Hair Wrap

I once had a hippy-crazy phase in my younger days where I fell in love with Jim Morrison and imagined myself as resurrected Pamela Courson (we share the same birthday!). During this time, I remember hanging out with a Japanese girl named Maiko who dressed like Janis Joplin. She did something to my hair which I recently found out is “Hair-wrapping”. A couple of tutorial videos on youtube and a happy volunteering model, and here’s what I got:

It’s pretty easy so give it a shot.

How Much Art Time?

I should be ashamed of myself for being a graphic designer but not allocating more art time for the kids. These days I try cos they can’t seem to get enough. Since it rains in the evenings these days, there’s no excuse.

Baby Nephew

Been running around the past week making myself handy welcoming the first baby boy in the house. Not mine but my one and only big brah’s.

This one is going to be so spoilt.

Traditional Games

I try to make a conscious effort to introduce the kids to traditional games hoping to lessen their obsession with virtual. Now that Elder One is big enough to understand the mechanics, Matriarch has a partner to play congkak with on rainy days.

It does not work out all the time tho. Once I was doing my work, I overheard conversation between Elder One and Younger One involving “pigs”, “blue bird” and “black bird”. I turned to see they did this to the zero point I made.

Virtual Game:1 | Traditional Game:0

Any other traditional or physical games I should introduce to them?

Interview SEA Indie

With my band being inactive for the longest time, it’s kind of refreshing to see a recent article of us online. SEA (South East Asia) Indie had one of our songs on their compilation so they sent some questions to Mister to find out what we’ve been up to lately. Sadly nothing.

I do miss the band. I miss my mates, playing gigs, making music tho I’m technically the lousiest bassplayer around (I make it up by tripling as graphic designer and wardrobe consultant). I miss Serenaide for all the priceless experiences I had with them.

You see, Matriarch has a very traditional mindset. She never supported the idea of me playing in a band cos it’s not a girls thing. I went ahead anyway putting aside the need to update her of my band-related activities. Parents these days are cooler. I see 3year olds taking guitar and drumming classes. But let’s say you start having doubts about your kids playing in bands, these are a few things that I felt came out good from being in a band:

1) Serenaide taught me tolerance and teamwork more than school and my job ever did.
2) I learnt to commit.
3) I met a lot of really nice people along the way. And some who had given me help in their expertise when I went through desperate times.
4) I made really nice foreign friends who are always willing to take us out if we visit their country.
5) I got to know a really, really, really great bunch of people along the way (I can’t say this enough).

There are more than these actually. Maybe in a separate entry another time but I shall just stop here now before I start diverting into the chances of finding a suitor from playing in a band.

Curbing The Unnecessary

Because I have Becoming Minimalist bookmarked, I cant help plugging the entries cos when I read them, I go “that’s what I’m talking about!”. Previous sch assignment had me reading up a lot on Myths of Multitasking so this entry, Finding Significance in a World of Distraction puts me in a very positive attitude.

“The distraction of maintaining a large and perfect home may pull us from caring for the people living in it. The urge to check up on our Facebook friends steals more of our time than the friends right in front of us. And the opportunity to spend money on newer and trendier possessions may divert us from using it to accomplish a greater good in this world.”

That was the reason behind my Goal entry.

I’ve reduced time with social media lately but that’s largely because of being at home the past week “nursing my post-op wound”. I realised the kind of social updates I’m fed with, neither do I want nor need them. Completely unnecessary. Now that I’m back at work, it’s challenging to keep my browser away. How do we get through this?

Still Pancake-Happy

Not another pancake entry. I’m still determined to keep this a regular activity for as long as they enjoy. The March hols was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.

2010 Pancake entry and 2011 pancake-making video.

Not Always Photo-Happy

I just realised the last two color-coord pics are of the girls all huggles and cuddles, you’d think they’re like that all the time – so sweet and loving and sisterly. Well that’s not always the case. Reality is like this:

For some reason, Younger One always have something to be unhappy about.

Wisdom Tooth Holiday

One of the most precious thing for a Full-time Working cum Part-time Studying Mum has got to be annual leave. Everything needs to be strategised thus I had my wisdom tooth surgery scheduled during the March school hols so I can spend the 5-day medical leave with the kids. The surgery was nasty and I exhausted the list of every soft food recommendation my friends gave. Whoever said I could lose weight with the soft diet sure was wrong. All the more I kept turning to food for comfort. Porridge, mee sua, (daily B&J) ice cream, beancurd, durian pudding, half-boiled eggs, extra soaked maggi mee, canned soup, oatmeal, yoghurt, mashed potatoes. I gained 1kg pre- surgery for stocking up chewable intake and 1kg post-surgery for the comforting calories, thank you.

Pink and White and Frocks and Locks

Okay I’m not that hardcore. There are days when I don’t dress them to my personal preference cos they need to blend in at events. Last Saturday my brother and wife took them to a birthday party of their friend’s 1yo little girl so I got a loooong me-time initially planned for studying but I got to sleeping instead.

Pink and white, sugary sight.