862

Ok… there're always 2 big groups of parents, basically, these 2 big groups, will not agree with each other, ^_^

While there're some, who believe that, kids can learn from TV, (technically TV programmes, DVD, VCD, etc.) there're some, who believe in the other way…

Anyway, I guess, I kinda belong to the latter… ^_^

(don't condemn me, and I won't condemn you, ok??)

So, my cable, does not have that kids package,

And I don't have many kids DVDs yet, at home… I think I bought one the other day, mainly for song, but that, I've yet to play for baby… kekeke…

However, it doesn't say that, our TV's not been on,

I do put on the TV, when I wanna watch my show, but of course, baby won't really watch with me,

Sometimes, she'll peep peep, then, she'll start to disturb me, and that's the usual sentence, "baby, let mama finish watching this show first…"

Everyday…

Yet, of course, those shows, actually are not that important too, not that I have to follow them through, it's just that, at that moment, I somehow watch it, and I somehow find it interesting that, I want to continue watching…

And yes, those are shows for adults like us… ^_^,

If I will not be there, in front of the TV with her, I won't put on any channel that's watchable,

I'll switch to 862, yes, Opus…

Well… our Astro, may not be the best cable TV for the nation, and yes, they suck out all our hardearned money, with poor quality, come on!!!!!!!!!

Rain?? Can't watch,

And some condominium (like what we're staying in)… pueh!! Some channels, for eg. History, Fox, I can't watch, why?? For whatever reason, I know I know, it's the cable's been changed, or the dish's been changed, and that, we need to upgrade, but nobody's going to bear the cost, not even us,

I'm not going to pay more…

Whatever it is…

One channel, I truly appreciate, is, 862 (ah ha! How ironic, isn't it!!!)

Sad to say, even our national radio, does not have a classical channel, (do we?)

And therefore 862's our favourite, yes,  mine, and his, not sure about baby…

Though, whenever I put that channel on, she doesn't act cranky, however, I know, she's one who'll enjoy music, as much as we do, especially rock music, as, there're days, I'll actually put on some j-pop, for eg. Funky monkey baby, or alternative rock, Radiohead, and start to headbang in front of her,

Or, I'll put on ono lisa's bossa nova, and start dancing with her…

That's how she relates with music… kakaka!!!

Then, with 862?

Ok… while I was pregnant with baby… (yes, when she's still inside my big tummy)

Some nights, after work, I'd fall asleep in the couch, and when I got up late at night,

Relaxing and soothing classical music in the background, yep, he's put that channel on for me,

Wow! What nice and relaxing sleep…

At present, sometimes, in the afternoon, as there aren't many interesting show to watch, seriously!! There aren't!!!!!!!!

And I can't afford to just plant my ass down in the couch, following crap drama, or crap show, as baby does want my attention, almost all the time…

When there's nothing else to watch, ok, I need, if not WE (baby and I), some sound at the background,

That's where 862 comes…

Ha!!! Even during dinner time lately,

We also put it on, cos, the rest of the shows are simply too noisy!!!!!!!

And not that, we're paying any attention to those shows, while eating, right??

862 862 862!!!!!

Fruity for lunch???

I like reading articles related to health, and I've been following those healthy website, or health blog, and so on…

Then, one day, we decided to eat more fruit, yes, who doesn't know, fruit's important…,

I wanted to have more fruit, ever since baby's born, but somehow, the papaya sits in the fridge till it rots, or the guava eventually gotta be put into the bin, and so on…

Ie. couldn't find the right time to eat the fruit, or,

Couldn't find the right "excuse" to cut the fruit and eat the fruit,

Sad huh?? Yep, damn sad!!!!!!!!!!!

But this time, we're serious,

Cos a friend sent us an article,

Ok, that saying… I've come across a couple of time before, just never really take it seriously,

Ie. take fruit while empty stomach, you'll be benefited much much more, than taking it after the meal…

For whatever reason, some pros and some cons,

Some said it's true, some said it's just a myth…

However, we think, why not?

So, that weekeend, we got a lot of different type of fruits for ourselves…

And ever since, our lunch, for baby and I, have been fruits, then, topping up with some bread!!!

I'm going to tell you what baby's been eating for lunch, during weekdays, you'll probably faint!!

Anyway, yep…

Normally I'll keep some food (just the simpler version) during dinner, for eg. Rice with some vege, and soup, put them in the fridge, next day,

Steamed, and eat…,

Cos, I don't want baby, nor myself, to have to wait for the food to be cooked, for just a quick and simple lunch…

Most of the time, baby doesn't finish the food, ok, I know, even I myself think that, the food, after being "simplified", it really tasted a little bit bland!

Therefore, normally I'll endup worrying if she'll have enough food, then, I'll top up with some cheese and etc.,

Ever since our diet plan changed,

I'm not sure if it's all psychological reason… I in fact feel good about it…

First, we've fresh food, and fresh fruit,

Second, baby eats more, when it's fruits, of course, it's sweet, and easier to eat…

Then if the fruit's not enough, bread, she likes it too…

Well… he's worried about the topping that'll normally goes with the bread, ie. butter, jam, "kaya", etc.

So, so far… I've not used any of these, for health reason…

I've made french toast, lightly pan-fried, with egg… yes, we don't avoid eggs…

And that's all…

One "trick" we learnt from melbourne about eating french toast is,

We actually had it with ketchup and in fact, it does taste nice with ketchup… hehe…

Maybe, next time you should try it…

With maple syrup, again, it's some sugary product, I try to minimize it…

Oh! Also, it's wholemeal bread…

Good huh? ^_^

Complements

I'm sure when girls/boys falling in love… you do sometimes wonder, why?? Why this guy, why this girl?

Why? And of course the ultimate question, "is he/she the right one??"

Have I gone through that before?? Maybe my answer is "no"…

Not that, I've never had any doubt, but then… I've faith in God… in taking good care of me, but it doesn't mean that, all those "journeys" were not filled with sweet, sour, and bitter sometimes…

Anyway…

But now… I do wonder… and after having some wondering and pondering in my mind…

I do thank God for taking good care of me, as always…

Most friends who know me, know that, I've BIG temper… like or dislike, I show it pretty well… cos, I still cannot dissociate between hiding your feeling with pretentious, for eg. If I'm annoyed, I'll show that, I'm annoyed, if I dislike certain act, I'll show that, I dislike certain act… and I'll kinda make sure that you know it too… like I said, I do not know how to dissociate this, and being pretentious, yes, I regard that, as being pretentious…

Anyway…

Lately… ya, after being married for so long,

Only I started to wonder… ya… we make good partners, if not couple… but partners in life, not in work… I still kinda stick to the idea that, if we're to do amazing race, I'll sure end up like those whining bitches that I've seen on any of the amazing race show… always complained, and non-stop complaining… ya, if you read me, I hate people who keep complaining… it's either you do it, or you don't, there's no in between such as, do it, dislike, and complain, if you dislike, just stop it, as simple as that… that goes to my second point! (first point is being pretentious, in hiding your feeling!)

Oh ya… what I'm going to say is… I kinda gather, we make good partners in life…

Cos, take the "mushroom" case for eg. I've all the facts, and points, but I just don't have the capability to gather together and come to one conclusion…

And because of that "incident", (I mean the mushroom incident) now, I love "mushroom"… (it's become our "dictionary" now!)

Though… long ago, I'm already crowned as mushroom queen, cos, I could technically… eat mushroom (button mushroom) every single day, for every single meal… I love button mushroom… but well, button mushroom's kinda expensive here, so, we subsidize it with shitake mushroom…

That was the first case…

Was there a second case? I think there was, but out of sudden, I cannot recall… and it's because of the additional case, that makes me think that, this is what God's given to me…

And I say thanks to God…

I regard myself as a person full of flaws… and that's the reason, most of the time, I try to perfectivise , as much as I can…

And there he comes… complements…

Ps: oops, maybe that's why I'm never in a managerial role (not that I could be up to it! And that, of course, I'll tell you, I don't really like such a role!) cos, I'm just pretty good at gathering facts and executing… (ya, no brainer)

(No Subject)

I told him, I was about to blog this, but I won't, however, since I've “scripted” it in my mind already, I must as well just record it,

“I fill up the his water bottle in the middle of the night, but I wake up with my empty bottle next to me!”

My Wishlist...

the other day, when his cousin sister came over for CNY visiting, I can't recall how we started this topic about giving present to wives...

his cousin mentioned that, “never tell your man, you don't like flower”, haha!! I told her, he already knows about it, VERY WELL...

and to me... if you wanna give me any present that, you think I'll gallop happily... give me an external HDD... hahaha!! yep, that's me... in this sense, I'm seriously very much different from my mother, she LOVES flowers, any type of flower.... but as for me... ok... let me put it this way, I'll definitely be more joyous, if you give me external HDD, than cash!! ya, I know, I can just use THAT stash of cash to buy the HDD myself, but you know, since you call it a present/gift, it should be blended in with some thoughtful mind right??

Scared the hell out of me...

Just now... after nursing for a while... fell asleep... sensed that baby's some “movement”, I got up to try to change my “location” next to baby, (from right to left of hers, and vice versa)

While in the movement, I saw this “figure” standing next to the door... scared the hell out of me ok...!!!!!

Oh... apparently, it's him...,

Haha... I was like... “Aw!! I'm scared to death man!!”

and the poor him... saying, “I didn't want to alert her by not letting her see me, (cos, baby started to wiggle her body a little bit!) but then, now you're scared, how??”

Oh... poor him!!! hahaha...

Now, I think of it... I feel like laughing... I'm very sure, he must be feeling damn helpless just now... kakakakakaka!!!

behind him/her, I find "me"...

Old chinese saying, behind every successful man, there's a woman,

Be it his wives, (most of the time, it's the wife ^_^), his girlfriend, or his mother…

My saying,

Behind a happy wife, there's a good and supportive husband,

Be it her husband, (of course most of the time, her husband ^_^), her boyfriend, or her father…

So, before you want to complain about your husband not being successful enough in his career, look at yourself first…

And before you want to complain about your wife, not being a sweet, act-pretty enough wife, look at yourself first… have you been a good/supportive husband to her, in her life...

weekends...

Never in my life, weekend means so much to me, serious…

Never in my life…

When I was studying, ya, weekend is weekend, weekdays, weekends, not much difference…

When I was working, still, weekend is weekend, in fact, for a while, weekends tend to be a little bit bored… cos, we can't find much 'meaningful' things to do… I mean, shopping shopping and shopping, until I "pok kai", still, it's just shopping… seriously I was quite bored with it, but staying at home is as bored… cos, cable TV over the weekend is the most boring thing of all…

However, after the arrival of baby, everything changes…

Weekend… means a lot to me, and to us…

Weekdays… it's just baby and me, most of the time, and doing the similar things most of the time…

Relax, quiet, and meaningful…

However… it's just the 2 of us, most of the time…

But when weekend comes…

Wow!! It's 3 of us, as a family!!

Our own family, him, me, and baby…

And for the first time in my life, I do experience the feeling of 'family'…

As a family we go out shopping,

As a family we go out for breakfast/lunch/dinner,

As a family we go out, meeting up with friends, who, also another family of their own… it's kinda cool!!! (at least to me)

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I do surprised myself with this thought… ye… as a family…

Never in my life, this word means so huge to me…

And… as a family, we're together…

I remember watching the dorama "a flower shop without roses" (I blogged about it, haven't finished though… figured that, lately I don't really have the urge to watch heavy drama, give me something light, I'll finish it in 1 day, for eg. All the Galileo, Mr. Brain, BOSS that I've watch, nice!! Not that this one's not nice, just that, you know it's kinda heavy on the emo side, it's just a bit too heavy for a busy mother like me, kekekekeke!!)

Eiji, the main character in the show, was inviting this old lady, a neighbour of his, to come stay with him…

And the old lady's a bit reluctant at first, cos, they're not related to each other, in fact, she's enrolled herself into one of those old folks home already…

Then, Eiji said to her, "why can't we stay together?? Only people with blood ties are considered family?? Husband and wife were strangers, but when they get married, they're family…"

And after this persuasion, the old lady decided to move in with Eiji, be part of his family…

I thought that's pretty nice and sweet for Eiji to say that... (thanks to the script writer though)

And I know, the japanese, from time to time, like to make dorama similar as this, and they're basically trying to imply that, the closeness among family members is not by birth, but by… well… maybe interaction, communication, and sometimes, even arguments...

That's why I like to watch japanese dorama…

And that's why I kinda agree, if there's no argument at all, it's just so unlike a family... (of course, not when the argument gets serious and both turn out to be like enemies though)

But that also reminds me, always… of the AEC channel advertisement, if you're on AEC long enough, you may see this advertisement from time to time, sometimes, it's father & son, sometimes it's big family, sometimes it's this cool girl standing alone, but one that caught my attention is,

Mother & daughter, at first, they're like… having an argument, the backs facing each other, and both were pulling a long face.. But the next second you see, 2 of them were hugging each other, smiling…

Ye, that's mother & daughter… and ye, it reminds me of my mother and myself…

I guess, it takes real closeness between any two, to argue but yet get closer and closer…

(sometimes it works for certain people, sometimes it doesn't)

Cos, only people who're really close, the relationship can overcome anything, any argument, that's called family ^_^ and haha… that's what the dorama like to emphasize…

And sometimes, when family members who're just too polite to each other, it reminds me of the olden china days…

Where people are just too polite, for others to see… too polite… you're so careful that you won't upset each other, cos, you don't dare to upset the other person, cos, you're not sure, if this person will still love you, as family, or, will still bother about you, as family… that's why you tend to be very polite, ie. diplomatic in a way…

But this politeness, sometimes, give me some cliché… dealing with my close friends is even easier…,

You see… last time, my mother's the one that I can really show my true self… each of us, to a certain extent, we tend to live up to the image that we think the others will want to see, or, expect to see…

However, only, and only my mother, I don't have to bother, cos, I know, she accepts me as who I am, and how I am…

And that's the reason, while I was still in the workforce in this city… I go back to my hometown from time to time… spend a long 2 weeks there, to wind down.. To relax… yes, only with her, I'm relaxed… cos, I can be my true self… and I just live freely…

Say anything I want, eat anything I want, do anything I want…

And chit chat with her - without purpose, without motive… (just like what I'm doing now, typing down every single thought, without purpose, without motive, without worrying that, she'll like me, or she won't, cos, she's my beloved mother, and I've never doubt her love to me, she doesn't love me, cos I behave, or cos, I got good result - well, not that I really have good result, cos I have money - again, not that I've money!! See!!! That's why, she's my mother… God gave her to me, made me her daughter, for a wonderful 35 years, then, He took her, away, but sent me another wonderful and beautiful gift, to teach me how to become a mother myself…)

…. @_@

See… my problem is, I deviate too much from my original thought…

I need to scroll up to see what this title is… oh!! I was supposed to talk about weekends ^_^

Anyway… ^_^

For once, I know, weekend is really meant for family…

I used to think that… well… I didn't really feel for those "weekend's for family" when I was working…, I know, I understand, but I don't feel for it…

And now?? I do…

YOu're my Dopamine~~

ya, many years ago, i came across this word... "dopamine" on a documentary (can't remember the title of it though)
^_^... ghee...
however... as of today, i search through the internet, most of the result can get to quite detailed in explanation, be it, scientific, or medical...
anyway, below is what i want and it's near to what i remember off the "documentary" that i came across many years ago...

"Dopamine is commonly associated with the pleasure system of the brain, providing feelings of enjoyment and reinforcement to motivate a person proactively to perform certain activities. Dopamine is released (particularly in areas such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex) by naturally rewarding experiences such as food, sex,[9][10] drugs, and neutral stimuli that become associated with them. This theory is often discussed in terms of drugs such as cocaine, nicotine, and amphetamines, which seem to directly or indirectly lead to an increase of dopamine in these areas, and in relation to neurobiological theories of chemical addiction, arguing that these dopamine pathways are pathologically altered in addicted persons. Recent studies indicate that aggression may also stimulate the release of dopamine in this way.{Vanderbilt University (2008, January 15). Aggression As Rewarding As Sex, Food And Drugs, New Research Shows. ScienceDaily.}"

well... don't get into too details... ^_^ as it's just simply too scientific... hehe...

i started to think of "you're my dopamine" as...
i reckon, all of us do have somebody who's so precious that...
to put it in sentence, "i just can't do anything about him/her, the moment i see him/her, all anger, tiresome's gone"
and etc.
to most parents, maybe... their children are their dopamine...
for me... i realized this, many years ago... before our dear daughter comes to the world (then, it shall be revised)
so far, he IS my dopamine...
i'm sure most couples do have arguments once in a while...
same for both of us...
however, imagining how angry i can be, and what i shall do, what i shall say when i see him ^_^
WHEN i see him, all gets rubbed off... almost silently... for unknown reason...
unexplanable... (or, explanable, just that, the has-nothing-better-to-do me, simply try to me it slightly more complicated)
therefore, eventually... i reckon... he simply is my dopamine...