I am Singaporean, Hear me Roar.

Sometimes, i wonder if Singaporeans expect the government to be superheroes. Back then, we want them to reduce the number of cars on the road but now we complain about rising COE(s) and ERP(s). Surely, i miss the days where i own a Honda Integra in Australia but i know here in Singapore due to our size, we can't have our car cake and drive eat it too.

But i admit, the overpopulation is getting to me. Especially when i spend 14 hours of my week on the MRT.

How we need to start contorting to fit

Hopefully, my yoga practice gives me a head-start when the day we need to fit into the MRT like tetris.

Singapore has her flaws but i like the racial harmony we have. How we stand up for each other.

                                 

It is not true that we are "ugly Singaporeans", caring for ourselves. We have brave souls who puts his social media status above his safety. It is for the greater good, it is citizen journalism.   

                          

Singapore, a young nation, some times have no identity overseas. The Westerners ask if we're Japanese or Korean. 

Singaporean is who we are, we have national campaigns moulding us. 

Before we got addicted to iPhones and iPads, we read

and we play.

Today, you can't believe photos online.

Singapore is seemingly perfect, still she has her flaws.

But i love Singapore, and i'm proud to be Singaporean.

Join the Club: how SAFRA brings the brudders together

SAFRA is a club that is exclusive for all Singapore Armed Forces National Servicemen (full-time and regulars) and their dependents to join. How does SAFRA compare to some of the world's exclusive clubs?

Disney's Club 33 s the only place in Disneyland that serves alcohol, for the adults who still want to live in a fairy-tale. They probably are, with that kind of disposable income for membership is rumored to be $10,000. SAFRA membership is FREE in celebration of National Service 45th anniversary and as a one-off recognition initiative to thank National Service men for their dedicated service to the nation. In Club 33, you eat in a semi-secret dining room in New Orleans Square. Who cares if dining in SAFRA is not so secret! As Singaporeans, we care more about freebies. As part of the NS45, SAFRA vouchers ranging from $50 to $100 will be given to all NS and regulars. Redeemable at F&B outlets like Fish & Co, Breeks, Carl's Jr, PastaMania and many more. In Club 33, you also get to ride in a special train car called the Lilly Belle. That’s pretty much the benefits. You pay thousands to eat secretively and sit in a sissy car. Don’t worry if you can't afford to join just yet. As of 2007 the waiting list to join was 14 years. Meanwhile, take the FREE SAFRA membership first.

The Beefsteak Club s a club devoted exclusively to how awesome steak is. The members get together and eat steak, talk about how awesome steak is, sing a song about steak, and even wear a funny outfit including a badge proclaiming “Beef and Liberty”. Only 24 members are allowed to join at any time; even the Prince of Wales had to wait until someone died to become a member. Being at SAFRA is a little less insane. You can still enjoy steak at Jack's Place in Jurong SAFRA and i promise you don't have to sing.

It baffles me though, if it's the whos-whos,
how come their cars look so beaten up?

The Bilderberg Club This group of about 130 individuals are accused of pulling all the strings of governments around the world. Important members of the financial, political, and media from North America and Europe started meeting unofficially in 1954. Now they meet once a year in great secrecy and under heavy guard. No members of the press are allowed in and all conversations are completely off the record. Your brotherhood can also gather at SAFRA's facilities like the karaoke rooms, billiard and games or even the photography dark room studio. Conversations are also completely off the record.  

The Giga Club have 6 members; two in the United States and four in Europe. Membership is not limited by money, background, or a cap on the number of members allowed in but you have to be smarter than .999999999 of the population to join. According to their own web site this means “in theory one in a billion individuals can qualify”. To do so you have to score more than a 195 on one of their accepted IQ tests. Joining the Giga Club may be past your lifetime but you can start training your children in the numerous education centers in SAFRA locations.

The Ejection Tie Club To join this club of 5,607 members (only 10 of whom are women) you must have survived being fired out of a military plane by the ejection seat. Gather with your mates today at SAFRA and reminisce the bad-ass army days you went through and lived to the tale. In the Ejection Tie Club, former service men and women, who all at one point stared death in the face, are only handed out special ties so that “when they weren’t in uniform, members would have some form of recognition among themselves”. There are no dinners, no get-togethers, no awards for bravery. Just ties.





Singaporean males, look out for your NS45 eligibility letters in the mail from now till Apr 13. You’ll get to enjoy shopping, F&B, IT/gadgets and travel benefits at 5,000 outlets islandwide! (Registration for NS45 vouchers ends 28 Feb 14; vouchers are valid until 30 Mar 14). As a female, we get to enjoy SAFRA benefits if our husband or father are SAFRA members. 


I shouldn't be marrying an ang moh.

There’s Something about Elyse

My life purpose is to touch lives. While i hope i have been impacting the lives around me, i have 1 friend who distinctively shaped my life in my growing up years. Unfortunately, i don't see him around any more, we've gone our separate ways and drifted apart since 7 years ago.

G was 10 years older at that time and i knew him when i was feeling very unloved in my traditional family. I brood a lot and G showed relentless concern, without hidden agendas. He bought me chocolates (After Eight) because it releases endorphins, wrote me encouraging notes and mixed tapes with love songs for me. It is the experience of unconditional love that made me grow into the positive and hopeful girl i am today. Without G, i may have spiraled further in self pity, get depressed and possibly suicidal.

Later on when i graduated and got my first job, he convinced me to buy insurance. It was a wise thing to do, i was ahead of all my peers to have started my insurance plan at 19. This set me up for life because the annual premium is very low because i started young. He was also the one who advised me to take a hefty sum with me and deposit into a fixed term plan in Australia. When i left Australia, i made AUD 3000 in interest.

He probably doesn't know the impact he had on my life, but in some way, I owe my financial stability and maturity to him.

But life is like a stage right? Everything has its entrances and exits, every human relationship i encountered makes me experience life. This led me to knowing Elyse.

I met her 3 years ago and I took to her as if we’ve known each other for long. There’s something about Elyse that gave me a verbal diarrhea the moment I met her. I poured out my soul and feelings,something you normally wouldn’t with a person you just met. We talked about self-love then and how I was lacking it.

3 years later, we meet again and I realized I haven’t improved much in the self-love department! I thought it was easy to work on myself without help; my pride and ego stopped me from getting proper consult.

Elyse’s growing up years and experience with men is more colourful than most, all these have led her to today (you'll have to meet her to know her story). She speaks on FM 93.8 and writes in CLEO on helping women in attracting their true love in 90 days.

I’ve only had 2 ex-boyfriends over the course of 6 years. Since the last break-up, i've been going out, getting to know all sorts of men available. When I met Elyse again 3 years after, I thought "ok, maybe I should try this out. I'm not attached, still."

Elyse is not a friend, so she critiques me harshly and leaves me no saving grace. I then see why "life coaches" are engaged. Friends always listen and comfort you when you fail, it is the easy way out confiding in friends.

Elyse doesn't do what a friend do.

I tried her love consultation session which she gives out complimentary every month. In our session, she got me to create a list of the kind of man i want and the kind of relationship i want. I have never made a list because i was afraid making a list would mean finding Mr Perfect and we all know Mr Perfect don't exist.

Wistful thinking

Elyse chided me for selling myself short. I resisted her at first but finally made a list. She then uncovered the hidden challenge that may be sabotaging my success with men and dating; my non-commital to self.

I refused to accept her analysis at first, i was enraged at this stranger with such audacity to tell me what's wrong with me!

However, a month later, I was messaging Elyse, conceding defeat. She accurately uncovered the hidden challenge. I was dating someone when I had the love consultation and Elyse already pointed out the numerous uncertainties i was feeling but i chose to ignore it. This was the non-commital to self that she saw. I remember messaging Elyse, "You were right. It didn't last. Teach me how to attract the right love!" 

Subsequent days, she played with me mini games that trains me to listen to my inner voice.

It then dawned upon me, in all my relationships, I had ignored my intuition. I chose to ignore that inner voice that told me "this guy is not faithful", "this guy will not change", "this guy doesn't accept you for who you are".

It was hard coming to terms about the issues i had, but it was so energizing to learn about myself! Elyse renewed and inspired me to find the love of my life, the easy way.

If you are interested about Elyse and how she helps women who
- have trouble letting go of past relationships and cannot move forward in life
- tried all means and ways but can't attract available men or men who disappear after the first few dates
- wonders if there's something wrong with them
- not attracting the "right" kind of men
- or always end up hurt despite compromising a lot

Sign up for her free love attraction tool kit here, she is also on Facebook.
She gives out 5 complimentary love consults per month (the one i had), if you are interested, you can ask about it more at her website.

Doll me Up

I used to think if i could walk out a facial without a red face, that therapist must be a gem! So for awhile I was walking out of my old salon with a face that didn't look like I just had a facial. Hooray?

Then i started breaking out, and my face didn't feel baby ass smooth. There were bumps underneath. Later on, i got to know about Porcelain Face Spa and i learned that the extraction I was getting wasn't deep enough.

However, deep extractions usually leave me looking like this after a facial. Horror of horrors!

AHHHHHHHH!

But I unabashedly go out after a facial, that's because i've a secret weapon.

It's not make-up. I wouldn't want to undo all that deep cleansing Porcelain did for me, i didn't want to clog my open pores with concealer.

Porcelain Face Spa's tinted sunscreen, Doll, is my secret weapon.

Combined with lightening agents, this UV filter corrects pigmentation problems while protecting my skin against UVA/UVB rays. It is SPF 60.

With a tint, it makes my skin dewy and it's not make-up! It doesn't clog pores either. It may be pricey at $150 for 35ml but i'm still using my tube from a year ago!

You can get Doll from Porcelain Face Spa at 15 Cantonment Road.

Valentine's Choice: Nando's gets chi chi

Almost every man say Valentine's overrated; flowers and meals are overpriced. While i agree and don't expect to celebrate Valentine's, i feel special dates like Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries make us pause amidst our hectic schedules and appreciate loved ones. Human's nature and being caught up in the rat race tend to make us neglect that bit.

However, going out for a nice meal don't mean spending a bomb! I absolutely love Nando's and i'm super pleased to receive their media kit announcing their all-new butterfly chicken breast meal!

Media Kit:
Hard cover black menu, silverware, napkin and a cookie with their meal printed!

Have you been to places where you pay top dollar only to have the food forgettable? For a much better deal, Nando's brings the bells and whistles of a fancy restaurant but only at a fraction of posh prices! Anything with foam on your plate is never worth paying for.

You can still have your hoity toity four-course menu by starting with wild mushroom soup as an entrée, the butterfly steak (chicken) as a main, sweet potato mash as a side then ending it off with dessert. There can even be a designer drink to sip with your little pinkie sticking out.

Make a date at Nando's. You can make reservations and for the whole month of February, the Butterfly Chicken Breast Meal Valentine's Day Set ($42) comes with 2 double-breasted butterfly-cut chicken steak (with 2 sides), 2 designer drinks and 2 single scoops of Ben & Jerry ice-cream.

I've already made my reservation at Nando's this Valentine's. Who says a girl can't make the first move? All set for a "chi-chi" gastronomic experience!

Photo by http://www.elwingoh.com/
Make-up by http://mariesoh.com

Cats that Look like Pin-Up Girls

Came across this blog that kinda scours the best of the web and i am re-posting this that caught my eye.

It sparked a thought to Google "Why are women's v-jay called a pussy."

Google didn't disappoint with 9,230,000 answers.

In the 19th century the term "pussy" came to refer to anything soft and furry ("pussy willow" and "pussycat", for example.) Since women's vulvas are typically soft and furry, the term (as with many thighs) spread rapidly. Later someone noticed the hairy patch resembled a beaver's tail (and thus the term "beaver" came about to describe the same thing.) 

Today, getting a brazilian wax is common. I wonder if pussy will be fazed out and be called the Sphynx. Perhaps in the next generation.

The sphynx cat is furless.

Back to pin-up girls and cats.

My office space with 3M

Advertorial

Contrary to popular belief, I am not a full-time blogger but an office lady. The office is my second home, I actually spend more time in the office than in my living room. 

Here’s my cubicle, i keep it messy to look busy and i keep it vibrant, marking my territory and making me happy.

When i post it on Facebook, a friend commented how i have a "supermarket" on the left corner. That really tickled me, i didn't realise that's how it looked with cup noodles, fruits, biscuits and all. Oh, you can even spot 2 1.5L Fanta bottles underneath my table! Lol.

He hasn't seen the shoe shop i have opened underneath my desk. I have ran out of space at home, heh heh.

I remember as a teenager, my favourite past time after school was to pay a visit to the bookshop. I would try out all the pens on the paper given, or if there is none, we would “vandalize” before deciding on a purchase.  

On some days, I would give myself a treat by buying a coloured pen that is absolutely frivolous because we will not be able to use it for exams nor worksheets. We can only convince ourselves its necessary because we write study notes and we need to write the subject header in a different colour.

Pretty things make us happy. The men won’t get it.

I haven’t done that for a super long time but I don’t miss EXAMS. Instead of buying pens (we type now) as an office lady, there's still other types of stationary to make me happy.

The corporate world is often dreary with drones dressed in black and white. I can’t give every colleagues a fashion make-over but I can spark creativity at the work place with yellow and pink post-its! Yellow actually increases energy flow and inspires creativity, red stimulates and invites adrenaline rush. They seem pretty satisfied with their brainstorming session. She has a smirk on her face.

I like spicing up the office life, this is what i'm like at work. 

I wear a watch that reminds me stay calm and not make rash decisions.

I trick my colleagues with magnets looking like biscuits (they did pop it into their mouths/ took a bite).

I found another use for given home-made biscuits because they taste bad.

To keep myself awake in meetings when it isn't me talking, i doodle on my fingers, take a picture and add a caption with Overgram.

Or i use this very nifty pen by 3M that has sticky tabs you can pull out to make reminders.

I hate it when notes are not sticky so i use the super sticky Post-its from 3M.

I like dressing up my desk with quirky ornaments like a soap dish shaped like a bath tub which i use for  everything else but soap, or a Monopoly radio which i hardly turn on.

I also have a Post-It dispenser like a handbag! It's refillable too.

I love it when people leave secret notes.

This is my laptop and it sports a "messy creative look". I just found out that Post-its no longer come merely as a pad like the previous picture. It comes in various ways like this one that comes in a holder which you can stick and bring along.

I stick it on my lap top because at work, we carry them into meeting rooms or for travel. Having paper easily accessible, i can always give it to that cutie I may encounter at work and say "Call me some time?"

He did and i found out he's as much as a Post-it crazy as me.

Our desks side by side.

What's your office tip for working smarter and staying happier? Join the contest at www.facebook.com/postitbrand and win $1000, worth of travel vouchers!