To which Ti laughed and promptly made fun of me for using such a disturbing analogy.

Of course, I had to prove him wrong. It is so a known phrase. This was followed by me trying to find out if the butt really is the smoothest part of the body.

And then Pa chimed in, “You know what’s the smoothest part of the body?

“The eyeball.”

I leave you with a picture taken months ago near downtown LA, right outside the train station at Little Tokyo:

***

Terry Pratchett’s Men At Arms
(Two examples of why my favourite author is a brilliant, brilliant human being.)

‘Good grief,’ said Angua, when they had put several streets between them and the crowd of dogs. ’He’s mad, isn’t he?’

‘No, mad’s when you froth at the mouth,’ said Gaspode. ‘He’s insane. That’s when you froth at the brain.’

Terry Pratchett’s Monstrous Regiment

The reedy little voice trembled with such belief that Polly felt embarrassed, and then ashamed and, finally, after the ringing ‘amen’, amazed that the world appeared no different from before. For a minute or two, it had been a better place…

***

Andrew Davidson’s The Gargoyle
(This was read on a lark, and it was good, if the number of quotes I have here are anything to go by; and yet depressing is not what I’d usually read.)

It was not only a lack of communication from God that made me feel less worthy, it was also that the other nuns seemed so sure of their paths when there was so much I didn’t understand. I was bewildered in heart and mind; I was deficient in the certainty the others seemed to have.

But none of that is enough. Your skin is the emblem of your identity, the image that you presented to the world. But it was never who you really are. Being burnt doesn’t make you any less– or more– human. It only makes you burnt.

I called her stupid; she laughed and replied that against stupidity even the gods struggle in vain.

We rarely notice our innate feeling for time until it’s removed. This is why amnesiacs are so confused when they become first aware of their condition. It’s not because they’ve lost memories– we all lose memories; it’s because they’ve lost time.

***

Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files Book 4: Summer Knight
(This, I suspect I only kept on reading because of a completion-ist tendency… and also because this particular paragraph made me laugh.)

Here’s where I ask why don’t you spend your time doing something safer and more boring. Like maybe administering suppositories to rabid gorillas.

***

Lastly, something I’ve quoted once before in an old place, and have always kept close to my heart; just as I have his stories:

Dan Rhode’s Anthropology

Indifference

Not wanting the intensity of my love to drive Skylark away, I feigned indifference. I worried that this tactic wasn’t working; seeming bored in my company, she would keep looking at her watch as though impatient to go somewhere far better. Even so, we would always disinterestedly arrange to meet up again. When, besotted, I casually suggested we get married, she shrugged her shoulders and, yawning, said, ‘Whatever.’ I couldn’t believe my luck. The man asked us whether we were prepared to love and cherish one another forever. Skylark said she might as well, and I told him I supposed so.

✿ bicycle dress: modcloth.com
✿ cardigan: far east
✿ grey knit tights: forever21
✿ floral tights: urban outfitters
✿ boots: top shoes
✿ matryoshka earrings: gift

Evy sent this amazing package my way! SO MUCH WIN, let me count the ways:

(1) Cute square box packed with a mean punch!

(2) Chocolates from Belgium!!

(3) Kinder Surprise (!!!), and a mystery egg that I need to submerge in water for 48 hours. *w*

(4) Having JJJan get the honour of assembling the Kinder Surprise toy with MANLINESS. XDD

(5) Super cute pink monkey iron-on, lollipop that made me look awesome while biking to work today, and those strings and wrapping paperrrr.

(6) Unrelated to Evy’s package, but the guys came over for a bit and we finished the rest of the Christmas gift of a Malbec that Jeff bought from Argentina. Shot by JJJan who had yet to be accustomed to my camera’s manual focus.

The guys– Kaej, WeiJ, and JJJan. ‘J’ overload here!

Anyway, Mystery egg time!!!

IS THIS SQUIRTLE?!?!? XDDDDDDDDDDDD

Aaaand, of course, I had to wear the (very awesome) tee the next day on my first day at work after coming back to L.A.

✿ Reason #7 Epic Zombie tee: gift (threadless.com)
✿ camouflage shorts: fox
✿ tights: urban outfitters
✿ shoes: h&m

I’m counting the reasons why I should not regret getting on the flight back to L.A., and this was one of them. TwT

✿ duck and cover! dinosaur tee: teefury.com
✿ cardigan, tights, skirt, jacket: forever21
✿ boots: top shoes

✿ watchmen rorschach tee: teefury.com
✿ cardigan, tights, shorts, jacket: forever21
✿ flats: small shoe shop in argentina
✿ panda hooded scarf: gift (river island)

Someone in the office has really nice handwriting. Jealous!!! *w*

✿ the walking dead tee: teefury.com
✿ floral hair clip, shorts, knit beanie, jacket: forever21
✿ tights: urban outfitters
✿ scarf: online
✿ boots: top shoes

✿ accio brains tee: teefury.com
✿ tights, shorts: forever21
✿ flats: small shoe shop in argentina
✿ pullover: old navy
✿ narwhal necklace: etsy

Overkill!

That’s good news #1.

Good news #2– I’ve also, finally, after so long, gone and read the Twelve Kingdoms novels on my shelf. I’ve now started re-watching the anime. Both the novels and anime are, in their own way, so good. SO GOOD. This is easily one of my favourite stories.  <3

News #3– Something I sang one Friday night in LA. Ahahah, hahah…

Watch this video on YouTube.

Cheerios~

It also means you, Ai and Ru, for tomorrow’s dinner, after I had to cancel tomorrow’s date.

Today, I realised just how removed I seem to be from displays of affection, or societal obligations, or people, or myself. Or perhaps it’s because Pa and I have a long and well-known history of fiery head-butting– I seem to take after him in more ways than I should.

So anyway, I have to thank you guys for making me a better person.

For now, life happens, and life goes on; while I try to take the future one day at a time.

I’m glad to be in Singapore.

All three of my housemates gave something for Christmas. I felt like a selfish prick just eating all those cookies and fudges and using the brand new dish rack… ^^;

Taking care of Max (short for Maximus Decimus Meridius) for the holidays, because everyone in the office has gone away. Spent the first week worried because he wasn’t eating, but everything’s back to normal now!

Christmas eve was spent catching up with Bernie and weaving through crowds in the Fashion District (very much like a Spanish version of Ameyoko in Tokyo). And then meeting Santa Claus on the bus to delicious food (bacon! grilled pineapple!) served by Kaej at the guys’ place. I went there for the Bacardi though. Jan had to give me two panadol pills for the massive headache I got as a result. Lightweight. OTL

So that was it for Christmas. I promise not to imbibe as much alcohol in 2012 than I have so far in 2011. Happy new year!

:)

✿ rust floor cardigan, mint dress, jacket: forever21
✿ shorts, knee-high socks: forever21
✿ slate boyfriend cardigan: target
✿ scarf, tights: online
✿ shoes: levi’s (via ross)

✿ long sleeved top: uniqlo
✿ rust floor cardigan, knee-high socks: forever21
✿ skirt: zara (buenos aires)
✿ shoes: levi’s (via ross)

And, a couple of months back when one of the places I report to here in the US had a small get-together; we had to play a game of divulging one professional goal, one personal, and one silly fact. The cards would then be shuffled and passed around to be read aloud, and the reader would have to guess who wrote the card.

These were mine, with a storyboard I was working on in the background. Obviously, I’m not very proficient in pouring out my heart and soul; or at least in a serious manner. ^^;

Watch this video on YouTube.

And some nonsense I did a month back to make Shasha jealous:

Watch this video on YouTube.

Today, I forgot about my cup of hot chocolate while working. When I finally remembered about it and took a sip, it was the sensory equivalent of iced milo back in Singapore. OTL

A month more before I embrace the sun on the earth’s equator!

Much thanks to Moony for the passes, and some delicious cake with friends of Shabe, whom I’ve never seen since.

Some photos of the event, and typical stuff that Asians take photos of (i.e. food):

Shamis and his food.

Boss and his food.

The Cosplayers

Deadpool is awesome as usual!

These cubed couple were super cute! I’ve never played the game before, but I think they were from Minecraft?

The cookie monster and I have similar appetites when it comes to baked dough. Me gusta. Blurry photo courtesy of Boss, btw. :P

Proof of the goodness in Stormtroopers, when this guy kindly paused in queueing up for a shuttle bus to let us take photos. Also, DAT POSE. *dies*

Exhibition Hall & Artist Alley

OMG AWESOME BALLOON TWISTING.

Tangled. =3

Boss got this poster and hung it over his bed. It made a pretty cool feature.

She was EPIC.

Boss and some of his favourite game character (TF2)

Ahahaha I love this Stewie (Family Guy) cosplayer!

Just a step away from being Stewie’s stalker.

These rubbish guys were my favourite…

Until two minutes later when I saw my ultimate favourite-est-tabulastic cosplayer. Of. All. Time. HEART THIS. SO MUCH. Porco Rosso. ♥♥♥

Shamis being cute and funny. XDD

Me and Z, with Boss photobomb-ing the shit out of this photo. ^^;

I think the next post will have to be my Comic Con 2011 adventure, since this is going down the geek!road. :D

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Mine is still going on. It is incredibly epic. :P

Nothing much to be said, just a lot of dressing up and pictorial evidence.

Also, photos without the watermark were taken by Kaej (mostly him) and Peter:

Monday, 31st

We went to West Hollywood for the Carnaval:

Saturday, 29th

I donned my brand new bubble gum-smelling wig (courtesy of the lovely Krista from Miss Violet Lace), went to Jen’s halloween party, got smashed from Jungle Juice (with eyeballs!), met some Asian friends, made a fool out of myself, and got the worst hangover on Sunday. Good times that I never want to repeat again in the near future, if only in consideration for my liver. ^^;

Friday, 28th

Took some UCLA pictures with Kaej and Peter, and then to Little Tokyo for a party.

 I had the dubious honour of seeing the o-faces of my three companions at The Counter…

Putting our crotches in harm’s way while posing precariously over some cool bike stands in city hall, with OccupyLA behind us. So many awesome elements in this picture I don’t even. :DD

I seem to have had this habit of late of having conversations with strangers on the bus. XDD

And some fab decorations:

They should declare Halloween a public holiday. :DDD

A pity that I went to Spontaneous Fantasia (upon Mumble’s recommendation) alone, because it was so amazing. It would have been even more awesome if I had someone to share the experience with. If only Jesca were still here. I miss her muchly.

I took a photo of this really cool guy who walked past me in the corridor, and later realised that it was JWalt himself. Whoa.

We got lighted bracelets thrown at us! It was super fun because for the last sequence, JWalt said, “I want you to put your arms up in the air, and wave them like you don’t care.” XDD

✿ blue sleeveless top: forever 21
✿ camel distressed jeans: forever 21
✿ yellow wild child feather earring: forever 21
✿ shoes: levis (via ross)