Valen’s Vanity Square

We must get it started this year, and get money rolling into our future!

Hubby and I have been cracking our heads but we haven’t gotten any good business ideas to start with. Perhaps this is one of our biggest and shared resolutions for this year (apart from our baby-making project). ^.^

Although I did attempt to sell clothes and simple handmade jewelry online before, the so-called business was started without much research and planning. So of course it didn’t really become a long-term money-making source. No matter what business it is - be it selling baby strollers, or vehicle parts, or medication carts, a business plan is essential.

Therefore, both of us have lots more of cracking to do in the coming weeks. May be we can do this while having our new year break at a beach hotel.

Darn, there is so much to accomplish in the first quarter of 2012!

Testing my iPad on Wordpress. Since I got this new toy last November, all I used it to do is Facebooking, checking emails, browsing the Internet, watching YouTube, and playing games. (Recently got addicted to the alligator Swampy, who loves to take shower!)

I have never tried using my iPad to blog, and am now trying to do so.

Besides a bit awkward trying to type fast on the onscreen keypad, the rests seem to function like normal blogging using a laptop or desktop.

This is cool, as I now can bring my iPad with me whenever I go for a short vacation to nearby blog wherever I want as long as there is wireless internet connection available.

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…

The decorations and ambiance in the shopping malls changed very quickly, as soon as Christmas was over. It’s still red all over, but now full of oriental flavors - Chinese blossoms, dragons, red lanterns, and festive CNY songs being played over and over again.

And it’s also now that Chinese are going to spend a lot on foods and gifts for family, relative and friends, and of course on new outfits to be worn during the first few days of CNY.

It is a joyous and busy period for all of us. But for those who are struggling to even make a comfortable living, this can be a rather ‘painful’ time.

I’m in ‘pain’ too! Because I don’t have my year-end bonus. Partly because I have not worked one full year with the company, and partly because, I think, the company has not done well last year.

With no ’sufficient’ budget to spend this year, I am not really in the mood for serious shopping for myself. Have to even cross-out pedicure/manicure from the list.

It would be nice though if someone could give me boutique shopping vouchers or bath & body works coupons, then at least I could still shop and spend for the same number of things but with less money, hehe.

Well, dream on. Forget about vouchers and coupons. I have more important things to worry at this moment. There is an enormous task waiting for me to accomplish in the following 2 weeks — to get the house all clean and tidy to welcome this coming festive season!

Started cleaning up the house in preparation for CNY, but I’m not really in the mood for heavy duty cleaning yet, so am just doing it bit by bit, little by little.

Started off by clearing the clutter on the coffee table. Gosh, there were magazines, newspapers, coasters, brochures and catalogs from banks, utility bills, etc. These things tend to pile up easily, as we always so conveniently put them on the table after browsing, and then forget about sorting and putting them at where they should belong.

Magazine and catalogs, especially those that have photos of watches, whether they are a Tissot watch, a citizen watch, or a Seiko watch, usually remain on the coffee table longer than the other stuffs, as hubby likes to browse these materials several times. If these materials are left there for a week, they end up stayed put on the table for months!

Well, it’s not only him, the same goes for my fashion magazines, handbag and shoes catalogs, hehe.

And, the mess-zone is not limited to just the coffee table, hehe. I still have a computer desk and two other small desks upstairs to de-clutter. Books, magazines, papers… they are just about everywhere in this house!

Today is the last working day for 2011! Are you chilling out at home? the cafe? the cinema? Or are you stranded in the office and going to be desk-bound for another day, just like me?

Oh well, I guess all of us who are still working today would be giving only, say, 50% or less of our focus and energy at work, haha!

The other 50% of energy may well spend on listing next year’s resolution, say if you are looking forward for a career change, you might want to start looking for courses to study, such as an online computer science degree.

If you wish to advance one step higher in your current job, then perhaps this is the perfect time to review your achievement in the past one year, and what you intend to achieve more in the coming year.

For me, I don’t look for advancement in position, I look for advancement in pay checks. Haha! And one of the new year resolutions I can think of now, is that I want to renew my entire wardrobe with more colorful clothes with a variety of design in 2012!

Happy New Year!

Oh my god, it’s so late! I better get going, as I intend to do some clothes shopping later (since hubby has to work overtime today).

Feels like ages since I last shopped for clothes. But the problem with me is, even I shop three days a week, I may still end up with zero blouse or dress in my shopping bag. You see, it is difficult to for me to find THE right dress or blouse, coz I hardly fall in love with clothes at first sight, haha!

Sometimes, I don’t even know what I want, hehe. Just go with the flow - and the mood!

For me, choosing one out of the many Marcus scrubs would be much easier and faster than choosing clothes from the racks in Isetan or MetroJaya, hehe.

Actually the problem does not limit to just clothes, it’s the same with shoes! I don’t have the energy and patience to try on every shoes that I see on the rack. I normally would just walk past the shoe racks, do a quick browse. If there is one, I will put on to ‘feel’ the shoes. Not comfortable? Fine, bye bye shoes. Let’s move on.

I can walk into Vincci and come out in less than 5 minutes because none of the shoes catch my eyes.

But I do hope I will be in better luck today, so that I can spot some nice clothes, try on and feel good about them, and then make them mine.

Was thinking of enjoying a warm shower before going to bed and ending my day by looking up for Lucchese Boots on my iPad.

What I got instead were sparks within the heater that followed by the smell of burnt cable. Darn! We just have the water heater installed two days ago, and I have only used it once, and today…. a burnt water heater??

At the moment when I saw the sparks, I thought I was going to set the house on fire. Luckily the sparks died down, probably because the cable burnt and melted. Still, I think we are really unlucky when this happened to the first water heater we ever bought! Hmmph!

We do not think it is the fault of the heater, but the poor installation or inappropriate cables being used by the foreman. Hubby was already complaining after they completed the installation. He said they were very rough, and were doing things in a rush.

What’s more, as they left my house through the main entrance, the man who carried the long ladder accidentally banged the ladder on the frame of the grill, causing a dent or some sort. Now, we cannot close the grill smoothly, but have to apply force onto it.

Anyway, we have taken photo of the burnt cable and will lodge a complain to SenQ who hired the foreman to do this job. >:(

Counting down to 2012…. At this time of the year, most people will be clearing their annual leaves, be it for traveling or simply doing nothing and just resting at home.

Many ladies would also be busy shopping for that perfect dress and get ready to glitter up for New Year’s eve countdown parties. They would all look so pretty and glowing…

Not like me… rushing for deadlines… until the last day, and will still be rushing…. no glowing face, no pretty clothes or glitter makeup to mark the last day of 2011.

And this reminded me of what I told myself a long time ago, that I would not again work in the publishing industry because I would have to forever chase after deadlines, literally one after another, without a break. Somehow, I totally forgot about it!

And now, I can only envy how others are overwhelmed with festive and holiday mood, while I struggle to accomplish 101 things on the to-do list.

Sometimes, I think that may be I should just apply for one of those Reservations Clerk Jobs. No stress, no worries, no deadlines. Haha! But that would not happen in my life of course, unless it’s my own hotel that I’m running.

Oh well, may be I have to just remind myself of a motto that I told myself earlier this year - work hard, play hard! Perhaps, I should also make a second motto now, which is - no stress, no gain! Haha!