Engagement Tea Ceremony

Last month Anh and I celebrated our engagement....... again :)

This time was a traditional engagement tea ceremony.

From what I was told, the Vietnamese engagement tea ceremony involves the groom's family bringing gifts to the bride's house as offering for the bride's hand in marriage.

They said back in the old days, when marriages were still arranged, this would be the first time the bride and groom meet.  And that the gifts were kinda like a down payment or a deposit in case the groom ran away. Hahahaha.


Okay, maybe I made that last bit up.  I'm not really sure of the history but I'm guessing its originated from the Chinese marriage tea ceremony, which is very similar.

It was cloudy that day but thankfully it didn't rain.

The actual tea ceremony didn't run according to plan but it was just all laughs and giggles in the end.

Anh's family worried if the Groom was any good

Pink is the new black

There were plenty of food and great company which made for a great day.

Thank you to everyone who helped out.  A lot of people put a lot of work for this day and it was just really nice to have everyone there enjoy it with us.

I'm looking forward to the big day - its gonna have firecrackers and a whole pig!

Engagement BBQ

Haven't been blogging for a while. Been busy with so many things lately. Primarily playing games on Steam wedding and engagement related stuff :P

Last Saturday was a HUGE milestone for Anh and me! We organised our first big event together and held our engagement BBQ!!

We didn't want it fancy, we just wanted it super fun - so we pulled out every trick in the book to make it a super enjoyable event :P

We had a big lamb roast,

Soooo goood, I can't wait for the next lamb roast

Octopus hotdogs,

Weiners

Slushy machine and watermelon vodka,

Epic fail - watermelon vodka = gross

and then we played games.

Toilet paper - wedding dress game

But the best part was setting up a video camera to make a diary room!

The idea was from Big Brother and we were hoping friends would just leave short clips and heartfelt messages. Who would have thought alcoholic slushy and a video camera would make such hilarious combination.

Pam and Ben's clip included sign language for the deaf

Som with some really really random and funny clips

The party rounded up quite late and was already 3am Sunday before we got to sleep.

But even so, we're so happy. We feel super blessed for having such awesome family and great friends around us.

Love you all!

Tres Lecciones del amor

I was having one of them long days. 

I got up at five and had to do stuff for my house before the electricians came.

Then traffic to work.

Took ages to find parking.

I got to my desk and looked at my diary. 

Three meetings, internal audit and phone calls to make.

What a fun day this was turning out

 

*sigh*

 

I needed to ZHHHINGGG my day, anything to make it more special.

 

ZHHINNNGG!!!!!

 

I re-discovered my Christmas KK present!!!

 

It was hidden in the bottom drawer of my desk!  Its a hot chocolate pack which has everything you need for a nice cup of hot choco.  Its got a mug, choco powder and the best part - Mini-marshmallows!

 

I was grinning from ear to ear.  

With this, I could take over the world!  I could be the most popular guy in the tea-room (just for one day!).  

Power through marshmallows!

 

But when I looked at the marshmallow pack, I realised it wasn't a resealable.

Once opened, left over marshmallows would be left to dry up and harden. 

 

I only need about five or so for my first cup, but if I open the pack now, the remaining thirty or so would have to go stale!

 

The economist in me said 'no deal'! 

So I ended up having my choco with no floaties.  :(

What an uneventful day.

Love Lesson: Love can end before it begins.  Jump in when the oppurtunity arises.

 

*********

 

Went to Karaoke last Saturday. I had a good time because I got to hang out with FC and co.

 

But I couldn't help this uneasy feeling around the place.   

Partly because I've been privy to information that's exposed the complicated web tying the friends together.  There's so much complication and history left unresolved. 

And the idiosyncrasies which, I would have otherwise missed, have become all too apparent.

 

It would have been a much happier time if love, and life turned out differently.

If only.

 

Love Lesson:  Love is like a roller coaster.  It goes up and down.  And sometimes, you even throw up.

 

*********

 

Me and three boys had our monthly man dinner last wednesday.  

We met at Shimizu Grand.  The $42 fee got me a glass of wine and all you can eat Japanese buffet. 

It was alright.  Good value if you like sashimi and eel sushi.

  

We got to talking about what we were getting our partners on Valentines day.

 

One was not sure.  His original plan was to do nothing.  But he's now upgraded to a card.  Apparently its complicated.

 

One just came back from his honeymoon so he assumes his exempt from Valentines day duty.   I don't like his chances.

 

One is taking his girl to a special dinner. He admits that he's playing his last remaining romance cards.  He's taken her to all the swanky places in Perth.  So its getting harder and harder to impress her.  I'm guessing it won't be long before he finally gives in and plays the Ace of diamond.

 

Me, I'm hanging off the girlfriend's Day Spa pampering birthday present which she awesomely booked for Valentines day.

 

My gift for her is me.

 

See I created a demand for me by making her miss me.  

I only had short conversations with her this week. Hardly any emails and little texting.   And on Saturday I will give her the thing she wants the most - me!!

 

Haha! One point - me, Valentines day blues - zero.

 

Love Lesson: love is blind, because its unconditional - doesn't matter lame we are

3Willings

1) I've just started playing Syberia.  I bought Syberia I and II for $24. Bargain!

2) Currently hooked watching Skip Beat on Crunchyroll.  Its just hell funny.

3) Chris Brown took "No Air" literally didn't he? Chill with "Flo-Rida feat Keyshia Cole - Right Round" instead

Lessons from a Wedding Day

The wedding day has come come and gone. 

I think we're all relieved its finally over.  

Everything turned out really well and I'm sure many had a great time.  

The blistering heat, I think, was the only hindrance for the day.

But like every other day, I learnt lots of new things.  :) I thought maybe I'd share a few.

1. Sleep the night before is (almost) impossible

With the amount of things going through your head, its really difficult to get some good shut-eye. 

And the fact you need to get up and look fresh for the photos compounds the need for good sleep.

But to sleep early is too difficult for norturnals like me.

I tried to work myself tired by doing some training exercises and lots of push ups. I got all worked up from the Donnie Yen movie (Ip Man) that we saw.

Donnie Yen is da (Ip) man!

But exercising just increased the heart rate and kept me up even more.  Even worse, I woke up sore from muscles i didn't exercise, let alone muscles I didn't even have.

So perhaps to get some shut eye try Valium? or a bottle of vodka?  

Or if really desperate, an Ethan Hawke movie.

2. Do not underestimate the power of Wasabi Peas

Chinese traditional requires the groom to pass a series of test before he can get the bride.  

The tests include mini-games like eating lemons or doing squats.  

In our case, we had to eat a bowlful of Wasabi Pees in under one minute.  

Small but deadly

Wasabi peas are alright one at a time.  

But collectively, as in, a handful, its enough to bore you a new nostril.

3. Black absorbs light, heat energy

I knew it was going to be hot, but I didn't know it was going to be THAT hot! 

I must have sweated 10 litres of water in that black suit.

We looked hot

The funny thing is that I rolled on the armpit anti perspirant, so I wasn't sweating from my armpits (in the beginning).  Instead I had sweat streams flowing down my back.  

So lesson learnt - layer on the anti-persperant. 

If you're unfortunate enough like me who can't afford the spray on stuff, roll that thing everywhere!! To every nook and cranny you can reach!! 

There will be a slight chance of fainting from heat-exhaustion, but that's probably better than winning the wet t-shirt competition.

4. Photographers are Nazis over their work

I was enjoying my time taking photos until the Photographer told me off for taking a photo of the bride in the 'setup they created'. WTFBBQ?? 

In all honesty, photographers and how they 'own' the photos is a really messed-up setup.  Why the hell do photographers insist on owning the photos? what? someone going 'to pirate' the photo and create thousands of it?! Someone going to see the photo and copy their style? Pffff!

What they should do is put a really small watermark on the bottom corner and sell the digital files to the clients.  And if the clients want them to print some pics and put in an album then, yeah, do so.  That way we all know its their work and the clients get all the photos they rightfully deserve.

I can't wait for some talented photographer to do this.  Its just a matter of time before this archaic I'm-the-photographer-I-own-all-photos business model fall apart. 

5. Do not underestimate the power of the Emergency Kit

You can tell how well a wedding is prepared by the size of the Emergency Kit. 

The emergency kit that I saw was so prepared! It had sewing stuff, umbrellas, cleaning kits. 

I swear there was another bridal dress there somewhere!

6. Weddings are not goodbyes

As quoted by the groom 

'to my new parents, don't think of it as losing your daughter, think of it as gaining another problem'

:)

I've been to too many weddings where it sounded like the couple were going to vapourise to another planet and everyone is saying their goodbyes!

7. Speeches are best served warm

Liquid courage goes a long way.

8. Little people do big things too

Lots of preparation goes a long way.  

But on the big day, the bride and groom are incapacitated with entertaining aunties and uncles and photos and hair and makeup, etc. etc....  

You really need other people to round around to tidy up the small things like greeting the florists, telling people where to sit and tackling the video guy if he's done something wrong.  :)

Really quite a great day.  

Thanks Alvin and Lisa.  

I'm honoured and really glad I got to part of your special day.

Alvin and Lisa's Wedding

2008 Season Ender

3Willings

1) Wonder Girls!!!! (This dance is too cute)

2) Apollo Justice

3) Pineapple Fried Rice

So here we are again.  

End of another year.

Another crazy year.

Wow.  Well what can I say about 2008? Its been a pretty good year for me because I've accomplished so many things.  

I went to a lot of new places.  

I met new people, experienced new things.  

I was even on TV.

Im the guy in the middle with sunnies :)

And best of all, I enjoyed and shared it with friends and loved ones.

Japan with Anh was the highlight for 2008 though.  Everyday for two weeks was just pure joy.  

And a lot of eating.  

"Can I buy some Tokyo Bananas?" "Haaaaiii!" *Kawaii*

It wasn't all fun and games though.  I had my share of sad times and disappointments in 2008.

My chocolate wasabe chocolate dessert was a disappointment

And it wasn't just me.  A few people work had it very tough this year.  One guy got divorced,  another lost a nephew and another lost their dad.  

Today I found out my high school friend's partner was murdered.  It was really quite shocking news.  I didn't know how to react to something like that.  

I was just sad for him.  Something like that you don't really expect to happen to someone you know.  

But I'm a firm believer that from bad things, better brighter things will bloom.  

Wall-e is a fighter! Fighting!!

Like the financial crissis and the drop in fuel prices.  

The greedy people got punished and the normal people get cheaper fuel.  Hehehe.

Never take anything for granted was the Christmas message this year.  

My dad is the bestest.

I will take that message to heart.  

I hope to spend more quality time with those special to me.  

And that should make 2009 another good year.  

Thank you 2008.

Korean look for 2009?

The Bachelor's Week

Its the joyous event of saying goodbye to a comrade's state of singleness. 

According to the most reliable wikipedia, bachelor parties originate from Sparta, when Spartans would toast the men on the eve of their wedding day.  There's no doubt the tradition of toasting had carried through.  

All the bachelor parties I've been to involve excessive alcohol.  

And strippers :P 

My friends and I have just finished our 'bucks week'

A week-long bachelor celebration in Singapore and Thailand where we

 did nothing but sizzle under the sun, party, eat, then party some more.  

The hotness group

We had helluva time, but damn! I miss my liver!!

We drank so much!   

Jack Daniels, Johnny Walker, Heineken, Singtah's, Absolute and Tequilas. 

We drank so much, Flaming Lamborghinies were literally coming out of my nose. 

Memorable funny line:   "Chivas 18?"  "Really? She looks heaps younger than that!"  

And of course,  its not a bachelor's party if theres no women.  

We saw hot girls, small girls, skinny girls, asian girls, white girls, leggy girls, stumpy girls.  Girls who looked like guys and guys who looked like girls.  

Me and some hot ladyboys.

We even saw a woman smoke two cigarettes down below (that was creepy).

I guess the idea of seeing women is not to displace the bride-to-be or current partners. We just needed to reassure our blokeness from an otherwise testosterone packed posse.

Not being able to tell if they were women or not was frustrating though.  

Only left us more confused than ever.

But in the end of almost all bucks party, for me anyways, there's always this mild feeling of sadness.  

I can't quite pin it.  

Maybe its because such a happy occasion ended?  

Maybe being surrounded by too much testosterone has ill effects. 

Maybe its the depressive side effects of alcohol. 

Or maybe its the realisation that nothings changed and that the buck's singleness didn't really end that night.   

It ended a long long time ago, 

when boy met girl.

Bipolar New Year

3 Great news for the new year:
1) Final Fantasy 13 will come with 3 episodes!! YAY!! :P
2) The HD-DVD and Blu-Ray war is almost over!! YAY!
3) I'm heading to Japan in 2008!!

One word to describe my new year - 'bipolar'

It's only been a week into 2008 and I've already had more ups and downs than the stock market on steroids.

First off was New Year's Eve.

New year's eve was fun.

We had Japanese at Halu followed by some big nuts for dessert. Then we got our groove on at Ruby room. It was packed with mostly guys and old-ish people. They made the few eye candies look even better (or maybe that was the beer goggles). We overheard the funniest conversation when we were wandering around.
Girl: "Have you seen my earings?"
Guy: "No! have you seen my d***?! " Hahah. It's so gangsta its funny.

The not so funny ganstas

When we got home, I found out that my uncle had just passed away.

I didn't know if I was nauseated by the ice cream and vodka mixing in my stomach or by the fact that such a close family member had died.

I was sad and drunk and tired and confused all at the same time.

The next morning I woke to the worst chest pain EVER!

My stomach and heart felt like it was being crushed by a vise. At first I didn't want to wake up my girlfriend (coz real men can stand the pain!! Ahu! Ahu!) But then it struck me that I didn't even have the breath to call out to her. I was struggling to breathe and she was there snorring away.

I managed to wake her by pulling on her leg. She found me curled up on the floor.

She was really worried at first (i'd be freaked out too if I found my partner on the floor curled up in pain). Luckily the pain didn't last too much longer. Maybe she has healing hands? who knows?

Apparently I had gastritis.


After that incident I promised myself not to drink so much again....
.
.
.
.

Thats a promise lasted about fout nights until I went to Ben's bucks/stag night.

The evil tequila worm! I EAT YOU!

Another promise I broke that night was my no fast food diet new years resolution plan. It couldn't not be helped.

I didn't have a car to run away with and the only food served was KFC.
So two promises broken in one night. Not a good start for the year.

But speaking of promises, I was lucky enough to be a part of good friends' Tony and Kim's marriage proposal.

It was funny because the groom-to-be was shaking. He was so nervous. But he did well (because she said yes).

I think I was shaking for him as well.
Sympathy shakes I call it.

Red was the theme for the proposal, although the ring was put in a pink rose...

Its been an odd first week.
Maybe odd is a better word than bipolar.