places i'd like to go to eat (at holland village)

will be meeting the girls tomorrow at holland village for dinner, so i was just surfing through hungrygowhere.com (fantastic website, hurhur, *slobber*)...

AND FOUND ALL THESE DELECTABLES HOLLAND V HAS THAT I HAVE NOT TRIED!!

---

place: provence
opening hours: 9:30am - 8:30pm
type: bakery
recommended: pan de mie, chocolate twist loaf, wassants, scones, AN PAN (alvin loves an pan - he is the ultimate an pan boy), blueberry cream cheese bread, banana muffin, green tea with red bean muffin, ogura whip...

omg i might as well try everything already. sheesh.

---

place: fosters
opening hours: 11am - 11pm
type: cafe
recommended: afternoon tea set, mushroom soup, cheese platter, grilled mushrooms, apple pie, iced coffee

---

have a feeling we are going to sushi tei instead. or spizza. oh well!

supermassive *HEADACHE*

i woke up too early this morning, but not early enough to have my regular coffee before embarking on a 3 hour long, 5 km walk.

i did have a bit of gross cold coffee from subway (thanks to alvin who's so very caring, XD) but it didn't help much and i just ended up being lethargic the entire day eventually resulting in a pounding headache that clearly says: 'u stupid girl, u need to sleep NOW NOW NOW.'

yes, i am pathetically weak... i know.

T_T

i wonder if my mom saw the news on Touch Community Services' walkathon... pastor khong was on tv! and his mandarin is surprisingly fluent; no weird 'banana' accent. good stuff.

oh, i prayed for good weather for today's walk: specifically cloudy, but no rain, thank You!

heh, i can be some sort of prayer warrior for weather already - this is the 2nd time i've gotten exactly what i prayed for. the first was for children's camp...

which i haven't blogged about i think? can't remember, but my brain's imploding slowly (i can feel the juices leaking out) so i'd better head off to bed.

ughhh...

p.s. and my new sport shoes? they've been ruined from all the mud at the padang. oh well. material possessions, eh? *grumble*

---

this has been one very bleary post from vivien. *lights out*

conviction to get in shape.

i need to get up and MOVE, and get off my lazy butt. but...

i hate jogging. the morning jogs in crescent were the worst times ever. ugh. i just don't get how people can enjoy jogging. you've lost me there!

swimming's okay, minus the fact that it can get pretty mundane doing laps over and over.

i'm not sporty... have u seen me play anything? maybe coz running's involved. *shrug*

sprinting's probably the only thing i am ok at, but it doesn't do anything for your stamina...

SO!

i signed up for dance classes again yesterday. yay, 2 lessons a week - reggae and hiphop; one's with my cell and another with alvin.

i cannot wait. XD

when u break up with someone,

and they know your passwords, change them immediately.

with a track record of 3 out of 3 independent cases, you can assume that the ex will definitely check your sms/emails when he can.

*shakes head*

DO U HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT PRIVACY MEANS??!

---

because so many people keep asking me, the person i am mad at is not weiyi.

seriously man, we are just very good friends now. that's all!

when we are cold and not together:

(imagine all these spoken in a cute-sie manner)

diremeow *and the deathly eyebags* says:
i was doing pretend snugglies with you just now
until i fell asleep

Ms. Moo (@) says:
OMG ME TOO
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
so cute.
SOCUTE.
SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*snuggle*snuggle*

diremeow *and the deathly eyebags* says:
hehehe

---

alvin can get so cute sometimes. i luf u! :D

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

IF YOU ARE AFRAID OF SPOILERS DON'T READ THIS ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK I SAID MUCH BUT JUST DON'T READ OK?

---

so here's what i think:

i really liked it. it's a book for people who have been following Harry Potter since book 1, coz at every chapter there're little pieces of information that reminds the fan-reader of events that'd happened (in harry potter time) years ago, when he was but a boy.

ok, for example, the appearance of griphook. once i saw his name, i went 'ho-ho-ho, that's the goblin from gringotts in book 1!' well, of course rowling explained it later on who he was, but it's just small details like that which gave me a kick. :D

ok, the book starts off with pure adrenaline. it's just very exciting in the front. i like how the mood was set; with harry potter running around places, dodging deatheaters and voldemort alike; it's all very exciting.

but then, the search for horcruxes, i felt, was too long. it was evident when alvin kept nodding off while we shared the book.

---

haha, we were so desperate coz the UK version that i'd ordered through his sis hadn't arrived yet, so we shared the US version that we bought from borders in the morning. and got a free owl!! it's so cute!

the UK version arrived at around 3pm (see? this is why i'd rather just go and get it at a book store) so we just sat down and read together with separate books, not speaking much unless we spot something, make a theory and nod sagely to each other.

oh and of course, we gasped at the same time when we actually were reading at the same pace.

'*GASP!!*... oh you're there too? me too!! heh heh.'

---

the ending was good. it didn't leave me unsatisfied. but throughout the book, tears were shed as heroes and heroines were fallen. T_T

all in all, even though the center bit of the book got too draggy, there were really very good parts where Rowling really delivered.

good, good. :)

and hor, it took me about 10 hours to finish it. *headache*

---

look at alvin's nick; i nearly died laughing!

diremeow *and the deathly eyebags* says:
guuuuten moregen!

after a whole night of rushing around...

i've finally bought a new pair of sport shoes!

wah, i 'bio' them for so long already... it's high time to make them mine.


















and i'm couldn't help but notice the adidas store having a 'every $150 spent entitles you to a free bag!' ...

and i couldn't help but also notice that an extremely pretty and fitting cap was available; it's grey! so i bought that and 2 bundles of socks and got a free bag. heh-heh.

i like pay day. :D

step, jump, step *nods to the beat*

listening to neyo makes me want to get back to dancing.

but i'm definitely less into hip-hop classes now (unlike, say, 5 years ago? WOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME); everytime something becomes mainstream, everyone jumps on the bandwagon, then over-production increases the amount of trash hustling in the radio waves.

i'm not being snooty, and neither is it alvin's influence, u know? but... rapping is just not the same anymore. and they're so tuneless and repetitive. GAH.

then again, i might simply have outgrown my noisy music and 98.7fm. have they increased their number of annoying DJs? *shudder*

finally tuned in after what seems like eons, and realized they have a DJ free segment in the noon. great stuff.

anyways, it'd be good to finally be able to pay for dance classes again. to learn new moves, new styles, or just improve on what i already know.

hip-hop is only listenable because of their strong beats. so i like it that neyo's rnb but has strong beats. so it's like a good tune + grooviness. *thumbs up*

can't wait, can't wait!

---

something else i can't wait:

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS!!

IN ANOTHER 6 MORE DAYS!!

AT 7AM!!

yes, my first and last time at a Harry Potter launch. it'd be cool! :D

---

more on my sentosa lab retreat soon! XD

it's friday the 13th

and hohoho, it's our 2nd month anniversary!! (i wonder how many Friday the 13ths we're gonna hit. heheh.)

luv ya!

with regards to the pic of me falling into alvin's arms:

7/10/2007		9:22:29 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		heh this shot is funneh
7/10/2007		9:22:32 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		u want it?
7/10/2007		9:22:33 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		hehehehehhe
7/10/2007		9:22:58 PM						Ms. Moo (@) sends C:\Documents and Settings\Vivien Loon\My Documents\My Pictures\Commencement\DSCF0188.JPG
7/10/2007		9:25:33 PM		diremeow		Ms. Moo (@)		from your camera?
7/10/2007		9:26:10 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		yeah
7/10/2007		9:26:14 PM						Transfer of "DSCF0188.JPG" is complete.
7/10/2007		9:26:25 PM		diremeow		Ms. Moo (@)		ack
7/10/2007		9:26:27 PM		diremeow		Ms. Moo (@)		i look evil
7/10/2007		9:27:18 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		hahahaha yeah
7/10/2007		9:27:20 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		HAHAHAHAHAHA
7/10/2007		9:27:23 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		and i look DIAO.
7/10/2007		9:27:30 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		totally -_- lor
7/10/2007		9:27:53 PM		diremeow		Ms. Moo (@)		haha
7/10/2007		9:28:01 PM		diremeow		Ms. Moo (@)		why you never look like "oh my saviour etc"?
7/10/2007		9:28:02 PM		diremeow		Ms. Moo (@)		why?!
7/10/2007		9:29:36 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		coz i was embarrassed
7/10/2007		9:29:43 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		my saviour is only during sale
7/10/2007		9:29:44 PM		Ms. Moo (@)		diremeow		hahahahaha
7/10/2007		9:29:59 PM		diremeow		Ms. Moo (@)		=(

commencement photos

(this is NOT junliang's work; his photos are far better than these. these were taken by the hands of adrean the amateur aka my brother who has never used a digicam before)

we took family photos before we left:











i love my family. *teary-eyed*

---

at the UCC:









the thailand gang! (we were all part of the phuket/bangkok trip, other than yy who went to krabi after we left phuket... but aiyah, also counted la. heh.)



sigh, not going to see this girl for the next few months... till halloween babe!! *kisses*



after this, we went to the staircase to pose for more pictures...



then i tripped in my heels coz the steps were too tiny for my large feet!!



colin's all 'WAH! HERO!!! WAH!!' while alvin and i just gave the same resigned face. thank goodness alvin's so used to me tripping his arms flew out to catch me. i landed in a nice 'flump' plus my classic -_- face. nice.

on grad day, no less. *rolls eyes*

then we decided to take another staircase picture with colin, but this time with me at the bottom of the stairs where the ground is flat.



yay, mortar boards suck!! off with them!



alvin: 'butbutbut... i love mine! as much i *heart* wai liong!'
wai: 'awwwww... *loves back*'



junliang: eh throw them la.
everyone else: OKAY!!! *throw*

XD



see? check out my head minus the board. :p



alvin's... classic face. hahahahahahahaha!!



---

outdoors shot from jun's cam:

i had to post this!!

if not someone will throw a hissy fit. (hahahaha, can imagine him doing it now)

yes, i forgot to mention one of my friends in the 'God has blessed me with you!!' post below. and he's totally whining (i bet u all know who now, hahahaha). so here goes:

i am also blessed with...

7. all my other friends, my cell group sisters whom i didn't (or forgot *blush*) to mention. simply because you guys are there all the way for me, and take my crap and have the guts to throw it back at me, to wake me up from my spiritual slumber. and to you: i am blessed because you do not hate me for everything that has happened, and because God is good to have healed us enough to maintain a casual friendship. and er, all the best for your own lovelife heh heh. *HUG!!*

yup, it's definitely God.

i got my voice back for a brief period.

it was when i sang during worship, right after i told aileen (abashedly, coz she read my blog post, haha) that yes, i need to be obedient, and yes, i will lead worship next week.

then amazingly, my voice came back and held throughout the whole of worship and even during cell when we sang intermittently.

after cell i continued my hacking coughs once more. -_-"'

never mind, i shall believe in Him for healing! XD

---

hurhur, this is the period of prayer and fasting, and i failed miserably at the 'fast one meal a day' sort of fast (coz i was the miserable one) so i took the daniel fast instead.

so today, i met alvin for lunch and we were strolling around tanjong pagar looking for food, when i had this craving for japanese food. so we walked into a ramen shop...

that only sold 4 kinds of ramen.

all with pork in 'em.

'YIKES!!'

it was quite weird to stand up and walk out, but the waitress was so nice and sweet... that i think i'd go back to try that place after my fast! :)

in the end alvin and i settled for the soup spoon. wah it is really good stuff man. aaaaaaand it led to us calling each other names over lunch: anal alvin and violent vivien. such sweet endearments we have, huh?

OH NO I KNOW WHY I HAVE SORE THROAT ALREADY.

oh no...

it's because when aileen asked me to prepare to lead worship, i was reluctant and then pretended to forget to message her. *stuff fingers in ears; "LALALA I CANNOT HEAR U LALALA"*

/miserable

when God gives u a gift and you don't use it, He takes it away and gives it to someone else.

i want my voice back... :(

i sound like a tranny.

my throat got inflammed progressively over the past week, and during this period, just when i have to worship from friday to sunday (ed silvoso and service), i lost my voice completely.

aileen had fun laughing her ass off when my voice just couldn't hold through the worship songs, and cracked terribly at many points.

but i thought to myself, I NEED TO BE HECKARE LIKE ALVIN. (sorry, bebbie! *muaks* you are my inspiration! really!!)

yeah i just sang my heart out and scared the rows in front with my super-manly voice.

eh, don't laugh at this sexy voice ok.

---



here's us looking shady in our hospitality uniforms. (me, chinling, ingrid)

it was the last week for my tribe to complete Hospitality duty, and most of del's girls were signed up for it... AND IT WAS SO FREAKING FUN.

and no, i don't think i look like a dork in the bright yellow cap. i was happily doing some hip-hop poses in them coz my jacket was too big. chris was laughing his head off when i kept jumping up to him and going 'YO-YO!! WASSSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPP!!'

hahahaha!!

it's great being given an excuse to grin at everyone leaving service, coz most people are so friendly, they grin back!

of course, some are less exuberant. or just not interested in return a smile. so, what do me, aileen and chinling do?

we jump together, and dance on the spot... or bounce up and down... or laugh maniacally while waving bye... OR act like total idiots just to have people walk out of service with a smile on their face.

hey, we're clowns... we'd do anything to make u laugh.

and er, we were quite high from all the joy, so we grouped together during Praise rehearsal and bopped up and down in our yellow caps while mimicking the choir's dance steps.

SO FARN!!! i wanna wear the yellow cap again!

paying it forward

i am a greatly blessed girl, when i actually sit down and think about it. even though sometimes i feel life is unfair, people are mean, i'm not getting what i deserve etc... but when i smack myself real hard or when God speaks, i know i am very blessed.

i'm blessed with a God who knows all my dreams even before i begin, who worked out my pathway into life sciences even though i avoided biology like the plague when choosing subjects in sec 2. somehow, my class of 39 (excluding me) all appealed for pure bio, so my class that was intended to be a 7 subject class, became an 8.

i flunked biology all the way, until the fateful mid-year where i only had 5 credits out of 9 papers (sub chem/physics made up 2 papers) and was called to the vice-principal's office. but the principal replaced the VP for my little 'talk' instead. my livid parents came down. i couldn't stop crying from the shame i'd brought to them.

i can't remember much, except that the principal was very, very kindly and encouraged me, instead of chiding. she spoke on my behalf to my parents, in fact, and vouched that i'd do better by the year-end. if i still flunked bio, i could opt to drop it, which was an option opened to the rest of my class.

i was so grateful, i actually passed everything. eventually, my cousin came into the picture supposedly to give me biology tips, but she spoke to me about how my mom was worried sick about me. the rush of guilt flooded in, and i really, really wanted to do well coz i hated being a burden to my mum.

i didn't drop biology, and managed an A2 and an A1 for chem/phy (i think i got 2nd place in the level before the Os) during the Os. went to pjc, got all fired up about how biology was like, the best subject ever (chem is a close 2nd) and knew i wanted to do research.

then the A levels came. my results bombed, and because of the marketing of life sciences by the govt, the flood of better students kept me out of science.

i thank God, once again, for specifically closing doors to test if i really wanted this, then easily opening the door to NUS after one year (and i didn't even retake my As!) to my utmost surprise.

and now... i've graduated. :)

albeit with a second lower (because i stupidly lost my drive in year 3 and bombed out, straight Bs), but hey, God is in control. and He is so, so good to me.

---

oh guess what? the CGS principal who cause the turning point in my academic history, is now the principal of PJC (after i left PJ, of course). it's a weird coincidence. heh.

---

i am also blessed with...

1. my mom who went all the way down for my commencement ceremony with a huge smile, and a positively fantastic mood, even though i pissed her off majorly and we had a big fight the day before... because she loves me even though i suck as a daughter.

2. my dad who didn't complain when i only snapped a few shots with him at commencement,and when i spent most of the time taking pictures all over the place while neglecting him and the rest of my family, but still offered to lug my barang home... because he loves me and was very proud of me that day, but just didn't know how to show it.

3. my vain brother who remembers his sister when he goes out, and brings home sweets for me. *hug*

4. my girlfriends who tolerate my nonsense and were the ones who didn't judge me when i had a very bad 2006. they didn't judge me, and yet... they disciplined me when i really sucked as a person.

5. my cell leader who always forgives, and always loves in abundance, and is just simply a joy to learn from and work with. hey babe, i've been walking with u for 6 years already! :D

6. alvin, because he has shown me the extent of how one can be patient, forgiving and loving. his faith in God keeps me in check.

---

Dear Lord, thank you for all the blessings u've heaped upon me although i shouldn't deserve any because i am lazy and selfish, faithless and unfaithful. but these blessings that i have received will not just be idle-taking, as it has been for the past 5 years. i want to learn how to give the way you do...

i want to be a blessing to others from today on!

too much excitement is not good for me

yesterday was both traumatic and adrenaline pumping.

---

trauma #1:

i was riding the up-escalator to the simei platform when i friggin' dropped one of my earrings unto the escalator. it was part of the pair of earrings alvin bought for me while we were in bangkok. the pair he bought to replace the other pair of diamonds studs i'd lost in phuket.

i freaked out big time.

'oh no oh no oh no where is it, where is it??!?!'

i found it, but it wasn't the end. it was so small, it fell into the space in between the escalator's teeth. my fingers wouldn't be able to pry it out, so i quickly tried using a piece of cloth to stuff in between the teeth to attempt to slide my earring out.

it was a hopeless cause. i barely started sliding my earring out, when the escalator hit the top and leveled.

i just stood there and watched my beloved earring get sucked into the machinery. T_T

the rest of the morning was spent on the train tearing and being really upset. my hands couldn't stop shaking from all the panic.

once i reached buona vista, however, i regained some of my composure and went to the control station to ask the lady for help. she was so very nice... so i described to her the situation, where the earring was and how it looked like.

then i prayed really hard on the way to my first day at work. *sigh*

very quickly, by 11am, i got my first call. bad news, they didn't find my earring.

good news? it was the wrong mrt station. the guy was calling from tampines! apparently the maintenance crew peered through every nook and cranny before they gave up. although it was the wrong station, and i told the guy so, he didn't make any 'omg why are u so troublesome' remarks, but just laughed and told me he'll call simei mrt on my behalf. he asked me for more details, then we hung up.

by 345pm, i got my next call. it was simei mrt station control.

thank God, they found it.

it was incredible, and i am so very, very grateful for all the effort they put in. T_T

here it is:



---

adrenaline #1:

getting harry potter tickets. rushed all the way to the picturehouse to ensure seats on opening day for my girls and i. plus alvin we made 5, so it was an odd number, hence hanbin decided to come along. wahahahahahaha, can't wait can't wait. but the timings really suck. 945pm. *rolls eyes* we'll end at like what, 12am??

thank goodness i don't have to work the next day. wheeee.

---

trauma #2:

having the unagi omelette at kyoto sabo ajitei. it was so bloody fishy, it was like eating unfresh raw fish at a wet market. worst experience EVER.

and i didn't even have the sense of mind to get a new plate from the kitchen.

---

adrenaline #2:

now this one is for the girls.

after the horrendous meal, i began to slowly lose my voice and became all sian-sian, as if i was looking abit unwell.

alvin got abit worried, and dragged me around bugis to find robitussin's cough drops. we finally reached watsons, and made it out by 945pm, when all the shops in bugis were closing or already closed... except this one shop.

heh, alvin was already going downwards on the escalator while my eyes were squinting and fixated on that one shop. i knew i had to go there.

characteristics: clothes bin teeming with clothes + a crowd of women + OUTFITTER GIRLS

this equals to HUGE-ASS SALE, LADIES~!!

i perked up immediately. alvin looked abit sianded ('ugh walk so long still not enough ah *sigh*), but i think he had quite some fun digging out correct sizes for me, especially when i'd give him a 'omg you're totally my hero' look after every piece found. hahaha.

(i LOVE shopping with him! he takes my bags, gives me advice like, 'it looks cheap/too expensive/not flattering etc' and sometimes funds my purchases. heehee. he's great.)

alrighty, after 45 minutes, i left Outfitter Girls $47 poorer. this is what i bought (not on impulse ok!):



original price: $28
bought for: $12



original price: $40+? $50+? $60+? don't know, no price tag!
bought for: $15



original price: $59
bought for: $15



(this is a cream-coloured wallet)

original price: $26
bought for: $5

fantastic, absolutely fantastic. *beam*

commencement!

i have official 'commenced' into the working world...

with 1001 pictures to boot! been taking photos from 12-830pm, all the way from NUS to the parliament house, an art museum, one fullerton, then to the central divider between two streets.

interestingly, i commence work tomorrow. hahaha.

omg, i am so damn tired.

andihavetowakeupinsixhoursomgomgomg!!!

jamming it up with the fcbc boys!

haha, was hoping to come out of the jamming session with nice clips/photos of my (very possibly) last jamming session with the fellas, especially since the session before today's was a pretty productive one...

instead, i came off of it with a really sore middle finger pad. :(

this is why:



here's alvin:



---

i fell down in church yesterday!!!

can die man. i was wearing my super-no-friction brown glittery shoes to service yesterday, and for a moment, i forgot how treacherous the smooth Expo floor was to those particular shoes...

i tried to kick yixuan's ball (a birthday present) and the quick movement brought the other leg up as well;

*WHUMP*

i fell flat on my ass right at a clearing in the middle of ALL the tables. omg!! i was how mortified!!! and somehow i couldn't stop laughing, and neither could dellia (she was hyperventilating) and she kept asking (while gasping with laughter), 'why? why didn't u just stand up immediately?? then maybe not so paiseh!!'

then i realized that everytime i slip, trip, somehow end up on the floor etc, i will just sit there and laugh. i soooooo cannot do the whole straighten-self-look-like-nothing's-happened-flips-hair-over-shoulders move that circulated around PJC. i just can't!! i feel more embarrassed when i pretend nothing's happened.

so i just sat there and laughed until i had cramps. sian. curse those brown shoes!! :(