Wht's ur break-up song?

Disclaimer: Parental Guidance required.

In my days of playing the field, i've had the pleasure of going through a few break-ups. Some were painful, some provided relief, some u just wanna bury and hope it'll never surface again for as long as you live.

The best thing about breaking up are break-up songs of course. I've marvelled at how songwriters can so cleverly capture all of those confusing feelings into 1 song. There's one for the cheaters , lost love, getting out of a rut, unrequited feelings... They mark a particular era in our lives. I'd blast whatever my break-up song is on repeat and transfer all of my residual sadness, anger and whtever self-pity i have left for myself into the song. When i'm done, i'll never listen to the song again until time makes it funny instead of sad.

Here's my all time favourite list, in no particular order, it all depends on how u're feeling at that moment. That's if u ever need tips. The list actually got longer and longer when i wrote it, i'm sure it doesn't cover everything but it's a start.

1. Grace is Gone- Dave Mathews Band - For when u're wallowing and not able to let go of the person you love.
2. The Space Between- Dave Mathews Band- For the one who is longing and hopeful for the other party to try again. Perfect for the kind of relationship that breaks up and patches up.
3. Jerk- Kim Stockwood- This one is straight-up from an angry female singer.
4. Transatlanticism- Death Cab for Cutie- About love that has grown apart. Good for relationship ruts.
5. Love is Here- Starsailor- Classic unrequitted love.
6. Stay by my side- Jimmy Eat World (this is not a song but an EP of 5 songs)- quite negative lyrics. only for the strong hearted. but good music i think.
7. The Freshman- The Vervepipe- If u're depressed or if the other party has suicidal tendencies.
8. Mr Brightside- the Killers- for those who were cheated on.
9. Jagged Little Pill- Alanis Morissette- okay the entire album is the epitome of teen "i hate U" break-ups.

Mountain Man's additions.

1. A Case of You- Joni Mitchell- Signifies undying love for someone whom u know is clearly no good for you.
2. River- Joni Mitchell- Crying over spilt milk, especially if u've been a bad partner and u wanna escape.
3. Blackstar- Radiohead-lost love.
4. I'm so lonesome i could cry- Hank williams- okay this is if u're really really drama.
5. Return to Sender- Mojave 3- It's quite typical for a guy to want to get back with a girl after he dumps her, so this song is for the girl who wants strength in rejecting the guy's advances.

And of course, we must credit Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks as the number 1 romantic break-up album. Written by Bob Dylan when he went through separation with his 1st wife Sara. Wht smoother way to break up with ur wife than to dedicate an entire album to her right?

Would love to hear what ur epic break-up song is too. We will wallow and cry and finally(hopefully) laugh about it together.

New baby has arrived!!

Don't panic, i wasn't in labour yesterday, I didn't just give birth to a real crying baby.

A package arrived at my desk yesterday, i knew it was wht i had been waiting for. It finally came. I wanted to rip it open immediately but i was so shy cos i didn't want my colleagues to find out about my splurge. So i tore it open slowly. First i opened the box... I waited a couple of hours before i took IT out of the box. And another couple of hours before i took IT out of the dustbag.

Here's what i got. TADA! My brand new Balenciaga Raisin Courier. The colour is so rich and the leather is so smooshy i love love love it!

I've been accumulating my bals very slowly. Each one has a memorable story. I originally wanted a tote but this colour is so hot that it was pre-booked before it even launched. I was on the waitlist for a while before i noticed this courier model. I thot..."hmm... maybe mountain man will be more supportive if this bag was baby friendly". I enquired TPF members on their feedback and indeed, this bag is quite good with babies cos it can be slung across the shoulders. It's large enough in case u need to carry extra baby things like blankets or toys (not anything spillable things like milk and soiled diapers of course). It's also very reasonably priced for the amount of leather i get.

This is the bag worn messenger style (slung across shoulders).

As a shoulder bag. For a 30week pregger, my belly is actually pretty small. But i'm getting heavy, i've started feeling aches and pains on my back and legs. Which is why this bag is so perfect cos it's light and it helps with the waddling. haha.

Prima booboo

On route to church on sunday, i had this craving for lontong sayur lodeh. Funny thing is i NEVER even liked lontong or sayur lodeh. But anyway, mountain man said he'd bring me to this indonesia restaurant after church.

After wht seemed like a very very long service (u know how it is, trying hard to concentrate when all u can think about is lontong), we hopped on a cab and went to the only indonesian restaurant we knew existed. To my disappintment, the resto wasn't even in operation yet! Boo... So we decided to walk to Lau Pa Sat (a Singaporean restaurant just down the road). Meesiam would have been a distant relative of lontong but better than nothing.

As we were walking, we were delightfully surprised that a new Prima Taste had just opened! The moment we walked in, we were greeted by a Singaporean lady... She ushered us to our table and apologised for the bad service even before we looked at the menu. She said the resto was not officially opened and the staff were not yet trained. It was also madly madly crowded so she warned us that we may have to wait. Given her sincerity and cushioning of expectations, we decided to stay.

Surprisingly, the menu had sayur lodeh! so i ordered both sayur lodeh and meesiam (cos i had already worked up an appetite for Meesiam). Mountain man ordered Lor mee and a plate of spring rolls. The food took a while to arrive but it was good!

We asked for the bill when we were done... and then this singaporean guy next to our table who apparently was the owner told us that there was no bill! it was a private party for invited guests only. AHYA! We crashed somebody's free party! When he saw tht we both looked shocked, he was nice enough to assure us that it wasn't a big deal.

U should have seen the damage mountain man and i had done, it was embarrassing that i had 2 maincourses! (but it didn't stop us from helping ourselves to 3 scoops of free ice-cream later. haha)

So to return a nice gesture from the restaurant, i do my part to tell my singaporean friends that Prima Taste is opening in Beijing sometime next month. It's along GongTi Dong Rd.

goodbye MJ

This morning Mountain Man came into the bathroom and told me the news... I felt sad instantly.

I feel so sorry that his final years were marred by so many unhappy incidents- the dangling baby, the child abuse/molestation, the weird behaviour.... But one thing about death is that it resolves all unforgiving feelings. Once again, the good side of a person gets remembered. I mean, why would u cast a stone on man who is already dead right?

Here's my top 10 fond memories of MJ...

1. My late father introduced me to the King of Pop. MJ was the first international singer i came across. I think he was easily the most famous person back then, anybody on the streets would know Michael Jackson.
2. When i was a kid, he made me realise tht the small people are capable of doing big things (this was when he was part of the Jackson 5).
3. I liked the Black or White video so much, especially the morphing part. I can watch it over and over again.
4. I've always admired how MJ was so caring to the world. Heal the World was my theme song for a while (but of course tht phase didn't last very long).
5. I like how he was such a nice brother to Janet Jackson.
6. I still groove to Billy Jean and Beat it.
7. He is the only person who doesn't look like a pervert when he grabs his crotch (u may disagree). Ow!
8. He carries off white socks and leather shoes.
9. I really like the indian spoof thriller video, "girly man". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDKcevMFUCo
10. He invented the Moonwalk.

RIP MJ.

All i wanna know about poop...

I have alot of question marks about poop at the moment.

It started with a conversation with friend from Singapore. She told me tht a friend's baby had to be placed in ICU cos he accidentally swallowed poop during birth. The mental picture induced immediate giggles and gagging reflex, but now i can't help thinking that it may happen to T. It's even funnier when i tell u that the name of the baby sounds vaguely like "shitting" but i can't. Or maybe i just did, oh forgive my pregnant brain.

Anyway, i've been blocking out the birthing process for a while. I don't really wanna face the fact tht i'd soon have 20 people staring down at my v-jayjay. Now i gotta face another harsh fact- the 20 people staring down at my v-jayjay are gonna watch me poop as well. Some may have to "catch" my poop. Maaamaaaa.....

So letsay i get past all the mama poop cos i probably won't have to clear it myself. What about baby pee and poop? I'm not talking about just the cleaning, wht if the pee squirts into ur face? I think i'll buy an N95 mask to put on before i change diapers. Is it true that once u become a parent u start developing greater tolerance for gross things? Will i ever be immune to puke, mucus and anything slimey?

Mountain man has openly declared to friends tht he is only gonna start taking care of T once he crosses 3 years old. YA LIKE THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

Our friend made a very good suggestion. If i have to handle the input, he better handle the pooput (output)!

Wht reality tv programme will u join?

I'm the ultimate reality tv junkie, give me anything- talent shows, decor, modeling, dating.... I watch it all. Recently we applied for cable TV and i finally get access to AXN and Starworld, so it's been just like heaven at home.

over dinner last night, we talked about wht kind of reality show i'd be on if i had the opportunity.

Amazing Race (which happens to be my favourite)
Why not?
A. I can't drive. I have no psychomotor skills, i can't even operate the X-box to watch a simple Dvd. Mountain man thinks i'll endanger other motorist if i do drive.
B. I can't navigate. I don't know how to read a map.
C. I don't eat weird stuff.
D. I'm unfit, so i won't be able to do all the physical challenges.
Why yes?
A. I make good drama. hehe.
B. If i go with Mountain man, he can do A-D very well!

Surivor (also one of my favs)
Why not?
A. I cannot not bathe.
B. I cannot not wash my hair. So gonna die during confinement.
C. I cannot live without my handcreams and facecreams.
D. I don't look good sans make up. My first time on TV i need to look good right?
Why yes?
A. I make good drama.

Project Runway
The only dress i've sewn is not sewn by me. haha. i cheated during my home economics class, my maid did all the work, and i got an A!

American Idol
Uh... i won't even get past the first round.

America's Next Top Model
HELLO? do u even have to ask?

fail... i'll never be on a reality programme. stop dreaming.

working in a petri dish of germs

Why can't some people just take a day off when they are not feeling well.... It doesn't prove anything to anyone if u come to work sick! I feel myself getting more and more infected by the second, i'm trying not to breathe so much today.

I also don't want to offend anyone by moving to a different seat. I don't want to be treated differently cos i am pregnant. But i feel like i shd be treated differently cos i'm carrying an extra person.

Cracked heels and cracked nail

Wearing too many uncovered shoes had really taken a toll on my heels. They were so badly cracked tht the pedicurist had to spend almost 10 minutes exfoliating each heel. Now they are finally nice and smooth again.

To prevent further cracking, i was advised to apply a moisturing treatment (basically any rich moisturiser) and bundle it in cling wrap for 1 hr.



And this is no cracked nail. I was intrigued by this new polish i had to try it on. It's 2 layers... A bottom gold layer, and a top white(or black, blue, red, pink) layer which cracks to reveal the bottom gold layer. And if u wish, u can apply a sparkly topcoat. Despite the many layers, it dries in 5 minutes! cool!

Fugly or...

I've always thought that the term "fugly" is a really mean. But then sometimes there's really a lack of a better expression.

Fugly or the strategically unstrategic peacock dress.


Speechless. Both in her choice of men and outfit. Simply fugly...

"I'd carry it off if i was mary-kate" jeans suit?

Thumbs up for Prima!

I could claim that this delicious pot of curry chicken was my masterpiece... but i won't. I kept this packet of Prima Taste Chicken Curry premix for the longest time, and i finally used it today. It's soooooo delicious.


Well it's not entirely unoriginal. The recipe called for potatoes, but i put in taopok (hollow dried beancurd), carrots and celery to give it a healthier twist.


And of course prata.

Almost a botched job

My mom had this really great recipe for the 9 layer cake (Jiu Cheng Gao). I made it a few times a couple of years ago... Tried and tested and approved by friends and colleagues then. When i moved to China, i left my recipe book behind, well there were only a handful of recipes in it anyway.

A couple of weeks ago, i had this craving for jiu cheng gao. Just imagining the layers peel off made me salivate. So i went online to look for recipes, the easiest i could find - least number of ingredients and least number of steps. I finally assembled the ingredients this morning and made my first dessert in my new home.

Tada... It looks "pale" compared to Bengawan Solo's, i didn't want to add too much colouring. But it's pretty right? The taste is so-so, not oily enough, too sticky. I need to adjust the portions next time. My mom's recipe was def better.

Actually, the picture above was the best looking cut. Initially I almost botched the whole batch cos i couldn't wait for it to cool (hehe, i eager beaver). The cake stuck to the knife like superglue!

This was what it looked like when i first dug into it piping hot. I almost cried when the cake came out like this. Mountain man had to console me all morning.

Baby supplies, Check!

Thanks to Little Miss Snooze's comprehensive list of Baby Stuff To Buy, i've completed all of the baby shopping in just 2 hrs. Of course luckily V was around to verify and do quality control on the stuff we picked, making sure tht everything was in order. Simple things like choosing the right mittens, thick rubbers are better than thin rubbers so they won't slip off. Clothes made of muslin are better for newborns, etc etc.
Those were valuable advice i wouldn't have known otherwise.

The start up cost of having a child is really high! The supplies alone cost us over 400SGD (includes big items like Steriliser, medela BPA free milk bottles and a swanky bathtub). So i'm guessing T2(Tamagotchi 2) will have to inherit T's things for it to make financial sense.

Anyway, China baby shopping is really convenient. There are a few websites equivalent to Kiddy Palace that i can just call and it's cash on delivery. Totally helpful if u're homebound during ur confinement.

www.lijiababy.com.cn
www.leyou.com
www.redbaby.com.cn

Depeche Mode

Did i mention that Depeche Mode is my All-Time-Favourite band? It's not the ahlian in me talking, i simply love them. We go way back...

When i was 13, they came to Singapore on the Devotional Tour. I didn't go. I didn't know them yet. My girlfriend CALSY (initials only) went and fell totally in love with DM (especially their then drummer Alan Wilder). So she got us all influenced (crazed) for DM. We'd spend afternoons at her house repeating the Faith And Devotion laser disc (or was it video tape), over and over. We'd even record our horrible singing voices, u know very typical teenage stuff.

After the Devotional Tour (1994) the band experienced their darkest moments, Alan Wilder left, Dave Gahan almost ODed... And they started making shite experimental music and came up with 2 horriblest DM albums imo (Ultra and Exciter). Dave went on to a solo career which never was...

11 years later, the band now down to 3 members (Dave, Martin and Andy) made a comeback i never imagined. Playing the Angel was launched in 2005, and they were back to their old sounds, part troubled by religious issues, love issues, divorces... Just the way i like em.

Before i continue, i've always had this fear in my heart that one day, when depeche mode and i were actually in the same country and they were going to perform, i may be in labour and i'd miss their concert. So if Mohammed won't go to the mountain (at the right time), i decided that i shd bring the mountain to Mohammed. I wasn't gonna let this chance of a lifetime pass me by, besides i may not have another 11 years. So i flew to London to visit my friend, we took a bus to Manchester and caught the Playing the Angel concert live. My life was complete.

This the evidence of my being there. I was sooooooooooo far away. If i were to come across a depeche mode concert again, i'd go in a heartbeat. And i'd freaking pay for front row.

This year, they launched a new album Sounds of the Universe. It's a double CD. The new stuff is all great. Old school just the way i like it. But the real treat is disc 2. It contains demo tapes of all the past non-mainstream favourites. Namely Clean, Sweetest Perfection, Walking in My Shoes- mostly from the Violator which arguably is my favourite album.

So if u intend to get into Depeche Mode, here's a quick discography;

Speak & Spell (1981)
A Broken Frame (1982)
Construction Time Again (1983)
Some Great Reward (1984)
Black Celebration (1986)
Music for the Masses (1987)
Violator (1990)
Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993)
Ultra (1997)
Exciter (2001)
Playing the Angel (2005)
Sounds of the Universe (2009)

Not surprisingly, Mountain Man is a pre-Music for the Masses fan, I am a post.

One other CD i'd recommend is a tribute album to DM. Interesting covers by Smashing Pumpkins, Dishwalla, Veruca Salt... But my fav cover is The Locust's version of Master and Servant.

Rockabye lullaby

This is SO PERFECT for T. At least it's more up our alley than nursery rhymes and mozart music. Now i don't have to be so worried about not knowing the full lyrics to Mary Had a Little Lamb and Eensy Weency Spider.

The Rockabye Baby series offer baby renditions of lengendary rock music all the way back from the 70s. There's the Beatles, Bob Marley, Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, U2, Nirvanna....it's so impressive! And the CD sleeves are soooo cute!

Here's the original U2 Best of...
This is the Rockabye Baby version! *squeal*

The samples are pretty good!

Rockabye Baby! Favorites

This is so great that i got mountain man on a shopping spree. he wanted to buy 5 albums at one go... We're still deciding which albums to get, but we want everything right now!

PS: i've started a "baby shopping" label for the things i buy for T.

The Definitive Guide to Asian Poses

My mind usually goes blank when it comes to funny poses for the camera. I've been using the same spastic pose the last 10 years (a boring peace sign with a wide idiotic smile). A friend posted this on FB and i feel like i have the moral obligation to share something this good.

I present the Definitive Guide to Asian Poses. For those who wanna act cute but don't know how. like me. harhar.

This i'm gonna use very often. It's called the Nyan Nyan- like the noise a korean cat makes. I didn't know Cats meow differently in korean.

And this is Bang! This is more challenging. U gotta pretend your hand is a gun, pout the lips and blow out the cheeks like a puffer fish. So hard to do all that and be cute at the same time!

Moving house, nesting and the FIGHT....

We've officially moved into our 4th apartment in 3 years. Same estate, bigger, better, and cheaper! Lots of storage space, walk-in closet, 3 bedrooms (we needed an extra one for T), a bigger kitchen, and 2 huge ass SONY HDTVs. I'm satisfied...

Despite being totally spent from the moving, I still insisted on going to Ikea to get the cutlery sorter and closet liners, and of course a cot and diaper changing table for T so i can finally start nesting. The decision to go to ikea on hindsight, was against my better judgement. I was so tired that i sat on every piece of furniture i could get my fat butt on. Poor mountain man had to do all the pushing and manouvering of 2 trolleys almost all by himself.

Finally after 2 hrs of squeezing through the crowd, we paid, got the receipts, arranged for home delivery, and queued up for taxi. There was quite a long line, but we queued like good citizens. Just when our turn came, this man just blatantly walked ahead of us out of nowhere and got into the taxi we were supposed to go on. It happens ALOT in china. Some people just cut the entire line and won't feel bad about it..

Mountain man went up to him and told him nicely tht he shd queue. When he didn't get out of the taxi, Mountain man started to raise his voice, still nothing happened so he opened the door of the cab and demanded that the man get off. No reaction. That was it. I've never seen Mountain man erupt like that in my life... it wasn't "raising his voice" mode anymore, it was "fight" mode voice, the kind tht is projected from the diaphragm. He then grabbed the man's shirt and pulled him out of the taxi, literally challenging the guy to a fist fight.

(while all this happened, 2 more youngsters cut the q and took the cab behind the one we were fighting over, can u believe these chinese pple! )

Mountain Man was like, "can't u see, my wife is pregnant and she's tired". I of course cooperated by walking towards the taxi with a slight limp while arching my back, putting on a cramped-up face to indicate that i was indeed tired. The guy finally relented from the humiliation... And I'm not saying this cos Mountain man's my husband, but he was quite frightening when engaged in "fight" mode. His face was flushed, the veins on his forehead and neck popped out, and his fists were clenched tightly ready to launch a punch any second. His expression was like this...it was hawt.

Nevermind that the whole affair took longer than if we had just hopped on the next cab. It's about the principles, about fighting for things that matter. Mountain man was my hero!

FIRE- Daniel Lanois

Still on music. I've only just discovered Daniel Lanois recently. If u're not familiar with him, he is an oldie in the industry, produced some of the finest music with U2, Dave Matthews Band, Bob Dylan, and the list continues...He also occasionally sings, plays and writes.

So this is FIRE. Featured in House Season 5, the scene where Cuddy agonised over her failed adoption.


My angel I promised her we'd be dressed in a cloud
Standing on pillars on fire singing out loud
Shot from truth and love, not darknessWith the moon under your feet
Where birth goes on and rides terror
My shine will be complete

With your fire your fire
My tremolo
You're my fire

Every so softly it grows when you don't wear your armor
Crushing the burden and confusion sour
Trembling high on every leaf
Raining light down on your belief
Oh my angel unburdened by the race
I'll go down burning in your embrace

On fire, on fire
My tremolo
You're my fire

Don't take away my shine
My shine is all I have
My heat, my love, my beauty and my glad
It worries me sometimes that I want love
And live a life of sad

My tremolo
Sweet baby, my fire
My desire, fire

Black Betty

One of those songs tht make me wanna get off my fat butt, head bang, jump around, shake the bam ba-lam sweat off my hair like a mad dog... Totally inappropriate things to do while pregnant btw.

Spiderbait's version is my favourite.

movements- 26 weeks

It's a 19seconds video. movements around the 5th-7th and 14th-16th seconds. Pay attention to the left side of my belly. i was watching gossip girl and i think T likes all the pretty chicks in it. haha.



A new colleague of mine asked me yesterday if i was pregnant. Another colleague who overheard exclaimed, " OF COURSE LA, can u possibly eat until ur stomach is so big?". The new colleague's retort was, "but she's always stuffing her face!".

Basket. She only caught me eating once, she doesn't even sit on my floor!

Seoul Favourites- All around

Pre-note: this was sitting in my draft box for a while. Sorry if it's a bit stale. =P

This was when we were on route to Gyeongbukgong Palace. We realised tht palace was closed for ex-president Roh Moo-hyun's funeral. Thousands of people gathered at the square near the palace. It was massive. One thing about living in Singapore is that u'll never get to see a strike, or a riot, or a gathering of more than 10 people to fight for a cause unless there's free food and beer. I know i exaggerate but u get the point. So needless to say, some singaporean (not me cos i'm not singaporean YET) was so happy to witness such a big hoohaa that he had to pose and smile like a goon. hehe.

The Hongik University Flea Market had to be best place we went to. It was vibrant and so full of energy. U get the arty farty people hanging out creating their own art pieces. The entrepreneurial shop owners who sold their own products like accessories or paintings, and lots of food/cafes. The flea market only opens on saturdays, but the other shops are worth visiting even if the flea market is not open.

This was one of the nice vintage shops i walked into. Koreans are generally petite and most of the clothes are free size, so naturally me and the big belly couldn't fit so i didn't buy much. i look forward to having a waistline again so i can go back and grab everything!

I bought this set of earphones which is sooo lovely, and surprisingly good quality.

An interesting spiral building in Insadong. It's THE place to get korean souveniers and snacks.

Finally, i leave u with my fav. picture of the trip. hehe, very narcissistic as always. =P

Seoul favourites- Candy Making

Ever wondered how they made those candies with the small little tiny pictures in them? Like a tiny kiwi or a tiny pineapple? Let me reveal the secret! But don't try this at home.

Layer the sugar... Make whtever pattern u intended. In this case, they were making a sweet with the word "hello" in it.

Roll it all up like this.

And then pull!

Even out the strips by rolling it further. i think the metal table cools the candy as well so it hardens.

Tada! Candy with a hello word in it. Amazing huh?

U can personalise ur own candy. It's 1,000SG for 10kgs.

Seoul favourites- FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!

Throughout the 4 days in Korea, we were very lucky to stumble upon good restaurants almost every meal. The key is to wait till meal time and see which shop has the most patrons. Works like magic! The prices were also relatively reasonable, making the eating even more enjoyable.

U must eat the Ginseng Chicken (Samyetang) when u go to Seoul. This particular shop in Myeong Dong is popular amongst locals and tourists, and i can see why. The ingredients were fresh and the soup is salt free, u can add ur own salt if u wish.


Barbequed pork meat, garlic and kimchee wrapped in lettuce. This was a restaurant in Insadong. I like it that koreans eat pickle every meal, even if u're having italian!

Again this was a gem found in an ulu district called Munjeong dong. We didn't know wht we ordered cos everything was in korean. But it turned out to be bbq duck meat and it was delicious! It's grilled on a large slab of white stone.

Now this is intriguing. The thing on the right is actually sausage covered in chopped up pieces of french fries. So unhealthy! we didn't try but it looked good. Mountain man calls it the Herpes LJ(think male private part). haha.

The shiteous pancake ever! how cute!