Ms Miss Missus

How fantastic when a fellow blogger mentions your blog in her blog!  Ms. Demeanour (http://msdemeanoursingapore.blogspot.com/) is a fellow expat living in Singapore.  She ran into my Lucky Face guy (see http://snippetsfromsingapore.blogspot.com/2010/09/lucky-face.html) and she wrote about my experience in her blog!  As a result of her commenting on my Lucky Face post, I read some of my old blog entries and reminisced about Singapore.

After reading some old blog posts and looking at photos, my teen and I realized we miss Singapore.  A natural feeling I'm sure.  Although delighted to be home, that travel and adventure bug is still in me (and I doubt it will ever disappear).  Of course, there are things we don't miss.  The 'Excuse me Miss, you have a Lucky Face' experience ended up being somewhat fun.  But I also had an experience on Orchard Road one day that wasn't so fun (yet I'm writing about it so it was worth it!).

I was about 8 1/2 months pregnant.  It was hot.  Really hot.  I was walking (more like waddling) down Orchard Road after a yoga class and was, for some reason, rushing to get the train.  Who knows why I was rushing... I walk fast.  Anyway, I hear a voice... "Miss, do you have some change?"  OK.... asking a whale sized pregnant woman in the scorching heat while she huffed hurriedly down the road if she has some change was the first mistake.  I stopped... probably mostly because I welcomed a break from walking!  Nah... he walked in front of me and I didn't really have much of a choice.  I think I just stared at him (likely with imaginary bullets darting from my eyes).  He told me all about how he was not from Singapore and needed medicine and had no money.  I told him to go to the hospital.  He pulled up his shirt and showed me a fake tube and bag... then he showed me a piece of paper with Ibuprofen = $12 written on it.  He wanted me to give him $12 for his Ibuprofen.  I didn't know what to believe to be honest.  I told him to go to the hospital and I huffed off.  Oh yeah... I was meeting Terry for lunch.

I held onto the icky feeling for a while.  I was angry at being approached and lied to.  I couldn't believe someone had the audacity to approach a sweating pregnant woman.  Whoa, was I ever being self righteous, hey?  True, the guy who approached me was lying and taking advantage of people.  However, who knows what incidents in his life made him do what he did.  A short chat with Terry and I came down off my high horse.

And that's one of the reasons I'm marrying this truly wonderful man - Terry that is!  He can always win over the ego.  (Yes, I'll be a Missus!  Hard to believe for anyone that knows me!!)

That event in Singapore was a bit different from one from last Saturday in downtown St. John's.  An older gentleman was playing the accordion while I passed with my babe in my Snugli... he stopped playing and called out, "Oh, you're some cute!  You are sommmmmme cute!"  He was talking to the baby... not me;)

It's good to be home.

Boot in the arse

Is it a Newfoundland saying?  I'm not sure, but we say it around here a lot.  I never heard anyone say it in Singapore.

About a week after I moved here, I knew I had to get in shape post-baby and also meet some other new moms.  It's funny how you come back 'home' and have to meet new friends.  When I moved away in the 90s and returned, almost all of my friends had also moved away.  It wasn't a great time for young people to find jobs.  This time, a few of my friends have also moved, but mainly I need new friends because 1) I now have a baby and won't be living the same lifestyle, and 2) I'm not currently working so am on a different schedule (aka... I have time in the day!  Well... sort of... time with baby:)

Regardless of the friend thing, I still had to get in shape!  So I joined bootcamp.  Yep.  Cardio Fit Bootcamp - http://www.cardiofitbootcamp.com/.  A post natal class.  We bring the babies!  It's awesome.  It's outside in nature!  I absolutely feel a difference (I'm no longer falling to the ground a second into my plank!) and I'm only 6 weeks into it. I have also met some wonderful moms... not to mention a mom who is my age and whom I went to school with!  Our instructor pushes us just enough.  She knows we're still recovering from shortened hamstrings, changed center of gravities, loosened joints, incisions, breastfeeding backs, and many other things (I dare not bore you with the wonderful things pregnancy and birth do to the body!).  It's a fantastic class and I am quite enjoying the boot in the arse to get fit again.  Yesterday's class was postponed.  One of the moms and I decided to get together on our own.  Needless to say, we pay money for bootcamp for a reason.  We had a little workout for sure..... but it wasn't near what our class gives us.  We aren't sore today.

I managed to boot myself in the arse enough to get going... a good step of course.  However, self discipline has always been a bit of a struggle for me.  I have managed well with things like eating healthy, exercising, studying, etc.  But I've also often struggled with disciplining myself when I don't really want to do it.  An early rise is a huge struggle.  Baby seems to boot me in the arse to do it... so has my teen - although I don't proclaim to be good at the whole morning routine with breakfast on the table and lunch made and getting to school with time to spare.  A few early morning runs over the years have been successful, but I cannot seem to get into a regular early rise routine.

And this struggle with self discipline must be why I cannot seem to boot myself in the arse to study.  I've registered for the last part of my Canadian Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation.  The exam is in less than two weeks and I haven't touched a resource yet!  The CHRP designation is growing in demand for HR positions in Canada.  It's a good thing to have if you're going to be CEO someday (haha... may as well dream big).  Singapore had its own HR professional standards.  I fell into the category of Professional Member at the Singapore Human Resources Institute.  I think it was the second highest level for the organization.  That was simply based on my experience.  In Canada, we have to write a couple of exams and continue our learning each year with workshops, etc.  That's not a problem.  Right now, I need to prepare for this final exam!  And I'm writing a blog while baby sleeps rather than studying.  The epitome of procrastination, no?

I need a boot in the arse!  My om for today: procrastinate less and discipline self more.... but that would mean no blog....

Here's mud in your eye!

The universe gives us all that we need.  Today, while driving home from post-natal bootcamp (brutal, yet weirdly addictive!), I decided to call my next blog 'Here's mud in your eye.'  I don't know why, but it's what popped into my head.  So I thought I'd write about being 'here'... being 'home'.... being.  But that's the whole blog, isn't it?

So I googled this saying and whaddyaknow... a priest also googled it and titled his sermon the same and had the same question as me.  It turns out, the saying sometimes means 'haha, my horse beat yours'... or for farmers it means 'here's to a good season.'  However, according to the bible, 'mud in the eye' is a medium for healing and well-being.

And that's why the universe popped this saying into my head.

We are happy to be home for all the reasons anyone would be.  But timing could not have been better.  A few weeks ago, Terry's mom (Terry is my partner for those that don't know - this was disclosed in my first blog - Snippets From Singapore) was diagnosed with cancer.  We are positive that she will beat it.  And we are eternally grateful that we can be here to support her throughout her journey.  We love our families yet we move away from them.  It's human nature to want to experience, and that often leads us away from those we love.  And maybe that makes us love and appreciate them more.  It's the duality effect I guess.

Everyone needs healing at one time or another.  At times it's tough to deal with.  We fear we won't heal.  We fear we'll be 'sick' in whatever capacity forever... or worse.  When Terry first told me of his mom's disease, I shed tears (not surprising if you know me!).  Many people in my family have been sick.  Natural death and tragic death have impacted my family and friends.  People deal with it differently.  For me, I have to remain positive yet realistic.  I need to search inward for strength.  I have to remind myself that life is short and we must take small steps everyday to make it large.  It's not always natural, and I work at it, but it helps make the road smoother.

Last night when Terry and I debated paint colors for our new house, I started to feel low that maybe we won't agree and I'll live in colors I've compromised on.  What if I have to give in on something I love - a color, a piece of furniture, art, or the way we layout our kitchen.  So what?  Does that really matter?  Indeed, I want to be surrounded by 'things' I love, but more than anything I want to be surrounded by love itself.  And the people in my life represent love.  (By the way, I'm confident my colors are going to be just fine and I'll love them:)

So here's mud in your eye.  Here's to healing.  Here's to well-being.  Here's to being surrounded by love.  Right here.

Being Om

Last year, my daughter, partner and I picked up our lives in Newfoundland, Canada and plunked them into Singapore.  It was a full year of adventure.  It was fun.  It was exciting.  It was full of life and learning.  We traveled.  We explored.  We loved.  Now we are back by choice.  We are home.  With a baby.

We chose to come home.  There are those that choose to leave and never come back (traveling is addictive!).  There are those that choose to stay and never leave.  And there's everything in between.  I left one time before and thought I'd never return.  I did.  This time I knew I'd return.  I've gained a bit of om over the years and I've grown to love this wonderful province in this amazing country.

This blog will be about being home after living overseas and a little about going om (my favorite cafe in Singapore is called Going Om - I'm sure that wasn't a coincidence;).  I have no doubt it will evolve as I do.  I hope you enjoy.

Namaste