Learned (Did) Something New Today!

credit: http://www.bimoweb.com

Growing up in a middle class family in Indonesia, it is common to have a home assistant (or two), which means no worrying about house cleaning nor any house chores at all. Although I do thank my mom for giving me responsibilities in cleaning my own room (and I did not a good job honestly).

When I was living in Jakarta, I can't say things were much different either. I still had frequent visitors from home to help me with house chore-related stuff, and suffice to say, I was still a spoiled little girl.

After Jakarta, then there's Singapore...

In Singapore, ones must be able to do basic housework stuff in order to live comfortably. It is impossible (for me) to get myself a home assistant since it is expensive and there would not be much work for her other than dusting, sweeping and mopping the floor. So I do everything myself. I enjoy weekly house-chores, from dusting to laundry to bathroom cleaning. Although occasionally when I'm feeling terribly tired from work, I would wish I have someone to help me around the house.

Anyway, after living here in almost a decade, I would have thought I did every basic house stuff already. But I was wrong...
Few days ago, after more than 2 weeks of house renovation work, my owner provided us with house cleaning crew (which did more than average work, but definitely not worth $400 my owner paid them). But then one of the kitchen sinks started to make fuss again, a.k.a clogged.

We poured more than 1.5 bottle of Mr. Muscle, and it was still sadly clogged.

This morning I was almost at my wits ends when I remembered what my former flatmate did when our sink was clogged. Under the sink, there is an easily-removed pod-like thing where all the non-liquid or solid stuff coming from the drain will reside. So I decided I would do one more thing with plunger and if it still doesn't work, I'd take a look at that pod-like thingie, and I'm glad I did!

Inside that pod-like thingie, there were debris from the house renovation (including some nails and screws) which I am certain no amount of Mr. Muscle would be able to 'melt'!

Oh, I'm so happy that the kitchen sink is now in full-functional mode. No thanks to Mr. Muscle!

And I can proudly say: I learned/did something new today!

Books I've Read So Far ~ April 2015

For more than 3 decades of my life, I believe I've read hundreds of books which, sadly, I am not able to remember other than a little bit here and there.
So then I've come to a conclusion that I should try to keep track on books I've read along with what I think or feel about it.
Sounds like a good idea? Let's hope this resolution will last long...

On a side note, since the start of this year, I've been going to a library in my neighborhood more often than I did last year. so that I even bought a coupon set for hot beverages at the library cafe.
The reason is that so I would read actual books than e-books - why? because reading e-books from my beloved iPad especially before going to bed would make it more difficult for me to sleep afterwards, due to the blue light emitting from it, and I want to have nice good sleep everyday and wake up not feeling tired.

Anyway, let's go back to my book list - it comprises both e-books and actual books I've read since the beginning of this year (not in chronological order):

1. Hunger Games trilogy (Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay) - Suzanne Collins

Amazon, Goodreads

After watching the first 2 movies, I was intrigued to know how close (or far) the movies are from the books, and after reading all of them, I have to admit that I'm satisfied with the movies. Even though there were scenes omitted or altered in the movies (compromises!), the movies did justice to the books (and the author, of course). And I also gotta say, I loved Katniss! She is flawed, and yet relate-able. She did not always do the right things, but whatever she did was in order to keep her loved ones safe.

2. Divergent trilogy (Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiance) - Veronica Roth

Amazon, Goodreads

I was tempted to read the book right after watching Divergent the movie. I think the movie was quite good and I have soft spot for Shailene Woodley after watching her in The Fault In Our Stars.
The first book was okay, I prefer the plot in the book over the movie, however I disliked Tris in the book. And after finishing the last 2 books, I concluded that Tris was just a selfish brat who thought she knew everything and that completely and foolishly in love with Four (I can't remember how many times she gushed over his handsomeness!). She thought that being a Divergent made her special to the extend that other factions somehow beneath her and everything she did was out of impulse to save herself or Four (selfish much?). For the record, Four was not sympathetic as well. And I've lost my interest to watch Insurgent the movie after finishing the books, although perhaps I would watch it some time in the future when my negative feelings for Tris (and Four) somehow diminishes.

3. Marcia Clark's Rachel Knight series: Guilt By Association, Guilt By Degrees, Killer Ambition and The Competition

Amazon, Goodreads

Coming from one of OJ Simpson's prosecutors, these books lived up to my expectation. Nicely written, with sometimes unexpected twists, putting Marcia Clark to my list of fave true crime authors (along with Michael Connelly and James Patterson). I totally loved Rachel's little 'clique' - Rachel, Bailey and Toni.

4. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

Amazon, Goodreads

Simply put, great movie, great book! (and great act from Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck!)
Each scene is tightly woven together, with many unexpected turns (which I totally welcome!). I couldn't put it down until the last page!

5. Unlucky 13 - James Patterson

Amazon, Goodreads

The friendship between the foursome Women's Murder Club has always been the main appeal of this series and it's still not disappointing. Although I would expect that the crime part be more thrilling in the next book.

Currently reading: Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn.

Amazon, Goodreads

Sweet Revenge

There's a husband who is known to have a bad temper and often lets it out on his wife.
And every time, the wife puts her calm face and stays silent as the husband takes his sweet time raising his voice around the house.

All the neighbors know about this situation, and their sympathy all goes to the wife.

One day, the neighbors mentions to the husband, how they are amazed on how patient his wife is.
They go on and on complimenting his wife and advise him to learn to control his temper.

The neighbors' speeches stuck in the husband's mind until he is home.
He tries hard to remember if his wife ever talks back at him, and he remembers none.

So when he reaches home, he comes to his wife and asks: "Dear, why do you never get angry when I have such bad temper and always let it out on you? How come you are very patient with me?"

The wife looks at him and says: "Dear, did you notice how your toothbrush tastes weird sometimes?"

The husband nods his head and doesn't understand what his toothbrush has anything to do with his question.

The wife smiles at him lovingly, then continues: "It's because every time you raises your voice at me, I use your toothbrush to clean the toilet."

A Morning Person... Not!

So I spent my year-end vacation in my dearest hometown, and I find myself successfully waking up all fresh and chirpie before 7 AM everyday. For a self-confessed non-morning person, I find that remarkable, really.

I would spend my morning drinking coffee with some morning snack, enjoying a nice chit chat with my mom, and then I continue with a yoga session or if I had some errands to run, then off to shower and get on with the day.

Then, being all hyped up and motivated after being a morning person for 2 weeks, I just thought, hmm, this shall continue when I'm back in Singapore... What a resolution, right?

But... the past 2 weeks I have been dragging myself out of bed at around 730AM on weekdays, and woke up even latter - around 9AM-ish - on weekends!

And to think that oh I opened my eyes and thought I woke myself pretty early, and when I looked at my clock, it was already 9-bloody-AM!

Sigh...

It's not good, is it?

This morning, while going through my Sunday morning pretty slowly, I looked at the window, and thought, hmm... it is past 10AM, why does it feel like it was only 9AM?

Out of curiosity I googled sunrise time in Singapore and my hometown, and voila! I got my answer...

How can I expect to be up and chirpie by 7AM in Singapore, when it would feel like it was barely 6AM in Indonesia? I guess my body refuses to wake up when the day is still dark... -_-'

Well, I guess, it would be very challenging for me to be a morning person in Singapore.
Should I take the challenge?

Sharing: 45 ways to avoid using the word 'very'

Few weeks ago, I've come across an interesting article that I would like to share here.

*note: there is a possibility that the article interests me more since I am a non-native English speaker though... 

You may find the original article here: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1xuHX5

I shall paste the article here just in case the original article disappear...

45 ways to avoid using the word 'very'

Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain

'Very' is the most useless word in the English language and can always come out. More than useless, it is treacherous because it invariably weakens what it is intended to strengthen. ~Florence King

So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays. ~N.H. Kleinbaum

Transformers: Age of Extinction or Age of Tacky Product Placements?

Let's start with the definition of "Product Placement" according to Business Dictionary:

Product Placement - an advertising technique used by companies to subtly promote their products through a non-traditional advertising technique, usually through appearances in film, television, or other media

As one of the most profitable business in the world, it is very understandable that movies are impossible to be made free of product placements - except for indie movies perhaps.
However as a rule of thumb, I would expect that it is to be done subtly and even in a way that would pique viewers interests to try a certain product. All in all, if viewers' curiosities are tickled without even realizing that it is a product placement, I would consider the product placement a success!

Transformers: Age of Extinction should not be made - that was my opinion when I first heard of another Transformers movie being made - and I was right. The last movie (Transformers: Dark of The Moon) was already hard to watch and the producers should stop just right there. However as money is the root of all evil, it trumps all logic in the world and we got another Transformers movie.

I will not elaborate how predictable the plot was and how the cast (and their messy acting) was painful to watch...
Butch and bulky Mark Wahlberg as a robot nerd? Really?
Dark-haired Nicola Peltz transformed to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley copy, down to the white blazer and tight pants??

Sigh...

Still, what annoys me the most is how tacky product placements are in this movie. They are not placed in a "classy" way per se, but rather as distracting signboards at the background, or actual shots of the product without any relevance to the scene.
Here they are in chronological order:

Bud Light

Good Year

Shuhua Milk

Lukfook

It's a combo! Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans and Budweiser

Victoria's Secret

Palace Hotel - is a hotel considered "product"?

Tom Ford

Looking at how un-classy the product placements in this movie, does it go to prove that the producers were all about money and didn't care about the movie quality anymore?

PS: there were also plenty of product placements of cars, but since all robots transform to cars, I had expected to see car brand logos all over the movie.

Questions Hometown People Ask

I have been a non-permanent resident of my hometown since I finished my high school - since then I would only come home 3-4 times a year and stay for perhaps a week or so. 

 

During that short period visiting my dearest hometown, I am bound to meet some people - mostly my relatives, or my friends and my mom's friends. And strangely enough, their first question (or more like statement) they come up with is very similar, something along the line of:

- You've become fat! 

- You gained weight! 

- You are so 'big' now! 

- and so on and so on... 

Then after we pass the first round small talk of how I've become fatter each time they see me, here comes round two:

- Are you married? 

- Where's your boyfriend/husband?

- Why aren't you married yet? or why are you still single?

- Don't be so picky in choosing a spouse!

- When are you going to give your mom a grandkid? 

- Your poor mom is getting old, go get married soon!

And let's say I was married, then the questions cum statements will be something like these:

- How many kids you got? 

- If none: go give your mom a grandkid!

- If I got one: when are you having your second kid? 

- If I got two: when are you giving another baby sister/brother for your kids? 

- .... basically it's that kind of never ending question that we just die to not hear and yet we will always do... 

FYI, these questions are only getting more and more intense during holiday seasons. 

What I am still a little annoyed, is that why can't they start with something positive instead of criticizing? 

Like... Oh you've become prettier! - which I know I have compared to when my face was surrounded by mountains of baby fat. 

Or... if they are not capable of saying something positive, then say something neutral like: you looked so different from last time I saw you!

But anyway, words of my wise mom is that those people have nothing nice to say and some people are just jealous, so better leave it at that and not let it bother me much. 

Well, this is my experience as 4th generation of Chinese Indonesian family... Although I heard that my fellow Filipina/Indonesian/Malaysian friends have similar experience, I wonder if my Western counterparts also experience this?