my brain dump

Last few weekends, we set up an appointment with the designer to go look for fabrics for my nikah dress. He suggested EuroModa Jalan TAR as he's their client and he always gets good deals there; and I said yes as I know practically nothing about fabrics. Last time when I was in Jakel, I almost paid for french lace worth thousands.

So since I trust him with the selection, I didn't think twice when I see the laces he proposed.

I think the fiancé was also overwhelmed by all of it (the fabric-hunting process),

Him : why don't you learn how to sew? That would simplify things a lot. No need to pay anyone to do your dress some more, a wedding dress is definitely NOT cheap.
Me : Yeah, buy me a sewing machine then.

The designer showed us how my dress would be, asked for our opinion, I said yes I like the design and nodded some more. To be honest, Googling all these nikah dress design on the internet really worsened my decision-making process - I can't seem to decide which would be the one I really like and at the same time would compliment my vertically-challenged figure as the ones I tend to like are the ones with long tails which will need really long legs.

But the one the designer showed me have tails and apparently I have "no problem fitting into it cause I can design to your comfort and you can wear 5-inch heels", I had to say yes.

A bit nervous to see how it turns out.

1. My intention of getting this camera is because of the amazing lens Fujifilm has equipped this X-series camera with (did I mention I love the bokeh effect?) which results in above-average image quality, so among all the digital cameras out there the X100 has its own stand in terms of that. So to improve the everyday pictures I take, this would be a huge improvement from Canon S90. But was I going to say that in my post? No, because I don't even talk like that in real life, so when I thought about "taking pictures", the one thought that comes to my mind is "camwhoring" and since it sounds funnier, I chose that. It does not mean I'm getting this X100 solely for camwhoring purpose, which is not what I usually do. I'm just not so serious when it comes to blog posts.
2. Some people would prefer Canon S90 and some would prefer Fuji X100 - to each its own. 
3. I still love my Canon S90 (or sometimes I use Canon S95 which belongs to the fiancé).
4. The websites I usually turn to are kakaku.com and rakuten.co.jp, both in Japanese (yes, you can rely on buying gadgets online in Japan)
5. When I said half the price in Malaysia, it means the camera in Japan costs AT almost half its price in Malaysia - sorry for the confusion! Though the price on kakaku.com varies a lot so the deals come and go - the key is to check consistently.

Been using my Canon Powershot S90 so much now that I think I need a better camera to suit my increasing "photography needs" (I.e. camwhoring.) I think at some point, point-and-shoot just becomes too boring and predictable; even when you're still an amateur.

Until I found the Fujifilm X100, I had no idea which semi-pro camera to get - SLR is a huge turn off for me due to the weight and size, and I hate the fact that people would always assume you're a photographer whenever you carry that thing around (who has the space in their handbags for a camera this big anyway?). So I knew I needed a good, practical, easy-to-carry camera and yet has the image quality almost equivalent to an SLR's.

Saw this camera a while ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. Went to a store once to check out the price, and it actually cost double the price in Japan (ah, the usual) so left the store empty-handed. I love that the design focus more on the lens and lens' quality, and how it has the "bokeh" effect to it - even so, adding the signature vintage look of the outerior design of the camera is like cherry on top. I went to Amcorp Mall's flea market (will blog about it later, it's become my favorite place now) a few times and there's an uncle selling all kinds of second hand camera from the 70's and 80's which have the similar outerior retro design; the fiancé had to drag me away every time we went.

(Ugh, fine. Kris Atomic used the Fuji X100 for her pretty pretty pictures too and I hate her for her talent, but at least I can get the camera.)

Comparing the price with an online store in Japan, I can get the camera for half the price in Malaysia. So I sent him the link with the hope that he'd understand - his fiancé needs this camera so can she pretty please kirim this for him to get it in Japan during his business trip?

He never replied. Sheesh.

And later on, I get to listen to his speech on "wedding budget". My negotiating skills is never good.

At Fatt's reception. So many weddings in January that I needed to book his time to accompany me. Told him he looked like one of veteran Malay actors like P Ramlee and Eman Manan, he was not amused.

And as usual, the most popular question I got that night;

"So how's your wedding preparation?"

Straight face, huge smile, cheeks burning up and said;

"It's going fineee.."

When the truth is, I haven't decided on our sanding outfits yet since I have no time to go back to Penang and meet the wedding planner, I have to go see the invitation card designer and settle on the freaking envelopes, I have no idea what our reception theme is (which is apparently the most important thing you have to decide like a year before you get married and no one told me that), I have to decide on the theme for his side and we have to do all this before February since he's going outstation to Japan for 3 freaking weeks next month.

But I discovered that I know how to cook the fiancé's favorite food, so I got that going for me, which is nice.

If I had a dream dais since I was a little kid, I'd imagine it would be something like this.


Fine, I'm not doing the dais any justice with non-SLR camera of mine. But but but. Can you see how gorgeous it is? A lot of people say it looks like jellyfish, so if it is, I'm definitely a huge fan of jellyfish now.

I get to watch my high school mate got hitched last Friday and it was one of the heart-warming experience I've ever had. You see, she was our Head Girl, Head Pengawas (can't remember if that was what we called it hahaa) but also a person so down to earth that she'd make anyone her friend anytime; and she was my desk mate (yes we had that term back in school) in Form 5.

So to see her finally tied the knot, and to see her grown up to become this person since the last time we saw each other back in Form 5, was amazing.

I think by now you'd know who she is and what an amazing person she is, so I'm not going to bore you with the details. You came across a lot of people throughout your life and only some would stick, so I'm grateful that she's one of those people as you'd know who you would need in your ups and downs in life and who you won't - so when you found those people, cherish their friendship.

So the day I've been waiting for has arrived when the fiancé said "OK let's go hantaran shopping at Johor Premium Outlet"

I mean, I've never been to the place, so when I discovered it'll be the same standard as those we've had in Japan - Tosu Premium Outlet (located in Fukuoka, his previous hometown) and Gotemba Premium Outlet (located in Tokyo) I was excited to see the "sale" signs there.

He used to take me to Tosu all the time when I visited him at his place, so it sort of became one of our staple places to go. Even when there's no big sales going on, we'd just go there for the sake of it as it is located a bit outside of the city.

Was quite disappointed when we reached Johor's.


The place reminded me of Tosu and Gotemba, but definitely not the prices. The bargains are not that much, there's no fukubukuro despite it being the new year weekend (if you've lived 4 years in Japan, you tend to look forward to those paper bags and boxes everywhere when it's new year) and mostly, the crowd is definitely so different compared to Japan. There were literally empty parking spots everywhere; which is not something you'd see in Gotemba.

Also, I've witnessed the polite Japanese ladies (and gentlemen, really) turned into green-eyed monsters brushing everyone off their way during new year sale. And that's when I learned the reality of Japan; Malaysians there looked like saints on shopping spree!

Granted, probably the developer aims the Singaporeans in regards to the location, so the price cut is still high in Malaysian currency but really. Maybe those times in Japan we had was great because of the currency there, but I never knew how much difference it makes when it comes to Malaysian having its own outlets. Everything still seems expensive and there's no section with big "SALE" pile that attracts my attention.

A friend says the sales during Chinese New Year would be phenomenal, though, FYI.

So after spending a day there, he concluded that he'd get his hantaran things during one of his business trips to Japan, while I got this.

I've ditched my previous foundation due to major breakouts I've been having lately (must be that bloody bride-from-hell syndrome people talk about) and tried to minimize makeup whenever I go out.
2) MAC Lightful foundation

So this is my 2014 new year resolution.

I'm going to have Chili's steaks more.

So this year would mark a huge difference in the history since it's the year I'm getting married, and I just realized I haven't had the time to dwell on it since it begins - was too busy running around settling stuff for the wedding. (You think wedding preparation is fun, think again.)

So when I thought about a year from now, I get this huge lump in my throat and chills. Did I imagine I'd be engaged today a year ago? Of course not. And I can't believe I'm going to be someone's wife a few months from now; that when I think about the responsibility and how my world is going to change 360 degrees from what it is today, I quiver even more.

But to think that I have him as my fiancé; as someone whom I would have to respect and place my utmost trust on for the rest of my life, the marriage thing doesn't sound so scary anymore. I'm grateful, even to realize that not only he's the love of my life, he's also my best friend whom I share almost every single detail of my life with and soon would even share my home and bedroom with.

And that fact just makes me all tingly again. As much as I always focus on the wedding day itself all this while, I know the marriage that comes after that day is what matters and I know he's doing the best he can to provide a good life for us and be the man I'd call my imam and that makes me respect him even more.

So, for this year's resolution, I decided that I will try to be the good wife he deserves. It's scary to think how my world would change a year from now, but all I have in my stomach now is butterflies and that's a good sign, right?

Married life sounds awesome.

One of the biggest decisions I had to make in 2013 was this one.

Because I had my eye set on this.