It feel good to declutter / give away / throw

Last Saturday, I managed to get rid of 4 boxes of recyclable items .. ie. cardboxes from packaging, old VCDs (if you still remember what they are:) recyclable plastic items, old clothes and some preloved books.

i have to say it feel so good to be able to clear the stuffs that have been sitting at my home for so long because they stop taking recycle stuffs from a few months back. Previously they use to collect recyclable items and garden compost every Thursday.

I feel that my burden are lifted ... perhaps the clutter has been a nagging need-to-do item at the back of my brain giving me invisible stress. I feel at last I managed to do something after promising dear for so long that I'll clear the clutters at home.

With this in mind, I'm looking forward to more clearing and decluttering sessions which actually helps to calm us down. My dream to make our home clutter free although I've been trying for so many years... but still I refused to give up and will even work harder towards my goals.  Till then...wish us luck :)

Finish reading a book for 2022

Today I finish reading a book which I didn't managed to finish reading it last year. Last year for goodreads.com reading challenge, I set myself a target to read 25 books and failed miserably at 5/25 books. So this year I lower my expectation and just set up a challenge of 12 books. January had passed and I just finished 1 book (in the mid of February!)

Hopefully I can rekindle my love for reading and spend more time reading (rather than sleeping and exploring ways to make more money..haha)

Reading calms me down but I could hardly find time to read nowadays ..admists the buzz of life. Still I'm trying to squeeze some time (ie. toilet time) to read. (Please don't look at me like that..haha.. I'm just optimising my time spent in the bathroom) 

2021 last quarter is just 1 day away, what do you plan to do?

One more day and we are entering the last quarter of year 2021. 

For the last quarter, I would want to germinate and grow my money like my plants. Wish me luck as I would like have a breakthrough this year and continue next year.

Germinating lucky bamboo plant

Growing coconut tree

Germinating moringa tree

Germinating mulberry

Germinating air plants

Reading challenge 2020

 

24 more days before we come to the end of 2020.

24 more days before I'll know whether I'm able to accomplish my reading challenge of reading 20 books for year 2020.

One would have imagine that with the various variation of MCO this year, I shall be able to complete my 2020 reading challenge ... well, let's keep fingers crossed.

I'm burning midnight oil catching up on reading. Haha, don't get me wrong, I'm not reading for the sake of completing this reading challenge. I'm reading because I want to and because it help me to relax. Reading challenge just give me that extra boost and motivation especially when I'm a little lag.

To those who loves to read, let's celebrate the joy of reading this Christmas ...let's spread the love of reading to our younger generation. A book can really open up a child's world. It can do wonders.

Here, a big thank you to local bookstores (ie. Big Bad Wolf, Popular) for bringing us affordable books and enable this reading hobby to prevail. And to a friend, NDC who introduced us to Z Library which help to fuel this reading hobby.

To my children, mama hope the reading seeds I have planted will continue to grow with you and be your support in time of need. 

Rediscovering the joy of reading, blogging and planting

There are another 119 hours more before we greet a new decade, 2020.

Here I am rediscovering the joy of reading, blogging and planting.

Reading

I've liked to read but for the past few years I've been lacking due to other 'time occupying' activities (ie. sleeping, raising children, working, housework, staying sane, etc).

This year, I made a vow in the beginning of the year via a splendid website/app : Goodreads to read 20 books.

Current status : Completed 12 books. 8 more books to go in 119 hours. Doable? Quite not.

But still I'm satisfied with what I've got ... 12 books in 12 months is by no mean an easy feat for me. That's average 1 book per month.

Blogging

I just noticed I did not have a single entry for the year of 2018. So I decided by hook or by crook I have to have an entry for 2019. And here I am, doing what I can to create that post..haha.

To me blogging is a like 'open journaling' with lesser transparency. You share some but not too much (unless you are writing an informative post). 

I decided that I will take up blogging again (Read with disclaimer : on best effort basis). 

Planting

What I rediscovered for planting was that now I don't only plant in my own compound. I'm invading open empty spaces around my area (which I feel in need of some plants & shades) and I start spreading my germinated plants to neighbours, colleagues, friends & even strangers.

That's how brave I have become when it comes to planting. 

I'm happy that our society are more into planting nowadays, many thanks to social media hypes and publicity given to mother nature.

2020 definitely will come with its own set of challenges and ups & down but I will meet them when they come. I'm still the worrier and think too much'er I used to be but I've learnt to live more in the present. There are just some things beyond my control and there's only so much I can do. 

Here's cheers to everyone for a better year ahead. Come what may, may we continue to be a better version of ourselves in any possible ways. Even if it's just 1% better.

feeling serai (read : sir-ray-ee)

For a person who do not have green fingers, nothing beats the satisfaction of harvesting own fruits roots of labour.

Capturing the mess, the grass and the roots of serai (lemongrass)

The end product which distributed among relatives, neighbours and colleagues

grounded coffee bean

Thank you to a CETDEM booklet about home composting, 
I discovered a whole array of use for grounded coffee bean.
Would like to know too? Here you go...

Since our household doesn't consume much coffee,
So I with the 'thick skin face'' again think of ways to get for my garden especially.
So this was my execution.

1. check with coffee enthusiast / regular colleague, the nearest coffee shop / joint / franchise
2. check with coffee enthusiast / regular colleague, find out more about people working @ the coffee shop / joint / franchise
3. find out about their busy hours and not-so-busy hour (more appropriate to ask for something).
4. So I found the nearest is Starbuck and Gloria Jean Coffee. 
5. Starbuck is bigger franchise, may have protocol to follow. The Gloria Jean is a family owned franchise - easier to make decision.
6. So lunch time I braved (forced) myself to go, waited till all customers are served.
7. I told them I would like to buy grounded coffee bean from them. I honestly told them I am using it as fertilizer.
8. The pakcik asked if I am using for 'pokok bunga ros'? He knew & heard it was very good fertiliser. I told him I'm using more for fruit trees & vegetable compost.
9. The makcik asked if I am using it to make mask & body scrub. I say more for fertiliser, may tried that next time. 
10. I guess I could not be the 1st to ask them.
11. As it is mid-day, and some busy hour, I told them can I come back after work? Uncle told me yes, so he can collect more and stuff the plastic bag full full. 
12. So I went back after work. It was the pakcik's anak saudara on duty.
13. No customer at the moment, so they helped me to pack the grounded coffee bean (compacted into something like a big biscuit) into plastic bags.
14. He asked how frequent do I want the grounded coffee bean? So they can pre-pack for me instead of dispose. 
15. I told them my 1st time do compost use this, so I try out 1st.
16. He volunteer give me contact no. and ask to just call if needed so he can pack.
17. I paid them some money as token of appreciation but he refused to accept saying 'kita pun buang ini, baik kalau ada orang guna daripada bazir'
18. Since it was chinese new year, so I gave both the 'anak saudara' angpows. 

I couldn't thank them enough.
For their good deeds, I'll pay it forward since I doesn't really drink coffee much.
The grounded coffee bean is doing their 'magic' in my compost bin now (hopefully).
Maybe,  next round I will try with the body scrub / mask ...imagine basking in the aroma of coffee .... lol

I found that really if I didn't ask, I wouldn't have gotten the grounded coffee bean
and recycle it.
Sometimes it's this little things in life makes me feel great, makes me feel thankful. 
It could be some thing as disposable as GROUNDED COFFEE BEAN =)

2014 2015

The transition from 2014 to 2015 this time was just like any other day.
Doing things that I would have done on any other rest day.
And as previous years, I think I'm still lagging behind, stranded at 2014.

2014 was a mixed year for me 
a bag filled with 'goodies' and still ok 'goodies'

Among the things worth memories in 2014 (in no particular order though) :

• the blow of no increment & no bonus 
• the transfer that almost didn't happen
• continue breastfeeding
• newphew : new addition to our family
• Sister in law got married
• Passing of ku yeh
• depleted a big portion of my savings
• watching my children grow
• free / almost free vacations
• diversification 
• gone a little more green & eco-friendly 
• more spiritual learning
• learning to let go
• cleared quite some clutters at home

For 2015, I 

• to continue breastfeeding
• To practice 三好 : 存好心, 做好事, 说好话
• catch up pay wise and bonus (although not possible to compensate back loss of a year)
• time to rebuild my savings / emergency funds
• Intensive learning Chinese
• Exercise
• To love myself 1st & take care of myself 1st 
• Learn to drive around independently
• Live in the present & be present
• Be a better 'me' - as mother, as daughter(in law), as wife, as friend, as colleague, as a member of society.

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2015 ahead. 

Go ahead! 

Smell the roses and make your lemonade! 

project 33

I turn 33 a few days ago and started on project 33.

This project basically involve 33 action items which I set to accomplish by my 34th year.
Among them : 

• learn chinese (seriously)
• be more open & direct : email to SIL, write officially to OSHA on renovation & paint work during office hour and pesticide spray. 
• practising sustainable gardening : own plant, natural compost, natural sustaining.
• 'giving back' and 'pay it forward' as part of life
• continuously create multiple streams of income
• getting my priorities right

Till then, for each and everyone of us working towards 'something' ... 'Add oil'  

weekend challenge 走多一点 看多一点 学多一点

for the past 2 weekends, to break the monotomy of life, 
I decided to venture out ... to my neighbourhood that is.
So I throw myself a weekend challenge, 
It all started because I had a bad intention of scavenging around for plants to plant
but I'm glad I've gained more than I bargain for.
I missed capturing some of the 'moments' during my walkabout around my garden, but these are some that I managed to capture : 

 A double storey house for rent / sale

 There's a Restoran Connaught in Midah

There's a sausages and ribs steakhouse here?

 There's a well known tuition centre here?

 with many students with fabulous results

 and they actually have a schedule for rubbish collection and cleaning of public spaces and drains 

a guru dharma house







and many more such as we have a park which is like a visit to vegetable farm (filled with many types of edible plants) ... which I think is a very good idea for urban farming ... fresh edibles and good use of vacant public land. (will capture pics on my next trip).
and a kind samaritan actually gave me a few types of plants because I told her she had a beautiful garden. 
and I saved a few lucky bamboo trimmed and thrown away. I'm now growing them as they grow easily rooting from stems.

and my coming weekend challenge ... walking to the morning market (about 1-2km away).
Till then, have a great week =)

my little new toys

here are my little new toys
which I bought online just few weeks shy before I go back to work
and didn't regret getting them 
for I start to like preparing foods 
me definately not a good cook but I'm willing to learn and improve
but 'someone' say I like to buy things that consume a lot of electricity wo...

here my little new toys and some of their end products

(a) little toaster oven & simple coconut cookies

(b) little electric steamer & steam herbal chicken & steam egg

(c) little juicer & a glass of refreshing juice

(d) little ceramic coating frying pan & banana pancake

which one should come 1st?

my to do list 

getting more and more each day 

(and mind you, one piece of note paper has more than 1 to do item)

sometimes, I have this feeling that 24 hours really not enough

if write, I feel overwhelmed ... got so many things to do, which one should do 1st (has not included daily routines which need to be done)

if no write, also '4' cause I couldn't remember a thing I need to do and end up with nothing done and very disorganised.

yes, I know there are apps which can help me track and send reminders, 

but the old fashioned me still find nothing beats cancelling off an item completed on the notice board.

and out of the so many things that need to be done ... 

I sometimes wonder how many is of it is really for ME

the truth is I dare not venture into THAT, afraid of knowing the answer. 

one door closed, another door opened

Since last month, I've gradually lost 3 of my breast pumping session companions.

(Yes, in case you're wondering, we do it TOGETHER in a room the size of a toilet cubicle ... i bet it does reflect how close and intimate we are)

1 transferred, 2 resigned 

So here I'm down to 1.

For the 1st few days, I was not used to it. 

I felt something was amiss ... it's like a part of me is missing. 

I'm not used to having the small little space all to myself.

However, I guess it takes time to get used to it.

Recently, I started discovering again 

(1) the wonders & pleasure of reading 

...i hardly have time to read @ home but over the past 2 weeks, i managed to finish a book!

(2) the wonders & pleasure of being alone 

... to wind down especially during stressful times. 

(3) the wonders & pleasure of listening to radio 

... Ai FM (chinese radio station) in particular ... can learn chinese, learn about topic of discussions and get to listen to real nice songs)

(4) the wonders & pleasure of escaping from gossip 

...you know what they say that you can't escape from the grapevine when you put a few 'ah so' together. 

Since I'm the only one left ... I always do get asked

"Now left you 1 only ah? So how?"

"Now left you 1 only ah? so cham?"

so much so that I've just got to smile and say : 

"What to do? 4 people together or me alone .. my baby still need drink milk everyday"

Apr 2012

from last month list, I only managed to achieve : 

(a) save RM50 for sewing machine

(b) update resume & start looking

(c) kid vaccination

(d) soft biz launch - started acquisition & selling

(e) another mini pillow (completed just yesterday & ah bi is sleeping hugging it now)

the rest I can say 'sudah masuk longkang'

For April,

1. vaccination & checkup

2. do income tax

3. submit claim

4. (at least) 1 book 1 month 

5. 30 chinese words/phrases

6. continue rm50 saving for sewing machine

7. sleep more, rest more, exercise more

8. arrange for free medical check up

9. housework - reduce backlog to less than 1 week.

10. review portfolio & re-strategize.

11. revive cooking kiddie meals. 

Jan 2012 reso

Inspired by CY's reso, I feel I owe myself 'something' ... 
Since I have trouble adhering or getting close to my previous years' reso, 
I ended up needing to do this :
making more achievable goals 


So to start of with Jan's 
1. Gather up enough money to repay debt + prepare angpows + buy CNY gifts for close relatives.  (死都要死出来啊!  没办法!)
2. Meet up with family & friends ... re-establish my social life after so many days within 4 walls.
3. Eat good & healthy food to meet to ensure pass QC for 'susu cap ibu'.
4. Spring clean for CNY & reorganise wardrobe for whole family.
5. Finish clearing my over-the-years magazine piles
6. Bring kid for vaccination & monthly check as scheduled.
7. Start kid on cloth diaper for day time.
8. Sleep like a normal person do (err...I mean the hours)
9. Curb my addiction for online shopping/shopping with the excuse of CNY.
10. Exercise .. really exercise. No, housework and chasing kids around not considered.
11. Get ready & pack all the stuffs which I want to donate to the charity lorry before they come. 

wardrobe winter cleaning

Now is and isn't the right time to do wardrobe winter cleaning ...

IS because when else can I find the time to do if not now?

ISN'T because when your body has ballooned to its new size, you tend to find alot of pre-loved clothes to be given away. And it's not easy looking at the clothes and wondering whether you still can fit in a couple of months down the road. So I took the easy way out, anything that I can't wear now...I'm not going to be able to wear later. Fullstop.

anyway, I'm glad I've successfully completed my mission impossible =p

the last round I did this was during my maternity leave too =p

I guess I only have the courage to do it only at times like these...haha

To many things to write, I don't know where to start...

So many things happened after my last post on 28/10/11 ... That I don't know where to start.

But what I've been through are definitely life changing experiences ... That I wouldn't trade for anything else.

Allow me some time to set my thoughts straight & settle down...

Only then shall I be able to share these memories that will remain forever dear to me.

For whatever happened, I believed it happened for a reason.

I'm thankful ~ for when is the time for me to grow if not now?

blissful night

enjoying blissful night like this :

just relaxing with some chocolate, listening to music and reading some magazines / good book in the peacefulness of the night.

wondering whether I'll still have nights like this in future?

So I better treasure it while I can

oh...and today I've a big achievement .. I went to Sogo member's day sales and did not spend a single cent. That's kind of unexpected out of me. Even I'm shocked. But a good start for a 'spendaholic'

a day being selfish

This a day ... I don't care about anything except me, me and me.

never mind there's a urgent testing @ work (since we were told no one is indispensable)

never mind that there's my mid year appraisal to submit (it doesn't make a difference anyway)

woke up 6.30am to be among the 1st few @ KKIA (Klinik Ibu & Anak).

Got myself a no.4 and checkup done in almost 1 hour 10 minute ... still very early 8.40am.

Posted parcels for ah dear @ post office and time is still before 9am.

So early that I've no where to go but didn't want to go home ... so I went to Tesco.

So I did a 'survey' of prices @ Tesco and grabbed some stuffs which I was not allowed to buy earlier =p (hint : see pic 1)

Walk until the perishable section, I saw lots of fresh fruits & vegetables.

Suddenly I had crazy thoughts : I'm going to pamper myself...cook some good nutritious food for myself instead of eating tapao'ed food.

Couldn't remember when was the last time I cooked for myself. Not that I can cook anyway.

I had cravings for so many types of foods...look like someone who has not eaten for a week.

Finally I settled for spinach, sweet peas, tomatoes, oyster mushroom and baked bean.

Fruits : bought mango as still have guava, kiwi, orange, apple @ home.

I had the urge to cook everything I bought but only 1 person eating and I can't finish all.

So I only ended up with sweet pea, tomatoes and oyster mushroom (pic 2).

No rice @ home so I ended up cooking some 5 grain rice leftovers and scallop meant for ah bi.

Although everything was just boiled but I felt I had the best lunch ever (ok la I exaggerate abit)..haha

spent the rest of time revamping the store room to 'mini library'

some time catching up on my reading, some time watching movie, some time resting & sleeping, some time thinking about my future and re-organising my plans.

after ah bi slept, cut some mangoes & guavas to cubes for tomorrow cereal breakfast activity@ office.

Although I enjoy today very much but I couldn't seem to get enough of it ...

what can I do to get more 'today'???

something I don't get to buy if I didn't go shopping alone...hahaha

my simple 'no even 1 drop oil' lunch ... which I doubt anyone will eat except me...haha

Not sure whether people aka colleagues put mango / guava into cereal breakfast? Aiya, don't care so much la...since today is being selfish day..so sorry la..

put to good use

remember I had a story about how much I love colouring even at this age ... and how it sort of relaxes me.

well, other than the post, I didn't dare to tell anyone until .....

a colleague of mine who's organising a party at work for birthday boys n girls for Jan - June lamented that it is boring to have birthday cards in black n white.... and it's too expensive to print them with her own colour ink.


without thinking, I said 'why not personalised them, no need printer, just need hand (and time). She trusted my words and passed me a whole stack of A4 papers folded into half (size of a birthday card). I've counted 13 altogether.


To cut long story short, this is what happened :


design chosen (by my colleague) for birthday boys

design for birthday girls




all together




I passed up my homework and she said "You make a good kindergarten teacher. You really have the patience to colour 13 cards"
What I didn't tell her was 'Once upon a time, I dreamt of becoming a kindergarten teacher but I doubt I could survive with my kind of patience & my high maintenance lifestyle.
Of course, venturing into children education sector and franchising can be very profitable, but what's the main objective after all? Is it managing a business or teaching the children?


nevertheless, although not as beatiful as colour printed and I came out with my own colour scheme, I hope my colleagues will like these cards.