Well It's Not A Secret Anymore.

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[Trust] means we do not have to control the other person, to follow their every step lest they eacape our grip. Love trusts, it sets free, it does not try to control, possess and dominate everything.

Pope Francis

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I’m A Sydney Girl I don’t suppose it’s fair for me to call this series ‘Picture-A-Day’ anymore. I’ve not got to a very good start with blogging regularly, have I? I just want to make sure that if I do, I’m giving each blog the right amount of effort and not half-assing it. When was this taken? 6th June 2014 Who were you with? Gal pals Why is the Opera House so colourful? Vivid Sydney! More below.

Anyhow this was taken at Vivid Sydney, which is an annual event when the city gets all dressed up with pretty lights. The buildings have amazing light shows projected on them and it’s a fun night out. It makes for great pictures if you have one of those fancy cameras which weighs a ton. As you can tell from the above, I am not an owner of one of these cameras. 

I think this was the second year the girls and I went to what we just refer to as ‘vivid’ and this year it was really wet and muddy. And it being the beginning of June meant it was probably quite chilly too. I remember I wore my cowboy boots out (because yee-ha) which I hardly ever did, because they were, well, cowboy boots. Even then the mud managed to get in and soak my socks. Not ideal at all. 

You can’t see, but even the giant light bunnies got their paws muddy:  

It’s funny how (actually more ironic), when circumstances change, you begin look at something in a whole different way. The Sydney Opera House, as iconic as it is, always used to be ‘just the Sydney Opera House’ to me, because it was just always there for me - I could have seen it whenever I wanted. Now, given my sort-of-new-surrounds, it’s a symbol of home which reflexively makes me feel a bit homesick every time I see it. It represents a place I took for granted. 

I took a ton of pictures of the Opera House that night, a few good, most of them bad. But I chose this one because, looking at it now, it was so vibrant and colourful and reminded me of all the things I loved about the city. It was a place where I was truly myself. 

I used to have immense difficulty telling people where my hometown is. I was born in Kuala Lumpur (which is where I am now); I spent some of my childhood in Auckland, and I spent my formative years in Hong Kong and Sydney, which is where I’ve spent the most years of my life, so far. I have feelings attachment to all those places, different as they may be but the next time someone asks me where I’m from, I think I’ll say with ease, “Sydney.”

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Picture-A-Day #1 I’m experimenting with a new ‘series’ - like so many, I’ve accumulated a shit-TON of pictures over the years and they currently sit in my hard drive, untouched and unadmired. No longer - I will post one up as often as I can in a bid to remind myself what I was doing, say, that day in 2013 wearing a sombrero (celebrating my birthday with a cocktail in Singapore, of course).  Today’s is one from Amsterdam - one of my favourite cities. I actually don’t remember whether this was taken on foot or on-tram, but I just felt like this shopfront was calling out to me - ‘HAY GURL, HAY!’ I couldn’t ignore it! Apart from that, I wish I could place it contextually but I’m having trouble doing so. The importance of documentation!  When was this taken? 19th September 2013 Who were you with? Probably Mumsy and Younger Brother Did you go into the shop? Nope

I love how Amsterdam is a city of bikes - I don’t know what it is, but somehow the bike represents a ‘clean’ sort of freedom. And call me an idealist but I just love that feeling about Amsterdam in general. I could go on, I really could. Oh, and HEMA is great too. Like Muji, but so much cheaper. I unexpectedly found the open and unpretentious charm of the city winning me over. Call me an Amster-fan.

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2016

It’s 2016! Holy heck. Last post was in 2013. That was a long time ago. And in many ways, it feels like a different life ago.

A lot has changed. 

Got married last year. 

Been in KL one year, three months (my memory is not good enough to calculate the days). 

On the driving front, proud to say that I PASSED and that driving in KL is like fast-tracking driving lessons. I think I’ll save driving in KL for another entry. 

Didn’t really go anywhere with the property and stocks front - also another story for another day. 

CV must have turned out okay because I’m currently employed. By Women’s Health & Men’s Health, nonetheless! That’s pretty cool, but the money is seriously shit. Nevermind - work on up and enjoy the ride. It could be a lot worse.

Working out is going okay, but KL has made me fat. I think it’s a combination of irresistible Malaysian food and age. Sad reality. 

Currently reading - that godawful book Lizzie picked out! Sin and Surrender - can’t even remember who wrote it, but it’s not great. We’re going to swap bad books afterwards. I was about to start Pride and Prejudice today but didn’t get to. It’ll stick around in my bag I expect. 

Currently watching - going between a few shows - most recently S3 of Revenge; S7 of Modern Family; S2 of Great British Sewing Bee; S5 of Great British Bake Off and S2 of iZombie. 

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Yearly Update - Snapshot & Ramblings

2013. Big year. Got engaged. Moved. Lots of moving; Jay, KT, me again. Felt like the year of growing up, you know? And then, it also feels like there is so much more growing up to do. Some people are so young, but already seem so put together, and I am envious, I truly am. I attribute this to my innate lack of ambition, like ambition is something I need to attain, and then try some more to achieve whatever I pegged that ambition to become.

So there are a few things I need to do I think:

Get my licence. For reals this time. Driving = ADULTHOOD. Driving = TRUE INDEPENDENCE. I think I'm almost there. Do I just need to believe in myself or do I actually need to get better?

Work harder at stocks, and property. I need to make my investments meaningful.

Work on my CV, for KL. Which is another huge question, and probably a blog for another time. What is going to happen then?! Feeling a little lost, admittedly. Maybe I need to finally work out where I belong.

Ummmm work out more? Although if I'm 'umming' at the outset, I can't be too serious about getting ripped.

Currently reading - The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, a gift from RiRi when we went to the Hunter on the weekend. Perfect gift, really. I like it so far. I feel like lately I've been really bad at picking gifts!

Currently watching (sort of) - Australian Open 2014. Nick Kyrgios vs. Benoit Paire. Kyrgios is 18 and the last standing Aussie male. Probably not going to stay up for the whole thing, butt would be interesting to see how it turns out. Whenever I watch tennis, it always awes me. So much skill, precision, strength, speed and strategy required. Almost like you need to be a super athlete. Unfathomable. Like people singing and playing something at the same time. That one always gets me. It's like 'how are your hands doing that, but you're making sounds with your mouth too??' How is your brain handling that?

Back at work - always the rumblings of change. Happy to be back, though, more so because of the people than the work. The work is ooookay. Actually am learning a lot, however it can be yawwwwn sometimes.

Speaking of work, it is bedtime. More chat another time. Bon nuit!

[dear-photograph]

We are very happy to share with you our first celebrity Dear Photograph! Thank you to Richard Curtis (Creator of Love Actually, Notting Hill & About Time) for submitting a personal memory! ABOUT TIME is in theatres everywhere today!

Click here to view the trailer. Dear Photograph, Every year my friends and I take a photo of a band that never existed, posing for the cover of their comeback album that will never be. There is normally quite a lot of feuding during the photoshoot, a re-surfacing of the musical differences that split the band up in the first place. Acute observers may notice me on the left, Dave ( known to some as the Governor of Walking Dead ) on vocals, Paul “Bourne/Captain Phillips” Greengrass on lead guitar and our friend Harry, Britain’s leading expert on grammar, usually plays bass but seems in this picture to be having a mild stroke. The photo is taken in a barn in Suffolk, near the beach that inspired ‘About Time’.   xx r

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i love this entry. equal parts fun + heart.

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Melbourne (Taken with Instagram)

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A Serious Question

What is it that compels people (particularly little boys), to think that picking their nose then eating what they dug out is a good idea/appetising in any way? Maybe it's like a fun little snack on the go. Maybe they think it's a convenient means of disposal. I'm really not sure. Truly puzzling.

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hijinks on a Friday night!

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Movie of the week. Or month.

Safehouse Today, I watched Safehouse. Thoughts: Too much fighting, not enough of everything else. Movie subsequently felt too long. Ironic given the action was what made it draggy. Ryan Reynolds still looks good topless. Denzel Washington's character too one dimensional - as he is a protagonist it's kind of a big deal. Actually everyone was kind of one dimensional and a little flat. Government as overarching bad guy is definitely not a surprise anymore. Probably better than Eagleeye. Final Grade: C

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'who's this wong fu character??'

jay see @ his best. rofl.

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Ada: what flavour is the macaroon? Angela: yellow! Ada: yellow? really?

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Love is friendship set on fire.

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Feelings aren't vending machines.

Secret Garden

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napoleon perdis' cuban princess theme - purdy.

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While there maybe a great deal of relief across the world that such a violent man has come to [t]he end of his life, it is important for us as human beings to avoid celebrating the death of any other being. It can only bring more hatred and violence. I certainly understand that many people would be feeling a sense comfort and relief upon his death but it essential that we not take joy in it but show compassion for all those people from all sides that have lost their lives during this violent struggle. Perhaps it is time to try and find a peaceful solution.

Compassion for all of Quensland Posted at 7:43 AM Today

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#47 - Today, I'm grateful for the safety and security of loved ones.

Sometimes we need reminding that life, no matter how many times people say and re-hash it, is precious. Even more, the lives of those you love the most may be even more precious to you than your very own. It often takes some somber news for people to sit down and really appreciate the combination of a streak of fortuitous timing, luck, and good circumstance that lead to the most favourable and blessed conditions of everyone they know being okay. But we often forget that it takes so little for this combination to go all wrong, and for lives to be turned upside down. So everyone, say a prayer of thanks for those you love, and for a moment, put aside what differences may exist, and just be glad they're okay.

Here are a couple of wise words from some wise people as an extra reminder:

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”

- Ashley Smith

"The most important things in life aren't things."

- Anthony D'Angelo

"It is not length of life, but depth of life."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hugs All Round from here.