Belated New Year's Resolution

I did not make a new year's resolution this year. It's not my normal practice to list it during the transition between year but rather, I list it here on my "Poco a Poco" section by the side whenever a new resolution pops into my head. So it adds on or drops out once I no longer have that desire.

This year, I had several resolutions that popped into my head for no reason. Write a song a month for 12 months. The next year I'd have a whole album! But I didn't want to put this in my resolution list... as I want to enjoy the process of song-writing rather than a deadline stricken stressful process. So I put it in?? But but I need to write 2 songs in the next 2 weeks for a musical project anyways... at the very least I will comply first two months. But but but... I am performing this year, with crazy rehearsals I won't have the time. Let's just park aside this first.

Secondly. I want to revamp my home!! This is the wish list:
1. Get pest control services - I have some minor bugs problems.
2. Get a regular part time maid - my home is dirty and I am lazy, nuff said.
3. Get the peeling ceiling in the guestroom repaired and repainted... in case ever I have guests.
4. Get some nice potted plants, orchids perhaps? Or some practical herbs? Live green and contribute some O2.

Orchids or herbs? Whichever is easier to maintain of course!

5. Buy new curtains. Because the old one is... erm, old.
6. Repaint my bedroom turquoise and ivory... because I like turquoise a lot a lot.

something like this!

7. Redo my wet-kitchen... get those induction/electric stoves. Motivate myself to cook more & eat clean!

Lastly, I want to seriously put some thought, analysis and action into my entrepreneurial dream. I have absolutely no idea where to start but I must start somewhere. At the very least, think of what I want to sell? A physical product? A service? Or the ever so popular business model in the i-generation; middle-person or connector app/website?

So, 2015 seems kinda scarily full now. Maybe a month down the road I will drop off 70% of these resolutions. As long as I am happy, kan??

Reflections

Rain, solitude and free-time: A perfect recipe for reflections. 

Picture credit: The Darkroom - The Baltimore Sun

I just had a wonderful albeit stressful event over the weekend and I am relieved it is successful and it is over. I am thankful to have a united team that made it work although I still feel a bit like an outsider, like I don't belong. My boss and clients are happy and appreciative. So, I am having a nice quiet Monday-off today. No Monday blues can touch me today.
I have just celebrated my dad's 65th birthday over lunch with the whole family. He's recovering well after the cardiac fiasco in April, and he seems happier and less grumpy these days after the incident. I'm happy that he's happy. I'm glad my parents support and even help me prepare for my upcoming "I have a date with spring" callback auditions. It means the world when pragmatic Chinese parents support your artsy passion.
I just had my husband surprise-visit me at my event last Saturday night. And last night, we were discussing on how fragile love is and we both agree to continuously work to make our marriage as wonderful and magical as it is yesterday, today and forever during our family devotion time.

Everything in my life is wonderful at the moment. So, what is this poignant feeling I'm having? I suppose... artists emote, somehow it is part of our DNA. Oh, and of course, blame it on the rain.

Guys' Guide to Gifts for their Gals

Wanted to write this post for some time but never got down to it til now. I know that February & March is a stressful season for my hubby in the area of gift-giving... Valentine's Day, my birthday then our wedding anniversary all in the span of a little over a month. The fact that he IS stressed is already very sweet. :* So, this post is pretty much dedicated to him to help him ease that stress whenever this season comes by. This guide may not be effective for all women out there unless they are the same species as me...hehehe.  the problem with women is, no two are exactly the same. Yes, we are complicated. :p I will only cover 4 occasions; Valentines, Birthdays, Anniversaries and Christmas. All gifts should be planned ahead, it shows sincerity and effort. The monetary value of the gift is insignificant.

Valentine's Day

A day I suspect marketeers of the Floral and Chocolate industry probably created to boost sales. But thankfully, hubby has never been a victim of this marketing ploy... coz erm, I don't like flowers and I don't like chocolates. I'm weird as chocolates will end up expiring in my fridge, even the best kind. For this non-personal commercially created day, the gift need not be very personal but should be something romantic that both persons can enjoy. Eg. sexy lingerie on a bed with rose-petals and aromatherapy candles lit up, or a night in a hotel with a big jacuzzi for 2, etc. Get the picture? Anyway, since this is just a commercial holiday, we have decided to take responsibility for planning it alternate-yearly.

Birthday

This is her day. It's all about her and her alone. This gift should be something she has been eyeing for weeks or months. The longer she has been looking for it without finding it, the better the effect of the gift. It should not be something practical, not a need. It should be something she wants. Go stalk her computer for stuff she left in her favourite online shop's "shopping-cart" or stalk her facebook for any wall conversations with her girlfriends about stuff she is looking for. Or call her bestie or sister. In this case, stalking is a good thing. 

Anniversary

This is a celebration of your union. This is the significant day when 2 became 1. Like Valentine's Day, it should also be a gift that both persons can enjoy. But unlike Valentine's Day, this day is personal... it is close to the heart and it is only significant and important to the 2 of you. So, just like the day, the gift must be personal... something both of you share. Eg. a vacation to the place you had your honeymoon, a class learning about something you are both passionate about, reenact your wedding proposal, etc.

Christmas

This is the easiest, as this is not a personal holiday or a romantic one. It where you give presents to all the human beings close to you; mother, father, sister, best friend, church mates, etc etc and of course your partner. So, this gift can be practically anything... for me, it would be anything practical. I hate receiving generic gifts like photo-frames and paper-weights which is why I refrain from being involved in any gift-exchange activities. I think it is a waste of the Earth's resources. At least those secret santa / secret guardian angel type of activities will have everyone ending up with gifts they can actually use.

I hope this helps to eliminate the need for mind-reading and alleviate the pain of gift-planning for hubbies out there! =)

Unconditional love ;-)

It's Valentine's Day... hubs is gonna be home late so am still lepaking around awaiting him to burst through the door for our big fat Valentine's kiss! While today, most people would talk about love between a man and a woman, I am gonna talk about the strange unconditional love people have for their pets. With your partner, your kids, your parents... you have certain expectations from them even if you love them to bits, true?

With pets, do we have expectations?? 

Lo and behold!! Notice the horrendous state of my couch and cushions??

"you're never here anyway, this is OUR couch... meow"

"what???? prrrr prrrr"

And what do I do if I ever catch them red handed in their destructive activities? I unleash the wrath of....

...

...

...

...

...

the lean mean... squirty bottle!!

They too have their secret weapon... they unleash....

"mew"

"mew"

... THE FACE. You melt, and think "Holes in the couch ain't so bad. Gives the house a new-age I-don't-give-a-damn-artiste motif, don't you think??" I love my kittehs, and the love for someone/something that can do nothing for you... is unconditional love. Meow! Happy Valentine's Day!! ;-)

Tong Sampah, where art thou?

Went to Chee Cheong Kai wt hubby for d infamously spicy grilled fish & seafood the other day. As always, this place brings back a very nostalgic feel of KL in the past. Still remember the very same shop my family used to go and buy Chinese New Year decorations without fail every year. The shop is still around, I just wonder what they sell the rest of the year????

Anyway, after having a nice cool cup of soy bean milk... I was looking for a place to throw away the empty cup. Mana tong sampah???

As the government tells people to take care of the city's cleanliness and not litter, they forgot that in order for people to comply to that, they would first need to provide more trash cans around the city.

As we looked through every corner and every street... all we saw was:



DIY tong sampah a.k.a. lantai??


Bukit sampah?


Trolley sampah?

Oi!!! Tong Sampah!! Where art thou?

Alas, upon walking out of the Kiew Brothers yoke gon shop... we saw it, standing mightily at the corner. You can almost hear the heavenly hosts sing and an aura of light surrounding it.


The one and only Tong Sampah in Petaling Street!!!

p.s.: DBKL flers, if you are reading this, please please, invest on some tong sampahs around the city ok?

Are my belongings gonna hurt me???

Is my handbag gonna eat me up??
Or is my shopping bag gonna strangle me to death???

The SS duo

Did some SS photography wt baby at the gym today... :p

Do I look like a Bodyjam Instructor??


Presenting my very own waist mic-pouch!!

Baby's gift to me... right after my training. He was holding it while waiting for me when I came out of True Fitness, USJ after the Bodyjam training that day. How did he know I'd pass? Awww... the faith he has in me.... isnt that sweet? That's why I'm marrying d fler. :)
Dah lah I haven't even been cleared by Leo yet. ;)


Perhaps a Jam-Combat joint class in d future??? ;)


Even got myself some wrist-weights to strengthen my arms. Arnold said I needed that coz my armlines are not strong or sharp enough doing Bodyjam. So I gotta buck up!! :)


My big and strrrong man!!

Life as a student

What do master's students do when they're not stuck in a class or doing assignments???


Celebrate classmate's birthday


Eat


And eat some more...


Mamaking a.k.a eat some morrrre!!!


Eat & bodek lecturer @d same time ;)

OMG... am gonna be FAT when I graduate if I keep this up!

I guess studying is quite fun after all... hehehe. What am I doing???...assignment due on Monday, better get back to work!!!

Eating a bunny

While putting away my groceries I realized I still have a cute bunny chocolate I bought from Australia last month. They made it in conjunction with Easter last month.


Pretty bunny


Pretty bunny

But a choc is a choc, and it is meant for eating...


Psycho bunny killer!!! chomp chomp chomp.... muahahah

Droooooool

New house? Wedding?
I guess you'll just have to wait, my pretty... drooooool....

The wishlist gets longer

Finally, Toyota comes out with a cute little SUV that's affordable. The new Toyota Rush


Isn't she a beauty?

Sigh! If I weren't paying through my nose for my MBA right now I'd march right up to a Toyota Showroom and book myself one.

Sigh... gone are the days when I can just instantly gratify my heart's desires. I need a raise, a seriously big raise. But who doesn't?

In fact, am spending the whole day doing assignments today... and it is a public holidays!! :(

Can't wait to graduate, it better be worth it!!!

Well, at least the Rush doesn't come in pink... or any other hot feminine colour for that matter, so it's not that big a heartache la. ;)

30 year old rojak

Right smack in the middle of KL, there's still a little part of the olden days left untouched. Aside from the existence of the Monorail, there's this row of shops across the road from HKL on Jalan Pahang that gives you that feeling of the years gone by.

The shops are old and run down but still occupied. To complete the scene, there is this Ah Pek (Old man) selling rojak buah there as along as I can remember. I've heard people saying that his rojak is good but have never tried eventhough I've passed there a thousand times.

Yesterday I decided to stop by and buy a pack of rojak from this Ah Pek. His stall is those old type with the big black bicycle attached to it.

Ah Pek was very smiley and courteous :)

I asked him how long he has been selling rojak there, he showed 3 fingers. I asked him "30 years?" just to confirm. He nodded. I spoke to him in Cantonese thinking that's what most old people in KL speaks.

Right before I left the stall he smiled and said "ban ban chiak". Then I realized that he was Hokkien.

Isn't it amazing that someone doing the same job for 30 years and can still be so cheerful and pleasant? The simple joys of the simple ways of life!! :)

How was the rojak?

The verdict: Ho chiak!!

So much to do, so little time

Been super busy, either with work or with studying... doing both simultaneously is no easy task. It's been so stressful!! Wanted to blog about a few interesting encounters in my MBA journey but no time!! :(

But a close friend told me, the first semester always feels the most torturous, after that, you'll get used to it then things'll be a breeze.

I hope she's right....

Mmm beh beh, mmm beh beh

While doing some research for the Scenario Planning assignment, just realized how fascinating Africa is!!

Imagine a country name like São Tomé and Príncipe... doesn't it sound cool???

Now, I wanna go to Africa!!!

Assignments!!!

Yeah... can't remember how stressful it felt being a student, until NOW!!

Die liao! What have I gotten myself into?

Meow!!

During this Raya home visiting, saw dis really cute kitty...

itchy scratchy...

mew... do my big doe eyes look familiar?

Meow!!

Don't you just love 'em?

Assasination

While driving to work the other day, I noticed something "targetting" my car!!


Laser aim?


Not just one but a few!!!

Mampus la aku... who in the world would wanna assasinate insignificant lil' ol' me??

Just trying to be perasan that my life is as exciting as a 007 movie...

It's just light reflected from my crystal cluster necklace!

It's handmade by my cousin in Hong Kong, cantik tak?

Nite out @Putrajaya

Actually didn't wanna blog about d fireworks @Putrajaya coz it is redundant, bf dah blog... tapi mana tau he had 2 make reference 2 my blog about our camwhoring...

So... nah!


Da shades couple!


Ain't I yau yeng?


Grrrr!!


Watchulookinat?


Awww...

Staying awake

Just got back from Kuantan... normally I'd fly but thought I'd try driving this time round. It wasn't too bad. Highway all the way. But the once problem I normally have driving long distance on a looooong straight boring highway is... I get incredibly sleepy. zzzzzzzzzzzz...

So this time, I took measures to make sure I stay awake and alert. And it worked! I wasn't sleepy at all throughout the whole journey. Just thought it'd be good to share my tips with all you long distance drivers out there... looking at the increasing rate of fatal accidents.

Tip #1:
Listen to JJ & Rudy on Hitz.fm if it is a morning drive. They'll crack you up. Laughing your head off is a great way to stay awake.

Tip #2:

Drink Essence of Chicken to keep you bright and alert!

Tip #3:

Have your very own in-car karaoke fest. Try to sing the back-up parts instead of the melody. The melody comes as a reflex action but singing the harmonization takes effort and keeps your brain working. Just imagine being the back-up singer for your favourite artist!

Tip #4:

Have a can of coffee drink ready in case you feel a yawn creeping up.

Tip #5:

Whenever a GX song comes on the radio try and visualize d moves. A virtual workout! Sometimes you get so engrossed it becomes not so virtual... as long as one hand is kept on the steering wheel. ;p

Drive safe!! :)