BUFFY RETURNS

HOTOFFTHEPRESS

Friday, January 16, 2009

(Cross Post from Facebook)

Its that time of the year again when my social calender is inundated with meetups and coffee capers. Practically every conversation is succeeded with a 'So how are you going to spend X'mas and New Year Eve?'

I do get stressed actually.

The endless questions have produced an unbearable ennui and mental weariness. Because I don't usually have a concerete plan on celebrating these 2 occasions. Neither have I reserved a specific group of friends, a specific place to hang out at or a specific activity that we can do. On usual 'sane' days, its always the usual shopping cum eating activity - a totally unplanned, spotaneous but unstressful affair.

But for X'mas Eve and New Year's Eve, I reckon that somehow society and commercialization just exacts pressure on you to go beyond your comfort zone and celebrate in such an outrageous manner that can warrant boasting and subsequently, praise from 'rabble-rousers'! Did you hear? So and so spent X'mas Eve partying in Zouk and boy was it happening! Oh So and so rode the Singapore Flyer. Oh so and so was on a cruise ship masticating caviar and drinking champagne! Oh but try beating so and so who held a posh smosh grand huge-ass glitterati party with performing polar bears and dancing monkeys that boasted of epic proportions!

Sheesh.

Yeap, I thought only Malay weddings had pompous, fat makciks who indulged in competitive oneupmanship and unbridled materialism. Ho ho ho but the season to be jolly and the welcoming of 2009 have also taken a toll on my poor addled mind with all the unnecessary razzmatazz and commercialization.

Like any special occasion, I believe that the event must be celebrated with something or someone that you truly enjoy doing or truly enjoy spending the day with. For the past 10 years, I've basically spent these 2 occasions at home under the comfort of my blanket, braless and reading a book. Being sedentary helps me avoid the hooligan crowds that will certainly form along the streets of Orchard or the foam-spraying punks. Na ah, no thanks. I am totally at peace with my book and my blanket, mind you. I'd rather do that than spend exorbitant amounts of money with people I secretly don't like and going to places I dislike. Avoid superficiality at all cost! Haha

But hypothetically speaking, I do have a personally-significant idea of how I would like to spend my Eves. I'd actually like to hold a private gathering for my loved-ones in my mundane hdb flat. No need for flamboyant turkeys, over-the-top-killer dresses or fanciful publicity. Just us 6 in my living room while chatting the night away and perhaps, feasting on ordered pizza. Nevermind the social non-conformity! Its this genuine celebratory essence that truly matters and not the pretence of outdoing others! The putative pursuit of 'celebratory idealism' should be replaced with practicality and realism la!

Now to think of a plan to get my parents out of the house on X'mas and New Year's Eve! Haha kidding! So in the meantime, if anyone asks me what I plan to do on the two Eves, I'll reply, "Nothing!" Haha!

buffy published at || 7:59 pm || |

(Cross Post from Facebook)

So, Miss Russia won the covetted Miss World accolade in Johannesburg.

I've always had this love-hate relationship whenever international beauty pagents rear its pretty little head with its bevy of beautiful women and the 'World Peace' cliche to boot.

There's always a part of me who'd want to travel to some exotic destination and join the hundreds of other ladies in the collective celebration of cosmopolitan beauty as well as immerse myself in the smorgasbord of cultural identities and manifestations.

Then there's the other side of me, yeap the hard-core (bra- burning, male-bashing, lesbian-advocating, witchcraft-practicing) feminist (pardon the exaggeration, these are labels unjustly thrown at me) who would cringe and holler blue murder at the inadvertent display of copious amounts of flesh as well as the bimbotic inclinations associated with such parades.

Sheesh, I'm sure we have had enough debates on whether a Singapore candidate would eventually be crowned champion one day. While some remain sanguine that we do have ideal locals who truly are a hybrid of beauty and intellect, sceptics have unkindly alluded to the sub-standard contestants who can't differentiate between their R's and L's and contestants who do not know that Racial Harmony is NOT a cultural festival.

But thats besides the point. This entry would revolve around ME, yes unabashed, self-aggrandizing ol' me whose exhibitionist display of words have often ruffled feathers. In a playful banter, a friend asked, "Kau tak nak join tu Miss World competition? Boleh gelek2 atas stage, pakai baju mandi."

And she continued, "Muka kau lawa pun okay2, tapi kau punya songeh berbual, confirm judge pilih kau. Kalau kau menang, boleh jadi wanita singapura terakhir"

Although I dismissed it as a playful shennanigan, it did cause me to re-evaluate my concept on the significance of such beauty pageants. Does winning a beauty pageant validate one in being more female? Is 'beauty' and 'intellect' the only arbiters in the definition of ideal feminity? Does crowning one SOLE female make her superior and polarize other females into lesser mortals?

Well, as convoluted as my philosophical questioning sounds, I beg to differ. To me the concept of Miss World or Miss Universe can exist in purality. She does not necessarily have to be conventionally beautiful or have a PHd. I'd like to crown, perhaps my mum and my nenek because they have selflessly devoted love and unconditional care to their kids. How about Mother Theresa & Florence Nightingale? How about Susan B. Anthony who fought for the women's suffrage (right to vote) Or feminist writers like Betty Friedan, Virginia Woolf and Simone de Beauvoir who revolutionized the women's plight?

In retrospect, although I don't have anything against these pageants, I personally believe that it does not make you or me any less or more female. It basically stems from your own principles, personal contributions (be it in any form) and your unbending determination to face and live life to the fullest. You could be juggling between a demanding career, being a mother to 3 and being a part-time homemaker - and that, in my dictionary already makes you a Miss Universe and Superwoman.

So on a lighter note, though I know the chances of me to 'gelek2 atas stage and pakai coli&suardalam' would be as close to none, I am very much contented in being Miss Buffy, Miss FeministTerbiat, Miss Tampines or whatever ridiculous tittle I'd like to self-impose on my narcissistic self. I know I have my own principles and life pursuits and that would make me as every inch female as Miss Russia!

THE END

- and oh btw, although I'll never be Miss Universe, I am Miss UniSIM ambassador!
Heh...and that is already a milestone for me in the academic world!

buffy published at || 7:55 pm || |

(Cross Post from Facebook)

I'm ecstactic.
I bought the PERFECT dress from CHAOS.

No biggie, detractors might say. But its a Big Deal for me especially when I am anal about clothes selection. For starters, I am of average Singaporean female built. But I always subscribe to certain sartorical standards which include: not too short on the sleeves, not to low on the neckline, not too loose on the waist. Like other sane females, of course I enjoy wearing attractive tops that would flatter my figure - a tinge of sexiness but not sluttiness - something that would make men and lesbians turn twice (without the aphrodisiac quotient) but not induce a frown from the Terror Queen of Tampines (read: My Mum) .

Like the saying goes, there's a fine line between Class and Crass but its the balancing of both polar extremes on the continuum that gives rise to monumental difficulties.

I can never understand how some of my friends can go into a store and practically fall in love with all the clothes on the rack. I usually take ages to find something I remotely like, which explains the love-hate relationship I have with Mango, Zara, Dorothy Perkins, TopShop and Forever21. Granted, these American labels are indispensible items in the modern women's wardrobe but gosh their S or M is like an XXXL for me and Chin! So usually, if I've decided I like something, its the inavability of sizes that always spoils the day. And I am not even petite.

So back to my CHAOS purchase.

Everyone knows and associates CHAOS clothes as pubbing clothes.

Xiaxue, the controversial blogger, once wrote a blog entry on how Malay Minahs 'collectively' get their pubbing clothes from CHAOS. So I've hardly stepped into the boutique, knowing full well that I would never find a decent yet attractive dress there and at the same time harbouring society's pre-conceived associations.

But last Monday, at Heeren. I saw a beautiful dress sitting on a manequin that simply whispered "Buy Me!" And best of all, it was DECENT! No translucent material, no holes, no cloth shortage - just plain beautiful and decent!

So I dragged my other half Chin to the boutique the next day and modelled it. It fitted perfectly and miracle of miracles, it was affordable! So I bought it, pronto! My fashion consultant gave the thumbs up.

I just had to blog about this entire episode because it somehow manifested the dilemma of a modern yet semi-conservative girl. Finding the perfect dress can often prove to be a mammoth- scale operation when you don't want to look like a hooker, and at the same time you don't want to look like you're some sanctimonous-covered-up person like Osama's wife! Reveal too much skin and you could be mistaken as someone who works at Orchard Towers. Revealing no skin would make authorities think you're a post-911 female terrorist with guns hidden under your jubah.

So at the end of the day, I left the boutique contented. Society does to a certain extent play arbiter and dictate the associations attached to female fashion. Its not where you shop, or which label you buy that matters most. Its finding something that fits your personality and something that unites with your own values, that ultimately matters most. Though, I'm not saying that I'll just brazenly enter a mosque in that dress, still, there are many other occasions that I can wear that decent dress and keep my conscience clear!

The devil may wear Prada.
But I still can wear decent clothes, exorcise demons and look like a million bucks! *Flicks hair* Heh