Starbucks - 40th anniversary

Seen @ Yum Sugar

Who will drink to 40 years of Starbucks? and A changed Starbucks. A changed CEO. These were the two articles that I poured over today. These articles are good case studies for such a global brand like Starbucks. Here in Malaysia, it seems that Starbucks is going strong - in my area alone, there are two Starbucks outlets.

Am trying to cut down my Starbucks intake by perhaps once or twice a month since it is rather expensive but it is quite hard since I am quite used to chilling out at Starbucks with friends but in order to save more {damn inflation and the rising costs of living} I would need to cut down.Doesn't help that I have taken a liking to their new Cocoa Cappuccino *snickers*

Anyways, happy reading folks!

Seen @ Starbucks, Singapore 

Remember: "Hoarding & Collecting is not a crime. It is an art!"

Career Personality Test

Career Personality Test

My Result: ISFJ

That means that based on the standard measure of personality traits, you are a strong team player and believe the needs of the group come before the individual. You generally care about the people around you, which allows you to provide a personal touch at your workplace. That sense of caring allows you to feel personal accomplishment and acceptance from your co-workers who know they can turn to you for help. You are generous with your time and spirit and look to make the present moment better for everyone.

Your emotional strength combined with a pragmatic approach to work makes you a strong asset. You don't like juggling multiple projects at once and would rather get one project off your desk at a time. Because of your internal value system, you don't need false flattery from others. You have a strong work ethic and inspire others by your example. Because of this, you are a strong leader on any team. To you, your work speaks for itself.

I took this test ages ago somewhere in 2005

and you know what? It's still very relevant.

I just wish my bosses could see this and 

compensate me for the work that I have delivered. 

I will continue to pray for a better career path for not only myself, 

but for B, my brother and my family and friends.

No Longer a Baby

Another weekend has flown by and in two days time I will be in the Philippines to celebrate my brother's wedding. I am excited! A Holiday + A Destination Wedding + Family Time + B time... what's there not to love? 

The only sad part is that Belle the beagle would have to go to doggy day care. We have been blessed to have met Elizabeth, who takes care of dogs in her family home. There is a big garden for the dogs to roam and play, a shaded porch for hot afternoons and a cool house where they can roam free. She even allowed Belle the luxury of sleeping with her last night when we decided to put Belle there for a night to just get her used to being at Elizabeth's while we are away {Belle suffers from slight socialising disabilities - we have a feeling she thinks that she is human and hence is afraid and can't quite connect with other dogs but she is heaps better now}. 

This weekend, I managed successfully to get most of the things done for the trip {including a new luggage bag - black - but with 4 wheels for easy maneuvering}. I also spent quite a bit of time with my family and B's family which was great, spent the whole of Saturday night with my girlfriends and their other halves over drinks and cake and of course, it was awesome to spend time with B as well. I love doing the everyday things with him. Spending time with him is new everyday *smiles smiles* I wish the weekend did not have to end as I still have a couple more things to do... well there is always today and Tuesday I suppose.

Am leaving you with two photos of my baby Belle {who is no longer a baby}. She looks super cute. Don't you want to hug this cute little {Ok, I lie. She is NOT little} beagle! 

Belle & I share a *hug hug*

Belle in her all time favourite place ~ the kitchen

Remember: "Hoarding & Collecting is not a crime. It is an art!" 

Interior Ideas #10 - Bohemian Rhapsody

Seen @ Little Lovables

This Bohemian Rhapsody of a home belongs to the photographer Debi Treloar. I don't quite know where to start about this beautiful home with its awesome shocks of colours and textures. For some reason, the house just screams this to me 'live life'. At times I feel as if I can't accept this mismatched colours, fabrics, patterns and knick knacks... but upon closer inspection, it kinda gels together to create a masterpiece! *grin grin* 


I heart the mismatched chairs, the turquoise wall and sideboard, the cutlery in all its shapes, colours and sizes, natural light, the canopy bed and chandelier, the turquoise Chinese lantern and heaps more *smiles smiles* a very very cool place to live, no?

Remember: "Hoarding & Collecting is not a crime. It is an art!" 

Photo Pick #1 - It's Fresh Fresh!

Seen @ Seattle Homes Mag

Simple. Fresh. 

I heart!

Projects Galore!

Let perseverance be your engine
and hope your fuel.

H. Jackson Brown Jr. 

I have decided to put all worries aside and leave them to Him ~ He has after all been my strength, my comforter, my friend and my shield. Plus, with heaps of Projects taking place all at once and having so many ideas and at the same time dealing with the likes of procrastination, poor time management, crappy work issues, cake and etc. etc. getting in the way, I thought I would move on to happy happy things and just do a quick update on my Project’s progress and some of the things I will {hopefully} be doing.

So without further ado *insert drumroll*

Here is my “Princess Project-Project Self improvement-Project Love Nest-Project Happily Ever After-Project Let’s Create” updates/would like to get done List:

* The Princess Project

The Princess Project is … Well it’s not working *sob sob* Ok… so it’s my fault I was lazy to put on those beauty products, and stuffed yet another cookie into my mouth and took another lick of Baskin Robbins. It’s so hard!!! So So hard!!! *gulp* *sniff* *sob* Will have to try harder I suppose.

Goodbye rice! Goodbye 3-in1 coffee! 

Goodbye cookies! Goodbye ice cream! Good bye cake!

Hello protein! Hello plain healthy cornflakes! 

Hello milk! Hello fruits!

* Project Self improvement

Reading 3 informative articles a day {have a stack to go through since 2007!}. Reading books {non-chick lit} to gather more information on business, marketing and branding. To also read up on case studies.

* Project Love Nest

Working on a list to track our expenses for the Love Nest.

Gotta start packing my stuff, buying new storage solutions and odds and ends for the Love Nest.

Am hoping to get the Love Nest in a homey state by end July with a Love Nest warming in late July/early August perhaps!

Also hoping to get a jumble sale going to let go of the things I can no longer afford to keep {Watch out for more info on this. I have heaps of good bargains in store!}.

* Project Happily Ever After

Browse through bridal websites and magazines daily for Project Happily Ever After inspiration {Am currently indulging in BRIDES Feb 2011 issue} --- ideas are most welcome!!!

Develop lists on work flow, things to do and expenses incurred.

Selecting vendors and finalizing ideas.

Working on guest lists and entourage stuff.

* Project Let’s Create
Organise! Organise! Organise!

I really need to get my supplies, paper and odds and ends sorted. The Love Nest is not very large so I need to really think about effective space organization and also how to cart everything there. I may even unearth some long forgotten treasures from my piles of suppliers *snickers*

Would love to have a cosy, functional home office {see ideas here, here, here, here and here} and am going to try my best to create a nice cosy space for B and I.

Start work on some projects.

Am thinking doing a “Love Nest” mini album which shows how the nest looked like before and after *smiles smiles*

I have a few more ideas for the “Let’s Create” part of my life and will share that in up-coming posts. 

Should start seriously creating something instead of just buying supplies! {stop nodding your head B ~ huhuhuhu!}

Do you see the immensity of the Projects?

*egad* *gulp*

But then I am DW. And I will get this done! *woot woot*

Or some of it anyways… day by day… slowly but surely…

Pray for me. Wish me luck. Lend a hand perhaps?

*hehehe*

 Remember: "Hoarding & Collecting is not a crime. It is an art!"

things on my mind

I wanted to blog about a lot of good things today since I am on emergency leave today and had some free time... but the words and the feeling of bubbly happiness passed me by. 

I try not to feel like this and it has been some time since I felt this lump in my heart and such a dash in my spirit. It all started with a simple conversation between my colleagues and I but ended up in my 'career roadmap' being severely detoured to say the least. Besides finding out about said detour, I have to contend with the fact that I am being underpaid. 

I feel short changed. I feel angry. I feel let down. I feel disappointed. I feel small. I feel useless. I feel like I am being pushed in a direction which I am not quite happy to take. 

I really really hate this feeling. I feel as if I am not good enough and I question my worth which I hate to do. *sniff sniff* I don't want to sulk at this pity party for one but it's a challenge for me to grin and bear it all and inject that good old team spirit and passion in my job.

Tomorrow marks a new day. No more blogging during office hours I guess though I hope I can manage to squeeze some minutes to do so here and there during lunch at the very least.

I must remind myself that there is much to look forward to and much to be thankful and happy about. I must keep my spirits up and know that God, my rock and strength will lead me to the path that He has chosen for me. In the mean time, I just have to pray for patience, intervention and perseverance and do my best and keep doing that smiling-everything-is-okay act, so much so that I will believe that it is all real.

Pray for me?

Friday Snippets

Gloomy. Wet. Cold. Rainy. Weak sunlight.

That’s how it has been this Friday.

Had lunches with B at one of the stalls near my office.

It was quite empty, unlike the usual hustle and bustle over space.

After lunches munches, we had coffee @ Coffeebean
{one peach latte for me ~ yums} and talked 
about Project Happily Ever After.

Am getting more excited slowly but surely about 
Project Happily Ever After

though am a little overwhelmed at the enormity of the project.

This is way BIGGER than branch launches in 
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City!!!

Plus, one tends to set the bar higher for one’s own personal events!

Anyways, I am sure once I put it all down onto paper

{Yay! Lists making time}, things will be  less crazy and scary.

One of my colleagues is leaving the hovel. I will miss her.

I am comforted that she is moving to another company

that is not that far away and we can still meet up for lunch.

I have been interweb surfing again {my boss is on 2 weeks MC}.

Felt guilty and made a plan of what I was going 
to do for the rest of the year and

did heaps of spring cleaning and filing  which is good.

I feel neater and more efficient already.

Note to self: MUST replicate this process at home!

On to interweb surfing… it seems that the more websurfing I do,

the more inspired I get which is just an awesome feeling.

Hurdles in my path include but is not limited to: procrastination,

Poor time management, bad organisation for arts and crafts, abundant distractions.

*snickers*

I should really find something work related to do.

Btw, “Kung Fu Panda 2” was pretty good.

Inner Peace! Inner Peace!

Happy Friday peeps!

I can smell the weekend... 

its smells like productivity and lemon poppy seed cake...

*huhuhuhu*

Remember: "Hoarding & Collecting is not a crime. It is an art!"