Yet another video!

I got all necklaces in the video from this shop.

I am on a roll with videos! Decided to make this video about my necklaces haul from Taobao as I love how value for money they are.

Batam Getaway

I made a video of the Batam trip I made last weekend with Olivia, Fang and Debra. Enjoy! Pardon my amateurish skills and a grammar mistake :(

For here on, I hope I will take more videos of everything! My parents used to film my siblings and I when we were small and it was always nice looking back at those times... So I want to create some videos which I can look back upon when I am older.

2am sadness

This week, I felt sad when:

I went to visit my maternal grandma at the hospital and I saw two patients lying in adjacenf beds who were in pain. They looked lonely, but no one came to visit during the visiting hours. When I saw my grandma, I could barely carry a conversation with her, cause we only ever see each other once a year and so she doesn't know what's happening in my life. We exchanged customary greetings and then we were just staring awkwardly at each other. My parents saved the day as they interjected with some conversation. I want to get to know my maternal side of my grandma too, but when will I have the time or make the effort to tag along with my mum when she goes visit my grandma? Sometimes the waves of life just sweeps you along and tangle you up such that you don't have time to get to know your extended family. A tinge of sadness hits me. I want to do something before it's too late, but will this aspiration be swept up into the ocean depths as well? Just like all the many things I had wanted to do in the past but never go around to it.

I closed the door behind me, knowing that things have changed. As we transit to different phases of our lives, I guess some dynamics in our relationship changes as well. How we'll progress... is still an unknown. What can I do but feel blue?

My manager yelled into the phone, scolding my other colleague, "NOW I'LL HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO THE CLIENT, FUCK", before slamming it down, grabbing everyone's attention. I felt sad and a small tinge of disgust that my manager hated to apologize that much!  If it's an easy problem solvable by an apology, is there such a need to get so worked up? I wondered when will be my unlucky day when I'll get the same treatment? Hopefully I'll get to leave before it happens...

This is the end of my sad sad week. Hoping it'll get better the next

Pince & Pints

For Lx's birthday, we went to Pince & Pints! I've been wanting to go to Pince & Pints  (& I think Lx too) since it was opened cus we loved Burger and Lobster in London!

What we ordered: Grilled lobster each & lobster roll to share, since the lobster roll was highly raved!

Our table in its entirety

The lobster roll certainly didn't disappoint. We could taste the thick and chunky lobster meat in the roll, unlike Platypus' lobster roll which were comprised of small pieces of meat. I guess you get what you paid for, as the lobster roll here cost more than double that of Platypus. Oh, and the roll was really good, it was richly buttered and toasted.

Lx posing the same pose as he did in London

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I bought cake but I realized I forgot to take picture of it

Anyhow, it was a good meal. Just a little pricey because I am Singapore, hence not so willing to splurge on food. But if it were £20 in London, I would feel be more willing to spend. Hoping we can visit London again. We made a pact & hopefully it will be realized soon!

First Saturday of 2015

Did nothing much, was upset that the holidays are over. Soon I'll be back to the daily grind with the next holiday 6 weeks away. Le sigh... Met LX at NEX for some Carl's Junior. Finally managed to eat their portobello mushroom burger! I went with my sis once and another time with LX, but both times they said it was sold out cause they ran out of mushrooms. Is it even that popular?

Anyway I discovered a bunch of fashion bloggers/Youtubers over the past few days and I am so inspired by them to dress a little better. Doubt it would last very long because I would normally stick to very conventional choices for work, and then maybe I'll have some time to think about my outfit on Saturday and that's it. My favourite fashion Youtuber is Clothesencounter! I love her style so much!!!! Go see some of her videos here

Decided to curl my hair, but I gave up after curling two thick strands, cause I keep failing as I can't see where I am curling with the curling tong.  If you look carefully, you can see that the hair behind is straight! I love this look, cause it makes me look a little more Korean! 

Nice? If only my hair was naturally like that!

LX acting pensive for the camera

Wefie! In this angle, I look like an auntie... Oh well.

After we gobbled down the burger and chilli cheese fries, we did some window shopping in the sale section of some retail outlets! Saw some nice cheap clothes, but sadly only odd sizes were left, which didn't fit me well so I left empty-handed. As LX brought his ukulele (his birthday present from me), we headed back for a jamming session. He taught me how to play some parts of 林俊杰‘s 学不会, but I didn't learn much cause he's still a noob and was quite confused himself LOL.

This kinda summed up my Saturday. Just spending some good old time together!

2015 > 2014

Time passed so fast, and it's going to be 2015 in a few days' time.

So many older people have told me that once they hit 21, time passes very fast and before they know it they are old already. I think I am already feeling it. I am already 23! Time passed so fast I can't even remember much of what I did in these two years after 21.

My 2014 summed up:

1. I've finally graduated, completed 16 years of formal education and became financially independent.

I've said this so many times, but I'll say it again: I think I am not as excited as my peers to graduate. Studying was the single thing I was confident of doing well in for the last 12 years and graduation means I have to move on to another playing field. Something I am not sure if I can excel in. Not that I excelled in school, but I think I do comfortably well. Now I have to re-adjust and learn the new rules of playing in another field and I'll never know if I can do well again. The only good thing about graduation is financial independence. I manage the money I earn and no longer need to depend on my parents.

2. Took the most trips overseas this year.

Probably cause of my graduation trips. I took 4 trips overseas this year: Europe, Taiwan, HK/China and BKK.

It was so surreal to head to Europe! Couldn't imagine I was looking at the real thing after seeing it in photos and movies, landmarks like Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, Colosseum. I love the sightseeing and soaking in how magnificent/beautiful the landmarks are. I also got to see a different way of life, Europeans are much more laid-back and relaxed compared to Singapore.

The trip to Taiwan was my second time with the same group of people I went with for the first time. I enjoyed the trip much more cause there was less shopping and much more activities and sightseeing. We kind of covered the whole of Taiwan so I think I wouldn't be back soon. The only thing I'll miss will be the 阿宗面线！

Next I went on a trip to Hong Kong and China with my family! I am really happy my parents took the time out to show us what goes on on a business trip there. Cause I don't think my friends will ever be interested in a trip there? And even if I go there with my friends, we probably can't navigate it as well as my parents! China is really the factory of the world and I am so amazed by the number of wholesale shops they have selling just one type of item. Sometimes I think China is underrated. So many business opportunities are present there if you care to look! I have visited quite a few places in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xi'An and Dongguan) but I would really love to visit the more exotic places, like Xinjiang (Urumqi/Kashgar/Taxkorgan), Mongolia (Heilongjiang) and Tibet (Lhasa). I want to go see if Taxkorgan and Lhasa are as what I imagined from playing the CO songs!

I went on a year-end trip with my family to BKK and we did the usuals. Think BKK will always be shopping and relaxing haven to me.

I love traveling and I think it would be a major motivation for me at work! Looking to go to Eastern Europe and a short getaway next year.

3. Won a university level competition

I seriously thought I would never win anything in university. I was just an average student in the school doing average-ly. But this year, I took the courage to sign up for something I was really interested in, roped in my friends and we won something! Still seemed surreal to me, but I am extremely glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone!

4. Started on a jogging routine

Yah yah, I know... I've only been jogging two times a week for 11 weeks, can it even be counted? Furthermore, my motivation went downhill recently. During the first few weeks, I would get up from my bed eagerly (cause I would take a short nap after I get home before going jogging at 7+pm) to go jogging. Now, when my alarm rings, I just keep surfing the web on my phone and refuse to get up until guilt mounts in my heart! I think I will stick with jogging 4km cause I am losing motivation anyway. Hoping to keep it up till at least CNY is over!! Please encourage me, friends.

5. I read the most books this year compared to the last few years.
Most people think it's lame... But I love books (the first occupation I ever wanted to be was an author)! For the last few years I was going through a phase where I can't read long before wanting to fall asleep. I think I've kicked the habit this year, or maybe I have moved on to reading more interesting books. I bought and finished the <A Song of Fire and Ice> series, a few books on finance, some chick lit and I am currently on the <Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy> series, which is quite interesting. I love my new Kindle too!!

Finally, I am very thankful that I have L with me throughout this year! He always puts me first and I am glad I get to share my happy and sad times with him. Also, thankful for my family and friends who are always there for me.

Seems like I didn't do much in 2014, where did the year go?! Sigh, growing old is inevitable... But I also look forward to the new year for it signals a new beginning for new endeavours. My new year resolution for 2015 is simple: To keep on improving in whatever I do & to be contented and thankful for what I have at the same time.

My first facial experience

Recently I went for a home facial with my mum. My mum swears the lady gives the best facial ever and she have had facials at a few places, so I wanted to give her a try.

The whole process took 1.5hrs and cost $90, which according to my mum was a bargain. Mainly cause microdermabrasion & some ultrasound machine to deliver nutrients into the skin was involved. She says facials with these procedures outside cost about $200+. I just tagged along, mostly cause my mum keeps telling me to go regularly and don't regret like her when I am old. My mum believes the facial massage given during the facial will help to slow down the rate which the face sags. Not sure if it's true!

So my first facial experience summed up:
1. The lady exclaimed at the number of black heads I have once she saw my face under bright light. Never give me face :( Extraction was so damn painful and she already let me off easy by stopping after 15mins. I was squirming around and had tears in my eyes.

2. Some parts were pretty enjoyable, especially the masks!! The lady put a very cooling mask on my face after the extraction and it's very comfortable.

3. My face felt damn smooth after the facial! I touched my face and I couldn't believe how smooth it was!! I consider my face to be quite smooth already as I don't get much pimples so not much bumps. I mainly have pigmentation problems, like freckles and dark eye circles. My skin though has since returned back to normal after 2-3 days. Think it was mainly due to the microdermabrasion, removing all the dead skin with a machine that feels like the vacuum cleaner.

4. She helped me lighten the freckles on my face by putting some chemicals. I hope she can continue to do that and one day all my freckles will disappear? Hoping la. My mum said the pigmentation on her skin disappeared after 2 years of regular facials with the lady.

I've yet to book my next appointment but I am quite convinced the facial is worth the price! Hoping it will improve my skin condition as I age :(