The Gap Year

Well, basically a GAP year is .... i took this off Wiki... so all rights go there... Its so right :

A gap year (also known as "year out", "year off", "deferred year", "bridging year", "overseas experience", "time off" and "time out") is a term that refers to a prolonged period (often, but not always, a year) between a life stage. The most popular gap years are taken pre or during matriculation in a university or college, between college and graduate school and a profession, during a career change, pre or post marriage or having a first child and pre or post retirement. It is generally a practice undertaken by those from developed countries.

Look at the last line... it says DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. I wonder if Singapore falls into that category. I know that at least the mainstream bulk of singaporeans dont do it. There are many an adventurous souls who have taken their own GAP year or years but its still not as popular here than overseas. I would love for singapore to have that. As in, take a no pay leave just to do a GAP year. Why dont we?

Mahjong
What a lovely game! It all started when me and SIL taught MIL how to play mahjong during CNY. It was hilarious, me and my mediocre mandarin, not fully knowing how to play the game but trying hard. But MIl was good.... she won quite a bit on her first lesson. What were the men doing you may wonder? If only they could start their own game!! I mean, I know a whole bunch of guys who play, like my uncle and at least quite a handful of my male colleagues..... Perhaps they world shouldnt be segragated by male and female species... just those who play and those who dont. Admittedly I'm not good at it but i really enjoy it.....

Played with my cousin too and we decided that we'll bake CNY goodies during chinese new year, make a bundle then play mahjong for the rest of the year.... throw in some SPA and we're good.

Then the icing on the cake was playing at Gracie's. With the help of my new shifu... Diane. She's good! I learnt many tips. Then went to play with my mother and her friends. haha.... Shall we have a game too SIL? :)

Breadmaker
Breadmaker breadmaker, bake me some bread....I seem to be buying all sorts of electronics eh. From my 3 in one waffle, grill and sandwich to my ice cream maker, to my photoprinter, to my top of the pops Panasonic digital camera and my 8 gig memory card, my Philips hair curler and straighter etc, to my Osim massage belt( which i gave my dad, cos i figured his fast growing watermelon compared to my.... well shall i just call it a flabby belly..... ), to my hand massager. Anyway, I din pay full price for everything..... I had vouchers for some and if you know the nature of my job, I have to spend some money to buy techno stuff so there.... Thats how i can effort it all.

Anyway, back to my lean mean bread making machine. I LOVE IT! Breville. Bought from Tangs. Baked lotsa bread. But mainly I'm trying to go for the wholemeal organic thing. By the way SIl, the bread i made u guys was from organic whole wheat flour.... mabbie thats why its so good... :)) I cant wait to try more. So fun! Its like u dump all the ingredients in the container, plunk it into the machine, press buttons and off it goes. U get bread when u want bread. :)


Birthday
It seems like just yesterday that i celebrated my 24th birthday. I still feel 24. Well.... mabbie more like 14. I still hop, skip and jump. Run, prance and leap. Have a care free attitude on life (to some extent) and feel as young as a horse.... literally. But since this is therapeutic blog, I need to come to terms with the fact that I have left the 20 something club and just submitted my registration form for the 30s club. I got a shocking " hello Ms think u are still young" letter from the immigrations department, telling me to change the photo on my ic etc. They will be shocked! I look almost the same. ... ok ok... rounder in the face and fatter around the hips, thighs and belly area, not to mention arms, butt and calves and everywhere else.... but spiritually i look the same.... they should have a machine to take a photo of the soul.... it will be young..... Sighs.... so there... i've said it all. As i'm one of the few who have my b day earlier that most of my friends..... I just have one thing to say...... it aint over till its over!!!! go figure....

Those of u who are still in your 20s... treasure the number (20 something) and how physically fit you are, how good your metabolism is without working out much, how you can just go to a club and enjoy ladies night with heart thumping music, dancing with strangers and just getting drunk stupid, and puking into drains without anyone giving u strange looks. That all changes when u have a reputable career and have to wake up at 6am the next day and watch your life pass you by while u stroll through the agonies of life. bleah....

Bouquets
This is really a tribute to my little learners who did so well for the recent exams. I'm so proud of all of you... them actually. They dont know i have a blog..... haha...One of my students got 6 As. And some were so sweet, they messaged me to thank me. Such dears. U know, when i was a student, I dont ever remember hugging my teachers. Nope..... And one of the most heart warming things is that your students come up to hug you or ask if they could have a hug. Eversince I started, I've hugged some of my students... girls of course.... from the crying ones to the ones who were leaving, to the ones who needed comforting. In the beginning I never really thought much about it. But it suddenly dawned on me that I took this hugging thing for granted. Cos there were students there who are so loving and thoughtful and sincerely sweet... of course there are students out there who are not... haha...

Anyway, I'm happy for them and I want to say that I replied them saying that it was really through their hard work and effort. If I could make them get good grades, everyone in my class should get an A. Not everyone did.... so their fantastic grades had nothing to do with me. Love them.... really really do.


Metaphysics
The book that i was looking for in Borders was in that category. So all i can say for now is I;m looking into it and not a total disbeliever.

BSM
I'm doing a really fun and exciting course right now. Its the basic sports massage course. Conducted by SSC and the lecture is given by Aized! She's like the guru of sports physio or something.... I remember those days when she was still in CJ and me and Az would like hand around etc. I just realised that they were all zeddy, azzie, tazzie and rizzie.. so cute.... I love the hands on session. Fun fun fun!

Old Airport Road Hawker Centre
We discovered this really fantastic kaya toast! I shall take a pic and send it in. Forget Yakun!! The bread is crisp yet had that nice texture of bread. Good butter but a little to little kaya. But it was good. And the lor mee is also good. yumms.

No Signboard
We had crabs! I think i must have crabs everyyear for my birthday. Yumms. the one at geylang is the best of the best. Thanks for the Nigella Express SIL! I've been so eyeing that book!!! Yay.... Shall I email Nigella to get her to do an Asian tour? Would so love to meet her and be her little helper. I'm just waiting for her to come up with slightly healthier recipes. Butterscotch banana muffins looks so good in the book but not on my flabby belly.


Vacationless on a Vacation
It isnt as depressing as it sounds. I'm actually happy to spend sometime at home to sort out my life. Need the break to wonder that ever happened to the last 4 years of my life and if it needed to be changed. Still wondering.....

Well, i think that was quiet a mouthful for the day. Take care and i'll see you soon.