...the apple of my eye.

Well, my darling niece definitely takes centrestage... all the time.

In 2007, she babbled non-stop.
In 2008, she breakdanced.
In 2009, she performed another dance.

Click on the links to view the videos my dad captured. All such precious moments.

...when it rains, it pours.

The weather has been weird lately. It rained and rained and rained. Stopped. And rained and rained again. Drizzle, showers, thunderstorm, cats and dogs, just name it all. Everyday for the past two weeks.

Am I complaining? Not really. Perfect weather to sleep at night. So cool that I did not even switch the fan on. Such great weather to sleep in the morning until I hate to drag myself off the bed to get to work. Terrible weather to get drenched in especially when I had to park out in the open. Wet feet in a cold office ain't what I like. Darn it, I can't dry my clothes. Oooh, with a nice cup of hot tea, snuggling into my blanket to read or watch a show.

Life is like that, isn't it?

When something happens, it swamped down on you a mighty lot at one go. When you are busy with work, you are also busy with studies, caught up with meeting friends, attending events and functions, and the list goes on. When you are free, you have absolutely nothing to do and no one to do nothing with. You get what I mean?

Am I complaining? Not really. It's great to be kept busy until you can't find time to do everything and anything. It's also great to have so much time that you do not know what to do with it.

Life is weird, in a nice way.

...flower moon, thou art beautiful.

I love a full moon in the dark sky.

Do you know that there is a traditional name for each month's full moon? In June, she is known as Flower Moon.

Flower Moon is smiling very brightly outside my lanai tonight. Don't you agree that she's so beautiful? Sweet, unassuming, peaceful... Her light is not overpowering but illuminating.

A full moon evokes romance. What's romantic to me is gazing at the moon with my darling. With just a soft breeze as witness to the comfortable silence of love.

Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby, kiss me.

Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forevermore
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you.

Goodnight bright and beautiful moon!

...where did she disappear to?

Yummylicious Food

Edo Warp Station

Elsewhere in Ibaraki and Narita

Big Island

Volcano National Park

Honolulu

Pearl Harbor

...declaring April a "SSM" month.

It is ironic that SSM* month will be the same month I'm declaring my tax. Let's hope I get a tax refund but I doubt it, knowing that I am going to encounter the same old hassle and emotional stress of proving that tax has been deducted from my salary but not remitted by ex, ex company. Argh! But that's another story and I don't want to resort to profanity here (I don't and I won't).

So why the SSM month?

I've over-spent or almost over-spent my hard earned money for the last 4 months. No doubt December, January and February have the excuse of being festive months, but not March. Unless March is defined as March my Money away festival. Due to the generosity of a few friends (God works in wonderful ways - without declaring I'm broke, a few of my last meals of the month were "sponsored"), I was able to avoid a deficit. Yep, I managed to save RM3.90. Pathetic.

Therefore, the idea of SSM month is hatched.

Please join me in celebrating SSM month with no cost. Literally. Ok, that's impossible. Let's revise. With low cost. Minimal expenses. Freeloading??

Now let's see what's on my agenda for April.
- Watch Shopaholic movie.
- Get new running shoes.
- Attend salsa workshop.

Hmm... all involve money. Let's see what we can do in the spirit of SSM.
- Watch Shopaholic movie on Wednesdays or before 6pm for cheaper rate. (Better still, borrow the DVD from someone. Anyone?)
- Get new running shoes when there's a sale of more than 20% discount or only when my big toe is peeping out of my current shoes. (Don't buy branded overpriced ones, no matter how good people say they are)
- Attend only 1 salsa workshop. (Perhaps no salsa night out for April?)

Oh boy, this is tough. How am I gonna have fun without spending too much money? How am I going to survive April? Is it really that difficult to live in this world without money? Answer: Yes.

I really do feel for those who are hard hit by the current economy turmoil. I'm not well off but at least I'm not suffering in poverty. I thank God for his providence.

So, I now hereby officially declare April 2009 a SSM month.

Footnote:
SSM = Save Sue's Money