Correct way of blowing your hair.

Dear ladies and vain men for the matter,

Got tis info from a TV variety the other day. I was really amazed at the effect after trying it myself!

According to the pro himself, it is not the kind of shampoo or treatment that are used in salon that gives your the shine in your hair. It is the way of blowing actually. So much for promoting all the expensive products.

The 4 Do NoTs:
1. Do not wipe your hair in a rough manner after shampoo.
2. Do not blow dry your hair using heat throughout
3. Do not comb right after wash with a brush
4. Do not start blowing from the ends

The DoS:
1. Instead of drying it in a rough up-down motion, wipe in in parts. Take some hair each at a time and PAT it dry.
2.Vary the temperature using hot and cold hair ( which I will elaborate further later)
3. Comb with a comb with bristles wide and far in between
4. Blow starting from the top of head.

The steps and explanation:
1. Wipe your hair with a towel in a patting motion. Goal is not to wipe it till it is dry but to get rid of the dripping water.
2. Comb you hair with a comb whose bristles are wide. This is to reduce breakage of hair which at this stage is very vulnerable and to spread the moisture evenly throughout the head.
3. Start blowing the top in a random manner with hot air. Starting with the top will eventually cause the ends to dry up by itself without causing excessive dryness. Move your hair-dryer throughout the head to avoid the over-drying of one area only.
4. After the top is done, dry the middle levels. Run your fingers through your hair and do the motion of sweeping your hair to the front.
5. When the middle level is also done. Switch to cold air and blow your hair. This causes the cuticles to contract and this is also the time in which the hair takes its shape.
6. Do the ends now. In the same sweeping manner with hot air.
7. Finally, finish it up with cold air. To make you hair curl inwards at the ends, cup the ends of your hand with your hands and apply cold air to it.

Viola! Do it and tell me if it works!!

The long-awaited book!!

After a month's jet coaster ride, worrying about whether I can lay my hands on my beloved Oh-chan's book, it is finally in my hands today! You cannot imagine how overwhelmed I am by just seeing the book with my own eyes. It is sold out everywhere in Japan now and it is only by such rare chance that I manage to get the first print.

Without further delay, let's put our hands together to welcome Oh-chan!

The cover

The figurines moulded from his hands

The drawings he sketched

The masterpiece he crafted.

His pictures which say a thousand words... or just one, simply irresistible.. awwww

Finally the man himself! Soaring... not on eagle's wings though... haa

Does that bring you a step closer to understanding why I have pledge allegiance to this person?

God thinks you are wonderful!

Read this from one of Max Lucado's books.

"If God had a refrigerator, your photo will be on it!"

I add this, if he has a ring on his finger, your name will be engraved on it.

It doesn't matter that God might only have 10 fingers. I assume so because men are made in God's image...
But it tells me how important you and I are to Him.

A short week...

I am back in Tokyo! With my nose in a constant marathon =(

A short one week back in Singapore.

Sounds normal to say that it is a short week but in mathematical terms it is the same. 60 sec in a min, 6o mins in an hour, 7 days in a week... but the brain deludes us into thinking time passes very fast when we are enjoying ourselves.

I was literally basking in fun and joy everyday I was home. For the matter I was in the land of warmth!! Finally, an escape from the bitter cold here.

Then there was the familar laughter, ridiculous gags, endless chats.... I just love all my friends!!

Met a new group of friends and had a fun KTV sesision with them. Thanks for being so warm and receptive!

Met up with the old chi alpha clique fron church and OMG!! tho we have all aged, our dynamics were just like the old days! Truly enjoyed the very PIC conversations! ( PIC=politically incorrect)

Met up with my best friends! Thank girls! ( and a boy :p)

It wasn't my birthday tho but I was receiving presents like mad =) I am sooooo loved!!

I am already wearing it now, though I have to wait for my bud to go change the necklace into a longer one.. But I love the pendant!

A beauty! I love this watch it. Loves it exquisite design of snowflakes.

Watch no 2, to replace the previous swatch which was spoilt. I really loved the old one tho *sobz*

Arranged to meet up with a buddy who was with me through pri to sec sch today...
Was supposed to meet at 11am in the morning but cus she was held up by work, she was late by 3 hours. She's a doctor with ICU in one of the local hospitals.

When she arrived, I asked her how come she was late. She replied, a man injured in an accident was brought into the hospital at 5am in the morning and was she trying to resucitate him till just now. And her "job" ended because the man was too fatally injured to be saved. The other 2 passengers in his car didn"t survive too.

He is only a year older than us.

My heart sank when I heard it... just as New year brings about reunion, it also brought separation to other familes. I thought about the fragility of life and how lives can be lost so easily in the next second while we were just merry-making a moment ago.

i shutter at the thought of it.
Can"t imagine how it is for my friend who has to deal with this on a daily basis.

Had quality time talking to my brother.... and I was rather surprised at some of the things we are both thinking about.



Talked about child sponsorship and doing volunteer work in Africa... It has always been something on my mind to do something for the children out there in 3rd world countries. It pains my heart when I see or hear of children who are suffering. And I do feel the immense guilt sometimes when I spent a fortune on a want instead of using the money for a better possible use.
But I do really wonder, do all the money we donate go the children?
My brother thinks that the best is to go to these misssion fields personally.

I was reading up on World Vision's site today and I am shocked at the rate children are sucumbing to diseases like Aids and plague. While we are busy trying to think of what to buy what to eat, where to go tomorrow, these children are fighting for survival. It seems so surreal to know that while I am typing in an air-con room right now, there are children out there sleeping in the open.

Sometimes I feel rather frustrated at my own helplessness. What is the use of just thinking when you are doing nothing for them. I was rather inspired by my conversation with my brother though. I shall start small first.

Ate too much....

The sickening smell of garlics is still lingering in my mouth despite 2 thorough brushes...
But it is NEW YEAR! Heck lah...
To everyone, especially those still overseas. Happy CNY! And you are dearly missed by all at home!

I felt immensely cold on the train on the way to the airport...but I dismissed it for anything amiss. ( I was about to say felt immense "cold".. but to set the records right, there is no such thing such as cold. It is just the absence of heat.)

Then I happily shopped in the airport for about an hour grabbing the last few things I was asked to buy....

Then I cleared the customs, to revealed a giant window in front of me. ( yeah, now that I realised that ain't windows anywhere else in the airport) And I panicked! My first reaction "Maji kai yo??!! Yabei.... ( which roughly translates to can"t be for real right?)

Wait it is not the windows I am raving about. It was the heavy snowfall outside. How could it snow on me??? I need to go home!!! Snow= Possible Cancellation of flights!

I sat myself down and started to pray immediately. Told God I need to go home! I need to be in time for reunion dinner tonight!

Then I called my friend who is taking another flight in another terminal. She was panicking too but all she told me was to pray.

Then I received an msg from her 15 mins later. "Thank God! The flight is delayed for only half hour"

I replied back "God wants to assure us He is real even in such circumstances. My flight is carried forward 10 mins instead!!"

My heart is filled with thanksgiving. My God is bigger than any storms or make it snowstorms out there. My God hears me and He knows my anxieties. Hooray I am home safe sound!

Fantasy talk installment 2

I hope the rest of them dun kill me when they see this post. Sorry but I just need to entertainment my faithful readers with the outrageously ridiculous things we talk about.


Disclaimer: It is a kinda private joke so to people who knows who is who it will be fun but pardon me people who are absolutely clueless to the below conversation.

We had a conversation on names on day. And I will name my friends 1, 2 while I am M.

M: If I marry Ohno kun, I will become an Ohno..... I can't do it! Because I will become "Oh No! Karen. "

1,2: haaaaaaaaaa yah we will have to call you Oh no! karen then. (cups mouth with hands).

1: But I dun have a problem with that, for me, Kimura ExxxxR sounds nice.

M: ii na... so good.....

2: Then I will become Gackt CxxxxxN

M: Sounds ok also mah....why me only? Even Imai SxxN sounds ok.
How about Aiba Karen?

1: eeekkkkk sounds like Ai4-ba4 Karen ( as in let's love! in chinese)

M: Alright.... I resign to fate, it is then either Ninomiya karen or Sakurai Karen. I have to make do with surnames that are of 4 syllabus right? Takizawa Karen? Kamenashi Karen

See.... the mind is running wild anytime of the day. And to top it off, my friends are not any more sane.

I am bored. My head is suffering from the effects of a hangover tho I din not slip a single drop of alcohol... Was my drink spiked??

While my friend dreams of un-named, unidentifiable characters in her sleep, I fantasize about unreachable, uncomprehendable beings in my daily life. (sigh...) I often have such conversations with my friends here and the flow goes like this:

2/1 Saturday Cold

I was dropped with the ultimate bomb of not getting any tickets to a stage play I was so looking forward to. Note: In my mind, I had already gone past the level of thinking if I was even going to be able to get any tickets. In fact I was so sure I would have gotten at least more than 1! So imagine my shock, disappointment and disillusion. yeah, the balloting system hates me. Even if they don't, they hate my name at least.

So in order to arise from the pits of sorrows and to propel forward in life, I resorted to fantazing just to keep my brain from thinking too logically for long.

(Background: Took part in a design compeition in conjunction with the book released by the object of my affection)

M= Me, F= Friend

F: It's ok, you will win the compeition and then you will get to see him in person right!

M: The results will be out next week but I won't be around in Tokyo then to hear it.

F: ( who is ever so hopeful that I will win) It's ok! You will win!

M: Yeah... I will.. but they will never find out who I am cus they can't contact me. Maybe when we come back from our trip, we will see a whole troupe of reporters lining up outside our house.

F: Haaa yeah yeah, and then they will all be swarming over you for interviews.

M: Yeah.. haa.. maybe it will erupt into a search mission ! Everyone will start to wonder who that mysterious designer is ... and then you will see my name splashed all over the billboards in Shibuya perhaps?? Everyone will be whispering, flyers offering rewards will be passed to anyone contributing any information concerning me.

F: haaaaaa ( no comments from her. she must be too impressed at how ridiculous I can get)

M: oh no... then when I re-enter in Japan again the week after, the custom officers will take me by the collar, pull me into their office and then make a public announcement that they have found the "Person" Then I will see party poppers popping, toasts held over my head, high-fives exchanged, fireworks released in my honour. And then the "he" will hug me and say let's get married ( a silent fantasy)

F, M- Collapsed in a heap of laughter together. We are just 2 bored women.

Time has urshered Febuary in at a amazing rate... almost too quickly..

It seems that it was just yesterday where 2008 was welcomed, when everyone was sending out the last few new year cards, when cheers were heard, when toasts were proposed, when new year resolutions were made.

But the fact is, January is already gone. And soon, will Febuary and then the whole cycle repeats again.

Sometimes, I just get so tired of finding new things to challenge myself. Yet, I also fear the lack of goals and new things to look forward to. Is it having new goals and things to look forward to that keeps a person postive or are new goals only found when a person stays postive? Which comes first?

Actually, I dun need new goals. I just need to have more perserverance and grit my teeth in the trying times.

Meanwhile I hope the 2 books I ordered from Amazon comes fast! The scent of a new read is so enticing...

One of his dreams fufilled...

Darling Satoshi's first art exhibition. First book published. Ain't I proud as 大野夫人？except I won't be in Japan on the first day his book is going to be out. AwwwwwWWW

New stuff

Shopping shopping and more shopping.. tho technically speaking, it is time to save.

But heck, Carol and I spent nearly 10 hours walking about last weekend buying things ranging from coats, to accessories, bags, and even a trip to the pet shop.

My best buy on the trip! Love it!

As I was digging into lunch just now, I was a little startled by how time just flies...
It is not as if I was really that busy.
Somehow by the time I was conscious about time, it was already 12pm.

A friend reminded me recently that precisely time is so precious and short we have to make every minute and second count.

I do not disagree with that but I ask myself how to?

Most of us are stuck in school or workplace from a fix time of 9-6. The better ones are off somewhere pursuing and realising their dreams every minute while the rest of us are desk-bound. I do not detest my job but if I really do have a choice, it will not be the ideal way I will be spending my time.

Yet, I stil haven't found the courage to give up a stable steady income in return for something more fufilling.

Work is just a part-time thing to me. I spend most of my time thinking about things I like to do anyway... my art work, my books, my shows, my sleep.

Another half day to weekend. make that 2 half-days...

Tomorrow will be another good day.

"I lift my eyes up to the mountains

Where does my help come from

My help comes from You

Maker of heaven, creator of the earth"

Psalms 121

Hellos!

Hello World! It is almost Monday again!

I was just born last month and I don't have a name yet =)

I looked a little sleepy but I am looking forward to making more friends!
Hope you all will have a good week ahead!!

Snow...

Finally? After the few days of forecasting, it finally snowed.

Though I dun particularly loved snow or the cold weather it brings with it, still winter is not winter without snow.

Pretty much enjoyed the slow walk from home to station today enjoying the small white petals fall.

An interesting sight...

Witness something interesting that day while I was in the waiting room to go into KTV...


A couple in their late teens or early twenties came in carrying a one yr plus old baby.

At first sight, the word lian and beng came to me cus they both had dyed hair. The lady blonde to be more exact. Both in baggy clothes, plenty of accessories.

The first thing the couple or to be more exact, the man did was to plonk himself right in front of the TV when I was clearly watching. Rude.　


Then, the baby was running about and he kept going out of the waiting room. As there were a flight of stairs right outside the room, the parents esp the mum was chasing after the baby to make sure he does not go near it.


I never much have any good impression of very young parents esp in Japan. I almost felt guilly immediately because I judged them based on their outer appearance and then... since the baby kept running out of the room, the mum decided to close one side of the heavy glass door. And when she did that, she didn't carry the baby out of the way! The heavy door smack right into the face of the baby and the baby literally flew like a metre away.

shocked... speechless... There was no more guilt for being judgemental. In fact I felt sorry for the kid.

but the baby was really resilent and strong he sobbed for a few mins and then continued his quest to exit the room for more adventures... the result of accidents being too often?

Then, the dad this time digged into his pocket and fished out a cigarette. No offence to smokers because I think they know best. It is really very selfish to blow smoke into the face of other people and then casually leave a bad odour on their clothing. This is what I hate most everytime I enter an enclosed area that allows smoking. But what irks me most are parents who smoke in front of their little children. The bad influence aside, have that ever consider the impact they are bringing upon the healths of their kids?

To my surprise and really, I was so impressed at the ah-lian mum.. She looked right into the eye of the dad and told him to put away his cigarette. When he tried to protest, she told him without any hesistation. "For your son..."
That worked, he kept his unlit cigarette away immediately.

Thank you mummy for saving the day. Otherwise it would have been a very unpleasant experience for us.

Then we were being called finally... before I left the room, I turned to look at the baby who gave me a wide grin. There was a cut across his face. Must the wound sustained just now. Poor chap. But at least he had a mum who didn't smoke into his face.

Mornings....

It is getting increasingly harder to wake up in the mornings when as the temperature dips day by day...
The happiest thing to me is to wake up in the morning to realise at I still have time time to sleep in ( like waking at 5am, knowing that I can go back to sleep for 2.5 hrs more) and vice versa the worst is to wake up at at 7.15am knowing I can't go back to sleep anymore and I only have wasted 15 mins of possible sleep. Sounds complicated? It's critical maths in winter.

My friend said to me " I will be only too glad when winter is over." I can't agree more on it.

The end of winter spells another season very physically and visually in Japan. The flowers start blooming, people starts gathering outside for cherry blossoms, less mono-tone black and white coats. It also marks the start of a new working and schooling year.

But then, it scares me to know that we have gone past nearly a quarter of the year! How true the saying that as you go past 21, time just flies past...

So what am I going to do next? While job is important to me. It is never my first priority. I say without a single shame ( though not with so much pride ) that I value my own personal time more.

I am going to devote more time to my hobbies and interests.

The type of guy I will fall for...

According to Facebook:

You would fall for a Nerd. Your man is socially awkward and completely sweet. Although other people may make fun of him now, just wait a few years and those same people that made fun of him will probably be working for him. He will worship the ground you walk on and love you like crazy, although he may not always know how to express it. You find his awkwardness endearing because you know that underneath all that nervous stuttering and passion for obscure subjects is a really great guy who adores you!

Isn't that talking about Satoshi? Awwwww

Anyway, he is opening his first arts exihibition soon! woww eeeee and his first book which consists of his works over the past 10 years will be in the book too! Can't wait!

Oh- Chan here I come!!!!

Just received news that Oh-chan will have having butai from March ( in Tokyo) and April in Osaka!!

Woohooooo!!!!!!! Have been dreaming and thinking about going to his butai! ( mean: Stage play)

I am going to apply for as many shows as possible as not to repeat the nightmare I had with Aiba kun's!!! This time i must go!!!!!!

I was so excited when I heard the news that I couldn't concentrate on work anymore.. Despite today being a very very busy day for me.
See I have to let go of my excitment somewhere so I won't be laughing and smilling so much to myself in office.

And Arashi's new single will be out on Feb 20th! Pre-order, here I come!

負けないで・・・

「折れない心、負けない気持ち

迷った時は、前にを向け」

Translates to:
A heart does that not bend, the determination not to be defeated.
When you are lost, look forward.

A phrase that deeply inspired and spoke to me.

In the midst of all the challenges ahead, I am reminded not to throw in the white towel without putting up a good fight.

I shall not be defeated.

I shall walk in victory in His Glory.

I am into planting flowers now! They make me happy.

It still came...

One thing I told myself at the beginning of the year is that I must become stronger. It is not a want, it is a MUST. I have actually grown used to dealing with most things on my own. From daily mundane things to the demands of work and life. So I have in the midst of all these, learned to control my emotions, swallow my tears... Yes, one thing I told myself is not to cry.

Yet on the 3rd day of this 2008, I have cried 3 times already.

The first, when I received some negative news regarding a couple very close to me.

The second, on the train when I was reading a book.

The third, when I was watching a short film in studio Ghibili.

I shall elaborate on the 3rd only.

Studio Ghibili is the company in Japan which had produces a lot of famous Japanese animations like "My Neighbour Totoro", " Spirited away" and "Howl's Moving Castle". I visited it today with Shin , her sister and her brother-in-law who are in Tokyo for a trip. It was small and hardly what you categorise as fantastic... but it had a very homely feeling about it.

The film was a short 15mins one. It was on Mei and Chibi Neko Bus ( from Totoro).

The story began with chibi Neko bus (kid cat bus) getting lost and trapped in the house of Mei. The cat bus begin to panic and was calmed down eventually by Mei who offered him a wide grin and a caramel sweet. He then came back in the middle of the night to bring her on a adventure to the land where the totoros reside.

It was short, sweet yet very endearing. One fact about Totoro is that he is the spirit of the forest and can only be seen by children, who are supposedly the purest at heart. As I looked at the grins of Mei-chan and Totoro, it occurred to me how wonderful it once was to smile like that. As a child, we all smile and laugh only when we were happy. But as a adult, we are required to put on a smile all the time. Is it part of growing up? Maybe that's why children prefer the company of another. That's because they can laugh and play with the purest agenda at heart.

I am thankful for all the friends around me whom I can laugh and joke with geninuely... Yet, I have lost the ability to cry in front of people actually... I wondered secretly in my heart, if Totoro appears in front me, will I be able to see him? Not because I have grown up but because there are just too many things going on within me that has hindered my view.

As the film finished, I got up and turned to leave.

I caught another lady behind me wiping her tears away as well...

Is she also thinking about the same things?

Guess who is this???

Carol says I am updating my blog too many times in a day... haaa Who cares??? I call the shots here!!!

Guess who is this cute little boy??

New year thoughts...

Why thoughts and not resolutions?

Because to me they are pretty much the same. Not in the English sense of the word but how I live my life.
I pretty much do what I want to do and I make sure I do it. Vice versa, I don't do what I don't want to do.
Challenges and experiments are fun and good. But I don't just want to try something for the sake of doing it.
So some thoughts came to my mind these few days as the past year's memories flashed in my mind.

1. I want to take courage to do things I want to do.
Pretty often, I let things go and chances past because I fear of what is in store for me. It can be as easy as wanting to ask someone a question or asking for a favour, to doing something which I think I cannot. So in this year, I want to train myself to be more courageous and daring!

2. To pay less attention to the "eyes" around me.
I was alerted to this fact last night at the concert. I was sitting beside a group of girls from different fan clubs. Arashi, Kinki, Kanjyani etc.... and they only stood up and cheer for the groups they like. When other artistes were performing, they simply sat down and chat among themselves.
I have no right to criticise them though so I will leave it as it is. But it is my principle not to do that to other artistes though they are not Arashi (heee). I think it is only respect to also cheer for them when they are performing, after all all of them make up Johnny's! So anyway, I was pretty much standing and cheering for all of them all the time so well, I do stick out like a sore thumb at times, ( if only shin was around too....) But as I continued to cheer and wave my penlight, I was convinced I am doing the right thing. I am there to enjoy every part of the concert and not just Arashi's performance only right!
This principle can also be applied to other things in life isn't it? Majority isn't always correct. And doing what you think is correct ties with point 1 above. Courage and Confidence.

3. Not to let anyone who needs help go past me again.
Wrote this in earlier blogs how I am always to slow to act. This year, I shall train my brain to work in line with the body.

4. To experience Japan to the fullest! Concerts, more travelling and fun!! ( hee work is only my means of survival). I am not afraid to say my private time comes before work. To prepare for what might come in 2009, I will do everything I want to do in 2008.

My motto in 2009: A year with no regrets　悔いなしの2008過ごしようぜ

New Year Greetings From Arashi!

Countdown experience

4th time counting down to the New Year in Japan since 2004... And I realised I am never at home to cross to the new year!

2004~ Went to Ise Jingu(伊勢神宮） with Carol. Had a whole fun night of watching Japanese rushing to offer their first prayers of the year. But of course the main highlight was after that! a whole night of walking through the street stalls, bingeing and buying souvenirs.

2005~Went to Ise Jingu again!! With a group of friends from school. This time round, we didn't even book any accomodation. Went there in the evening, then sunrise( in the cold!) and headed home.

2006~ Was invited to Mio chan's house for a typical Japanese way to spend New year. It is so similar to any chinese familes because it involves food and more food! We spent the day eating, watching TV, making some snacks, playing at game centres...

2007~ The climax so far! Went for the famous super high demand Johnny's countdown 2007! WEEE!!!

It is the 10th anniversary this year. And also the first time Arashi is appointed as the MC. Of course I must go right!!

It was also broadcasted live on Fuji TV. but nothing beats being in the concert hall itself listening to them live and enjoying the cheers from every fan.
Must go again at the end of year, but this time, front row seats please!!!!!

The concert hall itself...

The 360 degrees stage

Arashi's uchiwas!

The back...

Calendar poster... so kakoii!

Johnny's count down is fun!!!

ただいま!!

Just got home!!! Everyone HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! It'S 2008~~~~

So where did I just come back from?

Look Below...


↓↓

I went!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Need to sleep now. More photos and reports later in the day!