Paws-to-Ponder: December et moi

Hello December.
I'm generally pleased with you.
I like you, you make me happy.
I'm generally happy when you drop by.


Hey December.
I'm generally pleased with you.
I like the weather you bring to me.
I'm generally comfortable with your nice weather.


Howdy December.
I'm generally pleased with you.
I like you overflowing with festive spirit.
I'm generally delighted to celebrate your festivities.

Hi-Hi December.
I'm generally pleased with you.
I like that you signify Endings, and then new Beginnings.
I'm generally appreciative that you are my milestone. 


Enjoy your 30 further days of stay, December 2011!

Ellie says Helloha too!

♥

December, December, DECEMBER!

December is not arriving as quickly as it should. It's not arriving as quickly as I want it to. December needs to arrive in the blink of my eye!


Blink Blink.
Bah, not working. 
Oh well. I will have to fold my arms, crane my neck, tap my foot, steal peeks at my calendar, as I wait for December to arrive.


In December, many good things are going to happen. The stuff I do from day-to-day, this will be changed. And from what I observe, this change will be For The Better considering from multiple angles. Crossing my fingers, I will hopefully have more spare time for my family, my Pushy, and myself.

In December, I will go on a long-overdue trip with my side-kicks, Za and Hooch. We promised each other over gazillion occasions before, that we will go for a relakking trip together. That is now going to happen, finally! Za is always busy marking - Mark Mark Mark - And only has spare holiday time in Junes and Decembers. I've finally managed to get leave approved in December this year, so we can holiday! Also, we managed to pick some days out of jet-setter Hooch's calendar, which is a really hard thing to do - but we managed!

In December, I will go for a second holiday, this time with Pushy! I think this is a celebratory trip to congratulate Pushy for finishing up all the examinations in his academic life. It makes me happy that we are finally going to Korea. This is in spite lots of reluctance from Pushy at the beginning, because it dawned on Pushy that there is much to do in Korea - eating, shopping, scenic seeing, cultural explorations, skiing and ice-fishing! Lots of thought had been put into making the eating process efficient, since there is so much food variety in Korea and the food prices are reasonable.

It was a lot of work getting to where I am currently in terms of my personal affairs and non-personal affairs. Now I just have to wait patiently, counting down till the arrival of 1 December 2011!


All these food pix maketh me hungrieth.


Love.


♥

Paws-to-Ponder: Compassion

Voice that does not speak, does not imply Mind that does not think.

He who does not feel, does not see.

One who does not do, does not imply One who is not able.

He who does not try, does not know.

Ears that do not hear, does not imply Things that do not happen.

He who does not observe, does not tell.

He who has compassion has company driven by passion. 
He who is not sincere will never learn.

♥

Diwali Serenity

It's Diwali festival today. I have not had the opportunity to celebrate it in tradition, but I'm generally grateful to have a day off work because of the festival.

Attended a baby full month's party today. The star of the day, Baby Ian, was asleep the most part of the party. The bigger kids also formed the centre of attention. It was a pleasant afternoon.


Caught up with ex and present colleagues after lunch, and learnt about their lives and interesting matters. I missed hanging out with them!


Ended the day with reading emails and checking reports from home. Thankfully I have my Horlicks Mcflurry to boost my immunity toward boring stuff. At least I am more prepared for work tomorrow.


Rest days pass too quickly! Lots of fun things to do, so little time.
It's good the weekend is just 2 days away.


xoxo


♥

Horriday Plans

IT's TOugh PLanninG for a HoRRiday! *shouts out loud*


I'm exhausted. Stupid air tickets not available. Coaches don't go where I want to go. Available air tickets cost a bomb. Now I remember why I hate to plan for horriday. Continue to check tomorrow.. In the meantime I wan to Zz and shoo away the grumps.


Oh by the way. Here's my first handmade skirt!


With flash

No flash

No belt

Side view

Back

I feel sooo accomplished. Oh I am a happy lark!


xoxo


♥

Dear Diary

Dear Diary. 
I have neglected you. But who cares, right? I am here only for literature-therapy. So you all folks don't be expecting too much from me! (Just saying)


As always, I feel lots of things had happened in my life. Lots of things I should have written about here. I guess I have too many other distractions over the past weeks.


Very happy for Pushy because he passed his examinations in the manner of flying-colours. This means he's not going to need to worry about being booted out from his course of study until several years later. Cheers, Pushy!


Also happy for myself because I seemed to have shed some kilos since the last time I brogged. (Brag + blog = brog) This weight loss is not anything to be proud of though.. It is a result of my over-work. 


Yes I am feeling the pressure. Feeling the heat. Over the last several weeks I experienced multiple instances where I had to make conscious effort to think positive and remain focused. I am rather impressed with my steel-like endurance that took me through lengthened periods of OT. Gurl power! Rawr.


Positive I may have been, but right now I feel the stamina wearing off. This is causing my Monday blues.
I'm just glad that I will be bidding this awful workload goodbye, amongst other awful factors. I will just need to make sure I do a neat little handover, and then I will say 'toodles'!


No one said it was easy. I didn't expect it to be.


On other news, I have completed my first hand-made apparel! It's a work skirt. I must remember to take a picture of it when I wear it to work. No. 2 is on the way - it's a Minnie Mouse inspired top! As long as I don't pair it off with a huge bow on my head, I don't think people will laugh at me when I wear it!


Here's a picture of my W-I-P. Can't wait to finish it. I was actually working at top speed during my last lesson. And I got muscle ache the next day.

Brogging maketh me hungrieth. I feel like a steamboat right now..

♥

Who's the Fairest of Them All?

It's Little Miss Coral!



Adoraboooo..!

♥

Weekend!

Wot a pleasant weekend!


Happy Happy Happy.
I did lots of things that make me happy!


Saturday was an early day, arrived at 9.15am at office to meet my beloved teammies. We and some other office mates were hosts to about 40 kids from various centres of the Dyslexia Association. The committee coordinating this event arrived way earlier than us (poor guys & gals) to do some prep arrangements.


The children, first shy and eventually screaming at the top of their lungs, were there to learn several arts & crafts. 


There was puppy toy making..
(Picha to follow)


Mini-doh making..

(Pic from Mdm C's cam)

Badge making..

(I made this!)

Mobile phone accessory making..
(Picha to follow)


It was really interesting teaching stuff to these little bundles of energy.. but it didn't take me long to realise they are real energy sappers - zap zap - \(X_X)/


It took me a sugar loaded coffee and a hearty meal to recover from the day's events so I could continue with the remaining agenda for the day, to do a little birthday gift shopping.


What a tiring day! But it was fun. I wonder if the kids enjoyed themselves? 


♥

Paws-to-Ponder: For the Love of Life

Wow for the longest time I've been milling around dreading each day in doing a particular (necessary) activity. All those negative & sarcastic energy may have been drained out finally, and I guess it will take some time for it to return.


People are people, and everyone is a unique individual. I remember in my earlier entry about Understanding I brogged some lofty views on 'listening' and 'empathising'. It shows that I had forgotten for a while, that anger and disappointment is but only an internal feeling I made up - and only for the purpose of wasting my own time and energy.


I am not perfect, and I do have my preferences to not spend time to Understand certain individuals. But the least I could do for myself is to make a conscious effort to remember that any resentment towards them is borne from my own decision and I only have myself to blame. Thus there is no reason to resent. The discipline to remember is what I need and each day I keep my fingers crossed and hope the idea sticks around in my head for a long time.


Having learnt of some unfortunate friends having unfortunate events occurring in their lives, it makes me remember I have lost my focus in life for this period in which I have been so engrossed in being resentful and finding ways to retaliate. I am not a wounded animal and I am not going to behave like one.


I am a thinker, and I want to be constantly thinking. Not just thinking thoughts about Money and Career, but more importantly thoughts about Life and what makes up My Life. 


Like - Learning to make things.

Like - Hanging out with people who truly matter.

Like - Dating Pushy and having him feed me delicious stuff

There's so much to like about Life, what's there to resent!
Tomorrow will be a Happy Day too!


xoxo
♥

Bobbin' It

I now know how bad I am at using the sewing machine.

I spent my entire night playing with the bobbin!! 

I did only one dart!!

Dreadful.. Dreadful.. Inconspicuous but utterly irritating machine part! GRR.

It's time for someone to reinvent the bobbin compartment.

REVOLUTION!

It will save us multiple frown lines on the faces of billions...

♥

Doggie-Bag It: Body wash product review - Silk Bath vs Johnson & Johnson's

I don't usually do product reviews - think this is my first. I think the main reason is that I don't like to play the baddie and slam a product for being inadequate. 

However triggered by a rash eruption due to sensitive skin, I really am inspired to do this post today, with my target audience being people with sensitive skin and living in humid climate.

Silk Bath in Rosehip and Peach extract by SilkPro

Description: On a recent mass running event the participants were given a goodie bag with various types of trial-sized products. Included within was a sample sized 300ml Silk Bath body wash in flavour of rose hip and peach. It is enriched with Silk Crystals to supposedly moisturize and protect your skin against harmful UV rays. The liquid is yellow and has observable glittery silky looking precipitate.

Smell: On first use, I took a whiff of the body wash and found the smell to be... awful. I am a 'smell girl' and smells mean a lot to me. I used this Silk Bath concoction, and with each wash, increasingly found it smelling like cheap perfume. The scent of this liquid has an alcohol-like property and is so intense that when I wash my ears I find myself choking. 

Rinse and after: The rinse-off is easy and my skin doesn't feel oily and icky after rinsing. However I don't feel moisturized as well. I think the after-feel was just.. alright. 

Lasting Moisture Body Wash by Johnson & Johnson 

Description: Made by one the most popular baby product brands, Johnson's body wash seemed like a good replacement for Shokobutsu body washes that I previously used when my skin was not irritable like it is now. I coincidentally decided to pick up this from the shelf at a convenience store on one of my chalet stay-over events. Sample/travel size packaging holds 200ml. The fluid is a milky white colour.

Smell: I honestly have tried and liked various Johnson's body washes and this Lasting Moisture series was my favourite. It smells something similar to baby wipes and is relaxing to my nerves. The smell is gentle and pleasant. 

Rinse and after: The rinse-off is easy and similar to the Silk Bath one, my skin also doesn't feel icky after rinsing. The difference here is that my skin feels moisturized and protected. I feel - NiCe. The gentle, pleasant smell is rather long lasting and remains for several hours after showering too.

***

All-in-all, with these two washes being priced similarly, I feel the Johnson's body washes are a better deal. For myself at the least, it is a good substitute for expensive pharmaceutical washes - brands like Cetaphil and Dermaveen, and does not leave an oily after feel. 

I also tried the Johnson's pH5.5 body washes in Original, Almond and Honey flavours and find their texture to be similar to the Lasting Moisture one. Though Johnson may sell its body washes as having different properties, they feel the same to me! All of the Johnson's washes managed to soothe my irritable skin and keep me smelling nice. Think the main noticeable difference is the fragrance.

Just.. I won't recommend you to buy Silk Bath!

Currently when washing, my approach is to use Johnson & Johnson's body washes up to the ears, and Cetaphil or Dermaveen for the face (depending on which is on sale!). It works well for me - for someone with sensitive skin. So I'm happy! If like me, you are seeking a combination of washes for your sensitive skin, hope you are able to benefit from this combination like I did!

Sweet dreams!

♥

Paws-to-Ponder: Compliments

From day to day events, I noticed complimenting others has become rare practice. Do people genuinely have nothing to compliment others on, or do people experience difficulty in expressing admiration?


I'm not encouraging indiscriminate complimenting. Compliment only if the subject is something you genuinely admire. You can compliment Bigots too (why not if they really deserve it?) if the compliment is something you sincerely believe.


i.m.h.o. a compliment is such a wonderful thing to produce. It shows you respect and are generally interested in other people to acknowledge things they do. It draws the gap between people and essentially, it makes you human because You Care. Plus, another good thing is that.. compliments are FREE!


Because Compliments imply Appreciation, withholding a compliment shows narrow-mindedness and selfishness. I would also think it shows prejudice. If prejudice is not what you intend then please learn to release that tight-fist on complimenting others.


Hope everyone could share a little more compliments - and hopefully they are genuine ones. 


“There is no effect more disproportionate to its cause than the happiness bestowed by a small compliment.”


♥

Wednesday Nights

Missed a drinking session after work today, a small pity because I appreciate there's some charity auction going on over drinks which I would have been delighted to watch. But it's alright for me I'm not keen on alcohol. There are, however, some people who believe that if you don't drink, you don't 'go out' enough.


Not highly interested today to be labouring the point on how loosely correlated these two issues are. Instead I'm going to be talking about how the 'miss' turned out to be a 'hit' for me.


So Wednesday nights I'm attending dress making (DM) lessons. Been doing this for 4 weeks now (excluded 2 sessions I missed due to OT work) and every lesson I go to class being a happy student.


Today's lesson was a big milestone for me. I learnt how to transfer my pattern from brown paper to real fabric, how to secure the pattern to the fabric and cut the fabric properly. I learnt there is a machine to use that's specifically for stitching the holds on frayed ends. I also learnt how to stitch up darts.


That's a lot of MEANINGFUL time spent - in place of 'going out' to absorb alcohol and cigarette smoke. I actually prefer learning to make tangible stuff that I can wear. Hope I can be good enough to make presents for my beloved lovely friends..

I hope I don't miss lessons again. My DM peers have advanced way beyond what I'm doing now.


You want me to skip another lesson? 
MAKE ME.


xoxo


♥

Paws-to-Ponder: Managing Conflict @ Work

I can only say that the first step to Managing Conflict at Work, is to understand if the 'Conflict' is really a conflict or if it is something else that seems like a conflict. - i.e. is the conflict in your mind?

Well okay if you insist there IS a conflict, the ensuing point would be to understand what's the issue here leading to the conflict. People do not conflict for the sake of being in a conflict. If conflicts exist there must have been a triggering factor unless people are irrational or otherwise crazy.

If upon scrutiny, irrationality or insanity of others is what you have decided to be the triggering factor then my advice is for you to see a shrink - you are way past beyond the stage of reading my brog entry to find your fix. The bug is in your head you can go fix it first. You may be surprised that there are many more rational people out there than you have already identified. 

If you have decided otherwise then I believe there is still hope yet for you for you have understood that there is no Consequence without Cause. In this case the next piece of key take-away I have is that not everyone has the same mindset. Which is a splendid thing otherwise we will be like robots in I, Robot.

So the next thing that comes to mind is what actions/words can you do to buy the hearts and minds of others?

Money will be nice but not necessary. This works only if you are able to distribute ginormous amounts. You all Tight-Fist ones, this will not do.

Instead you may want to try giving out a little manners and respect - positive externalities available in distributing these two.

Manners to Thank, Apologise, Acknowledge, Listen, Understand.

Respect to give the Benefit-of-Doubt (until at some point this gets betrayed, then we will think of something else), to allow Personal Space, and in general respect that everybody's Time Is Important.

As Mister Liu Bei had demonstrated: 

疑人不用用人不疑

Respect that everyone has valid reasons in making decisions and behaving as is.

Respect that everyone has the appropriate level of mental capacity to make rational decisions.

Respect that knowledge being shared by others is not trash.

Respect the concept of team work; since no man or woman is an island - and I really mean it is necessary to UNDERSTAND what team work is in the first place.

And, last but not least, Respect PRIVACY!

Goodness gracious me. Any more explicit I'd have to lead your life on your behalf to make things work out for you.

♥

Baby Steps..

Writing this while I watch the Dancing Merengue Dog, vid recommended by Pushy. He is so darn good. And he really enjoys his job it's inspiring. I was referring to the Dog.


Also happening right now is my tum tum rum rum making noises. But I'm conciously fighting to NOT GIVE IN because I WILL HAVE NO SUPPER.


***********


Today marks a significant baby step towards a lofty dream. 
I did my first dress pattern based on my own measurements. This with the help of a certain Mdm Lim who helped me take proper measurements. With the power of her notes and secret formulae in MY HANDS, I am bound to succeed!


It's exciting to see the work-in-progress creations of my classmates. In several weeks to come I'd be doing stuff they are doing now! How cool!


Some homework to do though. I have more patterns to sketch, and I have to get supplies from Chinatown. Such joyful homework, I'd do with glee!

♥

Kard Kraft Killed Kooty

Today I realise it's TERRIBLY hard to make pop-out cards. The paper you select, the blade you use and the angle of fold are also TERRIBLY important.


And I'm TERRIBLE at the game.


After spending a back-breaking 3.5h with the result being incomplete, I reflect on myself and wonder if I should have given up at the point when the thread used in the design was tangled into a mess, or at the other point when I untangled the mess and it got tangled the very next moment.


But if I had given up then I'd havelost rescpet for myself! 
If only I didn't have to wake up so early tomorrow, the world will be a better place.


Okay so the design is in, the materials I have. Only need to write the message and add it to the layout tomorrow. Take 5 and sleep first because I'm starving and want to sleep it off. 


No supper no supper!


Drats, I'm going to be darn sleepy for tomorrow's dress making lesson!


XOXO

♥

You know when you have insufficient sleep you age quicker and your health is at jeopardy?


..........




kthxbyegoodnight


p.s. I hate Mondays.

♥

Early Poppa's Day

Poppa's Day arrives this Sunday, and for each Poppa's Day we usually get a nice meal outside together. Today we attacked Pu Tien at Nex. Think their service was not as good as during my last visit. Maybe the crowd was too overwhelming? 


Food pictures.

Appetiser - pork with garlic & bean paste sauce

Sweet sour pork

Roast chicken with garlic and curry leaves

Braised tofu

Deep fried eggplant slices with pork floss

Fried rice

Rice noodles with seafood

Chicken again - because we ordered twice

♥

Doggie-Bag It: Poser The Piratepup

My KoKo-Blanc allows me to read my ebooks downloaded from the library website and this to me is really cool.


The uncool part is that for HAWT ebook publications I am compelled to put my name on the waiting list because the book is ALWAYS borrowed! This to me, a major inconvenience - the Library people could consider getting more copies of the license on these HAWT ebooks.


When it comes to your turn on the waiting list, you receive an email to inform you the book has to be checked out within 3 days of receiving the email. By then I usually would have already maxed out my 4 book limit because I borrowed other things in place of the HAWT book! Plus I don't see an option on the Library website that allows me to return my book in advance...............


Often I find myself stuck in a situation where I'm entitled to borrow the book on my waiting list which I have long awaited for, but I can't borrow it within the stipulated deadline because I can't return existing books!


That sux.


Then after you actually get to borrow the HAWT book, you find that 3 weeks is not enough to complete reading your ebook. And you realise you have to undergo the entire painful waiting list process again.


That sux big time.


This is where I jump in. Today I will share with you a method that works with audio ebooks.


First, go to the App Market and download an app that does voice recording.
Second, turn on the voice recording app.
Third, turn on the audio ebook.
Fourth, let the audio ebook run its course.
Lastly, turn off the audio ebook and save the voice recording to your phone.


Taa-daa!
Now you can read the book with ease.


Now, don't go around telling people I told u this!


♥

Etude housed me

Took the opportunity during lunch and the opportunity of Etude House's 20% storewide sale to grab of few of these.

Etude House Apricot Stick

Like the colour, love the flavours and LuRvE the texture. 
Probably can do a little more about the coverage, but considering the price the Apricot stick series is a good thing you won't mind having more of.


♥

Only Time Will Tell

Dark clouds looming above; will it rain or will it blow?
I don't yet see the silver line. Only time will tell.

Child picks up a marble; does he hide it or want to show?

He isn't making up his mind. Only time will tell.

Mystery shadows brushing by; they be monsters or guardians with bow?
I can't quite really identify. Only time will tell.


Time is strong and time is wise; 
Time can see through all your lies.
I hope it opens both my eyes.
As only time can tell.

For your sake, I hope you are right. For mine, I believe I am.
We accept but don't agree with each other. 
That makes us who we are and not another.


Good luck! Good night!


♥

Heading Out?

"Sometimes while out walking, you forget the reason you went out in the first place."

Well I do that a lot. Pushy can very well vouch for this. 

Today I paused a moment, looked around me and realised something was amiss. I gave it a little thought and then eventually remembered.

And then I forgot again for about 45min and then again I remembered.

So now I remember I'll get it on and going!

How about you, did you remember anything today?

XOXO

♥

I-N-S-O-M-N-I-A

Sigh this is bad.


I'm having a little trouble here. Have been unsleepable for the last several hours. Got up and did my laundry instead. 


"Hello body-clock, you are a mess right now."


"Yeah.. well.. you can say that again.."


"Okay. Hello body-clock, you are a mess right now."


* eye-roll *


\(=_=)/


Meanwhile, Insomnia à l'acappella, a seemingly popular tune with acappella practitioners.





♥

Da Pup is in Da House

"D-a-n-c-e!"

"Nej! Over my dead body!"

"D-A-N-C-E!"

"Eeeks!" *flaps arms*

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Pup is home in Sweltering Land. Gosh it feels so surreal to be back home. Routine stuff like bathing in my own toilet seems unfamiliar, even strange now. Think I'm a little jet-lagged too..

Tomorrow I work on pichas. Share cute vid before sleep - watched this 500 times over the comedy channel in Copenhagen.



XOXO

♥