Let’s face it. Accidents and mishaps happen almost every minute in different parts of the world every single day.

BUT what really bothers me the most is how regular average Joes flock at the chance to turn into conspiracy theorists, keyboard warriors, overnight reporters and aviation experts who spew and share nonsensical bollocks regarding the already pressing issue at hand.

Please. Just stop.

Pointless escalation of untruths and uncertainties. Really? Nobody needs more drama.

I’ve gotta say though, I refrained myself from posting anything on social media (except condolences) or on this blog about said tragedies simply because I just did not want to contribute to the already congested, air-tight sphere of drama when I had nothing to claim, assert or say that people didn’t already know through the grapevine. 

The question is, how true are the things you share online? 

The kind of journalism I was trained and taught stems from credibility, amongst other key ethics. Social media, however, despite being an integral and instant alternative to traditional media, is unfortunately a realm of open-sourced poppycock.

A domain where every Tom, Dick and Harry possesses equal power in their hands to be a (loud) mouthpiece to say anything their mind conjures. 

Some even go to the extent of uploading digitally manipulated images and YET, pools of scoop-thirsty morons turn to believing and worse, circulating such fabrication.

It’s like walking into a morning market where gossip and small talk fill the air and where people chat for the sake of empty conversation. 

I don’t blame them. But what about you? 

Pretty sure your productivity at work or school pulled either an MH370 or an MH17 on you, yes? Not funny at all, but either way, not pleasant as well. Get back to work.

The convenience of being spoonfed online subconsciously leads to the refreshing of your newsfeed every five minutes and voila! You find yourself reposting anything you find bizarre and ‘newsworthy’, namely graphic images of dead bodies, horrifying video footages and speculating unverified news.

Surely you have more important things to focus on? 

I’m not going to get onto a moral high horse here but honestly, with disasters permeating our lives barely months after the MH370 disappearance, I begin to somewhat question the entire spectacle of online behaviour and ethics.

With the Israel-Palestine wars in Gaza, the raging steering lock-wielding Kiki woman of Peugeot CDM25, the suicide case in Bangsar Shopping Center, and now the MH17 attack all happening co-currently, I just couldn’t help but to notice how people let petty jibber-jabber, dramatization and rumours surrounding such tragic mishaps consume their lives as if every conversation they have depended on it.

Heck, even some broadcast media (the four radio stations, you know who you are) turned to sensationalizing and creating undeserving headlines out of this debacle. All for a jump in ratings? /facepalm

Such a fiasco, methinks 

Don’t be too quick to believe everything you see and read on social media.

Be a better gatekeeper, I implore you. The next time you want to share news, think again. How true is it? Is it from a credible news source? Is it substantial with enough evidence?

Don’t be too caught up in the wave of such idiosyncrasies and end up making a mountain out of a molehill. You’re really not helping the situation and instead, making it worse by propagating more speculation.

This can be very disturbing and confusing to the public, and even more so to the friends and families of those involved. 

Putting rants aside and on another note:

To my 3 friends whom I lost on 3 plane crashes in late 2013 and 2014 alone, may your souls rest in peace in a place just as beautiful as you have ever been. Heaven’s got a plan for you.

In light of the MH17 incident, 298 lives from different nations have perished in this tragedy, and to the loved ones of the casualties who are deeply affected by the loss, my heart goes out to you.

May the memories which come from the good times shared, comfort you now and in the days ahead.  I also hope and pray for international and diplomatic help in joining hands for justice to be served. 

But for now, Malaysia, let us stand together in solidarity and strength in this darkest hour.

One evening after a massive night out, I booked myself in for a much-needed massage and a jacuzzi session.

Thanks to Pink Passion The Signature Salon for inviting me over at just the perfect time, as I’d usually end up with muscle aches, sores and feeling like a walking zombie the morning after. (Yes, I party that hard)

It’s a pampering kind of day today!

I entered the familiar, cosy outlet and waited to be ushered into my spa room.

Needless to say, I was enchanted by its ambiance!

I could already foresee an invigorating experience the moment I stepped in.

The cascading fairy lights made the room so much prettier and relaxing!

The lovely ladies welcomed me before leaving me to my privacy to undress completely prior to the massage and Jacuzzi treatment. 

I was then told to take a dip in an adorable tub of bubbling lukewarm water and essential oils, also known as the Kneipp Hydrotherapy Jacuzzi treatment.

Let the soothing jets begin!

This Jacuzzi treatment is recommended before a massage session as it allows your masseuse to work on your tissues without much discomfort.

Heh. Hot/warm water in a bath spa does that to you! 

Did you know that the fall and rise of body temperature promotes relaxation to your muscles, body and improves blood circulation? 

Hi. 

As the recommended time in this bath spa is 20 minutes, you can actually take a nap in it or just shut your eyes and let your mind drift to a faraway place.

Knowing me, I chose to take photos of the jacuzzi and selfies for my social media channels and blogging purposes! Teehee.

The bubbling force of the jets somewhat gave me a pre-massage session!

Propping my feet up. Ahhh.. this is the life!

Jacuzzi bath mugshot?

Fairy lights intrigue me. Oh, they certainly do. 

Okay, I’m gonna wrap up the selfie stream now!

After 20 minutes was up, I was told to take a warm rinse in the shower just before the massage session.

I was also provided a shower cap just in case I didn’t want to get my hair wet, and disposable underwear to wear throughout the massage.

A pretty corner of the spa room where I washed up.

Let the Deep Tissue Massage session begin! 

My massage therapist turned on the fairy lights for me throughout my session.

But for blogging purposes, I requested for her to turn on the fluorescent lights back on for better lighting in my pictures. ‘Cos obviously, how on earth are you supposed to see the photos if they’re all dark? 

Yes you will be required to be buck naked but rest assured,

you will be decently draped throughout 

My massage therapist was a Chinese national and oh goodness me, was she brilliant at her trade of Traditional Chinese Deep Tissue Massage or what!!?!

She emphasizes mainly on your upper back but never fails to appease your limbs and other sections of your body as well.

I’m quite a regular at spa centers hence I do know a good massage when I experience one! This one definitely earns a spot in my good books.

This is perfect for muscular tension, discomfort,

sore muscles from sports or workouts and aches in general.

Traditional Chinese Deep Tissue massage targets the deep tissue structure of the fascia and muscles, referred to as the connective tissue.

I must say, this is extremely therapeutic in cases of stiff neck, tightness in lower back and soreness in the shoulders!

The way it works is by breaking down the adhesion, giving relief from pain, restoring mobility and releases the built-up toxins by loosening muscle tension.

I actually dozed off at one point LOLOL. 

 Before I knew it, she lightly tapped me on my shoulder and proceeded to turn me over on my back for the frontal massage.

 She began with my head and scalp 

As she continued towards my arms, core and lower body, she hit all the right trigger points, deep tissues and took away all my tension!

The pressure was just right as well; with just enough strength to untangle my very-tangled stressed self LOL.

I actually insisted for the most intense/strongest one.

Not sure if you enjoy being in ‘pain’ like I do but you can always request for a lighter pressure anytime! 

An hour later, I felt relaxed and comforted.  

Admittedly, I did feel a tad sore the next day but hey, I asked for such immense  massage strength I believe was enough to last me several months!

Oh and remember, H20 is your best friend! 

Being properly hydrated before you go for this massage is highly recommended and drinking plenty of water after the session is encouraged. With toxins released, blood and oxygen can circulate more efficiently around your system.

 Thank you, Pink Passion for a splendid day of pampering and relaxation!

Want to experience a day like mine too? 

Specially for my readers, you can use the voucher below to get the Kneipp Hydrotherapy Jacuzzi treatment + Traditional Chinese Deep Tissue Massage at only RM58 instead of RM138. Just mention ‘TheJessicat’!

Have a marvelous time! 

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For more information on this session at Pink Passion or how you can make an appointment:

Contact them via this phone number: 03-7805 7285

Visit their outlet at this address:

No. 37-1, Jalan PJU 1/3C, Sunway Mas Commercial Centre,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Log on to their official website: www.pinkpassion.com.my

LIKE them on Facebook at: Pink Passion The Signature Salon

While most people would prefer to be sleeping their Saturday morning away, possibly recovering from a splitting hangover or simply catching up with their much-needed rest, I was jolted awake by my offending alarm clock at 8am.

Not a very pleasant awakening, considering the fact that I only had 5 hours of sleep the night before.

I was invited to a teaser workshop/training session by Genovasi Malaysia at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya.  Can you believe this set-up is part of their office? Coolbeans. 

Let’s see how well my brain functions under such circumstances, eh?

Time to work the grey matter!

But first, coffee.

After grabbing my brew of the day, I adjourned to Genovasi’s headquarters which was located right across the road from Artisan Roast HQ.

How convenient 😛

Entering Genovasi’s premises!

A little background before we begin 

Genovasi Malaysia is the only Design Thinking School in Malaysia and the leading regional partner for the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) School of Design Thinking at Potsdam University, Germany.

(The HPI School of Design Thinking is a sister institute of the school at Stanford University, USA!)

They aim to inspire, create and empower a movement of innovators for the betterment of self, environment and the world. 

In promoting an innovation culture through its education and training programmes, they emphasize 3 main key points:

Resourcefulness

Creativity

Innovation (duh!)

I personally find their office a really conducive working environment; it was really in line with their visions and missions! Check it out.

Most people find it a dread to brainstorm when enclosed within four walls or work according to their run-of-the-mill repetitive and mundane routine. Or if you want to see something more physical, check out the time I went to Skytrex Adventure years ago.

But just look at Genovasi’s colourful and unique office! *gasp* No excuses for not being able to work well anymore!

They also have many idea-boards and idea-walls around the premises!

This I believe, is to give rise to breakthrough thinkers and doers and to use design thinking methods to inspire multidisciplinary teams.

After the brief introduction, we were taken upstairs!

Time for another tour around the office, before kick-starting our teaser workshop of Design Thinking.

 Couldn’t help taking a picture of the lightbulbs and black and yellow photo frames.

Such creative yet simple inspiration for interior decor!

Once we arrived the first floor, the fun and friendly representatives shared the Genovasi journey with us. 

It was a trip down memory lane since its inception, what they’ve accomplished so far until this very day.

After briefly learning their history, it was now our turn to experience the Genovasi way and for ourselves!

Felt a wee bit excited, as this was my first time undergoing a design thinking course.

Sometimes, we all need a refreshing take on the way we think and how our minds work. That way, we can derive more ideas, alternatives and perspectives to put into practice in our everyday lives.

For example, in my day job, I’m involved in a lot of social media ideation and strategies, so this would definitely be of good help!

 Let’s begin!

 Learning the human-centered approach to design thinking.

 We were given a mini design project to apply our newfound thought skills

The case given to us was an interesting scenario.

We were supposed to undertake a challenge to help a man suffering from acute arthritis who is now rendered unable to write like an average human being. 

Our fingers/knuckles were taped together to replicate the issue at hand.

We had to put ourselves in his shoes before we can help him – empathy at its best!

 Audrey and I struggling to hold a pen, let alone write with it!

 Our writing was almost illegible with our fingers taped together. Darn!

This ain’t gonna work well.

 Yes, yes, go ahead and laugh at my pathetic scribbles of handwriting.

I implore you to write with your fingers taped together by masking tape!

Eureka! That’s when the Genovasi idea lightbulb illuminates.

 With all the recyclables, junk, odds and ends and other raw materials!

 One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

 Let’s get crackin’

Here are the raw materials I’ve gathered according to the sketch I’ve drafted.

My draft and the prototype draft.

I devised an enormous writing tool which did not require the injured person to involve his fingers in the process of writing.

As an alternative, he will be using more of his wrist and arm to control the movements instead. 

 Don’t laugh at my idea. It may not be the best, but every idea is a gateway to spark even brighter ideas!

 My oddly shaped writing tool and I.

Come on.. there’s nothing technology can’t engineer! 😛

Buddy Rosalyn and I having a bit of fun while we brainstormed.

A lot of silly fun. Hey, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!

Buddy Audrey’s creation alongside mine.

Ours was a slightly similar-looking prototype but our concepts were completely different.

It’s judgement day! HAHA.

We were each supposed to place our prototypes on the table and explain how it will most likely work. 

This feels like Show and Tell! The Genovasi representatives check out our works and gave us solid and constructive criticism (and compliments too, of course!)

This totally reminds me of high school all over again. Arts and Crafts was one of my favorite subjects in school.

Here are some of our works.

Don’t ask me to elaborate how and what each creation does. I don’t know either!

But hey, they’re pretty darn creative no? 

Considering the fact that we had only approximately 25 minutes to build it, I’d say we deserve a pat on our backs for a good attempt!

What I’ve experienced today was just a teaser!

For the full version, Genovasi offers the Design Thinking Programme through the Innovation Ambassador Development Programme (IADP) frees up your imagination for a purpose through the 20-day Design Thinking programme conducted by the HPI School of Design Thinking @ Genovasi.

You will be trained in the Design Thinking methodology and work in multidisciplinary teams, in partnership and radical collaborations with top organisations in Malaysia to solve real world problems by also use prototyping to discover new solutions.

Thank you, Genovasi Malaysia for an enlightening session!

One does not simply wake up early on a Saturday morning…

but when I do, I’m glad today was well worth it.

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For more information on Genovasi and how to be a part of it, get in touch with them!

Log on to their official website at: www.genovasi.my

Drop them an e-mail at: info@genovasi.my

Call them at this contact number: 03-7954 0628

Visit them at this address: Lot 2A, Jalan 13/2 46200 Petaling Jaya Selangor Darul Ehsan Malaysia

LIKE them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/mygenovasi

Follow them on Twitter at: twitter.com/mygenovasi

Join them on Instagram at: instagram.com/mygenovasi

Watch them on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/user/MYGenovasi

As publicly declared in January, I embarked onto a new journey and took a deep, fresh breath – being officially single for the very first time. (Had been in 3 back-to-back committed, long-term serious relationships)

Anyway, on one of those random sleepless nights 2 months ago, I penned this poem filled with confusion and doubts as to what I actually want in terms of interpersonal relationships.

So what’s the answer?

I actually do have an answer; a clear stand on what I’m looking for and what I’m not. 

I wanted to take this period of time to dedicate the focus and commitment to myself, my career and social relationships with the family & friends around me. 

Single life for the first time, has been an exciting ride. An exhilarating adventure of infatuation, lessons, love, suspense and hurt attached to it – with no extra baggage.

Life is good so far!

From the bottom of my heart, I strictly did not want to be in any kind of serious relationships with anyone at the moment. Maybe it’s just not the right time and I’m neither ready nor prepared to be in yet another long-term commitment. 

Hearts aflutter.

But the heart may sometimes falter and feelings tend to stray off the beaten track. 

After all, we’re only human. And it’s only natural to develop feelings 

But I’m trying not to. My hardest!

I do date. A lot, in fact. But I’ve built my walls sky-high and my heart has since been armoured with titanium and solid steel. My guards are up and there’s no way I would let anyone in because I know once I fall in love, I’m vulnerable again and hurt will follow if things don’t work out.

Guess I’m not up for that sorta heartbreak or drama yet. 

Whatever it is, my sentiments can hardly ever be put in writing and mere words can never do justice to the mind’s eye. 

But when thoughts cloud my mind, I write. So here’s another one of my poems. I realize my tendency of expressing better with literary metaphors. 

This bird yearned to be free
To fly solo, she’s eager to see
The gush, the drive, of the unfamiliar
Gee whiz, what a fortifiying adventure!

To soar with freedom in exploring uncertainties
To fly away and vanish plausible peculiarities
She fleets through depths after depths to the faraway horizon
And scours the ocean glistening like shards of a diamond

But alas, with a classic ray of magic,
Her wings freeze into a gridlock galactic
Walls crumble and shoots to the mighty stars
A burst of warmth takes over, exceeding radars

Unable to scale the skies and beyond,
She is vulnerable and a tad withdrawn

Hush now, little heart
Don’t beat a whisper
Don’t ravel a twister
Turn to brain, your counterpart

Heart of steel, do your thing
Be still, like the mountains
Be cold, like a winter frost
Raise your weapon, and take your wing

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bltr_Dsk5EY&feature=kp” width=”600″ height=”300″ full=”no” ]

Song of the moment. Our song.

But somewhere at the back of my mind, I think… this could finally be it. 

I don’t know. Afraid, I am. Perhaps a little too soon to say but… we’ll see. Only time will tell if this fairytale would blossom into a radiance of petals or disintegrate into a withering, shrivelled life.

We all know the cliche of how one’s eyes are the windows to their soul.

This is a story about how a sparkle in a girl’s eyes led the love of her life right to her doorstep. As they say, a fairytale wedding ensued and they lived happily ever after.

I’m joking, obviously… and it’s not the sparkle in her eyes.

Sorry to burst your bubble, boys. It’s just what contact lens can do to girls’ eyes these days. Chances are, you’re not looking into her soul; you’re just staring directly into her contact lens. 😛 😛 😛

Nevertheless, they DO undeniably, give the ladies a very pretty twinkle in their eyes. Let’s face it. We think it’s pretty, and so do you.

Introducing the MESMERIZE series of contact lenses by Charmé.

Thanks Ivilens!

This is actually a sequel to my previous blog post about the ECLIPSE series of contact lenses in grey and brown from Ivilens.

Check out how ECLIPSE looks on me – here

Today, I will be featuring MESMERIZE, another series of contact lenses under the Charmé brand as well.

This is what you will see upon opening the tightly-sealed packaging.

 A close look at how it looks like when worn.

Trying to open my eyes as wide as possible so you can see it properly!

I must say though, it doesn’t have the iris enlargement effect like the ECLIPSE series I wrote about previously.

But my personal preference would be the MESMERIZE series simply because the colours and design suits me a lot better!

Right? These are really my favorite!

 A closer look.

(Told you I have hanging eyeballs if I open my eyes too wide apart HAHA!)

Say goodbye to dry eyes!

After using Charmé, I’ve never needed to bring my eye drops along anymore! 😀 😀

Although it is discouraged, I have admittedly crashed into bed and fell asleep with my contact lenses still on. But they didn’t hurt the next morning! (Please don’t do this! If you get too drunk however, that is an exception 😛 )

One of the best parts of MESMERIZE is the variety of colours available!

MESMERIZE also comes in more exciting colours like blue, green and purple! That’s of course if you want to stray away from common colours like black, grey or brown.

Trust me, the colours won’t make you look like you’ve just exited a cosplay convention or jumped out from an anime tv series.

Let me show you! 

 MESMERIZE in purple. See? It’s pretty mild. Not to worry!

 It’s only more obvious under DIRECT light (sunlight or artificial light)

Definitely less obvious at night.

I usually only wear my contact lenses whenever I attend all those events and parties you see me at. Sometimes I wished I actually needed contact lenses to see so I can wear them more often (because I’m usually very lazy to put them on and take them off!)

Uh-huh. You guessed right. Almost-perfect 20-20 vision! Except for the astigmatism. Bleh. 

Under different lighting.

Generally, wearing contact lenses can pose a slight discomfort especially when you wear them for long hours. 🙁

But thankfully, the Charmé contact lens series are very comfortable and so far, I’ve not encountered any problems wearing them the entire night.

Thanks Ivilens for the wonderful pairs of Charmé contact lenses! Definitely made it to my must-recommend list of favorite items.

Would love to see how the brown or green ones look on me this time 😀

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For more information on Charmé by Ivilens and how you can get them,

Log on to their official website at: www.ivilens.com

LIKE them on Facebook at: fb.com/ivilens