My Journey to South: Friday-Nite Episode

I'm writing this while sitting in the Coffeebean - Wheelock Place alone, solo and solitary. I didn't call my friends for a friday-nite hang out as usual and neither I joined my colleagues for an all-you-can-eat dinner in Carnivore. All I wanted is to be by myself - in a hustle and bustle of Orchard Road in weekend night.

I arrived at Tangs Department Store around 7.30pm, people were everywhere... there was a Latino street-band in front of the mall... lovely. I always love street performances, anykind. I even love the blind singer cum keyboardist in the pedestrian tunnel from Yishun MRT to the bus interchange, most of the times he sings and plays nice songs.

I didn't go inside Tangs but took the underground to Wisma Atria. I finally can snap the picture of the blinking bible verse from there. Wisma Atria is on the opposite site of Tangs and adjacent to Takashimaya. The picture quality is not really good... this weakness of my compact camera has become more irritating... (*am thinking to invest a DSLR... hmmm, probably later :D).

I went inside Takashimaya and to the Christmas Bazaar in B2, wow, so many yuletide things there, all on sale! Crosses with bible verses, nativity figurines, cards, Gospel and Classical Xmas CDs, plastic Christmas trees in many colors, and many more. All are considerably cheap! I love Christmas Bazaar...

I did some quick shopping in the fair and went to the food court in the same level for the dinner. It's weird to dine-in alone but I ate my Thai food quickly and left. Next stop was the Calvin Klein sale in Studio 04, Takashimaya level 4. Bought nothing there. I also went to the Burberry sale on level 2, all mostly on sale at 30% off. My black tote bag which I bought as a Christmas present for myself on 2006 is now on sale... finally... after two years... (*was tempted to buy another color as it has white and beige as well... but I promised to God to spend wisely ^.^ ).

I went down to the street level and crossed over to Paragon. I kept walking and went to Lucky Plaza to buy Empal Penyet for tomorrow's breakfast... am so lazy to cook this nowadays.

Ayam Penyet Ria was still full of diners, even more were coming-in. That was almost 10pm and it's only minutes to their closing time. I wonder how much they generate each day...

I passed over Tangs again and the final stop is this cuppa place. Because of its strategic location, this open air coffee-joint is always packed, but I'm all alone so it's easier to get a table. I got a seat in a perfect table with a perfect view! I'm so lucky! I can see the giant screet of Shaw/Isetan Shopping Centre showing various advertisement and movie trailers, I can see the Christmas light-ups in Orchard and Scotts Road, I can watch people walking and cars jamming. I even spot some girls are having a party with one of them wearing a bride-veil taking pictures next to the singing Christmas tree (I assume they are doing the hen party... probably... not so sure... but looks like it).

I love alfresco cafes. Like this one, or many others along the stroll of Orchard Road. I'm sure I'm gonna miss this and I'm glad I decided to go by myself tonight. It's only 5 days to the hand-over of my apartment and 9 days to leave Singapore for good... and I'm gonna enjoy every bits and pieces of it!

It's 11.15pm and my large peppermint vanilla ice blended is almost finished, I'm ready to go back home. I packed my things and crossed to the Orchard MRT Station, as I looked once again to the that blinking bible verse in Tangs; ...I know that with God all things are possible... and I shall not worry about tomorrow, the day after, next week, next month, next year... for my life has always been safely kept in His palm.... Amen.



The world can be on crisis and the newspapers are spreading only the negative articles, but that doesn't mean my faith is also on crisis and I can't spread the good news. It depends on us how we deal with it. I just want to deal on everything together with God... as with Him all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26

"... for God all things are possible"

I was on the way to Plaza Singapura when I saw the blinking lights in Tangs Department Store as a part of Christmas Light-Up season in Singapore. Unlike any other light-ups or Christmas decorations, this one is very rare and I had never seen anywhere like this before. This blinking lights showing a good news from Matthew 19:26! A mall quoting bible verse? *wow*

Wow! W-o-w.

I was still amazed with Tangs and its blinking bible verse when finally I reached Plaza Singapura to meet my friends. As I climbed the elevator to the food court on level 5, I felt like God spoke to me through that blinking lights.

...for I only have small faith that those giant yellowish-goldy bible-verse Christmas light-up has to blink in front of my very eyes so that I worry no more.



*The photo will be posted later ^.^

My Journey to South: Episode 3

A friend asked me about my discernment earlier and as this friend is an important friend - sort of, the question has became a part of my thinking lately...

What is my discernment? Is this the right thing to do? Is Theology truly my thing? What am I gonna do after that? Will I be the same person when I return? Will I be survive?

Those questions have been flying over my head again and again, circling around like a fainted cartoon character (*with those stars around the head, remember?), repeatedly on and on as if I mistakenly push the song-repeat button in my winamp. I wish I can easily push the stop button to make those questions stop singing in my ear.

... and in addition to the persistent questions for my discernment, my empty feeling this nowadays has added the cloud in my head even thicker.

I have no idea what to do!... And I hate it when I'm feeling like that!

Somehow I think I'm losing my hope and reasons for doing this. But I don't want to give up Theology, I know and realize that this is what I want... but I just don't have any endurance for this hardship of mine.

I feel empty. And stuck.

"Well then, if you say that you don't want to give it up (*Theology) it actually means you still hold on to God as your One and Only hope..." suddenly a nice voice whispering in my ear. "You just have to stand firm and have faith..."

Have faith...

That is probably something that I'm lacking off lately, my faith, which has hidden at the very bottom of my heart and therefore leads me easily into an empty feeling and a saga of losing hope and reasons for my intentions. Nah!

Gotta have my faith back, and put up in the surface of my heart... For God still wait for me exactly there while I travel around to every corner*.

*I always love the quote of 'There is always something better waiting around the corner', and I put my search around the corner ever since. Just recently I got the answer that the One who keep waiting for me in the corner is actually God Himself... I've mistakenly thought of some particular persons who might be waiting for me... but I was wrong. God has waited for me to answer His call...

The Simple Woman's Daybook

I know this post is out of the topic, but I do love the idea of writing thoughts and plans in the blog and share with readers out there. I found this accidentally by browsing some blogs about Catholic Women and after reading some of them I found that the creator of The Simple Woman's Daybook is Peggy Hostetler who wrote these two blogs: here and here.

The Simple Woman's Daybook should be posted every Monday so it's one day late for me, but better late than never. So here goes mine:

For Today, Tuesday 11 November 2008

Outside my window... The Singapore sky I'm starring at is at its darkest moment, I barely see any stars. I only see the yellowish lights from the landed houses next to my apartment and the other apartments at far... I can feel the world slowing down just everytime I look outside my window.

I am thinking... of my plan to study Theology. (I am also thinking to buy another laptop... the faster one).

I am thankful for... everything God has given me.

From the learning rooms... just couple of days ago I wrote down some Latin phrases that Catholics use to say or write about. Haha.

From the kitchen... I went to Fair Price hypermart this evening so my fridge is kinda full now; I like having soya bean milk ready so I bought two flavours: Marigold Soya Bean Milk (Reduced Sugar) with Almond and Marigold Soya Bean Milk with Pomegranate. Love them.

I am wearing... white-pink hearted tank top and black pyjama pants. (I know, it's not matching... but who's gonna see me anyway?).

I am creating... this blog to be nicer to read lah.

I am going... to start My Journey to South: Episode 2 tomorrow.

I am reading... Dancing in Shadows: Sihanouk, The Khmer Rouge, and The United Nations in Cambodia, by Benny Widyono. I bought this book in Phnom Penh last month but still haven't finished it. No rush anyway. This is a very inspiring book I can say, well written and straightforward. For purchasing and further info can be found here.

I am hoping... everything will be just fine; my temporarily moving to Jakarta, my semi-permanent moving to Melbourne, my plan of studying Theology... I put my hope in You, Lord. Only in You.

I am listening... to 'Since I Met You, Baby' by Wanda Jackson.

Around the house... boxes everywhere. (Have to finish packing by this weekend...).

One of my favorite things... is to sit down in an alfresco cafe, watching the world go by.

A few plans for the rest of the week: tomorrow is quite a big day for me as I will journey to seven different churches to pray (just read in my blog later...), Thursday and Friday will do my work as usual, weekends would be for going to masses and hang-out with friends.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

* This is me in Catholic Church in Siem Reap. Having this picture posted in this blog reminds me of how wonderful God's love for me. I always love traveling, and it's only by the grace of God that I can travel a lot this past three years, and during my travels, I love visiting Catholic Church to pray or sit down a bit. This church in Siem Reap is one of a kind! Look at the building. Lovely wooden church... I heard they also have floating and karaoke churches there.

My Journey to South: Episode 1

First day of November.


Felt like yesterday when I decided to move in to Singapore; a regular visitor who turned out to be a local at heart. I talk Singlish. Walk fast. Eat Chicken Rice in dirty hawker centre. Take BMW (Bus, MRT, Walk). Hang-out in Clarke Quay. Watch Phua Chu Kang. Buy branded bags. Drink Singapore Sling. Celebrate National Day*. Work hard. Study even harder. I survive...

What's keeping me here? Why is it so hard to leave? Why can't I just pack my things and go? Memories filled every corner of my thought, tears ran down on my cheeks... my dreams were seemed to fade away. All left me confused. Maybe things are not complicated like what I thought so. Maybe everything is that simple. Maybe. I wish I know.

What was I thinking? What was my purpose? If all roads lead to one way then I shall confuse no more...





*Singapore's National Day falls on 9th August which is my birthday.