Heart the Heartlands

In Singapore, “Heartlanders” (as opposed to “Cosmopolitans”) was a term popularised in 1999 by then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, to characterise the majority of the Singapore population that is generally poorer, less educated, either working class or lower-middle class, speaks a distinct variety of English (Singlish), lives in HDB housing estates, and has a local (rather than global) perspective on political, economic and cultural issues.

Rubbish stereotype. I’m a Heartlander and I’m proud to be a Heartlander. I absolutely love wearing pajamas, dishevelled hair and flip flips to the Heartland Malls or even Holland Village. That is confidence bitches.

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/stomp/sgseen/this_urban_jungle/585738/girl_from_holland_village_calls_heartlanders_uncultured.html

Referring to an old news, where self-proclaimed “High Class” lady who lives in Holland Village call Heartlanders uncultured, among other things.  

Class if not what you wear but how you carry yourself. And you, my dear, is simply Crass.

These are Special Times

Christmas with the Family.

These are the special times
Times we’ll remember
These are the precious times
The tender times we’ll hold in our hearts forever
These are the sweetest times
These times together
And through it all, one thing will always be true
The special times are the times I share with you

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 Vans x Hermes team up, but they are not for sale. {link}

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My room used to be really tiny because my parent moved into one of those newly developed private apartments. I loved it, it was very cozy, a private nook a door away from the family chatter. If I still have that room, this layout would be perfect. The very definition of a BEDroom. 

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Fiery Redhead Feathermay. I’m going to hunt for Rainbow Dash next! (Taken with instagram)

Merry Christmas!

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! (Taken with instagram)

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Xmas Gift // Phone cover that’s more expensive than the phone. I ought to find a phone cover cover. (Taken with instagram)

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Taken with instagram

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Tis the season to be sparkly. (Taken with instagram)

Christmas Gifting Tips

Ok just one suggestion. I don’t really subscribe to gifting tips because you should know more about the person you’re buying a present for. What can a writer from an Ad/Sponsor-Driven publication possibly know that you don’t. 

BUT I guarantee that any book lover will love the Kindle, even those who fervently swears by the good old musky paperbacks because “they just feel and smell right”. They just don’t know what they don’t know. Throw in a Help Save The Planet note if you’re not confident, just to prick on their conscience, home-run. 

So which Kindle should you choose. Either the new Kindle or Kindle Touch. Kindle Keyboard (known as Kindle 3 before) is good, solid and fast but because there is no price adjustment (still US$139), you might as well get something smaller and newer. 

Some comparisons of Kindle ($79) and Kindle Touch ($99) that is not apparent from the website. 

Kindle is better because…

• Kindle is significantly lighter and smaller than Kindle Touch (Kindle Touch is smaller than Kindle Keyboard but weighs about the same). This is important to me. It should slip easily into the daintiest of bags. 
• Kindle refreshes quicker than Kindle Touch.  

Kindle Touch is better because…

• It is touch-based, so all you spoilt touchscreen mobile users can finally shut up about how buttons are so last century. 
• Battery lasts twice as long as Kindle (2 months!). This is according to the website, I haven’t used it enough to give a personal assessment. Compared to crappy battery life of mobile phones and tablets, Kindles last forever, you’ll be amazed with either.

OK, now an ACTUAL tip. You can load your Kindle present with free books since these will not be tagged to an account or device (as opposed to paid books). So your book lover can start using right away (you want to be gentle with the non-technologically inclined and slowly ease them into a new gadget). 

*PS: You may want to skip this if you’re giving to Geeks because they’d restore it to factory settings anyway, out of curiosity.

Many popular classics are free (I’m still trying to wrap my head around this travesty and good luck). Pride and Prejudice (MY ALL-TIME FAVE HELLO DARCY!), Sherlock Holmes, Alice in Wonderland, A Christmas Carol, Dracula, Grimm’s Fairy Tales etc. are all free! Get them here.

*PS: Amazon didn’t make them free, something is right about book royalties. 

Can you do better? Yes. Wrap it all up with a big red bow - Throw in a subscription to Amazon Prime.

I don’t know what type of deal they’ve made with the Publishers, but it sounds like Amazon robbed them. Aren’t we happy about that!

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From the Amazon Elves to the Speedpost Santa to the Kindle Fairy. Let the bewitching begin!

2011 Overview

There are amazing years and there are blah years. 2011 was certainly one of the better years, like 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009…I’m actually reviewing my life by the years. There’ll come a time when I’ll start reviewing my life by the decades. Dare I blink? 

Found an interesting article on time. This particular point is rather depressing.

Reversing the arrow of time for living organisms is a technological challenge, not a physical impossibility. And we’re making progress on a few fronts: stem cells, yeast, and even (with caveats) mice and human muscle tissue. As one biologist told me: “You and I won’t live forever. But as for our grandkids, I’m not placing any bets.”

I’ve always wondered about the future. A century ago, people may not be able to fathom the technological advances we’ve made and took for granted. The Moon landing, color television, commercial jet, nuclear power, mobile phone, credit card, the pill, microchip and my favourite…the World Wide Web. 

Can you imagine what the world will be like in 2112? I sometimes wish I was born a little later. Yet I’m glad to have seen the floppy, the cassette, the walkman, silly snake game in my first cellphone, the pager, the 1-177155-4, old SBC dramas, when boy bands and cheesy love songs were cool, when Britney Spears was hot and Michael Jackson was music Royalty. 

And can I emphasis anymore how privileged I am to live in the same time-space continuum as Bill Awesome Gates. 

Okayyy my thoughts floated on to larger topics and I no longer feel like writing about my silly experiences in 2011. Update again when I’m feeling a little more egotistical.  

Japan 25 Nov to 6 Dec

I’ve been infected by Japanese Ladies’ obsession with All Things Adorable. Take a look at what’s in my bag during the trip. Not proud…not proud at all.