Car batteries

Remember my car batteries went flat on me the other day? OK, so the story goes like this i.e what happened at the petrol station when I couldn't re-start my car. The hubby dialed AAM for assistance. We were on our way to my PIL for dinner. And since we were already half-way to their house, we thought AAM should bring the new car batteries to PIL's place cos I wasn't too keen on waiting for them at the petrol station.

While at the petrol station, a kind gentleman was kind enough to help my jump-start my car by connecting some cables from his car batteries to mine. Once he did that, we thanked him and went on our way to PIL's place. However, AAM called and said they had run out of stock of new car batteries. We tried some car workshops around the area but seeing as how it was already 8pm, none were opened.

We finally arrived at PIL's place and we had our dinner first. After dinner, the hubs and my FIL tried to jump-start the car using the same method as the gentleman at the petrol station. It worked but only to get home since once we are home and switch the car engine off, we went straight back to square one. The next morning, the hubs went out to purchase one and fixed it before he went to work. You know, this seems like a lot of hassle to me.

I wonder if I were to get those rechargeable batteries for my car instead, will I have less of a problem? I mean, how will I know when my car batteries will fall flat again the next time? I could be stuck at some deserted highway or something *touch wood*.

Clowning around

I have been clowning around with the fonts and found that I can do this and this and this and I didn't even know that I could. How dumb of me.

Apparently, I didn't change my blogger Settings to the Compose mode *slaps forehead*. No wonder I couldn't get some colours onto my fonts.

Anyhoo, I went shopping today. This evening in fact. And I managed to get my wedges. Initially, when I went looking for them, they ran out of my size. Remember, I wear gigantic shoes. I persevered, knowing that one day I will definitely find my "dream shoes" (OK, so maybe not EXACTLY my dream shoes but close) and look what I got?

A little blur cos I took this photo with my mobile. Its from Vincci. Imagine what a little retail therapy can do - does wonders!! :-D

When you are stuck

Here is the thing. Sometimes, when it is close to the festive season, there's always a situation where you are strapped for cash. Tons of things to buy and sometimes, there are even bigger purchases like a new car, bike or even, a mansion. All purchased in time for the celebrations. You know, new things for the new year. A brand new start kind of thing. Luckily, its not a new husband or wife every new year...hehhhee...

And what is worst is that the company that you work for, do not have the habit of giving out your yearly bonus during these times. So what happens then? What do you do when you are faced with such situations? Ngaw into your savings? Borrow from your family or friends? Make a quick buck gambling?

On the contrary, there's no such need to steal or borrow. Just look for companies that offer cash advance as these are very short term loans to help you bridge the gap till your pay check arrives. No hassle, fast approval and some don't even need you to have a credit history for verification as an approval condition. Great huh? Yeah, but don't go over-board cos just like the saying goes "too much of a good thing does more harm than good".

CNY

I wanted this CNY to be different in that I planned from earlier on to get/have :

1.A hair cut (OK, this is not part of the plan cos I have to get one in any case but just thought it 'goes'.

2.A facial

3.A pedicure. Since I need to “use” my hands a lot these days, I will do away with the manicure

4.A relaxing massage

5. A tattoo with the words “Thats hot” (hahha...no, I just put this in for fun)

So far, this is what I've gotten :

1.A hair-cut. It was getting out of shape so I had to whip it back to shape.

2.A facial. But this time, the facial lady didn't do a good job though. Spots are still appearing.

And these are what I haven't done :

1.Clean the house

2.Clean the cupboards

3.Clean the book shelf

4.Clean the tables

5.Buy some fake flowers and new year decorations

6.Change my bed-sheet

7.Wash and change the curtains

8. Wash floor mats

9. Buy some new year tidbits

10. Buy the remainder of my CNY ensemble

11. Change CNY money for ang pow

12. Pay utilities (I'm in charge now apparently)

13. Pay my CC bills (its 2 months over-due)

14. Stop procrastinating

Glasses vs Contact Lenses

I have poor eye-sight. Its hereditary and as a result of spending many hours watching tv when I was a kid. I actually started to wear glasses when I was 12. Then the vain-pot in me got to me and I started wearing contacts when I was in college. What to do? Needed to attract some male species...muahahha...:-P

Anyways, I have since stopped wearing contacts since 2 years ago and I actually prefer wearing glasses and I'll tell you why :

1. they are cheaper

2. more convenient without the hassle of removing them before bed

3. doesn't make your eyes dry

4. does not risk your eyes from contracting any infections

5. glasses make you look more intellectual

Its cool to wear glasses nowadays, what with the many latest trendy frames to choose from. Like the ones over at ZenniOptical.com where you can find Zenni Optical: Sell Rx Glasses $8 with case!, which is a "steal" in itself.

Anyway, just my thoughts on why wearing glasses is better than contact lenses.

*Sponsored*

The meaning of February 14th

Momsie : Do you know what day is February 14th?

Daddy : Yes, its a day in February

Momsie : No!! Its a day where the boy buys the girl something

Daddy : Is it? *pretends to be ignorant* Well, thats too bad cos I am not a boy.

Momsie : Then you are what?

Daddy : I am a MAN..

Momsie : OK, let me re-phrase that then. Its a day where the MAN buys the girl something

Daddy : Also too bad

Momsie : Why?

Daddy : Cos you are not a girl. Besides, the bajet for to buying things for you sudah no more. I oredi over the bajet.

Don't you think its right about time I look for a sugar daddy?? nyek nyek...tsk tsk...:-P

Have a Heart

If I've said it before, I'd say it again. If I've not said it before, I'd say it now – blogging is wonderful and has been for me. It has allowed me to meet many wonderful people, allowed me to express my thoughts, allowed me to be at a place when all seems lost and finally and possibly most importantly, blogging has allowed me to give something back to society.

Again, I have the opportunity to write for a good cause – helping women to fight against heart disease. And again, I did not (and will not) hesitate to participate. Motherhood changes a woman in many ways. One of the changes in me is that I have become less selfish and less self-centered. Things I didn't like doing, I did and have done for my child. I want to be able to tell her and share everything I possibly can about the world and what the future holds for her. For that, I know I have to stay healthy and hopefully, be a positive influence in her life.

The American Heart Association knows all too well about the need for women to have a healthy heart. They have come up with the "Go Red for Women Movement" designed to create and help women understand everything they need to about heart disease and how to prevent it. Many have joined in to help create the necessary awareness about reducing the risk of heart disease.

Campbell for one, has gone all out in support of the “Go Red for Women Movement” by teaming up with designer Lisa Perry and popular singer, Toni Braxton. Lisa Perry has designed 3 gorgeous dresses. All you have to do is vote on your favorite by visiting GoRedWithCampbells.com from December 20, 2007 - January 30, 2008 . For each vote cast, Campbell vouch to donate $1 to the American Heart Association (up to $100,000) and Toni Braxton will wear the design that carries the most number of votes at the Woman’s Day Red Dress Awards to kick off the American Heart Month in February 2008.

If you'd like to get involved, just visit www.goredwithcampbells.com and trust me, you'd find it every bit full-filling as I have.

2008 Australian Open

I have to come back down to earth now that the OZ Open is over and the competition ended with a brand new winner in Novak Djokovic. The Open also introduced a new face on tour in the form of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. I tell you, men (“those” men) and women alike would love a piece of his bicep and that infectious smile, has certainly made a few hearts flutter. I bet each time he took off his shirt, you could hear an orgasmic shout amongst the women-folk on the stands. He is charming and a great tennis player. To me, he will be someone to watch out for in the future.

Jo marked his presence at the Open by obliterating the World No 2, Rafael Nadal in the semi-final. Nadal was totally dumbfounded, with no answers at all when Jo came crashing his party and sent him packing a little earlier than expected. I watched the match and you gotta hand it to Jo, he was simply fabulous. Every shot, every serve was executed to perfection. Its just too bad he didn't bring it on too well this evening. Possibly the occasion was too overwhelming for him to handle.

As for Nadal, well, you know what they say about “when you have bad luck, its bad all the way”. The last I read on the news was that he couldn't get a business class ticket back home and only managed to secure one to only as far as Singapore. Honestly for me, do you know what he needs? He desperately needs to get himself some Private Jet Charter Flights for his travels. He is, after all world No. 2 and I'm sure he can afford to pay for some privacy when traveling from tournament to tournament. Anyways, who am I to say? I am just enjoying the sport. Who cares how they travel. Good luck though, Nadal, hope you have a pleasant flight home.

Me, the CFO?

We met up with a family friend recently. It was good to catch up, you know, on each other's life. We had long talks and he told us something really amusing. Amusing for me but not so for my hubby. He told us that when he moved to his new place, he got a renowned feng shui master to survey the house. To see whether in the feng shui perspective, his house has positive chi. One of the things that the master told him was that in order for him to prosper with abundant wealth, he would have to allow his wife to control the finances. In other words, appoint the wife as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the household. Of course, when his wife heard that, she was elated as she was also a SAHM like me. I then turn to my hubby and said "Hmm...dear, why don't you appoint me to be our house CFO?". My hubby replied "Sure, and your duty would have to include giving me monthly financial reporting of our finances". Darn it!!!

Why?

Why am I up at this un-godly hour blogging away? To rant? To rave? To write an absolutely and ridiculously emo post? Nay!

My evening didn't start on a good note. Was on the way to my MIL's place for dinner and the car battery went flat on us. Luckily, we were at the petrol station when that happened and not at some deserted highway. Since we are AAM members, we thought we were safe. Some member benefits they have *rolls eyes*. We called them to go over to our MIL's place to get us some new batteries. We got a guy to help 'jump start' our car at the petrol station for us to get to MIL's. But the AAM guy said they had run out of stock. And the nearest car workshops were all closed as it was already 8pm. After dinner, we managed to get my FIL to help us jump start our car again using his car batteries. Luckily, he had the cables for it otherwise, I might have to spend the night at MIL. So, no batteries and no car tomorrow.

Came home late but as usual, had some last minute pending assignments to complete. And guess what? I couldn't access the net. I mean, I could but the loading took forever and none of the pages opened up and the line kept getting cut off. Our internet provider seriously needs some help! So, I was left with possibly seeing the assignments expire right before my eyes. Another frustrating feeling cos I have been having a round of bad luck with some pp companies. You know, the thing about taking away an opp when I had reserved it. Those kinds of stuff. When it happened the first time, I was pissed but I guess I am over it now. Tennis really is a fantastic distraction...hehehhe

I still haven't got to the part about why I am writing this in the dead of night, have I? Well, I was downstairs watching the repeat of some of the tennis matches that took place this afternoon as I wasn't home. I kept falling in and out of sleep on the couch and had wanted to feed Ashley once more before knocking off to bed myself. Around 2 am, I went upstairs wanting to feed Ashley when I smelled poo. My poor baby has been poo-ing every night. And her very ingenuous Mommy bought the wrong diaper for her. What happened was, her diaper pack came with a sample 'diaper pants'. You know, those that fits like panties/underwears. And it was soft and I let her try it on. After trying the sample, I thought what a great idea, its easy to wear and it gives her more flexibility when she crawls or sits. The diaper doesn't leave a red mark on the “sticker area” of her leg. I bought 2 packs. When I bought it home, I realised I had made the biggest novice mistake ever. What happens when she poo? She can't squat, she can't stand on her own, she doesn't know how to remove the diaper. I found out the hard way a week ago. I had to carry her to the bathroom and take the diaper off there and wash the 'mess' from her feet. Her legs would be filled with poo stain when I pull the diaper from her buttocks and I'd have to hose her legs and buttocks down there and then.

So, anyway, back to this morning when I smelled poo. Obviously, she did her business but since she was too tired, she continued sleeping. I had to wake her up, carry her to the bathroom and do what I had to even though she was tired, sleepy and cranky. I felt really bad for waking her up but I couldn't help it. I can't bear to let her sleep with her poo. As I put her down on the bathroom floor to remove her clothes, she let out a cry for a while. But as soon as I took off her diaper, she knew she was being cleaned. And I asked her very gently to help me by standing so I could free up my right hand (my left was holding on to the shower stick). She did and she leaned over on my lap for support. After I had finished, I carried her onto my bed, put on a fresh piece of PJs for her and gave her, her milk. She was hungry and she fell asleep soon after while I cleaned up the rest of the mess.

After all that was done, I no longer felt sleepy. I turned on my computer and put the kettle to boil for a hot cup of milo. And what do you know? I managed to log on to the net a lot better. I even managed to finish the soon-to-expire assignments and found myself more assignments. But all these are secondary. As I sat here, thinking about my baby and how she has been to us for the past 10 months is really amazing. She has been really kind and good to us. I am not saying this as if I am taking her goodness for granted. No, I am just thankful and of course, I hope she will continue to be 'good'. Its as though she understands what is going on, you know, that we are first time parents and there are a lot of adjustments in our lives. And she appears to have and been making these adjustments easier for us to handle by being good and fuss free most of the times. Maybe her patience or our patience haven't been tested, I don't know. But like tonight, she made it relatively easy for me by not waking the father and the neighbours up. In less than 2 months, she will be celebrating her 1st. I'll probably leave the entire run-down of her milestone till then cos as I am typing these few words, I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open. Good night or good morning to some, thanks for listening and have a great Friday!!

What we would like to have...

Amazingly, even after 3 years of staying here at our home (gosh, has it been that long?), its pretty empty. We gave the renovation and furnishing a minimal effect – only the kitchen cabinets are done up. We had planned for "the works". Or rather, I had but till now, most of 'my plans' have yet to materialize.

Reasons were of course aplenty. Budget constraints for one as when we moved in, we moved to an empty house. We didn't have anything existing with us that we could bring along with us other than a bed, 2 pillows, 1 and half bolster. And maybe a chest drawer and a single wardrobe. That was all. So, we decided to furnish the place section by section, room by room. Surely the most important is the kitchen. Though I am not the most fantastic cook out there, but to us, it tops the list as “most important to do”.

We are, needless to say, terribly proud of our kitchen. It took us more than 2 months to find the right contractor and get the kitchen we wanted. Nevertheless, there is still something missing that my hubby have always wanted. We are missing some exquisite Wine Racks. We just couldn't find one that we felt was right for us and our kitchen. Hopefully, it won't be long before we finally settle on one.

Island vacation

You know what would be the perfect getaway? Definitely, an island vacation. Imagine the blue skies, sounds of the ocean at night, cool breeze, lots of sun (and sun-block lotions), iced lemon tea, Justin Timberlake. OK, now I am awake. It was quite a dream there I had *snigger*. Heard of Hilton Head? No its not Paris' head. I'm talking about the exclusive beach resort. Wonder what the Hilton Head rental is like? If it is reasonable, I might just add that to my "to-visit" list *smile*.

To the mall

Aha! Told you I'm a blogger-holic and I can't stay away from the virtual world for far too long. I'd miss my virtual friends and updating them via my posting. So, here I am writing what we will be doing tomorrow.

Incidentally, tomorrow is a public holiday. It used to be a state holiday but our dear Prime Minister has officially declared Thaipusm a public holiday for other states as well. So, that will only mean one thing – jam packed malls. I am serious. We love to throng the malls whenever we get a day off. What's worst is that the Chinese New Year is fast approaching and folks like me have tons on our plate.

I will have to brave the crowd, get in before 10am to find a good parking spot and walk/buy as fast as I could so that I can finish by lunchtime. You must be wondering since I am a SAHM, why do I need to head to the malls when everyone is on holiday? The thing is, my hubby isn't one (a SAHM) and tomorrow is the only time he will be getting time off until February. He is after all my “ATM Machine” so you know what they say “Never leave home without it”. So, I am not gonna.

Or I could simply shop the easier way – online. Places like LightInTheBox have plenty of wholesale items for sale. From Ipods to jeweleries and hair straightener to just about anything. We'll just have to see what time I am up tomorrow and if I am late, I might just give the mall a miss.

Weekend has come and gone

So, what have you been doing lately?

I feel like I've not blogged at all over the past week. And its mostly my fault. I have been too lazy and I could squeeze nothing out of my brains. Absolutely, wordless. This happens oh, 4 times in a year.

But it has been a busy weekend for us. Had 2 dinners in a row which was actually a good thing. In the midst of all the dinning and "whining", Ashley turned 10 months!! And the occasion was marked with the emergence of her 1 and half tooth. Half cos the upper tooth has just begun to 'sprout'.

She is getting bolder everyday now. Height is not really an issue with her. She is also alot more vocal although, every word that she attempts to utter doesn't seem to resemble anything that I know of. Not yet at least.

The downside is (or what I feel is a downside) that her sleep routine has been affected due to her teething woes. All the work that we put in during the early months seemed to have evaporated. Though I constantly tell myself that its alright and not to beat myself over it but she may not be getting sufficient sleep during the night and she will have to make up for it during the day and that will interrupt her bedtime at night. You see, its a vicious cycle. I guess we will just have to start all over again with re-establishing her routine. The potential downside to this is that Ashley will not get to see her father before she goes to bed since he comes home late every night. I guess there is just no other way really if we want this to work.

Something for granny

In a couple of days, my grandma will be celebrating her birthday. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to how old she is. In fact, no one really knows my granny's real age. You see, back in yester-years, there was no law requiring registering births until the birth certificate was introduced much later. And those who were born prior to that, would have only “registered” their 'best' age because really, at that time, no one really kept any records of their birth year.

Needless to say, my granny has gone through a lot what with the world war and a mini civil war. She has 9 children and 11 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. She is living her life to the fullest and having had to battle with cervical cancer just a couple of years back. These days, she walks with a walking stick. At times, showering or even going to the toilet poses a challenge for my granny. Seeing how she is right now, I wish that things could be better for her. But you know what I'd really love to get her? A GoWheelchair-Grab-Bar. Its just perfect for her as she does not have one in her house at the moment as she would need all the support she needs whenever she is in the shower or the toilet. Anything for my granny as she has done much for me when I was young. Happy birthday granny and have a great one!

Ink for thee

These days, even if you are not self employed or running a business, you would have a printer at home. Its not about printing documents or invoices but printing photos downloaded from your mobile or digital camera. With the appropriate printer, photo paper and relevant ink cartridge not some cheap ink cartridges, you can have a collection of your own photos at a fraction of the price outside.

At www.inkforcheap.com, you will find quality cheap toner and printer ink. These are comparable to printer inks and toner that you can purchase direct from the manufacturer. After all, we are always looking for items that are competitively priced. That's human nature. I know I am for instance. However, it may not be easy finding discount printer ink that are good quality. Perhaps you may find one at Inkforcheap.com

Fishes galore

I am not a fan of seafood though I do fancy my fried calamari once a while but its definitely no seafood when I was pregnant. I couldn't stand the smell, the fishy smell was way to overwhelming for a poor ol' pregnant lady that I was.

My hubby fancies seafood though and he will be thrilled to bits when I tell him about Legal Sea Foods. Strange name for a seafood place but its where you can find all sorts fresh seafood dishes prepared and delivered to your door-step. Now, this is where it gets a little bit more exciting. With the Legal Sea Foods coupon code, you can get your favourite dish at discounted price.

At CouponHeaven.com, you can get free coupon codes for all your favourite shopping brand names. Click on the link and who knows, you might just get some of your favourite brands at a discounted prices.

Have a good weekend

I have been a couch potato all week. Thanks to the tennis season that began on Monday.

Have a great time this weekend, y'all!!

Baseball

This sport is only famous in 2 countries, namely, the US and Japan. Yet the sport has a World series. That got me thinking? How could a sport be classified as World when basically only 2 countries play it? Puzzled? Well, so am I.

If you have ever played baseball, its actually a pretty fun game. It can get brutal. Why? Well, when the person batting, accidentally hits your head with a baseball bat while at it, you are as good as gone. Overall, its a fun game. You can really get excited playing the sport. Again, like soccer, there is really nothing you need except a couple of your friends, a couple of baseballs and Baseball Bats . Oh yes, and a very large football field.

I remembered back in the States (again), we would have our very own version of baseball. As you may have guessed, I was lousy at it. I run like a snail and hit the 'wind' most of the time. Why do you think there were no rules? If there was, I would've lost the team mega points. But I did hit a 'home-run' though, once. Its worth something at least but we still lost. Then again, winning wasn't the most important thing as long as we had fun playing it. I mean, we weren't exactly competing for the World series now, were we? *rolls eyes*

I am "that"

I am, yet again. This time, I am turning into one of THOSE mommas. You know, those mommas that will insist that her child shows the neighbours what she has just learned and will insist that the child does it over and over again for the neighbours.

This evening, when the hubs pulled onto the drive-way, so did the neighbours. Now, this particular neighbour of mine are highly elusive. They live upstairs and never comes out when they are home, ever unless they are going to the mall or to work. It was definitely one of those rare occasions that we saw the entire family getting out of the car and heading upstairs.

I was out with Ashley to greet the hubs. And the wife, Mrs. F saw us and naturally, we talked shop for a little bit. Ashley learned how to wave recently but getting her to wave is, at times akin to pulling a donkey to the river for a drink. Hardly ever happens unless she is in the mood.

And I wanted to show her new skill off to Mrs. F. “Wave bye bye Ashley...wave bye bye Ashley”. Ashley just stares at Mrs. F. Helps her by taking her hand and motioning it to "wave" hoping she would get the drift and wave..”Wave bye bye Ashley...”...Darn it!! Why don't you just wave?

Oh well, I couldn't get her in the mood after a few tries but I think I would've just stood there, holding her and repeatedly ask her to 'wave bye bye' if my neighbour didn't signal to me that she was heading upstairs..OK, have I turned into THOSE mommas? OMG!! Have I?? -sigh-


Another 'skill' Ashley learned recently, getting under the table

Credit card processor

Businesses especially online stores rely heavily on the usage of credit cards as a form of payment from their customers. It is convenient and highly efficient. Provided of course, this ideal situation does not take into account any fraud happening with the card holder. This mode of payment is dependent upon a reliable internet credit card processor

Why am I talking about this? In reality, many stay-at-home moms work at home. These typical work-at home-mom obtain their side-income from starting online stores selling clothes for kids. This is just an example of how a mom generates income while taking care of their kids at home. With the many chores around the house, the last thing these moms need is a bad credit merchant processor.

This is what www.aplusmerchant.com hopes to achieve – Visa and MasterCard payment solutions so that you can conduct your online business in a stress-free manner. The credibility of the individual card owner, however, depends entirely on your business judgement and sense.

I'm home

I am and we are finally HOME from our short stay at the in-laws.

It feels good to be back with my smelly pillow and my sunken bed. It feels good, damn good. Even Ashley's sleeping well. In fact, she fell asleep on the way back and is still sleeping as I am typing this. There is just no place like home and I am going to hit the sack very soon too.

But before I go just an update on my MIL's sister's condition - Not Good, NOT GOOD AT ALL. She is basically bedridden and well, lets not talk about it anymore. I've met her a couple of times and she is a really lovely lady who definitely do not deserve what she's getting at the moment. Its such a heart-breaking news that my MIL brought back with her.

And on a lighter note (OK, this shall be the last piece of CNN news that I will bring to you), Ashley is really cute (haven't I said that already?), we were playing on the bed last night. She started to hit my head with her water bottle. After 3 hits, I covered my head with my hand, pretending to cry. Instead of feeling sorry or bad, Ashley laughed as I "cried". And she kept trying to remove my hand from my head cos she wanted to continue hitting me. OK, is that supposed to be a bad sign or what? What? Tell me, TELL ME!!!

Soccer for the soul

I am not sure about where you're from but soccer is pretty much the favourite past-time for adults and kids alike where I live. The game is pretty much universal anyway and its very easy to pick up. All you really need to have is a large field, a couple of Soccer Balls, a couple of your friends and you can start playing soccer. You can even make up your own rules as you go along. Kids love it when it rains. Playing in the rain is every kids' fantasy and with soccer, its more than possible, its fun with a capital “F”. The nightmare starts when they come home with muddy T and shorts. If you ask me, its definitely worth being grounded for.

As for me, soccer isn't really my favourite sport. However, I won't miss the World Cup for the world. There are only 2 main reasons why I watch it. Firstly, for the hunks. That cannot be farther from the truth. The entire World Hunks of Football (its what we call it here) congregate at one place for an entire month. Do you think its possible to miss such an auspicious occasion for a housewife like me? Certainly, not. The second reason is actually a minor reason cos I do it vicariously through the hubs and its none other than football betting. These are the only 2 motivating factor really. If these 2 reasons are absent, why in the world would anyone even bother to watch 22 men on a football pitch chasing after a ball? *rolls eyes*

Psst, something to tell you all...

I have an 'egg'. Courtesy of our dear pal, Mr. Gargantum. Something must be wrong. I don't make much and I'm a nobody. Yet, Mr. Gangantum also know worr. I am puzzled why he don't want to go slap other people's bum but want to slap mine oh?? I must be more attractive than I thought..lol

OK, enough of crap. Its probably as a result of crap that I was slapped in the first place. Anyways, seriously, honestly, there is not much changes. For me cos my old PR wasn't that great of a number anyways and if my alexa ranking was the lottery pool, I would've won it hands down already. So, if you ask me, the slap hasn't changed much for me in terms of blogging and PP. I was getting very little opps anyways, so now also there is no opp so as you can see, there's no difference really.

Anyhow, as I was telling a mommy blogger yesterday, no opp means more time for.....my girl la, what you thinking *wink*.

I don't think its coming back

My Jessica Alba-like body that is. Its almost there but never the same. If I get pregnant again in the future, it probably won't come back, ever. Gosh, the sacrifices we make as a mom. People have said exercise helps but I think it won't help a great deal. Maybe I might have to consider lapband Houston, a weight loss surgery. If that is the only way then I guess so be it.

*Sponsored*

A tiring day

We had the most tiring day today. Hubby had to go back to the office for a short while to get some stuff done. Then, by the time he came home, we had to go back to pack some more of our stuff to bring over to the in laws. Then, it rained quite heavily that we didn't get to leave the house till late in the evening. When we did return to the in laws, we had dinner, hubby gave Ashley a sponge bath while I washed the dishes. We sat down for a while cos we watched Speed on Astro. Then, Ashley woke up. We too her with us when we went home to gather more stuff that we had forgotten. We bought supper on the way back. Ate supper and then Ashley threw up. She ate too much. And she had difficulty sleeping after that. By the time I showered, it was 1 am. The hubs and I we were really really tired this morning when we woke up and poor him, had to go to work :-(

You be the judge

What can I do?

I am trying to be the best PP-tie out there (angry edi can still joke summore *rolls eyes*). And to be the best PP-tie, I signed up god knows all kinds of freakin PP company there is. One of them we all know too well is B-TISE. No need long long name since we all know.

But first, let me say "Thank you" cos they have rewarded me a number of assignments and usually without glitches. So, have to thank the hands that feed my pocket with extra $$ to get myself a treat once in a while. All has been great until LAST NIGHT..

I have a completed assignment sitting at their system pending for approval since last year. I think slightly after Christmas and before the New Year. All these while, when I checked, its still there, sitting waiting to get chopped or go on to live, I don't know. I didn't want to bother cos I thought "well, maybe give them some time, its the holidays, people are slow (so am I) and yadda yadda...". All my other posts written after this post has been approved.

Nevermind, put into practice the 'patience' I gained during my stint as a full fledged SAHM. Then came yesterday, already not in a good mood, I logged on to the network wanting to finish up pending assignment. And what did I find? The post under "pending approval" has disappeared. OK, maybe it is FINALLY APPROVED. But NO, it has DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY from the system. As if I didn't do it at all.

If you reject me, its ok. If you want to cancel my opportunity, its still fine. But not make the completed post disappear from the system as if I had not done it. Its not even in the expired folder/column or whatever you call it.

Of course I wrote to them. Even using the email that they send every time an opportunity has been reserved together with my post URL. I didn't expect an answer immediately but I sure as hell expect one this morning. But nothing. So, I wrote them a reminder which I think may fall into deaf ears anyways *rolls eyes summore*

Look, the opp was 10 bucks. If your blog is anything like mine, Alexa rank of 2 mil and a RR of 3K, 10 bucks is the maximum I can write for. To me, that is already A BIG OPP and to have them just make it disappear like what David Copperfield did to the 747, its just simply not fair. Even if they had rejected me, with reasons of course, I won't be so mad. But to take it away without even telling me why (probably to offer it to the public once more), its just way out of hand.

OK, so please tell me, should I :

1. Delete the post from my blog NOW; or

2. Wait for another day for their reply, and then delete ; or

3. Just forget about the whole thing

Really, really clueless *bummed out*

No gold necklace for baby

Ha, evil me has emerged. I am not in the best of moods today. For the past 2 days, things have been not only not going smoothly, but we were faced with decisions that would affect our family. Not drastic ones but whether these are healthy decisions or not. Like for instance, should I get my cousin's baby girl a gold necklace for her full-moon or just a small economic gift considering that I am not earning much and the prices of gold has gone up tremendously. Its not like the baby knows the value of it anyway. You see, its decisions like these that will cause me to have more white hair or less hair or both. Either way, its not a good sign *snigger*.

I am here

Ok, I am at the in laws at the moment. Reached here almost 11pm cos the hubby came back late today (as usual) and it was difficult getting my baby to sleep just now. Actually, she did fall asleep in the car while on the way here but as soon as we carried her to the bedroom, she woke up. Eyes wide open.

Ashley is a very light sleeper. She isn't the type who can just doze off as, when and where. She needs her bed, her environment etc..Or it could simply mean that we haven't taken her out often enough, exposing her to other beds, other environment, etc. Either way, its a little too late now and we are here at the in laws and she was getting cranky a while ago when the hubby tried to put her to bed when I was taking a shower. Hopefully, she will get used to this soon otherwise, we would have to endure this not-able-to-sleep for the next few days until my MIL gets back and we go home. I will be having eyes worse than panda's *yikes*.

Its January

I was just telling a blogger friend that this will have to be the year to get a baby boy. I did mention previously that my hubby wants 3 kids. I don't. So, in order to wriggle my way out of this, I have to get pregnant pronto!! I need a few things, viagra (kidding!) and an ovulation kit. Oh, and a pregnancy kit for motivation. All this from an online pharmacy would be simply marvellous.

*Sponsored*

What gives?

For the past 2 days (today included), there have been no interesting PP out there. Its either, casino or cash advance. And there was one on viagra!! Needless to say, I didn't take any of those. It took alot and I mean ALOT of will power to say NO. The urge is tremendous to "see" and then "grab", know what I mean?

I thought, before this blog turns into a 'tai yee long' (loan shark), I figured I better stop while I still can otherwise, when I start earning big bucks like some pro-bloggers, I won't be able to stop..heheh...Oh crap! I have succumb to the dreaded green bags *yikes*

Spock – The next generation

As an introduction, let me just say that I am still considerably new to the blogging world. Its true. The thing is, there is no 'old' or 'new' in blogging cos anyone with an internet access and can read and write, will be able to blog like a professional. Just like a speedster can speed on the freeway even without an F1 licence. The truth though, is that there IS in fact such a distinction. What I have learned so far are only the basics to blogging. Terms like "traffic" and "SEO" were alien to me and I wondered why they were important to a blog in the first place.

This is what I have come to realize. Maybe a little to late for some but nevertheless, I have learned it. People blog to be heard. Like I may have said somewhere before, if you blog for yourself, it is kind of pointless to be blogging so to speak. Blogging is informative, interactive and the best blogs in the world are classified as such by the number of “traffic” it gets, by the number if link-backs (there, I have learned a new term!) it gets, how high a page on the search engine it gets. These are the things that I am trying to master as I move along on my blogging foray.

Which ultimately brings me to this. Search engines are vital to a blog when you are looking for a high traffic site. People looking for people is what Spock aims to offer. Not exactly their tag-line but what I've attempt to sum them up. Spock is unique in the sense that after the search is done, it doesn't end there. Each person (be it bloggers or celebrities) discovered by their search engine is run through a process of de-duping (for people with identical or similar names) and given a permanent profile page. Spock.com - A Great Place for Search

Sippy Cup

Ashley has been holding her own bottle to drink her milk for a while now and I thought I could start her on a sippy-cup. I being impatient as usual. I went out and bought a "no-spill" cup from Moms Care a couple of months back. She didn't like it. She can hold the handles and put her mouth on the opening but once she does that (put her mouth on the opening), she takes it out and throw the cup away. I guess I will have to give it more tries before she masters it. Can't wait though *smile*.

Back to MIL

Tomorrow, I have to pack my bags and stay at my in laws for a couple of days cos my MIL is going to Ipoh to visit her sister who has been diagnosed with stomach cancer just recently. Apparently, the doctors gave her a few months to live but lets hope the doctor is wrong and she will get well. I don't know anymore details until my MIL gets back I suppose. The reason why we are going to stay over at their place is because my FIL isn't following. He too has been not feeling too well of late. And he is not too keen to come over. You know, they are just a lot more comfortable at their own home. Anyways, I take this as a sign of things that we have in the pipeline but will just materialise a lot sooner than expected. Hope my MIL returns with good news but we are not optimistic. Everyone is preparing for the inevitable and praying for a miracle at the same time.

An important tip

When you are moving into your new home as a newly married couple, don't scrimp on the refrigerator. Most people will think that since there aren't many people living in the house except the 2 of you that you can save to buy a bigger tv instead. Even if you think you won't be doing a lot of cooking or even eating at home, it is definitely more advisable to purchase a reasonably sized refrigerator like one of those Kenmore Refrigerators.

The reason is that as a newly wedded couple, you will obviously be thinking of having kids. When your bundle of joy arrives, you won't have time to go shopping every week. Not for the first month at least. So, you might have to stock up your refrigerator with lots and lots of fresh produce. It will be a little inconvenient to want to get a bigger refrigerator then, wouldn't you think so? Check out some of the models they have at www.krillion.com to get an idea.

I saw it, I finally SAW IT

I'm talking about the dirty video la. My verdict - Quite boring lor. And the woman also not so good looking. And nothing to shout about. But at least, I can say I saw it. *grin*

Crap Again

I am gonna crap again to make up the numbers. First of all, when I woke up this morning, I logged on to SM. If you are a hardcore PP, you will know what SM is *smirk*. Not you, Adrian kekkek...just joking :-D

Anyways, back to SM. As I was saying, when I logged on, I saw a string of offers but most I couldn't take cos 1 wanted own domain, another I've done before and one more was about viagra and men's health. I looked at the amount offered for that, I just let it passed. And I suppose alot also thought the same as me cos when I logged on again a couple of hours later (opps disappear very fast these days) and the viagra opp was still there!!! Man, if I knew, I would've quickly finished the one I grabbed earlier and then taken the viagra one isn't it? Gosh, lesson learned - Quickly finish your opp so you can take another one *greedy smile on face*

Credit Cards

I was just talking about that in one of my posts yesterday. How I have to call the bank to waive the annual membership fee that they have levied on me this year. They do not have the 'free for life' policy so the waiver depends on a case-to-case basis.

Some banks do offer free for life memberships. I just didn't compare the various offers that each of the banks has. Don't be like me. When you are thinking of applying for a credit card, give www.creditcardsearchengine.com. A site that allows you to make a comparison of credit cards online. You can Compare Cash Back Credit Cards with conventional credit cards all at the convenience of your own home. Not an entirely bad place to start, don't you think?

Barney, every child's superstar

Ok, I have successfully 'trained' my poor girl into watching Barney and Friends. She loves the purple thing. I am not sure if its 'him' or the fact that she just loves the singing and the songs. Whatever it is, I get some time to get some work done like today for instance, I woke up an hour late.

I don't know how many of you share my sentiments but when you are an hour late, everything gets delayed. The laundry, the baby's lunch, my lunch, the fishies' lunch, just about EVERYBODY's lunch. And I had to let some of the opps that I have been so greedy in grabbing, expire right before my eyes cos I was at the johns'.

So, here I am writing as fast as my brain and fingers can get me before getting back to more work like washing the dishes, bathing the princess and more work.

Shoes, many many shoes

This shoe lovin, shopping crazy momma loves her shoes. Just check them out ok. Its a lot, ALOT of shoes going on there. Compared to my collection, mine is like a mo hill and hers is a mountain...:-D

Tis the year to get hitched

For us Chinese, anything with the number is considered good and auspicious. No number 4 please but 8. The best day yet will inevitably be 8.8.08. I bet a lot would have planned to tie the knot on that day. Speaking about weddings, I remembered mine. It was horrendous. We did everything ourselves and fumbled along the way like most things. If only I knew about www.weddingchannel.com. An online wedding planner to help you with your wedding plans. With their easy to use interactive planning tools, comprehensive expert advice and useful guide, planning a wedding is never easier. I should know, you will need all the help you can get when it comes to planning your big day. The only thing guests like me would have to figure out is what sort of Wedding Gifts to get. That is a whole lot easier compared to what the bride and groom has to go through. Good luck!!

It is only 7th of January

Yes, its only the 7th today and I already have 25 post published. I foresee that I may just hit the thousand by year end and probably get penalised soon. This blog have been spared for the moment but not that it is a very high number and I don't get any and much from the Papaya network anyway. I'm contemplating on removing the codes. What do you reckon? Think it is a good idea? I might just log on again to see if there is anything interesting, otherwise, I will just remove the codes and put it at the other one when I sign up. That reminds me, I may have to change the URL on that one. Will let you know. Luckily I haven't listed it on any network directories *yikes*

Dirty DVD

OK, I am on the look-out for the dirty Chua DVD. Yesterday, at my mom's place, my sister claimed she saw IT at someone's computer. To that SOMEONE who knows my sister, send her the link so she can send to me. I am just curious. I mean, it isn't everyday that you see your local cabinet (ex, in this case) minister "getting it on". Again, enough of crap, more work to do. You owe someone an article.

Kava

Now, this word sounds strange doesn't it? But feels very Hawaiian doesn't it? No, its not the latest hotel spa along Waikiki beach. Its actually a herb. To be more precise, kava refers to both the plant and the beverage produced from it. Kava is a legal intoxicant in many countries and if consumed before driving can cause a DUI citation. Primarily, when consumed, kava relaxes without disrupting mental clarity. In some countries, the kava extract is marketed as as a herbal medicine that fights against stress, insomnia, and anxiety. Well, you may want to check it out further and see if it does help in combating those 3 negative chi.

They did it!!

They waived it for me. The annual membership fee but only for another year. I would have to call them back again next year. Oh joy, what fun *rolls eyes*. Save me from having to transfer extra funds hehehe...Ok, now enough of crapping and back to work PEOPLE!!

Annual Fee

Man, I just logged on to my online credit card statement and found out that I have been charged an annual fee of RM90. I have to call them every year to get it waived. I think I will change to one which gives me free membership fee for life kind of thing. The thing I like about this bank is that their reward points do not expire unlike some and since I hardly use my credit card these days, limitless reward points are good for me to have. Oh well, we shall see how it goes when I call the bank to get them waived for this year. So much for the start of the new year..

My little discovery

Whenever we are in Melbourne, my sister in-law never fails to bring us to the local casino. Its a family habit. If we have a few cents more in our pockets, we love to roll the dice hoping to hit it big so that we can all retire in Timbuktu.

To tell you frankly, I am not a fan of the Melbourne casino. I'll tell you why. Everything is happens in slow motion especially when they are placing the bets, closing the rounds and distributing the winnings. I tell you, when it comes to money, where the Chinese are concerned, you have to make a concerted effort to speed up otherwise, its bad luck for both the casino and the players alike. Plus, I am an impatient woman. When I am waiting for something, I hate it when people are slow. Its just my style.

Anyways, since we have Ashley, we haven't been to the casino. Trying the online casino isn't a bad idea with casino review sites such as www.bret-casinos.com who gives objective and comprehensive reviews of online casinos.

Something's gotta give

Now that Ashley is asleep, I have some time to get some domestic administrative work out of the way. What you may ask? You know, things like paying the bills, writing checks, getting an auto insurance quote for each of our cars since they are due for insurance renewal soon. Mine is due in April whereas the hubs car insurance is due end of this month. Seeing as we would be spending a lot this year, I have to cut down a lot of my usual retail indulgence as and when I like. Tough but something's gotta give.

We need those switches

My mother in-law was complaining that the new LCD tv we bought her doesn't 'feel' like the ones my brother in-law and sisters in-law has. She claims that the images aren't as sharp and clear. She can't spot a pimple on the singer's face unlike on her other son's and daughters' tv. The hubs found out that their DVD and Astro decoder doesn't support the new HDMI switches but we managed to get another cable to enhance the images a little. I guess we will have to do better than this..-sigh-

Slow Sunday

We took everything slow today except for the morning. We rushed to get Ashley ready cos we wanted to run over to Tesco for some grocery shopping. The last time, I thought Tesco opened at 10am just like most shops but nope, it opens at 9am. I made Ashley's porridge as quickly as I can, waited for the guy to finish washing our car and then, we were ready to go around 10:30am. We are fast shoppers. It helps with a grocery list and we were done by 11:30am, just when the crowd was starting to build up.

We got home, fed Ashley and put her to bed. The hubs went to bed too but his bedtime was short-lived as Ashley woke-up crying. They woke up in time anyway cos we would usually go to my mom's for lunch on Sundays which we did soon after. We stayed in since it was raining cats and dogs. The whole jing bang was at my moms' which left Ashley entertained the entire afternoon.

All in all, we got to laze around, took everything easy and ate good food. Isn't that what Sunday's are supposed to be? How was or is your Sunday?

Our bed

When we got married, I stayed with my in-laws. So, when we went looking for a mattress, my mother-in law insisted on showing us where to get the cheapest mattress there was. Ok, so we finally did find out but it was really hard. I am not sure what type of mattress it was but rest assured that it wasn't a memory foam mattress. The bed and mattress are still at my in-law's and I don't think we will be bringing them to our house anytime soon.

These aren't popular here

It is true, pick-up trucks aren't. Where I live, people prefer MPVs or SUV's but not pick-ups. Don't ask me why but I actually find them useful. Especially when you are moving to a new house. Furthermore, your leather seats or cushions won't get dirtied so easily either if you have to move your potted plants for example. With a pick-up, you can easily change the truck bed liner.

Now everyone has one

Yup, everyone has one except us. We are still stuck with our conventional sharp 21 inch tv. Ok, now you may laugh. That is the state of our AV room currently. My brother-in law and sisters in-law have upgraded their AV rooms with a LCD TV. Even my father in-law has one on his birthday. Now, we are the only ones left without the latest technology in town. I vow to get one soon, very soon *wink*

Don't get started on me now

I know this is a mommy blog and I am supposed to be blogging about strollers.

I can't cos I have nothing more to say about whether to get a traveller or a light-weight. My mind is fixed on this
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Knock knock

Who's there?

Brain

Brain who?

Brain not working...

This is getting a wee bit more serious than I thought. Yes, I am greedy. Yes, there are lots pending. Yes, I am highly ***. Yes, I am talking a whole lot of bull-***.

What to buy? Where to buy?

Its a tough question when you are a first time parent. I should know but not as naïve as the hubs. When we went shopping for baby stuff, be it clothes, diapers, soap or even a simple rubber mat, he asked me how I knew what to buy. I guess I was or am lucky cos I was at the inquisitive age when both my sisters were born. By the time my youngest sister was born, I knew everything!! I was 13. I mean, at that age, you gotta know something. Complete baby shops are hard to come by. Sure there are many but one with everything isn't so easy to find. Try www.lilaguide.com, where you can find almost everything you need before your bundle of joy arrives.

It is official

Waist line (stomach included) – 2 sizes up

Boobs – 1 size up

Hips – 1 sizes up

Butt – 1 size up

Brains – Negative 1

OMG!!! I am a BRAINLESS PEAR!! -sigh-


Hope you're having a great weekend!!

Happy 62nd Birthday Dad!!

Ha, no photos. My family are a tad bit shy about posting their pictures on the net so there will be no photos for today. You just gotta use your imagination here - Ashley looks right about 20% like my dad. Or it could be less. I failed math.

Had dinner at Pantai Seafood Restaurant. Take a wild guess who paid. Yeah, me the oldest sibling and the older sibling. Thank goodness I am doing some PP otherwise...the food was good. We arrived at the restaurant late. Reason? Traffic and it was pouring cats and dogs. When we arrived, dad carried Ashley to the aquariums where all the fresh fish, crabs, prawns and lobster were. For some reason, she loved looking at the prawns in action.

We ordered and waited for about 10 minutes for food to arrive. Since it was late and again, me being the novice blogger plus being being the tremendously hungry woman that I was, I quickly gobbled down everything that was in sight before realising that I didn't take pictures of the food. When I DID realise eventually, there were only fish bones and empty plates left on the table. But rest assured, its a place for good food and wine, no doubt about that.

I will be blogging again during the weekend but that won't stop me from wishing everyone a happy weekend and have fun..:-D

Cool Groovle

Hmm...sounds groovy doesn't it? When you lack so in traffic or wish to have more than your existing flow, sometimes, its a good idea to check out custom search engines to help you. For some, traffic is a natural thing without the need to market or promote your site. For others, its hard-work in gaining some (traffic). Its especially pertinent if you are monetizing your blog as advertisers usually look for high traffic sites. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out but the thing is, its not easy.

Now, there's Groovle, an Ontario based business, that uses Google custom search together with picture hosting to offer users customized Google search pages. There are two options in terms of how a Groovle page would look like. For example, you can either select from a list of preexisting pages or you could upload own picture. Groovle offers an extensive variety of ready-to-use pages identified via categories such as celebrities, nature, space, and sport. Consider this your Personalize Google.

Its quite unique and fun. Ideal for sports fans, celebrity lovers, and anyone who are simply looking for a basic search oriented for example, one without widgets. Basically, those who prefer to custom start a page but do not want to create one themselves will most likely want to give Groovle a go.

I didn't get any...

I didn't get any on my birthday

I didn't get any on Halloween

I didn't get any on Christmas and New Year's

I certainly hope to get some on Valentine's Day. I am talking about Roses. I love roses. Which girl doesn't? If you don't, it's most probably because you are allergic to roses otherwise, there is no reason to turn down any bouquet if presented to you.

My hubby used to buy me lots but those were the days. The days before we got married. Now that we are (married), there is just too many excuses not to get me any. For example, its too expensive, it dies too quickly, we have no proper vase, makes him sneeze...the list goes on and on and on. The only time I received any type of flowers was when I was at the hospital after giving birth to Ashley. At that time, I had 4 bouquets. Though they weren't all roses but they were all equally lovely. Pretty enough to want to eat them.

I remembered there was a particular bouquet of roses that he got me which was really pretty. There was a mixture of pink and red roses. He had them sent up to my office on my birthday. I was surprised naturally and felt a little embarrassed when it was time to go home after work. I had to carry the huge bouquet down 4 flight of stairs and walk past the huge crowd at the reception. Needless to say, I was teased to the brim.

Wordless Thursday

Sorry I haven't been visiting lately. Many things have happened since the eve but will get back on track soon.

They need a home and love

One of the advantages of having many many kids is that you will not be lonely when you are old. For instance, my grandma has 9 children. Even though my grandfather passed away a long time ago, she was never lonely. She was busy with taking care of her grandchildren, namely me and some of my cousins.

Now that she is fast over 90 and find it difficult to even walk to the bathroom. Thankfully, she lives with my uncles and aunt who have been taking good care of her while most of us visit her often. Since we are all neither expert caregivers or a registered nurse, an online community like www.agis.com offers one of the most comprehensive Caregiving Resources out there for us novice caregivers.

A site that is easy to navigate with plentiful Caregiving Information for your consumption. When you are faced with a sticky situation or when no one knows what to do, there is also a community forum to enable you to ask your question or seek help. Remember, caring for the elderly takes as much time, attention and patience, just like caring for a child would. With adequate resource and support, you will do just fine.

What a year..

Gosh, time sure flies when you are having or not having fun. We didn't do anything this new year's eve. Just had dinner with the family and came home early to avoid the traffic jam along the free-way. Watched some tv and was in bed before 12!!! Imagine, people were out partying and I was dozing off. Signs of old age..hehehe

We went out for a full-moon dinner last night. In case you're wondering what the heck is a 'full-moon'. Its a Chinese celebration of the birth of a child. Its when the child is being introduced to relatives and friends for the first time since his/her birth. The celebration comes a month after the child is born and its traditionally believed that the celebration is akin to the child's first birthday. That's why the Chinese is always a year older than the actual birthdate. So, last night we celebrated my cousin's child's full-moon and it was Ashley's first "birthday" outing. It was a short one for us cos Ashley was feeling tired and sleepy so we were the first ones to leave.

Other than that, it was quite a long weekend holiday for us cos the hubs was on leave for a couple of days. Ashley loved it that her father was home and so did I..I had someone to help with the babysitting duties..:-P..

Something fancy

I am not one to dig studs on shirts or underwear even if they were real diamonds. OK, maybe IF they really were real diamonds, I might just give them a chance. However, my sister has a pair of flip-flops with diamond studs all over the strap. I think they are crystals. Nevertheless, they look lovely especially when you wear them at night. If tastefully done, its actually quite nice instead of looking like a piece of replica or cheap pair of slippers.

If you like studs on your shirts, dress or even purse, you can get your Custom Crystal Attire at AdvantageBridal.com online. They have a wide collection of wonderful collection of flip-flops that you can give away to your bridesmaids. Just like Marcia Cross (actress on Desperate Housewives) did when she got married. She gave away Down Boy Flip Flops as gifts to her bridesmaid. These are loved by many celebrities even by the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Britney Spears and the very pregnant Jessica Alba. Well, maybe they are really the latest trends to have and to be walking around town with. Also, to further compliment your celebrity-like flip-flops, get a a neat custom designed sleeveless shirt, with matching crystals and all together with a pair of short shorts. Hmm..that just gave me an idea. Let you all in on it when I am done *wink*

My travel plans for this year

Everyone has one so I want one too. For the past 3 years, I haven't been on a long vacation abroad. Actually, I haven't really been on a vacation. No wonder I need one badly. I was just thinking about it and plan to have a major vacation this year no matter what anyone says.

First on my list would be Australia. I can't count that as a holiday cos my extended family resides there and visiting is sometimes a must once in a while. Since they all reside in Melbourne, I won't have to look for any Melbourne CBD Hotels. That can save me quite a bit when I travel outside of Melbourne.

I plan to also visit Perth and Sydney after having heard so much about these places. Neither my hubby nor have I any relatives in this 2 states. That can only mean one thing. We would have to put up at one of those Perth CBD Hotels and Sydney CBD Hotels.

One of the things I love about Australia is that there are plenty of ATM machines around. They can be found anywhere from petrol stations to your local supermarkets. Whats' more is that in some states, selected banking facilities are available even on a Saturday morning. Isn't that highly convenient for tourists like me? At least I don't need to carry wads of cash with me where ever I go. If I have more time and money, I will include Brisbane and will have to check some Brisbane CBD Hotels yet again.

Do something for 2008

As part of a new year's resolution, I think everyone should give something back to the community or offer donations or help the under-privileged. We need plenty of compassionate people on earth who aren't thinking of wealth all the time. As such, I will be a little direct. No, I think I will be very direct. A non-profit company, Car Angel has a unique way of helping kids and teens. They use car and other donations to make videos for teens and kids. Money raised are used to make those videos. So, what are you waiting for? Please do something positive like donate car and check out www.carangel.com. Just for you, check out this short video : http://www.youtube.com/boatangel

New car for 2008

Hopefully 2008 will finally be the year that the hubs will get to change his car. You know how it is isn't it? Unwanted sounds coming from the car, stiff gear, streaking noises when you accelerate. These are all sounds of a change is (or should be) forthcoming. I hope so. Otherwise, we may have to consider Dodge Charger accessory, some sexy wheels and a fresh coat of paint. What else? I can't think of any at the moment. We'll see how the year rewards us smile