A strange comeback

Huh. My other domain's back up. Apparently, it's been back up since Sunday. But I wasn't notified or anything. And my card wasn't even charged for its renewal. So, I have absolutely no idea how in the world it came back.

Perhaps the domain fairy took pity and sprinkled some magical dust on it.



Or perhaps the domain governing body decided that 8 years was too long and it would've been a shame for Glisten to die, so they've decided to preserve it like some sort of historical monument.



Now I don't know if I should move back there or stay here. I don't want to have to keep moving and re-telling everyone about the change. It's too much of a hassle. I think I'll just keep it for other stuff.

I'm feeling: Baffled
I'm listening to: Mother Mother - Tracy Bonham

Wedding planner-to-be

Look at what I just bought:



No, I'm not getting married, but as most of you already know by now, Huaiky & Steff (date TBC) are! :) So as the official wedding coordinator for both weddings, I've got to start on the research and make sure I've got every bit of information on all things wedding-y. After all, these girls are two of the most important people in my life and I'm gonna make sure their weddings are perfect, down to every last tiny detail.

Eeeee.... Can't wait!! :p

I'm feeling: Excited
I'm listening to: Better Together - Jack Johnson

Nude no more

Another Tuesday morning. Another Threadless morning.

Here's a really great one that I'm definitely gonna get:

Poet Trees


And I really love this one too. The illustration somehow reminds me of The Little Prince:

Fake Pandas Have More Fun


Anyone feeling generous to buy me a shirt, or two? ;)

I'm feeling: Quiescent
I'm listening to: Gatekeeper - Feist

Trust Mac

Have you guys seen the new Mac ads?



http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads

Very witty.

Very true. :)

Anyway, Justin Long reminds me of someone but I can't quite put a finger to it. Anyone know who I'm talking about?

I'm feeling: Amused
I'm listening to: Love Is On The Way - Saigon Kick

An Apple a day

Say hello to the newest Mac convert in town.

With my teaching job already in the bag, what better way to embrace my newfound career than with a spankin' new notebook? So I went out and did what I've wanted to do for a long, long time and got myself the new MacBook.

Well, actually, Dad paid for it, so thanks Dad! :)

I must say, I am totally loving my Mac. I can't believe how easy it is to use. My only prior experience with Macs was back in Uni when I tried out the iMacs at the computer labs. Then, I was only using it mostly for the Internet experience, cos I'd heard all these rave reviews about Safari being so much faster than anything else. Well. It's true. But, oh wow! The OS X Tiger is incredibly clean and sleek, many of the applications are to die for and don't even get me started on how fast it processes everything! And as though all that weren't enough, the learning curve is so non-existent that I found myself easing through the system in a matter of minutes!

I'm still using my desktop of course, since most of my crap's still on there. More importantly, Photoshop. I'm only using the Mac for work/school stuff and for those moments where I feel it absolutely necessary to surf the Internet and watch TV concurrently.

Such as now.

Like, whenever football is on.

There's still a few things to learn and fully familiarise myself with, but I'm certain it wouldn't take more than a week to figure everything out.

I hit myself for not switching over sooner, but hey, better now than never, right? ;)

I'm feeling: Pleased
I'm listening to: I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Ally's day of fun

Yesterday was a full day of laughs with some of my favourite people in the world.

It kicked off when my gorgeous cousins took me to Sentosa for a relaxing day at Tanjong Beach. It was a truly lazy Friday afternoon complete with a picnic and very bad but very enjoyable attempts at beach volleyball and handball. Heheh. Naturally, I was very excited and feeling real perky about our little Girls' Day Out cos it's been awhile since we all last hung out together. Also, I badly needed to re-kindle my relationship with the sun.

3 hours later, my tan-ness probably increased by just 2%. Damn.

Mr. Sun, have you forgotten me? Your fave Singaporean friend? You and I used to have such good times together. I'd swim or just lie around and your light would eagerly penetrate through my pores, filling me with your delightfully warm sunshine. What happened yesterday? :(

Perhaps I should've just slapped on the tanning oil.

What amazed me most after our Girls' Day Out was how much we've all grown. I still remember back when we were younger, when we hung out to swim, play, and all the countless sleepovers we had. Then, Nat's parents would drive us around to wherever we wanted to go. Today, we (well, just Nat actually) are driving ourselves to the beach, thankyouverymuch. I thank God for giving me such amazing sisters. :)

Later in the evening, I met my girls at Menotti for some divine desserts and some truly fabulous company. I don't know how it's possible but each time I hang out with these guys, I just feel like I love them more and more. We know each other's quirks and habits so well that nothing surprises us anymore. What we have now is just a great friendship where we can really let ourselves go and have plenty of fun. It's such a real blessing to have the company of such wonderful friends.

Click here for photos from last night.

I'm feeling: Blessed
I'm listening to: Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith

Meet Carlos

My sombrero - let's call him Carlos - has been transformed into a character of its own.

Carlos is a music nut, counting Santana and Jimi Hendrix among his favourites. He has a huge crush on J.Lo and was absolutely bummed when she got married to that dancer dude the first time and was even more miserable when she married the very un-Roman Marc Anthony. He's sworn to give up on her if she gets married one more time. After all, there's always Shakira.

Carlos enjoys a good scrub every now and then, accompanied with a refreshing glass of Sangria. He hated the movie La Bamba, even though he knows the lyrics by heart. His passion for rock music means he'll never join a Mariachi band.

His best friend is Monkey Boy, who doesn't actually have a name, so he's just called Monkey Boy. Monkey Boy always has a banana in his hand and his cheerful disposition complements the angst in Carlos. Together, they intend to bring Mexican Rock to the world.

This is for you

Almost 12 years on and this is what our friendship has come to:



Hope you like reading my blog now, hun! ;)

I'm feeling: Chilly
I'm listening to: On Top - The Killers

No bananas

I saw a bunch of bananas hanging in my kitchen and rightaway, my thoughts were with everyone in Brissie who - due to the water crisis - have not had the opportunity to munch on many bananas.

Don't worry guys, you can always live vicariously through me and I promise to send virtual bananas whenever we buy a new bunch. In the meantime, excuse me while I go enjoy this soft, sweet, and absolutely delish potassium-filled fruit.

I'm feeling: Cheeky
I'm listening to: Lakini's Juice - Live

Memories of EMP

Here are some photos taken with the gorgeous folks at church:



I miss you guys! Boohoo. :(

I'm feeling: Reminiscent
I'm listening to: Pour Out - Shawn McDonald

MYFers in action

3 posts in one day has got to be a record for me. Anyway, here are the videos. Photos to come tomorrow!

From Music Night:
Group 1 - Knocking, Knocking


Group 2 - Emo Hymn


Hanging after Sunday Service

A Brisbane blessing

Phew. Just finished transfering all my old posts from my previous blog to blogspot. Took awhile, but I did it. *pats own back*

As many of you know by now, I went back to Brisbane for a quick, surprise visit. The whole trip was a real blessing and I'm really grateful for my amazing folks who so readily gave me the money to enjoy myself. Love you, Mum & Dad! :D

The reaction and reception I got from everyone was astounding. I didn't realise how much I missed them until I finally saw them again and we were all hugging and jumping around. It was a crazy welcome back and one that I won't be forgetting for a long, long time.

What struck me most was seeing how much the church, MYF and everyone has grown over the past year. The desire to serve God is so evident in everyone's eyes that it's inspiring. You've got all these young ones stepping up and devoting time to God. The number participating in weekly Bible studies have exploded from the original 7 to a regular 20-odd people. The church has truly been blessed and I can only pray now that it will continue to grow in the right direction.

Plenty of R&R was had, of course. Lots of catching up with everyone, hanging out and... shopping! My accumulation includes:

12 DVDs
1 Boxset
5 Tops
1 pair of shorts
3 pairs of underwear
2 showbags from Ekka
Too much food

Thankfully I was able to fit everything into my suitcase. :p

I also celebrated two birthdays - Uncle Thomas and my own - while I was there. Uncle Thomas turned 60 and the family threw a huge party for him. Friends, Rellies... everyone came in full force. Auntie Luciana was at her usual culinary best whipping out one delish dish after another. And it was so wonderful to finally get to see little Jacquelyn! She's ridiculously adorable and I can just sit there for hours staring at her. No kidding.

My birthday was a cosier affair at my fave Mexican restaurant - Montezuma's. And in the grand tradition of birthday celebrations at Monte's, I got the full shebang - howling waitresses shaking their maracas, a chocolate mousse lit up with sparklers and a sombrero! :) It was a pleasant surprise cos I thought it was just a dinner among old friends. So yeah, big thanks to Huaiky, Pen & Zef for planning it! *hugs* :)

I'm missing everyone tremendously right now. I wish I could've stayed a bit longer, but I was also missing my gorgeous friends back home too. If only everyone was in the same country, eh?

I'm gonna go through the hundreds of photos that I took and will be uploading the better ones sometime tonight. Be sure to check back for photos and a video or two. ;)

I'm feeling: Blessed
I'm listening to: Cats In The Cradle - Dilana

Mario Live

Welcome to a world where kids today are engaging themselves in countless hours of video/computer games and the Mario Bros come to live.

I'm feeling: Amused
I'm listening to: Reason - Shawn McDonald

Pseudonyms

Something in the way I pronounce my name almost always gets the staff at The Coffee Bean spelling it as "Elson". At first, I thought it was because I spoke too fast, so I slowed it down. AIR-LE-SEN. Nope. Still "Elson". That's it. Next time, I'm just gonna give a fake name.

I remember my lecturer telling us about that time he freaked out some poor teenager when he told her his name was Osama. It was hilarious cos my lecturer was an Arab. :p Another time, he told this dude his name was Daffy Duck without batting an eyelid. Heh. I've been inspired ever since, but it always slips my mind. Remind me about it next time you're with me, okay? ;)

I'm feeling: Excited
I'm listening to: They Stood Up For Love - Live

Turkey & Avocado Wrap

Mum and I wanted to have something light for dinner last night, so we went to the supermarket after a very good shopping bout (heheh), and we decided to make Turkey & Avocado Wraps.

It turned out great and I swear, I could easily down 4 wraps at a go if I were that hungry. Although, that probably wouldn't be a "light dinner" anymore. Anyhow, it's really easy to make. I didn't have to run around the kitchen or take out any sort of pan. Just dice, slice and wrap. :)

Preparing the wrap


All ready to eat

I'm feeling: Calm
I'm listening to: Goodbye For Now - P.O.D.

Say hi to the newest "moulder of minds"

I've officially been accepted as a member of the Ministry and will soon be entertaining you with my copious frustrations with bloodsucking teenagers.

Nonetheless, I'm thrilled, to say the least. It's been a long and almost tumultuous wait, and I'm truly thankful that the Lord has provided me with such a favourable answer. :) I'm also relieved, of course, since I now enjoy greater certainty, career/salary-wise - although I can't really see teaching as a big money-making "career". At the risk of sounding ignorant, teaching's just not one of those jobs where you exploit situations and sleep your way to the top. At least not from my point of view.

Now, I can only pray that I'll be able to remain focused on my aim and make God proud. I'd really hate to be one of those teachers who start out all passionate and driven, only to end up debilitated and constantly snarling at the System. If that ever happens, please, slap me.

In the meantime, I'm gonna enjoy the rest of my time off before I dive right back into the workforce. Oh, how I'm gonna miss you, long and lazy days. I know I'm gonna look back very fondly on you when I have my head buried in exam scripts.

I'm feeling: Gratified
I'm listening to: Space Oddity - David Bowie

This is Rock Star

It was emotional, it was almost flawless. I would have never expected it from this guy, but his performance completely blew me away last night:

I'm feeling: Awe-struck
I'm listening to: Losing My Religion - Ryan Star

Triumphant

Dia and I had a pretty good time at Fitness First yesterday. It was fun working out together and I think we had more laughs than was acceptable at a typical gym. Hee. :p After our 45-minute session which included both cardio and strength, I can safely say we both woke up to wobbly knees this morning.

We were definitely impressed by the service and facilities, and the programs they had running. I know I was quite interested in some of them. But paying over $100 per month, on top of a highly exorbitant one-time joining fee was just too ridiculous. Granted, we were offered "special rates", so a lot of money was to be saved, but aren't these "special rates" always used to entice mere everyday folk like you and me? I sure as hell was not gonna be sucked in.

Luckily for us, they could sense our lack of interest and - I'm really thankful for this - didn't push us to sign up with them. In fact, their whole approach wasn't agressive at all, and I definitely have new-found respect for these guys.

I guess if I ever earn enough and these guys open up a gym near my place (location is everything to me, dahhling!), I may sign up with them. Till then, I'm more than happy with that fitness park across the street and the pool just two blocks from here. Yay to cheap healthy living! ;)

I'm feeling: Beat
I'm listening to: Paper Aeroplane - Angus & Julia Stone

Better living?

After asking for the third time, I finally relented and agreed to accompany Dia to Fitness First this evening.

I've always been rather skeptical about gyms. I've heard the horror stories of the loud and obnoxious gym instructors yelling at you, the exorbitant membership fees, and how it's so incredibly difficult to get out of it once you've committed to a year of "extensive privileges". If you ask me, gyms sound like a hell hole. I'm sure not all are like that, but those that are, they scare me.

So I decided to check out the Fitness First website, and the first thing that greeted me was this fancy flash animation with pictures of very well-toned people alongside taglines that read "Endurance wasn't built in a day" and "A strong mind starts with a fit body". Okay, so far, it still seems pretty harmless. Then I noticed it on the top right-hand corner - "We take your fitness personally". Omg. This is gonna be one of those gyms isn't it? I'm gonna have some bloody annoying dude screaming in my ear to "DO IT!" or "WORK IT!". I suddenly have images of White Goodman clouding my thoughts now. I mean, these guys take my fitness personally! The slogan's probably just trying to imply that we're guaranteed personal attention, but I don't like how they've emphasised on the word "personally". It seems so... invasive.

Nonetheless, I continued looking for more information. Okay, there's the usual Body Combat, Body Pump... RPM? Huh.

RPM® is exclusive to Fitness First in Singapore! It is a fun, athletic, cardiovascular cycling class – the ultimate calorie killer. Start peddling and let go as the music takes you on the ride of your life along various terrains, speeds and intensities. Go at your own pace and enjoy a group exercise session full of motivation and sweat!

"Go at your own pace". Now, I like the sound of that. It's my first time at the gym, I really don't need some crazy instuctor dude telling me how slow I am. Too much pressure! However, neither of us can cycle. So unless the whole thing's done on exercise bikes, we'll have to forget about the RPM.

Alright, tonight, I'm gonna go with an open mind. Maybe it's not so bad. Perhaps I'm just being paranoid. Who knows? I may end up loving it! One thing for sure, I'm not gonna hesitate to kick someone and run out of there if things start to get scary.

I'm feeling: Doubtful

I'm listening to: Dusk and Summer - Dashboard Confessional

The child in me

Every Tuesday morning feels like Christmas morning.

I wake up all happy and excited as I eagerly turn on my computer and log on to Threadless. The anticipation as the page loads is exactly like unwrapping a present. Then, the new designs pop up on screen and I start ooh-ing and aah-ing at the ones I like, all the time keeping a mental note to get them as soon as the $10 sale is on. Heh.

Most of the new designs this week didn't quite strike a chord with me, but this one, I absolutely love:

A Spaceboy Retrospective by Kevin Tong


I adore the colours on this one, and there's a certain feel-good nostalgia about this. It brings me back to my childhood where imaginations ran wild and imaginary friends were aplenty. I remember days when I ran up and down the stairs pretending to be a cop, a burglar, a chef in a busy restaurant, a fireman, a modern-day hunter, an astronaut, a doctor... All my stuffed toys would play their roles to perfection and there were no dramas between them cos I always made sure I rotated their leading-man status. (I've always been fair, even to my toys.) Then my parents would come home and get really mad when they've realised I've not done any homework all day. And there'll be more running up and down the stairs as I try to escape their fury, complete with a cane in hand.

Ah, the memories. :)

I'm feeling: Sentimental
I'm listening to: So Long, So Long - Dashboard Confessional