Friday, January 25, 2013

#whoisright


There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public...

Not everyone can be right at the same time; there has to be one truth and one lie on which what is right can be revealed. You cannot please everybody with the truth. 




Today's scripture is from John 7:12-13

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Page CXVI

Derek Webb's remix of a hymn sung by Page CXVI. 
My favorite tune for the past two months. 


From Page CXVI's Facebook page:
Page CXVI is a project started with the idea of making hymns accessible and known again. They are some of the richest, most meaningful, and moving pieces of music ever written.


Great music. Good for reflection and devotion time!

JesusFreakHideout free compilation


JesusFreakHideout has a list of cool songs for download. FREE. GO LAH
http://bit.ly/XyH3PZ


#gymthoughts

The first time I went to a gym, I remember thinking, Aisha, this is your rock bottom.

I love to exercise, but I drew (DREW, past tense) the line at gym. It's boring, repetitive and the same thing day in day out! And gym memberships are ridiculously expensive to the point of exorbitant! How can people be interested in walking on a treadmill for 50 bucks an hour when you can walk outside in the garden?!

Personally, I feel there are better and more engaging ways to work out.
Housechores, you get your house clean AND a workout.
Speed walking in shopping malls, that's what I'm talking about!
Dance classes, for goodness sake, a thousand times more fun than a treadmill!

But there I was. Walking at a speed of 5km/hour on the treadmill, listening to Gimme Hope, Joanna over the speakers while other sweaty bodies run their course around me.

*

The second time at the gym, I went alone. Which is no mean feat, okay. Have you seen the demographics of the gym?

Male, 25-45 years.

I don't know about you girls, but when I was there, it was really awkward. Not awkward like body-conscious-awkward but awkward like what-did-I-get-myself-into-awkward.

I finally know what it feels like to be a guy in a lingerie shop.

*

When I spoke to my sister about the music they play at the gym, she said it was such a common topic of rant of many people. Gym music. But seriously, Lite FM? Who pumps to Josh Groban? If you want to attract the young crowd you gotta play some clubbing music, man.

Then when I pointed to my cousin that there was no air-con in the gym, she said it was unlike other gyms where they fixed the air cond so cold, you had to exert yourself to even break a sweat.

"Run faster, sweat more, sprain everything,"

Saturday, January 19, 2013

robert delong global concepts.

I LOVE this song. I'd love it even more if it didn't have profanity. 
Come on Robert, the f-bomb doesn't make you cool. You're cool just as you are!


#theproblemwithsocialmedia

The biggest problem with social media is the biggest advantage it boasts - immediacy. Most users feel like since this channel is specifically made for them, they are privileged to have the "right" to get answers when they demand for it, no matter the time of the day.

a place in Positano


The Champagne Bar at Le Sirenuse, Positano, Italy. I swear I had an exact dream of this place. 

I had earlier let a small seed of negative thought wander in my mind. It filled my mind with such imaginings and corrupted my train of thought that I felt like the lowliest and most useless creature on the surface of the earth. Then I decided that was not my fault nor my doing, and I would not allow myself to wallow in such deprecating pools of self-pity. 

So I went to Pinterest. 

Okay bye.

Monday, January 14, 2013

#swim13

Dear reader,

Today, I conquered my fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the uninitiated. Fear of what lies beyond.

Today, I went to swim in a crowded swimming pool for 10 minutes. Achievement for this year? I think so.

I don't know if I'll ever go back to swim for a weekly workout. It's too crowded, and the trained swimmers going at it on the parallel side of the pool are very intimidating. Like a school of trained dolphins wearing snorkeling masks, they are in for the kill; slashing and pushing through wave after wave of water with strong strokes from stronger arms, creating wave after tidal wave throughout the pool.

Then you have me at the side of the pool, holding on to the stainless steel stairs for dear life, buoyed by the swimmer's tsunamis. LOLOLOL

Maaaan, I am not made to swim. At least not in a pool of 35 people.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

thoughts: cny clothes shopping

Dear reader,

Today I have finally finished my Chinese New Year clothes shopping. It was done at Cotton On (cheap and fashionable, who doesn't love it?), with almost 50% discounts on three articles of clothing. The first is a Jemima Day Dress (in a color the tag calls "gardenia", how cute!), sleeveless and made of viscose - suitable for the CNY heat wave. The other one, also a dress, is a shift dress in the pinkest of salmon shades you'll ever find, and made of the thickest of fabric, with a weird floral pattern embossed on it. This dress makes me look shapeless, but I like it because it's reminiscent of the 60s. The third is something I bought for the music festival later this month, a mullet top. I know what you're thinking, mullet?! That trend is so over six months ago! But it's made of the thinnest of materials, which would be good for all day wear. Plus it has baroque print all over it. Cutesy.

It's rare to find clothes that would fit me - I have abnormally (well, not quite, but it's above average) broad shoulders, in proportion to my body size. (Yes, everyone, even the most beautiful of girls, have a part of their body they are not happy with) Great fitting shirts are tough to find, and tunics become my best friend. In fact, when people tell me that they like this particular top I'm wearing, 100% of the time it's a men's top. (Men's clothes are made so that it fits broader shoulders) Pretty cool because that means I can pull off the boyfriend shirt well!

If you are also in the same predicament as I am (wide hips, short torso, too tall, too short, whatever you're having), remember that it only takes one person to make you happy - yourself. Who cares what your body looks like. You're made like that. You don't have to embrace it, just accept it. Don't listen to what others are whispering behind you're back, because deep down, they've not yet resolved their own self-esteem issues. Instead, be thankful that YOU are one gorgeous person with zero unresolved inner dilemma, who feels comfortable in her own skin and can afford to walk down the street with your head held high.

Happy CNY clothes shopping!

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Sekeping Retreats, Malaysia

Last year, I saw a friend Facebook a picture of the most gorgeous glass house in the world (according to me anyway).  After a little digging around, I found out that the whimsical place was called Sekeping Serendah (The Malay word Sekeping means "a piece of"), and is part of the Sekeping series by local architect/landscape planner, Ng Sek San. Read more about him in this NST article. 

I was going to make this a write up of awesome retreat spots in Malaysia you didn't know existed until someone Instagrammed it (starting with Serendah, of course), but I came across the whole Sekeping family and cannot help but dedicate a whole post to it. So here goes!




#1 Sekeping Serendah
Rawang, Selangor

The glass house



This is the Warehouse. Look at all that split-level, open concept awesomeness! You could really sleep under the stars with that glass roof over your head! 




#2 Sekeping Tenggiri
Bangsar, KL






#3 Sekeping Victoria
Georgetown, Penang







#4 Sekeping Kong Heng
Ipoh, Perak


Check out that sick floating bed above!



#5 Sekeping Sin Chew
Pudu, KL




Ugh. Gorgeous. Everything is just so aesthetically pleasing. 
I only wish there was one consolidated website for this Sekeping brand. With hi-res images. And an Instagram and Pinterest account. Just saying. 

If the architecture rings a bell to you, it may be because Sek San was also responsible for the look of KLPac, the rooftop of Lot 10 and the urban jungle of PJ8 (next to Federal Highway & Hilton Hotel). 




Find out more about these Sekeping retreats here:

All images taken from 

Sekeping Sin Chew images from 

hipster photobooth backdrop ideas



Hipsteri-fy your party with the ultimate photobooth backdrop!

Every hipster party that is Instagram-worthy comes with a little corner where guests can go trigger-happy and take lots of selcas and photos with buddies. This little corner should have a visually appealing backdrop in cheerful, pop colors or patterns. Not only will your guests recognize that as "the place to take photos", it'll also set the tone for your party!

Here are a few generic photobooth backdrop ideas for you to play around with. 
For ideas on how to make your favorite backdrop, google the name of the backdrop + DIY, i.e. "Crepe curtain DIY"



#1 Crepe curtain

The easiest and the cheapest backdrop to make!
You can make a 6ft long one in under an hour, with about 6 rolls of crepe paper. I made one for my cousin's wedding with scissors, staplers and a length of string :) 
And yes there was a hashtag for the wedding :P 




#2 Tassel garland

Mmmkay this is a bit tricky. I think it will be a bit harder to DIY and you gotta source for different materials (crepe and that shiny paper). It'll look GREAT anyway you hang it, though! (The ones below are from Confetti System, so hipster) 

Did you see Cotton On's year end deco? They used the exact same garlands, I couldn't take my eyes off it!




#3 Sequin backdrop

The crazy talented people of Oh Happy Day came up with this very neat, very shiny idea. Quite expensive but it adds that glamourous touch to your party!




#4 Balloons

So whimsical, so expensive! 
Fun fact: did you know that helium is a resource that's fast depleting?




#5 Paper pinwheels

Another cheap backdrop, this will be slightly more challenging than the crepe curtain (but still manageable lah - it's just two chinese paper fans stuck together!) 

These should be quite gorgeous in three basic colors and varying sizes. 
Go OTT if you must:




#7 Bunting/Flags

Ah, good ol' bunting/flags. I could spend my whole life churning out fabric and paper buntings.



Now that you know the secret to a mesmerizing backdrop, which would you go for? 
Don't forget to mix and match for one crazy backdrop! 

b&w

source unknown, comment if you know

Ermagersh. Don't know which is cuter, the dog or the guy.

Yeah the dog ^.^
Look at it resting its chin on the dude's head! 

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

an out of character post

hey hey, it's a surprise mid-week post!

i went to church after work today. really good session. i wish everyone was there to learn. it's always good to learn! (and unlearn, and relearn)

bimbo thought of the day (that i still can't believe ran through my mind): not having a crush is really boring.
-__-


Saturday, January 5, 2013

LOTR

Things I did in 2012: watched all LOTR movies
Things to do in 2013: read all LOTR books



dishwashing revelations

I like to have my quiet time with God when I do the dishes. It's quiet, repetitive and I can pour out what's on my mind with him.

Just now as I listened to Page CXVI's version of Rock of Ages (it's most likely a hymn, but I've not heard it sung before) I was struck by this part of the song:



Nothing in my hand I bring, 

Simply to the cross I cling. 
            
Naked, come to Thee for dress; 
                                  
Helpless look to Thee for grace. 
           
Foul, I to the fountain fly; 
                 
Wash me, Savior, or I die


Give me Jesus or I die. Sounds stupid but it's the truth stripped bare. I die without Jesus! The unending, crazy love he has, I hope you'll experience one day so you can sing that with as much conviction.


splashes


Sighhhh. Very susah lah. I do the things which I do not want to do, and don't do the things which I should do. Struggles! If you are the praying type, please pray for me. It's a spiritual struggle and I do not want to fall behind nor lose out. Kiasu.

Deep down, I know it is these experiences that are for the better. He only tests those whom he loves. God! Come and heal my heart. Give me rest and give me rejuvenation. Refresh my soul with your Spirit and rain on me. I say that you are the author and finisher of my faith. Amen.

Times like these, Jesus' words in Matt 11:28-30 works well:

28  "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. 29 Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 30Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."


From the Heart: vintage furniture rental

As I mentioned, I love reading about businesses that start from the heart.

Today we take a look at vintage furniture rentals. It's a niche area that I love reading about! If I ever have to decorate my home, I'd fill it with upholstered furniture. Old is gold, yo. (Vintage is normally translated as 25 years or older)

All the rage in hipster weddings (oh, check out this amusing hipster wedding infographic!), vintage furniture can be rented for a fee for engagement photoshoots and actual wedding days, as well as dinners. Some businesses also expand their offerings to include gorgeous dessert and buffet table stylings too.

Sigh. Can I do this for a living someday?!

1. Found Rentals, Southern California


Check out their recent warehouse party
So gorgeous. Can I have a space like that pleaseeeeeeee





2. Tie The Knot, Malaysia

Like Found, they also dabble in engagement shoots (gaaah love the styling!) and nikah ceremonies.