Archive | September, 2013

Can I Be an Onion?

30 Sep

In a blink of an eye, we face October (tomorrow). What this means is Halloween is also around the corner and every year, we go through the same thing, call it predicament or argument, it is always on what to wear for that ghoulish night.

During the Spongebob craze period several years back, I made a Spongebob costume for M2 and she complained other fellow trick or treaters deemed her too friendly and cute instead of scary after the walkabout that night. Miffed by the comments which was inappropriate for ghoulish theme, she decided the next time, she would be something else to make people wary, scared or even cry at the sight of her.

“Can I be an onion for the next Halloween?” she asked.

“Onion?! Why?” I asked, curiosity got the better of me.

“Onions make people cry. And I wanna make people cry so that nobody will say I am cute.” she rationalized and concluded. In her mind, crying equates to fear; fear equates to horror, horror being the theme of Halloween, get it?

The onion costume never materialized thankfully.

I should say Halloween is not a big thing in our country but it is catching up in our neighborhood estate. So I brace myself for what madcap ideas M2 may have. M1, on the other hand, being older and more sensible treats the day just like any other day. Phew.

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They Eat What We Eat

27 Sep

Children, from young, should be taught to eat what we eat. I am a big advocate for this. This works out well when the whole family travels or even just go out for meals. We have salads, they will have salads, we eat a burger, so do they, you get my drift?

No such thing as we eat a burger but the young ones have a specially brewed porridge in a hot flask. Maybe this is practiced when they are babies but not when they are older…

Both my girls enjoy food. While hubby and I are no major foodie connoisseurs, we do enjoy trying out new things every now and then. Both M1 and M2 takes pride in keeping pace with us.

I am proud to say when we did our “Great Adventure Road Trip to USA” last year, food was thoroughly enjoyed and no issues at all.

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Our very first In-N-Out Burgers!

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This is Not a Review of iOS7

26 Sep

Every morning when I wake up, the first thing I reach for is my iPhone to look at the time, then the iPad to play Zookeeper Battle, followed by Candy Crush. This morning is no different from always but I groaned when I saw a prompt on the iPad to update the OS to iOS7!

Oh no! Do I have to?

Two days ago, I gave in to update my iPhone4. Initially I was skeptical to do so, knowing there will be limited features that my phone is capable of; so I wanted to wait it out and hear a little more feedback from friends to be sure before taking the plunge. I am also a creature of habit and don’t like my comfort zone disrupted; my phone being what it is now is a comfort and I am in my zone. But when I did hear nothing but positive raves, I went ahead and updated.

Right after I did the update, I felt so let down. My phone is now so ugly, flat and devoid of depth. I kept comparing it with my iPad to see the difference and without hesitation, decided to not update my iPad for as long as I can.

iOS7-iPhone

See how flat and unappealing it looks.

iOS7-iPad

So pretty, no?

It didn’t help that on the homefront prior to the update, M2 kept pestering me when will I buy the new phone so that she could inherit the current model. She even dispensed with manners and just came right to the point asking when will I change my phone? When I stared daggers at her, she changed tactic and nagged me at when will I update the OS instead? Hrmph.

That night, I lamented about the flatness of the phone, M2 quickly pounced on it and pointed out that since it’s now ugly, and I don’t like it (and she does) she will just take my phone! Eeesh… The child is just notorious.

But ugly as it is, I have to learn to like it. After all, there’s no turning back to iOS6 (and silly to pay or hack to downgrade) or heaven forbid, consider migrating to an Android phone! So learn I did.

Despite its lack of depth and being so flat in looks, it is nice in terms of operating system, definitely an upgrade. There’s a range of new ring tones besides the many features already reviewed by techies and all out there, so I will not delve in this. It’s the look that I am not used to, it’s so flat. I was horrified to see the message bubble coming out so green, Granny Smith would be envious of the green being more green than their apples. When highlights and depths are taken away, what you end up with is a flat horrid shade that totally lacks character. Having said that, the iMessage blue is no better.

Also, I miss the green felt in GameCenter. I feel so lost in the new layout.

So will I update my iPad? I think I will wait a while longer.

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We Don’t Like Shopping

24 Sep

Unlike other female species, I am considered an unusual one for I don’t like shopping. Put me in a mall for three hours or more, browsing through things or whatever, I find it quite an ordeal. Breathing becomes difficult as I always argue it is the lack of oxygen with so many people inside the enclosed building that causes this discomfort. And walking becomes taxing when the lack of oxygen kicks in, causing pain in the joints and legs.

Really strange coming from someone who can traverse almost halfway around the globe and walk 8km throughout the city of Paris or about 6km to 8km on a golf course anytime!

So when it comes to shopping, thankfully, my girls are like me and share the same sentiments on the breathing and walking issues. We hardly go shopping and will only do so if necessary.

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Never Go Shopping with Your Sports Car Wannabee

23 Sep

This is totally not related to my usual M1 M2 stories but I just had to share. It was a typical weekend shopping and eating out several months ago. We went to IKEA and as we were heading out from the parking lot, we saw this dude with his low suspension impressive 19 inch rim sports car wannabee exiting as well.

He was carefully trying to maneuver his wannabee over the hump as he exited the carpark. Going at an angle slowly, then reversing, then trying again. Obviously with a full load of passengers, he was unsuccessful.

We watched with fascinated amazement and disbelief as he then ordered all passengers down—grandma, wife and kids included—to just step out from the vehicle so that he could cross the hump! They all obliged and then climbed backed in once the vehicle crossed the hump.

I must say the three cars we have, one of them is a low profile mini sports car. But as much as we love it, I do not subject my mother to sit in it for its low profile attribute just does not bode well with the elderly. And the sentiments are reciprocal, she doesn’t even want to get in. You can then be assured I will never go shopping with my mom in my sports car and subject her to get down in an attempt to cross a speed hump.

I think to avoid such a scene, never go shopping with the family in your low suspension sports car wannabee if you can help it. It’s just way too embarrassing, even to watch.

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They Updated!

20 Sep

Today I just posted my latest achievement for my Candy Crush addiction and wondered when they would update the game on the iPad and they just did it!

So I guess crushing candies in the office will resume…

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It Finally Happened

20 Sep

Just when I least expected it, I crossed Level 410 on the laptop last Saturday! Yippee kah yay!!! And not only I received 3 stars for my gallant effort, I am the champion of the Polkapalooza episode. (Silly grin.)

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I guess the love for the game continues as I will play on, on the laptop to march forth as I await the update on the iPad.

But as I do not play Candy Crush in the office—a statement that somewhat contradicts because I am a full time Candy Crusher and occasional graphic designer—the march will be slow. Currently, I am at Level 412 and the annoying tornadoes zipping here and there will make the march even slower.

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It Has to Be All Orange

19 Sep

The weekend that passed was such a busy one that I felt guilty neglecting Rooney, official pet number one, also affectionately called ‘Roo’. So much so, when I went to the mall with M2 (M1 had friends over to work on a school project), we decided to buy him a toy and some snacks. M2 called it cereal, not snacks, for it had oats and a whole bunch of supposedly healthy stuff for the skin.

As for the toy, it was with much debate whether to get him another orange colored one or not, for he fancies this color. Or we theorized he fancies this color. After much discussion, we opted for a sheep with beige limbs and face, and some orange color here and there, with the ratio of the orange lesser. We thought we’d challenge the theory that perhaps it does not have to be an all orange toy to perk his playful mood.

That night, the sheep was thrown into the lion’s lair and soon, plenty of shuffling, grunting and action sound. In less than 15 minutes, the poor sheep was gutted! All the stuffing came out and it laid lifeless on the floor.

The poor sheep

The poor sheep

And the Roo? He laid there too, lifeless and sad, staring at his torn new toy. He looked like he was either worn out from the sudden exciting playtime or he was feeling guilty he mutilated the poor sheep so quickly that he cannot play with it anymore. We suspect it was the latter emotion running through him. That night he went to sleep very quickly!

But if I were to give the sheep another lease on life to extend its usefulness, as in putting the guts back and sewing it up, the appeal may be different. Like the cat toy I got him a while back, it was gutted too (like the sheep) and was sewn up to extend its life but totally neglected right after the operation. So hopefully leaving the sheep as it is for now with three hanging limbs (one limb got ripped out), it may still have its appeal.

The appeal was there alright but ultimately it cost the death of the already half dead sheep. In less than 48 hours since the first contact, the poor sheep was decapitated last night! Oh boy.

What's left of the sheep, now looking foreign, like a new toy!

What’s left of the sheep, now looking foreign, like a new toy!

Does this mean he loved the sheep so much or that he couldn’t stand the color combination ratio that only death will do it justice? I can’t imagine the outcome if the color ratio had more orange. The life was sucked right out of Roo too after the violent act; he sat lifeless and looking forlorn again. I had to coax him with several snacks to lift his spirits up.

Looks like we have to get him another toy soon. And it has to be orange, all over. Anything less than half in the color ratio will just result in the death of it in no time at all.

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Another milesto…

17 Sep

Another milestone!

Proud to say I’ve reached 3,000 views since inception! Thank you, thank you for all the support!

So Predictable

17 Sep

I do not like to promise my girls things whenever we have conversations in order to avoid disappointments or having promises broken. Instead I keep the situation open by saying,“We shall see…” so that I am not held ransom on my word and they have their expectations hopeful; and if circumstances are not favorable, the disappointment is not so painful. Now this is different from the ‘Carrot Program‘.

Conversations revolving the “We shall see…” are usually pertaining to buying ice cream, books and snacks – daily needs and not significant rewards or trips like those under the ‘Carrot Program‘.

M1 and M2 has been drilled enough with this that whenever when they ask for something, before I could open my mouth to state the obvious, they’d go, “We know… We know… We shall see…”

Is it good to be predictable?

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