P and I are halfway through a two-week vacation on our Small Island and it has been wonderful so far.
Although I said I wouldn't shop, that has been virtually impossible. Our luggages are already full and we still have one week to go! My stepmum took us to a sale earlier in the week and we left S$500 poorer but half a suitcase fuller.
On top of that, we have been absolutely spoilt by my dad, but in particular, by my stepmum. P got two Puma jerseys and I got a gorgeous matching diamond earring and pendant set made out of round and baguette diamonds that go very well with my wedding ring. Now can you guys see why I like coming home? Ha ha.
We have spent most of our time having lunch and dinners with friends and family. I have not had such delicious food for over a year (since I left the Small Island in March 2008) nor laughed this loud and this hard.
The Small Island has changed so much over the last twelve months and the construction of new buildings marches relentlessly on. The condo next to my apartment is now 22 storeys high. A year ago, the foundations were just being put in.
Along with Yeller Fever, we have visited the new dam located at the marina area. Simply amazing.
Yesterday, P, YF and I went to listen to the Canadian Dad's band practising at his school. P and I will be back in Brrringland for their next performance so this was the next best thing. As they played their rock tunes, YF jived across the music room and the moment was magical. I felt such a surge of love for him, P with me in my favourite country, listening to wonderful music and my funny friend who has stood by me all these years doing a little dance. As he boogied past me, I took YF's hand and gave it a squeeze and a kiss.
I love this place and everything about it.
We also have a very busy schedule for the upcoming week and I look forward to more good times with great friends.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
It's Enough!
To drive a girl crazy.
Living here I mean.
In my previous entry, I mentioned that I do not like nor respect many of the women that I work with as they are neurotic and sensitive drama queens. Well, several events that have happened this week has illustrated my point brilliantly.
1. One of the more senior members of staff, let's call her Krakpot, is a real piece of work. Mean-spirited and brash, she clashes head on with everyone, be it her own team, her peers or her superiors. No one likes her and I myself have experienced her sharp tongue, which I choose to ignore. At the end of the day, my attitude is that work is work. I may not like you, but I will still do my best at the job because of my own personal pride, professionalism and ability.
I didn't see Krakpot for a few days this week so asked one of my colleagues where she was. I was not surprised when I found out that she suffered a breakdown and is on medical leave for a minimum of two weeks. The demands of the job were just too much for her. This manifested itself in her abrasive exterior to those around her and she finally cracked (no pun intended) under the pressure.
I have been extremely solicitious with regards to discussing this topic at work and at home too. OF COURSE I have not made any 'cuckoo' jokes or anything of that nature muah ha ha. But seriously, if someone can't handle the job, then they should find something else to do. Otherwise you just make yourself, but more importantly other people i.e. me, miserable!
2. One afternoon this week, I saw one of the other PAs crying at her desk. A couple of other colleagues were comforting her. I didn't ask what happened and honestly don't care but I mean, hello? Open plan office! Go cry in the bathroom or in the stairwell but please, put your ugly, blotchy face away. No one wants to see it. Work is hard enough as it is already. Silly cow.
3. Because of the constant dramatics of my peers, I deleted the lot of them off my social networking account about six weeks ago and have consciously kept a distance from them. A few days ago, my boss mentioned in passing that one of them recently said that I am bossy. I was shocked. I am the least bossy person I know! I'm a pussycat, just ask P. :-)
In case you didn't pick it up, that was a joke. Everyone tells me I'm bossy! To the point that one day when I was nagging at two of my male managers, one of them said, "Hey, we are not your husbands you know!" Ha ha ha.
So yes, living in Brrringland is enough to drive a girl round the bend, proven by the amount of nut jobs that many of the 'natives' seem to be.
Another one of my pet peeves is the scruffiness of the women here. So often on the train and tube, I will see girls with super scuffed boots (know what shoe polish is girls?), old beat up handbags (stop stuffing your gobs with crisps and with the money you save, get a new one) and dirty coats (dry cleaners or a washing machine? Use them). I know many people have the impression that Blundon is 'bright lights, big city'. It may be so, but it's inhabited by women who are 'big ars*s, small minds'.
Living here I mean.
In my previous entry, I mentioned that I do not like nor respect many of the women that I work with as they are neurotic and sensitive drama queens. Well, several events that have happened this week has illustrated my point brilliantly.
1. One of the more senior members of staff, let's call her Krakpot, is a real piece of work. Mean-spirited and brash, she clashes head on with everyone, be it her own team, her peers or her superiors. No one likes her and I myself have experienced her sharp tongue, which I choose to ignore. At the end of the day, my attitude is that work is work. I may not like you, but I will still do my best at the job because of my own personal pride, professionalism and ability.
I didn't see Krakpot for a few days this week so asked one of my colleagues where she was. I was not surprised when I found out that she suffered a breakdown and is on medical leave for a minimum of two weeks. The demands of the job were just too much for her. This manifested itself in her abrasive exterior to those around her and she finally cracked (no pun intended) under the pressure.
I have been extremely solicitious with regards to discussing this topic at work and at home too. OF COURSE I have not made any 'cuckoo' jokes or anything of that nature muah ha ha. But seriously, if someone can't handle the job, then they should find something else to do. Otherwise you just make yourself, but more importantly other people i.e. me, miserable!
2. One afternoon this week, I saw one of the other PAs crying at her desk. A couple of other colleagues were comforting her. I didn't ask what happened and honestly don't care but I mean, hello? Open plan office! Go cry in the bathroom or in the stairwell but please, put your ugly, blotchy face away. No one wants to see it. Work is hard enough as it is already. Silly cow.
3. Because of the constant dramatics of my peers, I deleted the lot of them off my social networking account about six weeks ago and have consciously kept a distance from them. A few days ago, my boss mentioned in passing that one of them recently said that I am bossy. I was shocked. I am the least bossy person I know! I'm a pussycat, just ask P. :-)
In case you didn't pick it up, that was a joke. Everyone tells me I'm bossy! To the point that one day when I was nagging at two of my male managers, one of them said, "Hey, we are not your husbands you know!" Ha ha ha.
So yes, living in Brrringland is enough to drive a girl round the bend, proven by the amount of nut jobs that many of the 'natives' seem to be.
Another one of my pet peeves is the scruffiness of the women here. So often on the train and tube, I will see girls with super scuffed boots (know what shoe polish is girls?), old beat up handbags (stop stuffing your gobs with crisps and with the money you save, get a new one) and dirty coats (dry cleaners or a washing machine? Use them). I know many people have the impression that Blundon is 'bright lights, big city'. It may be so, but it's inhabited by women who are 'big ars*s, small minds'.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Reflections on an Interesting Year
As the one-year anniversary of my move to Blundon draws near (16 March), I can't help but reflect on life over the last twelve months.
It definitely has not been easy. Not just starting out a new marriage, but having to adapt to a new country at the same time.
The frustrations have been many.
I have found people at work, but especially the women, to be very provincial and insecure. They may have travelled to other parts of the region or to the Land of the Free, but they have never lived out of their comfort zone. I was 16 when I first left the Small Island to further my studies on an exchange programme in sunny CA. Most of my colleagues haven't even moved out of the towns that they grew up in. They are thin-skinned and extremely ignorant.
It has taken me a long time to get used to it. Now I just feel sorry for them and keep my distance. Work is work, but they will never be my friends.
On the bright side, I have a fantastic boss who guides me in this new environment (although she has her moments as well!) and who encourages me to learn as much as I can. Although she is very tough at work, she is also extremely funny and has me in stitches most days. It could be worse.
I miss my friends and family back on our Small Island terribly. I have met some very nice people, but of course we don't share the history that I have with my close friends like Yeller Fever or the Canadian Mum and her family.
The good thing is that I do see my friends and cousins living here every so often, but it is still a trek to get to them. For example, my Princess Di Lookalike German Beauty only lives on the other side of Blundon. But it takes us two hours to get to her house on the train and the same when she and her husband and kids drive to us! The road here are appalling.
In fact, the whole transport network is a mess. My trains are late on a regular basis, which means that when I can get on, I am squeezed like a sardine for the 30-minute journey into central Blundon. My hands are next to people's big behinds (all I can hope for is that they didn't have beans for breakfast) and I can see how much ear wax they have. As there is no space to read the morning paper, I look around and ponder why Brringlish men have a penchant for stupid hair cuts. One of their favourites is short sides and a longer top that they mold into a pointed row down the middle of their head. The modern day b(w)anker punk. They think they look cool, but in fact they just look trailer park.
Actually they don't just look it. Many of them ARE low-class trash. Just a couple of weeks ago when I was on my way home, I saw a young Indian guy ask a Brrringlish Idiot if the train went to Kingston. The BI said, "Don't ask me!" and refused to make eye contact with the Indian guy, who looked a bit taken aback. I told the Indian guy that yes, the train did stop there. I thought that perhaps the BI didn't know the train route...but his gormless self was still there when it stopped at Kingston! What the BI fails to realize is that it is tax-paying 'coloureds' like the Indian Guy and me who allow the likes of him to bum around, do sweet FA and live off the state. Stupid ars*.
As you can tell, I have a lot of respect for the Brrrringlish...NOT!
But before you think it is all doom and gloom, I must confess that there are a few positives to living here too.
One of them is that there are regular flights home to our Small Island. Okay, okay not just that.
P and I rent a lovely little house and go on holiday regularly. I got a pretty good bonus this year which I saved most of, while still buying myself two designer handbags and P a new watch.
When I was on our Small Island, I spent most of what I earned. It's simple mathematics, I made less money there and went out more. I have more holidays here (27 days a year) and only work seven hours a day. I get paid over time for if I work 20 minutes over my regular hours. Although the tax is higher, we are still much better off financially. Our plan is to save as much money as we can while we are living here, then retire back home. I know that I don't want to deal with this cold and damp when I'm 60.
One bad thing about the weather is that it does make you pile on the pounds. I don't eat much more than I did back home, but my stomach seems to have increased in size! I can just about get into my trousers, but doing them up is a whole other story ha ha.
Regardless, P and I are heading back to the Small Island for a holiday in less than three weeks. Big tummy or not, I am so looking forward to scoffing the local grub. The diet starts afterwards!
It definitely has not been easy. Not just starting out a new marriage, but having to adapt to a new country at the same time.
The frustrations have been many.
I have found people at work, but especially the women, to be very provincial and insecure. They may have travelled to other parts of the region or to the Land of the Free, but they have never lived out of their comfort zone. I was 16 when I first left the Small Island to further my studies on an exchange programme in sunny CA. Most of my colleagues haven't even moved out of the towns that they grew up in. They are thin-skinned and extremely ignorant.
It has taken me a long time to get used to it. Now I just feel sorry for them and keep my distance. Work is work, but they will never be my friends.
On the bright side, I have a fantastic boss who guides me in this new environment (although she has her moments as well!) and who encourages me to learn as much as I can. Although she is very tough at work, she is also extremely funny and has me in stitches most days. It could be worse.
I miss my friends and family back on our Small Island terribly. I have met some very nice people, but of course we don't share the history that I have with my close friends like Yeller Fever or the Canadian Mum and her family.
The good thing is that I do see my friends and cousins living here every so often, but it is still a trek to get to them. For example, my Princess Di Lookalike German Beauty only lives on the other side of Blundon. But it takes us two hours to get to her house on the train and the same when she and her husband and kids drive to us! The road here are appalling.
In fact, the whole transport network is a mess. My trains are late on a regular basis, which means that when I can get on, I am squeezed like a sardine for the 30-minute journey into central Blundon. My hands are next to people's big behinds (all I can hope for is that they didn't have beans for breakfast) and I can see how much ear wax they have. As there is no space to read the morning paper, I look around and ponder why Brringlish men have a penchant for stupid hair cuts. One of their favourites is short sides and a longer top that they mold into a pointed row down the middle of their head. The modern day b(w)anker punk. They think they look cool, but in fact they just look trailer park.
Actually they don't just look it. Many of them ARE low-class trash. Just a couple of weeks ago when I was on my way home, I saw a young Indian guy ask a Brrringlish Idiot if the train went to Kingston. The BI said, "Don't ask me!" and refused to make eye contact with the Indian guy, who looked a bit taken aback. I told the Indian guy that yes, the train did stop there. I thought that perhaps the BI didn't know the train route...but his gormless self was still there when it stopped at Kingston! What the BI fails to realize is that it is tax-paying 'coloureds' like the Indian Guy and me who allow the likes of him to bum around, do sweet FA and live off the state. Stupid ars*.
As you can tell, I have a lot of respect for the Brrrringlish...NOT!
But before you think it is all doom and gloom, I must confess that there are a few positives to living here too.
One of them is that there are regular flights home to our Small Island. Okay, okay not just that.
P and I rent a lovely little house and go on holiday regularly. I got a pretty good bonus this year which I saved most of, while still buying myself two designer handbags and P a new watch.
When I was on our Small Island, I spent most of what I earned. It's simple mathematics, I made less money there and went out more. I have more holidays here (27 days a year) and only work seven hours a day. I get paid over time for if I work 20 minutes over my regular hours. Although the tax is higher, we are still much better off financially. Our plan is to save as much money as we can while we are living here, then retire back home. I know that I don't want to deal with this cold and damp when I'm 60.
One bad thing about the weather is that it does make you pile on the pounds. I don't eat much more than I did back home, but my stomach seems to have increased in size! I can just about get into my trousers, but doing them up is a whole other story ha ha.
Regardless, P and I are heading back to the Small Island for a holiday in less than three weeks. Big tummy or not, I am so looking forward to scoffing the local grub. The diet starts afterwards!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Snow Galore!
If I thought last night was snowy, check out these photos that I've just taken in the last half an hour. These are houses opposite ours:
Needless to say, I'm snowed in at home hee hee. P and I just saw someone skiing down our street, surreal!
Winnie is not too enthusiastic about this weather as it's very cold on her little paws. Luckily, she does her business on command and was very quick this morning so thank god for small mercies! I love it though. At lunch time, I am going to the park by the river to take some photos. It is getting heavier as we speak and I am so going to enjoy this day off!!
Our house:
Needless to say, I'm snowed in at home hee hee. P and I just saw someone skiing down our street, surreal!
Winnie is not too enthusiastic about this weather as it's very cold on her little paws. Luckily, she does her business on command and was very quick this morning so thank god for small mercies! I love it though. At lunch time, I am going to the park by the river to take some photos. It is getting heavier as we speak and I am so going to enjoy this day off!!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snow!
Technology is a wonderful thing. A couple of weeks ago, a colleague read in the paper that we'd have another cold spell at the beginning of February. Taking heed of her warning, I immediately invested in a few pairs of wool and cashmere tights. I'm so glad I did because this is the scene outside our house as I type this:
Our street:
Our back yard:
I love the snow so I don't mind. In fact, I hope it snows so heavily tonight that all the trains will be cancelled and I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Please God, let the incompetency of these people benefit me for once!
My job is going alright and I am enjoying life in Brrringland a bit more now. I have met some nice people recently as well.
The great news is that P and I will be heading back to the Small Island for a short holiday over Easter and I JUST CANNOT WAIT! My dad has kindly sponsored my flight ticket (thanks Dad!). I am really looking forward to the warm sunshine, wearing my sexy clothes (if I can still fit into them ugh), chilling out during happy hour and shaking my boo-tay!
I have not gotten drunk since I moved here. Mostly because there are a lot of yobs out and about and I never feel completely at ease in this country. The other day, B-dawg asked me why I don't write much on the blog anymore. Basically, my life has changed a lot over the last year or so. P and I don't go out much so I just don't run into men in drag or meet other weird freaks like I used to!
But for two weeks in April, I'll be back home sweet home and I am going to let my hair down and PAR-TAY! Woo hooooooooooooo!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
All Things Christmas and More
As I drink the last of the mulled wine that we bought for the festive period, it's a bittersweet feeling realizing that the last two weeks of good times with my close friends have come to an end, at least for now.
I had planned on updating the blog over Christmas, but P and I were so busy with our visitors Yeller Fever (from the Small Island) and the Gorgeous M (from the Land of the Free) that I just didn't have time.
The two weeks, jammed pack to the brim with activities, have flown by in a blurr. I walked more in those 14 days than I have in the last 14 months combined! We visited Brighton (our hands down favourite), Bath, Hampton Court (the summer residence of Henry the 8th), Greenwich (where time began!) and Kew Gardens. One afternoon was spent on a pub crawl around central Blundon and we whiled away time at the Christmas Market at Hyde Park another evening. We met up with friends for lunches, dinners, drinks, etc. You get the idea.
We did so much that when Yeller Fever and the Gorgeous M left us on New Year's Day, P and I promptly developed sore throats that night. I have not left the house in the last three days in an attempt to get better as we both are back at work tomorrow, groan. But that's life, bills have to be paid!
Anyway, I won't complain as my boss got me a wonderful Christmas present. She gave me a £150 gift card from my favourite Brrritish furnishing store, and I bought a lovely rug for our dining room:
I had planned on updating the blog over Christmas, but P and I were so busy with our visitors Yeller Fever (from the Small Island) and the Gorgeous M (from the Land of the Free) that I just didn't have time.
The two weeks, jammed pack to the brim with activities, have flown by in a blurr. I walked more in those 14 days than I have in the last 14 months combined! We visited Brighton (our hands down favourite), Bath, Hampton Court (the summer residence of Henry the 8th), Greenwich (where time began!) and Kew Gardens. One afternoon was spent on a pub crawl around central Blundon and we whiled away time at the Christmas Market at Hyde Park another evening. We met up with friends for lunches, dinners, drinks, etc. You get the idea.
We did so much that when Yeller Fever and the Gorgeous M left us on New Year's Day, P and I promptly developed sore throats that night. I have not left the house in the last three days in an attempt to get better as we both are back at work tomorrow, groan. But that's life, bills have to be paid!
Anyway, I won't complain as my boss got me a wonderful Christmas present. She gave me a £150 gift card from my favourite Brrritish furnishing store, and I bought a lovely rug for our dining room:
I guess it's her way of telling me that I'm fabulous and to thank me for all the hard work I put in during the year. And frankly, who am I to argue with that?!
Way back in September, P bought me a cornflower blue sapphire ring and matching earrings as a Christmas present:
But as the weather turned very cold recently, he also gave me two pairs of Ugg boots and a long DKNY Jeans puffa coat. They are rather ugly but in this weather, who cares about vanity? Certainly not me! P says I look like a walking bedroom with my new coat but I honestly can't be bothered. Being warm is my first priority.
Yeller Fever got me a Swarovski mobile phone charm and Canadian Mum gave me a 2008 edition Swarovski Christmas ornament (which Yeller Fever was kind enough to bring for me). I also received a luxurious grey cashmere scarf and a funky set of pyjamas from the Gorgeous M. I got many more gifts but they are too numerous to continue listing. 'People, don't jealous hor' ha ha.
As 2009 begins, I have already starting making plans for the year. The weather forecast for tomorrow is set to hit -5 and with the flu I'm fighting off, I long to be somewhere warm. I miss wearing spaghetti-strapped tops and shorts, and eating food from the hawker centres that cost $3. I think I hear the voice of the Small Island calling me home.
But for now, it's back to the real world and as it's too expensive to eat out in this sh*thole, cooking dinner in my cold kitchen calls me louder. Ugh!
Friday, December 5, 2008
All Things Christmas - Part 1
Those of you that know me well, know that I love, love, LOVE Christmas and everything to do with it. In particular, the shopping! For the longest time, I have wanted to visit a traditional German Christmas market and last weekend, P and I did just that.
We flew into Munich and met up with our friends New Mum and New Dad. They left their little one with her parents who live just an hour away.
The city has several Christmas markets dotted around, each one with its own theme. My favourite was of course the main market in the Town Square:
This is the biggest advent calendar I have ever seen, so pretty right?
There was also a medival market, which I at first thought was a market for middle-aged people (middle ages) ha ha. Sometimes, even when you have known someone for over 10 years, things DO get lost in translation!
I set myself a budget and stuck to it, but still managed to buy quite a few lovely items for the tree. My most extravagent buy was a hand-painted glass decoration with a winter scene. It has pride of place on my living room shelf:
Besides beer and handmade Christmas decorations, another thing the Germans do well is food. We ate lots and I now bear a slight resemblance to a pork knuckle (big and brown):
Some guys who didn't look like pork knuckles were the storm drain surfers. On the edge of the Englischer Gartens is a huge drain where water gushes out, permanently creating a surf. There is a group of surfers who 'ride the waves' in the middle of the city, even in temperatures close to zero. We spent almost an hour just watching them jump, turn and fall into the freezing waters. They were absolutely amazing.
It was a super weekend where we drank a little, ate too much, laughed even more and had a fantastic time with good friends.
P and I got home and I couldn't help but put the Christmas tree and decorations up in our own house even though I was so exhausted. I love my new handmade patchwork tree skirt, which I bought online (of course!):
I managed to find another great seller online who made the reindeer garland and door hanger:
The pine table wreath is from our local florists:
I didn't decorate the upstairs area much. A friend made this huge stocking for me years ago and I've hung it over the master bedroom door. P thinks it's wishful thinking that it will be filled ha ha but dreaming is for free right?
The garland in Cath Kidston's 'Lapland' fabric hangs across the guest room window:
In just a couple of weeks, our friends will arrive from the Land of the Free and the Small Island respectively. I just cannot wait to see them. I'm sure we'll eat and drink too much, but that is what the festive season is all about!
We flew into Munich and met up with our friends New Mum and New Dad. They left their little one with her parents who live just an hour away.
The city has several Christmas markets dotted around, each one with its own theme. My favourite was of course the main market in the Town Square:
This is the biggest advent calendar I have ever seen, so pretty right?
There was also a medival market, which I at first thought was a market for middle-aged people (middle ages) ha ha. Sometimes, even when you have known someone for over 10 years, things DO get lost in translation!
I set myself a budget and stuck to it, but still managed to buy quite a few lovely items for the tree. My most extravagent buy was a hand-painted glass decoration with a winter scene. It has pride of place on my living room shelf:
Besides beer and handmade Christmas decorations, another thing the Germans do well is food. We ate lots and I now bear a slight resemblance to a pork knuckle (big and brown):
Some guys who didn't look like pork knuckles were the storm drain surfers. On the edge of the Englischer Gartens is a huge drain where water gushes out, permanently creating a surf. There is a group of surfers who 'ride the waves' in the middle of the city, even in temperatures close to zero. We spent almost an hour just watching them jump, turn and fall into the freezing waters. They were absolutely amazing.
It was a super weekend where we drank a little, ate too much, laughed even more and had a fantastic time with good friends.
P and I got home and I couldn't help but put the Christmas tree and decorations up in our own house even though I was so exhausted. I love my new handmade patchwork tree skirt, which I bought online (of course!):
I managed to find another great seller online who made the reindeer garland and door hanger:
The pine table wreath is from our local florists:
I didn't decorate the upstairs area much. A friend made this huge stocking for me years ago and I've hung it over the master bedroom door. P thinks it's wishful thinking that it will be filled ha ha but dreaming is for free right?
The garland in Cath Kidston's 'Lapland' fabric hangs across the guest room window:
In just a couple of weeks, our friends will arrive from the Land of the Free and the Small Island respectively. I just cannot wait to see them. I'm sure we'll eat and drink too much, but that is what the festive season is all about!
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