Life is Tough

28 Oct

Despite my candy crushing days now limited to just playing at home on the MacBook Air, I have made tremendous progress. JC, my closest rival, is still stuck at 445 whilst I have moved on to 453, two levels shy of completing this chapter. Two contenders from my list of friends have finally made their way to 442 and 441 respectively.

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Catch me if you can!

I now fret if I reach the end of this Butterscotch Boulders chapter (455 is the last level) and King.com decides to release the update for the iPad these few days, it is still no use for me as each time the updates are out, it is one chapter at a time. Either way, I face playing on the laptop to move forth or if I am still stuck and the release is not out before I reach 455.

Life is tough.

Decisions, Decisions, Part 2

25 Oct

I had a prompt on my iPhone4 yesterday afternoon for an OS update to 7.0.3, which I did. But I have yet to update my iPad Mini! Should I update it or not at this point? The OS has had two updates ever since the new OS7 release came out, if I am not mistaken.

I must say ever since my phone was updated, I have mixed feelings about it. The color of the text bubbles still irks me but I appreciate the shortcuts especially to music and the torchlight.

I don’t like the passcode part every time I have to use my phone. What secret can there be when there you are, sitting next to someone (friend, family or even stranger), and they can see clearly what you key in to access!

Imagine having to do that every time I want to battle some zoo animals or crush some candies at the old levels. Pretty annoying, isn’t it?

It’s pretty obvious I love my iPad Mini for its easy access and how I have it the way I like it. I fear with the overhaul to OS7, I have to relearn to appreciate it. Sigh.

Decisions, decisions…

Mummy’s Boy

24 Oct

Every evening, the routine is typical. We come home, we eat dinner and the Roo, official pet number one, looking in from the external wet kitchen, barks to get attention. This can be quite annoying and especially so when the day at the office was a brain-sapping one.

Rooney is not allowed in the house because his drool is just to gross for us to deal with when it drips onto the marble floor. But we play with him in the garden. Occasionally, curiosity gets the better of him and he would saunter into the house to wander into the dining room, dry kitchen and the courtyard just to appease his wonder of the house. Most times, he pretends not to see us, thinking if he does not see us, we will not see him and he won’t be caught!

There was one evening M2 brought him back to the external wet kitchen after playing in the garden and he went back grudgingly. Feeling unsatisfied, he came back out to the garden again and made a ruckus insisting it has to be Mummy—me—to lead him back and that M2 bringing him back doesn’t count.

M1 shot him a disgusted look and muttered “Hrmph. What a brat! Being Mummy’s boy.”

Come to think of it, if hubby attempts, he wouldn’t even budge, what more the girls. So indeed, he’s being Mummy’s boy, a bratty one though.

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I’m not looking at you so you can’t see me!

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It’s A Warzone Out There

22 Oct

I had to see an ENT to solve my sinus nasal congestion which had taken a turn for the worse. So here I am sitting in the doctor’s lounge while outside, along the corridor, it’s a warzone out there!

An elderly patient, waiting his turn, is talking loudly on his mobile and his booming voice is echoed so loudly in the cold quiet corridor! Perhaps he is also waiting to see my ENT specialist, hard of hearing, he does not realize how loud he is.

This may not be a patient ward level but still, it’s a hospital and everyone should be more considerate for others!

Then there’s this lady sitting in the waiting room with me and her phone goes ‘You have a new WhatsApp message!’ letting the whole world know she’s connected. Attending to her alert, the furious tapping by her is so obvious with the loud clicking sound. My goodness, please put it on silent mode!!!

Even in my hard of hearing state, the noise is most irritating.

I await my turn shortly. WhatsApp Lady has toned down her volume but I can still hear water bubble effect sounds, probably crushing candies. Warzone Uncle has also finished his conversation.

Phew.

I glanced over at WhatsApp Lady; she’s not crushing candies, her reactions are way too slow!

Ah… my turn.

She’s an ABC

22 Oct

The term ‘ABC’ has several meanings to us Asians. Typically, it means ‘American Born Chinese’ or ‘Australian Born Chinese’ if the person came from Australia. Depending on who you meet, the usage and situation, ‘ABC’ can also mean ‘Air Batu Campur’ as in our local dessert with shaved ice and toppings.

Many years ago, my brother had some friends visiting from Australia. They are a lovely couple and I think it was the first time my girls met them.

“This is Aunty Connie, say hello,” I introduced a shy M2 to the guest.

“She talks funny,” whispered M1, standing next to me.

Without a thought, I whispered back, “She’s an ABC, that’s why.”

Overhearing what I mentioned, M2 asked,“Aunty Connie’s an alphabet?”

Err… Not quite but in a child’s world, it means just that.

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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I Ate Your Cheese

18 Oct

I like cheese, so do the girls. Besides the usual cheddar and cream cheese, we enjoy Feta, Brie and Camembert as well. Recently, I took a liking to Emmental, having had that quite a bit from my recent Paris trip, so I buy it occasionally to savour.

Several weeks ago, M1 said, “Mummy, I ate your mental cheese.”

“Huh?”

“You know… The one you bought recently, mental cheese, I ate some this morning.”

Emmental. Mental. Heheheh…

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.

Not Quite Back to Routine

15 Oct

We got home yesterday evening to happy constant chatter from the girls. Both just had so much so share during our 4 days’ absence from home. But as it was only 4 days, they said they did not miss us much.

It is a public holiday today and it’s a nice further break from the break to ease us back slowly into our normal ways. Not quite back to routine (work) just yet although last night, I was back to my candy crushing ways, I am treating myself to a facial and massage later. And it was a pleasant surprise that I managed to progress in my game to 437, having been stuck at 434 for some time.

Once things settle down, routine it will be until the next break!

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Homeward Bound

14 Oct

We arrived in Bali in the new MH B737-800 (notice the big iPad-like touchscreen?) and going back to KL in the more spacious 777-200 (albeit with a smaller screen, like a Samsung 7″ tab but much bigger than the Nintendo sized screen of Air France when I went to Paris in July).

Thankfully I managed to catch the last 45 minutes of Man of Steel, which I had watched when Bali-bound and could not finish on time upon arrival then.

Contented now after the meal and a satisfying coffee, I count the hours until I see my girls at home.

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The iPad-sized touchscreen of the B737-800.

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The 7″ Tab-like sized touchscreen in the 777-200.