Goodbye 2009

Boy, am I glad that 2009 is coming to an end. This year has truly been a roller coaster ride for many; especially in politics, entertainment and sports. The year began with the inauguration of the United States of America's first African-American President. Mr. Barack Obama was officially sworn in as the 44th President on January 20, 2009. I was in tears watching the inauguration live on CNN simply because I never thought that this day would come. At least in my lifetime. The event was a welcoming change after the reign of Bush administration that held office for two consecutive terms.

Then came the news of the death of King of Pop, Michael Jackson. It was truly a sad moment for his fans all over the world and most were in disbelief when the news leaked. News quickly spread through the internet, especially over Twitter and Facebook. Radio stations began playing his songs, people rushed out to purchase his albums and fans began to mourn his passing. As the days grew and people speculations increased of his proper burial, due to his recent secret conversion into Islam, his life is now more an open book. Such sad news for a life lost, a legend lost, but most sad is the people trying to profit from his downfall.

Hopefully, the new POTUS will breathe a fresh change of air, politically, economically and cascade the positives to the rest of the nation.

Cheers.

Image via wikipedia.org

Predictable Phuket

We arrived on the beautiful island of Phuket after a few hours of flight and immediately changed into our bathing suits upon checking into the hotel rooms. We then set off to look for a quick lunch before heading to the infamous Patong Beach to set foot on the beach and embrace the ocean views and winds. It was truly mesmerizing amidst the humid weather.

We then settled into our rented beach chairs for the day. When it became too hot, we soaked ourselves in the sea and this routine repeated until we were too tired to do it again. We then ventured into the streets along the beach area. Every sight was shops selling various food to meet every taste buds. Our visit coincided with the Patong Beach Carnival and this increased the number of shopping stalls selling clothing, souvenirs, snacks and toys. After much walking and browsing, we headed back to our hotel to shower and freshen up before heading out again for dinner.

  

Our daily activities were pretty much the same as we soaked in the beautiful views of the island and surrounding areas. We were able to enjoy good seafood on this trip but have yet to find a place that serves good tom yum soup!

Phuket always has and always will welcome all with two big arms. I fell in love with this place in 2004 and was sad when the tsunami affected the island later that year. There are many shopping centers now. Even Starbucks is just around the corner. It depresses me to see the multitude of developments that are happening everywhere around the island. Reconstructions and redevelopments are still in progress but the Thais are stronger now than before. To rebuild their livelihoods, they are aggressive in retail and services but still manage to retain the polite Thai way of life.

I made another promise to return again before the island becomes too crowded with modern structures that will rob away its unique charm.

Cheers.

 

Images via own collection.

Sunny side

I'm preparing for my trip to Phuket tomorrow. This would be the first time I will be visiting after the tsunami. I was there for a short but memorable holiday before the tsunami happened in 2004.

I'm looking forward to another exciting and adventurous holiday which I will definitely blog about when I return. I foresee spending lots of time on the beach and return a shade darker, in spite of the dangerous effects of too much tanning. I will pack an extra bottle of sunblock, just in case.

Cheers.

Image via dulichanviet.com

Starbucks no more

I recently discovered that the Starbucks located near my workplace had closed due to slow sales. This chain was set up in a hospital, along with other shops offering their goods and services. It saddens me to see the remaining furnishings that has come to be associated with the coffee place. This also was what made the Seattle coffee place so unique in the first place when it began opening chains across the United States and later across the globe.

Starbucks began the trend and provided the avenue for people to spend longer hours at coffee places to read, socialize, meet friends or just to have some alone time to sip their cup of joes. I am certain that Baristas too have made friends with their customers over the years.

While some thought Starbucks catered only to coffee drinkers, it actually succeeded in making its way into the hearts of many with their seasonal and holiday beverages. I'm sure they have served as comfort to the families who wait anxiously for their loved ones at the hospital as well. But now, it's just an empty space collecting dust until the next tenant moves in.

So here's to one of the most recognized brands in the world and may the mermaid continue to bring smiles across patrons' faces at other locations.

Cheers.

Image from own collection.

Sleepy hollow 2

There are more revelations as the days go by. It's even harder when you see it happening right before you. Situation at home has gotten worse. True colors often reveal themselves. Everyone needs guidance.. and only Love can guide the way.

Open your Heart, soften your Heart, don't let the Ego get in the way of seeing the beauty and truth of what was never evil nor bad.

To be continued...

Cheers.

Stationery and stationary in life

What most see as greed for indulging in something insignificant had the opposite effect on me. New stationeries! I neither enjoyed playing dolls nor experimented with makeup when I was a tween. I did have my share of toys but somehow they did not fulfill my needs of wanting to create something which directly resulted from my usage of the 'thing'.

Like my peers, I had my weekly allowance and saved on every opportunity I could so that I could spend it on stationeries. I'm not talking about the "Hello Kitty" kind of stationeries that kids wanted to show off to friends to but just simple stationeries to get me through smoothly in my school homework back then. It was after all something that we used on a daily basis, or so I thought at that time.


Many years have since passed; I graduated elementary, high school, college and university. I did not use them on a daily basis and am now left with stationeries I am unable to part with, simply because some are new and some still hold childhood memories for me. But now my taste has expanded into designer stationeries, i.e. Mont Blanc. I appreciate the craftsmanship of their product and yearn to collect their pens. I do own a few but it wouldn't hurt to own more! :-)

These days, I take a peek into the stationery aisle in bookstores just to see any new inventions or trends that have made their way into the education and work desks. My boyfriend teases me each time we pass the stationery aisle and God forbid, I will not get anything from there and somehow I do. So it is not uncanny that I have tons of stationeries that range from pens, pencils, post-its, erasers among other things one can possibly find in the aisle.

My collection of stationeries continue to grow and the justification I give is that the right tools and materials will make a huge difference and impact of the work I present. One can conclude that my excessive indulgence of stationeries has caused me to be stationary, at least in this aisle in a bookstore.

Cheers.

Image via own collection.

Sleepy hollow

What seems enviable to others may actually have disastrous effects on the receivers. I am one of the receivers. I was not born with a silver spoon but life was acceptable growing up. But this article is not about me. It is an article about my observation of my family members who have yet to understand the true value of being a part of a family. I do not claim to know all but at least I know that our short time here is to make a positive difference in the lives of others around us.

I have a love-hate relationship with my father. As a child, I did not realize the implications of his actions towards my mother until I became a woman and truly began to understand the pain of being my mother. Seeing her go through the pains and mistreatment accompanied with emotional abuse and negligence from her husband is disgusting enough to swallow. Who is to be blamed? Should I point my fingers at my grandparents because they did not provide a loving environment for my father when he was a child?

My father was a successful entrepreneur and one would acknowledge that he is capable of treating people with respect. In that sense, I feel my father is accountable for all mistreatment towards my mother. I am further disheartened that this trait has extended to my brother in the way he treats my mother as well. I will dedicate another post for that later.

For a woman who has bore children for her husband, the least she would expect to receive is a little respect. Special care and attention were given throughout her pregnancy but only to be mistreated and dumped by her in-laws after the deliveries. My father followed suit. Needless to say, their actions have incited hatred in mother towards her in-laws. Respect is never given, love is seldom shown.

It is common knowledge that a marriage does not guarantee happiness. It should not equal a loveless marriage either. I vaguely remember the time when some arguments would turn physical. It was not a pretty sight to see, I only remember my mother storming out of the house to cool down. Since then, arguments happened more often and my parents grew further apart as a result of them. I urged her to leave and find a better life for her own. She was a working mother then who had savings that would see her comfortably through her retirement. Why continue to suffer the abuse? Why continue to be taken advantaged of? Why stay in a loveless marriage for the sake of her children?

Every occasion of gathering with families and friends would be acts of rebellion from my mother. What she cannot express in her home is done at these meets. My mother is the type of woman who speaks her mind. She has no qualms of expressing herself if the issues at hand are worthy of making her and those around her have a better quality of life.

I can't deny that being witness to all this abuse has made me shy away from lasting relationships in my life. I have no confidence in weddings, nuptials, marriage or anything associated with the union of couples. I don't blame my parents fully, as I too have witness many failed marriages among my friends. It is not surprising that divorce rates have soared over the years as more people find they no longer share the same views and leave their partners in hopes of finding 'the right one'.

My parents are from the generation who believe that marriage should last forever and no shame is to be brought to their family name. My father has in many ways made positive differences for others but discriminated towards my mother for years. I feel hollow inside for the absence of a loving environment at home. I fear to feel the emptiness in my mother's heart for the absence of love and affection from my father. I encourage her to fill her days with fun activities and travels. But deep down, I know she yearns for the love and attention from my father.

A person is a human being before all else. Then it is differentiated by gender, followed by status. Most would agree that what is accorded to strangers or friends should never be similar to family members. Maybe that's where the love-hate comes in, I detest him for how he treats my mother, but love him because he has been a responsible father in providing shelter, food and education to his children. And that for him is love.


Cheers.

Independence for all

Today marks the independence of a nation which comprise of multiple cultural backgrounds and ethnicity. A day so important since its' inception for achieving so much in a short amount of time would have done the founding father proud.

This is the time to reflect on what's available on our 'plates' in spite of being in an economic downturn. The economy is still running, people are still shopping and taking vacations. On a cautionary note, the H1N1 pandemic is a force to be reckoned with. With the country's quick response to diagnosing and treating the affected, it should not be a canvass for the mass to get comfortable yet. They are still accountable to taking proper care of their health and personal hygiene to curb the spread. Traveling come cheap these days as major airliners compete to offer the best prices to entice people to travel. What would've cost a fortune many years ago are now made available with lower air fares. However with the easy access, comes the risk.

The government aims to provide healthcare and free education for all and increase security in crime-prone areas while multiplying the number of public facilities to ease the traffic congestion that plagues this small country. There may be bad apples in some corners, but overall citizens enjoy a pretty good life here as compared to some neighboring countries in the region.

I am writing from a comfortable perspective of being born after the country achieved its independence. What the forefathers reap, the next generation sowed with the hope that gratitude is instilled in their hearts.

Cheers.

Second chances

Today we're talking about second chances after a brief hiatus from my writing. I've recently engaged myself in a job that fulfills me mentally and spiritually. I found a place to belong, a charity, not-for-profit organization that allows me to contribute and get paid at the same time. Even though the pay is not much, I am just grateful to be surrounded by good people. Though my previous jobs left me plenty of material goods to show, it also left me unfulfilled and empty while surrounded by superficial people who feel that life can be summed up with the amount of money in your bank account.

I'm inspired to make a change and continue to work towards the better. Work that means something, whereby it fills me inside out, leaving a contentment only felt by the noble mission of people working for charity organizations. Gossips and office politics still exist here but seeing the whole picture and envisioning a better tomorrow from all your time and effort with a dose of kind-heart makes things much easier to bear. In the days of uncertainties, I am truly thankful for this second chance.

Cheers.

Extreme pretentions

A person is a human being before all else. Then it is differentiated by gender, followed by status. Most would agree that what is accorded to strangers or friends should never be similar to family members.

As I am driving home, stuck in traffic crawls, allows me to reminisce, to contemplate, to surmise that all families have its shares of issues. I am saddened by the situation and environment at home. No, I refuse to be a victim, for this is just an excuse to face the demons.

Much to write about this and I'm sure this will surface again in time to come.

To be continued...

Cheers.

The stair climbing

I work for a nursing college. The college is comprised of two main blocks, an old and a new. My office is located on the 3rd floor in the old block of the college. As the old building was built in the late 50s, it was not fitted with elevators at the time it was constructed due to costs constraints. What amazes me is that this building is as solid as it was then. Only minor maintenance works are done occasionally and it still holds well. The new block was added much later to cater to the growing demand of higher student enrollment for nursing course here, and it's fitted with elevators.

Some say the downside of the old building is not having the elevators to bring us upstairs to our offices. I agree at times, but mostly I am glad that the stairs provide a quick exercise for me in the morning. One can always choose to take the elevator in the new block but it would make more sense to climb the stairs because it is faster that way. Sharing the elevator with students would take much longer as students are rushing for classes throughout the day and hence filling the elevators at most times. But I can't deny that the temptation to take the elevator is there, especially when you have had to climb the stairs back and forth numerous times during a typical workday. And when the knee pain kicks in, I would succumb to the elevators.

The consolation of taking the stairs would be telling myself of the extra calories I'm burning and the stable antique stairs not commonly seen in public places anymore. I guess that's a good sign since most days I wake up charged and ready to get to my workplace.

Cheers.

Images via own collection.

Piece of cake

Last night I saw on TV Season 4 of "The Biggest Loser: Marathon". It was a 3-hour long session of watching contestants ditching their old lifestyles of unhealthy eating habits and finding in them the courage to shed all they could in hopes of regaining their lives back. I am not a follower of the show but do watch it when I happen to see it on TV.

The contestants had to be at camp to undergo military training and be away from their families and friends for at least 3 months. By joining the show, some have taken the first step (for others, many steps) to be committed to their goal of losing weight. From the short amount of time spent at the camp, you could see the positive changes it had on the contestants. It seemed like they'd taken a confidence booster pill because everyone was there for the same reason; to lose weight and they want to stick to it. Most were grateful for the support from their family and life partners.

As the show progressed, I found myself sucked into the emotions of the contestants and cheered for them to carry on because they are, after all, doing a good deed for their bodies. The prize for the biggest loser was $100,000 and I'm sure most can find many ways to spend the money in times like these when the economy has yet to stabilize. But seeing the outcome of the contestants losing all the weight is good enough, even if they do not win. They have succeeded in making changes in their lives and lives of their families, in many ways no amount of money can buy. The contest has saved their lives, if they have not yet realized.

There were many jaw-dropping moments when the contestants revealed themselves, with the before and after image on screen. What a major transformation it was when the biggest loser had lost over 180 lbs! A truly outstanding feat considering what each of them weighed at the start of the season.

 

Naturally my mind drifted back to myself and said, "If they can do it, so can I!" An often overused saying that still rings true when we start believing in ourselves. Losing over 100 lbs is tough. My goal of losing 40 lbs is a piece of cake, right? It should be and I strive to do just that after I consult with my physician the safe methods to go about it with regular exercise and healthy eating. Wish me luck!

Cheers.

Image via own collection.

Order of the day: Motivation

I planned to go to the gym this morning, hoping to burn off the calories I've accumulated over the weekend. Last weekend was Mother's Day and I brought my mom out for afternoon tea at a hotel around town. The variety of food was not much but it was fresh and it was good. Most importantly, they had scones. That's motivating enough for me. Tea time would not be the same without scones ;-)

Anyway, I was up early but lied in bed for a little longer after hitting the snooze button on my cell. This happened a few times until I finally said to myself, "get your ass out of bed or you'll never go today...". Ya da ya da ya da... I can find lots of excuses to skip gym when I am feeling unmotivated. But when my mind is set on gym or something else, nothing can stop me.

One of my gym outlet is located on the second floor of an office building. Most people entering the building to other floors would normally take the elevator from the parking lot. I arrived in the building only to find that the elevator was closed and being serviced. So this resulted in me taking the stairs to the main building before climbing more stairs to reach the gym. Needless to say, I was a little exhausted from my surprise warm-up today. I only wondered about the exhaustion others had when going to higher floors. Is that motivation enough?

I immediately started working out after placing my bags in the locker. I started with the treadmill and proceeded to the stepper/"stair climber". Twenty minutes of each machine was a breeze thanks to 'The Ellen Show' that was on cable then. After the 'stepping' session ended, I saw my boyfriend was already midway through his session on the treadmill. I teased him for being late and went away to work on my abs, not wanting to disturb him further.

But I just couldn't help myself. I know how badly he needs to workout to lose the fat and lower all health risks that are associated with being overweight. I understand because I have also been overweight during my college years and I refuse to be overweight again. I have maintained a healthy weight for some years after college and have slipped sometimes due to stress and boredom. I want to be in the healthy weight range again and I too, need to lose all the fat that I have gained from the culinary adventures during our outings together.

By the time he was done with the treadmill and came over to chat (I was midway of my rowing workout), I saw he was sweating profusely. I was singing Carrie's music from my iPod and I yelled for him to join me because I knew he was vulnerable and needed motivation. He comes over and to my disappointment, other rowing machines were out of order! So he ended up working out on other machines while I finished.

Then we both proceeded to the elliptical machine (my favorite at the gym) and worked out together and I continued singing Ms. Underwood's music ;-) We completed the workout according to the set time. Maybe my singing disturbed him and made him concentrate on his workout or maybe he was trying to get it over with quickly so that he wouldn't have to hear me sing any longer! Either way, I said to him, "I'm glad you've left your iPod at home, else you wouldn't hear me sing for you" (a smirk on my face for that big motivation!). It was a great feeling working out together and seeing him work out hard ended up motivating me in return. Thanks babe.

Cheers.

Island of duty-free

And so I am back from my holidays in Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. It turned out to be one of the nicest vacations, thanks to the low traffic and crowd on the island. Even though it was the Labor Day weekend, driving around the island and town was a breeze. That is always a priority for me. A holiday would not be a holiday if time is wasted in traffic and worse if I have to shove my way around crowds just to catch a glimpse of whatever was interesting at tourist attractions.

My boyfriend and I had a couple of arguments along the way. It was not at all pleasant. All arguments are never pleasant. It was over some menial issues that would not have occurred if our "egos" had not surfaced. Ask me now and I am unable to remember what we argued over. Besides, who needs reminding. Let bygones be bygones.

We toured the island with a rented car for the duration of our short holiday there. Most attractions were easily located with numerous signs along the road. The only drawback is the coastal roads which were mostly one-lane. If one missed a turn and wanted to turn back, one had to take a detour into someone's front porch or gravel road on the side. My advice: Stay at 60 kph and you will not miss your turn. Plus you also won't run risk of hitting animals which decide to cross the road at odd times.

One of the attractions that stood out was the Langkawi Sky-bridge that stands atop a mountain. It was built in 2005 and offers views of the Andaman Sea and islands surrounding Langkawi. The bridge can be reached by taking a cable car. At the final stop of the cable car station (also the peak), one needs to climb some steep steps to reach the bridge. All the hard work and sweat will be rewarded with breathtaking views around the mountain and sea.

 

 

Another attraction that was a nice surprise was the Langkawi Underwater World. Even though most around the world have more species of marine life, this one offers a trip to habitats of the marine, tropical rainforests, freshwater aquaria, coral and even some pond sections. It even has an antartic section which displays penguins bred in Malaysia. Penguins! Who would have thought penguins were available and bred in this country.

        

We visited many attractions on this trip and bought lots of chocolates coming back. It was after all, duty-free purchases. We will return again for island visits next time and do some boating, snorkeling and diving. There are as many as 100 islands surrounding Langkawi and while most are uninhabited, some have been designated as tourists spots and we hope to have the opportunity to see the beauty the islands have to offer.

Cheers.

Images via own collection.

"Beaches, here I come!"

Who couldn't use a beach holiday ANYTIME? Lay in the sun, read a book and sip on sum cocktail. Just don't forget your sunblock! When the day is done at the beach, it will be time for a delicious seafood dinner.

I am all packed for my trip to the beautiful island of Langkawi in Kedah, Malaysia. The island is said to be legendary and full of historical places to visit. My first time there was in 1998 when my brother and sister-in-law brought me there. We stayed at this traditionally styled "kampung" hotel (Pelangi Beach Resort Hotel & Spa) with chalets for rooms. The place is rustic but relaxing. The hotel was also adjacent to the beach, as is most hotels there so it was just a breeze walk from our room. To my surprise it was one of the cleanest beaches on the island. It left a nice memory for me that I returned to stay again in 2004.

This time around, my boyfriend and I will be staying at a different hotel and we are anticipating a serene holiday with no worries. We are keeping our fingers crossed as it is the upcoming Labor Day weekend. I will share my holiday experience when I return.

Cheers.

Just press 'REPLAY'

Lately my boyfriend commented that I have been replaying (more than 10 times of the same artist and the same album!) music in my car. I guess he was consciously observing my music selection whenever I picked him up for our outings while I have been unconsciously pressing the 'repeat' album key. He is subjected to my indulging of Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift albums for the past three months, but I console him that my John Mayer albums have been with me much longer. It's true and I am still an ardent follower. I love his creative lyrics in all his albums and is looking forward to his next album.

Why do we cling to certain music or artists? It does not matter what the genre is, because the key is rhythm and lyrics. After Carrie Underwood emerged winner of American Idol and recorded a studio album, I constantly repeated her debut album, 'Some Hearts' in my car. The album tells a story of a simple country girl making it in the city and how the city compares to her hometown in all aspects. I was shocked she was my top most played artists on my iPod during my gym workouts! She had me singing along with her while on my treadmill runs. Her music may not be workout music but the lyrics are inspiring and will have you feeling and rooting for her. A story about all of us, who have been there and back and realize that home is where the heart is. Her sophomore album, 'Carnival Ride' shows a more confident sound and her voice is again outstanding in capturing the hearts of fans.

Taylor Swift is also commendable in spite of her age. She is still young and has a bright future ahead lest she continues to share her experiences through her songwriting and remains humble and grateful for her success. Her lyrics appeal and fans relate albeit they are mostly teenagers. My current favorite from the 'Fearless' album is "Breathe". The song reminds me to just take a breather no matter how badly my day is going.

And for simple reasons like that we will hold on to music that touches our hearts and makes us feel better. I mostly listen to 80's music but every now and then, find some younger artists worth taking a second listening to. Mind you, I still press replay on most of my 80's hits! Remember those one-hit-wonders? Just minus off the gigantic shoulder pads and perfectly teased hair and you will have good and fun music. My boyfriend will just have to get used to me pressing 'replay' when I relate to songs that touches my heart.

Cheers.

Time is on my side?

A few months ago, I chose to take a break from employment for a while. I felt like I have been given a second chance to take a break (1st was during college) and was intent on making the best of the time that I have on my hands. But today I had the urge to go out and just scream out loud. Scream at something and yell for nothing. Probably because I do not have a clue to what I would do with my time anymore. I can continue to read, go to the gym, go for a drive, go to the mall, etc. but I am not doing anything productive to make my life meaningful, lest achieving my goals. And to top it all off, I am feeling unmotivated! Stress these days is trying to get to the end of the book not knowing the conclusion and getting caught in traffic at times that can be avoided.

When I was working, I was thinking of ways to make my workdays end earlier so that I can continue my reading, go for workouts at the gym and even catch up with friends over coffee. It is when I have the luxury of time in my hands, that I tend to take things slower and be more relaxed about life going on around me that makes me stray from my former intentions.

Working out at the gym or going for my regular yoga classes have taken a backseat for the moment. It is plain frustrating when only a minimal decline is seen on the weighing scale after much effort and sweat. Coffee with friends? Not possible because our schedules are now different. I have my coffee at in-between rush hour times when most are already at work.

I still love reading. Reading opens up the mind like no other methods are able to. It is when one is well read and knowledgeable that he/she has the confidence and commands respect for his/her thoughts and views. I read whatever I can get my hands on, but my favorite subjects would be current affairs, autobiographies, business and health reads and historical fiction. Every now and then, I lean towards some thriller and romance novels.

Since "time is on my side" I am on a quest to gain as much knowledge and keep up with society going-ons from my readings and that is a personal goal of mine at the moment. While working, we either work towards our own goals or someone else's. I say, work hard and have the discipline to continue on with whatever you are trying to accomplish and bask in your glory of success later, even when it is someone else's goal. You would have gained a wealth of knowledge when you are done. There are no shortcuts and certainly no charity in getting there.

I have intentions to do a lot more because of sudden epiphanies that's been happening around me lately. I realized that while life is short, doing things that feeds your soul feels much better than simply doing things just to pass time. Nevertheless, I am fully enjoying and relishing the free time that I have in my hands before the stress from work piles on again. Maybe the scale will tip lower this time when I tell myself to enjoy my workout instead of obsessing every pound that comes from eating my previous meal!

Cheers.

Taxing time

So I've done my taxes a couple of weeks ago and it feels great. Another task to tick off my list of "Things To Do". I have done my part as a law abiding citizen and submitted my forms online to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and then just a few clicks here and there to print out the confirmation. This year, as it happened last year as well, I've over-paid on my monthly taxes with my salary. Ka-ching! Last year I received a refund of over a thousand bucks. Nice. After thorough calculation, this year I too get a refund but of a lesser amount (just a few hundred bucks, due to a shorter employment time on my part). A little extra goes a long way to fatten up my thinning wallet these days, with the spiraling economy not yet looking optimistic.

Then just yesterday, I received a letter from the IRB informing me that they have received my online submission but will need to check thoroughly before sending out the refund this year. Are they wondering why I am getting a refund two years in a row or is it just a new method of sending out letters to acknowledge that they have received my forms? They sure did not send me an acknowledgment letter last year, so why now? With looming issues of "save our planet" and reducing usage of paper materials...I am wondering myself.

Just then it clicked. Am I being monitored? Did I miss a year of filing my taxes? Are they suspicious of my declarations in the forms? All kinds of questions arise when it come to issues of money owed to the government. In moments like these, I take a breather and go make myself a warm cup of Earl Grey tea and put a dollop of honey for taste. As I slowly sip my tea, my good sense tells me that I am only a small fry compared to what other taxpayers earn. Why would the IRB want to come after me when there are countless individuals, businesses and corporations who advertently or inadvertently skip filing taxes when they make more than I do? They are the ones who should be stressed and nervous when they do not file taxes or announce properties and monies earned from them.

It does get taxing in the months leading up to the deadline when trying to find appropriate receipts for the "purchases" that is tax deductible. And we keep telling ourselves why haven't I kept those damn receipts with my tax file to make things easier for times like these! I am in glee knowing that I have done that. So, thanks to my tea and a little quiet time, I let go of my tension and pat myself on the back for completing my taxes on time and wait patiently for my refund.

Cheers.

Etiquette for consideration

Ever wonder what people are thinking of when they break the norm of social etiquette? I mean what are they really thinking of as it happens? Before I prod along some more, allow me to explain why I am writing this. I have and still do come across too many people who breaks the rules and customs of polite social or professional behavior and feel that it is their God given right to do as they may, without regards to society at large.

Below are the most commonly observed:

1. "WARNING: EXCAVATION IN PROGRESS" - Picking of noses in public, both genders included with majority of male offenders. Firstly, it is unhygienic. Secondly, it is downright disgusting for others to see; is it not possible for them to do the "excavation work" in the privacy of the restroom or at home? To make matters worse, some men keep their pinky fingernail extra long for the excavation purpose!

2. "TOOTH COMBING" - Using of straws to clean food stuck in between teeth. They simply think that the edge of the straw is thin enough to clean the spaces in between their teeth. If available, they will sometimes use toothpicks. Both methods are dangerous as one wrong angle or a nudge in the arm will cause "tooth combers" to hurt their gums. Please use dental floss. Recommended by dentists world over.

3. "GRINDING SESSIONS"- Some people like to talk while eating. Innocent bystanders are forced to see half eaten food as they continue to talk and worse, bits of food fly across to the audience as they continue on with their subject. Finish your chewing, then you may speak.

4. "TURN OFF YOUR SPEAKERS" - This goes in hand with No. 3. Chew your food quietly so that others from across the table will not hear the grating and crushing of food. On a similar issue, there are many around that choose to talk loudly while on their cellphones. People do not want to hear your conversations and your million dollar business deals. If communication is bad, go find another empty spot to continue. Else, use text messaging until you find a signal at a more convenient location.

5. "SILENCE PLEASE" - Accepting phone calls in a movie theater. Why come to the cinema at all if you are expecting phone calls? In cases of emergency when you do pick up, just excuse yourself from the area and step out of the cinema. Others paid for their tickets too and want to enjoy the movie. Bookstores are another common place where people like to chat loudly. It is bad enough that some music is aired in the store, but with added noises from chats turns it into a fish market. Bookstores are associated with libraries, so please respect the silence of the environment.

6. "DRIVE-THRU" - Turn lights are installed in cars for use. Jumping queue and cutting ahead of other drivers is not only dangerous but it can also be fatal if turn signals are not utilized. They simply "drive-thru" ignoring the safety of other drivers on the road. Another type of offenders are drivers talking on cellphones while driving. Concentration is reduced and these are drivers waiting for accidents to occur. Let it stick that driving is a privilege, it is not a right.

7. "EXCUSE YOU!" - Ever come across people who just come in the way of you looking at something? If you haven't, consider yourself lucky. Say you are watching/admiring some performances/displays on shelves; and suddenly someone crosses your path reaching for something or stands in front of you, completely blocking your view and not uttering any apologies.

8. "SHORTYs" - It seems that one of the latest fashion trend is the "short shorts". It is a pair of conventional shorts but designed and cut extra short that the hems rise to your crotch after a short stroll. It doesn't matter if wearer is skinny or on the heavier side, even if it does not rise, these things should be strictly for the home or beach area. Wearing them to the malls, parties and family reunions is just plain rude and insensitive to others.

9. "LOW RIDERS" - Another fashion no-no for bottoms. Yes, we all agree that only the skinny ones can wear them low, but have they thought about the view when they sit or bend over? For some, they try to cover the view with a longer shirt/top but it leads to exposure anyway. No one wants to see butt-cracks at any time of the day. Cover up or skip it altogether.

10. "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN" - I often wonder about men, "Is there always an itch there that you have to grab your crotch in public?". If there is an itch or if it is poorly adjusted, correct it in the restroom. Do not do it in presence of others. It will make people think of you as a pervert, a male who still does not know how to clean his "family jewels" or a flasher on standby.

11. "SPITTING IMAGE" - Want to create a negative image of yourself? Then just spit on the sidewalk. If you chew tobacco, you should already have a spittoon on hand. If you don't, spit into a napkin or somewhere with a water tap.

12. "SENIORS RULE?" - Not always. When it comes to retirees, we listen to what you have to say. After all, you do have more experience in living life. Other times, we just want to be treated equally. Retirees are already guaranteed a discount, so why the preferential treatment when it comes to services? Unless there is a designated sign or area for seniors, then I will just shut my yap.

I am sure there are countless etiquette in our society that we are expected to respect and follow, therefore I am only highlighting the common ones for me and my take on them. Anyone else out there disagree with my list?

Cheers.

Un-Scrabble me

My interest in scrabble cropped up again a few months ago. I've always enjoyed playing scrabble when I was younger but temporarily stopped because 'other' things pique my interests more. This time, I knew I wanted a travel scrabble. It was a nice thing to bring along on travels, even on trips to the local malls in case there wasn't much shopping to do there or there were no movies to catch. A cup of latte or ice blended coffee would go well with playing the game. Or some tea and scones, which is exactly what I'm having now :-)


Sometimes when during a game, I am at a crossroad of trying to define a word to other players in case they have not heard of it. Luckily there is a dictionary around as reference. We are speaking of English words indefinitely. Rules: No usage of abbreviations (Internet lingo included, i.e. URL, WWW, LOL, ROFL, etc.) even though they do exist in newer dictionaries; no looking up of dictionary for confirmation of word until the player is done with turn and no exchange of tiles among players. These are just a few of the many agreed upon rules applied in the game.


So, when a player creates an "UN", is this allowed? It exists in dictionaries but brings no meaning if used alone. I am not a teacher of the English language, but you sure bet I was at that time! At least it would not lead to hurting one's feelings if a player is adamant on the use of the word/s.

Scrabble is a fun game to improve usage of English, and not to create ill feelings amongst players. Everyone learn at the same time and the plus side is the scores that gets added along the way. The fun lies in trying to beat other players' scores when the game comes to an end, and NOT during the game. UN-scrabble me if I'm wrong.

Cheers.

Images via own collection.

Evaluation in progress

My thoughts are everywhere today. So many things are running through my mind. Events and celebrations that took place, recent revelations and another round of evaluation of what life really is about.

Birthdays are special. Our birth into this world is a special and meaningful day for mothers. I used to think that birthday was just a meaningless day that happens every year and another number to add to my age. Some disturbing celebrations in the past have also made me shy away from this celebration.

My mother recently celebrated her 61st birthday *clap clap clap*. We celebrated her birthday in a Buddhist temple. As part of the group celebration for birthdays in the months of February and March, a simple prayer and chanting service was done by family members and staffs of the temple. I learned that it is a 9-month miracle and sacrifice that our mothers go through to bring us into this world. So, on birthdays, it is not only a celebration for you but also a celebration for our mothers for bringing us here. After the service, children and grandchildren of those celebrating their birthdays offered tea as a sign of respect to their elders.

My mother is in good health. She has always maintained her health with regular exercise and marathons over the years. She's doing more yoga classes now as her knees are not as strong anymore for long runs. She also recently discovered the onset of cataract in one of her eyes. For those who are unsure, the following is the definition from Wikipedia:

A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light. Early in the development of age-related cataract the power of the lens may be increased, causing near-sightedness (myopia), and the gradual yellowing and opacification of the lens may reduce the perception of blue colours. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and are potentially blinding if untreated.

She has already consulted some doctors on the next course of action. She needs to undergo surgery to remove the natural crystalline lens and replace it with an artificial lens that will restore her vision again. I cannot begin to imagine the fear and worry that she has of losing her vision and going under the knife at her age. We use our eyes our whole lives and to lose vision later is absolutely terrifying. The surgery's high rate of success serves to calm a little the fears.

On to another note about aging and relationships. As we get older, you will notice that there is already a decline in the number of friends that we often communicate with. Friends get married, you see less of them. They have children and you see lesser of them. You wish them best in everything and sadly, have to let go of what relationship that existed before. They are now in the "Circle of Married Friends". If you are single, you are ruled out of that circle, at least until you get married and then you are accepted again. Even so, the time apart has already cast a barrier of communication between friends. Then, you try your best to keep in touch often but at most times, have more important familial responsibilities and tasks at hand.

What now about those who are still single? Are they suppose to find new friends to replace the married ones? No one wants to be lonely. I am referring to loneliness from not having friends to communicate with, and not loneliness from not having a life partner. Loneliness is the cruelest way the hand-of-life deals you. We didn't agree to it and certainly didn't ask for it. But suddenly, WHAM! it is happening to you. If God said anything about selling your soul to attain copious amount of happiness, then I'd say, "Why not?" At least when I die, I know I've been happy for that short amount of time I'm here on earth with my loved ones, be it friends or family.

Seeing things happening, relationships drifting further away right before our eyes can be outright painful. Sometimes you wonder, is it better to stop it immediately or just let new adventures unfold with the new hopefuls? Will our personalities match? Can we get along? Will we finish each other's sentences? What I've done in the past for friends; will it still apply today? We spend so much time thinking and arguing about it, only to be surprised by the outcome every time.

But life teaches us to perservere, so we keep trying. We try to restore what we had in the past amidst the crazy schedules and dignified responsibilities. Giving up is the easiest way out and a way of telling yourself there is no way of reconnecting with old relationships again. Whichever method we take or group you belong in ("Circle of Married Friends" or "Circle of Friends"), when all is said and done, we only hope that the world has been set right again.

Cheers.

Face-Twit or Twit-Book?

My first blog in years and here I am talking about the Facebook and Twitter applications. I've been a Facebook member since 2007. I recently signed up for Twitter. It is another social networking application, but with focus on communications instead of your friends' constant publishing of pokes, games, etc. in Facebook. In Twitter, you get to follow your friends, celebrities, news channels and yes, even President Obama for their constant updates whenever they log in.

When you sign up for the account, Twitter scans your address book of your e-mail account. It looks for any friends who are currently using Twitter and asks if you'd like to follow their updates (twits). As I selected 'twits' of friends that I want to follow, I am then asked to select a username for identity when I'm on Twitter. Once complete, you can search for celebs, programs, etc. to follow.

As I begin to learn more about Twitter, I see celebs making connections with other celebs and some fans who are following them. And if you are also a fan of the program/celebs in Facebook, you get the same update there as well. I signed up as fan of TheEllenShow and I get updates from both Facebook and Twitter.

Twitter is a simpler application to use only if you want to send updates and get replies on a constant basis. It makes me wonder the similarity of text messaging to begin with, with the exception that we are able to communicate with celebrities! We only cross our fingers in hopes that they will reply to all questions we have for them. WARNING: Some accommodate and some don't.

I'm also following johncmayer (one of the best lyricists around, thanks John for sharing your thoughts in your songs), and I love the fact that he twits so much. He communicates and poses questions to hear comments from followers. For a simple fan like me, I already feel one step closer to knowing him.

So for those who want to be a step closer to your celebs, I'd recommend this application, provided that the person you are looking for is Twitting.

Cheers.