Tuesday, January 31, 2012
It's cold out here!
When Silver Bullet told me that it snowed the night before, I did not really believe him and thought that he was pulling my leg.
Admittedly, I thought he was delirious from the lack of sleep as Spud had been down with a fever the entire night and had single-handedly manage to keep the entire household awake! That being said, since we've been here, there has not been any news report of us having a snowy weather here.
Imagine my surprise when I looked out of the window. As it turned out, it did snow that night and we were just oblivious to the surrounding as we got too busy nursing Spud having a fever, turning the entire household upside-down!
I can't remember the last time I saw snow. And, as I watched speckles of tiny snow falling the next day as little sick Spud dosed off, I was a little disappointed that Spud was just too ill to enjoy the new experience. I'm just hoping that the snow will last a little longer for Spud to get a little better before we head out back to Bangkok.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
A day of surprises
[This is a bit of a very delayed post; a post which has been in a draft mode for 10 days and should have gone up more than a week ago. But here it is, anyway]
I woke up one Monday morning of mid-January feeling sluggish, dreading the week I was about to face, but was greeted by a cheerful Silver Bullet wishing me a Happy Birthday as I stumbled into the bathroom. Only to forget that it was my birthday a few minutes later.
When the Nanny came in, I was again greeted by a birthday wish and a little present....only to forget that it was my birthday again that day!
So, that repeated itself over and over again throughout the day, and. somehow, every time I was being reminded by the wishes, I forgot about it right after. My memory has been like a sieve.
In all honesty, though, I felt like it was just like any other ordinary day. A birthday for me is nothing special - it is just a day when I am officially a year older. That being said, it felt so very ordinary perhaps because, this was also probably the first time in years in which I did not take any birthday leave and be done with all work obligations for one day. This year, there just was not enough time for a birthday me-time.
I guess I am lucky that quite a few people made a big deal out of it by just showering me with wishes and gifts.
After lunch, a colleague bought me an ice-cream after he casually asked me of my favourite ice-cream flavour.
Sometime in the late afternoon, whilst I was furiously typing away on my keyboard, my team surprised me by singing a birthday song out loud and ambushed me at my desk with a birthday cake after they dimmed all the lights in the office.The gesture was so sweet, not because of the fact that they remembered, but the fact that in the Thai context, that small gesture given to a foreigner meant a hell lot more than just a birthday cake. In the Thai context, it meant genuine acknowledgment, appreciation and some form of adoration (if I may speculate it so) from subordinates to their boss that it brought a lump to my throat.I think I may have even slightly teared a little as it was nothing which I had expected at all.
When I got home, Silver Bullet not only had gone through all the trouble of cooking dinner for me but, just as I thought the day was over (and forgetting again that it was my birthday), he presented me with a huge-ass gift.
His gift in the form of Osim foot and back massage device made me a very happy person, indeed! (actually, come to think of it, it probably makes Silver Bullet the happier person as he now does not have to do any more manual foot rubs for me when I absolutely need it!)
It was, all in all a great day and certainly something to remember by!
P.S:
Photos will be posted up later as I am currently away and have no access to download the photos from my camera to my laptop!
I woke up one Monday morning of mid-January feeling sluggish, dreading the week I was about to face, but was greeted by a cheerful Silver Bullet wishing me a Happy Birthday as I stumbled into the bathroom. Only to forget that it was my birthday a few minutes later.
When the Nanny came in, I was again greeted by a birthday wish and a little present....only to forget that it was my birthday again that day!
So, that repeated itself over and over again throughout the day, and. somehow, every time I was being reminded by the wishes, I forgot about it right after. My memory has been like a sieve.
In all honesty, though, I felt like it was just like any other ordinary day. A birthday for me is nothing special - it is just a day when I am officially a year older. That being said, it felt so very ordinary perhaps because, this was also probably the first time in years in which I did not take any birthday leave and be done with all work obligations for one day. This year, there just was not enough time for a birthday me-time.
I guess I am lucky that quite a few people made a big deal out of it by just showering me with wishes and gifts.
After lunch, a colleague bought me an ice-cream after he casually asked me of my favourite ice-cream flavour.
When I got home, Silver Bullet not only had gone through all the trouble of cooking dinner for me but, just as I thought the day was over (and forgetting again that it was my birthday), he presented me with a huge-ass gift.
His gift in the form of Osim foot and back massage device made me a very happy person, indeed! (actually, come to think of it, it probably makes Silver Bullet the happier person as he now does not have to do any more manual foot rubs for me when I absolutely need it!)
It was, all in all a great day and certainly something to remember by!
P.S:
Photos will be posted up later as I am currently away and have no access to download the photos from my camera to my laptop!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Keropoks, Fishballs and Cheese
Keropok (Singapore/Malaysia), Krupuk (Indonesia) or Kroepoek (The Netherlands) - What is it?
Really tasty and addictive especially when dipped in sambal or chilli sauce. Can be really fishy, but still one of my favourite all-time snacks!
(Silver Bullet hates the fish version)
Fish balls - What is it?
Made from fish instead of meat, they are very common food in Southern China, and apparently in Scandinavia, too. Can be eaten as sides with noodle soup, in curry with rice or on its own.
Especially good when deep fried, and dipped in, of course, chilli sauce. My favourite comfort food since I was a child.
(Silver Bullet will not have any of these)
Cheese - What is it?
Definitely Silver Bullet's all-time favourite. For him, the smellier the better, even if they smell like rotten feet!
(I like the milder, younger cheeses. I don't do smelly - they are revolting!)
So. What do they all have in common?
Apart from the fact that they all can smell a bit funny, I bet you would not have guessed for a second that we found out over time that these junk (more for the keropoks and fish balls as opposed to the cheese!) have turned out to be one of Spud's favourite snacks!
Funny how that is and all i can say is that it is a testament to Spud's true mix of Silver Bullet European and my Asian heritage.
I hope it stays that way and it will be nice to share my love for fish with someone else in the family.
Woo hooo! :)
Friday, January 20, 2012
Ang Pows & Weddings
How many times have you wondered how much you should be giving to a Chinese Couple every time you were invited to attend a Chinese wedding reception?
If like me, you tend to ask around to get a feel of how much to give (not that I get invited very much these days), here is a useful guide I nicked off someone's post on FB recently:
There!
That should work, shouldn't it?
At least in the Singapore context, my gut-feel says that it is pretty much spot on. Whoever says that weddings are fun?
If like me, you tend to ask around to get a feel of how much to give (not that I get invited very much these days), here is a useful guide I nicked off someone's post on FB recently:
There!
That should work, shouldn't it?
At least in the Singapore context, my gut-feel says that it is pretty much spot on. Whoever says that weddings are fun?
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The introvert in me
Shortly after I wrote about me being an introvert in the extroverts' world in my last post for 2011, I came across an article on the top 10 myths of Introverts which I have shamelessly cut and paste here:
The original article can be found here. He's got quite a cool profile and I have enjoyed reading some of his posts so far. He apparently received >750,000 hits when his post on introverts went viral.
Introverts are normal people who happens to find most extroverts annoying (I said MOST). That being said, my best girl friend is an extrovert and I am even married to one - you should have seen my face when they talked my ears off when we first met (at separate occasions, years apart). If you could only see those bubble thoughts that went through my head at that time!
Funnily enough, I let them be. I did not brush them off, and there was no judgement - from both sides.
What made a big difference was that there were no airs about them, and genuinely sincere about getting to know you as a person that you are. They are honest and give it to you straight-up; no sugar-coating. They took the time, they reach out and there was no pretending. They respected my space and over time, I learn and understand the ways of being in the Extroverts' world; enabling me to view the social differences with an open mind.
They are also of course, in my books, not very normal people. They can be very "off' sometimes. And, that's very okay. We get along very well. And we get along very well with other "off" people.
Now, I cannot yak with them enough and they really are the few extroverts whom I cannot imagine not having in my life. Ever.
Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.
Sleeping Dragon: Or step on my tail and make me mad, and I will also not shut up for days on end, too. I also happen not to like to talk about myself.
Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.
Sleeping Dragon: I'm usually the listener in a conversation, and while I try, for most part, it really is not in me to be the one initiating small talk.I do it out of necessity more than anything else.
Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.
Sleeping Dragon: I find it very disturbing that most people thrive in shallow pretenses and meaningless over-friendliness so they can talk about themselves all the time as opposed to straight-in-your-face-honesty.Social pleasantries again, are just done out of necessity in dealing with the ways of the world - and I'd rather not do it if I don't have to.
Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.
Sleeping Dragon: I can count the number of really good friends that I have with my ten fingers and I still have a few fingers to spare. I did say I prefer hanging out with animals...
Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.
Sleeping Dragon: Thus, the tendency to internalise and over-analyse things!
Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.
Sleeping Dragon: I don't day-dream; I just space out especially when there is too much blabber going on and then I'm labelled as being someone very disengaged.But, seriously, if you see SOME of the clowns that surround me on a daily basis, you'd want to be alone too!
Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.
Sleeping Dragon: No beating about the bush here - yes, I am weird. I don't conform. And so be it.
Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.
Sleeping Dragon: I don't know how many times I have been unjustly accused of being an aloof bitch (nerd's a term for the intellectuals of the world and I'm not one), but I guess they usually come from people who just don't know me well enough. I let it be because it is more exhausting for me to make the effort to correct that perception.
I am a nice person, though. O:)
Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.
Sleeping Dragon: Ahhh...if only you knew! All those travels that I have done on my own when I was young and single are probably the best things I have ever done for myself.
Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.
Sleeping Dragon: I kind of like being an introvert, and don't see the dire need to be one of yous, Extroverts. The Extroverts drive me crazy as it is, why do I want to do that to myself by being one? Sheesh,
The original article can be found here. He's got quite a cool profile and I have enjoyed reading some of his posts so far. He apparently received >750,000 hits when his post on introverts went viral.
Introverts are normal people who happens to find most extroverts annoying (I said MOST). That being said, my best girl friend is an extrovert and I am even married to one - you should have seen my face when they talked my ears off when we first met (at separate occasions, years apart). If you could only see those bubble thoughts that went through my head at that time!
Funnily enough, I let them be. I did not brush them off, and there was no judgement - from both sides.
What made a big difference was that there were no airs about them, and genuinely sincere about getting to know you as a person that you are. They are honest and give it to you straight-up; no sugar-coating. They took the time, they reach out and there was no pretending. They respected my space and over time, I learn and understand the ways of being in the Extroverts' world; enabling me to view the social differences with an open mind.
They are also of course, in my books, not very normal people. They can be very "off' sometimes. And, that's very okay. We get along very well. And we get along very well with other "off" people.
Now, I cannot yak with them enough and they really are the few extroverts whom I cannot imagine not having in my life. Ever.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Gruffalo: The (Short) Movie
5 months on, and Spud is still hooked on The Gruffalo, and now, we have "upgraded" her addiction to the one with audio-visual aid.
Actually, not too long after The Gruffalo was first introduced to us, we started scouring the Internet (in search for the cute plush toy and to date, still observing a very high self-restraint of not buying it online!), and then stumbled on its official website. From the website on , being the geek that Silver Bullet is, he then started scouring for a video version of the book.
Not too long later, he actually managed to find a high-def version of the 26-minutes movie and was all so excited about his find - so excited that I started wondering who was more excited - Spud or Silver Bullet!
Needless to say, Spud loves it, and was hooked on it in no time at all. In fact, it was the only thing that gets her to sit still at one spot for a whole 10 minutes. And because of its "magical powers", it became The Thing we use to keep her quiet for about two weeks - be it meal times, or just so she'd stay at one spot. So for two weeks, day-in, day-out, we watched Gruffalo several times a day.
BIG MISTAKE.
Before long, Spud started to throw temper tantrums when she did not get to watch The Gruffalo at her whims and fancy at any time of the day. Realising the monster we had unwittingly unleashed, we decided to take steps to remedy it before it was too late. It then took us a few days to condition her that, no, she does not get to watch The Gruffalo whenever she demands for it. She watches it only when her parents allow her too.
Since then, The Gruffalo has been a part of Spud's bedtime routine - we only allow her to watch it at the end of the day, after her evening shower and before she brushes her teeth. Now, The Gruffalo is like a cue for her to go to bed, and as soon as it reaches towards the end of the movie, she starts saying bye and waves goodbye to the TV!
All it took was a lot of consistency (in distracting her into other things besides The Gruffalo), resilience and not giving in (to her tantrums). It was a little hard work from our part doing all those things with a lot of restraint, and telling her that yes, she can watch The Gruffalo, and only before bedtime, but in the end, it worked.
We could only let out a serious sigh of relief when she started to get it after.
I have to tell you though, the movie is brilliant! All the details that went into that animation is just amazing. Silver Bullet had tried to change to another movie (The Lion King) to give her a little bit more of variety during bedtime, but Spud just would not have any of it and cried bloody murder the moment she saw a different opening scene.
We have not missed a day without watching it so far, and I shamelessly admit that even I enjoy that little skit!
The whole Gruffalo thing is just super awesome. So awesome that I am afraid I may not be able to restrain myself any longer from getting that darn cute toy!
Actually, not too long after The Gruffalo was first introduced to us, we started scouring the Internet (in search for the cute plush toy and to date, still observing a very high self-restraint of not buying it online!), and then stumbled on its official website. From the website on , being the geek that Silver Bullet is, he then started scouring for a video version of the book.
Not too long later, he actually managed to find a high-def version of the 26-minutes movie and was all so excited about his find - so excited that I started wondering who was more excited - Spud or Silver Bullet!
Needless to say, Spud loves it, and was hooked on it in no time at all. In fact, it was the only thing that gets her to sit still at one spot for a whole 10 minutes. And because of its "magical powers", it became The Thing we use to keep her quiet for about two weeks - be it meal times, or just so she'd stay at one spot. So for two weeks, day-in, day-out, we watched Gruffalo several times a day.
BIG MISTAKE.
Before long, Spud started to throw temper tantrums when she did not get to watch The Gruffalo at her whims and fancy at any time of the day. Realising the monster we had unwittingly unleashed, we decided to take steps to remedy it before it was too late. It then took us a few days to condition her that, no, she does not get to watch The Gruffalo whenever she demands for it. She watches it only when her parents allow her too.
Since then, The Gruffalo has been a part of Spud's bedtime routine - we only allow her to watch it at the end of the day, after her evening shower and before she brushes her teeth. Now, The Gruffalo is like a cue for her to go to bed, and as soon as it reaches towards the end of the movie, she starts saying bye and waves goodbye to the TV!
All it took was a lot of consistency (in distracting her into other things besides The Gruffalo), resilience and not giving in (to her tantrums). It was a little hard work from our part doing all those things with a lot of restraint, and telling her that yes, she can watch The Gruffalo, and only before bedtime, but in the end, it worked.
We could only let out a serious sigh of relief when she started to get it after.
I have to tell you though, the movie is brilliant! All the details that went into that animation is just amazing. Silver Bullet had tried to change to another movie (The Lion King) to give her a little bit more of variety during bedtime, but Spud just would not have any of it and cried bloody murder the moment she saw a different opening scene.
We have not missed a day without watching it so far, and I shamelessly admit that even I enjoy that little skit!
The whole Gruffalo thing is just super awesome. So awesome that I am afraid I may not be able to restrain myself any longer from getting that darn cute toy!
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