Bleah!

When the wife asked me why I have not blogged in months, I answered her with a single word; "Bleah!" I even imagined a blog post in that instant where I would have some words and a picture of me looking slightly constipated to convey my emotion at the time.

 

Now is that accurate?

 

Definition of Bleah - to express disinterest, tiredness, or overall feeling like crap.

 

Does that describe how I feel and my overall perception of life in general? No it is most certainly not. To the contrary life is great. I go to sleep each night happy, tired of course but happy! I guess to a certain extent it is how I feel sometimes but, everyone does at some point during the day or maybe the week. It's like that dead spot in the middle of the afternoon after having a plate of mutton beryani, or in my wife's case; chicken rice, you know the time, 3ish just before 4 where at 4pm, it's the right time to trundle downstairs to Ah Wang's for that Kopi O Kosong.

 

Long story short, I got lazy. Ha! Here's hoping that feeling is no more.

 

M Regular

Sept découvertes cette année

1) Year after year, this point resounds when I get reflective during the small hours of the New Year. It's the most important and I am glad I did not take it for granted this year. So essentially it's not a discovery but an exclaimation. Family is everything; I am the most prosperous man on earth with my Maju and Mojo in tow! Thank God for the best wife a man could want and the most glorious daughter a father could want.

2) Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us. This verse became real for me. It was a mantra to myself almost everyday of the year. It helped me, in the lowest points and pushed me to greater heights. Thank God for being such a great God!

3) Lots of people warned me about it, they said I am gonna regret it, and my life as I knew it would be over. Good thing, I am not one to listen. Becoming a parent! has been the 2nd best decision I made next to getting married. One year down a lifetime to go.

4) Restful increase. When it was first mentioned on the first Sunday of 2010, my heart yelled out "YES!". I remember it vividly sitting by myself at Gallery West. I embraced it and ran with it, not knowing how restful it was going to be. 2010: The most restful year ever and not to mention the year of greatest increase. Can't wait for this Sunday.

5) We all, at some level, want to belong and be part of something. This for me has been pivotal. Ministry has allowed me to have a greater appreciation and wisdom to see all that is good and blessed in my life. This year, ministry has come alive for me, unlike the previous years this year has been tremendous.

6) A row of friends. It's may not be a row yet, but it's forming. The wife told me, she has a dream that there will be a Sunday, in the near future, when we go to church we will be sitting in a row of all our friends. At that time when she said it is was just the two of us but we agreed. Today we can count one new soul, one returning and two more...let's just say it's a matter of time. We have half a row down. Somehow I feel one row might not be enough.

7) Highlight of the year: Once again, I can firmly declared I am THE most Blessed Man to walk this earth. Thank God for allowing me to be ME.

M in MMXI

Bonne année mes amis

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Bubbles are the best!

2) Is so looking forward to Alia @ Bali, he can smell it.

3) This week has been super fantastic, my birthday week are always fantastico!

4) Family, is the most important thing next to GOD! Praise the Lord!

5) Grace is all around we just need to standup and be counted.

6) 100 Days of Favour is an amazing book,

7) Highlight of the week: Having attended two amazing birthday parties both organized amazingly by my glorious wife.

M

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Ba Ba biiiiiii!

2) Is receiving more email on his Yahoo mail than his work mail.

3) Absolutely loves multiple tasking on the iPad.

4) Going to get a new computer this weekend after 3-4 years the old machine needs to head to scrap.

5) Misses blogging.

6) It's Thursday! One more day to go!

7) Highlight of the week: Eating MIL's cooking especially heibee haim!

M

Sent from my iPad

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Loves the taste of small bites of Blue Cheese amongst fresh greens, takes me back to the back cafes of Aix.

2) Thinks that the Kinect is a pretty cool device, if only it did more than just games.

3) Thinks that he will be spending more money at Tomato, he was quietly impressed.

4) Knows that he is the child of the most high God!

5) Prime lenses help you to become a better photographer.

6) Sophie is a passionate girl -Hart of Tomato

7) Highlight of the week: Spending a full day with the wife and catching a movie after almost 2 years.

M

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) MIL has returned. First contact was not good but it can only get better.

2) Had an awesome Friday with his fellow Beloveds.

3) Had a strong desire to run for the opposition. Dunno why?

4) F1 season has ended. 119 days till 2011 opener. Can't wait!

5) It's been 7 years and I still love her more than ever.

6) Looking forward to spending a full day with the wife.

7) Highlight of the week: Was to receive the news that we will have 3 new servers! PTL!

M

Blessing List - Edit 1

5) My church, spiritual food is just as important as food itself. It is the rock to which I am anchored to. Things may change but "The Rock" is forever.

4) My family, never dysfunctional but quirky would be a word to describe them but I love them all the same.

3) My first born Sophie, who is in many ways a mini reflection of my wife with some grindings of me for added spice. With her developing her own traits, every day is a new ride.

2) My beautiful, cheerful, smart, funny wife popularly known as Maji. There no adjective too good enough for you babe. Everyday with you is a blessing!

1) My most wonderful Jesus, because of what He has done the above list is possible.

Majimo Blogs.

Blessing List

A blog that I have been following for a while now has setup a bucket list type post. It's nice but I find it a little morbid and well I dunno too much finality added into the mix.

So I decided to start a blessing list; which are not things I wish I could do before I die but things I am thankful for each and everyday that I am alive at this moment. Things I can see, touch, smell, feel right now. This will not be a weekly list of NEW things but a growing list of blessings that I am thankful for in my life that I have been blessed with.

In a sense it's a life stock take, and since I am the most blessed man in the world, it will take a while. <Grins with satisfaction and gratitude to the Man above>. So if you are reading this why not think about starting one, if your are thankful for something, might as well shout it from the mountain tops, albeit in cyberspace.

Blessing List - Edit 1 to follow.....

M the most blessed man in the world

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Realises that God's hand of protection is always there, things could have been worse but PTL, they weren't.

2) Has too many things too be thankful for, is a super blessed man!

3) Over anticipation can be hazardous to your well being, things will come in it's own time.

4) Has been kept waiting probably due to some glitch in paperwork. -- See point 3).

5) Needs a new super computer for the home, a Cray would be nice.

6) Diet or rather née lifestyle has gone fora toss this week. A nice Aji Tataki will set me back on track.

7) Highlight of the week: Was to spend only 1.5 days at work this week and the rest with his 2 favorite girls!

M

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) The power of anointing oil cannot be quantified

2) Loves to read the Manga Bible

3) Has been doing some serious contemplation when at work

4) Looking forward to Saturdays' drinks for Halloween

5) Thinks that Irn Bru is just like Kickapoo Joy Juice

6) Has too much to write about but does not know where to start from

7) Highlight of the week: Fever breaking and knowing I have SuperMOM as my wife!

M

Decisions

Sometimes they can just be about wearing the white shirt or the blue shirt or perhaps should I have grilled fish shioyaki or sashimi for lunch. Other times it can be life altering, like should I leave this job and move on to the next. Life is full of decisions....left turn or right turn?? Go straight???

Depending on the magnitude of change, they are hard but change is good, sometimes. The burden of decisions sometimes gets easier when you have been partnered with a woman of wisdom and understanding. Such is what I have found in the woman sleeping next to me. It's 6.36am and that person is obviously the wife, to be exact Sophie is between us, but that's another blog post altogether.

She's an analyzer, well she does it for a living, so she is a fantastic analyzer. Pros and cons, cost benefit, long term vs   short term gains are just some to the tools in her unseen arsenal. Whatever the case maybe, her opinion carries weight, to me! Especially when I am emotionally clouded she helps to wade through the crap and baggage and bring clarity to all situations.

Proverbs 31:10-11 (New American Standard Bible)
  10An excellent wife, who can find?
        For her worth is far above jewels.
    11The heart of her husband trusts in her,
        And he will have no lack of gain.

 

Thanks babe! You are my Proverbs 31 wife!

M Uber Blessed

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Is enjoying reading Kitchen Confidential by Antony Bourdain.

2) Is glad that he is wanted from a professional standpoint. Thank you Jesus!

3) Has fallen in love with Japanese salads at Tomo Izakaya.

4) Needs to find healthy Indian food, it must exist!

5) Is privileged to be in ROCK KIDZ!

6) Knows that this is a season of tremendous blessing

7) Highlight of the week: Dressing up as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for ASA!

M

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Had a relatively more productive week at work.

2) Has a new life altering decision to mull over.

3) Loves to talk about holiday plans with the wife.

4) Fell madly in love with Saffire in Freycinet, Tasmania. -- AUD1.4K a night!

5) Chee Cheong Fun with no sauce just chilli, has been included as a breaky alternative to 4 hard boiled egg whites, I am stoked!

6) Shiro maguro is my now fav sashimi.

7) Highlight of the week: Negotiating with a headhunter while walking in Spotlight. -- the quietest place I could find.

M

Diet

For the past two weeks I have been on a, what some would say, crazy diet. The goal was mainly to detox my system because it seemed to be bursting at the seams quite literally.

Prior to starting work, for some reason I went on an eating rampage. To ingest all my favorite foods if possible within the short time frame of a few days before my work started. My typical day would be to wake up early, send the wife to work which signalled the flag off for the food odyssey.

Breakfast Location: Madras Woodlands Meal: Rava Thosai with copious amount of red (chilli) chutney followed with two appams with coconut milk and orange sugar Drink: Indian coffee
Lunch A Location: Toa Payoh Lor 5 Meal: Bar Chor Mee Drink: 100 Plus	OR	Lunch B Location: Jalan Kayu Prata Shop Meal: Chicken or Mutton Berayani Drink: Teh Halia
Post Lunch Dessert: Magnum Almond. -- they were running a 1for 1 promo so guess what? Yep genius here didn't want it to melt so makan both!
Midday Snack: Some potato chips perhaps
Dinner: was whatever was cooked at home, regular stuff
Midnight cravings: When wife and baby is asleep, I sometimes stepped to the prata shop for two kosong prata with a Teh halia chaser!

This happened for a few consecutive days. Excessive no! It didn't last long. My digestive system protested violently and I was in world of discomfort. It wasn't a sickly feeling but when you are backed up back there, moods go for a swing. Not a good thing especially when starting a new job. So now I am on a detox program. Here my new menu, it's short so don't fret

Breakfast: 4 hard boils eggs -- white only, strictly no yolk
Drink: Kopi-O or Teh-O kosong or water

Lunch: Salmon Sashimi -- no soy sauce just wasabi and a squeeze of lemon
Drink: Water up till 5pm!

Dinner: Bowl of salad, with only vinegar and olive oil dressing.
Drink: Funky tea that makes you go the next day.

Result:
I'm down 4 plus kg in weight and also two belt holes. I feel a whole lot better for sure. Moods are in check too.

I guess to some extent sustainability will beg and I will answer, moderation is key. Healthy diet goes a long way. I am not going to shun my favorite foods but I intend to make this a lifestyle choice. To choose to eat healthy when the alternative is there, and once in a while to indulge myself.

This weekend will mark the 2 week of this regime, which signals the return to normalcy from a dietary perspective. Of course, i ain't gonna let all that hard work and abstinence go to waste, so I say again "Mod in Key". New mantra!

With a dinner party tonight and a wedding lunch tomorrow, let's see how I go.

M Detoxing      

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Ears are still ringing from F1!

2) Has discovered that taking the train to work is not all that bad when you have a seat.

3) Chicken Pox is no longer a one time event, it's can reappear as Shingles.

4) Is glad his shows are back on air.

5) Hard boiled eggs white can be a really filling meal.

6) What you put in REALLY determines how you will feel.

7) Highlight of the week is to have lost close to 2.5 kg with his new diet.

M

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Is imagining the squeal a full throttled F1 car in a distance, soon it'll be reality.

2) Is extremely grateful to be tithing again! It's a privileged I have so missed.

3) Loves to watch Sophie's head bobbing around as she rouses from her slumber.

4) Has found a new instant buzz with Toast Box's kopi cow!

5) Is finally buckling down to read A Purpose Driven Life with the wife.

6) Highlight of the week is the Singapore Grand Prix!

7) Wrote 1 - 6 on Thursday and forgot about it completely till Sunday, it's been a looooooong weekend. In a way glad it's over....doh Monday!

M

Time, where has it gone?

Seems like the only time I have to blog is between the hours of 5-6am, which have been the time when my recent blog posts have been churned out. Work has been interesting, after a 7 month break I guess returning to work would definitely bring about some challenges. But so far so good, rather its been too short a time to make an informed conclusion. Hahaha!

We have decided to ditch baby school for Sophie for the next year almost. After all the dramas that school brought her, we have done the usual young parent thing and begged out parents (Sophie's grandies) to be overseers with the domestic helper as the primary caregiver.

Definitely the sense of security is much greater with this arrangement but, we need to be wary not to get to a stage of taking our parents for granted as they help us out in such a big way. It's really easy to take them for granted with our schedules and scarily it's mostly unintentional.

When we get home from work, we would like to spend all the time we have with Sophie before she nods off to bed and by that time she does that, either we are completely exhausted and join her or prefer the sanity calming effect of the TV. I guess nobody wants to take their parents for granted but it just sort of happens. I dunno , it seems that when we decide to do something about it, it's normally too late. Oh well, at least it's in the back of our mind as we endeavor to not get thing to that stage.

M reflective at 6.18am

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) There is no feeling like having to savor the end of a productive day.

2) T.M.Levin shirts are poorly made and over priced, they look nice but they suck!

3) Never had so much fibre in his diet.

4) Bras Basah MRT station on the Circle Line is brilliant.

5) Is glad to have Sophie's care taking arrangements sorted out.

6) Realised that he is a child of the most high God, it's beats all and it's real.

7) Highlight of the week is being greeted by my awesome wife and daughter when I get out my car.

M

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Is glad to have his smiley girl back.

2) Top Chef in Singapore! Wow!

3) Has found sumptuous sandies OZ style at Bratwurst Shop in Plaza Sing.

4) Is working in Internet Hell, all external emails are tracked and USB ports can only recognize mice. Wrote a blog but can't send it out, the post is literally trapped.

5) Two monitors are better than one.

6) Is thinking of how to self reward himself. Any suggestions?

7) Highlight of the week is meeting baby Emma.

M

Power of little Girls

It was a tough day. I usually do not have Monday blues because my Mondays are normally busy at work with an abundance of activity. Of course, this was my first “work Monday” in months but, it was blue because I spent the first part of the day aimless. I loathe starting a job when the first assignment is to takeover someone who is moving to a new position. One, they do not care about you but are more interested in their new position. Two, you spend most of your time, waiting for them to “find time” to show you the ropes. Three, I do not like waiting!!

This has been the case last Thursday and Friday, and first part of Monday was no different. It was made worse by the fact that the wife was away in Hong Kong, she left on Sunday night. So Monday morning I roused by myself to Sophie’s cries and brought her over to the bed for some quality time and play. As I was running out of time, I got ready to leave for the office but, when I was all ready to go, I just simply could not leave the house. I kept looking back at Sophie being carried by helper Jeanie. Sophie kept looking at me with those big innocent eyes of hers, and there I was struggling to get into the car. I would have given a king’s ransom to know what was going through her little mind.

I of course, got into the car after 5 rounds of goodbye, helper Jeanie was probably thinking I was crazy. I was heartbroken but I knew the Sophie would be fine but because we’ve sent off Mum countless time and as the cab turns the corner her attention is on something else. However, I clearly wasn’t ok. As the first paragraph and basically this post demonstrates.

But somewhere after lunch, I got an email from the wife. Errorlyn who was at home sent these to her in Hong Kong and she sent them to me!

My day, in an instant, was completely changed! I eventually had a great end of day. Thanks to my wonderful little GIRLS!

M so lucky a guy!