Evilness begets...

To the 2 evil brats:

May you drop a tooth for each piece of chip you munched on my bed.

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BOO!!!!!!!!!!

P.S.
MM, I cannot believe that you fed the kid booze!!!!!!!!!!

A pinch of CNY flavouring in Thailand

Apparently, Warorot market, which is located a mere 5-minute walk from our house, is also known as the Chiang Mai Chinatown!

OMG.

We made our way there at about 8 p.m. and were delighted to be entertained by

1. Middle age ladies singing to the tune of 甜蜜蜜 or music alike (most probably immigrants because their command of Mandarin was superb);
2. Young Thai girls struggling with introducing themselves in Mandarin but commendable nonetheless.
   

Red lanterns. Check.




Roast duck! Check.




Crowds in temple. Check.





Other than the usage of red (table cloth, lanterns etc.), regular items were sold (e.g. Thai food, cheap clothes, hill tribe products etc.), i.e. zero supply of Chinese goodies.

=(((

Nevermind.

Lastly, some photos taken at our friend's graduation party last week:

Missing CNY, badly

Mdm got home during lunch time and managed to call home using Skype. I got to speak to the folks back at home (dad, mum, MM, niece, aunts) and man, how much I miss CNY!

Mdm made a wrong choice by missing this one big occassion that I can have great get togethers with my crazy cousins (although I manage not to burn a big hole in my pockets, but then again, this is not the reason why I am not back!!!).

It's friday!

We attended a friend's graduation party and had our first seafood dinner here in Chiang Mai yesterday. I was glad to discover that yummy crabs actually exist in this part of the world. It's amazing how Thais actually make a big fuss about graduation. Seriously, I don't remember we did much except crazy photo taking. MM wasn't even at the ceremony (cos there was a restriction on the number of guests). Here in Thailand, the whole family (including extended ones like aunts, uncles, cousins etc.) shows up for the ceremony. We got home pretty late and I suspected that I drifted into lalaland even before my eyes were closed.

No big plans for this weekend which is terrific because I badly need some rest and then work on my newly downloaded Pump It Up Aeroburn



Digressing... Check out my new object of desire!!!

Nicole Richie's orange Hermes Birkin



*omg*

Beer maniac

2 bottles of beer are enough to turn my P into a lovely rabbit.

When he's high, he's a happy man.

The DIY look

Something's hiding in here




I love the simple, unpretentious look (and the huge DIY bookshelf!).

When we did our flat few years back, we didn't opt for the cosy, down-to-earth look (which I believe was why MM complained some time back that her room didn't feel personal enough). Anyway, my folks would have never agreed on having the house do up in a DIY-alike fashion. I got to visit a few newly renovated homes recently (with a bit of magic touch by interior designers) and I am kinda getting sick of the sleek/ clean/ coordinated look.

Check this out!

Rearrange design

Finger etching

Inner message by Jungyun Yoon

P should be glad that the sparkling rock doesn't work on me as much as novelty.

What is he looking at

This amusing piece is now sitting in our room and it never fails to invite unfriendly stares from P.



We went to the mall yesterday and I managed to grab some really nice Chinese New Year cards for the folks back at home. It's not hard to find these, the decorative stuff and even yummy goodies but it's hard to find someone to actually celebrate this festive occassion with. And the harder part is, you don't celebrate CNY with just anyone who's a chinese.

I was preparing to send out the cards yesterday night when I decided that

I WILL NEVER MISS CHINESE NEW YEAR AGAIN!!!

How to be a Singaporean

National Library Board's "Singapore in 5 minutes" film competition:



The advert appears to be another sorry attempt to bring disgrace on one's own head and I wonder if these are the only unique situations that Singaporeans are able to relate to. It appears that the general public are not the only superficial ones, so are the folks at NLB.

The Thai speaker wannabe

I should have gone on to elaborate more.

One of the main reasons that I went to a hospital instead of a GP is professionalism. The second being it's absolutely free (I have health insurance and it covers hospital visits)!!! My HP is like 90% full now and I am sure most of the toxins are being expelled (or are in the process of) from my body because I literally shat charcoal this morning.

And regarding the weather here. It somehow turns freaky since we got back from Singapore. The average morning temperature is 12 - 13 °C and at this very moment, it is 17.6 °C. This is the temperature that Hongkies would be wearing thick eskimos' suit but in Chiang Mai, people are merely in their windbreakers. I would be crazy to be wearing some really nice trenchcoat to work (which I am very tempted to do because I prefer keeping my body warm at all times).

I am into my third day at Thai class and I am kinda enjoying it. Not because I have met new friends (although I did but we didn't really have the opportunity to socialize much). The classes are more intensive than the ones I attended when I first arrived but I think I am learning much more this time round (academically). So... I am adding expanding my resolution list to include a fifth item

5. Improve my spoken/written Thai

And hopefully, next time when someone's here to visit me in Chiang Mai or I am meetng anyone somewhere else in Thailand (Krabi would be fantastic), I would not need P to be around to be an effective guide/ translator.

=)

Being nursed

Mdm was sick yesterday and I had to give my class (and work) a miss. Frankly, I was quite sick but for the first time I struggled (but failed) to get myself up for work. I went for a hot shower but when I got back into the room, I thought I really need some rest. My body was aching badly.

P sent me to the hospital and I was diagnosed with having stomach infection (which must be due to the cockles I had on Sunday). I kinda concussed after the visit. I must have slept for like 16 hours in total and feel as fresh as a lemon this morning. Mdm is still having occasional cramps but I am feeling much better now than yesterday.

P was unusually attentive. Arranging for the bin to be right next to my bed in case I feel like puking, taking care of my food and meds feeding times, reminding me to pack my meds to work this morning. Mdm would like to say a big thank you and would like to learn to appreciate this forever and never taking it for granted.

When dream tells more

I had the weirdest dream of all last night. Mdm dreamt that my dad was getting ready to be remarried and was preparing for his solemnization. He was in this really smart looking tuxedo and he must be in his seventies because he had a head of grey hair. The strangest thing of all was that after giving him a hug and telling him how much I love him, I broke down crying. It was uncontrollable and I ended up waking myself. I felt saddened but I am not sure which part of this dream was the cause. Whether it was the part that my dad would no longer be just mine, or that I haven't been telling him enough how much he meant to me and our family.

Mdm is going back to school

Mdm is taking academic Thai classes starting next Monday. Apparently, Mr. Boss wasn't happy about it since I would be gone for 3 hours in the afternoon every working day (classes from Mon-Fri, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.). Anyway, approval had been gotten from above. Besides, work is not hectic and I doubt my 3 hours absence would mean much.

And the good news is, my classes are free! I would be kinda taking the express lane and joining the module 3 classes which is like the level when you start learning to read and write in Thai (the first 2 being basic conversational modules). If Mr. Boss has not violent objection and my work load doesn't get heavy miraculously, I would complete the entire course in half a year (i.e. module 3 - 8, each lasting slightly more than a month).

Finally, it's friday! Happy weekend to all!

My life is comfortable, thank you

I've finally tuned myself back to life in Chiangmai.

Last Sunday was bad. Having arrived in Chiangmai after spending a whole 2-week with everyone back at home, I found myself missing home the moment we landed.

And then came Monday. Monday was worse. Not only that I haven't gotten over the part about being away from everyone else, I have to prepare myself for work (which is getting dreadful). I got home in the evening to a dog that looked nothing like ours back at home. Seriously, I felt like crying out loud.

I hate dealing with these emotions whenever I return from Singapore. Everything here is fine before homecoming. I have gotten used to the place, the people etc. I rant about work (occasionally) but me being me and work being work, where ever I am, rants about work will never stop. At times I thought, maybe deep inside, I am a city girl and that's the kinda life I am missing. At times I thought I am missing the people back at home more than the place. And then again, there are moments that I thought it is just the familiarity that I am missing. I don't know which is which but I do know I have made my choice and I want to enjoy my life here as much as I can. I would still be home and home will still be there for me.

There are largely 2 separate camps that people generally fall into when discussing about my life here in Chiangmai. One the "You traded the wonders of city life?" and the second being "Oh! You rich-ass Tai Tai".

The first camp pisses me ALOT. I wouldn't want to argue about this but not everyone would like to be you, if you know what I mean. If you don't, then it's the "you" who work your ass off to sustain your colourful lifestyle and thought that it is the only one wonderful thing for everyone on earth.

And for the second camp, sorry to disappoint you. First, I am NOT a Tai Tai. Second, we are not living in a mansion. Although we do live on a property that is huge and in a rather desired location in Chiangmai standards, it is old and is very run-down. And, my husband drives a very old car.

Life is actually satisfying and there is nothing much we have to worry about here. And frankly, P's family is doing well. Affordability is not an issue but my FIL happens to be a rather thrifty and modest man. And, he actually still calls the shots.

Only this is true about my life here.

My 2009

I have to constantly remind myself that resolutions and a wishlist are totally different (i.e. wishlist is afterall, a list containing of wishes ONLY). My 2009 resolutions in order of priority are

1. Getting our nest in Chiangmai
Which is something that P and I managed to sit down and discussed (along with some calculator punching) and came up with a magic number (i.e. money to save before we go house hunting).

2. Getting back in shape, meaning
a. To be on the treadmill at least 3 times a week
b. Keeping a food log to keep calories intake below 1200
I seriously have to shed off some kilos after my trips. And to be realistic, I would set the magic number at 48. I havent been on the scales since I got back but I know I've to lose at least 2-kg. Wish me good luck.

3. Start something
We have been talking for ages about starting something and Mdm would like to really get into action this year.

4. Volunteer

Post trips

The going-to-be lengthy blog post is a sign that Mdm is back at work.

We had an amazing 2 weeks break (18 days to be exact), had lotsa fun during our family trip and Mdm managed to meet up with most of my mates. In fact, this is the first time since I left 1.5 years ago that I got to meet up with mini Mindy and V girls not once but twice in a single trip. It was really nice to be able to catch up and bitch with these girls again.

Ok, some thoughts post trip.

About Taipei, I seriously am heading back there again. I don't see why anyone wouldn't enjoy this city. The food's good, city's clean and accessible, things are cheap and most importantly, people are nice (think Taiwan. Then think Hong Kong).

And about Hong Kong, Mdm is so NOT going back there again till my kid decides to see the mini Disneyland. Over the last 10 years, I have made like 3 trips to Hong Kong once every 3 years or so and I couldnt't help but enjoy less of this place each time I re-visited. The service there is HORRIBLE and, it's not just me. I heard complains from 2 separate sources who visited Hong Kong around the same period as I did. And somehow, the crowd there seems rather rowdy.

And about Singapore, Mdm is pleased that I managed to catch up with most of the changes. As in, I wasn't as stunned as I was in July when I walked down Orchard. Orchard Emerald is gone but the place is still recognizable. More time in Singapore means more time for me to re-familiarize myself with the various places that had undergone some sorta renovation works.

Mdm is happy that everyone seems to be getting on well in life. My folks are healthy, MM seems much happier and my baby recognizes me (and even looked kinda sad when we were getting our luggages out of the house).

Mdm in Chiangmai

We are back in Chiangmai. Mdm is experiencing some kinda confusion. After massive of travels made over the last 2 weeks, it felt like we have never left!

So not looking forward to Monday

After a rather hectic 2 weeks away from Chiangmai, we are amazingly not missing it! In fact, P just ranted about having to be back there again in another 15 hours.

We are all packed for our trip back to Chiangmai. Till then, more TV and local magazines!