en route; 
2011 has been a tough year for me.
i've made stupid moves, stupid decisions, etc, and i've been through countless number of problems. i was pressed so far into the corner that i really thought all was lost. but with everything said and done, it's unbelievable how much God has been here for me, every step of the way. he has carried through all my problems, and he will continue doing so in 2012 and the other days to come. in my time of distress, he blessed me with a whole bunch of wonderful friends, friends i will never let go, and friends i will never forget no matter what happens in life.
to all of my most awesome friends, thank you for being a part of my life &for making an effort to always be here for me. thank you to those who are always driving me around unconditionally, and to those who are always offering to be my listening ear. i may not say much, but my heart always knows who's best (:
so here's to 2012. may the next year be filled with more love &blessings than anyone can ever be filled with.
xoxo; SO.
i've been doing a bit of lifestyle reading, and i came across this awesome &most appropriate article especially since things like the New Year, Chinese New Year and other random birthdays are coming up:
Lauren Conrad's Ladylike Laws: Proper Party Girl Etiquette
(aka Proper Party Girl Commandments)
"Your Arrival
- Thou shall arrive within the first 30 minutes.
- Thou shall seek out the host and graciously thank them for the beautiful party.
- Thou shall provide the host with a small gift such as a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates.
- Thou shall introduce thy guest upon each introduction.
- Thou shalt not bring any unexpected or uninvited guests. Sorry party crashers.
Matters Concerning Drinking
- Thou shalt not drink excessively.
- Thou shalt avoid mixing drinks.
- Thou shalt not present thyself as a hot mess.
With Regards to Eating
- Thou shalt not overeat.
- Thou shalt not double dip. Ever. Ew.
- Thou shalt not walk around with multiple hors d’oeuvres.
- Thou shall toss used napkins and toothpicks in the trash.
- Thou shall check for leftovers in thy teeth before engaging in conversation.
Terms of Conversation
- Thou shalt not corner anyone into a conversation the entire night (unless he’s cute).
- Thou shall avoid topics pertaining to business and other potentially unpleasant matters.
- Thou shalt no complain.
The Departure
- Thou shalt not “pop in” to the party for 10 minutes and leave.
- Thou shall bid the host adieu if it is an intimate gathering. However, if it’s a big party, thou shall quietly leave instead.
- Thou shalt not overstay thy welcome. (Don’t linger…It’s creepy.)
- Thou shalt not ever leave a birthday party before the cake has been served."
(all quoted from Lauren Conrad)
HAHA these are probably most appropriate for me. and perhaps my fellow girlfriends.
we have violated too many of these rules :P 
so i spent the past week in malaysia, which proved to be a terrific getaway in my troubled times.
i left feeling upset &unsettled, but somehow being there with my family &meeting up with relatives and family friends made it all better. it's funny how my friends can say something to me &i'd be nonchalant, but those same words said by my grandparents can render tears to my eyes. perhaps i've managed to settle some thoughts. let's just say that i came back happy &seemingly ready to face whatever was to be thrown at my face.
putting things into perspective,
2011 has definitely been a year of growth for me. sure, it hasn't been all that fantastic. i feel like i've gone through more than i've ever been through in the past two years. i cried, i got upset, my mood was swinging so drastically i thought i had turned bipolar, and definitely a lot more, and this trip has summed it all up for me. so instead of whining about how horrible my year has been, i should honestly give thanks for the opportunity to learn from my mistakes, and to come out stronger from everything that has been thrown my way.
so as the new year lurks around the corner,
here's to a blessed christmas, &the many more things to come.
merry christmas, everyone! (:
i miss you.
but i'm beginning to learn to live without you. 
it's days like these that make me happy.
somehow with everything that's been going on in my life, days like these are rare. (okay shucks i'm turning into a damn pessimist.)
8 more days to christmas!
i must start looking on the bright side of life. so it's been about 6 days since my birthday,
and things have already changed so much.
"How do you know it's right?"
"You don't. You take a leap of faith, you get hurt, and time goes on."
so life goes on.
gonna brood till the year ends, then 2012 will be a new year, with a new start. 
one day after my birthday,
and i've already got so many things to think about.
but i don't really want to think.
i just want to disappear. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEEE!
thankyou to the best girls in my life <3
AND.
the most wonderful friends a girl can ever have (plus-minus a few missing here and there from the pictures. you know who you are!!) <3
THANKYOU for being a part of my life, no matter how many years of friendship it has been (: I LOVEEEEEEE YOU ALL :D
love,
ade (: it's 3am in the morning, and i guess what sparked my need to blog is the crazy cab fares that are once again going up.
perhaps i'm so upset about it cos i'm frequently late, which usually results in me flagging down a cab.
i'm actually fine with the increase in flag down rates.
sure, if it's really necessary to increase the damn thing by 20 cents, then go ahead. but peak hour extensions?!
current timings:
7am-9.30am (mondays to saturdays)
5pm-8pm (mondays to saturdays)
midnight charges- 12am-5.30am
to be revised:
6am-9.30am
6pm-12am
12am-5.30am
EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK, INCLUDING PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
okay. basically to break it down, they're trying to say: "look we're being nice &ONLY raising flag down rates by 20cents, so technically, it's really not a lot."
BUT. coupled with these additional costs? that's essentially trying to say that the only reasonable time to take a cab would be DURING WORKING HOURS. when most people will be in their offices &NOT in any need to take cabs. for the office people, anyway.
and this is really quite ridiculous considering the fact that the number of ERP gantries in sg are going up as well.
okay let's take a small cab ride back from town to zhen's place, which we paid for the other day at about 10.30pm (aka present non-peak hour):
Flag Down ($3) + Distance = $4.40
(yes he lives very near to town, so it's actually really decent to get home, esp if the cab was taken from Liat Towers)
translate it to future fare prices:
Flag Down ($3.20) + Distance ($1.40) + Peak Hours ($1.60 aka 35% of total fare, if i remember correctly) = $6.20
(so ASSUMING we take it from ion, add $3 on top of CBD charges, and tadah, you get a whopping $9.20, for a person who lives next to botanic gardens)
i guess there are only TWO things to do now, esp with the impending fare hikes next monday:
1) BE ON TIME MORE OFTEN (haha my friends would be so pleased) so i can take the bus or the MRT or both
2) quickly head back to driving lessons &get a damn license so i can just use the car (my parents would be pleased, though about the license ¬ the car usage)
okay rant over.
my precious sleep calls. had a superbly awesome (early) birthday surprise (:
MOST AWESOME THANKS TO jul, michlim, michtan, zhen, ching, sab, yixian, yisheng, kai, alvin, kenchin, jul, ben, zhaoqi, michael, sean, esther, dean, jamie, shana, char &desmond for the crazy awesome surprise at House @Dempsey's! thankyouuuu so much for everything! you guys are awesome possums <3<3<3 
