Never Judge a Book by its Cover

Unless you're on the covers :P

Saving Skin.

I've had bad skin in the past. This was taken 7 years ago in New Zealand on my family holiday. We met this local family who took us clubbing. I remembering washing my hands in the toilet when a Maori kissed my hand in greeting, being totally disgusted (it was the SARS period anyway, and i was an ignorant kiasee Singaporean).

You could say it's puberty but i was so "depressed" with my skin that i thought it was no hope. After all, they say it's hereditary and my mum had bad skin. I was jealous why my elder brother has such good skin (no pimples at all) and my mum always say he's her first child so she took special care. By the way, i just heard if you want to conceive a boy, ask your man to eat a diet of vegetables. There's also a theory of positions that might help.

So anyway, i remember not being so confident because of my pimply skin. I don't paint myself with concealer either because i believe that makes the condition worse. My mum introduced me facials when i was 15. They costs $30 per session at Far East Plaza, pained like a bitch but didn't help. Until i signed my own facial package (with my first salary) at Bella. Soon, i had skin and armpits like Fann Wong. However, i also started caring for my diet and took healthy supplements called Sun Rider. This is 1 brand i swear by.

My parents were obsessed with this private health brand and i was against it because healthy food never tasted good right? Until my mum showed me experiments that revealed evidence how superior SunRider is to commercial brands. I was sold. SunRider foods treated my skin by making my body heal internally first, followed by the skin care that improved it and then the facials at Bella that maintained my skin. I swear by SunRider's make-up. Even my friends can't tell if i have make-up or not. That's how good it blends in. My male friend said he would buy it for his girlfriend, problem is his girlfriend is very much the studious type and don't dress up at all.

All its products are 100% chemical and preservative free, plant and herb based. Which is why, it takes years before you start seeing effects. It took me 4 years for my skin to be what it is right now. Which is also a problem with its limited make-up range and colours that i found hard to covert since i like a variety of colours. After all,there's only that many plant colours you can experiment with. I am satisfied with the basics anyway, i don't paint my skin much.

The above picture and the one below, i used SunRider's make-up. I drew my eyebrows, used concealer, mascara and a little bit of blusher. I always forget the lipstick. Not a habit :P
It looks like i hardly have any make-up on isn't it?I also take alot of fruits and vegetables and try to eliminate junk food. But i still can't resist them every now and then ( i have them twice a week?). Chocolates are my weakest link. The skin is the largest organ of your body. I always felt someone with good skin but not necessary good features will somehow still fall in the good-looking category. I still get little pimples occassionally, and i don't think my skin is blemish free. But we're all our own critics, aren't we?

Just for comparision's sake, this was taken on 23 August 2009 with NO make-up at all. And Zero digital imaging.

As my male colleague just commented, "nowadays girls all ICI one..must be careful with judgement whether she is pretty or not." I was puzzled and asked what is ICI.........

ICI PAINT(ED) SKIN.

Family Trait

Something that only the siblings could do. Although the younger brother struggles with it. And only the elder one can stick the tongue out at the same time. Try it! You might be my long lost sibling.

The Cove.

Don't know why but i'm going into quite abit of a social rant now. This docu-movie is about the illegal captivity and killing of 200,000 dolphins in Japan (to sell off as entertaining dolphins or fake whale meat for consumption). It has won many awards and is a worthy mission in spreading a message out. I applaud the film makers who have such strong passion about their cause.

Different people feel differently about different things. I might cry at the sight of dolphins brutally killed, but i won't if i see the same with sharks (as of now, i still love to eat shark's fins). That's because sharks are mean machines, they are not likable. But this movie has put new considerations into my mind about the whole eco-system.

People are blaming the Japanese for this cruelty because of this movie, but the Chinese brutally kill dogs, the Canadian kill baby seals for their fur, the Europeans kill whales?? Mankind is at war with the Earth.

I haven't watched this film, but i encourage you to so we can be reminded that we share the World. In fact, just watching the trailer and interview ,the thought of turning vegetarian crossed my mind. Because one theory said that the Japanese government allows the killing of dolphins because they are depleting the supply of fish. It then also makes me think why is it ok to eat cows and then not ok to eat whale meat then? I love being a non-vegetarian! And that trailer is strong enough to actually let me entertain the thought of becoming vegetarian! But i think what i can do now is to reduce waste. Stop buying clothes that i wear only once.

THE SMILING FACES OF THE DOLPHINS DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE ALWAYS HAPPY

The Cove is only showing at GV Plaza Sing (2 sessions only)or Vivocity

7 Deadly Sins: Jealousy

Pretty girls in the limelight often get accused of going for plastic surgery. I haven't got that defamation, but perhaps that's because i am not in the public eye, not heavily made-up, and do not have the perfect looks. It's like some post old pictures of some pretty girl and say this was how she looked like in Junior College. Thereby implying that she had plastic surgery.

This was how my family looked like at 7,11,13, 38 and 41 years old respectively.
and here's what we look like now. People change, ugly ducklings become swans. Ok...fine, maybe you can argue that the picture from Junior College is a good gauge because most features would already have developed. Like how celebrities within 2, 3 years can look SO different. I can show you my teenage pictures and i can say i have changed too! I have slimmed down, my skin is alot better, my eyes somehow became a little bigger without any enhancement, surgical or not ( this i seriously can't figure out why and how).

Maybe these girls who have gone pretty is because they now have better dress sense, more money to spend on skincare and make-up? I just think whether plastic surgery or not, it is a choice and it's not yours to live with it. Why do people have filthy mouths? Words that do not contribute in any way. I think it secretly fuels their ego using jealousy. Because they console themselves that a pretty thing that looks perfect just cannot be natural. Which makes them feel good about themselves, because they are "natural" and therefore "better" than those "plastics".

It's innate to be superficial (looking for good genes to mate), therefore it's in everyone to be/look perfect (how many skinny girls have you heard complain that they're fat? *rolls eyes*) Of course, media influence and propaganda fuel this superficiality trend as well.

For me,i'm happy with my life and how i look and am very blessed with my genes. But if the surgery is FREE and 100% RISK FREE, hmmm...i would say i am tempted to perfect one part of me! But that would really take long serious thinking in deciding one part because as of now, i like every part!

Already, girls have gone for permanent removal of hair (that's also a change against nature forcefully isn't it?Pubic hair (to trap dirt) and perhaps even armpit hair is there for a reason.)Girls have gone for eyelash extentions, hair extentions etc.

Technology has also now made lunchtime quick fixes- botox etc. available. The boob injection is the latest craze. With no down-time at all and not invasive (no knives, no cutting), you increase to a size bigger within minutes. It gives you the same effect of an implant, but only temporarily (lasts a year). But there's risks of hard lumps, and i have my doubts about the effects as it means whatever chemical they're injecting you with travels within your blood unlike an implant that stays put.

So if you narrow-mindedly say "eh, she's so fake! She went for a face lift". What do you say to someone who had botox? You find that more acceptable right? Why is that so? The end result is sort of the same, isn't it? Or if a seriously over-weight girl went for liposuction, you would say "she should have done that sooner!"

Humans are so judgemental.

But that's what makes us different from animals too. Life is such an irony.

P.S i don't know what came onto me suddenly to rant about plastic surgery. but i think the world can be a better place without judgement. Which i just committed by guessing why some people are defaming pretty girls. And i was just about to go into why some people do plastic surgery as well (insecure? self esteem issues?), which is another judgement i subconsciously made too. So you see, i am human too.

Haven't been doing such social things for quite awhile! Hmm..i'm contemplating having a birthday party again this year. I want to host one because

1) i like to give smashing (different, not the same old same old that invovles alcohol and birthday cake)

2) i like receiving presents (which otherwise i don't receive, if people are not "forced" to bring out of the courtesy of attending a party. haha..yeah, quite sad. i am not that popular.)

3) i like to give groups of friends the opportunities to meet up after a long while (how difficult it is nowadays for busy people to find a common timing and place!)

but here's why i don't really feel like doing it either
1) it costs money catering food (i spent about $400 for my last party, even without needing to rent the yatch. The amount which, i could have used to buy myself one BIG present, or make that MANY small ones)

2) i end up being tired being the host and i am not sure if i enjoyed my party or not

3) people don't bring presents, really, anyway.

So, i don't know......but boy do i love themed parties!!

District 9

It wasn't until the tourist pointed to this movie poster that caught my curiousity. I googled, watched the trailer and i must say i was immediately SOLD. Caught it in the cinema almost immediately and i must say it's seriously refreshing. Unknown actors helmed by the famous Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings director). A cool plot (aliens and humans co-habitating) and action-packed (lots of gore). Tugging heart strings drama included. And the aliens look something like this.

Don't miss this like you missed Apocolpyto. Movie of MY lifetime.

Playing with Toys

My first toy was given by my elder brother. It was Barbie, then came Ken. Their accessories (clothes, bedroom set) came as presents from Aunties. I remember playing with Barbie alot, and i always made sure they're clothed when i store them away, just in case they come alive at midnight (read too much Enid Blyton). But sometimes, i wanted her to have some fun with Ken and thus i left them naked, hoping they'll get a pleasant surprise at midnight.

I remember when i found out how humans have sex (at 12 years old, some hormones-raging boy in school told me), i passed that knowledge on to my Barbie playmate using her dolls to illustrate what i meant. I got reprimanded for passing on the fact of life.
Some evenings, my brothers and I would go to the canal to catch guppies. Once, our neighbour caught a stingray!

With my own pocket money, i bought some Barbie imitation to be my Barbie's daughter. I suppose you need to pay for quality, as her daughter's head and hair dropped off over time.
Older brother then bought me these dolls who hid surprises in their hair (an eraser, an accessory etc). It looked something like this but i can't remember the name. Perhaps Strawberry Shortcake, but i can't quite remember. I only remember human shampoo don't work the same for dolls. It made their hair really really dry.The only doll i detest were Cabbage Patch Kids and the life-like ones that can flip the eyes open and close. Watched too much Chucky (life-like evil doll)+ Enid Blyton (toys coming alive).

Every birthday, my god-ma would buy me a polly pocket. I had the exact same sets as above. From left to right: Restaurant, child-care center, cafe, house. My favourite ones were the childcare center and shopping mall. I totally regret throwing these away now. I bet i can sell them off at a high price to collectors now.

My younger brother will play with me my dolls, polly pocket inclusive. I think that's why i would think i'm closer to him than the elder one although it was him who bought me the toys. Which advocates the theory why busy parents should shower their children with money and materials and make up for the time not spent with them.

Kids nowadays are sadly hooked to their Wii, PSP, DS and all things electronic. In Australia, i have seen parents keeping their young children occupied with a portable DVD player (usually Asians). Play on.

Cutting my hair short.

To young children, if you have long hair, you qualify as pretty.

To men, if you have long luscious hair, you qualify as feminine, pretty and more desirable compared to the same you with a short crop.

My ex boyfriend used to say if i cut my hair short, he will break up with me. Seemed like boyfriends will be the upset one more than the girl who lost her hair.

I was in a strict Primary school where only the dancers or the gymnists can keep their hair. The rest, we have to have hair not passing the end of our ears. Thus, that OBIANG hair-do you saw in my old photo.

Doesn't help that my hair is thick and rebonding wasn't discovered yet so i end up like a mushroom head.

Or like a helmet in this picture.

I am tempted to cut my hair short once in awhile. The random urge. I have kept my hair long since i was 16. A change would probably be refreshing.


SHORT VS LONG
spunky VS sexy
styling VS fuss free
fresh VS tired
save water VS more shampoo
high maintanance VS annual hair-cut
one style VS many styles
drop 10 strands VS drop 100 strands

So what do you think i should do? This black and white picture was the last time i went short. 8 years ago....

The Singapore Experience

Is not complete without the trip to Geylang for durians and frog porridge and chilli crabs...hmmmm......