Musings of Bubbles in Bubble-dom

Once upon a time....

2013-04-21T17:58:00.000+08:00

Been a while hasn't it? 40 years ago today a Queen was born whilst the sun Slept. It was the year of the Chinese oxen and at the start of Taurean time... Whispers abound amongst the people that the Queen would take on the stubborn nature of the wild bulls and...

They were right! Though I choose to see this prediction of nature otherwise phrased as assertive, focused, independent n fun...lol

Oh dear! Forty long years...and my knight brood has grown by one more... She's more like a princess then a knight. But today forty years since my birth... I have a full life n family n loads to be thankful for. My latest addition is called lil girl... How she came along is for another post..

Was thinking about death (as I do every time A birthday rolls round) and I thought that if I had to go right now...this very second...that I wouldn't be sad... I have few to no regrets...my life has been to date filled with achievements and disappointments but isn't that what life is all about? The next thought I had was to label all the royal cabinets in case the king cannot locate the royal goods after my departure... As it is he cannot locate the royal cow's produce even staring straight at it...

The kingdom has been seen its fair share of upheavals hence the lack of time or initiative to blog... Been kept busy acquiring new estates for the growth of the kingdom and putting up defenses to strengthen our wrangle hold on a wild horse finding green pastures to run... Did you get that? The analogy seems to have gotten out of hand...but we'll leave it in to confuse you. :)

In the last year, the queen has taken ill quite seriously as well but we are happy to report that most of it has been resolved albeit mysteriously but nonetheless resolved! Despite illness, the queen has travelled to visit other nations to learn new cultures and languages... For example, we can now say Dankeshon, Bon journo... Lol what can I say... Cannot ignore royal duty when it calls...

Methinks the food in our region is still the most palatable, and the people more friendly and free...they have gorgeous scenery though n nice weather for about 3 months in any given year... If they're lucky

If there was a phrase that echoes in my royal coiffed head - it would be "Everything happens for a reason" ...the perseverance of the bull nature has seen me through trails n tribulations n we thank God that he picked my birthday today!!

Not everyone is happy that I was born forty years ago today... But hey...things happen for a reason...pick your own lesson from this mad ranting queen...
Always Royalty,
Your Queen

I'm baaaaccckkk!!

2011-12-31T19:19:00.003+08:00

Ola! Greetings from your Queen of Bubbledom. It has been a long time...a very long time...I'm kinda stumped into speechlessness (much like the movie - The King's Speech)

It has been a busy time between this blog and the last. Too much to write about and no time to blog...

In any case - I AM BACK!!

This coming year I will not be wowing you with my endless resolution making and breaking. I intend this year to be a year of travelling. At the moment - I have lined up the following:

1) Trip to Penang
2) Trip to Ho Chih Ming
3) Trip to Cambodia
4) Trip to Shanghai
5) Trip to Prague

I plan to have many more trips lined up as i think it is about bloody time that I saw a little bit more of the world outside my Palace walls...

Myopia is the curse of all fallen Monarchs! As such I refuse to be a victim of my workaholic nature and being a servant to the demands of the people and my King.

I will go where no other Queen such as I have gone before... lol...I am going over to the fun side!
Wish me luck in my coming travels - that they are all successful and not met with lost luggage and the like.

*Damnit!!* just got bitten by another mosquito!! Another reason to get away!!
Your Queen

My World

2010-11-27T17:20:00.002+08:00

I thought about how I would blog after abandoning my blogspot for almost 2 years. There are alot of days during these two years that I have thought about blogging - mostly about things that are a real source of constant angst, anger, frustration...Anyway.....

I will start my blog with my dream that I had last night...quite reflective of the state of my life...The funny thing about my dreams is that I always dream of the same places...

For example my home in la-la land (when I'm there for a couple of hours each night) is very similar to my home in reality. It is on a hill. It is a massive home (about 3 storeys) It has a simple but strange architecture with stairs going in every which way. But I like my la la land home. It has an open concept on the ground floor opening up to the green hillside where I like to go - especailly on rainy days where you can smell the sweet wet grass - I kid you not...you should come by sometime. I have been around to discover the lands around my la la land home and we are surrounded by rolling hills where I can walk for miles and miles. Usually there is some kind of silly intrigue going on in my la la land home, sometimes the intrigues see me wandering the rolling green hills.

Last night the intrigues brought me something totally different. In my la la state last night I dreamt that my mom and dad were visiting me in my la la home and there was a party or get together happening. It was all going well when suddenly there was an explosion at the base of the hill that my home was located. It was a massive boom and the mushroom cloud was so massive that it blacked out the sky. There was a lot of heat and lava (I think) and I remember that I was not feeling any panic.

I calmly turned to my parents and asked them if they could take one of my dogs on their way out to escape whatever was happening. They agreed but somewhere in the confusion or as it usually is in dreams when time just disappears - they left without me or my doggies.

Again no panic - I turned when up the stairs to look for my doggies...On the landing I found magzter but he was in some kind of state of paralysis. My heart broke to think that my baby magzter may have passed on. I picked him up and held him close to me stroking him and then he whimpered. I was so happy that he was alive and thought that maybe he was stunned or something must have happened to make him temporarily paralyzed. The more I massaged him the better he became.

I carried him and proceeded further up the stairs. I came to a room that was totally devasted - barren and burnt and almost gave up hope but called out to Wolfie and out of no where - he came bounding in his usual energetic self towards me. His lead appeared out of no where and I put it on him and all three of us walked downstairs away from the devastation.

We made it to the basement and i thought that Poppet was a lost cause. The basement was a similar state to the top floors...total devastation, deserted, barren, hot...and in the middle of the room was a river of lava. Out of the corner of my eye I was a movement across the river of lava and saw that it was poppet running about on the other side. I shouted to him and he saw us and started to look for a way to cross the lava flow.

Somehow he did and the funny thing was I could only think...I don't have his lead!!! How am I going to walk all three of them (especially since Wolfie and Poppet don't get along!!!) Dreams being dreams - they didn't fight and all four of us left our la la land home.

As we moved we came across this building with an open space courtyard in the middle of it. When the four of us got there - we saw other people that had been made homeless by this event. All of them were accompanied by their pets. There was an exchange in the courtyard but I cannot recall what happened but we decided to leave. As we walked away from the building i remember turning around to look again and there was a boy with his dog in the doorway. All four of us walked on and came to a township. We were outside a shopping mall and there was a lady trying to sell me something...All I can remember thinking was why wasn't the lady upset or affected by the event? It seemed in that town that nothing has happened. Life went on as usual.

Then I woke up. With a jolt I might add. What a funny dream huh? You interpret it and let me know what you think. :)
Your Queen

2009 New New Year Resolution

2009-01-13T23:01:00.002+08:00

Man...what a day... It all started off well and it ended well but everything in between was crap.
I have already made my new year's resolutions for 2009. It's all a big secret - i think that if i tell people about it then i probably won't stick to it and of course it would be less embarrassing if i didn't manage to stick to it....

I added one more after today's events...in between the good start and the good end. It was just after lunch and i usually have a bit of a walkabout after consuming any meal to facilitate bowel movements...I'm quite a good regular pooher. I could pooh for our country at the pooh olympics and probably take home gold in many different categories...anyway...i digress.

As with most walkabouts...it usually ends with an urgent need to fulfil the purpose of the walkabout. Did you understand that? hahaha...

I proceeded to my spanking new office - renovation just completed. Now only left to furnish the lounging area at the back and set up a training lab. So simple right...one sentence equates to many many very tedious tasks. Anyway, i digress again...back to the story. So i made it back there and wanted to go to the pooh throne for some much needed release when i realized that there wasn't any toilet paper. As i started to walk out to the store to sort out this dreadful toilet paperless situation in my time of urgent need (I literally had a turtle's head sticking out of my ....) I heard sounds of a leak...so i tested the flush mechanism on the toilet to see if it had been caught (this is a common occurence in this particular toilet).

Anyone who knows anything about toilets and flushing mechanism - it would be me - can tell when the sistern is empty or full by the pressure needed to deploy a flush. As I tested the flush, i knew instantly that it was empty...So it I thought...the bloody tap must be off...the bloody contractors forgot to turn the main tap back on. SO i proceeded to turn the tap on, planning on multitasking like a good woman should - fill the sistern while i go get toilet paper so that sistern is full by the time i need a flush....

Stepping out of the toilet, I heard running water in my lounge...my spanking new lounge...so i rushed in and found a wave coming from the pantry sink (apparently not water tight) flowing onto my spanky new carpet...making it a soggy new carpet...

Crying out an expletive.. i rushed back into the toilet and turned off the main tap...went back to my soggy new lounge and looked on in despair as the water just kept pouring onto the carpet and eventually slowing to a drip...

Running for the paper towels i started to soak up as much water as i could...silently cursing the moronic contractor who did not think to mention to us as we are working at setting up the office (that we might use the toilet) to not turn the tap on. Crazy! Crazy Crazy!

So i worked for almost 3 hours to dry my soggy new carpet and i'm proud to say that after 3 hours of back breaking work my soggy new carpet has become an almost dry spanking new carpet again. I can only pray that the mold stays away. So my new New Year's resolution is "NOT TO FLOOD ANYWHERE OR ANYTHING FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR - THAT INCLUDES NICE SPANKING NEW LOUNGES, OFFICES, CAMERAS ETC..."

Think this might be the first resolution that i might just be able to keep! ;)

Tow Truck Service - Entertainment in Sepakat

2009-01-06T21:37:00.003+08:00

There was laughter, snickering, sniggering, finger pointing and i was not among the crowd that partook of the spectacle that amused them so. You see...it all started when the King's horse got lame (his bike) on his way back from work. I got a call when i was almost home (i was driving my chariot) and it was his royal highness...sounding all pitchy (no pun intended) ordering me to stop my chariot in the middle of the road coz he needed a lift back to the palace.

Usually, when he is on his trusty steed - he makes it back to the palace in no time at all and i'm usually at least 30 minutes behind him. So i was surprised by this turn of events. So i stopped ...making a lot of the other chariot drivers behind me so irate that they started honking.

I see him through the rear mirror (yes i know...it's pretty posh to have rear view mirrors installed in chariots...;)) and watch him as he makes his progress toward me. He hops into the chariot and is all sullen...oh no...here we go....i wait patiently for him to relate his story...i wait and i wait and i wait...till i could wait no more then i burst with the question...what's wrong with your italian horse (his bike is a ducati)? He grunts that it's sick and refuses to move. I asked what kind of illness has beset the poor beast? He grunts again in reply that it's something or rather...(you know all the manly terms for horsey business...

Anyway...i accept the fact that his trusty steed has become an invalid and so i asked him if he was going to leave his horse down where all the commoners were - hinting that his steed might get stolen....

"Of course not!" he barked. So i wait and wait for an explanation and eventually he mutters...we're gonna tow it. I asked how the horse should be towed? Perhaps we can get a tow truck to move the thing....or we can push it up the hill....at this he laughs cynically and says nothing else...

I continue to let him brood...all the way to the arrival at the palace...through the walking of the knights and the rest time after the walkies. Finally he says..."I'm hungry. Let's go eat..." so we do. I will not go through the hassles we go through everyday on what to eat for dinner. The palace larder is sorely lacking and the royal cooks (me) has usually packed up for the day by that time of the night.

Anyway, we visit the local grub place and had some bak kut teh. Before leaving he asks me to bring along the knights' leads...i have a funny feeling about this but do not question my lord and does as he says...mabbe after dinner he can handle a couple more questions....hmmmm.....

After dinner, in a much better but not much better mood, his lordship tells me his devious plans on how to get his trusty steed back to the palace. As i listen to it...i groan inwardly. He plans to hook the leads to the back of the chariot (there is a tow hook there) and he will sit astride his steed and hold onto the leads that are attached to my chariot. he then wants me to drive my chariot slowly towing his poor sick steed home. (face grimaces)

HOW??? WHAT??? HUH??? All questions going through my mind...i'm thinking my lordship has lost his marbles....all they while i'm thinking this he's muttering to himself about how all things italian are useless (he recently lost his coffee making machine - also italian).

I voice my doubts..."Erm....I think the leads might break...?" "Nonsense" he replies. "These leads are meant to for heavy duty stuff...." I thought i'd give him the benefit of the doubt and shut my trap. he continues "If they break, i would be very surprised!" With that we paid the bill and made our way back to his invalid steed.

When we arrived, there were lots of commoners still milling about, getting their last minute shopping done. So he coaxes his steed closer to my chariot and begins tying the leads and arranging them - according to his plan. I merely sit quietly in the chariot, waiting for the geedeeup!

The command comes and i set of slowly...less than 10 secs into the tow...the leads break. The people around have stopped to witness this spectacle of my towing service. I turn back to find out what's wrong and he says nothing at first. So we try again and off we go...less than 10 secs later..we have to stop again. I mean...I feel sorry for him at this point but not as sorry as i would feel for him in the next half hour.

Eventually we managed to get the steed back to the palace, stopping and starting like a dozen times, dealing with him falling down with his steed and ultimately the humiliating need for some commoners to help push the damn heavy monster of a horse up the frigging hill. My lordship was a steaming wet mess of sweat and dark thoughts by the time he returned to the palace. He thanked the commoners who aided him out of the goodness of their hearts. And subsequently collapse on the royal sofa, panting with his mouth open and tongue hanging out (he did look a little bit like his knights then)

I waited (as you can tell i have perfected the art of waiting) and waited till he caught his breath and then asked...."so?...let's hear it?" He looks at me, grins a sloppy sort of tongue hanging out kinda smile and says "You were right...the leads broke!" With that i smiled triumphantly and gestured in my queenly fashion that all was forgiven.... (sniggers...i really enjoyed that part) until he finished his sentence off with "I would have been right except that i forgot about the ends of the lead where it is not tied properly...."

At that...i thought...i should have left you and your trusty steed to rot with the commoners! HA!
At least i can say my life ain't boring.... ;)

The end of Violent Hay Fever Season...I hope

2008-12-01T20:06:00.002+08:00

So after all this...you would think...this season is awfully long...it must have finished with the last violent episode. Well...think again....

Every morning we go for walkies with the doggies. we usually look left and right before we open our gate to begin our walkies. This is because our neighbours have a habit of letting their dogs roam freely which causes quite a fair bit of problems for responsible doggie walkers like ourselves (always on a lead)

A couple of days ago, we went about our usual routine and began our walkies with our excited pooches. Over the last couple of days we have noticed a couple of bitches roaming our estates. And these bitches usually are in the company of our free roaming neighbour's dogs (which are all make btw) So on this very bright and cheerful morning as we made our way out - we spotted this bitch with our neighbour's brute in tow coming up our way. So i asked hubby to come back into the safety of our front porch to let the pair past before we moved out...

he agreed...so i opened the auto gate and ushered PSP (Partially Sighted Poppet) and STM (Severely Traumatized Mags) back into our property. Hubby made his way slowly back into the compound. Stopping at the gate so that i he blocked the entrance with Wolfie out front.

If you have ever had a dog and seen how it behaves when there is a stranger at your door...multiply that by 10 tens to get the same effect when it's another dog and then multiply that reaction by ohhh...let's just say 10 times more when there's a bitch involved....

So i called to hubby..."i do not want to be feeding my dogs antibiotics for life...please move Wolfie inside so that i can close the gate to avoid any trouble..."

He moves in but by this time...Wolfie is in a frenzy (please do the maths above to have an idea of what kind of a frenzy he is in)...as they move in.....i move forward to block the opening of the gate as it closes...and suddenly i feel shock...then pain...then ANGER!

My dog had just taken a chunk out of my leg. Hubby was caught off guard and stood there surprised for a couple of minutes before reacting by slapping wolfie...who by this time had realised what he had done and was cowering at hubby's feet.

Man...did it hurt......as with alll dog bites. Needless to say, if i was half asleep when i started the walk i wasn't anymore....I saw stars...little silver things around my peripheral vision...twinkling in time to the throb of the bite....great...i thought...and we had a busy couple of weeks ahead at work as well...just what i needed.

Not pointing fingers at whose fault it is...partially my neighbours for having their dogs run loose and freely, partially hubby's for not bringing the dog in when he could (before the frenzy started), partly my fault for moving infront of a frenzied dog....well....i hope violent hay fever season is over....I have had enough for 2008....

Give me a peaceful 2009....Nice doggies....nice doggies......

size makes no difference

2008-12-01T19:49:00.003+08:00

Size makes no difference....in my last post, you read about how Magster was attacked at the doggie event and that he was covered in blood but had no wounds to show for it...well this is where i get my title from.
My shih-tzu, Magster small as he is (a little ruffian to boot) managed somehow to bite the big dog in the throat whilst he was incarcerated in the jaws of hell. He also managed to chew the finger of the attacking dog's owner and two of my fingers that were wokring against the jaws of hell.

All the blood came from everyone else but him. So in my last post you also read that Magster has become more wary of the bigger dogs. he doesn't seem afraid of the attacking dog (we still see them around when we walk in the evenings and the mornings) and he barks at them and strains at the lead. Size is a state of mind - my friends...please learn a thing or two from my doggies. Maybe i should have named Mags....David. the only problem is David probably did not survive the next Goliath.

anyway...remember violent hay fever season? So it's not the end of this dreadful season...we're only half way through. So one night, we were all sat on the floor after a hard day's work...me at the office with hubby and the doggies keeping strangers at bay. I was feeding them snacks. And Magster has this habit of hoarding his snacks infront of him between his paws. He keeps them for after the big doggies have gulped theirs down only to eat his leisurely giving them smirk expressions as he enjoys his snack stash.

This night...my partially sighted dog decided that he would try for some of Magster's stash. As i have mentioned. Magster is very wary of big dogs and does not take kindly to one encroaching his personal space and snack stash. the first time Poppet try to have a go at the stacked stash he was growled away by Magster with complete eye balling effect.

the second time Poppet tried, Magster lost it and began a full attack. so Poppet retaliated and since it was not really a fair fight ( i know, i know what i said in my earlier posts but look at the size difference...) so i interfered. Not before Wolfie jumped into the scrimage and all hell literally broke loose coz their dad came tumbling into the fray as well...and somewhere in between - Wolfie got his ear torn up pretty badly. Magster had a near eye popping incident and Poppet escaped with the stash and without a blemish...

needless to say - it was off to the vet's again the next day for a full course of antibiotics...It has been 10 days since this occurred and i'm glad to report that Wolfie is doing fine....
Wait for it....the finale to Violent hay fever....coming up next

Violence like hay Fever

2008-12-01T19:21:00.002+08:00

Well...what can i say...bubble-dom is undergoing violent hay fever season. So you read about the Wolfie-Poppet incident. And i thought is was all over...being the end of the year...there can't be anything more violence related to doggies incidents happening to me...

Boy was i wrong. See remember in my earlier post there was this nice neighbour that helped me out with the Poppet incident by driving me to the vet hospital. Well she managed to organize a dog-a-thon...you read it right...a DOG-A-THON. I helped her out a bit with the logistics of it...not a lot but i promised to support her cause - "SAVE A STRAY" but bringing along my doggies to participate in this very public event. It was to be held in Merdeka Square (imagine...MERDEKA SQUARE with Doggies everywhere)

Essentially it was a charity event for the handicap in Malaysia and she was given the opportunity to make public her cause. this was meant to happen a week after the eye popping incident. I even tried to make Poppet an eye patch - we did try one one and he looked so dashing - like errol flynn only better and furrier!

So anyway...on the day of this event, both hubby and myself packed up with tidbits for the doggies, water bowls, water, leads, towels for my drooling wolfie(only in the car - i think he gets a bit car sick) packed all five of us in the car and drove to the designated venue for this unprecedented event.

upon arrival we noticed that there was a big crowd of people between where we were and the registration booths for the doggies wanting to participate in the Dog-a-thon. Sensibly, hubby decided to wait kerb side away from the crowds (did not want any biting incidents to happen as dogs can get very frightened of large crowds and may lash out) whilst i brought my baby Mags with me to do the necessary.

I noticed my neighbour was there with his dog and went over to wave a hello. But i did mentioned to him that since our dogs did not get along that we should keep away from each other during the walk. he agreed. i proceeded to register at the table and left mags (on a lead) but under the table. Suddenly i felt the lead snatched... i looked under the table and My neighbour's dog had Mags in his jaws and was walking away with him as if he was a light snack.

I immediately fought to get my doggy back...and trust me...it was tough. the dog that attacked mine (mine is a shih-tzu) was a mongrel about 6 times the size of my Magster. He refused to yield my dog to me even though i had my fingers in his mouth and was tugging with all my might. All the time i refused to let my Magster go and kept a firm pulling motion on the big dog's jaw. Someone came over to hit the attacking dog on the head and his owner just kept telling his dog to let my dog go ( i can tell you it didn't help) and eventually someone poured water over the whole scrimage. I guess some water must have gotten into the big dog's nose and he loosened his grip enough for me to pull my dog out of his mouth. Throughout all of this...my Magster was literally screaming in pain...whilst the terrified crowd watched on, afraid or unable to approach.

when Magster was free, i noticed his doggie T-shirt was covered in blood. I was terribly upset and left immediately to bring my baby to a vet. I did not dare to remove his t-shirt as i was afraid of what i would find. As i walked away from the scene of the attack and approached hubby - he could see i was upset and i told him about the attack and asked him frantically to bring us to a vet...so we took off....

whilst walking to the car i pulled up the courage to take off Magster's T-shirt. I was totally in tears...wondering how bad the injury was going to be...when i found nothing but abrasions. nothing that could have bled as much as his t-shirt told me he would have bled. We went to the car anyway and as we drove home, alll Magster could do was sit quietly in a daze. Unable to believe that he had been attacked and with such viciousness.

We went home, monitored the poor baby and clean him up (he was covered with saliva from the big dog). I think my other doggies know that lil Magster was attacked and i honestly think that doggies have primal urges to finish off unfinished business - so they sort of irritated him by pushing him around. Mags of course was in no mood for rough play with big dogs...so he went into hiding. now he is recovered (physical wounds) and to this day, he is more cautious and defensive when around the big boys...which is the story of my next post..... stay tuned....

Partially sighted is PC

2008-12-01T18:58:00.002+08:00

So we continue the saga...in speed fashion. We have decided to split both doggies. One in each corner of the front porch. The King wanted to chain only Wolfie up but i argued that it's not fair that only one gets chained up for this. The thing is, i believe dog fights are like bar brawls...someone had to start it and maybe somebody else has to finish it. All parties in a bar brawl are guilty. My sympathy to the brawler that lost an eye but he should know better than to start a fight that he cannot finish in victory. I don't know what Sun Tzu says about it in his art of war books but in my book that has yet to be published (if ever) entitled the alternative to Sun Tzu - the art of life will state that you gotta pick your fights...more of this in another post. So the decision is both will be punished.

To split the doggies successfully, we have decided to build two doggie houses - one for each of them. Both houses will be in full sight of the other and both doggies will be "linked" to their houses by sturdy chains that allow them space to themselves and reach of one bike tyre each (they like peeing on hubby's motorcycle). Poppet will have the front tyre and Wolfie the back.

I have designed the doggie houses and have asked a carpenter to quote me. In the interim, Wolfie remains chained whilst partially sighted Poppet gets to roam during the day. Eventually, we will build a stairway down to the garden, have the garden fence mended and the area landscaped and one of the doggies will be placed there with access to bark at passing traffic and weird strangers that come round.

At night, Poppet gets to sleep in peace by himself on the front porch and Wolfie sleeps with us in the bedroom. He is my furry alarm clock. Always whining away at 0700 hours... I'm never late for work these days....

Partially sighted is now the "in-term" used by hubby to describe my one eyed pooch. He's not terribly traumatised and seems happy with the current sleeping arrangement. I have never seen my one eyed poppet...opps...partially sighted baby so happy in the mornings. He gets a bit nervous when we leave for work...but that's all i can do for him right now...He just has to be a big boy about it...

If you didn't want to hang around a pissed off half breed siberian husky then you should not have picked the fight...Live and learn....in Poppet's case - NEVER! I pray that my Poppet learns to be more PC around Wolfie just like i'm learning to use the phrase "Partially sighted"

My One eyed Poppet

2008-11-07T18:56:00.002+08:00

It was the morning of Deepavali when my dog lost his left eye in a fight. I was alseep in bed when i was woken uo by sounds of things breaking upstairs. I had had a bad and hard week and was cathcing up with sleep when all this happened.
I left Magster in bed and went to investigate...as i got closer to the sounds - it became clear that my knights were at it again...trying to kill each other. From experience i knew that i should not open my front door coz then they would bring the fight into the house...and I DID NOT WANT BLOOD EVERYWHERE!!
So i crept out the back door to see how bad it was. Usually they would tire out and just bleed through all their cuts and gashes sitting where they were too tired to continue. I considered going back inside to let them tire out...before breaking it up as it could be really bad news for me...
I walked towards my garden hose...still unsure (BTW their daddy isn't around that morning...he had taken the car to go hiking) of what to do...then i just grabbed the hose and made my way back into the fight...As i approached the twisting dogs i realised that something was not right with Poppet...it was his eye...it had popped out of his eye socket.
I panicked...ran into the fight...pulled at wolfie, screaming for him to let go of Poppet...turned the hose on full blast...AND HE STILL WOULD NOT LET GO.
I cried out in anguish...knowing deep down that the damage was too severe and that my Poppet, my first dog, my darling love bug would be blind in one eye...(my crying and screaming attracted the neighbours but not a lot that they could do...)
Eventually Wolfie let go and Poppet skittered away to the corner of the Porch...I stood between them - both bloody, both tired and both hurt. I opened the back door and ordered Poppet inside whilst keeping an eye on Wolfie to make sure that he did not move in for the kill.
I followed my Poppet into the kitchen where he sat one eye dazed and the other protruding out...i checked for dilation of his iris and there was none...I never understood what anguish meant till that day...I never want to feel it again.
I scrambled for the phone and tried to contact their daddy so that he could come back with the car to bring Poppet to the hospital. I called and called and called...no answer...desperation....lots of it...frustration...lots of it...and then anger! I was angry that he decided to go hiking (part of his reason is for business as one of the participants of the hike was a malay cfemale client) . I was angry that his business was more important than us...pissed off but still frantic...
my mind searched for people who could help me in the shortest time possible (it's funny sometimes how clear the mind can become) and then it occured to me that my neighbour who does animal rescues will be able to help...she had a car so i called her.
She responded in doubletime (thank god for good people like her) and took me to the nearest animal hospital (and the best...she knows them all) but it was closed or not open yet. She then tried calling another hospital to try to get the surgeon to be ready when we arrived...and we suffered a lot of angst with the way the emergency service numbers were handled...all the while she was comforting me that we might still be able to save Poppet's eye.
I had Magster with me...somewhere in between the chaos i had gone down to get dressed and retrieve my baby Mags. I took him along coz i did not know if Wolfie would go bananas on him since Poppet is not around.
Eventually we arrived at the hospital - their Daddy had eventually called back and was given the terrible news and was making his way back into KL. I went in to see the surgeon with Poppet whose protruding eye ball had now been flooded with blood. If there was a way to save his eye half an hour again...it was gone now. The vet advised that the eye cannot be saved and must be taken out completely. That was when i broke down...my poppet with his beautiful brown eyes hurt so terribly. I consented and left to wait outside while the procedure was being performed.
Daddy eventually found the hospital and was all angry. So was I. But we weren't angry with each other - we were angry with the situation. My neighbour had since returned home to deal with her own domestic doggie squabbles.
Finally, the vet announces that the surgery is over and was a success. We go up to see him in recovery room and he is still groggy from the drugs but he recognises us...his left eye is swollen and stitched shut. Because of the swelling you would still think he had his eye. But the vet assures us that it is no longer there. all his other wounds and gashes have been stitched up neatly - i could not help but admire the tidy work of this doctor compared to other vets that i've seen.
So we took the boy home and put his bed in the living room to rest with a bowl of water at the side. We had a lot of decisions to make and they were tough ones...i was not looking forward to them or to being Wolfie....
Even

Ugly Betty Addiction

2008-10-24T00:36:00.002+08:00

New addition to my list of addictions...Pity that it's only up to Season Two. Ugly Betty is so farnee! I'm sort of glad that i'm at the last disc of Season 2...I can finally get some sleep! It's great company when the King is out hunting for out next meal...but i think the withdrawal symptoms from the series is gonna be really bad...I'm not looking forward to tomorrow when there is no more Ugly Betty for me to watch.

The addiction is so bad that my knight Mags has to urged me to go to sleep....He also has the very difficult job of waking me "Zombie addicted to Ugly Betty" up in the morning...This morning - he gave up...after repeated lickings and walking all over me. Tomorrow night and the following morning all should be back to normal - fingers crossed.

I plan to go look for another series to get addicted to...hmmm..the letter L? Lipstick Jungle? Will keep you updated...

Morons of the World Unite

2008-10-20T23:55:00.002+08:00

Have you heard Britney's Spear's latest song out? It's called womanzier or something like that ( i know...i know... thrashy title and trashier sound) but it did something really amazing - it united the Morons of the World.

It was early this morning when i was driving to work together with my King and we were caught in the usual carriage crawl to reach the royal court. As per our routine, we would be tuned in to the radio listening the whatever the morning news (Madonna divorcing Guy Ritchie is news - can you believe the world we live in?!?!) and reports of morning traffic carnage. Somewhere in between we actually get a couple of tunes. The DJs are fairly entertaining and sometimes have information that cracks us up. This morning we received shocking news that Britney Spears upon her come back and release of song Womanizer entered the Pop Charts at 96 position and in ONE DAY went up to NO. 1 or something frivolous like that. That isn't the most shocking part. The most shocking part is the song completely sucks! the only lyric the song has is "Womanizer"...That's right...all Britney Spears has done is repeat the word over and over again.
MORONS of the world stand united in their bid to place properly displaced white trash Britney Spears back on her trashy pop throne where she can sit with her legs open knickerless!

When we heard the "news" we both instanteously turned to each other with horror etched in our face...I mean the King could hardly close his trap from the shock he suffered. God Save us from the Morons of the World and their white trash queen - Britney Spears! I will pray for all you misguided souls that went out and bought her CD and danced to that horrible tune.

Death of an Innocent - by an innocent

2008-09-11T22:35:00.005+08:00

On one of the endlessly long days that make up my life of leaving an office full of unfinished work to returning to a home that is filled with more unfinished work, i witnessed the death of an innocent. It all started one evening whilst we were chilling out in the palace's main hall. I heard a distinct cry coming from the trees on my hillside. It was what i identified as a typical baby's cry for its mommy. It wasn't human but i could not see what was crying in the dark shrouds of the tree's branches. So i got out the maglite (extremely bright torch) and lit up the source of the crying and saw a baby musang (civet cat) mewing piteously. There was nothing i could do for it except let it cry on and it did all through the night.

The next day went as usual...office drudge then home. Just like every other day when i arrive home, i will be greeted by excited yapping from the knights, jumping, pawing and generally making me colourful as the ram into me giving me bruises all over - i have to say my language is usually as colourful as the rest of my body after the usual meet and greet.Today was no different. I was met with the usual enthusiasm from the dogs and my tired tots of laundry, dish washing etc. So i quietly padded downstairs to go to my laundry area, followed closely but Sir Wolfie and Sir Mags and they dutifully followed me out to do my chores out back. The knights bored with watching me work (they are really very good at this task) started playing in the garden. Occassionally i would scream for them just so that they would come bounding round the corner all smiles to reassure me that they haven't fallen down the hillside.

This day, before i could do my usually well timed scream for reassurance, i heard frantic barking from somewhere around my study. Wondering what triggered off this persistent barking i went to investigate. I found both Mags and Wolfie at the little patio near my study where all my orchid plants are. Wolfie was barking at something in the corner...as my eyes searched around my potted orchids it finally settled on a baby musang terrified beyond belief at the loudly yelping brute, huddled in the corner with no escape.

I told Wolfie in stern tones to stay before heading back in to get a towel to catch the musang. The idea was to release it nearer the tree i saw it in the night before so that it could escape to the safety of the branches. I returned with a towel but as i approached it hissed at me which set off a whole string of barking from both Mags and Wolfie. I figured i still would need my fingers to work with tomorrow so i went round to the back to get a box to trap the terrified baby.

As i came back to the scene of excitement, i heard a scuffle. i returned to find the musang and my knights gone. So i ran round to the far side of the garden only to see Wolfie with the musang in his mouth in a death grip shaking it violently. I screamed for him to drop it and dropped it he did. As i approached i could see that it did not survive the thrashing that Wolfie gave it. He thought it was a toy was my first guess (he usually shakes his toys in just the same way). My second guess is that my Wolfie is a hunter, was a hunter when i saved him from the pound and still is one.

I was very distressed with him. I love my knights as if they were my children and i would never think them capable of murder...but this incident changed it all for me. I did not know how to react. The loss of life, any life - innocent or otherwise is always sad. I cried as i lifted the carcass of this baby civet cat and placed it into a box. It was not a pretty sight. I then proceeded to dig a hole in the ground to bury the poor soul. Wolfie has not seen the garden in almost a month, partly as a punishment and partly i was afraid that he would dig up the shallow grave. I still love Wolfie but i guess I NEED TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIM AND HIS REACTIONS!

Just a couple of nights ago, i heard something banging against my balcony railings and wondered if there was an intruder. I went up to check and in the darkness without turning on the lights i could see nothing move. i decided to flick the balcony light switch on anyway - better to know what is trying to attack you then to be attacked whilst asleep is what i say.

What i saw was two adult musangs playing on my balcony, jumping on the railings, bouncing off the swings, running across the length of the balcony. They played for a good 10 minutes before heading up to the roof to do god knows what. I think these were the parents of the baby musang buried in my garden. I guess they came back for their child afterall except that their child is no more because of mine. My knight, for whatever reason - caused the death of an innocent, i believe innocently.

Choose Freely, Choose Wisely with no regrets (almost)

2008-09-09T19:27:00.003+08:00

Today's advice for the battle weary who want to throw in the towel the the sake of a minute's respite against the ground they have fought to win losing tooth and nail and copious amounts of bloody spraying vomitus (old chinese and malay proverb of vomiting blood means to be so damn irritated or frustrated that one pukes blood out in a dramatic fashion)

I mean this in this life we face many decisions and many choices. We have more freedom now than that of our parent's generation. We have more options, choices, pathways even religions than they had. AND what do we do with this endless variety of life? We screw it up because we think we can do it all in one life time. That's right folks...you only have a lifetime to do what you want to do to make it count in some small way or another if not for someone else than at least for yourself.

ONE LIFETIME

So yes, you will have to decide on things like these:

1) Single or Attached
2) Children or no children
3) Love or money
4) Work or Leisure
5) and so on and so forth

the list is endless. Some comparisons are more important in one person's life than another. And yet with all the endless access to endless opportunities, and all the freedom to choose we still have so much difficulty choosing what we want. We make a mountain out of a molehill over decisions like these.

I guess i have had enough of stupid people in the last week. These are people who have made decisions in their lives, selected choices that resulted in certain pathways being travelled and the consequence both good and bad have suddenly developed hindsight. this is an amazing gift. Pity it comes too late.

it's like they made these decision blinded...(some claim they did not have 100% of the information or was not 100% sure - these days 100% is a ficticious figure that doesn't count for much)

They ask for reassurances for the future when none can be provided. They have been kept so safe and shielded either by society or family that they can no longer deal with risk. Calculated risk is highly misunderstood in this day and age.

The generic key to anyone's happiness is the have the ability to choose freely without any external pressures. choices are made by the heart or by the mind - both elements are internal and yet many people allow external factors to influence their decision making. External factors can be situational. These external situational factors create internal influences like fear and shame. I guess i'm trying to say that we must decide what makes us happy, what constitutes a deal breaker for any decision to pass and not subvert our happiness by allowing any external influence. I believe strongly that only a happy person can make another happy. It isn't easy but it's not impossible to choose freely.

And if you cannot bring yourself to choose freely, then you can at least do yourself a favour by choosing wisely. Gut instincts are seldom wrong unless your name is Mr or Miss Unfortunate For Life. When you come to a cross road in your life and it is necessary for you to decide the pathway and this scenario is usually brought about because of some inbalance in your life that you feel perhaps some change would be necessary in order for you to be happy. You probably already know what needs to change or which is the right path. You decide that you will act on this and by doing this you have chosen freely. Then situational factors began to descend upon your senses and suddenly you are no longer as sure as you were when you first made the decision to change.

this will likely see the revoke of the initial decision (freely chosen) due to fear of non results and readiness to revert back into your comfort zone. Then you must learn to choose wisely. Choosing wisely allows for external influences in your decision making to help you justify your decision to revert. If you have chosen wisely then you have admitted that the time is not right for the change or the extent of change is too big. This will of course mean that you give up on the opportunity/possiblity of the happier life you initally envisioned for yourself. Whether you choose freely or wisely, life will still have it's up and downs. The trick is to not have regrets. One lifetime, do your best with it, choose freely, choose wisely and have no regrets...almost.

And one last thing...everything you want in life - you will need to earn! There are no shortcuts, no quick results. It's hard work despite what everything around you screams "convenience, easy and fast" in your face on a daily basis.

If you still didn't understand this blog...call me! ;)

Of Creaky Bones, White Hair and Contentment

2008-08-31T00:20:00.005+08:00

It seemed like just yesterday that I was sleeping peacefully in my sarong swing crib as a babe. The years between then and now have fallen from my memory, leaving only a handful of vivid memories of my life in between. The inevitable aging process that begins from the time of our birth seems more apparent to me these days...It is most telling in my physical makeup when bits of me displays obvious obedience to gravity where previously there was definite rebellion and i make more noise just walking than actually being in conversation. These days i also sport highlights of white in my previously ebony locks...where i used to be limber i am now an aching mass of creaky bones, white hair and contentment
This is no complaint. I am actually very happy at this stage in my life despite all the trials and tribulations - they only made me stronger in mind and heart. Where i only used to have physical balance and strength, I now have balance in my intangible self - i'd like to think it's Soul Balance.
It wasn't so long ago that i was deep in discussion with my King about Happiness vs unhappiness. I was trying to articulate that the difference between these two phrases:
1) the opposite of Happiness is Unhappiness (as i understand from whatever sub standard english i have)
2) Being "Not Happy" does not equate to "Unhappiness"

Think about it for a second...read those two lines again and see if it makes sense to you. The reason for the need to articulate the above was to argue if the middle ground (being contentment) keeps us from fulfilling or chasing after dreams that truly makes us happy. I think most people will settle for contentment - it isn't happiness nor is it unhappiness but "hey! I'm alright so why rock the boat?" When we were discussing this topic, I was essentially accused of waxing philosophical. Many asked what's the point of knowing the difference. I find that it is important to know the difference and to acknowledge where you are in your life as then and only then will you know where you want to go or what you want to do.

It takes a lot of courage to face our blindness to our own position in life and a lot of effort to focus on what makes it worthwhile when our sensors are numbed by so many modern and external distractions. It's always a good time to turn inward and ask if things need to change. It's always a good time for some soul balancing.

Many of us work for a living, have children (well i have fur kids), we are all busy with activities day in and out and for the most part we are content. Giving thanks for our healthy and happy families, our job, our friends etc. But there are days that we wonder about another kind of life (usually the kind that is beyond what we have, the kind that if we were to pursue would result in opportunity cost of the present lifestyle).

So then begs the questions: Can the word contentment be used interchangeable with the word fear? Is it the contentment that keeps us in the routine or fear or both? If it is fear, then what is it we fear?

I have an accquaintance who travels around a fair bit, never stays in one country for longer than 2 years. She is very proud of her achievements and her worldliness as i am of her. But one day she mentioned proudly that the reason she moves about so much is that she is not afraid of changes. Of course put like that most people would view it as an attribute to be proud of as most homosapiens would have been tagged as afraid of change. So i thought i'd offer her another point of view...would it be possible that she was afraid of contentment...afraid that roots would not return the desired results and that this affected her decision to move on and along every couple of years? Could it be the contentment of moving and never growing roots at any one place keep her from finding true happiness? Or is it fear? Will she have the courage to look inside?

Soul Balance is hard to achieve and maintain. Change is necessary for the pursuit of happiness. No recommendation for anything major. Little changes in attitudes, small pushes for progress in a different direction will produce some hardships along the way but the road to any kind of balance has never been flat, straight or easy. I ask for the courage to turn my eyes inside every once in a while and the strength to fight creaky bones, white hair and contentment - all in a bid for happiness.

Bubble-dom going pretty in green

2008-08-20T23:52:00.006+08:00

I have quite a large garden in my Kingdom. Since moving in years ago, i have failed to do any kind of landscaping - partly coz of the cost and partly coz of being too involved in the business of ruling the Kingdom. About a year ago, i started to take an interest in plants...I thought they made the Kingdom look warm and alive - for as long as they lived. Which wasn't very long if the Royal Gardener was yours truly.

The local nusery is now my second home...I have to pick up new plants almost every fortnight to replace the ones that have gone to green heaven. It's really not my fault...let me explain the various ways a plant can go to Green Heaven:

1) Death by Thirst (this is when the King and I forget to water them over a couple of days)
2) Death by Pee (This is when the royal knights decide to empty their little bladders on the plants to help them grow big and strong - the plants usually die from too much goodness)
3) Death by Fertilizer (The myth is fertilizer is good for the plants - they should advertise that artifical fertilizers are much much much much stronger than the au naturel ones)
4) Death by Drowning (No one told me it was possible to drown a plant)
5) Death by Attendance - of a dog fight (The knights can't help it if they hurl themselves around in their fight for alpha male domination - the plants should know better than to stay potted there)
6) Death by Bugs (Ever seen an infestation? No? Come round for a cuppa - and i will show you the royal grounds...)

There...those are the most common death patterns of the plants around the royal grounds. But now i have a new project (i can hear my king groaning at this). That is to plant a border hedge just outside my bedroom so that i can wake up to beautiful ixora (yellow ones) every morning...of course provided they survive long enough to "grow up".

So it was with this project in mind that we went to purchase the little bush packs of yellow ixora (all from the local nusery of course - the queen must support local industry - and if i do say so myself - i do a grand job at the local nusery). We got 15 in all, carted them home, brought out the hoe and made myself a nice ice lemon tea to sit in the shade whilst my king worked on getting himself a blister on his soft royal hands. Have to say...he was kinda cute....sweating buckets and constantly looking at his little blister and breathing really hard. In the end all good shows must come to an end...so we managed to dig 7 holes. The good news is that some shows have sequels and my fun will begin once the weekend starts again - he has another eight holes to do.

If i viewed my life as a garden then i would have planted many plants (attempted many things) some lived and flourished whilst other passed on (sometimes i succeed and other times i dun), and i keep going back to the nusery for more (i try try and try again).

To date i have about 9 fir trees (the kinds that scare the ghoulies away), 15 yellow ixoras and counting, 8 Orchids, 3 Jasmines, 2 good luck plants (they are flourishing - i take it as a good sign), 1 cutting from an unknown shrub (also flourishing), 1 wild grass flower, 5 roses, 2 Elegant plants, 1 money plant (also fourishing), 2 baby ferns, 1 giant fern, 3 bonsai, and possibly 9 snake plants (fingers crossed) and finally a herb garden consisting of coriander, chili, chili padi, daun limou perut, mint plus a couple of others. I have consulted a landscaper and i am planning to have frangipani trees and more jasmines in the main part of the garden. I'm also planning to go round my estate to get bougainvilla cuttings...so i have to say my garden and life is looking good.

4 Elements of Self

2008-08-06T00:09:00.003+08:00

There are 4 Elements of Self. There include the physical element, the psychological element, the emotional element and the spiritual element. In order to achieve balance, it is my belief that there needs to be a balance in all elements. this balance or imbalance can be influenced by yourself and of course external forces (we do not live in a vacuum).

My Physical Element
Ok Ok...i know that signing up for gym membership is different from actually utilising the gym facilities. I know i have weight to lose but i reason that all the stress from work is losing me pounds...i should be super model thin by now...To redeem myself just a little bit, i do walk my knights up and down the royal hillside twice a day sometimes having to fight off giant stray mongrel dogs and sometimes i ski in an effort to hold my knight back from a willing maiden bitch! So i figured...i'm ok...not a total loser...yet....Right need to sort out my schedule to go gyming soon! Just need to run past the mamak to grab nasi lemak for breakfast before gyming...

My Psychological Element
Man this area is a right mess! This beats the Pepsi Max in blackpool and i'm on it at least 50 times a day in my head. My defense? I'm a woman...we tend to over think things...you know...will he call? does he love me? why is he so mean? Is he a jackass? When can i whoop his butt? But i think (here i go again) that overall...i'm quite sane (who am i kidding) and a well balanced person (right...where do i sign up for the mental ward?)
I know it's weird (my hubby thinks so) but i have multiple personalities - i believe all of us have multiple personalities but the only difference is that i talk to mine before they manifest. Kewl huh? Well...mabbe not!

My Emotional Element
Now this is one tangled wed of #$^% Even i can't get through it...i guess for your sake we better keep out of this area....

My Spiritual Element
Ahh...this has been lacking! For a very long time. you know the saying the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak...well...that's me and you and millions of others...But that just doesn't cut as justification for being weak though...I mean - can you imagine...upon death...you meet St Peter at the Pearly gates and your only reason for being a flop in maintaining your spiritual element is that no one else you know does (and that's probably a lie as well...hmmmm...not going to get very far with St Peter)

I do pray though...for the people i love and care for the most...for the people i don't know but will need help...there was a time that i was really frustrated with hubby and my mother would ask me to say a prayer that went something like " Lord, give use the patience to change what we can and the wisdom to know the difference...." And it goes on and it's a lovely prayer. I have added on to the prayer to pray for strength...to kick hubby's a$$ into shape when he iritates the crap out of me....Amen!

How in touch are you with your 4 Elements of Self? ;)

My Popo

2008-08-05T23:29:00.002+08:00

My earliest memories of my PoPo (my maternal grandma) is that of jet black hair, fierce looking face, horn-rimmed glasses, one hand on hip and the other wielding a rotan (cane). I cried a lot when i was young giving new definition at that time to the term cry baby. It wasn't that she'd beat me or scold me....i was just a very fretful child. These days i dun cry as much, even though i want to or feel the deepest sadness that comes with the loss of my PoPo.

My PoPo co-brought me up with my parents. We were not wealthy when i was a child. I almost always got hand me down clothes from my sister and treats came in the form of 10cents being placed in my hand sneakily by my grandpa (God bless his soul - he left us quite some years ago) to go play "Tikam" (a gambling game of chance for kids - prizes usually were toys etc) whilst my Popo would nag about wasting money. She would cook up a storm - true nyonya dishes. She would "tepok" (pet) me to sleep and whilst i slept she would fan me with a folded newspaper. She has the best collection of kebayas i ever had seen in my life and she used to love playing mahjong and "ciki"

As usual when you are a child you hardly know the adults that are bringing you up to be a responsible adult. When you are a teenager you refuse to listen to their wisdom and wise advice. When you are a young adult you are too busy building your life to pay much attention to those who spent their lives giving you yours. The dawning of the characters of the people who bring you up through this world comes slowly and sometimes to late. When i say dawning...i mean the slow growth of awareness...and that's how it is for me and probably most of you as well.

At the place that i am now - more or less stable, more or less happy, more or less fulfilled i see things differently. I can see now that when i was growing things were really tough and my parents and grandparent really had to work very hard for themselves and us - especially us. The attitudes and mentality of then and now are vastly different. Choices that were limited then built stronger characters and endurance. Unlimited choices in this day and age have made the younger generations weak. I am glad to say that i am not so far from that ole generation that i have benefited from that attitudes and mental and mettle building that was so strong during that period.

My Popo who recently passed away reached iconic status in my mind probably over the last 10 years where it dawned on me all her sacrifices, her strong will, her fight till the end mentality (that usually drove her kids mad!) her softness, her need for love throughout her life and her love and tenderness (despite appearances) for us all. Undoubtedly she has touched and taught everyone who has ever had the opportunity to meet her. through her i have learnt to see the flip side of every coin, through her, i learnt to see the silver lining in every dark cloud, through her i learnt respect, tolerance, negotiation, will power and many other skills that will be with me till i die.

I miss my Popo. I feel sad that she is gone but i am glad that she is in a better place (possibly harrassing all the angels in heaven as we speak) She is the last TRUE Matriach of the Nyonya line in my family. She is a character like no other. I miss kissing her and having her hug me as i promise to return from KL to visit with her soon. she has lived 86 years and suffered, enjoyed, endured more life than most people i know. Nothing i can write her will ever describe her as she sits in my mind and in my heart. She used to call me cry baby...well her "Bibian" doesn't cry as much as she did and could not cry when she left us...i guess her lessons have sank in more deeply than i thought. She will always be a part of me. I can see bits of her floating around in me and i feel proud that she was my POPO and that pride of being part of her, her pride in life will stay with me forever.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

2008-07-09T22:27:00.002+08:00

Remember this song? Well, not a lot of a song since most of its lyrics revolves around those five words and a lot of barking! So it has a catchy tune and most people would remember it. I definitely do...and it isn't because the song is good or i really like the beat.

This song has stuck in memory as it reminds me of the first time hubby lost our dog - Poppet (he has since been found, put back all the weight he lost and become as obnoxious as he used to be) That was the theme song that i sang to hubby everynight for as long as it took us to locate Poppet!
Man, that was real punishment - having to listen to that crap song and feel guilty about our then missing pooch at the same time. Poor Hubby! Poorer Me - I had to sing the damn thing!

After we found Poppet though, i stopped singing that song and tot to myself: "Thank God! It is a terrible song and it's definitely not my cup of tea!" So i tot Me and hubby would be safe from ever having to listen to that beat again (unless some clueless DJ puts the tune on!)

Wishful thinking...tonight i found our gate wide open and both Poppet and Wolfie had disappeared. Heart Attack Alert! Screaming at hubby (it would probably be him seeing as i was no where near the autogate keys) I caught sight of Poppet loitering around our car outside. So i called for him and he wagged his curly pig tail and sauntered over - seems he still remembers what it was like to be lost! So at least i had found one of them. Walking him back to the house the autogate starts to close and hubby is stumbling out of the house with three leads over his shoulder and the little dog (Mags) under his arm. If he had hair...it would look tousled and that would have completed his look of shock and guilt.

When he saw that i had Poppet - he opened the gate and got Poppet safely inside. Then we both took off looking for Wolfie. he drove, i walked. I walked all the usual paths we take for walkies but i could not find Wolfie...When i came to the end of the street and the end of my hope of finding Wolfie...Hubby pulls up in the car and the joy i experienced when i spotted Wolfie in the seat next to him was like "woo hoo!!!". Needless to say...the joy of finding my dog was great but not greater than the fact that i would not have had to sing that **** song again!

Who says there aren't miracles? i experienced two this evening!

Annual Dream

2008-06-29T12:24:00.008+08:00

I have an annual dream...believe you me. It happens once a year and it's always the same dream. For 2008 - it has not happened yet. It goes something like this:

There is this square patch of grass. around the perimeter of this grassy patch is a short fence - the kind you can just step over to avoid tripping. this setting is in a space devoid of anything else apart from the characters. There are 3. They are pipes. A Momma Pipe, A Daddy Pipe and a Baby Pipe.

They are walking around the perimeter of this fenced of patch. They seem to live there. They never go into the patch. Just round and round they go... Somewhere in my dream and during their pipe life, the Baby Pipe comes across a pretty sun flower growing at the perimeter of the fenced up patch. Happy to find the flower ( i guess the baby pipe must be pretty bored - i mean i could not walk around a patch of fenced up turf for more than a minute...), she plucks it (dun ask me how i know it's a "she" - i just do), runs over to the Daddy Pipe and presents him with it!

This gets weird now...The Daddy Pipe is terribly angry with the Baby Pipe for plucking the sunflower from the patch and proceeds to chase the Baby Pipe around the fenced up patch. Trust me...at this stage of the dream the Daddy Pipe is enamting strong anger vibes. So the chase goes on for a bit and I can sense that the Baby Pipe is really scared - she might have turned into a sewerage pipe if Mommy Pipe did not interfered.

Interfered Mommy Pipe did. She stop the chase by standing between the Daddy Pipe and the Baby Pipe and spoke calming words to the Daddy Pipe. Soon Daddy Pipe calms down and the three pipes continuing walking around the patch of fenced up turf. On and On ... walking round and round...until the Baby Pipe finds a sunflower and plucks it to present to Daddy Pipe...and the dream goes on and on in a loop!

If i wake up from this dream and return to sleep the dream will continue for the rest of the night. Eeeeriiieeee....

Tell me i am not loony! But honestly, this is an annual dream. I do not go a year without this dream happening at least once. I am awaiting for it to happen.....annnn-tiiii-ciiiii-paaaa-tiooooon!

Doggie Bag Dispenser

2008-06-15T00:51:00.003+08:00

Been a long time with much happening in between my last blog and this one. Though you wonder may wonder on the title of this blog...well...read on and wonder no more.

See...recently my knight in shiny fur - this would be Sir Wolfie that i'm referring to - took a fancy to plastic bags. Mind you he's proven to be the salt of the earth by only taking interest in the cheap coloured plastic bags used by almost all hawkers in this part of the world. None of that fancy pancy plastic bags that more sophisticated retailers give out in their quest for world wide domination through brainwashing.

Back to the story. So Sir Wolfie almost always accompanies hubby wubby on their regular morning walks. And on their regular morning walks they come across really irregular garbage strewn along the sidewalks...you'd be amazed at what you could find...empty wallet/handbags, discarded food (most interestingly usually macdonald's wrappers), used tissue paper, keys, and of course plastic bags. This last item has been a hot favourite for Sir Wolfie to find, pick up, thrash around and cheekily dare his "daddy" to get it from him.

Of course when i'm about with them, i will always get flustered and ask the "daddy" to quickly get it out of Sir Wolfie's gaping black hole - fearing that he might swallow the bag. Most days my flustering is laughed off and hubby wubby will unsuccessfully chase down Wolfie in circles before my cheeky knight decides that his "daddy" is too slow for this game and ends it by spitting the plastic bag out and moving onto something that poor daddy can actually get at...like his shorts.

Up until a couple of days ago, Wolfie's antics and fascination with plastic bags were thought to be a "funny thing that he did" - UNTIL HE SWALLOWED THE DAMN BAG!!
That's right! There was no more laughing my flustering away now...to be honest i felt a teeny bit worried about my Wolfie but could not help but feel smug when hubby wubby's face took on a shade of pale when the possiblities of dog swallowing plastic bag complications arose in his head. I had to bite my tongue or spouted something along the lines of "I TOLD YOU SO!!"

Over the course of the day, we monitored his breathing and watched him closely for signs of suffocation, indigestion and when we went for walkies...we checked his poo to see if he had successfully purged himself of the foreigh object! We ARE talking about Wolfie here although hubby wubby did display signs of breathing distress at the possibility of Wolfie not surviving his latest craving - plastic bags.

It was not until a full 24 hour day had passed that Wolfie pooped out his plastic bag! It was during the evening walkie and i urged hubby wubby to bring along a torch light to check out Wolfie's poop in the dark. We walked and we walked and we walked somemore and eventually the little tyke decided to have a poop. At first we couldn't see any thing similar to a plastic bag, in texture or colour and we were worried that Wolfie would have a plastic bag stuck somewhere between his gaping black hole and his ...hole for the rest of his life. Then i caught sight of a bit of colour in his poo and upon closer examination and the aid of a small rock to move Wolfie's smelly contents around we would see that my knight had successfully purge the peach coloured plastic bag out! It was complete wrapped in shite...of course!

I think all of us breathed a sigh of relief at this momumentous event! We all stood there marvelling his crappy work (pun intended) for a full 5 minute period and smiled at each other...i know...i know...we're weird! You could imagine the back slapping going around the royal family as our knight was finally successful in his mission! I have been giving some thought to patenting the idea of a doggie bag dispenser....what do you think? Hmm....

Nightmare in Boss Street

2008-02-12T19:36:00.000+08:00

What's this all about you might ask? Such an interesting heading....hmmm.....well..it is kinda kewl if you asked me...and you are asking me if you're reading my blog! IT'S ALL ABOUT NIGHTMARE BOSSES!! Be warned - if you read this and feel embarrassed/upset (lightbulb moment) then maybe there's some truth in it and it's probably time for you to re-evaluate - do you really want to kick me or give yourself a good kicking?

Well...to just clarify these nightmare bosses do not occur in your dreams whilst you sleep at night...well not always...for most (*wink* *wink* at my boss). These creatures called bosses are not all bad...well not always...but on most days and for some - at nights; and for others - always...i.e. me

These creatures are only cruel and unusual when they put their boss personalities on...well true for some of these boss. I have seen these cruel creatures unable to take off the boss personalities...It's fatal! This is how it all begins.....

One day...you are walking down the employee street... going about your business, doing your requisite work and pushing for new initiatives like any good employee would do. Your colleagues (whom you get along swell with) walk along side you in the quest to move up the corporate ladder....then one day...BAM!! you get promoted. And you become boss... (BTW Boss diseases can hit you in other scenarios ...i.e. you start you own business etc)

Bit by bit the Boss disease will take over the nice employee that everyone used to like... and you become this horrible creature that everyone lurves to hate that it until you take off your boss personality (if that is ever possible?). Boss disease syndromes are fairly obvious:

1) they think everyone is their slave
2) they think they are brighter and smarter than anyone
3) they think they have the best ideas in the house and anyone who tries to get any other ideas in should be shot
4) they cannot even make their own calls i.e. they need someone to dial the phone number for them
5) they don't really like making decisions and usually subtly "encourage" others to decide
6) Any decision that is fatal is a subordinate made decision
7) any decision that is successful is a Boss made decision (and they call this team work)
8) they like to "steal" ideas and pass it off as a modification of your original idea so essentially it becomes theirs
9) they shout at you and then turn their heels and walk away
10) they don't listen they just grunt (like some animals i know!)

Once you are infected...it's a long way to recover..some never do!!

i had this female boss once (and the legends are true about bitch female bosses) and she was the ultimate bitch boss anyone could have had...it didn't help that she was overweight and constantly on some fab diet that make her grumpy coz she was hungry. It was made worse by the fact that she was single and her boyfriend of eons would not pop the "WYMM" question. Further escalating the situation was that she worked for a beauty spa thingy where you could see all the ultra sexy clients coming in for various treatments. I probably made it bad for myself by eating cha kuey teoh every day for lunch with her and her salad in tow...I would never know what kind of a mood i would find her in in the mornings (btw. she was not a morning person and neither was I - which was what probably got her goat about me as well). I would usually just assume the following about my bitch boss if she was found in a foul mood in the morning:
1) Hungry
2) No Sex last night
3) Another failed marriage proposal to the old git she calls her guy - whom we all tot was gay anyway
4) Deadlines
She used to scream abuse and accusations in my face and would stalk off the minute she was done. that caused me a lot of frustration as i could never answer to any of her accusations or justify my decisions or anything. It was a lack of respect that really infuriated me and i was sure that she knew the effects of her being completely ball-less when confronting an employee/colleague in this manner.

I used to dread going to work and would purposefully be late coming in. Well actually it was not purposefully. It was really not on purpose that i really like sleeping in and that the bitch boss actually made it easier for me to not be pressured into coming in on time...eventually I left...

I got through employment with really nice bosses (see not all of them are bad - just them Damn Little Napoleans!!) Then i got to the really nice boss and that was a nightmare in itself...He was so nice, much nicer than the doormats that Ikea sells...and he's unique - he's a harvard doormat. though he wasn't bad - he was damn strange! He had really weird habits and it freaked me and all my fellow colleagues out. Usually you get the staff divided into two camps or more...this was a united front. Now who said all nightmares had to be scary...some are just plain weird. Like this one.

My current bosses (I have two) are the epitome of Yin and Yang. If you would like to find out more about what i mean then just meetup with me and i'll let you buy me a tea or three and i can yak till pigs can fly and it would be highly therapeutic for my soul...any takers? Didn't think so...guess you all have your own bosses to deal with in Nightmare street huh...

Welcome 2008

2008-01-17T13:51:00.000+08:00

I know it's a bit late in the year for this...and so many people have already published their new year greetings...but i'm a firm believer of better late than never, so here i go......

Ahhh.....The new year! Fresh starts! Lots of new resolutions! And Another 357 days (leap year) in which to break them all! New challenges, new trials, new products, new wars, new casualties, new deaths, new births, new pregnancies, new tragedies, new miracles, new saints etc....a whole year promising loads of excitement and emotional roller coaster rides!

I won't bother going into the resolution making exercise. I'm sure there's more than enough people out there that are making and as we speak breaking resolutions all over the world. The world could do with one less resolution making and breaking mad woman! So I'm out!

Queen Bubbles has had quite a dramatic couple of months. So since i'm not making any resolutions for 2008, I am allowed wishes. One of them is that my emotional roller coaster rides concerning matter out of my control will remain on the positive end of the spectrum. For matters within my control i wish for the same thing.

I wish peace for people who are overly excited or overtly excitable. I wish contentment for the greedy and mischevious. I wish good health to the sick. For those flapping about in confusion in life - i wish direction and courage. I wish all the frustrated and angry - enlightenment and new perspective.

I hope all the people who i know or remembers me will have a great year filled with laughter, happiness and health. May each and everyone of you live each day to the fullest, to the bestest (new word...just coined by me...:D) of your abilities. All are welcome into Bubble-dom to escape from life's trials and read about wacky wonky me!

Addiction & Rehab

2007-12-10T23:46:00.000+08:00

Victim of my own posting...I have become addicted to shopping. i like it tremendously....the walking around, the seeing, touching, trying, the rejections and finally the purchase! It is fan-tas-tic! I recommend people to get their butts into shopping gear and head to the nearest mall....wooo hooo - I'm on a high!

"Hallo Everybody! My name is Bubbles and I'm an Shopaholic!" (Your cue to say "Hallo Bubbles")

See... this is different from Retail Therapy and this (my friends) is a true addiction! It does not help that i work in the vicinity of a mall (one of the larger ones in KL) and that i'm sufficiently comfortable with my monthly takehome to splurge and indulge. Sometimes when i sit quietly in my room fighting the urge to hit the prettily lit stores just a couple of yards away and flash my beautiful golden card at the cash register - I think...This is a real sin! Something must be done! And I tried to go for rehab but I said No No NO (Hooray! Amy Winehouse! Although i really think she should go to Rehab!)

So i think this is a phase for me and i am planning to quit this nasty habit soon! Well...maybe after Christmas! There's afterall nothing wrong with shopping for others...It's only a true shopaholic sin if I shopped for myself! So it's a pact...after Christmas and I'm definitely in Rehab!! Go Go GO

Sometimes i just crack myself up! muahahahaha!

Retail Therapy

2007-12-10T23:03:00.000+08:00

This term "Retail Therapy" was coined probably less than a decade ago. I guess people suffered symptomatic signs of this disease since the beginning of time...cave woman buying a new rock to sit on...caveman buying the latest club to swing at the closest dinosaur...etc...you get my point. Everyone since the beginning of time has purchased/bartered something. The point is anytime we get anything new - it made us happy. For example if (during the time of barter trade) I planted and harvested enough bananas to barter for a basket of mangoes and successfully managed the barter - i would be happy, proud of my achievement... So the same goes with today's modern society that if i work hard and used my hard earned dosh to get something (doesn't have to be practical and can be totally frivolous i.e. woman buying her hundreth pair of shoes or men collecting vintage cars...esp men that are in their forties...ooopss! I think this falls into the mid life crisis area) i would be happy and proud of my achievement (The definition of achievement here is highly suspect!)

Retail Therapy as far as I can tell or from what society seems to think it means - suggests that people who are upset with life or rather "NOT HAPPY" with the state of things will go out and purchase something to make them feel in control. So when we shop - do we indulge in Retail Therapy? Does it mean i have to be upset to shop? Does it mean I shop only to feel good?

I think the coining of such a yuppified (it's never retail therapy for the aunties in my neighbourhood...) term has officially made shopping a true disease of sorts. And in this chronic hyperchondriac television drama fed society - it has made shopping more attractive then ever - I would say that this term was invented by someone in the retail world to boost sales...coz the term "retail therapy"has been bandied about with such abandon by friends, family and strangers. It is used loosely and it encourages people to shop in ways that fit this profile. Suddenly "therapy" is no longer restricted to open to all that fancy themselves hip enough to be sick - it is free for all, open season for shopping.

I may come across as highly cynical and definitely suspicious of what may seem simple to the masses but i really believe this is one big marketing ploy created by the retailers (there must be some secret retailer society since the time of Da Vinci...maybe his girlfriend was one of the pioneer members) defined, refined and deployed by the psychologist/psychiatrist who were involved in the creation of this concept. I think they sold us the sale! They planted the concept/idea of retail therapy into our heads...in the process suggested that people spend money to feel in control (read as: you are in control only when you have money and can spend it! NOOOOT....SO the total opposite - if you keep spending/indulging your disease you will have no money and definitely no power) and then just let nature takes its course...AND TAKEN ITS COURSE IT HAS!! Funny how reverse psychology can work wonders....

anyway...I'm rambling...something that i have been doing for a while...hope i snap out of it...coz i know i sound totally incoherent!