Everyone here, knows everyone here is thinking about somebody else
It's best if we all keep this under our heads
I couldn't tell, if anyone here was feeling the way I do
But I'm lonely now, and I don't know how
To get it back to good

Everyone here, is wondering what it's like to be with somebody else
Everyone here's to blame, everyone here gets caught up in the pleasure of the pain
Everyone hides shades of shame, but looking inside we're the same, we're the same
And we're all grown now, but we don't know how
To get it back to good

Balmain may have made the military blazer more wearable and assessable with its ready to wear collection back in 2009 but be clear, it was Michael who made it famous.

Went for my annual birthday meal yesterday! I know it's early because my birthday's still far far away but my family couldn't do a lunch next weekend so we pushed it forward! We went to Kiseki at Heeren because my dad liked it so much the last time he and my mum went! Ate super duper a lot of food since it was a buffet! Their dessert section was the best, they had waffles and ice cream and a fondue pot! Yes, I know buffets aren't helping my increasing weight but for now, I'd rather be happy and heavy then skinny and miserable. I'll eat less during the holidays. Oh, and I recently came to the conclusion that I now eat more when I'm stressed. I used to eat less / lose my appetite when I was stressed previously but now I just eat more. Hurhur.

Today, upon waking up, I took a look at my IT report requirements. Not a good way to start my day. I'm particularly not looking forward to the individual report. I'm such an IT-unsavvy person so I always dread IT modules.

Things are going to get busy just when I had my first slacker weekend. Accounting quiz next next week, then the GST lecture, then Tax Quiz, Comms Presentation and Post-test, and IT presentation and report dateline! How am I going to make it through this semester alive? And to think I wanted to take an elective. I really admire how my brother puts aside his Saturday to spend time with JY and he doesn't do any schoolwork on Saturdays. Respect man. I was supposed to study Tax yesterday but I ended up slacking and only did bare minimum. I actually did my tutorial in 10 minutes. Just wrote "Taxable" or "Not taxable", and my group's the review group this week. Good game. (I ended up looking at polish swatched for hours yesterday. *Lowers head in shame*)

We're going to take our resume photos next week! I can't imagine the amount of makeup they'll put on us. From the pictures I've seen, I'm afraid. I hope I won't look like a clown after they're done. Better bring makeup wipes!

Right, oh and some eggciting news, my OPI Black Onyx nails are still going strong! We're on to its 5th day and only tip wear and a few minor chips. Yes, the very tip wear I was complaining about. The only nail that chipped was my ring finger and it chipped rather early on and I already redid it on Wednesday! And I used Sally Hansen's Miracle Cure as a top coat and it seems to be working wonders. But to use it as a top coat, $17.50 not well spent man. I also realised I have a top coat from Mavala, from the french mani kit set I bought in Sec 4! HAHA! So long ago. It was in my mum's bathroom which was why I forgot about it!

Okay, I got to go do research for my IT report. I'll update again when I can.

Here, you can see the purple glitter better. It was pretty hard to capture the purple!

I got bored and painted my pinkie with another face shop colour! It's a dark blue with multi-coloured glitter!

L-R: OPI Black Onyx, Essie Turquoise and Caicos, TFS BK901, Black Onyx, TFS BL607

And I got even more bored so I painted my right pinkie mail with OPI My Private Jet.

LOVE the glitter here although my version isn't the original holographic version. I would have been phenomenally lucky if I have it / manage to find it! If I see it at Sephora I'll damn well shell out $23 for it because the rainbow effect, to die for. Perhaps I'll consider getting Color Club Revvvolution!

Bought a bottle of polish for my mum today, just to cheer her up. told her about it when she came home and she told me her friend bought her a bottle of OPI. How can my faceshop color compete with an OPI? It can, because it was the $7.90 one. Opaque (pretty much) on one coat. And while I was at faceshop, I got scammed (fine, cajoled) into buying one for myself. Got this black with greenish/purplish shimmer/glitter. I'm currently in love with black / very dark nail colours with a bit of zest, like a shimmer / glitter. Considering OPI's Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees. It's a really dark smokey grey-blue with shimmer. Really liking Lapis of Luxury too. And since I cancelled my Orly polish order cuz it simply took too darn long, I can buy another 2 bottles!

My mum told her friend that she believes I have 40-50 bottles of polish. (HAHAHAH!) Her friend asked why I needed so many and my mum told her it's because I paint a different colour on each of my nails! So not true. Back to the numbers, I then proceeded to let the cat out of the bag, and told her I have 80 (81 now) bottles. She did a mental calculation and flipped out. Assuming I spent 5 bucks on each bottle. HAHA, I'd have spent $400. Again, so not true. Most of my bottles are the $2.90 faceshop ones okay. and I'd rather not think of how much I've spent so far. Especially with Riva coming out. Chanel's going to win that battle. Hands down.

Update: Black Onyx, sigh, a lot of tip wear. I even wrapped my nails and I still got tip wear. Chips formed and I had to redo one of my nails. Plus I need THREE coats to get it perfect. This compared to my Rainbow $2.50 black polish which went opaque in ONE coat. I nearly gave up hope on one coaters but boy, today, a $2.50 polish proved me wrong!

Tax class went better than expected today. Some of my computations were surprisingly correct! Accounting was, hmmm, not that bad. SAP was okay though Sze Xia and I panicked when we couldn't find the code for Great Lakes. And we slipped our IT report into our Prof's room through the vents on his door. HAHA! Ups man. I just hope we won't be penalised for doing so!
Oh, and I'm halfway through the communications book! Made myself read it in the train today! Plus I had to force myself to stop listening to Matchbox 20. The number of times I repeated Hang was unhealthy.

Oh, and I'm super hungry. AGAIN. I actually woke up hungry this morning. And I ate cereal at home and a sandwich on the way to school And I was hungry at 10.30am. What is wrong with me? I hope it's some growth spurt that will make me taller!

I am driving up 85 in the
Kind of morning that lasts all afternoon
Just stuck inside the gloom

Four more exits to my apartment but
I am tempted to keep the car in drive
And leave it all behind

Cause I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life

Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why, why Georgia, why?

I rent a room and I fill the spaces with
Wood in places to make it feel like home
But all I feel's alone
It might be a quarter life crisis
Or just the stirring in my soul

Either way, I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life

Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why, why Georgia, why?

So what, so I've got a smile on me
But it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head
Don't believe me
Don't believe me
When I say I've got it down

Everybody is just a stranger but
That's the danger in going my own way
I guess it's the price I have to pay
Still "Everything happens for a reason"
Is no reason not to ask myself

If your're living it right
Are you living it right?
Are you living it right?
Why, tell me why
Why, why Georgia why?

Quick update cuz I need to sleep in 10 minutes! I'm forcing myself to sleep for at least 5 hours tonight so I won't conk out doing classes tmr. Can't afford to after what happened on Monday. Staying at home for the past 2 days have made me lazy and very hesitant to go to school tmr.

Random fact #1: Rihanna's Love the Way You Lie is stuck in my head. Heard it on Gossip Girl and it's been looping ever since.

Random Fact #2: I didn't watch Grey's Anatomy today. I watched Two and a Half Men, Supernatural and Gossip Girl, but no Grey's. I feel deprived. I feel like a crack addict who hasn't had her crack.

Random Fact #3: I feel real stress yet real calm at the same time. I don't even know how it's possible.

Random Fact #4: I read my Negotiations book today. Not the entire thing of course. Just a few pages. Doubt anything went in though.

Random Fact #5: Chanel is going to have my $35 very soon. I heard it's going to be 1st December.

Random Fact #6: The only two reasons why I'm looking forward to school: Wantan mee for lunch and carrying my new bag from my bro! Cheap thrill.

Random Fact #7: I feel hungry. ALL THE TIME. I need to stop eating / junking so much.

Random Fact #8: I woke up with leg cramps this morning. And I had that nauseous sensation coupled with the almost blacking out. Something's very wrong with me. My body goes into this weird state whenever I feel pain these days.

Bedtime! Goodnight!

I think I'm going to blog more often now, since my bitch buddy / supper buddy shifted to hall. I can no longer walk to his room, slump myself on his bed and rant. Hence, this shall be my ranting ground. And it sucks when I'm hungry in the middle of the night and I have no supper buddy to walk out with me to Simpang at 2am.

So, today was e-learning day for IT! Yay because I didn't have to spend 3 hours travelling up and down for a 4 hour class! And I FINALLY got to sleep in today! My first sleep-in Tuesday since school started! I woke up at 12.30pm today! The time I'd normally have to leave my house if I had school! But I stayed up till 3.30am doing my Accounting outline so it was justified! Last night I collapsed in bed after dinner (8.30pm) and I only woke up at 11.30pm! I was contemplating whether to continue sleeping and wake up early today (which we know will never ever happen. Me waking up early? HAHA, pigs will fly when that happens!) or to wake up, do some work then go back to sleep and wake up late today. Obviously I chose the latter! Oh, and I only spent 1.5 hours doing my e-learning today! So I spent the rest of the day watching Grey's. Yes, I'm very ashamed of myself. *Looks down in disappointment*

The plan is to study tax, although every fibre in me refuses to do so. I was way lost in class yesterday, stoning, nodding off, and when she went through the first example for the class discussion and I caught nothing, I panicked and was like a kan chiong spider. Had to copy JD's answer to try and figure it out myself at home. Tax is really making me freak out and I'm not looking forward to the next quiz.

My birthday's coming! Sadly I've got to study on my birthday because there's an Accounting quiz the next day! Plus there's school so I wouldn't really be a happy birthday girl if I had to wake up at 5.45am to travel to school. Plus the fact that recently, I haven't been able to get seats in the train till JURONG EAST sucks hell. I have to stand 20 stops only to be able to sit for 3. How lovely.

Oh, nails update: I just painted my nails! Haven't painted them (properly) in more than 2 weeks! They're black, with the exception of my left index finger, which is in Essie's Turquoise and Caicos! What an awesome combination to start rocking the chucky rings and the turquoise stones! I have a bad feeling they'll chip real soon though. And I paid good money for this black OPI polish so they better not! My toesnails are still colourless. I'm still waiting for them to grow out and waiting for Sally Hansen's Miracle Cure to work its magic. It freaking costs $17.50 so it better work!

Sigh, Tax Time. I saw a Magum Almond in the freezer just now. I'm going to reward myself when I finish Tax! (:

Today's presentation was, sigh, where do I start? I was pretty dependent on my cue cards during rehearsal so when I learnt I couldn't bring them up 30 minutes before the actual presentation, I almost suffered a minor heart failure. According to Catherine, I did pretty well for someone who needed cue cards. But still, I felt everything could have been better. I could have stuttered less, looked more poised and confident, spoke louder, established more eye contact, etc. After so many hours pumped into this presentation, I guess I let myself down. I let the nerves get the better of me. And I may never well be able to surpass my Singlish presentation for AB114. Did I "Andrew Garcia" myself? Did I create this initial standard so high that any of my future efforts will never be able to meet that first one?

Anyways, I was drained by the time I reached home and I collapsed in bed after dinner till 11.30pm! A solid 3 hours! And when I was lying in bed about to get up, I was wondering if I should just continue sleeping and wake up early tmr or wake up and study late into the night then sleep in. Guess you know which choice I made right?

Today marked the beginning of the second half of this semester and it didn't look good. I was stoning in Accounting class, lost in Taxation, and nervous in Communications. IT, haha, let's not even go there. This better not be how the second half goes down. NO, I won't let it be. It has to go UP!

I created a little motivational mosaic on my cork board on Saturday. Let's hope that helps!

Tmr's e-learning day for IT so yay because I don't have to spend 3 hours travelling to and fro school! Sze Xia and I will be doing our SAP on thursday, after we eat our wantan mee! HAHA! OOOOOH, and big news, Sze Xia FINALLY found her eyecandy for this sem. Couldn't believe he was right under our noses and it took him a haircut to make us notice! I must say, the haircut did him wonders and he looks pretty dashing! If I don't find an eyecandy soon, Sze Xia will have to share him with me! HAHAHAH! On a totally irrelevant note, I love how comms class forces the guys to suit up. they all look pretty good suited up! One of the perks in being in NBS!

Accounting awaits!

I think Matchbox 20 has replaced Linkin Park as my favourite band. It's not that I don't love LP anymore, I still do. It's just that I don't really relate to their music as much as I used to. I was a really angsty teenager growing up and I loved the loud sounds of their rock anthems but I have mellowed down so much over the past few years. That being said, I still do appreciate some good guitar riffs and amazing drum beats every now and then.

It also doesn't hurt that Rob Thomas, the principal writer for Matchbox Twenty, is such an amazing song writer. And yes, I do realise that most of the band's songs are pretty sad songs. That's probably why I like them in the first place. I have a weakness for beautiful melodies with sad lyrics.

I spent most of my afternoon yesterday watching youtube videos of one of the live performance. Or rather all the time I spent waiting for my group mates to reply my emails. It was fantastic. I don't think no one sounds as good live as Rob does. Even on his worst sounding song, he still sounded fantastic. And the band, they're amazing. The way they play their instruments is superb. Kyle especially, when he got up on the piano during his extended guitar solo for Bright Lights, he looked like a guitar god. And Brian, the bassist, he seems so contented and happy playing the bass, Most bassists just look bored when playing but you can tell Brian's enjoying himself on stage! Paul, the ex-drummer and now the current rhythym guitarist because Adam quit the band, he's pretty involved in the planning of the entire show. He never misses a beat! Plus did I mention he's married to Moon Zappa? She's the daughter of the legendary Frank Zappa from Led Zap! I don't think you need me to talk more about Rob.

I seriously need to go to one of their concerts before I die or before (hopefully this will never happen) they break up. They're currently working on a new album and I hope their tour comes to Singapore! (John Mayer, you listen up too, you need to come to Singapore as well!) I hope their new album will be great and I wonder what they'll sound like because they channelled more rock than usual in More Than You Think You Are and was pretty poppy in Exile on Main Street.

I just spent the last 3 hours reformatting the ppt slides. Why on earth am I so anal about such things. I always end up putting in alot of effor because I don't like to be screwed when it comes to group projects. And if no one steps up, I do most of the time. I'm a perfectionist and I always tend to let it show. And it makes me seem bossy and overly aggressive, which I don't mean to be.

Anyways, I'm in a really low, mellow mood because of the songs I've been listening to. They're mostly Matchbox Twenty and I found some new favourites, like Hang and Push. Something about these 2 songs just speak to me. Much like The Black Crowes' She Talks to Angels. Songs like these are far and few. I have plenty of favourite songs but to have songs that speak to you, it's much like a revelation. And the same songs don't always speak to you. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.



She knows she's been here too few years to feel this old

And we always say, it would be good to go away, someday
But if there's nothing there to make things change
If it's the same for you, I'll just hang

Well I always say, It would be good to go away
But if things don't work out like we think
And there's nothing there to ease this ache
But if there's nothing there to make things change
If it's the same for you I'll just hang

They stepped up. They finally did what I always expected them to do. Having two Year 3s in our group was a good thing after all. Thank god I'm on their side and not on some other team because we are gonna be badass and kick some communications butt.

Now everything is slowly falling into place and I'm hoping things will run smoothly from now on. I really cannot handle any major screw ups now. I'm feeling really stressed out and I don't know if I should continue pushing myself. I cannot afford to fail. The thing is, if I give it my all, will it be a suicide mission I'm getting myself into. I really want to come out of this damn thing alive. Please let things run smoothly.

Please?

Don't just stand there, say nice things to me
Cuz I've been cheated I've been wronged, and you
You don't know me, I can't change
I won't do anything at all

I can't stop this feeling I've got
I know who I am and I know what I'm not
I know where I've been and I know what I've lost
But I can't stop this feeling I've got

Wasn't looking ahead and I heard
Didn't I see, didn't I learn
And I don't know what you mean to me
But I'm starting to think its just a mystery

I can't stop this feeling I've got
I know who I am and I know what I'm not
I know what I've gained and I know what I've lost
But I can't stop this feeling I've got

Wasn't looking ahead and I heard
Didn't I see, didn't I learn
I may be right you may disagree
But I'm starting to think its just a mystery
Whatever it is its just a mystery

Ah you don't really look so easy
You spend a lifetime looking for someone
And then they come and you're just so uneasy
You get the feeling that if I don't come
Then there's one more story be on your way

And I can't stop this feeling I've got
I know who I am and I know what I'm not
I know where I've been and I know what I've lost
But I can't stop this feeling I've got

The sky may fall the sea may split
You may say that isn't it
I may be right you may disagree
Same old story same old me
And I don't know what you mean to me
But I'm starting to think its just a mystery
I've got to admit its just a mystery

Made a little trip down to Tampines today to get a pair of black pants for my presentation (because Sze Xia insists on wearing black pants and it made me feel self-conscious about wearing a skirt). Ended up buying two pairs because one fitted nicer and the other one matched my blazer better. I shall vow not to gain anymore weight, if not I won't be able to wear my new pants. On a totally unrelated note, kudos to G2000 for playing good music! They were playing Jack Johnson almost the entire time I was there and I was so calm while trying on 6 different pairs of pants and trying to figure out which ones were better!

But besides the pants, it dawned upon me that Tampines is fast replacing Orchard in my heart. Let's discount the fact that Tampines doesn't have a Chanel (but there's a cosmetic counter at Isetan!), Tiffany, Loewe, etc outlets, simply because I cannot afford to shop at those stores yet. But here's what Tampines has to offer:

Ettude House
The Face Shop
Kikki K
Cotton On
Topshop
Dorothy Perkins
Diva
New Look
Uniqlo
Isetan
TWO cinemas
Popeyes
Carl's Junior
Urban Write
Times
Sasa

Hello? Is this not enough? I don't even shop at half of the above shops and I already feel it's enough for me! I think the only reason for me to go down to Orchard now, is to get my babies
from Estella. And Sephora. If Sephora were to open an outlet in Tampines, AMEN TO THAT!

Enough said, I need to mug now! Recess week is never recess week eh?

"The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax."

- Albert Einstein


Einstein knew his shit!

L-R: China Glaze Ingrid, OPI Black Onyx, China Glaze Seashell and China Glaze IV

Individual swatches and description time!

Essie Not Just a Pretty Face

This one was so sheer on the first coat and it looked pretty good with the second coat one but this is 3 coats to make it more opaque and to bring its true colour out. Not streaky at all and it was easy to paint on! It's such a pretty princess pink and it makes me feel so girlie! It would look absolutely fab with some Bring on the Bling french tips!

OPI Tickle My France-y

Please ignore the middle finger and focus on the ring finger! The colour's darker in real life and tends towards a light lilac/brown. It's a good nude and has a colour of its own. Totally not mannequin nails at all. This again is 3 coats but it was pretty good in 2! Not streaky and it applied like a dream!

OPI Dulce de Leche

It's a pinker and warmer version of Tickle My France-y. 3 coats once again and it was good in 2 coats. I did 3 only because I blotched the 2nd coat and wanted to cover it up! In fact, it looks a little too thick with 3 coats on. It applied like butter and it's a really nice neutral colour. It's not too pink, and maybe you could describe it as a really light pink mauve?

And I have to say, none of the above 3 colours look the same. They're in the same nude family but they're all different to me. I think to an untrained eye, if I wore the 3 colours consecutively as a manicure, people will not think I changed my colour but they're pretty different from each other in my eyes.

China Glaze Ingrid

This one is a pretty brown with gold shimmer in it. The shimmer isn't very obvious indoors but under the light, it's amazing! It's like a secret shimmer only for the wearer to see! 2 coats here.

Fired the flash to bring out the shimmer!

-----------------------------------------------------------

So, what do you think? Nice? I know it's a lot of pink, which is really unlike me but I was going through a pink phase and I just needed to have them. S said that in this collection, I amassed a pink family equivalent to her blue one! But but but, there's just one more pink I need to have. OPI Bubble Bath. The legendary pink that all french manicures are made off. It'd make my princess mani dreams come true!

Till next time!

S: I saw Jenson
Me: WHAT?!
S: No, I meant I saw him on the magazine.
Me: Don't scare me like that! If you see him rip his shirt off! HAHA!
S: If I see him, I'll rip his shirt off and I'd keep his shirt and give him to you!
Me: HAHAHA! OKAY!

God, I love outings with S! We collected our babies today. S welcomed another 3 blues into her family and I satisfied my sweet pink polish lusts with this round. I love S' Flyin' High though, such an awesome shade! I've already swatched on the new colours! I'll try to get some photos tomorrow when there's sunlight! Most of my colours look the same to an untrained eye but it's not. They're not the same. Same family but they have totally different personalities!

And I must say (again), S, your Barefoot in Barcelona looked really nice! I want it! Do go back to nude nails once in a while! We can only do funky nails for so long! And heck it, alternate it with black next time round! I think it'd go real nice with black! Oh, and do the Bring on the Bling french tips! It went so well just now! (:

And I just realised my birthday's coming! Sure didn't cross my mind when it's filled with other more important stuff like project submission datelines! And it sucks having to go to school on my birthday! I haven't thought of what I want yet. I have thought of what I want to give myself but not what I want from others! (This makes me sound so demanding but it makes it easier for people to buy me presents!) I think it's safe to say my polish craze isn't dying anytime soon but I don't think my friends will encourage me to buy more, let alone buy them for me! Maybe I'll save the credit? Can I do that? At least until I see something I want real bad!

Oh, and I'm so proud of myself. Today while waiting for S to reach, I read my Negotiation book. At first it was boring but suddenly I came across some tips that I thought were useful for me! Like how to deal with certain people strategically. I must say though, it was like reading some really really long Harvard Business Review article we used to have to read for OB. I hope it'll be useful!


XOXO,
You know you love me.

(Haha, I've been watching too much Gossip Girl!)

I totally take back what I said yesterday about this being the slackest recess week ever.

Thursday (today): Had a presentation and a quiz. And I have to rush out a proposal for my Comms group project by tonight.

Friday (tomorrow): Start reading accounting notes for the next seminar, and do the discussion questions. Collect polish in the evening and spend some quality time with S!

Saturday: Photo outing to Kranji War Memorial and dinner buffet with my family!

Sunday: Cut my hair and edit IT group project report.

Monday: Possibly meeting up with Sze Xia to head down to Borders to do some research for our Comms project. Skyping with Comms project mates at night to discuss our report and presentation.

Tuesday: Meeting up for IT project.

Wednesday: Head back to NTU for PVS Main Comm Photo Shoot.

Thursday: Study!!! Especially have to catch up with IT. I'm catching no ball regarding SAP. And the flowcharts, OH MY GOD, just kill me now.

Friday: Back to NTU again for PVS, again.


This is my current scedule. And I still have to read the Negotiation book for Comms, and prepare for the Comms group presentation happening on the Monday school starts!

Bleahhhh.

Oh and btw, tax quiz was abysmal. Or rather my performance was. I think I totally flunked the last part worth 20 marks. Shizzz. S14Q, I will never forget you. I'm going to read you and remember you. I'm not going to let you claim my marks again.

This time tomorrow, I'll be enjoying my RECESS WEEK!

Seriously, I can't wait to get this Tax quiz over with! It has been eating me up inside for the past week! All that nerves, it hasn't gone away even after I've read my notes. Plus I have an Accounting Presentation first thing tomorrow morning, which I barely prepared for. I'm planning to just read of the slides! Most I can do is to re-read the Samuelson article in the train. Samuelson, oh Samuelson, why didn't you simplify your article with journal entries? Why did you have to do the whole thing in WORDS? You're an accountant, do the friggin journal entries!

Oh, and there's Comms class tomorrow too. I hope we come up with some smashing ideas for our Group Project! Year 3 students, please don't fail me!

And after Comms class is the two deadly hours before our Tax quiz. The two nerve wrecking hours where countless last minute clarifications will be thrown out in hopes of patching all the gaps in my tax knowledge thus far. Damn, I was supposed to go for the Student Leaders' dinner at the Student Affairs Offcie but the last minute change in tax quiz date meant I had to foresake the free buffet! I'm sacrificing a buffet Tax Gods, so please have mercy on my soul tomorrow!

And by 8.30pm, I'll be rejoicing to George Michael's Freedom 90! HAHA! I have to say, I think this is going to be the free-est reccess week ever! I only have to do the IT and Comms group project and maybe revise some IT. I've already studied Accounting for last week's quiz and Tax for tomorrow, so next week will give me some precious time to R&R! (Rest and recuparation please, not renovation and refurbishment!) Okay, that was a lame attempt at a Tax joke. Pardon me but I've been reading Tax for the past few days!

And on Friday, I'm meeting S and we're gonna receive our new batch of babies! Can't wait!

Wish me luck for tomorrow!

HAVE you ever had those work days when everything just seems absolutely grey? The desks, computer keyboards, even the sky outside - it's hard not to feel inundated by that dull shade of bleah.

Fight that sinking feeling in an instant: Paint your nails.

According to Sally Forrest, a colour therapist at SoulCentre Academy, colours can have a powerful effect on how we feel.

Bright colours, said Sally, "definitely have an uplifting effect". For instance, orange is "the colour of joy" that can brighten one's mood. Yellow is symbolic of the sun - it radiates cheerful and positive energy.

Don't worry, this doesn't mean you have to go out and buy a bright yellow dress right away (unless you want to, in which case knock yourself out). Start small and get your happy colour dose with some of the brightest and boldest shades of nail polish available.

It's guaranteed to put a smile on your face - even when you are tapping away at your desk all day. All you have to do is look down.


By: Lynette Koh

Life can be predictable and boring, reckless and dangerous, or exciting and meaningful. Taking chances does not have to mean being brainless, but when done wisely, it can mean the difference between the safe and ordinary and the exciting and great.

We all have our good share of opportunities in life. Some of us take them, and some of us pass them. The ones who take chances may sometimes find themselves in a disadvantageous situation due to their dare.

It is fair to say that a safe and ordinary life suits the majority, but the ones who dare taking chances are motivated by their failures. The future becomes an opportunity to thrive in what you failed once. This sort of motivation is very powerful in the sense that only when the primary goal is achieve that does one realize how much else was accomplished.

A great deal of wisdom is acquired from failures, and the failures from today will amount to a greater success tomorrow. The tree whose roots are in the soil of the tempestuous mountain is the one capable of standing the strong winds of the highest heights. Likewise, the person whose roots are based in wisdom and experience is the one who is able to handle success and still stand to achieve more.


(source: wisdomdigest.org)

Mention the color taupe and images of knee-highs fill our heads. To forever disassociate this otherwise supremely chic color from the above, here are five reasons why taupe is dope.

Reason 1: It's an edgy neutral. A color that can’t make up its mind whether it’s gray, dark brown or camel has some major issues. We like flirting with trouble in different light settings.

Reason 2: It’s the color of gourmet mushrooms. Have you ever had a marinated portobello fresh off the grill? Heavenly.

Reason 3: It’s a shade of khaki–the IT color and fabric this spring. Everything now comes in khaki–not just your pants.

Reason 4: It has sexier nicknames: nude, sable, caramel, suede.

Reason 5 (the ultimate reason): It's the essential color for mastering a smoky eye. Taupe is the peanut butter to charcoal gray’s jelly.

G's doppleganger offered me cookies today. Such irony, considering how the roles were reversed three and a half years ago.

Don't mind the flash, I actually find it helps to bring out the chipped areas better!

To think that the past week was actually the calm before the storm. Things are gonna get hectic around here so I thought I better blog before I'm knee deep in assignments, quizzes, presentations and projects!

Here are some of the mani-pedi combinations I'm been sporting! They're all done by yours truly so be kind if the nails are a little streaky!

I love the above combi! Nature Republic polish in BK002 on the fingers and OPI My Private Jet on the toes! Very glitzy glam if you ask me, cuz of all the glitter! Really sad that the silver polish lasted only 2-3 days but what can you expect from a $3 polish!

OPI Jade is the New Black (Green) and Ski Teal We Drop (Blue) on the fingers and OPI You Don't Know Jacques on the toes! I got quite a few compliments for the green and blue combi, even one from a guy! You Don't Know Jacques lasted quite a while, and I only just removed it yesterday! JITNB and STWD on the other hand, I guess I'm pretty heavy on my fingers so the polish chips faster. I'll do another entry on the wear of the 2 colours!


So what's on my nails right now? A bunch of different colours actually. Left hand: Navy shimmery polish from the face shop on my thumb, Paul and Joe 02 Gold shimmer polish on my index finger, a combi of 2 dark (vampy) maroon from the face shop on my middle finger, Chanel's Steel on my ring finger and Chanel's Strong on my pinky. Right hand: OPI Over the Taupe with Bring on the Bling on my ring finger and Chanel's Khaki Vert on my pinky. The rest of the nails are naked, and so are my toes! My big toe nail tore so I can't paint it! And no, I do not own ALL of the colours on my fingers now. I would love to but that would make me a very broke girl, especially after the $70 I spent on Chanel's Particuliere and Khaki Vert (limited edition!!!!) on Friday! They are my first 2 Chanel polishes so I'm still smitten! But I must save up for something secret! (I've been sworn to secrecy by S so it's remaining under a tight seal!)

Okay, gonna do up the wear entry now!

My name is Melissa and I'm an Obsessive Compulsive Collector.

You see, I have this condition where I go crazy over a certain breed of items and each year (or maybe every few years) I go crazy over a different thing. It first started with harmless stationery, then proceeded on to costly CDs. Last year, it was clothes from blogshops and now, it has moved on to nail polishes.

There's this urge, this magnetic attraction, pulling me to whatever I'm collecting at the moment. It pulls me into any shop (it doesn't have to be a brick and mortar shop) and it refuses to loosen its grip on my reins until I walk in. Once in there, if the sales staff are friendly, I'll fall prey to my compulsion. And when I finally pay for the item and put it in my bag, I feel this insane high. Whoever said you needed drugs to get high was lying.

The worst thing is I never feel the pinch because most of the time, I pay for my items using nets. Without actually touching cold hard cash, the act of typing in my pin number doesn't even hurt at all. At least not until my bank statement arrives every month.

If you add up the money I have spent on stationery, I am sure it will run up to the hundreds. At my peak, I used to buy at least one CD a week, sometimes, even up to three. At one point in time (last year), my mother thought I was addicted to online shopping. And now, I have to hide my nail polishes in the cupboard I store my textbooks in, so as to hide my addiction from everyone else. Right now, the polish count is up to 80 when I receive my latest batch from the spree in 2 weeks time. Not to mention another 2 bottles that are being produced in the USA at this very moment, which I have already paid for.

This obsessive compulsive collector disorder, it's much like being a shopaholic. I always feel this urge to have to have everything I see in my collection. I constantly look for things that are missing and then things I have to buy to make up for it. I always need to have the latest CD or the prettiest shade of polish.

I'm glad to say that I now only buy pens and markers only when I need them (with the exception of a few which I needed to have, but I make full use of), and the last CD I bought was more than 1.5 years ago. The last piece of clothing I bought online was 7 weeks ago. However, I can't seem to stop myself from buying polish.

It's polish or perish in my mind right now.