There is always time for pao

Hello 2017

2017-05-26T13:23:00.001+08:00

Hello blog, it has been 4 1/2 years since my last post! I thought I'd just give you an update with what's happened since then:

I was retrenched, and had a year and a half break off work. I spent a lot of time during my break in the Philippines with my parents who were sick on and off during that time. We even got to travel twice with my parents when they were well - I was so happy to show them Mt. Mayon and Davao.
My mum died last year.
I found another job after my break, it is not as exciting as my old job with Tyco but I get to leave the office at exactly 5:30pm. One of the perks of the not-so-new-job (I've been here for more than a year now) is that the office is in the city. I love working in the city, I love the tall, shiny skyscrapers, I love the food choices, the gym choices, I love watching the city people, and I love how work is so near to my house. I sometimes cycle to work and back, and I've tried twice to run from office to home.
The muppet is now 6 1/2 years old! She's still as happy and as talkative and as sweet as ever. And she can read now.
The other half also changed his job and now works in the city too. He lost a lot of weight and I think he's still in love with me. Ha!
I am really trying to be fit again. I think I am now semi-fit. I go to the gym mostly 4x a week. My swimming has improved a lot because I go to a swim class at the gym. Oh and I signed up to run a marathon this year!
I'm turning 40 this year. I don't feel that age though, I think I'll feel forever like I'm in my 20s.
I'm learning to ride a motorbike. This is my second attempt because I was terrified of motorbikes 2 years ago - let's just say I fell a lot of times. It's also better this time because I'm learning with a friend.

Hopefully, my next update won't be after another 4 1/2 years.

Love,

negrita

Happy Deepavali!

2012-11-12T10:42:00.001+08:00

Munching on Deepavali sweets while working

Yum! And since it is the Deepavali eve, we can leave work at 3pm today. I'm thinking of having some "me" time and run 10km before I get Muppet from her playgroup class. Or sleep? I love holidays. Happy Deepavali!

"Let's stay home"

2012-10-23T16:48:00.001+08:00

Maybe I'm asking for trouble?

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"Let's stay home"

Tyco Day One party (on a Monday morning!)

2012-10-01T15:55:00.001+08:00

Okay, so I've been neglecting my blog for months. Ever since I started using instagram and tumblr, posting an entry in my blog feels such a chore. But here's me trying to post an instagram entry to my blog and hope it works. :)

And oh, Monday morning party is not a good idea. I ate too much and now I'm so sleepy and I don't feel like working. Hence this blog post.

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Tyco Day One party (on a Monday morning!)

1 year!

2012-06-04T23:30:00.000+08:00

This was my attempt to make an anniversary card for Simon but trying to coax a sick toddler to look cute and hold still while I take a photo (she has fever since Saturday) was quite a challenge.

And yes, we didn't get to go out for some romantic dinner because of the clingy toddler but it really doesn't matter where we celebrate it. (Okay, let's go out this weekend!)

Happy 1 year to us! :)

Sundown run

2012-06-02T15:35:00.000+08:00

before the race started (with my very supportive husband)

i'm in the middle

marathon runners, and they started at midnight. aargh.

I finished the run at exactly midnight, I clocked in 1 hour 17 minutes for a 10km run which is not too bad for my pace. I would usually walk after every few kilometers during my workout runs but for this race I just wanted it to be over and done with so I didn't stop to walk, a few times I didn't even stop for a water break. For me, the run wasn't properly organized and there was a lack of courtesy among the runners. For the organizers, they should have known that there were too many runners so they could have split us up into 2 waves with a 15 minute interval between the waves to avoid that much congestion. And what made it worse was that a lot of runners were very inconsiderate, the slow runners were walking on the right side of the road. It was quite dangerous trying to squeeze myself to get past and overtake the chatting walkers, and some were even using their phones! Some were having their photos taken at the kilometer markers and I heard from a friend some were even updating their facebook status (just reached 5km!). Simon said he couldn't get near the finish line so I only saw him a few meters after I finished. It is a bit sad because I've always liked it when I can hear all the cheers from the supporters/runners who've already finished when approaching the finish line which makes me sprint faster towards it. On the positive side, I was able to do 26,000 steps that day for my GCC (hurray!) and the light sticks glow in the dark bracelets that they gave us before the race were very cool - Ayesha even had fun playing with them the next night.

PS. Thanks Tita Anetski for babysitting the muppet. Mwa!

*** Update : So I got this email from the Sundown organizer to complete a post-event survey, and I thought that's great I can at least tell them what I thought about the race. It turned out the stupid form won't let me submit my input unless I give my annual salary range and the brand of my shoes/eyewear/vehicle/etc??? And where did I purchase my running shoes from?? I've put "none of your business" in some of the required fields, it's just really frustrating and I swear 'll never run in this sundown event again.

Flat tires and 10,000 steps a day

2012-06-01T13:47:00.002+08:00

On my way to the parking lot the other day, I bumped into my teammates Gary and Gary Jr (yes, they are father and son!). Usually I would just wave bye and go straight to my car because I have to get my daughter but I was feeling chatty so we just talked nonsense for awhile. Turned out I was very lucky because Gary Jr saw that I had a flat tire - I probably would have missed that and just drove off. Anyway, I didn't know how to change a flat tire so I was thinking of maybe just leaving the car and getting a cab but these 2 guys opened the car boot and in less than 5 minutes removed my tire and told me we could have it vulcanized downstairs (lucky again that our parking lot is a building full of autoshops). So this guy from the autoshop just pulled out the screw, digged the hole in the tire, squeezed some glue to seal the inner tube hole and inflated the tire (I think that's what happened) and all for 8 dollars only! In the end, I even managed to get Ayesha on time so no late fine this time!

Men in red to the rescue!

at the autoshop

I just realized I have to learn to change a flat tire so I need to ask Simon to give me a hands-on lesson once he's back(he's in India again).

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I was also wearing red that day because we planned a pictorial for this 16-week challenge we joined in at work, it's called Global Corporate Challenge wherein our goal is to at least do 10,000 steps a day. According to their website, "The Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) is the world’s largest corporate health program and the only of its kind with independently proven results. It is proven to improve staff health and wellness, promoting teamwork, reducing absenteeism, and creating a culture of resilience across entire organisations." So far, the challenge has been running for a week now and we're doing great and meeting the 10k steps a day except for last night. I fell asleep and only did 7,000 steps, and yes this morning I received a lot of grief from my teammates.

Transporters team (the boring pose)

a wackier pose

I was proposing we all kick for our group photo (because we are the Transporters) but we didn't have a good camera. I look like a witch here haha.

worried

2012-04-18T23:30:00.000+08:00

I just received a phone call from my daughter's school asking me to pick her up because she has a fever. I wanted get out of work right there and then to get her but Simon's work is usually more flexible than mine so I asked him if he can get the muppet. Simon can indeed get out of work so he's on his way to get her while I'm stuck here worrying. Sometimes I really wish I can just stay at home and play with the muppet all day everyday.

I miss muppet. Some photos from the previous sunny weekend.

Excess baggage

2012-03-30T01:23:00.002+08:00

Some photos earlier when Muppet and I went to the airport to see Simon off.

Muppet riding in Daddy's luggage

I think she knows Simon is leaving, she was sort of giving him the cold shoulder

She wouldn't let go of Simon's legs for some time. Aww :(

Bagong status ni Alan!

2012-03-30T01:00:00.001+08:00

Sabi nya parang nagkikita lang yata kami kapag nagbabago ang status nya hehe. Medyo totoo nga pero at least ngayon, magandang balita - in a relationship na sya! Magra-ramen dapat kami sa Orchard Plaza pero sarado pala sila ng Lunes kaya naghanap na lang kami ng ibang makakainan sa loob ng mall. At dito kami napadpad sa restaurant na Sumo wrestler ang tema. Ang may-ari daw nito ay dating Sumo Professional sa Japan at ang pangalan ng restaurant na Chanko Nada ay hango sa "Chanko" na pagkain ng mga sumo wrestlers. At sulit! Dito ako nakatikim ng pinakamasarap na salmon sashimi sa buong Singapore! Medyo mahal para sa 5 piraso for 18 dollars pero sarap naman! Umorder din kami ng maraming yakitori - eto nga si Alan masayang-masaya sa picture:

In a relationship! Yahoo! (Yun yatang Sumo wrestler na nasa poster sa taas ng ulo ni Alan yung may-ari ng Chanko Nada)

Sarap ng sashimi na'to!

Nakuha pa naming mag ice cream sa Cold Stone Creamery bago ko sya hinatid sa bahay nya. Congrats sa bagong status at sana ay "this is it!" na ito para sa yo :)

Good night Delhi! :)

2012-03-16T03:08:00.001+08:00

Running again

2012-03-14T01:45:00.002+08:00

I foolishly signed up for a 10k run on April fool's day. With less than 1 month to train, I asked Anetski and Ayie to join my first run in months in Marina Barrage. I tried and really ran for the first 25 minutes but I had to stop because I was so hungry, when I met Ayie and Anetski they too were hungry so we decided to give up running and just look for a place to eat. Simon and the muppet were waiting for us at the Marina Barrage's rooftop.

I suggested to have dinner at our favorite turkish resturant in East Coast and that's where we found out that it was their last night in East Coast :(. They're going to tear down the entire Marine Cove(McDonalds, Scruffy Murphy's, Beach Hut, Coffee Bean, etc) which is quite sad because we always hang out here after a run or a bike ride in East Coast. There is a small amusement park with kiddie rides next to the turkish place so one of us would take muppet for a 1 dollar ride in one of the cars and she enjoyed it! Maybe too much that she demanded to stay there haha.

No more! The car just stopped moving.

Friday night!

2012-03-14T01:15:00.000+08:00

My message to Simon who was in India, my mom volunteered to baby-sit for the night so I could go out with the girls :)

So this was my first night out with the girls after getting pregnant! Wow it's been more than 2 years since I last got drunk. It didn't take long for my first glass of mojito to do its job. We even went for a movie afterwards to oggle at Ryan Reynolds, really really fun night and I hope I get to do it again. Ahem Simon I want another night out with the girls! :)

Ayie and Anetski discussing Anet's outfit for our next night out haha

We're already tipsy here

Saturday morning with muppet

2012-03-12T13:44:00.000+08:00

One of the things I miss doing since muppet arrived is waking up late on weekends. As usual, yesterday she woke up just after 7am and won't let me sleep anymore, I thought some walking will do us both some good so we headed to the nearby library. I reckoned it would also be fun to see her go crazy with so many books, the last time we brought her there was a disaster when she vomited all over the carpeted floor. When we got there, the library was still closed - they open at 10am so I decided to wait at the Gelato cafe next to it. The cafe is called "Scoops of Art" and you can do all sorts of art projects there, they sell canvas and paints and other mini art kits and while waiting for our waffle with caramel banana and lemon gelato (yum!), the waitress gave us an activity placemat and crayons to play with. The muppet enjoyed playing with the crayons and eating her banana and gelato but when she started to try eating the crayons, I knew it was time to go.

crayons!

waffle for breakfast!

The muppet was fascinated with all the books but she got distracted with all the people around and so she was more interested to run around and gawk at other kids. She also wanted to eat the stones inside the pot of plants - what a muppet - so it wasn't really the library experience I was expecting hehe. In the end, she pooped and got tired and didn't want to walk anymore so I quickly borrowed some books and carried the snoring muppet all the way to our house with the heavy books!

books!

Trying to get the woman's attention

Tried to read but failed

Stretching?

The books I borrowed :)

It's not easy being green

2012-03-06T21:14:00.000+08:00

I got these shiny green shoes months ago but I never got to wear them until today. Now I know why avoided wearing them, they were as uncomfortable as hell! They squeezed my toes and digged on my skin and I swear I'll never wear them ever again. When I dropped off muppet at her school though, one teacher exclaimed "nice shoes" haha they may be pretty but they're lethal. Anyway, muppet's teacher told me Ayesha is a "jealous one". She said the muppet loves to sit on a teacher's lap and when she sees another baby sitting on a teacher's lap, she would try and sit on the lap as well. And at the start of a reading session, when the teacher's just about to sit on the floor the muppet will run very fast so she'll be the one sit on the teacher's lap. Haha what a muppet.

Red Red, they call me red

2012-03-05T13:36:00.003+08:00

It's a cold damp Monday, and I just found out my module almost broke our system at work, and oh I just had the greasiest lunch but I'm wearing my happy new red shoes and they are sort of cheering me up in a way. Thanks for my new reds Si! :)

Happy birthday Dr. Seuss!

2012-03-02T10:49:00.000+08:00

It's Dr. Seuss birthday today and muppet is wearing her Cat in the hat dress. Two Christmases ago, Tita Anet gave to muppet her first Seuss books "Green eggs and ham" and "Oh, the places you'll go" and she love those books to bits. Since then, I got her "Cat in the hat", "Green eggs and ham" the full version, "ABC" and "Hop on pop" and her current favorite is "Hop on pop". Okay, so Grandad Jack thinks the book is a bit dodgy with Pat sitting on a bat and Red, Ned, Ted and Ed sleeping in one bed but muppet enjoys the rhymes and she laughs whenever I read it to her. And yes, Simon thinks "Oh, the places you'll go" is one of the scariest and darkest books because it describes how one will fail, and be lonely and alone and face monsters but the muppet loves it and she doesn't mind that it is such a long read. So, happy birthday Dr. Seuss and thank you for writing such funny and silly books! Maybe next year I'll try and cook some green eggs and ham!

“You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So... get on your way!”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

5 days of muppet

2012-02-27T21:32:00.001+08:00

Simon was in India last week for 5 days so I promised to send him photos of muppet everyday, I actually promised to send him one in the morning and one at night. Getting a photo of a toddler that wouldn't stay still is no easy feat so I barely managed to get one decent photo a day, actually some are even blurred but Simon loved them all!

Monday night. This is her staring at herself in the lift lobby mirror. She even kisses the mirror :)

Tuesday night. Muppet trying out the monkey bars in the nearby park. She manages to hold on to the bars on her own for a few seconds before letting go :)

Wednesday night. Muppet enjoying a short visit to the mall, we were waiting for our frozen yogurt here.

Thursday morning. My mom just taught her to stick out her tongue when we say "tongue".

Friday morning. Muppet woke up in a good mood.

Missing muppet

2012-02-23T17:19:00.000+08:00

It's getting harder and harder to leave the muppet now and go to work. In the mornings, she would cry really hard when I leave her with my mom. My mom told me though that she'll stop crying as soon she gets distracted, like when a passing neighbor smiles at her. At night when I arrive home from work she would get all clingy and would not let me out of her sight so most of the time she's with me even at the toilet when I pee(hehe) or when I change my clothes. I wonder how other working moms deal with this? Sometimes I just want to resign and play with the muppet all day.

Muppet getting ready for her morning walk. She likes to wear this hat.

And she's carrying my mom's handbag here hehe

Thank you!

2012-02-14T17:53:00.004+08:00

So our morning didn't start quite right with you finding out that muppet's poo leaked everywhere inside her cot but not before you took her out of the cot and getting the poo all over you. :) I had to give the muppet a quick shower while you clean her cot.

And now you just called me to say you're not feeling well and the muppet might have given you the diarrhea, not having a great day then eh? But you still got my mom some flowers and that's just very sweet! So thanks and happy valentine's day taba! :)

The "thank you" card is a spin-off of our wedding invite. I asked Stefanie of Etsy to add the muppet and make Simon chubbier :)

Ang lola at apo

2012-02-10T16:10:00.001+08:00

This is what I found when I got home last night. The muppet was tailing my mom everywhere, she was even demanding to have a look at what my mom is cooking haha. So my parents are here for a month and I finally get a bit of a breather. They take the muppet to school and fetch her, they cook for us, they play with the muppet so I finally have some free time for myself. Maybe I should burn their passports so they'll be stuck here longer? :)

Bag lady

2012-02-01T16:49:00.001+08:00

During our holiday in Thailand last week, I left my bag on the floor while I was taking a photo of a geyser. The muppet tried to snatch my bag and carry it but it was too heavy for her so we promised to get her a bag once we reach Pai. On our last night in Pai, Grandad Jack bought her one! Since then, Ayesha and her bag have been inseparable (okay except when I give her a bath and bedtime). At first, we've just put in some snacks for her but later on I've added a bib, a cloth, a nappy, mini baby wipes and face cream (it was so cold in North Thailand that her face was almost all red) - so yes she's almost self-contained now. And now that we're back in Singapore, she even takes her bag to school!

Muppet with her bag in Pai

Fined!

2012-01-19T16:22:00.001+08:00

Ayesha's first day at infant care (6 months ago). She's sitting on the green bumbo chair.

So I was stuck in a massive traffic jam last night which made me 20 minutes late in picking up Ayesha from the Infant Care. The penalty - a 25 dollar fine! It's a 15 dollar fine for the first 15 minutes and after that 10 dollars for every 5 minutes. Haay. At least her teacher said she didn't cry at all and was playing and running around while waiting for me. I hope they won't start imposing this rule in my workplace or my salary will just be reduced to coins.

Dada?

2012-01-18T16:01:00.003+08:00

Simon is in India for a business trip since Sunday, that means I have to shower really really fast in the mornings and hope Ayesha won't wake up while I'm still in the bathroom. This morning, I was still brushing my teeth when I heard her voice. Muppet's awake! She's in a very good mood though and was just playing with the stuffed toys inside her crib. Once she saw me though she stood up and started pointing to Simon's side of the bed and asked "Dada? Dada?". Awww, she's looking for dada!

Ako at si muppet

2012-01-10T23:49:00.002+08:00

Sarap pala maging mommy!