Candles Burning At Both Ends

Pancake: I am going to call and complain to whoever inviting me to the conference. How could they fax me the invitation on 31st October when the conference was held on 29th October?

Clerk: Sorry, don't mean to annoy you more but actually the conference will be held on 29th November not 29th October.

***************

Once in a while I believe we need to learn to relax, or find ways to relax otherwise we will be burning candles at both ends. Ultimately, it won't do good to our health and might jeopardise our career.

I found some of these strategies help to stop burning the candles too fast:

1. Blogging: You blog all your thoughts when you can't find reliable friends to confide in. I love to give ugly nicks to those whom I don't like when I gossip ;-~

2. Shopping: I found it extremely relaxing to shop in different aisles looking at new brands of shower foam or a new toothpaste. If I am not too stressed, I would like to wander around electrical department - very enriching experience and very satisfying when you discovered new gadgets that none of your peers heard of.

3. Cappuccino-ing time with friends of similar interests: Nothing beat gossiping (ok, or simply chatting) with a group of friends with similar interests. When I was very stressed with my studies peviously, I dragged along my then best friend Vanessa with me to have chai-latte and extra-sugar coated donuts.

4. Manicuring and Pedicuring: Ok Ok there might be no English words such as manu-curing, but it's extremely relaxing once in a month to pamper yourself with good, reliable manicure & pedicure - not only you get some simple hand and foot massage, you get neater-looking fingers and feet.

5. Hairwashing: I can skimp on many things but not my hair. When my hair looks good, I feel extremely confident and stress-free for the entire day.

6. Crystal Charming: I knew I have written on my craze over crystal beads few months ago. But if they help to destress me, what is the harm to own a charm. I wear different crystals for different occasions, and I wear different crystals on different days (supposed to be). These days I seem to fall in love and get a bit clingy to my blue tiger eye crystals which suppose to calm my nerves (for me with quick temper) and stimulate my intellectual capacity (no scientific research proven yet). I feel "in control" and relax whenever I look at the crystal bracelets on my left wrist.

7. Singing: I sing in the car a little when familiar songs play on the radio, I sing in the shower, I sing (more like humming or mumbling) even when I run in the gym. When I am down, I feel an invisible power on my right soulders will play me a childhood song: You are a bird, fly fly high up in the sky, not afraid of big waves, not afraid of big winds. The sea is vast and the sky is blue. I want to be like that bird, such strong and determined.

8. Reading Janet Evanovich: I started to like Evanovich's books when I found out Stephanie Plum's life is 1000 times harder than mine, and yet she could still laugh and munch on donuts after everything fails on her.

Last but not least, eating is crucial too. When I am stressed, I will always like to order my fail-proof meal- fried rice and nescafe - always perks me up. It's good to know that at the end of the day - we are in the rat race because we don't want to starve ourselves and when we are well-fed, creative ideas and solutions will become more apparent.

If you have good destressing tips to share, please drop your suggestions in Pancakeism's comment box. Cheers!