Ouch is exactly it. Have somewhat foolishly decided an exercise regimen 5x a week, in which I walk/run (in place!) 3 miles on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for Pilates (a combination of ballet moves and lots of stretching) and omg! You stretch and flex and arch and bend and extend parts of your body that haven't been thusly used so outrageously ever since that one summer in Australia (back in your college heyday) when the men of that one town named a day in your honor because of your *cough cough* I speak theoretically of course... :)

So now body is aching in protest and I am hobbling about rather like Joanna Lumley in that picture. *Le sigh.

My cousin N is getting married in San Francisco in July, so hopefully by that time I will be more svelter (is that a word?) in this pretty J. Crew dress:




In other news, will try to get off my ass and try to write something of substance soon...

You know what really sucks? The enormous time lapse between discovering and savoring books I'd take with me if I were stranded on a desert isle. Catfish was the last one. Grrrrrr.

Though I am trying to read the The Book of Salt by Monique Troung. Will do a book review when done. Is it just me or am I reading a lot of books by Vietnamese authors lately?

Very intense moment, in a battle between a herd of buffalo, a pride of lions and 2 crocs. You'll never guess who wins!

Also, Studio 60 back tonight at 10 pm pst!

This is something that's been ongoing over the past few months. Now that I have unwillingly been thrust into the older, aged 35-50 female demographic (Je fait assez mûre pour mon âge, oui?), I can shop stores such as Gap's now defunct Forth & Towne. NOT. I feel a little uncomfortable being grouped with someone who is 15 years older then me...not flattering to my rapidly aging, vain ego I suppose.

ANYWAYS.

I've been trying to find some new bottoms (pants or shorts) that are flattering, comfortable yet stylish, and that convey the message of Hey, I'm still young and hip! My tastes have changed as I've gotten older tho...so...this is what I first looked at from A&F:

tagline: a little goes a long way in our sexy shorts

A bit on the short side, I don't think I could pull this off even if I wanted to. Now 15 years ago? Hell yes! But alas those days are no more...all I can think now is those things would keep riding up your ass now, wouldn't they?

Mayhap something a little more simple, elegant and flirty? Also, all-in-one covering top and bottom, so wouldn't have to buy so many shirts. Which brings us to this dress from Anthropologie:



tagline: Revive your love of simplicity with this jersey dress by Deletta. A lacy applique adds all the detail you'll need.

Appealing, yet the tomboy in me strenuously objects to the wearing of girly things on a casual basis, so probably not.

I guess my greatest fear is succumbing to middle-agedness and buying something like this:



Along with matching orange turban:



tagline: Bold, beautiful, strong and sassy are elements celebrated by the designs from Antthony. And this turban is no exception. With satin jacquard and bow detail, you'll look fabulous whether you're out in town or tanning on the beach.

I will be like Dame Sally Markham...



In the end, however, it was the comfortable, slightly more formal then sweats, can wear anywhere that won me over.


tagline: Nothing says "relaxed" like these knit pants. They combine the smooth lines of your favorite chinos with the comfortable fit of sweats. A touch of spandex is spun into the soft cotton French terry for ease of movement. Slanted front pockets, back welt pocket. Elastic waistband. Imported. Machine wash and dry.

So there you have it. My new definitive style for some years to come, a la L.L. Bean.

In other news, Pewari shares her thoughts about make-up.

I just got back from seeing Shrek the Third, which I thoroughly enjoyed (and highly recommend). So now it is late night...I should be going to bed now since tomorrow I am making a trek to the 'Rents' house for the weekend.

Did I mention I really enjoy the work I'm doing now? The only thing I've noticed is that working as a freelancer tends to be a bit lonely and VERY sedentary. If people are slow to respond to you, if you worked on-site, you could go over to them and say, "SUP yo?????" The effect isn't quite the same via email or phone...I find myself being a bit more guardedly professional now, since I don't know most of my colleagues very well. I think they're still not quite sure what to think of me, so gotta can the racy, humorous side of me until they do. :p

I also have to make the effort to get my fat arse out of the chair and work out every couple of days (gotta love Denise Austen), but that's a good thing overall, I think.

Anyways! One of my favorite authors, Lisa Kleypas recently posted a blog entry about missing her high school reunion, her plans on what she would be at age 17 and beyond, her life now and how she feels about it. Does anyone else besides me think about that too?

At seventeen, I knew I would end up living in my beloved Massachusetts, with a short dark-haired husband (my preferred type) and I would have an active social life. I would go to New York all the time, and be sophisticated and cosmopolitan. My closet would be full of little black dresses. And I hoped that someday I might have a book published.

But life takes us places, gives us experiences, throws us surprises, and no one ever ends up being exactly what they thought they would be. I am living in a small town in Texas with a tall blond husband and two amazing children, and I am a dedicated hermit. I have the most wonderful circle of friends with whom I communicate via the phone and the internet. (At seventeen, I wouldn’t have understood the concept of the internet at all.) And I’ve had many books published. I am happy. Even better, I am content.

I’m not sure if my seventeen year-old self would have entirely liked this vision. There are so many interests I’ve left behind, because you can’t have it all. I only have one little black dress, and I can’t wear it unless I put on a pair of Spanx power panties. And high heels hurt my feet. But I think I’m a more interesting person than high-school-Lisa could have envisioned. I think her expectations, even her dreams, were limited. I’m so glad it all didn’t happen the way she wanted or expected.

At 17, I thought I'd become a missionary to some third world country! Hah! Pretty funny eh since I'm so not that now. Then when I graduated from college in 1994, I was on fire, eager to save the world, having just spent a semester in Washington DC doing an internship at USAID. You remember 1994? I loved Bill Clinton (in a non-Monica Lewinsky way) and I loved DC and I was eager to dive into politics and accomplish something noble and West Wing-esque.

Eons later, I'm 35 and have 2 kids, and the Hubby and living on the opposite coast of where I thought I'd be, California. But thanks to the power of the Internet and cell phones, I can work a few thousand miles away from where my work is located as a writer (technical, but still a writer!) And like Lisa, some of my closest friends are via the Internet.

She concludes with this:

So this is the gift of getting older—we have allowed ourselves the freedom to become something more, something better, something different.

How very true that is.

Dressing the wall to the left of the desk now...I got the idea from Kate Spade's website:


So I color copied my favorite book covers, went to Michael's, got frames for $3 each, matting for $20 some odd dollars and here is the result:



Another pic of frames before I put them up:




I feel a bit like Linda Barker or Ana Ryder-Richardson...the effect is cool and smart...and it definitely represents my personality.

More on Hubby's side of the wall tomorrow.

Heh, I'm the latecomer noob...just discovered Happyslip, a Filipina vlogger...she's pretty funny. Gives me many laughs. I spent a couple of hours perusing her videos. She impersonates her relatives...oh god...I can totally relate...this is her first one and it gets you right from the start!



Another one:



And here is another funny one:

Just wanted to wish all the Moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day! I wish I could write something poignant about the cycle of giving birth, becoming a mother, all its responsibilities, joys and burdens and such, but I think I'll just thank the mothers in my life instead.

Mom: I hope you enjoy the flowers I sent you. Now that I have two kids of my own, I can understand better what you went through when you were trying to raise me and N. And even now, you know me so well, I don't have to say much and you already know what I'm thinking (sometimes good, sometimes bad). I love you very much, for being there for me now when I need someone to turn to for advice, in my own life and how to be a better parent. Thanks.

Moz (mother-in-law): Thank you for being a giving person and loving your grandchildren so much. You babysit when Hubby and I work, or when we need some time away. It really is something I appreciate. Though we don't always see eye to eye on things, I'm glad that we get along and we enjoy each other's company.

Maternal Aunts M, S and G: You lecture, worry about me and are there for me at unexpected times in my life. When the lot of you get together, the humor (sometimes pervy) and warmth which radiates from you fills the corners of my heart.

Pau Pau (maternal grandmother): You are a strong and formidable woman. I wish I spoke better Chinese, so that every time you say something in toi-san, I wouldn't have to just nod and smile, then (feeling rather like a r-tard) look to Mom and ask, "Uh, what did Pau Pau say again?"

Mom has told me stories about you growing up as a woman in China back in the day. You married into a well-to-do family as the wife of the youngest son, bore 6 children and survived the Communist revolution.

When Mom was just an infant, someone accidentally dropped her while they were holding her, severely enough that it broke a vertebrate in her back. Nobody knew the extent of the injuries of course, only that something wasn't right with the baby anymore. Your mother-in-law, the female head of the household, suggested leaving the baby outside on her own for a few days. If the babe was meant to survive, she would, otherwise, it was for the best. She was only a girl, after all. But you staunchly refused, and kept her with you at all times. The babe grew into a girl who could not walk correctly until she was 2 or 3 years of age. That girl that became my mother, would not find out until her 40's (on a chance visit to a chiropractor) that she grew up with two fused vertebrate as a result of those events. Your decision to keep her and not abandon her...where would I be had you not chosen that path?

I love you all very much.

New picture above my desk!

Stayed up till 1 am last night finishing up (mostly done). The room is about 75% done, last night's goal was just to finish painting my corner, setting up the desk and getting the compy up and running for work the next day. Hubby was a DIY god and I have to say its all thanks to him (I helped though) that we were able to pull it off!

Here the left corner of where my desk is to be is being painted. Hubby is completely naked here and wiggling his bits around (it was 1 am), but at his request I have photoshopped him out:

\\

This is the right side of the room, Hubby's desk has been moved to this side, but not completely set up yet. Note placement of ladder, bad luck to whomever sits in that chair...7 years?



3 bloody hours later, the corner desk is assembled and the computer is ready to go.



The pics look better this morning...this is me about to start work...






Eventually in the right corner, I plan to put a dark mahagony leather armchair and a tiny side table with a fountain/water feature. Should be quite relaxing I think. And some pics/artwork on the walls? We'll see. :)

God, I'm tired. We just finished painting 75% of the room, as you see here...

Hello, dear readers, it's way late but I've decided to introduce a new thang to the blog...live blogging (daily, not hourly) a DIY room makeover while trying to work at the same time!

The players:

Me: Stay at home mom, also freelance technical writer, who has some time during the day to paint, design, daydream and also buy designer bits during the day all the while trying to work at the same time (the best part is telling my boss to sod off, I'm taking an hour (during lunch :p) to paint the room so screw you asshole).

Hubby: Busy during the day, he comes home to do all the heavy lifting, assembling of new incoming furniture and finishing the painting bits I can't reach.

The idea was that I needed a place where I could work efficiently, and needed a defined adult space where both Hubby and I could work, game and relax. Hubby wanted to incorporate some Asian elements into the room, and I was able to work out a calm, blue, coastal-y zen design. We got rid of a huge futon and cleaned out 12 years worth of computing crap from the closet, so we've got a blank space now to work with. We are trying to get this done w/in a few (hopefully 2) weeks.

As it is now:







Stay tuned....in our next episode...painting the room and Mir's new desk is coming on Tuesday....

Heh, I just realized that this blog turned 4 this year and I didn't even notice! How sad is that? This space has been here for me for all that time, an place for me to share stories, pervy humor, a place to bitch and vent when I need to (most of those stay unpublished). It is an integral part of my life, and I'm sure when the children get older, they will have a permanent online record of what their dear, old dotty Mom was writing about back in the day.

I know I said before I wanted to write more creatively, get something published maybe? Eventually. But I have to admit I'm really happy with where I'm at now...working as a freelance technical writer enables me to be there for the kids, and work as I need to. I mostly keep regular working hours (but I can steal a nap here and there), but my boss, whom we'll call B and the department I work with (them being all male is so much easier to handle...I hate working for a woman boss...) is extremely laid back and tend to be the technical/engineering crowd (a personality type I work very well with). I can be a little creative...and get paid for it! Even if its writing marketing text to make a motherboard sexy (aka making it appealing to its intended audience), or rewriting Engrish technical manuals (via):



So then I realize there is this whole...bunch of stuff...for lack of a better term...that is OUT THERE. Okay that's not right...there are blogs, websites and developed applications which are specfically aimed the freelancer. I'm literally going from site to site going...wow...that is awesome...I could really use that....

So basically what I mean to say is that this blog will still be my personal blog, but may (ok will) change a bit to reflect my current life situation...a freelancing writer (more business/tech bits), mother of a 9 year old girl and 6 year old boy, a loving husband, and 3 ginuea pigs, 2 parakeets, 2 turtles and 2 cats. One who is in a mixed raced marriage (pronounced marry-ahge) and writing mostly from a Chinese American perspective.

I don't know if anyone else is in the same place I am exactly...but I will be adding some features/bits that hopefully y'all can enjoy and find some use out of.

UPDATE: Added new bits to the side...apparently I wrote some really good stuff in 2003 and have suffered a dry spell since... :p

Labels: Working life

Haven't blogged about personal stuff in awhile, thus I have a whole messload of stuff I want to talk about. Hubby recently rescued a stray female short-haired cat (and her 5 kittens) from his workplace, much to the delight of the children. I was slightly horrified. I have the rep in da hood as that Mom with three ginuea pigs, two birds and two turtles. Now I had the potential to become that crazy cat lady with the SIX cats, three ginuea pigs, two birds and two turtles. What if I suddenly kicked the bucket...they would find my body hours later...half eaten by six cats...

So finally, I've managed to give all but one of the kittens away (we're keeping one called Pip) and the Mom, who we are calling Beatrix (after Beatrix Potter). I take them to the vet today to have Beatrix spayed and get Pip his shots etc. The nurse comes in, weighs them both and proceeds to take Beatrix's temp by sticking a thermometer up her ass (Beatrix didn't like that). Whilst waiting like a dumb ass for the vet to show up, Dr. Whatsit finally makes an appearance 25 minutes later...Beatrix is staring balefully at me from the cat carrier.

"So," Dr. Whatsit says briskly, "Beatrix needs to be spayed?"

"Yes, because when she goes outside with me, I've noticed she's begun to roll around on her back and make these particular yowling noises. Like she's..." I pause, trying to find the correct phrasing, "Entering BOOTY TOWN! That is to say...you know what I mean..." (this is what happens when you listen to the Music and Lyrics soundtrack for hours on end).

"Right, so she's shown signs of being in heat then," Dr. Whatsit replies.

I only nod and sigh.

$300 in the hole later (I'm picking her up at the end of the day today), I grab an English Breakfast latte from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and get to work...

In other news, Mom has been lecturing me on the necessity of spending more quality time with my now 9-year old daughter, helping her to develop a positive self-image, to know that she is loved, and helping her to navigate the tricky path of tween to teen to adult. I guess its a good thing I'm able to work from home then, because its easier for me to spend time with P (daughter) then. And keep her busy with activities such as piano, sports, etc. Still, its a bit of pressure I feel, as ONE OF TWO people (other is hubby) who has the power to significantly affect her entire universe and help her to avoid the pitfalls of life...I'm probably just babbling now...not that I didn't spend time with her before, but must now kick the Mom thing into overdrive... *sigh