Gender binarism probably wasn't on the renowned Japanese photographer's mind when he snapped this shot. But what I found most striking about it was the fuzziness of traditional gender constructs. https://www.instagram.com/p/BBmnvRrt9MQ/ Kubota, Hiroji. Boy & Girl in front of Mandalay Hill. Myanmar (Burma), 1978. I love this photograph for two reasons. First, the title of... Continue Reading →
"Show me that gorgeous smile." Look, I know I'm not hideous. But as a woman who is neither particularly handsome nor well put-together, I don't get a lot of remarks on my physical appearance (save for the daily affirmation I get from my eternally supportive team at work, God bless them and their compulsions to... Continue Reading →
Every year, Nat receives countless well wishes on his birthday, March 23. That is, up until 2015, when his personal milestone was eclipsed by a national tragedy - the death of a founding father. "Why did Lee Kuan Yew have to die on my birthday?" The question is rhetorical, of course, and I don't know... Continue Reading →
"Babe help I fucked up" reads a little box that pops up at the bottom right corner of my desktop screen. It's late morning and the office is quiet. I open the Telegram message. "I fucked up so bad." What happened babe??? "I cheated." Are you okay?? "I cheated. He found out." "I don't know what... Continue Reading →
I'm standing in my underwear in front of a full-length mirror in a stranger's home, surrounded by racks of boho dresses, printed rompers and lace crop tops. "Hun, have you got something on?" comes a voice from the backyard. "One minute!" I call from inside the house as I peel a dark midi dress off its hanger and... Continue Reading →
What is it about the phrase "I love you" that it has so much power over everyone involved in its exchange? That it can mean so little, or so much, depending on who's saying it and in what context? That it holds the potential to be misappropriated? Or cheapened? That it can be wielded for purposes of... Continue Reading →
I have an asymmetrical bob now. No, I did not adopt a kid named Robert whose left eye is smaller than his right. I just got a sassy haircut courtesy of the amazing Mrs Ong. Why this is news is because my visit to her salon happened on the second last weekend I get to... Continue Reading →
Let's talk about crooked Hillary. Okay but before that, a disclaimer: As a Singaporean, I am not particularly motivated to follow the US Presidential race. Sure, it will affect diplomatic relations and trade in this region. But there's very little South East Asians can do about it, other than cover our ears and wait for... Continue Reading →
senescence /sɪˈnɛs(ə)ns/ noun. the state of being old: the process of becoming old (Source: www.dictionary.com) My aunt took our grandma to get fitted for a hearing aid recently. It cost her about a thousand dollars, so naturally she was pretty pissed when Ahma refused to wear it at home. My dad and aunt chided her for taking it... Continue Reading →
Here's a thought: Do happy people lack empathy? On the internet and in the news, there are ongoing conversations on about everything that's going wrong with the world- xenophobia and nationalism, poverty and sickness, war and instability and terrorism. How else can you react to the torrent of misfortune and despair that hits you every time you look at your newsfeed... Continue Reading →
Some Scuffs | Mental Health and Wellbeing in Singapore 