Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? We haven't even started and we're already less than 20 days to Christmas! I'm honestly quite stumped for ideas when it comes to Christmas shopping for DH. He's not a fashion geek so no branded clothes for him. He's not a tech geek either otherwise I can consider getting a custom laptop! What do you get someone who has simple needs and wants?! Any suggestions?
I never used to think much of blu ray movies as I'm not much of a movie buff. However, a recent visit to an electronics fair totally changed my opinion! There were various booths showcasing the power and clarity of blue ray movies and the colours and sharpness shown were really impressive! Every detail of the actors faces could be seen with startling clarity and the effects were so good you could feel as if you were in the movie itself! Now I understand why people are willing to pay the premium for blue ray. However, I don't think I watch enough movies yet to justify the premium price for the DVDs and player!
We've been scratching our heads trying to come up with gift ideas for DH's nieces this Christmas. Children today are so lucky! They have simply everything, even things they do not ask for, which makes gift buying so difficult! I suggested buying some gift vouchers such as Borders gift vouchers or aj madison coupons instead of physical presents so the nieces could go buy their own gifts. However, DH is of the opinion that physical presents are a lot more fun compared to vouchers! What do you think?
I recently attended a 3 day training course which included a visit to one of our plants on a nearby island. I really enjoyed the half day tour of the plant which included a bus ride around the various pipes, machinery, engine driven pumps and flare stacks. It was very interesting to see how few workers there were around as everything is so hi tech now that it is all controlled from the control room. That was, in fact, the safest place on the site! It was a really good eye opener. Hopefully I will get an opportunity to visit the other plant in the near future.
DH suffers from eczema and dry skin. While it is not a good thing for him, it's quite useful for me as he is never short of moisturizers and creams. It has been especially recently as I came back from Europe with dry, scabby and peeling skin caused by the dry air. I've read once that wrinkles can happen anywhere, not just the face. So I've been rather diligent in smoothing on the cream every night after my bath. I hope that works in the long term otherwise I'll need to start sourcing for anti wrinkle lotion!
One of the side effects of my pimple breakout in my teens are deep pimple scars and open pores left. Sadly, it means I will never have beautiful and smooth skin like so many other women out there. I have been using vitamin E oils and creams after I read an article on how to get rid of pimple scars. While it does seem to work, the process is a slow one and it can get a little oily when using concentrated vitamin E oil. It seems that only time can cure scarring. Hopefully it does and my scars become less obvious.
I was looking for some reviews of a product called acsonix which was said to be highly effective in curing acne, especially adult acne in a short while.The reviews I found online were all very good with many satisfied users extolling its virtues. Unfortunately, it is still not available in stores here and I will need to wait till it comes in or buy online. Perhaps I will give it some time. I'm cleaned out with shopping!
They say that if your hair starts to grey early, you shouldn't suffer from falling hair and baldness. However, DH has been getting a little worried of late as he has started sprouting some white hair and also noticed his hair getting thinner! He has even started checking out some best hair loss products in the market to see if it will help! I told him that it is likely due to an unsuitable shampoo or an oily scalp and suggested that he try another shampoo instead. Hopefully it works otherwise he'll have to suffer a double whammy with his hair! :P
I used to know someone who was really into exercise and body fat. Initially, I found him quite entertaining but after a while, I got really irritated by his complaints over his figure. He used to moan over how his body fat had increased and how his supplements such as tonalin cla no longer worked in helping him reduce body fat and preserve his lean muscle. Despite his exercise, he still continued to indulge in oily and fatty foods. No wonder he wasn't losing weight! Hopefully he has now realised that losing weight is a two pronged approach, not just one!
I haven't been back to KL for a while already and hence, haven't been seeing my usual dermatologist for my acne treatment. I stopped the antibiotics he prescribed and my acne did get worse right after that. However, thankfully, it's now been brought under control. My skin is rather sensitive and its hard to know what to use exactly for it. Thank goodness my current skin care regiment seems to be working well. Let's hope it continues to improve my skin!
A friend who managed to get her precious baby after several years of trying is determined to bring up her baby the best she can. She diligently breastfeeds her baby although she's at work and several months later, is still continuing to give her baby 100% of her breast milk. According to her, it works on a supply and demand basis so as long as the baby continues to suckle or one continues to pump milk, there will always be milk production. She also took all kinds of natural herbs and teas to increase breast milk production naturally so her baby can continue to benefit. Its great to see this shift back to breast feeding as I personally think cow's milk may not be the best for our children.
Tutoring has become something all too common in Malaysia and Singapore where students are always pushed to excel. Parents spend huge amounts of money sending their children for various tuition classes. However, with technology, there are always great alternatives available. And now, Online tutoring has started to take off. All you need is a good connection and a laptop and your child could have access to some of the best Free math tutoring online or Math answers for their school work. Some of the tutors behind these online services are actually University students from poorer countries such as India who are experts in subjects such as Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. They interact with your child over the computer and patiently provide them with the study help they require, be it Chemistry help or Statistics help. Its great how technology is making everything accessible and affordable, even for students in poorer countries!
I met up with a few friends last weekend on separate occasions. I came away deeply inspired by one of them who set up a blogshop which was different from all other blogsops out there. Her products were high quality merchandise from the US and before she launched her site, spent many days coding and creating a funky website with a managed hosting site. She did all these with a young daughter in tow and a husband who is currently based out of the country. I truly admire her zeal and passion. I should do some soul searching to find out what mine is too.
I really hate spam calls and I've been getting quite a few of them recently. Someone called the other day to talk about weight loss products. Just the other day, someone else called about this other product and told me to check out their website at www.tonalin-cla.net for more details. I got rather irritated as the person was very persistent and refused to hang up although I said I was very busy. I wonder where these people are buying our numbers from and which unscrupulous people are selling those numbers!
DH's eldest niece has taken a keen interest in horse-riding. Out of the many activities she attends, she seems to enjoy that the most and has never once complained about how tedious or boring it is. However, horse-riding is one activity that does not come cheap and her parents have already spent quite a bit on equestrian clothing for her. Then there are the additional things such as the equestrian boots and accessories that constantly change to fit a growing girl. Having children certainly isn't cheap these days!
DH got busy yesterday as he got pulled into a Dinner and Dance meeting. Looks like he has no way to get out of it as all new staff in his company have to help in the organisation of at least one dinner and dance function! He told me they spent most of the time deliberating over where the event should be, the themes and what gifts they should consider - custom mugs, mini plaques or little keychains. From what he mentioned, their budget isn't very high at all so I believe they might have some trouble looking for a nice but affordable venue.
Some time last month, DH and I went to view a place not too far from town. We were very impressed with the finishings they had although the place was a tiny little condo. What attracted me most was how well-fitted the whole unit was from complete kitchen cabinets, electrical goods, downlights, airconditioners and Casablanca fans to complete the luxurious feel. Malaysian luxury condomium developers still have a lot to learn especially in their finishings and fixtures.
Throughout the whole week of renovation, I've noticed that the workers here don't seem to be very well protected despite handling chemicals and cement. All they have is a thin covering of cloth or their own T-shirt around their mouth and nose even when doing hacking. Imagine the amount of dust they are breathing in as they move from block to block to do the hacking! Over time, I'm sure these fine dust particles will have some adverse impact on their health. Probably not to the extend where they'll require a Mesothelioma lawyer but still may not be good for them. The companies should at least be a little more humane in treating their workers.
Some people don't have much tact and seem to think they are allowed to make all kinds of comments just because they are older or related. I used to have quite bad acne when I was a teenager and some well meaning but untactful older women would make comments about my skin and prescribe all kinds of acne treatments that work, according to them. Needless to say, those comments don't do much for a teenager's self-esteem. Teenagers today are much luckier as there is a whole slew of treatments available for them these days, from expensive facials to dermatologists.
I used to see a rather famous dermatologist in KL for my acne problem. He has a renowned reputation for solving most people's acne problems. However, some of the acne pills he prescribes can have a detrimental effect on pregnant women so he will always do a check to see if you're expecting or whether you are on any birth control medication. If you aren't, he will prescribe a milder form of medication instead. I have since stopped taking his pills although my acne isn't totally cured as I have some reservations about taking medication on a long term basis. Hopefully my acne will eventually go away once the reno and dust is gone.
I used to have quite long hair past my shoulders and used to freak out whenever I saw the amount of hair loss I had. A friend recommended me Dove shampoo for hair loss which was said to reduce the amount of hair droppage. However, it did not do that much for my hair when I was using it and I still found lots of hair in the bathroom after my shower. I tried cutting my hair shorter as I suspected the length could be the problem but it has still been dropping quite a bit. Does anyone have a fool proof hair loss shampoo they can recommend? I don't really want to be balding before my time!
The renovation in our house has caused lots of dust. Sleeping in a tiny room cramped with our dusty furniture doesn't quite help either and I've seen some new spots appearing on my face and blackheads on my nose! My facial is long overdue as I haven't had time to do one in a while! Perhaps it's time I ran out to buy a bottle of facial scrub to get rid of my nose blackheads or one of those funky pore pack things which claim to lift blackheads from your pores. Anyone ever tried one before? Does it work?
Now that I'm out of the country, I've been wondering if I should continue my critical illness cover that I purchased several years ago. I'm not sure if the benefits are still entitled to me or my family should it be claimed outside Malaysia. Hopefully it works like term life insurance policies where the benefits are still payable otherwise it would have been a waste of money to pay such high policies and get nothing in return.
DH hasn't travelled in a while, much to my surprise. I have to admit that I've gotten quite used to him being around the house when I return and preparing dinner on weekdays when I'm late. However, all good things must come to an end and he's currently preparing for yet another trip in the next month. Time for me to be independent yet again!
Its ironical to suffer from dry skin in a tropical hot and humid country but a high number of people do due to their air-conditioned surroundings. We're perpetually in air-conditioned areas from the work place, to our cars and homes. Hence, its not surprising that more people are turning to dehumidifier units to help to moisten the air in their homes and to reduce problems prolonged dry air brings such as asthma and dry skin.
I've started doing a bit of planning for the year end family holiday and it is getting quite a nightmare to coordinate as we have a rather big group this time! Based on the research I have done, it also seems like New Zealand has quite a few insurance requirements but luckily most companies I researched have a proper list of car insurance companies you can contact separately or sign up with through them. I think its going to be a great trip together and one we would certainly enjoy! We just have to hope nothing will spoil the plans we have like bad weather or flight delays!
My gym days are far over. These days I can't imagine waking up early to go to the gym and am impressed that I actually had the energy to wake every morning at 5am just to head out to the gym before work! My sleep is so much more important now!
I was always a fan of elliptical trainer machines whenever I went to the gym as I always thought it burnt the most calories for the shortest time! Hopefully it worked then after all those early morning sacrifices I made!
Needless to say, I'm in terrible need of exercise now but have not been able to find the inspiration to do some form of exercise yet. Help!
During the recent financial crisis that happened just several months ago, many investors opted to turn to safer havens such as gold bullion instead. It has always been a known fact that precious metals such as gold bullion will continue to appreciate in value especially when the economy is bad and people have started to lose faith in paper financial products and even currencies. I lived through the Asian crisis in the late 1990s and I still remember articles depicting how Koreans came together as a nation to donate their gold jewellery to help the country come out of its recession.
I'm not much of an investor in precious metals and may have caught the gold rush a little late. However, I did buy some paper gold previously when the prices were lower. Then, I did not have enough to buy gold bullion instead of paper gold as those tend to be sold by a certain weight and is actual physical gold which is best kept in a safe. Despite the high price, a friend is still continuing to buy bullion for safe keeping as he says it will never come down. I would do the same if I had the same financial means! Would you?
We never realised how much we loved technology until World Cup season came around and we refused to pay the exorbitant fees cable TV was charging just to watch the World Cup. Luckily I snooped around and found some sites offering free video streaming live for all matches! No video card or any additional hardware required! All you had to do was just to play and it will show, albeit with some lags due to the connection speed. Nevertheless, lags and all, DH was hooked to the little laptop screen just to catch the matches so I guess it worked out well!
DH has been battling skin allergies for some time already. He was always told that it was eczema and had been prescribed with all kinds of treatments for eczema from creams to tar and even strange prescriptions such as special water! However, when he recently went to see a doctor here for a flu, the doctor expressed some interest in his skin condition and told him that it might actually be psoriasis instead of eczema and if it was the case, the treatments he was using previously may not work. Perhaps it is a good time to get it checked out to ascertain what it really is.
I'm glad the free national TV has decided to wise up and show the semi finals and finals of the World Cup. It is utterly unfair to expect people to sign up with cable TV just to watch the World Cup when across the border, Malaysian TV is showing it for free. I only wonder if they will show the Third Place Playoffs as well or whether that will be forgotten in all the lead up to the finals. Does anyone know?
I had a free lunch today thanks to the office! There was some events happening downstairs when I headed out to pack lunch and was told that it was available for the company's employees! Woohoo! :) So I tucked in although I wasn't that hungry. They had some interesting food I've never eaten before back home like deep fried cruellers stuffed with squid paste and chicken chipolata sausages cooked in a white onion sauce. Gosh, at this rate, I might need some fat burner medication to help me lose unwanted pounds or risk not being able to fit into my clothes!
I went by to see a gyane last weekend for my annual check up. Being new here, I had no idea which gynae to see and ended up choosing one that seemed quite good based on recommendations on forums. He was rather kindly and seemed experienced but came with very expensive rates! I checked and his consultations ranged from $100 to $150 per visit! Ouch! Luckily my company covers my medical expenses otherwise I'll definitely need to look for a cheaper gynae.
When I was seriously thinking of doing post-graduate studies such as a Masters, I consulted a few friends on their opinion. Some of them had done their Masters abroad full time whilst others did theirs part-time while working. I personally thought of doing one full time and did quite a bit of research on gmat prep, the best places to do it and the costs of doing something so expensive. I still haven't gotten round to doing my MBA but will definitely look more into the GMAT exam and tips for scoring once I've made up my mind.
I just came back from lunch and was pleased to find a new place with relatively affordable Japanese food. A nearby shopping mall had a whole area filled with Japanese stalls in the basement with affordable Japanese meals. I had a nice little mini rice don with around 4 pieces of fried chicken for an affordable $5! My colleagues thought it was too small but I found it just nice. I'm funny like that and often prefer eating smaller portions so I don't feel too greedy and overeat!
When we were growing up and schooling, one thing I used to really wish for was the accessibility of School Lockers or Gym Lockers we could use to store our stuff. Having that would have meant having lighter schoolbags to carry and an area for people to catch up in between classes. I always used to watch American high school programmes with much envy as relationships bonded and formed over lockers or how students strolled to class with just a few books, having stored the rest in their own individual locker. I've heard that times have started to change and private schools here have actually started providing these facilities for their students. I hope to see public schools doing the same too as it will mean a permanent solution to childrens' heavy school bags and spine damage.
I have a friend who used to work in market research and I personally found that a rather interesting area to work in especially since they were responsible for deciding whether many new products will hit the market eventually. Another interesting thing I found was how they managed to test some of the new products themselves before it was actually released to the market. Some products she passed to me to try were really good such as an anti-wrinkle cream that was so high profile that it couldn't even be named and was just called prototype 37c. Later, I found it to be one of the top selling creams in the pharmacies!
Since we moved to Singapore, I find that we've been cooking a whole lot more compared to KL. Maybe because we have the convenience of a supermarket nearby which makes buying fresh food easy and also because fresh food here is actually quite cheap. It helps as well that DH comes back earlier and can start preparation on dinner first. Whatever it is, I'm glad to be eating healthier and more wholesome meals at home, especially since I get to eat a lot more of my favourite fish!
I recently went for a check up and was warned against long term usage of antibiotics which my dermatologist put me on. With that, I find any face creams I use to be highly effective without causing any breakouts. Without it, my skin tends to go back to its old sensitive state where any cream doesn't seem to agree and breakouts tend to happen. What should I do? Should I stop my antibiotic course and live with sensitive skin or should I continue the antibiotic regime for a while more?
I spent most of the last week in training for a rather inspiring and interesting women's development course. It touched on some matters that were not just professional but rather personal too. What I came away from it was the need to be positive to get what you want in life and being able to always see the good side of things. Its going to be a mindshift for me but one that I find to be exceedingly important if I want to achieve what I hope to.
I've been submitting lots of medical claims recently since we got here. I'm really lucky to get good medical coverage in Singapore which comes in very handy as medical fees here cost a lot. The wideness of coverage we get too is really useful as it even covers alternative treatment. Claiming is easy. All I need to do is to scan my invoices using the company document scanning software and mail it one to the Claims Department for their consideration. I've got a few claims outstanding and hopefully they'll be processed without problems.
There's been a lot of recent issues cropping up at work, one of which I was smack in the middle of! The reason why everyone has been up in arms is that it involves compliance for which non-compliance carries a hefty fine. I've spoken to a few people and some think that we are over-analysing and going too much into the details. Others, however, think otherwise especially if they were the ones who signed it! The way I see it, as long as they don't read us the Louisiana Jones Act or any other scary Act, it should be sufficient to ensure we have a robust and good process to fall back on. Oh well, let's see what the final decision will be from the people in power.
Its such a cold and dreary day today! It was pouring all morning and I had not seen this kind of rain in a long while. The rain was the kind that makes you wish you could just snuggle up in a warm bed and go right back to sleep or at least have the comfort of a car to make the commute to work a little less painful. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of both! So I arrived in the office in wet jeans and poor DH seems to have caught the cold after being drenched in the rain on the way to his office. Hope he gets better soon!
I had a child-filled weekend with DH's nieces. There were good moments and some really tough moments especially when the children started acting up. One surprising thing I learnt was how competitive schooling years are for children these days. There are all kinds of extra-curriculur activities they attend nowadays and all kinds of tuition. One of DH's nieces was telling me about her Statistics tutor whose classes she attended during the school holidays for Statistics help in her weaker Statistics subjects. She used to face quite a bit of Statistics problems when she first started school and always had a lot of trouble doing the Statistics questions her school assigned. Her parents tried to help but found that they were providing Statistics answers instead of encouraging her to think the problem through. So, having no other resort, they had to turn to tutoring to improve her weak subject. However, nothing is free in this world, not even free Statistics help so if you're a parent whose child is facing some problems at school, do be prepared to invest a little in helping them!
I happened to chance upon a magazine yesterday which said that one needed at least $350k just to raise a kid here! Can you imagine that?! I certainly can't because the thought of having to save that huge amount of money is daunting! The article went on to suggest for parents to put part of the savings into Real Life Cover insurance for their children as part of the investment plan. Often, parents forget that children need life insurance as much as they do and miss out that important part of coverage. The other insurance the article suggested buying was income insurance which is absolutely necessary in the unfortunate event one parent loses their job or is unable to work further.
It seems like there is an insurance for everything these days from funeral cover insurance to maternity insurance cover. While I don't deny that insurance is necessary, I think it is more necessary to carefully evaluate what insurance exactly you require and allocate your disposable income accordingly.
I've been asking around what would be the best investments here especially since we aren't familiar with the market. We haven't saved all that much but hoped to maximise the savings we had instead of leaving it in the bank where we will end up losing money to inflation. I was considering to buy gold coins or maybe even shares but surprisingly the recommendations I received here was always to buy property. That's a really scary investment right now as the property prices are at an all time high and there has been a lot of rumours about it being a property bubble. Yet, other camps say the prices can only ever go up higher. Its a hard decision to make and I'm really not sure what we should invest in. Does anyone have suggestions of the best investments in Singapore?
I was having lunch with my colleagues recently and one of them was just telling us her children had hardly any time at all. It sounded a little sad but it is unfortunately true as children here attend all kinds of tuition for Math help or English help. In some cases, they go for additional enrichment classes which ends up eating into their weekends. Even DH's 16 year old niece recently complained that she had no time even to look after her pet hamster!
Perhaps parents here should seriously relook at their childrens' school and extra curriculum activities or consider a Online Tutor service which will provide Free Online Tutoring or Math Problem Solver skills at each child's own time and convenience. I recently came across some good sites which specialized in Online Math Tutor help and comprise largely of university graduates who have pooled together their time and resources to form a Math Tutors Online group to help K-12 and college student with their challenging Math assignments.
Times have certainly changed and if you're a parent who has never had a Math Tutor guide you before, don't expect the same for your child! School just has become so challenging and important that parents can no longer afford to be hands off and complacent.
Right at the top of my priority list when I went back to KL last weekend was a visit to the dermatologist to treat acne that I've recently developed again. Going to see him is no easy feat as it involves waking up very early to queue outside his office to get a number! Then more waiting at his clinic to see him for 2 minutes before I'm finally done. It is a waste of the entire morning but still something I have to do to try to stabilise my skin and try to keep the acne at bay.
I did something drastic over the weekend - cutting my hair short into a bob! I have not had short hair for over 6 years already but decided it was finally time for a change. Honestly, cutting my hair so short was a big decision as I have had short hair for most of my life and never liked it. However, keeping my hair long was starting to get irritating as it was growing out of control and started looking very limp since it did not have much body. Luckily I got mostly positive comments about my new hairstyle though I can't wait for it to grow out a little so it'll look better!
Magazines are always full of how celebrities keep thin, their bizarre diets, fat burning products they consume and their impossible diet secrets. But what most people don't realise is that celebrities have a whole host of people, money and experts whose sole responsibilities are to ensure they keep beautiful and fit in the public eye. If we all had the same resources to invest in being beautiful, I'm sure we will all be body perfect too!
My colleagues were talking about a famous local actress over lunch the other day. Ironically she became famous not because of her acting skills but because she had to have a liver donation after she took too many weight loss pill products! Luckily for her, her then fiance and now husband was generous enough to donate part of his liver to help her live. That caused a huge scare over weight loss pills for a while. However, the trend seems to be back now with lots of young girls opting for that quick and fast way to weight loss.
There's nothing worse than having to fight a fire that you didn't start. I've been swamped for the most of the past few days doing just that and its been really frustrating. Most of the information I need all have to come in from other sources and because I haven't been in the job all that long, I end up asking the wrong questions which don't get me the right answers. It has been a crazy wild goose chase and I'm hoping it can get sorted out before I head off for the long weekend. I don't really want that hanging over my head.
I have been told by so many women that having children at a young age helps them get back into shape relatively quickly compared to those who have children later. I've also noticed that women in my office all come back nice and svelte after their maternity leave and most look like they're not mothers at all! I really wonder how they do it or whether they have any good curvatrim reviews or slimming centre reviews to share. It does make having babies such a daunting task not only for the 9 month ordeal but also for the losing weight ordeal that comes after!
I tried taking a walk this morning from the nearest MRT station to my office instead of taking the train to the next station and catching the office bus. It took slightly longer, around 15 minutes or so but I found it rather refreshing as my walk took me past a nice park and lots of greenery. Maybe I should start doing this more often if the mornings aren't too hot. I do enjoy the little space of quiet time I have to myself and my thoughts in that few minutes. Hopefully it does something for my unwanted pounds too! :P
I recently did an online personality assessment and as I thought, my current job might actually not be the right fit for me as my strengths don't quite fit my job! That's quite a problem, don't you think? Perhaps I should consider a new career or a change in my life direction starting with signing up for some accredited online degree programmes. Although the thought of having to study again and work while doing it is really quite daunting!
It is ironical but there can actually be too much of a good thing sometimes. We used to join the membership of a certain hotel chain when we were back in Malaysia which offered free dining and rooms. It seemed like a good idea then for a short break. However, now with the expiry date looming, it suddenly becomes a pressure to finish those vouchers so they don't go to waste! That becomes doubly hard now since time at home is so limited! I think this is the last time we'll be joining such things!
I've recently seen a sudden influx of home based business women popping up all over the internet. The most popular choice of business seems to be selling cheap clothes via online boutiques. I've actually seen the source of these clothes and they can be very cheap which does mean a pretty decent profit for the business owners. However, do be careful to only buy from reputable online blogshops as the quality of some can be quite compromised and the end product might not look anything like the one the pretty model is wearing!
I'm so glad there's another long weekend to look forward to this coming weekend. I do live for times like this! We'll be heading back tomorrow night after work. I am still wondering if I should join some colleagues for lunch tomorrow as they tend to head out for really long lunches which will leave me with not much time to sort out all my work before I leave on the dot to catch the bus. But not joining will mean being labelled antisocial! Sigh, it is never easy, is it?
After being Down South for 3 months or so, I've gotten used to the small living area we now have. Cleaning, in fact, has become quite easy which is definitely a good thing that came out of it. We got the place practically fully furnished and one thing I simple cannot understand is why the land lady put in such big and bulky living room furniture when the space is already so tiny! She has a whole set of furniture which is really ugly to me and two contemporary coffee tables which has a moveable glass top! Add our own furniture in and I must say we don't have much floor space left! Well, the only concession is that the rent is cheap and the location incredibly convenient!
We just got back from a short break to Club Med Mauritius. It was a really gorgeous resort and I have to say that we did absolutely nothing but eat (lots!) and sleep! What bliss! This resort was the first one we went to where there were hardly any Asians around. Most of the tourists were European French who spent most of their days next to the pools eating, drinking and smoking cohiba cigars. I must say that these Westerners certainly know how to enjoy themselves!
I've been encouraging DH to reduce belly fat for ages as I don't think its healthy to be carrying so much weight around your belly. I've also read that it is bad for health as it means that your organs are likely covered with a layer of fat which is not good for the vital organs. Unfortunately, he loves food and fatty stuff and asking him to cut down on those really kills him! Sigh, I wonder why men have such low focus and willpower. Perhaps because beauty is less important in the male world!
I was watching a programme last night about expatriates in Asia. Most of them have made cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong their home and seem to love it there. I found it a little sad though that most of them don't view KL as a dynamic city to be in. I guess many people are worried with the recent political instability and unfair practices. However, I do believe there are still opportunities there if you look hard enough. What do you think?
DH has eczema patches that can become quite bad at times. He sometimes unconsciously scratches at it till it bleeds which can be rather unsightly. We've been trying to look for natural eczema treatments to reduce the amount of steroid creams he's using. My mom recently read about the powers of Olivenol and suggested that he try it. DH is now on it. It isn't cheap but hopefully over time it will reduce the eczema problems he's facing. I believe it will help if he controls his diet. Unfortunately for someone who loves food, its surely asking the impossible!
DH and I went for a chiropractic appointment last Saturday. It was my first time seeing a chiropractor and I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive. Turns out that the doctor was really friendly so I had nothing to worry about anyway! Based on their initial checks, it does seem like DH and I do need some treatments to correct our posture and spine alignment. Turns out that this is a really common problem too especially amongst office people who sit for extended periods with bad posture.
I really need to start seeing my dermatologist in KL again despite the long queues. My skin has started breaking out again with some recent acne problems on my nose and chin. Sigh! I was just starting to enjoy clear skin and not having to deal with adult acne treatments anymore! I think the heat and walking around under the sun here doesn't help that much. I feel like I'm a lot darker already despite some reassurances from my friends. Any tips on how to stay fair in this island country?
I was in Chinatown recently and noticed that the gold shops were full of people rushing to buy gold! I know the Chinese have always had lots of faith in gold and often buy gold bullion piece, gold jewellery and gold bars. Keeping gold instead of stocks or cold hard cash them a whole lot more valuable than keeping cash which is subject to inflation. With the way the recent gold prices have been heading, I can't help but agree with this age old investing wisdom and its just a pity the prices are now too high to consider something like that. I do have some gold jewellery but I find that yellow gold does not suit my skin well and has a tendency to look tarnished after a while. White gold is much nicer but unfortunately does not fetch as much value so it looks like I don't have much choice but to keep my investments in non-gold items! What about you?
I have a friend who's really skinny even after the birth of her baby. She just can't put on weight in spite of how much she eats and she recently told me that she's so tired of people asking her how she maintains her figure and whether she can recommend any weight loss pills that work! She once got so irritated that she gave the other person a real piece of her mind which I found very surprising as she's usually quite mild-mannered. I never thought that being slim would come with its challenges too!
I'll be following my colleague to a traditional Chinese medical doctor on Friday. The doctor is apparently very good with circulation and female problems. Apparently the queues are really long because she would see her regular patients first before seeing new patients and since its a charity hospital, you can't really jump queue either! Hopefully we won't have to wait too long this Friday. Its going to be an interesting experience as I've never seen a traditional doctor or sinseh before.
The fad for colon cleansing with products such as colonix has died down a little after much hype a few years back. I think what contributed most to the hype was the fact that Princess Diana used to undergo that treatment on a regular basis to detox and remain slim. I'm not sure if it can really help you lose weight in the long term but I certainly do believe that it will help in detoxifying your body of all its toxins. However, I still can't bring myself to try it. Can you?
The hubs seems to have busy weeks ahead of him. He's going off overseas for work and actually asked if I would like to go along. Its really tempting but I'm not sure if my boss will appreciate me taking leave so often in so short a period. I guess its best not to rock the boat especially since I'm trying to take long leave at the end of the year. These are times when I wish I didn't have to work and had my own flexibiilty!
There are all kinds of surgery done nowadays as people try their best to look younger than they really are, thinner than they really should be and have tauter skin than they should have. It seems like people are willing to go under the knife for all kinds of surgery from cosmetic to bariatric surgery which sounds absolutely barbaric! Whatever it is, surgery is a major thing and should only be done by a trained and certified surgeon. Don't fall for cheap surgical procedures as you could be playing with your life!
I miss Malaysian food. I used to think that it was fun to find pork everywhere you go whenever I came to Singapore for a visit. But now that I've been here for a month, I find their food a little too uniform and tasteless. Every food court looks the same, right down to the signs and I miss my nasi lemak terribly and keropok! I miss seeing little roadside stalls from which I can buy snacks from. Everything here is nicely tucked away into sanitary food courts or coffee shops. I never thought I'll miss food this much but I do. Am so glad to be going home this weekend!
I've noticed that people here are all really skinny. Fat or overweight does not seem to be a problem they face at all, perhaps due to their health consciousness or healthy habits since school days. However, the papers are still full of weight loss pills and weight loss programmes promoting thinness and trimness. Maybe their glowing health here isn't entirely natural after all!
I had quite a bit planned for tonight but will have to see how things go as I'm quite tired. I wanted to get some clearing and ironing out of the way and make the whole place a little more liveable especially since DH isn't going to be back that early. I can't watch any TV either so might as well make myself useful! Sometimes it feels like work never ends...in the office and at home! Is it just because I'm a woman and women are always expected to do work at home too regardless of how hard they've worked in the office? What do you think?
I had a fair bit of distance to walk to work this morning from the nearest MRT stop, approximately 1 km away. I put on my trusty Fitflops and packed my heels into a bag so I could walk properly without killing myself. If I keep this up, I'm sure I'll be a healthier and trimmer person by the end of this year provided I don't up my intake of food! Who needs natural fat burners?! However, I do find myself getting hungrier and snacking more often which isn't a good sign either! Need to stop keeping snacks at my office desk now!
I never thought I'll get tired of pork but I am. Suddenly when you're surrounded by it here in Singapore it doesn't seem as appealing anymore. And I can't seem to find my favourite pork noodles that I used to get in KL. Ironically, I've actually been eating more fish here when I eat out. Maybe because its easy to get nice fish as opposed to the river fish KL hawkers prefer using. Fish soup is currently my absolute favourite and I think I'm going to eat it for dinner again tonight! Small things to look forward to after a long day at work...
Starting an internet business is just as challenging as a physical one. You need to ensure you have the right skills to design a good website, use a good seo tool so your website can be found and know how to market your site to get maximum visitors and traffic. However, the costs of setting up an internet business can be significantly cheaper than doing a physical one. It is also a lot more flexible as you can do it any time and anywhere in the world. Maybe its time to seriously look into an alternative source of income through the web again!
When we bought our huge 42 inch TV, we never thought that one day we'll be living in a place that's half or less than half of our previous place in KL! They say you can never plan perfectly and that is exactly what happened for us when we moved down to Singapore and ended up in a flat that's tiny! DH spent most of last Sunday fixing up the wires and TV and finally, we have a huge monster sitting in our tiny living room! Just need to get some antenna wires and I think we're good to go. Now, just to make sure we don't go blind watching such a huge screen from such a close distance!
Do you think the best face cream is always measured by how much it costs? Well I certainly do not think so. I was previously once sold by a popular Japanese face cream that was terribly expensive but promised clear and glowing skin. Unfortunately, the cream was too rich for me and broke out my skin! Imagine the pains of having to deal with acne breakouts and having to fork out money for an expensive face cream! Now I tend to approach any best face cream claims with much caution. Would you spend thousands on any face cream?
We haven't had a weekend off since one and a half months ago. Every weekend has been spent moving things from one place to another, clearing and cleaning of sorts! We just did our final move last weekend in Singapore, after we moved several things down by bags and by bus from KL! Spent most of Sunday evening clearing up the new place we'll be staying in and setting things in order. Thankfully most of it is almost done and now its just a matter of settling in. Hopefully we can do that this weekend and get to know the area a little bit better.
Some people I've met are really surprised when I tell them I don't really like pets especially since DH is a vet! I know many have told me that having a pet brings lots of joy into your life, gives you something to come home to and its definitely ego boosting to have something that thinks you are its life! However, I personally do not like mess and cannot imagine having to deal with the mess a pet brings, the maintenance you need to upkeep such as feeding them, cleaning them and any pet beds or toys these pampered pets might have! So while I grouse about the tiny space we're living in now, at least its a good excuse not to have a pet!
It was such a tiring night last night. I wanted to sleep earlier last night but we got held up clearing up our new place and making it a little more like a home. We then came back and I mistakenly thought that the coach bookings I was waiting for will be open at midnight. I was wrong..its only opening tonight! So I'll need to stay up one more night tonight just to ensure I can get my tickets back during the next long weekend. The speed at which they sell out is just too fast!
Selling insurance seems to be a highly lucrative thing nowadays. I've had friends who have given up their careers in the corporate world to pursue a self-business venture in insurance, new insurance blogs online promoting all kinds of insurance and insurance agents constantly harrassing me. I guess insurance sells by emphasizing the uncertainty of life and encouraging people to prepare for their loved ones in any unfortunate event. Perhaps I should seriously consider doing a part time job in that too!
Everything costs more these days, from property to food and transportation. Even dying isn't cheap anymore with some private hospitals charging up to $8,000 per day just for some specialist treatment in a private room. Imagine what the funeral costs can come up to! Specialist funeral companies such as Nirvana handle most things for you but present you with a 5-figure bill after that. Is it no wonder then that the aged have actually started preparing for their own funerals through saving a little every month?!
We're going back to KL this coming Thurs night as Friday is a public holiday here. This will be my first time back since moving here a month ago and I can't wait! There's lots to do at home as well with some stuff left in our house and the cleaners coming in on Sat to clean up the place before I put it up for rent. Looks like its going to be a busy weekend ahead! We've already filled most of Friday with all kinds of appointments!
Although SG is said to be a safer place compared to Malaysia, I still read and hear of crime cases. In fact, DH's cousin's place actually got broken into once with his passports stolen. There is no one safe place in this world and I'm beginning to wonder if we should sign up for some home insurance packages to ensure our belongings are reimbursed if stolen. However, it can be quite a pain to go round categorising everything in the house in the inventory list. Then again, no pain no gain!
We had the movers in last weekend and the place was complete mayhem! I was trying to coordinate all 80 boxes we had and find places for them to be placed. Finally when they left, I spent another 3 hours trying to keep things and find homes for the many odds and ends we have. We're going back there again tonight to try to restore some order to the place. I find that's where both DH's and my characters differ. He's all about procrastination and doing things slowly whilst I would like things all in place by the time I move in. Definitely ingredients for a fight! :P
I've very used to seeing weight loss products advertisements in our newspapers back in Malaysia. However when I came down to Singapore, I was surprised to see that the newspapers here focused more on bust enhancement products and treatments instead! Perhaps their women here are slimmer and healthier from all the walking and love of exercise that they have and they are encouraged to seek treatments for other parts of their body instead!
I've noticed that Singaporeans are, in general, a very healthy lot. They seem to enjoy running and walking and make full use of the parks available around the city. Almost every night I see both locals and foreigners alike running along the roads to get their daily exercise fix. I wonder if they ever take performance enhancing drugs such as no xplode bsn to fuel their energy needs but I am truly impressed by their stamina and dedication to exercise!
Have you heard of the product called differin which is said to be very effective in fighting acne? I was a little tempted to try it but wasn't sure if it might come with dangerous side effects. I've heard that some of these acne drugs can actually be quite harmful if you are planning to have a child or are expecting. So it will be wise to actually research and read up more on any drug before trying them.
Burning fat is on everyone's minds right now. I've been getting lots of fat burning advertisements in my emails and one of the top ones I've been seeing is from bestfatburners.org who promote quick solutions for fat burning. It said that you can see guaranteed results in just two weeks! Do you think something that works so fast is good for you? I don't think it can be very good for your health if something works so quickly!
My skin has improved tremendously since I went to the famous dermatologist in KL. My skin cleared up just after one visit and it has stabilised since with no more breakouts. So now if I have friends asking me where the best acne treatment is in KL, I know exactly where to recommend them to now! Just be sure you can stomach the long queues just to see the famous doctor!
Two weekends ago, sis and some friends were down here for a weekend of fun and shopping. We went to the shopping malls but sadly most weren't on sale. I spotted a pair of really nice Cole Haan shoes that were incredibly comfortable. Unfortunately it cost an arm and a leg! Hopefully it goes on sale during the mid-year Great Singapore Sale and there are sizes left too!
I was left puzzling over an RM25 charge on my company credit card just before I cancelled it. I was very sure that I had not incurred any expenses on it recently and in the end, filed a dispute form. Turns out that this charge was the Government's charge for credit card holders as a way to curb overspending on credit cards! It wasn't even tied to credit card processing charges! Ours must be the only country where the Government tries to control spending!
Last year was a bad year worldwide. People were losing jobs and being laid off almost everyday. However, this year seems a little more optimistic with job recruitment advertisements starting to appear again like the city of philadelphia jobs ads I recently saw online. Hopefully the world economy will improve.
I have an Olympus camera that recently spoilt when some water got on it. I'm now wondering if I should throw it away as the hubs recently bought me a DSLR. I did pack it up to be thrown away but my mom suggested trying to repair it or at least salvage the micro sd card inside in case it can be used on a different camera. I think the SD card should fit but I think the cost of repairing might not be worth while.
In a blink of an eye, we're already heading into the 3rd month of 2010! Have you accomplished what you have hoped to accomplish? Well, if you haven't, now is a good time to start! Also, start looking for your Mother's Day gifts early to beat the crowds at the mall who are all hunting for the best mothers day gifts. This year, why not do something different like cook a home cooked meal or enjoy a day out with that special woman in your life? She'll appreciate it a lot more than an expensive gift!
Chinese New Year is over and my holidas have gone by in a wink of an eye! Boohoo...with Chinese New Year comes the Chinese New Year weight gain too and the whole process to lose weight in the next few months! Its a never ending cycle! But it was really good while it lasted!
I've had thin hair all my life. It never grew from the flat baby hair I used to have and I have always admired people who hve hair with body. I've tried all kinds of shampoo for thin hair including some recently advertised Dove shampoo which promised to give body and lift to my hair. But all it gave me was just more dropping hair! Sigh, looks like I'm destined to live with my thin hair!
I've recently been receiving a lot of spam in my handphone and emails. It can really be very irritating especially since my phone beeps continuously each time I receive but do not check a message. I believe these companies must obtain our numbers from he many free web directory services available. I've heard that information nowadays can be bought for as little as 10 cents!
I've been seeing lots of anti aging face cream products in the market recently. Almost every advertiement targets anti-aging and anti-wrinkle and women everywhere certainly believe in them, judging from the reviews I've been reading. I'm guessing that I'll have to start investing in some anti aging face cream myself in a few more years! All women want to look young and beautiful for as long as they possibly can!
Is hair loss common amongst women? I recently experienced quite a bit of hair loss. I thought it was due to my long hair and cut it shorter. I even tried female pattern hair loss therapies but my hair still continued to drop by the handfuls everytime I took a shower. My hairdresser told me the hair loss is probably due to stress! Maybe I should stop buying hair loss treatment products and book myself a relaxing holiday instead!
You know you've crossed into adulthood when you constantly have to think about insurance and how to protect your loved ones should anything unfortunate happen to you. I've recently had to pay my annual premium and although it is steep, it is nevertheless pretty important for my older years. I did some online research on http://www.wholesaleinsurance.net to check for cheaper premiums but have a bit of reservations about buying insurance online. Would you do it?
I was out at Bangsar yesterday and noticed that SUVs seem to be the way to go today. Gone are the sporty sedans driven around by expatriates. In its place are stylish brand new SUVs which I believe cost a whole lot more than most sedans. Hopefully it stops at SUVs and doesn't go beyond that into RVs. I can't imagine huge RVs trundling around even if cheap rv financing is available!
My husband's poor niece suffers from bad allergies. She is allergic to most seafood and even milk which means most foods are off-limits for her. Her parents have been trying all kinds of allergy relief to help her live a more normal and comfortable life but it does not seem to be helping her much. Its a little scary how allergies are so common in our everyday life now. It must be all the pollution and food we eat.
Its the New Year once again and as usual lots of New Year resolutions will be made, especially losing weight. However, not many end up keeping their New Year resolutions and more often than not, people end up breaking their resolutions after a few months. If your resolution is to lose some weight, remember that it is always better to get proper diets that work instead of eating diet pills.
Its surprising to know how few people know how to use the internet for information. I was just speaking to a colleague today and learnt that she didn't really know how to use the internet at all, even for looking for things! Honestly, I don't think I can live without the internet! I would much prefer looking for something online than in a physical web directory! I think I've even forgotten how to use a telephone directory! Which do you prefer?
Recently I've noticed a high number of sales people coming to bug you during your lunch. I was recently disturbed during my lunch by someone selling some nutrisystem products that were supposed to be good for you. He even offered lots of positive nutrisystem reviews from supposed customers. These sales people should know that disturbing people during their lunch hour or while they are enjoying a meal isn't exactly the best way to make some good sales!
I happened to be driving downtown the other day and was surprised to see a hemorrhoids doctor's clinic promising hemorrhoid pain relief to those who suffer from it. I wasn't aware that any doctors specialised in something so specific as hemorrhoids! However, it is certainly welcome news for hemorrhoid sufferers as it is apparently very painful and in some serious cases could even cause complications. One of the best ways to prevent it is to drink lots of water, ensure you eat lots of high fibre foods and do some light exercises.
I was unfortunate to have bad skin when I was a teenager which led to many acne scars. I've been recommended many things for the scars from Vitamin E oil to some of the best acne scar cream around. However, my scars still remain although they may have flattened a little. Short of doing some sort of cosmetic or laser surgery, there isn't a real cure for acne scars so I guess I'll just have to live with them!
I recently sold my car just before my car insurance was due. Although I did not get quite the price I wanted, I was still nevertheless relieved that I now did not have to spend time hunting for the cheapest car insurance rates in town as my car insurance was just falling due the week after I sold it. I'll miss my little car though...it was no luxury car but it served me really well!
