Alexandra Wallace

Recently an American blonde ranted about Asians and posted it on YouTube. I tell you, blondes and YouTube always create news.
Taken from nytimes
Alexandra Wallace is the student at the University of California, Los Angeles, who made the three-minute video seen by millions of people on YouTube in which she disparages Asian students for using cellphones in the library to call family members after the tsunami struck Japan.

Actually, I am not responding to her insensitivity. I think this video that Jimmy made is absolutely awesome!!


Have a good weekend peeps!

888GB iPad for RM9.80

From the The Star papers today:
GEORGE TOWN: In a store here, there is an iPad going for only RM9.80, a 13.3-inch dual-core processor laptop for under RM12 and an iPhone 4 for a mere RM2.

There is one catch, though – while anyone can buy it, only the dead can use it.

Angeli Choo, 43, a Chinese prayer item shop worker in Burmah Road, said paper replicas of electronic items are getting more popular with customers buying prayer paraphernalia for the Qing Ming Festival (Chinese All Souls’ Day).

“Customers want their dearly departed to be able to keep up with the latest in information technology (IT), besides the usual ‘luxury’ offerings of bungalows with maids and security guards, watches, designer bags and gold ingots. The ‘iPad’ even comes with a USB cable for charging and syncing,” she said.

Even the specifications are literally out of this world. While the current largest storage size for iPads in our world is 64GB, the “other world” users are already using iPads with an auspiciously whopping 888GB!

Miniature luxury cars and electrical appliances are also popular items, according to James Ong, a retail supervisor at the Bee Chin Heong prayer item shop in Kimberley Street.

“The Toyota Alphard MPV, BMW 6 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class are among the favourites.

“LCD television sets are also in constant demand,” he said, adding that most paper replica products were available within two weeks after the real stuff hit the market.

“Whatever people have and enjoy in real life, they want their departed ones to have,” said Lim Say Saik, a businesswoman who has been in the prayer paraphernalia business for over 20 years.

Families will visit their ancestors’ graves and clean up the tombs during the Qing Ming Festival which falls on April 5.

Lim’s catalogue of paper replica products rivals any hypermarket, with thousands of products in various categories, including food and beverage, clothing, cars, motorcycles, consumer electronics and even boats.

“You don’t have to worry when you die,” she said.

However, no information is available on Internet solutions and pricing for the afterworld.

Perhaps the ancestors will have to figure out their own monthly plans and device commitments.

***
Can you foresee the next headline?

"Dead relative requests to Add Friend on Facebook"

And please can someone start making Volkswagen GTIs?



ps. I respect the underworld, I really do, but I believe they have a sense of humour too... I hope. I apologize if anyone is hurt or offended.

Japanese Moms

From the news clips, videos and photos of the recent calamity in Japan, have you noticed how calm and composed the Japanese are? I have not seen one image of a person crying dramatically or in extreme distraught like some photos of natural disasters in other regions, those that always appear on the frontpage of newspapers. And they are so prepared and organized!

The day before the earthquake, I was having lunch at a restaurant, and there were two young Japanese moms and their toddlers, one each. Throughout my lunch, I kept glancing over to their table. I WANT TO BE A JAPANESE MOM! I tell you, if you were blindfolded, you wouldn't even know that there are people and kids at the next table.

Japanese stay-home-moms are awesome. And Japanese kids are awesome too. They are so soothing to watch! Imagine this. Fine dining Italian restaurant, OK. Two young ladies, with perfect light make-up, neat hairdo, garbed in pretty attire without any signs of food stains, vomit or drool, waltz in with their little ones in tow. They all settle their kids on the babychairs with minimal fussing and then they take their seats. Next, they go through their menus and make their orders. And then they take out cute lunchbags, and cute lunchboxes and juice cups. They even have a little case for their cute cutlery sets.

They open the lunchbox, and WORMS CAME OUT!! LOL, no lah. I wanted to eat their lunch. One had rice, looks like fried rice with seaweed or something with omelette on top. The other had rice and sauteed diced tomato and carrot. All in cute food containers. While waiting for their order to arrive, the moms feed their toddlers and chat. Very quietly. And the kids, did I mention they are awesome? One was a boy, the other was a girl. And they SAT DOWN AND STAYED THERE FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES. Do you know how amazing is that? I would have to administer chloroform to my kids to make them stay in their seats for that long! And noisy does not apply to Japanese kids. All I heard was a whimper or two, that's it.

SO. Spoonful by spoonful, the moms patiently feed their kids. There's no rushing whatsoever like what I see, you know the "C'MON, faster faster, quickly finish your food! EEEAAAAAAT!" Other than pretty clothes and cute lunchboxes, they seem to have all the time in the world. Motherhood and leisure do not come together but for Japanese, they do.

Their salad arrives. They dig in as well. The kids still have some food left, but the moms take their time to feed them. I also notice that they are able to place their lunchboxes IN FRONT of their kids while feeding them. Mine would end up in Kedah. The boy finishes his lunch first, and the mom puts back the little cute fork and spoon into the case, and puts back everything in the cute lunchbag. THE TABLE IS CLEAN. THE BOY'S SHIRT AND PANTS ARE CLEAN. HIS HAIR IS RICELESS. THE FLOOR UNDER HIM IS CLEAN. I wouldn't know what he ate if I didn't see him before this. If you see my kid, you'd know he just had wan tan mee (thank you black sauce). And you know what? He is still sitting on the same seat. Sure there's some fidgeting and movements like any other kid, but he is still at the same place. Do you know how amazing is that?

I will always remember this scene. So calm, so 'together'. And so inspiring. They are just amazing.

No...

...things are not so good around here. Japan earthquakes, tsunami, radiation leak threats. And I feel like shit. I'm supposed to waltz into the glorious trimester whereby I can eat like anything, have glowing skin and hair, and feel on top of the world, but I feel like shit. Yesterday, I cried because Bumbu Kampung played me out TWICE. I have been craving for their nasi paprik, and nasi campur but I got shit from them. Then the husband came home with chicken rice lunch and it was NOT from my favourite stall.

SHIT you Bumbu Kampung. I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you.
Another time and I'll issue you death threat.

I Left My Heart...

... at my sewing machine.

I have stopped crafting for about 3 months. And the withdrawal symptom is fatal. But then, I couldn't anyway because my body shuts down by 10pm. I really really miss sewing and stamping, and cutting papers and glueing papers and daydreaming at my craft office.

There's so many things I want to create, you have no idea how horrible it feels to NOT able to. It's like drug to me. How can I deprive my hands of what it's born to do! And with 3 kids in future, I don't know if I will still be able to do what I love. I feel depressed just thinking about this.

In the meantime, here are some of my favourite things.

Echino Car Black, Japanese cotton linen fabric.

Echino Red Scooter, Japanese cotton linen fabric.

Kawaii Pigs Japanese cotton linen fabric.

Natural cotton linen with printed scribblings and drawings.

Bicycle print from ChalkChalk

Do you love stamps? I ABSOLUTELY live for them. It's my favourite hand-printing method so far because of the wide selection of beautiful designs available in the crafting market, and it's so easy!










Can't wait to feel the crafting mojo back.

To My Dear Boys (About International Women's Day):

It was celebrated yesterday. If you're wondering what it's all about and how it became a special day, here it is.

When: Tuesday 8 March 2011
Where: Everywhere
What: International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.
Why: Suffragettes campaigned for women's right to vote. The word 'Suffragette' is derived from the word "suffrage" meaning the right to vote. International Women's Day honours the work of the Suffragettes, celebrates women's success, and reminds of inequities still to be redressed. The first International Women's Day event was run in 1911. 2011 is the Global Centenary Year. Let's reinvent opportunity for working women and all women.

Not easy being a woman today, you know. Especially when we're so educated and worldly, yet somehow bound by traditions and cultural values in Asia. Although we work as well, it seems like everything is our responsibility at the end of the day, the household, children and the husband. But I see that changing slowly now. More husbands are sharing more responsibilities at home and with raising the kids.

So, on this day, take a moment to appreciate the women around you :)

Sin-Chia-Pour

I get the best of both worlds, working in Singapore and living in Malaysia. Everyday, the causeway is the link to my two worlds.
Many people give me the jaw-drop when I tell them I commute daily. It's like hearing that I go through the birth canal everyday. Truth is, it is not as bad. Sure there's a bit of jam here and there, but look at our world now, jam is part of life. I heard people get suffocated getting to work by trains. Anyway, I'm trying to list down what are the things that come to my mind when I think of the country that is paying for my livelihood (I pay tax back ya).

In no particular order of preference:

CLEAN.

Structured and organized in many ways.

PAP wins.

Don't U-turn when there's no U-Turn sign. Calamity ensues.

Taxi drivers honk at other drivers, just because.

Taxi drivers charge the proper metered fare. No more, no less.

Sardine-packed MRTs during peak hour, with rude crazy people who stands near the door and refuse to move inside.

Orchard Road. Christmas lights.

DECLINING birth rate. Always thinking of ways to encourage marriage and babies.

Baby Bonus. Couples get money from government when baby is born.

RISING cost of living.

Everyone has either an iPhone, an iPod or an iPad, in most cases, all three. (Shit I'm one of them!)

Teenagers speak different language.

LOVES Korean drama.

SHOPPING.

Channel 5, Channel 8 and Channel U.

CLASS 95 Morning Show. Flying Dutchman, Glenn and Vernetta are like my morning coffee.

ERP. Beep!

Small country but never seem to run out of space to build condos.

Spotlight and Made With Love. LOVE the crafting shops and community here.

Online shopping. It seems safer and cheaper to get things delivered to Singapore than Malaysia.

Rich Indonesian Chinese tai-tais at Orchard.

Yellow noodles have the funny bitter aftertaste.

Superb dining varieties.

Japanese food is better here, according to the mummy dearest.

Shows, plays, musicals, concerts.

SAFEST city.

My awesome colleagues and friends.

Filipina maids taking dogs for a walk, or ang moh kid in stroller.

Pedestrian crossing. MUST STOP.

Trucks carrying foreign labourers.

Yong Tau Fu stalls exists in almost EVERY food court. Along with chicken rice stalls, economy rice stalls, noodles and dumplings stalls, Indonesian rice stalls, Korean kimchi and bibimbap stalls, Japanese food stalls, and Western food stalls. (for more atas food courts)

Cashcards, NETS and EZLink cards.

The zoo and night safari.

Cable car.

NTUC and Cold Storage.

Takashimaya.

Marks and Spencer.

Toys R Us. Cheaper here.

Will start queuing at 4am to get into Lego shop during special sale.

Will queue.

LASIK.

Salvation Army.

No Plastic Bags Day.

R.O.M. Registration of Marriage. Then buy HDB flat. Then hold banquet. Then have baby. Then play shares and stocks. Then buy condo for investment.

EXPENSIVE rental.

Gay bars.

Gyms.

Fast-paced.

Subaru.

Fancy cars.

Hmm... shopping?

I guess that's about it for now. Feel free to add.

Pregnancy and Bleeding

Nothing is scarier than seeing blood in the beginning of a pregnancy, whether it's a bit, a lot, fresh red or brown. It is not uncommon, and most of the women go on to have healthy chubby babies with ten fingers and ten toes, and WITH nails.

I had that scare for my first pregnancy. I can't remember which week it started but it was alarming. This kinda thing makes you freeze and not want to move. You just want to lie down and pray hard that you don't feel ANY discharge comin' out of your woowoo, you know, like your period. It is stressful and very worrying.

It went away after a few weeks, almost a month I think. It was just dark brown, like chocolate, and it wasn't much to the extent of soaking up a pad. I remember at one point, at my third month, we went for an emergency check-up at a GP clinic because my gynae's office was closed. For a GP clinic, he had the most hi-tech ultrasound equipment. For the first time, we saw Daniel's scan, CLEARLY (smooth low background noise, high contrast scan) and he was moving his hands to the sides of his head as if to cover his ears. I think he could hear the ultrasound frequency! Also, that was the day we found out that it was a boy. The scan resolution was so good that the doctor could detect two testicles. AT THREE MONTHS! We were impressed. He was honest with us too. He said when there is bleeding of any kind during the first trimester, it is usually diagnosed as threatened miscarriage. Sounds threatening. But as long as the fetus is OK (strong heartbeat), you just gotta hang in there. Crazy times I tell you.

Darren's was ay-okay. NO seeing red. Just the first trimester sickness. You know, the belching, the farting, all those sexy shits.

Fast forward to New Year's Day 2011. The double strip surprise. Then I had an unpleasant surprise the next day. There was a pink discharge, and I knew that was NOT a good sign. So I held my breath. Four hours later that night, there was blood, just like a light period, and I was prepared for the worst.I thought, if I didn't take the test, I would've assumed my period just came late and I wouldn't feel so scared shitless. I imagined I would be cramping soon, but I didn't. Trying to psycho myself that I'm just having a regular period, I went to bed. Maybe it was not meant to be.

The next day, with sweaty palms and supercharged heart rate, I lay on the examination bed as my gynae glided the ulltrasound probe across my lower abdomen to look for a miracle. We didn't see any because it was too early, thus too microscopic to detect. Then, he told me he was going to use the transvaginal ultrasound probe.

TRANS-WHAT?!!!

Yes, the woowoo again. Now this is common in Singapore practice I heard. But I never had it in JB. My previous gynae just told me to come back the next week when the gestational sac is bigger (and to earn more money from every appointments you have). This gynae now, obviously has the hi-tech one. I asked, "Do you really have to?". Yes. It is crucial to locate the site of implantation. Just in case it is ectopic (fertilized egg implanted at the Fallopian tube instead of the uterus, and this can cause major complications). So, very quickly, a sheet of condom was stretched over the probe which is probably as thick as an Ayamas sausage. And then no prize for guessing where it'll go. It wasn't that bad actually. Not painful at all. Just the initial mental discomfort. The little beginning of life was where it is supposed to be. IN my uterus. Good.

Back to the bleeding part. I stopped having the period-like bleeding actually. But nevertheless, it happened. I was given MC for 3 days and on it, written, threatened miscarriage, a familiar term to me. Fine. So the next week, and two weeks forward, and more weeks down the line, I had my follow-ups religiously, and the little life grew as it should be. A sac became a fetal pole with heartbeat, a fetal pole became an embryo, an embryo became a fetus, and just last week, it looked like a fully formed baby, with legs and arms, at 13 weeks. How amazing!

But I still see chocolate. It had stopped for few days but it always came back. And although I've had this experience, it is still worrying, but not as much as if it is the first time. We don't really know the cause, but from Mr. Google, I thought it could be subchorionic hematoma, gathering of blood between the membranes of the placenta and the uterus, or a blood clot in the uterus. That could be the reason why I'm discharging it slowly. And there's nothing you can do about it. All I can do now is minimize walking, carrying Darren and stop gymnastics. And I hope soon, the only chocolate I see is from my Cadbury pack.

I hope this is informative for those who are experiencing bleeding in their first trimester. It is no doubt very frightening but whatever will be, will be. Keeping an open and accepting mind is important. Like Daniel mooning at me that day -_-