Contests/Giveaways (from other blogs)

Hey guys,

just wanna share with you some contests or giveaways you can enter. These contest/giveaways are open to Singapore residents (and that’s why I joined them). For other countries, please check again with the organizer. Thanks!

BeautyBegins has an amazing giveaway that contains one set of nail polishes and a set of eyeshadow, and many other things! Enter by becoming a follower of her blog (you have to have a Google account) and commenting at her 100th Follower Giveaway post. Closing: 25th of July 2010.

Cherry Mischiveous has a giveaway of 10 Poundsterling Amazon voucher (supposedly can be used in Amazon everywhere, and Amazon does ship to Singapore). To enter, follow her blog (again, Google account), and comment at the July Follower Giveaway post. Closing: 31st of July 2010.

Recaptured Charm is giving away a beautiful Sterling Silver 925 necklace. Go to her 400 Followers giveaway post and make a comment. Closing: Not said. Probably 18th of July 2010.

Star Shadow is giving away 4 new books for you to read. You can enter by submitting the form on her 400 Followers Giveaway post. Closing: 30th of July 2010.

Nikki from Beads, Braids and Beyond has a giveaway of Curlformers (basically a novel way to curl your hair – it looks so easy!). There are so many ways you can enter the giveaway – up to 9 chances! Visit her Curlformers Styling Kit giveaway post. Closing: July 29th. (Actually I’m not sure whether this is open internationally – but I hope so!)

Well ok that’s it for now. Good luck if you guys are also entering!

Unbearably Instant

Just some things to ponder about.

When I was in Jakarta, my littlest sister one day threw tantrums to her boyfriend because he had not replied her text messages for several hours. Or not @-replying her on Twitter. Whichever it was.

I was like, “Seriously, sis? Maybe he’s just busy doing something else?”. And my sister shot me a blank look, depicting something like “Even if he’s busy he should be able to reply me”.

Isn’t that the bane of today’s world? It’s unbearably instant (borrowing phrase from my friend Putu). Decades ago, lovers will send each other love letters and wait weeks, even months, for a reply. To even receive a reply is a lovely surprise.

Right now we have text messages, IMs, Twitter, and many other applications that claim to bring people closer together, but create attention-deficit impatient people instead. We don’t even send long e-mails anymore (except perhaps when your groupmate is acting really obnoxious. SMU joke – if you don’t get it never mind). When was the last time you sent an e-mail like a real mail? Something like how are you, how is it like at your place, what has been going on, and yadda yadda yadda. Never? I am not surprised. Too often the longest emails I received are from my aunt who just caught the e-mail forwarding virus (yes, in 2010!).

Do we not have enough time to stop and wait? Or are we expected NOT to have time? Because everything is unbearably instant…

Here’s a suggestion. You don’t even need to send a real hand-written letter via post (do people even know that postal service still exists?). Try sending long e-mails. Write to a friend. Tell him/her how you are doing, what have you been up to. Ask him/her about what he/she has been planning to do, or even about his/her quirky hobbies.

Send the e-mail.

And then wait for the reply.

Savour the time.