2009

New year, new calendar, new organiser. And as with the start of every year, here are the resolutions. I had adhered to 2008's resolutions surprisingly well. Let's hope I can keep this up.

I resolve to be more organised in various aspects of my life.

I resolve to be more thoughtful towards the people in my life.

I resolve to adopt a stricter skincare regime.

Well, it does appear to be rather manageable. We shall see in 2010. Until then, happy new year.

Best Day

If it all ends tomorrow
Well I still have today
To drown out all my sorrow
In every single way

Have breakfast with my mother
Then go out with my friends
Call you to say I love you
Just before it ends

I want to take this
I need to take this
I have to make this
The best day of my life
The best day of my life

I’m sorry dear I woke you up
Just wanted to hear your voice
I know you’re irritated
Said you can’t sleep in the noise

Tried to put in a message
But I never did hit send
Guess we’ll talk another time
Because right now it’s not the end

But I want to take this
I need to take this
And I have to make this
The best day of my life
The best day of my life

I woke early next morning
Feeling a little down
When we meet tomorrow
I’ll have nothing to say now

Still I want to take this
Let us take this
Let us make this
The best day of my life
The best day of our lives



Presenting the first draft of my newest work. It still requires a lot of editing, and suggestions and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and belated Christmas wishes to all.

Duets

Ten of my favourite English duets (not in order):
1. (You're) Timeless to Me
2. You are the Music in Me
3. Can I Have This Dance?
4. Come What May
5. Last Thing on My Mind
6. Somethin' Stupid
7. Nobody Wants to be Lonely
8. Lucky
9. All I Ask of You
10. At the Beginning

Duets. Aren't they something special? To me, singing a duet with someone I love would be one of life's most beautiful gifts. Two voices, in perfect harmony. Two people in love. I couldn't ask for anything more.

And perhaps it is too much to ask for someone else to feel the way I do.

Everything - Michael Bublé

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPUJIbXN0WY

You're a falling star, you're the get away car
You're the line in the sand when I go too far
You're the swimming pool, on an August day
And you're the perfect thing to say

And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute
Oh when you smile at me you know exactly what you do
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true
'Cause you can see it when I look at you

[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing
You're every line, you're every word
You're everything

You're a carousel, you're a wishing well
And you light me up, when you ring my bell
You're a mystery, you're from outer space
You're every minute of my everyday

And I can't believe, oh that I'm your man
And I get to kiss you baby just because I can
Whatever comes our way, oh we'll see it through
And you know that's what our love can do

[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing
You're every line, you're every word
You're everything

So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La

[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing
You're every line, you're every word
You're everything

You're every song, and I sing along
'Cause you're my everything

Yeah, yeah

So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La

Past, Present and Future

About two weeks back, my friend's parents drove me to Clememti MRT station from school. So there I was in the backseat, anticipating questions and small talk, but there was not much. It was alright for I was perfectly content with gazing out the window. And along the way, I couldn't help but observe that when they spoke to each other, there was a certain quality in their tone of voice - gentle, tender, patient.

I tried to recall a similar moment in my past, only to find that there was no such moment. The separation took place more than five years ago, but even in my childhood and adolescence, I have never had that feeling. The feeling that I felt that night in the car, looking ahead at my friend's parents. For the smallest, slightest of moments, a thought slipped into my mind - how nice it must be to have parents like that.

Even when my parents were married to each other, they were not happily married. In my memory, there were just fights, arguments and disagreements. For years, I have never given it much thought, just bearing the reality of living in such a family. But for a moment, I simply wondered what the other side might feel like.

No, there is to be no dwelling on the past. If anything, I shall take it as nothing more than a learning experience. All that hurt and pain will not be for nothing, instead they will constitute part of what it is that drives me to live my everyday with as much colour, beauty and happiness as possible.

More importantly, the past has made me want to create the most beautiful future possible for myself and my children. Because the least I can do is to give them what I never had. And I will.



"A happy marriage is the best gift that you can give to your children."

Dinner with Frances

I had the loveliest time today, cooking with Frances. It was like Home Economics class all over again, when we were partners. (Oh, I miss making kebabs and pizza under supervision. I can't remember how to make those again, after so long.)

I simply adore my pretty tealight holders. And the blue dish that is holding all the Toblerone bars too. I got them from IKEA. Don't you just love IKEA? Every other thing there is just perfect. Simple, elegant and homely. And yes, I'm aware of the inconsistency in my bread-cutting skills.

Our main course, chicken in white wine sauce, with mushrooms and vegetables. The mushrooms were the tastiest. The chicken was fine, though it would have been better if the skin was crispy. Nevertheless, a successful meal, not counting the sauce, which was a little odd. I might have added too much wine, and hence the taste was overpowering. Still, it was a good experience.

The candles add the most glorious touch. It was definitely very pleasant to just sit back, listen to good music and enjoy our post-dinner drinks and party mix.

We love Christmas! And Christmas trees too. I'm really looking forward to Christmas with much anticipation. In just a couple of weeks, there'll be presents under the tree. It's a cheery thought.

Just a few more days to my last paper. And thus marks the end of another semester. We always get by, don't we?

Any Recipes to Recommend?

My dearest Frances will be coming over on Saturday, and I haven't a clue what to make for dinner. She'll be here early to help, but I still need to shop for ingredients, preferably by tomorrow. Perhaps I'll go to the library later to study (last paper on 5TH December), and along the way, browse through a couple of cookbooks.

Yesterday, or this morning rather, I was chatting with Natasha on Msn, and she remarked, "I love that you're a traditionalist too". And it's true. I remember when the two of us shopped together at Daiso once, and it was funny how we were so at home, two housewifey little undergraduates. What a combination.

It's that white picket fence dream, I suppose, though I'm not buying into it wholesale. I suscribe to the Supermum, work/family balance concept more. Either way, it's a nice, optimistic way to view the future.

But when all's been said (and not done yet), the future is indeed a long way off. So, first things first, I'll need to figure out a lovely menu for Saturday. Any recommendations?

P.S. The tagboard is finally up, a thousand thanks to Natasha. It's at the bottom of the page, which is rather inconvenient, I know, but hopefully this is just a temporary arrangement, until I figure out an optimum position for it.

2 Down, 3 More

I feel as though I've crosssed one of the biggest hurdles today. Yes, it was scary. A few friends chided me for choosing modules with examinations that take place on the same day. Yes, it was very bad planning on my part. I do not have much confidence in doing well for my two papers today. Yes, it was very bad time management.

But it's been done. Right now I have to focus on what's coming next. In a way, that's what we should always be doing, in every aspect of our lives. What's the point of dwelling on the past, when we can use the time on our hands to make the future better for ourselves and those we love?

Three more papers. Soon, soon.

Three Red Roses

It's amazing how good things happen when you least expect them. Then again, if it had happened in any other way, it wouldn't be called a surprise, would it?

Oh, just looking at my favourite red, red roses brightens my day. So, this is what happiness feels like.

(On a side note, being the technophobe that I am, the tagboard isn't up yet because I'm having trouble putting it up. Can anyone help me here? Thanks.)

J'adore La Langue Française

I love French a thousand times over. It's the only class where I have confidence in doing well. That said, I'm still not at a desired level of proficiency. I would probably be very lost in translation should you place me in the middle of Paris. Then again, maybe happily lost in translation. I'll be so thrilled just to be there.

Pendant les vacances, j'aurai beaucoup de temps, et je voudrais réviser le français. J'espère faire assez de progrès, pour que je peux être prêt pour français 3 le semestre prochain.

I could almost begin a countdown to my trip next year, except I have plenty of other things in between to look forward to.

So life isn't perfect. But it's good.

A Week and a Day

A week and a day left, that's all I have, before it all descends upon me. It's safe to say that I no longer have the luxury of taking it nice and slow.

I am rather stressed over the examinations this time round, which is something new. But I'm taking it quite well for now. Mostly it's just the lack of sleep getting to me. Otherwise, I should do fine, as usual.

Oh, when I say "fine", what I really mean is mediocre. But my expectations for this semester are really low. I'm just asking for the bare minimum here. By next semester, I'll have settled most of my issues and then I'll just focus on my dear friends and my school work. I did much better for my second semester of year one, so hopefully I'll do well next semester.

In the long scheme of things, this is only temporary. This is what I've been telling myself and my friends since the start of this semester. And it's true. It'll all be over soon. With all assignments done, I guess I'll take a tiny breather tonight. Tomorrow, the real work begins.

If I Were A Boy - Beyoncé

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c0wqoj3lEM

If I were a boy
Even just for a day
I'd roll out of bed in the morning
And throw on what I wanted and go
Drink beer with the guys
And chase after girls
I'd kick with who I wanted
And I'd never get confonted for it
Cause they'd stick up for me

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

If I were a boy
I would turn off my phone
Tell everyone it's broken
So they think that I was sleeping alone
I'd put myself first
And make the rules as I go
Cause I know that she'd be faithful
Waitin' for me to come home

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

It's a little too late for you to come back
Say it's just a mistake
Think I'd forgive you like that
If you thought I would wait for you
You thought wrong

But you're just a boy
You don't understand (Yeah you dont understand)
How it feels to love a girl
Someday you wish you were a better man
You don't listen to her
You don't care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted
Cause you've taken her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

But you're just a boy

Writing a new chapter

The past few months of my life have been nothing short of crazy, I'll admit. I do regret some of the things that I've done, but it has already happened. However, I also believe that everything happens for a reason, and now I feel that I'm finally ready to close a chapter of my life.

It's about time a new chapter begins. With any luck, it'll be a little more sane, with less drama, less pain, less tears. Simplicity would be the way to go this time round.

And for all we know, this could be the most beautiful chapter yet.