I'd like to think I'm pretty money-savvy. OK, may be when I'm not undergoing retail therapy, buying four pairs of the same kind of shoes, three tees of the same design. In different colours, mind you.
At other times, I'm very happy punching in the figures to see how much of interest savings I'm getting by pre-paying my mortgages. Definitely not too complicated. Calculators abound. I get a kick out of plugging in bigger and bigger numbers under the pre-payment column and seeing interest payment dropping or payment period being shortened considerably!
Some mortgage calculators...
bloomberg
bankrate.com
Getting rid of that mortgage is worth crowing about, at least to the other half. Yup, I did a lot of self-praising and fished for them from Shaw Feng when the current mortgage was paid off in January this year.
Then, guess what, we tasted the financial freedom for a while and went off looking at bigger homes. Mmm, they are nice to look at but I keep pulling myself back into reality. Or at least I'm making Shaw Feng pull me back from going into debt again!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Kid Speak
Kayrin's latest fascination -- time. She wants to know what month and date it is, and can ask for it several times a day. But her sense of time is improving. Last week, she badgered her mah mah and me to bring her to Bukit Jalil Park. On the way there, she said to her grandmother in a mixture of cantonese and English (cantonese is in italics), "Yesterday, you said we could go to the park tomorrow. Tomorrow is today lor."
She's also speaking in English that isn't purely English anymore. Yesterday, Shaw Feng held her after her trip home in yeh yeh's car.
"Why is your face so cold," Daddy asked her.
"Because it kena air-cond."
She's also speaking in English that isn't purely English anymore. Yesterday, Shaw Feng held her after her trip home in yeh yeh's car.
"Why is your face so cold," Daddy asked her.
"Because it kena air-cond."
Get a Perspective!
This makes me rethink what I think I need. Not much more, I'd say. Appreciate what you have, Shaw Feng says, is the message here.
http://www.miniature-earth.com/me_english.htm
http://www.miniature-earth.com/me_english.htm
Friday, October 12, 2007
...ah!
This past week, Kayrin started talking in a funny way. She adds the "ah?" to her sentences. So they sound like this..
Where are we going -- aah?
Why is it like this ahh?
We first noticed her inclination during our trip to Cameron Highlands last week. It was odd because we don't speak that way. Then I read that some kids go through this phase, just as Karen Cheng's kid did.
We'll see how long this phase lasts then.
Where are we going -- aah?
Why is it like this ahh?
We first noticed her inclination during our trip to Cameron Highlands last week. It was odd because we don't speak that way. Then I read that some kids go through this phase, just as Karen Cheng's kid did.
We'll see how long this phase lasts then.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Skimming the Clouds
I love this photograph. It's Kayrin being tickled pink by something Shaw Feng was doing or saying. I forgot what it was but the joy in her face stays captured here. We were at the Boh Tea Plantations in Sungei Palas, Cameron Highlands. The 3-day stay at Cameron Highlands Resort was wonderful (Oct. 4-6) despite the meal-time tantrums and struggles. The lovely, luxurious hotel was very quiet during the weekdays and we had very attentive waiters on hand to take care of our mealtime needs. Basudev was also good to mine for tips on where to go for the cheap and fresh vegetables -- the pasar malam, of course!Monday, October 08, 2007
Books
I've been getting some reading done lately. No longer able to finish one novel in a night, I was put off for several years after the arrival of Kayrin, to even attempt starting any books. So, since 2003, it's been mostly reading to Kayrin when one mentions books.
But these past few months have gotten me back to books. Watching Shaw Feng devour book after book is also an inspiration.
I've gone on Mark Haddon's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time," which scares Kayrin with its cover of a dog stabbed by a pitchfork. That took ages for me to complete. Months.
Then I took on "Marley," another "dog book," as I told Kayrin. That's still unfinished. Not much of a challenge but nothing too exciting.
Was it before or after that that I went on to the "Kite Runner," a sad one on life of a boy in Afghanistan.
And during my sick leave after the miscarriage, I started and completed "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
Now, it's Mark Haddon's "A Spot of Bother." So far, so good. About the life of a family.
Here's a place for recommendations and reviews. Curled Up With a Good Book.
But these past few months have gotten me back to books. Watching Shaw Feng devour book after book is also an inspiration.
I've gone on Mark Haddon's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time," which scares Kayrin with its cover of a dog stabbed by a pitchfork. That took ages for me to complete. Months.
Then I took on "Marley," another "dog book," as I told Kayrin. That's still unfinished. Not much of a challenge but nothing too exciting.
Was it before or after that that I went on to the "Kite Runner," a sad one on life of a boy in Afghanistan.
And during my sick leave after the miscarriage, I started and completed "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
Now, it's Mark Haddon's "A Spot of Bother." So far, so good. About the life of a family.
Here's a place for recommendations and reviews. Curled Up With a Good Book.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Malls versus Nature
When Kayrin moved back to KL, I told myself I wouldn't make her a mall rat. I didn't want a kid who hangs out at malls from the age of 2 (that's how old the little one was when we came home in April 2005).
In Singapore, with no luxury of a car, she and I went for long walks. Kayrin in a stroller and me pushing her around. We went all the way down the ECP, strolled down Siglap to the Siglap Linear Park, ventured to Bedok's nurseries, climbed pedetrian bridges to get to ECP and dawdled our way to beef noodles at Marine Parade.
Back home, there are cars to ferry us around. The old white Proton Iswara (WEG 2614) to start with, and graduating to the S40 and now in addition to the Volvo, the A-class. With these cars, we hardly push her out anymore. And I'm starting to realize how it's so much easier to drive into a covered car park, unload the stroller and push her into a place with temperate climate..25 degrees Celsius.
The other option is to go in search of nature..farther away, hotter, more humid and possibly infested with mosquitoes. And forget not, the lack of clean toilets! Urgh. What is green, great jungles without strategically positioned toilets for nature's calls! Here's a challenge to myself then, to get away from these malls a little. Let's see what I can achieve in the next four days, when I get a break!
In Singapore, with no luxury of a car, she and I went for long walks. Kayrin in a stroller and me pushing her around. We went all the way down the ECP, strolled down Siglap to the Siglap Linear Park, ventured to Bedok's nurseries, climbed pedetrian bridges to get to ECP and dawdled our way to beef noodles at Marine Parade.
Back home, there are cars to ferry us around. The old white Proton Iswara (WEG 2614) to start with, and graduating to the S40 and now in addition to the Volvo, the A-class. With these cars, we hardly push her out anymore. And I'm starting to realize how it's so much easier to drive into a covered car park, unload the stroller and push her into a place with temperate climate..25 degrees Celsius.
The other option is to go in search of nature..farther away, hotter, more humid and possibly infested with mosquitoes. And forget not, the lack of clean toilets! Urgh. What is green, great jungles without strategically positioned toilets for nature's calls! Here's a challenge to myself then, to get away from these malls a little. Let's see what I can achieve in the next four days, when I get a break!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Walk the Talk
What an awesome sight and one to warm the hearts too, to see the legal fraternity march to the PM's Department in Putrajaya to hand over a memorandum demanding an investigation into the latest scandal in the community. Check out a first-hand experience here. http://www.nursamad.blogspot.com/
Perhaps there's hope yet for improvement in this country's judiciary.
Perhaps there's hope yet for improvement in this country's judiciary.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Cheeky Baby
On Sept. 20, a Thursday, as I was lying in bed and contemplating the weekend. Kayrin and I had this exchange.
Me: What shall we do this weekend, darling?
The cheeky one: Be naughty.
Kids don't think being naughty is such a bad thing. They play and behave the way they want, free to test the limits we adults set. They are experimenting, socializing. With this in mind, I tried not to be too exasperated when she doesn't behave the way I want her to, such as being a neat freak. Who knows, in a few years' time, she'd turn into one on her own. And I'd get my revenge then -- she'd be nagging me to be less of a hoarder of old junk!
Me: What shall we do this weekend, darling?
The cheeky one: Be naughty.
Kids don't think being naughty is such a bad thing. They play and behave the way they want, free to test the limits we adults set. They are experimenting, socializing. With this in mind, I tried not to be too exasperated when she doesn't behave the way I want her to, such as being a neat freak. Who knows, in a few years' time, she'd turn into one on her own. And I'd get my revenge then -- she'd be nagging me to be less of a hoarder of old junk!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Weekends
I love the anticipation of weekends! The thought of waking up a little bit later than the usual 6 a.m., the family breakfast of roti canai (if Kayrin gets her way), the going to one of the hypermarkets to do our weekly grocery shopping. But most of all, on Fridays, I start thinking ambitious. That means I think I'll get around to bringing Kayrin to the pool, play with her at the playground and spend meaningful time with her.
These days, what happens weekends are the struggle to get her to eat her meals at a faster rate. Yes, anything but the motion we go through to get her to chew, chew and swallow!
But it's Friday now, so I fret not.
A kiss on my daughter's head,
Another whiff of her baby smell
Makes me swim in happy thoughts;
And I thank God
for the hands I hold
Keeps me safe, makes my heart swell
Love is what makes it all worthwhile.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Full Circle
Go back a decade and more and there I was, too poor to buy the kind of lip-smacking food such as pistachios or eat at restaurants such as Lafite.
Now that I can afford them, I've my annual health checks' results to remind me not to overeat these rich foods. It is amazing how I now have to watch the heart more than the pockets.
This came to me as pictures of roasted cashewnuts, Haagen-Dazs and Lindts chocolate stare out at me from an Isetan brochure.
Now that I can afford them, I've my annual health checks' results to remind me not to overeat these rich foods. It is amazing how I now have to watch the heart more than the pockets.
This came to me as pictures of roasted cashewnuts, Haagen-Dazs and Lindts chocolate stare out at me from an Isetan brochure.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Knock, Knock
Kayrin loves knock-knock jokes and today she simply made SF and me bellow out in laughter with one of her own!
"Knock, knock," she says.
"Who's there?" I asked.
"Booger."
"Booger who?"
"Booger eater."
She stuns me every now and again. She makes me laugh on a grey day. Had the d&c this morning and this is the best antidote from my baby darling!
"Knock, knock," she says.
"Who's there?" I asked.
"Booger."
"Booger who?"
"Booger eater."
She stuns me every now and again. She makes me laugh on a grey day. Had the d&c this morning and this is the best antidote from my baby darling!
Friday, September 07, 2007
Cheer Me Up
The ones to cheer me up
When it all comes falling down
Their love is without doubt
Erasing my frown.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Crashing
I'm reminded now of how fragile life can be, how fast things can turn. 24 hours ago, all was fine, so I thought. In a short visit, it all came crashing down. I feel like curling up to go to sleep and not know anything.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Monday, September 03, 2007
Buble-fied
Kayrin just loves this Michael Buble song. She asks for it to be repeated non-stop in the car. And she sings to it with her binky in her mouth! Here's to Everything that you are to mommy and daddy, darling baby girl.
Michael Buble - Everything
You're a falling star,
You're the get away car.
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you're the perfect thing to say.
And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.
Ah, When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.
Cause you can see it when I look at you.
[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,
And you light me up, when you ring my bell.
You're a mystery, you're from outer space,
You're every minute of my everyday.
And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man,
And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.
Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,
And you know that's what our love can do.
[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, LaSo, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy timesIt's you, it's you,
You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're every song, and I sing along.
'Cause you're my everything.
Yeah, yeah
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
Michael Buble - Everything
You're a falling star,
You're the get away car.
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you're the perfect thing to say.
And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.
Ah, When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.
Cause you can see it when I look at you.
[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,
And you light me up, when you ring my bell.
You're a mystery, you're from outer space,
You're every minute of my everyday.
And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man,
And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.
Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,
And you know that's what our love can do.
[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, LaSo, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy timesIt's you, it's you,
You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're every song, and I sing along.
'Cause you're my everything.
Yeah, yeah
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
Thursday, August 30, 2007
MIL..
the incredible! I'm a happy camper today. MIL made me lunch to bring to work after I whined (just a bit, really) about how the lunch at work makes me really ill after i gobbled them down. If I don't eat, I feel really famished. And after I've eaten, I feel awful from all that grease. So today, MIL was all ready with a big container of rice and vege and tofu-fried-with-minced-pork when I wanted to leave for work at 6:30 a.m.! Isn't that wonderful of her? She's really nice. Too bad I ate everything before it occurred to me to take a picture of my brunch and late lunch. I split the meal into two, eaten at 11 a.m. and 2:30 pm. ;)
Yo-Yoing
My weight isn't just gaining. Yesterday, I stepped on the scale at the gym before my yoga class and it says 48 kg. Weird. Praying that baby 2 is all right.
Sept. 3: 49 kg
Sept. 3: 49 kg
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Seven Weeks
Seven weeks and counting! ;) This is wonderful news. I'm less shocked compared to the first round, when we're expecting Kayrin. But it still takes quite a while for things to sink in. I bought the test kit on Aug. 10, and did the test that evening, showing Kayrin too.
Fast forward to this week, where we spent the beginning of the week in Singapore, and Kayrin is so psyched into being the big sister that she refused to be addressed as "baby" anymore!
"Don't call me baby. I'm a cher-cher," she said.
And yesterday evening, seeing me get ready for my shower, she told me, "Hold baby tight, don't let her fall out of your stomach."
This morning at the gym, I got on the weighing scale: 50 kg.
That's a 2 kg increase from about 2 weeks ago. Better slow down my food consumption. I now eat to mask the metallic taste whereas during the first pregnancy, I avoided food in the first trimester because of the taste.
Fast forward to this week, where we spent the beginning of the week in Singapore, and Kayrin is so psyched into being the big sister that she refused to be addressed as "baby" anymore!
"Don't call me baby. I'm a cher-cher," she said.
And yesterday evening, seeing me get ready for my shower, she told me, "Hold baby tight, don't let her fall out of your stomach."
This morning at the gym, I got on the weighing scale: 50 kg.
That's a 2 kg increase from about 2 weeks ago. Better slow down my food consumption. I now eat to mask the metallic taste whereas during the first pregnancy, I avoided food in the first trimester because of the taste.
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