Things I would buy only if I had excess cash, i.e. cash from stock earnings. These would not come from my salary.

1) Cartier Steel Pasha Seatimer Black Dial. Too many people I know own Tag Hauers. Elegant and timeless, yet not cookie-cutter steel. I imagine owning this one for life. Maybe a good 30th Birthday present to myself, no? *grin*

2) Rings from Brilliant Earth. Sustainable, conflict-free diamonds and recycled gold/platinum.


Absolutely magnificient settings. Below are some of my faves:

Platinum or white gold Antique Scroll setting

Luxe Pavé Diamond Wedding ring

Antique Poplar ring

December Blues

AK has left for KL and left me all alone. Hmph.

Still one and a half weeks to go before Penang beckons.

My neck aches, my head/jaw hurts and my throat is sore. Probably from the lousy Le Meridian bed, dry air conditioned air and general depression after the house was filled with people when Mum and Dad were here, and now it's just Boo and I.

I still have a ton of things to do - book our accomodation in India, download the Garmin maps, tidy up my financial documents, backup data, etc, etc. Not to mention the house is in a right mess.

Grumpy, I am.

Weekend, I need thee.

By the way, the shot above was taken of the road leading to the Nexus Karambunai resort in Sabah. Spooky green lighting+trying to shoot from a moving car.

Borneo Inspirations

Hand-woven rattan chairs, ultra-expensive. From Miri.

Carved wood panels on the ceiling of the Nexus Karambunai Resort and Spa, Kota Kinabalu.

Carved wood panels line the lounge of the Nexus.

Fountain at the 6-star, gilded Empire Hotel in Gadong, Brunei Darussalam.

Gorgeour faux ivory lamp sold at the Empire gift shop. Fell in love with this one.

Advent

And another year is gone.

This year, we fought less, laughed more.

This year, AK received his Masters in Singapore.

This year, we splurged in Thailand.

This year, we went on holiday with both sets of parents.

This year, Mum and Dad visited me in Miri for the first time in five years, and we had a blast.


This year, we changed our mentality and got out of the "career is everything" school of thought.

We both put our names down for some big-time purchases.

We resolved to learn more from each other.

This year, I volunteered to serve church (aka dragged by a good friend) for the first time, and loved it.

This year, we made the decision to move forward.

Hope you had a good one too.

Looking forward to

.........next weekend in Singapore. Universal Studios, Orchard Road, here we come!!

..........2 whole weeks in KL, with mum and dad visiting. Celebrating Pa's birthday. Taking youngest brother out for a nice dinner. Yay!!

Better start tightening the belt (and fattening the wallet) soon. :)

Pit Stop

I just don't get Bieber Fever. Sign of ageing, perhaps? Maturing *snort* I'll take it. Love Taylor Swift though. Oh, and totally Anti-Miley.

My current obsession: football. Cesc Fabregas is genius.

Current sitcom that BOTH AK and I love - How I Met Your Mother. Current reality show I'm into - not Amazing Race, not Wipeout, NOT Jerseyshore or the Kardashians - Top Chef. And Criminal Minds has the most beautiful music.

Current read: Ghosts of Spain - Travels Through Its Silent Past by Giles Bennet. I don't have a very good record of reading non-fiction, factual books. I slogged through the last one (Bury Me Standing). But this one has me flipping and flipping in bed till my eyes water. The more I read about Spain (on Wikipedia mostly), the more I am fascinated by this "Nation of Nations", where different regions still cannot stand each other (Catalans and Basques call themselves Anti-Madrilistas), where football is the new "war" of the autonomies, but thanksfully this does not apply to team compositions, where Castillians and Asturians are as celebrated as the Catalans in Barcelona FC, the pride of Catalonia and a Basque plays for Real Madrid. Of course, this is how it should be but it fascinates me (football in general) how the sport crosses old borders and brings sworn enemies together. Spain is the only Western European country that not only retained is traditional folk dance/music - flamenco, and not only is it retained, it has flourished in both traditional and morphed versions.

Current trend I am sporting - Indian-style tunic tops, cosy cardigans (with ruffles - in black, open cardigans - in heather gray). Large rings I wear on my index finger.

Cookware Cravings

Saving up to be able to buy this double sided grill pan: