When i opened his present... I laughed super out loud, and then hooted and woot-ed...

(Laughed: "WOW! THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN LUSTING AFTER! Hoot and Woot: "WOAH! UNCANNY MAN!!!" and upon closer inspection, "WOAH! HIGH END STUFF LEH!")

Not that it was something i didn't like, in fact, it was something that i've always debated over whether to buy... erm, as in, lip gloss. (ok, anti-climax lah, but don't pop my bimbo moment ok?)

Every time i'm at the pharmacy, i'll pick up the colour that i like and clutch it in my hand as i move around the shop. But it would take me only a few minutes of re-consideration before i put it down again in the rack.

Yeah, so like it said, when i opened his present... I was surprised to see FOUR SHADES OF LIP GLOSS all prettily displayed in a transparent box. And it was from a high end brand ok...... Woahh... *bug eyes*

I wonder whether it's because he notices that i don't put anything on my lips for work or whether he thought that (most) girls can't have too much of make-up anyways.
If it's the former, that would make him not only a very perceptive psychologist, but also a very keen observer of small details, or the lack of them.

Seriously, God has a sense of humour. I'm being blessed with the things that i've always wanted to get but never did. First came the mp3 player, then my nice 4 tubes of lip gloss. Whee!

OH AND...

I've just opened another present and... it's more lip stuff! (haven't opened it so i don't know if it's gloss or lip stick)
Anyways, thanks girl! Hoohoo!

Talk about abundant blessings.

And.... Thank You NTU Cell for your birthday card and present! Thanks to Gem who always has the knack for making and picking the things i like very much. ;-DDDD

Just wanted to say that i feel so blessed by everyone around me, as well as Daddy God.

In the past few weeks, he probably saw and provided me the "want" that i've been eyeing for a while, and for FREE. I did nothing to deserve it, and it pretty much just landed in my lap. He's also blessed me with people who care, and He has also brought me through situations where i know i would have messed up if i had relied on myself to succeed.

*

Woo, i wonder what i should wear for the wedding on the 1st of Jan. I'll be playing for the service, so need to "wear nice nice", as pastor puts it. :-D White and Khaki is the dress code. Hmm... Anyone wanna give me a makeover?

I haven't had fun at work before, and today nails it! And why?

Because NO ONE IS AROUND. MUAH HAHAHAHAHAA. Ok, my colleagues and boss had a presentation to go to, so that leaves lil ole me all by myself to man the phone. Since i'm spending pretty much like 9 hours or so alone enclosed in the office, i brought all my art stuff so that i could work on some birthday and christmas presents. Ah, so productive, i likes.

Think: radio on louder than usual, singing to Corrinne May and head banging to Gotan Project mp3s, embossing stuff, typing out calendars and filling them in, drawing and outlining pictures, drawing out calendars and filling them in...

Around close to 3pm, i was severely running out of ideas of what to occupy myself with. And in a corner next to me is this bunch of leaves that look like the real stuff of christmas trees. But far from inspiring romantic images of white rolling hills densely populated by snow covered pine trees, the remains of this one has kind of begun to smell sourish, like puke.

So it's now the "11th hour" before i knock off, and i've forgotton that i've got to collect the mail. Ok, so here i go. YEAY! 10 more minutes to freedom!

Ok, from this trash you can tell that i'm really not lying to you about my boredom.

To find out that he was only that bit away from me gave me the chills. There's still a degree of separation and it's very likely that i won't bump into him anyway. But STILL... When i heard that little bit of news, my blood ran cold for a moment.

Not that i fear anything, or feel anymore pain. It's just that when a bit of my past comes by to brush lightly against my current path in life and even almost crosses it, i can't help but feel a sudden rush of thoughts and emotions. The physiological body then reacts accordingly... The heart races, i feel cold and my hair stands, my head throbs and my palms go a bit clammy.

A part of me always hopes that both parties will come to an amicable and civil existence, especially since it's been a number of years already. I never make advances and i don't think i'll ever dare to unless it's obvious that if i do, i won't be murdered. God knows best about the state of our minds and hearts, and i trust Him wholeheartedly for however the future unfolds.

Update: (heh.)

Thanks also to my group of ACJC mates, Peeds, Brose, Ger and Betts for springing that birthday surprise on me at Fish and Co. Wahaha, sorry that the toilet trip thingy was foiled because i refused to budge from my seat. Haha, i'm such a spoiler lah... You guys mean so much to me, that i'd always try to keep you guys as close as possible to me throughout this lifetime despite time and distance.

Thanks so much Gem, Mer and Dom who treated me generously to dinner, i love having your company! If only the hours stood still, we could just yak away into the night. Looking forward to our games afternoon before service on sat. ;oDDD

Thanks also to the ACJC Library Gang and Associates who all took time off from their working schedules to spend time with me at VivoCity for dinner. Teehee... I could say the same here, that i'm just so blessed to have you all as my close sisters, and that we can just talk about everything. If only we didn't need to go home, we'd talk till the cows come home. See you girls for our sleepover! *hoorah!* You girls are guaranteed: my friends for life!

***

Thank you John for the ice breaker that somehow led to it being broadcasted throughout the entire room.

Thank you worship ministry people who were all so enthusiastic about singing me the song which resulted in everyone clapping in unison and singing in sync.

And i have NO IDEA how the rest of you (who weren't there this morning at the workshop) knew about it.

And no thanks Chris for suggesting a "tao pok". haha.

Thank you for all your smses, whether they were words of encouragement, of blessing, well wishes.

Thank you for your warm smiles and ready handshakes, thank you for your arm that went around me that conveyed so strongly your genuine care and love.

Thank you dad who treated me to a dinner that opened my eyes to something that was an experience of a lifetime...

Thank you Kenny and Dominic for your lunch treat today. I was blown away by your gesture of brotherly care. :-DDDD

And there're more thank yous to make in the next few days...

Breathe, jo breathe...

Yesterday i survived a full day out on 4 hours of sleep.

Now, in the 20 hours that was sunday the 3rd, my day began at 4:20 am and i spent the following hours travelling to town and running my crazy self around the city hall, raffles, and marina area with thousands of other crazy people while the rest of Singapore was asleep.

If i think that's crazy, i sure wasn't crazy enough to attempt the 42km marathon. (a friend's friend was a casualty for that category. I hope he's recovering well and isn't too traumatised by his experience. :-< )

I'm pleased with my first 10km run in my life ever. 10km's not much according to most standards and it's not that i finished it with a superb timing, but it's because i finished it below my estimated time, while still being able to enjoy myself through and through from starting point to finish.

I loved feeling how my body moved easily and smoothly along the route without feeling as if i was a 100kg blobfish on two human legs. There weren't any signs of heavy, uncomfortable laborous breathing or muscle burning and i was able to pace myself with my self-talk and wasn't pressured by other runners. I felt totally at ease, like there was no physical strain, no pessimistic thoughts of "dang, this is going to be a long, sad, torturous run". Somehow, the body's system, from psychological and physical, was well tuned and prepared, without the preparation. Thank God!

I've a certain baseline stamina that can take me through 3-4 km at a shot, without very regular weekly runs (though you still need to be fit to some extent). But you can be sure that i didn't train for the 10km run at all, which was well understood, that even in the days before the run took place, my dad waved his hands at me and sneered that i haven't even been training for it.

Last night i came into his study with my "prize" and showed him the medal, to which he said: "Woah, not bad ah. It's quite heavy!" (hur hur) and then he added, "I don't think i would've been able to do it."

Much thanks to Denise who messaged me at like 6-something in the morning (!!!) and to fellow runners who tuned in to ask how everything went. Much thanks to Gem too for being there with me through the event (especially since Y couldn't make it due to work demands) though you didn't hide behind a bush along the way to wait for me so we could run together!!! :-( (ok, KIDDING ONLY)
(note: men's 10 km began 30min before the women's 10 km)

As if running wasn't enough for the day, i spent the rest of the afternoon in a sound proof room packed full with musicians, jamming and worshipping God together. ;-) Dinner with the worship ministry people followed at orchard, and then a pathetic excuse for a window shopping trip with my sister after dinner, and then i finally called it a day when we took a straight bus back.

A very productive day, i must say. Thank you Lord for the people around me and the experiences that are to come. I can't divulge too much about these things at the moment on this space, but man, i can so see all these issues in the distance coming towards me. I know the events to come might have very confusing polarized effects on me, but either way, i know i'm going to learn something.

Toodles for now. Wish i could blog more. I've got photos to share but haven't been able to sit down long enough before having to run off to tie more loose ends. Church, friends, keyboard stuff, personal admin matters, work. Plenty of avenues to keep me busy. While i enjoy the busy-ness (busy-ness keeps depression away!), i really hope to tone down for a week to have some peace and quiet.