25. My 2016 IN 4 MINUTES

As 2016 draws to a close in approximately 4 minutes I attempt to wrap the year up in a few sentences of the words my mind scrambles to piece together.

It was a year of loss - loss of people close to my heart who I still think of every now and then. Some people worth the tears, some not but my mind still wanders to. It was a year of new experiences - writing up my thesis, waiting anxiously for my results, getting it, the anxiety of job-seeking, securing a job (and all the craziness that came along with that), graduating...

It was a year of growing older, wising up, maturing and knowing that truly, everything happens for a reason.

It was a year of chaos, the world had so much going on in 2016. I watched in awe; other times distraught at how the world could have so many crazy things going on at the same time.

2016 was a beautiful year nonetheless, and whatever I've learnt will put me in good stead for 2017.

Bring it on :)

x

24. Thoughts on the Nicole Choo Ridhwan & DK saga

I am so sick of seeing certain responses to Nicole Choo and Ridhwan's "stunt" that I'm reduced to writing about this for twitter's 150 characters will never be enough.

Sure, I agree that they could have executed it in a better way without bringing pregnancy into the picture but they've clarified and apologised. You know what I can't stand?

Just because they're on the unpopular end of the spectrum they're getting hated on for no apparent logical reason. If you think about it, Dk bullied them, he started tweeting about them first.

What warrants 4 videos and discussing about their relationship at length? Because it fuels the fire and creates attention. Everyone likes to hate on a common denominator: for example, Donald trump for voicing out stupid decisions like building a wall around the USA to keep immigrants out. That's a legit reason to hate on him.

What stupid and illegal thing did Ridhwan and Nicole do that warranted such cyber bullying? He left tjht? So? That was his own decision to make. When the news first came out tjht also put up a couple of instagram posts adding fuel to the fire but the only one who got bashed was Ridh for wanting to get attention. 

He slapped his ex gf but that's super old news. Surely if you were Ridh you wouldn't want to be judged based on one stupid decision you made at one point in your life to define you as a person forever. Then what is the point of the yellow ribbon project? Lets just shun all ex offenders for they will NEVER turn over a new leaf shall we? (sarcasm)

Dk can have his own opinion about this. We all do. Some I don't agree with too. But just cause Dk has the platform, the followers and the right friends he thinks it's alright to speak about Ridhwan this way? 

Don't get me wrong. I really like some of dks videos, some are funny as hell and relevant. I watch him. I don't hate him. But I sure don't agree with the way he's been putting ridh down. This reminds me of freelee when she made a video about Anna Saccone stating the reason she had a miscarriage was because of the food she was eating?! Bitch please no one should be putting anyone else down based on what you see online.

Ridh and Nicole only show us how much of their lives. No one but themselves know what they're struggling with.

Tjht made an instagram video about social experiments to mock Nicole and Ridh. It's so blatantly obvious who he's referring to. Tweens look up to this guy and he's sending the message that it's alright to indirectly bully someone online?

They're getting so much shit for nothing they've done. Everyone just wants to be on the bandwagon that they can benefit from.

I mean what led to Ridh being the biggest idiot in Singapore in one of the videos, even on TOP of Amos yee who got in deep shit with the government, offended Christians and tried to tell us that Lee Kuan Yew did nothing for this country?! Ridh left a company on his own accord and suddenly just cause he's dating Nicole it gets blown out of proportion? Sure That makes him the biggest idiot...

And all y'all saying Nicole looks like crap under make up come on you think everyone is born like Kylie Jenner? Half of the bloggers out there's natural face is complete with false lashes and embroidered eyebrows. Make up is a fun tool for us to play with to add confidence to ourselves and not something that girls should be bashing each other about just cause she looks too different I mean who buys make up to look exactly the same before they put it on?

I'm out. 

23. Final Year Thesis: Done and Dusted

Here's a lighter topic than the previous post =) I know I've been away from the blogosphere for the longest time ever - months. I've been busy with an internship and my final year thesis, which is finally and thankfully done with. 10k words later, I am now officially unemployed and a psychology graduate. I'm doing this post to get ya'll up to speed and also, I that free now.

I was interning for 2.5 months at AWARE (the women's organization that NS men dislike haha). The pay was um, well, lets just say it felt like free labour but it was a meaningful internship for I got to learn how a non profit organisation works in the inside. I also got to work on really interesting projects - single parenthood, women rights, rights for single parents in the HDB sphere... etc. It really shows you a side of Singapore you do not get to usually see (single parenthood is after all a really taboo subject, just as homosexuality is).

I ended my internship about half a month earlier because it was getting really stressful to juggle my thesis data collection, meeting up with my supervisor and actually writing the thesis. My supervisor, Patrick is God-sent. He was ever so helpful with anything I needed and would actually reply my cries for help at 9/10pm at night. I hit the jackpot with my supervisor this time! Thesis writing..is so so tiring. I have written so many essays, from as little as 1.5k to 4k words but nothing could have prepared me enough for this daunting task. Some days you look at your work and think, what in the world am have I been writing, this is ALL rubbish. Other days you feel quite good and confident but it is mostly tiring and exhausting. Sometimes you have the motivation to continue but you can't find anymore information that seems relevant. You just end up staring at your document and getting a headache from all the words swimming in your head.

Anywho after about 2.5 months of slugging my guts out, I was finally done. Getting them printed and binded felt numb and surreal. I wanted to be done with the university and its shitty admin staff and poor communications with students but at the same time I wanted to continue studying. HOW DO I ADULT. All a student has to worry about is homework, essays, tests and things like that. In comparison to insurance, bills, marriage and the list goes on. Do you know it takes 1 mill to raise a kid in Singapore? Like, I don't think i can even make a million in a lifetime what more by the time I am ready to have a child?

The weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders and now a different kind of weight has landed on them. I gotta start job searching........stat.

x

22. My first car accident: Reflections

I guess there's a first for everything in life? I got into my first car accident recently and boy was it an experience. I was hit from the back while my car was stationary (will not go into the little details), and the Singapore law states that once that happens, the vehicle from the back is at fault. The impact was huge, and the car's Neck Pro (installed in the head rests) activated immediately. It was so shocking and I was shaking even after many hours passed.

For anyone's sake, here are some ''tips'' for if you ever get into a car accident..

# Do not admit to any fault (even if it may seem like it is yours). I read a post before on DOs and DONTs and the definite DONT is to say 'I'm sorry'

# Exchange identification cards, numbers and insurance agencies.

# Take as many pictures as you can of your vehicle and the other party's in terms of damage inflicted.

# Do not agree to settle the payment 'on your own' or at another workshop. Always leave it to your insurance agent to contact the other party's agent.

# Drive (if your car is still in a state to) to the nearest police station to make a report.

# Call the TP (Traffic police) or Ambulance if the car is not in any drivable state and if anyone is injured. Also your relevant cars' 24 hour hotline for roadside assist.

# See a doctor. You may seem fine but you never know what's going on inside your body (My boyfriend - in the passenger seat and I were diagnosed with mild head contusions and he had a sprained shoulder with dizzy spells and nausea)

# Be thankful. You're okay!!! Your life is more important than the car's aesthetics. Thank God or your lucky stars if you're not religious.

Take it as an experience and learn from it.

Drive carefully everyone!

21. Whampoa Market - Xin Heng Feng Guo Tiao Tan (Fishhead Steamboat) review

(photo courtesy of fatboo.com)

why hello, Keegan 

I'm back with another short review on, fishhead steamboat, again. This time at Whampoa Market, a lot nearer to me than Tampines! This hawker is bustling in the day time and eerily quiet at night if it weren't for this stall. Be sure to come early (5pm) because the waiting time does get quiet lengthy as the night goes by. We were there around 715pm and got our steamboat at 740pm. You order at the stall and an uncle will come by with a trolley tray with side dishes. They have duck wings, salted veg, taupok and braised eggs :) Humble homely food.

We ordered promfret, medium size, taupok and salted vegetable (not pictured) and the bill came up to $46-47. There were four of us so that would amount to $12 per person which is really reasonable for the amount of food there was! Also promfret is the most expensive fish option! The soup is filled with yam, seaweed, vegetables, fish and the thing I found that allowed it to stand out from the rest is...... garlic or shallot bits? or I'm not entirely sure.. but it made the soup extra tangy and flavourful. You have to try it to believe it. You can also top up the soup!!

Comparing this to the one at Tampines, my heart calls out for this one. Not only is it nearer to me, the soup brings me back to my grandmother's cooking :') It really is worth the trip down if you live further away and the wait on crowded hours.

Toodless

Xin Heng Feng Guo Tiao Tan
Mon: 17:00 - 21:30
Wed - Sun: 17:00 - 21:30
Closed on: Tuesday

#01-14/15,
Whampoa Market,
91 Whampoa Drive,
320091

20. Yves Rocher - Haul!!

So recently I've been introduced to this brand by my mom's friend and when we went down today, there was a sale! 1 for 1 storewide, but only till the 8th of March. I suggest ya'll hurry down to grab their goodies from Yves Rocher - all made in france, made from plant extracts and all things good you'd imagine. Some of the items are selling out quickly too! In this short post I'll just share with you some of the things I got with my mom ;-)

*enlarge pictures by clicking on them for specific names*

Their vegetal range for oily & combination skin. I do like to switch my skincare routine every now and then plus the fact that my faceshop range has been discontinued has motivated me to try this out! The facial wash (blue gel) is from the moisturising-hydra vegetal range so that it won't be too harsh on my skin if I use all of the vegetal range. 

L-R: Serum $20, Face wash $14, Toner/Micellar water $18, Gel Cream $24

ETD for the man or woman in your life -

L-R: Nature Cedar Wood & Lime (subtle), $38

Nature Guaic Wood & Juniper (stronger scent), $38 ($19 each after 1 for 1)

Female: Cherry Blossom $30, Green tea $30 ($15 each after 1 for 1)

Lip balms - Macadamia & Karite (no color or scent). They have others with tints and scents too! 

$5 each ($2.50 each after 1 for 1)

Been watching lots of youtubers lately and realized I am lacking in the eye-serum department.. my current one is for dark circles but I figured 22 would probably the time when anti-aging eye-care would come in handy.. This is under their signature elixir 7.9 range (7 plants, 9 anti-aging patents) and is retailing for $42. My mom bought one as well for her age range and that cost $55. Thus, each eye serum would be $27.5 after the 1 for 1 promotion. Which is pretty reasonable if you ask me! 

Not pictured is their olive oil body soap which was already running off the shelves! They were $6 each after the promotion. The 1 for 1 is till the 8th of March only (Tuesday) so hurry down if you want to grab these deals. They also have shampoo and body/foot scrubs which I didn't purchase. 

Yves Rocher

Ngee Ann City

#B2-03

P/S I'll definitely do a review of the above products once I have tested them out for a period of time. Happy shopping!!!! 

19. Saudade

Mama you were called home today (yesterday) to be with the Lord. I refuse to accept it but as I saw your body at the hospital, to the mortuary and to the casket.. I knew that reality would soon kick in. You were always there at every step of my growing up years. Whether it was kindergarten, sunday school, mgs, acs, and even when I started uni. It was pleasant and comforting whenever kong kong fetched me and you were there in the passenger seat. From macdonalds to tapao-ing my favourite chilli noodles, to my requests for instant noodles after school for tea and for my hair to be tied in braids, you gave in to me.... I loved staying over in your room for afternoon naps and even at you and kong kong's stays at Amara hotels and various chalets.

There's so many things that have gone through my head today and whatever I can make up from a slew of incoherent thoughts is how selfless and unconditional your love is with kong kong. I am so so so incredibly lucky to have been your grandchild, and with the rest have grown up so well because of you and kong kong's taking care of us for so many years. You took care of me for almost two decades and I couldn't be more thankful.

I relish in the thought that you're now rid of all pain, suffering and sorrow. I love you so much.

Psalm 23:6
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

18. Remembrance

I'm currently going through a rough time and what better way to blog about it, seeing as nothing else I do seems to help. Recently, I got the news that my beloved mama is in critical condition...and I'd leave the technicalities out but things haven't been looking good for a couple of days.

When I was a kid, she and my kong kong would look after me when my parents were away. They were just like my own parents, showering me with unconditional love. They were the epitome of love. They brought me to McDs, chalets, hawker centres, taught me how to swim, appreciate chilli in all my food, tutored me in every subject, fetched me to and fro for school/tuition.... the list goes on. Not everyone has the privilege of growing up with grandparents or the privilege of growing up alongside loving grandparents like me..

So when the news hit, I was nothing but devastated and shocked. These few days I've realized the different depths and types of grief. I've felt sad before, over a breakup, over doing badly in an important exam... in being a 'disappointment', in failing to achieve certain goals I've set for myself, in losing friends, in an argument... but I had never felt grief to this extent before. I had just lost my paternal grandfather in December and suddenly this all too familiar yet distant feeling of grief came back.

I was not ready. Then again, who is ever ready for such things. 

The past few days I've watched as family members, friends, pastors all came to see my mama. We prayed with her, and she knows. She knows when we're there, talking to her, singing to her and our mere presence is known. The doctor says that one's hearing is the last to go... and I hope to God she knows that we love her so so dearly. We cried, lay tirelessly by her bedside... and I felt numb all of a sudden. I could not read, listen to music, surf the internet, I just sat there and felt numb.

In this same few days I've witnessed the meaning of unconditional true love. My kong kong, even in the past (for hospital visits, at the nursing home etc) would visit her every. single. day. He'd stay the longest. He read to her, sang to her, talked to her, held her hand, caressed her... and I know anyone would long for such a love, even half of the kind of love my kong kong and mama had..

It pains me to see my mama like this, it pains me to see my mom, kong kong and sister in this state of numbing sadness and grief. I don't count myself as a religious person but dear God I really pray for strength... for all of us.. strength both physically, mentally and the willpower that you will grant onto us.

I'd end with my favourite bible quote that always made me feel better in times of need, ever since I was a kid I'd scribble this down in my dairy...

16. A Bad Start

A picture paints a thousand words.... 

15. Goodbye

Yesterday, on New Year's Eve, I found out that my grandpa passed away. He was a man of few words, but his presence was always felt. He was a man of God, always saying goodbye to us with quotes from the bible. My dad would speak highly of him and always made sure we spent time together despite everyone's busy schedules. 

This picture was taken on the 13 of December, in celebration of my 21st birthday. Amoy street. Where ACS first started. He was always talking about ACS, like the institution changed his life for better. He was the guest of Honour for founders day on many occasions - never losing the opportunity to visit ACS. He would sing the anthem for us, "From days of yore"...."Oldham dauntless hero came and planted a beacon of truth and light".... And I guess that rubbed off on me too for I love and cherish the time I had in ACS when it was my turn. 

But this is not about me. This is about my grandpa. I'm lucky to have four grandparents by my side as I grew up. And even luckier that they all played (and continue to play) important roles in looking after me and  my Sister, as well as their other grandchildren. I shan't ramble on. 

Grandpa, on the 31st of December I attended the last class/lecture I would in university. It was a milestone for me, before commencing thesis writing. But on this same day, you went back to God. It is with a heavy heart that I usher in the new year. I love you and treasure all the meals we have had, the time spent together and I know you're in a better place now. 

As it is said... 

The best is yet to be. 

13. Is Working Out, Working Out? (Macritchie Tree Top Walk)

Punny title ^ Hahaha.

I shall cut to the chase.
Me and the boyfriend have been wanting to go on the Macritchie tree top walk for the longest time, since mid-Oct and finally after the haze has subsided and finally finding a day that the morning would not consist of thunderstorms, we went last Friday morning. Didn't take much pictures, we were either too exhausted or concentrating on negotiating the walk.

I woke up at an early 7:40am. We reached Venus Drive car park at around 8:40am and started the walk at 8:50am after applying sunblock, insect repellent, eating breakfast (I made overnight oats! Way too much oats..) and whatnot. There is a plethora of blog posts out there detailing how to get to the tree top walk from the car park so this is more of my thoughts and experiences :) Its free parking so if you have a car, or can borrow one PLEASE DRIVE! I'm sure your legs would thank you after the exercise.

We took it slow and reached the tree top walk in an hour-ish? It was a literal uphill battle to the tree top walk towards the end I was thinking aloud, 'this has better be worth it'. Its no surprise I'm not the fittest person around. We got to the top and it was a-m-a-z-i-n-g...... the breeze, the sights and not to mention how high up you were really rendered the past hour worth the sweat! Towards the middle of the bridge,ain't going to lie, it got pretty scary. The bridge also sways a little. The scenery and surroundings definitely made up for it.

On our way back to the Venus Drive car park (its a one-way road, so you walk back the same way you did up), we noticed the grey clouds gathering and the weather being too cool to be true. It started pouring and luckily, there was a hut nearby. We waited and decided to use our ponchos once the rain was less cats and dogs. I love the rain, I think I wouldn't have done this walk in such pleasure if it was the afternoon sun. It was so cooling :) My boyfriend begged to differ. He prefers the heat. I was happy nonetheless.

We made it back to the car in 45-ish minutes, faster than the hour it took us to get up. It started to pour as we were at the last 300m heh. I strongly recommend this to everyone out there. Even those who hate physical activity, it isn't running which I dislike (but there were so many fit individuals running on our way) and you can go at your own pace. I've recently been following Anna Saccone's workouts (1) (2) on youtube and I'm glad because they probably prepared me for today's walk.

Must-bring: water, food(beware of monkeys although we did not come across any), insect repellent, sunblock, ponchos.

Although it only took 2 hours, it isn't a 'breeze', and there's even a 4-6 hour one with a much longer route. You could even walk to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, 21km away HAHA. That is hashtag, #toointense for me. I honestly wouldn't mind going again to check out the Jelutong tower that's a little further off from the tree top walk. With my grandmother's recent hospitalization, it has spurred me to be a lil more active and do things that although little, will go a long way :)

My new semester starts this week but I've been to school the past two weeks, conducting my study on first year students. I'm only about 1/4 of the way there in terms of participants :( Soldier on I will!

Till next time,
XX

12. Holy Grail Products

Hi guys! Today I'll be talking about my holy grail products - needless to say the products I'll always go to and trust to work. These are a mostly skincare and make up :) The pictures are bigger than normal as the smaller size would compromise quality.

Skincare

L-R: The Body Shop Seaweed exfoliator, The Face Shop Black Yeast peel-off mask, TFS mango butter lip care cream, TBS Seaweed Clarifying night treatment and TFS Herb Day make up remover.

Okay I did not plan for this to be a face shop and body shop filled product list but as I am typing this I realize most of my skincare and bodycare products are from them. They're pretty affordable and some of their products work wonders for me. 

The exfoliator ($24.90) helps cleanse my dead skin cells plus all the debris and residue from the outside elements that are trapped in my pores. I absolutely love how a little goes a long way for this product and I can see that it'll definitely last me a while before it empties out. I love feeling my skin all baby-like and supple after using this once a week before I sleep after washing my face and toning. 

I use that together with the night treatment from the same range (every night) ($32.90) and I must say this product surprised me. I have oily skin/combination throughout the day and I decided to try this product to see if the next day it made a difference to the amount of oil produced. Indeed, my face stayed more matte and I found myself reaching less for oil blotting paper. I can't wait to try the day moisturizer and more of the range once my current ones finish (currently using TFS pore minimizer controlling cream as a day moisturizer). This product also does not dry out my skin so props for that. 

The face shop items here are pretty self explanatory. The black yeast peel-off mask ($17.90) is extremely underrated and I do hope they're still selling it! I love how dewy and springy my face looks and feels after this. It does exactly what it says: leaves skin clear. I love this for a less harsh version of an exfoliator. Also, peeling it off gives me great joy (who else loves doing such things?) haha. The consistency is very sticky as you apply it but it takes little to no effort to peel it off once dry. This is done after washing, toning and moisturizing your face (once a week). 

The mango butter lip care cream is basically just a typical lip gloss but for it's price ($4.90) I was thoroughly impressed by its abilities to keep my lips supple, soft and well hydrated. I've used lip glosses from various other brands that surpass the price range of this little miracle and they do not work half as well as this guy. 

The make up remover for sensitive skin ($7.90) is one of the few that works for me. I used to frequent L'oreal or Maybelline's oil based ones but I disliked the oily residue it left on my face. This works so well and does not leave my eyes stinging!!

Yeast peel-off mask - seaweed night treatment - seaweed exfoliator

Make up

Brows are a tricky thing. I used to get my eyebrows done at the Benefit Brow Bar when they were about $28 or $26 but since they've raised their prices to $30-35 I've plucked them myself whenever I saw the hairs growing out of the area the beautician helped to create for me.

These two products also helped in filling them in since my brows can be considered fine/sparse. I start with the Benefit Gimme Brow (which has also increased price from $28 to $35, sigh why!?) to set the hairs in and give them a darker color.

I then fill them in with Etude House's brow pencil (there are various colors all at $5.90) which comes with a spooly at the end. I love it cause it's so affordable and does its job. 

My mom got this Estee Lauder palette from a gift set last year because she wanted everything else but this so I inherited it and found out that their pigmentation is pretty amazing. I've been using this for an everyday look (when I do bother).

08 - Peach Passion as blush (the one on the right was a tad too pigmented for my skin tone)
50 - Sandbar Beige (matte) on the entire lid,
30 - Sugar Cube as a highlight on the brow bone and tear duct so as to give my eyes the pop it needs (this also can be used as a highlighter on the cheek bones pretty well)
18 - Serpia Sand on the crease followed by 65 French Vanilla, a gorgeous shimmery gold on the middle crease.

This was inspired by ilikeweylie on youtube as her tutorials are great for monolids like mine and pretty simple for an everyday look.

Clinique is terribly expensive in Singapore so when my sister went to the states I asked to kindly get me a lipgloss of any sort from their range. She came back with this and I wish she bought more! It's their vitamin C lip smoothie and works on a twisting mechanism to get the product out.

It doesn't have the plastic smell a lot of lip glosses and products have. This is the color guava good and it's amazing as an everyday lip gloss. It goes on super smooth and doesn't have the icky sticky feeling too. I went scouting and found that it costs $31 in Singapore departmental stores and she paid $12.90 USD over there. 

These were mine before knowing about the Vit C lip smoothie. I got them from Singapore Airlines when I was on the way to Tokyo in June and they're travel size, from the range 'full potential lips'. The color payoff is amazing and I love how cute and small they are for handbags, pouches and on-the-go purposes. There are 5 in this pack and that gave me 10 colors to experiment with. Only 5ml on a side but surprisingly they're still lasting! I use these almost everyday too.

Random products

I use this L'oreal Extraordinary Oil Mist ($25.90 if I'm not wrong) before blow drying my hair (you can use it after or even on dry hair too), to protect it from the heat of the blow dryer and also to detangle the messy knots I have.

This claims to give flowing softness and a veil of brilliance to your hair. There are different ones for different types of hair. It does the job and the smell is probably one factor as to why I love this product so much. It also takes forever to finish, and a spritz or two goes a long way. I'm not even halfway through this bottle and I bought it in the first half of the year.

On a recent visit to Tangs, my mom and I came across this brand, 1872 Clipper Tea and we decided to try their candles cause it smelled so good. This was created in collaboration of To Be Calm. Both are home grown brands :)

They're $23 each and sold in a set of 3 (Singapore, London and Paris) at $60. I was back the next day to get the trio. It burns so well (18 hours), doesn't cave in, and way cheaper than Yankee Candle or what have you. Currently they only have a small size, I really hope they bring in bigger ones. All scents are infused with tea thus its calming abilitiy; 10/10. The Singapore Sunrise (my fav) is a soy candle with green tea, mango and passionfruit.

Before Oct ends ya'll should head to Tangs and become a member for free as only in this month do you get 12% rebate ;)

Yup 1 has already finished haha

And that my lovelies, concludes my post on some holy grail products that I would like to share with you this lazy weekend in. If the haze goes well, next week I'm off on an adventure that involves nature....... ;)

x

11. Why I Love Staycations

I had a lovely staycation in the first week of Oct but I've recently changed my phone so not much of pictures was brought over. I still wanted to do this post on why I absolutely adore the idea of staycations, especially for students on a budget or time constraints and can't travel. You can definitely feel like a tourist in your own country!

1. You forget the hustle and bustle of the everyday

Immediately the worries of yesterday and the week before or even months back slips to the back of your mind or even completely out of it whilst you spend the entire day or two with your loved one. It's as if everything that could go wrong, did not. In that few days, the anthem of it would most definitely be:
'It means no worries for the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!'

2. Me-time / couple-time is abundant

For us that also means fueling our hobby

He's there surfing the web on the latest news of the sports world/trying to load an episode of Gotham for the both of you. You're on the sofa reading a book or scrolling through the webs without a care in the world. It's as if time stood still and co-existing together never felt so right.

Go to museums, come back at 3am, explore parts of the city you'd never do on a normal basis and trust me it is SO worth it.

3. You get to imagine how living with your significant other feels like

The cliche brushing of teeth over the same sink, timing each others' showers, looking at how they would behave at home really gives you a glimpse into what life would be together next time. It's a surreal and endearing way to experience a staycation. You'd also notice habits of one another you wouldn't normally when you go to the movies, have dinner etc. Also, maybe some times you find terribly annoying traits of your significant other you'd love to change.........but succumbing to the fact you've got to love them for who they are, perfectly imperfect individuals.

4. Strengthen your relationship 

I did that 36 questions quiz where you could have two individuals do and they'd fall in love with each other right after. I guess we weren't strangers nor on a first date but it was pretty interesting still, to hear each others' answer. It could surprise you how much you still don't know about your significant other and through that, you learn so much. At the same time, you feel so much closer to one another. It could end in laughter, or tears and that definitely brought me closer to my boyfriend just from answering a few questions!

Here is a link to the questions. 

5. See the beautiful and ugly parts of a person

Farts. Digging of noses. Toilet seat up? or down?
There's also the hugs from the back before falling asleep, sharing food and one leaving the last piece for the other. These certainly make up for the 'ugly'. Where else could you be 100% comfortable with each other?? Definitely not in public where farts are concealed, eating etiquette must be met and oh forbid nose crap to be flung at one another.

I've come to cherish and love parts of my boyfriend I never thought I could tolerate in another individual.

6. Takeaway food + hotel bed = bliss

There's just something about bringing back food from a crowded mall and having your own space and time to eat. No annoying people talking too loud for you to hear your own conversation, no service staff inherently in a rush to create space for more customers especially during peak hour, no soggy and distasteful portions because it probably only took you 10 minutes to get back 'home'.... It is indeed true bliss. 

Car rides + free parking (1 day in a hotel could cost $50) equates happy us

Love it when the sun works in our favour

He even took an ootd, something he'd never on a daily basis lol

Of course not to say you can't do these on a normal everyday basis but circumstances are different for everyone. Needless to say, a staycation is a time for both individuals to recuperate, relax and bask in the company of each other. Some budget friendly ones would be: York Hotel (situated in town too), Bay Hotel (near vivo/harbourfront/sentosa) and Hotel Clover (beach road/bugis/cafe galore). These would set you back about 90-100 per person. Rooms range from 26 to 32sqm which is quite decently sized (if you've seen the rooms in Tokyo at 16-18sqm you'd get it).

Just a couple of weeks (2.5-3 to be exact) left of my semester break and there's so many things I've yet to do!

Also, 6.5 months before I'm done with being a university student, WHAT. I can't. even. 

x

10. First Trimester As A Honours Student

Today I'll be blogging a short one about my experience as a honours student, well, just the first 3 months of an experience. I'm not going to bore you with the technicalities, every university is different and thus, these are just my personal feelings & thoughts.

It's been a slow whirlwind (I say slow, and you'll soon realize why) in school the past couple of months. I was overjoyed when I got the email in my last term break, notifying me that I got into the Honours program for my Psychology course (there are certain requirements you have to meet - e.g Distinctions for 5 level 3 subjects and statistics modules) I was HYPED. I couldn't wait to start lectures again, learn new things, plan my thesis topic. . . . .

#STUDYSESH

I couldn't be more wrong about the exciting bit.

It was quite a drag. I only had 2 modules, ethics being compulsory. I had a hard time choosing the second module. It was a case of 1. hmm I like that module but the lecturer is a pain, 2. damn if I went for this module it's supposedly easy to score but sounds iffy as hell and 3. i guess this module is cool cause i've got friends. I ended up taking Time Perception - whuuuut - by myself - whuuuuuuut. It was a cool field of study, something that you wouldn't get to learn elsewhere. Also, no exams. Seeing as ethics was a dry and heavy topic, I didn't want to weigh myself down with two exams. I also managed to make a couple new friends which is a plus point :)

Nonetheless, I didn't know having 2 modules instead of the usual 4 could have that much of a toll on me. With the luxury of so much time on my hands, I could do anything !!! Get an internship, part time job, exercise and actually stick to a proper regime, read a dozen or more books, travel..... alas none of that happened (Except only a week of workout and a fraction of a dozen books were read).
I didn't know what to do with all the time I had. It was so confusing, I was begging for work to be given to me.

GIVE ME MORE ASSIGNMENTS!!! 

Even whilst studying for the ethics exam, I was relaxed; I finished my notes and sat around idling through the likes of youtube and tumblr. It was so unproductive for my brain and although everything was done on time, I still felt so very restless and useless..

I was in such a rut. Having multiple assignments due every other week when I had 4 modules and 4 exams to sit for during the previous 6 semesters before embarking on my Honours journey prepared me for a semester even crazier than that. I was wrong... I know I'd regret complaining of being free when the next two semesters come round, when I'll camp in school collecting data and finish off a 15,000 word thesis. But at that time, it was weird being so free and I felt like this everyday:

I had no direction! Its scary that I'm almost graduating and I have no idea what to do with my life yet. That'll be a topic for another blogpost......... my existential crisis *sad laugh*.

Now with the start of the holidays I'm excited as to what the next month has in store for me! I even got a critique and a thesis to work on but hey, a break's a break for a reason. Got a staycation coming up later this week & will be blogging about that too : )

Stay tuned,
x

09. Why I Dislike Carousell

Hey guys, can't believe it's been more than a month since I last posted, 2015 is passing way too quickly! Now I'm on my semester break so I'll be filling this space up more - already have a few posts drafted and a long list of places to visit over this break :)

You may have noticed.... there a change in the url - piccolo basically means small/little in italian and ann is my middle name. Felt that his url represented me more personally! Also, standing at 1.55 I am pretty small..... Piccolo also happens to be this creature in dragonball Z and a flute.

Disclaimer: the contents of this post are based purely on my personal thoughts and feelings. Do use your discretion before making any decisions based on the information in this post. 

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In reference to my most recent Instagram post (@gwyn1612) whose caption read, 'UGH I'm so done with Carousell and the buyers/sellers there who seem to have the pride of Thor and audacity of Loki to stir shit up once behind the barricade of the world wide Web. I'd much rather pay thrice to get my item from the physical stores. If you really need to sell/buy at a fraction of the cost, go to Shopee they've got discount codes and a system whole lot better to protect your interests.'

I'm not being paid by Shopee (wish I was haha) to say any of the following in this blogpost, I just genuinely feel this way about Carousell. 

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The obvious reasons are the people on Carousell - those who try to negotiate well beyond logical sense, who enquire 101 questions and end up not purchasing the item, who claim it to be 'brand new' 'defect free' and when you receive it it's the opposite, who provide incorrect measurements, who want you to meet at the other end of Singapore - people who don't read descriptions...... the list goes on.

My concern is with what the app is doing to make the online shopping experience a better one.

If you read my previous posts, I was scammed and taken as a fool while waiting patiently for her account to be suspended (how many more did she scam in that time frame?), I later found out that she created ANOTHER account to do her deeds. Isn't there a way Carousell can track accounts based on I.P addresses and stop one person from making multiple accounts? I ain't a tech prowess, but there has to be a way? 

While we're on the same topic of said scammer creating multiple accounts, why are the people on Carousell so filled with the notion that they're invincible and can get away with doing such things over and over AND OVER again with no repercussions? PRECISELY cause there aren't any consequences. 2 weeks to get an account suspended, that's probably all you get - a suspension. Nothing's stopping them from creating a new page to do the same ol' thing!!11!! And customers are left to believe that Karma will do the job and get back at these assholes one day. 

I took the liberty to read some of Carousell's community rules (last updated 2nd October 2015) - several of which is particularly noteworthy. 'Be a responsible seller and buyer' Treat others as you would like to be treated. Blablabla 'Scammers will not be tolerated and we'll be taking action against them, including assisting in the reporting of fraudsters to the police' - really tho, the police? 

'Do not be rude' If we receive valid complains about your conduct, we will send a warning and will not hesitate to suspend your account.

'We do not have a seller refund policy' 'Please reach out to us and we will take action ASAP. This may include removing listings or even banning users' 

'You might find yourself wanting to post a screenshot of the offending account on your profile to blacklist them, however, that might not be the best way to solve this problem.' Apparently, singling out users is harassment and violates their guidelines. I'm supposed to entrust them onto Carousell's team to flag and remove them 'ASAP'. If I waited for them to do that, about 4 other people who contacted me based on my post and listing on Carousell warning others about her scamming, WOULD HAVE FALLEN VICTIM. 

And the pattern here is: do something bad, you'll be suspended/warned/banned.... For superheroes hiding behind the facade and barrier of the world wide web that isn't enough to scare them away from creating multiple accounts. We live in a society where we assume everyone would be responsible for their actions and we're all naturally ethical individuals who would not dare to pursue misconduct. That's not true. 

Do I have a solution? No. At the very least, if you can't stop people from being unethical, ACT FASTER. Don't wait for 10 people to be scammed before you suspend said account, don't wait for someone to inform you 3-4 times about an account before looking into the matter..... 

Do I have an alternative? Yes! Seeing as I buy alot, I do need a platform to sell my things... and maybe purchase a lego or two to fuel my boyfriend and I's hobby. Shopee SG is a relatively new app that does the same thing as Carousell (sell and buy in a matter of half a minute) but is so very different. I've only recently started using it a few days ago and I'm LOVIN it! Of course it's going to take a while before I find out if it's truly safer than Carousell... but of all the deals I've made so far, of which all are successful, there's this thing called the 'Shopee Guarantee' which is when Shopee holds the payment till you confirm you have received the order, only then will payment be released to the seller.

You can even disable 'buyer-seller self arrange' and strictly deal via post or chat them up personally if they'd prefer to meet up only once payment has been in through the app's system. 

I absolutely love these little improvements and ideas that make me feel safer and that my interests are looked after. Plus they have codes almost all the time to give you discounts ($10 off minimum spend $20, $7 off minimum spend $10), what's not to love?

As they say... one man's meat is another man's poison. You could hate Shopee and love Carousell and vice versa OR completely are thrown off the realm of online shopping ever again due to bad experiences. I've learnt the hard way that if I want to buy/sell online (particularly clothes) there'll be risks and implications that apps are not able to control. I've also learnt that if you want to be penny wise pound foolish and save a couple of dollars here and there, you'd pay the price (ha ha get the pun). I'd much rather go to the physical store and make my purchase rather than have faith in humanity over the interwebs, it's gotten to that point :/ E.g Who likes to be told ptp is 16 inches and fits uk8 but when you receive it, it looks like it could fit a tween (uk4-6) instead?! However, legit websites like asos, pomelo etc do a good job and those websites would probably be the only places I get my clothings online from now on.

xx

New post up tomorrow! 

08. I'd Queue 30 Mins For These

I had wanted to blog for a while now but didn’t have much worthy of a proper post. This contains some snippets of my personal life and #foodporn that deserve a bit of a mention. I’ve recently started my last year in university as a Honours student.. for now, all seems well but a daunting journey it’ll certainly be. 

I’ve a lot more time to myself but I ain’t doing anything about it since term started a couple of weeks ago. I’ve come to learn how incredibly hard habits are to break. I want to bake, to exercise (SIGH), to travel and possibly take up a part time job. Alas I’m still stuck in my routine of an everyday. 

In the very least, I've started reading again. Current read: F Scott Fitzgerald’s This Side of Paradise and it’s an incredible read. I bought a set of all his novels and reading after such a long time makes me so happy. Something about a physical book with a good story that really relaxes me. Here’s my favourite quote thus far (I’m about halfway in, it was not easy to pinpoint ONE):

‘I’m a slave to my emotions, to my likes, to my hatred of boredom, to most of my desires—’

‘You are not! You’re a slave, a bound helpless slave to one thing in the world, your imagination.’

Not the usual cliche quotes that you find on tumblr for this book but this snippet spoke to me.

Anywho, here comes the food: 

AMK S11 Hawker Centre: Rasa Saying
BLK 711 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8 (walkable from AMK Hub) ~$7 and up

This place has been a frequent haunt for my boyfriend for many years but only recently introduced to me in the past 1.5 years we've been together. Once evening falls, this place is hustling and bustling with activity. The queue that extends from this stall cannot be missed. We once waited 30 minutes for our dishes (in a hawker centre, that is considered long), not including time taken to find a table. I personally love their pork chop, and chicken chop. Add 50c for cheese fries and it'll put those from cafes to ultimate shame. Don't expect much for ambience but thumbs up for taste. 4/5 

Stateland Cafe
30 Bali Lane, S) 189866, Walkable from Bugis MRT
Located next to Choo Choo Chicken
$9 and up for dessert

Was terribly missing shibuya toast from Shibuya itself and decided to give Stateland Cafe's concoction since I was in the vicinity. It's a mere 5 minute walk from Bugis MRT and pretty convenient to find as well. This was $12.90 if I remember correctly and was a perfect combination of sweet and sour. They've a bunch of other renditions for shibuya toast but I went for the least sweet option. The yoghurt ice cream was the winning factor. I had never tasted anything like it! Consistency of ice cream but tasted like yoghurt. I wish the scoop was bigger. For the toast, it was alright but nothing to rave about.. I would go back (just because, yoghurt ice cream), only if I was in the vicinity. 3.5/5 

Food for Thought
Botanic Gardens - Tanglin Gate
There's a wide selection of buses that bring you here. (of the top of my mind: 7,77,75)
~$27-30 for 2 pax

We tried the classic cheese burger with beef patty and topped up $3.50 for a soft drink and fries. It wasn't life changing but it wasn't terrible. Their most popular burger is the pulled pork one but since we already ordered pulled pork pasta, we decided to change things up a little. The fries weren't oily, which is a plus point. The pulled pork cocciolette with pulled pork was AMAZING. I can't put it in words!! It had a hint of spiciness, the bacon and pulled pork went so well together.... EVERYONE GO TRY THIS. Their prices are all inclusive of GST and service charge. If you're too full, you could have a romantic or fun walk around the gardens thereafter ;) They have another outlet at National Museum too! 3.5/5

Oma Spoon
Somerset 313
$5.80 for a petit bingsu, $13.80 and up for the bigger ones.

OK this needs no introduction. A couple of friends and the boyfriend decided to try this one weekday night and it was packed to the brim at 930pm!!! We huddled around a tiny table that was meant for 2, but no complaints. This was worth it! This is the banana chocolate version of their bingsu. They have premium ones (with brownie, cheesecake..) and petit ones for smaller eaters. This is supposedly for 2pax but the 5 of us were satisfied. It's hard to describe it but our friend put it quite appropriately, 'Korean ice kachang' HAHA. 5/5!!! I had no qualms. ;) 

Here's an abrupt end to a random post. I hope to be back with more, seeing as I've definitely got more time on my hands now. :) 

Till next time. Thanks for reading.

@gak.kc on Instagram for more timely updates. 

05. Tokyo Left Me Speechless: Shopping and Thoughts

Here comes part 2 of my series of posts on Tokyo :) 

Disclaimer: This post is solely based on my own experiences and encounters.

Shopping

Tokyo isn't like Bangkok or Vietnam, or even Taiwan; what with renown night markets brimming with clothes at prices not many can resist. Tokyo is expensive, especially for those on a budget. Department stores like Isetan and Takashimaya carry mainly local brands, and they're priced high on the spectrum. 

Underground malls connected to major train stations such as Shinjuku and Shibuya are the best bet for affordable clothing. I've noticed certain brands that are selling in Isetan Shaw as well, but for three to four times the price (Green Earth, Lowrys Farm which has recently closed down in Singapore, and EMODA). Clean, crisp and minimalist are words I would use to describe when shopping for clothes in Tokyo. Comfort is definitely key, and for the prices I paid (approx 15SGD and up) I had no complaints whatsoever. 

Being in another Asian country, sizing is not much of an issue especially if you're petite. Jeans, skirts and dresses would not fall too long and as someone who stands at 155cm, it was a breeze to shop for clothes in Tokyo. Sizes are mostly free, or come in the range of M or L. If you come around June (nearer the end) till August, the sales get bigger and better as the months go by. 

Apart from clothes, Japan is THE place for all sorts of knick knacks. Polaroid films that can set you back 15SGD and up cost less than 10SGD over there (yes, even for the patterned films). Stickers, stationary, toys (Gundam, Tamiya, Lego, Pokemon, Tomica; the list can go on for days...) and all things Sanrio or Disney is significantly cheaper in Tokyo. Departmental stores often commit one level just for these; I spent the most at these sections. If you're a sucker for these paraphernalia just like me..your wallet will be weeping by the end of your trip.

Tip 1: Always bring your passport when shopping, tax refund is done on the spot at a counter and they need your passport to input the relevant details. The tax at Tokyo is at 8% so that is a significant amount you get back (the more you spend, the more you gain), in cash. 

Tip 2: BIC Camera East Store (Shinjuku) is THE place to go for discounted prices of Lego, Tomica, Tamiya and Gundam items amongst other toys. They sell these items 30% off retail price, so do visit them before other departmental stores to avoid paying higher for one item and regretting it when you see it at BIC. 

Tip 3: Shops close early (8-9pm)!! Restaurants and eateries close later (10-11pm) so plan your day accordingly!

Designer goods such as Coach, Agnes B and LeSportsac are cheaper than Singapore. I bought a bagpack from Coach that would have cost me SGD995 but was SGD740 in Isetan. Singapore also carried only one color and Tokyo, three. I also noticed a ton of items that Singapore did not carry despite having many Coach stores lining Orchard Road (e.g certain shoe models and accessories). LeSportsac carries many Japan Exclusive items and these are marked with a tag. They are for sale only in Japan's Departmental Stores so this is the time to grab and show off to your family and friends your exclusive item. Take for example the amazing Frozen collection, as well as Cinderella.... 

*Other brands such as Chanel and Ferragamo are significantly cheaper as well. 

How a typical train ticket looks like. 

Tickets for the Airport Limousine service that we bought upon landing in Haneda Airport. Approx SGD13 per pax

This allows tourists to get tax refunds, and yes as with all things Japanese - it is too cute. Tokyu Hands has such a card too! Other departmental stores rely on the physical copy of your passport to determine eligibility for tax refund.

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Getting Around

For a first timer in Tokyo, unless you're with a tour group that provides transport, going 'free and easy' isn't going to be always easy. The Tokyo train map looks like a intricate and mind boggling spider web. 

Train stations can have up to 10 exits and 16 platforms (or more!?), and it is not an easy place to manoeuvre for a foreigner. For starters, Shinjuku is connected to 4 other coloured train lines... Thank god for maps every 20 metres and information counters with the most polite staff in the history of any service line. Even then, one can get lost. I guess that's all in the joy and adventure of travelling, getting lost and the satisfaction when you finally get to your desired destination.

The amount of walking one does in Tokyo is unreal. I could feel my skinny jeans getting less 'skinny' as the days passed, or it could all just be in my head. Nonetheless, I was in awe at how easily it was for them to go around like it was second nature... So, when in Tokyo, take the train. It is a whole new experience altogether and unlike taking the train in any other country. I promise you that. 

Tip 1: Buy a card that can be topped up every now and then. I did not and I realize I could have saved a lot more by doing so. Train tickets bought individually can go up to SGD5 and the cheapest at SGD1.80. Here's a link on how-to get top up cards for your time in Tokyo. 

Tip 2: Avoid taking the taxi unless ABSOLUTELY necessarily. For a mere 15 minute walk, it can cost up to SGD10-12 for that ride alone.

Tip 3: Umbrella. Poncho. Hoodie. The rainy season is during June for Tokyo, and to avoid getting drenched, always be prepared. You'd think this is common sense but it can often be something we all overlook. *7/11 also sells Gossip Girl-esque transparent brollies for a mere SGD5. 

Hachiko Exit of Shibuya Station.  

The infamous Shibuya Crossing

Takashimaya Shinjuku 3F:
Cova used to be at Paragon. Serving quality coffee and tea sets this is THE place for mid-day shopping recharge over a cuppa and cake.

The aftermath ;)

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With this trip, I would have been to five parts of Japan (Kyoto, Osaka, Kyushu, Yokohama & Tokyo) and safe to say not one has disappointed me. Tokyo is a fine example of what I hope Singapore will be one day; a busy yet seemingly organised community. How they need no train personnel to form a synchronised queue at the platform or how scarily accurate they are in terms of timing train arrivals to the minute details of gift wrapping each item with pride. I guess its in the joy of serving others' I see it in the way they speak, portray themselves and with acts that speak louder than anything else.

I will never forget the impeccable service provided at every shop I stepped into. Whether it was a branded boutique or merely 7/11 on the street. The seamless routine the people of Tokyo possess, the ever so delicious food and a culture so vibrant... Needless to say, Japan will will always have a special place in my heart. :) 

Final Tip: Go with an open mind. Soak in everything Tokyo has to offer. They say the word is a book and those who do not travel only read a page. I've realised how small I am in the bigger scheme of things each time I travel; and its a wonderful wanderlust feeling to wake up in foreign place and breathe in a different air.

I hope this post resonates well with you, thank you for reading! 

X