A night of sheer coincidences

I was on my way back to the north east line from Dhoby Gaut north south line when i saw a friend who recently got married. No, i wasn invited to her wedding, as we arent really close. And secondly, i knew she was married recently because i saw her facebook.

She was on the phone smiling sweetly. It was about 7 ish pm and i was thinking she's probably calling her hubby? In anycase, i did not go up to her and she walked past me, not noticing my presence. At that split second, we crossed path. I knowingly, and she, in the unknown.

I continued my walk to the train, thinking to myself how many of my friends have embarked the married journey, and how many are going to.
"It's that age", i think to myself. People either get married, getting married, or they dont.

It's something you see people doing, and sometimes, you wonder why haven you.

Before i could embark on that train of thoughts, i was interrupted by the approaching train and i boarded.

I took out my book " eat, pray, love" and continued reading. Liz has reached Bali - the third leg of her spiritual journey. And i casted my previous thoughts aside.

As i reached sengkang mrt, i pondered a split sec whether to get fast food(basement) or food court (4th level) for dinner. Yes, one of those days, mum decided not to cook my share and asked me to settle by myself.

As i turned towards the gantry gate to the mall instead of the usual for home, i saw yet, a familiar face.

A face from my past. A face which mattered alot for a good amount of my adult years. He was with a girl, facing the gantry as though about to enter. And i hurried with the crowd, trying to walk away from him in case he saw me, but the other gantries were not for exit, and i had to make my exit with him just inches away in the crowd.

He was talking to the girl beside him. And once again, i passed another familiar face by as i walked way. ...

And then i turned back to look. He was making his way in, and they were going up the LRT. I smiled at the sheer coincidence, never would i have imagined bumping into him at my home MRT station, ends from his place. And what're the odds? This was not my usual time when i reach home. Heck, i dont even alight at the MRT, i alight at the bus stop. And it just happens i wanted dinner hence i head for the gantry at the mall side.

With thoughts in my head, and still seeing him as he board the escalator while taking out his mobile, i whipped out mine immediately as well.

I popped him a msg : "hey, saw you.=)" and left it as that as i walked off..

Seconds later, he called me. We laughed at the coincidence, he told me he was going to visit an old friend with his ex-colleague, a girl from Power Supply, which in fact i knew. And i told him i was going to get dinner, din call out to him in case he was with his gf, whom i quite wanted to see too.

And it ended like that. I smiled at our short exchange. Our 1 short encounter, face to face. I smiled at how often, we let moments like this pass, and how insignificant it may seems. Yet today, it didnt feel insignificant for some reason. It's quite undescribable.

I felt at ease, and it felt good. I wanted to blog it to remember that moment.

How many times have you bumped into a familiar face, dismissing it as just coincidences? I'm a die hard romantic, i like to think people bump into each other through some works of fate. Through some intricate interactions that's way beyond our control.

I bumped into my dear once too, when i was on the way to Outram MRT (North east) from the East West. Back then, i din call out to him too, but i texted him. And it made my day too.

Haha, seems like i always encounter this via MRT interchanges...

Open Water Dive- 11-13 sept 09

Been wanting to blog about my diving trip. Kept relishing the few days when i woke up to morning skies ( 6ish am), making our way to the communal area, to have our breakfast with droopy eyes, being briefed on our dive before setting out... * still daydreaming*
A pose by the showerheads before setting off.
Instructor briefing us. Giving us the face.. " oei dont take pictures first, listen to me..."

Of course, I did had like my last minute kinda doubts before setting off for the trip.
our scuba tanks. Our comrades we carry.
Things like:
" will i have difficulty equalizing? will i experience extreme pain like i did on the plane?"
" will i run out of oxygen? will i panic underwater? Will i hold my breath?"
" why did i sign up for this?"

However, all these were cast off the moment i depart from Mersing. It's not exactly the most comfortable ride, starting at 12am till about 4ish am? 3 of us girls slept a top deck (one bed), with the boat bumping to the breeze, with the cold sea wind across our faces...

I donned on my socks (the black and red BUM socks) in the middle of the night, as i attempt to cover as much of me as possible with my sweater. Pink socks belonging to meryl, the only lucky girl who escaped unharmed, no bites, no stings, no scratches. erm, nope, if we were to include nose-bleeds, we all bleed for this trip.

I still wear it underwater.. for fear of stings and cuts. And i still kena! In fact, that small exposed area ( as one can see) just above my ankle! My instructor is just pure amazed. And i din even realize! until i kept my scuba tank and saw the blood. Just little.

We will shuttle from sampans to boats, vice versa. Alot of interaction.

2-3 diving groups in sampan. Mostly were NUS students (some enjoying their weekend diving leisure , most of us taking our OW.) A tad cramp, but haha, eye candies for the guys when the ladies don their bikinis.Back in the evening, after dinner, it's sharing of post-dive experiences, chilling over beer for some. For us, it's saboteur after logging down our dives. I enjoy it. Oh, our group ( 5 of us)went on a small hike around the island, to Diver's Lodge. That's me using alternate air source! Trying hard not to hyperventilate as i have the tendency to float up!

That's me clearing my mask, as part of the training.

Practicing some of our hand-signals on land. You will be surprised how useful all these come in, when u cant talk, when u cant express your delight as seeing "NEMO!, DORY!", my buddy and i came up with more hand signals, like" slow down, calm down, feeling high( oxygen toxication), which eventually, we mostly just pat on each other, doing the "ok!" sign.

I so badly wanted to take pictures underwater!! I played with Jellyfish, starfish, saw a few humpheads, a friendly batfish, trigger fish, moray eel!
On our way back, looking all rich and happy.

Diving is not a clean, luxurious kinda sport. It's wet, sandy, tho not very tiring, exhilarating, very interesting kinda sport, as you subject yourself to breathing underwater. I like the fact, everyone who went on the trip had a common purpose, to share their passion, the interest for diving. To have their fill, knowing they will need the energy for the next dive, to have a good rest, knowing they will need to be alert for the next dive. To be well-equipped, watching out for each other. Buddy system.

To navigate using a compass underwater, to help each other out, should one run out of oxygen, to constantly be on the look out, for small or big creatures, to play with the fish as they circle around your legs.

It's a shiok feeling. to hear nothing, but the sound of your breathing... to know how a jelly fish feels likes, how a starfish feels like.

I'm glad i went. One thing off my list. Yeah.

open water dive

i'm back from under the sea... i wish i have pictures to show.

I love it! it's quite an experience, though it's not all that fun and easy.

you really feel vulnerable as u experience breathing difficulties.. No kidding business.

my personal time.

I do think a considerable amount of time has lapsed since i last written.

Just as one needs to quiet down, to blank into nothingless in preparation for meditation, i too need a quiet moment, a quiet environment to ease into my thoughts to blog.

Okay, I dont believe my luck, just moments after the previous paragraph, i was interrupted by a call at work. .. And it surprises me alot, how much it matters to me, how fiercely i guard my personal time. Meaning, time alone, and space alone.

Often than not, i find myself alone but in a crowded, loud environment. That to me, does not equate quality self-time. Or if not, i find myself engaged with people in a otherwise quiet place. That however, is a better option than the former.

...Still, i need my time and my space. Like now., but i iwill need to go settle some stuffs for my dive trip this weekend. Been meaning to upload some pictures. GUess i just have to do so in a later time.

**** 2 HOURS LATER;

i;m back. Determined not to procastinate when it comes to my thoughts, i decided t0 resume the moment i hit back home.

A couple of things to share.. 1st: Jeli home-coming trip after 1 year shy of 1 day from her wedding anniversary! yup, we met up with what i can describe, food, simple joy, chats and more chats, laughter and just a game, despite the inital ambitous planning of what we would expect the day to turn out.




the 6 finally unite.

I guess i'm not surprised that we met up at 9.30 am and we ended up chatting till 12ish AM? It was so nice to know although 1 year has passed, somethings still remain the same. The squad is still as crappy ( in the sense, chatty in

two vons posing for the camera while walking

b1 and b2 at cheeky chocs for supper? straight after dinner?

the two scorpion babies taking a shot since jeli will be away on her birthday

Our dessert.

There were talks to go visit her in may 2010. yes, i do know ultimately, if nothing else certain, that yvonne wang and elaine will be there to visit her this time.

I've so many places i want to go but i dont have leave. Darn darn darn...

Anyway, it felt like old times.

I also played with my camera a few days before. Here are some random shots. There aint much things i can take around the house which will make a nice picture to see.. So here's just a few.

Shot #1 grumpy goldie

Shot #2: Oei, Go Away....

Shot #3.... ROARRRRR!!!!!!!

Haha, so happy i was able to take shot 3! All these taken continously while stalking goldie.

Goldie wondering if her twin will ever come out from that glass wall.

Is that a double as well? ? nah, just little pots in my parents'room

Random things on my dressing table. Need to cool? Have an eclipse.

Last but not least, tot i show a shot of what i'm current reading prior to this: for once it's a book that i'm taking my own sweet time to read. Cos, i feel it's abook which you should read when you're in the mood for picturing. It's not one of those stories which you cant put down until u know the ending kind. So, here goes.. a good book to recommend...
For some reason, i could never get the title right.

I told my bro the other day, "eat, play, sleep is good", he gave me a bizzare look, which i then elaborated the book. And he was like... "It's EAT, PRAY, LOVE"...

so much for hooey's interpretation.Hiaks.

So does that mean, play precedes pray and sleep precedes love for me??? wonders in amusement.

Frankly, is that bedsheet in the picture awful? i got it at like a 50% discount or something at Aussino, there aint much choices left for Queen Size bed at those prices. My mum commented it looked AUNTY. Gosh.

p/s: booked my air tickets to KK!!! whoppee... next march. It feels different, to know you got a cheap deal for tickets 6 months away.

Praying for a good diving trip!