March Update

Hi there~!

I am so... so... SO excited this month!!

This year has been awesome so far, I have something to look forward to every month. Last month, it was starting my new work. This month, I am planning to go back to Malaysia for a short break! I know for the short period of time, it's probably not a very economical choice but you can't put a price tag on your loves, right? 

Earlier this month, I was feeling kinda shitty and looked around for a nice book to read and came across a book called 'The Power of Now'. Interestingly enough, it was on how to obtain peace in our lives. It was something I needed especially after I decided to end my research late last year. 

A lot of things happened and I won't recap it here... actually bottom line is a lot of things happened all through my life and sometimes it haunts me. All the would haves, could haves, should haves, if only scenarios played like a broken record in my mind frustrating me. There are times when shitty things people say to me resounded in my head like an undying echo; it made me pull back from future socializing events just so that those voices won't add up in my head. Because truth be told, the worst critic that is ever gonna exist will be myself. A person may hint that my clothes is kinda shabby, but my inner critic is going to emphasize the humongous size of my butt, my fats, or the fact that I just wasn't rich enough. Deep within me is a critic who kept saying 'all this won't have happened if you have been smarter or prettier or faster or even richer'

And I know a lot of people go through their lives transferring that inner critic to somebody external. That is, they blame others for short falling in their lives. I have heard it before, people failed their subjects and they blamed their mother for not teaching them good learning skills (chicken and eggs dilemma) or they blamed their parents for not being through high school (wth?). I think if I wanted to, I can blame a lot of things on a lot of people. I could but it still would not make me any happier, ever. 

If I have learnt something from what I have read so far (which isn't a lot, I haven't finish the book) is to accept and to act. A lot of things in life would have been easier if we accepted it without overthinking it and then act. Stop attaching too much scenario planning and emotions into it. So you want a slim body, stop posting those hate tweets about ppl who are slim, stop hating those people who can eat tons without getting fat, just accept that you can't and lose weight the healthier way. We are most unhappy when we are in contradiction with ourselves. 

But this book isn't all about that. There were parts of it that moved me so much that I teared up but I won't share it here. If you decide to read it, bear in mind that everyone reads the same book but our mind interprets it differently so what may be worthwhile for me might not be the same for you. But if it is, do drop me a comment below. I also found a free online copy here, so feel free to have a read. 

And remember...

'Watch your thoughts, they become words;

 Watch your words, they become actions; 

Watch your actions, they become habits;

Watch your habits, they become character;

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.'

Here's to wishing all of you an awesome week ahead~! 

My Pomeranian Adventure Part 2

This month marks the fourth month Poochy has joined my little family~!

Look at her begging eyes, it would be hard to resist not spoiling her, right?

Can't believe in a short four months time, she has grown from such a small size to a slightly bigger size. Now when I look back at some 'old' pics, I was surprised at how fast she has grown. 

Poochy at 1 - 1.5 months old

Poochy when she just joined our family and suffering from diarrhea and tummy upset

Poochy and her blanket on the first week of arrival

You can see how her fur has changed from that slightly puffy puppy fur to sleek and smoothed our fur and her ears... I don't even know how to describe how much her ears have changed. 

I think for this I should rename this post as 'my puppy adventure' because Poochy is turning out to be less Pomeranian and more Papillon with her huge sharp ears and the mess of hair around her ears. One time during a puppy class, one old lady called her 'big ear monster'. :P

One time, I took her out for a walk and a huge dog came running over. It scared Poochy so much, she peed at the spot. I even took her up into my arms and she slightly poop in my lap. The worst thing was that it was soft poop... yuck...

After that incident, I was slightly worried that she would be scared of other dogs in the future. So, I took initiative to register her into a puppy/dog class. Gosh! I should remind you to look for this earlier on. Some of the nicer ones are very quickly filled and there were limited spaces available, so it was a headache for me! There is always  the typical issue of price, time and location. 

It wasn't easy to find a suitable school for us. A puppy or dog class should be an enjoyable yet educative session for both the owner and the dog although I have come to realize that I learnt more and faster from these sessions than the puppy. That is when patience play such an important part. Different dog breeds and backgrounds play such an important part in how a dog behave and respond to a stimuli and that inevitably describes their learning pattern. That is a just a really draggy way of saying different dogs learn at different pace. So, always just enjoy the moment. Training will get better, I promise you! But what is more important than training is the bond that you will develop with your dog, so take it easy~! :)

How I beat Menstrual Cramps~!

There are many things that I enjoy about being a woman, like the freedom to love all things cute without losing face. :) But there is one thing I hate and that would have to be menstrual cramps. 

Source: www.zerochan.net 

 Ever since I could remember, menstrual always comes with menstrual cramps (as if the hassle of period, bloating and feeling of sluggishness is not troublesome enough). Into my high school, it got even worst. A week before my supposed period, I would easily pick up any illness that has been spreading around be it fever or flu. My attendance then was that of the student who has last position in class who by chance sat next to me and we always joke about who was going to skip school tomorrow. :P 

At that time, I would gobble down pain killers like it was sweets. Don't even bother to tell me the long term side effects because I don't believe in tomorrow when I am hurting like that. And I would sleep with pillows and blankets wrapped around my torso and yet it would still hurt. 

One time, my dad took pity on me and decided to bring me to see a doctor who happened to be his good friend (who also had to be a man). How could a man understand what menstrual cramp felt like? You can read about it but you will not feel it so words can be poured out easily. This doctor happened to only have sons so he did not believe in the severity of menstrual cramps and low immune system a week before period as if it is as silly as believing in easter bunny or tooth fairy. He brushed off these symptoms easily and asked whether I have problems in school and 'menstrual cramps' and 'those illness' were just my excuses to skip school? 

Since that didn't work, I decided to listen to some old wives' tales since woman would understand, right? Well, some suggested evening prime rose and some suggested drinking rose bud tea. Let me tell you, it didn't work for me. My sister later introduced me to try Elken's spirulina because an article once suggested that the reason menstrual cramps can get out of whack is because we lack a certain protein which helps regulate the hormones and spirulina is a type of protein. I tried it, and it works in reducing the pain provided I consume it consistently. Other symptoms like pre-menstrual illness and what-not was also gone.

Other ailments such as ginger soup with rice wine and egg and ginger black sugar soup (Taiwan's famous drink) were also great but it just wasn't good enough. If this was 50% of what being in labor felt like, I want nothing to do with it!! 

An article suggested that lack of exercise was also one of the cause so I tried to exercise more, especially close to the period itself I would play badminton for 2 hours and it works. Not only did I significantly lose weight, but the symptoms and cramps were gone. But have no illusion, intensive sports such as these do come with their sores and aches. What I mainly did was choose a different pain in order to avoid menstrual pain, at least that was what it meant to me.  

So I kinda accepted this as part and parcel of being a woman until recently when I started Lesmills body balance class. I forgot why I decided to try but once I started, I just love it. It is a workout class that combines tai chi, yoga, and pilates moves. The best part according to their main website was:

"Controlled breathing, concentration and a carefully structured series of stretches, moves and poses to music to create a holistic workout that brings the body into a state of harmony and balance." 

And honestly, that was what I felt. Balanced and harmonized after each workout without sores and aches but sometimes when they change moves, some long forgotten muscles may ache a bit the next day but the best thing is the freedom from menstrual pain. I also introduced it to my friend just months ago and she said her menstrual pain also gone. That was like music to our ears~! 

Source: www.doctortipster.com

So if you have been suffering from menstrual pain for so many years now, why not give it a try?  

But to be honest, the PMS mood swing and cravings is still going to go on.... 

Source: www.ffwdweekly.com

February Update

Hi!

I might as well call this Jan to Feb update because I have forgotten to blog for quite some time, I don't know what I have actually blogged in contrast to what I dreamed I blogged. It is a very fine line. I also blogged while I was in the shower, but that has never been published much like those poor songs I composed during shower. Or those awesome ideas that I thought of while doing housework or just lazing around. 

So anyway, I cut my hair short this year because I wanted a fresh new look plus it is pretty hot in summer. 

I have also started my work in a company earlier this month and the short hair do gave a more ready-for-the-job look (for some anyway). Having said that, it has been a month since my haircut and I can't wait to grow it out because winter is just round the corner!!

My this month addiction has been Japanese food! (Ok, I have to admit which month hasn't it been my fave food??). I recently tasted a very nice and humble Japanese place call Marumo in Leeming. It is so nice, I can't wait to go back for more. It featured a 7 course sort of degustation for only $39! But because the place is really quite small, only able to seat about 15 person per night; bookings are essential and sometimes need to be placed months in advance. I have one booking in May followed by another in July. Hehe... 

Well, the other food obsession I had is Alfalfa... those tiny sprouts thingy! lol... I once read it in a Taiwan magazine boasting of its health properties and what not, but I was always scared of its ugliness. But one try in 2009 and I have fallen in love with it. It is such a versatile and yummy vege on the go! 

I included it in my own version of Vietnamese rice paper roll... Instead of rice vermicelli and prawn inside, I wrapped smoked salmon with rocket salad leaves, mint leaves and alfalfa!! Such a refreshing and sumptuous meal!!

By the time I publish this post, it has already been March (rather than February) so some update on Poochy. She is exactly 5 months old today! So I have included some random photos of her.

She still loves to meet new people and new pups/dogs. 

She is quick to learn new tricks, quick to forget 'em too. Sounds exactly like someone I know... :)  But I hope she will get better as she grows older. And I hope her ears would stop growing, or else she would be the next generation of Dumbo. :'( 

I want this banana!! 

Lately, she has also taken to 'singing'. She sings whenever she feels excited or scared or bored or angry. It can get a bit annoying, I am sure I was developing high blood pressure. When she takes a break in her singing, I felt bliss for an instant. So, all is good. 

Still, have a great week ahead~! 

XOXO

My Pomeranian Adventure

Do you remember my previous blog bomb? All about my pomeranian puppy called Poochy? I posted her pics on Instagram and garnered more comments and like compared to my own camho shots. But that's ok cause she can be so cute sometimes. Ya, sometimes!!

When I bought her back for the first time, she was a tiny fur ball weighting at just 1kg and in a short 2 months time, she had grown to double that weight. During that short period of time, she had gone through a week of tummy upset, diarrhea and vomiting. Then she had rebounded full of energy and curiosity.

It was week 2-3 when I started potty training her and it was such a long process. Puppies have small bladder and it is estimated that they can only hold their pee 1 hour for each month. So, if she is 2 months old, she could probably hold her pee for 2 hours and so forth. And they might need to pee every time after a meal and upon waking up. So, I had to set a stopwatch for every hour. If she peed before the time is up, then I need to wait for the next. If she haven't, then I would have to bring her outside and wait till she pees. Since she also doesn't know she has to poo outside, I have to wake up early morning to make sure she was brought outside to perform her pooping ceremony ( which includes bounding up and down, biting random sticks and stones she found in the garden, chewing on my shoes, and eventually poop). As per the instructions online and guidance by the instructors during puppy school, I bring her in immediately after she pee/poo. Maybe that was the reason why she decided to hold 'em in till the very last minute (sometimes for an hour!!) before doing her business because that way she can play outside longer!

Then the next step was house breaking her... before she break my house!! Before this, my friend did warned me to be careful with my furniture so I took an inventory and thought 'hmm... nothing to bite here' but boy was I wrong! She bite my wall cabinets, the edges of my sofa bed and even the floor skirting  I am just grateful that it all were old and probably time for a change soon anyway.

As if not bad enough, she also took to biting me. At first it was the toe, she seemed to have a love/hate relationship with it, poking small holes around my pinky toe. Then when I sat on the sofa bed and she'd learnt to climbed on top of the sofa bed, she took to biting my hair! ('So you think your hair is better than mine, bitch! Take that! and that and that!') She was crazy! So each time she began her erratic behavior, off to the dungeon room she goes. But she wasn't repentant. No... She was a quick learner so when I say 'no' and bent down to pick her up, she scuttled under the sofa bed way beyond my reach. Her look was all 'Can't touch me! Nyeh Nyeh~!'. I did a lot of tactic like saying 'no' with a growl or spraying water to flicking her nose, lightly hitting her snout and feeding her ice (to soothe teething) but it all seems very temporal solution.

My worst wound so far: A deep gash along the length of my thumb's nail

My feet was born not pretty, now it only gets hideous

I bite everything I see

 I asked some fellow pet owners I met during puppy class whether they had the same experience, most told me that their puppy would bite stuff but seldom bite people. And she was lovely in front of everyone she met outside but a devil at home so I got worried that somehow some time I must have trained her wrongly that my puppy hates me.

Not only is she biting, but she is also barking at full force too. One of my earliest memory of our family dog was that we got worried that our puppy would not know how to bark as it is removed from its mother at a young age so we always bark at the puppy so it will learn? Thinking back, it sounds ridiculous. But I have no problem with this one. She was quick to bark and whenever she got surprised or frightened, she barked. Which turns out to be quite often. She also knows how to howl and emit a low growl (especially when she saw her own reflection, talk about self image issues!). I remember one early morning (around 2-3am), I awoke to her barking and I got worried because my neighbors are seniors and it would probably affect their sleep. So I force myself out of my cozy bed to appease her. But she kept barking even when I was in her room, so I found some soothing music for dogs (yes, they are available. Especially for dogs. Amazing) on youtube to try and relax her but she still continued barking. Then I tried coodling her, still she barked. In the end, I got impatient and I threw her a pork bone which she chowed down so happily and remained silent till sunrise. So, I guess she was hungry after all? lol...

And speaking of eating, this one is one picky eater! During her tummy upset period, the vet recommended a canned food that contained rice and chicken meat and she liked it so much. Soon after she got well, I stopped feeding that canned food and continued with eukanuba's dried food for puppies but she didn't want it at all. She would pick a few and choose to go hungry. Hungry means cranky and cranky means she could be such a bitch at times (pun intended). So I had to resort to canned food but this time I chose a cheaper version but she likes it, good enough. So, I consulted the vet and he said small breed dogs can be very picky eater sometimes (as compared to my old mutts, they eat everything except their shit). So I told him it is not like she has impeccable taste or something, she doesn't want eukanuba's dried food but she sometimes eat her own dried shit (which also explains why I DO NOT kiss her). He assured me that it is alright, as long as she is regularly dewormed and vaccinated, she can stomach it. 

All in all, I was a nervous pet owner. Partly because there are strict regulations for dog owners in Australia and also she was the first puppy I ever bought. I never met a pomeranian pup owner in the puppy classes so far, so I was comparing my puppy with other breeds (german shepherd, staffy, jack russell, poodles, etc). I got worried when she can't control her bladder when she gets excited; I got worried when she doesn't finish her food; I got worried when she plays with her own shit; I got worried when she forget everything I trained her when she sees other strangers/dogs. I also got worried that cross breeding of a pomeranian and a papillon has resulted in a much unpredictable temperamental puppy. So worrying~!

But after reading Bubz's take on her own pomeranian, I have to accept that different breeds have different characteristic and we have to work around it. This is the first pup that I spent so much money and effort in understanding and providing for her, like how she communicates and how to train her. And most importantly, I did it alone so it gets quite overwhelming especially since puppy have a short attention span anyway. I can play fetch with her one moment and then she will be alright and then after the fourth or fifth throw, she would scuttle somewhere else, distracted by some foreign sound or object. Or she would be alright playing with her own toys by herself one moment and the next moment biting my exposed toe under my study table. 

In the middle of a game of fetch, she went to investigate something else 

But I guess there are times when I would feel like all the effort and time are worth it; those rare moments when she does something so endearing that you forgave all the wrong she had done and just enjoy her company. Like when I sat in front of my tv and she climbed up the couch with her toy and proceeded to push herself real close to me while chewing her toy. Or the time when I go outside to potty train her but she runs around to look for new stuff and when she found it she bought it back and then sat on my toes while chewing her new found toy. Or the countless time she just rubs herself against me like a cat! wtf! 

It is sometimes hard to accept who they are in exchange for who you expect them to be and equally or even harder to be patient. Sometimes, I have to remind myself that she is only 16 weeks old and had just finish her  vac shot and that she already knows how to come, sit, down, stay (a bit) and still learning. I have to remind myself that although she bites my furniture, she did not bite my shoes even though I just simply placed them on the floor. Although she bites me, she doesn't seem to bite anyone else which makes me look good on the outside. People are sure to say ... 

'Aw... your pet is so adorable! So sweet!'

But most importantly, I love her and sometimes that is all that matters. Take one small step one day at a time. 

Summer Must Have Mask!!

Summer spells beaches, sun and ice creams!! I don't know why but that is summer for me. But so far this year, summer meant air con, internet and LINE Bubble! O yeah, and my honey and tea! 

Since I am so into relaxation mode, masks naturally became essential. Some of my favorite summer masks has been reviewed in the past year, such as Hisamitsu Lifecella mask (Review: here) and Kose's lotion mask (Review: here). Lifecella mask provided very sufficient hydration to my skin while Kose's lotion mask was refreshing. But this year after reading vivawoman's take on homemade masks, I have decided to try other home made masks too. 

The mask I am going to talk about is so good that you can even eat it on its own!

..... and it is .....

Yoghurt Mask!
(Did you think I was going to say Ice Cream Mask?)

So, I bought a small tub of Brownes traditional yoghurt and used one teaspoon for the whole of my face. Slather it on and just do whatever I want, anything I fancy, like reading a magazine or learning a new language. Whatever I do, I take precaution not to frown because the mask dries and tightens and the last thing you would want is premature wrinkles. The other thing I don't do is play with my pet poochy who might then attempt to eat off my face!!

I have been using yoghurt mask 3 times a week now and had just finished half of the yoghurt!! Good to go for another week! *Value for money*

Some of the benefits I noted are:

1. Balancing my face. When I wake up in a hot summer morning, I am usually greeted with oily t zone. But after doing yoghurt mask the night before, I wake up with no oily t zone. *claps hand enthusiastically* The cold yoghurt slathered on the face is bound to cool down the skin hence reducing the excretion of oil. 
2. Hydration. The obvious signs I look for is the tip of my nose and my pores. When the tip of my nose is not flapping skin and my pores got smaller, that is sure sign my skin  is getting the hydration it needs during summer. 
3. And obviously, it is SO cheap!! 

According to ehow, yoghurt's lactic acid content soothes irritation, clarifies the pores, and soften the skin. *whistle*.This mask is also great for sunburned and chapped skin!!

So, I have collected some tips on what to look for when making your own yoghurt mask. 

• Choose plain flavoured yoghurt. Avoid fruit laden yoghurt as it contained lots of sugar and other ingredients which may not be beneficial to the skin
• If you have dry skin, you can choose full-fat or whole yoghurt 
• If you have oily skin, you can opt for low-fat yoghurt 
• If you want to avoid residual hormones and pesticides, try organic yoghurt 

The other great thing about this mask is that you can mix and match other ingredients to better cater to your skin's needs, like honey, oatmeal, avocado, mud (for facial purposes, not the daily-on-the-street kind, puh-lease!!), lemon and cocoa powder! 

So this summer, why not try something new in your skincare regime? You can always eat the rest of the yoghurt if you don't like the mask after the first try. :) 

Know your worth _ 1

On one random day, I asked my hubby to guess between both of us, in terms of potentials and future prospect, who is worth more. 

Without batting an eyelid, hubby told me confidently, 'Of course me la~!' 

To which I laughed, so he asked why. 'Well,' I said. 'Even if individually I may be worth... let's say $1 and you are worth $50. But under our marriage vows to which whatever is yours is mine but whatever is mine stays mine. So, in total I would be worth $1 + $50 == $51! Still one dollar more than you.' hahaha.... 

Ok, that is just a joke. But then my point is that if I were to measure a person's worth, I would have to take into account their worth from the perspective of their loved ones too. Like a piece of art, only those who knows how to appreciate you would know your true worth. Why do we stay fixated on those who doesn't? Why should we constantly shape ourselves to satisfy them? I rather polish myself to be a better myself. 

Like the saying, 'To the world, you may be just another person. But to a person, you may mean the world.'

Hot summer love

You know what is the best drink during hot summer? Well, apart from drinking an ice cold beer at the beach, because in a long run that beer would transform into beer gut and being under the sun long enough, you would sport sun burn all over or worst skin cancer. 

Okay, I don't need you to answer me unlike Dora the explorer... as if she really cared what I said from the other side of the tv. I would just let the cat out of the bag, it is tea and honey!! 

Tea has always been known to contain catechins which is a type of antioxidant with white and green tea containing more antioxidants than black tea. Some studies has even shown that it may be able to combat aging process. Less wrinkles... Yeay! Oo long tea has traditionally been used to lower bad cholesterol level; usually consumed after fatty dim sum meal. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, a good Oo long tea can also help lose weight. Green tea also helps lose weight by increasing metabolism rate. Although tea contained caffeine, a cup of tea contained less caffeine than coffee which also made it a more ideal choice for hydration. It is incredible what you can find when you google it. In another japanese magazine, I read that drinking black tea plus ginger effectively increases body temperature which is a secret to losing weight but that is more applicable in winter, ok?

Recently, T2 (a specialty tea shop) opened a branch near where I live and I am so impressed with their selection of tea leaves. My current love is Peach Sencha and it is so refreshing!! Not forgetting my new love Green Rose! Or Red Sunset (which is a combination of hibiscus, lemon peel and a lot of stuff)! The tea is quite pricey there but omg... I love it! 

If I am taking hot tea, I usually don't add any sweetener like sugar but when I want to consume it cold, I like to dissolve honey in it. The apparent reason is that honey is a natural sweetener that has incredible antiseptic, antioxidant and cleansing properties for our body and health. One of the more renown honey would be Manuka honey with its Unique Manuka Factor which is a measure of its (you thought I was going to say uniqueness, didn't you? hehe...) antibacterial property but it is quite hard to get your hands on Manuka Honey in Perth. Once I asked a honey seller and she replied indignantly, 'That is not WA's honey!'. But Tasmania is part of Australia, haven't you heard? And WA is a state not a country, even Melbourne carries Manuka honey. Soon after, WA promoted its Jarrah Honey with its TA factor which is also a measure of its antimicrobial factor. Now you know! 

Source: www.wescobee.com

With its myriad of health benefits that trumped the other honeys, Jarrah honey comes with a bigger price tag. If you believe its claim, it is worth it. Taste wise, a drop of good Jarrah honey comes with a hint of bitter after taste which is a delight for someone who doesn't have a sweet tooth. But unless you are picky, you'd probably won't taste it anyway. With its apparent health benefits though, Jarrah honey is still not my favorite honey. 

I recently found out about House of Honey in Swan Valley and I fell in love with it much alike T2. They had lots of honey on display; for example, WA honey: Jarrah, Tree Lucerne, and Redgum and flavored honey: Rose Honey (also my favorite!!), cinnamon honey, vanilla honey, ginger honey and even chilli honey (I like it but hubby say it still tastes a bit weird)! They also have sparkling honey drink and honey ice cream, all so delicious! Of the WA honey, I really like Tree Lucerne Honey from Esperance. It has this refreshing sweet taste much akin to a concentrated chrysanthemum drink which is such a delight in summer!!

Source: tripadvisor.com.au

Source: truelocal.com.au

And can't forget, Apple Cider Vinegar drink! I learnt a superb recipe from my hubby years ago and that is apple cider vinegar, honey and black currant cordial (READ: Ribena!!) but I can never get the ratio right (that is why I need hubby around) but it is awesome! Needless to say (because this post is getting longer and longer...), apple cider vinegar is known for its health boosting properties!

Well, that is all for my favorite things to go with summer. What is your favorite things to go with summer, comment below~! Till then, enjoy summer and don't forget to use protection... from the sun! 

Happy New Year 2013!!

Almost 3 days have passed since 'Happy New year' wishes are acceptable, but then I couldn't wait to start the new year with some quality lazing around. 

 Then I had to familiarize myself with writing 2013 instead of 2014 just because it really seemed like time passed so fast. 2012 has been jam packed of happenings that I can't wait to fill 2013 with equally or more significant happenings. 

 In 2012, we bought our first humble abode. It wasn't the most significant of place but at least it is a place of comfort when I feel home sick. In June/July, we moved into the place and started marking our territory. It felt good until spring came and we had to do weeding... >.<  

And we organized our wedding banquet! It is sad that we had to postpone almost 1-1.5 years for our actual wedding banquet. I blamed it on my research commitment and boy was I happy that this year was also the year that marked my official resignation from it. Just like cream does not agree with everyone, such is research not suited for every human being under the sun! I still can't believe it took me soo... long to resign because I have been so unhappy about it for soo... long. That just goes to show how fast time flies!! Anyway, back to wedding... it may not be the most ideal one I had in mind; it was still beautiful. I remember on the 12th and 13th of October, I was raking my brain on how to express my gratitude to each and every one who came. They would tell me the day is mine, I shouldn't thank them. That alone just showed how awesome they are! And I had to thank my hubby, of course. I once told him half jokingly and half seriously that I wanted to get married at the age of 24 and though I may forget, he certainly proposed when I was 23 and we got married when I was 24 (ticked one more item off my list). 

And who could forget Poochy? This year I finally felt at home for the first time in so many years in Perth because I finally have a complete family here! Hubby is now papa and Poochy is now my baby. And who could discount out those awesome girlfriends who continuously inspire and motivate me? You are all now aunties to Poochy! lol... 

But 2012 has come with its low times as well and in every thing, we find our lessons and learn more about ourselves. 

It would be easy to make new year resolutions now and then continue on as if nothing had changed; what's more difficult would be to make new year resolution at needed intervals in the year. So I am not going to bore you with new year resolution, I think it would be far more conniving to divulge in life's little cheat! 

Example:

1. Conditioner can be a very effective, cheap, and convenient shaving cream! Before you go wagging your finger with a smirk on your face thinking I shave some place that I don't, I say this because I can NEVER find the right shaving cream or foam for *a-hem* someone and then it stays on the cabinet and we women should know, one item laying waste on the bathroom cabinet is another space wasted!! (I can put another skincare product there, for crying out loud! *drama queen full on*)

2. If you are lazy to buy lint remover, worry not because a good pair of scissor is more than enough! 

3. Use lip tint and lip balm for a more natural and long lasting color on the lip. 

4. When in need of small talk material, talk about the weather!

5. And don't forget to use concealer! Enough said. 

Here's to wishing each and every one out there HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Blog Bomb!

Ok, that is a ridiculous title but you know how when you say 'photo bomb' when someone invade into your photo space? So, this blog is called Blog bomb cause you are about to get invasion of Poochy!!

I got so much of her pics and videos lately that I had to clear some space in my Iphone. Hubby told me grudgingly that I am being too obsessed with her. Whenever I take out my Iphone to snap a shot of Poochy, he would roll his eyes now. I told him in a whisper that it is because I am secretly scared that he would quietly sell her off or send her away behind my back so I need to have more solid memories of her (apart from chewed up useless laptop adapter, my broken blinds' chord, my broken necklace and etc etc). Bahh... Excuses, he said. But that didn't stop me!

But it is not always Rainbow-farting-cyan-cat days with her. There are days when she kissed me a few times a day as opposed to days where she bit me every chance she got. Or the time she very obediently pee and poo outside whereas today she suddenly choose to do it all inside. Funny thing with pet is that they always know how to wriggle into your heart.

Poochy in her play pen which she now knows how to climb over. Sigh... Proud of her but worried because now she is free to run out and probably get hit by a passing car.

Poochy begging to let into the house

Poochy bringing me out for a walk

Poochy 'helping out' with gardening

Poochy playing with her toy (mighty sturdy to withstand her playing)! 

Poochy and her new bed

Extremely happy mousey...

'What? There's chicken wings for dinner?!?' 

That's all photo bombing session from Poochy for 2012!! Have a happy new year~! 

My happily ever after

I have come to wonder this question ever since I got married:

How do you comment or asked your newly wed friends? Or in other words for fear of lost in translation, how do you 问候 your newly wed friends?

Do you ask:

How is wedding life treating you? or do you ask how is he/she treating you?

Marriage is an important step in two person's life and our lives undergo tremendous change whether we realize it or not. But somehow when my friends treat me anything different from how they used to treat me, it felt really weird. 

Like previously, I had a bad day (as mentioned in this post here) and I called up a friend. I told her that I was feeling unhappy and before I could say another word, she asked me really seriously, 'before you say any further, I need to ask you... are you pregnant?' 

My response had to be somewhere along the line of  '.........' I guess she'd taken my comments that I am not into childbirth in the near near future VERY seriously. 

Or the other day, I mentioned to my friend that I didn't get a good night rest since my hubby came back. She glanced back at me with her enlarged eyes and barely concealed laughter. *Sigh... Roll my eyes* I guess she must have thought something along the line of crazy monkey sex. So I had to clarify that I wasn't used to having someone sleeping beside me and since I was a light sleeper, his tosses and turns woke me up incessantly throughout the night. I was so annoyed that I sat up during the night and screamed 'Enough already!' and then fall back down to sleep. The next day I asked hubby whether he heard it, and he said no... lucky for me... And boy, was my friend disappointed. Rotfl... 

Truth is life is pretty... for want of a better word ... normal and boring. Yet, I hate to think and imagine of a different life. Yes, we are happily married and days with the right person is way better than years with someone wrong. Yes, it is more comfortable since we do not need to be alone when we are sick. Yes, we enjoy each other's companionship and hence we have more adventures out there together. Note: Out there! Don't you perverts go ruin my romance now ya! 

A dollar for my Christmas thoughts

Just kidding... I give it freely... 

2 years ago Christmas, I made a wish list and honestly I got everything on the list. Apart from thinking that I should have wished for more things and maybe more expensive stuff too, I also decided that this Christmas should be a time to give back.

Recently I started watching a show call 非诚勿扰 (because I was toilet training Poochy and it gets boring outside). It is a matchmaking show where they set up a panel of about 20 single females and then bring in a single male contestant. The male contestant would have 3 videos to showcase anything about his life, love and friend's comments about his personality and the female contestants would have chance to ask him questions along the way. There was one that stood out for me; this one contestant mentioned about his painful past and how it inspired him to help those in similar conditions after he got a job. Although in the show, he mentioned he gave 40% of his pay per month as scholarship to poor struggling students, apparently none of the girls wanted him in the end and he left the show alone. 

I didn't pity him that day, I just felt immensely touched by his gesture even though I am not too sure the authenticity of what he said. 40% is a lot of money, especially when you are living alone in a big city. If you ask someone to even save 40% of what he earned every month for himself, a spendthrift would even find that near impossible. He or she would probably like to indulge in branded stuff just to emphasize their status difference in the society. He or she would probably stand out momentarily in their community during their life time on earth, but they make no impact in the world. He or she would probably end up like thousands or millions before them madly chasing after worldly pleasures; blinded by worldly possessions that they did not realize they are but another face in the worldly chase. 

Growing up, life wasn't easy. At the age of 13, I recognized that education was my escape from that awful life. Having a goal in life helped me through a lot of hard times like bullying and peer pressure. I know not a lot of people would understand and I do not look to them for understanding, even relatives alike. They can fool around; they can waste their money and their time in meaningless pursuit of pleasures because if they lose their way, their parents and family would help them out if not emotionally then financially. I didn't know that option and for a time when I only had the chance to see my dad once a year, I didn't HAVE that option. But life wasn't that hard. I still had a fighting chance and with that realization in mind, life was much easier. 

I forever would remember the encouraging words of a malay teacher who encouraged me in form three. I forever would remember my first scholarship (and how I spent it on something ridiculously expensive for me back then) and how I felt. I am not sure where I would have been if I did not recognize the importance of education, resolve and encouragements along the way. 

So this year, I do not wish for material goodness. Those that I can buy will be bought sooner or later. But at least today, I wish for peace in everyone's heart. Peace from knowing who you are and your purpose in life. Peace from knowing that you are unique and beautiful but so is everybody else but that's ok. Peace to pursue a better life and to build a better place on earth. And enough peace to give back when you still have a chance. 

Merry Christmas~! 

On Bitch Talk

Whole night yesterday and today I felt quite disturbed, couldn't quite put a finger on it. (actually I can put a thumb on it, but probably not my pinkie finger) until I had a more thorough talk with one of my friend.

So yesterday, I went out for a farewell dinner for my friend. There were 7 of us and this one particular person (not really my friend) got on my nerve so bad, I even went to the extend of bear hugging her (a tactic I have always used to stiffle Poochy as in 'shut up, already!'). I didn't know I was doing it until I did, which was actually the extend of how much she upset me.

The problem was that she sorta singled me out for verbal abuse.
And when the following conversation unfold:

Her: You are so stupid and crazy! ( I don't remember what stupid act I did that made her said that, maybe I ate through my nose or something. But I would consider that as a talent lo, not stupid ... not saying I did) How did you cheat that husband of yours to marry you??

I think she repeated that twice cause I would always ignore such crude remarks on the first roll in case they are just too stupid for their own good and just need time to re-track their words. But on the second turn, I got pissed off!

Me: Well, at least such a stupid and crazy person such as I am, I still scored a husband while you are ALONE and SINGLE!! You jealous? (I wish I could have one hand on my hips and waving a finger in the air a.k.a cool mode)

Her: *hesitated a moment before saying* then your husband must be stupid! Stupid and blind!

WTF??

That was my limit, if this was old me... TRUST me I would pounce on her and tackle her head under my armpit and demand that she apologize. Luckily my friend (the one who was going away) kinda defended my husband, that kinda defused the bomb a little.

So I was at home later that evening and I kept wondering why I felt so confused. I was upset (yes, she said things that was hurtful and insulting) but I also felt bad (because even though it was hard to admit it, I had stoop to her level. I have let her get the better of me in that moment of anger.)

I have friends who are still single to this day and I felt their pain when people say that something might be wrong with them that they are still single. I think they are lovely and wonderful and I believe that everyone is entitled to their version of 'happily ever after' if you have faith, have a pure heart and work at it. So, for me to say such a thing to someone (no matter how upset I was) was unacceptable even to myself.

Yes, maybe such an action is acceptable and maybe even expected when someone challenge you to this degree. But this is a measure of my moral compass and not hers. Maybe she can brush it aside as easily as the fly during summertime but then I can't deny that when I utter those words, I meant it to HURT, it was not just a joke. Even though others might think it is alright, I can't deny that what I did wasn't right.

I was at wrong.

God says that He looks at people's intentions and not merely on their actions. It wasn't whether what I did turned disastrous or not, it was that I had wanted it to.

If I had learned anything from training Poochy is that when someone do something you don't like or doesn't approve, punishing them or giving them attention will not make them realize their faults. Ignore them, withdraw your presence and your helping hand would prevent them from obtaining joy from the situation.

So my thought today is that I do not like Bitch Talk at all and I would NOT participate in it at all. I am not there yet, I can't fully walk away yet but everyday is a training ground. The positive thing is I noted and I want to change.

Five gift ideas for Xmas

It is now 17 days to Christmas and while Christmas sale is the best time to get the special someone in your life gifts, don't forget yourself in this time of hustle and bustle.

I have come out with 5 gift ideas just for you! You don't even need to wait for sales to get it going cause that's how awesome they are. ;P

#1 Brunch date
Seriously, who can resist brunch on a lazy saturday or sunday morning? I mean truly, really, unless you have an allergy to eggs or runny egg yolks irks you. If rissoles and pies upsets your mood, then you can still go for good old MacDonald breakfast but that's just sad for me (especially on weekends).

But more than food, it is the lazy gathering of friends over cuppa coffee or tea just chilling it out. Brunch is the ideal meal where you just want light silly talks and none of those heavy where-you-see-yourself-in-10-years-time talk often associated with dinner. Plus, no one goes for brunch for anytime longer than an hour (unlike dinner), so they'll definitely have no time to glossed over their achievements as compared to say 'What's the weather going to be like later?'

And the best thing? (Cause I am not a drinker) You get to skip on those drinking-prone activities most often associated at NIGHT! If someone ask you to drink so early in the day, you can safely scold them for being an alcoholic without being a spoilsport~! (*thumbs up and gleaming teeth*) You get a puke-free time to continue the second stage of rest, afternoon NAP!!

#2   Dance to a song
Turn up the music and shake that booty! If you are confident, just rock to the music in public. If you need something simpler, you can always fall back on to Gangnam style. Whatever. Although I much prefer it if anyone wants to dance to Gangnam, please warn me beforehand. I need my noise cancelling earphones and an ice cream.

#3   Buy a happy book
When I say happy book, I mean a book that makes you laugh and feel good. I don't mean those lusty romance novels dripping with sexy love. Those books often leave people lusty, wanting and generally unsatisfied. After you read those books, you'd probably salivate in your sleep dreaming of Edward Cullen or Jacob. Then your pillow will probably be stained with your saliva and that'll probably be an excellent breeding ground for germs. Then those germs and the combination of your dandruff resulting from sexual frustration will probably cause acne, blackhead and pimples on your face. Probably, not definitely. But I was just being nice. :P

So if you want a good and relax time aim for something comedy and light heart, maybe like the book Ellen Degeneres wrote or Caithlin Moran's How to be a woman.

If you are one of those who felt happy reading theoretical book, then by all means go buy the book by Stephen Hawking on space and have fun with that! Let it blow your mind away so whatever you say when you are done, it has to be something along the line of 'wow'.

#4   Go for a walk in the park
I love walks in the park as much as a dog pulling on its leash, partly because so far parks in Australia has yet to disappoint me. There is no flasher behind some trees, red ants crawling up my legs or litters all over the place. The natural scene just soothes my frayed nerves after a frustrating week, and with nice songs blasting down my ears courtesy of my iPhone, everything is in place and AWESOME!

#5   Try something new - and make some mistakes!!
And more importantly, while you are still young try something new! You don't know what secret talent and loves you might have if you don't explore them. So what if you make mistakes, I personally think that it is totally excusable to make mistakes while you are still young. Imagine when you are older and you have kids of your own looking up to you, it would be way harder!

I am not talking about unprotected sex ya. I know the media is just blasting that down every hole they could, most notably my eye hole and my ear hole, that just shows how desperate they are. I am talking about that idea you have putting on hold and some dreams you wanted to pursue. I hope you all the best of luck with it.

And most importantly, Merry Christmas in advance!

Poochy lessons

Hi all!

I have been pretty preoccupied since Poochy, my little pup joined my family. She got sick recently and I had to bring her to see a vet and when I saw the nurse wrote her name as Poochy Liaw, it just dawned on me that she is legally part of my family now! (And that my hubby is probably gonna ask me why I didn't use his surname. If you are reading this, sorry. I thought the nurse wanted my surname so she can call me into the vet's office but it turned out she called out Poochy). 

Ever since I have Poochy around the house, there has not been a dull day but it is definitely tiring at times. She is like this hyperactive little furball that looks like a mouse, a beaver and a rabbit sometimes (that's what I call value for money). Having her around also made me realise a few life lessons, example...

#1 If you are cute, you'd probably be able to get away with most things. Even public urination!

'I am a walking poo poo and pee pee machine!' 

She is so cute but she has yet to be properly toilet trained so I had to clean up her poo poo and pee pee. 

Some more, she was sick last few days and she suffered diarrhea and vomit so it was very tedious to clean up. But while she was sick, I realised how much she had wedged herself into my heart that I couldn't bear to have her die. 

#2 But even if you are cute, there is one thing that you'd probably couldn't get away with (apart from murder, I think) like whining and complaining.

'Hold me please'

For the first few days, she kept whining every time I leave her alone to sleep. She was so good at it that she could get it going for 3 hours straight. *headache and heartache* Honestly, I couldn't much tolerate it even though she could be so cute when she does it. So, I am training her to be alone by herself with her toys at the moment. Now, when she wants me to hold her, she sits down right infront of me and give me THAT face. I don't think anyone could resist that look. Much improvement! 

#3 How to encourage good behavior!

So I enrolled her in puppy pre-school last week and I really felt that it was very beneficial for both of us. The main lesson that I learnt and I think can be brought forward to many aspects of our lives (mainly motherhood) would be how to encourage good behaviors. I guess coming from a strict asian family, my parents (mostly dad, anyway) have always resorted to punishing bad behaviors while good behaviors are often ignored (maybe a nod of approval but definitely no nice spicy chicken wings as reward). But during this class, I learnt that in order to encourage good behavior, always use the reward system. When the puppy is misbehaving, break eye contact to indicate disapproval and turn around to ignore. When the puppy does something good, make eye contact, compliment, and reward it. Puppy is such an attention seeker that sooner or later they will catch on to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. 

Using this method, I will tend to notice when she is behaving correctly to reward her and honestly that feels much better than trying to find out when she is misbehaving and then punishing her. It is a more positive experience and helps bring us together. 

Ok, that is all from Poochy and me. Looking forward to Xmas! 

Take care and wish you score all the good xmas deals you dream of! 

How I got my first Pomeranian cross pup

Ok, I blamed it all on maternal hormones that kicks in after you are in a relationship for too long. Most normal couples (especially after getting married some more) would actually start baby making process but I chose instead to embark on puppy hunting process. 

Most of the time, I was like this.... 

I dare you not to say 'aw...' when you see pics of puppies like this... 

Or this... 

Or this... 

I even cried a bit when I see these pics. They are so cute!! I feel like cuddling them and never letting them go!! But my puppy hunt wasn't all that touching, it got a bit heart wrenching, actually. 

I heard about puppy farms and was determined not to get a puppy that was farmed illegally but then registered breeder costs a ton! And so I tried to set my sight to adopt stray, unwanted or rescued puppies. I will be honest, they weren't that cute. The cute ones were gone like hot cakes! 

Then a friend of mine suggested gumtree so I searched around for puppies in gumtree. Let me tell you, that was the most heart wrenching one. I will not recommend that place to anyone who are seriously looking for a pup. All the time I was there, 60% of the people doesn't reply, 5% of the pups advertised has been taken (it is like quick sale going on there!) and 15% of the time someone set up pranks or hoax ads to cheat good people to call up other good people and waste both of their times. And that leaves 20% right? Well, the hard truth was that 20% of the time, I couldn't afford the price that they were charging for the pup. Sad, right? (Y U NO CHEAPER??) Plus don't know whether the puppies are from illegal farm. 

So sad in fact, I actually cried.

Funny how I have been hunting for a few months now and I have yet to venture into a pet store. So hubby suggested we take a look one day. We promised each other that this would only serve as a survey mostly and we wouldn't get any pups today. But one look at the female pomeranian x papillon and I was lost. LOST! Well, luck has it that she is not for sale till the very next day because she needs to receive her first vac shot but the next day would be the day we are travelling!! So, we asked the cashier whether they could reserve the puppy for us but they won't. So sad, offering them money also wouldn't help! Got money also don't want to do business! Damn! 

The day we got back (2 days after), we touched down in Perth at 7pm (after 5-6 hours flight!) and we rushed to the pet store. See, SOO dedicated! And would you believe it? She was still there! (One of her sibling was sold though so I really felt relieved that she was still there). As hubby said, since she was still there, maybe she was meant for us after all. 

See, how cute? Poochy (that's what we named her) in her new bed~! 

Poochy with her chew toy but I think she prefers to chew every other thing as well! (especially my toes!)

Poochy's soft toy, ENGIBEAR! (In case you don't know, it means engineer bear! :P)

Poochy with her soft toy (Engibear!!) and pink blanket and chew toy at the corner!

Poochy with her pink blanket

Poochy ala racoon style

The thought that she was meant for us sounded sweet in the first two days, but days afterwards when I had to clean up after her shit and urine and also endured her relentless biting and crying (when left alone), I am sure that was too romantic a thought! 

 I still love her though