Let's create stuff

The meme, copy-and-pasted:

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me. My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

- No guarantees that you will like what I make.
- What I create will be just for you.
- It'll be done sometime this year.
- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story, a CD, something blinky or shiny. I may draw or sculpt something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to repost to your own journal. We can all make stuff!

Side note from Helly:
I spied this on Steve's LJ. At first I resisted the urge to comment, because I didn't think I could come up with 5 things to send to potential responders to my own blog after I posted it... but c'mon. It's Steve! I just HAD to know what kind of strange and morbid things he might concoct, so I joined in. And here I am. Comment if you want to play, too :-)

Big Brother is watching

In a recent email to Jenna, I realized I didn't have much in the way of updates because everything pertinent in my life has already been published on my Facebook status and/or on Twitter. Such Big Brother transparency the internet provides these days, I mused.

But it's a little more obvious on Twitter. I don't use it a whole lot, and only follow 2 people and a couple of websites, but it's kinda fun nonetheless. Here's where it got a bit spooky:

Before Christmas, as I was doing online shopping and using kaboodle.com to keep track of my shopping lists, I put up a status about how much I loved Kaboodle. That same day, kaboodledotcom started following my feed. A few weeks later I put up a comment about the joys of shopping from the comfort of your living room. That's when shopping_chic started following me. How bizarre, I thought.

Then there's today. And my current status proclaiming how much I enjoy receiving Borders coupons in my email. Within hours, I had a new follower: PromoCodedotorg.

Makes me wonder about those bots circling the web, looking for related keywords in order to advertise themselves. Considering that each time, I received a new follower within at most a day of posting my status, it's pretty efficient. Marketing at its finest, hey!

Stay at home vs working world

Writer's block hits. So I resort to a canned "blog idea" to get the juices flowing. First up on the list?

Is it worth it to place children in daycare or save that money and keep them home?

Wow. This one currently hits a little close to home. Most of you know our current situation. Allan and I both work full-time, Todd spends the mornings in kindergarten and then we cart him off to after-school care at the Boys and Girls Club. Weekends provide a much-welcome respite for all of us. We've settled into a daily routine, but it's clear that Todd isn't entirely happy being away from us for so long.

Last week, I stayed home one day, sick. It wasn't too severe, and by afternoon I was feeling well enough to do a little bit of work from home (hooray for working for a company that makes it easy to work remotely). I decided to let Todd stay home with me after school. He was sooooo excited at the prospect, that he practically shoved Allan out the door after lunch, when normally he's clamoring for just one more hug and kiss goodbye. Although I had to divide my time and attention between my work and the little man, it was obvious he enjoyed being home, even if had to play by himself a lot of the time.

The next few days afterward, Todd kept begging for me to stay home with him after school. He even promised that he wouldn't bother me and would let me work in peace. My heart broke, especially when he started sobbing :-( If my workload had been lighter and filled with non-time-critical things that I could easily take care of at night, I would have indulged him. Alas, I couldn't, and I felt sooo bad for my little man.

So-- to answer that question, I believe that's a no-brainer. Hands-down, it's better to stay at home and devote your time and attention to your child. It is one thing for the young ones to spend a few hours a day at preschool or kiddie gyms or whatever, to gain exposure to other kids and learn to socialize. It's all part of the learning process. But the entire day? No matter how caring and attentive a day care may be, it could never match the genuine love and attention from a parent. Kids pick up on that. And I believe it has a great effect on their well being.

Ideally, one parent would earn money and one parent would stay home full time. Unfortunately, in this day and age it isn't always feasible. Especially with the rising cost of... well, everything, from college to houses. Especially here in Santa Barbara.

We are extremely fortunate that our work, home, Todd's school and the Boys and Girls Club are all in very close proximity to each other, enabling us to at least provide a break in the middle of the day as Todd spends lunchtime with us at home. We are also very blessed to live relatively close to my parents, who are willing to take Todd on during school breaks and holidays. A bunch of little things to mitigate circumstances that, in my opinion, aren't quite ideal. And count my blessings that we ARE able to mitigate it somewhat!

Update on puff paint grippy socks

Okay, so I totally flaked out and neglected to blog it till Jenna reminded me, so here is an update on my Facebook status of Dec 16, in which I crowed about trying to make non-skid socks for Todd using puffy paint :-) In a nutshell, it was a success!

I finally got a chance to try out the socks during Todd's karate lesson last week. Here's what I wound up doing:

I spent less than $1.50 on a tiny 1oz bottle of 3-D paint at Michael's. Then I took Todd's feet and traced them over some thick, sturdy cardboard, cutting out two foot-shaped patterns. I stuffed these patterns inside some old socks to stretch them out properly, and then dabbed paint on the soles. Dots, stripes, dashes-- they all work. And a letter "T" for Todd on the heel, for added fluorish :-)

Let them sit and dry for 24 hours, and they were ready to be used! They held up quite well! I even saw Todd picking at it while seated, and it held firm.

This was the exact bottle I have (just different color):



The funny thing is that now Todd doesn't actually mind going barefoot, so that little art project was all for naught. But you know what? Better to have spent less than $2 on a bottle of paint I could use for something else, than spend $15 for specially-made grippy socks that would just gather dust in the recesses of the dresser, right? Or worse yet, $50 for shoes that he will merely outgrow before the year is over.

My inspiration came from a fellow mother's blog, complete with pictures of her handiwork: http://babymasonjar.blogspot.com/2007/11/grip-y-socks.html
According to her, they held up pretty well, surviving several washes, and by the time they started to wear out, her son had outgrown the socks, anyway.

All in all, it seems like it bodes well for those of you willing to give it a try :-) I'd love to hear how you fare with them!

16 Weird and Random Things about me

I spied this going around on Facebook, and though I wasn't explicitly tagged, I thought it might be fun to do, anyway. I've done something similar in the past, and had a hard time coming up with 10 random facts (let alone 16!) but surprisingly, this wasn't too hard.

Here's the Facebook blurb: Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 16 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 16 others to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.

(ever the rule breaker, I doubt I'll come up with 16 people to tag... we'll see when this posts on Facebook, though)

And of course, if you're reading this outside of Facebook, feel free to tag yourself and blog it on your own blog, or in the comments section here.

1. I have no middle name.

2. Unlike most other Chinese names, mine does not actually have a meaning attached to it.

3. I can't stand coconut, ginger or carbonated beverages (which is why I don't generally drink soda or beer)

4. I have an unhealthy and obsessive love affair with spreadsheets.

5. I've only ever had 2 stuffed alligators as a child. Their names were Allen and Harvey. My husband's name? Allan Harvey.

6. When I wear velour clothes, I can't stop rubbing the velvety softness between my fingers.

7. I have been known to eat plain sugar as a snack (I used to munch on sugar cubes at Amgen)

8. I am less Asian than my Caucasian husband.

9. I sleep with stuffed animals and still believe they come to life when I'm not around.

10. I'm mildly OCD about washing my hands and sanitizing surfaces.

11. I sing tenor.

12. My favorite animals include frogs, Rottweilers, killer whales, stingrays and sea turtles.

13. When I was in the military, I drove my Humvee around the woods of Germany before I got my license.

14. I attended the same high school and university as my grandmother-in-law.

15. I don't mind ruined endings, and get pissed off at people who deliberately withhold an ending even if I explicitly ask for it to be ruined.

16. Sometimes I think I love and care about animals more than I do people. People can be so cruel and inhumane :-(

Friday Five -- Books

Been a while since I've done one of these. Today's subject? Books and reading!

1. Do you enjoy reading?
2. What is the first book you remember reading?
3. Who is your favourite author?
4. What is your favourite book?
5. What is the last book you read and the first you'll read next?

1. Of course. Nothing beats curling up on a nice comfy bed or sofa with a cup of hot tea in one hand and a good book in the other. Especially on cold nights, wrapped up in a warm blankie.

2. In Germany there are these little children's books, about 10cm x 10cm, called Pixi books. I think they had something similar (spelled "Pixie") in Canada and the UK. An example: http://www.pixibuch.de/katalog_0024.html I had several of these, and remember enjoying reading the little stories, most about animals. In fact, when I went to Germany twice as an adult, I picked up several of the newere ones for Todd. I don't know if it counts as "reading" per se, because most of the time, I was simply reciting from memory from the countless times my mom read the stories to me. If you're talking truly reading, then one of my earliest memories is "Charlotte's Web". I loved it so much my first-grade teacher let me have her copy, and even signed it for me :-)

3. For fiction, I enjoy Amy Tan, John Grisham and Michael Crichton. For non-fiction, I'd have to say C.S. Lewis.

4. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. The movie is equally good. Surprising, considering most movies adapted from books don't stick well to the original story. Close runner up is the "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. They say books transport you to different times and different worlds, and I still have fond memories of feeling like I was out in the pioneer West with the Ingalls family, watching everything unfold.

5. Blargh, it's been a while since I finished a book, though I try to read every night. Last one was "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis. Fascinating read! Next up? Well, I'm multitasking, so it's several at once (and may also explain why it takes so long to finish a single book :-P) One is "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis. Another is "The Case for Christ" by former atheist journalist Lee Strobel. And since it's the start of a brand new year, it's the perfect time to adhere to one of those "read the Bible in one year" plans, since I've only ever read it piecemeal before. I'm already a few days behind :-/

How about you?

Not One Sparrow

I think I have found my pet (excuse the pun, you'll see why in a moment) cause.

It comes as no surprise to most of you that I love animals. More so than people, I daresay ;-P While I rail against human suffering, animal suffering is especially heartbreaking. And so it again comes as no surprise that when I want to find a cause to donate to or volunteer my time with, it will be animal-related. Problem is, which one? There are so many! I can't stretch myself too thin, but how do I pick which one(s) I want to get involved in? I've looked. But the majority of the organizations out there seem to be devoted to a particular subset of animals. House pets. Farm animals. Endangered wildlife. They're all important to me.

A second issue that stymied me was that of humanitarianism. In the Christian sphere especially, there is great emphasis on compassion, love and ministering to the needs of your fellow man. And while I do believe in that, I was left wondering: where do animals fit in? If I spent a lot of time and resources toward animal welfare projects, would I feel guilty about not spending that time and energy towards human welfare? Just as there was a wide range of animal causes to choose from, there is an even wider range of humanitarian causes, all equally worthy, in my eyes.

Then I came across this website, thanks to a colleague having become a fan of it on Facebook: Not One Sparrow

As I read more about the motivation behind it, the causes behind which its founder rallies, and most importantly, a spiritual perspective on concern for animals, I was deeply moved. Not One Sparrow answered every question I had and spoke to my main concerns (as explained above). Most importantly, it really resonated with me. Never have I felt so uplifted by a cause. Never have I felt more than piqued curiosity or sympathetic interest in a cause, no matter how noble. At the same time, I didn't feel the sense of inadequacy that must daunt us all when undertaking an active role in a cause we believe in: "Can I really make a difference?"

I firmly believe that the earth and its wonderful array of creatures are God's gift to us (just think of your favorite animal, marvel at its unique characteristics and beauty, and tell me it's not an amazing, well-thought-out creation), and that it is our responsibility to take care of them and use them wisely and respectfully. Sadly, the rampant abuse of both our natural resources and animals makes it clear that man has been more than negligent in this responsibility. And this is something I sincerely wish to rectify.

Of course, I have only just stumbled upon this site. What I hope to be able to contribute concretely remains to be seen. I look forward to it, whatever it may be.

Allan summed it up nicely when he referred to me as so: "Helly's not a tree-hugger. She's a turtle-hugger!" Indeed. God loves even the tiniest of sparrows. Why shouldn't we, also?

Days of Yore

I've officially abandoned Myspace in favor of Facebook for quite some time now. But it wasn't just because Facebook possessed all kinds of neat features that Myspace didn't. It's because unlike Myspace, the majority of my Facebook friends are people I know in my offline life. And the majority of THOSE are old high school classmates. People I haven't seen in over 15 years. People with whom I've enjoyed reconnecting. Of the classmates I've added so far, roughly half were at the 10-year reunion (which had a rather small attendance). So I'm hoping the 20-year reunion will have a bigger turnout, at least twice as big :-D

Last night I spent some time chatting with an old classmate I've known since junior high-- so, going on 20 years now. Of course, we never really talked back then. Hell, I'm surprised he (along with many others I've added to my friends list) even remembered me! But talking about our perceptions of each other back then was interesting. I'd always viewed him as one of the cool kids, talented and stylish and in with the "popular" crowd-- he was on the Homecoming court and voted for multiple most/bests senior year! I offer our yearbook as proof ;-) Despite that, he apparently saw things a bit differently then :-P
And me? I was the loner, the outcast. I was the girl who didn't go to senior prom because the guy she finally worked up the nerve to ask to go with her said "no". Oh, I had my little group of friends I hung out with every day-- we weren't popular, we weren't "in", we didn't blend in with any of the other stereotypical cliques. We were the band of "misfits". But he didn't see that, either. He saw me in a much more positive light than I would ever have.

Which all just makes me wonder exactly how we all really viewed each other in those days.

Still, I have to say that my high school experience was fairly pleasant. If anything, it was my time in junior high that was a bit more trying. Probably because kids were still at the age when they were blatant and merciless about teasing others who were different. And I, with my boyish short hair, overbite, zero sense of fashion, compounded by my shy and reclusive nature, made an easy target. Fortunately I have a pretty thick skin (to my detriment at times, though), and I managed to survive adolescence and teenhood intact :-)

Anyway... that's in the past. We've all since grown up and moved on. But it's amazing how one little chat can bring back a lot of memories. Now I'm REALLY looking forward to the next reunion. Although I guess with everyone active on Facebook, we'll be all caught up on each others' lives before then, anyway! ;-)

How about you? What were your high school days like?

Happy New Year 2009

Happy New Year! First blog post of 2009. I managed to stay awake past midnight this time ;-) Funny how when it's a normal day I have no problem staying up till 1:00am or so, but when I actually WANT to stay up late, I'm yawning long before.

We wrapped up 2008 by dressing up and splurging on a nice dinner out at a seafood restaurant. The meal itself was okay, but the dessert was unique and delicious-- flash fried strawberries! The dough tasted like a cross between crullers and churros, and strawberries... well, 'nuff said ;-)

And then we traveled the world to greet the new year. Started off with the demolition of a cool domino setup that must have taken hours, if not days, to set up.

Then we headed to Times Square in New York City to count down with our fellow Americans, watch the ball drop and see the Clintons dance and other couples embrace. It looked COLD out there!

Finally, we headed for warmer climes to see some world-class fireworks in Sydney, Australia. Fireworks are by far my favorite part of the celebration.

Amazing, isn't it-- how easy it is to wander around the world from the comfort of your own home. Traveling the globe-- now THAT's a New Year celebration!

And with the click of a mouse button, I found myself back in my living room, clad in my warm flannel and fleece pajamas, ready to greet the first day of the new year. After a good night's sleep, that is... starting... now :-) G'nite! :-)