Missy Feng Shui

"I need a piece of jade in my ring"
"I am lack of fire. Please add a piece of ruby inside the ring"
"This is my new auspicious name, please engrave it on my ring"

I got those requests quite often. From young couples in their 20s and 30s.

That make me curious about the 5 elements, how it is supposed to help people, even if it's just psychologically. So on one of our library trips for 3-little-pigs, I sneaked to adults section. I couldn't find any books relating to the 5 elements. The librarians didn't know what I was looking for. I borrowed 1 fengshui book in disappointment.

But to my surprise, fengshui is equally fascinating!

Basically shrink your whole floorplan, or just the master bedroom, or your office, into the 8 Gua. Those represent Wealth, Fame, Marriage, Children, Helpful people, Career, Knowledge, and Family. The bad elements are usually blockage/cluster, dim lights, and broken door. The good enhancements are a crystal, removing heavy furniture, adding water fountain or plants. The middle of the gua, is the most important part of fengshui.

I related it our lives. How we have shifted our furniture during different phases of lives, and how unknowingly it has adjusted to different fengshui.

Like we added a bedside light so that I could change diaper for Berton in midnights when he was a newborn. That happens to be the marriage corner in our bedroom. Coincidentally we have been exclaiming, before reading this book, how we've never quarrelled ever since the birth of Berton. Okay maybe we've no time to quarrel, but hey, it’s mind-settling.

Also in the office, we’ve unknowingly shifted a counter away from the centre, and then fixed a chandelier light instead, business has been flourishing. On the other hand, I have been awfully bogged down by the daily sales and operational issues, because a nice fengshui-ed boss, should sit far away from the door, on director’s chair, and able to watch the doorway, to maintain a clear mind.

Now you know why there is water fountain and plants at the entrance of your office. Mirror at back left corner. And your CEOs are always sitting on the highest levels.

Berton: 1 year 3 months

Oh my baby baby Berton.

I used to be worried for him. Berton was more reserved. With his big brother dominating the entire household in his terrible twos, Berton hardly had enough sleep and quiet learning time. Bevan would be there to “share” his toys, his food and his dearest mom.

But as Berton grows beyond 1yo, I see nice changes in him. He is independent. He is almost ready for toilet train, he wears his own shoes and socks (adjustments needed), and he initiates games with his brother or any stranger. He is such a little hopping joy. Our house is always filled with his laughter.

He used to only listen to Bevan (nomatter how Bevan shouts at him). Now he listens to all of us, so his vocabularies expanded overnight, he could say and understand around 30 - 50 words, as he attempts to pronounce almost anything we teach him. His favourite food is biscuit. He is scared of Orang Utan - We went to the zoo, and there were like 5 big apes hanging and swinging around the trees. They were huge and so close, it’s probably logical that little Berton is scared. From then, whenever we say “Orang Utan”, he would run to me, and hug me as tightly as he can, and hang on my legs if I don't carry him. Just like an Orang Utan. Sooo cute.

Bevan: 2 years 9months

It's an age with lots of exciting developments - making friends and actually liking some of his friends, being independent, playing games with rules, listening and understanding to my disciplining. It's again another challenge in parenthood. It's so engaging to be with him, we chat and laugh like good friends, he tells me joke, we share how we feel, what makes him happy or scared. He keeps changing and keeps improving, and it strikes me, once again, that I should spend a lot a lot of time with him.

He has become a really caring and loving person, even to his younger brother! On some (extremely good) days, he holds Berton's hand, play clapping games, and play hide-and-seek. As little Berton walks around, Bevan covers the corners with his little palms, and say
"Be careful Didi, watch out the corners"

He is always really sweet to mommy, when I coughed and looked for sweet
"Why do you eat sweet Mommy? You should drink water! Next time when you cough, please drink water and don't eat sweet anymore. Later you should see a doctor also."

Bevan is also quick to point out mistakes made by adults
Daddy: Berton, look! Birds fly! See chu chu ta ta ta ta!
Bevan: No Daddy, birds fly with no sound, no chu chu ta ta ta ta!
Bevan: They only make sounds when they sing, and its chi chi chi chi!

But his dollars and sense
Mommy: How much is this tomato?
Bevan: Two hundred dollars.
Mommy: Two hundred dollars for a tomato?! That's expensive, can I negotiate for $1?
Bevan: Yes! Ok!
Mommy: Can I get one more for free?
Bevan: Ok!

So he can't help out in the business for now. But other than that, he is a fantastic boy.

Restaurant Review: PS at Palais Renaissance

Decoration: Grand Colonialist 1950s. High ceiling, ceiling fan, wooden chairs and tables, big palm trees, blackboard.

Ambience: Nice lazy oldies, with couples-kissing on my right, champagne cheers-ing on my left, candles on tables. Dim lights.

Nice Food: Crab tart. Chicken in basket. Dessert completely swung us off our feet.

Spending: $50 per person, is enough to share nice starters, have your own main, and share the oversized dessert. $66 per person to give birthday girl a treat.

Companion: Chatted, laughed like crazy. And for the first time, when we were on recent emotional incident – breaking voice, trembling lips, swirling tears on eyes. I think the music is too soothing.

Wet Market

I buy groceries from WET MARKET every week. What a nice progress towards auntie-hood.

Yes it’s the one that you pick the fishes using your naked hand. I now go through all the stalls in 30 minutes, get all I need for a week, for my little household of 6. Let me note down my stall-by-stall encounters.

Stall 1 Vegetable
We love vegetables. Typically I grab 3 broccolis, 1 cauliflower, 1 cabbage, 1 packet of long beans, 1 bean sprout, 3 more various green vegetables. For soup and side dishes we have carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chilli, and mushrooms. Ginger and garlic.

And watch how amazing is the stall-keeper as he does his calculations, "1kg $1.30, 2kg $2.60, $1.50 so $4.10. $4.10 add this $1.50 ok give you $1 so $5.10" He does multiplications, addition, and deduction swiftly. I just wait for the final figure, and then ask for free pandan leaf and parsley, which he gives generously.

Typical spending: $15

Stall 2: Chicken
I choose 2 big chickens, and ask the uncle to “custom made” the packing. 1 remove the bone, the other with bone, cut into small pieces. I walk away with 2 packets of boney chicken pieces, 2 packets of boneless chicken meat, 1 packet of chicken bones.

Typical spending: $11

Stall 3: Fish
Red grouper is my favourite - 5 big fat pieces for the adults. 2 pieces of cod fish for my little baby.
Typical Spending: $16

Stall 4: Miscellaneous Stall
Eggs, red dates, yellow beans, chilli sauce, dried scallops.
Typical spending: $5

Stall 5: Pork
$6 pork ribs, $4 minced meat
Typical spending: $10

Stall 6: NTUC/ Minimart

Diapers, milk, juice, rice, butter, detergent, bread and the rest.
Typical spending: $60 to $90

That's one thing we love about our house - we have both wet market and NTUC beside us! I love all the fresh food fresh air. I love wet market.

Pause And Think

We rush, all the time.

Plus we frown, when we rush. Rush to go to the office, rush to go home, rush to birthday parties, rush to come back for the kids nap, rush to eat, rush for customer appointments, rush to buy grocery, rush to do wardrobe revamp, rush orders, rush to have foot reflexology, rush to make injection appointment, rush the kids to finish milk, rush them to fall asleep.

When all these are happening, I just realise, not that I didn't know before, but I feel it stronger now, that I have 2 very very very adorable kids, and very very very loving hubby. I always feel this in my car ride from home to office and back, as they - jump from backseat to frontseat, wrinkled my nicely iron skirt, grab toys away from each other, throw my phone away, tear tissue papers into little pieces, insist to dig their noses, put my shoes on their heads, mix shouting and singing together, shout I love you mommy.

The little and big surprises they create make all these rushing, multitasking, and therefore problem-solving and accomplishments possible. I have never felt so strong emotionally before. Not when I was a teenager nor a single. It's so precious. I have to slow down and treasure the moment now.

But physically, I feel so old. Especially after a wrong haircut recently. Sigh.

Another Urgent Revamp

One day I was chatting with my 2 colleagues, who are 2 young girls. We chatted about our corporate colours, and then both of them said “You always wear black or green”, “Or at most grey”, “I think you have all shades of grey and green”

I was determined to show them I have wild red and yummy orange in my wardrobe. So the next day, I opened my wardrobe and spotted for any colourful shades. I saw red, but it’s in cotton. Then I saw orange, but the shirt is too old. Then I saw pink, it’s too tight. I saw yellow, the design is too youthful/provocative/sexy for a mother of two.

I gave up and wore black.

Second attack happened on Sunday - I went to my nephew-in-law birthday party. I wore a white shirt. Guess what? Everyone thought I am pregnant. Because it’s so loose. They touched my tummy, and asked “so you are trying for a girl this time?”

That’s it. I am going to have a wardrobe revamp. I-have-just-given-birth is no longer an excuse, Berton is already 1 year old (plus). The new wardrobe rule – no more black, no more loose tops.

So I let my ever-cooperative hubby and sons to library, and I have 1 hour of shopping time. I needed a brand that overturns my over-safe and over-classic style. I struggled between a premium brand and believe that the quality is better, versus, a mass market brand and trust its fashionable. Blum is too heavy, Iora is too cotton-ish, Frontier is button-y, Allure is too auntie-ish, South Haven is too plain, Takashimaya is old-ish...

I stepped into BYSI. Cheap, nice, young. I tried almost the entire collection, bought more than 10 outfits, in white, beidge, pink, and (only 2) black. I am proud to announce that some of the mediums were, please read my lips, too loose.

All in one hour. Just in time to see my dearest littlekohs hopping back happily from library with 8 books.

Sleeping Time

As I yell "Bedtime!". Watch how obviously nobody listens.

eClarity Front Page: Jun 08

I sat in front of the laptop changing the words again and again. Finally I am pleased with what I typed for our new feature, princess cut diamonds.