photo wall

photo wall



I've been wanting to show off my photo wall for the longest time. I love the photos with a white border on that narrow strip of wall beside the window. A random selection of the best memories. And here it is, bathed in the best afternoon light. If there's anything I'm gonna miss about my hall room when I move out, it's this.

je t'aime

je t'aime

That's "I love you" in French.

The French don't have a translation for

"I love you very much."

Instead, "je t'aime beaucoup" changes the meaning completely -

it means "I like you very much".

You see, to the French, love cannot be measured.

There can be no more or no less.

There can only be love.

Love, a superlative in itself.

And I think the French are quite right.

Donc oui, je t'aime.

Sans limite ou fin.

Avec tout j'ai,

jusqu'il n'y a rien plus.

weekday indulgences

weekday indulgences

School's getting ready busy. Deadlines are drawing close. The Block Production needs to be done by the end of the month. Tuitions don't stop. Lecture notes are piling up. Webcasts are nagging at me. Lazy Sundays just aren't happening anymore. I'm almost up to my neck in my work.

I know I need to breathe. I need Me time.

So coming back to hall after tuition on Monday, I took a long walk. From the boy's place, I simply followed the route back to school, and walked. I had no idea how far I was going to walk. I had no idea how long I was going to take. But the best part was that I didn't care. The weather was lovely. The sky was lightly blue. The sunshine was warm, not hot.

On my way home for another tuition session on Tuesday, I walked past the pet shop and went in on impulse. I thought about Hippo and Bubbles, and laughed about their funny antics to myself. I bought a sandbath for Hippo and treats for Bubbles. It's true - getting in touch with little animals makes your day. I was immensely amused to watch Hippo roll about happily in her sandbath afterwards.

Then Tuesday night. Another walk. A slow stroll along the same slope I rush up every other morning, late for class. Last night, I slowed down. I breathed in the cool night air. I realised the tree below my block is bursting with yellow flowers. Halfway, I met Glenn and we walked back together, hand in hand.

And finally, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, I fell asleep in his arms. It's a simple joy. But amidst everything else, it made me want to cry.

With all that, followed by Macs breakfast this morning, I think I'm good to go again. Three projects to complete. More tests. One more assignment. Break. Exams. Then, holidays. Until then.

bonjour montreal!

bonjour montreal!

A while back, I wrote about my exchange choices and decisions. Instead of sticking through with LPP (Language Preparation Programme), I applied for SEP (Student Exchange Programme) instead. My 5 choices were UC Berkeley, McGill University, UCLA, University of Edinburgh and Penn Sate University.

I got my results about a week back, and I am going to McGill! It is in Montreal, Canada, and it's ranked the 20th best university in the world. The most interesting thing is this - it's in the Quebec province, which means the people there speak French! I still get to practice French! Bonjour Montreal!

The only thing now though, is the Cold. It's a capital C because it's REALLY cold. I heard that in January it gets as cold as -40degree Celsius! I'm quite sure your will get ice crystals in your eyes when you yawn with that kind of temperature!

Other than that, I am really excited about flying off next January!

Post-Script: This is one of the reasons why I'm not staying in hall anymore. I want to spend more time at home before going on exchange. (:

and an actress now!

and an actress now!

Post photoshoot shot, with my neighbour director and other main lead!

Here's what I've been with besides school work - I agreed to be the main lead for Sheares Block E (that's my block) Production, which is basically a very comical High School Musical 4. Hahaha. I've never done anything like that before, and I thought it'd be nice to actually stop being a phantom and do something for Hall before I move out at the end of this semester. (Another entry for the reasons.)

I have full respect for all film productions now, even lousy ones. It's SO much work! 4 hours of filming only gives you a 4 minute segment. Each scene has to be taken a million times - from different angles, focus on different characters, wrong lighting, blah blah. Poof!

I've also learned about all the behind-the-scenes work that I've never thought of before - coordinating the clothing if we have film the same scene on separate days, coordinating everyone's schedules for "mass scenes", choreographing simple enough yet pretty dances for novices like me and finding time to teach everyone the dance. It's crazy!

It's going to be a hilarious short production, and I can't wait for everything to wrap up, then sit back and laugh at myself on screen. Hahaha. I've been the most unglam Gabriella ever, I swear.

Meanwhile, I need to stare at my schedule and will it to spare me some more free time to finish the other half of the production!

massively annoyed

massively annoyed

Dear Internet,

If you would so kind and watch me have a bitch fit, here's one now. I am MASSIVELY annoyed. I feel like a pent-up volcano bigger than Mount. Fuji. I want to explode. I want to snap someone's head off. I am so annoyed that I can't concentrate on anything.

But you see, volcanoes erupt because tectonic plates are moving. Me, I am pissed off even when everything around is still. There is no rhyme or reason to this annoyance. Which makes it all the more annoying!

Every single thing pisses me off. The lift that goes up to the 3rd storey just as my finger touches the button at the lobby on the ground floor. The fly that buzzes past my ear. Too many dots in a message (like Hey... ... Can I meet at a certain time later... ...). The jumping MSN man on my dock. Too short a list of online friends whom I can whine to.

It makes me want to scream into a pillow, even though I know I'll struggle for breath afterwards. I want to crawl into my covers and hide from the world. I am tired of chasing deadlines, oversleeping in the morning due to late nights and rushing the day through. I want to Stop. And do nothing at all.

There can only be one reason. It's that damned time of the month. Argh, it sucks to be a girl sometimes!

Yours,

PMS Victim

fall in love

fall in love

"The other side of the coin is this: Fall in love.

I didn't say "be loved". That requires too much compromise. If one changes one's looks, personality and values, one can be loved by anyone.

Rather, I exhort you to love another human being. It may seem odd for me to tell you this. You may expect it to happen naturally, without deliberation. That is false. Modern society is anti-love. We've taken a microscope to everyone to bring out their flaws and shortcomings. It's far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance. It is hard work - the only kind of work that I find palatable.

Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In loving someone, we become inspired to better ourselves in every way. We learn the true worthlessness of material things. We celebrate being human. Loving is good for the soul.

Loving someone is therefore very important, and it is also important to choose the right person. Despite popular culture, love doesn't happen by chance, at first sight, across a crowded dance floor. It grows slowly, sinking roots first before branching and blossoming. It is not a silly weed, but a mighty tree that weathers every storm.

You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less important than the heart.

You will also find that it is no great tragedy if your love is not reciprocated. You are not doing it to be loved back. Its value is to inspire you."

Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don’t, or you do with every cell in your body, completely and utterly, without reservation or apology. It consumes you, and you are reborn, all the better for it.

Adrian Tan's speech

at NTU Convocation 2008

tiffany blue's

birthday girls

We had brunch at Royal China at Raffles Hotel on Sunday to celebrate Mommy's birthday and mine! Yes, I know, again, but we always celebrate our birthdays together. I love telling new people that Mommy's birthday and mine fall one after another! It's such a nice thing.

Anyway, Royal China's a great place - everything from their Tiffany blue decor to the impeccable service to the awesome food. I'm definitely going back again! All of us were so satisfied, especially Big Smelly, who finished 3/4 of the stone-cooked rice for 4. Hahaha.

And I'll remember my 20th birthday present for a long time - the battle to get it at the IT show was CRAZY! I've never seen such a huge crowd fighting to BUY things. It looked as if there was gonna be an IT famine or something. But I really like my new set of lenses!

I'm so grateful for the break from everything on Sundays by the way. School has been rather insane, and I love coming home every weekend.

Happily fed.

My outfit matches the decor! Hahaha.

Ixus!

teen no more

teen no more

2oth birthday dinner at P.S Cafe, Dempsey.

It took me the longest time to decide how I wanted to celebrate it; I might be away for my 21st on exchange, but it's gonna be tough inviting everyone because so many people are overseas! I wish you girls were around!

In the end, I settled for a nice small dinner. I had a great day celebrating with the girlies and Glenn! Ridiculous fun at Kbox and followed by more of it at dinner. With the kind of laughter and giggles these friends bring, I'll always feel 19!

A proper update when I get all the photos from Sarah, and when I get all these project drafts out of the way. (:

my lazy furball

my lazy furball

This is Hippo's new favourite position for lazing around,slumped on her wheel, with her fats spilling out the side. She's gotten so fat that when she starts running on her wheel, one of the hind legs will fall out from the side. When she runs even faster, she just tumbles out of the wheel sometimes. Hahaha. I find it incredibly cute and hilarious!

rainbow after the rain

rainbow after the rain



I saw a rainbow after the rain the other day - both meteorologically and symbolically. After an afternoon of best friend therapy and 30hours of boy therapy, I'm feeling much better about everything. (:

Sarah and I had long conversations about growing up, the changes around and within us. We saw things in new light. We understood ourselves better. We promised never to lose ourselves to life. At the edge of our twenties, I think we are still looking for ourselves, trying to figure out who we are and the best route to take in life. We get lost, but we always find ourselves again.

Glenn and I had sleepy pillow talks about things between us and how we're going to find our way amidst life's madness. We came to face the fact that sometimes love alone just isn't enough; we need to live with each other. We need to hold tight and walk in the same direction. Confidence and faith came back to me. It was renewal.

So, mid-term break has been good for me afterall. I'm all ready and charged up to take on the world again!