This morning as we were walking to the car to get to school, we heard a short burst of siren nearby, very nearby. At first we thought it was someone's car alarm but we then saw a police truck driving past us. I noticed through the open back of the truck that it contained a black body bag on a gurney. Eugene and I exchanged suspicious looks.
A few hours later, Eugene messaged me with the info that what we saw was apparently the remains of an Indonesian maid from the 17th floor of my apartment block. He got the info from his colleague who also stays at the same place as us. Whether it was suicide, foul play or an accident, we don't know.
What I know is that someone in Indonesia has lost their daughter, sister, or wife if she was married, and mother if she had kids. Life is precious, life is fragile. Echoing my post preceding this one, when our lives are dissected to see what matters most, we will realise that it's the things money cannot buy that matters most.
I'm glad I'm alive when who knows, I could have easily been just like that Indonesian maid or any other person who lost his or her life due to whatever circumstance. Only God knows when my time is up.
Is this post a result of a tired mind or a person approaching mid life? Ha ha, I'm truly confused!
Maybe I should make this my theme song come Christmas eve when I have officially lived four decades.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Spend time with your kids before it's too late
I visited a fellow mummy blogger's site where she pointed out this article she read.
Just after I had written the post before this one (see post below), I started reading the article - a good reminder to me that in all that busy-ness these two months, it's also the school holidays for Caitlin. That means while as a stay-home mum I already get to spend time with her on 'normal' days more than other employee* parents do, the school holidays now present the opportunity to spend even more time with her. How shall I make that count?
*(I prefer to use 'employee' or you can substitute that with 'wage-earning' or 'businessperson' parent instead of 'working parent'. 'Working' parents also refer to people like me in case some forget that stay-home mums do work too!)
The writer of the article shared that he had chosen to take sabbaticals and time off to spend time watching his kids grow, foregoing big-time jobs and remuneration. Maybe not all of us dare do such a thing. Actually we are only limited by our thoughts. We say we can't due to financial commitments, situations etc. Changing our mindsets and fear of the unknown, insecurity about how the next meal will appear on the table are the usual hindrances. But the writer has a point when he said this:
I have two important things to say: Firstly, I want my kids to remember me as being a big part of their lives. Not like my own Dad who regrets every day that he never spent any time with his family when we were still young. The best time to spend with your children is in the first 10-12 years of their lives. As teenagers, they begin to distance themselves from you, so make the most of it when they are young, when they want to hug, sit on your knee and love every minute of your company. (Teenagers, I believe, are less inclined to participate in these fantastic things!). Secondly, careers can wait. We live in a world of plenty, unless you are so greedy that you want a plasma tv in every room of your 20-bedroom mansion. Live within your means and value time more than anything else. (No man on his death-bed says that he should have spent more time at work!) And, do you know what? The great job will still be there when you are in your 40's and 50's. If you want it enough and have the humility to start from scratch every now and then. And this applies to women as much as men. Don't get in the "I'll get left behind" trap. You're only fooling yourself.
Set goals for the kind of parent you'd like to be and work out what you have to do to be that in the eyes and heart of your children. (And remember to do some customer research every now and then to assess satisfaction. You may find that they want something else from Dad other than the latest Playstation or Mobile telephone.)
Just after I had written the post before this one (see post below), I started reading the article - a good reminder to me that in all that busy-ness these two months, it's also the school holidays for Caitlin. That means while as a stay-home mum I already get to spend time with her on 'normal' days more than other employee* parents do, the school holidays now present the opportunity to spend even more time with her. How shall I make that count?
*(I prefer to use 'employee' or you can substitute that with 'wage-earning' or 'businessperson' parent instead of 'working parent'. 'Working' parents also refer to people like me in case some forget that stay-home mums do work too!)
The writer of the article shared that he had chosen to take sabbaticals and time off to spend time watching his kids grow, foregoing big-time jobs and remuneration. Maybe not all of us dare do such a thing. Actually we are only limited by our thoughts. We say we can't due to financial commitments, situations etc. Changing our mindsets and fear of the unknown, insecurity about how the next meal will appear on the table are the usual hindrances. But the writer has a point when he said this:
I have two important things to say: Firstly, I want my kids to remember me as being a big part of their lives. Not like my own Dad who regrets every day that he never spent any time with his family when we were still young. The best time to spend with your children is in the first 10-12 years of their lives. As teenagers, they begin to distance themselves from you, so make the most of it when they are young, when they want to hug, sit on your knee and love every minute of your company. (Teenagers, I believe, are less inclined to participate in these fantastic things!). Secondly, careers can wait. We live in a world of plenty, unless you are so greedy that you want a plasma tv in every room of your 20-bedroom mansion. Live within your means and value time more than anything else. (No man on his death-bed says that he should have spent more time at work!) And, do you know what? The great job will still be there when you are in your 40's and 50's. If you want it enough and have the humility to start from scratch every now and then. And this applies to women as much as men. Don't get in the "I'll get left behind" trap. You're only fooling yourself.
Set goals for the kind of parent you'd like to be and work out what you have to do to be that in the eyes and heart of your children. (And remember to do some customer research every now and then to assess satisfaction. You may find that they want something else from Dad other than the latest Playstation or Mobile telephone.)
Busy, busy, busy
The days have just flown by with me lagging behind in updating this blog. Not that I don't have ideas or thoughts but I just lack the time and energy! The weather has been crazy. Just recently I complained about the heat but now it's back to a yoyo fight between the sun and the rain. A couple of days ago, an unexpected heavy (really heavy) downpour hit us as I was sending Caitlin to Mandarin class. It got me wet and I now have a slight cold. I feel sluggish. Hmm, I think that's how that word came about. If you're a slug, you move slowly....but why not 'slothish'? The sloth moves even slower.... Caitlin is recovering from a cold and is coughing while Eugene just mentioned this morning that he feels like he's coming down with something too.
Then there's the energy spent on trying to finalise stuff for the new home, meeting contractors here and there, sourcing for materials, pondering over floor plans and costings, and dealing as tactfully as I can with people who don't take their jobs seriously.
Timing is not on our side either. The delay by the developer in rectifying some defects is now pushing back our move-in date. We've decided to go ahead with our minor renovations which will take about one month. This makes it a tight squeeze to move in before Christmas. We might have to look at moving in after Christmas or even later in January.
Then there's the school holidays (i.e. Caitlin at home) to manage plus the preparation for her entry to primary school next year. With the move, everything will be pretty chaotic physically. I'm already shuddering at the vision of sorting stuff and packing boxes, driving to and fro between present and new home to oversee contractor's work and moving small boxes of stuff using the car, shopping for light fixtures and other fittings and appliances, getting curtains, organising furniture, going to the new school to arrange Caitlin's uniforms and books, sending and fetching her to and from her kindy for her two-week holiday camp, keeping up with my fortnightly contribution of parenting articles, spending time with my elder bro and his family visiting from the US in early December, going on a weekend holiday in Langkawi with Eugene's family, Christmas preparations, and unpacking and decorating once we finally move in... busy, busy, busy.
Just this weekend itself is enough to make me sweat. Deepavali lunch and meet-up with long-time-no-see ex-colleagues, early-morning baptism mass for a nephew followed by MIL's birthday lunch in Klang, then rush back to meet up with a couple of old primary school classmates (one of them is visiting from the US where she now resides) and in between we hope to squeeze in visiting our supplier to finalise some stuff for the new house.
Breathe, Anna.
Then there's the energy spent on trying to finalise stuff for the new home, meeting contractors here and there, sourcing for materials, pondering over floor plans and costings, and dealing as tactfully as I can with people who don't take their jobs seriously.
Timing is not on our side either. The delay by the developer in rectifying some defects is now pushing back our move-in date. We've decided to go ahead with our minor renovations which will take about one month. This makes it a tight squeeze to move in before Christmas. We might have to look at moving in after Christmas or even later in January.
Then there's the school holidays (i.e. Caitlin at home) to manage plus the preparation for her entry to primary school next year. With the move, everything will be pretty chaotic physically. I'm already shuddering at the vision of sorting stuff and packing boxes, driving to and fro between present and new home to oversee contractor's work and moving small boxes of stuff using the car, shopping for light fixtures and other fittings and appliances, getting curtains, organising furniture, going to the new school to arrange Caitlin's uniforms and books, sending and fetching her to and from her kindy for her two-week holiday camp, keeping up with my fortnightly contribution of parenting articles, spending time with my elder bro and his family visiting from the US in early December, going on a weekend holiday in Langkawi with Eugene's family, Christmas preparations, and unpacking and decorating once we finally move in... busy, busy, busy.
Just this weekend itself is enough to make me sweat. Deepavali lunch and meet-up with long-time-no-see ex-colleagues, early-morning baptism mass for a nephew followed by MIL's birthday lunch in Klang, then rush back to meet up with a couple of old primary school classmates (one of them is visiting from the US where she now resides) and in between we hope to squeeze in visiting our supplier to finalise some stuff for the new house.
Breathe, Anna.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Keywords for the day
Lunch and dinner
Bills
Registered letter
Ironing
Haircut
Floor plan
Electrical stuff
Paint colour
Tiles, photos, source
Measurements
Oven, sink
School transition camp
Sorting and packing
Writing
Discipline
Hands
Doctor
Bills
Registered letter
Ironing
Haircut
Floor plan
Electrical stuff
Paint colour
Tiles, photos, source
Measurements
Oven, sink
School transition camp
Sorting and packing
Writing
Discipline
Hands
Doctor
Sunday, November 2, 2008
How about a holiday home in Panama?
Latin American music puts a spring in my step most times when I listen to it. Panama is one such country that comes to mind with its famous Panama hats, canal and of course lately, if you're a fan of Prison Break, that's where the heat was turned on by Michael Scofield in Season 2.
The sunny country tucked in the narrow isthmus connecting North and South America brings to mind bright yellow bananas and their tasty empanadas (that's about the only food I know of and think I've tasted once!). A holiday home in Panama sounds just right if you're one who loves to travel and spend months getting to know a place, or if you're lookng for a place to retire at.
In the Casco Antiguo region of Panama, Hotel Casco Antiguo appears to encapsulate what I have just pictured about the country, with its bright yellow shades over its sunny balcony.
Register for an eBrochure Here
Prior to the global financial crisis, Panama was experiencing a property boom, with many Americans especially, looking to purchase second homes, holiday or retirement homes as it's a great place with many tourist attractions, hot weather, beaches and mountains.
Casco Antiguo is located in Panama City and should be a nice investment if you have the extra cash. It boasts of five-star amenities with rooftop terrace, bar and pool. There are 34 units of the condo hotel for sale.
The sunny country tucked in the narrow isthmus connecting North and South America brings to mind bright yellow bananas and their tasty empanadas (that's about the only food I know of and think I've tasted once!). A holiday home in Panama sounds just right if you're one who loves to travel and spend months getting to know a place, or if you're lookng for a place to retire at.
In the Casco Antiguo region of Panama, Hotel Casco Antiguo appears to encapsulate what I have just pictured about the country, with its bright yellow shades over its sunny balcony.
Register for an eBrochure Here
Prior to the global financial crisis, Panama was experiencing a property boom, with many Americans especially, looking to purchase second homes, holiday or retirement homes as it's a great place with many tourist attractions, hot weather, beaches and mountains.
Casco Antiguo is located in Panama City and should be a nice investment if you have the extra cash. It boasts of five-star amenities with rooftop terrace, bar and pool. There are 34 units of the condo hotel for sale.
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