Stay focused!

This is definitely easier said than done. How to not digress from my bucket of to-do lists whenever I get my fingers flicking through multiplisary types of interesting stuff online. I found this interesting poster via Pinterest and gave it a minimal perk-up according to my liking. At the moment, I am keeping a couple whereas by focusing on 3 tasks per day (top right), and subsequently rewarding myself for tasks completed (bottom left). Instead of focusing on 3 tasks on a daily basis, I am giving myself a little of leniency by focusing on 3 key tasks within a provided time frame as they are impossible to be completed within a day time. So, here are my 3 tasks to be done before the new year bell rings in.

On the work front (first and second task) and personal (last task), I MUST 1. Get my proposals done (to which I am still unclear where to begin despite the due date is drawing near). 2. Get the statistics for a project I am currently handling computed (sorting hundreds of questionnaires manually before computing respective charts via Excel) 3. I bought 2 Pixajoy photobook packages via Groupon and they’ll be due sometime early February 2014.  Yet, I haven’t started a wee bit and even still indecisive on which two events to choose from. Shall time permits, I would love to embark into our DIY shelving project as well and to reply an overdued e-mail from a good friend of mine. If you are reading this, you are definitely not forgotten. I dreamt of you few days ago, so I guess you are missing me a lot as much as I do :). 

Every little things she did

My mom is awesome, or beyond that :) She has been doing a lot of packing especially for my brother when he was studying out of the town a couple of years ago before he managed to be transferred back to the city where we lived. Fast forward to March 2013, when I was relocated to this nature city for work. It was a very short notice for me, but a pleasant surprise considering the fact that I will be married in May 2013 (then) and will be residing here for good. Ever since then, mom has been diligently and ever readily pack my stuffs over. Those stuff will be conveniently ready whenever the boss fly over, he will be bringing home a few boxes of my stuff :P Sometimes, they were sent by chartered bus. All I need to do is to drop by the bus station and collect them as long as I remember my parcel number. Back then, my housemates have been commenting that I have never return to the house (after going out for church with the boss) without huge boxes of parcels :).

I personally think mom did the best packing in the wide wide world. Her creativity and brain juice is endless. After we touched down Sdk, mom sent over a big Tupperware carton box containing all my newly purchased stuff throughout my one-week stay in my hometown before the boss and I fled to Hong Kong. On the day when we returned KK for a transit back to Sandakan for a night stay, we weren’t aware that it was a little too late for us to top up our luggage size online, after weighting all my stuffs at home. Too bad, not wanting to pay a hefty for a last minute baggage check-in weighting another additional of more than 40kgs via the counter, we just lug whatever we can with our 20kgs quota and my parents offered to send the rest to the bus station the next few days upon the arrival of the facial brush I ordered from Singapore to be sent to my hometown address, with the hope that it will be ready the moment I touched down KK from HK so that I could pack it along with my other belongings, but it came a little later than I expected.  

When I was unpacking the box, I was pleasantly surprised that all my present papers were not crumpled at all despite located at the bottom of the box, my newly bought soft covered file from Daiso were tucked in a canvas document bag (given by my mom), porcelain display which was initially wrapped with newspaper by the cashier were bubble-wrapped, my notebook’s charger were given a new casing bag, just to name a few.

What made me squealed in delight was the box of old-school magic color which I didn’t pack along were packed and given a new face lift. The shabby casings were replaced with a DIY box made of used diary outer cardboard casing. If not because I see the cut off part of its original Faber Castell’s trademark from my previous shabby card-box, I might have presuming it as a complimentary gift since my mom packed along with a 2014 diary and table calendar (my mom is my all-time diaries, notebooks, organisers, calenders supplier). On top of that, my mom packed along a dozen of organic rose apples, courtesy of my aunt. There were neatly arranged and carefully underlain with dust bags which I bet taken from one of her leather bags, into a shallow carton box with top opening. Not forgetting, mom transported along a pomegranate sapling. It was packed as if it will be exported overseas into a shuttlecock's tube casing with so many rubber bands tied in oh-so-artsy way. Hehe. Isn't mom a gem? I am missing her so much, ♥ her even more :).

Green Fingers

I have always loved a landed residence like my family’s home with a lawn around so that I could do gardening. I was swooning at someone else’s garden who is so well taken care of with colorful blossoming flowers and even once told the boss I need to have one for my past times. Now, our humble abode comes along with a reasonable sized lawn on its sideway and a small patch on the other way near to our main gate. Of late, my so-called ‘garden’ has turned into an overgrown bush, and is in the progress of becoming a jungle pretty soon and I bet it could soon hide a baby elephant! If you are wondering I’m busy, the answer is a definite YES. Besides, it is rather hard for me to get a freelance grass cutter that goes on a bicycle going around in my residential area. For the past 6 months we have been staying here, my lawn was only trimmed once last August 2013, upon asking a favor from a relative’s gardener.

There was once I attempted to trim the grass on my own manually. I only managed about 2.5m x 1.0m (based on my crude estimations) which is about one-tenth or so of the whole area, my back was super ultra mega painful the next morning and it lasted almost a week *gasp*. It was indeed an excellent way to sweat out and now, I am secretly missing the ache when it was over. Lol. There was one time where I attempted to grow zinnias. I bought the seedlings from Giant and excitedly wished upon the star to see bright red zinnia in a few weeks time. Three weeks passed, and finally I see some greens sprouting out. It grew and grew and finally gets taller and I have been visualizing red  bright flowers in my head and even took sometime to choose a ceramic vase with matching color. Unfortunately very much to my disappointment, they were all weeds. I am not sure whether it was the problem with the seeds or me. Feeling very much deflated, I started to believe that I don't have green fingers.

Since then, the small patch of lawn were ‘adopted’ by Papa Pang (my FIL). Occasionally, he will drop by to look after our house and also gave me a little but great help with my lawn (read: bush) and he claimed it as getting his dose of exercise. He made full use of the small area to grow spring onions, and even soursop tree!. There was a mango tree which he planted  ever since before we moved in and it has started bearing fruits. The mango tree has been so fruitful and we have enjoyed its fruits for some time now. As for the soursop, the tree is growing healthily, and is about 4-5 feet tall to-date. I am hoping that I will be able to get my gardening mojo back pronto! Wish me luck, or perhaps green thumb in time to come :)

Count on Him :)

It’s December and the brand new year 20 fourteen is approaching. Not forget to mention that also spells oh-so-busy days are just right ahead. Few hours ago, I have just handed up one of my assignment. Part of the burden were immediately lifted off my shoulder. But, more obligations lining up and I will not likely to be able to heave a big sigh of relief until mid January 2014! Like what my parents and boss who have always drill into my head ‘{Count on Him}, the Lord {will} bless you and keep you. 

Home :)

I have finally claimed some of my very much anticipated break from work. I am home home home! Back to my hometown since last Friday and staying with my family. I have been missing the warmth at home, with my very own (biogical) family and furry friends :) The moment I stepped down from the car, Odin growled at me and I know that signified that he hasn't seen me for quite sometime (read: misses me as much as I do) :P That certainly melts my heart. That growl of his is a valuable communication which is only applicable to family members and closed extended family or friend.  But, somehow on the other hand, I am missing my other home back in Sandakan, the boss and the in-laws to be exact. The boss will be joining me here tomorrow before we jet off to buy honey in the moon the following day :). 

Of Pageboy, Ring Bearer & Flowergirls

We have been contemplating to look whether for a bridesmaid / bestman or to settle for flowergirls / pageboys. I have no problem to find for the candidates for the earlier mentioned. I have two competent candidates on hand; my sister and brother. But, since my sister was undergoing her practical by that time, it wasn’t easy for her to take leave. Even taking a day off for my wedding took her few months in advance for approval. On the other hand, it was the peak season where my brother will be sitting for his A-level final exam and he has a paper the following Monday, a day after my church wedding ceremony and he wasn’t able to turn up for the groom’s family reception on that night.

Eventually, we settled down to be accompanied by little friends instead. We have two nephews (only) at the boss’ side; aged 8 and 3.5 respectively but no niece. Therefore, we have to resort to find little girls with corresponding age at the church. Oh boy it wasn’t easy to find their ‘other half’. The search was to no avail but thanks to the boss’ paternal aunts and my sis-in-law, they managed two girls by the age of 9 years and 6 years. Slightly incompatible to the age of our 2 nephews but definitely better than our initial resort to have only 2 pageboys (cum ring bearer) and to be frank, all the family members were still doubtful if the younger nephew could make it. All sorts of out-of-the-box suggestions came up on how to coax and make him walk through the aisle. One of them was by allowing this Disney Junior hard core fan to get hold of a tab or hand phone all along the way :P 

On that day itself, our little ring bearer John (the boss’ 3.5yo nephew) made all of us awed when he made his grand entrance into the church. Hand on hand with his elder brother, James walked up the aisle as the ring bearer and melted hearts of many :). I can see the boss swelling with pride that his very clingy little nephew has actually made it through as he detoured half way during rehearsal the night before. But, this little boyfriend of mine konked out by the time the nuptial ends thus didn't take part in the recession. As for the flower girls, I am beyond glad that they loved the dresses we bought them and even asked if they can actually keep the bouquet as well. 

I just can’t thank the boss’ paternal aunt who was more than willing to take a flight to KL merely to hunt for our little friends’ dresses and tux & pants. Aunt Fong brought home very pretty with good quality loots and can’t wait to show them to me. She added, she would sew them shall her quest was to no avail. Isn’t she such a gem? :) While Aunt Yung has been helping me out with all the accessories from head gear, flower arrangements and church pew designs. I have not much things to be bothered about. I am eternally grateful that I feel much belonged to the Pang’s big clan.