my coffee shop name

As you might know from here, they never get my name right at Starbucks. I have to repeat it several times and the name on my cup is still totally wrong or, at best, misspelled. So once, on a whim, when asked for my name, I uttered the first name that came to mind - Vivian. And they got it right with just one mention and the name on my cup was spelled correctly! So since then, I've been using Vivian as my Starbucks name.

But after this...

... maybe I should change it again. I do admit it made me smile na vumi-Vivienne Tam ang Starbucks cashier. But just like my real name, my once trusty coffee shop alias is now also misspelled! Sigh.

Do they get your name right at coffee shops? If they do, can I borrow it as my new Starbucks name? If you're willing to lend it, just leave your name in a comment or email it to me! :)

Hmmm... Or should I forego regular names altogether and go for something like this? 

Hmmm, what about "The Boss"? Nobody needs to know that "of my household" follows that name nowadays. :) But I imagine "The Boss" will need to be repeated several times before the barista gets it, and even then, I'm sure it can be spelled "Da Boss" on my cup every now and then. And even if I went the narcissistic route, "Goddess" (or "Dyosa" for that matter) could go wrong in many horrific ways. So maybe I should just call myself "Supergirl"?

Egad! Hope you leave a comment or email me the perfect coffee shop alias! Or I will start using Supergirl as my new Starbucks name. :( 

Photos are my own and from pinkwallpaper & polkadotshoppingbag.

Click here and here for previous posts related to Starbucks. Click here for extraordinary art on latte foam.

resolution premonition

You know my new year's resolution to lose weight is a lost cause when...

... I see placemats instead of yoga mats in the photo above.

Eeep.

Photo from my Facebook newsfeed. If you know where this photo is from, please email me so I can give due credit.

Click here for previous posts about fatness.

these heels were made for walking

I haven't worn my mixed-color Zara shoes from here in a while. My daily shoe uniform these days for my household & motherly duties are flats. And when I do go on nights out, I tend to stick to wedges since I'm afraid I've lost my old knack for walking around in 4-inch heels - being flat on the ground day-in & day-out these days.

It seems that though my Zara shoes have been gathering dust in my shoe cabinet, her sisters have been busy.

In mixed-color or black...

I'm pretty sure this woman is wearing my mixed-color version to London Fashion Week - even though I can't catch a glimpse of the orange...

Looks like these black ones are busy in denims...

And even a dress...

This one's even playing with some dog...

Yes, my shoes' sisters have been busy while mine haven't seen the light of day in over 3 months. I know, I know my boots heels were made for walking. Okay, maybe not walking since the arch of these shoes are steeper than my platform heels. More for sitting pretty... And not in my shoe cabinet! But out there, in the real world. Okay, okay! I resolve to wear them to one of my weekly 4-hour lunches with the girls. After all, that's just a lot of sitting... prettily!

Photos from here, here, here and annnniegirl.

my short old year

With the new year just around the corner, I started to look back on the year that was. But all I could recall was from September onwards - from the time I went on sabbatical here and started spending my everydays with the kids. I realize now, it's when my life in 2012 began.

To be honest, it was scary at first. A very different life from what I'd known and loved all those years. 

But I took a chance...

... and it turned out to be absolutely perfect.

My 2012 began in September. But my short old year has taught me so much more about life than all those long old years of the past. 

Photos from heritage, i'mjustsaying and blondiensc.

Click here and here for previous posts about my sabbatical.

life on steady ground

Now that I'm on sabbatical and have time on my hands, I've been meeting up with old friends and talk of travel keeps coming up.  Because the old constraint of conserving vacation leave days no longer exists, there have been talks of month-long cruises and overnight train rides.

Oh, don't get me wrong. The idea of visiting new places totally excites me! It's just that my motion sickness here limits me.

I get dizzy just watching this moving photo of a train's hallway...

And even looking at the water here...

I used to think my motion sickness gave me life in slow motion. Turns out, I would have been lucky if it did. Life on steady ground is what it has turned out to be.

Sigh...

Photos from annnniegirl.

pillow talk, literally...

During hotel stays, I always search the closet for a different type of pillow from the one on the bed. Because usually, hotels use down-filled pillows. I guess most guests prefer a soft down pillow that allows one's head to sink slowly into it.

It is, after all, the more costly pillow and I guess hotels believe their guests deserve the luxury. Probably works best for pillow fights too. :)

But I prefer the cheaper fiber-filled pillow.

I'd rather my pillow be resistant to distortion - to "fight back" instead of letting my head sink into it. I end up with a stiff neck the morning after I use a down pillow because my head sinks so deep, it's practically flat on the bed... which for me, defeats the purpose of a heady pillow (as opposed to Noah's huggy pillow).

What about you? What kind of pillow do you like?

Photos are my own and from annnniegirl. Pillow choices with labels are from Holiday Inn Express in Causeway Bay Hong Kong - an affordable hotel option; but its biggest plus is that Cong Sao Star Dessert is at the ground floor! Cong Sao serves delish shaved ice desserts. There's always a line to get in but there's a separate line for takeout orders. So if you're billeted in Express by Holiday Inn, just order your dessert to-go, show your keycard & get a 10% discount, and enjoy your iced dessert in the comfort of your room - with the pillow you prefer!

Click here for a previous post on some charming his & her pillows.

mornings will never be the same

I cannot imagine the grief those parents of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut are feeling. I cannot imagine how they dropped off their kids in school, like they do everyday, but this time, it was for the very last time.

When I was working, I couldn't help feel emotional every time I dropped off Noah on his school's driveway. Partly, it was the daily routine of a kiss & a hug in the car, a flying kiss we would both blow to each other once he got out of my car, the imaginary catching of the kiss and planting it on a facial part we so desired that day (nose or cheek, sometimes, even forehead). At some point, Noah started to rub the hand that caught my kiss with his other hand and would plant my kiss on both his cheeks. The wistfulness every morning was also partly brought about by the sight of Noah, with his bag, walking into his school. Somehow, seeing him carry or pull his bag himself into the doorway of his big school made me feel my baby boy was all grown up. Partly, too, it was because it would be another 14 or so hours 'til I would get home from work & see him again.

But now that I am a stay-at-home mom (with no nanny), I realize our mornings have changed. Mornings are a frenzy: waking the kids up, rushing them through eating breakfast, through brushing their teeth & through putting on their uniform so we are out of the door at a time that they won't be late. The roadworks in our area here make the drive to school equally stressful, especially when I try to squeeze in an oral review of what Noah was taking a quiz on that day while deciding which alternate route would result in the lightest traffic. As I drop them off at school, I throw last-minute reminders at them (check the lost & found for your notebook or I'll fetch you at this time at this gate). There might still be a kiss & a hug while I'm rattling off the reminders but they certainly don't feel like the ones I used to enjoy (albeit, with longing) when I was still working.

I cannot imagine what it would be like if last Friday morning turned out to be the last time I'd see my kids. I just cannot.

What I can do... what I vow to do... is to make it a point to share a tender moment with them every morning, like I did when I was working. Last Friday was the end of absent-minded kisses & hugs with reminders in my mind. From now on, there will only be savored kisses & hugs. I'm not sure we can bring back the flying kiss blowing, catching & planting routine because Noah's hands are full, carrying his lunchbox, thermos & plastic envelope (and Isabella is much too old for that). But a meaningful glance back at me before they walk into school will do just fine. It will be our new special moment. From now on.

My heart goes out to the families of the victims of Sandy Hook. Their mornings will never be the same again. Ever. But I pray that they remember the special mornings they did get to share with the child they lost. And that one day, with God's healing power, they will be able to find hope in the dawn of a new day.

Photo from nyctaughtme.