abscondence

LYRICS

Elmo had four ducks (quack quack quack quack)

four birds of a feather (quack quack quack quack)

to waddle with (quack quack quack quack)

and quack together. (quack quack quack quack)

But then one day… one swam away

Oh gosh oh gee… Elmo just had three.

Elmo had three ducks (quack quack quack)

three birds of a feather (quack quack quack)

to waddle with (quack quack quack)

and quack together (quack quack quack)

But then one day… one went achoo!

And off he flew… so Elmo just had two.

Elmo had two ducks (quack quack)

two birds of a feather (quack quack)

to waddle with (quack quack)

and quack together. (quack quack)

But then one day… one had to run

to get some sun… then Elmo just had one.

Elmo had one duck (quack)

one bird of a feather (quack)

to waddle with (quack)

and quack together. (quack)

But then one day… it spun and spun

and got so dizzy… Elmo now had none.

Elmo had no ducks… not even a feather

to waddle with… and quack together.

But then one day… Elmo heard a QUACK!

Oh gosh oh gee… Elmo’s ducks came back!

1. Do a normal sync between the device (e.g. iPad) and computer. I don't sync, so 'Manually manage music and videos" is checked.
2. Backup the entire Music folder, which should include the iTunes folder.
3. Copy the previous backup to the new computer.
4. Open iTunes on the new computer, then click Store- > Authorize This Computer. Login with your Apple ID.
5. Connect device to the new computer, select 'Transfer Purchases' when the dialog appears. If it does not appear, right-click on the device name in iTunes and select 'Transfer Purchases'.

Source: iTunes Store: Transferring purchases from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to a computer

2. Decide on the website to buy from after looking at merchant
reliability and calculating approximate shipping charges from
forwarder to me.

3. Decide which freight forwarder(vPost, comGateway, Borderlinx) to
use. Decision factors include shipping charged per kg, credit card
discounts, availability of repacking option(extremely important. You
will see why in a while).

4. Place order at merchant website and wait for order confirmation.
Refresh courier tracking page every hour once package is shipped to
forwarder.

5. Check for new emails every 10 minutes once package has been
delivered and signed for.

6. Once you get an email notification that you have a new package in
your suite, check forwarder website and curse and swear being charged
for volumetric weight which is 4 times the package's actual weight.
Curse and swear again at merchant for shipping air with that huge box.

7. Contact forwarder to re-measure package and/or repackage. Only
comGateway offers a repacking option for US$10. Don't bother with this
option if the weight difference is not that significant.

8. Finally, select item to prepare for shipment to Singapore. Be
surprised at 15% fuel charge (based on package invoice value) and
insurance charge. GST is charged if package invoice value+fuel charge
exceeds S$400.

Paid, collected at another counter and off I went. Sales people tried
to sell me the Smart Cover at S$54 but I was not interested.

1) Avoid ordering seafood. That includes fish, prawns and squid.

2) Any dish that is a mix of vegetables and meat/seafood would normally be counted as a meat/seafood item. When in doubt, ask.

3) Even mushrooms-only costs more than the usual vegetable item.

Contract for my mobile broadband value-added service plan tagged onto my mobile phone line expires in a day or two. I have a couple of options now:

1. Pay the non-discounted of $xx till my line is eligible for recontract/upgrade in 3 months time(without the $300 extra if you upgrade to a smartphone before the 21st month)
2. Recontract to the basic plan for 6 months, and decide what else to do later
3. Cancel any data plan for the next 3 months and sign up again 3 months later so that the 2 contracts will run concurrently. Minimum contract is 6 months, so I can't downgrade to the basic plan for 3 months.
4. Upgrade to 3G Flexi Lite plan, which will be $30.42 for the CIS plan. Kind of reluctant to do so since I might not be able to go back to a Classic plan since they do not offer this plan for new sign-ups anymore. The Classic plan includes free Caller ID and discounted monthly rate which the iOne Plus plan does not offer.

Apparently Singtel has changed the T&C for phone upgrade last October.

If you are less than 21 months into your current phone contract, you can re-contract for an additional $100 or $300 depending on handset. The $300 seems to mean all smartphones, and not iPhone related plans only.

Then one fine day he decided he would flip over onto his tummy. He did not have much training before this, so I was surprised when he did so. But once he has started, he just can't stop practising haha. So much so that he now prefers to sleep on his tummy. Ah now I remember that he started sleeping on his side not too long ago. Perhaps that's the prelude to the flips.

No need for bottle holding training too. When you bring the bottle near him, his mouth would open and arms ready to hold the bottle.

Babies just do amazing stuff, don't they?

Difference between single-bedded room and 2-bedded room at Thomson Medical Centre:

• Newspapers (Straits Times or Zaobao) delivered to you every morning in single-bedded room
• Cashier will deliver the bill and payment to you in your single-bedded room while 2-bedded room bills will have to be paid at the admission/payment counter on Level 1.
• You get 1 long couch, 3 chairs, 1 study table, a bar fridge and coffee/tea bags. For 2-bedded rooms, all you get is 1 chair.
• Bed is different too, looking at the side railing.
• Entire room to yourself, which translates to more space for bottles, milk powder, breastpump, water flasks, sterilizer, cups, food etc.
• A TV you can watch without lying down on the bed.

All these for about 80% more expensive than the 2-bedded room.

Been buying stuff off the Internet during the last 3 months. Mostly baby related stuff like rompers and socks. So far I've lost one package in the mail ($21! *heartpain*).