Frida, My Hero

The Two Fridas

1939

Shortly after her divorce from Diego Rivera, Frida completed this self-portrait of two different personalities. In her diary, Frida writes that this painting originated from her memory of an imaginary childhood friend. Later she admitted it records the emotions surrounding her separation and martial crisis. On the right, the part of her person which was respected and loved by Diego, is the Mexican Frida in Tehuana costume. In her hand she holds an amulet bearing the portrait of Diego as a child. On the left, a more rather European Frida in a lacy white Victorian wedding dress, the Frida that Diego abandoned. The hearts of the two women lie exposed, a device Frida often used to express her pain. The unloved Frida's heart is broken while the other Frida's heart is whole. From the amulet that Frida is holding springs a vein that travels through both women's hearts and is finally cut off by the surgical pincers held in the lap of the rejected Frida. In despair, Frida tries to stop the flow of blood from Diego but it keeps dripping…she is in danger of bleeding to death. The stormy sky filled with agitated clouds may reflect Frida's inner turmoil. Holding her own hand, she is her only companion.

It's too cool for school

Is this not an awesome early birthday present?

Thank You Audra!

I've always wanted a 70-200 f4. I'm so desperate, i'd take it even if its full of water and doesn't work.

Incidentally the timing was too funny.. I had just returned a loan 70-200 f4 to Canon barely an hour before I got this!

Lorgan's Retro Store

.terence in the midst of all that still glory.

If you are looking for great furniture from a while ago, Lorgan's Retro Store and Design Source is the place to hang out.

He carries a range of furniture and furnishings from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, authentic as well as replicas.

I love walking around the shop, sitting around and staring.

It's like, the more you sit in the store, the more things start to pop up at you.

There are so many things to look at, I usually spend like up to 3hrs in there.

Lampshades, glass in hundreds of shades and designs, telephones from the past which still work, flip-clocks, and if you had enough of the older stuff, check out the back of the room...

This part is even cooler... Danish designs.

Most of my furniture, actually all of my furniture is from here and I will soon update you with photos.

LORGAN'S

100E, pasir panjang road,#01-03 Century Warehouse

Singapore City, Singapore,118521

Open daily from 10:30am - 6:30pm

Black Rapid Strap DR-2

I got my hands on the Black Rapid Strap DR-2.

I was using the DR-1 initially and it is great except that i'm a little smaller framed so the DR-2 works even better for me.

The one thing I have appreciated from Black Rapid is the fact that they are really considerate to photographers needs. We come in all shape and sizes and they were also the first that I've known to make straps for women - check out the Black Rapid RS W-1.

The DR-2 is basically a smaller and shorter version of the DR-1.

It's slightly thinner on the straps as well so it's really useful in hot humid weather like in Asia.

As usual, here are some non-pro pictures taken while not at work, but just to give you an idea of how it falls together.

I will get some taken by my colleagues as soon as I get a chance. Most of the time, we're too busy concentrating on the job and happy snaps of each other only come when we get a chance.

Anyway, I am super happy with the DR-2 double strap and have been using it.

Finally... a strap that fits the smaller size people like me!!!

For more information, go to www.blackrapid.com where you can find the range and their write-ups there.

Mothers are not human and Maye confesses

When I had my sinus operation 2 Thursdays ago, I think I had my patience cut out along with the rest of the bone structure.

Dr Chan must have because i've become strangely impatient with Nate of late. (ignore the fact that even rhymes i'm trying to be serious here!)

It may be coupled by the stress of moving but I don't see how that happens because i'm more excited and find the whole moving and seeing your home evolve process, a theraputic thing instead.

Motherhood is humbling and it makes me wonder how women do it.

I am one, - a woman and a mother - but let me write this as a third person right now.

I really start to be more tolerant to screaming mothers. I also appreciate why women who look like they never got out of their out-of-bed looks because there sometimes just isn't any energy left in them to do anything else when most of their time is spent minding someone else's out-of-bed routine.

I used to look at a woman who was screaming like she was so un-classy in the middle of the shopping mall for her kid to "STOP PLAYING AND COME HERE!", and I would tell myself... "Never Maye, Never."

FAT HOPE.

If you hear a loud voice shouting for "Nate" or any random boy to "COME HERE!" topped off with an even louder "RIGHT NOW!", yes, it's prolly me.

And that whole bribery thing, yes. I'm guilty of it too.

I'm guilty for bribing Nate with a surprise "Bae-blade" toy if he behaved.. hang on let me put that in present tense : If he behaves well on Thursdays, and listens and is attentive during his Yamaha music class. Oh and to top it off, I buy him a chocolate cake after class, even if he has a cough.

Then there are mothers who look prim and groomed and cool as a lady in that recent "Motherhood" magazine cover, carrying her designer diaper bag and has just had her hair set, and nails done. - She must have a real low blood pressure and no snort dripping down her left nostril from a sinus operation.

They exist.

So tonight I have decided that women like my mother are amazing, those mothers who have brought up their children tearing their hair out _ whom I have secretly hated to become, and to those women who are all that and are able to look like Susan Sarandon, and smile, battle it all inside and keep their sound decimals lower than that of a whisper while disciplining kids and still not loose their tempers at their hubbies, you are my biggest heroes.

So Thank You Nate, for watching me cry after feeling the guilt of screaming at you and secretly feeling like kicking you sometimes

Thank you for teaching me to appreciate my own mother.

Thank You for teaching me 10 more ways to say NO to you which includes the answer "Yes".

Thank you for giving me a reason for not being able to comb my hair now - because I never bothered to do so before anyways (:

Banana Splits and my favorite things!

Scored ourselves some nostalgia at Bryan's garage sale!

I used to eat Banana Splits out of dishes like these at Changi Sailing Club when I was 8 or 10 years old!

These dishes went for a dollar each and is the newest and earliest entry to our kitchen cabinets alongside the cutlery given by the same people. Thanks to the Van der Beeks!

Words will never kill me

Recently I overheard a parent shout the "F" word to his child.

No matter how angry you are, I feel that, that is just a low blow.

It was not even the F-word used in a general scenario but one directed at the kid.

I will NEVER subject myself to such a state where I shout such profanity towards Nate.

These are words where hate and anger exists. It just becomes evident at the bitterness inside and it can really hurt the other party.

These words are one we use at people who deserve it like people who steal, cheat, or do things that are really bad. But not out of anger.

People watch your tongue. I guess that is where the term "The tongue is mightier than the sword" comes from.

Really disappointing scene.

And to those of you who are on the receiving end, just ignore and move on. If you know the root of where that came from _ which is normally evil, just walk away and forget.

Nate tries to break in

Sharkbite, Bears and Children Under 5

I dunno about you, but I get tickled every time I read the last line in red in the picture above.

I love the way Sharkbite, Bear Attack and Children Under 5 are used together.

Yes I know they are destructive but is it also because they may suffocate in the pelican case?

It's funny anyhow.

Unexpected Visitor

Was having a nice meal in nice rainy weather at the Garden Slug with Joyce when I received an unexpected visitor who decided it was gonna cozy up in my lap.

The resident cat at the restaurant had 20 seats to choose from but decided that I would do.

Ahh my feline friend.

Thanks Joyce, for the snap!

Trust the Nate to do this as well...

While we were out shopping for a mattress, Nate was testing it out for real.

Our dear friend fell asleep in the car and while we were testing out mattresses, the sales-lady offered to let him rest for real on one of the mattresses and even offered him a blanket.

This is one of those ads you'd see on TV or something along those lines?!.

Trust the boy

Trust Nate to do a funny thing like that, naturally.

He is one who ruffles leaves in his face, walking into plants face first - just to feel them.

And today, when he saw our bookshelves erected, he instinctively went and fit himself in one of the compartments.

I love his sense of the world.

In other notes, we have shelves.... shelves... custom shelves.. me likey.

Comfort foods

This past two weeks or so have been really good. Especially over the festive season.

Loads of comfort foods and good friends to take your mind of the petty trivia of human life and well, to have many laughs with.

Here is Nate with Audra, having an exchange or two over ice-cream at Swensons tonight.

Such a sweet moment of the two, I had to post this photo.

However, i've decided that i'm not relying on my iphone for photos anymore. Mine always seems so dark and bad conditioned compared to everyone elses.

Why am I even having camera/picture envy with the rest of the world? Oh because i'm too lazy to shoot my own kid with an SLR camera I guess.

Ha ha ha.

I saw shapes and lines

So I shot it for work today.

Day 2 - so far so good

There was a small leap towards the school gate this arvo.

Home Project

We have wood lots and lots of wood.. I love it. I love the smell of it...

This is the fun bit, seeing all the carpentry being assembled. (:

There is this saying (according to the contractor) If you love wood, you will remain a wood lover always and so we hacked away all the marble and replaced it with ... WOOD.

I love wood.

Spot the Nate

This is Nate after the Crane Dance performance at Resorts World Sentosa, photo by Terence Tan

Nate's school adventure

Nate goes to Kindy.

I'm more excited than him.

I wish I could go.

read more about it here http://bit.ly/dXZphx

2011 AP style

AP Photos show how 2011 was ushered in around the globe.

http://apne.ws/gMED5O

Happy New Year, moving on to 2011

Happy New Year everyone, this was my view during the first few minute of 2011.

I love that I can work on New Year's Eve and not have to rush with crowds - oh I hate crowds - and i'm too old to party til 4am. Think of the recovery needed and I rather go to bed by 11pm.

Thank you to every single person around me, who picked me up when I was down and out and those who encouraged me to try and push my own limits at work, allowing me do discover so many more things about myself. I feel like life has just begun.

I hope that 2011 brings good experiences and love to all of you.

It's late and I shall leave the contemplating and reflections to tomorrow.

Happy New Year.