The Sound Of Life

Tell us more about your pets.
I have what I believe to be an oriental garden lizard (according to Google Lens) that I named Mushu, after the red dragon from the Disney film, Mulan. Oddly enough, I found her in the carpark of ION Orchard. After several days of intensive research, trips to the pet store, and DIY crafts, she settled nicely into her new home.

To my absolute surprise two months later, I found two teeny-tiny baby lizards, only about a centimetre long, staring back at me. I’m slightly worried about how I’ll keep them alive because they’re smaller than the worms I feed their mother! But so far, it’s been so heartening watching them thrive.

I also have two red-eared sliders that my parents got on impulse the one time I brought them to an aquarium. They’re really goofy characters; I especially love when they sprawl their legs out, one atop the other, to bask under the heating lamp (laughs).

What’s the best thing you’ve thrifted?
For me, the best thrift finds are ones that I foresee myself cherishing for a long time, even if they’re not the most practical.

I most recently thrifted a vintage deck of round playing cards (laughs), it’s embarrassing just admitting it. Will I ever use it? Perhaps once just for the laughs, but I think I’ll eventually put it in a glass display.

Oh, and one of my favourite thrifted pieces has got to be this gecko shirt I’m wearing. Now that I’m a lizard mum, I have to look the part!

If you could do anything without money or failure, what would you do?
I’d do everything. I could spend all day and night listing down the things I’d love to explore if given the time and resources, like ensuring my family is set for life, owning a farm full of animals, and opening my own handcrafted toy store.

But I’d also do nothing. Not having to work hard for anything, and without the sting of failure just defeats any purpose, even for an anxious person like myself.

When did you first start liking musicals and what do you enjoy about them?
I grew up watching (and rewatching) movie adaptations of musicals like Phantom of the Opera, Grease, and Les Misérables. My many years in school bands also exposed me to lesser known classics like Porgy and Bess, and instilled in me a deep appreciation for orchestral music. Since then, I’ve been in love with musical theatre.

I see musicals as the full package of performative arts. There’s singing, dancing, acting, live instrumentals, visually stimulating sets, and costumes—what more can I ask for?

The perfect weekend for you will be:
A picnic in the woods. I’m a sucker for picnics. There’s something about sitting out in the open with some snacks and a good book, soaking in the soft breeze and smell of the earth.