Gear up for Earth Hour 2010!

Who's up for Earth Hour? I am. I gladly comply with it. Not only I'll turn off my lights, I'll go without any electrical appliance as much as I can for an hour. Just assume there's a blackout. Besides it's not like our utility is that reliable after all, with intermittent uncompensated blackouts.

I was in Melbourne for Earth Hour 2008 and Milan for Earth Hour 2009, the support which it garnered from the public was just encouraging. They even have a countdown to Earth Hour in a public venue, being celebrated on a scale as large as your New Year's Day countdown. Take a look at some of the cities across the globe during Earth Hour.

This year's Earth Hour together with @yiewdean, @Ai_Ting, @PhuongNguyenNT and @jiaminjiamin, we'll all be running the Energizer Night Race. I couldn't think of any better way to experience Earth Hour than to just run with a headlight running on minimal power.

Then and Now

Over lunch at Citrus, with Jiamin, Jeremy and Phuong, she said I was stand offish and too judgemental then, hence we did not know each other so well.

That was 4 years ago. Today we are sitting on the same table bantering away. And the Aiting who laid dormant is now out of her 'shell', literally.

Happy 22nd EAT!

22-22/2

Aiting's 22nd on the 22nd of February which makes 5 twos (5D number people). It was considered one of the most successful surprise party in my history.

Initial plan was to watch Valentines Day movie, then Phuong suggested to celebrate her dear's birthday too. The plan then elaborated from a movie to karaoke from 11am to 3pm followed by movie till 5pm back to back.

Being half an hour late Aiting was already ranting about my impunctuality. Little did she know that I arrived earlier and sneaked away to look for her cake with Dean, while she and Jiamin were purchasing tickets. Dean then went ahead to preclude any suspicion and I made a delayed entrance (won't matter anymore since I was already late) with the cakes lit up. Her dumbfounded expression was priceless.

Dean: (Sternly)Give me the remote

Phuong: Ok lo...

If you think that was only it, think twice cause that's exactly what Aiting thought when she blew out the candles. She went "OK, back to karaoke!". That was only appetizer with the main course coming right up:

It was an ingenious gift from Hampshire Designs, a custom made calender with collection of pictures of Aiting from over the years, with monthly selected quotes either uttered by Aiting or pertaining to her. Hampshire Designs takes orders for any form of customized gifts (free advertising here, LOL).

Bon Apetito e tanti auguri!

Valentines A Year Ago

A year ago I was in Rome with this four dudes:

Thinking of beholding sights to catch some love in the air in the amorous city of Rome, we headed out to the allegedly hottest hangout place of Rome, Campo di Fiori on one of the coldest night in 2008-09's winter.

Half an hour meandering about Campo di Fiori onwards to Trastevere, there wasn't even any love making sight 'on display'. While it was cold enough and we wouldn't settle for an unfruitful outing so we feasted on none other than:

GELATO!

Our hands could barely withstand the chill so we finished it in haste. When we were done, it was our internals showing signs of rejection sending chills down our spines. After deciding to call it a day we headed home, only to find ourselves barely making it for the last bus home (we ran as fast as our feet could carry us hailing the last departing bus from the terminal).

Valentines 2009 was a memorable one, indeed.

Valentines 2010 is the first day of Chinese New Year. This time around, Rome was showered with snow few days prior to Valentines. Oh and did I mention that it was about 40 years ago it last snowed in Rome?

View from office balcony.

Shucks, can't the snow come a year earlier?

Valentines 2010 is spent playing mahjong with family members in this sweltering heat of CNY (talk about polar opposite weathers).

Come ah, hong zhong, pak pan, fatt choi, dong, nam, sai,pak!