27 July 2007 — Guys, this is your chance to run. As the title suggests, I’m gonna talk about women’s stuff… catch my drift? Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

So yep, it’s my off-day, and whilst I’ve had a pretty fruitful first half of a day, I’m now back in my room having a monster of a menstrual cramp. YES, I used the “M” word, told you to run when you could! So not happy Jen… so what does a nat have for curing period pain?

Herbal PMS cream, no-brainer tissue salts and Arnica, a homeopathic remedy, which is good for all muscular stuff. So since it is a kind of muscular cramp, just whack lah, no harm right?

But the point of this blog is… no I do not take some sick pleasure in divulging my female problems to the whole wide world… the point is that I wanted to show off my hot water bottle!

Isn’t it cute?!!! More importantly, I must point out that it’s my MAMA that got it for me. This is living proof that somewhere in that woman, there is a hint of sophisticated discernment, aka good taste. Not only that, but she paid good money for it! I promised I won’t disclose the amount lest my laoba skins her. She actually got it from one of those chi-chi shops along Ann Siang Hill called egg3 . 哇，好感人哦…

So yes, even though I am in pain, finally having the chance to use my very pretentious hot water bottle to warm my tummy makes it all better… Ahh… aiyah I very shallow one lah, you dunno meh?

If the pain does get any worse, there’s always this:

Yes, the “Rapido” version too. I’m no martyr.

But of course, the best cure for any sort of pain…

…is having one of these to reiki me. I just adore the fella. But what to do, here no can do.

So why am I still blogging when I’m suffering??? Don’t you know? Back in the old days, the signs and symptoms were so similar that they referred to menstrual abnormalities as “hysteria”; that’s where “hysterectomy” got its name. So why am I blogging? Well I must be crazy!

24 Jul 2007 — Ok ok I know I’ve had my issues with chemical-laden cosmetics and toiletries in the past, save for their exorbitant prices if nothing else… BUT truly people, I have found something that really works and is worth the arm, leg and kidney that it costs! Well, that’s what the spare one is for isn’t it?… When you get really hard up: starvation, a wedding, ridiculously expensive make-up. Yes, I have found my miracle cure. Need I even say it? SK-II of course.

I know, I know, this product is so over-rated it’s not funny. And usually I would disregard its said wondrous results as nothing more than mere marketing ploy, but then I started hearing my own friends vouch for it… and even so, I managed to stand my ground. Yep, even when everyone was telling me it was the absolute best thing I can do to prep my skin for the big day, I resisted and succeeded in resisting. But then, the last straw hit me, in the most unlikely form. When even a NERD like Adeline can tell me she now swears by SK-II’s Treatment Essence, that’s it lah! Adeline leh, so brainy so broke one also can bring herself to buy SK-II and somemore tell me it’s good, how can I a self-professed self-respecting vainpot withhold this expenditure?!? That would be SO WRONG.

When I told William about this, he “tsk tsk” me. How can you sell out like this? What happened to only using au natural, herbal-based toiletries?… What happened? What happened?!? I turned 30! That’s what happened. When a woman turns 30, she gains her god-given right to use whatever pharmaceutical grade cosmetics she wants, and she needs it! Yup, none of that mild gentle natural stuff for me no more. I’m at the stage of my life where I need the potent, hardcore stuff to max out what little shelf-life I have left. And Adeline and I both agreed that we have no pretensions about employing cosmetic procedures either. When the time comes, I will sensibly book myself in for some botox. Or perhaps even organize a botox and wine party, if it’s not too passé by then. Yep, I have absolutely no issues with some “extreme makeover” from time to time and I am certainly not above using it if needs be.

And so it got me. I got sucked in, I got sucked in bad… That trip back to Male, I made a stop at Duty-Free and got myself a bottle of the Facial Treatment Essence and also the Advanced Signs Treatment moisturizing cream, the big ones somemore, and when I got back to the resort I started using them religiously. Just three days in, I’ve only got one thing to say…. Shit!

Shit, if I had known it was THIS good I would have bought it before my wedding, I would have bought it when I first heard about it, even if it meant starving at that point. Man, I would have bought it when my skin was still pre-pubescent and flawless as a baby’s bottom! It is that good. I speaketh the truth here my good friends. My skin has become so much less problematic. It looks and feels so much healthier, smoother, firmer, more moisturized, and most of all, that infamous glow-glow-glow-glow-glow… Yup! It’s DEFINITELY there! My face is indisputably radiant! Just radiant! SK-II has breathed new life into it. If I was anymore dramatic, I might even say I am experiencing a rebirth.

So people, stop wasting your money on any other skincare product. If it’s not SK-II, it’s money down the toilet. And if you are trying to be difficult, skeptical and stupid like I was before, well then, that’s YOUR loss isn’t it?

Oh, but for those who are open-minded and wise enough to go grab your own bottle of “Miracle Water”, one more tip for you. The box suggests two ways of application, either using a cotton pad or using your palms directly. My advice: skip the pads completely! Use your brain, use your brain. Why waste that good stuff on some useless cotton every application when you could be using it later on your skin?!? At $170 a pop, every drop counts man.

And yep, if I were you, I would stop reading and go get it, I would go get it right now! Goodness knows how much time you’ve lost already?!?! Why are you still here?!?

18 Jul 2007 — So it’s been a while since you last heard from me, well lucky me, I managed to sneak away for another holiday. Yep, was back in Singapore for another 10 days the last couple of weeks. And yes, managed to surprise both my parents and William again. Billie was heading back for Aelvin’s wedding, and seeing how it was only 3 weeks since our last vacation, I thought there was no way I’d be able to go, but well, what do I have to lose by trying right? So I asked Tara, and she was like, “Sure babe, I don’t see a problem.” When your boss lets you go, you don’t ask questions, you just go.

It was nice to go back to do some catching up. ‘Cos the last trip, we were so swamped we hardly spent any time with family and friends, and before we knew what hit us, we were already shipping out. For those of you I didn’t see though, please accept my apologies but this trip was really very much a family-oriented trip, spending lots of time with parents, grandparents and nanny. Yeah, William and I finally got to meet his dad, whom we’ve not seen in 6/7 years! Made a trip up to Ipoh to visit his mum and also spent a couple of days in KL with his dad. As testament to how family-focused I was, even though the Great Singapore Sale was still on, I didn’t make a single trip to town and didn’t buy a single item of clothing!!! So thank you for understanding if you did not receive a call from us. Wendy, I did try to call you several times but couldn’t contact you. Will catch up next time k?

I’ve been back 3 days now and for some reason, I’m like heaps more homesick this time than I was last time. Somehow I miss William a lot more than the previous trip back, probably because I was still on a wedding high. This time I’m just so upset that I’m not going with him, that I won’t be living with him. I started pondering, so yes, I’m homesick, but where was I homesick for? And strangely it seems to be for Sydney. So much that in Male with a few hours to kill before the seaplane transfer, I found myself getting rather emotional at finding a couple of Aussie reminders in the local supermarket.

When I spotted the Blast dishwashing detergent, in my favourite scent no less, I started getting teary.

And these summer rolls, there were my favorites in Australia, there was no way I was passing them over!

You don’t understand… finding these things in the Maldives is like finding gold! Buying these items filled a bit of the void that was starting to engulf me.

I used to tell William with tinges of contempt that he could make any country home because having spent an almost equal amount of time in all the different places he’s been in, he doesn’t really have roots anywhere; he isn’t grounded. Well, I’m starting to feel rather displaced myself. I mean, this whole notion of being homesick for Sydney seems rather bizarre, and even bothers on being pathetic, considering it’s not really my home; we have no roots nor family there, and more likely than not, will not be returning for a while. Somehow though there is a definite sense of longing that I can’t quite ignore. It is undeniably tugging at my heartstrings more so than any other place.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not turning my back on Singapore, Singapore will always be home-home, and yes, I do still yearn to return at some point to live out the rest of my life. I’m just saying that at this moment, Singapore seems a little less relevant, my memories of it a little distant. As for America? What about it? As of now, other than the fact that Billie is there, it is of utterly no consequence to me.

Quite frankly, I don’t even think it’s so much the place that I’m pining for when I say I miss Sydney, but rather the imprints that Billie and I have carved out there, the life we’ve made. I miss being with him, doing stuff with him, hanging out with him. All those boring mundane usual stuff like having meals, grocery shopping, watching movies, sitting in front of our respective computers ignoring the other person for hours on end. Perhaps I’m just longing for it a little teeny weeny bit more now that we are officially married. Like that would really make a difference having been together the last 11 years?!?

Home is where the heart is, so possibly I’m homesick because he’s just not here. And perhaps I’m getting old, I’ve definitely felt the transition ever since the BIG 3-0, but I got thinking the other day, in a life of 70 odd years, I’ve already given up one year in which to spend with Billie, can I really afford to give up any more? Weiling once asked me, “How do you know William’s THE one?” And I replied, “Cause there are days when I think one lifetime is way too short to spend with him.” So in reply to my own question, I think not. This shall be my last stint. Luckily for Ah Bi, my biological clock is also ticking.