:: 真実　自信　素直 ::

my pride. my island(s) paradise~

2011-03-23T02:29:00.003+08:00

one is a tribute to SC2, one's created for teddy, and the very first one (and the largest) is what i would like to invite you to~ ^^

weird alien dream

2011-03-22T23:15:00.001+08:00

i had a super weird dream in which i was on an island with a couple of people (around 40pax) most of them seemed a little slow and indifferent when a strain of alien species in their infant stage attacked the scientists that were holding them for research and ran amok.

i then dreamt that the aliens caused earthquakes on the island with their mental summons of help and revenge. the four floor low-rise concrete building that i was supposed to have spent the night in fell forward smack in the middle of the earthquake as i watched in surprise and relief from the villagers' shack atop the hill overlooking the buildings.

the creatures then appeared at the hilltop village amidst bright sunlight. the dwarven creatures helped their tall leader with huge mental faculties build his cocoon first, then wove cocoons around themselves. they appeared to be absorbing the power of sunlight for their final metamorphosis into their ultimate adult forms.

the villagers were scared crazy and wouldn't go anywhere out of their flimsy shacks, but i took a spear and sniped the cocoon nearest to the shack i was in (they were arranged 6 around the 7th - leader in the middle) the creature died.

so i mustered enough courage to go straight towards their leader and bring it down by way of heart, mind and sight. then presumably i took out the other dwarve-lings.

on retrospect i am not sure what warranted such violence, perhaps the aliens might not have killed us residents of the island. but it seems that all people are born with an innate awareness of their squishiness, and so from the soil of insecurity blooms the red flower of violence and aggression.

i am sorry for having 'killed' the aliens so. and yet, to be safe.. perhaps it is just the dirty way all living organisms were born to be - to live life, to establish security, and in the process, compete for scarce resources.

if i never knew competition nor experienced insufficiency, perhaps i would have built a ship for the aliens to go home. oh well.

Tokyo's Best Maid Cafes

2010-04-26T15:48:00.010+08:00

1. Cure Maid Café

Description: Supposedly the first maid cafe ever.
URL: http://www.curemaid.jp/

Tel: 03-3258-3161
Address: Gee Store 6F, Soto-Kanda 3-15-5, Chiyoda-ku

2. @home café: Moe maid heaven

Description: The insanely friendly and cute maids are masters in conversation. They also chant "moe moe kyun" over your drinks to make them taste better. Certain foods, most famously the omelet rice, include the maid writing on your food with ketchup, as cute little addition.
URL: http://www.cafe-athome.com/
Tel: 03-5846-1616
Address: Mitsuwa Building 4F-7F, Soto-Kanda 1-11-4, Chiyoda-ku

4. Cos-cha: Back to school

Description: Cos-cha is famous for its costumes, including variants such as "school swimsuit" day. Spoon-feeding service starting at ¥500, and for ¥2,500, customers can play a game where they have to drink a vile concoction the maid mixes. Those who fail at this task get a slap in the face in front of the room.
There is a table charge for everyone if anyone at a table orders alcohol. The menu is a bit pricey, and the crowd can get a little rambunctious at night.
URL: http://www.cos-cha.com/

Tel: 03-3253-4560
Address: Soto-Kanda 3-7-12-2F, Chiyoda-ku

5. Nagomi: The 'little sister' café

Description: The girls dress in frilly outfits and call you "big brother." Depending on their mood, they can be kind and sweet or rude and bossy, or both -- an icy-hot routine called "tsundere." Sometimes they bully you for an hour and then cry when you leave. Score some conversation time with tabletop games for ¥500. The old location has limited seating and smells sort of stale and smoky, but the new location on Chuo Dori is touristy.
URL: http://www.nagomi.tv/

Tel: 03-5256-8001
Address: Zenitani 2F, Soto-Kanda 1-8-4, Chiyoda-ku

OTHERS

---------------------
Most foreign friendly: Popopure, which has several non-Japanese, English-speaking maids on site. Dub your own souvenir anime DVD with a maid for ¥1,500. (2F, Soto-Kanda 1-8-10, Chiyoda-ku, tel. 03 3252 8599, popopure.com)

Weirdest service: Royal Milk offers "Soul Care" -- 90 minutes of one-on-one talk with a maid for ¥9,000. This is more expensive than a private English lesson. (Nikka Sekiyuu Building, Soto-Kanda 3-10-12, Chiyoda-ku, tel. 03 3253 7858, r-milk.com)

Strangest concept: St. Grace’s Court is a nun café where the staff offer miniature food for men dining with dolls and pray for the souls of all their guests. (Chiyoda K1 Building 1F-B1F, Kanda Sudacho 2-19-33, Chiyoda-ku, 03 5298 5947, www.st-gracecourt.com)

For the ladies: Queen Dolce, a "danso" café where girls dress up like beautiful boys and strut their stuff. They are better men than any man ever could be. (Akibako Tower 3F, Soto-Kanda 3-15-6, Chiyoda-ku. tel. 03 3252 2031, www.akibakotower.com/queen-dolce)

Most overrated: Pinafore, which appeared in the Fuji TV primetime drama "Densha Otoko" in 2005 and put Akihabara maid cafés on the popular radar. They don't actually offer the services seen on TV, and the place smells like cat urine. (Yamanaka Building 1F, Kanda Sakumacho 1-19, Chiyoda-ku, tel. 03 5295 0123, pinafore.livedoor.biz)

Please read more from where I got this article from:
http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/drink/tokyos-best-maid-cafes-798315
Credit for this post goes to: Patrick W. Galbraith (pictures not included)

a very important date...

2010-04-25T11:49:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday Mummy!! ^^

i wanna go school!!!

2010-04-07T22:45:00.002+08:00

いい仲間の妹さんは可愛くて、頭の回転も速い。
まだ海外で勉強中です。

なんだか学校生活が懐かしい。学生になりたい。

自由を返せ！

2010-04-07T22:21:00.003+08:00

i just want my life back. my lifestyle. my confidence.
utterly sick of myself right now.

新世紀エヴァンゲリオン

2010-04-07T11:50:00.004+08:00

started to re-watch the entire series with teddy.

it reawakened the fan in me - honestly, this was and still is the only anime apart from Miyazaki Hayao's to have impressed me with the amount of research and heart the creator(s) put into it.

Human Instrumentality Project －人類補完計画
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Instrumentality_Project#Human_Instrumentality_Project

Angels - 使徒
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Angels_in_Neon_Genesis_Evangelion

Glossary for Fans - グロッサリ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon_Genesis_Evangelion_glossary

Interesting read for アダム＆リリス。

Quote, “Lilith is named for the first woman God created in Jewish mythology, who left the Garden of Eden after she refused to be subservient to Adam.”

for the tenth time...

2010-04-06T11:26:00.002+08:00

my neighbour accosted me downstairs on my way to work, telling me,

"ah ger ah, tell ur bf to stop feeding you supper!"

=_=

wad a confidence booster to start the day.. well it is my fault for having weak principles when it comes to food. silly pig. perhaps i should take some time off for myself and really contemplate where i'm letting myself go to.

little miss piggy...

2010-04-05T11:30:00.000+08:00

a boring day saw me tuning in to, of all shows, Rachel Ray.

i was cynical at first when they got a diet expert to come sit in the show. basically, he barges into people's homes and affronts them by commenting how he's been stalking them for the past few days and would like to "save your life".

i wonder how he got away from being slapped after insulting the owners of the homes he happens to be trespassing.. but cynicism didn't stop me from taking back an idea i thought might be useful.

he said most people think losing weight is all about eating less and burning more, but that is not all. to address the issue of the problem people must first find out what motivates them to eat.

hmm. that applies to me.. i find stuff to eat when i'm stressed out. comfort food that's usually loaded with refined carbohydrates like potato mash n cookies. even when i'm not hungry.

it's a bad habit and i really need to think of alternative ways to manage my stress than eating. ideas anyone? =P

launch of community sports festival 2010 @ sw

2010-04-04T23:39:00.000+08:00

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20100404/tap-856-5-000-residents-participate-comm-231650b.html

event's finally over.. all of us were drenched with the heavy morning shower, however the people were sporting and we managed to hold the event successfully without any call offs or hiccups. major sleep deprivation for the past week and i only got 2 hours of sleep before my alarm went off in the morning.

took a hot bath and dozed off once i came home.. zzz. need to plaster my blisters later..

a dream. a sign?

2010-03-29T02:36:00.004+08:00

i had a peculiar dream today..

dreamt that i was in a restaurant after teddy broke up with me and i didn't know where to go or what do with myself.

then i decided to accept two friends' invitation to go further uphill, so i stepped out of the restaurant and made my way up the hill with them. halfway through, a thunderstorm hit and we started running through the rain. then i suddenly realised i left my wallet back in the restaurant and told my friends i needed to turn back and would meet them at the destination point later.

it was pouring by the time i returned to the restaurant and i reached in and grabbed my wallet. then i turned around to find a flood had already formed and it had reached the same height as the wooden verandah which i was standing upon.

then lightning streaked across the sky and struck the ground uphill. the water around my feet felt warm and at that moment in time i thought it must be due to the lightning hitting the floodwaters.

anxious to get my feet out of the floodwaters sloshing around my ankles now, i figured the best way was to search for high ground downhill, as lightning continued to hit the upper part of the hill that i was supposed to have passed in order to reach my friends.

downhill. i came across this two-level bungalow that was quite tastefully furnished on the inside - the exterior was made up of two white walls on the left and right, and the front and back had glass panes fitted to let in light. the glass panes on the second level retreated inwards and the space exposed boasted two matt white beach chairs used for sun-tanning.

there was a tumble-tots kinda playground on the left of the residence. the slide in the centre of the playground made a one and a half curl which ended on the rooftop garden of the bungalow, and many single parents had already placed their little toddlers upon the yellow plastic slide to get them out of the water.

i stepped over the congestion and started to assist the toddlers straddling the slide onto the rooftop. after all the parents handed me their babies to place safe and sound on the rooftop garden, i started to take a good look around.

the garden was simple and neat with a clean carpet of well kept grass and low level shrubbery. i saw the lady owner of the house staring behind me at the water and the rain, unable to believe what was happening - the rain, the flood and the people making their way onto her home.

the floodwaters receded soon and i climbed down the house and went uphill to find my friends. gathered on top of the hill was a mass of people. a person with scientific background was explaining what caused the tsunami - global warming had triggered a tilting of a nearby tectonic plate so it was lifted 42ft high, forming a rift of 18m wide.

then my cellphone rang and i picked it up to hear my boss's voice. she was concerned about the situation at hand and how to direct the people to safety should there be a recurrence - which would come eventually if global warming continued its course due to human activities.

already i was joining some people sliding down some metal ladders and along makeshift wooden planks towards the destination we were supposed to be headed towards. it was late evening already, and some of us carried lamps that provided cosy illumination.

it was then that i suddenly realised how much time i've been spending on sites such as F*ceBo0k, and how my life was gradually being absorbed doing things that wouldn't matter to me now. i was no longer in a relationship anymore, and only a few things i used to do really meant anything to me now.

i again remembered how i wanted to build the O3 (ozone) reactor machine during my elementary school days and how my plans came to a standstill when i realised the amount of electrical energy that was needed to produce a single unit of O3 - it was just not energy-efficient. back then my plan was to produce nanomachines that would be able to tap solar energy in the day and heat energy from the atmosphere at night to create O3 molecules via nuclear fission and fusion. these nanobots would be strewn across the atmosphere close to the holes in our ozone layer.

then i found myself involved with the future UN, more advanced in age and owning a group of businesses that afforded me some resources to contribute toward making a difference.

then i woke up.

of wind chimes and water ripples...

2010-03-26T16:13:00.002+08:00

as people are shaped by the environment they magnify the aspects of their surroundings that most resonate with who they are inside. then the results of their efforts to shape that environment enlighten them on the nature of the environment itself and changes the shapers themselves from the inside - to resonate another aspect of the environment. so is there any change at all? pure resonance of absolute vibes?

closure

2010-03-26T16:08:00.002+08:00

threw away past conversations i had with my ex... found the physical papers lying around in my drawers. call it letting go at last? lol.

welcome to my cafe - caramelised

2010-03-26T14:28:00.005+08:00

An overview...

Welcome on in~

Enjoy a hearty meal roasted over our dragon's bonny spitfire ;)

dining by the waterway - beware the SHARK! :-o

There's always room for love~

Will expand on my newest corner on the bottom right - just need to decide if it's gonna be 'candied' theme or the cool 'space' theme.. need more space too so can't wait for the newest cafe expansion to be released!! ^^v

A Bien tot everyone!

dance! Subaru

2010-02-16T01:49:00.003+08:00

watched the movie with my parents today, just to see the tiny 10 sec cameo by DBSG.

a good post i need...

2010-02-01T11:06:00.002+08:00

Lifestyle Tips: Is Multi-Tasking Making You Ill?
By Universal Publishing Service
URL: http://sg.promo.yahoo.com/specialk-sg/tips-and-tools-article?blogid=tips_and_tools&postid=7&viewPost=1

When there just aren't enough hours in the day to juggle job, family, friends and the housework, do yourself a favour and stop trying so hard.

In between holding down a couple of careers, wiping runny noses, sitting on a handful of do-gooding committees, trying to look passably well-groomed and attempting to tame a garden that constantly threatens to turn into Sleeping Beauty's, my best friend and I occasionally find a moment for a brief e-mail exchange. (We live just two streets away from each other, yet hardly spend more time face-to-face than we did when 200 miles separated us.)

Among the 500 or so e-mails that land in my inbox each week, there's an inspirational thought which I sent to my pal for light relief recently. It read: "The best way to get things done is to do one task at a time."

"Hah!", she wrote back at 11 pm after putting her daughter to bed, leafing through some paint charts, folding the laundry and finishing a freelance commission. "Obviously written by a man!".

Whether we call ourselves jugglers or multitaskers, the more we manage to do at once, the more we congratulate ourselves. We iron with a phone tucked under our chin. Grab a sandwich and eat it while working. I'm ashamed to admit I've even been known to snack 'n' drive – once being forced to change gears unexpectedly with my hand in a bag of lobster-flavoured crisps.

"Multitasking" was a phrase first minted (in Silicon Valley) to describe computers that could run more than one program at a time. But in the 21st century, we've all become human multitaskers. And, no question, women are better at it than men. Studies have shown that women use both hemispheres of the brain – while men tend to use one, so they're more "compartmentalised", tending to focus on one thing at a time.

Bestselling "I Don't Know How She Does It" author Allison Pearson sums it up: "We're wired differently. It must be something to do with Early Woman being a gatherer – needing to pick berries while keeping an ear out for the kids and planning what we're going to have for dinner at that cave party a week from Tuesday."

However, research suggests that multitasking might be bad for our memories and our wellbeing. The stress of doing too many things at once can not only strain the brain, but set us up for a raft of physical problems, too.

Dr David Meyer, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan who specialises in cognition and perception, insists, "Chronic multitasking over the years poses a strong risk for ultimate brain damage. As we force ourselves to bounce from task to task, we generate stress. Body and mind gear up to cope by releasing adrenaline. This powerful medicine is good for a crisis – but on an ongoing basis, it's hard on the brain and body."

Stress hormones divert energy from the part of our brain that forms memory (including the hippocampus) to the parts of the body needed for the "fight-or-flight" response. Long-term, this stress can lead to permanent shrinkage of the hippocampus.

What's more, Dr Meyer observed that multitaskers are losing the ability to concentrate. Viz my friend Kate's admission: "I spend more and more time in the office each morning 'going round in my basket' like a dog settling, before I can crack on with my day."

According to Dr Marcel Just, who's researching ageing at Carnegie Mellon University in the US, that's because "there's only so much mental capacity to go around." If you run too many programs at once on a computer, it tends to crash. Ditto human memory – which is what regularly happens to another of my friends Manic Janet, working mother of five-year-old twins: "I was ironing a shirt and the phone went, and then I looked out of the window and thought I'd go and pick a bunch of flowers. I then smelled burning coming from the kitchen – and I'd burnt an iron-shaped hole in my best Nicole Farhi shirt."

Multitaskers also tend to sleep badly, which not only impacts on our immune system, but can increase the likelihood of other stress-related health problems like heart disease.

It's time to reclaim the idea of mono-tasking, that quaint idea of doing one thing at a time. It might just turn out to save our health, wellbeing and our relationships. (And I might get to spend time with my best friend, instead of typing messages to her at 5am).

HOW TO UN-MULTITASK
Not all multitaskers are created equal, so if you want to detox your tasking routine, it helps to take a customised approach. Make one small change at a time. If you give up multitasking completely, you'll be on overload again before you know it.

• The Culture Vulture So much to read (and watch, and listen to) – and so little time. You skim through the newspaper while watching "Desperate Housewives" and beside your bed is a teetering pile of Sunday supplements and mail-order catalogues that you only really attend to when it avalanches to the floor.

The Detox Will the world be any different if you only buy one Sunday paper? Each morning, earmark one or two TV programmes that you'd really like to watch that night and have a long, indulgent girlie chat with a friend rather than squeeze her in while channel-surfing.

• The Office Juggler You pride yourself on being able to cope with whatever your day (or boss) throws at you – but in reality, projects pile up and only get finished when there's a deadline. You probably get in early and stay late, too, to keep on top of your e-mails.

The Detox First, clear your desk so that it's easier to focus on each project. (A carefully-labelled hanging file under your desk is better than a mountain of folders.) Block out periods of time to work on specific projects. But never go more than 90 minutes without a break, because the brain needs time to recharge. Set aside 15-minute chunks, a few times a day, to deal with e-mail, rather than keeping it permanently open – and get a spam filter, so you're not spending time deleting irrelevant info.

• The Domestic Perfectionist You bend over backwards to make sure your home looks like something out of one of those glossy homes magazines you subscribe to. You have a pile of vintage curtains just waiting to be turned into gorgeous cushions, and spend hours spritzing your linen with lavender water. But there are piles of things behind the sofa because you never quite finish tidying one space before moving on to the next – and that mountain of ironing just keeps getting higher.

The Detox Remind yourself that the homes in magazines don't look like that for more than about five minutes. (It takes a stylist and much grooming to get camera-ready, and invariably, just out of shot, there's a vast pile of junk. If not, the place is inhabited by aliens.) Slow down, take a breath and ask yourself: Which is more important, a perfect home, or health and happiness? Buy less, so there's less to tidy. Try folding clothes when they're straight out of the drier, to save time at the ironing board. And why not pay someone to make those pretty cushions for you?

• The Crazed Cook Your kitchen walls are lined with cookbooks and Saturdays are spent dashing around town seeking out tamarind paste. You're constantly tearing recipes out of magazines – but never seem to get round to creating them. In fact, the last time you spent all evening in the kitchen, stirring, pouring, flambéing and crisping with your blowtorch you were ready to collapse.

The Detox Sign up for the Slow Food movement (slowfood.com). Or think like a Frenchwoman: buy the starter, or dessert, so that you're less frazzled and can actually enjoy your friends' company. Enlist their help – dressing the salad, pouring the wine. Have a ruthless cull of your cookbooks, keeping only the books that you refer to time and again. Author Shirley Conran was right when she said that life really is too short to stuff a mushroom.

something to be thankful about ^^

2010-01-27T23:12:00.000+08:00

sometimes, i am thankful for the wonderful colleagues and boss i have right now =)

was losing faith in myself when they pulled me up.
cannot take it for granted.

if they can do it..

2010-01-22T20:20:00.002+08:00

why am i finding it so difficult??

am i really that sucky@ work? :'(

sometimes i see my serious lack of skills and despair..
and it's gnawing into my down time and preventing me from getting any rest..

then i see our Lady in White, a high flier..
and i wonder if it is still possible for a pauper to be taught?
or that's not really me and i should find my own niche to call home and be happy?

where can i find my own bearings?
divine guidance. time to visit some temple or church.
hell, i'm so desperate.

music's always a cure..

2010-01-22T20:16:00.002+08:00

i've stretched my diaphragm till i've hiccups now.
so amusing and irritating at the same time..

sometimes.. i allow myself to dream
to see if life could be different..

i love singing
a singer and not a celebrity
i just wanna sing and sing

to make my own music eventually....

right now i don't know what any of my skills are for.
just for display maybe. lol.

feeling lost again..

2010-01-22T11:15:00.000+08:00

need some inspiration. but no time doesn't wait for anyone..
it is crushing over me.

please stop.
i need to know what i'm doing and
where, if i'm going anywhere.

deep blue

2010-01-22T07:01:00.000+08:00

feel so depressed. i'm not making any progress.
if there's any hell for me, stagnancy is it.

when life's a game of mahjong..

2010-01-04T18:32:00.002+08:00

and you have a good (but not super) mix of cards in every suit.

which path would you choose?

for hello kitty fans

2010-01-04T18:31:00.005+08:00

this site is full of hello kitty stuff it'll make ur head spin

http://www.hellokittyzone.com/

came across this site while googling for hello kitty mahjong sets. lol.

Shakespeare's Perspective

2009-12-28T11:22:00.006+08:00

should Lysander choose to engage in moonlit reverie with Helena after the influence of the flower elixir had been reversed, i wouldn't kill him.

right to judge has never been mine; it lies with Hermia, and if she still loves him.

other people who seek to derive sick entertainment from this, social leverage by way of i-know-more-than-thou, or those launching a holy crusade as an avenue to worship their self righteousness, F off.

the world is round.

~chicken soup with rice~

2009-12-22T15:10:00.007+08:00

if good food has the ability to bring back memories, nothing does it more vividly than the chicken soup with rice that happened to me back in OCS Sri Lanka 20 years ago.

OCS is situated in Columbo and stands for Overseas Children's School. it was built to cater for the education needs of foreign expats' kids (though we always felt that the need for post-lunch fun during recess was greater ^^;; )

i remember it was a chilly day, and all 35-ish of us kids were gathered around the cauldron, jostling each other for our turn to empty our ball of rice into the piping hot chicken broth.

the day before, our teacher had introduced us to a wonderful book by Maurice Sendak titled "Chicken Soup with Rice", and had instructed each of us to bring a ball of cooked rice the next day. we had thai rice, japanese rice, taiwanese rice, korean rice and many other kinds of rice harvested from different places and prepared in different ways..

the effect was marvellous; the savoury broth that danced across our palate with the full bodied aroma of rice. it warmed us right to the cockles of our hearts.. a taste to remember for a lifetime.

三人麻将

2009-12-13T09:56:00.004+08:00

just played 三人麻将 w teddy n sweetie ^^

it's over in an instant! bad for e heart dude...
especially when i haven't drunk enuff from the milk of experience. lol.

Other than diamonds...

2009-12-11T16:28:00.001+08:00

http://de-preciouscollections.blogspot.com/

an example of a girl's best friend - how not to make money??

toony blues

2009-12-09T22:07:00.002+08:00

i've been quite depressed over nothing lately.
and since i can't figure out what's really bothering me cos everything's in a fluffy jumble - i figured maybe it's cos i haven't been having enough sleep.

i've been trying to think of all the nice things that have happened to me
..like how teddy made my day with a squeaky clean floor
..like the petit k session last night with a teddy, sweetie n a boy and gal

rule #32,
enjoy the little things

little steps at a time..
sometimes i wonder if i have wad it takes to measure up to my colleagues.
sigh.

3 pple mahjong

2009-12-08T22:28:00.003+08:00

can induce heart attack.
as usual, my stand is not to play with money.

i don't care about the kick,
but if i have to spend money, don't lemme lose it over a game of chance.
teddy: skill only lets you win 99% (well it's still not a 100%, so there)

might as well save for a uDream XDXD
kekeke..

Sayonara Fats!

2009-12-07T21:33:00.000+08:00

i've gotten the uKimono! ^^
adding onto that i have enforced no eating after 8pm =)

perhaps in a month or two... *crosses fingers*
maybe i should also give up gassy drinks.

when subtlety is not appreciated

2009-12-06T16:24:00.000+08:00

i choose people who burn their bridges
you did not
sorry, guys who test water just aren't my type..

Calpis soured

2009-12-05T22:49:00.000+08:00

the last time i had any real fun was in Dec 2008 when i went Tokyo w cercer, FR and LiLo...
well it was marred by my elders' violent objections cos i 'don't have a house, don't have a car, don't have a year's worth of emergency funds', so on and so forth.

well my stand was (and still is) - by the time i have ALL those, i might already be 99 and too old to flirt and engage in childish flings like nubile (and not so nubile) gals do. it's true that mount Everest won't run away and i could always go when i'm older.. but my current perspective won't last.

for example, back in my schooling days, neoprints meant everything to me.
the same thing to me now is a waste of money and i realise i didn't look half as good as i thought i did. rats.

i guess what i'm saying is that people enjoy the same things in different ways as the years pile on.
a field of grass or a sofa could mean a kingdom to a child, but i don't think i still see evil sorcerers to be slain on the couch opposite.
what i enjoy now though is the material comfort.. the style.. the tangibles (ahh.. the pleasure of cool velvet)

truth is, i've traded my superpowers for carnal pleasure and now i feel shortchanged.
it's silly, and i suppose many people may find that they too, did silly things when they were younger.
time to grab a fresh pair of perspectives to wear when looking back at memories. practicality is not rose tinted glass.

now that i have more than a year's worth of emergency funds to my name, nothing will stop me from going abroad next year. mwahahaha~~~

sigh.. i need an overseas trip because i want to have fun and not end up as the frog in a well. prude prudence will have her time when her time comes. right?

+++

teddy said that wasn't the last time i had lotsa fun.
well he's right.
let me rephrase myself - i meant having mental stimulation by travelling abroad and experiencing life from an outsider's point of view. i love being a tourist.

A Big Thank You

2009-12-01T18:33:00.000+08:00

thank you everyone.
i loved my birthday.

and to the silent well wishers,
thank you too.

doing a mental backtrack of the places i've visited over the last half day

2009-11-14T09:54:00.000+08:00

where the hell is my cellphone..

thoughts on "unbreakable"

2009-11-13T23:56:00.001+08:00

i watched a movie "unbreakable" with teddy on Friday. i can't remember what the disc box was like - though i suppose it came with a crusty old cover.

anyways, the lead char was played by Bruce Willis - who is unbreakable and survives several horrific accidents before he meets his double "Mr Glass" who has brittle bones and takes damage easily.

at some point during the movie, teddy made a comment that the character played by Bruce Willis was "not happy" because he had to "give up his dreams" for his wife - he gave up playing soccer in the school team for her and ended up working as a security officer at a soccer stadium after graduation.

that got us into a heated argument that fizzled out 3 minutes later. teddy's argument was that the wife was the source of Bruce's unhappiness. i had a rather different perspective though.. unhappiness comes when you make a choice AND still want to have the best of both worlds. and the spouse inevitably becomes a convenient, unfortunate target - because our unhappiness is never a result of our own shortcomings.

fingers aside, i thought it was sweet gesture on Bruce's part and if i were the wife i would be grateful (and thankful) to have such a swell husband to dote on.

Guangzhou Overseas Retreat 2009 - Day 5 (6 Nov)

2009-11-06T14:10:00.004+08:00

Mr Simon, Hazel & I @ the Ruins of St Paul's

Erik, Mr Derrick, Mdm Sally (Mrs Derrick), Mel, Hazel, Josie, Nancy (Ikchin Travel) & Mr Chan (who happened to stroll by..)

Erik, Mel, Hazel, Zhu Na (our local tour guide), Josie and Nancy

Josie, Erik, Mel, =D, Hazel and =D's hubby

Mel, Mr Kasmuri PBM, Josie

*Comments

These are the few shots in which you could see my face. Once the cameras were gone I was either hiding behind a statue, signboard, or trying to squeeze into the tiny lil shadow afforded by my handbag... awfully, searing hot UV-laden rays are my kryptonite.

Guangzhou Overseas Retreat 2009 - Day 4 (5 Nov)

2009-11-05T13:57:00.001+08:00

Fish Woman Statue in Zhuhai - A romantic tale of undying love between a fisherman and the daughter of the Dragon King.

*Comments

We had lunch at the Zhuhai Chang'An Hotel. There, we had the honour of meeting the head of Zhuhai Tourism Board who wowed everyone with his reception speech. I was utterly impressed and resolved there and then to improve my command of Chinese and to talk more eloquently and graciously henceforth. He was a top notch host, and I can only guess how the officials right at the top could be. Definitely an eye opener and I am so lucky to have been there.

Guangzhou Overseas Retreat 2009 - Day 3 (4 Nov)

2009-11-04T13:42:00.002+08:00

Mr NHH, Hazel (my boss - thin hor? ^^), Josie (my super experienced colleague), myself and Mr MM

plumpy, hazel (maybe i should stand further away from her thinness next time lol), josie (another thin soul), and Erik (the tallest guy in our office)

*Comments:
gosh i've a fat face ^^ heez.. this was taken at the 5 rams' statue in Guangdong Yuexiu Park.

Guangzhou Overseas Retreat 2009 - Day 2 (3 Nov)

2009-11-03T14:04:00.004+08:00

one of the more embarrassing moments of my life ^^;;
song being sung "小薇"(Xiao Wei)

looking at the size of my arm, perhaps i should be nicknamed "大薇"(Da Wei) instead!
Lydia was trying to tie something in my hair... > <

ワシはニャンコだ！ちゃうちゃう...　招き猫じゃろう？
カワイイぃっしょう!　^^v

wad GREAT friends are for..

2009-10-27T14:36:00.004+08:00

thankies to yeppushi for bein with me when i cried myself hollow over my grandpa's demise.
i once called her a 'permanent fixture' in class - and she has hammered me constantly over that ^^;;

heh. but i'm so glad i have such a solid friend around through thick and thin.
makes me feel like superman..

i'm still around...

2009-10-27T12:45:00.002+08:00

apologies for the long lag in posts.
it's just that recently much of my time has been spent at work and i would like to keep what happens at work at work.

will make a point to breathe some life back into my blog again.

byebye grandpa

2009-10-27T12:31:00.004+08:00

grandpa left us today..

apart from holding back tears at the workplace, i'm also aware of my responsibility to comfort my mom and dad.

i don't know what to say that would make them feel better. really. apart from all the hackneyed cliches that doesn't bring grandpapa back to life.

it sucks that i'm not in taiwan beside my grieving parents.
perhaps let numbness take over till i get home?

miss you much.

Happy Birthday Teddy!

2009-10-07T01:00:00.002+08:00

Here's wishing you a fruitful and blessed year ahead =)
Hope you liked the Moonkin~ ^^

i wanna write a book...

2009-09-09T09:09:00.000+08:00

do you think i have the courage to start and determination to finish?
let's start first.

irritating peeps.

2009-08-30T11:43:00.002+08:00

my email signature reads "People's Association".

having read that, why ask me "eh, when u join PAYM?"
PA is not equal to PAYM, so if you have eyes enough to see, please READ.

another thing. if ONE MORE PERSON mis-spells my name as "MELANDU"
i shall feel the urge to mis-spell his / her name in the return mail.
grin.

mel has decided to

2009-08-26T18:33:00.001+08:00

1. be in bed and unresponsive to calls by 2300,
2. have three servings of veggies or fruits each day,
3. decline to eat food after 2000
4. cut back on unnecessary spending
5. and not stop the above till my weight comes down to 47

kel's kitchen

2009-08-25T09:05:00.002+08:00

The steak was well browned on the outside and pinkish on the inside ^^
*yum yum*

added to that there was 'bangers and mash' n gravy.
how not to put on weight? lol

[grainy, low res pic to be uploaded]

夏祭り2009

2009-08-22T23:03:00.000+08:00

[写真はもうすぐアップします]

a good morning swim

2009-08-21T13:00:00.002+08:00

had a wonderful time at e JE sports complex this morning.
let's go again!! =D

song dedication to teddy

2009-08-19T10:24:00.002+08:00

Faith Hill "The Way You Love Me"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbxyw1PH5lI

If I could grant
You one wish
Id wish you could see the way you kiss
Ooh, I love watching you
Baby
When youre driving me crazy

Ooh, I love the way you
Love the way you love me
Theres nowhere else Id rather be
Ooh, to feel the way I feel with your arms around me
I only wish that you could see the way you love me
The way you love

Its not right
Its not fair
What youre missing over there
Someday Ill find a way to show you
Just how lucky I am to know you

Ooh, I love the way you
Love the way you love me
Theres nowhere else Id rather be
Ooh, to feel the way I feel with your arms around me
I only wish that you could see the way you love me
The way you love me

Youre the million reasons why
Theres love reflecting in my eyes

Ooh, I love the way you
Love the way you love me
Theres nowhere else Id rather be
Ooh, to feel the way I feel with your arms around me
I only wish that you could see the way you love me
The way you love me
The way you love me

Ooh, the way you love me
The way you love me

happy 44th birthday Singapore!

2009-08-09T23:48:00.004+08:00

it's been more than 10 years since i've called this place home.
just wish to say thanks for all the memories, and to the people who made a positive difference to my life.

happy birthday irene

2009-08-04T09:03:00.000+08:00

[photos to be uploaded soon]

ripped from my player..

2009-08-02T09:49:00.004+08:00

1. YouTube - Eminem - We Made You (Official Music Video)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkmp9Q4DUeU

2. YouTube - Pitbull I Know You Want Me with Lyrics
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fVQzaBRoE4

3. YouTube - Lady GaGa - Poker Face [official MV]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_iypKE2JQM

4. YouTube - Kanye West - American Boy (feat. Estelle)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjlOYHpi-A0

5. YouTube - Sara Bareilles - Love Song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AbFcFCnsHY

Melandering Heights

2009-07-31T11:42:00.009+08:00

(a chapter off my to be published book. lol.)

The landlady approached her son, who was as voluminous as the layers of her velvet red dress.

He turned around, wiping the powdered sugar from his mouth with the back of his felt sleeve - the remnants of last night's present of Turkish Delight. It had been a secret present to him from Mary, and the maids had smuggled it up to his room the night before.

"The Lady of Devonshire has recommended two bonnie young lasses for your consideration" she announced, as she gestured her permission for the maids to serve tea, which was brewed from the finest of Ceylon's produce that year.

"Elizabeth is the bonnier of the two.. although I propose Juliet, who has a far greater estate promised to her should her ailing brother cease to be"

The son rose and patted his rotund belly, pursing his lips as he mused over the difficult decision he had to make. It was with great reluctance that he had to let Mary go, a decision proposed and seconded by his mother. Afterall, Mary had become more than just a maid but an intimate companion to him over the past fortnight. Their moonlit reveries were the best known secret amongst all of Praire.

Without their father, mother and son had to worry about sustenance. To have to lose the kind of lifestyle one had grown so accustomed to was the worst form of punishment he could think of at the moment. It seemed that all hope for a future between himself and Mary were lost.

Well then, he could not possibly be blamed for letting go of her; poor people had no luxury for love. "Juliet is by far the bonnier lass mamma" he said, "all the members down at the Club think so"

"That is because her estates make up for the inadequacy of assets" his mother quipped, ".. and your choice my darling?"

He seemed to agree.
"Well I'll have Juliet, and and if Elizabeth still wishes to have me I will wed her next year"

old scars

2009-07-14T15:22:00.005+08:00

when people say how words can cut
i didn't understand how close to 'literal' it can get
well now i do

my water colour painting

2009-07-09T11:49:00.000+08:00

hey peeps, i really liked the kimono and obi featured in the han-darari photo below.

in fact, it inspired me so much i decided to do a watercolour replica of it.

well it's not an exact replica, but it will do for now ^^
perhaps acrylic colours will achieve brighter colours for a better effect.

yuugen

Japan Summer Festival 2009 @ JPS

2009-07-06T12:18:00.005+08:00

ikkouka? it is a once-a-year chance to re-master one's obi tying skills.

Date: Saturday, August 22, 2009
Time: 5:30pm - 10:00pm
Location: Japanese Primary School (Changi)

.........................................................................

i would like to learn tateya-musubi very much, however i need a furisode first.

han-darari style of tying the obi is simple and pretty too. however it is not suitable for the yukata.

my home will have a kimono collection >.<
........................................................................

maybe i should learn the art of tying the otaiko-musubi.

hai minna, the picture below shows various parts of the yukata and their respective names:

Some interesting links i came across today:
http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/ (this one has a number of good refs)
http://www.immortalgeisha.com/ (for geisha lovers)
http://kimonoandkitsuke.blogspot.com/ (a blog about kimono)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45538273@N00/sets/72157615311387396/ (mind blowing knots)

Jane and Tarzan...

2009-06-10T12:33:00.000+08:00

blobs of fat... ^^

say hi to these two cutey pies~ ^^

yummiest breakfast

2009-06-08T00:51:00.000+08:00

would be one shared with you...

thank you darling

/huggies

:: 真実 自信 素直 ::