Updates~*

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"Hope is really just desire disguised, just desperation, aching, dressed up like a prayer."

- 'Undressing the Moon' by T. Greenwood

1. Lumix to Ixus
And so, after much deliberation, contemplation and weighing of pros and cons, I finally got my camera! :)

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Canon Ixus 115 HS, my new baby in blue! :D

Initially I was torn between getting the silver or the blue one but eventually, I settled on the blue one since this shade of blue is just too gorgeous to resist. 

Thinking about my rose pink lumix and this cobalt blue ixus makes me wonder why my cameras are of such bold colours. So un-jasmine-ish, if you ask me. 

Anyway, this will probably be a birthday gift from my parents, I guess :)

Lastly, R.I.P my dearest Lumix. 

2. BOOOOOOOKS!

I've been reading so many good books lately that I feel as if I can live in my world of fiction forever. 

Completed:

- Up from the Blue by Susan Henderson

- Life Without Summer by Lynne Griffin (I thought I would never be able to finish such a thick novel but I managed to do it! (all thanks to the many hours of free time I have at the childcare centre when the toddlers are napping))

- The Reader by Bernhard Schlink 

Incomplete:

- The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker (Such a pity I couldn't finish it. I was at the end already actually. But this Dutch novel is definitely deserving of the numerous awards it received) 

Currently reading:

- Undressing the Moon by T. Greenwood

The most memorable novel is definitely the highly acclaimed 'The Reader'. 

It's very, very different from anything I've read before. 

I can't exactly pinpoint what's so compelling about it but... it just is. 

Makes you think a lot and feel a lot.

okay, I shall not comment further. 

you guys should go read it yourselves :)

"The geographical layers of our lives rest so tightly one on top of the other that we always come up against earlier events in later ones, not as matter that has been fully formed and pushed aside, but absolutely present and alive." 

- 'The Reader' by Bernhard Schlink

3. Something indispensable

I can no longer leave the house without my pouch which contains toothbrush, toothpaste, toothpick, mirror, tissue (?) and interdental brush.

I'll go berserk if I realize I don't have it with me. 

And I've also developed a pseudo-compulsion with teeth-brushing and paranoia of having food stuck everywhere in my mouth. 

I hope this fear dies off soon. 

It's getting on my nerves because I would feel as if I would experience a panic attack if I do not brush my teeth after eating. 

BAAAH. 

4. STAR Academy

So, I'm officially undergoing training to be a STAR coach to do coaching for youths-at-risk in sec schools in future (IF I'M SELECTED, THAT IS). 

currently, it's just training by the coaches +  peer coaching with a fellow STAR acad member. 

Initially, Mabel and I were pretty skeptical about it (and Mabel's bf is a cynic for sure XD) but it's better now after the first session, given that I understand more about the programme now. 

I do hope many sessions later, I would find myself thoroughly enjoying and benefiting from this experience.

It's one of the super few times when I actually signed up for something VOLUNTARILY. 

so I'm hoping I would gain something from this. :)

5. XL

It's after such a long time that I realized I have an avid Ayu fan beside me all this while! :)

someone who understands how it feels like to never get tired from watching her videos hehehe.

An awesome revelation, I must say!! :)

6. Eerie coincidence

Stuff like this happen once in a while.

I had a strange dream last night.
In my dream, I was on the train and there was a group of punks blasting music from a boombox.
The song that was playing was 'Zi Ran Xing' by Yoga.
And when I woke up and walked sleepily to the kitchen, 'Zi Ran Xing' just started playing on 933FM from my mum's radio.

How strange is that.


7. formspring

I enjoy reading messages that people leave me on my formspring (my side bar).
they really make my day. :)


8. Phuket

I might be going for a short getaway to Phuket in July! :)
As a 21st birthday present? hahaha.


9. Raison d'être

Actually, I don't really know what I'm seeking for in my life.
Maybe it's something like a combination of many many things.

But what I am confident about is that to me, the intangible matters more than the tangible...
not that the latter isn't important,
it's just that the intangibles are the ones that make life meaningful.

I want my existence to have some sort of meaning. 

the scariest moment, to me, is the moment when I lay on my deathbed reflecting about what meaningful things I have done for the past XX number of years and then drawing a blank.

it just tells me how utterly useless my existence has been.

with or without me makes no difference.


I'd hate to have that kind of revelation when I'm nearing my final moments.

maybe that's what I'm seeking for - my reason for existence.

10. 
learning how to be satisfied is one of the keys that can open the door to happiness.

miracle~*

just when I was teeming with frustration,

I received the most unexpected kisses from the most withdrawn boy there. and on top of that, for the first time in weeks, he actually waved and said goodbye. loud and clear. unmistakable. that was his voice.

this, according to the teachers there, is a true miracle.

with that, I nearly skipped all the way home.

p.s: I hope the magic remains.
p.p.s: I can't load twitter again. so to reply to karen, yes, your words mattered a lot to me. :)

Anchored~*

1.

The kids exhaust me mentally and physically so much that I have little energy remaining to think, reflect and keep track about many things. 

They keep me busy and anchor me down.

But it's always fascinating to note the transition from a happy, cheery and energetic 'Teacher Jasmine' to a quiet and reserved Jasmine once I exit the gate of the childcare centre. 

I told XL,

"It feels like I'm back to reality after I end work."

As if some magic spell is broken and all the kids' laughter just trails off... together with my own. 

It's not so depressing as I seemed to have made it sound like.

the more appropriate word to use here should be... tranquil, I guess. 

I like it when I resume my role as Jasmine. 

I love the peace and serenity (without screams, wails, legos hitting against the furniture etc) 

And most of the time, my brain just shuts off and I don't want to think about anything else. 

2.

Oh, and there's this particular sentence that Karen said a loooong time ago that kept swimming into consciousness every now and then (a little too often). 

".... because you find it hard to reject people."

It had startled me.

Because those 7 words are just too... right.

Too eager to please?

I feel like a puppy eager to receive compliments for fetching back balls after balls.

Is that the reason why people often think I'm easy-going and 'nice/kind'? 

I don't know. 

3.

There are many things and people who are keeping me anchored to the here and now. 

Just when I'm tired of drifting too much, too far... that I won't know how to come back.

4.

"Come back" and "Go back" have such vastly different meanings. 

5. 

Random pics:

Love this photo to bits.
what still remains fresh, amidst what have turned serpia (ok not really. more like monochrome)

the trip down the memory lane

aww... this is so, so, so sweet.

(and I know how much Mr Z will melt when he sees scenes like this hahaha) 

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and this made me want to cry. 

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buried within~*

People often say that in order to be happy, you need to be selfish.

This may be true to certain extent but... not necessarily. 

For the people who loved me, who love me, who will love me in future, 

I wish them happiness from the very bottom of my heart. 

I didn't write that for the sake of writing.

It's something that truly reflect what I feel. 

Because everybody deserves to be happy. 

I hope to do much more, but the fact is, I am not that capable.

But for all the things I've ever done for the significant people in my life, those things were never empty gestures that embed hypocrisy or some false form of love or care. 

Every single gesture, no matter how trivial, was performed because I want to, not that I need or had to. 

I want people around me to be happy and to be blessed.

because I know I've been blessed to be able to meet them. 

and that the memories that I keep with me are the happy ones.
(I do hope my existence has brought meaning to people too...)

to have had such happy moments has made me really thankful for everything...

you might not know this, 

but what I'm grateful for is the times I smile when I remember the happy moments. 

because I know happiness can be found somewhere in me, I want you to find it somewhere inside you too. 

you deserve it so much more than I do. 

The children~*

I can't believe how tired I am after just two days of work at LSH childcare centre.
Since I'm assisting the toddlers' playgroup (aged 1.5years - 2 years plus. but there are some 3+ year-olds too), thus far,

I have:

1. changed diapers for them (HAHAHAHA major accomplishment)
2. changed clothes for them
3. fed them
4. carried them (which explains my terrible muscle ache... and it just came naturally even though I've hardly ever carried any children before.)
5. played with them (blocks, cars etc)
6. danced, jumped and sung with them
7. lulled them to sleep
8. held their hands (SO TINY) and guide them in walking
9. pacified them when they cry (due to homesickness or when they bumped into objects/fell etc)

their main interests in me:

1. my braces. "Teacher Jasmine, why you got thing on your teeth?"
2. my hair. "Teacher Jasmine, why your hair so long?" (followed by lots of tugging of my hair and the younger ones will follow suit)
3. my spectacles
4. my watch

the aftermath:

1. I have milk stains, saliva, mucus, food stains, foot prints on my shirt and pants, bruises (kneeling too much), muscle ache in my arms and thighs.
2. I stink and my hair is in a disarray.

Although it is really exhausting, it's such a joy to be with this bunch of toddlers :)
the way they have very wobbly footsteps, the way they look at everything with inquisitiveness (and try to put everything into their mouths), the way they smile and grin toothy grins at you when they've made accomplishment (e.g.: stacking 2 blocks on top of each other), the way they babble and squeal in delight and drool all over themselves.

and definitely the way they give you hugs and cling onto you when they want to be cuddled. :)

the first toddler will scramble onto your lap when you're sitting down and very soon, your lap will be covered with toddlers crawling, climbing and grasping everywhere XD

they're practically overflowing with love and innocence in the purest form.

They're the very epitome of innocence. :)

When I watch them, I have mixed feelings.

On one hand, I really love them. If possible, I would love to cuddle them forever.
They might make mistakes and be a little naughty sometimes, but they're all genuine innocent mistakes and you just can't bring yourself to be angry at them at all.
they're such a delightful bunch and always ready to give you a big hug, ready to forgive, really to accept.
in fact, they're very generous with their affection towards us.

On the other hand, I feel sad.
I feel sad when I think about the adults today.
how did we morph from who we were - innocent, pure and kind (yes, I choose to believe they're all very kind-hearted.)  into who we are (I don't even want to list the adjectives that describe most adults).

And I think about how, very soon, they'll become tainted and they'll start to understand and know.
they'll start to doubt and suspect. their thinking will become complex and their motives will become... unclear.

children - they display everything outright. when they're happy, they smile and laugh. when they're sad, they cry. when they're scared, they back away and widen their eyes (e.g. when a praying mantis was brought into class today). when they're angry, they shout and scrunch up their faces.

but for us, we wear masks. we don't exactly display our true emotions all the time.


people just get more and more complicated, I believe.


anyhow, I'm enjoying myself at work. The teachers there are great too, especially the main teacher in the toddlers' class I'm assigned to. :) I do hope this sentiment won't change by the time my temp assignment ends.


the most ideal song that fits into my entry:





给小孩/For the Children (performed by Yoga Lin and Hebe Tian)

(林宥嘉)
也许会是护士 洁白而温暖
也许是哲学家 启迪黑暗
每张小小脸庞 我们都该仰望
每一个小孩都是 一道光

给小孩作梦的床 给小孩远眺的窗
看他们会带我们 到多美地方
给小孩远扬的帆 给小孩勇气的桨
这世界一定会变得 更明亮

(Hebe)
也许有好歌声 抚慰了忧伤
也许在实验室 找到答案
每双小小手掌 都该放进希望
每一个小孩都是小太阳 (希望的太阳)

(合)
给小孩作梦的床 给小孩远眺的窗
看他们会带我们 到多美地方
给小孩远扬的帆 给小孩勇气的桨
这世界一定会变得 更明亮

(Hebe)
给小孩拥抱和糖
(林宥嘉)给小孩吻和柔软

(合)
等他们变成大人 不觉得缺憾
给小孩灯和信仰 给小孩美和真相
这世界一定会变得 更简单

(合)
给小孩一些高山 给小孩几片海洋
让他们受一点伤 而谦卑勇敢 (学谦卑勇敢)
给小孩爱和分享 给小孩家和翅膀
就算很平凡但至少 很善良
这世界一定会变得 更天堂

Updates~*

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So true.

1. Ixus vs Lumix

Happened to pass by a shop selling electronic gadgets (I forgot the name of the shop) and decided to go in to take a look at the cameras and check out the prices. 

And well, who would've guessed that I would immediately fall for Lumix DMC FP7? 

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The one that made me stop breathing for a few seconds was the golden hairline design and boy is it GORGEOUS. 

It's such a sleek, stylish and sexy camera! (it's super thin and light)

Oh, and not to forget, it is a touchscreen camera! 

I am a noob when it comes to specs and all so I am easily satisfied with a camera that takes good pictures, looks good, is lightweight and user-friendly. 

Since I'm a Lumix user, I think I know how it works pretty well. 

Promoter: I think is press here to take video... but it's not recording...

Jas: Erm I think you need to press the shutter button to record *takes cam and records for him to see*

Promoter: Oh!!! I'm such a failure that a customer needs to teach me how to use the cam!! 

hahaha. but he's more of a Canon person. :)

Which brings me to the second camera: 

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According to the promoter, this camera is pretty popular among buyers, hence explaining why many colours of the model were out of stock. 

It's sleek, take good shots in the dark (this really appeals to me) and has pretty good specs too! 

But the downside of it is the lens, which resembles so much of my Lumix (of which the lens spoilt :() 

On the contrary, the Lumix model mentioned above has a different type of lens that doesn't extend out but is instead folded in. 

However, I'm worried about the quality of pics taken in the dark if I choose Lumix instead. I know they'll pale in comparison with Ixus. 

And price wise, Lumix is about $30 more expensive than Ixus. 

Hmm... so, what shall I do then? 

Should I really get a new camera in the first place?

Karen said I should go ahead, since they are 'memories capturer' and hence should be treated as an investment. 

So, if I do get a camera, which one should I choose?

Should I still remain loyal to Panasonic or switch to Canon for a change? 

Decisions, decisions... 

2. No more decomposition

I'm going to start work tomorrow at the little skool house. 

It's quite amusing, given that I'm not very good with young children yet I chose to work in a childcare centre. 

Maybe, maybe it's because of developmental psychology. 

After studying it, it enlightened me so much about children. 

So much so that I feel like doing experiments on them XD KIDDING. 

Well, anyway, I do hope everything will run smooth tomorrow and that the children will not bully me hahaha. 

3. Non Mihi Solum

Went back to AJ a few days back with the bins to collect my SUPER OLD nyaa certificate.

The admin staff were really surprised to know we're there to collect our certs and badges which are dated March 2009. (but c'mon, they only contacted us last year) 

Rz was excitedly taking many random photos of us posing with the mission, in the canteen next to our favourite stalls etc etc.

And the highlight was the series of jump-shots taken in the school hall. (took so many shots to 'perfect' it)

We were really noisy in the hall, throwing/kicking each others' shoes, jumping and landing so hard, I'm sure people in the canteen could hear us. 

It completely exhausted us and the stifling heat made me even more tired. 

So, we ended up in what used to be our homeroom and talked about the many memories we have of our time in AJ. 

It has been 3 years since we left AJ. 

that's how incredibly fast time passes. 

Of course, there have been bad memories and little snippets of incidents that I'd rather not remember (all those teary incidents). However, AJ is nevertheless a place filled with nostalgia for me. 

billy of the east, the teachers, my classmates, random people (eg: TXN, airplane head, my favourite Kitty-man etc), the Interact girls with whom we painstakingly convinced the committee to allow us to work with an entirely new organization and of course, my lovely bins. :) 

it's not so much about the environment but more about the people who made my stay a memorable one. 

22/07 last day of school, I think. at the PE dept

triumphant after our record-breaking results from the chinese game

fooling around in the library

The bins in '07.
my lousy work for the photoshop workshop.

curry's bday chalet '11 (py missing)

I'm eternally grateful to have met the bins. I really couldn't have asked for more :) 

4. 

I'm not sure why I'm in such a nostalgic mood. 

but it always feels good to look back into the past and look around you and realize that the people who were there are still here. :) 

5. 

anyway, like the picture I posted at the very start of the entry.

There are so many types of beauty. 

The ones who are really worth remembering are the beautiful moments that touch you and reverberate in your heart, like a ripple that goes on and on and on... 

6. 

Although I know I may not have many things that other people have, have not experienced the glitz and glamour that many ladies have experienced, may not have the kindest and warmest personality, do not lead a fabulous life that many people lead, do not possess the highest level of intellect, do not shine the way other people do, and am in fact a very boring and more-ordinary-than-ordinary person who oftentimes get caught up with excessive pessimism, 

deep down, I know I am blessed. :) 

Because happiness is not a limited resource~*

"Why me?"
"Why not me?"

I think we all ask ourselves those two questions pretty often.
It's the spoilt-brat kind of questions that we pose whenever something good happens to others or something bad happens to us and us alone.

Haven't we all looked at the people around us with envious eyes from time to time?
people with possessions that we don't have;
people with abilities that we don't have;
people who are bestowed with the gift of intellect/physical near-perfection/great personality that we lack;
people with lives that invite envious 'oooohs' and 'aaaahs' that depart so much from our own lives...

and the list goes on.

because of this inherent mechanism that will naturally make us feel bitter about ourselves when we compare ourselves with others, happiness is too often beyond our reach.

when we're facing setbacks in our lives, we'll ask
"Why me?"

when people around us seem to be having the time of their lives, we'll ask
"Why not me?"


yeah, why?
there's no answer, is there?

then we sulk, bear grudges, become spiteful towards others, dismiss their happiness as some... temporal delight derived from nothing but pure luck while secretly wishing the 'lucky' ones will some downfall soon.


It all boils down to how narrow-minded, how vile vile vile is the liquid that's pumping around our body, how incredibly selfish we are. 


but then again, it's the only way to make us feel good about ourselves once more.

"Aiyah, so what? He's just lucky this time round. We'll see how things eventually end up. Anyway, his life is screwed up in so many other ways lehhhh." (ugly smirks exchanged)

So, it's only human to degrade other people in order to preserve our self-esteem?

Is it not possible to feel genuinely happy for them too?


Happiness is not a limited resource, is it?
so if one person is feeling happy, the amount of happiness in total won't get reduced, will it?
Then, if so, it is possible to feel happy for another person too, right?

but unfortunately, most of the time, that only occurs for our loved ones.

it's not easy.

but nevertheless, happiness...
ultimately, happiness is all about the mindset and about keeping an open mind and having a generous heart.

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we're unhappy because we're not satisfied.
we're happy because at that moment, everything seems to be so right.

it's okay to seek happiness.
but it's not okay to be unhappy from the search for happiness.

because it's not a limited resource, 
happiness is everywhere. 

Feather in the Wind~*

how can you not fall in love with this song?

Mindy Gledhill - Feather in the Wind

I'm a feather in the wind

I'm up and then I'm down again
And all the places I have been
To heaven's gates and 'round the bend

But things are never what they appear to be
'Cause everybody´s trying to grab a hold of me
So catch me if you can
Set me free again
Like a feather in the wind

I'm a reflection in the glass
'Cause I can't keep from looking back
I know the pieces that I left
Are stuck inside a broken past

Things are never what they appear to be
So I'll dig a little deeper
Than what the eye can see
And if anybody asks
I'm making friends at last
With my reflection in the glass

I´m softer than a bride in white
But I´m tough enough to fight my own fight
Sometimes higher than a quivering kite
More lowly than beggars plight

Like a fire in the night
I´m burning up with all my might
Don´t wanna flicker out of sight
Fade into the morning light

Things are never what
They appear to be
Couse only time will tell when
I´m ashes at your feet
So when I´m burning bright
Let me be your light
Like a fire in the night

Things are never what
They appear to be
So many different pieces
Make up the whole of me

So hold me in your hands
Take me as I am
´Cause I´m a feather
I´m a reflection
I´m a fire in your direction
I´m unruly
I´m undone
So just love me as I come

thank you~*

your words saved me once again.
as much as I hate so many parts of me, you gather these parts and show me how much you cherish them because they are, after all, parts of me.

thank you.

You've been carrying that junk as if it's important.
People saw you from a distance and thought you were strange.
Even so you laughed and said to me "this is treasure."


-'To Be' by Ayumi

Whites, Blacks, Grays~*

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Believe me when I say
It's not about your scars
It's all about your heart

- 'All About Your Heart' by Mindy Gledhill 

1. Up From the Blue by Susan Henderson

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Just started reading this book (concurrently reading 'The Reader') and the first couple of pages drew me really deeply into the story. 

Even though I'm not even halfway through, I know it's going to break my heart. 

It's the kind of novels that I miss reading. 

It has been a long, long time since I last chance upon a story that's able to lure me right into the heart of the protagonist (not in the dark way in Murakami's works) and make me empathize with her so much that I would be willing to cry along with her (though I haven't but yes, you know what I mean). 

So, I'm glad to take a break from novels that well, don't quite reach me and are not easily remembered. 

2. Lumix

my camera died on me. :(

and I need to figure out where to send it for repair + is it worth spending the money to get it repaired or should I just get a new camera.

Either way I'm greatly depressed by this. 

Unknowingly, my lumix has become an integral part of my life; something I cannot do without when I go for outings etc. 

Sigh. I'm still harbouring hope that it'll come to life soon :( 

3. 

I'm greatly perturbed by my hair.

It resembles so much like a bunch nylon-seaweed hybrid that has caught fire recently. 

and I'm so lazy to do anything about it. 

ok, I shall go for a trim soon to prevent them from turning into snakes.

4. 

Is money really that important?

I'm starting to believe the adage 'Money is the root of all evil'. 

why can't we all remember that 

the most important things in life are things that money cannot buy?

look around you and you'll understand.

if you can't, then... maybe you're better off buried in your endless checklists of materialistic wants. 

5. Whites, Blacks, Grays?

have you noticed that this entry only has these 3 shades? (I won't say black and white are colours because they are not)

kind of reflect the world, doesn't it?

before you dismiss me as being pessimistic yet again, I must clarify that I'm referring to something more related to justice and fairness.

I'm no expert in law and in fact, I'm incredibly ignorant in laws and the judiciary system in Singapore but that's not really the point here.

The point is, where is the line between the right and the wrong? 

do you think gray areas exist? 

anyway, I've been listening to accounts of incidents which reveal the very ugly side of human nature.

People who want to change the Blacks into Whites. 

Is that really possible? 

Who dictate and draw line that separates the black and the white? 

Are they really accurate?

If they are, then good for us. 

If they are not, then what can we say?

I don't really know what I'm writing about but what I want to say is that, law is but a law. 

laws can be used to protect and can also be used to attack. 

ultimately, what matters more is not so much about how well the legislative system is of a county, but about the upbringing of the people of the country, the mindsets of the people, the very possession of this entity called 'kindness' or lack thereof. 

if you're not kind, then you're not kind. 

there's absolutely no way to make you 'kind'. 

if the world is brimming with selfish people, very soon, the black will overrule the white. 

like a game of reversi, in which a whole long row of white pieces are surrounded by 2 black pieces. 

very soon, it'll be 

game over.  

6.

to end off, 

I'm as resigned about my camera/accessing twitter as this puppy appears to be. 

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SIGH. 

Random snippets~*

Snippets

1. The wire at my back teeth dislodged from its tube. 

And I overreacted, frantically trying to fix it back but to no avail. 

Sigh. I'm not even sure why it happened since I can't exactly recall eating anything that's exceptionally hard... rice? orange? cherry? 

Whatever it is, I'll need to call my orthodontist tomorrow and get it fixed again. 

this incident has made me more determined to stick to super soft food and not gey-kiang anymore. 

2. Twitter doesn't load. 

I don't know why, but I keep finding myself staring at a blank screen whenever I try to load twitter.

It's making me restless because I keep thinking I'm missing out on something in my friends' lives. 

you see, that's the consequence of becoming overly reliant on facebook and twitter. 

almost like a social network-withdrawal symptom. 

downright unhealthy. 

3. Unemployed

my friends keep questioning why I am so keen in finding a job when I can just thoroughly enjoy myself during this well-deserved break from the hectic uni life. 

hmm. the answer is simple.

I can no longer find joy in wasting my time away doing nothing and knowing that I'm gradually turning into a numbskull. 

Plus, I need the money. (I'm really broke now and I can foresee I'll become broker in future (BROKER. HAHAHA. unintentional joke hahaha.)) 

Fingers crossed for a possible temp assignment! 

4. I'm blogging so frequently and mindlessly that it irks me. 

anyway, I love TLC channel. Really. 

I don't mind watching everything on the channel from morning till night everyday.

It has all the programmes that I love.

Cake Boss, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservation, Man vs Food, Bizarre Food/Bizarre World with Andrew Zimmern, Rachel Allen: Bake!, Take Home Chef, Fun Taiwan/Fun USA, Extreme, Samantha Brown: Passport to Europe, anything by Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson...

It's comforting to watch such programmes.

It has got to do something about the way they cook, narrate and the vivid colours of the food presented. 

And also, it has something to do with the way the simple pleasures of life are presented in the form of food and well, joy from travelling to new places. 

the simplicity of it all. nothing dramatic. 

Kind of weird, isn't it, considering the fact that I have a need for cognition and some of the programmes don't require much brain juice. 

These are the 'feel-good' comfort programmes for me. 

Or maybe I do have a passion for cooking and travelling after all haha.

5. 

I'm at the first few pages of the highly acclaimed 'The Reader' by Bernhard Schlink. 

I know there's a movie adaptation of it but I feel that I ought to read it first.

alright, time to sleep and there are still so many things to be done tomorrow... first, getting my braces fixed. sigh, sigh, sigh.