May 2012
7 posts
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Epiphany!
An epiphany (from the ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia, “manifestation, striking appearance”) is the sudden realization or comprehension of the (larger) essence or meaning of something. The term is used in either a philosophical or literal sense to signify that the claimant has “found the last piece of the puzzle and now sees the whole picture,” or has new information...
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“Letting go doesn’t mean that you don’t care about someone anymore....”
– Deborah Reber, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul
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Pink = happy
“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” Audrey Hepburn
I saw this quote somewhere (I forget where - Pinterest perhaps?), fell in...
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“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t...”
– Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum
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One year ago...
I was walking the streets of and meeting friends in New York City.
Flying domestic to Santa Fe to meet Helene Dujardin for the most awesome things I’ve ever done - food styling and photography class.
Where will I be, one year from now?
[Tape from Pugly Pixel.]
April 2012
6 posts
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“I know I was stupid. The life I want. There is no short cut.”
– Jenny Mellor, An Education
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Oeufs en cocotte à l'huile de truffle
Alas my neglected blog. I have come to share with you what has to have been one of the yummiest breakfasts I’ve had in a while. Now, if you don’t know, I love eggs. I love fried eggs, poached eggs, scrambled eggs, steamed eggs. I love eggs sweet as much as I love ‘em savoury. So I bought some bacon last week - it’s been a while old friend - and I decided to make oeufs en...
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I am my sunshine
If you ask me what kind of blog this is, I wouldn’t have an answer for you. This blog is simply an expression of my thoughts and feelings, hopes, dreams, aspirations, inspiration. I write to communicate with people but I write more for myself. Why not write in a paper diary? Well, I think the tendency when writing in a a medium that no one will ever see is that one might tend to over wallow...
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“Suffering is our best teacher because it hangs onto us and keeps us in its grip...”
– Ayya Khema Being Nobody, Going Nowhere
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A Sunday fun day out with Ling
I’m so glad to see Ling again, in Singapore too, especially since the last time we met, I was in no position to actually have fun because of what’d happened. But it’s been four months and I have to say - though it’s been extremely tough, with major bouts of depression and crying - I have been happier the last four months than the six months before that. How about that? I...
March 2012
10 posts
3 tags
Today...
Today was a day of two parts. The first was lounging around and the second was hard at work.
It rained hard all night last night. I had the windows closed and turned the fan off in the wee hours and woke up under the covers, feeling all snuggly and comfortable. I looked around and the light diffused gently through the curtains, just skimming the sheets on my bed. I closed my eyes, willing...
“You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you...”
– Frank Crane
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My father's daughter
I love this picture. For me, this picture shows how much like my dad I am. And I think that’s a wonderful thing. He’s doing his leather craft. I’m making my handstitched books.
Just today, I asked him, “Dad, can you please find something for these needles of mine? They’re kinda getting out of hand.” Ten minutes later, he hands me a Leica branded box wiht my...
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Happiest
I just realised yesterday (or maybe today) that I’m happiest when I’m creating something. Whether that is baking or cooking something, entertaining friends with a themed party, binding a handmade book, designing a laptop bag, taking photos, art directing concepts, composing shots, styling or writing. I’m at my best when I’m creating something, producing something.
I...
Words
I like words. I like pictures. While I can take pictures, I can’t write succinct, encouraging, uplifting yet honest words. So here are some of my favourite words.
Kayspace on Pinterest
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“Love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness.”
– Sigmund Freud
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An ode to indie
Independent everything. That’s pretty much been my motto since I came back. And not consciously, I’ve just found myself drifting towards things that people make and believe in with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. Things that people pour their sweat and blood into. Things that are born out of passion
Here are some indie things that I love right now
1. Pure Vanilla Bakery I...
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Bookstores and a story
From http://www.twitter.com/AptTherapy, I found these delightful links about the history and background of the Keep Calm & Carry On poster, the 2nd hand bookstore Barter Books, and a link to the 20 most beautiful bookstores in the world according to Flavorwire. Amazing. Watch the video.
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“When you know that you know who you love, you can’t deny it.
Or go back,...”
– When You Know by Shawn Colvin
February 2012
17 posts
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Change
A lot of stuff’s been changing in my life recently. Pretty much nothing external’s changed. The change has mainly been within me. Friends say that they can see a change; how big or small I don’t know but I know I’m different. I am seeing the world differently and I’m thinking differently. And for that I’m grateful.
My dad painted my room recently (after a big...
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“In summary: When Elizabeth Wurtzel’s life went well, she was happy. As...”
– Prozac Nation, as reviewed by Douglas A. Smith http://www.antipsychiatry.org/br-pro-n.htm
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Specially for Megan
I’ve posted this picture before but this is really the only picture I have with Megan. Apparently there’s a German saying that if you meet a good person, you will meet him/her at least twice in your lifetime. Even though Megan is thousands of miles away, she’s been a really good friend. The morning after, after having had 2 hours of sleep, I remember reaching for my iPad and...
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The things that make me happy
It is somewhat confusing how one day can be so different from the previous. Yesterday was a 2 and today I rate it an 8.
Brunch. Or breakfast, depending on what time food is consumed.
Today, I had brekkie with Joel. He’s a friend I’m really thankful for. We’ve been friends since end 2003. He’s seeing someone now but we’ve still remained good friends. We have great...
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New books
I have two new books to add to my ever growing collection of cookbooks, most of which were amassed in London from Amazon. Books delivered to your door - none of that luging, unless you get it delivered to the office but of course. I’d previously told myself, “No more books. You don’t know where you’re going to be in 3 months or 6.” Back then, I thought I might be...
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“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.”
– Henry Ellis
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Tidying Today
I don’t profess to be the tidiest person around. In fact, I’m a little bit of a schizo when it comes to organisation/disorganisation. What I do like are clean lines and minimalism when it comes to storage: the more unobtrusive, the better. So imagine my horror when my mother (bless her) started filing my papers in random D-ring files - bright red ones, a muted pastel green one, a...
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Yesterday
Yesterday was a really full day for me. I did a lot more yesterday than I have done in the last two months. I feel.
My parents “dragged” me out to lunch at their fave hor fun place again - my dad loves it. Enroute, I came across (almost literally) a hole in a wall shop and bought a royal blue blouse. Then we went to visit my dad’s friends’ shop - Yong Gallery, here’s...
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Ipoh Hor Fun in Singapore
I love Ipoh hor fun. It’s one of my favourite local dishes, considering it’s not really local since it is from Ipoh (supposedly). I’ll leave the googling of what hor fun is to you but essentially, it is a thin, flat rice noodle, sort of the same shape as a tagliatele but made from rice flour. Hor fun, in my opinion is not to be confused with kway teow, which is also a flat rice...
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““My heart is a traitor,” the boy said to the alchemist, when they...”
–
Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist.
In 2010, my heart was telling me that it wasn’t right. But it only told me part of the truth. It didn’t tell me that things haven’t been right for a very long time. If I had even listened to that mustard seed of truth, things might have been...
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“He was still too young to know that the heart’s memory eliminates the bad...”
– Gabriel García Márquez, Love In The Time Of Cholera
I never did finish the book. I left it in London. Looking through some of my photos of New York, I was reminded of this passage in the book. Was I happy then? Yes without a doubt. Did my world crash? Of course it did. But I was happy again. And...
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New York 2012
New York was somewhat planned for the fall of 2012 - for my birthday actually. I had great hopes and dreams and plans, new places to go, new things to try. Flights and accommodation have even been booked. I don’t know what’s going to happen with those tickets and perhaps I might not stay at the Sheraton by Central Park, but I’m hoping and planning to be in New York this...
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January 2012
4 posts
2 tags
New beginnings
Life for me, was thrown upside down about 7 weeks ago. Short of going into the painful details, I’ve been struggling. And my struggle has turned into a downward spiral of depression. Yesterday, I was admitted to hospital for observation. I sat on the ledge of my (parents’) 9th storey apartment. I don’t know if I would have hurled myself off. I wasn’t afraid but in the...
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Dark days
I’ve been diagnosed with depression.
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Meet the Fellas
Say hi to the Fellas. Raspberry, Mikey, Cat, Ellie, Bug, Monkey and Antoine (who’s affectionately known as Toinee).
They’re my comfort when I need comforting in ways that words can’t express. I’m in my 30s but yes, they are my comfort and they make me happy.
This is Bug. Bug is preparing for his first solo trip halfway around the world.
I made a little sleeping...
December 2011
21 posts
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Breakfast, the most important meal of the day
I love breakfast. It’s a little more difficult to make breakfast for one but I still love breakfast. I always have. I like breakfasts and dinners. Lunches I have less of an affinity for, unless it’s a dim sum lunch with friends.
Starting 2 January, I’ll have less opportunity for breakfast because I’m starting work at Boulangerie Paul which is opening at Ngee Ann City...
Once when I was feeling really down, you hugged me for 20 minutes and wouldn’t let me go. No one has ever hugged me for 20 minutes just because.
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“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.”
– Hermann Hesse
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Open-faced burgers
I love a good hamburger and my preferred patty is made from minced pork, minced beef, and chopped bacon. The good things about making your own are:
You know exactly what’s in it
No messing around with unwanted stuff like chutney or onion marmalade (yes, I know there are some of your who actually like the stuff!)
You can make em whatever size you want
You can keep an emergency stash...