Ben!.. How could you do this to Michelle?!??!!!!

I must confess..

I was caught in Johor Bahru (JB) with a Malaysian lady...

We were chatting happily in a world of our own..

Standing just a foot or two away from each other...

Laughing.. Talking about career and kids...

Oblivious to the crowd and happenings around us...

When out of the blue..

I noticed a friend.. A close friend who knows Mich and I..

She even attended our wedding...

A Singaporean friend who went JB to shop with her friends...

The look on her face..

Could almost hear her screaming, just from the look on her face though she didn't say anything:

"Ben!.. How could you do this to Michelle?!??!!!!"

That's what the look on her face says if expression could speak...

The Malaysian lady could feel it too even though no words were spoken...

The awkwardness seems to last forever...

The puzzling look from my Singaporean friend.. Then came the question...

"Ben.. What are you doing here?!"

What to tell my friend??...

What can I possibly say to explain myself??..

So I decided.. to be brutally honest...

Had to tell her the truth because Mich will know of this soon.. REALLY soon for sure..

"Hi.. this is my secondary school friend lah.. before you think I'm doing anything funny.. Mich is shopping for shoes inside the shop with another of my Secondary school friend (points to Michelle so she won't think I'm cooking up an excuse)!"

Mich and I went in with a Secondary school friend who came back to attend our wedding.. For a day of a meal, shopping and massage (which we tried a new place and it was horrible!)..

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- Honesty is the best policy!

Pre-Wedding Night Shoot

Photos by George.

http://www.cremephy.com/Creme_Photography/CREME.html

SLSS unite!

Gathering of secondary school pals..

Here are some of the pics..

Check out my conversation of the night at http://laughloudloud.blogspot.com/2009/12/lets-all-pretend.html

The Classic Smile

-- Ginseng Tonic Maker-- SLSS!

Stags' Night in Disguise

Thanks to Chong, Simon and Jackson for making the trip...

Not so much a Stags' night.. more like an excuse for a guys' trip to go over and cable-ski wakeboard!

With the usual fare of massage and seafood...

Good clean fun... Haha..

Was talking to the guy at the cable ski place.. Knowing that it was like a pre-marriage trip.. He asked us what did we do the night before..

Our answer: NOTHING!

So he said.. "Come Batam for Stags' night.. You tell people you didn't do anything, will they believe you?"

Well.. as long as my wife believes =)

Complimentary pick up by Isabella Massage

http://www.isabellamassagehouse.com/about.html

Check them out. Just call or email to let them know the arrival details.

Seafood dinner at Harbour Bay

http://www.cable-ski.com/index.php

Cable-ski at Batam. Falling in love with it.

Never had much chance to do it while studying coz it's such an expensive sport to be doing regularly...

Treat from the guys.. Dinner at Vivocity.. German beer and food...

(can't remember the name)

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- Batam.. Kia!

Thank You!

Finally have the time to blog...

The tea ceremony and "fetching" of bride was over on Sunday..

Everything went well and we would like to thank many people who helped made it possible...

The Brothers: Hsun, Jackson, Chong, Peter

The Sisters: Mandy, Joleen, Jacelyn, Isa

Extra Help, Photographer, Videographer: Ros, Val, Gary

Big Boss Jeff for the Defender

And of Coz my "Mei Po": Vera!

-- Ginseng Tonic Maker -- It takes help to brew good ginseng tonic...

Coming Soon

Preview of our night shoot...

3M

The brand I trust!...

Anything with their logo on it, I only need to consider whether I need it if I want to buy it.

No worries about their quality..

Their products are made for lazy people like me.

Especially love their products where no drilling or nails needed for hooks to put up pictures, frames etc...

Because I have neither the equipment or skill (or the liking) to drill.

Another reason why now I love them even more?!..

Everybody know their products rock...

Now you should be informed.. their customer service is impressive as well!

Bought the above to place in the bathroom for the shampoo, shower gel...

The instruction was to not put anything for 24hours to allow the sticker strip to hold up.

Mich took a shower, shortly after it was put up and the whole thing dropped.

Could be the water, could be the moisture, could be anything...

Though disappointed, I went to buy spare sticker strips to put up the thing again. Perhaps we were partly responsible as well.

But what happened next impressed me!

Went back to Home Fix DIY shop, to enquire about buying the spare water-proof strips.

After they found out what happened, and after verifying some details and contact info, they actually gave it to me FREE!!

3M policy...

Totally sold...

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- Die-hard fan.. It's all about M3...

B.O.P

B.O.P which stands for Business Opportunities with Prudential.

It is Prudential's career seminar for people who wish to find out more about a career with us as a Financial Consultant.

For the one held on 18 Nov 2009, I was privileged to be invited by company to share my experience and advice to the guests who were considering to join us.

It was another great experience for me, speaking in front of a crowd. (The other one this year being the Young Professionals Convention 2009 @ SMU. If you missed it, read about it HERE)

Success for you?

Our Chief Distribution Officer speaking..

If not now, when?

If not you, who?

The introductions...

Hopefully was able to share some insights people found useful..

Our guest speaker, Dr. Andrew Goh to wrap things up

Always funny, always able to make simple life's challenges..

Of course, with his evergreen.. COKE story..

The guests..

-- Ginseng Tonic Maker -- What's the price of a can of COKE?

The Art of Happiness

When building a brick wall...

Focus on the structure and foundation of the wall..

Not the imperfection of a few bricks..

--Ginseng Tonic Maker--

Laugh Loud Loud

laughloudloud.blogspot.com

updated

Ginseng Tonic Maker - Sometimes, we need plan b..

Money Money Money

Many reasons I've heard of why people do not wish to join me in the financial services sector as a Financial Consultant..

I don't work for money..

I don't like rejections..

I don't like to talk to strangers..

I don't like to do sales..

I don't like to do calling..

I don't think I'm suitable..

I don't like the job/career/industry (* delete where applicable)

..... and the list goes on...

Well, most colleagues I talk to.. We love to help our clients plan.. We love to do a good job for our clients and friends.. We love it when our work is appreciated.. Most importantly we truly have done our job when a claim is made...

Like everybody else.. We hate a lot of what most people hate in the list above..

We are humans.. We hate rejections.. We dislike calling.. We fear talking to strangers..

BUT WE DO IT ANYWAY...

So are we crazy?.. I think a colleague's Facebook Post just about sums up everything..

"I work hard for money..

I work harder for things money can buy..

But I work hardest for things money cannot buy!"

Such as time with my loved ones, having the flexibility to plan my time such that I can be there for my loved ones when it's needed (does not necessarily means working short hours!).. And importantly.. Having the income to provide for myself and my loved ones..

Coz seriously.. If I can just do the things that I want.. without worry of money..

I'd probably sleep all day and watch TV!

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- That's life!

Seoul

Incentive trip from Prudential to Seoul in January. (Love it!!!)

The average temperature in January? Between -7 to 1 Degree Celsius.

I like.... Looking forward to it...

I soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo want to try skiing!!...

Sooooo soooooo sooooooo want to try...

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- Let it snow.. let it snow.. let it snow...

22 Days

22 Days to go... before the BIG day...

Where did all those days go?..

Feel as though still many things left undone..

Yet at the very same time.. Like nothing much to be done..

Contradiction!!!!

Oh well.. Reminder to self and my dear Wifey..

Take things easy..

Enjoy the process..

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- It's not the ceremony or the dinner.. It's the marriage!

Men vs Women

A good friend of mine is also getting married soon.

Had a Stags' party over the weekend.

Seeing how the Stags' party was organised and how it went VS. how my dear Mich's Hen's night is being planned.

Whole world of difference!

Men vs Women

WOMEN

Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Long ago...

the gals were already planning..

Wear what?..

Do what?..

Eat where?..

Play what?..

Who to invite?..

Just for illustration purposes (otherwise the post will be toooooo long) on how gals would probably be doing it...

Wear what>

casual? formal? semi-formal? dress up? color? everybody to wear the same color? new? old? dress? jeans? buy? borrow? buy online? go shopping? budget? what if I wore this with them before? what if another sister wear the same thing as me? what about the bride? tiara? wear anything special? sign to say she's getting married? get her to wear a printed t-shirt? carry a sign?................... and the list goes on......................................................................................................................................... and on .........................................................and on ................................................................................................................and on....................... and on............ and on............................................................................

MEN

SMS invite: Hi, this is Alvin. I'm the organizer for Ken's Stags' night this Sat. Ken would like you to be there. We'll be having dinner at.... followed by drinks at.....

My SMS reply: OK!

--Settled--

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- Efficiency...

Check out my other Men vs Women entry on laughloudloud.blogspot.com here

Speaking at Young Professionals Convention 2009 @ SMU

I had the honor of being invited to Young Professionals (YP) Convention 2009 which was held at Singapore Management University on 17th October 2009.

It was organised as a platform for young and successful professionals (*ahem* haha..) to share with other professionals and also the graduating students, their experiences and how they made their marks in their professional career development.

I was invited to be one of the panelists for the YP conference, sharing the stage with members of the female team who successfully conquered Mount Everest, Manager of Epson Singapore, Civil Engineers, a national sailor who qualified for Beijing Olympics and a SMU lecturer. Honored, indeed.

There were 2 panels for the day with the topic of

1) Young and Successful: Secret of YP Success

2) Training for Success: Continuous Learning and its Challenges

Besides the conference, we also had a booth to introduce a career with us to the young professionals there.

More pics to be up.. but actually.. not many pics taken haha..

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- Not-that-Young-Anymore Professional

Bookworm Ben

I actually do love to read..

Surprise... Surprise...

Unfortunately since I started driving..

Been reading a lot less.. Coz i used to always read on the bus and could finish a book quite fast..

Though I listen to audio books now.. but they don't really count, do they?...

Just how much I love to read?

These are not even all my books...

Or maybe..

I juz love to buy books haha...

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- Nourish the mind..

Food for Thought...

So many things on my mind..

till...

Nothing is on my mind?.....

Wedding prep. guest list. the details. the cakes. the ang pows. the songs. the photos. the attires. Though staying at my old place till the new house is ready. never-ending spring cleaning (clearing 28yrs of stuff mind you. or perhaps even longer considering some of the stuff were things kept by my mum and dad for the longest time). the painting. the buying of furniture (thank goodness done). but still have to shift and throw some furniture away to make way for the new and also buy mattresses. Work wise. Recruiting, Selling, Training.

Well, luckily work wise can tone down as the date draws nearer.. that's the beauty of the industry isn't it...

--Ginseng Tonic Maker-- one thing at a time.. one step at a time...

Trophies.. For the memories.. Coz I threw them all away...

Time FLIES!

Saw this when I'm clearing my stuff recently..

Great Memories..

My 18th Birthday gift from my JC mates..

10 years ago..

Yes.. it has been a decade!!!

Did Tyler actually write on it as well??

All the jokes about getting married and all seemed such a distant future then..

And 10yrs on.. I AM getting married haha..

Looking at these messages..

Reminded me of the time when I was carefree..

Always the joker...

Perhaps with time.. Have been taking things seriously.. Too seriously some say..

Maybe time to loosen up haha...