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August 30 Hot Sexy Play Things
(Photo Taken: Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - If only my PlayStation looks like them!) Another Amazing Weekend of Visitors
This is indeed an amazing month of visitors - Hovman, Jimmy, Rovis, my sister and family, my mother-in-law and aunt, Yiyi, Desmond... and today, I greeted 4 more new visitors from Singapore. My 69th (Aimai) and 72th (Cousin Bin and family) visitors dropped by at my place this evening! Within a short span of 100 minutes, I met all of them seperately. What a crazy weekend - it was "touch-&-go" affairs for all my meetings. Our encounters were just too short and quick. In the end, I regretted not spending enough time with my friends and cousins. Like what Cousin Mike said, I just have too much on my plate to manage. Just 5 minutes ago, Aimai texted me if we can meet at LKF. I have to say no as I am packing now for another quickie business trip tomorrow morning - it will be another crazy 36 hours in Tokyo. I love my life... I just wish I have more time to enjoy these wonderful togetherness with my loved ones.  August 18 My Dream Home This is my shortest Singapore trip ever (only 20 hours) - Yet for some strange reasons and urge, I told myself that I need to stop by my granny's old house to take a look. I managed to do that on my way to Changi Airport this morning. It has been more than 7 years since I last stepped into this compound. Everything has changed. Not just granny's old house but the entire street looks very different now. Overgrown and untrimmed bushes and old-looking house. This place has lost its glow and warmth. It was a street that housed many generations of people. During the good old days like Mooncake Festival and Chinese New Year Eve, this place was a carnival. You see children running, adults chatting in front of the yards and neighbours greeting each other. It was a fantastic and homely neighbourhood - filled with sincere Kampong spirit. Sadly, all these were history. I spent about 15 minutes at granny's old house. It was vacanted...The rusty gate (last painted by me back in the early 90s) lost its shine. The metal swing which accompanied us during our childhood stood there. Nature has taken a big toll here. The upper floor where granny used to drop down the house key for me was being recognition. Looking up at the balcony (where I spent many night sleeping), I wish I can see that familiar face again. I pushed open the door. It wasn't locked. Everything is neat inside. There was a black cat sitting calmly there. I saw granny's tablet. I closed my eyes and paid my respect to her. 3.jpg) 4.jpg) Saying goodbye to this place was difficult. Granny used to walk me to the gate and waved goodbye to me. She will be standing there, looking at my departuring figure. I used to walk home from her place. A long walk to my Eunos flat - 20 minutes. Back then, I had all the time in the world. Walking was a leisure. I tried looking around for familiar faces... my childhood friends had moved away. I spent the last 2 minutes talking photo of the "drainage expressway" where I used to catch guppies and spiders. This drain is an expressway connecting to my primary school and Malacca Hotel. Today, it is still accessible. For sure (and by God's blessing), I will want to buy this place and restore it back. Not only putting back the bricks and tiles but also relive the true ties of a family gathering. This wasn't the best looking house or of unique architecture.. For it is more than just any property estate. This is place where I spent many of my happiest moments (with my cousins and granny). It is part of my hertiage and family history. It is also the place that reminded me the very true meaning of "FAMILY" and "LOVE". 
Hotel Enchanting
(Photo Taken: Marina Mandarin Hotel, Singapore ~ After all these years, it is still so beautiful.) Her 60th Big Day
In less than 24 hours, I rushed back to Hong Kong to celebrate my mother-in-law's 60th birthday! Felicia secretly baked this birthday cake during the wee hours last night (I bet it is the first cake for her old mum)! I bought my mum-in-law a very sleek Sony pinky handphone (time to replace her existing old one). Tracy bought all of us hot desserts from our favourite dessert shop. And Elkan? That brat fought poipoi to blow the candle and cut the cake ~ he thought it is his birthday!(Urghh...if this is not Felica's homemade cake, I will take the whole pie and smack my son's face!)  A 82kg Presence (Updated) .jpg) Bidding farewell to Rovis (leaving him with Tracy), I flew in to Singapore late afternoon yesterday - just in time to give my best friend, Meijie a surprising Birthday Presence! Thanks to Joanne, she helped me to stage this ah-hoc surprise for Meijie at Orchard Cineleisure Complex. Joanne tricked Meijie about a "BIG GIFT from Hong Kong" - she insisted Meije to pick it up at Billy Bomber at 6pm. (Meijie rejected her earlier on, citing that he will collect this gift from Joanne's office next week!) I was hiding behind the pillar with a piece of brownie. When Meijie walked in, an evil thought suddenly slipped into my mind. It kept echoed this: "Smack him with the pie... Smack him in the face.." For that spilt second, I almost activate my mind and hand to do such that! Seriously, that would be the best blog moments for Wahbiang and U-Tube. And a perfect Birthday memory for Meijie! Don't ask me why I didn't go ahead with that evil thought... somehow, I worried about bad karma. (I am sure Meijie can take such joke) Maybe I will strike the next birthday star... Mmm..let me see who's next? (Shoot! It is my mother-in-law! Her birthday is just 1 day after Meijie!) See Meijie's birthday photos here (taken on 14th Aug, Friday!) .jpg) August 15 My Longest-Known Pal
My 68th Visitor is an extraordinary one - ROVIS is my longest-known pal. We knew each other for 29 years - since we were only 5! And this is the 3rd time we met overseas! (First in Shanghai, second in Hangzhou and now in Hong Kong!) Wanted to corrupt him in Dongguan but he is such a good boy. My treat for him? Shitty (at Modern Toilet) and smelly food (durian at my house)! He loves it!   The 1st Gadget That I Fell in Love With...
That year was 1984 at Katong Shopping Centre. I clearly remember where I first saw this gadget and it had me mesmerised for the next 2 and a half decades. I was only 9 years old. Looking at it through the glass window of an old clock shop, I stared at it for a long 10 minutes. It was that moment that time froze this love and memory in my mind. It was selling for SGD120 back then - a price tag I certainly cannot afford. For the next 25 years, I have seen more fancy, hi-tec clock devices (mirror clock, LED clock etc), nothing comes this close to my heart. For so many years, I have been searching for the one I saw in Katong Shopping Centre. Since I started working (back in my poly-days), I have been looking out for it. Many times, I found myself looking into clock shops in Singapore, hoping to find it again. Even in Hong Kong, whenever I walked past an antique clock shop, I will peep inside. For so many years, Felicia followed me to those shops...and I can never describe this device to her or the shop-owners. 2 weeks ago, while doing some innovation research online, I bumped into this clip on U-Tube. Though not the original wooden one, I managed to trace the links and found an online shop selling it! (Many online shops have ran out of stock on this). I paid USD100 and had it air-flown over to my office. It was a life commitment - a promise I made when I was only 9 (I promised to own this one day) ...and now, it is right in front of my eyes....It is a kind of joy and satisfaction I can't explain. Afterall, I have been searching for this for 25 years! Invented by Harley Mayenschein (http://www.idle-tyme.com/), his masterpiece has commercialised by many manufacturers (including Mattel in the 1980s). Harley was an employee of Motorola and one of his greatest works transmitted this famous 1969 quote from space "one small step for man, a giant leap for mankind". Inspired by the gumballs his granddaughter played in his home workshop, Harley invented this "Rolling Ball Clock" in 1978. First started as a hobby (and gifts for friends), Harley's clock became a big hit amongst his community. He then quitted his job at Motorola and set up his company to start producing these clocks. Coincidently this June 2009 (just last month!), Harley's son (also named Joe) is setting a business to bring back his dad's legacy. On the website, he spoke about his late father's invention and his intention to bring back the originals! I am so thrilled that I place an order on line with him! Can you imagine it - talk about the right timing - I may be able to get the ORIGINAL WOODEN-CRAFTED BALL ROLLING CLOCK! (Just 1 hour again, Felicia was commenting that it should look good if it is made of wood) Time roll by fast. But there are some love in life that stays strong and loyal through the test of time. Now, looking at how Elkan mesmerising by this device, it brought back the sweet good old days memories of my childhood at Katong. Surely, I wasn't very far from Elkan's age when I fell in love with this. August 13 The Js Are Here!
The Js Family is back in Hong Kong - James, Jovel and Jovin! And guess what, we are expecting the 4th "J" soon! (Opps, me and my big mouth!) August 10 Yummy Tofu at Sweet Dynasty!.jpg) (Photo Taken: Sweet Dynasty, Tsim Sha Tsui - Our favourite Toful Barrel!) National Day Weekend at Macau4.jpg) (Photo Taken: At Venetian Casino - A Singapore-theme Restuarant "3 Monkeys""- They even have their own Signature Wine"!)
Today is Singapore's 44th Birthday, we decided to celebrate this special day at Macau with a BIG gathering of Singaporeans!!! My mother-in-law, my sister and family, my Pakistan-borned cousin plus my very very good Singaporean friend from Beijing - HOVMAN (my 67th HK Visitor!) are all here in Hong Kong! To mark our unity on this very special day, we pledged to only consume "Singapore Food"!
Jam Mixer
August 06 My 66th Visitors from Taipei!Hot Lucky Dice (Photo Taken: Hong Kong International Airport - On my Trip back to Singapore) For the first time, many of my friends called me for the "interesting" dice packaging they saw back in their home countries. These unique packaging can be only found in Hong Kong Airport and they are exclusive for a limited time only. The only way if you want to lay your hands on these hot-sellers - take a budget airline to Hong Kong and get them. Make sure you check with your own customs / tax etc. August 03 4th Year, 4th Home This is my 4th year as an expat and we just moved into our 4th home in Hong Kong. It seems that I am moving into a new house every year! Trust me, it is a very painful and tiring process. I bet we will be moving house again next year! The numbers of my belongings are even more interesting. Back in 2006, I moved to Shanghai with only 4 boxes of DHL Jumbo Box. In 2007, I moved to my 2nd home in Shanghai - with about 12 boxes. One year later in 2008 June, I was transferred to Hong Kong. By then, I have about 45 boxes of junk! And last week, we moved into our 4th new house - it was about 60 boxes!  Today, we decided to spend our first night at the new house. Hong Fei, Zeph and Harshad popped by for a mini house-warming visit! For the first time, Elkan has his own bedroom - more like his toyroom! Tracy has a beautiful bedroom, overlooking Kowloon. And for Felicia and me, it will be a night of relief. Finally, we need not to worry about Elkan's sleeping Kongfu kicks. What a great & perfect timing to move into a bigger house - This month, we will have at least 5 visitors from Singapore! (My mum-in-law, Cousin Bin and family, my sister Jovel and Family PLUS Felicia's ex-boss, Ida, Kenneth! And Jimmy!)  Sam's Surprise Visit! My 59th Visitor - Sam is also our 1st visitor to our new home! (Coincidentally, Joanne came the same night when we first moved into our previously home last year!) It seems that there is always a "wahbiang blessing" whenever I move into a new home! We were super happy and delighted to see Sam - especially Felicia and Tracy! I kept them in the dark until 10:30pm (last Thursday night). I actually lied to them about meeting Hong Fei (an ex-colleague of mine). Sam arrived at the foot of my estate - he was sitting at the bus interchange. It was so unreal to have him around! Haaa... our last meeting / farewell was at the infamous Orchard Towers. It is always a pleasure to have Sam in our lives. Later that night, we chat about some new "realities and options" about our lives and career - and I couldn't agreed more. Sadly, we could not have more time with Sam as he flew out on Friday night. (I actually offered him my new home but he asked me "if there is any ghost in my house". Okay, what a way to reject a friend!) |
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