Skin problems

I can probably thank my hormones for not giving me too much acne as I was growing up. Well, I had a few big ones every time I got my period, but other than that I was lucky enough not to have had them the whole year round. Even now, my skin has still been the way it has been some ten, twenty years ago. All I really suffer in is dryness, which can be very annoying especially during winter. Well, as they say, moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

My Front Door

What Your Front Door Says

You are elegant, fashionable, and quite intimidating. You wield a lot of power. And that's what scares people! You are reserved and difficult to know. Those who know you know that you are strong, consistent, and reliable.

The Front Door Test

Men and their Machines

I don't exactly understand what it is men find so fascinating about machines like cars, motorcycles and the like. I guess it is the power of the engines that they find attractive and to own one of these machinery (even if it is just one of those used Harleys) adds to their masculinity, and maybe also to their ego. Well, if the guys have their toys, we have our shoes, clothes and make-up. LOL. Such is life.

Still Sick

It's winter time and this is season when most people here get sick, our little girl included. She has been running a cold for a week now and we've decided to give her some medications and bring out our trusty vaporiser (much like those Air O Swiss humidifiers) to help her breathe more easily especially during sleep time. Thank God for wonderful inventions like these. Taking care of a little child is already a challenge in itself, and gadgets like this one sure makes life a whole lot more convenient and easier.

Lucky Us

I've probably ranted quite a bit about our long flight from hell on our way back here to Oz. But, even if we did have to endure that, I am just glad we were not one of the passengers on this flight. That must have been a more hellish flight than ours, as theirs could have ended in a terrible crash of some sort. Some things are just not meant to happen. And it is situations like this that I am thankful for such circumstances.

Need to unload

I just checked my hard disk some moments ago and just realised how much stuff (mostly photos) I've accumulated over our 2-month holidays. My laptop's memory is at stake so I better unload some of my stuff soon. As to how and when, that is the big question. Just goes to show how attached I can be to some of my old things. Let go, Leah, let go! LOL.

More on Hip Hop Abs

It's funny how I am doing my research now that I've already purchased the DVD on ebay. LOL. But I just had to know what I was investing in.

Here's a review done at Weightloss HQ:

The Hip Hop Abs fitness program gets a mixed review. While it probably won’t be able to build you those killer abs you so desperately want, it will help you to get active and perhaps get into the routine of being active. In a lot of cases, making physical fitness a life long habit is the key to a healthy lifestyle. By using the diet guide you will increase your nutrition level and awareness.

However, if you think that by buying the CD’s, and dancing along with Shaun T, you’re going to wake up in the near future and have well toned abs, you’re wrong. The fact of the matter is, the gym and old-fashioned weight training is the quickest, and most productive uses of your time if you want to build washboard abs. Cultivating good-looking abs is a process that will take time, energy and perseverance as well as a good diet plan.

You can lose weight and get a more fit mid-section using the Hip Hop Abs routines and we recommend all novice and intermediate users to try out this program.

Well, I am certainly a novice and have not really had an active lifestyle to start with, so I guess the workout DVD is worth a try. My goal really as of the moment is to just get back to being active and lose a few inches maybe. Only then will I be considering about more intensive workouts like probably going to the gym or investing in higher-end equipments. I'm taking baby steps!

Getting fit

Well, even if I am back in Oz now, this has not impaired my drive to keep fit. As soon as my body has recovered from all the travelling stress, I am sure to get back on my daily routine. I am still thinking about though of getting any exercise equipment, as it is winter time and I certainly don't see myself walking in the freezing cold. But I have recently purchased this:

It should arrive early next week. Wish me luck! :)

My type of exercise

Your Fitness Type: Serene

You find exercise to be a great way to relieve stress. Getting fit is important to you, but not as important as clearing your mind. Try exercise that has a mind-body connection, like yoga or tai chi. You may also enjoy exercising in nature - whether it's hiking or swimming or taking a long walk.

How Should You Get Fit?

Freeing up some space

I've been complaining about the shrinking space that we have left for all our stuff. With a growing child, you never seem to stop shopping for them, and now we are starting to feel its effects. Apart from needing more storage space, I think a good investment would be a TV wall mount so we can free up some space under the TV and use it for more cabinet space. Also, it'll be free from our little girl's hands tinkering so it might as well be up there for all the good reasons.

My Lovelife Movie

Your Love Life is Like Annie Hall

"A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies." You believe that love (if you even believe in love!) is a very complicated thing. Maybe love is pain. Or maybe it's all a big therapy session. You're still figuring it out. Your love style: Brainy and a bit neurotic Your Hollywood Ending Will Be: Realistic and reflective

What Movie Is Your Love Life Like?

I've never watched this movie yet. Maybe I should check it out one of these days.

Always a Girl Scout

I'm a girl scout. Though I've never been one when I was younger, I try to always come prepared. So it is not surprising to find my bag (no matter how small it is) filled with what-nots just in case you need them. I've got pens, a small pad of paper, tissue, pain relievers, hand sanitisers, make-up, band-aid, etc, etc. The list could go on. :) I have to admit though that sometimes I don't come as prepared as much as I was before. Blame it on motherhood. LOL.

Not so bad

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Second Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	High
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	High
Level 2 (Lustful)	Very High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Very Low
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Moderate
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

Baggage problems

The amount of stuff that we have to bring back is causing us worry, as it is undeniably huge and that would only mean that we need to get rid of some of them to be able to stay clear from being penalised with excess baggage fees. Shopping is great but getting them all in only a couple of suitcases poses a totally different dilemma. I'd be happy to put them up for sale just to lessen our load, but it's easier said than done as most of them are gifts for te little girl which we just cannot leave behind. Oh boy... I better get back to packing again and see how things will work out eventually.

Imperfect world

As per my OB-GYN's advice, I am now back to taking hormonal pills to manage my endometriosis. Let's hope that the effects won't be as bad as it was with medications I took a few years back. My brother told me I could get great skin from it so I suppose I won't need to buy Proactiv acne cream. But as of the moment, I am starting to doubt of any good side-effects of the drug since as early as now, I feel like I am having bad headaches on some days and mood swings can be quite terrible. I don't want people to think I'm a monster when I am really not. *sigh* I guess you just can't have it all, eh?

So far, so good

Well, I finally committed myself to engage in regular exercise. By regular I mean on a daily basis for at leasst 15-30 minutes of heart-pumping activities. I took the plunge because I really was starting to feel my body almost breakdown from a mere walk up a flight of stairs. It certainly wasn't a good sign. So here I am now, almost 3 weeks I think into it, and I starting to see some results. All that hard work sure has paid off and it is so rewarding! I'm glad I took that monumental step! :)

Back to reality

In exactly 9 days, our vacation will be over and it's back to reality once again. By next weekend, we will be back in the land down under, and I am pretty sure we will be fumbling, trying to get back into the groove of things. It's a busy life. But that is, as I said, our reality.

I think the first thing we'll be doing is getting the house cleaned and doing some grocery shopping to fill up our empty pantry. It's time to bring out the vacuum cleaner, load up the washing machine, tidy up the CAT6 cables, and wipe away the dust and cobwebs. Just thinking about it right now makes me cringe. I guess I'll just cross the bridge when I get there, so to speak.

Feast 196

Appetizer
When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?
Just last month. I had my hair layered and cellophaned (if there is such a term).

Soup
Name one thing you miss about being a child.
Being innocent, carefree and having no responsibilities. Those were the days.

Salad
Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.
Butter! I know it is sinful, but nothing beats its flavor. Just love that melting butter oozing out of freshly baked bread. Yum!

Main Course
If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?
I’ve been dying to learn to speak French. I like the way that it sounds and find it very romantic for some reason.

Dessert
Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…
… working full-time. Or probably having another kid. Who knows?

For more feasts, click here. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Keeping to it

Well, we've basically seen all the medical and dental specialists to check on us. Basically, we are all doing well. That's pretty much good news. I am just glad that our doctor did not say that I was overweight or anything to that effect. I am sure she would have told me to probably lose the extra kilos and go on a strict diet and exercise program.

Really, if you want the easy way out, there's always diet pills. But I have started slowly now on some light regular exercise and will continue to build up on that as my endurance picks up. Let's just hope I can follow through on this, especially when we get back to our busy lives in Oz. *fingers crossed*

Harsh reality

Inflation rates are soaring. I suppose everyone's noticed that already. And it is not getting any easier for us ordinary citizens of the world. People who have Philadelphia jobs and the like are lucky because they can afford their everyday expenses. But what about those who are unfortunate to have a salary that they can rely on? I don't know how they'll ever survive. I honestly cannot imagine it, and yet it is a harsh reality in this ever changing world of ours.

Blog List on Blogger

It is high time Blogger came up with a widget like this. It certainly is a great way to showcase off your other blogs and your friends' as well. Here are its features for those not in the know yet.

• Link to blogs, web pages, and feeds from your blog’s sidebar, with an optional favicon
• For pages with RSS and Atom feeds, Blog List can show last updated time, post title, and a snippet of the latest post
• Sort links alphabetically or by last update time
• Show all links, or hide some behind a “show all” link
• Import subscriptions from Google Reader
• Blog List links are visible to search engine crawlers, so your blog’s PageRank and reputation flow to those you link to

Definitely cool in my book! :)

Guys and their games

What is it with boys and their video games? My brothers and the boyfriends of my sisters seem to get along well when they are in front of the PC or an xbox 360. I guess it is pretty much the same when they all get together to watch a game of basketball or footy. Guys will be guys. If they have their games, we have our shopping madness, I suppose. Now I think that is good analogy to understand the matter easier. :)

Drawing to a close

Well, what do you know? The first half of the year's gone and before we know it, it's already Christmas. Where did the time go? All this catching up with friends and relatives, shopping and visits to the doctors and dentist definitely has filled our schedule to the brim. After a weekful of activities, it just hit me that our long vacation has now been reduced to a mere three weeks as of this writing. I guess this only means that we would have to maximize what is left of our time here, before we head back to reality that is Oz. Such is life.