On my List Of Favorites today:

~ Hot chocolate with peppermint
~ A heaping spoonful of peanut butter, drizzled with honey or topped with jelly

~ Chicken curry

~ Hot tea

~ My warm and soft sweatshirt

~ School

 

Yeap.
The Christmas Tree is up and the tree topper is the show.
I am happy. I can stare at the tree and be very pleased...
My Christmas shopping is almost done too!! Now, I am just working on the gifts for the men. :)
I am excited and I can't wait for Christmas to be here!!

I am having a ball here in Arkansas, visiting my somewhat surrogate family members.

I saw Keith's cousins and their husbands and kids, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters and new puppies.

It has all been really good -- food, the visiting, the conversations.

I heard dating stories and family stories and more growing up stories. I heard conversations about the known, the unknown and the unknowable, the math, the atoms, the equations. And of course, plenty about politics and history. It has all been enriching.

 

A few days ago, someone asked me when my mom is gonna meet Keith -- the future son-in-law.
Oh no, oh my, what is she thinking?
Perhaps this is what many people (friends and family members) think about -- where is this leading to, are they ever going to get together?

This is what I think, and I hope, will quell anymore questions.
Honestly, the idea of marriage is growing more and more distant for me. It is not that I am afraid of getting married. But, I am perfectly happy with how things are right now for me. I am happy with life, I am happy with what I do daily. Getting married means getting tied down, means not being that mobile anymore. It also means having to break the news to my folks that I am not going back to Singapore (if I got married to someone not from Singapore). Right now, I still hav the dream and the hope of an eventual return to home for good, to settle down. And so does my parents.
Also, if a marriage works out fine and well, it is all good news. But if it doesn't, it will be messy. You will have to split, you will have to decide what to do with assets, kids and of coz' your life. Things are really going great for me and for him. If we can get along, great, we will continue to have dinners, spend our days together. If it doesn't go well, we will just part our ways and I will take what's mine and he will take what's his. No papers to sign, kids to split, or assets to worry about.
And to be practical, being married kinda only benefits women. The women get the security of knowing she and her kids will be taken care of. But what does a man stands to gain? On a biological, innate way of looking at nature, a man's instinct is to procreate - to inject into the world more of his own kind, to spread his genes. In a marriage, he gets tied down to one woman. He limits what he could otherwise do. But of coz' that is against nature, so he cheats. The woman gets upset, they get divorced, the kids get hurt, the kids grow rebellious, and social problems arise. That, in itself, is pretty scary. 

Some people may say I am just worried about committment, about committing myself to a person. Of course, I do not think this is true, for if I am afraid, I wouldn't have been in this relationship for quite a while. 
The bottom line is, things are going great the way it is going. And it is working out well for us. Just because everyone is doing it doesn't mean I will go out and run out there to do the same thing. I am not afraid of getting married, and I do want to do it eventually, but don't rush us or anyone else. When it comes, it comes. Dating for 2 years, 3 years, 5 years or 10 years doesn't mean a couple will get married. Just because it seems like it is time, doesn't mean it is the right time, or that he or she is the right one.
Do not assume that marriage is the only end to the journey of dating.
Do not think that getting married or having children will keep the man with you.
Let nature takes it course. Whatever will be, will be.

I hope I have made myself clear in this entry.
I hope you understand my point of view and respect my point of view.
When it comes, it comes.
I am not worried about not getting married, I am not really in a rush. So, please don't rush me or worry about me.
I am loving life the way it is now, and I am going to enjoy every minute of it. I am not going to fret over a dream or what I have no control over.
So friends and families, love and respect what I do, love and respect what I love now, and love and respect my decisions, and love and respect the fact that marriage is not on the top of my priorty list. Life without marriage is just fine and going well for me.
When I am ready, I will be ready.
I don't rush you to get married, so don't rush me either.
Have a good day. And for those who are getting married, u guys have lots of fun!

We just had a great dinner.
This is the menu for the night:

1) Chicken curry
2) Curried garbanzo beans

3) Cranberry cobbler

 

Enjoy ... (I mean, the pictures)

Hey y'all,

How was your Sunday?
Mine was absolutely wonderful. I worked hard at cleaning and managed to get the dining room straightened up, together with the cabinets.
And I went to visit a friend whom I haven't seen in a long time. It was great to see her again.
We chatted and had dinner. It was nice, easy and relaxing.
I had a great time... and definitely, a great sunday.
And I hope u had a good one too!

Hey Girl ...

Happy Graduation!!!!
Check out your pictures of the party...
Have a great day!!

Oooooh... the so-called dreaded week is just round the corner.

I don't think I am ultra-stressed. But I am, well, concerned about my grades and about how I will do this very first quarter.
I want to come in with a bang, and of coz, leave with a bang too.

 

Nevertheless... as those who know me well ... (wink wink JoyJoy)
I have some ridiculous, uncontrollable cravings not even a pregnant lady can match ..

Just today, I have had 3 rootbeer floats ... oh man!!! It is so good... so sweet and cold and creamily good!!!!!

I have been eating philly strawberry cream cheese spread by the spoonfuls .... and some salty creamy peanut butter too ...
Drank too much tea with sugar and milk. They are absolutely a delight in this cold weather ...

Had half a roll of this pumpkin cheese roll cake thingy that is so rich and creamy
I just need some good ol' regular chocolate -- the fruit and nut kind ... :)

yeah.. my stomach is about to burst ...

have a great saturday!!!

AND i wished it was Sunday... cos its my fun day...

This week will be hectic... very hectic.
I am here, taking my 30 minute break from school, before I continue with my research paper.
My birthday wish came true -- partly..
I finished my 45-page Chapter 1... and I have my chapter 2 started... I am keeping my fingers crossed.
I need to get this done.

Gonna hav a presentation tomorrow ... presenting a case study of a client, who is displaying phonological processes disorder.
I think I have all the needed materials, and ideas and knowledge, but I am not sure if I can stand up to the pressure, think quick on my toes and furnish accurate information. 

 

Then, we have log sheets due, quarterly treatment report due, clinical journal due, paper due, comprehensive exams starting...
The list just goes on...
I am gonna work really hard... No choice. Just gotto do it!

 

Saddam is sentenced to be hanged.
Kinda glad that he is getting what he deserved.
What do you think?

 

 

It used to be all about staying up on the eve of the birthday, and making through the stroke of midnight where friends will call and say "Happy Birthday." Birthday eves were all about getting a good meal with mom, then hitting the clubs with friends.
While this year, I did have the very good intention of staying up past midnight on the eve of my birthday so I could work on my paper(not party), I fell asleep at 10 p.m., right beside the fireplace, with my research journal articles in front of me, the dvd about bile and digestion is going on in the dvd player, and the gentle crackling of the burning logs.

And now, the birthday morning.
I didn't wake up with a hangover, or with a urge to puke.
I woke up, bright and happy, brought in more logs and kept the fire going.
Sitting next to the fireplace, with my hot tea, my laptop and the research journals, it has been a nice chilly morning.