ring is in your possession at all times until you give the ring over to the bride!

Make a toast and/or speech during the wedding party since it is tradition and most people love hearing these friendship stories!

Make sure you lock up the bridal/groom money bag after the bride and groom dance with all of their family and friends so someone does not steal or pick it up by accident.

Last, but not least, provide moral support and be a great listener throughout the process since it is a very wonderful and "positively" stressful time for your friend. You can really make the difference!

Too often, the duty of "straightening/fluffing" the Bride's dress is overlooked. If the Bride is staying on a level, straight path, then this can be done before her descent down the aisle. However, if she is turning, or stepping up steps and/or turning to reach her destination, then the Maid/Matron of Honor should first adjust her train before accepting the bouquet to hold. This is most easily done by holding the train at points about (2) feet apart, and gently "shaking" the train (as if shaking a rug!) one good time, and it will fall beautifully in place.