click on the novel titles for more details

1. Sense and Sensibility (1811)
2. Pride and Prejudice (1813)
3. Mansfield Park (1814)
4. Emma (1815)
5. Northanger Abbey (1817) (posthumous)
6. Persuasion (1817) (posthumous)

Of the above 6, I would have only read the 1st 2. After having watched the movies, I have decided that Jane Austen shall be a companion in my bag till I have finished the next 4. She wrote about love. I would say its rather controversial for a writer of her times. Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice were great novels. The movie really intrigues you to go and read the novels if you haven’t already done so and it’s not just a girly thing.

» Click here to find out more about Jane Austen
» Click here to find our more about “The Jane Austen Book Club” movie

Here’s the movie trailer to whet your Jane Austen’s novels appetite:

Day 1, Wednesday

I was at lunch and there were 3 ladies sharing the same table. It was crowded. There I was enjoying my Teochew porridge…while 1 of the lady was literally bitching non-stop at her other colleague about another colleague at work. She was REALLY NON-STOP! OMG. 1 of them was obviously entertaining her with short remarks while the other, like me, simply enjoying the Teochew porridge. I am just lucky that whatever I am putting into my mouth is so nice that whatever that is going through my ears are amusing, than annoying. Happy that she is not my colleague or anyone I know.

On the way back to the office, I saw 2 ladies giving out beauty pamphlets at a construction site. That’s weird and not smart. After crossing the traffic lights, I saw this lady in very high fashion wear, of the seasons. Very nice. Just a metre along the shaded pavement, there was another lady in high fashion wanna be went wrong! Interesting road. Colourful.

My boss has always said that I should not be reading too much 8 days and should be reading more valuable books. NO WAY! 8 days is like “the book”. In it, apart from entertainment, there are valuable information presented in a light hearted manner, just what I need after a day of heavy brain use. Colin Goh and Jason Hahn’s articles are not to be missed!

At night, I bought my 1 year 10 months old niece to watch Kungfu Panda. Although she was too young to understand the movie but she was paying due attention to the screen apart from her Pocky biscuits when the scene has higher volume or when the music comes on or when everyone was laughing, not to mention special attention was definitely paid when she was kicking the poor guy’s chair in front of us and eventually poured some mineral water over him. Oops. When everyone stream out of the theatre at the end, she was there waiving goodbye to EVERYONE! Interesting and intriguing little thing, kids….

While on the way back home with my mum, we were recapping the moments from Kungfu Panda. We had a good hearty laugh comparing my mum climbing up my 4 storey office vs Po, the panda, climbing up the many flights of stairs to the temple. Hahaha….panda-ingly painful yet funny!

Day 2, Thursday

For a couple of days, I forgot to pass my boss the resignation letter that my staff had given me although it was already known to my boss her last day. As I was urgent for the toilet, I just told my boss, “forgot to give you this” and I proceeded to walk quickly to the toilet and there she was, “what is this, why are you leaving me in the lurch like this? I cannot accept this.” I was like…”it’s not me, look at the name…” and she was like “ooh…” Mmm….resignation letter…. 

My mum called me when I wanted to call her. We arranged to meet to have dinner. While on my way to dinner, I heard the news on the cab, FM 95.8. Someone has to give up his 10+ years of chicken rearing business as the chicken feed has gone so steep in price! 2 years ago, it was $3/kg, a year ago it was $5/kg and this year its $12/kg! What has the world become to?! That someone had to let all his chicken go live in the wild, all 10 thousand odd of them….imagine, chickens in your park…

The same news. A research company did a research about woman’s cervix cancer. Results show that 70% of the women interviewed did not know that cervix cancer did not develop because of sex and the same 70% thought that having sex with condoms will prevent that. I do not know the cause of cervix cancer but I sure know that sex and condoms ain’t got anything to do with them. I need to read and listen to more news.

At dinner, my favourite mala steamboat place, the manager, was an impressive person. Almost 50, and there he was gushing to me and my mum about the latest technology especially in handphones, touch screen, HTC, Diamond, iPhone, Samsung, Nokia…and all the lot, which model was better, how much they cost…IMPRESSIVE! I was lucky I have friends who are crazy about such stuff. The conversation was interesting and definitely informative.

Watching America’s Next Top Model…I suddenly know what is my own Birthday Gift going to be…!!! (more on that on another post)

Day 3, Friday

A blue friday, I spent my whole lunchtime (nearly an hour), eating my lunch very slowly….like really slowly….which I never did. I normally finish my lunch in 15 mins! Then I spent my whole lunchtime, at the same time I was munching my lunch, I was munching oggling at guys’ butts and paunches!!! There are so many sizes, shapes and styles! Hahah and yes, they are seductive! Hahah…i have weak spots for them…Yes, you get me right – guys’ butts and paunches!!! Beware, all of you who have them out there. Erica’s very dangerous…!!!! *ROAR*

Then I had an interesting conversation with an old friend on MSN whom have not even met or spoke or even MSN him in ages. He was like, paunches = seductive?! -_-” A good friend went to the movies with her friend, also an old friend. Later at night, I dreamt that THAT old friend, a guy, tried to hold her hands.

I watched 3 DVDs that night. All new releases and arty farty films – Love in the Time of Cholera (M18), Cashback (M18), Charlie Wilson’s War (NC16)…don’t ask me why the rating. Nice show, gives me a very deep insight into life, love and passion, yes, even Charlie Wilson’s War which is more of the world and war.

Now isn’t that colourful, just 3 days of my life….

These days when we say “Pause”, it will be most probably be under the following circumstances:

• Pause your mp3/ipod/whatever music gadget you have your ears on
• Pause your online games
• Pause the vcd/dvd/pre-recorded show/pirated-downloaded movie
• or you wish you can pause the tv show’s most exciting part while you take a leak

A voice was panting right beside me: “Pause! Pause! Pause!…” A boy, probably around 10 was playing catching with a couple of other kids. I thought the last time catching was ever played was like years ago! These days, we hardly see kids hanging around the HDB void decks and taking the whole vicinity as playground! I did. I remembered those good old days when we ran round trying to catch each other.

Pause was extremely familiar for me! Hahhaa…being a fatter gal, I always had to pause myself so I can catchup or hide not to be caught for that matter! It was really a refreshing sight for me to see these kids playing catching! Somehow, it brought me down memory lane…but all was not as pleasant as it was when….the “pausing” kid went into the lift, after somewhat catching his breath, and left me outside the lift looking like an idiot trying to get in…so much for pausing…but then again, that’s the whole purpose – Pause to catch your breathe!

In dictionary.com, connection has this definition: state of being connected or related..

I will say that the dictionary’s not wrong! What’s so surprising about that? I was not. I have been meaning to write this post for very long…and I apologise for not updating my blog for almost 2 months now. I have been busy with cckssalumni.sg.

Being a fan of photography, I have my camera with me most of the time, except times when I am forgetful or my camera needs to recharge. Otherwise, it will be by side and I will be snapping away at things or scenes or people who interests me. Looking at my the photos I have taken so far, I came to realise that I have an eye for people who are in connection. And it’s kinda amazing…

Have you ever wondered…how can 2 person be connected in any way? If you are married, how did you get connected to your other half in the 1st place? Friends, family, colleagues…how did it all happen? I find this a very beautiful mystery. You can be at 1 place or with 1 person and don’t feel connected at all. And this is what makes people upset. Not feeling connected…

The image below shows a few kinds of connection. I have deliberately converted them to black and white pictures as in this manner, the details will show more clearly…

1. A very loving couple who just got married recently, dancing at a Valentine’s Day event that I organised in 2004.
2. A couple sitting on the breakwater of Pulau Ubin, enjoying the breeze and scenery. I don’t even know them at all but yet, I felt their connection and love for each other.
3. Prior to reaching Pulau Ubin, I saw this uncle and auntie sitting under the tree. Although their body language says different to connection but it maybe otherwise.
4. My good friend, Jannis…hugging her boyfriend while at sleep on our tour to Cameron Highlands.
5. This is the parents of a good friend. I have been touched by them on a couple of occassions. Although married for at least 27 years but they are still very connected. The love they have for each other, may not be the romantic kind, but its definitely the kind that we can’t decipher but only see and feel.
6. This is a very sweet photo that I took while organising a dinner cum dance event for SDU. 2 complete strangers who hit it off and get to know each other over a dinner, has this little shy connection while holding each other’s hand while at the dance.
7. I saw this couple spacing out at the river bank at clarke quay. They were not speaking but simply holding each other in their arms…
8. I love this photo which I took recently while at East Coast Park. They are 2 of my best friends who recently got married. They were flying kite when I took this photo. Somehow, it may be just kite flying, but at that moment, something connected, just like me and this scene

Have you ever thought of that moment when you connected with someone? That moment of connection. I do, I always do cos I appreciate all these moments. They are good moments…

I just realised the fun and the ultimate cuteness of this photo. Apart from the wonderful facial expression of my friend, Peiying, don’t know doubting what about her birthday cake, there’s another star attraction here…the “家有贱狗” look-alike on her t-shirt. Did you realise Peiying’s expression in this doubtful act cute photo mirrored the doggy really perfectly?!

Time for the NPCC duo to strut their stuff to start up the BBQ fire at East Coast Park. This is a very normal reaction of any human being when someone is “suaning” and doubting your skills in BBQ fire setting. How sweet are they as a couple? One is totally lost for the camera while the other is all prepared for it! Of course, it’s the guy, CS, who is camera sensitive alright! You may see his other images and works that are posted up in this blog.

Could be perhaps the cold weather up in Cameron Highlands that has frozed Chao Chang’s brain off. He (usually “dao”) actually allowed me to snap such a picture! Hahahha…lucky me! It’s one of the rare shots I have of this good friend. Look at his tongue. It’s sharp for a reason. Don’t think otherwise?! Never try to reason with him or cross-talk, you will never win! He is SHARP!!!

This is one gal who has no problem posing! Anytime, anywhere, anyhow! Be it a pout of the mouth, a wink of the eye or the usual kawaii finger sign…. She is one of the person with the highest no. of photos in my blog. Keep a watchout1 But as for now, you should take a look at the pretty her in “Sweet 20s?!”, under Category Sweet. Don’t fall in love now…

An aspiring model…whose facial expressions can be quite flexible. This photo was taken against a most beautiful nature background in Hat Yai. When asked to pose, Raymond took a challenge to be “not-pretty” and act up for the camera. This is 1 of the many results…you be the judge.

These 2 gals here had such great chemistry that my album for Mid-Autumn 2004 @ Chinese Garden was all filled with these 2 camera naturals! Look at them. They reflect each other nicely and just seemed so….naturally cute….