*842 - (twenty) two years old

The best birthdays are quiet, unpretentious affairs, like going for a giggly midnight sprint, barefoot in the grass, and having an indoor picnic (picnic towel on the ground and all) with a birthday donut--Boston creme, of course. All that, with your favorite person.

*841 - straddling time zones

I am 21 here, but 22 in Singapore!

*840 - fancy pancakes

Perhaps the most complicated midnight pancakes I've ever made:

Cinnamon banana pancakes shaped like cute little ladybugs, topped with a heaping spoonful of home-stewed strawberry jam, fresh blueberries, and banana slices, drizzled with chocolate. With a glass of white wine, of course.

*839 - red bean swirlies

These delicious swirlies turned out so much prettier than I expected! Fluffy, generously sweet, and tasted of nostalgia. Mm-mmm.





(Recipe from My Little Space)

In other (shocking) news, today marks my last ever exam as a college student!

(And shocking news call for a shocking new blog layout featuring my cupcake and his cupcake: Magnolia Bakery, NYC.)

Has 15 years of academics really come to an end? I am oddly blasé about it, perhaps because the thought of yet more books, papers, exams suddenly seems a lot more inviting than the hazy Grown-Up Working Life.

*838 - and he doesn't remember taking these photos

From a set of 20-ish pictures that were all taken within a span of one minute while wobbling up the slope one Friday night.

*837 - life's not all that bad

I think we'll make it :)

*836 - disruptions

It's too easy to just vanish
But too difficult to re-emerge

*835 - homesick, but not

I'm trying so hard, but it seems so impossible
Every day is like a countdown-
to what?

*834 - wine for breakfast

Slope Day = thesis submitted. Yeeaaaahhhh!

Slope Day itself was overrated (as usual), mostly because D**** was pretty lame. Did not enjoy his songs. Though I'm sure lots of people did, so, good for them!

Smores, the untraditional way:
Cracker, melted chocolate, and mini marshies in the toaster


On the slope!






If you squint real hard, you can see D****. It really wasn't too hot being part of the drunken crowd. If I liked him, maybe!

*833 - the last week of classes

It's the last week of school in my life, ever.

What an odd realization! Very mixed feelings (more negative than not) if I stop to ponder upon it, but for now, I'm blissfully blasé. It hasn't quite hit me yet that I'm leaving.

Coming up (though not soon enough): a quiet reprieve, a secret birthday getaway; something I've always longed to do but never quite managed.

*832 - brunch

And a decadent brunch to use up the leftovers from the decadent midnight feast (which makes it sound rather less spectacular but it was fabulous nonetheless).

Melted brie and strawberry slices



More of that simple but amazing stuff:
smoked salmon & cream cheese & capers on a cracker



Poached eggs with a dollop of creamy avocado-lime dip,
cherry tomatoes, toasted garlic & olive oil baguette slices

*831 - :)

Besame.