My Koi Fishes

Remember my earlier post (very much earlier) about our D.I.Y fish pond? This is the pond. We used to rear swordtail fishes in it. It was easy to care for and the water don't get milky so fast. It breeds very easily in this cement made pond. Most who visit us at home always took a peek in the pond to see what is in it and I always get remarks like, "can't really see those fishes, they are too small for the pond."

One fine day as I was watching t.v, a documentary about pets, they were showing all sorts of Koi fishes and I fell in love with it immediately. So we went to the nearest pet shop and got us a few Koi fishes. That was almost a year ago. We started with four fishes than added a few more but some of it could not last long. They are quite sensitive and the water needs to be cleaned / changed frequently.

I had been trying to take photos of those Koi fishes since we took them home. Most of the photos turned out blur or with the reflection of the water, could not really see them well. Then last month, one fine morning as I was watering my plants, I saw those fishes all at the surface at the same corner, all at the same time. I quickly took a few shots. Then I realize the pump went out and they were gasping for air.

So I threw away about half of the ponds water and added new water hoping those water could provide them with enough air till hubby comes home from work to fix the pump. It would only be a few hours or so. I did add anti chlorine to the water and feed them too. I didn't really pay attention to them after that until about evening when I need to go out, I noticed all the fishes were dead.

Poor thing. These photos are all I have of them. The only photos that were clear enough that shows their lovely colors. Any advice anyone, on how I could take better care of Koi fishes in the future? They do bring a smile to me every morning when I feed them but unlike my rabbit, I had never try giving those fishes a pat. Saw on t.v a pet owner actually pat his Koi fishes everyday. Too slimy for me to pat.

Thanks for reading. Maybe I should stick to rabbits, dogs and cats as I could pat them, play with them and give them a good massage from time to time. Wish all pet's owner out there, good luck with your pets.

Basic Survival Skill

There was this millionaire who decided to make a will and in the will he wrote that all his assets will go to charity. He is not going to leave a single cent to his children. Asked why, he replied, "They should be making their own money and not wait for mine. By the time I should pass away, they would have made their first buck and if not, they should learn how to and not wait for my money and should be learning basic survival skill." I heard this over the radio sometime back. A lot of listener did called in to the radio station and commented about this. Some agreed and some not.

I totally agree with him. I had just watched The Oprah Show few hours ago, a rerun, an interview with Donald Trump. He too, made all his children work for their money. This are basic survival skills. During the stone age, children were taught hunting skills since they were very young, just like any other animals, for that was their main survival skills. But since money were invented, to me, learning how to make money is a survival skill.

I find most children in Malaysia now a days were being pampered. Even the middle class and the lower class parents, most of them do not teach their children the importance about money. Children were only taught how to spend and not how to earn or make money. Not many teach their kids how to save money either. They haven't the slightest clue where money to the family comes from and how.

Once, on The Oprah Show, a lady said it is important to let our kids know where and how money comes to the family and how it was spend. Even The Seven Habit for family did mentioned that all the family member must understand who is the bread winner of the family and what are the roles and responsibility of other family members.

I do tell my sons how the family money were spend. I show them all the bills that we have to pay. I also let them know the difference between luxury goods and necessities. So now a days when ever we go shopping or vacation, my sons always asked, can we afford this?

From time to time I let them know the pressure that they might face when they are working next time, and ways to overcome obstacle. That was this someone I knew who works in the Human Resources for many years but yet never teach her own children how to prepare themselves for interviews etc. These are some of the survival skills that we as parents should equip them with.

I find most parents are overprotecting their children, felt vulnerable about teaching their children about the real world, the jungle out there, those years of working life. Very reluctant to tell their children that even the C.E.O of a company have to work very hard too. I always tell my sons those straight A's they get does not really help them much in the future. It is just a key to enter the work force. After that it is lots and lots of hard work to succeed, be it a hawker or a billionaire, all have to work very hard to survive and to maintain their status.

Part of growing up is learning the basic survival skills and it will never be taught in school. So parents out there, tell your children the truth, stop saying that if they study hard and get those A's, they were promise a bright future. I have seen so many graduates that are jobless, and some who couldn't stay long in a job because lack of endurance, can't take pressure and thinking that their degree / pHD should land them a job that is easy and earn a lot.

Thanks for reading and hope my sharing do open some eyes. Have a productive day to you.

Weighing Machine (joke)

Mike's wife stood on the weighing machine at the supermarket. She inserted some coins, and out popped a weight indicator card with a fortune-reading shown on the other side.

Picking up the card, Mike's wife read, "You are smart, beautiful and attractive and have a pleasing personality. On top of that, you are a great cook."

"Oh my gosh!" Mike moaned as he took the card from his wife. "Even the weight is wrong!"

Near Perfect

A woman is looking in the mirror.

She is not happy with what she sees and says to her husband, "I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment."

The husband replies, "Your eyesight's almost perfect, darling!"

Successful

A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

Just for laugh!

How Did I Get There?

Like most folks, I was judgemental too, when I watch "The Biggest Losser". Not proud about it but not ashamed to admit that I too, look at them differently. How did they get so huge? Didn't they notice it coming? What did they eat? How come those around them didn't stop them?

Well, one fine day, I came to realize that I had been on that road to obesity. I didn't see it coming either. After looking back, I realize how I actually got on that road without realizing.

It started when I got married. After my first child, I manage to get back to my old size. Once I got my second child, things began to change. I got promoted a few times within that few years, which means more responsibility and more time spend in the office.

In between all those chaos at work, my sons started school and needed my help and attention on homework and stuffs. I also had babysitter problem. Had changed three different babysitters within that ten years. Everyday I come home late, tired and agitated most of the time. Had office work to attend to, two demanding sons to look after and not to mentioned housework too. Hubby do chip in on housework etc but he too, were tired from work like me.

Since I do not have time to cook, we always eat out almost seven days a week, three meals a day. No time for exercise either as our weekends were spend cleaning the house, car etc. So I grew and grew and grew and didn't realize it. No one around me mentioned it either, many feared of hurting my feelings.

I used to wear size "M" but had increase to size "XL" and soon enough start looking for "XXL" clothing. Never realized that I should be spending my time exercising instead of shopping for clothes that can cover my extras. Slowly I ran out of shops that can provide me the right clothes.

When ever I look in the mirror, I always look at my face only. Had never look at the mirror when I was naked. Then one fine day, during a vacation, the hotel bathroom had a huge mirror. In fact, the whole left wall were mirror. As I was taking my shower, for the very first time I looked at myself naked in front of a mirror. I looked like one of those "Biggest Loser", with layers of meat / fats on my tummy and waist. It suddenly struck me that I was actually one of them.

How did those layers get there? Is this really me? So all this while I was in denial? Suddenly I realize that it had been quite a long while since I last wore sleeveless. Those days I could shoped for clothes at just about any shop. Now I only had that handful to buy from.

All along I thought I was strong enough to climb the corporate ladder and at the same time start a family. Now I truly understood the saying "You win some you will loose some". Not easy to have everything going perfectly well at the same time, provided you have good helpers.

So about six years back I quit my job and became a housewife. I had lost weight. Able to fit in size "M" again. Children are happy because I am less agitated and always around when they needed help. Hubby do not have to rush home from work like those days. Most important, we all had home cook meals and more time to exercise.

What I learned from the whole experienced is that I was on the road to obesity and not knowing it but lucky for me I manage to snap out of it and made a u-turn back on the road to a healthy living. Glad I realize it before my health deteriorate. Thanks for reading and hope this tale acts as an eye opening tale that could get someone out there realize the danger they are in and snap out of it soon.

Don't Stop Crying

Many years ago when my eldest son was about three years old. He did something that he is not supposed to, I can't remember what it was but I remembered I confiscated those toys that he was playing and he cried. He cried for a good five minutes that sounds like a few hours of whining and sobbing.

Like most mums, I could not stand his cries anymore and asked him to stopped it immediately. He continue to sob for a minute or so then he said, in between sobs " But I sob sob don't sob sob sob know how sob sob."

I wanted to laugh at the way he said it but don't think it is appropriate to do so at that moment, so I smile (laughing out loud in my heart), pick him up and distracted him with something else and after a few seconds, he stopped.

That night, as I was laying in bed, I had a flash back to the time when I was in my early twenties. The phone rang, I pick up and on the other line was the nurse from the nursing home. She called to informed us that my grandma, who had been suffering from cervix cancer, had passed away in her sleep.

The moment I heard that, I had a sense of relief. Glad that her sufferings from pains etc were over. The minute I put down the phone, I felt guilt. Guilty for feeling relief. Guilty of not being able to cry, not sure why.

After I told mum and sis about the news, I pick up the phone and called my boyfriend (hubby now) about the funeral. The moment he picks up the phone and said "Hello" I started to cry non stop. He got worried and kept asking what was wrong. Like my son, in between sobs, I told him about grandma. It was the very first time that I had to talk and cry at the same time. Even after I put down the phone, I still could not stop crying.

After what my son told me about not knowing how to stop crying, well, I don't think I could, either at that moment of grief, what more a three year old boy. So from that day onwards, when ever any of my sons cry, I do not ask them to stop. Just distract them from what they were crying about and they will stop.

Thanks for reading. Just wish to share this with all parents out there. Don't ask your child to stop crying and don't ever tell your sons that boys aren't suppose to cry. Crying is good for children and adults. I am still learning to be a mum and will never stop learning, so let's learn from each other about parenting.