Seriously, it's so soothing to feed them....
Friday, October 03, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Painted my bedroom!!
I spent all day Saturday painting my bedroom, with help from my friend Hitomi. I wasn't even painting the whole room, actually, just an accent wall in my room, but it still took us a good 5 hours to get everything done. Now I have a newly painted wall, and new curtains and shelf to boot. Best of all, I put up the curtains and the shelf myself :) . Hahah! I'm handy now! I can actually operate a drill and not poke myself in the eye in the process. So proud of myself.
My room now has an accent wall that is yellow, pink and green in color. Kinda like a mosaic. Who cares that normal people don't usually color their walls that way. And who cares that my curtains are so pink they barely let light through (that's the point, actually). My room is still a work in progress, but so far I love the work that's being done. Many thanks to hitomi for helping me out.
My room now has an accent wall that is yellow, pink and green in color. Kinda like a mosaic. Who cares that normal people don't usually color their walls that way. And who cares that my curtains are so pink they barely let light through (that's the point, actually). My room is still a work in progress, but so far I love the work that's being done. Many thanks to hitomi for helping me out.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Ramadhan: fasting in Seattle
So we've been fasting for a little over a week now. Having the first day or Ramadhan align with Sept 1st makes it easy for me to remember things :) All in all, it's been a trying first week. I mean, we *just* came out of summer, so the days are still longer than the nights. It's pretty damn annoying to have to wake up at 4am because you have stop eating at 5am. Then there's the waiting for sunset to come so that we can start eating. And sunset was 7.50pm on Sept 1st.
It has gotten progressively better since then. Sunset is now at 7.35pm, which is close to the Malaysian sunset, so that makes me feel a bit better. Sunrise is at 5.15am, which gives me an extra 15 mins of sleep that I didn't have before. Although I have to admit, a huge part of why it feels so much better now is pretty much because my body has gotten used to it. The first week is always, always the worst. It doesn't help that I still go out late at night and am totally dead by the time 4am rolls around and I have to eat my sahur. Hopefully the next few weeks, I'll be more diligent about going to bed at a reasonable time so that I can face the day better rested and with better clarity.
I went to the Northdate Way Idriss Mosque the Monday of last week, and I have to say that I was sorely dissapointed with how the sisters' area was set up. I know there wasn't a whole bunch of us, but the classroom they had set up for iftar is too small to fit even the ladies who were there. I found the experience too cramped and full of people yelling and kids just getting in the way. I don't mind small children, in fact I love kids, but the parents basically let them run amok all over the classroom, which resulted in spilled drinks and food. Which, of course, made the already cramped classroom unbearable. I relish the sense of community one gets when going to a mosque and praying with fellow Muslimahs, but that experience just left a me bit traumatized and I haven't gone back since. I really should probably give it another try, though. Maybe it was just a one-time thing, I dunno.
Fasting has been interesting of late. I get a lot of questions from people who are intrigued by it and want to know what the rationale behind it is. While I do tell them the religious aspects of fasting, usually I supplement them with whatever scientific details that I've read about based on research on fasting. Apparently fasting allows the bodily function to rest from chruning food, and instead allocated resources to repair cells instead. So you are basically "repairing" your body while fasting. A lot of people get scared when they hear the "no water" part, but studies show that as long you hydrate yourself plenty during the time you *can* eat, it shouldn't be a problem at all. In fact, drinking 32oz of water before sunrise even allows you to exercise during the day, I've been told. Who would've thought?
anyway, Ramadhan mubarak to all who are fasting this month :)
It has gotten progressively better since then. Sunset is now at 7.35pm, which is close to the Malaysian sunset, so that makes me feel a bit better. Sunrise is at 5.15am, which gives me an extra 15 mins of sleep that I didn't have before. Although I have to admit, a huge part of why it feels so much better now is pretty much because my body has gotten used to it. The first week is always, always the worst. It doesn't help that I still go out late at night and am totally dead by the time 4am rolls around and I have to eat my sahur. Hopefully the next few weeks, I'll be more diligent about going to bed at a reasonable time so that I can face the day better rested and with better clarity.
I went to the Northdate Way Idriss Mosque the Monday of last week, and I have to say that I was sorely dissapointed with how the sisters' area was set up. I know there wasn't a whole bunch of us, but the classroom they had set up for iftar is too small to fit even the ladies who were there. I found the experience too cramped and full of people yelling and kids just getting in the way. I don't mind small children, in fact I love kids, but the parents basically let them run amok all over the classroom, which resulted in spilled drinks and food. Which, of course, made the already cramped classroom unbearable. I relish the sense of community one gets when going to a mosque and praying with fellow Muslimahs, but that experience just left a me bit traumatized and I haven't gone back since. I really should probably give it another try, though. Maybe it was just a one-time thing, I dunno.
Fasting has been interesting of late. I get a lot of questions from people who are intrigued by it and want to know what the rationale behind it is. While I do tell them the religious aspects of fasting, usually I supplement them with whatever scientific details that I've read about based on research on fasting. Apparently fasting allows the bodily function to rest from chruning food, and instead allocated resources to repair cells instead. So you are basically "repairing" your body while fasting. A lot of people get scared when they hear the "no water" part, but studies show that as long you hydrate yourself plenty during the time you *can* eat, it shouldn't be a problem at all. In fact, drinking 32oz of water before sunrise even allows you to exercise during the day, I've been told. Who would've thought?
anyway, Ramadhan mubarak to all who are fasting this month :)
Sunday, August 17, 2008
He's Just Not That Into You
I've just finished reading this book (well, actually I finished it two days ago), and i gotta say, for such a small book, it sure packs a punch. It certainly got me feeling a lot of emotions: anger, sadness, mortification.... and acceptance.
I've accepted a long time ago that I'm not perfect, and I kinda left it at that. I'm not perfect, and I make mistakes. What I haven't accepted was the fact that it was okay to not be perfect, to not fit into The Guy's definition of a perfect woman, because ultimately, the person I'm meant to be with would still think I'm perfect in spite of, or because of, my faults. The Guy might not like the fact that I have a small, babyish voice, but The One would find it endearing.
When it comes to matters of the heart, I figured that since I'm not perfect, I shouldn't really expect the guy I'm with to be perfect. Now that's a really dangerous road to go down, and the book made me realize that. Because once you have it in your head "Oh, he's doing something that I don't like, that's okay, he's not perfect, I probably annoy him, too", then you start ignoring the vital signs. Big, fat, juicy signs that hollers He's Just Not That Into You. You start forgiving things that you shouldn't be. You let the fact that he makes you cry at least once a month slide, because you keep remembering the good times and oh how good the good times were and this is just a small bump in the road and we'll get over it .... And the excuses keep on coming until one day, you realize that you were the bump in his road and he's completely over you.
Reading the book was tough for me. It made me face facts. The signs were there and I didn't want to see it; because of that I let The Guy have the power to hurt me. I let him dictate how the relationship, if you can even call it that, play out to his advantage. The book made me see my past relationships, dates and crushes in a different way. I used to think that maybe if I had done things a little differently, be more sophisticated instead of emotionally vulnerable, then things could have been different. I realize know that there was nothing I could've done to keep his interest. What I do have control over now, though, is how I behave once it's apparent that a guy is not into me enough to want a lasting relationship with me.
So for me personally, I need to remember these tenents:
- If I'm the one who usually calls, but he never calls me first because talking on the phone is "not his thing", then he's just not that into me.
- If he never wants to hang out with me and my friends at all, then he's just not that into me.
- If I'm the one who's always making plans, and he just goes along with it, then maybe he's really not that into me.
- If he doesn't want the "boyfriend" label because he "doesn't like labels", then he's really not that into me. That's just a step away from not wanting to be the "husband" because he doesn't like labels. If he's into me, he'd want everyone to know we're together.
Life is complicated enough without having the man in your life be the wrong man. I'd rather be by myself and happy, than be with someone and be miserable. And the first step to being happy? Love thyself :)
Friday, August 15, 2008
We're Live! Live Search that is
As some of you might know, I'm currently one of the user researchers for Live Search (www.live.com). It's a tall order in trying to compete with Google as the primary search destination, but I feel like we're making really goo, solid strides towards in. To celebrate the Olympics, we have been changing the image on our homepage daily. Unfortunately, if you're in Malaysia, and you're keeping the Malaysian settings, then you can't see the rich image yet. Very boo :( . But if you change your options to US, then you can see it :)
Current image in the US market (we change this twice daily)
This is what the page looks like in China:
And here's what it looks like to the rest of the world, as for now:
I gotta admit, pretty freakin' sweet :) I'm checking the Live Search homepage daily now, it's so exciting to see what new image is going to crop up this time.
Current image in the US market (we change this twice daily)
This is what the page looks like in China:
And here's what it looks like to the rest of the world, as for now:
I gotta admit, pretty freakin' sweet :) I'm checking the Live Search homepage daily now, it's so exciting to see what new image is going to crop up this time.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Aih... updet updet
So I haven't updated this thing in a loooong while, like what, 8 months? Ooops, sorila pakcik makciks, been busy busy bee lately. With the new job and the visa stuff and getting to meet new people and trying not to blow my head off when things get really stressed, life has been quite eventful and unfortunately, my blog has suffered over it. Aih.... well I'm updating today, aren't I? With a new cute kitty pic to boot!
I am now living in Capitol Hill (not the Washington DC one, the one in Seattle). I moved away from Belltown a little over a month ago because the rent was skyrocketing. I'm super glad I made the move, not only is the new apartment more economical, I get a bigger space and I get a roommate :) . Rachel is really cool, and with Rachel comes an opportunity to talk to someone during the weekdays (instead of just weekends) and also free coffee :) . Me likey the lattes and chai tea at Joe Bar (it's a coffee shop that's around the corner of my apartment. Bill Gates went there once, if that matters to anyone).
Anyway, I've been taking salsa classes for the past 2 months, and am a happier person for it. Nothing makes me feel better than twirling around on my high heels, dancing to latin music. Considering that I've lost some weight primarily through dancing, I dare say more dancing ns needed in my life :) Maybe swing? Tango? I want to take a hip hop class just for the fun of it, but there isn't one near where I live. Boo indeed.
Oh, and I forgot to mention a teeeeny weeeny bit of new info: my hair is pink now. Not all of it, but a good two inches from the bottom is bright pink. Atomic Pink + Hard Candy Red to be exact. My mom's gonna freak if she finds out :)
I am now living in Capitol Hill (not the Washington DC one, the one in Seattle). I moved away from Belltown a little over a month ago because the rent was skyrocketing. I'm super glad I made the move, not only is the new apartment more economical, I get a bigger space and I get a roommate :) . Rachel is really cool, and with Rachel comes an opportunity to talk to someone during the weekdays (instead of just weekends) and also free coffee :) . Me likey the lattes and chai tea at Joe Bar (it's a coffee shop that's around the corner of my apartment. Bill Gates went there once, if that matters to anyone).
Anyway, I've been taking salsa classes for the past 2 months, and am a happier person for it. Nothing makes me feel better than twirling around on my high heels, dancing to latin music. Considering that I've lost some weight primarily through dancing, I dare say more dancing ns needed in my life :) Maybe swing? Tango? I want to take a hip hop class just for the fun of it, but there isn't one near where I live. Boo indeed.
Oh, and I forgot to mention a teeeeny weeeny bit of new info: my hair is pink now. Not all of it, but a good two inches from the bottom is bright pink. Atomic Pink + Hard Candy Red to be exact. My mom's gonna freak if she finds out :)
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