TGIF.....

TGIF! The week has come to an end and I am so looking forward to two days of rest. But I guess I can't rest much as I have to start to organize and declutter my home in order to prepare a new bedroom for the kids.

Speaking of the kids, they are down at the playground in our apartment complex and I am enjoying the peace and quiet in the house. I haven't had this quiet since before the twins were born and I am really relishing it.

I also have some serious concerns about their second language "Mother Tongue" choice when they need to take when they reach Primary 1. It'll be quite a big post and so I'll keep it for another day. But I would really like you to respond because I keep second-guessing myself.

This morning I wrote something on a board that I visit. The topic was "What was your top five reasons to lose weight". So here are my five in no particular order

1. To show myself and the other naysayers that I can do it.
2. To have better self confidence in myself and also project a better self image to others
3. To live long and healthy without any major diseases and hospitalisation charges
4. To be a positive role model to my kids. Also I want to be around them for a loong time and see and play with their kids and possibly grandkids.
5. To be able to just walk into any shop and buy or tryout what catches my fancy without asking if it was available in my size.

So what do you think of these reasons? I decided to put them here also so that I can read them again and again and then it reinforces my motivations.

I have also decided to start seriously looking for a new job and this time I really want to do something interesting and something that I really like. So what is it that I am passionate about? Well I love books - I would happily live in a library or a book store if I could; I also love to write - this blog is proof of that. What else do I like to do? I've realised I like doing research for people, especially over the internet and I like meeting new people. Now I have got to put all these different interests together and see if they make a career. What I don't want to do is to retrain for a new career at this age and start from scratch. I also would like to be in a place where there are no office politics (but I guess I am mature (?) enough to understand that such an utopian state of affairs may never happen....

Oh well, like they say Que Sera Sera.....Let me see what the new week brings to me..

Ciao and have a great rollicking weekend everyone....I'll see you on Monday, if not before that.

Family versus Career

What to write about? Now that I finally got the guts to tell people about my blog (mostly family), I have started feeling the pressure to write and to write well. Is this what writers call 'Writer's Block'?

My domestic helper who has been with us for the last four years has indicated that she would not like her contract to be renewed as she would like to go back to India and get married later this year. Now comes my big problem and dilemma - should I look for another helper or should I like the thousands of working women here in Singapore manage alone (with the help of family and the day care)? My current helper came highly recommended as her mom was also working in my grandma's house and so she was highly reliable. When I first started looking for someone to look after my babies, I wanted someone totally reliable and this girl fit the bill totally. Plus she is young and so has no major hang-ups. She looks after the kids wonderfully and we all will really miss her when she goes back to start her own life. With new rules in place I am quite hesitant to go to an agency for a new helper. I don't know how reliable she will be and if she will treat my kids well when I or DH are not around. So I guess I will be bringing up my babies alone with help from my MIL and mom. We need to talk and get the basics in place before September (when the contract ends). So many things to do.

Along with this dilemma comes the issue of my career. My biggest question is should I stay where I currently work or should I move. Both answers have their own pros and cons and the end result is that I am thoroughly confused. Where I work now, the pay is pathetic; but I can come in late if there is an emergency and noone will question me. Ditto for leaving early at times. Also the work load is not too heavy (except for some 2 months in the year) so I can leave at 5:30 pm every single day and noone will comment on my lack of commitment. On the other hand, if I move I lose all these advantages, probably the salary will make up for this and I may even have a career path all charted out unlike here, but at what cost? I really need to sort out all these things in my head very soon and take a decision on my career fast.

Another thing I need to do pronto is to lose weight fast. I have come to this conclusion that if and when I go to interview for a position, the interviewer does not see my competence and intelligence as well as my ability to do the advertised position well, but my appearence first! And living in Singapore where the average Chinese woman looks svelte and slim, this is defiitely something I need to work on. I have started exercising regularly and watching my diet, so I am on the path to good health. As of today I have lost some 6 kgs so hopefully things will only get better.