Monday, February 28, 2005

My last entry for test drive a mac contest

Through Laughter & Tears, Lessons From My iMac
Posted 2 days, 20 hours ago on February 24, 2005
www.todayonline.com

My three weeks love affair with iMac G5 17-inch widescreen computer is now coming to an end. As with all other relationships, this fling of mine will not be ending in naught. For through laughter and tears, my iMac had been there with me, and she will leave me lessons in life and the world in general. Lessons that, as also inspired by Phil Bosmans, will make me a better person.
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BE UNDERSTANDING. To understand people and their frailties is one of the best asset one can ever have. Yes, in moment of depression, of weakness and anxiety in our life, it is of overwhelming importance that we come across a good person, someone with understanding who doesn’t give you an ice-cold lecture, but consoles you and supports you.
You see, for three straight weeks,my iMac never even showed irritation for me, even though I admit, it took a lot of trials and errors before I was able to upload a clipart or a photo. She completely understood a computer moron like me. And if the world has an attitude like her for sure this world will be a better place to live.
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A KIND OF CREATIVITY. My iMac taught me a kind of creativity, Forgiveness! Forgiving is a kind of creativity that brings new life, new joy. It creates new possibilities within ourselves and within others. Nothing can weigh us down as much as our inability to forgive. And nothing is so tragic as to live day after day, with a sharp resentment and hate in our hearts. We have to forgive again and again. We must forgive seventy times seven times. Forever. Because we too need so much forgiveness.

My iMac never even hanged or quitted on me in a single moment. She was so forgiving of my errors in my wishes to be technically creative with iLife’s features. And as always I could still be creative on my own terms.
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ACCEPT LIFE.To enjoy a little happiness, to have a taste of heaven on earth, we must accept life, our own life, just as it is now.

With photos uploaded in my iMac, and seeing my own family, my friends, my children in the centre, all made me realized that yes, this is my life. And oh! I can’t deny it, there is simple happiness seeing them in photos time and time again.
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TO BE ALIVE. To live simply and normally, to be good, not always wanting everything, not to be jealous, not to nag or complain, but to help, to do more, to comfort, to visit a sick person, to stand by if someone needs you, to make yourself tire for others, to fall off asleep in a comfy chair, to eat and drink together… and all these because we must but because it makes sense to us, because we are alive.

Do I have to explain all these? iTunes makes me more alive. The music of my heart makes life simple and worth living.
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BE CHILD-LIKE.Anything children touch is suddenly fresh and natural, full of colour and warmth. And yes with my iMac’s Nanosaur and Marble Blast Gold I felt fresh and natural. How can you beat that?
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LET GO. To say it is over and to say goodbye is the hardest part in the relationship. But I will let go knowing that I learnt a lot in life.

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There are more lessons in technical aspects that I am sure even my Kyllenne and Darrielle will be able to learn.

But one thing is for sure, through laughter

and tears,

like me they will also learn how to be understanding, how to be creative, how to accept life, how to be alive, how good it is to be children and later how to let go for these are what iMac is all about.

Friday, February 25, 2005

Thank You

There is something I have to thank for.
Yeah, I thought I would be in last place of the Test Drive a Mac contest as sponsored by the Today newspaper and Apple-Asia. You see there was a preliminary voting and residents here in Singapore casted their votes last Friday till Sunday (18-20 February). To my surprise, I found out that I was in 4th place. I wonder who voted for me.
Ahh, maybe they find my entries funny and interesting though those entries lacked technical substance. Oh I wrote from the heart. Maybe that made a difference.
Well, I should be thankful for this.

Now I still have to post one more entry. What to write about?

Then tomorrow will be the start of final voting. Honestly, I did not have an idea that this will be a popularity contest. If I hate politics and election how much more this type of contest? But here I am hoping to be voted.

I may not win this contest, but for sure just test driving a mac is an experience in itself. Imagine, this Mac costs S$5000 as displayed in Funan IT Mall and as seen by my daughter. Wow! So costly, I would not be able to buy one, for sure.

So here I am dreaming that I may win any of the 3 Macs. Or maybe I will not return this iMac G5 anymore. Cannot! As Singaporeans say. the police will be here in an instant. Poor me, no more iMac Wahhhh!!!!

I will be back with my Hp pavilion mx70 or with my daughter's Toshiba Satellite.

Oh! I want an iMac!!!!

*if you are interested, you can visit today.

What a New Day!

I hibernated for a few days.
I thought I was a caterpillar.
Crazy me..
I thought I could be a butterfly
with colourful wings.
But I am here now, still the same.
Oh! I learnt about life the more.
Well, it will be better to have
an understanding heart
than to be a know-all individual.
My hibernation then
yields good results.
Stay with my job,
Stay with my children
That is my decision.

Yipee!
My children
shouted
with
JOY...

Monday, February 21, 2005

How to ignore this...

My iMac G5 17-inch widescreen computer seduced me once more. How could I ignore such a question?

Nicholas Allan asked me Where Willy went?
How to answer that question if at this moment I am still in pain and hurting?
Wahh! I should wake up to the realities of life...
I want an answer.
You want an answer too? nevermind...
Oh, never before have the facts of life been presented in such an accessible- or novel
way

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Save The Best For Last

I am in the mood to listen to my fave music.
Vanessa Williams is one of my favourite singer. Who is she? Here's some facts about her:

Vanessa Williams was born in Millwood, New York, Her parents being both music teachers, encouraged a career in the music industry. She majored in musical theater at Syracuse University, and in 1983, won the Miss America title. This title was followed by scandal as when appeared in Play boy magazine. Mrs Williams has since been honored with two NAACP Image Awards, nine Grammy Award nominations and a number of New York Music Awards.

Her musical accomplishments began with her first release, The Right Stuff (1988); In 1991, Williams released the multi-million seller The Comfort Zone, which featured the hit single "Save the Best for Last," which was #1 for 6 in Canada. Finally in 1996 her latest LP was released titled The "Sweetest days". With not only releasing her own music Vanessa Williams has also contributed to several unique musical projects, including Ain't Nothin' but a She Thing (Salt&Pepper), an all-female concept record".

more about her...

Here is one song of her that I like very much. I bought the cd from HK and is still with me up to this time.
My favourite, Save The Best For Last

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Sadness

At 2:45 this afternoon, I am home already. My workplace is just a walk away. Every Tuesday and Thursday I work from
7:00 to 2:30 only. But I went home very sad. I cried when I reached home. Yeah, I also cry. I feel so down up to now.

In early childhood, we believe that children learn through work and play. To explain how this is so would be a long discussion so I better drop this aspect and just assert that this is really how it goes, whether you believe it or not.

With this principle in mind we always do hands-on approach in doing our lesson plans/activities. As our approach is thematic, those activities must be in line with the theme we have for the week.

Our theme for this week is about food. My lesson plan for today was neatly planned and is age appropriate what with our subject-integrated approach. I did my webbing and I could say that my activity plans for Mathematics were quite good.

So I went to school very cool and confident. When I was about to start my lesson, something was missing. I forgot to bring my 2 loaves of bread and the peanut butter I need for me to discuss about shapes. You know my children, as I planned, had to name the shapes before they could eat them. As I am a proud person at times, I did not have the courage at that instant to accept that I never prepared my materials before my lesson. Instead of bread, I used wooden blocks. They just pretended eating. I felt terrible.

I can proudly say that my children always enjoyed the activities I provide them. Today is a disappointment.

I am guilty. Yes I am.......

Monday, February 14, 2005

Yipee! Now, I know how..

I am proud. Yipee!! I was able to do it on my own.
So folks here it is...



What can you say.....

If you are interested to see my entries for Test Drive A Mac, please visit www.todayonline.com

Sunday, February 13, 2005

Chain Music Tag

I've been tagged by Sachiko for this chain. Well, I am happy of course. It is time for me to highlight that i am a music lover too. What do you say. My random 10 songs are:
1. Fire and Rain by James Taylor
2. Alfie by Vanessa Williams
3. Imagine by John Lennon
4. One Day in Your Life by Michael Jackson
5. Bridge Over troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel
6.Summer Breeze by Seals and Crofts
7. I Say a Little Prayer by Dionne Warwick
8.Your latest Trick by Dire Straits
9.Against All Odds by Phil Collins
10.Father and Son by Cat Stevens

What is the total amount of music in your computer?
a lot..
The last CD you bought?
Michael Buble
What Was the last song you listened to before reading this message?
The Girl From Ipanema

Write down 5 songs you listen to a lot or mean a lot to you?

1. Where Do we go from here by Vanessa Williams, always remember HK
2.My Funny Valentine by Michael Buble, wala, type lang.
3. When I fall In Love by Kenny Rogers i like the lyrics
4.Love will keep us Alive by Eagles, type din kasi I'm in love
5.Lucy in the sky with diamonds by Beatles, type ko bida daw ako my diamonds pa...

Who are you gonna pass this stick to and why?

1.Ajay
2. Bambit
3 Kiwipinay
Why to them? Because Ajay is from Manila where I have the fondest memories, Bambit reminds me of Queen Victoria, so HK, and KiwiP because I like NZ.

"And what of Marriage, master?"

True, come Monday 14 February is Valentine Day. Having multiple roles in life, I then find this day just extra ordinary for I reckon we can express our love every day of our life. But there is no harm, of course, in greeting everyone a "Happy Valentine Day!"

We may wonder how this celebration originated. "During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and in England that February 14 was the beginning of bird's mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February -Valentine's Day- should be a day for romance." Other ideas on the history of this celebration is explained
here.

From a child's
point of view, this day is really interesting. For a born romantic, this is something to look forward to.

But for me who have been happily married to
Nap for so long, it just means an additional year of being together. Since I am no longer materialistic, Monday will just be a fine day.

And before I forget, I just want to share this from The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran:

Then Almitra spoke again and said, And what of Marriage, master?
And he answered saying:


You were born together, and together you shall be forever more.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness.
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
let it be rather a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping
For only in the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Of Hope and Will to Live

Last CNY eve my daughters invited my husband and me to watch the movie Constantine in Golden Village at Yishun. As the cinema there is not so cozy, I declined and chose to blog instead. My husband who could not watch movies without me of course, just watched the home video while I blog.

My daughters then reported how good this Keanu Reeve's starrer was. I told them I will watch it next time.

But last night we watched this movie instead. The Flight of the Phoenix was not a disappointment. Me, my husband and Marielle enjoyed it. Not bad for a Dennis Quaid starrer. I like Meg Ryan kasi.

This movie was straight forward, corny at times, it never did make me think deeply. But it projected that hope and the will to live make people work as a team in order to survive. "it is not about winning, or losing. It is about staying alive."

My daughter Elle watched another movie Feng Shui by Kris Aquino. Wow! a filipino movie on a major cinema here. That is something! Considering the one who informed her of it was her malay friend, Erwina.

Now for this evening I have a dilemma. What to watch Constantine or Kris Aquino starrer? Well I like Kris whatever you may say. So I think Kris will win. Keannu can wait. Sorry Napoleon.

GONG XI FA CAI

Happy CNY to everybody!
2005 is the year of the rooster.
it was CNY's eve last night.
in HK we say Kung Hei Fat Choy
i like Mandarin than Cantonese
i am in Sg kasi, he he he.
Ah Ching and Ah Man, it's OK, sure!
3 days holiday yehey!
wah! can we eat all this goodies?
i chose blogging than watching Constantine
ahhh! i am the only one awake here
what a CNY, ni hao!
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tips for a perfect yusheng courtesy of Straits Times:

1. once the dish , with all its vegetables, is placed on the table, greet everyone with gong xi fa cai

2. add the slices of fish and say nian nian you yu

3. squeeze the lemon and say da ji da li

4. add the peanuts, sesame seeds, oil and say cai yuan quang jin

5. add the pepper powder(red sachet) and cinnamon powder (green sachet) and say hong yun dang tou

6. pour the plum sauce and say tian tian mi mi

7. add the crackers and say pian di huang jin

8. invite the diners at the table to start tossing and say yue lao yue qi

*we have been doing this for years here. though i am not really a pure chinese, well this is fun.

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

To iMac Apple with Love

To iMac Apple With Love
From K & D with Hugs and Kisses

note: this is my 3rd entry for the www.todayonline.com's Test Drive A Mac. My granddaughters' photos are not uploaded here.



I am a grand mom and I am proud of it. Who can’t be proud if your grandchildren are as loveable as my Kyllenne and Darrielle? Forgive me I love my own.

What is so sad is that they are not with me. They are miles away from me and are staying there at
Williamsburg with their Mom and Dad.

How can I show them my love and care? Simple. I wrote them children’s stories through my web log. They enjoyed hearing children stories as written by me and are read to them by my daughter, their Mom. Those stories on my blog made us closer as if we are not miles away. These past weeks, I’ve never composed one and I felt uneasy.

My iMac G5 17-inch widescreen computer as if feeling the sadness inside me, seduced me once more to explore the Mac Windows. I found out how easy it was to type documents. It was a breeze to open new documents, save them and place them on the desktop’s screen. I just dragged the whole document and presto, I was able to paste it. No more right click, double click that I used to do. Using the safari, I was able to display on the screen all the windows I need for copying and pasting. And whenever I need a window I’ll just click the safari icon and it will go back to the screen in full text. Whenever I need to set it aside, I just click an icon and presto like a wind folding it go back down to the icons corner down the screen. Imagine, I was able to composed two stories for them. Thank goodness, I was able to post those stories on time for my daughter to visit my
blog and read those stories to her twin daughters.

Though my granddaughters cannot talk yet, they wish to say this from the bottom of their hearts;

“ Dear Grand Mom’s iMac,
Yipeee! We have new stories again. She typed them real easy and posted on time. Thank you.
Here’s hugs and kisses for you. Ummm!

Love you too,


Kyllenne and Darrielle

Monday, February 07, 2005

iMac True Love is Patient

My second entry for the contest Test drive a Mac. For details you can visit www.todayonline.com.

iMac True Love is Patient

What is so wrong with my love? I want to explore her the more speedily with ease. I want to show her off to the whole world for them to see with their own eyes how magnificent and lovely she is. I want to upload photos of her in different angles showing her perfect features, but it seems she is in a difficult mood.

I then went to Hello shop at Causeway Point and ask for a modem that will make her run faster, speedier, but gentler. The customer officer told me that she is in that mood as our connection of Broadband 256K was changed to its former connection of 56K Dial up when she was installed. To bring her to excellent mood, I must sign for a recontract for broadband 512K that will provide an ADSL Ethernet Modem. I thought I can have it connected easily, right now. I was disappointed. It will take 3 days for them to do it.

What to do with my love? I have to be patient. I have to wait. You see she is extra ordinary special. The whole world may have not seen what a beauty she is but I know in due time she will capture all their hearts and minds. In the mean time I must accept her present mood , and isn’t it what true love is all about? And what is three days wait when I know after that she will truly be a beauty to behold.

I remember one
lover of hers, He is entirely correct with all his adulation of my iMac, my lover.

I know in due time, all of you will agree with us iMac lovers.

Sunday, February 06, 2005

Irresistible

As I announced already I am one of the test drivers of iMac as sponsored by Today newspaper here in Singapore in collaboration with Apple-Asia. If you are interested, you can visit www.todayonline.com.
Herewith is my first entry for the online journal. I hope I will win. I dream to be.

Irresistible

Exactly two months into my blogging life, the Today newspaper published a contest Test Drive A Mac. With my passion in writing and love for learning something new and interesting, I was tempted to sign- in. For who can resist such an offer like that? A Mac? And luckily I was chosen to be one of the test drivers.

So on Thursday night after work I hurriedly went to Clifford Centre. Then and there I saw the Mac, the iMac G5 17-inch widescreen computer. I fell in love. What a beauty! So lovely, so neat and white, so shining and smooth, a real stand out. I was tempted to touch it, to hug it, and proclaim it as my own. Oh it will be mine for three weeks. Three short weeks of a love affair.

I was so excited to see its inside. For sure it must be lovely. I excitedly view its features. So nice, so high tech. Then I was suddenly gripped with fear. How can I operate it? I am not technically savvy. I might hurt it, I might destroy it, That I don’t want to happen. Then its widescreen invited me as if comforting me that it will be okay. That in due time I will learn and that I will be able to appreciate her inner beauty the more.

It seduced me to explore her and find out what she can offer. I, blinded with love for its magnetic beauty continued to press here and there and click here and there. Wow! What a feeling! I don’t want to stop. It brought me to the highest joy of what the internet can give. I desired it to be mine forever. But how? It will only be a fling.

I told myself this love at first sight must not be short-lived. How will I do it? I must learn her more. I must understand her more. And who knows, after three weeks, she will be mine forever my seducer, my temptress, my iMac.

And if she’ll not be mine, well it will be painful. But like in all relationships, it is better to experienced love than not to experienced at all. This relationship might not be a two way traffic, but then what’s important is that I know I will learn from her, That after our affair, I will be a confident woman, a technically savvy woman.

So are you ready to be seduced also?

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Of Failure and Success

Since Monday last week I was waiting for that call. The week had passed and still nothing, no call. Do I have to cry? Can I accept the fact that there are things in life that I could not achieve no matter how persistent am I? In life we have to accept the truth. I failed. But not big time really.

Well, why would I leave my present children? my present environment? I am happy with them and that counts the most.

Then this afternoon fifteen minutes before four I received a call. Wow! I was chosen as one of the 10 contestants for Test Drive a Mac Contest as sponsored by Today newspaper of the MediaCorp Press and Apple Asia. To be chosen as one of the 10 contestants among hundreds of applicants is already an achievement. Surely, I am not a failure after all.

So on Thursday, I will be attending the briefing and familiarisation session at the Today's office at Raffles Place. I will also collect the Mac on that night which I will be test-driving for three weeks. For those 3 weeks, I will write entries about my Mac experiences.

I am so happy and excited about this new development in my blogging life. I will try my best to make it to the preliminary and even to the Finals. Please wish me luck.

Again, I wish to thank the people behind this contest.