Was in a rather foul mood this morning, due to various little things that have been bothering me. And then was late for my morning aerobics class thus decided to take taxi to Simei... which led to Dad commenting that I had poor time management blah blah. Then coupled with his 'There are huge waves and it's tsunami season at Thailand- you should not be going there' last night, I somehow lost it and said something hurtful like why do you have to interfere with everything i do... then hurriedly left house. If there's one thing I did right after coming back to Singapore, it's probably signing up for an aerobics/gym membership. Find that exercise purges like bad thoughts and destresses and felt quite a bit better after the hour-long workout. Then regretted losing temper in morning, cos after all parents are just concerned. Sigh, but am feeling too proud to apologize. Sometimes we keep hurting ppl who matter a whole lot to us, but yet we can't bring ourselves to say sorry. Then you secretly hope that they are aware that they are actually very impt to you...

NParks tour

Day 2 of MND Induction programme and was brought round Botanical Gardens in work clothes and heels (ouch) by NParks representative. Was pretty educational and even got to tour their herbarium... preparing plant specimens is no simple business! And, did you know that our $5 note features an ancient Tembusu tree that can be found in the Botanical Gardens?? haha. maybe you already know that and I'm just ignorant. :P Saw this tiny leaf near their 'cool house' in the National Orchid Garden. It's so cute. Love the curls and the pretty veins on the furry leaf itself. Then while in the cool house I saw some tourists and decided to be friendly. So I asked where they were from. Was pretty surprised to hear 'Iran', cos I didn't have the impression that we get many tourists from there. So I tried to strike up a conversation and told them that Shirin Ebadi (Nobel Peace Prize Winner) came to my uni to give a talk before. But somehow they couldn't get my English so didn't really manage to carry on with conversation.... Nonetheless, I mo ming qi miaoed got grabbed to be placed btwn two big-sized ladies in their picture. Felt like a zoo exhibit for a minute, but whatever lah :) then disappeared to rejoin my own group after picture. I don't usually get the luxury of having such random lil experiences on a proper work day :P

I'm participating in this MND Induction Course today and tmr; and will get to visit the National Orchid Garden tmr with like 30 other relatively new recruits from other stat boards under MND... today was fairly unexciting but hope tmr will be better. And it had better not rain again! Weather's been really weird- when it's not scorching hot it pours...
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Finally visited a non-chain Japanese restaurant (2nd one after my resolution earlier this year to sample 'independent' Japanese restaurants) at Cuppage Plaza just now. Food was decent but sadly I still can't decipher many things on the menu. Shall return next time to sample other items. Also had sake ochazuke but strangely all the chazuke I've tried in Singapore can't seem to measure up my first (Teaism) ochazuke back in Washington D.C..... but the funny thing is, I believe the Teaism branch (aside from using fresh salmon) actually uses an instant mix for its ochazuke! But i think cos it's like very salty and flavorful I love it :) Perhaps the real thing's not really supposed to be like that... Later adjourned to Cathay Ben and Jerry's for my all-time favorite Dublin Mudslide. I actually try not to eat Ben and Jerry's in Singapore cos it's exorbitantly expensive. $4.50 for one tiny scoop when back in Berkeley I can get a whole tub (and eat it anytime I want) for the same price! hmph :( very bu gan yuan.