I don't know if it's because of the medication I'm taking, or the chicken pox, but I feel so listless and tired. I'm sleeping all the time. On top of that, I've got zero appetitie. Everything tastes awful and there's a bitter lingering taste in my mouth. YUCK!

It's just been gallons of barley water, fruit juice, good ole' water, with some fruits and oatmeal thrown in. I can't eat much cause if I do, I get this really tight sick feeling in my stomach and a massive urge to throw up. But good news is, I've lost some weight! LOL!

On another note: I've heard from friends at my just recently left company, that the new girl they've got to replace me has been back-stabbing me. The new girl, H who I've met and did a 3-day massive handover, has been telling my ex-boss that I didn't do my work properly. I'm so pissed!! I can't really call and complain, can I? I've been advised to ignore her. Until I heard that she did the same thing with another friend who just left. If she thinks bad-mouthing people will get her ahead and into my ex-boss' good books - fine. What goes around, comes around. But I'm still mad!!

1 March - She's resigned and left today!! Too much stress and I feel, too overwhelmed with what's on her plate. HA!

I've never felt more ugly in my life!! Waaaaaahhh!!

I look like a freak. I'm feeling miserable. I'm itchy and TRYING NOT to scratch. I've got angry red spots all over especially on my face. I feel barely human. Call me Ms Itchy Spot. Itchy to my friends.

And mine are particularly wonderful. Not only are they offering a load of advice, their merriment at this episode ('How can you be have chicken pox now?' 'What? You've never had it before?' Do you know only little kids get it?' 'You're going to get itchy but don't scratch!') has forced me to laugh right along with them. Sheesh! Thanks guys!!

I've been told to avoid seafood, eggs and chicken. Also dark soya sauce (?). Just a few of an array of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) do's and don't's. Anything else I should or should not do or eat?

Good thing I have my trusty Mac, an internet connection, at least half a dozen books to read AND the entire first season of Battlestar Galatica on DVD from B, or I'll be going crazy over the next 14 days!

I've got chicken pox!! Can my luck be any better?

I'm suppose to start my new job this Monday but I'm now quarantined for 2 weeks! Arrrghhh! Have spoken to my new boss and he was quite nice about it. Told me to rest and not worry.

That's not the point! I have chicken freaking pox!!! Why now? Grrr...!

Just returned from a delicious Japanese dinner. Four girls and 1 husband downed schools of fish, barrels of tofu and about 2 litres of cold sake. That, silly jokes and a close friendship made for a very merry evening.

Only now, in the shower, I noticed angry little red spots on my tummy, chest, near my neck, with a sprinkling on my back. I freaked (mildly freaking now)! Oh no....could it be? Please no... Not chicken pox! You see, I've never had it!!!

After finding a friend online at MSN who's had the pox, she reassured me that it's most probably allegies. Too much seafood at one time. The pox looks different, quite unlike what I described. I felt somewhat better.

Another friend advised me to drink loads of water which I just did. I've also realised that I've NOT had much water the whole day today. Maybe 1/2 cup and a cup coffee in the morning and a cup of ginger tea in the late afternoon. Then that sake overload. Could be a lack of water too.

I'm going to sleep on it and see how the spots are in the morning. Wish me luck.

This is NOT a good evening...not one bit. Why do I even bother?

You may know I have a thing for all stuff made by Apple but with 100 iPods sold a minute around the world, those little white and black gizmos are now in nearly every man's pocket. Too common. I'm looking for something different.

And this purple beauty caught my eye. It's a Sony (took them long enough to make one!). It's smaller and has a longer battery life. What it doesn't have is a color screen which if you only use it to play music, you don't need.

I have to find one, test it out...and let you know.

22/2 - Omigosh! These things are really gorgeous, especially the purple one which is a rich violet! And it's much cooler than the iPod (sorry Apple!). BUT... and yes, there's a but. THEY DON'T WORK ON MACS! My heart sank when I heard that. *Pout!*

It's a little grungy and a tad lopsided right now, but there is a whole chorus of songs within.

First day of freedom and I get sick!

The flu bug it seems lies in wait for this very moment. It doesn't strike when I'm at work, when I'd welcome a bit of down time. Oh no! It bites just as I'm about to begin a 10-day break in Couchpotatodom. The sneezing (6 times in a row!)...the beginnings of a sore throat...the overall feeling of crappiness! I'm suppose to have fun this week and now this. Arrghhhh!

Someone up there has a wicked sense of humour.

Yesterday was my last day. I've officially been released from all employment and other company obligations. Can you see the big grin on my face?

Now to enjoy my break.

To my last day at my present company. I've got much to look forward to but for the next couple of days, it's going to be tough. I have a tons of things to handover, stuff to label and record, and general tidying up of studio area in preparation of the next guy to sit in my seat. On top of all that, I hate saying goodbye. I've enjoyed being part of a great team. I've learned a lot, made some good friends but it's time to move on.

Fooling around with IllustratorCS and trying to get comfortable with this software.

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97.

Wear Sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone. Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody's else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you take, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

~ Mary Schmich, The Chicago Tribune, June 1, 1997.


Many thanks to Snog Blog for posting this. I remember getting goosebumps when I first heard it. It played a lot on the radio before fading into the urban subconciousness.

Usually at odd times during the year, I'll get an surprise phone call from an old friend (she loves doing this!). And I got one today.

Karen and I go WAY back, first meeting when we were 5 years old in kindergarden. We reconnected when we were 17, discovered our shared history on a bus ride, and have been friends ever since.

She's now living in Hong Kong with her husband and two sons. Twice a year they'll visit Singapore to see her parents and the rest of her family. That's when we get together for a major gabfest. Tonight was no different. For nearly 5 hours, we caught up on each other's lives over dinner, dessert and coffee. Like a strip of paper, the months apart fold back together, and we carry on from the point where we last left off.

I believe we have an amazing friendship and she's someone I'm blessed to have in my life.

Note to self: 2:54AM - Next time remember to order DECAF coffee!!

Stumbled across PBCB Studio and the treasure chest he has there. His blog has tons of experimental scribbles and really good links to other illustrators, many of whom work with either Pixar or Disney. Check out his studio too while you're there.