Monday, July 28, 2008

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Diet Tips Collection

Some of the ones that really work for me from "diet advice that works" article (in SELF Magazine November 2007):
- Dine out less often (Stated average pounds lost: 6)
- Eat breakfast, even if you're not hungry (Stated average pounds lost: 5)
- Swap in lowfat, fat-free or sugar-free versions of foods you crave (Stated average pounds lost: 1)
- Banish trigger (read: naughty) foods from your home (Stated average pounds lost: 6)
- Use smaller plates and glasses (Stated average pounds lost: 1)

Plus, check out this list
101 thoughts on losing 100 pounds
. I find quite a few of them very good to know, i.e.:
#29 I agree with his comments on how "multiple small meals make you feel much less hungry" doesn't work so well if you have a 9-to-5 type job.
#34 "Have you ever actually measured out a single serving of cereal?" - Yup! I was particularly shocked to see the small amount of cereal which constitute 1 serving. I was easily eating four servings before I feel full. I choose to stay away from them!
#40 "Unlearning the “eat because it’s tasty, not because you’re hungry” lesson is hard, but you can do it. Kids do not eat when they are not hungry unless you teach them to." - So true!!!
#27 "A salad bar is an invitation to disaster." - A big trap indeed!
#42 "Being fat is not a human’s natural state." - I think this is a very interesting one...
#52 "You will miss some foods worse than others. When I was doing a low-carb diet, I dreamed of bread. Don’t give in. Saying “just one piece” is the equivalent of a junkie saying, “Just one hit.” Don’t do it." - Sadly, this is true for me... a lot of the time, it is much easier to decline my favorite high-calorie food than trying to have just a little bit of it. There is a lot more push and determination required to stop eating them when they are oh-so-yummy-and-melting-in-your-mouth than to choose to not have them altogether.
#67 "There is no greater feeling than suddenly discovering you can wear that pair of pants that did not fit you a couple of months ago." - Well - there are other greater feeling but this is pretty close to no-greater-feeling.
#81 "There are some places on your body that will never lose their fat, and there is no point in expecting them too." - This is a very good one to know.
#101 "The failure rate for dieters is high. Even successful dieters – like me – often gain the weight back. I managed to lose 100 pounds, then gain some back, then lose some again. I’ve never come close to gaining the 100 pounds back, but I do put on 20, lose 20. You have to think of it as a battle. You are Custer, and food is the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes. Food will keep coming and coming and coming. You will lose if you stop fighting it even for a minute. I tell myself this every day: My will is stronger than my urges." - This one speaks for itself!
I don't quite agree with some of his other thoughts - especially the #33 on carbs... Still a great post though!

Thanks Steve!

For me personally, the one tip that makes the difference is to get to know the calorie content of the food and keep personal food intake log religiously. To this day, I still get amazed by the amount of snacks I've eaten and forgot in a few hours. Plus, it gives me the option of eating...
- a large amount of low calorie (and almost-yummy) food, or
- a moderate amount of medium calorie (and just-yummy) food, or
- a small amount of high calorie (but very-yummy) food
... depending on my mood and tummy demands. :)

Then, just to throw in something that is totally irrelevant :P
Check out this cool yummy blog, How to Eat a Cupcake. I don't really need to be taught to eat a cupcake but they do have pretty cakes!

Friday, July 25, 2008

Friday Post: Life is Good!

I was trying to clean up my big list of Starred Items in my Google Reader when I come across this post, "Life Is Good". This was posted by agent sully on her site, Life Learning Today in September 2007. I think it's a very suitable life-gratitude-reminder post for a Friday.

Enjoy your weekend people! (I for one definitely will enjoy falling all over the snow!)

What a Beautiful Shot!

-- Taken from In this Sept. 3, 2006 file photo, a spectator watches the aurora ... - Yahoo! News Photos.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Cake.... (drool)


Please visit Naoko123 Flicker Photoset for the real high quality one of this sensational picture and lots more of other amazing pictures! This is definitely worth being the first entry of my Favorite Flickr pictures!

If this is right up your alley, check out Le Cupcake Flickr Photoset too - which has lots and lots and lots of pictures which are just as cool!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Melbourne 1-Day Itinerary

Vikom (one of the SFV3) is coming over this weekend! However - the timing isn't quite right as I've already planned to go up to Falls Creek for the weekend (yup - I stupidly volunteer to fall down a thousand times on the slope - again!). Still - I'm very excited!!! I'll get to show off the PRETTY Melbourne to Vikom for a full day on Monday (before she head back to Perth to be with James again bright and early Tuesday morning)!!!

I've been scanning my brain for any particular places that a must see or do or (MOST importantly) eat! Here's my plan so far ...
09:00 Leave luggage @ my place
09:30 Breakfast: Raisin Toast and Eggs Benedict @ Amici Bakery, Prahran
10:30 Wandering around Greville St & Chapel St
12:00 Lunch: Amigos or Han Guuk Kuan (depending on what Vikom feels like!) - ended up eating Dessert House due to time constraint!
13:30 Yarra River, Southgate, Federation Square, Flinders St Station, Flinders Lane, Graffiti @ Degraves St, Causeway Lane, Collins, Little Collins - added Grafitti walk @ The Walk / The Causeway (off Bourke St)!
15:30 Tea time: Little Cupcakes on Degraves St / Brownies @ Max Brenner Melbourne Central / Chocolate Mousse @ Koko Black Lygon St / Churros @ San Churros QV (I'll let her pick!)
16:30 Royal Arcade, Bourke St, GPO (Take away Cacao Chocolate!), David Jones Foodhall, Chinatown, GPO
17:45 Tram to St Kilda
18:15 Dinner: Claypots
20:00 Acland St, Luna Park & St Kilda Beach
21:30 Dessert: Soul Mama or Breizoz Creperies (which I have never tried but have heard of many many times!)
22:30 Crown Casino

*LOL* I'll somehow make it works! It has to! Hopefully, Vikom will leave lots of space in her belly for all the food. :P We'll see how it goes...

PS: Most of the restaurants mentioned are listed in my "Food Lists: Melbourne, Brunch, Cafes, Sydney" post.

Updated 25th July 2008:
Shelwin just advised me that Luna Park is not open after 6pm. :( No Luna Park then, probably will just try out Breizoz after all! :P Thanks sis! :)

Happiness

"Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory."
-- Albert Schweitzer

Saturday, July 19, 2008

My 5 Karaoke-Must-Sing Songs!

* Bring Me to Life (Evanescence)
* Stay (Lisa Loeb)
* Can't Take That Away (Mariah Carey)
* I'm Gonna Be Around (Michael Learns to Rock)
* 12 Days of Christmas (Christmas Carol)

*LOL* It sounds like I still live in the 90s...
Anyway - what's yours?

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Melbournians, Have you met... "The White Hat"?

I have. And, I definitely recommend you get acquainted to it cause it might comes in handy!
"The White Hat Website provides comprehensive information about Melbourne and Australia in a manner that is Informed, Intelligent, Independent and (sometimes) Irreverent.. In particular, we attempt to maintain the most comprehensive online listing of what's on in Melbourne, and feedback from our users and newsletter subscribers indicates that we have the most comprehensive listing of events, festivals and markets in Melbourne."
-- Taken from About - The White Hat

On my first visit, I start my surfing here... The White Hat Guide to Money saving tips in Melbourne, then I checked out Melbourne Show on a budget and I wrapped up here, The White Hat - Home Page which has lots drop down menus to take you to the right information about Melbourne.

Hope you enjoy it! :)

P.S.: I miss Barney!

Untitled

I want to write a post today. Really do. But I don't know what to write about.

Lately when my friends ask me what's new in my life - I have not much news to share. Yet, I feel that my life has changed SIGNIFICANTLY. It feels that there are so much things that I can talk about. But, nah - I don't know what changes. One thing though, I don't think I ever feel as content and balanced as I am today.

Because of that - little nice things seem to have more impact to me. I often find myself admiring the pretty sky, smiling at the leave on the street or just enjoying the train ride while listening to the song playing on my Sony USB MP3 player.

Weird, huh?

My life has been much less chaotic these days. I'm enjoying most of my days. I'm enjoying the things that I do. Not much challenges, yet I feel that I have a vibrant life. Vibrant may be the wrong word, because my days are mostly quiet and full of routines, but mmm... it is how I feel about it.

My head is still constantly filled with thoughts (good and bad). I wonder if it will ever go away... :) Oh well - it's all good.

I love my life (and the people who are in it).

Thursday, July 10, 2008

My bad luck saga continues....

I've been using Money Manager Ex (from The Zeal) for the past few months. I love it! It's VERY practical to be able to have access to my financial information on a portable USB drive instead of the old Microsoft Money I used.

But - Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Now it wouldn't open my file!!! It's saying Database Image Malformed or something!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

Have to fix this first. More than anything. Bye!

Developing My Colour Sense

I adore this look...
-- Image taken from wear palettes: May 23, 2008.


Lately, I find myself scrutinizing the clothes in my wardrobe and comparing it with the pretty colorful images that I'm seeing in the glossy magazines, or on the girls on the street/train. I'm trying to look for new clothes - but when I do go shopping, nothing really scream out at me the way the clothes in the magazine or the girls on the train does.

Ick! I want to look chic! (Haha.. It rhymes... :P)

I am not one of those girls who have the fashion sense (you know - the kind who look like they randomly throw clothes on and still manages to look great). I wish I am. I want to get the warm nice feeling when I put on the right clothes and feel confident on a day to day basis not once a year!

Oh well - I have to work with what I got. :) I have a pretty good web research skill (or so I think). So - off I go... Browsing...

With the help of Google, I found this blog, wear palettes, whose inspired by this chic blog, The Sartorialist. Looks like a great start, especially cause most tips in fashion blogs or articles always mention the importance of colour matching! :) Then, I found this kewl colour design blog with pretty images.. Color + Design Blog / Popular by COLOURlovers.

Now, those blogs - along with my newly bought The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece: Andrea Linett, Kim France and In Style: Instant Style (Your Season-By-Season Guide for Work and Weekend): Kathleen Fifield, Melcher Media, Editors of In Style, Studio Usher books - I'm hoping they will help me create my newly revamped wardrobe! :)

Will keep you posted!

I wonder if ...

... I should consider the "Mandi Bunga" (translate: Floral Bath). It's a common Indonesian ritual known to clear up bad luck.

Yesterday morning, I left home early to arrive at work earlier cause I've been having problem focusing and got quite a few tasks to finish. I got to the train station at 7.45 a.m., put my monthly train ticket into the machine, and it got stuck! Ick! I tried to get it out (with the help of Connex inspector and my nail clipper) for ~10 minutes. Then, I gave up and bought a new daily ticket. The inspector got my phone number and arranged for the technician to get my ticket out so I can collect it later in the evening.

It's OK. I'm good. It's just one of those things. I've only lost $6.50. Nothing major. I decided to laugh it off.

This morning, I got out of the house, armed with my tiny pink umbrella (it was raining) and creamy white coat, and I walked to the station. It was a little tricky to take the train ticket out as I juggled my new Nine West handbag; my wet umbrella; and the paper bag in which I have my two new Health Food Guide magazines, a tub of yoplait, a kit kat mini bar, a small lindt chocolate bar and a plastic bag for my wet umbrella. I got into the train somehow. All good.

Walked out of Southern Cross station by showing my train ticket to the inspector (I didn't want to risk my ticket being stuck in the machine again) It was still raining. So, I organise myself, my now-semi-wet paper bag (as I said, my pink umbrella is tiny), my damp creamy white coat and my umbrella. As I was dashing to cross the street cause the cars are starting to come my way (yup - not at the pedestrian crossing - my fault), my stupid paper bag's bottom decided to split and drop the contents all over the wet asphalt. *Breathe deep (inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale)*

Quick!! Think!! What should I do?

I glanced up to check that the taxi that is coming my way realise what happened. Once I'm sure that it is slowing down, I walked back and collected my things. One of the guy who is crossing too (see - others choose to cross not at the pedestrian crossing too and their bag didn't split up!) passed me my Kit Kat. I strive to keep all my stuffs together and start walking towards the bin. I threw away the paper bag; put the chocolates and plastic bag in my coat pocket; fixed my handbag strap on my shoulder; organised the tub of yogurt, now-wet-and-brown magazines and umbrella in my hands. *Another deep breathe...* Then, I crossed another crossing (this time I chose the pedestrian crossing) and walk towards work.

Instead of focusing in my kinda-annoying paper bag incident, I decided to focus on the kindness of the stranger (the guy that passed me back my Kit Kat). Thank you stranger!

So, should I do the "mandi bunga"? I'll wait and see what happen tomorrow morning.. :P

Just another rant. Enjoy your day.

"If life throws you a lemon, make lemonade." -- Joan Collins

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Ex-Loved Clothes (Melbourne)

It all started with this link I found in the vine, for better or purse... Now I get all excited about this new cool thing of "clothes swap"!! It's so great. I know it's risky (if other people bring ugly stuffs then it's totally not fun), but I really can't wait to attend one of these events.. It will work well for me to dump most of my still nice clothing but don't fit as well anymore and (hopefully) get something nice that fits better! :)

Check these links out...
* Swap and save | Herald Sun which talks about Clothing Exchange
* The Clothes Swapping Revolution? « Australian OTHERWISE Network
* Swap 'til you drop - Leader News: Melbourne community news which talks about Swap My Style

On the other side, if you just feel like donating your ex-loved work clothes, check this site out, Fitted for Work. It's a pretty neat idea to help other people get work while helping us clean up our over-cluttered closet.

If you're still bored, have a look at this Super Kawaii Mama blog and her Style Diary page. It amazes me that a mum actually have the time and put the effort to look like this!!! I wish I can be 10% as stylish as she is.

Dumb Little Man's answer ...

... to my "a chatterbox's pensieve: Worrying: This Article is Freakishly Talking To Me Directly..." post: "Why Worry? It's Completely Unproductive".

MET Costume Institute Gala 2008

WOW! Yesterday I went to Borders with my sister, after our crazy Karaoke session, and browsed these fashion magazines. One of them (I think it was Vogue) made me gasped! The pictures, the dresses, the people, WOW! It was the coverage of the MET Costume Institute Gala 2008 - NEW YORK CITY! (Hihihihi... I can't wait to visit the MET! First, Sex and the City: The Movie (Carrie's planned wedding venue), now this!!!! It is definitely THE happening place!)

I'm definitely no fashion editor or stylist or anything related to fashion. But - some of the dresses are just mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.. yummy!

Anyway - check out these blog links with pretty pictures...
* The Costume Institute's Party of The Year: Red Carpet Photos: Party Coverage on Style.com
* I am Fashion: MET Costume Institute Gala 2008: The Mortals
* Fashions from the Met Costume Institute gala
* FabSugar | Have. Want. Need. - Fashion & Style. [Tag: Costume Institute Gala Fashions]
* Costume Institute Gala Round Up: Love It or Hate It? | Costume Institute Gala, Costume Institute Gala Fashions, The Met's Costume Institute Benefit Gala | POPSUGAR - Celebrity Gossip & News.

So far (well - I haven't really seen them all - and I think they're kinda all gorgeous - especially as a bunch...), these are the ones that I like very much...


-- Images taken from The Costume Institute's Party of The Year: Red Carpet Photos: Party Coverage on Style.com.


-- Images taken from The Costume Institute's Party of The Year: Cocktail Hour on Style.com.


And, the prettiest of all...

-- Left image taken from The Costume Institute's Party of The Year: Cocktail Hour and right image taken from
The Costume Institute's Party of The Year: Red Carpet Photos: Party Coverage on Style.com.


Mmm... aren't they a gorgeous bunch? :))) Imagine if they take a big group class photo (you know, the kind that you take towards the end of a year in high school).... It would be crazily gorgeous and colourful!!!! =D

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Shopping Trip

My latest buy...


Someone pampers me...
-- Taken from Pilgrim Clothing.


My latest lust...
-- Taken from Wittner Shoes.

Friday, July 04, 2008

Panda Panda... (x8)

Awwww! Super duper cute!




-- Taken from an Email Forward...

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

What We Sometimes Don't Realise...

... is how much what we say can hurt the feelings of those people we hold dear.

Those closest to us should be the ones that we are most caring with. Yet, sometimes, because the closeness makes us feel so much at home (or maybe it's the fact that we think we can get away with it), we just say what we think and do as we like without paying attention that the things we say or do might be hurting them. On top of that, the things we say or do actually means a lot (definitely more than if it had come from an acquaintance), hence it has more power in affecting their feeling.

Relationships within a family, between siblings or parents-kids, are very strong yet fragile. Strong, because in most cases, it's unconditional. You can do anything and they'll still forgive you in the end. Fragile, because once broken, even if they forgive you and still talk to you, they no longer actually "enjoy" your company and little mistakes build up very easily when things are in your face all the time. Plus, because we know them well, we are able to hurt them more when we're inclined to.

I find that the most common cause for the conflicts between siblings is that family members not realising that each member is an individual, who can still be very different, even though we grow up together, we live together and we were taught the same things. Or, even if we realise the differences, we do not try to understand the differences. Instead, we judge the differences.

Judging, in a close relationship, is a very very very bad sin.

Judging our close ones makes them feel that they have some sort of characteristics to fulfill in the relationship. Our judgement will most likely be incorrect too, as people change. The judgement changes too, but at a much lower speed than their rate of change (well for one, there will be a lag between their changes and our noticing their changes). If and when people are trying to change, judging can be very detrimental, e.g. labeling a person as lazy might promote their likeliness to keep their laziness.

Don't judge. When you do accidentally judge, imagine if it is you who are being judged. I assure you that when you remember how bad it feels when you're being judged, you will naturally stop judging.

Another very detrimental common sin in a close relationship, is to expect and not appreciate. The impacts of expectation in a close relationship has been covered in one of my previous posts, "More Recent Thoughts on Expectation". But, to expect and not appreciate, is a relationship suicide. Being appreciative generally does not require much effort while providing a very powerful impact. It changes the light of the relationship and it naturally encourages others to be nice and helpful towards you.

For my part - I plan to be avoid judging and to be more careful with what I say and do to the people that I love. I have also been testing and trialling the "no expectation, just appreciate" behaviour and I am definitely liking the result. Moreover, I'd like to use the "know them well" part to my advantage. Instead of using it to hurt them when I'm upset, I want to use this to improve the relationship.

There goes another rambling from me.