This Special Christmas

I always struggle when it comes to buying gifts during the festive seasons. In fact, I used to think that festive seasons are just public holidays. Is there a need to celebrate? Like counting down and exchanging gifts? To be honest, I can't even remember the last time I celebrated Christmas. Or did I? I don't know, but this time it's different because I'm attached to a lovergirl, so something special must be done!

Special like what? No idea.

Since I'm lame with gifts and stuffs, I went around asking friends and colleagues for advice, hoping that someone can give me an exotic idea for a Christmas gift. But most of their ideas are quite common like plush toys, chocolates, cute crystal decorations, necklace, bracelets and the sort. Simple things that you can just buy off the shelves and wrap it up. Sounds like celebrating a birthday huh? Taa daa.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind simple stuffs. In fact, I'm quite sure Sally would be happy with whatever I buy for her. But somehow I felt that those stuffs are abit too normal. I don't think it's just about spending money and wrapping gifts. I wanted it to be something personal, so that it truly makes a difference. It's definitely not just a gift.

After a few days of thinking, I finally decided to design something for Sally. I'm not a graphic designer, but that's the whole point. Doing something extraordinary! Ok, nothing out of the world, but acceptable lah. I used Macromedia Flash to design a simple logo for us. Here's my mushy design:

Original design - self proclaimed hottest couple
Nice?

It took me a few hours, but it's worth it. Even the heart shape is manually drawn. Done! But wait. Of course, the logo itself is not enough. It has to be printed somewhere so that Sally can see it everyday. I uploaded the design to CafePress.com, a website that allows custom images to be printed on a wide variety of gift items such as t-shirts, magnets, etc. So in reality, it's a 2-in-1 gift, the logo that I designed for us and the souvenier that it will be printed on.

After going through the list of gift items, I chose a ceramic mug, for two reasons (1) it's practical and can be used everyday (2) I don't quite like the DHL mug that Sally used in office.

So on December 16th 2008, I placed my order and waited patiently. On 19th, my mug was processed, wrapped up and sent on an international flight. Based on the UPS tracker, the mug took a trip across the world from US to Taiwan, and finally reached Singapore on 22nd. Sounds like a very tiring journey. Haha too bad.

Delivery from CafePress.com
After opening the box, I was totally delighted and satisfied with the quality of the mug, and our "Freaker Loves Sally" logo printed on it. This is so cool!

Our very own "Freaker Loves Sally" ceramic mug!
To give a better sense of the mug size, here's a comparison with my Star Wars: Force Unleashed PSP UMD cover box.

Roughly 7.5" tall
Exciting huh? But that's not the end, because there are more interesting stuffs to be done. Wrapping it up! I recalled once upon a time when my cousin actually thought me a simple technique to wrap gifts. Here are some photos of the entire process.

Step 1: Prepare all the necessary materials


Step 2: Use a DIY gift box with the proper measurements


Step 3: Wrap the gift in bubble-wraps and put inside the box


Step 4: To make things more interesting, let's put a semi-transparent paper on top to keep the recipient guessing. Eh? Is that a pair of Charles & Keith heels?


Step 5: If your box is not pretty enough, you'll need a gift wrapper


Step 6: Fold the wrapper into 3 layers like this


Step 7: Continue to wrap the gift as usual


Step 8: Taa daa, all done! But for some unknown reasons, when I look at this picture, it feels like there's really a pair of Charles & Keith heels inside.



Seriously, this is not the end yet. Relax, here comes the finale. A gift, I repeat... a gift is nothing without a love letter to go with it. This is the hardest part for me because my handwriting downright sucks. But I've been putting in so much effort since the beginning there's no turning back now. I actually took out a piece of paper to practise writing a-z, A-Z in preparation for the love letter.

After about 45 minutes of practise, my handwriting still sucks. But who cares already! Here it is!

The love letter
I'm going to office earlier tomorrow to place the gift and letter on Sally's table. If she looks at me, I'm gonna act blur. "What? Not me" Hehe. Hopefully this will be a pleasant surprise for her.

To my readers out there, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you!

Immortalized Happy Times

Sally & Freaker, roughly 1 week old
Sweet huh? :) This was a photo taken by erm... Huili if I'm not mistaken, at Ben & Jerry's. It was taken using a polaroid camera, so I decided to "digital-ize" it. This way, we can always look back at our younger days when we grow old together next time. These important moments, of course, happen only once.

I believe that after many, many years down the road, it'll be quite touching to look back at this photo. As couples, like any other couples, a relationship is always filled with chili and cheese. There's ups and downs, happy and sad moments. Over the years, we would have experienced so many things together and I wouldn't want to forget any of it. This picture will definitely bring back fond memories :)

I love you, Sally ;)

Always do.

Yum Yum

All thanks to Merwin, today I had the chance to eat something absolutely gross. Check this out:

Kangaroo Jerky
Yes. That's right. Kangaroo Jerky. Made of KANGAROO MEAT. Can you believe it?!

Yummy kangaroo meat
Ingredients and nutrition information
Heh, interesting eh? Taste like pork. Smells like shit. Wanna give it a try?

Who Moved My Cheese?

Yesterday I had a bad headache and couldn't get enough sleep, so I decided to take a day off. I went to the nearest clinic instead of my visiting my regular doctor because I felt like a zombie (and look like one too)

I waited for a freakin 1.5 hours before it was my turn. Kinda good business huh. Long queue, the doctor must be a darn good one. When I went in, the doctor began asking a series of questions to help diagnose the problem.

Do you smoke?

No.

Do you take alcohol?

No.

Do you eat alot of cheese?

Huh?

Nabeh. What has eating alot of cheese gotta do with headaches?! Or was it a trick question? Damn, if it's scientifically proven that eating too much cheese can cause headaches, then my life is DOOMED!! :o

Sally loves cheese too!
I actually think I'll have headaches if I don't eat enough cheese. Oh well, I guess I should just visit my regular doctor next time. What the hell :)

Segamat Resort

Last weekend, Sally accompanied me back to Segamat again. Nowadays when we make a trip back, it feels like going for a short holiday in a resort.

My dad's seriously irresistible food.
It reminds me of the wonderful trip to Batam. Relaxing. Lots of delicious food. And we do nothing the whole day except watching TV, sleeping, playing games, etc. Wonderful eh? And my elder brother is missing all the good stuffs coz he's in Canada lalala :P

So from now on, I'm gonna call my hometown "Segamat Resort". Let's make a trip up to Segamat Resort, shall we? Heh, sounds alot better than going back to hometown :P

Are We There Yet?

Ok, we've met each other's parents. I've got my PR approved. Hm, these are all the important milestones in our relationship, but what else? Next stop, strike TOTO! Then we'll live happily ever after :D

Actually no TOTO also we'll live happily ever after lah ;) But I really hope we can stay under the same roof much sooner :)

Happy Birthday To Me

All these years, my birthday celebrations have been simple and straight forward. Usually I gather a bunch of close friends for a small gathering and treat them lunch or dinner. Sometimes they buy me a cake or a present. Or even deliver a card to my home.

Sally and me @ Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal
This year my celebration is quite different because I get to celebrate with Sally :D And it wasn't just an ordinary lunch or dinner treat. Although both of us have been quite busy recently, she put in the extra effort to organize a trip to Batam for me, just to relax over the weekend! And I really needed that break. When Sally told me that we'll be going to an island, I was really excited and I couldn't wait to get there. I love beaches and I knew that it'd be a great trip :P

Scenery from Batam View Resort
Swimming pool
Although I'd be honestly contented with just a regular room in Batam View Resort, Sally actually booked a suite overlooking the beach! Aww, the place was really beautiful and cosy. And I really wish I can own a home like that in the future :P We didn't get to do much that night because we were kinda tired after work and it was already dark outside. It didn't matter though, because we only had one activity in our agenda - RELAX.

A SUITE!!
The balcony
The breakfast wasn't as good as the one we had in Boulevard Hotel, but as long as they have eggs, fresh milk, cheese or cereals, I'm a happy man :D

Our humble breakfast. That's because I forgot to take photo of our 1st round :P
ThE cOFfEE iS VeRY GooDZ
After breakfast, we went for a stroll around the resort. They have a mini zoo with a monkey, a chicken, turkeys and some different type of birds. Not too interesting huh?

Turkeys are very boring birds
They have a private beach too, with beautiful scenery and all, but sand was unusually coarse.

On our way to the beach!
Hm, looks like a fishing village
Sally and me
Peaceful scenery @ Batam View Resort's private beach
For the whole day, we didn't do anything except watching TV, playing PSP games and just lazying around. The suite was so comfortable we didn't even feel like going out or doing any outdoor activities. But I guess that's the whole point of getting a suite anyway!

Our lunch - Laksa and mixed grill
Seafood dinner @ Kelong
Entrance to Kelong Seafood Restaurant
That night, Sally surprised me with birthday present. I thought that the whole Batam trip was already THE present, but she bought me something else too :) So sweet right? She gave me a birthday card and bought me an electronic shaver (because I always cut myself with a conventional shaver), a PSP game (because I love Star Wars and I've been longing to get this game) and a Metal Gear Solid keychain (because I love the Metal Gear Series). In short, she bought all the things that I like so much!

A birthday card and a present
Oops, actually many presents!
And to my surprise again, there's a birthday cake too! Non-stop surprises! :P

My birthday cake
We went back to Singapore on Sunday afternoon. Although the trip was only over the weekend, I truly enjoy every single moment. More importantly, Sally made me feel really loved and it's a blessing to celebrate my birthday with her.

Me and Sally on the ferry
On our way home
Sally, I guess this is my most enjoyable and memorable birthday celebration. I feel really happy and I'm grateful to you for doing all these. It means so much to me and I love you very much!

My Dad's Birthday

Coconut trees in Segamat train station
Last weekend, Sally and myself went back to Segamat again. Weeee! This time we went back to celebrate my Dad's birthday. For some reasons, we couldn't get tickets for a Friday night-train, so we had to go back the next day. Kinda wasted, but where's the fun if everything goes smoothly? ;)

Although we went back to celebrate my Dad's birthday, he still had to cook for all of us :P Haha! That's too bad because nobody else can cook better than him, so we gave him the honor to prepare all the yummy dishes.

Dad's wonderful dishes

Extremely yummy Nasi Lemak
This round I spent more time at home playing Monster Hunter Freedom 2 with my brother. We used to play that addictive game alot but we stopped after a while. And thanks to my twin bro, the monster hype is all back again! Damn!

Anyway, we had a small celebration with my dad at night. Here are some pics:

Dad's birthday cake
My cheeky brother
Happy Birthday Dad!
Mom and Pop
Sally, me and my parents
It was a short weekend for a quick birthday celebration, but enjoyable nonetheless :) And now I can't wait for the weekend because it's my turn, and we're going to Batam over the weekend! Looking forward to all the fun! Love ya, Sally!

Shangri-La

Ok, I haven't been blogging for a long time. Recently everything at work seems to be weird, if not stupid. And it's eating up all my precious fun time. But the worst thing is I'm busy for all the wrong reasons. Anyway, who cares about work.

Today I have this special privilege to accompany a pretty girl to attend her D&D at Shangri-La Hotel. Here she is:

It's us again! :D
When I was a kid, my mom once told me about the legend of Shangri-La. I believe there are many different flavors of the story, but it's a myth anyway. Since I'm in the mood for story-telling today, let's hear some story! The legend of Shangri-La that I heard from my mom goes like this...

Once upon a time, a group of hikers climbed up a mountain to enjoy the beautiful scenery at the summit. While resting, one of them noticed a cave nearby. He was sure the cave wasn't there during their last mountain hiking trip at the same spot. Since when did the cave appear?

He notified the others and they were all very curious. Since they were adventurous people, they decided to explore the cave even without the proper equipments. Who knows, there may be hidden treasures?

They went deeper and deeper into the cave and it appears that there was a complex network of tunnel right ahead. They decided to turn back because of the risk, but to their horror, one of the group member was missing! They called out to him several times, but there was no answer. Only dead silence :o

They were all very frightened and ran out of the cave to seek help. But after hours of searching, they still couldn't find him and the poor guy is reported as missing.

This poor guy who went missing somehow got lost from the group earlier while exploring the cave. When he realized that he was lost, he knew that blindly walking inside the cave would not help. So, he took out a small ball of thread and tied one end to a rock. Then he continued walking while holding on to the other end. This way, he can attempt to find his way out without worrying about getting back to the original location, in case he fails. Then of course, he can try other routes until he finally finds an exit.

After hours and hours of walking, he finally found an exit! He was so excited and ran out of the cave, expecting to see his friends waiting for him outside. But to his surprise, he saw a fishing village instead. Wait. A fishing village on the summit of a mountain? It can't be right. He couldn't believe his eyes.

He was very tired and hungry, so he approached the villagers for food and drinks. The villagers were very friendly and welcomed him to stay with them. He soon realized that there was something unusual about them. All the villagers were young and healthy people. There were no old folks around and everyone seems to be constantly happy. The place was unusually beautiful, peaceful and serene, almost like a paradise. Since he couldn't find his way back, he decided to stay there.

Actually we are from Shangri-La. Youthful and happy :P
Over the years, he grew old and weakened like any normal human being. But the villagers remain youthful and energetic. It was an unexplainable phenomenon. He realized that this place was not for him. He knew that somehow he has to return to where he belongs, so he packed his belongings and went back to the cave, hoping to find his way home.

Before he left, he told the villagers that he intend to return home and will come back to visit them soon. He then asked what was the name of the village and one of them replied "Shangri-La".

He bid farewell to them and went back into the cave. He followed the thread he left behind many years ago until he finally reached the original spot where he was separated from his friends. It has been many years. Without delay, he started looking for another way out. After many hours of searching, he came upon another exit and this time, it is the mountain summit. He was home :)

He climbed down the mountain and immediately went to look for his friends. They were very surprised and speechless to see him. They thought they'd never see him again! All those years he has been missing, how did he survive in the cave?

He smiled and described to them the fishing village where he lived for the past few years. But they didn't believe him and thought that he was hallucinating. To prove that he wasn't lying and Shangri-La was real, he brought his friends back to the mountain cave and followed the thread he left behind.

After hours of walking, they finally reached the end of the thread. Instead of Shangri-La, it was a dead end in the cave. A dead end! There was nothing at all, only darkness! He was dumbfounded.

Where is the village?

Was he really hallucinating?

How did he survive so many years?

The end.

Nice story, ho? But Sally told me it's abit frightening. Is that so? I love this story so much that I remembered exactly how my mom told me. But I bet she doesn't even remember telling me the story. Haha!

Once in a Blue Moon

Sunset in Punggol
Last Saturday, Sally and I went over to ZhiWei and Hello Kitty Huili’s house in Punggol for a small house-warming / mooncake-festival gathering session. We met up with some friends in a much deserted Punggol MRT station before heading off together. The neighborhood is still relatively new and quiet, but the place looks really nice and comfortable.

Nice chandelier @ ZhiWei/Huili home
Yummy food
We all brought a lot yummy food and drinks for the gathering such as mooncakes, cookies, pizza, sushi, etc. But seriously, nothing beats Huili’s AMAZING potato salad. AMAZING!! It is so amazing I’m sure she’ll be able to start a potato salad franchise in Singapore and become a millionaire out of it. Ok, I exaggerated, but it was easily the most yummy dish that evening :D

Group photo
We spent most of the time there eating, yakking and laughing non-stop. And watching TV too. Yeah, that was the day when Manchester United got their ass kicked by Liverpool. LOL. Anyway, it was a really good opportunity for Sally to catch up with her friends and for me to get to know them, though I’ve met some a few weeks back. Gathering friends nowadays can be quiet difficult, unlike school or college days when you get sick of seeing each other everyday :P right?

Jessline doing her magic
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
At around 11pm, we changed to childhood-mode and gathered downstairs to light up some lanterns. It’s been such a long time since I walked around with a lantern. In fact, I don’t even remember when was the last time I actually carried one. And this time round I get to do it with Sally! Ok, here comes the mushy part. It actually feels very sweet to be playing lanterns with the person I love so much :)

Sally and Me
Take a closer look at our lanterns
After taking some pictures, we decided to call it a day because it was already quite late. The whole gathering lasted only a few hours but I enjoyed every moment and I’m sure everyone else did too. Sometimes I think we just need these occasional break from routine or else life can be quite dull :P

Hopefully there will be another one of these gatherings again soon :) See ya all again!