The week after

Now that things are back to normal for a while at work, its time to catch up on all the things/ people I love to do/see that I haven't even thought of doing in a while.

Started off on Sunday with a night out on the town with S. Haven't see him since St Paddy's day and that was not the most fun night. 3 guys sitting around talking about the SAF is not really my idea of a good time. Although the pints of Kilkenny kinda made up for it.

So on Sunday, we went to 3 very different clubs - one with a great view outside but not inside, the second where i was probably the only one over 30 and finally to this joint that was probably fun if you could see through all the smoke. Smoke machine smoke. Cos smoking is banned in clubs, in case you didn't know.

Monday, after sleeping of the initial stages of inebriation, I met A and T for coffee at TCC. TCC is probably my fave cafe now. Its got great service, love the drinks and to top it off, they have the best dessert in the world.

ladies and gents, feast your eyes on "Dark Devotion"


It is a warm chocolate cake with a molten centre, topped with vanilla ice cream and a raspberry croulis. Heaven.

And on Tuesday, I came home to watch "The Last Mimzy" with my son. Sucky theology, great sci fi.

Today is Thursday, and I may go get a facial. God knows its time. My skin looks like Tommy Lee Jones on a good day.

It's over

The really big event that I had been stressing over the last 2 months is finally over, and I feel like a huge stone has been lifted off my chest.
Its been a really exciting, stressful, rewarding and frustrating time. And if that sounds confusing, then you know exactly how I feel.

So in the midst of the post-production blues, I will recount some key points, lest I forget.

1) The number of people who appreciate your efforts far outweigh those that don't, even if they don't always say it. And the naysayers are totally inconsequential.

2) People who do say how much they appreciate your efforts are worth their weight in gold.

3)Things don't go according to plan always, but that's ok.

4) When things do go wrong, it is not cool to squat down in a foetal position and put your head in your hands. Not glamourous. This is exactly what I did when my slide show didn't come on with the music as planned and then hung for an eternal 7 seconds. Not glamourous at all.

5) It's also not cool to yell at your colleagues when they are just as frazzled as you are about aforementioned slide show boo boo. And be thankful when they understand you are stressed and don't hold it against you. Thanks ZW and TX, for being decent human beings.

6) When people come and harangue you about stuff you can't control, it's good when your CEO walks by and provides the answers and shuts the person up. At this point, its also ok to smile smugly. That told you, little Miss Control Freak.

7) It really feels good to see the President and his wife laughing, clapping and having a good time. Makes all the crap worthwhile.

8) It's nice being hugged by your boss :)

Moving

Whoever scheduled us to move office in the same week as the most important club event of the year ought to be strung up and made to listen to 12 hours of the Umbrella song.

It was a nightmare. No email, no phone, no fax, boxes everywhere. It took its toll on us in the way of strained backs, general stinkiness and the wonderful feeling of having 3000 things to do and not getting any of it done. Sigh.

The new temp office is not as bad as I thought though. Its sorta like a cabana in the middle of the forest, a little hideaway where noone can find us.

Which is not a bad thing.

But, oh, the timing. It really riles me.

Life according to my Ipod

The Rules.
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense.
4. With the answers down, or even comment on it.
5. Tag 5 people.

1) How are you feeling today?
Dil To Pagal Hai
(My Heart is Mad. Yep Yep, sounds about right)

2) Will you get far in life?
Let Your Love Go by Bread
(Hmm, cryptic, but a message there, maybe?)

3) What’s your best friend’s theme song?
Something more than this from Baghdad Cafe, the Musical
(Oh absolutely)

4) What is the story of your life?
Came to the Rescue by Hillsong United
(Woah, thats just so true isnt it? If I wasn't rescued from my cesspit of a life, and found the Lord, goodness now what I will be now)

5) What was school like?
London Bridge by Bread
(Yes, it was indeed falling down all around me, all the time)

6) How can you get ahead with life?
Khabi Khabi Mere Dil Mein from Movie Khabi Khabi
(Sometimes,sometimes, this heart of mine... Quite true this. I tend to follow my heart more than my heart more times than I care to count)

7) Whats the best thing about your friends?
Dismal Day by Bread
(As in they brighten up my...)

8) Describe your grandparents.
Nee Kattum Selai
(Translation: The Sari you wear. Strange. I do remember seeing my grandmother in a sari alot)

9) How’s your life going?
How Much More from You Gave album
(I do feel overly and abundantly blesses at times. Not lately, but at times.)

10) What will be played at my funeral?
Shout to the Lord
(Yes Yes!!! Couldn't have said it better)

11) Will you have a happy life?
If by Bread
(Woah... like..woah )

12) What do your friends really think of you?
Shout your fame by Hillsong
(Please do. I lap up affirmation of this sort)

13) Do people secretly lust after you?
Look what you have done by Bread
(Is that a yes?)

14) How can you make yourself happy?
God is good by Various Artists
(Amen to that)

15) Will you ever have children?
Baghdad Cafe from Musical Baghdad cafe
(Apparently I will eat instead)

16) What song would you strip to?
Psalm 91 from You Gave album
(Ok, that's just wrong)

17) What does your mom think of you?
Yes and Amen Sermon by Pastor Joseph Prince
(She always did say I was her favourite daughter)

18) What is your deep, dark secret?
Fancy Dancer by Bread
(No secret man. Everyone knows I am fabulous on the dance floor)

19) What is your enemy’s theme song?
Above All by Michael W Smith
(Not even. You are going down, buddy)

20) Whats your personality like?
From the Inside Out by Hillsong
(Apt)

21) What will be played at your wedding?
Light by Hillsong United
(It will be a total rocker wedding dude.)


Heh heh, that was fun. Now if you read all the the way through this, consider yourself tagged.

The Many Uses of Bath Foam

Ok, straight off, I want to put down a disclaimer that if there are any readers who are squeamish about female issues, stop reading now.

Now that that's done with, here is a trip down memory lane.

Remember those laundry detergent ads from our childhood with people in white lab coats? The well groomed dudes who always are conducting some kind of product test to a group of easily impressed women?

Anyway, one line from that ad always caught my attention as a child.
" Washes away dirt, grease and blood. Just rub a little on the stain, and the rest in the wash..."

I remember thinking, who is this person who keeps getting blood on their clothes. In my innocent little mind I am thinking kids who fall down a lot, etc.

Then I attained womanhood. And the reference to blood made sense. That's who deals with bloody clothes on a regular, frequent basis - fecund women who realise early that bloodstains are darn near impossible to get out of those lovely lacey undies.

I used to belong to that sad group, where no amount of soaking, scrubbing and "rubbing a little on the stain" helped. In most cases, the shadow of a stain remained. If I had a dollar for every stained but otherwise still serviceable panty i threw away, I will be able to buy stock in the lingerie company.

But one day, quite by accident, I found the perfect solution. Having run out of laundry detergent, I grabbed the nearest soap-type product, which happened to be my bath foam and quickly rubbed it onto the stain before it got a chance to set. I expected to just use it as a stop gap, but lo and behold, on the first rinse, the stain totally disappeared! No shadow, no soaking, nothing!

That's my secret to clean underwear now. Bath foam. Preferably the kind with some kind of skin lightening or whitening ingredient. Apparently those create a higher oxygen reaction which is the best thing getting rid of blood stains.

And honestly, I rather have bath foam on my underwear than bleach.

5 love languages

The Five Love Languages

My primary love language is probably
Physical Touch
with a secondary love language being
Quality Time.

Complete set of results

Physical Touch:		11
Quality Time:		7
Words of Affirmation:		6
Receiving Gifts:		5
Acts of Service:		1

Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

Take the quiz

The Poor Ankle

My ankles have taken quite a beating in their 30 odd years of life.

First there was all that energetic foot stamping from my Indian Classical Dance classes, which took place at least one a week for a period of 12 years.

Then there was the exuberant marching around in shiny boots while serving the Girl Guides need for military discipline. Which was a laugh, because none of us had the coordination or the stamina for it.

Finally, there was the excitment of racing around a basketball court for 4 odd years, dribbling, laying up and rebounding and defending, which so its fair share of ankle twists and skinned knees.

So is it any wonder, that while talking on the phone, and trying to avoid a drain grating, and thus inadvertently sinking my foot into a harmless pothole, my ankle would get fractured to the point where a bone fragment is now swimming loosely in all that swollen tissue.

Or that something is bleeding inside, which makes my right ankle look like a dark purple alien from the plant Zoorg?

Or that I have been asked to stay for my feet for 5 -7 days, thus missing the most important event at work that I worked my ass off coordinating and doing all the grunt work for?

The upside of course, is getting to have breakfast with the family for the first time in about 4 months, and the chance to generally lay in bed without feeling guilty.

But the timing couldn't be worse. This is a busy season. It's all hands on deck, pedal to the mettle, ain't over till the fat lady sings.

Except the fat lady has a fractured ankle.

Gah.