Happy New Year 2013!!!

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Just as a new bloom spreads fragrance and freshness around

May the new year add a new beauty and freshness into your life

(Quote taken from here)

Celebrate endings - for they precede new beginnings

by Jonathan Lockwood Huie

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everyone..!!!

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Here's wishing everyone a merry and blessed Christmas and New Year..!!!

--moon

Time to relax

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Settled one sticky and complicated matter this morning, what a relief..!!! Collected payment from a client this afternoon and the cleaners have just left the house.

My home is squeaky clean!

It's now time to relax, enjoy and re-charge my batteries!

Will be spending time with my nieces tomorrow, playing board games (Ticket to Ride - Europe) and catching up on girly stuffs.. :)))


Cheers!

--moon

I know of people who are still fighting and pushing forward even at this time, due to the nature of their work. To them, year end is always the peak time. If you are not already winding down for the year for any specific reason, perhaps it's time to plan for it now. Just to get you started, click here, for more info on how you can give yourself a break physically, mentally, emotionally and also from technology.

You might like this :

1) The mind is officially shut down for 2011

2) Smart Anti-Ageing Tips and Practices

3) How to un-wind your body and mind before sleep

4) I'm dreaming of a delicious turkey dinner

Scary but hillarious corpse elevator prank in Brazil

Junior prankster*wink*

I stumbled upon this video in youtube (someone shared it in FB actually), and man...... I laughed so hard, I was practically rolling on the floor, even like 3 hours after watching it.

I pity those people who got targeted in this video making, but they certainly made my day, I tell ya! 

Not that I would hope to be trapped in the lift like this one day though.. certainly not..! But if I were in it, when I come out (that is, if I am still alive after the heart attack), I will go after the people outside and have them skinned alive.. :P

Hope I won't be laughing myself to sleep tonight. Else ST will think that I've gone totally nuts or something, hehe..

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Reading marathon

Eeermm... I can't recall where I got this picture from. I would give credit where credit is due, but I just can't seem to recall at all.. :S

We went to the club house around noon today, coz ST wanted a swim. Initially I told him I will just accompany him since the doc says I should refrain from any form of exercise, due to the pain I have been having below my left rib. 

I was truly looking forward to lazying on their deck chair and continue reading my "The Da Vinci Code."

Somehow ST persuaded me to still go into the water and just stay put in a spot. So I went in and uh.. yeah, continued reading.

The reason why I've allowed myself the luxury of reading is because, my supervisor has not reverted to me on my research proposal which I submitted like two weeks ago. And the waiting kills. 

So I decided to give myself a break.. :-D

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

You might like this :

1) Random thoughts

2) Dear God..

3) An inside story

4) World Cup news up-date from a local scene

I can't put it down..!!

Testing.. testing.. Posting my first blog via my iPhone.. :-D

And yes, I can 't seem to put down my story book, he..he..

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Follow Me

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I'm sorry, but my tweet link in my blog seemed to have gone malfunction on me today.

If you are keen to follow my daily story and up-date, you can follow me on twitter here, until I get the link fixed.

Alternatively, this is my twitter account full URL - https://twitter.com/aprilmoon68

Until then, stay tuned!

Cheers!

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Time for reflection

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By three methods, we may learn wisdom : 

First, by reflection, which is noblest ;

Second, by imitation, which is easiest ;

Third, by experience, which is the bitterest

by Confucius

Everyone and everything that shows up in our life is a reflection of something that is happening inside of us 

by Alan Cohen

Life can only be understood backwards;

but it must be lived forwards

by Soren Kierkegaard

I mentioned several times in my blog here about slowing down to appreciate the present moment. It is always easier said than done, always..

So there I was huffing and puffing on my treadmill, trying my utmost not to look at the time to see how much longer I need to slog it out, when my mind drifted to the above topic - about appreciating the present.

I notice that to actually and truly slow down, I need to slow down the pace of everything which I have been doing. It is not just about what to slow down, it is also about how...

I sat down later, listed out a few items and decided to do the following starting from next week, so that by December, I will be practicing it if not fully, then at least half of it.

Exercise is important, so is the quality
Earlier, knowing that our year end feasting would normally pick up around mid November, I made the decision to increase my treadmill session from 2 to 3 times per week, starting from November. 

Now, I have decided that instead of 3 treadmill session p'week, I will replace 2 of that with yoga session and one with a swim at the club house together with ST (though I know that more than likely I will be challenged by "someone" to accomplish 20 laps within the fastest time at the pool and that will probably defeat the entire purpose, but anyway, I will manage that when the time comes *wink*).

I need to get back in touch with yoga, to renew my relationship with my body and mind. At the same time, spending quality moment together while we keep fit should not be forgotten either.

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Electronic gadgets are my friend, so is nature
I will play less with my iPhone and tap less on my pc. Instead, I will observe and listen more. 

Being in tune with my surrounding is equally as important to me.

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The point that I'm trying to drive across is that, saying we intend to do something is one thing, doing it is another matter altogether. It takes a little planning, a little incorporation and time to make it happen.


--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

How to start your Monday right

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This is a very simple quote yet a powerful one. Not many of us dare to fail. 

Here are some motivational and inspirational quotes for a Monday.

1. "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle

2. "Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way

    things turn out." - Art Linkletter

3. "The greatest inspiration is often born of desperation." - Comer Cortrell

It's already November. What have you planned to do for 2013?

What's your thought? All actions starts with a thought. A powerful one, that is...

Have a great week ahead!

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

It's no fun when you keep hitting the wall

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I've been trying to work on my research proposal. It started fine initially, but for the past one week, it did not seem like it was getting anywhere. So much so that, each time I prepare to work on it, my mind tells me to do something else.

I just hope that this procrastination will not last long, because the festive month of Dec is not going to be of much help, so I must get a more concrete draft on my proposal before that.

Tough life, but still need to wade through whatever resistance that is heading my way...

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--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Slowing down to smell the roses

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I came back home from lunch and coffee this afternoon, but was not able to get into the house as it was pouring rather heavily. Under normal circumstances, I would have taken out the umbrella and rushed in.

Then I noticed the wall plants right in front of me, the money plant that crawls all over our gate pillar and wall. Suddenly I noticed that looking at them, under the rain, somehow brings out a kind of soothing feel to my eye and other senses. So I decided to continue enjoying the simple visual display of nature right before my eyes.

Then it got me thinking, hey, it's gonna be November tomorrow. Perhaps it's time we slow down and smell the roses!

Picture taken from Corbis

If we do not, November is gonna be gone before we even notice it, and Dec is going to fly by with all the year end holidays and activities. It is so easy to get carried away with our work and daily chores, that more often than not, we forget to slow down, count our blessings, initiate a bit of re-adjustment before the year ends, so that we can look back to 2012 later and say, hey, that was a great year!

Usually by this time, we would have gone and come back from our so called "mid year get-away" but this year, it got delayed, till when I can't tell yet. Whatever it is, life still needs to go on.

You may not know it, but it is not easy to slow down when you have been in fifth gear for the past 6 months, hence, I am going to use the month of November to help me achieve that state. This is to ensure that I will be able to treasure and enjoy the moment better come December.

First thing to do, learn to still the mind, allowing us the space to re-identify our direction in life, reflect and re-align with ourselves.

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How or where to start? Fix an appointment for a facial or full body massage. That will get the ball rolling. Or go for a manicure. Start reading a book or go watch a movie..?

Cheers!

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

More articles that will help you to slow down :

1) How to slow down now

2) 10 Essential Rules for slowing down and enjoying life more

3) How to slow down

4) Live life to the fullest

Dreaming of the sun, sea and beach

Click on picture for a clearer view

I need a break. I need my get-away..........

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Under the weather

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Down and out for the week.

People say "starve the fever and feed the flu." Well, I would rather have the flu anytime coz then I get to feed instead of starve. 

However, the only problem is that, I can't smell or taste anything. Further more, flu and cold comes with the sneezing, coughing, teary eye, mega tiredness and the whole works. So yeah, that's the sad part of it. And the worse part, it could drag on for days, not to mention the blocked nose and difficulty in breathing whenever I'm in air-cond room.

I've also been feeling hot and cold all at the same time, something I never thought was possible. So much so that sometimes I get so confused whether I should suit up or dress down.. 

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I guess it must be the changing weather condition from hot to rainy season. Oh well, gotta get through it no matter what.. :-(

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Bidding farewell to a love hate relationship

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Now that my MBA course is close to being over (no more classes, exams or assignments), I just need to work on my Research Project (which I haven't started yet), I'm kind of like, starting to miss it... 


....


....


....

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It's crazy I know..!!!

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After being put on a tight schedule for 1 1/2 year, rushing, reading, cracking my head and all that, not to mention all my nightmares fretting over them, it is not easy to just let go as I thought it would.

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Yes, yes, I know...

The conflicting emotions started even when I was struggling to complete my last two assignments on the last week, while eagerly counting the minute when I can pack up my books and put them away for a while. 

Despite all those whining, grinding and late nights, I must admit that I actually enjoyed the learning part. Truly enjoyed it!

But..... don't worry, there is no way I'm gonna get back to studying again. This will be my final stop, and I will be alighting at this stop, thank you!

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Oh well, now with that over, I am going to take a few weeks off, before I start on my research paper.


Why am I still up at mid-night? Yeah, that's the problem, can't seem to sleep early nowadays.. +__+

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Happy moon cake festival, everyone!

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--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

I sense winds of change

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--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Ten down! It's done! I've completed my 10 modules!

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Submitted my assignments for Strategic Marketing today!

I can't believe it! I've done 10 modules all in all, and survived, yeeeeehaaaaa....!!!

And this is what I feel like doing right now....

I will be dis-connecting myself from my laptop for a day.

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Tonight, we'll be going..........

shopping...!!!! I am so gonna buy something to reward myself. I believe I deserve it..!!!


Cheerios!

--moon

blog name - carrot head and applemint

Keep going! Just keep going!

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--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Burning the midnight oil

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Counting the days..., I am also counting the days, the hours and the minutes.

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Re-tuning mode

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--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Hanging out with my girlfriends tomorrow

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--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Day dreaming

There is no public holiday at all in the month of September, only one in October, but that's good enough for me.

In the month of September, I gotta continue to add oil (chia-yoh) and hang in there till the last week.

Apart from the study, I foresee an extremely heavy workload and stressful first three weeks in Sept.

Meanwhile, it doesn't hurt to day dream, and this is what I'm dreaming of doing....

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--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Talkin 2 myself

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I am on a mission tonight....

For some unknown reason, I seemed to keep waking up in the middle of the night for the past few nights, and stayed awake for more than an hour. Initially, due to the pouring rain the past few nights, I thought I was worried of the dripping sound on the roof, just above our bed. However, it was not pouring last night, and the same thing happened again, and worse, last night I was rolling from the left to the right, right to the left for about more than 2 hours..!!

So, I have decided to stay up, no matter how tired and sleepy I am tonight, to exhaust myself even further, and hopefully, later when I finally decide to hit the sack, I will be able to drift off right up till morning.

Hence, the reason why I am blogging, he..he..



Battle between the devil and the angel

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Each time I settle down for some serious study or to work on my assignments, I get these two jokers appearing out of nowhere, talking to me and to each other, interrupting my flow of thoughts. One is usually on the right while the other is on the left of me. Can you guess?


Like tonight for example. Yeah, I will have one fella telling me that I am hungry, or that I am tired, I need to eat for energy and booster. Now I know that night snacking is unhealthy. Yet frustratingly, I will automatically feel tired or hungry. Then my angel came to the rescue, so I headed downstairs and allowed myself to indulge in ........

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an orange....!!!! Now ain't that a healthy snack, one that is sure to perk me up for the night.. ;-)

But then, the red fella just won't give up easily. After sitting down in front of my books for another 15 minutes, she told me that I am beginning to feel sleepy, that I am exhausted, since I haven't been sleeping well lately.. -.-


True enough, within minutes, I started feeling my eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and before long, I was dreaming of my comfy bed. Gosh, was I tempted to just turn off my laptop, close my books and head off to sleep! Then bless my angel, she quickly came to the rescue, and whispered a tip into my ear.

So I headed downstairs again, to put the kettle on the boil, and brewed some....

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green tea... :-D

Now, green tea has been known to be consumed by Japanese monks ages ago, to keep them awake when they need to meditate, and it's a much healthier choice than coffee. So yeah, I am still hanging on to my mission.

I won't say that I am extremely productive with the study part, but yeah, I am still up..!

But as we all know, our energy level dips every few hours. So each time it takes a dive, I will pop in a sweet, keeping it to maximum 2 p'night. I am not too sure how healthy that is, but I guess, that's the least that I could do to stay on track and remain as healthy as I can.

It's 1.35 am, and hey, I'm still here...!!

Hope I am able to stay up a little later still. Wish me luck!

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint