Tis the season to shop!

Once upon a time, I was a cynic when it comes to online shopping. Now, I am a convert.

Am pleasantly surprised at the dollars you can save, the ease of transaction and not having to jostle with the maddening crowds in Orchard Road- erh, recession? What recession?

Here are a few cute places. (p.s: new category: shopping!)

www.endless.com

FREE overnight shipping within U.S! This is the place I shop for ninewest shoes. Prices are chopped to half the price (even with vpost shipping). Best to check out the designs first and your sizes at the local stores.

www.jestelkg.com

Birkie fans will have me to thank! Typically you need to choke up orders with friends to secure free international shipping to here, but nope! Even if you are buying just that one pair, they ship to your house here absolutely free of charge. The downside, it takes about one month, but worth the wait.

www.katespade.com

Am not a huge fan, but besides being relatively cheaper in the states, they offer time to time, good bargains! Currently I think they are having 30% off everything. Nice.

I admit being the techno geek that I am, I was freaked out by the concept of vpost- shipping from US addresses to Singapore. But it really is quite simple. Just email your invoice over to them and all is being taken charge of.

Easy Peasy!

Run for a Cause

So everyone's running for a cause these days.

First, it was for Terry Fox. Next up, the very important event on the Uniquely Singaporean calendar called the Singapore Marathon, and then you have truckloads of smelly army fellas sweating it out at the Army Half Marathon, then near-menopausal women at the Anlene Orchard Mile. Not to mention Great Eastern Women 10k, Shape Run, Adidas Sundown, Nike Human Race and the list goes on….

But seriously nothing as bizarre as this, a run dedicated to…Ah Meng.

http://sweetestgift.typepad.com/sweetestgift/2008/12/first-safari-zoo-run-2009-in-memory-of-ah-meng.html

Is this a desperate stunt at publicity? And honestly, at the risk of sounding heartless, isn't there something out there where people can fare so much better? Such as taking part in Acres to aid in the conservation of wild animals, or SPCA, to help abused pets, much more meaningful causes?

First the media circus surrounding the 'funeral' of Ah Meng, then this? Hey spare the dead animal and let her R.I.P.

So what next? Maybe:

• Run in memory of (insert animal).
  
• Run in petition against retrenchments/pay cuts/pay freezes/ERP charges


• Run to reduce incidences of teen sex and teen VD (as they will be running, not having sex, get the point?)


• Run to raise money for shopping during festive seasons


• Run to raise funds to save financial institutions from collapsing

Up for it?

Looking Back

Tis' the season to be jolly and…reflective.

Remember this post 'Retrospective' , where I listed down the 'to-dos' for the year of 2008.

Let's take a look back.

1. I am going to stay fit, by going back into working out.
   

My weak wrist did stop me from returning to yoga, but hey I did at least discover the joy to running, something I totally detested in the past and participated in the Stan Chart Run, even if it was just for 10km and to discover the gratification to running around my estate at night, when the sun is down.

1. I am cutting back on caffeine. Moderation is the word.
   

I think I am doing ok. One cuppa a day keeps the blues away.

1. I am taking things easy and relaking more. Life's too short.
   

Ok too, I have learnt not to take things too seriously or personally.

1. I will be Happy.
   

I am happy to land in a company, thou it may not be perfect, that gives me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone. As for other areas, I am learning.

So for 2009, here is my list.

1. Thou' shall travel to Prague, Amsterdam, Italy, Japan and Cambodia.
   
2. Thou' shall travel alone for at least one trip.
   
3. Thou' shall refresh my Italian.
   
4. Thou' shall continue to build up my stamina and if my wrist allows, go back to yoga.
   
5. Thou' shall Go outlet-shopping (as frivolous as it sounds I know).
   
6. Thou' shall reduce clutter in my life.
   

And thou' wishes all merry holidays!

 

Oven not ready. Yet.

Hello, I am bad-tempered and lazy. I never make my bed just cos' I don't see the reason to, dislike showering in the morning as I would rather sleep in, enjoy throwing diva fits, does zero housework and love spending money. The bf said 'Motherhood will change you'. It will make me more responsible, less prissy.

Oh did I mention my biological clock is not ticking just yet? I am at the stage where people ask me when I am getting hitched and pregnant, blah blah, if not, you will be too old to give birth etc etc. How can pregnancy and having babies be enticing if I see my colleague having to pump milk in the office every 5 hrs and has to miss out on outings or overseas work assignments? Or another colleague whose face swelled and her nose became twice the normal size? Or hearing kids compare about where their parents take them for holidays or even which flight class they take?

The thing is, I am selfish. Till my oven is ready, I want to remain pretty, slim and be ready to head out to town as and when I feel like it. And I am not afraid to admit it. Well, at least I won't be an irresponsible parent by having kids unprepared and unready.

Not to say I will never have kids. If I know my kid/s will grow up in a good, nurturing environment (read: not Singapore), then I would go through the trouble of getting knocked up. But for now, I just want my sleep marathons without waking up at godforsaken hours.

I turned 29!!!

I actually don't see all that rambling about going on 29, blah blah blah,'I am getting so old, life's over' that sorta shit, because strangely the more mature I get (rather than 'older'), I find myself wanting to experience new things, going new places, making more friends etc, which strangely didn't quite come through when I was younger. Know what I mean? I am 29 going on 25!

So anyway, I had a blast this birthday. We went to Koh Samui for a getaway, MUCH needed since get this, I haven't gotten a day's leave since starting work in May! Anyway Samui was awesome, with a capital A. No Singaporeans, no pesky kids. What we have are- cheap beers and cigs, excellent food, great pool/sea views from our villa, warm (and some giggly) locals.

Many other highlights ie.

- Launching a huge lantern into the sky

- Getting a rub-down in the hills

- Baby licking c*** -one of the phallic stones you find at the beach. Classic shot.

- Resort folks surprising me with a cake that was a blast from the past on my birthday

- Our beach/pool view villa

Yeah we are coming back.

Why Do Men Fall Asleep After Sex?

If you are looking forward to an exciting blog post regarding this topic, well you are in for something…At least that's the title of the book I just finished reading.

The book contains answers to many questions that you are too embarrassed to ask and questions you have been curious about all your life and just waiting for someone to provide you with plausible answers. Well, for mummies-to-be, good book to pick up in case the kiddos ask you random questions they pick from the sky.

Some intriguing questions asked:

• Why do we have pubic hair?
• Why do older people fart more?
• Will a watermelon bush grow inside you if you swallow a watermelon seed?
• Can u breastfeed with fake boobs?
• Why does my butt itch so much?
• Why do we get a shiver when we pee sometimes?

It's not purely scientific; it's injected with a sense of humour too, making it a very enjoyable read, on top of making yourself more knowledgeable. At least now I know why my butt itches.

Money No Enough

With all that talk about rising costs and inflation blah blah blah, what's a girl to do if she wants to satiate her shopping desires?

Well, I got some really good tips, but perhaps nothing some of you don't know already…

1. Shop during sale
   

This is a no-brainer. Don't get me mistaken. I am not talking about cheesy Mango sales, where you pretty fight it out with other chicks, believe me, they should make shopping a competitive sport. I am referring to clear-out and overstock sales that are always held in hotel function rooms. They are amaaaazing and make me so fulfilled at the end of it. I went to one held by Inhabit, this store that sells cult label jeans that cost as much as an arm and a leg and boy, was I blown away. Everything was AT LEAST 50% and above and to top it off, there was an additional 10% off on the last day (which I went). C'mon, there were jeans at 95% off! I happily walked away with a pair of 7 for all Mankind jeans, demin skirt and Rock and Republic top for about 250 bucks! And there were sizes and major labels like True Religion, Sass and Bide, Alexander Wang etc. I am excited all over again! Wey!

1. Sell…and Buy
   

Get rid of old clothes to make space …and money. The Tanglin Mall flea market is a great way to get rid of ratty tank tops, old Mango/Zara past seasons (Mango- perennial fave for buyers), bags, shoes etc. You can break even in profit most of the time, unless you are selling hideous outfits. Expect a couple of hundreds in turnover even. And buy new clothes.

1. Buy online
   

We know that US dollar is falling fast and we know online shopping pays back more than ever. But do you know that certain things are also cheaper in Euros? Like Birkenstocks. They sell over a hundred bucks here, but typically it sells for 'bout 30 euros-40 euros (just x2 for SGD) in Europe. Just google Birkenstocks and shopping sites pop up. Gather a few friends and shipping costs can be waived, and you save as much as $50!

Happy shopping!!!

 

Cranky Bones

Now is there anyone out there who hasn't experienced back aches, shoulder aches, wrist aches, knee aches or any imaginable aches you can think of while at work?

Recently I have got down to thinking if a desk-bound job is really suited for me. I had a really mean, shoulder ache on the right that extended to my elbow and wrist, well essentially my whole right arm that comes and goes, especially worse since I use the mouse on my right wrist and tend to put more weight on my right side. And when I am stressed or immensely focused, my shoulders tend to cramp up unconsciously, resulting in a certain tight feeling which you realise only much later.

Even acupuncture and 'cracking' of joints haven't helped me much. Bore.

Apparently seven out of ten Singaporean executives have experienced some sort of muscle pain while being at work, and I am merely part of the statistic. Poor workstation design also attributes to part of the reason. Check this out http://www.spring.gov.sg/newsarchive/epublications/et/2006_01/index7.html

Some companies are adhering to some form of office ergonomics standards (Singapore is all about standards), like ergo-chairs, ergo-tables, ergo-keyboards, which I think is quite encouraging. Now when will my company start doing that? Guess for now, I just have to count on my own ergo-yoga.

The Last Laugh

Heath Ledger totally rocks the new Batman movie.

I confess. I have never been a huge fan of superhero-type movies made with exorbitant budgets, much less Batman. But Heath Ledger stole the show, and was the movie's saving grace. This is arguably his best movie YET. Not even his performance in Brokeback Mountain can rival that. Apparently he isolated himself in a hotel room for a month to perfect his role, learning to move, think and behave like the freak he was playing. His commitment to the role is to be admired, but sadly it might have taken away part of his sanity and ability to sleep, resulting in him OD-ed on medication of all sorts.

Still, the movie excels. The plot reads more like a human drama, rather than a cliché hero-saves-the-day kinda plot. We are faced with Batman's shortcomings and flaws (after all he is just a human being with a cape), and the ending may not be all that happy ever after all. And one of Tinseltown's most intriguing villains is born. Too bad he passed on too soon. R.I.P.

Soul-less Shopping

I HATE shopping in Singapore.

Which is sad cos' I like to shop. But there is absolutely nothing appealing about 'Singapore's favourite activity' here to me, even when millions and billions of taxpayers' money gets pumped into building chilly air-conditioned shopping malls, where Singaporeans convene with their colder personalities.

You have the standard brand names, Mango, Zara, M'phosis, Topshop, Body Shop everywhere in almost every other mall. Don't be mistaken, I have bought things there but don't we all live in some sort of fear that we will bump into someone wearing the same outfit? People buy cos' everyone else is buying that same thing. That herd mentality that the government has inculcated in everyone- 'oh, she has it, so it must be nice/good/worth it.'

Which is why I have given up on shopping here. The government keeps going on and on like a broken record that it aims to have Singapore turn into a shoppers' paradise. But where is the paradise? You see the same layout everywhere, same shops and same look. Cookie cutter like us Singaporeans. It's sooo boring.

And people are such ugly shoppers. I mean literally. I can never for the life of me, understand why Singaporeans queue just to get into a branded boutique. The weekend before, I see queues outside almost every branded boutique, even when I doubt a sale is going on. I mean, if I am going to spend a fortune, why would I QUEUE to get in the store? When actually a huge part of what I am paying actually goes to the shopping experience! Why do reputed brands here want to turn themselves into a sale-period Mango? It doesn't help in the image when all these suckers queuing are wearing t-shirts with flip flops (!) waiting to enter Gucci. Where is the QC? Effing disgrace!

With this note, I am contributing to economies overseas.

Foreplay is Over

My fave four is back!

I don't care if it's all part of popular culture, but I love everything about the show. I mean, I have watched all 6 seasons like 3 times, and it just keeps me coming back for more. I like the fact, the show doesn't try to disguise us women as victims, but rather we are truthful and upfront about what we want, be it extravagant shoes, expensive labels and rich boyfriends. I think what really makes the show so popular is that it is so frank to the point that it makes you think. When Carrie keeps going back to Big, yah you think she's a sucker but aren't we all suckers at some point when you meet The One?

Back to the movie, it's a chick flick, everyone else appears, but I can't help but feel something is missing. True, you can't compare it to the series, cos' it's 2 hours cramped up together, but it's so glossified that you hardly recognise some of the characters anymore. The huge part of the fun was seeing all four of them, but with the focus very much on SJP, the essence was just somehow lost. Samantha lost her vibe, Miranda gets a new haircut, new wardrobe, the person she never quite was, well at least Charlotte stayed consistent.

Don't be mistaken, it's still quite fabulous, if not for the outfits.

Now it's back to re-runs.

Siena Bella

I felt like a proud mama yesterday!

ST Life ran a cover story on Tuscany, with Siena as the focus. I actually gasped when I saw the cover photo with Palazzo Repubblica. The thing is, yeah everyone knows where Tuscany is but not all would know about Siena. The typical tourist would head straight for Florence and Pisa, full stop. I especially cannot understand why people would spend a huge amount of time getting to a place only because it just seems like the right thing to do. Like visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa for instance. No offence, but seriously, Pisa is nothing much to shout about apart from the Piazza. Plus you really waste at least half a day, simply taking touristy photos like everyone else. Don't be mistaken, I have been there. But only the second time round, when I was actually living in Italy, and not there for a quickie one week holiday, trying to cramp every state in. What I am trying to say is, be adventurous, explore the beaten track, head to little enclaves, speak to the locals, try the food. The beauty of Italy lies not in the cities, but the quaint, little towns. And no prizes for guessing, Siena is one of them. The thing that sucks is, to really appreciate a country, you have to live there. And not being there as a tourist, doing oh-so-boring tourist things. I remember I went a trip to Trentino Alto Adige and me and my Japanese friend were the only Asian people there. Now how cool is that.

I was happy to see that article but oh so afraid for Siena to turn into one of those Romes or Venices. It still felt like home and somehow a selfish part of me doesn't want too many people to know about it. Maybe that has got to do with the prospect of seeing truckloads of Singaporeans setting foot there. Not exactly appealing.

Working Girl

I couldn't resist writing this post.

Me, the quintessential bummer, is now part of our workforce, working towards productivity and progress of our ever-growing economy. It's so weird, waking up at ungodly hours – I wake up at 6.45am these days, hell it's not even seven!; taking the MRT, jostling for space with salarymen and working girls. What's even more interesting was this conversation I had with a friend recently. She was lamenting about her work, or rather, the lack of. What was even more bewildering was that somehow everyone around were all really busy, only because everyone made it known. Fact is, everyone was just busy acting busy. In Singapore, it is almost a crime when you tell people that 'Oh, work's fine!', 'Yeah, everything is going really well!' and when you knock off on time, simply because yes, you are efficient. Why? Why do people (esp Singaporeans) always want to portray negativities when it comes to work? Is it true when people say 'I am very busy leh!' and stay in the office till wee hours even? (I remember one boss of mine who camped in the office with a toothbrush), when sometimes really things can wait. Or time is just simply wasted in long, meaningless meetings that drag for eons? Maybe that's the reason why people all look miserable in trains. They look like they would rather jump off cliffs in fact.

I am glad I am in a place that places a lot of emphasis on work-life quality. The corporation encourages everyone to engage in sporting activity from 4.30pm onwards. Of course, whether or not people actually participate is beside the point, but it's important when it starts from the top. Negative qi simply does not encourage productivity, Singapore.

Drink to Health

Remember that foul tasting 'ji jing' that is essence of chicken? That thing our mums forced down our throats?

Well, it's funny how I ended up working for them, but that's beside the point. The thing I discovered recently is that it actually works to a great extent. People who have worked with me would know that I am practically dead in the morning, even with power caffeine. But this stuff had me. I am not launching into PR fluff but if even the least impressed and cynical person like me thinks that it actually means something, but perhaps it is worth a try. I have it every morning, but beware though. It is quite heaty so down lots of water, or you will end up constipated like myself. Ok, too much information.

I guess I am at the age where I will pretty give anything a try if it does something for my health. So why not?

Boo Bunions

Made a trip to the podiatrist yesterday.

Its my second time, the first being an ingrown toe nail, completely gross.

I am now experiencing the bane of vanity, bunions. If you do a search, the images are pretty grotesque, though thankfully mine is still pretty contained. Here’s what I found – ‘More than half the women in America have bunions, a common deformity often blamed on wearing tight, narrow shoes, and high heels. Bunions may occur in families, but many are from wearing tight shoes. Nine out of ten bunions happen to women. Nine out of ten women wear shoes that are too small.’

Why do women subject themselves to pain and discomfort in the name of beauty? Needless to say, I am one of them. The thing is you are seeking pretty shoes, would you exactly go for wide, big-foot style shoes? Or perhaps companies should implement a policy where sneakers or Birkies are acceptable, when you don't have to face clients?

Anyway, my podiatrist has advised an x-ray and diagnosed me with really w--i--d--e feet and an inward pointing walking style, so I should really cut down on heels and narrow fitting shoes…now is there anyone who can tell where the hell to find pretty, wide, roomy heels?