writer rachel, 21, art music literature architecture fashion philosophy

my website Cherchez Beauté

wishlist
Books I want
tree of codes - jonathan safran foer
six walks in the fictional woods - umberto eco
the separate heart and other stories - simon robson
generosity - richard powers
shades of grey 2 - jasper fforde
fiction ilustrado - miguel syjuco
mr peanut - adam ross
light boxes - shane jones
a void - georges perec
the mind's eye - oliver sacks
the fall - guillermo deltoro
bel canto - ann patchett
wolf hall - hilary mantel
my name is red - orhan pamuk
the misfortune - wesley stace
time's arrow - martin amis
darkmans - nicola barker

Skin Care I Want
Anne Semonin Eye Express Radiance Ice Cube
Benefit Ultra Radiance Face Re-hydrating Mist
Clinique Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream
Murad Essential C Eye Cream SPF 15
No. 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Eye Cream
Tokyo Milk - EVERYTHING. I want everything from them, darn it.

Make Up I Want
Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Anti-Aging Face Primer
Benefit Sugarbomb
Benefit Moon Beam
Canmake Cream Cheek Blush Sweet Apricot
Coffret D'or Shine Drape Rouge (Glow)
Le Metier de Beaute Creme Fresh Tint in Poppy
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful
YSL Pure Black Lip Gloss

Other Stuff I want

Nail Polish Lemmings
Essie Starry Starry Night
Chanel Ciel de Nuit
Clarins 230

a-england Lady of the Lake
BB Couture Dragon's Breath
BB Couture Napa Valley Red
Bb Couture Mendocino Midnight
BB Couture Redwood Forest and loads more BB Couture polishes...

Butter LONDON Black Knight
Butter LONDON Tart With a Heart

Color Club Untamed Luxury
Color Club Otherworldly
Color Club Scent-suous Gingerbread Man
Color Club Scent-suous Santa's Cinnamon
Color Club Scent-suous Sugar Plum Yum

China Glaze OMG! Collection

Cult Nails Hypnotize Me

Deborah Lippmann Edge of Glory Holographic top coat
Deborah Lippmann Call Me Irresponsible
Deborah Lippmann Forget You

Dior Exquis

Essie Geranium
Essie Strawberry Sorbet
Essie Swept Off My Feet
Essie Mademoiselle
Essie Marshmallow
Essie Mesmerize
Essie As Gold As It Gets
Essie Pure Pearlfection

Estessimo TiNS The Neo-Vintage Dress

Etude House BL009
Etude House WH004

Finger Paints Special Effects Asylum
Finger Paints Special Effects Twisted
Finger Paints Evergreen Dream
Finger Paints Sparkle Top Coat
Finger Paints Cordur Orange
Finger Paints Holly Good Times
Finger Paints Floatin' On a Cloud

Glitter Gal Marine Blue

Golden Rose Scale Effects: 2, 5, 11

HITS Lambada Flake
HITS Valsa Flake

Illamasqua Rampage
Illamasqua Boo! and Hiss Nail Pantomime Duo

Kleancolor Metallic Orange
Kleancolor Metallic Green
Kleancolor Holo Chrome

L'Oreal Owl's Night

Ludurana Aurora Boreal Reluz
Ludurana Aurora Boreal Emocionnante

Lynnderella (Llarowe stocks in January) Cauldron Drippings
Lynnderella Happy Holo-Daze
Lynnderella Gotta Love Brains
Lynnderella Bride of Franken

OPI Time-less is more
OPI DS Extravagance
OPI Diva of Geneva
OPI Jade is the New Black
OPI Can You Tapas This
Orly Galaxy Girl
Orly Lunar Eclipse
Orly Au Champagne
Orly Royal Velvet
Orly Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
Orly Happily Ever After

Ozotic 624
Ozotic 531
Ozotic 532

pa A19
pa Q24
pa A24
pa A134

Periphera - any polishes, especially the perfume enamels as I don't have these yet. From Korea.

Picture Polish Hypnotic (Coming out in 2012)
Picture Polish Vegas

Mavala Agena

Missha HGR01

Nicole by OPI Hard-Kourt Fashionista
Nicole by OPI Kourt is Red-y For a Pedi
Nfu Oh 51
Nfu Oh 52
Nfu Oh 56

Nubar Peacock Feathers
Nubar 2010
Nubar Swiss Chocolate
Nubar Sour Candy
Nubar Gold Feather
Nubar Greener
Nubar Indigo Illusion
Nubar WIldlife
Nubar Purple Beach

Rescue Beauty Lounge Recherche
Rescue Beauty Lounge Anne

Revlon Facets of Fuschia

Sally Hansen Nail Prisms Turquoise Opal

SpaRitual Golden Gleam
SpaRitual Howl

Zoya Casey
Zoya Adina
Zoya Kimmy


cool stuff
Style.com
City of Skies
Flickr
Spinner
Fashion Nation
Scrangie
Vampy Varnish
All Lacquered Up

credits maker
picture
brushes
blogspot
blogskins

Tuesday, April 07, 2009
the question of race

WARNING: This entry is filled with narcissism and is written by a person whose sizeable ego stands in stark contrast to her stature. Do not read it if you hate narcissism, egotism, vanity, me and the like.

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Today I shall discuss a very sensitive and serious issue that has evoked many strong emotions and sparked off many conflicts between particular groups of people throughout the history of humankind.

I shall discuss the question of race (if it is even a question at all, as opposed to being a fact).

At this point in time, you must be shaking your head while thinking or even saying aloud "You're kidding, right? Rachel? SERIOUS?". And now I regretfully inform you that... you're right :D I shall NOT be discussing the question of race and its significance in the history of civilisations. I shall not do a Samuel Huntingdon (a la The Clash of Civilizations and the division of mankind along the boundaries of race/ethnicity). What for? You intellectuals out there have probably done a thesis along those lines already. I shall therefore keep silent on this matter and maintain an intellectual facade by my silence.

This is why you need people like me and posts like this. In short, crap. You need crap to laugh at after a dulling day at school and an even more energy sapping H3 lesson. I do, at any rate.

Without further ado, I present you my newest dissertation...

THE QUESTION OF MY RACE

Why is this question significant? It certainly is important to me, as it involves my race, which is a large part of my identity and the people I identify with. However, how is this question significant to YOU? The answer to this question is by no means simple. But for your sake, I will give you a satisfactory answer: The amount of significance it holds to you... is zero! Nil, nada, yadayadayada... Who cares about you. Aha.

On to the heavier stuff now! Right. As everyone knows, I'm Chinese. Wait. Some people don't. Which is why my race is called into question in the first place. Never mind, you'll see why later on.

Anyway, throughout the course of my life, I've been said to look Malay/Japanese/Vietnamese/Eurasian and recently (aka today) Taiwanese. For heavens' sake, how can perceptions of one person's race vary so violently?!

Let me elaborate.

1) Malay

Well DUH if it isn't obvious why? I'm extremely tan. I think it's genetic? I can stay in the sun for a few hours and by the time I'm done I'll be 3 shades darker. And my tan takes months to fade. Actually, half a year. But I hardly think my features look Malay-like.

2) Japanese

Uh I have no idea man. The first time I was mistaken for being Japanese happened at my aunt's friend's house. My aunt is Japanese but my uncle is Chinese, so their kids are mixed. I went to their Chinese friend's house one day, and the following conversation ensued...

Random lady there: (random niceties) Oh! Are you her cousin? You are very pretty... You look very Chinese! *turns to other aunties present* She looks very Chinese, right?

Me: Um haha yeah... *wonders why she thinks I LOOK Chinese 'cos I AM Chinese*

Okay fine. Maybe they thought I was related to the Japanese side of the family. But no, my aunt is not directly related to me 'cos she's married to my mom's brother. Still...

The second time this happened was at a family gathering during last year's Christmas party.

My mom's cousin aka (generic) Aunt: Rachel! I haven't seen you for long! Ohh you cut your hair! (assymetrical hair ftw) Hmm, you look very Japanese now...

Me: Um yeah maybe it's the hair?

Aunt: Oh no! I think you look Japanese even without the new hairstyle. Right? *turns around to others to seek approval*

Others: Yes, yes! She does look Japanese!

Me: ... What.

3) Vietnamese

This is just weird. I was in the US for the Humanities trip last year, and we stopped at a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner. I was wearing a red scarf.

Friend: Hey Rachel! You look Vietnamese!

Me: What?! Are you sure it isn't the scarf?!

Friend: Yeah you really do look Vietnamese. *turns around to ask others* Right?

Friend 2: Yeah! Omg now you mention it, she DOES...

Me: Uh. Okay.

4) Others

Friend: Eh is Rachel mixed ah?

Friend 2: No... Why?

Friend: She looks mixed what.

---

Theo: Hey are you like mixed or something?

Me: No... I'm pure Chinese. I don't look like I'm pure Chinese meh?

Theo: Yah you look mixed. Dunno!

---

Today...

KC: Hey are you mixed?

Me: No?!

KC: You kinda look mixed.

Ho Fai: Actually, she looks kinda Taiwanese...

Me: What do Taiwanese people look like?!!

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And just for laughs...

Me: *puts on pseudo Egyptian headdress* whee!

Noreen: Hey... you kinda look Egyptian!

Me: ... No way!

Noreen: Hahaha... Just kidding lah. ;)

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As you can see, my race is not manifested clearly enough in my appearance, causing confusion amongst people as to my true ancestry. Maybe there was some random blood thrown in the mix, but as far as my grandparents go, they're all pure Chinese. Seriously. Also, I apparently have an "average" face. As in, a "typical" face that seems to be the "default". I have no idea. Maybe that's why I somehow resemble/used to resemble Hui Shi, Constance (no idea how she looks like), my dad, my mom, Melo, Sylvia, Liang Jun (LOL don't insult me plz HAHAHAHAH x infinity [inside joke])...

I have no idea. I thought everyone looked unique. I seem to be a patchwork of different features from different people or a default face which is recognisable in many people.

Conclusion

I have no idea why I don't look pure Chinese. How great. I also have no idea why my face is average. The narcissist in me sighs.

... I bet you're sighing and gnashing your teeth in agony too. I DID warn you against the dangers of reading this, didn't I?

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hide your face @ 5:59 PM
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Sunday, March 15, 2009
(narcissim to the power of infinity) X 2

DON'T JUDGE.

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It started off pretty normal. Yeah who am I kidding, right? Well, the first photo is normal. Then we did the classic 1 to 10 bimbo poses and added a few quirks along the way. The last photo is an attempt at juxtaposing the :D face with the D: face. Quite successful, I must say!



We got a bit wackier. Oh look at the wondrous number of permutations of the human expression we achieved with Photo Booth! This is why everyone should get a Mac. Seriously.




Some cinematic potential observed here.


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EH WHY CAN'T I POST THE LAST PANEL OF PICS. RAWR. They are the prettiest. Sepia is always pretty. What's wrong with blogger! This is quite off-putting. I guess I'll have to keep you in suspense ! Till blogger works properly again (:

I suppose I should start on Math revision now. Yes.

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hide your face @ 2:20 PM
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