. how to cover up acne marks .

. quarterlife crisis: changes are inevitable .

About a month ago, I mentioned about this quarterlife crisis that I’m currently facing as my life felt as if it was fast approaching a standstill. Stuck in a rut and desperate for changes. Yet, life surprises us in its special ways when we least expect it. Just when I felt as if my life has hit the lowest point  for this year, something happened – changes – that turned my relatively bleak (work) year the other way round.

A pay cut of a hundred dollars later, I find myself settling for a new role in my company – A job that is not just a job, but one that I can possibly turn into a career. A position in the marketing department dealing with sponsorship, events and branding. Some reckon that I was a fool to have given up on the extra allowance (the allowance is meant for working 1/2 day over the weekend)  and the chance of a possible promotion next year for this new position, but (a huge BUT!) should we always make our decisions based on monetary factors? Back to the whole debate about job satisfaction vs money. It’s been a week since I started on my new role and whilst I’m still slowly adapting to the new environment and responsibilities, I must admit that I’m grateful for the opportunity to wake up everyday and look forward to working on things that give me a rush of excitement. Frankly to speak, after all the blabbering about the need to step out of the comfort zone, I thought I was all ready to start this new role with zest! Alas, reality strike and I realised that I was, after all, not immune to the initial stress and anxiety of getting out of the comfort level and that it can ,indeed, be a little overwhelming. To be very honest, my first week was spent worrying incessantly if I was able to cope with the new job tasks and adapting to a new management style and colleagues but as the work week approaches to an end, I realised that I’ll do just fine if I stop being a worrywart.

Speaking from experience, it’s tough to have to overcome the challenge of being pulled out of the comfort zone and step into a fast-paced environment where you have to multi-task and tackle several projects at hand. Yet, changes are inevitable if you are in pursuit of opportunities and growth in life so suck it up, stop the unnecessary worries and embrace these new changes with a positive outlook.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on” 
. Steve Jobs . 

With the weekends finally freed from work (hello to 5 days work week!), I look forward to spending those precious time  not working or catching up on my sleep but doing what I enjoy. A couple of emails from friends and readers in the past few months reminded me of my hobby to explore parts of Singapore, something which I haven’t been doing since I started part-time studies and dealing with the major renovation at my previous store. I want to get out there, visit the little nooks and crannies, join heritage walking trails and document these little journeys on my blog! 

As a working adult dealing with part-time studies, I must confess that it’s been a struggle to maintain this whole work/study/personal life balance. To be honest, I have never been the ideal student, often opting to procrastinate and complete my assignments and projects only at the last minute. Hence, now that I have to deal with work and other commitments, it’s definitely a pain in the neck to have to spend weekends trying to complete my assignments. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy learning more about graphic design and coming up with simple designs but it’s this whole “you must complete your assignments to pass with a certificate” that sorta kills the joy of learning at your own pace. Want to be able to design simple graphics at leisure. 

Before I end this long blog entry, I do hope that by sharing my experience of dealing with the quarterlife crisis that it will help to provide you with some insights into new transitions and changes in life. So yes, I haven’t made the life-changing decision to quit my job in pursuit of a sabbatical (yet!) but this move to a new role certainly injects new energy and creativity into my life!

1. Complete my studies in Visual Communications
2. Get licensed to scuba dive (in the planning process!)
3. End the year with a family trip to Melbourne 
4.  Have the drive and passion for my new role @ work
5. Get in shape  

Click for the link to part 1 of the Quarterlife Crisis series

It’s 6am now and I’m still at work rectifying issues caused by other departments that could have been easily avoided. Well, it’s hard not to be pissed after working close to a 24 hours work shift.

Protected: . maybe, it’s finally time to let go .

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. the extremes .

it’s 7am on a Sunday morning. The boyfriend has just gone home after a night of work and supper. The girlfriend is up and awake, ready for a long day at work. 2 extremes, that is our lives.

. beauty in black .

The Little BLACK Dress

A fashion statement. A classic icon. An integral part of the fashion world. A little piece of garment that all women should have in their wardrobe.

A collection of 18 black dresses (From the 1950′s to 2010) is currently on display at the Beauty in Black exhibition held at the National Museum of Singapore. The exhibition seeks to educate members of the public about the birth and rise of this iconic status – Its history as a dress  traditionally associated with sadness and sorrow to its eventual triumph over traditions. On display are dresses designed by famous fashion designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Cristobal Balenciaga, Rei Kawakubo and Pierre Cardin. Embark on a fashion journey that allows you to appreciate the timeless beauty of the little black dress that has transcended both time and culture.

Milestones of The Little Black Dress (LBD)

1910 – “Black Ascot” race when the ladies in society wore black to mourn the recent passing of King Edward VII
1912 – Black was the choice of colour amongst many women during World War I, The Great War
1926 – The introduction of the LBD by Coco Chanel. The signature of all LBD.
1961 – The LBD (designed by Hubert de Givenchy) that was popularized by  Audrey Hepburn in the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s

 If I were to be given a choice of having only 1 colour in my wardrobe, it would certainly be BLACK. No second thoughts. I can’t live without having many little black dresses in my closet. Can you?

* all pics taken with my mobile. apologies for poor quality of pics.


Scheherezade is easy; a little black dress is difficult.
- Coco Chanel -

One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.
—  Karl Lagerfeld -

Every girl should have a little black dress, a great boyfriend blazer and a pair of skinny jeans in their wardrobe.
- Lauren Conrad –

 With one black dress you’re safe.With two, you have double-edged security.
- The Straits Times -

Beauty in Black
Balcony, Level 2
National Museum of Singapore
FREE Admission
Till 13th June 2011

. luv-a-thon 2011 .

For those of you who have been following my blog since the start, you might have realized that both MK and I have been making it a point to participate in the annual Luv-A-Thon. Click here for the 2009 and 2010 recaps. To put it simply, we never fail to have a blast racing together as a team each time. Such is the importance of this couples’ race that it has become such an integral part of our dating lives.

On top of completing the race, we were also treated to a short presentation by Dr Linda Haverkamp-Heng (also known as Dr Love in DUET Magazine) about the different elements that are needed to maintain the spark and love in a relationship. What does “LOVE” means to you? Does the thought of LOVE conjures up delightful images of a couple walking into the sunset or a married couple walking happily down the aisle? Good for you if you happened to be 1 of the 0.1% couples who are perpetually on cloud 9! However, for the majority of us, loving someone can certainly be a hell of an experience at times. Pardon my language. The tumult of emotions with every up and down of a relationship, the challenges of having to maintain the spark, the need to constantly create romance, and the list goes on … Oh boy! Therefore, we are appreciative of the “pre-marital” crash talk that definitely prep us for the journey ahead.


7 Elements of Highly Effective Relationships

Understanding - Discovery, Acceptance
Communication - Compliments, Couple Time
Responsibility – Her, His and Our Needs
Compromise – I Love You, Tame your anger, Time out
Respect – Different roles, Complement
Trust - Earned, Faith
Care – Love Language

Developed specially by the Marriage Central for the launch of Real Love Works 2010, this game “In His Shoes, In Her Shoes” is designed such that it allows couples to foster a better understanding of each other. Their needs, likes, dislikes, preferences. A fun and light-hearted game for couples and friends alike!

Saw this quote on Rach’s blog and I couldn’t agree more!

. cozycot ezine .

My articles for CozyCot Ezine are out! Did a write-up on my favorite boutique resort, Tempat Senang – The ultimate getaway for the weekend. Check it out under the “Travel” page at CozyCot!

My 1st article for “Sex & Love” – Body Language. Click here