Cruz

I’m half way through the one month break. So fast?! I think I’ll have to take two months next year!

Jean and I hosted Marine Parade’s National Day event. If you had seen the media coverage, you would have realised it was a mini NDP of sorts. The residents were very enthusiastic in waving their flags and using the clappers, but they weren’t keen on doing the Marine Parade Wave. Hahaha. They featured a female Parade Commander, and the girls from CHIJ Katong Convent formed the Guard of Honour. The little boys and girls from Tao Nan and Ngee Ann marching in their Scouts, Brownies, Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade uniforms were so cute!

The finale was spectacular, with a medley and a four-minute fireworks display. I had a sore throat, and I wasn’t supposed to shout. But I was going, “SINGAPORE, SCRRRRREAMMMMM!”. I was imagining myself to be Gurmit Singh. Hahaha. And oh, it was such an experience singing the National Anthem beside Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

Thanks to the committee for having Jean and I at the event.

The sore throat worsened after all that screaming the night before. I had to see a doctor.

I was flipping I Weekly while waiting at the clinic when I saw my face in one of the pages.

Yes, I have many fond memories of East Coast. All that late night bonding. Awwww…

There I was, waiting impatiently in the queue. “Popcorn, sweet or salted. Hotdog, ketchup or mustard. Is it that difficult?” The other counter had completed four different orders, but this couple in front of me hadn’t quite decided what they wanted. Tsk. I didn’t tap their shoulders however, cos I suspected that Salt would be mediocre, and I didn’t mind missing the first few scenes. I was at the screening because I had nothing much to do anyway.

Angelina Jolie is gorgeous, even if she walks out with a broken nose from a North Korean prison. The poor girl injured herself while doing the action sequences. Uh huh. Salt is well, too bland for my liking.

I was at dinner with A and L, when V called. “I just saw your tweet! I’m at ION too! Can I hang out with you for an hour or so? My friend is late.”

Things can get interesting when friends from different groups meet for the first time. I become their common topic and it can get rather nerve wrecking when they talk about me right in front of me. “He was like that since secondary school.” “Oh you mean he does that to you too?”

It was our first time at The Nautilus Project. I saw a couple of negative reviews online, but decided to go along with A’s suggestion. It wasn’t that bad lah.

V’s friend was tied up at work and didn’t turn up eventually, so she joined us for dessert at Marmalade Pantry. My Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge something something was really boring, and I couldn’t help but steal V’s Sticky Date Pudding. Yum!

After a heavy dinner, I caught a heavy movie with J. Throughout the movie, I was thinking, “Hey, this woman looks a lot like Mariah Carey! It isn’t her, right? The performance was wonderful. I thought Mariah Carey can’t act!” Well, it was Mariah Carey. Wheet!

Precious is an obese and illiterate African American physically and sexually abused by her parents. She often dreams of a better life- becoming rich and famous, and being loved, but is nowhere near her fantasies. Expelled from school because of her second pregnancy, she turns up at an alternative institution. That is where she learns to read and write, and finally rids herself of the monsters and baggage in her life.

Mo’Nique, who swept virtually every Supporting Actress award available, is hauntingly convincing as Precious’ good for nothing mother. Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire is fully deserving of its accolades- 137 nominations and 80 won.

I was on leave, and I was still sick. I really shouldn’t be working, right?

Radio veterans often tell me, “Once you are in, you can never get out.” I laughed initially, “Very funny. I joined a national broadcaster, not some secret society.”

I have been drafting something for the morning show’s 5th anniversary in September. And I was planning a couple of other things- stuff that will go on air next year if I get my way.

As you can see, I have very humourous people keeping me entertained at all times.

My Facebook wall and Twitter feed were filled with posts from excited people. Oh yes, the long weekend was coming. I was rather slow in realising this. You would too, if you weren’t working like me.

We met for W’s birthday that evening.

Halfway through dinner, Andrew asked for ice cubes. The waitress blinked and told us with a stern face that ice cubes were chargeable.

I stopped eating and looked up from my plate in disbelief. What? We have to pay for ice cubes?!

The waitress then took two steps and whispered, “Just joking!”

Hahahahahahahhaha!

Silly woman. But that cracked us up totally.

The food was average, and the ambience was totally unacceptable for a $52 nett dinner. But the waitress made our day. Hahaha.

I’m declaring my adoration for breakfast at Melt, Mandarin Oriental.

I had a very unpleasant experience a few years back, and I had been rather reluctant to step into the hotel again. But I had breakfast at Melt twice in eight days. Two simple reasons- the service was excellent, and the food was great.

I had just remarked the previous night, “They should send someone to to Melt and learn how congee should be done.” I like the Healthy Breakfast corner, where they had a wide selection of cereals and fruits, waiting to be soaked in milk- full cream, skimmed or soy. I didn’t take too big a serving, cos I had to try the prata and curries in the Indian corner, as well as the pastries which came with a decent choice of butters and jams. I had to skip the waffles and the Japanese offerings on both mornings, because I was way too full.