Last night, as I had my daily conversation with Papa, I told him I've come a long way. Indeed, I am no longer the traumatised 7-year-old struggling living in the shadows of overprotective adults and memories of an unfamiliar father figure. I am now this brave, independent 23-year-old taking the world head on. I often wonder how differently I would turn out to be if Papa was around. Pretty sure he'd still be holding my hand when we cross the roads, he'd still be cooking fried rice in the middle of the night and leaving the unwashed dishes in the sink till morning, he'd still be falling asleep on the sofa while watching soccer (I'm not even sure he actually watches ); above all, he would be the man to lead the family. In retrospect, Papa never failed his duties as a father. If we had spent more time together, I believe he would be the father I asked for and more. This household would be different. We would be different. I  would be different. Here ...

If there's anything the last 16 years of formal education in Singapore has taught me, it'd be working effectively and efficiently under pressure and time constraints. Just think about all the examinations and essays we've had to complete under 3 hours – that's no easy feat but we did it because we were   are conditioned to do so. We've gone undergone years of classroom training and, as creatures of habit, we got used to the grind. I used to hate it but I suppose if I had to go through that same drill again, I would be more equipped and less anxious. Time management  is something I've always heard the adults talk about but now that I'm considered a grown-up myself, I can testify the importance of time management. Something that used to sound and feel so unfamiliar has become one of the pillars that holds all my life together. As the congratulatory messages and well wishes continue to pour in since I conferred on Tuesday evening, I am reminded that I am ...

Stealing a sticker from Dayre  because it is an apt reflection of how I'm feeling right now.  If you've been following, or if you're a friend of mine, you'd know I've been practicing the Law of Attraction ever since reading about it. (I've also gone on to finish the entire The Secret series by Rhonda Byrne and a couple of other books advocating the same message.) I've probably also mentioned how practicing gratitude has changed my life slowly but surely. Practicing gratitude is something I try to do as many times in a day, whenever I have time. I could be commuting between home to my next destination and I'd be giving thanks for the smooth ride and readily available public transport. I could be in the shower singing to Beast's latest single and I'd be giving thanks for the clean water system we have. In fact, I can be lying on the floor with Shelty and I'd be giving thanks for the unpolluted air we breathe every day. I try to f...

Resuming the Thankful Thursday  series because I find it therapeutic to practice gratitude and it helps me remember the many things and people I am blessed with in life. Instagram says we last met 22 weeks ago. It might sound like a long time but there was a three-year gap in our friendship and it wasn't easy getting back on track. We're doing a lot better these days and I honestly couldn't ask for more. Today I met Angel! Spent but a couple of hours chit-chatting over dinner, walking around town and into shops looking at clothes and shoes and bags before finally retiring for the night. In our earlier meet-ups, I used to worry about not having anything to talk about. " What if the conversation went dead? Would the silence be awkward? I'm sure it'd be... We haven't met in ages, " is what I used to think but I don't worry anymore. And that's a good sign. I think there's a reason why I aspire to be a writer (apart from the fac...

Hello, hello! Okay, before I actually move on to real  content, allow me to first embed a MV! Taeyang - Eyes, Nose, Lips My fellow VIPs out there would know that our soulful Taeyang has released his second album along with the MV (Music Video) for his title song 'Eyes, Nose, Lips'. ☺ Thumbs up, really! I've (legally) downloaded the album on iTunes and cannot  stop replaying this song! Honestly, I didn't quite like 'Ringa Linga' so I wasn't sure what to expect for his comeback but I am so, so, so  glad he went back to R&B. Sort of reminds me of the days he sang 'Only Look At Me'. ☺ So, in a sense, he sort of returned to his roots, which is the best part of this album because every song is just so. damn. awesome . Now, please do me a favor and enjoy the music~ ☺ Anyway, moving on to what I really wanted to share today. So exciting just thinking about it. It all began a couple of days ago when Mama suggested we take a shor...

Now playing: EXO-M - Moonlight 月光 Good day, folks! Greeting y'all again because it's been a good day and I want to remember it for as long as I can. ☺ Earlier today I woke up at 11AM. Surprisingly late but it seems my body clock has shifted again . I used to wake up around 9AM without an alarm and I think of that as a good thing but these days I've become sooooo  tired I don't wake up unless I need to pee. But anyway, yes, I woke up at 11AM. ☺ I went for a jog around noon because the weather was lovely - 28° outside. I had to take advantage of that so I went for a quick jog (and burnt 221 calories according to Runtastic). Today's run felt slightly different. No, I'm pretty sure my stamina did not improve in 5 days but my heart was beating extremely fast and it wouldn't slow down even as I cooled down. (That is weird, right?) For a moment there, I thought I was about to die. Thank God I'm alive, really. So I came home and prepared to meet Nisa...

I can't believe I've yet to finish compiling the photos from my 21st birthday so I guess that explains why I've a part III  right now. Bear with me, I'd love to complete it as soon as I can! Every time I recollect that day, it seems so magical and unreal (although it seems even more unreal that I'm actually 21 right now). Nonetheless, below are more photos and messages to share of the people who came to congratulate me. ☺ My maternal grandparents. ☺ I remember when Papa passed away, my grandmother came to live with us for a while. (Thinking back, I somehow don't remember my grandfather living with us then.) She was a strict woman, for sure. I tried to cheat once as she tested me on mental sums and she found on. She said: Don't think I don't know you're cheating.  Of course, the 7-year-old me was scared to death and back. Many years have passed since and now that she's much older, a lot of health issues have cropped up. It's som...

More of the #100happydays to come! #Day 13 (07/04/2014): Today, I found out Fairy Tail has returned to the mini screen! Super excited that I watched it first thing this morning before leaving house for school. ☺ Fell in love with the opening song immediately and all my NaLu feels… Oh my, I know this season is gonna be an awesome one! Thank God for BoA's voice and the amazing opening really. We might finally see NaLu happening (not). I've read the manga and I know it's definitely not headed that way but the anime looks a lot more… sharper now. I notice the minor changes they made to Mira and Gajeel and every one actually but I actually think Gajeel looks uglier. Or maybe not . Whatever it is! I enjoyed today's episode! #Day 14 (08/04/2014): Thankful for Tuesdays because I get to go home early! Only one hour of lesson so I ate lunch at home today. ☺ Read the newspapers because that's what I have to do every Tuesday (every day, actually) in pre...