Halloween 2010

Living in Malaysia, Halloween is like... blah... No one here celebrates Halloween. In fact, it would be kinda creepy and weird and dangerous at the same time if we do. We already have more than enough (3!!) 'life after death' ghouls folktale/beliefs to be afraid off and thankyouverymuchbutnothankyou we don't need another one. But then again, we always try to be 'kuai lou' ciplak, so in the end, we still kinda sorta do celebrate Halloween, well the shopping complexes to be more exact. Hey! They will hype on any occasion in the world to drive sales in... it's nature...

Anyhow, because of this little weird funny lifestyle e have here in Malaysia, I get to do this (points below)

What you see here is a visual I did for 1 Utama's coming Halloween event (Starting 22 Oct - 31 Oct). To my surprise, the client LOVED it and walah! (points below)

It has been ages since I did/design something that I like and proud of! How I miss that feeling... It's one of these moments that make me feel that I still do love Advertising & Design... super loves~♥


Client: 1 Utama Shopping Centre
Project: Halloween 2010
Agency: Kinetic Communication Sdn Bhd
Photographer: Tian Xing @ Show Up Pictures
Talent: Natacha (winner of Estee Lauder 2010 Model Search)

Awesome Posum Illustration & Recipe (bonus)!!

How cool is this site?

(http://www.theydrawandcook.com/)

Tiramisu recipe - looks promising... :)

Donkey!! Super cutes!!

I can just surf it for hours and hours. Not only it can be a reference page for different awesome illustrations, I can try out some of the recipes too!! ~loves ♥

Women are like cats

(source: FFFOUND!)


Ahahaha... Really cranked me up! True?
Like the last note the best!!

Going AWOL

I had no intention to do that.... going AWOL (absent without official leave). Then again, it's my blog so why do I need an 'official letter of absence'?

But practicing the spirit of a good blogger, I know I have to explain myself, be responsible for my actions...cheh... like so serious only.... professional... ;p

Okay. The last you heard of me was on the 22 of August were I was nearly done packing for my trip to Shanghai, China. I knew that I would be Facebook-less for 2 weeks and thought, 'hmm... never mind, I can still blog...' but to my horror.... Blogger is banned too!! BANNED!! I thought they fren-fren back with Google d?! They why still ban blogger? >_<

Anyway, that is my reason for not blogging (for that 2 weeks). But why didn't I blog after I came back? Simple. Work in the office was like a war zone!! Projects back to back to back... and wean it came to the weekend, I'd rather chill doing a Fringe (OMG!! It's like one of the most super duper drama series in my list) than to string up sentences... sorry... maybe I'm not a very good blogger after all... ;p

But with all that in the past, I'M BACK!!

Will slowly blog about my Shanghai experience bit by bit... it's my little way of giving back to the world wide web, adding more information so that people like me can have easier access to information when doing their research. :)

48 hour count down

In exactly 48 hours, I will be landing on China soil!! Excited and sad and happie and scared all jumbled up inside...

My luggage: 85% packed. Still missing are mt daily skin care toiletries.

My research... 1 full page dedicated to just shopping places... I like!! :)

Oh! Facebook is banned in China... what a downer...

Sunday Blue Skies ~♥

I just LOVE days like this... makes me happie, even though I'm not planning to step out of the house.

Just love the view from my bedroom window. :D

Waking up at 8am on a Saturday

For those who know me, sleeping always comes first for me, especially when it's day time (I'm like a vampire. I prefer night time to day time. I'd rather sleep in late till the afternoon than to go to bed at 10 at night.)

Anyhow, I'm up so early today because I had to play the part of a good girlfriend who wakes up early to prepare breakfast for the BF before he set off for his 6 hour drive home to Terengganu. (Good right?? :p) So, it's like having a 'blue moon' (ironic huh?), so what did I do?

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Jeng, jeng, jeng...

I gave my favourite lion a long awaited bath!!

After I'm all dried up, I'm going to be 'SO FLUFFY I'M GOING TO DIE'!! :p

I've been putting it off for quite a while now, because I'm afraid he cannot dry in up in time for bed time (I cannot sleep without him...), and besides, I need him clean and fluffy when in Shanghai (Yes! He goes wherever I go)!

Can's wait for him to dry... And oh! For those who don't know him, his name is Leon. :)

Tip: While washing a stuffed animal, it's good to let it soak in the soapy warm water for around 10 minutes to let the detergent soak into it's cotton (maybe longer if it's really,really dirty). Then rinse off with water. Lastly finish off with some Softener for that soft fluffy like new feeling!

Down --> Up --> Up --> Down

Down: Had to wake up extra early because bossman wants to have an early morning meeting at 9.30am!

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Up: Bossman was suppose to be on leave only starting tomorrow but he decided to take the 2nd half of the day off today too!! Wee!!

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Up: Got paid today!! Yeah baby!! It's only the 19th! And my increment IS included!! NICE!!

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Down: having very bad sinus now. The type that makes your face numb, eyes dry and nose super watery. And it's another 2 more hours till the day ends!! Plus there is some job to work on.... but my heart is already in Shanghai...

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Prediction --> Flat: By night fall. After medication. :( Another night wasted going down the drain. Am suppose to start packing!! :(

Don't use Comic Sans Please

Hahaha... found this pic on FFFFOUND (linked to Gizmodo).

Farny-ly stupid. LOVE!! :D

Monolouge; Questions I Ask: Gay

A few days ago, when I was on my way out from the studio to go get some water, I bumped into an old lady at the corridor asking for directions to the loo. It may sound like nothing to you, but did you know I work in a house with only 10 employees (including the bossman) and it's the 7th month of the lunar calendar? And as far as I know, I've been here 3 months and I don't recall having an old lady as a colleague. So where did this old lady come from? Creepy huh? Well, after a split second, then it accrue to me that she was the bossman's mother. Haha...

Back to the main topic. A few hours later, when I was in the loo (hmm... my mind then to wonder and ask silly and weird questions when I'm doing my business. Is it only me or do all girls do that?), I though of something. You see, being in the A&D industry for nearly 6 years now, it's very common for us to meet gay people, regardless male or female. My first 2 Cd's were gay, my 2nd boss is gay, I have a few ex-colleagues who are too, and my current boss? You get the point. I never had a problem with that. So what if they are attracted to the same gender? Does this make them less human then we are? I don't think so. It's not a crime right?

Anyway, then it hit me. Does the bossman's mother know about her son? From what I know? He is the only son and he still stays with her. He is the one who usually sends and accompany her to her check ups. So? You ask? Well, for the (old) Chinese, they believe being either the only son of the family or even the eldest plays a very important role. He is the one who has to hold the responsibility to continue the family's legacy, spread the family's seed. The bossman is around 40+ of age. He is considered a successful man, but does his mother always wonder why isn't he married yet? Has he told her? Did she accept the truth? How does she feel?

Then, I start to make a list of people I know that are gay, starting from school. Yup. A few. No biggie. I accept them for who they are. Collage. A few too. I also accept them for who they are. My working life. By now, I'm already used to it. Then the list came down to my family. As far as I am aware off, no one in may family is. Nada. Zilch.

So, then I asked myself. Could I accept the news if it were to be my brother? My cousin? My child? I don't have an answer. I really don't know. Could I accept it or not.

How about you then? Yes or No?

Cosas Mínimas

I am in love with a Spanish lady!!

Well, technically to be more exact, I am in love with her work. :)

Her name is Blanca Gómez, a designer and illustrator based in Madrid.

I just LURVE her illustrations found on her very simple easy to navigate website called Cosas Mínimas, which means 'tiny things' in Spanish. Isn't that cute.... :)

I first came to know about her work from this illustration:

(source: Cosas Mínimas)

I called it 'The Bubble Blower'. Little did I knew that this is 1 of 8 illustrations from this very talented lady's project called 'Monsieur/Mademoiselle'.

A few more from 'Monsieur/Mademoiselle'

Side track a little, I've been doing research on how to design my wedding card for a few years now (maybe around 2?), not that I'm getting married, but I just have a thing for wedding cards. I've already have a firm idea on what type of finishing I want for the card and now, I want the design to have illustrations like this!! I think it will turn out perfectly with the finishing that I've chosen. :)

Wonder is she able to draw my wedding card someday? ♥

Oh! She can also be found on her blog, flickr and works can be bought at ezty.

Drop Dead Diva

Thanks to Lady RaRa, I'm currently addicted to this show...

Brook Elliott leads the cast as Jane Bingum

Arrrgh... as if I don't already have enough of shows to keep track on... But luckily, this is a summer show. :) Meaning it don't need to fight for MY air time together with all the other around 10 shows that will be coming back with a new season in September (i.e: glee, Grey's and OTH to name a few).

Anyway, intro about the show:

It's a bout this bimbo model wannabe named Deb. On the same day that she died in an accident (in a very bimbo way. She was on the phone talking to her bestie (who just broke up with her boyfriend because he said she was too shallow) and putting on lip gloss at the same time. And then she hit into a lemon truck and in case of swaying her car away, she just closed her eyes with her hands...-_-|||), somewhere in LA, a no life, fat and very smart lawyer named Jane accidentally (she tripped) took a bullet for her boss who was about to be shot by a man who accused him for sleeping with his wife (who happened to be a client of the law firm).

You still on the same page?? Yes? Good. Just Checking.

Anyway, Deb died and was at Heaven's gate where she was met with her gate keeper. Fred. It is found in Heaven's database (so changgih rite? Oh! Apparently there are escalators there and the gate keepers uses white iMacs) that is have never done a good deed nor a bad one, which translate to her being shallow. Offended, she hit this 'not-to-be-simply-pushed' return button and was send back down to earth... little did she knew, she woke up in Jane's body!! Surprise, Surprise...

So now, Deb is still Deb but in Jane's body, which is Jane. Don't follow, well you see, the soul is Deb's but the body and life is still Jane. To put it in my words, it' like Deb and Jane combined. There is still Jane's high IQ and food cravings but at the same time there is also Deb's bimboness and fashion knowledge. To make the drama more drama, Deb's boyfriend happens to be a lawyer who coincidentally starts work in the same law firm as Jane. You will think simple, just go tell him the crazy story and there. Done. But no, she can't. You see... there is a rule, you cannot tell anyone that you have 'seen' the escalators before. Also, to ensure that doesn't happen, Fred the gate keeper was demoted to become Jane's Guardian Angel (because he let her press the button). But besides Fred, there is one more person who knows about this - Stacy. The bimbo friend who Deb was on the phone with when the accident happened.

There. That is all I can tell you for now. How does Stacy know and how is Fred's like on earth and the boyfriend? Well that is where you are o your own buddy.

Honestly, the cast consists of no familiar face, but then the guest appearances are actually quite big names, like Rosie O'Donnell, Tim Gunn, Paula Abdul and LeeLee Sobieski to name a few.

Interested? Trust me. You will be addicted. :)

Mischief Champion

Came across this funny comic while surfing My Modern Metropolis (one of of daily fav must surf design website).

Was interested so I followed the link and it took me to this page called Mischief Champion.

Farny... and their tag line: "Odd Drawings to make You Happy". You don't say....

Came across 2 that I really like in 5 minutes of checking them out. I like the 'Chocolate' one the best and it's now going to be my office comp desk top wallpaper!! Wee.... The drawing DO make you happy... :D

Being paid to surf the net

Yup. That's right. At this moment now, there are 7 of us left in the office. 1 on leave, 1 on MC, the CD has already left and the bossman is still MIA.

It's nice... but boring at the same time... I've reached my quota of Shanghai research for the day. I don't think I can input more.

It's days like these that I hoped I was not here... I'd rather waste my time lying on my cozy bed doing the same thing I'm doing now - surfing the internet!

B.I.M.B.O

This happened just last Saturday around 5.30pm @ Aeon Bukit Tinggi. The BF and I were coming down from the parking.

Me: Look ling! It's blue!! (pointing, pointing, poking, poking at the sky)
The BF: ...?? (Bending down trying to look up to the sky to where I was pointing)
Me: Don't you see it?? The sun is BLUE!! *Excited!!
The BF: ...?? Er, dear... I think it's your sun glasses...
Me: .... Oh! Ya hor.... *shy
The BF: -_-|||

...B.I.M.B.O...

Me ♥ mornings like this

Left the house at 8.55am.

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Arrived at office at 9.40am.
(after parking car and stepping foot through the door)

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*Bonus: Boss won't be in till after lunch + I literally have nothing to do!!

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SWEET!!

Chinese Valentine's Day

The BF just texted to ask me out on a date...Apparently, today happens to be The Chinese Valentine's Day. Is that so?? Isn't it suppose to be on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese Lunar calendar? And today?? It's it the 7th month a.k.a. Hungry Ghost Month? How can such a romantic day like this fall on this date? Hmm..... research time!!

This is what I found and ya... It does sound some what familiar....

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This belief came about long long long time ago. It's a love story about the 7th daughter of Emperor of Heaven and an orphaned cowherd. The Emperor separated them. The 7th daughter was forced to move to the star Vega and the cowherd moved to the star Altair. They are only allowed to meet only once a year on the day of 7th day of 7th lunar month.

The story began from the good-looking poor orphaned boy living with his elder brother and sister-in-law. After his parents past away, his brother inherited the house and the land. The boy only owned an old ox and he needed to work on the farm's field with the ox everyday. His life was just like in a Cinderella story.

The 7th daughter of Emperor is good at handcrafting, especially cloth weaving, therefore she was called the Weaving Maid. The Emperor uses her skills to weave clouds and rainbows to beautify the world.

The ox the boy owns was actually an immortal from Heaven. He made mistakes in Heaven and was punished to be an ox in the Earth. One day, the ox suddenly said to the boy, "You are a nice person. If you want to get married, go to the brook and your wish will come true." The boy went to the brook as told and saw 7 pretty ladies. They happen to be the 7 daughters of the Emperor who came down from Heaven to bath in there. Fascinated by the youngest and also the most beautiful one, the boy secretly took away her fairy clothes.

The other six fairies flew back to Heaven after their bath but the youngest couldn't fly back without her fairy clothes. Then the boy appeared and told her that he would not return her clothes unless she promised to be his wife. After a little hesitation and with a mixture of shyness and eagerness, she agreed to the request from this handsome man. So they married and had two children two years later.

One day, the old ox was dying and told the cowherd that he should keep his hide for emergency purpose.

The Emperor found the sky not as beautiful as before without the 7th daughter's weaving clouds and rainbows and wanted his daughter back. So he set out his mother, the princesses' grandmother to find his missing daughter and to bring her back.

After being caught, and while the 7th princess was flying to Heaven, the boy wore the ox hide, took his children in two bamboo baskets with his wife's old fairy clothes and chased after his wife in the sky. The grandmother made a milky way in the sky with her hairpin, which kept them separated. The 7th princess was moved to the star Vega (The swooping - Eagle) in the Lyra (Harp) constellation. And the cowherd with his two children stayed in the star Altair (Flying one) in the Aquila (Eagle) constellation. The star of Vega is also known as the Weaving Maid Star and the star of Altair is as the Cowherd Star in China.

The magpies were moved by their true love and many of them gathered and formed a bridge for the couple to meet in the evening of the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, which is the only day the Emperor allowed them to meet once a year.

They said that it's hard to find a magpie on Chinese Valentine's Day in China, because all magpies fly to make the bridge for the Weaving Maid and Cowherd. The one thing to prove that is the feathers on the head of the magpies are much lesser after the Chinese Valentine's Day. If the night Chinese Valentine's Day rains, the rain are the tears of the lovers.

Adapted from http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/77a.htm

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After reading this, it kinda jolted my memory a little... If I'm not mistaken, some people call today 'ngau chart' = 'ngau' means ox in Cantonese; and 'chart' means 7.

Whether it's a true story or belief, I still want to wish everyone out there "Happy Chinese Valentine's Day!!" And it does make a good bed time story... :)

Count Down - 8

Can't wait!! Another 8 more days and I'll be off to my very first holiday of the year!! (can you believe that?? So pathetic rite?) Anyhow, keep positive!! 14 work free days!! Woo hoo!! And... the BF promised that it's shopping heaven... hmm..... sure bo?? As good as BKK? Well, I really really sure hope so.... Oh! where am I heading off to?? Jeng, jeng, jeng.... Shanghai!! :) Have never been there and to be honest, the first image that comes into my mind is this 1970's era looking city where men in trench-coat scouting for cheongsam wearing prostitutes in the alley. And it's usually raining and the prostitutes either have a fan in their hand or a slim ciggie... haha.... maybe I watch too much movies... ;p

Anyway, so to just have a plan B (in case the BF's frequency for shopping is different from mine... no offense ya ling...), I decided to do some minor research here and there. the first few hits about Shanghai was from it's like kinda official sites and it didn't really gave me much insights... maybe the BF as wrong... till I came across this blog called Mad About Shanghai. Interesting... didn't knew that there are people out there who was interested to write stuff like that.

The blog header

Check out it's tag line: "All About Moving to, Living in and doing Business in Shanghai".. Wow.. it's like a tiny encyclopedia of Shanghai... I'm not too sure is this blog run by one dude or a few.

Their 'categories' or 'tags' are quite well organized I must say. It was so easy for me to find what I was looking for - Shopping!! Roughly, it recommended which place to shop for what and some tips (quite general la, like bargaining etc...). I was 0% informed on where and what to buy there, but now, I'm like 50% informed (the other 50%... I'll leave that to my tour guide a.k.a the BF... hehe... ;p)

Can't wait! I'm feeling the itch already... *8 more days... 8 more days.... :)

1kg eye lids

My title says it all.
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Do I still need to explain more?
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Why does slow days always makes you sleepy?

(Wee!! Just noticed!!! My first monologue!!! :D)

Check(s) Mate

Every Friday is suppose to be Dress Code Day. But since Lady RaRa won' t be around this week (he is on his way to BKK this very moment while I'm here blogging about this), so we decided to bring it forward a few days.

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Theme: Checks

Look at Melayu... macam datuk je....

When 'they' come out to play

It's that time of the year again when 'they' come out to play. If you haven't known already, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, today happens to be the 1st day of the 7th month, a.k.a the Hungry Ghost Month.

Briefly explaining on this Ghost month thinggy, the Chinese belief that on every 7th month of the lunar calendar, for a full 29 days, the hell gates will open for all those trapped souls to wander on to earth (something like a holiday la I assume). On the 15th day, it is said that the doors will open completely. this day is believed to be the creepiest day of the month.

I really don't understand why the Chinese need to have such a creepy tradition. If were to really think logically, maybe it's for us to do a good deed? Do some charity for those poor wandering spirits? Give them a holiday since they couldn't be reincarnated? They ARE called 'the hungry ghosts' right? Well, that is what I hope it is. If not, then I really think that my great, great, great, great ancestors were 'high' when they decided to come up with this tradition.

Anyhow, here are some folk tales and believes that I have heard over the years (some might make sense and some might not, but me being me, I really feel that there is no harm practicing them):
• During this period, the elderly would usually advise to not stay out too late at night (especially children), fearing that those wondering spirits might 'kacau' you. (My take on this is that, ya, they might be poor wandering spirits, but i believe that like humans, there also some who just likes to create trouble)
• Try not to look out from the window as you might see some... ('seeing' is believed to mean 'sui', bad luck)
• Weddings. It is advised to not have your wedding day on this month. Not a very prosperous month they say... also, not to shift house... they might shift in with you... (this one is funny but then again makes sense)
• I heard these form a person who sells those prayer stuff, avoid wearing red on this month, try not to comb your hair at night in front of the mirror and try to leave as many lights on in the house.
• Especially on the 15th day, if you see people praying by the road side, don't stare/look. You might see one.
• My grandfather told me this tip, keep some coins in your pocket, or keys. Jingle them once in a while. Apparently, the sound turns 'them' off.

Well, all of the above is what I was thought over these years. To believe or not to believe.... it's totally up to you... and if you happen to encounter any, please do share with me.... I'm afraid but yet I'm curious.... ;p

* To read and find out more on this, log on to Wikipedia. My facts might be wrong. It's good to get a second opinion.

Butter Pink & Choco Brown

My happie colour looking mini cup cakes baked last Sunday. :D
Choco Brown is a new try. Always used to only make Butter Pink and Butter Cream.Anyhow, they turned out yummy looking too!! ♥ :)

Summer on my toes

100% C, 30%M.

Yup! That's the colour on my toe nails since Saturday! I just love the colour!! Feels like I'm walking on summer sky... :D

My mani though... I'm happy and satisfied with the the scrubbing and cuticle trimming and stuff, but the colour.... so, so... I was really thinking of something bolder, like a midnight blue or such, but then again, it is still kinda summer-ish looking. :)

Me ♥ the blue

My well trimmed nails

Note to share: Got them done at this new nail parlor @ Bukit Tinggi 2 (opp. Jusco) called Amante. They have other branches in Puchong, Mont Kiara and PJ. They also have other services and treatments. Check out their treatment and price list.

(source: Amante)

Quite affordable and reasonable I must say. I signed up for a RM500 credit package which can be used for any of their services, no time limit/expiry and can be transferred/shared and was given another extra RM200 credit. So roughly calculating, 1 meni and padi session costs RM78, but after deducting the RM200, it only costs around RM45!! Cool huh?? I would so recommend people to come here rather than to Nail Parlour (in Jusco Bukit Tinggi)! The service there is so bad! Especially when they are over booked. And apparently, I'm not the only one complaining. I over heard another customer complaining to the manicurist about that place too!

Me Hearts The Face Shop

I've been a loyal supporter of this Korean beauty skincare brand since 2 years ago and to date, their products have never let me down. Decided to get a body scrub as I feel that I really need to pay more attention to my skin, and do I need to say more? LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!!

Love, love, love this body scrub!! Like what' written on it: SWEET BODY MOISTURE EXFOLIATOR

♥Only RM35.90 (ori price), Got it at 30% off because of the Mega Sale = RM25.23♥

I ♥ too the tone and manner of the intro/info. :)

Another one of my new found favorite product form them: Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask.

Was introduced to this product around a month ago. Was given a sample tester pack, and again, L.O.V.E!!

I personally felt that it work wonders for lazy people like me. I always have the heart for masks, but then again just too lazy to wait for it to dry/soak in then peel off/wash off. So, this solved my problem! Just substitute your nightly moisturizing routine with this mask (it works the same way), then just rinse off with water the next morning and Walah! Wake up to porcelain smooth skin (like what they claim)! Well, maybe not so porcelain la, but smooth, yes! Definitely.

This is how the product looks like if you are interested. Price: RM99.90 (Mega Sale 30% discounted price = RM69.93)

Tester pack vs. New Pack (me ♥)
I remember thinking: "Yuck! Why suddenly The Face Shop packaging so ugly one!!" when I first got the tester pack. Little did I know.... ♥

Friday is Dress Code Day

Been talking about this plan for the the past few weeks, and finally we managed to execute it yesterday!

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Theme: White-T, Blue Denim and vest

Group Pic: (clock wise from top left:) Lady RaRa, Melayu, Blur Blur, Zaa Zaa, Pang Sai and SaSa

Group Pic: Take 2

The boys doing a ala-boy band pose

Rah, rah, ah, ah, ah, Roma, roma, ma, Gaga, ohh, la, la...

Playing around with the Photo Booth™ effects (Art Piece name: Flower Heads)

Playing around with the Photo Booth™ effects (Art Piece name: Saggy Boobs with distorted hands)

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It was fun... great way to end the working week.

Wonder what will be next week's theme? Pink?? Haha! Melayu will so kill me! ;p

Second Chances: The New Beginning

I'm back! And I really hope that I will last this time. :)

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LisaIsYukisu is gone... she has grown up (in a way, hopefully) to become SaSa - the monologuist.

monologue |ˈmänlˌôg; -ˌäg|
noun
a long speech by one actor in a play or movie, or as part of a theatrical or broadcast program.
• the form or style of such speeches : the play oscillates between third-person narration and monologue.

ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from French, from Greek monologos ‘speaking alone.’