On A High

I'm on a high today. Why? I actually drove a car on the roads today. I was quite a decent driver. Even my instructor says so. Yes, it was my 1st practical lesson. 6 months is all I have.... Must work hard.

Anyhow, today was Eat With Your Family Day @ Citibank. So MBB got off work at 5.30. So, Every 2nd Friday of the month, MBB gets to leave early. I love that. We met at Suntec ( Again! ). Had dinner at Ichiban Boshi. I had Sansai Soba and MBB had Tempura Soba. Yummy yum yum.... Then we shared the Saba Shioyaki. I like their version. Not dry at all. After dinner, we went to Marina ( Again! ). MBB said that we had not finished exploring the third floor.

Then we ended up buying this.

I really love these. From Crocs.The blue one's mine and MBB got the black one. They are very comfy. I thought they'd be quite appropriate for my learning journey tomorrow. Right now, MBB is convincing himself that he will wear it. I shall let him be.Heh.

Incidentally, my floor looks quite nice ya?

Really looking forward to the next 2nd Friday of next month....

Of Shades And Burgers

I got me 2 new pair of sunnies today. MBB and I were up and about in town today. A rarity in itself. I had wanted to get them new shades for the longest time. And I wanted those oversized Erra Fazira kind. So after watching Nanny Mcphee, which incidentally is a wonderful show ( we loved it!! Emma Thompson and Collin Firth, were brilliant as usual....sigh..... ), we trawled through the shops at Suntec for my sunnies. The were many on sale but few that struck my fancy. Those that did would have paid for my cable tv for the next 2 months! I just don't get why their prices are so exorbitant. There was a Gucci one that I liked which cost $274 after a 50% discount! What a turn off that was....

So the trawling continued and we ended up across the street at the newly renovated Marina shopping centre. Just on an off tangent, I just don't get some members of my community. I went pass Carl's Junior, which is a new fast food outlet at Marina which sells, hey guess what? BURGERS & FRIES which is, incidentally also sold at Mac's, KFC, Long John Silvers.... What did I see in this new joint? A Malay family - mum, dad, 2 beautiful young girls apparently enjoying a great big Carl's burger. Not Halal right? What kind of values are you teaching your kids? So many Halal burgers, yang Haram jugak yang korang cari..... haiz....... If you choose to langgar the Haram & the Halal, I guess that's your perogative lah, your kubur, you answer. But your kids?

So anyway, back to my sunnies..... We walked through Marina, there were a lot of shops. There was a whole that had shops that were meant for people 2 age groups before me.... made us realise that we were on the wrong floor..Heh... I was about ready to give up and go home when MBB pointed out to me an Evita Peroni shop. Into the shop we went and I was most excited to find 2 that I particularly liked! Not able to decide which one I wanted, I got both lah... At the cashier's, I found out 1 had a 30% discount. Yaaay!


I very the pleased now... : ) So how do I look? Can or not?

This Is The Beginning

I did it! I finally did it. I got my Provisional Driving License, registered for my Final Theory Test and worked out my practicals. I'm giving myself 6 months to do this. I have to do it in 6 months. 6 months all I've got... Haven't you figured it out? I'm psyching myself up..... All together now, 6 months, 6 months, 6 months.... Johnson, I'm taking you up on your offer for theory lessons.....

So people, wish me luck!

Just You and Me Baby

Ok ok... I'm on a journey of self pity. Who else is supposed to pity me if not myself? MBB sent me this sms a few hours ago.

Will be late... Pls have dinner and not wait for me...

Sigh.... After my little tyranny yesterday, I had expected that he'll be back earlier today. Alas... this is apparently not going to be the case.

Well, Baby ( that's my cat ) it's just gonna be you and me tonight. It's like she already knows that MBB will not be comng back anytime soon. MBB does not allow her to stay in the room when he's home. Allergies. When I came home, she rushed into the room and plonked herself in that small corner next to my shelving unit and just slightly behind my laptop. That's her corner. When it's just us, when there's guests, when there are things that she asesses to be threatening to her well being, that's where she'll be. Most days, she'll just be there keeping me company.


My worksheets have found their way out of my bag. So now, armed with my Pilot red pen, I am ready to mark the night away. Baby, you ready?

Hope Is A Dangerous Thing

Yesterday MBB came home late. As usual. It was almost 11 pm. Sigh... Our routine is this. I leave the house at 6.30 am, when it's still terribly, terribly dark. MBB on the other hand is still comfortably snoring away, tucked under the faux suede comforter. Rightfully so, given that he only got home at 11pm the night before and after an hour of winding down, he'll only crawl into bed by midnight. On top of that, he is a light sleeper and wakes up a few times in the middle of the night, partly thanx to yours truly, who is also a light sleeper.

Then we get through the day and I am home usually by 8pm but MBB is still in the thick of things at work. So by the time he gets home, my eyelids have turned to lead. While MBB winds down, I'm halfway sailing to La-La Land.

See the problem? This is why my weekends are EXTREMELY precious to me. Hence the resentment if I am expected to work through the weekend!

Back to yesterday.... When MBB came home, he told me his management is exploring the possibility of shift work. There'll be 3 shifts, Morning - 7 to 5, Normal - 8.30 to 6.30, Late - 11 - 8.30. When I heard it, I got a little mad. Why? Because this arrangement gave me hope.

False Hope.

It made me believe that he would be able to come home give and take an hour, so I expect that I'd have him to myself by 7. It made me believe that there'll be more time spent with him.But the sad reality is that he will still be at the office way after 5. The only good thing I see about this shift thing is that on days he works the late shift, he'll be able to sleep in a little more.

Now, I am optimistic to the point of being annoying. Especially because most that surround me are cynics who see the glass as half empty. But for the case in point, even I, the ever optimist, cannot see the my situation improving.

Am I being unreasonable? Am I being a difficult wife? Am I not trying hard enough to understand the demands of his job?

Right now, I just do not know.

*Sigh*

Let's Take A Moment

I'm battling one bitch of a migraine that is making me puke my guts out and leaving me deaf in one ear and a little bit sight impaired. All this because my darlings mostly scored 7-9 out of 18 for their comprehension exercise! It sickens me to the pit of my stomach coz I know they can do it!

How do I motivate them?

How do I get them to do their work coz they want to do it well and not just pay lip service?

How am I going to get my A and A* at the end of the year?

HELP!!!

I'm going to take the rest of the afternoon off....... I'm going to take me a moment and enjoy my caramel macchiato. But migraine can drink coffee?

It Takes Balls To Play

I need to get this thought out of my mind. I need to store it elsewhere, like in a pensieve, so that my own head does not explode. I seriously think that some men at work should have their damned b***s cut off! Pardon my French!! Whether you like or not, you are in the E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N line and thus, part of your job includes disciplining your pupils. HeLLo! Without it, I simply do not think any form of teaching or learning can take place.

What values are you imparting when some people are talking in front and your own pupil right under your nose is busy chatting away, and you simply don't do anything about it? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were so engrossed in the feeling one gets when one massages one's b***s!! As a teacher, you should jolly well tell the bugger to shut up! Seriously!

And what is worse are those men, who simply sit back and do not bother lending their weight to maintaining the discipline yet jump up and start shoving their weight around the moment they see the No 1 coming their way!!

I hate such people. What I get from these people is just that they are in teaching not for the betterment of the kids but to get some fancy schmancy post and get more pay. I'm disgusted. How some people pass through the sift and becomes teachers is simply beyond me.

So, men, come on, show us you have balls!

To The Hospital I Go... Again!

I went visiting at the hospital...... again. This time not for Mak, but for my baby brother. Well, not so baby lah... dah besar panjang pun. Heh.

That's him, with his freshly operated on knee and his newly engaged fiancee. She happens to be a nurse working at SGH. Then, in the background, you can see yours truly very artistically working her way into the picture. Hehe...

Anyway, went to pick him up today. I thought the black thing on his right leg looks quite cool. Hopefully, that thing and the crutches he has now somewhat permanently stuck under his armpits would make him stay home more. He's 29, but sometimes, he behaves like a little boy who's all of 8! I guess that's the "occupational hazard" of being the only son, and now the only man in the family. I love him I really do, but sometimes, I do feel like wringing his neck!

Well, baby brother, do stay home and behave yourself and try to not give Mak too much of a headache.....

Thank You ( II )

32, I am. Today.

Was asked how I felt about that. Obviously I feel a little bit old. But that's it lah..Heheh... I don't feel much different than I did last year. I feel happy and very loved though... Heh.

It all started on the 10th when MBB and I had a major arguement. Both also very the stubborn, both also refuse to give in so I had to wait like fruit no fall lah for him to say sorry. I got home late that night so the cold war went on. The next morning I went to do my hair with Gingerena. After that, we were supposed to meet up for dinner. 5pm, Borders. So I relented and showed up. When I got there, he was nowhere to be found! Of course yours truly, the blood started to boil. Then my phone rang. He said to come over to Royal Plaza. He wanted to have dinner at Cafe Vienna.

Hmmm.... a peace offering?

So I went over. He said he needed the bathroom. But instead of going to the restrooms, he took me upstairs! He had checked us into a room!

That's us in our room. At that point, all my anger and boiling blood all just melted away. We made up and out. *wink*. We then had a nice dinner and shopped. How easy it is to buy my over.Sigh.... Anyhow,I was in town, shopping, on a Saturday night. It was a long long time since we last did that. I did feel a little old and out of place. Every other person there was younger and hippier than I was. BUT, I was happy. I had many packages hanging on my arm...heheh.... at about 11 we returned to our room for......

I had thought that last night would have been the end of my celebrations. The next morning, I received this...

I was happily surprised. Again. I felt so loved at that point. Then I thought, how am I going to outdo if not match this birthday surprise. But MBB has made this year's birthday a wonderful one.

Thank You Ayang for making my special day a wonderful day for me. I truly enjoyed myself. We do need a break don't we? Anyhow, I do love you and once again, Thank You!!

Thank You ( I )

I had a very,very happy childhood. I have very, very fond memories of it too. One of those memories is about my birthday celebrations. Or the lack of it. It was when I was 7 I think. I remember, or maybe because I have photos of it, that day somewhat vividly. I was in a red, very curtain -like dress. There were lots of food. There was a huge cake. There were also lots of people I hardly knew. Then there were the presents... that was the best part.

After that, I don't remember having anymore such celebrations. All through primary school, nothing. When I was in secondary school, birthdays were just excuses to throw flour and eggs as part of a lame effort to sabo the person celebrating the birthdays. After that birthdays were just excuses to get presents from anyone you can wrangle a present out of.

When I met MBB, we agreed that birthdays were going to special days we celebrate with ourselves. That's another story by the way.

So yesterday, when we went over to JL's place to check out his crib, I was pleasantly surprised when JB popped over with his 3 heroes, with a cake in hand! So we had a cake with a candle which yours truly kept blowing out, much to the chagrin of RY. It was good fun. RY and SS will celebrate their birthdays on the 11th and I will celebrate mine on the 12th. So courtesy of the whole gang, we got to celebrate it together. It was good cake, great company and wonderful conversations. Good times.I think, that was the closest I ever got to a birthday party. Heh.

Thanx guys, for making my 32nd birthday a really really happy one.

This Little Piggy Went To Prada

I finally found it! This is the book which title and author I did not know. This is the book that I sent a Borders salesperson on a wild goose chase while searching for it. Why I'm dying to get this book?

"Spy Publishing presents twenty-one revamped, tongue-in-cheek, name dropping nursery rhymes, all wrapped up in a luxurious, linen-bound cover. With its super-chic look and beautiful illustrations, This Little Piggy went to Prada is the must-have gift for new mums. It’s politically incorrect, utterly frivolous and lots of fun. If the Sex and the City girls or Desperate Housewives had a baby shower, it would be top of the gift list."

My kind of book.

So, go on... Check it out! www.thislittlepiggywenttoprada.com

Another Resolution?

Got this from Gingerena. Laughed till Milo nearly came out from my nose. Heh

In the year 2006 I resolve to: Become one with my inner sociopath. Get your resolution here

The Domestic Goddess II

I coughed last night away. Between body shattering coughs and shoving a finger down my throat to get the phlem out, I barely slept a wink. Today, I thought I'd go see the doc and get some medictaion for this irritating cough that refuses to go away. Mak calls it the batuk anjing. Any reference to the year I wonder.Heh.

But I got distracted with a sudden craving for lemak daun ubi. So I cancelled the trip to the doc's and raided the fridge. Well whaddyaknow... I have all the ingredients, except for the ikan bilis. Then I remembered buying the daun ubi a few days ago at Giant. The vegetable was in a bin labelled Malay Vegetables. How cute.

So I had to get ikan bilis. We went to Tampines. No, not to get ikan bilis but MBB had wanted to get his laptop from the office. So, armed with a packet of kiddies' composition, MBB went to the office while I waited for him at the Starbucks there. It was raining and cold out while I was warm indoors with a hot cuppa in my hand. This was life, I thought, minus the compo.. heh.

When he was ready, we went to Sengkang for lunch and then bought ikan bilis. When we got home, I threw off my jeans and top and threw on my domestic robes. Heh. The Domestic Goddess was in the house! So I did all that I remember Mak teaching me ( yelling at me would be more apt ) and served these to MBB.

From top, clockwise direction: My Lemak Daun Ubi, Oyster Sauce Chicken, Outside Crispy Eggy but Soft and Yummy Inside begedil and the shiokest complement to LDU, Salted Egg. Yes lah, I made the begedil myself. Goddess or what right? The chicken looks a bit chao tar but that because the oyster sauce has caramelised.... heh. MBB likes the chicken a little bit well done and my sole purpose is to serve him.... hmm? heh. But MBB did enjoy his dinner. Not very often this Domestic Goddess exposes her talents you know.

How I guessed he enjoyed his dinner? See lah....

See how smiley MBB was as he drowned his rice with the kuah from the LDU?

And look at his begedil. I made an extra large one just for him.

Yummm....... Super Shiok..... Lemme kiss the cook!!

I was very pleased with myself. Obviously. Heh. I made a resolution after dinner. I can and will cook from now on. Everyday. Everyday? No lah.... Goals must be achievable right? We'll start with the weekends.

So what gastronomical delights shall this Domestic Goddes whip up next week? But this domestic goddess got rebonding appointment on Saturday... Is this a sign of a failing resolution? Will the Domestic Goddess never show herself again? Stay tuned, next week for the Misadventures of the Domestic Goddess.....

Dance With My Father

Today is my dad's 17th death anniversary.

Funny calling it death anniversary isn't it? Well, it has been 17 eventful years without him. Terribly missing him, I am. Incredibly lost without him, I am too.

I have always been daddy's girl. Whatever fancies me, all I had to do was open my mouth, and I'd get it. How lucky I was. I have very fond and warm memories of him. Growing up, he played a major part in shaping who I am today. He was my best friend, my guiding light, my confidante, my worse nightmare too, whenever I crossed the line. He was never cross, never punitive but when there was the need to, he had no issues whipping out the belt and introducing the leather to my skin. He showed me things, taught me a lot and adviced me loads.

The saddest thing is that I never had the opportunity to return the favours. I had dreamed of taking him on holidays to faraway places. Dreamed of driving him around in my car as he did with me and the rest of the family. Dreamed of having my photo taken with him with the mortar board and my scroll. Dreamed of having him by myside at my wedding. Dreamed of having him Bang into my baby's ear when I gave birth. Dreamed of taking long walks with him on the weekends.

All I can do now, is pray for him. Recite the Al-Fateha for him. Pray that he is with those of faith. Pray that God forgives all his sins. I love you Bak. And I miss you. We will meet again. One day, I'm sure.

This one's for you.

Back when I was a child

Before life removed all the innocence

My father would lift me high

And dance with my mother and me and then

Spin me around till I fell asleep

Then up the stairs he would carry me

And I knew for sure I was loved

If I could get another chance

Another walk, another dance with him,

I'd play a song that would never ever end

How I'd love love love,

to dance with my father again

When I and my mother would disagree

To get my way I would run from her to him

He'd make me laugh just to comfort me

Then finally make me do just what my momma said

Later that night, when I was asleep

He left a dollar under my sheet

Never dreamed that he would be gone from me

If I could steal

One final glance

One final step

One final dance with him

I'd play a song that would never ever end

Cause I'd love love love

to dance with my father again

Sometimes I'd listen outside her door

I'd hear how my mother cried for him

I'd pray for her even more than me

I know I'm praying for much too much

But could you send back the only man she loved

I know you don't do it usually

But dear Lord she' s dying to dance with my father again

Every night I fall asleep

And this is all I ever dream

Prosperity GEMS

I ordered Pizza Hut's Prosperity Pizza for dinner today. When I called, the lady who took my order said that the order will take about 1 hour to reach me. Sure, no problems, or so I thought. When my order came, there was nothing prosperous about the pizza what so ever! The tomato dips that was supposed to accompany my breadstix weren't even there. The slices of pizza which were touted to be 'covered with succulent barbequed chicken meat and generously sprinkled with chicken floss' were not covered with any meat and the floss was only enough to clean my teeth. It was pathetic.

So I called the call centre to let them know what kind of pizza was delivered to me after an hour of waiting. Firstly, there was no apology. Not that I was not even angry. In fact I was very nice to them. I told them that I was not looking to get another pizza. I just wanted to let them know that this was the kind of pizza they were dishing out and that it should not be this way.

So they promised me that the supervisor of the Lot 1 outlet, that made the pizza would call me to apologise. That call NEVER came. So they promised to deliver the tomato dip that they missed. That dip NEVER came.

and they are encouraging us consumers to say thank you and please and appreciate good service! WHAT SERVICE??!! I was so indignant when I saw the ad for our latest campaign GEMS - Go The Extra Mile for Service.... Why are they targeting the consumers when the clearly the problem lies with the service providers??

To me, being in the service industry, you actually have to like serving people. You actually have to enjoy being around people. You actually have to be proud of what you are doing. Unfortunately, in Singapore. for every 1 wonderful sale person, you get 10 lousy everything-is-there-you-are-not-ang-moh-why-should-I-serve-you kind of sales person.

How many times have you and I been ignored by sales people? How many times have we been irritated by incompetent waiters? How many times have we encountered want-to-kena-whack cabbies? How many times have we saidthank you at the check out and responded to with grunts?

So again, why is the campaign targeted at the consumers?

What about you? Any horror stories to share?

Liberation

Yesterday, I raised my voice at Lupy. A first. Yesterday, I made Lupy cry. Also another first. Yesterday, I told Lupy some things that makes me very angry. Yet another first.

Then I felt lousy for making her cry. So I apologised. " Lupy... Sorry I shouted at you..." But I DO NOT apologise for what I said. Although in retrospect, the issue that made me lose my cool has definitly been sidelined as now, all that is remembered is that Zak shouted at Lupy. That sucks!

I'm not one to shout at those older than I. I give them the respect simply because they are old but when their stupidity causes me grief, I just have to say something. And I have to say it LOUD. That's how I cope.

Lupy, I made you cry. Sure I did. But the apology was instantaneous. What about all the times YOU made me cry? What about all the times you hurt my feelings with your callousness and your stupidity? What about all the times that I was livid because you, Lupy are so ignorant?

You said that I am difficult to work with. Really? So for the past 10 years, who was it that did your work? I know you were estatic when a holy, young man came into our department. I know that you had hoped he would be the one to lead us. But even after it was shown over and over again that he can't, you still had high hopes and aspirations for him. That, Lupy, made me very, very sad. In fact, it made me cry. All the things I have done for you, you tak pandang sebelah mata pun.

Never mind lah. What goes around comes around.

.............................................................................

Right this very moment, MBB is at MIL's place. SANS ME. What do you know? Another First! When we got married, we had this discussion where an agreement was reached. We will always visit MIL together.Why we decided this completely escapes me now. But today he's there and I'm not. I know he was secretly hoping that I'd joined him there but I wanted to sleep in late today and after yesterday's Lupy debacle, I was really not too keen about hanging around old people.

Sigh.

On a happier note, this evening i will be going for a reunion dinner. I can't wait! Gastranomical delights, great company, interseting conversations, being with MBB.... Bliss.

To all my friends, have a long, restful weekend. To all my new year celebrating friends, GONG XI, GONG XI.

I Am Sick Too

Right now I'm resting at home, being on sick leave and all. MBB is on sick leave too, after blaming yours truly for infecting him with the flu bug. I'm in the study, MBB's in the bedroom. The bedroom that I have just finished straightening out and vaccummed by the way.

We're both sulking. Both not wanting to give in and say sorry. Both cleaning out our boxing gloves preparing to step into that ringed square. Both ready to rumble! Bring it on! Both behaving like children. But don't care lah!

I'm angry at you. I'm sick too am I not? You tell me I need to tell you so that you know exactly what you need to do. So after I tell you, why still never do? I'm not going to air my dirty laundry here. But whatever happened to shared responsibility? Whatever happened to doing it together? I know I seem to be able to cope on my own, but if you help me do, I can finish the task faster and we can rest together sooner. I AM SICK TOO!

And stop blaming me for everything the cat does. Neither she nor I can help where she pukes, I can't expect her to run to the bathroom when she wants to regurgitate her food and hairballs. She's NOT HUMAN! Even some human vomit everywhere but in the bathroom. Neither she nor I can decide where she wants to lie. Unless you cage her up. When you do, I'll report you for animal abuse. So stop blaming me. You might say you are not, but please lah, I hear it in your voice!

I am sick too. Be nice and stop biting my head off.

A Broken Resolution

Today I went to the Doc's. Remember that glob of mucous that has taken up residence at the back of my throat? Well, it's country and town cousins have set up home in my bronchioles and inflammed it. Thanx a million!

My nose, while very indecisive yesterday, today has decided that it was going to be stuffy. I ache all over. My head throbs and my upper lip is numb and cracked from all that nose blowing. Sigh... After my visit, I got yuckky anti biotics to be taken 4 times daily. I hate that.

I was given 2 days of sick leave.With that, one of my 2006 resolution has been broken. I had resolved to not take any mc this year.

Back to the drawing board....

What Being Born in February Means...

Your Birth Month is February

Peaceful and harmonious, you seek the gentle side of life. Your warmth and consideration touches many. Your soul reflects: Purity, modesty, and faithfulness Your gemstone: Amethyst Your flower: Iris Your colors: Purple, yellow, and light blue

What Does Your Birth Month Mean?

The Plus Side of Plus

The plus point of being plus sized is that no one realises that you can ever be sad. How on earth can that rotund, jolly person be, God Forbid!, upset? Simply by nature of size, the expectation is that he's a jolly good fellow.... they even wrote a song about that.

But I am upset.

In fact I have not been able to shake off this depression. The reason? A sinking feeling that I will never have children. I have been given loads of advice on this subject matter. From losing weight to IVF to a makcik telling me that i'm doing it wrong..... After consulting with an ob-gyn, both MBB and I have been certified as normal.... So after 2 miscarriages, i wrote it off to health issues. But it has been a year and a half since the last miscarriage and i have yet to receive any good news from my tum tum......

At this point in time, I'm at a crossroad. I cannot decide if I just want to let it go and let time and fate decide if I'll ever have my bundle of joy or if I should be more aggresive in getting that bundle. I really do not know.

I went shopping last a few weeks back to get a baby gift for my cousin whose bundle will ETA on the 11th of February. While I was happy for them, only God knows how sad I was in my heart.

So lost, I am.