Resignation

I tendered my official resignation today.

And I feel, well, nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Zero. Nada. Zilch.

Nothing.

Rest

I slept in for the whole day today.

I felt absolutely exhausted, like a wrung out old sponge, with not a drop of energy in me.

Maybe it's just that time of the month.

Or maybe it's simply because I really really hate my job.

I'm hoping it's the former, though I'm pretty sure it's more likely to be the latter.

I only worked 3 days this week (after a 2-week break, that is), yet it felt like forever. I didn't really get much work done and we weren't overly busy, yet I feel both emotionally and physically drained.

So I just slept and slept for most of today, only waking up in between for food and nature calls.

It wasn't at all an uneventful day at home though.

The pest control company was supposed to send over a team at 8.30am to inspect the ceiling space because we suspect we have rats infestation (ew! I know.) or possum in the roof, but no one showed up at all.

After multiple phone calls, we have now been rescheduled to Monday.

Apparently, they were flat out busy and overbooked today due to the flash flooding in other areas. The same company also does insulation, ventilation, water/dampness removal, and the lot.

We completely understand (and sympathised, might I add) that those who were affected by flash flooding should be given priority compared to our minor case of having little rodents running around in our roof space. We just wished that the company had the courtesy of notifying us earlier instead of constantly leading us on each time Bee called and checked on them today, so Bee didn't have to wake up at 8am and wasted nearly the whole day waiting for a no-show.

On the plus side, the fella from the renowned sofa manufacturer showed up on time, unscrewed all the chunky wooden legs, replaced the fabric underneath Marcus, and reassembled it back to its original position for us. He was polite, friendly and professional.

I was sleeping when he came over, so Bee was in charge of overseeing the process, except that he didn't. *Rolls eyes*

And since the 2.5 seater is now (kinda) locked to the chaise from underneath, it's too much of a hassle to undo the locking mechanism, flip them over and inspect the work closely.

Can't say I'm not tempted though, given my OCD tendency. I can just imagine how much of a hassle it would be to have to follow up and hassle the manufacturer if we were turn the sofa over a few months down the road and realise that it wasn't done properly.

Oh well, I guess we just have to have a little faith that he did a good job and my Marcus is now back to being perfect, sans the few new scratches. :|

Besides, out of sight, out of mind. How often do you look underneath your sofa anyway, right?

(Chanting to self: let go, MisSmall, let go! Just breath in, breath out, and let go.)

Anyhoo, speaking of faith, I received an unbelievably good news today.

Something that I totally did not expect at all, and to be honest, I think I'm still a little in shock even till now.

I can't reveal too much at this stage. You know, don't really wanna jinx it and all. *Knocks on wood*

But hopefully I can let you guys know more about it once the details have been finalised. Most likely next week since I have an appointment with them on Friday, but it might take a little longer to get everything sorted out.

For now, let's just say that sometimes, maybe we should give ourselves more credit and faith than we think we deserve, and you might just be pleasantly surprised. :)

It's nearly 11.30pm now and I just woke up from another long nap, feeling groggy and drowsy.

Well, I guess I'll go grab myself something to fill my tummy before going back to sleep again.

My Friday night rocks! *Note the obvious sarcasm*

Goodnight, darlings.

Exhausted

Today, I woke up feeling completely worn out. Like an old piece of mouldy soggy rug.

Didn't get much sleep at all last night even though I probably loaded myself with enough sleeping pills to tranquilise a rhino.

To be honest, I feel like a hypocrite.

You see, I advise and encourage my insomniac patients to use natural treatments (eg. exercise, eliminating stress, diet, adjusting sleep patterns and rhythms, supplements, etc.) instead of depending on medications, while I myself pop sleeping tablets like lollies on some days.

I feel like a phoney. I really do.

But hey, haven't you ever had an obese cardiologist who tells you to go on diet or exercise more to lose weight and stay healthy?

We all talk the talk, but how many of us can really walk the walk?

Moving on.

So I went to work today looking and feeling worse for wear. I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open and concentrate.

To make matters worse, we were understaffed today because one of the full-timers called in sick. Actually, she didn't even call, she just didn't show up for work, so I didn't get ample notification beforehand to have time to organise for extra staff to cover her shift.

And it really didn't help that Thursday is the day when all the crazy and cranky come out to play. :|

It was so chaotic that at one point, I seriously felt like breaking down and screaming "STOP!" to make everything and everyone pause for a brief moment just so I can breath.

You know, like in the cartoons, where the frame freezes, the characters become idle, and the world literally stops spinning. How cool would it be if we were able to take time-out's like that in real life huh?

By the time I finished for the day, I was exhausted. I just wanted to go home, dig a hole, crawl into it, and hibernate for rest of the year.

And that is when I suddenly remembered that I've actually double-booked Bee and myself for dinner. This whole going-back-to-work and lack-of-sleep thing has really taken a toll on me.

I promised to meet up with Wen and KT in the city, and completely forgot that Bee and I already had dinner plans with another friend.

So we had to cancel on Wen and KT because we made plans with the other friend first and I already bailed on him once last week. :P

Dinner was good, except that I didn't know this friend of ours seems to know everyone in the area.

We sat at the alfresco dining area because it was such a beautiful summer night, and we constantly had people stopping to say hi or sitting down at our table for a chit-chat. Mostly owners of local businesses and vendors.

It was delightful, really. Unexpected, but rather entertaining.

Well, I guess it was only enjoyable because my 3-day weekend officially starts tonight.

And maybe the fact that my mum texted me earlier on to remind me that it's Chap Goh Meh today so I felt slightly more, well, festive.

By the time Bee and I got home, I was absolutely drained.

I'm so tired at the moment that I don't think I want to move a single muscle on my body for the next 24 hours!

Oh thank God for weekends!

Tired

Barely 2 days back to work and I'm already sick of it.

I was hoping that the 2-week break will help me to regain some momentum, at least enough to carry me through to April, but I guess the plan didn't work out as well as I had hope it would.

It felt as if I had never left, and now, once again, I'm just back to being stuck in the shit hole that makes me dread waking up to go to work everyday.

Also, I've been falling asleep in the car every morning when Bee drives me to work, which has never happened before.

Not just like resting-my-eyes sleep, but real deep sleep. I was fully lolling around in the passenger seat like a pissed drunk sailor.

The first time it happened, Bee got a little freaked out because he actually suspected that I might have passed out. He even contemplated whether or not he should shake me to see if I was still conscious. Haha. Oh you gotta love that man!

Maybe my body is still adjusting to waking up early. I've been waking up at noon everyday for the past 2 weeks, for goodness' sake!

Or maybe it's just that time of the month and I'm more lethargic than usual.

Or the simplest explanation is, I really really hate my job, my irresponsible dodgy boss, and his super annoying uneducated uncultured mother.

Whatever the reason is, I'm feeling so very worn out and honestly can't be bothered with doing anything.

But still, I have to put up a smile and try to greet everyone in a (seemingly) happy spirit, "Good morning, how are we doing today? What can I do for you?"

At the end of the day, I'm paid to solve their problems, not the other way round.

But some of my regular patients did realise that I'm, well, different.

"Are you unwell? You are not your usual bubbly self." She said.

"Nah, I'm just a little tired, that's all." I smiled politely and said.

The the truth is, I'm just too exhausted to fake a "bubbly self".

And mind you, this is actually one of the (very few) nice patients that I actually like. So imagine having to face those patients who already drive me nuts even on a normal day.

Okay, enough ranting.

I might go get myself a really strong cup of coffee or slash some icy scold water on my face. I've been yawning like a thousand times an hour it's not funny.

It's only Wednesday, but I can't wait for for the week to be over already!'

*Yawns*

Leisure

Today, I decided to embrace my lazy nature, instead of constantly feeling guilty about it.

After all, there is a very fine line between lazy and leisure.

And in my case, lazy is leisure.

So I slept in till noon, had a large piece of lemon cheesecake with earl grey tea as breakfast, and spent the rest of the day laying on my leather chaise with a blanket and my laptop.

Blogged a little, watched a few movies, took short naps, and well, just be lazy.

I was happy. Relaxed, and happy.

And I'm beginning to think that maybe I don't even want to go back to work at all.

Maybe, just maybe, I should quit my job earlier than planned. Like, next week.

I don't know whether I will get bored after a while, or if I will miss working (definitely not my current job though) down the road, but at the moment, I seriously think that this is a lifestyle that I'm more comfortable and happy with.

However, the thought is not without a tinge of nervousness and guilt though.

Now let's put aside the bad economy and how tough the job market currently is, and let's just ignore my massive credit card bills due to my shopaholic self.

You see, I came from a background where almost every woman in my family and extended families has her own career.

My mum runs her own business, which she built from scratch after she left a job she was second in charge after nearly 20 years. She works 7 days a week, and runs a household of five (excluding maids) at the same time.

Between juggling work and family, she still managed to take over and supervise the building of our new house when my dad got sick in year 2000, after which she single handedly did the interior designing, decorating, and garden landscaping all by herself.

And if not for my over-controlling and jealousy dad, I have no doubts she would have a social calender busier than queen of England.

She has more interests and hobbies than I can count with both hands, and she's always on the go. Always something to do, always something to see, always something to learn, always something to start, and of course, always something to buy.

For an example, this is the text message she sent me when I told her that I'm too lazy to do anything lately:

"我的人生座右铭是坐言起行，理想没去实践就是幻想，梦想要实际行动才是理想，贫富两和尚的故事就是例子，年轻就是本钱，凡事别拖，马上行动，成功等着你！共勉之."

So yes, how a motivated and driven mother like her ended up having a lazy daughter like me is beyond me.

Especially since I'm supposed to be the genius and trophy child of both of my maternal and paternal families.

Maybe it's quarter-life crisis. It began after the age of 25, I think.

Maybe it's because of our privileged upbringing, which my parents were not fortunate enough to have when they were young.

Or maybe it's because as my my mum once jokingly said, I'm destined to be a lady of leisure.

Honestly, I don't know what I'm meant to or supposed to be.

(Do we ever?)

I wish I do, but I don't.

So, as with everything else in life, it's a matter of choice.

And today, I chose to be lazy.

Lazy

I woke up feeling kinda tired today.

Not unwell, just lazy.

(Then again, I'm lazy everyday.)

We had quite a few errands to run today though, but since I wasn't feeling up for it, my very understanding and loving husband had to go out and do them all by himself.

He even specially brought home a cheesecake to cheer me up. Awww, isn't he just the sweetest boy ever?

Was planning on doing some organising and filling of documents (which I've been putting off for months!), but as usual, I procrastinated.

Ended up spending the whole afternoon curling up on the chaise with my laptop, and before I knew it, it's nearly 5pm!

Another day has gone by wasted and now I'm left feeling guilty for having been so unproductive and done absolutely nothing at all for the whole day.

"It's okay, girlie, you're on holidays! You're fully entitled to not do anything." Bee tried to comfort me as he gently stroked my greasy unwashed hair.

I know, but still.

Maybe I'm just starting to feel a bit sad that my 2-week holiday is coming to an end and we didn't actually do anything we originally planned on doing.

Eg. road trips to Great Ocean Road and Mornington Peninsula, dinner at this Nepalese restaurant we have wanted to try out for a while now, going to the theater, getting the roof fixed and the garden/house in order, shopping for new furnitures, etc. etc.

But 2 weeks has (nearly) flown past, and we did none of those things we set out to do.

Not even tidying up and opening the pile of mails that have been sitting on the floor for weeks now.

I really am the queen of procrastination, ain't I?

When I'm working, I normally justify my weekend of doing absolutely nothing by blaming it on the draining nature of my work that sucks out every single strand of energy from me. But I've been completely away from work for nearly 2 weeks, what is my excuse now?

*Sigh

Oh well, I guess there's no point crying over spilled milk huh?

And since nothing can really be done now, I might as well be lazy all the way.

(Oh how driven of me! *Note the sarcasm*)

You know what? I think I'm gonna go make myself a glass of Earl Grey tea, look at the afternoon sunlight shinning on my overgrown backyard, and learn to accept the fact that some of us are just, well, lazy.

Sequel

I had so much fun playing tai-tai yesterday that I decided to have a sequel today.

No, not really.

I simply had an appointment today and I thought I might as well dress up for it.

I mean, I have all these new dresses and shoes that haven't even been taken out of shopping bags yet and truly, they deserve better. To be seen, at least.

I have a weird habit of buying things and just putting them aside once I get home, sometimes never ever seeing or using them again.

I think I only enjoy the process of buying and the satisfaction of owning them?

Yes, I have issues, I know.

Moving on.

After a night of obsessing and mentally scrutinising (plus repeating) in my head every single little stupid thing that I may or may not have said during my less than perfect performance yesterday, I woke up early this morning and made an appointment with a consulting agency.

So, a new pair of peep-toe heels, new pantyhose, and a new simple black dress. There is much to be said about taking a dress, still wrapped in monogram paper, out of the shopping bag and cutting off its price tag.

The appointment was quick and brief, not much of concrete help, but I walked out feeling slightly better knowing that at least I have been proactive.

I might never be as eloquent, persuasive or assertive as I'd like myself to be in stressful situations, but it's comforting to know that it's something I could work on to become better by being well prepared beforehand.

Bee took me out to another scrumptious lunch after my appointment, and we had the pleasant surprise of discovering the best beer battered fish and chips at a local cafe.

A friend was supposed to join us for coffee, but he canceled last minute because he lost both the original and spare keys for his car so he was stuck at the dealership to get new ones made. He has a successful career which is making him big bucks, but he was recently dumped by his long term girlfriend and then his new house was flash flooded on the first day he moved in. We were hoping to catch up with him to check on how he's coping and if he needed help or just company, but I guess we'll have to reschedule for another day.

While I was sipping on my orange and mango sparkling water, Bee said to me, "See, sweetie, everyone has it hard sometimes and their own set of problems, no matter how perfect their lives might seem to be on the outside. So maybe you should toughen up a little, and not let every single silly trivial thing get to you so easily."

He has a point.

For as long as I can remember, I have been so vulnerable and feel defeated way too easily.

These days, I'd stay in bed, sulk and mop over the smallest things, such as the slightest imperfection of a few tears on fabric underneath my new leather sofa, a minor hiccup at an interview, a bad work day, interrupted internet connection, an unfinished task, a speeding ticket, small leaks in the roof, etc. etc.

I'm aware that this behaviour and attitude of mine is highly unappreciative and ungrateful given the many privileges I've been blessed with in my life, but I just couldn't help it.

This not the real me, it's just my depression. I know that.

But I do not know how long I will be feeling this way, or if I will ever go back to my old self again.

Oh well, let's not dwell on the sadness and our shortcomings on a beautiful day like this huh?

For now, there is glorious weather, pretty dresses, and absolutely delicious beer battered fish fillets.

Tai-Tai-Hood

Today, I decided to take tai-tai-hood out of the storage for a test drive.

Or should we say, a re-run.

(Tai Tai by definition, is a privileged lady of means.)

So I got all dolled up with a new dress fresh out of its unopened shopping bag and a pair of gorgeous new heels, went for a wash and blow dry which left my hair all shiny and silky smooth, had long lunch with husband at trendy cafe, then followed by an afternoon of jewellery shopping by dumping some serious bling on bling-blings.

To say the least, I took to the lifestyle like a fish to water. It's practically my natural habitat!

Which kinda made me wondered why did I, in the first place, even choose to leave it all behind in Malaysia 2 years ago and returned to Melbourne. To slave myself in a job that makes me so miserable I want to stab someone everyday?

Oh yes, it's because I used to love what I do for a living. Hmm. *Note the sarcasm*

But it was probably because I have been out of practice for too long, the lifestyle as a lady of leisure left me with unspeakable guilt afterwards.

Only about the jewellery shopping part though, which I'm beginning to think I overdid it a little.

In the span of less than an hour, I picked out nearly 30 pairs of earrings and 3 brooches!

Well, most of them are only of semi-precious stones, if that makes it any better.

The sales lady was really nice, and as you all now, I'm a sucker for good customer service, hence the inability to say no to whatever she took out from the shiny glass cabinet.

(Bee in the background, "She ought to be nice, you nearly bought the whole shop! It was probably her biggest sale in a single transaction for the month!")

But mainly because yours truly suffer from OCD when it comes to shopping.

Among my circle of friends, I'm known as the girl who specialises in bulk-buying. The honourable title came after the time when I bought 10 pair of shoes in one seating.

(Wait till they hear about my most recent blow-out!)

I'm never able to stop at just one item. I'm like Pringles, once I start, I can't stop! It's getting to a point that is seriously worrying me and, not to mention, my bank account.

It's a disease, really. I think I need to be institutionalised.

But I guess my spending bonanza could be justified by blaming it on a rather disappointing appointment that I had earlier on today, which kind of left me feeling like a complete idiot afterwards and kicking myself in the face for saying some of the things I have said.

In an emotionally vulnerable and fragile state, I let go of my self-inhibition (if I had any to start with, that is) and used lots of sparkles to mask my humiliation.

You know what they say, nothing beats retail therapy!

So tonight, as I'm obsessing and over-analysing in my head every single little things that I did wrong or didn't do, at least I have some new shiny things to look at.

Now I only have to find (in other words, create) some occasions to wear them.

Which I believe is part of the job description, as a professional tai-tai.

And so far, the role fits like a glove.

Queen of Procrastination

In honour of the title, I've decided not write today but post an article by Craig Harper instead.

The 2006 International Queen of Procrastination

Look out; I'm in one of those moods.

If you're feeling precious or a bit fragile, you may want to read this later.

Or never.

I have a friend (surprising, I know).

To call her a bit of a procrastinator would be like calling Tiger Woods a bit of a golfer.

In the world of procrastinators, she is a pioneer, an innovator.

She's the benchmark.

She has a PhD in time-wasting.

Just when you thought there could be no more reasons for not doing something, no more excuses.... she pulls out a gem; every time.

Slam Dunk.

Didn't see that coming.

And she does it with such conviction.

She talks herself into it.

Logic and reality don't even come into it.

I know what you're thinking; we create our own reality.

But sometimes we create a reality which destines us to being emotionally, socially and psychologically paralysed... forever. Living the life we don't want, but too fearful, too lazy or too indifferent to do anything about it.

I think deep down she knows she's full of crap, but at the same time she knows she can't admit it because then she would have to do something.

How many million reasons can one person give for putting off making decisions, and dealing with issues which should have been addressed forever ago?

Apparently, squillions.

I have crowned her the 2006 International Queen of Procrastination.

The judging criteria revolves around an individuals ability to fluff, waste time, make excuses, avoid issues, go around in circles, rationalise, justify and ignore logic, while simultaneously having an amazing ability to identify all the things which need to change in their own life.... just not right now.

But soon.

Aah, the mystical, mysterious... soon.

No matter how big the issue or situation, whenever I chat with her (we recently had chat number 14,728), it's never the right time.

It ain't about timing.

Or resources.

Or practical issues.

Or work.

Or kids.

Or money.

It's about her.

It's not the situation; it's her in the situation.

I'm not suggesting that we should all run out tomorrow and make rash decisions or put ourselves (or others) at risk. But I am suggesting that, if we're not careful, some of us will wake up one day, we'll be ten years older, we'll still be procrastinating, we'll still be unfulfilled, we'll still be frustrated and we'll wish like crazy that we had listened to Craig in 2006, got over our fear, got off our arse and stopped waiting for the right time.

Perhaps you have a friend like mine... or perhaps you are the friend.

~ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Harper

Yes, I am the friend.

And I do have a phd in time-wasting.

Storm

It started raining really heavily around 7.30pm last night.

Sure it was nothing compared to the Cyclone Yasi in Queensland, but a pretty bad storm nonetheless. The palm tree at my outdoor deck was swaying like crazy in the strong wind.

And about 15 minutes later, things got worse.

The ceiling in our family room started leaking water again!!

This time, all over my overpriced sofa, Marcus.

To say the least, I freaked out. There was water dripping (or more like, splashing) from the ceiling onto my brand new leather sofa that retails for 5 figures Oz dollars!

I was frozen for a brief moment, for my brain to comprehend what was actually happening in front of my eyes. Then Bee and I started frantically trying to find things to protect the sofa.

I guess it's a good thing that we haven't thrown out the original wrappings and paddings that came with the sofa. Laziness does pay off sometimes. :p

We covered the sofa with a layer of the plastic wrappings first, and then reinforced it with some absorbing fabrics we can find around the house (eg. large beach towels, bath robes, etc.) on top.

Bee immediately called the French tradesman, J*, who was supposed to thoroughly examine the whole roof and fix up any possible leaks for us but haven't gotten back to us since Bee first met with him in December.

Apparently, J* has been out of action for the past month or so because his son is undergoing eye surgery in the hospital and he himself is having some sort of health problems as well. But he assured Bee that he hasn't forgotten about us, and will get in touch with us as soon as he's back to work, hopefully in 1-2 weeks time.

Well, you can't really blame someone for being sick, so I guess we are gonna have to wait till him and his son's health conditions improve. What are you gonna do huh? *Shrugs*

The weather forecast predicts more rainy days ahead and more chaos to come. So far, there already has been flash flooding, fallen trees, power outage, damaged buildings and storms wreaked havoc across the state.

According to the weather bureau, Victoria recorded the highest daily rainfall total ever overnight. Around 150-200 millimetres of rain and wind gusts of over 130 kilometers per hour.

*Sighs* We can only hope and pray that the weather improves soon so the damage and destruction can be minimised.

Till then, many of us might have to sleep with one eye open. :|

Oh how I wish someone could hold a giant umbrella over our home to shield our house from this madness and crazy weather!

Progress

I'm proud to announce that there is finally some progress on the few matters that have been bugging me.

Keyword being: some. :|

Being the control freak that I am, I literally had to sit on my hands for the past few days and kept my fingers tightly crossed just so I wouldn't pick up the phone and harass those people to no end.

It's a new thing I'm trying out for the new year - to be less uptight and more laid back. If possible, to be able to just sit back, relax, and let things take its own course.

It's not easy, believe you me.

Though in the process, I did make a phone call to David Jones and sent an extra email to Barneys NY. But you have to understand, that's like 2 on a scale of 10 of what I normally would have done.

Anyway, moving on.

I received a phone call from the manufacturer of Marcus yesterday, and later a confirmation email to advise us that a service agent will contact us within 12 working days to arrange for an inspection time and date.

The repair work involves removing and replacing the entire piece of fabric underneath the chaise. The staff on the phone confirmed the colour and type of fabric with me, though pretty vaguely. I'm assuming that the fabric will be cut to size before the service agents actually come over for the appointment, and I can only hope that they will bring the right fabric of the right size.

For some weird reasons, people tend to make all kinds of mistakes that is beyond your wildest imagination. You just never know. *Shrugs*

So for now, I can only continue to keep my fingers crossed and sit on my hands with my full body weight for 12 more days. Wish me luck, ladies! :|

Another very happy development is that the sales rep at Barneys finally replied my email and he is going to send out a Manolo Blahnik dust bag for me as soon as possible..

Apparently, he's been away on vacation and the Barneys NY in Chicago had to be closed on Wednesday (in US) for a day due to the heavy snowstorm, hence the delay in getting back to me. No wonder no one answered the phone when I tried calling yesterday.

Oh yes, I did that too. *Blushes* But I figured since no one actually picked up the phone, it didn't count. :p

Rest assured that I will be monitoring my mailbox closely for the coming week, in anticipation of the one and only missing piece to make my "Cinderella shoes" perfect again.

Now something totally unrelated to furnitures and shoes.

Another sudden plot twist is, when it's least expected, I was contacted by a headhunter.

Nothing is concrete at this stage, so I probably shouldn't go into too much details. Wouldn't want to jinx it too, though I'm still rather unsure how I feel about it yet or if it's something I'd like to pursue further at all.

So, we will see. :)

On a different note, I've been getting phone calls from work almost everyday this week.

The locum is inexperienced while patients, as usual, can get very demanding and out of control at times. So she rings me up whenever she has difficulties containing the situation or comes across things she that doesn't understand.

She's a nice girl (or so it seems at the moment), so I don't mind helping her out at all.

I'm just a little crossed about how irresponsible the boss is. It should have been his job to answer the locum's queries, to give her ample orientation for the role before she starts, and to handle difficult situations as they arise. Or, dare I say, make sure she is capable of handling the workload involved.

And if he wasn't prepared to do so himself, then he should have at least asked me to meet with the locum beforehand and talk her through important things to look out for.

I gave him ample notice before I took my leave and even prepared detailed handover notes for the locum, so technically, I shouldn't be disturbed on my holidays since I've held up my end of the deal and done my job. It is not my problem and responsibility that he is an unorganised ass who employs incompetent staff!

But nooooooooooo, he just did what he does best - cowardly disappears and avoids phone calls when he is needed or confronted with difficult questions. Yeap, that's him!

So instead, I had to step in and take over, answering multiple phone calls and emails in a day, talking to troublesome patients over the phone trying to calm them down, while remote controlling the business and solving the locum's problems, plus cleaning up whatever shit that someone else messed up.

All while I'm not getting paid for working overtime on my holidays. :|

Well, it's not all bad, to be honest.

It actually got me thinking about the possibility of working from home, something I had never considered before.

Maybe I could do some consulting work over the phone, if there is even such a thing for my profession.

Instead of waking up early and dragging my sorry ass to go to work everyday, I can do my job from the comfort of my own home. In my pyjamas!

And the best part is, I get to hang up the phone if someone pisses me off too much. How cool is that?!

Hmm, maybe it's time to explore a different direction of career.

But the thing is, I've already pretty much made up my mind to take the rest of the year off, so what's the point of doing it now?

Oh well. Maybe later on then.

For now, I shall probably go make myself a cup of soothing chamomile tea while anticipating the next phone call about another uncooperative patient.

Like I don't do enough of that already on the days that I actually work. *Rolls eyes*

Later, people!

Rabbit

It's the year of Rabbit!

In the spirit of Chinese New Year, I would like to share this really creative phrase that I've come across:

"虎盡甘來，兔戲揚眉!"

(To be pronounced in Cantonese.)

For some reason, I really like the phrase.

I thought of substituting the word "戲" with the word "氣" to be more traditional and closer to the original meaning of the saying, but decided to stick with 兔戲揚眉 since I'm hoping this year to be less work and more fun. :)

Here's hoping for a happy, healthy, and prosperous year of Rabbit, full of joy, fun, and love!

年年有餘, 歲歲平安!

CNY Eve

It's Chinese New Year's Eve today.

My mum texted me in the morning to remind me to do a spring cleaning for the house so we can have a fresh start to the new lunar year.

After all, it's Bee and I's first Chinese New Year together in our very own home.

Well, I see the point, and I really did give some very serious thought about doing it, but after a few hours of serious contemplation (ha!), I decided against it.

I'm just not feeling very festive this year.

I mean, we still don't have most of our new furnitures yet, and the house is in pretty much a mess. We still have lots of unopened boxes in every room, my shopping bags are everywhere, even all the paddings and wrappings for our new sofa are in a corner of our family room, imagine that.

Besides, I definitely do not have plans to entertain or having guests over for CNY this year or for the near future. The house is simply not ready!

Also, I'm currently feeling a bit on edge because I haven't heard back from David Jones or the sofa manufacturer about my Marcus or Barneys about the dust bag for my Manolos Blahnik. :|

And technically, maybe spring cleaning in not even mandatory when the house is situated in a country where Chinese New Year is not even a public holiday.

Oh blah blah blah. The truth is, I was just lazy and couldn't be bothered. :|

But at the same time, I felt bad for not doing the spring cleaning because I was brought up in a household where the tradition is taken very seriously. You know, to get rid of the old and bad things of the previous year and usher in new and better things of the coming year.

I posted my dilemma on my Facebook, and surprisingly, received many encouraging responses. It seems that a lot of new age couples and young families these days prefer to embrace Chinese New Year in their own ways instead of sticking to the old superstition and taboos.

That was not only enlightening, but refreshing! (Not to mention how relieved it made me felt!)

This is our household, and every household is entitled to make their own rules.

And in the spirit of making up our own rules, I've decided to make next year our official Chinese New Year in our home.

Who knows? I'll probably have to do the spring cleaning then. *Grins*

(Yes, this is your procrastination queen speaking.)

Being our usual anti-social selves, Bee and I avoided reunion dinners with relatives in Melbourne.

And because yours truly forgot to make a reservation at Nobu (again, procrastination), Bee and I had our very own simple reunion dinner at home.

With takeaway dishes from the local restaurant. *Hides head in shame*

We had assam fish (because fish is a must have during reunion dinner), spicy chicken with cashew nuts, fried vegetables, and some sort of red beans in coconut milk as dessert.

It was, um, a Malaysian-Chinese fusion reunion dinner.

Which very much resembles who we are, Malaysian Chinese! *Wide grins*

(The real reason is we didn't book early enough at those Chinese restaurants that cater a full banquet for reunion dinner, but I'm sure you've figured that out already.)

Oh well, it worked out well. We enjoyed the food, each other's company, and the comfort of our new home.

So yes, I guess we are gonna have a quiet one this year.

For those of you who are going all out and celebrating CNY in full fledge, good on ya! And I hope to join in the festive spirits next year.

Till then, a very happy Chinese New Year of Rabbit to everyone.

Gong xi gong xi!

One

I slept at 3am last night, which is rather unusual for me these days.

For the past year or so, I have been going to bed before 12 o'clock midnight everyday, even on days when I'm not working.

And we woke up at 6.50am this morning because Bee needed to pick up the things he had on hold at our local Officeworks.

Yes, in case you are wondering, it had something to do with the whole Logitech 100% cashback redemption promotion thingy.

We (read: Bee) managed to get four products we wanted from Officeworks and one from Dick Smith.

(There is a limit of 5 items per household.)

By the way, I never realised that Dick Smith is so much more expensive than Officeworks. For the same item, we were charged $20.70 more at Dick Smith than from Officeworks.

There are also rumours saying that Dick Smith specially jacked up the prices for those few particular items since they already anticipated to get an influx of sales due to the promotion. Well, that is pretty dodgy, if you asked me.

I guess I shouldn't be complaining, since we are among the lucky ones who are getting 100% cashback on those items purchased. *Fingers crossed* I just thought it's a bit unfair for those who ended up losing out on the promotion because the high prices charged by certain retailers also meant that the $300,000 limit on rebate will run out much quicker than it should have been if everyone had stuck to their usual competitive pricing.

But hey, it's not personal, it's just business. *Shrugs*

On a different note, the heatwave is still roasting Melbourne and it's scorching hot! On a day like this, I thank God for creating the person who invented air-conditioning.

Bee and I took a nap together in the afternoon to make up for our loss of sleep, and played a little Guitar Hero after that.

I was supposed to do some filing of documents (which I've been putting off for months) in the evening, but as usual, I procrastinated. :|

Alright, let's get back on track and talk about the purpose of this entry, which is also the reason behind the post title.

Over the years that I've maintained this blog, every now and then I get random emails from readers who asked the following question:

"How do I know if he/she is the one?"

Well, I gotta say I'm no expert, and I honestly do not know the answer to that question.

(If there is even an answer to that question.)

But here's a thought.

As Bee and I were prepping our brunch in the kitchen today, I took out one of those pre-packed diet meals I occasionally have and casually said to Bee, "Honey, maybe you should eat this. It's Tuna and Fresh Vegetables, but I hate tuna!"

Looking up from the sink, my husband said, "Okay, sure. But why did you buy it in the first place since you hate tuna?"

"Oh they only had 5 of my usual Chicken and Pasta, and I needed an extra one for the discount, so I thought I'd buy this for you." I said while still having my head stuck in the pantry.

He burst out laughing, came over, took me into his arms, kissed me on the forehead and said, "Am I a sadist or abnormal in any way? If not, why do I find you absolutely adorable for saying that?"

That's when I realised I basically just said, like it's the most natural thing in the world and rightfully so, "Bee, I hate tuna. But since I bought it already, could you please eat it and tell me how it tastes like?"

And my husband found that lovely about me. Oh God bless that silly man!

Normally he doesn't even eat any of those pre-packed meals, for goodness' sake! And I asked him to have it just because I hate tuna but didn't want it to go to waste.

What a normal person would take offence or see as a selfish (albeit an unintended one) act on my part, my husband finds it irresistibly cute.

So yes, my dearest fellow readers, I guess the right person is the one who would find your less than attractive traits more than charming and delightful, and even adore you for them.

One who could still love you during those times when you are unlovable to others.

That's the One.