Last night, i had a sleepover to spend some time with Cammy and the kids while Kenny was away.
Almost-5yo Cameron joined us ladies for a night cap conversation before his bedtime, and i taught him how to breathe in and out slowly whilst using sweeping motions with my hand to exemplify what a long slow breath it should be.
“Do it before bedtime, cos when you slow down your heart rate, you’re preparing your body to sleep. I do it all the time!”
He looked pretty interested, and angelically followed suit.
After Cammy had put him to bed, she came back downstairs and told me how he was practicing it, so she offered to do it together with him. “Then i was yawning, and he was yawning, and i felt like going to sleep!” she said.
“Hahaha, at least it worked!” i crowed, “And maybe… this makes up for the ‘sleeping is boring’ thing…” :p
Just before Christmas, i was at their place and when Cameron had to go to bed, i piped up with whiskey in hand, “Sleeping is boring!”
Next thing you know, he parroted me, “Sleeping is boring!”
His mother mock-glared at me, “Joyce Wong!” I just laughed.
Since my mid-20s, i’ve always loved the Z3 to the point i’d fantasize zipping around on the highway in it. I just thought it one of the most beautiful cars i’d ever set eyes on with those sick curves of hers. Whenever i spotted one on the fast lane behind me, i’d let them overtake my little Swift back then before quickly cutting back in behind said Z3, and swoon over it while imagining, “I hope one day i’ll be driving YOU! La la la la…”
Five years ago, just before Christmas, Kenny bought himself a Z3 and totally hantu-ed me into buying one too. It wasn’t difficult cos i already loved it, and my dad and bro enthusiastically egged me on by showing me purchase options in KL. It seemed like a superb ‘why not’ moment… i didn’t have children nor major responsibilities yet, i was making enough, already paid off my first car, and if that wasn’t the perfect time to get a sports car then i don’t know when is!! #selfconviction
It arrived just in time for Christmas and i was (and still am!) so proud of Stacey! Yes, people laugh when they hear her name but i think it fits her so!!!
Funnily enough, thoughts of selling her started entering my mind, especially when i was in Ubud last July. I had this internal download that i should release my material possessions and direct the energy elsewhere (like the bitcoin, don’t get me started on how i regretted not buying them in August!). I felt torn, like i was cheating on Stacey. Sell her? Break up with her?!
Then Keith came to the rescue by suggesting i redo her interior, a solution for car owners who want to revive the excitement of driving their cars. Keith is a close friend i’ve known for 13 years, and we’ve had many bonding nights over countless drinks. I even threw a couple of birthday parties in his past bars and restaurants.
Besides running his F&B businesses, Keith has (unbeknownst to me) been operating a car interior service for the past decade! Or maybe he’s told me and my tipsy scattering brain just doesn’t remember.
Called GNT Autoseats, they started with servicing high-end European cars before opening their portfolio to other car makes and models after its first three years. Now, GNT has expanded to custom and complete interior rewraps and refurbishments which pertains to every part of the car; using leather, alcantara, fabric and vinyl from all over the world.
For my Z3; doing the 2x seats, door panels and steering cost RM 2,300.
I thought it was a great idea.
Keith said i could custom design the seats themselves to have any logo i wanted.
“Do you want to have your KinkyBlueFairy logo on it?” he asked.
“Hmm but what happens when i want to sell her? How about… a HEART?!”
“A HEART?!?!? Who’s gonna buy her then?” he roared with laughter at me.
Hmph, well a girl obviously…
So okay, i didn’t go with a heart, and got Keith to suggest the nicest colour he felt would go with Stacey’s silver exterior yet matched my character.
The best thing about having your car interior done is you don’t have to drop your car off, cos the guys come over to your home to disassemble all the parts they need, leave with them, and return 3-4 days later to assemble the reupholstered parts.
I felt uneasy watching them remove her seats… almost like my baby was getting molested!
But looking back at the pix of the black seats now… makes me go like, “Meh, i don’t miss it. Looks so drab now!”
Ahhhhhhh… …
True to their word, the guys came back a few days later to fix everything back in
In early December last year, Haanim from the Dusun asked if i would be interested in popping up for a weekend to check out Lanai House, their latest addition which i’ve not stayed in before. As it is… i think the last time i was at Dusun was 2014… which was 3 years ago!
It was time to go back. She’s had another baby since, and falls into my mental category of friends who pop children out when i turn around for a second. Ohai i haven’t seen you in awhile! Boom, new baby. Ohey, how have you been? Boom, third baby.
The living room is completely open air. Great for peeps like me who love fresh air and space, terrible for Val (whom i invited along with me) who’s not keen on insects and nature… Take it as life tuition.
Throughout getting the apartment back to normal post-Christmas Day, and prepping for NYE’s getaway menu; i kept bumping into an artist on Spotify, when i’d purposefully walk away from the task at hand, to check whose song it was. When i realized it was the third song from The Japanese House that’d got my attention, i googled him/her.
And discovered that he/she is a them.
How awesome! Gender neutrality is something that came into my space earlier this year, and i was especially pleased when Time mag featured gender neutrality on its cover (i think it was around March 2017).
I believe every human being exists on a spectrum that ranges thousands of gender variations. How can one cement so stoutly that one is either a male or female based on their physical attributes alone (mainly private bits)? Scientific research in recent years has already proven that anyway so you just need to pick up a book or google it.
IMHO, a person has both equal masculine and feminine qualities, and when one is born into earth on this lifetime, their soul makes a contract deciding which sex they’d physically be born with (some even get born with both, or neither!). The more new people i’ve met across different locations over the past 5 years, the more i’ve noticed and admired outstanding ones who embrace both their gender sides so equally that sometimes, you can’t tell if they’re traditionally male or female anymore. And i think – that is the way of the future. That we each have the complete freedom to be who we are without our outer shell dictating so.
The name The Japanese House was inspired by a property in Cornwall, England previously owned by Kate Winslet with furnishings reminiscent of traditional Japanese tea houses in which Bain and their family stayed in their childhood. During their week-long stay in the cottage, Bain posed as a boy, calling themself Danny. Their experiences there heavily influenced the use of an anonymous label for their music as opposed to the use of their own name.[3] Bain is in a relationship with fellow singer Marika Hackman.[4][5]
Amber Bain worked closely with the British band, The 1975. The band’s lead singer, Matt Healy and drummer, George Daniel helped them write several of their songs to date. [6] Bain went on their first tour as an opening act for The 1975 where they gained recognition.[7] Since then, they have been working on their debut album that is set to release at the end of 2017.[8] Bain is known for being gender neutral. When they debuted, many speculated if Bain was male or female. They explained that, “There was a big debate online as to my gender … it probably benefited me, because at the beginning I wasn’t labelled as ‘biddler X’ rather than ‘songwriter’.” [9]” [source]
