Christian Dior Spring 2012 Couture: 50s Glamour

Full flared skirts, classic houndstooth, floral embroidery, heavily-tiered gowns made with gauze, pencil skirts, etc.

I love the clever balance between conceal and reveal. (and the 2 words rhyme!)
Using sheer fabric in demure designs, feminine and sexy in a lady-like manner.

 Sheer but not too sheer, tres belle! Perfect dress for a date (or wedding reception?)

 J'adore!

 All the three dresses are very nice.

 Very romantic

 Love the neckline and the shape, but not the checks

 The dress says: 'Swing dance with me!'
Too bad swing dance isn't as popular now as it was in the 50s...such a pity...

 Can't go wrong in this

 Classic makeup

 Ruffles ruffles ruffles, not my type but looks pretty in pictures

 love the makeup and hair
on a side note: the average of her arm and my arm = perfect

 Perfect cat-eye eyeliner!

Who doesn't love a lady in red?!

I wish I could time travel.

Love,
N

P.S.
Having problems with work. Surprisingly, not due to my procrastination.
Colombian websites drive me mad! (And also numbers! Which data is the reliable one?!)
Most Colombian websites are only in Spanish, only a few important official websites have English versions.
Yet, even from those English one, ALL the data and information I need are 'in Spanish only'!
Why?!! :' (

Home Decor Ideas: Home Office

We have a long desk in the study room.

It is long enough for 3 people working together, with plenty of spaces between them.

But if I can re-furnish the study in any way I want, this is what it could be like:

1) Bright room.
Lighting is of utmost importance when it comes to home office decor.

2) A big desk, not a long one.
I like to lay and spread everything on the desk and still having them within an arm's reach when I work.
(which is why I am now surrounded by nearly 20 books and piles of paper)

Sometimes size does matter, the bigger the better, not the longer the better.

(Gosh! I didn't realize how dirty-minded it sounds, until I re-read the post!
Disclaimer: it's not a freudian slip.I was just thinking about desks. And I couldn't stop laughing now.)

3) Everything organized and filed. Everything labelled.
Don't think I can keep it that way for a very long time, but ideally I do want neatness and order.

4)  An entire wall of bookshelves, of course with books.

Reading and filling bookshelves are my obsessions. And they are good ones.

5) Little somethings to spice it up: glass bottles, small ceramic things I made, 

inspiration board with quotes I love, decoupage and collages I made,

framed pictures (or quotes!) and my own paintings on the wall.

Inspirations I found online:

Functional and practical, but the monotone makes it a little dull. I wouldn't paint a wall grey.

J'adore! Bright, a wall of bookshelves, huge storage spaces. The only thing is that I don't like sharing a desk.

Used to have the exact bookshelf on the right! Don't like the dark grey wall, even though the room overall is simple and gorgeous.

Love the wall! It'd be nice if the desk is bigger.

A pop of yellow! How nice this looks! But don't like the butterflies and I think I'd fall down that chair/ stool. And bigger desk please.

I would want this if I got married: being able to work together yet still able to focus because we couldn't see each other. But no grey wall please. And perhaps not those chairs too.

So vintage-y! Love the wood and combination of different textures!

C'est super! Among all the pictures, I like this best. So many of my favorite elements: beige, golden decor, pops of colors, turquoise, a comfortable chair, fashion magazines piled orderly. I really should arrange my fashion magazines that way! I wish the room is brighter, more art/deco displays/ bookshelves and a larger desk.

I have always wanted to display framed pictures that way.

Not really a home office, and not what I'd do in my place. But it's pretty. Kinda reminds me of Sherlock Holmes, the movie. Perhaps a detective/ serial killer/ spy/ an insane fan would have a room like this? Oh my thought just ruined the picture now!

Interesting, but I can already imagine myself sticking out my head to peep at the person sitting opposite to me. And making funny faces.

Dear readers, do you like the idea of a home office?

What is your ideal office like? Any must-haves?

Happy working!

Love,

N

Guacamole, Galaxy Note and My Adorable Family

Last day of my holiday, but the start of something new: Parents working at home.
It's like every day is a holiday or a Sunday, because they are always here at home now.
It feels a bit awkward that my parents are always at home, but in a good way.

Even though we have a study room, we all prefer to work in the dining room, next to our open kitchen.
I am working on my final year project, a.k.a. 'my baby'.
My brother is doing his homework (at the last minute!) at the other end of the table.
My books and documents are on the other dining table.
My parents are in front of their desktops and laptops.

It feels awesome that we are all in the same area but each of us has plenty space (physically and psychologically) to focus on our own work.
I would describe such an experience as a 'comfortable silence'.

Then my dad pan-fried shrimps and made coffee (which my mum and I don't drink at all).
As we're all in the open kitchen and dining area, I got distracted by the aroma and the food itself.
Suddenly remembering that we have avocados, I made guacamole (the Mexican avocado dip).

This is my very first attempt to make guacamole!
I just 'improvised' and didn't even bother to find a recipe.
(Because my mum has been nagging me about the 3 ripe avocados...)
I don't know if this is really how guacamole is made.
Whatever, as long as the final product tastes good. And it does.

How I Made My Guacamole:
1) Chop 1 peeled tomato and 2 shallots into fine dices.
2) Mash 3 avocados into a paste. (Personal preference: I like to keep a bit of texture)
3) Add 2 or 3 teaspoons lemon juice to flavor and prevent the avocados from browning.
4) Season with pinches of salt and pepper.
Voila!

And because of the guacamole I made, mum couldn't help but heated up tortilla wraps.
(She has a HUGE obsession over tortilla wraps, pita bread and kebab.
And blame it on the genes, I share similar tastes.)
So our afternoon snack is shrimps in tortilla wraps with guacamole.
Gosh, now that my parents are always home, how could I possibly lose weight?!

Then my parents got out for a walk.
When they came back, mom got her new Samsung Galaxy Note.
We always laugh at how 'technologically-disabled' my mum is.
So my dad decided to give her an 'upgrade'.
Now that my parents and my brother are all using touchscreen smart phones.
I became the only one who uses gadgets with buttons.
I became the 'IT-disabled' at home. (which is not true only true to a small extent)

Mom's new gadget brought us a lot of laughter and happiness, basically because my mum is still 'technologically-disabled', in a very funny way.
She yelled, 'I got email and I just checked it!'
Apparently she's proud of herself adapting to Android, which is so different from her usual Apple products.
The funny thing is the email itself, which says 'Welcome Back to Facebook!'
I guess a big part of her pride comes from FINALLY remembering the password for her facebook account.
We all laughed our heads off when she was there 'exploring the new world', with the assistance of my patient dad and young brother.

A lot of questions, screaming, and laughter.
I can't describe to you how adorable my family is and how blessed I feel. : )

Love,
N

Budding, Blooming, Blossoming

Flowers capture girls' hearts.
I don't know why, but they just do.

I have said this to R, my boyfriend: Don't buy me flowers, not even on valentine's day.

Yes, everybody can buy me flowers if they want to, JUST not him.
Reason? um...I said he could only buy me flowers when he proposes, if  he ever gonna do that.

I didn't find my 'flower rule' so ridiculously stupid, until now. (and I can't stop laughing at myself now!)
Well,  let's say I'm just being a woman.

Being a woman (adj/ v.)
Definitions:
1. Best excuse/ self-defense for females, applicable to everything and all situations
2. Acceptable when used as a complement for a woman's femininity/ while a man is flirting her/ they are just friends/ no chemistry at all

3. Use with Extreme Caution: Could be one of the worst things a man say to a woman
    Not suitable for use as a criticism between boyfriend-girlfriends/ husbands and wives, potentially disastrous outcome

Okay,enough for my 'urban dictionary' time, back to gardening.

So, the flowers at my place are finally blossoming, in this cold!
Perfect timing! Bright pink flowers add an extra dose of festiveness to my holiday!

The flowers are Camellia Japonica that we have planted for 3 years now, and another type of flower which I do not know of the name.

Camellia Japonica is also known as Rose of the Winter.

We got the pink ones at home. And this year, the bright pink blossoms are exceptionally gorgeous.
And it's such a pleasant surprise that the flowers have different hues or shades of pink.
The pink and red flowers just shout: 'Love is in the air!'

All photos are taken by me (not a professional), at my place, with a Canon G12.
Photos are au naturel; no color alteration or any sort of alteration is made.
Enough words, photo time!

Love,
N

Lift As You Climb

A few years ago, I took part in a community programme organized by the church.
It was about understanding poverty in this city and trying to help.
I remember visiting families with all sort of problems; mental problems, jobless, poverty. etc etc.
It was life-changing in some ways; because I didn't know how difficult life could be, at least not with my own eyes.
Life is very difficult, so difficult that the word 'difficult' is an understatement.

I remember a boy who was the same age as my young brother.
He said his favorite place was the library because there is air-conditioning, proper lighting and plenty of books.
And he said library kept him away from the street kids.
We bought the family basic necessities and some stationary for the boy.
He didn't know how to use a correction tape because he never owned one.
He have never been to Tsim Sha Tsui and the Central because he couldn't afford the transportation cost as he lives in Tuen Mun.
He asked me what was my feeling that I'm about to enter university back then.
He wanted to be a scientist. But he felt like going to college is a near impossible dream for him.

I couldn't describe the feeling I had back then/ when I recall those conversations.
Like my heart became too heavy to beat. It really hurts. It breaks my heart.
It breaks my heart to know that a child has to deal with so many difficulties in life,
that the reality set so many limits to a person that perhaps he/she could never break away from it.

'What could I do to help?'
This question has been on my mind as I see more and more problems in the world we are living in.
Most of the time, I couldn't come up with anything concrete/ any real solutions.
I feel small and powerless.

I have been watching ABC's programme Extreme Home Makeover.
In each episode, the programme would build a new home and give many other things (like paying off the mortgage, providing full-ride scholarships, giving out new cars, paying off the medical bills, etc) to families in need.
All of those families are awesome people.
They do a lot and contribute so much to their community or country, using their own money on good deeds even when most of them live very very difficult lives.

From today's episode, I learnt a wonderful phrase: Lift As You Climb.
It doesn't matter if you are living a hard life, that you have your own troubles, because everyone has their own troubles.
But the point is: as you are climbing and growing, give a helping hand to others as well, help out.

Sometimes we feel powerless and small, we want to make a difference but we doubt our power and influence.
'Lift as you climb' is such a good reminder; keep going and change things little by little.

I have not seen those families for years now.
I don't know if their lives have changed or not.
I am not sure if God exists or if God listens to our prayers, but I do believe in the power of prayer.
Well, not exactly prayers, but good thoughts.
We, or at least I, might not be able to give them material assistance.
But there is one thing that all of us can do: Always remember them and try to help bit by bit

In this time of the year, when we give and say blessings to each other,
please also remember those who are struggling and fighting for their lives.
We might not even know these people in person, but please, keep them in your prayers or good thoughts.
If condition allows, turn good thoughts into good deeds as well.
Actions always always speak louder than words.

I hope they are having a warm Chinese New Year.
I hope the kids are alright, healthy and doing well in school.
I hope life is easier for them now.

Of course, my blessings go to you too, my dear readers.

Stay warm. (both physically and in heart)

Love,
N

P.S. Just updated my Tumblr! Haven't done so for a long time. Go check it out!
http://subtlyextreme.tumblr.com/

CNY Resolution Time?

We all have the experience of setting resolutions in the beginning of the year and yet fail to achieve them.
Sometimes I think Chinese, or any culture with an extra 'New Year' according to their calenders, are lucky.
We have 1 more chance to start anew and 1 more reason to party!
Isn't that great? : )

This is perhaps a self-deception, but sometimes it is good to purposefully be silly or naive, just to add extra sweetness in life.
After all, no one dies from overdose of innocence/positivity/sweetness but PLENTY died of overthinking/ pressure/ anxiety and depression!
I know it's probably bad logic but you know I'm right! (God I sound like a mother now!)

This year, all plans of going abroad or chain-celebrations are cancelled because of my studies.
I have no complaints.
I am not the busiest one, I'm doing what I'm supposed to and I enjoy what I do.
The only complain I have is not enough time to enjoy the process fully!
Call me insane, but my final-year project is really my baby. (Now I'm sounding like a proud mum again!)

from Tumblr.com

So if we have to start doing something for a change, what should it be?
I haven't come up with any specific resolution, since I wanna be my best in every aspect possible.
But I guess that's the point: we have to be responsible to our own lives.
We have to live for ourselves, not just to impress or to live other's dreams.

No one has the obligation of bringing sweetness/ happiness/ purpose/ love/ whatever-good-thing into your life.
No, not your family or friends and not even your other half.
No one has the right to tell you how you should live. (Not even fortune tellers)
It's in your own hands. It's your life.

I have a suggestion for all of us this year: Trust yourself.
Go with your intuition or gut feelings. Be brave and let go of your fears.
If this is the year for changes, make them changes for the better!

Again, I wish all of you all the best in the year of Dragon.
Let's go on an adventure and have fun!
Fight hard and love hard!

Love,
N

P.S. This post sucks because there is no clear theme or focus.
I should really stop turning this blog into a personal blog!
But for the time being, please bear with me, my dear readers.
: )

Happy Chinese New Year

Note to Readers:

Dear,
Happy Chinese New Year.
Wish you good health, lots of happiness & love and all the best in the Year of Dragon.
They say the Year of Dragon is a year of changes for everyone (all the 12 animal zodiacs or whatever they are called)
But no matter what zodiac sign you belong to, stay fierce and strong! Fight hard! Just like a dragon!

Much love,
N

Post:
Life can be so unexpected.

This time, in a good way.

I have had enough of large family dinner parties, with more than 40 people and 4 generations in total.

Getting dolled up, being asked the same set of questions by almost everyone every single time,
listening to boring and actually hypocritical conversations,
feeling obliged to smile and maybe talk rubbish back,
or remain silent and wait for people to shoot me a disapproving look.

This particular time, I completely gave up on the hope that a family gathering could be warm and filled with laughter.

Purposefully, I wore tight skinny trousers instead of a formal dress. (Even though I still wore heels)

What you wear really does affect how you feel and behave.

I felt comfortable and free. And warm.
Sometimes I do want to tell people that getting dolled up itself can be uncomfortable.
It's cold and stop expecting women to wear chiffon or silk or satin, sweetheart neckline, off-shoulder or bare-backs and THEN stick warming pads all around our bodies just to keep ourselves ALIVE!

I thought no one would notice the change. But obviously they did noticed.

The biggest change is on my face, not what I wore. 

I was smiling; genuinely happy and relaxed to be in my own skin.
I was happy because I don't care.
After all, why should I bother to impress? 

One of the best things about being a young adult is that you get to do things your way, and by this age, you are careful/smart enough to do so without making people feel like you lack etiquette.
Or to put it simply: style develops.

And I guess it's true: Smile and positivity attract attention.
In fact, so much attention that I was surprised.
Being the 'center of attention for the night'  (as my grandparents put it) doesn't mean much to me.
I couldn't recall most of the conversations I had already.

The best thing is that since I'm not in a floor-length gown or tight mini, I was able to have more fun with the little ones. (5 of them, aged from 2 to 5!)
Being the only one they welcomed excitedly was my crown.
Obviously I could not run around with them because of my heels and due to the occasion, but I was so happy to be surrounded by them.
They drew me lovely pictures, quietly came to my table to talk to me/ask me something during the dinner, held my hands, hugged me, etc.

A 3-year-old girl quietly came to me during the dinner to ask me to try on her headband. It's her favorite and she thought it would look good on me.
Well, it's a red one with plenty of ribbon roses. It won't look good on me, nor it is age-appropriate.
And my head is way bigger than hers. (and in fact my head is larger than a lot of people, which my boyfriend always finds funny)
But then I still tried it on because I just couldn't let the sweetie down.

Every child is a wonder in his/ her own way.

I wish one day, people would stop underestimating the 'awesomeness' of children.

Not only are they adorable, but also incredibly smart and creative.

One of my favorite things to do with children is just to watch them do their own things and ask them questions.

I asked them a few questions, based on what they drew.
Then they gave me incredibly creative and amusing answers that put a smile on my face.

Love,

N

P.S. My grandparents said the atmosphere changed. There were more laughter and warmth.

Mood and emotions affect perception, but I'm glad I wasn't the only one who felt the change.

Dinner was good.
Some of us go to that hotel on a weekly basis (which is way too frequent for me).
And this dinner is one of the best I have ever tasted in that hotel.
Our request is that we don't want typical CNY dishes like abalone and definitely no shark fin soup.
So, we got plenty of surprises from the unconventional combinations.
For example, black truffles with Berkshire/ Kagoshima black pork. (and yet it's a Chinese dish!)

Wait! Didn't I said I wanna try out a diet?!
Oops! : P

My Incredible Parents

They are just ordinary people, yet incredible and very important to me.

While I was reading at the coffee shop, my mum called me and asked me to go to the nearby mall because she's there.

That moment, I was back to childhood.

When I was in kindergarten / primary/ secondary school, I envy other kids whose parents pick them up after school.

I know how much my parents love me, but they rarely pick me up after school, because of work.
So rare that I can count and remember every time they picked me up from school.

The most memorable one happened in late June 1997, when I was almost 8.
My mum went to Canada to give birth to my brother. I didn't see her for months.
I remember myself crying so hard at the airport in Alaska, while I came back from Canada with my dad.
I cried so hard that the immigration officer and flight attendants asked if I'm alright. I ignored all of them.
On one typical school day, I went home by school bus.
Then on that particular day, when I got off the bus, it was my mum standing there.
I swear at that moment, time stopped. Everything except my mum became completely blank.
I still don't understand how time stopped, or how real it felt.
But it was exactly how I felt, I swear.
Maybe children do see and experience the world in a different way.

My mum said it was one of my facial expressions that she would never forget:
I was jaw-dropped that she could see my two missing front teeth. (Hey! I was 8!)
And I was so surprised and overwhelmed with joy that I froze.
Of course the rest of the story is me jumping off the bus and ran to my mum.
Then the next surprise: seeing my baby brother for the first time.
So tiny, so sweet, so soft and smells so good.

Today my mum and I went shopping, which is also not common.
Unlike most women, mom doesn't like to shop or window-shop.
And I don't like to shop with company, not even my boyfriend.
Having someone to wait for me to find something I like and giving comments while I don't always take them, is a rather impolite thing that I wouldn't want to do to anybody.
Worse, making a bored man stand in the middle of a women's fashion boutique, holding many bags (and the woman's handbag!), just waiting like he's a servant.
Oh no! The worst happens in the lingerie shops.
Those terribly embarrassed men with 'Can I leave? I wanna see it but as a surprise, not buying it with you...' written all over their faces.
Poor men. (Though not all men dislike the experience)

So today, we went shopping.
Exactly the moment when I was fitted in a tight dress and got on my high heels, not being very 'mobile', my mum spotted a banana in my bag.
She knows me too well to know that it is my least-liked fruit and wondered why it was in my bag.
I told her casually, 'it was given'.
Then pretended to focus on checking myself in the mirror.
Turn around, turn again, left side, right side and the back.
Okay, she's not asking further. Good.

Now I know where my nosiness curiosity and stubbornness persistence came from: my dear caring mum.
She asked, I couldn't lie.
And I told her what happened, very briefly, in just three sentence.
I also know where my honesty came from.
By the time I came out of the bathroom after a shower, from that grin on my dad's face, I knew my mum told him.
I could see the question marks in their eyes. (really)
Yet, I did not intend to answer further, simply because the incident is not important.
I really appreciate what my parents did: they know when to stop asking.
That is respect and trust. They live by example.

They have always thought that I settled down too young.
They like my boyfriend very much. They wanted me to be loved and treated right.
Like all parents, they believe that I deserve the best.
They didn't know that I already found who is best for me.
I know, no one can be sure, but hey! Love is not supposed to be so sure and rational.
I know what I want and I'm truly happy to have found him.

After dinner, I took 30 min off from my work and watched TV with them.
A US comedic series ' Modern Family', my favorite.
It never fails to make me laugh, which helps me relax.
I love the sense of humor of it. Note I wrote 'sense of humor' which is different from 'funny'.
Sometimes it's so hilarious that I tear up because I laugh too hard.

I was laughing my head off and my dad asked, 'want fruit?'
Naturally, I said yes, thinking that my wonderful dad would get me blueberries or avocado.
He got back in the living room, with his hand holding:  A THE banana.

I was speechless.
If it's a friend, I might have as well said 'screw you'.
I rolled my eyes and screamed, 'Dad! Not again!'

My dad got that grin on his face which says, 'Got ya! I win!'
My mischievous dad just never got tired of making fun of me or playing pranks on me.
And every single time, he gets me. (Deep deep sigh)
Seriously, they should feel lucky that I still trust people, after all the pranks they played on me.

My parents laughed, shared the banana, and then said with a smile,
'Sweetie, my dearest daughter, problem solved.'

How can I be mad at them?
I am so blessed to be their daughter.
: )

Love,
N

On Death and Loss

Have you ever had the experience of walking on a busy street, with all the hustle and bustle around you, yet feeling overwhelmingly lonely and terribly exhausted, exactly like what is in the movies?

Today is one of those days.
On my way back home, I was feeling very tired.
Perhaps because of the 7 straight hours of classes I had, 

but most probably because I was thinking about the conversation I had today.

I shared certain story from my past. Just one.
And then I kind of regret it, because I might did more than just shocked a person.
I guess there is something more than shock. (Though I'm not sure if it's really the case)

You can tell a lot from people's face.
You can really see a person's mind running, through the eyes.
Guess people don't call eyes 'windows to one's soul' for nothing.
When a person's eyes turned hollow, looking into the air or staring into the distance, face turned blank,

you know that it's either one of these situations:
1) the person is completely bored and uninterested
2) the person is very tired or down
3) memories are flashing in the person's mind, and that blank facial expression indicates it's something not good

In any case, it's not something good to happen during a conversation.

The worst case is probably the 3rd one, which might have happened today.

I hope I'm wrong this time. I really do.

You really see how a person dive into memories and almost vanish in front of your own eyes.

It's wonderful if it's good memories.
If not, it's like putting the last straw on the camel's back, with your own hands.

Maybe I'm overthinking, but I really hope what I shared did not bring up unpleasant memories for another person.

On my way back home, I was thinking of two things: if the people in this city is happy and the people that I have lost forever.

I was having hollow eyes, staring into the distance, with earphones in my ears listening to music loud, slowing walking as if I'm on 'autopilot'.
Clearly I dived deep into thinking as well as memories, exactly the state of mind I just described.

The scariest thing about death is not death itself, nor the uncertainty about life after death.

(Not gonna tell you my reasoning process, I don't intend to be philosophical, at least not today)
Instead, it is the awkward, terrible feeling that the person vanished completely.
Yea, right, that's why it's a 'loss'. But the word couldn't really describe the feeling very well.

You know this person, he or she was in your life, the memories you had together, etc.
Then one day, he or she left. Just gone.
Yet the world still revolves and life goes on, as if he'she never existed.
You have no choice but to move on as well.
That's one of the worst feelings. 

The certainty of eternal loss is just another terrible thing about death.
Almost feeling like the person got off the train many stations early, but you didn't say goodbye properly AND you won't be able to do so anymore.
No letters, no telephone, no emails, no facetime, no skype. Nothing, just gone. As if he or she never existed.

As times passes, you moved on and sometimes you even forgot about this person who was once in your life.
Regardless of their importance or relationship with you, they were once in your life.

Memories fade and impressions became blurred.
You don't really remember this person's face, or voice. You felt guilty and bad about not remembering.
But you couldn't do anything about it anymore.
The loss became a fact that you have to accept and be okay with. You carry on with your life.

I am not missing any particular person, but this is how I feel for all the ones I lost and I tried to put it in words.

Every death is a life-changing event. 

Every death makes people think about death and how to live better.

But have I lived better, after losses? Or do I moved on and eventually forget the lessons I learned?
I don't know. I wish I can answer my own questions.
Isn't human brains amazing? That I can ask myself a question about me, but still not being able to answer it!

Another example of suddenly not knowing myself happened shortly after I thought about the issue of death.

As I was going home, I also wondered if people are happy.

No one was smiling, none of them stood or sat properly. I guess they were very tired, physically or mentally.

There was too much negativity that I also felt numb and a bit down.
I was so numb that I didn't realize I was sad too, until tears fell from my eyes.
When a drop of tear fell, I was shocked, by myself.
I was too deep into thinking and the memories that I sort of lost control over my body as well.
I don't know if I'm sad or just that I stared too long into the air and forgot to blink, that my eyes got irritated.
Probably both? I really don't know.

I quickly wiped it off my cheek. No one noticed, which is just normal. Pathetic but normal.
Sometimes when you feel happy, everything looks happy.
But when you have a heavy mood, even the most beautiful thing hints you of melancholy.

I'm sure only I feel this way, but it looked like today on my way home, everybody is sad and trapped in their own little worlds and minds as well.

Not long after I thought to myself that this city is sad, I found someone smiling at me.
I was happy and I faintly smiled back to the stranger.
Then, I realized she's just a salesperson, trying to tell me about some promotion.

For one millisecond, I thought her smile was an act of kindness. Silly me.

Sometimes, when a day is hard and everything seems bad, all you can do is laugh at yourself.

Laugh the melancholy off and say to yourself:
Life is too short to be taken this seriously.

Just smile, NOW. Keep that smile on your face for 5 seconds.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Feeling better now?
I do.  : )

Love,
N

On Trust

Welcome to adulthood;
when you can do exactly opposite to what you say, but still get away with it just because you are old enough.

When we were young, we were taught not to cheat and not to be selfish.
The ironic thing is the people who teaches us all that moralities and standards, the adults, do all the stuffs they teach us not to do.

Just as people turn into young adults, in their early 20s, some of them became impolite, reckless and not trustworthy.

I began to understand why people gave such negative label to 'Post-80s' (even though I'm a Post-80 too)

They ask you to do them a favor, don't show up as promised, don't even say sorry or thank you and take you for granted.

I wonder if I'm such a nasty spoiled brat too. I hope not.

Well, not that anything big happened to my life, just that my day was wasted by irresponsible people.

People didn't show up because it is their day-off, but none of them know that today is actually my day-off too.

And if they did not intend to come, then why, in the first place, did they ask me to bring everything back?

No, what happened today didn't strike me that badly.
Just that the moment when I said 'I won't trust them again', memories flashes back.
And I have to take back what I said and said 'No, I will keep trusting.'

I know, it's the reality and the bad side of human nature to be selfish.
I have seen enough of similar situations and sometimes I'm the bad person.
I'm not trying to criticize anyone to make myself appear to be better by comparison.
But have you ever thought that even if bad things happen often, it doesn't mean that they're more acceptable or okay?

Like rape or murder or war, they still happen every day, for God-knows how many years,
but does it makes them okay or acceptable?
If 'No' is your answer, then the same should be applied to other morals, like credibility and trustworthiness.
After all, morals are morals, instead of bigger morals that you must adhere and smaller morals that you can choose to adhere or not.
(Of course there are always dilemmas and exceptional cases where failing to adhere to some morals can be morally acceptable too, judging from the big situation)

At times I get frustrated and remind myself not to trust.

There was a period in my life, when I completely shut myself out emotionally because I was broken inside.

It was the time when I thought I could trust no one because I was shattered by lies and betrayals.
I did not even trust my family.

Mistrust, frustration, hurt, suspicion and distrust. 

A cycle like this can drive a person insane.

The only way to break the cycle is to be brave and trust again.

Yes, it means you are once again vulnerable to being hurt, disappointed or cheated.
But it also means that you might have a chance to taste the sweet reward of mutual trust.
That's the only way: to build trust with trust.

'Love all, trust a few and hate none.' is one of my favorite words-to-live-by.
Today, things didn't turn out very well, but I'm not at all disappointed.
I was grateful to find that there are some helpful people around me.
Just small gestures like to open the door for me, the push the button for me, that sort of things.
And other acts of kindness like letting me to put things in one's office, helping me to carry heavy stuffs, etc.

Some say it's what gentlemen do or it's just something trivial.

Yes, it's true. But these acts of kindness did made my day much better.

What I have learnt today:

1) Complain less, Appreciate more, Say Thank You.

2) Keep Trusting

Reminder to Self:
Be a responsible person, do my work asap and do them well, don't let down people who trust me.

My dear reader,
Please take 6 mins off from your work or whatever you're doing and watch this.
It puts a smile on my face, makes me feel much more hopeful and happy. I hope it does to you too.

Love,
N

New Semester, New Start

First day of school.
Today is the first time that I'm happy and excited about going to school to have classes.
Really, the very first time, in nearly 3 years!

Am I very slow in adapting? Or just because now that I found myself again?
In either case, or both, it is a good thing that I enjoy my university life more than ever
What better way to start off a new semester by being lively and excited?

Besides the compulsory courses, I'm taking two major electives:
Security Studies (my incredible prof-and-adviser who I love to talk to, and whose courses I enjoy)
and IR Theories (the prof that I'm MOST afraid of, yet very knowledgeable. His courses are intellectually enrichment as well, but very challenging. He just gave me an A which I absolutely don't know how I managed to get it, I have no idea!).
People say taking 2 of the most challenging and heavy workload courses in one semester (to be specific, my last semester), is a suicidal act.
80-90 pages of readings/week & 50 min solo presentation for IRT class alone!

It is challenging but I would never call it 'suicidal', not even close.
I made my choices out of curiosity and desire for intellectual stimulation.
I want to stretch myself and bring myself to a higher level.
It might be a risk to GPA but a risk worth taking for.
How is that suicidal? I am actively living and learning!

If one dares not to take a brave step and explore out of one's comfort zone, there won't be growth or improvement, let alone surprises and fruits of hardwork.
I would rather try something new and exciting, than sticking to something that bores me, then in return having poor grades because my heart isn't in it.
Taking risk is almost a privilege to young people like me, because we have nothing to lose and life lessons only builds us stronger and better.
So, if not now, when?

I'm trying out new time management techniques to motivate myself more and hopefully curbing procrastination.
I always say, procrastination is more universal than democracy.
But I really want to let go of it and probably need to.
Trying out different techniques now, hope they work and I can keep up this determination.
If any one of you have your own little way to motivate yourself or stop procrastination, please teach me! :' (

These days, I'm doing the final procedures in my Master's application.
I might not miss my current university. But I would definitely miss my dear professors.
Writing references might as well be one of their job duties, but they just can't imagine how much it means to me.
I am grateful, even though I don't know how are my chances of getting into the program.

All my three profs, who I invited to be my referees, are incredible in their own way.
I have written a post on how each of them are inspiring me in their own way, but then I decide not to publish and deleted it.

I don't want them to feel like I'm flattering them because they wrote me references.
(Even though they might not read the post or simply don't know about my blog)
I don't want my prof to feel like I'm writing anything purposefully if he happens to read my blog.
Yes, by all means references are important.
But I am more grateful of how nice and inspiring they are to me, in academic area or beyond that.
So, I respect them enough that I would only write about them after my application process.
Just to guarantee that there won't be any 'conflict of interests'.
But I promise, I will write about them.

Whether you know me in person or not, please wish me luck in the new semester and my application! : )
If you happen to face some new start/changes/challenges in your life, I also wish you best of luck.
Do good, work hard, stay positive and be kind. I trust that good will come if we do so.

Much love,
N

My 2012 To-Do/Be/Have List

After the last post, I was thinking that maybe I was being to 'anti-detailed-plans'.
Of course different thing works for different people.
It was just a kind reminder that sometimes allowing certain 'blankness' in life means that when things go astray, you won't be stroke as hard.

Let me tell you my goals for 2012 covering personal, relationships and achievements levels.
I love lists, so here it is:

In 2012, I'm Going To: 

1) Be happy, positive and present
I used to say that my boyfriend is shallow when he answers 'Being happy' when I asked what his life goal is.
I was too occupied by my 'perfect and detailed' plans and I didn't let him explain. He has different definitions of happiness and different ways to achieve them.
'Being happy' still sounds superficial now, but on a second thought, isn't it what all our life goals bring us in the end? Happiness?
How people define happiness varies, some more self-interested, some more noble, judging from the worldly standards and from different perspectives.
But really, all of our goals are just different forms of pursuits for happiness.

I wanna stay positive and carry on with my 'love life as hard as I can' attitude.
I want to be genuinely happy and experience pure joy that is not related to fame and wealth, but with people, nature and love.

From weheartit.com

2) Stay curious, keep learning and be inspired.
I cannot imagine a life without curiosity. Or without reading, reflection and deep thoughts.
I still have numerous questions in my mind that I wanna find answers to.
By learning, of course I'm not only thinking about school.
Being clever is not the same with being wise. If I have to choose, I'd pick wisdom.
But who says one can't have both? So I aim for both.
If you don't shoot for the moon, you can't fall on the stars, right? No harm to aim high.

But I still have to be practical too.
For school-related learning, my target is a Master's program that I have been thinking days and nights.
To get into what I'm dying to study, I need a high GPA. So I have to work hard the coming semester.
And I am gonna try out some time management techniques. Hopefully they work.
Good news: just got my GPA! Highest one I've got so far.
I am so happy about the fact that my work (couldn't say hardwork because I enjoyed it) paid off.
Gonna keep it up and do better. And stay humble.

3) Spread love and Inspire
Basically to all. The idea is that maybe I can't do anything big to save our chaotic world, but I could do small things that add occasional sweetness to people's lives, and hopefully to inspire them to do the same.
A small act of kindness and gesture of love don't cost anything. But those are treasures.
And about my relationships, I wanna be a better daughter, sister, girlfriend, friend and student.
I am flawed and I am willing to improve because these people mean a lot to me: my family, boyfriend, friends and teachers.

4) Stay healthy
Weightloss is still something that I hope can happen overnight and like magic.
But unfortunately, people haven't invent such marvelous technology yet.
Instead of weightloss, I am going to try stay as healthy as possible, with the old cliche ways that I'm not gonna repeat.
Also, my rest pattern is pretty chaotic now, have to bring back order and structure before I burn myself out.

5) Have more self-discipline and control
After knowing that none of us are perfectly rational, I kind of become a little bit too laid-back.
In many aspects, I was a bit overtaken by irrationality, emotions, etc.
I missed deadlines. I walked out on a date. I didn't handle relationships properly.
I fell into temptations. I spent too much (luckily I am anti-credit-card and don't own one).
I'm glad no serious damage happen. But none of those should develop further.
Better self-control this year: from time management, money management to generally my quality as a person.
Have to be an adult and more importantly as a better person.

Yes, that's about it, my big pictures/ big life goals
Of course having guidelines help me to achieve them, but once again nothing detailed or very specific.
I found that allowing myself some freedom helps me to achieve my goals better.

And who says goal-setting are only for the start of a year?!
I'll keep changing my smaller goals throughout the year to give myself an exciting and fruitful year.
(and no burnouts in March or the middle of the year)
So I'm now adding just one more:

6) Be Open to Possibilities and Stay Creative
Who knows what life will bring?! But whatever it brings, just smile and greet the future.
Sometimes when life gets hard, keep going and stay strong.
No one can teach you that, only you can teach yourself to be strong.
In bad times or when bored, stay creative and think outside the box.
We all deserve a little more sparkle, a little more fun and a whole lot more laughter in our lives.

Wish you an exciting, fruitful and unforgettable year.

Love,
N

P.S.
Have finished the book Child in the Jungle in one night, it moves me.
I smiled, I cried, I was deeply touched and inspired, and also soothed.
My tropical getaways are just incomparible to what was described in the book.
Then I think of my mother's stories about her childhood adventures, my grandparents' experience in a rubber plantation farm, my dad and my other grandparents' trips to exotic countries.
The book, together with my imagination, became a very satisfying trip for my soul.

Resolution or Anti-Resolution

Resolution-setting is common and almost obligatory for the start of a year.
Having concrete goals is a great thing; meaning that you have plans, you are organized and orderly.
But sticking too much to inflexible plans/ obsessed with goal-setting is nothing cool.

Each year, my resolutions are more or less the same.
Yet, I cannot make them happen. And I'm definitely not alone.
My No. 1 resolution enemy: to lose weight.
I just never shed the weight, or worse, never determined enough to push myself towards that direction.

Funny illustration that speaks the mind of many, like me

Most of the time when one fails to achieve the resolutions, one gets frustrated.
Usually at the end of the year when one recalls, 'Ah-ha! Let me review the resolutions I wrote on 1st of Jan',
dig out the list, read through it.
Just to be disappointed and ashamed that only pathetically few number of goals are achieved.

And if you belong to the I-make-plans-and-I-follow-them group, let me first congratulate you having such determination, self-discipline and diligence which most of us lack.
But all that don't shield you from disappointments.
As some of you might know, I used to be a perfectionist and control-freak, in some aspects I still am, but way more relaxed and moderate that sometimes I'm too lazy now.

A lesson that I have learnt is that things do go wrong, no matter how hard you work or how detailed your 'perfect' plan is.
Things can go wrong in all the ways possible and unimaginable.
Plan ahead is an act of maturity, but don't let in curb your flexibility.
General direction and big picture are what you need, fill gaps in with some details, but not every single detail. Never.
You have to be able to react to unfavorable circumstances and have good crisis management.

2011 was the year that I purposefully did not set resolutions for myself.
No more 'To read more than 20 books a year, lose 10lbs, study for __ hours before examination' that kind of thing.
Directions, yes. But not anything specific.
I wanna stay open to possibilities and explore as much as possible.
I wanna be positive & inspiring.
I wanna love hard and stay curious.
I wanna have good health and build good relationships.
Simply, I wanna be the best that I can.

The result?
Well, I didn't lose 10 lbs. (In fact, I think I gained 10lbs...) But!
2011 was one of the best years of my life so far.
I am grateful for meeting awesome, nice people who teach and inspire me in many different ways.
I am grateful to love and be loved.
I am more curious and positive than ever.

I didn't live just according to numbers and plans, but with more spontaneity and passion.
It doesn't mean that I live a life with no self-discipline.
Instead, having open plans mean that I am more responsible to myself; that I have to exert more self-awareness and self-control.
I'm no expert on time management. But I think the year has been a great training.

Are you a I-follow-plans person or a I-have-the-big-picture person?
Will share with you my resolution/anti-resolution in the next post, and some good news too.

Love,
N

Calming Read & Movie Night

Watched the movie Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows.
Didn't watch the first one, but the sequel is incredible; exciting plot, action-packed and clever use of visual effects.
Really enjoyed it.
Though I heard someone snoring in the theatre and overheard a conversation in the ladies' room which goes like this:

Woman 1: You like the movie?
Woman 2: It's alright, except the slow motion shots. They are using that to lengthen the movie.
Woman 1: Who cares?! The actor who plays the doc is good-looking, what's his name?
Woman 2: I don't know.

I can't help but rolled my eyes, maybe more than once.

Not sure if it is the word, but the slow motion shots are sophisticated.
I bet it takes much effort and time to perfect it. And I admire people who make them.

People may like it or dislike it, but to lengthen the movie?! Seriously?

Not sleeping very well these days; sometimes because of work, sometimes due to the stress.

Try to have the best of both worlds, work and private life, and thus sacrifice some sleep time.

I sleep a little then get up after the midnight to do some quiet readings, for both work and leisure.

At times, because of the stress, I wake up in the middle of the night, knowing that I still have plenty to do.

These thoughts really stay in your mind, partly because they are true.
Sometimes my brain screams this to my face, like a slap: You should be more productive! You should be better then this! Go work your ass off!

Sometimes it works and I'll get up.

In either way, I end up waking up in the middle of the night to read.
Fortunately, it doesn't bother me much, yet.
I love to read and how quiet night is. Absolutely me time.

Last night, the same happened.
But what was on my mind is not studies-related, it is the book that I'm dying to read: 

Child of the Jungle by Sabine Kuegler.

I remembered what my friend/ prof / friendly prof told me: using reward as motivations for work, even before work.
To speak in the language of Psychology, one of the most famous works of B.F. Skinner, a learning theory called 'Operant Conditioning': To reward is positive reinforcement to encourage favourable behavior.

Nice. One more justification for me to start reading it. 

It's a captivating read, like a friend sharing her story.
Despite the Fayu tribe has a reputation of brutal killings and wars, her experience living with them in the jungle is entirely different, rather amicable and peaceful.

It is a difficult task to express one's awe for nature or trying to describe its beauty with the right words, without appearing to be exaggerating or overly poetic. I think the author has done a good job.

I have never lived in a jungle.

Thought the book is an exciting adventure (haven't finish it, maybe it is going to be),

but somehow it touches me and soothes me while amazes me.

The words are very simple, but to my surprise, incredibly calming and soothing.

I enjoy the moments of peace it gives me.

Who said nights are for sleep? : )

Love,
N

Fear

I'm afraid of 2012.

Not because I think it's the end of the world, but because of the uncertainties and changes I am about to meet.
I'm about to graduate and I'm not sure of what comes next: continue to study or work.
The best scenario would be to study in Canada. But no one can guarantee that.

In almost all my life, I feel secure, mostly because of the love from my family, my boyfriend and friends.
The sense of security also comes from the fact that I make plans for my life.
Used to be a perfectionist and control-freak, now I'm open to possibilities.
It is exactly my openness to possibilities that makes me worrisome and anxious.

I'm excited about the future I'm going to venture into.
It feels like my world is just beginning, an adventure I'm about to set off.
Then the little voice in my head starts to pull me back, by breeding just one thing: Fear and doubts.

The what-ifs kept running across my mind that it is almost haunting:
What if I don't get admitted? What if history repeats itself?
What if I'm not good enough? What if none of the programs accept me?
What if I couldn't adapt to the lifestyle there?
What if our relationship goes wrong?
What if I come back and we become different persons?

The scariest among all is the worry about my relationship.
It is not even about trust. I trust him and he trusts me.
It's about the fact that people change and people make mistakes.
We are all changing bit by bit every day, in subtle and slow ways that we don't realize.
Not even about being better or worse, it's just a fact that people change.
My mother says it's important for a couple to grow together and keep up with each other, that even when the two people change, they know and fall in love with each other again.
And mistakes are inevitable.
I usually say that I accept the fact that I make mistakes, because then I learn and avoid the same thing to happen twice.
But I can't say that in a relationship; I don't want anything to go wrong.

In this holiday, I made a few mistakes.
Some tiny, some a little bit bigger; like walking out a date.
To disappoint someone you love is one of the worst feelings.
To see him/her frown, disappointed, upset, angry etc.
The worst thing one can do in a relationship (of any kind), is to ruin the trust and kill the patience.
I want to be a person that brings immense joy and comfort to my boyfriend, like the way he is to me.
I could be better and I'm going to be.

It is a horrifying thought just to imagine life without my boyfriend.
I'm quite independent, but since we have been together for more than 5 years; he becomes a part of my life.
Long-distance relationship takes even more effort to maintain.

The only fear is fear itself.
I hope that all my worries are just irrational, unrealistic thoughts, or me being a woman.
The best way to deal with fear and the stress it brings, is to confront it.
Yes, I'm afraid, but I will keep going.
Keep on working hard; learning as much as possible, hopefully getting the As, having deep and sensible talks about our possible-long-distance relationship, etc etc.

I know I'm still gonna panic and doubt; I am only human.
But I'm not gonna let the stress bring me down.
Just gonna smile and keep going.
I'm too old to escape from whatever unpleasant or being a cry baby.

Life, come what may.

Love,
N

Avocado Pancake & Homemade Seasoning Salt

Spent some quality time with my family today.
My mum and I made some homemade seasoning salt.
For the sake of our family's health (cutting the sodium consumption) and the fun of doing it.
Making homemade seasoning salt is actually a great fun thing to do;
putting things in the blender, (the few-thousands-worth-multi-functions-&-high-power blender is one of my mum's toys in the kitchen, I said I'd never invest so much in a blender, but now I kinda fall in love with it too)
making noise,
doing the packaging with pretty jars or tins or glasses,
writing sweet notes so we can give these pretty jars of salt to family and friends.

Made different flavors of homemade seasoning salt.
Basically we are cutting the amount of salt we use (at least cutting 50%), by mixing in different seasonings or spices or herbs to compensate for the saltiness and giving it more flavor.
We use sea salt but of course regular salt will do equally fine.
My mum and I rarely follow recipes, and we are inventing our own, so feel free to mix everything.
Just remember: less salt, more other flavorful-but-less-sodium stuffs. And no artificial flavors or additives!
I'm feeling illiterate now, I don't know the English for some specific ingredients! I'll try explain it and with the aid of photos. Sorry if I'm making you confused.

1) Japanese style:
    -seaweed: not the ones we use to make sushi, but the thick type of seaweed. Buy those from Japan or South Korea. Check for the nutrition label to make sure you get the ones with least sodium or additives.
    -Katsuobushi: just Japanese sliced dried fish, those 'flakes' they sprinkle on Japanese dishes.



2) Chinese style
   -dried shrimps or dried fish: pretty common Chinese food. Again, opt for naturally sun-dried ones or ones with less (or most preferably no) additives. We usually wash them first and clean the guts out, then sun-dry them again.
   -dried mushroom
   -make sure everything is completely dry, cut them into smaller pieces before blending
   -dried seafood is already salty, so you can cut the salt even more and use less of the the final product while you cook

3) Western style
  -Pick any of your favorite herbs: you can buy the dried ones or if you plant your own herbs, like my family, chop some off and leave them to dry completely.
  -any common herbs will do: rosemary, basil, lemongrass, oregano, dill, paprika, bay leaves, etc etc. The combination is endless.

The final product is not pure white, but don't worry it tastes fantastic.
Store them into sterilized glass jars or tin bottles, give them a pretty label.
It's also great gifts! Just make pretty labels, tie a ribbon or just a string and attach a sweet note.
You can make scrubbing salt the same way, just add lavender or other things to rock salt or sugar, instead of the fine ones, and add some natural essential oil or olive oil.
Voila!

You can make so many different types of seasoning salts that suits your taste.
It makes cooking easier and your diet more healthy. And it's very simple to make.
You can even mix salt and pepper and a bit of lemon (or grapefruit!) zest. That's probably the easiest one.
Just be creative and experiment.

Told you I'm gonna make breakfast for my family, right?
Thought I could be the earliest one to wake up and make breakfast, but I couldn't.
So I gave it a twist and served breakfast in the afternoon, more like tea.
Made pancakes (except the first two, all pancakes look pretty round and good ), chopped some avocado on top, sprinkled a bit of brown sugar on avocado.
It's quite nice.
The richness & creaminess of avocado makes it a great substitute for butter.
No butter and no syrup. Think I've found a healthy pancake recipe.

Enjoy Cooking & Bon Appetit!

Love,
N

Happy 2012!

Back home at around 3.
(I'm actually early. I heard that my grandparents were home later than me! Partying at the age of 70+!)
It took us an hour to walk from TST to my place
My boyfriend walked me home then it took him another hour to go home.
The jazz bar was very good, the music, band and atmosphere.
Not sensual, soft and intimate type of jazz, but big band sort of jazz, swing and festive.
Perfect for the new year's eve. We both have a blast.

Greetings from Hong Kong: Happy 2012!
Taken when we were on our way home. Didn't watch the fireworks.
Don't really like the crowd and the 'wow's as if they are kids.
Fireworks are beautiful, but I prefer the enjoy the show quietly or express the amazement quietly.

Woke up late today and  found home empty; just me and my unbearable craving for wonton noodles.
I have an obsession for wonton noodles, a local delicacy. Um...maybe not that local, since Chinese are everywhere now.
Every once in a while, I get sudden but strong cravings for it.
Usually when I just come back to Hong Kong from a trip.
But I guess it's a pretty good way to start off the year, eating comfort food and being down to earth.
Being simple and grateful is always the best attitude, isn't it? : )

My parents called and asked me to join them for brunch somewhere in TST.
It has traffic arrangements (again!) for some parade. I didn't want to walk an hour to get there.
At that moment, all in my mind is a good bowl of wonton noodles, simple as that.
I told them my craving and promised to take them to somewhere which is clean and serves good wonton noodles.
I bet I sounded desperate.They laughed and agreed to eat with me.
They laughed again when I ordered my 2nd bowl of wonton noodles.
Yup, I ate 2 large bowls of noodles. I told you the craving is unbearably strong!

I love how my parents always laugh when I do harmlessly stupid things.
They never criticize or control me excessively; only teach me important rules of life and then let me explore the rest.
I wanna be kind and loving just like them.
Probably I should treat my brother better too, my parents say I'm more like a mother than a sister to my brother. Worse, a typical Asian mother, the tiger mom, nagging him all the time and being mean.
Okay, I am gonna treat my brother better this year.

I have always told my parents that we should get each other gifts on special days.
But my mother doesn't understand it, she said, 'we don't have to wait for festivals to buy gifts!'
She is right, in a sense that every day could be a gift day, every day is the perfect day to express love and care.
I tried so hard to convince her that exchanging gifts on festivals or special days is something our family should do regularly as a tradition.
It's not about the price. It's about thinking of each other, addressing their needs or just making them happy.
I want handwritten notes/ cards and handmade little things.

My parents took my suggestion and gave me and my brother surprise new year gifts.
Just as my craving was satisfied and I was oh-so-happy, my parents gave me this bright orange-y box.

Gorgeous packaging

The packaging is oh-so-colorful and I looked just like this (probably starry-eyed too)--> : D

Unwrapping, unwrapping...what is it?

TA DA! my new wallet!

I just told you how much I love my old Kate Spade wallet and my parents got me a new one!
I love monochrome but not sure if I'm equally in love with the prints.

But I'm happy that my parents took my suggestion and I guess they like the new tradition too.
My mum was proudly saying that she knows that I adore the brand for its chic and fun.
She seemed to read my mind and said, 'I know your love the old one and intend to use it for a long time, but you can still use the new one. You can have both, don't feel like you're cheating on wallets!' and followed by laughter again.
My dad was saying he knows I like long wallets and it matches most of my outfits.

Both of them said they know I'd want to check out other wallets too, so they kept the receipt.
They know me so well!
And they said everything in that 'I-know-my-daughter-so-well-and-I'm-proud-about-that' tone that I can't help smiling to.

How can I not love my parents?!
Not just because they buy me stuffs, but more importantly because they know me well and love me as I am.
For what they did for us, all the sacrifices they made, their devotion and love for us, I'm eternally grateful.
Incredibly loving and supportive. And kind.

I wish them all the best in the coming year as they are about to make some important career decisions: they might work at home! Home office!
They are pretty excited about this home office idea.
Since their work can be quite flexible and that their smart phones or iPad or whatever it is can help them finish their work easily, they are thinking of giving the idea of home office a try.
I'm excited about transforming our study room into their new home office too!

I love home decor or doing these home makeovers.
Yup, I'm the art director at home and my ultimate goal is to re-paint the living room.
I mean it! I hate that sunset yellow we're having now. It gives me headache.

New year's day Dinner: seafood hot pot & Sake. Perrrr-fect match.
I'm gonna make breakfast for my family tomorrow. Shhh! It's a surprise!
I swear I needa work after tomorrow, or else I'll get into trouble and hate myself for having too much fun.

Happy 2012 to you. Thank you for reading.
Wish you a year full of love and blessings.

Love,

N

Upcoming post: Resolution (or Anti-resolution?)