detoxify

when i told a colleague that i was going on vacation with the family soon, he said it's good to detoxify yourself.

detoxify?

i was stumped for a moment, but then, realised it's an appropriate although unusual description.

of late, it has been rather stressful at work, not only because of increased workload (often seasonal) but also a succession of patients with difficult problems. throw in the contagious bugs & germs, & yes, i'd say the hospital environment can certainly be toxic.

well, i'll be off till the end of school break, & i can't say i'd miss the hospital one bit! also glad the general election is not called while we're away.

cherio, mates!

hiding the truth

it quite common that we will loudly proclaim good news & keep silent on less happy events. when you read the mainstream media, most likely the govt's finest achievements will be front-page news while misjudgments will be consigned to a footnote, if mentioned at all.

after all, who wants dirty linen on public display?

my son certainly doesn't want that either.

that's why he hid his english test paper from us. the wife found it this morning tucked deep into a side compartment of his school bag. when asked why he didn't show it, he cunningly replied it's because we never specifically asked for it. ha ha, i can see where he gets this crafty trait from.

needless to say, he only got 85%. that by itself is average, but will be difficult to accept, considering that some of his chinese-speaking classmates outscored him.

he will be punished - no, not for the marks but for hiding the truth.

i, too, wonder if the govt should also be punished accordingly for hiding the truth?

be careful when flossing

i floss 2 - 3 times a week. most times, when i flossed vigorously, the gums bleed a bit.

last nite was a bit different. while doing it, the floss seemed to get stuck in between teeth. as i tugged firmly with fingers at both end, something popped out. i feared it was a tooth but there was no bleeding.

turned out to be a filling instead.

went to the dentist today to replace the filling.  she said a filling normally lasts up to 10 years, by which time it would have loosened or cracked. i can't remember when i had that filling done but next time the floss gets stuck, i'd just release one end & thread the loose end thru the teeth instead. that would have saved me a visit to the dentist.

with that constant drilling, it's no walk in the park!

a pleasant surprise at the check-out counter

there is a promotion for assorted flavours of bottled green tea at the supermart. normal price is $2.00 each but for this weekend, 2 bottles for $2.85.

so, i got a bottle each of 2 different flavours, amongst other items. after paying, i was surprised i was billed $2.00 & $2.10 respectively for the 2 bottles. on closer inspection, i realised one of the two was a red tea, priced at $2.10 & not included in the promotion.

what was i to do? after all, i had paid & moved out of the counter already.

so, i decided to take a chance. i took another bottle of green tea & queued at the same counter. when i explained my oversight to the check-out lady & asked to exchange the normal-priced red tea with the promotional green tea, she promply amended my purchases & gave me a refund.

no hassle, no fuss.

how about that for exemplary customer service?

have you been frustrated by bad service & bad attitude from the supermarts?

turning 10

i have 2 birthday posts in May. though unplanned, both my kids were born in this month. the girl turned 18 in the last post & the boy turned 10 today.

looking back, this is how he's grown since the last birthday:

1) he's started using underwear. he knows the perils of not wearing it;  read here. 

2) he's sleeping alone at night;

3) best of all, he says grace before meals & prays before sitting for his tests/exams.

Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it

                                                                  prov 22:6

turning 18

i used to think that when you're 21, you've finally achieved liberty. because on your 21st birthday, you usually get a key-shaped present, be it a pendant, a plaque or even a cake. the key symbolises freedom, but from what, i don't really know. not financial freedom, that's for sure, since most people at 21 still depend on their parents for living & education expenses.

now, i think youths achieve an independence of sorts when they turn 18. they can sign consent forms for medical procedures, they are entitled to supplementary credit cards & can operate a bank account on their own.

however, some see this rite of passage differently. i asked my daughter how she felt about turning 18 today. she said now she can consume alcohol & go clubbing.

i chuckled, though i'm not really sure if she was serious about going reckless. remember, she recently ran thru a red light on her driving test?

still, she is who she is, & i love her to bits! blessed birthday, darling daughter!

monkey see, monkey do.

while the food & drinks stalls were doing a roaring business during the recent bersih 3.0 rally, apparently a group of businessmen felt hard done by. read here.

really? did they lose that much? RM100m? in less than one day?

just because the rally was vilified by the govt, they've decided to ride on the coat-tail & claim their spoils. make hay while the sun shines, so to speak.

now, i wonder if they'd use the same figures when they submit their business income tax in june?