Health Hazard: Listening to our National Radio

It’s terrible to listen to the national radio (News Radio 938) so early in the morning. And I just dread it when the Talkback session comes on air and listeners call in to give their 2 cents’ worth on whatever is the topic of discussion of the day. (I digress, but I would rather be sleeping than speed dialing a number just to voice my humble opinion on the airwaves).

Most commonly mispronounced/ improperly enunciated word:
PROBABLY
Singaporeans tend to slur through this word or simply put no effort in articulating it clearly.
PROLLY. PROBLY. PROPERBLY.

Like fingernails scratching across the chalkboard, it’s enough to give one a splitting headache when this word is mispronounced 5 times in a row. ARGH

Another weird expression Singaporeans like to use:
Watch TV.
This is how you watch TV:

Maybe you have a super luxurious, movie theatre-sized LCD flat screen in your house. Watching it alone is enough to give you a visual high. Programmes? Nah. I love staring at the empty screen. What a sexy electronic appliance. (Heard the crickets calling?)
Or maybe you’re afraid that someone will steal it when you’re not looking. Don’t blink and guard it with your life… (-_-)

Something that puzzles me:
My smallest child is laden with lots of schoolwork.

One thing’s for sure. I am the eldest but SMALLEST child in my family.

Latest expression that tickled me:

I disagree with youths making sex nowadays.

Seriously. Singaporeans pay too little emphasis on speaking correctly. This in turn leads to miscommunication. Then again, if the entire nation is on the same wavelength, my concern may be unfounded. Oh well.

Daily Trivia:

Straits Times Section that I like: English As It Is Broken

Free Ice-Cream (2 days in a row)

Simple Everyday Happiness: Eating ice-cream.

Friday’s serving was yet another treat from KT. Damn paiseh. Always eat sundaes FOC courtesy of his generosity. Anyway, a simple hot fudge sundae from Mac is so delightful. Makes me happy and my tummy purr in bliss.

Today I was checking out the newly opened ‘Mr Bean’ in my neighbourbood. Wanted to get my Tou Huay fix and was craving for their soya bean ice-cream. Unfortunately, the staff told me that their ice-cream machine is not functioning properly and the stuff is soft unlike their normal serving.
ARGH! I started whining a bit, lamenting that I have been wanting to eat their soya bean ice-cream for the longest time. The lady in charge dispensed a cupful from the machine and told me it’s on the house since she doesn’t want to sell me sub-standard stuff.

Seriously. Soft’s good too. I wonder what other ingredient they added to harden the ice-cream. Gelatin? No need lah. Maybe I just have a soft spot for soy product.

Since I am on the topic of food, I must try the thyme leaves with bread and olive oil recipe sometime soon! A splendid alternative to my favourite bread Focaccia bread. Has anyone eaten "focaccia col formaggio(focaccia with cheese)"? It’s my slice of heaven.

Optimism is the way to go

Charlie Brown once lamented “This is my depressed stance. When you're depressed, it makes a lot of difference how you stand. The worst thing you can do is straighten up and hold your head high because then you'll start to feel better. If you're going to get any joy out of being depressed, you've got to stand like this.”

So I guess misery loves company and there’s no point moping or dwelling constantly on the terrible state of affairs that beleaguer me right now. Negative reinforcement is the worst form of self sabotage.

Hey, things are looking up. My vision is improving and apart from being bleary eyed, I guess I couldn't complain about anything else.
Thank you all for your well wishes and concern. Life is indeed wonderful to know that my life is filled with people who care and it’s just such an incredible warm fuzzy feeling that drives the grey clouds away. \(^-^)/

Week in Brief

Sorry for the hiatus. It was something I can no longer help. I have been idle all weekend. Not by choice of course.

My eyes—to put it mildly, they are scratched. The corneas are no longer what they use to be.
NO, it’s not due to contact lenses—this is very unfair. For all the vain pot girls in the world who wear them everyday, for 10 hours straight just to look like they came out from some advertisement, NO, I am not in that number. I don’t even wear contacts more than 5 times a month. For days I need to see further than what I require.
I don’t heap lots of stupid makeup onto my eye area causing dubious powder and shimmers to fall into them. I did absolutely nothing. I don’t rub my eyes because the rubbing induces wrinkles.

So much for being good.

By some mysterious chance, I awoke one day to view the world through scratched lenses. My view is foggy, I can no longer read the newspapers (words are too small); anything that emits light is a no-no (think TV, computer, handphone).
Been in and out of hospitals (the last visit being the wee hours of Saturday morning).

No medication was given to me. Only eye drops. And it’s up to my corneas to heal by themselves. I just wonder how long it will take. As I type out this entry, all the words are just a blur to me and I am wearing my aviator shades while looking at the screen. SUCKS! And the pain from the scratches? Like just say, think of the intermittent menstrual cramps on your eyes. Yea.

Am I afraid? Of course. Imagine not being able to see for the rest of my life. But I am not exactly bawling my eyes out—since I am the rational sort of person (the more you cry, the faster you go blind).
So there you have it. I am NOT attending any birthday celebrations nor weddings for the time being. You may mistake my tears for being extremely touched by the love the couple share but heck NO. It’s just my eyes and the pain’s killing me.

In the meantime, I am just unhappy. Not being able to read anything is beyond torture for me. And I sleep 20 hours of my life away daily. (What’s a girl to do when she closes her eyes that long?)

A Moment like This:

Health is wealth. Cliché as it may be, this adage strikes a chord when illness strikes.

I detest being sick (ok, who doesn’t?). But as I lie in bed, sleepless yet too incapacitated to do anything, I feel like a loser.
Why am I so weak—physically and mentally?
Look at Stephen Hawking. He suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a type of motor neuron disease which cost him the loss of almost all neuromuscular control. Yet, he overcame all odds to become a world-renowned theoretical physicist.
Why can I be stronger, not succumb to my illness and be a functional effective being? Why do I need to be bedridden? It’s a case of the mind’s willing but the flesh is weak.

I don’t like myself as an invalid.

If life throws you a lemon - make lemonade

The quote above is by Joan Collins.

Anyhow, I am feeling sick and what better way to be upbeat than spinning some cheery songs? Hope your computer can play out the playlist that's currently on this blog.

I am hooked on this song "Lemonade" by Chris Rice. (Thanks for the intro on your blog Karen!)

"Lemonade" Lyrics:

So go ahead and ask her

For happy ever after

‘Cause nobody knows what’s coming

So why not take a chance on loving

Come on, pour the glass and tempt me

Either half-full or half-empty

‘Cause if it all comes down to flavor

The glass is tipping in my favor

Life gave me lemonade

and I can’t imagine why

Born on a sunny day, beneath a tangerine sky

I live life without pretending

I’m a sucker for happy endings

Thanks for the lemonade

Thanks for the lemonade

Now take your time to answer me

For the beauty of romancing

Is to calm your trembling hand with mine

While begging love to fill your eyes

I can hardly breathe while waiting

To find out what your heart is saying

And as we’re swirling in this flavor

The world is tilting in our favor

I’ve got it made

Rest in the shade

And hold my love

While God above

Stirs with a spoon

We share the moon

Smile at the bees

More sugar please
He really loves us after all

We’re gonna need another straw

We’re gonna need another straw

Baffling Consumerism

The ‘IT’ bag of the moment. Go green they say.

Trash plastic and use shopping totes instead.
Throw in a very very mediocre statement bag by a renowned designer (Anya Hindmarch), have some celebrities lugging it around and you get a winning sales formula. Worldwide queues for this bag can span the length of the Great Wall of China (ok, I exaggerate).

Run a check on Ebay and you will be amazed at how its original price of 5 pounds can fetch 500 bucks and more currently!!!

Is this world going crazy? Are they taking the message of ‘Live Earth’ a tad too seriously or is it just plain consumerism at work. Go figure.

Daily Trivia:
Do you know that paper bags cost 5 times as much to produce than plastic bags? They are also BIGGER polluters as they require 4 times the energy to PRODUCE and almost 100 times the energy to RECYCLE.
Contrary to popular belief, paper bags DO NOT degrade faster than plastic ones in landfills as the garbage is compacted. Paper bags also take up more space in landfills.

So you see? The shift to paper bags is just plain misguided plastic politics. At least championing the use of shopping totes makes more sense. But 500 pounds for what everyone’s slinging on their arms? SERIOUSLY.

Sunshine After the Rain

Rain on a sunny day. Weather of this sort is like an oxymoron.

From which perspective should I view this?
Does it mean that I can expect to see a pretty rainbow after the rain? Is this sudden downpour a reprieve to the summer heat?
Or does it mean that life sucks? Even on sunshine-y days, you never know when it will pour and soak you to the skin?

Whatever it is, it’s good to see sunshine after the rain.

Random Thought of the Day:

Glass ceiling in the office, age ceiling in clubs

Apparently there’s a age limit to having fun—at least according to St. James Power Station.

Too old, no complimentary drink. So, you have to work your sophisticated womanly charms to get some intoxicated guy to buy you your share. -_- Either that or stoop as low as you can—dress trashily. Look hot enough so that they will make a concession just for you.
Not femininely dressed or look like a butch? Sorry. Please don’t enter the club. So instructs some mean bouncer.

Seriously. Man, it makes me feel like a DINOSAUR. A historic relic of some sort. Or a soon to be one.
How ageist and sexist. Stupid policy, I say. Trust Dennis Foo to sanction this ‘bright’ idea of his management staff.

So you call it positioning. I call it 'not my cup of tea'. I am sure many ladies, young and old will be put off by your niche positioning. The mature ladies will bring their spending power elsewhere and the younger ones will grow old soon. If you're planning on 'hurting' their business by boycott, just keep their chain of clubs in mind (e.g. Devil's Bar).

A Marriageable Candidate

Grey’s Anatomy is a terribly addictive drama series. Fortunately, not having Season 3 for the matter is the best way to stem the madness from taking place. Phew!
Anyway, Isaiah Washington, the man who played the role of Dr. Burke is fired and thus, Season 4 does not include him. At least, not for now. Entertainment is fishy business and nothing is absolute in this industry. Remember, cocaine snorting can make you richer. -_- How terribly absurd.
Anyway, while devouring the series, I suddenly thought about the issue of "marriage- ability".
Given a choice, who would you pick in Grey’s Anatomy?
As for myself, I would narrow my options down to Patrick Dempsey—Dr. Shepherd and Isaiah Washington—Dr. Burke.
It’s a tough decision if one has to pick just one. But I would eventually pick a character like Burke to pursue a spousal partnership.

Both are equally intelligent (in the show). But Burke’s character is more dependable. Grounded. Faithful. Homely. Strong. Manly. Seeks a long term relationship. (Bonus: Can whip up a mean dinner).

Shepherd’s character makes girls go weak in the knees, inspires feelings of lust but gives a sense of insecurity.

Oh well. So, my heart whispers "Shepherd" but my head says “Take Burke”.
Plus, being a cardiothoracic surgeon, Burke is more capable of mending broken hearts. ;-)

Is it crappy to engage temporarily in this exercise of choosing a fictitious life partner? To some extent. But it does throw perspective at the types of people we will take as soul mates, doesn’t it?

It’s so telling. I am a person who is not into looks but reliability in a man.

(Well, but many ladies these days are drawn towards good lookers and when they gush about how handsome their counterparts look, I wonder if that’s a big priority in shaping their choice. The only consolation? Man is not the only gender who objectifies human beings of the opposite sex).