Loots Of The Day

Asked PS and HJ to accompany me to People's Park today in search for some hair care products because I heard that they sell salon brands at a discounted price. I know I am damn auntie, but a dollar saved is a dollar to be spent in Japan!

And it was quite a fruitful trip! Here are my loots!


Notice that I did not managed to buy any proper hair care products except for a tube of olive oil cream? I was too confused by all the professional sounding names like "Kerastase" lar, "Redken" lar, that I simply got frustrated and bought the olive oil cream which I heard works pretty well. Cheap too! Only $2.30! *auntie-alert*

But I wandered into the other sections of the store and ended up with all these stuff! I am incorrigible. BUT I would like to have a chance to explain why all these are good purchases.

Liese Bubble Hair Colour - Platinum Beige
Heard people saying this is a good DIY dye which gives an even finishing, and have been meaning to try it out. And I saved a whopping $1 compared to buying it from other places! *auntie-alert*

L'Oreal StudioLine Curl Power
To women with curly hair, a good styling product is important. I am trying to find a good mousse to replace the one I am using, Shiseido Design Flex, which is great but a tad too costly for me. I go through one tall bottle in about two months, so a cheaper alternative is definitely welcome. This is recommended from somewhere I don't remember and does not seem to contain alcohol, which is good for my already-frazzled hair which requires a bit more care after my perm job.

St Ives Renewing Collagen Elastin & Jergens Soothing Aloe Relief
Doesn't the names just make you feel so zen already? I've sorta become a little fanatic about moisturising recently because I noticed that my skin has gotten very dry after years of sleeping with air-condition and also age lar! I couldn't decide to get St Ives or Jergens because I think both are good, so I got both! Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

Neutrogena Fine Fairness Brightening Serum
This product had me hesitating for the longest time, undecided if I should give it a try. I need something that provides a bit of lightening because I have a slight freckle problem. My skin is an absolute nightmare without the right products and Sothys, which I am using right now, works well for me, although I find it rather costly. So I do not want to use the wrong product and mess up whatever peaceful alliance that my skin has already established with Sothys. Yet, I don't want to start bringing in the big guns and get Sothys' whitening range if it's something that can be helped with a good off-the-rack product.

Then again, Neutrogena is a brand that I always have a volatile relationship with. Some of their products gave me massive breakouts, while some of their products, like their sun-care range for instance, are my can't-do-withouts. So I was really hesitant. But I read some pretty good reviews on this one too, and it's really a good buy. Best buy of the day in fact, about $9 cheaper as compared to buying from other places! WOW! *auntie-alert*

So well, overall my trip to People's Park had been fruitful. Although I would recommend going there only if you have quite a few items to buy, because each item is probably only about average $1 - $2 cheaper. If you can 积少成多, then by all means, go save! Their business is very good though, and most ladies I saw left with big bags and more than a few $10 poorer.

Just like me! =D

BKK Ladies!

Wherever I go, whatever I do, it's always a good time when the ladies are around.

<3 the Pinkies!

김동완

Ever since finding out that KDW is completing his national service, I've been on a mini Shinhwa-high. I even dreamt about him yesterday night. It's been a long, long time since I had a Shinhwa-related dream.

It's pretty innocent though. I dreamt of him flying around while I look on from the ground level.

I've gone mad.

But look at this!

If that's not a fine piece of male specimen!

Photo credits to whoever owns the photo.

PS: Resemblance to Donnie Yen thoroughly noted. I am a creature of habit.

Remember Them?

They used to be the topic of many a blog entries of mine. I loved them back then, and they are very still special to me, being the band that brought me into Kpop and the world of pretty boywheeeeeeeesssss, although I cannot say that I am a die-hard fan. I have to ration out my time between the other pretty boys of Korea, maybe Japan, and the muscular men of the East, West and Scandinavian region such as Donnie Yen, LL Cool J, Alexander Skarsgård (no! I don't care what anyone says, he is not gay! Just because he had passionate kissing with Lady Gaga DOES NOT make him gay!), and still find time to keep up with whether Christian Bale will be in the next Batman movie, which apparently is on but will be his last.

I am very busy!

But so yeah, the boys are more or less done with their national service, which means SHINHWA REUNITE! OH YEAH!

I cannot wait for them to get back together and do stuffs as a group again! They have so much chemistry together and seem to be great friends who genuinely love working together! <3 that solidarity!

SHINHWA CHANGJO!

Now I feel sheepish for screaming stuffs like a silly fangirl. I am getting too old for this stuff.

My Thoughts 2010

2010 is passing in a jiffy! Oh so fast! Eotteohke! Eotteohke!

If you ask me, I don't really recall doing anything particularly great or worth remembering for the centuries.

But I have to say 2010 is a good year for me.

I managed to stay happy, rather healthy, and also learn more about myself, my capabilities and inch a little bit closer to knowing what I want out of life.

Not that I am any closer to realising my dream. In fact I still don't really know what my dream is. But it's not something I am overly worried about. Not everyone is born with a dream, and who is to say that I MUST have a dream just because I am precariously close to 30, 29, 28, 27.95?

The important thing is to never stop seeking for opportunities to have new experiences and also not to allow yourself to become stagnant with your current way of life, unless you are really happy and contented.

I feel that in my own way, I am doing that. What I really want right now is to indulge in my love for travelling; to see more of the world and open myself up to different cultures and things that I may not even have imagined possible before.

And taking a solo trip to Japan next year definitely counts towards that. I do have my misgivings about travelling to Japan wholly alone. The last time round, I did met up with friends and was not entirely alone. This time would be different, I will really be on my own for two weeks. There are times when I really wonder if I could do it or if the loneliness would get to me.

But the part of me that is very excited about the trip would not let the misgivings take away any of the enthusiasm I have. And I know it won't be a problem at all. I will be in Japan for toot's sake! The country of great food, fashion and lots and lots of SUPER CUTE people. What's not to like?

No complaints in the other aspects too. I am still surrounded by a close-knitted group of my wonderfully quirky family and friends. Work-wise, I have nice colleagues and there will be some new challenges for myself in the new year that I look forward to learning from.

All in all, 2010 is coming to a neat close, although sometimes I find life a tad boring, but it's nothing a quick meet-up with the Pinkies or the Special 4orce won't solve. Although I do want to be more healthy, sleep earlier and save up some money in the coming year.

But it's all pretty good. I am good. Really good. =D

Thought Of The Day #5

You are not unhappy.

You just choose to be.

A Sleepless Night In SIN

Can't sleep again.

It's been a while since insomnia hit me, so I am not exactly sure what to do now.

Hence I decided to blog. And since I am sleepless right now, I shall blog a bit about my sleeping problems.

Well, not exactly problems, but what I classify as mild nuisances. Sleeping mild nuisances. Nothing I cannot live with.

I've always been the stay-up-late kind who can spend the entire night doing nothing particularly useful, and sleeping the day away. And since I am such a bum, there used to be months at a time when I was still a student, that I stayed up till 7 or 8 am in the morning, and slept till 3 or 4 pm every single day.

But while I can stay up really late, I never had problems falling asleep whenever I want to. It was always plop on the bed, shut the eyes and let the ZZZZZZZZZs do the talking. Up until about two years ago.

I was having some rather emotional problems at the time, and started to develop problems sleeping. And this was not just a case of staying up late and not wanting to sleep. It was having actual problems trying to even fall asleep.

Closing my eyes did not help because the mind was just so alert, with all sorts of crazy thoughts running amok. Sometimes tears would come out of my eyes, and I wasn't even sure if I was really crying or just really tired.

And when I eventually dozed off, I would usually jerk awake, as if there was some kind of karmic force reminding me that people with emotional problems should not be allowed to sleep. It's a crazy thought, but I really felt like something out there wanted me to feel every single ounce of my pain by not letting me have the oblivion of sleeping and dreaming of stuffs that would never happen.

It was damn fucking horrible.

An extremely tired person is never a healthy nor happy person. And a person like that could never properly work on her issues because it's really very frustrating to be so desperately in need of a good rest, yet not being able to properly do so. I could so identify with Christian Bale in The Machinist, but not as extreme, of course.

But as time heals all wounds, the problem started to become more manageable. I don't know when it started to happen, but I was just able to sleep more and sleep better with time, by keeping myself occupied with work and different activities that interests me.

I guess I got really lucky there. There are people who never manage to get out of their insomnia whirlpool, and simply got sucked deeper and deeper into the problem, suffering from the health hazards of insufficient sleep. Nowadays I hardly have problems sleeping, except from time to time when I sleep too much in the day or my mind is on a buzz due to whatever reason.

So I am guessing I can't sleep today because I took a nap at my desk in the office today (I am incorrigible, I know! New Year Resolution: stop taking naps in the office!), and on top of that, my brain is still buzzing from my BKK trip.

Such a wonderful place. I am rather sad to be back. Things cost double the price here. =[

I Am NOT Happy!

Question. Why are boys nowadays so pretty?

Point in case:



Seriously, what the hell?

I want to bring them to parks and braid their hair. Then punch them in the face because they have no right to be so lovely AT ALL!

Before I collapse on the ground and weep with self-loathing.

SIGH! Just let me die now. I can't go on with this face anymore.

Thought Of The Day #4

Old habits die hard indeed.

Nothing you can do about it.

But it is up to you to stop whining and put some back into working around, over, and sometimes even, under it.

Because what doesn't kill us make us stronger.

Kind. Hope. Joy.

Little pieces that come together to make everything seem so wonderful.

I love it when life's simple like that.

=D

Thought Of The Day #3

There are so many people who are sad and/or depressed out there. The least I can do is smile and laugh more. It may not do much, but seeing happiness always makes me feel better.

Maybe someone will see my happiness and feel better too.

F4... AGAIN?!!?

Finally watching the Korean version of Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers).

I know once again I am really slow, but I am really not looking forward to seeing the same old story played out by different faces in another language so soon after watching the Japanese version (like two years ago, or was it three... Omg! I am that old!) because I was such a big fan of the Taiwanese version.

That said, I am halfway through the second episode and I am liking it lots.

What can I say, the Korean showmakers really know how to pick their boys. Every single one of the F4 guys are pretty boys befitting of the supposedly super handsome F4 and if I may add, not like the manga at all, thank goodness. The manga counterparts all look damn "orbiang" to me now because it started running in 1992 after all.

Man, Korea is really turning out to be the country of pretty boys. And I am kinda glad they did a remake because the Japanese version was such a letdown. The acting was pretty solid, and I really grew to like Shun Oguri, not only as Hanazawa Rui but in other roles as well, but first glance at the guys I really felt that they could have gotten better looking actors. Come on, you already have the Taiwanese benchmark! Don't tell me Japan don't have guys more handsome than that boyish-looking Jun Matsumoto who looks like someone's perpetual younger brother!

Anyway, now that this wrong has been righted, in my eyes at least, I am looking forward to seeing how this cast plays out this familiar plot. Especially the Rui story arc. I have always had a soft sport for Rui. I can never understand why Tsukushi decided to fall in love with Domyouji. Not when I was watching the Taiwanese version, not during the anime, and definitely NOT in the Japanese version!

Of course, I am a little biased here. I just finished watching the Korean version of Mischievous Kiss, again a Korean version, which already have a Taiwanese version, as well as a Japanese version. Another one of my favourite manga-turn-drama. In a nutshell, I think I still prefer the Japanese version. Although I think both the Taiwanese and Korean version are not too bad and lived up to my expectations. But Kim Hyun Joong is really cute! Which is why I decided to watch the Korean version of Hana Yori Dango.

Haha, notice that I keep using the Japanese names instead of the Korean ones? Because they all sound the same to me! I cannot figure out who is calling who, so I shall just stick the original Japanese version I remember.

Hanazawa Rui~~~