Mid autumn festival and full moon

I almost missed you in the flurry of things and in the uncertainty of the period. Good thing I have a window that faces you as you come out. Again, am not sure I captured you well enough but I am again in awed of your brightness and of your perfect roundness. Well I did not want to disturb you much so I opted to only take two pictures. Am sure my dear friends from the northern hemisphere were celebrating your night as it signals the start of autumn in their part of the world and for my other dear friends from down under and from the kiwi land, I hope they too are celebrating your night as it signals that winter is over for them and they can look forward to spring and to sunshine and less cold days and nights.

For us in the tropics, we were celebrating you for a different reason. We were celebrating a love story from the past of a couple who would only be able to meet again during this mid autumn festival. Well at least we had something to celebrate and we even had mooncakes to bite while we watch you, lantern to play with and burn (hopefully not anymore since now all are battery operated) and Chinese tea to drink.

Meet my colleagues who I work with and are part of my journey here in working towards making the lives of older people a little better

(from L to R: Teresa, Lynne, Cat, Sussie, Angela, Agnes and Annie)

I always like older people. I like talking with them and listening to their stories. My own grandparents died when I was very young. Since that time, I have adopted my friend's grandparents and even those I only met in the course of my work. I call them grandpa and grandma (or amah). And it always bring tears to my eyes when I look at them, so beautiful and so serene and so happy in their golden years.

I guess I digress for a bit there, but I wanted to establish and I guess to find a more meaningful reason for my joining a foundation that works with older people here in Singapore. I have been with this same organization for the past five years and six months. And I must say it is partly the people I work with, my colleagues and my co-'tsaoettes' (how we call ourselves here) that has made my stay and my working life with the foundation both a challenge and fun. Someone dear to my heart is right in one thing. We do love to eat and to drink tea together! At every opportunity and without any reason to celebrate, we find a way to eat together and laugh together.

Today, we had a good reason to go out and have lunch. Well not to try out the Vietnamese restaurant in Suntec but because we wanted to treat our dear Cathryn to lunch and to give our farewell gift. We were almost complete (well our two bosses were not around and two others could not make it), but the fellowship during lunch was great. We had so much fun trying out Vietnamese food. And of course we had to finish it off with tea (for me with siutay or 'less sugar' please...) and coffee for them.

To our dear Cathryn, thanks for your sweet words to all of us today, for reminding us to stop and pause for a while and to stay happy. We wish you all those things as well and we look forward to hearing of your new appointment as a 'pastress?!' (a term that a colleague asked her if that is how you call a woman pastor). It was a good way to end the day, with all of us laughing together as one united and happy team.

Having seen the inside of Myanmar

Last December 2006, I was very lucky and blessed to have had the opportunity to visit Myanmar. If not for the official ASEAN meeting where we have been invited, I may not have this chance to go to this country. We were there for about a week and though short, we managed to visit two major cities, Mandalay and Yangon, plus another island called Mingun. I have posted quite a number of pictures I took while I was there. Myanmar is a beautiful country and its people are so warm and so nice and so helpful, despite the language difficulty. Again, I had been mistaken for a Myanmarese while I was there. Not surprising since I seem to have a very ordinary Asian look.

Anyway, when I heard about the protests of the monks recently in Yangon and the growing numbers of people that are going to the streets to protest against the huge increase in oil prices in the country and the curfew now being imposed in the two major cities that I had been, I cannot help but feel concerned and sad. I feel concerned because I have three very good friends who hail from Myanmar. I do pray and hope they and their families are safe.

I also pray for peace to be upon the hearts of the military leaders and for the wisdom of Buddha to guide them as they make decisions on how to deal with this growing discontent and everyday protests, especially as the highest moral leaders of Myanmar, the monks have now come out and made a clear stand against the military junta.

I spent half a day inside the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon and I remember feeling in awe of the number of people who go there to spend their day to pray and to commune not only with Buddha but also with their families and friends. My friend told me the pagoda has become a refuge now for the people, against the economic hardship they are experiencing. Myanmarese have become more spiritual and prayerful against the reality of a life that continues to deprive them of so many opportunities and of a cloistered life, as their society continues to be ruled by the military junta.

To my friends in Yangon and to the people of Myanmar, I offer a prayer of peace and unity.

Another journey ending at work....

Goodbye my friend and colleague Ms. Cat!

From you I learned so much about Singaporean culture, Chinese culture and Tsao work culture. From you I learned to let go of my fear of flying. From you I learned to be humble and forgiving when others are not being nice to me. From you I learned to cherish the past, and the memories of how the foundation has started and the stories of the different people who have come and gone from our organization. From you I learned to appreciate dangling earrings, go after sale items and shop in places that are off the beaten track. From you I learned to be more caring of myself and to love myself a little bit more. From you I learned to be generous and more giving. From you I also learned to be persevering and to pause and be patient. From you I learned to appreciate the gift of healing and the gift of life. From you I know that miracles do happen!

Am very thankful for all the years you have been inviting me to your house to celebrate Chinese New Year with your Mom and your dear friends. You have always acted as my older sister and a dear friend, especially when I was just starting with the foundation and I had difficulty blending in with the rest of our colleagues. You became my protector against a few 'not nice' incidents at work.


I will always cherish these and more. Now that your leaving us to pursue your other dreams, I pray that God will continue to bless you, protect you and guide you and use you to administer to those who need His love and care, especially those who are undergoing their own struggle with breast cancer. You have taught all of us that there is life after a big storm and that indeed life is precious and should be lived in fullness and with God's love.

Thank you my dear and may our paths cross again as we both continue in our journey in this world called LIFE!

View of Singapore from Suntec Tower One

Raffles Hotel



Esplanade by the Bay, Marina Mandarin Hotel and Raffles Place buildings



70 storey Stamford Hotel, Raffles the Plaza and War Memorial monument



Marina Bay and its surrounding tall hotels (Pan Pacific, Marina Mandarin)

Last Friday, there was a delegation from China who visited our organization. The meeting was held at the office of our sister organization on another tower. I did not realize they have a better view there of Singapore. As I was early for the meeting, I took the time to take shots of some of the interesting buildings and structures of Singapore.

Tour guide in Singapore (part 2)

Gay gave me an excuse to go again tonight to another tourist spot of Singapore. This time around I brought her to CHIJMES, which used to be a monastery before it became a place for eating and drinking. I also brought her to see the lobby and the inside of Raffles Hotel. I wanted to bring her to Asia Bar at the 70th floor of the Stamford Hotel, unfortunately, tonight it was close because of a private function. I think one of the banks is having their dinner and dance there tonight. So we ended up going to Long Bar, inside Raffles Hotel. Long Bar is famous for two things. One, it is famous for the Singapore Sling, a concoction that was supposed to have been created in that hotel. Second, it is the only bar and for that matter the only space in Singapore where people are encouraged to loiter. Yes, loiter as in no one will stop you or fine you for throwing peanut shells on the floors.




But of course, be prepared to pay S$20 for a Singapore sling. Not something I would want to do every so often. Lol! Only when friends come and visit Singapore.

Tour guide in Singapore (part 1)

Being a constant traveler (as my friend Meann calls me), I like it when friends from overseas come and visit me here in Singapore. I always try to find time for them to take them around to see this tiny beautiful city state I now call home (at least for a while).

My visitor today was Gay. I met Gay when I was still a student. She was already working then. Then at some point we became colleagues, working for the same organization. She was my supervisor. Back then I thought she was much older than me. Only the past few years I realized that it was because of her maturity that she seemed so much older but in actual fact, she was only a few years older than me. At some point our paths diverged. But we managed to at least know where each other is. From her I have learned a few things in life. I learned to always remember friends birthdays. Though I have never managed to emulate her passion for always giving a gift to everyone. She has this trunk full of gifts for people she likes and that are important to her. She never forgets important occasions.

From her as well I learned that it is important to love myself and how to live and remain strong in this beautiful but sometimes cruel and unfair world. She is one person I like to remain a friend and to maintain some connection even though we live in different countries or even different timezones (in the future).

So today I met her and together we walked around Singapore, or at least the more interesting parts of it, from Chinatown to Boat Quay, then we crossed over to the Esplanade, viewed the Merlion from afar and then finished with a coffee at Starbucks (her favorite coffee) at Suntec City.

I must say I had fun and I am sure she had too. It is always good to reciprocate the hospitality and generosity I always get from friends I have visited with those friends or even friends of friends of mine who come here for a few days.
Anyway I believe life is a circle, meaning what you give will be returned back to you tenfold. And it makes life more meaningful and this journey more interesting.

A full moon in Singapore

You full moon

You are me
and I am you

Connected in spirit
bounded by memories

Of a life lived in darkness
yet bright enough once in a while

Wishing you will grant
One wish from your deity

Loving you as if
Nothing else matters

Wanting you while
No one could see

Hugging you when
Am feeling alone

Crying with you
as my pain flows

Dancing with you
as you move through the clouds

Living in you
breathing through you

Another first as I journey in this world

I was born in the month of June. As such I was born with the astrological sign of Cancer. Since birth, I have always been ruled by moon. The moon, especially a full moon always uplifts my spirit, making me upbeat in my mood. Until last month, August, I have not been able to capture a full moon. Despite our affinity, it always eludes my camera. Until a week ago...

I was lying down in bed when I saw the full moon looking down at me. Not wanting to get up, I just looked up on it, trying to talk it into showing me a miracle. I uttered a wish on the moon. As it was shining brightly that night, I could not help but look on it till I cannot take it anymore, I got up and took out my Canon digicam. I went out to our balcony and decided to take shots of the full moon in all its brightness. Only one would turn out to be the nearest replica of how it looked that night. I am not sure tho I am giving justice to it but maybe next month I will be able to have a better shot at it.