Over-active brain cells...

It's 5.12am on a monday morning and here I am... wide awake after 4 hours of tossing and turning on the bed... can't seem to get to sleep... and so I have decided to get up and "evaluate" the situation. I thought... somehow, writing out all my thoughts will help me out with my insomnia?

Hmm... what could be the reason? Is it because of incomplete work with a looming deadline on the 14thDec? Or in fact, most of my work are still WIP... way behind time...

Or is it because I'm worried about not doing enough for my personal projects? Can't seem to settle on a final look on the house and I haven't been researching on gowns!!! Oh no oh no... getting panicky...

Hmm... maybe it's because I'm afraid to face my boss after a mysterious MIA incident on our company retreat... bleah...

So feel like digging mum out of bed for a chat... haha... :p

Oh well... I guess I should just go wash up and go to office early then... maybe starting to finish some of the work will help...

Travelling solo...

I'm sitting in the business room of a hotel in Hong Kong as i'm typing this...

Being away in a foreign land alone is really quite a refreshing experience for me now... I have been away on solo trips before but it just feels different now that I'm not single... I think it's a mindset... the urge to share every emotion with your loved one... I was immensed in so much sights and sounds, so much excitment and emotions... there were so many times I was mesmerized by the beautiful night scenery along the streets and I wanted to exclaim "So beautiful!" but I couldn't cause I don't want people to start thinking I'm crazy... and all these feelings are just bottled up... feels kind of "over-loaded" now...

But having so much "me time" overseas is good in a way that you kind of get to take a step back and think about all the things that are happening in your life now... I don't know how it happens... but I can just see everything in a new perspective, like I'm a third person looking in at all the things happening to me... it's so weird... I guess that's what travelling does to a person... it broadens a person's perspective... making one more open-minded and big-hearted? Alot of things seem so clear now... and getting pissed or angry with someone or something seems pretty meaningless... I think there are much better things to do in this world...

Seeing new things along the streets and meeting new people along the way also prompts alot of creativity... there are immense possibilities out there... so much so that it makes me feel hopeful and motivated again... Saying this because I pretty much work alone and sometimes... it gets kind of boring and I would feel uncompelled to do more... but all this new things are really inspiring... it's like renewed energy... I feel ready to brave any new challenges ahead and to be able to realize all the fresh ideas in my head... it's really important to feel driven... the desire to want to do better for yourself everyday... without this, it would really be a dread to go to work or go about your daily chores... Yup, feeling inspired once again... happy =)

Alone in Guangzhou

Just came back from my Guangzhou trip for business... I must say I missed Singapore... haha... feel so lucky to be a Singaporean... It's so pretty and orderly and although crowded too but at least in a neat and systematic manner... and most of all, it's so safe! I think everyone here takes safety for granted...

It's not my first time in Guangzhou... but it's my first time alone there... being alone, you are kind of more sensitive to all the sights and sounds there... It's dusty, messy and the people there are uncouth, spitting every other minute! Though I'm Chinese too, I looked totally alien to them and they could tell that I'm not local immediately... some were even amazed that I could understand and speak Chinese... haha... it was quite hilarious to see their reactions...

On my first day there, I got a scare when I was walking on the street towards the mall... this guy walked beside me and asked me where I was going! Feeling freaked out, I ran and sped towards the mall... but after thinking through, I thought maybe he may be a taxi driver trying to tout... haha... whatever... better to run first ya? Because of this incident, I didn't dare to venture out of the hotel unless totally necessary... I only went to the wholesale centre and for my 3 days there, I was stuck in the hotel all the time... heh... anyway, I think the malls are quite chaotic... wouldn't be fun to walk around...

Fortunately, I was only there for 3 days cause I was getting pretty sick of the Chinese food from the restaurant in the hotel... They had delicious dim sums and noodles... but I was starting to miss my wholemeal bread... lol... I actually walked for 30 minutes to get to a 7-Eleven in the hope of finding bread there... but to my disappointment, they only have sweet buns there! How can a 7-Eleven not sell proper loaves of bread!!! And I don't see any bakeries around at all... I guess China people don't eat bread... What happened to globalization??? The next time I go to Guangzhou, I better remember to bring my own bread there...

Ok, enough of grunts... some pics from the trip... Didn't take much cause the streets aren't exactly pretty... wahaha... The dim sum was spectacular... but too bad I could only order 1 type... quite funny actually... I bet the waitress there must find me a weirdo... like who goes to a chinese dim sum restaurant and order 1 kind of dim sum...

Day 1 Lunch: Prawn zhu cheong fun... it comes with vegetable... I like...

Day 2 Lunch: Mixed platter of har gows, mushroom dumplings and chives dumplings... Genius idea to have a combination platter for people who eats alone... only saw the combi menu on the 2nd day... ;p

Oh I had to take this scooter back to the hotel when I was leaving the wholesale centre cause it was so crowded there it's impossible to get a taxi... this auntie was quite nice and introduce some landmarks to me on the way... weather was not too cold too...

Home sweet home onboard SQ... something familiar in foreign land... very comforting...

In conclusion, this was really quite a fruitful trip... figured out quite alot of things on my own... I'm going to try another route next time though... via Hong Kong... would be so much more fun then!

My secret escapades...

Some years back, I was given the opportunity to travel because of work. In the name of doing research for business, I got to travel to Korea, Japan, Bangkok and China... It's also because of all these trips that I am introduced to the notion of travelling... trips to other countries followed... and I fell in love with it... Aiming to travel to somewhere new at least once or preferably twice a year...

Why do I like to travel? Hmm I can't pinpoint a single reason... I find it therapeutic... It's the "getting away" thrill that excites me... being far away from the real world... allowing me the excuse to dream... leaving all the troubles behind... sitting on the plane, you are kind of forced to not do anything but relax... In a foreign country, there's always something new to look at... something to marvel at... simply because things function differently... a refreshing learning experience every time... Besides being an eye-opener, I feel it gives you a brand new perspective as well... Not sure how that happens, it just does...

Do you look forward to travelling? I believe everyone does to a certain extent... and no one will mind more of it if time and budget allows... My point is I don't like it only as an afterthought, something you do only when you have the spare cash and free time... I like it to be part of my life... a motivation for me to work towards and make time for... and most importantly, a source of inspiration...

Yes, I'm feeling dreadful now... haven't been seeing the world as much as I like to... and the withdrawal symptoms are getting to me...With the year ending soon and no travel plans made scares me... Luckily, I can seek a little comfort in my business trips... I shall take on more buying roles and also try to influence my partner to start bringing in merchandise from other countries... perhaps somewhere non-Asian?

When do you call it quits?

I hate to say this... but I really think I have reached my limits....

I learnt it the hard way... There are some things that I can't handle... some people I will never understand... some actions I can never do...

I really tried my best...

What is your inspiration?

Today, I was reading magazines in my room when mum popped in... she started nagging at the huge stack of magazines on my table as usual... going on and on about how they are a waste of money... I tried to explain... No, they are not a waste of money... If you rely on them for the latest news on fashion, which is essentially my work... they are like textbooks to students... Yes I need to "study" them... no one would say textbooks are a waste of money ya?

Magazines and books... somehow... flipping through the images never fails to awe me... and in turn... they are behind all the ideas I have for the business...

I'm totally dependent on inspirations... Without them, I have no motivation to do anything...and so, I actively search for inspirations... they can come from anywhere, anything and anyone... I particularly like to be inspired by people... especially entrepreneurs... every one of them has something special in them... a special kind of quirk... a particular spark in their eyes... a passion for life... I love to listen to their stories... how they started out... how much they went through to get to where they are... but most of the times, people like to brush their efforts aside and label them as "lucky"... To me... this statement only reeks of sour grapes... Seriously, how can anyone think people get to where they are based on luck... then I would say... go ahead and try to get lucky then!

Sometimes, I wish everyone would be more open-minded... be awed, be amazed and be inspired by what people do... I think it could be a good thing... somehow, it becomes a powerful force... magical force...

Anyhow, I'm feeling rather uninspired now... I think I need to get out of home now... before I write more gibberish here... ;p

Undomestic

Today, I did laundry!!!

I had the morning off cause meeting was cancelled... Saw the huge mountain of clothes and decided to wash them... just mine though... haha... I didn't bother washing my dad's and bro's dirty clothes... hee... cause mine alone was alot especially when I just returned from Bangkok... I didn't want to be too ambitious... ;p

Hmm... it's not the first time but I'm definitely not on close terms with the washing machine... I separated the dark coloured clothes from the light ones and the heavy material versus the delicate material... thinking I have got everything covered... I threw on the cover and the machine started washing... It's only then I realized I didn't put in washing powder... haha... Ok I know I'm hopeless... So I started to look for washing powder... Found it but didn't know where mum kept the scoop... Anyway, I used a random plastic container and scoop some powder into the detergent tray... Erm honestly, I had no idea how much powder I'm supposed to put... doesn't really matter ya?

Approximately 30 minutes later, the machine beeped, and I went to open the cover excitedly... I got a shock! All the dark coloured clothes had lint all over them!!! Now I know why mum always turn the clothes inside-out when she washes them in the machine... Bleah... I need a lint remover!

After washing the clothes, I had some time left before work so I decided to mop the floor too... Went to get the mop, but I couldn't find the floor cleaner... haha... Found it somewhere finally... mopped the floor and realized... Hmm I really should have swept the floor first before mopping like what mum always does because the hair and specks on the floor makes mopping almost counter-productive...

Sigh... housework really not that fun... hmm... BF please take note ok.... haha...

My Mum is Missing-In-Action!

These few days... it's been rather weird at home cause mum went on a holiday to China with her friends... she will be gone for 8 loooong days... Argh... I miss her!!!

Things are so different at home without her... the house just feels so "empty" and household chores are piling up...hee... I know I should be doing them since I'm the only female being in the house now... but well well... we shall see how long we can endure the mess at home... ;p

Oh, and did I mention our dog is driving us crazy with his "cries" when he misses my mum at night... I think the sleepless nights are making things worse... bleah... I wish for saturday to come quicker...

Habits... is it an excuse?

Today, I was having lunch at my usual hang-out... having the same sandwich and the same drink, going through my work stuff while sitting at the same spot... I admit... I'm a creature of habit for certain routines... ;)

As I was having my lunch, 2 ladies came in and they sat down at the table beside mine... and they started updating each other about each other's life. Gathering bits and pieces here and there, I could guess that 1 of them is a newly-wed... She was complaining to her friend that she could never buy shower gel and shampoo from Marks&Spencer anymore because the containers are the non-pump kind... you have to twist back the caps everytime you use it... the friend was puzzled and asked her why and she explained it's because her husband can't twist back the caps... and everytime he's done with his shower... all the bottles of shower gel and shampoo and bottle caps will be strewn all over the shelf... she was saying in such an exasperating tone... it was pretty hilarious... and of course, it went on and on to other habits which her husband claimed it's genetics! Haha...

Hmm... I believed everyone has their own quirks here and there... afterall... habits are formed since years ago... I can see why certain habits are normal to some and abnormal to the others. Each and every one of us have different life experiences and of course, we form different habits along the way... Even family members who grew up with you your entire life may not be able to live with your habits... So I can see why this lady is making such a huge fuss about the shampoos and shower gel... I bet her husband wouldn't even think twice about his shower antics...

I guess it's a matter of compromising and getting used to each other's habits? You can't really demand an immediate change ya? Hmm... easier said than done... But of course... don't use it as an excuse to get away with things... that surely doesn't cut it... ;p

I have a very expressive soft toy!

Oooh... a sunflower...

Cool Video

The PEN Story from PENStory on Vimeo.

The independent woman

Independence is really a double-edged sword...

On one hand, it totally empowers you... you take charge of your own life, totally capable of surviving on your own and can make any decision that needs to be made...

But, sometimes... it really takes a toll... times when you need some comfort, no one really asks... because they are used to you being able to take control of everything... times when you want to be dependent, no one wants to lend a helping hand because they didn't think you would need help... times when you just want to take the passenger seat, there is no one to offer a ride because they are used to you driving yourself everyday...

Sometimes I love how I can do everything on my own... sometimes I really miss being pampered and taken care of... Sad to say... I guess every girl still dreams of being treated like a princess in their hearts... no matter how independent or successful they are...

Eat Pray Love

This movie is all the rage now... alot of bad reviews for it... lengthy, boring, uninspiring....

Hmm I would say, compared to the book, the movie definitely did not do the author justice... The movie was ok. Julia Roberts is one of my favourite actresses, so I guess I'm abit biased here... She acted well... a charming character but the whole story pretty much focused on the ramblings and complaints of a 30-something divorcee... It is indeed not very inspirational...

After watching the movie, I went back and started reading my book again... I had started reading it awhile ago during a relaxing trip... but after returning to Singapore, I hadn't been able to find time to read again... I was halfway through it... and from memory, it was a really good read... because the author is able to give insights to many common womanly issues as well as inspirational thoughts...

I remember this from her book very vividly... "You can never see your own reflection in running water, only in still water"... I know this is just common sense... but how many people can really achieve this? We go through our daily episodes in a jiffy... every day rushes by with errands to run, deadlines to meet... we often let our lives rushed by without taking a breather... without any thoughts and reflections... and without these, I find that you don't get to see yourself clearly... you don't learn anything from your life...and it becomes pretty much meaningless... so, sometimes... taking time off during the weekend would be good to see things in perspective and do some soul-searching... and fyi, sleeping doesn't count!

In all fairness, I think the book is really a good read... the movie... hmm... just treat it as a weekend entertainment and it is really not that bad... ;p

Is it age?

All my life... I have been rather fearless in major decisions in my life... the schools I picked, the course I wanna do, my career choices, business decisions... I was never intimidated by "what-ifs"... I always thought to myself... This is what I want, I should have no regrets... And everytime I made up my mind, I never looked back...

But somehow, I'm no longer sure anymore... what happened to the gutsy me? How did I become so wishy-washy all of a sudden?

I guess as one grows older, mindset will change... In the past, I only need to think for myself... I was self-centred... I only need to find some solution that caters best to myself... Never thinking of how it will affect other people... Or rather, I was oblivious to how it will affect other people... My mum once told me she couldn't understand why I went to set up a retail store when I should be focusing on studies... Luckily, everything still turned out well and I didn't end up a school drop-out! I asked her why didn't she stop me... she said she tried but I paid no attention to her... and everyday, I was rushing in and out of home and she gave up trying to talk to me...

I don't think I'm more considerate now... but at least, I'm more conscious of the feelings of people around me... I'm afraid they will be disappointed, hurt or sad... and I don't want to do that to my loved ones... So yes, I'm willing to listen now... But because of this, I find myself taking much more time to make decisions... and I don't like it this way... It's tiring to keep thinking of the same thing over and over again ya? I guess I need to find a balance between pleasing everyone and being myself... something I'm still trying to figure out... someone please enlighten me if you already know how... ;)

The real Superwoman

When can a woman be considered a superwoman?

Does being the CEO in some MNC make one super? Or braving through tough times to become an entrepreneur? Or is she the lady who has scaled Mt Everest?

I think all the above are superwomen in their own rights...

But who I'm inspired with is this intelligent lady who is willing to give up all her dreams and ambitions to take a backseat in her career to focus on assisting her husband and nurturing her kids. She devoted her entire life for this purpose... What fuels her selflessness? Is it love and maternal instinct? Or is it role and responsibility? Either way, I think it takes superhuman effort to give up one's dreams... and I respect her for that courage and conviction...

Do angels exist?

For the first time in my life, I really wish angels do exist...

And I can see the significance of a religion...

When you are feeling helpless, you wish there would be a superior being who can solve your problems...

When no one is there to listen, you have someone who is ever-ready to listen to you...

When you are disappointed, there is someone to lend you a crying shoulder...

And when you are feeling happy, there is someone to share your joy...

Of course, reasons are endless and could be much deeper... But for now, I really need one...

Melting words...

Today, I had the pleasure of attending a meeting with boss and his best friend.

The agenda for the meeting was on some property venture together and I was just invited to sit in so as to learn more of the procedures and thought process.

We were in the meeting room and after some introduction to his friend, Mr A, we all sat down... Then boss casually asked "How have you been? How's Rachel?" (Mr A's wife)...

Mr A replied "Oh I'm very good... and Rachel is amazing and beautiful as always..."

Awww.... my heart melted.... these words coming from a late 30s guy.... and to think they have been married for 10 years with a 8-yr-old son... so super sweet! Yes yes, I admit I'm a sucker for sweet nothings...

Alot of people may think words are superficial and over-rated... But I still think they hold a certain level of significance... I personally feel it's not so easy to say mushy things when you don't mean it... so it does mean something if you can feel it and say it ya?

And a little a day can go a long way... heh... ;)

A wedding in the air!

What a crazy wedding! The entire wedding stage is suspended while the guests are housed in the tent below... I wonder what the point is if your guests can't see your ceremony... totally weird! Haha...

To think or to feel?

Have been thinking of some personal plans... because what I ultimately end up doing will determine how much effort I put into the current projects...

On one hand, I have something I like to do... can do well... and feel for it... but somehow, it's complicated...

I do have something else that I'm currently working on too... but it's ultimately not something I can call my own... so I don't really feel for it... though I'm definitely happy with it as well because I can learn alot there and I'm blessed with someone inspiring to work with...

Is it important to have something that somehow belongs to you? From general consensus, the answer would be no... Afterall, 99% of the population are employees. You could be doing great things as a CEO in an MNC... why be so insistent on business ownership? I have no answer to that... perhaps it's because it has been like that since the beginning of time? I don't mind the scale as long as I own it... it could well be a tiny little thing but it will mean the world to me... maybe I'm just stubborn...

When I think... Work is just work... see it as an income generator and it's not that hard to make any decisions... at least that's what practicality teaches me... it doesn't have to be your passion...

But the problem is... I like to feel instead... I can't imagine work to be just purely work... and work takes up a huge part of my life... it means alot to me that I can feel for it...


Luckily, there is no need for any conclusion now... it's just something I like to work out on my own first... hopefully... there will never be a deadline... ;p

French Romance

Just caught a french movie "Heartbreaker"... a romantic comedy...


I like it alot though the plot is abit predictable... I'm just a sucker for old-school kind of romance... dreamy and fairy-tale like...but the french makes it with a twist so it's really interesting... reminded me of another french movie I liked alot... Audrey Tautou's Priceless... cool movie... really worth catching...


In a dreamy mood... thanks to flowers from the bf... sweet... ;)

Polly?

Feeling like Polly in Polly Pocket world...

It's like someone is watching your every move like an eagle, ever-ready to pick on your mistakes and pitfalls... laughing at your failures and happy to see you down... These people should really spend their time minding their own business and using their brains to do something better for the world...

A whimsical house

As a home decor addict, I kind of remodel my room very often... a mini revamp around once a year and a major one every 2 years or so... My parents are always very scared when I mention re-decoration cause they are the ones who must help me paint the room... hahaha... ;p

Over the years, my room colour has changed from baby pink to orange to lavender to the current white/purple combi... now I'm itching to re-do my room again... dreaming of something whimsical... :)

Loving Yoga...

Yoga heals both the body and the soul...I enjoyed every session of it so far... amidst aching muscles... haha ;p

Misunderstood

It is frustrating when...

1) Random friends you meet on the street say they are envious of you because you don't have to "work hard" cause you own a business... Hmm how can one explain this? The business didn't exactly fall from the sky... hmm it's really too long a story to express here...

2) You work flexible hours, friends think you don't really have to work... Do they seriously think all the apparel and accessories are put on the shelves by fairies and elves?

3) People think it's anti-social when you are not so keen on attending gatherings whereby the organizer had no intention of inviting you/ you have no one to talk to/ the environment doesn't allow you to interact with new people e.g. a noisy club... It's just torturous to be in such gatherings. Period.

4) You try to explain something and the other party thinks you are over-analyzing/ over-sensitive...

Don't think, just do...

Been busy with some renovations at the new unit...
Most of the furniture, we try to design and build ourselves...
Alot of times, when I'm feeling exhausted, will just feel like giving up and ask the contractor to pick up the pieces...
It helps that there is someone telling you... "Don't think of how impossible it is, just carry on with it..."
And true enough... when you keep going at it... it will ultimately be done... but it sure takes lots of willpower to persevere.. Sometimes, people tend to over-analyse things too much...it makes things seem impossible to achieve...and you tend to just give up on the idea... I guess for some things, you have to go with your gut feeling, trust yourself and take a leap of faith...

From this...
and this...

to this... took us 1 day and 1 night... Feel really satisfied with it though... looks pro ya? ;p

Decluttering

Sometimes in random conversations with people, I find out things which I am shocked to know... can't explain why it's disturbing... just is... and it's so haunting that I can't seem to stop thinking about it...

In an attempt to distract myself, I started Operation Declutter... My bedroom, wardrobe, work desk at home, workstation in the office... they are all in an awful mess! I think I'm piling on too much things... It's frustrating to be working at an untidy workplace... Have been spending the whole day cleaning up my wardrobe... but it's still overcrowded... :s It's gonna take me forever to clear up everything...

My workstation at the office... so many things on the table I don't know how I get anything done! Sigh... I foresee Monday Blues setting in... :(

Feeling adventurous?

Recently, I had the oppportunity to go to KL to explore a new business opportunity. Actually I haven't really step into Malaysia for more than 10 years ... Came here for a short weekend trip with the BF awhile back but didn't manage to explore much... On this trip, I got to walk around abit at the KL International Airport. It's much nicer than what I expected... In fact, it is really quite pretty...

On the way to the immigration counters... Nice lighting...

Nearing the Arrival gates...

On the way to the city area on a cab... The sky was really nice that day... Great start to my hectic day in KL.

Spoke to a few people about the venture and different people gave me a different perspective. I think it really depends on a person's risk appetite. While one thinks this is such an exciting opportunity, another thinks that this venture is plagued with difficulties. So, how adventurous should I be? ;)

Working in the hills

Really appreciate the beauty of working so close to nature...
Everytime it rains, the hills look so misty it feels like fairyland and the surroundings cool and quaint... It's kind of relaxing just looking at it... Can't really capture the essence of it in the picture though...


Bukit Timah Hill just behind my office...

The vintage building where my office is housed... The pace here always feels kind of slow, compared to my office in Cineleisure... good for the employee, not so good for the boss! Haha...

My ride with the greenery... ;)

The hectic week passed by in a jiffy... it's friday already! Looking forward to just chilling out during the weekend... the "lazy me" always dominates during weekend... some of my friends look forward to all sorts of activities during the weekend... shopping, clubbing, etc... but I just like to laze around... catch a movie... or simply just hang in the cafe with a cup of tea/wine...the beach sounds good too... Hmm does that sound boring? Not to me... ;p

So cute and creative

All these dolls are spun from wool... So cute! Though they all look kinda emo... haha... =)

Passion...

Every year, my mum will start wrapping rice dumplings a week ahead of the dumpling festival... There are so many steps to preparing this seemingly simple dumpling... The preparation like chopping of ingredients takes her at least 3 nights, soaking and washing of the dumpling leaves another 2 nights. Frying up all the ingredients another 1 night... and finally wrapping of the dumplings... 2 whole days!!! It's an amazing feat seeing mum doing all those things... and she does it with such gusto... respect... heh...

Occasionally I like to disturb her by saying "should just buy outside la...so time-consuming and tiring to make..." and she will say..."It's never the same... home-made ones are so much nicer and healthier..." See...that's where I got my "health-nuttiness" from... ;p

Though I like to disturb my mum, I actually find her very inspiring... so passionate with her craft... Why does she do it? Definitely not to pass time... (there are so many other easier things to do to pass time...) It's something she feels passionate with... something she can do to express her love for us... show her gratitude towards her elders and friends...

I think it's important to be passionate and excited with life... it shouldn't be a goal-less journey with mundane daily tasks... doing things simply to pass time or just to earn a living... life would be meaningless like that... I like to spend my time only doing things I like to do... True that I may seem stubborn by not doing something... I just don't believe in wasting my time trying out something that I never like at all... My time could be better spent doing something else I like... No? Oh... and I strongly believe that people do well in things that they like/enjoy doing... and when they do well, they like it more... and the cycle continues... makes sense huh?

People who are excited by life inspires me... They manage to find beauty, adventure and passion in the littlest things: A favourite outfit, a pet's antics or a well-prepared meal... Lust for life keeps every little thing interesting... it's the essence of true happiness...

Why am I writing this? cause I like to express my thoughts with words... I find it rewarding to write...I feel that I have "unloaded" after writing... Bleah... I just like it! =p

Indian Meal

Ok I have never had a real Indian meal before... haha... I know it's quite unbelievable... unless roti prata is counted as Indian meal... ;p

So, the bf suggested we go try out Indian food one day... This is where we went to... Muthu's Flavors @ Dempsey...


These are what we had...
Curry chicken with naan


Mixed kebabs with basmati rice


Fish masala


Monkeying around while waiting for our food...


Ya... it's nice... hee... happy with our Indian food... =)


Had some drinks next door at Bacchus... It was so quiet on a Saturday night... only 1 other couple was around... wonder how long they can survive...


Oh ya... I cut my hair quite short... feels so much lighter... I like it... =)

Quirks

Ya I admit I have some quirks with my food...

I don't eat butter but I like olive oil... I don't like the taste of pork but I like to eat char siew... haha... I know I'm weird... But butter just taste like oily fats to me and pork just not so appetizing... When I eat out with my friends, they always like to ask me WHY? Please don't ask me why... I have no explanation... It's just like that! Period.

Everyone has their own little quirks right? ;p

On a side note... all my girlies are going/gone on vacation... one in Bueno Aires, one in turkey, another one in USA/Europe... Missing all of them... =(

Dystichiphobia

Def: Phobia for the fear of accidents.

It's official... I think I have contracted dystichiphobia.

This morning, I was driving to work...
On the way to the office, I had to make this U-turn in order to turn into my office.
The U-turn is along Upp Bukit Timah Road. As usual, during the morning peak hours, the road is very crowded, so I often have to make use of the yellow box at the U-turn in order to make the turn... So I was at the U-turn, cars were slowing down as the traffic light at the junction turned red... and with the last car passing the yellow box mark, I proceeded to turn into the yellow box... The traffic light was still red... so my car stayed in the yellow box in an awkward "just-turned" position... waiting for the lights to turn green then I can move ... Just then, this huge truck came racing towards the yellow box at high speed... I saw it coming, and I started to panic... I was in the yellow box and there's nowhere for me to escape to! I turned and looked at the traffic light...it was still RED! Why isn't the truck slowing down?! My heart was pumping so quickly... I felt scared... I don't want to be involved in another car accident... :S

Of course... nothing happened since I'm writing this now... The traffic light turned green and I sped off with the truck close behind me... The idiot driver probably anticipated the green light and couldn't be bothered to step on the brakes!

I think this is such a common scenario... all truck drivers are like that... The thing is... I don't think I will find it scary last time... Oh no... I think I'm traumatized by the car accident I was involved in recently... :(

Bleah... I hope I get over this soon...

Can't live without...

Due to a freak accident, my car is warded at the car mechanics...

Without the car, I had to take the public transport... had planned to take the cab in the morning to go to work... but don't know why I woke up super early in the morning... with plenty of time on hand, I decided to take the bus...

Journey on the bus feels pretty unreal... haven't been on one for the past 1.5 year... it's a weird feeling... having to jostle with the morning crowd... very "unpeaceful"... makes me feel like a student again... haha... to think I have grown so dependent on my car... it's definitely something I can't live without now... Will I ever sell my car away? Hmm... not really... unless I have a better alternative! ;p

Bad Habit

I have a very bad habit... a very dangerous habit...

Thinking about stuff/ planning things/ daydreaming while I'm driving...

Ya... to think I always remind my bf not to use his phone while driving... I'm actually doing more dangerous things!

I should really learn to focus on the road while driving... and stop endangering my life and other road users... =(

A pretty brand

Made a new friend today... someone who designs her own clothes... and has her own brand at local fashion incubator at Parco Millenia Walk.

And of course, I couldn't resist buying one of the many pretty pieces... The packaging is so nice...

Got a lovely brooch as a prezzie...

The material is soft and silky... loving it! Have the urge to go back and buy the other piece I was eyeing... ;p

New Shop... Done!

Finally... the new shop is up and running! =)

Shop name is THE EDITOR'S MARKET... at cineleisure level 3... Why the name? Meant it to be a bazaar concept and a place where fashion editors can pick out the latest pieces to showcase the most current trend in their magazines...

A quirky red chair to add some fun to the shop decor.

Love the naked lightbulbs... so much character!

A vintage suitcase... great for housing the belts...

Timbre pieces put together for the raw industrial look... my fave shop now...haha... till the next one! ;p

Vesak Day Weekend

Went to KL for the weekend for a friend's wedding dinner. Drive was 4 hours.

I'm not the driver though... heh... ;p

Lunch at an Italian restaurant...

Wearing my new maxi dress... first time wearing one... I always thought it's abit "ghostly" to be moving around in a maxi dress... haha... but seems ok on me... I think the trick is to not wear one which is so long that it covers your feet! Well, shorter maxi dresses for Asians are easy to find now ever since the trend caught on awhile ago...

Having a good chat with some wine in our cosy room after the dinner...

Best companions for a road trip... a girlfriend whom you can chat with non-stop! =)

And of course... the bf... aka the driver... :p

New Shop... Work In Progress

Renovation for new shop... opening next week... looking forward to it... =)

The full glass entrance...

The inside of the shop...

Counter area... liking the full length windows... always wanted a shop with daylight streaming in...

Cosy fitting rooms... and my office right behind... yippee!

And I realized contractors always try to get away with some stuff if they are dealing with guys... For example, they got the colour of the electrical wires wrong...we wanted black and they gave us white... and they have the cheek to ask my partner to buy our own black wires! Totally ridiculous! And my partner, a guy, actually agreed! Silly...

Of course, I called the electrician and gave him a piece of my mind...haha...and he is changing the wires... Note to self...contractors are afraid of dealing with girls...wahaha... it's their weakness... next time it's better for me to deal with the contractors... hee...;p