February Muse

Hmmm I actually enjoy doing my monthly muse...contemplating doing it twice a month actually...haha...Anyway, Happy Lunar New Year little bunnies!


Reading: I'm reading a lot of books at the same time. Thing is, I don't watch TV and I would very well not have a TV at home cos I simply don't watch it at all and books are a bit like my version of "TV programmes" cos I'll read a few books at the same time and they're a little like my different tv shows and this month, I have 2 great books (among the many more actually) I'm reading. First is Mao's Great Famine by Frank Dikotter and it tells the factual story about the horrible famine during Mao Zhedong's communist regime that led up to the cultural revolution. Dikotter did extension research from the official dossiers that many didn't have access too and later piece together the actual picture of what happened during the ghastly 50s in China where the biggest famine in the modern world took place and millions of lives were lost thanks to Mao's regime. It's such an interesting read that I could hardly put it down and the atrocity that the communist party did was so bad that reading it makes me cringed and at some part, it's so horrifying that I had to stop reading it for a bit...like how some boy stole a bun cos he was starving and to punish him, Mao's cadres ordered the father to actually kill his own son with a gun....gosh...it's so blood-curdling but I guess I would want to know what really happened. The thing that got me wondering is that, despite the atrocity of Mao's regime and his retarded, overly confident policies, why the hell was and still is so respected by the Chinese people??? You see him being glorified in arts and stuff and it's something I don't understand. You see him on t shirts and memorabilia but you don't see tyrants like Hitler getting glorified. I mean, think about it, you can't possibly not be crucified and get pelted with kosher food if you wear a t shirt with Hitler's face on it can you? So I don't know...but it's a hauntingly good read.

Then the other great book is Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It gives an insight into the meat eating culture of the modern world and throws light on how our meat of today is being produced in factory farms and its implications on the environment and the world we live in. It's not really a book to turn you into vegetarianism but it's to give a clear undiluted picture of how the meat that ends up on your plate and later in your gut comes about. I think everyone should read it cos as the saying goes, you're what you eat, and would you want to know what you put into your tummy? It reaffirms me to be as vegan as possible. I've been a vegetarian for a really long time but then a year ago, I started getting back on meat cos my doctor said I ought to be back on meat and also, I was training in the gym and I went pescatarian eating fish and seafood and I was even eating a bit of chicken and sometime a slab of steak (oh no...). It feels wrong really and I feel guilty every time I tucked in and the other day, I felt gross marinating a piece of chicken fillet at home cos when I touched the meat and trying to take out the skin, I feel like a murderer. So this month, I'm gonna be back on my vegan diet. I don't care really and I don't even eat eggs and drink milk cos it's cruel...I'll get protein from soy powder and beans and now I'm eating mostly organic now. It's costly but it's worth it and I eat with a good conscience knowing no animal is harmed and it's healthier...I actually feel less healthy when I'm back on meat...big mistake. And I'm gonna stay vegan as much as I can. 


Watching: Black Swan...okay, I haven't watched it but I CAN'T WAIT!!! I'm supposed to watch it with Mr Bunny and it'll be after he's back in SG. BUT I CAN'T WAIT! I'm tempted to just go watch it first and then watch it the second time cos I know I'm gonna freaking love it, considering I did ballet and wanted to be a full-time dancer....But I love films by Darren Aronofsky! I loved Requiem For A Dream by him and it was hauntingly good (I actually watched it on a first date and freaked out the guy I dated then cos it was totally not a first date movie with it's freaky drug theme and an ending with Jared Leto's arm turning septic and had it amputated. LOL)


Wearing: Lancome Tresor in Love. I finally bought the perfume and I'm loving it. I've always been a Tresor fan cos when I was young, my grandma gave me a small miniature bottle of the old Tresor and I've always loved it and when Lancome came up with Tresor in Love, it's a modern day interpretation of their classic scent and it's lovely. It's younger and more floral and I totally love this warm, floral scent that's got hint of slight fruity top note of nectarine and the heart of warm sensual rose...

Also wearing my Tiffany Key!!! Another "Finally I bought it!" item. I've been wanting the Tiffany Key since last year and thing is, I just didn't buy it. I initially wanted the large pure silver one but they just look kinda big and good thing that I wait cos they came up with a small dainty one with a tiny delicate diamond on the center. I walked into Tiffany over the weekend with HL and yup, that's it, that's MY key and walked out with it in tow...settled...Love it!

Using: Pukka Organic Rosewater. I got this from Super Nature too and you can either use it to flavor food (I add a table spoon to my water for a cooling treat) or as face toner. It's awesome as it's very pure rosewater and it costs a bomb ($89 bucks), but it's worth every drop of it cos the rosewater is distilled from roses grown at a high altitude to optimise essential oil content, the roses are hand picked at dawn and before sunrise to protect their valuable aromatic oils from being evaporated. They are then gently steam-distilled for optimum extraction of the wonderful fragrance. I use it mainly as a face spray. I pop one in my bag and use it as a face mist throughout the day. It really leaves your skin very very soft.

Love n Toast Lipbalm in Pear. With a scent and packaging so great, how can I not get addicted?? Plus it's super nourishing too. And the smell, ohhh the wonderful smell, is just heavenly. And yup, it's organic...and that adds to its divine quality! I'm sold!

Drinking: Water infused with Duchy's Organic Detox Tincture. I got this awhile ago from Super Nature and I've loved it since. It's got a very nice mild taste to it and it's detoxing. I add it into my water everyday and I think it might well be a mainstay for me...I love to know that the water I drink is also getting rid of all the bad toxins in my body...I'll drink more if I feel that the food I eat has got MSG cos I hate MSG and I think it's absolutely evil and drinking the tincture infused water makes me feel better

And Lemongrass House Lavender Aromatic Room & Pillow Spray. I was told that this is Lemongrass House's best seller with it flying off the shelves a lot and now that I've started using it, I've developed some kind of dependency of it cos it's so nice! I spray it on my pillows and duvet before I go to sleep and the thing about the Lavender scent from Lemongrass House is that it's the perfect Lavender scent. Some lavender scents aren't pure as they mix in other smell and they end up smelling cheap and nasty. Others are just too heavy with the heady French Lavender that's a bit too strong. The one from Lemongrass House is perfect for me, just nice and it's very very soothing and I can't get enough of their lavender anything (from shower gel to shampoo etc...), and it really helps when the quality of their products is really excellent.

Loving: My Lomography Diana F+ Mini....After buying the full size Diana F+, I had to get the Diana F+ mini cos it's just gorgeous...I haven't finished the entire roll of film but I would slowly take my time. I'm so hooked on analogue photos! I wish someone would buy me a Leica M8!! Dream on...but now, I'm just happy with the Diana F+ mini cos it's sooo cute and it's the perfect size to pop into my hand bag cos it's tiny

I'm loving SteamCream too! Not only does the packaging looks awesome, the cream packs some seriously good stuff in it to nourish your skin. I use it mostly on my hand but when my face feels dry, I'll apply a thick layer on my face before I go to bed and the next day? "Good morning soft skin!"