"Living Each Single Day"

The joy of giving and spreading the love and kindness all around. There's just too much hate going on and too much emphasis on petty little things. I am no angel and I strive to be better all the time and not be so..er, mean and too calculative on the family. Although I don't celebrate Christmas, apart from the fanfare and overhype, I think the the joy of giving and spending time with friends and family is still not lost and the latter is pretty much celebrated by all other major celebrations across religions and culture, promoting togetherness.  There was no gift exchange in my workplace on Christmas even but just as a token of appreciation, I bought a box of Crabtree & Evelyn London handcream lotions and gave them out to my colleagues. I didn't keep any for myself except the pretty box, hehe. It's just a little something from me for helping me prep the 300 (!) cards for a major project. I did get some gifts as well and I appreciate every single one of them :) ...

I've experienced hardship for the last couple of months and this time round, even though I probably tell myself this every year, I am more determined to spend money in the right direction. I read a book prior to this, not specifically about money management, but how you evaluate your life choices to enhance it rather than burden it. Also, how we can create positive thinking for ourself and take ownership over the things that matter such as our work, our business if we have, family, friends and our life. If we want to lead a successful life, we can create the success, no matter what situation we are in if we are willing to call the shots. Once I received my bonus, I knew that I want to take it the right direction. All the brand new shiny things in our life may not add value to our life if we know back home, we have similar things that are still quite brand new or untouched for a long time.  I am more careful with spending and now, I try my best to spend with benefits in mind. I ...

I've been so extremely busy but then again, sometimes I think it also boils down to time management. I guess I can accomplish more in a shorter amount of time if I could be a little bit more disciplined. I am however progressing in small amounts but I believe it can be accomplished if only I put my heart into it. So two weeks ago, was the grand payday which also means extra pay for me as it's when I will get my year end bonus. It is therefore a yearly affair for us to go on a crazy meat fest. We went to our usual place to attack large amounts of meat, or at least more than we usually consume, which is at Seoul Garden Takashimaya. We actually have one at a nearby mall but somehow we still chose to go that same place. One thing I learn though, is to not go after 8pm. It's not really money worth it because we didn't get as much varieties especially for the soup although we still manage to put our grilling skills to test with the marinated meat available. You don't ...

 Are you like me, if you watch someone on tv, or stalk over the internet and then you have this strange feelings that overcome you, making you to meet someone just like him or her? So far, no one has captured my heart but I'm fangirl-ing over some guys over the internet and this year, I've fan-girled (which basically means mooning over someone you can never get, haha) over an interior decorater who got married to another great looking interior decorater, an actor who well, only showed his acting prowess in the last episode and then this one, a cool looking guy who has got himself into a star crossed relationship (in other words, doomed to fail..so enjoy while it lasts). Meet Aiden, from The Vampire Diaries spin-off The Originals. Isn't he handsome? Ok honestly, at first I thought he was simply 'meh' or not that good looking but just like every other guy like him, I have fallen in love with his rather complex character (he's a werewolf) from a badass type...

I'm combining two posts in one, pretty much like killing two birds with one stone, except that I won't enjoy doing that. I don't know about you people and I know that the rate of Diabetes patients among the Muslim community is on a rise and I've taken steps to ensure that I don't go that path because I've a family history of it. While I've given up on coconut rich dishes (yes, including the popular Nasi Lemak which is one of Singapore's national dishes and well loved by all races in Singapore coz somehow we can relate over food easier than other things) but I can never completely give up on feeding my soul with sweet SWEET things.  The only drawback is that, to avoid joining the stats, I've cut down on it drastically. For example, just to munch on the red velvet doughnut from Krispy Kreme , I have to wait for about two months to be able to sink my teeth into it. Even then, it's being shared with my brother along with  other just as tasty..a...

Hi, This post is seriously overdue and I feel rather bad about it that I hadn't actually spend my time sitting down and blogging this out when I actually can. But from now onwards, I am determined to make it a point to do things right to give myself a peace of mind that everything will be in order; everything as in financially, in education, religion and etc if I bother to actually do something about it instead of worrying how each day is going to be. It's not going to be an easy journey but I find that each step I take, no matter how small, is crucial to the life I have envisioned. So this post is more than just a post. It is a post where I've taken those steps. More than a month ago, on Deepavali, the ArtScience Museum held a free entry to their museum and my brother knowing that I thrive on free visits like these, we made plans to go there. But we actually rushed down (like we always do) and managed to get in. It was interesting to see how art comes to live thr...

Just as I thought I had risen from my problems, I faced another similar setback and now, while I'm still sad about my current situation, I want to take it upon myself that I should do whatever it takes within my control, to make things better. This is because I realized that this is the only way to go if I ever want to get out of undesirable situations and as long as I do something, work at it, I'll get to reap the rewards in small doses. When I look around me, I can't help but think how carefree their life is as they go about their own daily life. But if I were to take away the filter, back home they may have problems of their own and every single day poses a challenge to them. I choose to continue to pray to God to help me along as I go through the obstacles that I face in life, to give me the strength so that I am able to continue to be focused on what I want to achieve to make things better for me and my family. How we choose to add value to our life depends on the ...

I've resumed studies just three weeks ago, and I'm happy to be going to school, sleeping during some parts of lecture (heh..) and writing furiously the model answers to one of the tutorials. Oh, and not forgetting number crunching for the accounting lecture and tutorial. I admit it's tough for me because I've a full time job which I quickly have to rush from to attend the classes and then be home at 11 plus after doing some grocering shopping for mum. Then I have to wake up one and a half hour to two hours earlier to fulfill my orders for my online shop and have to continue parts of it at work, without people noticing, especially my boss.  But other people are also going through difficulties and they've come to this close giving up when they face with personal and family problems. For one of the students, she hasn't been coming to class for the last module, in the last two months of school including the presentation itself. Apparently the tutor called her and ...

 I've been talking about being in a difficult position in my last few posts but determined to get back on track. I take this opportunity of a new month to continue to be productive. and hoping things will get better. But in the moment of hardship like this, it's not an excuse to stop helping people and being kind to others just because we think we ourselves need help. God bless kind people with abundance and even if that abundance is not of luxury standards, it is a means for us to continue to live and more importantly, be happy and healthy for ourselves and for our loved ones. You've probably seen this video before but it wouldn't hurt to watch it again below. It shows you how mean people can be to other people with a simple request. But a homeless man who is going through a rough time and would probably hog the free pizza box all by himself because he can't afford the pizza, WILLINGLY shared it without any hesitation. His kindness was paid in kind and he crie...

The last couple of weeks have been hard for me and as I'm trying to climb my way back up again, I prayed to God to give me the strength to face this tough time. I've also been doing some self reflection and I know that this is just a way to test me to not falter and to learn from my mistakes. However difficult the position that I'm in right now, He's also helping me out during these tough times. This week, I prayed to Him to help me receive orders through my online shop so that I can continue to support my family. For the first time ever, I received a whopping 8 orders just this week itself. Such a miracle and I'm truly blessed for it. I've also received some financial help that would help me get through this week.  While it's been a difficult road right now, it's also easy to digress. I came to a point earlier this evening where I picked up things from the bookshop which I had difficulty letting go off due to the ongoing promotion and the rarity of ...

My mum has an extreme OCD with toilet cleanliness and personal hygiene. She's always been OCD but now, it has become like a totally different ball game. Her obsession has become extreme and for someone who doesn't get angry easily, annoyed yes, her OCD drives me absolutely nuts. The water hose has to be positioned this way, she has to hear water running all the time otherwise she assumes I'm not using water at all and after I leave the washroom, most times she asks me to go in again and wash the floor another time. She simply doesn't trust that I've done all the above. No trust at all. She will say that it's very smelly and the 'best' part is? Despite all the cleaning that I've done, before my brother can use the washroom to bathe or to pee, she has to wash it all first because she thinks after I've gone in, it's still dirty. I don't know about other people, I feel like I've done more than enough. How do I know this? The water bil...

I've been feeling down recently at the turn of events in my life. I felt like I was losing control and I also felt like I didn't do enough to save my situation. I blamed everyone and I blamed myself but at the end of the day, there's no point blaming people. If it happens, it happens and where do we go from here? We try to see what we can do to save ourselves from this undesirable situation, and little by little, I hope to see improvements and that things will turn around significantly. Have you ever felt this way, where you think you have things under control and then suddenly, your life just goes spiralling down? I've gone through such episodes multiple times and it pains me every time this has to happen. Sometimes I wish why can't I do anything right. Why must this happen to me..again? Where have I gone wrong?  Maybe there are a few reasons here and there as to why things may have gone wrong. They may not be so obvious because some things, if they want to hap...

There were many instances where I felt my world had crashed and burned to a point I entertained thoughts about how life would be like if I'm no longer around. I didn't think about how I could make the effort to turn things around as though it has come to a point where everything has become pointless.  I've now come to the crossroad again. I thought I have things in order and I'm often scared to go back to a time I'm so poor, I had to sell my precious things off, at a mere $5 each. As though you think that was so 'peanuts', it was but it somehow added to my already small stash of cash that I have that was barely enough to top up my fare card then. While I have not come to such a low point again, I have come close to it and I've done things that I'm not proud of. I am currently facing an undesirable financial situation, again, but I knew somehow it would catch up on me again. This month, I had to pay double my usual for the utilities bill, or risk ...

Sometimes I wish I am back at those time when I basically am problem free, don't have to be so majorly calculative and be paying bills and loans off. But alas, for how long can I be stuck in the past. I just have to move on and deal with the problems. However, some people just don't seem to behave like adults and that irks me. A lot. The issue has always been with other people but they don't realize that they are also the cause, or even the ONLY cause of problem. I really dislike it when people play the 'oh woe is me' game because they make themselves become so selfish like expect people to entertain them as and when they like but they don't give the same kind of treatment to others.  I wish these people will 'grow up'. Physically yes, they're fully grown but somehow they don't behave like one. Everyone has their problems, some much bigger than others, to a point of pain and suffering where they are totally helpless. But do these sort of peop...

I watched this really heartbreaking video from India and by heartbreaking, I mean because I was so touched by how this viral video captured the poor population of India and what they do to earn a decent living to feed themselves and their families. They sell anything that can be sold, including offering cups of water, bracelets to a simple flying toy for 1 or 2 Indian Rupee. They live day by day and it's highly competitive because there are many other sellers as well who are in the same plight as them. Along came this man who offered them 100 Rupees just by asking if they believe in God. Despite the plight they're in, they NEVER blamed God for it. They still praise God and talk highly of Him. You would think that they will be angry because most people will blame God for making them so dirt poor while other people are enjoying wealth and a comfortable living.  The thing about these people whom he videotaped, they never begged for money. They offered a product or service inst...

How many times have we just take life for granted and then wishing for some things to happen and then we spend most of our life waiting for that grand chance? We set our minds to goals and then wishing we're thinner, healthier, richer and so on but we never really sit down and write out how are we going to get there. I'm guilty of this too and you will probably think too that this is easier said than done.When I read a recent article about how these girls in their twenties live a life where other people can only dream or wish that they would just go for it, I feel quite ashamed of myself too. I would have felt the impact even more if something had not 'konked' in my head that I don't want to waste my thirties just like how I wasted my twenties. I did, in my mid twenties, focus on one big win and which is to lose weight and to dress better. It was a small win alright but a journey that's far from over. Now I just want to be healthier for the sake of my family a...

This is so funny. My classmate cum organizer was trying her best to rally people to join her for dinner at Satay by the Bay and then suddenly, the email come in out of nowhere stating that we would be getting our results the next day. Talk about a mood killer! Oh well, I try to be supportive by agreeing to go with them because I don't know, why not eh? They're my classmates after all and even though I'm not a good talker like them, haha, it's the least I can do by showing my face.  The dinner was okay although the menu was misleading because for that price, there were like chicken satay, prawn satay, and other types of satay plus ketupat or rice cakes. But then when it came to ordering, we had to choose between chicken or prawn satay and we had to pay extra for the rice cakes. It was the only stall that was opened selling halal satay. So we got no other choice and we didn't order the rice cakes but we didn't want to be duped into pay extra. Then we also bo...

My friend who is single and which I still don't understand why because she's so widely popular & sociable,has started to question herself about the prospects of being married. She thought that formerly, she used to think that she's arrogant when it comes to matters of the heart. Now she's persuading me to think like her too, haha. So what do I think about this er..matters of the heart? Well, I think that if it happens, it happens. But I think I have much more things in the horizon that are more important to achieve and while it's possible to be married & persuading these dreams, I think personally my hands are very full now. Now I'm the arrogant one, haha! I guess I talked about this lots but as I turn a year older, I don't know if this will be the year I will meet the love of my life. Perhaps someone will finally take a genuine interest in me and then for once, I try not to turn the person away. Life is full of surprises, right?  For now, I ta...

The weeks prior to the release of the results were so so so nerve wrecking, not a day goes by without me thinking that I should be maintaining my grades from the last module. I wasn't so sure this time round because as mentioned in my previous post, the Econs paper was such a killer! But I tried my best to attempt all the questions to the best of my abilities. I've studied so freakin' hard for them because these papers where theory heavy with some formulas here and there. And I didn't have a penchant for remembering things! haha.. God is great and He answered my daily prayers to maintain my grades, and I did actually much better than what I expected. And I got my first A, yay yay! My classmates were already starting to send messages through our whatsapp group, by doing a mini countdown. I was in the shower but I could hear the messages were coming in fast and furious. I can't help but wonder why. When I looked at the messages, they were nothing short but good ne...

This year, I would say that it has been quite an achievement, most significantly, having to go back to school (like finally!) to pursue a diploma. In the horizon, if God permits, I hope to get myself a degree. I don't care if' it's going to take me 10 years from now but if it's going to promise a better future, I'm all for it. I realize that if you want something, you have to tell yourself that you can and not can't. If it's something you can't control, then at least control what is within your elements. I know that one day, I can travel to Australia and I can also travel to London. It's just exercising your mental ability to push yourself to go further than what you think you can't and taking the right steps to make sure you get to where you want to get.  It's not going to be an easy journey but we'll take it step by step, shall we? So what do I hope to achieve as I grow one year older? Hrm, I'm still back at trying my ultimate...

This was a birthday high tea which almost got cancelled but me and my other friend persuaded the birthday girl to just carry on with the plan in a bid to cheer her up. She has been through a lot lately and we thought a little birthday celebration at the place she recommended would be perfect. Of course we had a small gift for her as well and overall, it was good to see her smile and for once, forget her troubles. Speaking of troubles, it's always good to share what is troubling you with other people by talking them out because the more we hold them inside, the more depressed we can get. No doubt there are people who can either render help or they can just offer a listening ear but ultimately, by talking it out, probably other people can give their side of opinions and help us to think clearly and even think of solutions. When we're troubled, it can be a daunting task to think of all the possible solutions so hence, it's really good to share. So back to the celebration. ...

 My two friends were recently unemployed and while one has since found a job, the other has yet to find one. But to her, it's simply not trying to find a job that will help pay the bills, but a job that will satisfy her and feed her soul. Who wants to work in a job where the boss is practically screaming at you every time you do very very very minor mistakes and get agitated every now and then because her expectations are just getting too high. I know, super annoying and that's what I am going through right now. Eurgh. That's why I'm taking baby steps in wanting to achieve a good life. Many of those successful people, including the big shots and those girls who practically carved our a career for themselves worked super hard before getting to where they are now. Sure, it's not all easy breezy for them yet up to where they are now and they continually to work hard simply because their heart and soul are in it. It's not like someone forces them at gunpoint.  I...

Slightly more than a month ago, we actually got the chance (for the first time in our life..yayness!) to watch the nations's birthday in all its glory right at the heart of it! To know that it would be the last time that they would have the performance there since next year onwards, they would hold it at the Sports Hub, we were truly blessed indeed.  Of course, this being a national event, we had to go through a very thorough security check even before we could go the platform itself. I am glad that I didn't bring a lot of things but yeah, I think I would say that I'm pretty embarrassed about the things I bring, hehe.I also had to be 'scanned' by a female officer in case I bring in anything suspicious.  After that, it was another walk to the floating platform but first, we collected the fun bag. It was crowded as expected but they were super efficient and they kept emphasizing that there is NO choosing of colours. I mean you're managing thousands of people a...