One Page Of Fame

My hubby works really hard. That was what impressed me all along. And luckily his hard work is always undeniably recognised in different ways.

Sometimes he gets achievement certificates. Sometimes free trips to somewhere like Macau (which he forgo to stay with us). Sometimes he even gets trophies. It's probably fulfilling all our maslow's hierarchy of needs.

The latest self-actualisation boost - he was interviewed by the reporter from the company magazine! In which he summarised the secret to achieve consistency in good sales records month after month to be

Work smart (be focus), Work hard (move on to new cases after success or failure), and Work with sincerity (know the needs).

We are very proud of you! (Oh nope he didn’t say anything about supportive wife.)

Expressing His Love

He is a really loving guy. He looks deeply into my eyes, nose, hair line, and kisses me on my cheeks softly.

And then he yells, Mama! Laughing away happily.

He is my dearest Mr Berton.

Karaoke Fixed!

When I was as young as 18 to 22, I enjoyed singing at Karaoke. I met up with friends for someone’s birthday, or a nice weekend gathering. There were lots of interesting stories in Karaoke lounges. Like a man with tattoos all over and bodyguards bought us drinks and chatted with us, we acted cool, said “no thanks” trembling, and almost ran out of the lounge. Like there was once that we accidentally bumped into a nightclub with “student rate” in the afternoon.

My hubby, who HAD no singing interest, fixed a BMP Karaoke system in our new house 5 years ago. I could sing at home! We invited friends over, locked the doors, shut the windows, prepare potato chips and hot honey drink, and we sang till 2am.

Then I became as old as 27 to 30, we unplugged the BMP for a soft normal stereo sound system for Baby Einstein CDs. I don't remember how I could endure the loud singing sessions. Almost 3 years have passed we've not used our BMP once. Until we listened to a CD from Jacky Cheung recently.

My hubby got the Karaoke fixed, and we had our first Karaoke session at home. Though my friends would be embarrassed that I am still on Sammy Cheng.

Farm Outing

On a nice sunny lazy Saturday, Daddy brought Bevan to a goat farm and a vegetables farm, while I went to work.

At night when I looked at the pictures taken, I couldn't imagine they were in Singapore! Bevan fed the goat, and he went farming! He loves the soil and spent a bit of time piling up the soil with a rake. When narrator asked who would like to touch the frog, Bevan said to his Daddy "I want to touch the froggy, Daddy", and so he went and held a frog! He is the bravest boy. When he came home he told me

"Mommy I carried the froggy, it was slimy slimy, and it jumped! So it nearly fell down, so I hold it, tight!"

Inflation

All prices have increased. NTUC groceries, petrol, restaurant meals, properties, banquet dinners.

My office rental has doubled up this July, the diamond rapport (the global list that specifies diamond prices) has shot up 1 month ago, and my auditing company sent me an email to double up it's auditing fee.

The highest increment goes to my part-time accountant. He asked for a 3-times-increment for his pay. He said "now this is the market rate."

Isn't inflation rate supposed to be 6% to 7%? Maybe I should run an "Against All Inflation Odds" Promotion, selling proposal rings at a discount, to help ease the wedding pain.

Performance Chart

It's a secret that parents know - once our little cuddlies turn 2, they transform into little devils. The 15 kilograms would whined so hard to be carried, to eat the entire ice cream, flush toilet 10 times, and wear pyjamas to school.

We used lot's of remedies - naughty corner, naughty cane, you-cannot-do-this-because..., i-know-bevan-is-a-very-good-boy. Still the 2y9m is creating lot's of frustrations for his daddy and mommy.

So I started using Good-Boy-Smilie, Naughty-Boy-Frown.

I stick 2 charts on the wall of living room. When he behaves well, I would gather everyone in the living room, counting out his amazingly good behaviours, and draw a smilie on the Good-Boy-Smilie chart. It's like award ceremony, everyone claps, Berton shouts "yeah!". Bevan is happy and proud. On the other hand, when he hits Berton, fights for toys, shouts rudely, again everyone is to gather and watch as I draw a frown on the Naughty-Boy-Frown chart. He is usually so embarassed that he closes his eyes when I draw the frown. When he accumulates enough smilies, he would be given a surprise. Now he shows guests when they step into our house "Look at my good-boy-smilies! See!"

It works. It's healthy, and much more effective than Cane-Or-Candy. I just hope it lasts.

There was a time

There was a time when we could do anything for a best friend. There was a time when we wanted to elope with boyfriends.

One of my cousins is in that phase. She stopped her tertiary study, left her country, came to Singapore alone. Her parents are worried. I was appointed as the most-trustworthy-counsellor among the younger generation available to talk her back to her senses. It was an important mission.

We met up in a restaurant with candlelights between us, and chatted about anything except my hidden agenda. She sounded chatty, responsible, and filial. She said she was just bored in the small town, and she wanted to experience a fast-paced city, before she continues her studies in Japan next year. I gave really positive feedback to her parents. So they let her stay with my mom, and let me employ her. She lived with my mom for 1 week, worked in my office for that 1 week. And then she went absent without notice for 4 days. She didn't go home either.

There was a time.

My Third Aunt 60th Birthday

My Third Aunt, whom I call Sum Goo in Cantonese, lives in the States eversince I know her. She flew 18 hours back for my wedding, for my first born, and for my Dad's 60th birthday. She is like the cheer-leader in my extended family. She always pull us up to dance and sing, in public or at home. She is always laughing, the only adult I know who doesn't care about post-natal confinement. Being an experienced nurse in a california hospital, her words are substantial enough to have a good debate at home. I think every family should have an aunt like that to cheer everyone up!

It was her 60th birthday last weekend, she celebrated in the States with her family and friends, and sent us the pictures. I am so determined to look like her when I turn 60. And I am going to wear that vibrant-looking dress (with that Orchid) on my 60th birthday too. So young and Hawaiian!

Hide & Seek

My 2 boys play alot with each other everyday. Sometimes they put in joined effort to kick all the balls available under the bed, then crawl underneath the bed to collect all the dusty balls. Sometimes they play hide-and-seek which is their favourite game.

One night I've decided to joined them. They become extremely excited.
Bevan: "Mommy you count 1 to 10! We go and hide."
Berton: "I hide I hide!"
Mommy: "Ok. 1, 2, 3, ....10! Ready or not? Here I come!"

I turned around and saw this.

I laughed and laughed, and asked Daddy to come look at them. We were all laughing and forgot to "look for them". They waited for too long, and so Berton went "Baah!" followed by Bevan's "Peek-a-boo Mommy!" I just had to pretend they hid too well and I couldn't find them.