Bye Bye Holland V!!

It was good and fun while it lasted.

See you in Marine Parade!!!

From west to east

I haven’t blogged for a looong time. So it’s just right that I write a long entry about our house-hunting this year. So this is going to be quite a long read…

Because our contract for our Holland Close flat is expiring in June, we already contemplated as early as January whether we should renew the contract or not. For one thing, our housemates will be moving out already and unless the owner is willing to meet our price range, then we’d have to move and find another flat.

As we had expected, the owner (more like the agent, I think) did not bulge to our tawad. The agents that we had then, let’s call her “Agent L”, talked to us about finding a new place by June. We told her our requirements (budget, location, interiors, etc) but she was quite negative (i.e. Ay naku, wala kayong mahahanap na okay sa ganyang price range!), and I didn’t like it one bit. She kept telling us our budget is not enough and we won’t be able to find a place within that range. We didn’t believe her because we’ve done our research and we know that our price range is just reasonable for a studio or a one-bedroom flat. Plus the fact that property rates went down this year. And so, I told my husband I didn’t want to have her as our agent anymore because I don’t like dealing with negative people. I believed that the reason she didn’t like our budget was because, the lower our budget, the lower her fee would be (In Singapore, you need to pay your agent half of one month’s rental rate for a year of their services).

So who became our agent? Eian, wife of one of my paddle-side brothers here, is a property agent and so we asked her to be our agent. She’s really good because she understands what we want, what we need, and how much we can really afford. In fact, there were times during our viewings that I was about to make an offer already, but she would be my “voice of conscience” and ask me “Sure ka, Mitch, okay na sa’yo to?”. (Jun, who had higher standards than me, was away on vacation a few weeks ago, I was the only one who went with my agent for the first two viewing sessions. Thus, the low standards and low expectations hehe)

When I viewed the first few studios, I thought “Yikes, our things won’t fit in here.” I also noticed that most studios here in Singapore are in private apartments/buildings. Most of the studio units in HDBs are allocated to older people without any families. And because most studios are not in HDBs, their locations are a bit far from the MRT or bus stations. If you look at the city lay out of Singapore, you’d notice that government-owned properties (e.g. HDBs) are the ones near the MRT and bus interchanges.

Here are the units that I have shiortlisted after four sessions of viewings, which spanned two weekends:

@Tanah Merah

The first place I “shortlisted” was a studio apartment in Tanah Merah. It is actually a landed property converted into a number of studio apartments. The house has its own small elevator! Nice! It’s not an open-space studio concept—which means that there is some sort of a dividing wall that separates the living area from the bedroom. It was really cute (literally cute actually, because it was so small). I can see the potential of the place in spite of the messy unit that we viewed (there was still a tenant occupying it during our viewing). The downside is, it’s far from the MRT station. There are also no buses because it’s a road of “landed properties” which means that people staying there have cars so the government probably thought “Oh we don’t need it to be a part of the bus routes then.” How much is the rent? It’s priced at $1500 (negotiable).

And so I e-mailed the pics to my hubby (who was in Manila that time):

My hubby’s verdict: Not good enough. He said it’s too far from the MRT (which means I will end up complaining to him everyday about the walk). It’s too small and cramped. Plus, Tanah Merah is too far from the city. And there are no nearby convenience stores, etc. The $1500 is just not worth it.

@Balestier

I viewed this unit twice—first time, it was just me; then second time, I was with hubby. It’s a private building with studio units inside; walking distance to Novena MRT station. Jun and I liked it because all the fixtures and furnishings were new and of good quality. It’s priced at $1400 inclusive of PUB, Cable TV and internet. Not bad, huh. The downside is, it’s an open-concept studio and we don’t think that our stuff would fit in that space. After viewing it with Jun, we decided that if we really cannot find anything for the next two weeks, then we would make an offer already for this place. In the event that we stay at this studio, we’d have to think of some way to keep (or dispose) some of our bulky stuff).

If you are a couple (pwede ring single) and you are just starting it out here in SG, I highly recommend this to you. Most probably you don’t have your own furniture and appliances yet so this set up is just right for you. The fact that the rental price is inclusive of PUB, Cable TV and internet is really a good deal. They have different studio layouts, so you can choose which one you prefer. Took some photos of the studio unit:

@Guillemard

A little backgrounder: Our soon-to-be-ex-housemates will be moving to a 2-bedroom private apartment in a building called Guillemard View. It’s located at the “quieter” side of Geylang, adjacent to Guillemard Road. Like other private apartments, the layout was spacious. And so, when Mommy Eian told me that there is a unit up for rent in that same building, with the same layout, and is within our budget, I got really excited!

When I first viewed the Guillemard unit, I was shocked because it looked so different from what I expected. It was a bit run down, and the owners had too many furniture that they didn’t want to move out. So the “spacious layout” that I had expected, became very cramped and baduy. I told myself that maybe when Jun sees it for himself, he’d decide that the price of $1500 is worth it because of the space and the location (it was walking distance to my office) and that we’d just fix the place up.

On my second viewing of the Guillemard unit, this time with Jun, he took one look and he didn’t like it. It was not “magaan sa loob”. He always believed that once you step inside a unit, you’d know if you will like it or not once you feel that it is “magaan sa loob”. I was already panicking a bit because nothing seems to be within our requirements. I wanted to settle with the Guillemard unit (thinking that it was worth it because of the size and location).

@Marine Terrace

By this time, we have already viewed the flat at Marine Terrace, and it was out of our budget. But since we really liked the Marine Terrace unit, we made an offer for $1500 (vs owner’s price of $1800). I told Jun that it is most unlikely that the owner will give way (yes, I was being nega at this time because I was too scared we might not be able to find a flat in time for our Holland unit contract’s expiration). Our offer was $300 below the rental price! We made the offer around 6pm and we didn’t get any reply from the owner’s agent at all. We thought, maybe it wasn’t really for us, then. But lo and behold, Jun woke me up the following day with very good news: Mommy Eian called him to inform him that the owner accepted our offer. Woohoo!

Why did the owner accept our (low) offer? It must have been our charm! Haha. Actually, the other prospective tenants had higher offers than us. But the owner thought that we would be able to take care of the flat better, and it’s just the two of us so there won’t be much wear and tear. She’d rather rent it out at a cheaper price than spend a lot for the renovations/repairs when the tenants move out.

So here is our new home w.e.f. 13 Jun 2009. The pros and cons:

PROs – $1500 for 2 bedrooms; corner flat; super well-maintained as the owner is always abroad; we are the first tenants; renovated; owner seems nice; nice view of the sea and trees; near restaus and bars at East Coast; there’s a direct bus going to my workplace and Jun’s workplace; quiet neighborhood; walking distance to a food court and market; toilet and bath is in good condition—very clean, no stains, etc; near the airport; playground (for my future babies), badminton and basketball court just beside our building; CCTV cameras in the lift and other common areas (not all HDBs have this—it’s a special installation because GCT is the MP in this area; and finally, Goh Chock Tong is the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for this constituency—yay!

CONs – it’s not near an MRT station; no supermarket (like CS or NTUC) nearby; the unit is not on a high floor (it’s just on the fifth floor); travel time taking the direct bus to city (Suntec/Orchard etc) is more than 30 minutes; other CONs shall be discovered as we go along but hopefully it won’t be a lot.

So here’s a sneak peak of the next Tuloy ang Ligaya residence:

from his goodbye girl

“Sometimes, we need to be apart to see the wonderful things we have together”

--

The longest time that we were apart was nine months. When we finally got together and started living under one roof, we told each other: We will never be apart. Where one goes, the other goes. For whatever reason it may be. When we need to travel, we travel together.

A week after we said that, I had to leave him for a two-week business trip to East Malaysia.

Huh! Such sweet words that only newly-married couples can utter. When reality bites, you learn that there are some things that you have to do alone, that there are times when you need to be away from your partner.

It’s no big deal for most people, I guess. What’s one- or two weeks’ away from each other, right? Some would even see each other every two years.

This past week that he was away, I felt that there was nothing to look forward to everyday because I know I wouldn’t see him when I wake up nor would I see him after work. And at 29 years old, it is actually a new feeling for me. Yes, I’ve been into other serious relationships before I got married, but I was NEVER dependent on a man. I am happy with or without them. It was like my own personal adage: “Never put your happiness in the hands of one person. You have to learn to be happy on your own, before you can be happy with someone.”

Not that I am miserable without him. Okay, I do feel miserable without him. I didn’t know I was actually capable of missing someone this much. And we’ve been friends, best friends, lovers, etc for more than a decade!

So this week, and probably for the rest of my life, I specifically thanked God for this chapter in our life in which we are away from our old friends and family. I don’t think we would be as close and bonded as we are now if not for our situation. Like other loving couples, we become each other’s strength, our problems make us stronger (or for other couples, break ‘em up), we learn each other’s importance at once, we see each other’s bad side but the acceptance is always there (albeit the arguments and interrogations). The difference, I guess, is that those things are more magnified.

I believe this is yet again another confirmation that I married the one I truly, madly, deeply love. And that the one I married truly, madly, deeply loves me too. I just know. Because despite all my mood swings, long-term PMSing and other neurotic tendencies, illogical demands, radical views and some other unpleasant changes in me, he still makes me feel like a 15-year old girl, experiencing love for the first time. No partner is perfect, but if we’re blessed, we find the perfect partner for us.

A week or two before he left, I got mad at him. I was so mad at him that I thought, upon waking up one morning, I couldn’t feel the magic anymore. You see, although I am crazy when it comes to love, I do not wear rose-colored glasses in my relationship. I love deeply but I have no ambitions to become martyr. In as much as I shout to the world that I love someone, I also shout it out to the world when I am hurt.

For me, magic comes and goes. It’s just up to us to bring it back when troubles & hurt steal it away from us. And as for me and my one great love, the magic is definitely back.

Here at SM! Here at SM! Weee gaaat iiit ol por youu!

It's all because of Chuvaness! Haha. I suddenly felt homesick because of all these SM talk at CVS' site. Got worse when I saw this. Huhuhu!!! I want to have this as my ring tone!!! I miss SM, really!!! The theme song reminds me of my mom, especially when my sisters and I were still kids and we'd have our weekly trips to SM, Cinderella, and the old "outdoor" Glorietta (after my Saturday ballet class--yes, I took up ballet haha). My mom is an SM fanatic. I miss SM. I miss my mom-my Super Mom. Wahhh!

Watch this, ang galing. I wish my piano teacher didn't walk out on me.

Because It's A Mom's Thing (Cha)

This is my sister Cha's story, in her own words.

---

I was a semester away from graduating when I got pregnant with my daughter. Since it was your typical pregnancy out of wedlock, my boyfriend that time (and now my husband) and I were at a loss as to how we are going to break the news to my mom. My dad was abroad, as usual, so it was my mom that we had to talk to first. And knowing my mom, I was a hundred percent sure that she would go ballistic.

I can still clearly remember that night. My mom was in her room watching TV and Nicco and I were standing outside the bedroom door, prompting each other when to enter the room.

“When the show goes on a commercial break, let’s go inside na ha!” I told him.

“Pwede bang next commercial na lang?”, my then future husband bargained.

It took a dozen or so commercials when we finally decided, “Let’s go, para matapos na ‘to.”

And so finally, we went inside and broke the news to my mom. Surprisingly, she didn’t go ballistic as I had expected. She just asked us calmly: “So what are your plans?”. I knew those questions would come and we were ready to give our answers. I breathed a sigh of relief and a glimpse of happiness that night—I felt everything would be okay.

But that was just, as they say, the calm before the storm. Three days after, my mom knocked on my bedroom door and just went crazy—shouted, threw things. I knew my mom could raise hell when she’s mad but little did I know she’s capable of doing those things that night. I was shocked because I thought everything was fine. But I was wrong. Thinking about it now, maybe the reality of the situation didn’t sink in immediately. It was a classic case of delayed reaction for my mom, I guess.

Before that day ended, I packed my things and left our house.

Early morning the following day, I received a text message from her asking me to go home. I didn’t want to because I was still hurting. It took me a week before I finally went back home.

And when I finally did come home, I went straight to my room… and I found a maternity dress and a box of prenatal milk on my bed. I cried so hard. My mom was never the type who will shower you with hugs and sweet words. So that gesture meant something big—that she has already accepted my situation and that no matter what decisions I make or whatever crazy thing I do, she will always love me and accept me wholeheartedly.

And it would be the same thing I would do for my daughter…no matter what. Now I understand. It’s a mom’s thing J

Unconditional Love:

from a married friend

Shared by a once-happily-married friend:

"It doesn't matter where the husband gets his appetite, as long as he eats at home."

Thoughts?

Hahaha!

love 'em veggies

I've been really sad lately. And it's all because I've decided to abstain from rice. Two weeks (and counting) of no rice. Can you imagine--me not eating rice! Sacrilege! And the depressing part here, I didn't even lose a single pound. Well, at least, not yet. Maybe it's because I don't even exercise hehe.

I played badminton last night with hubby, and I only lasted for ten minutes because my chest hurts already. Damn those cigarette sticks.

Last week, I tried this Fat-Burning Soup diet. It's supposed to be for seven days. More info about it next time when I get to say that it's really effective. Because the thing is, I only came up to Day 3 and I couldn't tahan it anymore! I'll probably try doing it again next month. No rice it is for now.

So now, I stick to veggies and fish and chicken. It's so hard to lose weight if your husband is trying to gain weight. Hay.

This one's my fave salad for now. I used to go gaga over Flinder's salad, but I'm over it now 'cus eating it everyday is just so boring.

My sister in law made this veg salad before and I really liked it. It's just sitaw, sigarillas (i think), vinegar (or vinegrette), pepper, tomatoes, some quail eggs and dried basil. So I eat this always and I just tweaked it a bit by adding atchara.

I don't know about you, but I love my veggies so I totally like this salad.