October « 2011 « JEWELLE TAN

Need Smaller Tablet

Filed in At Home | Family | Gadget Leave a comment

Having only recently added a tablet to our list of electronic devices, reading e-books with it is still a novelty.

In fact, reading via our approximately 10″ x 8″ sized tablet is not done often, despite having several e-magazines and e-books in our e-library collections. Not to mention loads of children e-books downloaded for our equally books-loving kids as we spent a fortune on their reading materials and their bookshelves are already bursting at the seams.

Besides, after trying to read – as I like to do – in bed or on the couch with only one hand, reading with a tablet of our size is a little difficult and trickier.

Actually after finishing one book (worth 600 pages for several late nights resulting in tired eyes and even tired-er arm) I am kind of losing the interest to read with our current tablet.

But of course I must still read and I have e-books I am dying to start reading.

So I want to get either one of these tablet that is smaller and lighter which I will use mostly for reading i.e. a bb playbook (7″ x 4″) or a Samsung Galaxy Tab (7″ x 4″).

Question is, which one.

*Click for photo source*

21Oct

No Apple Polisher

Filed in For Your Information | Good Read | Malaysia Leave a comment

One Malaysian blog that I follow regularly is one written by a retired army officer who describes himself as someone who “believes in justice and hates liars and apple polisher”.

In mind NO EVIL this ex-army officer does not mince his words when he attacks his subjects – which is only to be expected with his military background where most thing is about making split second decisions or one gets killed.

Of course, this time he “attacks” his chosen situation using the computer as his tank and the keyboards his weapon while (perhaps) puffing on his (why shouldn’t it be the) Rocky Patel cigars – now that smoke smell is no longer a dead giveaway when in battle.

I regularly tweet his postings because I am interested and usually agrees with most of his views on things.

Personally, this is the kind of man we need to run our country – sharp, objective and fair.

18Oct

Worried Travellers

Filed in Thoughts | When I Do Travel Leave a comment

The recent earthquake at Bali is making a friend who is making her way there in the next few months, very worried.

When we went for our Bali trip in March, Sumatera had 3 earthquakes in the range of 7 on Richter scale last year. Then of course, a few weeks before our trip, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan happened.

You can imagine our worry too.

I debated thousands of times about staying in Sanur (beachside) and finally decided that being next to the beach or 200m away from the beach would not be much of a difference if (God forbids) tsunami happens. I have no issue about subjecting myself (as some would call it) to known danger but it is irresponsible and asking for trouble to go to disaster-prone areas with kids.

But in the end, we went ahead and were blessed with a safe and enjoyable trip.

And as I told my worried friend, unless an earthquake happens days before she arrives, there is nothing to worry about.

Besides, personally, visitors are more likely to get hurt in Bali by the swarms of riders on scooters and the likes, with no such thing as motorcycle navigators - swerving left and right and all over their narrow out of town roads!

15Oct

Reason To Indulge

Filed in Family | SAHM | Thoughts Leave a comment

Perhaps one of the most common mistake stay-at-home-moms (SAHMs) makes is neglecting ourselves.

How many SAHMs buy vanity and personal things for themselves easily or take time to do activity that has nothing to do with the kids, family or household?

Surely it starts with the guilt of not contributing financially for the family. We feel indebted and pressured to spend our time and energy on the only one thing we are supposed to do – look after the family.

Unlike working women who have another place to go, requiring different roles and faces PLUS getting an income of their own – huge motivation to be mindful of themselves – most SAHMs have no independent income and nowhere else to be but at home.

New blouse? Who needs to see? Diamond necklaces? Not when money is needed for tuitions and university. Go for manicure? The house needs to be cleaned.

We end up dedicating all of our energy/time/money on the kids, husbands and the households – especially those of us with no maid.

But this should not be the way.

Paying more attention on ourselves make us look and feel good. We then make conscious effort at keeping ourselves happy, effectively pushing away resentment or boredom (the other two most common SAHMs issues).

So indulge in whatever we enjoy – spa, massage, zumba! Spend on ourselves once in a while; new outfit, heels, jewelries because after working hard to keep our family safe, healthy and happy, of course we deserve it!

In short, please raise my credit card limit.

11Oct

Role Playing

Filed in My Daughters Leave a comment

One thing my kids are very good at is imaginative role-playing.

And the most skillful at this is my middle child who thinks nothing of picking up pencils or cutlery or whatever else is at hand and turn them into characters – with conversations and drama.

She also masterminded an original game which involves a bucket with water or a sinkful of water, some toy animals – and there she would stay in the bathroom role-playing with lots and lots of dramas!

As weird as this game is, I prefer her indulging in it instead of for e.g. one of her habit of draping herself over a movable chair, swirling around and around, threatening to break the wheels from the casters or run over someone’s foot when she is bored.

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