Another night, but it seems that it was well and truly another week that has passed. How time flies, and yet do we ever appreciate it more, even knowing that fact ?

I know I should sleep, as it is about 1am and there is work to be done tomorrow, but yet tonight, there is bewitchment in the air, and I feel the urge and need to put something down. Not pen to paper, but the tapping on the keyboard is strangely comforting, in my half dimmed apartment, with the saintly voices of Libera and Angela Aki in the background.

A key point this week, was my Q1 review with the boss, and somehow, I was highly commended. Great, but sometimes I wonder if there is something in me that I miss, because somehow, I do not always think that I am worthy of what is said about me and yet, I strive harder and harder so that I hear praises. Perhaps that is what I find lacking in myself. This continuous push leaves me little time for much, for myself, and for the people around me. In the midst of reading the book Tuesdays with Morrie at the moment, it gets me thinking whether I am chasing the right things ?

The key as always would be moderation and striking the right balance, but who is around to tell you what is the right balance. I type faster now, the tapping on the keyboard sounding like so many bullet sounds thudding against a window, the adrenaline flowing through, myself trying to see how many words I can type at high speed without actually making a mistake. I wonder if there are people who type with all ten fingers, because i find myself typing wiht perhaps only 7 fingers I think. Wait. Those are just for the alphabets. I have realised that I use my left pinky for the Caps Lock and the Shift button. The fourth finger has found its niche in the QAWS area and of course the second and middle finger are doing a lot of work, while the left thumb seems content with merely the spacebar. On the right side, the thumb is not participating at all. The second, third and fourth finger do a lot of work on the right side, and the little finger seems to do all the Entering. So I do type with 9 fingers after all. The right thumb just pressed the Space Bar, so I guess at times, it can do a little work after all. It just depends on what word was typed before the Space Bar was needed. Why is the tapping on the keyboard so addictive ?

And yet I am a doofus with most computer games.

So back to getting the right balace, I guess we just have to work our way through it right ? There are hundreds of things to do, places to go, people to meet, and we have to prioritise. How often do we get it right ? How often do we regret ?

I write this blog with the hope that someday, I can look back and see if I have improved. Perhaps this is one reason why I find Angela Aki's song, about a letter to her 15 year old self, so haunting. How many of us want to go back or forth in time to find out what our other selves are doing ? Any advice to be given, or perhaps help, or just some comfort ?

And yet perhaps one should think that God is the answer ? But is He not always ? The real question should perhaps be how He channels His love for us. Through family or friends ? Through our own actions as well perhaps ?

God Bless everyone tonight.

I mean, all the time.

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Ah the week was simply great. The days passed by, I caught up on some French, felt great at work, and was very satisfied with this week's work. By the time I finished on Friday, I had a big sense of achievement. I had actually learnt something and was doing my part to keep my bank alive. A bit exaggerating, but yes, so many people in so many departments must all do their part to ensure that their company runs smoothly. Else, so many things could go wrong.

Finished off Friday with a hotpot dinner with some past IGs who worked in my department along with some current colleagues and it was fun and lively. A lot of animated discussions, about the economy, life in general, and even about weddings and how much they would cost. I find that these are great in the sense that you are able to help each other form opinions, and really learn more about people and the world in general. At one point we were discussing how someone could have managed to save enough money for her wedding and a deposit on her first home, while someone else, on the same pay was unable to do so. We talked about lifestyles and spending and habits. Great night. Sigh. And that is a happy sigh.

Woke up late Saturday morning to rush for breakfast with MrTT and FredBear near Kau U Fong, where I had the famous toast, was last there in July 08. Though it really is near my place. Perhaps about 10 minutes walk. Even helped some foreigners on the way, leading them towards their destination and having a nice chat on the way down. We then drove around in FredBear's new car for a while before I got dropped off at Causeway Bay as I was going to have my Chinese class at the Neway CEO Karaoke. It was fun. Three teachers and three students.

By the time it ended though, it was pouring with rain outside, and my teacher, MsCw and I had a good time walking through the rain to the nearest station. I took a nice long walk from IFC back home, stopping on the way to pick up a bun for lunch and some bread for dinner. It was really raining hard and I was reminded of the song which goes, "it is raining and (I) have no money to buy bread!!".

Went home and got my laundry done. Did my first ironing for about a month ! and boy it was tiring. Even ironed my Tshirts. Wished I could get someone to do that for me. I love well ironed clothes but hate ironing. Oh well, what can you do. Put on some soup to boil for the next few days. With fresh meat and veggies. It should be good. Though I am feeling a bit peckish now, might steal a small bowl around now...which is about midnight. Watched a cooking show about Indian cuisine and read two chapters of Slumdog Millionaire. I bought a whole bunch of books over the holiday, and I do mean to get a fair amount of reading done. Brought some home as well, so that I had place to put them.

Got absolutely gobsmacked at the amount of clothes I had the last time I cleaned up and am still surprised when I was putting back my ironed clothes into the cupboard. It is weird that I have absolutely not enough space for my clothes such that I have some in boxes, and yet, all the time, I feel that I am lacking something very very crucial for my wardrobe !? Extremely strange.
Did some more lessons of French - my last week of the 3 months course is next week and I have an assessment coming. Oh and did I mention I am seriously considering taking up Korean lessons every Sunday ? For 3 months as well ?

Learning is a habit, and should be nurtured.

Typing this at midnight with classical music playing in my earphones, make me nostalgic. Of the time when ParkyBear and I would drive along the streets of Sydney at 3 am, blasting classical music and the soundtrack of Star Wars while we cruised. Funny.

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All too soon, the long weekend flew by. After work on Thursday, went along with some colleagues to a French Restaurant called Les Jardine d'Ulysses I believe, where we had an amazing dinner with great wine to boot. Think the five of us finished several bottles of wine along with our meals of goose foie gras, wagyu oxcheek and warm chocolate cake, plus a fantastic soup of mushroom bisque. Walked back home after that, and just cleaned up a bit.

Woke up at about noon on Friday as it was a holiday, and watched some television before going down to the office to clear up some work. Finished what I wanted to do by about six and then went on to some spontaneous suggested activity with some China IGs, where we first went to a Korean barbeque restaurant before heading to Elements where they stayed to play 80 points. It took me several rounds to catch up on all the rules again since I have not played for about two years. Nevertheless, we only managed to stop at around 4 am, and it was because we were tired and not because the game was finished. Then watched Sweeney Todd, which was gruesome. GANat and I left around 6.30 am, and took the MTR back.

Took a 4 hour nap after a shower as I had agreed to have breakfast with FredBear at Jockey, at Happy Valley. Had some good onion rings, but felt really oily afterwards. Went along for tennis at Victoria Garden and it was fun to be in the sun till 3pm. Had something to drink while resting, before going back to FredBear's place for mahjong with GACle and MrTT. Won almost HKD700 in a few hours. We then drove down to buy dinner of porridge and picked up GABish to replace GACle and continued to my place for more mahjong. Only played till about midnight though.

On Sunday, did a fairly good spring cleaning, did some laundry and then met up with MrTT as we had planned to go to this massage place. It was fairly good and 50% cheaper than places that I would usually go to, though perhaps one might not want to travel as much. Very acceptable anyway. Met with GABish as well and we had lunch at about 3 pm after which we went up to FredBear's house again to Wii. Time flies when you Wii, and soon I was having dinner with FredBear and his dad. Then we watched Definitely, Maybe and Marley and Me (3rd time for DM and 2nd for MM) before I headed off.

Lazed around at home, consisting of more cleaning up, making soup, and catching up on my French. Now I am finally back on target after falling behind for about a month. There are only 2 weeks left of my 12 week course and I would really like to pass the assignment at the end ! Still managed to squeeze in some time to have the courage to set up the Wii at my place this time to play around. Not that hard after all. But I agree it would hardly be something that I would do all the time. Wii is much more fun with friends.

Work tomorrow though. But only a four day week ! Woohoo.

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I swear time flies on purpose so that you look back on it fondly.

Before I knew it, it was time to pack up and go back to Hong Kong. It was so sudden, I only packed on the morning of the day that I was to return. And even then, I left behind loads of unmet friends, unfinished business, and un-done excitements.

Did manage to meet up some people from high school for a great game of Risk at B-Wings, where it was really refreshing to have no pretences but pure old friendships. Then some pretty bizarre topics as well later at mamak, I believe the second time for these three weeks only. Thanks for a great time, YapBear, SahBear, AndBear, PhilBear and EugBear. And I also managed to have Korean dinner with NickBear as well and it was great to catch up !! On Saturday managed to catch Confessions of a Shopaholic with JeanBear at Cineleisure. Quite fun, but perhaps I had too high expectations for the show. It could have been much much better. Also celebrated MeiBear's birthday at Solaris, which I must say is pretty admirable. It would be a great place to hangout, I feel, and has sort of the aura of The Curve when it first opened, big empty spaces with great restaurants and lots of parking. Nice, and a good place to go to for food.

All too soon, it was lockup day, but had a great visit from JeanBear, RaeBear, JinBear, ChewBear and KeeBear, at my place. Tea and cake were provided by the visitors so that was fun, however the rain was pelting down the whole time. Later, had dinner at Le Meridien, where the buffet boasted a great Japanese table, but I feel that the rest of it was pretty poor.

Used the weekend to catch up on some movies too, including YesMan, Bride Wars, Wolverine and of course Slumdog Millionaire, which I feel and this is my personal opinion that it is in NO way, even a contender for the Best Picture Oscar. Disgraceful. But then again, what do I know, I thought The Dark Knight was pretty boring too. And of course all this coming from someone who enjoys chick flicks with friends. Haha. But yes, that is my opinion and I am sticking with it. Summer is coming up and seems to be a whole load of new movies that I am dying to see !

The flight back was pretty uneventful, except that they showed the movie Marley and Me, and though it was alright, it is hardly MAGNIFICIENT. The people in the movie could have been played by almost anyone. The dog was great though. The plane was nearly empty and I got on with about 26 kg of luggage. Immigration took 10 seconds with my HK ID card, and the luggage came out 10 minutes later. Only later when I unpacked that I realised now I have way too many clothes in HK. I have absolutely run out of space in my closet, and I already have three boxes of clothes in addition to the closet. Fantastic. Perhaps I should donate some, though every time I try, I end up realising instead what I do not have and go out and buy more stuff !

But I must admit it was absolutely lovely to get back to the Dealing Room, and feel all the electrical charges in the air. Though it took me a whole day to clear my 4000 emails, I was really back in the game today, and it was great. Also will be joining in a couple of important initiatives and also felt great, doing some complicated but powerful excel work. Best news is that it is a short weekend since Good Friday is a holiday, but even better is that next Monday will also be a holiday, though I forsee myself going into the office one of those days anyway to clear off some work.

Ah, Hong Kong. Live it, Love it.

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