Gloomiest Day

News of the day: Heath Ledger is dead.

Traffic at the causeway was non-threatening and smooth today AND yesterday, even at 7.30am. Being a seasonal user of the causeway and the usual route to work in Xin-jia-puo, road traffic is so embeded in my life. It's like a stock market that will determine if you'll waste or save half an hour. Same for KL drivers I bet.

Daniel will officially start nursery on the 1st of February at NURI education centre, Danga Bay/Straits View. And yes to all you mothers out there nodding at what I'm about to say, the separation anxiety will be mostly on my part. I think I'll be the one crying at the front gate, reaching out to him as he is escorted into his classroom, screaming, "Baby baby I'll be here, mummy's here, NO, DON'T GO! COME BAAAAACK" as my eyes tear over the sign 'No Parents Allowed'. That'll be my proudest moment.

What I heard on the radio this morning, some psychologists formulated that the 3rd Monday of January is the gloomiest day of the year based on several factors.
1. Most likely to have the gloomiest weather.
2. Post-holiday monotony starts to sink in.
3. Christmas bills starts to arrive.
4. People start to break their New Year resolutions.

January is also the hot month for divorces, suicides and depression.

So, if you're one of 'em feeling very low and horribly depressed, imagine what teachers have to go through marking these papers..

MacBook Air

Quote of the day: This too, shall pass.


MacBook Air. World's thinnest notebook. For the wireless world. Oh god oh god oh god help me oh god. I'm so not kidding when I say I'm going to hump shamelessly at the first one I see. Watch the guided tour in apple.com. Prepare some tampons for nose bleed.

A Typical Saturday

Quote of the day: Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Let's see, I jump-started Saturday at 9.30am going to the Larkin wet market with my sweet little boy who obediently held my hands all the way. Market wet and slippery that's why. I love this market. It's the largest. Which means competitive prices, and more variety. Bought my groceries, breakfast and coffee for the hubbie who slept in. Came home, sorted my groceries in the fridge, fed the boy and myself breakfast. Did the first batch of laundry. Served hubbie his first important meal of the day. Watched Barney. Played hit-bubbles-with-plastic-racket at patio and some other toys/games. Did second batch of laundry. Bathed the little one. Fed him and myself junk food. Called a Singer Sewing Machine company to come have a look at my antique Flying Man sewing machine. Watched KTV-inspired-young-foursome-songstresses-singing-ChineseNewYearbeat-tunes. Because the little one fixates on young foursome songstresses, therefore under the spell of long concentration that tires him out, he falls asleep. Baby napped, mummy napped a bit while the hubbie goes out to run his errand. Woke up, started preparation for lotus root soup and dinner. Called daddy dearest to come over for dinner, but he was in Surabaya. Called mommy dearest to come over for dinner. Don't get me wrong. I don't favour my dad over my mom. It's a complicated 'scheduling' courtesy of separated parents. Hubbie came back to feed me junk food. Singer sewing machine specialist arrived to evaluate my antique Flying Man sewing machine. He took it back to his workshop. I asked him how much the sewing machine is worth if I trade it in, he said "You give free also people don't want la nowadays". And I thought it was priceless. I continue dinner preparation at full gear. I love my kitchen. It's airy and bright. But I always have to look out for cats that sneak in and steal marinated fish. Did my third batch of laundry. Fed the little one junk food. Played and cooked intermittently. Served dinner. Cleared the sink. Played more with the little one, hang out with mommy dearest. Cleaned the little one up, changed into his pjs. Took a shower. Watched Barney and played. Read bedtime stories. Lied beside him until he slept. Spent some private time with the hubbie. Tidied up little messes around the house, actually this, I do it in between any other activities, or at least I try. Sit at my art workshop and do some hands-on. Dozed off snugly in my new king-sized humongous bed.

PHEW. A typical weekend for mua. Just thought I'd share this mundane details of my mundane life. Nyahahah.

AALLLLLAAAAAHHHHHWAAAKBAARRR!

Quote of the day: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”-Eleanor Roosevelt

I stopped making New Year Resolutions since I left school. Everyone tells of how resolutions are pointless because after 3 days, they are forgotten. But this year, I decided that I should make some. Something easy to follow throughout 365 days, and if possible for the rest of my life. Here goes.

1. Do breast-enlarging exercises while chanting "I want to be Jessica Simpson".

That's about it.




NO. Seriously.

1. Focus. Finish a task one at a time instead of multi-juggling-going-back-and-forth feat I always pull on my to-do list, whether it's at work, or at home.

2. Flirt. Let my hair down and flirt with the public. Make friends with strangers. Smile more. Reach out more. Return a gaze when I'm given one. Wink. When was the last time you winked at your lover? I mean seriously! Winking is the cutest flirting act ever!

3. Facials. I had my first in 2004. That was it. My blackheads are 3 years old. We gotta take care of our pores, don't we.

4. Fruits. More fruits. Less processed food like the irresistible IKEA hotdog.

5. Gym. For a toner, fitter me.

6. Patience. LOTS of it. Patience with the son, the husband, stupid drivers on the road, traffic, myself, and well.. generally.

OK. That's the real deal. I just realized those resolutions are towards living longer. That's terrible, why would I want to live longer when pollution, petrol price, living cost and the integrity of our nation's leaders are getting worse. Seriously! Given the chance I would be happy to live a healthy and fit 60 years, tops. Enough is enough. I don't want to be burden. Of course, that is not up to mua isn't it.

More reorganization this weekend. And I hope I'll get numb to the incessant mosque broadcast prayers in the mornings. I'm starting to find it very annoying. One session at 5am is enough, they want to do it again and again! Macam training. Yeesh bedebah betul.

Old is New Again

Quote of the day: We look forward to the time when the power to love will replace the love of power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace. -William Gladstone

Happy New Year folks! I am EXHAUSTED to the point of being cranky. I'm worse than a baby! Hubbie and I have spent exactly 5 days of non-stop packing, moving and unpacking. The stuff keeps popping up! I never knew we had truckloads of stuff in such a small house. At least now, that truckload of stuff is nicely distributed around in the new house. The renovation sort of climaxed last Thursday where all of a sudden, the house was literally filled with people... the laminate flooring workers, the plumbers, the carpenters, the painter, the electrician, the curtain people and ( GOD BLESS) 4 Vietnamese ladies who cleaned, scrubbed and polished everything in the house.

Here are just some random then-and-now changes. More shitloads of photos next time.

The kid's room



My workshop/study



Master bedroom



Bathroom



Stairways



Hallway on upper floor.



Sometimes, it's unbelievable. It feels like one of those scary feeling where you have something too good to be true that you're afraid that it's just a dream.

I can still smell the paint....

Down Memory Lane

As I was clearing away unwanted stuff and going through my old photo collection and letters, cards and autographs, it brought me back to the 90's. I read an old diary I used to write in and I felt like I reading something that someone else had written. I have forgotten who I used to be and yes, I felt silly. But those were the events that made me who I am today and I will not trade it for anything in the world.
I can't remember when this picture was taken in uni, but it sure gave me the warm feeling. It's genuine, what we were. It's unpretentious. We were carefree and happy. As most undergrad students are.


And ohmigod look how young we were. This was taken at Taman Negara, 1998. I much prefer the way he looks now. All the manly charms...and extra flesh around the belly. Still the same heart.


*flashback to 1994* Way before digital images existed. Want to photoshop anything? Here.


X-files trading card. I'm keeping it for Daniel so that when he's 8 in school, all his friends exchange Ben Tennyson, Power Rangers, Transformer cards, he is the only one in class that has the exclusive edition of alien cards.

Autographs, autographs, autographs. Roses are red, violets are blue, friends forever, I'll remember you.... These days, everyone writes on everyone's Facebook, which by the way... I suck at it.



***
How to prepare a meal that's refreshing, light yet fulfilling, Sou Men cold noodles.
The ingredients.
Sou Men. Comes in bundles per packet. Bundles= one serving.
Tsu Yu. Sou Men soup base. Dilute with one volume of icy cold water.
Grated ginger, minced Japanese plum and sliced spring onions.



Bring water to boil. Cook soumen noodles until it floats. Sieve out and immerse in icy cold water for a minute. Sieve into a bowl of diluted cold soumen soup. Add the spring onion, grated ginger, minced plum and a pinch of wasabi if you likey. Served cold!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Enchanted

Quote of the day: The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public. -George Jessel

The boy and I watched Enchanted at the cinema. I was as enchanted as he was. He had the VIP seat aka mummy's warm and comfy lap. It's the perfect movie for him because:
1. There is che che mei. Pretty girl in princessy gowns, long hair, big blue eyes and make up. He like.
2. Funny animated squirrel. He like.
3. Evil queen transformed into dragon. Dragon he like.
4. Che che mei singing. He like.

I like one thing. PATRICK DEMPSEY is one hot who'syourdaddy thing. It's funny because I didn't really quite get the McDreamy craze when Grey's Anatomy first came into the screen. Dark wavy thick hair only wat. Mua is swooning at his dark wavy thick hair and the whole package. Other than that, I say, it's a great movie. Watching fairytale characters living in the real world is hilarious.
I caught myself pivoting and humming while I call the birds, rabbits, squirrels and deers to help me clean the house. *harp plays*

"Weaker Sex"

Quote of the day: “Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.” -Charlotte Whitton

"KOSMO reported that the women were more overweight than men in the country, with the weaker sex outnumbering males by 150,000 on that aspect. " ...pinched from The Star

Weaker sex.

(Meaning women)

Tsk tsk.. KOSMO writer still living in the cave, writing articles with chalk. Or just a plain insensitive wuss.

A little drama on an ordinary day at work

It wasn't a drill. I heard the fire came from the animal holding unit. That's a scary thought.

Meeting Ou Xiang

Quote of the day: We can do not great things - only small things with great love. -Mother Theresa

Barney came to town. That was why JUSCO Tebrau City was packed with children and their parents, aunts, uncles, grandpas, grandmas, cousins, grand-aunts, grand-uncles.. you name it, we got it. Barney is BIGGER than MIchael Jackson now.



I have to admit this. As I anticipated Barney's appearance on stage, my heart was pounding like a teenager on meth and when he finally emerged, I was almost moved to tears. How strange. Daniel was stunned and literally fixated on Barney, BabyBop and BJ. His first ou xiang. I can't explain it. The joy of seeing something that makes your child happy.

And off to the arcade. I'm telling you, this dude can beat crocs. We were impressed.



I would like to announce that I entered the semifinals of Tennis BTI Open yesterday, but lost. Not bad for a Wii game beginner like me! What I love about this new toy in town is that you don't have to press those annoying arrow buttons to navigate yourself like PS. It's totally sensor-based so that means your movement controls the character you're playing. It's good exercise without straining yourself. The only sport injury would probably be kena hantam by your real life opponent swinging too violently beside you. I gotta get one and start hantam-ing.

***
Some cards I made.


Currently, I will be at full gear in packing and moving. Bit by bit. The new house is being re-painted, including the iron grills. It's still a mess.

Travelogue 2007

The Budget Terminal at Changi Airport.


Pretty impressive I must, for a budget terminal, exterior and interior-wise. Inside, there are only about 10 outlets to eat and shop. The BEST shop was the bookstore because 15 minutes after we checked in, came the announcement of our flight delay. @#$%&! We couldn't get out due to immigration issues. Hubbie left his cellphone in my car back at my workplace, but we couldn't get out of the airport to go get it. So, we were stuck, but we were Mr. and Mrs. Sunshine. Nothing could get us mad because this was our first vacation in 2 years. We had our asses glued to the bookstore floor. I read 5 celebrity gossip magazines and... did you know Britney is balding?! It was fantastic. We never have the chance like this ie. forced to do nothing for 3 hours, but read and read your heart's content in a bookstore.

People sitting around at the corridor leading to our boarding gate.

Our compensation meal. VEGE sandwich.


After an hour's flight, we are whisked off to our resort by a very hi-tech Toyota 6-seater super VIP van that had mega speakers., and to me it looked more like a cockpit. These tour maxivans are apparently common here.


Our room at Buri Tara Resort.

And because the pathetic vege sandwich couldn't fill our stomachs for 2 hours straight, we head to the 24-hour Raja Burger. 2 minute tuk-tuk ride.


Balcony of our room with direct pool access.




Our first meal in Krabi. Chicken rice by the roadside stalls. They're the best.


Ao Nang, the main town of Krabi, where the shops and the beach are.


Ao Nang Beach. The water looks clear, but I find the sand a little dull and not-so-fine.


Our pre-dinner. Sensational green papaya salad, must-have tom yam soup and sticky rice.


We spent the day just walking around Ao Nang before being lured into the mass massage pavilion.



The next day was spent island hopping under the blazing sun.


Paradise! OK, this picture doesn't do justice to the sheer azure little 'lagoon' surrounded by white fine sand. This is what I call paradise.




Another beach. Camera battery eat shit on me.


The next day, we said good bye to Krabi and off we went to another part of our vacation. Retail therapy in Bangkok.

Nok, one of Thailand's popular budget airline.


I decided that we should indulge ourselves in a boutique hotel which is becoming very popular in Thailand. Boutique hotels/resorts are usually small, cozy, have limited rooms, and they are very pretty. Like this one called Dream Bangkok located at Sukhumvit where shopping areas are easily accessible.





This is the most basic room we took. So chic!


Oh lookie what we have here. So thoughtful.




For the next 4 hours, we rubbed shoulders with the crowd at Chatuchak/Jatujak/JJ market. THE mother of all markets in Thailand where you can find treasures among the 15,000 stalls in there. Taken from the overhead bridge on our way back, this is only 10% of the crowd, this one is heading to and from the market to the Skytrain station.

Market outside our hotel.


Chicken 'satay' for pre-dinner.

Chicken soup noodle for dinner.

More food!

Just can't get enough of it. We went back to JJ weekend market the next day again. I bought a fancy little tee from a stall the previous day, and I regretted not getting more, so I went back to hunt for it. Alas, I could not find that stall anymore. All this while I had followed the rule "You like something, BUY it! You'll never find it anymore". I wish I had changed it to "You like something, buy TWO, or more!"
On the way back to the hotel to check out, we made one last stop.


I left my heart there... at that T-shirt stall in JJ market. Next trip!!