I’m on this month’s MIS Asia for being part of the judging panel for MIS Asia’a IT Excellence Awards 2007. Didn’t add my current work status as the company is very sensitive to how it is projected in the press. 
Go buy a copy.
Kyla’s starting Primary One in January, and we’ve been wanting to get her her own desk and chair. The three kids currently share a small table we bought from Ikea 4 years ago. The table and chair is getting too low and small for her, and she slouches when she does her writing.
So, we began looking aounrd, and I must admit, was a little enamored with getting an ergonomically designed desk and chair for her. I swung by the crosscom showroom on level 3 at Suntec City, and just looked around. Wow…..one set of the table and chair would set us back S$3,350!!!!! I almost died of a heart attack! That was about 11 month back.
Yesterday, Chris and I and the kids dropped by the shop again to take a look, and also for Christine to get a first hand look and feel of the desk and chair. Besides, we needed to get Kyla her new school bag as well. The sales person worked out a package for 3 sets of tables and chairs for the kids, and it came just shy of S$10,000.
Obviously we asked to give it some thought and left. This morning, we headed down to Centrepoint to take a look at another shop selling ergonomic furniture for kids. This one is on the 5th flor, just next to the teochew restaurant. Kinder Fun Kids’ also sells ergonomically designed desks and chair which grow with the children, but costs less than 1/3 the price of crosscom.
We bought Kyla and Ariel one set each, and also bought Elkan a chair, but not the desk, as he won’t be quite ready for it yet. All in all, S$3,400. A real bargain compared to if we bought a similar desk and chair set from crosscom.
I know Crosscom argues about the originality and authenticity of the ergonomics, but…..I really don’t buy it. If Crosscom doesn’t bring down its prices, I wonder how it can compete with Kinder Fun. The angles used and build quality of desks from either shops are comparable, and I really cannot justify why crosscom’s desks should command 2 times the price of a desk from Kinder Fun. Tsk tsk tsk….
Anyway…to each his own.
I don’t know if its the time of year and the spill over from the Ramadan season, but an SQ seat to Indonesia is extremely difficult to get even with a 3 week prior booking. Of course, it doesn’t help now that I have lost my “Gold” status with Krisflyer since SQ un-ceremoniously dumped me from being just “1500 or so” shy of the “Gold” target mileage.
So, I’m now “Silver”.
But…I digress. As I was saying, even with 3 weeks of booking runway, I still couldn’t get a seat on a Singapore Airlines flight to Jakarta. So, I had to “downgrade” by going by Garuda. It doesn’t help that Garuda just had an air disaster just half a year ago. The memories of the crash is still fresh on my mind. I was watching video footage of it while having lunch at one of Science Park’s staff canteen.
Maybe thats why I asked for the seat next to the emergency exit.
Anyways, I’m not about to temp fate twice. I got the Singapore Airlines flight back to Singapore.
I’m finally readying myself for a big change next week.
Yeah…….I’ve decided to give up driving into the city.
With Chris finally taking the plunge to stop work full time, and taking care of the kids with 3 times a week adjunct lecturing responsibilities at Temasek Polytechnic, we both decided that she needed the car more than me.
With Daddy to 4’s recommendation, I’ve signed up with Comfort Delgro’s Premium Bus Service. For a monthly fixed fee, I buy myself a one way bus ride (seat guaranteed) to Suntec City from my home.
This is cool. I’m already thinking of the things I can do while seating on the bus. Like listening to my ipod, reading my bible, etc. I’m even thinking seriously about getting my iphone!!! I’m so looking forward to next Monday.
Who would have thought that my wife is now also my friend on facebook!!??:D Ha ha ha ha….
Just left the office a while ago. Boy…. this is the latest I ever left my office! 12:25am!!!!! The culprit? Ai yah…. 3 year plan lor. 
Forgive the blog diarrhea… but its been really busy the last couple of days, and seldom do I get a chance now to write and upload some pics. So, while I get a small window of opportunity, better quickly do it.
We recently brought the kids and their cousin Denyse for a Hi-5 concert at the Changi Expo. Expensive man… I think it was about S$40 a pop. Ouch! Pictures of the kids having fun.
Denyse posing with the Hi-5 Sign.
Elkan with Mummy
The girls
Theres a Donut Factory outlet that recently opened at Suntec City. When it first opened its doors, the queue was just wayyyy crazy. And, the queues start as early at 9:30am, and they don’t quieten down all the way to closing time. Really crazy. I don’t know what the hype is all about. I mean… it isn’t even Krispy Kreme!
Anyway, I began to notice that the crowds are dwindling (finally!) after 2 months. They’re now looking like this in the mornings.
I know everyone’s talking about Kyoho grapes…… Way overblown. I finally got myself a punnet at Isetan the other day, and realised that the first punnet I bought the other day was actually Pione grapes, and is WAYYYYYY better than the Kyoho grapes. Essentially, they taste the same, but the Pione grapes are more firm, with no seeds and less acidic! So! go for the Pione instead.
Was a terribly stressful day today. Started off pretty bad..
We all woke up slightly late today, and I was the first up from bed. Usually, Elkan would be the first up at 6:50am, and he would swing by our bed and ask for his morning milk. But this morning, everyone was still asleep. I woke up first at 6:50am.
Then… I went back to sleep. Well…..its a Monday morning after all! Woke up again at 7:15am, and realised that we’re late! By this time, Chris was up. By the time the kids woke up, changed into their uniform and had their morning milk, it was already 7:55am. The girls had to be downstairs by 8am, or they’ll miss their school bus.
We rushed down in time to catch the bus. Then we sent Elkan to playgroup, and then headed to the office. I reached the Suntec garage comfortably at about 8:40am. Parked the car, got out and wanted to retrieve my office bag when I suddenly realised! Blast it! I left my bag at home! No laptop, nothin with me! Rats! Guess I have to head back home to get my stuff, and come back again.
No choice. By the time I reached the Suntec garage again, it was already 9:45am. I started to get a little tension headache. I don’t like to rush things….
Then I made a quick trip to Tower 4 to touch base with my team, and quickly came back in time for a 11 am meeting. After the meeting, I installed a collaboration software for the management team to facilitate some work we’re doing together, and by the time I finished at 4pm, my headache had become full blown.
I decided to head back early. Boy.. still working now. Brain is so numb form the pain killers, I cant think properly. duh…… why does Mondays have to be this way?