The Best of Me

Once Mr MG asked me: "How come you speak nicely to a stranger and put on your best behavior to a neighbour/acquaintance but when it comes to your own husband, the person you profess to love, you shout and act so ugly?"

Oops! Thats so true isn't it? Often its the persons closest to us, those who matter the most, who receive the worse part of us coz' we're too tired/stressed/familiar/too at ease with the person to be bothered. We often put on our best front for people we hardly know but when it comes to those who are close to us, the persons who matter the most, we let loose and show them our ugly side giving Familiarity breeds contempt its true meaning.

Another example is how people often dress up to the nines to go out with friends (especially friends whom one has not met up with for a while) but when going out with their own spouse , they are often sloppy and couldn't care less about their own appearance. Why such double standards? Why treat other people nicer than your own spouse?

I'm guilty of this silly behaviour. Yes I am. Ever since he asked me this question several years ago, I'm still guilty of this strange behaviour. Hmm... must strive harder to give him and those whom I love the best of me not the worse side.

On another note, the plumber who came to fix my plumbing was a very grumpy and irritable man. He spoke as if he was about to have a fight with the person he's speaking to and was very negative. Eg: "No lah! No one fixes the plumbing in this manner *grumble grumble grumble* etc.

When I commented to Mr MG about how grumpy the plumber was, his response was "I'm surprised you said that because thats the way you behave most of the time." (said teasingly with a smile of course or else MG sudah merajuk and this blog post will sound very different, haha). "OMG, really ah." I said but of course I realise that its quite true. Sometimes when the kids give me too much stress, I tend to grumble a lot, my face blacker than black and I get easily irritated by the slightest thing. Thats another example of how my family is the on the receiving end of the worse part of me.

So, MG's mantra for today is "Remember to give the best of me..... remember to give the best of me..... repeat....."

One of those days....

On one of those days......

• your aircond breaks down and leaks
• your tap leaks and you can't find the spare parts
• you have a painful ear infection and you can't even eat properly from the pain and the doctor says he doesn't have the eardrop he wants to prescribe so you have to go see him another day
• your nose is all clogged up and painful (thats a perpetual problem but on one of those days.... it actually feels worse than usual)
• you have a fungal infection on your fingers that won't go away
• ppl around you are being annoying
• you annoy ppl around you

There. I feel better now...... I think.

Hmm.... Book Tag.... What next?

Mama22beas tagged me. So here's my say (I'm lazy today. So my answers are short and sweet lah)

1) Total number of books I've owned: Kenot remember. Too many. We love to read. We've got a good collection of books on our book shelves. Mr MG's section is Finance, Investing, Health and Comic Books, mine mostly cookbooks, self-help books, health books, PC reference books (which we kongsi) and magazines and toddler and baby has their own shelf too. We devour books all the time and hope to pass that love on to the kids.

2) The last book I bought: "You are what you eat" by Dr Gillian McKeith. I told ya I love to eat!

3) The last book I read = the last book I bought.

4) 5 books that mean a lot to me
a) The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman - Excellent Relationship book tho found in the Christian Books Section its a good read for all. Very simple concept but very true.

b) Don't sweat the small stuff by Richard & Kris Carlson - Hmm another self help book. Help!

c) My Merck Manual as well as The Medical Advisor - The Complete Guide to Alternative & Conventional Treatments. Hey! Thats two. I know how to count but since they're both medical might as well put them together :P

d) The Best of Chinese Cooking by Betty Yew. I told you I love to eat!

e) What to Expect Series by Eisenberg, Murkoff & Hathaway. I've got them all from What to Expect When You're Expecting to What to Expect the First Year and What to Expect the Toddler Years. Kiasu parent here need to refer to books every now and then.

5) Tag 5 people and have them fill this out on their blogs.

i) Bkworm - cos its obvious she's a bookworm
ii) Shopping Mum - wanna know what books she shops for
iii) Cherry - just curious
iv) msau - just curious
v) MrsT - just curious

P.S. To the 5 ppl I tagged. Don't worry if you're too lazy to pass the baton. These tags and memes can get rather tiresome sometimes after a while don't you think?

The Food of Love

No. I'm not talking about chocolates.

They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I think that has some truth and the way to little children's hearts is through their little tummies as well but, not my man. He is one of those who eats to live whereas I live to eat. I love food. I think its my dad's fault.

You see, when I was young, after my mum passed away, dad was the closest to me because the others were a little more grown up and I was still young enough to dote on. His job as a detective meant that he often worked late. And me, being the night person that I am, often waited up for him. He would come home with little tidbits (supper actually) for me which I loved. Sometimes he would bring home some special sandwiches or steamed chicken drumsticks or noodles and we would enjoy them together.

Dad knew that I loved prawn fritters (still do) and he would take me to various places to try them out. At last we found one restaurant which served heavenly fritters and we would often go there to eat. I guess thats how dad showed his love to me.... through food. So its dad's fault that I love food so much.

I see the same thing happening with Mr MG and toddler now. Mr MG often buys toddler her favourite little cakes and doughnuts which she loves just to see her little face light up in delight. I think we all celebrate love through food. Fathers buy food for little ones, mums labour over their food of love and many love relationships begin over dinner.

Ahh...food. Don't underestimate its significance/power. I remember being angry with Mr MG once when we were dating because I was feeling sick and felt very much like being pampered, was hoping that he would come over to see me and buy some cooling porridge for me but for some reason he didn't and I didn't feel loved cos I didn't have my food!

One guess what I'll be having for lunch today? (No prizes for winners). Why, prawn fritters of course!

If I had just 5 years left to live.....

I read somewhere in some Stress Management book that suggested that one should periodically ask oneself this question "If I had just 5 years left to live, what would I change/do differently?"

Okie.......lets see....hmmm.... (*taps fingers*)..... Do I wish that I could travel the world, have more money, a bigger house, trade back my housecoat for my make-up, perfume, high heels and power suits? Nyah! I don't think so. I wouldn't change a thing but I think I would do all that I'm doing now with less complaints. I would....

• enjoy my children more instead of grumbling about how clingy they are (shout at them less and cuddle them more)
• jump out of bed to greet the day instead of turning over (yet again) for another snooze (haha. say only....)
• slow down to enjoy nature....the sun on my skin, the gentle breeze, the fresh sprinkle of drizzling rain, the beautiful and vivid colours that surrounds us everyday (stop to smell the roses so to speak but that term is so cliche and overused). As it is, I have a nice view from my balcony but I think I hardly notice it anymore although I was so impressed the first few times I saw it (abuden my view is being spoilt to make way for new development but we're not going to be negative today so shhhh enuf MG.)
• keep in touch with my family (my dad and siblings) more frequently
• listen better and give my husband and children my full attention or the best of me instead of the worse of me (sometimes when my children or spouse speaks to me, my mind is elsewhere thinking about the things I have to do etc etc. This is especially true with toddler and her endless questions.)
• take better care of myself. (How can I give my best to others if I don't take good care of me first?)

I received this quote as part of an email and I thought its nice so I'm sharing it here.

"The happiest of people do not have the best of everything but they make the best of everything they have." - Author unknown