Birthday Present Number 1

This is the 1st birthday present that I have requested for this year.

Yes, ideally, the giver should take some effort to procure a gift that would delight his recipient instead of asking what she wants.

In reality…sometimes, this may not be possible due to the various circumstances combined. To spare many givers the headache, being direct and upfront about my wants is the only way to go. The trick is to state one’s requests according to the budgets of the givers.

In all, I think there are no hoo-has about our birthdays. To begin with, is it really an anniversary worth celebrating? Does our existence on Earth bring about any genuine cause for joy?

Maybe if I am the heiress to the Hilton/ Murdoch or Olsen empire, I would be happy to mark the occasion with free flow of bubbly to all. Or maybe I am a great philanthropist who have made lives better for the masses. Now, that brings great cheer to Mankind, doesn't it?

But busting our friends' bank accounts is definitely not going to up the level of happiness in our social circle.

So seriously, gifts are optional. I just don’t understand how difficult a mere “Happy Birthday” (in the form of a text message/ friendster comment/ e-card) can be for some people to dispense? After 3 years of remembering dear pals on their special day and NOT being able to inspire them to do likewise on mine, it drives home the point that honestly, I ought to not store them in my CPU after all.

On a HAPPY note, please let me know if you’re attending this seminar too. We will see each other there then. =) This may be my best gift yet. Who knows?

Headache 101

I hate it when people turn emotional. Weepy people I really dread. It’s not feelings of sympathy or guilt you evoke in me. I have thought bubbles of violently twisting your neck and ending your misery once and for all. I have enough personal pain to deal with myself. And I don't whine. So please, spare me.

It's all Edible!

Extension of my previous post:

Yep! No kidding. All the stuff in her Dessert Treats range are EDIBLE.

Good for self licking or for kinky activities.

Look at this 'whipped cream' lotion. It comes with sprinkles. Duhz...Looks messy if you think you're a cupcake that needs extra topping.

Well, girls are into nice scents and all. I think most of us (me included) have a very innocent approach to wearing yummy stuff on us. We don't intend to get guys hungry after smelling us.
;-P

A Sweet Deal

I never go to Teppanyaki joints because after the meal, I will become a walking sniff meter of my lunch/ dinner.
Smell like food. Ewww, never.
Ah. But in life, it’s difficult to make absolute claims because, you never know when never turns into ever.
To cut the long story short, I bought some Dessert Treats products from Jessica Simpson’s range of beauty products. I do not admire her as an entertainer but I am someone who cannot resist scent-sational stuff.

Some are plain mistakes: Like her Candy Perfume. Double yucks.

But I love the smell of the Butterscotch Toffee Shimmering Hair & Body Spray (2nd one from right).
It smells like Swenson’s butterscotch ice-cream topped with smooth sweet caramel. I sprayed some on my hand and went into Aileen’s room. Her nose is the very ‘INSENSTIVE’. She can’t smell shit for nuts even if a dog were to leave a ‘present’ in her room. But then, she turned and eyed me suspiciously before commenting “What’s that smell?”

See, food draws people. To be more accurate, pleasant sweet dessert scents attract. When I put my mouth to my hand, it tasted sweet. Her products are all edible and without alcohol.
Yikes. There I go licking myself like a cat. This is something to keep hunger at bay and it’s a handy thing to feed my sugar cravings. Luckily, no ants climb onto me.

Another favourite: “Strawberry Sorbet” perfume. Smells like strawberry shortcake. And tastes just as yummy. The downside to her stuff is that the scents do not last long and they are a tad sticky on the skin.

Five Loaves and Two Fishes

Finally got my hands of a copy of "Beautiful Seed" today at CD-RAMA for $18.95 SGD. Yippee!
Perhaps I should wear one of my favourite T-shirt to remind myself of the lil’ weekend happiness.

Now playing on my blog site: Five Loaves and Two Fishes (Corrinne May)

A little boy of thirteen was on his way to school
He heard a crowd of people laughing and he went to take a look
Thousands were listening to the stories of one man
He spoke with such wisdom, even the kids could understand
The hours passed so quickly, the day turned into night

Everyone was hungry but there was no food in sight
The boy looked in his lunchbox, at the little that he had
He wasn't sure what good it'd do, there were thousands to be fed
But he saw the twinkling eyes of Jesus, the kindness in His smile

And the boy cried out with the trust of a child, he said:
"Take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as You will
I surrender
Take my fears, my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
To feed them all."

I often think about that boy when I'm feeling small
And I worry that the work I do means nothing at all
But every single tear I cry is a diamond in His hands
And every door that slams in my face, I will offer up in prayer
So I'll give You every breath that I have
Oh Lord, You can work miracles
All You need is my "Amen"

So, take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as You will
I surrender
Take my fears, my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
I hope it's not too small

I trust in You, I trust in You

So take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as You will
I surrender
Take my fears, my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
No gift is too small

Wear your thoughts!

Wear your heart on your sleeve, emblazon your ideals on your chest, announce your personality on a tee and sling your thoughts over your shoulder.
I love stuff like these...

Current WANT!

Believe it or not, I buy CDs only if I truly loved all the songs. If not, I will just listen to them over the radio or any other web player when I am online.

Beautiful Seed by Corrinne May

But this album, I just got to get it. I cannot find it in CD-RAMA nor my neighbourhood Sembawang Music store. Why??? Out of Stock? I guess HMV’s the place to grab a copy now but I won’t be dropping by the Hereen anytime soon. Anyone knows which online shop (local) I can buy and get it delivered to my doorstep?
She’s holding an exclusive preview of some songs at Barfly Restaurant-Bar this Thursday, 16 August 2007.

My favourite song? 5 loaves and 2 fishes. Take a listen at her official website: Corrinne May

Next Stop: Wonderland

I was watching a programme on Channel U documenting this famous Singaporean make-up artist called Zing who moved to Hong Kong in 1992 to strike it out on his own. Zing met with success by virtue of his passion and sheer hard work and caused major changes in the makeup, fashion and entertainment scene first with his "bare-faced" looks and then with his creative approach to makeup. His portfolio includes celebrities such as, Faye Wong, Sammi Cheng, Carina Lau and Shu Qi etc. I must say, I am impressed with his works. The faces he painted are attention grabbing and to say the least, unforgettable. This is one guy who knew at a young age of 18 that he wanted to dabble in the world of powder and brushes. This is one man who COULD but did not entertain the thought of going to university to get a certificate—just in case his dreams backfired.
Sometimes in life, we say with a sigh of resignation that Man does not live on dreams and aspirations alone. But throw in talent with the aforementioned two pre-requisite and voila! You get the formula for success. Luck follows a passionate being who cannot but impress all he meets.

Sometimes it takes an example like Zing to remind the average Singaporean parent that we don't all have to grow up aspiring to be a doctor/ lawyer/ engineer to be a national icon in our own right. We can be hairstylists, hip hop dancers, farmers, chefs, aedes mosquitoes researcher or waste treatment chemists (yes, doing the dirty job can mean BIG business).

“It doesn’t really matter what you do. Just be really good at it and you’ll find your wonderland.” ~I.V.Y.

Weekend Recommendation:

Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron

Colin Thubron is the official GRANDMASTER of travel literature.

Feed the wanderlust in you and pick up a copy of this for your weekend chill out on your couch.
Journey through Northern China, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, then through Iran and into Turkey without leaving your living room.

Go to this link for READERS’ REVIEWS.
The readers have done a fine job describing this great read.

Happy 42nd Birthday Singapore!

This year’s national day parade was a blast, just like the preview review that Wilfrid gave.

I love those Remote Controlled kites.

I have been wanting to own one since 2 years ago but haven’t gotten to getting one. Check out their website at: GoFlyKite. An RC kite is crash resistant, eco-friendly, can be flown in the night (or day if you prefer) and is a cheaper alternative to aeromodelling (though I would want an RC plane more).
It was also the first time I have ever seen a White Lamborghini. Hm…I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, all Lamborghinis look cool. On the other hand, I do like the colour Yellow on a Lamborghini.

Just Follow Law--My favourite line (being a professional)

My favourite dialogue, translated into English:

Gurmit Singh: Har, so expensive, got guarantee?

Medium: Young man, plasma TV got guarantee. When you ask God for help, you have to have an affinity with the God.

Fann Wong: I can’t say anything about affinity, but paying 5000 dollars without giving me some guarantee on the results…how can like that?

Medium: When you visit a doctor, you still pay for his consultation fees even when you don’t recover. When you engage a lawyer to fight a case but he doesn’t win it for you, you still have to fork out the lawyer’s fees.

We are similar to them, we’re all professionals.

The meaning of being a professional is “Do your job, try to do it well, results not guaranteed, but still get paid. This is what we termed as being a professional.”

[The last statement’s so hilarious. It’s quite true. Now, try telling it to your boss. You wish. Only in your fantasy.]

New Fan of Gwen Stefanie

I remember her as Garbage’s lead singer but she faded into obscurity for a while after the band disbanded.
My recent impression of Gwen is that she has taken on the role of a fashionista and launched her L.A.M.B. label for apparel and such.

Thanks to an introduction from crazychick for her “4 in the morning”, I took a listen to her songs and ‘My oh my! I like!”

Oh, where have I been all this while? I am soooooo outdated. =P

Catchy, Enjoyable and infectious music that gets me grooving to the tunes.

My favourite? I can’t really decide. But if I had to pick one, it would be “Wind it Up”.
Take a look at her music videos that I have taken from Youtube.
I adore her hip hop ensemble, red cheerleader outfit and military band suit in the MTV “Hollaback Girl”. Gracious. She looks absolutely splendid!!! Let me be Gwen Stefanie for a day and let me don on all those cool clothes.

Watch 'em those MTVs. I guarantee a syndrome called “Eyes Wide Open—Blinking Temporary Suspended”.

P.S. Anyone knows where I can get a preview of her MTV on “Harajuku Girls?”

Hollaback Girl

Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For

Gwen Stefani- Wind It Up

Gwen Stefani - Sweet Escape

Fruits Go High Tech!

Orange is a global telecommunications operator.
Apple makes the coolest MP3 players and names them iPods.
And Blackberry has become the most indispensable wireless email device professionals can’t do without.

Now, apart from Mango (which is a high street fashion brand), let’s think of more names to propel humble fruit names into the high tech stratosphere.

More than it Meets the Eye

Went to the reception area to get the newspapers and overheard a conversation.
“Aiyah! She’s not good looking at all!” Miss A commented.
Mr. TKB agreed and chipped in “He can only go for her body, not face!”

I looked over and saw the photo that prompted this discussion.

Ms. Irene Ng, MP of the Tampines GRC constituency.

I was incredulous. “What do you mean? To me, she is a picture of classy elegance and quiet intelligence!” I retorted. They begged to differ and there was no way I could have convinced them to think otherwise.

How mean. How prejudiced. How shallow!

It doesn’t help that this critical pair doesn’t look that fantastic themselves.
Now, if all I wanted was to focus on the appearance, the male looks like he has just stepped out of a Muppet show.

'Bin' Meanies Like Me!

Why does it have to be all about physical beauty? Why can’t we be a little kinder? Why can’t we look beyond and appreciate people for their finer points? When we judge, do we stop to wonder how we will fare using our own yardstick?

The most beautiful girl I have ever known has the most radiant smile and an angelic heart. She doesn’t look like a model but she touches lives everywhere she goes and it’s impossible to not to fall in love with her.

"Treat others as you do your pictures and place them in their best light."~Jennie Jerome Churchill