To new beginnings

2017 has been a very fulfilling year for me. First off, I got married to my best friend and soulmate. (He probably doesn't like to hear the word "friend" because I friend-zoned him in the past oops sorry darling). Anyway, it has been an awesome journey thus far and I can only say, I <3 you dear!

Through the months of adapting to married life, he has been my pillar of strength and support and I cannot be thankful enough. (: I feel very fortunate to have found this kind and sincere soul that I can now call my husband.

For the past few months, he has also shown me what love really is, fussing over me, and truly being there for me when I was physically and mentally out of it. Thank you for being patient, for taking care of me when I could barely take care of myself. For worrying about me and zooming here and there just to make sure my needs were taken care of.

While he is away on a work trip right now, I took the time to reflect on us and our relationship and I realised that I have little to nothing to feel negative about. I'm really really very blessed to have Sam in my life. Through our time together, he also taught me how to be a better person, a better daughter, a better wife. In September (I just scrolled my phone to find this message), he said something which really took me by surprise (in a good way). He said "I don't want your potential to be wasted, because you are made for more". I was mind-blown... no one has ever said that to me and for many days I was just trying to absorb the enormity that he believes so much in me. Thank you darling. (':

So today, I decided to look back at some of our wedding photos and pick out some of my favourites to share! Here goes...

Thank you for everything and I'm looking forward to new beginnings in 2018 with you!!! (:

It's 1am and I can't sleep

I have had no time to blog since I started work. I usually prefer spending time with my family or Sam after work. Reaching home around 8pm and aiming to sleep by 11pm only gives me a 3 hour gap to do things and I guess I haven't optimised my time as well as I want to yet. Today is one exception; I'm wide awake at 1am and decided to blog. Oh well, at least I've been coping okay and getting enough sleep everyday for a start! (:

I went on a short trip to Penang with my family some time in August (I think. I don't remember time anymore after starting work). We stayed somewhere near Gurney but visited places in Georgetown too.

Of course, we couldn't miss the street art. 

Most people have not seen me dressed like this. I call this my lao pok shorts which I wear to look deliberately unfashionable so that hopefully I won't catch the eye of robbers. As for my shoes, sometimes while overseas I dress to feel comfy and you can never go wrong with sport shoes. (:

Then again, my dress sense overseas generally depends on the weather + whether I feel safe in the country + terrain of the places I'm visiting. Heh.

There was this big fake camera at a camera museum we walked past somewhere in Georgetown and we could see each other through the huge lens. Bro took a picture of me through the lens of his camera, looking through the lens of the big fake camera. Some camera inception going on there.

Me with a bike! This has probably got to be my favourite street art of all. 

1. The bike is cool and vintage. I love vintage.

2. I have a license to ride it!

3. Or maybe not since it's defunct.

4. Oh damn... the tires are punctured.

On our last night, we had Sushi Teh at Queensbay mall. It was such a hearty meal but it was a lot cheaper than Singapore! This was Dad judging me after I did something ridiculous - ok I put 2 chopsticks in my mouth and pretended I was a vampire. Childish I know... but food was taking really long to come and my fingers were itchy.

Waiting for our flight home!

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Awhile after I started work, my oldest cousin got married. Congrats Jeffrey and Joanna! (: Sadly I don't have nice photos of just them alone or us with them. Anyway, we took some shots in between the ROM and the lunch reception!

My favourite people! (:

This dress I'm wearing is extremely overused for weddings. There was only 1 wedding this year for which I did not use this dress (only because I already used the dress the day before for another wedding). I love wearing this dress because... it feels like it's tailored for me (even though it's not). Even though the back is bare, I feel extremely safe wearing it because it's tight enough at the right places. And also, it's pretty don't you think? :D

With my cousins and aunt.

So that's all the updates I have for now. Am getting the sleepy headache-y feels now. Good night! I wonder if people still read this blog.

BKK

Took a short trip to BKK with the cousin last week. I guess this was kind of like my grad trip! Hehe. We ate and shopped so much! :P

This was at Audrey's Cafe and Bistro at Siam Centre.

Their food is amazeeeee-ing

 Tom Yum Goong Pizza - tom yum pizza with prawns! Wasn't too spicy for me!

Thai Tea Crepe. Don't really understand the craze about this one, just tastes extremely creamy to me.

Asiatique Night Market

Wanton mee with char siew, duck and crab meat

Boat Noodles at Victory Monument. This was noodles in sour soup. First bowl was way too spicy. Consequently, we ordered the non-spicy version! Tasted so good! (:

This was beef noodles in thickened soup. We were a little hesitant about trying this because we found out the soup was made out of pig's blood but it was worth the try! No weird taste at all!

I had 5 bowls and Darren had 9. Yum!

Chatuchak coconut ice cream!

Green curry chicken with noodles and rice. 

The portion was way too little but that left us space for dessert!

This day also happened to be Darren's 24th birthday so we celebrated by eating dessert at the After You cafe in Siam Paragon!

 Mudpie with ice cream

Baby-size Shibuya Honey Toast - the best!

 Terminal 21

 SabX2 Wanton mee at Pratunam. We had 2 bowls each! Yummy! 

This one lives up to its name. Too good!

 Back on the last day at Audrey's cafe for more food! 

We actually wanted to play Gokart but the place was booked for a school event.

Thai Iced Tea - tastes so much like the one from SMU's Loaves Me cafe. Been trying many Thai Iced Teas since we landed in Thailand but this was by far the most balanced and the best! 

Milo Crepe. I personally like this better than the Thai tea crepe. Like a lot better - maybe because it's chocolate/milo.  

This was the best Calamari rings I've ever tried in my life! Truffle fried calamari. Too good to be true!

Waffle with Strawberry ice cream. The ice cream was really good - didn't try the waffle though, was too full by the time this came.

And that was the end of our BKK trip! 

Year 4

It's 2am and I have (sort of) a final exam tomorrow for one of my modules, but it is days like these that inspire me to write something.

Being a year 4 and about to graduate, I've become an expert at living this life in SMU. I have less than 4 weeks left and just thinking about it makes me feel a little sad. It's week 11, I have 2 presentations and 2 reports due next Tuesday and these are barely near completion, yet I don't feel the stress. Managing projects like these have become second to nature and it's the weekly plannings I've been doing that takes the stress away from my never-ending pile of work so that I can just focus on the tasks to complete.

Chingay 2015 - one of my modules

This semester, I'm striving to meet an academic goal I set out for myself. I don't know if I'm halfway there yet because the bulk of the assessment relies on my performance these final 4 weeks. I can only hope that it will turn out okay.

Listening to ex-SMU students have also made me realise a lot about the working world and their experiences help shape my expectations. I think something I've been doing right or trying to do better is to focus more on my loved ones and family. Coming home early, eating at home, chit chatting and teasing each other are some things I know my parents look forward to from me - and I've been trying my best recently. I'm glad I'm trying to incorporate some work-family balance in my life.

Reflecting on my own life, I can only think of 2 things right now: 

1. Life is short, make time for your family. 

2. Live each day without regrets.

I hope I will always keep this close to my heart. (: