eHomemakers Malaysia

    None of the nurses in the dialysis center said : "I told you so!" but I said it to myself. I have never really followed the renal diet closely; as a result I had sky high levels of phosphate and calcium, resulting in itchy skin all over my body. As a result of all the constant scratching, I had marks all over my body, not a pretty sight.     I needed to have my Parathyroid glands removed badly. This is because the itchiness I was experiencing indicated that my Parathyroid (PT) glands had already swollen tremendously by this time. Everyone has 4 PT glands. And it's not easy feat to remove all 4 because 2 will be in an obvious place (behind the thyroid glands) but 2 will be in not so obvious places.     I was told all this when I went for my first doctor's consultation. I was originally scheduled to have surgery on the 5th of July but because my nephrologist (kidney doctor) spoke to the endochrine surgeon (Thyroid and PT doctor) on...

People in general always want what they don't have. And in a way, I'm no different. As a dialysis patient, I had to have surgery on my left arm to insert a fistula, which in layman's terms means that one of my main arteries in my left arm is 'joined' to a main vein in my left arm to my heart so that through this, the dialysis machine can get to circulate my blood to clean it. I'm sorry I can't explain any better, but that's the gist of it.        This surgery has left a very obvious and ugly scar on my upper left arm. As a result, I can't wear anything sleeveless anymore because it's way ugly. Neither can I wear halter necks, spaghetti straps or anything  shoulder-less.        So, when I see an attractive woman with a halter-neck dress or blouse, for instance, I can't help longing to wear something similar but I never can now because my scars are just too obvious.        ...

Following on my post below "Ready Aim Fire", I would like to discuss the above categories of approaches towards acting on one's project.        Sam (below) has now started researching ideas for his cooking school project. Yaye! He is really excited and looks forward to the launch of his cooking school.        Fast forward another 10 years. Sam is still planning his cooking school project! Sam has so unfortunately fallen into the category of people who think that they are taking the Ready Aim Fire approach but instead are really taking the Ready Aim Ready Aim approach. Let's discuss the differences.          Ready Aim Fire: this means that you are quick to seize on the opportunities that come your way. But you don't just seize them blindly.        Once you see an opportunity, you get ready by doing market...

Hi guys         How's everybody? Hope you guys are busying pursuing your dreams :)        Anyway, following up on the thread below "The Key To Success", I would just like to add that I fully agree with Sheau Ching in that Action Speaks Louder than words.         Let's take Sam (fictitious and for purpose of this example) for example. Sam has been talking about his Project A (he dreams of starting a cooking school as he is passionate about cooking) for 10 years. He doesn't take action to pursue his Project A.        Instead, he just talks about it and whines that he can't pursue it because he has no money. Can Sam succeed? Of course not! Not even on his passion when passion is just mixed with a dream. He needs to take action and start work on his Project A. He needs to start taking steps no matter how small to work towards fulfilling this dream ...

Me again :)  I have been reading a lot of self-help books. I never used to do it as I was always of the belief that I was too good/strong-minded to require self-help. I thought it was a sign of weakness.  However, after having read so many self-help books in 2011 and counting, my opinion has changed drastically.  I now realise that self-help books can help me vastly improve myself as a human being. For example, I have learnt many valuable tips on productivity, which has greatly improved my workflow allowing me to have a better work-life balance. If you wish to check out some self-help books, you may consider the popular resource of free ebooks at Project Gutenberg .   I also realise that I was just too stubborn to explore new ideas and thoughts in the past, which is a shame as I may have missed out on a lot of "could have been brilliant" experiences. These days, I keep an open mind on new ideas and thoughts and am eager to experiment with them. Of course, one of ...

What affect a child’s values -  education system or the family? CSC ponders. “What are you doing here?  You look like you are in pain!” An acquaintance bumped into me in a shopping mall.  My toes were hurting from the new sandals after an hour of search through the huge complex to find a particular ice cream parlor.  I wanted to treat my parents some low fat frozen yogurt that tastes like ice cream.  They have restrained from their favorite ice cream as they are wearied of the fat content. “You are always doing things I don’t understand……” She commented.  “Just get any ice cream from any store will do!  Why torture yourself like this? It is interesting to see you acting like a villager even though you have been educated and exposed overseas.....” By the time I found the store, there was a big, bloody blister on one of my toes.  I walked bare foot through the complex to the taxi stand with two tubs of frozen yogurt, attracting cur...

  Photo by Rhonwyn Hagedorn Although I was always a regular contestant for elocution contests in school, public speaking still gives me occasional butterflies in my stomach.   The most unnerving is impromptu speaking.   My whole body goes on alert whenever I have to give a speech on the spot because the scheduled speaker has just developed a sore throat or has just left due to a quarrel with his wife.  The first minute of the speech is the hardest.  My mind goes blank when I look out and see hundreds of pairs of eyes staring back at me.  Coming out with something meaningful and appropriate for the occasion in an audience of total strangers is more than just challenging. The most difficult time of all is when the organizers tell me to "lighten up the whole place so we don't all fall asleep".  Closing my eyes for several seconds, I often muster courage and inspiration by bringing myself back to the night when I was given thun...

In the morning of February 18, I connected to the Internet, after a week’s Chinese New Year holiday, to find tons of mail in my mail box.  I was in high spirit until I read a mail from an old friend, GG, who had not contacted me for over half a year.  She is living in the US now.   She has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer with no known cure. With treatment, she can have another 15-20 years. But the disease is going to sap her physical energy greatly. She wrote, “I hate to feel ‘bad’.  It is not me! There will be more tests, surgeries, and monthly injections of a chemical. I think I’m losing interest in life………no more adventures, no more cooking, no more lively conversations with strangers. “9-11 certainly caught everyone's attention where I live, it continues to stay ‘front and center’ in everyone's mind.  I have traveled by air since 9-11, and have felt secure - or was it just my fatalistic view.  When it's my time, it's my time....” ...

(CSC finds out that the most precious gift a Chinese mother can give to a daughter during mid-Autumn festival is not just moon cakes, but to teach her to dream freely. She recalls an inspiring story which led to her parenting of her daughter.) An American friend, Ger, told me why he became an electronics engineer for a high-tech Silicon Valley firm in California. “I was about six years old when I saw the Apollo 11 moon landing on our old black-and- white television. The men in their strange helmets and suits mesmerized me. Watching them pressing numerous buttons and floating around weightlessly, I asked my Dad who they were. He said they were called astronauts and that they were inside a thing called rocket. Men who built rockets were called engineers. “When the program was over, I was so fascinated that I told my parents I wanted to go inside a rocket and do the same thing. I remembered my Mom said as she hugged me, “Of course you can be an astronaut. You can be anything you want!”...

Hello! Happy Chinese New Year to those of you celebrating. Hope you are not too tired from the celebrations. Do you guys celebrate the full 15 days?  Well, I don't! These days, I find it tiring celebrating even on the second day. In fact, this is my first year ever in my 31 years of existence that I stayed at home on the second day. My parents usually go back to Malaysia to celebrate on second day so that leaves me free to do as I please.  I must say that it is really awesome to be able to not have to visit relatives on the second day. I got to chill out and spent the day with my husband instead.  Although I had a great time, I shall make sure I visit relatives on the second day of CNY next year as well. Certain traditions just need to be maintained isn't it!  Anyway, there was a DOUBLE RAINBOW a day before CNY eve! I take that as a sign of prosperity!!! So I hereby wish all of you a fantastic 2012 and may all of us strive to succeed in wha...

Hello everyone! How was your Xmas? I had a wonderful one! I invited family over to my place on Xmas day and boxing day. It is so great to catch up with family. Everyone is usually too busy during the year to catch up properly. I suppose quality time spent with loved ones over the holiday season is always magical.  Now that Xmas is over, we have 2012 to look forward to. Have you made any resolutions? I have stopped making them for a long long time. But this year is different. I shall make some resolutions that I intend to keep:  (1) I shall successfully make a career transition now that I have decided to leave my previous job.  (2) I shall be motivated and focused in whatever I do. (3) I shall never let myself down in whatever I do and always reach for the stars.  Me At New Year's Eve Countdown 2010 In Tokyo. Can You Spot Me? These resolutions give me a reason to look forward to a brand new year. They also help me shape my vision for myself for the coming...

Hello everyone :) Have you done your Christmas shopping yet? I haven't. Oops.  ( This photo is taken by Hiking Artist and registered under a Creative Commons License ) Anyway, I have been MIA for a bit because I am cramming my head with a lot of learning. For those of you who don't know me, I really like to learn new things. Hah! It's like a hobby gone wrong (?) as I have this burning desire to learn all I can about things which interest me.  Things which interest me these days - personal development, website creation and writing. After so many years, I have finally found things which truly inspire me. It's yaye all the way!  However, there's always the truth to face at the end of the day - interests vs reality. If I can't find a way to make money from my interests, I will have to face reality and go back to work! Well, I am giving myself another 6 months to swim in my interests.  What about you? Do you face the same problem of having to balance your int...

In my earlier post, I recommended taking a break from work.  Here are its benefits:  1. clears your mind and allows you to find your purpose in life;  2. you become more aware of why you do certain things in life and you find meaning in doing them;  3. you learn to eliminate certain things you have been doing in life, which do not serve much useful purpose for you and your family; 4. you have the time to do all the things you have always wanted to do but never had the time to do; and  5. you get to spend more time with your family!  Yaye,  The Modern Homemaker 

I recommend taking a break from work. "Sabbatical" as some call it.  But I don't recommend taking a break from work if you don't have a fallback plan and you are usually an organised and systematic person.  If you are usually orgnanised and systematic and you are suddenly left with no routine to keep you occupied, you may feel very unsettled and unhappy.  Thus before you make that decision to take a break from work, perhaps look around for a fallback plan first. It need not be in the form of work. It can just be a routine. Perhaps volunteer work a few times a week. Or indulge in a hobby on a regular basis.  Sometimes keeping yourself occupied can be harder than it seems.  Yours truly,  The Modern Homemaker  ( The Modern Homemakers blog ) 

               A study has found that Malaysians are  throwing away up to 930 tonnes of unconsumed food daily.        Ironically, we Malaysians love food so why waste the one thing that we are known to love most?  The regular flurry of news reports on food shortages and the global food crisis have failed to alert us on the importance of being thrifty and humble to contribute towards sustaining global food supplies.       The multi-racial of Malaysian food is simply glorious.  We are blessed with such diverse food options that spice up our daily food consumption. Perhaps such diversity has led to our insatiable appetite for food at one sitting which eventually leads to a huge costly waste. At any time of the day, any type of food is easily available.       We now have more restaurants that serve fusion food, making us more impulsively greedy in maki...