#BEDM Day 31: It’s a Wrap!

Though I didn’t blog everyday in May (I missed 10 days), it feels like I’ve been blogging non-stop (well, since April) and I’m feeling a wee bit burnt out right now.

I’m looking forward to taking a bit of a break, reading other people’s blogs and discovering more new blogs.

I’m sure after a few days, I’ll miss posting on this blog since this is where my primary interaction with fellow bloggers happen. I mustn’t forget about my other blog though which is probably filled with cobwebs due to the inactivity. That’s the problem with having more than one blog. You think you’re being organised by compartmentalising the blogs, then you neglect them because it’s just one blog too many. At last count, I have 10 blogs. Yep, TEN.

Anyway, thanks to all my fellow bloggers/ readers/ lurkers for bearing with me for the past few months. Your comments have been such a joy to read and respond to. If there are any news of the writing kind happening with me, this is where I’ll post. Otherwise, I’m over at Stories from Sonobe. 🙂

#BEDM Day 30: The Bull Quote

Day 30: Favourite quote and why you love it

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I collect quotes. I collect them from newspapers, magazines, novels, graffiti and I write them down in my “Quotations” notebooks. I’ve two thick notebooks filled with quotations. Most recently, I collect quotes via Pinterest. I have many favourite quotes but the one that I keep going back to is this:

I have no idea who said it though and I can’t remember where I originally got the quote from. Whenever I’m at a crossroad in life (which seems to be every other day, these days), this quote pushes me to face the fear that’s holding me back. And there’s always plenty of fear at that crossroad – fear of change, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, just a whole lot of undefined fear in general.

Since I’ve been fighting lots of bulls while in a state of constant fear, perhaps I’m ready to train with the matadors in Madrid 🙂

#BEDM Day 29: The Soundtrack to My Life

Day 29: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories.

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Shania Twain’s You’re Still The One
Once upon a long time ago, this was our song. We were in a music shop and I bought the CD with this single and gave it to him. He refused it at first. When things were good and whenever this song came on the radio, I couldn’t stop smiling. When things were bad, I’d change the channel so that I wouldn’t have to listen to it and for years I did that. Now though, I can listen to the entire song without wanting to break something and without tears forming in my eyes. Yay me 🙂

The entire Evanescence Fallen album
I was never one for goth rock music but this album was so angst-ridden that it spoke directly to my also so angst-ridden soul at one time. I remember buying it on a whim merely because I heard rave reviews about the single Bring Me To Life, that was featured on the Daredevil soundtrack. The first time I listened to the entire album was when it was raining oh-so-delightfully-heavily with lightning splitting the sky and I was inside looking out at that scene. Heavenly. Also, the album was the music that I hear in my head whenever I read the Anita Blake series and fans of the series concur.

Fools Garden – Lemon Tree, Mariah Carey & Boyz 2 Men – One Sweet Day
These songs remind me of that tumultuous and absolutely crazy two years when I was between the ages of 18 – 20 years old, also otherwise known as the A-Levels. I was living in a hostel then and hostel living was such that you could hear what the occupants of the neighbouring room talked about and also what music they were listening to. So, for those two years I heard both those songs too many times a day. At first, it was novel then it became `SHADDUP!!!!’ Now though, when I hear those songs, I’m transported back to those amazing and significant few years when everyday was a lesson in discovery of oneself and others.

Jose Mari Chan – Beautiful Girl, NKOTB – any song
Circa early 90s, I was between the ages 12 – 14 years old and ballads ruled. Almost everyone had an NKOTB t-shirt (I’m going to confess that I had several NKOTB t-shirts, the operative word being HAD). Beautiful Girl was the accepted `I like you, do you like me?’ music during the time and girls pretty much just swooned whenever any NKOTB song came on the air. More confession: I have (and may still have – eeek!) several of NKOTB’s live concerts on videotape.

But that age was truly the beginning of the Age of Confusion – no one had any wooing technique, you didn’t know how to tell the other person that you liked them and in the instance when you’ve both agreed that you sort of liked one another, you still didn’t dare to use the phrase `He/She’s my boy/girlfriend’. We were truly a bunch of fools then. So songs from this era – including Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan (when they were still with Stock, Aitken and Waterman) makes me laugh and remember the times when the most trying moments in school was wondering whether the person you liked, likes you back or not.

Enya – Tea House Moon
Before hearing this piece of instrumental music, I had no clue who Enya was and I had no what kind of music she made. Then, I was roped in to perform a Chinese Tea Light dance along with several others during a festive celebration at my college and Tea House Moon was the music we danced to. During those few weeks of rehearsal, I was exposed to this music – every note and every pause. I swear, if I listen to this song now, my arms, hands and feet can and would involuntarily make the dance movements to match the particular portion of music. I haven’t tested this theory but I’m sure I’m right 🙂 This was a sufficient exposure to Enya to secure me as a fan. It was either a fan or `I-hate-Enya-and-never-want-to-hear-Gaelic-music-again!’ I have several of her albums now.

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Note: Soundtracks to my Life was my April A to Z 2015 theme and it started out great but I didn’t finish the challenge and my last post was ironically, Janet Jackson’s Escapade.  It was obviously a sign LOL

 

#BEDM Day 28: Chest Nuts

So, this is where I get my regular fix of chestnuts. Or “chest nuts” as the sign says. This fellow is parked in front of my local supermarket most evenings and when I’m in the mood for chestnuts, I drop by and get a bag. These days, he’s diversified to steamed peanuts and also sweet potatoes. I’ve yet to try either.

Here, the chestnuts are being “dry-fried” in a wok with pebbles stained with black soot. There’s lots of popping and I stand back a little. Once done, he removes all of the chestnuts using a slotted ladle and places them in the blue  box behind the wok and stuffs a pillow into the box to keep the heat in and chestnuts warm.

Not quite “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” but when I crave for chestnuts, this will more than satisfy the craving.

#BEDM Day 27: Pride

Today’s topic is from the Found Love Now What blog – What are you most proud of?

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I don’t think I can name just one, so I’m going to do a list. I’m proud…

• …of the fact that I still have the stuffed rabbit my mum made for me when I was 4 years old. It’s more than 30 years old!
• …that I still have my baby blanket. Which is also more than 30 years old!
• …that I did excellent in my final Master’s degree defense despite the fact that I’d just gotten my heart broken, learnt that my sister was in an accident and had not ate or slept properly in the weeks before while I was writing my thesis and preparing for the defense.
• …that I chose the road less traveled even though sometimes I look back and wonder if I can change my mind.
• …of my stamp collection which, yes, you guessed it, is more than 30 years old! I’m certain one of those stamps will make me a millionaire one day. I’m sure of it 😀
• …of my younger brother and sister, for the life they’ve carved out of themselves, despite the hardship they faced.
• …that I can tell people my age without cringing.
• …that I didn’t break down, cry, scream and punched the tattoo artist when I got a tattoo on my left ankle and I could feel the needle against my shin.
• …that I messaged that guy who owns the coffee shop downstairs from my office and asked him out for lunch.
• …that I’ve bitten my tongue whenever I felt like cussing out my incompetent bosses. So proud 🙂

 

#BEDM Day 25: Dear Me…

Day 25: A letter to your younger self.

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Dear 32-year-old-me,

Tonight, you’ll go on your first blind date since signing up with the dating agency.

For the first blind date, you won’t have time to go home to change, which means you’ll rush from work to meet him at the restaurant. Pack lipstick and a hair brush.

You’ll arrive first. You’re not early, just on time. Your table will be by the window which will allow you to see who enters the restaurant. Be observant. When your date arrives, don’t judge. Don’t. Yes, he’s slightly older than you’ll expect but keep an open mind.

Order the pan-seared salmon, it’s worth it, I assure you. And when he shows you pictures of a surgery he did, put on your happy, interested face. After maybe 15 minutes, he’ll be done and you can start enjoying your meal. Oh, when he regales you about his favourite European city, I suggest you just nod and smile because to be honest with you, he’s not the one. He’s not even going to be a friend.

When he asks for the cheque, resist from rolling your eyes when he takes out his wallet and mumbles “Hmmm…which credit card should I use today…” Resist. Resist.

Oh, and he’ll ask you for your number and before he asks, spell your name out for him otherwise he’ll type ADELINE in his phone, instead of AMELIA. I propose giving him your old phone number. The one that doesn’t work anymore.

Brain surgeons, not all that.

Don’t worry, there’s still five more interesting blind dates to come 🙂

#BEDM Day 24: Aquarians & Dog-ears

Day 24: Your top 3 worst traits.

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1. I don’t allow people I’m having dinner with to leisurely peruse the menu since I always know what I want and can order immediately when seated. I expect my meal companions to be as decisive as I am.
2. I hide around corners and jump out and frighten my cats/ dogs. Extremely satisfying.
3. I dog-ear the pages of books I’m reading

I’m an Aquarian (this sounds like I own many aquariums) and I totally agree with the statement below:

#BEDM Day 23: The art of eye-rolling and other lessons…

Day 23: Things you’ve learned that school won’t teach you

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How to roll your eyes without rolling your eyes – This skill took me several years to master and I learnt it as part of my (unofficial) on-the-job training. As far as I know, it’s not in any school syllabus or as a pre-requisite for any job but it’s definitely something that everyone should learn because there will be moments when you have to roll your eyes or your eyes involuntarily roll themselves and you want to be able to do that without attracting attention.

How to come up with at least 17 different and unique responses to the No. 1 question nosy relatives (and smug married friends) love to ask i.e. “Why are you still single?” – At first, keeping mum and mumbling is the best response, followed by coming up with excuses like “Oh, I think I hear someone calling my name.” This is not a sustainable method of evasion. It is recommended that one views this exchange as potentially entertaining and devise responses that will stop nosy relatives from ever asking you this question ever again.

How to convincingly agree with your boss’s insane ideas which you strongly disagree with – Just nod and say OK then do what you like.

How to let go of friendships that hurt you more than than they help – Friends like these won’t even realise that you’ve not responded to their emails/ texts so basically, do nothing.

How to effectively (more or less) piece together a broken heart – Time and avoid people who tell you that it’s part of growing up and you just have to get over it as if it’s just a bump in the road when in reality it’s wading through and clawing out of a huge mountain of bullshit. I don’t recall “How to detect a bullshitter 101” when I was choosing courses in university ;P

#BEDM Day 22: Pet Peeves

Day 22: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)

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Pet Peeve #118: When the folks in front of you decide what movie they want to watch and which time they want to watch it, only at the counter, despite being in line for several minutes when they could’ve used that time to figure all these out.

Pet Peeve #56: When you have dinner with friends and no one wants to suggest a place to eat. Okay, let’s all just go back to our own houses then.

Pet Peeve #32: When you get back into the office and a colleague tells you that someone called wanting to speak to you, and when you ask them who was it, they reply “I don’t know.”

Pet Peeve #261: When friends order a meal that you know is too much for them to finish and then tells you that they ordered it for everyone. When you decline citing fullness from eating your own meal, they make you feel guilty for leaving leftover food.

Pet Peeve #77: When passengers get out of the car in a parking lot at the mall, and scope for empty lots for the driver, then proceeds to stand at the lot while waiting for the driver to reach that lot, not allowing other cars that were nearest to the empty lot to park in it.

#BEDM Day 21: Four Fact Survey

That’s What Anxious Mum Said tagged me to do a Four Fact Survey! This is such a fun way of making sure I #BEDM so I hopped right on it! Here goes…

Four names people call me other than my real name: Melia, Malia, Amy (I hate being called Amy, to be honest) and Auntie (by my adorable nieces and nephew).

Four jobs that I have had: Hmmm…this is a toughie only because I’ve had the same job for more than 10 years but unofficially, I’ve been a wedding planner, travel agent, tour guide and baker.

Four movies I have watched more than once: Titanic, Star Wars Episode IV, Star Wars Ep. V and Star Wars Ep. VI.

Four books/ authors I’d recommend: Anything Kristen Ashley, anything Arthur C. Clarke, JD Robb’s In Death series and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go.

Four places I have lived: Toulouse (France), Toronto (Canada), Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh (Malaysia).

Four places I have visited: Tokyo (Japan), Davao (Philippines), Houston (USA), Amsterdam (Netherlands).

Four things I’d rather be doing now: Travel, get another tattoo, visit my elder sister, stalk David Gandy in London.

Four foods I do not like: Liver, tempeh, balut (I tried it once and that was enough) and pasta in creamy sauces.

Four of my favourite foods: Fried chicken, steak, steamed pomfret (teochew style) and anything with chipotle in adobo sauce.

Four shows I watch: Game of Thrones, Supernatural, The Last Man on Earth and Top Chef.

Four things I am looking forward to this year: Going freelance full-time by the end of the year, halloween, Christmas and hoping I don’t hurt my boss with all her weird requests/ instructions!

Four things I am always saying: “OMG!”, “Logically…”, “Really?” “Yeah, right.”

I’d love to see what my fellow bloggers have to say for this four fact survey:

Roamin’ Gnomials

Sass and Sauce

Graphomaniac

MagickMermaid

*Pssst…you’re under no obligation to do this survey and if you decide not to, I will still visit your blog and read your posts and leave comments. If you do, then I will throw a party and celebrate with lots of cupcakes! 😀