She Smiled Like A Knife

Rodrigo y Gabriela

Ash — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 07:44:06 +0000

I guess it’s time for me to talk about another musical obsession of mine. Here’s another result of an impulse buy. It was one of those days when I decided to wander aimlessly around HMV to see if I could find anything I fancy. I left with 2 new CDs that day (yes, I still buy CDs) one of which was Rodrigo y Gabriela’s self-titled album. I happened to see it at the World Music section and it was on sale! I remembered reading about them a while back so I decided to give them a shot. Now I’m hooked. And super impressed. Anyway, enough blab blab blabbing from me. Here’s an excellent performance of Rodrigo y Gabriela playing Juan Loco, one of my favourite tracks.

Click click! Rodrigo y Gabriela’s official website.

5 Office Essentials

Ash — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 06:37:39 +0000

No, I will not use work as an excuse for not blogging anymore. Instead, why can’t I blog about work, right? Well, not about work per se but about the things that keep me going, especially when pulling 12-hour days.

1. Caffeine

I’m most definitely not a morning person and it’s tough especially on days when I have to get to work at 8.30am. After lunch, post meal syndrome strikes too and lethargy is just too much to deal with when in addition to the numerous things spinning around me. An addiction to caffeine is unhealthy, I know but I don’t really wanna think about the state I’ll be in without my regular dose. And 2 to 3 cups of coffee/tea a day isn’t really that bad, right?

2. Lip Balm

Being in an air-conditioned office for hours on end can be really drying and having chapped/cracked lips is one great way of spoiling my day. And since my lips get so dry so easily, this is something i cannot do without.

3. Snacks

I get hungry really quickly. So no, I can’t wait till lunch. Neither can I wait till I get home for dinner. And a hungry woman is an angry woman!

4. Cardigan

It gets cold and I need to keep warm. Simple as that.

5. A great team

Colleagues make all the difference. You might have a great job but if you’re working with nasty morons, going to work will still be a pain in the ass. So I’m really thankful that I get to work with a bunch of great people who put a fun spin on things and still get the job done.

All pictures are results of random searches on Google Images.

Locher’s

Ash — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:28:12 +0000

While lurking around notcot.org one day, I happened to stubmle upon Locher’s, an utterly delightful online store. They’ve got clothes, accessories, etc, all looking really sweet. But look closer and you’ll notice some naughty little phrases written on them. How deliciously ironic!

Hope Leaves

Ash — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:33:20 +0000

In the corner beside my window
There hangs a lonely photograph
There is no reason
I’d never notice
A memory that could hold me back

There is a wound that’s always bleeding
There is a road I’m always walking
And I know you’ll never return to this place

Gone through days without talking
There is a comfort in silence
So used to losing all ambition
Struggling to maintain what’s left

Once undone, there is only smoke
Burning in my eyes to blind
To cover up what really happened
Force the darkness unto me

Not the happiest song to share in this festive period but it’s beautiful…

Music, rain, mud, friends…

Ash — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:25:33 +0000

it feels great to be alive!!!

SIGNS

Ash — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:33:14 +0000

If you have 12 minutes to spare, do watch this really sweet short. Love its simplicity and minimal dialogue. It has a pretty cute soundtrack too!

Credits to my friend, Sailesh, for the link. Follow him on twitter! Cool kid, he is.

Childhood Reads

Ash — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:40:48 +0000

Here’s a little fact about myself – I’m a bookworm. A huge bookworm. Always have been. Bookstores and libraries are among my favourite places to hang out and I always carry a book in my bag. You can also find me sitting in cafes for hours with a latte and a book pretty often. I guess I have my mum to thank for this. Being an English teacher, she made sure I was able to read from a very young age. Besides teaching me to read, she also introduced me to the magic and beauty of the storybook and I have never stopped reading since. Tonight, I shall walk down memory lane and talk a bit about the more memorable books I have read as a little girl.

The Malory Towers series by Enid Blyton

Enid Blyton was probably one of the first authors I was introduced to and I guess I do somehow hold her responsible for turning me into the anglophile I am today. I read many other books by her – Secret Seven, Noddy and all that – but this series was my favourite. I found the students and the mischief they got up to fascinating. I too wanted to go to a boarding school, play lacrosse and play pranks on teachers (invisible chalk, anyone?).

The Odyssey

I was first introduced to Greek Mythology through this illustrated, abridged version of Homer’s epic poem. I remember reading it again and again and becoming obsessed with gods, goddesses, heroes and all sorts of mythical creatures. I even brought it to school for “Show and Tell”! My obsession also led me to beg my mum to buy me the next book.

Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green

This is to me, the perfect book for someone just starting to get interested in Greek mythology. It contains stories of all the significant immortals as well as stories of the more famous heroes like Theseus, Jason, Heracles, Perseus, etc. Great stories told in a simple enough manner for 9-year-old me to understand and not get bored. It also has a pretty comprehensive list of the gods and goddesses at the back which I still refer to once in a while. Despite being tattered and yellowed with age, I still keep this book within reach.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

I had to read this book for one of my school projects and it was my first taste of fantasy. Magic, talking animals, a completely made up world, what’s there not to love, right? I didn’t get the Christian themes back then but I did go on the read the entire Narnia series. It started to lose its charm by the 7th or 8th book but by then I was already a fantasy convert. Soon after, I was diving into the world of Tolkien, Raymond E Feist, David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Mercedes Lackey, Terry Pratchett…

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

The review on Amazon says “If anyone tried to determine the most common rite of passage for preteen girls in North America, a girl’s first reading of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret would rank near the top of the list.” Well, I’m not North American, but I agree. Judy Blume tells of a group of girls going through puberty in such a light-hearted and funny way and any adolescent girl would be able to relate to at least one character. I can see why my mum encouraged me to read this when I was 12. I’d do the same if I ever have a daughter.

The Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate

This is one of those books I randomly picked up from the library and ended up getting hooked to the entire series. I loved the intrigue, the fast-paced action, the aliens and the fact that this bunch of kids could morph into any animal they wanted to! Unlike fantasy however, reading this did not make me a Sci-Fi fan. I did try reading a bit of Piers Anthony and Isaac Assimov but my interest wasn’t really quipped.

So there! I did read many other books, some of which I strangely remember the plots but not the titles but I guess these are the ones that mattered the most. What books did you read as a kid?

All pictures taken from Amazon.

Pomplamoose

Ash — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:01:45 +0000

So. I’ve been on the longest hiatus ever. I’d blame it on work, changing jobs, laziness, procrastination… but whatever. I’m back now with something to share!

You know, one of my favourite ways of wasting time is to watch video after video on youtube. And I enjoy doing it alone as well as with friends. And it’s nice doing it with friends as then they’d introduce you to cool stuff. Like Pomplamoose.

Check out their interesting take on popular hits. I also love their editing and their quirky humour. Look out for the dancing grandma!

My Space

Ash — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 13:47:37 +0000

While I was visiting Fremantle during my trip to Perth earlier this year, I stumbled upon a really impressive photography exhibition – Timothy Lock’s My Space. The way he managed to capture the different expressions of the people he randomly met on the streets is fascinating. Each of them look like they have a story to tell. Viewing this exhibition made me realise that the people you walk past every day and don’t give a second glance can in fact be interesting and inspiring if you just pause a moment and observe or even stop and say hello.

Here are some of the shots I really liked.

Also, check out his website here. His other shots are amazing too!

Quote

Ash — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:59:40 +0000

“The trouble with feeling discriminated against, I found, is that it is cumulative and corrosive: you start becoming more and more ‘sensitive’ to perceived slights till you develop a really heavy chip on your shoulder.”
[Lynn Barber, An Education]