Having "Me" Time

Happy Chinese New Year everyone! Even if you don’t celebrate it, I think it’s a great day to just go out, reunite with family friends and have an awesome day. Today what comes to mind is how we humans are indeed funny creatures (or maybe it’s just me). Have you ever been in a situation where you had to make a decision, yet a zillion different choices come up? Which choice do you choose? What happens to me is that at first instinct, I say “This is what I like.I choose “A”. However, to be sure that THIS is the choice that I really like, I end up going through all the alternatives in meticulous detail. I go through the pros and cons, check details on websites, read reviews and think about the choices day-in day-out. The result? After painstakingly looking at all the details and having a pile of information, I go back to “A.”The first option I decided on. It makes me wonder, why do I go through all these motions of checking, going through details, only to revert back to the...

A strange kind of peace seems to have transcended since the New Years.  Maybe it is because I am just getting a little older and a little calmer.   Or maybe it's because I have been enjoying the time truly having some much needed "me" time reading books and being alone with my thoughts.  I think being able to just stay home with uninterrupted time for a few hours on a weekend is indeed a time to cherish and value.  It allows one time to really prioritize and define what is indeed important in life. This year I thought about why we all like Christmas and New Years so much.  I always enjoyed it but never really gave much thought to why we can't spend the rest of our year thinking it's Christmas or New Years.  Wouldn't life be so much more pleasant? For me, I discovered that Christmas and New Years are a good time for one to re-tune and get back in touch with those most dear to us.   It's when we often go out to eat ...

Sometimes, happiness can be found in the littlest places.  You do not need much space to be happy as a friend of my discovered this past two months during the recent flooding in Bangkok.   Happiness is something that for different people comes from a number of reasons. Even though this flooding was disastrous it actually brought a little happiness to some people. Now, let me give you some background.  My friend is usually is a lady who is extremely house-proud and will spend most of her waking energy looking after the house, cleaning and putting things in order.  Yes, everything is top notch shining, bright and everything is set in its proper place.   Not an inch too far to the right or to the left.   She enjoys it and enjoys having a house that is always beautiful to look at.  No trash left lying around. No shoes or books left where they shouldn't be. Then the flood came.  Everything had to be moved to the second floor. Ev...

I want to write about so many things, but I cannot do it all in one night so today I thought I'd write about a little revelation I had today. It has to do with clothes. Yes, girls never have enough clothes, shoes bags and accessories.  We love our little fashion items and do not hesitate to buy more even though we have closets full of similar stuff at home.   Then we run out of space and need more. Today I went to pick up a suit I had made.   On the way out,  I passed by some stores and spotted several nice dresses.  Thinking to myself that I am always wearing the same style of clothes, a dark skirt and a shirt,  I thought to myself that I should get something different.  (I suppose that's the excuse I give myself.) I went in and tried on dresses, pants and shoes.  I eventually bought myself a dress and a jacket. Yes, I now have something new for this holiday season. I am happy. Upon returning home, as I always do wh...

Have you ever had one of those moments when you want something, know you have it somewhere, just saw it the other day, but now that you need it, you can't find it? It's just not there?  I'm having one of those moments now.  It makes me wonder, if suddenly it is going to pop up out of the blue when I least expect it?  That is usually what happens to me. Days later, "Poof! Here it is! It was right before me all along, but it was hidden by something."  Now I wonder why it is not there when I first wanted it to be.  Why can't life be a little simpler? Maybe it's because we have to learn to really "see" things from another perspective before what we are looking for comes to us. Before we realize it was there all along. Sometimes, oftentimes, people spend their lives looking for love, happiness and peace.  They want a happier life, a more fulfilling life.  Some will go through extremes, move countries, build a business empire, maybe even climb mo...

An eerie silence has befallen Bangkok once again.  It's as if the whole city is holding it's breath.  Breathe too loudly and you just might trip over.  Last time this happened was last year during the political unrest.  Only this time,  the eerie silence is spread much further out.  Not only inner Bangkok but now the suburbs too are subject to this eerie silence. Cars are not wanted now.  They are all parked on bridges, expressways, parking lots and anywhere that is above ground level.  It's too expensive to just let them drown in water.  With car taxes over two hundred percent, most cannot afford to lose the only car they have.  I cannot.  I'm still paying the monthly installments.  Even the taxi companies are saving their cars and few now roam the streets.  It's difficult to go anywhere.  Walking becomes the mode of transport. While walking, I sometimes wonder if I am living in a deserted town lik...

"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts,"                                                                          William Shakespeare I think Shakespeare was really right to compare our world to being a stage and us merely players.  We are all born onto this earth as a child, we play our parts, grow up, and then we depart.  Sometimes it's as if we are taking part in one giant movie.  Each life is a different movie.  Sometimes they interact, sometimes they each take their own path.   U...

September 7 is a special day for me.  It's special because on this day, one of my best friends was born.  You know who you are.  I've known you for almost fifteen years already and no matter how near or far, we are always the same.  Even though sometimes years have passed before we see another, when we meet it is exactly the same. We know each other inside out.  We know the good and the bad. College was where it all happened.  I loved my time there and of course being with good friend made it all better. Together we explored the city, tried out new eateries and cried on each other's shoulders.  I remember studying together in the library, hanging out in the lab (with me trying to help although I have no clue about robotics.  I did help put together a motor for a robot leg though!), buying lunch at food trucks, late night karaokes, or cooking dinners.   Her room was always where we hung out.  It was where everyone hu...

The other day I read a New York Times article on "Decision Fatigue" and it has been intriguing me ever since.  It is fascinating for it helps us understand a little more the things that affect the mind and how it works.   We all know that when we are tired, the brain functions a little less, we make human errors, we make mistakes, we start becoming unintelligible, and if we are really tired, we start to resemble a zombie.  However, what we don't realize is that in the course of day to day life we may make a lot of decisions without realizing we are actually tired and that this "tiredness" is affecting how we decide. The article cites a research that was done on parole hearings.  Those heard early in the morning, or after coffee breaks and lunch were more likely to get parole than those who were heard later in the day.  This is even if they had the same profile.  I feel sorry for those being heard later in the day.  The reason bein...

July has come and vanished before my eyes as if it were a firefly.  It's my birthday month and now I am officially another year older.  (Hopefully a little wiser. )  Birthdays are one of those days you can't wait for to arrive when you are a child, get a little anxious when it gets to a turning point, (like when you turn 30 or move up another notch), yet there remains a certain childish feeling of happiness one cannot quite put into words.  Though it dissipates over time, hints of it remain in the system as if it were a glowing glittering firefly that never dies. Birthdays for me have always been one of those days to celebrate with friends and families.   Three decades on they still are but of course things have evolved. No more days of hot potato games, blowing out candles (that actually reflect your actual birthday), or  playing hide and seek.  Now it's dinners and lunches in restaurants surrounded by those who matter ...

It's the little things that matter.  What is it that make one happy?  Is it money? Is it wealth? Is it getting that newest bag or that trendiest fashion item? Or is it the little things?  In my thirties, I realize that for me now it is the little things.  A thought, a gesture, an experience. The other day, I came home and since the weather was so lovely I sat on the front porch to take in some fresh air.  The weather was cool, the wind blew, trees wavered in the wind and birds flew here and there preparing their dinner (or so I think). This for me was happiness. I sat there looking out into the open sky whilst sounds of birds chirping filled the air.   Birds would fly and perch on the electrical wires forming a sihoulette against the darkeneing sky.  Someones one, sometimes two, or maybe more.  I could hear as the gush of wind ruffled leaves of nearby trees.   I wonder what makes birds happy.  Do birds know what happiness is? ...

The weekend is always dangerous.  It's especially dangerous when I find myself in the electronics section or in the kitchen appliances area.  If I am in the Apple Store too long, I get tempted by the iPad 2, the MacBook Air or even the little accessories.  Suddenly my iPhone feels like it needs a couple more accessories. (I already have three brand new cases waiting to be used.  I'm stocking up for when iPhone 3GS cases become hard to find... :P)  At the moment, the universal dock is tempting. I can charge my phone on it at night without taking up space on my bedside table and it'll look pretty on its stand..hmm In the kitchen appliances area, I'm drawn by all the baking materials.  Yes, I enjoy being a girl and cooking although I am also a working woman.  I enjoy cooking.   For me its like I get to go on a little vacation and create a few things.  A stir here and there, pop it in ...

If you live in Bangkok, drive, and find yourself caught in rush hour rain, then your usual simple journey back home can take on an entire new life and become an adventure of sorts. An adventure from the seat of your car. Today it took me two hours to arrive home. It usually takes me half an hour. There’s something about rain in Bangkok that just causes havoc. When it rains, it floods on certain roads. These floods cause cars to drive slowly. Slow cars means slow traffic. Then you have the crazy drivers that think they can push their cars through the traffic and end up blocking everyone else’s path, therefore causing even more road blocks. Some end up causing accidents, thereby resulting in even more traffic. I see these cars like characters in a racing game. You have the good obedient drivers that follow the rules no matter what : the perpetually calm driver . You have the usual obedient driver that suddenly realises following the rules results in being constantly over...

Tonight I am a little contemplative.  I think it's perhaps because of what I first saw when I got out of the house this morning coupled with the scandals making headline news.   Usually in my usual rush to work, the focus is about getting there on time, getting things done and ignoring all what else that might come between me and my goal.  I get a little frustrated when things don't go my way.  So when you open the front gate and come face to face with "death" it can be a little silent reminder on the brevity of life. Don't worry, it wasn't someone by my front gate (if it were, I'd probably be in too much of a shock to write tonight.) The "death" I saw was that of a young little kitten.   At first glance I thought the little kitten was just having a nap by my neighbour's house, but upon closer inspection I realized that it wasn't moving, it wasn't breathing and that there was dry blood not too far from the kitten....

The other day I had a chance to go to a temple unlike others in that the monk does not simply chant the buddhist prayers during the funeral, but instead he'll spend roughly half an hour teaching us some of the philosophies in plain language for all to understand.  I think it's great and I although the journey there was long and the journey back included wading through the flood and having my car at times turn into a boat, a lot of interesting thoughts remained in mind.  So much so I thought it'd be great to share a little of it here with you today.  It's about anger. Now we humans all have emotions. We feel happiness, sadness, fear, anger, jealousy and a zillion other feelings.  Sometimes we feel more than one at the same time and cannot quite distinguish which is which.   Sometimes they get the better of us and start influencing our actions. It's how we control those emotions though that make all the difference.   The monk's ex...

Most days in the morning when I arrive at the office, I am greeted by the entrance by a certain guard who is always sitting watching everyone come and go, walking here and there.  Amidst all this hectic movement, he remains calm and ever so pleasant.  Such a pleasant start to the morning it is indeed to be greeted by this guard.  Who is it? It's our very own beiged coated dog with wagging tail and grinning muzzle whom I've nick-named "The Guard." I know not who the owner is, but he is a dog that knows no harm.  He watches those who enter and leave  and has a sleek and toned body that is a reflection of strength.  He's one active dog with a built of a soldier dog.  He stands straight, shoulders back and head raised towards the sky, his ears alert for the slightest disturbance. A guard he is, but a friendly one with a muzzle that makes him look like he's always grinning. He keeps out of people's way by sitting safely by the door...

Today I read an interesting article in the New York Times entitled  "What's Your Biggest Regret?" it's interesting that one should study about it, but I suppose to learn and understand human behaviour, we have to take surveys and see what others feel.  Interestingly, the most common regreat among American adults involves a lost romantic opportunity.  This was from a sample of 370 adults. Second was family issues. It makes me think about "regret." Some consider it feeling a deep "remorse" or a sadness for a loss or absence of something.  Some define it as the "opportunity lost" or a "sadness one feels after an action one wishes one had not done."  Whatever definition you give it, it is basically a feeling one feels when one wishes one had taken an action rather than the one had. Then I thought about what my deepest "regret" was.  This was not easy as I tell myself not to "regret" any decision I make becaus...

Happy Anniversary!  Yes, it's Having 'Me' Time's first Anniversary!  A little over a year ago (on March 16th, 2010 to be exact) I turned on my computer, logged into a very old blogger account that had been inactive for years, and wrote my first post.  I thank you Alex for encouraging me as you always have.  I had no clue how it would evolve and until this day I am still wondering where all this writing will take me.  The only thing I am sure of though is that I'm enjoying every minute on it and that I truly appreciate everyone who has continued to follow my posts as well as your comments.  They make my day. Thank you for reading :) A lot has happened in the past year, not only with me but with the world in which we live.  Imagine, a year ago who would have thought an earthquake and tsunami of such magnitude would occur in Japan? Haiti and New Zealand?  The middle east was still calm.  There were...

Last night I opened up my email and read a lovely forward from an old childhood friend I've known since my age was still a single digit. We haven't lived in the same country for decades, but we always keep touch and she always sends such good forwards. This particular one though I could not let it past without sharing it with everyone. Thank you for sharing it with me. You know who you are :) The story is a bit long but please read it all the way through the end. It's a great reminder to us all of what is important in life, in relationships and how we view the world. Sometimes we go through life, trying to do everything that's expected of us, until we lose sight of the person we really are and the people who surround us. We are too busy performing our "tasks." Take a "pause" every now and then, look at the person next to you, and really see them. Are you spending "quality" time together? Are you taking care of each other and really unde...

I have a love for gadgets.  It's something that I think many of us share is this day and age when technology is just at your fingertips.  Everything can be ordered and viewed online.  Since the iPad's 2 launch exactly a week ago I have been drooling over it.   I'm tempted, very tempted.  I keep watching the adverts on youtube.  But now that the iPad 1 is almost a hundred dollars cheaper, which would make the more practical buy?  Do I really need one considering the lifestyle I have now? This past week, in order not to have an "impulse buy" I've been thinking about it.  (Actually, I've been thinking about it since the launch of iPad, but could not reason getting one considering it seems like a bigger version of my iPhone.)  Now with iPad 2, my desire for one gets stronger.  It's just a matter of time.   As technology evolves, so does our future.  In the future I envision many households having at least one iPa...