Raptor t-shirt... WANT.

Dear friends and family members who read my blog,

My 19th birthday is coming up next week, and I would like this.

"RAPTOR" t-shirt as shown on the movie Ghost World.

Etsy store "indigofeet", $35.00

Asperger's Syndrome

So the other day, I found this quiz on Facebook which evaluates where you range on the Autism Spectrum. My result was way above average, and while I knew that this tool wasn't an official diagnosis tool, I told my mum about it.

She then told me that she's known for a while that I have autistic tendencies (more specifically, what could be Asperger's Syndrome, a high-tendency level of autism) but she never wanted to make a big deal of it because she didn't want to label me. Fair enough. But I am glad she told me this, because now it is so clear. I finally know why I do the things I do, and think the things I think.

Here's a list of Asperger's Syndrome symptoms I've gathered that apply to me:

• dramatic transitions from one phase to another
• overnight or instant development of intense and specialised interests - if I am interested in something, I will study it intensely and become almost a walking encyclopedia on the topic
• above-average intelligence
• difficulties in empathising with others
• difficulties when it comes to social situations
• finding it hard to control negative emotions (e.g. anger, depression, anxiety)
• poor development of motor skills - also, I need to have the simplest and most obvious things explained to me in specific and detailed instructions
• preferring routine and getting flustered if things don't go as planned
• thinking visually
• "disconnecting" and going off into my own little world
• extreme anxiety
  

Now it's time to get an official diagnosis. Not sure how to go about doing that, but it's something I need to do so I can gain a better understanding of... well, of my brain and how it works, I guess. People have always distanced themselves from me or have written me off as weird.

I just don't like how people call it a disability, though. I am perfectly happy with how I am and I feel that despite the whole social side of it all and being incredibly insecure when I'm out in public by myself, it is really an advantage... or a gift, so to speak.

Felt plush tutorial: Kawaii Mushroom

I recently joined up for the "Whimsical Woodland Plushie #1" swap on swap-bot.com, a platform for crafty people such as myself to get together and swap their lovely creations and stuff related to their interests, and the theme for the swap wass "mushroom".

So, I went out and bought some different colours of felt (it only costs 75c for one A4-sized sheet here!) and got cracking.

Here's what I did:

Step 1: I already did a whole bunch of things before I decided to make a tutorial on this. But what I basically did up to this step was get some paper, pen and scissors draw (and cut out) a mushroom in the exact same size and way I wanted the mushroom plush to be, put the template on top of the white felt and cut out the shape, cut out the red mushroom top separately and craft glued it on, then I cut out and glued the facial features and mushroom spots from the felt. 

Step 2: I then faced the outside sides of the mushroom inwards and did a simple stitch around the edges - though I left a little bit unstitched so I could turn the mushie inside-out and stuff it.

Step 3: Turn the plush inside-out (or, to be honest, right-way-out!). Don't freak out if the stitchings break or get a bit loose when you do this... You can always fix that up later.

Nearly there!!

Step 4: Stuff the little guy! If you don't have any proper stuffing and choose to use cotton balls, that's okay, but it would be a bit gross if the plush got a bit wet (the cotton balls would go soggy!) and it wouldn't be as soft as it would be if you were to use proper stuffing.

Step 5: Use a matching coloured thread to stitch up the opening that you left for the stuffing.

Voila!

And your little Mushie is finished. 

I wish I dressed like Cassie Ainsworth

Skins, anyone? Or is it too drunken-druggy-UK-teenagers-getting-up-to-no-good for you? Ah, I love it so much... Mainly Series 1 & 2, though. Though the outfits all throughout the show are brilliant. Furthermore, I'm not too fond of the idea of a US version of Skins... The British accents just make the entire show.

Anyway, to stay on track with the original intention of this post, I would just like to announce that I have been searching for a skirt like Cassie's (Series 1 & 2 of Skins) for a really long time.

It has poodles on it... It's great.

Well I think they're poodles, anyway... Geez, they could even be horses or something.

On the topic of Cassie, let's just sit and admire her wonderful outfits for a moment.

"Wow".

Recommended Movies #2

My readers seemed to enjoy my first "Recommended Movies" post, so I've decided to do another one and show you all my inner filmophilia. I have a particular love for coming-of-age films from the '70s to the '90s.

I enjoy the music, the crazy outfits and the colourfulness of it all.

Last night I watched one of the following movies, and I've actually just finished watching another one of them.

1. Empire Records


If I could pick one casual job to do so I have money in my pocket while I work my way through my university degree, I would totally work in a similar environment to Empire Records. This is one of those movies where the characters would randomly break out in dance to '90s alterna, while giving you that itch to get up on your bed and dance as well. This movie was made and set in the mid-90s in a record store named Empire Records. The big boss is planning to convert the store into part of the Music Town franchise, and this movie's set out over one day of the store's employees trying to work out how to keep Empire Records standing, all the while going about their usual dramas in their lives.

2. Dazed and Confused


Also starring Rory Cochrane, though not quite so zen and more pot-head hippyish, this movie is set in the '70s and it's about high school graduation, making plans for the summer, smoking a lot of pot, seniors initiating the poor and defenceless freshmen, and one of those awesome '70s parties.  I have an intense fascination with the American summer vacation in the '70s - or rather, what these kinds of movies portray of them (flash back to Now and Then).

19th birthday wishlist

It's my 19th birthday in 2 weeks and I've compiled a bunch of things I really want to get my hands on!

This includes:

Canon Ixus - I need a new camera. I've been using my boyfriend's lately.

Filofax. Pink, "Personal" size in Finsbury.

I saw my mum buy me this and I can't wait to have it!

Fujifilm Instant Camera - I've always wanted a polaroid camera.

I love this one. It's so cute, like a bubble.

GHD straightener. I have a hair straightener but it's absolute crap.

A world map to go on my bedroom wall. I think my boyfriend's sister's taking care of this!

*sigh* I love birthdays.

Gettin' all clucky!!

My big sister, Rebekah, is pregnant and my little baby nephew will be due in mid-to-late-November. I'm really looking forward to it... She's the first out of our siblings to have a baby, so my mum's really excited to finally be a grandmother!

I really want a kid as well, I always have, but I'm planning to wait at least 3 more years so I can get my education out of the way first. I think my boyfriend's a bit scared about that, hehe!

Anyway, I'm so glad that we'll have our little nephew for Christmas! The whole family's planning to go to a holiday house at the beach to spend the holiday with the family. It'll be great and I look forward to getting to know the little bald, squishy fella.

Good thinkin', Bek... The more people you invite = the more presents you get. Hehe!

Left to right: Me, my big sister and my younger sister.
You can't even tell we're all sisters!!

Playing one of the games... A race to write down a baby boy name
for every letter of the alphabet. I won that one! 

The awesome nappy cake that our cousin made.

Unwrapping the presents... This is the cringeworthy "aww"
face everyone was making. 

"Pin the Dummy on the Baby"!

Travel-themed haul

I just love travelling, and I'm going through a bit of a travel fever these days... If I had the money, I would be taking off and seeing the world right now, but for now I can only dream and accumulate possessions that I can take along with me on my future trips.

I went to a cute little shop yesterday called Mombasa. It's mainly a clothing store but I go there to check out the groovy/random/weird little knick-knicks (stationery, etc.) sold there.

I spent $60 and didn't even realise that I would be spending that much until the chick at the counter told me! Mind you, half was on a t-shirt that I bought for my best friend for Christmas.

Cute exercise books with maps and adorable little characters, cupcake pocket
packet of tissues, the Penguin novel "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (I haven't read it
yet... Is it any good?), a camera pouch and a notebook which actually looks
like a Russian passport until you open it and see blank pages inside. 

In this photo, you can see the Russian passport notebook and camera
pouch much better. I also bought a travel document pouch that looks like
a map, piggy post-its (irrelevant to travel) and one of the Sookie Stackhouse
novels that I'm up to (also irrelevant to travel... kinda).

Do you enjoy travelling? If so, where have you been? I've travelled to Singapore, and I used to live in Indonesia.

"Kawaii" things in the post.

I get so happy when I get mail! That's why I signed up with swap-bot.

That way you're able to sign up for particular themed swaps, and rate swappers as well so that those who mooch off of swap-bot and never send things out get booted from swapping.

Here are some lovelies that I received in the mail today:

From Singapore, for a "kawaii" swap!

I love that face washer, the milk pouch and the Rilakkuma bath salts!

The same Singaporean sender sent me this cute package as well.

This is what was inside. Stickers and cute loose memo sheets.

This one came from the U.S.! I love that Hello Kitty notebook and the eyeshadow.

I looooove mail!! < 3

Moments like Diamonds' giveaway!

I don't mean to be a kawaii/kitsch hoarder, but whenever I see an opportunity for freebies, I seize it, and seize it... tightly! (Uh, what!!?) So...

It's calling out my name. And to get an extra 2 entries into the giveaway, thus increase your chance of winning, a blog post or tweet is necessary. So yeah, the giveaway is right here.

When your little sister is the cuter one...

I love my little sister to bits. We've always been two peas in a pod. We're the best of friends, even though 75% of our time spent together is spent fighting. One additional and perhaps insignificant fact is, well, she's better looking than me.

It used to bother me. I used to be the thinner one, and my sister was short and stubby with a round face. Then puberty hit, and she magically got taller, thinner and hotter all of a sudden.

I guess the best thing to do in this situation is to... Well, there are two options. You can:

1) Set out on an epic quest to look like her, or better than her. Lose weight, get that sun-kissed tan like hers, get a boob job, alter your physical appearance in the most extreme and painful way possible.

2) Accept it. Your sister is going to look better than you for the rest of your life. You are both beautiful in your own special ways. It's impossible to look exactly the same, unless you're identical twins, but then there are still some differences... Such as your fingerprints. Not that that really matters, though. *Ehm...* Anyway, people will love her for who she is, and you for who you are.

For my sister and I, I guess our physical appearance is also a reflection of our personalities and interests. My sister is an outdoorsy kinda gal who enjoys the beach, typical outgoing teenager things and mainstream pop and hip hop music. I'm quite the opposite. I love the indoors, being alone, curling up with a book and sitting on my bed doing crafts. My music taste ranges from the underground to the golden oldies. She's an extrovert, I'm an introvert. Not that any of this is relevant, I just thought you might be interested. You're not? Okay then...

Do any of you have a better looking younger sister? 
If yes, does it bother you? Or are you cool with it?

Recommended movies #1

1. The Virgin Suicides

This movie is extremely strange and I found it slightly creepy in a way, but it was also beautiful. It's about a group of neighbourhood boys investigating the summer suicides of four sisters after the suicide of their younger sister. If feel like there's a moral to the story, especially in regards to parenting. Is the director of The Virgin Suicides trying to tell us that strict parenting will, in most cases, come back in the parents' faces?

2. Ghost World

As a geeky, anti-social teenager and complete oddity (and potential try-hard), I can definitely relate to the girls in this movie. I love it - it's the work of a brilliant mind. It was originally a comic book by Daniel Clowes and was made into a film with my favourite actress of all time, Thora Birch. I don't feel like Ghost World has a set storyline per se, though there are parts where they like to make fun of their male friend and are also trying to set a middle-aged loner up.

3. Pretty in Pink

Ah, where do I start!? This one's an '80s movie starring the wonderful Molly Ringwald as Andy Walsh. She's a fashion-conscious individual, however is poor and falls for one of the rich boys at school who also falls for her. They encounter problems such as their difference in socio-economic status, cliques at school and the fact that Andy's best male friend, Ducky (Alan in Two and a Half Men... How awesome!) is helplessly in love with her.

4. Girl, Interrupted

Winona, Winona, Winona... How I love thee so! This movie's about a girl my age (18-years-old... Okay fine, I'm not quite 19 yet as my profile states!). Her name's Susanna and she's been admitted to a psychiatric hospital due to having a borderline personality disorder. The movie's basically about Susanna and some other young women that she meets at the hospital and the problems that they encounter there. It's a great movie, and also stars the late Brittany Murphy, who I love and still love very dearly.

5. Sixteen Candles

Another Molly Ringwald film from the '80s! This one's about a young girl, Sam Baker, whose parents forget all about her 16th birthday. Her sister's getting married and to add to the stress, she's in love with a boy from school who Sam thinks doesn't even know she exists!

6. Now and Then

Last and not least, as this is my most favourite movie ever, is Now and Then. This movie sparked my great "fan-ship" for Thora Birch and Christina Ricci. It's about four young teenage girls in the '70s spending their summer vacation bonding, performing seances, fighting with boys their age and investigating the murder of "Dear Johnny" that occurred many moons ago. I love, love, love this movie so much and it's one of those movies that I can watch over and over again without ever getting sick of it.

(Movie recommendations in this post are in no order of preference whatsoever.)

Fresh start.

Great, I've gone and done it again.

I've gone and made a new blog. How many have I had in my lifetime? About 10?

I don't know why, but for some reason, I get unsatisfied with particular blogs that I make. It could be the blog style, the name, the design... Maybe I don't get enough followers. Or maybe I just want to try my hand at it again.

I go through a lot of fads, too. Usually my blogs are dedicated to those fads. Then I get a new fad, and want to start all over again.

So, you know what? In this blog, I'm going to just combine all of my interests and fads into the one blog. Let's see how this goes.

For those people who have never seen any of my blogs before, *waves*!

- Kim xo