Holy hour and a good today

I just came back from church. I am super tired, but I feel great, spiritually, that is. I really have Father to thank, for suggesting the idea of attending holy hour with him. This monthly activity is really helping. The recent days of ups and downs have really drained me out, physically, mentally and spiritually. I've been ill twice within a span of two weeks and work hasn't been all that smooth-sailing recently.

Things, however, have picked up today. I'm glad. I'm recovering, though still coughing quite a bit. I've been very busy, but happy because work has progressed today and everything worked out at the end of the day. Then, holy hour essentially forced me to slow down, to stop, and to reflect. It's spiritually refreshing, so I'm happy that we get to do this every month.

Four of us are conducting the session this Sunday and we were discussing it after holy hour. I think its a miracle we got everything planned out so late at night and that inspiration just kept flowing in.

I have nothing but praises for today. I can only hope tomorrow will be a better day, and that next week will be even better.

Well, of course it will be better. It's Chinese New Year next week!!!

Don't be sick because the new year is coming!

I haven't been updating my blog lately because I've been lazy. Yes, lazy with a capital L. Essentially, I get brain-dead whenever I get home everyday. I can now fall asleep before midnight. Whatever happened to night-owl Adelyn?

Anyway, just when I said I can't and I won't get an MC, I got myself one two days after. Had a long weekend and really had a good good rest. Skipped work on Friday, french on Saturday and church on Sunday. It did wonders for me. I was up and hopping by Monday. (Yey.) It seems like everyone is falling ill recently. It must be the flu season again. So take care and stay healthy, everyone! Chinese New Year is coming! Food, food, food. Ang pow, ang pow, ang pow.

This reminds me. I haven't bought my new year clothes yet. (screams!) This is horrific. I've been putting it off for weeks and it seems that the new year is just around the corner. What am I to do?! I would have to indulge in crazy shopping this weekend, by hook or by crook.

Oh, just a reminder. Ash Wednesday fasting is held on Tuesday this year to avoid the New Year eve reunion dinner. Mass is compulsory on Tuesday!

Which is kind of strange because we're fasting on Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras (french for Fat Tuesday) is a day of festivities usually celebrated in some western countries. Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday, which of course, is the beginning of the Lenten Season. Originally, the Tuesday before the start of Lent was the day where cows would be paraded in the streets to remind people about fasting and abstinence during the next 40 days. Also, I guess people used the day to get rid of all the meat in their homes. How to do that? By eating them up, of course. Over the years, I guess it evolved to become more commercialised and less of a Catholic holiday.

Okay. It's sleep time. I will have a busy day at work tomorrow. A long night too, since the sponsors will be having our monthly holy hour. Father has invited the entire YM to join in this time.

So... good night!

Sick again

So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. ~Exodus 23:25~

Sick.
Sick.
Sick.

Again.

Fever is back. I can't take MC this time round. There's just too many things to do and no one else available to cover.

My stable life

Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams. ~Ashley Smith~

Before I begin my entry proper, let me wish Sharon a very Happy 23rd Birthday. So, girl. How does it feel like to be 23? That is, of course, a nonsensical question. Being 23 probably feels the same as being 22.

Anyway, I was reading Juliet's lastest blog entry when it hit me. She was talking about how routined her life has become. How true it is for me too. Ever since I started work, my life has been very stable. Well, "stable" is a positive way of saying things. If I wanted to be lousy, I'll say its mundane. My week is the same, week after week after week.

Work, french class, church. Work, french class, church. Work, french... ahh.. you get the idea.

Am I unhappy with my life? Nope.

Am I hoping to have more time to do my own stuff? Yep. Definitely.

I want to sleep in. I want to snuggle up in my bed. I want to read my novels. I want to play my PS3. I want to go shopping. I want to spend more time with my parents. I want to hang out with my friends. I want to stay up late. I want to slack without worrying about anything.

I had half a year of all that. It isn't enough. I want more of it. (wishful thinking)

Maybe if I had 30 hours a day.....?

Oh. Guess who I bumped into while I was out buying something earlier this evening? Hint. Someone tall, lanky, full of lame jokes and oh-so-health-conscious.

No prizes for getting the correct answer. =p

Zilch

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ~Matthew 11:28~

Tired.
Sick.
Drained.
Sad.
Zilch.

(cough)

On MC

The best way to cheer yourself is to cheer somebody else up.
~Mark Twain~

I've been lying in bed since yesterday. Down with fever and throat infection. Queued at Aunty Angela's clinic yesterday, and waited and waited and waited till I couldn't wait anymore. Then went home and napped. Then went back only to realise my turn was over. Bleahx. Luckily the receptionist slotted my number in. If I had to queue again, I think I'll just flip over and die on the spot. Then I got a two-day MC. Stayed home, slept and relaxed. It seems like old times when I wasn't working yet. Minus the fever and minus the sore throat. (Cough)

Time passes so fast. Soon its going to be Chinese New Year. I haven't started shopping for clothes yet. (Screams!) This year's New Year holiday is extremely long, starting with a half day on Wednesday, right till Sunday. (Cheers!)

That also means Ash Wednesday is coming. Fasting is scheduled on Tuesday this year to avoid reunion dinner on Wednesday.

Okay. Going off to sleep. I have to work tomorrow.

(Cough)

On rubik's cubes and WYD

We had a short day at the office today. All senior exectives had to attend a function. So we went. Then halfway, we sneaked out for a little shopping. I bought a rubik's cube, just for the heck of it. I have one in the office. Not mine, though, but I play with it anyway. I found it quite fun, so I decided it should be nice to get one of my own to play back home. It's like re-living my childhood.

So anyway, I was playing with it when I got home and it broke to pieces. Bleah.

Then spent a good number of time piecing the rubik's cube back together. I mean this literally. Mum was complaining about how she use to play it for ages and never once had a rubik's cube fall to pieces before. Well, I managed to piece it back, after an hour and a half. Hey, actually piecing the pieces back together can be quite fun too. Still, I was mightily upset.

On a lighter note, after a long, long period of discerning, I've finally made up my mind.

I will be going for World Youth Day '08 after all. I've got my big name in the going list for this worldwide event already. Parents said yes (since I'm paying for it myself anyway). Boss said yes. Already informed the youth worker at church of St Mary of the Angels. Only short of filling up the form and sending them the check. Preparation for the trip starts next month right till July at St. Mary's. Then its Australia! here I come! Yet again. St Mary's programme starts in Brisbane and ends in Sydney. Twelve days in total. Since its a Franciscan church, I suspect the programme is full of nature.

To check out WYD'08, click here.

Anyone wants to join me?

Work life in the new year

Work is starting to pile up. I'm no longer a paid slacker, okay? Holiday season is over. I'm gonna get busy, busy and even busier. Boss is starting to get stressed. She's still nice though.

RCIY bbq '08

I woke up late today, and totally skipped French class. Got up at 9am to read Esther's message before plonking back to bed again. I think I'm getting a sore throat.

The RCIY bbq ended at midnight. At the very least, it was held at my place, so I needn't worry about getting home. Hey, thank God, the weather was beautiful last night. It rained in the late afternoon and totally freaked me out. We planned no wet weather programme. Thank God, by the evening there was no rain, and by nightfall, it was breezy. Excellent bbq weather.

Lots of people actually worked for this bbq so it was great that we could actually go ahead with it.

We had lots and lots and lots of food. So much that we couldn't finish. Lets see. We had curry, bee hoon, chicken wings, beef steak, sweet patato, corn, sausages... did I miss out anything else?

Big thanks to...

Matthew - for his curry and beehoon.
Crystal - for booking the pit and getting the spoons and stuff.
Father Luke - for preparing and bbqing the TLC. (TLC = tender loving chicken -_-")
Jerome & Amanda - for preparing the food and drinks
Glenn - bringing the chicken wings.
Everyone - for taking time off to come by.

Did I miss out anyone?


Starting the fire...


Fooddddd....


Fr Luke preparing chicken wings.


MORE chicken wings.


Fr Luke's TLC


SuperGlen











Ouch!!! Evelyn... stop!!


"I am eating my sweet potato." - Fr Luke.




"Something's not right today." - Uncle Jacob


"Ah, I know. It's my hair!"

2008 & Grandpa's birthday

Its 2008!

As like every year, my family will gather to celebrate my grandpa's birthday, which is on 1st January. I've no idea how old he is exactly, but he's eighty... plus. This year's celebration is held once again at Singapore Island Country Club. No surprises there. My cousin, Kelvin brought his girlfriend over for the first time. Surprise, surprise.







My grandpa got a really sweet birthday cake. Sweet, in every sense of the word.

Dinner started really late, so it ended late too. Totally missed Thanksgiving mass today. I think the youth ministry, or at least Zion's Joy had some really good stuff going on today before and after mass. Oh well.

Okay. I tried to do up a resolution list for 2008. Ended up with a list of 10 things I want to do or change in the new year (in no order of preference).

1) To be punctual (or if possible, early) for mass
2) Enjoy life more
3) Have a more fruitful spiritual life
4) Improve my French
5) Increase collection of lame jokes
6) To be a better sponsor
7) Stop gossiping
8) To make people’s lives happier
9) To have a more successful working life
10) Make more friends

Ah. See. see. I didn't put any material things (eg. new PSP, ipod, etc) in my resolution like what most people will do. I just wanted to get the better things in life.

Okay, I'm tired. Happy new year, peeps.

To Jeraldine, Esther and Menaka, the photos from this afternoon's lunch.