lifestyle

This woman actually loves in a garden (and sleeps in an old airstream)
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2013/08/29/garden/20130829_MILEECE.html#1

I actually think that's wonderful

I think i'll do that
Have a little tent in my garden when i grow up complete with a gas stove and a bed and books and a stash of food and pens and paper and all my survival kit so i can just escape there when i need to

When nature is everywhere it's pretty hard not to hear God's voice

hallelujah

NEW PB FOR 100M---13.88 (!!!!!!!!)

miriam is a happy girl

and all because i false started and had to run with gid and ben instead of the girls
and in order not to humiliate myself by finishing 100 light years after them
I unwittingly pushed myself harder
and then
SHAZAM

new resolution

I have resolved
to put effort into what ever i wear out
To make sure
that i express art with my clothes

My mum just came in and said good night
My dad was watching our holiday videos on the computer

My mum looked at his engrossed figure
and said

'You are looking at a repetition of your life.
I am your life.'

friend love

When i talked to Pastor Ollie a few months ago
He told me that it was probably impossible for a girl and a guy to be best friend without things getting complicated
I disagree
true, i haven't had really a BEST guy friend, but I've have better guy friends and I've never fallen for any of them
In fact, if you are friends you know that oh love is not supposed to be for us two because we already have friendship let's not be greedy and ask for more
I don;t know how to explain it
But it's possible

     

Confessions of a skinny girl

I

don't

have

a

proper

thigh

gap

last week

Es ist ein schöner Tag

that means a beautiful day in german

It's been a week since Reshem went back to Germany and i kind of miss him already
He's used to be the neighbourhood friend
Now he's more like the older brother i've never had
(even though he's younger. he still calls me mei mei sometimes to annoy me)

Anyway, while he was around I'd come home to the prospect of seeing him lounging on the sofa and then being fine with whatever i wanted to do ('don't do it just for me') which was usually swimming and badminton and playing monopoly deal while eating gummy bears

I probably had a lot of exercise

We did all the exciting things i used to do everyday like find secret passages in the neighbourhood and sneak past the security guard at temasek club to go swimming and slide down the hot metal slide in the play ground with our wet bodies so we'd go zipping down so fast you can't draw breath before you get spit out on the asphalt.

And badminton on the grass, playing on even when ants started biting. I think he let me win him 10-1. Or maybe it's just my mad skillz (oh please miriam) Timmy has gotten surprisingly good at badminton and i think maybe a reason i was prolonging playing again was because i secretly knew he'd win  (Pride and prevarication of an older sister)

And swimming oh glorious swimming temasek club never changes you jump in and the waters crystal
It's perfect and between playing pool volleyball and tag you can hold you breath and hunker down in the water and hear the droomdroom sound (a generator?) and feel your hair (I love the feeling of hair underwater it floats and caresses your face like a cloud, but when you get up from the water it becomes a wet hunk of wetness bleurgh) and just blow bubbles. Although on the last day i couldn't swim (girl stuff) i still paddled (shorts up toes pointed) and got soaked anyway because kunaal splashed me and reshem almost dragged me completely under.

I did my history essay outline beside the pool
It's probably my happiest outline

Reshem also says funny things

instead of 'it's you serve' (context: badminton) he says 'you got ball'
and instead of 'bass' he says 'b-a-zz'
and because he likes rap and hiphop he says 'imma' instead of 'i'll/i'm going to' and 'that's tight' instead of 'that's cool' (Gangster all)
and
'data...i like that word data'

Anyway on the last night Reshem and i rode our bikes down across the old train tracks to the coffee shop in commonwealth because he was dying for an ice kacang, and he couldn't believe i'd tried one and hated it
So he let me try his ice kacang and it still tastes absolutely vile
And on the way back we took a detour and he convinced me to ADVENTURE and just ENJOY after A levels because i'm going to spend my life in work and why not cling on to freedom while it's still here?

Anyway he's gone back which sucks it's like a repetition of Aymee leaving :(
I haven't swum in Temasek club since he left
But i think i'll go this sunday

dib day

Last sunday was a pretty insane day

It was dibby's birthday, and so i dressed special for her, in Hannah's high heels (too big, so when no one was looking i shuffled instead of walking), my old dark blue velvet top and my crazy Hawaiian flowers-on-drugs sarong skirt (MINDS you are my favorite shopping place ever), and i braided my hair into a chignon (i wish)

Anyway, so i went to church completely over dressed (Agnes was amused and went crazy)

(I realise i like using parenthesis a lot)

anyway, after sunday school i rushed off to Bugis, met grace and planned

THE GRAND SURPRISE

Grace had created a whatsapp group to celebrate dibs with all of us inside
But Weixin and Ellis also have their birthday's soon
So we had a separate group to plan their birthday when they thought they were planning dibs'

So it was kind of a birthday-inception-conception

(I also like the word so a lot)

Anyway, we were supposed to meet dibs, ellis and weixin at the mrt and bring them up to EWF for the surpise

But

we'd assumed they'd all arrive at the same time, which, (Knowing them) was never ever happening

And grace found out that weixin was going to be early, dibs was dependably on time and ellis was unsurprisingly going to be half and hour late

And so grace and I had to do some major time stalling, before we got them all to meet us at the toilet, where grace and i had gone to get ready

And by getting ready i mean
wearing an SKII whitening face mask and unraveling a makeshift banner with a drawing of each of them on it

And then stepping out and running through the entire mall while the three of them followed behind, bewildered

Until the saw the cake, and heard us sing (as grace and I, gasping with laughter and probably embarrassment, peeled off the masks) their birthday song

Honestly i don't think 12 year old Miriam would ever dare debase herself by running through a mall with a slimy mask on her face while holding aloft an umbrella

But i guess that's just what insane SC friends do to you: make you so insanely happy that you don't care if anyone sees you doing stupid things, as long as the stupid things are with them too.

Birthday weekend

My birthday was tres magnifique

I remember being quite sad last year because my birthday was in the middle of O level prelims and so it was kind of glossed over.
But, like my brother wrote on his card "Your sweet 16th wasn't very sweet but your sweet 17th will sweeter"

Anyway, so on the 26th i went into school totally and absolutely unsuspecting because i thought my class was probably planning something for the 29th (the Monday after my birthday), which was a logical conclusion was it not because of day proximity or whatever. After a really really good literature lesson (what am i saying Mrs warren's profession and Mrs Creffield is always fantastic, i feel like i come out of every class knowing 3000 more secrets), we went for PE, and after i changed into my pe kit, and went back to the class

And suddenly, the sprang this glorious flower wreath on me and sang Happy Birthday and i felt like princess diana or something so much attention i got the blushing-and-smiling thingy that happens when there are so many eyes on me but it was so wonderful i felt so special

And then we had a great soccer match football is like the AH game another sign of moving on i guess NO MORE SC CAPTAIN'S BALL MANIA (bittersweet letting go)

The rest of the day was so funny the class sang happy birthday is AGAIN in econs class and made me wear the wreath to math lecture and in GP and around school and in HISTORY LECTURE oh my because i was wearing the most-beautiful-wreath-in-the-history-of-the-earth i was called to answer Mr Kumu's questions (Could the lady with the flowers in her hair...)

After school, i had track, and to my surprise they'd ALSO planned something (!!!) and just feigned innocence and ignorance throughout training, until afterward when they sprung cupcakes and a shirt with all their messages written on it (THIS IS TRACK THIS IS FAMILY THIS IS LOVE THIS IS A SPORT CCA WHY DID I NOT JOIN ONE BEFORE I LOVE THEM)

SAturday was mainly uneventful birthday wise (although i did go personal birthday shopping-by myself, at a flea market with $4 dresses and i also found FRIED GREEN TOMATOS the book which i bought for mum (Buying nice books for other people is one of my happy things) and watched my first ever opera which i violently hated in the first Act but finally began to appreciate in Act 3 after reading the synopsis in the programme because an angmoh man asked me to shut up because i was whispering too much to aly in the hopes of finding out what on earth was going on on stage)

Sunday was nice because
1) I woke up EXTREMELY EARLY to meet Ellis at HV for breakfast/failed sunrise watching (and my dad was lovely and decided to send me and he said 'happy birthday' in the morning even though he was groggy from sleep he remembered)
2) Ellis came and she brought a cake YUM and herself DOUBLE YAY and we talked and walked the empty streets and sat in an not yet open Kenny Roasters (and saw a man deliver frozen chicken to the shop, presumably to be sold later on) and talked and talked like old times whenever i talk to ellis i feel like she really cares about all my petty concerns and that she's someone God really uses to help neutralise my over melodramatic-ness and someone who just really genuinely loves everyone around her
3) So breakfast was fantastic

4) I wore my new white bally sandals to church
even writing that makes me happy
there's something about sandals that make everything more summery and celebratory

5) After church i got a SUNFLOWER from christy i love love love flowers and i loce yellow and i love sunflowers and i love christy thank you so much

6) Agnes and Gloria and the Sunday school girls ambushed me when i emerged from the toilet with happy birthdays and lovely gifts

7) lunch was at raffles city where they always play ABBA music

8) Emily and Christy got me this most glorious ever banana cake it was the most delicious banana cake i have eaten ever in my entire LIFE

9) Emily got me Jam i love jam bottles i love holding jam and eating jam is alright too i guess BUT Having Jam is something that wow (TIME: 12 07 please excuse me)

10) I can;t remember but the day was lovely

11) Oh i watched Sherlock at night which was pretty nice until the end

12) And Hannah got me the nicest presents ever the exact kinds of things i like- a book (Did i mention i love getting books too) and nail polish and mascara in a very sweet small bottle and Young Victoria the movie (watch as my heart melts) <3 p="">
On monday, The HPPS kids in choir surprised me with a chocolate thingy from awfully chocolate and Blueberries which was incredibly sweet of them (literally heehee)

And timmy got my lovely jewelry (And i thought his taste was questionable) and the earrings are perfect for my new once a week rebellious earrings campaign

And then i thought my birthday was over

And so on saturday when i was sitting at my computer, typig out a literature essay and singing Silent Night to myself, and suddenly felt Cold hands over my eyes, i was absolutely unsuspecting

"Tim, go away. Stop it tim..."

I said

like an idiot

Because then i realised it wasn't Tim

It was Weixin-the sneakiest girl on the planet who was apparently having dinner nearby

and had something to pass to me, from her mum downstairs

so i followed her

and tried to find her mu

when suddenly she did the I'm-kidnapping-you-by-covering-your-eyes hand thing again and made me walk down a perilous path and a treacherous cliff (I swear i almost died. almostnotreallybutpossiblycloseto)

And onto a grassy field

And when she opened my eyes

They were all there on the filed, smiling and singing and with a birthday cake and i was so immensely surprised my jaw literally dropped and i was so happy because i almost thought they forgot about my irthdya

And there they were

the sneakiest people in the world
and the best

The rest of the evening was spent talking and playing and sticking our legs in the air and tracing the outlines of trees with our feet and watching the sky grow dark and listening to music it was all very amazing

and when we went up stairs Charmaine played wonderful music including the wangbuliao song that gets me and my dad every time

It was so perfect
so unexpected and so wonderfully perfect

An interesting fact about me

I always get off my bike on the left side

ice cream adventures, a cramp and flying

Today after school, Me Aymee Rebecca and Niki went to Rochester's Ben and Jerry's to eat ice cream.

We were planning to use my vouchers, but in the end we couldn't (and a slightly embarrassing situation ensued)
But we still got ice cream, Rebecca got Cookie dough in a cup, Niki got phish food in a salty tasting cone, and Aymee and I shared a ginormous core sundae with whipped cream and sprinkles and chocolate fudge (heart attack here i come)
It was delicious, totally, utterly delicious
I have a billion kajillion plans for what i shall do when i go to France and see Aymee with Niki and others IT WILL BE AH FRENCH ADVENTURE
I can't wait

(Talking about France-the newest french crisis: The endangerment of baguettes NOOOO http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/world/europe/a-french-dining-staple-is-losing-its-place-at-the-table.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=1&)

Besides that, i really love walking with Niki and Aymee, and creeping over the funny concrete bumps in Rochester mall, and checking out food places for future food adventures, and singing "YOU SAY THAT YOU LOVE ME BUT YOU'RE NEVER AT HOME" loudly along the quiet road towards Rochester.

When we got back to school, after an episode of talking to this lady who came to promote church events, and giving clarter her history notes (I hope you can read through the highlights) p.s claire you owe me bananas, i went for track training

Today we ran 6x300m (-1 because we are all unfit slobs) and i am proud to say i almost reached my P.B yayyy 51.8 (PB=51.78 right now) i know it's a sucky timing but still getting close was nice

During cool down we went slightly crazy and Gideon started singing "I feel PRETTY, oh so PRETTY, i feel PRETTY and WITTY and GAY" and then we skipped a bit and then i tried to dance but the minute i pointed my right foot my calf cramped up like a CRAZY STONE and i just fell on thei field kind of in shock at the pain, but more of the fact that this was my first sudden calf cramp and WHOA it was mean and painful

I think i must have looked pretty ridiculous prancing around and then suddenly throwing myself on the field but it was quite amusing afterward

Thank god for friends who helped my massage my rock hard throbbing calf and who did the weird fleing foot thing that helps the cramp go away

You guys

the best

:')

And then during ballet (I can finally jump again huzzah huzzah huzzah) i felt so buoyant and happy i literally enjoyed every minute of learning the demi character dance and performing the dramatique (I think my excitedness translated into my movement because Mrs Cheong said Emily and I were too energetic)

I  felt like every time i did a ton leve i was bouncing off a cloud, and landing among all the soft strands of white mixed with sunshine, and then being buoyed up again

Such a wonderful day

Thing persons

I love how Aymee refers to things with personal pronouns

Cupcakes become a he

'and he was green and pink!'

and ice cream becomes a she

Surreal

Yesterday i had to stay up till half past 2, reading history notes, and highlighting them and annotating them (I mostly drew sad faces, and a ghost)

But because I'm not a night owl, and i can't really take a late night normally

Everything became very weird

It felt like my head was disconnected from my body, and extra heavy, and for some very very strange reason my skin felt like velvet (Trust me, it doesn't usually)

And time seemed to move in spurts and jerks

And everything was very warm

and i was sort of in 2 states at once, dreamland and reality, because i saw my economics teacher in the lounge (not possible) and wrote things on my study notes that weren't history reacted, but made sense in my dream

And all i could hear was my breathing, interspersed with my dad's noises-in-his-sleep, and a strange tap-tapping from the kitchen that i couldn't quite place

Also, the day-plus buns they sell in school taste like you are eating clouds
literally just soft light gossamer fluff

I found it

The planner is back

Now I've lost my shoebag with my court shoes inside
strangely i'm not worried