To all the Mothers out there

who keeps on grumbling and complaining that their children are a burden to them.
You said, they hinder your way to a great job, great career, late nights out with friends, freedom, great body. You said, you have no time to make up, no time for a me time, no time for everything else except your children.

Well, no child asked to be in your womb, to be born by you, they are God given. Well of course, you have the option not to have sex, but since you did, you jolly well be responsible for whatever that might comes out of it. Whether it is to test your limit or to bring you to be a better person, to pay your karma debt, or to drive you to your grave, they are your responsibilities.

If you are not ready to be a mother, then don't be, stay single, have your fun, go high all you want every second of your life, travel by foot, crawl or swim across the Atlantic and nobody will give a hoot. Since you opted this path to be a mother, be good one. Be there for your child. You can be a business woman or a career woman, but be a successful one. That means you have to have a great career and a happy family, if you failed on either one, especially a neglected family, you have failed big time.

Maybe looking at how my Mother raised us, I have a big expectations of how a Mother should behave. I think she is perfect in every single way. She wakes up the earliest and will be the last to sleep. I have never in my life wakes up earlier than her. My Mother doesn't swear. She doesn't show half her boobs or half her ass around. No matter how life gets tough for her, she never once took it out on us. That's when I realized that my Mother is the family's pillar of strength.

My Daddy is not an easy person, in terms of character; he is headstrong, omygod so stubborn. Mom is the one who has to deal with him the most. Mom stayed patient and patient and patient. Never once my Mom complained about Dad, never did she ever try to make us respect Dad any lesser. Then, I realised, the strong respect we have for both our parents is because we learned the deep respect they have for each other. This made us respect both of them even more. The family stayed on strong, despite of penniless or pennifull, because of my Mom. I often think I am the family's clown as I make the most noise, sings ba ba black sheep for no reason and makes Daddy laugh. After I grow older, looking at Mom, I am so sure she is our "開心果". Only because she stays cheerful all the time, we get to enjoy her vibe and follow on. In our house, I now recall, at the age of 28, I have never heard my parents shouting at each other. I have never heard a single vulgar uttered at home. The house is always always at peace. I can't imagine the turmoils my Mother, as the greatest Mother, held it all in, stayed sane and loving to all of us 3 children. You can't imagine, my Mother, as gentle as she is, stayed strong and true to what she thinks is best for us. You can't imagine, my Mother, as soft as she is, caned us to our feet when we are not behaving. No, I don't think caning is cruel, it is only cruel when it is used to vent your anger and not in the means to teach a lesson.

My Mother has an important rule that we abide by everyday of our life when we were staying with her (my brother and I left to study abroad after we ended Primary school). I used to wonder why we stayed so close as a family despite being constantly afar from each other, we picked up like we never been apart when we met.

Then I had a vivid memory of our time together each and every night for more than 10 years. Every dinner time, we had to be sure to have dinner together at 7pm. No matter where my Dad goes, he has to be back by 7. If he wasn't back, we will wait for him. If he was showering by 7, we sat down and waited. Dad has to have the first plate of rice, first start eating, for us to be able to start eating. That was an unspoken rule. This simple act of dinner, now I know is very very important. This is the only time we, as a family, after a busy day of working and studying, got to be together, to speak, to laugh, or just enjoy a quiet time, together, as a whole, all 5 of us. This is the time, Mom and Dad passed on their life stories, life values and all the things they repeat day in, day out as a summary. That is a minimum 1 hour each day for 12 years or so we spent together. How difficult it is for an hour a day to spent with our loved ones?

My Mother, always taught us to love, never to hate. Even when others have been mean to us, even when we have been wronged for things we never did, even when people misjudged us, misunderstood us, even when our other closest people forsake us and even when people wanted us to suffer for nothing. Mom told us always, don't hate, never hate. It makes me want to cry because I wanted so much like her not to hate and it pains me so much to see how people could try to hurt someone like her. My mother, she is wise and smart. When I have a 100 questions for her, she has 101 answers and advice ready for me, so that I will never go wrong. She is all about forgiveness and love. If only when I am a Mother, I can be half as good as her, my children will be the luckiest kid in the world, like we are.

For the modern Mothers out there:
Get away from the smart phones, as simple as that.
Stop complaining about your children are your burden, they are God given and remember, God can take them away from you anytime. Cherish the time you have with them.
Kids grow up very fast, there will be one moment soon, you will miss what you have missed, so take the time now not to miss out their milestones.
Listen to them, see what they see, look into their eyes as you speak.
Be patient, talk to them, answer them patiently.

Good luck dear all Mothers...

A new unstoppable addiction...

Online auction.

Don't remember how and who added me into that auction site and before I knew it, I was hooked. I crashed and burn in that auction site. Man....
Well, ever since the Pawglam episode, I really despised local designers. Well, not all, but you get the gist. Or rather I should say, I avoid local designers. They should learn to be humble and most of all, learn to love their designs. I met the nicest designers across the ocean at US and apparently dug up all the contacts I (miraculously) kept back from OZ time. Wonder how I had those and lost April's birth cert from her breeder. Ugh..!!
I learned to fall in love all over again with April's clothes. After throwing away a whole wardrobe of winter clothing when we moved here, I vowed never to buy anymore. Since the standard of clothes over here is simply rub to the bish! Even going all the way to BKK, I only bought pathetic 2 pieces, which are so-so, and I bought them simply because I just can't leave BKK empty handed.
Have always loved laces and tutus, bought many many of them already. LOL... somebody help!!

This was bought in BKK!! Love it, but somehow got a little hole on it, it's an eyesore!!!

Just came in after almost a month!! Missent to Thailand, can you believe that???

One of the dresses, haven't got around to wear the rest yet as Mom was here. Afraid she will take away my Card for shopping non stop...  Though this is definitely a favorite!! 

Bye bye $$$

I swear I need to get off online shopping!!!

I have been shopping for April from US non stop, I can't even remember what I bought, when I bought or what hasn't arrived!

The money inside the bank accounts seems not money, just numbers that kept on disappearing. LOL!
Help!!

Causeway Exchange - George Town Festival

Not forgetting to mention that one of my picture has been picked to be showcased in an exhibition at George Town Penang, felt so awesomely proud. Heard it's coming to be showcased in Singapore, too! Uber excited!! Well, there are many others better, more expert, but I guess I am just lucky to be at the right place and the right time? Really so proud to see my name up in the photographer list. Awwhhh... Anyway, recently a few mothers actually messaged me and asked me what is my rate to take pictures for their child's birthday. Probably due to the not bad pictures taken of my niece, Sherina, but that is because she is already a good model and will pose and stay still. I have no confidence to take a paid job, really, what if I ruined some child's precious birthday pictures? I can't rewind that!!!

Spot my photo here! Picture shared from Shifu's Flicker http://www.flickr.com/photos/wilzworkz/9136168250/

Hmm... Is this the right way to credit him? Is he gonna kill me if he find this blog? 

Happy Anniversary CanCan Baby

July 2011, Christmas came wayyy early and I was given my first DSLR Canon 450D by my dear dear cousin, Arman Priadi. He knew I have always loved photography, but I have never taken myself seriously for it. His picture of MONAS (National Monument) that he hung in his room created from 10 or more parts pasted together, stayed etched in my mind. It was at least a decade ago that I first saw it and photography has not reached today's digital era yet.

It took me a long long while to actually figure out what the freak those buttons can do. Heck, I didn't even know how to focus. I spent days mulling over this alien machine and all the thousand pictures I took were either black, blur or both. Seriously in such a short days, I was on the verge of giving up. Then, seeing my agony, Sis bought me a Groupon class. Or rather I MADE her buy with all the whining.

Thank God for it, I found my Shifu Wilson Wong US, catch his website here http://www.wilzworkz.com/. It has been 2 years! I remembered the first question I asked him was, "Why my shutter just wouldn't click?". I am probably one of the laziest student he ever had, but he has always encouraged me with all the SPIN posts (do join us there), never failing to share his expertise with his own quirky ways. One photography walk after another, I find myself deleting one picture after another as I see them not up to my standard, definitely not up to Shifu's standard. Yet, I learned to never give up, keep on practicing, learn to respect my own work and learned that one does not need to have the best machine to produce a great work. Super thankful and grateful to find a mentor like him. Appreciate all the hard work he put in to guide us newbies and I have always said he is like an energizer bunny who never stopped to rest, he really is.

I have come a long way, but there is definitely a longer way to go to improve myself. I have been lucky as I have most-of-the-time willing models to practice on, such as my nephew and niece and of course my little photogenic baby girl, April. Also has been lucky to have great photography friends (you know who you are) who never stinged on sharing their knowledge with me, answering my stupid questions and some who always asked me to buy buy buy  !!!

P.S. Before I get hate PMs (seriously I don't know why, but I always get it, especially on Facebook).
Take note that pictures below are some of my favorites, definitely ain't the best for some of you experts, but I love them and it's all that matters. See how I have improved, yay!

Siblings fight?

My parents run a restaurant back home and recently my Mom was asked by a very disturbed customer, a father, about his own kids. He said his kids are always fighting, about who gets to drive the better car down to who buys a better phone. Like us, they are 3 siblings. He said if one of them coincidentally got better stuff than the other, they would fight. Literally fight due to the unfairness. Mom was surprised they are at their 20s. This father was worried when he died, the siblings would break out in fight of his inheritance. I have a strong feeling they might, they just might.
Mom asked me if I ever got this jealousy feeling with my sister and brother. It got me recalled back to our childhood.
Our family had not much money to spare back then. Well, I am the luckiest as being the youngest, I was born into a family that was getting better. I didnt remember the difficult life for the most parts.
I remembered though how Mom bought things for us but she never did buy for all of us at once. Most of the times only one of us get new thing at one time. I get passed down handphones, clothes, watches from my sister. Nope, I honestly never thought it's unfair. Mom taught us never to be envious of others. She would patiently talked to us, reminding us of the life values that we should fight for and not these artificial values. 
Till today, we siblings give the best to each other. They are the closest people in my life. Why wouldnt they have the best from me? Who would have the heart to see their siblings fell downer anf felt happy? That's just utterly sick and selfish.
I remembered still a few years ago, me being me, asked Dad for an iPhone. I had just started work back then. I told Dad, you see everybody at work has it. Everybody got a new iphone and I dont. Dad shot me a look and he said simply in Hokkien, "No money then dont try to show off". Brought me back to earth that word did.

PawGlam Collar Episode

Those who know me will know that I am a very reasonable person when I buy things. I have always been willing to compromise as I believe in this word; Karma, strongly. My parents are in the service business, I don't want my Karma goes to them being treated badly instead. Thus, it takes a lot and I mean a lot, for my patience to run dry. I felt so disappointed and cheated by this purchase of PawGlam Collar. Bought two from them previously and I know what quality I expected from them. It's not easy to irk me, yet when it does, it does me bad. 

Summary: Item bought and worn twice, when the lace frayed, Pawglam refused to fix it. Well, not refused, but agreed to fix at $20. When the new piece was bought at $32.90. Worse, a friend who bought the same piece experienced the same faulty lace too. Yeah well, Pawglam blatantly refused to take responsibility, saying it isn't their fault the lace is not a better quality. At the end, they gave a pathetic 15% discount for next purchase. 

UPDATE LATER THAT NIGHT: Pawglam after much pestering from my friend, who of course, more stubborn than me said that they will do a one to one exchange. That, too after a very much pestering that they insincerely proposed the idea. Probably after they checked their faulty lace. Anyway, I refused the offer and will continue to hate them. FYI, they didn't call up or message me to offer the exchange/ fixing, but asked through my friend. Sincere? Very!

UPDATE LATER LATER NEXT WEEK: Pawglam didn't do a one to one exchange to my friend. They replaced the lace part to something uglier. Sigh...

Full encounter below:

Bought this pretty piece from them $32.90. Bought I think Mid May or whatever I don't remember, but I took it out on 24th May to visit Daddy at MBS. Worn first time. It was a pretty light outing, a little walk here and there.

Second time worn just yesterday for an outing at a friend's place, well April did not play and stayed in my lap the whole bloody night. When I got home, I took out her collar to find a  badly frayed corner. I thought April might have scratched it, so I tested to pull a little on its rim to test its strength. Yea, no strength needed, just a tug and it's all gone to pieces. Sucks to the max! If it were strong and I know April might have accidentally scratched it, I WILL pay the fixing fee, and my message would be honestly this, "Hi, April has accidentally scratched this, can you help me fix it, I don't mind topping some $$." With a quality like this, no way...

So, the message goes as attached below, word for word.

 

Uh.. so what if it was a gift, although it wasn't, but it's not nice to put things that way. Felt a little offended, but maybe I shouldn't be too sensitive, I thought. So I let it go.

Not a person to end things on a bad note, I ended it nicely, albeit sarcastically. Don't know if she is trying to match my sarcasm with the reply below. Can't she tell I'm ending my business with them here?

Upset, I took things onto my own hands, I cut the bottom part off, in tears, mind you.

I love my things and I have feelings for them =(

Thought gonna just shut up and let it go when my friend Lydia bought the same piece as me and got the same problem, too. Same problem, same answer!!!! Obviously something is wrong with your craftmanshipppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO a recall on this design, omg...

Allright, some also say that I am cheapo, yeah whatever, would I cheat a $20. Me lehhhh... meeee.....!!!

I sent her this on March and I understand that wearing off is a norm, didn't kick a fuss when she said she doesn't recondition. I understand... Even when the collar compared to the one I bought years go from Bangkok and worn to beach and rough plays hasn't worn off yet, still questionably awful. Yet, I understand and bought another one from her. 

Now, you tell me, what kind of service is this? Am I being demanding and unreasonable here?