Blog - January Overview

Hi Blog and 2025,

I have been writing my blog regularly, and it has become a part of my life, or at least a safe space where I can be accepted. I could stop using other social media platforms entirely because blogs are so different; unlike social media, which shows you whoever is popular or even people you do not care about in your feed, a blog only shows those who bother to visit the space where you have put in the effort.

My blog provides me with a source of light and a focus point for being myself.

Personally, I dislike the idea of scrolling through someone's social media posts and then using the "ignored" reaction. Perhaps I am just overly attached or thinking... Most importantly, I found a space for myself and people who care and do not judge.

Hey readers! I've implemented a new feature that will notify you by email of all new posts on my blog. Be sure to subscribe using the option on the right side of the page to stay updated! 👉👉👉

I sincerely thank you for your continued support. Your engagement means a lot to me, and I would like to read your thoughts and feedback, as it helps me improve.

1st Jan 2025 - Jr. asked me for a bicycle ride to see the first sunrise of 2025, so I decided to take him to Ulu Sembawang for an epic sunrise, but that place had changed so much... I wrote a post in 2021, and compared to now... It will be gone sooner.

2nd Jan 2025 - Oh no... My head started spinning on my first day of work... I can predict this whenever I get a little something in my throat, and here I am... Suffering...

3rd Jan 2025 - I was still unwell, but I was fortunate to be able to leave work early today. I considered going for a swim and a jog, but my mother invited me to join her for dinner... So, after dinner, I doubted my ability to do those things and decided to get my hair cut and try out my new spectacles from Eye Visionview, which I look great in! 😂

4th Jan 2025 - What a hectic schedule! Unfortunately, I was still feeling ill today because my relatives and friends decided to visit FOLO Farm in JB for a quick visit, followed by shopping for Chinese New Year goodies. What a fruitful learning journey! I recently purchased two pairs of trousers (I loved the fabric and cut).

5th Jan 2025 - 2025 First Hike
(Click here to read more)

5th Jan 2025 - Today, I decided to treat my mother to a simple dinner with my aunties as a small celebration. After my walk, I also bought a cake and brought it down to the restaurant, where they could surprise her with it. Thank you, Dlife, for your assistance. It is funny because my mother wondered why there was not a birthday cake, and I kept telling her that I was saving money, so the outcome was satisfactory.

7th Jan 2025 - Ah, at last! To kick off my 2025, I am going for a quick swim. Aside from blogging, swimming is my next most important activity in life. If I do not swim, I might gain more weight... 😢😢😢

8th Jan 2025 - BP had an off day again, and his girlfriend, JJ, was unable to accompany him, so he wanted to join me jogging, so I took him to a lovely location to watch the sunset. Thank you for helping me with the ugly-me photos.

9th Jan 2025 - I was so busy and exhausted these few days that I had to rush through all of the administrative tasks, such as finalising students' login information, photographing initial programs, looking for new students for profile pictures, resizing each student's profile photos, and so on... I just want to shut my eyes and relax... Like some old phones, it needs to be charged after half a day... My body is not young anymore.

10th Jan 2025 - I'm excited; I received a drone for Christmas, and it finally arrived! I plan to use this new toy during my future hikes. Now, I just need to find some time to test it out soon!

11th Jan 2025 - You will think I am crazy. Yes, I was heading to KL for a day trip today. Am I loaded? Not quite, but the goal of this trip is to accompany a friend who needs a consultation and connect him with my auntie, who is visiting a legendary Chinese acupuncturist in Kuala Lumpur; this acupuncturist only accepts new patients by appointment and does not accept walk-ins. Anyway, while I was in KL, I went to buy Osmanli Oud, one of my favourite perfumes, and I made a huge mistake... I forgot that hand-carry in flight is limited to 100ml! My perfume is 100ml, but other items are larger... Stupid me. I did my best to break it down into smaller bottles that could be carried by my aunties and a friend. Thank goodness I was able to pull them through. There will be no more such mistakes.

12th Jan 2025 - All started innocently with the purchase of some Chinese New Year groceries... My mother and brother found a great deal on beverages and went crazy, buying 20 Coca-Cola, 14 Aiyakata, 8 100 Plus, and 12 mixed random beverages... I did not get anything as they started filling the four full carts, making me the centre of attention among the shoppers until the staff approached to take a picture of me posing with the crazy purchase... Am I proud of it? No, but since I am not the one paying for these, I just soaked in it. I managed to get the picture from. The staff's image is low resolution.... 😓😓😓

14th Jan 2025 - My eyes were dehydrated these days... I could spend too much time staring at my screen... I was extremely exhausted... I want to have a job that allows me to travel around the world and learn about different cultures and lifestyles. But I believe this is unsustainable unless I am loaded... I will take a short power nap to get away from this world.

15th Jan 2025 - Trisuit Theme #106
(Click here to read more)

16th Jan 2025 - I decided to test out the drone, the HoverAir X1, at my workplace because it requires an open space... So I decided to test this out in my spare time at work. I figured out how it works, and the learning curve is manageable. When I attempted to download images from the drone, I made some stupid mistakes that cost me time; I deleted my first image from the drone. Anyway, this drone should perform well in a brighter environment; I will put it to the test in the woods (darker environment) on my next walk.

17th Jan 2025 - It's Friday; I came in early for work so I can leave early too! Since I have programmes to attend, I shall go for a quick swim. Sadly, I thought that if I swam early, there would be a lesser crowd, but it's still crowded.

18th Jan 2025 - Some random post for the day, I went to a plant and pet fair. To be honest, I did not want to buy any plants because I was going to get one from a seller there. However, it was the remarkable Sekka Hinoki Cypress Golden Buds - dwarf variety (although the price is on the high side, I found that many people online were eager to acquire one) that drew my interest. It is a bonsai, and I am hoping it will grow alongside me as we age. I also got a pot of sarracenia (American pitcher plant) to try; I know no one in Singapore can grow them successfully, so fingers crossed. And since the sky was dark these days due to the monsoon, it was time to turn on the lights for my plants along the corridor.

19th Jan 2025 - After I returned home yesterday, I could not forget about the cheap sale of selaginella willdenowii (willdenowii's spikemoss), which has iridescent, metallic bluish-green fronds. I noticed there were two large pots left, but when I returned to the plant fair for a quick purchase, they had already sold. I was disappointed until I discovered one among a densely packed pot of plants, which I managed to purchase and found it waiting for me! Can you see the blue sheen on its leaves (with flash) in the left picture compared to the right picture without flash?

20th Jan 2025 - A simple yet expensive dinner with M as she returned from Vietnam. Thank you for the present, and I hope you do not mind the late Christmas present. Her response suggests that she liked the gift because she used it right away. Thank you, Heaven, for allowing me to bump into the product while shopping online. 🙏

21st Jan 2025 - Plants again? Jeff! Seriously? Honestly, I have wanted to grow this for a long time, and now that my grow tent has 24/7 air conditioning, I should give it a shot, especially on the left side, because this plant, Heliamphora pulchella aka Sun Pitchers, is only found in the Guiana Highlands. On the right, there is Cephalotus, also known as the Australian Pitcher Plant. It appears small, as I cannot afford a larger size, so I hope these two grow well.

22nd Jan 2025 - Drone testing: I managed to get it to fly up to the third floor, which will come in handy when I go hiking! Because of its lightweight, I cannot deploy it in strong winds, so I must exercise caution. I discovered that it has many automated pilot functions, such as tracking, which I should avoid using in Singapore. Personally, I only use it to take pictures and complete simple tasks. Furthermore, it is not high resolution, so I do not expect much more than to capture a different perspective. Okay! A new "drone" tag was added to my blog!

23rd Jan 2025 - Happy birthday to my ex-HOD, Az. Our team is now comprised entirely of dudes. Without you, it appeared that the soft touch had been lost, but AS (new HOD) handled it well. I hope we can work together harmoniously.

24th Jan 2025 - There was light rain, but no lightning, and the ground was wet. Instead of going for a jog, I decided to take a quick swim before heading home to continue my spring cleaning in my room. I suppose today is the last day I can wear my white pants. I've gained some weight and I'm no longer able to fit into them. Goodbye to my favourite white pants.

24th Jan 2025 - On my way home, I made a delightful detour to The Green Party, where I couldn’t resist picking up an adorable otter plushie. Its soft, cuddly form and cheerful expression instantly caught my eye, and I knew it had to come home with me. However, I realized that I needed to be mindful of my spending habits, as my impulsive tendency to complete my collection had flared up again.

25th Jan 2025 - Today, BMDP invited PFACSG members who contributed, cosplayed, and created public awareness during their events in 2024. Each of us received a certificate of appreciation from the director of BMDP. I had to give a two-minute speech, and it was quite embarrassing for me because I'm not a very good public speaker. In my speech, I shared how I had always wished to be a superhero since I was young. I even got myself my favourite Captain costume to fulfil my daydreams. However, looking at myself, I saw that I was not tall, handsome, or muscular enough to be a superhero. One day, D invited me to join PFACSG and support BMDP events. I put on my costume and began to attract and interact with the public. I learned that even if I'm not a superhero, I can still be a sidekick to one. The true superheroes are the unsung heroes who donate, sacrifice, and save lives. That realization is good enough for me. Thank you, PFACSG, for accepting me as a team member.

26th Jan 2025 - Today marked a productive day of spring cleaning. I took the time to thoroughly clean each book on my shelf and carefully dust off the covers. After that, I organized my bookshelf, arranging the books by genre and titles, which not only made it look more visually appealing but also made it easier to find what I wanted to read next. In addition to the books, I went through all my clothes, evaluating each item and deciding which pieces I truly wanted to keep and which ones I could donate or discard. It felt rejuvenating to declutter my space and simplify my wardrobe. I feel proud of myself for transforming it into a tidy sanctuary. I hope this sense of order lasts for a while, providing me with a fresh and organized environment to enjoy.

27th Jan 2025 - Today, I encountered a pigeon that wasn’t flying at night. It seemed aware of my presence but chose to remain still. I realized that pigeons have better vision during the day, so I decided not to disturb it and let it rest for the night. This experience taught me something important about my own struggles. On days when my vision is clear, I should take advantage of that clarity and aim high, knowing that when darkness falls, I can pause to recharge and wait for the right moment to move forward again. I hope my thoughts make sense. Hahaha...

28th Jan 2025 - Today was Chinese New Year's Eve, and like last year, it was a half-day with no rain, which meant I could go for a short swim! As I reflect on my journey for 2025, I’ve decided that it's time to prioritize self-love and fully embrace who I am. Especially in the last photo, where I felt confident and positive energy around me. While I know I am not the best at everything (I do not have the great body or wealthy as other people), I am confident that I am adequate. Wouldn’t you agree?

28th Jan 2025 - After the reunion steamboat dinner at my house, my older brother decided to spice things up by organising Hongbao games for us. I was fortunate enough to win the games and choose the highly prized hong bao from the pool. I will save for rainy days while pretending I am not aware of it.

29th Jan 2025 - Happy Snakey Year! Every year, I will try to draw a drawing of this year's zodiac animal, the snake. I was really testing my drawing skills and using the app, and this year's zodiac drawing was simple and quick to finish. Anyway, I had FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), so I photographed myself in my Chinese New Year outfit of the day - something simple.

More to come.

Jeff