W/O MAN

So last week was a rather rough week for me. I was super stressed, neck-high in notes, mind-maps and coloured pens preparing for my exams, and basically I was just a bundle of nerves and an emotional wreck.

Because of it, I ended up fighting with my boyfriend because he had a new female colleague and upon finding out that her older brother was his friend, they went out to dinner together. And I threw a big fuss about it, because I was irritated, annoyed and insecure. 

Now in my defense, I'm not usually like that. Even if I don't like it, I understand he has a life outside of me, and I should respect it if I want him to respect mine.

I don't know what happened after that, but when I had calmed down and got my feelings sorted out, I had an epiphany. I can be perfectly happy without a man.

Don't get me wrong! I love my boyfriend very very much, and we very much still together.

But what I asked myself when I was as chilled as frozen peas in the fridge, was "Why was I so insecure anyway?" and of course many things came up like, "He's my boyfriend, of course." "I don't want him falling for another person."

Upon asking myself all of this, I came to the conclusion that if he loves me, he would never cheat on me. And if he does, then it only goes to show that he's not worth it. At this point of time, many people are probably thinking "Yeah, she says that now, but wait until she get's dumped, I bet she'll be crying like a baby."

And yes, maybe I will. But I realised that I will be okay. I'll be sad, yes. I'll cry, yes. But I will be perfectly fine, and I am completely capable of being perfectly happy without a lover. I never really understood when people said they never wanted to get married, or that they wouldn't mind being single their whole life, but now I do.

I mean, why should I let my entire happiness depend on a man who is just as human as any other person out there. He isn't God, he isn't some flawless being. He is 100% capable of making mistakes, breaking promises, and screwing lives as any other man or woman out there. 

To have a boyfriend, or a husband, yes that contributes to happiness. But it isn't happiness. It's only a part of it. And without that part, I can still exist, live and be contented with life.

I don't know if this is part of growing up, or if it's just some random thought, but somehow I find trusting my boyfriend a lot less difficult now, and when I look towards the future I feel at peace knowing that I'm going to turn out just fine and dandy in the end.

I've found that w/o man, I am still a good strong woman, perfectly capable of being happy.

Samantha.

Henna Tattoos!

Hello from the classrooms of Nanyang Polytechnic! Everyone's going up for their presentations now, and I'm pretty bored, so let's blog! (;

There's lots of things going on in the atrium in school today. Lot's of shops selling food, clothes, accessories, adorable trinkets, and.. HENNA TATTOOING. *claps claps* I think this is why I like Poly so much better than Secondary School - there's always something interesting happening.

So this is the before shot, when she had first finished drawing the henna. 

To be completely honest, I have never gotten a henna tattoo before in all 18 years of my life, so it was quite an interesting to see how she drew it. I love the intricate details, it's just so beautiful. If I had more money, I would probably have done the $10 henna tattoo - mine costed $5 - because it would have been bigger. And BIGGER IS BETTER. Ha ha.

I was also surprised that the henna ink smelled like spices. In fact it smelled like Chai Tea! Which is my favourite drink at Starbucks! The Chai Tea Latte! (Yummy, smells like Christmas in a cup).

My friends told me that the best thing to do is to wait until the ink get's all dry and peels off by itself. But if you know me (like really know me), you would know I have no patience and I always want to see the results immediately. So... after half an hour I scraped it off myself. ><

This is the end result!!

I was a bit disappointed that the ink colour was so light. It looks dark here, but it's actually bright orange. Is it supposed to be like that? I'm not sure. But regardless of what, it really is pretty. (;

Yay! Alright I should really be getting back to class now. Thanks for reading!

Samantha.

Tell me it'll end soon.

When can I be happy?

The Core Challenge and other ramblings

Hello, beautiful people! Yes, I know it's been a long time, and it's probably because I'm a fat lazy pig who just doesn't feel like blogging. BUT I'M BACK. And today I'll be talking about something that I've been working on.

For those who know me, I am a big insecure mess about my body. I don't really care whether or not people think I'm skinny, because to me, I. am. just. not. And the worse part? I'm always sooo hungry. I keep eating, I'm like the snack monster and oh how I hate it.

It was so much better in Secondary School when I was much of a loner and nobody would tempt me to eat rubbish. I could diet as much as I wanted and stick to it because I could. But now, even though I'm blessed with wonderful friends, I end up eating more because they love to eat. It doesn't help that there's a McDonald's in my school either. *sobs* Now don't misunderstand, I love my friends, but I wish they could understand and motivate me so I don't always feel like a jiggly fat blob.

Oh yes, what I'm working on :

Ta-dahhh. A church mate of mine introduced me to this 100 day challenge. I've been doing it for two weeks, and I guess I do feel a bit more fit than usual even though I don't really see any difference in my body. I really pray it works though cos 'm just desperate to slim down.

My biggest problem with this workout would be the side plank. I just can't. I feel like I'm crushing my arm all the time and it hurts sooo bad. So what I do is that I use the cheat method and just balance on my knees instead of on my toes like the woman in the picture. The entire workout takes about 15 minutes or less if you do everything consecutively. But sometimes I get so tired I just stop halfway and take a few minutes break.

So yes, that's what I've been doing.

And another thing that's been affecting me is the parents-and-boyfriend issue. They just don't accept him. Even though I'm supposed to come back and talk to them about it, I'm just so scared of rejection that I can't bring myself to. I know they care about me but I wish they would respect my decision.

I'm not a bad daughter. I do my best to make the proud. I try hard. I've always listened to them, always stuck to my moral values, even though it cost me many friends who were valuable to me because I couldn't do the things they did. Why can't they just support me on this decision. Sigh..

Whatever tricks God is playing, it's making me feel shitty on the inside and on the outside. Every day it haunts me. When will this be over. WHEN.


Good luck to me.

Samantha.

Garnier Pure 3-in-1 Face Wash Review

Hi guys! Sorry for being unactive for such a long period of time. After school started I just couldn't motivate myself to pick up my laptop and blog.

Today, I'm going to be reviewing this face wash that I bought a week ago.
The Garnier Pure 3-in-1 face wash!

Just to let you know, my face is usually very oily. And when I mean very, I mean VERY. My dad sometimes even makes fun of me by saying my face is like an oil-producing factory. ):
Because of my oily face, I didn't let anybody touch my face, I didn't even let my boyfriend touch my face. If I even just brushed my finger across my cheek, it would leave an obvious shiny patch on my finger.

I tried many different brands of face wash that promised oil-control, but nothing worked. My face got really oily in just about an hour. The fact that Singapore's usually hot and humid doesn't help either.

When I came across the Garnier Pure 3-in-1 face wash poster at the bus stop one morning, I decided to give it a go, I figured "What the hey, my face couldn't possibly get worse than it already is anyway."

So the next time my mom went to Watsons, I got her to buy it for me.

Even though it says 3-in-1 I actually don't really see the difference between the wash and the scrub. It's more like 2-in-1. The face wash consists of Purifying Zinc, Pumice Stone and White Clay- all ingredients I heard were really good for your face and oil-control. But I still was a bit skeptical after so many failed attempts with so many different brands.

This is what it looks like. It has tiny blue beads inside, and it smells like cucumber and mint. It left my face feeling refreshed and cool. The beads were harsh on my skin though, and that was something I didn't quite like.

But honestly, I'm AMAZED. For the whole day, my face stayed completely oil-free. Despite sweating and being out in the sun, when I cooled off and touched my face, there was no oil on it. It was like magic.

For this entire week, I didn't get any new pimples. My old ones are slowly fading away. And I feel confident about my skin all the time. I highly recommend this product to anyone with oily skin.

I rate this 9/10. I would have given it full marks if the beads weren't so harsh. But unless I find a better face wash than this (which I highly doubt), I'm hooked on this face wash for life!


Over and out,
The Busy Bee

Love

Love - to the world,
Is money, education, fame.
Adults see anything else as fake,
And maybe even a childish game.

Perhaps we the youth, are immature,
We don't know what we want.
But when we fall, we too, fall hard.
So how could we mistake?

Love isn't always living
In a comfortable home.
Perhaps love is facing poverty,
Yet feeling blessed and not alone.

Love isn't always understanding
Through the language that we speak.
But perhaps through the language
That only the heart could leak.

Love isn't always when you're ready,
But becoming ready for all trials.
It isn't always feelings,
But the partnership that abounds.

So maybe I'm still young
And I don't understand it all-
The need for material wealth
To bring marital bliss and all.

But love to me surpasses all,
Gives me strength to overlook
All flaws that the one I love should hold.
And I'm sure, succeed or fail, I'll grow.

New Shops in Ang Mo Kio Hub!

I went out with my boyfriend and my best friend today to watch G.I. Joe! We decided to meet at AMK Hub since it's the closest place to my house.

Of course I got there the earliest because of the distance, and so I decided to walk around. To my great joy, I found out that there were some new shops around! The one that caught my attention the most was Haku! At first I thought it was just a shop that sold random things, but as I was walking around, I realised why all the items on sale were all so random.

It's because Haku is a place where they actually RENT lockers for you to sell your things at. It's kind of like a live blogshop! Or a flea market!

So this is the outside of the shop! You can see all the lockers outside and inside. It kinda reminds me of the Japanese Capsule Hotels. I like how the design of the shop seems to be modern and eye-catching. A lot of people were drawn to it later in the afternoon.

Some phone covers that were in one of the lockers! Real pretty, I was tempted to buy one. But I already bought a new one the day before so I decided not to spend money unnecessarily.

 Other stuff on sale ;3

I remember buying one of these bobble head action figures for a friend on her birthday last year.

Another new shop that caught my eye was Top Wear. When I glanced inside, I noticed that all the things they sell are very in fashion and very pretty. They had things like bralets, shorts with heart prints and other designs, denim outerwear etc. The kind of things I really like.

This is the shop on the outside! Very chic and simple. Shopaholics should check it out.

And prices are within the range that you would find on blogshops and instashops.

 Last but not least, there's Ministry Of Style. Their clothes lean towards the more Korean-Princess kind of style. Very very sweet, but I don't think their style would match everybody. It may look great on some, but very aunty on others. I guess it depends on how you pull it off.

This is what it looks like. If you're the princess-y kind of girl, this is the place to go.

And this is me and my new stuff toy pig- Knuckles! I got him at Haku! They're selling one for $8, three for $20. So if you love the TY brand stuff toys, hurry and get them before they're all sold out!

Thanks for dropping by,

The Busy Bee.

Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen review

Hey blog readers! Sorry for not blogging for so long, it's just that I haven't found anything blogworthy. But today, I stumbled upon some pretty awesome food with my mom. Guess what it is?

*drumroll please*

It's the amazing TONKOTSU KAZAN RAMEN!

I was helping my mom file some paperwork at her office today at Novena, and she decided to bring me to this place that she went twice before with my dad. She knows that I LOVE ramen, so she thought that I might want to try this out.

It was already FULL by the time we got there (around 12pm), so we had to share a table with another two men.

So this is the menu <3

What makes this place stand out so much is how they cook their ramen. They kinda bring the bowl of noodles to you, filled with ingredients, and then they pour the broth in and cover it with this red conical thing with a hole on top. (As seen below)

The steam just rises up and out the top as the broth simmers inside, and viola, you have a little mini volcano sitting in front of you. Isn't that kinda cool? An interesting experience.

And this is the end result! Ta-dah! 

What I really like about this dish is that the noodles are really nice and chewy (not soggy or overcooked), and the broth is just really delicious. It's a bit salty, but not too much, and it's packed with flavour! They also give you a bowl of rice (which you dump into the soup), just in case you wanna try something a little different than ramen.

My mom says that the broth goes better with the rice, but I'm more of a noodle-lover so I guess it's preference. Really good though, I would say it's even better than Ajisen Ramen!

There were a couple of Japanese men eating there too, so it's proof that this is some good ramen. Definitely give this place a shot!

Rating: 8.5/10

Signing off, 

The Busy Bee

Ka Pom: Is her cancer fake or real?

For those that don't know what's going on, Ka Pom posted pictures on Facebook saying that she had cancer, but was exposed when one of her pictures turned out to be off Google. After people started bombing her, pictures suddenly appeared of her lying in Hospital with a shaved head. So now everyone's in dilemma because they don't know whether or not she's faking cancer.

Honestly, when I heard about this incident, the first thing that came into my mind was "Oookay, so what?". As in, seriously, if she DOES have cancer, then pray for her, feel bad for her, whatever. But if she's faking it then what's it got to do with you? I don't hate or like her because I don't even know her, but to all you haters who call her attention seeking, you're the one who's bringing her all the attention she wants. Basically you're just falling into her trap (if she is faking that is).

We don't have the right to judge. I mean do 90% of you judging her even know her?

Suddenly this entire thing is all over the social media and all over the newspapers. Is it worth it? There are SOOO many people suffering from cancer, what makes her stand out from the rest? Why does it matter to YOU whether or not she's faking it?

Whatever it is, if you don't know her, sit down, shut up and move on. Why are you even bothered about this? It's like getting mad at a stranger for stealing something that's not even yours.

Four Seasons Durian pancakes review

Durian pancakes. Yum.

I am a BIG fan of anything durian! Guess I'm just a typical Singaporean. So today I'll be talking about one of my favourite durian treats! Four Seasons Durian pancakes!

I'm not sure where the other outlets are, but the one I frequent the most would be the outlet at AMK Hub because its closest to my home and school. It's near NTUC!

For ALL durian lovers, this is a treat that you can't afford to miss. You can pack it away in a box and bring it home to share with family, but I totally recommend you to eat it on the spot.

Why?

Because when it's "hot off the grill" and you bite into it it's like heaven in your mouth! It's hot and crispy on the outside, and cold, smooth and creamy on the inside! The perfect combination!

When you pack it in a box it kinda just turns cold. And though still yummy, not as delicious as it should be.

One pancake is $1.80! Deserves a 10/10! What are you waiting for?!



Signing off,
The Busy Bee

Ah Boys to Men 2 Movie Review!

So on Monday, I went to watch Ah Boys To Men Part 2 with my dear friends at AMK Hub! And I really didn't regret going because it was so much better than Part 1!

Recap of Part 1: Ken Chow, the self-centred spoilt brat is soon to be enlisted into NS. He tries many ways to get out of it, (like going overseas and stuff) and when he fails, he still does his best to come up with excuses to get out of training when he gets into NS. His girlfriend leaves him and in a selfish attempt to get out and see her off at the airport, he puts his life at risk and his father gets into a car accident on the way to see him.

Now, Part 2 was a whole lot better than Part 1 because I felt it gave more insight into what NS was like and the activities that the boys had to participate in. It also showed Ken Chow's "evolution" from being a spoilt brat, to becoming a very responsible, true soldier and friend. It is also FULL of comedy, and it also peeks into the other characters lives like Wayang Aloysius Jin and Lobang King.

Overall the movie was very touching and brought tears to my eyes more than once. I just felt it was really amazing how Jack Neo was really able to portray how boys become men through NS. It also shows the unbreakable bonds that are formed through the dreaded BMT, and also what it means to be a soldier. I also felt that it touched me deeply because I realised what it felt like to sort of be at war, especially during the part where letters from the family of the NS boys were torn and thrown away in front of them after their grueling long hours in the jungle training for war. It was the same kind of hopelessness (except perhaps more mild) that a soldier (or any citizen) would feel during war.

In conclusion, WATCH THIS MOVIE. Especially if you're Singaporean! And definitely if you're a boy going to serve NS!

A 9/10!



Signing off,
The Busy Bee

Tampines Accident

I guess this is a little late, but this accident has been playing on my mind for quite a while.

On Monday, two boys aged 7 and 13 were killed when they were run over by a cement truck at Tampines. At around 7pm when I got home from school, I received a WhatsApp message from my classmate containing a picture of the accident. I'm not going to put it up because its disrespectful. But when I saw that picture I could literally feel my heart break.

Apparently, the older boy was picking up his brother from school and on the way home, while crossing the road, a cement truck turned the corner and hit them. The boys were said to have stumbled and fallen in the way of the wheels of the truck and it ran over them.

Car accidents. We've all heard of them. But this particular one seemed to pull at the heart strings of almost all Singaporeans. It felt like a blow to the gut. Like, wow.. It actually happened. It made me realize how much I've taken my life for granted.

I guess this is a wake up call for all Singaporeans. We always feel so protected and safe that we don't realize that the greatest danger we have is ourselves.

But the one who moved me the most was the boys' mother. When I saw the picture of her crying for her sons by the road side, I cried as well. Can you imagine that pain? She has had her oldest son for 13 years! And he was just gone. And her youngest son passed away as well. If I were her I would be angry.

Being a Christian, I would be angry with God. I would have been furious, I would have hated Him. I thought she did too.

But then today my mother showed me the testimony of the boys' mother. And I was moved to tears. Not only did she not blame God, but she thanked Him for the years that she had with her sons while they were alive and she praised God for the happy moments that they had together while they were still a family.

How amazing is that? I cannot even put into words what I'm feeling right now.

No disrespect to other religions! I believe that we all have a right to choose what we believe in. And I do not put any other religion down.

Im only saying this because I really respect this woman for her faith. I have been a Christian all my life while she has only been a Christian for a few years and yet the amount of faith she has in God is so great compared to the little amount that I have.

May God continue to keep her family strong.

And to all other Singaporeans, please be safe while driving or using the roads.



Signing off,
The Busy Bee

Bobo's Ready-To-Eat Sausages Review

I know it's been a long time since I last blogged, but here we go~

The thing I'm gonna talk about today would be Bobo's Ready-To-Eat Sausages! You see, my friend and I were feeling kinda peckish while in school (we're in poly, so we have shops there), and we only had a short while before class started, so we went off to Cheers to get a snack. And we stumbled upon these Ready-To-Eat sausages! We bought the black pepper flavoured ones because we were curious I guess. ^^

To open the sausage wrapper, you need to twist them in half (basically breaking them). *twist twist and pull*

Okay, so they tasted like luncheon meat and black pepper. Not too bad for a snack. It was kinda slimy when we opened it. For people who love luncheon meat and processed food, this is the snack for you! (Cos I love luncheon meat) but if compared to a normal sausage, it's not that great.

So overall, this product, for a luncheon meat lover, deserves a 8/10!

But for all those who don't like processed food, it's probably only a 6/10. (:

Ciao!

The Busy Bee!