(hearts) CNNGo

If you don't know already, CNNGo is a new website created by CNN providing insider content to the inquisitive, hip crowd who are fascinated by cities, fashion, style and living. It covers 6 Asian cities so far - Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Bangkok & Tokyo. So if you love cities (like me), are fascinated with the lifestyle news, and/or are planning to travel to these cities or learn more about your own city.. you HAVE to visit CNNGo.com.

I love it, no bias involved. The stories are contributed from local editors and locals like you and me (guest writers).

Anyways, here's a cute story from HK about the Cathay Pacific crew dolls contest.

Read it from here

And if you want to stay connected to the world's news, visit CNN.com International

Free global news, entertainment, travel, tech & living information at the revamped website that looks uber cool as compared to the old stuffier look. I especially love the videos and photographic pictures :)

PS: My shopping buys today are unbelievable.
2 pairs of heels, 3 Tops, 1 dinner dress, 2 necklaces, 2 bubble tea = Total Retail Happiness
Shops: Heatwave, Everbest, Promod, Uniqlo, Accessorize, Each-a-cup

xoxo, principessa

Freeee!

I haven't felt free for so long, totally too long to remember! Since starting my job and I am already 3 months into it, everyday is lived in a rush it is like a mad, unending routine. It is not like school when you remember the lovely things, funny things that happens with your friends each week, or those swift but seemingly endless days of space...

Blank spaces of time when you can actually plan where to watch a movie, lie on your bed and nap throughout the afternoon, moments when you feel like you have no heavy responsibilities except that dread to finish your assignment/project work/study for exams. I have been through those. School is not easy, but at least it wasn't so structured. If you feel like skipping school, you can but you are responsible for your grades. But we can't skip work...... unless we are dying to be fired.

And maybe it is also because your social life is so much more happening when you are in school. You can make a new friend from the classes you are taking, meet people along the hallways and say hi, gather for lunch with your friends.. and did i mention that you can wear anything you want without that much repercussions?

I used to be the top and denim skirt girl with my favourite ballet flats and leather bag. Tuning in to my cranberry red ipod on the train catching up on my reading.. And now with all this regulated work life, report at 9 dressed in office attire (boring esp when i don't have much), days pass so quickly when you are always swarmed with something to do.

Work is more merciless than school. At least you can take breaks in school and cramp everything in the exams, but work deadlines are on a daily basis.

anywayyy i will quit complaining. And maybe think of how to use the perks of having a job - $$ to buy experiences/ stuff i never could have. I should start updating my wardrobe.

xoxo,
principessa

Music of a night

Wise words, true words, well intended verses
more beneficial than sugar-laced concoctions
and honey-glazed motions

the speech of everyday life
speaks infinitely more
than the music of a night.

....

open your eyes wide before 'I do'
yet close one when do is done
lament not after doing
and speak more before this do

....

for you never know when hearing stops
and listening ends
and the windows of the soul wander
to

f a r a w a y p l a c e s

much beyond you.

xoxo, principessa

Happy, confused and.. wordless

It's strange, these days. I feel many things at a time, many emotions, moments of reflections and confusion. Maybe it's because of the sudden (to me) status change. Not that i was not looking forward to it but sometimes it's too surreal to be true. Surreal in the sense that it's just...strange to me.

Being out of a relationship of extremely long term, and then adjusting to a single life. The transition wasn't easy, from 2 to 1, and a wholesome one. Going out on dates, meeting new people, being unaccountable to anyone but myself and my conscience (God). That was an exhilarating time i must say, full of ups and downs. Sometimes i feel so lonely, yet sometimes i relish in the feeling of being free. Totally f r e e . . .

Free to develop more energy into relationships that matters to me. My friends, both guy friends and girl friends. But especially to my girlfriends. Free to give more to others as well as myself. Because i don't want to live a particular way for anyone else.

But all this has changed, and it's not for the better or worst, just different. Happiness exists in all stages of life, it can be found anywhere whether you are one or two. Did i have enough time to enjoy single happiness? I ponder deeply upon this because i know that if i am really serious to someone, i will commit myself to the relationship. But before anyone takes such an important step, do we first have enough time to enjoy singlehood?

Sometimes i am grudging to these circumstances. I wonder if I could have slowed down, if i didn't make my feelings so obvious, if i held back more, maybe.... maybe i could enjoy that season of life for a longer time. Because honestly, i don't know if i will have such an opportunity again. Will I, God?

Seasons opportune
Hasten not its rhythm
or blossoms will not flourish
and soils rejuvenate not
to its full glory

Keep your heart under lock and key
Wait for the arrival of spring
When the first shoots peek up to the nurturing warmth of the sun,
when the birds sing a happy song of return to this land once asleep
when the streams fill up from its thaw
only then, then
Bask in the beauty of spring.

Listen then, my love.
Have you heard it already?

I don't know. But at this moment, I am thankful. Still confused, very. And wistful in some ways.

There is a different kind of happiness though. And you know, he is really..wonderful.

I just wish I can be that to him. Just...give me some time.

xoxo,
principessa

Sunday :)

Usually too tired to write anything, and today was a special treat to myself to leave work and get home by 8pm. Usual Mondays involve dance class till 10 and reaching home at 11. So.. here's a picture! I know I've been keeping sneakily quiet about this. It's blur simply because somehow, the clear photos from yesterday don't look so nice.

Of my boyfriend and I :D

xoxo, principessa

Need to complain, need to be thankful and need to write

Dear diary,

So many things have happened lately. No surprise, work tops the list of what goes on in my mind :( It plagues me with worries because i feel over responsible for things under my care, and i haven't been doing the best of the job as i'm quite new to it. And i do screw up. :( Sighs, i hate invoices, i hate makegoods & preempts and clients who submit things late and expect us to be fairies.

I think i internalize stress quite readily, and it makes me feel like i am perpetually stressed. even when it is passed working hours, i still worry abt it. how unhealthy, i hate it. ;( the only comfort is not much, financial returns but so what? its a h*ll lot of work n stress for that. The good news is that my work colleagues are nice but i feel bad abt asking ppl for help, afraid of frustrating them..

anyways no more work talk though the stress physically n mentally remains in me. if only they can be punched away..

on another note, i need exercise real soon! regular, intensive exercise! i feel fat just sitting in front of the office table working, and eating, snacking, and then back home to sleep before another work day comes. honestly, it drains your life away!!! if every day is lived like that. wake up -> go to work -> work -> home and sleep -> wakes up......

days and weeks zoom by. I'm already abt 2 mths old at the workplace and all i can remember is that i feel stressed by little things.

Regarding other areas of my life, there is an interesting (i won't really call it interesting) but eventful development. Suddenly, I am no longer single, no longer unbounded by responsibility to anyone...yet sometimes i still feel alone. I don't know, i have worried about this before. I find it hard to be completely honest, completely open to him. I know that a relationship is a journey in itself, of discovery, of knowing each other more through this path... we never know where it'll lead us to, whether it will be an unending journey or if the walk together will end at some point of time. But well, we never know unless we try.

But some issues still do bother me. I feel blessed and I feel happy indeed, but i know i'm not feeling 100% secure about it. And sometimes, like today, when i feel that bit of loneliness and he can't be with me.. yet even if he is with me, will i tell him about it? Or are we too..'new' to each other?

I have no idea. For now, i'm happy that we are worshipping the same God. And despite me not 100% reciprocrating his efforts on the outside, he does matter to me. But you know what? It's better to keep the most important part of your being under lock & key until some level of trust grows with time.

for now I earnestly pray that God, please relieve me from the burdens i over-exert on myself. work should end when working hours end, when you pack up and leave. and only restart when work starts. i need to rest. i want to rest. but why can't i?

please help me Lord. i feel terribly miserable about this.

lastly, a song here for all.

xoxo,
principessa

Joy's happy meal theory explained by me.

Choosing a life partner is like having a happy meal, according to Jolly. You can't exactly choose whatever you want in a happy meal - a cheeseburger, fries, a drink or a fish burger, corn cup and a drink

You may like some of it, but you may not like all of it.

Say a cheeseburger, fries and coke happy meal. You may not like fries but u like the burger and coke. But because the burger is a necessary requirement to you, you will still purchase the happy meal and reluctantly take in the fries. Men are like that. You really like this __something__ about him but you dislike __fries__, but because this __something__ quality is so important to you, you'll still accept him.

While in the other happy meal combination, say a fish burger, corn cup n coke combi, perhaps you are allergic to fish but you really like the corn cup. Buying this is bad for you because ultimately, the burger is what fills you up and if you are allergic to it, then........... you better not be eating it. Likewise, some men may have dangerously attractive qualities but they do not fulfill your needs (Burger is the main deal here).

You're better off settling for the Happy Meal No.1 - cheeseburger fries n coke.

But short-term wise, we are always distracted or disgruntled by the sides.

xoxo,
principessa