My neighbour is an Ah Beng!

This is something I have known for a long time, that an Ah Beng lives in one of the houses behind mine. In fact, it's something my brother noticed too, even before he went off for his studies. Without even seeing who this person was, how did we know that it's an Ah Beng? Well, simple. It's the music!!!

You see, Ah Bengs, or Bengsters as I prefer to address them, listen to a certain type of music - techno. Simply defined, techno music is a form of electronic music. As far as I'm concerned, this type of music doesn't make sense. Sorry to fans of techno music, whether you are a Bengster or not, I just cannot tolerate techno.

Techno music is so repeated that it has no head nor tail. Chances are, there are vocals & they come in the form of repeated words (sung as though the vocalist is hypnotised) & there's this annoying digitised noise (note that I used 'noise', not music) in the background. This drives me nuts.

So today, while I was doing the laundry, the Bengster neighbour was blasting his techno music like nobody's business. The last time my brother was around & when Bengster neighbour was blasting away, cool dude brother of mine turned up his brand of music - trance (think Paul van Dyke, DJ Tiesto, Oceanlabs, etc) to match the Bengster's. Today, no cool dude brother but another neighbour saved the day. This wonderful neighbour turned on Celine Dion really loudly & voila...Bengster shut his techno music up & Celine Dion stopped singing too :)

Anyway, I found this - a sample of techno music. Enjoy!! :p

Be happy!

I've been feeling lousy for I-don't-know-what-and-why-reasons (most likely PMS since I had to go stock up cotton). So what could this girl do to make herself happy? Threading & pedicure!

Just last Friday, it was most hot & humid (like every other day here is not..heh!). It was Sports Day & just got myself, especially the nose, burnt. After a yummy lunch with some colleagues, it was down to Little India with another colleague for a threading session. I tell you, threading is such a heaven-sent therapy. Cheap & good. It's been an art in China, India & the Middle East for the longest time but the West has only discovered it recently. I remember waiting at a bus-stop outside a beauty salon in New York. Looking at the window display, there was a video featuring how eyebrow threading is done. It costs anything from US$6 - US$10 for it to be done, excluding tips & taxes.


In Little India, it costs S$5 for eyebrow threading, S$3 for upper lip threading & S$15 for full face threading. There are several shops doing the same thing for the same price & are all located in the shophouses along Buffalo Road opposite the Tekka Market. However, if you are feeling rich, you can spend S$15 for eyebrow threading at Browhaus in Paragon. I'm not too sure how much the other facial parts cost.

Pedicure. It was a spur of a moment thing. I've been feeling awful about my toes for the longest time, especially with the 2nd toe being knocked & bruised sometime back. The toe is OK now, just a little bit of a dark patch underneath the nail but it's not painful. Anyway, seeing the peducurist use the little thing to scrape out the dead skin off my feet is a disgusting kind of a pleasure. Disgusting because it's dead skin. Pleasure because the dead skin is being cleared. Felt really pampered & luxurious for the moment when I had that done while reading some trashy celeb trash mag (Heat, to be precise. Heat usually comes with Hello! & OK mags. They now have local versions of Hello! and OK magazines. Nothing compared to the UK version.)

So there! My weekend of pleasure. It's now hello to another work week. *yawn*

Ode to my Sleeping Partner

You were there for me on good days
Although you looked so abused in so many ways.
When I first held you all those 27 years ago
You are still the first & last next to my pillow.









All those cold & lonely nights
I couldn't have made it through
But I slept through without the lights
Because to England with me, you flew

I thank God for my Grandmama
Who made this heaven-sent manna
No one can ever tear you apart
Without tearing that bit of my heart

And that's my bolster. My little bolster. It's been with me for as long as I have. Everyone has been telling me to throw it away but it's here to stay. From a nice, fluffy bluish-green bolster, it has become ermmm...almost flat (I don't know how the cotton inside evaporates since there's no hole for the cotton to come out), patches of indecipherable colours & an interesting mix that the nose can't describe. It's my sleeping partner - very faithful to me & I to it. :)

The Gym Bitch

The Gym Bitch can be easily identified.

1. She is clad in full sports/work-out gear. Somehow, the colours & the style are co-ordinated. No big tee on her.
2. She marks her territory in the exercise room by putting her water bottle & work-out towel on the chosen spot. Damn those who put their equipment too near the marked spot.
3. She makes it known to other gymmers in the exercise room that she isn't happy with them too near her spot. If need be, she will give that menacing look.
4. She is critical of those who:
i) make posuer/wannabe noises in the gym - in other words, those who are not macho but are pretending to be macho during a class is far from being appreciated.
ii) are not able to execute moves nicely - they are the ones who look like they are dancing during a fierce Combat class.
5. She looks out for SPGs, weirdos, etc in the gym.

Sh*t! Am I talking about myself? :P

I'm the Style Guru!!

Heh! I love this. Did some survey on the Discovery Travel & Living Asia website & it turns out that I'm The Style Guru :)

The Style Guru

Ever neat and natty, you make a fashion statement every time you step out the door. From top to toe, you're well-coordinated and well-groomed. Second glances and lingering looks are taken in your elegant stride.

Your life is as well-planned as your wardrobe. You dislike being put on the spot and forced to make a quick decision you may soon regret. Faced with a special occasion, you'll know exactly what you'll be wearing weeks in advance. With a room to revamp, you carefully decide on a theme and execute it perfectly, down to the smallest knob and tassel.

Professionally, socially and romantically, you know what you want and pursue it in a planned and masterfully strategic fashion. Whether the object of your desire is that sexy heart-throb or that sexy designer bag, satisfaction always comes your way.

So, how's this for style?

Show some skin

I can't tell you how grateful I am to Clinique. Without wanting to sound like an advertisement, I swear that the skincare products really improved my skin. Previously, I used to just splash water & use some Ginvera or Biore facial wash. That was it. No wonder my face looked like this.

Just look at the zits on my forehead. There's one huge one hidden on the right side of the nose.

My face is definitely far from perfect but there is marked improvement and it's all thanks to Clinique. I must say that it is true, that the basic steps in skincare - cleansing, toning & moisturising, keep one's skin in the pink.

Being the Clinique fan I am, I use the Clinique 3-Step Skin care system. At the moment, I am using the cake of soap for cleansing, which is a little drying but the skin feels squeaky clean after use. Just recently, Clinique launched the liquid version of that cleansing bar. I have yet to try it but it sure looks & sounds good. Step 2, which is the toner or known as the Clarifying Lotion, can be rather strong, especially for those with sensitive skin. Good news is that they have it in varying strengths, if I may so explain it this way. Those whose skins are sensitive may opt for Number 1. Otherwise Number 2 should be all right.


The Clarifying Lotion strips away any remaining dirt that is not removed by the cleansing bar/soap. The first time I used it, I felt a little sting (which is why I say it's a little strong) but boy, when I saw what I saw on the cotton pad, the sting didn't seem that bad afterall. Perhaps I didn't use the cleanser bit properly because I don't get traces of gunk on the cotton pad these days. This Clarifying Lotion dries up/evaporates very quickly on the skin & it prepares the face for Step 3: Moisturising.

I used to think that moisturising would make the face more oily but well, well, with age (sigh!), the skin tends to be drier. The first time I discovered the wonder of Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion ('DDM') was when I was in Leeds. It really saved my skin from the cold, dry air in England. No wonder it's known as the skin's favourite drink! Now that I live in sunny & humid Singapore, I use the gel-based version of the moisturiser, the Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel ('DDG'). Compared to the DDM, the DDG is water-based & less rich in texture. Great light-weight stuff for the skin.

The only things that I don't observe faithfully on a regular basis are using an exfoliating scrub & mask. Otherwise, I have these products sitting in the cupboard waiting to be used whenever I remember or feel like it. Nonetheless, I'm quite happy that the 3-Step thing done on a daily basis is doing its job & it's not something I will stop doing.

P/S: I'm not receiving any commission or free products for writing this.

God Save the Queen

The Australians have been independent of British rule since 1901 but they still retain their links to them & is evident in their everyday lives - the Queen's face appears on the Australian notes.

Cries of 'God Save the Queen' greet British Royals in Australia
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/197394/1/.html


There have been cries for some time in Australia about being independent of the British. Well, they are, aren't they? The Queen is merely a figurehead there. She shows her face at some events, waves at the people & remind them that they are a nation because her ancestors 200 years ago decided to turn that mass piece of land into a settlement for those who broke the law.

As a result, many wonder if it's even worthwhile at all acknowledging her. In fact, cries for dissolving the British Monarchy is also in contention in Britain itself.

I, for one, am not affected by the Monarchy but I don't see why it should be dissolved. Think about it - the Monarchy is probably the oldest in the world since William the Conqueror (also known as William of Normandy) founded it in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings. Despite all the trials & tribulations the Monarchy went through, the wars, uprisings & all other revolts, it hasn't fallen apart (OK, the members in the family are another issue altogether).

The British Monarchy is an institution and IS Britain & all that it stands for. Why do millions of people flock to London to squeeze with the crowds at Buckingham Palace, wondering if Her Majesty is in residence or not? Postcards sold all over London have pictures of the Royal Guards in their famous red coats & bear-skin hats, Buckingham Palace or some other royal residence. So tell me, even if the Queen & the Monarchy is politically redundant, you have to admit that they bring in the tourists to the country. Think about how much money Prince William's postcards, pictures, calendars, etc bring in for the country. See, not even King but he's already done his part for the country. Well done, Will!




Of course, there are those who think that maintaining the Monarchy is a waste of public funds. Indeed it is. Imagine paying £10million a year on paying the Royals their salaries & maintaining their official residences, offices & expenses in the call of public duties. That is a huge amount considering that most of the time, these Royals just wave their hands, grace events & smile. Their royal residences are definitely costly to maintain because of age of these buildings as well as ensuring they are up to date. I guess the Queen has been wise in volunteering to pay taxes on her personal income.

However, the romantic notion of the Monarchy is a draw, well, at least for someone like me. Too many tales of political intrigues, political assassinations...run in my mind. I always thought that these tales will form a brilliant legacy for the British & indeed they will. The bit on kings, queens, princes, princesses, dukes, duchesses....they are like fairy tales come alive, except that they really did exist before.

Well, like the legend/superstition says, for as long as the ravens remain in the Tower of London, the British Monarchy will stay. God save the Queen!

BYOB

Be Your Own Boss.

From recent & current events in my life now, I figured that it's good to BYOB. True, it's not easy to run one's own business but at the same time, it can be liberating to not have to report to someone who will tell you 'no' or ask you 'why'. That isn't to say that running one's own business will not subject oneself to 'no' or 'why'. The point is this - in BYOB, you are boss! (Though I dare say that it's one hellavu risk I'm not sure if I dare to take).

I have a poster in my room - ' I Love Life - 50 Rules to Living'. It's a poster I just had to get after I graduated from uni before coming back to Singapore (how apt it is).


Rule 23 reads:
Don't work too hard for your employers - they only care for what you can do for them.

Wise words indeed. I've learnt that no one is indispensible at work. BYOB.

Goodbye, my F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Not you, silly! I'm still very much alive & kicking, thank you very much. I'm referring to these friends.


You see, I've just said my goodbyes to them after watching the finale of season 10 on cable. I was introduced to Ross & Monica Geller, Phoebe Buffet, Chandler Bing, Joey Tribbiani & Rachel Green 10 years ago. It was so sad when Chandler & Monica were packing up & clearing the apartment. It was even sadder when all 6 of them put their keys on the table top & said that they had all lived in that apartment at some point or the other then walked out of that purple door the last time.

I'll miss Chandler's one-liners; his stupid banters with Joey. I'll miss Phoebe's senselessness, Monica's control freaky ways, Ross's 'DUH-ness' & Rachel's perkiness.

But it's amazing how they have all grown in the series & out of it. It shot them to stardom & fed their bank accounts, each commanding a whopping minimum pay of US$100,000 (or is it a million?) per episode. Jennifer Aniston became a style icon and the rest got their fair share of glam from then on. Can someone get me a job like that??!!

Can't say that I've been faithfully following these friends but I must thank them for 10 good years of TV & lessons on friendship. I admit I got sick of the series at one stage because it just got rather stale, especially Seasons 6 - 8 then I skipped watching it altogether. I got sick of it partly also because I was watching re-runs of older seasons when I was in UK because I never had nt:l (cable TV) & ended up watching whatever was on regular Channel 4. But I guess a reason why it's sad for me is because their stories/lives take place in New York City & it just reminds me of where my parents are. So when they said goodbye, it's like saying "goodbye New York City." (I still haven't got one of those cheesy 'I Love NY' tees!)

I haven't watched the series 'Joey' yet but it just doesn't seem to appeal to me because it's just not the same without the others. Boo hoo! :'( So goodbye, my F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Thank you for being such great TV company.

I, the Tech-less one

Hello, once again, to you, my dear Earthling & from beyond. In peace, I speak to you. I attempted to post a song up here but due to the lack of knowledge in technology, I, the Tech-less one, ended up having a blank post. *bang head against the wall*

I have tried deleting the post but somehow, the post still exists on this page but I see nothing of it in my 'Edit Posts'.

So to you all reading this, if you see an empty post, it's because I have tried unsuccessfully at something which I shouldn't have started at all.

But if the post has been deleted, then it's 'hurray'. From now on, I shall not attempt to do anything that I'm not adequately equipped to do until I'm sufficiently 'trained'.

The Tech-less One

Seeing double

Ah! The wonderful Olsen twins looking normal, not-so-quirky & non-anoerexic. OK, I can't tell them apart who's Mary-Kate & who's Ashley. But that must be fun, ain't it, being able to fool the papparazzi or not?

I've always wondered what it's like to be a twin.

1. I would get my twin into trouble, such as blaming her for things I did & she didn't do.
2. I would cause mega confusion at Qs.
3. I would get my twin to wear the same outfit & go out together with her.
4. If some guy I fancied didn't fancy me but my twin, I will impersonate her & intercept all things meant for her.
5. I would buy only one ticket to watch a movie for the both of us. :D

Drats! I think I'll make a lousy twin. Maybe, when I feel like it, I can be my own evil twin.. Heheheh!!!