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I’m Good at This

21 Oct

Yes I must say I am getting better at Candy Crush than ever! The last two updates have been conquered before the new update is released. A few nights ago, I unexpectedly crossed Level 440 and tickets has also come forth from my fellow candy crushers to move on, on the laptop. Currently, I am at 445, playing it only at home after work but Zookeeper Battle is still on the iPad, at work, at home, in the car…

My fiercest competitor had surpassed me earlier, having captured the trophy at the last level and recaptured the trophy from me at the level prior. Should I take on the challenge to try to win it back? Nah.

After my holiday in Bali, I decided it’s not the trophy that matters after all, but just ploughing on. It’s good enough to be good at this, being way ahead, there’s no need to have that showcase trophy.

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Ten White, Twenty Black

17 Oct

Whenever I look into the mirror and spot a white hair, horror would fill me and I’d get one of the girls to pull it out if I can’t reach it myself. Vain, silly or otherwise, one just cannot have a white strand sticking out, shouting to the world to be seen.

Just back from my recent holiday, I decided to do an overhaul — starting with the face with a facial, the body with a massage and the hair with an inventory check on black versus white. As it was a public holiday, it was perfect to get these done.

The going rate is ten cents per white hair but a penalty of twenty cents is incurred for them to pay back if a black hair was accidentally pulled out instead.

M1 is usually more obliging for this task and makes about two to three bucks from the hubby, and about one to two from me. However, whenever I am under duress from some super duper stressful project at the studio, three bucks is easily made. M2 would add salt to the wound by stating, “Mummy, you’re old.”

Coincidentally, I just concluded one half of a very stressful project prior to the trip to Bali.

And the evidence was evident.

“I found the loot!” M2, who was available and obliging, proclaimed. Ooh… That hurts. “How many?” I cringed.

“I’d say 30 but I’d just do 25 then I’m going to bed!” Well, I can’t argue with that.

M1 who just came out of the bathroom, giggled and rubbed it in, “Nah! I think there’s 40!” Hrmph.

“Argh! This one’s a scam! Half black, half white. Does it count?” The ever dramatic M2 asked then decided, “I think no. Okay, back to 23. Right, mummy… 23?”

Sigh, the perils of a stressful creative designer’s life.

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Taking a Break

11 Oct

The last few days has been a madcap rush as hubby and I are wrapping up work so that we can go away for a much needed break.

Wait a minute! Didn’t we go for a break recently (to Paris)? Yes and no. I went for a break visiting museums, he went for work visiting the business partner. So this time we are both taking a break.

But we are not going alone; the creative team from the office are coming along. It’s our annual company trip and we all deserve it!

It’s timely to take a break from overload, from work, from stress, from life and all else will or may be put on hold. Yes, even taking a break from Candy Crush. And Zookeeper Battle. And minding the children, and….

Stay tuned.

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Dethroned!

10 Oct

Feeling smug about dethroning my closest competitor in Candy Crush on my list two days ago, I thought I could take it easy for a bit. But no, the challenge was too much for him. That (Tuesday) night, JC toppled me and became the champion of Soda Swamp! Noooooo……

I have to work harder in this episode if I want to regain the honor. It is no longer about being the leader of the pack. And as if King.com knows what is at stake, they finally had the app update on the iPad! Yay.

So it looks like crushing candies in the office is resuming.

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A Pleasant Surprise

8 Oct

Yesterday was a busy day in the office and I did not have time to sneak in a game of Zookeeper. But when there was a pause for a breather from creativity, I launched my game only to find that it did not launch but went straight to AppStore, prompting me to update to be in line with iOS7! Eeeesh. Do I have a choice? I guess not if I want to keep on battling the zoo animals.

So update I did. Any difference then? Nah. It was a case of fretting over nothing. So my iPad still remains.

Also, I have been playing the old level of Candy Crush since I am still visible there on the iPad despite having move forth on the laptop. Funny when it should all synch. But am I complaining? No considering it turned out to be a good thing for I was rewarded as the Champion of the Soda Swamp episode! Beat that!

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Decisions! Decisions!

7 Oct

I wrote this prior to achieving the unimaginable. I thought I would be stuck at level 425 for my Candy Crush for awhile but I finally conquered the level on Saturday night. Now comes the predicament (again). To move forth by playing on the laptop or wait for the update on the iPad. Hmm… Decisions, decisions. I chose to move forth and fellow candy crushers have sent me tickets to see me through. Thank you!

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Thanks to my fellow Candy Crushers, I have moved on, on the laptop. Bye folks!

My second predicament is my other game, Zookeeper Battle. It now has an update to be in line with iOS7!!! Oh dear. Just last week, I decided to prolong the update of my iPad to the new OS for as long as I can. And now, my second favorite game has an update. Hmm… Decisions, decisions (again). For this, I’d say status quo for now.

I must say as days pass, fiddling with my updated iPhone4, certain features of the new OS are nice. I particularly like the torchlight and I listen to my music more. But I still do not like the green and blue colors of the bubble text messages. And the biggest unlike is the passcode to key in every time I want to use the phone. While this may be an added security feature, I think it’s an extra step and effort.

So my iPad remains as is, and my Zookeeper as well. For how long, we shall see. And if you must know, I zipped through the new chapter in the candy saga and am now at Level 433.

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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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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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