Finally, the day we've been waiting for is here. Insya-Allah we'll be leaving this evening for a short trip. I'm more glad with the fact I don't have to go to work for a good 6 days. Bliss.

1 reminder of work though, but I'm not complaining. Shopping-queen-colleague, CML, happily scribbled must-go shopping places in BKK. She's so funny and she's one of the reasons why work is still tolerable :p

I've yet to pack, but first I'll do some sweeping & cooking. Then, off for the well-deserved break (I believe so!).

Hulloooo! It's me Babyzahra, and I've got Auntie Nani's hairband on. When I grow up I wanna be just like my sis; she wears pretty hairclips & hairbands which I like so much!

...

This week will be a short work-week for me. Yipppeee! I just can't wait to go on leave! I'll slog a bit for 2 more days, then I think I deserve a break.

We caught X-men yesterday. 'twas alright. With chest hair like Wolverine, I'm not surprised his real-life wife asks him to don that outfit to spice up their...erm....whatever life. The hair'll look better if it wasn't combed that way though. Which reminds me of AH's hair when he was a teen, and those glasses. Haha!:p

Mak turns 47 today, and Nana turned 13 six days ago. Thanks to that, we got to enjoy 2 birthday cakes within a span of a week! That was a blueberry cake...or was that a cheesecake? Very nice, tho I'd prefer a choc fudge cake.

Nana's cake a few days ago was cookies & cream icecream cake from swensens, courtesy of AH. That cake is enough to chase away the deepest monday blues.

The weekend's here again but 'exciting couple' me & AH are at home on a Friday night. We'd wanted to go out for a movie, as I'd manage to get out of the cube early due to 'Eat with yr family' day. But the slacker in both of us decided to relax at home instead. Now AH is watching TV with his MIL & PIL, while I waste my time here.

Am curbing the urge to do some online shopping coz I foresee lots of shopping happening insya-Allah from Wed till next Sunday. I've overspent this month, and I can see myself overspending for the next 3 months too. Maybe it *is* time to dig into the piggy bank tighten those purse strings.

Trots away looking glum as this is the crucial gss period...

It's been a while since I stayed in office at 9 pm.

And the song on Class 95 is going Burn for you...what am I gonna doooo....??. How apt.

Who am I burning for? Not sure. I just hope it yields something satisfying one day.

Actually, ironically, kalau ikutkan hati, memang tak boleh pull away from my workstation. The silence...the soft music...really perfect to get a whole month's of backlog cleared within 3 to 4 hours.

But I think I'm just being ridiculous. Soft music is meant to create a romantic & relaxing mood, not to do work.

Anyway AH is probably already here to fetch me. Then it's home sweet home.

Day wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. But I was referring to the song there (available on tea's blog this current moment). I SO can identify with the song, especially the bit that says the passion is lost or something. Heheh. 2 yrs down the road, I start to search for the passion, and once I find it, I'll try my best to re-ignite it.

But when will that day come?

Tomorrow perhaps?

Which is why I shall not attempt to complete the final bits of the report tonight. Coz working from home (unless you're paid to work from home) kills passion. And that's the last thing I need at 25++ years old.

Now that the weekend's over for me, what's in store next? Oh, the next weekend of course, then off for a 5-day break. It has been 3 mths since I went on leave. And that was a 1-day leave coz Mak was coming back from Hajj. I'm so looking forward to that break. Can hardly wait!

I shouldn't fall into the trap of being kufur nikmat. It has been a blessing not having to step into office today. I brought lots of work home; but have yet to start on any of them.

After asar, I'm going to take a short nap. That's the best, spending my Monday doing everyday normal things. That's what makes Monday really special.

I'll hold on to AH's words, that we'll make time for some leisure after this Friday.

Now, off I go to enjoy my last bits of a normal Monday afternoon.

One of the things I love most about Geylang, apart from it being where I've stayed for the past 22 years, is the availability of food. Someone told me that she felt that the food sold in the new blue market is not-so-power. I can't comment on that one, as I've not gone around eating from all the stalls. I stick to the ones which have been tried & tested & insya-Allah guarantee sedap punyer!

Just like Warong Nenek Obek. This name reminds me of Obek Didi, for obvious reasons :p

This stall sells the yummiest nasi rawon & lontong for breakfast in town (in my & my family's humble opinion). In the afternoon, they sell good chicken rice with sambal tumis. That used to be our staple food everytime Mak didn't feel like cooking many years ago.

I am not much of a Nasi Rawon fanatic but recently I've been craving for it quite often. (No, it's not what you think. These days I crave for everything but I am *not* pregnant yet. Do pray for us! :]) Maybe I should start hunting for a good nasi rawon stall in BB when I go for my morning walk there every Sunday (which erm, I've only done thrice thus far, heh). But then again, since I've yet to pass the 1 yr anniversary, perhaps I should still lie low from MIL and not expose to her what a glutton her DIL is. As such, I shall stick to thosai for breakfast.

I'm at work now. Thanks to the nasi rawon, I can skip another rice meal! I've got a slice of watermelon & a can of MUG root beer. That'll do for lunch.

I'm feeling happy now coz I'm so looking forward to a Monday off. YES!

A huge ad on the HOME section of TST greeted morning readers.

The not-so-great-s'pore-sale is around the corner but i'm not the least excited.

And the store which prides itself as having the sale-worth-waiting for has added another adjective to that tag. Now it's known as the sale-TRULY-worth-waiting-for!

Does that imply that the previous sales were all not genuine, and that there were not really that worth waiting for? Maybe.

I've become disillusioned with sales here. Everywhere screams 20% to 50% off, but that's it. EVERYWHERE ELSE, all the other stores in this island offers the same 20% to 50% off! And the items are the same! Kills the joy of shopping & bargain-hunting.

And recently someone wrote the forum asking about why some stores offered sale prices which were higher than the regular price. And of course, some lame explanation followed saying how the items had been sold at a discounted price all the time, so after the promotional period, the item would be sold at the recommended retail price. This means that the SALE Price would have actually been lower than the actual price. Get it?

I've overspent for the month, and the trip to BKK at the end of the month won't give me a chance to save. Actually I don't even know what to buy there. Apart from wanting to tailor a set of jacket & pants, and stocking up on undergarments (which are ridiculously priced in s'pore).

Last year I read about people saving up for months for the GSS. Sounds like a great idea. But given the past history about how 'fantastic' the deals at sales are, I'll give it a pass. Unless of course, clinique offers great offers, like buy 1 compact powder in Neutral02 & get 2 compacts free.

Thank goodness for Desperate Housewives on Monday nights.

I'm inclined to believe that channel5 shows good programmes (used to be friends last time... & other interesting stuff) on Mondays coz at least people can look forward to something after a hard days' work.

OK, off to enjoy tvtime!

Little Zara, AH's subject for the day yesterday. A little koala, says AH.
Well little koala, till we meet again. For now, Uncle Ian & Aunty Nani must go to work. Just like you will too, one day! (but that's still a looong way, though)

2 reasons why I am still awake at 1.30 am :

I woke up at 10 am on Saturday morning & I drank 2 sips of coffee; 1 sip in the evening & another sip just 3 hours ago.

Actually there's a 3rd reason. AH is still awake, labouring over his assignment in our room. I can't possibly sleep with all the light, so I trotted downstairs. Here I am now, on the home communal computer.

With all the sweets we consumed this afternoon, I probably have to do 100 sit ups to burn the calories! I shall try not to eat too much sweet stuff tomorrow & on Sunday.



Some of the healthier options we had - sans the thick, creamy chocolatey icecream(s).



AH after a few minutes of carrying his niece...good practice there, mate :p

And I'm still trying to sink it all in...how we spent so much in a single swipe!
Anyone would like to guess what irris bought at harveynorman just now?
This purchase will explain why I'll prolly not be spending on stuff I've planned to get - like that flatties at 10 % off. Unless, I prove to myself that I deserve it!

Miracles of the Quran

I'll pop by this website someday, when I have the mood. Cheh..mood :p

So it's the mother's day weekend. I don't think we'll be doing anything on mother's day for Mak. Blur me actually kissed her last week, wishing her a happy mother's day and it turned out that it wasn't the day yet! Mak said that everyday was mother's day for her. Really? Wah, what does that mean anyway? :p I guess we're supposed to be nice to her everyday, not just on one particularly commercialised day.

You know I actually bought some strawberry ripple icecream from, yes, "my friend" who parks himself at the traffic light near the blue market. Haha. Mak had been craving for strawberry ripple wafer icecream so I got 3 pieces just now. The other 2 are still in the fridge.

My ocbcbankcard has just been "swallowed" by the atm machine. That machine is so smart! I entered my pin twice yesterday but didn't proceed to do so for the third time when both my attempts were wrong. I tried again today, and that was it. Final chance and in my card went. This is what happens when you use the atm card once a year.

Heading out later, for some mother day's lunch thingy with Mama (AH's mom, my MIL) & some other mothers from the IL's side. I suppose it's OK if i go even though I've not done anything for my own mom. After all I am quite sure Mak won't mind that I've scooted off to Mama's side for a mother's day lunch when I didn't do anything for her. I know Mak. She's simple, and that's what I like most about her. Though of course, that very simple trait drives me up the wall sometimes too.

Nevertheless, happy mother's day for my special blogger friends, Kak Yati, Herda, Kak Lyana & Kak Bulan (if you're reading!) :)

Was reading this book, at the same time listening to James Blunt on the neeon when my eyes really couldn't take it anymore. Putting them aside and taking a nap, determined to keep a hear-out for AH's return, I failed miserably. Coz when I woke up, it was due to AH planting a light kiss on my face. I guess I was just so tired yesterday.

I went back to sleep, but had several dreams. 1 very pleasant dream. I dreamt that it was Saturday and I wouldn't have to go to work. I dreamt that I contemplated on going to work anyway but in the end, I triumphantly decided that I would just stay at home. But Mak told me to get some housework done instead. I agreed; anything at all, is better than going to work. Then the dream ended there. It was 6.37 am and we scrambled out of bed to catch subuh prayers before the sun rises.

It's real now. It's 28 minutes before my official working time starts. Waiting for AH, then off we go, for another day of responsibilities & tasks.

Good day to all too :)

I'm thinking of getting a new digital camera but today I thought about whether I deserve one after all.

Have I completed my duties well enough to deserve it? Maybe I should clear some long overdue reports first before I claim the right to purchase a brand-new smelling camera.

But on the flipside, I need some form of motivation to actually get my reports done!!

How?

Actually come to think of it, I've managed my finances really well for the past few weeks. I've not even swiped the card at all this month! I really have to congratulate myself for having such a high level of discipline.

....

I complain about the ridiculous amount of workload I have to deal with daily. But is the workload really ridiculous, or am I simply being lazy? Maybe I'm just not cut out for this job. Maybe it's normal to bring work home and slog away on off days (irregardless of whether it's Labour day!) because everyone's doing it too.
I do admit though, that I'm not as ON as many others; I prefer to hide in my little shell like a snail, doing what I have to do without stretching myself too much in projects at the expense of my precious personal time. I'm talking in circles now. Sometimes I'm not sure if I fit into mainstream S'pore.

Now after all this, maybe I don't deserve the camera after all.

Feeling slightly groggy now. Think the remnants of the flu medicine I took yesterday are still in my system. My resistance have been weak of late, and I realise that mine's not the only one. My colleagues are also falling ill, prolly due to the escalating stress level & neverending deadlines. Though slightly under the weather, to work I must still go this morning. Many reports to complete, many people to meet... no chance for time off at all.

I'm glad tomorrow is a PH. Alhamdulillah thank goodness. Nevermind it falls on my off day, I'm just glad for it.

The week has been good so far. Alhamdulillah.

Plenty of reports as usual but my head is still above the water. I think my sense of humour keeps me going. I've been told many times I'm funny so I suppose I should take that as a compliment. And of course, ranting sessions with AH & Mak help too, as they greatly alleviate the stress I face at work daily. Yey to AH & Mak!

Am looking forward to the break at the end of the month. I think I deserve the break. The last time I had a proper break was in Maldives. Then a short 3 day trip to KL (with very minimal shopping) in Dec 05. That was all!

It's been 6 months since I had a break. It's amazing how I've managed to survive 6 months without a holiday (meaning, typing reports non-stop, dealing with impossible people almost daily). Syukur for the patience & high level of tolerance He has granted to me) & the number of PHs leading to long weekends this year. That really helped too.

And since I am back relatively early from work today (knocking off at 7 pm is almost blisssssful), I should make the most of it. I'll go laze around now. Can't wait!

A weighing machine!!!

For about 16 hours I was convinced I'd lost 3 kg of fats. But I've just discovered that I have not lost 3 kg at all. In fact, I've gained 3 kgs!!!!!

:(

:(

:(

It sucks being fat. I can't fit into those nice shirts anymore. I can't fit into a proper bra anymore. Undergarments look really pretty on display, on 70B cup models. Anything bigger than that looks hideous both on & off the shelf. It also sucks being fat because fat people don't look as pretty as thin people. Boo hoo.

:(

:(