A year ago today, I posted a song – My Favourite Things by Julie Andrews. I cannot remember for the life of me why I was feeling sad on that particular day. It could have been due to a lot of things, it could have been the festive season as well. You know how that is. You walking alone in the mall looking at all the bright colours coming from the mall decorations, the people who go about shopping and carrying their big bags, the festive songs that fill the air.

You really dont want to be alone on that particular day.

A few days ago, the office had organized an early Christmas party. We had someone brought in the Christmas roast turkey and trimmings. Someone else brought in sausage caserolle, pasta and cookies. I brought some mash potatoes that went well with the lamb stew I made the night before. Then it was present time! Everyone got a Christmas gift. Such fun time. They sang Christmas carols while I stood next to one colleague and enjoying the holiday spirit. I never had this experience before in my working experience. I like festivities mode and this came right into the working space in my new work place. What a wonderful concept.

Miss J invited me for dinner a couple of nights back. We decided to go to Aryan in The Weld. We ordered the nan (leavened bread), some dhall, chicken dish and a vegetable. We have not seen each other for more than 6 months. Miss J and I went back a long way together when I first started working in Kuala Lumpur sometime in 1991. I enjoy meeting old friends like that as there are so many things to talk about.

So, it could have been a bright copper kettles and warm wollen mittens, a nice dinner with an old colleague, Christmas party and exchanging gifts, of my wonderful husband and Teenager, these are my favourite things. And remembering all of my favourite things will not make me feel so sad.

* Finish my gingerbread trees
* Miraculously make our house look something like this

* Make craftiness’s

* Mend some clothes that have piled up…

* Go on at least one carefree picnic with my lovely

I will also be doing tons of relaxing and having much fun, and trying to blog much more

so i asked for a subscription to uppercase journal for christmas and lo and behold, look what showed up in my mailbox today. sorry, mum, i think the surprise is ruined! but thx so much. this publication is delicious. i can’t wait to dig in.

The Original Classic Al Jarreau Musical Version: Where it all began!

By Julie Andews.

The Boss Nova Version: Where I first came to love the song. I still remember the day. @ HMV with headphones over my ears and thinking – Wow! Sung by a Singaporean!

By Olivia Ong

The Fun Version: No one does it like him and he never does the same thing twice. I supoose you can call it jazz.

By Bobby McFerin

The Wacky Version: Well, its wacky and alternative. For those who like something different in their favourite things.

By Pomplamoose (check out their other cover versions. they r really quite zany-indie rock)

The Classical Version: If I am going to get myself a Christmas present this year, its gonna be this album At various points in the piece, it feels like YoYo Ma has done to “My Favourite Things” what Aaron Copland did to “Simple Gifts” in “Appalachian Springs”.From the Christmas album “YoYo Ma  & Friends; Songs of Joy & Peace”

By YoYo Ma & Chris Botti

my friend B has several wonderful penguin classics mugs from which we drink our tea. (i’m not really a tea drinker, but somehow these mugs make tea rather yummy.)  and they are oh-so-covetable.

imagine my delight to find a whole range of penguin classics items… such as espresso cups and saucers

pencils and pencil holders

deck chairs

there’s even a board game!

i found all these items at art meets matter. now i’m off to find a canadian stockist.

i am a firm believer that melted cheese can make just about any dish just that much tastier. i’m thinking this obsession stems from my many early childhood experiences with raclette. raclette is a traditional swiss dish in which melted cheese is poured over boiled potatoes, pickled onions and mini gherkins. it’s often enjoyed with a side of dried meat. oh, and a glass (or two) of fendant for the grown ups… swiss white wine (you know, to stop the cheese from balling up in your tummy). in my family, we always enjoy raclette as our christmas eve feast.

back in the day, you could go to a restaurant where the server would scrape the cheese onto a plate from a wheel melting by the fire. that paints a picture, doesn’t it? today, people use little electric raclette ovens that can go right on your dining room table. so imagine my delight to see this raclette kit that combines the old (fire… albeit candles) with the new (table top convenience) plus delightful design. love it!

first seen on swiss miss.

aren’t these clock-inspired necklaces just gorgeous? i love them!

they’re designed by anna of sub-studio design blog fame, and they’re available at brevity.

i totally covet these glasses from cb2. all that lovely type! and the encouragement of appreciation of other cultures and languages. really, they’re the gift that keeps on giving.

My favourite thing right now is my Moleskine notebook. Sleek black cover with elastic closure and a ribbon bookmark.

The reason I love this simple thing is because I’m a random thinker and as a random thinker I tend to need to write things down fast like the idea for this blog which came to me in a series of thoughts over lunches and just as I was going to sleep. It allowed me to write things like the six main ideas of my new writing assignment, what to gather together for my locker so I wouldn’t starve/ buy things at the store, and also my packing list (written at work) for my July trip to Ottawa (aka two months ago).

My moleskine provides me with a place for my mind to wander and for me to white down things I wouldn’t necessarily want to write in one of my school notebooks for a classmate to glance over and see as I was taking notes. It makes it alright for me to write shopping that involve things like tampons and the sticky things that don’t make your shoes slippy and also on the same page be able to write about how exhausting a certain situation is.

I know that someone could inevitably pull the elastic back and open those soft cream coloured pages to what ever I had written last. But I know that if they have enough nerve to open my private note book and take a peek then they should have enough gall to read what ever I’ve written about them if I have bothered at all.

Aside from writing in my notebook I love daily planners. Oh man do I have the love for them, they are my true love of the stationary world because the more things I can write in a week before it even starts the more important I feel even if there things like “Dinner at K & A’s: No Paul” and “beer gardens Wednesday – Friday”

xo

แต่ก่อนเคยคิดเสมอว่า ความรู้สึกที่ถูกเรียกว่า รัก ตีค่าออกมาเป็นปริมาณไม่ได้
ไม่มีหรอกที่คนหนึ่งจะรู้สึกมาก น้อย มากกว่า หรือน้อยกว่า

วานีกับจูนาเป็นคนรักกัน
จูนา พ่อหนุ่มนักเขียนสุดอบอุ่นผู้ทุ่มเทความรู้สึกให้กับคนที่เขารัก
วานี สาวเรียบหน้าจืดผู้ไม่ลืมคนรักในอดีต จึงหันมาทุ่มเทให้กับงานมากกว่าคนที่รักเธอ
เมื่อคนรักเก่านำพาอดีตของเธอกลับมา ความสัมพันธ์ของวานีและจูนาจึงเริ่มระหองระแหง
นี่แหละหนังรักเกาหลีพล็อตสุดธรรมดา

เราพบกับวานีและจูนา ครั้งแรกในโรงหนัง ถ้าความจำไม่เลอะเลือน น่าจะเป็นตอนม.ต้น
ตอนนั้นไปดูกับเพื่อนสาวตามประสาเด็กเห่อโรงหนัง (ช่วงนั้นดูหนังตลาดแทบทุกเรื่อง)
แน่นอนว่าความทรงจำก็ได้บันทึกหนังรักเกาหลีเรื่องนี้ไว้เพียงแว่บหนึ่งของความรู้สึกดีเมื่อดูจบ
โตขึ้นมาอีกหลายปี ก็บังเอิญไปเจอวานีกับจูนาอีกครั้งในจอทีวี
รอบนี้แม้จะดูผ่านๆ แต่ก็รู้สึกว่าดูแล้วมีอะไรสะดุดอยู่ในลำคอหลายรอบ
เลยตัดสินใจไปเช่ามาดูให้หายติดคอ
ดูจบถึงกับต้องร้อง ซอรี่ ซอรี่ ..นี่เราตกหลุมรักหนังรักเกาหลีเข้าให้แล้วหรือ

“ฉันดูแล้วรู้สึกว่าเธอรักเขามากกว่าที่เขารักเธอนะ”
คือประโยคที่เพื่อนวานีพูดกับจูนา ซึ่งขัดแย้งกับความคิดเราในตอนนั้นเข้าอย่างจัง
แต่ตอนนี้รู้ซึ้งและเข้าใจเลยว่า คำว่า มาก กับ น้อย สำคัญกับความรู้สึกรักเพียงใด
เพราะหลายครั้งที่ดูหนัง คุยกับเพื่อน อ่านหนังสือ หรือแม้แต่ประสบกับความรู้สึกนี้ด้วยตัวเอง
เห็นคนที่ดีกับคนรักมากๆ แต่ก่อนคงคิดว่ามันไม่จีรัง
แต่ตอนนี้มันกลับทำให้เราเริ่มตั้งคำถามว่า
คนๆ หนึ่งจะรู้สึกรักอีกคนหนึ่งมากพอที่จะทำเช่นนั้นได้ไหม
…
เราคิดว่า หัวใจของความสัมพันธ์ที่ละเอียดอ่อน มันอยู่ที่ปริมาณ มาก-น้อย นี่แหละ
ถ้ารู้สึกมากพอ ย่อมทุ่มเททำบางสิ่งได้ แบบไม่ฝืนตัวเอง

วันนี้ หลังจากอ่อนเพลียเปลี้ยจากการเดินติดต่อกันหลายวัน
และเหนื่อยล้ากับความสัมพันธ์ที่ไม่เคยรู้สึกเท่ากัน แถมยังเริ่มถูกบั่นทอนไปทุกทีๆ
เรากลับไปหาวานีกับจูนาอีกครั้ง
คราวนี้เป็นการเจอกันครั้งที่ 5 ในคุณภาพคมชัด และเลิกพูดไทยแล้ว
ซอรี่ ซอรี่ ..วานีกับจูนา ทำให้เราคิดและเชื่อว่าปริมาณความรักมันสำคัญ
เหนือสิ่งอื่นใดคือ หนังมันจริงมาก(สำหรับเรา) และจบดีมากมาก(สำหรับเราอีกเช่นกัน)
ขึ้นแท่นหนังรักในดวงใจระดับสุดกรี๊ด แซงโค้งทุกเรื่องไปแบบม้ามืด

เพราะความรู้สึกรักมันไม่เคยเท่ากันนี่นะ
เราถึงรัก วานีกับจูนา มากกว่าคู่รักคู่ไหนๆ

ป.ล. ถึงคนหนึ่ง คนที่ชอบหนังเรื่องเดียวกันกับเรา
อยากให้ได้เจอวานีกับจูนาอีกครั้งเช่นกัน

I am in the biggest funk today. I am angry for no reason and overdosing on Evening Primrose Oil does not seem to be helping. In an attempt to rise above the mood that will not die I have cocooned myself in the office with a sampling of my favourite things. Hopefully, if there is a God, I’ll be ready to re-enter polite society before dinner time.

e2 booty © Ciara Norton

1. Music and Movies: I went to e2 Music today in Mullingar and splashed out on some movies for me and the patient. e2 offer a DVD and CD exchange programme whereby you can bring your old or unused music and movies in for credit or cash. I have yet to do this as I’m inordinately fond of hoarding books and CDs but I might try to lighten the load soon, especially when some of the hoard includes my ever-so-secret Will Smith singles collection… Today I bought Once Upon a Time in America (€5 preowned), City of God & City of Men (€12, new), Midnight Cowboy (€6 new), Quo Vadis Baby? (€12, new and EXCELLENT if you haven’t seen it before) and I couldn’t resist the cd of Nirvana: Live at Reading (€15, new and AMAZING). I have them piled up beside me and have promised myself an evening’s entertainment.

    

   

   mini delicious stollen that, no, it is not too early in the season to eat

2. CAKE! Or, rather, Stollen. Is there anything as delicious as this buttery, marzipany treat? Why, yes, there is. MINI STOLLEN! Tiny bitesize treats for less than €3 from Lidl that will be responsible for the 12 stone I will more than likely gain this Winter. (on another note ain’t it grand to see one’s breath on the air again, that temperate climate lark does get me down)

    

   

   Eleven O'Clock Rooibosch Tea

3. TEA. Tea is wonderful, no? I have a cupboard full of different flavours butmy new favourite is my Paula-recommended Rooibosch Tea or Redbush Tea. It comes in cute packaging from Nuts ‘n’ Grains in Mullingar and is a nice alternative to Earl Grey and ordinary Breakfast Tea. It’s also somewhat good for you.
4. Atlantic Aromatic’s Light Coconut Oil: my favourite thing at present. I’ve been using it as a moisturiser every other night and as a hand cream of sorts every other minute. It’s not smelly and though everything else is fairly rubbish at the moment my skin is behaving. Cost is €3.95 for 50ml from the aforementioned Nuts ‘n’ Grains.

    

   

   Library-tastic

5. The Library: I joined. I do love library books. They’re always so neatly covered and I I feel virtuous wandering about the place, checking out the many categories and titles on display. The new library here is light-filled and modern and membership is a pittance. You get up to 7 books for three weeks at a time; more than enough time for me to undo their good work by bending pages as markers…Today I’m reading C.S Lewis’ A Grief Observed which is heartwrenching stuff and probably to blame for the mood.

And now I must depart for the kitchen and finally do something with the pumpkin crying out for a purpose in life.

John Coltrane is jazz personified. His saxophone redefined what music should and could be, evolving his sound over the decades to reflect the mood and energy of a particular session. A natural improv, who moved with the times changing his sound to suit the scene – and sometimes counterbalancing it. From the Parker days, to the Sextet and that album through to My Favourite Things – Coltrane legacy will never be forgotten as long as creative expression is still held with reverence.

For the coming season New York clothing line Supreme, along with the John Coltrane Foundation is proud to present a selection of tees honouring the great man.

The range with be available in-store and webstore from October 22nd.

Dré

yesterday’s maira kalman op-ed in the NYT just oozes goodness.

check it out for yourself here.

Today was a another laid-back day. I vacuumed and dusted…had to…what with Tashio dropping fur all over the place…I regretted not cleaning yesterday.  Did the laundry and hung it out to dry. It was a pretty warm and sunny day today.  Had breakfast at home.  Then went out for an early lunch.

We walked to Coco’s, just happens to be across the road from Canadian House.

I had been talking about trying matsutake mushrooms (pine mushrooms) all of last week.  I’ve been in Japan almost three years now and had yet to try this very popular autumn delicacy.  Looks like so …

And whaddya know…I finally find it in a humble family-style restaurant in my neighbourhood…part of the new Autumn / Winter menu!  Gotta love Japan and her seasonal menus!

So, of course I had the only dish on the menu with matsutake mushrooms…can’t remember what it’s called, but it had gingko nuts, baby scallops and prawns.  Very flavourful! 

Jun had the crab, pumpkin and eggplant spaghetti cream soup…

And Janae had the foil-baked hamburg steak with a baked potato and rice.

Spent the afternoon napping…woke up and swore to self that today was the last lazy day!  We’ve got a lot to do and since we are going out tomorrow, we will only have Tues and Wed for major house cleaning and gardening.

Okay, feeling less guilty about all those naps I took

My favourite movie of all time is Dirty Dancing… Its old, and the 80’s-ness is corny, but I loooooove it! This is my tribute to a great actor… RIP Patrick Swayze…

This YouTube video is from my favourite scene… Enjoy

Let me know what your favourite movies are!

Change always comes bearing gifts.  ~Price Pritchett

Well, I think so. 

Now that the hot, humid Japanese summer is finally over and autumn is slowly approaching, I can finally look forward to :

• cooler days = days that I can actually wear make-up and it stays on (not that I wear much or any for that matter being a shufu and all). 
• days that I don’t break into a sweat just from climbing the stairs to the second floor to do laundry… or spy at the neighbours from the upstairs windows
• my body not emanating so much heat that I fear dying by spontaneous combustion
• more good hair days…less frizz and that just got-out-of-bed hairstyle (the tousled look may look hot on some, but not on  this 40 – something mum )
• lower utility bills now that I don’t have to leave the aircon on 24/7  (well I did try to gaman or endure some days, or parts of some days)

I even changed my keitai . 

This was my old keitai.

As you can see, I love things purply or lavenderish…

I changed mobile phone service providers over the weekend, and got a new keitai, shopping vouchers and some cash payback in return.  Wanted a purple one again (no change there), so got Sony Erickson’s W64s Pink Diamond…which really looks pretty much lavenderish-purplish

Looks lovely with the right lighting…like so…

My model is the first one on the left. 

Well, that’s all the change I have to write about for now.   Am going down to Family Mart to buy some ice-cream for tea…..unfortunately, my cravings for macadamia nut ice-cream will never change

* Picnics with my love
* Kathy Reichs books – I love crime books, especially from the pathology side.
* Saphire del Mar frock by Christa Taylor – its just GORGEOUS
* Gerbera daisies – nothing shouts summer and happy as much as these flowers do.
* Tea – I just love tea.
* Dancing – my new favourite hobby.
* Beth Hart – I was recently introduced to her music… and I like