I had a very nice one, and I hope all of you did too. Had Pi's folks over to help with the gynormous turkey, roast beef and log cakes (yes, not one but two!). I declare myself so sick of chicken and cows thereafter, it'll be a while before I lay my hands on them again (I think, but it's gonna be hard with the cow-loving Pi).
More stories to come, including my trials with the falsies ;)... For now, I'm trying to get to sleep as I'll be jetting off in a few hours to the city that never sleeps. HK, here I come!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Welcome to the dark side...
After reading all the rave reviews on the forums, I kept a look-out for it when I made yet another visit to one of my fav shops, Daiso.
Let me digress here for a while, as I rave on about my fav shop...
Yes, at Daiso, you never know what you are going to find. There are all sorts of contraptions for all sorts of stuff, that you'll be amazed by the creativity of the Japanese. And the best thing of all, they are not going to burn a hole in your pocket at just $2! So no more pondering over whether you should buy it - I figured, what the heck, it's just $2, just go for it! There's nothing to lose after all!
Anyways, back to the topic at hand. So when I finally found it, I was sooooo happy, I quickly grabbed a tube before anyone else could lay their hands on it.
So, what am I talking about? Here it is...
Yes, this little tube of black goo that supposedly can do wonders for your face. It's a charcoal mask purported to have blackhead and whitehead removing properties. For the more hairy ones, this can even remove your baby facial hair, doing away with the trip to the face threader (is this what they call them?).
Being the one with sensitive skin, I of course tried it out on my guinea pig.
After washing Pi's face and doing some manual extraction of Pi's blackheads (a beauty routine that I regularly perform on Pi and something which he enjoys a lot, although maybe not the end result - the red spots on his face that sometimes stay for a few days!), I spread a generous amount of the goo on Pi's face.
Here's Pi looking all relaxed, not knowing how frightening he looks...
According to the instructions from the forums (since I can't understand the instructions on the tube as they are in Japanese), let it dry for 20 minutes, and then tear the hardened charcoal sheet off. Voila, a clean face totally removed of blackheads, whiteheads and what nots!
Isn't this amazing?
Now, I'm wondering whether to try it on myself....
Oh yes, and I'm dragging Pi to Daiso again on Mon! :)
Let me digress here for a while, as I rave on about my fav shop...
Yes, at Daiso, you never know what you are going to find. There are all sorts of contraptions for all sorts of stuff, that you'll be amazed by the creativity of the Japanese. And the best thing of all, they are not going to burn a hole in your pocket at just $2! So no more pondering over whether you should buy it - I figured, what the heck, it's just $2, just go for it! There's nothing to lose after all!
Anyways, back to the topic at hand. So when I finally found it, I was sooooo happy, I quickly grabbed a tube before anyone else could lay their hands on it.
So, what am I talking about? Here it is...
Yes, this little tube of black goo that supposedly can do wonders for your face. It's a charcoal mask purported to have blackhead and whitehead removing properties. For the more hairy ones, this can even remove your baby facial hair, doing away with the trip to the face threader (is this what they call them?).
Being the one with sensitive skin, I of course tried it out on my guinea pig.
After washing Pi's face and doing some manual extraction of Pi's blackheads (a beauty routine that I regularly perform on Pi and something which he enjoys a lot, although maybe not the end result - the red spots on his face that sometimes stay for a few days!), I spread a generous amount of the goo on Pi's face.
Here's Pi looking all relaxed, not knowing how frightening he looks...
According to the instructions from the forums (since I can't understand the instructions on the tube as they are in Japanese), let it dry for 20 minutes, and then tear the hardened charcoal sheet off. Voila, a clean face totally removed of blackheads, whiteheads and what nots!
Isn't this amazing?
Now, I'm wondering whether to try it on myself....
Oh yes, and I'm dragging Pi to Daiso again on Mon! :)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Been there, done that... now what?
It is the perennial obsession of women's, and something which most men fail to understand. Yes, besides bags and shoes (we just can't get enough!), women have always wondered what to do with their hair.
Shall I cut it short? Shall I let it grow? Shall I perm it? Shall I colour it? And what colour shall I try this time?
These, and others, are the endless questions we always ask ourselves, and probably our significant others and best friends.
And these are important decisions that we have to make on a regular basis. One wrong move, and the consequences could be hell. I have heard of people who refused to go out into the world and just hibernate at home, all because of a disastrous hairdo that has made them unable to "face the world".
In my many years of existence on this earth, I have made many a decision and tried many an adventure myself.
I've done long, I've done short, I've done red, I've done brown, I've done natural black, I've done straight, I've done curly, I've done long fringe, I've done side-parted fringe, I've done bangs.... hmm, what else?
I figured, hell, just let the pictures tell the story...
First, there was brown and long...
Then, when Jap perm was all the craze, I went for it...
And snipped it all off thereafter.... (yes, that was one of my most drastic one yet)
Then, I started experimenting with colour while growing my hair out. So it was red...
Followed by brown (actually I didn't colour it, the red just faded into brown after a while)....
And then even lighter brown, with a streak of blonde (yes yes, those were my "Ah Lian" days)...
And when I had sadly accepted the fact that my hair can only take brown, I played with my fringe...
And day by day, the hair grew longer...
And longer...
And longer... by then, to restore my hair to the healthy condition it was in before I imposed all kinds of chemical damages to it, I stopped the colouring...
And longer still... the hair, at this point, mysteriously turned a shade of dark brown (my hairstylist is convinced it's the UV rays)....
And longer still.... I layered it so that it was not so thick...
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore (Pi says I look matronly with my black hair), and coloured it all brown again...
As the trimming and layering continued (more for maintenance while I grew out my hair), the mysterious "natural curl" came back as well....
And that's me now (okay, I think it grew longer still, it's now almost at my waist) - brown and kinda curly at the ends...
At the end of it all, now I'm wondering, yet again, shall I or shall I not perm my hair? Or maybe cut my fringe instead? Or maybe switch to a new colour?
Truth be told, I am kind of getting a little bored with my hair, having kept it long for the past few years. Yes, there have been some colour changes now and then, but it's not, like, a complete change - one that makes people sit up and notice immediately.
However, I have been holding back for the past few weeks, and still am, simply because deep down inside me, I'm afraid that just one single wrong move, and I will live in regret for the rest of my life (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but the pain will be there for at least a few weeks or even months depending on the extent of the disaster).
Plus, of course, the fact that Pi, being the typical male, is someone who has a preference for gals with long hair (they look more feminine, he says).
So what do I do? I think I'm going to sit on the fence for a while longer, while I ponder this live-changing decision. Yes, gone are the days of being young and reckless.
Will I or will I not welcome 2009 with a fresh new look?
We shall see...
Shall I cut it short? Shall I let it grow? Shall I perm it? Shall I colour it? And what colour shall I try this time?
These, and others, are the endless questions we always ask ourselves, and probably our significant others and best friends.
And these are important decisions that we have to make on a regular basis. One wrong move, and the consequences could be hell. I have heard of people who refused to go out into the world and just hibernate at home, all because of a disastrous hairdo that has made them unable to "face the world".
In my many years of existence on this earth, I have made many a decision and tried many an adventure myself.
I've done long, I've done short, I've done red, I've done brown, I've done natural black, I've done straight, I've done curly, I've done long fringe, I've done side-parted fringe, I've done bangs.... hmm, what else?
I figured, hell, just let the pictures tell the story...
First, there was brown and long...
Then, when Jap perm was all the craze, I went for it...
And snipped it all off thereafter.... (yes, that was one of my most drastic one yet)
Then, I started experimenting with colour while growing my hair out. So it was red...
Followed by brown (actually I didn't colour it, the red just faded into brown after a while)....
And then even lighter brown, with a streak of blonde (yes yes, those were my "Ah Lian" days)...
And when I had sadly accepted the fact that my hair can only take brown, I played with my fringe...
And day by day, the hair grew longer...
And longer...
And longer... by then, to restore my hair to the healthy condition it was in before I imposed all kinds of chemical damages to it, I stopped the colouring...
And longer still... the hair, at this point, mysteriously turned a shade of dark brown (my hairstylist is convinced it's the UV rays)....
And longer still.... I layered it so that it was not so thick...
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore (Pi says I look matronly with my black hair), and coloured it all brown again...
As the trimming and layering continued (more for maintenance while I grew out my hair), the mysterious "natural curl" came back as well....
And that's me now (okay, I think it grew longer still, it's now almost at my waist) - brown and kinda curly at the ends...
At the end of it all, now I'm wondering, yet again, shall I or shall I not perm my hair? Or maybe cut my fringe instead? Or maybe switch to a new colour?
Truth be told, I am kind of getting a little bored with my hair, having kept it long for the past few years. Yes, there have been some colour changes now and then, but it's not, like, a complete change - one that makes people sit up and notice immediately.
However, I have been holding back for the past few weeks, and still am, simply because deep down inside me, I'm afraid that just one single wrong move, and I will live in regret for the rest of my life (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but the pain will be there for at least a few weeks or even months depending on the extent of the disaster).
Plus, of course, the fact that Pi, being the typical male, is someone who has a preference for gals with long hair (they look more feminine, he says).
So what do I do? I think I'm going to sit on the fence for a while longer, while I ponder this live-changing decision. Yes, gone are the days of being young and reckless.
Will I or will I not welcome 2009 with a fresh new look?
We shall see...
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Blood runs thicker than water
Watching this reminded me that nobody will treat you better than your family.
Tomorrow, I'll be meeting the Fam for dinner to celebrate the "Empress Dowager's" belated birthday... well, better late than never, right? Especially since she was the one who was away on the Big Day.
It's a weekly routine that I've practised since getting married - having dinner with the Fam at least once a week. It's a small gesture (albeit slightly inconvenient sometimes given that we live almost on the other end of the island), but something that never fails to warm my heart. It brings me back to the days when eating dinner with the Fam was something that I did almost every day on weekdays (yes, weekends are reserved for dates with Pi), and something that I'd kind of taken for granted.
For those who are still staying with their parents, let me tell you - you won't know what you're missing till you actually missed it, so cherish what you have now. And that's exactly what I experienced a few weeks into married life (then). No nice, steaming hot, comforting home-cooked food waiting for you - if you're hungry, you'd better roll up your sleeves and start cooking. Either that, or pick up the phone and order in. Very soon, you'll find that what you once craved - the "forbidden" food that is fast food and instant noodles - is something that you do not want to go near anymore. This comes after days and weeks and years of eating it.
So inspired by a dear friend who has relocated overseas and thus is forced to do her own cooking (since she can't go home for dinner as and when she likes, not like me), I've also recently picked up the rusty utensils and dabbed my hands in some domestic cooking again (I say again, because there was an initial phase of enthusiasm when I was newly married and finally owned my very own kitchen). It's of course not as nice as what the Empress Dowager whips up, but it's enough to give me that feeling of home. And since I've slogged so hard, the fruits of my labour will inevitably taste sweeter.
So far, I've tried curry, boiled soups, fried meat, vegetables and my fav - omelette! Oh, and the one dish that never fails to impress people - my very own chilli crab! With the crab chosen, slaughtered and cleaned by my very own hands. Now that's something even the Empress Dowager does not know (or maybe she just doesn't want the trouble) how to cook. Impressive, eh? That also happens to be Pi's fav, but given the fuss that goes into it, it's not something that I venture often.
After my culinary adventures, all I can say is this, nothing beats having nice home-cooked food waiting for you when you get home. And for this, I say, Thank You, Mum!
Tomorrow, I'll be meeting the Fam for dinner to celebrate the "Empress Dowager's" belated birthday... well, better late than never, right? Especially since she was the one who was away on the Big Day.
It's a weekly routine that I've practised since getting married - having dinner with the Fam at least once a week. It's a small gesture (albeit slightly inconvenient sometimes given that we live almost on the other end of the island), but something that never fails to warm my heart. It brings me back to the days when eating dinner with the Fam was something that I did almost every day on weekdays (yes, weekends are reserved for dates with Pi), and something that I'd kind of taken for granted.
For those who are still staying with their parents, let me tell you - you won't know what you're missing till you actually missed it, so cherish what you have now. And that's exactly what I experienced a few weeks into married life (then). No nice, steaming hot, comforting home-cooked food waiting for you - if you're hungry, you'd better roll up your sleeves and start cooking. Either that, or pick up the phone and order in. Very soon, you'll find that what you once craved - the "forbidden" food that is fast food and instant noodles - is something that you do not want to go near anymore. This comes after days and weeks and years of eating it.
So inspired by a dear friend who has relocated overseas and thus is forced to do her own cooking (since she can't go home for dinner as and when she likes, not like me), I've also recently picked up the rusty utensils and dabbed my hands in some domestic cooking again (I say again, because there was an initial phase of enthusiasm when I was newly married and finally owned my very own kitchen). It's of course not as nice as what the Empress Dowager whips up, but it's enough to give me that feeling of home. And since I've slogged so hard, the fruits of my labour will inevitably taste sweeter.
So far, I've tried curry, boiled soups, fried meat, vegetables and my fav - omelette! Oh, and the one dish that never fails to impress people - my very own chilli crab! With the crab chosen, slaughtered and cleaned by my very own hands. Now that's something even the Empress Dowager does not know (or maybe she just doesn't want the trouble) how to cook. Impressive, eh? That also happens to be Pi's fav, but given the fuss that goes into it, it's not something that I venture often.
After my culinary adventures, all I can say is this, nothing beats having nice home-cooked food waiting for you when you get home. And for this, I say, Thank You, Mum!
Monday, December 15, 2008
10 days to Xmas!
Just got into the office... yes, today it took me more than an hour to get in because there was a severe jam on the expressway due to a multiple vehicle collision that took up two lanes. Ease up, guys, it's Xmas! Drive safely, for goodness sake!
Anyway, I digress.
I've always loved Xmas - the festive cheer, the spirit of hope, of giving, of love in the air. It never fails to cheer me up, and give me a much needed respite from the doldrums of work. It's also the feeling that after slogging for 11 months straight, it's time to take a much needed rest, to spend some quality time with our loved ones.
I remember as kids, nothing beats the excitement and anticipation of counting down to Xmas, just so that we can finally rip open those presents and find out what treasures are hidden within. It's much like Chinese New Year, when we eagerly count our "takings" after a day of visiting.
Although now I've graduated from the receiving end to the giving side, the magical feeling still has not changed for me. I look forward to doing up the house in preparation for Xmas - bringing out all the trinkets, the Xmas tree and stuff never fails to add the festive cheer in the air.
It's also the time of the year when we look back at what we have done for the year, at all the people - friends, family, loved ones, acquaintances - who have walked down the path with us, are grateful for some things and regret others, and make wishes and resolutions for the year ahead.
In the spirit of the festive season, I want to say to Pi, my family and all my dearest friends (you know who you are): Merry Christmas! Thank you for being in my life. While we may not necessarily be able to celebrate Xmas together, know that we will live another day to walk down the path of life together hand-in-hand.
I'm usually not a person who expresses her feelings out loud, but what the heck: I love you all!
Anyway, I digress.
I've always loved Xmas - the festive cheer, the spirit of hope, of giving, of love in the air. It never fails to cheer me up, and give me a much needed respite from the doldrums of work. It's also the feeling that after slogging for 11 months straight, it's time to take a much needed rest, to spend some quality time with our loved ones.
I remember as kids, nothing beats the excitement and anticipation of counting down to Xmas, just so that we can finally rip open those presents and find out what treasures are hidden within. It's much like Chinese New Year, when we eagerly count our "takings" after a day of visiting.
Although now I've graduated from the receiving end to the giving side, the magical feeling still has not changed for me. I look forward to doing up the house in preparation for Xmas - bringing out all the trinkets, the Xmas tree and stuff never fails to add the festive cheer in the air.
It's also the time of the year when we look back at what we have done for the year, at all the people - friends, family, loved ones, acquaintances - who have walked down the path with us, are grateful for some things and regret others, and make wishes and resolutions for the year ahead.
In the spirit of the festive season, I want to say to Pi, my family and all my dearest friends (you know who you are): Merry Christmas! Thank you for being in my life. While we may not necessarily be able to celebrate Xmas together, know that we will live another day to walk down the path of life together hand-in-hand.
I'm usually not a person who expresses her feelings out loud, but what the heck: I love you all!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Life is short, play hard!
It's a Friday evening and the start of the weekends. To pass the time while waiting for Pi, I was watching the interview with the husband of the late Ms Lo Hwei Yen.
It certainly reminded me once again how fragile life is, and why we should treasure our loved ones.
Kind of a depressing start to the weekends, I know, but I was immensely cheered at the sight of Pi coming up the driveway.
Yes, we should cherish what we have, and live and love happily. Life is short!
It certainly reminded me once again how fragile life is, and why we should treasure our loved ones.
Kind of a depressing start to the weekends, I know, but I was immensely cheered at the sight of Pi coming up the driveway.
Yes, we should cherish what we have, and live and love happily. Life is short!
Confessions of a shopoholic
My friends would know this better than anyone else - yes, I'm a self-confessed shopoholic. I go crazy when I hear the word "sale", and can always find something "that I've always wanted" and is now going for a bargin at these sales.
So it's no surprise that with all the pre-Xmas sales going on in various parts of the island, I have been trawling all over town in search for that perfect bargain.
The last few days saw me rushing down to Ferragamo, Gucci, Burberry and Prada when I got wind from the forums that the Fall/Winter sales have started. Shoes and bags - I just can't get enough of them (as with all women). My catch? A pair of very Xmassy Fs with sparkling rhinestones and deep red velvet (like very good red wine, although I'm not a wine connoisseur), which unfortunately meant that I'd have to eat bread for the rest of the month. It took all my self-restraint not to give in to the dark side and snatch up the other pairs of silvery grey and baby pink Fs that I also spotted in another outlet.
And then there was Mango. As any avid Mng fans will tell you, June and December are the best months of the year. This is when the garbs go for half price (or more, if you are of a unique size and have the self-restraint to hold out till the last). Since the sale started islandwide two days ago, I have been to two outlets and got away with a few pieces, which I rationalized to myself, saved me a few hundred bucks already!
Yesterday night, when Pi was hard at work rushing deadlines, I was at home alone, and decided to do a stock-take of my wardrobe so as to hopefully clear some room for my new purchases. Lo and behold, I actually found some pieces that I didn't even know I owned! And if you have not guessed by now, yes, most of them were my "prizes" from the seasonal sales - those moments in time when bargains meant that all rationality was out the door. I have not even gotten around to wearing them, and now I have gone and acquired more.
I'm not one for new year resolutions, but I'm resolving (or at least, trying very hard) to try to curb some impulsive buys so that I can fully utilize each and every one of my purchases and save some dough for a rainy day. Let's keep our fingers crossed...
So it's no surprise that with all the pre-Xmas sales going on in various parts of the island, I have been trawling all over town in search for that perfect bargain.
The last few days saw me rushing down to Ferragamo, Gucci, Burberry and Prada when I got wind from the forums that the Fall/Winter sales have started. Shoes and bags - I just can't get enough of them (as with all women). My catch? A pair of very Xmassy Fs with sparkling rhinestones and deep red velvet (like very good red wine, although I'm not a wine connoisseur), which unfortunately meant that I'd have to eat bread for the rest of the month. It took all my self-restraint not to give in to the dark side and snatch up the other pairs of silvery grey and baby pink Fs that I also spotted in another outlet.
And then there was Mango. As any avid Mng fans will tell you, June and December are the best months of the year. This is when the garbs go for half price (or more, if you are of a unique size and have the self-restraint to hold out till the last). Since the sale started islandwide two days ago, I have been to two outlets and got away with a few pieces, which I rationalized to myself, saved me a few hundred bucks already!
Yesterday night, when Pi was hard at work rushing deadlines, I was at home alone, and decided to do a stock-take of my wardrobe so as to hopefully clear some room for my new purchases. Lo and behold, I actually found some pieces that I didn't even know I owned! And if you have not guessed by now, yes, most of them were my "prizes" from the seasonal sales - those moments in time when bargains meant that all rationality was out the door. I have not even gotten around to wearing them, and now I have gone and acquired more.
I'm not one for new year resolutions, but I'm resolving (or at least, trying very hard) to try to curb some impulsive buys so that I can fully utilize each and every one of my purchases and save some dough for a rainy day. Let's keep our fingers crossed...
Like a virgin
Yes, this is my very first virgin blog post, and I'm already not sure whether this enthusiasm of mine will last.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not techno-phobic; at the very least, I would consider myself more IT savvy than Pi who actually works in IT. I'm the one who craves for the latest IT gadgets (yes, I was one of those "pioneers" who queued up overnight for the iPhone 3G when it was launched in Singapore), who hooks up all the IT gadgets at home to get them up and running (otherwise, they are likely to rot in the boxes they came in, with their warranty expired, before Pi, the perpetual procrastinator, gets off his butt to hook them up)... you get the idea.
And the reason for my sudden inspiration to start my own blog?
Well, being a voyeur (who isn't?, whether you care to admit it or not), I have been filling my hours at the office reading my friends' blogs. And I'm constantly checking in on Facebook to see what my friends are doing (made even more convenient courtesy of my iPhone ;) ).
It's a good way to catch up on your friends' life, especially as we are all so busy nowadays with work and family commitments. Reading their blogs made me feel as though I was there with them when things happened. It brings us closer together - at least that's what I'd like to think.
So, naturally, the next logical step for me was to start my own. Take it as another way to keep myself occupied during those long hours in the office when I have loads of work piling up but no mood to start on them (they can always wait till the next week, right?). Or, perhaps, maybe being a natural giver (yes, I'm so not humble), I do feel guilty "feeding off" my friends' blogs and not giving them anything in return.
Last but not least, it's been such a long time since I've written. I've always had a passion for reading and writing (cultivated during my childhood years from reading Enid Blyton and later transitioning to the romance novels of Nora Roberts and Jude Deveraux), and I have not written for a really long time, no thanks to the busy work schedule and other commitments (okay, mostly because I want to spend all my free time cozying up to my Pi). So it was a brand new experience when I resolved to start again, albeit with a tinge of trepidation.
Well, here it is, my first post. Let's see how long this enthusiam lasts.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not techno-phobic; at the very least, I would consider myself more IT savvy than Pi who actually works in IT. I'm the one who craves for the latest IT gadgets (yes, I was one of those "pioneers" who queued up overnight for the iPhone 3G when it was launched in Singapore), who hooks up all the IT gadgets at home to get them up and running (otherwise, they are likely to rot in the boxes they came in, with their warranty expired, before Pi, the perpetual procrastinator, gets off his butt to hook them up)... you get the idea.
And the reason for my sudden inspiration to start my own blog?
Well, being a voyeur (who isn't?, whether you care to admit it or not), I have been filling my hours at the office reading my friends' blogs. And I'm constantly checking in on Facebook to see what my friends are doing (made even more convenient courtesy of my iPhone ;) ).
It's a good way to catch up on your friends' life, especially as we are all so busy nowadays with work and family commitments. Reading their blogs made me feel as though I was there with them when things happened. It brings us closer together - at least that's what I'd like to think.
So, naturally, the next logical step for me was to start my own. Take it as another way to keep myself occupied during those long hours in the office when I have loads of work piling up but no mood to start on them (they can always wait till the next week, right?). Or, perhaps, maybe being a natural giver (yes, I'm so not humble), I do feel guilty "feeding off" my friends' blogs and not giving them anything in return.
Last but not least, it's been such a long time since I've written. I've always had a passion for reading and writing (cultivated during my childhood years from reading Enid Blyton and later transitioning to the romance novels of Nora Roberts and Jude Deveraux), and I have not written for a really long time, no thanks to the busy work schedule and other commitments (okay, mostly because I want to spend all my free time cozying up to my Pi). So it was a brand new experience when I resolved to start again, albeit with a tinge of trepidation.
Well, here it is, my first post. Let's see how long this enthusiam lasts.
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