Calmness in preparation madness

If I were to look back at this moment in time, I want to remember that despite the occasional panic attacks of not finding the right dresses, right hairstyles, planning for the seating arrangement, grumbling at yet another need for change, going "argh" over the amount of details I have to go through for the programme/montage/music, coordinating food/decor/manpower with Mr. Jang...

I am enjoying myself, and deep down I'm calm, as calm as I can be, like one year ago... as if the wedding is not like 10 days away. My operational mode has kicked in, and I'm having fun, because this is the only time I can get away with what I want to do, and any disapproval can be answered with "oh, different people have different style and mine is this."

Awww... simply awesome.

Honeymoon planning

Am planning my honeymoon itinerary for Japan and am secretly knocking myself on the head for being totally not involved in the planning of previous family trips to Japan. For instance, I know that we need to get JR passes to get around the region but how it works exactly, and where to purchase it... well, I am only starting to find out now. It's not too late, but yeah, retribution for this family lazy bum!

Anyway, everyone was raving about those private onsens which couples could use in their own rooms. Found this online (Hotel Senkei) and was really quite tempted to book it. Since Mr. Jang and I don't really eat raw stuff, I chose the plan which doesn't include Japanese breakfast and dinner. The room prices ranged from SGD 320 for a basic one, and SGD 510 for a more premium one, which seemed reasonable. But in the end, I decided to let this go since other than the private onsen, there is really not much interesting to see at Hakone. I'd rather stick to the original plan to go Osaka, Kyoto and Nara.

Am getting a tad more excited about the wedding, since I have more time to plan for it now. Went for a church friend's wedding just now and it was the grandest church wedding I've ever been to! Was a little... in awe of the decor, the food variety, and the sheer no. of people who turned up. Mine will definitely be a much more smaller and simpler ceremony. And I think I prefer it this way too. :p

My last birthday as a single

Had a fantastic birthday yesterday starting with loads of well wishes early in the morning, and then a simple lunch with colleagues at Manhattan Fish Market. Embarrassingly, Med tried to ask everyone to say what they liked about me... and I got i) clomper feet, ii) squeaky voice, iii) vampy (!) personality, iv) nice laughter, and v) even the fact that my Dad works in a luxury goods company (this one was from silly annoying Med!).

And then it was off to an evening of ALL my favourite things (drums rolling): Roses!!! Mala steamboat!!! Chocolate Cake!!! KTV!!! Beer!!! And of course, great company!!!

It was a nice celebration (thanks to Mr. Jang, Sis and Paulyn!) and a good way to end my last birthday as a single, just like how everyone has been reminding me.

Events/little moments that I like!

Haven't had such fun fun fun times in a loooooooong while.

Sat

Shopping with Sis at Orchard for Christmas presents, and having a really nice cosy hens night with the girls - the play was hilarious, loads of sinful food (char siew rice late in the evening + fries at 4am!), drinking without tripping over our own toes, singing in the cab on the way home. Check out more photos on facebook!

Sun

Selection of Sis' evening gown (while trying at the same time to recover from our really tired legs and puffy eyes)

Mon

Early birthday surprise from colleagues! You can tell from the way I smiled that I really loved the gigantic chocolate cake (though I probably can't finish it!) ^ ^

Dinner and KTV at Teo Heng with the two "little" boys I've known since Secondary School! Totally don't need to care about 仪态. And oh, Teo Heng has a touch-screen iPhone-like interface for the monitors now, so unlike the lock-kock place we always went to in Uni. Totally cool!

- . -"

I am seriously, seriously, seriously missing HK because of:

i) the weather
ii) the fact that I have to work again, and
iii) the realisation that I have LESS THAN A MONTH to go before the wedding day.

Buck up, Grace!

Have you seen my childhood...

Didn't get to do any shopping today because I promised my grandparents that I'd yum cha with them in the afternoon. Spent the day at their place, digging through old childhood photos which I can use for the wedding montage.

I hereby confirm that I'm a grouchy person since the moment I was born. Look at the way I frowned. It's professional.







And all my smiling genes must have been used up by Sis - her smile is as permanent as my frown. Oh well...





Today's weather is freezing by the way. I seriously don't remember feeling this cold in HK. Quite hazy around the city area as well. Brr......

Back in HK again!

Am in HK right now enjoying the cool weather and my new found freedom - no more exams ever again, at least in the foreseeable future!







Today's plan is simple: i) have lunch with parents, ii) shopping at Causeway Bay, iii) gown-fitting in the late afternoon, and then iv) perhaps have dinner with Gugu.

A thought just entered my mind... this is the last time I'll come back to Hong Kong as a single. Who would have thought that I'll be where I'm at now... when we packed our bags and moved to Singapore almost 20 years ago. Loads of thoughts and emotions suddenly...