Memories of a distant path

Photo Memories

2009-09-07T07:23:00.001+08:00

Recently I started out doing freelancing on wedding montage. I was kind to receive a few deals from the circle of friends I knew. Most probably as a fresh entry, my rate was one of the lowest you can find in Singapore.

The package that I’m offering is ridiculous. Yeah, if I would to do this full time I might as well go work in some fast-food joint serving burgers.

Anyway I met my first client not long ago.

Of all the clients that I had, they were probably the ones whom I was a complete stranger to.

The rest I will would know either one of them.

(Nope... to be technically true, I only know all the brides-to-be on my client list… how come???)

We had a short discussion about how the two of them met and how their love story begins. The bride-to-be eagerly presented her side of the story and the groom-to-be was there trying to correct or edit her story. Who says guys don’t remember anything in a relationship?

As I slowly sip my coffee and listen to them, you could see the looks on their face as they had a light hearted argument over what the guy did when he wanted to know her. It is great to think back the happier days.

When the story was finished, I requested them to pass me their childhood photos. I offered to scan for them since its part of the value-added services I provide.

I was quite surprised by both of them reaction as they each took out a large photo album that contains all the memories since young.

“Hey this is me when I’m young”

The bride-to-be exclaimed when she showed me one of her baby photos.

“Wah, I still remember this time when I had this camp”

The groom-to-be sounded like he was talking to himself.

All of us had a good laugh on how vintage the photos had become.

Some had turned brown and each photo tells a very distinct story of their memories.

I wonder how many of us would really take out my photo album and looked at our childhood photos? I probably forgotten all the photos that I’ve taken in my life if not for my mother’s safe keeping.

My wife wasn’t that fortunate as her family wasn’t able to afford a camera then. She often regrets how sad it is that she was not able to share with me her part of growing up. She will always try her best to describe the place, the buildings and the rest is up to my imagination.

Maybe the whole montage idea of putting childhood photos is not because of showing your guest how you grow up.

I secretly believe that it is a remembrance of how you were brought up by your parents. You would not remember so much about your childhood more than them.

They were the ones whom watched you cry, watched you drink your first milk, and watched you take your first step.

The beginning of the montage symbolized how grateful you are that you are able to walk in with her bride into the ballroom. It is because of their timeless and sometimes forgotten efforts that make you who you are today.

I don’t know when I will have the time to look through my childhood photos again after my wedding.

I hope you look at your childhood photos more often.

Remember not how you grow but how you were brought up.

You will see a different light.

Law of Insanity

2009-09-05T15:03:00.002+08:00

We often whine more than what we can imagine, be it about work, about school, about family or relationships. We will always rant about the same things over and over again without knowing the reason.

I remembered I was giving out the same old negative rant on my msn one fine day and this ‘friend’ of mine suddenly message me. Well she wasn’t really a ‘friend’ but someone whom I’ve added on my msn network without knowledge.

She asked if I’m unhappy about my current job.
I replied ‘yes’ instantly without giving a thought. You would have imagined how much unhappiness I was going through at that time.

The next question she asked was quite expected.
“So what you gonna do?”

I replied that I was looking for a new job in other companies.

“New job or new company?” she asked.

I told her probably a new company as I already have the experience for this current role.

“Aren’t you doing the same thing?” she replied.

“Yeah I’ll guess so, but I will be better off in my next job I suppose”

“Better off with?”

“Maybe higher pay, maybe higher post, maybe…”

“Life is so full of maybes huh?”

“Yeah, there’s nothing I can do”

“You can step out of the circle, how many jobs you hold including current?” she replied.

“This is my third job” I replied without shame on my job loyalty.

“What did you change from the first job to now?”

“Well… my pay is higher than my first two jobs.”

“I guess you didn’t read my question too well, I asked you what did you change from the first job. Not what did you get from the difference”

“I didn’t changed much, I only changed environment.”

“Why are you doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results?”
This was the question that shot me the deepest that day.

“Don’t you get the same feeling from your first job and your current?”

“Kinda… yeah” I replied after pausing for a long thought.

“So?” she was prompting a response from me.

“So… I don’t know what I’m going to do” I replied.

“Do something different, stop doing the same things over and over. You can change companies, you can change bosses but your job scope and responsibility will always be the same if you do the same kind of jobs.”

I didn’t replied but she continued shooting at me ruthlessly.

“Don’t rant about something which you fail to change. You are the first to blame if you are in this current situation. ”

I was pissed that a total stranger was giving me a lesson on life. Not pissed with her but myself for failing to see and understand about what she had said.

I was doing the same things for the last 7 years. Even though I changed two companies and my salary increased, there are elements that will never changed.

I used to believe that career advancement is all about putting in effort and continuously showing aggressiveness in your daily job to finish up all the tasks that is given to you.

I believe that if I work hard and meet all the expectations, all my hard work will pay off and I will move up the ladder very soon.

King of wishful thoughts.
There will always be situations that I have no control on and against me.

Although I tried to steer the ship towards other directions, I was not prepared to give up my current salary due to financial reasons.

I felt stuck in the mud hole and the feeling worsen everyday as you would have felt you are driven to work with a knife on your neck.

Two years had passed since that conversation and recently I just began doing some freelancing design jobs.

As I work on something different, I saw a different light.
The feeling of achievement is something that I’ve never felt in my career.
Perhaps this is the feeling of ‘change’ as I recalled the conversation once more.

I decided to change the way I do my job, I wasn’t as aggressive as I used to be and I tried to have ‘fun’ in what I’m I doing. Not practically ‘playing on my job’ but applied a lighter approach towards my career. No more setting unrealistic career objectives for myself but enjoy the moments of being in it everyday.

Not getting emotional for not able to get the best performance for that year. I’m proud of whatever result that is given to me, as having the job is already the best proof of your worth towards the company.

I still rant, no less but definitely on a lighter note altogether.

All thanks to a lady named Lisa and Albert Einstein for his quote.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Probably The Writer with the Lousiest English in Singapore who is trying to publish his book

2009-08-30T14:14:00.000+08:00

On 27^th May 2007,

I posted the first chapter on a story I wrote on my blog and threads in some forums.

There were quite a few good reviews from the forum as well as the readers that came to my blog. A few of them tagged on my tag board and said many good comments about my good writing skills.

5 months later, I had completed 3 love stories with the longest of them close to over 50,000 words. There were more readers and ‘supporters’ as they tried to add me through msn.

We chatted over the story plots and the main characters build up.

“Hey Anntonii, I think you are a great writer!”

“Have you considered publishing your stories on a book?”

I was asked a few times when by those who’ve read my work.

“Wow, surely that must be a wonderful feeling to have a book with has my name on it”

That was really my first thought as I to lay my first bricks on my sandcastle.

“I wonder will I become a celebrity because of my stories.”

Second thought and I laid my second brick.

All these good comments beamed self confidence as I began to seek more opinion on the web.

I post my work on more platforms and of different level of readers.

Reality sink in as rational comments was put up on the various threads that I’ve posted.

“I think your English is really bad! I felt terrible and had to stop instantly”

“Did you realize that your grammar and English sentence structure is somewhat funny?”

“Oh my god… did you failed your English in school?”

You would have imagined how it felt.

It’s like a person with self confidence with thoughts of ascending to heavens being brought to the depths of hell, Ditto many times.

I flipped through my secondary school report card one day and realized that person was right; I did fail my English in school. To top it all, I only barely passed my English for the final exams before I left school.

I surf the web to look at writer forums and society and looked at the way they expressed themselves. Really remarkable, there are many words and phrases I’ve never seen before let alone knowing what they mean all together.

My confidence was crushed and diminished through the thin air.

My hopes of becoming a writer were certainly never going to happen.

It took me a long time to write my current story and so many times I had to stop writing due to the negative thoughts within me.

Humans are generally looked at the things on the surface.

When someone with a lousy command of language tries to write a story, it’s as if oversized women trying her luck at ballet.

“If you don’t have the quality, don’t even try to reach for something beyond your means”

That’s what the old folks would advise.

If anyone asked me about writing and publishing a book ten years ago, I would probably laugh at them and myself.

But now, I would still want to print my own book.

It’s a form of commemorate my ability to finish writing a story.

Not to print a huge quantity but just a couple hundreds of books.

So that I can tell people I was once a writer, I had some genuine supporters who really tear and shared their beliefs in my story.

So that I can tell people who failed their language, it’s not really the end. If you have a good story base and plot, you too can become a writer.

There will always be people who appreciate your work and people who don’t.

You just need to find them…

Wedding Montage Services

2009-08-29T23:27:00.003+08:00

Recently I had a coffee session with a friend. We were talking how busy we had become and were trying to update each other on the work that we are currently doing.

“I’m actually doing wedding montage services now…” I began.

“You know those slideshows that’s screen before the wedding couple’s first entrance?”

I have to explain further to ensure he knows what I’m talking.

He gave me a stunned look.

“You are married right? You don’t know what it is?”

I was rather surprised by his look.

In my heart I was expecting to see his response as

“wah.. this kinda of services got anyone will find?”

“No lah, you should have told me earlier man!”

“How come?”

I was taken aback by his response.

“You know, my wife and I had a hard time trying to do our wedding montage during the dinner. We don’t know much about the software and don’t know what we want to show our guest”

I was nodding my head in his agreement.

“If I know you are doing this, I would have engaged your services!”

“Actually I don’t quite understand that there will be a demand for montage services you know”

I told him.

“Why not?”

“I mean, who would spend a couple hundred of dollars for the less than 10 minutes kind of outcome? Furthermore couples usually will want to do the montage themselves, or the groom would have to do it for his wife. ”

“Anntonii, you just went through your wedding right?”

My friend asked which I nodded.

“You know how busy it is to plan a wedding? Especially the last 3months before the actual day? Who will have the time to sit in front of his/her computer and do something that takes a long time?”

“But there is easier software to use mah. PowerPoint, Photostory, windows movie maker.”

“Easier software will result to lousier outcome mah… Imagine people already spend $1000 per table in a grand ballroom but when the montage comes out, it’s lousy and crap. A lot of people will surely say a lot bad reviews behind their back.”

“You as a Montage designer, what’s your take on a wedding montage?”

I paused to think for a while.

“A Wedding Montage is like a short story, something to tell the guest about how the couple met and get together. It is not just a collection of photographs but also a flow of storytelling because most of the guest will only know either the bride or the groom.”

“So that’s not important?”

He asked me back.

“Nope. It is important… it is something which bring out the wedding couple. That’s why I learned the software to do for my wedding as early as 9 months before. It was really a lot of hard work though. ”

“There you go, I tell you.. there will be people who will appreciate your work”

“Yeah… maybe there are”

I told my friend that even my own brother commented my work after he returned from a few weddings.

“People already spending a few thousand dollars on other stuffs… why would they think two three hundred dollars is a big deal?”

I agreed with what he said.

“Bro, how much you quoting people?”

My friend was curious.

“$188 - $238, if you got any friends who are interested can refer them to my website.”

I replied.

“Aiyoh, so cheap. Are you crazy or what? “

He laughed.

“I’m new and want to be competitive in the market, so have to develop an ‘Entry Price’ loh”

I replied confidently about my market knowledge.

“But I think you earning more for your full time job leh… you know how much effort you have to put in for every montage?”

I nodded.

“Bro, you and I are married. We know a lot of couples are very tight in their budget for their wedding. There are a lot of monies being spent of every single item and maybe that’s the reason why I don’t really want to raise my price”

“Besides I’m still a newbie in this line. Who am I to command $300 or even $400?”

I continued.

“Ok, just make sure you are happy doing it. It’s all that matters.”

He advised after sipping coffee.

“Yeah… perhaps until the day when I’m not happy”

Starting up is always difficult.

There will be a lot of self doubt and obstacles waiting to trip you.

You will do a lot of cold calling to strangers whom you don’t know to tell them about you.

You will experience a lot of people rejecting your services.

You will fall when people tell you that you aren’t good enough for them.

You will spend so much effort to improve yourself so that you will deliver a better service for them.

You will even come to a point to realize that you are really not fit for this business.

Successful business men always tell you that money isn’t everything in a business, interest is.

If there’s a love story waiting to be told…

I will show them how it’s done in 10mins.

Some photos which I took in China

2008-10-03T23:01:00.003+08:00

Did I lose weight?... Hhhmmmm...

2008-10-03T20:48:00.003+08:00

This is a photo which I took with my wife last week...
So did I lose weight? compared to the picture below?

I wonder....
hahahaha...

Continue to -Oil~~

2008-07-17T00:24:00.006+08:00

Hello, this is me. My name is Anntonii and you would probably know me through my stories. Incase you are wondering why there aren't any pictures of me in my StoryBlog. The reason would be downright simple. My readers are majority females so I suppose putting my picture there would only drive after my readers....

A lot of people want to visualize me after reading my stories cos they wanna say 'hi' if they see me on street one day so I guess I just put a few pictures.. darn...

I don't like my photos to be taken... yeah because I'm not satisified with the way I looked.
Ok... I'm fat... damn fat.. all 116kg of me and most of the time I have to use the SI unit Tons to describle my weight rather than kg....

I'm trying very hard to reduce my weight now....

I've changed my diet... almost completely.
I've excersied quite regularly now... (I believe the amount of excersie I have done for the past year is somewhat more than my last 10yrs add together)

Yeah... that's about it for the moment...

Wish my weight reduction is successful!~
Don't +Oil for me... must -Oil...!!

2008-07-02T22:25:00.003+08:00

Some pictures which I took in China....

Happy Anniversary

2007-10-22T23:38:00.003+08:00

On Oct 22nd 2006,
We laid our differences apart and share a common goal

As we exchanged our rings and pledge our vows.

We vow to stick with each other no matter what happens.

We vow to love each other for as long as there may be.

On Oct 22nd 2007,

We vow to keep this vow everlasting...

Happy Anniversary My Dear,

You are the reason why I'm alive...

What was the objective? What's Next?

2007-10-21T16:22:00.000+08:00

I've finally concluded my lastest story, 'Book of Love'

Well, there was a twist inside this story as I started writing.

As some of you may know, the main character inside this story, Mark Lee Yee Siang is the name of a good friend. I used his background and personality for this character plot.

I told my friend about it and he was pretty amazed that he had a 'writer' friend in me.

He penned Chapter 9.5 for me as a goodwill.

One thing that shocked me was that 'Christine' was the name of his current girlfriend.

(They got together not long ago)

My initial ending was to put Mark and Jade together in the story.

But since his gf is named Christine so I plot the story all over again.

So in the end, Mark is with Christine afterall... and I sincerely wished them the very best in life.

It is true that sometimes we would be with the ones we loved the most.

But love is something which we cannot explain.

'What's Next?'

I believe with the conclusion of my current story, the next question on people reading my stories would be... 'What's next? When's your next story coming...'

I have to be frank...

I tried to have a go in blogging because I thought blogging can get me some sparecash.

I'm in a small debt and financially not very sound.

Tomorrow's My 1st anniversary with Wifey and I don't even have the money to buy her flowers.

Anyway, I have not earn a single cent from blogging...

That's pretty lame so far....

Considering the time I've spent daily in updating the stories.

As much as I feel like quitting.

I looked back to those who was 'influenced' by my stories.

There aren't many but I've visited their blogs and read their entries on how they loved my stories and encouraged their friends to visit.

I'm flattered.

Because this wasn't the initial objective set out.

I'm touched.

Because these are things which money can't buy.

It would still be a long way before more people will know about my stories.

I don't when I will stop...

Maybe today,

Maybe 10yrs later,

Maybe after I've published a book.

Maybe Not...

I might stop writing altogether

2007-10-08T23:54:00.001+08:00

I used to think I have succeed, yet failure comes straight into your face like a humble pie.

"Dare to dream, only to realize that Nightmare exist afterall"

I will comply all those works which I think is wonderful and put it into a book.

I don't think it's going to sell anyway, so I will only publish one copy.

Safe keep it inside my Time Capsule.

It's funny cos I even wrote the Prolouge of the book long time ago.

{ Prologue }

“Dedicated to all those who think they are in love,
those who are finding true love,
those who tried so hard to love,
those who had never been in love. . . ”

Everyone knows the meaning of the word love, ask them and they will tell you it’s a kind of feeling which you won’t get much in your life, a kind of feeling which you never expect it to arrive.

Stories of love pass us each day without realizing its existence in the first place. Sometimes we think we are in love, but the feeling becomes mutual as time goes by. Yet there are times when love passes us before you could even realize.

Love is a feeling that stretches your emotion to the fullest. You’ll feel the joy, the laughter, the warmness, the coldness, the loneliness, the attention, the neglecting, the kindness, the anxiety, the jealousy, the eagerness, the worries, the sadness and the happiness if you get love in return...'

Love is an experience. You will experience the most wonderful times, the most stressful times and the most comforting times in life. If you look back, love goes with time. Without time, there won’t be love.

People often mislead the feeling of love when they think that it’s ‘love at first sight’. Maybe true, but it could be a case in a million. The rest could be the beauty of the opposite sex toying your heart and mind.

I live my life in search of love. Someone who doesn’t care about appearances, someone who don’t mind your awful habits in bed, someone who is willing to take care of you throughout your worst time.

Someone, who tries her very best to suit your life.
I hope I had found that someone special… and below are some of my definitions towards love which I had compile.

Enjoy,

Anntonii

Just watched a J-movie - Nana The Movie

2007-10-03T18:51:00.000+08:00

Ok.. I know it's kinda old movie already(released in 2005).. but hey it's nice ok.

NANA is a popular manga from japan revolving 2 girls with totally different character and lifestyle, chasing different dreams... and yeah both of them are of the same age and same name... Nana Komatsu & Nana Osaki

http://www.nana-movie.com/

NANA-2 is released in Singapore in June2007...
But I only catch a glimps of it...

I like the plot alot.. and the rox song Glamorous Sky..

http://hheavenly2.imeem.com/music/6HI7Y8bw/nana_starring_mika_nakashima_glamorous_sky/

My job....incase you were interested?

2007-09-24T22:14:00.001+08:00

A few of my bloggers have been very curious about my job, my career. What do I work as during office hours?

Am I in the creative industry?
Am I in the media industry?

Well I certainly hoped to be in the above 2 industry but unfortunately I’m not.

I did my Olevels very very badly and got a mere 23 points for best five subjects. As I looked through the subjects which I was eligible for Poly education.

- Mechatronics Engineering.
- Nursing
- Marine Engineering

I have the “luxury” to pick the course which I can get myself in.
I had wanted to opt for a design course but after much rejection from parents, I didn’t even try.

I picked Mechatronics Engineering… cos it’s in Temasek Poly and heard they were moving to Tampines in 1996.. (Oh yeah I studied in TP from 1995 – 1998) and got into the course because I lived in Bedok!!

Temasek Poly use to have a few campuses… Grange road for business … Kim Seng rd for Engineering… yeah man… my old campus is ‘walkable’ distance to Zouk! Bukit Merah Campus was infact the one which I attended much of my course before shifting to Tampines.

After Poly, I went National Service… and in 2001 March I took my first step into the work society Full time!

The job which I applied was an Associate Engineer in an American company. When the manager interviewed me, he asked me a strange question.

“Would you like to try out as a Production Supervisor?”

I was taken aback, cos when you mention Production Supervisor, the first impression would be those uncles trying to get the aunties to work properly.

But since the industry was pretty bad in 2001 and sensing that the manager would not have employed anymore Associate Engineer, I decided to take up the challenge.

So my first job was a Production Supervisor… and a starting pay of S$1,550…

I went on to work for the same company for 3 and a half years the company was bought by another company. During my 3.5yrs of stay, I did my Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics… Sensing that the future was vague, I decided to look for jobs and ended in my second job.

A Production Supervisor in a hard-disk company in Kakit Bukit.

Well… I didn’t have much to say… cos I quit within a year of joining cos I was loggerheads with my senior manager. I threw my letter without securing another job… and stayed jobless for 3 weeks!!

The thing about jobless was not really about the money, it was you wake up everyday in the morning don’t know what to do. People argued that its time to take a good rest and relax… but how long can you relax?

I’ve applied for everything that websites and newspapers have to offer. In the end, I’ve went through 11 interviews and got 3 offers in my jobless period.

I told myself… it’s between Engineering and Manufacturing. Either one type will determine my future.

Then 3 weeks later, my present company called me and offered me a job. Well… apparently it’s another hard disk maker in woodlands but the processes are totally different.

Guess what? I was offered a Manufacturing Supervisor again!
So I just carried on my job… up till now.

6.5 years and counting… I’m doing the same things over and over again. The difference is only the people I worked with and the processes.. (pay of course different lah!)

Being a Supervisor is about the operations of the areas that you managed. You managed the man, materials, machine, method, quality and quantity. That’s practically everything you see, hear, feel about your work area.

Oh yeah … I’ve been promoted to Senior Supervisor with effect 1st Oct 2007.. (Don’t ask me about the increment cos it sux!)

I used my right brain a lot during work because I managed costing and projects. Maybe that explains why I used my left brain when I’m off work… to balance up bah…

If you ask me, what was my greatest regret in my career?

My answer is really “why didn’t I go study design last time!!! Blah!!”

Because I always wanted to be a fashion designer… now I’m a Production Supervisor… HOW FAR AWAY!!!

My Next Story.... Stay tuned...

2007-09-18T23:50:00.001+08:00

So far.. only got the title and little plot...

Title will be

[Secret of the Heart 心の秘密]

Don't worry.. it's won't be like Jay Zhou's Secret...

Incase you are wondering who's the cute girl in the picture...

Sorry guys... she's taken....by me! She's my wifey~~

2007-09-12T00:30:00.000+08:00

“Recently my life has been really busy..”
I mean how often have we heard people saying that?

“Busy with what?”

“Busy with life I suppose”
I tried to convince myself that I’m really busy after all.

Yeah.. after all, I’ve became an online novelist as someone descript in their blog. This term is definitely not for me. I just preferred to be known as Story Writer.

Ok I write stories… but not a professional. I reckon that my English isn’t good enough to go for the publisher as yet. I’m contented with the 300 odd readers that have been reading my blog lately.

Not this blog for goodness sake.. but my storyblog at.

http://anntonii.blogspot.com

It begins with only a handful of people that had followed me the forums onto my blog. My colleagues are in fact my ‘greatest’ fan to date… Although they admit they too have not been following up lately. (How sad… my ‘biggest’ fans no longer interested)

Hopefully more readers will come in… maybe I will make a name for myself..

My current Story is about the ‘Book of Love’

It started out with a guy named Mark Lee who could not forget about his ex-girlfriend, Jade. Then he met another girl of the same name few years later on the MRT. Their introduction was rather interesting as he was framed of down blousing her… and blah blah blah I hate writing summaries since secondary school days. go read, go read...

It’s written till Chapter 25… and man… it’s about 40,000 words to date!!
Way passed my last story Rain Angel… and the story is only at the middle…

What will happen to Mark? Go read okie?

Well… as I write this story revolve love and such… I begin to realize I don’t really know love myself.

What is Love to you actually?

I asked Wifey What is Love to her…

Her answer really shocked me… It was simple kinda childish yet very deep.

“Love is Kiss Kiss, Hug Hug”

How true…

Before there were poets and script writers, before there were intellects and scholars and before the time when language was being understood.
It’s the emotional and physical acceptance of someone whom you really cared about.

We Kissed and Hugged those we loved don’t we?

Would we kiss or hug people that we don’t like?

Sometimes you don’t need to look round for answers about love because this is love.

That is why I kiss and hug wifey lotofs times a day.
That is why I find saying “I love you” many times a day is vague.

I only say once per day to wifey.

“I love you more than yesterday but lesser than tomorrow.”

This is Love…

2007-08-30T17:49:00.000+08:00

I couldn't remember when was the last time I've ever gone to the movies with my parents.
Maybe 10yrs ago? or is it 15yrs?
I believe other than animated movies during my childhood, I've never watched any movie with my parents.

Maybe being hawkers, they don't have much time for such entertainment.
Video Tapes, Vcds, DVD and watching Channel 8 on TV are all they do when they are free

My mum was affected by the craze for the local movie '881'
Somehow it was related to the late singer "Chen Jin Lang"
Both my parents were very supportive of him and they even went to his wake last year.

I then suggested to go watch 881 last Sunday.
Since they no need to open stall on Monday.
Both my parents, me and wifey and my younger brother.

Although all of us lived together, the chances of us going out together is very rare.
It was a rather different outing apart from the usual dinner sessions we had.

Then I booked the tickets for 1930hr show.
We had our dinner at the market downstairs and proceed to Tampines Century Square.

As we reached early, there was half an hour for us to wander around before the show commences. I suggested to go to Isetan Tampines Mall as Metro had already closed down.

We walked around at Isetan and Mum begins to look for some clothes.
All of us participated in sourcing the 'best' blouse for her.
We dug deep into the carts and tore a few pieces to try.
We were joking about certain design and weird colors that she will never wear in her life.
She tried out and bought two.

As Mum went to pay for her clothes, I stood and smile, telling myself.

"I would not have done that when I was 16 or 18. Going out with parents was seen as lame or weak or mummy's boy and looked down by all your buddies. They are not highly educated and will do silly things to make you look like an idiot or lose face. Every boy will grow up to men and needs to be stay as far away from parents."

After which we proceed to watch the movie.
Well since there are already so many reviews about movie, I shall not talk here.
I saw many people bringing their parents to watch too.

What I really enjoyed was not the show but the time spent with my parents.
As both of them are in their late fifties already.

As I lay on to sleep that night, I told my wife about how I felt.
She just laughed it off.
“I just don’t understand why guys would think like that. Going out with parents is perfectly normal and enjoyable.”

It was the second happiest thing that happened in my 12 days of leave after knowing wifey given a clean bill of health from her kidney diagnose.

I’m glad I knew my mistakes now.

What kind of blogs we see these days?

2007-08-21T22:36:00.000+08:00

You know these days, everyone's got a blog. Everyone is trying to tell the whole world about their daily events. How ironic when people ask you "How's ur day?", you would normally reply "It sux!" then you go write a few thousand words over ur blog to signify how sux it went.

When I started my blog, I asked myself which of the categories I can protraits my direction to?

1) CamWhore Blogs

People who post alot of photos of themselves taken with their friends, their families, their pets, their pest. people whom they like,hate,dislike,adore,want to kiss, want to kill.

These people believe pictures tell a thousand words not simply there are pictures... but its because it's pictures of THEM.
These people are the ones who generate alot of hit counts when they are really cute or hunky.

Damn I last looked at myself and decided not to waste time putting my photo.
Will get flames more than tags.

2) Creative Blogs

People who post other people's misery. It could be their parking skills, their inconsiderate act, their downblouse. I label them as creative blogs simply because they are really creative. I mean who would think of a blog to post people who anyhow park?

People who have creative blogs are those who constantly out on the go, looking for irrtating people and things happening.

I don't have that amount of time to go out to be a freelance journalist. Besides my photography skills sux... so instead of catching a photo of someone eating a burger... i might accidentally took her downblouse instead!

3) Money Making Blogs

These blogs are people who post entry to teach people how to make money. Wow... such nice people really exist.. really huh.. Maybe they earned too much then they wanna share their skills? or unproven strategy which makes you the bait to try? You decide.

I don't have money and is currenly quite broke myself.. so to teach you how to earn money might as well i go earn first!~

4) Life Blogs

These blogs are people who have a large network of friends. To have blog is to update each other how each other's life is going. Nevermind both of you had just gone to orchard together. Both of you will blog like you've not seen each other for years.

Last checked, I don't have a large network of friends... Infact most of my friends know nuts about blogging so to create a blog to tell them I'm still alive might as well jio them for kopiz.

5) Food Blogs

These blogs write about all the resturants and food center that the writer went and did his review. Well kudos to these people really cos normally I wont remember what I ate the day before, let alone writing a review about it. To me it's only "Nice or Not Nice" and "Cheap or Expensive"

Last checked, I don't have much descriptive phrases to describle food... like "juice oozing out from the steak" kinda language.. so have to give it a miss.

6) Whine Blogs

These blogs only whines... the writers have nothing good to write about. It can be about the water, transport, habits, prices, taxes, government, no money, working environment, pay, housing. All these in the comfort of their home... never realized that some parts of the world, there are people who've never seen a computer in their life.

Last checked, though I do whine and have quite a bit to complain... I would really have the time to write it out to the world.. So the world be safer because of my whining? I don't suppose so..

Finally I decided to write this StoryBlog. I hope this is something new...

Cheeerz

ZeniXiiS Logo!~

2007-08-15T10:18:00.000+08:00

Why is the meaning of blogging to me?

2007-08-14T22:28:00.000+08:00

Lately I was very, very busy setting up my Storyblog.

http://anntonii.blogspot.com

Infact I've spend a great of time trying to figure out what the hell am I doing?

Why do I spend so much effort and time in doing something that have no returns?

Will people support?

Will people tell more people?

What do I really want from my blog?

Traffic so that I can generate reveune from?

Yeah, talking about traffic.

This is something which really pissed me off.

I did really stupid trying to get traffic into my blog.

I joined an awful lot of forums for no special reasons.

I put up bulletins in my friendster.

I tagged almost every single living thing I can get their blog address.

All because of one stupid reason.

To get to my blog, take a look.

If you like what you see, you'll stay and become a loyal reader.

So After doing all these, what have I gain?

Did I meet my objectives?

Monetary objective is not met and seriously lost in direction.

Time invested :- Many Many hours of my life.

Braincells invested :- Enough to write 2 stories and currently 3rd.

Emotions invested :- Have few arguements with Wifey over the time spent.

Last checked my google adsense.

Returns :- USD$16.88

It's one of the worse investment I've ever did in my life.

I don't know when the hell will I end this shit.

Some other Arkworkz

2007-08-12T12:24:00.000+08:00

Mechatronics Job Opportunities...

2007-08-10T17:24:00.001+08:00

Brief explanation of job scope

[ Technical Side ]

1) Maintenance Engineering Assistant/Engineer
- usually involve preventive maintenance of machines, with repairing involve in a later stage.
- Reporting to a leader of the team, maintenance usually has a team dedicated to a particular area in the factory.
- Starting Pay wise - can be anything from $1600 - $1900
- Working hrs - usually shift pattern in 12hrly with allowance
- Overtime - more than you can ever imagine, thus with allowance & basic pay can easily hit $3K - $4K.
- Suitable for people who like to repair machines.
- Career prospect - EA -> Snr EA -> Lead -> Maint Supervisor

2) Process EA/Engineer
- Process EA deals with the process flow of a manufacturing plant, ensuring that Quality is in place & Yield is maintained.
- Usually work alone or maybe in pairs, Reporting to an Engineer, Process EA usually have to be in the line to prepare data & reports for Engineers to present.
- Starting Pay wise - $1600 - $1800
- Working hrs - also shift pattern
- Overtime - would say less than Maint
- Suitable for people who like to improve process
- Career Prospect - EA -> Snr EA -> AE -> Engineer
- Easier to "Shine" than Maint as decisions are to be made by you sometimes.

3) Facilities EA/Engineer
- Maint the basic environment of a building, like aircon, airflow, cleanroom status, water pipes, gases, lift etc etc. When nothing happens, you can do whatever you want... but when situation happens you have to react.
- like maint, work in a team but team is smaller and you in charge of whole building instead of a particular area.
- Starting Pay wise - $1600 - $1900
- Working hrs - also shift pattern
- Overtime - less than Maint/Process
- Suitable for people who can handle ad-hoc situations
- Career prospect - EA -> Snr EA -> Lead -> Maint Supervisor

4) Equipment EA/Engineer
- Deal with vendors on machine improvement or qualifying of new machines. When Machine is buyoff, it will be hand over to the maintenance side for up keeping and servicing.
- Starting Pay wise - $1600 - $1900
- Overtime - less than Maint/Process
- Suitable for people who likes to handle vendors and a bit of project planning and management involved.
- Career prospect - EA -> Snr EA -> AE -> Engineer

[ Supporting Group ]

5) Production Supervisor
- Production Sups handle the daily operations in the line, including man, machine, method, materials and workplace moral
- Usually works under a Production Manager / Snr Sup. Production Sup has subordinates under him to take charge.
- Starting Pay wise - $1700 - $2000
- Working hrs - also shift pattern / normal working hrs
- Overtime - also need to cover for other sups on mc/leave
- Suitable for people who like to lead and work with almost everyone in the factory.
- Career prospect - Sup -> Snr Sup -> Production Manager

6) Planner
- Planners plan the requirements for production in terms of product demand and sales forecast. Usually prepares the MPS & Machine conversion plan.
- Usually works under a Planning Manager / Master Planner.
- Starting Pay wise - $1700 - $2000
- Working hrs - Normal-working hrs
- Overtime - when you can't finish your work.
- Suitable for people who like to plan and coordinator with others to get things done.
- Career prospect - Planner -> Snr Planner -> Master Planner/Manager

7) Buyer
- Buyer works with external vendors to get quotations & prepare the purchasing ledgers. Usually work in a team but different buyers in charge of different materials.
- Usually works under a Purchasing Manager.
- Starting Pay wise - $1700 - $2000
- Working hrs - Normal-working hrs
- Overtime - when you can't finish your work.
- Suitable for people whom like to be selective in purchasing and interact with outside vendors.
- Career prospect - Buyer -> Snr Buyer -> Purchasing Manager

Other Positions.

8) Customer Service
9) Sales Engineer
10) Service Engineer

Talent Versus Hardwork?

2007-08-08T19:24:00.000+08:00

Do you believe in Talent or Hardwork?

I believe talent comes from interest, at the end of the day hardwork is still the way to reach your goals.

I used to have people coming up to me and tell me
"How talented you are"

I was pretty amused.
Mind you I'm really happy for that praise but am I really talented?
I don't know.

I only know I spent a hell lot of time drawing, drawing and still drawing.
The money I spent on papers and pens may be more than my transportation every month.

I was really interested in Designing... and I tried to do design in Poly.
Forunately or Unforunately my parents stopped me.

They told me that design got no future... so I opt for Engineering instead.
My grades actually sux... got 23 for Best Five... and load of crap for the rest

English - C6
Chinese - B4
Maths - B3
Science - C6
Principle of Accounts - B4
Arts - C6
History - D7

The only courses available were
1) Mechatronics Engineering
2) Offshore and Marine Engineering
3) Nursing - (?!~?!@??!?! I only like Japanese AV Nurses)

So I studied Mechatronics in 1995 Temasek Polytechnic...
Then Bachelor in Mechatronics in 2002 in University of Newcastle via Distance Learning...
Then Advance Diploma in Business Management in 2005 in MDIS...

See my efforts going further and further from where I wanted to start?

I love Phoenix

2007-08-08T08:13:00.000+08:00

One thing I couldn't remember would be when I started liking phoenix. Maybe I always liked those imaginary creatures and ancient chinese stuffs. Dragons,phoenix came to mind.

I've design quite abit on phoenix too... below are my works... its meant for tattoos anywayz

Why do I write?

2007-08-03T18:10:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I don't know the things that I really like to do...

I know my language is not as good as I would have thought.

I was never good in languages... to bottom it all.

I've got a C6 for my Olevels for English... which was really lucky.

A lot of stuffs were written long ago...

in 1997 - 2001...

That was when I wrote 'Last Wish'

How 'Lost Valentine' came about.

The idea came to me in about Jan/Feb period when the heading keep repeating in my head.

What happens if a person recieved a letter dated 10yrs ago?

How would he feel?

Will he want to find out who's the sender?

Some people told me its quite familar with II Mare,

a south korean movie which the US filmed it as 'The Lake House'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Il_Mare

Well.. believe it or not... I've never watched either film.

My inspirations actually came from a japanese film

'Love Letters'

http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/love_letter.htm

Finally I put all the thoughts into words and wrote my official first story.

Considering that Last Wish was a very raw story told.

I published in Keeptouch and Flowerpod.

It was pretty well received... oh well it just exceed my expectations of myself.

"Rain Angel"

I came to know Jo (Who's offically my No.4 Fan) in Keeptouch.

We talk about the stories and I began to read what she wrote too.

Jo wrote her story with the rain.

It was something about rain which struck me as long ago I wanted to write a story about a gal who know a guy in a phonebooth during a rain.

That's how I got kick start in Rain Angel and written my 1st Chapter in Tampines Mcdonalds'

However, it was not very well recieved until chapter 7...

maybe it was the pace of the story.

"Book of Love"

I did not write anything about it before, therefore its a bigger challenge as most of the time I'm caught with the next chapter.

But I write to bring more suspense and twist into the story.

Hopefully it will draw more readers....

Anntonii Lim

Pictures I've drawn...

2007-08-01T23:02:00.000+08:00

I remembered that I used to draw alot...
I drew so much that I've spend quite a bit of money just on paper,pens,pencils and other drawing stuffs..

I'm not as good as I think I am....
and time got up of me... and I gradually give up....

Below are some of my works... long ago...
Think in 1997.. (Wahkao...10yrs liaoz)

Will post more in future...

Chinese Lyrics I used to write...

2007-08-01T22:05:00.000+08:00

2007-08-01T05:36:00.000+08:00

Something I wrote quite long ago....

女孩向男孩诉说:"我爱你..."
男孩回应:"我也是..""
不,不, 你要说我爱你" 女孩不甘愿地说.
"这不也一样吗?"
"'我爱你'和'我也是'怎么会一样?"
"为什么你老把我爱你挂在嘴边? 如果你真的爱我就应该证明给我看"
男孩不能再忍受了.
"可是你从来都没跟我说过,我又怎么知道你真的爱我?"
"每天对一个人说一声'我爱你'有用吗?"
"我不知道对别人有没有用,但至少对我有用"
女孩开始哭了.

"怎么了? 说不过我就哭? 难道你就只会哭吗?"
男孩看不下去了.
"难道我连哭的权力都没有吗?"
女孩不想望回头.
"随便你, 反正你从来都不曾听过我的话.."
男孩开始离开了.

女孩独自留在公园里, 眼眶不时还残留泪滴.她开始回想自己和男孩的开始.
那时彼此深爱对方,从不曾争吵.
每天都会对她说"我爱你"

后来男孩忙于工作,见面的机会越来越少.但女孩每天都盼望男孩都能对她说她最想听到的话.
等了很久,沟通的机会越来越少.
女孩开始觉得男孩已经不再爱她了.

男孩独自离开公园外, 眼泪也开始落下.他开始回想自己和女孩的开始.
那时彼此支持对方,从不曾计较.
每天都会对他说"我支持你"后来女孩开始计较,关心的机会越来越少.
但男孩每天都盼望女孩都能对他说他最想听到的话.
等了很久,沟通的机会越来越少.男孩开始觉得女孩已经不再了解他了.

有时好想好好的爱一个人, 但不知道是经过时间的考验, 还是彼此已经习惯对方.
"她不会介意的吧?"
"他不是那么小气的吧?"

往往因为这样,想说和想做的事也越来越少.
人总觉得爱一个人很难,很难只是因为我们都在说和做我们自己认为对方所喜欢的.
但其实爱一个人很容易,只要做和说那个人喜欢的事就可以了.

" 没有人可以断定一段恋情的开始,没有人可以规定一段恋情的期限,
没有人可以决定一段恋情的结束,除了你自己. "

Another brand new beginning?

2007-08-01T05:26:00.000+08:00

Someone complained that I whined too much on my Story blog.
That's why I decided to open another separate blog for my unnecessary whining about life and stuffs.

The world is really quiet at 5.28am in the morning.

As I sat down and reflect on the things I've done so far for posting my stories,
I'm actually quite impressed by myself that I was able to do all that.
Not that I was inspired to be a writer anyway.

My interest was more towards Designing... especially Fashion Design.
It's kinda strange if you ask me...
But in this separate blog, you will see another side of me...
Maybe you will like it, maybe you don't
but you have a choice....

Anntonii