My Bliss

Time to stop for gas.
The gauge was just below the halfway point.
Oh, it will cost 60 I said.
50 he said.
I confidently raised it to 65.
He raised his guess to 55.
We both waited gleefully for the final outcome.
He went to pay.
I waited.
He got back in the car.
How much?
He said 57.
It stopped at 55 but he tried to push it up to 57.
Why?
So we both win...
57 is the halfway point between 55 and 60.
I didn't hear you say 65, I only heard 60.
Silly, but that brought tears to my eyes.
It was the best trip I've ever been on.

It's Just Another Number

So it's 2009. I welcomed the new year by lazing about on the couch and watching the POTC marathon. Jack Sparrow and Will Turner? Yes, please! I couldn't ask for better dates to usher in 2009.

But seriously... I wasn't all that enthusiastic about it. As I've mentioned before in one of my birthday blogs [some of my regular readers might remember this], [Oh, I suppose I could link it but it's 5:39 and I'm exhausted yet my brain won't shut off - damn you, brain! Why do you only shut off when I need you most... like during exams or when I'm trying to come up with a brilliant lie to get out of something... so I'm too lazy to look up the link.] I consider my birthday to be my very own personal New Year's. So what if that makes some people think I'm vain and have delusions of grandeur? It makes me feel special. So, there you go. Besides, something happened on the eve of 2000 that totally put me off ever celebrating New Year's.

The gist of it was that I had just finished school and decided to go celebrate in the center of town with a friend. Come midnight, the mob was like this moving centipede or something and my friend and I got separated. The networks were screwed up and the mobile phones were all not working. Fast forward... security guard... wandering around... phones finally working after a couple of hours... waiting for friend by a corner... drunk guy propositioning me [he thought I was a pro!!!!! Wait until I tell you about the time I was apparently a potential terrorist.]... finally reaching home at 5 a.m.... solemn vow to never, ever celebrate New Year's ever again.

That's one of the few vows I actually kept [keep?]. Anyway, I'm kicking off 2009 with a little trip and a friend's wedding. Hope you have a great weekend!

Oh, after I get back I will start unveiling the project [though it's still nowhere near completion]. We're still having way too much fun with it. =D

Hello

   I know I've been quiet lately, and you may think it's because...

1. My work, social life, etc. is keeping me soooooooooooo busy that I don't have time to blog, or
2. I'm experiencing writer's block

   Actually,

1. My social life has been the same [pretty much, minus some stuff] as it always is, which suits me fine 
2. I'm not experiencing writer's block. My fingers have been itching to tell all, but paradoxically, I don't want to tell.

   Have you ever experienced that feeling of wanting to pull back from everything and everyone around you because you're just so upset? And you don't feel like sharing it with anyone because the only thing you have to share right then is this really horrible feeling, which you don't wish to infect anyone else with?

   Well, that was pretty much how I've felt for the past couple of weeks. Just a little dark moment before the end of the year to make me look forward to the New Year [which I'll kick off with a little trip away from here... yey!].

   All is well now, and I want to get up and running again. I think I'll start with a huge plate of pasta carbonara and some brownies. Yum!

   I hope anyone who reads this had a great Christmas and has a wonderful New Year's.

I Do! I Do!

I was watching this show on the TV. I happened upon it while I was channel surfing [one needs to also exercise one's fingers], and it caught my attention.
I think it was called 'The Proposal' or something like that. Anyway, it was nearing the end of the show. The man ['The Proposer'] had set up a little 'corral' with a wooden table, etc. for him and his girlfriend to enjoy a glass of champagne. He had written a country song about their relationship and a woman with a guitar sang it.
After the song was over, he told her he had prepared a little game for her to play, called 'Needle In A Haystack'. Except, of course, it was a ring under the haystack, not a needle. So, girl finds ring, guy drops to one knee, proposes, girl tearfully says yes, guy slips on ring, yada yada yada.
Me getting all awwww on the inside and fighting the tears. [I am such a hopeless romantic.]
So, that was her perfect proposal.

My perfect proposal? I used to wonder about that a lot. I played different scenarios in my mind - moonlight picnic, balloons and rose petals, that kind of thing. I just knew I wanted something creative and thoughtful.

My perfect wedding? Thanks to Cinderella and all the other fairytale princesses, I wanted the whole perfect dress-perfect venue-perfect flowers scenario.

But that was then. That was Before Him. Before Him, I thought that I needed all those things to have a perfect wedding and marriage.

Now?

Cinderella can have her prince and carriage. All I need are... the ring, him, my family and the beach.

Hey, in my experience, you can never go wrong with a BBQ by the beach.

For Everything Else...

Styling my hair: 40 minutes [40 minutes worth of electricity and almost half a can of hairspray]

Applying make-up: 40 minutes [cost of lip gloss, eyeshadow, concealer, etc. - more than I want to admit]

Deciding on 'the' outfit: [a very frantic] 20 minutes [20 minutes worth of electiricity and cost of outfit]

Picking the right accessories: 15 minutes [15 minutes worth of electricity and cost of accessories]

Choosing 'the' shoes: 10 minutes [10 minutes worth of electricity and cost of shoes]

Worrying about suitability of outfit to occassion: 130 minutes [130 minutes of electricity, etc.]

Feeling fabulous the whole night: Priceless.

Look on boyfriend's face: Priceless.

For everything else, there's Mastercard. Or Visa. Or cash.

Boo...

   So, Halloween has come and gone. I know, I know... that's old news. But I never got around to blogging about Halloween because I was so busy moping about around that time. [I went through a week of not writing anything, but thanks to scheduling, a post would magically appear even when I hadn't written anything on that day.

   My sisters went out and celebrated and came back with a whole load of sweets [which they refused to give to me, not even one, as I was supposed to be on a diet]. As I was too busy moping about, I declined to join in the Halloween festivities [a fact I regret as the photos have been posted and everyone looked like they had so much fun]. So, I let my sisters borrow my tiaras [yes, that's right... tiaras... because one just isn't enough] and my idea from a previous Halloween costume of mine [a forest nymph].

   Basically, that costume consisted of a green top, green skirt with leaves all over it [which took me simply forever to find], brown heels, a gold tiara with flowers and roses, and gold jewellery with green leaves. To top it all off, I had loads of green and gold eyeshadow and stick-on white stones. I don't think anyone quite got what I was supposed to be, but the important thing was... I got to wear my tiara. *big grin*

   I've also been a clown [back when my mom dressed me], a ghost with blond braids [again, my mother's handiwork], and a ghost again [still my mother]. My favourite is still the forest nymph, though. It even beats out the time I was an angel.

   I was an Asian angel. *laugh* I kind of ran out of time to find a white outfit, and the only white top in my wardrobe on that night that wasn't crinkled was a white kurta [Indian-inspired] top. So, the kurta it was then. And jeans. I was an Asian angel in jeans. I had white feathers and a silver halo in my hair, silver wings [which later kept getting squashed at the club], a silver wand [why not?] and loads of thick white eyeliner. I was an angel that kicked a.. 

   Oh, why did I have to mope around last week? I could have been a cat or something for one night [The costumes I considered before I started my moping were Catwoman, an artist, or a peacock. Yes, a peacock, or rather, a peahen (but it's the peacocks that have the pretty feathers), because I have some stuff with peacock feathers on them.].

   Ah, well. There's always next Halloween.

The Pretend Princess Says...

   Dear 18-year old Me,

   Midnight has come and gone.

   When that tiny second hand on the clock pushed the minute hand from 11.:59 to 12:00, it was officially my Birthday. [cue birthday song and appropriate party noise]

   A year older.

   Now I can no longer tick the 20-25 age group.

   I am now officially a proud member of the 26-30 group. [However, when I go celebrate my birthday with my friends, they have been instructed to refer to it as my 24th. A hex upon them if they break this girly pact.]

   [Remember when I used to lie about my age and say I was older? Of course you remember. You're me. Or, I'm you. Anyway, now I lie shamelessly and tell people I'm younger. I can't believe I used to tell people I was older than I actually was. Anyhoo...]

   Oh, big thanks to 'A' for being there when midnight rolled in. That was the best birthday present you could have given me. [Of course, if you want to give me more stuff, I would welcome them into my home. That huge stuffed panda would look lovely on my bed, hint, hint.] Seriously, thank you. L.U.

   [Oh, 'A' is a very, very special someone. But you'll see for yourself.]

   I was feeling a bit melancholic while waiting for this day to come. One minute, I would be ecstatic and full of excited anticipation, then suddenly I would get all mopey and upset. [My rights as a woman.] But now that it's actually here, it's actually quite nice. Sure, I will no longer be able to get away with saying I'm 18 [a tactic I used to avoid people stopping me to answer surveys - being below petite has its advantages], but I have a whole lot to be grateful for.

   [I know you had hoped to be married with at least one baby by now. Sorry to tell you that's not the case. Oh, and you still haven't landed that dream job. Wait! It's not all bad. Seriously. I'm happy. You'll see for yourself. Things are good. I have my driver's license! I know, I know... who knew I could actually get back behind the wheel after that little accident? Oh, and by this time you'll have great hair and great shoes and tons of confidence. And... the best bit? We did get to go study in the UK! So, that's one dream we got to live. Plus loads more. I don't want to ruin the surprise.]

   So my life didn't exactly work out according to plan, but hey, at least it's an adventure. Let's see what 26 is going to bring me. Hmm... 26... it's got quite a nice ring to it. Yes, I think I'm beginning to enjoy being a 26-year old woman.  

   [I may be 26 now, but I keep referring to myself as a girl. And I still haven't grown out of that cartoon thing. Still love watching cartoons.]

   Anyway, life is good. The only thing[s] that could make it perfect right now is a book deal [which I'm trying to work on] and a ring on my finger. Maybe by 27? But I'll take each day as it comes. As the great man said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making plans" [or something like that].

   

   Enjoy being 18! Quit worrying about things. Things have a way of falling into place - eventually.

Love,

The newly 26-year old Me

   

One Two... Buckle My Shoe... Twenty Six... Time For A Remix...

   It's the eve of the day that will mark the beginning of my 26th year on our little planet. Looking back to my quarter-of-a-century birthday, nothing much has really changed over the course of the year. 

   Everything is pretty much the same as it was a year ago. Oh, I have my blog now. And I am starting to write more. Plus, I've got way more shoes now that I did this time last year. My hairstyle's different and I got more presents this year [Yes, I know it's not my birthday yet. But I've got a few presents already - most of my birthday wish list has been fulfilled - yey!]. Oh, I also have my driver's license now.

   But apart from that, I still shop too much and eat way too many chocolates. *sigh* And I am still, still searching for a suitable job. I guess I just envisioned that things would be different by the time this day rolled around. Every time I have a birthday, I imagine what life would be like for me come the following birthday. And for my 26th, I was supposed to already be working and confidently driving myself around, plus some other things.

   *sigh* At least, I'll be job-hunting with great hair and yummy shoes now.

   Here's to the beginning of my 26th year! 

The Birthday Wishlist - Part 1 [revised - again]

1. the pretty white pearl hairband [Forever 21] [Got it for myself.]
2. the tiny cute pocketbook with brown feathers design [Forever 21] [Changed my mind.]
3. the pretty cream [or pink] quilted hair band [Forever 21]
4. the sweet sequin butterfly hair clip in pastel colours [Diva] [I got it for myself.]
5. the gorgeous black shoulder bag with gold buckle [Nose] [Changed my mind.]
6. the lovely XX perfume [Hugo Boss]
7. the adorable 'Happy Birthday' flats [Brera]
8. 'Rockferry' album [Duffy] [I'll get it myself.]
9. those gorgeous, gorgeous cream/beige/brown half covered, half open shoes [Nose] [Got another, similar pair.]
10. The yummy black strappy black suede platforms from Guess [MidValley's Metrojaya] 

P/S The list is NOT in order of preference

P/P/S I am available to be taken to the shops to pick out my own presents. Yes, I am THAT shameless. But really, I'm just helping out. I mean, I don't want my friends to spend money on something that I'm not going to like. So, there you go...

P/P/S I'm justifying being THAT shameless.

P/P/P/S Part 2 will be coming up as soon as I go on another shopping 'survey'. Just to further prove how shameless I am.

The Birthday Wishlist - Part 2

Make A Wish!

It's that time of the year again. The day I wait for eagerly starting from 6 months prior to the date. Tra la la la la... it's my birthday and I'll celebrate if I want to, celebrate if I want to. And I do want to! [Well, I will in a couple of weeks.]

I love birthdays. I love my little button that proclaims, "Birthday Girl 24 Today!" I shall forever remain 24 thanks to my magic button.

This extreme enthusiasm and joy I hold for my birthday subsequently causes great stress to my friends.

A week before my birthday, I would usually start planning what to do on the day.

A week before my birthday, my friends start stressing.

Now, don't get me wrong. I never expect a mountain of presents or loads of fuss [read: I would so love a surprise party.], but I just want to celebrate my special day with friends and loved ones.

[Mountain of presents optional, but gladly welcomed.]

My 23rd birthday was interesting, to say the least. It started at midnight when my housemates knocked on my bedroom door and led me to the kitchen [which was just next to my room, anyway].

They had a cake waiting for me with those damn trick candles. Then they opened the kitchen door and told me to look outside. I was like a child, excited and naive. While I was eagerly peeking outside [presents?], I got pelted with water balloons. Unfortunately, they hadn't quite filled the balloons with enough water and those things just would not burst. And they hurt! Gaaahhh.

But then it was present time and all was forgiven. I got a huge box of chocolates from one housemate [which made me gain 5 pounds, thank you very much!] and an assortment of little gifts from another [Huge mug with bits of chocolate and a stuffed toy and a gorgeous bracelet - I love those kinds of presents. Once, I got 3 bars of chocolates, a pair of earrings, a mini-stamp kit, a necklace, a little notebook and a few more things, from a friend. I loved dipping my hand in that paper bag, the presents seemed endless!]

After cake time, it was time for bed. It was Eid the next day, so I wanted an early night.

The next morning I woke up and desperately needed the bathroom. I ran to my door and yanked it open. Or rather, tried to yank it open. It only yielded a couple of inches. I tried again. Same result. I peeked through that tiny gap and saw a string tied to my door from the staircase. Ah, that's why I couldn't get the door open.

The staircase looked lovely though, with balloons and a banner. I looked in the direction of the kitchen and saw my housemate calmly sitting at the table, drinking tea. She was trying not to laugh. I was yanking and pulling at the door and calling out to her. She pretended not to hear me.

Then, thankfully, thankfully, the string gave way. I ran up the stairs to the bathroom and yelled out that I'd get her later.

Anyway, it was a lovely day, because of my lovely housemates. They knew how important my birthday is to me, and they went to all that effort to make sure I had a memorable day.

Thanks, girls! Love you all, wherever you may be now!

Now... to plan the big 2-6.