Chapter : Raising Kids.

Few days ago, someone asked me, “Would you want to have kids in the future?” 

I answered, “Well, it depends whether I could afford it or trust myself to raise it.” 

Well, if you think it’s a funny answer because normally people would say yes or no. But these days, really...it depends whether you could afford it or devoted yourself to taking care of the child. It’s a lot of responsibilities taking care of a child. My parents always say, “You will soon know the burden of raising a child when you own one.” 

Well, I don’t need to own one but I roughly know how tedious a task it would be. The responsibilities begin the moment you’re carrying a little bean in your tummy. You have to be careful of what you eat, drink or do. Once you give birth to the little one plus enduring the labour pains, another set of responsibilities begin. Your task is to support the little one with everything. Nursing it, feeding it, teaching it and all sort of things you do to mould the little one into the person you hope it grows to be. 

Not sure whether I make sense at the last part...but during the process on taking care of the little one, you have endure sleepless nights and changing diapers...but once the little one grows out of the diapers, you have to make sure the little one keeps their clothes on! Okay maybe that’s an exaggeration but I did know a little one that refuses to keep his clothes on. After their toddler years, they start to demand more from you...money-wise of course. They need this and that, their homework requires them to build a transformer and they need materials, they have ballet lessons, art lessons, music lesson or whatever lessons they want to attend plus we must not forget if they have tuition classes! So here you become their loyal little driver, chauffeuring them from north to south. 

Then reaching to the age where they’re a teenager. The rebellious stage, they won’t listen to you, they yell at you, they do all sort of things you do when you’re a teenager. You ground them, wallop their sorry little butts, cut their allowances, and make sure they have more chores to do or something to punish them. Making sure they learn their lesson in hopes that they wouldn’t repeat the same mistake. 

There’s a lot of process we have to go through emotionally, mentally and physically during the process of raising a child. A parent must be strong to endure the shits through thick and thin. Worrying about the cost they have to support when raising a child or whatever stuffs they need to do...

On the other hand, some might have doubts because of the pain that we women have to endure. Carrying another life inside of us which would add extra weight to our body, some of us would start feeling fat, suffer from hair loss or any other itty gritty bit that we get during our pregnancy...

But all in all, it’s a joyous thing to give birth to life and bringing them into the planet. Watching them grow and sharing happiness and sadness together...and when you grow old, you will have someone to keep you company, to take care of you in return.

Chapter : Prom

Fell asleep while watching Glee...had a dream. I think the episode I was watching might have influenced my dream. The summary of the dream, I went to prom with my date and was dancing the night away. I felt like Cinderella for the night. 

In reality, I have never been to prom. Most of the time, prom was held at the end of the year and during that time I’m always out of the county for a family holiday. So I missed out on prom, throughout my high school years...well, can’t say throughout my high school years because prom was only held when you’re at the last year at school. But I got asked out when I was 15 years old. At first I said yes because I thought we won’t be going anywhere...but then had to disappoint my date because I flew to China I think. Then I thought that I would be able to attend at least my OWN prom after my important final exams, I was off to Vietnam. So either way, I never attended one. 

Then it got me thinking, what was prom like? Watching from all those American shows, girls get asked out by guys, they all dress up like princesses; the guys picked them up and gave them corsages. Then reached to their school, have some upbeat songs to dance, then slow dances and ends it with the crowning of prom king and queen. Was Malaysian prom like that? 

I remember vaguely that my sister attended her school prom. I think she got asked out by a senior at her school. Then I think her date picked her up. That’s about it. I never asked for details during her night outs anyway. We don’t share that sort of bonding.

It got me imagining, what it would be like to be at a prom. For once, able to dress up like a princess and dance a slow dance...well, I did a slow dance before...if you would call swaying from one foot to another a dance. It was during my 21st birthday and that was pretty awkward because everybody was just staring at my ex and me swaying from one foot to another. But then, aren’t slow dances like that? I’m not too sure myself.

Truthfully, I can’t picture myself attending this kind of functions. I would love to dress up like a princess and be treated like one someday but I think I rather stick to my own little fantasy for now.

Chapter : How?

Yesterday I continued my little exercise routine. This time it’s without the boyfriend though...he said he was going to run around his house. It was quite hard for me to estimate the time because I should run and walk so I just set an alarm that whenever one minute is up, I would switch from walking to jogging and vice versa. Plus, I didn’t count how many sets I was doing so I think I might did it less or more. I think more is better compared to less of course.

Anyway, my colleagues will be on leave because of the Raya celebration so most of them will be heading back to their hometown and the office would be really quiet and I would be the only one there apart from the office coordinator, two managing directors and two programmers. Going to have a quiet week during the Raya holidays I guess, unless someone plans something. Who knows?

These days my brain is being “overload” with thoughts. One of them is my work, I have been thinking of a career change. To do something that’s not related to what I have studied. But my concern is WHAT? What am I able to do? This I have to start thinking, what are my capabilities? What are my goals? What do I want to achieve? Would I might starting from the bottom and slowly work my way up? Would my parents support me? Would they guide me to the right path? I’m afraid of changes at times, but I feel that it must be done to achieve better things in life. 

Maybe I need a new hobby...break away from my usual reading or watching cartoons on my laptop. Start crafting? Start...I have no idea what other hobbies to do. Something to keep me occupied and let my mind off things. I want to put my mind to rest. It’s making me restless and confused. It’s giving me unnecessary stress and worries. 

How do I stop this? Can I just GIVE up?

Chapter : Progress!

Today I feel so proud of myself. I managed to do some exercise for once in my entire lifetime living as a sloth. The boyfriend came around to teach me some couch potato exercise routine. It‘s fun having someone to accompany you because it takes your mind off things...but the boyfriend said that I must learn to do it on my own when he can’t make it. 

For a person who doesn’t exercise, surprisingly I’m able to complete the entire routine for the day! I have never felt so proud in my lifetime! It’s like, climbing Mount Everest and reaching the PEAK! Cut me some slack here, I’m happy! Plus I have to thank the boyfriend for constantly encouraging me and coaxing me to go for a run with him. Hopefully I wouldn’t be so tired tomorrow. 

Before the run today, I managed to meet up with the girls. The last time I met them was on my birthday and we’re meeting again this Saturday to celebrate Yuki’s birthday! Dinner and karaoke again! Just the past weekend I was at my hometown to celebrate my grandmother’s birthday and we too had dinner and karaoke sessions. Unfortunately, my aunts were dominating the karaoke machine with their Chinese songs and some aunts, really can’t sing.

There are not words to describe how tone-deaf they are...I know that I’m tone-deaf too but I think I can belt out a tune occasionally. But, some people like to say, when it comes to karaoke sessions, no one is going to bother whether you can sing or not. It’s all for the fun!

Chapter : Just Another Saturday.

It was such a tiring day. First went over to the mall to grab Harry Potter movie tickets with the boyfriend and walked around a bit. It was such a bad idea to wear 3 (or was it 4?) inch heels because it killed my feet. After few rounds, the shoes were literally eating my feet ALIVE!

The boyfriend and I did some walking around, ate some brunch and then some yoghurt. Then off to see him get his hair cut. His hair finally grew back after months of being a little monk. Anyway, Harry Potter movie was not bad. I wouldn’t say it was awesome because it felt...to me incomplete. Like I would always feel that there would be a HARRY POTTER MOVIE COMEBACK or something along those lines.

I was really happy to see the actor who played Neville Longbottom. He grew up to be such a handsome stud and he has a lot of screen time too! So yay for me! I was scared shitless when I saw the scenes with the huge ass snake. Wouldn’t mind watching Harry Potter again though...

After the movie, rushed off to celebrate my aunt’s 60th birthday which was located at some Chinese restaurant near where the boyfriend’s office is. The room we were in has a karaoke machine so naturally all of us started to choose songs to sing!

Karaoke, brings people together...brings joy and laughter. Everyone is just there to have fun, singing and laughing regardless whether they can belt out a tune or not. Maybe I was really tired and my feet were killing me...couldn’t take all the singing and people talking at the same time...but at least I know that everyone enjoyed themselves including my grandmother. She was clapping whenever my aunts were singing. 

Towards the end I was singing Lady Gaga’s - Bad Romance because my youngest aunt requested for it and then Kelly Clarkson’s – Because of You. That song literally left me breathless because it’s always high pitch and powerful and my voice...Like a toad can’t reach that high so it sounded like someone trying to choke a duck. 

But it really made me want to go to have an awesome karaoke session again with my girlfriends. Maybe should plan another karaoke session with the rock band group...hmm...

Chapter : Epic Birthday Celebration!

Yesterday I had the most epic and awesome birthday celebration! Before I go any further on that, this week is what I would call “Celebration Week” because there are a lot of things to celebration. 

First, is the boyfriend’s birthday, then it was our one year anniversary (yes, I tend to remember things like that) and MY birthday!

Anyway, I organized a dinner with my usual girlfriends, the Rashingis (Joey, Sylvia and Kelsie), the AC (Whippy, James, Yuki, Lavena...sadly Yie and Ky couldn’t make it) and Yuki Rye to celebrate my birthday and also to welcome Sylvia’s boyfriend, Joe (he’s from the states). I brought the boyfriend along and those who had partners brought theirs. 

Dinner was at Capricciosa, Sunway Pyramid. I booked a table for 12. During dinner, everyone was catching up with each other; the boyfriend and Joe were talking about some “Call of Duty” stuffs I supposed while I was running around trying to take pictures with everyone. 

We were just hanging around in the restaurant and I was asking whether anyone wants to go somewhere else to grab dessert and then out of nowhere, the staffs from Capricciosa came from behind to surprised me with a birthday cake given by the Rashingis and AC’s! Actually I jumped in shocked because they caught me, surprised. After I blew out the candles, the group asked me to take the candles out from the cake using my mouth. Imagine the fear that someone might push my face right into the cake! I ate a few candle waxes here and there though...the cake was DELICIOUS.

After dinner we head down to Red Box for the most EPIC karaoke session! We actually sang out hearts out till 3 a.m.! Everyone dedicated a song to me and I never felt so blessed in my entire life! The funniest part was when the group decided to sing to me Happy Birthday (the Click Five) and they changed the lyrics here and there. We laughed, we screamed and we jumped inside the room. Everyone was having a blast. 

I have to personally thank the boyfriend was accompanying me for dinner and sending me back at the wee hours in the morning. Thank you love! I appreciated it so much! Sorry you had to blow your budget this month! 

Ah! I got so many lovely presents from everyone! The boyfriend gave me a 1 TB hard drive because he knew I was whining for one and never gotten the chance to get it. Though at first I suspected that he was getting me pepper spray! Thank you again!! 

A compact powder, eye liner and BB cream from Whippy, James, Yuki and I think Yuki Rye...and Yuki Rye gave me a lovely card too!

A blusher from Lavena.

A musical box from Joe and Sylvia.

Godiva chocolates from Kelsie.

Joey said that she will pass my present when she sees me the next time. Thank you all again for giving me such lovely presents and also the most epic birthday celebration ever!

I almost forgot to thank my parents and my godmother, Aunty Helen for giving me presents too! Parents gave me a purse and Aunty Helen gave me a little charm from Thomas Sabo. Thank you!! 

Chapter : Celebration!!

This past few weeks was crazy for me. There were so many birthday celebrations and the amount of cakes I have consumed; I think I’m at the borderline to have diabetes!

30th June, my colleague’s birthday, so we had “Death by Chocolate” cake and I really died from overly dosage of chocolate. Then during dinner with Stephanie and Chuong, we had a small piece of cheesecake.

1st July, my youngest brother birthday, so we too had another cake, some mango sponge cake thing. 

4th July, another colleague’s birthday (her real birthday was on the 1st though) and they too bought another chocolate cake. 

Then I took a small break from all the cakes...just a tiny one...

Then today...I mean yesterday, 12th July, the boyfriend’s birthday. His best friend baked a cake for him and that was chocolate too! It was so rich and thick, I felt as though I was really a huge bar of chocolate! Quite delicious I must say!

Anyway, reason for this post is to wrap up what happened on the boyfriend’s birthday.Luckily his birthday fell on the day where we normally meet up with the Rock Band group to play board games. So it was a perfect occasion to call everyone for dinner and celebrate!

The boyfriend knew there was dinner but he didn’t know that there would be cake and a little surprise waiting for him. Well, he told me later he suspected something was going on though...because everyone just kept disappearing!

So as usual, we have our dinner and catching up with everyone, then once everyone was done, Farah (his best friend who baked the cake) brought the cake out. Tried distracting him while she prepared the cake but doing a very bad job at it because the boyfriend said he could tell I was trying to make conversation. Damn social skills, why you fail me at the wrong time?

After we sang Happy Birthday to him, we gave him a troll card which I thought up. Remember Terry Crews from White Chicks? If you can remember the portrait of him in the movie, well that was at the front and everyone just signed behind it. If you can’t, look at the picture below...

I know I'm sexy!

 

So imagine, when you turn over the card and see that face, what would your expression be? The boyfriend laughed. How the idea came about? The boyfriend was joking with me one day saying that he would love to have a poster of him so he could stick it in his room. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a high resolution of the picture so I asked a friend to print out an A4 size of it and turned it into a card.

Tony Roma’s actually gave the boyfriend a birthday cake to celebrate and we sang Happy Birthday to him again. It was funny! Overall, I hope the boyfriend enjoyed his birthday and the card. I wonder where he would put it. Imagine if he put it up in his room, what would his brother or his parents say? 

That would be hilarious.

To the birthday boyfriend, Happy Birthday once again! I mean...belated Birthday. Love ya!