Underwearther

Oops typo.
I meant to say I've been a little under the weather. The flu bug has finally caught up on me. It's hard not to get sick with infectious people at home and work. I just feel sleepy all day long, even now it's really hard for me to focus as I'm writing.

Studying while nursing a flu and nagging cramps is the pits. I gave up and gave in to R&R blogging. Putting in a short entry while letting the pdf notes download run its course.

Gosh it's hard to stay awake. I'm going to fall asleep any moment so I bid you good night in advance.
♥

Hey Watch It

Whoa what happened, 2 months zoomed past in a twinkle of the eye. 


Over sporadic moments at the daily grind I get these random shots of creative juices in my blood but didn't get to pen them down nicely. Now I've stocked a mountain of half completed brog entries, each one wriggling it's little pinky in excitement to see the world. Taking the opportunity to do a free advertisement for the book Love, Pinkie, the lovechild of my friend Christina vs her inner-self.


I admire them, my peers and writers. Maybe I'll join in the party?
Watch this space, more to come when June arrives. Oh boy, I can't wait.
♥

Curly my Wurly

I've been yearnnning curls in my locks. Today I took the plunge and went to Artz Hair at #02-67 Hong Lim Complex to cut and perm my locks. 
Just going to do a short review here.


My stylist today was a middle aged lady who calls herself Ah-Kam. Ah-Kam's really an Aunty but I addressed her Da-Jie (hopefully) to grease her ears a little. I learnt from Ah-Kam there are a total of 3 stylists working there. Two men and she's the only lady. Apparently Ah-Kam takes Monday off but she was working today to fill in for a colleague.


Ah-Kam's a sweet lady. While working she's fully focused but while waiting for colour/perms to set she's chatty, sharing a little about her life. 


Ah-Kam is really experienced in wash and cuts - I can tell because she constantly measures the hair proportions, checks with me if I'm uncomfy about anything, keeps me clean and dry in between hair rinses, and is really gentle/precise in washing my locks not tugging or scratching too much at my scalp. I totally enjoyed the wash and cut experience. It was also a hygienic experience because they used clean towels and protection-sheets.


The perm she recommended me today was known as 'body perm'. Just as the name suggests - body perms give volume to the hair so you appear to have more hair. A more popular option that I will try next time is the digital perm which is rather popular nowsadays. 


Looking at my final hairdo now, I think Ah-Kam's perming skills are not as good as her wash/cut skills. 
+  A major plus point on the perm is that Ah-Kam didn't frizz out my hair! I have fine hair which frizzes out quickly when treated. She was careful to check the progress of my curls during the setting phase so my hair quality is okay.
+  Ah-Kam knows that perming too closely to the root will generally 'date' the hairdo and suggested I perm from about ear area and downwards.
-  A not-so-good point is that Ah-Kam does not know how to sculpt the perm into a nice shape. All the curlers were draped at the same level at around my jaw-line - something you see in 80s hairdos. 
-  Also, the cut was done before the perm - meant it was hard to gauge the final hair length. Now that the curls are completed, my hair looks drastically shorter than what I wanted.


Overall I would recommend the cut/wash/treatment and simpler colouring/rebonding services under Ah-Kam's watch. My final bill today was $75 for cut/wash/perm and $25 for treatment. If you have your DIY treatment creams at home I guess you can opt out on the treatment.


And the final look:

Artz Hair (a.k.a. The Styling Shop)
Blk 531 Upper Cross Street 
#02-67 Hong Lim Complex 
Singapore 050531 
Tel:6536 3613 
♥

De-Cumber with Cucumber (with restraint)

Whaaat a relief the pain is marginal/bearable/livable now albeit the cavity which persists in the wall of my throat. If I could, I would like to photograph it daily to show you the progress (much like how ladies document their pregnancy) but it would take a circus performer to do that - and I am oh-ho-hoo surely not a circus performer.


All the 'cooling' stuff is working. Most remarkably, Mr Cucumber is doing a meaaaan job healing the abyss in my throat. But all this cooling stuff is also doing meaaaan things to my bowels. Subtly put - I have no meat to my s--t!


I acknowledge I have an improvement point to make my 'subtle' be more subtle.


So if you have to have a take-away point from today's brog material, take this:

Cucumber does wonders for reducing swells but when ingested frequently in large quantities make you.. have no meat to the s--t.

Until we meat again..
♥

Shoo the Bloos

What an eventful start-of-week led by a headache on Sunday night, high fever on Monday, and wrecked throat on Mon-Tue. It's the first inflamed 1cm ulcer I ever seen or ever had in my throat at the base of my tongue. Certainly hurts a @#$% lot each time I take a saliva swallow. 

Now I bombard it with lots of 'cooling' food and drink, hoping the swelling and pus reduces quickly so I can eat nice food again!

I want to shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shooooo the whole ulcer down! 

Bad things gooo, good things come. Bad things gooo, good things come. 

TODAY marks the 10th year since PushyPanda had given me my first Valentine's Day gift. Such a sweetie, this one. So many happy memories > bad ones. I can't even remember the bad ones now.

Finally Flowers...

Mystery gift for Pushy

Thank you many times over my dear PP. Love Love Love!

♥

Smellier up There

The air is dank. It's smellier up there.
The party has split but the clowns remain, 
I hope they leave me alone.


The air is dank. It's smellier up there.
I trod with courage on my path,
To the life I want to own.


The air is dank. It's smellier up there.
The angel holds a "DANGER" sign 
And I greet with grateful tone.


The air is dank. It's smellier up there.
I see the monkeys rattling the tree
To fight for corporate throne.


The air is dank. It's smellier up there.
The ape is dressed in pearls and heels
A disguise so easily blown.


The air is dank. It's smellier up there.
That's not where I want to be,
Where conscience is postponed.


The air is dank. It's smellier up there.
I shrug off all this enmity,
Leave them in their own insanity,
Take humour in their vanity,
For they are ludicrous to the bone.


*sniff sniff* 
What died in here?!
Glad it's neither on me nor from me.


♥

Life's-Little-Inconveniences: Dry Wet Wipes

Ever so often I have visitors coming by my desk not to say 'Hello' but to open my foot-locker middle drawer to pull out my packet of wet wipes to wipe their greasy hands.

How nice.
With my O.C.D. tendencies I feel my mental scale tipping over from the 'TOLERATE' marker to the 'NO MORE MISS NICE POSER' marker.

I'm certainly amazed that these visitors have developed an acute familiarity on the arrangement of my drawer and the contents within. I'm even more impressed when they display no shame in helping themselves to stuff in my drawer. But the thing that makes me F-L-I-P is that after they are done ravaging my wet wipe pack, they carelessly close the sticky flap leaving HuMonGous GAPS at the side.

AND - to you out there who have general intellectual capabilities - Tell ME, what makes wet wipes wet??
-----> MOISTURE, innit??!

AND - to you the same bunch of fellas - Tell ME, what happens when you leave GAPS in the wet wipe packs?
-----> Horror of Horrors.. My wet wipes DRY OUT!!!

HoBoy. Am I ANNOYED on days I have greasy fingers and reach for a wet wipe only to find it totally DRIED OUT! D-R-Y as a bone! My wet wipes, all of it WASTED!

AND because I want to avoid gaps, I even add sticky tape on the sticky flap. But guess what, Mr I-Don't-Care still leaves gaping holes in the wet wipe pack.

AND because they don't bother to ask, they don't realize I ALREADY have an opened pack of wet wipes. So they reach into my drawer to open a brand new pack. And then there was Two. TWO half packets of wet wipes drying out simultaneously.

Gaaaaaaaaah Losers leave my wet wipes alone if you can't keep them proper!


Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.............. I HAAATE YOUUUU

xx

Rainy Days Over and Out!

The sky's glowing again after the rainy days have come to pass.

Once again, my mind is clear like the sky.
2011 ended with a Bang! and without saying goodbye, it left us and 2012 came in its place.


The choppy beginning of 2012 will mar my memory of a once-beautiful place. Well, things happen. So despite it not being beautiful, it does not qualify yet to be hideous.


Of what I refer to, those who know will know, and those who not don't need to bother. Because I have stopped bothering too.


The mind is an irony. You do your best and give it all you can and when there is no more to give, you experience a certain calmness, and thereafter you feel empowered. 


This seems to me like a process of learning, of rebirth. Empowerment because you know you stuck-to-your-guns and gave your truest opinion, and for any mind that cannot be further swayed, it is not because you have done poorly in selling your idea but is instead due to the universal truth that we are all different. 


Our paths are different. Our priorities are different. Our thoughts are different.


There is not a single person who is superior than all others. There is not a single person who is lower than another because of different views. We are all different.


And because I am different from another, I am able to tell for sure the persons I do not wish to grow into. I will be who I truly am, even if there is someone to disagree with this approach. I want to make my decisions with no regrets.

"There is Only One Success - to spend your life in your own way" - Christopher Morley

♥

Penang: Food, Friends, Fun, and more Food

No journey is tiresome, if travelling companions are fun-loving dudettes.

Aghh.. Work begins on Tuesday.

♥

It's Finally January

Ah, good ol' Jannie. Well, well, how are you?


Good? That's nice to hear. Myself? Good as well. I've recently returned from the 2 holidays that I spoke of some weeks back. I had so much fun you could say I played to my heart's content. Just feel a little wistful right now, missing the days that I could simply play all day and rest thoroughly, not giving hoot-hoot (two hoots) about deadlines.


Alrighty, got my Aussie Masterchef to catch on TV. Now you be good now and stay on the safe side. None of those earthquakes, war, famine, floods, fighting or killing, ye hear?!


♥

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...

♥