~Merry Xmas and Happy new Year to all~

Since I will not have access to my pc from today till 2nd Jan, here I wished everyone Merry xmas and Happy New yr..
Though its early but I had received some presents and well wishes from my friends..
7th Oct 2007: The very first present I got was from Aisha from STC dept.. How I know her? Its fate though.. Im always up accompany Angela breathing fresh air whenever we are sick n tired of our wk.. and shes Angela's buddy for breathing fresh air. Tts how I know her.. Didnt expect her to get a present for me and so early too! I was surprised when she hand it to me.. Its a very very elegant necklace. It goes well with many of my clothes... I loved it!! Thanks Aisha!
Since, Im not in during xmas, and Xun's parents out of town, we decide to meet at this place early for makan . At first we are thinking of going out in the middle of night to eat supper or jus drive around.. but hor, end up I was sleeping most of the time, coz too burned out from wk.. We were quite thrifty this time round.. We tapao at Tze Char stall.. 7 dishes, $38 only.. Oops.. we all forgot to pay miao miao.. Guys, remember hor...
As part of my thank you gift to 3 of them for the year, Ive ordered a Strawberry Cheese tart from Spinelli. I wanted to get Tiramisu but 3 of them, fell sick.. So better get something safe.. Ah kor had the honor to do the cake cutting.. but hor.. dont know is it coz its too rich or kor cut too big piece.. Miao n I cant finish our share.. hahaha..
10th Oct 2007: One of my instructor just returned from his trip, and he so sweet, got me presents.. Called me early morning asking if Im in office and till what time.. Coz he knew tt its my turn, flying away. He came over in the afternoon, took out a chocolate pack and said its my xmas present! hahaa.. He knew tt I loved chocolate! The other time I was joking with him but he took it seriously and got me a box of Merci Choco!! Oh, and he gave me dried mangos. His mum made it for a living in Indonesia(i tik tts wat he meant). I thought it meant to be sweet.. But.. Its so so sour!!!!! But addictive la..
Around 4pm, my lead brought out present for each of us.
She said since Im going away, she must well give it to all of us first.. Its a comestics set. Hahaa... I hardly use comestics...Since its so pretty, I think I shall use it for functions then... Hehe.. when I said tt my presents to all will be bought in Japan, my lead very cheeky n said, of coz tts wat Im expecting, and all of us laughed!!
Angela bought me a present too.. At first I thought it was a top. But only when I opened up the package then I realised that its something like a shawl but with buttons. Its good for lazy ppl like me.. I could jus slip it over my neck and it will hang on my shoulder nicely. Its very very lady like and easy to match too.. Hehe.. Im going to wear it up the flight... She bought me red coz she said, tts my favo color.. hahaha!!! True!
Ah kor TH said he got me a present too but forgot to bring.. Nvm.. I still do collection upon my return next yr... Hahahaha!! Just kidding!!!
Ah mai brought over my stuff and I found a xmas card inside the bag too..
I was keeping the things when I saw the card..
Haha.. come to think of it, its my first xmas card of the year!!
Thank you..

And me? My present for myself?? I passed my school Japanese Exams!!! I could promote to Yr 4 next yr!!!! YUPPIE!!!!!!

The best present for me now is, (really) 90% of the time, everyone is happy and 10% unhappiness but will get over asap. Life isnt always a bed of rose, but most impt is to move on.

Hehe.. seems like Im going to do quite a fair bit of present shopping in Japan. Hahaha!!!

Thanks everyone! Happy holidays!

Homecook Jap food

I heard this saying about Japanese ppl, if they are not familiar with you, they will not really invite you for a meal at their house .. This is unlike Chinese, whom loved to invite ppl to their place for a meal..
Shiho san and I known each other for 3 yrs and she prepared dinner for me whenever I popped by her place ever since we start to get more familiar.. I loved her cooking.. Japanese Curry rice, tempura, Okonomiyaki, chicken wings, pasta etc etc.. I always looked fwd to her cooking.. hehehe...
6th Dec 2007 ~ I went to her place to discuss about my trip after work.. Shes preparing dinner for us(herself, Ryosuke and me).
Guess what is it? Yuppie! Salad with Japanese sauce, Sashimi, bacon with veggies, rice n miso soup!
Yummy yummy!!!! I liked Japanese food, but I like home cooked japanese food more!!! She taught me how to prepare a few Japanese dishes.. but after trying at home... I tik hers is still nicer.. Hahaha
For dessert.. We had our usual hot green tea and theres ice cream today! We had Green Tea Ice cream flown in from Japan!!! Nice and Yummy!!!
I always bring some tibits along for her kid.. but I tik we are all too full for tibits..
But she n her family will be going to Japan soon... Oh no... Im going to miss them and her cooking!!!
They are really very nice people.

Jap Exams Over.. At Last...

Relieved... For now...
At last JLPT 3 is over..
I had never dreamed that I will picked up Jap, and coming this far.
Jap had never been my top choice or rather picking up a 3rd language, had never been in my consideration till Takarazuka came into my life..
After watching Takarazuka for 2 yrs, I decide to pick up Japanese language coz, most of the time, I dont know what they talked.. So, I started picking up this language..
Of coz, my parents were not that supportive at that point, coz I was at my final yr of Uni and, Im wking part time.. They did not think that I would have the time to pick up a 3rd thing..
But being stubborn I went ahead.
3 yrs since I started, I had never looked back and remind myself never to.
It hadnt been easy.. Me, knowing nothing about Jap language, picking up something thats so alien to me. Going through test after test, then exams, then new sch yr and repeat the process again. N going to JLPT 4 and passing it well, came a big surprise to me.
Last yr, some of my classmates and I went to JLPT 4 together.
We had been studying together since basic class..
After yr after yr, our group became smaller n smaller..
Yr 1, theres 9 of us, yr 2 became 6, start of yr 3, theres 5, but at the end of yr 3, only left 3 of us.. Mada, Eugene and I..
3 of us had been fighting hard to continue..
Esther is right, its the difficulty that killed the interest.
Of coz, we all started out as liking Japanese alot, and "guai guai" did the homework every week, till now.. errr...I dont think I even did one, except for the compo.. Only upon completing 4 yrs study, then we considered completing the basic foundation of Japanese language., Dont be surprise, its a total of 7 yrs of study..

Work had been very very very busy.. I know its not a good excuse.. But on wkends either Im back wking in the office, or too burn out to do anything.. Even up till yester, a day b4 JLPT, Im still in office the whole day..
Of coz, theres even a pt I had thoughts on giving up my job coz of the long wking hrs and Im loosing control of my life..
And now, Im at my crossroad, to stay or to leave my job..
When I opened my exam paper, be it school exam or JLPT exam, Im dishearted.. They all looked so Alien to me again...
My school exam results will release on 10th Dec.. By then, if pass, I will continue my yr 4, if fail.. I might give up too(though super unwilling, but I got to face it tt I might not make it)..
I am praying hard that, I could make it, both school exam and JLPT 3