Jaded July

July has mostly been.....  Well I don't really know how to put it.  A mixed bag of sorts...   I started the month by accompanying my staff from Batam for a fair in Jurong Point.  It's been ages since I last visited Jurong Point for sure.  It didn't really bring back memories since the new Jurong Point is an almost completely different maze from the one I remembered during my NTU days. 

A Remarkedly Different Jurong Point - Galaxy S23+

Just January

It felt like January just zoomed past me, it was just work and work and work and work for me...  I hadn't paid much attention to the children's studies this month and there were days when I finished work with a tension headache.  I even spent a weekend studying how to use JIRA as I felt that I haven't been maximizing my JIRA usage at work.  Well..  something needs to change and I'll have to figure that out somehow.

Studying JIRA on Youtube - Galaxy Note 9

Outlasting October

On this last day of October, I start my 7th week with ONE.  It has been a very packed journey so far.  I've been very busy with work.  Not very difficult, except when it comes to "alignment", but there's just too many things going.  

Rainy Day in Orchard - Galaxy Note 9

Advancing August

August has been a mixed bag, but more towards the positive side.  It has been quite an amazing month on the job search front as I finally landed myself a new position in the maritime industry again.  I am so relieved to finally going to leave Klook.  But that job move came with a heavy price tag.  I returned my sign-on bonus and bought out 1 month of my notice period too.  It was such an expensive breakup.  And leaving Klook also means I will have worked for 2 years with no bonus at all.  It is such an expensive lesson....  I have a lot to say during the exit interview for sure...  At least I think I will.  

A Familiar Sight - Galaxy Note 9

Stationary September

In 2 hours' time, September will come to an end.  Another month will pass.  This month I turned 39.  Yay... happy birthday, you're a year older, bla.. bla... bla...  I've gotten numb to it somehow.  

Courtesy of Osia - Galaxy Note 9

Aghast August

This hasn't been a good month. Sometime in the middle of the month, I learnt that my brother, my aunt and a daily helper at home finally became part of the statistics of COVID-19 patients in Surabaya.  I'm not too worried about them, I'm more worried about my mom.  At first I thought of getting my mom to move out to avoid staying too close to them.  Yes, there's no quarantine in dedicated facilities or hospitals... that's $💀#💢*!💣! crazy rite... Even my brother had to drive himself to the hospital to get tested again. But then again, moving out does not guarantee my mom will be any safer since she'll be exposed to more strangers.  In the end  I thought it would be much safer for her to just stay home and make sure she doesn't get near my brother and my aunt, and in case she had to go near them, to make sure she puts on all necessary protective equipment.  At least the daily helper is not coming in for the next 3 weeks.  The daily helper already has antibody in his system, which means that he had contracted the virus way earlier and somehow recovered without even noticing it.  This episode really got me worried sick here.  There's really nothing much I can do but hope for the best.  I really, really hope my mom's luck won't run out on her just yet.

On a much lighter note, we paid a visit to Marina Bay Sands earlier in the month.  It was an unusual sight to see a mostly empty The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.  

An Uncharacteristically Quiet Rain Oculus - Galaxy Note 9

June Cycling Diary

I have been cycling once a week with the missus in the past 3 weeks.  So far we've been to Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by The Bay and Henderson Waves.  From Alexandra Canal Park which is right in front of our apartment, we could go all the way to East Coast Park if we'd like to.  It really is amazing how we can get to experience so many places with our bicycles.  

Stopping by Rodalink Commonwealth to Adjust My Bike's Saddle Post - Galaxy Note 9

Quiet Weeks to End November

It has been extremely quiet as of late.  I've been engrossed in my reading, had some visitors over and Batam.....  Its a wonder I have the time to sit down and write now.  And work...  still the same old, same old....  Thinking about the next working day almost makes me want to cry...  😔

After I finished the book about Salim Group I continued with another book about Lippo Group's founder.  It has been fascinating to know more about the different backgrounds of 2 of Indonesia's largest conglomerates' founders.  Hopefully finishing those 2 books will give me some inspiration I badly need right now.  I still have about 250 or so pages before I finish that 2nd book.  

Other than that, some of my father's staffs came from Batam to attend a Wonderful Indonesia event for which I visited them to check that they're doing OK and they have everything they need for the event. 

And finally just last Saturday I went to Marina Bay Sands for dinner with my parents and my visiting in-laws.  Took some nice photos inside too. 

Digital Light Canvas

Circus 1903

Last Saturday me, my wife and the kids went to see the circus at Marina Bay Sands, the circus show is called Circus 1903.  For the kids it was the first time they watched a circus while for me and my wife, circus nowadays is nothing like when we were kids.

After the intermission, the cast members were ready to continue

Another Quiet Week

This week has been rather uneventful as Lindsay and I are both sick.  I still haven't recovered from my 1 week old flu while Lindsay must have gotten the flu from me; she'd been having fever for the last 2 days and still going on now.

On Saturday I decided to take the kids to Marina Bay Sands for a stroll.  My wife suggested that we should have lunch at the DC Superheroes Cafe - a DC Universe thematic restaurant in Marina Bay Sands Shoppe.  It was an interesting restaurant serving western food with DC super heroes' attributes.  The restaurant has a strong American feel (which I mean by decorations and food served).  It was an opportunity to try out new things in a new ambiance.

I had a Superman themed "Smallville Burger Set" which is not bad actually.  The nachos' dip was tasty and the burger itself was not bad.  The patty was juicy albeit tasting a bit strange since it was chicken - I reckon they should have just served a crispy fried chicken rather than mince it - but overall quite delicious.

That's my lunch!  Couldn't finish the nachos so asked for the kids' help to finish them

Prior to Lindsay's Arrival - Captured in 5D Mark III

Prior to Lindsay's arrival in Feb 2013, Lincoln went to Purwokerto and stayed with my in-laws.  It was quite hard to suddenly have him left us for quite some time, but we couldn't cope with handling a newborn and a 3 year old at the same time.  So we decided to send him to my in-laws who were more than happy to look after him for which I'm very grateful for while my mom was to help my wife look after the soon-to-arrive Lindsay.

As it was near Chinese New Year, the mood was festive.  

Resorts World Sentosa in Chinese New Year Decorations - 5DM3 + EF 16-35mm F2.8L II

No entry for a while

Been so busy lately - sick, going to immigration, etc, etc.  But what's really annoying is that I haven't been well myself for the most of this month.  Perhaps its due to the weather which suddenly turned sweltering hot.  I experience frequent bouts of sore throat with fever.  

I got a new lens XF16mmF1.4 R WR for my X-T1 and its such a pleasure to use.  Here are some photos taken with that amazing lens.

This has got to be my best shot of Gardens by The Bay