No Music No Life 04/2007

itunes: Imogen Heap, Speak For Yourself (2005)

The list of CDs that I have bought in April 2007:


Jennifer Lopez, Como Ama una Mujer (2007)
JLo is back with her first full Spanish album and a lot tone down from her Bennifier days and her previous English releases. A ballad-heavy album.


All Saints, Studio 1 (2006)
Never a big fan of All Saints, but they do have a couple of good songs in the past. I'm quite impressed with a few songs in this comeback album yet not willing to pay full price for it. So I got it from Yahoo Auctions at half the original price. No surprises in this album, if you like All Saints, you will love this. Try Rock Steady and Chick Fit.


Babel Gilberto, Momento (2007)
Fresh from the oven, released a couple of weeks ago. 3rd album from my favourite Bossa Nova latin artist. This album is less groovy electronica than her 2 previous ones and stay more strictly to her Bossa Nova acoustic roots. A smooth, light hearted listening CD, best to play when reading a book. Really hope to see her live at the Esplanade again.

More CDs for J-Pop collection:


徳永英明, Vocalist (2005)


徳永英明, Vocalist 2 (2006)
Remake of old hits by female artists from 70s - 00s by this Japanese rocker in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The orchestral and acoustic arrangement gives new life to these old hits. These 2 albums have been playing in my ipod everday since I bought the CDs.


松田聖子, Bless You (2006)
Forever idol from the big 80s idol era of the Jpop culture. Still remain popular and strong after 25 years in the scene. Beside the cutey pie image, she co-wrote and produced her own albums. Anyone who are into Jpop in the 80s will know who she is.


鈴木祥子, 水の冠 (1989)
Singer songwriter. Love the songs that she wrote for many female artists. Spotted it at the second hand cd shop at Marina Square, $13.95. Cheap for a rare CD like this.


森口博子, Best Of My Life (1995)
A idol from the 90s.


辛島美登里, Ever Green (1999)
One of my favourite singer songerwriter. Still in the process of collecting her 10 year-old discography. This is the limited edition of her best hits album. I always love the Japanese CD packaging.

These last 2 CDs are of with compliments of YL who bought it at the second hand CD shop in Tokyo. Arigatou....

Stability and Security

itunes: 徳永英明, Vocalist 2

It's finally weekend!!
Looking back, it has been smooth sailing the first week into my new job. Despite my new boss dropped the bomb in my first hour on Monday, the mess is not as bad as I expected it to be. For a while I thought I jumped from one shit hole into another. Phew! What a relief!

My priority now is to clean up the mess in the last financial year, set up new procedures and controls and consolidate the reportings. My boss warned me of the noises that will come everyday and he advised me that I should ignore them for the time being, learn and do my work at my own pace. This is really comforting. By the second day, I have been receiving calls and emails, reminding and nagging of the unsolved unsettled issues and problems. I guess these are the 'noises' my boss referred to. Whatever it is, as much as I take pains to clear them, there are some that required a lot of firefighting. Seriously speaking, I do not mind it at all, as long as the problems are not 'fossilised' ones and my bosses giving me the support I need. This is why I find my new job challenging

Another thankful thing is I have a committed account assistant and even the temp staff who takes her own initiative at work. This definitely has made my life and work so much easier. I know there are some unhappiness they have voiced out to me and of cos my role is to support them by smoothen out any barriers they faced (haha that's explained the firefighting on the frontline on my side). Nevertheless, I'm really happy to see such good working relationship developed at the start.

Nothing more to comment about my bosses and colleagues, except hearing some gossips about them from my 2 girls during lunchtime haha. Guess I really need to observe more of the people in my office. I dun mean to brag but I have never feel so motivated at work after all these years, the joy of firefighting to have things done on the right way, meeting and working with people across the group at different level and sites, straightening the wrong procedures and put in the right proper controls. As compared to all my previous jobs, I have never felt an organisation like this, so vibrant and alive that you even feel its heartbeat and breathing. I feel myself there with a vision and a goal to achieve (idealistically) and better perks (realistically) of cos hehe. On the softer side, given in the healthcare industry, it comes with a stronger social responsibilites than most profit-gearing organisations. That's what I like, it's like working hard to generate profits yet with an extra purpose, the role out to serve the community.

Most importantly, for the first time, I feel a sense of eventual settling down in my career, after floating around like a wandering ghost all these years. A job so much so that one just need to concentrate to do their duties well and rest assured that the company will do the rest and take good care of you and your family. There is career path and prospects which I can work towards within the group and I can even start planning for the future.

I guess this what most people called stability and it comes with a sense of security, just like home.

First Time Baker

itunes: 平井堅, 歌バカ (2005)

Out of curiousity, I followed Ces to a bakery lesson 2 weeks ago to learn to bake a cake and a loaf of bread for the first time in my life. Just pay $36 to attend the class, at the end of it, one can bring home the product. See this website: http://www.phoonhuat.com/ It's a nice experience but the smell of dairy products used (like UHT milk and Millac Cream) really turn me off. Despite of that, I preferred to bake bread as less dairy product is used or maybe I should learn Chinese pastry or dim sum instead hehe yum yum....


The entrance to the baking class

The classroom

The columns of baking ovens



The recipe for the Swiss Carrot Walnut Hazelnut Cake



The recipe for the Walnut And Almond Sweet Roll Bread

Mixing the ingredients



The bread dough, yeast at work



Baking in progress



My finished product, not that bad eh? haha the cake and bread smells exceptionally great the moment they are out of the oven......

Farewell Gifts....with Regards

itunes: 徳永英明, Vocalist 2 (2006)

Take a look of the farewell gifts I have received from my colleagues (errrmmm ex colleagues or should I say friends now? hehe).

The sales and marketing team bought me the pocket watch. Thanks to Ces who remember that I'm looking for a pocket watch. Hehe the one that I really want is the skeleton pocket watch. Yeah I know it costs more than a thousand dollars....guess I have to work harder to get it myself. There is a joke with the shopkeeper when they bought this watch. The old lady thought that they are giving it to someone old but when she knew that it was meant a young man like me, she insisted them to buy the swatch watch instead but what they want is the pocket watch which is less then $100. Reluctantly, she showed them this one which worse they bargained with her to reduce the price hahaha....

The girls, Mazlin and Aisha from documentation department and Karen bought me Robinson vouchers, great! I can spend it on Kiehl's products.

Each of my girls bought me: an Iceland Lonely Planet travel guide from Ailim (yes! Iceland here I come 2008!!), a Pierre Cardin tie from Ros and a Calvin Klein key chain from Jun.

Thanks you so much everyone. I'm grateful, so touched and overwhelmed by your kind thoughts and generosity. Thanks for the farewell lunch ladies from SL. I still owe u girls one dinner....

We will meet again.....

Nurse Syringe Attacks

itunes: 徳永英明, Vocalist (2005)

This morning I went for the 3rd appointment at Alexandra Hospital for the 2nd blood sugar level test. I went for the pre-employment medical examination 3 weeks ago and it was found that the sugar level in my urine is slightly higher than average. I was referred to do a fasting blood test but the result was not satisfactory either. This is what I went thru today: The fasting glucose blood test. The procedure is simple. Just blood, concentrated glucose solution and blood.

0845 hrs, after waiting half and hour for my turn, a junior nurse took the first blood sample. The problem is she cant find any protuding blood vessels on my arm so she suggested to do it on my hand instead. Oh gosh, this is going to be painful, I protested. She promised she will use the finest needle. Whatever it is, do I have a choice? I turned my head away as she poked the needle into the skin of my right hand. Ouch, the pain level is slightly high and more acute than doing it on the arm. The tense and the anxiety had me feeling faint and my vision dimming. The nurse was worried to see me so pale and it took me another 15 minutes to recover.



0915 hrs, I drank the most concentrated glucose solution that I have in my entire life. The nurse suggested I should swallow in just 1 gulp but the problem is, the sweetness really hurts my throat. Really tough....yucks.

0915 - 1115 hrs, this is a long 2 hours wait before the next blood sample. I just sit on the couch and wait. In this 2 hours, I'm amazed that I can finish reading today's paper and complete 3/4 of my new April issue of national geographic mag before the same junior nurse ask for me again.

1115 - 1135 hrs, the darkest nightmare of my life starts. My poor left hand....sob sob. As the same procedure, she searched for the right spot on my left hand and apply alcohol on it. I turned my head away as she inserted the needle into my skin. I was too innocent to think it will be over fast. I felt the needle moved forward and back under my skin, I feel the acute pain whenever the needle made the thrust. I tried to relax my tensed up arm and hand, thinking it may relief the pain and discomfort. Well, it does not help at all. This is when I heard the voice of another nurse near me. Yes she is here to help the junior nurse. I can try to avoid seeing the actions taken, but their discussion really freaked me out. Unable to find the blood vessel, they pull the syringe out, insert again and start searching frantically for the blood source. Hello ladies, I need both of you stressed and panicked but do you know how painful are these actions??? I really feel like screaming out to them. Eventually, one of them said, got it. I was relieved and within a short time, the needle was out and I thought the ordeal is over. The bad news is, the nurse told me apologically that the blood stream stopped before they can fill up the syringe. I almost fainted upon hearing that. Hmm but surprisingly I dun look at pale at all, according to the nurse. Yeah, this is when the head nurse came to our rescue upon hearing our commotion. She took a look at my hand and within 1 - 2 minutes, my nightmare is over. What a BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG relief!!!



1135 - 1215 hrs, I went to the canteen to break my fast, had a bite before they called me to see the doctor for result review. The doc is kind enough to tell me that there are good news and bad news. The good news is my previous 2 test results shows that I have been doing well in my diet and hence they are consistent. However, I failed the 2 hour glucose test because the insulin in my body failed to breakdown the concentrated glucose that I have taken before the test. The sugar level in my blood is double of the one I had earlier in the morning. Therefore, he diagnoised me as diabetic.

Now, that's really bad news. I have cut sugar and carbohydates to the minimum these few years and yet I'm not spared of diabetes. I asked the doctor if my pancreas is failing and he reckoned that my condition may have started only recently and there is no need to be alarmed. There is no medication to improve the functionality of the pancreas and all I need to do is to loose some kgs and continue my healthy diet. No medication is required, that's indeed a consolation hehe. He suggested I should go for a more detail check on this concern 3 months later. Yeah, I better go to the private hospital for a second opinion. In the meantime, I continue to do what I need to do. Probably I may start taking chinese medicine to regulate as I know there are some herbs which will strengthen the pancreas.

My Farewell Today

itunes: Illumination, This is Illumination (2002)

Now the time is 6am as I'm blogging this. Woke up half an hour ago, cant go back to sleep, so I decide to on the computer and blog. Today is my last day with my current company. The feeling is mixed, I'm feeling happy and eager to leave and yet at the same time feeling uncertain but excited of what lies ahead in my new job. Sounds contradicting right? haha well, it's human nature to contradict anyway.

The handing over this week has been smooth and I should be able to wrap everything up by today. My replacement is a gracious nice French lady, Nathalie, finance but not accounts trained, who is on a project basis until end of this year when the merger completes. She will be in charged solely on the reporting and the accounts can leave to the girls. If the girls are able to function operatonally on their own, she may leave before year end. That's what my boss told her. As much as I want to influence her that the job scope goes beyond reporting, I know once I'm gone, most of my work will go to the girls. Nevertheless, I see this is a good opportunity for the girls to learn to work more independently and once they understand and able to manage a full set of accounts, they can move on too. Hope they can take this positively.

All right, got to head to the shower. Need to go into the office early to clear some of the last few outstandings. I really hope today will not be an emotional farewell.....

Ces' Farewell

itunes: Duncan Sheik, Phantom Moon (2001)

My colleague Ces' last day was on Friday. Exactly a week before mine.
Despite of that, I still felt a bit restless and down. I cant help but to think by tomorrow when I step into the office, she will no longer at her seat but her replacement instead. Kinda mixed and lost feeling. If should I have such a feeling, the rest of our lunch group must have been feeling even worse. Yeah, there goes one bubbly mate and by end of next week, the cheerful one (that's me hehe) will be gone as well. Sigh.....I really feel sorry for the rest of the guys.

Yeah, Ces started to tear and cry in the final hour and yet I still have the heart to laugh at her. Not that I'm heartless, I have been thru it when I left my first job. I dun blame her since this is her first job too. After years of working life, I tend to get a bit supersitious about doing farewell for leaving colleagues. Usually, we will end up losing contact after a while. Therfore, doing farewell are for those whom I know I will delete their contacts the day after they are gone for good.

How frustrating, my office buddies Randy & KC kept asking me repeatedly every now and then if I will miss them and if I will still keep in contact with them after I leave. I refuse to answer that question and I see no reason to commit that as well. Seriously I really hate those pretentious colleagues whom I dun really know too well or whom I dun really want to know too well, came and say goodbye on my last day and keep insisting you to promise them to stay in contact. Yeah do I really know you well? Yeah are you worthy enough to let me take extra effort to remember you? Randy & KC, pardon me for saying that: I dun answer stupid questions. You guys already know the answer, right?

Whatever it is, a matter of fact is if we are going to be friends thereafter, I do not see the point to say or organise anything special at all. There will be chances to meet up later on anyway....

This coming week it's my turn to hand over. I will be as busy as a teacher bee hehe. Hope the girls will not cry on my last day. Well well, it's good thing one able to move on. I'm really looking forward to the new challenge and new career ahead.

Ces, if you are reading this, I wish you all the very best in your new job tomorrow and I see you sometime this week for Mark & Sharon's birthday dinner. I certainly hope they will be able to follow suit real soon.

Azabu Sabo

itunes: 徳永英明, Vocalist (2005)



Check the Hokkaido ice cream from this shop out at Marina Square. What really interests me is the Green Tea & Red Bean flavour, a very classic Japanese flavour. The red bean paste bits blend in extremely well with the Green Tea, this in fact save the overall taste of this flavour because the base is a bit too milky which somehow dilute the green tea fragrance. If compare to Scoopz (see blog Scoopz Ice Cream), I think it's still inferior. Scoopz's green tea ice cream though not as milky as this, it does retain a slight milky taste which compliments the strong green tea smells even without the presence of red bean.

Logically speaking, in a green tea ice cream, the green tea should be the main role and milk which act as a base, should be less rich, just like Scoopz. Other brands like Haagen Daz, Andersen or in this case, Azabu Sabo, the milk has become the lead instead, therefore it should be called Green Tea-flavour milk ice cream because the focus is on the richness of the milk, not green tea.

Nevertheless, I did not try the rest of the flavours of this shop, I think it should not differ much from most of the ice creams found in Singapore.

Dust to Dust, Ashes to Ashes

itunes: Jennifer Lopez, Como Ama Una Mujer (2007)

Finally, I have given my bosses my final decision this morning. Indeed, I'm leaving the company. My MD looks okay and he only commented that there will no one else to take over my position as the assistants are too junior. I just smiled and kept quiet. What do you expect me to say? Do you think I really care? Even if I do care, what more can I do? My FD, on the other hand, reacted differently. He begun to say what he said last Monday (it's in D-Day Aftermath blog). Ya, he felt I got them into deep shit and he even commented sarcastically that I may not even care about these since I'm leaving. What a big bitter lemon!!! So I guess he never really meant what he said during the persuasion session last Friday. Now he wants to come back next week and check my work, sigh! Think of how much trust he has for me and how pleased he is for my work he said last week, this is really a 180 degree change of behaviour.

Seriously I dun blame them. This is a real business world, in reality we all fight for our interests. As much as they want to protect their interests, I have mine to pursue as well. Since I'm calling it quits, I just play along with what's in the contract, be professional and no other feelings attached. Similarly, if they dun need my service, they would simply retrench me that's all. Under such circumstance, who would feel bitter and sour? So, it's just a vice versa arms length transaction that's all. A good friend of mine, Philip has always said this: one must leave the company as a winner, not a loser. I agree with him wholeheartedly. I may emerge as a winner now but I still hope for my bosses' blessing of my resignation.

Whatever it is, at last for now the aftermath is over and tsunami subsides, it's just dust to dust, ashes to ashes....