Much Ado About Nothing

How cool does a picnic and play sound like to you? And when you have them together, it is double the bliss!

Every few times in a year, or whenever there is a very special occasion, I’ll try to whip up a dish. So this time round, with  much effort, Salmon-bacon w cream sauce.

What could possibly go wrong, went wrong. Or so I think. But I am still glad at least it looked decent.

Love, laughter, conspiracy and drama.

‘Shakespeare in the Park’ returns this May with a sumptuous take on one of the greatest comedies of all time.

Bring a picnic basket and blanket and lie under the stars as the park comes to life like you have never seen before.

In 2007, over 20,000 people came to SRT’s landmark production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Fort Canning Park. This year’s Much Ado About Nothing promises to be twice as much fun.

Whether you want to enjoy a wonderful romantic comedy, be part of a historic event, or just have a picnic, this will be a spectacular evening for young and old.

Much Ado about Nothing is of one of Shakespeare’s best known, light-hearted comedies. The play follows the obstacle filled courtships of two romances – Hero and Claudio, and Benedick and Beatrice. The brilliance of the main plot witnesses Hero and Claudio falling in love at first sight; but as with any immediate attraction, they have a lot to learn about each other. This is accompanied with the humorous bickering of Beatrice and Benedick in their “merry war” of the sexes.

The quintessential romantic comedy is layered with witty and hilarious character interaction between the two couples, as well as a streak of darkness from Don John who conspires against Hero and Claudio’s wedding. In the end though, does it all turn out to be “much ado about nothing”?

The witty exchanges between the actors are splendid! But the Shakespearean English is a little hard to catch. Should have done some reading up before that

Dempsey House

Check out the link above. This wonderful evening is completed with tea surrounded by the serene nature. It spells too awesome to be true.

Attitude.

Attitude, unlike any other academic fields or life skills, cannot be taught. It frustrates me very much when someone instead of assuming responsibilities when in the wrong, chose to shaft the blame to others. It’s as though the whole world ought to treat them well. Get a life, cos no one owes you a living. Lest you change your stinky attitude, you’ll probably face the same problem everywhere you go.

To this other person who frustrates me just as much. You seem to have a liking on other people’s possession. Be it human or objects. But like what A said, and she said it best, “Time will tell.” That happened to be something which I kept telling myself too.  Ultimately, one day, you will be exasperated from all your acts and realised that you have no one by your side. As for now, though I have lost something which was once of dear value to me, it kinda loses its meaning holding on to it. You can have it all. But your joy won’t be for long. I sometimes wonder, in trying to acquire all these to yourself, are you genuinely happy? What’s the point of winning this one victory and losing everything else? I wish you luck in the acquisition of your next trophy.

Totally! How can I be doing nothing on my post-ESAP-pre-Strategy day! So here’s the list of my accomplishment:

1. Grocery shopping for the picnic tomorrow
2. Swimming in the blazing sun
3. Visit the National Museum for the Christian Lacroix  Exhibition
4. Ransack Frankie’s office (it was a failure, I ended up tidying it)
5. A well deserved Italian dinner w Frankie
6. Yong Ling’s surprise party!

Christian Lacroix

These pink tanks greeted me at the entrance

One of my fav dresses

Gorgeous!

Creative imagination

Was a tad too late, shall go back another day for this exhibition. Anyone keen?

The amount of photos I took at the exhibition is crazy! Go visit my facebook for more ya

Yong Ling’s surprise party!

The happy birthday girl!

Frankie and Yongling

Caleb, YL & Shern

Valery, YL & I

Me, YL & Sam

Boys will be boys

Once again, check out my facebook  for the entire album.

Yup, lotsa running around but I am enjoying my limited freedom to the max! Phewww! That’s an exhaustive list but wait till tomorrow. More happening stuff up next. I am attempting to cook. Yeah cook! And I can’t wait for the picnic at Fort Canning while watching Much Ado About Nothing See, life is so exciting without exam!

Saw this on the web, it’s so funny that I hafta put it up!

Ending here with some quotes which I find them really cool,

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm
wrinkles the soul. ~ Samuel Ullman

If I could wish for my life to be perfect,
it would be tempting but I would have to decline,
for life would no longer teach me anything.

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. ~Helen Keller

Happenstance

Lighthouse. Honestly, I didn’t know there is a lighthouse so pretty in mainland Singapore. Was too tired to climb up and take a look, but I am so certain the view up there is gonna be breath-taking.

Since friend W got a car, so we thought why not try something more adventurous. Yup, with that, we went for a off road trip. The bumpy road and all the sharp turns made me wanna puke, seriously!

The view at the end of the road proves that it is all worthwhile.

Since it is an automated car and the car park is so isolated… yup Bethia hopped on the driver’s seat joyously! My virgin attempt and it turned out to be so fun and exciting! According to friend W, he said it is hard to believe that I have not started taking lessons yet. Woots! If only everyone is half as encouraging as you. There is a train of people who have already told me not to pick up driving and endanger people’s life. Yeah, I am tempted to try again! Though it’s just making simple rounds in the carpark, I have ample joy doing that!

I LOVE my life absolutely! Love how it is always so packed with novelty. Like going for an off road trip, checking interesting things out and trying new things and experiences! And I so love the friends around me! Are they like cool or what? Especially this special lady whom I watched Night at the Museum with. Shan’t say who la, else she starts gloating. LOL But I must add that the movie is fantabulous!

Coming back to what happened today, (or perhaps yesterday based on the time now) it was a display of God’s amazing grace, again! The night before ESAP I was panicking like an ant on the hot pan. Never in my life was
I told that I hafta write so much for a question, fuelled by guilt for going out too much during this exam period, I was paralysed in fear. Nothing seems to be going into my thick skull no matter how hard I tried. Thank God for Boying, who came all the way down to join me for revision. She always say the darnest things to make me laugh. And probably she is the only one whom I enjoy bullying so much! And of course, I managed to study a bit at long last.

Crappy stuff happened when we least expect them. I was drenched twice cos of the highly unpredictable weather just before my exam. Though I was not wet through and through, the feeling sucks! Thankfully, I didn’t catch a cold. That is amazing!

ESAP paper turned out okay for me. Even though I couldn’t attempt all the questions but at least I tried my very best. No regrets. Again and again, His grace was sufficient. What more can I ask for but to repay Him with a heart full of gratitude.

I am soooooo happy that the next paper is 15 days away. SO I shall just squander the rest of this week away by doing things that I have always wanted to do but couldn’t due to exam. One of the things I am doing now is staying up late! It’s freaking 330am now!! Darned I feel like a kid, trying to delay sleeping time to as late as possible. Man, I have to catch a few hours of sleep before diving into the pool! Being busy with the things I love doing is anytime better than mugging endlessly!

Half Time!

More than 2 years into the course,

Months of preparation to undergird it,

2 weeks into the exam,

After tomorrow,

it’s gonna be half time.

It’ll be a good 17 days before the very next paper, that leaves me with a more than comfortable time to study for it. And so, we’ll be watching Night At The Museum II tmr! Some tanning, shopping, celebrating birthdays, catching up with people, watching a play and checking out the art exhibition on the way. Hmmm that’s a mouthful.

But before that, ESAP to conquer. I JUST realised (to my utter horror) that I am supposed to write a page of answer for every question in Section A!!! 2 things that shocked me:

1. I don’t have that much things up there to rant about. Time will certainly be not be on my side.

2. What the hell have I been doing in class, only to realise it NOW??!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!

Freaks me out big time!

I wish for tomorrow to come and not come…

Sunday Afternoon

It’s a choice to stay
It’s a dream yeah and I wanna wake
You have blood on your hands and I’m feeling faint
And honey yeah, you can’t decide

I’m a drug you don’t wanna give up
Smoke your cigarette and make your love flow
You poured blood in my heart, I can’t get enough
I’m drowning and you can’t decide

It’s not about geography or happenstance
You need to fly and take a chance
You don’t need to soar to emptiness
And float on high and forever dance alone
You’re scared ’cause I feel like home

I hear your voice and I knew right away
If you were here what your eyes would say
I have blood on my feet as I walk away
Rivers are red, it’s starting to rain

I’m not gonna live for you or die for you
Won’t do anything anymore for you
Because you leave me here on the other side
You leave me here on the other side

I won’t live for you or die for you
Won’t do anything anymore for you
Because you leave me here on the other side
Oh, you leave me here on the other side

I won’t live for you or die for you
Do anything, anymore for you
Because you leave me here on the other side
Oh, you leave me here on the other side

I won’t live for you or die for you
Do anything anymore for you
Because you leave me here on the other side
You leave me here on the other side

I won’t live for you or die for you
Won’t do anything anymore for you

I’m not gonna shed one more tear for you
Shed one more tear for you
I’m not gonna shed one more tear for you
At least not ’til Sunday afternoon, Sunday afternoon

FBI

Someone refreshed my memory lately that the last time the girls met up was in last July. Yeah indeed a very long time ago. We had Germaine with us the previous time, but this time round it’s down to the final 4. Oh Carol couldn’t join us due to a leg injury, so for those of you who know her, pls pray for her.

Time fliessss, it seems like I have known them for so long yet it also feels like yesterday when we had Bible Study together under Zing. Do you know? FBI is the first CG that I joined when I attended WEFC. I love how it is an all girls CG which means we can share things very openly. Being in an all girl CG also means that sometimes we rub shoulders and have a rough patch with one another. But when Christ is in the midst of us, we always make up and move on. Yup the memories were coloured with much nostalgia. In case you wonder why FBI, it stands for Faith Behind It. How I love the meaning of this acroymn! Those were the days when our faith seems to move mountain at every command but with each progressive year, burdens seems to take a toil on us and weigh us down. Nevertheless, I am so glad that they have been supportive and encouraging to one another.

To my lovely babes…

Jess: Though we once have some conflicts, I am thankful that didn’t cause us to fall apart. Thank you for listening and able to sympathise with what I am going through. Remember, we are in this together. Let not the things of the past (be it us or others ) affect us. Love ya

Rachel: Hey poking buddy. I miss your pokes every Sunday. Ever since I left WEFC, there is no one at CEFC to poke my fats. Okay that sounds morbid. Anyways, take lotsa care at Timor, will be praying. We shall meet a year later, after you return ya. Will be missing you greatly.

Tabby: My once co-leader for LOL (Live out Loud), i wanna say a big THANK YOU. I truly appreciate your graciousness and humility in labouring side-by-side with me. You taught me to lead with patience and quiet trust in the Lord when I am easily frustrated and when I lost sight in this meandering journey. Times when I have subtly placed myself on the pedestal, your words of encouragement never fail to bring me back to His abiding presence. Thank you Sweetheart! And also for listening to my rambles and offering me insights to life issues. I don’t know what I am missing out without you!

FBI continues to rock my socks. I love you girls!

(L-R) Jess, Rachel, Tabby & I

Jess’ lao gong, i bet he had fun shopping with us too

How can I resist the urge to try on something that is so attention grabbing! A resounding 6-inch heels from Topshop! I don’t think running in 4-inch is a problem for me, but this 6-inch is a monster! Almost trip and fall a couple of times! Of course I didn’t buy that, but no harm having fun trying it.

The fun in shopping perhaps is not so much about attaining the things we want. Fun is derived from trying on things which we like but don’t think we can afford, or trying things that look so outrageous which makes us wonder who on earth will buy them! I proudly announced that the girls have a whooping good time doing what we do best!

At this point, I can’t wait for the next gathering which probably isn’t gonna come so soon. Till then, embracing the moments of sister time!

Sidenote: the lofty one shall eat the fruit of her own labour.

Wake Up & Shake Up

Is this world I am living in virtual or what? If not, why do people kept telling me at the most random of times, “Welcome to the real world!” How can the world I live in be that much of a difference from that of a day ago or just seconds ago? I suspect it has got to do with their perspective relative to the circumstances they faced. Anyhow, I find human in general getting more queer and complicated. Just like what the OTIA text says, we are all rational players, each driven by our own self interests. But I found one character in my contact list, actually 2 in fact, suspiciously altruistic. So much so that I try to second guess their innocent, kind intentions sometimes. Ouch. It’s hard to believe in this meritocratic world that they are still people who are just being nice, people whom we did nothing to earn and deserve their “nice-ness”. Then we always have people from the totally opposite end of the spectrum, telling me funny tales of how evil man are. How we shouldn’t trust people. While others just seek to maximise their own agendas and making use of anyone or anything that comes in their way. Eeewwwwwww… That spells disgusting.

In about a month and a half, I will be immersing myself into the working world. Wow like how I am so not looking forward to waking up early and having a rigid lifestyle. Just today, my lovely manager told me to find a good day to go back to the new office to decorate my desk. How awesome! I have a flair for decorating desk to perk up the mood. After all, we spent quite a fair deal of time on it ya. So after ESAP it shall be. A part of me actually look forward to the challenge of this working world. Hope it lasts.

FUMING now. I just discovered someone has gobbled up my MACARONS! arrghhhhhh! MY MACARONS!

Till then, it’s rocking ESAP time!

Worn me down

Exceeding Joy Is Mine!

What has OTIA done to us?

It got us all fidgety before the paper. Unexpected things do happen in the exam hall. Like today, another very typical Bethia moment happened again. I reached the venue unusually early so I decided to check out the sitting plan.  Being nice, I helped my beloved Ziwan checked hers as well. You see, my puny brain can’t seem to remember 2 sets of 3 digits very well. So I remembered Ziwan’s seating number perfectly well and got mine mixed up. Instead of sitting at #548, I sat at #538!

The funniest thing that happened was that the rightful seat owner was unsure of herself when she was wondering why her seat was taken. So as usual, being typically ya-ya, I answered very confidently that I was at the right place. She has to run out to check her seating number again. By now, you may have guessed the outcome. OMG!! You should have checked out the facial expression man. Actually to Ziwan, it was brilliant. I wished I never have to re-enact that again! That was seriously a bad start to my most dreaded paper!

But did anyone ever tell you that prayers do wonders? After a quick prayer, I was brought back to my initial state of mind. As for the paper itself, it wasn’t all that fantastic. Like how fabulous can it be when it is OTIA??? One thing to give thanks for, it was His amazing grace that carried me through. From the revision to the penning of the answers, every step was taken with much pain and difficulty. The tremendous torment that all of us went through to prepare for this incorrigible paper is unimaginable. Anyone who sat for the paper will agree with me, right folks?

So one can imagine that unspeakable joy when the paper was finally over. Never ever, no more OTIA ever again! Ultimate Yayness! The way outta Expo was so filled with laughter! Taking train with Danny, Kun Quan and Ziwan was even more fun! We cracked jokes all the way from Expo to Bugis and beyond! No more OTIA really gives me a new definition for freedom and liberation! *A huge sigh of relief*

To celebrate this joyous occasion, Ziwan and I went dating! YAY!

My first happy meal after the paper! Gosh was so filling can!

Her meatballs are darned delicious!

I wouldn’t trade this for anything else! Her million dollar look!

My unglam shot

After looking at the word “bras”, she was inspired! There she goes, tissue paper bra for ya!

Outside Ode to Art. I wanna do the Mao Ze Dong post. Trying to keep to a lookout to see if people are actually noticing what we are doing.

All cleared!

LOL! seriously i don’t know what got into me! So I concluded, it must be the new found liberty!

The anguish look. Eh how come he looks like he is also taking OTIA??!!!

I believe he takes OTIA as well!

Red man everywhere!

Ain’t this cute?

Due to the recent Swine flu, our store shall retrieve all the related products. We apologise  for the inconvenience caused.

The red army continues to command and conquer!

That’s team work!

What a blissful night. Kudos to Ziwan who make it so fun. Without this lovely babe around, there will be no laughter. Awwww… Let’s mug for ESAP together okay?

Praise the Lord, He is good, all the time! Bliss after bliss after bliss. As my night starts to turn gray, Mama Fam past me some mighty macarons!  They are next to chocolates! Awesome! Thank you so much, Ade!

After having such a huge meal, Ziwan and I conquered a yummilicious dessert. If that is not all, my mom bought me sushi which I felt so obliged to finish them. Just thought the night will be incomplete without chocolates. So I had some Royce chocolates. Hahahaha that summarise to the word “FAT!” With that, I will force myself to swim tomorrow!

All things are great because He is in this jouney with me. Praise and glory be to Him, now and forever!

And My Joy Shall Return

Studying for OTIA is so depressing. I mean it. It’s like you know the stuff, yet you don’t know them. I thought I knew the material till I look at the solution that the examiner gave. Looks like it’s completely 2 different ball game altogether.

BUT surely, I am excited cos all these agony of going thru OTIA is gonna end tmr!!!

While studying at Starbucks, I came up with a list of things that I hafta google when I get back.

Yes, play Bejeweled on FB was one of the agendas! I’m so addicted to it. In fact, that became the first thing I did after I switched on my com!

I WANNA GO FOR CHRISTIAN LACROIX EXHIBITION!!! It’s so hard to come by and I will regret to miss it. Drop me a text message if there’s anyone out there who is interested k. Be quick cos it’s gonna end soon!

With that, happily awaiting my joy to return.

Counting down 21 hours…