Category Archives: Maintenance

  • 3 simple steps on how to deal with fuel price increase

    STEP ONE – I WILL HAVE TO GIVE UP STARBUCKS.

    Sigh…

    It’s not something that I really want to go into detail about, but since there is just SO MUCH TALK ABOUT OUR 40% INCREASE IN FUEL PRICE! I had to say something about it.

    STEP 2 – READ THE NEWSPAPERS DAILY. THERE ARE SOME GOOD AND SOUND ADVICE ON FIGHTING THIS PRICE INCREASE. PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORDS OF WISDOM AND COMFORT.

    “Make fewer trips to the mall, have fewer family outings on weekends and fewer holidays” – Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, The Sun front page, 6 June 2008.

    “Look at all avenues to reduce living costs, from using less electricity, having more meals at home and preparing a thorough financial plan” – Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohamed Idris, The Star, 8 June 2008.

    “Change your lifestyle to help reduce the impact of the rise in prices, exercise patience and prudence, Insya Allah this will enable us to tide over this problem and emerge more matured and resilient” – The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, The News Straits Times, 7 June 2008, Page 4.

    “Companies should encourage employees to car pool. We could perhaps allow only cars with number plates ending in odd numbers on certain days to be on the road” – Datuk Maznah Mazlan, Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister, The News Straits Times, 6 June 2008, Page 12.

    STEP 3 – COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS AND LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

    You don’t have to sell cow poop cakes for cooking fuel like in India when their government hiked their gas prices – The News Straits Times, 9 June 2008, Page 6.

    The government is seeking to improve the public transportation system, and by 2010 the Kelana Jaya LRT line will have 22 new cars to ease congestion, and by 2011 there will be a line extension for Kelana Jaya and Ampang to Putra Heights. – The News Straits Times, 8 June 2008, Page 4.

    Our government is going to lead by example by not hosting lavish functions, cutting down costs on domestic and international travel, and reviewing excessive use of electricity in government complexes, Parliament and other large buildings. – The News Straits Times, 6 June 2008, Page 13.

    Last but not least – all you need is L.O.V.E.

  • Make-up Madness!

    Another item – 2 items, no – THREE items to be exact – to add to my massive collection of make-up.

    I am in zit zone. I am going through some stage in my life, that is causing me to have more break-outs than usual. So I needed concealer. This, from Laura Mercier, I’ve read in numerous magazines, is a favourite of all time!

    And it’s really quite easy to use. Just blend, blend the 2 colours, till you get the exact shade for your skin, then dab dab with the special concealer brush. Oh! Instant coverage for zits, and fine lines.

    And for just additional RM35 – I get this eye concealer (which, by the way, is also highly recommended in a lot of magazines). It comes as a special set – when you buy the concealer brush. The eye concealer will cover my eye bags. (And I will use Eye Bright on top, so I have bright eyes with no dark circles under my eyes).

    These are my other 2 NEW favourite products. They really do work – I’d like to think so.

    It’s like playing with Photoshop on my face! Bless the person that invented make-up.

    Number of times I’ve used all said items since I bought them last week?

    ONE.

  • Eye Bright from Benefit

    I am a sucker for make-up.

    And I didn’t really need this – but it is suppose to make my eyes look BRIGHTER!

    So, you draw it around your eyes, like this… Shaped like a fish.

    I am not sure if you can see the white outline around my eyes. But I almost went blind (from exposure to the camera flash) taking this photo of my eye, trying to illustrate how it is done. Yet obvious again, I have no talent for phtography.

    Then dab, dab, dab, blending it in. But don’t rub.

    Voila! Brighter eyes! Does it work? I think it does, subtly. Brings life in to my eyes, if I may say so. Or I’d be looking like a dead fish?

    These 2 other items from Benefit that I cannot live without – giving me my healthy rosy hue – naturally blushing.

    Champion sucker for make-up!

  • Balding? I Understand How You Feel

    This is my luscious locks…..for now…..

    For the past 3 weeks, each time i wash my hair, clumps of it comes out. Strands after endless wet strands of my hair sticks on my palms, in between my fingers. I stare in horror and dismay, but there is not much I can do but rinse it off. And it clogs up my shower area.

    I seem to be shedding.

    This is worrying me.

    I never knew how a balding person felt, but I do know now. When I talk about my balding woes, nobody cares, and they don’t seem to think it is important, and no one pays any attention. They don’t think it is important. Nobody seems to think it is an issue. They think it is a joking matter. But I know now. And if you are balding, you have my heartfelt sympathies.

    Cause of balding? It’s hereditary (neither my mum nor dad is balding) so it must mean the other factors that is causing my hair thinning – nutrient deficiency, hormonal change, stress, age (women in their late 20’s to 40’s may experience hair thinning).

    I am quite sad.

  • Never Meant To Exercise!

    I can see my buttocks is no longer able to defy the laws of gravity. My metabolism is probably non-existent as I seem to put on weight just by looking at food. My stamina is the pits. I pant and become out of breath when I have to walk to the bathroom. I need an exercise plan!

    And recently – a new yoga centre opened up where I work. myoga (pronounced my-yoga) at The Gardens, at Midvalley.

    Ooooh… I am excited. And so I go enquire about the classes. They were most patient at identifying my needs, and then introducing me to the type of package that would most suit my budget and time. I was sure about signing-up. But I still wanted to think about it. Maybe I needed to psych myself up more first.

    2 days later – I skipped lunch to go sign up. Then! I am explained the types of restrictions. I could either only go for Option A (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) or Option B (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays/Sundays). And this is engraved in stone. I am not allowed to go Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays nor am I allowed to change my days once I have confirmed my option. However, if I add RM50 a month and pay via direct debit, then I can enjoy the flexibility of anytime, any day! Hmm… I needed to think about it.

    I continue to psyche myself, psyche myself…

    And I said to myself – I can do it. Heck, I’ll even go 4 times a week! I’ll show you! Conquer gravity! My buttocks will thank me! I shall become, Master Yoga Attendee of the Universe.

    So, today, I skip lunch again. I go to myoga to sign up.

    I left with no yoga classes.

    They have restrictions on types of credit card used for direct debit payment. Sigh… And I was not willing to pay for 16 months in advance. I am a teensy-wee afraid I might not last 16 weeks. Or even 16 days.

    Perhaps my buttocks is meant to sag to the ground. Maybe exercise was not meant to happen to me.