The Proposal [Part 1] - Gift Planning

This post should have been written months ago. But I procrastinated, as always, out of various reasons and the draft has been in my to-do list for ages. I figured that if I don't even start writing, I never will, and if I ever wanted to have time to finish this post at one go, that's wishful thinking. Therefore, I am going to do this in parts.

This is Part 1, which documents the some portion of the planning before the big day.

The brainstorming started from as early as October 2008, and I was already decided then to pop the question on 5th December 2008, which was her 25th birthday. Sort of a double celebration, I raked my brain daily for ideas while I was commuting to work, trying to think of the perfect place, setting, birthday gift etc.

I love to think, and especially so while I am commuting, so these were the birthday gift ideas I came up with:

1. A scrap book that detailed our times together.
2. A song that celebrated our love.
3. Burberry bag which she had been eyeing all these while.
4. A piano recital of "做你的男人".

Eventually though, none of these materialized because:

1. The last time I did a scrap book was in Primary school, so I was reluctant to make a fugly one for her on such an important day.
2. I really wanted to do this. But I didn't want to write another song that sounds like the rest of the other songs I have ever written. I am limited (and rusty) guitar chord knowledge.
3. SOLD OUT! Woo Hoo! **phew**
4. I am faced with a time constraint on this one, as I doubt I'll be able to excel in the piece within such a short period of time Moreover, it would be a headache trying to find somewhere secluded, but yet with a piano..

None of the ideas seemed to be able to work out well. So, I left the ideas alone for a while, and continued to think of other ideas.

At that time, she was hooked on watching 溏心风暴, then 家好月圆, and I remembered her asking me once if it's a good idea to get a portable video player (so she can be a junkie) while she's commuting to and fro work daily. Aha!

So which one to get? I asked some friends for advice.

Finally, I decided on the iPod Touch, and I knew then that this will be the perfect gift, cause she's a geek who (despite being a geek) will never be willing to spend her money on such gadgets. But at the same time, she'll definitely find it useful (and yes, she's a commuting junkie now).

Another thing about the iPod Touch, was that I was able to engrave on it to mark that special day! Erm.. But I think I made a little "brouhahaha" on the engraving.. More on that some other time. =)

Anyway, so this iPod Touch was the birthday gift, which at the same time has an engraving that marks the day that I popped the question. Great! Now for the place and setting.. Where? How?

That'll be in Part 2.

In case you are wondering, what about the ring? We already bought the ring in August, so in a way she knew I will be proposing, but not when and how. We shopped for the ring together, because I felt that since she will be the one wearing it, she should have a say in the BIG purchase.

The ring was a 0.45 carat solitaire from Meyson (in Bugis). Good value for their diamonds. Do check them out.