Aim High

Three Things

A friend sent me this forwarded e-mail, the message is simple yet so true!

Three things in life, once gone, never come back:

Time, Words, Opportunity

Three things in life that shouldn't be lost:

Peace, Hope, Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable:

Family, Love, Self-Confidence

Three things in life that are never certain:

Dreams, Success, Fortune

Three things in life that make a man:

Hardwork, Sincerity, Commitment

Three things in life that may destroy a man:

Anger, Pride, Alcohol

Three things in life, once lost, difficult to build up:
Respect, Love, Trust

Three things in life that never fail:

True Love, Determination, Belief

Am I Too Nice?

My upbringing has taught me to be nice to people. I had this chat with my mother yesterday that "being too nice" if go out of hand will result in a helpless "taken for granted".

Let's not go back too far in history, and focus on recent happenings. I volunteered to advise a friend's daughter with her university application. She told her mother that she knew what she wants in her life and doesn't want my "busybody-ness". I thought I was helpful ;(

I've come to notice the clerks in my office are more polite to my colleagues who have never greeted them in a friendly way and who always pull up a sulky face as if the entire world has owed them a lifetime debt. If I were to pull a long face and be less friendly, will they treat me in a more respectful way??

I was more strict with my previous helper, and she turned out to be helpful and responsible. I am more lenient with my current helper, and last week she has driven me up the wall when I noticed she combined my parents' clothes with the rags in the same washing!!!

I say "Thank You" when I pay at the cashier. A few times, they just throw the change without reciprocal thank. Are they too ill mannered or I am overly good mannered?

I apologise too often and thank too many when they don't actually help me at all, I told my mother.

I give way because I care.

I don't attack because I respect.

I shield because I protect.

What is the balance if I were to change/improve the situation? I don't want to be friendly and be taken for granted anymore. It's enough, It's long enough to be the person who care about the world, but the world has neglected on her feelings and presence at times.

Happy Sisters' Day!

My Country, My Home

Brunei Darussalam celebrating 24th National Day on 23rd February 2008

We celebrate our 24th National Day today. The theme of this year's National Day is Tunas Bangsa (read: focusing on the Nation's Youth and nurture them so they would contribute positively to the country).

I drove into the capital early this morning, hoping to get front rows parking. The weather was good. It didn't rain, but I had a hard battle with humidity - trying to make sure my concealer stayed in place. The eczema around the corner of my mouth started to bug me since Monday, and usually the discolouration gets worse when it starts to heal. A colleague asked if I have forgotten to wipe my mouth after meals and that's why the dark patch around my mouth. Geez, I have better table mannerism than what she thought!

On a separate note, I couldn't help thinking how time flies. I was a secondary two young student when I took part in the performance celebrating our independence 24 years ago. In another 24 years, I will be a retiree. It's hard to imagine myself as a 60ish old lady watching National Day parade. "Excuse me, Excuse me, give way to old lady watching parade. Show more respect, don't block my view". HaHa! Or may be I will sit in an armchair with a nice cuppa watching the parade on national television with a kitten resting on my lap.

I took a panoramic view of the performance using my new Sony Ericsson K770i camera phone. The picture didn't turn out very well - well, it's still a new phone to me. I started using it only 24 hours ago. Give me another week, I believe my camera-phone photography skill will be better by next week!

Chocolate Delights

A friend gave me homemade chocolate during CNY this year.

Thank you to Mama for lending me her hands in holding the chocolate heart-shape tray ;p

I love that chocolate ball with pink & green little stars (second from the right). Doesn't it look cute!

Too cute to eat!

Is Knowing = Believing?

I can't believe how time flies. Today is the "Chap Goh Mei" (read: it marks the fifteenth day of Lunar New Year, also sometimes people refer today as "Chinese Valentine's).

Last year this time, I was very moody, and it took me a whole two weeks to pull my thinking out of the dark tunnels of my thought (refer: March 03 2007 posting). There was less volatility in my emotions in the past 12 months. I am having better EQ, and able to control my anger and temper rather well in the past 1 year.

I was in my ex teacher's open house two evenings ago. She is the one and only ex-teacher who has become my good friend and also the one and only teacher who has changed my life. She is always very calm, opinionated but objective. She sat down with me and noticed I wasn't very happy when we chatted, which her initial suspect focused on Mr Scorpio. I told her whether Mr Scorpio is now a father of two children or not, does not have any more impacts on me and my emotion. I have moved on to a new chapter of my life.

My moodiness came from rather an irrational reason: I happened to pick up a Feng Sui magazine when I was in the hair saloon few days ago to wash my hair. The magazine says the year of rat is not that ideal for my work and health sectors. Of course, I won't choose to believe it, but nevertheless those few lines did affect my mood in the past three days. I have decided to spill out my thoughts, in case if you detect depressed tone in my writing again (which I doubt, though). I will be very careful, more careful than before.

Well, Statistics and Feng Sui both predict, but they work on probability not certainty. Based on what I have been trained, I should know this argument better, then why should I have a sulky face still, ha2!

My Another De-Stressing Hobby

I am truly a Sagi person. I am getting bored with my Nokia E90 and I am thinking of selling it, and replacing it with SE G900 - I love the idea of (a) post-it notes on my handphone screen and (b) direct interaction with in-phone imaging (which to date the "b" feature mentioned is not available yet in many digital cameras).

Product Details:

Touch to go
Choose how you want to use your phone. Make a call, listen to a song, visit a Web site. Use the key control or just touch the screen to make it happen.

Quality pictures
The 5 megapixel camera lets you take print quality photos. Set your picture's focus area by touching the screen. Take your photo, then share blog it.

Quick Notes
What you can do with pen and paper, you can do with your G900. Press the Notes key and use the stylus to write in your own handwriting. Quick and easy, no keyboard needed.

Features:

Push email
Instant email on your mobile phone, just like on your home computer. Messages are sent directly to your phone as soon as they arrive.

Handwriting Recognition
Text input using stylus on touchscreen: write a character as you would with a pen, and it transforms it into the corresponding letter on a keyboard.

RSS feeds
Use your phone to view up-to-the-minute news and other content from selected Web sites and blogs. Just subscribe to the feed and let it come to you. New content is available in standby on the main display.

Web wherever
Truly mobile Internet lets you enjoy browsing the Web and manage your email effectively with the convenience of your phone, wherever you are.

Alarm clock with radio
Need to get up at a certain time? Got an event you can't miss? Set the time, and let your favorite radio channel play or the alarm signal ring to remind you.

3G
Quick and easy access to broadband Internet. Say hello to video calls, audio and video streaming, Internet surfing, multimedia messaging and email on the go.

Integrated camera
Built-in digital camera with screen viewfinder, dedicated menus and direct interaction with in-phone imaging and messaging features.

Capture the action
Video clips are ideal for those unexpected great moments that happen when you're out there, enjoying life.

Blog your life
The easy way to share your life in pictures. Take or choose a photo, add a little text and publish it for friends and family to enjoy.

Media manager
With your phone kit you get a CD with software for managing music, photos and video clips. Transfer music, videos and photos to and from your phone.

Symbian OS
An open operating system for mobile devices that enables you to download new applications to your phone.

Source: www.qqestore.com/

Lovely Baby K

A for Apple
B for Bee
C for Broom Brooom Brooom Car
D for Dog

Baby K loves it when I read these alphabets from Mothercare's "My First Alphabets Book" to him. He is now able to pronounce on "a" slightly. When I say "a", he would respond by saying "ae-ae-ae-aaa".

Baby K likes loud colour such as red and orange, and he loves the first page in the Alphabets Book where it displays many red apples!

Carrie Bradshaw Syndrome

I found a few relatives and friends around me highly annoying and busybody. I hate to tell even white lies (ie. telling them I have a boyfriend) in order to avoid them. I prefer to tell them in a straightforward way but they seem to think I must be a lesbian if I told them I don't want to get married (yet) and I don't need a boyfriend/husband at the moment.

I enjoy the value-added benefits that come with my singledom. The only 2 value-added costs are (1) people around me seem to think I am lonely. Perhaps I should seriously revise my behaviour, may be I do give them the impression that I am lonely (which I doubt!); and (2) they seem to think I am searching actively for a husband. Again, perhaps I have given them that impression too, ha2!

I have told many of my BB relatives and friends that I am not lonely because I am simply too busy. They told me I don't understand myself, and burying myself in work is escapism (geez, God please help these people to think soberly). I have told them umpteen times I am not looking for a boyfriend or a husband, they told me that's self-denial because simply no men like me, ha2! Their theory is that: a woman without a man to love = a withering flower/plant or whatever rubbish theory they told me.

This is why I have decided to come up with the white lie. At least, the imaginary boyfriend will keep them from asking for a while.

This morning, I was highly offended by a friend. She called and invited me over to her place for CNY Open House, and specially reminded to come after eight. She ended her invitation line with: You will be very pleased to know only at my place you can get to know so many bachelors.

"Sorry, meeting bachelors is not on my agenda of visiting friends during NY gatherings". I replied.

Nah, I won't go to her Open House Invitation. I have never and I will not ever be the "Theory of Second Choice" to anyone. (Note: you need to read previous postings to understand this argument better).

Sigh. Either I am too sober, or the world is getting too depressing to live in.

The Right One

This singer has impressed me. I haven't heard such a good mandarin song for years. Pity the plot of the MTV isn't as good.

Fun Donuts

I love the donuts from the newly opened "Fun Donuts", particularly the hazelnut donuts. NO WONDER Janet Evanovich described visiting the bakery is always a soothing experience. Quote: "My mind floated over acres of cookies and cakes and doughnuts and cream pies topped with rainbow sprinkles, chocolate frosting, whipped cream, and meringue." Ha2!

Aunties Care Too

I love the new MotherCare's new Rock N Roll range of body suits. Wondering when will this range reach Brunei's MotherCare?

Baby K will look handsome in the salmon pink body suits. Who says young man can't wear pink haha ........

My Shoes Paparazzo

I understood, But I Don't Care

One of my favourite pep talks ........

When things go wrong,

As they sometimes will,

When the road you are trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low,

And the debts are high,

And You want to smile,

But you have to sigh.

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest as you must, but don't you quit.

Life is full of twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns.

And many a failure turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow,

You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out.

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.

And you never can tell how close you are.

It may be near when it seems so far.

So stick in the fight when you are hardest hit.

It is when things seem worse

That you must not quit!

Meet my two idols:

Edna Mode

Trendy Wendy

BookWorm

I've finished reading John Twelve Hawks's "The Dark River" (see posting: 26th November 2007). As expected, the sequel could never fight the first book. I hope in the third book, Hawks could bring in more new characters and have more good people in the book. Bitter gourd may be bitter, but cooking it in different ways make it tastes differently.

Newton's Apple

See how much the Chinese Lily has grown!

Precautions

I hate (notice: strong word!) men as well as women whom I don't know to stand very close to me and disregard my personal space because too much crime TV dramas have taught me that is a highly insecure and risky situation.

I received an e-mail this afternoon from a friend, which again proved that my theory and argument above are perfectly correct and relevant.

From a friend's friend ........

Ladies, must read, Never knew this would actually happen. Please read and take precautions. Beware, don't talk to strangers. Recently, a female friend of mine has encountered a strange incident. She was approached by a 30ish yrs old Chinese man carrying a big sling bag when she was waiting for her husband. I saw the man talking to her while I was walking towards her, and I was puzzled when I found her suddenly walked off with the man and I was more stunned when she walked past me without acknowledging my existence.

Thinking something amiss, I called her hand phone immediately! She answered the phone and was shocked to realise she was no longer near where she was. I knew something wasn't right, and told my friend to just RUN! She quickly ran off ...... She called me 15 minutes later and told me to meet at our usual cafe. She was shivering all over when we met and she told me she wasn't too sure of what was going on in the past 30 minutes. She recalled a Chinese man was asking for directions which she couldn't relate. The man repeated his question twice, and made some innocent hand gestures like counting which she later realised she might have been hypnotised. He spoke in a deliberate and slower manner, his hands moved in a way to help hypnotise.

People with ill minds come in all shapes. Some look like one and you can identify almost immediately and pay necessary precautions. Some appear to be more decently dressed, soft spoken like a normal guy on the street and this might not easy to detect. Above information was from a friend in Singapore, but same incident could happen in other corners of the world too. Please stay alert!

Chinese Lily

In these 2-3 years, we have many Chinese vendors bringing in things from China to sell in Brunei such as bonsais (too extravagant), vases (too "Tai-Tais"), palm trees (my garden is not big enough to plant them), Mystic Knot home decor pieces (too lazy to buy decor pieces that I need to remove after the festive reason), bamboo plants (too common) and Chinese Sacred Lily flower bulbs (just the right thing I want and at the right price)!

The Chinese vendor wanted to sell me a pot of 10 flower bulbs for BND15 initially. I had managed to push the price down to BND12, and bought one pot home last Friday.

The flower bulbs have grown fast in just six days, see the enclosed pic.

I researched from the net, and found that Chinese Sacred Lily is in fact Tazetta Daffodil. It is a plant with white petals and yellow bulb. It stays indoor and blooms in winter. I put mine in our main living room, and it grows very well. But unsure how my mother would think if she found out the plant would turn out white-yellow.

Even though we are the descendants of Nonya-Baba and my mother is only part Chinese-descendant (my maternal grandmother is Indigenous People), my mother still follows the strict Chinese tradition of "Only Red for Lunar New Year". I could picture now the dilemma expression on my mother's face when she discovers the plant I have just bought would bear white-yellow flowers. OK, I knew. My sister Woofhams will sure say, "Chuck away before Mama finds out" haha ...

For some who might be curious to learn more on "my tribe":

Who are Peranakan, Nonya-Baba and Straits Chinese?

Peranakan, Nonya-Baba (峇峇娘惹) and Straits Chinese (土生華人, named after the Straits Settlements) are terms used for the descendants of the very early Chinese immigrants in South East Asia, particularly concentrating in both the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java. They are the group who has partially adopted Malay customs in an effort to be assimilated into the local communities.

Food Discipline

Good food discipline is just not in my system. My SIL has regained her pre-pregnancy figure. A fellow gym-goer has lost 11 kg with her strict regime of stationary bike, treadmill and yoga in the past 6 months. Both of them don't take oily food and take little white sugar. I have a sweet tooth and I love oily noodles.

According to The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets, Jennifer Lopez carries a vial of grapefruit oil around because her doctor says that the oil lets out an aroma that affects our liver enzymes, which activates the nerves that cause fats to be broken down and burnt off. Honestly, I would prefer to lug around a bottle of mineral water than grapefruit oil. Mineral water has zero calories and reduces hunger pangs.

John Cusack, meanwhile, stays away from everything white, including flour, sugar and wheat. I believe life would be dull when we confine it to only few good sectors. OK, may be ... I may try dieting when there is a better taste of Slimming Coffee around in the market!

I believe my food discipline would be worse when I have mastered my culinary skills. My new hobbies include cooking now. More specifically is, my entire family is addicted to Asian Food Channel (AFC) now. My brother DK said, we watch but we don't cook hahaa ... Jacques Pepin: Fast Food My Way (visit: http://www.jacquespepin.net/) is my most favourite AFC's programme. Needless to say, my favourite recipe from Jacques is "pancakes with apples" ;)