Half Day Off

I am having half day leave today. I could only maintain 50% consciousness level in my job. My soul is wandering around and feel so sleepy.

How come Monday is the most sleepy day in a whole week?

Friday night out

Last Friday I had an unusual OT to 1 A.M. I worked as a tour guide to take care our Indonesian colleague. Frankly, I planned to finish this ‘work’ as quick as possible because I wanted to go home. However, I got an unexpected reward, that night was very joyful; I shared a great time with them, that was why I went back home until mid-night.

The two Indonesian girls, Rabbit and Pussy cat are cute and humorous. They have different characteristics, Pussy cat is sweet and shy, Rabbit is very charismatic and creative.

Thanks to Sam that she joined us that evening even she was extremely exhausted after a whole week 9:00am – midnight work. We had dinner in a Chinese vegetarian restaurant, then went shopping and visited Lan Kwai Fong.

Lan Kwai Fong was exotic that night. It was crowded by westerners and expatriates instead of mainland tourists, lots of drunken folks fooling around, beautiful people, which reveals the unique characteristic of this place. However, erotic night life was not the cup of our tea. Rather than the pubs, Sam recommended a cozy and quiet coffee shop, and we had stayed for quite a long time.

In the coffee shop, we burst into laugh ecstatically for every 5 minutes. We were mimicked each other dialect and making funny faces. The most hilarious thing was Rabbit used HK office colleague, surely including me and Sam for her animal story characters, to develop the story, and then we tried to make the ending. The beginning was ‘The most beautiful girl of the world in rabbit version invited Lizard Gloria, Ducky Sam and Pussy Cat to a jungle party…’ The ending was ‘an over weighted animal (this character was supposed to be performed by a very outstanding young guy in our company) could float onto the sea after disaster and he rescued every animal in the sea, but then those heartless animals drown him afterward…’ Wow so horrible.

That night I slept so well and had a sweet dream!!

Hong Kong Arts Festivals

Jeff and I saw two extraordinary fascinating performances of Arts Festival in these two weekends, they are 'Johan Padan and the Discovery of America' and 'L'Oratoria d'Aurelia'.

'Johan Padan and the Discovery of America' is a story about how the colonial history of America is narrated by Johan Padan, an unlucky sailor. He got on the ship accidentally and witnessed the conquest of America, he translated the America history in a new perspective.

'L'Oratoria Aurelia' is another imaginative performance, Aurelia is in a wonderland, she could not sure if she falls in love with the curtains or a young man between the curtain. In the performance, every stuff has its life - the red velvet curtains, jackets, shadows, puppets, etc. Who does control the world? We believe we are controlling everything, but maybe actually it is another way round.

Tonight I dyed my hair to brown black colour. Wow, I like how I look now, it make me look more natural than in dark blonde.

Dream

Omigod!! Keep working almost non-stop from this Monday, luckily I could slip away from office at 6:45pm yesterday to see a flat with Yuen – we are going to rent an apartment, and are having independent life!

The flat is quite nice and had been renovated, but the rental fee is a little bit high. The land lord can tell that he is a civil servant by his outlook. You know, civil servants in their middle age always share a similar appearance and dressing style.

There will be another new flat released for rent in the same estate, we may have chance to see it before we make the decision. Most likely we could make confirmation within these two weeks. I always day-dream about to decorate the flat!!

The night before yesterday I had a horrible nightmare. I dreamt that I was having in-depth interviews with several respondents, but actually I had no idea of what questions I supposed to ask, who the client was and even what this project was about, and… In the next morning, Jeff complaint that I shouted out when sleeping and beat his arm… oh Jesus!!!

This is surely not the first time, when I was working at the last job, Jeff heard that I spoke in English when dreaming and seemed to explain something about the schedule of mass production and shipment….

Am I having mental disorder??

Mid-night cookies

Not sure if the biological clock had not yet been tuned, I feel hungry at mid-night after I came back from US. Tonight, I was craving for high calorie snack, then I tip toed to get several pieces of mid-night cookies......mmmm...... yummy, crunchy Danish biscuit coating with chocolate!!!

'Diarying' Break

Now I am waiting for job, I could slip away from the powerpoint and excel awhile and write the diary.

This is the second working day after the long CNY break, luckily I do not suffer from any jet lag. I wear make up these two days to beautify myself. I believe a nice make up face could bring me good fortune and confidence. Seems that it works, my confidence and energy seems to come back.

Yesterday my sister gave me a tube of Shu Uemura lip gloss, which is from my cousin Mei Chi. They do not like that pinkish raspberry colour, but I love it, I took it delightfully. Wow, the colour is cute and very subtle, and it brings the shiny look on my lips without greasy feeling, so pretty.

Sam believed that I am a lip gloss freak because I could finish a tube in two months, which she may use it for a year, I will not deny this, haha.

My favourite cosmetic brand is Tony & Tina, the best product I had ever used is the Environmental Rescue Pressed Transluent Powder. It is made by rice and CLAIMED to be protected skin from pollution... Anyway, I highly recommend you to try this product!!

HI I AM BACK

Hello, I've completed my US trip and took a flight on Valentine's Day yesterday. I wrote my diary in the notebook and now I tranfer it to this blog to share with you. Yesterday was a special valentine's day because it is the first time for us to celebrate in the plane, and we were so lucky to see the aurora/polarlight through the window when our plane passed through the sky above north pole, it was extremely amazing!!!

I almost forgot that today is the 9th 'dating' anniversary of Jeff and me, I could not believe that we had stayed together for a almost a decade. Jeff urged me to take one more day off for today, he said it helped me to sooth the jet lag, now I know the real meaning at behind... I am so absent mind!!! We plan to go out for a candle-light dinner, but we were very lazy and I sleep almost a whole day and even skipped the lunch. Finally we had the dinner at home. But guess what, it is still very sweet!!

Let see my diary on Feb 14 as below:

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HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

I'm now celebrating Valentine's Day in the plane, with my beloved husband sitting beside me. This is the second Valentine’s Day after we got married. I find Jeff is more and more important to me, I should thank god that I could have such a great soul mate to walk the path with me.

In this US pilgrimage, I saw snow from my naked eyes, it is not so cool to admit it but this is the first time for me to see snowing. The cotton like snowflakes fell from the sky, they are so soft and pure and make me think about marshmallow.

The trip is very intensive, actually I did not get enough rest, yet my mind can be free and wandering the continent with no hinders. I had more time to do the retrospection of my life. Jeff and I had a long talk with respectful Uncle Kent about our family and career life. He inspired me to evaluate my working bee life, and he asked me to treasure the new married life, he believed the couple should have the sweetest time in the first few years of the marriage. I think I have sweet and joyful time with Jeff when we are together, and quality instead of quantity we should concern with, but I feel that it is quite unfair for Jeff because I work too late for my job, and I could not leave the work burden after I leave my office. Jeff gives me unconditional support and with great patience, but it doesn’t mean he enjoys it.

After the late night chat I think about the current situation again and again, but I think it more positively than before, and it also makes me understand myself more. Sometimes I am too idealistic and once I could not get something I suppose I deserve, I will collapse, and then I make someone who cares me suffer and the problems could not be solved. In this new year, I will try my best to fine tune my style, and I will not attach too much emotion to my job again, I will try to manage others’ expectation, but once they do not appreciate and do something that beyond my borderline, I should learn to cope with it instead of making myself painful.

And, I hope I could spend more time to my family. I am surely not the type of housewife, but also not a typical strong career woman. I wish I could find more balance between my job, my family and myself. You may drop your jaw to know that ‘having a balance life’ is a taboo of my company, my bosses try to avoid discussing this issue and even persuade us to work 24 hours 7 days with the support of passion to market research, but guess what, I plan to be a rule breaker, I want to fight for what I deserve.

Hope this small change could make a big difference!!

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FREEBIESMANIC
I read an interesting article from Marie Clarie (US Feb 05). It is about a crazy experiment of surviving with freebies and free services in one week. The editor experienced all these in 7 days - asked for trial portion snacks and drinks for meals, applied a 7 days pass from a gym and took shower there everyday, wandered in make up store and dabbed all cosmetic, including lip gloss, eye liners, eye shadow, mascara blush on her faces, visited sport equipment store to test the running machine for 30 minutes and put on her own CD player ear phone… and then finally she looked dull and got a serious sore throat. When her doctor asked how come she became sick, the editor said she ‘sampling’ a lot, she wondered if the snacks and starving made her sick, but her doctor believed she was transmitted by the cosmetic she tried in the store.

So ladies, be careful when you try the fancy brand new cosmetic products on your bare face in stores next time!!!

Anyway, I think this experiment is crazy, but hilarious!!

US Trip - the night before last day

Now is the late night of Feb 12 in US time, I am sitting on bed with the note book, having a fruity scent face mask, and writing this diary to round up my US journey in this week.

This journey is very intensive and comprehensive, I have seen a lot, heard a lot and experienced a lot. We visited the East Coast, were hopping from Washington to New York up town, the only word I could use to describe is 'fascinating'.

Let me summarize the places we visited in these few days,
Day 1
JFK Airport
New York mid town

Day 2
Yale University
Light house beyond Atlantic Ocean

Day 3-4 (joined local bus tour)
From New York China Town to Washington
Ground Zero (after the tour)

Day 5
museum of Metropolitan
Central Park
The fifth avenue
Flushing

Day 6
Battery Park
Statue of Liberty
Wall Street
New York Stock Exchange
United Nation
Time Square

Day 7
Forest Hill (we bought Bath & Body Works gifts there)
Museum of Modern Art
Sony building
Broadway (We saw Broadway show Beauty and the Beast with Uncle Kent's family, it is amazing, surely a great memory for me and April)

Day 8
New York Up State
Woodbury Outlet

I have already missed this place, even though I believe what I have seen in US are all beautiful things only and I have no idea about the dark side, I hope in soon future, I could come back and visit Uncle Kent again!!

US Trip Day 1

Wow, I am now on the land of the largest country on this planet - United State of America, uncle Samuel, hello!!

Through the 15 hours direct flight from Hong Kong to New York, Jeff and I departed at JFK Airport. Uncle Kent picked us up and drove us to his home. Do I suffer from jet lag? No, because I couldn't sleep in the flight (I saw 3 films in CX movie channel - Kinsey, Cellular and Alfle), and I did not get enough sleep in the past two days, and actually now I can fall asleep in any waking moment, no matter it is in HK or US night time.

I took a shower around 5 and told everyone I would take a nap for half hour, then, I had fallen unconscious for 2 hours and Jeff woke me up at 7 heartlessly.

Uncle Kent and his family drove us to the most stunning metropolition here - New York down town. Wow, this big apple is so juicy and gorgeous. All areas I saw in Sex and the City were appearing in front of me, not just from TV screen - Broadway street, The 6th Avenue, Central Park, Time Square...All places were awesome!!!

It's 0015 in US time now, it's time to go bed, we need to wake up at 8 tomorrow morning and visit the University of Yale, can't wait!!!!!

Blytheduck
May I introduce my Ducky Blythe to you. She is a Christmas gift from my sister Meiki. Ducky Blythe wishes you have a Happy Lunar New Year in this year of Chicken.

In the approaching new year I will be in USA, but I really miss Hong Kong and my family and friends. I would like to convey my warmest blessing to all of you!!! Kung Hei Fat Choy!!!!!!!!!!!