Eat Pray Love

The media ads were everywhere, so I decided to Google on this movie; turns out it's based on a memoir (Italian twins.. oh my *giggle) of a woman's journey to attain physical, emotional and spiritual fulfillment.
Now I'm intrigued...

Isn't this what every women seeks at the turning point in her life?
Not everyone has the privilege to acheive this during their lifetime, although it should be pretty easy to attain gastronomical satisfaction in this food paradise we call home hehe

I might be envious of her experiences but considering her trying situation it wasn't a bed of roses. Her position is such that she has a choice: either to be a victim of circumstances or to rise above the adversities and give life a second chance.
She has found a way to happiness despite a road marred with winding twists and turns.
Isn't it so that the journey makes the end more rewarding?
Remember my recent post on Maslow's Hierarchy? Indeed her story spans the entire spectrum from bottom to the top... well done... well done *claps
Only someone like me would have noticed that material gratification has scarcely any significance in her life-story.
Ohh what about Chanel 2.55? Every lady deserves one! Ahh that's a story for another time...

Self-fulfillment seems to be the de rigueur way of motivation mostly for individualistic societies such as America.
To put words into perspective:
Let's compare to an Indian woman who will (probably) meet her husband to be for the first time just days before the wedding.She will have to live with this (almost) stranger for the rest of her life; although divorce rates in India are significantly lower than in America (by 10 times).

An American woman would go up in arms and protest over this common practice (in India) of arranged marriages. Any ideals of self-fulfillment would be shattered when one doesn't even have the choice over her life partner.
What about human-rights, personal-liberty and female empowerment?
Apparently , family takes precedence over all else in Indian culture.

This is just one of the many stories of women around the world

Is it true to say that it is a consequence then of modernity and globalisation that women have autonomy and independence to take their destiny in their own (manicured) hands?

A typical Singaporean woman then should feel blessed considering her regional counterparts may not enjoy the freedom and resources at her disposal to achieve personal and social successes
Are we doing enough to be what we can be?!
Procrastination and Inertia prove to be stubborn obstacles to progression.

For the protagonist (Elizabeth Gilbert) in EPL, her safety net and comfort zone was threatened, thus she ventured out on a quest for new direction in her life.

Couple both optimism and determination then arm yourself with a mentality that the world is your oyster, you'll be more than ready to embark on your quest for world-domination hehe...
Sigh.. wouldn't the world be a better place :D

The world will keep progressing at an exponential pace but if we choose to live in our own shell of self-denial then eventually there will be no place for those that lag behind.

We often hear inspiring stories of exceptional individuals, indeed that has piqued our curiosity briefly before getting distracted by other sights and sounds... haha maybe it's just me.

How do we step out and step up and grab life by the reins?
Miss Elizabeth Gilbert started a journey to seek herself and she ended up finding someone. Abandon all your reservations and inhibitions (while keeping your dignity and modesty), don't be afraid if the pieces don't seem to fit; eventually the puzzle will still be completed.

You only live once! Don't stop believing and start doing! Get that leather jacket :D (It's the LBD for Apocalyptic Fashion, you read it here first!)

I believe soon enough, we'll see for ourselves that Mankind has overstayed our welcome on this planet. Look around you, what have we done to the Earth? *sigh

While we're still breathing, Live Life with Love, Faith and Conviction and have no regrets :)

High-larious Animals

The Human Condition : Of Char Siew and the Universe

The experience of being human, understanding ourselves and our place in the universe…

I was briefly a student of the school of existentialism and metaphysics… ( in the previous millenium)

What constitutes the experience of existence and reality?

Cogito Ergo Sum

I think therefore I am – Descartes

The Sameness VS the Other

Does an absolute, intrinsic self exists with complete autonomy or is the self achieved by the identity of the other?

Objective VS Subjective

Is there a fundamental self that exists both in the phenomenal and transcendental realm?

Is the self (x) determined by our emotions, actions, responsibilities, and thoughts (EART), but if there exists someone else (y) with the same EART, is it true that x=y?

If not, then surely the self equates more than the sum of all parts? How about our physical attributes?

Then can we say that x with the same EART as y but with different physical appearance are essentially very different?

Based on my hazy memory the ongoing theme though was the paradox of duality…

There I was mulling about which class to attend next or should I make a detour haha.. and my lecturer suddenly hurls me into this metaphysical abyss?!

I look around me at everyone going about their business and I wonder what’s the point? Oh my … why do we worry about the next bus and what’s for lunch and doing my homework hehe when we couldn’t even answer the fundamental question of our existence… the horizons of my mind has expanded.. and yet I felt a little sad…

Eventually though, pragmatism took precedence and halted this journey of self-enlightenment…if you ever try to turn your back on reality, it will bite you back and there’s no escape!

Recently, I had a moment while savouring the best charred bits of char siew at Guan Chee Roast Duck stall in Hougang… I imagined myself a speck in the solar system with all the mighty stars and planets revolving in their glory… part of the milky way galaxy.. this infinite mass of vacuum that encompasses all life forms…

In the limitless scheme of things.. I am inconsequential… how is char siew part of this universe? How did the majority of my senses be numbed by the finger-licking glistening black bits of pleasure that exploded in my mouth while there are bigger matters of contention…

Illustration of Brain Cells distribution:

Without the answers do we simply dismiss our lives so far as trivial and just sit and ponder?

We may be just beings passing through time but isn’t it so that how we live our lives determine the experience…how do we make the most of this experience?

What a man can be, he must be!

But……… what about my char siew?

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (see below):

Before we can achieve self-actualization and contemplate such lofty questions on the human condition… all our other needs have to be met and mastered…

Based on this, Char Siew would occupy a huge chunk at the bottom of this hierarchy…

Such is my dilemma…

My Team Snapshot

Who's In And Who's Out?

Naughty Citi

MM what he said...

Mm that he only meant well.... Mm what he said... Mm that's all for the best...

Haha... I seriously couldn't help it... Just run a google search on my post title and you'll catch it...

Mm said much.....which never fails to attract both critics and bootlickers, be it homegrown and across our shores as well...
Most (with the exception of a few brave souls) are nothing more than armchair critics that lurk behind the facade of online anonymity...

It's undeniable that Mm is the key figure in building this nation to our present success. Mm is definitely irreplaceable and  we are all indebted to him.

Recently though, reports of the prosecution of certain individuals came into light. I shall remain discreet on naming names.

With the impending GE looming ahead, every move they make seems to be under public scrutiny and skeptics are just waiting for the right moment to pounce.

Indeed the MIW have the interests of the country at heart, though their paternalistic intentions seem to be bordering on paranoia?

There are 2 sides of the coins on this take...On one hand, they have tried to up their hip quotient by reaching out to grassroots and younger generation via social networking sites and openly accepting the Pink community even rapping and whatnot...
On the other hand, they are fast and furious to clamp down on the slightest whiff of dissent (regardless of geographical or virtual location)

Those of you who think that cyberspace is a free-for-all anarchy... watch out because it's a double-edged sword...venture at your own risk... leave no cookie crumb trails behind...

Those fatcats seem to think that by giving us an inch...we'll ask for a foot... and somehow chaos will ensue...

Indeed our island is in a very precarious position...from the inside out... if ever someone manages to disturb the balance, who knows if history (1964) will repeat itself or worse since the demographics have changed drastically....

We've been a peace loving tropical concrete island for more than 40 years and counting... but sipping coconuts and laying in the hammock ain't for us... we gotta work hard for the money...

Look at what we've achieved! Rolling at the roulette table, zipping in Ferraris, just hop onto the Circle Line to Promenade everything is there.. How about abolishing the taxes and give everyone a Lambo and hey we're living in Monaco! hehehe
Hello World, check us out!

The inhabitants of this tiny island are proud but not proud of our nation...why?
A Mr J says that the locals are 3rd class citizens living in a 1st class country..... Mr J got flame-grilled big time...
The lady doth protest too much,me thinks...

True enough, you can never please everyone...

Ahh.. my lips are sealed and my hands are tied...

This article will lead to nowhere and have no conclusion that is till the day our society has (if) attained truly liberal democracy, we will just have to exercise caution and restrain on our actions within the public sphere.

Yatta!

Pop Quiz

You are driving through a desert and you see:

1. the love of your life
2. your saviour whom you're indebted to
3. an injured man who needs immediate medical attention

You have to make a choice out of the 3, what do you do?

I dread questions like these..not another one of those cliche personality quizzes..
Over analytical me thought, what would happen to the other 2 that I didn't choose?
How much am I indebted to my saviour? Which desert? Am I decked out in the latest safari trends? haha

As much as my conscience tells me to do the right thing and repay my gratitude towards 2, I decided that I couldn't live with myself if I were to drive away with 2 and abandon 1.
So..... I would choose to be with 1 and let 2 to drive 3 to seek help.

This turned out to be one of the SIT test questions conducted in the army for BMT recruits to determine if they qualify for OCS. Apparently, this was the best answer given by 1 guy out of the entire platoon.

Aha! I'm officer material *smug grin*

eat my dust boys....

1 + 2

In the world through the eyes of Kitty Kuan, there are only 2 different types of people that matter to me and deserve my respect, no questions asked:

1. Genuinely good-natured
2. Intelligently admirable

Aloysius = 1 + 2 + everything nice :D

Aloysius Mum = AM ≠ 1 or  2

She’s strangely the catalyst to his desire to fight for a better life that they can only dream and be envious of…

Incidently (definitely unintentional), she’s the one that constantly reminds me to appreciate those around me (especially my mum) …. willing devil’s advocate?

Every now and then, she’ll do something to keep this in check… no doubt she is conscientiously consistent

This is what happened : Sunday morning, we’ve decided to go for a jog to enjoy the benefits of serotonin and detoxification… it was sweltering at 31°C…

We came back sweat-drenched… admittedly I’m quite a pampered (overgrown) child, if I were at home I would just dump my sweaty attire in the laundry, socks and all, for my mum to clean it up…

However I was at his place so I hand-washed my clothes and my socks ( those poor little hands won’t be soft anymore) and hung out to dry…

Fast forward to Monday morning as we were rushing for work, she confronted him while I wasn’t there and told him that I couldn’t wash my clothes anymore in this house anymore due to increase in water and electricity consumption and his father being the sole-bread winner etc…

 

Initially I was miffed, it wasn’t the 1^st incident that she directed her unreasonable nature towards me….

I’m naïve in the sense that I believe that everyone I meet is good-natured or wants to be… but reality tells a different story..

 

Previously, during the 1^st incident I was shocked and even teared and Aloysius was pissed… it was ugly… she achieved her objective… and we learned another a valuable lesson…

 

This time I was ever so slightly pissed, considering that we were both groggy and my muscles were still aching.. but then I told myself that I couldn’t be bothered….although I was concerned about Aloysius… and I didn’t want to put him on the spot… he’s really a wonderful boy and he doesn’t deserve this… (all the years of ‘child-abuse’ she has subjected him to..pains me..)

 

Only someone like him can turn this to his advantage and grow stronger out of this…a lesser being would crumble and erm… start foaming in the mouth ahah…

Forgiven but not forgotten… I won’t get petty or vindictive about this but I won’t forget …

In time to come she will realise… and we won’t even have to make any effort…

 

Then we can all say… Adios Amigoes……la ku ka raaa cha!… laku ka raaa cha!… dididadadidida

Madd Chadd

...........................Ode to my Boots..........................

in a shade of Caramel

buttery Suede inside

Bonded with Laces of leather

like Summer in the City

Cool ....a little Rough round the edges

A tale of two kitties...

Irony aside considering my namesake, however the origins of mine have no relevance to this phenomenon.

If you have managed to piece together the clues, this is about the eponymous Kitty of the Hello Kitty movement/brand/religion.

If my memory serves me well, my first encounter would have been a little pouch give by my parents (or auntie?). It was red and palm-sized and I probably used it to keep my trinkets. The memories were slightly hazy, I recall being enthralled by the Sanrio section in the department store at my childhood ‘hangout’ at (now defunct) Thomson Yaohan  and Plaza Singapura.

My mum would bring both my brother and I for these weekly excursions where he would be attending his music lessons while my mum and I would be window-shopping. It was a mixture of covetousness and fascination as I try to imagine now how Hello Kitty and Friends appeared to me when I was a young and innocent. A rose-tinted world covered with fairy-dust and basking in a warm glow, every little thing seemed so preciously adorable and tagged with a very dear price. Hello Kitty purses and notebooks and glittery stickers, plush toys, I would feel it and pick it up and admire every piece that caught my eye and reluctantly put it back but not without taking a second look.

As much as I hope that I was a little princess (by birth/accident/coincidence), like every little girl wishes to be - courtesy of Disney cartoons and fairy tales; my family hasn’t an inkling of royal blood or deep pockets to indulge in my whim. Oh how grand it would be living in a Hello Kitty palace filled with all that is pink and feline! My socks to my teacups will be adorned with the Hello Kitty silhouette.

The fantasies and being unattainable fueled my fascination for HK (we shall use this abbreviation from now, with no less respect the cat of course).

Adolescent started to creep in and as all of us has gone thru teenage angst and the rage of hormones. This whirlwind of our life was bordering on excitement, boredom, anger, confusion, and cluelessness and possibly downright suicidal. All of us were trying to fit-in and shrug our childhood and parents. Cutesy gave way to cool nonchalance.

HK had to take a hiatus from my life until I re-discovered her in my early adulthood. I had just embarked on my working life thus I was on the cusp of financial-autonomy. Thankfully I wasn’t a blind HK fan, I was selective in my collections. Without a word of warning though, McDonalds decided to launch the HK Wedding Toy Dolls (gasp!). I tried to be cool when I learned about it, I wasn’t one of those that hunted every Mac outlet or camped overnight to get their hands on the prize (I mean toys). Singapore was launched full-forced into an island-wide frenzy, even my mum got more excited than me, she kept egging me to get them and if I didn’t she could get it for me (she maybe stern but I know she loves me). I eventually got a set of the spacesuit Kitties which I thought were the cutest.

Blood was spilled, fists were unleashed, tears fell and it’s as ugly as a Singaporean can get. Everyone ate, drank, breathed HK (McDonalds). What super size me? Be-damned! What ever happened to the innocent little kitty who couldn’t even talk to save her life? Thankfully it was over but there were still random HK toys that were launched with the Happy Meals. I probably have quite a collection of these though. My best purchase so far? A T-shirt in collaboration with Public Library, a cult-brand from the U.S. It costs more than twice of top you would find in a mid-priced store. I absolutely love it till today although it’s gotten a little of worse for wear.

That day didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped; I had tried my luck again at the SIA interview. I tried to look as bimbotic as possible but apparently I’m still lacking the appeal that the fat-cats (those middle-aged fat bozos sitting in their armchairs) were looking for. Then again, age could have been a factor… After the whole fiasco, I was feeling lousy. I called Aloysius and I told him what happened asked if he could meet me in such short notice. The eager young boy was keen and we were strolling along town and I came across a corner shop in the Heeren and guess what caught my attention? My eyes twinkled and I smiled, my day wasn’t so bad after all! She was decked in a Chanel suit in the lightest shade of pink and gray along with accents of gold. It was perfect! My heart sang and I jumped around in the shop trying it on with the sweetest pair of jeans with stars on my bum haha. Dear Aloysius complimented me and from then on, till this day he’s still mesmerized by how I look(ed).

I fear that there will be no end to this story. I can hardly explain the rationale behind my (controlled) obsession with HK. Her appeal seems limitless and she’s omni-present (almost), she can be found in convenience stores, fast-food outlets, supermarkets, toy stores, mass-media, the list goes on…. Girls and grown-women alike have gone gaga over her and men have pulled their hairs over their partner’s incomprehensible obsession.Age has proven to be not to be a deterrent to HK, on the contrary it seems to have magnified.

I’ll always have abit of her with me, be it a little purse or my trusty MAC blusher. Hail the Cat!