Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Perspectives

"Never tell your problems to anyone,
20% don't care and the other 80% are glad you have them."

As Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, says: "People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life."

"There's nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility is being superior to your former self" ~ Hemingway

"Do you jump out of bed every morning, excited to get to work?To be the best in what you do, you have to love what you do. Your work must be be your play. When you truly love what you do, you are automatically motivated. There is no need to discipline yourself to get things done and you never feel lazy doing it. That has been my little secret. I love what I do so much that I miss going to the office during the holidays dread long weekends. You you have not found what you love to do yet, keep looking! Don't settle for a life of mediocrity. Don't spend your precious days living someone else's dream. That's how you win the game of life!" ~ Adam Khoo

"It's better to be unique than the best. Being the best is great, you’re the number one. Being unique is greater, you’re the only one."
Thank goodness i'm the one n only leechie ;p


"Don't do something permanently stupid just because you're temporarily upset"

This is life!!!


What r we chasing after in this life? wealth? happiness? peace of mind? freedom of expression?

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

♥♥ When A Man Loves A Woman In Singapore ♥♥





Tears rolled down my leechie face as i read the following...guess such guys could b almost extinct in today's context! :'( n the ironic thing was that silly me didnt realize tt this gentleman is actually one of my fb frenz until he replied to my posting!!! o.O" rem what i wrote abt how many guys tend to judge u based on ur looks...n wont hang around u for long if anything were to happen to u or if u were to lose ur looks? =.=" anyway, many guys these days can be self-centred n r nice to u only if u do certain things for them...we r living in a practical society afterall...only our parents' love for us is unconditional...anything else tt a guy says or does for u could possibly come with a condition! =.=

Thx for those new year party invitations...but those who really know me would know tt i dont go out to party on every new year's eve...i'll stay in to write my long list of new year resolutions...i know i dont have a life...but tt's me...lol...have fun everyone...dont bother abt me...

What a fren said after reading abt this true story:
"It takes her alot of courage to share about her illness and it takes him alot of courage to take her as his wife given her medical condition. Giving and not really asking anything back in return. This is unconditional love. Their story blesses my heart!"

As Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, says: "People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life."
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"When a man loves a woman


By Deborah Choo

After their first three dates, his girlfriend told him an astonishing piece of news that changed his life forever.

It was a "dark secret", 61-year old Raymond Anthony Fernando remembered of what his then-girlfriend Doris Lau Siew Lang told him almost three decades back.

I am schizophrenic, she had told him.

If that was not surprising enough, she also told him that she was a patient at the Institute of Mental Health, otherwise known as Woodbridge Hospital in the 60s.

Yet, the secret she guarded so carefully — one that scared away all her previous boyfriends upon hearing — finally stood the test of one man's faith and love for her.

Raymond, a Singaporean whose heritage is part Eurasian and part Sri Lankan, listened as Doris poured her heart out about her past and her condition.

Schizophrenia is a group of psychotic disorders characterised by disturbances in thought, perception, affectation, behaviour and communication lasting longer than six months.

At the onset, because there was little public awareness on schizophrenia, Doris' symptoms of headaches, insomnia, a loss of appetite and even being delusional sometimes worried her family.

They believed she was charmed, and brought her to a medium instead. The delay worsened her condition. It had escalated to a point when she harbored suicidal thoughts. Back then in the 60s, a relative who worked in IMH heard of her unexplainable illness and recommended Doris to be warded. Her condition finally stabilised.

Instead, after hearing what she said, the freelance television actor and motivational speaker asked her, "Will you marry me?"

"I was deeply moved by her sincerity and her caring nature. I had dated many girls, but Doris was very down to earth… Doris is a very timid person and I decided I wanted to give her a better life, so I asked for her hand in marriage," Raymond told this writer.

The couple tied the knot in 1974.

This year, the couple celebrate their 37-year anniversary.

Doris is still battling with schizophrenia and as of five years ago, arthritis as well. As for Raymond, he too has diabetes, high cholesterol and cataract.

Challenges of caring

Medical costs aside, Raymond revealed that the road is tough to say the least. He used to struggle between juggling work and caring for his wife.

In 1995, under tremendous amount of stress, he attempted suicide.

In retrospect, he said, "I deeply regret taking that route — imagine what would happen to Doris if I had not survived."

"It's still very tough," Raymond admitted. "But I have to stay and remain strong for Doris. She needs me badly."

The couple had unfortunately lost their only two children — one through a miscarriage and the other through an abortion. In the latter case, the couple made that decision as Doris would have to get off the drugs that would affect the foetus.

The devout Catholic relies on his faith to get by. He left his 31-year job as a public relations officer in October and is now working from home as a writer to earn income to pay their bills.

Caring for his wife turned him into an advocate for the mentally ill.

"It's been extremely tough for her as Doris' sole caregiver, especially when the support structure for caregivers of the mentally ill is clearly lacking — something which I have been fighting for, for decades."

But Raymond never regretted taking her as his wife.

"No, I will not ever walk away from taking care of Doris because of one simple reason — I love her deeply," he said

Raymond handles all the household chores and finances while maintaining his writing jobs and caring for his wife. The last job entails taking her to numerous medical appointments at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, IMH and polyclinics monthly and ensuring she religiously takes her medication — 52 tablets a daily. He visits the same hospital for his eye treatment.

Although her schizophrenia is now stabilised, Raymond reveals that it may relapse anytime. "The symptoms of her arthritis condition caused her to be in tremendous physical pain in all her joints that left her mobility severely impaired. In severe pain, it can trigger a relapse of her mental illness," he said.

Doris had suffered a relapse before so he and the doctors are carefully monitoring her condition.

Symptoms

Raymond reveals how the symptoms first develops. He usually first notices physical tell-tale signs such as the white of her eyes turning slightly blue, and much dandruff appearing on her scalp.

At the beginning, Doris would become uncannily quiet and fearful. "The slightest noise will affect her," Raymond said. Over time, she tends to become increasingly anxious and begins hallucinating. While she is not violent, her husband said, Doris cries when she hears buzzing in her ears and voices telling her to do "strange" things.

"There were occasions when I had to sleep with the house keys under my pillow as she would wake up in the middle of the night and attempt to go downstairs to the void deck. She believed that her mother was waiting for her downstairs. But her mother had already passed away," Raymond said sadly.

Traumatic experiences such as the loss of their children, Raymond's and the loss of her mother haunts her as well.

The breaking point is when Doris begins talking about suicide. That is when Raymond is left with no choice but to admit her into hospital.

"On most occasions, she would have to undergo ECT ( electro convulsive therapy). This is where mild current is applied to the brain every 4 seconds to stabilize her. Most of the time, she requires at least six shots of ECT. It is an extremely painful period for me," he said. She may require another knee operation should her medications fail.

Despite all these, while he acknowledges that it is an uphill task to care for her as her arthritis condition worsens, he is prepared to fight this battle for he and his beloved wife.

"If there's one thing you can say to your wife now, what would you say?" this reporter asked.

"If schizophrenia is part of your life, then it must certainly be part of my life. I don't necessarily like what the illness does to you, but it is you who I love. And that will always be the guiding, motivating force of my life, Doris.""

(http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/man-loves-woman-004953242.html)

Interesting Quotes:

"True friendship isn’t being inseparable its being separate and nothing changes"

"We all wear masks, metaphorically speaking.
We suppress the id, our darkest desires and adopt a more socially acceptable image.
To attain true happiness, we must first learn to take off that mask."

"Being respectful (nice) to people who treat you like a dog and instead treat those who treat you well, like a dog (disrespectful/taking for granted) makes people think you are a dog." ~ Colin

"Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth."

"Remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends."

"Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you."

"We will open the new book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity
and
its first chapter is New Year's Day."

"To be frank, there is no difference between NYE and New Year's day. It is the same because you and your circumstances didn't change overnight. You will have the same stresses, worries, problems as the day before. What changes is IF you have decided on having Hope and Positivity moving forward, and expressed the willingness to do something to change yourself, your mindset and do something about your circumstances, then the New Year will change for you because YOU control yourself first. The other things you leave in God's hands, Karma and Fate. Good luck for 2012!" ~ Conrad

"I look back at the risks I took, the uncharted course I set upon myself, the trust I gave and was broken by the closest of friends, the uncertainty of new ventures, the pain of realising my efforts will not reap a harvest so soon and I realise it is all a part of the process called LIFE. I grabbed it with two hands and wasn't afraid to try. I tried it. And it grew me. Success is not just measured by the number of zeroes in your bank account but by the experiences life gives you. So I encourage all those with dreams to pursue them and those who do not succeed at first to stay the course and find yourself. You have but one life. Don't waste it on mediocrity. Happy New Year, everyone!" ~ Conrad



"(Thumbs Down) People who ignore their friends because they have relationships."
When people ignore their friends because they have relationships, they say to their friends that in fact they are not friends at all. True enough, sometimes it is hard when we first fall in love with someone to even think about spending time away from our lover and with our friends instead, but we must never forget the importance of maintaining all of our relationships. A true friend should be treated as a true friend.

Most true friends will be happy that you are in a relationship that makes you happy, but if they are someone that you truly love and care about it is imperative that you make at least some time to spend with them. Though they may be lower on your priority list, they are still on your priority list; you should treat them as such. Never ignore your friends because you have a relationship."


"When we are insecure about situations, in actuality we are holding on to some experience(s) that caused us tremendous anguish earlier in our lives to the point of where we don't want to allow a situation or relationship of similar magnitude to take place again. In order to get past our insecurities we must first get rid of the mindset of living in our past.

Just because you weren't good enough for something then, doesn't mean that you are not good enough now, just because you weren't able to accomplish something then, doesn't mean that you won't accomplish it now. Let go of your pain, and believe in the fact that the only limits that bind you, are those limits that you place on yourself. We are all perfect people with perfect imperfections. Remember to not only enjoy your life but to take advantage of the opportunities that life presents to you as well. Live every day as if it could be your last!"



Tuesday, December 20, 2011

You Made Me Cry :'(



Silly me wanna cry when i saw this poem :'( thx everyone who came to join us for the xmas eve party...appreciate all of u for spending xmas with me! It really warms my heart to know that a recently married couple first got to know each other through our networking events! This is one of the best testimonials I've received so far! =)

From my cousin:
"人生短暂,容不下虚情假意"
"Say what you mean and mean what you say."


"You made me CRY

You made me cry...
You tore me apart..
You left me in tears..
You've shattered my heart..

It wasn't your fault..
I guess it was me..
for love can't be forced..
Perhaps we weren't meant to be..

It still doesn't help..
now that i know..
Because for some reason..
my heart won't let go..

I've tried more than once..
to get over you..
but you make it so hard..
with cute things you do..

I thought love was joy..
but i've got nothing to gain..
just sorrows..,tears..
and a little more pain..

The day the pain started ..
reality came too..
It was the day i realized ..

......I'LL NEVER BE WITH YOU......."


"I'm done writing these e-mails that you never seem to read.
I'm done trying to be a friend when I always get hurt.
I'm done thinking that you may like me, when it'll never come true.
I'm done filling up my notebooks with songs about you.
I'm done crawling into my bed and crying every night.
I'm done believing that you're perfect, because I can see every flaw clearer than anyone.
I'm done."


"Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances.

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will.
You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts.
You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by.
So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt.
Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances.
You just have to live life to the fullest,

Tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain,
hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts.
Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back."

Interesting Quotes:

"Its obvious in times of distress who r your true friends and who are just there along for the good times only. Guess I learnt the most important lesson this year. Have a few true friends rather than a bunch of fake ones!"

“The best revenge is being a success” ~ Mario Teguh

"What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories." ~ George Eliot

"
如果愛上了,
就不要輕易放過機會,
也不要輕易的放開手,
更加不要輕易的放棄。
莽撞,可能使你後悔一陣子;
怯懦,卻能使你後悔一輩子。
所以,
愛~ 請轟轟烈烈;
不愛~ 請徹徹底底。"

My blog is still here:
I'm not sure what exactly happened...but i tried to search for my leechie blog n it says my blog has been removed!!! my fren told me the same thing...so scarry...but i managed to logon...think my blog is working now...i even hav visitors from Venezuela...lol...


The epitome of COOL: Cooler than Cool! B-)
Which girl doesnt love Chanel? i dont know any...perhaps my mum? (but she's not a girl...she's an obasan in denial...lol...she better not hear this ;p)


O.o


:'(


♥ Love this song from Material Queen: Is this all? :'(
Is this all i'm been waiting for? 

Monday, December 19, 2011

Lilian Too's Fengshui Extravaganza 2012



Attended Aunt Lilian's Fengshui Extravaganza over the weekend...it came much earlier this time round...the crowd seemed abit smaller than usual...perhaps many ppl went on vacation? o.O

She covered the bazi chart for 2012 as well as the 24 mountains...she prescribed all the fengshui remedies n cures for the afflicted areas as well as all the fengshui charms to activate the good areas...lotsa ppl were shopping for her fengshui items...i was caught in the crowd n almost couldnt make my way out of the shopping area!

There was a looooooooooooooong q for Aunt Lilian's autograph...


I had to re-queue cos she had to return to the stage before she could finish signing the first round...


With the lovely Jennifer...she always looks so glamorous o.O




There was a BMW roadshow at suntec as well...as usual i couldnt resist taking pics with the lovely BMW convertible =)


Alot stuff in this SMRT song...check it out ya...lol ;p


Hitler is informed that the NSL broke down again ;p

You Can Work Your Own Miracles

Happened to see this inspiring page...i only believe in whatever tt i can hold in my miniature hands! n the beauty salon therapist was trying to tell me tt ppl who have small hands like mine have blessed lives...lol...

"Truly, whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve!

Thomas A. Edison BELIEVED he could perfect an incandescent electric lamp, and that belief carried him successfully through the ten thousand failures before he got the answer for which he had been searching.

Marconi BELIEVED the ether could be made to carry the vibrations of sound without the use of wires, and that belief carried him through many failures until he was finally rewarded by triumph, and gave the world its first wireless means of communication.

Columbus BELIEVED he would find land in an uncharted portion of the Atlantic Ocean, and he sailed on and on until he found it, despite the threatened mutiny of his sailors who were not so blessed as he with the capacity for BELIEF.

Madame Schumann-Heink BELIEVED she could become a great opera singer, although her singing teacher had advised her to go back to her sewing machine and be content as a seamstress. Her BELIEF rewarded her with success.

Helen Keller BELIEVED she could learn to talk despite the fact that she lost her use of speech, sight, and hearing, and her BELIEF restored her speech and helped her to become a shining example of encouragement to all people who are tempted to give up in despair because of some physical affliction.

Henry Ford BELIEVED he could build a horseless buggy that would provide rapid transportation at small cost, and despite the far-flung cry of "crackpot" and the skepticism of the world, he belted the earth with the product of his BELIEF, and made himself immensely wealthy.

Madame Marie Curie BELIEVED that radium metal existed and gave herself the task of finding its source, despite the fact that no one had ever seen radium and no one knew where to start looking for it. Her BELIEF finally revealed the source of that precious metal."


Source: You Can Work Your Own Miracles. Fawcett-Columbine Book. Published by Ballantine Books. 1971. Pgs. 144 – 146.

Interesting Quotes:

From Uncle Kuah:
"‎10 ways to lose money your $$$:
1. Put your trust in board room gossip.
2. Believe everything you hear, especially tips.
3. If you don’t know, guess.
4. Follow the public.
5. Be impatient.
6. Greedily hang on for the top eighth.
7. Trade on thin margin.
8. Hold to your opinion, right or wrong.
9. Never stay out of the market.
10. Accept small profits and large losses."


Merry Xmas n stay angry ;p

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Shopping at Reebonz Xmas Sale

Pop over to Reebonz Xmas sale after work...i didnt expect to buy anythg...juz thought of catching a glimpse of the Reebonz angels with wings n all (their version of A&F guys ;p) i didnt bring my camera into the shopping area...good thing tt Conrad had a camera with him when the angels appeared...lol...btw ladies, pls dont b jealous of me ya...u can go take pics with them too ;p

Posing with Reebonz angels...check out their abs ;p i thought the angel on my left looks cute...but i didnt manage to get his name though o.O

Shopping with eye-candies in the store ;p


Well, i was juz browsing around but saw this Coach bag which caught my eye...the style is v.me...n it was going at a whopping 80% off!!! showed mum my purchases n my cynical leechie mum agreed tt that was the best buy outta the entire lot o.O the minor stains on the bag r not tt obvious to the naked eye o.O


Took quite some time to decide before i finally bot this Prada wallet at 80% off...looks rather vintage ya? abit of Alexandra McQueen kinda punkish eh? the lady tt i met at this sale commented tt the obvious scratches juz add to the character of this wallet...i havent seen this design before at our local Prada boutique...but i thought the design is rather unique =)


I love the hearts design of this Prada bag...cant resist such a cutie design esp at 80% off ;p even the devil wears Prada...i'm only a leechie afterall ;p


I bot this lips design Prada bag at 80% off as well...guess white color nylon fabric doesnt age well...notice tt the area near the top zip is starting to turn yellowish...o.O"


My new fren from this sale scored a few good buys as well...she bought a Kate Spade clutch bag at 80% off (i like tt clutch too but not the bright turquoise color) n another Kate Spade bag with obvious scratches at a whopping 90% off! when she put back the hearts design Prada bag which i also bot...her sweet bf bot that bag for her on the spot! he helps her to qc her bags too...so sweet...really envy her o.O

Shopaholic leechie didnt expect to go back with 3 bags n 1 wallet...but i guess the prices r really attractive as compared to the local boutiques...there is storewide 25% off for everything...n these items at 25% off r in perfect condition...the items tt i bot happened to be 80% off...so the discounts range from 25-80% off retail prices! there r plenty of really fantastic buys if u dont mind some minor imperfections ya...my fren was saying tt these bags will age when u use them so there will b some scratches here n there sooner or later anyway...o.O n she's planning to go back to the sale again tmr to see if she can score other good buys...lol...

Guess i went rather late today cos Conrad was saying there was a huge crowd earlier in the day...so i would imagine there were plenty of other good buys being grabbed up before i reached? from memory, there's a shoes section at the front...saw a section for clothes as well...but i'm not too sure of the exact brands avail for selection cos my main focus today was juz on bags n wallets, other than the obvious eye-candies in the store ;p vintage Chanels n LVs were nicely displayed on the spiral staircase thingy...some bags tt i saw at 25% off include Prada, Miu Miu, Bottega, Gucci, Fendi, Balenciaga, Burberrys, Tod's, Kate Spade, Coach, etc...there r Prada bags being restocked tonite...but doubt i have time to pop over again tmr...heard tt there was a lady who owns 15 Birkin bags who snapped up almost $10k of bags for herself today!!! wow o.O if u r there tmr, dont miss out on the branded home items tt u can purchase at 80% off when you purchase at least $500...n they r also giving away $20k worth of branded bags in their lucky draw! o.O

Shopaholic leechie with her 3 bags n 1 wallet from Reebonz Xmas sale


Busy bee me had to rush off to meet my other frenz for dinner n drinks...Thanks Tanjong Beach Club for their complimentary bottle of lovely Shiraz =) n Ken was saying tt the ambience there was really great...

Our dinner...the fillet was really yummy ;p

Pretty-looking desserts ;p

Friday, December 16, 2011

Official Opening of Royal Room + 5th Birthday Bash of PropertyGuru.com at Mink


A busy nite at Pan Pacific area...the official opening of Royal Room was by invitation only...n there was a private event for the 5th birthday bash of propertyguru.com next door at Mink...

At Royal Room, they had a really cool long stretch of DIY cocktail bar where guests could prepare their own cocktails =) i love exotic cocktails...but i'm much better at drinking cocktails than making them...n the bartender was v.helpful n made me a few v.unique n exotic cocktails =) saw Angie n the other guys making a mess with their own DIY creations...lol...y bother to spend so much effort making a mess when there were such nice helpful bartenders who r v.good at what they do? ;p

DIY cocktail spread...

Posing at the DIY cocktail table...

Lychee mojito with yummy canapes

Black cherry mojito with yummy unagi canapes

Strawberry vodka

Posing with my watermelon mojito ;p i love the pretty n comfy sofa at Royal Room =)

Preparing for the party ;p


One of the most common questions being asked around at the birthday bash of propertyguru was...which agency r u from? lol ;p a cool happening crowd that really know how to party...got to know a few folks from propertyguru n various agencies...n i bumped into Conrad who came rather late...

Performance at Mink...

With Ting Ting...

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Condolences to Late Mdm Teresa Hsu Who Passed Away Peacefully at Age 113


Mdm Teresa Hsu ~ an unselfish lady who had cared for the poor n needy n did what she could cos 'Nobody should eat grass'...a great woman with a big heart...she had touched many lives...n made a difference to many...different from majority of the apathetic population in this damn practical society, she will be sorely missed...:'(

Humanity, a quality which is sorely lacking amongst many urbanites in today's materialistic society!!! anyway, it's easy to talk abt how $ aint important esp for those with $$$ n who havent experience poverty! -.-" i dont try to act noble n say tt $$$ aint important! anyway, one can still survive without respect...but one will die if one has no $$$! sad but true fact of life!

I first saw her in person at an Anthony Robbins seminar a couple of years ago...she was there to do the firewalk too!!! to me, it has never been abt the quantity...cos i believe quality precedes quantity...n the contributions n legacy tt one leaves behind after one passes on would be far more important in accessing how one has lived! i always talk abt leaving behind a legacy after i'm long gone...we r all reduced to ashes at the end of the day...but how many lives have we touched??? o.O it's never too late to start today...

Her message to young people today: "Go all out to help those who don't have the basic needs. See that nobody needs to go hungry."

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Read more abt her inspiring life here:
(http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/help-singapore-mother-teresa-031007628.html)

"Meet Singapore’s ‘Mother Teresa’

Under our "Inspiring People" monthly column, we highlight the incredible journey of one person who has overcome tremendous odds to achieve personal success. This column celebrates the triumph of the human spirit and we hope it will inspire you to reach for your dreams too. This month, we bring to you supercentenarian and prominent social worker Teresa Hsu, whose life's work speaks volumes about the strength of her character and the goodness of her heart.


At 47, she enrolled and was accepted into in a three-year nursing course in London meant for students under 25.

At 67, she founded one of the first home for the aged sick in Singapore in the 1960s, where she worked until she was 85-years-old.

Her passionate work and active lifestyle has won ex-nurse Teresa Hsu various accolades such as the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre's Special Recognition Award (2006) and the Sporting Singapore Inspiration Award for her teaching of yoga (2004).

Singapore's famed 'Mother Teresa' turns 113 this month and her single-minded desire and commitment to help the needy remains as strong as it was years ago.

The actual Mother Teresa, who was born in 1910 and died in 1997, was a Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, recognised internationally for her ministry to the poor, sick, orphaned and dying. In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work.

Singapore's supercentenarian spends her days at Heart to Heart, an outreach unit she founded in Hong Kong in 1923. (It was called Friends of the Needy then.)

There, she and co-worker Sharana Rao, 62, look after the needs of 13 single elderly folks and four needy families in Singapore. They provide basic food and money for rent, utilities, travel and companionship.

She also donates money to help in the care of 47 visually-impaired children and teenagers in Ho Chi Minh.

Speaking to Yahoo! Singapore in a coffee shop, the cheerful and humble welfare worker, dressed simply in a batik-styled outfit, reiterates her lifelong goal of caring for the poor and needy.

'Nobody should eat grass'

Senior citizens today "need loving-kindness, company and food," stated Hsu. "Many of them don't have enough food."

Hsu, whose authorised biography was published earlier this year, remembers being "very poor and very hungry" when she was seven and had to resort to eating grass.

"As long as it's within my power, I will see that nobody should eat grass. That is my work now, caring for those that do not have the basic needs," pledged the vegetarian, whose favourite treats include vanilla ice cream.

Born in a poor but caring family in Kak Chioh Swatow — a tiny village in the Guangdong province of China — in 1898, Hsu has traveled far and wide helping others and leaving her imprint in countries such as Hong Kong, England and Paraguay, before finally settling down in Singapore.

She shared in her recently-released biography, Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu, her "wake up call" came in 1933 in Hong Kong, when she came across a beggar asking for food, just as she had attended a lavish company dinner.

Describing the "great pain in my heart" from witnessing the suffering of a fellow human being, Hsu decided, she would donate her money to the less fortunate instead of spending it on herself.

From then, she spent an average of only 30 cents a day for food and drink, giving away the remainder of her money.

But just sharing her money was not enough.


In the 1940s, Hsu, who was in her 40s, joined the Friends Ambulance Unit, where she looked after 20 young men and acted as their translator in China during the Second World War.

After four years, she felt called to study nursing. Against all odds, she boarded a cargo ship headed for England to study at the London Royal Free Hospital. Her determination and desire so impressed the Council, that she was accepted into the three-year course meant only for those aged between 17 to 25.

During the summer breaks, Hsu worked as an exchange volunteer with the International Voluntary Service for Peace in many European countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Norway and Demark.

She later joined the Society of Brothers in Paraguay, a haven for Jewish refugees from Hitler's persecution. She worked in a hospital and her duties included giving medication, injections and attending to women's health problems.

Other than caring for the 2,000 residents in the society's grounds, Hsu would deliver food to lepers living on the outskirts of the town everyday. She also gave out medicine and food, meant for society members, to the poor and sick — a move that often got her into trouble with the Society.

Her move to Singapore

After eight years, she returned to China. In 1961, Hsu moved again, this time with her mother, to Singapore to live with Hsu's elder sister, Ursula Khow. Khow was a school principal in Singapore.

She continued her social work in Singapore, serving first as an unsalaried matron at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital for about three years before opening an old folks' home in 1965 on a piece of land in Jalan Payoh Lai.

It cost $150,000 and was funded by Khow. Called the "Home for the Aged Sick", it started with just seven elderly residents but quickly expanded to 250.

A volunteer, Lau Tong Ngee, who has known Hsu for more than 38 years, was quoted in her biography describing Hsu's work.

"The Home was accepting more and more residents and she had to hire more workers to help in the work. The workers themselves were all poor. Teresa gave them work and treated the workers and also their families well," he said.

At that time, Hsu was also caring for 26 needy families and single elderly folks through her outreach unit, Heart-to-Heart, he said.

After 20 years at the home, Hsu retired and turned her attention to her welfare service, Heart to Heart, where she still works up till today.

Committed to serving others

Currently, she also travels overseas occasionally to share her experiences with others.

Rao, who has known Hsu for nearly 40 years since he first met her when he volunteered at her old folks' home in 1972, described Hsu as a "very loving, hearty and wise soul (with) an enormous amount of compassion and love for the poor and needy".

"Her heart always goes to the poor and suffering," he said. "It's a great blessing and joy to be in her presence and (I'm) always learning from her. (She has) so much experience, wisdom and always sharing her 'hahaha' recipe." (The recipe refers to Hsu's advice to people to lead a happy life.)

After a lifetime of placing the needs of others before herself, is Hsu ever tempted to sit back and enjoy her golden years?

No, she stressed. "No temptation can come into my house. I have work to do, I am not diverted."

She hopes this is a lesson that future generations will learn and remember.

Her message to young people today: "Go all out to help those who don't have the basic needs. See that nobody needs to go hungry."

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Interesting Quotes:

"The 3 C’s of life: choices, chances, and changes. You must make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change."

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

"Don't listen or think about anything other people say about you. Just live your life and prove them wrong."

"Persistently viewing others as dishonest, lazy, sinful, and ignorant can be a way of compensating for something you fear. If there's a pattern of seeing others as failures, you need to notice this pattern as evidence of what you're attracting into your life." ~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Update:

how it feels to b walking alone amongst the shopping crowd along orchard road during this time of the year...i had to be there several times a week last year n the year before tt...quite glad tt i dont have to be there so often this yr! =.=" how lonely it feels during this time of the year! Time to take another look at the legal stuff in front of me again o.O

Monday, December 5, 2011

"Comfortable with the face I’ve earned"




Alot of thoughts went through my leechie head as i read ‘Comfortable with the face I’ve earned’, by Dr. Lee Wei Ling, in Sunday Times...

Recently, some guys were rather surprised when they learnt tt i'm still single...ppl tend to think tt most pretty ladies r alrdy spoken for...well, i guess the lack of affinity is the main reason...haiz...however, do think twice or thrice abt dating guys who r with u only for ur looks...these guys might not hang around u for long if u were to get into some accident or lose ur looks due to age...anyway, there will always be someone else who is younger n prettier...y waste time on shallow guys who cant accept u for the person tt u r? o.O i'm far from perfect n i'm insecure abt my looks but i'm who i'm...i'm more than juz a face...there's a personality behind that face...there is somthg between my ears...u can agree to disagree...

Was watching the 11pm Channel 8 show in which one of the female leads, Jiahui, was disfigured after a bomb exploded...n her hubby, Zhenghong, stood by her n continued to shower love on her...she's really blessed to have such a sweetheart! i really envy the love he has towards her...tt is unconditional! but sometimes i really wonder if such guys r extinct by now? o.O esp after meeting sooooooooo many guys who r sooooo visual n judge u based on your looks!!! -.-

A couple of weeks ago, I was sharing with him tt an ex-colleague couldnt even recognize me n asked what happened to me...think i look so fat n ugly tt she cant recognize me now!

I admire how Dr. Lee is comfortable with the face tt she's earned...despite the visible changes...n how time n health issues have made their traces on her face...i would be lying if i said i wasn't affected by my ex-colleague's remarks abt how i look now as compared to the past! :'( i know i'm far from perfect n i'm full of insecurities...

"Beauty is not abt looks, makeups or clothes. true beauty comes from being urself, the more u show who u r the prettier u will be!"

Btw, i juz realized tt brian didnt know my profession although i've known him for years! gosh...he actually asked me for my namecard (which i dont have a habit of bringing out)...not surprised tt he looked at me blankly when i tried to explain what i do...some stuff r juz too technical to explain to the layman o.O" anyway, it was cool to hang out with the guys...to hear their views on the mkts n phones n talking abt gals...lol ;p Terence was saying tt som gal sitting opposite us was staring daggers at him...but she was too ugly...otherwise he would walk over to chat her up...lol ;p brian was more direct...he wanted to see gals in bikinis...lol...we miz the lunar eclipse as we stepped outta the restaurant...but there were plenty of ppl who came with huge telescopes! o.O"

Guys shld take a good look at this news article...r they sure they can afford high-maintenance ladies? willing to fork out >$300k/month? ;p (http://www.plushasia.com/media_photo/12115)

"Socialite Jamie Chua settles divorce suit
The high profile divorce suit between socialite Jamie Chua and Indonesian tycoon Nurdian Cuaca was settled yesterday.

The couple came to a settlement under confidential terms following which a freeze on Mr Cuaca's $93 million worth of assets was lifted by the High Court yesterday.

Chua, 36, was seeking $450,000 a month in maintenance from Cuaca based on the previous standard of living with her husband."

"Don't listen or think about anything other people say about you. Just live your life and prove them wrong."

Interesting Quotes:

"There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer’s research. This means that by 2020, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them."

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‘Comfortable with the face I’ve earned’, by Dr. Lee Wei Ling

"...I have said in this column before that I myself am aesthetically challenged, and I meant it in all honesty. But there was a time when I looked reasonably attractive – average, I would say. The past 10 years, however, have been somewhat unkind to me, and my current appearance reflects the health difficulties I have had.

Recently, I needed to get a new passport photograph. When I compared the new photograph with the one I took in 2001, I realised how much my face had aged.

I have put on 20lb (9kg) as instructed by my doctor. But my face is more angular and gaunt and I have prominent eye bags. In the 2001 photograph, I could easily have passed for a teenage boy. Now I look my age, or older than my age. No matter how short I cut my hair, I can no longer pass for a young androgynous teenager or man.

...When I scrutinise myself objectively in the mirror, I realise that the part of my face that has changed the most are my eyes. They are slanted and slit, closely resembling my father’s eyes in his old age. The lower part of my face looks angular and gaunt despite my weight gain, for most of my extra weight consists of muscle.

Recently, at the World Orchid Conference, two women separately asked me if I was Dr Lee. I asked the first woman who questioned me how she had guessed, since no recent photograph of me had appeared in the press. ‘You look like your father,’ she said.

I have not yet developed the ability to be totally detached from life's vicissitudes, but I have learnt to remind myself that desire of and attachment to worldly things bring suffering. I have this become fairly successful in curbing some of my attachments.

If I believed in reincarnation, then I would feel that I had many more lives to struggle through before I attained nirvana. But I don't believe in reincarnation, and I am convinced that I am a transient on this planet.

This means that if I don't want to suffer too much in this life, I must continually remind myself that while I should aspire to help other humans, I must also be willing to be detached when detachment is the only option.

I don't resent the misfortunes that fate has brought me. I accept them as lessons in life that only personal experience can teach. Indeed, I believe I am fortunate rather than unfortunate to have learnt these lessons.


...One small lesson I have learnt is that there is no purpose served in being attached to my face – or what used to be my face. George Orwell once wrote that after the age of 50, we all have the face we deserve. I, for one, am quite comfortable with the one I have earned."

Shopping at Johor Premium Outlets



I'm back...thx Terry, the mkting mgr of IskandarProject, for his prompt response on my query for directions on how to get to Johor Premium Outlets =) it's nice to shop there...but v.v.v.crowded...many malaysians drove there...we went via the 2nd link...but ended up being overcharged by the taxi driver from Gelang Patah to jpo...prefer to go via 2nd link to avoid the long queues at the woodlands customs...JPO is nice n spacious...btw, i like the Mocha Praline ice-blended from the Starbucks cafe at JPO...this flavour is not avail in sg...n the crepes from the crepes shop there r nice...but the waiting time for collection of crepes is abt 20min! o.O" there r limited F&B outlets at JPO so the queues r always v.long =.=" the thai restaurant was so popular tt they had to close before re-opening for dinner n even then, they were alrdy fully booked n their waiting list was building up...so we didnt manage to have our dinner at JPO o.O"

My personal take: prices at the Coach outlet r comparable to sg prices...not much cheaper...the States Coach outlets r far cheaper...i'm not familiar with the prices at the Coach outlet at Citygate in hk so i cant comment...but check out the loooooooooong q at the Coach outlet store at JPO! there r good buys at levis, adidas n la senza...but there is only 1 cashier at levis...i had to queue for more than 1hr juz to make payment! there r a few other general brands such as Cotton On, Guess, Gap, Esprit, Roxy, The Body Shop, Nike, Charles&Keith, Pedro, DKNY, CK, A|X, Fossil, etc...check out my loots from Johor Premium Outlets =)

Looooooooooooooong q at Coach Outlet store o.O"


Bought an elegant pouch from Ferragamo...this store was rather quiet compared to the rest...perhaps due to the fresh smell of the varnish lingering around in the store? o.O i asked for the red Ferragamo paper bag...but the staff said i would need to pay boutique prices if they were to give me the red paper bag cos this is an outlet store n not the boutique o.O btw, no vara pumps were in sight at this outlet...


Lancome cosmetics from an outlet store operated by Loreal group at JPO...i was quite surprised to find cosmetics here at JPO ;p


Pretty la Senza lingerie from their outlet store...this is my first corset...lol...couldnt resist cos it looks so pretty ;p i know the colors of these bras r abit loud but they had alrdy ran out of colors for my size =.=" btw, i received the la Senza iphone4 casing from the goodie bag from la Senza SG...but they were also giving away this same iphone4 casing with purchase of 200RM for JPO members (saw this promo on my second trip to JPO on 11th dec which was also the Official Opening of JPO) n on my second trip there, they were running out of popular sizes for bras n panties on promotion...but i did see plenty of size 38D bras being displayed...o.O


Plenty of good deals at Levis...the 2nd pair of jeans was going for 50% off on top of the low prices! the round neck tees were only 39RM each! the polo tee was the last piece avail n i got it for 49RM...but be prepared to brave the loooooooooooong q for the cashier...i queued for more than 1 hour juz to make payment! -.-"


Some good deals at Adidas...but i dont see these items there on my 2nd trip...so i was rather glad tt i bought them on my first trip...saw many ppl grabbing lotsa stuff too o.O


Enjoyed shopping so muchie at JPO tt we returned to JPO again on 11th dec when they had their official opening ;p

I'm a shopaholic in constant denial ;p


JPO was v.crowded with many shoppers...with long queues forming for F&B n washrooms...


Bought this Adidas jacket on my 2nd trip there...n i was wearing this jacket in the store n quite a few ppl actually mistook me for being an Adidas staff n asked me to help them get stuff...lol...rule of the thumb...try not to wear an Adidas tee or jacket in the Adidas store if u dont want to b mistaken for being an Adidas staff...lol ;p


Kinda fell in love with la Senza lingerie n bought these pretty lingerie on my 2nd trip there ;p




Btw, the queue for Burberrys was rather long on both occasions so i didnt go in...due to time constraint, i didnt manage to go into all the shops even with both trips combined...juz went to some outlets where i wanna get some stuff...n the Polo Ralph Lauren, Versace, Raoul, The Brooks Brothers outlets r still not open yet...no idea when they would b opening...o.O n my dad hates shopping...he was grumbling alot on our first trip...so he didnt bother to join us for the 2nd trip to JPO...o.O

Update:

My leechie mobile phone is dying...which phone shld i get: iphone 4 or iphone 4S? not muchie difference right? or any better recommendations? cos i have small hands...those iphones look BIG o.O"

Btw, butter fingers leechie dropped my leechie camera...n the lcd screen cracked =( frenz were saying tt i dont need to buy a camera if i were to buy iphone...any suggestions? cos some low end cameras r quite cheap ya? o.O

I'm juz amused with how the ppl around me like to copy my style...am i supposed to be a trend-setter or what? i juz wear whatever i'm comfy with...when i started to wear sporty gym gear to work...som ppl started to follow suit...when i wear my Adidas jacket to work...again i see ppl doing the same...lol...my mum juz wanted to poke fun of me n asked if anyone mistook me for being an Adidas staff again? lol...well, perhaps those guys with really toned abs n body can try standing topless in front of A&F boutique at orchard road...maybe they might b mistaken for one of those topless models n gals may go up to them to take pics? ;p a really great way to pick up gals ya? but pls dont attempt this if u have a less-than-toned body ;p

Guess what? Jonathan saw my posting n dedicated the following pic to me...lol...but...look at his labelling...shittydev actually looks better than capland! -.-"

N he followed up with the following pic...lol...this is not my home btw...lol...juz for laughs ;p

Eat your hearts out, ladies...i managed to pop by juz before 7pm to take 2 pics within the remaining 5mins...he's really cutie ya? ;p