Felicia Pics Feb 28

Rolling with Laughter!

The Ever-flowing Drool!

Felicia with the Dubai Tigger Doll

A New Camera!

So I got Vivi a new camera because she wants to be more 'mobile' with a camera which unfortunately my 30D is not going to provide. I have been weighing between getting a camera phone (such as the Sony K850i) and an actual camera and I suppose the actual camera won out. Choose the best in what something's going to do! The choice yesterday was between a sleek 'n sexy brand new Canon SX100 IS, a slightly older (6 months old) A650 IS and a mid-range bulky S5 IS. The S5 IS (IS stands for Image Stabilizer btw) lost out due to its bulk and the SX100 due to its slightly negative review in social setting. So by elimination the A650 IS won out!

The first pictures (in celebratory dinner that followed afterwards!):

Mozarella Chicken with Fries


Bakso Urat with Bihun

Personal Projects

I can't believe within the last 24 hours, I have found two projects, call it, my new "Dream" that would surely occupy me in the next twenty four....MONTHS!!!

Or maybe more.

The first one is to finally remodel the pavillion room from the current half-storage stage (where our boxes of books kept piling up and unused gifts we received for Felicia's birth kept stacking).

I have started by buying bookshelves yesterday, and continue monthly as I will equip it with a nice comfy, lazy joe chair, and add some decorations. This is due to my limited budget of course, I can't splurge everything at once :P

The next project is......I'd like to call it, Silk Road-ing with Me Dad.

Yup, Ladies and gentlemen, I plan to go to China with my Dad. I guess the Europe trip must wait. again. I suppose this would mean saving as much as possible every month for the next 24 months, since this year my dad will have to go to Japan to accompany my sister who's about to give birth.

But no matter. It will be great. I should have done this before I'm married; it's simpler that way. But there's never too late to want to spend time with your parents, right?

Being A Mommy so far....

Hm, I have to say that I haven't done much of the Mommy duties ever since I go back to work last November, except for the occasional days when Felicia's nanny (Nanny Nafi) was home for her once every two months holidays.

She has been sleeping in her own room with her nanny since she was two weeks young (starting from when I had to get into hospital again from dengue fever), and I have long stopped using the baby monitor.

The nanny makes the formula, feed her, bathe her, and so forth.

I usually woke up around 6am, get ready, play with Felicia for 10-15 minutes and go to work. When I got home, She's already asleep, or about to. In any case, whenever she's awake, we tried to play with her until she got tired and sleepy and cranky. In which case she usually wanted to be hold by her nanny :(

But I'm grateful that her nanny is very patient and seems to be very fond of Felicia. and Felicia too; She's gaining weight, and so far she never even has so much as a mosquito bite. Whenever she's sleepy, her eyes are always looking for her nanny.

Funny thing, I never felt like it's a bad thing. I mean, I tried for 1.5 months staying at home and be a full time mom. Which is most difficult, because with a full time nanny and two full time household staffs and Ming's nanny still working for us (She cared for Ming since he was 3 months young) to cook and to take care of monthly payments, I had very little thing to do but watching my baby slept.

Watching over babies and toddlers 24/7 could be the most difficult thing in the world to do. And I really think that if you can do it without Nanny or any help at all, like Imoet, then you are really one awesome Mom.

So there, with OR without full time nanny, it's not easy being a mom.

I guess I'm still trying to find a balance.

I know how stressful it can be to have very little contact with outside world other than your baby, and honestly, I don't want that: I turned into this angry woman with little patience left for my husband and that's not the best thing for your relationship. Plus, I found myself wishing Felicia would do nothing but sleep so I can sleep too, and that's not good either.

I know my cousin is caring for her own baby and though she also has full time nanny, she is more involved with her baby then I do (she's taking 6 months maternity leave compare to my 1.5 months!). And I still wish I have more time to spend with my baby.

But so far, actually I'm happy with the way things are...during whatever short time we have for Felicia, we are giving her the best quality of time and attention. I personally think that it's better this than me staying 24/7 beside her with a tired and sleepy condition...or am I just justifying my absence here? ahhahaha

Anyways, these are the things we love to do with her (and she loves to do with us) :

• Playing with Hello Kitty

• Playing with Tigger

• Giving her massage (She loves getting massage...whenever someone said "Pijet pijet" and hold her hand, she would straightened her legs and stay still. She'd cooed and really seems to relax and enjoys the massage)

• Watching Play House Disney

• Watching the fishes in our pond

• Piling her long pillows on top of her so she can throw them away (but it's a bit tricky, if she's in a bad mood, she'd screamed her lungs out instead)

• Playing Peek a Boo (sometimes she got it, sometimes not. She'd turn her back against me and I'd say "ciluk ciluk..." and then she'd turn around and look at me and I'd say "Baaa.." and tickle her, and she'd smile and turn her back against me again and again and again...)

Most interesting things I've learned so far:

• Felicia doesn't like to wake up alone. She'd cry if she thinks she's alone. Sometimes at night, her nanny slept in a mattress and Felicia couldn't see her, and she'd start to cry. Until her nanny woke up and she saw her and immediately stop crying.

• Felicia loves her own room. I took her yesterday to my room. When she's awake and saw the unfamiliar surrounding, she started crying. Not screaming. But crying. So I took her back to her room, not understanding at first and thought that she's hungry, but once she realizes she is in her own room (looking around, watching the familiar stickers on her window, seeing the mobile on top of her crib), she stops crying and is all smiles.

• She could be very impatient waiting for her food. Since two and half months, we start giving her banana and papaya. She knew when the feeding come everytime she saw her nanny holding the small plate and carrying the fruit (once, she stop crying when I show her the banana). Then she starts munching. And within minutes after, if her nanny has not start giving her the food, she will start screaming.

• She loves "gendongan". She'd stop fussing around whenever she saw her nanny bringing the red selendang and said "dong dong"

I know I might miss few here and there...but so far, those are the most memorable thing I've learned about Felicia, and about myself...

Felicia's Favorite Toy

so far is the McDonald's red Hello Kitty doll, which I think is more due to its red color than its shape. The little Tigger doll that Vivi got for her in Dubai was even close, even with its orange/red color combination. I will get another red colored doll/toy for Felicia to see if she responds to it or not.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

is our new favorite movie. You should watch it this weekend. It is a dark comedy/action in the same line as "True Lies" and "The Fifth Element", which you should have watched also.

Anyway, have a nice weekend all!

Felicia Pics

For those of you who wants to see newer pics of Felicia, here you go... She has flipped for almost a month already while the smile was quite recent.

Felicia Flashes Her Best Smile yet!


Felicia in a Flip

Girlies Pay Attention! (and Gong Xi Fat Choy 2559)

List of things that you are unlikely to get anytime soon, bwahahah :P

Click HERE to find out :)

Cheers,

Steiner

and
GONG XI FAT CHOY!

Dubai Pictures

I was thinking of putting in the pictures inside the separate posts but as they have been written down already I think it's better to just put them all in here.

Foodstuffs:

Honey Comb from Holland

Your daily breakfast plate

Arabic style grilled food, lamb, chicken and beef (Iranian and Lebanese look the same way, just slightly different taste)

Hotel Room: (Grand Hyatt Dubai # 1301)

Room View

Bathroom View

Outside View from the Room, there is a small theme park there

Breakfast Area (notice the tables on the lower left hand side)

Travels:

The Lobby of Burj Al-Arab, 7 Stars Hotel!!

Too Much Gold!!

Souvenir Shop

My most favourite city...so far

(Pics courtesy of Steiner)

My most favourite city...so far
As much as I love visiting new places, be it Bengkulu or New York, some cities left deep impressions that makes me want to go there again and again (note: want and can are two very different things though...).

There are different reasons why some cities, despite its world-famous status, failed to make the list.
Namely because I'm inexperienced writer and want to limit the list short, considering I have posted long blogs in the past week.

But most importantly, the city must be English speaking (which eliminates Shenzhen), it must be clean and doesn't smell funny (crosses New York out), it must be friendly (which definately detonates Lahat out of the picture), and it must have some degree of entertainment, such as decent book store, sight seeing, weather wise, etc (which causes Washington D.C just slipped out of the list).

I know that some people would object to it, and I don't mind. Well, okay, actually I do. Because I see it from a fund-limited, time constraint, and the things that I value which may not be the case with everybody else under that particular circumstances.

Without further ado, I am pleased to introduce you to the cities in my Hall of Fame list (in alphabetical order):

Boston, United States.
Condition: Anytime BUT winter.

A charming town indeed. A home for Harvard University and MIT. Where else would you find university students fully dressed in gown and tux and played violin and celo beautifully on the corner of the street entertaining patrons of cafes that lined the street?.

On a budget? Stayed in plenty hostels in the city, and enjoy following the Freedom trail that marked Boston. It's free! It takes you to Paul Revere house, to the copps hill burrying ground, to the Bunker Hill monument. In short, it takes you to places that makes Boston, well, Boston


Dubai, United Arab Emirates.


Condition: provided it's winter there.

The food is great, the malls are huge, the souk is clean and accessible for foreigners, people speak english,and they (despite the appearance: loud voice, rough beards, etc.) are actually very friendly.

Though you have to be culturally sensitive; while short skirts are allowed, sometimes some men do not shake hands with women, only slightly bow with his right hand cross on his chest (I have to find out the hard way, quite humiliating how ignorant I am. He works for my customer and drove us to the airport, he's Lebanese. Though My customer is Iranian, and did shake hands with us, come to think of it, there's this one time when he met his friends' mum and he instead gave that light bow and hand crossed. Must make mental note).

Plus, they are building Metro that's to be completed this year, which will make travelling easier without car.

The city itself? Dubai is the "IT" city of the new Millenia. It's the new destination that offers equality for all, regardless of your race, religion, and even gender. It's the new New York.


Hong Kong, S.A.R China.


Condition: don't go wandering on Sunday, when all domestic workers from Indonesia and Philippines spilled out in the streets and filled Victoria park; they even sold Nyata! the latest edition!!.

In the past decade, Hong Kong finally accepted the undeniable fact: that they were rude and obnoxious. And so, I heard they put up this campaign to make the city more bearable and civil towards foreigners. I guess that works, since when I first visit the city in 2005, the people in the store greeted me with a smile, they don't mind me trying out things and eventually not buying them (or at least they succeeded in swearing behind my back instead. who cares)

The vast subway system and connecting busses seem to make it possible for anyone new in town to explore the city with minimum helps. Which is great of course. Hong Kong is like one huge mall that's connected with one another and yet, they boast an equally rich cultural experience, if you still have time left (though I highly doubt it).

Its glittering light and density makes the city actually welcoming, like snuggling with your family in front of the fireplace on a cold, Christmas morning, sipping coffee. Yes, that's how I would describe Hong Kong.

Warning, I found that people who loves Singapore, most of them despise Hong Kong, while people who's a HongKy at heart, absolutely loathe Singapore.


Osaka, Japan


Condition: Must have a guide.

Okay, so the city does not really speak English, but if you have a guide, it's absolutely worth it to hire one and made your visit unforgettable.

The city has all the Japanese Culture 101 required (It's quite near Kyoto, where you can visit the famous temple), it's not as expensive as Tokyo, everywhere important in the city is within walking distance, the food offered is quite variable enough for someone who can't swallow sashimi (Who could ever forget that ramen in Kyoto??), they have beautiful, long stretch of streets that are filled with stores from vintage shops to Daimaru shopping centre to branded name to 100 yen stores called Shinsaibashi that is a must visit place.

The charming hotel we stayed in, Trusty Hotel, is really trustworthy in terms of cleanliness and comfort and room size.

One important note though, whenever a Japanese ask you which one is better, their (any) city, big or small, compare to (any) Korean city, answer with enthusiast nodds that, of course, the Japanese city is much more advance/beautiful/bigger than that of Korean. And you will instantly win a friend or perhaps a free drink of sake. Do the opposite when a Korean ask.


Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA


Condition: Non Applicable.

The city is awesome all year round, and provide plenty of options for any activities you can think of. The scene is marvelous, the food ranges from European to Far Eastern, the weather is perfect (yes, despite the rains)

What would you like to do during winter? Ski? Snowboarding? Welcome to Whistler, where 2010 Winter Olympic will be held, and where Prince William and Prince Harry and Prince Charles vacationed.
Shopping? rush for Boxing Day when almost everything is 50 % off!

What about during spring? Rollerblading in Yaletown? Kayaking? Visiting Granville Island (which is not really an island, but a world class farmer market)? shopping at high end department store Holt Renfrew? a trip to Museum of Anthropology? Taking a peek of the vast sky in the Planetarium?

Or how about strolling around in English Bay on a hot summer day while enjoying gelato and French Fries covered with Gravy and mozarella cheese? perhaps a thorough exploration of Robson street will be able to satisfy your lust of spending spree. Or just enjoying starbucks inside Chapter bookstores. Also, consider yourself invited to the annual international fireworks competition that’s held the end of August.

A trip to nearby Butchard Garden in Victoria in Fall is a must. Biking across Stanley Park on the last warm days for months is highly recommended.

In short, the city has everything, for everyone, young and old, man and woman, book nerds and adventurer.

In short, though it's the last on the list, it's actually my number one favourite...


So there you go. My most favourite cities.

Of course, having never been to Europe, I'm pretty sure the list would change one day.

Perhaps any of you would like to add other cities to be considered?

Absolutely delicious!!

Absolutely delicious!!
The city that is.

I have to say that despite the plenty obstacles beforehand, I think this city has etched its way up to my number 2 favourite city, provided that it's winter time there. Well, okay, to be honest, I may have to really considerate again, but let's not do that now.

What I really, really want to tell you now is the culinary feast that's inseparable with Dubai.

In Surabaya, the most extraordinary food you can find is probably Indian and Vietnamese, and being a culinary adventurer myself, I was so looking forward to having a decent Middle Eastern food. I once tried an authentic Afghanistan food in Vancouver, but that was years ago.

Anyways, so I start my first day in Dubai with breakfast on the 14th floor, and within the following week there, it sort of become my main menu: Smoked Salmon, Honeycomb and bread (Waffle/Pancake/Pita, etc.).



Yes, for FIVE straight days, I started my days with a bite of buttery-texture salmon which has perfect balance: not too fishy, but inticing enough to wake your senses in the morning. Plus, how could anyone not miss the first bite of the honeycomb?
The waffles, simple as it sounds, are always freshly made upon request, so the warmth and crispiness and the soft scent of butter and flour that's teasing you are trully unforgetable.
Our first lunch is seafood in Le Meridien. We picked the fish/crabs/prawns/veggies that we like, and we request the sauce. I tried the Lemon-buttery spice.

It was P.E.R.F.E.C.T. At first, the appearance is exactly like mayonaise, so that's not too impressing. But never judge the book by its cover. And it goes for food too. They made the lobster juicy yet fully marinated. There is the freshness of the ocean that comes with the lobster, there is that comforting taste of just the right amount of butter, and a spice of lemon to make things more interesting.

We had so much of lunch that I skipped dinner that day and woke up still quite full.

So the following day's lunch, Mr. Mohammad took us to a Lebanese restaurant and treat us our first middle eastern food. Now, I forgot most of the name, but I do remember the grilled chicken and lamb, the middle eastern pizza a.k.a martabak, the sauce (how do you call it, homous?). It was great. Just perfect tender texture, just the right mixture of salt and other herbs.



At dinner, we went to Le Meridien again for Italian food. I ordered Grilled Veal, Ming went for all time favorite Prime Ribs, and we had so much of spaghetti and pasta and pizza and bread that most of them was left untouched.

On Saturday, we went with Mr. Pathy for the regular Cantonese food. The chef used to work for a five star hotel before opening his own restaurant. Surprisingly, you got a wonderful, authentic Cantonese food that's even better than most restaurant in Indonesia.

Really, is it something in the water that made all the food both juicy and delicious?

Our dinner, we originally planned to go for japanese food (blah), but the Tokyo Restaurant was full, so I thought outloud, "What about Iranian food?" since our host is Iranian (really, I was very sleepy by that time (around 8pm Dubai or 11pm in Indonesia), and I was as surprised as he was. But we all agreed and finally we went to "the Shahrazad" at Hyatt, no not the Grand Hyatt we're staying (there are three Hyatts in town).

We had lentil soup, veggie and cheese as appetizer. Main course is grilled lamb, beef, chicken and prawns. With the exception of prawns, everything else is superbly tasteful.

On Sunday, we are too busy seeing customers that I have to skip lunch and dinner.



On Monday, we had our last meal in Dubai at the Grand Hyatt, an Arabic food, which is almost the same with Lebanese and Iranian, but not quite so delicious as the Iranian one.

We flew back Monday night by Singapore Airlines, having our supper on board that's not worth mentioning, and arrived in Singapore by 7am. We had breakfast in Burger King. I know, what a downgrade huh? but must say, the Taro turnover (like apple pie) is good, though scaldingly hot.

And so the feast of food that we had in Dubai, mostly treats from Mr. Mohammad Fathali.

But the best part of all is, i lost 1kg!!! huahuahuahuaaa!!! I have no idea how is that possible, but I assume because we skipped rice and almost all the food was grilled instead of fried. If only I could resist the temptation of freshly made, hot and crisp bacon every morning, I might loose more....

But to resist bacon? don't be silly!

Knowledge is Power

says an ancient Chinese proverb (or is it Chinese?? but who cares) and this is one of the proverb that I take to heart. It is important to know, of yourself, of other people, of the places you visit, of how people do things, of many things and everything and it starts with yourself. You have to want to know and once you do, its power become apparent. You enjoy the places you visit more (because you know the background story), you gauge and interact with people better (because you can read them and know if they are fake or not), you do things better and/or faster than other people (because you know how to do it and how it works) etc etc. And it's the best when you can shove it up other people's ass so there is nothing else they can say or do when you tell them that it is so and that they will just have to take it (up their ass). Ha!




Take time to read some proverbs and learn its lessons, they are pure knowledge (the Bible is another very good source too).

Cheers,

Steiner



A proverb to ponder:
Beware of the man who laughs but whose belly doesn't move - Cantonese Proverb

Supper from Singapore to Dubai

On board the flight SQ376, served around midnight:

Appetizer:
Prawns with pineapple and sesame mustard sauce

Main Course:
Sauteed chicken with mushroom in garlic cream sauce served with buttered vegetables and roasted potato

Cheese
Cheese and crackers

Dessert
Caramel custard with orange compote

From the bakery
Roll and butter

Hot beverages
Coffee - Tea

DuDE!!! that was one fine meal!

To dream or not to dream

The first time I left my baby at home was when she's two weeks young and I had to stay at the hospital from dengue fever. I missed her terribly at that time, having not seeing her for one week.

This second time, I'm not around coz I'm finally in Dubai.

Yup, this posting is done from Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai, at 12:48 am in Surabaya, or 21:54 local time.

But there's more to this journey than meets the eye...it's a bittersweet experience that I determined to write down while I still remember the sentiment and the emotion, though in the past 36 hours I just got 2.5 hours of sleep.

Where to begin...

Once upon a time, there's a younger me whose dreams were simple: to go to far away, exotic places that often no one in their right mind wants to go. At that time, the possibility of travelling to the hidden corner of Sumatra was more appealing that a trip to local Malls. and suddenly, out of no where, what I wanted is clear: I want to go to Dubai.

Why Dubai you asked? Well, I have no idea. Probably because it sounds foreign; more foreign than New York or LA or, at that time, Europe. Probably because I thought, hey, perhaps it's going to be the only arabic country I can go to easily. Or maybe because there's an article in the newspaper about Burj Al Arab, the fanciest hotel in the whole wide world.

I can't remember really. Except that I know, I'm going to Dubai. Just as I know one day I will again visit San Fransisco, I know, I will be in Dubai.

Sadly, it was for this only reason that I applied my next job. When I heard that the company I'm applying in has export business with Dubai, I immediately got excited. I told them that I want to work as marketer export because I love to travel and meet new people. ( So lame huh? )

More wondrous still, I got accepted!!

I took the lower salary offered because I thought, I'd just do this for a year, got the chance to visit Dubai, and probably I resigned.

Simple huh?

Well, not quite. Coz on that fateful day when I had the interview, I met my husband.

But let's not rush on that now. Anyway, after three months training, I finally handle the export division. The previous lady who handled it was about to resign, so she planned to take me to Dubai and introduce me to my customers.

I was estatic.

For about a week. because afterwards, my visa to Dubai got rejected. I was not 25 years old yet. I was not married. I'm a woman. So Dubai said no to me. He thinks, what would a 24 year old single woman wants to do here other than being an illegal domestic worker?

I was disappointed, needless to say.

But not for long. Soon, events in my personal life were getting much more interesting.

I broke up with my boyfriend of 2.5 years. I was out with my boss' son. I went to Singapore for business trip, I went to Hong Kong afterwards, my job suddenly is not as pleasant. I got engaged with my boyfriend of 5 months. I got married six months after. I went to LA and Vegas for honeymoon. I got a miscarriage. I got pregnant again. I gave birth.

The dream of going to Dubai is always there of course, though I have to admit, it starts to fade with time. If before the dream is alive and well, now I start to file it under the "dreamy dream", right next to my dream of being 45 KG. just beside "going to Europe" dream. It's the it's-possible-but-doesn't-seem-to-be-happening-anytime-soon-folder.

but out of the blue, at the beginning of this year, I casually mentioned the idea to my boss, and he agreed!!!

Suddenly, everything's in motion. My customers confirm they'd be in the office. I applied for visa and this time it got accepted. I prepare the samples, the price list, review the orders and other info again.

Then, we couldn't get the ticket. It was fully booked from Hong Kong to Dubai. So it was postponed. Then some of my customers said that they won't be in the office. So it was postponed. Then just three days prior to departure and after issuing the ticket, a wedding invitation from a high rank government official came for my hubby. So it was postponed.

For three times.

Honestly, I personally thought the whole things had lost their momentum. Even my other customers joke about it since I keep changing the appointment.

I was not too happy myself on the prospect of leaving Felicia alone again for one week as well. Though my mum would be more happy to stay at my house. But Felicia is at this stage now when she's growing from a helpless baby who sleeps all the time, to this three-months-young whose growth you can evidently see from day to day. in another words, she's getting unbelievably cuter day by day and you just don't want to miss anything!!

I honestly feeling guilty about the whole trip. I felt selfish of even thinking of pursuing this dream.

But I know that I have to go because that's my job.

And suddenly, something you want to do, becomes something you have to do.

And that alone, takes half the fun away.

...

One day before departure, I was browsing through the samples for the last time when my boss suddenly demands the whole things be changed. I was swamped with the task of preparing for samples, cross checking them, preparing for the invoice, and coordinate with other divisions on the paperwork of it all. Including with the customers for both Singapore customs and Dubai customs.

Not to mention making sure the shipments I have to other countries on the day of my departure. It was beyond stressful. It was chaotic. It was frustrating. especially only me and one of my colleague who really knows what to do and the rest is just counting on us to get it right and making a worse mess.

But by the end of the day it came out okay.

Actually, looking back, probably it was a sign for what was about to come. Since everything that can go wrong, went wrong the following day.

A ). For a start, when I said goodbye to Felicia, I can't help but crying. She looks so cute, so small, so innocent...

B ). I forgot to bring the coat that i bought for the trip

C ). One of the document was suspected missing, so we had to make a little detour to the office, though it turned out that the document was there all along and the detour just means we're gonna be a lil bit late.

B ). The fund that has been prepared for our Airport Tax apparently was taken accidently by another courier. So Ming had to go out again and withdraw money.

C ). I had a ten hours transit in Singapore, during which I had to go out of the airport, meet my customer, had dinner, and going along with the rest, took and my shoes, my very-business-like shoes which I bought for +/- 300rb just weeks before for this occasion, and which felt great and fit nicely at the store, turned out to be this killer shoes, that caused my toes to go numb. So I just had to buy another pair of shoes from Charles & Keith at Singapore Airport for approximately the same cost.

d ). Just as we're about to enter the airplane in Singapore, the official stopped us and said that our cabin bag is too heavy and threaten to charge us with extra seat unless we checked them in as luggage. I told them it's impossible to do that, since it's jewelry sample. gold jewelry sample. I have to tell them that it was my first time and I really am sorry about that and I promise it wont happen again before they let me in.

e ). Someone farted twice on board flights. And I got window seat. No Escape.

f ). I remember Felicia again and cried several time during the 6.5 hours flight from Singapore to Dubai that I only got 30 minutes of sleep.

g ). Somehow, there's no trunk left in the terminal and we have to carry our stuffs down the stairs of the plane, onto a buss and wait till it's rather full and finally leaving for the arrival terminal. All the while I really need to pee.

h ). Upon arriving in Dubai 18 hours after leaving Surabaya at 1 AM local time (4 am in Indonesia), I went to pick up my visa but was told that there's something that was supposed to be done but not done and so I cannot pick up my visa. I asked another immigration official and he said it's supposed to be okay and that I could still get my visa and go through passport control and told me to get in the very long queue. But then the official in the passport control told me to go to another office, which told me that there's nothing wrong and I should get my visa and told me to get signature from another office who told me that it really wasn't necessary and I should just go to passport control again. At this time, i had a bit of luck in that one of the official finally took me to passport control and had the officer there to process my passport without having to queue.

i ). My colleague's visa had wrong information on her birthday. So while I'm nearing getting pass with my passport, I found out that I have to wait for her while she fix the matter and get to queue. again. from the very last line.

j ). We're out from the airport by 3 am. and arrived in the hotel 15 minutes later. Only to find out that somehow the booking was done for 1 room only while we requested for two. So they have to start the whole reservation process again and finish at 3:30 am local time, or 6:30 am in Indonesia. around 24 hours after departure.

Had my dream become a nightmare? Is it really an evident of, "be careful with what you wish for, it may come true?"

I can't answer that yet, though I refuse to lose all hope. After all, the meal from Singapore to Dubai was the BEST ever (will blog on that later on). After all, on every unfortunate incidents, everything turns out well at the end: Felicia is doing great, the flight was warm enough that I don't need coat, I got cute new shoes. And I woke up after two hours of sleep on a very cozy bed with warm and soft blanket and took shower in a gold plated bathroom.

Just this morning, I had breakfast of smoked salmon (first time in a year -- didn't have it during pregnancy) and honey. not just regular honey. but honey from honeywax. a real honeywax made by live bee imported from Holland. When you bite into it, the thick, sweet honey melts in your mouth, bringing with it an incredibly pure, almost sensual taste and a promise of a better day...

I met my first customer, we had a chat and lunch that's so big I'm still not hungry now, almost 11 hours later. We did our job and so far so good.

So it can't be that bad rite? though I do have to return again in couple of days since my samples has not passed the custom since now (thursday) is half day work here and friday is their Sunday, so they have a day off.

But in over all, I guess what I'm trying to say is...

It's not bad at all to have a dream.

Your dream may not immediately come true. You may have to wait longer than necessary. You even might forget about it. Or worse, the reality of your dream may bring disappointments.

Or as often in my case, you may loss the passion of the dream along your journey to achieve it as it becomes more as an obligation than an option.

But I believe in having a dream. I believe in trying to achieve it.

For to dream is to hope. And having hope is like water in a dry desert during difficult times; it keeps you going when the going gets rough and tough. In other words, having hope helps you get your courage in facing the cold bitter reality.

Of course, you can always choose not to dream.

But life won't be half as exciting without one, wouldn't it?

Finally....Updates

So this has been the longest time I have not updated any thing...mostly because there is not much happening actually.

Well, okay, not completely true. Two major things happened since the last time I blogged. First, around December, I start losing my hair. It was horrible.

Like when you saw a movie in which the character has cancer or something, and she combed her hair and major amounts of hair falling, well, it happens exactly like that. not that much at first, but after a week, my hair's pretty much getting much fewer than before.

I asked around and they immediately guessed that it happens around the first time Felicia starts to dribble and play around with her spits and all; it turns out that it pretty much happens to most moms during the first year after they gave birth.

I tried everything. hair tonic, avoiding hair dryer, excessive combing, whatever. None works.

So a couple of weeks ago, in addition to this disturbing condition, I suddenly threw up and have major tummy ache. I was so distressed about the whole thing that finally I just told my maid to cut my hair. Yup, I had my hair cut by my maid using paper scissors.

I think she did okay, really. Though my mum in law (and most of my colleagues) think I'm nuts. Who cares, probably I am.

I didn't come to work on the following Monday, still feeling woozy from the throwing up drama, so I just stayed at home and watching Felicia while her nanny did the laundry.

And this was when the second major things happened. Felicia turned on her side as she usually does, but this time, as if this unseen hand urged and helped her, she took a little step further, turning just a lil bit further....and suddenly I realize what was about to happen...I screamed for my nanny to come, but meanwhile, with a final nudge....Felicia managed to turn over on her tummy by herself!!!! at 3.5 months!!

What a smart and considerate girl that she waited until her mummy was at home to show off her recent accomplishment.

Now, she can hold her head herself, though still bit unstable, loves to dribble, always try to turn over (though you can't force her too, when I try to nudge her to her side, when she doesn't feel like it, then she'll hold her head and simply refuses to move); a couple of nights ago, while sleeping, she suddenly turn over on her tummy again and continue to sleep!! will post the pic later on (on her first successfull effort to turn over)

Oh, and she no longer cries when she wants something. No siree. I suspect she thinks crying is for a one-month baby. Nope. She didn't cry. Instead, She yells. She screams her lungs out. She's filing a complaint with this baby talk that no one understands.

Case study: She's tired chatting with her grandma, so her facial expression changes, her baby talk changes from slow and normal volume to unnecessarily loud. Then she saw her nanny carrying "selendang", she stopped yelling. She waited. waited. and waited. Yet the nanny didn't lift her and hold her with the selendang. Instead she just looked at her. Well that's pretty annoying. So she immediately screamed and kicked and yelled in such a way that you just know that she demanded her nanny to lift her and hold her with the selendang....

I agree.

Pure Genius.