A penny for the reminiscence.

It's been more than half a year since I last visited ma virtual world.

The first words I had on ma mind for this post were, "别来无恙?" (Bie Lai Wu Yang) which means "How have you been?" I remember I used to attend chinese composition classes at a tuition centre when I was in Primary School and this teacher I had was awesome. I had endless chinese idioms and my composition standard way surpass that of a Secondary School student. I hardly ever scored less than 35 out of 40 for composition. Beat that.
Well, gone were the days for those intellect in me seemed to have left me for good as I pen-ed them down and handed it up along the years..

Much has happened in this 8months.



First and foremost, starting from the aspect that takes up 80% of our time in our lives, work.
I have since shifted to another branch and am no longer in Vivocity Frank Store but Singapore Polytechnic branch. Lifestyle has indefinitely changed a fair bit given the different operating hours of the 2 branches. I feel that I have since been able to lead a more balanced life from a 5 and a half day work week branch. I get to spend allocated time with my loved ones and begin my exercise regime after work. There are ups and downs in all of our jobs I believe, but at the end of the day, it all boils down to how we work it to our advantage or choose to react to different situations and people. I had my darkest moments, felt like I was right smack at the pit and I chose to take the escape route.
Today, I still stand as where I was, I still am who I am, except stronger than before, adopting a different mindset. All because I have bosses who never allowed me to give up on myself, who encouraged me to persevere and walk on, like a lift-me-up hand stretched out in front of me and I am thankful for that.



If you are a friend of mine in Facebook, you'd probably already known the transformation of Rocco in this period of time. Nothing big, nothing illegal. On the contrary, something really small and silly but yet keeps me happy. (:



So First, Rocco was Blue Lip-ed.



Then, itchy backside me, changed it to Orange which never kept me interested for long. =X

 

 

 

 

Finally, it is now PINK! Ma all time favourite colour which leaves me baffled how I have never had this crossed ma mind before, ever. Mmm.

 

 

Rocco is coming to a year old in about 3months time and I still adore and love her as much as before. She's such a beauty even in its most original look. Even though ma deepest darkest thoughts know she can look way better than that. But at where I am right now, I have learnt to be contented and of course I believe there are much more meaningful and liquid avenues those dollars may be put into. (;

 

 

 



People come in and out of our lives like wind. I have made new friends, I have lost a couple as well.
I have had new friends turned good friends, I have had new friends turned back to strangers.
I even had a girlfriend whom I call "twin" who stepped on to the next milestone of her life just last night. Though I know you probably won't be reading this, I just want to say: "Raine, you are truly a blessed and fortunate girl and I hope you'll cherish your husband as much as how he cherishes you. =*)"
I have had colleagues turned friends or even best friends, I have had colleagues turned enemies but yet colleagues again.
I am one who can be very blunt with ma words, who may make no attempt to put on a facade. This attribute of mine may be deemed as good by some, whilst it may be deem as bad by others.
Ultimately, there's a saying that goes:

" I may not know the key to success, but I know the key to failure is to please everyone."

I truly thank those of you (you know who you are), who have always loved me for who I am, cared and treated me genuinely and stood by me through the good and bad times. These are the people who choose to look beyond ma flaws and make an effort to see the beauty in me. Deepest, greatest appreciation and gratitude. <3



I turned 25 just a tad more than 2months ago.
Along with the well wishes and presents, came a scar I will walk with for the rest of my life.

Flashes of the night of August 11th remains vivid in ma memory still.
I was a very happy girl. The people who made the effort to turn up was overwhelming and I had never expected such a crowd.  I bought drinks as a token of ma appreciation for all who came to share the joyous occasion. Never would I have expected the night to end with one of ma bestest friends carrying me out of Neverland and subsequently up the ambulance headed to Tan Tock Seng for ma wound to be stitched up. I swear I have never shed so much tears consecutively for that many hours before. The pain, the fear, the bright lights in the ambulance, the smell and cold of the hospital. It's all a nightmare I wish I could wake up to. Unfortunately, that is a fact and noone can turn back the time..



Grandma hasn't been in the best of health of late.
We've always known 生老病死 to be part and parcel of life. But never would I have imagined the process of it to be that scary, especially to a loved one. Seeing her weaker by the day pains me. I don't want to imagine how Daddy and his 3 elder sisters would be feeling.
Now, I only wish for her to feel as blissed and as loved as she can with minimal pain, burden and worry free.

 

Here's I realised, the one and only solo photo I have of Mama and I taken 2yrs ago during Cousin's wedding. =(

Quoted from Xin Tong (Jesseca Liu) in the 9pm drama Game Plan,

"Live every passing day like a year so you will not live to any regrets."

Xoxo <3,
R

Hello Twenty Twelve!

It's the first post of 2012.

A month has flown by just like that and it's February already.
How has January been treating you thus far?


Life has been smooth for me:-
A bad year has ended. Can't thank god enough for giving me the strength and wisdom to brave through all tides that it is now time for me to breed some success in the new year. (Hopefully.)
(:

I had Rocco to welcome the start of a new year.
I had savings enough to pamper myself a Prada & a Longchamp. Hopefully the friend manages to get what I want. Heh! Can't wait for it to come already while I'm self reminded while typing this~
Sounding like a bimbo already I know. =X


Life for me is pretty much being summed up & defined by work, boyfriend & family. A 'friends' category is kinda missing here but I feel so worn out everyday. Definitely gonna incorporate this category into my work life balance. (; It's not going to be easy for me with changes that will soon be implemented at work.
Changes that would affect my lifestyle indefinitely.

I was advised to be less negative & look at things in a less complex way and perhaps life would be much better.
Gave it some thought and found it so true.
Just because I've attained a degree doesn't make my caliber anywhere near the expectations I've set myself given that I still have so much more to learn and so much more to experience. Besides, what's a degree holder when anywhere on the streets of Singapore, you can easily close 2 eyes and pick one up.

Since young, Dad has cultivated this look-up-to-those-who-are-better-than-you attitude rather than be smug and compare yourself with those who have done worse. Simply because that way, I'll always be learning from the 'best' instead of maintaining status quo. As we all should know by now, there's always a mountain higher out there.

I guess subconsciously, I tend to compare myself to successful people I've met from all walks of life and question myself on what I have achieved thus far. Without realizing that time, capability and opportunities differ in each and every individual. As much as I want to achieve something great out of what I do, there is no quick formula or shortcut to climbing up the corporate ladder.

So as for now, I'm going to continue enjoying what I do, enjoying the company of awesome colleagues at work and learn as much as I can. I believe it'll not go wrong for me to take things slow, do what I ought to and is expected of me. Someday, somehow, I will see light at the end of the tunnel. All I need to do is to constantly remind myself to.... "Think positive." (Inspired by 'We Not Naughty') Hohoho~ ;D


I remember during one of the heart to heart talks with the King sometime in October last year, he shared that perhaps due to the comfort zone of my family background, my take, attitude and perspective at work seems a lil off the balance scale.
Bit by bit, as I take opinions and advices from loved ones and friends, I reflect overtime and try to change and adapt so as to be molded into a better person all for a better future.
One of the ways the King has suggested for me to stay hungry for sales, is to set myself goals.

Which, if you're a friend of mine in my facebook, you would have known my goals of late. =p
Not to forget, a lump of savings to be maintained still after achieving those goals for rainy days. (Very important!)


February is the Month of Confirmation for the Franklins.
Hope this transition would be a smooth one.
Meanwhile, I need to earn more more MORE money! So that I can contribute more to the Family, pamper myself more, and have more spare cash for investments.
钱生钱 = 更多钱!

HUAT AH!


Hahahaha! :D

Xoxo ♥,

R

How long has it been since the last time I had the time to sit in front of the screen and pen down my thoughts virtually? Mmmm.

If you don't already know, I have officially started working.

Done with the training, done with the deployment test, out on the battlefield.

It has definitely not been a smooth sailing 3months for me.

If not for the encouragements from my few very close knitted colleagues cum friends and family, I might probably have raised the white flag.

Well, this voice inside of me tells me I'm much more than that. So I'm not giving up yet. (:

In these past 3 months, I've learnt that having a justifiable upright modus operandi in life is not the way to success.

I remember prior to this post, I mentioned bout how people have pre-warned me bout the harsh reality of the working world. But I defiantly stood firm to my believes, my attitude and my mentality albeit a part of me knowing life doesn't work this way.

Having been out there, thrown out of my comfort zone, I have come to terms with the fact that in life, there's no such equation as 1+1=2.

So here's 2 words of the day from me: "Suck it."

I'm having my off today which explains this possible post here.

Been trying to strike a balance between work and social life. Unfortunately, my immune system's too weak to keep up with my mind. Down with flu and cough right now. Damn~ ='(

Sooner than you and I can imagine, 2011 will be over.

And a brand new year ensues..

2012.

I will be embracing it whole-heartedly.

I'll have a dream come true to kick off the awesome year ahead. ;)

Can't describe how excited I am.

Following that, I hope career wise will be going upstream - A chance to prove, an opportunity to be groomed, and hopefully a glimpse of light of ze future.

Nothing comes easy.

I believe shits will fall along the way right in front of me or right smack on my head.

Come what may, let's just pray that I'll have the strength to persevere and overcome em all~

Hohoho.

As for my Christmas wish?

For all my loved ones to stay happy & healthy.

For all who love me continue loving me.

For all the jinx and people-who-have-issues-with-me to scram and stay out of my life.

Hahahaha~

Oogay now I sound like a childish secondary school kid.

Thou shall not speak further. =X

Have a great weekend ahead all!

Xoxo ♥,

R

Frankies rock ma world ♥

In the blink of an eye, I'm moving on to ma 4th week of training already.

The next thing I know, I'd be going through all the stimulation tests followed by deployment.

Speaking of which, I'm so not anticipating OBS. Really. That place scares the shit outta me. T.T

Life has been a breeze albeit feeling tired 24/7. =(

I'll manage that though. Slowly..

Caught Johnny English last night at AMK hub. Specially requested for the cinema there cause I missed the superbly sweet popcorns there! Try it if you haven't! ^^~

The movie was awesome with Rowan Atkinson's classic Bean-facial-expressions. I literally laughed till I teared in the cinema. Hahaha. :')

Weekend's over just like that. Tomorrow's a brand new week starting with NTU on a Monday with Mich. I'll miss ma other Frankies especially ma partner-in-crime Mei En who have been away for a week! I've got an awesome group of batch friends. I refuse to classify em as colleagues cause there's a difference between being a colleague and being a friend. They are my colleagues indeed, but my friends too! Time where I was down and out, they never fail to encourage me both physically (like accompanying me to get 3 pairs of heels in 2 weeks. HAHAHA! =X), mentally and emotionally.

Thanks guys! I ♥ you all much!

It's a short short post for today.

I know it's been awhile but I haven't even had much time for sleep. ='(

I hope I'll have more times like this for me to update and hopefully, be able to produce a much better post with more depth and profanity.

Every single soul can decipher this post. =X

Whatever it is, thanks for reading and have a good week ahead all!

Oh wait. Before I forget,

Happy 50th Monthsary to ma King!

♥♥♥

Xoxo ♥,

R

As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.

- Ben Hogan


It's my last week of freedom.
And results would be out in a couple of days.
There's nothing much I can do now but to wait and embrace, come what may...


Meanwhile, I'm stoked just at the thought of the upcoming Get-Some-Flame-In-Our-Stomach session with xuanny and bestest coming Wednesday. Sweeeeeet! ;D


Have a good week ahead!



Xoxo ♥,
R

Queen for a reason.

A staunch believer of black & white. Never a believer of the grey.
So it applies to aspects of her life.


It's either you succeed, or you fail.
It's either the truth, or the lie.
It's either the rich, or the poor.
It's either the loyal, or the betrayal.
It's either you're somebody, or you're nobody.
It's either I like you, or I don't. (Period.)


One step away in the placement of the sole on the cold battlefield.
Heard too much; it's always better to be safe than sorry, no?
They say maintaining a facade is the key to survival but I beg to differ to a certain extent.
Just so you know, I've established and has always believed in my modus operandi.
It may work, it may fail - I'll live every passing day to conclude that eventually, needless for any imbecile souls to talk me down.

I live up to my failures.
I live up to my triumph.
In fact, it's this burning desire to triumph that drives me further; like a nos in a ride~

"To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you."

With that said,
"Life has never been better." (:
And no. I refuse to let offensive words disturb my peace of mind.
I'd give so much more time to the improvement of myself that I have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.


Xoxo ♥,
R

"I don't know what I want."

"My options are very wide."

"The things that I want to do are plenty."


These are what you would hear babbling out of my half pouting half smirking mouth if you were to ask me about my recent job hunt.


As I was graduating from Temasek Polytechnic, I had plans to sign on with the Navy as a Female Naval Officer. My second option was as a Prisons Officer. I always believed that everyone deserves a second chance.
Dreams started to get a little drifted and unrealistic - I decided to pursue a degree suddenly when I had sworn that I would never ever study again after graduating with a diploma. If you really want to know, I really ain't an academically inclined person and I could never take educational stress. I would get all so depressed and I could just break down halfway while studying. It has been this case for me since O'levels. Suck it. Studying just isn't my forte. =|


Now that I have graduated (though not officially) with my bachelor's degree, I'm seriously lost.
Not till a random bbm chat with a friend couple of weeks ago reminded me of my passion.
Since a uniformed career was apparently the least idealistic job one can ever hold for a sound future, why not a non-uniformed career in a uniformed environment. I get to be paid well, I get to work in an environment I have always had a thing for and most importantly, I get to keep my weekends. It sounds totally to me, the best of both worlds.
Since a long time, I finally felt a surge of adrenalin rush and excitement brewing within me.
At that point, I told myself, "Hey. This is probably what you want exactly."


Nonetheless, there were those who were blunt and discouraging without any hesitation. There were those who could really feel me and gave me moral support and encouragement. & of course, there were those who were simply neutral.
Above all, I followed my heart and gave it a go. After all, I hold no responsibility in the decision of hiring.


Here I am, with plans to pen down the brilliant start of the week with the legendary 8th of August and the very much anticipated week of events, yet finding my fingers on auto-pilot mode bringing the cursor to favorites before doing so.
To find that... .... Mmm.

As Alexander Graham Bell says, "When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."


My supposedly anticipated week has no doubt became a tad dull.
I will try my best not to let it affect me. Meanwhile, I guess it's time to move on and start the hunt all over again. There's no need and no point for the wait anymore.


For now, to all TC Owners,
Stand, spread your arms and inhale when the night falls~



Xoxo ♥,
R