Christmas present for myself

Just decided to give myself a present and went down to watch Mama Mia with my friends in KL . Well it definately lifted my spirits of the years gone by of songs by ABBA my favourite group !! Enjoyed it tremendously , sang and dance with all the people who watch it ....Ahem , premium seats of course !! After that went shopping for CNY and another treat for myself , ya CK shirt and belt!!!

Another treat for myself is to make my home more beautiful and comfortable . Well my porch is now complete and love it ....of course i have added a few deco here and there and it looks nice . Ya new plants in my garden too....and its not really completed yet ! Anyway i am happy !!Another my friend commented that my house is the nicest house in Jalan Sentosa ....yes nice and most creative i guess and definately different !!

Here 's wishing all my family and friends near and far .....all the very best for 2009, good health and be happy and stay posiive always....

Meeting up of old friends

Well had a wonderful christmas eve lunch with some of my old friends from High School and realise that we have known each other for more than 30 years . Yes good friends ,so far and yet thoughts are always in our hearts . Even we do not see each other that often i am sure we do think of each other . I am blessed as i have friendship like that ! Some marriage don't even last that long !!

Dawn of another year.....

Gosh ...here we go again .....another dawn of another new year !
What new challenges ?? ....new routines ??...new resolutions?? new hopes ??.....Another rush !! for something greater ?? For me times just past so fast and before I know it ,another week , another month and now another new year .....

That's life , in time ...i tell my participants that we must not live a life of regrets ....and i better lead by example ......doing multiply important things focusing on our roles and goals .........Think Positive , law of attraction and law appreciation !!.... yes yes !!

Well i have thought about it , evaluated the need/ want of doing it , the cost of it , plan it visually and how i want to create a new look of my house , front poarch and finally today , i made my mind to JUST DO IT !!! Call the contractor to start work on the 24 Nov 2008 ! Talk about procastination .....but than again its not really that important ! Ha !

living a life of no regrets ...i keep reminding myself !

Times are bad ??

GOsh i guess its in everyone's mind these days . Economic situation is not going to get any better in the days to come and all is gloomy . Scary to say the least esp when you have family to feed . Business owners will be effected in some way or another .

Well we have to march on, be better and competitive , be proactive....survival of the fittest . More importantly think positive and assertive . Challenging times ahead no doubt . Plan better ,save more and spend only on add values things, survival . Keep our jobs, do more and complaint less , hang in there and be more tolerant and think of how our income(be grateful) can help us shoulder these tough times . Again , think positive to attract the positive (law of attraction).

All the best !

Being brave to change

Change is hard . We are always in our confort zone so they say ,so why change ...let it be . But in today's world , if we do not change we become outdated , obslete and fade away in society .

Yesterday i had a management review with a group of managers in a multinational who wanted me to give them feedback on communication and interpersonal skills .....they would like to know how their subordinates and team think of them in this area and it was not a nice story to tell .Yes the truth hurts but we must do something about it and change proactively .....its has become do or die ,the CEO said its about reformation ......to survive in this very competitive business world .

In our lives (or my life ) ....basically the change process that i go thru is multi fold ....technical ,mentally ,socially , spritually, ,emotionally, gosh it was not easy , scary to say the least but once learned and practise , it become easy and recently physically .....yes. change , have been going to the gym after years of being away and re conecting with my friends there and because of this change i like my body more and feel healthy .Its a decision that I made. Just making the first step to kick start the change .

So every now and than i think about what to change and what(how) changes i can adopt to make my life more complete .

Who says life is easy , its not , we have to make the most of it thru proactive and progressive change .

Love and friendship---- feeling emo!

Straight from the heart …… of love and friendship!
God has given us many gifts and one of the most precious gift is love and friendship. Both of which can be cultivated, multiplied / grown and shared among mankind. .Its free and yet priceless ! Love is a feeling that we sometimes do not express yet it can be shown with a smile , a gesture , a kiss , a word, a touch…….. simple & small little things . Truly a gift of human bonding , be it in romance or among family &friends.

In our journey of life , we cross many paths, face numerous challenges, meet many people , experience the good and bad but with love and friendship our lives transform into meaning and thus become significant!

In life…. good friends are hard to find , treasure it, as they are a ray of sunshine that brightens up our days with cheer, joy and happiness. The togetherness of friends in activities or conversation …… brings nourishment to the soul . Friendship is also strength….. in fear or in sorrow , the presence of love and friendship act as an antidote to pain and sadness . Definitely , value friendship .

True love and friendship holds no barriers , fills the emptiness with warmth, truth ,honesty and compassion ! Brings light .

In life…. let us as friends, be generous ! They say “a friend in need is a friend in deed”- so true . So, judge no one by their status , color, material possession , physical appearances, age, sex but by what they are really made of inside. Their inner beauty of values, principles and positive influences !
The sincerity and passion of being a true friend is forever!
To all my dear friends ,
I wish you lots of love and good friends to be faithful to,
I wish you days with lots of laughter and joy ,
I wish you great memories to cherish
I wish you health to nurture the sick
I wish you wealth to share with the unfortunate
I wish smiles to brighten up someone’s day
I wish you success and courage to stand for what is right!
Mostly I wish you peace , happiness and enlightenment !
Be great !
I am your friend, now and forever - Don’t forget to remember me !
19 Sept 2008.

Finding Time

And in another few months and it will be the dawn of another new year ,2009 !!. Gosh its already September and 3/4 of the year is gone ...time just flies super fast these days . I often asked myself ,do i spend quality time or just spend time ! To me, i guess spending time is about doing things routine ,you wake up , go to work , work and come back from work and than eat ,watch tv and sleep ......quality time is doing something(new) that is more emotional ,ya doing something that is special(or "seok sendiri" as my nieces would say) or making someone feel special, being creative or making a difference . Ya, i have got lots to do than .

Can we do everything or do we fall into this routine trap ?????

Each of us have our own quality time . Use it wisely, its a choice i tell myself everyday !! Once lost its gone , cannot be bought ,borrowed or stolen .

Challenging and tough and yet we must all try to make the most of it ! Its not too late ....to find the time to .........

Lee Eh Kor Boh Wah Eh Kor

Yesterday someone just reminded me of this phrase , Lee Eh Kor, Boh Wah Eh Kor which translates to "your problems is not as big as mine"! . Well its so true everyone has challenges in life ....sometimes more or less ,some too little to be called problems but we make it to become so big that it consume our lives and we become so stressed and unhappy . Its a mental game in which we have to and always try (very hard) to always think positive ,look on the brighter side of it , and more importantly look for an alternative or solution when facing problems .If we think hard enough there is always one .

Yes its so true, if we evaluate our lives there are others who have bigger and more serious problems than us .....we complaint about so many things (yes sometimes i am gulity too) about being not rich , lack of food , thinh about those who hungry , we complaint of not having good shoes , think about the people who are without legs and cannot walk .............and the list goes on .Aren't we all gulity from time to time ?

Again i try to remind myself that i am one of those lucky ones , very lucky indeed. I try to remind myself(again and again) to stop complaining ,live life to the fullest.

I am so blessed and grateful !!!

Life Changing Moments -

Wow its been a while since i posted anything and yes how time flies .Busy is the word, priority is the focus and yes LAZY is one of them too .

Anyway on 10 August ,i had this "life changing moments" with one of my niece who scored 5A in her A levels and with that results it confirmed her acceptance to university in UK to eventually become a doctor in future !

On the day of her results, we were all on skype and when the page to her results unfolded ...i was just so full of anxious anticipation , hearts beating faster and than i heard a loud scream ...5 A , 5 A , 5A ...I got 5 A ......5A !!!.and i also shouted in joy and pleasure .Wow what a moment and immediately called mum and dad to inform them ...... Wow .....that moment in time ,will change her life forever....seal her commitment to be come a doctor and to greater success . That to me is a "life changing moment" out of hard work , passion ,commitment,love and of joy , happiness beyond words , which cannot be bought by all the money in the world !! That life changing moments are something we need to create not only for ourselves and for people around us .....a simple gesture , a smile , a token , a phone call , a gratitude , a deed , a caring gesture , anything that its so valuable but PRICELESS, that to me is what life changing moments are !!

You are not forgotten!

Yesterday was a special day ...as i had a near perfect evaluation(90% excellent and 10% good ) of the seminar i conducted for one of the multinationals!One of my participants told me that she would never forget about me and what i have told them . WOW ! And while driving back i got a message from an alien number ....who could this be ???......
the message read .......
Sometimes life
gets so busy
i can't even
say "hi"
or make
a call
or send u
a message
but it
doesn't mean
i have forgotten you !
This note is from an ole friend in Singapore who i have not seen /heard from for more than 20 years !! Imagine that ? It's so wonderful !

Wow .......so friends , do not forget to remember me !
Photo above : Terry ,a shih tzu that i bred . Very well cared and loved by the Mrs Tan and family in Ipoh, he is like a son to them. I am so happy that i have choosen the right owner for you !I have definately not forgotten about you !

Ole friends

Friends are like little trees that we plant in our garden , we put them in good soil ,water , add fertilizers , trim /shape them , watch them grow and flower. Its like cultivating friendship , it needs tender loving care to make it grow and develop into beautiful plants that we enjoy and love .Good ole friends are hard to find!

I have friends near and far , even though we are busy we must make it a point to give them a thought , an email or call. Make it an effort to contact your good friends as like plants , if they do not have some care .....some stop growing, fade away and eventually die .

Today i am happy as one of my ole friend Yol, her daughter Ashley and Issac came home for a visit from Shanghai , we had lunch ,eat our hearts away and catch up ! on what is happening in our own little lifes and world . Ya, Yol the "tai-tai" with your pedicure ,manicure ,facials, massages etc etc i must say you still look good !

Having to save and be safe !!

One of the deco features of my garden!
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Gosh everyone is raving about the high cost of living these days . Making that dollar stretch to the fullest and the ever increasing crime rate . Thus the need to save and be safe . Gosh ,some of my friends had experience some horrible experiences ,lost cars and wallets ,bags , break ins etc.And I was telling a friend to be careful ,she smiled and said , well its because this person have attract all this negative thoughts , and thus it happen to them . Again the law of attraction comes in play , we attract what is in our thoughts .True ?? Food for thought.

Yet again , i read in the newspapers recently of this couple who could hardly earn enough money to feed themselves plus two young kids and had unprotected sex(haven't they heard about condoms??, geez) and ended up with triplets!!. Talking about being penny wise and pound foolish ! The wife is 30 and the hubby is already in his late 40s . A simple act/moments of being unsafe ...lands this man and his wife in hardship seeking help from the public and extra burden . So again the act of being unsafe .

So dear all , be safe and save in this challenging life . We can determine the quality of our lifes ....now and in future if we choose what we want and do for now that can determine the future !

Take care all......

Debt free ???

My uncle and aunty in USA !We "owe" each other to keep in touch always!
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Today marks the day that i am debt free, yes paid my last installment of my car !! And legally its all mine !! Gosh what a feeling , now its my own house and everything in it and my car !Yes i am grateful for all i have !! Thankful !

Today i asked my salesman when he came to collecet the cheque ,what is the "best car" to drive these days ? He smiled and told me , in hokkien , a car that is fully owned , is more comfortable these days ! Go figure!

Than again ,i wonder, are we really debt free at all in this life ?? Gosh, we humans need to own/have so many things ,thus we have to work to pay them off. But i guess in reality , no one is really debt free!! In life , we owe the people around us (family , friends,pets ,society ,ya God included too ) so much in terms of love, a positive thought , kindness , gratitude ,loyalty , faithfulness , friendship, sharing of happiness, caring and the many little things which we received and yet sometimes never needing to pay back ......that little hello , a kind word or moral booster , an assistance in time of need and sorrow , a prayer , a birthday wish ,a small gift , a phone call from an ole friend , a note from a relatives so far away , a smile/laugter ,a simple gesture ......its the giving with no strings attached ! These little somethings to me is priceless !

Recipe to try & cherish .....

Recipe for Happiness and Joy
Ingredients:
1 part of knowing who you are
1 part of knowing who you aren't
1 part of knowing what you want
1 part of knowing who you wish to be
1 part of knowing what you already have
1 part of choosing wisely from what you have
1 part of loving and thanking God for ALL you have

Instructions:
• Combine ingredients together gently and carefully, using faith and vision.
• Mix together with strong belief of the outcome, blending with prayer.
• Use thoughts, words and actions for best results.
• Bake until Blessed.
• Give thanks again.

Yield: Unlimited service

To me happiness is a decision and we must choose to embraced it as much as we can .Happiness comes in many forms ...for me, its being able to do the things that i want and choose to do , that freedom of time to be decisive , if that happiness can be shared among family and friends its even best. So create that positive emotion repeatedly . Easier said than done ??.....true but its worth it. This moment of happiness can be .... a call to an old friend , a simple & kind gestures , an email from someone we care ,who's far away , a hobby , a craft, a smile , a song , a visit or a positive thought !

We all need to appreciate what we have and tell ourselves that we are "so blessed" !Maybe easier said than done but its true ......if we compare ourselves to all the sufferings around the world.
Need i say more ??? and i remind myself again and again !~!

Gardening - its a pleasure ! .

Gardening is one my favourite hobbies and i have started gardening since young . I love bonsai, ferns , colourful plans , flowering plants, cactus - there are plants all over my house(even outside) ,on top of my porch, window stands ,in the kitchen , hall, - but its all strategically placed . I also put in some deco stuff in my garden , there are little terracotta frogs , swans , turtles ,wind chimes, even mirrors, figurines and of course my shell and different type of pot stands and antique dragon jugs. Its an organized jungle of sort, an oxygen hub.
Since i dabble in pottery , i have handmade wind chimes , turtles ,pots , figurines too .

Latest craze for me , "garden in a pot" with my collected shells and rocks from the beach. Fun! No borders or rules ....as you like .Have created a few for friends as it makes great gifts !

Plants are expensive to buy these days, so what i do is exchange plants with my friends or ask them for seedlings or baby plants , i am sure they are willing to share if you will too . So its a win win situation.

I love my garden and its a joy to wake up to my garden in the morning and coming home to it, to see all my plants grow and flower !!

Above is the Buddha figurine in my garden from Bangkok - a calming effect , the flowers of the lilies ..beautiful sight and the little miniature garden in a pot that i just created and waiting for it to grow !Hope you can see the shells big & small, river rocks, little frog hiding inside and also the turtle !

Hope you enjoy your garden too !

Managing Stress

All of us face many "reasons" to be stressed up these days NOT only at the workplace but also due to increasing cost of living , relationships /family,friendship , financial, health and many others . Importantly ,the challenge is for us to manage stress positively and to survive in this competitive world " . Its survival of the fittest!!!

Not many organization are providing managing stress training programs for their employees to manage their stress and become more productive in their work place .A stressed out employee is not a productive employee and will cause others to be stressed out too. A vicious cycle ! With economic challenges and rising cost at the work place , organizations need to adopt a more aggressive approach in managing business and thus maximize utilization of resources to survive .

We recently concluded a two day stress management program for Robert Bosch with Dr See as the main facilitator . In this programs ,participants are taught strategies on how to manage work stress , physical, emotional / mental stress ,with that , they are able to use a variety of strategies to become more productive and be happier at work and also lead a better quality and balanced life style .

Stress can be positive too as it spurs us to excel in our lives too !!

So manage stress positively !!Someone told me that there is "always a silver lining in every dark cloud" !!
Cheers

GROW !!!

Unless you try to do something
beyond what you're already mastered,
you will never GROW !!

Pet Sitter

Willy and Happy are two of the minature poodles who i pet sit when their owners ,Mr & Mrs Tan goes on their holidays . We do their grooming to on a regular basis.
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Pet Sitter …another service that Jesswinn can provide besides dog grooming !
Why choose a reliable pet sitter to care for my pets ?
• Most pets, especially cats and dogs, like routine. Using the services of a pet sitter will enable your pets to keep their normal eating, playtime, exercise, and sleep routines.
• When your pet stays in his own home, he won't be stressed from being transported to a strange place. • Your pet will be able to stay in his own home where he is most comfortable, with the sights, sounds, and smells to which he is accustomed.
• If your pet is on medication, or other medical treatment, your pet sitter will be able to keep him on his regular schedule.
• Your pet will not be exposed to illnesses that may be contracted at a kennel.
• Having a pet sitter come to your home also works as a crime deterrent. Most pet sitters will bring in the mail, turn lights off/on, open/close draperies, etc. to help give your home a lived in look. And, in the event of an emergency, they will be able to contact you immediately rather than you coming home to find a problem with your home.
• You won't have to inconvenience family or friends. While they may mean well, and intend to give excellent care, sometimes they may fall short of your expectations. When you hire a pet sitter, it creates a businesses relationship with clear expectations for you and your pet sitter.
• Your pet will get consistent and personalized care from one person who knows your pet well. Most pet sitters will become quite fond of your pets and will give them excellent care!
• It's more convenient for you. You won't have to carve time out of your busy schedule to drop off or pick up your pet from a kennel.
Your pet will be home, waiting at the door to greet you when you come home!

For further information ,:
Please email : cheahlmc@streamyx.com
Note :
While pet sitting is by far the best choice for the majority of pets, it may not be ideal for some. Pets with separation anxiety, other behavioral issues, or pets with delicate medical conditions may do better in a kennel or veterinary boarding facility. If you have concerns, be sure to talk to your pet sitter or veterinarian, who will be able to help you determine the best option for your pet.

Celebration dinner from Mae Yue and Qian !

After all the "ang pows" the girls got from all the relatives(mine included, ouch !) , Mae Yue and Qian decided to treat their Ah Kong, Ah Mah, Ah Koo for a dinner in Mama's Nonya Restaurant at Aboo Sitt Lane , Penang on their last night in Penang . Again it was very delicious . As we told Qian , she will be having a year of boring British food until she comes back for the holidays and she better stuff herself to the fullest and that she did !!!Of course not to be outdone is Mae Yue too ,ya Singapore food ain't as good as Penang's .We had good servings of curry fish head , jew hoo char , kiam chai teng, ean chee kay bin and prawns fitters . So Kean Hoong if you are reading this ...yes we missed you!!! and i am sure you missed all the good food too !!

Looking at the happy faces of Ah Kong and Ah MA .....we know that they are very happy to see you both of you and YES ,......we are all so proud of you two !!

Again "syabas for all your achievements" , I am sure it was full of hardwork , strong determination and positive attitudes !! Ya some sweat and tears added into it too!! Keep up the good work !!

Don't forget to remember us when you even when you are busy studying in Singapore and UK ,okay ?? Phone ,e-mail, skype , blog etc .
Take care always and all the best ...love, Ah Kong , Ah MA and Koo

Shells......its from the beach in Penang !.....

A lot have been said about the many shells in my house and garden . "NO ! I do not believe that you pick them from the beach" ."Where got such nice shells in Penang wan... !!" Where did you buy them ?? "Ai yah...tell lah, I want to buy also!"

Ya,believe it or not its free for the picking by the seaside where i live which is about five minutes walk . I have lots , big/ small and colorful .....YES I picked up them during my morning walks to the beach for some fresh air, exercise and to watch the rising sun , sounds of the waves , sea breeze be near nature .....Fantastic ...really like killing a few birds with one stone !

Well....what i do is that I soak them with water for a day or two , wash them with a soft steel brush to get rid of the stains and dirt , let them dry in the sun after that spray them with quick dry lacquer twice ,make sure the first coat is dry first before you spray another coat ...then they look shiny and nice . I use these shells to lace the side walls of my garden and use some as decoration in pots and for the "garden in a pot" that I create for myself or gifts for friends .I have some big shells which are cracked and have holes in them so i use them as little pots to plant my ferns! Lovely and love them !!I use the nicer ones as table top decoration, just use a bowl or small plate, lace it with colorful paper and arrange them accordingly .....and you have a center piece!

Nothings beats doing something creative to beautify your home & garden and its practically free ,something that you do not have to buy from the shops and its uniquely yours !! Try it .....

dear friends ....I wish you enough

I wish you enough .
"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life
appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough 'Hello's' to get you through the final 'Good-bye'."

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its so addictive to blog!!! now i know ..happy reading , hope you like what you read !

Jesswinn's Blog Born Today & Doc's Cupcakes !!

Today mark the day that this blog is born !!

My two beloved nieces, Mae Yue and Qian Yue are here in Penang before they leave for their further studies to do medicine in Singapore and UK ,and in spending sometime together they helped me set up this blog and make some delicous cup cakes .Since they are future doctors ,we'll call today's cup cakes ,"doc's cup cakes" which is definately not for people who have diabeties! hahahaha Gosh the icing is good & sweet., some of the comments ..."add more icing sugar ...so can be thicker", "use M&M to make the coloring ??", "definately not my thingy", Qian...come and help" ,"cannot be so pong wan" ,"Fats" ,"its burning , take it out".
"Very nice ...right????" "Ya,seok sendiri"


Listen to this song, "Falling Slowly".....another romantic ballad sung by the actors of this love story !! Very good .Thanks Qian for sharing this with me .....its just so beautiful !!Enjoy !



One of my favourite videos,everytime I listen to this ,it makes me smile and life is so worth living !!! Isn't she fantastic for a 6 year old girl ..such a pure and sweet voice ! So take a few minutes to enjoy Connie ..you will definately love it .