Changed da house,
Changed da look.
BTW, my bathrobe's usually pink
and we don't have a fireplace.
Other than that,
it's pretty accurate...
Psst...click the words above to navigate.
Best viewed, unfortunately, in Internet Explorer.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
~ Thou Painted Maypole ~
Me with Pinky Make Up, trying out for the wedding.
~
Sadly, Tony looks pinker than me.
The photographer had suggested that we look for a make up artist to do my make up for the day itself, so as to take the shine out of my face.
This afternoon, we got a make up artist to turn up at Tony's place and paintball me. These shots were taken indoor with the blinds down, so really the make up was a lot thicker and more pronounced than what appears here.
I am never satisfied with the way I look in photos. I pick out the faults immediately, and then get rather fixated at the size of my nose/my crooked teeth/my messy hair/my slitty eyes.
(Tony, of course, looks great to me even though he's sleepy, has a runny nose, and hasn't shaved.)
We both realise that weddings should have photos nonetheless, so as equally camera-shy people, both of us have posed accordingly for prosterity. You'd better appreciate this, maaan!
Thursday, October 28, 2004
~ Bad Honeymoon Idea ~
(Careful... spoilers ahead.)
I just read Kelvin's blog, which had a blurb on the movie Open Water.
I had seen the trailer and intended to give it a definite miss. It really seemed rather Jaws like, and therefore stupid and pointless. I am not a fan of shark movies. This is a shark movie.
Still, once I heard it was based on a true story, I decided to google it and came across this review, which gave a pretty quick synopsis on the movie and the actual background of its plot.
I hate it. (Not the review, the movie. The review was well-written - no grammar mistakes.) What a horrible, pointless way to die. I don't care what people have to say about the beauty of scuba diving and what-not... I am not confident in water, never have been, and neither Tony nor I are going to take a dip in any ocean during our honeymoon.
Irrational fear? You betcha. Oodles of it. Stupid sharks. I hate sharks. Stupid Queensland Diving company. *shudder*
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
~ Numb Fun ~
Tony opens the door to find a de-nerved fiancee standing there, left side of mouth still full of anaesthetic.
"I'm surprised you can still talk. Isn't your mouth supposed to slop to the side or something?"
"No... I still have control over the rest of my face, you know... although half my mouth has lost all feeling."
"Really?" *peck* "Did you feel that?"
"No."
"How 'bout dis?"
"That's, seriously, half and half. It's weird!"
"Hee hee."
~ Numb and Nesting ~
After the agony of yesterday, I arrived at Tony's doorstep at a quarter to six with numb lips, visibly thankful and rather sheepish for being such a liability even before I walk down the aisle.
We spent the next half of the evening after dinner and painkillers, looking at rentals and houses for purchase on the net. There's something rather defining and REAL about looking for a house to live in together; I probably had a few Omigoodness-it's-all-so-REAL epiphanies throughout the search, just lying below the surface. We're talking real estate, people! He's going to be my housemate FOR LIFE. That's got to be one of the most awe-inspiring realities to hit me about this whole business.
Both of us have grown quite fond of the Central North area, so most of the searching was concentrated on a bunch of suburbs reasonably close to the bus interchange and the mall. However, common sense will tell you that such areas would be rather dear because of its convenient location. Towards the end of the search, we started contemplating on the Palmerston and Gungahlin area which is much further up north. That would be, like, the equivalent of Yishun and beyond in Singapore. However, unlike Yishun, this area is relatively young, not as convenient, and therefore more affordable for the kind of space that they offer. Plus, because the houses there are much newer, they have GAS HEATING which is frightfully important to Tony and I, since Canberra gets cold and economic heating facilities would be a priority with me. Besides, who wants to cook with an electric stove?!
Sorry this blog is so frightfully dull and unfrivolous, but I fear I might slide into a zone of utter domesticated blissage for a while. House hunting is, bizarrely, terribly romantic.
Tony found a house in Gordon (a suburb in Canberra so far down south, it's literally almost where the streetlights run out) that has a rather interesting street name. Hope this link works...
Saturday, October 23, 2004
~ Health and Safety Rules ~
I am now the proud owner of a chest X-ray that I've been told to take home and frame on my wall or something, because all Health Services Australia really wants is a letter from the X-ray people saying I've got a fine chest. *ahem*
I've also found out that I've grown half a centimetre shorter (167.5cm now), lost 2 kilograms ("Where?! From your earlobes?!" - Graham Fry) and now have a magnificent bruise thanks to good ol' blood-letting for HIV. All for Immigration.
Meanwhile, the latest update is that Tony now owns a mobile phone. Now, you have to understand that this is nothing short of a miracle in some ways. It's akin to Luke from the Gilmore Girls turning in the "No Mobile Phone" sign in his cafe as he most grudgingly gets connected. Tony's resisted it for a long time, reckoning it's a waste of money really (he exempts me from that judgement, because he figures I need the phone to stay in touch with my mother via SMS).
However, now that he's standing at the threshold of Married Life, he's starting to realise that with his travelling to Sydney and Melbourne for business now and then, a mobile phone would be an excellent way to stay in touch - especially in the event of a crisis. He's getting a prepaid card, because the mobile's gonna be more of a safeguard than anything else.
I spent the last half hour teaching him how to use it, and the next fifteen minutes trying to compose Bittersweet Symphony by ear. (His special request, for when I call. Heh.) He seems almost amused that it's come down to this.
Such is love.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
~ Wanted: Bridal March Song ~
Tony and I met with his colleague last night at Tony's place, essentially to listen to his repertoire of violin solos and pick a wedding march.
I need help. Please suggest something.
I have to say it wasn't as easy as we thought it'd be.
The main problem is that we've got 1 solo violinist and a possible accompaniment, except he doesn't know it yet. (Chris Fry is a genius with the guitar and keyboard, plus he's rather spiffy with technology and music.) While Patrick plays the violin beautifully (that man can play ANYTHING on the violin), it's not quite possible to be a string quartet all by himself. He certainly gave a fair attempt to be a duet for a good while, though.
I am quite ngngngngng about the traditially processional march and recessional march played at every wedding. One's Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream theme (the recessional) and the other is the ol' "Here Comes the Bride" by Wagner. And yes, I have heard of Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D, but that requires a string quartet for sure, and besides... Patrick says it's been played by a cellist 1,008 times. (In other words, lots of weddings do it.)
Research on the internet have thrown up suggestions like Pomp and Circumstance, but that's too Zadok the Priest-like for me and besides, I can never escape the classic imagery of Hulk Hogan walking to the ring, holding up the championship belt. WWF really spoilt that song for me.
Tony and I are of the mindset that it should be something semi-solemn and devoid of cheesiness (no teeny-bopper pop songs), but we just don't know what, exactly.
Meanwhile, the only opening notes that really strike my fancy on the violin are the following:
Monday, October 18, 2004
~ Two Months To Go ~
Yes, it has just dawned on me that I'll be married in two (02) months.
While all the Singaporeans are shrieking, "Are you out of your mind? Why are you having such a short engagement anyways? What are you, nuts?!! How do you expect to plan a wedding in 4/3/2 months? ARE YOU PREGNANT?", the Australians are just kinda shrugging their shoulders and muttering, "Eh... we've seen shorter."
I was gonna post a little cute countdown timer to the wedding... it's essentially a ladybug crawling up a sunflower to meet the other ladybug at the head. AAAAWWWWW!!!! Tony's a Man Ladybug. AAAWWWWW!!!! Hee hee.
However, I'm not sure how to stop the timer from messing up my blog layout, so the ladybugs will have to go. And anyway, with only 2 months to go, there really isn't much for 'em bugs to do.
Sunday, October 17, 2004
~ Etiquette Schmetiquette ~
There are a few reasons I try not to read bridal magazines and go to Wedding Fairs. Apart from feeding the Bridal Monster Within with information regarding the latest fashion in wedding favours, the must-have flowers for a Summer Wedding, and the optimal number of pantone-coordinated bridesmaids one should have in a bridal party, there's also a frightening array of Wedding Dos and Absolute Don'ts. And I feel like a complete idiot when some of our decisions come under Wedding Fall-Flat-On-Your-Face Faux Pas of the Decade, nay, CENTURY. (Yes, one actually said "hundred-year-old etiquette".) It's hard enough doing a fusion wedding of sorts. I'm wearing a Big White Dress, but I'm having a tea ceremony in the afternoon. Tony refused to see me in any of the gowns I tried on here "because it's bad luck before the wedding day or something", but we're having our formal photos taken in the afternoon prior to the wedding ceremony. The mother of the bride is wearing a kebaya, while the father of the groom is wearing a suit. We're having a spit roast reception, but we're also gonna try and conduct the toast in the typical Chinese, lusty, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM SENG!" motif. I've occasionally looked up wedding etiquette websites to check if I've unintentionally offended my western counterparts in my inexperience with their wedding culture. Every time I read an article, I come away feeling worse. Last week's revelation came in the definition of RSVP, which stands for Respondez S'il Vous Plait, or Please Reply. I thus felt like a bit of a dotard for having printed "Please RSVP" in all my out-of-town invites. Please Please Reply. Niiiiice... Today's valuable insight was how absolutely crass Tony and I have been, because we've printed details of our gift registry INSIDE the wedding invitation itself. What I should have known and done, as any self-respecting, well brought up bride-to-be would, was either to pass the information along by word of mouth, or put such details on a separate piece of paper (preferably vellum, or something equally expensive and chi chi) and insert that into the wedding invite, along with instructions on where to park (oops), a map of the ceremonial grounds (oops) and accommodation, if any (oops, oooooooooops, ooooops). And here I was this morning, congratulating myself for wisely declining an offer to put up information regarding a Wedding Money Tree in the weekly church newsletter. Yes, that was actually suggested by someone, in all earnestness. Thank goodness I'm the editor for the month and so can regulate that sort of thing.
Friday, October 15, 2004
~ I am the Pig. ~
You know that classic that compares "involvement" with "commitment" as being like "bacon and eggs"?
Where the hen is involved, while the pig is committed?
(Two elephants fell over the cliff.) Boom-boom.
I think Tony's beginning to understand that with all my human foibles and my rather thick head at times, that whole thing about For Better, For Worse can be real hard to practise.
I did something really stupid. It's a longish story so I shan't complicate this blog with details, except to say that I stuffed up because I wasn't alert enough and because of my mistake, we're now both sitting on the edge of our seats and praying to God that it's reparable. Something to do with my insurance and my visa. Yeah. I SO stuffed up.
It's worrying both of us, but it's really my fault and the horrible thing is that my actions no longer impact just me... He is a pig, I am a pig... we're both committed. I know this is what marriage is about but ooohhhh I feel so baaaad...
And I know he probably wants to strangle me or something for being careless and obtuse, but instead I can see him just WILLING himself to gentle and not lay the guilt trip on me, which is really sweet and all, and I'm really thankful that he's so understanding, but waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!
~ Media Enculturation ~
I was browsing through an 11 year old's blog (filled with rather interesting headlines such as "My Maturity") when I came across one of his links to a cheat code site. For the uninitiated, these websites give hints on how to bypass monsters, get more money, skip levels etc in computer games. (Don't worry... it's totally legit... most computer games actually imbed cheats in them for fans to 'discover'.)
It's been a while since I've had a look at one of these sites, and the first thing that greeted me was this rather crazed idea of "cheating a marriage" to get more points/money:
Fable, Xbox:
Marriage for Cash, Divorce for Darkness
Okay, getting married isn't hard at all. It'll cost a wedding ring, though but you'll gain it back.
Wear your most attractive clothes in town, and try to find someone with a heart over their head. Flirt, Sexy Hero Pose, and Manly Arm Pump are the only three things you need to do to make her love you. Once her heart is huge, it will fade in and out. Give her a wedding ring and it turns golden. Buy a house and lead her there. She'll ask to get married. Say yes and a cut scene appears and you'll find that you have a dowry of several thousand. Once married, hit her. You'll be divorced almost immediately and gain 600 Dark points.
You can have unlimited wives.
Doesn't it warm the cockles of your heart to know that young'uns out there get such huge reality checks on the ins and outs of marriages built on lies?
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
~ Counselling Session Number ? ~
We resumed counselling yesterday, after a long, loooong hiatus. I quite enjoyed it, actually. It covered the whole idea of 'submission' and men being the head of the household, how that flies in the face of secular thought with regards to subjection = being a doormat, and being head of the household = I holler jump, you ask how high. It was quite an exercise of unlearning stuff, even though I've read Ephesians 5:22 and onwards almost to death. I know submission in the bible isn't about having zero opinion on the running of the household, or even about who holds the purse strings and brings in the dough... but it's funny how the word, now so full of connotations in the world, still manages to make me suck in my breath at times when I think I will need to willingly subject myself to my husband.
Although as Stephen was wise to point out, the most submissive women in marriages that he knows of are also some of the most vibrant and energetic women in the church and in the home.
Funny isn't it, how the world manages to make The Marriage Model look like a huge conspiracy to undermine women and elevate men.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
~ Bachelor Girl ~
It's been a while since I've been involved in any shape or form with Bachelorette Parties.
So it was rather enlightening to read bites of others:
- Over dinner at a bachelorette party -
Woman 1: Well you know, before you're twenty-five you only have a 25 percent chance of conceiving every time you have sex. Then that drops to 15 percent after twenty-five.
Woman 2: Only a 10 percent drop? I'd think it would be more.
Woman 1: Well, there are only a few days a month when you can get pregnant at all, so we have our little calendar and we figure out the days.
Woman 3: You know, you can just get a Basal thermometer, and it measures when you'll be most fertile.
Woman 4: Best bachelorette party conversation ever.
~ Cheese ~
This little photographer said he charges above-average in the market.
This little photographer came to my home.
This little photographer gave us a multimedia presentation replete with boy band hits.
This little photographer gave none (and charged the roof).
The rest of the photographers cried "I can't do your wedding photos because someone's already made a deposit for the day!"
In case anyone's wondering, we've gone with the first photographer because he turned out to be the cheapest.
For the curious: 2 months and 11 days to go.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
~ True to form ~
Total time taken by bride when shopping for gown to rent:
Approimately 2.5 afternoons.
- 1 long afternoon in Canberra boutiques;
- 1 looooong afternoon in Singapore boutiques;
- 2 hours in short-listed bridal boutique in Singapore.
Total time taken by groom when shopping for suit to rent:
45 minutes.
Friday, October 01, 2004
~ The Luuuurve Test, bay-beh ~
Found this absolutely sappy 'Love Test' from someone else's website and decided to put our names in for kicks.
Here's the verdict:
HOWEVER, I also tried the names 'Chevelle' and 'Anthony', and then it said:
So which is it? Was it a case of Luck, or was it destiny? Huh? Huh?
I've also tried a host of other random pet names for kicks such as
(And no, these aren't names that Tony and I use... please... hair standing at the thought...)
As you can very well guess by now, this Love Test is incapable of giving a mean answer like
You two are really weird as a couple
Your meeting was by a sheer stroke of something other than genius
He is your mail man
You (because let's admit it, only females would do this kinda thing)
are his pink hippopotamus
Your love will be a spectacle that people talk about over a game of Mahjong
