You're My Sunshine...

You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine.

You make me happy,

When skies are grey.

You'll never know dear,

How much I love you,

Please don't take my sunshine away.

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait.

Ever since i knew you,

Good things keep coming my way.

You are my lucky star!

:)

Falling For You

I don't know but 

I think I maybe falling for you

Dropping so quickly 

Maybe I should keep this to myself

Waiting till I know you better 

I am trying not to tell you

But i want to

I'm scared of what you'll say

So I'm hiding what I'm feeling

But I'm tired of holding this inside my head

I've been spending all my time 

Just thinking about you

I don't know what to do

I think I'm falling for you

Oh I can't take it

My heart is racing 

The emotions keep spinning out 

Quick-Fix For Instant Double Eyelids (Fake Eyelashes)

I've been searching and trying to find a solution to make both my eyelids look balanced. My left eye kinda turned in a double eyelid few months ago and my right eye is semi-hidden double eyelid. Not only i have trouble doing makeup, it made me look like this 0.o most of the time. =( Usually, I'll just put on eyeliners(thicker on the right eye) and mascara before I head out. But.. drawing a thicker eyeliner on the right eye looks weird, especially when  I look down. So, I went online to search for solutions. Most people suggested sticking eyelid tapes. I tried but it failed, its too obvious and it doesnt bring out the double eyelid on the right eye. :(

So, I then tried the double sided eyelid tape as shown above. The price is slightly higher than the single sided eyelid tape. The brand I'm using is "Secret Magic" and I got it from SaSa at $4.50. It contains 22 pairs. There are pros and cons of using the double sided eyelid tapes : It stays the whole day with makeup and it looks natural too but when you look down there's this ugly looking crease that looks like a bad eyelid surgery that went wrong. It also causes skin irritations if you wear it for too long. 


So after awhile, I gave up using the tapes cause the skin irritations appeared. I heard that the tapes will cause droopy eyelids after a long usage. I don't wanna have droopy eyelids!! :(:(

From here you can tell that its pretty obvious that i look like 0.o. It seems like I only had eyeliner drawn on the left eye but in fact i had it drawn on both eyes. =( 

Nope, I did not put on the double eyelid tapes. Looked more balanced right? Keep guessing.. well, the title of this post already gave out the secret solution to have double eyelids. So for now, read on. HAHAH :)

The answer to the quick-fix for double eyelids are actually fake eyelashes. I used to put them on a few years back but somehow it doesnt give me double eyelids not until now. Pretty weird huh? The one above is from Koji and I got it from Watsons at $7.90. I usually go for natural fakelashes so that it doesn't give me the dolly look. So the best part of putting on fake eyelashes not only balance out my eyelids, I don't have to put on mascara too and it doesn't cause skin irritations like those double eyelid tapes. Not only do I have longer eyelashes, I have instant double eyelids too! After this post, I'm gonna stock up on those fake eyelashes. Those that i get from SaSa cost around $3.90-$7.90. Usually, it comes in a box with 6 pairs of eyelashes. Quite affordable! :) Wide range to choose from, natural, dolly etc.

I put the Before and After pictures together for easy comparison. Amazing huh? I hope this post will be of help for those girls who has one double eyelid and one mono or half-hidden double eyelid. Of course, the easiest way is to have double eyelids surgery if you have the money and time. For those who doesn't want to go through pain why not try this method? Not only you get instant double eyelids, you also get longer, thicker eyelashes. Win-win situation! :):) 

Thinking of you

At the other side of the world

I'm staying up

Thinking of you

Silly as it seems

Wondering if you thought of me too

Let's Learn To Put The Past Behind

I will break these chains that bind me,

happiness will find me

Leave the past behind me,

today my life begins

A whole new world is waiting,

it's mine for the takin'

I know I can make it,

today my life begins

Life's too short to have regrets

so I'm learning now to leave it in the past,

and try to forget

Only have one life to live

so you better make the best of it

Ming Bridges: Miss-Think-A-Lot

In my room staring at the ceiling

Loneliness provokes so much feeling

Time doesn't stop, I know it never will

But somehow I just can't figure this out

The outside world is all that beckons

But I'm stuck in here counting every second

What's in the past I should let it pass

But somehow I can't make this feeling end

Without moving out my bed

It's all just in my head

Miss think-a-lot you're really truly driving me to death

Can you just stop being so scared?

Cause no one really cares

Miss think-a-lot you're really truly driving me to death

Oh it's all in my head

Driving me to death

Stupid thoughts I know I'll regret it

Wasting my day being so pathetic

Time doesn't stop, it never will

But somehow I can make my whole world end...

Without moving out my bed

It's all just in my head

Miss think-a-lot you're really truly driving me to death

Can you just stop being so scared?

Cause no one really cares

Miss think-a-lot you're really truly driving me to death

Oh it's all in my head

Driving me to death

Driving me to death

In my dreams when hope is taken

Pretty moments capsulated

But I always try to contemplate the end

I'll never stop until

My conscience has been filled

My aching breaking brain is driving me insane

Without moving out my bed

It's all just in my head

Miss think-a-lot you're really truly driving me to death

Can you just stop being so scared?

Cause no one really cares

Miss think-a-lot you're really truly driving me to death

Oh it's all in my head

Oh it's all in my head

Driving me to death

10 things I hate about you

I hate the way you talk to me

And the way you cut your hair.

I hate the way you drive my car

I hate it when you stare.

I hate your big dumb combat boots

And the way you read my mind.
I hate you so much

It make me sick,

It even makes me rhyme.

I hate the way you're always right.

I hate it when you lie.

I hate it when you make me laugh

Even worst when you make me cry.

I hate it when you are not around

And the fact that you didn't call.
But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you

not even close,

not even a little bit,

not any at all.

Yokoso Japan - Osaka Part 2 (Hiroshima)

Day 2 in Osaka! Dad & I woke up at 5am (local time) to prepare and have breakfast before we catch the Shinkansen (bullet train) at 8am. Excited!! First time taking the Shinkansen and meeting my relatives for lunch at Hiroshima! Ohya, daybreak in Osaka is about 5am (4am Sg time)! That morning I jumped out of bed thinking that it was already 8am+ only to know that is only 5am! -.-" I think this is one of the reasons why Japanese are healthy because they sleep early and wake up early.

Japan's high speed trains are called Shinkansen (新幹線) and are operated by JR (Japan Railways). Running at the speed of 300km/h, Shinkansen is know for its comfort and punctuality as most trains depart on time. The Shinkansen is linked from Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka. 

Most of the Shinkansen trains offer seats in two classes, the ordinary and the green seatings. we bought tickets for the green seatings. The green seatings are larger and much more comfortable compared to the ordinary seatings. They are also comparable to the business class on the airplanes. Also, green seatings are less crowded compared to those ordinary seatings. We also paid abit more for seat reservations.

There are a few Shinkansen manners to observed while travelling:

• Do not block the passenger aisle with luggage.
• Set mobile phones to silent mode. Talking on phones are not allowed except in the deck areas.
• Line up on the platform before boarding/alighting.

This whole time while on the Shinkansen, It was so peaceful and silent. It travelled silently and nobody was talking on the phone or making unnecessary noises. (So thoughtful right?)  Eating and drinking is allowed in the Shinkansen as the travelling time could take hours. There were cabin crews who push carts to sell bento sets, drinks and snacks. Its about the same as travelling on an airplane. 

This is how the train tickets look like. I would say its not cheap to travel on the Shinkansen. But for the peace and speed I would say its worth it? And i forgot to mention, the whole entire cabin was so clean and smell-free!

Not forgetting to cham-whore while on the Shikansen!! HAHAHAHA!! :)

After travelling for 1 hour plus, we arrived at Hiroshima. Both of us were gladly welcomed by dad's cousins and family! Dad called them the night before that we will be reaching Hiroshima  next day at around 11am. We were caught by surprise that our relatives actually waited for us at the train station and picked us up for lunch. Dad's cousin drove us to Crowne Hotel to check in and leave our luggage before having lunch.


My grand-uncle was telling me the history of Hiroshima while we were on our way to Pacela Mall for lunch. As all of us know, The Americans dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima on August 6th 1945. The destructive power of the bomb was tremendous and everything was wiped out within a 2km radius. After the war, great efforts were taken to rebuild the city. The "Peace Memorial Park" was built to reflect the aspirations of the reborn city.

We have Okonomiyaki for lunch! As you can see, Japanese usually have Okonomiyaki in restaurants that specialise in the dish. The dining tables are equipped with an iron griddle (Teppan). The Okonomiyaki are already prepared by chef and served ready for consumption. They are placed on the "Teppan" so that every bite is fresh off the grill.


What is so distinctive about the Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima? The ingredients are not mixed together and   are cooked differently. So when the ingredients are cooked, they are placed on the eggs, together with the Yakisoba noodles and toppings are added.


The way to eat is to sprinkle small flakes of Aonori (dried seaweeds), Katsuobushi (smoked bonito), Mayonnaise and Okonomiyaki sauce. Spatulas are provided to break off the pieces for easy eating.

Dad's cousin and uncle. My grand-uncle was so delighted to see us that day and that he finished his serving of Okonomiyaki (I was told that usually he could only finish less than half of it).

Next, we proceeded to Hiroshima Castle for sight-seeing. It was my first time visiting a castle and Sakuras are blooming abundantly! Ah, what a rare sight indeed!


Hiroshima Castle was built in 1589. Unfortunately, like the rest of the city, it was destroyed during the atomic bombing. Rebuilt after the war, the wooden exteriors were made with considerable resemblances to the one before it was destroy by the atomic bombing. There is a history museum with information of the castle as well as Hiroshima's history.

Cherry blossoms also known as Sakura or Hanami. There are a wide varieties of Cherry blossoms in Japan. The most common one would be Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are almost pure white, tinged with the palest pink near to the stem. I was so so so lucky because during my stay in Japan, that was the best period to view those Cherry blossoms as most of them are full bloomed. They were so breathtaking!

It was a Sunday when we were in Hiroshima. As you can see from the pictures above, many Japanese were gathered together among relatives and friends to picnic under the Cherry Blossoms. How relaxing to have a can of beer, chit-chatting and laughing away with friends while viewing those Cherry blossoms! It was a perfect timing to chill under the sun as the weather wasn't too warm or cold. =)

Before we head to Miyajima, we stopped by The A-Bomb Dome also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The building was one of the few buildings to remain standing when the bomb exploded. The building also served as a location to promote Hiroshima's industries.


This wraps up the first half of the day at Hiroshima. Up next, we get to explore Miyajima!

Moments of Impact..

“My theory is about moments, moments of impact. My theory is that these moments of impact, these flashes of high intensity that completely turn our lives upside down actually end up defining who we are. The thing is each one of us is the sum total of every moment that we’ve ever experienced with all the people we’ve ever known. And it’s these moments that become our history. Like our own personal greatest hits of memories that we play and replay in our minds over and over again”

Let go.. Move on .. Grow up

                             

"It's one of those things that people say, you can't move on until you let go of the past. Letting go is the easy part, it's the moving on that's painful. So sometimes we fight it, try and keep things the same. Things can't stay the same though. At some point, you just have to let go. Move on. Because no matter how painful it is, it's the only way we grow."

Before its too late...

                            

It's the boy you never told I like you, It's the girl you let get away. It's the one you saw that day on the train, But you freaked out and walked away. It's the plane you wanna catch to Vegas, Things you swear you'll do before you die. It's the city you love that waits for you, But you're too damn scared to fly. It's all the money the you're saving, While the good life passes by. It's all the dreams that never came true, 'cause you're too damn scared to try.

Yokoso Japan - Osaka Part 1

Finally gotten a chance to visit Osaka with dad! It was my first trip to Japan and i was all excited and nervous to meet up with my relatives for the first time. We travelled by JAL economy class (finally, no more budget air!:P)

We arrived at Narita Airport (Tokyo) around 4pm plus and transit to Osaka Kansai Airport. By the time we reach Kansai Airport, it was already 7pm plus. The moment we reached, we proceed to Softbank for rental of SIM card and then we proceed to Dai-Ichi Hotel (located at Umeda) by the limousine bus. The journey from the airport to the hotel took about 1hour plus. So for the first night, we did not have much time to explore Umeda as it was already close to 9pm when we gotten to the hotel.  

Luckily there were a few restaurants still open after we checked in to the hotel. We had our dinner at this restaurant that served Takoyakis and Okonomiyakis. We ordered only Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba and some non-alcoholic Kirin beer for dinner. The waiters at the restaurant were polite and friendly. They served our order pretty fast too! 

After our dinner, we went to explore the underpass that was just beside our hotel. This underpass leads to a few railway stations. As Umeda/Osaka station is the busiest in Western Japan, they have four different railway companies like Japan railways (Shinkansen - bullet train), Hankyu railways, Hanshin railways and the subways. Yes i know, complicated right? Four railways in one location can be really confusing. During my 6 days stay in Osaka, I couldn't figure out which railway leads to which locations. Tsktsk :P I am lucky that my dad is a Japanese and he know the way pretty well. If I were to travel alone, I think i could get lost anytime!

Japan has really cool vending machines! 

The hot grills (Teppan) for Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki.

I couldn't drink alcholic beer so I ordered alcohol-free Kirin beer. :P

Yaki Soba - means fried noodles. It is served with bite-sized pork, cabbages, onions, ramen and flavored with yaki soba sauce. It has garnishes sucha as Aonori (dried seaweeds), Katsuobushi (dried bonito) and Beni Shoga (Shredded pickled gingers).

Okonomiyaki(left) - Japanese pancake made of flour, eggs, cabbages, green onions, pork bacons, octopus, shrimps. "Okonomi" means whatever you like or whatever you want and "Yaki" means grilled or cooked. Okonomiyaki is said to be originated in Osaka and its known as "Osaka soul-food".

Hanshin Umeda Station (Hanshin Railways) - Their ticketing machines are unique!

These are the four railway routes that bring you around Osaka. I was pretty much confused with the different kinds of railways offered in Osaka. Shinkansen, Hanshin Railways, Subways and Hankyu Railways. 

Tobacco vending machine! How convenient! 

Midnight snacks that I got from the vending machine - Yebisu beer and Japanese crackers while watching some entertainment programme on TV. :) 


This pretty much sums up our first night in Umeda. Stay tuned for more updates on my Osaka trip! :)