Miss Say

Flicker of Hope

2011-10-13T13:33:00.000+08:00

Just a very very tiny flicker of hope in the universe of darkness. I saw just a very weak flame of hope in the depravity of this all. Dare I breathe relief into the world? Not yet. Do I have a strength to keep walking on? Perhaps just enough.

Keep watching that flame. Tiny hope in this dark silent world.

Worrying

2011-10-13T01:01:00.003+08:00

This is easier said than done. And I'm incessantly worried about many things now. In a constant tensed state of being and loathing this feeling.

Why is it that when you need to pray the most that you find it hard to focus? God help me.

The One Who Got Away

2011-10-04T14:43:00.000+08:00

Remember the one who got away?

The one whose smell still lingers in your faint memory, the one who makes you break into girly blushes every time you see him walking towards you, the one whom you wait all day by the phone for, the one who is always perfect in your eyes, the one whom you finally open your heart and love unconditionally.

Things don't always work out the way we wish. Sometimes it is a matter of meeting each other at the wrong time in your lives. Sometimes it is a unresolved misunderstanding. Sometimes it is circumstances in your lives that you do not have control over. Whatever the cause, the end came too soon. The pain is crushing, and you wonder if you ever recover from it.

But we all do. We all get over it someday. Time is the healer of all things, most things.

Then you fall in love again - with someone even better. He treats you exactly the way you always wished to be treated, he surprises you gifts and possesses a charming personality. All your friends and family loves him. But most of you, he adores you.

But you know you will never love like you did before. Your heart is not whole anymore. At the back of your mind, you wonder if you will ever have the capacity to love completely again? Will you ever have the courage to love recklessly like a teenager again?

Your heart is wary and weary.

You will always remember the one who got away. The one who comes to mind when you try to remember how love feels like. The one who taught you everything about love and pain. The one to whom you measure everyone who came after him.

The one who got away... got away. It is hard not to think about the what-ifs. You try your best to lock the bittersweet memories away. But one song, one smell, one word, one scene, can send you awash with the memories again. It is hard. It will be always hard from this point forth. But you just learn to live with the dull pain in your heart when you remember the past. You just try to lock up the memories again and go on.

"Sometimes it last in love

But sometimes it hurts instead"

- Someone Like You (by Adele)

p.s. This is a backdated entry that has been sitting in my Draft. Decided to publish it afterall.

King of Anything

2011-10-02T12:07:00.000+08:00

I hate to break it to you babe

But I'm not drowning

There's no one here to save

Who cares if you disagree

You are not me

Who made you king of anything

So you dare tell me who to be

Who died

And made you king of anything

(King of Anything, by Sara Bareilles)

A smirk turns up at the corner of my lips when I heard this song this morning. Reminds me of a certain someone who craves to be the king of everything. So here's dedicating this song to everyone who knows someone like that.

Dental Health

2011-09-28T23:48:00.000+08:00

Spent the whole day at the dentist's. Fixed a cracked molar, got a new crown, and poorer by a few grand.

I'm a big believer of dental health. Nip the problem in the bud, always. It will be a small price to pay against the potential prolonged suffering - orally and financially.

Forever can never be long enough

2011-09-27T15:54:00.001+08:00

Forever can never be long enough for me

To feel like I've had long enough with you

Forget the world now we won't let them see

But there's one thing left to do

Now that the weight has lifted

Love has surely shifted my way

Marry me

Today and every day

Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say

Hello in this cafe

Say you will Mm-hmm

Say you will

Mm-hmm

Together can never be close enough for me

To feel like I am close enough to you

You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you

And you're beautiful

Now that the wait is over

And love and has finally shown her my way

Promise me

You'll always be

Happy by my side

I promise to

Sing to you

When all the music dies

(Marry Me, by Train)

Keep Going

2011-09-26T15:51:00.000+08:00

Things have been rough lately. Need a reminder to hang in there, and just keep going.

Some days, it does feel like this is hell and too much to bear. Is there a light at the end of this dark tunnel? Just gotta keep going, keep trudging on until you get somewhere. You will. Everyone does.

agnès b.

2011-06-25T23:36:00.005+08:00

agnès b.
... is pronounced "ahn-nias beh" (soft "b", like in better)

I don't care what you have been told or have read on the internet. Trust me on this one.

Celine Resort 2012

2011-06-15T23:54:00.009+08:00
Can't get this out of my head.

Need a new distraction because it will be coming to the store real soon!

Stand Up

2011-06-15T23:26:00.009+08:00
I have never been shy to speak up. I may have stepped on a few toes along the way, but I would not change a thing. What life is lived going with the flow, never raising an opinion, always being a crowd-pleaser?

Glad someone agrees with me.

Too Busy

2011-06-13T22:08:00.012+08:00
Work has become crazy lately. I'm juggling too many balls and wearing too many hats. The to-do list is never ending, and new ones keep coming along.

Need to find ways to enjoy my work again.

A Song In My Heart

2011-06-12T17:24:00.003+08:00
It has been a year since my last entry. I have been busy... busy living my life. But ever so often, a song will resonate with everything inside me. And I will have to drop everything and let the song take over me, let the lyrics bring me to a very far, very far away place.

Adele is one of my favourite artist recently. Her voice is powerful, and the lyrics of her songs have an almost-hypnotic effect on me.

And for a cool Sunday afternoon like today, this song is perfect.

"Sometimes it lasts in love
But sometimes it hurts instead"

On a side note, how beautiful is that English house of her's.

Valentino

2010-06-09T14:57:00.011+08:00

These Valentinos got my heart fluttering! Oh how pretty are these peep toes! The bronzy finish, the single bow that seem to dance above each shoe, the soft intricate multiple folds that make the bow, the pointy platform to elongate the legs...

These are made for wedding days, glamorous days, I-feel-beautiful days! Love love love 'em!!

Thirties Is The New Twenties

2010-06-08T03:36:00.009+08:00
Thirties is the new twenties. Or so they said. I've always brush it off as the sort of patronising quote one uses to comfort themselves as they add another candle on the birthday cake. I'm turning 29 in July -- at the exact cross road of the roaring twenties and the fabulous thirties. One last year in the twenties, and one more year to the thirties. I admit I haven't quite accepted the fact that soon I'll be checking a different box for age range when filling application forms.
Being 29 and looking back at the last decade, I'm excited about entering the big 3-0! I am, I promise you. Here's why.

Beauty
There is life beyond the aesthetic side of life, you learnt.
Yes, there is little I can do to change my appearance now. I can't blame my wobbly arms on baby fats anymore. Neither do I want to eat only an apple all day just to lose just another pound so I can look thinner on prom night. At 29, my metabolism is slowing down. That's a fact. I've learnt to be comfortable in my own skin.

Wear Your Style
After more than a decade of trial-and-error, I know better how to wear my makeup to enhance my best features, and learn the kind of clothes that should never make it my wardrobe ever again.

Trends
No more following fashion trends blindly, just because Vogue or Lagerfeld commands so. I have no time or interest in being like everyone else on the street, wearing the latest feathers or brightest sequins. I know what works for my body, and what doesn't. Stay updated to trends, but also only pick up trends to adapt.

Fitting In
Goodbye please-let-me-fit-in. Your confidence is no longer based on how accepted you are by others.You are not afraid of not fitting in. You have three decades of life experience that teaches you that fitting in is nothing desirable.

No
You learn to say no to things that you don't agree on / bad for you / you don't want.

Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is childish and overrated. We've finally understood it and quit playing the game. Feel like curling up with a good read on a Saturday night instead of hitting the club with your partying mates? Buying one less It-bag than your bestie because you are saving that money to start an entrepreneurial business? You no longer feel guilty for not succumbing to what others would do.

Yummy or Mummy?
Partying on a Saturday night in that yummy short dress? Or dressing up your toddler and taking her for a play date alongside other mommies and their kids? You have the option. And either side of the decision is fun.

Discipline
I don't need horrible pictures of charred lungs on cigarette boxes to teach me smoking is bad for health. I love good fun but horrible binge drinking nights are days of the past. I have the discipline to do the best for my body, mind and soul. And I make the decision to be discipline.

Finer Taste
I appreciate the finer things in life more. Not to be showy to others, but simply celebrating life in grandeur. Be it owning a limited edition handmade watch, decking the apartment with designer furnitures, or purchasing collectible art pieces, only you know the true value of these indulgence. Finer taste in life is priceless, not learnt but earned through life experience.

Money
The days of climbing the corporate ladder in cheap shoes are over. A stable career established over the years of 20-something rewards us with holiday trips, regular spas and even exclusive jewellery pieces. Enjoy the disposable income now, before starting a family. Your little treats in life will then be channelled into the baby funds.

Relationships
Because you have failed at some relationships, you have also learnt much. You know what you want in a relationship, and what you would not tolerate. You may find that special someone soon. But you are also totally comfortable remaining status quo. The most important thing is, no more "trying too hard".

Friends
We stop "collecting friendships". We keep the precious few who never turn their back on us, who always understand us, who never fails to make time and effort for us. By the time you enter the third decade of your life, you would have already sieve out these inner circle friends.

Time
You still have time. For what? For everything!
To learn to drive, to bungee jump, to make a baby, to wear a bikini, to be a better daughter, to be reckless, to have faith, to relocate permanently, to date younger men, to dress like a 20s, 30s or even 40s, to inspire, to dance in the rain, to be sophisticated, to leave a legacy, to start a new career, to do ordinary things in extraordinary ways, to be fabulous, to believe in the impossibles! You are in the best years of your life! You have collected a lifetime of experience thus far, you have much to contribute in future. You are in the best period of life!

Thirties is the new twenties. I'm celebrating life.

A Call

2010-05-05T01:04:00.003+08:00

Waiting is a nervous process.
I'm holding my breath.
Call.

Suiting Up

2010-04-29T17:34:00.010+08:00
Suiting up never look as glamourously sharp as Olivia Palermo's style.
And I'm lusting after that Victorian ruffle blouse. Check this out too. One blouse, two styles. Both effortlessly stylish and good for all ocassion from Gram's 98th birthday dinner to the uber-chic new club launch downtown.

Oh, and that Hermès Birkin too. Who doesn't need one?

Wheel of Fortune

2010-04-28T15:59:00.009+08:00
I know I must have drawn the Wheel of Fortune card from the deck of Life. The Wheel is turning, and there is no stopping.

I feel it ever so subtly. And I see signs of it everywhere lately. I'm watching the mysterious hand of Destiny move before my own eyes.

Turn Fortune, turn! Spin Wheel, spin! I'm excited about the changes that awaits me.

Bridesmaid

2010-04-28T02:05:00.007+08:00
My best friend is getting married! And guess who has been asked to be the bridesmaid?

I'm overjoyed!!!

Pollen Boo Boo

2010-04-23T01:39:00.009+08:00
I love receiving flowers. Never mind they are impractical gifts and wither away quickly. I love beautiful things and why should life always be about practicality? I enjoy indulgence and appreciate the beauty of everything under the sun.

So I receive some oh-so-beautiful trumpet lilies on Sunday. I have spent more than a few hours watching them bloom. (Yes, I idle my days away in the simplest pleasure like this.) Lilies however have the dreaded problem of staining everything in their way with their pollen. These yellow-orangey stains are little mean acts of nature! And I have unfortunately just got some lily pollens on my light pink t-shirt! Gasp!

Well, these stains are tricky to remove because water doesn't work on them. (I mean, if something can be removed by just water, it won't be considered tough stains, would it?) So here are some unconventional ways to get rid of the pollen stains.

Firstly thing first. Do NOT try to rub the stain off. This will only serve to push the pigment deeper into the fabric, making it harder to remove it! If you use your finger to rub it, the natural oil produced by our skin will impound the pigmentation further! Not wise.

Do NOT rub it off with a wet cloth either. This also only serves to spread the stain and set it in.

Instead, the best way is to shake it out. Once you realise your fabric has been stained, try to shake the fabric so the loose pollen powder will fall off. I find this awfully useful as much of the stain really does release itself from the fabric!

Next, use a sticky tape to gently lift up any remaining pollen. I have just tried this on my tshirt. It works like magic! Now the stain on my tshirt is but a light yellowish patch! Who would've thought a simple sticky tape has such powerful capability in times like that? Love it!

The last unconventional method to remove pollen is to put your stained fabric in the sun for a while. Not just an old wives' tale, the sunlight will bleach out the pollen! Amazing eh? (Personally I haven't tried this method since it's 2am now as I blog this. But ask mom or grams and they'll tell you this works!

If all else fails, ~~buy new clothes~~ use enzymatic detergent.

Macaroons, Oh Macaroons

2010-04-08T02:23:00.009+08:00
Oh how I love French macaroons!!! The pretty rainbow shades, the airy egg shell-like crust, the sweet ganache that fills your senses with euphoria at first bite! Ahh...

My favourite is the rose-flavoured ones. They remind me of the purity of simple love everytime the powdery scent reaches my nose. I love the pistachio ones too cos they are the yummiest. Oh and the rainbow colours! Dusty lavender, summery yellow, powder pink, baby blue, pastel green, earthy brown, even ashy black. I love all the delightful colours that makes the pâtisserie such an resplendent manifestation of life's goodness!

Laduree or Fauchon, Canelé or TWG. How I crave for some of you now! Macaroons, oh macaroons, how do I love thee!

Bathroom Fun

2010-04-06T12:25:00.004+08:00

I love this picture! Sexy and fun! Just the way bathroom affairs oughtta be!

Men Of Few Words

2010-04-01T00:41:00.006+08:00
Do you believe in the ~~crap~~ research that women speaks more words than men on a daily basis? I've just Googled the statistics and found two things. Firstly, the "researched" figures are random. Some articles that claim that word usage ratio between the genders is 15,000:25,000. But I've read others that say it is only 2,000:7,000. I've even read results that identify no real significant difference between the genders at all! So what is the real ratio for the number of words spoken by each gender? Secondly, where is the supporting evidence? No reliable statistics could be sourced -- all have claimed to have counted the number of words from their sample population but no actual supporting evidence found anywhere.
So, do men really use less words than women? I'd say yes. Women can behave like best of friends even if they only met for the first time! How? They find a common topic to chat about! Whereas for men, they can have beer all night at a pub without more than a few backslap and a some friendly "Cheers!".
But how about in a relationship? Do you find endless things to talk to your partner about? Or do you find yourself running out of conversation topics if you have spoken for more than a certain period of time? I'd like to think that there would be a world of things to be discussed, to raise opinions to, to laugh over. Because even the smallest event would be important enough to be shared, even the most mundane dailies would be cute, even the most boring topic could be an avenue to start a cheeky banter.

I do not subscribe to the belief that a comfortable silence between two persons is the best conversation ever. I'm with the school of thought that propagates how-would-I-know-unless-you-say-it-dammit! Can't blame a girl for feeling bored -- or worse, boring -- if the guy chooses to stick to his 2,000 words quota. Can't help it if one party doesn't read other non-verbal cues well. Can't force it if conversations don't flow, interests don't get piqued, things don't get said. Or heard.

So talk, boys! Expand your vocabulary beyond the regular "uh-huh..." and "really?". Ask what happened next, fake your enthusiasm, behave as if it was the best piece of news you've heard all day even if we were talking about tampon brands, or the injured kitty we saved, or the price of broccoli in the market.

Even if you are tired, or seriously running out of steam to pretend, don't stay silent. No, and looking lovingly at us does not help. Instead, tell us how much you miss us. Or how adorable we are. We'll may just be distracted enough to overlook the fact that you are just not quite interested in the on-going topic. And at least there won't be defening silence on the phone.

You know what they say. Men fall in love through their eyes, women their ears.

So whisper sweet nothings to me. Serenade me. Declare your love constantly. "Men of few words" is totally overrated.

Flowchart

2010-03-30T02:20:00.014+08:00
This puts a smile on my face this dreadful Monday after an awesome getaway at the most beautiful beach resort ever. Hope it has the same effect on you too. :)

Fawn Over Me

2010-03-19T15:23:00.009+08:00
Allure me with sincerity, captivate me with beauty, enchant me with knowledge, charm me with generosity. But fawn over me with beautiful words, and I am forever yours.

Perhaps I mean it when I say flattery totally -- and always -- works with me.

A man falls in love through his eyes, a woman through her ears.
~ Woodrow Wyatt

Simplicity

2010-03-17T13:06:00.005+08:00
Let the sea breeze run through my hair, let the warm ray beat down on my pale skin, let my worries be carried away by the silence at the beach, let me breathe in Life, and soak up its goodness, and revel in its simplicity again.

There's nothing I'd love to do now more than this. And I could do this all day. I would.

Happy

2010-03-03T14:23:00.004+08:00
Happiness is paramount in my life.
For you... if understands what it means to be truly happy too.

Uncertainty

2010-02-25T18:40:00.006+08:00
I'm paralysed by uncertainties. The road ahead is long and treacherous. I'm burdened and lonely.

I need time out to recharge and rejuvenate. I need to restructure my battle plan.
I need to find myself again in these times of uncertainty.

Passion

2010-01-28T00:29:00.022+08:00
I have a problem with mediocrity.
I have a problem with people who settle -- people who choose the safe, unadventurous, don't-ask-don't-know way of life. I have a problem with people who don't challenge their limits, who don't get out of their comfort zone, who settle for a mediocre lives. We have only ONE shot in life. Just one. So why don't do you something good with it? Within or beyond your capability, achieve something good that you can be proud of, leave a legacy, proved you have lived a good life.

I can't settle of ordariness. I can't be just-another-one-out-there. I can't do anything that does not bring me joy. In fact, I say I function on fun, on happiness, on passion, on love! Everything that I have done hitherto has made me happy. I have been passionate about everything I do.

In school, I love physics and mathematics. So I completed a Bachelor of Engineering degree, despite all the disbeliefs (yes, lots of it!) and hardwork that came with it. (But boy, it was really tough!) Then I decided that I love to travel. So I got me a job that pays me to travel.

So while most of my peers slogged away in their offices, caught in a intangible society-imposed rat race and wasting away the best years of our 20s, I was a happy traveller! Four good years of travelling and life experience! I saw a lot, learnt a lot, lived a lot. I was very very happy with life, very very in love with life, very very passionate about life.

Then I decided it was time to come home. I also knew that I wouldn't be happy being stuck in front of a computer 8 hours a day, exchanging my time for cash at the end of the month. I knew I wanted more. I wanted to challenge my threshold, my goals, my capability. So here I am, working for myself -- setting long and short term goals for myself, motivating my entrepreneurial soul, trudging forward slowly but surely. Some days I do feel beaten too. But when I think about being another souless person who-hates-her-job-but-must-do-it, I'm glad I dare to do the things I do. I dare to be different, be myself, be happy and passionate.

And I am happy. I have been happy with every decision I made in life. If I had to choose life all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. I'm serious. So pardon me if I despise people who have no passion in life. I have no tolerance for people who are "happy" just getting by. I hate boring people who don't do anything exciting in their lives. (Or on weekends. And weekdays. Oh heck, everyday!) I thrive on passion, on fun, on love, on happiness. How about you?

Are you happy to just get by? Are you a "one of them"? When you examine your life, have you done well? Have you been happy, passionate, lived well? Are you still hungry for life everyday?

We pass this life only once. One life, live it.

What is your passion in life?

Getting Over A Relationship

2010-01-24T00:29:00.019+08:00
I just love Sex and the City (SATC. Acroymns are supposed to be cooler, I was told). I was having one of those boring Saturday evenings -- friends and myself are all recovering from the wild clubbing the previous evening, just for the record -- so I decided to watch a random episode of SATC. In this episode, Carrie just ended her relationship with Mr Big and was having a hard time with the break up. Her girl friends suggested various ways to get over him. Some wanted her to jump right back into the dating scene, others allowed her to grieve. And I quote Charlotte:

It takes half the total time you went out with someone to get over them.

I've heard this from my girl friends too. You know, whenever a sista breaks up, we'll take them out for a male-bashing session, dishing out wise advices from our Breakup 101 Manual... until one hits home with her. Uh-huh, the typical "You deserves someone better" or "Keep yourself busy". You know what I'm talking about. What do you think about Charlotte's mathematical solution to relationships? Half the relationship period to get over them?

I guess it's not so much of the exact time frame. But it allows you a period to grieve, to eat tubs of Ben & Jerry's guiltlessly, to have free access to anyone's shoulder to cry on, to use retail therapy as a valid clinical assistance to your condition. And you do know that once that period deadline is over, you'll have to try to recover, to move on, to get over it.

If it is any comfort, I've learnt lately that with each relationship passed, we learn more and more about ourselves. We learn what we want from our partner, and what we don't need. What we would tolerate, and what is non-negotiable. We become clear about what kind of relationship we desire. We do not try to change what the other person is so as to fit into our idea of the "perfect relationship". I have been guilty of doing that too! Through the many tears shed, I've (finally!) learnt the best approach is to know what factors truly matter in your relationship. If you can accept the shortcomings, go ahead and be in it. One must truly be able to accept those blotches. But if the flaw is as big as ~~Sarah Jessica Parker's (now-removed) mole~~ a plank in your eye, then leave it -- don't even attempt to change anyone to fit your world, I beg you. It never would.

Accept, if you can.
Leave, if you can't.

It can be that simple. It ought to be. And this time round, I'm keeping it that simple. I have finally figured it out. :)

Plenty Of Fishes

2010-01-19T16:46:00.002+08:00
Conversation with my best friend, on the topic of "plenty of fishes in the sea".

ME: When you said "other fishes in the sea", you are referring to X, right?
BEST FRIEND: X is a great white SHARK! He is not a fish! Please!

My best friend always manage to crack me up! She's the best!

And I Love You So

2010-01-17T18:13:00.015+08:00

And I love you so
The people ask me how
How I've lived till now
I tell them I don't know

I guess they understand
How lonely life
has been
But life began again
The day you took my hand

And yes I
know how lonely life can be
The shadows follow me
And the night won't
set me free
But I don't let the evening get me down
Now that you're
around me

And you love me too
Your thoughts are just for me
You set my spirit free
I'm happy that you do
The book of life is brief
And once a page is read
All but love is dead
That is my belief

And yes I know how loveless life can be
The shadows follow me
And the night won't set me free
But I don't let the evening get me down
Now that you're around me

And I love you so
The people ask me how
How I've lived till now
I tell them I don't know

I fell in love. With Harry Connick Jr's latest album Your Songs. I fell even deeper in love with his rendition of And I Love You So. What an album! I only knew him as an actor, but boy his muscial talent far surpasses his acting skills. You have to get this album because all the songs in this album is perfect for any time of the day! You'll fall in love with his deep soulful voice too!

I'm not one of those girls who dream about their wedding day since they were 12, or "already know" what their future wedding dress looks like. I've never understood why this day is known as "the big day" of one's life (it's could very well be "the end of the good days" too! :P). I've never fantasize about the man standing at the end of the aisle, or wish I'm a Mrs-something soon. I'm just not that kinda girl.

But when I heard And I Love You So, I literally saw a first dance - in my mind! Yep, that wedding first dance. (Disclaimer: Not my wedding dance. Just "a" wedding first dance.) Every single time I hear it, that first dance image would play in my mind -- again and again. It's a strange feeling. It's all dreamy and sweet.
In this vision, everyone else disappears.
Dark background.
Flowers and sash drape a white canopy.
A newly-wedded couple dances in the middle.
Sharp black suit for groom.
The bride adorned in a cream satin gown, with intricate design of beads and pearls.
They are moving slowly, cheek-to-cheek. In love and in tuned with each other's paces. I don't see their faces but joy overflows them. The brides smiles with blush radiance, the groom holds her close to his heart... treasuredly. Love and happiness is evident and overwhelming. What a vision!

Besides And I Love You So, I have only ever remotely thought about another song as (my?) ideal wedding songs. Officially Yours by Craig David. I know, it's an entirely different genre song. But its speaks to me, every time I hear it too! Sing to me, baby, and I'm yours!
I'm officially going on the record
To say I'm in love with you
I'm officially everything you hope that I would be
This time I'll tell the truth
So there you go, Miss Say's wedding songs review. Now, let me go find the Husband. ;)

'That's Her'

2010-01-13T01:47:00.007+08:00

Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot,
who calls you back when you hang up on him,
who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat,
or will stay awake just to watch you sleep...
wait for the boy who kisses your forehead,
who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats,
who holds your hand in front of his friends,
who thinks you're just as pretty without makeup on.
One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky his is to have you....
The one who turns to his friends and says, 'that's her.'

This just took my breath away when I read it!

A sweet kiss on the forehead is the most endearing thing in the world! I love it! I always feel loved, protected, treasured.

'That's her', that's just impossibly incredibly sweet! Do boys like that even exist? Oh love, oh love, you are so complex as you are essential! I love to love. I love love.

Waking Up To These

2010-01-11T03:40:00.005+08:00

Waking up to these.

I know I said this before but I'd just like to say it again. I love flowers. When I opened my eyes this morning, the scarlet roses were the first things I saw. I could get used to waking up this way! Any woman could. Bliss.

Rotten Apple

2010-01-07T17:54:00.013+08:00
There are some days which you know are not your day. Everything goes wrong, you wake up feeling grumpy, even the most trivial normal things you see everyday can and will made you mad. Well, today is one of those days. Heck the whole week has been one of those weeks! Nothing is working out alright, delays in my work project, pimple threatening to pop, waiting in queue for half an hour at some service centre just to be told they can't retrieve my file, new laptop not working, rude technical support personals, making purchases and then immediately regretting it, etc. Yes, you get the picture. This is one of those weeks.

I have been counting down to the minute my new Apple MacBook Pro gets delivered this week. Yesterday I even postponed my appointment just to wait for the DHL man. When the lappy arrives, I took pictures of the unboxing process and held my nervous breath in anticipation as the Mac laptop sprung to life instantly with colours and sounds! What a joy to finally feel the weight of it in my hands.

But alas, Apple failed me faster than I could say Microsoft. The browser refuses to load the internet pages properly, and that led to a few hours of troubleshooting among several Mac users and I. By the time the third person told me to try this or click that, I was already ready to repent from turning my back on Windows!
This morning was even worse. I spent more than three hours on the phone with AppleCare, who then pushed the problem to my router technical support, who then threw me back to AppleCare, who then compelled me to make the router guys change the radio channels, who then shoved me back to AppleCare after insisting they can't do a thing more, who then transferred me to Apple Sales department eventually. On top of that, I have little patience with speaking to foreign-accented technical support personals who didn't understand what I was saying . And I was done with my so-called Apple experience.

I'm sending my MacBook Pro back. Tonight.

I'm giving them Apple one last chance to redeem themselves by sending me a working machine. The next option would be a full refund and a blog-ful of angry anti-Apple ferocity! Till then, I'll be playing with my other new toy, BlackBerry. I don't know why it took me this long to get a BlackBerry. I always thought I would say this about Apple too.

Boo you, Apple.

Choose Happiness

2010-01-03T23:06:00.016+08:00
2010. It's gonna be good year. I feel it. Bye bye, turbulent 2009. I had enough of sadness. This year, it will be Choose Happiness year! Just watch me, I'm gonna have fun, embrace happiness, reach the pinnacle of life!

I choose happiness.

Watched (500) Days of Summer this afternoon. It was highly recommended by a friend. And I say the same to you now. Watch it! It's good, it's surprisingly good! I didn't quite know what to expect from the movie when I watched it. But it struck a chord with me -- in so many scenes in the movie! The uncertainty in love, the blind belief in fate, the unsuspecting turn of events, the pains and despair life brings. I love love love this movie!
Summer: I woke up one morning and I just knew.
Tom: Knew what?
Summer: What I was never sure of with you.
This is my favourite scene in the movie. I woke up the other day, and I knew. I knew I was done with the dark period of my life. I'm choosing happiness. Now.

p.s. Believe me when I say I woke up hearing birds chirping and butterflies fluttering around make-believe daisies in my mind that morning! It's good to wake up happy, everyday.

Hopelessly Hopeful

2009-12-06T12:22:00.008+08:00
I found a carefully laminated note on which I had printed some beautiful words many years ago. There is just something so hopelessly hopeful, or hopefully hopeless about this note. It struck a chord within me many years when I first read it. Yesterday, a decade later, the slightly-yellowish note still make me cry a little when I read it.

I never knew the title of this note. I couldn't find one when I google it (there was a grand total of 4 results when I searched!). I name it, Hopelessly Hopeful.

And this note is for myself. I need it. I need to know... that it is okay. I will be okay.

You say that your sky has been changing lately.
That you're tired and broken.
That the answers you thought you'd found don't seem to work anymore.

We've been down these sad roads a hundred times before,
sat quietly on lonely hillsides,
cried with forgotten songs on the radio.

Always it was our belief in other days that got us through.

I remember planting dreams with you,
chasing wishes and watching flowers.
But what I remember best is how you always made me laugh,
even when the world around us was falling apart.

All these years walking the solitary paths where I
found and lost myself a thousand times,
I never felt alone because you were in my memory.
You were there.
And I will always stand by you.

Go outside now
and walk away.
Find one of these roads again somewhere,
in the quiet shade of gentle trees.
Take this note and hug your shadow
and love yourself
and remember these things:

There is nothing in the world worth giving up
what you've already achieved.
You will always be a fighter and a dreamer.
Now more than ever,
you've got to look deep within your heart and
believe.

45 Life Lessons

2009-11-23T05:58:00.011+08:00
Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I’ve ever written.”

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Choo Shoe

2009-11-22T07:51:00.009+08:00
The days of our lives shall henceforth be defined by the days before Jimmy Choo for H&M collection was launched, and the days after.

Adding more sChoo to my original Choo shoe collection, I didn't mind that these were highend styles at highstreet price. I am even willing to even squeeze my size 7 feet into those delicious blood-red heels which are actually one size too small for me. I had to heartlessly reject a girl's desperate plea and tears for me to give up my heels to her. I almost could overlook the fact that these Choos were Made In China, not Italy. I did battle a mob of 300 shoe-intoxicated women to land my hands on whatever was left on the shelf two minutes after launch time. I do genuinely feel powerful and sexy in these sky-high heels.

"The little blue box" shall not be exclusive to Tiffany&Co anymore. Gimme some Jimmy Choo blue boxes too!

Of Abaya And Niqab

2009-11-17T18:02:00.011+08:00
I came across this funny picture when I was surfing the internet. It was posted on this Muslim girl's blog about abaya fashion -- yes, she advises on how to bling-ified the black cloth or accessorise the overall look! She gives very interesting and useful tips for abaya-cloaked ladies. I actually enjoyed her blog reading very much.

I have always wondered how the ladies wearing niqab distinguish one friend from another. Is it just by the different abayas they are wearing? Or eye makeup (which I promise you, the Arab ladies does the best eye makeup in the world)? I've asked this question many times to many Arab friends but never got a satisfying answer. Usually the answer is "you just know". As for me, I only try to differentiate them by their abaya's blings or their handbags. So far it works... but once. I approached the wrong abaya-cloaked lady and spoke to her for several minutes before realising she was not the right person I was looking for. Blimey!

Did I mention I especially love the metal face veil of the traditional Emirati women? I find the metal piece very alluring and emphasises her big black eyes. The professing of my like for the metal face veil is often met with strong reactions from my friends. Same queer looks I get when I tell them how much I adore the Arabic oud perfume! Ah, I'm really made to live in this part of the world! (That'll be another blog entry on its own another day.)

Four Fabulous Years

2009-11-16T07:39:00.016+08:00
I know, I know. I haven't been blogging in a long while and I oughtta have a fabulous entry to make up for the the break. But I've just been swamped with... life! And today actually marks the 4th year anniversary since I arrived and lived my life as an expatriate overseas! 4 good years since I flew away from the safe harbour of home. 1461 Arabian nights spent in this foreign land I now call home. The best years of my life too. I will always treasure these days more than any others in my life!

How did I dare leave home for a foreign job, foreign land, foreign lifestyle at a young, brash age of 24? (Yes, you calculated correctly. That'll make me 28 now.) How did I know the world outside was not too tough for my soul and spirit? How did I decide that my appetite for Life is bigger than my fear of being trapped in the pseudo-perfect safe haven back home? I did not know. I did not know that the world could break my spirit; but I'll survive. I did not know my brash decision to leave my home country would teach me this much, enrich my life this much. I did not know many things as a young, fresh-from-university, over-protected, pampered girl from a land far away from this one now. But I leaped. I just decided to take the leap of faith, and went ahead.

It is a decision I will never regret. I've seen many folks come and go in this place -- some endured, some didn't. I've learnt what it takes to survive overseas: tough spirit, open mind, love for life and joy at work. Life, especially life away from home can be harsh. So if life throws me lemons, just made lemonade! Toughen up, and keep moving on! That's how I survive, learn, and grow up over these years.

I would enjoy spending another 4 years in this temporary home. I would even miss watching the progress of this land as its most historical moments are yet to unfold. I love my life and friends made along the way here. After travelling 5 continents, collecting uncountable stamps in my passport, sleeping in the 5-stars hotels in 3rd world countries, but also experiencing 3rd world foolishness in 1st world countries, a hard disk full of pictures of the old and new Wonders of The World, right now the time is right for me to go home. I feel it, I know it.

It has been a good run.

Cheers!

Halo

2009-09-13T21:33:00.013+08:00

I love sitting at my desk in my aparment in the late afternoon. The sunlight reflects itself off the building opposite mine, beating the ray of halo and heavenliness into my room. I love stretching out my hand and trying to catch the sun beams, or just letting the ray of afternoon sun cut through my fingers. Or sometimes just closing my eyes and bask in the halo of warmth and glow.

Just another quiet afternoon which I can reflect and give thanks. Just me, my thoughts, and the reflection of the ever-burning sun. Beyoncé's Halo was playing on my iTunes. What an apt song for all that I have been feeling.

This is the moment I love most everyday.

Halo (by Beyoncé)

Remember those walls I built
Well baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make a sound
I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now
It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo (halo) halo
I can see your halo (halo) halo
I can feel your halo (halo) halo
I can see your halo (halo) halo
Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light
I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me to the ground again
Feels like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
The risk that I'm takin'
I'm never gonna shut you out
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo (halo) halo
I can see your halo (halo) halo
I can feel your halo (halo) halo
I can see your halo (halo) halo
I can feel your halo (halo) halo
I can feel your halo (halo) halo
I can feel your halo (halo) halo
I can see your halo (halo) halo
I can see your halo (halo)

How To Look Fabulous In Ten Minutes

2009-09-09T05:28:00.014+08:00
My friends were in their car when they phoned me -- the me which was still in bed, napping. They told me they were on their way over to pick me up to go for a drink. "How long before you reach?" I asked. Ten minutes, they said.

Ten freaking minutes?! Like 600 seconds? To get ready and look fabulous for a night out at the pub where drop-dead gorgeous men potentially hang out? I could either wear the first drab I reach in the wardrobe, go plain-faced, pull hair back into a convenient ponytail, and wished there would be no McConaughey-lookalikes at the bar that night, or I could use the ten minutes to make a fabulous looker out of myself! Well, you know what they say about Murphy's Law, when you least expect it, it will happen. I can't look like a wreck when the Pitts and McConaugheys appear in my life!

So, ten minutes. First thing first, take ten seconds to breathe. Really, this is essential. After emptying your mind of the bucket of nerves, start recalling the most flattering emergency clothes you've bought lately. You know, those clothes which you wear on your fat-days -- and still look fab! Now, get out of bed, pull those clothes out and remind yourself how gorgeous they'll look on you soon.

Next, wash your face. Then your regular toning and moisturising. While waiting for the moisturiser to be absorbed fully into your face, change your clothes. By now you should have some six minutes left.

Foundation is the essential part of this makeup routine since you will have minimal makeup, so you need the foundation to even out any dark circles, cover eyebrow's new growth, or just patch up your facial tones. Always wait for the foundation to be absorbed by the skin before applying loose powder. So while waiting, let's waste no time and start fixing the hair. I had the option of keeping it loose but that meant I had to blow it straight. So I decided to keep it in a loose bun on one side instead. A stylish I-just-pull-the-look-together chic-ness!

Four minutes.
Concealer.
Then grab a few chunky accessories to spice up your outfit. Throw them into the bag you intend to carry. Haven't decide which bag yet? Start thinking now. Leave the accessories on the bed first. Do not wear them now.

Three minutes and a half.
Loose powder. Blusher
Then eye liner.
I really do not think one will have time for mascara. I did not. So I needed to draw my eye liner thicker and with more definition. This will dramatise the eyes without the need of a mascara.

One minutes.
Choose your handbag. Throw the accessories in it.
Choose your shoes. One change is allowed. Afterall, shoes really do make or break an outfit! So let's cut us some slack here.

Half a minute.
Throw lip gloss into handbag.
Spritz on some of your best feel-good fragrance!
Take a look at the fabulous you in the mirror. And remind yourself "Damn I look good!"

Ten seconds.
Get out of your apartment and put on your accessories and lip gloss in the lift.

Walk glamorously (and calmly, the last thing you need is breaking out a sweat!) to your pick up point. Yes, it's okay to be a little late. That's hardly close to being fashionably late.
Now air-kissed your friends and compliment on how fabulous everyone looked. Because you know you do too! All in ten minutes' effort!

Be fabulous, girlfriends! Be fabulous, always.

Cougarism

2009-08-20T20:44:00.008+08:00
There I said it.

Indeed, cougarism is the word these days. Older women with younger men, there's just a shady excitement to it like eating a forbidden fruit, an unspoken naughtiness that such combination exudes, an illicit discovery we crave to learn more about!

Yes, Demi Moore has done it. So has Madonna. And Mariah Carey. And Jennifer Aniston, and Drew Barrymore, and Kim Cattrall, Cher, Elizabeth Taylor, etc. Cougar is an urban term given to a woman who pursues much younger men. Wikipedia goes as far as specifying a cougar as a woman who sexually pursues men who are at least eight years her junior. Wow, strong words. But what used to be a social taboo and since been glorified by Hollywood -- well then again, doesn't everything get popularised this way these days? Yesteryear's restrains have since turned into victorious conquests and for some women! Hallelujah!

I definitely see this cougar trend growing among my friends. There's always a certain inner-circle cheeky smile that lights up their faces when I get them to talk about their relationship with their younger men. It's hard to pinpoint what it really is but it's like they know something we don't. As if one has to be initiated into the Cougar Club before she can learn the secret thrill of such relationship. It's intriguing, it's alluring, it's tempestuous! Here are a few things they've shared about their cougar relationship.

1) Eager to please
Younger men are eager to please their older girlfriends. They show more attention to the women. Whatever the younger men lack in financial sense, they make up for it by showering the women with special sweet surprises and aplenty attention to their every detail in life. I have to agree with this because older men then to believe they can buy their way into the women's world. And that whatever we need, they can satisfy by buying for us. Well, sometimes what women really need is just attention. Undivided attention from their all-so-important career, or golf/poker nights/beers. With younger men, their older girlfriends are always their priority in life. And most of the time, that's all a girl needs.

2) More respectful
Like shadow that comes with light, older men have inflated egos that comes their age and knowledge. With younger men, they acknowledge that their older girlfriends may be more worldly and thus tend to be more respectful to their opinions, ideas and perspectives. Younger men look up to older women, and shower them with the respect they deserve! For women, it's tiring, not to mention boring, dealing with older pompous men all the time. R.E.S.P.E.C.T, guys. You'll win if you can do that more.

3) Younger, Hotter, please
Like this t-shirt that says "Go for younger men. You might as well. They never mature anyway." That's right! Like men who always prefer younger, hotter girls, women also prefer young hot bods over saggy belly and balding head too. Younger men dresses well, put in effort with their hair, hygiene, skincare, lifestyle, etc. Older men unfortunately mistakenly think that tough and rough is sexy. And that unshaven and unkempt reveals their manliness. I'm just gonna say it once: NO, IT IS NOT. Gimme a metrosexual guy, I'll show you what is sexy.

4) I already have a father
I don't need another father figure in my life, thankyouverymuch. There is a difference between feeling secure with a man and feeling paternal with a man. We are confident, accomplished women who knows what we want in life. We don't need our older boyfriends to judge us, set rules for our lives, or restrict my lifestyle. Pussycat Dolls's song Hush Hush says it well:

I never needed you for pointing out my wrongs

I never needed you for judgment
I never needed you to question what I spend
I never ask for help
I take care of myself

I never needed your corrections
On everything from how I act to what I say

Why is that that only older men judge their girlfriends on who they hang out with, what time they should get home, how they should do things, what they wear, etc? I have a friend who openly declares his preference for older women. He was over at my place before we went clubbing the other day when I asked him for opinion on my ultra short dress. He said that there is no such thing as a dress that's too short. Or a cleavage that's too much. Bless him! Younger men really do know how to make a woman feel more beautiful!

5) Younger men makes women feel young
I still like clubbing, extreme sports, spontaneous travel, dancing in the rain, staying up all night, etc. Every now and then, I like to wreck some havoc. But older men are just too conservative, too proper, and most of all, too tired. Yes, they've been there, done that -- last decade. But I haven't! Why don't you have some fun with me too? In that aspect, younger men live life on the edge, seek fun in everything they do, and love with everything they have. And that is why women feel younger when they hang out with their younger boyfriends! Feel young, look young! Now beat that, SKII!

6) Less baggage
The last thing I need is to be a step-mom. Or dealing with a psychotic ex-girlfriend. Or those so-cliched emotional baggage. It's hard enough being a women. Let me be the only one in your life. Older men are often too jaded, too hard-heartened, too unwilling to love totally again. Well, girls, stop wasting time with such men. Find a fresh young thing and be the one that breaks his heart if you have to. But chances are you'll be in for treat for being his first love!

7) Sexually Compatible
A man's sexual peak is in his 20s and a woman in her 30s. This cougar-match will ensure equal bedroom desires. Also younger men are eager to show their older girlfriends they know what they are doing in bed. So they are eager to satisfy their women. Finally a man who puts our desires before theirs! God bless our younger men!

8) Stamina
Need I say more? 'nuff said. Yum!

I am neither advocating cougarism, or discouraging it. I applaud my cougar girlfriends, and totally respect my guy friends who prefers MLIF.

Hello, Zac Efron! Hello, Chace Crawford. How do you not be a cougar with these hot young bods perfect with those puppy eyes tempting you?

Miss Say Reviews: Skincare Stuff

2009-08-09T05:33:00.007+08:00

These are the stuff I bought recently. Spending way too much! Okay, they are "investments", as some girls put it.

Shu Uemura's Cleansing Oil has been much raved about everywhere. They really do remove every trace of make up as oil is the only product that can remove the toughest of mascara. Every bit of my foundation dissolved into the oil too. I love watching the oil emulsify into a milky solution when water is added to the oil. It's like science lab experiment everyday when I clean my face! I do however have two reservation about this. Firstly, I can't get the cleansing oil to spread around my eye properly. Either I get the oil into my eye resulting in blurry vision, or I'm left with residual eyeliner or mascara on the inner eye. Still finding my way around this product -- I've only started using this one week ago. So far, it is as good as the reviews raved everywhere. Get it.

Biotherm Aquasource Non-Stop Moisturiser. This product came highly recommended to me by many flight attendant friends who swear by it. Trust me, nobody knows better about moisturiser than flight attendants. The aircraft cabin air is so dry and the flight attendants have to wear full make-up for as long as some 16 hours at a go. They really do know how to pick a good moisturiser. I have been using Biotherm Aquasource for the last four years and I have no complaints at all. It is super light texture, easily absorbed, and best of all very very hydrating. Imagine this: 5000litres of enriched water in each jar. I literally feels my skin "drinking" up the moisture every time I splatter on this moisturiser. Because it is so light on my skin, using it under make-up ensures a matte face all day. My skin is constantly hydrated and refreshed. I can't emphasise enough how great this product is. Go get it! Pronto!

Kielh's Acne Blemish Control Treatment Gel. I've never used Kielh's product until recently. I had a minor zit outbreak so I thought I'd try this product. It is formulated with a powerful blend of blemish-fighting acids known to minimize the appearance of acne and blemishes. Well, frankly I think it works little to reduce the blemishes once they've already appeared. But perhaps it would be good as a preventive measure. Slight tingling feeling when I use it all over my face. I'd say this is not a must-buy.

No 7 Protect & Perfect Eye Serum. Works just like any other eye cream. Nothing spectacular. I'll stick to my SKII Advanced Eye Treatment Film. The ergonomics of the bottle is not well-designed either. Gotta stick your finger into a small hole to dig out the cream. I'm not liking it. Pass up this one, girls.

Dior Snow Sublissime Whitening Liquid Foundation. I have never been a fan of any whitening product so I was a little hesitant about getting this. Since my Lancome liquid foundation is running out soon, and Dior came highly recommended by some friends, I decided to try it out. The texture of this liquid foundation is thicker than expected -- just a little thinner than a gel or mousse. Because it is quite thick in texture, a very tiny pump of foundation is enough for my whole face. The thick texture does take a little getting use to but you'll find the smooth and brightening effect this foundation brings is enough to compensate for any negativity. My face appears more brilliant and tones the face shade evenly. I simply love how my face appears brighter after using this foundation! This is perhaps the "whitening" effect, and not a paler shade as expected of whitening products. Great buy.

That's all for my recent purchases. Go get 'em.

The Great Divide: Single vs Married

2009-08-06T05:11:00.011+08:00
I am having the time of my life! Pardon me for the lack of updates. I just haven't had time to construct my thoughts and my colourful life into words and readable entries. Just too many things going on in life. Bless my soul.

My Facebook photo albums are filled with partying pictures, my weekends are packed with outdoor activities and drinks sessions, my everyday life is a series of exciting projects and making new interesting friends along the way. Press the PAUSE button here. And rewrite the above as if I were married. My Facebook photo albums will be filled with my kids pictures (heck, even the profile picture will be some parenthood propaganda-worthy photo!), my weekends will be packed with cuddle-ups and DVDs, my everyday life will be work-home-dinner-sleep (repeat as often as necessary). *unpause*

When I was home last month, I encounter first-hand the vast difference in lifestyle of the singles and the married. The singles are living it up working hard and partying hard, travelling lots, packing every weekends with tennis/wakeboarding/cycling/you-name-it, catching up with old friends and making new one too, looking fabulous and well-maintained. The married are staying away from public area, preferring to spend "quality time" at home, making a trip to the buffet line at a hotel restaurant THE highlight of the year, jiggling the excess stomach fats of your partner and feeling contented because only you see the real beauty in him/her, and attending other married couples' kids' birthday parties. Yawn, I'm bored just writing about that.

This is the great divide between the single and the married.

The singles dress up, paint their faces, lead a full and fun life day to night (and past that!). The married dresses down, go barefaced, lead a predictable exclusive-to-couple life day to 9pm. The single clubs, and the married snubs. The single loves life, the married loves family life. The singles hang out, the married back out -- of all social events unless necessary. Meeting for a drink means hanging out at a nice pub. Or does meeting for a drink means having a coffee at a cafe near home. You know which is for which.

I was out partying with my single girlfriend when I told her she was the few friends I've had since high school who still clubs. Because I'm still single, she replied. I recalled the previous weekend when I had another gathering with some ex-classmates. They were all either married or lugging a kid around to the meet-up. By 8pm, they flashed the "Junior needs to sleep"-card or "My husband doesn't like me staying out late"-card. Does married life translates to no clubbing, no staying out late, no activities on weekends, no heels or lipsticks, no fun social life? And why do the married view the single as... well for the lack of better words, failure? Before you protest, let me explain.

The married is always eager to hook up their single friends with another wonderful friend (who often turns out to be fugly, balding and smells. And non-existential EQ). The married scoffs at the clubbing scene, despising friendships made at such places. The married sees weekend activities as a dread with no special agenda other than to stay in. But this is the ultimate: The married believe they have made it. And everyone else who is not married have not.

It is no wonder the singles stop asking the married friends out. Because it's most often 1+1 (even if it's a girls' night out!). Also if the singles were to meet their married friends, they have to forgo pretty frocks and lovely locks. They have to dress down because the married can't fit into their summer dresses anymore and doesn't have anything else to bunch up their hair other than an old faded scrunchie. The singles want to talk about their exciting holiday trips, while the married want to discuss breast pumps and diapers.

Neither want to hang out with the other for the lack of common topic of interest. Neither can integrate their lives with the other without some snobbishness in believing they have the better live.

I've seen too many real-life example of uninspired cuddle-up weekends of married couples. I've heard too much self-glorification in the "kind" advices of married couples. I've picked up the "I've made it"-signals from the married friends. (Do you also sense the "I won't ever notice, much less marry your husband even if you pay me a million bucks and he's the last man on earth"-signal from me?)

I won't say which side of The Great Divide is better. But...
I'm young and has the world under my feet. I have lots to offer and lots to take from it. I am just starting to ride the crest of life. I crave the high of meeting someone gorgeous and knowing it could lead to something more. I don't do cuddle-up weekends. I don't like sharing my bed. I'm taking life by its neck and I need both arms -- can't spare one in somebody's arm. I like options. I prefer deciding for "me" than for "us". I enjoy fancy dinner dates, the rush of that first kiss, the lingering goodbyes at the end of the day. I like to be on this side of the Divide. I have the rest of my life for the other side. Why hurry to start now?

Don't need to be on somebody's arm to look good
(I like who I am)
I'm not saying I don't wanna fall in love 'cos I would
I'm not gonna get hooked up just 'cos you say I should
(Can't romance on demand)
I'm gonna wait so I'm sorry if you misunderstood
- Single (Natasha Bedingfield)

99 Red Roses

2009-07-25T01:56:00.009+08:00
Any girl who says she doesn't like flowers is a liar. No, no excuse at all. All girls love flowers. Yeah so what if they are not the most practical gifts? A little romanticism goes a long way. A maximum-wow-effect gesture surely won't go unnoticed. And a bouquet of red roses to greet me in the morning still puts a wide smile on my face. Every single time I look at it.

Ninety-nine red roses to be exact. That's the number of roses in this bouquet. The scarlet red roses bled envy from other girls, and invited admiring stares from other guys. That is the full effect of a hugh bouquet of flower. And I cannot say I did not enjoy the attention.

Flowers are really one of the prettiest thing in this world. I love watching them bloom into their full grandeur, I love running my fingers through the powdery-soft petals, I love putting my nose against them and taking in the floral fragrance.

Ninety-nine roses. A very special birthday gift indeed.

I'm a woman, let me indulge in romanticism, fairy tales, beauty, love. And impractical resplendent gifts.

Miss Say Reviews: Nexcare Acne Patch

2009-07-21T12:45:00.013+08:00
I don't know if it's the weather back home, or the unhealthy -- but totally to-die-for -- local cuisine that has unleashed a wave of pimple outbreak on my face. The weather back home is so hot and humid I don't even use moisturiser after I wash my face. Bad, I know. I only slather on night cream before I go to bed at night to make up for the lack of diligence in moisturising during the day. And even that has not been a nightly ritual. That's in addition to stuffing my face with the much-missed local cuisine which are more often then not unhealthy -- but oh so super yummy! No wonder my body is reacting in protest to such abuse.

First there was only one painful pimple. (Ok, I can handle that.) When I woke up the next morning, there were two. (Alright, just don't touch them.) And by the end of the day, three (THREE! *pitiful sobs*) are threatening to rise out of of T-zone. Except I know they won't because they are all headless pimples. These are the real killers, aren't they? Painful, swollen, and yet there is nothing one can do about them since there is no pus to squeeze out. I complained of my situation to my bestie while hanging out with her yesterday and she recommended me Nexcare (3M) Acne Patch. Well, she also swears by Clinique's anti-blemish solutions Spot Treatment Gel. But since Clinique doesn't do anything for my skin judging for past experience, I decided to try her other suggestion.

Nexcare Acne Patch works this way. Each patch is a water-based gel which reduces the swelling and redness of the pimple when applied. It works by absorbing the oil secretion of the pimple onto the gel patch. It also acts as a protective layer that prevents infection. Sounds simple and convenient enough to tempt any acne-tortured soul to give it a go. Last night before I went to bed, I apply three patches over the reddish swollen pimples. One was a ginormous size zit so I had to use the bigger size patch over it. The other two were milder so I patched the mini-me size ones over them.

I woke up this morning eagerly to investigate the result. Have the patches work their miracles overnight? Have they sucked enough oil out of my volcanic pimples to power up a whole village?

Well, I am happy to report that two of the smaller pimples are less swollen, and thus "flatter". They are almost invisible unless I press hard into the skin. Good job there. However I am not convinced the patch has much effect on the kingpin pimple. The zit is still quite swollen and red, and painful. I can't tell if much oil has been absorbed since the patch appears pretty clear to me. I believe the resistance from the monstrous zit is much too strong for the little acne patch's prowess.

So go ahead and try the acne patch on small, new-grown pimple. Patch them on immediately upon discovery. (They are clear and match one's skin tone closely. I like that.) As for for cosmic-sized zits, expect little effect but use it as a shield to prevent the infection from getting worse. I just replaced the patch over that massive zit with a fresh one. Work, little patch, work! Work your wonder!

Mid-Week Partying

2009-07-16T21:12:00.012+08:00
Mid-week partying is not for the faint-hearted. It is only suitable for the young ones. Or for those who don't have to go to work the next day. Luckily I fall into the second category. (Well, even the first too!)

So I was out at a club last night. On a Wednesday. Till 4am. It was helluva party nonetheless! Brought back lotsa memories of the days when I was clubbing till 4am and waking up at 7 to go to school. How did I ever do that? Ah, it's good to be young and full of energy. And sleep was definitely not a priority then.

I attempted to get out of bed -- four times. No wait, was it three? Or five? I lost count because I was basically climbing in and out of bed all day today. Woke up at 10 to have a quick breakfast which ended up in a struggle between swallowing the food and trying not to puke last night's alcohol. My head was spinning and my ears were ringing. So I decided that I needed the bed again. I laboured agonisingly to get out of bed several times after to get some work done, but to little success. I decided that today will be useless trying to be productive. I'm just too hungover.

Oh but how I miss mid-week partying! Lotsa fun memories of those carefree school days and brash youthfulness. At that age, going clubbing was a religion as it was cool "to see and to be seen" mixing with the popular crowd. A great night out meant getting wasted. Turning up at the school assembly the next morning with bloodshot eyes and reciting the national Pledge with alcohol breath meant you had partied hard.

But these days, clubbing is more of a personal choice than a social pressure. I enjoy letting my hair down with a few moves on the dance floor. I like getting excited about what to wear for the evening and getting my hair done for the party. I love indulging in the girly gossips with my sistas at the bar, or throwing flirty glances at yummilicious strangers across the room. Being a fun drunk, a few drinks always kick the party to a new high! (Now kids if you are reading this, if you drink, don't drive.)

If you are one of those "I'm happily married/in love, I don't need to club anymore"-couple, I don't even wanna begin telling you what you are missing out. If you club just to hook up sweet young things, this entry is not for you. *coughshamelesscough* If you party just to get drunk, here's one word for you -- sad. But if you club because you enjoy a good night out shaking your tushy on the dance floor, indulging in the great company of like-minded pals, getting high on life, you are one who brings the party with you wherever you go! You celebrate life! And you live it up! (Send in your application here to be my partying mate!)

Now I have to go nurse my hangover.

The Other The One

2009-07-15T00:19:00.010+08:00
Feeling emo today and realising I'd probably not get any work done after running my errands in town, I decided to get my hair done. I always fix my hair -- cut, colour, rebond, treatment, you name it! -- when I come back to town since I only trust my hairdresser when it comes to my tresses.

Miss Say has an advice with regards to your crowning glory: Your hairdresser is one of the most important persons in your life. Treat him/her well.

You won't find your ideal hairdresser instantly. You have to experiment different hairdressers, visit various salons, endure bad cuts, burn plenty of moolah at expensive professional-use hair products which promises shampoo-ad-worthy hair. Eventually, if you are lucky, you will find that perfect hairdresser -- The One, for you. Then stay with him/her. Till death do you part.

Here's some unconventional tips to look out for in your hairdresser:

1) Delivers results
Basically he should does what his job requires him to do -- cut/colour/etc. A decent job, if not spectacular. If you trying out a new hairdresser, he must at the very least does what he promises to do. If he says a certain cut will frame your face nicely, it'd better does that! I'm not saying he ought to be a magician and miraculously make your face less chubby with a wave of his scissors. But it should be somewhat close -- some obvious deliverable you can see and agree to.

2) Does not hard-sell
Very important rule.
This is a hairdressing for goodness sake, not sales. No decent stylist should behave like a salesman and persuade you relentlessly to sign up for hair packages! They may recommend certain treatment or products, but only once. I hate to spend four hours in the salon chair feeling jittery about when he'll find a new "monthly special" package to recommend me again. No thanks. And only no thanks, once.

3) Chats with you, but not too much
The hairdresser should treat you feel like a frequent flyer with special privilege reserved only for the regulars. These could be asking about the holiday trip you mentioned during your last trip to the salon, or about your pet dog, etc. But more importantly, s/he must not chat incessantly. I like to enjoy having someone shampoo my hair and massage my scalp, and I like to have these done in peace. So if your hairdresser is a chatterbox, consider being a little "unfriendlier" or colder so s/he gets it. Do it at your own risk (of the relationship!).

4) Make helpful recommendation
I wanted to get my whole hair recoloured and rebonded today. But my stylist said only the roots need to be fixed. "You sure?" I asked. He reassured saying he wouldn't turn down money if he could. So he did the minimal work on the roots. And indeed my hair looks like its got a fresh colour boost now that the roots -- and only the roots -- are fixed!

5) Discuss with you prior to any action
This could be either the cost of any product/service, or explaining the service procedure. A good stylist may even go into explaining why certain products is more suitable for your hair quality than others. Never allow the stylist to do anything to your hair without first consulting you. And never be shy to ask about the price first. You should decline if you don't feel comfortable paying for that product/service. And the stylist should not push it. This is the reason why I kept going back to my stylist, he's great with talking me through each step -- he even checks if I'm rushing for time so he can adjust the time needed for leaving the chemicals on my hair. Or asks if the smell of hair chemical is too strong for me.

6) Regular's discount
My hairdresser gives me discounts or promotional price without me having to ask. That's the best part about keeping a regular and responsible hairdresser. You know both your hair and your wallet are taken care of. Today, my stylist even gave my hair a special treatment free-of-charge! He won some hair products in a styling competition and isn't at all stingy in sharing the winning. He rubbed the product into the hair meticulously, as if I was paying for that service. Now that's what I call a great hairdressing experience!

7) Male hairstylist
One last tip I learnt from a girl friend ten years ago. Get a male hairstylist (if you are a girl). Female stylist tend to be task-focused and is less delicate with your head. Male stylists are gentler with ladies' tresses and won't pull out a lock of your mane while combing through it. Over the years, even when I change my stylist, I still request for another male stylist. I promise you this is the most useful tip I've ever learnt. Gay or straight, doesn't matter. But isn't it uber cool like to boast of a gay hairstylist on your speed dial?

How To Make New Friends

2009-07-12T10:56:00.012+08:00
Whoever laments that it is difficult to make new friends at our twirty-something age, I'd just like to retort that it is not. It is easier than asking your boss for a promotion, it is not as hard as waking up at six in the morning, and it take more skills to scrub your bathtub when you have perfectly manicured nails than to make new friends.
Just be out there! Be open to going to a concert with your friend's friend's friends, or taking up tennis class with your cousin's colleagues, or meeting up for drinks with your sister's boyfriend's friends. Be open to invitations, and just have fun! When you simply throw yourselves out there and expect nothing but a fun time for yourself, you will attract happy people into your life. You will make new friends along the way -- without even trying.
It has been just over a week since I arrive home and even without planning, an array of activities has been lined up for me. Last week, a girl friend invited me to wakeboard with her boyfriend. I went along even though I haven't done it in years. Afterall, it'd just be a few good laughs should I submarine-d instead of ride the waves. Her boyfriend brought a friend along and after sharing a few (lame) jokes during the boat ride, we were camera-whoring like old friends do.

Last Saturday, my best friend's colleague celebrated her birthday at one of the most popular club in town. My best friend invited me to hang out with her Engineering department colleagues. Despite initial suspicion it would be an uneventful evening, her colleagues turned out to be dancing kings/queens. They were welcoming and chatty, and I learnt more than a few internal jokes and scandals.

Another friend invited me to a gig last night. It was a new album launch gig by a local band of which one of the member is his friend. I know neither the band nor the friend. I have never even attended a gig before! But it didn't take me long to agree to go. Always say yes, if you can, someone once told me. You never know what opportunities life holds for you. And indeed, I met three amazing girls at the gig. They were my friend's university friends. Upon seeing I was left alone at the bar when my friend went for a smoke outside, they invited me to join them at their table. I did, and they made special effort to include me in their conversations. We laughed, goss-ed, drank, and promised to stay in touch when the evening ended.

Throw yourself out there to allow life to open up doors for you. Have a soda the pub with your colleagues even if you don't drink. Have a go at the Pilates class which your best friend has been inviting you to try. Movie night with your friend's poker friends? Why not? You'll be surprise how easy it is to meet new people, and how many folks out there are open to making new friends just like you are.

Remember that everyone is just as uncertain about making new friends too. I am not one that advises people to "just be yourself". (I'll stay in bed all day if I'll just be myself!) You need to push yourself just a little more. My best advice: Be a little more chatty when you meet new friends. Don't just speak only when asked. Do the asking too. Then listen and respond. Everyone likes to talk to someone who seems interested. (And interesting!) Be that someone. It's that easy to make new friends.

I'm loving my new friendships, the excitement of joining new activities, the prospect of knowing there's a world of friends-who-don't-know-one-another-yet.

Bare Essential

2009-07-09T23:17:00.019+08:00
The hot and humid weather back home does not incentivise me to wear makeup. Or wear my hair down. Or wear covered toes shoes. (My beloved Prada pumps are still waiting for their maiden voyage onto the street!) Hell, I'm not even wearing a good mood most afternoon when the sun is beating right into my room. What's with this tropical weather? Has it always been this humid?

How does a glamour queen keep her cool in such Amazon-like weather? Wear the bare essential, I advise. Save the chunky bracelet that gathers vapour between itself and your skin. Change the Posh Spice pencil-skirt for an A-line flare skirt. But the one that works best for me, leave out the foundation on your skin.

I need every pores in my body to "breathe" to get the cool air into my system. I hate to think my facial pores are clogged with Lancôme, producing facial oil instead of generating coolness. Foundation plus heat waves equals shiny T-zone, in record-time. (No, I'm not talking about the summer bronzy look here!) Wearing minimal makeup is the only way that works in our all-year summer weather.

Two words: Bare. Essential.

These what I wear on a day's trip to town:

1) Concealer
A colleague of mine said it well: If there's only one thing she can bring to a stranded island, it would be Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat. This is a highlighter that captures the light, reflecting off the dark spots on the face. The result is a balanced, brightened skin tone. A must-buy, trust me.

2) Powder
Powder evens out the patchy tones on one's face like a foundation does, without the mask-wearing feeling the latter induces. I wear Chanel Poudre Universelle. It has smooth texture that glides easily on your face, producing sufficient coverage while allowing your skin to breathe! And the powder stays on the whole day! What I love about Chanel is that all the cases comes in a velvety black pouch. No more unsightly scratches on the pretty case when you throw it into your bag.

3) Blusher
Perhaps your face is already flushed from the heat. For the rest of us, wear some colours on your cheek for goodness sake. The last thing you need is a homogeneous-toned face, like those who are push out of the morgue. Blusher adds a healthy glow to our face instantly. MAC has blusher with good pigmentation. One quick sweep of the blusher is all you need.

For the sunkissed look, I use MAC Foolish Me. It adds a vibrant peachy hue to your cheeks. It looks very orange-y in its case, but turns out to be a nice peach coral colour when applied. The best thing is the shimmer tone in the blusher! It bounces the sunlight off your face during the day, and adds instant oomph for the night! Perfect!

I also bought MAC Pink Swoon recently. With the subtlest hue of pink in it, I easily control the radiance I desire. Barring the shimmer dust in it, it adds an Innocent girlish soft blush to your cheek. Very cute.

4) Eyeliner
A great eyeliner to use is the Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner. Easy to use and long-lasting, I draw the upper eyelids only for my day-look. Remember, only the bare essential is needed. So this is sufficient to "open" your eyes and make you look more awake. For a night out, I add in a line on the lower eyelids for a more defined look. I often blend the eyeliner out for a soft smokey look too. A note of advice, use the Espresso Ink (a dark brown shade). Black is too harsh for the day.

5) Lip Gloss
Luckily one can't gain weight with lip gloss. Because it is irresistible to not lick off Lancôme Juicy Tube! It took my sister some convincing but she recently took the plunge and bought a Juicy Tube in Toffee Pop. She couldn't stop raving about how yummy it is -- just like the real toffee! I tried it too and it's true! I'm using the colour Framboise now. Well, then again, I have five other colours too! Use it alone or over your lipstick (I say forget about the lipstick), it has little colour but lotsa fun and flavour! Add power to your pout!

Mascara? Save it. Bare essential, remember? Use if only for a night out. Keep your face fresh and minimal during the day. When yours truly is running for time, I even skip the eyeliner. Because it adds little to the face. The most important rule is to keep the look fresh from the makeup pile-up.

One last thing. Keep the facial blotter handy. I use the lovely Pink Grapefruit Oil Absorbing Sheets from Clean&Clear. Great smell, works wonder. Dab your face with the blotter when you feel greasy. Then touch up with a thin layer of powder. Instant fresh look again! Such is a case when you can say less is more! Stay cool, stay essentially bare!

Just Do It (In Secrecy)

2009-07-07T10:29:00.014+08:00

Secrecy is the first law of Magic
- Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

It is no secret that I took a month of leave to come home, in preparation of my exit from my current overseas posting. It is also no secret that I had intention to quit last year, and we're into the second half of this year thus my plans have been much delayed. It irks me to the core whenever someone teases, "you always say you're gonna quit, you'll never do", or jeers, "last year you said the same thing, you're still here now", or mocks, "I've heard that before". The fact is that I did have serious plans to leave my job. But something even more serious and important came up in my life that made those plans inadmissible. At least for the time being. Why should I be subjected to such sneering of skepticism, or be taunted with accountability to them? Or is it with the liability to my declaration of plans? (And hence the embarrassment that follows when they fail?)

I used to believe that announcing my intentions would gather support from friends, or affirmations from the good-willed. Afterall, for a major decision such as changing your job or buying a property, you ought to let everyone in your network know your plans so they can keep a lookout for you, or throw in their two-cent worth of advice, right? Wrong.

Firstly, no one cares that much. Only nosey folks make useless small talks. Because they are also eager to take a jab at you when your "life-changing plans" fail. Friends (and I use the term loosely) who congratulate you on your entrepreneurship now will be quick to throw in those "I already knew"-counsel once you fall from grace.

Secondly, when you share your intentions with the wrong crowd, you will attract their discouragement and unbelief. All the "you shouldn't"s and the "you can't"s. These negative energies can undermine your motivation. Focus on your plan, not on what they think you shouldn't/cant' do.

The other downfall of announcing your plans is that you will give yourself a "premature sense of completion" as mentioned here. And I quote,
You have “identity symbols” in your brain that make your self-image. Since both actions and talk create symbols in your brain, talking satisfies the brain enough that it “neglects the pursuit of further symbols.”

Announcing your plans to others satisfies your self-identity just enough that you’re less motivated to do the hard work needed.
Simply talking about it dissipates the energy that motivates you to put it into action. Don't lose the energy focus. Act on the motivation.

It may be difficult to hold in your excitement about that new plan. It is tough to not share your goals with your mates. But go against your natural instinct if you have to. Don't attract their pessimism. Save your energy for the hard work of your plan.
If you have any plans in life, just do it.
Plan and execute them, in secrecy.
Just. Do. It.
In secrecy.
"If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut."
- Albert Einstein

Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen

2009-07-06T06:40:00.019+08:00
No, not the song by Baz Luhrmann. Although it is one of my favourite song. I'm writing about sunscreen.

My Sunday morning was spent at the sea wakeboarding. Damn right, your Lifestyle Queen is getting all healthy and sporty lately, what with the yoga and the wakeboarding. Although this was a common phenonmenon today...
I woke up to an overcast sky this morning. It was perfect for the girls and I since we're not too keen on the tan-look. My friend brought along her spray-on sunscreen and I had a go at it.I hereby declare sunscreen spray is the only way to go for sun protection! Spray-on is so easy to use and is the most efficient way to get the sunscreen all over your body evenly. Also, no more white patches on your skin that happens when the cream sunscreen is not rub into the skin sufficiently. Run out and get this from your nearest drugstore.

Especially when doing water sports, one must remember to keep replenishing your sunscreen. Everytime I was in the water and I wipe the water off my face, I removed some sunscreen from my face too. Thus, the result is a nose as red as Rudolph the red nose reindeer. And my lips are burning and slightly raw as if I just drank tom yum soup. Not a pleasant feeling. Or sight, to say the least.

I also remember my cousin lamenting the tan lines around the top of her feet after our holiday in southern France recently. Or my sister teasing her boyfriend about his sunburnt scalp after their Kota Kinabalu getaway last week. Splattering on sunscreen is only the first step to sun protection. Here are other top tips to sunscreen wearing:

1) Check the expiry date.
Yes, they have expiry date. The active ingredients in the sunscreen may break down and lose their effectiveness after certain period. The last thing you need is a case of a bad sunburn and bad rash from the expired chemicals.

2) SPF 30
This is more than enough. Sun Protection Factor 30 allows you to stay in the sun 30 times longer before you get sunburnt. SPF 30 already blocks out 97% of the harmful UVB rays. Do you really need more? Feel free to use higher SPF, the difference is little.

3) UVA and UVB
Did you know sunscreen is not the same as sunblock? Chemicals in sunscreen absorbs the UV radiation whereas those in sunblock reflects the UV rays to protect your skin. Absorb? Reflects? I say potato, potahto. Just use a sunscreen/sunblock that has UVA and UVB protection. Period.

4) Apply half an hour before going into the sun.
This is to allow the active ingredients in the sunscreen to start working on the skin.

5) Reapply every 15-30 minutes.
I say 30 minutes. I'm really not keen on running for my can of spray-on every 15 minutes in a game of beach volleyball, or putting down my book before I can finish one chapter in that 15 minutes on the beach chair.

This is the crux of the matter -- the list of places one always miss while applying sunblock:
Eyelids
The skin around your eyes are much thinner than the rest of your face. Surely one shouldn't neglect this delicate region.

Lips
Do you want goth-inspired dark lips? Use a SPF 15 lip balm for goodness sake.

Ear
Earlobe and back of ear are the spots we most often missed.

Top of feet
Do you know how difficult it is to get rid of the tan line of your sandals or mary-jane strap if you forget to apply sunblock on your feet?

Back of neck
Flaky wrinkly neck is not pretty. You don't want others to think you're diseased.

Scalp or exposed hairline
Mostly for guys with really short hair. Take note, please.
This shall be your checklist the next time you apply that sunscreen. Now I have to go nurse my tender nose and burnt lips.

Full Of Crap

2009-07-04T19:52:00.011+08:00
Today we're going to talk about a rather unpleasant topic.
Constipation. (Or being full of crap, literally.)

City dwellers like you and I are faced with high stress, fast paced lifestyles. The direct consequences of this are irregular eating habits, unsound sleeping patterns, and aplenty illnesses and pains. Especially for women, the problem of constipation is one that plagues many. I have had this problems for many years (decades, even!) and so I'm totally qualified to share with you the remedies that work. I've tried medicine, exercise, alternative chinese medicine, etc. They are of little use. There are only two things that has ever work for me. Ever.

1) Drink water first thing in the morning
As one of the reason for constipation is the lack of water intake in the body, this results in the body absorbing the water from the digested food in the colon. Hence we must replenish the water loss. Drink (at least) a glass of water when you wake up. Let it be the first thing you do once you open your eyes -- before you brush your teeth, before you check your blackberry, before you figure out how you get home the night before.

Drink a glass of room temperature water. Forget warm water, or water with lemon. Or apple cider vinegar. Just plain water of any source (yes, even tap water if they are potable.) I place a bottle of water next to my bed and reach for it even before I hit the first Snooze button. Then when I finally hit the 63rd Snooze and ready to get out of bed, my body is well-rehydrated after the night's sleep. Your body absorbed this water quickly as it has been devoid of water during the your sleep. This water is imperative in preparing your bowel for the day's activity ahead.

2) Have oatmeal for breakfast
If you are like me who love having hot breakfast, then oatmeal is the best thing you can have! Oatmeal is full of fibre which is the nemesis of constipation. Insoluble fibre (like wheat and oat) adds bulk to the stools by softening them so they move easily through the digestive tract. Cook your oatmeal with lots of water so to make it into a watery porridge. Add two tablespoonful of condensed milk and you'll have a perfect healthy breakfast recipe! It's totally yummy! There are days when I wake up craving for the smooth warm cereal first thing in the morning!

Some days when I am lazy to cook, I'll have oatmeal for all three meals! I have a superb savoury oatmeal recipe that'll nurse my hungry stomach in matter of minutes! That's the time one takes to cook the wax-coated, deep-fried, MSG-laden instant noodles! I ♥ oatmeal!

Water and oatmeal have to work hand-in-hand to resolve the problem of constipation. Fibre retains the water we take in. So without fibre, the water we drink gets absorbed directly into the bloodstream or removed from the body as urine. So we need to increase the fibre we eat as we increase the water we drink.

I've never believed these methods when others encouraged me to try -- I'm a pretty skeptical person, you see. But out of desperation, I did. And it's changed my life forever. Two simple things you need to do to make those toilet trip more pleasant.

Remember:
Drink water first thing in the morning + Oatmeal breakfast
No more expensive colposcopy or Ducolax or sweat-breaking toilet trips.

Miss Say Reviews: The Pink Panther 2

2009-07-03T02:48:00.012+08:00
I watched The Pink Panther 2 on the flight today. In fact, the flight seem so long I had time to watch two (and a half) movies, have my meal, play computer game, sleep, etc. Anyway, I decided to review The Pink Panther 2 because IT IS JUST SO HILARIOUS! I couldn't stop laughing all the time! I am normally well-behaved and very low profile on my flights, I promise you. After seeing how amused I was by movie, the girl sitting next to me told me she had to watch it too!

Alright, the movie plot may be a tad weak -- just like the first Pink Panther. But hey, it's a comedy so let's not get too serious! Steve Martin almost perfected the heavily French-accented English. It is frustrating just as it is endearing to watch him (as Inspector Clouseau) humiliate himself unwittingly. The jokes, omigosh, those how-did-you-come-up-with-that-stuff jokes got me rolling around the ~~floor~~ aisle in uncontrollable laughter. Steve Martin is a comedy genius!
Inspector Clouseau on finding the Pope's stolen ring: "Ah, the Pope's ring! His wife will be happy to have that back."

Inspector Clouseau to a late arriving member of the Dream Team: "Now let me bring you up to speed...We know nothing! You are now up to speed."
Say it with a artificial Frenchman's English and one has an instant formula for comicality! I am usually not a fan of slapstick dramas. Moreover, this movie was overwhelmed with negative reviews from movie critics -- just like the predecessor. But it reached #4 on its opening weekend. Quite good, I'd say. I'll add that I think the sequel is better than the original. Few other movies have earned that accolade from your truly.

Go watch it.

How To Be A Savvy Traveller

2009-07-01T16:11:00.018+08:00

There are more than a few things I have learnt from my hundreds of flight experience. In the last four years, I have taken more flights than bus rides, ate more aircraft food than mom's cooking, slept in more hotel rooms than make my own bed in the morning. (Well then again, I do not get up in the morning most days anyway.) I could offer one more travelling tips than your hand-carry bag can pack. So I've decided to consolidate them and select the top quintessential-but-atypical tips for travelling. Now they don't teach you this in school.

1) Three pairs of footwear
- flats, for extended walking
- slippers, for beach and around hotel
- dressy heels, for fancy dinner and clubbing

When one travels, exploring the city by foot is not unexpected. So what better way to get around town then in flats. Vacation and heels are not friends, period. Ok, unless you are holidaying in Monte Carlos. Wear covered flats to protect your already exhausted feet from the harsh weather condition. Open toes/fancy slippers plus few hours of walking equals to blisters.

I never travel without my Havaianas. Even though most days I sleep once I reach the hotel, sometimes I also make use of the swimming pool in the hotel. Or I may decide to use the computer in the business centre in the hotel. Or go to the beach to chill and read a book (or the dudes-in-speedos). Slippers are the easiest way to get around in.

We never know where life will take us, especially when we travel! So even if you reckon you are set up for the most predictable evening of room service and early night, bring your fancy heels! One may make a new friend along the way and decide to dine in a restaurant. Or have a drink in the chicest club in town. Do not miss out on life's opportunity in fun and spontaneity because of inappropriate shoes!

p.s. If in winter condition, add an extra pair of boots.

2) Hair Conditioner
Four years of intensive travelling and I have never packed my own shampoo or shower gel. If one stays at a decent three-star and above hotel, the amenities in your room will surely include them. I've been lucky to stay mostly in five-star hotels, so the complimentary bath products have been in the L'occitane and Crabtree & Evelyn (eg. Hilton) range.

But please carry your own hair conditioner. This is the only toiletries you need. No hotel conditioner will get it right for your hair. Those complimentary conditioners are usually weak and useless in moisturising your hair. It's tough enough for your hair to adjust to the different water condition, the last thing you need is a useless conditioner. And you may not be able to buy that particular brand in the country even if you have the moolah. So heed my advice, leave the shampoo and bath gel at home. Save the luggage space for that hair conditioner.

3) Colourful clothes
Holiday pictures should look fun! So if you are not the best at striking interesting poses, or pretending you are having the best time of your life, my best tip is to wear colourful clothes. Bring lotsa summer dresses for that beach vacation. Bring a contrasting coloured scarf or multicoloured beanie for the winter holiday. Leave the blacks and the solid colours tops at home. Pack the fuchsia and the yellows so they brighten up the photos even when the background seems dull!

4) Bag with shoulder strap
Bring a neutral colour bag that will match with any colour clothes you may be wearing for the trip. And please make sure the bag has a shoulder strap. Messenger bag or waist pouch (I'll never be caught dead in one though!) are okay too. Arm-carried bags may seem manageable for an afternoon of window-shopping at home. But while on holiday and carrying in it your passport, camera, handphones, maps, guidebooks etc, you may start to hate that Gucci at the end of the trip. And you probably need both hands for phototaking. Shoulder strap bags only, please.

5) Shawl
A shawl is probably the best investment a girl can make in. It is thin enough to pack in your handbag everywhere you go, it is warm enough to keep you snugged. I carry my shawl in my bag even when I go to the mall or restaurants, especially when I'm wearing something sleeveless. When I go on overseas trips, I pack it in my luggage so I'll be ready in case of a sudden change of weather. I have used it as my winter saviour when I forgot Australia is winter in June. I have used it as an umbrella when a sudden rain poured on me in Hong Kong. I have used it to glam up my summer dress when a beach holiday in Athens took me to a classy restaurant in the evening. Oh how versatile is a shawl!

6) Sunglasses
For those who hate waking up in the morning and hate it even more to put on makeup on those early vacation mornings-- when no amount of mascara would make those sleepy eyes open! The best tip, don your sunglasses! I always choose my celebrity-style mega sunglasses that cover half my face. Instant chicness! Save the eye makeup, save the eyebrow trimming, save the blushers. Sunglasses are an essential holiday no-go, from beach holiday to blending in with the ultra-posh crowd in Upper East Side in Manhattan. Voila!

7) Moisturiser
I don't have to explain just how dehydrating the aircraft air is. Anyone who's flown in one before has felt that so-tight-I-don't-need-botox-anymore feeling on their face after a flight. Do yourself a favour and pack that ultra-moisturising face and body lotion and treat yourself to a rehydrating session in your hotel room. I usually pack a sheet mask in my luggage. After a flight, I'll drape the mask on my face before going to bed so my skin has all night to drink up the moisture its lost. Easy tip for lazy folks like me.

Travel light, travel smart. Universal adaptor? Umbrella? Most hotels would provide them at no charge. Whatever you can borrow, share, or reuse, do it.

This list started out with three tips. As I write on, I realised there are so many travelling tips I'd like to share! But if I could only pick my top tips, I say follow the first three tips. Three pairs of shoes, hair conditioner, colourful clothes. They will get you anywhere from Buenos Aires to Budapest to Bali, savvy traveller!

The Importance Of Being Polite

2009-06-24T06:39:00.019+08:00
Two weeks ago, I bought a pair of Prada pumps from Saks Fifth Avenue. My little resistance to killer heels didn't withstand the 30% discount Saks was offering. (And really, my legs are endlessly long when I wear them!) I just have to have them. But the thing with Saks is that they almost always offer further discount after a few weeks. Last year, they had 80% *gasp!* off Coach and Prada, just to name a few, at the end of the sale period. So I was in a dilemma between getting my must-have heels now but risk further discount, or waiting for further reduction but risk not having my size anymore. I asked the sales associate if the Prada pumps would go on further discount. She informed me that this is the latest Spring/Summer 2009 collection so there won't be further discount. Only those from older seasons will go on further reduction. She promised.

So I caved in. Bought the black-cap pink pumps home and was as joyful as Christmas morning feels like. I have been gleefully trotting around my room in my new Prada every other day, hoping for a special occasion to wear them out.

Earlier this week, a girlfriend informed me that my new Prada is on 50% at Saks! Imagine the horror. *cue horror music* And anger. And feeling of being cheated. I decided I need to fix things.

Well, all my friends assumed I was gonna go down to Saks and make a scene. You know, the usual screaming at the poor cheating sales associate, threatening to make her lose her job-which-cost-as-much-as-my-Prada, name-calling, boycotting Saks (yeah right!) and the likes.

Remember this: You attract more bees with honey than vinegar.

So I decided to phone the sales associate and explain how I felt. She remembered me and the "promise" she gave. I was very polite and most of all non-accusatory so I guess she felt even worse about the wrong information she gave me. She said she would ask her store manager if there was anything she could do about it. I told her I appreciated her help and will wait for her reply.

So today, she phoned back as agreed. The store manager unfortunately but not surprisingly refused her request to refund me the difference in discount - even though it was misinformation on their part. The sale associate was genuinely apologetic and suggested various alternatives. After a few more phone calls and resolutions, (just between you and me *whisper*) she told me she can ask for store credit in that amount and asked if I would like that. Hell, yes! Will go to Saks tomorrow to collect my already-paid-for-by-myself gift card.

The way the world works is with politeness. Not rudeness. There is little use in being loud or demanding. You may get your way for a while, but never the real deal. I manage a vast (you cannot even imagine) array of customers everyday in my job. I have seen it all. I can't emphasize enough the importance of being polite. So trust me on this.

More shopping at Saks tomorrow. Hello, Sale!

Mediterranean

2009-06-22T12:13:00.007+08:00

I'm sitting here on the balcony of my room in a five-star hotel, on a beautiful Mediterranean island in the perfect heat of summer time. The air is salty but cool. Each breath I take is light and refreshing. The warm sunshine beats down on my fresh golden tan skin. I look out at the cloudless sky, the blue and white stripes sundecks spotting all the balconies, I hear the carefree laughter of the kids playing in the swimming pool nearby, and the giggles of the teenagers too. I feel a strange sense tranquillity overruns me.

I know days like that will never come again.

Close my eyes, take a deep breath of the sea air. Forgetting yesterday's mistakes and tomorrow's worries, summer times and the privilege of youth never felt better than now. Now. This special moment. I. Am. Satisfied.

And for all the grumbles I have about this business of travelling alone, I feel like now is Paradise. This is what it means to be living! This will never come again! This life, this perfect moment of serenity in this splendid little Mediterranean island. This moment will last forever in my mind. For the rest of my life.

That's the lure of the Mediterranean. Summer days never end. Youth lasts forever.

Fashion Faux Paux

2009-06-17T21:49:00.057+08:00
It's sale season everywhere *hallelujah!* and fashion name dropping is necessary, if not essential! But the only thing about fashion that hurts more than clear bra straps is bad fashion name pronunciation! Ok, and muffin-tops too. Eew!
Ladies and gentlemen, do not make the fashion faux pas (pronounce "foe pah", by the way) of mispronouncing designer labels. Yes, I understand these are difficult to pronounce names, and that most of us are not French/Italian native speakers. But there is a whole world of resources out there! Ask a fashionista friend, Google it, check on Vogue forum, there is no excuse to say you are wearing a "Loh-bo-tIN", and carrying a "Low-Wee".

Correct pronunciation, in and beyond fashion, is one of my pet peeve (next only to spelling). Unless I've already got it right, I never attempt to say it or pronounce the label. Lately while shopping with my girlfriends, I've been asked to help pronounce certain designer names. I'm glad my secret obsession with articulation finally comes in handy, and fashionably!

I've consolidated a list of popular designer labels with the correct pronunciation that will help with one's designer names struggle. This is the ultimate fashionista's list to avoid fashion faux paux when label-dropping in future!

A
Agnes B. : Ahn-nyaz-beh
Andrew Gn: Andrew Jen (rhymes with “ten”)
Anteprima: On-tay-pre-ma
Anya Hindmarch: Ahn-ya Heind-march

B
Badgley Mischka: Badge-lee Meesh-ka
Bebe: Bee-bee
Balenciaga: Bah-len-see-AH-gah
Bally: BAH-li
Balmain: Bal-mah
Bottega Veneta: Bo-tega Ven-e-ta
Bulgari: Bool-gah-ree
Burberry Prorsum: Bur-bur-ree Pror-some

C
Cacharel: Cash-er-el
Carolina Herrera: Caro-leena Hair-era
Cerruti: Cher-ru-tee
Chanel: Sha-Nel
Chopard: Sho PAR
Christian Louboutin: Kris-tian loo-boo-tahn (soft N)
Christian Lacroix: Kris-tian LAH-kwa
Christian Dior: Kris-tian Dee-yor
Commes des Garcons: Comb day Garse-on

D
Diane von Furstenberg: Diane Von Fur-sten-berg
Dolce & Gabbana: Dole-chay and Gah-Bah-na
Dries Van Noten: Dress Vahn NOH-tehn

E
Elie Saab: EH-li Zahb
Emanuel Ungaro: Ee-MAN-noo-el OON-Gah-ro
Emilio Pucci: Ehm-ee-lee-o Poo-chee
Emporio Armani: Em-POHR-yo AR-mah-ni
Ermenegildo Zegna: Ehr-MAN-ni-jil-do ZEYN-ya
Etro: EHT-tro

F
Fendi: Fend-ee
Furla: Foor-la

G
Giuseppe Zanotti: Gee-zepee Zanottee
Givenchy: Jee-von-shee
Gianfranco Ferre: Jawn-franco Fair-ay
Gucci: Goo-chee
Guy Laroche: Ghee Lah-Rosh

H
Helmut Lang: HEL-moot Lung
Hermès: Air-mehz
Hervé Léger: Air-vay Lay-jay

I
Issey Miyake: Eees-Ay Me-Yah-Kee

J
Jean Paul Gaultier: Jawn Paul Goat-ee-ay

L
Lanvin: Lon-VAN
Loewe: Low-ey-vay
Longchamp: Long-shum
Louis Vuitton: Loo-ee Voo-ee-ton

M
Manolo Blahnik: Ma-no-low Blah-nick
Missoni: Miss-own-ee
Miu Miu: Myu Myu
Moschino: Mo-ski-no

N
Narciso Rodriguez: Nar-siss-so Ro-dree-gez

P
Prada: Pra-Da
Pierre Cardin: Pee-air Car-dahn
Proenza Schouler: Pro-enza Skool-er

R
Ralph Lauren: Ralph Lauren (rhymes with "foreign")
Roberto Cavalli: Ro-BER-to KA-VA-lee
Rochas: Ro-Shahs

S
Sonia Rykiel: Sonia Ree-kee-eel

T
Thakoon: Ta-koon
Thierry Mugler: Tee-air-ree Moog-lay

V
Vacheron Constantin: Va-sha-Ron Con-ston-Tahn
Versace: Ver-sah-chee

Y
Yves Saint Laurent: Eve-sahn-Laur-ahnt

Z
Zac Posen: Poe-zen

Lately, all the major fashion houses are distinguishing themselves from the mainstream with haute coutour. This is some serious business -- and word -- one should investigate. Let's say it right once and for all.

Haute Coutour: /ot kutyʁ/ "Oat coot-Tour"

Here's also a link I found on YouTube that says it all, literally. From Hermès to Lacriox, hear it the way it oughtta be said! Au revoir, fashion faux paux!

Hope: Drug or Remedy

2009-06-15T03:01:00.014+08:00
Was watching a re-run of Sex and the City yesterday. One can never get enough of this show! No matter what age group you belong to, no matter how many times you've watched the show, no matter which stage in life or what emotional state you are watching the show at, you'll always relate to one part of the show or other. You'll always find a "that's me!"-moment. You'll also be thankful there are millions and millions of women out there struggling with the same issues you've been so tortured with, and that your problem is not unique. And there are solutions to it. Even if there are none, take heart in knowing that some of us do really understand you. (Alright, unless you are a man.)

In the episode last night, Carrie Bradshaw asked this question:
Is hope a drug we need to go off of or is it keeping us alive?

This questiong has been going through my mind all day. Why do women torture ourselves with aching hopes, and then get ourselves crushed when hope drops us from the high? Are you not strong enough to go off the drug of hope, and rather be addicted to hope and risk your heart out there over and over again?

Or is hope the elixir of life that puts that dance in your step each day, making you more alive whenever you remember how all the risks and optimism may someday reap a good harvest? In the book of Corinthians in the bible, it says "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love." It is certainly a very important essence in life. What's a life if you can't/wont' even believe in hope anymore?

Is hope a drug we need to go off of or is it keeping us alive?

A Girl's Gotta Do What A Girl's Gotta Do

2009-06-09T23:14:00.017+08:00
I went for Yoga class yesterday. And today. So it's not difficult to imagine how tight my muscles feel now. Any swift movement may snap one of those at the back of my thighs. Ouch. I dread the pain, yet I crave the ache. These achy feelings remind me that I had a good workout. (Or that I need to work out more? Oh well.)

Had a warm shower and made myself a nice quick dinner. Feeling so relaxed I feel like climbing into bed and have a good read before an early night. But my girlfriends just texted me to hang out tonight. After struggling back and forth, I've decided to head out. Trust me, it's not an easy decision to make when I'm already halfway into dreamland. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Staying in and having a me-time can wait. Hanging out with the girls and exchanging information (read: gossiping) is priceless.

Isn't life like that too? Often in life, we have to make difficult decision. And we often choose the decision that's hard on ourselves. But this is part of the learning process. We always learn much more when we make tough choices. We always learn more about life and out of life when take the road less travelled. Today it may be going out versus staying in. Tomorrow it could be marrying the wrong man or walking away from a bad relationship (random example that came to my mind). Make wise decision, girlfriends. Do what a smart, sassy, independent girl would do in every decision battle.

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Hanging out with her girls gotta be quite high on the priority list. Cos few things beats a good girls' night out! Gotta run!

Present Tense

2009-06-04T05:01:00.010+08:00
I've always loved poetry. I even took up an elective in American Literature in the university. That was when I was exposed to Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and the likes. More than once I've had the goosebumps feelings when a certain poetry struck a chord in me. How could a few simple words put together be so beautiful, and meaningful?
This poem by Jason Lehman brought a little tear to my eyes when I read it this evening. It is tragically beautiful.
It was Spring.
But it was Summer I wanted,
The warm days,
And the great outdoors.

It was Summer.
But it was Fall I wanted,
The colorful leaves,
And the cool, dry air.

It was Fall.
But it was Winter I wanted,
The beautiful snow,
And the joy of the holiday season.

It was Winter.
But it was Spring I wanted,
The warmth,
And the blossoming of nature.

I was a child.
But it was adulthood I wanted,
The freedom,
And the respect.

I was twenty.
But it was thirty I wanted,
To be mature,
And sophisticated.

I was middle-aged.
But it was twenty I wanted,
The youth,
And the free spirit.

I was retired.
But it was middle-age I wanted,
The presence of mind,
Without limitations.

Then my life was over.
And I never got what I wanted.
~ Present Tense by Jason Lehman (1989) ~

Classy And Fabulous

2009-06-04T04:02:00.003+08:00
Coco Chanel said "A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous."

You can be fabulous in your charming personality, your blessed good looks, your expensive makeup and shoes. But to be classy, this is the tricky one. If I can only offer one advice, read. Read extensively. Not just the heavy duty scientific encyclopedia or anthropological thesis, read everything and anything. Read the Financial Times, read Vogue, read an autobiography, read the history of the World Wars, read a Marian Keyes, read a Paolo Coelho, read the Bible, read the Atlas, read ColdFusion for Dummies, read modern poetry, read trivial facts.

Read. Extensively.

In that way, you'll be able to strike up a conversation with anyone. And that classy side of you will show through the subject knowledge, and the way you speak about them. You will be confident in your self-worth, you have your own opinion on aplenty topics, you are able to carry your thoughts across in a smart and stylish manner.

You don't have to dress like a million bucks to prove you are classy. You don't have to speak like a lady-in-waiting to be classy. You do need a good brain to work that elegant side of you.

Read, girlfriends. Read extensively.
And be Classy and Fabulous.

Yoga

2009-06-03T21:20:00.002+08:00
I went for my very first Yoga class yesterday evening. It was easier than I had expected. Love the Tree pose, Lotus pose, and all the exotic names the instructor used. Hell, I even like just saying "I just came from Yoga". (In fact I did. Bump into a friend on my way home and told him that. Like the sound of it.)

My limbs are aching so much today. The Yoga poses really stretch your muscles. I had worked muscles I never knew existed! The leg lifts were really difficult for me and my whole body was quivering with exhaustion just holding that pose for 20seconds. But when I feel the achy feeling in my abdomen, my back muscles, my upper arms and my calves and thighs, I knew I had a good workout yesterday.

For someone who hasn't exercised for the last two years, signing up for Yoga class is a major milestone for me. Why did I decide to break my exercise fast? Age. And health. As we get older, exercise is more important than you imagine. Oh well, you won't understand that until you realise you recover slower from an illness than five years ago, your paper cut takes days instead of hours to heal, your giggly tummy takes weeks to disappear even though they used to flatten after two days of dieting.

Also, I've been having a persistent upper backache for the last 10 years. Yes, a decade. It's time to do something about it. I'm confident the stretching poses in Yoga will help.

And every lifestyle queen needs tone arms and flat stomach to pull off those Cavallis and McQueens. Not to mention the healthy glowing skin after you work up a sweat. What better way to achieve them than some chi chi Yoga class?

I'm going to Yoga tomorrow. (I really like the sound of it.)