LIVING IN SINGAPORE

How much do you know about Singapore? Many think living in Singapore is costly, stressful and busy. My family relocated to Singapore in October 2007 because of my husband's new role in his career. I was worried about the cost of living in Singapore after hearing my cousin's in Spore saying how expensive it is to own a house, car and etc. So, we decided not to buy a car. Everyone says the public transport is really good and we thought we should try it out. It was tough to move about with a 3 yr old kid and a 4 months old baby without a private car and is dangerous too because the child is travelling without a car seat. It is worse if it rains, we have to wait for a long time to get a cab because those travelling by bus will switch to cab due to the weather. After 1 month of suffering, we finally got a 2 yr old Toyota Wish.

To my surprise, the cost of living in Spore is alot lower than in KL. Everything in Spore is cheap except for the houses due to their scarcity of land. Just a few examples:

1) Brand New Toyota Wish in Msia cost - RM156K Spore - SGD74K
2) Yong Tau Foo 1 pc=$0.70, 7pcs = RM4.90 Spore - SGD3.50 ( 7 pcs )
3) Chicken Rice 1 plate =RM3.80 Spore - SGD2.50
4) McLaren Stroller =RM800 Spore - SGD320
5) Osim U Squeeze =RM1588 Spore - SGD628
6) Esprit ladies skirt =RM200-300 Spore - SGD80-90
7) Parking as low as = RM0.60 Spore - SGD0.25

Please bear in mind that you cannot convert on the currency. You compare only on a dollar to dollar basis because singaporean earns singapore dollar and spent in their country and the malaysian will earn ringgit to be spend in their country too. So, if A earnSGD5k and B earn RM5k, A will have a better lifestyle because he can stretch his dollar more than B. A will be able to afford a Toyota Wish which cost him only SGD74k and B can only settle for a Waja or Vios.

Life in Singapore can be busy and hectic but you can still find beautiful parks around for BBQ, cycling and also horse riding over the weekend. Where in Msia, everyone goes to the Mall because there are no parks to visit except for a few like Titiwangsa. Do we really have a life in Msia or are we just existing?? Besides all this, inflation rates are carefully controlled by the Singapore government so it will not burden the poor and the government offices are really efficient. Looking at the inflation rate in Msia, our people will only gets poorer because the % of increment is lower than of the inflation.

Well, there are also some down sides of Singapore. I can only say, "Too many people, Too little space".

BE CONTENTED & HAPPY

Have you ever thought of the difference between HAPPY & CONTENTED and BE CONTENTED & HAPPY. I used to be moody and unsatisfied with my life all the time until one fine day, one of my very close friend tell me to be contented and be happy...I expect alot out of my life and i work very hard towards achieving my goals. I am exhausted and tired hence feeling moody and unsatisfied with my life despite the fact that I had a very good and supportive husband and family members.

This friend of mine tells me to learn to be contented with my life. She said the only way I can be happy is to be contented. She said it is very difficult for a person to be happy first then be contented because human beings are greedy. No matter how much we have we will not be happy. So, we have to learn to be contented first then we'll be happy. I always remember what she said and when I'm down like now, I will remind myself again to be contented. Is easier said than done especially for a thinker like me.

I envy those who can leave behind their children to maid and they go for their dance class, yoga or even a drink with friends at night. I can never do that or should I say I never have a chance to do so. I can only look forward to my children growing up and then have some time on my own and do what I like and go wherever I wanna go. Well, I also count my blessing because Brandon is very sensitive and he will know when I'm down and he will say things like " Mommy, why are u so sad? Don't be sad la, I love you! I don't like to see you sad.." Each time after hearing what he said, I would tell myself that whatever happen now is just temporary and it will be over soon. Like the chinese saying " After sunset, you will next see a bright and sunny day" Correct me if I'm wrong because I'm not quite too sure too but something like this!!:)

WRINKLES

Wanna know how many wrinkles you will have this year? I read an article recently about wrinkles and thought is good to share with some of you.. Everything we do eventually shows up on our face. Even we have good genes, our wrinkles and lines show that we lived, and it all adds up. So what's your score and what are you going to do about it?

1) If you go out w/out sunscreen everyday ......Add 25 lines
2) If you smoke ....... ......Add 15 lines
3) If you sleep less than 8 hrs a night ......Add 10 lines
4) If you skip breakfast regularly .......Add 10 lines
5) If you don't exercise actively .......Add 5 lines
6) If you laugh, frown or smile .......Add 5 lines
7) If you sleep on one side .......Add 5 lines


I will have 25 lines this year. Mainly contributed by sleeping less than 8 hours. Will try to get more sleep from now on..hee...hee.. What about you?

NON WORKING MOM VS WORKING MOM

Non working mom does not think of herself as tai tai because they do not have all the money and time in the world for shopping, facials, spas etc. But the working mom envies her for the extra time she has with her children and herself. Basically, marketing, child and husband consumed almost the whole day. She literally works round the clock, sometimes wondering why, despite having a good job that paid handsomely, she chose this path. Is her job easier than working mom?

Her problems and stresses:
1) Financially dependent on husband= no money
2) No annual leave, no sick leave and NO RESIGNATION!! ( Is a lifetime commitment!! )
3) Feel disconnected from the real world
4) Always the best choice for family to call in case of emergency
5) Sometimes taken for granted and unappreciated

Job satisfaction
1) Devote time to family
2) See through every step of her children's life
3) Own time, own target, no deadlines, no boss to report to

VERSUS

Working mom always regards herself as an office slave. Her world revolves around her boss, her kids and her husband. Non working mom envies her for the extra cash she has. She works round the clock too and sometimes wondering if she derived more joy and satisfaction from her day job or night job.

Her problems and stresses

1) Workplace frustration: deadlines, workloads, overtime, demand etc

2) Long hours at work, little time for family

3) Risk of detachment from children

Job satisfaction

1) Financial Independence

2) Looked upon as competent and capable

3) Puts skills, intellect, experiences, interest to good use in workforce

4) Constantly challenges and upgrades self

So, all mommies, where do you belong to? Me? Of course the non working mom!! Actually, it is not too bad being a non working mom except for no income:)

Well, i do enjoy sleeping till 8:00am, no reports to write, no targets and no need to answer to my boss when i don't meet my target...hee..hee...(those were the days)

HERE I AM!! LITTLE BRANDON

This is my mei mei Brandee girl. I always call her sweetie girl:)

This is me at my Kota Kemuning house. I miss my house la. Why stay Singapore? Why don't want to go back?

THIS IS FUNNY!!

Brandon has been deprieved from taking his rubbish (sweets, juices, chocs etc) for the past few days due to his cough. Last night after dinner he decided to try his luck again asking me whether he can have some chocolates. Since he has been well behaved the past few days, i gave him the green light to do so. He quickly ran to open the fridge and took a chocolate, quickly unwrapped it and put inside his mouth. Suddenly, I heard him "blek!!" he took out the chocolate and said " I don't know how to eat this one" He kept looking at the chocolate...

So, I took the chocolate from him and look closely and realised that it didn't really look like a chocolate eventhough it was wrapped with a gold wrapper. Then I decided to smell it. I laughed out loud after smelling it. I said " Brandon! This is not chocolate, is mommy's chicken stock!!"
Brandon started laughing and said " What is that mommy? What chicken stock? So silly hor me mommy. That is not chocolate hor..." I said " chicken stock is what mommy sometimes use to cook" ha...haa...We all had a great laugh..:)

TURNING 4 IS A BIG THING!!

Brandon has just turn 4 on 26th March. He is really excited on that day knowing that he will be collecting his Baby Goofy cake after school. He was so impatient that he kept asking me to collect his cake the moment I picked him up from school ( then was 12pm) but I told him we will only be collecting it at 2:30pm. He waited patiently and we went on to collect it at 2:30pm. Shortly after, he wanted to eat his cake but i told him to wait for daddy. The moment daddy step into the house, he rushed to the fridge to take his cake out but I told him " Brandon, mommy need to take a shower first. We will then take a nice picture together with you ok?" He said " Ok mommy, you faster huh!"

After 10 minutes, he ran into my room shouted outside the bathroom door " Mommy, you ready? Can take the cake out? " I told him I will be out shortly. Then we will have the cake. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Brandon said "OK! We take the cake out now" Then Daddy said " Wait Brandon, Daddy need to shower first." Oh! Oh! Need to wait again:) As usual, Brandon has always been a very good boy and waited patiently. Finally, he get to blow his candles and cut his cake at 8:30pm..He is really excited taking photos here and there with his little sister Brandee which is 10 months old. I couldn't believe that he could wait so long to have his cake. I guess for any other children, the cake could have been gone long time.

Being so patient is not a big thing for Brandon when turning 4 but successfully getting him to use the toilet when he does his big business is a REAL BIG THING. He finally make it on his 4th birthday.. phew...He is so happy and proud of himself that he insist I tell daddy when daddy is back. He refused initially but after awhile I heard him saying " Mommy, mommy, got already, got 1 big piece drop into the water, come and see mommy, come and see now." So, I went to see in order to encourage him. After that, every piece that drop out he will ask me to see. Thank god he never went back to using diaper after that day..

Yeah..Yeah!!! He is a freeman now:)