Pink clouds and polar bears

defining moments

2012-02-10T09:32:00.001+08:00

it's amazing, i've never been a baby person - i never pick up someone else's baby, ever; used to get upset when friends brought their kids to dinner parties (who invited them?); and just absolutely dreaded it when we had to attend the obligatory children's party here and there, but now, now i see what all the fuss is about.

i am thoroughly enjoying my maternity leave at the moment. life at home with le yeti is really quite fantastic and i could go on and on about it but one of the most tender moments i've experienced so far was when i was breastfeeding and she suddenly thought to look up at my face. she saw that it was me, stopped suckling, then smiled the most tender, sweetest smile. my heart melted. at that moment, i saw the past, present and future. they culminated in that young face of hers, in those deep, dark eyes.

it's truly one of Life's greatest miracles.

and i am a changed woman.

le yeti

2012-02-06T12:39:00.000+08:00

i will absolutely need to update this space soon. in the meantime, suffice to say, i am utterly, madly, completely in love...

Changes

2011-12-07T08:15:00.000+08:00

The little one has arrived! The little recluse didn't want to come out to meet the world so 1.5 weeks after her due date, I had to have a C-section to bring her out finalement!

The childbirth was super hard. And breastfeeding even harder. French fry and I thought we wouldn't survive the first week. We had some of our darkest moments then...

But of course we did get by in the end - albeit one day at a time - and there's a little bundle of joy in our family now. She's the cutest thing in the world.

Meet Le Yeti...

40 weeks and no sight of le bebe

2011-11-14T16:39:00.002+08:00

she's late! the doctor says she's still happy in the tummy and not ready to come out yet. but she is 3.1kg already, and "slightly chubby", and based on the doctor's scans, she sounds and looks healthy.

i am feeling much better these days. my back still aches but i've been sleeping better at nights - perhaps i am finally getting used to the aches and pains... i started my maternity leave today. and am lapping up all the free time i have at home before mayhem begins. i have been addicted to SIMS!! and Pillars of the Earth! and i've been catching up on some reading too.

french fry and i are as ready as we can be. we've bought ALL the baby accessories invented to make us spend money - breast pump, steriliser, baby bathtub, stroller, crib, a baby car seat, play pen, my breast friend, a baby beyond sling, food processor, baby toiletries, diapers, toys, books, clothes, a diaper bin, mittens, shoes, swaddle, waterproof bed sheets, milk powder, baby pillow, baby rash cream... the full works!!

i think we've bought too much but still, the french fry manages to come up with something new to buy every weekend. le bebe is not even here yet and the princess is already costing him/us a bomb. this is not very promising!!

--

any moment now

2011-10-31T07:31:00.000+08:00

38 weeks and full term, goodness gracious great balls of fire!

le bebe is now 2.7kg, which means that she will be a petite baby if she arrives now, but still within a healthy range of weight. she's engaged and in the right position already, so really, it's any moment now. exciting times!!

this weekend was packing the hospital bag, getting things ready at home, and spending some much needed quiet time before the arrival of le bebe. as i sat on the sofa reading and having a quiet nap, i realised that in a couple of weeks, life will change for ever. i am part excited part nervous, but definitely looking forward to meeting her. i wonder if she will really be petite or big, will she have pink skin or pale, will she have big or small eyes, big or thin lips... will she be healthy and perfectly formed...

and in this state of mind, i am currently reading...

SAM

2011-10-10T20:04:00.000+08:00

last weekend, i wanted to see a specific art exhibition, so i dragged the french fry to the art museum. it was our first time there and we had good fun exploring the old, restored building. it did occur to me that i had better get whatever i needed to do out of my system now. in a few more weeks, life won't ever be the same and it may be a while before the two of us can slip out for a date, as and when.

they had a really funky art installation at the entrance of the gallery; if you stared hard enough, your head started turning. mind boggling stuff!

good times, truly.

dark, stormy nights...

2011-10-06T21:22:00.001+08:00

are perfect for googling new music.

and what do you know, it's friday tomorrow.

and le bebe turns 35 weeks...

just because

2011-09-29T07:42:00.002+08:00

contentment

2011-09-20T20:10:00.005+08:00

sometimes i stop in my tracks, think about all that has happened, all that i've done, all that i have now, and i realise... how lucky i am. how truly, very lucky.

it's taken me a long time to get here - i've been through heartbreaks, death, loss, stress, sickness, darkness, confusion... but now, things are finally... all right.

i had lunch with an old friend and she told me how unhappy she was, caught up in the rat race, wanting the bigger apartment, the cute car, the babies, the holiday, the hermes, the diamonds... always wanting, it was never enough. and then she stopped, and said, "but you, you are just... happy. aren't you?" and yes, indeed i was. i am.

the french fry has been giving me foot massages every night for the last 3 years, ever since we moved in together. he draws and sends me a little electronic bunny every day at work - different bunnies with different outfits and colours, depending on the outfit i was wearing that day, or my mood - if i was super pleased that morning, or was slightly tired and bothered, or a fat bunny if i had had ice cream and was greedy the night before. now that i'm pregnant, he massages my back every night as well. and does all the chores and peppers me with kisses all the time, and tells me i'm beautiful and sexy, even if i know it's a lie.

work has not been extremely satisfying but i'm under no illusion that everyone loves his or her boss. i dislike mine, but she pays me well and i trust that i'm good at what i do, so working life is pretty straightforward and easy.

my family and friends have been core. and my anchor. and i see them every week and we play mahjong or go out to eat and we laugh and we gossip and we share tips and experiences and... they are my reality check.

and then, really, there are the simple things that i've come to love and appreciate so much: elle magazine (uk), frankie, surfing the internet, america's next top model, books, chocolate, durian, evening walks by the river, a nice piece of jewellery, pretty nails, nice smelling shampoo, books, a bowl of yoghurt with fruit, super fresh kajiki sashimi, wednesday night dinners with my dad, saturday mahjong sessions with the girls, croissants from jone's the grocers, my chanel bag, slapping the french fry's butt whenever he walks past me... these are the things that make my happy, make me smile, time after time, after all this time...

and finally of course... le bebe. she's coming in 8 weeks now. that's really soon. french fry and i had an ultrasound at the doctor's last friday, and we saw her round face - big eyes, big lips... she was pretty cute. it has been quite a year... 7 months have flown by. i remember the night i peed on the stick and how happy i was when i saw the smiley face :), how i ran up to the french fry to exclaim that it was positive! and then the tired, exhausting days that followed. all the shopping that we did - for maternity clothes, underwear... then furniture for le bebe and supplies. and the many days we discussed boys' names, then girls' names. the chicken soups and fish i ate because they were nutritious. and now, we are almost there. my body is aching like nobody's business, and i haven't been able to sleep soundly at nights for the last month or so, but i'm happy, and i'm excited. she's going to be just perfect. :)

so yeah, i cannot complain. i'm not ecstatic or wildly overjoyed, but i am definitely happy, content, and so very very grateful.

cupcakes that i ordered for my sister's 30th birthday. super cute. and they came in a box that matched the top i bought for le bebe even! how crazy is that.
-

32 weeks and a push present

2011-09-18T08:57:00.002+08:00

the french fry bought me a really gorgeous, precious pearl necklace...

they are natural, gold, South Sea pearls. i love it! can't wait to wear them out, everywhere!
-

i succumbed...

2011-08-31T07:18:00.001+08:00

these were too cute to pass up, so i bought le bebe a little outfit the other day... hehe.

haunted...

2011-08-29T20:54:00.001+08:00

Falling

Don't let yourself be hurt this time.
Don't let yourself be hurt this time.

Then I saw your face
Then I saw your smile

The sky is still blue
The clouds come and go
Yet something is different
Are we falling in love?

Don't let yourself be hurt this time.
Don't let yourself be hurt this time.

Then your kiss so soft
Then your touch so warm

The stars still shine bright
The mountains still high
Yet something is different
Are we falling in love?

Falling
Falling
Are we falling in love?

vacation 2011 - a photolog

2011-08-18T07:19:00.003+08:00

finally! a little respite from work, monotony, and the hot humid singapore sky... french fry and i hopped on to a little plane and arrived at the gorgeous datai 3 hours later...

first things first - we whipped out our sunblock, lathered ourselves with it, and promptly headed to the pool for some much needed R&R.

when we were hungry, we walked to the restaurant by the pool for really good local food and fantastic burgers.

the place was so lush! in the mornings, i'd sit quietly on the patio and listen to the monkeys playing, crickets twilling and birds chirping... once i saw a squirrel rushing away from branch to branch... who would have thought there was so much for a little squirrel to do on a monday morning in the lush langkawi rainforest!

my reading materials for the weekend: the thousand autumns of jacob de zoet, the economist and my brand new journal.

one afternoon, we even ventured out of the datai! we went for a two hour massage at alung alung spa, and then had cocktails (well actually, it was a mocktail for me and le bebe) on the beach at casa del mar. it seems like drinks at casa del mar has become a ritual for us when we're in langkawi. i quite like the idea of that - having our own little ritual in langkawi.

me and le bebe at 6 months...

dinner at casa del mar. i had a malaysian sole and french fry had tuna. it was a good dinner - good food, beautiful sunset, and copious amounts of sand, dreams and love... :)

at the end, we were so reluctant to leave... but we'll be back for sure. and perhaps the next time will be with le bebe.

inspiration

2011-08-11T06:56:00.000+08:00

alexa chung. she's so gorgeous.

currently enjoying...

2011-08-04T07:29:00.000+08:00

eva green has got to be one of the most beautiful women in the world right now. and i love that she's not hollywood stick-thin or jennifer anniston toned - eva's all woman. i am bummed that there won't be a season 2!

a light-hearted read that is really engaging and interesting and entertaining at the same time. makes me thankful for the little conveniences in my life: a hairdryer, books, a coffeemaker, a fan, salonpas(!)...

the datai, langkawi

2011-07-22T07:35:00.000+08:00

it has been a hectic couple of weeks at work. i was stressed, sick and rather unhappy. but yesterday was the last in my line-up of important meetings, and it's truly a blissful, happy friday today. :)

so french fry and i booked us a little holiday, here. nothing too exciting, nowhere too far, just somewhere rather close to home, secluded and private, with nothing much to do there except chill out, read, eat, relax and smile.

i am really excited. the doc has been rather anxious about me travelling, but we've decided not to pay heed and go ahead anyways. tons of preggies travel in their second semester! and we're only 1 hour from home by plane, so i think we should be rather safe...

this could be my last holiday before le bebe pops out in november. i told french fry the other day, i will always remember 2011 as the year that i was pregnant (and couldn't do much else). meh.

-

things i miss since getting pregnant...

2011-07-15T06:59:00.001+08:00

wine - i still have it but it's not enough
sashimi
exercising and sweating it out
summer in france
nice trendy clothes
foot reflexology
hard, tough back massages
cycling

life's mystery

2011-06-30T07:41:00.000+08:00

i am still not comfortable with my pregnant body. i know it's particularly vain of me, but i can't help feeling fleshy, fat, round... momsy. so yeah, i haven't been feeling particularly sexy of late. HOWEVER, my boobs have gone up two cup sizes! they are huge! i was at meetings all day long yesterday, and i noticed my colleagues' eyes wandering down several times... i looked down myself and was shocked to realise what they were staring at! i ended up pulling up my top several times during the day. (and i wasn't even wearing anything especially sexy, just a scoop-neck shirt though slightly flimsy i suppose).

men have never looked at my chest before! i thought that was normal, but now i know... men will always be attracted to large tits, and it is more normal for them to not be able to resist stealing glances...

aha! the things you discover during pregnancy...

---

this weekend i...

2011-06-26T13:51:00.000+08:00

finished the finkler question (finally!) and started on the name of the rose (excited!);
ate tons of royce chocolate, courtesy of my sister;
watched the three colours trilogy: bleu, blanc, rouge; and
won $8 at mahjong.

the hot weather has eased up a little and i'm glad. there has been a slight breeze all day and i'm enjoying the wind on my face, legs, arms...

in my mind, this is exactly what lazy sundays are made of.

19 weeks

2011-06-22T06:54:00.002+08:00

it's a girl!

-

home alone

2011-06-14T20:07:00.002+08:00

french fry is off to the philippines for one week. it's my first night ever in our apartment without my beloved and i'm feeling slightly lonely. meh.

2011-06-11T07:02:00.000+08:00

I passed my French test, Delf A2! Super pleased. So went and got myself a mani/pedi as a treat. My nails are now a beautiful grey, Skulls and Glossbones.

What can I say, I just love pretty, shiny nails. This weekend is just going to be great.

-

closet fan

2011-05-19T20:19:00.002+08:00

Thanks to her, I've discovered Stevie Nicks - an amazing, amazing singer. And Landslide... an incredible song. One of those songs that made me stop in my tracks. And made me think about life and the wondrousness of life and how big it was and how amazing and how beautiful and sad at the same time. And love. And love.

Yeah, Landslide brought me back to some funny old place in time. And it was good.

-

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older and I'm getting older too

study leave

2011-05-18T07:32:00.000+08:00

2 glorious days of leave as I stay at home to study for my French test next week. So excited! Will go sit by the pool a bit, watch an old Tom Cruise movie (A Few Good Men), maybe go to the home gym for the second time in 2 years, do some online shopping... and do some studying of course!

At home, alone, is where I am happiest I realise.

Good times.

-

i made myself happy today...

2011-05-17T07:23:00.001+08:00

i bought a couple of prints from the uber talented marc johns.

i know the last thing i need is MORE prints, but hey, what can i say... these made me smile.

one of the side effects of being pregnant...

2011-04-26T07:17:00.000+08:00

is that i am so hairy now! ek.

shaver is my new best friend.
---

10 weeks - an update

2011-04-18T07:41:00.000+08:00

10 weeks and i feel my body is finally learning to adapt to the change inside of me.

i'm feeling less exhausted - sure, i still try to steal afternoon naps whenever i can but at least i'm no longer dozing off at my desk! - and i'm learning to cope with my constant hunger pangs (by eating constantly!).

i've put on 1.5kg so far, which isn't too bad, given the amount of food i'm been eating. my tummy is round and my arms feel bigger. i'm also starting to feel rather hot sometimes, which is unusual as i'm usually always feeling cold and almost always need a sweater with me, i'm that type of gal.

during our free time, the french fry and i been staying indoors a lot. my favourite place in the world right now is my couch. i've been watching a lot of tv series (brothers and sisters, boston legal, the apprentice) and reading a ton of books (room, virgil and beatrice, solar). in between, i eat and nap. life has slowed down considerably, but it isn't bad.

i hardly think about life after le bebe arrives. it will surely be different but french fry and i have decided to put off the planning until after my first trimester.

next week, i'm off to the docs for an oscar test. after which, the little one will be 3 months old and we will probably make the news public. truth be told, i've been quite embarrassed at work lately - i've been scoffing down food like nobody's business, and my colleagues have been quite appalled, albeit too polite to say anything!

----

feeling out of sorts

2011-03-23T07:14:00.000+08:00

i have been completely lethargic, bad tempered, sullen, quiet, contemplative, listless... and hungry all the time.

my breasts are sore and my tummy is soft.

but i'm trying to stay happy, grateful and excited. i'll be seven weeks next week, i think we should be able to find a heartbeat at the doctor's then. :)

(i'm sorry, i can't remember where this picture was taken from, but i saw it and it made me happy. thank you.)

Journal entry, 9th March 2011

2011-03-09T06:29:00.000+08:00

Omigod omigod omigod omigod.... I believe I am pregnant! 8 months since this!

Will buy another test kit today and call doc tomorrow! Wheeeeeeeeeeee...

Journal entry, 28th February 2011

2011-03-09T06:27:00.002+08:00

Dear God,

Forgive me for having stayed away so long. I have been wrong. I used the excuse of Mummy passing away to forsake you. It was my excuse to not believe, in You.

But You were always with me, now, and then. The day I prayed to you on bus number 111, some 16 years ago. The day you granted my wishes, and took Mummy away to a better life in heaven. With You.

And life. Has been good. How could I not have seen it earlier? Everything that has happened, happened for a reason. It has made us who we are today. I thank You. I thank You for the French Fry (what would life be without him?); Papa's health; my sis, who I love so dearly; my bro, who has managed to laze his way to a good life in Perth, complete with an adoring girlfriend that bugger!; my apartment; mahjong (!!); my friends; my work and career; and my health.

Dear God, I am asking You once more, to hear my prayers. And if it be Your will, I believe I'm ready for a baby. A healthy, happy, laughing baby. It would make the French Fry and Pops and French Fry's family so happy! And I would be overjoyed too, of course.

I don't understand Your will, but I trust. I trust that things will always work out in the end. So whatever you desire for us, dear God, dear Jesus. I will accept and be happy regardless.

Love,

Clouds

céline, thou art love!

2011-02-28T22:16:00.001+08:00

i succumbed and bought this gorgeous, gorgeous bag!!

i had been eyeing it for a while, but it was so dear. however, after a really rough week at work last week, i ran out on saturday and bought it.

i woke up at 3.30am last night and couldn't fall back to sleep. it must have been the red wine, too much too late the night before. suddenly, i felt pangs of guilt! how could i have been so wasteful, spending so much money on a piece of leather!? it was just silly and frivolous and... useless! what would french fry say if he knew? he would be so upset with me.

when i still couldn't fall asleep, i got up and went to the guest room, where céline was hidden (from the french fry). i ran my hands on its' silky leather, and that was when i knew it was all right. i'd earn the money again and would do good things with it, but for now, i just needed a little bit of comfort, for me.

victoria beckham carrying the same bag, same size, but in black.

heaven in a bag.

christmas in france, 2010

2011-02-22T07:27:00.001+08:00

old photos from christmas that i meant to post but never got round to...

my first white christmas ever. we thought we would be snowed in; we weren't. the streets were so pretty. fluffy-looking. we sat by the fireplace and drank wine and opened presents. life was pretty good. magic moments.

we went for pizza with the kids and it started snowing. it was so cold, but i was terribly excited!

our christmas present from french fry's uber talented sister F. we needed a painting for our wall at home, and hadn't managed to find something as yet, so she painted us something that was inspired by monet's waterlilies. i took this photo using my iphone and it doesn't do it justice at all! the actual painting has amazing colours, and a beautiful texture. i am so in love with it! unfortunately it was still wet and we weren't able to take it home with us, so it's still in france. we will have to go back this summer to collect it! i cannot wait.

lunch at galeries lafayette. i found my repetto shoes and the longchamp bags that my friends wanted, and it was time for a well-deserved meal. lunch was very good, actually. and not pricey, contrary to expectations.

christmas shopping in paris. such pretty decoration. it felt so festive!

we went to beçanson for new year's with T and family. they bought an old, old house that was built in the 1900s, and are lovingly restoring it. it was a chaotic new year's with three kids below 8yrs running around with toys, shouting and playing. T's wife made dinner, and it was possibly the best one we had in france. we stayed up to count down. we had a wonderful time.

T's parents recently retired and bought a camper van to go exploring. his dad was particularly excited and couldn't wait to show us his new "toy". it was amazing how compact everything was inside and how the carmakers managed to fit everything - bed, toilets, stove, kitchen, sitting area - into one small vehicle!

after a fat new year's, we had to drive 5 hours back to premontre. the roads were sooooo foggy. it was so dreamlike. i felt like i was in a david lynch movie.

and that's all i have. my camera died on me, so i had to snap the pictures with my very old iphone. but i think i did okay - there are enough pictures for now. i will no doubt snap more the next time we're back, perhaps in the summer this year.

back from sydney!

2011-02-17T07:20:00.001+08:00

a very quick update as i go off to phuket tomorrow...

was in sydney for an offsite this week. the weather was gorgeous! it was cool, windy, sunny and dry, quite unlike the hot and humid climate that i'm used to at home.

unfortunately it was a work trip and i didn't get any time to sightsee, but i did manage to steal a nice evening walk on the first night of my arrival.

it was valentine's day and there were quite a number of couples dressed to the nines, bouquet of roses in tow. cheesy, but kind of sweet.

i was happy to be back in sydney. the last time i visited was almost 20 years ago (gasp!). i can hardly remember it, except that we sat on the grass and had a picnic, because... that's what australians do! oh, and sportsgirl. i remember a beautiful straw bag from sportsgirl that i was desperate to have but couldn't because it was expensive. oh oh, and meatloaf. they were playing "i would do anything for loooooooove, but i won't do that". it was literally everywhere we went!

oh yeah, and mom was healthy then. and smiling.

good times. :)

Lagos, Nigeria

2011-02-13T09:00:00.000+08:00

I watched "Welcome to Lagos" on BBC Knowledge - a documentary that explored life in Lagos, Nigeria.

The show made me really sad. The documentary showed a group of people making a living from the rubbish dumps, scavenging from the waste. All day long, they'd pick up scraps of metal or things that they could recycle. This was their livelihood. There was no electricity at nights. None of the daily comforts that we have: books, coffee, internet. At birthday parties, the kids get cake, rice, sweets, paper and pens. That was all. No Barbies or Kens or Monopoly. All these people... they got by with so little, each day, every day.

My first love, H, was someone from Lagos. I remember how strong he was, how proud, and how caring. I asked him once why he never invited me back to Lagos to visit (I was the whole of 20 years young and knew nothing about the world). He said he would, one day, but it wasn't pretty and life was hard. Later on, I realised how all he said was true, and felt remarkably guilty that I had not given him more credit for the man that he was, is.

It was supposed to be an upbeat documentary, showcasing people's resourcefulness and how they were able to survive and be happy despite the harsh living conditions. But it really upset me. I thought about the Hermes bags, first class flights, lavish champagne buffets, and that $30,000 sofa that my boss just bought for her new bungalow, and it just didn't seem right - that so many people had so little, and yet... so much waste!!

And still, the locals seemed happy. At the end of the interview, one man from the slums said, "The person who lives in Lagos, is very witty. A wise person, you have to be wise here. If you're not wise here, nowhere in the world. You're never going to be wise again. If you travel abroad from Lagos, people there will know that you're wise. Because you're going to teach them things they don't know. That's the life in Lagos."

I thought about H and how he used to tell me how Nigerian men were strong, not like the weak men from the city. He used to tell me how it was so tough, and how he had been through so much, and how the small stuff would never get to him. He never sweated the small stuff, it is true. I was a spoilt, sheltered girl who was used to domestic help and lavish travels and luxury goods. To me, it was as if H came from a different time, a different place altogether, a different world.

And then, with a chuckle and a big grin on this face, the man from the slums concluded,

"... Lagos. It's a great place to live."

2011 - resolutions 101

2011-02-11T07:16:00.002+08:00

6 weeks late, i realise, but there are still another 48 weeks to the year, and i figure it's not too late. late last year, somewhere in the north of france, amidst all that white snow, i made my first resolution for 2011: to start making resolutions. there are things that i've been wanting to do for years and years, but i've been procrastinating.

well, this year, i'm going to make a change. no more excuses time waits for no man la di da. for 2011, i've decided to keep track of my goals*, and try really hard to get my act together:

start cooking
read gun, germs, and steel
watch my demeanor at work
restart my detox program
memorise the world map
sign up for DELF A2

*subject to change, as and when

it's a relatively simple list. a "new year resolutions for beginners". shouldn't be too difficult, i hope!

learning french, the slow and steady way

2011-02-08T07:05:00.001+08:00

To type accents on a Mac with the option key, hold down the option key while pressing the key(s) in bold in this list. For example, to type ê, hold the option key while typing i, then release both and type e. To type î, hold option, type i, release and type i again.

Note: In these instructions, "and" means to keep holding the option key and the first key listed while typing the second. "Then" means to release the option key and the first key before typing the second.

acute accent
  é   Hold option key and e then e

grave accent
  à, è, ù   Hold option key and ` then a, e, or u

cedilla
  ç   Hold option key and c

circumflex
  â, ê, î, ô, û   Hold option key and i then a, e, i, o, or u

tréma
  ë, ï, ü   Hold option key and u then e, i, or u

oe ligature
  œ   Hold option key and q

French quotation marks
  «   Hold option key and \
  »   Hold option key and shift key and \

Euro symbol
  €   Hold option key and shift key and 2

my lookbook

2011-01-21T07:51:00.001+08:00

my lookbook by pinkclouds featuring glass shades

everything i am liking right now

currently enjoying...

2011-01-20T18:52:00.001+08:00

love love love love love love love love love!!!

losing my eyesight... and other things

2011-01-17T20:46:00.001+08:00

it was the sleep. or rather, the lack thereof. i was grouchy and depressed and fearful and worried. but now that i'm getting my regular 7 hours of dreamtime, life seems rosy again. interesting, exciting, and kind of wonderful.

on a separate note, my eyesight has deteriorated so much i can no longer read slides at presentations. at the roadshow last week, i squinted and strained but still couldn't make out the words. i can't believe that after 30 years, my eyesight has finally decided to give way!

i am quite looking forward to getting my glasses though. i am particularly liking the paul & joe ones. very old skool but very cool.

the unhappy new year

2011-01-12T19:27:00.003+08:00

i'm back from france. have been back for a week in fact. i haven't written as i've the new year blues.

just feeling rather lost, empty, and unfulfilled at the moment. i've been waking up at 3am each morning, having these anxiety attacks. mostly i think about work and my career, and cancer. infertility. losing the french fry. work. career. cancer. loss. cancer.

and then just repeat the themes all over again.

not that i have cancer, nor am i infertile. work is not as bad as it could be, but i just worry about these things. i worry that i am 7 years away from the age my mom first got the big C. i worry that i am going nowhere in my career, that i may never be RICH. i worry that french fry and i may be infertile, who knows. it's amazing the number of things i can conjure up to worry about at 3am each morning.

maybe it's just jet lag. insomnia does strange things to one's mind.

i hope to feel better soon. i'll write more about france soon... i trust.

at christmas, french fry and i spent an hour making my first snowman ever! it was so cold we had to stop every 5 minutes to go hide out in the house a bit, then come back out to gather more snow. when we were finally done, i christened him mr frosty li xiaobai, then gave him buttons and kissed him on the cheek. i think he's mighty cute, i kind of miss him!

au revoir!

2010-12-21T06:35:00.000+08:00

wheet wheet!! the day is finally here, we leave tonight!

france sounds like a nightmare at the moment - huge amounts of snow, airport delays, cold, people, traffic... but i'm looking forward to the break away from work, copious amounts of wine and food, laughter, love, presents, and maybe some shopping in paris even!

i am half nervous half excited.

merry christmas and see you in 2011!!

boat trip

2010-12-09T07:14:00.000+08:00

for kim's birthday, the girls and i rented a boat for an evening...

our friendly skipper for the evening. we sailed around the islands, the weather was just perfect: cool, breezy, fresh.

it was a beautiful boat, with so much space to lounge around and get comfy. we kicked our feet up.

pre-dinner toasts. we had so much champagne! and cheese!

and then had a bbq. the chef was pretty awesome, he made so much, we finished barely half of what was served.

the night ended with a fireworks display. made me smile.

back from langkawi, malaysia

2010-11-30T07:38:00.002+08:00

frenchfry and i had a really nice, relaxing time. the hotel was super nice. we had our own private beach, and ever so often, service staff from the hotel would come along with wet towels, or glasses of water, or fruit for us to munch on. we had dinner in a thai restaurant that was IN the trees!

in the mornings, i sat out on our patio and read and read and read. one morning, i heard a rustle in the trees. before i knew it, a monkey had hopped onto the patio and stolen my entire box of ferrero rochers!! i felt quite outraged! it sat in the corner, unwrapped the chocolate, and proceeded to take little bites until the chocolate was gone. all the time keeping an eye on me. i managed to salvage 3 chocolates that had fallen on the floor, but that was it. when frenchfry got up later, he was upset that he was asleep when all the drama happened. he tried to lure back the monkeys with a banana, but apparently they preferred chocolate. not unlike me then.

on the second day, we went to another beach for a long massage and then drinks at casa del mar. we watched the sunset, and saw a couple get married on the beach. she wore a green dress, he wore a kilt.

i was slightly sick when i got home. i think it was from all that overeating. am feeling much better today, though i'm still not 100%. am looking forward to going back to work (surprise surprise!)

looking forward to a white christmas in france in 3 weeks.

note to self: buy winter wear and bring lots of moisturiser!

ranting, raving, reminiscing...

2010-11-24T22:20:00.002+08:00

barbie told me over sushi the other day that woofie will be in town for christmas. just as well then that i will be in france. it's probably best we don't meet. i kind of miss him though, and his antics. for halloween this year, he put on a pink tutu, a tiara, tights and ballet shoes. EG showed me the pictures over lunch one day. it was incredibly silly, it was incredibly woofie - made me want to roll my eyes.

went for a job interview today. it kind of sucked, truly. she was so stern-looking, i felt completely intimidated. i usually have more confidence but today was just one of those days. i had a simple teleconference this evening and i managed to botch that one up too. it's that squeaky voice i have - it makes people snigger and it's hard to take me seriously. *groan* i'm in my 30s and sometimes i still feel like a 15 yr old, wondering when and what and how did it suddenly happen that i am middle-aged? my parents had a 4 year old child (me) when they were my age for goodness' sake! and i still buy hello kitty post-its.

5 months without the pill and still no bump. not that i'm dying to have kids and certainly not that i'm ready to have kids, but i do realise how difficult it/life is oftentimes, how things are seldom within your control, and how life is often as random as the lottery, as troy aptly put it in reality bytes.

meanwhile, i've lost 4 kg from no-more-water-retention. i had not realised how much weight i had put on since going on the pill but i remember getting bloated and fat but not caring anymore, because i had good clear skin for a change. and now, 4 years later, i recall what it was like to be one size smaller, lean.

i am ready for this year to be over. in so many ways, it has been a very unique year - i got married, french fry and i settled into our new place, my dad turned 60 yrs and retired, my sister had a dramatic breakup with the love of her life, my ex boss got diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at the very young age of 40. that was pretty shocking, especially since i always reckoned her to be the epitome of health - sturdy looking, well-balanced, sensible. sensible people don't fall ill! they just don't! their bodies are far too responsible for that.

it upsets me to think about her...

it's a rude awakening when your dad retires. the person you looked up to all your life, the invincible man who was the sole breadwinner, who was so wise so clever and so amazing for earning all that money to buy us our bicycles and mylittleponies. french fry was picking out a tie at the store the other day. i picked a couple, then remembered that not so long ago i was picking out ties for my dad as a gift, for christmas or father's day or some occasion like that, and now, i would never pick out ties for him again.

urgh, why am i whining so much tonight??

i told you i was feeling out of sorts...

~

Life. This is the one life we've got.

~~

ogling, pining, anticipating

2010-11-23T07:02:00.000+08:00

another restless monday, another gloomy week.

i am counting down to my weekend retreat with the french fry at the andaman in langkawi.

only 4 days more to go. i know i can do this...

~

shopping - the november edition

2010-11-21T16:46:00.000+08:00

long, tank dress from zara, leather boots from topshop

new book to add to my collection. maybe i will really learn to draw this time!

bangkok, one more time

2010-11-21T08:56:00.002+08:00

back to bangkok for a couple days of meetings. i was slightly bummed that i had to work on a public holiday back in singers, but, well... what can you do about it eh.

the four seasons upgraded me to a suite. it was fantastic. came with my own dressing room, a little patio with access to the pool, and a monster of a bathroom. so i lounged around, read a lot, and then went to the gym for a bit.

i have been feeling rather out of sorts recently. french fry and i are off for a short beach holiday next weekend. i'm sure the break will do me good.

hanoi, jakarta, and time on the road

2010-10-24T07:39:00.002+08:00

my week in pictures:

having hanoi beer in hanoi

trolling the streets in the old quarters. the motorcycles were frenzy and numerous, and the only way to cross the roads was to close your eyes, not look left and right, and just walk on. the motorcycles ride on, around you. a leap of faith, but it works.

view from my room at the shangri-la, jakarta. we didn't sightsee much, but had time to eat satay and yellow rice, and drink some ginger tea. i also managed to squeeze in 2 hours at the hotel spa, which was good enough for me.

eat, pray, love

2010-10-18T06:46:00.000+08:00

french fry and i watched the movie last night. reviews have been bad and it was too long a movie with not much of a plot really. but i liked it nonetheless.

it reminded me of my single days, when i would travel the world, with a girlfriend or alone, climbing up mountains to visit a temple, walking barefooted next to elephants in colombo, spending a week in bali on a fast, meditation, all the interesting people i met while on a yoga retreat including a girl who was on a personal silent retreat, and so many more. those were some of the best years of my life. they were slightly lonely sometimes, but i was seeing the world, living life on my terms, alone, unhurried, knowing everything was transient and what mattered was not material but spiritual.

if there was one thing which rang true for me in the movie, it was this: you need to clear your mind of the clutter. you need the space to be at peace, to find yourself, to find your balance.

funnily enough, it has been the one thing that has been on my mind for a while now. i haven't been able to find the space. i waver between wanting it, and dismissing it as unnecessary. i am still undecided.

meanwhile, another busy week for me. will be in hanoi and jakarta this week. the time alone and away will be good for the space, i reckon. baby making plans have to be put on hold, again.

-

Old skool

2010-10-17T09:23:00.003+08:00

this came on while we were out grocery shopping yesterday.

brought back memories. good ones. brought me back to a time of school uniforms, and pigtails, and ballet classes, and mom. always, it was always about my mom.

there were never truer words, cherish the life.

I often pray before I lay down
by your side;
If you receive your calling before I awake
Will I make it through the night?

Cherish the love
Cherish the life
Cherish the love
for as long as we both shall live.

The world is always changing,
nothing stays the same.
But love stands the test of time.
The next life that we live in
remains to be seen,
Will you be by my side?

the 30s

2010-10-17T08:59:00.000+08:00

the 30s.

it's a good time. i am loving my life. the french fry has been a constant source of love and encouragement and laughs. we cycle, we go out for japanese, we go to the movies, we go for massages. i love the space of my apartment. and the cosiness. i love tidying it up, and messing it up, and rearranging everything and buying yet another table for the room. i love that i am learning a new language and practising a new skill (mahjong!). and in between, there are friends and parties and solid quality family time with my pops and sis. the work's alright. it's comfortable and it's easy and it pays me well. i get home everyday at 6pm and have time to read or go for a walk or meet friends for drinks. i fly to different places for meetings and whilst i don't like the disruption to my life at home, i am thankful for the exposure, and the time away from my desk. and the air miles!

the shopping! i bought a new outfit for the retrolicious concert:

i think i should shop more and pay more attention to my looks. the last thing i want to become is a slob after marriage.

but otherwise, yeah, life's pretty swell.

-

...

2010-10-07T06:29:00.002+08:00

i feel like i've lost my voice.

kid in a candy store

2010-09-23T07:07:00.001+08:00

sometimes when i'm feeling stifled, feeling like i am being suffocated by the drudgery of daily living, day in day out... i go and buy me some new inspiration.

they inspire me.

frankie, my love

2010-09-18T08:21:00.001+08:00

every year, i look forward to choosing a brand new diary that would keep me company for the next 365 days, that would be by my side, encouraging, documenting, nudging, reminding...

this year, i've set my mind on this one...

it's super lovely. but if i'm honest, i do worry it's slightly too sweet for work!

beautiful paintings

2010-09-15T07:04:00.000+08:00

makes me want to learn how to paint. really.

beijing again

2010-09-10T14:09:00.000+08:00

was in beijing for the week. it was noisy, dusty, dirty, smelly... the usual. still, i had a nice time with my colleagues, got my eyelash extensions for super cheap, and got a nice long massage. i also managed to buy a pretty cool dress from kilikili, watch a lot of ally mcbeal on dvd, and order lots of room service.

i am happy to be home.

delusion

2010-09-04T18:23:00.000+08:00

you have to think sometimes, isn't it strange how people say "my beautiful wife" or "my gorgeous husband" and you get your expectations all high and then you meet the person and she/he turns out to be... pretty normal. sometimes even awful. (i'm just saying.)

is love truly that blinding?

well, that was my deliberation for this evening anyway.

david bowie, sting, peter gabriel, kate bush, lou reed

2010-08-30T20:24:00.000+08:00

i am finding out, every day, things that i have loved, things that i had forgotten, things that made me smile, things that made my heart skip a beat.

things like:

music, and shopping with the sister, and long road trips, and youth and the excitement of looking forward to the future. knowing, it's possible. really. just reach out and grab it why don't you? it's easy. it's out there. it's yours for the taking.

bangkok, i love you

2010-08-26T07:24:00.002+08:00

tomorrow: weekend getaway with sister and friends. it's her birthday, so we're going to party and eat and shop and get massages and laugh and giggle and gossip and play and then party some more.

i cannot wait! weekend bliss.

the power of the heart

2010-08-24T07:44:00.002+08:00

you know me,
i like to dream a lot
of this and that and what is not.
and finally i figured out what was what..
it was the power of the heart.

online shopping

2010-08-23T07:00:00.001+08:00

online shopping is so addictive. it's only a click away, AND, it's always such fun to receive a package by post!

my package arrives today. i am chuffed!

Maurice Bejart - Bolero

2010-08-19T19:33:00.000+08:00

i would watch it over and over and over and over and over you get the drift again.

remembering

2010-08-19T07:13:00.002+08:00

my past scares me. i am not quite sure what it is but i try not to delve in the past too much. as much as there were good, peaceful, enlightened moments, my past brings me back to a time when life was a lot darker, unpredictable, wild. When things were not fixed in mould, when the possibilities were endless, when the dreams were big. With the bold dreams, there were huge dissatisfactions. And then there were the sudden moments of stillness, when time stood still for a moment. when i knew. what i knew, i can't say. but it felt then, as if things were going to be all right after all. life was random and oftentimes cruel, but i knew that if there could be such moments stillness, surely we would always be able to go on. no matter what.

i have been dreaming a lot. it's as if the subconscious brings to light what the waking mind would never allow. i dream about past lives. past dreams.

and then i wake and i realise i had forgotten. forgotten because the past was another me. it was the me, i'd still choose to be, now, if i could. but i am no longer her, and i pale in the memory of her. but i am happy and giggly and colourful now. and i will embrace all of that for as long as that lasts. and then...

i will move on,

again.

love or lust?

2010-08-17T20:21:00.000+08:00

hmmmm.... those repetto shoes...

love,

definitely.

realisation

2010-08-17T19:31:00.002+08:00

recently, it struck me that...

1) i actually like colours (in moderation).
2) i suck at managing management.
3) i've forgotten how to daydream.

-

just because

2010-08-16T19:29:00.000+08:00

monday's over, finally. i can start looking forward to the weekend again.

winning... and losing

2010-08-12T07:39:00.000+08:00

i won a big mandate yesterday. my account. i should be ecstatic.

except, the victory isn't all sweet. the bee has claimed the glory for herself. how dreadful that she has managed to lay claim to something that didn't belong to her.

and yet, how cleverly manipulative.

sigh, i really need to get used to this corporate world. playing the politics and managing management. i need to grow up, step up, play smart.

2011 resolution , let's say?

-

woozy

2010-08-09T15:35:00.000+08:00

i was going through my wedding pictures to choose what to go into my coffee book compilation. long overdue i know. it was a boring affair, which i had postponed for too long.

then i saw this...

or to be more precise,

this...

woozy.

the sad little grey polar bear slouched right at the top.

my first little present from pooh, just because.

and right below woozy, the second polar bear pooh bought me. i can't even remember his name.*

looking equally sad and grey.

tugged at my heart strings a little. made me stop and think a little.

made me a little sad, a little nostalgic.

i had no idea why pooh bought me stuffed animals, i grew out of them 20 years ago and didn't own any stuffed toys until woozy. i was surprised at the gift, but quickly got used to woozy. later on, woozy slept on my bed every night for the 6 years that the pooh and i were together. i think i threw him on the floor one time, after a huge quarrel with the pooh. i couldn't bear it though, and promptly picked him up to kiss his furry nose all over. he was my comfort bear. we had such good, childish but cute moments together.

and now he's all grey and sad. i had forgotten all about him.

made me wonder if we don't all get grey and sad as time catches up? and what happens when we forget.

what then?

what then.

i suppose we create new memories and we continue to laugh and to play. and sometimes when we remember, we are thankful. thankful to have experienced that kind of love that makes one stop and think. and reflect. and miss.

i am thankful. i am slightly sad, but i am grateful...

those were some of the best days of my life.

(*have no idea where the hippo came from, he was probably my sis'!)

the Bright Red

2010-08-07T06:55:00.000+08:00

i decided to go tart. painted my nails a super bright red.

i won $80 at mahjong yesterday. i like to think the bright red brought me luck.

PS.

2010-08-06T06:56:00.000+08:00

Dinner at PS Cafe with WL last night. I was early, she was late, so I ordered a glass of wine and read my book for a bit. It was kind of nice, even if candle light is hard to read by!

I was starving by the time she arrived, but she had to be on a teleconference with Zurich! I sat staring at the food, wondering if it was impolite to start alone.

The flowers in the bathroom are always enormous and overflowing. I want a bunch just like that! Just for home.

And then, again, it was Friday...

midweek something

2010-08-04T07:00:00.000+08:00

whenever i need to be inspired, i surf the web. the amount of loveliness available online is just incredible.

midweek joy

2010-07-27T07:31:00.000+08:00

i'm on half day leave today. it's barbie's birthday and we're going to play mahjong, eat cake, laugh, sing, open presents and then head over to satsuma for some japanese skewers.

happiness.

honeymooning at lake iseo, italy,

the view from our room.

everyday we read by the lake,

had pasta watching the amazing sunset,

fed the ducks, and

occasionally quacked back at them.

life's not too bad when there are moments like these...

not too bad at all.

the imminent demise of happiness

2010-07-19T19:25:00.000+08:00

call me a skeptic but i've always known happiness to be transient. it always is, and we're kidding ourselves if we think we could be so happy forever and ever...

so i guess it comes as no surprise i've scrapped project happy. i am sad! i had grand plans.

but hey, i should have known myself better. i'm not a naturally happy person.

pictures of my wedding and honeymoon coming up.

wedding recap

2010-07-18T22:34:00.000+08:00

i have been having problems uploading photos from my camera to my new macbook. but my brother sent me some today. they were promising... i can't wait for my own photos. looking back, the wedding in france was super pretty, super quaint, simply gorgeous. i could not have asked for more, really.

the fuchsia pink roses turned out prettier than i imagined.

our vintage wedding car

church - exterior

church - interior

the chateau

cocktails before dinner

my week in bangkok

2010-07-16T07:50:00.000+08:00

just back from a 5-day business trip to bangkok, thailand, where i...

finished the latest season of grey's anatomy on dvds (love it!)
started watching the final season of lost (we are finally getting there folks)
got bored getting stuck in a couple of 2 hour traffic jams (for journeys that usually take only 20 min)
had 2 long body massages
had drinks on top of the world
ate mango and sticky rice
shopped and bought a couple of really cool things (bangkok is still one of the best places for shopping in SE asia)
finished reading 'of mice and men'. sad.

i am finally back home - it feels like i didn't quite have a chance to get used to being home after the wedding before i was scooted off to bangkok.

today i have a scheduled call with the big boss. he wants to know if i will relocate to HK some time soon.

home again, home again

2010-07-08T07:24:00.000+08:00

am finally home again, after 2 hours in a car, 2 hours in the airport queues, 1.5 hours in the plane waiting for the french airport to sort things out, 13 hours in the plane, and then another 30 minutes in a cab...

TIRED! but sated. it was a beautiful wedding, it was an amazing honeymoon, and it was altogether a wonderful, wonderful break and vacation. feels like a lifetime has passed.

one piece of bad news though - i broke my laptop in transit! my macbook was only 1.5 years old, goddamit! will have to go to apple tomorrow to see if they can sort it out. i am mortified.

getting married... again!

2010-06-18T07:06:00.000+08:00

FINALLY!

i leave tonight for france. i'm going to taste food, pick flowers, choose a hairstyle, get the decorations... my friends and family arrive next week. it will be their first time seeing where and how my other family lives. they're excited, and so am i.

and then, italy for my honeymoon.

i've waited months and months and it didn't seem like it would come, but now, france, italy, they're finally at my doorstep!

project happy, 8

2010-06-17T07:26:00.000+08:00

rainy days,

always romantic.

bangkok, project happy 7

2010-06-16T14:59:00.000+08:00

bangkok for a day. we had 2 hours in the airport before the plane took off.

bkk airport.

i found my usual spa place. foot massage!

in the cab, on my way home... i love the dark spaces at night, and how some things light up so beautifully.

i arrived home at 12am, but i came home to this...

which was kinda... nice. :)

project happy, 6

2010-06-15T14:18:00.000+08:00

stressed at work, but degustation menu in the evening. which was fun. i was the only one who finished all the wine! (french fry drove.)

project happy, 5

2010-06-14T09:16:00.000+08:00

i realise,

the happy days fly by so quickly
sometimes too fast to be grasped.
sunday was one of such days,
brunch, babies, mahjong, food, friends, movie...

day 5 was everything, but nothing (well, here in this space at least).

project happy, 4

2010-06-13T08:04:00.000+08:00

i finally completed my collage. it's now in my second room. often times today, i found myself walking back into the room just to look at my board again.

an interview with kylie minogue in elle magazine, "i think i've hit my stride, finally after 20 years, some things have just clicked."

french fry and i cooked and cleaned. we had a french party at night. my classmates from alliance francaise came over, we ate french food, watched amelie and the triplets of belleville and then played pictionary (in english!). we drank tons and laughed a lot. i think we all had fun.

getting the place spruced up for the party.

project happy, 3

2010-06-12T12:54:00.000+08:00

i had the longest client meeting today, it lasted ten hours. when i finally stepped out of the office, i thought it was going to be difficult to complete project happy. after all, what joy was there in ten hr work days? none.

i was going to watch a dance performance with the gals. it sounded promising - it had won awards, she was a renown choreographer, and so was he. it had a sombre theme, about love and loss and maybe... forever. i wondered if it was going to be too depressing. i was tired already; how would i find the happy?

we found our seats and the lights dimmed...

it. was. bizarre. we watched in horror as the dancers curled up and rolled over, then curled and stood up, and then repeated the same movements for the next twenty minutes. after we got past our shock, we sat in silence. what was i not getting?? was i losing the plot???

miss W next to me had fallen asleep.

i heard a giggle and then two, it was miss Y slouched low in her seat stifling her laughter. i couldn't help but start giggling too. before long i was laughing quite uncontrollably, man this was shite!!!

we got up and left before we got too rude. people were streaming out. a couple stepped out the same time we did and as she walked past, the woman said, "it was bad huh? shouldn't be allowed!"

as we stood outside the theatre laughing in disbelief, i thought, hey, that's my happy...

the program of an honestly bizarre, useless piece of work. i'm sorry but it really was bad!
but hey, at least it made me laugh.

project happy, 2

2010-06-11T11:54:00.000+08:00

having a hot cup of tea with yongster in the middle of a rainy afternoon

unhappiness, and project happy

2010-06-10T12:40:00.001+08:00

another one of those days when nothing went right. woke up late and missed my morning routine (which i hate to miss); flight was delayed so i got to my meeting late; later on, i got caught in a jam so missed my flight back home despite running till my heart popped out. i ended up having dinner at the airport which was a very mediocre tuna sandwich and a bland banana muffin.

i came home dirty, sweaty, defeated. my legs were itching from insect bites or dirt, who knows. the tv was not working, and the french fry had no clue how to fix it, "he never knows how to fix anything in the house", i thought.

he said, "i tried baby, i really tried";
i said "i know babe, it's fine".
but he knew i was disappointed, and i was. it just seemed so... hopelesss.

i'll try to be happy tomorrow.

today, in the midst of all that commuting, i thought to start a mini project, a photo journal of the things that make me smile each day, for a year. after all, every day should have a little bit of happiness in it, no matter how hard?

so here goes, day 1 of project happy:

plane with a cute face

taking the train into the city. i passed by trees and more trees. they were kind of calming. i have missed the space.

my favourite pic of the day - the airport lounge. the carpet looked like a poppy field. super pretty. i took a chance glance down and my heart skipped a beat.

comfort things

2010-06-09T06:25:00.000+08:00

some people indulge in comfort food, i indulge in comfort tv. i re-watch old episodes of survivor and sex and the city over and over again. and then some.

have been feeling rather burnt out recently. stressed at work.

Sylvie Guillem, Ennogata

2010-06-05T07:03:00.002+08:00

the sis and i, we went to watch sylvie guillem in ennogata last night.

it was amazing. very very clever. the music was so intense, blood curdling at times, chilling at others, and so powerful at the best moments. lighting and props were so masterfully used. at the end, when the light bulb swung from left to right and left to right and back again... as if to tease the audience, boy or girl, boy or girl, as it swung from sylvie and the boy, left and right... only another one of the clever moments in the show. oh, and did i mention, alexander mcqueen was the costume designer for the show, and what beautifully rich, versatile costumes he created!

i would watch the show all over again tonight if i could. it was worth every dollar spent.

honeymoon planning

2010-05-29T06:30:00.000+08:00

Our wedding in France is less than a month away. Friends and family have booked tickets, cars, holidays... I am starting to clear work in the office and handover new projects to teammates. I've booked our honeymoon in Italy. I got quite excited doing so, actually! We will be staying in some really nice places - can't wait!

Palazzo Giovanelli, Venice

Rivalago Hotel, Lake Iseo

L'Alberata Relais & Chateaux, Brescia

Cannot wait. :)

exercise

2010-05-27T07:02:00.000+08:00

hier, j'ai achete deux chassures, un blue et un noir. tres jolie! apres, j'ai mange du fromage et bu du vin pour dine. tres bon. j'ai regarde le television, american idol. a dix heures, j'ai dormi. aujourd'hui j'ai un reunion a neuf heures. c'est tout!

redux

2010-05-25T21:40:00.001+08:00

slightly woozy now
maybe i had too much wine?
slight grin on my face

yes, heaven

dinner

2010-05-25T20:30:00.000+08:00

cheese,
toast,
chocolate,
wine,

heaven.

last night

2010-05-25T07:33:00.000+08:00

it was strange.

i was looking through a friend's photos from her vacation in greece. the pictures of the bright blue sky and deep blue sea were amazing. the stonewashed white walls and the orange sunset were picturesque.

i went to bed and dreamt of the sea. i was swimming with dolphins. sitting around a campfire at nights. lounging by the beautiful blue sea in the day. we were a group of ten, we were diving everyday.

this morning, i woke up startled. it took me a moment to realise i was back in bed, in my little apartment, with the french fry beside me. we had a homecooked dinner last night with some wine, but that seemed like many months ago. what i remembered was the clear blue sea. i had been swimming with dolphins!

the mind really is a strange one...

that one sunday

2010-05-23T07:50:00.000+08:00

this weekend i...

2010-05-10T00:55:00.000+08:00

... had a pretty good time.

bought four new nail colours to add to my collection.

and started the weekend with Siberian Nights, OPI.

spent four blissful hours playing mahjong. i think i am getting addictied.

woke up early on sunday and had two cups of coffee! a treat.

had afternoon tea at Jone's with the girls. we discussed honeymoons in italy and intrusive bosses.

cycled in the evening! i was lazy so i cycled while barbie and french fry jogged (ahem). it was good fun though, and i did break a sweat, albeit a tiny one.

still up:

- brunch at wild honey today

- dinner with the family

am off to beijing on tuesday again. am slightly bummed as there is no flight out on friday, which means i will spend next saturday on the plane! as if a 5 day work week isn't enough, pooh.

TGIF

2010-05-07T07:49:00.000+08:00

what would you imagine demi moore and i have in common?

hehe

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lilac nails!

sneaky sneaky

2010-05-04T20:58:00.001+08:00

i have decided to stop taking the pill, as of today. we talked about going off it after france, but i have decided not to wait, french fry surely won't mind. i never liked the pill anyway. gave me the creeps.

i feel a thrill in my bones.

i wonder what tomorrow will bring.

shopping - the april edition

2010-05-02T10:05:00.001+08:00

retail therapy. i swear by it.

paige jeans, indigo. had never tried them before, had never even heard of them before (ahem), but they fitted so well and were so comfortable. they were pricey, but there was no way i was leaving the shop without them.

jumpsuit from laundry. you can't see the back but it's low and cuts down all the way to my waist. i nearly didn't buy it but my sister insisted it was too cute to pass on. last night i paired it with high heels and went out for dinner and drinks with barbie and the french fry. french fry couldn't keep his eyes off me, he thought it was a very, very nice piece! i suppose i made the right choice then.

prada pony top. i almost didn't get this one, but it fitted well and was so different from everything i had at home, so i thought, what the hell...

keel's simple diary, gift from my sister. it has rather random, bizarre things in it, some of which you read and can't help but think, "huh?!??" i can't wait to write in it.

ethnic jewellery from a little shop in gulou, beijing. i bought a whole bunch but gave away everything else save for these two, which almost didn't make it into my jewellery box, but in the end, i decided i really wanted a couple of pieces for myself, so. kept them!

wallpaper travel guides. found a whole lot in lane crawford, hk. i couldn't resist buying a few. i wanted more, but was running out of cash and needed money to get to the airport! i love the wallpaper guides for their really cool pictures inside.

books and notebooks from kinokuniya. everytime i go, i spend too much on magazines and books. books are my archilles' heel. i could spend an infinite amount of time in bookstores, just ogling, touching, drooling...

i was feeling really down in beijing last week, don't know why. it's the perfect weather to fly. i should be having the time of my life...

Are we having the time of our life?
Are we having the time of our lives?
Are we coming across clear?
Are we coming across fine?
Are we part of the plan here?

We have the driver and time on our hands
One little room and the biggest of plans.
The days were shaping up,
Frosty and bright.
Perfect weather to fly.

Perfect weather to fly.

So in looking to stray from the line
we decided instead
we should pull out the thread that was
stitching us into this tapestry vile,
And why wouldn't you try?
Perfect weather to fly.

shopping - the march edition

2010-05-01T13:02:00.000+08:00

dress from agnes b., jacket and necklace from anthropologie.

buttery soft leather bag from anthropologie. i thought so hard about buying a bag i couldn't touch and try on, but it was the right decision. i was so pleased!

bicycle dress, also from anthropologie. it didn't come with a belt and was rather baggy, but i managed to find a brown leather belt at massimo dutti that same week. again, super pleased!!

jenny

2010-04-26T07:21:00.000+08:00

our bicycles arrived on saturday! my new friend is called jenny (because every pretty bike deserves a name) and she's pink and grey and has a little pink bell that french fry bought for me as a surprise, just because i had commented that it was such a cute bell as i was walking past. :)

yesterday, we took them out for a quick ride around our neighbourhood. we cycled along the river, past my office, nightspots, museums, a hotel, jogging people, people with strollers, tourists, and a big bbq party that we had to slow down to a crawl to squeeze past. we stopped to watch some kids do a reverse bungee. made me chuckle.

and then we got hungry, so we stopped on the way home for some ramen and sushi rolls.

we sat along the canal. there was a cool breeze and a constant buzzing chatter from all the people taking leisurely strolls that sunday evening. i felt my monday blues fade away for a little bit (i get them prematurely on sundays every week), and i thought, this wasn't so bad?

yeah, it must be said - i was pretty pleased.

i have been busy. was in beijing the whole of last week - saw pink blossoms and ate peking duck. a good friend of mine was there at the same time for work, so we hung out quite a bit in the evenings, eating and shopping, and i got my eyelashes extended! glammed up with my new dark lashes, some dude walked beside me as i was walking back to my hotel from work one evening, asked if i spoke english, and "would you like to have drinks with me tonight?" i smiled politely and told him i was flying off that same evening. it was the truth! he looked disappointed.

this week is hong kong. i haven't been there in more than 5 years, and even then it was a short 3 day work trip so i had not gone out much and i don't know hong kong at all really. this time the sister has decided to tag along just for fun. so we're going to go shopping and hang out. should be fun.

will post up pictures soon. i took quite a few in beijing but can't find my missing cable. urgh, annoying!

j'aime les ballons rose, je t'aime.

2010-04-05T17:40:00.000+08:00

i gave the french fry a card - the exact one below. i said i wanted to go cycling with him everyday, je t'aime.

as it turned out, he had prepared a similar one for me, one with red balloons. what were the chances?

my french classes are coming along nicely. i'm still such the novice but i'm having fun and i can construct a couple of sentences now and it's lots of fun testing new phrases with the french fry, though most of the stuff i come up with, he says is just not done in french. everything is so different in french, but i'm learning. one day perhaps...

je parle francais tres bien?

we'll see.