Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Ririan Project's Tips for People with Tendency to Stress Out (Like Me! :P)

Ririan Project's most recent post, "Phew! How to De-Stress in 3 Minutes or Less", has really good tips on how to de-stress.

I'm not sure if I've had them all along or if it's a recent thing - but I notice that I have the tendency to stress out easily.
Some of the things discussed in the above post was very much reflection of what I do all the time (e.g. "Reading your own thoughts into someone else’s words", "Taking care of other people’s business").
I'm learning and working on them though. Well, realising and admitting are the first steps towards the fix, right?

It does help to have someone close to you who is able to tear down these "BIG" issues of mine and at the same time help put things in perspective for me. Thanks to my "Boris" hihihihi :P.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Cupcakes Shots!!

So here I am, sitting in front of Shanon's big 30" pretty monitor - browsing cupcakes blogs...
Gosh - I couldn't stop browsing them! Each one prettier than the other...
When I got to this pic of vanilla cupcake with choc mousse frosting - I was practically drooling..
Mmm... makes me wonder - how many cupcakes photo sets are there in Flickr? So I search for cupcake - got this result set!
Check out these AMAZINGLY YUMMY cupcakes!!!
especially for my one n only li'l sis!
piggie cupcakes

especially for pipi
cookie monster cupcakes


cow cupcakes

candy pop land



the end of the garden

vintage tea set with cupcake



cupcakes go to hawaii

enchanted castle in the clouds



ballerinas and the bunnies

cuppies_mediaethics18 by lyyyl



shamsd's collections!

Friday, November 23, 2007

The Simple Dollar: Should You Help People Who Won’t Help Themselves?

Should You Help People Who Won’t Help Themselves? was the title of Trent's recent post at The Simple Dollar.

When I saw the title, I quickly click on the link - hoping to find an answer to this particular question which has been on my mind for quite a while (though my question was in a more guilty-person tone).

My comments on Trent's post:
"I’m on a similar boat and after trying all sorts of things, I’ve also come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is to just be there for them and wait till they DECIDE to change.
However, coming to that conclusion doesn’t lessen the guilty feelings of no longer pro-actively doing anything to help.
It makes me feel MUCH better to know that other people with similar issues have the same idea on how best to handle this.
Thank you for such a thoughtful post, Trent!"

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Test Post from ScribeFire

Wowwwww!!!

All of you bloggers out there who's a little slow like me - check this out!!!!

Thanks to ScribeFire - I can easily publish a post while browsing other websites etc!!! It is sooooooo cool!!! I'm truly amazed.. It works with a big range of blog sites!

I still have to work out how to post an image through this (aside from FTP-ing - seeing that I don't have a place to FTP to) - but it is definitely AWESOME!

If you're interested, get the Firefox add-ons here...
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1730

Powered by ScribeFire.

Oh Cupcakes!

Attribute to my latest fad...

"Cupcakes"


The cutest yummy-looking food ever!!!


Psst.. I say yummy-looking because till now I haven't had many cupcakes and none of them has really made me go 'WOW!' yet... But, the appeal of its presentation has definitely got me going "WOWWWWW!!!" :P

Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit
This blog has an extensive range of cupcakes recipes and most importantly, the recipes come with pictures which exude their appeal... Cause when it comes to cupcakes; the phrase "Don't judge a book by it's cover" is completely thrown out of the window. Not to forget, this blog also has some baking tips.. :) Works well for me!

Cupcakes Take The Cake
Well - this particular blog - fits me oh so well! It features snapshots of cupcakes from everywhere. And I'll have you know, they are all EXTREMELY pretty!!!

Cupcake Recipe
A pretty blog filled with cupcakes photos and the occasional cupcakes recipes.. Love the look of this blog and the pics are very tasteful too...

CupCake Creations
This blog provides you with a vast collection of recipes. It also has lots of tips and advice on how to bake a perfect cake. Very informative indeed! It also offers a selection of premade plastic toppers.

nz cupcake queen
Loads and loads of homemade cupcakes pic from a "nz cupcake queen" who is "sharing my cupcake obession with the world"...

How to Eat a Cupcake
I'm not sure if anyone really need to be taught to eat a cupcake; but this site is pretty well presented. It comes with recipes (complete with in-the-making pics to further support the instructions) and loads of weblinks to other cupcakes-blogs. The blogger is still actively posting with an average of one post per week plus voting bar on what to come!

All Things CupcakeJust as the name screams out, this is where to go to find out about all things cupcake! Accessories, Furnitures, Tried Recipes, even Tattoos!!! :))) Very pretty blog indeed.. Definitely worth checking out!

Cupcake Project
"The cupcake has come under siege in school systems across America and I believe this sweet treat can be saved one baker at a time. The mission of Cupcake Project is to build a base of cupcake fans by educating and informing the public about all things cupcake.
I bake mostly experimental cupcakes and I encourage you to take risks yourself and to try baking something new!"

(way more than) 52 Cupcakes
It's easy to tell why this blog was nominated for "Best Food Blog" in the blogger's choice awards! Cute pics. Big collections of full-of-life posts. Occasional recipes - which is explained by the Where are the @$#$*# recipes? post on Wednesday, July 06, 2005:
"But the idea for this blog...for me...is not really about the cupcake recipes.
From the beginning it has been about a personal challenge I set for myself of making 52 kinds of cupcakes--one cupcake a week for 52 weeks". It also has AWESOME cupcakes book recommendations.

Couture Cupcake
"Cupcakes with Pizzazz" Pretty Cupcakes Pics. Still actively posting. Loads of links. Occasional Recipes. Great combination.

Cupcake Frenzy
Another one of those no-longer-growing blog with pretty cupcakes pictures and well written recipes which last post was in November 2006. The contents are definitely worth checking out though!

Ooh you tasty little things
There's always the odd one out in a group of things. Here's the one on this list. It's not a full on cupcake blog - yet I included them here. It's "the" pretty food site, with the occasional appearance of cupcakes recipes and pics. The food pictures are so well taken. The white background of the blog really works magic in showing off the colour of the food pics. Everything look sooooo pretty!!!

Oh well - I'm sure if I keep going the list will go on and on and on and on... But, like everything else that's good :P - this post has to stop somewhere - otherwise, I'll never get a chance to pick a recipe that I want to try.. So I'll finish it up here with the promise of my own cupcake experiment result sometime soon (hopefully by the end of this year!) :P

In the mean time, if you have more time, check out BakeSpace.com. It's "a place for cookers and cakers" known for "Recipe Swap and Food Social Network".

Plus, here's some links to cake shop closer to home (Melbourne): Crabapple Cupcake || Cakes Around Town || Patterson's Cakes

Monday, November 19, 2007

"P.S., I Love You" will be in the Cinemas!!!

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeee... :D ***MASSIVE SMILE***

My favorite girlie fiction book, "P.S., I Love You" written by Cecelia Ahern, has been made into a movie!!!

Directed by: Richard LaGravenese

Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank) is beautiful, smart, and married to the love of her life—a passionate, funny and impetuous Irishman named Gerry (Gerard Butler). So when Gerry’s life is taken by an illness, it takes the life out of Holly. The only one who can help her is the person who is no longer there. Nobody knows Holly better than Gerry. So it’s a good thing he planned ahead.-- Taken from Apple Trailers Page

It's going to be shown here on the 26th December, which gives me 37 days to re-read the book! I'm SUPER excited!!! :)))

In the mean time, check out this reference links for the movie:
IMDB || Movie Official Site (Incl. Trailer) || Wiki page

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Tips for the Social Butterflies to be

"Eight Essential Tips to Overcoming Shyness and Making a Good Impression" by Cyan Ta'eed of Freelance Switch

I really like the article above and I think the tips are very applicable - especially with the "Ask More, Talk Less" and "Be Generous" tips.

I know for sure I don't need to justify my preference for the "Ask More, Talk Less" tip.

With the "Be Generous" tip, I am a strong believer in karma - what goes around comes around. Hence, it is very important to keep the generosity going around. Yep - I know that bad things happen to good people. But - that definitely does not qualify as a reason to stop doing good things.
I, for one, have lately starting to realise the negativity aura spread out by being judgmental. Along the way, I've also realised that in the long run, it's much easier and nicer to not judge whenever you can - even when it seems extremely tempting to judge.

Funnily - I was having an awkward situation at lunch today for not following the first tip. I went on a team lunch with a not so familiar group (except for one girl who's more familiar with the group). There was this blue shirt guy that I started talking to without introduction - just short sentences - but before I know it we're stuck in the phase where we've been talking for a while without really knowing each other's names and it increasingly became more difficult to intro ourselves. I end up quietly asked the girl who he is and slipped it in the conversation. *Fiuh*

The other thing that has been popping up on me lately is tip #6, "Remember a Detail"
It should be simple - but my bad memory doesn't help. It's not an excuse though - I'm working on that. :)

Finally, even though "Everyone is just as shy as you are" might not be 100% true - it doesn't hurt to think that, especially if it helps you get the ball rolling.

Just keep in mind - afterall - we are all humans with our own insecurities.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

especially for you... ^.^

Glitter Photos
so I can say that I...
Glitter Photos

mmm well now I know that the following saying is true ...
Glitter Photos
***girlie giggles***
Glitter Words
[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Words*]

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

100 Ways to Save The Environment (SEQL)

Sustainable Environment for Quality of Life launched "100 Ways to Save The Environment".

Some of them are really very simple.

Get them in the PDF version if you prefer.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Appreciation & Doing My Best

Cosmo's editor (Sarah Wilson) has decided to move on and leave behind this famous job that she's been doing for 3-years-and-a-half. I'm sure it's a pretty big decision for her. In her last issue to edit (December 07), she said that it feels like breaking up with a boyfriend to move somewhere else; which I think is a rather appropriate analogy. It has the aspect of "not wanting to go" and yet "having to let go and move on" with our lives.

Yet I can't help but wonder - Is she sure this is what she wants? If so, how certain is she? Has she done everything she could have done as the editor? Did she feel like she has done her best throughout the 3.5 years? Is she satisfied with her own effort? Is she going to regret this when things do not work out?

This brings me back to when I decided to move from my old workplace - which was kinda a surprise (even to me). I put in the request to be moved out before I was sure (cause deep down I know I'll never be sure). Even though I really adore the people that I was working with; I can't deny my growing-stagnant-mind.

I have to admit - the first couple months after that weren't good. I questioned my decision quite a lot. Knowing that I've done my best back there helps a lot. Knowing that I've put in my best effort to contribute as well as to grow from the experience. There is not much left that I can gain by going back there right now doing the same thing that I was doing.

So, with that in mind - I continue my struggle at the new place - and hey - the goodies have begin to appear.. I'm slowly starting to enjoy the new workplace. It has its own perks, you see :P

Anyway - back to what I'm trying to say; i.e. when I read about Sarah leaving Cosmo, I was reminded that most things in life are temporary. We (well - mainly me) should try to enjoy our life experiences while they lasts, appreciate its perks and take on our responsibilities properly. Especially when it involves other people. In most cases, we do not get EXACTLY SAME THING second time around to experience, appreciate or do.

In conclusion -
"Live life to the fullest!!!"