TINCT

Someday this pain will be useful / Someday this will be funny

2012-02-01T15:53:00.001+08:00

Today, I decided that all that happened is finally funny.

So I am documenting it down for future yuntian to read.

'It's up to you,' you said, the graciousness of the cheater towards the cheatee.
I guess I don't believe in a small break. I feel a break is a break, and if it starts small, it only gets wider. So I said I wanted you to stay, even though nothing could stay the same. (hiatus, n)

The day after I found out, I found myself in the library. I remembered thinking that I had to get some normalcy in my life, so I got my usual salad, soy milk and sat with my wealth management notes.

I sat and stared, and I thought, I can't do this anymore. It wasn't a thought, more of a feeling. I didn't want to know who they were, or what you did, or that it didn't mean anything.

I stayed anyway.

Those few first weeks after I found out, I wasn't sure if we were going to make it. We spent so long working to be sure of each other, and suddenly we weren't sure again. I didn't know whether or not to touch you, sleep with you, or to say anything that could possibly affirm you that everything was alright.

'This has to stop,' I say. 'You have to stop hurting me. I can't take it. I really can't take it.'
'I know you can't take it,' you say. 'But is that really my fault?'

You said terrible things.

You said I was partly to blame for what you did. You said I wasn't trying hard enough to forgive you.

Yet, I didn't make the decision to leave right away. How could I possibly do that?

Eventually, I did. It's quite possibly the best decision I made last year.

In retrospect, there was a lot more wrong between us than we thought.

I was hurt. Of course I was hurt. But in a perverse way, I was relieved that you were the one who made the mistake. It made me worry less about myself. (fallible, adj)

Currently obsessing over David Levithan's The Lover's Dictionary.

Quoted him shamelessly on all the italicised lines.

2012-01-30T02:15:00.003+08:00

The first three nights we spent together, I couldn't sleep. I wasn't used to your breathing, your feet on my legs, your weight in the bed. In truth, I still sleep better when I'm alone. But now I allow that sleep isn't always the most important thing.

The Lover's Dictionary, David Levithan

Oh, and you might like this <3

This is the first day of my life, I'm glad I didn't die before I met you

2012-01-25T02:18:00.006+08:00

I was tempted to start this off with, 'Have you met Candice?' but I am sure you would have. She appears so much here that I think we might as well co-host Tinct.

This is Cand <3

She is annoyingly hot. I mean look at her legz. And her Jeffrey Campbells.

You know you love a girl way too much when you're willing to put up an unflattering shot of yourself just to showcase her. THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE.

Cand's basically my life support system in school, internships, church, clubs, gym... actually I think we spend way too much time together. We can talk about anything and everything, and we dress alike. Actually if you just dissect out parts of our lives and do a regression (haha), I think the correlation's quite high.

We are so similar it's quite laughable.

Take for example:

1. Dressing

Floral prints on the first day of school: Year 3 Sem 2

Epic clash on FIIM lesson day: Year 3 Sem 1

These are extreme examples. There are so many other days in which our outfits are 75% alike and we just pretend to walk as far away as politely possible while avoiding curious stares.

This get so terrible that we actually coordinate our outfits on a daily basis.

'Hi, just a heads up, I'll be wearing my maroon skirt with my black top tomorrow.'

'Omg I wanted to wear that. Okay, I shall wear something else then.'

Gay.

2. Our Poses

Note angle of knees, folding of arms, tilt of the head.

Unintended, I swear.

Parallel arms (le sigh Cand we are so gay)

Facebook sometimes recognises us to be the same person.

3. Shopping Habits

London

Maybe the reason why we dress so alike is because we shop together all the time. Here we are in London, I think spending more than 1000pounds between us all.

We'll be like each other's moms and whisking off bits of clothing to do like, 'Oh I think Cand would like that!' etc.

Knightsbridge

And here we are, exactly a year ago, spending more than $700 SGD just because Cand had a birthday discount and we needed a reason to leave the library.

Barely a month old Prada

And then I met her during Summer 2010 when I just came back from the US and we just got the same wallets. Seriously? It's one thing to finish each other sentences and other to telepathically buy the same things.

As if that's not enough, we adore the same literature, the same bands, take the exact same majors and are going to exchange together next semester. (I realised I can't write this in any way that would make me sound less psychotic and needy)

2009

As you can see, we didn't start out so similar though. She was this avid hockey sportsgirl and I was fresh out of a dental clinic.

We then partied it up alot and bonded over copious amounts of flamings.

2010

We even managed to sneak in boy & boob advice in between all that.

In between all that, we also memorised each other's outfits and make up routines and even lingerie sets.

'Do you wanna get this thong? It'll match your XXX bra!'

Yes that happens. All the time, actually.

The dungeons of the library

Well, it's not all party and games. Cand and I spend 80% of our time in the library. During the exam period we'd hole up in there for 16hours a day. It isn't pretty. Sometimes we leave the hall smelling like mould and the sweat of anxious freshmen.

Investors' Relations event

I mean, yes, you can paint us to be party girls for all you want, but we do serious things too.

Like (feeble attempts) to advance our careers and expand our social network by going for things such as these. Because life gets very tough and confusing sometimes, and Cand's always always there to watch my back.

As much as none of us would like to admit it, this whole career/success/internship thing is really nerve-wrecking. Pile up them with school and boys who doesn't text and awful family occurrences and you get a bunch of non-functional human beings.

It's really good to find someone who'll see you through all those moments.

Sigh I am going to cry already.

Montmarte, Paris

And here we are frolicking in Europe.

-

Cand is the perfect girl to take on a girl's night out, to meet your mom and even to impress your boss.

She's also the girl who'll hop into a bouncy castle with you, hold your hair while you throw up, punch the boy who's mean to you (and make him send you home because he should).

And she is also the same girl who'll cry with you on a particularly sad day, on a gym mat, because life is not working out.

I think that's pretty impressive, don't you think?

Love you darling, happy 22nd birthday :)

It's you and me against the world!

Get to know Candice HERE.

Happy Birthday, Candice!

2012-01-25T01:09:00.003+08:00

It was Cand's birthday last week and it was a two-day affair cos:

A) I planned it and I am like this overzealous planner

B) Cand deserves it she is one of the most wonderful people I've met :')

C) More excuses to meet the girls!

Day 1: Glorious tea at Baracks, Dempsey.

Scones and tarts and cakes and breads and fruits and teas and a heartbreaking 2000 calories.

The spread wasn't fantastic but the company and the view was, so GO! And Spa Espirit made the entire space smell so nice.

The birthday girl <3

Noticed anything different? Lucky lass got her braces removed just in time for her birthday!

Phototaking in the bathroom because the lighting was impeccable.

And then we decided to make more GIFs.

I promise not to make anymore, okay? I'm sorry this is like a plague.

And I don't even have original moves to show off (damn).

Unlike my friends who clearly has so much to offer.

AND THIS IS MY FAVOURITE.

All time favourite.

1. Here's Lorna looking absolutely adorable.
I would hold my baby up to her and let her take care of it all day.

2. Tiff looking all mumsy and offering food.
This is a lie. I would not ever entrust my pets/babies/living things to Tiff they would starve. She would feed them toast and Dom.

3. Xin flashing the contents of her mouth which happens to be one of the fluffiest tau sa pau I've ever tasted.
She already has a boyfriend so don't worry about her (making awful faces), she is entitled to such privileges.

4. Denise cracking some weird Egyptian dance moves.
Strangely hypnotic though, I watched her like 8times in a row without realising it.

5. And then there's Rachel.

Day 2: Brussel Sprouts & Filter

I've probably introduced my homeboys before. Here's Kel & Ben. We do everything together (except girly teas). They just came back from their exchange/internship, so we've been spending a lot of time together. We have this whatsapp group called, 'A+ Dream Team' because we are. We've got just the right % of flower and power.

We GTL (Gym, Tan, Laundry), trek to swamp lands for korean food/kebab/chicken rice, stay up till 6am to do work and we swear a lot. And make lots of dirty leery jokes.

I love it. They are a terrible influence on me, especially Kel.

I love them to bits.

And here's the party!

Happy birthday Candice.

I love you so so so much.

P/S I am gonna actively restrain myself from talking too much about Cand cos I'm gonna do this entire Have You Met Candice post which is going to be the mother of all promos HAHA. I should do advertising.

Don't talk to girls, they'll break your heart

2012-01-25T00:26:00.002+08:00

Hello marshmellowz

So the series, 'Haaaaave you met ____' continues today.

During one of our (many hedonistic) girly teas, I found out that more of my girls have their own sites! What better way to decorate my page than pretty faces on the sidebar, right?

1. Meet Lixin, or aka xinxin, or the girl with the fanciest dresses camping out in the library.
(Seriously, I haven't caught that girl in repeating outfits - poor Uncle Leo - $$$)

Her tumblr's quite amazing, no really, look.

Xin is my dancing-queen-role-model because she can shuffle in her 5inch boots and make it look uber badass. I look like a chicken when I shuffle, I'll do it for you in exchange for a shot. Or alternatively, return to find me at 315am, then ask me again.

Xin, 'Hahaha i love how we go into spasm mode when we make gifs!
This is me seducing 6 guys at the same time.'

And she has epic captions too (totally LOLcakes)

2. Meet Lorna.

I always tell my friends that if I am ever gay/a man, I would fight the rest of the boys to the bone to chase Lorna. And she has a million suitors, just that now she is with Daniel. (All the better, my competition's been withered down to one, *psycho laughter*)

Lorna possesses the magical ability to make EVERYONE else in the photo look like a troll. Here is a classic example. I don't think I am ugly, and I might even be fair, but when posed next to Lorna... my complexion dulls by 200% and my face suddenly seems to be abnormally asymmetrical.

I mean, just look.

She can also cook (makes heartbreakingly awesome sticky toffee pudding), dance really well (she's the vice-president of the salsa dancers), and is super lovable (in mannerisms and words and otherwise).

Putting the rest of us to shame

This might sound like I have crush on her, well I do!

Most of us do.

You lucky bastard you Daniel. (Check him out too!)

3. Last but not least, meet Denise.

She is one of those annoying girls who are infinitely tiny and makes me feel like a giant orge standing next to her all the time. We are also called the Susheela's Darlings (Cand, Rachel, Denise & I) cos we aced this class and the Prof adored us (but then again, who doesnt?).

Just look at us!

That's D, in the middle, right there.

Fine, here's a better photo

As I said, she is TINY. She is standing on a ledge to be the same height as me.

Hello shorty <3

I joked that I could qualify to be her boyfriend with my height.

Le Sigh.

All from Denise's!

I'm sorry about Rachel. She's so weird.

K bye.

Let's make more of the night

2012-01-22T02:05:00.011+08:00

It's clear you're not thinking straight
For you I'll delineate
A tale to keep you around
Snake bite, frost bite, an ultrasound

<3

Hello from Indonesia.
It's pretty dreary here, wish I was back home with you guys.

I'm already wrinkly from having too much 'adult' interaction.

Edit/
Today Min tweeted this at me:
@minettejoseph: @yuntianchia sounds like you RT @drunkoffquotes: I swear he's cute, hold on . . . LET ME FIND A BETTER PICTURE!

Hahahaha this is true on some occasions - but I swear he's cute THIS TIME.

These things are keeping me sane around here. And the whatsapps that floods in everytime i get wifi (hi girlies!)

My vacation company consists of my own arguably likeable family (my sister would strongly contest that statement), Dad's dumb jock friends way back from school and their (plastic) trophy wives - who are COMPLETE MILFs if I might add.

So I need a lot of sanity doses around here before I go into a rage and start yelling, 'Come at me bitch, I'm gonna cut your face!*'

Nah it's not that bad, I'm just jealous cos they are really very hot :<

*I apologise if it's your first visit here, things are usually more sunshine and Popsicle

Let me make you happy / I wanna make you feel alive at night

2012-01-18T04:53:00.001+08:00

Hello.

Have you met Tiff yet?

Oh, you haven't?

Well you should because:

#1: Tiff improvises the most epic dance moves on the mambo dance floor.

It's so faux-badass that it's silly.

#2: She is also very geeky and makes socially awkward faces (like, all the time)

#3: On good days she pulls off the cute Korean faces.

We don't get to see this much though, she is mostly grumpy in the library. The rest of us are scared of her library face, and we make earnest offerings of salads and scones to keep her happy O.O

#4: One major misconception about Tiff is that she is this bitch/ice-queen/unapproachable girl with the silky long hair, but I assure you none of that is true. (Well, except for the silky long hair) She is actually really retarded and funny and has a really wicked sense of self-depreciating humour.

#5: Tiff also possesses other very strange (but darling!) quirks - like talking to inanimate objects. She suffers severely from the single child syndrome, so if you see her in the library talking to her pens... it's fine. That's normal for her. Let her be.

So I met Tiff today and went for a Bondue event and we made a toast to 'Awesome internships, endless Friday nights and cute boys'. It was one of those days where everything felt like it was going to fall in place, you know?

We then trekked to Lido for supper, all the while marching and shuffling and singing club songs off-tune.

We ended up talking for hours over coke and fries.

It's pretty amazing how we just rambled endlessly about everything.

I love you eh tiffy chia.

So yea here it is, I joked about starting a twitter trend #FunFactsAboutTiff101.

I decided to do it here instead.

What more could you want in a girlfriend, right? (:

Get to know Tiff more here: PBR

P/S:

Me, 'I love India, let's go to India!'

Her,'Then how to wear contact lens?'

Me,'WHAT THE WHAT?'

She means that India's water mostly unsanitary, so she's worried she can't wash her hands properly and thus not get it clean enough to wear her contacts. Now, how on earth are we suppose to get that from what she said?!

Well, I am not discounting that she might be a little... different.

#YouHaveBeenWarned

What Sarah Said

2012-01-14T18:31:00.000+08:00

What Sarah Said, DCFC

'il m'aime' he loves me,

'un peu?' a little?

'beaucoup!' alot!

'passionément' passionately,

'a la folie' unto madness?

'il m'aime, pas du tout' he loves me, not at all.

2012-01-13T20:29:00.000+08:00

Nothing says happy like a penguin with a bow tie.

Hi guys, I direct your attention to the side bar below my bubba tank (have you fed my fishes today?).
I've added Tiff & Loks to the mix!

-

Tiff writes for PBR, and I'm a super fangirl, because how she blogs is exactly how she talks. If you know her you'd probably be able to hear the words in her voice.

'So, how have you been? I've been great. I would be better i I didn't have a lizard living in my room. I think I know where its secret hideout is - that little nook between my desk and my wall. Its like the nocturnal version of a rooster; it chuckles at 1am until I yell at it to shut up (and the best part? It actually listens to me).'

-

And I adore Rachel's livejournal, beguilebones. It's one of those blogs that I read and repeat the lines in my head, and cry/laugh. She's a really good writer, and I am embarrassed to say I've stalked all her posts.

'You've got to love thoughtcatalog. I love how it makes me feel like I'm not the biggest weirdo on Earth. Like I'm not all alone in this murky weirdness water.

It makes me feel just that little less sorry for myself that I'm so weird, and that I get people telling me to cheer up and to stop being emo just because it's physically impossible for me to maintain a tranquil "natural" look on my face without look completely spastic. Yes, I've tried un-furrowing my brows but hey partypeople, here's the scoop. I look a) retarded b) spastic c) ridiculous d) like I'm about to break into a psychotic rage fit thing.'

You see?
I thank the universe for blessing me with such awesome friends.

And also for (1) the boy at my college's computer help desk who randomly gifted me with Windows 7, and (2) the super smart friend who sat me down for an hour to tell me how to ace my interview.

I'm generally a very blessed girl. I should strive to be happy.

How to be skinny

2012-01-12T03:05:00.000+08:00

Contemplate dinner. Resist the oversized toblerone bar in the fridge. Proceed to the wardrobe and pick out an outfit (well, it is Saturday night). Pick out the tightest fitting dress. Angle side-ways and mutter disapprovingly of your waistline.

'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.' Chant that repeatedly. Meditate if necessary.

Cave in and have some dinner. Realize that it doesn't taste that good anyway. Sulk.

Resist giant toblerone again. Brush your teeth. Put on retainers if necessary (It functions like an additional armor/barrier, you'll see). Put on dress 2hours early anyway just to remind yourself of how potentially skinny you might look. Put on your heels.

Totter haphazardly to Zouk. The pain is worth it. Your shoes cost 100pounds and 5inches high. Remember, you are working out 5 different muscle groups just to stand up straight.

Greet friends warmly. Drink copious amount of tequila. Lose all inhibitions. Have a dance-off with your (impossibly hot) writhing girlfriends.

Get nauseous, throw up. Head to supper with friends anyway because you get to hang out with that cute boy for a while longer. Get home, throw up more. Curse the impending hangover.

Wake up, with 2 hours of sleep. Curse the hangover. Head to gym to work off all the alcohol in your body. Run 5km at a self-loathing speed.

Rinse & Repeat for the whole of December.

Ta-dah.

*The Oversized Toblerone Bar is inspired by Jaslyn's hideous experience fighting it. She failed.

So, I might be allergic to alcohol.

The day before term started, I drank too much and I had this strange rash all over me. I decided that it was imperative that I documented it, i.e. photo evidence. So, I did.

I then sent it to (some unfortunate) friends on whatsapp.

Here are some photos which I took that morning which did not contain the rash and/or weird parts of my body. It was a pleasant surprise when I found them though - I could hardly remember how it happen.

This was on burst.

I'm secretly a godawful narcissist.

Is it out of line, if I was to be bold and say, 'Would you be mine?'

2012-01-07T04:07:00.003+08:00

Whistle for the Choir - The Fratellis

I don't classify myself as a fan girl of sorts (I generally don't like to like things, because it means that I might be sad in its absence. Take for example my brief obsession with Cookie Clots. I faithfully patronised 7-11 for a month just to get them. Then one day, the supplies ran out, and they decided not to restock it anymore. I was heartbroken, to say the least, and I suffered withdrawal symptoms for weeks after.), so its a big deal when I say I adore these guys.

How can anyone resist lyrics like these:
You're so sweet to try, oh my, you caught my eye
A girl like you's just irresistible.

Anyway I am starting on my Fratellis cycle again because I was sad and Dennis decided that I needed a (new) happy theme song for my life, and he offered Shuffle by Bombay Bicycle Club, which had lyrics like, 'Why won't you believe it until its gone.'

Being the hyper-sensitive lyric type person, I would obviously not opt for that to be my theme song.

Besides, I am still in love with that song. To be precise, I am still in love with how the song makes me feel. Therefore, the Fratellis are once again (officially) my new rave band.

Note: The Fratellis broke up in 2009, or should we say 'entered an indefinite hiatus'. I count the break up as one of the biggest tragedies in my teenage years. Kids, this reinforces the fact that you shouldn't be too in love with anything. Especially not Cookie Clots.

It's a party!

2012-01-03T23:01:00.000+08:00

Shing's leaving (again) for Bangkok in two days. I am going to be lonely & sad at home. Take me out, my friends.

Meet Raph, Cand's boy. He gave me a rose to cheer me up today. He also loaned me Seasons 1-3 of 30 Rock, guess I'll be holed up at home staring at Tina Fey till school starts (YAY)

Tiff and I while doing nails. She's so retarded, she didn't realise she was supposed to move for a GIF so you can spot her smiling for approximately five frames. I think she is my blurest close friend.

Here is Tiff getting better at making GIFs. Very repetitive movements, but you've gotta give it to her for her enthusiasm. Meet Amelia, she's really pretty. I seem to be blessed with a angelic circle of girls.

Here's Ashwin, he is leaving for ESADE, Barcelona for exchange this Sunday. He is my favourite Indian friend.

Ash again, because he has so much to offer, we had to do two GIFs. Check out his retarded 'I'm-going-to -the-dentist!' face.

More pictures backlogged from a long while back - they've been nestling in the iPad.

It was Christmas day, K & I messing around in the car as usual. In case you're wondering, no, it wasn't me who decorated it. These gay things are always relegated to the baby sister.

Panda x Apple, with Shing's new toy on my hair. She seems to be obsessing over it a lot.

Finally, something that I decorated. Note the difference in choice of stamps and frames, haha. Check out the previously mentioned rose.

Raph decorated this. Quite impressive I must say.

Cand, Ash & I! We tackled this finance mod together and survived. Hollah to us.

Forever a fan of ribbons.

Sorry, I don't get flowers very often. So I am pushing it in your faces once again.

Finally, meet Flower. Jaslyn's darling poodle. I'm a proud god mom, she (kinda) adores me. She gets jealous and hyper affectionate when I cuddle up to Skittles (Jas' other dog). It's cute.

Teehee, awww.

Life's been kind, lately. I am so blessed to be surrounded by a bunch of really loving people. I just wish all the boys from the past would stop assaulting me. Hi, I'm quite vulnerable, please leave me alone.

-

Watch out Cupid
Stuck me with a sickness
Pull your little arrows out
Let me live my life

Sick Muse, Metric

Got bruises on my knees for you

2012-01-03T04:43:00.000+08:00

I tried to do handstands for you

I tried to do headstands for you

Every time I fell on you yeah every time I fell

I tried to do handstands but every time I fell for you

I'm permanently black and blue, permanently blue for you

London Calling

2012-01-02T18:07:00.002+08:00

Now get this

London calling, yeah, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
London calling at the top of the dial
After all this, won't you give me a smile?

The Clash

I adored London.

To personify this a little, Paris is like this lovely, brooding teenager whom you really want to be friends with. She's volatile, yet charming. London will be this exciting young man who's really hearty, accepting, and fun. I can see myself living in London, definitely. It certainly helped that we have friends studying there who took brilliant care of us (:

Meet Cassie, studying in LSE! She is one of the nicest people I've ever met. She bunks with Bjorn, chef & incredible host, who made us all pistachio icecream (from scratch, no less!) with waffles. Yum. She also owns a really bouncy air mattress.

At Trafalgar

Just to make a point: US at Trafalgar.




Cand did a really good job with the pictures! Aren't they pretty?

More orgasmic photos from Cand

Oxford Street Joy: We visited the Topshop and I alone burnt 300pounds there. You will understand when you get there. Imagine 5 levels of pure heaven: Topshop in-house labels, other labels like Lipsy & Office, an entire level for bags, an entire level of shoes, about 12 different accessory rack EXCLUDLING Freedom jewellery, an frozen yogurt stand, a cupcake stand, hair & make-up & nails booth.... these guys have got everything right! One level is approximately 5 times that of Knightsbrigdge's basement.

We also spent a loooooong time in Selfridges. Rated best mall in the world, I can see why.

At Borough Market: We ate so much I think most of my weight gain in London is attributed to this place. There were hot grilled sausages, really thick hot chocolate, home-made jams, kebabs, cheesecakes, the works! Mix that in with the cool winter air and you got a bunch of girls eating 3x their usual amount.

Things like these

There were carolers and everybody looked really happy! Compare & contrast to our version of a night market, the pasar malam ):

Seen this picture in Tumblr? It's in London, near where the market was!

The Palace: Jaslyn and I were stuck in a pile of tourists, so it wasn't too awesome.

And then, instead of grabbing lunch like we wanted to, we ran around in the park chasing pigeons.

And ducks.

And squirrels! I really want a pet now.

Us while waiting for the boat tour around River Thames. Basically that was our everyday routine: Put on pretty make up, pretty clothes, layer on our boring thick winter wear, strip whenever possible for a picture. When we can't strip, we'll instagram our faces. \m/

The London Eye! I've always, always wanted to be proposed to in one of these things, until we got the Singapore Flyer (which I havent been to, because... who knows why?). Then I decided that I would want to be proposed to not in these kinda ferris wheels, but the ones in huge fun fairs which lots of lights and winter air and it looks kinda rickety and I might fall off.

The Tower Bridge. It was glorious. I'm sorry I don't have a photo of the London Bridge. None of us bothered to snap a picture because it was massively disappointing.

One of the highlights of the trip was Winder Wonderland at Hyde Park, where we ran around the place amok, buying all sorts of overpriced crepes, hot chocolate and cotton candy. We also went on as many roller coasters as we could. I held Cand's hand on one, and we laughed so hard, we cried. It wasn't pretty. Our lashes were falling off cos it was going so fast.

There weren't many pictures in London since we were all tired of whisking out our cameras, so here are some pretty shots of us (haha).

Most of the self-shots are done on my camera, since it has this cool function where you can see yourself in the front. It also makes your skin look super brilliant. Hello, meet my friend Tiffanie. She is single, and very funny. You'd like her ^^

Trying to pull a 'Tiff', but still mileeees away, heh.

K I really put effort into this post, so I hope you looked carefully at each picture (If not you'd better restart from the top and read this properly).

I spoke to Jonathan (Hello there!) the other day, and he said he's been reading Tinct since way back when, and the whole conversation just made me feel really happy and thankful that so many of you are still reading this space. I'm getting more than 2000 hits a month, which is more than I can ever hope for or imagine.

So, I am hoping (fingers crossed) that I can keep you folks entertained. For the next year, at least. Funny how I always make these resolutions in December and break it by February, but let's hope this works out.

Happy & shiny January!

An obligatory post for the New Year

2012-01-02T16:50:00.000+08:00

Say hi to Crystal, the girl with the oversized ribbon in her hair.

You'd have pretty much guessed it by now - I'm really predictable. You'd find me at Zouk on a Wednesday night, and Filter on a Saturday. You'd find me with the same bunch of girls. You'd find us in similar hair, make-up, shoes and dresses because we shop together. You'd find us texting each other furiously when we're apart and sending photos of new purchases / boys / hot girls (debatable) everyday.

I love my girls so much.

So long, sparkly December. Hello new year.

What are you doing New Year's Eve?

2011-12-31T04:39:00.003+08:00

Happy new year's eve, you guys.
Here's a very lovely video of Zooey Deschanel & JGL.

Maybe it’s much too early in the game
Ah, but I thought I’d ask you just the same
What are you doing New Year’s
New Year’s Eve?
<3

So I have been journal-ing a lot lately. I reckon it's because I don't have anybody to share these stupid things with. So here it is, the very lovely things which keep me alive and kicking.

#1: My new year nails B)
Jaslyn did a very vampy redish purple & Tiff did a pearly nude french, very pretty.
These are the only two weeks of the year I allow myself to OD on the glitters and the metallics, yea baby.

#2: Today the light shone into my room and made a rainbow on my ceiling. It spilled over onto my table and my walls too. It would have been alot more romantic if I woke up naturally, and not to Candice's phone call.
'Good morning Princess, wake up.'

#3: I have never seen my lashes like that before, *flutter flutter bat bat*
Photo courtesy of XINFUL.
Anyway, I don't put alot of make-up what, look!

Love someone like you're six

2011-12-30T06:57:00.003+08:00

Love someone like you’re six. Bring your favorite toy to school to impress her; watch her hold it in her tiny hands and swell with pride when she’s receptive. She has good taste. Watch her cautiously; you couldn’t live if she accidentally dropped it, broke it. Draw pictures of her in your coloring book, in the margins, and ask your mother if she’s allowed to come over. Blush when she kisses you on the ear after you’ve skinned your knee. Blush whenever someone says her name. Whenever someone says her name, think it sounds like a curse or a whisper or a prayer.

Love someone like you’re ten. Notice that you like all of the same things: the same songs, the same animals, the same colors. You know there’s something between the two of you but you’re both too inexperienced to acknowledge it. Stand side by side during your elementary school graduation ceremony and feel a surge of loss course through his body and then through yours. Sign his autograph book; skip the white pages and the yellow pages and the blue pages. Sign the pink page, the one that means ‘love.’ Wear gloss and press your lips against the paper. Leave an imprint of your mouth between the words, ‘See U Soon’ and ‘Call me – 718- 768 – 8404.’ Never see each other again.

Love someone like you’re thirteen. Let him walk you home one night in October and ignore every chill. When he leans in to steal a kiss from your mouth, let him. Open your eyes in shock when you realize there’s tongue. Clench his shirt with your fingertips, release it, rest your open palms on either side of him and be unsure if you’re pulling him closer or not. When it’s over, slap him because you don’t know how else to tell him you liked it.

Love someone like you’re sixteen. Pass her in the hallways at school and try to transform yourself into something alluring, something confident. Know every CD she has in her car and her Taco Bell order and who her best friends are. Feel like your heart will explode when she signs on AIM, when she arrives at a party, when she looks in your direction. Get her alone one night, sit in her car and listen to songs you’ll never forget the words to. It’ll be the only time you lose your virginity but the first time you lose yourself.

Love someone like you’re nineteen. Spend hours looking at each other and saying nothing; meet each other’s parents. Text him from the bathroom of your childhood home when you’re visiting for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas; say, “I wish you were here.” Drive around town together, put your hand on his knee and watch sidewalks and miles fly by; take interest in the blur because you can see your future in it.

Love someone like you’re twenty-five. Go to the movies even though you’re already sure you hate going to the movies, do it because she wants to. Spend weekdays and weekends together, get to know each other in the backs of cabs. Stay up until 4 AM because you’re young again; go to bed at 9 PM because you don’t have to prove yourself anymore. Don’t feel overwhelmed when they call instead of text, don’t feel afraid to be yourself. Be in Love.

Love someone like you’re thirty. Not like you’re running out of time, not like your options are drying up. Love him because despite failure and disappointment and fear, you can’t help yourself. Love him in spite of your past; believe in your potential when your better judgment tells you not to.

Love someone like you’re fifty, like the future has come and gone and will return again and it’ll all feel underwhelming because you know who you are and who she is and who “we” is and knowing that makes the rest manageable, you’ve learned.

Love someone like you’re eighty. Look out of your window or in a newspaper or at the television and hear smell taste collateral damage: the result of the world passing you by, leaving you behind. Count the things you no longer understand on both hands; then count the one thing that still makes sense, that has always made sense and think, that’s all right.

From thoughtcatalog.

My self-imposed loneliness

2011-12-30T06:07:00.003+08:00

She said, 'Hello mister.'

Pleased to meet ya

I wanna hold her

I wanna kiss her

She smelled of daisies

She drives me crazy

She couldn't remember much.
But years down the road she remembered her own words.
Loud, unwelcome and intrusive in the silence of the room then,
loud, unwelcome and intrusive in the silence of her loneliness now.

“That’s my life. Be careful.”

Archived from: Echos

Oh it's a hap-hap-happiest season

2011-12-29T13:22:00.000+08:00

'If you could celebrate Christmas with Anyone you want, who would it be with?'

'This bunch.'

'Really?'

'Like yea, this bunch.'

Lorna & Cand, decked in our red and blacks

Aaaand the boys. Aw so cute with their lil hats.

Nom nom nom - Cand's offerings teehee.

Rosy noses #1

Rosy noses #2

Bennyboy

Kel & Cand - we used to make fun of them waaaay back in year 1 cos they look so good together. Don't they?

Lorna's sticky date pudding - little cakes drenched in butterscotch and almondy caramel pieces.

Marry me, Lorna <3

Hyeh, troll face

Shall end off with a prettier picture of us. Sorry if I traumatised you, muahaha. For more traumatising pictures, please visit XINFUL.

And then we ended up in Filter (again) Sorry I'm quite boring

K that is all.

I have a new favourite word

2011-12-28T04:57:00.000+08:00

And it is, 'Weevil.'

It has 'Wheeee!' in it, and the better part of 'Evil'.

Which makes it sound happy, and yet mildly dangerous at the same time.

My favourite word used to be, 'Switch', because you need to make a kissy pouty mouth before you can say it properly. If I do it enough, I might actually earn some kisses.

I hope nobody ever plagarises my thoughts, and use it for some cheap pick up line.

I'd be devastated.

I considered being more interesting in private but since I don't have anyone in particular to share these borderline amusing thoughts with, I thought, why not the universe, right?

Some pictures of Denise's 21st birthday party.

The theme was, 'NEVER HIDE'. Rayban's marketing campaign

The Party

We were entertaining ourselves with our sunglasses. Xin & Me being particularly vain since we brought shades that matched our dresses

As you see, compare and contrast sunglass x sundress colours <3

So here's Xin, Cand & me

I know right, we look like such a fun bunch to be with. And we don't even need booze, what up?

Have a lovely December, you guys.

Christmas Limericks

2011-12-24T11:01:00.001+08:00

It's Christmas Eve!

I slept for three hours and woke up all excited and couldn't get back to bed, so I wrote everyone a Christmas limerick & a doodle.

Don't think you can read the limerick from the picture (I don't want to share them yet!), but I will post some of the better ones online after Christmas.

My favourite doodle is the one of the moustached man, of course.

Edit/
Here's one of the limerick:

There once was a thin lass, Candy
Who had a penchant for brandy
We fed her sweets, cakes
And Nesvita mix
But still, she was always hungry.

*Nesvita: is this dry cereal mix from Nestle that you can mix with water to get some oat drink. But Candice swallows it whole.

Sweetheart, you know that don't thrill me.

2011-12-24T03:52:00.001+08:00

And she said,' I don't like you, you can't stand me, I can't love you anymore than this!'

And kids, that is what love is.

Here is my Christmas wish list:

1. Hugs and kisses for all that I love at 12 midnight.

2. For THE STROKES / ARCTIC MONKEYS / THE FRATELLIS / THE KOOKS / METRIC to come to Singapore soon, amen.

At midnight

2011-12-23T03:49:00.002+08:00

You replied my text at 06.47am today, why are you up so early?
Your name tag wrote 'Karine', but your desk stated 'Karina', so which is it?

I notice the strangest things, and remember the littlest ones.
It's an uncanny ability, and it impresses people.
I don't do it conscientiously - that would be far too tiring.

You have a single dimple on your left cheek. Is that why you're left-handed too?
You do strange things with your mouth. Why? Do you catch yourself doing it?
You have a retainer case, too. How long did you have braces on for?

I just wished I didn't ask so many questions with each thing I saw.
This curiosity is too much for me to keep up with.

I liked holding your hand, the right one, preferably. Did you like holding mine too?

Pretty Little Liars

2011-12-21T04:19:00.000+08:00

Got a secret

Can you keep it?

Swear this one you'll save

Better lock it, in your pocket

Taking this one to the grave.

And I stay up to think of all the possibilities

2011-12-18T22:23:00.001+08:00

I wasn’t like the others.
The only person who scared me was I.
The things I thought of.
The things I was capable of doing.
But one can’t run away from oneself.

-

At the transit hall, an hour before we embarked on our 12hour flight, Candice let me in on some news that left me horribly mangled. It was a terrible idea to drop it on me right before our flight because I was wide awake for most of the journey and stuck alone with my thoughts.

I've always been an escapist. I am only happy and shiny all the time because I simply do not think of the mess that I am in. Unlike those angsty emo teenagers, I do not 'pretend' to be happy.

I genuinely am.

I am incredibly good at shutting out things that I do not want to think about. Like, about how Y asked girls over to his place, for example. Or how people might judge me to be a party girl, which clearly I am not.

(Rayshio & I met up in London for some of the best french food, and we had the loveliest discussion about politics and religion. I am capable of that, but people generally do not see that, therefore the entire perception of me degenerates into this party girl, which I am not fond of. Moreover, I bake, I run, I get good grades too, but I don't take photo-evidence of it. Clubbing is the only place to take photos, therefore it's easy to frame me as such. Which is unfair.)

So, as I was saying, I am completely competent at compartmentalizing my thoughts, which makes me kinda super-human. This time, however, I was trapped on the plane without my books and my usual vices.

I watched 'He's just not that into you' and felt utterly defeated, so I attempted to sleep, which failed. So I was stuck there with my murky, murky thoughts. All these backlogged emotions that should have been dealt with 3 months ago just bubbled up like mental sewage (I actually predicted this would happen, remember @Jaslyn?).

Too late to congratulate myself on my prophetic powers, but I did arrive at some ill-conclusion that I ought to go on a boy-detox and rid all the men in my life.

I'm starting to learn - you can't make someone love you. You can't make someone be faithful to you. You can't control your fate sometimes.. Things happen.. good, bad.. indifferent. You just have to let some things go.. And hope they turn out for the best. It’s like falling off a horse. You’re in the air.. And you know it's going to hurt like hell when you hit the ground. But there isn't enough time to stop it. So you close your eyes and hope for the best.

But I know, there’s always a time for departure,
Even though there might not be a place to go.
And I stay up to think of all the possibilities.

(Archived: From HERE)

And if you shake her heart enough, she'll appear.

2011-12-03T15:32:00.000+08:00

I am leaving for Paris x London in a couple of hours, with Jaslyn, Tiffanie & Candice.

This is Tiff & Cand.

& here's Jaslyn. I'd reckon most of you guys would have seen her by now. Best Friends <3

So, we are all on winter break now, and I am so thankful that I get to go to Europe with my bestest friends :') Mom & Dad I will treat you right when you are old. Meanwhile, I have been catching up with my party people (yay) so here they are.

Filter

Xin & Cand

Samuel.

Ivan & My Strawberry Lolly

Twist

David

Ivan

Xin attempting to kiss my chest #Evidence

Where my party, pa-party, party, pa-party people at?

With Cand's gorgeous aunt.

My girls <3

Possible captions include:

1. This is MY club

2. GTF down

3. ARE you gonna drink that?

4. Have you seen my... socks?

5. Who stole the rest of my fingers?

It's quite funny how you see the night progresses: Drunk, Drunker, Drunkest.

We were all speculating what Cand's face was like. Quite possibly, 'Bitch, please.'

Tender Moments

Velvet Underground

Eugene, my new NUS friend.

Aaaand, it was Kevin's bday that day.

Met Sathis K. too! Or should I say, Dr Sathis?

Happy people

Stuart.

Rachel!!!! Mad love.

Denise & Rachel. We did a comms mod together (+Cand) and ACED it. We killed it with our cuteness & intellect.

Hehe, hi meet my friends.

I am loading up on pepper sprays and heat packs for the trip!

Don't miss me, xx.

My problem with Bruxism

2011-11-26T21:36:00.000+08:00

'Bruxism is when you clench (tightly hold your top and bottom teeth together) or grind (slide your teeth back and forth over each other) your teeth.'

I just came back from the Dentist yesterday. I've been aware of the heightened sensitivity in my lower left molar for some time now. It was pretty upsetting knowing that it might be a cavity since I have this obsession with my teeth, and up till now my teeth has been perfect.

It turned out to be a cracked tooth. I've been an avid teeth clencher/grinder for a long time. (Read more HERE.) If I don't stop grinding, the entire structure of the tooth might collapse and I might need to do a root canal & fix a crown over it.

That would mean grinding the entire (healthy) tooth to a round snub, and putting an artificial cover over it. Dr Sau has already filled the space with ceramic fillings and filed all my molars blunt so that I wouldn't crack my tooth open when I grind.

I am incredibly, incredibly sad about it. I would have placed this under 'Things that make me angsty' list but this deserves a post of its own.

Things that make me angsty

2011-11-26T21:16:00.000+08:00

1. Not having a high school sweetheart.

I was watching this trailer, because Sister swore it was good (I'll be watching this with superdupertrooper sometime next week). I got really sad, angsty and twisty because I didn't have a high school sweetheart.

Angry at myself for being this sensible little creature who knew too early on in life that
a. Romance is for the weak
b. Dating within the limited space of a class, school or workspace is unhealthy and messy
c. Boys are dumb

For all the above reasons I didn't date. (Okay I did, I saw Tim1 who was in ACSI so it wasn't the same thing.)

So I am angry at myself and madly envious at others because I know they had some form of high school sweetheart.

Yixiang had S who I became friends with later on in life. I know, weird right? She's really hot, but nice, so like my rationality won myself over.
J had this gorgeous girl V: Checked her out already - cannot compete.
Chang had this insignificant girl whom I cannot remember
Cherry had Zhili (and 5 others)
Dennis had Michelle & Dantong. Hands down the best damn girls in school and he got both. That boy knows his tricks.

The closest form of high school sweetheart I had was in the form of Shaun Quek.

@cherry, @jaslyn, @dennis, @chang, @anjo, @justintanyanzhi & @AllTheSignificantPeopleInMyLifeAt16 Why oh why didn't anyone talk sense into me and force-feed me a boy from school? You guys don't love me enough.

And @tim too, cos i could have been in a healthier relationship with a boy at 16. Hatechu.

Haha I am only writing this stupid rant here cos I know they will read it.

2. Dinner with my dreadful aunts

I was horribly mangled and sad cos K the happy pill is away in Perth leaving me to deal with all the 'Wah ah tian ah, you are getting fat.', or my mom telling them about how much money I spend, and how I have a penchant for Vodka (which I don't) and how terrible I am generally as a daughter.

Parents x Expectations.

3. Renovating my room
Dad sprung the news on me that he is redecorating and I have like 1 day to clear everything out. What the hell, dad?

Things that are making it slightly better.

1. Lunch with Chang

He wrote this (kinda) sweet note:
‎7 years ago YunTian Chia = xiao mei mei. 7 years later YunTian Chia = my senior. I suddenly remembered many years ago we promised to study in the same UNI. DO U RMB?! WAH WE DID IT LEH. AWESOME. HAHAHAHAHA. I hope the other promise won't come true. LOL.

Anyway, he was referring to the promise that we would marry each other if we get left on the shelf at 40. Meh, that would never happen.

2. Stickers

3. Christmas Presents
Kel told us that he is buying us all presents from the US, holla!

4. Filter with ma girls later
See y'all there.

It is imperative that you find someone who is just as eager to see you, as you are to see him.

2011-11-24T13:48:00.000+08:00

By the time you swear you're his,
  Shivering and sighing,
And he vows his passion is
  Infinite, undying ---
Lady, make a note of this:
  One of you is lying.

I am leaving for Paris x London in 10 days. Sister is leaving today for Australia and that would mean I won't see her for about a month. I'll miss her terribly.

Ctrl C + Ctrl V

We were in the UAE.

Muse

Nobody can beat her dungface here.

We're kinda cute sometimes.

Sup?

From the gangsta themed party we had last December (which I can't believe I didn't blog about! I mentioned it in a passing comment while lamenting about my injury. Read about it HERE.)

I'll miss you meimei.

Now I'll have to survive the next few horrid family dinners ALONE with the extended family. One of which is tomorrow night, with this aunt who complains I'm too fat. 'Well, you're too wrinkly!'

I ought to stop brooding over angsty teenage lines.

2011-11-20T04:24:00.000+08:00

Effy: The end.

Freddie: End... and what fucking end would that be?

Effy: Mine, Freddie.

The other day, I showed L this crazy drugged up rave party scene which was censored off from the Skins S2 finale because there was a naked old man in it and a party dressed up in neon colours making out and snorting coke. I loved it.

The only drug I've ever taken is weed, and I didn't even like it one bit. This makes me the most uncool person I know.

Everything you need to know about Effy & Freddie is right here. I don't necessarily approve of the whole, 'I love you so fucking much I might die' idea of it, but the drugs and manic depression of it is kinda good. I guess the producers had to romanticize the entire thing to sell it.

That is all.

Freddie: We'd be good together don't you think?

Effy: No.

Freddie: Why not?

Effy: Because I'll break your heart.

Freddie: Maybe I'll break yours.

Effy: Nobody breaks my heart. And anyway, why would I want that?

I am now certain that my definition of love is accurate.

2011-11-19T00:34:00.001+08:00

... That it is just the ability to make each other happy, comparatively easier and better than the rest of the general population.

So, today I was studying in the library where this pretty girl was sitting, let's call her PG. She was grumpy (like I was, who wasn't?), and her face was constantly like :< this.

Well, something like that.

Then her boyfriend came over, and PG's face suddenly burst into sunshine and buttercups. It made me think of how happy J was when K came and pick her up from Dennis' place where we were studying for A levels.

Love is simple, as such.

More sombre news: Today someone told me (something to this effect), that I would be a nightmare to bring home, i.e. meet the parents. I am unsure as to how to feel about it.

Candice said, 'WTF?', Melvin said he'll beat up this boy, Ashwin pity-partied me with a sad face.

Sister responded with a 'meh' because she forms familiar associations with the words Trouble & Nightmare.

I feel silly for being saddened by it though. The truth is, he is right, I wouldn't want my son to bring home a girl like me. I am more Lindsay Lohan than Taylor Swift - that can't be a good thing.

Edit/
'I will bring you home.'

'You brought me home when I was in NJ, now I am different.'

'My parents love you.'

'I think if people knew me, they will like me.'

'I like you.'

'Thank you.'

Today I saw Ratbit again. His name is apt because he is a rat but assumes the size of a rabbit. He is huge, slinky, and is comparable to the size of a fluffy chinchilla.

Ratbit is exotic, and I see him everyday ducking into the drains outside my house and peeping out from the other corner.

He is (kinda) my pet.

‘There is no love, just an appetite which you have for one object in preference to another.’

2011-11-17T03:11:00.003+08:00

I adored making you happy. Nothing delights me more than seeing your sheepish awkward grin (You know, the one that you make when you are extremely happy, so happy that you get shy about it?).

Not much has changed about that, except it is not so easy making you happy anymore. It isn’t so easy to make me happy too. The tiny trespasses which used to make our day no longer do – it has become the norm. And while we work even harder to please each other, we fight. We cry.

When I found out about the lies, something changed in me. It wasn’t that huge a change - it just knocked me back to this ‘reality’. Somehow, everything which appeared real to me for the past few years became a distant truth. And I struggle to believe it even existed.

All that I have of proof are those letters you wrote me, immense words of endearment. Not overtly mushy, not contrived intelligence, just plain bantering. It made me so happy to read it. Somehow it doesn’t come naturally to us anymore.

Things have happened to us before, and every time something changes in our relationship. I never ever believed that we came out of our ‘honeymoon’ before, as they call it. But after I found out, I began to question my disillusion with the world, and I genuinely, fell out of the ‘honeymoon’.

Before I met you, I have always held this staunch tragic belief that 'your heart merely wishes occupation – they are made to fill it'.

Women were meant for amusement, and when I stop providing this occupation, you will leave. I stopped believing in it for a while, but now I see it has been proven true. I have never meant to neglect you or made me feel the way I made you feel toward yourself, but I am imperfect and I did. I failed to provide for you, and you did what you did.

‘There is no love, just an appetite which you have for one object in preference to another.’

I didn’t believe in love before, but at least I had a hope (and perhaps, a misplaced sense of wonderment). But now I know this is all true. Now I know, that love is really just two inapt people trying to fit together. Sometimes they do it well and sometimes they fail terribly. And when it fails, they think about how well it could be and try again. And again. And again, until they become so broken that they are better off being alone, but whole.

There is this dreadful certainty that I will never ever know the truth about you – the fixation you have with the other girls, your thoughts when you lied to me, or how you could have possibly believed that you loved me. I said that I understood why you did it, but the truth is I never will.

The truth for me is: Every single night, I think about how I am going to leave you. And the reasons why I should – every single rational reason leads me to leaving you. And I think about the depth and intricacy of your lies, and your ability to hurt me, and your perfect disposition to doing it, over and over again. I can’t change you. I haven’t. The whole, ‘Maybe I really did change him, maybe he will change’ notion gets old. I haven’t, you haven’t.

Sometimes it is better to be painfully truthful, than to hold our love in this naiveté that all is perfect. I still hope to hold our love in the faith that we are more than our past mistakes.

This is an excerpt from the third-year anniversary letter, isn't it the saddest thing?

We broke up shortly after.

Show me some skin, I might bite it.

2011-11-13T20:16:00.000+08:00

And I'm not gonna make you cry or break your heart, girl.

We don't have the time.

The newest tune to hum to...
Also let's host a poll.
There're 15 girls in the video above, who's your favourite?
Mine's at 2:11, of course.

Hello nosy church people,

2011-11-07T17:43:00.001+08:00

Apparently there has been some rumor perpetuating that I left church because 'I did damn badly for A levels.' Clearly that isn't true because:

(A) I left church when I was 17 which was in J1. Unless you are cognitively impaired, you would know that I couldn't have taken the A levels then.
(B) I got 2 As, which is hardly considered 'damn bad' because I personally know a multitude of people who did far worse. I would define 'damn badly' as some of your peers who could not have gained entry into a proper university course.

My grade got me admissions into all the business schools in all three universities in our city state. (NUS, NTU & SMU - I didn't apply to SIM in case you are wondering. I needn't to.)

Moreover, I am sure you would know there are probably profound reasons behind somebody leaving church. (I am assuming your time in church would have taught you something about spirituality and the likes. But then again, what you might have learnt has undoubtedly not extended to gossip-mongering, so what can I say?)

Someone probably thought it would be the easiest way of handling the situation by spewing untruths such as, 'Oh she left because she did damn badly.' instead of 'The cell was markedly wrong for her.' or 'The leader was not present.' or you know, more believable things as such.

And then I found out where my foul-mouth came from.

2011-11-06T23:03:00.001+08:00

Today my dad said, '... don't give a fuck about...'
I don't remember what he didn't 'give a fuck about' because I was momentarily stunned by his exceptional choice of vocabulary.

He was giving me a testosterone-charged talk about stocks, tax-planning and generally me having a 'greater sense of ownership' over the business.

I got so stressed out about it I thought I might throw up all over the glove compartment.

Let's Go Swimming

2011-11-03T11:37:00.000+08:00

My bikini misses the sun.

Thinkin' bout you

2011-11-02T01:44:00.000+08:00

Hello Anon, either you are one of my annoying close friends who knows I love frank ocean (his covers anyway) and still goes by 'Anon', or you are my magical soulmate.

Here's one of his covers.
'A tornado flew around my room before you came
Excuse the mess it made, it usually doesn't rain'

I think Ocean's original tune distracts me from his lyrics.

And Pants, stop being a Grey snob.

GPA >>> Lovey Thinkish Mush.

2011-10-28T23:53:00.000+08:00

Can't wait for my boys to be back, I think a couple of As will help pull up my GPA and my mood, by a huge measure. Here is Kel & Ben, both highly eligible ($$$) and very lovely.

That is all. Yamagata's new album is out.
I'll make you a mixtape if I love you enough.
A less romantic approach would be me 'Dropbox-ing' it to you.

Somedays, you just want to play Taboo with someone whom you know will get your words right the first try.

2011-10-28T23:50:00.001+08:00

Like saying, 'Yamagata'. And the person would know.

Or something like that.

Or it might even be less abstract, like I have a craving for seaweed, and the person would know exactly which kind.

It is just easier living like that - not needing to explain yourself all the time.

It grows easier with time, I guess. For example when I go partying with Jaslyn/Cand, and I would ask them about their outfits and they would be like, 'Oh that black dress? Okay, that sounds nice/slutty/skanky/boobylicious.'

I've always told the story of how I might end up alone and dying.

It's pretty simple - I dread telling the Backstory.

For instance, I would say I have this gut feeling about this person. He reminds me too much of X, who I didn't really like before. If I were to tell that to a new person I just met, I would be compelled to fill her in on why I felt this animosity towards X, which was really a series of events and encounters spanning over four years.

How awful is that?

The thought of the monumental effort, of informing the person of the full development of my strange feelings, and could STILL be misconstrued as plain bitchiness - that sucks.

Well, I guess I am just one of those people who hosts conversations with themselves first (like a dress rehearsal of speeches of some sort), then actually saying it. I get tired of rehearsing it in my head before I even verbalise it, which keeps me out of trouble most days.

This post started out with me wanting to confront the question of whether I am sadder or angrier.
Or if I am sad, or angry, at all.
I guess I talked myself out of it.

To quote Rachel Lok, 'I wish I was less dark and twisty inside.'

I was in a better place, this time, last year.

2011-10-27T22:25:00.001+08:00

Someday this pain will be useful.

Alone, Together.

2011-10-26T02:12:00.000+08:00

We never had a 'song'.

I used to ask him incessantly about it. It bothers me that we don't have one. If I were less strict, it would be 'You cry a tear to start a river', where it goes: Stand close to me / Don't sail away, baby / Let them see your heart / Let 'em see just how beautiful you are

But it wasn't like a Love Song. It had parts in it where it goes: We promise not to let you stand alone.Which makes it clear that is wasn't a love song.

And then I thought about it for the longest time. I need a break up song, just for myself, because hey, I don't need to share it with anyone now to make it special.

No choice now, it's too late

Let him go, he gave up (I gave up)

Lisa said "Take time for me"
Dropping him down to his knees

Oh chest down

Take me away, see I've got to explain

Things that have changed in such a permanent way

Life seems unreal, can we go back to your place?

Ah you drink too much, makes me drink just the same

The first time it happened too fast

The second time, I thought it would last

We all like it a little different...

So apt right? Isn't this better than all the mopey songs that I could possibly be listening to? Oh 'Why did you notttt love me enoughhhh?'

Such self-defeating attitudes.

To be fair, I've been told I am handling this exceedingly well. I think I might even qualify for one of those triathlons where it is serious 'mind over matter'.

I focus on the good things - I played the ukulele today.

Hello.

Let's talk RomComs

2011-10-19T02:31:00.002+08:00

I feel like I need to watch some romantic comedies to remind myself of what love is supposed to be like.

This is ironic because when us girls finished the movie, I felt this strange nausea. Part of me hypothesized that if I could be as amusing as Emma Stone then most of my life problems would be eliminated. (Really, amusement is the solution to most things, read why HERE.)

That being said, a love story ought to be: Meet in a random cafe, proceed to have long lunches, then a causal movie, then a dinner date and so on and so forth.

Not meet in a rock show, or at a club or at a sexed up soccer match (haha) then proceed to speed date.

Nights of endless conversations, it ought to be.

It shouldn't be too hard right? I remember pulling all-nighters with Dennis, Cherry & Zhili sipping alcohol and running amok in the estate and sneaking into the pool.

I need to re-evaluate my favourite movies. Closer is too fucked up.

Also, life shouldn't be about fending off girls or about how much I want to cuddle but really I am fine on my own.

Edit/

Ben has found me the perfect romcom to catch:

Which is perfect, because I adore Jim Sturgess.

~~Now I've just got to find somebody to watch it with me.~~ So Ben and I booked a room in the library and we hosted the screening of One Day. Then, we realised that I downloaded the Russian version. We ended up watching Friends with Benefits instead.

It was a good day.

Soy Milk x Juliet Simms

2011-10-12T23:35:00.003+08:00

My maid made a comment the other day that I looked 'emancipated'. I considered that I only looked that way because of the new jeans I got, but then I weighed myself and I did lose weight.

Hopefully this break-up mode continues forever and forever so that I can maintain this weight losing streak. I am, however, on this soy milk diet (not really a diet per se, I just try to drink soy milk every day).

Margie was swearing upon it that it made her boobs bigger. Also it has whitening properties (so says the internet). Since I am losing weight, I'd better not be losing my boobs. That would be devastating. Think of all the money you'd have to spend buying new lingerie. The horror.

It dawned upon me that I really should document all these emotions so that in the face of a possible second break up I might have some references. You know, like a pregnancy?

Week 4: Expect waves of morning nausea
Week 8: Expect your arms to look super flabby
Week 20: Insane cravings for ridiculous foods are finally acceptable now
Things like that.

So, the other day I was watching this:

And then I had this crazy thought to like, pierce my naval or get a tattoo or whatever.
I concluded that I should just get a new bikini.

Juliet Simms is liberating to watch. If I were her, I would be in a bikini alllllll day.

On Hadness

2011-10-11T00:59:00.000+08:00

Hadness: happiness that we know is temporal and therefore registers more like sadness, the heart-pinching intuition that what you currently “have” will soon be something you “had.”

Hadness is not the same as pleasure, which is necessarily and by nature brief– a modicum of burning matter. Hadness is the hand you hold for one night, and the memory of the slightly scarred knuckle that far outlasts any trace of its owner in your life.

I tried to talk to one of my friends about hadness and she denied any knowledge of the emotion. Instead, she turned the question on me, at which point I admitted that I feel this way quite a lot. Her apparent blissful ignorance of the emotion initially put me off, but I know that I didn’t make it up because I’ve glimpsed elements of hadness in popular culture.

In the movie Elizabethtown, failed shoe-designer Drew Baylor explains, “I have recently become a secret connoisseur of last looks. You know the way people look at you when they believe it’s for the last time…? There’s one right now.” Drew’s collection of “last looks” hints that human beings can, or at least think they can, anticipate emotional pain. And doesn’t it also follow that this acute sense taints our happiness at certain times?

Or take a passage from the book Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, (which in the spirit of personal tradition I have read at least once a year since I was 14.) The main character, Lee, is discussing the demise of her relationship with another senior at her prep school.

Sittenfeld writes, “I thought of how many times I’d wondered if things were awry between us, if I was displeasing him or if he’d lost interest. All those times, I’d suppressed my impulse to ask…because—and I understood this now—you really don’t need to ask. When it was over, you knew.”

I guess you could sum up this point as such: the way a thing will end is written in its beginning. That the kiss you suddenly know will be your last returns to one telling point—rendering the ray a circle.

That initial point, that evasion of infinity, is the gesture of one person reaching out to another beyond their orbit. And aren’t we always coming or going, playing the departed or the left?

I’d like to think if I’m careful enough I will not read the story of my impending loneliness in the veins of a lover’s closed eyelids—but I know that’s not true. Hadness can lurk even in the warmest of shadows.

I guess in those moments I’ll return to pop culture to assure myself that I’m wrong. I’ll remember that Drew’s newfound lover Claire mimics taking a picture of him with her hands the first time he walks away– and maybe that small gesture of memory’s futile hope was the mettle that brought them together again.

Here.

Adele Therapy

2011-10-09T18:32:00.001+08:00

In the wake of my current circumstances

2011-10-09T16:49:00.000+08:00

In the wake of my current circumstances (which I have been denying myself to write about, because it would clearly reek of self-pity), I have decided to pursue it more intellectually. My social psyche genius of a friend, Tiffanie sent me this academic paper on the hypothesized relationship between romantic
breakup, self-concept change, and post-breakup emotional distress.

They modelled self-concept clarity trajectories for two hypothetical individuals: one whose relationship remained intact and one who experienced a break up.

The study basically tells me everything that I already know, about cognitive interdependence bla bla, except making it a lot more smart-sounding. And intricate. And the whole cause and effect chain.

I already feel better about myself for reading it.

Time to find the piano score for this again

2011-10-08T23:01:00.002+08:00

Sort of

2011-10-07T13:27:00.000+08:00

And if I was stronger then I would tell you no

And if I was stronger then I will leave this show

And if I was stronger then I would up and go

But here I am and here we go again

My earphones are crackling. I took the entire night to figure out if it was my laptop, my earphones or the song. (I am impossible with technology, I know).

Time for some skullcandy.

Give me a reason to make me smile, cause I think I forgot how

2011-10-07T13:23:00.000+08:00

I'm Not Yours

2011-09-22T22:18:00.000+08:00

Light me up a cigarette and put it in my mouth

You're the only one that wants me around

And I can think of a thousand reasons why

I don't believe in you, I don't believe in you and I

The only way it can be

2011-09-02T01:01:00.000+08:00

I believe that lovers should be tied together,
Thrown into the ocean in the worst of weather,
Left there to drown,
Left there to drown in their innocence

But as for me I'm coming to the final chapter,
I've read all of the pages and there's still no answer,
The only words before I know will soon come after,
It’s the only way it can be.

x

You're scared, scared, scared, cause I feel like home.

2011-08-29T02:46:00.000+08:00

Rachael Yamagata, Sunday Afternoon.

Elephants

2011-08-29T02:34:00.000+08:00

So for those of you falling in love
Keep it kind, keep it good, keep it right
Throw yourself in the midst of danger
But keep one eye open at night

Here, kitty kitty kitty.

2011-08-02T22:35:00.000+08:00

Clearly, I need some new distractions in life other than seeing someone vaguely good-looking on the commute to work (which I firmly believes start the day right).

Which is why I am petitioning to... (drumroll) get a new pet!
Well, it is a near impossible task but seeing those cute kitty faces make my heart aflutter so much more than seeing 'vaguely-good-looking crowd on bus'.

Check them out <3

MY LIST OF PETS.
1. Hamsters - which jumped off the building.
2. Goldfish which engaged in cannibalism.
3. Guppies which leaped out of my pond every second they get.
4. Rabbit which died of heat stroke (cos I put it under my shirt and cuddle the hell out of it - I was 8)
5. Parrot which bit me and flew away, ending up on the tree right outside my house and then refuse to surrender and died because it can't fend for itself, stupid fowl.
6. Dog which wailed, and wailed, and wailed. And my mom gave it away.
7. Kitten, Portia, who is an absolute darling and whom I adore and falls asleep on my tummy ): who was then given away again.

Stray kittens, please end up on my street this week, I will pick you up and we can be a happy family foreva xxx. I am ready.

In other news, if you are ready for a pet - ADOPT!
Yes you may have the money, and yes they may not be as cute, but you very cute meh?
Adopt!

2011-07-26T01:05:00.000+08:00

I clench my teeth all the time.
I've been noticing it more lately. I reckon that it must be the internship. And the student consulting programme.

But who am I kidding, I've always been this high-anxiety borderline psycho obsessive bitch.
It's true, I have documented personal instances to support all the above adjectives/nouns.

I've never gotten it easy. I believe in fighting - hardcore - to get something, anything you want. So now I am fighting for a ~~brighter future~~ shiny resume, which is unarguably the next best thing to a perfect GPA - which I will be clawing other kids' eyeballs out for when school starts.

And then the obsessive behaviour thing: I try to board the same bus everyday and would get very disappointed if my bus company changes radically. I wear the same outfits every Monday and Tuesday. I listen to a song on repeat for oh, like three straight days.

See, psycho bitch.
I just wish it wouldn't manifest itself so physically. My teeth get all achy after a long day.

2011-07-26T00:48:00.000+08:00

That was it.
I realised that there hadn't been over-promises, nor the assurance of security. He hasn't failed me in any way.

It has always been this way between us.
Unlike many others, we've always had this sense of independence. We figured it was always easier not to have elevated expectations. We didn't talk about it - it would have been unnatural.

Things would happen and we would cope with it. I guess if I were to be critical, there would have been times where we could have fought over it, but we didn't. Well, you could say we are quite stunted emotionally.

Or you could call it 'a lack of over-reliance'. If I were to write this again in the morning, I might be able to find a better phrase, but for now, that will do.

We functioned perfectly on our own. I wish I had the ability to make someone feel irreplaceable, but I don't. It is one of my many failing attributes.

I don't know where I am going with this one, but I had to write this down.
Because this moment of clarity - it goes away.

Some wisdom

2011-06-16T00:53:00.000+08:00

"Why are you wasting her time?"
"You're judgmental."
"You're devious."
"I'm not wasting her time. She's completely lovable. And completely unleavable."
"And you don't want someone else's dirty hands on her."

True on so many levels.

Closer

2011-06-12T02:32:00.000+08:00

"And you left him, just like that?"
"It's the only way to leave. "I don't love you anymore. Goodbye." "
"Supposing you do still love them?"
"You don't leave."
"You've never left someone you still love?"
"Nope."

From Closer, one of my favourite movies. There is so much truth in it. It is the most honest interpretation of love.

2011-06-12T02:05:00.001+08:00

Do you need a reason to leave somebody?

2011-06-12T01:53:00.000+08:00

Everybody knows I'm the most fun when I'm drunk. So hello, world.

Just came back from MELISSA's birthday party. It was at Raffles Hotel, then Ku de Ta at Marina Bay Sands. It was beyond.

Anyway, it's my shing's bday today, go wish her here: XINFUL.

I've been having some really pristine thoughts lately: Do you have to have a good reason to leave somebody? Everybody says when you're an adult (I mean like, 21) you have a whole different set of problems than when you were a kid (anything below 21). I don't necessarily agree, I mean I'm still whiny about the same teenage problems. Anybody else having such angsty moments like me?

I mean, I'm old enough to be someone else's mother in some cultures, and yet I feel so young. So unready to deal with things like friendships and relationships and shit like that. And I thought I would have sorted all these out by the time I'm 19.

I guess that's how it is - you bluff your way through life, into adulthood and pretend you're all ready and smart and all-knowing. You're supposed to be grown-up and be graceful about things, not sweat the small things and get all uptight. And then it catches you off-guard and you realise you're not ready at all.

Okay I'm rambling. I might actually be allergic to grey goose. WHY ON EARTH AM I ITCHING, DAMNIT.

I left my heart in Cambodia and came back with an uneven tan-line.

2011-05-27T00:22:00.002+08:00

I am brave enough to leave pictures up of myself with absolutely no makeup on, up on TINCT. Please try to appreciate the honesty - ha ha ha.

Everyday, this is how we go to school. We trudge through the village in the blistering sun while shouting PENIS! in khmer and HANDSOME! or PRETTY! to passerbys regardless of their appearances. We got really popular along those treacherous streets.

Everyday when we walk past this bridge, there would be little children shouting 'hello!' to us. They were so soft and shrill that we initially thought they were cats mewing. After a couple of days, we noticed that and starting shouting hello back. This was taken when we delivered lollipops to their houses. They were so happy.

Notice our expressions. It is called: flabbergasted. We taught it to the childrenand told them we would be testing their spelling the next day. Their expressions were PRICELESS, so much for evil teachers.

Henceforth when you see this expression, it is merely us being stupid and practicing the flabbergasted look again.

This was us at the marketplace, searching for food. Notice Clive's frustration (far-left).

Food in cambodia was so scarce, and they wouldn't stock up far beyond what was needed for the day. That day we reached the market slightly later than their lunchtime and there was nothing else left for us. We had soy sauce, fried eggs and rice. That was a sad day.

In Sao Sary, our team was split up into two teams. One went to the slums to build farms and the other taught at the school. I was one of the teachers in charge of coaching English and computer literacy. Here's one of the English classes.

And here, Computer Literacy Classes. Their enthusiasm was infectious. A class of 20 shared 2 units and they couldn't be happier to just have their 5mins of fame typing using MS Word.

The other class was Financial Literacy, here we are crashing their lessons.

Telling them what magical things wealth can buy them. (I'm totally joking)

They are such sweethearts ):

The class heartthrob (hehe)

The kids are always rolling around, not taking themselves too seriously and basically HAVING FUN. Something we're all not too familiar with.

Most of these kids come of extreme poverty. They cycle an hour just to come to the centre to learn, and sometimes when it rains, they have just got to cycle home in the rain because getting wet is a better alternative than getting lost in the dark. Some of them have skin diseases and some of them smell funny because they don't have sanitation facilities or drinking water.

A water filter which can be used up to 10 years can save them from water-borne diseases and prolong their lives. These kids are already considered lucky - many die below the age of 5 because of the lack of sanitation facilities. One filter costs only US$50, email me if you would want to donate!

Here are the teachers, acting all stern.

And here we are, trying very hard to be silly.

Before we left, all the girls drew us pictures and gave us things. Here's Srey Neath, she's 18years old and she wrote darn sweet things in that letter ):

Here's another girl from the centre. I suspect she suffers from dyslexia, because she always mixes up d with b, but really there is nothing that we can do about it. There can never be diagnosis, and there will never be treatment.

Here's Khunsa, he's one of the smartest boys around. His English is impeccable, and that is everything. There will only be opportunities if Cambodians learn to trade and work with foreigners. It is bleak to just narrow the opportunities to Khmer-speaking communities. Only 1 in 30 university graduates manage to find employment. If the most educated (and probably wealthiest) strata is stuck in these predicament, what hope is there for the rest?

They cycle an hour everyday just to learn English, from us! :D

Now I shall leave you with photos of our R&R. Here we are going towards the ferryboats!

On the boat!

Us at Nom Watt, one of the temples in Phnom Penh!

We rode in tuk-tuks wherever we went. It costs us USD2 to travel from one end to the other? It was so cheap. Here's Daniel & Zach.

Bought vacation (fake) happy raybans!

Here's my buddy and co-leader for the trip, Joan (:

And Finally, ALL OF US.

I truly felt that the trip was for a worthy cause. And even though I did grumble about the makeup and the tan and the grimy conditions... I was inspired.

I am inspired to do greater things in life than to just get that pair of shoes, or whatever. I wouldn't even blink spending US$50. A Topshop dress easily costs double that price, right? This experience made me reconsider the value of money, of life and contentment.

One of my favourite quotes go like this, "He/She is no more human and no less human than you are." We register pain the same way, we share the same humanity, but we lead drastically different lives.

Somehow, their birthplace determined their life. It wouldn't matter that much if I were to born in Jurong or Woodlands, I would have a fighting chance at life. I would have been given a decent chance of making it right.

Some don't. If you want to donate water filters to the Cambodian Villages, click HERE.

It would last them 10years, and improve their standard of living drastically.

We all deserve good, clean water. Click!

1Alt

2011-05-26T23:34:00.000+08:00

It was Kel's birthday.

He is one of my most eligible friends, with GPA of more then 4 (the maximum is 4), on the track to be an investment banker (kaching!), sings really well and rather cute!

Happy intoxicated boys.

Hehe, I made them stand in a row and take a photo.

Check out my mustard yellow ferragamos <3 and cand's legs.

1Alt's only good on photos, really.

We always joked that they should get together, since they are so good together, but it has since evolved to be more of a sisterly/brotherly thing (oh darn)

Check out Ben and Kel's white pants! I made them buy it for my All-White party, heh. The influence of an alpha-female!

Like I was saying, 1Alt wasn't all that fun. We escaped to butter thereafter, because the crowd at 1Alt is really old. The music was really loud so we couldn't really hear each other. And the drinks were not fantastic.

Such a disappointment.

BLACKOUT

2011-05-26T23:25:00.000+08:00

With Tiff & Cand <3

All these for the 5girls

My favourite girl

One of the cutest freshies, Gen!

Cutest Couple Award

Xav

The Legendary Lorna

I need new dresses.

All of us <3

Alabama, Arkansas

2011-05-15T21:29:00.000+08:00

It was Dennis' birthday on Tuesday.

We have a love-hate relationship. I generally love him, but hate him for leaving. So, here are some borrowed words, and much much much love. I know things aren't as easy as we thought they'd turn out to be, but it will work out in time.

Laugh until we think we'll die

Barefoot on a summer night
Never could be sweeter than with you

Home

Let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you
xx

2011-04-01T03:46:00.002+08:00

I sold myself to you
You paid
In love
And that now, my dear,
is the currency with the highest form of depreciation.

2011-04-01T03:46:00.000+08:00

I asked.
With glib he answered, line after line, layers upon layers.
Seamless.

Our cups emptied.
The day emptied.

His words flowed, his tones danced, but the truth was inanimate.
We both knew the story was dressed up, and not complete.

I told him I believed him.
That made me a bigger liar than he is.

He held my gaze but his own was glassy.
He held my hand but his warmth carried nothing.

That day, I was emptied.
In him, everything sank.

So how did you spend your last moments of being a 'youth'

2011-03-21T15:19:00.000+08:00

(Backdated: 11 March)

So.
I was waiting up till 12 to wait for my magical moment where some light dawn on me and baptise me with my 'adulthood'. I wasn't expecting some sensational sensation, but you know... maybe a feeling akin to eating candy floss for the first time.

I take that back - eating candy floss for the first time was SENSATIONAL.
Maybe, like... when I discovered push up bras. Not so much of a joyous occasion, but a revelation-esque moment.

Well, I missed the 'moment' because I was watching JERSEY SHORE, reading about Jared Leto on HRO while finishing Ben & Jerry's from the tub with a spoon.

Same old, same old.
No sir, I don't feel very 21 at all.

In other news, this is what HRO was writing about Leto:

Jared Leto is so post-alt that he breaks free from society's shackles on a daily basis.

"Every day I strive 2 be more altAnd we know that Jared Leto is so alt that he is mainstream that he is post-alt that he is not human after allJared Leto inspires me 2 pursue art/life/change/______Jared Leto is sorta like the mainstream meme 'Chuck Norris' except he has alt ideals"

CLICK HERE.

I know right, so mature.
I'm as frisky as a 12year old.

2011-03-20T21:55:00.001+08:00

Someone once told me that people you meet can be divided into two groups: if they see the glass half-empty or half-full.
I mulled over it.
Not recklessly (I never do anything recklessly.)
I couldn't figure if I were the former or the latter.

It never occurred to me to think it either way - I always pour my drink to be half-empty/full anyway. What good is that if we never had a full cup to compare it with?

21st

2011-03-17T13:07:00.000+08:00

I'm sorry for leaving Tinct in a state of negligence - school has been so dreadful.
Things you missed while I was on mini hiatus:

1. I GOT MY INTERNSHIP, at a wealth management firm. *hurls confetti* with remuneration of 1000, which is above average. *hurls more confetti*

2. The Boyfriend's birthday. I got him a brown Ermenegildo Zegna wallet and a meal at Valentino's. That was a painful week, I spent like $800 on him. Kids, don't get into a relationship too easily.

With Jas & Lucy

His party was really fun - Kinect, shisha, lots of alcohol and a bunch of wild boys. It lasted till 3 in the day.

3. My 21st!
Consists of two parts: the party itself and the awesome dinner at Basilico, The Regent. The party was at Marina Bay Sands. I managed to get a pretty suite. It wasn't large though, half of the space was dedicated to a ridiculously indulgent bathroom. I know I said that the theme is Arabian, but it was so. much. work. I changed it to ALL WHITE instead.

With my UBC mates and Geri <3 We had a lethal toast.

Bennyboy. I think at this point this alcohol got to me.

All the boys were decked out in white, yay.

Alexander McQueen Shoe on a Chanel Quilted Cake and Tiffany Blue Layerings. I think I might have overdone it hahaha.

I love these photos! Mun took it for me, I ordered him to set up his portfolio online.

With my God-family and my grams (far left)

Mommy & Daddy

Boyfriend

With some of the nicest people you'll ever meet, my LTB team mates. Far left is Melissa (aka superdupertropper), told you she's really pretty!

With the Bondue group - so fortunate to meet them. They are so much fun, have an average GPA of 4/4, and are basically awesome.

Leave you guys with a pretty photo of us heehee.

And then we went to Basilico.

Love the dress, don't you?

Seafood appetizers spread.

Note peppers stuffed with cheese, they are so yum!

Reaction after eating those peppers.

The chef personally came up with a cheese sampling spread for us. They only did it for us! Perhaps I did really look like a intimidating food blogger walking around with my DSLR

Awww

Angus Tenderloin

King Scallops

Desserts are a girl's best friend

GELATO counter (glee)

Pastries and whatnot.

Far right: Champagne jelly with strawberries is the sex.

It's really pretty there

Cheeses, honeys and jams. Like all 500varieties. We had chilli honey, truffle honey and some exotix berry jam. Some of the cheeses can really be overpowering. I saw some Italians heading to the counter and just picking at the cheese and munching on them like its crackers. One small portion of the aged cheese is enough to keep me on my toes.

The cold cuts were premium stuff. At Valentino's we had parma ham and melon for $25. here you have it free flow with choice of sides. CHOOSE BASILICO.

Breadsticks and other vegetables that you shouldn't be paying much attention to.

It was a really nice day.

When choosing between Valentino's or Basilico, here's my argument:

I hope you can read it! <3

Browne

2011-02-28T22:00:00.004+08:00

It is no secret that I am a sucker for charismatic protagonists.
(Well until I found Yixiang, of course. He is selectively charismatic.)
Which is why I found Browne very attractive.

"Unless you can lay out rational arguments as the foundation of what you do, nothing happens. Rigour implies that you understand the assumptions you have made... assumptions about the state of the world, of what you can do, and how your competitors will interact with it, and how the policy of the world will or will not allow you to do something." Lord Browne

Likewise in life, you do certain things because you have preconceived notions of how others believe and act, and their expectations of you. Sometimes, after considering all these things, you manage to align the assumptions and arrive at a somewhat sane solution. Sometimes, you don't. Sometimes you don't even know who will be affected by what you will be doing. Or if anyone will care.

Lord Browne is the man who built his company to be 3rd largest in his industry, which is a colossal achievement by any measure.

But of course, he is also the man who built the BP we now see awash in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Game

2011-02-27T01:19:00.000+08:00

I found this on my friend's Facebook page:

"i accept that i lucked out with Emily Ng."

If you ever get someone who can say this genuinely to you, you're really really fortunate.

I hope this line doesn't ever become a mass pick-up-artist trick, because it is really sweet.

I read a couple of pages from The Game today, basically it's just cheap tricks to fool girls. It's demeaning, and they really don't care about what the girl is saying because they are so "into the game".

One of the tricks talk about the shape of teeth distribution, whether it's C or U. Well, actually, after working as a dental assistant for almost a year, there is shape V as well. Are you going to throw pop quiz questions at me? Because I think I might actually out-smart you.

Then there's another trick where they ask about the best friend's test, i.e. "Do you two wear the same shampoo?". It will not matter what the girls say because the guy will crap something up cheesy like, "Oh you two looked at each other before looking at me to answer, therefore there is a genuine connection, therefore you two are best friends".

How stupid is that?
I know Jaslyn so well, I know she uses Herbal Essences - I even know which colour. Shampoo AND Conditioner. And I can answer confidently even without looking at her.

Why can't we just go back to the basics?

"Hello."