23.9.08
15.9.08
Post-Mortem of Wedding Preparation
As someone who organised 'events' as part of my work, there were some situations during the wedding yesterday that were worthwhile learning experiences. I am sharing them here.
First, change in dinner venue. The original location was at the sixth floor poolside. When I reached the poolside around 5.40pm, Sinclair told me that there was a problem as the hotel had informed it was likely to rain and the dinner venue had to be shifted to a "ballroom" at 3rd floor. The "problem" was that instead of the original planned 13 tables, the ballroom can only take 10 tables and some guests had to stand.
Two lessons learnt here. First, which was quite elementary but I forgot to ask earlier was the wet weather plan. Second, in the end, we insisted to the banquet captain that we had to have 13 tables although he gave the usual response: "in consideration of your guests' comfort, they would feel squeezy if we had 13 tables." On hindsight, if we had only 10 tables, the guests made to stand would be even more uncomfortable.
Second, marching-in route of the couple. Because of the shape of the ballroom which did not have a proper stage, the couple's march-in would be a short 5 metres from the door to the solemnization table. So Shawn and I decided to give the couple more marching-in distance and planned for the couple walk round the tables amidst the guests. In the end, because of the proximity of the tables, it was really difficult for the couple to move around. For the 2nd march-in, we reverted to the 5-metre route.
Third and most important lesson. There was to be a photo montage to be shown before the 2nd march-in. Reading recently on the importance of testing and re-testing IT equipment, I asked Shawn to plug up the laptop to the hotel's LCD projector as early as possible. When we had the opportunity to do so, to our horror, the laptop was a Macbook Pro and the VGA slot on the Mac cannot be used with the normal cable for Windows PCs. I offered to drive home as my wife uses a Macbook and we had purchased the converter. The time was 6.30pm but I was confident that I could be back by 7pm. I did arrive back at 7pm, but another surprise awaited us. The converter was the wrong one! The slots on the Macbook and Macbook pro were different!!! Checks with the hotel personnel was not much of a help, they also did not have the cable and also could not loan a spare laptop for us to transfer the files.
In the end, Ben, his wife and my wife were to rush to the Apple shop at Suntec to purchase the converter and be in time before the 2nd march-in. They did, and we had a very enjoyable montage show.
Now, I have learnt my lesson and the all important question to ask whenever doing slide-shows, montages, videos is whether we are using a Windows or Apple hardware.
First, change in dinner venue. The original location was at the sixth floor poolside. When I reached the poolside around 5.40pm, Sinclair told me that there was a problem as the hotel had informed it was likely to rain and the dinner venue had to be shifted to a "ballroom" at 3rd floor. The "problem" was that instead of the original planned 13 tables, the ballroom can only take 10 tables and some guests had to stand.
Two lessons learnt here. First, which was quite elementary but I forgot to ask earlier was the wet weather plan. Second, in the end, we insisted to the banquet captain that we had to have 13 tables although he gave the usual response: "in consideration of your guests' comfort, they would feel squeezy if we had 13 tables." On hindsight, if we had only 10 tables, the guests made to stand would be even more uncomfortable.
Second, marching-in route of the couple. Because of the shape of the ballroom which did not have a proper stage, the couple's march-in would be a short 5 metres from the door to the solemnization table. So Shawn and I decided to give the couple more marching-in distance and planned for the couple walk round the tables amidst the guests. In the end, because of the proximity of the tables, it was really difficult for the couple to move around. For the 2nd march-in, we reverted to the 5-metre route.
Third and most important lesson. There was to be a photo montage to be shown before the 2nd march-in. Reading recently on the importance of testing and re-testing IT equipment, I asked Shawn to plug up the laptop to the hotel's LCD projector as early as possible. When we had the opportunity to do so, to our horror, the laptop was a Macbook Pro and the VGA slot on the Mac cannot be used with the normal cable for Windows PCs. I offered to drive home as my wife uses a Macbook and we had purchased the converter. The time was 6.30pm but I was confident that I could be back by 7pm. I did arrive back at 7pm, but another surprise awaited us. The converter was the wrong one! The slots on the Macbook and Macbook pro were different!!! Checks with the hotel personnel was not much of a help, they also did not have the cable and also could not loan a spare laptop for us to transfer the files.
In the end, Ben, his wife and my wife were to rush to the Apple shop at Suntec to purchase the converter and be in time before the 2nd march-in. They did, and we had a very enjoyable montage show.
Now, I have learnt my lesson and the all important question to ask whenever doing slide-shows, montages, videos is whether we are using a Windows or Apple hardware.
14.9.08
The BIG Day
The Day started at the groom's place. Breakfast, prepared by Aunt Sherry and Uncle Benny was hearty and the joyous mood started quickly. a good cup of Kopi-gao was also in order to kickstart the spirits. We were eager to begin the day.
After a quick discussion between the brothers, we were off.
Some horsing about by the young ones.
Shawn putting on his best shoes.
Mum and brother helping the groom with his suit.
Off we went, as a convoy.
Arrival at the hotel to fetch the bride.
The groom being grilled by the 'guardian' sisters of the bride.
A few push ups should do the trick.
Groom meeting the bride for the first time today.
Kissing the bride.
The 'brothers' were sleeping soundly on the way back to the groom's place. Only the driver had to keep awake.
On the bridal bed.
I also got my opoortunity to give out angbao as an elder.
These two photos are for the Gen-Y fellow. For using as his profile pic in Facebook.
Ben has more photos of the wedding dinner so I will wait for him to post them.
After a quick discussion between the brothers, we were off.
Some horsing about by the young ones.
Shawn putting on his best shoes.
Mum and brother helping the groom with his suit.
Off we went, as a convoy.
Arrival at the hotel to fetch the bride.
The groom being grilled by the 'guardian' sisters of the bride.
A few push ups should do the trick.
Groom meeting the bride for the first time today.
Kissing the bride.
The 'brothers' were sleeping soundly on the way back to the groom's place. Only the driver had to keep awake.
On the bridal bed.
I also got my opoortunity to give out angbao as an elder.
These two photos are for the Gen-Y fellow. For using as his profile pic in Facebook.
Ben has more photos of the wedding dinner so I will wait for him to post them. Congrats again to the newly wed!
13.9.08
Getting ready for the BIG Day
Finally, the BIG Day for Sinclair and Iris is just a day away. So I went to Sinclair's place to get the car decorated so I my car can look the part as part of the entourage. 
A sneak preview of the wedding photos.
Uncle Benny treated us to a delicious 'tze char' dinner.
Actually, decoration simply means tying a ribbon to each of the car's four handles. And that's the groom having a conversation with Ben.
5.9.08
LASIK - 准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术（Laser in situ keratomileusis）
After procrastinating for a few years, I plucked up sufficient courage and decided to do LASIK. My courage has probbaly got to do with the improvement in technology, now that the flap on the cornea is created bladeless - done using laser as well.
I chose Parkway Eye Centre because two of my colleagues have had their surgeries carried out there successfully and also because Dr Lee Hung Ming is very well known and he has a very good track record. I searched many forums on lasik and his was one of the few clinics that has no negative feedback.
My surgery was done on Wednesday 3 Sep 08 and now I can type on this PC without glasses, although vision is still generally hazy and double-imaged. On my post-op check yesterday, the doctor said that I was recovering well and my recovery will take longer because my myopia was very high.
And because of my high myopia, I had no option but to choose the most expensive customised intralase LASIK which was tissue-saving, meaning less cornea would be laser-ed off. The total cost of the surgery came to $4788 and adding the $179 I paid for the pre-op check, the total cost is almost $5k.
After the op, I met a friend from uni who has came for his pre-op check. His myopia was only 150 degrees! Yet he chose to have LASIK and he wanted the intralase as well, although Parkway has a promotion now for normal "blade" LASIK at $996 per eye.
Dr Lee informed that the main risk of LASIK is infection but he proudly said that he has done over 10,000 operations and none of his patients had infection, and told me not to break his record! To prevent infection, I was given three different eye-drops to administer, one anti-infllammation, one antibiotic and one normal eye driop. For the first day, each eye drop had to be used 1-2 hourly, after the first day, this would reduce to every 3-hourly.
I will blog more about the operation itself in a subsequent post. My eyes are tired!
I chose Parkway Eye Centre because two of my colleagues have had their surgeries carried out there successfully and also because Dr Lee Hung Ming is very well known and he has a very good track record. I searched many forums on lasik and his was one of the few clinics that has no negative feedback.
My surgery was done on Wednesday 3 Sep 08 and now I can type on this PC without glasses, although vision is still generally hazy and double-imaged. On my post-op check yesterday, the doctor said that I was recovering well and my recovery will take longer because my myopia was very high.
And because of my high myopia, I had no option but to choose the most expensive customised intralase LASIK which was tissue-saving, meaning less cornea would be laser-ed off. The total cost of the surgery came to $4788 and adding the $179 I paid for the pre-op check, the total cost is almost $5k.
After the op, I met a friend from uni who has came for his pre-op check. His myopia was only 150 degrees! Yet he chose to have LASIK and he wanted the intralase as well, although Parkway has a promotion now for normal "blade" LASIK at $996 per eye.
Dr Lee informed that the main risk of LASIK is infection but he proudly said that he has done over 10,000 operations and none of his patients had infection, and told me not to break his record! To prevent infection, I was given three different eye-drops to administer, one anti-infllammation, one antibiotic and one normal eye driop. For the first day, each eye drop had to be used 1-2 hourly, after the first day, this would reduce to every 3-hourly.
I will blog more about the operation itself in a subsequent post. My eyes are tired!
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