Book of memories

The past few weeks have seen me pretty busy on this Book of Memories project. Gosh, it's been a long while since I ever did something like this...I don't even have my Magic Box anymore...it used to be stashed with all kinds of crap...errr, I mean, scrap like papers, ribbons, fancy stickers, magic pens, etc. The box is hidden deep in the ever-growing pile of junk in the store-room, and I fear venturing in there to dig it up because I did that once and came face to face with the most humongous piece of roach there was...ugh!

Anyway, this Book of Memories is a labour of love for me and hubby because it's a gift I'm doing for our 3rd anniversary, which is today. It's 95% complete because I haven't put in the paper-cuts that I did of cute little animals. It was supposed to be ready, but Zane came to my office earlier than expected, so I couldn't finish it. I showed it to him anyway, over lunch today, and he was really surprised. I think he almost teared up, too!

I think he liked this present better than the other one I gave him -- a French Connection shirt which I got on sale yesterday. That one was pretty, too, candy coloured checked shirt. This description makes it sound hideous, but, believe me, it's not as Bangla as it sounds. It's a real nice shirt and the material's really good, too.

Anyway, the Book of Memories documents photos of the special people in our lives, some blog entries I wrote about Zane, some cheesy poems I got off the internet, some very intellectual quotes on love, love letters from the old (and new) days, and other barf-inducing romantic stuff that only a *loving* spouse can ever tolerate.

I really enjoyed going through the old photos we had and selecting the ones I wanted, turning them into black and white, adjusting the brightness and contrast, etc. I was so afraid that the people at the photo shop would ruin the effect I had in mind, but Aunty Florence, to whom I've been going to for photo prints since I was a kid, did a lovely job! She actually went through each photo to make sure they turned out the way I wanted, with shadows, and mood effect, etc.

For the photo album, I went to Cziplee + over at Bangsar and got this handsome chocolate-coloured scrap-book / photo album with beautiful pages in cream. It was from Kolo and cost me about RM95. At the time, gaji belum masuk lagi, so I just closed my eyes and charged it to my card! :P

One of the things I wanted to put in the book was a print of Musa's palm but I was too lazy to get messy with paints, and anyway, how was I gonna explain to Zane about borrowing his acrylics in the middle of the night? Instead, I waited for Musa to fall asleep last night and traced the outline of his left hand. Heheh.

The last thing I need to do now is paste the paper cuts on some of the pages...I found some nice silhouette pictures of animals on the internet, drew them out on some card stock and cut them out with a blade. I think they look adorable, these tiny menagerie of mine. Which is your favourite?

So, do you like my Book of Memories? Bouquets and brickbats welcomed...but please be gentle with the latter! :P

Anyway, Sayang, thank you for loving me so patiently.

Love anthem

I'm going through this spell where I'm feeling very receptive and open to many things. It's not a conscious effort, just that a lot of things seem to be leaving a lasting impression on me -- making me feel things with greater depth, ponder more (some thoughts don't leave me at night), and just...I dunno...can't really describe it.

Feels like the whole universe is holding me even closer these days than before, and I'm just welcoming it all in.

I mean just in this two weeks, I've been smitten by the charmingly acidic Anthony Bourdain, can't seem to get enough of grapefruits and its bitter after-taste (take one each day!), and loving this song.

It just blows my mind, I can't even describe it! I've heard of the Dave Matthews Band before...especially the song Crash Into Me. But this one, Crush, the Radio City acoustic version, is something else, man!

I love the lyrics, the way DM mouths the words, his tenderness, the urgency in his voice, his little grin, the sensual everything. It's so intoxicating, and he just got all the feelings, all the sensations for love right.

The song's about love, about falling in love, about the fixation with a person, the admiration, the never-wanna-leave-you-for-a-second feeling, etc.

Every line in the song is just amazing. When you were in love, didn't you feel that every thing in the world was amazing? Just like Dave says, "It's crazy, I'm thinking, just knowing that the world is round."

And when you love somebody, you're just "dancing on the ground, am I right side up or upside down? And is this real, or am I dreaming?"

"And I wonder this: could tomorrow be so wondrous as you there sleeping."

And right at the end of the song, it ends with this: "Oh my love, many now hold you, but please, please, just let me, always..."

Wow.

And to think that the song almost didn't make it into their album, Before These Crowded Streets!

My love anthem for hubby and me from now on. Just because the song so reminds me of us.

Thank you, bfm 89.9 for playing this brilliant song for me this very first time today.

And just because I love it so much, here's another version of it.