Missing Japan

Wanted to typ something but couldn't find the inspiration to type anything out.

I was watching the Music Station and listening to those Japanese songs and watching the Japanese talking about the songs, looking at the background really brought back those memories I had during my trip to Japan with TP.

I had said it a thousand times and I will still say it again. I really misses Japan and had thoroughly enjoyed myself there. When can I do it again? When can I go back to Japan again?

I missed walking there during the day and night.. Climbing those mountains, eating the food, the people, the feel of Japan.

My next destination to cover in Japan will be Hokkaido, then Okinawa and back to Central Japan. Covering those rural areas. Sigh....









Anyway, when one said to start something all over again, that would mean, restart like a game. Where places you'd covered, interact, everything will start anew. History cannot be erase, but can be forgotten in a sense that you don't have to think about it.

It was really silly of me to let someone who could perhaps, be so persistent to contact someone, hoping that person will respond to them. And that could lead to something unpleasant.

A Failing Relationship is like a Withering Flower

We celebrated Jeremy's birthday last Saturday and coincidentally, there were fireworks from the rally right in front of his house.

There was the rojak station and the prawn noodles station - Jeremy prepared the soup base. Both were yummy especially the prawn noodles.

To me, having my partner participating in these kind of family events are important to me. Likewise, if he has some events of his own and wants me to join in, I will.

Anyway the above picture reminded me of the mob in Final Fantasy XI. Kind of missed sitting on the chocobo and running around fighting with Master Keigo as my tour guide. I must admit, Final Fantasy XIV is quite a letdown. :(

Saw this article about an advice from a divorced man after 16 years of marriage.

And I said that love won't last forever.

Why not?

Because if there is no effort on making it last, no effort from both to make things work, how can love last on it's on? Like a flower. It won't continue blooming once you stop watering it.

I do agree with all his points, except that those points do not come from just the guy only but the other partner and I strongly agree with being transparent with each other, sharing their fears and their feelings instead of keeping things.

Read on:

http://jamesrusselllingerfelt.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/beautiful-advice-from-a-divorced-man-after-37-years-of-marriage/

Taking Things for Granted

So I saw and watched this video on Facebook and it got me thinking, sure enough, there are different stages in a relationship and it can make or break one. Especially after the honeymoon period ends and a couple gets too comfortable with each other that they tends to take things for granted.

I can't speak for all but these are just purely what I think and how I feel.

The feeling one gets during the chase be it the receiving end or the chaser, is always the most exciting and interesting part because that is when the two person will do the cha-cha dance. Moving back and forth, flirting with one another. Trying to know and understand the other party from their characters to habits to the food/drink they like.

Once they are both walking the same path and decided to be together, that is where the honeymoon starts. Honeymoon, well, is like a continuation from the courting stage just that instead of 'Single", their status changed to "In a Relationship". That is the point where the couple are totally oblivious to their partner's bad habits, any negative characters, etc because they are too blinded being in love with one another, enjoying the moments they are having now. For some, their honeymoon can last for a few months, years or otherwise, just days and weeks.

Once that honeymoon period dies down, they will shift to the comfortable stage or rather, for some is the 'boring' stage where they cannot find anything to do together. Or so, they thought. They just felt that they had explored everything together and there is nothing else to learn about one another, every malls explored, there is nothing else to do. Life with each other is just beginning to get boring. Either one or both will want some excitement and unfortunately, that cannot be found on their other half or just does not include/involve the other half. That is when one started to stop seeing the other half so often and spend more time either alone or with friends and is beginning to open up their options. It may go to the extend where the 'blinded' starts to open and sees all the bad habits and stuffs that they do not mind initially and began to wonder, WHY? Why is he/she like this? Why is he/she like that? Why is he/she so fat? Why he/she has bad breath? Why didn't I notice earlier? Why? Etc... And soon, they will start picking fight over the slightest matters with one and other. They can get really irritated with one another, the tolerance level just went down rapidly. And so, that's when the unhappiness overtake the happy moments completely. They will forget the initial WHY were they attracted to each other in the first place? After the whole relationship just went downhill, all the constant fighting, the seeing each other less, one would eventually think about this "Breakup". This relationship can't work anymore. I don't love him/her anymore. I'll be happier without him/her. And so, it happened. Sometimes it may change things for the better, like taking time being away from one another to realise that they actually misses each other and still wants to enjoy each other's company. Sometimes, one of them or both might just move on with their lives.

Personally, I feel that breaking up is the easiest way out. It is just walking out of a relationship that one did not try hard enough to salvage it or perhaps, felt that one had done enough and the result is still the same, might as well not waste each other's time and move on. However, how hard did one try? Was it a half-hearted effort or a hundred percent effort? As long as one of the put in a half-hearted effort, it will not yield any results. Relationship remains status quo and eventually still leads to breakup.

It is easy to take certain things for granted. Like if your partner has always been really sweet by buying lunch/little things on certain days to cheer you up or to make you happy, one who does not reflect on that will take it for granted and sometimes may felt irritated that why is he/she wasting time or spending money on things that they do not need? If need be, might as well spend it on better/bigger things? Or sometimes a partner who tolerate the other half temper/behaviour/etc doesn't mean they can do it all the time and their partner will forgive/tolerate them forever. It will come to a point where their rubber band is fully stretch and once they snap.. well, if you are able to put a rubber band together again.

One ought to look back occasionally, think and try to improve the relationship between themselves instead of getting comfortable and start taking things for granted.

So before one says the word 'Breakup', perhaps one should set it as a rule in a relationship. No breakup and resolve whatever conflicts before the night ends. That is just an example.

Unless they really do not feel the love for each other anymore, then yes, it is time to make the exit.

How does one know they do not feel anything for each other? Do they have to wait until they spend some time away from each other then they will know? Or when they start flirting with other people and realised that at the end of the day, it is their partner whom they wish to return to?

A relationship requires a lot of work. Like in the video, being in one can either lead to breakup or marriage. While you are with your partner, what do you look for in the relationship? Where do you see yourself in it? Does discussing about this with your partner helps to determine how the relationship will grow? Of course for many, especially the young ones, they do not think that far. For now, they will want to enjoy each other's company first. I guess, when it reaches a certain period, then one will most probably think about where to take the relationship to. Whether will one wish to stay in a serious and long term relationship with the current partner and after X number of months/years, then they will wish to settle down. Or they just want to walk and think about the next step tomorrow. However if after an X period of time and there is no changes in the relationship, perhaps they need to talk about it.

Happy National Day 2013!

It was an unplanned event as we were all rushing to go home before the NDP ends around 8.30pm. However, we felt that the crowd will still be there even if we get to leave before that timing as there were a lot of people around and there was a day event just along the Promontory. A handful of us, Mr Teng, 小黑, Ah Keong, Zam and I decided to head to Harry's opposite for a drink.... As expected, the place was full. We ended up buying a dozen of Heineken's and walked to the river to watch the fireworks. It was quite a sight and it lighted up the skies once, paused and the second time. After awhile, the third and finally the fourth. :)

I guess nothing beats watching fireworks live as compared on tv. The best fireworks viewing was sitting on the ground and looking up that it almost felt like the fireworks were just right above you!

I managed to take a video of the last fireworks. Enjoy.

Today, or rather, on Sunday, 11th of August, we decided to meet in the morning for McDonalds breakfast. After which, we went to Cold Storage to buy our ingredients and food needed to prepare for dinner at dajie's. So mei prepared the seasoning and inform us or rather, Jer what/how to cook the food based on the cookbook I had prepared for the food spread as well as washing the vegetables while I do the cutting of the meat, vegetables, etc and placed them together. It was a three men team and it was great. Some family bonding time. :)

Which has been some time since I last spent some time with my family. This time, Jer's dad and grandma joined us for dinner. I am planning to cook next Sunday again!

What's on menu?

Stir-Fried French Beans, Japanese Chicken Wings and Omelette with Onions.

There was soup as well. Vegetarian Shark's Fin Soup.. however I did not manage to take any proper photos of the dishes as it was late already and everyone was hungry, especially the plus 2.

All the cutting = bruise on finger. However it was worth it! :)

Fun family time > minor bruise

This shall be a short post as I need to go rest. It is 00:38hr now and I'm meeting Cass for yoga tomorrow at 7.15am! :)

I was going to end this post however this beautiful song stopped me in my tracks and listened to the full piece. Also dedicated for the man in this video.... it is a pity...

Bleh, after I'd published this post, yet another song popped and is a song I love by the King of Pop! I really like him and respect MJ because he used his popularity to influence his fans to make the change, for the better. To respect one another, not to divide human by their colour, to save the earth, to prevent war, etc. Basically, to make the world a better place.

Enjoy the one by Glee casts.









And ... O-M-G!! This guy is just too cute! Time to watch Glee again!

I pray that everything will turn out for the better and this will be the last time ever.

Family Bonding :)

I suddenly have the strong urge to go to dajie's place and cook. Maybe because she has a nice kitchen with an island counter. I wanted to cook Chinese dishes initially, however feeling lazy, I decided to make do with steamboat instead. We headed off to the NTUC and bought food essential for steamboat. Yum yum!! Total cost was about $102 for a party of 5.

Preparing food for our steamboat. Dajie forgotten to power on the rice cooker and I happened to notice the rice cooker and switch it on. We had bought too much food and we managed to finished 80% of the food we had bought and prepared. Still have some leftovers, like the golden mushrooms, scallops, etc. It was yummy and I really missed times like this. Us, spending time together, having dinner together, etc as a family. I am looking forward to our next round at dajie's place. :)

Hope we can make it a weekly event eventhough it will be kind of difficult because everyone will have their own activities and sometimes even if we are free, dajie may not be. She will have to visit her in-laws, friends, etc. Maybe next time we can have a mini cousins gathering at dajie's place too.

In times like this, I really wish I have my own place. I will most prolly plan some lunch/dinner get-together with friends. Perhaps having friends to sleepover, movie marathon, games marathon, board games marathon, etc. As long as it's having fun with friends.

Of course, I would also wish that my partner would be participating these events actively with me. Be it spending time together with my family, his family or our friends. I like to be around people I like and I find it fun and it felt warm having friends I/he love so close around us be it an overnight chill out session, drinking session, etc. And having friends over means they do not have to worry about spending money to take cab home or can't drink too much for they are driving or staying out late and feeling too tired to drive. :)

Yummy mini dessert!!!!!!!!!

I love Sunshine, Sunflower, Dewberry and Banana!

I am so pampered by my pinoy friends! Now I have two more yummy snacks to add to my list of to buy! One of them is this! I am not a fan of peas however, apart from the Japanese snacks, this is another one where I just cannot stop eating! Perhaps that is why my pimples keep popping out!! :(

YUM YUM SUNSHINE! I still have two packs of Dewberry biscuits and 1 1/2 packets of Sunflower Crackers for me to enjoy. A friend will be going back to Philippines in September, time to write a list of yummies for her to buy back!

So I was have the 'cooking' mood and decided to come up with pasta. I was considering either linguine or penne although I wanted something different since it has always been either these or spaghetti. I looked up for recipes online and saw one of Jamie Oliver's online recipe where his pasta uses this - tagliatelle and taglierini and I went "!". I was lucky enough to be able to find tagliatelle as it was not easy. Hence I went to shop for my grocery and whipped up this meal for my family with some help of course! Overall taste was not too bad but I love the chicken best! Next round will be Chinese dishes!

Tagliatelle Carbonara with Sautéed Herb Chicken

It has been some time since I last post something about my fluffy friends who have been my constant and loyal companions. If you'd noticed, there is an addition to the family - Bunny! He is about 2 months old and they have warmed up to each other very quickly. I had neglected them again and I bet they must be feeling really happy when they had the front row seats watching me playing my games which I'd bought from xbox live arcade.

Cactuar, Hippo and Buddy decided to move to a corner and have some little chat of their own while I had moved on to watching movies. :)

Anyway, I was listening to the OST for Metal Gear and saw another nice OST!

Listening to this song reminded me of the time when I decided to try Halo ODST for the first time because of the coop option.

I have heard of the game Halo however I did not really check out the story for I was not that interested about it that time. My mind changed after I'd played ODST for the first time and asked many questions about the story, about Master Chief. Who is he? Why is he alone? etc. As ODST really provide a good third party view about what happened to the destroyed city and following Master Chief's foot path. Sometimes it felt like I was so near him and yet I never get to see him. I went crazy after and decided to check out on the full story about Halo, even to the extend of buying up the novels to read. As much as I love the game Halo and its storyline, however I felt that the game, Halo Reach isn't as good as the few series by Bungie. Perhaps they made Master Chief and Cortana too... personal? Too close for comfort. That Master Chief and Cortana actually have feelings for each other? Or maybe because they are always together that they sort of, have some connections or bond?

Perhaps in my mind, I'd created the impression that Spartans are superhuman who do not have any emotions like us. Sure they feel sad for their fallen comrades, that is because they are like brothers and sisters in arms, but not because they feel .. something else towards each other. For them, yes sure, they will feel sad for their fellow soldiers who K.I.A but the feeling of dying due to something, like it is a duty to keep the planets and civilians safe not because they want to but they have to. However, they feel sad for second only and they will move on for they have more important things to focus on rather than feeling sad all the way. To them, they feel no fear. To them, they work around to bring the covenants down.

So, Reach is a disappointment to me. Master Chief is too emotional.

Anyway, I'd bumped onto this song too! OMG! It sure brings back memories. I could still remember playing this game on my PS1 and I loved the game so much although I did not complete this game.

I guess I prefer the older games because of the storyline. They seemed to carry more meaning than the new games. It was about friendship, betrayal, saving the earth, sacrifice, etc. Nothing fanciful but simple and straightforward story. I wish I could find a game that is like the old ones, where the games were more meaningful. Another game that I used to love. The conversations between characters are too meaningful, recruiting 108 characters to change the country. Sigh... Where to find a game like this now?

Enjoy this OST. :) Time to lookup on their games and stories to reminisce!