Crazy Chinese Woman

Winter suxs!  and if you needed to do anything outdoors with your hands during winter – you need your gloves but what if you needed to open the door with your key or answer a phone or text message someone because you can’t find them in the car park?  Yes! you have to take off your gloves else you will be standing outdoors in the cold and even with your winter jacket and ear muffs – it can be a bitch!

These gloves are called Swypegear gloves and uses conductive fibers that lets you do all the above with all your ten fingers covered. Woohoo!  I say if you have cold weather where you lived like I do – inveset in one !  this is a life saver! especially for savvy and techy folks like you all out there.   $18 at FAB or check out http://www.swypegear.com/ and get a 20% off regular price by typing 20OFF.  I liked the green color ones and getting a black one for the spouse.

The spouse wants to turn the basement into a home theatre after Christmas when the store isn’t so busy – and although I don’t know much about it – I won’t stop him from doing what he wants – for he sure earned it.  He had been working hard this year – and been saving some money for some Energy speakers and a bigger plasma tv.   As for me and the children – we are not too fussy about the sound systems – as long as we can hear sounds – it’s fine with us – but the spouse – now he has other ideas of course.  He cannot use the speakers from the tv itself – it has to be external speakers – and as long as I have known him – he has always had external speakers for his home.  I let him do what he wants – because he does it himself and never asked for help.

I think I might have found the perfect gift for my spouse – a leather and cashmere glove for Christmas!  I have been looking for something like that for him because he needs his gloves to be thin enough to be able to drive in the cold winter but yet – can keep his hands warm when he is out walking.  Big gloves are great for the warmth but it leaves your fingers hard to move and do things.  Love the colors and the way it is made and we all know that cashmere can keep one’s hand really warm – I love it ! and only for $39 – now that’s a steal !   I figured you all have a hard time finding  gifts for husband during special occasion – so I thought I would share this with all of you ladies out there.  Check it out yourself – because I found some really good stuff here.

Thanksgiving is this weekend – Sunday – and we are heading out to the in-laws for supper of course – but what do one give to the in-laws for Thanksgiving?  I can’t give them a fruit basket – coz’  they have a huge garden had plant their own fruits and veggies.  I can’t just buy a bottle of wine – coz’ the mother-in-law doesn’t drink wine – or scotch.  What can I give that both person can use?   Any suggestions?  Isn’t it good breeding that you bring a gift when you are invited to supper?  Wines are pretty cheap in this part of the world and you can get a bottle of good wine under $20 – and I know the MIL likes candles – but so generic right?  I know !  i should give them a leg of ham?  flowers?  nah ! not flowers that’s for sure – but chocolate – you can never go wrong right?  Hmmmm—!! i think i will head to bulk barn and make a basket of chocolate and decorate it – what do you think?  yup! that’s what I’m going to do !  a tin of chocolate mixture.

The outlaws always reminds me that I’m no spring chicken no more – and truth be told I do not appreciate it when they say that.  But i can’t really blame them since I’m a lot older than the spouse – I’m guessing they are worried that he needs to take care of me when I am older but little did they know that I’m looking into senior life insurance for myself – so that if anything should happen to me – I know that I won’t be a burden to my spouse and that our kid will be taken care of – and he will have the opportunity to quit what he is doing and look after our kid since she is still very young.   I have to do that – because there is just no way – he can look after the store and the kid at the same time – and give her proper care – so yes!  a good life insurance is necessary should anything happen to me while my kid is still young.

I was in the city a few days ago – and realized that there will be no big movie stores around here no more – folks like the Blockbusters and Movie Gallery are gone and had filed for bankruptcy.  I wonder if they had been having the same problems like us as independent movie store owners who get ripped off by unscrupulous individual who rents our new movies and refused to return them?  I have a list of collection agencies but because we are a small independent rental store – I doubt it is worth using a collection agency – even though our net loss for the last 12 years had been like $35K.  Therefore, I bet big stores like the Blockbusters and Movie Gallery must have need for these collection agencies to get their money back right?  so why the bankruptcy?  maybe they didn’t find a good one then – but of course there is more to it than meet the eyes – but no matter what – it does make it a lot more difficult for ppl to rent now – unless there are more folks like us the independent movie store owners – now it is to find a collection agency that would take on small businesses like ours.

While the east celebrates a newborn in a different way -  grandmothers celebrating your newborn are pretty similar here in the West.  I remembered my mom buying for my nephew and nieces gold anklets with a bell on them -  and here in the  West – they also buy love lockets for their grandchildren as well.  Well, most grandmothers or grandparents give jewelry – but not my kid’s grandparents – I think they are the practical type and don’t believed in giving jewelry?  but my mother did send a piece of jewelry for my kid – so that was nice.So what did your parent’s in law give to your kids when they were born?  pray tell – for it’s interesting to know.  My girlfriend from Australia just had a baby girl and her mother-in-law gave her newborn a bracelet with a bell on it – it was the prettiest and cutest bracelet  – I loved it so much.  When I become a grandmother – I too would like to give jewelry to my grandkids and start them young.

I always tell my spouse that he is very blessed and lucky because he is doing a job that he likes and he enjoys it very much – well except for idiots for customers – now that he doesn’t like at all.  Not many people can say the same here – and it’s hard to get into System Support & Documentation Jobs here in this town – therefore, I have friends who moved out of town to go find a job that they like and make some decent money.  I can’t really blame them for leaving their hometown can I – although some may feel like they are abandoning their family.   But you have got to do what you’ve got to do to make a living and to find something that you can support yourself and your family.   I have friends who migrated to another country because of work – and is now very happy about it – and I really wished that everyone can find a job they liked – but in this town – some people like like to whine about it – while others who really wants to work – they get up and look for that job.  What about you?

This summer my daughter tried her first roasted marshmallow – from an outdoor fire pit that belongs to our neighbor.  Thank you Mr & Mrs F – for being so kind to her and sharing a giant marshmallow each time you have a roasted marshmallow.  My kid loved it so much – that we decided to get an outdoor fire pit too  – so this weekend it will be a roasting of giant marshmallow and a movie night.  Try it sometime – it’s awfully fun – and a outdoor fire pit is great to have for the summer.   And yes – you can get giant marshmallows here in any grocery stores.   I’ve always wanted an outdoor fire pit – so now there is more reasons to get it.

While folks need to go out into the woods to hunt for deers – we only need to go as far as the outlaw’s backyard – they always have deers all around their home.   While we sit in the kitchen eating – we can see deers all around the pond all the time.  My father-in-law bought some  rifle scopes for hunting and it’s fun to watch him look at the deers and see which ones are young and fleshy.  My daughter who loves watching Bambi – would scream and cry each time Grampie goes hunting for some Bambis – hahhaha!! so funny !  so they used the rifle scopes to watch the deers now from the kitchen.  Deers are very tricky animals and they can hear you coming from a long ways.

Anyhow, a friend who was mowing our lawn told me last week he saw some deers on our backyard – so I’m thinking I should get some rifle scopes – so the kid can watch the deers when they come around – it would be a real treat for her and her dad.  I should buy the ones with the night vision feature – that way – during the summer – when they are out camping – they can watch the deers too in the camping grounds – now that would be fun!

When I first arrived in Canada – I was very enthusiastic about all these real shows with stories of  real people and then of course, when I was having my kid – and confined to home 24/7 for the next 9 months – I watched the birthing shows and boy! were they kinda scary but lots of information too.  I’ve learned a lot thru’ the Life Network – mostly amusing and amazing but one show that was pretty inspirational was the medical show – about doctors, nurses and caregiver as well as chiropractors.  I’m easily influence by the shows I watched, therefore, I prefer to watch shows that inspires me – so when they had this show about the chiropractor ’s office many years ago – I wished they had this chiropractic technologist program because I would have jumped on it and took the course.  Life Network Canada had made some good impression on me – some very lasting ones and now that I know there is an online program for working in a chiropractor office  – i can tell those who asked about it.   Have you ever been inspired by a tv program or movie – that you want to change your career or life?  I have.

My grandmother used to say – you lived to learn and you learn something new everything – never be too proud to learn.   I’ve always encouraged everyone I know to upgrade themselves whenever or wherever they can.  I remember knowing a guy a long time ago – and he was happy just not doing anything in life but his job – i mean he had a good job and it paid well – but that was all he knew – he didn’t want to advance himself in anyway.  When his company encouraged him to do an online business degree (they were paying for it) he refused to take up the option.  How sad eh?  if it were I – I would have jumped at the opportunity.  There’s career advancement, there’s the different opportunities one can get after finishing an online degree – regardless what the major it is.  So I can’t quite fathom why in the world people wouldn’t advance themselves?

I have girlfriends who are mothers and has full time job and they would definitely take the challenge – and do an online business degree if it was offered to them by their company or bosses.   A little bit of ambition and a lot of discipline is all that is needed from a person – and if  you want to climb the corporate ladder – or get that promotion – why not eh?  Lived to learn! lived to learn!  so i was thrown this question the other day – by a group of girlfriend – if I would do an online business degree?  I would for sure – if they were offered by the people i worked for – that only means they have other plans for me in the near future – and if it was paid for – hey! why not ?  i would jump at the offer for sure.   And if my spouse and children loved me – they too would accommodate me – and give me time and help me complete my degree.

Christmas is round the corner and my kid asked me what she should get for her dad this Christmas  – and every year we asked the same question for my father-in-law.  So this year, we figured we would get some personalized gifts – but  what kind of personalized christmas gifts for men are the most popular – or what kind of gift would they appreciate?  I think any gifts that are practical – and even give them a good laugh would be an awesome idea!  I thought this one would be great for my kid’s dad – afterall – she is growing up to be a kid with needs.  So this would surely make her dad and grampie laugh this Christmas.  Personalized gifts are the best – because they are from the heart and nothing can beat that eh.

While the spouse and kid love these for a movie snack – i love …  “Bak Gua”  (BBQ pork/chicken) – lucky for me – I can’t get it here in Canada – but if i could – i would surely be eating it on a daily basis – looking at how much shows i watch a day.   We all snack while watching a tv show or a movie and it has become such a natural thing – that we don’t even know how much snack we eat when we are watching shows.  So in order not to become obese – I suggested to the spouse that we should look into  some safe diet pills that work – any recommendation out there?

It’s easier to lose the extra weight when you are younger in your 20s but when you turn into your late 20s – ahhh- your metabolism slows right down and become sluggish and the more weight one puts on – the more sluggish your body become.  Agree?   so yes – I am putting on weight lately – I better start looking out for myself – else I won’t be able to keep up with my kids – wish me luck now!

Have you started yet?  No?  neither have we – but we should start on our christmas holiday gift list now coz’ if you know us – we would get so busy – we would end up forgetting someone – or worst – get something that the person wouldn’t like or have no use for.  When i receive a gift – i would want something useful and thought about – i dislike giving gifts just because we had to.  And Christmas is such a huge occasion in our household – we even celebrate it on Boxing day by going out to an aunt’s place and celebrating it with her.  So yes – if you haven’t started on a Christmas list – time to have one – coz’ everywhere I go there is a sale on now.

Wanna know what “ang moh” gave me for V-Day..??  Money cannot buy one ok..!  if you are interested.. check it out here.  Of course, there is no show there lah.. but i thought i would share it with those interested.. especially for those ..who are thinking of marrying “ang moh” .. hehehehe!!

Tired of our old doorbell…?? I am..!!! i need some novelty this Christmas and what better kinda novelty than Simpson right..??  afterall, we all love Homer..  “DUH!”  At only $30 .. i think it is definitely worth buying for the spouse.. who is geeky .. and loves the Simpsons.  Buy it online at drinkstuff.com

Homer’s Phrases:
• Answer the door, and put on some clothes and make me a sandwich
• Ding dong! That’s right, I called you a ding dong.
• There’s someone at the door with a free pizza. Well, a guy can hope, can’t he?
• Oooh, a visitor! Maybe it’s the door to door strangler.
• Someone’s at the door. Maybe this time you can sell them some magazines!

Nothing beats coming home to your very own spa like hot tub and relaxing after a hard day’s work. But not everyone can have your hot tub facing the sunset or even the sea or a beach. Of course, some may say that having a hot tub is good enough.. but why not create the atmosphere that you like and can make you even more relax.. and bring yourself to another world… and have a vacation without leaving home for just a very small price.

One can now very quickly install affordable scenes that you would like to transport you to another place, without any major renovation nor any special tools required. Whether it is the beach scene or a waterfall scenery that brings inner calm to you when you are in your personal hot tub, spa accessories can and will change your hot tub experience forever.

Waterproof and with high chemical resistance plus high durability is what they guaranteed and if you are like me and the husband who have been married for 8 yrs now, this wonderful makeover .. might just help rekindle our honeymoon and bring back some loving into our life. Definitely worth every penny..!

For those who don’t know, we own our own business .. which is a computer store.  Many years ago, the spouse wanted to turn part of the store.. into a gaming area.. so that people can come into the store.. and play games and the network.  He was all into it.. and i didn’t see a reason to stop him, since our store space was quite big then.  So he went into figuring how much he needed . .and what he needed to get to set up this gaming area.. and its feasibility.  Some KVM was needed .. plus tables and chairs.. and of course computers and speakers.  But we wanted to try out first without having to invest so much .. so we encouraged ppl to bring their own tower, we supply the monitor.  Unfortunately, it didn’t take off.. because not many ppl turned up.. and it was quite boring playing in the middle of the nite..and worrying that ppl might walked off with the inventory of the store.  So the idea was abandoned… hopefully when our basement is done.. for the spouse.. he can have his gaming area there.

It is not only my brat that needs to be constantly buying toys, but the big kid at home too.. needs to be kept busy .. it seems.  The brat is easily pleased with a couple of dollar toys .. but as for the big kid.. well..  the older they get.. the more sophisticated toys they want.  I guess they never grow up eh.