Beautiful women series - Jane Goodall

For some reason, Jane Goodall came into my mind today. Perhaps I was thinking about beautiful women - wasn't thinking appearance-wise, but they happen to be.

She's 77 this year and still active with her projects and initiatives. It's a passion that carries one through life that is so admirable & fulfilling.

She spoke on TED - It's a really good one, if you can spare about 30 minutes - view it here

And also just chanced upon Jane Goodall's organisation in Singapore and that there will be the screening of the documentary - Jane's Journey at the Botanical Gardens on 14th April. Mark your calendar~
More info here

What will you still be passionate about at 77?

Oh my! She's the bride!

compilation of ideas that caught my eye from blackeffiel & ohjoy

Jon proposed to Xin over their Bali holiday.

I can't believe my dear friend is going to get married!

That's so grown up!

We both just realised that we have been friends for a decade.

A decade, imagine that!

The best part about her wedding is

I get to appoint myself as her card designer

Am getting dizzy with ideas!

Congratulations my dear dear friend!
Jon's the lucky dude ;)

***

Buon giorno!

Beautiful sun-basked morning that greets!

Foliage drenched in honeyed sunshine

Yum!

All that glitters

Recently read an article by Ong Soh Chin titled "All that glitters is not gold"

For the longest time, I held suspicions of our local journalists' standard, but this lady is proving there is hope yet in our local journalism. A very well written article, aptly appearing in "Urban". I also love the way she weaved "The Great Gatsby" into her article :)

But really, the crux of it was the message it brought. Although there is so much talk about social mobility, I wonder if there are some of us that get caught in it unawares. Compared to a generation ago, most of us has attained higher qualification than our parents, secured decent paying jobs and having a certain standard of living comparable to our peers. What is seen as decadent before, hardly raises a brow anymore.

As I was having a leisurely tea and croissant with my parents at a newly minted shopping centre in Orchard, (an enjoyment that my parents previously frowned upon) - I wonder what has changed. I suppose we are slowly becoming more attuned to the finer things in life, but are we going on the path of bankrupting our soul? How does one stay level headed in this glitsy world that is constantly calling out to fill those insatiable wants?

I suppose it is an inward looking and awareness, that we are all, just but a flower that grows, withers and dies all too soon. As we experience more in life, are we getting desensitised towards the people around us? Was that just another waiter or waitress, cashier, or sweeper? I like to think everyone we encounter, no matter how brief, becomes an important part of our lives and deserve no less than the respect we might give to our boss (caveat: i.e. if you respect yours)

As we afford the better things in life (but not necessary to need to prove that we can), may we also find ourselves steeped in humility and find it not a hard thing to love our fellow flowers regardless of how well they glister.

Birthday wishes

Made with ♥

Xin turned 28 just recently.

(Nice age & nothing to be shy about, no?)

We celebrated at a cosy little restaurant near our office

with a simply little card filled with greetings.

My best wishes are with you, my dear friend~

Happy turn of 365!

(P/S: unfortunately the 'i' dropped off before it reached you, 

now you know how it was at first :D)

Silence of Love

Happy Valentine's!

The official Valentine's Day slipped by without me quite noticing as I was too deep in work.

Now I wished I had made some nice cards for my friends like she had here.

In any case, happy valentines!

P/S: In case you are wondering why the middle guy represents "AB".

It's short for Abraham Lincoln.

Tiffany ad

I don't own a Tiffany nor do I wish for one.

 But this print ad celebrating 175 years of Tiffany arrested my breath.

"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other.

but looking outward in the same direction"

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Maeil Salad

This is one of my favourite salad recipe. 

I made it up myself with my favourite basics - brocolli, potato & egg

It's so fast to make and good for the lunchbox too.

Xin seems to quite like it too. I think I shall call it - Maeil Salad.

Brocolli, Egg, Potato Salad with Yacon

Toasted Baguette with Butter & Early Grey Tea

Maeil Salad Recipe

Get ready!

 Brocolli

An egg

 A potato

 Yacon/ Green Apple

Salt + Pepper + A little butter

Make it!

Start by boiling the potato

Wash the brocolli and cut into bite size clumps

Once the water starts boiling, add a teaspoon of salt

Add the brocolli and egg in

Brocolli should cook in 5- 7mins

Bring up the brocolli and set aside in a salad bowl
Slice the egg and add into salad bowl

Potato should be ready once fork goes through easily

Cube the potato &  add it to the salad

Skin the yacon/ green apple, cubed and add to salad

Grind salt, fresh pepper and mix it up with some butter!

Viola~
Bon appetit!

Met

In this great big city

Where do you roam?

Had I met you somewhere before?

Did we

 Cross paths, hours apart

   From the same spot?

Perhaps you were here

 Exactly here

  Last evening

Where I sit now

  At this spot

We saw the same Merlion

 Spewing water to

  A different crowd

The 'Durian'

 Under a

  Different light

Night and morning

 Meets at the darkest point

  At the beginning of

   Daybreak.

I wonder

 How they prepared for

  The meeting

Or perhaps

  It came so

   N a t u r a l l y

    That when it was time

     They just - 

Met.

Botanical gardens 2012

 Some things that caught the light in my heart's eye today:

Next destination - Iceland

Stills from here

This girl has got it!

Have you?

Eleven's end

Basked in golden
Green leaves waving
Ever so shyly
In the wind

I thought of you
Thought you softly
I didn't even have to try

A tapir
White tiger
The zebras

Life is not often
in black and white
Yet it is clear
In this champagne sunset
It ends here

The only way to end
a year
that ends with eleven.

Tune of my heart

Adagio für Streicher

Samuel Barber

Sehr schön.

雨水流露我的心

雨季又来了

雨不停的在下

好想让雨水流露我的心

也许。

只有这样。

我的心酸
也可以随着泪水流走

***

Elephant chain

P told us about the story of the elephant who was chained as a baby and although he was strong enough to break the chain when he got bigger but he did not because he did not succeed before.

Sounds pretty much like something you have heard before. A bird caged up too long that it does not try to fly even when the cage door is open. P was drawing an analogy with some old men he has been working with - steeped in their experience, are not willing to try despite a change in times.

I wonder if I had become old before my time. I really hope not. I want to break the chains bravely and balance on a beach ball by the sea someday.

Violence is not always visible

There was a recent UN ad competition  - Say no to violence against women. Trine Sejthen from Denmark took the top prize for her work - Violence is not always visible (below). 

This is something close to heart, being a woman.

Off hand, I recall a couple of friends physically abused by their boyfriends. Although they have left their abusers, it was after much suffering and an awakening that this was not how they should be treated. It made me realise that might be many more girls in their plight and not knowing what to do.

At the time when they were hit, they must have thought it was an accident, believing it will not happen again. 

Ladies,

You know there is no excuse.

Once is warning enough

Ring the bell.

Talk to someone

Run while you can.

Everyone,

Spread the word 

Stop violence against women and girls.

***

If you need to talk to someone, you can contact Aware Helpline:

Mon - Fri

3pm - 9.30pm

1800 774 5935

***

Single-hearted

To be able to know what you want

And pursue it single-heartedly 

That is beautiful

Whenever I look at Danielle Kroll's illustrations, it feels like I am meeting her.

In a way, I feel like I know her.

Is that strange?

Nonetheless, it's so beautiful to see one pursuing their dream,

their passion

enjoying what they do 

everyday

***

不在乎。。。

Still from Sovil et Titus ad 

A beautifully written piece that made me cry.

Read it here

又寂寞又美好

by Jimmy Liao