The Good Life

I’ve been trying to find time to write but with everything that’s been going on, it was impossible to find a spare moment. Anyway, now finally, I have a few quiet minutes – work, husband and baby are not competing for my attention, I can sit down and blog.

So, biggest news – I’ve uprooted myself from KL and moved to Borneo (again!). Lots of people chuckle and tell me that Borneo will always have a hold on me – I left it 10 years ago only to go back to it now. Frankly, I think because I grew up in Borneo, I feel right back at home now. Yes, KL is awesome and my dear friends are there – but I’ve reached my limit for long distance relationship; 5 years apart and now with a baby is no walk in the park, ok!

We’ve got a lovely house here, no traffic jams, everything is within a 20-minute drive radius, crime rate is low, people are friendly in ways that only a small town can be and seafood is fresh! These days I do my marketing in the evenings at a stretch of stalls by the beach. So I get an awesome sunset and fresh produce at the same time – that’s gotta be the good life!

I know soon I’m gonna be missing KL and all its modern conveniences. Well, there’s Air Asia for that. For now, I’m happy, contented and at peace.

=)

Anya

Demoticons!

As annoying as it is at times, when I receive an email in Chinese, or when I'm invited to a meeting that is conducted in Chinese.. I find it so hilarious when they attempt to speak or write (by write I mean, direct google translate) in English.. I either have a good laugh or will just let them stick to their Chinese..

So anyway, recently they updated our office internal messenger with some new features and now it comes in English.. I don't know where the fck they got these words from, but this are the only emoticon/smiley options available in the messenger:

• Cachinnate
• Snicker
• Avarice
• Nictitate
• Grimace
• Perplexed
• Desponded
• Snarl
• Dement
• Loathe
• Griefful
• SARS
• Supercilious Look
• Dally

Like seriously? How on earth am I suppose to react to any of these expressions??! Whatever happened to happy, sad, etc?

They should have added one more that says, "mind boggling".. That's what this is!

Lilo

Smile!

Smiling has always been easier than explaining why you're sad.


Lilo

I got a call at 10am today, waking me up from my deep sleep..


My friend: Your mom coming back today!?!

Me: Hey, hi.. Yeah, they are coming back today..

Him: I'm not asking you, I'm telling you!!

Me: Err, thanks for informing me?

Him: What you gonna do?

Me: Err, what I gonna do??

Him: Tell laa, what you gonna do??

Me: Err, pick them up later?

Him: No, silly! I mean, your mom is coming back.. What have you decided? What you gonna do with your life la??

Me: Hey, why you making it sound like my mom coming back is a bad thing?

Him: Isn't it? It's your mom, ok!

Me: I'm quite excited actually..

Him: omg, seriously?! What's wrong with you??

Me: wtf now??

Him: don't you take anything seriously in life??

Me: F**k u!

Him: seriously, I don't know how you can be like this.. I think I'm more worried about your life than you are..

Me: You know what? Thanks for waking me up. Screw you!


Lilo

Speculations!

A funny incident happened at work today.

I was at the lab doing some testing with four other guys..

There is this one particular equipment that releases very high radiation and it's believed, too much exposure to this would cause one to be unable to reproduce..

So I'm quietly sitting there staring at my laptop and Guy A tells me "Lilo, you should leave now; we are going to on that equipment"

Guy B interrupts, "it's ok, she can stay.. She doesn't want kids anyway.."

This is when I look up.. Guy A goes, "Wth, she loves kids.. She's totally having babies!"

And before I can open my mouth, Guy C, supposedly to my rescue, says "C'mon guys, it's between her and her husband!"

And Guy A & B both go "What husband?!"

Guy C innocently replies "she's married right?"

And Guy D give a huge laugh and says "hahahaha, what you talking bro? she's not the marriage type laa"

And I slap my forehead. Hard. Twice.


Lilo

What a pain in the neck!

Exactly on 21st April, i had a sudden bruise like pain on the left side of my neck. The exact area would be somewhere between the back of my ears and neck.

At first i didn't thought much of it and continued my usual routine.
I tried to feel it but there wasn't a bulge nor a bruise on the pain area.

By Monday, i was in terrible pain by the time i got home from work. Driving back was torturous and i was left with lopsided shoulders and lost the ability to turn my head either side.

So anyway, i have been on physiotherapy over 9 sessions and 4 weeks so far and been sporting a neck collar (loaned from my sister who had vertigo 2 years back).

My condition has been properly diagnosed as Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) spasm and it inflamed due to that. I must say wearing the collar has resulted to a variety of interesting conversations from various walks of life.

Here are some of my favorites moments being in a collar:

1. How everyone exclaims like they are in pain when they see me in the collar and scrunching their faces

2. Random strangers strike up random conversations and start inquiring about my well-being, suggest helpful remedies/doctors/treatment procedures

3. Being able to work from home way more often *joy*

4. Being able to stretch out at my desk, pump my shoulders up and down and not worrying about how retard i look like

5. Getting visitors to my desk and receiving more goss in the process *yea, i'm a girl and i goss. so sue me*

6. Being chauffeured around  *glee*

7. Using neck collar as an excuse not to attend certain functions (convenient and totally valid ok!)

8. Receiving the attention of various students, physiotherapists and interns

9. Being free from house chores *double joy*

10. Coming up with different responses each time someone inquires why it happened. My current favorite answer these days: "oh, you know, I've been naughty :P". Sometimes that's all people wanna hear *shrug*

11. Being spotted by Russell Peters on his show (right!)

So i say, to all those lonely + depressed people out there, the only accessory you will need is a neck collar TM and you are well on your way to joy and attention like you've never received before.

*Disclaimer: Applies to cane, eye patch, arm cast, leg cast too

This entry wouldn't be complete if i don't list out the not-so favorite part about being in this condition:

1. Very low productivity - and when i mean low, i mean, low at work, low on Facebook (and yes, i haven't gotten around to uploading the albums i need to!)

2. Relying on speaker phone functionality (NEVER gonna take it for granted again)

3. Getting asked why it occurred like a zillion times daily

4. Not being able to find the right sleeping position without incurring more pain

5. Exposing my back and bra straps to random strangers for treatment *shy*

6. Not being able to go to the hair salon :(

There's a new meaning to pain in the neck as I've learnt it the hard way. One can hope however, that wearing the collar for 14 hours a day will result in an elegant long neck :P

p/s: friend of mine asking me 'how you main since you wearing this?'(. .!!)

Signing out,

N.e.m.o

You know when you wish the ground will just swallow you up?

Ever since i was a little girl, each time i got sad or hurt, i used to wish i could hide somewhere alone where no one could find me. 

Back then, i used to run outside to the side of the house and sit by the drain. It was my hideout.


The house i used to live in then, was a huge old colonial bungalow in the army camp where my dad was posted. It had miles of lawn that separated our lot and house from the neighbor. So i had all the privacy i needed and the drains were dry and clean and their only function was to flow the rain water out. So nothing icky. Just lil Nemo, sitting cross legged on a clean cemented patio and tiny drain and miles of green to feast my eyes on.

Its funny how selective one's memory can be...
For some reason, each time im sad, it always makes me yearn for those days. Like i said before here, i hate growing up :P 

Anyway, here i am on a Monday night typing away in my room. Feeling like today, i just need my own company. Feel sad, a lil melancholic even. Reasons are not very important i think.

Just felt i needed to jot down what has been on going before my fish of a memory gets to them. 

So last past weeks been really weird for me. Been dreaming a lot. Strange dreams but i could relate each of them or at least fragments of them to my thoughts. As i know those are things that have been on my mind at some point or the other.

I don't know why the dreams been appearing often. 

But here are few possible reasons (or could it be a mix of all these?):

1. My bedside reading for the past month has been Chitra Divakaruni's Queen of Dreams (it is about dreams tellers & reading what the dream is trying to tell you)

2. I've resigned from my current organization about 3 weeks ago and soon to join a new place. Kept thinking if i was doing the right decision or vice versa. That and the tug-of-war between the 2 to choose my last date. (an added stress)

3. Doses of ibuprofen during the early weeks (3 weeks ago) due to my Sternocleidomastoid spasm that has left me on the neck collar for 3 weeks and resulted to 9 sessions of physio (and counting). Maybe taking those drugs the first 4 days of my pain resulted in dreams? *shrug*

4. Under went seem to never end couple's spat 2 weeks ago. Didn't like the feeling and the tears and the drama. 

5. Been feeling the baby blues ever since I've been seeing wayyyyyyy lot of babies around me. Screw the feminism and all that bra-burning fury, i wanna have my own too :P

Anyway, this is a start of a new week and things are a lot better than the past 3 weeks have been.

For starters, i got my last date sorted out, my buy out process almost sorted out, my bank stuff being processed for my property loan, my bf and i are all sweet and dandy again (and he is being really sweet these days), my neck is improving, my physio sessions cut down to once a week, I'm feeling more positive about the new move.

The only sad news is, Anya has now officially settled down in the East. So Lilo and i are missing her already..  But we are happy for her and her lil one and her hubby. 

Peace Out, 

N.e.m.o

All smiles..

Feels like I haven’t blogged in a long time. Nothing good has been happening to be blogged about anyway. 

But today, I actually drove all the way to work with a big smile plastered on my face for some reason. I think that fact alone, deserves a blog ;)

And after a very long time, I’m feeling really good (touch-wood!!). It perhaps has got something to do with my parents being away; but I think there’s more to it. The world seems to be taking an interesting spin on my life ;) 

The feeling was also elevated by the fact that, my ass hugging pants felt loose this morning, and the belt needed some extra fittings :) Ignore the fact that, I immediately rushed to the scale and found out; I haven’t lost a single pound!

I also actually managed to drive in the 80-90km/h range successfully throughout the whole journey. I never knew my car was capable of that. Like seriously. You don’t have to know that, it has got to do with the fact that I received three speeding tickets in the duration of a month since we relocated to the new office!!! Grrrr!!

And besides, I just went for a meni/pedi yest; and for once, I decided to go all bright.  And my orange-y toe nails are also contributing to the smile on my face :)

I am also excited and looking forward for the infamous Russell Peters’ show this Saturday with my girls ;) After spending a bomb on the tickets, it better be bloody worth it!

So yeah, have a great day ahead people! :)

Lilo