Maybank SaveUp programme + Virtual Forest bathe in Kyoto's sacred mountain + ActiveSG: Balance and Muscular Fitness e-workshop + my new Iphone SE (2020) + lunch @ Mademoiselle Tang Noodle + visit to WZ's + Aerial yoga with Potato + Izakaya Nijumaru with uni girls + Potatoh's Anniv Wedding Photoshoot + 시베리아 선발대 + Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile + Memoirs of a Geisha (book & movie) + 사이코지만 괜찮아
24/7/20 Fri: Signed up for a new Maybank Saveup account and eTiQa's 15-years' endowment plan after more than an hour of discussion with my Maybank finance planner at Jurong Point. *Yes, we all know it's unprecedented times due to COVID-19 now, and even forking out an amount to save up monthly can be a bit of a worry... yes we need to work hard to ensure our daily job goes on.*
Impromptu catch-up with jess over dinner at Din Tai Fung too.
25/7/20 Sat: Cannot travel overseas now, and we don't know when leisure travelling will truly resume, so I joined in this Virtual Forest bathe in Kyoto's sacred mountain hosted by my university mate HT's friend, XJ. I have visited the Fushimi Inari (1300 years already!?) in 2018 with the family, but we simply walked up the Torii gates without knowing much about the shrines history and traditions, as well as their religion and to be able to do forest-bathing in some secluded parts of Mt. Inari!
It was a great 1.5 hours of "virtual tour"with XJ, his cute dog, as well as five other ladies (three Singaporeans, one Hong Konger and a Japanese lady with her family on camera). We learned through his recorded videos what Shinto gods are like, witnessed the rituals used to appeal to them, and see how people have tried to speak to the gods. *At least I know now Japanese gave claps after donating to receive the blessings from the gods!* It's nice to learn that there were thousands of kami there (and all their names are recorded in some books!), and pokemon is actually linked to Shintoism. XJ also shared on Nintendo's history (how they used to produce gambling cards, heart devices etc), as the building could be seen from Mt. Inari.
We did a short meditation in the end and were allowed to ask questions. XJ is an engaging, eloquent and humourous host. He also shared a link to a hidden hike around Fushimi Inari, which I reckon not to be missed if I ever visit Kyoto again!
Rating: 4/5
27/7/20 Mon: Attended ActiveSG's Balance and Muscular Fitness e-workshop at noon. Nice stretches and simple cardio workouts, and we all also did a single-leg balancing test with our eyes closed. *I could hit 2 minutes woots!*
Say hello to my new iPhone SE (2020) 256GB, purchased from Singtel under a re-contract for $160 (plus the screen protector)~ I was initially in a dilemma as to what models to get after the battery of my iPhone 8 went haywire not too long ago. Friends were recommending iPhone 11 Pro, but that's a much pricier option with the Combo 2 plan at Singtel... I'd have to fork out another $500 more for it. Luckily, I heed the advice of my rather IT-and-money-savvy Potato's after also watching a few review videos on youtube.
Since I take photos a lot with my phone, I thought this review on the camera comparisons for iPhone 11, SE and XR could help: https://youtu.be/rEIx8C2UhX4
I tend to believe what I see with my eyes. No matter the night mode, portrait mode, 4K videos, slow motion etc, SE was not bad a choice. Furthermore, I like the fact that the size of SE is the same as my 8, and it still uses haptic touch instead of face recognition, which is a hassle nowadays as you wear a mask most of the time in public. Besides, if I really want to have better night shots, there is always the Neural app ($5) for consideration in the app store.
Also, I like this pair of handmade earrings from Hatching Sparrows a lot~ finally arrived after a few weeks of shipping over from Australia.
3/8/20 Mon: Met Amelia for lunch at Mademoiselle Tang Noodle (云南过桥米线) though MY could not make it. 13 ingredients went into my soup... 米线qq的，汤味道刚好，不咸。Amelia ordered their花饼. It was warm and fragrant.
PotaTOHs randomly did a video call one night to test out the camera of my new iPhone SE hehe~
10/8/20 Mon: After my tuition with Gideon, I headed over to WZ and Joel's new 3-room flat at Macpherson, and gifted the mummy-to-be post-natal tonic supplement Pat and I shared after she gives birth to her princess in September! *Wearing my Grandpa's Groove wide pants from Minor Miracles~ very comfortable though a bit long la~*
11/8/20 Tues: I didn't drag Potato to my aerial yoga class, but I have always wanted him to try out aerial yoga at least once~ So funny seeing how inflexible my Potato is keke~ Hope he enjoyed the one-hour of class with me! *Oh well, we all have our strengths and weaknesses!*
14/8/20 Fri: Brought XY, SS and MT to Izakaya Nijumaru for dinner, and I had the cold soba with tempura ($14) this time round... nice. XY liked her hot udon with tempura too, but SS was too full from late lunch, so she did not finish her yaki soba. There was a long queue outside the restaurant, so we left after about an hour there.
Walked around Centrepoint for a while, and found a photo spot!
Random snapshot of Potato rehearsing with twoofus (Choy and Ernest) on an upcoming performance this Thursday night!
Also, it was Potato's "last day of stay" at my place after spending a week here. The main concern was the lack of support long-term during sleep using Decathlon's jungle bed, and even though he'd got used to it or what after a week, I think it's still better for him to go back home, despite the longer journey he would take to travel to NIE for his studies. *PotaTOHs' got to miss each other for a little bit more till our nest is scheduled to be ready for key-taking in the 4Q.*
During his stay here, he followed pretty much my "daily schedule" of exercises, though not doing everything I do la. For me, besides aerial yoga and my daily dose of Fitbit exercises, I have done平甩功on and off since mum introduced this qigong to me one or two years ago, but only began to do it on a regular basis for three times a day, and 10 minutes each time since about a month ago. The main benefits are blood circulation, detoxing and improving our immunity, and according to the founder李凤山's words on this site, it states: "第一个10分钟，它基本上可以循环可以达到一个非常好的循环，到了第2个10分钟的时候，它就会开始去通那比较不通的地方，到了第 3个10分钟的时候，它自然会除病灶，就是把这个病，把它排出来。" Sometimes, I watched my shows as I exercised, and other times, I would take it as a break in between my work or after prolong hours of my eyes to the screens, and this definitely helped in relieving the tiredness. *我知道，持之以恒是我的优点/强项，更何况这还和养生有关呢。*
PotaTOHs would do the "legs-up-the-wall" yoga pose nightly for 15 minutes before sleep, because it has lots of benefits which you can read here. I also introduced him to simple meditation on my Fitbit app (though he would joke that he doesn't need it because he falls asleep damn fast~) before sleep, and one was on box breathing. I am sure many are familiar with the "4-7-8" breathing technique, but box breathing felt simpler to me. This intentional deep breathing technique helps bring you to sleep and relieves stress as well. Apparently, the slow holding of breath allows carbon dioxide to build up in the blood. The increase in carbon dioxide enhances the cardio-inhibitory response of the vagus nerve when you exhale and stimulates your parasympathetic system, which in turn produces a calm and relaxed feeling in the mind and body. Basically, exhale for four seconds, hold the breath for four seconds, inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds and then exhale for another four seconds again, and repeat the cycle. *Can't wait to try out activities like Pilates Reformer and healing bowls in future!*
17/8/20 Mon: Paid a visit to Koh Dental to check the wounds on the upper right gums where I had my pre-molar extracted. Doctor Lee said it's healing very well, so I shall go back for my bi-annual teeth scaling and polishing next January and she will check on the bones and do a X-ray before proceeding to do the mould for the Osstem implant.
Finished catching "시베리아 선발대" (Trans-siberian pathfinders) where five actors board the Trans-Siberian Railway to travel from Vladivostok to Moscow, Russia. *There are actually 11 different time zones in Russia itself!*
Though I love travelling, I doubt I can sleep well on such a cramped sleeper train (they were in the third-class cabins) though. Some parts of Russia look pretty!
Rating: 3.5/5
It's scary how Bundy could deny all his violent crimes to women right till before his death by electric chair, and even fended for himself in court. I watched the YouTube footage of him confessing how pornography ruined his life hours before his execution.
The reason why Efron could take up this role? He's good-looking like Bundy.
Rating: 4/5
Read "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden. A novel I’ve wanted to read ever since I saw the movie poster with Zhang Ziyi on it. That’s the first time I learned the term “Geisha”. And nope, this was not a biography but a historical fiction novel written based on an interview with Mineko Iwasaki.
I followed Chiyo Sakamoto’s life as a young girl, till she was sold to one okiya in Gion district, Kyoto and raised up to be a Geisha (lived by the name of Nitta Sayuri afterwards) and how she was bullied by Hatsumomo, dumped by her own sister Satsu, betrayed by her long-time friend Pumpkin, the encounters with many men in her life, including the Chairman Iwamura whom she fell in love with at first sight and flew to the US together after the war.
Much details about the etiquettes, dressings, upbringings and traditions revolving around the Geisha was nicely woven into the novel and I enjoyed reading it from Sayuri’s POV. (but now I don’t know about the authenticity of it since a lawsuit was filed against the writer by the interviewee and she went on to publish her own autobiography which depicts a different picture of Geisha life in the 20th century).
The read reminded me of my trip to Gion district in 2018 with my friends, when I saw the Minamiza Kabuki Theater, and we passed through the small but crowded alleys in search for a less pricey restaurant for dinner. I thought I caught sight of a Geisha then, with her white-powdered face and cherry-red lips.
I followed Chiyo Sakamoto’s life as a young girl, till she was sold to one okiya in Gion district, Kyoto and raised up to be a Geisha (lived by the name of Nitta Sayuri afterwards) and how she was bullied by Hatsumomo, dumped by her own sister Satsu, betrayed by her long-time friend Pumpkin, the encounters with many men in her life, including the Chairman Iwamura whom she fell in love with at first sight and flew to the US together after the war.
Much details about the etiquettes, dressings, upbringings and traditions revolving around the Geisha was nicely woven into the novel and I enjoyed reading it from Sayuri’s POV. (but now I don’t know about the authenticity of it since a lawsuit was filed against the writer by the interviewee and she went on to publish her own autobiography which depicts a different picture of Geisha life in the 20th century).
The read reminded me of my trip to Gion district in 2018 with my friends, when I saw the Minamiza Kabuki Theater, and we passed through the small but crowded alleys in search for a less pricey restaurant for dinner. I thought I caught sight of a Geisha then, with her white-powdered face and cherry-red lips.
Rating: 3.75/5
Had to watch the film too. The main roles are Ziyi Zhang as Chiyo/Sayuri, Ken Watanabe as Chairman Iwamura, Gong Li as Hatsumomo, and Michelle Yeoh as Mameha.
Too much to squeeze into a 2.5hours movie. Some details are omitted, like Sayuri did have another danna before the Chairman, and there were more bidders for her mizuage as mentioned in the novel.
Rating: 3.5/5
I loved the whole presentation of the story. Sometimes, animations are used to bring out an imaginative world of what lives in an autistic/anti-social people's mind. Narrations of the fairytales written by고문영in some episodes brought out the intended meanings to the audience, so you can't help but to question yourself about some views society has on the mentally-impaired. The romance drama toned down the huge pressure that comes along with the portrayal of such topics, which was great. I could empathise with the trio too.
Children are born
to be loved, no matter how they are. Potato and I discussed on this before, and in our opinion, children should be born out of only love and the willingness to look after them, not due to traditions or religious belief, someone to take over your inheritance or the fact that you want company for yourselves when you're old etc.
Rating: 4.25/5
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