Ohh..no…. FDA “banned” my favorite food, pistachios! I could chew and chew pistachios non-stop. I am a “nutty” favorite. I love all types of nuts and pistachios or any food/biscuits with pistachios tops my list of favorite nuts! FDA today advises to avoid pistachios amid salmonella scare.. Scary leh.. recently so many food scare.. milk, peanuts and now pistachios. Best is to grow our own food in our backyard..

Read here for more information.

Big J has a Maybank Yippie Bank account and every year, I will deposit all his and Little J angpow money into this account. 2 weeks ago, I received a letter from Maybank saying that his account is dormant because he has not withdrawn any money for the past 3 years and if he does not WITHDRAW any money within 30 days after we receive the notifications, a RM10 service fee will be charged.

My definition of dormant is inactive account. Being inactive literally means no transaction of the account. But I deposited some money every year and deposit does not considered account is active, only withdrawal, that’s what the Bank officer told me when I went over the counter to seek clarifications. I was then asked to withdraw at least some money, RM10 will do, advised the officer.

Needless to say, I CLOSE the account..

Big J woke up early today. I was having my breakfast when he came down and we had this conversation..

Big J : Mum, is today 28th of March?

Me : Ya, why do you ask?

Big J : It is Earth Hour today. We are supposed to switch off all the lights for one hour, starting 8.30pm today..

Me : Ya.. I read about that.. Errr… how did you know that?

Big J : From the TV advertisement!

Ha.. at least he picked up some good points from TV. He is really a TV addict. Ya..let’s switch off our lights tonight at 8.30pm for a good cause because the kids will be reminding me if I don’t do so..

I was not at home yesterday when the PosLaju guy dropped by and left me a note to collect my parcel. I called the customer service number at the note and after pressing 2 numbers, one to select to speak in English and the other one to select to enquire about PosLaju matter, I was greeted by a polite man. (There are tons and tons of BIG corporation’s Customer Service line where you will be greeted with computer voices and asked to press this number and that number, many, many numbers before you are greeted by a real human being, that is IF you are greeted by one!! I just had the experience with a top local bank and till now, I still fail to get through the line!).

I told him that I wanted my parcel to be re-delivered to me instead of me going over to their counter to collect. He then gave me 2 numbers of the Pos Office which I was supposed to go and collect my parcel. At one attempt, my call was immediately answered by a lady, minus the computer voices. The polite lady asked for my details and told me that they will re-deliver the following day, which is today. I asked her what time is the parcel expected to arrive and she politely told me that she cannot confirm. She then asked me what was the time when they tried to deliver at the first attempt, and I told her that it was written 11.47am. She told me to expect roughly the same time.

At 11.26am today, I receive my parcel. Kudos to Pos Malaysia for your excellent customer service!

I just had this IM chat with a friend. He is close to 40 years old and has young children. Name has been changed:

Joseph : hi
Me : Hi there
Me : long time no “see”

Joseph: ya loh…
Joseph: what are you doing now…
Me : me ah.. in front of computer chatting lor..haha

Me : ci la ka…
Me : what I meant is
Joseph: where are you working now…???
Me : haha.. i stop working for people long time ago..now on my own
Me : how about u?
Me : where are u working now?
Joseph: Actually I just took the VSS offer by Dell…
Me : ya, i saw the newspaper, dell in downsizing
Joseph: so, now looking for jobs…
Me : whats your plan?
Me : i see
Me : how long were u in dell? i tot you were earlier in microsoft
Joseph: I was with dell not more then 1 year..
Joseph: so…
Joseph: I was force to take
Joseph: Dell is cutting outdoor sales people…

My conversation with him was cut due to internet connection. Streamyx is really an idiot. I have been having problems to login several websites. Grrr….. back to my friend. It really sucks when you are approaching 40 and have young, growing children and suddenly your income stops because your company decides that it doesn’t want you no more. And looking for a new job in this current economics situation is tough, provided you do not mind “pay cut” and you cannot afford to be choosy at all and just make do with whatever job opportunity that comes in your way. There have been reports of jobless who ends up like this or this or even this.

I guess the best is still be your own boss, where you can decide where, when and how you want to work!

I have been using Bousch & Lomb contact lens for more than 20 years. I was using a permanent contact lens, where you change the soft lens every 1 or 2 years. For the last 4 years, I started to use the B & L monthly disposable contact lens. Since then, there were several occasions where I have to stop using contact lens because of infection. I didn’t relate that to the monthly contact lens. Each time, when my eyes got infected, I would just stop wearing for a month, and put some anti-inflammatory eye drops and would wear back my lens.

You see, I am a very vain person. I never like to wear spec and without contact lens, I would rather not go out even for weeks! 3 months ago, I started using Fresh Look colored contact lens. While B & L lens always make my eyes dry, the Fresh Look lens were perfect for me in terms of vanity and comfort. Everyone says my eyes look excellent. The only setbacks are it occasionally blurs my vision because of the colored lens and it is 3 times more expensive!

Then.. 2 weeks ago, I used back the B & L lens because I still have 2 boxes which consist of 6 months supply. Within hours of wearing, my eyes felt very dry. I bought a B & L lubricant eye drop and when I put on the drops, my eyes stings! It was so painful and now my right eye is so red, itchy and hurts and I have stopped using the lens since. I am now still nursing my eyes and will never ever use B & L contact lens again!

Natasha Richardson untimely death due to head injuries brings back memories of Little J’s head injury when he was barely 4 months old. He fell from the arm of my mother-in-law and his head hit right at the sharp edge of the sliding door on the floor. I was at home, getting ready for a MITI award dinner and I remembered hearing a sharp cry downstairs but didn’t pay much attention to it. My mother-in-law thought that it was just a non-serious fall and didn’t inform me. It was Big J who ran to my room and told me about the fall. My heart sank when I saw his little head was “out-of-shape” due to the fall, he was afterall barely 4 months old and his head was so soft. Mother-in-law was actually putting some ointment on the injured area and rubbing the area!

My first reaction was to send him to a hospital for a CT scan. The first 24 hours was crucial. At a private hospital, a CT scan reviewed a 2 cm crack on his skull but no blood clot or bleeding. The doctor advised to admit him for monitoring of fits and other reactions, if any. Thank God, he was OK and he was discharged the following day. The doctor said I did the right thing by sending him immediately to the hospital after the fall.

If Natasha Richardson had done a CT scan immediately after the fall, she may have a better chance to be alive today. Read here for tips on what to do if you or someone you know experience a head injury.

I haven’t watched the movie yet, but I am beginning to feel like Rebecca Bloowood, ha! The only difference I guess is I don’t go for Designer stuff (not that I can afford it anyway, ha!), I always go for really value for money stuff. A blouse which costs me RM10 doesn’t look like a RM10 stuff, that’s the comment from my rich tai tai friends. They were admiring a white blouse with center spilt at the back, which I was wearing the other day. When I told them that I bought it for RM10, their eyes popped out!! ha!

Oh yes, talking about good buys, I just bought a Triumph International Tankinis swimwear and a Bikini for only RM40 each! Normal price is RM149, wow! Hey, just found a new “hobby”, SWIMMING! Need to get myself more swim wear. Was browsing the internet when I came across Victoria Secret mouth drooling swimwear.. wonder if they have an outlet in KL.. Confessions of a shopaholic!

Yayy.. we are going to some beach for some sunbathing (bringing tons of sunblock) and then Island cruising, snorkelling etc.  I love beaching..minus the sun of course. Friends used to tease me, why am I going to the beach if I am so scared of the sun? Somehow, I have always had a very nice nolstagic feeling whenever I go to a beach for holiday. Wanna know why? Haa.. cos I met my first love at a beach and I am now happily married to him..

And It’s MATA fair, unfortunately we are away.. :(  Some travel agents are offering a Buy 1 Free 1 for Club Med in Maldives, excellent, excellent offer for another beach getaway.. really drooling when I look at the offer in the newspaper. Looks like we have to miss it.. sob sob..

Little J has been attending Yamaha Junior Music Class and he is in Book 3 now. Tonight, he has to perform 2 songs and he has been practising the songs for the past 2 weeks. Last night, he asked me if daddy will be able to attend his concert. He said that he will be very, very disappointed if daddy couldn’t make it. Hubby has just gotten a new contract and has been coming home late for the past week. I, too hope that he can make it to Little J’s concert.