Me: A Gadget Queen

I'm a gadget queen, but mind you, not those chain and whip type.


I'm talking about all the cutesy-thingy-techy-gadget. My magazine racks are filled with mostly Stuffs and T3. If you're lucky, you may be able to dig out some girlie mags though the chance is slim to none. Though i do love girlie mags like Her World, Cleo etc, but no thanks, i hardly buy them unless they have a section on how-to-grow-thick-beautiful-long-lashes-in-two-days or how-to-lengthen-your-legs-the-natural-way or trimmer-flatter-tummy-in-one-simple-exercise: Results Guaranteed in 5 Days!! Flipping thru them at Times or MPH or 7/11 is more than enough for me. These mags have more ads than anything, going thru them is like staring @ a non-stop commercial for 10 minutes!


But not Stuffs or T3. I so love reading them. I used to buy T3, the UK version. Not only are they more expensive, some gadgets featured may not even be available locally, but its such a fascinating feast to read about them!! Oh, what a joy.


Yesterday, went shopping with my young man. Supposedly to be only window-shopping. We were at Wisma Sony Gallery (I'm a Sony fan!!) looking at those super sexy Vaios and Digicams. i have bought 3 Sony Digicams so far, WS1, T1 and T3, all within one month of each other. WS1 is good and can run on normal alkaline batt and I thought it's good for travelling, don't have to lug those hateful cables and wires around but soon, i hated its huge bod and passed that down to Dad. T1 is good, except I don't quite like the sliding-down-cover-turn-on mode, so i passed that to my brother. I'm currently using T3. I like T3 but wish that it has a USB port on the body itself.


Shane was smittenned with the PSP though. I love PSP too but not that madly in love but Shane was hooked on it. He already had a Game Boy Advance at home, but the damn cartridge gets friggin hung every few minutes!! He love cars (is it a boy thing??) and was playing the Ridge Racer on the display PSP set. He was so super-glued to it.


Da... da... da..., di... di... di..., i bought for him!! Yeah, go ahead and said i spoilt my kid.


But now, i'm hooked on it as well!! The screen resolution is smashing!! And rumour has it that there's a new 8GB flash memory PSP in development!! Maybe i'll get one for myself next!! And oh, btw, the 1GB memory stick duo price has gone down to about S$140 and 2GB is now at S$270. Maybe this is old news to you but i just found out on Saturday!

I 'dressed-up' Shane's PSP with this skin from Decalgirl. You can get it at Takashimaya for S$19.90. They have skins for your ipod and Creative gadgets too. In various styles and colors. Smart!! The casing is from Logitech.

Btw, meet Shane's new friends: Jay Jay, Raven Evan & Tracy

Throw A Rotten Apple Away?

Nay, I'm not stooopid too okay!!


Yep, finally caught this show. Alone. Shane went to Papa's place and will be back today (he's back!! XOXO).


Anyway, Mommy had a break. A holiday.


I like this INS2 show. Emotionally, it strikes a chord with me, hits me most of the times. If i were to watch this show in my teens, i guess i would not be feeling this way. Being a mother, a parent, it has changed my perspective of many things in life. It opened my eyes to see where my parents were coming from before.


I'm not shy to say this, but i was holding and clenching my tissues very hard and kept dabbing the corner of my eye. Yup, i was teary and easily at that all the time. Call me a crying barrel. The scene that made me use more than 3 tissues - when Jerry actually stole money to reach his $500 target to buy an hour of his Dad's time to watch him in his school performance as the lead! It left me thinking: have we as parents, more often than not, forgot to take a pause from our busy rat-race life to really spent some quality times with our kids? Are money really the best substitute for a parent's love?


These days, it is actually not easy being someone's Daddy or Mommy as compared to the older days. It’s much challenging than before. Children in the past or during my time were not being exposed to the many TV programmes or Cable TV or PSP or Xbox or iPod or Pokemon cards or Internet or Gaming or E-Zone or what-have-you-now. Teenagers or kids as young as nine years old in this age already owned a mobile phone, mind you, not the big heavy black-and-white-waterbottle type okay, but the latest 3G phone!! Naturally, being a parent, you can't help but feel the stress. Not only do you have to work hard to provide for them the best that you can, but you worried that they might be influenced by all these external forces which may slowly turn them into a pawn for the dark side. Parents worry too much for their kids. From every simple little things to applying leaves during PSLE to coach them. They will not stop worrying even if their kid is now a 50 year-old white hair old man/woman!


Being parents, we began nurturing our kids the day they were born. We started to mold them to what we think are good for them, for their future, so that they will live a better life than ourselves. By doing so, we tend to forget that kids are not robot, they are not someone whom you can control with just a few button pressing. Rather, they are humans, like us parents. Long gone are those i-am-your-father-and-so-you-must-do-as-i-said days.


Ahhh….so much, so much…..long short, it's not easy being parents, and it's also not easy being kids either.


Anyways, i spent a rather nice Saturday yesterday and a nice Sunday today!


Rushed to JB on Saturday morning to attend to something and came right out again. Watched INS2. After the show, i went on a mini shopping spree. Gee, i luuurvveee shopping, it just makes me very happy although my pockets were screaming murder at me!! That's easy, i put on ear plugs, freshly purchased too!! : )


Bought a few..okaylah, guilty, a lot! Best of all, I finally bought my Nokia N70! My Sony K750i was down, so that explains why i did not mms-blog @ Moblog but hey, watch out Moblog, i am gonna mms-drown' you soon!! But i realised that the N70 is quite retard, everything is so slow-motioned! The keypad is a bit too small and soft for my rough fat fingers. Know what, i'm now eyeing the K610i !! Going forward, should i have to leave town for work or anything, i can '3G' Shane from wherever i am!! He has memorized my mobile number and thanks to this, my mobile bill for last month was $300++... coz Shane kept dialling my number every 5 minutes for the first day when i was in Bangkok! But what's $300 if i can get to hear his sweet voice right??

Don't you think this is pure SEXY? I'm gonna get this model in RED!!

At nite, met up with a very good ‘sister’ who has the same name as me. Went to our favourite Thai Pub @ GM. It was our favourite place or rather, our ‘home ground’.


I like it there. Folks there are pretty much themselves, unpretentious and very at ease. But the place has gone under some sort of a complete makeover that it now looks completely different from before. Although it’s classier, cleaner, nicer, but I still prefer the run-down, dirty back alley look. That place holds a lot of memories for me.


The Thai Pub six months back was very much the Ratchada type. Now, with the new look, gone are the homely feelings but I still enjoy going there. The DJs are like old friends to me, they will play my favourite songs when i’m there. And seeing old familiar faces. Ahh...welcome back !! Do you know the song ‘Numa Numa’ – by Ozone was already been played there since end 2004?? It was only during the Chicken Little trailer that people started to take notice. Bet you didn't know that right!


And finally today i got to enjoy my birthday pressie from last year! My boss, whom all of us called affectionately, 'Champion', is the kindest, most forgiving and generous boss ever!! He employed me even though i was heavily pregnant with Shane. I was already in my 7th month then!! i looked like a clumsy cream puff (oily & fat) and was very much a little Miss Piggy or a baby Jumbo or what i used to tell my friends, a Bak-Chang!!! Champion paid me my salary in full when i was away on maternity leave although i was employed less than six months! Under the MOM regulations, the employer has a right not to pay salary when a female worker goes for her maternity leave if she is employed less than six months! I am very fortunate to meet such a nice kind boss and therefore, i don't mind working extra late hours for him.


This pressie from him was a delightful spa with massage!! The spa is located at River Valley and i had a nice rose scrub and a great massage!! Thanks Champion!!


Ahh..when Baby Bird is not around, Mommy Bird turned into a crazy narcissist again.

Errr..Is that My Valentine's Day Card??

Becks-A-Boo!!!!!

Haha... Go figure!

Interesting!

I had an interesting conversation with my young man yesterday.

We were @ Bugis Junction MacDonald's. Halfway thru his mouthful of cheeseburger, he asked:

"Mommy, can I ask you a question?" "Yes, honey, what is it?" "Can I marry you?"

Huh??... I burst out laughing and said tenderly to him.

"Honey, Mommy loves you very much and I'm very happy you wanna marry me but Mommy can't marry you." "But why Mommy? Why can't you marry me? Then I can't marry anybody else. I just want to marry you, Mommy. You're my Darling Mommy!"

So sweet of him right?

I proceeded to explain what 'marry' is but as to how much he absorbed my explanation, I have no clue.

Kids do say the darndest thing, don't they??

My Family

(Found these in Shane's school bag . . . )

Left to Right: Mommy, Shane, Shane's Baby, Grandpa & Grandma

In the picture above, I was carrying Mommy and beside me was my new baby. I want Mommy to give birth to a baby for me quickly. I love my Grandpa and my Grandma, they are Mommy's parents.

Love from: Shane

(Why do kids have this idea that their parents have endless money to buy toys???)

Hmmm...

Today over lunch, Becks asked me:

"Imagine if you have unlimited money at your disposal, you're married and have two kids. What car would you buy and what else would you do?"

Well, I will buy:

1) A SUV: BMW is my top choice. I just love BMW and I think there should be ample space for all my kids coz I definitely want to have more than just two kids *winks*. With SUV, I will have a better view of the road too.

2) Any BMW 3-Series when I go clubbing with my friends. I don't like coupé or convertible car. If I have a convertible car, I will have to go 'topless', otherwise what's the point of having a convertible car right? And going 'topless' means my long hair would be in a huge sorrowful state by the time I get to the club, and my beautifully-coloured-crafted-face would probably be messed-up with black soot mix with little droplets of sweat and oil!! Ewwww.... I would be mistaken as someone who got the Halloween date confused!

What else would I do?? Have not thought of that yet.

Anyway, go get my license first and stop day-dreaming so much!!

So What??

Every parents love their kids, this I'm very sure. Even if they hated the birth of every other kids alive, but theirs are the treasure, the precious, the most beautiful creation ever, the super-clever-kids and the only reason why they are still breathing and slogging their hours away!!


Yes, definitely. Which parents don't? I love kids, even if they are not my own or a little naughty or mischievious but remember, kids are still kids. If kids can understand logic and simple reasonable explanation in one sentence, they are not kids, they are SUPER-MIRACLE kids!! The ones you seen on TV: the non-existent type!!


I was at the playground this evening with Shane. Shane still can't get over the fact that he had a new bicycle (albeit two weeks already). Every evening, he will pester me to allow him to ride his bicycle and play at the playground. Today, the same. I obliged. After the whole day of being cooped up in school, he deserved to run around, play freely.


And so, my Shane was riding his bicycle. He accidentally 'crashed' into another kid at the playground, an older boy actually. A boy, who can speak much eloquently than my boy and of a slightly bigger built. The boy wasn't hurt and he was demanding an explanation from Shane, and after which, his friend came to help to 'talk'.


I watched from afar. I didn't wanna get involve or help him yet but of course, should they dare to lay a single finger on my kid, they wouldn't have a chance to run to their parents to get help! As you know, I'm petite and therefore, quite light. Oh I forgot to mention, I was a sprinter in school too and I did long jumps!!

I stood there, waiting to see what Shane would do to get himself out of the situation. But Shane, I think he has got this: 'I'm not in the wrong attitude', he refused to apologize. He insisted that it was because he couldn't brake in time and the boy was the one came running fast towards him!


In fact, I was quite proud of my boy in a way. He did not, for once, look over at my end for help. Neither did he run away. He just stood there, facing the wrath of the two boys, and stood firm on his ground. This boy has a lot of pride in him.


I watched in silence. Somehow, the older boy decided to just forget it. I had it in my mind to lecture Shane too when we get home later.


Shane rode off in his bike again. I decided to tail him this time, following him wherever his bike took him, at my own walking pace.


I stopped near the sliding tube and there was this asshole dad who looked at me and asked:


"Is that your son?"

"Yes" I answered.

"Can you ask him not to cycle in the playground?" he barked in an asshole way.

I was pissed. I asked him arrogantly:

"WHY?"

"Because there are other kids playing here"

"SO?"

"Because it's dangerous and he just knocked a boy"


I looked at him with a face that could killed a million ants and said " I don't get what you are trying to say!" blinked at him with my super EN-LARGED eyes and walked off!!


What an idiot!! If I could tail my son at my own-tortoise-slow pace, I don't see how he can seriously injured anyone?????? Yeah, that asshole had his own little girl climbing the tube, but SO??? Must he asked in such a rude way??


And not only was that boy whom Shane accidentally crashed into was much older, he was actually playing 'catching' with another boy when the crash happenned! So tell me, who was in the wrong??


Yesterday, I saw a few kids playing frisbee at the playground despite the frowns of the many parents there.


The evening before, I saw two kids riding motorized kids car and police scooter round the playground, which I must say, that motorized machines may not be that easy to halt compared to a four-year-old-boy-laboured bicycle!!


What nuts was that asshole barking about??


Was it because I look petite and young that he thought I was easy to bully?? If it was Shane's dad or any other man, keeping an eye on him that evening, would that asshole dare to tell him off!!


If I see him again at the playground or anyway in the compound, trust me, I will stare right through his bone and make him will feel as though he had died and gone to hell!!!


I'm not that unreasonable nor over-protective of my kid, but the fact is if that asshole had tried to politely engage in a civilised courteous way of expressing his concern, I would have responded in a polite manner too.


What an arrogant dimwit!

Saturday Nite Fever

Last week this time, I was back home, having CNY reunion dinner with my parents. With the exception of my two elder sisters (who were married and spent that nite with their in-laws), we had a great time crowding around the table having steamboat. It's no surprise that most families will usually have steamboat for reunion dinner.

The last CNY reunion dinner I had with them was four or five years back, before Shane was born. Although I do have family dinners about once or twice per month, somehow, having a CNY reunion dinner with them spelt a different meaning altogether. But of course, my family will make it a point to have another reunion dinner within the first 15 days of the CNY and everyone will be present.

Maybe it's my vivid imagination or the sheer bliss of being home, I often felt that the nite sky was beautiful there than here. You see, I need only to look up from my garden and I could see the Orion's Constellation (also known as The Hunter). I didn't know it was the famous Orion until that nite at Vertigo, Bangkok, where I spotted the same sets of stars. Becks and Mark tried to educate me which was the belt, sword, buckle... but I was quite dumb, so till now, I still can't figure out what is what.

Oh, I didn't know today is the 7th day of CNY. Chinese believe that humans were created on the 7th day so thus, it's everybody's birthday!! Happy Birthday to you, and you, and you and you! Happy Birthday Everyone!!!

And so since it's our birthday, I decided to cook dinner tonite for myself and Shane instead of ordering pizza. I love home-delivery food sometimes, no need to crack my already cracked-brain on what to cook, and best of all, no washing is needed after that, except washing my own oily hands.

SO I cooked something simple and easy to eat. An East meets West dinner. We both like to have soup, if possible, with our meals, so here you go:

White Radish with Spare Ribs Soup: topped up with mushroom and clams! Our favourites!! I normally add in dried cuttlefish or dried oyster in my soup to make it tastier. Oh, never throw away the 'stock' that comes with the clams, pour them into your soup and it will add another distintive taste to it. As for the clams, don't add them in until five minutes before eating, otherwise, it will be tough.

I made tenderloin steak for myself. I like it with all sort of spices, mainly all types of peppercorns and the special 1-step seasoning from McCormick. I love fresh garlic too. Lots of it! Sometimes I may add on a little red wine, or honey or even margerin.

Here, I marinated it using only peppercorns mix and the 1-step seasoning with lotsa garlics. I used the bread toaster instead of the oven and baked it for a max of 15 mins coz I like it slightly medium rare. But if you would like to use bread toaster to bake your steak, do check every five minutes to prevent it from being over-cooked if you prefer certain doneness.

An eager Shane, waiting for his dinner!

The Soup: End product.

My Humble-Unfurnished-Steak completed with Réserve de La Comtesse 2000, a CNY gift from Champion. Bon Appétit!

This is how I like my steak.

It's not that rare as it seemed here but its very tender and very juicy!!

Oiishii!!!

It's always tiring after cooking. I enjoy cooking but hate the aftermath of it. Cleaning, washing, drying, keeping... I think I'm having a fever now!! ;P

Nitey Nite from Shane.

The Men Don't Get It!!

And some men will never get it!!



I wonder why.



I am not in the dating mode, at least not yet. I'm enjoying my-new-found bachelorette life! But having said this, I miss having a listening partner, someone who has a nice warm shoulder for my tiny head to lean on, someone who would just be there, with nice warm arms surrounding the petite me.



Yes, I'm petite or 'so small' and not that you guys dunno already, but that doesn't mean I'm easy or cheap to feed okay. And telling me you wanted to feed me cheap cow is like an insult to me. Maybe you're trying to inject some humour (yeah, I did say laughter is the best medicine though, but did you consult Readers' Digest before trying your luck at 'humouring' me? The difference: I laughed uncontrollably at theirs. Need I say more?



Honestly, I'm appalled. 'nuff said. Sometimes I feel, maybe men can't read body language, or maybe their eyes are only fixed at a certain same spot (be it whatever spot!), ignoring all other vital important clues as to how welcome they really are, especially if they meet new lady friends, whom, let's say, they would like to get to know better.



And then, out of nowhere, I thought of this - Guide for Guys: Know WHEN to self-disappear when meeting a new lady friend:

1) When she checks her mobile phone frequently. Define frequently: a good gauge is checking her mobile phone once every 40 words you uttered. Okaylah, if you insist, once every 60 words then.



2) When she sends text message while you are talking (maybe she is sending it to her friends nearby to ‘rescue’ her from you!)



3) Keeps nodding her head with the same face expression and agreed (even if she thinks otherwise) with ALL that you said with a simple monotone: "Ya", "That's right", "I see", "Okay", "Really?".



4) Keeps calling out to anyone that walk by, cutting your sentence mid-way.



5) Looking at you blankly while playing with her hair or her manicured nails.



6) Answered your "So, what kind of movie do you enjoy?" or similar type of questions with "Anything lor!" or any of the answers as in point three.

I think six should be enough. Your fate would have already been sealed by the time she displayed her third. Sorry I have no tips for reviving a sealed fate. Don't ask!



Men, men, men.



Personally, I have TWO immediate failures for guys who tried to 'date' me, although some guys would insist that they are not trying to date me. LOL, what’s that then? Excursion? Field Trip?? Humour me please.



Neways, here are my two:

1) Kept coming closer to me while talking. You know, you don’t have to do that. I can hear you very well from where you are standing or sitting, even if there were loud music blasting away in the background. Trust me, I have great hearing power! Seriously, I don't want to breathe in what you breathe out!!



2) Your wandering hands. I think you should keep your filthy hands to yourself and I promise to keep mine to myself, equipped with mini hair-spray: the super-glue type! One wrong move from you, that's it!

And for guys who tried too hard with any girl. See below:

1) Frequent SMS. It’ll just irritate her further. If she doesn’t reply to your tenth SMS within 10 minutes it's a silent "I'm NOT interested", so stop bothering HER!



2) Not all girls are hard up for expensive food or ‘branded’ eateries. Neither are most materialistic! But then, don’t try to impress girls with too much ‘cheap, cheap, cheap’. Be smart, know when to flaunt and when to use the word ‘inexpensive’ subtlely.



3) If after 2 unsuccessful attempts of asking her out for meals, whether breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper, chances are you will fail again, so DO NOT TRY!



4) Stop telling her how rich you are, or what you can afford, see point two.



5) If you wanna eat @ her home, it’s only fair you need an invitation like everyone else. Stop assuming her home is free-for-all. Unless of course if you get a text message like this: I think I love you…

Can you men for once, GET it??

*N.B.* In short, if a girl likes you, she will like you even if you sit there, looking like a nerd with centre-parting oily hair, drinking koka-kola from a straw in a plastic cup, wearing a yellow-colored shirt with turquoise-colored pants and brown-colored qi-gong master shoes. NICE!!

Whatever lah, Happy CNY to all!!