Happiness is within one's control

I hate to say this, but the wkend's coming to a close. However, it had been an awesome wkend. No earth shaking events, just some quiet, almost nondescript everyday matters but these always form the foundation of my happiness. I realise that once I'm on top of things, I feel much better and will be able to receive the week with greater happiness. Taking matters into hand, I cleared 99.5% of my markings by Saturday when sweetie went to Y's place for soccer fest. A feat which no words can express! To be able to complete a multitude of tiresome projects way ahead of time is serenity. The immediacy of them all have been trashed, stepped and trampled on! Sunday -- Errands such as purchasing laser toners (it's appalling how much ink I use for my job!), buying of groceries & necessities and most importantly putting together an itinerary for my big trip in May were all done within a day. Fine-tuning will take a while but at least I finally got started! Setting out and achieving small goals daily should be one little routine that has to be added to my happiness quotient. They say that 40% of happiness is within one's control while the rest is genetically inherited. I'm definitely not gonna let my crazy genes get into the way judging by how insanely unhappy mom is. So here's what you should do instead of procrastinating:

1) Set small goals daily
2) Plan plan plan! Preferably one wk in advance or even one mth in advance! It really helps to ensure things move on more smoothly. Though there's bound to be hiccups, it's all a matter of readjusting to fit into the plan.
3) Treat yourself (even if it's something small like an ice-cream) should you achieve the goals
4) Refocus negative thoughts once in a while, don't let it subconsciously dominate your thoughts.
5) Set realistic goals, not elusive ones
6) Take time off and smell the daisies!

I believe I will still have my disgruntled moments and honestly, i'm still learning how to cope with the uncertainties of life. Dwelling deeply on an issue certainly doesn't help and sometimes if you take a step back you may realise how minuscule the whole matter may be. Learning is not a linear process and I still have to learn how to make time for several activities and live a more meaningful and mindful life. Though chasing after money and status is just as important to me, I MUST take time off and smell the daisies! Which is why, though it's still 2 months away from my big trip, I'm planning already! The research has been grueling. I arduously ploughed through forums and blogs to piece together places to visit. It seems like 8 days isn't enough to cover them all! Perhaps I'm greedy, but it's not somewhere u'd go everyday! (unless you are that rich) So maximizing time and value are top of my list.

Why the Hiatus?

Time seems to just evaporate into air these days. It's been a hectic week thus the lack of updates. Hysteria had been screaming in my head since last Monday resulting in the blog fading to oblivion. There seems to be a multitude of tiresome chores and tasks to attend to, which render me breathless. First was the hols, which saw me waking up the moment sunshine starts to stream through the sleeves of the clouds. HATE THE HOLS! But with that said, it was pleasant to be home at decent hours and catching a meal or two with sweetie. Sweetie went Batam for golf on 14th (Sunday) and as they say, when the cat's away, the mice play! Play I did! Invited my girlfriends over for lunch (1st batch) and dinner (2nd batch). Cooked a whole lot of palatable food. Not boasting but my gfs had 2 bowls of rice! Was nice catching up and chilling over a beer till the wee hours of the night!

Lunch with H and E (who were camera shy). They claimed I overcooked but ended up licking the dishes dry!! Noticed they are all vegetarian? E's pretty hardcore and I had a hard time planning the menu.
The evening menu was way easier. With more meat on the table! Showed off my culinary skills. On the menu: Mayo prawns (a big hit); Prawn paste chicken (am still inaccurate when it comes to saltiness) and my favourite Braised mushroom...oh n of coz the ever famous Bittergourd soup! Was floundering in my own pool of self-conceit!


Finally mastered the art of frying wings! Had to sieve the flour before dusting it onto the chicken for greater consistency. I know it sounds like a chore, but the result's pretty satisfying.This is pretty random. Legend has it, on one's lunar birthday, it's essential that you eat longevity noodles (Mee sua) with two eggs. Supposedly it'd bring the person luck. Well, let's hope that's true!

Last wkend was also peppered with loads of activities -- Wedding @ OOSH on Saturday (which I will blog separately when I have the time) and Baby E's 1st mth on Sunday. Things like marking and organising really had to take the backseat.

Aren't those darlings simply adorable? Baby E is right in the middle. He's currently the thorn amongst the roses..lucky him! Can you spot the odd baby out? It may be a toughie given that she looked pretty much like Baby C with her swollen square jaws!

The one who's the apple of my eye however has to be this babe. Round face, rose-coloured cheeks, and a pair of sparkling alluring eyes -- That's the description my darling A! She's such a poster girl!

Needless to say, with all the activities and no time to prep for the wk, I woke up feeling extremely testy and grouchy. Am totally encased in annoyance and wish I didn't have to work so hard. The consolation, I've booked myself a trip to somewhere! Virgin trip with H. That really excites me to no end though it's only gonna happen at the end of May! Still, at least that's something to look fwd and a motivation to push on! So guess where I'd be heading. Clue's below:

Emotional Toll

Numbing myself with work

Rain Rain, please come again!

Yesterday was good because the door to the past is closed and locked. No, seriously, Monday was really good. The smell of dew and rain woke me up. The heavens had turned gold with rays of the morning sun. In the next moments, the mighty sun sprang out of bed completely as its banners shook triumphantly across the pearly skies. However, it's victorious moment did not last. At 10am, the rain poured down in a deluge and lightning began to wink fitfully. The last few days had been so hot, not a leaf flutter. The rain was a relief to many and surprisingly took away all Monday Blues. Was superbly productive. Completed the whole wk's preparation and even did up 50% of next wk's tasks. A welcome, considering that next wk would be an intense wk, with lessons starting way early due to the March Hols.


Have been training to be a domestic goddess by cooking lunch for myself over the last wk. The kopitiam downstairs is closed for renovations and it rendered me helpless. My culinary skills were put to the test, with meager food supplies. At times, it's rather arduous to be waking up early, cook and wash up, but the final product proved otherwise:

Yumalicious Scallop & Fish Slice Porridge! It was amazingly smooth this time..hmmm

Pork Chop Instant Noodles! Hongkong Style?
This was my favourite! My version of WANTON MEE!! The wantons rock!!

Fast forward to Thursday. Productive too, but in a different way. For those of you who are still not aware, Charles & Keith + Pedro are having their Warehouse SALE from 11 march till 14 March! I zoomed down right after my first class. The place was packed like sardines and it was simply an OL paradise with shoes ranging from $9 to $49.90! A real steal! Too bad I don't get to wear heels that often. Still, i managed to grab a loot of 3. a one inch slipon, a 3.5inch wedge and a gorgoeous 2.5inch nude heels. I'll probably wear them twice at the very most, per year. Why do i need so many shoes, I seriously wonder too. Inherited or perhaps just a feminine thing. Anyway, it's located at 21 Tai Seng Street. It's crazy to drive as there's hardly any proper parking. Then again, without a car, how would one get there? SO ULU! There were at least 6 road marshals lined up along the streets. The warehouse unveiled their goodies bit by bit. First I entered the belt and sunglasses section. Several bargain hunters were grabbing what's available. I was pleasantly surprised that there were sizes! Got a beautiful purple belt for only $5! Then I moved on to the parade sq which had shoes going at $9 and bags ranging from $29.90 to $49.90. I wasn't too impressed and was disturbed to see everyone bagging heaps of shoes! I told myself not to be impulsive and control I did. At the end of one round, nothing caught my eye and I was about to leave, when all of a sudden, a halo shone above the sign "IN". Thinking that it's the cashiers, I entered, oblivious to the crowd behind me who was jostling. THe cool air from the aircon vent told me that this was an entirely different realm which I've entered! True enough, from every corner, there were shoes, shoes and more shoes! The most amazing bit was, there were sizes!!! That's when I fell prey and pounced on my 3 new heels.....
Sigh...Need to really work on budgeting for the forthcoming trip.

It's MONDAY

Recharged or overwhelmed?

Miss March is creeping in, waiting behind the curtains in anticipation like those catwalk models, praying fervently that they won't trip and fall on the runway. No wonder they say as u age, time seems to fly. How true. The day was peppered with relaxation, rejuvenation and nothingness. Was literally awoken by an itch. Incessant mosquito bites that is! Very annoyed and have since sprayed the room with listerine mixed with one part water. A concoction believed to scare those pests away! Anyway, with so much on my plate, I decided to cast everything aside and do close to nothing today! Things like organising and paperwork got put on the back burner. Managed to visit Maple to get my beauty supplies. Cleansers, AHAs, Sunblocks etc...so many items, but all add up to less than the La Mer eye cream! the price of beauty. Went over to X's new place after lunch...another new comer to Pasir Ris...seems like we won't be getting any neighbours as Pasir Ris is much more affordable. Fortunately we bought our place eons ago, else we'd be stuck with such dilemma too! Whiled the scorching afternoon away watching silly Stephen Chow show and treated myself to a Javanese massage which was overwhelming! Reason -- the masseuse was burping the whole time she massage me! A case of me having too much wind being passed on to her? Tried googling, but such logic didn't hold -- online at least. It was amazing. For 1.5hr, she was like a cow, emitting methane every single minute. The cacophony of burps left me really uncomfortable and for the first time ever, I did not doze off during my massage! The highlight of the day was such a letdown. :(

Fortunately, W & C brought little Chloe to brighten my day:


This little doll had her first haircut today...cost a whopping $20 for that little bit of hair!!


Haha, sweetie trying his hands on carrying a baby...as usual, he's chicken hands and duck legsBut with a bit of practice, he actually makes a pretty good daddy in practise :)

It's amazing that babies sleep so much. All they do is sleep, eat, drink, shit...the cycle goes on 24/7...sometimes we wish our day can be just as carefree!

Have not touched any book for the last 12 hrs...a little guilty but I deserve a break!

Finally

Can't wait for Sunday afternoon to come!

Exhausted

Celebrations galore (PART 2)

There had been so much happening over the past wk. I'm rendered breathless. However, no matter how tiring it is, we have to push on. I decided to throw a party on the last day of CNY, known as "yuan xiao", it is also the Chinese Valentine's Day. What better way to celebrate by having love ones around you. The task however, was no where easy.

My grocery list. A big cheerful window lets in the morning sunshine, which saturates the room with its warmth that embraces us with light. Birds chirp outside, beckoning me to WAKE UP! at 745am, I was awake. The earliest yet, in 2010!
Headed to three different markets to get my stuff! Thanks to sweetie, who was entertained by his ipod touch and our new digi cam, I elbowed my way through the throngs of housewives as he sat in the comfort of the car, waiting patiently for me. I'm pretty surprised he didn't nag a bit. Had to get my fish curry powder from Marine Parade and majority of the fresh produce from Upper Changi market as it was a wee bit cheaper than Marine Parade and lastly headed to Sheng Siong for some awesome Manila La la!

I was doing good timing. By the time I got home, it was only 10+am. Took a breather and started washing and preping. This process took me 1.5hours! Guess I'm not that efficient?As prep workz continued after lunch, guess what sweetie was doing? Zzzzzzzzzzzz.........

Attempted to make tapioca nuggets for my Bo Bo Cha Cha, but failed miserably. The tapioca starch got all lumpy and the colouring stuck onto my nails! Erkkk!The gruelling task of cooking finally ended at 7pm. I had to cook two rounds of rice as my rice cooker was simply too small to accommodate such large appetites. At one point, I was multitasking like mad -- frying the chicken wings whilst marinating the fish and cooking the rice! My culinary and juggling skills were put to the test! But, this was a whole different league of awesomeness.

Look how much they have grown! The eldest of the three being 18! OMG!
*Billy's (daddy dearest) watching us monkeying around in the background...Billy really enjoyed the dinner. Am glad. Nothing matters more than him :)

After dinner activity -- LELONG LELONG! Managed to give away a whole lot of clothes to cousins. It really makes my day to see that my things go to someone who appreciate. Or at least I think they do. Biggest winner however was their maid who is sooo slim and busty, she put me to shame! She's the best helper yet! Well versed in English, Mandarin and Cantonese! Thank goodness she came along, otherwise, I'll be having a hard time clearing up the kitchen which was in a perpetual state of messiness!

Seeing the clothes that used to fit me however left me in a state of depression. I don't have a healthy sense of self. People around have waist artfully tapered while me, I can't seem to see my waist or what's left of it. There's only a layer of blubber hanging around my pudgy self. I sometimes secretly wish I can be sporting the latest bandage dress, but ALAS! With that I'd only accentuate my flaws. Appearance and grooming are quintessential, I KNOW! Given the immense pressure this consumerist world, obsessed with beauty, we probably have to take a step back and ask Is image really everything?

Image is how people perceive you and while perception is not always the truth, it often is what people depend on in deciding which products to buy, which company to invest in etc.

"THERE'S MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE"

Image sometimes do not correlate to what lies beneath. Snide comments have been passed. The criticism received over CNY has hoodwink me into thinking that glamour is all that matters. But I'm just plain lazy. Getting out of bed is already a chore, what's more get myself to the gym. 3 yrs ago, I was leading the exact same lifestyle, yet my waistline peaked at its thinnest! 10 yrs ago, I was worse, booze and suppers galore. What happened? I was a size 2X, and now, the waist, despite still being in the twenties, is hovering dangerously towards the thirty zone! There can only be one reason -- AGING

I know that whining won't help. I habour the thought that perhaps at this point if I'm preggers, there'd be a legitimate reason for me to be fat! haha...Honestly, I'm disgusted and traumatised each time I see those spare tyres floating around! But seriously, I've done enough damage to my health and gastric in the past. With the current schedule, its' someitmes not within my control. I have autonomy over my life but yet, life is cruel at times. Sigh...

The harsh truth is that image can be everything and nothing at all. Thankfully, sweetie thinks that

"BEAUTY IS SKIN DEEP"!

Celebrations galore (PART 1)

Aches are oozing out of my every muscle fibre...That is not a hyperbole mind you. It's been an eventful week, I've been celebrating the fullness of life in all its glory and I'm in bad need of a break and a massage!

Starting with my 3X birthday....it's been pretty quiet since the 21st. With the invent of Facebook, I think more are remembering my birthday. Advance greetings came as early as Wednesday. But it was close frens who really made the day extra special. Received a greeting from my "sis" whom I've lost touch since uni days. Thanks to FB, we found each other again and the love was rekindled. Special mention to this other friend who never fails to remember my birthday every year! At 3:05am this year, his sms came without fail. Since day one I met him at work, he never once failed to wish me on that day and we don't really stay in touch! PS: He doesn't believe in FB or msn, thus he has no form of reminders. That's the amazing bit!
Met up with H who bought me dinner at RamenTen @ Century Sq. It was surprisingly tasty. Somehow, it's difficult to find good Ramen in Singapore. The soup base was thick, with a milky tinge. The Tom Yum soup base was a tat too spicy for H who was gulping down her glass of green tea!
Celebrations on the actual day happened to coincide with the annual reunion luncheon with the gang. It made my bday extra special with over 30 pax singing the birthday song! Sometimes life plays its own tune and forces us to dance to it. So far, the tune has been melodious.

This year's lunch was at Carlton Hotel. Dim Sum was good (except the dessert-- Double Boiled Hashima) but selection was pathetic. There were only 2 pages (A5 size) of dim sum on the menu!
I was basking in glow...really feels like the 21!
Sweetie was a darling this year (mayb he's guilty that for all these years, he had not been putting much thoughts to special days like birthdays)...he bought me a Casio Exlim! Wasn't too smart though. texted me at midday telling me his friend is selling cameras at a good price and asked which model i'd like. I actually believed him and shortlisted two but said to decide later after we've looked into the aesthetics and technical specs. Alas, when i returned home, there was my present, wrapped in a haphazard manner (ok, at least you bothered! ...i'm touched. Truly). THANKS SWEETIE!


Another hot favourite pressie (given to myself) this year is this Valentino inspired hp pouch. Made specially by Jeanine. I've been a fan of her crafts but this has to be by far the most awesome purchase! The intricate details were so carefully sewn on!


Everything has been revolving around food. At night, sweetie brought me to a place which holds many fond memories for us -- Kallange indoor stadium. Went Brewerkz for dinner. Had the pan-fried cod which was pretty tasty albeit being a tat too salty. Sweetie's steak was blackened but otherwise good. Beverage -- He had his usual Golden Ale whilst I tried their new flavour which was made up of dragonfruit and honey...sounds really refreshing and you would mistake it for a fruit punch, but honestly I couldn't taste any honey/ dragonfruit..it was all alcohol if you ask me. Nevertheless, it was really nice to chill over a beer with someone you love.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR MAKING THE DAY EXTRA SPECIAL!!