apartment... check...

last nite, we just closed on our apartment! we'll be living at harbor heights in fortress hill, which is a cool 5 min walk to the park! :) we'll likely get our keys on thursday, and then, we officially have a new home... woohoo... so that takes one big tick off the to-do list!

the rest of my list: (compiled by the lovely linnet)

1) arrange honeymoon (in maldives?) w/elim tourism
2) fill/design wedding ceremony program
3) find a printer to print program
4) contact conrad for wine tasting
5) call annie at conrad for deco & meal cards
6) florist
7) apartment closing
8) helpers for wedding!!!
9) write vows
10) guestlist confirmations w/ma-friends group
11) sofa shopping --> ALMOST THERE!!!!!!!!!!!
12) bed frame shopping --> SOOOO CLOSE TO BUYING IT!!!!
13) tv/washer/dryer/dining table --> i think this is almost done
14) utilities for apartment --> mostly being handled by our agent
15) give pics to tony photography for slideshow
16) get tux
17) reception table deco
18) pack up my house
19) follow up on un-RSVP'd invites!
20) tell my fiancee how awesome she is!

yah yah yah... i just pushed out the list to make it look like i got a ton to do. in actuality, my 'vacation' has been golf and basketball... some sleep... hehehe

only 38 more days to go! it's getting to the point where there's so much creative stuff to do - programs, deco, flowers... i'm so lost. i'm so left-brained, so when i'm asked to think of design stuff - i'm like spending an inordinate amount of processing power just trying to visualize the conrad reception and ballroom areas! aaarrrgghhhh!!!!! buuuuttt - it's a good thing lin has such artistic creativity! heheh... ok - so that's a pretty lame excuse. i try my best... no regrets...

it's already wednesday, so that means i only got 3 more weekdays off, then a weekend, then i start my job. so weird being in this job moving position. i'm enjoying not having responsibility - especially being free to roam the busy central streets in jeans and t-shirt and my cons. it's nice not to be in the middle of the rat-race for once, but yet, be in the midst of them. i felt like an outsider looking into the lives of all the people in central making millions of bux a year, w/out a concern for anything other than.... well... making millions of bux a year... wat a sad state :(

hillsong united coming to HK on AUG 4th! it's being hosted by the vine, and best of all, it's FREE!!!! here the venue info:

WHO: hillsong united...
WHAT: ....LIVE! in HONG KONG!
WHERE: Hong Kong Poly Univ. Jockey Club Auditorium, Hung Hum, Kowloon
WHEN: Thursday, aug. 4, 2005 @ 7pm doors will OPEN

this means... BE THERE BY THEN!!! there is limited capacity and the vine expects a FULL turnout! it's going to be awesome, to be blessed to share an evening of worship with the united band. AND, there will be a message (bilingual!) by phil dooley, hillsong youth pastor! so get there early to make sure u get a seat!

anyway - i'm done plugging. oh yeah... one more plug. download THIS!!!. tom read, worship pastor/leader of the vine, continues to pump out inspirational worship songs. in fact, one user/downloader had rated tom as asia's best worship songwriter and leader. after listening to some of his songs via download from this link, one will quickly come to understand why!

well... wednesday... that means golf. i'm off to the links

my last rant against the crazy dentist... this guy is like - if pain persists... then we'll do a root canal! i'm so pissed! my tooth hurts... no insurance till next week... so that means chewing like a #*()$@()$@# horse till then! ugh... praise GOD tho - cuz i've had such a great week so far! so wat's a li'l discomfort!

last day w/nai app

well - it's 2:40pm on my last day here at nai app. it's a neat feeling knowing that i'm entering a different phase of my life - along many facets too! i've packed my desk, turned over my pending assignments, and really am just waiting for the horn to blow fer quittin' time!

the next 10 days will be fun fun fun. i've already gotten my tee-time for golf tom'w at 10:02am... and likely to hit the links again on monday. i'll likely not have to work saturday anymore (contractually, at least)... and best of all - i won't have to hike up the freakin wyndham street hill anymore!!!!

aside from that - 10 days of no responsibility will be cool. my tooth is KILLING from dental work on monday. i have no idea what's wrong- and after i tell the dentist that i'm experiencing some pretty ugly pain, he's like.... 'well, just deal with it for the next few days'. DEAL WITH IT???$)#@(*$)(@#*$@# sad thing is - he said if you have like pain that lasts more than 30mins at a time - you might really have to do a root canal. oooooo..kkkkkkkk....

when i went into his office on monday - i said right off that i thot i needed a root canal. he said "noooooo, prolly not! you don't wanna do a root canal unless it's absolutely necessary!"... so i trust him... he fills the tooth... and 3 days later - i have this excruciating pain - that just builds up at random intervals for like 5-10mins at a time. so weird. well - i deal with it a bit longer lah. if it continues - i guess root canal, here i come. here's the funny bit. he charges me 3000+ for this, then will prolly charge me another 8000 or so for the root canal. well - if he woulda done it correctly from the beginning, i wouldn't have had to pay that 3000+!!!!! does anyone else sense a SCAM here???????

anyway - no more venting. i'm in a happy place, reallly. i gotta pack up the remaining things, and then i'm jettin'. can't wait.

dave ng's in the hospital, so if you pray, please spare a prayer for him. he's recovering from surgery on his liver, and is in a pretty weak condition. he'll be in the hospital another 3-4 days at least, so pray for God give comfort to him and to give him healing!

numbers game

51 days till the big day
32 days till marriage registration
17 days till i start my new job
7 more days of current job
5 working days of current job
0 more saturday office days!

i just downloaded this cool satellite imaging tool. i would recommend all to do it and play around on it... it's so cool!

coincidence? bah...

i have to really stretch my imagination and wiles to attribute all the 'happenings' in my life to mere 'coincidence' or 'luck' or any outcome of some superior planning of mine. it really just boils down to one thing - God...

in the past year, i have been set on the "beginning of the rest of my life" train (or rollercoaster, depending on u'r perspective), and i can say that i am SO BLESSED and SO HAPPY because it's finally happening to ME!!!

in 58 days, i will be marrying linnet, who just happens to be the woman of my dreams! i will be moving into a new house, yet to be determined. and i'll be moving into a brand new job! my stint in the real estate business is finally over. it's been tough to leave, because i really do love my company, and especially the people here - especially since baggy works here now!

about 4-5 months ago, God gave me a vision of great encouragement to me. i guess if anything, it confirmed what i really felt in my heart - that there can be great and mighty things to happen, BUT, only if i take a bold step forward to TAKE that which God has in store. i thot and prayed and reflected again on this, and what i thot it meant. i had a strong sense of just moving forward - and that resources would be given so that i would be able to care for my own family, my parents, and also my brother's ministry. i shared this w/a bud in 180.. and we prayed over it.

there has always been only one firm that i would have considered moving for - and that's fidelity investments. they happen to be the largest pure fund management company in the world, and in my eyes - the most elite, and the best. so i figure, if i have sights, why not set it up to the top - only cuz w/God, anything is possible, amen? well - a "chance" encounter during a tour of 2 IFC for a group of investors from the US where i kinda lost my group and ended up waiting in the lobby for 1/2hr, where i then bumped into my old supervisor from my job in HK 10 years ago... who i then forward my resume to after i get this new 'vision of grandeur'.... who then gave my CV to a contact at fidelity... who then asks for an interview w/li'l ol' me...

i just can't believe that luck and circumstance had anything to do with it. especially after going thru this once before in my life that 'coincidentally' turned into my salvation... just before that first interview, on my way to 1 IFC, where my new office will be, i 'happen' to bump into andrew - an elder at the church. i tell him where i'm going, and he's says something that sorta sums it all up: ”hey - good luck, cliff. but then again, we don't much believe in luck anyway, huh? don't worry about it, cuz God's got it all taken care of already. bless you, mate”

i have to confess that it hasn't been an easy time. wondering about careers and whatnot is not an easy thing to endure. that level of uncertainty and the questioning of whether we are 'in God's will' can sometimes untrack us from the path He actually intends for us to ride on. i've learned this through so many lessons... that after each time and each season of change, i'm left in awe at the way His hand is always so evident. the secret to not worrying? it very simple! serving God is not necessarily the act of doing things for God - you can do all you want, church service or no... but it's not going to mean a thing if your heart and attitude are all wrong.... as linnet always points out to me - God knows!

anyway – praise GOD! i’m starting august 1 – and w/my end date set for the 21st, I’ll have a nice 10 day holiday to relax, golf, and catch up on my share of the wedding prep! only 2 more weeks to go!