Valen’s Vanity Square

Hubby needs to get a new car. At least, a car of his own rather than depending on that old, problem-prone, unreliable, locally-produced car provided by the company.

Initially I thought I would be able to enjoy a different experience of ride in the first quarter, but hubby changed his mind now. He said to wait till middle of the year, because a new model of the car he likes is forecast to enter the local market in June, and that will cause a price drop of the old model. He will then get a second-hand, old model of the car at an amount cheaper than the current price.

Okay, whatever… I’m not really particular about what car he drives. As long as it is comfortable, and doesn’t regularly ‘throw tantrum’!

While I don’t have any preference for a particular car model, I supposed for men, their taste and likings for cars change over time and age. For example, at a younger age, men may wish to have a sport car (to show off), or a jeep (adventurous!). Hubby dreamed of driving a jeep, but as he got older, he realized that this is not a vehicle suitable for city-living and neither it is family-friendly (especially if you need to drive your parents around). In addition, one needs to find high and low for jeep accessories.

Now, his taste modified sightly and goes for SUV. In 5 years’ time, I think he will eventually go for models suitable for mature (and older) men.

May be the future car will also reflect his success and status? Hehehe…

Me, not often. In fact, rarely!

Somehow, our culture just doesn’t have it. It is so unlike what we see in the Western movies, where it seems to be the most natural thing for boyfriends or husbands to bring home flowers to their lover or wife. Here, ‘it’s a waste of money’, they say. Especially the unromantic ones.

Hello, you don’t have to buy a whole bouquet of flowers. Even just one simple red rose with a deep loving look from the eyes can melt our hearts!

I can count the number of times hubby sent me flowers - less than all my fingers added up. Haha! The most recent flowers that I received from him was on our 10th anniversary. He was out of town on a busy schedule, but he did make an effort to order for a same day flower delivery, and had the big bouquet of lily delivered to my office. A rare gesture, but sweet and precious.

But I think I have to find an opportunity to tell him that may be for the next round of flower delivery, he can consider ordering my favourites - champagne coloured roses or pink Gerbera daisies. I’m sort of tired of lilies already….

Surprise, surprise! A surprise that I had not had in a long, long time, but got it today because it’s our 10th anniversary!

Hubby is not in town, but he must have ordered it last week before he flew off to East Malaysia.  And today, a man pressed on my office doorbell and delivered a big bouquet of flowers! So sweet of hubby~ <3 <3 <3

We’re going to have dinner tonight, but hubby’s flight back to KL is delayed! Don’t think I want to hop into a taxi carrying the huge bouquet. So, have to wait a little while for hubby to pick me up from work.

Actually, today’s celebration is based on our registration date, the day we legally became husband and wife. It won’t be a super extravaganza kind of celebration, although it’s 10th anniversary!

We’ll have the ‘real’ celebration in December, which is our wedding ceremony anniversary. And that is when I will expect a bigger surprise, haha! I believe hubby won’t surprise me with some connecticut swing sets. I hope it’s something small but valuable, hehe.

And in return, of course I will plan a getaway for us at a nice beach resort. Fingers crossed that everything will be as I planned….

Hubby’s company is undergoing a major change. The company has been acquired by another international insurance company, certain degree of overhaul in operation and some sort of restructuring are anticipated.

Hubby is not worried though. He said if a new management wants to cut out the old staffs from the former company, they normally fire the big shots first. Since he ain’t no big shot in the company, he is safe.

In fact, he is hoping that one day the company will ask him to attend meetings at its headquarter office in Germany. Yeah, nice dreaming! I told him to be thankful enough even if they grant him the opportunity to visit their regional office in Hong Kong. Then I will certainly join him, coz I have been wanting to go to Hong Kong for a holiday! Haha!

Wondering which company has acquire hubby’s company? All I can tell you is that it’s not one of those found on Wholesaleinsurance.net, but you probably could have guessed from the locations I mentioned above, hehe.

Human life is fragile. We ate the wrong food, we fall sick or get afflicted with some chronic illnesses. We work in the wrong industry, we get sick too, e.g. those working in an environment that exposes them persistently to asbestos are at risk of a type of cancer known as Mesothelioma.

Even work-related stress can cause one to suffer from high blood pressure or depression.

Husband and wife sharing a vehicle to work but start work at different times can also be a problem! Like what I’m suffering right now, I suppose I can call it sleep-insufficient syndrome. Just because hubby needs to be at the office early these two weeks, I have to wake up half an hour earlier than usual.

I’m so sleepy and can’t focus at work, and I have tonnes of deadlines to meet! I asked hubby to delay the alarm for just another 15 minutes so that I can get some extra sleep, but he refused! Grrrrrr…..

Stupid man, don’t you know your wife gets cranky and irritated when she doesn’t get sufficient sleep? And today is what… International Women’s Day? Well, he doesn’t seem to care for the well-being of the woman who lives with him at all! >_<

I was talking with hubby last night about how good looking and what a nice body this actor has. Although he built his body for a movie, and looks quite bulky, but because of his positive image as a loving husband and father, plus his charming smile and friendly personality, I still find him attractive. Hmmm, my perfect dream man….

I told hubby how the actor (I don’t want to mention his name) worked hard and was put on strict diet to get the six packs and nice silhouette, hubby - whom I think out of envy - commented that may be he had taken some testosterone supplements to boost his muscle growth.

I rolled my eyes and chided him for being envious of other man’s perfect body.

Then, hubby went on to say that the actor’s marriage was just a camouflage of him being gay.

“What? Who told you that? What even makes you think that he is gay? Does he look like one? He has a happy family and is a man who is faithful to his wife”. How dare hubby ‘defamed’ my dream man.

Hubby said he read it but couldn’t remember whether it’s from the internet or magazine.

“Do you think I will believe you? You’ve never read gossip column or celebrity news tabloid. You just made this up because you envy that he has six packs and you don’t.”

Jeez, what’s wrong with this man of mine. Can’t he tolerate his wife praising other man? Why must he crush my dream man right in front of me? Haha!

Hubby keeps nagging on me to take a driving refresh course, so that I can drive and go any where I like. Yeah, right. You mean, send you to work using your company car, then go shopping using your company car, go pick up the dry-cleaned clothes using your company car…

It’s his company car, not HIS car. I don’t want to drive in his company car (a Proton Perdana). It’s huge, it’s heavy, and I’m not the ‘authorized’ person to drive it. I don’t want to be blamed for any damage done to his company car.

If you want me to become your driver, first get me a car. Haha! I will then get for myself a cheap auto insurance before I start driving it on the road.

But it will take a lot of courage for me to drive on the highways! These days drivers are so reckless on the road, slow lanes becomes fast lanes, and cars take over from the left not the right… It’s really dangerous to go out on the road actually, especially for a new driver, like me.

Hubby came home unusually early today. Was it because he wanted to give me a surprise? Did he actually bring me a surprise?

Nope. He came home early at around 4 pm because he felt ill.

Hubby got a gastric attack again. I think this is an after-effect of the 4-consecutive days of meeting last week. Hotel meals were heavy, meetings were stressful, and he didn’t get to exercise. Whenever hubby has a gastric attack, he’ll also have headache and can’t stop yawning. (That’s so weird, the yawning part.)

But he’ll have to go back to work tomorrow, coz there’s MORE meetings to attend tomorrow. That’s the reality of a working life as an employee. Your time is controlled by your employer. Unlike being an insurance agent, you can choose to work from home when you’re sick. If you have a website, you can even offer life insurance online quote. It’s really not essential to leave the house, except for seeing clients and attending meetings.

Oh well, one has to do what one has to do. It’s life…

What do most people do in the beginning of a new year? I guess it would be looking for a new job or new career opportunity.

If you’ve got your bonus in December, great, you have received what you deserved and are ready to move on. If you didn’t get a bonus for last year, because your company decided to penalize your division for not doing a good job (and not because they are losing money or whatever), great, it just says how much your company appreciate you. It’s time to look for greener patches out there.

If you are in Minneapolis, you can do a quick Minneapolis job search online and find mass opportunities. But for hubby, it’s rather difficult to find a job in a similar industry that gives him what he’s getting now. Anyway, hubby’s planning to move into another area, just that he needs time to sharpen his skills and form some networks before he can set off his new career.

So for now, he will just continue to ride on a donkey before he can find a horse. (If you know what I mean, haha!)