Sounds good!

Vial knows she will never be rich, but says that she valued family, the ability to travel, and simple economic security above all else. "I just chose a simpler lifestyle, one where I could ride my bike all over and where I don't have to make a great living to survive," she says.

This is crazy!

I know this never fails to make me laugh

Yesterday walking home I found myself giggling for the nth time at people berating their dogs in Shanghainese.

Scenes from different birthdays...

Bandeja Paisa done by Chef Fernandez

Totally Embarrassed! #632

At Watsons getting some personal care items when I came across roller Deodorants other than Nivea. Somehow thinking the Carlos was near me I exclaimed quite loudly...

"Finally! They have deodorant here!"

I think I was a little tooo excited. Carlos looked away and pretended he didn't know me -_-

Milo tasting like Spring Onion

I put biscuits into my milo just the same way Grandma did, without checking if they were plain biscuits.

My milo has grassy taste of Spring onion now. Sigh.

Interesting idea about being a spontaneous wordsmith and sortof making poetry hip by calling themselves by a very schnazzy name "Peotry Proleteriat" (what a mouthful, and difficult to spell!)

Quite sad as well though, that words are sold so easily:

Lucky Frost, Neruda all dead liao, if not they sure stab themselves in the back that these people can produce poetry like a factory.

Olympics competition, Wii compete too!

We have been having our own mini-Olympics at home too!

Carlos and I are competing on our agility, balance and weight loss using WiiFit. It's no where close to the real thing but it's been HELL-LOT-OF-FUN trying to outdo each others timing on the ski slope and feeding fish frenzy; all challenging our balance.

Just today, I managed to break two of his balance records and my agility back to, well, "normal" age *hangs head in shame*, instead of 40 years old!!! Imagine that!!! Wakakaka....next stop, I'm gonna break his record in goal keeping! Conquer!

If tthis doesn't give you itchy feet, stay still then.

A gnome travels all over the world after getting itchy feet.

2 cups of aloe vera yoghurt + cheap China blender + one big mango = very satisfying cafe style mango smoothie : )

Getting caught up in other festivities

Having the olympic hype building up intensively for the past year, finally culminated in a gathering of friends and dad at home viewing the opening ceremony yesterday. There was so much wows over the spectacular ceremony that it almost made me forget that today was my own country's National Day.

I don't feel any less Singaporean, if anything, I constantly defend her when people ask me if I dislike Singapore because xxx also said that...Singapore and 'poreans are:

- boring
- not open minded
- small AND boring, nowhere to go, nothing to do
- follow a routine or planned life
- unadventurous, not wanting to go
- always complaining
- low in humour

Same same everywhere la. Some are like that, not all. I think if you're in you are in your home country, it is inevitable that you get stuck in some routine, trying to plan for the forseeable future, which probably includes thinking about how your next paycheck is paying for family bills, apartment etc. But I also like to think that most people do want to make something better out of their lives. What is better, is relative, of course. Better car, better spanish course, better bike race timing, better LV bag. If they are relatively happy, who are we to say their clockwork life is less fufilling than a artist's angsty struggle?

Although, I have to admit, compared to my peers I'm saving more because China is much cheaper to live in. Making it much easier for me to save for Spanish lessons, quitting for gap year, not needing to worry about having my own apartment to stay with my boyfriend because there are still cheap living options.

A visiting friend today confided that she may have to delay her gap year by another four years because half of her pay goes to home bills, transport and food; hardly affording taxis and clothes. Her only indulgence is spanish lessons which she's passionate about. Singapore IS getting TOO UNAFFORDABLE to pursue my dreams. Everyone's just struggling to survive. It's no wonder everyone is pragmatic, rational and well, uncreative. Who wants to take risks when they just want to preserve some spectrum of hope by seeking one tiny interest?

There are pockets of hope.

There is hope in collective collaboration in small efforts. Like my friend's desire to stop child trafficking and raising money through cupcakes; Popagandhi and some others venturing into chaotic India and lack of stoves Nepal; Originasian's, Tan Pin Pin, and Woo Yen Yen/ Colin Goh self-funded short films. In art we have Singapore Tyler Print Institute that hosts numerous print artists and Old School art house. Even websites like Culture Push feature where the free arts exhibits and events are. Many friends are also getting into running half-marathons, trialathons as a way to continue socializing while pursueing their love for outdoors and sports. The cost of a bike is one time off mostly and an investment of maybe SGD500? That's not alot of effort to make to achieve a small dream and possibilities of happiness.

So this begs the question of: Are we willing to come up with the answers and hold on to positive thoughts with regards to the seemingly-only-belong-to-Singapore problems?


Nevertheless though, Happy Birthday Singapore!


P.S. While I don't disagree that high paying ministers are important to avoid corruption, but why oh why do these people lack so much EQ to raise THEIR OWN PAY at a time where everyone else is feeling the price increases? Utterly stupid, no political finesse. They should hire a new PR/ rainmaker.

Hilarious thoughts of Gwen on a working holiday

See what she faces in an ad agency everyday

On Happiness

Happiness could be...

letting go - of control, histories with people, titles;

focusing on positive thoughts, thus begetting positive karma,

the colour yellow,

releasing my mind from the constraints of saving enough to quit,

knowing that hip and quirky are just adjectives so people can feel they are hip and quirky,

cold cold watermelons are best eaten after a sweaty summer dinner,

learning a new language,

found anywhere and not only in certain cool places,

hearing you speak in soft toy voice,

...I'm pretty sure it's all of that.

Cycling milestone on a perfect weekend

Just two years ago I was cycling around my Liyuan road apartment carpark and trying not to fall, in hope that I will be able to explore Beijing on a bike on my impending holiday.

The past weekend literally whizzed past. On Sunday Sonia, Jorge, Carlos and I cycled from our apartments to french concession to view cats up for adoption (O' Malleys) and then brunch. Paul's smoked salmon, light cream cheese on grated potatoes was tangy and comforting at the same time. After that we had to work all that food off by cycling to Shaanxi road to take advantage of all the summer sales. Yes, summer sales are already here. Yaay! We ended off a perfect weekend by having dinner with Camillo where we explored compatibility of couples by reading their traditional chinese elements (where Carlos and I were full of fire!) and concept of happiness.

Best part is, I managed to stay cool on the bike through a surprise rainburst, through a busy street and bright headlights. So proud of myself!

This makes me look forward very much to cycling in Philippines next!

Recent things that I'm inexplicably drawn to

Chicken feet

Crime series like The Closer, Law and Order: SVU, Monk

Wearing skirts

bad thing about getting a laptop at work

...is not having a CPU under the table to rest your legs on.