land banking

Haha, this one is strictly for those who are interested and know about this type of investment. Finally exited, after 6 years.

What is land banking? (dun quote exact, as this is from my own understanding!)
In lay man's term, a piece of 'raw' land (or agriculture land) was bought by this big company at a very cheap price and then they'll open up and invite investors to 'share' this land. Everyone gets a title deed etc. So after that, the process of land 'development' will be initiated. Means that the idea was to prepare documents, plan, design whatever, so that the piece of land or the area surrounding it will slowly be developed. Once that happens, the developers will be keen to take over this initial 'raw' land and to turn it into either commercial or residential areas. And once the price has been announced and where all the other investors agree to a certain percentage, the land will then be sold. Then each small investors will get their share. Minimum purchase at that time was half an acre but you can share with others if you like. So my brother's friend suggested to my brother and he was interested, so I follow.

That piece of land was at Canada, and the instrument during that time was, you pay the downpayment (a quarter of the purchase price and subsequently, you can pay via loan by morgaging the land). The finance company that provides the loan was the same one that sold the land to us. So, the interest for that was very very high. If not wrong, about 11-14%.

So, in year 2002 (I think la..) my brother and I paid SGD$3750 each for the downpayment. Then every month pay about SGD$180 each to service the loan. The interest are all calculated in Canadian dollars so, as the year goes by, Canadian currency grew so we actually paid abit more.

In year 2007, the land was sold. But everything was only finalized in year 2008. So we got our money back. After minus the mortgage loan payment and lawyer's fee, the approx. profit is about 6%. Ok bah? At least better than bank interest rates lor.

Nowadays, the investment mode has changed a bit whereby, the investor just dumps in $10K (in whichever currency of the land). For example, USD$10K will give you about 0.333 acre of land. The previous one was C$37K will give you about half an acre.

NDSL

My precious~ (in Gollum's voice...) Haha!


Yeah, mine.. all mine! Bought this second hand from a colleague. Most of the time, I'd be doing the Brain Age stuffs. First time did that, my brain was 80 years old! Gosh! Luckily now is about 31.. best I had was 27 so far. Anyway, my maths no good. Likely to get stumped at 8 x 7, or 9 x 7.

idol gives back

Reminds me of our own charity show, but this one in the States packs a whole lot more $$$$ power! Celebrities that earns millions donates a couple of thousands of dollars each, so raising a few million is definitely possible. According to the reports, 22 million has been raised from yesterday's show. I remembered Ryan saying that even before the show started, big corporations has already pledged around 13 million. Of course, the money raised from these will not only benefit American kids, it will also go to the world. The beneficiaries included Children's Defense Fund, the Global Fund, Make It Right, Malaria No More, Save The Children and the Children's Health Fund.

The show's opening was great. I loved the people from "So you think you can dance"! Saw Benji, Travis and a whole lot of them from 2006 show. Fantastic! They're definitely worthy to watch! And it's a pleasant surprise to know that Teri Hatcher can sing! Haha!

uni

Met up with Wendy yesterday. Our annual exodus. Haha! We'll meet up with each other during our birthdays. So that'll translate to something like... twice a year! She's one cool gal that one.

She was from the same hall as me when we were in university. Without her, I think I'd died of boredom during my final months in university! We'd sit glued to the TV when its time to play the Pyramid game (or was it the Wheel of Fortune?). Heh, fun fun fun!

So yesterday we went to Central to makan. Initially wanted to try Happy Pot at Esplanade, but we didn't want to risk it since it was raining. So a change of venue.

Anyways, we settled into Tomton. Ordered 1 cabbage soup with kurobuta slices (like a mini steamboat with only 1 ingredient!), 1 set of kurobuta cutlet with miso sauce and 1 bowl of ikura + uni rice. Muahahaha, I've always always wanted to try uni (sea urchin) but never really gotten to it. So yesterday was an opportunity! It was really just a tiny eeny bowl. Here's how it looked like:


uni + ikura rice bowl

And yup, its really an acquired taste. Wendy was like, "Are you sure you wanna eat that? Really really sure? Probably it'll taste better with some wasabi!" Hahaha, for a moment, I thought I'd freak out!

Anyways, it wasn't that bad. Tasted like pig's brain, only much mushier but it really really have a bad smell! The rest of the meal was alright. The soup was nice. But I think, likely won't be going back there again.

It was good to catch up with old friends... Thanks Wendy and Happy Belated Birthday!

Remembering Charton Heston

Mr Charlton Heston has passed away at the age of 84.

We'll best remember him in great classic movies such as:

Ben Hur


enslaved (think I had a jigsaw puzzle of this... when I was a young kid)



the great chariot race



Ten Commandments





Parting the Red Sea


Goodbye Mr Heston.

man & woman

Word has it that "A man will pay $2 for a $1 item that he needs, while a woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but is on sale..."

How apt! How true!

I was at Causeway Point today and was just about to walk to MOS burger to have my lunch when suddenly a sales girl placed a small bottle of hand cream onto my palm and said, "Here.. give you a sample!" I was like, ok. Free sample, why not. Then she said, "Come come, let my colleague show you a demo of our other product." I was like, ok.. why not.

So off I went into the small small confine of a demo 'corner'. Then out came a bottle of sea salt. Not any sea salt mind you. It's all the way from the 'Dead Sea'. Ok, few thousand miles away, I suppose?

Anyway, the girl rubbed a small lump onto the back of my hand and she described the benefit of the minerals etc and how it'll actually cleanse not only the 1st layer of the epidermis but also the second and third. I was just about to ask her how many layers of skin do we actually have... but the demo ended. She was at the part of how the product will also circulate the blood, as well as moisturise the skin. Massaging any parts of the body irregardless of whether we're using any other product should in fact, in some ways promote blood circulation, right?

Anyway, of course, she asked if I'd like to get one bottle of the salt. "How much?" "Well", she said. "We're currently having a promotion and its on 50% off the normal price." I was thinking, "50% from $200, will still need to pay $100 bah..." Then she said, "Usual price is $78+, so now is $36+ only." I'm sold. So ok. I got one bottle.

Then she said, "Wait, let me show you another product. A face scrub that works wonderfully around the eyes area as well!" Oki doki, you get the gist. So in the end, I ended with one bottle of dead sea salt and one bottle of face scrub. Total damage, about $70 in total.

So in the end, I got these:

(sea salt)
and

(Exfoliating & Cleansing Facial Gel)

Haha, 女人钱真好赚， 尤其是我的！天啊！Anyway, ok lar. First time I bought a product from Israel. Sounds exotic. Sounds far far away.

And I suspect it won't be the last time that I'm doing stuffs like this. Mark my words. Sigh...

一眼瞬间

competition time



mtv

lyrics:

(女)白茫茫的星光
洒在长长路上
想念的冰凉
你知道吗
你浅浅的微笑
深似海的眼光
都能掀起我
滔天的巨浪
(男)你相信吗
这是命吗
这次我们放弃抵抗
哪怕拥抱
在身上
画下深深的伤
(合)只要看你一眼一瞬间
哪怕是最后画面
我的世界
因为爱过而完美
谁都不该离太远
只要看你一眼一瞬间
足够我熬过千年
我不后悔
爱若让末日提前
我们要一起
好好迎接那句点
(女)白茫茫的星光
洒在长长路上
想念的冰凉
你知道吗
你浅浅的微笑
深似海的眼光
都能掀起我
滔天的巨浪
(男)你相信吗
这是命吗
这次我们放弃抵抗
哪怕拥抱
在身上
画下深深的伤
(合)只要看你一眼一瞬间
哪怕是最后画面
我的世界
因为爱过而完美
谁都不该离太远
只要看你一眼一瞬间
足够我熬过千年
我不后悔
爱若让末日提前
我们要一起
好好迎接那句点
(女)如果相爱是错
(男)错过又算什么
(合)这一次我们
宁死不放手
往彼此的心里跳
跳过天荒地老
wo oh ...
只要看你一眼一瞬间
哪怕是最后画面
我的世界
因为爱过而完美
谁都不该离太远
只要看你一眼一瞬间
足够我熬过千年
我不后悔
爱若让末日提前
我们要一起
好好迎接那句点


Can't imagine but the guy's name is Jam... Jam Hsiao. Haha!

遗落

lyrics:

你沉默低下了头
倔强地抹去了含在眼角的泪光
我傻傻望着窗外来来往往的人
紧握着一只喝空的杯
是真的不懂得心疼
真的不懂爱吗
为什么我始终学不会
要让你心碎不要让你流泪
明天你将离我有多远
对你始终不曾说再见
被遗忘的语言在记忆里搁浅
我在默默地失眠
使我漫不经心的燃烧
你的付出热情和骄傲
你对我有多好我爱我有多少
我被遗落的心只有你知道

时间已停止流动
我的心已落在你我错身的瞬间
我抬头望着天空
你泯灭的心走进我
就将要各自飞
是真的不再有牵挂
真的结束了吗?
你知道我始终放不下
始终不能面对
你不再是我的宝贝
明天你将离我有多远
对你始终不曾说再见
被遗忘的语言在记忆里搁浅
我在默默地失眠
使我漫不经心的燃烧
你的付出热情和骄傲
你对我有多好
我爱我有多少
我被遗落的心只有你知道
明天你会离我有多远
对你始终不曾说再见
被遗忘的语言在记忆里搁浅
我在默默地失眠
使我漫不经心的燃烧
你的付出热情和骄傲
你对我有多好
我爱我有多少
我被遗落的心只有你知道
遗落的心只有你知道


Notice how many times '始终' always appear? Haha! The lyricist must really like the use of this phrase!

onions

aska yang's version



mayday's ashin's version


如果你眼神能够为我
片刻的降临
如果你能听到
心碎的声音
沉默的守护著你
沉默的等奇迹
沉默的让自己
像是空气
大家都吃著聊著笑著
今晚多开心
最角落里的我
笑得多合群
盘底的洋葱像我
永远是调味品
偷偷的看著你
偷偷的隐藏著自己
如果你愿意一层一层一层的剥开我的心
你会发现你会讶异
你是我最压抑
最深处的秘密
如果你愿意一层一层一层的剥开我的心
你会鼻酸你会流泪
只要你能听到我
看到我的全心全意

听你说你和你的他们
暧昧的空气
我和我的绝望
装得很风趣
我就样一颗洋葱
永远是配角戏
多希望能与你有一秒
专属的剧情

fashion pops

Happened to be at Centrepoint today, and they're having 'Fashion Pops'. Think they have another fashion event at Paragon as well because I saw the stage there too.

Below are some pics that I shot with the measly camera phone.



the stage is set



first model appears




doin the catwalk



to the backstage

super mundane

everyday is a routine
day in day out
same old same old

...

...

...


yup, i'm degenerating...


typical day begins at 6.20am
drink kopi, and sleep in bathroom till its time to get dressed
out of the house by 7.30am
walkie walkie to the mrt
then out via Somerset and wait for bus at Midpoint

...

...

...

after half a century has past, the bus will eventually arrive
board an almost empty bus
turn here turn there
while i flip flip 'My Paper'
...
...

oh goodie, it has reached Tiong Bahru Plaza
one million people squeeze into the bus
after 2 stops, alight and cross bridge to Cendex

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

time to knock off, back to home

*repeat process for 5 days in a week



as seen from Midpoint

pinkbell's wedding

Attended Mei Qing's wedding at Orchard Parade Hotel. It's a first for me, that hotel. Went to the receptionist, and I told her jie mei's that I'm Mei Qing's friend. Then they asked for my name. Then they went, "Ohhhh... IRC friends." I nearly pengz. Hahaha, fancy her putting us in that category!

But yalor, known Mei Qing when she was in JC and she was the baby in the IRC group. Youngest amongst us all. Attended her 21st birthday at the chalet, and we felt proud that she's finally growing up. But tonight's the ultimate. I felt as though my daughter is marrying! (abit exaggerated but similar along that line la...) As another IRC friend puts it... we've seen her grown up. In a way, yes.. in some other ways I can't agree.

But all in all, I'm glad I was part of her growing up years.

freshly baked

Went to Orchard NPC today to update the address on NRIC. Hmm.. feels weird going to the police station. Went inside and they have a queue ticket machine. Just like the banks. Then you're supposed to press the correct button for the correct purpose that you're there. One button for making police report, one for change address and 4 more others I can't recall what they were.

So I went there, took my ticket and waited. Think got 2 groups there lodging reports. So I got my NRIC updated and went outside. Outside got Kiliney kopitiam. But got one shop that caught my eyes. "Freshly Baked" by Le Bijoux.

Sounded kinda cool, so I loitered outside trying to see what they have. Heard the person inside asking if I'd like to come in to take a closer look. So I went to the counter. Their specialties included walnut raisin bread and dunno wat cake. Didn't really catch it. So I bought a berry jam doughnut and half a cheese bread. I kinda liked the doughnut because it was really really soft and inside there's raspberry jam. Jam was not too sweet but the doughnut has sugar dusts so overall, still quite sweet! The cheese bread taste quite alright but not as soft as I liked it to be.

where birds dun lay eggs...

Moved to new place for about a week or so already. No aircon, no wardrobe and no washing machine. I'm beginning to feel like a Neanderthal... ok, ok... so I am exaggerating!

The place, ok lor... expensive and ulu. Good thing is every morning I'll get my morning walk because nearest MRT is about 10 minutes away, and then must cross 2 streets and walk up an overhead bridge. Night time, its so quiet that when any sound will sound as though they originate from your own unit. *shudders...*

This week, is a stressful week. Work wise and study wise. Wish me luck and hopefully my washing machine can be delivered tomorrow. Will tell you the story of the washing machine some other time... after it has arrived safely.

out with the old, in with the new

throwing stuffs like nobody's business...
muahahhahaha
actually, i'm very very bad with my $$$...
looking at the things that i'm having and NOT using...
wow... i'm officially a wastrel *boo hoo hoo*

accumulated so many stuffs, from 1995 until now.
still have those NTU hall 1 publication committee t-shirts (of what use leh? no use one lor!)

my brother told the movers we have about 15 boxes... err, he forgot that when i moved in from Serangoon North, I brought 15 boxes of stuffs with me.. so now, his plus mine will equal about like 50? hahah! Probably like 20+

i'm actually quite stressed this week... own module must complete by Monday, think boss have another urgent thing for us to do as well. Then at home must complete packing by... tomorrow? else where got time!? 28th moving already! Arghhhhh! Then new house, need to see what's missing then buy. No washing machine, no ironing board, no fan.. So dun be surprised if you see me the week after, with super crumply smelly clothes

hunt is over!

This is it! The hunt for the apartment, is now.. over. Signed and sealed. Letter of intent, that is. Well, as good as a done deal. Phew...

Our most expensive ever apartment (as compared to gazillion years ago, the most expensive was CCK 5 min to Lot 1 that costs $1.4K in year 2000, but shared by 6 ppl). This one, $1.5K per month excluding utilities (shared by 2). Although it is far far away from Tiong Bahru, I think no choice lor.. have to live with it. Well, whatdaya know.. back to the Northern area once more. From CCK->Yew Tee->Serangoon North->Serangoon North->Yew Tee->Yew Tee->YCK. 9 years, 7 locations.

Now can start packing and arrange for movers to come. Next month, new environment. Wish everyone, a happy Chap Goh Mei!

basic necessity

The hunt for an apartment to stay in, has intensified. Rent is horrible, inflation rate is sky high, stocks took a tumble, budget goodies not applicable and pay still remains the same.

So, we're really in a corner now. Rent for this month has increased to $2K (which is really bo hua because only have 29 days this month and 10 days in this month we were back home in M'sia). Next month, it'll be $2.8K. Haha, obviously owners are enjoying higher returns for their investment now. Imagine 2 ppl paying for $2.8K, that will be $1.4K each excluding utilities! Pengz...

For us mere mortals who had dilly dallied in getting our own property, and have to rely on rented ones... we are feeling the squeeze now. To buy property now, not only it is much more expensive as compared to just a year ago, you have to pay about $26-$30K in cash.

So for now, we really need to look into getting a unit that is going to be available immediately (which is not likely to happen, so have to settle for 1st March earliest), budget between $1.3K-$1.6K, areas between CCK and Tiong Bahru (north west or west areas are fine..) and must have 2 bedrooms (can't expect me to stay in same room as brother bah?! eeek!) And hopefully, no bad things had happened in that flat before... (eeekss!)

So wish us luck! (and if you got any lobang.. do let me know also, thanks!)

hell's kitchen

Yep, another one of those tv reality shows. Caught one episode of it while I was back home in M'sia (did I tell you I love my Astro?) Haha, anyway, quite liked the show. Gordon Ramsay, has quite a notorious reputation (liberally uses the 'F' word it seems), but as my sis puts it.. the contestants most of the times, really deserved to be scolded!

Teams were divided into 2: Red and Blue team. Red team for ladies while Blue team are all men. The episode that I saw had some contestants who are not really chefs. There's one pizza chef called Giacomo (but he got booted out subsequently) and there's this guy who keeps whining and quite drama kind. Forgot what's his name though but he didn't get booted out although his 2 other team members nominated him to be out.

This is how the kitchen setting looks like:


The contestants will compete and diners will walk in to the restaurant and order something. The kitchen is separated from the dining area via a glass screen, which means the 'diners' can see what the contestants are doing.

That episode saw one guy contestant using a spoon to taste the food and customers saw it and commented that they didn't want him to cook their food. Then there was this girl contestant that took so long to prepare the fish wellington that the diners walked out (after waiting for over an hour, I think...)

Gordon Ramsay looking horrified (and probably lashing out at the contestants):



Here's the wiki link to Hell's Kitchen

wii fun

Had the opportunity to play wii for the first time ever today! Yeap, definitely fun fun fun! Think the game was called something rabbids... and they looked smthg like this:


Think the one we played was v1 or smthg... Pretty simple though, just shake shake, swing swing, press press the controller, that's all. Of course, if your eyes & hands are well coordinated, that would be best!

home sweet home

Some pictures taken while I was at home.



yee sang (in a restaurant)


leftover vege + meat (at home)



meal at home



my niece: sophie (s'porean + hungarian)



new year deco (in the house)


flowers outside


flowers outside



my sister's pet


in case anyone haven't been on a train ride.. here's a 1 minute excerpt from a 6 hour ride