Saturday, December 31, 2005  2:45 PM
Two thousand and five.
As the year draws to a close, you start to wonder about the year that has gone by, and how irrevocably quick each year seems to come and go. This year has been a year of many changes - experiencing the taste of working life for the first time in my life, travelling with friends more than with family, more of my best friends leaving to study abroad, getting more involved with church, and University starting and making new friends in school.
2005 in a sentence: Worked at CPF and Scarlet Hotel (I can honestly say I wanna study for as long as I can because working life stinks), got the 'A' level results then jetsetted off to Hong Kong with April, Ling and Sarah, went to Taiwan with Shuhui, headed off to church camp at St John's Island where I got to know some really amazing people better, University started and I was thrown into an environment where I have to be dependent on myself more than anyone else, but over time met Mel, Jings, Jan, Luqs and Fel who are seriously the lights of my life when school gets dreary, headed to Genting and KL with them on a whirlwind trip on the last day of the exams, and the last six weeks have been the best of my life with the fun, partying, sleepovers and catching up with my various groups of friends.
It feels like my life only comes together once a year when my friends are all back in Singapore and it's when I'm completely happy because all the people I love are around me. Maybe it's the fact that I'm an only child and in that sense, besides your parents, your friends are your life. As the laughter faded away during Thursday night's dinner at Din Tai Fung with Al, Bo and Cheryl, I began to think. The four of us used to be the most close-knit, inseparable and retarded friends in Secondary 4. Things have changed. Our friendship has grown mellower, we're not as retarded and silly as before with the filming of MTV's, Star Awards and always loving to film our own home videos. But I still love them with my life and I know that when we come together, in some ways, some things will never ever change and the memories are forever there. With April, Ling and Sarah, the bond is stable and grounded and I have complete faith in them. Although April and Ling will be in UK most of the year, I have Rah with me in University and somehow the friendship with the SALA girls will always hold so special and true in my heart. It's been five years and counting. Shuhui's been one of my true blue's since we were eleven, and I cannot wait to room with her once again when school starts. We've been through alot and in many ways, we know each other inside out. With her, I have a clique with Bo and also one with Mae. The Glam Girls in church keep me close to God - Jules, Sharon and Shuhui most of the year and the 'honorary overseas members' being the two Beverlys. Church camp this year has also brought me closer to Nick, Matt, Jon, Adrian and my very own cousin, Mark. I'm so thankful for all of them. And not forgetting the Innies, I think they already know how much I love them and how my life has changed since I met the five of them. And it will be more sleepovers, crazy studying nights, Hong Kong/Japan (?!) 2006 and United States 2012 for us.
"You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you."
That's a quote from my favourite movie this year, 'Pride and Prejudice'. I love the love story between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, and the way the story was portrayed in the film. I remember reading the book when I was younger, and the movie brought out all of that and made it even better. The witty banter, and the clever epitomising of characters with the wonderful acting of Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen totally put me in a romantic trance for about five hours after that. There were alot of good movies this year, no doubt, but this one left me raw.
2005 was an unforgettable experience. To a new year, 2006 and with more fond memories to embrace.
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Sunday, December 25, 2005 11:57 PM
We are the reason.
As little children
We would dream of Christmas morn
Of all the gifts and toys
We knew we'd find
But we never realized
A baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives
We were the reason
That He gave His life
We were the reason
That He suffered and died
To a world that was lost
He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live
As the years went by
We learned more about gifts
The giving of ourselves
And what that means
On a dark and cloudy day
A man hung crying in the rain
All because of love, all because of love
I've finally found the reason for living
It's in giving every part of my heart to Him
In all that I do every word that I say
I'll be giving my all just for Him, for Him
He is my reason to live
That's the song that really encompassed my Christmas this year and also a song that reflected the Christmas message that was given at church this morning. The speaker was amazing this morning, and for once I was actually awake and paying attention. I have to admit, I'm not always good at listening to sermons. Half the time I'm flipping through the Hymnal or checking out the people around me. But today, it was just different.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! To everyone out there I love, you know who you are. (This is beginning to sound like some Star Awards speech) I hope your day was as fun-filled and meaningful as mine was.
I cannot believe this year is almost over though. Soon, the festivities will die down and we'll be trudging back to school with heavy-laden hearts...
NO, we won't think about this tonight.
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Saturday, December 24, 2005 2:18 AM
Christmas Eve.
Beverly, April and Allison are back. I've truly missed them so much and now that they're back, it suddenly seems like my life is getting back to what it used to be. My best girlfriends in the entire world gathering together once again. The only one still in the UK is Ling, who just happened to tour Italy with her uni friends or something. It's unfair that over here, a cheap holiday with your friends would mean Malaysia but in the UK, a cheap holiday with your friends means cool places like Italy and Spain.
Been spending most of my time with Bo, but I should be meeting up with April and Al next week so I'm looking forward to that. Anyway, here's a conversation that ensued between Bo and I (and Shuhui) the other day after I got my results:
Bo: "So what did you get?"
Me:" (I list my results)"
Bo: "Not bad! Is it counted?"
Me: "Yes. Cos we're using the GPA system."
Bo: "Wow! That's great."
Me: (slightly confused by Bo's enthusiasm about my school system) "Yeah, anyway talk to you later when I see you. Bye!"
Bo: "Bye!"
(We hang up and Bo turns to Shuhui who was next to her)
Bo: "Melia got A for GP!"
Some things have not, and will never change. Bo's retardedness, blurness and innate ability to screw up information and crack me up is definitely one of the reasons why she's one of my best friends.
Went down to Ministry of Sound on Wednesday, and the place is simply breathtaking. Zouk pales drastically in comparison. I was nursing a pretty high fever, but I knew I could not miss out on the opportunity so I popped a couple of Panadol and the next thing I knew, we were in the (extremely) long queue to get into MOS. These bunch of teenagers from the UK approached us when we were nearing the entrance, and told us they would pay us $60 if we would let six of them cut. How could we say no to an offer like that? It meant more than a couple of free drinks! And so we did, although I think the people around us must have been majorly pissed. MOS is beautiful and is the funkiest club I've ever seen. It has about five rooms playing different genres of music, and it's huge with two levels. The decor is just amazing - there's this one room which is all white and it boasts the plushest and hugest beanbag ever where people just plop down and sink right into it. And in that room, you can actually call and reserve these little booths which is like a private cabana of sorts with sheer curtains hanging down to give each group their own privacy. Each room looks totally different, and so it makes it seem as if you have five different clubs to choose from, in ONE location. Everyone should definitely go there at least once, even if it's just to sink in that plush beanbag I was talking about. It's worth it.
Just got back from carolling which was a wonderful experience although physically draining. I loved singing all the familiar, and some not so familiar tunes this year to the different houses. We even sang at a restaurant and at a counselling centre, and the fact that there were passers-by stopping to hear us sing was no doubt encouragement to all of us. After carolling tonight, I am feeling more of that Christmas spirit which I feel has been sorely lacking this year for some reason.
One of my all-time favourite Christmas carols (and also on BFEC's top Christmas hits):
For every broken heart in need of mending
For every lonely child who needs befriending
For every time the innocent will ever need defending
That's why He came
That's why He came
For all the lost and lonely
That's why He came
For all all the questions only love explains
And so that when we need Him we can call upon His name
That's why He came
To do the perfect will of God, His father
To face His death just like a lamb to slaughter
So He could pour out life like living water
That's why He came
That's why He came
For all the lost and lonely
That's why He came
For all the questions only love explains
And so that when we need Him we can call upon His name
That's why He came
To bring His light to darkness
And His helping to our pain
To bring us hope when it seems hopeless
That's why Jesus came
That's why He came
For all the lost and lonely
That's why He came
For all the questions only love explains
And so that when we need Him we can call upon His name
That's why He came
That's why He came
I cannot believe it's Christmas Eve. And I've yet to complete any of my Christmas shopping. And I'm still sick due to all the late nights, hectic schedule and lack of rest. It's going to be hardcore tomorrow. :
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Tuesday, December 20, 2005 11:32 PM
Christmas' 05 - The Hot and Heavy Affair
 The White & Black Party with whom I played Secret Santa to  Isn't she lovely
 A Hot and Heavy AffairMore photos of the Christmas party at http://www.flickr.com/photos/glamqueen Without a doubt, the Christmas party with the Innies was memorable, fun and full of little surprises. The cooking crew (Mel, Fel, Jings) whipped up a feast of roast chicken, turkey ham, pasta and mashed potatoes which was simply satisfying. Jan and I handled the decorations, making full use of the fact that Mel's house could be mistaken for "The House of Wax" with all the lovely candles and intricate candle holders. Luqs, the pre-event photographer, grappled with the task of taking clear pictures without flash with my stupid camera. This also resulted in many shots with Luqs' signature style - objectandperson, personandobject. Haha. Then came the moment I'm sure we had all been waiting for, the unraveling of the Secret Santas and I have to pause here to thank my Secret Santa this year. Jan, I'm sorry for being such an annoying shithead and for being so demanding. Haha. And after all the times I said, "If I was your Secret Santa, you'd get nothing" and after all the incessant teasing, I absolutely could not believe that you were my Secret Santa when you revealed yourself. It's so embarrassing actually thinking back of it now. But I'm so glad you were and I LOVE the gift and I'll treasure it forever. Thank you for brightening my Christmas this year. Love you. :) And to Luqs, thank you for the CD and the little note-on-blackboard thing. I appreciate all the effort you've put into it and I was so touched when I read the note. I love the songs on my CD as well, I think they're terribly apt. Especially the first track. Haha. I thought it was really perfect and amazing that no one got each other as Secret Santas though, because this way it was more exciting and varied. Jan got Fel, Fel got Mel, Mel got Luqs, Luqs got Jings, Jings got me and I got Jan. We're seriously a bunch who (in Jan's words), live our fantasies through each other. I think that's so true because we're all, in a way, retarded but strangely enthusiastic about these little things in life. We drew lots for the Secret Santa thing, and we also drew lots to decide which colour to wear to the Christmas party. There were three colours - red, green and white - so that two people would end up wearing the same colour (good for photos; typical photo whore statement) and we would look all festive. So there we were - Luqs and Fel in red, Mel and Jan in green and Jings and I in white. And this party was held in a house being Mel's humble abode with no one else to see our painstakingly dressed-up looks but ourselves. But I love it how we're all in it together. How, in this way, we're so different from other groups and so similar in the enthusiasm for rubbish like this. Thank you for making this dinner and Secret Santa event such an amazing experience, thank you for taking eighty pictures in one night, thank you for falling asleep to Sex and the City after that, thank you for making Christmas this year an extra special one. To Jan, Jings, Luqs, Fel and Mel - I meant every single word I said in your individual Christmas cards. Much love!
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Thursday, December 15, 2005 11:59 PM
The guide to the Mango sale.
The comprehensive guide to the treacherous year-end Mango Sale (yes, which started today and which half the female population have already conquered):
1) Presale lookaround - It's always good to go shopping before the sale to decide on what catches your eye and to try on everything that you might possibly get during the sale because you have absolutely no idea how lethal the queues can get at Mango during the sale period. Affirm the sizes for the various articles of clothing you fancy and do make a list in case you forget.
2) With your girlfriends, invest in some walkie talkies as this will come in handy when your contingent attacks the store. Walkie talkies allow you to separate yourselves to different sections of the store to get the best deals in the shortest amount of time possible. There is no need to let the rest of the store know about your excellent find lest they covet the same item: the walkie talkies ensure top security as you radio the rest of your girlfriends to inspect the item. Good deals should only be shared with the circle of trust in your life.
3) It is best to draw up a square grid layout plan of the store before entering, with markouts such as "A1", "A2", "B3" in order to ensure no lost people when wanting them to come to where you are. "I'm standing by the rack of black coats" will definitely not suffice in a Mango sale where clothes are mixed up and strewn every single place possible.
4) High heels are recommended in sales like these. You might complain about the pain, as opposed to if you throw on a pair of sneakers, but there's definitely no gain without the pain. High heels give you that extra height as you scan the racks and racks of clothing above the throng of heads and it also enables you to 'accidentally' step on another woman's toes if she attempts to reach for that same gorgeous white skirt as you.
5) Dress in clothes that are easy to wear. Short skirts instead of jeans, and spaghetti-straps are always useful because you can pull anything on over it to avoid having to join the mile-long queues for the dressing rooms. Now's not the time to be modest about your body as well - pull on that pair of jeans over the skirt if you really have to. Saving time equals more opportunity to find great deals.
6) Mango mirrors are absolutely deceiving. You DO NOT look as thin as what you see in the dressing room mirrors. So before you decide to buy the entire store, thinking that everything looks sensational on you, get a reality check by stepping outside where the main mirrors are or by consulting your trusty girlfriends.
7) If you happen to be skinny or big-sized, Mango sales are made for you. However, if you're an average-sized girl and most of the clothes in your wardrobe are labelled 'M', do not even bother stepping into the store during a sale because there's nothing left for you. It simply leaves you infuriated. So if you're a Medium and you see something you like before the sale with your size in it, count your blessings and buy it immediately. Alternatively, put on some pounds or lose some.
8) Bribe your boyfriend to tag along. Yes, he will most definitely complain and he might result in boredom but it is not a good idea to be trudging around town after the sale with five shopping bags, especially when all they give you is the horrible transparent Mango 'sale' bags. After all, we all know who you bought all these new clothes to dress up for. He ought to understand and appreciate that thoughtful gesture.
Step on it, ladies. You're now ready for the sale.
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Tuesday, December 13, 2005 12:55 AM
faith and emptiness.
Brilliantly illuminating
Shades of truth flash before her eyes
To make sense of it all
An insurmountable task
Innate struggles culminate
Beneath the one solitary star
Yet again a forlorn reminder
Like a broken violin tune
Faith
Screw cynicism
Have faith
The road ahead still seems bleak and daunting
It screams emptiness.
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Monday, December 12, 2005 12:59 AM
penang.
I have eaten enough to last me for a lifetime. Penang food is undoubtedly and immeasurably the best stuff on this planet - in their spelling - char koay teow, koay teow th'ng (suddenly Jing's 'koay' isn't so unique anymore), the curries, deep fried belachan chicken, chee cheong fun, sambal kangkong, the kuehs, iced milo and this pancake-like thing called apom which tastes alot like the 'gai dan zai' in Hong Kong except in a different shape. And I had my fill of A & W once again with my over-ambitious cousin ordering FIVE large curly fries to be shared between three people, already loaded with burgers and root-beer floats. My Penang hokkien has also improved leaps and bounds hearing it 24/7 for the last five days, even in my sleep because my grandma just cannot stop talking especially when she's with her relatives. I go back to Penang almost every year that it's become a yearly pilgrimmage thing because we visit our relatives there; I'm terribly familiar with the roads and the comfort of going back to the same few eating places. But I know that once my grandma and the rest of the grandaunties in Penang pass on, it will hardly be a place on mine and my cousins' holiday destination list. Which frightens me a little because I realise that one day that place will have no more purpose for me to return any longer and all I have are the wonderful childhood memories of my cousins and I playing on the Penang beaches at age five, our grandma buying little treats and toys for us at age six, tearing down the entire hotel room at age eight, finding fascination with this haunted house called 'Adorable' which used to belong to my grandma at age twelve and shopping ourselves silly in the only two decent shopping centres they have there and getting upgraded to business class on the flight back at age nineteen. I must cherish these yearly pilgrimmages more.
On another note, don't ever trust me with your supermarket shopping list. I went grocery shopping with Daddy today with a trusty list and one of the items was "Big White Onions". I happily grabbed a huge pack of it, smiling to myself and feeling clever as I picked out the ones with the least blemishes on it. What do you know - now my house is stocked with some neverending supply of garlic. In my defense, they look the same.
And Secret Santa with the Innies has brightened up the Christmas mood a little! Although (the gossip mongers that we are) we're dying to tell each other who we got, and I can't ask for advice from anyone what to buy the person I picked, it kind of heightens the surprise. I cannot wait for our Christmas dinner when the identities will finally be revealed!
Thirteen days to Christmas! :)
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Sunday, December 04, 2005 8:35 PM
all i want for christmas is you.
Today at Parkway, this sign made me stop in my tracks in sheer incredulity.
"TOPSHOP. LEVEL 1. #01-33"
Topshop in Parkway! That's like throwing Santa at your doorstep. No more having to travel that forty-five minutes down to town to delight in my favourite store - now it's just fifteen minutes away! But I also predict a more cash-strapped me in future with these new changes in my life.
The song that has been running through my head for the last two weeks -
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby
I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me...
Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want him for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
Everyone seems troubled by love this Christmas. I've had countless chats with various groups of friends and somehow we all feel the same way. A longing for love is in the air, a fling, a sweet lasting relationship - all I want for Christmas is you.
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Thursday, December 01, 2005 10:55 PM
glam girls and zouk.
 I love going out with the Glamour Girls. Shopping with them is an experience on its own, and suddenly it's as if we're bonded by that one single bag, or shoe, or article of clothing. They are the only people in this world who will walk into a shop totally out of our league and act as if we own it. In addition, we try on fancy coats at Zara and proceed steathily to the changing rooms to take pictures of ourselves in it. Met up two days back for the photo shoot for Janis's wedding, some shopping and then chilling out at this bar/pub/restaurant at Emerald Hill called No. 5. That place is seriously awesome. You just feel yourself unwind once you step into the dimly litted area, and then you sit on elevated carpet around a small table with tons of plush cushions around. And the pizza and chicken wings are absolutely heavenly! Top that with some cocktails and you get perfection.
 The picture shows the girls at Gotham Penthouse, where we went in to get free drinks before meeting the guys to head down to Zouk yesterday. We're incorrigible and we have no idea how Gotham makes money with all that free drinks, but whatever. It's smart budgeting. Gotham was like a graveyard, and Zouk like a madhouse. It was so crowded the queue stretched for miles, but after much smart cutting, we got in and were squashed like sardines on the dance floor. Like seriously, I've never been anywhere that packed before. You can barely move, but I guess all that matters is your friends who happen to surround you. I realised that when the six of us go clubbing together, some songs will never fail to be played. When "That Thing You Do" plays, we'll huddle together with arms around each other like the rugby people, but it's actually really nice and comforting.
I thought clubbing was pretty fun despite the squeeze, and I loved the parts where this cold foggy draft blows at you randomly when you're dancing and for a few moments, you can't see anything. But I got burnt by a cigarette and that hurt. I mean, the stupid woman was smoking while dancing. Couldn't she have stubbed it out? People seriously have to understand that some things cannot be multi-tasked. I've been going clubbing for three consecutive Wednesdays though, since the KL trip, and I think my dad's going to have something to say about that soon. And I do need a break from all that smoke and alcohol. I'm aching all over too - Never go clubbing after a day of tennis and swimming. Time to detox - massages, facials and fruit juices.
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