My Favourite Park...!

A cosy Bistro that's tucked in the corner of Pasir Ris Park was hustling and bustling at its Official Opening held for Families & Friends on 16^th October 2010.

When I alighted from the cab, I could already see the rows of bright and cheerful congratulatory flowers neatly placed right outside the Bistro.

Making my way toward it...

I saw familiar faces at the entrance, and they were all very welcoming...

My Grandmentor had introduced me to them a few years back and now they're running a Bistro together...

(Yes, they were all under the same School Of Thought from The Fraternity (Click It).. Just like me!)

I was truly happy to attend this Opening... And I was VERY happy for them!!!

I baked a box of home-made cookies to send my well-wishes for a thriving business, a harmonious working environment and joyful times for ALL patrons!

The interior had a dimensional mix of round wooden tables with big red umbrellas placed in the middle, and surrounding them were long benches, and high chairs...

A rustic theme to accommodate the greens of trees and the horse ranch just beside the Bistro.

(Yes, you read correctly, there's even a ranch here where you can ride horses or even watch others riding it from the Bistro!)

This gave a casual and simplistic visual to the entire ground...

And it is this blend into the environment that makes one feel soOoOoo relaxed and comfortable.

Especially during the evening, yellow lightings coil around the trunk of trees that are within the premises of the Bistro, giving a dim glow to mellow the ambience...

With no doors or walls of boundaries, you can even feel the wind come and go as it pleases in the cool night.

My GrandMentor introduced me to quite a number of nice & good people who were at the Opening and it was truly a pleasure meeting them...

I even got to meet some of my readers too!

It was a nice evening spent, getting to meet many wonderful and friendly people to smile, chat and laugh together...

And now, I have another good place to add to my list of “Places To Do My Writing”... 

And it’s none other than; Bistro @ Ayden! (Click It)

(If you are wondering why this place look so familiar to you… Yes! This was the place where I did my interview with RazorTV on 24^th November 2010.)

If You've Missed My RazorTV Interview... Here's It Is, A Five Parts Series (Click On The Titles):

* PART #1 - On Sex & Zen  

* PART #2 - Revenge On Ex?

* PART #3 - Does He Just Want To Get In Your Pant?

* PART #4 - Fame Or Notoriety?

* PART #5 - Dating? 

My GrandMentor...

"Who Exactly Is Your GrandMentor...?!??"

Many Readers and Friends often ask me this question...

And I usually direct them to Page 263 of my book “This Is My Story...” to read about him,

Or to his “personal” website, www.EricSee.org which was set-up by one of his many mentees; to honour & thank him.

But if I were to describe him, I would say he lives simply like you & me; but meaningfully - He's nice & friendly (if you know him); but is firm as a person who takes no nonsense...

This week, I wanna do a special entry on my GrandMentor; Mr Eric See.... Because it's his Birthday tomorrow (21^st November)!!!

On this meaningful day of his, I want to especially THANK HIM... Simply for just being here, making a difference in my life!

People habitually go to him when they need help, especially during their darkest hour to seek his guiding light...

He is dedicated to helping those in need, and I suppose he takes it upon himself as his Calling, to help those who are destined to cross path with him, and he’ll turn their life around, without a doubt, into a MORE positive & stronger one; always without fail...

That is if they follow his instruction(s) accordingly & execute his given strategies specifically & at precise timing, condition(s) and/ or situation(s)...

He seems to have this Minds' Eye; to see the raw diamond in people and able to envision their path ahead...

His ability to sharpen a person's strengths and turn their weaknesses to their advantage is what has truly helped people see their self-worth & capability they never knew they had...

His compassion relates to the hearts of others; giving comfort and a sense of security...

And because he'll always be watching your back and protecting your interest, you'll just feel safe with him around; or knowing he's around.

He, being a person with numerous roles to play...

A Loving Father (to his 4 Wonderful & Talented kiddos),

A Trustworthy Friend (who'll leave no one under his guidance in a lurch),

A Mentor/ GrandMentor (Nurtures & Moulds his “students” to their fullest potential),

Turning lives around (Those Destined One),

And his professional job as an Chief Advisor/ Strategist with a Consulting Firm in the Business & Corporate arena (Beside Advising & Strategizing for Companies, He Coached & Counsel Business & Corporate Executives Too).

With numerous “hats” to wear; he still puts in his heart and soul into every single individual(s)/ project(s); dedicating his time; and a huge amount of effort in the foundation/ groundwork of everyone & everything; and is deeply and passionately committed to it - Always working till the wee hours of the night, sacrificing his sleep just so he can catch up to his responsibilities & tasks that he feels accountable for.

Sowing the seeds of his honorable credibility, he garnered the respect and recognition of the people around him, thus the title of “GrandMentor” was given; by all his senior mentees (who are now Mentors to others as well).

His ancient knowledge & wisdom that were shared and teachings that were taught to those he has mentored; greatly impacted their perception of Life itself, coursing the path of a better way of living, and as what he always said, “We ONLY Have ONE Life On This Earth, Make The Best Out Of It…!”

With his existence, he has helped changed & transformed the lives of many people, and these like-minded individuals made up what is known & acknowledge today privately within ourselves; as “The Fraternity...” (The more we try to keep a low profile about The Fraternity; especially away from the general public, the MORE people want to know about it… Thus, they’ve decided to open up to the general public… If you are interested to know more about WHAT The Fraternity Is Really All About – Click HERE)

He may be just a man among the vast population, but his presence in my life, has created a whole new world for me... With Meaning, Purpose & Aspiration! And he never fails to encourage, motivate and inspire the people he meets if he “sees” they are worthy of it.

Here’s my little “poem” I dedicate to you, Sir!

Eric,

My Guiding Light; Light Of My Life...

You Gave Me Sight,

Of A Future Gleaming So Bright.

You Are My Might,

Pulled Me Out Of My Plight.

You Helped Me Wipe,

All The Black In The White.

You Taught Me To Fight,

Making Everything All Right.

With My Gratitude Inside,

My Thanks I Write.

For Without You By My Side,

My World Would Be Dark as Night.

Have a Happy Birthday, Eric... :)

My 1st Of Everything (Year 2010…)

The Year 2010 is coming to an end in just 47 days, and the Year of the Tiger (2010) has been kind to me…

From My First Book…

To My First Autography Session…

To My First Time In Public ‘LiVE’ On-Stage Talking About “This Is My Story…” At Orchard Central.

From My First Vocal Training…

To My First Song Dubbing In The Recording Studio…

And My Recent First AMDG Retreat – An All-Expense Paid Trip!

My First Newspaper Interview….

And Now… Adding-on to the list of my First TIME; is an Interview with RazorTV (on 11^th November 2010) that will be going on Air next week!

AMDG had the Interview location held at Bistro@Ayden instead of the studio at Singapore Press Holdings because they are concerned that a confined studio (room) will only increase my anxiety (thoughtful aren’t they?)

And RazorTV was kind to accede to their request (so sweet of them!)

So... Why Bistro @ Ayden?

Well, because it's one of my favourite places to hang-out and do my writing in the midst of its serenity & peacefulness…You'll smell the breeze from the sea, planes fly by, the Horses and the Ponies neigh, the constant chirpings of the birds, with the Tree Crickets that sing all day... And when night falls, blue neon & warm lights brighten up this place that makes the ambience so cosy & relaxed. Besides the naturalistic and relaxing atmosphere, what I love most about this place is the beautiful songs they play in the background, adding to the mood for creative thinking or just for winding down after a long day of writing and/ or trainings.

Even with my previous experience with The New Paper, this is just different... I'm tensed... Simply tensed!!!

I know I say it all the time, but I really can't help feeling this way as I do feel that I’m better expressing myself through my fingers (typing from my laptop), instead of from my mouth; especially when this Interview is going to be broadcasted on the Internet...

Which means that anybody with an Internet connection & the RazorTV's URL will be able to view this Interview.

My expression and my every word, my movement, all will be captured on screen!

And I’m worried about my performance; afraid that I'll say something that is out of context because I actually do that whenever I am tensed & nervous.

When Bryan Gerard De Silva (RazorTV Journalist), and his colleague, Raju (Executive Videographer/ Cameraman); both from The Straits Times arrived, Rena (my Artiste & Talent Manager) went over to welcome them as I took a deep breath and walked over with my GrandMentor to greet them.

Bryan & Raju were all smiles and friendly and they briefed me on what I can expect for today's filming. Knowing that I was feeling nervous, they were kind to share some tips on how I can perform better in front of the camera... Like breathing through my mouth instead of my nose, as it will not only be heard clearly over the microphone, but the very first word that comes out after breathing through the nose, will also be heard much louder. (Honestly, I never knew that!) Thank you Bryan; for sharing those valuable tips!

When Raju started filming, the pressure of having a camera just in front of me got me REALLY tense up (The feeling is totally different from acting for the record)...

Throughout the interview, I did my best to answer Bryan’s questions accordingly and to speak as naturally as I possibly can. Still, I couldn't avoid the blunders...

There were a few times when my words got caught in my tongue, my mind turned BLANK and Raju had to do a re-take & Bryan had to repeat the same question again as if it was the first time he had asked me (I’m so-SO-so sorry Bryan & Raju…) Fortunately, both Bryan & Raju were extremely patient & understanding towards me, obliging a re-take every time I blunder. (This is really embarrassing for me if you must know, I felt so bad… But it was my FIRST TIME afterall.)

The interview wrapped-up (many hours later) after a couple of shots of me stroking a white pony, working on my laptop, strolling & etc (the usual norm stuffs I do whenever I’m at Bistro@Ayden) and a last shot of me talking to my GrandMentor and Rena...

(This was a funny moment for me actually; Rena & my GrandMentor had to be convinced by both Bryan & Raju before they decided to partake in the shoot; with the understanding that their voice will NOT be heard on Air… And GrandMentor was heard telling Rena much later that he was not dressed up for this particular occasion and he was contemplating to back-out… Of coz, Rena always has a way to talk him out of it, just like how she convinced him why he needs to be at the Retreat with us last month.)

Finally, the interview was over and we all gathered around the table, having a short chit-chat with Bryan & Raju.

To be honest, I was disappointed with myself.

I felt that I hadn't performed the way I had expected myself to be; to construct my sentences like how I would have done it when I’m typing/ writing, with clarity and conviction...

As my GrandMentor always tells me, “It's NOT What You Say, But HOW You Say It...” 

Therefore, when Bryan told my GrandMentor that I had done well, it was a HUGE relief for me!

In fact, I felt Bryan was a really good Journalist/ Host!

He puts in the effort to make me feel really comfortable during the entire interview. (So did Raju! They were an awesome team!)

Bryan’s charisma & amiable personality does make one enjoy talking to him. If my tension & nerves hadn't kicked in that day, I would have a much nicer & smoother time talking to him I’m sure...

And behind the scenes, Raju was really nice & patient too, being understanding with my blunders and re-takes and constantly put up a smiley face to tell me it's alright, and that help loads to relieved my tension!

Thank you soOooo much Bryan & Raju; for being so kind & understanding towards me; and for having me on your show… THANK YOU Guys!

Also, not forgetting... Two VERY important people who has always been there for me.... I want both of you to know that I do appreciate all that you've done for me - They are none other than my Artiste & Talent Manager Ms. Rena Shi (My Mentor) who takes really good care of me and monitor me closely & steered my career path steadily & progressively over the last 3 years...

And Mr. Eric See (My GrandMentor) who strategizes & charted my course of direction in life; be it on my Work or my Personal matter; and guided me patiently & transformed my whole life 360 degrees around to Where & What I Am Today when I should be dead 3 years ago had he not pulled me out of my abyss; and gave me new hope to live on; and imparting his Ancient Knowledge & Wisdom to awaken me as a whole…

Also, not forgetting AMDG (the firm who Manages & Represents me)  - I Thank You ALL from the bottom of my heart – THANK YOU!!!

Now, I'm crossing my fingers (even my toes), hoping this interview will turns out well on RazorTV...

My dear Readers... I'll definitely keep all of you informed of the Date & Time this interview will be aired, so do follow up on my Facebook ya!

And should I failed on your expectations… Do pardon me;

It was my First Time after all.

My 23rd Birthday...

When I was young, I've always felt that birthdays need to be celebrated with a LOuD bang; lots of friends & family members invited, a specially ordered birthday cake, a well-decorated venue, heaps of presents, tons of good food and lots of fun & games!

Now that I’m no longer a kid, I’ve come to realize that the most important thing to have on a Birthday is the LOVE & TIME spent with the ones whom are dear; something precious that no amount of money can ever buy.

And so this year, I told my mother that I didn't need cake nor presents at all. A jolly good time and a simple good dinner was all I wanted.

But my mother wouldn't settle for a cake-less Birthday. And the first time in all my twenty-three years, she decided to bake me a Birthday CUPCAKE!

Okay, why cupcake?

Because her colleague baked her some cupcakes a while back and she said it was delicious, so she wanted to make me one for my birthday... ONE BIG CUPCAKE that's twenty-two centimetres in diameter - Wouldn't we call that a “CAKE”...? Her colleague and I tried to tell her that, but she insisted she wanted to “bake a big cupcake” for me... (I was touched deep inside nevertheless).

Although I bake, but my mother doesn't really; or should I say... Seldom.

Ironically, she was the one who had introduced baking to my sisters and me when she baked us a cheese cake over a decade ago. It tasted delicious, and it was her cheese cake then that sparked-off my passion for baking afterthat.

On the morning of 20^th October, my mother sat by my bed and awoke me with her Birthday Greeting and Kiss. She snuck under covers beside me and we talked about our schedule for the day... (Sweetness was what I felt)

She needed to go get ingredients for baking, and even though I had just fallen asleep not too long ago (after staying up for a whole night to upload all my photos from my Bintan Trip on my Facebook & to update my blog); I DO want to spend as much time as I can with her too!

I got out of bed, brushed my teeth, changed and we headed out. By the time we got home, she quickly started measuring, sifting, and beating... All by herself. I simply stood by her side; watching her all the time and took pictures!

After baking, she packed the cake in a box and we carried it out to our next program for the day; singing! My mother loves to sing too, so I decided to do something that the both of us would really enjoy and brought her to K-Suite @ Orchard Parade Hotel; whereby AMDG & I always hang-out whenever we feel like singing.

It was my mother's first time there and she was totally in awe of the place!

With such a BIG comfy Sofa-Bed...

Touch-Screen Monitor...

Two wide LCD Screens...

In-house Blankets & Slippers...

Cordless Microphones...

Desktop Computer to surf the web...

And an area within the room to play Video Games...

it is simply overwhelming!

On top of that...

I recommended the Black Pepper Sausage Tortillas to my mother...

And she absolutely enjoyed it so much...

That she ATE ALMOST ALL the Tortilla slices!

And besides the delicious Tortilla and the big jug of Iced Honey Lemon...

We also shared a slice of Chocolate Fudge Cake, which was a sweet gesture from the Captain of K-Suite;

Wishing me A Happy Birthday...

Seol, Thank You so much for the cake and your warm hospitality...

THANK YOU!

While I was singing with my mother, another surprise awaited me... Rena called to inform that someone had delivered a gift that was for me to the office and since she was heading to town for an appointment later in the day, she kindly met up with me to pass the gift.

I met Rena at the lobby of Orchard Parade Hotel and saw that she was holding a triangular box of flowers with a purple-wrapped box. I got closer and as she handed it to me, I couldn't take my eyes off the flowers... It was so dainty and sweet! I never knew that Roses, Carnations and Daisies made such a marvellous combination. The baby pinks and white had a soft, endearing effect, relating the senders' care and blessings...

Thank you so much for your flowers and gift Sky...

if you are reading this, I just want you to know I really like it...!!!

Never in a million years would I expect anyone to have my birthday gift delivered to AMDG's Office... It was a wonderful surprise indeed for me!

THANK YOU Sky!!!

The day ended with dinner in Watami Restaurant at The Central.

My little sister and her best friend joined us as soon as they had knocked off from work and together; we tucked into the Japanese cuisine...

Tempura, Salmon, Scallop, Tofu, Skewers, Hotplates... Etc...

We ate till we were almost full, because we all wanted to leave space for my mother's home-baked cupcake!

Like I had mentioned...

The only thing my mother had baked was Cheese Cake and that was a very loOoong time ago...

Her big cupcake didn't turn out as neatly-made or as delicious as a patissiere would have made it, but it was definitely one that's made with full of love that warms my heart deep...

And it was depicted by a colourful heart-shaped design on the aqua-blue frosted cupcake - There, in the middle of my mother's loving heart... Was a sweet, little sugar-candied girl.

My mother's entire effort in making this cake synchronized with the words that are in her Birthday Card for me...

Specially to my Princess Kasandra...

I want you to know

That I love you

Every bit as much today

As the day you were born.

And though I may not

Hold you in my arms

The way I did then,

I always hold you safely

In my thoughts

And in my heart.

Happy Birthday

Mummy

(Click To Enlarge...)

Though it is widely known and believed that all parents love their children (and vice versa), once in a while, all humans need to be reminded of how important and loved we are, because it's  only human to forget and think otherwise... Receiving a simple card that pens the feelings of love, means a lot to me ... This is already the best present I can have.

Thank You... Mummy Dearest!

For Giving Me This Special Day To Celebrate,

For The Loving Cake You've Baked,

For The Enjoyable Time We've Spent Together,

For Always Selflessly Sacrificing For My Wants,

For Always Patiently Putting Up With My Ways,

For Always Magnanimously Forgiving My Wrongdoings,

And For Having Me In Your Thoughts & Heart,

Forever & Always...

I Love You, Mummy...

And Not Forgetting This "Cheeky" Birthday Card

Given To Me By My Beloved Little Sis...

(Click To Enlarge...)

The One Whom I Adore Dearly & Quietly;

With All My Heart...

She'll Always Be My Little Sis

The One That I'm Glad

To Have Around,

Forever...

And I Love Her Much.