Down in the dumps

Today I felt down in the dumps.

After mulling over something which I have been avoiding, I decided to do something about it.

Whenever I am in a melancholy mood. I love to look at paintings. I find paintings by Fermando Botero very inspiring when I feel dejected.

He makes imperfections, perfect. I am imperfect.



Rich Children

Didn't I say to stop at 2?

Its hard to resist a buying temptation. Especially when we are talking about the coveted Hermes Birkin bag? How many fortunate ladies manage to own one? Let alone two?

I admit that I bursted my quota earlier this year with a Goyard and another Hermes. But...

While the Birkin 35 of mine was sent to bag spa, all thanks to the extremely dim-witted construction developer. See what they have done to my precious bag.

Soaked in thick layers of dust.



I was missing it for quite a while now. Its been 8 weeks since she left home, and still no call from Hermes. The craftlady at Hermes must be overwhelmed.

I hope the bag spa is able to do magic on my poor bag.

So, here's another Birkin 30 Blue Jeans to come save the lonely days without Birkin. Got it earlier this week.

As I said, every bag has its own story, however, this hardly has one. Thanks to M, who bought this for me. Although, I paid a much much much higher price for it.

Hello, no. 2.



I am going to keep the Hermes bag I bought in Europe a mystery for the time being. Haven't really use it at all.

By the way, blue seemed to be my favorite color.

Learn to give back

I have been spending part of my time doing community work for the past two years or more, and some on and off one-day volunteering events.

I recalled my short stint as a volunteer very long ago with A and D. It was enriching, and exceptionally inspirational. And a few years later, after giving birth to Ziv, I joined a volunteer group, nurturing children.

However, after GE 2011, I decided to contribute in a different way, by volunteering for the Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC. So, I am literally thither and yon.

I assist in house visiting on a regular basis, on some days, I attend briefing and brainstorming sessions with the members, and coordinate and support the constituencies for the weekend activities. (Yes, weekend, but I don’t have a choice, as this is community work.) It has been extremely fulfilling, and at times pleasantly challenging.

I have to say that by volunteering for the alternative party, I see more, learn more, and feel more. I see generous efforts spent to serve the residents, unwavering perseverance in every attempt to reach out to the residents, and tremendous passion to help the residents, all that from the MPs of the alternative party.

Something happened last week, and it set me ponder about a lot of things. I asked myself if I will approve of my son, who graduated from NUS to clean filthy apartments on a regular basis without collecting a single cent? As a very protective mother, I would gave a resounding NO. But my MP friend did it last week.

Give the ruling party the benefit of doubt, and obviously I don’t volunteer for the ruling party, so I do not know if they would do the same. To some, this can be a nitty-gritty chore, “what so great about cleaning dirty homes?”, however, think of it from a mother’s perspective. I would probably think that my university graduate son can do better in private sectors, and why can’t he mind his own business and lead a comfortable life with his equally capable wife, and haveva few grandchildren for me?

Having see so many people from different walks of lives throughout the volunteering journey, I got some answers to some of the most selfish questions I ever asked myself.

After each volunteering session, I heard a lot of “Thank You”. I told my friend, I should be the one thanking her and her husband for all the wonderful jobs both have done for the residents.

Volunteering does not guarantee you the road to Damascus, but certainly, it shed some light on what really happens on the tiny island that we always thought is the best place on earth to stay.

Some pictures to share.

A one-day HGCC tour around Singapore. Can you spot me?



Cleaning up the apartment.



Photos taken from SL's blog.

The Past, The Future

Yesterday, I had a casual meet-up with two of my secondary school buddies. And we reminisced about our schooling days back in ASS, just like how guys hark back about their army days. The panoramic view of the city scene and the night sky of Singapore from Ku De Ta didn’t seem to catch much of our attention.

Those were the days, where we had great fun.

We chatted about our classmates, and how it turned out that our ‘predictions’ of their future didn’t seem to come true. Does it happen to you when you look at the top-in-class-guy and envisaged, “He will become the next President!”, “She is sure to earn big bucks!”, “He will be a very successful person!”?

We did.

And we were all wrong.

The plain Jane in our class got hitch a few years after graduation, making her the first to get married among the classmates.
The gorgeous girl who sat a few seats away from me is still single and unattached.
The outgoing girl whose table was often crowded with suitors recently went on a holiday trip alone and is also unattached.
The top-in-class-guy did not land in a money-spinning job.

I guess it might be too early to judge a person’s future by how well he or she score in the examination. Ten years down the pike, no one knows what will happen.

I remembered vividly that my mum incessantly compare my results with the children of her friends, and she would put me down for my poor results. Truth be told, time proved to my mum and I that, having a glorious past without the perseverance, luck and hard work in the future brings one to nowhere.

Of course, having said that, it doesn’t mean that education should come low on the totem pole. On the other hand, being top in class, or awarded with some the government awards or scholarships do not guarantee one a skyrocket career. Everyone still has to work on our fingers to the bone to achieve what we want.

I think everyone especially parents, including myself, have to constantly remind ourselves that we should not judge someone, and especially our own children and sigh, “He failed his English examination, he is going to be a rubbish collector in future.”

I know of a person who did not complete his ‘N’ level and yet earning more than a lawyer.

The past does not determine the future.

His Birthday

To think of a present for Mr Stolid is almost like putting me through a wringer. Why do I say that?

How about having spent 13 birthdays with Mr S, that translated to 13 birthday presents, excluding the other presents given during special occasions. What else can I buy or what else did I not buy througout the years?

I tried scouting around for the perfect present via the greatest world wide web, and the selections were not very impressive. I always know that my Mr S is a square peg, to impress him, it has to be a literally out-of-this-world present. However, later I learnt that Mr S was in fact still thinking about the Hermes wallet that we chanced upon during our Europe trip, and may I add, that piece of slim wallet cost more than some of my bags (individually).

Anyway, sometimes, it is not about the moolah especially it is his special day, the thing is, the wallet is not available in SG. I guess I have to solve one things after another, before the present, I need a cake. The zealous son is champing at the bit to get his daddy a strawberry birthday cake (obviously that is his own idea), for he knows that after the daddy’s birthday, it will be his turn.

So well, one item got striked out of the list, and back to the present, it looks like I have to get it under my own steam. The son did his job in picking a cake based on his preference, and that inspired me a little. Perhaps, I said perhaps, I should get a present that can be shared between Mr S and me. The clock is ticking, wish me luck.

Bold in colors!

I love vibrant colors -- especially wearing them. The style bibles I read these days are featuring the latest runway pieces drenched in vibrant hues. Its time to embrace this season's trends -- 3Bs, bright, bold, and beautiful colors!

I decided to opt for clashes of bold and brutal colours on last Friday, when I went to town to meet a 15-year long time friend.

Dressed in:
Zara colorful stripes maxi in ORANGE, BLUE, YELLOW, RED with ORANGE rope belt.
Goyard bright ORANGE saint louis.
Hermes LIME GREEN bangle.
Panerai watch in PINK strap.
Ferragamo LIGHT GREY ballerina flat.

Let's abuse the colors!

Appreciation Lunch

WP held an Appreciation Lunch for the volunteers at Ban Heng located at Harbourfront City on 29 May. Volunteers who did not expect any returns, any free meals, chartered buses, or priority in anything.

There were about 10,000 volunteers who attended the meaningful lunch. All of us were like one big family. Walking around the different tables, chatting with people from all walks of life as if we were old friends.

Perhaps it was our common interest and perspective in politics, there wasn't any invisible boundary that separated us, no matter rich or poor, young or old.

Managed to make some new friends, and took some pictures.










Recently, I was reading a book by Dr Chee and would like to share this with the readers.

Food for thought.

He who dominates over you has only two eyes, only two hands, only one body, no more than is possessed by the least...among the infinite numbers dwelling in your cities; he has indeed nothing more than power you confer on him to destroy you. How has he acquired enough eyes to spy upon you, if you do not provide them yourselves? How can he have so many arms to beat you with, if he does not borrow them from you? The feet that trample down your cities, where does he get them if they are not your own? How does he have any power over you, except through you? What could he do to you if you yourselves did not connvie with the thief who plunders you? If you were not accomplice ofcthe murderer who kills you? If you were not traitors to yourselves? - Etienne de la Boetie, French philosopher