Boxing Day

Everywhere and everything is on sale, and I'm not out shopping.

It feels a little weird, but I guess I just can't be bothered.

Last year, Wen and I went to line up outside Myers at 6 o'clock in the morning. And that was after a mere 2 hours of sleep! We had gone to a friend's dinner party the night before and stayed till 3am.

Lack of rest, we were too beat to shop, but still ended up buying just for the sake of buying. I bought most stuff that weren't on sale anyway. >_<

After shopping, we went to karaoke with a bunch of friends for another 5 hours and nearly fell asleep on the table at dinner. Haha.

It was heaps of fun though! To be spontaneous and compulsive.

That was my mentality last year. I thought I was leaving Oz for good, so I had to gather enough silly and crazy experiences to pack into my suitcases as memories of my life in Melbourne.

Well, I'm still considering leaving Melbourne for good in the near future, but this year, working 7 days a week has taken a toll on me.

Sad, really.

Oh well, there's always the stocktake sale in January to look forward to huh?

All is not lost, baby. :)

White Christmas

White Christmas
Bing Crosby

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

Merry Christmas, baby.

We'll have a white Christmas next year, I promise. We'll cuddle next to a fireplace, sipping hot cocoa while watching the snow falling.

And the most important thing is, we WILL be together.

In the meanwhile, there's Bing Crosby.

On Long Distance Relationship

The good thing about your boyfriend being in another country is, you can eat a whole can of Sour Cream and Onion Pringles without worrying about having bad breath.

The bad thing about your boyfriend being in another country?

Just about everything else.

Pissed Off

Today, a nun pissed me off.

No, I'm NOT kidding.

She actually made me cry. Not in front of her, of course.

I've never cried at work.

Wait, that's not true, I have cried at work. So let me rephrase that, I Very VERY rarely cry at work.

But today, the nun pushed all the buttons there are to be pushed, and I was simply too angry to hold back the tears when she rang up to verbally abuse me for the FIFTH time for something that wasn't even my fault.

That's the thing about being a manager though, you take shit from all ends. From admin who's above you, from staff who's beneath you, and from customers/patients who can be meaner than your wildest imagination.

Being a manager, you can never win. That's my take.

So clench your fist, bite your tongue, and get over it already!

Edit: Bee's is so cute! He just messaged me to remind me not to eat chocolates as comfort food. Lol. How did he know? *Hides secret chocolate stash*

Re-Edit: I take that back. He's an idiot! Who doesn't know how to cheer a pissed-off gf up.

J'Adore by Christian Dior

Today I fell in love with J'Adore all over again.

I guess you need the right timing to find the right perfume too.

The floral fragrance was described as "sparkling, fresh, dazzling feminity". It's an opulent fruity floral bouquet containing Tangy Mandarin, Ivy Leaves, Champaca Flower, Red Orchids, White Roses, Violets, Damascus Plum, Amaranth Wood and Blackberry Musk.

I think I've just found my new scent for this summer.

Chocoholic Madness

I finished a huge box of Ferrero Rocher, all by myself!

And I bought another box right after.

This is B.A.D.

I think I'm trading in an addiction for another. The spending ban is taking a bad toll on me.

Maybe it'll be healthier if I just shop huh?

Spending Ban

I'm on a self-imposed spending ban.

No shopping. No shopping. No shopping.

Now how do I drum that into my head?

The thing is, the more you can't shop, the more you wanna shop. Um, I mean, me.

It's an addiction, really.

The very sweet boyfriend suggested, "Why don't I buy you a nice Christmas present, then at least it will make you feel a bit better?"

Aww, isn't he the best? *Muacks!*

Thanks, Bee, for being ever so supportive with everything I do. Even the silly ones. :)

I love you!

Deciding

Between when to tender my resignation, sooner or later.

Between whether or not to go home for Chinese New Year.

Between whether I should be carefree and adventurous, or conservative and safe.

Sigh. Why does life come with so many decisions?

Or maybe we should be thankful that we're given choices.

Work Is A Bitch

Again!

Why can't some people just fucking do their job?

Arrghh!

I should really start advertising for a new assistant.

Shopaholic Alert

The seemingly warmer weather has put me in a good mood to shop.

Weird, considering I haven't had any urge to shop in months! Not even when I was back in Malaysia.

And now, I just can't stop thinking about things to buy.

It's worrying.

Workaholic Anonymous

Someone once said that, there are reasons why workaholics are workaholics.

When something in your life is spiraling out of control, you try to be in charge at other things.

So when one part of your life is falling apart, you start using work to numb your feelings.

Every workaholic has something to hide from in their lives.

I might be generalising, I'm sure there are some people who genuinely enjoy what they do.

I do too. I love my job and I love working. Well, on most days anyway.

People asked why do I choose to work 7 days a week.

I shrugged and replied, "Why not?"

Then I asked myself, do I really enjoy work that much, or am I just doing it to run away from the emptiness in my life at the moment?

As much as I love being at work, I'd much prefer it if I get to go home to my loved ones at the end of a day.

Money Tree

Dear Santa,

I've been a very good girl this year. I think.

Will you please, please bring me a money tree for Christmas?

Pretty pretty please? With sugar on top?

Memories of Winter

Memories
Light the corner of my mind.
Misty water coloured memories
Of the way we were
~ Barbara Streisand (The Way We Were)

Now that the weather is getting warmer, memories of those cold winter days are starting to fade away.

While I'm sitting here typing this entry in my singlet and shorts, I can only remember vaguely how a thousand layers of clothes still failed to keep me warm in the chilly wind. Humans are forgetful, aren't we?

Till the next winter, that is. And then we're reminded all over again.

Found these pictures I took to show Bee (but never did).

It was a particularly foggy and cold Saturday morning, and I was the only person who had to brace the icy weather to go to work.

Oh those winter days.

Dilemma

"Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world"
~ ABBA (Money Money Money)

Ain't so funny in my world at the moment.

To quit. Or not to quit.

To help. Or not to help.

To stay. Or not to stay.

To give. Or not to give.

If only money grew on trees.

Discount Shopping

Went to DFO in Essendon with Fook and Wen after work.

Bought this Julius tank and flannel boxer set in black and red.

Bought a pair of Julius cotton shorts too. Couldn't be bothered to try them on, so I opted for the smallest size I could find. Came home and realised that XXS is actually a tad too tight for sleeping. Bugger. :|

The star buy of the day is this pair of Witchery Deni Buckle Court flats in black at $69.95, down from $149.95.

The smallest shoe size by Witchery is 36, which is still a lil too big for me. But who can resist bargains like this huh?

Discount shopping rocks!

Learn Chinese in 5 Minutes

This is too funny not to share.

Learn To Speak Chinese In 5 minutes
(Important: Read Out Loud)

English Phrase / Chinese Translation

1. "That's not right"............... Sum Ting Wong

2. "Are you harboring a fugitive?".. Hu Yu Hai Ding

3. "See me ASAP".................... Kum Hia Nao

4. "There goes Stupid Man".......... Dum Dum Wa King

5. "Small Horse".................... Tai Ni Po Ni

6. "Did you go to the beach?"....... Wai Yu So Tan

7. "I bumped into a coffee table"... Ai Bang Mai Ni

8. "I think you need a face lift"... Chin Tu Fat

9. "It's very dark in here"......... Wao So Dim

10. "I thought you were on a diet".. Wai Yu Mun Ching

11. "This is a tow away zone"....... No Pah King

12. "Our meeting is next week"...... Wai Yu Kum Nao

13. "Staying out of sight!"......... Lei Ying Lo

14. "He's cleaning his automobile".. Wa Shing Ka

15. "Your body odor is offensive"... Yu Stin Ki Pu

16. "Great"......................... Fa Kin Su Pah

A Little Warmth Coming My Way

It's my first day back to work, officially.

My head swelled to twice its size when I saw the mess left behind by the locums. And the phone has been going off like crazy sirens all morning.

I was seriously starting to feel like I'm being punished for having a holiday.

Then a regular patient, Mr Carr, dropped in. He brought me a bouquet of flowers to welcome me back.

10 long stem roses! Each of them nearly the size of my fist, and they are of a gorgeous peachy orange colour.

As he handed me the flowers, he kissed me on my cheeks and said, "I just wanted to come by to give you this to welcome you back, because you are absolutely special."

Aww, isn't he the cutest old man in the world?

Another old lady, Margaret, came in to give me a nicely wrapped present, which turned out to be a huge box of chocolates and a scarf.

She wrote in the card, "One for going away, one for coming back. I am glad you are back. Welcome."

It absolutely melted my heart.

I guess it's little things like this that keeps me going, and maybe that is the reason why I still can't just pack up and leave this job no matter how I hate it sometimes.

On some days, I actually feel like I do make a difference to some people's lives.

Suddenly this cold Monday in Melbourne is getting a little warmer.

P/S: Pardon the poor quality of pictures, blame it on my phone camera. :/

It's A Rainy Day

As I put on my scarf to brace myself against the chilly wind and heavy rain this morning, I wondered why did I even chose to come back again.

Then the tram broke down.

Not. Cool. At. All.

Back in Melbourne

Landed in Melbourne on a cold rainy day.

Grey. Wet. Dark. Sad. Gloomy.

The weather reflects exactly how I feel to part with my family and Bee again.

The dark clouds hung so low in the sky that I could almost feel them pressing on my heart. Heavily.

As I walked out of the airport, the cold wind was biting into my skin. Isn't it spring already?

The place I once called my magical city suddenly looked so dim.

Has Melbourne changed?

Or rather, have I?

Mid-Holiday Crisis

I'm at that point again.

Woke up this morning feeling that tight grip of sorrow on my heart.

Such a familiar feeling.

"Am I back here again?" I asked myself.

Bee said if I feel so strongly about leaving each time, maybe I should seriously consider coming back for good.

Maybe I should.

I just don't feel like leaving again.

Right Back At Home

I'm back in Swan City. Just flew in tonight, actually.

No matter how often or how long I've been away, the moment I change into the old t-shirt I've been wearing since I was 13 (yeap, I haven't grown much since), and follow my mum around the kitchen when she's cooking supper, I feel like a little girl all over again.

There's no place like home.

Bvlgari Engagement Ring

I think I'm in love.

It was love at first sight, yes it was. The moment I slipped it onto my ring finger, my heart instantly knew.

"This is it." I heard it whispered.

The Griffe platinum ring with two lateral diamonds and a central round brilliant cut diamond.

Perfection.

Bvlgari Engagement Rings

My favourite range of engagement rings by Bvlgari.

Apart from round brilliant cut, the same engagement ring also comes with either an emerald cut or an oval shape diamond.

Griffe platinum ring with two lateral diamonds and a central round brilliant cut diamond

Griffe platinum ring with two lateral diamonds and a central emerald cut diamond

Griffe platinum ring with two lateral diamonds and a central oval shape diamond

Not a big fan of the oval shape, but the emerald cut is stunning!

However, I've always believed that emerald or any square cuts requires a much bigger diamond since they tend to be less 'fiery' and show less brilliance compared to round brilliant cuts.

Therefore, for an 1-carat, the timeless classic round brilliant cut is the answer.

Faking It

Bee and I have been arguing a fair bit since I got back.

I guess that's one of the reasons why I can't make up my mind to leave Melbourne and to come back to Malaysia for good. Because if I'm here, then all our problems become real.

Sounds like I'm running away, I know.

Sometimes I feel like we're a fake. We look perfect on the outside, but only we know what's really going on in our relationship.

That's how all couples are, some say.

Maybe it is.

Maybe all couples are just faking it. Faking to people around us, faking to create the image of a perfect couple, and most importantly, faking to ourselves that we're happy.

How many of us are convinced ourselves? How many of us are truly happy?

Or rather, can we ever be truly happy in a relationship?

Coast Yellow Chiffon Tiered Dress

My trip back to Malaysia normally translates into an out-of-control shopping spree.

Well, not this time.

To my surprise, I don't have the slightest interest to shop. I can't even think of anything I feel like buying. Now if you know me, you'll know how abnormal that is.

The only thing that I've actually tried on this time round is this yellow chiffon tiered dress by Coast (minus the belt). And that's because it was in the window display at Robinsons.

The colour is absolutely gorgeous, and the dress looked great on me. Except it was 2 sizes too big. :|

I'm a size 4, or maybe a small size 6. But the smallest size it comes in is size 8. The staff mentioned that they could have it altered for me, but I decided to pass.

It's a beautiful dress, and reasonably priced. I would normally snap it up right away but I guess I just wasn't in the mood.

*Shrugs*

Not in the mood to shop. Now that's something I never thought I'd say.

Asscher Cut Diamond

I first wrote about my desire to have an asscher cut diamond on my engagement ring 2 years ago here.

After a lil shopping around, I realised that it's gonna be extremely difficult to get hold of one at this stage. Even if we could, a reasonable stone will be way out of our current budget.

So I'm putting this on my wish list, in hope that someday, someday I'll have one to call my own.

Asscher cut is a stepped square cut, sometimes referred to as the "square emerald cut".

The original "Asscher cut diamond" was developed in 1902 by the Asscher Brothers of Holland. Technically, the asscher name should only refer to diamonds cut by the Asscher brothers themselves. However, the name is now commonly used to refer to square emerald cuts that are cut today.

The main difference between emerald cut and asscher cut - shape of the latter leans more towards squarish, rather than rectangular'ish of the former.

Also, asscher cuts have 74 facets, while emerald cut diamonds have 57.

The asscher cut diamond is one of the greatest cuts of diamonds ever created.

It is a brilliant modification on the most popular cut of previous century, the cushion cut. The Asscher brothers invented a cut which was square to rectangular with a flat table (top surface), many small step cuts along the top area and larger longer facets underneath the diamond.

Like the cushion cut, the asscher cut has an open culet (the point on the bottom of a diamond's pavilion), and a facet plan to draw the eye into the diamond and to give the diamond depth.

In fact, the beauty of an asscher cut is how the eye "dives into the center of the diamond", which contradicts today's modern "brilliant cut" diamonds in which the facets and cut of the diamond repel the eye.

Asscher cut diamonds are called "step cuts", referring to the linear cuts following the shape of the diamond. This faceting is similar to the faceting on emerald cut diamonds. With stepped facets, the sheen tends to be large flashes of the stepped angles on the pavilion of the stone.

Step cuts are comprised of larger facets which act like mirrors. The facets are broad with flat planes resembling the steps of a stair. That's why it is referred to as a "step cut".

However, because of the angle, size, and shape of the facets, the asscher cut shows less brilliance and fire (dispersion) than the other brilliant cut stones.

Personally, I think an asscher cut requires a bigger stone with top colour and clarity to produce the desirable effect. Which is precisely why it's currently out of reach for us.

Do it right, or don't do it at all. Right?

A 3-carat, maybe? In a classic 3-stone setting with tapered baguettes.

Now that's something worth waiting for. :)

(I can't find an exact picture of what I have in mind, so these will make do for now.)

Sleeping In

Today is the first day in the last 117 days that I get to sleep in.

That's how long I've been working straight without a day off.

I love my job, and I love going to work. But sometimes it's nice to have a break, and to be able to wake up whenever you want to without an alarm clock.

Of course, it was only perfect because I got to sleep in my bee's arms.

The perfect sleeping in.

A lil Pampering

This holiday started with a mad rush.

With all the end-of-month paperwork to be finished and start-of-month stock ordering to be settled, I worked till 6pm on Friday before I rushed home to pack and then rushed to airport in a pouring storm to catch my flight.

So the sweet boyfriend treated his overworked girlfriend to a lil pampering with a manicure and pedicure session.

As un-feminist as it may sound, it's nice to have someone paying for you and to make you feel that you're being taken care of.

Or maybe I've just been on my own for too long.

I miss being pampered.

Hiatus

The long silence is because I've been working everyday since Queens's Birthday. 7 days a week.

You get used to it after a while. To wake up everyday to go to work. To not have time for anything else.

The weird thing is, I kinda like it. I must be a born workaholic.

The sudden appearance now is because I'm back in Malaysia for a brief holiday.

4 weeks.

Not quite long enough.

Blank

There's so much that I want to say, but whenever I sit down in front of a computer, word fails me.

Maybe I'm just tired. Tired of explaining myself, tired of constantly trying to make a point.

Home

Home
Michael Buble

Another summer day
Is come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh I miss you, you know

And I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
"I'm fine baby, how are you?"
Well I would send them but I know that it's just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I've got to go home

Let me go home
I'm just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life
It's like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
But this was not your dream
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
And even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I'm surrounded by
A million people I
I still feel alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I've had my run
Baby, I'm done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It'll all be right
I'll be home tonight
I'm coming back home