A Little Leopard, A Little (Faux) Fur

I put this together awhile ago but never got around to doing a post.  A little late I know..but better late than never!

Blessed with: Evil Twin Leopard blouse, Costa Blanca Faux Fur vest (Momma Lee's!), Work Custom Moto jeans, Michael Kors Hamilton Tote, Aldo nude patent pumps

Please excuse my disgusting eyebrows.  I am one of those people that will overpluck if I do it myself so now I just let them grow for my brow shaper to do them for me.  I really apologize..they look absolutely atrocious.  But I will say..it was a good make up day!

I took the top photos on my back step one morning before dimsum with my parents.  Since Adam was the one I'd bully to help me take any "outfit" photos..I now have to take them myself.  So there I was...setting my camera on a cardboard box from the office and praying it wouldn't flop over.  I think I need to invest in a tripod...potential gift idea for my birthday!!

Anyways, enjoy!

Love,

Emily B. Gaga

How can you say no to a face like this?!

Love,

A Day of Love (Self Love)

If this is you..we can't be friends.  Kiddings.  ...Half kiddings. 

It is true...I really do hate people who think and feel this way when it comes to Valentine's Day.  If you read through all your twitter and facebook feeds today..you're bound to run into someone like this.  And all I can say is...there's no shame in being single!!!!!  People who continuely go on and on ranting about how they are so fed up with finding "love," being single, ending up with losers etc etc....just let it go.  If a person can't appreciate being single, they sure as hell won't be able to appreciate a relationship. 

A lot of my "LG" life I was always striving for the one.  Whether he was a complete asshole, opposite or whatever it was that made him wrong for me...I told myself this was it.  Well, "this is it" majority of the time turned out to be a complete dud and I'd get my heart stomped on all over again every time it was done repairing itself from the last one.  It wasn't smart, it wasn't easy and worst of all..it was completely desperate of me to find connection in (what it felt like) just about everyone.  I was so caught up in finding my other half,  I forgot about me who mattered the most.  It sounds cliche but seriously, what person on this earth is more important than yourself?   Don't say family, friends, kids etc..those are important of course..but who you are as a person creates the life you want to live. 

Try to appreciate the single days when you can because it's probably the only time you will really get for yourself.  The happy-coupley stuff can wait, trust me.  And when it comes, you'll be so thankful that you waited for it to happen.  For a good year I spent all my focus and drive on myself and myself only.  If I had to work late or during weekends..fine, more money in the bank.  If I had to eat alone, that's okay..I can finish off that book I started.  Anything you can think of, you can do it alone.  I'm not saying when you're in a relationship your "you time" (you shouldn't!) is given up...but you really have to value yourself before you can let someone else value you the same.

Congratulations if you've found yours early and if not, it will come.  I promise!

Happy Valentine's Day from me to you. 

 PS.  Happy Valentine's Day to my 4 perfect dimes, Gee-JewLee Yiu, besties, and my amazing hubnut.

Michael's 26

It was my hubnut's 26th on Sunday and lucky for us, we spent the whole weekend together!  It's rather rare to spend extra time together since he's back in school full time and his homework load is insane but we made it work!  On Friday my parents took us out to Fatty Cow Hotpot (OUR FAVE), a first of three birthday celebrations!  I was feeling really under the weather cause I caught a really bad cold but that couldn't stop me.

The next morning I had an early appointment with a client but finished around 1030 and met up with the hubnut later on for brunch at Havana's.  I love this place and I really have to thank my bestie, Nancy for intorducing it to me.  I will say though..they have changed the menu a lot the past 2 years.  My favorite banana chips are no longer available (or from what I could see)

Those be the chips on the left :(

After brunch we headed back to my place where we NAPPED.  My goodness, I was still under the 48 hour spell from my cold and it felt so good to just sleep.  Michael was a trooper and didn't even try to wake me :)  Later that night after some much needed rest and running errands we had AYCE sushi with his fams.  It seems to be a tradition that whenever there's a birthday in his family..we go to ayce sushi.  Always.  Not complaining though--I personally think the chopped scallop cones are THE best at ayce.  I don't know why..I just do.   Then after dins we went back to his place and watched....LORD OF THE RINGS!

Man, where have I been the past 10 years (or so I've been told)?!!!  That movie is awesome!!!!!  I'm not really into fantasy but being the movie buff that he is..Michael is making me watch all the "good ones."  I'm more of a tv person FYI.  Anyhow, I'm still on the 2nd movie and I am so excited to finish off the series.  Gah, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen...HELLO)..such a dreamboat! 

Then on Sunday (his real birthday) we celebrated over dins at our favorite, Joe Forte's.  They did a really great job and even printed off menus especially for him that said "Happy Birthday Michael."  I didn't take a pic of it but they gave it to me before we left so I'll post it another day.  Service was great and food was yums as usual!  Since it was "Vday" weekend we even got to take advantage of their specials! 

One of Michael's most favorite dishes at JF's is their King Crab Tempura appie which he had to get and of course..what kind of meal would it be if there weren't oysters?!!!  I LOVEEEEEEE oysters.  Raw, baked, steamed, pan fried, fried, ANYTHING.  If it's on the menu..I'm getting it!  Then for our main, we chose their Vday special share platter which included 10oz NY steak, 1.5lb of lobster, veg, potatoes, squash puree, and lemongrass infused rice + a side order of their famous mac and cheesus.  YUM!  The share platter was a great deal: $80 for 2!  Plus they gave Michael a free birthday dessert (chocolate lava cake).   We always have a great time at Joe Forte's (minus our time during November) and can't wait for our next visit!

As for Michael's birthday present this year...HEHE!  I love pulling pranks on this poor guy.  So for the longest time he's been telling me how he needs a netbook for school since it's lighter than his laptop, it has flash unlike our ipads, and a lot of his courses need online access to input his answers/homework.  I've been telling him he doesn't need one and just to suck it up.  But really I've been looking around for one for him.  Now...I'm terrible (just terrible) when it comes to electronics because:

1) any electronic seems to die in my hands within months time
2) I have NO knowledge on what anything means when it comes to a computer.  Ram? Still don't know to this day

To make a long story short, I bought a netbook after some help from my office computer guy, a gift card to Timmy's (there's one on campus) and a pack of erasers shaped like peanuts (Lifestyles: Chapters). 

Kikkerland (similar style)

When I saw him on Sunday I first gave him the eraser set and timmy's card.  He seemed happy already so I knew my surprise was gonna successful!  About half an hour later he went to take a shower and during this time I setted up the netbook box on his bed so when he walked in it'd be the first thing he sees.  10 minutes later he comes downstairs and says to me "Can I speak with you please," and we both go upstairs.  I knew he saw but maybe he was too excited so he didn't wanna say anything???....But when we got into his room he goes "Are you f'reals!?" and gives me a big hug and kiss.  Don't wanna sound girly but I swear I had to fight back tears from being produced cause I was so happy he was happy. 

The Sibling Effect

I am one of those people you see standing infront of the "Self-Help" sections at the bookstore.  It doesn't necessarily mean I am some weirdo who depends on books to find myself but perhaps someone who finds assistance in another's wise words.  I use to buy tons of relationship books (..okay I still do...sometimes) but not because I feel inadequate in the way I treat _______ships, but because I want to look at things at every angle imagineable.  I've said this before, a book can tell you how to live, breathe, act etc but only the real life experience is going to help you grow as a person.  Put these 2 together and you got me.  I feel like I have a fairly good grip on relationships considering I've been in so many failed ones therefore giving me an edge on how a good one is suppose to be like.  But this is a whole other post. LOL.
Anyways, I was at Chapters picking up this book on marriage and the coupled up and found myself flipping through this book called "The Sibling Effect."  I had an inkling of what it'd be like and decided to give it a try.  In Elementary school, our librarian Mrs Lundi told us if we're ever unsure of a book..pick it up, flip to a random page and read it.  If you're still interested in reading more after that first page...then it's for you.  Which was what happened to me.

"A senior writer at Time magazine explores what scientists and researchers are discovering about sibling bonds, the longest- lasting relationships we have in our lives.

Nobody affects us as deeply as our brothers and sisters-not parents, not children, not friends. From the time we-and they-are born, our siblings are our collaborators and co-conspirators, our role models and cautionary tales. They teach us how to resolve conflicts and how not to, how to conduct friendships and when to walk away. Our siblings are the only people we know who truly qualify as partners for life.

In this groundbreaking book, renowned science writer Jeffrey Kluger explores the complex world of siblings in a way that is equal parts science, psychology, sociology, and memoir. Based heavily on new and emerging research, The Sibling Effect examines birth order, twin studies, genetic encoding of behavioral traits, emotional disorders and their effects on-and effects from-sibling relationships, and much more.

With his signature insight and humor, Kluger takes big ideas about siblings and turns them into smart, accessible writing that will help anyone understand the importance of siblings in our lives."

Some of you know and some of you don't but I am extremely close to my younger brother, Adam.  We grew up doing everything together as kids; sports (which I lacked a lot of skill even to this day), Chinese school, played together as kids, roomed in the same room with bunkbeds (that we'd turn into forts), read comincs into the wee hours of the morning making sure slit under the door was covered with a blanket so mom and dad couldn't catch us with the light on....(just to name a few) my goodness we did everything you can imagine!  To this day we are still super tight and I couldn't be more proud to be his sister.  I will say though that it really hurts to not have him around sometimes when I really need him.  I guess growing up we were each other's confidant's considering he knows everything about me and vice versa.  Which brings me to my next point....

Not many of you know (I don't think) but we are suppose to be a 3 sibling clan.  An older sister to be exact....but to me she is a stranger or the tartlet's mom as I call her.  I can't speak for Adam but for me..our relationship is as broken as it gets.  We don't get along and I don't like her.  Point blank.  I don't consider her my sibling and I'm okay with it.  We are just two different people even though we come from the same DNA puzzle.  Some people might think it's ridiculous or feel it's going to an extreme to say this but I feel like when I'm not comfortable with something/someone...then it needs to end.  I am civil with her around because I respect my parents and the tartlet too much to keep the household in peace. 

The past couple years I have really struggled to find where I stand in this sibling-ship and there's been a lot of tears spent on something that is just beyond my control.  I feel this book really tries to explain why we grow together the way we do as siblings and why we can also grow apart.  I've found myself referencing a lot of my relationship with Adam to this book and I guess it strengthens our sibling-hood but it also pushes me away even further from the other.  A lot of people have asked me if our sibling-ship will ever be salvaged but I just feel it has gone way too sour to make things better.  Blood isn't always thicker than water.