Skimmed through an old episode featuring our country's garbage solution company's ex CEO today. Very prominently placed in her office was a throw around cushion with the phrase 'Behind every successful man is an exhausted woman' printed on it. She even picked it up and proudly showed it off to the camera mid interview.

It got me thinking, we women generally really get the shorter end of the stick in a marriage, don't we?

Women are in charge of taking care of and nurturing their families on top of jobs. Ok, one might argue that women are more empowered these days and chores are shared, rights are fair and equal, and running a household is a shared responsibilty. But ask any man at work if they're worrying about the shortage of groceries in the fridge or the laundry that needs to be done, I can assure you they've got their head so far up their client's asses they forget their domestic obligations.

Not only that.

Child bearing? Our responsibility
Sorting out holidays? Our responsibility
Placating the husband when he returns from work regardless of how bad a day we've had? Our responsibilty
Ensuring hot meals are placed on the table? Our responsibility.
Remembering birthdays? Our responsibility
Arranging family functions? Our responsibility
Buying gifts? Our responsibility
Dealing with utility bills? Our responsibility
Ensuring Husband's ego is stroked? Our Very Big responsibility

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure men have to worry about providing for their family in monetary terms, but seriously, more and more I appreciate and respect the many many different hats a woman has to wear every day. I have always remembered what my mother said to me in a moment of frustration...

"When your father is sick, it's like the children are sick, when the children are sick the whole family is sick, when mummy is sick, well no one really knows when mummy is sick"

Bees

Busy Busy Busy since we touched down almost 2 weeks ago. In between we managed a 1 hour coffeshop catch up a week ago and 2 hours on Thursday and a family thing yesterday. It going to be busy for a while more.

We just want to go back to De La Paix where we can wake up to this... instead of jobsEggs benedict + cheese + swine + muffin
Gratuitous sexy yolk shot

The next chapter

Been out of action since I resturned from Cambodia. Now if it was food poisoning from the various coconut laden Fish Amok I stuffed my face with in Siem Reap I can accept, it was however the putrid tuna foccacia I had at the airport pre budget airline flight that did me in, coupled with mild flu, which resulted in the bastard marriage of food poisioning + flu. Not fun at all. Anyway that's all over and done with, finally.

Moving on.

In 2 weeks, after a 19 month hiatus, I will rejoin the work force proper. I am just very happy to once again be a CPF contributing citizen, paying taxes, playing my part in building the nation. Ah! Bullshit! I just want to buy shoes, hangbags, clothes, buy my family nice meals, buy lump and friends nice things, be able to pay bills via GIRO once again and not have to live on a meager and irregular freelancer's pay. It has been a humbling experience, one that forces you to learn and grow as a person, but as anyone who has up and left to study in the midst of a career climb can attest, it is not the most financially and lifestyle friendly of situations. Those days are over, for now, bye bye 3 O'clock cat naps, you were really one of my greatest pleasures.

Craft Revolution

I've just discovered a whole new world of online tutorials teaching people how to make bags, crochet, knit etc... What a find! My previous two bags and pencil cases were made completely in the dark, well, that's not completely true, it was after studying a canvas tote bought from Perth intently and my attempts at reverse engineering resulted what I now call the two bags. But! but! but! Now there are proper step by step guides to teach me how to do it properly! No more randomly cutting by feel and 2nd guessing which bit should go first!

Damn excited.

I just had the most glorious hotel experience to date and I am still withdrawing from the entire experience. I will get round to writing a comprehensive post on Hotel De La Paix and Siem Reap over the weekend. Cambodia is still recovering slowly and the place is poor as poor can be. There were constant sights that completely broke my heart everyday from landmine victims to a forlorn dog with half his lower bowels hanging out from his anus to children sitting on the ground from dawn to dusk begging. After a major breakdown on the first day, the reality of being in a third world country set in. I realise that I am alot more insulated than I think I am. It isn't just about putting a few dollars in the begging bowl or providing momentary comfort, I have to see the bigger picture and realise that help is possible on a broader, more sustainable scale.

See, Feel, Act

Damien

Dearest Damien,
You have grown from this little bundle almost 10 months ago into

a well-behaved handsome and bright eyed curious little tot. You are very very lucky with mummy who is by your side everyday watching over you and caring for you. You and your daddy seem to have so much fun together, especially when you are checking yourself out in the mirror :)

You have your daddy's nose and mummy's ears and with the superb mix of genes that crafted you, you will be a heartbreaker.
Your self-proclaimed aunties look forward to watching you grow and develop, and don't mind if we pinch your cheeks every once in awhile. xxx

*2nd Photo by Marshmallow Toasties and family picture by Gillian

Cambodia

We are off on our 1st holiday for 2007 trading skiing and snow for temples and dusty streets. Lump has been wanting to go see Angkor Wat for the longest time, further fueled no thanks to Wong Kar Wai's 2046 and the like (Can someone say film buff). Should be good, although the highlight for city girl would be Hotel De La Paix. Another hotel with suspect sounding name, but with ameneties that lists:
Satellite television
Complimentary wireless internet access
Pre-programmed iPod
Terrazzo soaking tub & separate shower
Gourmet mini bar

And with pictures like these:




And DVD player for rent at USD$15 a night...Can Lah!

The Angkor archeological site should be spectacular and we'll probably get a 3 day pass to see temple at sunset, temple at sunrise, temple at midday, temple in morning. You get the drift. We'll be bringing, a Lomo, DSLR, 1 Ricoh and a Canon Ixus, sketch pads, pencils and erasers, bring on inspiration and finding ZEN. OOOhm!

Art and Craft

I don't think I can make a living out of crafty pursuits.
It took 4 hours to put this together.

Pierce: The Unspoken Rule

After dinner and with sometime to spare, we trooped down to Pierce reservoir with a can of coke and sprite. It was only upon parking that we realised that there were numerous cars with their engines running and foggy windows! As we walked towards to reservoir it was obvious that cars were parked in an alternating fashion, leaving a lot between each vehicle! We of course innocently violated that unspoken rule and according to Lump "I saw a body in the car next to ours as I was getting out!", we felt very bad for disturbing someone's SEXY TIME.

The Rang Mahal

After reading numerous glowing reviews about the Rang Mahal, and with the knowledge that Lump would do cartwheels for yeeendian food, I decided to bring him there for his birthday dinner. Our experience at the Rang Mahal was nothing short of exquisite. From the food to the service to the magnificent ambience. We sat, ate and talked for almost 3 hours. They certainly lived up to their long list of accolades from Conde Nast, Wine and Dine, Singapore Tourism Board etc.

The entrance, flanked by tea lights, houses a lovely modern waiting lounge as one enters. We were seated in one of their cosy booths which had plush cushions and a long bolster like thing at the back for one to rest on. The menu was comprehensive, with a good mix of vegetarian and meat dishes. We had wanted to start off with their fois gras but as we were placing our order, our server dissuaded us from ordering the Fois Gras, citing "I understand asian palates" as reason, who were we to argue, right? He suggested the starter sampler instead, which cost alot less than the fois gras and which was bloody delicious. It was from that point on that I gave Rang Mahal my vote for excellent service. The dishes recommended were glorious and the amount of food was just right. I can't remember the names of the dishes but our menu went something like this:

Starter
Non-vegetarian sampler plate: A Roasted King Prawn, a piece of chicken, 1 Lamb Kebab a piece of fish and salad on the side

Mains
A Lamb Curry Dish: Chunks of tender lamb in a sauce that had minced lamb as base
A Chicken Dish: Juicy Chicken strips with tonnes of garnishes
Black Dhal: This took the cake for me. It was rich, luscious, creamy and smooth. There was a hint of cheese as well
A Garlic Naan
Tissue Something: I cannot remember the exact name but it was so soft and fluffy, a cross between thosai and prata. It was not oily at all.

I must say that the chicken dish was overshadowed by the spices and flavours of the lamb and dhal. As a stand alone I am sure it is delectable, but with the other 2 tastier dishes for comparison, it came across as slightly mild and ordinary. We were too full for dessert and settled for a flat white and one of their signature 'Digestive Teas'. Service was wonderful with great attention to detail (level of water in glass never fell below half), and just when we thought it could not get any better, when the servers came out with the "cake" belting out 'Happy Birthday' we had our photo taken by one of them and within a few minutes, were presented with that photo in 4R, nicely displayed in a Rang Mahal card.
This definately ranks up there on our list of memorable dinning experiences and will definately go back for a visit. If anything, just for that out of this world black dhal!
Rang Mahal: The Aftermath
Complimentary shredded carrot pudding for the birthday boy.
I had the Geisha Blossom digestive tea which had a green tea base. It was marvellously light and smooth, cleaned the residual spices off the palate and calmed the stomach.

Rang Mahl
Level 3 Pan Pacific Hotel
Tel: 6333 1788

Re-gifters

For comic fans, Sonny Liew's Re-Gifters is out! I can't say that I know very much about comics, my knowlege of which only stretches as far as Archie and some random Slam Dunk issues when I was in Secondary School, but when Sonny first passed me the 2nd Issue from his Malinky Robot series, I was completely blown away by his illustrations! Minx titles is a new release by DC Comics and Re-Gifters is one of the first titles to be released under Minx, so I reckon it must be a rather big deal. I wouldn't know cause the boy is always so self deprecating and unassuming, most times down playing all his achievements. When I was reading the artist profiles, I was told that being nominated for a Eisner Award is a huge thing in the comic world, it is akin to getting nominated for an Academy award.

The boy's got talent.

HAPPY HAPPY 32nd, LUMP!

Lump at 29. With age comes change, change polishes up the edges, change is what has kept us going, change has been kind and good. But to me, time freeze framed you at 27, and that's how I'll always remember all the wonderful and beautiful things about you, you at 27, when I first shook your hand and said hello.

The beastly dreams are back with a vengence.

Last night I was climbing up the stairs of some old run down shophouse only to discover tables arranged in a semi circle (like some science fair at school) with fish tanks after fishtanks of dogs in water. The mutts were aquatic. They were living and breathing in water. When I asked the man how come the mutts could survive in water he said "We extricate them from their mother's womb when they are almost mature and dump them in the tanks. They adapt and live in water naturally." And mind you, these weren't your cutesy golden retrievers, they were all so sad and forlorn with tuffs of hair missing in places, fully submerged and barking in water.

Fucking surreal I tell you.

In a moment of weakness 2 weeks ago, I had 2 cigarettes with some coffee and enjoyed every bit of the tar and nicotine that glorious little roll provided. Oh! the joy of heady smoke travelling and filling each aveoli, little sacs of clouds. On a quiet night like this, I wish I was back on Arundel's rooftop, ruminating with Pam, catching clouds with sacs as we progress into the winter night.

Kitty Kats

I am a dog person. I think the whole not having to work for your pet's love and the idea of a big soppy mess constantly hungry for affection appeals to me, but, it is also alot of physical work and commitment. I used to resent cats because I though they were cold unfeeling bastards who only cosied up to you when they were hungry or wanted treats. I only really began to appreciate cats when a dusty grey feline urchin used to visit Sharon and I in our Sydney apartment. Ya ok, the bastard swiped our sardine dinner, clawed our couch, and frequently jumped on our kitchen top to steal food, but we looked forward to his visits and the opportunity to give him a nice bowl of milk. Then I went to Melbourne in June '03 and Dezzo's friend Lynette had a lovely kitty kat who apparently never warmed up to anyone, but with some coaxing, managed to get him to sit on my lap and he allowed pats and scratching behind his ears. Ah! I can make a conection with these snooty bastards I thought.

They have a whole different psyche, my cat loving friends explained, and it was just a matter of understanding them. And we have summized that cats are really the cleverer of the 2 species, their whole not trusting so easily and being on guard, very human. With the realisation that I am a complete worm, I think a cat would better suit my living habits. No walks required, cats know how to eat out of the bowl and stop when they are full, they self clean (though I would still insist on weekly baths I think!), and best of all, sleep 18 hours a day. Best! No having to toss balls and play fetch. Don't get me wrong, I still harbour hopes of owning a fiesty pit bull terrier one day, but till I can promise him a sprawling backyard/lawn or a relatively big area for him to run, that day will have a wait. For now, I would definately get a kitty kat when I get a place. Someday soon. A Kitty Kat just like Lucifer. How can you not love a squished up mug like that! A Persian Kitty Kat for me, definately.