First time voting

I was expecting my constituency to be a walkover but surprisingly the SDA is contesting. This means I get to vote and it’s my first time! Exciting! Haha. Well, it’s good to see many Singaporeans being able to vote instead of previous elections where most Singaporeans need not vote. I am sure there would be a fight, with Hougang and Potong Pasir having the toughest battle. Wow. That said, I do hope Mr Chiam See Tong of Potong Pasir (SDA), Mr Low Thia Khiang of Hougang (WP) and Mr Steve Chia (I am not sure which constituency he belongs to, forgive my political apathy), will win. I feel that they are worthy opponents to the PAP. I guess it’s all right to have a minority opposition who are good and will not confront the government just for the sake of opposing.

However, the people’s support for Mr Chiam See Tong is declining and he is getting on with age. I do think he has sat for 5 terms in Potong Pasir and done good during his terms. He’s the kind who does not oppose for the sake of opposing but I do feel he has great knowledge as a veteran politican who deliberates his moves with caution. Singaporeans may just vote for PAP as the dangled carrot of lift upgrading and perhaps estate upgrading is too much to ignore for realistic, practical and materialistic Singaporeans.

Mr Low Thia Khiang is all right and I believe he has done good for Hougang too. He’s quite candid and has a tinge of humour, especially in the way he speaks, but he is not like Mr Chee, who seems to go for hard ball tackles with the PAP. I hope he wins too.

The Workers’ Party (WP) is also in Aljunied and the candidates are quite strong under Sylvia Lim’s leadership. If they win, it’s good but even if they lose, a good margin would show that the people of Singapore want their voices to be heard, that they want an alternative. Other than that, most opposition candidates are too new, too foreign a face to me to warrant much attention.

As for me, I am still undecided as Mr Teo Chee Hean is heading my area. I do like him, he’s like Mr Goh Chok Tong, affable and humble and not to mention that they are both tall giants. I do think he will win, yet for me the underdog beckons. And beckons.

KL escapade 06

I escaped to KL over the Easter weekend and came back only on Monday, totally refreshed. It was an enjoyable trip because after my family and I were done with the normal Qing Ming stuff, we walked and shopped a lot and the best of all, I ate a lot!! I can finally eat many more types of food. Hurray!!

During the four days that I was there, we kind of packed our activities back to back and only returned to our relative’s house late at night. Time was essential as this is our so-called annual trip, so we must make full use of the time there. Also it was always raining cats and dogs from evening to night and we had to endure the floods and bumpy roads.

Basically we walked almost the whole of KL with the focus being Bukit Bintang. We visited the shopping malls around Bukit Bintang such as Sungai Wang, then Lot 10, Berjaya Times Square, One Utama and Ikea. I also visited Chinatown where there is lots of stuff to buy from the nightly pasar malam selling fake goods. It’s fun to bargain especially when it’s so cheap! I bought an Adidas bag for only S$12 and some watches for only S$5 each!!

The highlight of the trip was obviously the eating. Wherever we walked, we also ate. Let me see: I had Baskin Robbins ice cream (very nice, just feel like eating it again!), HK style French toast with white coffee, KL Hokkien mee (black with lots of lard though) , sushi, Ampang yong tau foo, lots of dim sum and last but not least A&W fast food like curly fries and root beer float (which cannot be found in Singapore now). Yummy.

I think I did not have enough fun shopping. Itching to go there again to eat and shop more!!

Vainpot me

Suddenly got caught in this fad of trying out natural homemade facial masks to see if they work. Haha. Below are some listed uses of food ingredients that can be used on your face.

Salt
Wash your face with salt water for cleansing and to prevent pimples. (For oily skin)

Egg White
Spread some egg white on your face as a facial mask for 10-15mins. Rinse off. This will tighten pores (For all types of skin conditions)

Honey
Can be mixed with egg yolk or milk powder – spread on face as a facial mask for 30mins and then rinse off. Will give the face a glowing smooth complexion. (For oily to dry skin)
I tried this too, it really makes your face glowing, though it’s a temporal effect for one day. Strange enough, my face felt more oily after doing it. Now I am confused if my skin condition is oily or combination or dry.

Tomato
Cut or mince a tomato and spread it over your face for 30mins. Rinse off. This will help to close your pores, cleanse the dirt, and heal blemishes. (For oily skin)
This is the one I tried! It really really works!! Well, I mashed up one tomato each time I did the mask but after awhile I felt irritated as the tomato pieces kept dropping and dirtying my pillow. So I decided to cut into slices and spread the “juice/ pulp” onto my face first and then place the tomato slices on my face for 30mins. The results are very good! My pores have tightened a lot, my blemishes are healing well and my face is not so oily anymore! Really amazing. It also has a whitening effect. However, you need to do it everyday for at least two weeks to see a very significant effect, that is if you want a change in your skin condition. The tomato juice will probably sting and itch on the first few tries but after that, it’s quite all right. Anyway, Dongfang Billy recommends doing it daily morning and night – I don’t have the luxury to do that, so I only do it at night.

By the way, that’s the state my face was in with the mashed tomatoes below. Haha.

Eating

I wanna eat roti prata!
I wanna drink teh chino!
I wanna eat fried carrot cake!
I wanna eat cheesecake!
I wanna eat chocolates!
I wanna eat barbequed chicken wings!
I wanna eat mango pudding!
I wanna eat fried hokkien mee!
I wanna eat Haagen Daz ice cream!
I wanna eat chicken chop!
Fish and chips!!!

But I can't. I can't. I can't! Still recovering from what seems to gastroterentis became gastritis. Hopefully it is not an underlying gastric ulcer. There is still some slight pain that comes and goes! Help! I am afraid it would be an ulcer and more afraid to do an endoscopy...

My diet for the month of April and maybe May will now consist of papayas, bananas, plain water, milo, cornflakes, plain bread and fish porridge or beehoon.

Singing

Actually I am not singing. Haha. Playing songs on my guitar as I am into my 4th day of MC. One song keeps getting stuck in my mind.

No Greater Love
(Don Harris & Martin J Nystorm 1990 Integrity Music)

This is a wonderful and lovely Christian song that tells us how great God's love is and the reflective mood and beautiful words reinforces this great sacrifice of Christ. As my church friends agree, this simple song is so beautiful and the music so touching.

You loved me when I was so unlovely
You sought me when I was lost
You showed me how much you really love me
When You bought me at the highest cost

There's no greater love than this
There's no greater love than this
That a man would give his life for a friend
There's no higher sacrifice than a man would give his life
You have paid the highest price for me

You chose me when I was so unworthy
You cleansed me with Your own blood
You clothed me with righteousness and mercy
And You crowned me with Your steadfast love

Reading

I was given 5 days medical leave so besides grimacing in pain, I do not really know what to do with my time. Actually, it's not that painful anymore lah.

So I decided to start reading. It's been ages since I really picked up a book to read it from cover to cover. I read on the MRT as well but mostly newspapers or else I nap. I never seemed to finish the books I read on the MRT, so I kind of gave up.

I am now reading Dongfang Billy's nutrition books, done with one, going on to the other. Picked up "To kill a mocking bird" - it's quite boring, I have not gotten to the 20th page! Guess I rather read Shakespeare and plays.

I also finished the remainder of this Christian book titled "The secret of loving, how an intimate loving relationship can be yours" by Josh McDowell. This book on love is really interesting, besides telling us that God should be the centre of our lives, it tells us what love is. It differientiates between love and like as well as superficial and mature love.

The book also served to reinforce what I strongly feel about a relationship, that there should be respect, trust, faith, honesty and of course you should marry someone you cannot live without rather than someone whom you can live with. Last but not least, the author tells us that when you truly love a person, your own self, your own needs no longer are as important as the other person's needs," development, security and happiness". You just want to make the other person happy.

Prevention tips for cancer

I was just reading Dongfang Billy, he is/ used to be a Love 97.2 fm radio DJ and his victorious battle with cancer was widely publicised.

From his book, I learnt a few tips but since the book was in Chinese, I read selectively. It pays to prevent cancer or reduce the risks, as I have found out that I may be at high risk, given my whole family clan's history. Sianz.

Tips:

1. Do not cook egg in high temperatures, such as deep-frying.
2. Do not eat leftovers.
3. Do not eat so much cured meats and fried foods.
4. Do not smoke or drink.
5. Eat lots of vegetables and raw, if possible.
6. Take lots of Vitamin C but try not to exceed 1000mg per day.
7. Take regular meals.
8. Drink green tea.

That's all I learnt, as of this moment. =)

However, what Dongfang Billy says makes sense. I am going out to get more Vit C supplements, I think my immunity's low; I have been sick for the past month. Hmm... Very important. Build up on Vitamin C!

Of gastritis and wisdom teeth

Finally. I am recovering from gastritis or gastric after the doctor prescribed the strongest medicine possible. Another 2 weeks of dosage and I should be healed. Yet I am taking strictest care of my diet, avoiding spice at all costs and fried food, well, if it's not too fried, I can eat some. Thank God.

In the midst of this, I had my wisdom tooth removed. Through surgery. Thinking back on the 45 mins surgery, I somehow do not wish to go through it again. Alas, I have another tooth to remove. The 1st 15 mins he injected the anaesthesia and waited for it to take effect. Then the dental assistant covered my head and gave me an eye mask and covered my body with a thick green cloth. I felt like I was on a real operating table. I gripped my bag tightly. And then the surgery began!

It was an intense and noisy 30 mins as the dentist cut my gum and drilled my wisdom tooth. It was scary but thankfully, the equipment is good, some water noises drowned the drilling and cutting. And I couldn't see as my eyes were covered. Phew. I think I would have screamed if I saw the scalpel. I did not feel any blood oozing out as my gum was numb and my mouth had some suction thing to take away the blood and water and whatever. After 30 mins, my mouth was very tired from being stretched open and sore holding the mouth guard piece. Almost couldn't close my mouth.

After the anaesthesia wore off, my wound throbbed endlessly with pain and the painkillers didn't help much. I nearly cried trying to tolerate the pain. Luckily I placed some ice on my face and numbed the pain.

Well, it's the second day after the surgery and I just had some liquid breakfast - Milo and cereal. I kind of lost some weight battling with gastritis and I think I may lose some more just having liquids for this week.

Oh well.