Sunrises and car crashes.

Sunrises and car crashes.
music: nickelback - far away

We didn't quite make it for the darkened sky turns pink stage of sunrise, and the last kiss of night was seen from inside the car.



Bathed in the day's first light and with a slight sting of the dawn's bite still in the air, Upper Pierce had a quiet beauty that surpassed the need for rosy hues.



The play of light resulted in a subtle riot of colours reflected on the calm reservoir waters, almost as if a rainbow had burst and fallen into it.



On the rocky bank, morning glories in the palest of lavender turned their sleepy faces to greet the day.



We made our way down a rolling hill, and this shot I took from where I was standing below made me think of the novel If You Could See Me Now by Cecilia Ahern.



I felt like I had entered a world of make-believe, where the sun hung not only in the sky but also suspended in the still waters...



Where clouds floated on water...



And where earth, sky and water existed as one.







While Dweeb goes off scavenging for fishes, I find myself a giant amongst giants.



This spot looks like a page in an Enid Blyton novel. A serene sanctuary untouched by time and logic; where red-faced children drank from stream waters and had tea with fairies in their tree trunk homes.



This other spot makes me think of Malaysian rainforests, and I could almost imagine jungle children swinging from the vines and diving into streams.



These concrete dams made me think of white water rafting and waterfalls.





I thought I'd try a shot and post a shout-out from a faux waterfall.



Bad attempt I know, but you can't blame a girl for trying.

After a damn shiok prata breakfast at Casuarina Curry, our dilemma as to where to head to next were shelved when a mini collision occured, sending the quiet morning into a flurry of panic, car workshops and the dreaded parentals. Can't and won't go into details, but nobody's hurt thank goodness.

A little gloomy today.

A little gloomy today.



At least there's no more ambiguity.

I guess I've laughed a bit too much these days, and as much as I'd like to wax lyrical about the blues, to bed I must go. Dweeb's picking me up at 6 in the morning.

Note to self: Avoid reading travel blogs right before sleep. I ended up dreaming I was in India and looking up at Buddha statue after Buddha statue. CH says it's enlightment. Perhaps it really was a foretelling.

It's a battle field out there.

It's a battle field out there.
music: u2 - with or without you

The propensity of one getting a stroke while dealing with NTU's subject registration is pretty darn high. The build-up to it is of course, days worth of agonizing over time-tabling. I don't quite know why we agonize so much for we almost never get what we want on first try.

20 minutes before the allocated time, I sit and triple check the slots I'd chosen. 10 minutes and I'm checking out the other prescribed electives for back-ups. 5 minutes and Flora's message comes in. 3 minutes and I'm fervently refreshing the page.

And if you think it's all about fastest finger, think again. After registration comes even more fervent swopping.

Welcome to Year 2.

Emotional embargo.

Emotional embargo.
feeling: sleepy
music: flamingos - i only have eyes for you

It's been day after day of activity. Planning. Meet-ups. Trip research. The big ball. Pretty tiresome SAO liasing. And the I-wanna-pull-my-hair-out issue of time-tabling.



Caught the Fantastic Four movie with the Terrific Trio.



Gave Marc fashion advice.

And finally, after all the build-up and frenzied last minute shopping, the big ball.



Spanish senoritas. My red flower got Marc and I into some embarrassing sabo.



The planned proposal. The emcee got the girl to go on stage and blindfolded her on the pretext of playing a game. Cue: lights off, guys gathered in front of stage.



This was how it looked like. She said yes. :) She didn't look ecstatic or anything, just calm and somewhat awkward. I think I would have bawled/screamed/pounced if the love of my life proposed. But that's just me.



Post-ball munchies and shisha at Samar on Arab Street. Feels like we're in a bedouin tent.





Demonstrating smoke rings. Mich has the don't-screw-with-me-now-I'm-smoking look, Marc kinda looks like Puff the Magic Dragon, while I suspect Daniel's lungs are unwordly inflatable.



We proceeded to Mr. Bean Cafe on Prinsep, and didn't leave till about 5 a.m.



Which explains why I was pooped the next day. With barely 5 hours of sleep, I trundled the family down to Victor's Kitchen at Sunshine Plaza for a Father's Day brunch. Being the avid food blog reader I am, coupled with my dad's sudden dim sum craving, I took them to try out the dim sum much raved about on food blogs. We ordered a cartload, and it came up to only about 65 bucks for 6 of us. That's dad and mom, mucking around with the bottles in my brother's new cafe-bar.





And today, a much-needed catch up on the beach with my roomie Ede. We had a little picnic of muesli bars and fruit salad, and talked like how we did back in hall.

It's to the beach again tomorrow with CH and Ken, and perhaps out to dinner with Mich and my new friend Lixia.

I've got more to do, some of which I am dreading - like having to go down to the SAO office with the stamp and the cheque, having to clear out my wardrobe and my room for the renovation, clearing the endless emails, and having to go all the way down to Ubi for driving.

But there are things to look forward to as well - like dweeb's promised picture-worthy "gorgeous" sunrise; Friday night's cookout with the Spottiswoode gang; Krabi-planning once Lanxi gets back from the land of Mount Fuji; next Friday's Wala Wala night out with my babes; and Ikea for room ideas and meatballs with the Trio soon, hopefully before FOC or Jared will be off pursuing worldy pleasures in USA.

On a different note, after countless emails, suggestions and the long hiatus, the girls and I finally booked our holiday trip. We're headed to... Redang! Already, Daph (the woman who never stops) has emailed us a list of things we can do there, which includes boogie-ing in a beach disco. Sounds good! I am definitely looking forward to the snorkelling, and crystal clear waters. Ahhh.

And I really need to sit down and write. Speaking of which, my article was published in the June issue of Shape Magazine. :) Right now though, I need sleep.

Upon a falling star.

Upon a falling star.
feeling: excited
music: the wallflowers - i started a joke

It was uncannily coincidental, and so surreal. We were laying down on the grass, staring up at the clear night sky, and talking about how we'd both never seen a shooting star.

Less than an hour later, we saw one. A flash of blue and yellow, so fast, so bright. I still can't quite believe it, up till now.

On a different note, Jinli Bunny's birthday surprise was a surprise, despite the minor glitches. Jared came up with a brilliant plan to lure her to Hooters (where the others were waiting) after our Fantastic Four movie - he said he had a discount at the restaurant. Not surprising that Jinli bought it, considering Jared's somewhat perverted interests eh? Lol.

We had to stall for time, and I insisted that we ate ice-cream, while Jared Monkey insisted we stay on the bridge to finish our ice cream, and further stalled by snapping away. I even called Geraldine right in front of Jinli's eyes. I can't believe you didn't suspect a thing woman. Who's the stupid one huh? Heh.

Despite your endearing stupidity, happy belated birthday babe! Sorry I couldn't stay for the entire celebration, but I'm looking forward to Jared's video of you hula-ing away.



That's all the publicity you're gonna get, I promise.

Off to the shower and for a haircut. The ball's tonight, and Mich and I are pretty darn excited!

Hooked on a song.

Hooked on a song.
feeling: rested
music: missy higgins - don't ever

I seem to be crazy about Missy Higgins in phases. The last time was in 2005, when I had Ten Days on repeat for about a month. Her new album's out, and I really really like the track Going North. On repeat now however is a gem I found on a random YouTube surf - her live performance of Don't Ever from her previous album The Sound of White.

While Missy Higgins isn't a vocal powerhouse (but she sure can hold a tune), what's arresting about her songs are the lyrics. They aren't abstract or trashy like those of artistes who musicmongers claim to be the next big thing. What's alluring is her ability to weave the most simple of words into songs with just the right amount of sweetness and maturity. Simplicity with depth. Now that's something.

Missy Higgins - Don't Ever

Let's take the train to anywhere
I wanna feel the wind in my hair with you.
Let's tell them all, that soon they'll know
How very wrong they were to think we'd never go,

And if you tell me yours I'll tell you mine
And we will clean the cobwebs out of one another's minds.

Don't ever say you'll try to leave me in this life
Don't ever say you've tried for the last time.

We'll get a house where the trees hang low and pretty little flowers
On our window sill will grow
We'll make friends with the milk man
And the butcher Mr. Timms
Will give us discounts when he can,

And if you tell me yours I'll tell you mine,
And we will clean the cobwebs out of one another's minds.

Don't ever say you'll try to leave me in this life
Don't ever say you've tried for the last time.

Don't ever say you'll try to leave me in this life
Don't ever say you'll try to leave me in this life
Don't ever say you've tried for the last time.

Click here for the video, or visit www.missyhiggins.com to listen to her new album. Off I go to town - seems like it's been ages! Hope you're feeling better Ceci!

Kaleidoscope of time.

Kaleidoscope of time.
feeling: absolutely knackered
music: aubrey - go away, lil boy

Remind never to read into the wee hours of the morning - not when I have to be up at 7:30 a.m. the next day, and especially not when I have a morning driving lesson scheduled. I didn't get out of bed till eightish, and being the insistent kook I am on the whole breakfast-with-papers routine, I am late in catching my bus, and early in catching a cab. Which explains this oddly-timed post.

It's a beautiful morning. The weather's alternating between sunshine and grey clouds, but that's beauty in the unexpected for you. I can't believe I'm sitting here semi-comatose, waxing poetic about the weather. I should really start making my way downstairs, but I can't get my ass out of my seat. It's been a recurring syndrome these days.

Back to the beautiful morning. It's the kind of warm sunshine with cold breeze day that makes you want to pack a picnic basket to Fort Canning and listen to Aubrey on your ipod. With the risk that it'll start pouring just as you set up your picnic mat that is.

Hit Holland V. yesterday with Mich C, Marc and his friend Daniel. I feel like I haven't been to the area in ages, and it felt good to be back. Got talking about Saturday's plans at the ball, and Mich and I are all excited about the after-ball. I hope we go some place with a live band. We saw Hush at Wala's last night, and the female lead had those husky honey-tinged vocals. Nice.

I really ought to go.

When did we grow up?

When did we grow up?
feeling: bittersweet
music: missy higgins - going north

Last night, I attended the wedding of an ex-neighbour. I don't remember much about her, for it's been about 9 years since they moved away. The only memories I have were of her teaching me to play Part Of Your World on the piano from The Little Mermaid songbook I had, and of coercing me to cook her Maggie noodles.

However, I was childhood playmates with her brother Kevin, together with our other neighbour Tzin Ling. We've known one another since kindergarten I think, and when faced with him and his parents who used live right next door, long filed-away memories were revisited.

Tzin Ling and I shared many belly-aching laughs as we recalled how we used to steal into his house (we knew how to open the front gate without a key) and snatch his Wang Wang stickers; of the time we put together a good part of both our pocket money to buy him an empty Valentine's Day card to give to the girl he fancied; and of the many times we played our version of soccer at the corridors, often ending with Tzin Ling's mom chastising us for kicking it into her gate one too many times or with the ball flying out of the balcony into the trees below.

And Kevin's parents and aunties never let us forget, as they reminded us time and time again at last night's dinner, of how we often ganged up and made him cry. That was one memory I oddly could not remember.

The wedding was surreal, not so much for romanticism but for the sheer fact that the annoying older sister next door was all grown up and now getting married.



When did we grow up?

I wanna dance a tango with chance.

I wanna dance a tango with chance.
music: missy higgins - going north

A quick snap update before more add up, what with the wedding, Fosters and Wala's, the girls, the ball and all in the coming week.



The Botak Burger at Botak Jones. The food wasn't orgasmic, maybe 'cos I wasn't that hungry, but it was pretty good.

Then there was Ceci's birthday, a cosy celebration at Canele's in Paragon.





Canele can never quite go wrong with their desserts. Didn't manage to snap a picture of the boys.

Hit the beach with my longest beaching buddy Lanxi before she jetted back to Japan. I haven't seen her in months and my kaki has turned frighteningly fair! A result of long sleeves and too many days indoors she says. Well, the sun sure was out in full force. And Sentosa's less than clear waters has hatched out plan to hit Redang after she returns. Woohoo. Fishes here we come.



Caught the lifeguards in action. Some poor boy cut his feet pretty badly. I wanted to take a picture when they canoed him over to our side with his bleeding foot, but my conscience got the better of me.




Headed over to Vivo after our sushi lunch to embark on my hunt for a dress for next Saturday's ball. And who oh who should I bump into but my dear cousin Mr. LV Bradley?

Cotton and beach dresses from summer collections were everywhere, and the rare formal dresses I saw were almost cringeworthy. I'd almost given up, until we stepped into Warehouse. I kinda had the idea of a toga-styled dress in mind, and wonders of all wonders, that was what I saw hanging on the racks. It was everything I could have imagined, 'cept that it wasn't the full length gown I had wanted. Despite that, I tried it on and it really felt quite right. Luxurious folds of black silk and sheer chiffon. I was infatuated. And it was a steal, more like a robbery actually, at a discounted price of $69, down from its usual $269. But yet, I hesitated due to its length. Oh the dress was grand, but...

And so I left the shop after checking to see there was one in my size left in the storeroom, and set about wandering the rest of the mall to satisfy my curiosity. Yet in that hour, all I could think about was the dress, and I was seriously fretting that it'd be gone. With that thought, I was sure. I headed back, and thank heavens it was still there. And now it's mine.



Not exactly a good shot, but I don't possess octopus arms. Any ideas how to Spanish-fy it, apart from the "red rose in your hair"? And no, those aren't the shoes I'll be wearing.



Just a couple of hours earlier, a fire blazed on in one of the blocks in my estate. I think it went on for a good 45 minutes until the firefighters managed to put it out. I thought I heard a couple of mini explosions as well, but I wasn't exactly at the best vantage point. It was scary. Surreal. And scary.