As the year draws to a close, it's time to reminisce the best times in 2012. Of course, the most amazing times are spent with friends and family, but since they won't relate to most of you guys who are reading, I've left them out haha.
Some random activities include, crab buffets with YAT team, finishing an imaging course, Natsumatsuri, attending my first friend's wedding, eating a ton of sashimi, bumping into the Far East Movement, welcoming friends from Tohoku and ending up in the papers, trying more snail gunk on my face, painted my first acryllic painting, many laughs, and the list goes on and on.
Sucky thing about 2012 was that I fell sick pretty often. Hope that I will be healthier and stronger in 2013!
Here are 10 of my most awesome moments in 2012.
10. Blogger's events
The
2012 Couture Fashion week was, hands-down the best fashion show I've
ever attended. From graceful silk gowns to casual wear, I was really
drawn to the world of fashion on those nights!
Had the honour of meeting Kenzo who was looking smart in scarves the whole fashion week! Pictured above with sexy Vanessa and pretty Shanice.
(PS: Also love the snakeskin dress I bought online at a steal!)
I was blown away by Julien Fournie's collection, which was simply spunky, fun and a fresh of breath air!
Yumi Katsura 's collection was the most elegant, gorgeous, intricate and to-die-for. She had dresses that could transform ANY country bumpkin into a princess. All I need is a prince or a magic wand.
Photo booth love with some bloggers. Thanks to backick.com I got a discount off my St Regis staycation!
Made lots of new friends during the year! This was taken at the launch of Esquire magazine with Jason Godfrey, Zurina Bryant, Linda Black, Paula Robinson and Paul Foster.
This wasn't taken at a blogger's event but I am happy I got invited to Sarah's Hari Raya celebration!! It was my first time trying Pakistani food and it was super spicy, but good! :O
At a Kiehl's event earlier in the year with Hayley and Jayley's doggy Buibui! Am really happy to learn about new products, how you can protect your face, make your skin more radiant and secrets to keep yourself looking youthful!! Achieve awesome skin without botox *thumbs up*
Mixed my first drink! Never knew there was a technique to 'shaking'. Thought it would be easy but nooooo.
These are just a few I could easily access pictures to. For more you can click on the tabs on the right column! :) Phew number 10 was long. Are you guys still with me?
9. Wisdom Teeth surgery
Super traumatic. I remember drinking water through a straw, bloodied gauzes, a numb chin and jaw, eating baby food, cute dentist. Glad I got it over and done with by removing all 4 teeth at once. Read about it here.
8. Casio Sheen
Never did any modelling-type photoshoot in the past, so was a little nervous and awkward for this whole Casio Sheen bloggers thing! Really glad I took part as I got to know a lovely bunch of pretty female bloggers! Though the photoshoot was super informal, it isn't easy! You have to know your best poses and never lose that character in your eyes! We even went on stage during the blog awards and I appeared in the newspapers :O
The website is still alive so take a look here if you want!
One of the pictures that made it onto EDMW. Thanks whoever submitted it, officially felt a little stalked.
7. Beauty explosion
Had fun times experimenting with make up and beauty products! Thank you PR companies and companies for giving me such great opportunities!
Me gyaru-fied. Still don't look Japanese but my eyebrows are lighter and my eyes look bigger? Haha.
6. Birthdayyyyyyyy
This should be higher but I didn't know the basis of ranking. Birthday was only for a day but my travels were for a week. So shouldn't a week's worth of happiness be more than a day's worth? Never mind. Thanks to all my friends who came down to celebrate it with me!! :) Was really really wonderful to have spent it with you guys!! Had my birthday dinner at 2fifteen kitchen, a jacuzzi party at Oasia Hotel, dinner at Wolfgang Puck and other places!
5. Sweating it out in Thailand
May 2012 was the first time I went to Bangkok! It was sweltering hot and I was completely overwhelmed in Pratunam, I was dehydrated and had a headache. Nonetheless, I really appreciated Singapore after the whole experience.
I also tailored a dress and a matching blazer+pants but the tailoring wasn't well done so I didn't recommend them to you guys.
4. Living like a Japanese
Cycling around Bunny Island (yes there's such a place in Japan!), eating bento from the convenience store, actually spending a few days in my brother's terrace, rolled around the tatami. Woke up at 9.30am on a futon and slept at 11pm? With high speed internet and perfect May/June weather. This was the life.
Which reminds me... I haven't finished blogging about this right? *runs away*
3. Becoming a Maiko (Apprentice Geisha)
This has been on my bucket list for so long!! The whole experience was so surreal. Very blessed to have been able to dress up in this traditional make-up and decked out in my first Kimono. Okay prepare to be shocked. I look really different!
The other non-white faced ladies in this picture above are actually... prostitutes who dress sorta like geisha. Geisha are not prostitutes!! These girls had really skanky poses for their photoshoot. Hahah.
Here's two other japanese students who dressed up as maikos! I suppose having smaller eyes completes the look better. Darn. 2. Feasting in Hong Kong
Wake up at 12, shower, get ready, have lunch, walk abit, have tea, walk abit, have dinner, walk abit, drinks, supper, and head home. Repeat. Got fat here.
1. London
Watched my first live concert in London. Saw fireworks for the first time in London during the Thames Festival. Didn't watch Matilda. Had yummy scones, had a mini jamming session in the middle of the night, went to some underground cocktail bar, met up with my Edinburgh and Canadian pals who just happened to be in London at the same time! Coincidentally met my uni friend at Heathrow Airport. What are the odds?
0. SQUISHY.
My little tiny netherland dwarf rabbity is adorable, cute, smelly, quiet, poop-a-lot, but a bundle of joy. Right now she is nomming on cabbage haha.
I am so grateful that I have her in my life because she's really teaching me about love and commitment. Plus she brings me so much happiness! Click here to find out about how squishy came into my life.
Had a great New Year's Eve, hope you did too!! What do you want to achieve in 2013 ? Planned your resolutions yet? I think it's time I became stricter with myself.
My first operation, my first surgery. To many it wasn't painful, it wasn't a big event, but if it's a first for me, its gotta be huge :P Contains some pictures.
Made my way down this morning, was super hungry because you can't eat or drink anything six hours before the surgery (to prevent puking I suppose) and was met with great service. Was ushered into the room, staff was polite all the way, helpful, being like little mums taking great care of you. They actually made me feel more at ease.
**GRUESOME-ish pictures ahead! And unglam ones.
The first nurse took my temperature, took my weight (I gained weight omg I hope I lose weight from this), gave me some forms to sign, etc. Then another doctor brought me to a room with the x-ray of my teeth and reminded me of the procedures and what was to happen.
So I was a little nervous. Or quite a lot.
The Doctor warned me that, due to my lower teeth being near the nerves, I might experience numbness in my jaw, chin and tongue. He also warned me that, because I was removing the top teeth too, that I might get a sinus infection and that there might be a hole which would cause water to go to my nose.
He also told me that a tube was to be inserted through my nose into my throat. Which might lead to a sore throat (and phlegm). This tube goes down my throat into the main airway so that I can inhale the anesthesia. Normally it's via mouth but because it's a dental surgery so it's placed through my nose.
Wouldn't that scare you more? But Doctors have to tell you all the risks that came with the operation, of course.
I didn't know that nail polish wasn't allowed, so when the nurse saw my painted nails she made me remove the index finger of both hands hahah. Woops, my bad! I don't think they actually had the retail nail polish remover, but probably the equivalent in solution form :O It didn't stink too much.
When I went in, the surgeon asked some basic questions, and I commented that I was really cold (slightly shivering) and when she took my hand to find my vein, she agreed.
"All your nerves are constricted!"
I did some hand exercises, she tapped my hand a few times, but nope, my nerves had dug themselves in real deep. But I think the surgeon sorta saw it? So she poked in. Yes it hurts but it wasn't THAT bad. (If you can survive brazilian/bikini waxing, this isn't so bad, seriously). The IV Drip didn't run. And there was a slight sensation where my butt felt pins and needles. Nurse said it might be because of the hot air.
After one nurse blew some hot air onto hands and I felt SLIGHTLY warmer, the surgeon tried again. This time it worked! Woopie.
Surgeon asked me why there was a cut on my hand. I forgot why but now I remember! I scraped it against a locker -_-
By then, another nurse had clipped my index finger to for blood oxygen saturation measurement (it shoots out a light which measures the wavelength that shows how much oxygen there is in the blood) and there were some sticky circular things stuck on my chest to measure my heartbeat.
That same nurse asked me to inhale some oxygen gas through a transparent, triangle shaped mask. I obliged. Think it was three seconds later and I fell asleep.
Woke up because someone shook me awake (I'm a light sleeper) and told me that the surgery was over. I gestured to the nurse to ask her what had happened, and she told me that I was in the recovery room where they will observe me for thirty minutes before sending me out. My face felt numb but my nose and throat felt raw. I remembered how a tube was through my nose so I didn't dare touch my face in case the tube was still on. It wasn't.
I was super sleepy, but the nurse kept shaking me a bit and telling me to stay awake as she measured my vital stats. I looked at my right hand, looked around the room, looked at the clock, tried to open my eyes, and somehow it worked. I was also SUPER cold. Like shivering even more, and the nurse had to bring me the hot air thing again.
Guess everything was fine so the nurse wheeled me (still on the bed) to the main visiting room. I was really drowsy but happy that it was over and that I felt no crazy pain. And that korilakkuma was with me (Yes I brought my bear, It makes a great bolster too)
As you can see, my cheeks are slighly swollen/puffy!
An hour or so later, the nurse asked me to have some water, and swallowing was so hard. Then the numbness started to wear off so the nurse got me the painkiller tablets (x2) for me to swallow. It was tough. Firstly, my lips were numb so I didn't even know if the water or how much water was in my mouth. Secondly, I couldn't swallow really well. Thirdly, my throat was numb so I didn't even know if the pill went down. I had to try a few times, open my mouth so that the nurse could look in to see if it went down (it didn't until like five tries later) and there was once I actually GAGGED.
I think there was too much water in my mouth for me to swallow. So my body just did a gag reflex and churned out the water. So after the water dried up, I realised there was some blood in it (from the colour) and I felt really bad for whoever had to clean up after me.
The nurse put a gauze in my mouth "to absorb the saliva" but of course it was to make my wound stop bleeding. When she took out the gauze an hour or so later, it was... gross.
The funniest thing was that, I felt like I needed to use the restroom, but I was wondering why because I hadn't drank any water! Then I found out that the IV drip is kinda liquid so I kinda had water. Just not through my mouth. I was still quite weak when I got out of the bed. The nurse asked me if I wanted one of those portable toilet chairs. I vehemently denied. I almost fell on the way to the toilet.
A while later I also realised that there was no tube on my face and that my right nostril had crumbly blood bits. Must've been from the tube, and my friend says it's probably traumatic because during insertion can have injury! >_>
Stayed in the bed for about an hour longer, couldn't sleep because other people were making a lot of noise, but after that, I had a bit more water, changed my gauze and headed back.
Notice the stuff next to my bed. Diluted Ribena that I couldn't drink properly, water used to take my meds, me looking awkward because I was trying to swallow -_- Oh and that white stuff? Filled with blood hahah.
Dad drove me home, my tongue was still numb, lips have some sensation, I'm not sure if they're numb because the anaesthesia hasn't worn off yet or it's because of the impact to the nerve.
I also inspected my teeth, which the doctors generously returned to me. The top two are perfectly intact, there was no drilling at all, but the bottom two were in pieces. And had bits of gum/meat stuck to them. The roots also looked mighty tough and strong so I hope the dentist didn't have too much of a struggle.
Luckily mine was the first wisdom teeth extraction for the day :X There were two kids before me and they were screaming and crying it was so annoying.
I didn't want to pay a large amount for my surgery, so I actually went to the polyclinic's dental to have them refer me to NDC, hence I paid a subsidized rate and used some Medisave to cover it. Something you might want to consider. It saved me about 2k SGD but mine was still above 1k btw.
Thank you everyone for your wishes and prayers and lovely comments Love you all and I know you're awesome! To those who read my tweets/status updates but didn't bother saying anything.. well, God Bless you. To those who were so cute and asked me where I was staying so they could visit, you guys are true friends :')
To a speedy recovery! :) If you're having your wisdom teeth operation soon, good luck! If you've already done it, salute!
I am damn hungry though.
Read about my previous wisdom teeth consultation, explain my choice (why 4 and not 2?) below!
Another update on my wisdom teeth?! Yes. I've booked my surgery date, it's in July.
If you're wondering what I'm talking about, read entries ONE, and TWO.
I spoke to a few friends and everyone recommended me to just remove all 4 wisdom teeth at one go because...
1) It's cheaper.
Under general anesthesia, you're already paying for a bed and anesthetic costs, so might as well just remove all 4! If you do the math, it's seriously cheaper.
2) Pain only hits you once.
When I was primary 1, my mother brought me to a jeweler's to pierce my ears. The lady asked if I wanted to piece my ears one after another, or both at the same time. I obviously said that I wanted them to be pierced one after another but my mother interjected and said that I had to do them at the same time. I pouted and frowned but she had her way.
After they 'shot' my ears, I didn't know which side hurt more, it was a stinging, yet a little numb feeling. My mum was right. If they had done it one after another, I wouldn't have the guts to do it another time! I'll be in pain while being 'shot' again?!? It's like paying someone to torture you.
So if my top teeth really screw up in future, I'd have to go through extraction (not advisable to do general anesthesia more than once for your teeth) and that'll be worse because it'll only be local anesthesia with injection to my gums! I don't have any cavities or fillings but I've heard so much about them <_<
---
Anyway, I was talking to my friend who did his wisdom teeth surgery (all 4 at once) and he told me that the anesthetic causes a numb feeling creeping up your arm, to your neck, and then you feel sleepy. He akin-ed it to falling asleep! I asked him if he had any dreams and he said no. We contemplated the thought and laughed at what would happen if the drug caused dreams. Patients would be shouting or jerking in the middle of operations, or even sleep walk!! Hahaha.
Give me your support guys! I won't post the exact date here but on the day itself, there will be live tweets of me freaking out, I'm sure of that.
So.. I finally manned up and made an appointment with NDC for my wisdom teeth consultation. My doctor was really nice and re-assuring and he explained the procedures to me in great detail, answered all my curious (possibly annoying) questions and my random attempts at jokes.
Me: "Will I lose some of my memory?"
Him: -_-;
Took an X-ray that revealed what I already knew (it was more for the doctor's analysis), my lower wisdom teeth were impacted, under the gum, and might potentially decay when food gets stuck, causing the tooth in front of it to decay as well.
My upper teeth, seemed normal.They were still hidden under the gum but also under a bone.
He listed several options for me.
1) General Anaesthesia, remove all 4 at once
2) Local Anaesthesia, to remove the teeth on the left side/right side (either, not both)
3) General Anaesthesia, to remove my bottom wisdom teeth
(note: General anaesthesia, you're put to sleep. Local anaesthesia, you're conscious all the way but the area will be numbed)
I asked if I could do General anaesthesia on the left side, then general again next time on the right, but he remarked that general anaesthesia has its risks and hence, shouldn't be done more than once.
I thought about it really carefully.
In my blog post here, I talked about how the dentist will cut open my gum, drill my tooth to bits, take out the tooth bits, and stitch it back.
I was right.
But did I really want to be awake when that happens?? I know, under Local anaesthesia you technically don't feel a thing, but you can SEE what happens. You can SEE the blood that's being removed from your mouth (you can probably estimate how much you're bleeding). I know girls bleed every month but I don't like the sight of blood at all.
Also, if the dentist (paranoia sets in) happens to raise his eyebrows during the surgery, exclaims "Oh golly, I've never seen THIS before!" or "Oh no I can't seem to remove this" etc, I would totally freak out.
Plus, why would I want to see someone inflicting harm on me??!?! Drilling into my teeth?!! The only time I said I will pay for someone to inflict pain on me is for hair waxing. That's it (for now).
I've never had any surgeries or operations so far so perhaps this aversion to pain is explainable?
The risk, though, no matter what type of anaesthesia I chose, was that my lower wisdom teeth were near my nerves. This meant that after the surgery, I might feel numbness in my chin or tongue. MIGHT, not definitely k. And, if I decided to remove my top wisdom teeth, which were kinda near the sinus (some air space), there are risks of infection etc.
And so I decided. I will leave my top teeth wherever they are. They seem happy that way. As for my LOWER teeth, to the left one that caused me great pain when I was in EUROPE, you deserve to get out of my life, and to my right one that is nearer to the nerves, well you will cause me future pain so you're gone too.
Surgery date has been booked for July, til then I'm going to try and forget about my surgery until the week before.
Wish me luck. I also hope I somehow get 'Get well soon!' cards and bouquets of flowers like what I see in dramas. #wishfulthinking
So I've recently been a little down due to certain events, people aren't always what they seem to be, those smiles are scowls once your back is turned.
This song randomly played on my iPod and the lyrics just hit me in the face. Why am I worrying about something I can't control? If people want to be this way, that's not my concern. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. I'm not the most fortunate person out there, but I definitely have things in life to be grateful for.
Life is a journey that will always have ups and downs, it's what you learn from the downs so that you don't repeat the mistake that helps you get on with life! Why stay sad and despondent and depressed when the world is your oyster and there's so many opportunities for you to seize?
I linked the video below, hit play and continue reading, I wrote my comments about the lyrics as we go along :)
Woke up in London yesterday Found myself in the city near Piccadilly Don't really know how I got here I got some pictures on my phone It has been almost a year since I found myself in Europe. Surreal. Despite being kinda robbed and scammed, life was great. I was exactly where I wanted to be. I don't really know how I got there (yes I know I got there by plane) but all I know was that I wanted to go to Europe for my graduation trip SO BADLY. I saved. I worked myself to the bone. I (somehow) managed to juggle school work, projects, studying, while I worked 6 days a week. Then there was the issue of PLANNING the trip. Research had to be done to find good hotels, which places to visit, where to eat etc. I didn't have time for that. Hence I got a travel agent to do that for me, for a small additional fee. It happened. The day before I flew off, I couldn't sleep, too excited. Even the plane ride was filled with excitement. Don't know how I got there but it felt awesome.
New names and numbers that I don't know Address to places like Abbey Road Day turns to night, night turns to whatever we want We're young enough to say
I couldn't even pronounce street names! Haha. We could speak hokkien vulgarities on the streets and nobody would know! (We didn't). The sun would set a little later so we felt like we had extra energy. Most nights were spent resting, other nights we headed out for supper or played monopoly deal. We went for a pub crawl in London and of course met new people there and got their contact to meet up again for drinks or to hang out the following days!
[Chorus]
Oh this has gotta be the good life This has gotta be the good life This could really be a good life, good life
Say oh, got this feeling that you can't fight Like this city is on fire tonight This could really be a good life A good, good life
This song doesn't necessarily have to be applied only for travels! It could be used symbolically, perhaps how you ended up in a school of your choice, a company you applied for and clinched etc! When you've got the feeling, you'll know. Nothing can bring you down and you feel like you can accomplish anything! :)
[Verse 2]
To my friends in New York, I say hello My friends in L.A. they don't know Where I've been for the past few years or so Paris to China to Col-or-ado
Take a picture that's kinda hiding the main object, and ask your friends where you are :P
Sometimes there's airplanes I can't jump out Sometimes there's bullshit that don't work now We are god of stories but please tell me-e-e-e What there is to complain about
There will always be crap thrown at you, but why complain? Remember the positives, learn how to deal with the crap, and then you throw some back :P
[Bridge 1]
When you're happy like a fool Let it take you over When everything is out You gotta take it in
[Bridge 2]
Hopelessly I feel like there might be something that I'll miss Hopelessly I feel like the window closes oh so quick Hopelessly I'm taking a mental picture of you now 'Cuz hopelessly The hope is we have so much to feel good about
I miss this, for sure. ---
Our advantage is our AGE. We're young! We're single (not married)! It's all about perception. Put this song in your music player and I hope it reminds you of that every time you listen to it :) Fight negativity!
It's the end of the year! I shall summarize my year... because it's easier to look back on the past and see how much events have changed me :D
January:
Preparing for a new 2011! Had school but it was pretty slack.Wanted to take a singing module (which also meant I would have overloaded an extra elective) but due to complications, I couldn't! Super glad I took Basic Japanese instead so now I have super bare minimum conversational Japanese. Haha.
Feb:
Still slacking. I wanted to take it easy since it was my final semester. Haha. My grades eventually reflected the amount of effort I put in zzz.
March:
Sudden surge of projects, hell week's usual toil, meeting up at Raffles City Shopping Centre Starbucks to do projects, looking forward to my graduation trip! My first duet performance!
April:
Studying and cramming for exams!
May:
End of exams in university!! Went to Italy, Paris, Amsterdam. Had the best pasta I've ever tasted, the cheapest wine, the coldest I've ever felt (imagine top of Eiffiel in just a top, leggings, shoes and ONE jacket), found my favourite place in the world, had some creamy vanilla ice cream for like 70 eurocents, sat on a gondola, owned my first Chanel, Disneyland Paris for 2 days, SO MANY FIRSTS! :)
June:
Still continuing my holiday! Went to London, Windsor and Bath. Fell in love with Four Season's Duck Rice. Shopped like crazy, walked a hell lot, watched Love Never Dies, Les Miserables, made new friends!
July:
Attended more blogger events since I finally had more time, put up more pictures on my blog entries, because that's what people like to see right? Haha. Convocation, official graduation day! Woohoo!
Aug:
Started part time work to support my incessant spending habits. Also went to Japan!! On a sponsored trip as a Tohoku Ambassador!! Had the best, pampered treatment there, went to onsens, had lots of sashimi, ate some sea urchin egg miso soup which was SO GOOD. Visited the site where the Tsunami struck and volunteered there for a few hours!
Sept:
Headed to London for a few days before that and fell in love with red velvet cupcakes. Attended family reunion in Germany! Was so interesting living in home stays, have super cute cousins, drank beer for almost every meal. I still haven't finished uploading all the pictures yet. Legoland in Windsor! Natsumatsuri!
Oct:
Had a German birthday! Spent it in Berlin, and SAW BRUNO MARS. I kid you not. Photos don't do him justice and mine came out really blur but I have proof okay. First time being chat up on the plane hohoho.
Nov:
Had a month to do whatever I wanted so.. of course I went all out! AFA, Elizabeth Arden, so much fun! Convocation ball, where people dress up and take a million pics. Attended my first flashmob! Haagen Dazs rooftop lightup! Singapore Radio Awards! Permed my hair!
Dec:
First Zoukout thanks to HTC! Witnessed the eclipse. Cosycot bash where Cheryl and I squealed over 6 packs. Yum. Officially started work, found new bff (where have you been all my life?!), went to Mink and Filter.
Since I've had SUCH an eventful year, you'd think that my expectations for the coming year would be high too? I've never travelled so much in such a short time, and flights are really terrible/uncomfortable.
2012 promises LESS travelling but that doesn't mean NO travelling! Perhaps I'll check out Australia with Shu, maybe Shanghai too, but I am also keen on heading to Japan to visit my brother in Hiroshima, head to Kyoto, Hokkaido maybe? Who knows?? Maybe a weekend trip to Bali?
One thing's for certain though, I'll definitely keep on blogging. Hope it will be regular, will try to balance work and blog life and I'll do my best! :)
** To read all about my exciting year, click on the links on the right sidebar!
Happy New Year everyone!! Thank you all for making my year colourful and vibrant!! Love you lots!
Claire.
loves exploring what life has to offer.
A personal lifestyle blog of all things captivating, alluring, enchanting, indulging, sophisticated and pretty.
Contact me at
Eternamente[at]gmail.com
