little bitty girl

Do you find that I complain about spam a lot? It really should be a category on it's own.

I think I am just flabbergasted by the whole spamming thing. What is the purpose of it? Do people make money? Or they get a kick out of being annoying? Somebody tell me as I really would like to know. I mean do people actually click on these links? And if they do...WHY, PEOPLE, WHY?

Anyway, spam seems to be overtaking my life right now. To be frank, it's coming out of my yin yang. Spam in my email accounts, spam in my work inbox, spam on my comments....I just can't seem to get away from it all. The weird thing is the spam thing was relatively containable until recently. Now it's just exploded. I get no less than 100 spam emails in my work inbox alone.

The interesting thing is, at least in terms of this site, I seemed to have graduated from the weird sex creep-o-la spam to mundaneness such as cemetery plots and pottery classes. Can you spell R-A-N-D-O-M?

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Posted in Randomness, What's Buggin' Me

I haven't written one of these gossip blurbs for awhile but you know with the plethora of all these gossip blogs out there, it seemed rather unnecessary. Gossip blogs, I have to admit are my daily guilty pleasure. It's like being able to eat all the candy you want without any of the cavities.

However, I was so sad to hear that this golden couple are done. I've always loved them together and their mini me kids. I loved the story of the southern girl marrying the NY boy. I especially love Reese, how she's so intelligent about her career for one so young. Especially in an industry where many of her peers are bits of dispensable fluff. Even though Marie (the cynic) said the break up was expected and deep within my heart, I felt the same; I can't help but think it's too bad that it did not work out.

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Posted in Star Gazing

Stefan just came home from the hospital where they had cut off his cast. He'll now be in the splint that he has now for about 4 weeks and then he gets downgraded to a smaller splint. He has to do hand exercises and even press against his injured finger!

I take it back about him being a baby since his stitches are quite awe inspiring. I can't help but be fascinated and revolted at the same time. They're not very neat stitches, are they? You would think these doctors would take sewing 101 and do it right.

It's a little weird that they're leaving it exposed like that and all he has to do is put poly-sporin. But I guess there's a reason why they're doctors and I'm not.

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Posted in Stefan

Unfortunately due to Stef's surgery, the onslaught of unexpected pukiness and pain, we had to forgo the pimp and ho day and chill at home instead. Well, at least Stefan chilled out while I ran around doing his bidding. It was actually nice to be the caretaker since he's the one who usually takes care of me regardless of whether I am ill or not.

BUT what is it about men that turns them into utter babies when they are just a tiny bit off? "Juice! Water! Ginger Ale!" was often called out in the saddest little boy voice from our couch. You would think I was torturing the guy. The funny thing is that I think Mindy sensed something was wrong with Stefan. And even though she's not usually cuddly with him, she spent most of her time lying next to him and licking the one visible digit from his cast. It was really sweet actually.

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Posted in Needles, Bows and Toes

You know when you were little you would have all sorts of random dreams of what you're going to be when you're older? I think mine was lawyer, performer, scientist, artist, writer all rolled in one; until I was a teenager and realized that was not feasible. I dabbled with the idea of medicine because I always found discovering what was wrong with one's body fascinating and then I had to take OAC (grade 13, which was only offered in our Province and almost equivalent to first year university in other provinces) Biology and I had to dissect a sweet little fetus pig. I dropped that course very quickly and ended my dreams of solving crimes and medical mysteries. I have however, never ever wanted to be a nurse. I don't think I have the patient, extremely caring nature needed to do it.

I can now say with absolute confidence that I was never meant to be a nurse.

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Posted in Stefan

Stefan finally managed to get an appointment to have surgery on his hand. The surgeon called to say that it was quite urgent that he get the surgery done immediately and why didn't we come sooner? We'd only been trying to get an appointment since it happened....

He came home with all sorts of zig zag markings to show where his hand would be cut. They're going to try to find the torn tendon but usually when it's left longer than 2 weeks, the tendon retreats lower. If that happens, then they'll have to fish it out of his wrist. They mentioned something about drilling the bone, sewing the tendon through the bone and putting in a stainless steel button . The surgery will take about two and a half hours. Oh, and they're going to do this all without knocking him out.

Can't you tell that I just love all sorts of random medical info? Anyway, I think it's better that they're not putting him under as speaking to several surgeon friends, there is always a higher risk when one is knocked out.

Since Stef is a naturally healthy boy, he's only really been in the hospital (for major things, baring natural scrapes and occasional stitches) twice. Once, when he was born and the second time when he was part of genetic testing group and they had to take some blood work from him.

Unfortunately, during the second time while doing a routine taking of blood, a trainee nurse had managed to let quite a bit of air into his vein. He had a golf ball sized bubble of air in his one vein and they had to keep him at the hospital for about 9 hours for observation.The doctor later confessed that it could have been fatal. Needless to say, Stef's been wary of hospitals ever since.

I have a feeling that he's not going to be the best of patients to look after as he's already saying what he needs before the surgery has even happened - movies, food, constant backrubs... He still needs to tell me how backrubs are going to help the healing of his hand.

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Posted in Stefan

This morning I was awakened by my phone ringing at 11:00 am.

"Oh gawd! Don't you believe in sleeping in?"

"Get up. I am picking you up in 10 minutes."

"What? Let me go in the shower."

"No shower! Get dressed. I am coming now."

That Jill. She may be little but she can sure crack the whip when she needs to. Sure enough, she was outside my building in 10 minutes and off we went to a great little brunch place called Maggie's. From the outside, it didn't look like much of a restaurant but the place was hoping and busy with a line up outside. The eggs benedict? Picture two perfectly cooked eggs benedict atop peameal bacon and toasted English muffins. Gypsy sauce (tomato, garlic, fresh basil) on the side with some fresh fruit. Divine!

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Posted in Joy-Friends

The footy boys were out on their annual footy trip.

The girls decided we would have a girls night to celebrate the boys being gone.

Good times had by all.

Sushi and drinks at my place.

Club hopping or more aptly, line jumping between two clubs.

Brave maneuvering in a crowded bar.

Rejected at the rippers.

After drinks at my place.

Last dance to Chasing Cars (by Snow Patrol) with Mindy.

Bedtime at 4 a.m.

Eggs benedict tomorrow when we actually wake up.

Good times.....

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Posted in Joy-Friends

Stefan seems to have just left the apartment without saying goodbye to Mindy.

That was an interesting move on his part. I wonder what thing of his she's going to poop on when she discovers that (a) he's not home, (b) he's not going to be home for a couple of days and (c) he didn't kiss her goodbye.

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Posted in Mindy-Lou, Stefan

Yes. I have indeed become one of those "crazy cat" mamas who talk about their cats. Stefan always warned me about that when I first started my blog. Oh well. It is what it is.

I am always constantly amazed how human like cats can be. I grew up with dogs and dogs are definitely the simpler animal to take care of. They just don't hold grudges the way cats do.

Anyway, I don't know what it is about Mindy but when she's annoyed she poops in random places. Usually on something that Stefan and I particularly like. If she's pissed with either one of us, she'll wait until we're cleaning and take out our favourite piece of clothing or most often, our favourite shoes and poop on/in them. This usually happens when either one of us are travelling. When I was travelling all the time, I had to remind Stefan to put all my things away. I think her tolerance for either one of us being away is about 7 days and then she just rages through her poop. When Stef was away for a month in Australia last year, almost all his favourite things got pooped on and then she refused to acknowledge his presence for about 3 days when he got home. He would cajole, tempt her with treats and she would just look at him in the haughtiest manner, eat her treat and then flick his face with her tail as if to say,"You still have not been forgiven, peon!"

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Posted in Mindy-Lou

I am constantly grateful for where I grew up and whom I grew up with. The food in Malaysia is so unbelievably diverse that you cannot help but be open about food. Having been colonized by the Dutch, Portuguese, then the British and with traders coming from all over the world, our meals were often punctuated by everyone who had left a bit of their cultures behind. I thank my mother for having this amazing passion for food and for passing it down to her children.

Stefan is going away for his annual boys trip this weekend. As much as I'll miss him, I do enjoy my solitary time and meals without him. I get to test cook and eat whatever I want. Not that I am obligated to cook for him in any way, there are many times when I've just felt like cooking something knowing that he won't eat it. He's fully capable of looking after himself. That and Mama Kang always provides a freezer full of "Stefan's Emergency Food When Karen Is Too Busy To Cook Or When She Is Away" for him. I don't know why she spoils him so much, I guess she just hates that he'll eat canned food. Little does she know that canned food such as Alpha-Ghetti is his comfort food.

Tonight, knowing that Stefan would be working late, I had a very delightful light dinner of freshly shucked oysters, mache salad with marinated spanish onions and vine tomatoes, and moules provencale. This was accompanied by toasted freshly baked french baguette slathered with butter and a glass of sauvignon blanc.

Bliss.

I wonder what other meals I will be making while he's gone.

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Posted in Homage to Hunger, Stefan

This is how knitting little Ryo's scarf has been going -

Knit Knit Knit
Unravel unravel unravel
Knit Knit Knit
Dropped a stitch
Dang!
Unravel unravel unravel
Knit Knit Knit
Added a stitch
Double Dang!
Unravel unravel unravel
Knit Knit Knit
Don't like the stitch
Unravel unravel unravel

Big Sigh.

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Posted in Needles, Bows and Toes

I've decided to create a whole new category because sometimes (a lot of times) when boys do or say something, I really feel like they are complete aliens. Either that or some parts of their brains just aren't wired the proper way. Here is a recent example -

Me: OHMYGAWD!!! I lost a diamond in my ring...
Stef: Don't be ridiculous. Are you sure?
Me: Of course I am sure. There is a HOLE in my ring.
Stef: Let me see. Looks. I don't see anything.
Me: Right there. A BIG HOLE.

After a while.

Stef: Oh yeah..... How could you tell? It's so shiny. Do we have to replace it? Maybe no one will notice.

Turns to look at me.

Big puppy eyes look at him with tears welling up.

BIG SIGH

Stef: Go get it replaced and tell him to put it on my credit card.

I really can't believe he didn't notice right away. Every girlfriend I showed the ring to noticed immediately and all the boys had the same duh! reaction as Stef.

So, now Blinger (if you don't remember, that's the name our friends gave my ring) is at the hospital after suffering some blunt force trauma. Not really sure when I am getting it back. It's funny how you don't realize how used you are to things until they are no longer there.

My finger feels naked and I keep thinking that I've inadvertently left it somewhere. Or when other women see me walking with Stef, they think that I am some big floozy ho messing with
a married man. Because that's what I think when I see other ringless women with ring wearing men.

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Posted in Girls Are From Earth, Boys Are From La La Land, Stefan

I am knitting again.

It's finally been cool enough for me to pick up the needles. Yes, everyone. It's the annual "Karen torturing herself" by trying to knit. I love and rue the day my girlfriends ever taught me to do this. I just don't have that patient nature needed to do this stuff.

Do you guys ever wonder how knitting ever got invented? I always wonder random things like that. Like luging. Who was the first person who woke up one morning and said,"You know what would be a good idea? If I throw myself face down on a piece of wood that I can't control, onto ice going downhill. I think that's going to be loads of fun"

So, who do you think was the first person who said,"I feel like shaving a sheep. And just for the heck of it, I am going to take the fur and spin it and make it into string. Then I will take two sticks and try to knot it all together to see whether something comes out from it. And maybe one day in the far future, it will torture a girl named Karen to depths of her soul. Her husband will be forever ducking flying needles and balls of yarn in her fits of frustration. I think that's going to be my life goal."

In fact, I am going to google that question right now. I.MUST.KNOW.

That being said, I am actually enjoying this knitting project. I am trying to make a scarf and beenie for Ryo. I can't help but giggle everytime I look at the scarf, because I've never knitted anything that small. I am having a really hard time finding a basic beenie hat pattern. If anyone out there has a completely idiot proof, and I really mean idiot, incompetent knitter, so easy my dog could do it pattern, could you send it my way?

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Posted in Needles, Bows and Toes

Marie asked me to be Ryo's godmother. Can you imagine? Me!

I am SO honored. I cried, when she let me know. My gawd, I've been crying since the day this kid was born. Even though Marie says I don't have to do anything special. It's just because I am special to her....

Overwhelmed.

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Posted in Joy-Friends

Stefan always knows that I like nothing more than random pieces of information. Look what he just sent me! Isn't this the craziest sight? Thumbelina is only 17 inches high and was born at 8 lbs, which is the size of a human baby. You can read the rest of the story here.

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Posted in Randomness

S: So, what are we having?
K: The usual - clams in spicy black bean sauce, snow pea leaves sauteed with garlic, Korean BBQ short ribs, crab....
S: For Thanksgiving?
K: We're asian....

Later on....

K: Can you please feed Mindy? She gets wet food today...Turkey...
S: Hey, how come she gets turkey?
K: She's only half-Asian...

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Posted in Family Shenanigans, Homage to Hunger

We had the OAFL Grand Finals this Saturday and sad to report but the team lost. Not really sure what happened, whether it was finals jitters but we were outplayed during the first half. We definitely outplayed them the second half but it was too late to catch up in points. Regardless of the results, I was very proud of our team since we were kind of the league underdogs.

I always joked how our team always consisted of older (average age of the team is 30), white collared men. We were a team of financial analysts, accountants (SO many accountants on our team!) entrepreneurs etc. Why couldn't we get a metal worker or a fireman who was 20 like the other teams? We started off the season, just deciding that we would have fun no matter what and basically, the more fun we had off field, the more victories we had on field.

It has been such a fun summer for many of us. It used to be that we would all just be summer friends, kind of like camp but in the past years, many of us both players and girls, have formed friendships beyond the field. I am sure there will be many more winter silliness to come. Here are pictures from our losing party. We may be losers but we sure know how to celebrate losing.

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Posted in Joy-Friends

Man, this entry was this close to being entered under the "What's Bugging Me" category. Only because the Fall masthead and colours were done a couple of months ago. Stefan has been very busy at work and hadn't been able to do it. This has gotten me thinking that I should just learn the CSS stuff needed to do it myself. I am an independent woman, right? Hear me roar!

Although in all fairness, he does do it for free...

So, as you can see by the design, I've really been inspired by all over print. Interestingly enough, I saw a lot of it in Spring 2007 fashions as well. I am looking forward to mixing patterns and prints in my wardrobe. Other prints and patterns that I've been seeing and loving on Flickr -

Duck Egg
Printing Blocks
Window Frost
Temple of Heaven
Sweet Horse Chestnut Droop Pattern 2006

The background patterns in this design were provided by the ever talented Squidfingers.

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Posted in Delectable Design

I woke up to the sweet sounds of......HOCKEY HIGHLIGHTS!

Ye Gads! Is it really that time of the year again? I feel like the season just ended. I can honestly say that one of the best years I have lived so far included the year that the NHL was on strike.

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Posted in Glued To The Tube, What's Buggin' Me

Seriously.

Is it just me or is the new season of Grey's Anatomy sucking ass? Maybe it was just way too hyped up from the last season and they are facing the third year slump? This is what is bugging me about the show, (other than the generally lackluster dialogue and storyline) I hate that they're doing this whole Meredith, McDreamy and Finn trying to date story. What are we, stupid? You know she's just going to pick McDreamy at the end because Finn is too nice and appropriate. I don't like how Dr. Bailey is getting all soft and emotional and Izzie? If I have to see her tearful, woebegone face one more time....it makes me want to slap her character. If you ask me, this whole Denny dying thing is completely her fault to begin with, and she should just suck it up. And Yang being emotionless and uncaring was amusing for two seasons but surely at some point, someone's iciness is bound to melt? Even a little?

I don't know. Maybe I am just being a grumpy pants because my favourite show is putting me to sleep. It takes everything for me not to channel surf and back in the day, you would have to pry me away from the TV. I just think they're trying too hard to make it "fantastic" and not just going with what worked in the first place.

At least there's the new hotty Mark to watch out for and the music still rocks.

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Posted in Glued To The Tube

My brother Kelvin just reminded me that I haven't done my annual birthday tribute for my brother, Ken. Man, everytime I write our names, I am always embarassed that we are all "K" names.

Anyway, Ken and I almost share a birthday and I would like to say that we have been close because of it, but this was not true until I was in my late teens. I think because we liked being a pain in each other's ass too much with our 6 year age difference.

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Posted in Family Shenanigans

I was going to be all sage and talk about the truths that I've learnt about myself these 29 years but instead I am going to write about my life list. I had stumbled on to the Ellen show sometime last week and was captivated by her opening story about someone fulfilling something on her "life list." Not being a regular watcher of this show, I didn't really know what they were talking about. The whole thing is about how people should actually write a list of what they would like to do because the act of writing makes you more apt to do it. During this show, a woman had said she wanted to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and she had recently done it with her husband.

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Posted in Me-ness

I turned 29 this Sunday. This is the last year of my twenties, (woo hoo!) and then I have my thirties to look forward to. The funny thing is, I've been telling people I was 30 since I was 25, not for any reason other than the fact that I lost track after the quarter milestone age. Stefan would often say, "Sweetie. People usually lie down about their age, not up."

Anyway, celebrations started early with the footy team making it to the finals next week. You can imagine what the mood was like at our party later on that night. At some point, the team started singing their team song and the other non-footy guests were left surprised and stunned. "Are we supposed to know the words?" many of them asked later. Around midnight, the boys led a rousing, slightly out of tune "Happy Birthday" and it was all very, very sweet.

I managed to also catch up with a lot of other friends that I haven't seen in awhile. I was utterly spoiled with great food provided by our friend Richie and had lots of lovely little presents. My favourite by far was when individual footy boys pulled me aside and told me how much they appreciate me and that I was such an integral part of the team. It's nice to know that they appreciate the fact that I support them. Also, boys usually don't talk about "feelings" so that made it extra sweet.

The party ended around 5 a.m and we went to bed around 6 or so. That's because I had decided to clean up after the party. It was the BEST decision because there is nothing worse than waking up to an alcohol tinged mess. I think that's going to be my new policy whenever I have a party again. I wish I took more photos of the night...

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Posted in Joy-Friends, Me-ness