"Seduce Me at Sunrise" - Lisa Kleypas - 2008

British vs. American covers...both good, I think.  On the British cover (purple dress) the costume is period appropriate, but it looks very proper -  readers might be surprised by the contents!  The American cover (red dress) is luscious and easily recognized as a series, they do remind me a lot of the recent Mary Balogh covers, which are published by Random House, not St. Martin's - and were released in 2009 - after the Kleypas's first novel in the Hathaway Family Series was released.  Trends in covers, I guess. 

The second book in the Hathaway family series. 

Philly

709 Benefit Show!!! Come Out for a great time and help keep the doors open!

"Divorced, Desperate and Delicious" - Christie Craig - 2007

Hey, it kept me awake and entertained for most of the turnpike, which makes it good enough in my book.  The story essentially a cabin romance (which I'm a sucker for...) the first in a trilogy that I won't seek out, but would buy if I came across the other two "divorced" books cheap.   BUT, that cover is a fold-back and hide if I ever saw one!  Why don't publishers get that women don't actually want giant boobs glaring out at them from romance novels??

St. Stephen's Auction 4-10-2010

I'm very happy with the little $3 automatic 35 mm I got at the goodwill, however - I can't wait to get a digital camera!!! I got these two rolls developed locally, by less than knowledgeable people at the drug store, whose photo lab is barely functional but very close to my house.  An issue I have had on more than one occasion - my images are on the disk upside down, and I only get discs, no prints - so I write a note, "please make sure the images are right side up"!!!  Ahh!  It's very frustrating for it to happen yet AGAIN.  Two rolls from the St. Stephen's rectory and convent auction last Saturday, and of course, one was upside down!  My real concern is the computer won't save them the correct way except within iphoto, I don't get it.  So annoying.

Resolutions, Sew

                      Making up for March slacking, that's for sure!
                      Two bags this week, one from an awesome
                       but unflattering (on me) Buffy shirt.

This Weekend

"The Next Best Thing" - Kristin Higgins - 2010

Thank goodness.  I’d just about given up on Ms. Higgins.  I pretty much hated that one with the sisters' ex as the hero, and did not finish “Catch of the Day.”   Why keep reading an author who has been consistently average and sometimes annoying, you ask? Well, I started out with some real high hopes as the first novel I read by her, “Just One of the Guys” sits on my Keeper Shelf.  I guess the publishers are riding her ass; afraid the time for cute pet covers is quickly passing us by or something, because she’s really been pumping the books out, and it’s not exactly a good thing in my opinion.

However, “The Next Best Thing” made one or two actual tears come out of my eyes.  That’s right, genuine salt water, and not many books, even some of my favorites have done that.  One thing you can say for Kristin Higgins, she knows how to really bring it all home in a Nora Ephron, “Harry running through the streets of New York/Annie running through the streets of New York” kind of way.  In this case, the big pay off saved a rather uneven book.  As in the other Higgins novel I truly liked, the heartfelt declarations occurred at an inopportune time amongst friends and family members who clap and cheer, embodying what  the reader should be feeling.

Another point in her favor, the plot is a twist on a not one, but two faves of mine – the "Wrong Brother" AND "Friends First".  The heroine Lucy Lang is best friends with the hero, Ethan Mirabelli – who also happens to be her dead husbands’ younger (less attractive, less favored) brother.  Ethan is a great hero, dealing with the memory of his brother, "St. Jimmy" everywhere he looks and not constantly flipping shit or losing self-confidence.  Even with a mostly likable heroine, and the fantastic hero, this book was slow going for me for quite a while, in fact I wanted hit Lucy sometimes, and the book is from her POV.  Some of her behavior grated on my last nerve, but after finishing the novel I can honestly say it was done for a reason and the payoff was worth it.  Without the ending There were quite a few plot points I was sure were headed down the easy and cliché path, but it never made it there, thank goodness.  Kudos, a better book because of it. 

One thing that would have elevated this book to DIK status would be including Ethan’s POV.  This boy is nice, a real beta hero, and he puts up with a lot of shit, but at the same time, really holds his own.  He really loves Lucy, but is no pushover.  I would have liked to see more of his perspective, as he’s the one who knows what he wants while Lucy wavers, and wavers, and wavers a little bit more.  It could have balanced out the novel for the reader, taking you out of Lucy’s sometimes annoying and whiny brain and glimpsing what Ethan is feeling and thinking.   While I’m not a reader that hates first person perspective in every situation, I feel it’s only worth doing in a romance if you aren’t supposed to know who the hero is due to a love triangle or unrequited love, for example.  It’s just nice to know what both leads are feeling, and makes the love story more believable. 

I enjoyed “The Next Best Thing” very much, in fact I purchased my own copy for 25 cents (score!) before I finished the copy from the library – hoping and betting it would find a spot next to “Just One of the Guys.”  I’ve been having trouble with romances lately.  Starting one, losing interest, starting another…"The Next Best Thing”  was just what I was looking for: a funny contemporary with relatable and down to earth characters.  

Looking Great, Em

Braids and blings.

Hectic, hectic, HECTIC schedule this past two weeks!! Been running from Science practicals to Inter-school Drama Festival play rehearsals (which are coming along well, btw!) to tuitions to Sports Day tryouts!

And trying to fit in meals, homework, blogging and whatever else, whenever else I can. The next thing that's coming up is the Inter-house Malay Debate Competition, otherwise known as Bahas.

And to add even more celebration to the party, Mid-Year Exams are coming up fast! Time and tide waits for no man, but I really wish it would wait for just this one girl here :(

When people say Form 5 is no ride in the park, they are not kidding! It is busy as hell. But I realized something just now, in the car on the way home from Add Maths tuition. I'm actually truly and completely happy. Everything I need is here right now :)

Things are finally going right in my (busy) life and I'm content. I'm not wishing for anything... unless you count more free time on my hands.

And maybe a new pair of shoes wouldn't hurt? :D

I shall try my best not to mess this up! Better knock on wood. Anyway, enough digressing!

I love hair braids (on your head, not anywhere else! Cause I think I've heard about braiding hair down there before -_-"), but they take practice to perfect and I'm just a lazy girl.

A few days ago after school while waiting for Biology practicals, JiaJia our resident cheesy cougar puffs, did this to my hair!

It's a hairband... literally!

I've wanted to try out a braided headband for so long but I couldn't do it with my curly hair, and my hair (although rebonded continuously since 2007) has never been frizz-free enough to do it.

It finally is, though! Thanks to a new Pantene hair product I'm using called the Pantene Hair Mask which performs miracles on my hair! I used to always despise cheap Pantene products but this one is a huge surprise.

It makes my hair unbelievably soft, smooth and straight with lots of weight and volume to boot. Before, I was using a Wella Professionals leave-in cream that cost like... 5 times more? It was like B$20 a tube!

But sadly, it wasn't working very well for me anymore and my hair was doubling in size and becoming tangled, rough and unmanageable. It even stuck out at my shoulders -_-" Looked like crap, basically.

But no more! I heart my natural-looking straight hair now!! From past experiences (wahseh, sound like expert!), I have an inkling feeling that the Pantene Hair Mask contains silicone, which does absolute wonders for hair! <3

I also finally did something I've been putting off for a few weeks. I blinged the whole back of my phone! :D

Woohoo, my phone is officially pimped out!

Left lubangs for the camera and flash.

It's such a glitter princess now! That sure took care of the fact that my phone had been starting to look plain and lack-luster. My phone's almost 1 and a half years old! But still works like a charm and I love it to death.

I haven't blinged the front yet though. I used the sticker-type blings that are easily removeable. I just cannot commit to applying crystals permanently with epoxy glue! I am non-commital. Fuck.

That would explain a lot about some of the decisions I've subconsciously made in my life :( My brain tells me yes, I want this! But my heart tells me no, I'd better not. (Or is it the other way around?) Grrr!

No no, happy place, go back to my happy place!! I am supposed to be extremely blissful, remember? Yes :)

P/S: Phew, now that this blogging thing's done, I can continue catching up with new episodes of Grey's Anatomy! PPStream is love. And that's a fact.

The Hit & Miss Engines

washes

Hell Yeah for Springtime!!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

You wanna be famous? You wanna be a star? You wanna in movies? 

You wanna have boobies...? xD

Being in Form 5, with graduation only 7 months away (:O!), each and every one of us is pressed with the tough choice... what happens after that?

Our childhood has flown by, and now we have to make the hardest decision yet. Where will we go from here? Who will we become? What will we do with the rest of our lives?

We've always thought that leaving home was so far away, in the distant future, that we didn't have to think about it yet. But now we do. It's looming upon us. We have to think hard, and choose fast.

I know what I want to be. I want to be a lawyer. Ever since I was 8, I've known I wanted to be a lawyer. A lot of people ask me, what made you decide? I always reply "It's a long story."

I think today is the day I tell that story.

When I was 8, I watched a movie. It was about an underestimated blonde girl who loved pink and had a big dream to prove herself to everyone.

Her name? Elle Woods. The movie? Legally Blonde.

"Meet Elle Woods. She's a lawyer with a heart of gold...and a mane to match!"

Okay, please don't laugh. Yes, I know how superficial it may sound, I chose my future career based on a Hollywood movie when I was 8. But Elle Woods made being a lawyer look so pretty and sophisticated and PINK!

I was mesmerized by Elle Woods, who was a college sorority girl and stereotyped bimbo who got dumped by her boyfriend and then decided to become a Harvard law student to win him back. She soon realizes that her boyfriend is a total prick who doesn't deserve all her hard work, so she ends up becoming a lawyer to prove that she's more than just a dumb blonde. And some other nonsense about overcoming obstacles, and nobody believing in her, etc etc.

She showed that you could have brains and beauty, and she's so strong-willed and opinionated and never gave up. She's sweet and bubbly and bold and most of all, CHIO! (This is also the movie where I fell in love with Reese Witherspoon.)

I know it's just a story from a movie, but I soon realized that we had some things in common, and I also had a lot of the qualities necessary to become a lawyer. 

Plus, I could already imagine myself in pink suits and high heels like her, sauntering around a courtroom, flipping my hair; buying a chio Mac laptop (not in a bunny suit lol!); getting my nails/hair done while studying.

I literally want to BE Elle Woods. I can just see it now!

Did I mention ALL THAT PINK she wears??? And THOSE SHOES?

Please, don't think I'm naive. I'm not. I know what lawyers actually have to do. It is not a fashion show and the courtroom is not a runway. I actually have personal skills that I consider to suit the future career of my choice.

But I found out recently that I have been HORRIBLY DECEIVED! (Okay la, maybe not so kua zhang?) 

It turns out thaaaat... lawyers can't wear colourful jewelry NOR PAINTED NAILS when they go to court.

FML!!!

AAAARGGGGHHHH!!! The nails, omg the nails! The sheer thought of not being able to do my nails is killing me. Can you imagine me, my whole life, with NAKED NAILS??? I think I'd rather die. Really.

You know, I think I'm such a mass-comm girl. I wanna be able to wear chio clothes to work, dye my hair and style it nicely, Konadicure my nails and wear killer heels. I don't think there are any sensible, high paying, professional jobs where I can do that!!! Sigh, so right now I just feel very tortured :(

Next time I go to any education fairs, conventions, talks, etc, the first thing I shall ask about the Law course is: Am I allowed to have fancy nails when I work as a lawyer? If they say no, I'll spit in their face!!

I MUST FIND A COUNTRY WHICH ALLOWS THEIR LAWYERS TO HAVE CHIO NAILS!!! I WILL MOVE THERE WITH NO HESITATION PLZ!!

Orrr... I could always go to beauty school! And then become a certified manicurist :D This is one of my more deep-seated and less-known dreams. My dad would sooner kill me than even think about letting me go to beauty school.

Although ironically, my namesake Stella, actually came from the name of none other than... a beauty school in Malaysia! It's called the Stella-In Beauty Academy!

My mom was undecided over what to name me after I was born, and then she saw the sign for Stella-In and thought that Stella would be a pretty name for her adorable little newborn. Interesting, huh? I bet you didn't know that! Maybe it's fate?

Okay, I'm digressing.

I guess, as always, I want to have my cake and eat it too. Maybe as an adult, you just can't do that anymore.

Pictures courtesy of Fanpix.net, IMDb and Google Image Search.

Opening at 709

Google Image Search: Coyotes

                This one found a way into an airport shuttle!

Resolutions, Sew

Finished this one up early this month - had to make up for missing it in March - I blame that nasty flu bug entirely, by the way.  Anyway, I made Baby Jack a "Magical Mystery Tour" hoodie - it turned out great but I was sleep deprived and forgot to get a picture.  It was my first experience with fusible webbing, and other than ironing the excess onto my ironing board - it was great.  Truly makes applique fast and easy, no pins! 

Happy Easter (Candy)!

That's right - TROLLS!  Not too sure if my mother got those molds the first time Troll dolls were popular...



(aka the 70's) or the second time around (aka the 90's)...




pretty hilarious either way!

I don't want to be mediocre anymore.

A lot of kinds of happiness fades and passes, but the happiness of getting good marks really sticks. I've really, really missed getting good grades. I'm sick of being a disappointment to my parents and my teachers and to myself!

Nobody wants to disappoint people. It's a painful feeling. I worked so hard for this test and I'm so glad it paid off. Or else I would look like a total fool and wanna slit my wrists.

At the beginning of the year, I vowed to make this a good year and not to slack. Slacking is a strange thing... it starts of small, little by little. And then it snowballs and soon it's just out of control! If you don't start working hard from day 1, you might as well just throw the whole year away.

Pretty much what happened to me last year.

This time, I didn't want to be flippant because it's only the 1st Assessment Test. I didn't wanna say "nevermind la, 1st Assessment Test nia, no big deal" again, like how lots of friends do, cause I knew I'd be making a mistake.

The kind of results and the mindframe that you get in the beginning sets you up for the rest of the year. Now I'm so motivated to continue doing well, rather than feeling discouraged, disheartened, disappointed, useless and stupid like I would if I'd done badly.

Okay, now I shall happily compare this 1st Assessment Test marks to my 2nd Assessment Test marks in 2009! :)

This was already considered my "good" results for last year, only 1 E and at least there's 2 B's.

4A's, 4A's I'M SO HAPPY!! In just 1 test, as compared to only 1 measly A over the whole of last year. I feel such a sense of accomplishment. Like I finally, finally showed that I am capable of grabbing the O' Levels by its horns and slamming it to the ground! I'm aiming for 6A1's.

Hopefully one day next February after the results come out, I'll re-read this blog post and beam proudly at my determination. Fingers crossed. Public exams bring out the fighter in me.

I have to remind myself that these are the kinds of marks I'm SUPPOSED to get. Not D's and E's like I did last year when I was slacking. Somewhere between the beginning of last year and this year, everybody including myself seemed to have forgotten that I was once 8A1 girl.

Sure, I'm in a class full of smart people who get good grades, but by all rights, I'm supposed to be on the same playing field as Joshua and Jesnie. I'm not supposed to just be good, I'm supposed to be great.

I forgot that, all my friends forgot that, so much so that now me doing well comes as a surprise. Back in lower secondary, it was the other way around, me doing BADLY was a surprise.

Growing up, I was never really the "pretty girl" or the "funny girl". My only claim to fame was that I was the "smart girl"! Now I realize I had a very bad lapse of judgement last year, allowing myself to slack so badly that everybody thought I was a gone case. Their expectations of me sank lower and lower into the ground.

Last year, I did consistently horribly. I know what that feels like. The frustration, the disappointment, the I-don't-care-about-this-exam-la when you actually do, the tears, the incredulous looks (which soon turned into unsurprised ones) on people's faces when you tell them your marks, people telling you to do-better-next-time.

Which is why I also know I don't want that feeling ever again. I want to go back to being 8A1 girl! Hopefully it's not too late. I'm making a change, here and now.

I'm a smart girl who can work hard and do really well. I need to always remember that. I was not born to be mediocre. I refuse to let myself become mediocre.