Safe

I think there are very few people I feel safe around.
Define 'safe'?

Well, it's that sense of security you get even if you're in a totally new environment.
It's almost like blind faith.
You don't mind messing anything up, simply because you know your mistakes will be thoughtfully corrected and you'll definitely learn something new.
The best part is, you can do nothing bad... nothing will be held against you.
You feel confident about yourself.

Went to Wala Wala with Pissy and Ess basically to watch 'Reverie' perform.
It's probably been a year since I've seen them.
Original Band : Jon, Jaz, Shane, Keith & Eugene
Now: Shane, Keith, Eugene and 2 others I don't recognise.

After Wala, it was off to Dble O to meet up with Donald.
It was pretty fun there.
Yea... the crowd was not the best, but was in no way the worst.
Don't think I've ever seen so many 'wasted' ladies.
Gosh... so unglamourous.
I pray to never get like that.

In any case, I did not drink anything but a Shirley Temple, an Iced Coffee and a Coke.
Why?
I freakin drove.
Got mixed feelings about it.
Regret it because I missed out on all that alcohol...
Love it because it's transport afterall and hey... Got to send Prissy home.
Would have sent Ess home too, just that she had to leave early because of her inflammed eye...
Poor dear...

Congratulate me guys!
I got myself to Bendeemer, Wala, Dble O, Bendeemer then Home!

Ok ok... I had some help...

In any case...

I locked myself out of the house.
Stooooopid.
What to do?
Trudged back to the car and slept in it till morning.
Driving was a blessing after all...

Oww... now my finger hurts...

Decisions...decisions...

Do you run away from your problems?

How do you pray for a dying man?

Will you really obey God no matter what?

Do you ask for answers and get hurt by it?

These questions are easier answered then acted upon.
Sometimes, there are so very many issues to deal with that you wonder why you don't buckle and break.
It's worse if your issues are of the emotional sort or if it involves the welfare of many others.

I really admire those people who are confident enough not to care how their blunt remarks might affect others.
These people have it easy.
They don't have to deal with self-inflicted emotional trauma.

The rest of us might think we are being diplomatic and nice.
Well... true... diplomatic and nice, but it's self-torture as well.
I'm lucky to have certain people I can safely sound out without having to be too cautious.
They know I mean no harm.
They understand my better intentions.

A whole lot of decisions to make,
A lot of support to give,
A heck load of praying to do.
But... Friends,
God never disappoints. He's faithful through and through.
This I know for sure.

Don't believe me?
Give it a shot.
How?
Ask me.

Waiting...

I'm feeling a certain way...
It's not the best feeling in the world and I'm definitely grappling with it.

I'm not willing to admit or address it.
I'm not willing to share.

All I can do is pray.
Really.
I'm sorry if I've been too busy to catch up.

I've got to sort all this out first.
Then I'll be more enjoyable company...
Alright?

Wait...

Someone once said...

"Find a guy, who calls you beautiful instead of hot.
Who calls you back when you hang up on him.
Who will stay awake just to watch you sleep."

"Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead.
Who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your sweats.
Who holds your hand in front of his friends."

"Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you
and how lucky he is to have you.
Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, "...that's her.""

Sweet... is it not?

Bali-Blasted!

I've been Bali-fied and I loved it!
Ok...

Sounds corny?

Well... when in Bali, you really don't care how corny things are.

Firstly, because they do grow maize there.

Secondly, you're so lost and alien there that anything stupid said is really forgivable.

Day 1

At the beach with tons of 'business-people' around...

"Mam... manicure? I give you manicure, cheap cheap, come, I do sample..."

"Bead hair? Bead hair? I give you good price, you do"

"Tattoo? Many many pattern"

Except, we were really more interested in the waves...

So we waved those entrepreneurs away......
We visited the art market, which basically gave us the feeling of deja vu because every single shop sold the same thing.

You think at first that those beautiful and really colourful batik sarongs were made by some worthy indigenous woman... until you realise that those sarongs can be found at seasides all over the world.. then you realise that it's really some world-dominating franchise... -_-"

Day 2

This at the Batik factory where they do it all by hand...

Then after a real-life roller-coaster ride down the steep sides of a mountain, it was to the crater of a volcano that last erupted in 1993...

Agriculture there of course because of the top soil...

It was Geography in-action!

Then after million of hours in the car, we managed to get to another seaside for a beautiful sunset...

By the way... I think you can only get to the temple when the tide is low...

Day 3

Into the sea we went...

On a submarine dubbed 'The Odyssey'

Only 2 of those babies in the world and Bali has the only one in South.East.Asia
Beautiful!

I think our diver liked us...alot.

Then it was to a cliff you'd be willing to throw yourself off...

So gorgeous!

Throw yourself from the natural rock-diving-board and plunge into the endless blue that you can see through...

Day 4

This day was all shopping...

Well...

Can't say I loved it, can't say I hated it.

The Shopping Centres were totally humid.

I believe they call it energy conservation.

Gorged myself on A&W and Krispy Kremes though...

Nice...

Day 5

Ok... This day was probably the most adventure-like...
Don't be fooled by the padi-fields...
Uphill we went in an SUV

Downhill we came in a rubber raft!

White-Water Rafting!!!

It was FUN!!!

OMG!

Got quite badly scratched by a fallen branch, but hey, what's a few scratches for a life-time of memories huh?

Had so much fun...

Neck-aching now... honestly...

Owww...

Cam-whoring a little with Guni-face, co-star in almost all the pictures.

Risata... that's where we stayed...

I had good fun.

Certainly I'm more appreciative of all we have in Singapore.

Grateful for my family and my extended family.

There's so much more of the world to see...

I can't wait!

Don't let the little things get to you.

You go see a volcano, maybe take a stroll along a cliff...

And you realise just how insignificant everything else is.

What matters is how you take on the challenges in life.

See the Big picture.

Are those problems going to matter 10 years from now?

Now that's the reason people need to get away once in awhile.

They've got to be reminded why they're working so hard.

They've got to understand that there's life beyond their struggles.

They've got to know that life goes on and the whole world never does stop for you and you alone.

I'm grateful for everything in my life.

Perfect or not, it's all a matter of perception.

Heyy.... I've reflected without using a mirror!

I wonder what the next 20 years will be like......

Be Careful What You Wish For...

You know that phrase...
Probably heard it about a million and one times...

I've been wishing to get away from it all...
On hindsight...
That very wish has been granted me.

I'll be away in Bali for a week.
Honestly, it seems like a really long time.

I've been asking myself...
Who would I be missing the most?
About 10 names came up, a few in particular I've been missing for a really long time.
Then it occurred to me...
Who would miss me?
That's the true gauge is it not?

I'm going to Bali with an open mind, an open heart and with wide open eyes.
It'll be a good time to reflect.

Body, Mind and Soul.

Will I be changed when I get back?
One thing's for sure...
Whatever challenges left behind in Singapore will not go away.
They'll simply be put 'on hold'.