Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category

Sometimes people say that having more choices in life is good, like when you want to choose which college to go to, the delicious food that you may order in a restaurant, truck accessories that you want to buy, etc. But choices can be a cause of problem or headache. Times when you just don’t know what to do or choose to do.

There are days when I feel like wanting to get a full time 9-5 job. While other days I feel like continuing tutoring and have flexible teaching hours. Both have their pros and cons. So which one should I really concentrate on? Looking for a job of finding more students?

I suppose I have to use the old method that I used to do when I’m in such circumstance. Write down on paper the pros and cons of both. From there I see which one is the best choice to make.

So I’ve finally decided to try enrolling myself in a Japanese class.  I am going to visit the school this evening, meet up with a teacher and maybe have to sit for a test to see what my level is. I have to admit that I am nervous. Not only because I haven’t been sitting for exams, for what seems like, decades, I am also not confident enough whether I can remember all that I’ve learnt. Now that is a little drawback about self-studying. I don’t really have a routine and I study when I feel like and I don’t utilise what I’ve learnt afterwards. Hence my decision to look for a language school. I need routine, I need other students to practice with. What ever it is,I really do not want to start back in the beginners’ class.

To go to the school I’d need to do some 15-20 minutes of walking and about 30-45 minutes of bus ride. Well, roughly an hour. That is the nearest school that I’ve found so far.  To tell the truth, I have never done so much of walking  or going on public transportation back in M’sia. I walk more here. So no wonder I can keep my weight low better. Just like taking thermogenic fat burner supplements. But I don’t mind at all.

Above all, I really hope everything will go well today. Not like the first time I went to check the school last Monday.

Gosh, it has been some time since I last updated this blog. I was busy. That’s all the excuse I can give.  Would be nice to say, “Hey, I just came back from one of those nice long Outer Banks vacations!”. But unfortunately I can’t. I was busy with other things in my life.

However, I am glad to say that I have found a few job opportunities that require English speaking people. That is a good start. I have applied 4 jobs today. Will be checking the website for more jobs at least once a week from now on.

I really need to get my life together back - get a job, go for language classes, make new friends, be happy with myself.

When I was just staring at the calendar on the wall in front of me, I realized that it was around this time three years ago that we were getting ready for a nearly 6 thousand miles journey.  Our big move. We were busy packing, busy calling up moving companies to obtain moving quotes, busy calling up insurance companies for health and term insurance rates that I may need to get, meeting up friends and family members for the last time before we leave, etc. It was tough, emotionally, physically, and financially. But we are a little wiser from the experience.

Again, this year, we may have to do the same thing. Another big move and hopefully the last one to a place we can really call “home”.

End of last year, my husband and I decided that this year would be the perfect year for us to make serious plans for our big move. Both my husband and I aren’t getting any younger and so is our little girl. She is growing up. If now isn’t the time, then when?

So currently I am in charge of collecting information on Scotland. Yes, we chose Scotland to be our potential next home. Why? because of the nature, the currently low population (about 5 million. Don’t really like crowded places) and also the education system for our girl. Whether it is a good choice or not, we will know when we’re there.

If you have been moving between countries yourself, most probably you would know how confusing it can be when it comes to collecting infomation about a place you’ve never even set foot in. You have to make decisions based of what people say or advice - which, I must say,  isn’t all that bad compared to no advice or information at all.

Therefore right now, I’m just reading about the law, the living costs, places that is good to stay, not forgetting to check online life insurance quotations, housing rentals, car prices, employment opportunities etc. Not easy, but it’s exciting.

I suppose for many people, the year 2009 wasn’t really such a good year - with the global economic downturn, loss of jobs and all. But for us it was a mild year, which means it wasn’t such a good year yet it wasn’t a bad year either. Our daughter got into kindergarten for the first time leaving me plenty of time to do what I wanted and needed to do without distractions. My husband got a new package deal from his employer, 3 days work away from the office which requires him to report to office 2 days only in a week, and also a reasonably good pay raise.

As for me, I am hoping to get a good job offer anytime soon. Though even if it didn’t turn out well, I have another plan coming up for myself. As anyone should know, there should always be a back up plan.

I have plans to tutor more students, find myself a Japanese language teacher or class, and learn to sew. Other than that, other things that I’d like to achieve or getting this year: a new laptop perhaps (my pc is getting slower and problematic), some new modern office furniture - smaller desk and swivel chair and also more happy family time together.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? Well, those are my hopes for 2010.

We just had an offer to work somewhere outside of the city. It has always been a dream of ours to live somewhere where there is less traffic and the air is better. Well it isn’t an Outer Banks vacation, but we feel really excited!

We’ve submitted our proposals on how we would want the deal to be, and let’s see whether it would be accepted. Till then, we’d keep our fingers cross.

Now that Christmas is over for most of us, we move on to looking forward to New Year. Soon we’ll say goodbye 2009 and hello 2010. Some people have this list that they call, “New Year’s resolution” which most of the time never accomplished, and bring forward to the next year all the time.  :D

For me? It was a long time ago since I last had a New Year’s resolution. I know I never keep them. So I just go with the flow. Do my best and be better everyday.  It’s a little less pressure that way. Well, different people, different ways of doing it or viewing resolutions. I like it the way I do it.

Anyhow the weather seems a lot milder this week. No snow showers, and the temperature went up, and it is warmer. Hopefully that we will be greeted by the New Year with a nice weather. Good thing too since we need to go out and shop for school and office supplies to start the new year.

I posted earlier today about my father-in-law being in the hospital right now. It was at first difficulty of breathing because there was too much liquid or water in his body that prevented his lungs from working properly.

Later today, my mother-in-law informed us that a new problem emerged. Thrombosis. His blood is thick and clotting that it is blocking his blood vessels. Tomorrow they are going to do a thorough examination on his condition.

*sigh* All the troubles in the world. Just fortunate that he gets medical treatment and all paid for. A wake up all for us to prepare ourselves with an affordable health insurance because we never know when we may need one.

It is indeed not a welcomed news. Even more so since we will be celebrating Christmas next week. Just hope that my father-in-law would get better soon and allowed to be discharged from the hospital and be with the family by Christmas.

I have dry skin and the cold weather that we are having right now isn’t making it any better at all. In fact, made it worse due to the heaters, as well as the warm showers I take.

I have tried so many creams and lotions. The worse part is having to find the right one for my facial skin. Not only they can be dry and flaky, but acne prone as well. Imagine that. So if I use a creamy or greasy enough moisturizer, it would help the dryness but my skin would break out. But if I use an acne treatment, it would be extremely dry at the spot where I applied it.

I just bought Nivea creme in a blue tin 2 days ago. It is good. So far the dryness is slowly dissappearing, but I’m just afraid that acnes would follow.  I’m not talking about 1 or 2 pimples but many tiny ones. Just hope that won’t happen.