Copy-cat

My 3-year-old toddler is an extreme copy-cat! Spent Thanksgiving at some relatives' place, and my son got to play with two of his cousins. They were about 3 years, and 5 years older than him. He followed them around the whole time! The older cousin was a girl, and loved to dress my son up in dress-up clothes. My son was agreeable to whatever his older cousins wanted to do. The younger cousin was a boy, and wanted to be out in the backyard all the time. My son was happy to do that too! However, at some point, the cousins got tired of him constantly following them around, and would hide from him. I felt sorry for my son, but at the same time, was worried about him being such a huge "follower", and copy-cat! I wondered to myself if he would not develop his own identity. I was told by some friends though, that it was a typical 3-year-old thing! Oh well! Guess we shall see!

High Fever Woes

My little 3-year-old has been running high fevers on and off, since he turned 3. I'm worried about him whenever he runs high fevers. His little body will burn so hot it hurts to touch him. I've tried sponging him, but it doesn't seem to help much. He doesn't like to be sponged too, which makes the task even more difficult. The last time he ran a fever, he ended up with a runny nose, cough, and ear infection. He had never had an ear infection before he turned 3 too! Oh well! Hopefully, the fever woes will leave him alone after a while!

A Birthday Surprise

Mary wanted to do something special for her husband, Henry's birthday this year. Since they had kids, the garage had been dominated by their kids' toys, just like almost every part of their house. Mary knew it would be nice if Henry had a den of his own - a place he could relax in, and perhaps, catch up on his 'guyish' hobbies.

Henry would be going out of town on a business trip in a few days. He would be gone for a longer period of time. Mary was thinking about transforming the garage to a 'haven' for Henry, as his birthday present this year. Mary did not really know what to do, so she got on the computer and found this wonderful website, where she could get attractive garage cabinets to hide all the children's toys, and all the unsightly things in the garage.

On top of that, she could also get interesting accessories to decorate the garage, to make it a more "guyish" place, where Henry would feel like hanging out. Mary planned to make it a place that Henry could even invite his friends over and watch football games with, and have snacks together. The selection of cabinets was wide, and Mary could not believe how much the garage would be transformed once the cabinets were installed. Mary thought she might even feel like hanging out in it, when the renovations were all done!

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Slow Eater

My toddler is a SLOW eater. There are times when he eats fast, but those times are far and few between! It is so frustrating when we eat out with other people, besides my husband and myself. We don't let him leave the table until all the food in his plate is eaten. We want to stick to that rule to cultivate good eating habits. We don't want him to waste food, or be choosy. Sometimes, he takes more than an hour to finish his food. Sometimes, he sits there and eat, and whine about not having anyone eating with him. Sometimes, he just sits there and takes his time finishing his food. I do wish there's a way to make him finish his food the same time as everyone else, but we haven't come out with a workable plan yet!

My Kid and TV

My little toddler loves to watch TV. Sometimes I fear that I allow him to watch too much. Even though he only watches the kids' channels, and I usually watch the shows with him, I still don't feel comfortable when he focuses on the TV, instead of playing with his toys. I do turn the TV off, when I think he has watched quite enough for a stretch of time. There are some shows that I just cannot stand - not for any particular reason, but just personal taste. My toddler is so worried that I'll turn off the TV, instead of switching channels, that he'll tell me, "Mommy, it'll (the show I don't like) be over soon!"

Time Waits for No Man

Whether we're bored, active, moody, happy...time moves on - mercilessly! Sometimes, we feel like the day drags on, and on, and we wish the day is done, especially if we are "stuck" in a job we do not like, or the day is not going the way we like it to go. However, time moves on, regardless, kids grow bigger, and grown-ups age.

Isn't it a little scary, to think how much precious time we waste each day, each month, and each year? Some of us wait, and wait to be happy. We give excuses. We cannot be happy right now, because of the circumstances we are in, or the condition we are in. What we are not aware is, time is moving, regardless of our circumstances, and condition. Time passed cannot be retrieved. It is lost forever. We have to live on the "new" time, the time in which we have grown a little older, and acquired a few more wrinkles, but not necessarily more wisdom.

We have to remind ourselves this everyday - time waits for no man! We have to LIVE everyday! Do what we want to do today! Say what we want to say today! Easier said than done? Yes, human weakness gets in the way, doesn't it? We need help from a higher plane to at least try to have the right attitude, even if not the desired achievement - every single day!

The Origin of Halloween?

In Singapore, some Chinese, mainly Taoists, celebrate the Ghost Festival, or they may call it the 7th Month Festival. Such a festival is very different from Halloween. On the first day of the 7th Month (according to the Lunar calendar), it is believed the door of Hades is opened, and stay open till the last day of the 7th Month. Throughout the 7th Month, the believers burn incense, paper money, or whatever luxurious items (made of paper) they can afford to appease the ghosts (or their deceased loved ones). They believe their loved ones' "lives" in Hades will be improved with the material items they burn them.

Some businesses will set up tents and put up entertainment programs like opera shows, and variety shows for the "ghosts". These usually attract a wide audience, who may stand around the stage, or sit on plastic chairs provided by the sponsors. Sometimes, there may be "banquets" served under these tents, followed by auctions carried out at the same time. Items "bought" from the auctions are supposed to bring one luck.

Halloween is about ghosts too, but so very different! It has become almost a cute event, when little kids dress up in cute little outfits and go "trick-or-treating". Getting as much candy as possible seems to be the goal of Halloween - for the kids at least. For the parents - getting cutesy pictures of their little ones in pumpkin patches? I don't know the origin of Halloween, but I'm sure it's very different from the Ghost Festival celebrated by the Chinese in Singapore.

A Dream Garage

Steven and Sarah were newlyweds. They just made another big move recently. They bought a house, and had just moved into it. Steven agreed to leave the interior decoration to Sarah, which pleased her very much. The garage was left to Steven, of course. Steven was excited about the garage. He planned to spend a lot of time in there. He wanted it not only to be a place for his weekend building projects, but also a place in which Sarah would be comfortable hanging out with him.

First of all, he wanted his garage to be neat. He wanted a garage that was organised. He looked on line, and found this place where he could get some neat storage bins to put all his tools, and stuff away, but yet could get to them easily. Sarah was amused to see how thrilled Steven was, just looking at all the storage possibilities the store offered. He felt as thrilled as Sarah looking through a fashion magazine! Steven was having as much fun, shopping for storage bins, and other stuff to make his garage a haven!

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Halloween Thoughts...

Halloween is here soon. My son likes the candy he'll get when he goes trick-or-treating. However, he doesn't like to put on a costume, or saying "treat or treat".

The stores at this time are decorated with all kinds of Halloween stuff. There are ghosts who remove their own heads, and ask you if you want t see them do it again. There are inflated mummies, haunted houses, goblins, and other scary characters. My son trembles and closes his eyes, and makes sure he's in someone's arms, when he walks by such displays!

I don't know what my toddler will be this Halloween. I don't know if he's still little enough to be in cute Halloween costumes, or should I make something on my own?

Yucky Tantrums!!!

Why do children throw fits? Do they think they'll get what they want if they do so? Hasn't experience taught them throwing fits don't get them what they want? Just the opposite! Don't they know they get punishment, or something they do not want when they throw fits? Don't they know how irritating they make their parents with their tantrums?

Anyway, my toddler has started throwing uncontrollable, prolonged fits these days! Oh! I never guessed I would be one of those parents struggling with such a problem! I thought countless time-outs had cured him of this terrible (not so terrible when he was 2 then) behavior. Little did I know it would come back to haunt me, in double the ferocity when he turned 3!!! What did we do wrong? What is wrong with him? What shall we do? Do we have to make him go see a psychiatrist? These are questions we ask ourselves everyday...

Never Too Old to Date

Rita was in her early 60s. Her husband passed away about 10 years ago. He was the love of her life. She could not bring herself to be interested in dating, after her husband's death! She felt lonely at times, but she missed her husband. She was not lonely because she was alone. She spent her time visiting her children, and grandchildren. Her children did not like her to be alone, and encouraged her to try dating. She laughed it off, and told them she was happy as she was.

Rita had a group of friends she met up to have tea regularly. Some of her friends were widowed like herself. One day, her best friend, Rose, came over to her house all excited. She told Rita her daughter had introduced her to a senior dating website, and Rose found it quite interesting. Rita could not believe her ears! She thought it was a ridiculous website. However, Rose persuaded her to take a look at it, and after browsing the website for a few minutes, both women were giggling like teenage school girls! Rose even persuaded Rita to join the senior match for free!

Rose and Rita logged on to the website regularly. They shared stories about men they were corresponding with over the website. Rose went out with a few of the men she met on the website. She had dinners with them, went to movies, and concerts - things she had not done in a while. Rita was more cautious. She liked e-mailing with the friends she made on the website. However, she thought it would take her a while to actually go out with one of them. Perhaps, she would go to a musical with one of them one day, and supper after the musical...

Play with Meeeeee!!!

I'm sure anyone with a toddler at home hears this phrase all the time, "Play with meeeeee!" I do, all the time. The more the request is granted, the more often you hear it! I know it's bad to complain. We created these tiny creatures not to entertain ourselves, it's the opposite! We created them, and now we have to entertain, teach, and discipline them!

Of course, toddlers are social beings, just like we grown-ups are! We are more mature, and capable of doing things alone at times. However, toddlers have nothing much to do except to play. It's no fun to play alone - at least not all the time! I guess that's when setting up a play date comes in handy!

Pat's On line Store

Pat recently added a conservatory to her house. She loved it! She did all her craft projects in there. With the garden view offering her inspiration, she had completed some really neat craft projects. She thought she was about ready to start a home business.

Her husband was very supportive of her new endeavor. He enjoyed the conservatory as much as Pat did. He would sit in there, read the newspapers, or a good book, and drink his coffee, enjoy the garden view, and chat with Pat as she worked on her projects. He wanted to help Pat set up her home business. He went on line and did some research on her behalf. He found a shopping cart software that would help Pat sell successfully on line! He learnt that it was easy to use - that would certainly please Pat! He was sure the ecommerce software would help Pat's business take off. Anyway, Pat could sign up for a 10-day free trial to test drive the shopping cart, and see if she liked it, or not.

Pat's husband told her the good news! Pat was delighted! She was looking forward to her business taking off!

Harry Potter Craze

I was in Singapore when the last Harry Potter book went on sale. My friend was a Harry Potter "fanatic". Well, perhaps I should say, she was a Harry Potter scholar instead, because she did do her Masters dissertation paper on Harry potter.

Anyway, my friend had already ordered the book. However, when the post-man delivered the book to her house, she was in Shanghai. In order not to lose any time, she bought another copy of the book at the airport in Shanghai, even though she already had one waiting for her at home!

She lent me one of her copies to read. I was thrilled, and spent many late nights reading about Harry Potter's struggle with the dark lord Voldermort. Every chapter was full of surprises, and excitement! After finishing the book, we had a great time discussing about the book. My friend also lent out her two copies to other friends who were waiting in line to read the book! It was fun!

Into The World of Children Books

Reading children books can be great fun, especially with my 3-year-old. He loves to go to the library with me, and help pick out books for me to read to him. I like picking out books for him too! It's definitely more economical than buying books! My son and I also do not get bored with reading the same books all the time. There are tons and tons of books in the library. It'll take us a long time to have finish reading all the books there!

I find myself looking forward to reading a new batch of books we get from the library. This way, I'm enjoying reading the books to him, as much as he loves listening to the stories. My son loves books about trucks, trains, and cars. I try to have some about them every time we borrow books from the library. However, there are so many other books about other things too! We have fun discovering new things in the books together!

Margaret's Dream Built on Anglian Home Improvements

Margaret's children were all married, and had moved away. She was a retired school teacher. Her husband was close to retirement too, but might hang on for a few more years, just because he enjoyed what he did.

Margaret found she had a lot of time on her hands. She was a very creative elementary school teacher. She wanted to do something about her creative talent. She thought about starting a hobby, which might even turn into a small home business. She loved to sew. However, she thought none of the rooms in her house provided enough light, or inspiration for her to do much sewing. She went on line, and found this website of this renowned company, which did home improvements, from driveways, to the addition of conservatories! The website gave her a wonderful idea!

She talked to her husband, who visited the website with her. He thought it a great idea! Adding a conservatory to their house would be a project both he and Margaret would enjoy very much! A conservatory would be perfect for Margaret's sewing endeavor! There would definitely be enough light, with all the glass walls letting in natural light during the day! What was more? Margaret could look out at her garden in the backyard, and that would provide her with a lot of inspiration for her creative sewing projects! Both Margaret and her husband were eager to be involved in this home improvements project, as soon as possible! Of course, Margaret's husband was looking forward to the conservatory for another reason! He thought it would be a cozy, nice place for him to enjoy a good book, and cup of coffee, while Margaret went about her sewing projects!

Free Time?

It was strange to leave my son at the Mother's Day Out, and for the first time, walked away from the building without him. I did not leave the building at once, in case, he needed me, I thought. Of course, he was busy playing with the toys in his room, not realising I was not even there any more.

Anyway, I drove away from the building reluctantly. Went to the grocery store, and leisurely picked up a few things. Went home, took a shower, and spent some time blogging. Thought about my son a lot, and started missing him. I decided to go pick him up earlier! When I entered the room, he was lying on his mat, watching the T.V., together with his new-found friends.

Interview with Curt Finch

It is a refreshing blogging experience, to listen, instead of read. The host has a very nice, and professional radio voice. The guest, Curt Finch, on the other hand, talks fast, and comes across a little muffled sometimes. As a listener, I pay attention more when the host, Wayne speaks up, and find my attention drifting in and out, when the guest is speaking. However, the good thing is, one can listen to the whole interview all over again, if one misses some important points.

The guest, Curt Finch, really knows his stuff. In this time tracking book author interview, Curt very patiently answers questions asked by Wayne, and throws in "stories" from his business experiences, making the interview more interesting, and more personal.





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Bedtime Woes

My 3-year-old's bedtime is fast becoming a nightmare for my husband and me! He was sleeping in his own bed, in his own room, and was perfectly happy with the arrangement, till we spent our vacation in Singapore for about 3 months. He was suddenly terrified of the dark, and refused to sleep by himself. Since countless threats, and hard spankings did not do any good, we decided our son was truly afraid of the dark, and so we caved in and took turns sleeping with him in his room, naively thinking everything would revert itself to normal when we got back home after our vacation.

When we got home, the fear of the dark followed our son home. He refused to sleep in his bed, in his own room, like he used to do for almost 3 years. He would scream, and cry hysterically, when we left his room! No amount of threats or harsh spankings would "calm" him down.

We're not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel right now!

Network Problems

We're supposed to be paying for high-speed internet, but it certainly does not seem like it these days! We may be paying for it, but we're not getting it! I can get on line only when the network allows me to do so. I spend the whole day, turning on the computer to find out if I have a line, and then turning it off disappointed, only to turn on the computer another time, to be disappointed again! Sometimes, I do get on line, only to be cut off, in the midst of e-mailing, or writing a post for my blogs! Such lousy network really takes the fun out of blogging!

Travelling Woes

Was flying home from Singapore to the US. We were on Cathy Pacific from Singapore to Hongkong, and then from Hongkong to Los Angeles. The flight was peaceful enough, the food was good, and the service was fantastic. However, when we reached Los Angeles, we had to re-check our luggage all the way to Houston. I was travelling with another family, and between the two families, we had 10 pieces of check-in baggage, and a few more hand-luggage. We had 4 adults, and 3 kids below 8 years-old with us. It was a hassle having to re-check the baggage, and get new boarding passes for everyone. On top of that, we had to travel some from the baggage carousel (after getting all 10 pieces of luggage) to the flight reservations area. Our 3 toddlers had to help push one trolley of luggage too. Oh! One of my luggage was torn on one side, revealing the contents inside. It still had to make it from LA to Dallas, and then on to Houston - it was really a nightmare! Finally, we borrowed some tape from the reservations clerk, and got the luggage temporarily "secured"! Talk about travelling woes! We certainly had our fair share on this trip!

Travel light, Hannah!

Hannah was troubled. Ever since giving birth to the twins, she had gained a great amount of weight. She tried hard to shed the extra weight, but nothing seemed to work. She tried eating steamed foods only, and working out whenever she could find time to do so. The twins were toddlers, and kept her busy the whole day through. She thought she probably did not spend enough time working out, but she did not know how else she could find more time! She felt frustrated, tired all the time, and had very low self esteem because of her physical image.

Her husband, Tom, was an understanding man. He felt Hannah's frustration, and wished he could help. He could not "give" her more time, because he had a demanding job. He could not afford losing his job as he was the sole bread winner of the family. One day, he came across this website on the Internet that talked about lap-band surgery. He read through it very carefully, and decided to talk to his wife about it.

Hannah visited the website, and found it very informative. Tom told Hannah if she thought that was something she wanted to do, he was willing to pay for the cost. Hannah decided to sign up to attend a free seminar before making a decision. Tom told her he would attend the seminar with her. Finally, Hannah could dream about losing the extra baggage she had been carrying around her, and live a healthier life, with more confidence, and a good self esteem.

Travelling light always enables one to travel farther!

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Home

Left home for 2 and a half months, to be "home" with my family in Singapore. The 24-hour plane ride was not fun, but seeing my friends and family at the airport was worth more than gold or silver. Got to hang out with my friends and family every single day. Staying close to my mom meant home-cooked dinner every night! I was really living the good life!

The only setback was not having internet connection as and when I liked it. Had to make a special trip to the neighborhood library every time I needed to get on line.

Unscrambled

The new Police CD is coming out, and it is a two CD set. There are some good songs on the discs, including these that I've unscrambled from a list provided by my sponsor:

1. Fallout
2. Next to You
3. So Lonely
4. Bring on the Night
5. Every Breath You Take
6. Synchronicity
7. Wrapped Around Your Finger
8. Spirits in the Material World
9. Regatta de Blanc
10. Invisible Sun



It is hard for me to decide, from that great list, which is my favorite. I love "Invisible Sun," and I have lots of fun memories of "Every Breath You Take." One of the funniest Police-related memories I have is when the "class clown" of my youth group used to sing his own tailor-made lyrics, "Every Bath You Take" (ending with "I'll be washing you"). It was pretty funny, back in the day.

But I suppose "Wrapped Around Your Finger" is one of my all-time favorites, whether of The Police of anyone else. I love that song. I remember when the Synchronicity album came out, I was at my friends place, and we listened to the whole album (yes, an LP). It was so great -- we just ate it all up. I remember watching the MTV video the first time it came out. I loved it. I thought the all-white outfits they donned, and the lamps, were just outstanding. That video has always remained one of myall-time favorites too. It's top-notch, with a real artsy feel. That's just my taste.

I am excited about the release of the new CD, and am looking forward to the concert in Houston. I know we'll have a copy in my house, and I think I have to buy one for my best friend in Singapore too. She is a real fan of The Police, and I know she would love it. And of course, I am always in her debt, so buying her a CD wouldn't really be too much to ask. Right?

Anyway, I know we'll all enjoy it!



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Scaredy Cats

I have been feeling bad about my 3 year old being a real scaredy cat recently. He has been crying at night, refusing to sleep alone, even though he's been doing that for some months now. He's scared of thunder, scared of loud noises, and even just ran to Daddy when there was a loud noise while he was watching Cars with his friends.

I don't feel so bad about it today, though. That's because 2 friends told me about their kids being scared of different silly little things. So scared they screamed and cried, one of them in public. And those kids were bigger -- one 7 and one 8.

I guess we all go through our stages being scaredy cats sometimes.

Police Together Again

A long time ago I was sitting in my dorm room at school and listening to a unique sounding band that had some catchy melodies. My cousin had just bought the LP album and we were playing it on my turntable. He started singing one of the songs and I said," What did he jsut say?" I will repeat the lyric he sang...Once that youve decided on a killing First you make a stone of your heart.... I was hooked then and there. We played the song over and over and began to listen to all the other songs from the other albums as well. Luckily I have since gotten the police cd instead of the album.

The Police have been one of the best loved and most copied bands of all time. That song, "Murder by Numbers" was just one of many songs that helped bring Rock music into a lighter side of lyric writing that still had a poignant message. From the early days of the bands writing other bands have tried to delve into the style of light hearted (light-hearted is probably the wrong term) writing that packs a punch. Meaning not just songs about girls. I believe that Rush in the later days was influenced by the Police even though they were contemporaries. Anyone that has a political message in their lyrics was probably influenced by the Police.

I have just heard that there is a new police cd coming out. It will contain all of my favorites. Besides Murder by Numbers it will include Synchronicity I and II and Dont Stand so Close to Me and of course Roxanne, several of my other all time favorite Police songs. When are they coming to Houston?


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Having The Blues

She lay on the couch, feeling sick. She was sick, in fact. She did not like being sick. Her head was spinning, and she felt uncomfortable! She told herself, "Think of happy thoughts...happy thoughts...happy thoughts...".

She began to think about all the food she missed at home - home which was thousands of miles away. She thought about chicken curry, dumplings, fishball noodles, fried noodles, laksa... She could almost taste them! Then her thoughts slipped back to her misery! She shook her head, "Come on, come on! Happy thoughts only!"

Lying on the couch, she awaited for her blues to depart.

What's Not to Love about Payperpost?

When my best friend residing on the other side of the world introduced me to Payperpost, I did not imagine how much fun I would gain from this blog marketing site. I started off blogging for fun, just because I liked to think up silly stories, and to write them down, and share them with my friends. Some of my stories were semi-real, some just pure imagination. Sometimes, I did run out of ideas about what to write. However, when Payperpost "came along", I was suddenly provided with countless topics on which to write! On top of that, I could be paid for my writing, if my post was approved!

I've been writing for Payperpost since March, I think. Guess I'm still a new kid on the block! However, I have not missed checking in on the site for one single day, since I became a "member". I like the way this site is being managed. It encourages us to continue to be writers, and enjoy what we are doing, and not to blog just for money! The site also communicates very well. Whenever my post is rejected, I get an e-mail telling me exactly what's wrong, and I'm able to make amendments accordingly. I also like the layout of the site. It's easy to understand, and maneuver around. I like the cute icons being used, to let us know the status of our posts.

My friends and I have been chatting regularly about Payperpost on Skype. Sometimes we talk and blog at the same time! We would get excited about certain opportunities, and share our experiences about blogging on certain topics! We have also ganined a lot of information, and general knowledge through blogging on new topics, or about new products!

The extra cash from Payperpost will certainly come in handy. I'm hoping it'll cover my toddler's Mother's Day Out tuition fees, so that while he's playing at school, I can use the time to blog - more!

Connection Blues

We got broadband internet connection recently, and I was really enjoying the faster speed I could get on the internet. I was able to talk to my friends on the other side of the world on Skype for free. I was able to surf the net for much needed information whenever I wanted to.

However, a few weeks have gone by. Now, I'm experiencing a frustrating situation. While I'm surfing the net, I'd suddenly be cut off, while I'm in the middle of my internet use! It's pretty frustrating. I'd be cut off for a few minutes, and then have to wait to be connected to the internet again! I don't know what's going on, but it's sure irritating me!

Yumiko Bound for London

Yumiko just graduated from a college in Tokyo. She wanted to enter the tourism industry. However, she wanted to be involved in international travel. She spoke a little English, but she did not think she was proficient enough. She knew she had to be more confident in speaking English if she wanted to be involved in international travel. She talked to her parents, and they all agreed she should invest some time and money in obtaining a higher proficiency in English before she looked for a job.

Yumiko talked to her college professor who taught her English, and he referred her to this website, where Yumiko could find an institution in London to take english lesson, english lessons. Yumiko was excited at the prospect of taking an English course in London. First of all, she had never been to London. Secondly, she would be immersed in an English culture, and not only get to practice her English in school, but also in her every day life! She was confident she would attain her proficiency in English faster that way! Thirdly, she was just excited about living overseas, and being independent for a little while!

Yumiko's parents browsed the site with her. There was a lot of information available on the site, about the different institutions offering English languages (for all purposes - for fun, and for business), the class size, school facilities, and tuition fees. There were also comments made by former students of the school. Yumiko's parents agreed to sponsor part of Yumiko's tuition fees, and together, they decided on an institution that would meet Yumiko's needs the most. Yumiko could not wait to take off. Yumiko shouted in her heart, "London, here I come!"

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Sleepover

Got this book from the library that talked about sleepover. Read it to my toddler, and he was excited about the idea of sleepover. When my husband's parents came to visit (they live about 5 minutes from us), he invited them to sleep over. They graciously declined, and invited him to a sleepover at their place instead.

My toddler could not wait! So, one fine day, I packed his suitcase, and my husband and I drove him over to his grandparents'. He was very excited. He could not wait for my husband and me to leave! Sob! Anyway, we left some "instructions" with his grandparents, and went on our way.

At about 10:15, we received a call from my husband's dad. The little guy was feeling sad. He did not want to get into his pyjamas. He wanted his mommy and daddy. My father-in-law told my husband he told the little guy he could sleep on his papa's bed, if he would get into his pyjamas. My husband told his dad he did not think that was a good idea.

Well, we did not receive another call that night. We heard the next day the little guy ended up sleeping with his grandparents, and started kicking, and rolling around at about 5 in the morning!

Real Freedom = Free From Drugs!

The recent shooting at Virginia Tech has shaken the nation. People begin to question if the U.S. gun laws are too lax. Doesn't that question come a little too late? Almost everyone in the States has a gun, whether for self defense, or for criminal purposes. Freedom - comes with a price!

Most Americans have the mentality that we should be allowed to do whatever we want. We don't want to be stifled, or controlled. What about the other side of the coin? No two people want to do the same thing. There is no guarantee what one does won't offend another party? Where is the balance? Who will be the middle man? What's the first word out of an American's mouth when he/ she is offended by another? "I'll sue you!" Of course!

A lot of young people turn to drugs, even though they have been told drugs are bad. They try it once, and like the feeling, and their parents' warning is ignored. They want to be in control! They don't want to be deprived of enjoyment. How foolish! Don't they realise drugs will control them once they let them. The consequences are devastating! For a few minutes of "high", which sadly actually translate into "without control" in their behavior, they may give up several years of real enjoyment in life! However, there is hope! If you know someone who needs help, refer them to this drug rehab site. It may save him/ her from a life of destruction!

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Little Shea's Backyard Adventures (7)

Shea's mom was surprised how eager he was to get out of bed. She helped him wash up, and put on his play clothes. Shea wanted to skip breakfast, but Mom would not hear of it. She made him sit at the table, and finish up his milk and waffle. She was amazed that Shea could actually eat fast. He usually ate so slowly she had nicknamed him "Pokey"!

Anyway, he was out the kitchen door, and into the backyard, as soon as Mom had helped him wash his sticky hands. He looked round the backyard eagerly for Ming Ming.

"Sheng! Over here!" Shea followed the sound of Ming Ming's voice, and found himself looking up the Oak tree in the middle of the yard. He squinted his eyes to search of Ming Ming among the leaves. There he was, perched on a branch, and sucking on the stem of a flower!

"What are you doing up there?" asked Ming Ming.

"Thinking," answered Ming Ming.

"About what?" Shea was curious.

"About what we're going to do today!" said Ming Ming.

Suddenly, Ming Ming sailed down from the tree on a leaf! Shea caught the leaf, and looked into Ming Ming's face.

Janet Looks for New Skin

Staring at her image in the mirror, Janet could not take her eyes off the few pimples on her forehead. She used to wear her bangs over her forehead when she went out. That way, she could hide those unsightly pimples, which seemed stubbornly determined to make their home on her forehead! She had tried a number of skin care products bought off the counter at the pharmacy. However, the pimples stayed on, and on, and on!

Janet's sister came into the bathroom, "Still worrying over your pimply forehead?" she teased.

Janet resented her sister's comment. She turned abruptly to get out of the bathroom. Janet's sister regretted for being so insensitive. She said quickly, "Hey! I'm sorry! I have something for you that may help!"

Janet turned and looked hopefully at her sister. Her sister rummaged through her purse, and got out a tube of something. Janet examined the tube of cream of some sort. On the tube were these words, among others, Skincare for sensitive skin. Janet believed she had both sensitive and extremely dry skin. Janet's sister said, "Try it! My friend passed me this. She said it worked on her skin!"

"Go visit this site, which is all about Skincare for dry skin, and learn more about their products!"

Janet rushed to the computer and browsed the skin care site. That night, she applied the cream on her pimples, and smiled, hoping the cream would win the fight, and wipe out the pimples from her forehead.

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Little Shea's Backyard Adventures (6)

Little Shea opened his sleepy eyes. He had heard tapping on his window. He looked over at his window, and was surprised to see Ming Ming perched on the ledge outside! Ming Ming waved at Shea, with a huge grin on his face.

Shea got out of bed in a hurry, and went to the window, "What are you doing here?" he asked through the window.

Ming Ming laughed, and said, "It's a beautiful day! Don't you want to come out and play?"

"Sure! But I have to wash up, get dressed, and eat breakfast, you know?" Shea said anxiously.

"I know! I know! Hurry up then!" Ming Ming said, and started to climb down the window.

Shea pressed his face against the window pane, trying to watch Ming Ming climbing down the wall. Ming Ming must have suction cups on his palms and feet! He did not have any trouble grabbing on to the walls. Shea was sure there were no footholds on the walls!

He scratched head in puzzlement, and rushed into the bathroom, to begin washing up.

Kauai Vacation Packages

I have always dreamed of visiting Hawaii! In fact, I won't mind living in Hawaii. I guess being Asian has something to do with it. Having majored in Japanese Studies in college also contributes to my interest in Hawaii. A part of the population in Hawaii is Japanese, or of Japanese descent. There are other reasons to love Hawaii too. The beach, the weather, the care-free surfing spirit, the unique Hawaiian culture...

I don't surf myself, but the image of surfers riding the huge waves is, to me, both beautiful, and picturesque! It's like watching a silent movie, with the sounds of nature in its background! There's just something about the beaches of Hawaii, that make one feel like vacation, even for a resident there. Of course, if you're a surfer, a vacation in Hawaii will simply be delightful! If you're not a surfer, there are still a lot of things you can enjoy on the beautiful islands of Hawaii. Known as the Rainbow state, Hawaii has a lot of natural beauty of which to boast. The volcanoes, and waterfalls - just to name a couple! If you don't want to have anything to do with the waves, except to watch it from a distance, you can go hiking, and let the trails surprise you with unique living creatures, and foliage! Visit the kauai vacation packages, and enjoy a relaxing, and fun stay on the island!

Of course, if you love water, surfing is not the only thing you can do on the island of Hawaii. You can snorkel, dive, and swim too! Just look on line at kauai vacation packages, and pick the package that suits you most! Let others do the work for you, and enjoy a hassle free vacation on a legendary beautiful island! Aloha!

Below is a press release you'll enjoy reading!


Press Release:

KAUAI, HI--(MARKET WIRE)--Feb 19, 2007 -- Recommendations by the 9/11 Commission have led to a new law that requires US citizens returning to the country by air to show a passport. As of 2006, only a quarter of the American public actually held a passport. Hawaiian Beach Rentals recently conducted an informal survey that projected a marked increase in domestic travel as a result of the new passport legislation.

In accordance with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the passport requirement is a part of the states' and Homeland Security's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Charles Koehl of Hawaiian Beach Rentals states, "Our staff recently conducted an informal survey of our customers. In light of the new passport regulations, more than half the customers questioned intend to make domestic travel arrangements as opposed to scheduling international travel. In fact, one of our customers who's spent her life traveling the south pacific told us that as long as her favorite Kauai condo is available, there's really no need to leave the US."

As early as January 1, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security expects to have similar passport requirements that apply to sea travel. Traveling to domestic destinations such as an all-inclusive Kauai vacation package will allow tourists to plan exotic, luxurious, and hassle-free vacations by air or sea without having to obtain a passport.

Mr. Koehl further says, "American travelers now find it easier to come to Hawaii than other international destinations, but still want a customized experience that only local people can help coordinate. Hawaiian Beach Rentals offers accommodations such as Kauai vacation rental homes, condos and hotels, as well as airfare and car rentals to customers wanting to travel to Hawaii. Our services include up to date local information about Hawaii and the ability for customers to quickly and easily pay for their vacation online via a secure payment process." Additional information and incredible color photos of domestic travel destinations in Hawaii are available online at Hawaiian Beach Rentals.




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Bugs Are Scary!

My 2-year-old, going to be 3-year-old is terrified of bugs - big or small. He's a boy! Boys are not supposed to be afraid of bugs! My husband is especially frustrated about this. Well, he thinks boys should not be afraid, but should LOVE bugs. My little one is even afraid of tiny ants!

I'm worried about him as summer draws near. I'm already beginning to see lots of love bugs flying around. The other day, when I took him to the library, a moth fluttered into the car, when I opened the door to release him from his car seat. He saw the moth, and went hysterical. I could not calm him down. Of course, I had to "shoo" the moth from the car, with him clinging onto me for dear life!

Hours after the incident, my toddler still asked me, "Mommy! Where's the moth?" Sigh! I do hope my son will outgrow his fear of bugs. I don't want him to come home with grasshoppers, or cockroaches in his pockets or backpacks, but I do wish he'll not freak out and cry when he's around bugs!

Game Time!

Ben just bought a house, with several acres of land surrounding it. He had a great job as a financial analyst in a huge company. He was a bachelor, and was not really seeing anyone at the moment. He enjoyed his freedom. Most of his buddies were either dating, or married. However, sometimes, his buddies liked to hang out with him, and just do guy things.

Ben came up with a great idea when he got his own house. He remembered how he and his buddies enjoyed Kenny's bachelor "party" at a paintball arcade! He thought it would be great to turn his backyard into a mini-paintball "arcade"! Ben did not like shopping much, but he liked looking for things on line. He found this site where he could buy everything he would need to turn his backyard into a paintball combat field. His buddies could come hang out every now and then.

He thought he would need some essential paintball supplies like paintball markers, paintball guns, paintball masks, and paintballs. This was an ultimate paintball on line store which carried all the coolest paintball gear and supplies you could imagine. There were all kinds, and different grades of everything one would need to get a paintball combat going. Ben was excited as he started ordering the items he would need. Ben had to stop himself from ordering beyond his budget because the store had too much attractive paintball stuff that Ben believed he would have to have. From paintbll barrels, gloves, masks, to all kinds of safety gear - the store had it all! The store did make it a little easier for Ben with their paintball gun packages though. Ben could get more for his money that way. The shop also had upgrades, and parts Ben could purchase later too. That way, Ben could improve, and make his combat game and ground more challenging as time went by. However, he also decided he would have to get his buddies to chip in, so that they could have the coolest paintball combat ground ever, right then!

Ben invited his friends over for a house-warming party during one weekend. He told his friends if they wanted to bring him a gift, to order items from the on line store indicated on the gift list he e-mailed them. His friends were a little puzzled at first, but when they saw Ben's backyard, they understood, and were blown away! Of course, they did not waste much time before they were in fierce combat with one another. They had the time of their life! Since Ben did not have any neighbors at close range, they did not disturb anyone, and yet could make as much noise as they wanted!

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