# 24

I miss us playing monopoly and texas holdem, trying to call each other's bluff.

I miss someone to share my food with.

I miss entering bookstores together. You'd head for the non-fiction corner. I'll wander in the fiction books area.

I miss reading the papers together.

I miss leaving my half-drank ribena cups on your desk.

I miss sharing a can of bird nest's drink.

I miss Ikea.

I miss watching a movie.

I miss talking to you.

Do i have to fall asleep with roses in my hands...

would you get them if i did?

# 23

Thanks for injecting colour into my monochrome life even though you are half the globe away.

# 22

The phuket plane crash shocked me cos i was there that fateful day.

Utilised the same runway, on that same windy day.

I guess after flying for 10.5 months, i'm kinda immuned to bad weather and unfazed by strong winds and lashing rains.

We get turbulence all the time, especially at this time of the year, when it is the monsoon season. The turbulence ranged from the mild ones that make u sway from side to side, to the really bad ones that throw u off ur feet and lift u 30cm off the ground.

Phuket's weather has ALWAYS been bad.
Bumpy weather the whole flight from sin-hkt and hkt-sin was usual, but it was especially bad on this particular day.

I remember walking to the opened front door when the plane was parked at the aerobridge, and feeling a strong gush of wind slamming into the aircraft. Trees along the beach, and were visible from the plane, were bent half by the strong winds. My colleagues couldnt even open the doors at the back of the plane to change the waste bins, as per standard ground preparation for the flight back to sin. Two of the girls had to combine their strength to pull the door back in, amidst the raging winds, when one would have been able to close it easily normally.

Paranoid me actually thought there might be an incoming typhoon but since no typhoon alert was raised, i just attributed it to normal bad weather.

I remembered a crew asking captain if it's alright to go and was rightly assured by him.

Which is why i was shocked when flight OG 269 crashed.

This incident served to remind us that emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere and we have to be clear-minded and vigilant all the time.

As a crew, we ought to place safety as the top priority.
So many a times, we chit chat with fellow crew and our minds are a thousand miles away during take-off and landing , when we should be silently reviewing our standard evacuation procedures. Some crew dont bother to ask passengers to place the bags underneath their seat cos they want to spare the trouble of explaining the reason to them. Briefing of passengers at emergency exits were sloppily done when it should be clear and precise.

As a passenger, we ought to adhere to the safety procedures set out by ICAO and listen to the crew.
Many a times, passengers seated at emergency exits dont bother to listen when the crew is briefing them on how to open the exits in case of emergency. Putting down the papers for half a min to listen carefully can save their own life and that of so many others. Many passengers also find it a nuisance to stow their baggage properly underneath their seat. They complain and "show face" when it's all for their own safety. I've had ridiculous passengers telling me "This is prada/dior/chanel/lv u know?" Tucking their bags right underneath the seat properly will actually enable them to escape efficiently in case of emergency, and not cause them to trip and fall over their bags, and be trampled over in a stampede. No mercy will be shown when everyone's fighting for survival. Having ur beloved prada or chanel bag on ur lap is NOT going to save you.

You never know when an emergency evacuation will happen.

Sad as i was over the phuket crash, i was still heartened up by the swift evacuation of passengers from the china airlines plane recently.

It is incidents like this that remind us cabin crew the importance of our role in ensuring a safe flight for everyone.

I hope more people will see us less as their porter or waitress, and more as people who will help save their lives in case of emergency.

My heart goes out to the passengers and crew of the phuket crash, as well as their families.

# 21

This is for all my galfrens who are enthusiastically taking on new things in life.

Amazing ladies who i love and respect.

They are taking bike lessons, looking to land a perfect first job, embarking on an entirely new career path, and challenging the body by running a marathon.

They reminded me that although life gets pretty monotonous and boring sometimes, it is really important to never lose that sparkle in you.

There is so much going on for us women these days.
The future holds so much.
We are young, healthy, full of life and hungry for more.

So for singles who are feeling down cos there is no significant other to share your life, cheer up and smile ur brightest smile. You never know who might fall in love with that smile.

For people who are bored with your work, take heart that you are not bonded and can "throw your white envelope" at your boss if u are really unhappy. *grinz* Get a new career~!

Learn a new language, take up a new hobby, or go on a holiday.

Be positive and embrace life.

Here's a shoutout to you girls who make me feel alive, "You are extraordinary!"

# 20

Extraordinary - Mandy Moore

I was a bay tree

Quiet and unseen

I lived in stories

but inside I kept a mystery

I was a starling

Nobody’s darling

Flying in perfect circles

Just for company

And now I’m ready

And now I’m ready

And now I’m ready to be

Extraordinary

A midnight airplane

A window blowing

I know I am another sparkle in the sky

I shine on copper

Still undiscovered

But you must see me in the corner of your eye

And now I’m ready

And now I’m ready

And now I’m ready to be

Extraordinary

Waking up to wake up

some day I am my own prey

Stopping off at a sidewalk cafe

The wind is playing in the trees

Kicking up confetti leaves

Sings as if it’s all to say

And now I’m ready

And now I’m ready

And now I’m ready to be

Extraordinary

# 19

To my holland love.

May ur days be happy and bright.

I miss u.

# 18

Ikea

Got the new 2008 Ikea catalogue in the mail yesterday and it inspired me to take photos of the Ikea household items my family has amassed throughout the years. Never thought Ikea was such an integral part of my everyday life, until i had the time to look around the house today and noticed their quiet existence.

A refreshing glass of ribena as I browse through the new catalogue!

I love buying glasses and cups from Ikea. They are so affordable and so elegant looking.

Love the light play on the kitchen's homogeneous tiled floor.

The 8-year-old loft bed that took my cousin and bro hours to assemble. Notice the bit of decay on the main support...that is the reason i dont sleep in the loftbed anymore.

My oh-so-retro wardrobe with chicken wire mesh doors.

An Ikea energy-saving light bulb that costs more than the reading lamp itself!

Chris got me this lamp a long time ago so that i could read in the night.

Nice curves there!

The fierce stainless steel edge of a 'curry' table with a battle scar.

A peek into the plastic wastepaper bin.

Hmm...should have taken a pic of the more executive-looking grey metal mesh wastebin as well.

A familiar thing lurking in the corner of many homes in spore.

The SGD 8.90 Ikea plastic folding chair that is ultra versatile and elegant.

And it does more than supporting ur butt.

I've got a purple one holding up my new printer right now!

A fav in my family.

This portable folding table allow us to eat our meals everywhere.

One of the newest addition to the family of Ikea items in my home

- a ribbed vase i bought at the july sale.

No these tulips are not from Ikea.

They are from my darlin before he left for holland.

No they are not real.

The vase doing a pretty job of holding the colourful tulips.



Cant wait to check out Ikea's new range!

# 17

what a difference a day makes...

24 little hours...

one day i've got untidy and badly shaped brows...

and the next i've got supermodel brows...

i'm a minah~! hahaha~

yo lexian...i did it~!

its realli dark at the moment and i'm hoping the scabs will peel off soon to reveal a more natural colour.

Jo, my batchgal told me that eyebrow embroidery hurts like crazy so i was mentally prepared for a good torture time. It turned out to be less painful than eyebrow plucking~! Maybe its because LA was applied to my eyebrows so i din feel much pain.

After doing my eyebrows, the beautician commented that i have alot of facial hair and offered to do facial threading at 10 bucks. Gungho me thought 'hey if the eyebrow embroidery pain was so bearable, threading shouldnt be too bad lah', and promptly agreed to it. threading turned out to be something i'll never do again.

Threading was well, alright...except that it feels like u are constantly having paper cuts on ur face~!!! It lasted for 20mins but felt like an eternity. Dorothy started on my forehead and proceeded in an anti-clockwise direction down my face. By the time they reached my left cheek, i was super tempted to ask them to abort misson. It was so painful that i started wincing and grunting, sounding like venus williams on a massage table. Not something that i'm proud of.

I dont care if the hair grows out thicker or whatever. Just not gonna do it again. Peroid.

i sure hope childbirth isnt as painful as this.