I hereby declare my intent to take the pledge of poverty for the month of may, seeing as how unneccessary expenditures have emptied out my pockets and I no longer have sufficient funds to pay for more important things like leaders' retreat and church camp.

I,Natalie Hannah Wong (no chinese names inserted,I'm not that stupid la dey!), promise to keep to these vows (or at least try to keep) as I take this pledge. I will not indulge in gourmet food unless it's absolutely paid for by my parents, and that includes eating $30 crab mee hoon and seafood platter for one at Fish and Co. I will stop sticking out my right hand and flagging down the next available cab unless it's a matter of life and death or late and gonna get chopped. I will curb my excessive compulsive shopping habits which is detrimental to my financial wellness, especially evil online sites with shirts that seem to have 'buy me' written all over them. I will stop walking down to places of destruction like Topshop,Forever21 and Diva which is the main cause for my current state of poverty. I shall pick up virtues that enables me to be more hardworking,so that I will work more and start on my urgently pending videos,which will in turn give me my much needed money.



yes,I should might as well declare bankrupt now seeing as how I have to pay for these:
1)31st May to 2nd June: Generations leaders' retreat $80
2)8th June to 10th June: Section chalet $??? (about $30-$50 I think)
3)11th June to 14th June: Church camp $215 (excluding other expenses like petrol,food etc.)

I mean, I really wanna go for them..but it's all within a span of two weeks and it chalks up a sizeable amount of money.My pay will be all gone man. I really have to work more this month and try to save as much as possible.I don't mind if I have to work doubly hard.I don't mind if I need to forgo some pretty skirts.I don't mind even if I can't dine at nice places this month. I need to save up for Aussie anyway which is what I've planned to do since March but I don't see the savings.But I'm most stressed over the SPH's Project S vodcast.It's due on 12th May and I have no ideas on what to do yet.Sighs.Even if I have something in mind,I still have to look for interviewees,arrange for interviews at their convenience,edit.AND IT'S ALL DONE IN MANDARIN.God knows I suck in mandarin!


Oh Lord,help! I trust that You will get me through this. I will not stress over this,I will lift all these into Your hands simply because I know You care for me.

aiyohhhhhhhhhhh I tell you ah, I don't feel like typing in proper english today. YOU KNOW WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY??? My goodness,so sway can!!!!!!! That day I wanted to get this yellow rainbow top from Wetseal which was on sale..the next time I went back there the top was gone. So I was like 'ok that was fast.' THENNNNNNNNN yesterday I went to GoJane and finally changed my mind after seeing this lovely white Arkadios top which was far cheaper than the previous top I wanted. And I just went back there and guess what? The link was removed.I tried searching but they couldn't find any items with that name. It finally dawned upon me that they've removed it because it's too old a stock to be placed online.AH WHAT THE HECKKKK!!so sway can!!It's time to mailbomb GoJane.

or maybe it's a hint for me not to shop so much. :(

SAVIOUR KING

And now the weak say I have strength
By the spirit of power that raised Christ from the dead
And now the poor stand and confess

That my portion is here
and I'm more blessed

Pre-chorus
Let now our hearts burn with a flame
A fire consuming all for your Son's holy name
And with the heavens we declare
You are our king
We love you Lord, we worship you
You are our God, you alone are good

You asked your Son to carry this
The heavy cross our weight of sin
I love you Lord, I worship you
Hope which was lost, now stands renewed
I give my life to honor this
The love of Christ, the savior king

Let now your church shine as the bride
That you soar in your heart as you offered up your life
Let now the lost be welcomed home
By the saved and redeemed those adopted as your own

I give my life to honor this
The love of Christ, the savior king

I can't exactly explain who Jesus is to me. I can't tell you why something always tugs at me when I close my eyes and talk to Him and I begin to weep.It's strange how I'm always jumping from one thing to another, getting bored real quick,but I want to just sit forever at His feet in His presence. I can tell you 'God is awesome'. But the words won't justify. Somehow when I go to Him with things that confuses and frustrates me, He answers in the simpliest yet clearest way possible.I can't imagine my life without Him, and I won't wanna live without Jesus. These words spoken, aren't meant to be understood.They have to be experienced.

I seriously need help.
Right now, Ong Jingyi is sms-ing me asking me to jog with her on Monday morning. And then she replied and asked me where in Pasir ris is good to jog. Here's what I said. "we go Pasir Ris Park?Then we can have McDonalds breakfast at Elias Mall!"

and the worst thing is, I wasn't being sarcastic. That was the first thing that crossed my mind.

Here's her reply. "No!Defeats the purpose of us jogging!"

Such words of wisdom.Why didn't I thought of it before?
Maybe because the Natalie that has been out of Siglap Secondary school for 4 years havent been jogging ever since? Any wonder why I failed my 2.4 by 8 secs?(I got gold during my sec school yrs) And she loves pigging out,in the form of steamboats,buffets,potlucks and Ben and Jerry's. And and, last night after I reached home I just conked out on my bed at 8.30P.M and I didn't wanna wake up at all when the alarm rang 2 hours later. I only woke up after my bro entered the room while on the phone with Isaiah(he told me later) and loudly proclaimed 'my sis is sleeping as usual'.

My only form of exercise nowadays is walking up and down the stretch of orchard(maybe from Wisma to Far East) looking for my babydoll top. (ie.shopping)
My extent of productivity doesn't go beyond chugging 2Kg worth of food down during steamboat.
When i'm not eating,working,sleeping or shopping, sometimes I will be engaged in a good game of Sims2. Right now I'm trying to help my child-less couple earn loads of moo-lah with their home floral business which has hit rank10. I think far for them and I have great dreams for their future.So pretty soon,I'll sell away their business and them started on their cafe business before they magically transform into elders in 15 days.wooooo.

When i'm not doing any of these things above, I'm out with my friends EATING and chilling out or using the internet checking out JunkFood t-shirts or stalking my friends' blogs and occasionally passing off as an anonymous tagger.

Oh alright.And I read at night.I'm currently reading the autobiography of Billy Graham. That's pretty productive.

Here's my life after graduation,in a nutshell.Well, almost. Sometimes it's a little more interesting.I go to my friend's house and paint shoes.After this entry,I'm gonna be so adamant to make a list of things to make my life more PRODUCTIVE. ok maybe now.An electronic list.

Let's name it Nat's 101 things to do to make her life a more interesting and useful one.

1) Work on that Flive video, lazy bum. And start ripping photos off Vincent's blog!
2) Come up with story ideas for upcoming vodcast. sigh.
3) Ring Esther and beg her to teach me guitar.
4) Research on digicams and come up with ways to persuade my parents to buy me a new cam for my birthday. Reasons must be provided.
5) Remember to buy next month's Seventeen and see if they will be hiring interns.
6) Get Addica'drobe up and running and actually start selling off my clothes.(and make my wardrobe less cluttered!)
7) Spring clean my room, lor.
8) Actually complete my Perth Scrapbook.Yes,it's not ready even after 2 years.
9) ah,get started on my portfolio?
10) Get my SIP cert from Miss chuah and cross fingers and hope that she'll release it.
11) Go out and take some photos.
12) Complete all given GCAM projects on time. T-shirt design,GCAM logo,ireach booklet.what else?
13) Try to plan for a getaway this August or December. Try.
14)Meet up with friends I havent seen in a long while.
15)Meet up with friends whom I always see but do something different and not eat so much for once.

ok that's all I can think of now 'cause i'm telling myself that it's time for some sleep.yes yes I know.As usual righttttt.Cheers to a more productive Nat this April (and the following months to come).
Hopefully.

My bro got himself a job and he's starting work on Monday.A permanent job. In about 2 years time, I'll be out slogging my butt out as well. It's scary. Wasn't it just a couple of years back when we would make ourselves comfortable on the floor playing a good game of monopoly? While having dinner at Crystal Jade just now, there was a pair of mother and daughter seated next to us just catching up and she was telling her mum about her work and stuff. (she was talking quite loudly, I wasn't deliberately listening on her convo :P ) Sliently I thought to myself 'man,in a few years time, knowing how quickly it pass, I'll be like this lady over here.' Is it just me, or is it true that the working life wears you down slowly? Most of them are always relenting about their work and colleagues. Not to forget dirty politics going on, especially in the media industry. It just sucks the joy out of you, knowing or unknowingly. Right now, it's Music,Friends,Ben and Jerry's,God,Family,Holidays,God,Friends,Family. When you're a full-fledged adult, it's family,kids,completing that 18-page report,presentation to client,paying the bills, getting a (cheap) car,looking at furniture,working,checking the shares,buying insurance,and sometimes God.If time permits.

Oh Lord, let me always, always have time for You. When I'm young and still schooling. When I'm a little older and going out earning my livelihood. When I'm married. When I'm old and greying. I just want to have time for You.

So here's the run down of what I did this week after Ong JingYi asked me yesterday what I have been doing. Good question.Have you watched 50 first dates? I feel like the girl who can't remember anything that happened yesterday,or the day before and so on. ):

Monday:I think I worked? (note to self:check time card when at work later)

Tuesday: Met RJ,Nam,his sis,Meng,Thiam siang and Joey.We went firstly to Suntec's BnJ to look for Sarah and Michelle Niam (i just had to insert her surname.haha!) and then had lunch at Subway..then headed to Peninsular to find meng's and nam's skinnies but to no avail. And then Edwin called and asked 'eh,want to go out anot?' and like an automated response all of us asked 'you got car,is it?' So with a trusty-but-too-small-for-7-people car, we headed to Parkway for me to grab Mocha ice blended from Coffee bean,and then zoomed down Siglap for dinner at Cartel. On the way from Peninsular to Parkway, can I add that Edwin put on some christian rock music and wind down the windows so you can imagine how thrilled the guys were. And you would think that we were dead beat after all the day's activities but that's not all.After sending Nam and his sis home, me,Meng and Edwin decided to chill at East Coast Park.So we talked until Coffee Bean closed and went over to McCafe until my dad called and nagged at me. Finally at 1.30a.m, we decided to call it a day and went back.While heading to the car, someone called out my name and I realised it's none other than Adil, my ex class manager in sec3. But I didn't approach him for a chat 'cause all his mat friends were there and I know none of them even though I wanted to talk the ears off him.So better not.hahaha.And he used to nicknamed me 'chatterbox'. Ok,moving on.

Wednesday: I worked opening, and then went to alter my supposedly-skinny-but-apparently- not-skinny-enough jeans which now turns out TOO SKINNY 'cause I can barely put my legs through the hole and I walk robotic now cause I can't bend my knees.Then I still told the auntie 'nvm, tight good.I want it to be tight.' -_- I better find ways to expand my jeans.

Thursday: I think I worked as well. oh yea,I did. I worked closing, and then it was supper with Kenny,Eric,Joycelyn and Christelle at ECP. And it's fun to work with the both of them 'cause I can get to find out Michelle Niam's embarrassing secrets. hahaha!

Friday: Went out with Michelle (Niam) and Meng to surprise Sarah Wong Chen Xiang at work since it was her Birthday. And she treated us to Mix and Match :D Then we had dinner at New York New York. Wait like for an hour plus before we got ushered in? And that was after I said at a substancial volume that I worked for SPH and I was gonna write a bad review for them or smth. But honestly, I don't think they heard me la.lol. Then we tried heading home.Why I said 'tried'? 'Cause after Mich alighted at Eunos, on the way to Kembagan Edwin called Meng again. 'eh wanna go out?' And I happened to be with Meng so she looked at me and asked 'edwin asked us if wanna go out.' then both of us were like 'wahlao!' But we alighted anyway at Kembagan and went to Church to meet the rest. So eventually, we decided on going to Bedok 85 for supper since there were no movies to watch. So on a fateful Friday night,I had supper with Edwin,my bro,meng,Rudy and Andrew. And again,after sending Rudy and Andrew home,Edwin asked if we wanted to drive to Changi Village. So we went for a short tour around to spot bakpos and after that we went to see aeroplanes.But couldn't see much 'cause the terminal blocked the runway and we can't see the planes taking off. But we took some 'prison break look-alike' photos while we there cause there were the barb wires.

Saturday: cell day

Sunday: Yesterday I had a BnJ meeting with all the supervisors and scoopers from Whitesands and Downtown. Among the 4 tables,ours was the noisiest la.Thanks to Ryane!(and me.hurhur) She was like showing us her strawberry shortcake pencil case and then creating a big hoo-ha with Eric because of the top she was wearing. haha! And not forgetting taking 3/4 of my seat after I kindly offered to share my chair with her lor. ok kidding. And she was asking me why I didn't blog so here I am blogging (about you). You should feel honoured man! lol.It's great seeing all of them especially since I haven't worked with some of them for ages. And we really have so many new faces now man. Can't wait for free cone day..Trying to squeeze 15 scoopers into our outlet itself is as fun as a rollercoaster ride,if you know what I mean. After the meeting ended, some of us went to Burger King to grab some lunch but I had to leave early for church. But didn't leave early enough so i had to cab down. After church I went to Parkway for awhile with Sarah and Mich, then Weizheng and Jingyi came to look for me and we shopped around for awhile. Finally after 3 hours of it, we went to pick up my bro and headed to TM for his birthday celebration. Initally my bro was broke so he wanted something budget but since there were like 12 of us,Isaiah suggested that we go Fish and Co. and we can just fork out extra and treat him. Then my bro was quite hesitant cause he didn't want to be sabo-ed (knowing us) so Carol promised him that we will not embarrass him.So imagine our surprise when the whole entourage approached the table, which is really quite a sight to behold. Then Carol was like 'eh I didn't tell them it was ur birthday!really!' And then Isaiah starting sniggering so we found out who the culprit was. Should have already guessed it anyway. Then he was like'hahaha!25 yrs old already still hold sparklers!' Funny la. But he got free ice cream,so it made up for all his embarrassment. And speaking of food, I almost finished the seafood platter for one by myself. :D so shiok.

Today: Lunching with Maybelline,Huiying and Ginli later..after a looooong time of putting our lunch off. Forever postponing la! But today's the day.lol. Then I'm gonna work closing.


Ok I just realised I've been blabbering all these while and typing like a retard while at it. I'm not the sort to blog about my daily routines and what I shopped for and what I did after I brushed my teeth on Tuesday 5p.m. But I don't do it often and people have been asking me what i've been doing so here you go. Not exactly the most exciting piece of news/write-up (which really shows that I do lead a normal life.hahaha.) but you have to blog about this once in a while,right? And if you must know,while shopping at Parkway yesterday at 4.30p.m., I bought myself a pair of floral print wooden earrings from Topshop. haha! If you must. Time out.

CHIEN KWOK SENG!
you irritating tagger.
1)no wonder the passer-by this time round talk so 'cho lor'
2)and then say stupid things like 'bang bang you are dead'
3)sounded so unconcerned when i told you about it.

NO WONDER.
you're a sickening pig.

but at least now i know nobody hates me :D

Ikea trip!It's been almost a month since but Eun only uploaded the photos a few days ago.


The aftermath.30 meatballs, one plate of chicken and chips meal and two plates of curry chicken for four people. Buffets underestimate our capabilities man!

Trena is spastic.

Then it's our turn.

Yea I know

Eunice said the rats can't be seen. NG!

But I looked less disgusted here.

WeLcOmE To My RoOmXxxX ^-^

Us again

Um,i think i warned you that Trena was spastic?

Now she tries her hand on the scratch disc.

The next thing we knew, she tried bathing in the middle of ikea.
"stop it...I said STOPPPP IT!"

The secret's out, people.

Aishah the maid.

Say,this thing looks comfy.

and then.........

I was hungry so I had Aishah for lunch.

I wantttt Trena too. You can put on gory music now.

Then the 3 monkeys came along with me to work and had some chocolate fudge brownie.

okok,I'll get down to work.SOON!

Many years ago when I was still a student in St.Hilda's, I was taught hymns and Christian songs. I learnt this song. It goes like this:

I have decided, to follow Jesus
I have decided, to follow Jesus
I have decided, to follow Jesus
No turning back, no turning back

The world behind me, the cross before me
The world behind me, the cross before me
The world behind me, the cross before me
No turning back, no turning back

Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow
No turning back, no turning back

It was completed with actions and all. That was just another nice song to me at that point of time. A song I learnt with my other classmates. I didn't understand what it really meant even though I sang it almost every week.

10 years down the road, sometimes I find it hard to utter the lyrics of this song. Yesterday I sang it, grasping the meaning of each word.

"I have decided to follow Jesus." Said Jim Elliot. He traded in his life at 30 to the Auca Indians.

"I have decided to follow Jesus." Said Mother Theresa. She devoted her entire life loving people.

"I have decided to follow Jesus." Said Richard Wurumbrand. He was imprisoned for 16 years for preaching the gospel. He was in jail for such a long time, he forgot how to write.

"I have decided to follow Jesus." Said Rachel Scott. She was shot dead at the Columbine high school massacre after replying 'you know I do' when one the gunmen asked if she believed in God.

"I have decided to follow Jesus." Said Peter. After he was caught, he requested to be crucified upside down as he's not worthy to be crucified the same way as his saviour did.

Their depth of devotion, passion and faith amazes and puts me to shame. They taught me that it's more than just singing a song. Yesterday I stood singing this song, with tears streaming down, I knew I'm ruined. I gave up myself, with outstretched arms, to exchange for His plans and purposes and accomplishing them. I may never have to face a day where I have to choose between my life and God. I won't know. But everyday I do have to choose if I am gonna live for Him. And I know there will come a time He's going to demand things from me. And if I say no, He will say, 'You said you decided to follow Me, didn't you?'

"I have decided to follow Jesus." Said Natalie. The story continues.