dream a little dream

Thank you to all of you that have been encouraging/pushing me to pursue my dream, I'm proud to say I finally took my first step!

After months of thinking and talking about it, I finally decided to enroll in the online Preston Bailey wedding design course! I'm not quite sure how I'm going to manage it with exams in two months but hey, when do we ever finish ticking off our to-do-lists?  

I think I haven't felt the same way about learning/studying in a very long time. Reading lecture slides and watching lecture videos for the PB wedding design course is such a pleasure. Having someone with a similar dream share his professional experiences in the industry instead of merely 'teaching' the skills involved, really makes it a more enjoyable learning experience. 

One of the slides from Chapter One

Admittedly there is so much to focus on I don't exactly know what's my Pareto efficient allocation of time/effort. I'm happy to dream my little dream, whether it comes true or not (though Walt Disney did say: 'if you can dream it, you can do it'). At least I hope that I'll be able to make myself useful and offer my humble services for free for my family and friend's weddings. On that note, my dear family and friends, please refrain from eloping. 


Love,
Jane


p.s. Happy Birthday Jon and may your birthday wishes come true! 

friends are like shoes ...

Some friends are like a pair of versatile flats

that goes with almost anything

and you wear them everywhere

Some friends are like a pair of comfortable sneakers

that you can run and play

and have fun in all day

Some friends are like a pair of party heels

that extends your proportions

and boosts your confidence

Some friends are like a pair of flip-flops

that you always feel so chilled in

and especially miss when you're away in a cold climate 

Some friends are like a pair of boots

that conquers the cold

and helps you withstand rain or snow 

If you look around your circle of friends

you'll find that

some are great at giving good advice

some are just so good at making you laugh

some are very patient and empathetic listeners

some are extra kind and look after you just like family would

And I'm grateful that my friends are 'exceptional shoes'

flats-sneakers-heels-flip-flops-boots-all-in-one

and I'm afraid such 'exceptional shoes' aren't for sale anywhere!

Love, Jane

Lost and Found

I managed to 'lose' my phone and then had it returned to me within two hours today. A big thank you to two very lovely ladies Anthea and Lynette whom I haven't met but hope I'll do so  one day. Admittedly I did panic for a little while, but then I realized how losing a phone isn't the end of the world. Hahaha of course I would say that. After all, I have lost lots of cash, my official IGCSE certificate, birth certificate AND my passport. Lets hope I don't break my own record again. 

The important thing to keep in mind, is not to let your emotions and thoughts slip through your control when things like that happen. I'm grateful that the staff at the Peacock Theatre were very reassuring, they told me very nicely that they'll keep the phone for me once its found, and I guess that really helped to calm my nerves. Like most people, what matters more to me isn't the actual phone itself but the contacts and photos but I guess almost none of that will actually be 'lost'. a) I remember most important numbers (the rest you could just get from facebook or friends... b) Most of the photos I take with my phone, I've shared them with my beloved cousin Lengy so I could always ask her to send them back to me (hahaha a marfan cousin I am). At times like this I am suddenly aware of how dependent I am on my trusted Blackberry - sms, bbm, whatsapp has become such an important part of my daily life. Instead of worrying about what I would do without it, I mentally thanked my phone for allowing me to keep in touch with my family and friends. Sounds daft? But I think sometimes we do take things for granted and only ever truly realize their importance when we've lost it. 

During the two hour phoneless-period I did exactly what I would do on my Monday mornings, and behaved exactly as if I had my phone with me . I facebook messaged leng instead of bbm, attended to my virtual bakery, printed out some lecture notes and then when I was about to cook lunch, I got a call (house phone) from Anthea telling me that she and her friend found my phone!! 

Okay so what exactly is my point in sharing this exciting story? When 'bad' things happen, its really up to you to change your perception, and how you deal with it that matters. Often life throws you a few challenges, and remaining steady and calm gives you a better advantage to cope. 

Fair enough, I might just be very lucky that the girls that found my phone are honest and reliable people. But there goes the chinese saying 心转念转，念转运转 - your change your thoughts when you change how you feel, and when you change your thoughts you change your luck. I don't quite fully know what I feel about destiny, but I think everyone has some degree of control over themselves. Its up to you how much you want to exercise that control!

Love,

Jane

a kind stranger

A few years ago, while my dear friend Irina and I were baffled to find out that our luggage was overweight at the Terminal 3 check-in counter in Heathrow airport, a Malay gentleman stepped in to offer us his baggage allowance. From his mannerisms, I sensed that this was a prominent figure with no time for nonsense (he did check into first-class without any baggage). 

Despite his generosity, the check-in staff refused to allow us to make use of his baggage allowance due to health and safety rules. It would have been perfectly understandable and we would still be very grateful if the gentleman apologized and said he tried, but here comes the impressive bit. After debating with the lady at the check-in counter, he requested to talk to her superior and left with his bodyguards. We waited, half expecting him not to come back but the good Samaritan did not disappoint us. He returned a while later from the office and told the check-in staff that he had sorted it out with her superior, and we were saved from having to ship our baggage back home. We were very very grateful not just for his kindness but the extra effort that he went through to help us. 

In 2010, I bumped into the same kind stranger at Lea Salonga's concert in Kuala Lumpur. The gentleman was in deep conversation with some of the guests so I didn't have the heart to interrupt them (besides I wouldn't think he could have remembered).

delicious nasi lemak (even by malaysian standards)

Two years later on a Friday night, while indulging on London's most delicious nasi lemak in Tukdin, a man walks in with his companion. There was something about his presence that made me and my dinner companions stop and look up from our food. He quickly made his way to the rest of his company at the back at the restaurant. I gasped and told my dinner companions (cousin, ezanie and yichin)  that he was the man that helped irina and I out at the airport. Thanks to Ezanie's sharp recognition skills, the mystery was solved, and I found out who my kind savior was: Dato' Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin (Managing Director of Proton).

I doubt Dato remembers what he did for us at Heathrow, after all he must have heavy responsibilities and duties. But I am sure I will not easily forget his act of kindness for which I will always be grateful for. What may seem like a small effort to you, might make an everlasting impact on others. There's also the saying:

 'Its nice to be important, but its also important to be nice'. 

Can you remember when you last helped a stranger? How far would you go to help a stranger? It doesn't matter what answers you have for those questions. What matters is that you keep in mind 'no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted'. You never know how much it means to the other person!

Love,

Jane

Understated Elegance: Princess Mary

Way before Kate Middleton stole the limelight from the world, I was already drawn to the beauty of Princess Mary of Denmark. Don't get me wrong, I love Kate Middleton's style and she has one of the best smiles ever, but in many ways it seems to me that Princess Mary is the pioneer of modern understated elegance. 

my favourite picture of Princess Mary!

At 40 and with four children Princess Mary still looks as beautiful as she was when she first got married to her prince. I still remember seeing their wedding photos all over tabloids magazines when I was 13! In  a recent interview she said "I think it is nice to get older. I don’t think about my physical age," - I guess thats her secret to staying young!

the beanie replaces the tiara!

One of the most beautiful study corners I've seen

Its hard to decide who I like best, Kate or Mary. I guess they have so many similarities and hey, no one said you can't have more than one style icon right? No? (hahaha imitating my Italian macroeconomics teacher here)


Love,
Jane

Spring Summer Stunners

Spring-Summer Collections - pretty pastels, floral prints, light and flowy dresses, what more could a girl ask for? I am particular in love with the peach and coral tones this season (for some reason, anything peachy makes me happy!) These are a few of my favourite items I've seen so far...

The prettiest pink this season comes from Chloé, its one of those colours that is so difficult to describe. I've had a look at the bags in shops and in some lighting they look almost coral. Such a tough choice to choose a favourite between these three! 

(From top to bottom) Marcie  Shoulder, Marcie Sling, Marcie Hobo

Les Nereides does a floral twist to alphabet necklaces, just the right amount of flower power!  (the rest of their collections tend to be a bit too flowery)

I am in love with this dress from J. Crew, perfect for a bridesmaid (hint hint: friends and family, someone please get married soon and make me your bridesmaid haha) It also comes in a pretty baby blue! The coral skater dress (from Miss Selfridge) is also a versatile piece that I have already added to my spring collection this year. Its simple yet a little cheeky, one of those foolproof dresses for all kinds of occasions.

My list could go on and on.... but I'll stop here for now, more beautiful things to share with you next time! 

Love,

Jane

Thank you

Thank you to all of you that have inspired me to start my blog. Thank you mum, for the persistent nudging; thank you nadia for your encouragement; thank you irina for the inspiration; thank you leng for being my guaranteed audience.

"The Power" by Rhonda Byrne [have a look at http://thesecret.tv/thepower/] emphasized the importance of feeling 'love' at all times, constantly talking about and sharing what you love with others is a good way to do so. And so, here I am! I look forward to posting things I love, people I love, places I love. After all, to live is to love (right?).

love comes in all shapes and sizes  =)

Lots of love,

Jane