The Result : You be the judge

I didn't go to the audition for Biggest Loser Asia. But the whole blogosphere knows that I've been struggling to keep fit and lose some weight ever since like..... forever. Well at least you all knew about it ever since I started this blog. When I quit my previous job, one of the things that appeared in my to-do list was to start exercising regularly and I've been doing it ever since.

I haven't lost much weight as I've had my yo-yo pattern days/weeks/months too. However I managed to lose many inches and gained a lot more self confidence. My fitness level might not be back to how it was during my pre-uni days but at least I can climb 5 flights of stairs without difficulty these days.

Before I start listing my 2010 resolutions, let's have a look with some minor achievement (health,fitness and body image category... hehehe).

So here's the before-after images for you to decide. (I know I didn't turn into a supermodel after a few years of gymming but I'm a lot happier.)

This picture was taken back in April 2005. I was 31 and had a serious fitness and health issue. Not to mention being obese and unhappy with my body image. I didn't even smile for the camera. I just hated being photographed and the thought of having to look at myself in photos was just unbearable. I didn't really care what I was wearing as none of the clothes (not even fat clothes!!) looked good on me.

This photo was taken in July 2006. After exercising regularly I managed to bring myself to smile happily for the camera, dressed a bit better and loved myself a lot more. Well, besides exercising, the regular outings and bitching sessions contributed a lot too. Hehehe.

This was taken in October 2009, 2 months after giving birth to Zarif. I didn't gain much during the pregnancy. I also managed to get back on the treadmill about 6 weeks after the C-sect. If it's not determination it was the pre-pregnancy state of health that helped me. Again, regular exercise made it possible (and don't forget those regular bitching sessions as well.)

Note: Alien appeared in 2 of these photos semata-mata nak bagitau dia, wey bila nak pegi gym semula ni?

My Top 5 Treat List

I just love this time of the year when I get to write about things in my wish list/treat list. As a busy, hardworking woman with 3 children to take care of, this year's list looks very much the same as last year's. Busy mothers have the same things in common. They want the same thing, they wish for almost the same thing.

So here's my list for 2009 (which I hope will materialize soon.... not end of 2010!!):

1. Full day spa package at my favorite spa with my girl friends.

2. RM15,000 shopping voucher (to be spent during the upcoming Megasales Carnival, yeay!).

3. 2 spanking new Dell Inspiron 13'.

4. A back-to-nature 7 days' holiday trip.

5. A high-class child-care center near the office.

The only new thing to the list is number 3, A dell Inspiron 13'. As I've written here some time ago my children are now IT-literate and they've been bugging me to buy them a laptop each. Wazif has listed the characteristics of his dream laptop. It cannot be the dull grey, it has to be looking sleek and modern with bright color.

Shawqi accesses a lot of YouTube videos especially those he refers to for his drawings, so he was asking for a laptop with wide enough display which delivers good graphic performance.

Wazif plays a lot of online games, so he needs to always be connected and the laptop performance must be up to his expectation.

I let them play around with my Netbook but both were not happy with it as they expected a LAPTOP which is more powerful. Even kids know the difference, eh.... although they have no idea what in the world is Intel Duo Core processor.

It would be good if I could give them the laptop this year. I can also load some of the educational programmes.


MUST READ:
I also got to know about this special promotion from DELL. I can give you, my dearest blog readers this special coupon code 7ZQVQF2RLZRKW3 from Dell that would allow anyone who makes purchase of a Dell Inspiron 13 (S510701MY) with RM100 Instant Cash Redemption!!. This promotion is only available online or by calling DELL at 1800-88-0301. This coupon code expires on 10th Nov 2009.

So, what are you waiting for?

Showing off the new netbook

Many people (and websites) told me that it's a craze these days. The netbook that is. They're the lighter version of laptops. With lower spec processor, smaller size - some can even fit into your jean's back pocket, targeted use: browsing, Facebooking, blogging, some music and chatting (Skype especially). I bought one - Lenovo Ideapad S10; not only to keep up with the current trend but to make sure I can get additional tax exemption next year...


Big enough keyboard, even my chubby fingers are comfortable to dance on it. The only drawback is for 10-finger typist: the right SHIFT key is placed too far, you'll end up pressing the UP arrow key. But the touch pad gives a nice feeling when touched and you won't really need a proper mouse as the only reason you'd be using this is for surfing - not drawing Visio diagrams...

Here's how small it is compared to my bulky, heavy and bone structure threatening Lenovo Y400. 
Wide enough screen and the display is easy on the eyes; you can continue on staring at Pet Society for hours and hours. Besides that, you'll get all the standard things like LAN card, WIFI card, bluetooth, USB ports, memory card slots but no CD/DVD drive yaaaa.... It's really small, OK. There's no way to slot in a CD/DVD drive. The USB DVD burners are quite cheap these days, so not such a big problem, right?

One thing worth mentioning here is the one step recovery button provided by Lenovo. It'll create a system backup image on the local hard drive which later can always be transferred over the LAN or burned onto a CD or DVD. 

Another bonus (to me - as the perasan sangat techy punya pompuan) has got to be the Linpus Linux that came preloaded with this netbook. I can choose either to use the Linux or Windows XP. Both can run fast browsers: I put Chrome on the XP and Splashtop browser came with the Linpus Linux. So, who cares about MS Office when all you wanna do is email, blogging and Facebooking, right?

So, next action plan is getting the LV handbag to carry this cute thing around, lah.... apalagi....

Gadget girl dilemma

The (legal) iPhone is going to be here and from what I heard it’s going to be exclusively for MAXIS subscribers. About 2 hours after reading the online news, I decided to synchronize my iPod as I have ripped about 10 audio CDs lately. I don’t know whether it’s a sign or just pure coincidence but I was prompted with a warning that there was not enough space for more songs on the iPod. Yikes, all these while I thought 4GB should be sufficient, but now 8GB or 16GB storage seems like what it needs to store all my songs, photos, Podcasts, videos etc. I haven’t gone through the complete spec of the iPhone that will be sold here but 16GB storage is more than enough to tempt me.

So, is that how all my 2008 bonus will be spent? Hmmmmmm…. Maybe.
But, before that… I have also requested for quotations for a Lenovo S10 to replace my current lappie which now gets heavier and not good for bone structure (ehemmm… alas an). It’s going to cost less than the iPhone but I think I’m going to need them both. The greedy gadget girl… hehehe. The S10 is small enough and can fit in any cute LV handbags, ok (I know this is supposed to be some techy entry but cute handbags must be mentioned as they play a big part in my everyday life, ok. LV is mentioned specifically to drop some giant hints to somebody who hasn’t any clue of what I want for my 35th birthday. Bwahahahaha…. *evil laugh*)

Yes, this entry is this short. Please start Googling for iPhone in Malaysia and Lenovo S10.

Cannot watch CSI NY, so I blog

My ASTRO decoder has gone out of order (although they rhyme, this is not a poem!) and I can’t watch CSI NY tonight. *Sigh*. Thank god I have a laptop and Streamyx at home. I’ve been spending my quality time browsing the pictures Spena uploaded to Facebook. The pictures are 17 years old, mostly taken during our final year in STF. 17 years ago and in the absence of 20kg of body weight, I almost couldn’t recognize my own face in the photos.

Can somebody tell me to start thanking god for whatever I have now before I started wanting to look younger and thinner? As a typical (read: normal) girl, I was not happy with my body back then. I always thought my legs were not slender enough, my hair was not smooth enough and my waistline was not small enough. Now, 17 years later when I look at those photos, I start to think why was I not happy to be looking like that? Living in that body? I know I was just being human but sometimes I just wish that there’s a magic mirror in the bedroom that will flash an image of what I’d become in 20 years’ time so that I will always celebrate whatever I am now.

I’ve been told by friends many times to just be happy and enjoy life. Stop worrying about things that are beyond my control (hello! Body weight and fitness level can be controlled, lah!) Anyway, they’re right. Whenever I think back of the things that kept me awake at night some 10 years ago, I just laugh at myself. They seemed so silly. Why was I worried sick about the shape of my thighs and spent a lot of my money buying slimming creams? If I spent that money at karaoke joints, life would have been much happier. If you’re curious, the slimming creams didn’t work; they left a temporary burning sensation and then became oily after 2 hours.

Better still, I should have spent the money to buy a swimming suit and hire an instructor 10 years ago. If I were to start swimming back then, I must have been able to lose the 20kg. Furthermore, there was an Olympic size swimming pool at the apartment I was staying. As Ah Beng’s saying goes, ‘Talk oso no use one…..’

It’s not really regret. It’s just one of those moments when you have so many ‘What-ifs’ in your head.

I haven’t really thought about this until recently when I started learning how to swim from my hubby and friends at the office. Remember my appointment with the gynae in early May? She asked me to lose about 4kg. After swimming twice a week for about a month, I have actually lost that 4kg! Oh man, this is much better than working out at the gym. I lost those kilos without even changing my eating pattern. If I did my Maths correctly, I could shed 24kg in a year. Wow! No wonder the ‘What-ifs’ are flooding my head.

Okay, now for some inspirational pictures. I am going to set my mind to focus on changing from this:

Back to this:

Having said that, I'm still thankful and grateful for what I have now; it's just that the voices in my head are playing a lot of tricks on me these days.

I need PC

I think I’m going to need 5 computers at home eventually and they have to be affordable.One will be a desktop for Wazif (with wide flat screen plus gaming equipment). The second

desktop will be for Shawqi (with wide flat screen plus graphics software). The third will be for general usage (to provide high availability to cater for single point of failure – i.e when either Wazif’s or Shawqi’s PC is down or have to be sent for servicing). Currently Mr. Hubby and I each has a laptop provided by the company. Should we decided to quit our current jobs, we'll have to purchase 2 more affordable computers.

Currently there are only 3 computers at home plus a wireless modem/router. Wazif and Shawqi always fight with each other to use the shared desktop. Both of them are at the ‘gaming-all-you-can’ age. Although sometimes the do click some of the e-learning for kids link, most of the times they spend in front of the screen it would be one of the game websites.

I purposely installed some of the learning CDs given by the school. I saw them playing around with it a few times but they were easily bored, and the fact that they had to take turns to use the desktop they ended up fighting and one of them will cry. When this happens, I had to divert their attention to something more interesting like watching their favorite DVDs.

However, lately they’re spending more time watching Cartoon channels which is heavy with entertainment but not so much education. I still prefer if they could have their own desktops, so that they could at least play the e-learning games that could easily be found online.

So, my next mission for this quarter: buy affordable beginner's desktops for the kids….

Today is my brother's birthday

Today is my elder brother's birtday. If you've read my 'P' Word article, he's the one who shed me some light on menstruation when we're in primary school.
He turned out to be a fine young man and a medical expert, too. Only that he doesn't deal with human much after he graduated, because he's a veterinarian doctor. The whole family learned a lot about A.I ( not Artificial Intelligent, but Assisted Insemination ) and nutritions for cats from him.
I'd like to wish him 'Happy 35th birthday, brother! Can't wait for junior to come and greet us in July!!'. His wife is pregnant with their first child (actually second, the first one did not make it).

Talking about July. Well, my birthday's in July! I have 2 wishes:
1. I wish my niece/nephew will share the same birthdate with me.
2. I wish to watch this musical:



My latest achievement before I turn 33 this year is in the picture below. It took me 45 minutes to assemble this, and I'm so proud of it!

Roses are red, my love....

This is the result of First Phase of Garden Face Uplift at DNAS's house. I was not being too ambitious, put some effort in it (about 15 minutes every work day and 2 hours during weekends), spent like less than RM50 for the fertilizer, pebbles and some new pot stands. Weeding, trimming and manual mowing were the most time consuming activities. It took a lot of patience and perserverance to come to this.

So, next I'll be doing more researches on the type of plants that can survive well (unattended most of the time... hahahah) that produce huge, green leaves ( I am not that into flowers, except for roses... heh heh heh). Other than that, I'd like to find plants with dark red or yellowish leaves that would grow up to my waist's height, and of course, requires minimum attention from yours truly.
I have a beautiful, sturdy, 8 feet tall, 10 feet deep and 4 feet wide pergola in my mind eversince forever. That, I'm gonna have to ask around for competitive prices. I'm sure it's not going to be anything below RM2K. What if I decided to build one myself? Hmmmm... maybe not worth the risk. I haven't done any 'kerja-kerja pertukangan' ever since my Uni days. You see, I was doing a Diploma in Agricultural Engineering, so we had workshops doing gas welding, wood craft, drove tractor, tanam jagung, tanam padi, tanam kacang, membiak cendawan etc etc. So, let the 8X4X10 pergola become part of my wish list for 2007... ;)

This is the result of my first ever effort doing mini landscape. I was so inspired by Nik Farizah's advise in her blog, she said that any corner, any space, can be turned into mini landscape. So I tried this. The pebbles and stepping stones I got from Giant, very cheap one!

Here's a bunch of plants that I've had since I first moved in this house. They've grown sideways, searching for sunlight. I'm keeping them under the shades for they can only have about 30% of Malaysian's ray of sunlight. Once I move any of them under the direct sun, it will be dead on the third day.

So far 2007 looks good enough for me. Let's just wait for 15th Jan, 19th Jan and 26th Jan. Those are THE DATES that will determine what's waiting ahead. Those DATES will also help me decide whether I should do better things (careerwise).

Other than career, 2007 will be filled with lotsa gardening and writing, and who knows maybe suddenly another baby decided to come join the family. Heh heh heh... berangan. Yeah, that reminds me that I have to see my gynae and have a checkup. I have to know whether my tummy lining can stand another pregnancy. Time is running fast, my dearests.... if I want another child, it has to be before I turn 35. This year, I'm turning 33... I know it's going to a year full of decision makings.

Oh my dear watch

My watch is a goner. It has been showing 10.15 since 10.15 this morning. So, please spread the word around, so that everybody knows what's my wish for this Christmas, Hari Raya Haji, New year or the coming Valentine's Day. :)

Ditamatkan Perkhidmatan

My Br*un Buff*l brown handbag has been serving me for almost 2 years. I only have that one handbag eversince. Prior to that I was using a small Gu*ss bag (which could only fit a small handphone, a small purse and my car keys). I used the small bag for over a year too.
On Tuesday, I went to have lunch with a colleague. In the car, he complained on my handbag.

"You have been using this handbag like forever. Are you a man or a woman?"

Yeah, he must have thought that all women buy new handbags forthnightly. So, I simply told him,

"I don't have budget for handbags. I'm a married woman with 2 school-going kids, you can imagine my financial commitment." to which he responded,

"Eh, buy a new one lah... this one looks too 'buruk' already." I just laughed, thinking how nice it would be if I could get a new one for free.

Then, yesterday, as I was rushing in the rain to the gym, I grabbed my loyal handbag from the passenger seat. That was when I realised it was torn, there was a few inces tear near the zipper. I could see my house keys, purse, lipstick, lipgloss and eye shadow inside.

I suddenly felt so bad. Well, maybe the theory is right. Never discuss about replacing your old stuff with a new one in the presence of the old stuff. It's just like discussing about buying a new car inside your car. Before you know it, it will start breaking down without warning, showing some 'sickness' sympthoms and refuses to function as per normal.

So, after gym, I headed straight to a few handbag shops at IOI mall. Then, after about 20 minutes, I made up my mind. I bought this:



This time my handbag is not branded and not expensive, but it's practical and the look is rather 'bling-bling', okay.... When I brought it home, my kids really admired it, they even helped me transfer my stuff from the old handbag to the new one. I named my new handbag as 'Goldeneye'... demam James Bond maaaa....

Birthday Wish....

Yeah, it's my birthday today.

So I'm gonna make a wish.

I wish Portugal wins 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP. Yeah baby!!