Nature or Nurture

I always felt that the kind of kids you have is pretty similar to a coin toss.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have an angel.

If you’re not, I really do feel sorry for you.

To me, the way kids react and behave when they are very very young is pretty much “Nature”.

It’s a build in “system”.

You know how when you’re out at shopping centers or wherever, you’ll sometimes get to see parents dragging their kid away.

As if that is not embarrassing enough, the kid finds this the perfect timing to scream his/her head off like a freakin’ banshee.

When ever my mum sees such a scene going on, she’ll tell me that she’s really glad that I was never like that.

Yes, I was once an angel.

What I hear from my parents, they never had any problems with me.

I’m not the screaming kind, or the roll on the floor kind that refuses to get up and has to be carried away fireman style.

I guess they were really lucky.

I always felt that you either get the “unpleasant” one, or the other.

But a talk with a friend today got me thinking.

She was taught that children’s behaviours are “Nutured”.

For example, the very first time a kid throws a tantrum, the immediate reaction from the parents would very likely be to give what ever is “demanded”.

I do understand why giving in will be the immediate reaction.

It is only natural that when parents see their kids behaving in a manner that is not “appealing”, they do what ever they can to stop the behaviour.

And many a times, it comes in the form of giving the kid what he/she wants.

Giving in happens with the mind set that the child is too young to understand if the parents were to try talking sense to them.

So the next best thing to do, is to give in to what they want.

“Talking sense can come when they’re older. So for now, just give in”

With such a mind set, they are actually reinforcing the behaviour of the child.

It is sending the child the signal that 1)it is ok to throw a tantrum, and 2)this is the way to get what they want.

From what I can remember, my folks never gave me everything I wanted.

When I was young, I wanted to stay over at my cousin’s place but was not allowed.

And I cried all the way home, hoping that my folks would give in to me and let me stay.

It didn’t work.

So, for me that was “set in stone” that crying my eyes out wouldn’t get me what I want.

There!

Nurture!

But a part of me still thinks that it might be a mixture of “Nature” and “Nurture” that makes up a child’s behaviour.

Apart from knowing that crying doesn’t get me far, I was probably pretty egoistic even when I was young.

I knew to never create a scene in public, hoping that my parents will give in to me.

Getting my image screwed over a toy is so not worth it.

What do you think?

“Nature” or “Nurture”?

Or a mixture of both?

Lectoblix’s 24th Birthday

What exactly is a “Lectoblix”?

Lectoblix are “creatures” that age quickly, and survive by draining the youth out of others.

Why “Lectoblix”?

Because I’ve been told by friends and colleagues that I do not look my age, and I do not look like I have aged (I hope).

Let’s hope that this will go on for the next couple of years.

When ever people tell me that I’ve not aged, I’ll tell them that it is because I feed off the youth of the people whom I hang around.

I’ve no problem telling people my age.

I do not hide it.

Yes~!

I’m freakin’ 24 this year!

And in less than 48 hours, I’ll officially be 24.

Friends and family have been asking me what I want for my birthday.

And my reply to them was…

“Give me a one way ticket to Egypt.”

I know it sound incredibly nonsensical.

But, it is the most realistic thing I want.

When I told Y.H about what I really REALLY want, and went on ranting about “it”, she cursed at me and said that I was not being realistic.

Hey~!

Come on~!

You’ve got to agree that what I asked for is more realistic than asking for Kim Jaejoong as a birthday present.

-.-

And I’m still wishing for “it”.

For the time being, I’ve all the things I want in life.

What ever I need, I have.

And if I were to ask for anything else, it is clearly a want and not a need.

And if there’s anything that I want and can be gotten, I will and have already gotten for myself.

So, there’s really nothing in mind at the moment.

But if you’re wondering what to get me…..

I do need more clothes, shoes, bags, money, and time.

P.S, I Love Brunch

Good Sunday evening~!

Brunch was at P.S Cafe @ Dempsey.

Banana Cream Pie

Key Lime Pie

My ring from Diva.

iTouch Photos

Dinner with Yinghui, Jieru and George and Marche

Lacey dress from Forever 21

Sunday well spent at Starbucks reading and people watching

First ballet lesson with Jieru

First pair of ballet slippers

L.O.V.E

New time piece that I SUPER love

Parents

My god-mummy told me, “No matter what you kids do, we as parents will always love you.”

I do agree to that.

No matter how many times I’ve said hurtful things to my folks, they’ve always loved me and been there for me.

My mum messaged me saying that she and daddy will always love me and that I’m their precious when I was really depressed.

I’m not the best daughter in the world.

And I don’t think I’m the worst (I hope).

After writing this entry, I wouldn’t magically transform into the Best Daughter In The World.

But, I just feel that I have to write this entry.

Many a times, we as kids take things for granted.

We find their constant nagging untolerable.

But, what if one of these days, they’re not here anymore?

Will you miss the nagging?

 I know I would.

BUT THIS DOESN’T MEAN THAT I WANT THEM TO NAG MORE!!

Anyway, I’ve met a few people who only learnt to treasure their parents when they’ve lost them.

They recall how their parents did this and that, how dinner was ever so good.

Simple things in life.

But they’ll never be able to turn back time to make things work differently.

I have friends who complain to me about how they can’t stand their parents’ ways of doing things.

From an outsider’s point of view, I’ll tell them that they have to just tolerate because they’re their parents and they meant well.

But when I’m put in the same situation, I blow my top faster than the speed of light.

Some of us choose to ignore, some of us choose to shout back at them.

But I know after what ever hurtful things have left our mouths, we’ll definitely regret it.

Some of us apologise, some of us don’t.

Dear parents, it’s not that we do not feel guilty about our actions.

We just don’t know how to put it in words.

You may call it ego, but that’s how we are at times.

But I have to admit that after blowing my top, SOMETIMES I’ll let my ego go, and I’ll apologise for what ever hurtful things I’ve said.

And after apologising, I feel so much better.

We can’t choose our parents.

If they got to choose who their kids are, it probably wouldn’t be you (or me, for my case)

They may be the most irritating pair, or what we call “old fashioned” and “not-understanding”.

But they’ll always be there for us.

In good times, and in bad.

For better, or worse.

Till death do us part (Literally).

Facts About Me

1. I was a Pleaser from primary school till secondary 2 because I was afraid that my classmates didn’t like me. I stopped being one when I was 15.
2. I’m not as confident about myself as I may appear to be.
3. When I’m awkward, there’s something that I will do to ease/ hide my awkwardness (I’m not telling what exactly)
4. My art pieces were always done by my parents since primary to secondary school. I’ve only started drawing in year 2011?
5. Till date, I’ve never drawn a portrait of a friend or family member. There’s only one potrait I’ve done that I’m very proud of.
6. I’m a hopeless romantic, and always felt that if I were a guy, my gf will be the most fortunate girl in the world.
7. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian.
8. As a kid, I spent a lot of time in the library reading about dogs and Egyptian history. And I enjoyed browsing through the classified section number 74 on the Sunday Times.
9. My dream when I was 14 was to be the youngest member of an ensemble comprising of adults. For a period of time then, I thought I was going to make music a part of my career.
10. I always dreaded having to practice on the piano for half and hour everyday. I literally count down every minute.
11. I hated having to go for theory lessons
12. I do not practice my scales and arpeggios till the day before my practical exams.
13. I’ve a bad habit of using weird fingerings for the pieces I play, and I get told off for doing so.
14. I used to think that it was cool to have slightly longer finger nails because of how my fingers go clack clack clack clack when playing on the keyboard. But I end up having to cut them off during practial lessons. -.-
15. I secretly love it when people think that I do not look my race.
16. I love staying in hotels.
17. I have never been the kind to stay back after band practice to play on the keyboard. I do not believe in having to “show off” what I can do on the keyboard to fellow band mates.
18. I try to look busy fiddling with my phone when I’m alone.
19. My way of tidying up my room involves throwing a lot of things away instead of packing them away neatly.
20. I’m a super light sleeper.
21. I’m very sensitive to smell.
22. I cried the very first time a guy told me that he fancied me in secondary 1. It wasn’t tears of joy. It was because I was afraid.
23. I walk to the beat of the music I’m plugged in to.
24. My nickname on IRC and hotmail was cutie_putie11 during secondary school because a prefect came to tell me during orientation that I was cute.  *facepalm*
25. I lost my passion for music for nearly a year because I was too focused on modelling.
26. I secretly love it when I “tower” over the people around me.
27. My way of managing pain is by telling myself that it is only temporary.
28. In secondary 2 I had an obsession for bells and had them hanging from my bag. It was so noisy that my friends could tell that I was coming to class when I’m at the 2nd level and they were at the 3rd.
29. I hate having my bedsheet changed because I find my own scent comforting.
30. When I was young, I like to stick my fingers through the grills of the fan trying to touch the blade while it’s on.

Staycation

The super long weekend has finally arrived.

And I had something to really look forward to.

If you’re following me on Twitter, I’ve been raving about having a “Serena Van Der Woodsen” vacation.

The day finally came.

And who better to spend it with, other than the bestie.

They had a iphone/itouch dock beside the bed.

And it gave off the surround sound effect.

And whatever was playing off the bestie’s playlist immediately set the mood to a “Serena” vacation.

I was going to give up on that green floral bikini because I got it from H&M without trying it on.

And it doesn’t give alot of coverage.

But thank goodness I came up with wearing it with my bikini under it.

It works doesn’t it?

Then it was bubble bath time.

Surprisingly, the tub was kinda big enough for two.

And she brought bubble bath.

Off to cocktail reception and dinner.

After dinner, we bought strawberries, cherry tomatos and other whatnots.

We just had to go back to the tub.

Bare-faced with a black nose-strip.

Later on, the face mask went on.

It was truly THE life.

I was so glad that it was a Friday, and I was going to wake up to Saturday and not Sunday.

You know what I mean.

Waking up to this view while washing up.

It’s good that we’re located at the top level, it being level 3.

Super hearty breakfast.

Off to the pool for the last time before checking out.

Brought my sketch book along.

Did a little sketching.

One last soak before checking out.

While taking a shower, the bestie  happened to be blasting Your Song by Ewan McGregor (from Moulin Rouge) in the room.

And what I heard from the shower was simply mind-blowing.

It gave the “lift-your-spirits-up” feeling.

You have to experience it to know what I’m talking about.

This is currently my favourite hotel in Singapore.

Very cosy.

Feels pretty much away from the city, but also a stone’s throw away from town.

Dearest Lonely Boy, I know you’ll so love the place. Wish you were here.

xoxo S