Saturday, May 26, 2018

May '18 Favourites

Salam Ramadhan btw everyone! We’re already a week in. Quick for me because I only started fasting 3 days in. It’s wonderful that it’s raining almost everyday, it’s usually scorching hot every Ramadhan so the rain is a nice relief. Albeit it making the workplace just so much more difficult to be in. All I want is a nice snuggle. 

Ramadhan is so tiring. Not so much from fasting but from the lack of sleep. It's entirely my fault for sleeping late but my body clock and I can't help it! And then I'm up by 5 for sahur (in this household, it's pretty compulsory to come donwstairs to have something to eat, even if it's just to drink water) and then subuh and then by then I would only have a comfortable hour long to indulge in sleep before getting up for work. I have to admit thought I've been quite bad these past few days, waking up so late! This is where I'm incredibly grateful to be working where I work where we don't really adhere to strict working times (... my boss would love it that we do but we... don't...).

I haven't done one in a long time but I wanna show you what I've been obsessing over the past few weeks/month.

1. Heart Signal




Ok guys. I haven't watched anything in so long that makes me ~insane~. Heart Signal is a Korean reality show with 3 guys and 3 girls, all strangers and they've all been put in a house to live together. All of them single and ready for love basically. And every night they'd have to send a text to the person of the opposite sex that they like and there's a panel of hosts that guess who sends to who. There's a game aspect to it but I'm definitely a lot more interested with the love lines and the cute interactions between the residents than what the panel have to say. I'm like... borderline... unhealthily obsessed with this show. It's on every Friday but English subtitles are only up on the next Wednesday so I have to zone out from my Korean Instagram account (I have a separate one solely for all things Korean so that it doesn't mess with my timelines on my actual one) so that I don't see any spoilers. Not to be dramatic but it's actually consuming my whole life now and I freaking love it.

2. Terrace House



... so this is just the Japanese version of Heart Signal but slightly different in that they don't text each other anonymously after a day. And residents can leave the house (and the show) whenever they want to. I'm not as taken to this show as I am with Heart Signal but I still quite like it. It's lengthy in the number of episodes (45 compared to Heart Signal's 16) but pretty short per episode (30-40 minutes compared to an hour an half of Heart Signal). But this is the first time I've watched anything Japanese so I was just in awe of the culture, the language and the behaviours. They're SO different from the Koreans and it's endlessly fascinating. Every episode I'm learning something new about them. Like for example, they're just so much more open and liberal compared to their neighbours. Atleast in terms of what they allow to be aired on TV. And even their interactions are just a lot more stronger than the Koreans, if they like someone, they'll say it and they'll aim for a kiss then and there. It's so odd but so refreshing. Culture shock hahaha. It's like anything and everything goes.

I've only watched the second season (Boys & Girls in the City) and I watched one episode of the latest season but wasn't too into it so I stopped. It's such a popular show so I guess if you're interested, you can give it a try? It's not as trashy as I make it up to be, promise! It's really low key drama, it's insane how such a show can be so addictive.

It's on Netflix.

3. The Ordinary's Niacinamide + Zinc serum

My holy grail. I didn't realise just how good this is 'til I stopped using it. I have very sensitive, acne-prone, oily skin and this just reduces excess oil production and increases strength of your skin barrier. Redness, blotchiness, pimples and zits have all subsided. It's anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and it really helps with the size of my pores too. I just love the living lights out of this product, it's made me such a niacinamide fan. The ingredient works for my skin and I know this for an absolute fact because when I stopped using it for a while (because they're so hard to get hold of), my face just went berserk. 10/10 recommend.

4. Dr Jart's Cicapair Cream

I got this on a whim during the Sephora Sale and I say 'on a whim' only because I researched about the product just the night before and usually it takes me weeks to decide whether I want to get something or not especially if it's a bit pricey. But so far, I love it!

I don't know if it's just my skin calming down from the other products I've been using or if this has contributed to that but I'd like to think it has. Centella asiatica is the main ingredient in this and it's been called as the powerhouse skincare ingredient to soothe inflammation, blemishes and redness. It's also known as 'tiger grass' because this is the same herb/plant that the Asian tigers roll around in to soothe their wounds. Cool right??? Totally the deal breaker for me.

The other products from this same line actually is green in colour but blends into your skin colours to combat the redness in your skin. I'll try that next!

5. Sabrina Claudio

Ok someone help, I cannot stop listening to her music!!

I only just discovered her a few weeks ago and there's been no turning back because I seriously just don't listen to anything else. she's so good and her music is so soothing. It's been raining quite a lot the past week or so and her music feels like it's one with the rain and the gloom. I just zone out when I listen to her which isn't conducive in the workplace but otherwise, really really good. My kind of music - something I can put on and doze off to... but in a good way.

My favourites are Too Much Too Late, Stand Still, Frozen and Confidently Lost.
__

We're less than 3 weeks til my favourite time of year; Raya! So excited to be spending my holidays in Penang with my family. Not too sure what I'll be wearing but with everyone selling everything everywhere, it shouldn't be too difficult.

xx

Thursday, May 10, 2018

My first voting experience!

So today was the first time I went out to vote! First experience! I was quite excited and quite nervous about the procedure because everyone's been sharing the guide on how to vote properly so I was extra cautious about the ink and about the stamp and serial number on the ballot. But hopefully mine was fine? Also, it helped a lot that I went with fellow first time voters - my siblings! So the 2 hour + wait wasn't too bad I guess. We went at 8:40 and only managed to vote close to 11. I think there definitely should be a call to improve the voting procedure. But it was pretty nice to see everyone come together to fulfil their civic rights. And it made for a pretty cute Instagram photo. 
Kasi chance lah k, first time ni!

My mum insisted on taking a photo of us when she dropped us off. Good thing I brought that water bottle because it got warm and we were all growing tired from lining up. HYDRATION IS KEY!!!

The line at about 9 am! 

I hate this ink thing btw it looks absolutely gross now. Can't wait to get it off.


So after what seems like 10 years, results are in and I stayed up til about 3 in the morning, watching the coverage on TV and on Twitter. Let's be honest - social media has definitely played a key role in this election. For better and for worse. People were more aware especially kids of my generation and that was definitely proven in the turn out. It's always a good thing when the nation's youth come out to participate in what has become a historic election. But on the other hand, social media has also enabled fake news and wild assumptions to be spread irresponsibly. I have a grown distaste for rumours and baseless assumptions when it comes to things like this. We have to practice caution when spreading information on social platforms - do your research and always, always ask!!!! Always enquire about the source's authenticity. It's so dangerous when it gets out of hand. It builds a horrible misunderstanding that then leads to contempt and hostility towards a political party. Just as it's our duty to vote and speak up on all the wrongs we face, it is also our duty to be responsible when it comes to spreading news. At the end of the day, be ready to come up with your source and ensure that it checks out. What are you going to do if it doesn't? Once a rumour gets out, it'll catch like wild fire and do you really think you're able to take responsibility of the lies and groundless presumptions you've headed? Once it's out, it's out. There was a tweet about the former PM colluding with other political parties to oust the new government and how they were prepared to pay 20 million to said political parties to agree to this. I asked on how she got this information and I've still yet gotten a reply. 
Like I said, always be ready to give anyone who asks, an authentic source. 

Another thing; there is definitely a need to establish a better and safer and smoother voting process. There has to be a way to quicken the process and make it... I guess... tolerable? People came out in the numbers which was wonderful but they had to stand in the hot sun and for popular places, often for a long time. Maybe have more rooms opened with more than just 2 voters at a time? Maybe introduce better queuing systems - one that is more efficient and clear? The whole of Bandar Sri Damansara voted in one school. Maybe open up more stations around? Should there be canopies and fans at the ready? I understand it's hot all year round but what if it was raining? Wouldn't that highly inconvenience the voters? Also, what can be done to ensure that postal votes reach ahead of time? I need to know the operation process that went behind this. Was it just poor planning from the SPR or was the postal service accountable for the delay? Maybe have polling stations based in places around the world with a high Malaysian population? Say in London and a few around the US and Australia? I liked how there were lines for the elderly so that they didn't have to wait around long. My grandparents were in and out within 10 minutes which I thought was fantastic. 

But nevertheless, it was a great first time and to think this election will be written in history books is quite cool. But I hope we continue to be critical of the new administration and eliminate all biases. Also remember that there were honourable people who worked at the last administration so always be nice about the win. Celebrate but be respectful about it. No sticking out your tongue or boo-ing as that would render your victory to lose worth. This new administration sheds light on the change that's much needed but if you yourself can't change for the better, then would this really mean anything more than just a transfer of power?

Sincere congratulatory wishes to the newly formed government and our new prime minister. Watched Mahathir's swearing in by the King just now with the family. Historical moment and I genuinely and sincerely want to see him soar to greater heights - even greater than the ones he's achieved before. I also hope and pray, that because he's now an aged man, he has the strength and energy and confidence to govern this county well and moga dia panjang umur. He's a great and highly respected man and I hope the next 5 years prove to be the best ones yet.

xx