Barffie The Whine Connoisseur

Song by The Carpenters

Must be the fact that I am getting old, but discovering oldies seemed to be a favourite past time of mine nowadays. So I uncovered this gem buried under a hunk of other classics by The Carpenters.

It’s really nice to listen to. The simple musical accompaniment behind the voice that was telling a story…that’s really quite calming, isn’t it?

Do you listen to music to reflect your current mood? Or do you prefer to let it transport you somewhere you’d rather be?

My latest pair of shoes

I went on a self-imposed shoe ban for the most part of the year. I had to throw out several pairs of shoes that had one or more of the following qualities:
1. Freakishly uncomfortable
2. Made of super cheap and lousy material which peeled in storage
3. Tore themselves apart once I wore them out (usually freakishly uncomfortable)

I don’t think I will be buying cheapo shoes, unless they are good brands going under super discounts… or I’ll pass. Or if they are freakishly chic AND comfortable.

Once I broke that ban after a period of what? half a year?… I got a pair of Doc Marts… then I got a pair of Americaya strappy sandals… and today, I got myself a pair of red wedges (my very first in years) from Forever 21 (not a shoe brand, I know). The toe box is wide, it has good arch support (sorely lacking in most shoes) and I like that it has a fabric insole which would prevent my sweaty feet from slipping.

Plus it was only $45.

My self-imposed bans never really last, as you can see. Except for one – I’ve not been to a hair salon for haircuts and colouring jobs for 3 years. Heh heh!

Euro Nyan Cat remix is awesomez!

RIP Steve Jobs. I loved some of your products. I still remember my first white 4G iPod. The first real sexy “gadget” I’ve ever owned. What a beauty.

Latte had always been afraid of the rain, especially when it’s a thunderstorm. She’d skulk and cower in a corner, looking very very frightened. Last night, there was an incredible storm that woke me up in the middle of the night. Knowing how she’ll be upset, I went out to the living room to look for her.

She was hiding under the dining table this time. Tail down. Big, dilated eyes looking out at the window.

I coaxed her out of her hiding spot and put her on my lap. Well, not exactly on my lap, but she curled up between my legs as I sat semi-cross-legged. She was shivering and twitching. But hey, she had never been a lap cat.

Poor girl. I’m pretty sure she was scared out of her wits when she ran out a few years back. She spent a few days outside during a rainy season. The girl was literally catatonic when we finally got her back. I guess that’s where the fear came from.

But I’ve sat beside her many times, comforting her that she is now safe in our home, and that she had nothing to fear.

Silly Latte.

I lost some friends a couple of years back due to some stupid politically-motivated, insomnia-induced lameass reasons… over some stuff that happened in the blogosphere. It was partly my own naivety and a misplaced sense of justice that I did what I did. Dragged my husband down with me in the process as well.

As I was sorting through some really old photos last month or so… I found some photos of the 2 friends in my deep archives. I missed having them around, you know? And it was really dumb that I should lose these people because of some dumb mistake.

So I reached out… and am really glad that the other side was receptive as well.

Meanwhile, the huge, gaping wound from within the family also healed over in May, after the birth of my nephew. I’m so happy that everyone is back together as a family again. I wouldn’t trade this harmony for anything else in the world.

So, after all of these silliness, my resolution after turning 30 is to be wiser, kinder and to stop making enemies.

It’ll be tough, considering how impatient I am with people sometimes… but I’ll try. Yeap.

So I turn 30 officially. Marking the end of my 20s… days of my youth, days of my daze, days of my search for the meaning of life.

Here’s to the next decade of living my dreams of travelling the world, near and far, with the wonderful man who is my best friend, my emotional pillar, my lover.

I hope we will stay together, with the silliest, furriest cats, and hope our relationship will only get stronger through the years.

Hope we would never ever have to face a zombie apocalypse and in turn, starvation and suffering. Hope we would stay healthy and able.

I wish for health and happiness to my family and my dearest friends… I promise I will try to be less jealous of your life and love mine even more.

In the years ahead, I look forward to be finally debt-free and be able to eventually work in a job of leisure… so I can take life easier and to enjoy it better. I want to live a life of fewer anxieties and it’s definitely well within my reach.

I love you Latte, Cookie, Gravy, Sweet Pie, Mystique, Mao Mao, Tian Tian, Ham and Cheese… thank you for coming into my life and making it really furry and stinky with your poop. It’s been great having pets in my own home.

I have no idea what else I can be thankful for, but I’m glad to say I didn’t waste my 20s. I partied like an animal, I cried my heart out, I puked my guts out, I made lots of friends, I achieved glory in my career, I experienced bits of the world outside Singapore, I enjoyed food, booze, love and laughter…

Happy 30th birthday to me.

I’ve never seen myself as a “band” music kind of person… my good friend Seekee is a big alternative/rock/jeng jeng jeng music person, but she has influenced me over the years a little… (BTW Happy birthday Seekeeeeeee!!!)

Perhaps I can consider myself quite an Anglophile. Love British bands like Coldplay (mainstream but gooda), Jamiroquai and Keane; love trip hop, electro groups like Portishead, Massive Attack and Lamb; love artists like Amy Winehouse, Adele and Lily Allen; even Sophie Ellis Bextor and (Brit-manufactured) Kylie Minogue and their dance tracks I still love to this day. I may not been an Oasis or even a Beatles fan, but hey, I do love their compositions as well.

What else? I also love British fashion, more so in recent years especially with the vintage revival… ASOS is an evil website…. Mulberry bags are to die for… Aiyah. I shall not go on!

Anyway, what’s with my Brit raving, you may wonder? I came across Coldplay’s new single “Every teardrop is a waterfall”, and I absolutely am digging this sound. Looking forward to purchasing their new album.

Every teardrop is a waterfall

So hopeful, so current, so beautiful.

I wouldn’t fear
for I’ve never known completeness
like being here
wrapped in the warmth of you
loving every breath of you
still my heart this moment
oh it might burst

could we stay right here
till the end of time until the earth stops turning
wanna love you until the seas run dry
I’ve found the one I’ve waited for

all this time I’ve loved you
and never known your face
all this time I’ve missed you
and searched this human race
here is true peace
here my heart knows calm
safe in your soul
bathed in your sighs
wanna stay right here
till the end of time
till the earth stops turning
gonna love you until the seas run dry
I’ve found the one I’ve waited for

the one I’ve waited for

all I’ve known
all I’ve done
all I’ve felt was leading to this
all I’ve known
all I’ve done
all I’ve felt was leading to this

wanna stay right here
till the end of time till the earth stops turning
gonna love you till the seas run dry
I’ve found the one I’ve waited for

the one I’ve waited for
the one I’ve waited for

wanna stay right here
till the end of time ’till the earth stops turning
gonna love you till the seas run dry
I’ve found the one I’ve waited for

the one I’ve waited for
the one I’ve waited for

They have released a new album this year. Oh golly.

忙昏了头，但会有人可怜我吗？

东西一个接一个冲着我来，差点就招架不住了。

多两个礼拜就是我三十大寿，加上一个礼拜的休息日。。。真是等到花儿也谢了。。。

力量！我有！虽然所剩无几。。。可是我还有一点点吃奶的力。。。拚了！

So I made it through another semester. Although I didn’t quite make it through completely unscathed but I’d still made it to the end.

One more semester to go, one more grueling semester it is.

Mind blank, heart weary, eyes dry.