Loopie - Joop

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Hao-e and i just witnessed a horrible freak accident on Front St. Tonight is the first Harbour Night of 2007, and we happened to be in town for dinner. After dinner, we walked along Front St looking at the stalls set up along the side walk. There were stalls selling jewellery, ice-cream, hand-crafts, pepper jam/sauce, soap etc. And there was quite a good crowd as well cos there were 2 cruise ships docked at the Hamilton harbour. When the gombey dancers started their performance, we stood on the side walk of Burnaby St watching, gaping and taking photos. All of a sudden this horse carriage with 2 horses just sped along crushing the crowds underneath. The horses trampled over and the carriage rolled over some ppl!!! Eeks, we were shocked beyond words, thinking it could have been us. The parameds came and took 4 on stretchers. It was horrible. Hope noone is seriously hurt.

ppl who have known me for a few years know that i can get glued to the tube for the entire day. i can literally finish a whole, boxed TV series (esp those Korean/Taiwanese ones) in a day! So one of the best things about moving here is the good ole' tele. CSI and comedies reruns e.g. seinfeld, friends, everybody loves raymond, the simpsons, etc are on during most parts of the day. when i get bored with them, i switch to the food network to oogle at the great-looking dishes made by sandra lee, rachael ray, OR i could watch "whose wedding is it anyway?" on style network OR there's fun celebrity rankings on E! channel... and the list goes on. I love cable. so the 2 series i'm currently going ga-ga over are: the tudors (jon rhys meyers, need i say more?) heroes tudors is on showtime on sundays at 11pm while heroes is on monday nights at 10pm. Pity i can't catch weeds (a show about some ppl's favourite plant - the weed!!) which is on monday nights at 10pm,

The hyperlink on the previous post doesn't point to the right page so i've reproduced the ad here for everyone's amusement. Name: Matthew Lim Phone: 278-7314 or 295-1640 (Room 32) Email: khianhao@gmail.com Other: Ad No: 189723 Price: $0.00 Dates: 4/20/2007 until 4/27/2007 Category: Real Estate Sub Category: Wanted - Rentals/Commercial

Hao-e and i posted an ad on e-moo on Friday (advertising ourselves, how great tenants we would be etc.) And the response was indeed very good!! We got several calls and emails and finally settled on viewing 2 on Saturday (the very next day) whilst doing our laundry in between the appointments. The first appointment was at 10am and the apartment was so close by, but we missed the 9.45am No. 1 bus. (the next bus was half an hour later.) So we trudged along South Road after getting off at the Botanical Gardens in Paget, crossing the parish border to Kent Ave in Devonshire and found the wine-coloured house. It was really nice and spacious. And the beach was 20 paces away! We couldn't find any fault with it other than the fact that we would not have the privacy since it was a house-share apartment and the supermarket was not too close by. After yakking with the first guy for a full hour, we roasted in the sun and took a bus back to town. Off to quickie lickie laundramat to do ou

I really liked what i received from Jas via email. Sharing it here with you. Buttprints in the Sand One night I had a wondrous dream, One set of footprints there was seen, The footprints of my precious Lord, But mine were not along the shore. But then some strange prints appeared, And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?" Those prints are large and round and neat, "But Lord, they are too big for feet." "My child," He said in somber tones, "For miles I carried you along. I challenged you to walk in faith, But you refused and made me wait." "You disobeyed, you would not grow, The walk of faith, you would not know, So I got tired, I got fed up, And there I dropped you on your butt." "Because in life, there comes a time, When one must fight, and one must climb, When one must rise and take a stand, Or leave their butt prints in the sand." -- author unknown Thanks Jas. Love you.

Was ill the past few days with a nagging cough and excruciatingly painful throat. Probably caused by the changing weather (sun, rain, wind all in the space of 10mins) . When ppl from home ask me about the temperature and i reply saying "oh its 15-20 deg ". Everyone says "that's nice and comfortable". and i think "sigh, you forgot i ain't the sort that likes the cold (and to me 15 is way out of comfort zone) and the winds here are damn strong lor". You should come experience them for yourselves, these nonbreezehairflyingwildlylikemadwoman winds. Remember we are in the centre of the bloody Atlantic. Remember the Bermuda triangle? Other than the reefs, the winds must have caused a lot of trouble for the ships of ancient times. So let me get this clear. It's NOT comfortable being whipped around by the wind. And it feels even worse when you are cold and wet due to the rain and the wind kills your umbrella by flipping it over and crushing

St Georges is linked to the main island via the causeway and a bridge. Think it could be the eastern-most end of Bermuda. It took us an hour on the bus to get there. (Although we enjoyed the scenery along the way - golf courses, beautiful ocean views, lush greenery, etc. - very idyllic ride actually.) The town is pretty well contained and the old town hall building is still standing. But in front of the town hall building, on a side of the small square, there are 2 medieval-looking equipment that looks pretty menacing. well preserved aren't they? But don't worry, i don't think Bermuda uses such primitive methods now. Probably putting convicts on scooters would be more effective. The rest of the quaint little town looks very much like a quaint little town. I get the feeling the buildings have been there for a long time, and i'll bet they have been there for a long time. BTW, these photos were taken on Easter Sunday, hence the lack of ppl on the streets (they were al

We rented a scooter over the weekend from Oleander Cycles . It cost us about USD120 to rent it for 2 days. Oleander is just located off Bermudiana Road, where Orbis' office is. As we didn't have any prior experience with motorcyles/bikes/scooters, except for a brief period of cycling around Stanford campus, Hao-e was given a crash course on the spot. We got a 50cc Ligero which was the so-called "standard" scooter and he rode it up and down the road in front of Oleander. After about 10 times to and fro, we signed the contract and off we went with the scooter! That was it! All 20 mins of it. The scooter turned out much heavier than it looks. I couldn't handle it right from the start. Can't even release it from its braking position without spraining my back doing it... hmm.. looks like my dream to ride a scooter is all dashed now. Well, i'll ride the bus then. Hao-e is still bent on getting a bike license though. And he still wants the scooter co

Its been 1.5 weeks and let's just say that it has been awfully difficult getting a place to stay. Not one place we've viewed so far fit all our criteria. And it wasn't hard to fulfill what we wanted. All we ask for is that it be: Convenient (near to bus routes) and not too far from the city Spacious but not too big Amenities like supermarket and laundromat (if washer/dryer not available) nearby Reasonably priced Good neighbourhood But i guess everyone is looking for the same things, that's why it has been hell looking for apartments here. Sigh Sigh.

The first thing that struck me (when the weather was good and sunny) was the flowers. Landscaping business is big here. Anyone with green fingers should move here asap. There are so so many colourful bushes, potted plants, hedges, trees here, it must be great to be a butterfly here! These were all taken within the hotel's grounds. Have a look! I particularly like this pink flowering plant, just cos its pink. And I LOVE PINK! Isn't it sweet?

Supposedly an unlucky day for some. 13 for me has been pretty good. So i think it will be a great day today. Sun is shining, birds are chirping (and trying to pinch my breakfast at the same time!), beautiful weather the entire day i hope. Yesterday was drizzling all day - no better way of describing the "rain". Its a persistent falling of little droplets of water. And when i say "little" i meant "very very tiny". Not like the London ones where it feels like a water spray (those you use on clothes) but slightly heavier. That kind where you feel kinda stupid being under an umbrella (especially since we are so used to heavy downpours in SGP, this is NOTHING), but you'll get wet nonetheless and then you really feel stupid for not opening an umbrella in the first place! The world is so small. We met the other Singaporean on the island yesterday at L'Oriental Express by accident. (According to him, there is only 1 other Singaporean male but he's not

These are some of the highlights on the way to town... Bacardi - like my favouritest drink ever! - is just 2 steps away from our hotel Rosedon. We walk pass it at least 2x a day. I for one, drool everytime i pass it cos, have i forgotten to mention? I am the greatestest fan of Bacardi Rum OK?!? [I'm sounding drunk already just by blogging about it.] Anyway, Bacardi occupies an architecturally modern building with the double volume ceiling, glass facade and water features. Bermuda actually makes a lot of things with rum e.g. rum cakes. haven't tasted those yet, will describe more once i get a hold of one. Along Pitts Bay Road (which is where we stay) to town, other than Bacardi, these are the other buildings you'll see. They face the harbour so there are times when you can hear the "horns" of the ships (are they called horns? i'll find out on wiki later.) I half suspect these pink and yellow ones are apartments (highly expensive ones because of their locatio

Check these out! Apparently, the Spartans' language was terse as their preoccupation was with their military might but they do have humour. (Remember the show "300"??) I actually thought that all the smart one-liners were invented but clearly i'm wrong. have a read... One famous example comes from the time of the invasion of Phillip II . With key Greek city-states in submission, he turned his attention to Sparta and sent a message: "If I win this war , you will be slaves forever." The Spartans sent back a one word reply: "If". A Spartan king wanted his hair prepared, so he turned to his barber and said, "Cut it." When he was asked how he wanted it done, he answered "Short." When the Persians sent envoys to the Spartans demanding the traditional symbol of surrender, an offering of soil and water, the Spartans threw them into a deep well, suggesting that upon their arrival at the bottom, they could "Dig it out for yours

Hello everyone! today marks the end of the first month of zo-bo-dom. according to someone whom i just met, i'm now termed a "lady of leisure". So far so good. Wonder how long this leisure-dom will last though... putting off work from my head for as long as i can. =/

welcome to the city!! (3 whole streets of it!) This sign says pretty much what is the norm here... This is a little park that is pretty near to rosedon. it actually overlooks the yacht/boat "parking". And those little white blobs on the opposite shore? those are houses. bermudian houses all have white roofs that are "stepped" (see below) that collect rainwater. (no reservoirs mind you) the rainwater is then filtered and ready for consumption. i've been surviving on tap water these few days. so unlike at home, where i'd boil it first. haha... and fyi, it tastes quite good and clean. heh.

the much awaited pictures are finally ready. silly me forgot that the almighty laptop can take SD cards so all that fretting about the wires arriving with the shipment was all for nothing... heh...=> So here they are! First up, our temporary accommodation for the first month or so - Rosedon. It is a small, comfortable hotel with a team of really warm staff. and most importantly, they provide wireless internet connection so that wiki, hotmail, blogger and google (my current 4 best friends) can be by my side during the day. We stay in this 2-storey building which wraps around the little heated pool. This tall building over there is where the kitchen, office, tv room etc are situated. Our room is behind the thick ferns about a third from the left of the picture. So this is rosedon. Breakfast is usually toast with waffles/pancakes/sunny-side-ups/scrambled eggs with bacon. Bacon is a staple here. (Not my cup of tea... but apparently bacon isn't pork according to hao-e so he

Just saw this ticker tape message on CNN: "Singapore PM to donate pay raise after salary furor" And for 5 years too! hmm... are the employees threatening to quit? else why the insistence that salaries need to be raised now??

Hao-e and i viewed 2 apartments this afternoon, both are lower apartments i.e. the landlord lived upstairs. the first was on aubrey road, very small and a bit dingy but furnished. didn't feel good about it. the 2nd apartment was much better, brand new, bigger with large windows (unlike the first) and closer to amenities like the laundromat and supermarket. yeps, these apartments have no washers and dryers. back to dorm days, trooping down the road to coin-operated washing machines and waiting 2 hours for it to dry... yikes. So we left our names for the second apartment but the search continues for a better deal. more surfing and waiting then.... In the meantime, we are trying to move to a hotel with self-catering facilities so that it is easier for us to make some simple meals and save some $$...

I just realised how good looking Jonathon Rhys Meyers is? Gosh, i just love his chiseled face and beautiful eyes. Anyway, so i chanced upon this new series loosely based on THE Henry VIII, second king of the Tudor Dynasty. You guys should watch it if you are as besotted with him and as fascinated with anything royal as i am. hehe.... So i went to find out a bit more about the rather infamous king on wiki and here's some trivia about his eventful life ( i bet, with so many women around him?!) Technically, Henry was only married twice. Four of his marriages were annulled which means they never took place. His court jester was named Will Somers . The only surviving piece of clothing worn by Henry VIII is a cap of maintenance , awarded to the Mayor of Waterford , along with a bearing sword, in 1536 . It currently resides in the Waterford Museum of Treasures . Henry VIII was the first member of the English Royal Family to wear silk stockings.

Have been waking up at 5am the past few mornings and feeling groggy in the later parts of the day. It must be jet lag. Bermuda is afterall 11 hours behind Singapore so i suppose i will need 11 days to get over this... argh... its miserable waking up when it's still dark and having to surf the net cos there's absolutely no way to go back to sleep. and the hunger!! argh!! ate 2 alpen bars this morning at 5.30am cos tummy was growling aloud! yeps, so loud it woke hao-e up! haha. Last night, we went to La Trattoria - an italian restaurant in washington mall between reid and church street. Ordered Lasagna and immediately regretted it. too meaty and cheesy. should have stuck with something like vongole in white wine sauce. still ate about half the serving (it was huge) as it was a treat. heh... Seems like there are a couple of jobs available, contrary to expectations. so as long as i'm willing to do some serious learning on the job, i should be able to get one when my d

Something mundane - haven't seen brown grocery bags in ages! even in london and san fran the supermarkets used plastic bags. Only the very small grocery stores there use brown paper bags. Here? you have to carry groceries in brown handle-less bags. Not wanting to sound negative in my first week in Bermuda but this totally limits the number of things one person is able to get per trip to the supermarket. In addition, my korean series is not going to last very long. i have 3 episodes left. will poh kim or TS video pls send me some new ones to entertain my days here?

WELCOME TO BERMUDA!!! Yeps, we arrived on Saturday evening (Sun morn Singapore time) after some very long flights and mafanic flight transfers. Thank goodness for business class, or else i think we would have died on the way to nyc - imagine 24 hours in economy?!?! the transit in frankfurt was a good thing just to stretch our legs... didn't have much trouble with customs and immigration here, but imagine our surprise at hearing a live band in the immigration hall of the airport!?! (someone put in a suggestion and see if AM will implement it. nic, how about it? remember to save me some of the award money if it is really implemented... heh) The weather over the weekend has been pretty cold and chilly. in fact, i think i've caught a cold already with my nose running all over the place. but today's a great day with lots of sun and very little breeze. temperature today is expected to hit a high of 20deg. yippee!! today marks the first day of my zuo-bo-dom. went to open

[courtesy of wiki, where i'm humbly sponging off quirky facts and pictures from...] South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) is a British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The territory was formed in 1985; previously it was governed as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia – which measures approximately 100 miles (160 km) by 18 miles (29 km) and is by far the largest island in the territory – and a group of smaller islands known as the South Sandwich Islands. There is no native population on any of the islands, and the only inhabitants are the officers, scientists, and support staff from the British Antarctic Survey who maintain scientific bases at Bird Island and at the capital, King Edward Point, as well as museum staff at nearby Grytviken. SGSSI's Coat of Arms [amazing how ppl conjure up these "coats"... see the reindeer, sea lions and penguins . re

Was frantically downloading and watching Heroes the series all week. For the uninitiated, its a series that is pretty much like X-men, minus the freakish outfits and comical hair, with some men and women who are genetically "special" because of evolution. Not sure this is the how many-th TV/movie/comic i've seen/read/heard of utilising this darwinian concept, but frankly i liked it. SERIOUS! Can't seem to be able to get Episode 19 tho, accidentally downloaded some porn... eww.... cringe Hopefully i'll get to see it before leaving on Friday. Someone leave their PCs on the whole day please?

Yesterday: Went for a nip and tuck! Nope, i mean trim and cut! or rather, colour and trim! Heh... sat through a gruelling 3.5 hours at Randy's. Neck felt rather sore after all the tugging to disentangle my hair! After so many years of dyeing my hair, 9 years if i'm not mistaken, the quality of my hair is deteriorating exponentially with time. With age, i guess my hair can no longer withstand the chemicals i pump it with every few months. And with my laziness at hair treatments, etc, i'm surprised that i still have hair, and they are not white. This sabbatical should give my hair some breathing room for i'm certain without Randy around, i'll be causing less damage to my hair, unless the UV rays get to them first. Hehe.. Yesterday was an important day for some of my ex-colleagues too. Tendering resignations together and serving notice periods together, this is what i call kinship, bonding and unity. If there's anything positive this organisation left us with, it&

The day before yesterday : Met up with some ex-colleagues at Siglap. Couldn't resist suan-ing the poor guy cos he is really such a good sport and i absolutely love that quality about him. (Yes, I've learnt through the years that not everyone is suan-able and for those who can, i applaud your good humour/temperament. ) So we were at Gelare and Jaz suddenly talked about Sunny, and so we called him to join us. Jaz: Where's Sunny? Should have asked him out. Me: He should be home by now *checks watch* being a good dad to his daughters. * Frantically dialling Sunny's number* Rod: Don't tell me he's still in the office?!?! Me: Hi Sunny, are you still in the office??!?! Sunny: yeah... Me: *Roll Eyes thinking "what the hell?"* Rod: *shakes head* i work such normal hours now! thank God i left! Me pass phone to Jaz... Jaz: You want to join us for ice-cream at siglap gelare? Sunny: Can't lah, need to go home to my girls. Jaz passes phone back to Me...