Pig

i decided to pig out today. i ate like a pig and i lazed around like a pig. i think it's the wacky leptin levels due to my dysfunctional sleeping pattern. hence, i will now i go and sleep like a pig in hope of becoming more human again =)

...

my horoscope on iGoogle reads:

You don't know whether to laugh or cry, for your world seems intensely crazy now, even if the excitement level is high. Fortunately, you are willing to ride the rollercoaster of emotions you are experiencing, for there's no easy way to stop. Keep in mind that this journey is perfectly safe and that you need not distinguish your fantasies from what's actually happening. You will gain the clarity you need in a couple of days.

i hope it does! i'm already questioning how i've resorted to sticking labels on boxes while being a reluctant listening ear for every tom, dick and harry for a living.

sometimes, it's difficult to rise from life's tribulations. it's so much easier to wallow in self-pity for your misfortunes or to complain and opt for an easy way out. but when you have no options, you have no choice but to keep soldiering on until you see that seemingly impossible light at the end of the tunnel. some people don't make it. in fact only a few people do. i'm glad to have known someone who has tackled life's challenges and grown into a success of his own.

to the man who is always there
to the man who always cares

happy father's day

my brother must have taken this photo -
what with its strange "artistic" angle.

and also, a happy 29th wedding anniversary =)

Midnight Move-Your-Furniture Around Mania

day three of my four days off has passed and i'm still loving every bit of it although most of it has been spent just chilling at home. day two started with another lie-in before heading out for breakfast and a chat at 63 racecourse rd in hamilton with annie. i thought of going to dfo to check the sales but i didn't have the urge to shop and so i went home and spent my day watching daytime tv and "definitely, maybe", reading magazines and painting my nails hot pink. after gaining so much inspiration from the realliving magazine i bought, i decided to clear up the boxes near my dining area and rearrange the living/dining space. the decorating bug was still bugging me this morning and with it, i've finally managed to get the jigsaw puzzle i completed a year ago in my old place (for my new place) up onto a wall and gain new ideas on how to make my house a real home.

jigsaw venice
i started the puzzle in august 07 and only completed it early 08 after much procrastination.
the same amount of procrastination has been stopping it from being on a wall.
i asked a professional picture framing store for a ballpark figure for framing it.
they quoted $200 to $250.
what did i do? i bought an $18 art canvas and pinned the jigsaw down on it.

sleep tight!
moved the position of my bed ages back and re-thought my wardrobe arrangement.
it's worked out so much better than the old concept.

hot pink nails for once!
ones that lack texture but have plenty of lustre =)

old photos - 25/10/08 ; 14/11/08

it feels as though i've just moved in again. but it feels really good =) just like knowing that there are people looking out for you in all places. while i fretted about my night with a person i didn't really want to meet, three friends helped calm down my nerves (or more like try to instil logic into my very stubborn and panicky mind for one :P). the night in the end wasn't as bad as i pictured it to be. i really enjoyed the art gallery and got to see some of the art collectors in action. i went down to the valley afterwards for an impromptu NON-ALCOHOLIC drink and a mouth-dropping amazing short movie documentary about extreme skiing and snowboarding (which truthfully is something that would never cross my mind to watch). we finished the night off with pizza and garlic bread past 12. spontaneity is great.

day four tomorrow. it's the last day. i hope i make the most out of it. =)

Strawberry Season

mmmMMMmmm. strawberry season!

i am currently having four consecutive days off. i went a little crazy with the notion of sleeping late yesterday and slept at 4.30am after talking to old friends and getting excited about a little secret. nevertheless, i still woke up at 9.30am, ate warm milo cereal with strawberries after taking a shower... and made the purchase of mario products that i have so patiently anticipated buying - it will feel like christmas when it arrives. basked in the glorious sunny day for a while before tidying the house up and getting started on the laundry which i completely finished today. after a homemade turkey sandwich, i banked my cheque and bought some magazines which i obviously didn't need but clearly wanted. returning home, i went for a 15 minute run around the neighbourhood. then to let the evening unwind, finally got to watching project runway while having another turkey sandwich and a nice warm hot chocolate!

non-hectic beautiful day indeed.

Sydney

i miss it.

from walking to search for a hidden chinatown, to walking to circular quay. from watching the opera house change colors to watching darling harbour light up with fireworks. from eating at the belgian beer cafe on a friday night to eating at doyle's at watsons bay on a picturesque sunday afternoon. from scouring the boutiques on oxford st to scouring the markets at glebe. from sipping rum/bourbon and cokes at the bar to sipping warm coffees and hot chocolate in around the city. from observing the city on a ferry to observing it from the sydney tower. from the dress fiasco to the multiple ten minute lost ticket fiascos. from taking a walk down the botanical gardens to taking a walk along bondi. from appreciating art to just appreciating public transport. from dancing salsa to dancing rnb in one night. the list goes on! i didn't have the best weather. neither did i make any plans. i just had the greatest fun with a great friend and her lot of great friends.

despite being a trip evolved from a spontaneous decision after gym without any definite plans, sydney was amazing.

it's been two weeks but i still i miss it.

Marshmallow Brownie Dreams

when the weather gets chilly, it's amazing what chocolate and marshmallows can do =)

the creation

these are terribly addictive. triple layered - a bottom layer of a basic brownie, topped by a layer of peanut butter smothered with marshmallows and last but not least, crispy rice bubbles covered in a smooth mixture of chocolate and peanut butter. sinful.

Beauty Temptation

i was just tempted to spend $230 on mario badescu skincare. the pros were: (1) i'd save $150 if i purchased them online; (2) the items would last me for six months and (3) i know they work. the cons were: (1) i should be saving money; (2) i still have a fair amount of product to use and (3) i should really trial a healthier diet and water to get me the skin i want. i decided not to get it for the moment and wait for a month to see if my skin's any better without any treatment.

by the way, i had a lovely time in sydney. it feels strange to think just a week ago, i was in bed cursing my indian neighbours for making noise while i tried to catch up on sleep before my flight! time flies by so quickly it's crazy.

i will definitely post up some photos. some time soon. =)

i have been extending myself far too much. i am quite glad that i won't be working 51-56 hour weeks for four months. but i just might. we never know =)

i am looking forward to my sydney trip at the end of this coming week and the "break" month that i'll have after. i need some time to get back into routine. i have too little at the moment to make mistakes and when i do, it is extra hard to revert back.

nevertheless, i had a bit of a relaxing day today. started the day with some dancing, then church and then breakfast and laundry. i headed off to the city with ryan to get my air force ones like i was promised (yaaay!). had lunch after we had found them and went home to just do nothing until i found the motivation to bake a cake and iron the pile of clothes that have been glaring at me for two weeks now.

not a picture of health
cubes of butter drowned in condensed milk -
i made a sweetened condensed milk cake.
i still need some practice with my oven.
cakes just don't seem to come out as fluffy as i want them to be.

me and my air force ones
i bought the high top of this year's valentine's day edition.
i couldn't tell that it was a valentine one because
it didn't have the typical cutesy hearts and roses or come in the bright pink/red.
but this is just how i want them to be.

it's been a good day =)