I mean, seriously?
And so, my pretty long tale starts :
A Levels Graduation prom is scheduled to be on the 14th of June. My final paper in on June 12th, Friday. You guys might think that shopping for a prom dress around the 1st week of May, is waayyyy too early. But, friend, exam starts on the May 28th for me, so basically there is just no time to shop. Okay, digressing.. but it is necessary to shade some light as to why I felt so majorly disappointed later on.
Anyway, yes, I managed to get my hands on a dress that I liked and fitted my requirements. My Form 5 one was a tailored, elaborate floor-length gown. I opted for a simple short one this time round which I hoped to get off the rack instead of having to frequently visit a tailor for fittings (which is a real chore, trust me, especially when time is not on your side).
Yay yay happy happy. But it was quite big, and needed to be altered. The boutique (which I so want to name, but not sure whether that constitutes defamation [as I'm gona bantai them later] lol, so I'd rather not) offers alteration services. Cool! So, okay, tuck an inch here, shorten the ridiculously long straps, and off it was to wherever the tailor was. And off I went back home. And mind you, I was real pleased at being able to procure a suitable prom dress without the need to go from shop to shop, mall to mall. Also, I didn't need to last minute shop on the 12th. If cannot get how? Quite mampus right.
I went back a week or so later. The fitting room area was in semi-darkness, lights dimmed (prolly to create an illusion of you being slimmer or some nonsense like that), I tried on the dress. Oh, it fits, goodie. Hang on.. why is the material not smooth? Something's there.. can't see, too dark, must go out.
Went out. Slightly brighter lighting. Looked into the mirror.
What. Is. That. Horrendous. Piece. Of. Thing. Across. My. Dress???
Overview of the original dress : perfectly smooth, spaghetti-strapped, sweetheart neckline, gathers at the midriff so the bottom skirt is slightly puffed and not flat. Plain black by the way.
What I saw. Was. : The straps were lopsided, making the sweetheart neckline look utterly pathetic, and the most shocking thing : lace, one whole strip of lace, was sewn across my hip area in front in a V shape. It may not seem that bad, but trust me, it does not go well with the cutting of the dress and the gathers on top. I was speechless. Cos it looked really disastrous. Wow that rhymed. Okay, anyway..
But I thought, no worries, it's just sewn on. They can just take it off. And so we asked them to. After the momentary shocked period, my mom & I found it amusing that someone simply added things to ppl's already paid dresses according to their whims & fancies. The lady (A) said the altering lady (B) prolly got mixed up, that maybe some other customer wanted to add lace on their dress. Ok, fine by us. Just get it off mine.
Lady A called up the next day. And here comes the bombshell.
It seems, they can't remove the lace... why... because... because... it would expose something... expose what thing you ask... expose a FREAKING HOLE in the middle of the dress which happened DURING the alteration.
And you know what the most inconceivable thing is? Lady A said that she asked Lady B first why she sewed on lace.
Her answer "Oh, I accidentally cut hole. So, put the lace so customer won't find out."
Won't find out. Won't FIND OUT. Won't FIND OUT.
I was appalled. Has dishonesty suddenly become so prevalent in Msia?? I can't stand dishonesty lah c'mon. This covering up business and hiding the truth just doesn't sit well with me. It's just so. Insane. Freaking say it to my face lah. Tell me there's a hole, and maybe choose another dress or smtg. But to be so sly and cover up in hopes that I won't find out?
Hello. Dahlah cut a freaking hole in my dress thus destroying it, you have the cheek to cover it up??! After I paid in full for it already?? (They'll only alter for you if you pay full cos if you don't pay and then they alter to fit only your size, and u suddenly don't want, then how?)
That unscrupulous lady. Has she no principles??
We have just recently settled for a full refund. Which means. I'm back to square one, of, rushing last minute on June 12th to find a dress that has to fit properly (no time for alteration duh) for prom, June 14th. Hooray.
I mean, I was happy that I managed to settle this prom dress issue in such a jiffy and now... I'm not even sure if I can get one on time. All this because of the freaking Lady B who cut a big hole in the front of my dress. AND the fact that she thought to cover it up with weird lace so we wouldn't find out is just despicable and makes me even more disappointed/depressed/peeved/insert whatever negative feelings.
ps : And it's a renowned boutique in Damansara Uptown okay! Not some chiplak store or any of those random shops in Bangsar.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Make it the race of my life
Why ah, am I so affected by everything people say nowadays? I don't mean that in a bad way lol Hahah as in.. like the previous post about being motivated. This time it's by Fiona Gan :)
Fiona texted me and it ended with : Study hard babe! The finishing line is near!
I guess, again, it may seem trivial to many. But let me paint a picture in attempt to show you how that line has affected me so.
"The finishing line" will probably be just another metaphor to most; symbolizing finishing just any everyday task. It, however, represents something very significant to runners, and being one myself, I fully understand the meaning of "the finishing line", taking it literally.
I guess fellow runners will probably understand this fully, what it means to race, beating all competition, to the finish line.
They're different, 100m and 400m. I won't include 800m and 1500m into the comparison cos then they'll just make it a whole lot more complicated. So, 100m and 400m it is.
100m; a short sprint, you'll reach the finishing line soon enough; 13/14 seconds at max?
It being a sprint, you go all out, you put in everything you have, you just run your fastest all the way and when you cross the finish line, you bend double, pant and gulp down air. The race is over.
If you're fastest, you get first place. Congrats. It's all good. Not much stamina needed, just speed.
400m; now, this is different. A little more tricky. A little more unpredictable as to who will win. I would know, having run both myself. You don't just finish in 13/14 seconds. It takes much longer, 1 minute 12 seconds, which in running time, is long. (That's my time lah you just insert your time or smtg lol)
You need stamina. But you also need speed, especially for the last 100m. You need to run nearest to the inner side of your lane during the curves, to cut down the distance as the circumference is smaller that way.
You need to make sure you don't die halfway, make sure your timing's right, make sure you don't push yourself till your calf & thigh muscles cramp up. Most of all you gotto make sure, if you've been leading throughout the whole 300m, that you don't pancit during that last 100m.
The last 100m, being a straight stretch, allows you a really good view of the finishing line. You just want to finish the race and finish first. You just want to, no, need to, reach it. Sometimes you're just so tired you want it all to be over, to have your midriff snap that yellow ribbon. To rest them tired leg muscles. The adrenaline rush empowers you and you try to keep pushing yourself although your thighs already feel like iron. You feel as if you're gona tumble forward if your body tries to go any faster as your legs can't keep up.
That last stretch is, by far, the most tedious part of the race. You either make it or break it. You pancit, and somebody with a better strategy who's been just a step behind all this while, overtakes you and you get 2nd, after all the effort you've put in to remain first during the 300m before that. Or, you might even get 3rd. Completely die(walking) or cramp up, you get last. Faint, and you won't even get a placing. There goes your race.
But, oh how fortune smiles on you if you manage to sustain your energy all the way and finish first! How exhilarating and familiar that feeling is to me! I've done it. I've made my sports house, my school, my parents, my friends, my whoever else, and most importantly, I've made myself proud. Oh, that wondrous feeling!
But see now, everyone who finishes first, had to go through that period of longing, pressure, tension, stress and desperation to reach that finish line. To charge towards it with everything one has. The finishing line is so near! It's just 50m ahead, I just have to get there and end this tiring race. And, ah, I finish in first place and I'm ecstatic. I'm on fire. I'm thrilled. All the training, all the hard work, paid off.
See? That's how I view Fiona's sentence.
The finishing line is so near! It. Is. SO. Near. After the 300m, that last 100m bit ahead is approaching. I know what it feels like to want to finish a 400m race. Oh, how the leg muscles cry out for relief! But, you need to get to the finish line to end it.
Whether you finish 1st is a different story, you just have to finish the race.
And this is how I feel about the upcoming A2 exams too I guess.
I am currently running the race of my life.
The finishing line is so near!
Study your hardest, end that race, and hopefully, in first place.
p/s: My grammar and tenses are all over the place but whatever, I just had to unload the words hahaha and no time to proofread lol :)
Fiona texted me and it ended with : Study hard babe! The finishing line is near!
I guess, again, it may seem trivial to many. But let me paint a picture in attempt to show you how that line has affected me so.
"The finishing line" will probably be just another metaphor to most; symbolizing finishing just any everyday task. It, however, represents something very significant to runners, and being one myself, I fully understand the meaning of "the finishing line", taking it literally.
I guess fellow runners will probably understand this fully, what it means to race, beating all competition, to the finish line.
They're different, 100m and 400m. I won't include 800m and 1500m into the comparison cos then they'll just make it a whole lot more complicated. So, 100m and 400m it is.
100m; a short sprint, you'll reach the finishing line soon enough; 13/14 seconds at max?
It being a sprint, you go all out, you put in everything you have, you just run your fastest all the way and when you cross the finish line, you bend double, pant and gulp down air. The race is over.
If you're fastest, you get first place. Congrats. It's all good. Not much stamina needed, just speed.
400m; now, this is different. A little more tricky. A little more unpredictable as to who will win. I would know, having run both myself. You don't just finish in 13/14 seconds. It takes much longer, 1 minute 12 seconds, which in running time, is long. (That's my time lah you just insert your time or smtg lol)
You need stamina. But you also need speed, especially for the last 100m. You need to run nearest to the inner side of your lane during the curves, to cut down the distance as the circumference is smaller that way.
You need to make sure you don't die halfway, make sure your timing's right, make sure you don't push yourself till your calf & thigh muscles cramp up. Most of all you gotto make sure, if you've been leading throughout the whole 300m, that you don't pancit during that last 100m.
The last 100m, being a straight stretch, allows you a really good view of the finishing line. You just want to finish the race and finish first. You just want to, no, need to, reach it. Sometimes you're just so tired you want it all to be over, to have your midriff snap that yellow ribbon. To rest them tired leg muscles. The adrenaline rush empowers you and you try to keep pushing yourself although your thighs already feel like iron. You feel as if you're gona tumble forward if your body tries to go any faster as your legs can't keep up.
That last stretch is, by far, the most tedious part of the race. You either make it or break it. You pancit, and somebody with a better strategy who's been just a step behind all this while, overtakes you and you get 2nd, after all the effort you've put in to remain first during the 300m before that. Or, you might even get 3rd. Completely die(walking) or cramp up, you get last. Faint, and you won't even get a placing. There goes your race.
But, oh how fortune smiles on you if you manage to sustain your energy all the way and finish first! How exhilarating and familiar that feeling is to me! I've done it. I've made my sports house, my school, my parents, my friends, my whoever else, and most importantly, I've made myself proud. Oh, that wondrous feeling!
But see now, everyone who finishes first, had to go through that period of longing, pressure, tension, stress and desperation to reach that finish line. To charge towards it with everything one has. The finishing line is so near! It's just 50m ahead, I just have to get there and end this tiring race. And, ah, I finish in first place and I'm ecstatic. I'm on fire. I'm thrilled. All the training, all the hard work, paid off.
See? That's how I view Fiona's sentence.
The finishing line is so near! It. Is. SO. Near. After the 300m, that last 100m bit ahead is approaching. I know what it feels like to want to finish a 400m race. Oh, how the leg muscles cry out for relief! But, you need to get to the finish line to end it.
Whether you finish 1st is a different story, you just have to finish the race.
And this is how I feel about the upcoming A2 exams too I guess.
I am currently running the race of my life.
The finishing line is so near!
Study your hardest, end that race, and hopefully, in first place.
p/s: My grammar and tenses are all over the place but whatever, I just had to unload the words hahaha and no time to proofread lol :)
Friday, May 8, 2009
Make it a source of motivation
Miriam Tiong just has a knack for motivating me without meaning to.
As in, things she says in passing actually have quite an impact on me and gets me thinking, thus helps motivate me.
That's twice now. I can't remember what the first time was about, but I remember it was something important, something that made a whole load of sense to me and woke me up.
This time, it was regarding our upcoming major major exam, A2.
I think I'm not the only one when I say that I've been experiencing some sort of a burn out, some sort indifference right now. Stress has been piling up, creating a huge burden on my shoulders and weighing me down. And other things that make it worse, are things about my future that are, in Izzat's words, pending; Not sure; Tak confirm. It makes me lose heart.
And so, I just sort of.. died. As in, it came to a point where I didn't really care anymore? I mean I still did, but it wasn't my priority. Like, I had no light at the end of a tunnel to run my fastest towards. Just slowly, leisurely walking towards. Or many even just wondering aimlessly in the dark. Thus, my progress has been stagnant as of late.
Until this morning. Mim and I were texting last night discussing stuff and her last reply came in this morning. It said something regarding some normal stuff in the beginning. The text then ended with,
"Less than a month more to freedom babe! Make it worth it. Take care!"
Make it worth it.
Make it worth it.
I said it over and over again in my head. Make it worth it. What exactly did that mean?
Make. It. Worth. It.
First "It" - Did it mean my studies? The whole 18 months I've been studying? To make it worth it? To make it count? To do well in A2 and thus in ALevels? Therefore, to stop feeling this "feeling" and start to realize that I should try my very hardest to do well?
Or did it mean my life? Currently, as a student? To play my role, as a daughter and student? To make my life worth it by getting the best grades I can try to get so that my future is a little brighter?
I know it may seem that this sentence is so mundane, and that I may have overanalysed it, but it really made me feel something. Made me remember what one of my purposes is. I mean, don't you think what she said makes a whole load of sense? And this leads on to my feeling that I have to do my best. Simply because.
It reminded me that I should, make it worth it.
Thanks, Mim :)
As in, things she says in passing actually have quite an impact on me and gets me thinking, thus helps motivate me.
That's twice now. I can't remember what the first time was about, but I remember it was something important, something that made a whole load of sense to me and woke me up.
This time, it was regarding our upcoming major major exam, A2.
I think I'm not the only one when I say that I've been experiencing some sort of a burn out, some sort indifference right now. Stress has been piling up, creating a huge burden on my shoulders and weighing me down. And other things that make it worse, are things about my future that are, in Izzat's words, pending; Not sure; Tak confirm. It makes me lose heart.
And so, I just sort of.. died. As in, it came to a point where I didn't really care anymore? I mean I still did, but it wasn't my priority. Like, I had no light at the end of a tunnel to run my fastest towards. Just slowly, leisurely walking towards. Or many even just wondering aimlessly in the dark. Thus, my progress has been stagnant as of late.
Until this morning. Mim and I were texting last night discussing stuff and her last reply came in this morning. It said something regarding some normal stuff in the beginning. The text then ended with,
"Less than a month more to freedom babe! Make it worth it. Take care!"
Make it worth it.
Make it worth it.
I said it over and over again in my head. Make it worth it. What exactly did that mean?
Make. It. Worth. It.
First "It" - Did it mean my studies? The whole 18 months I've been studying? To make it worth it? To make it count? To do well in A2 and thus in ALevels? Therefore, to stop feeling this "feeling" and start to realize that I should try my very hardest to do well?
Or did it mean my life? Currently, as a student? To play my role, as a daughter and student? To make my life worth it by getting the best grades I can try to get so that my future is a little brighter?
I know it may seem that this sentence is so mundane, and that I may have overanalysed it, but it really made me feel something. Made me remember what one of my purposes is. I mean, don't you think what she said makes a whole load of sense? And this leads on to my feeling that I have to do my best. Simply because.
It reminded me that I should, make it worth it.
Thanks, Mim :)
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