If for a moment God would forget that I am a rag doll and give me a scrap of life, possibly I would not say everything that I think, but I would definitely think everything that I say.

I would value things not for how much they are worth but rather for what they mean.

I would sleep little, dream more. I know that for each minute that we close our eyes we lose sixty seconds of light.

I would walk when the others loiter; I would awaken when the others sleep.

I would listen when the others speak, and how I would enjoy a good chocolate ice cream.

If God would bestow on me a scrap of life, I would dress simply, I would throw myself flat under the sun, exposing not only my body but also my soul.

My God, if I had a heart, I would write my hatred on ice and wait for the sun to come out. With a dream of Van Gogh I would paint on the stars a poem by Benedetti, and a song by Serrat would be my serenade to the moon.

With my tears I would water the roses, to feel the pain of their thorns and the incarnated kiss of their petals...My God, if I only had a scrap of life...

I wouldn't let a single day go by without saying to people I love, that I love them.

I would convince each woman or man that they are my favourites and I would live in love with love.

I would prove to the men how mistaken they are in thinking that they no longer fall in love when they grow old--not knowing that they grow old when they stop falling in love. To a child I would give wings, but I would let him learn how to fly by himself. To the old I would teach that death comes not with old age but with forgetting. I have learned so much from you men....

I have learned that everybody wants to live at the top of the mountain without realizing that true happiness lies in the way we climb the slope.

I have learned that when a newborn first squeezes his father's finger in his tiny fist, he has caught him forever.

I have learned that a man only has the right to look down on another man when it is to help him to stand up. I have learned so many things from you, but in the end most of it will be no use because when they put me inside that suitcase, unfortunately I will be dying.

A client of ours, Mr Tan, whom we have delayed to deliver our work for him since the past 5 months texted me as early as 5:37am this morning. He’s our sub-con’s contact. I have only seen him thrice in my whole life so far at our showroom. His image has even become indistinct in my mind. All I could remember is he likes Cher very much when he saw her at our showroom last time. He claimed that he loves children, even though he has children of his own. I’m a little doubtful about his behavior. Maybe I’m a little too sensitive because he’s one of our most “patient” clients with our delayed work.

He told me not to be alerted with his extremely early text in the morning, he just happened to wake up early & thought about us. I replied courteously & quickly changed subject to business in my reply to him. He said I was “cute” to talk about business this early. I just don’t want to be too personal with a client, especially a married man. (Well, I assume he’s married since he has children of his own, even though I have not seen his wife before) Funny guy!

After we ended with 3 texts to each other, I somehow thought of “him”. I wondered & texted him: Have I ever come into your mind 1st thing in the morning?

There was no reply.

What does it mean when someone only thinks of us in the wee hours at night?? Correct me if my assumption is wrong: this is not love, it’s loneliness..

How do I expect my child to be disciplined when I fail myself?

This was the 1st time Cher was so self-disciplined to wake up without another 5 minutes, wash up, get dressed, tie up her hair & all set for her 1st Taekwondo upgrading. The drizzling didn’t damper her enthusiasm. She has just started joining Taekwondo 3 months ago in her school on every Saturday morning ~ I even had to request an assurance from her teachers if she’s ready for the upgrading examination. Lazing in the bed in the morning is a luxury for us. So we get excited whenever there are public holidays! Sunday? Attend to morning church service..

The last time I’ve seen Cher so dedicated in something was during her swimming lessons at a private premise. Unfortunately I have stopped sending her for the weekend lessons because a cheap coaching like that was overwhelmed ~ the small pool was too crowded. At least she’s not aqua phobia anymore.

This time again, she made me proud. I must say she takes what she was compelled to do in stride ~ something I must learn from her.

Click here for the map to get there.

In conjunction with the opening of Emart Leeling, 2nd branch of a one-stop hypermarket owned by a Mirian towkay on 9 April 2009, our once isolated neighbourhood has become alive. Finally, I have a place to ‘hang out’ now. The frequency I visited Boulevard & tHe Spring since their opening, are fewer than the fingers on both my hands. ~ too far for me.

Despite the congested traffic to find a parking lot & crowds, we managed to get a free premium membership card for purchases up to RM50 and above at the supermarket on the 2nd day. Soon after a few days of the opening, they have stopped issuing the overwhelming cards.

This is the lifestyle in Kuching, not sure in other states. Friday newspapers are selling like hotcakes with all the publishing of sales in local supermarkets. Consumers are more than happy to squeeze among each other in the crowds to get their stocks cheaper on weekends than weekdays. It’s really shiok! to see other people’s trolleys full of stocks! Wow! Their supplies could have lasted me for months!!

And today’s Friday again, I have not read the newspaper yet! Have a great weekend everyone!

Sis couldn’t make it today so we celebrated Mother’s Day in advance on last Saturday night. Just another family eat-out dinner, so mom could take a day off from cooking. When I flipped through yesterday newspaper, I was “delighted” to find that most of the articles on Nature & Health edition by The Borneo Post were all about single mothers for Mother’s Day Special.

It somehow or rather, makes me feel like “ahh, finally, we’ve got the attention!”

Among the well-wishes from friends & relatives, the best one is the text from my ex to our girl: “Hi Cher, remember to wish your mommy a Happy Mother’s Day, ok?” And I got Cher to reply him, “Ok, wishing Ah Yee (Aunt~my ex’s current wife) a Happy Mother’s Day too…” “Daddy loves you! ” “I love you too, daddy. ”

Hence, I would like to wish all mothers, especially single mothers, a Happy Blessed Mother’s Day!

For a single mother, motherhood is like the two sides of a coin - while you have the joys and the bliss of being around your child, the difficulties and the stress associated with it, cannot be ruled out as well. Being a single mother is probably the most difficult aspect of life. Whether a woman is a single mom by choice or because of getting divorced or by God's will, it is very hard to play the role of a both the parents. Remember, a child needs the love, care, concern, attention and adoration from both the parents. If you are a single mother, you alone have to shoulder the responsibility.

The absence of the benignant influence of a male role model runs high in the life of a small kid. However, do not let this fact bore you down. Being a single parent does not make you less lovable. It just means that you have more responsibilities than before. All you need to do is be strong and learn to face the harsh realities of life with poise. Do not forget, you can play both the roles just perfectly - just have full faith and belief in your self. Though you are sure to learn the nuances of single parenthood through experience, the tips mentioned below can prove to be very beneficial.

Tips For Single Mother

• Being a single mom, you will have to work to support your kids. However, make sure that you do not take out your work related frustrations on your children.

• Always be there for your kids when they need you. Spending quality time with them is more important than spending quantity time.

• If you have gotten divorced from your husband, don't start turning your kids against their father. If things didn't work out between the two of you, it doesn't mean that your ex-husband cannot be a good father to your children.

• Always take care of your finances. You are on your own and are supporting the kids too; a financial crisis is the last thing you need.

• If you are a single mom by choice, never ever hide it from your kid. Tell him/her about his/her father, but again no bad words please.

• Most single mothers tend to get over protective of their children. Please let your children live their life, without interfering too much.

• Be open and frank to your child. Never let your kid live in an assumption or create a fantasy world for him/her. When your child will come to terms with the reality, it will surely have a negative effect on him/her. So, instead, treat your kid as a friend.

• A single mom is both the mother as well as the father of a child. You have to play both the roles simultaneously, pampering them as a mother and scolding them like a father when they are wrong.

Click here for more interesting mothering tips.

Dan told us the color of Mrs Teng’s door panels are not available since CNY. It’s either she is willing to pay extra to change all the door panels to another color or waits till the required color is available.

Foolish enough of him to test our patience. I called up the supplier in K.L. (which I should have done so earlier) & found out that all this while, the required color is available. Karen, the sales lady who’s been liaising with his procurement related to me that he has cheated them of their goods. They demanded him to fully settle all the outstanding amount (more than RM6K) owing to them before they proceed with his new orders. He faxed them the bank-in slip as a proof of his payment for them to release his orders. Once he was secured that the goods were on the way in the shipment, he called up his bank to stop the payment.

This is the man with an atrophied leg due to poliomyelitis (no more sympathy from us). A man whom I have been working with for the past 6 years (this is not the first time I exposed him of his despicable plots of cheating $). A man whose wife currently works as a food vendor in a wet market to help financing their family of 3 young children, a couple of dogs, a corner-terraced double storey house & 2 cars (I can feel how tiring she must be, physically & mentally). A man who “used” to go for daily mass & prays often with a big cross in his office (hypocrite!). A man who has resolved to work for his brother-in-law to clear off his loan from him for saving him from bankruptcy which was served by a local bank in a newspaper (Proven God is forgiving & answered his prayers??).

I confronted him for an explanation via text since we hardly see each other anymore in the office. He finally admitted that he doesn’t have fund to rectify the current situation. Ironically, the truth speaks for itself. A man should not have $ in his pocket! (He bought a new laptop & traveled to K.L. twice recently, once with the whole family to pay their last respect to his wife's younger brother who died of cancer).

I hope this time Fred, my cousin, our mastermind cum consultant, my beneficiary (as in our agreement between he & I) since he has transferred this company to me since last August, has finally seen his long time business partner cum good friend’s true colors after losing so much $ venturing with him in this business for more than a decade. Dan is still trying his luck for $ injection from Fred. Our main concern is to complete all the existing projects as soon as possible, especially when Mrs Teng threatened to sue us, which means legally I would be the one being sued. So, Fred gave in to his idea. We are getting Dan to list out all the procurement now to complete all the projects ~ not many, 6 only. Yet, I'm very perplexed of how long more this bugger would take to come out with the list.

At least I have picked up the courage to “verbally” resigned from Fred (better save my own *ss before he drags me along with him into deep sh*t) & once all these projects are done, I want to wind up this business & leave in peace (no doubt Fred is still trying hard to retain it). Wishing myself all the best!