retro photos

Dad just got a friend to scan all our old negatives into digital photos. The advances of technology!

Seeing those old photos sure brings back memories... and also I realize why my upbringing has subconsciously imposed itself on my adulthood. Like...does the fact that my parents bought me a toy scooter to scoot around on explain my penchant for (pillion-ing on) bikes? Does the fact that my old house was wallpapered in a retro brown pattern explain my liking for those patterns somehow... and maybe having a big beanbag to lounge on (handsewn by Mom) explains my desire to have a beanbag in my own house when I grow up and marry someone, someday...

More photos to come...

scripted

Sometimes it's hard to come up with witty, interesting scripts that makes a good story. I have to write a few now for my filmings in March. Although most of my filmings are basically unscripted, reality-styled shows, I still have to write a rough outline for it. And I'm dry.

So I imagined what it would be like to take the REAL scenarios of the people around me, this week, and turn it into an episode plot:

1. "The clash of the biker dudes"
Lilo, who has just branched out into consumer banking, has just realized that despite the hassles of work, she has another thing to worry about: two guys liking her at the same time. The difference is, one is the stable, solid, engineer type whom she can envision a future with. The other is a charming but wild-child, 'little bad guy' type... but she can't resist going out with him and talking to him. They both confess their likings to her...so now how? Is it a case of 'Mr Right'...at the wrong time?

2. "The kasut manek story"
A Singaporean girl who once, fell in love with all things melaka on a backpacking trip when she was 18 and lived in a peranakan house along bukit china, is now beading her own kasut manek - peranakan beaded slipper. The strange thing is that with each beaded line, she has her own encounters with the peranakan culture. This week, she met a guy whose family owns the chain of peranakan restaurants in Singapore, and next week, he is taking her out to lunch. (True! But not romantic la, it's for work...of course. Hee...) By the completion of the slippers, what will happen when she puts it on?

3. "The photo in his wallet"
Kie is someone all girls like, because he is a sincere person with a ready smile for everyone. But year after year, he has experienced small heartbreaks and misguided likings. So year after year, he is still single, although the ravages of time does not show on his face, nor body. *whistles*
But... there is something that not many people knows, is that he still keeps a photo of himself and a girl (with a guy friend in the photo too), taken almost 4 years ago, in his olden gritty wallet. When the girl happened to spot it there, she was mystified and asked about it - he mentioned that because it was olden, the photograph had already 'stuck' to the plastic and melted together so he couldn't remove or replace it... ... But in 2009, with a new wallet, there is still the SAME photo... ...Is it the 'curse of the photo in his wallet' that makes him (and her, unfortunately) remain single?

So, which plot is good?
Hee... true stories sometimes are... better than fiction.
Actually, am really wondering about the photo. Maybe he is just a sentimental guy, no?

The perankan man is trying to close a 1.2mil deal with my company. Let's see how the lunch goes.

Bugging you

2 days ago...

'Happy friendship day,' texted Mr A.

'Friendship day is for kids,' I smarmily replied.

'I'm young at heart.' came the reply. 

'Oh... me too...!'

Happy friendship day!

==

Was singing "Loving you" after dinner on Saturday... until clone's husband joined in with the 'bugging you' spoof.

Bugging you...it's easy cuz you're buggable... 

Bringing you, the cute bug guitarist...I can't stop replaying this... too cute. Watch watch watch!

cooking together

Me and the gang had a conversation at Everest Kitchen last week.

Me: "I think it's quite sweet if the wife cook for the husband next time." (All the girls around me nodded in agreement.)

Kie: "What if the food is not nice?"

Mr.Josh: "I will still eat it up." (Immediately score many points with the girls!)

Mr.AG: "Or, I will suggest that we can cook together the next round." (So sweet!! Awww...)

Kie: "There are other things we can do together besides cooking."

Ms. S:"Like...?"

Kie answered innocently (?) that one of the things he and the wife can do together next time is sleep together, much to the consernation of the group, bringing us to a state of uproarious and uncontrollable laughter. 

-_-

My trip to the Serangoon Gardens wet market on that morning provoked this conversation. (Kie's parents was there too, not that I was shopping with them.) Mom asked me to buy delicieux yong tau foo and fishballs with the meat in the middle, yum. So I did, and I thought to myself that in future, I will relish the chance of going to wet markets with my MIL and learning how to cook dishes from her. I think it's nice if I can learn from the MIL the favorite dishes of her son (my husband) and replicate them for him! 

I've grown up watching my parents  cook together on weekends - my dad does the wet market shopping and cooks, and Mom chops and slices... and prepares the dips and condiments. Thinking ahead, if I had a chance to learn cooking from my MIL, I'd definitely relish the opportunity. I've always thought that I am quite creative and artistic so I'm sure I can excel in this area, too! Being a Hainanese my tastebuds are quite defined as well...although I have no qualms about eating fast food way too often.

Last week, after praying to God in this area, I realised that it's important, for me, to have me, and him, share 'the same narratives'. I do enjoy doing things together, for me, the joy is in having shared experiences. He doesn't have to come from the same culture, but there needs to be shared ideals in wanting to experience some parts of life, together. Having shared narratives, I believe, bonds the relationship and gives memories of a lifetime.

My ex-colleague, Huntley shared that he wanted to bake a cake for his wife this Valentines'. Self-confessing that he is the ultimate 'cannot cook, never cook' kind of guy, he wanted to bowl her over with this idea. Having baked before, I warned him about the rigors of baking, and although this was a sweet idea, it probably wouldn't succeed on the first try for a non-cooking kind of guy. He has no idea... ... ... I think when we are reminded about what we need to do to cherish love, many guys will go out of the way to show it. 

Sometimes, love doesn't mean that we have to talk to the person everyday, or expect this and that from the person. Sometimes, knowing the person enough, and showing in little ways, how much you care, should be all it takes to cherish love. There's someone I can't get out of my mind, and although I am not so hopeful...I care about him more than I'd like to admit. For girls, we have a 'need to know' about certain things before we even dare to care for someone. Like, firstly... does he have anyone in mind, what does he think about me. We are fearful that 'he's just not that into you', sorry, but no thanks, kinda statements. So we worry, we find out from friends, we try to observe more. But for this fella, I already know more than I should. So how now, brown cow? I guess in the end, all that matters is a happy ending. Will the prince, MY HERO, and me, ride off into the sunset? And live, full of love, happily ever after.

 

Soulfood

After one night of blissful sleep in Melaka, puffy eyes from being an insomniac for 2 weeks - gone, complexion looks pinky and refreshed (no photoshop, only benefit! ) For those who've seen me with puffy eyes.. thus a miracle indeed!

It was a great time to go to Melaka this past weekend. I do feel refreshed.

This two months, I'm aiming not to go out so often.

Here's what's in store:

1. Make a Peranakan beaded slipper. 

After seeing the expensive overpriced ones there, we found a shop selling the templates. Mine will be a salmon pink hue background with a black flower pattern. I chose one of the simplest designs. Hope it's one project I can start and complete, I'm notorious for starting and not completing, my personality type enjoys the feeling of doing something new and interesting...

2. Get back to reading.

I've not read Christian books for some time, having perused most of the leadership and general help titles available. So... after reading 'Quest for Love' by Elisabeth Elliot, over the weekend - Clone's husband lent it to me, I am hooked. Went to this bookstore at Far East Plaza after having a haircut there...

I picked two books, "Let me be a woman" - Fang sister lent to me but it was some time back, and 'These strange ashes" about her first year as a missionary's wife. Many years ago when I was still young, I read and was inspired by Jim Elliot's missionary story, of how he 'got eaten up' by the savages... one of the most inspiring missionary stories I've read. He said this famous quote:

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. 

So I was personally very intrigued to read what his wife, Elisabeth, had wrote.

At the payment counter I spotted a sign stating that Membership is $10... Get 10% off immediately... and above it, 'Birthday month, 30% off'. Wah! What a good deal.

I bounced off to get more books, those books that were highly recommended to me but I never got around to buying it.

So I picked up Stasi Eldredge's 'Captivating', another woman's book. Couple of years back, Jelly mentioned that John Eldredge's 'Wild at Heart' really helped him, and although he didn't read much, this is one book he couldn't stop reading. So he did recommend me to read the female version though I didn't have the heart then. 

I also picked up another John Ortberg (My favorite author, all-time fave!) book, "God is Closer than you think."

And one bookmark and they gave a free devotional.

So...guess how much I paid for 

4 books?

$60!

Wahaha... am so happy!

And when I headed to Sephora, the lady assistant also helped me to save money. I usually have very low sales resistance, usually will buy what they recommend, like a guy... Walk up to them and say, I need this, I need that. Show it to me. I was looking for a blusher as well, but I was dissatisfied with those on sale - they had a good range, but it's hard to find what I was looking for. In the end she told me, 'buy what you need' after I told her I still had 'posietint' - it never finishes... which convinced me not to spend any more. In this worsening economic climate, people are really finding true joy in shopping because instead of wastage, we will think carefully, only buy 1 pair of shoes instead of 2, and feel so much happier wearing them, because we have spent carefully... I'm so glad for her advice. I think this is the first time I've met a cosmetic sales assistant to tell you to buy less instead of pushing some products you don't really need.

Next stop, perhaps I should try the $2 haircut in Melaka next time...

Melaka Weekend Trip Scrapbook

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

some fashion resolutions

Coming from a casual wearing environment I wear nice jeans weekly and tee shirts too. But I am looking forward to dress corporately. It's somehow more chic. I mean, if you can avoid G2000 and find a right fit for trousers (southaven fits my buns well) and find feminine tops and nice shoes. Whee!

Here I make some fashion resolutions for the year. After always telling myself internally but never getting around to announce them.

1. Always double cleanse my face when I wear makeup out. Shocking but I have always neglected to do so... ahhh, can hear my facialist screaming.

2. Don't buy or even step into the nice and cheap jewellery shops like...Diva. I'm always attracted to the chic rings that tarnish within a few weeks. Will save more and go for those better ones like...Thomas Sabo.

3. Don't buy new clothes until I have finished wearing all those I have not worn before. Haha! Well, 2 dresses and 2 tops left to go. Not counting the corporate wear...

4. Wear my Marc Jacobs dresses more often.

5. Stop buying flat shoes. They are too flat, feet ache and back ache. And learn to walk in heels.

6. For that matter, stop buying cheap shoes. They are never comfortable...

7. Get a nice bag I really x 100 like. The Mullberry satchel in sand color, the Lady Dior in gray or red or purple, Marc ... and also carry the bags I spent small bombs on, at least carry it more often...

8. Grow out hair - this is very difficult for me because I have such thick hair I feel like cutting them off all the time - and do a soft perm...always my desire since early 20s and I AM APPROACHING LATE 20s! GAH! 3 more months to a longer hair anyway.

9. Take care of my skin by drinking more water, probably need to start on some collagen or oil pills... use the pore minimizing stuff and serum... this actually works! I look younger! Yea.

10. Stop buying cheapo nail polish and actually try to use up the Opi ones before buying more. And in line with this, always have immaculate nails. I'm quite consistent with that!

Here, my blog shop buys. Yes all that and more. (I bought them when I was still having a salary...) In my opinion, the material is quite good nowadays, or at least as good as those in standard shops. However, the lengths of dresses are often too short for me and most of them only come in one size. But I do like them for their unique designs and cheaper prices.



Got the pale turquoise dress.




My current accessory, Thomas Sabo charm bracelet. No girl's ever too old for a charm bracelet!