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"His hello was the end of her endings,
Her laugh was their first step down the aisle.
His hand would be hers to hold forever,
His forever was as simple as her smile.

An ocean couldn’t prevent it.
A New York minute wouldn’t let it pass.
Does the universe decide for us,
Which love will fade and which will last.

He said she was what was missing.
She said she instantly new.
She was a question to be answered.
And his answer was “I do.”

~ Carrie Bradshaw ~

Addicted to Sex

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and the City.

WHAT ELSE WERE U GUYS THINKING?! Really very dirty mind lor..

Boo! Birthday Surprise!

Papa Pat reaches house. Papa Pat goes into bathroom. Me fumbles with lighter as I try to light the candle (I am not good with surprises! Or lighters!!). I pick up the cake shakily with the one loppy candle and hide behind the wall. Toilet door opens. I can hear Papa Pat's footsteps. I jump out from behind the wall. Papa Pat flinches in shock. I start singing (unsuccessfully as I cannot stop laughing at Papa Pat's reaction). Papa Pat is grinning from ear-to-ear, still in shock at both the surprise and getting pounced on. Makes wish. Blows candle. Cuts cake. I pull out pressie from below the sofa. Papa Pat smiles gleefully like a 5-year old. We playing guessing game. He gets it right on the first try. (DAMMNNN! He claims I am super predictable. I am soooooo NOT ok!!! ARRRGGH!) Spends next hour playing with pressie and eating cake.

Mission: Accomplished!

Singing: Tone-deaf.

Reaction: Priceless!

We is happy.

What it all means

Since I came back, nothing much has been happening, except that work has been surprisingly busy even in such a bad market. Been watching lots of Sex and the City though. Pirated DVDs from Cheeeenaaland - shiok!

Anyway, I've been thinking.. you know when people say that getting married really changes a relationship, for good, bad, whatever. Among other things, we always hear how being married changes (more often than not, at least) the level of commitment 2 people feel towards each other. I never used to believe that though, coz I've always felt that I'm probably as committed as I'll ever be at any given moment, and that is something that a piece of paper is probably not going to change.

But since the proposal, its really interesting and unexpected that I do feel a difference in the level of commitment that towards the relationship. Now, whenever I have a selfish thought or want to do something just for me me me, I find myself taking a step back and thinking about "US". Not that I've never done so, but its just that I find that this little voice is just a little more active than before. Of course, that is not to say that "I" has, or will become perpetually "US", but I suppose this is what they mean.

I KNOW.

That little voice.. its the rock talking. hee heee heee :P

Anyway, I'm now home planning a little surprise for Papa Pat's birthday which is tomorrow. I didn't really buy anything fancy for him, just managed to grab a small gift, and a sinfully rich chocolate cake on the way back. This year, I am hoping that it will be the surprise (any my tone-deaf rendition of HAPPY BIRRTHDDAYY!!), rather than the gifts, that will do the trick.

But most importantly, tomorrow, 15 November 2008, will be a very important milestone for Papa Pat. It's the day that he will QUIT SMOKING. FOR GOOD. Or at least I'm hoping. BTW, it was COMPLETELY his idea ok. Me is very impressed.

On a slightly related note, look what I found:

Aiyoh, so cute and terrible at the same time!

Post-Rock

So, ever since the saga of rock, I've started (well, sort of and for the second time!) planning for the big day. I'm not sure yet when exactly it will be, but I was thinking either end next year or early 2010.

Very truthfully, I'm not super excited about a big Chinese wedding that Papa Pat wants, and which he claims I will regret if I don't have. I'm actually more excited about getting


and starting a


During our holidays, we had a lot of time to think about certain things and it has really hit me that Papa Pat is already in his mid-30s and not getting any younger. And of course, neither am I! While I think we would be fit enough to keep up with our kids, I really want us to be young and healthy enough to travel around the world once our kids are all grown up and independent. So maybe it is time for a change in priorities and outlook on life.

In Peru, we were fortunate enough to meet an Incan shaman, Thomas (read: Tooohhh MAS) who actually told us, among other things, that we would have 2 children, one girl and one boy. Somehow I kept thinking that our daughter will look something like this cute little girl we came across in Peru:


Hee hee.

Tooooh MAS also said that while we wouldn't have difficulties getting pregnant, mine would be a pregnancy-at-risk, but which wouldn't be anything serious as long as I followed doctor's orders. Yikes! But I am really curious to see if his predictions will come true!

I MISS SOUTH AMERICA!

Flashback #1: Poverty in Peru

During our travels through Peru, we saw many beautiful parts of the country, the natural wonders like Lake Titicaca and the Sacred Valley, and fantastic man-made cities like Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo. Everyday was like a lesson in history and culture for us. Our tour guides at every stage were really superb - they were not only knowledgeable, but more importantly, passionate about their country, their past and their religion.

During the last couple of days in Lima, we actually got to see the other side of Peru - the poor, underprivileged and neglected. As we cruised past the historical city centre towards the North of the city, it was striking how the scenery changed gradually, but dramatically. From the beautifully carved buildings with their European-infused architecture, the traditional and cosy pubs which lined the street corners, the lavish and lofty houses that filled up the wealthy neighbourhoods of San Isidro and the chi-chi seaview apartments in Miraflores along the coast of Lima, we were greeted with the poverty striken areas of Lima. These shanty towns were a sharp contrast to their richer cousins. Just imagine - houses sloppily put together with straws and mud perched on hill after hill of dirty brown sand. I seem to remember they looked lop-sided and loopy, as if they could fall apart any moment.

I couldn't help but ask our tour guide on the state of these houses in the shanty towns. We were told that they had no sanitation, water or heating. Its inhabitants comprise people from the rural mountain/jungle communities up in the North of Peru, who came to Lima trying to make a better life. You'd think that this is the irony of life but apparently these conditions, and the lifestyles of these rural people, were considered significant improvements from where they came from. Back in the rural communities, these people would have to work 14-hour days, for a mere pittance of Peru Soles 0.50 (approx S$0.20) a day. In Lima, for the same number of hours peddling their goods (e.g. chewing gum, sweets, snacks etc), they could earn up to Peru Soles 10.00 (approx S$4.80) a day.

What is even more surprising - the current level of poverty in Peru stands at almost 40% of the entire population, with poverty being measured as earning less than Peru Soles 530 (approx S$250) a month. Out of this 40%, more than half live in EXTREME poverty, which is measured at an income of less than Peru Soles 150 (approx S$72) a month.

Recently, the Peruvian government claimed that they had, in 2008, reduced the level of poverty by 5%, a grand achievement apparently by Peruvian standards. Because there are no official or reliable independent statistics, no one will really ever know if that's true or if the level of poverty will continue to lower.

It's experiences like this that really put things in perspective. And I think we all need some of those once in a while.

The Power of a Rock

Of all the rocks we saw at Machu Picchu, this one was the best. :)

Luv ya, P. :)


ps: to catch some of the earlier posts, see here: http://www.xanga.com/TheDreamgirlDiaries.