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Time to get physical, baby! November 8, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 3comments

I’m seriously thinking of starting to exercise regularly again.  My muscle mass has decreased tremendously and I definitely do not feel as fit as I did about two years ago.  My stamina could do with some improvement too.  I am contemplating checking out the gym at my workplace to see if they have improved it somewhat.  The last time I was there, the equipment was all not properly maintained and I don’t know about you, but I find it icky to work out when there is someone else’s sweat all over the equipment!

Perhaps I could consider starting a simple exercise routine using a Swiss Ball. I remember using it for strengthening the abs and yes, I do have one at home too!  It was a Christmas present that I received two years ago.  And the good news is that I also have an exercise mat at my disposal. :)  In addition, I have the panel of experts at PhysioRoom to help with all my injury-related questions too.

So what’s stopping me?

These boots are made for..? November 2, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 1 comment so far

Exercise is still eluding me. It has been ages since I have gone hiking. I used to hike up Penang Hill on a weekly basis, and even timed myself while doing so, but now, with the lack of exercise, I am not confident if I can even make it halfway up. I am afraid I will pass out from sheer exhaustion! And then today, Rinnah suggested that I bring Ethan hiking with me. He would absolutely love it, I am sure. Actually my hubby and I contemplated hiking up Penang Hill with Ethan strapped on our backs! We figured Ethan would do good for our strength training. Hah…I bet my boy would enjoy that, but I dare not think how my knees would feel! I wonder if getting the right shoes for hiking would help alleviate the pain and discomfort. I wonder if these Hunting Boots can double up as hiking boots too. I wonder when I will eventually start exercising.

You can always lean on me November 2, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 2comments

With great power comes great responsibilty, that’s the tagline from Spiderman. And that’s the phrase that has been reverberating in my head for the past couple of weeks. I had a recent change in role in my work and while it is not a drastic change, this new role encompasses a broader aspect in terms of project management and ownership. At the same time, it commands certainly much more responsibility on my part. I can’t say much about the “power” portion though, but I do feel empowered to produce results. That’s a good thing, no?

There are plenty of project management methods out there, but the one that is taking the world by storm is probably the Six Sigma Methodology. In fact, I just completed my first Six Sigma White Belt project not too long ago, and last month, I had the opportunity to participate in an important Six Sigma Lean Management project. I was perusing some slides concerning the Six Sigma Lean Management just yesterday, and was enthused by the fact that there are so many tools related to this aspect of the Six Sigma methodology. While Lean Management eliminates waste in order to achieve productivity, it makes use of the concepts and practices of Six Sigma to attain its goals. Using this similar comparison, we can even apply the concepts to our working environment to improve our worklife efficiency. Now, if we are efficient, we can certainly get more things done better and faster and hey, maybe even sneak in some blogging and face-book-poking, and oh…I don’t know.. maybe some Rock Paper Scissors and slaying some vampires too, if we are super-efficient?

Hair today, gone tomorrow November 1, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 1 comment so far

I can firmly attest that breastfeeding speeds up the process of losing weight after the delivery of a baby. Each breastfeeding session is akin to a cardio workout in the gym, minus the sweat of course. However, despite this, breastfeeding cannot prevent hair loss in women after childbirth.  This, I am afraid, in unavoidable and unfortunately, I too, suffered from this, although thankfully, it was only just a temporary phase.

About five months after I gave birth, my hair started dropping. At times, I would make horrific discoveries of clumps of hair on the floor.  They were all long strands of hair, so there was no doubt who they belonged to!  The hair loss condition became so bad that I even contemplated seeing a specialist about it. Of course, there was nothing I could do to prevent this hair loss because it was primarily due to a hormonal change. But now that I think about it, I would have possibly placed an immediate order for women’s provillus, had I heard about this product then. Yes, thus was the extent of my desperation.

Well, I am glad that that phase is now over and my tresses are all glowing and healthy now.  Up till the next time round, that is…. I shudder at that thought.

Hawaiian wop-bop-a-luau October 29, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 3comments

I think it is essential for all of us to take some time off at least once a year to go for a vacation somewhere, someplace where we can leave all our worries behind, forget all about work, and just enjoy ourselves to the fullest. In keeping up with the rat race, most of us tend to work too hard and forget that we only live once. Some people are real-life versions of Ebenezer Scrooges, they scrimp and save money for a proverbial “rainy day”, but when the “rainy day” never comes, they wonder where their lives had gone. And yet, on the other end of the spectrum, there are people, top managers even, who take the trouble to take their family for a camping trip or a seaside holiday. They come back rejuvenated, and ready to start work all over again. Why, just last week, my senior manager joyfully told me that he was going to go to Hawaii on vacation. Now, that’s life… All I am saying is that there ought to be a healthy balance between work and play. Always.

Well, I’ve already gone for my “once a year” trip to Singapore. Perhaps I can start planning for another trip next year, perhaps to one of the beautiful Kauai resorts in Hawaii? *hopeful* For one, I have never set foot in Hawaii, although I have been to the States many times before. My hubby and I love the beach and the clear blue waters, so much so that we spent our honeymoon in the Maldives. I am hence curious to find out how different Hawaii is compared to the Maldives. I would certainly expect lots of grass skirts. :) In fact, I wouldn’t mind getting into one myself, just for the fun of it! Next, I learnt that Poipu beach, home of the picturesque Poipu Kai resort, has been voted as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I can just see it now: cool wind in my hair, running along the pristine sand beaches, lazing around on a hammock and the at the end of the day, retiring to one of these Kauai vacation rentals. Ah, paradise indeed.

Energizing Skin October 17, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 1 comment so far

Oh my, it has been ages since I last had my facial. If I remember correctly, the last time I had it was before my wedding. After that, I was just too busy and only managed to make do with mini facials at home. Well, I think it is about time that I indulged again. My face has been subjected to so many environmental factors that I am having nightmares just thinking about it. The last thing I would want is to succumb to wrinkles and pigmentation… eeek.

However, the one thing that is standing in my way of having facials is that I am unwilling to sacrifice quality time with my family during the weekends. A facial can take anything from an hour and a half to three, and with time being so precious, I have a hard time fitting this into my weekend schedule. I am contemplating taking a day off to get my facial done too, you know…but my pathetic annual leave balance stares blankly back at me.

Well, maybe I ought to consider converting my do-it-myself mini facials at home into a full-blown facial. I bet these fantastic products from ORIKI Cosmeceuticals would come in handy. They have got serums and masks aplenty. Since I love experimenting with new beauty products, this would be a good opportunity for me to do so. What caught my eye was the interesting kits they have on sale; some are specifically designed for whitening and some for revitalizing the skin. And with a sweet-sounding name like Oriki, which means “Weaving Life Energy into Your Skin”, I could tell that many have benefited from its all-natural ingredients, judging by the number of testimonials that can be seen on the site. Well, one of the things I look for when I use beauty products is the fact that it contains hypoallergenic properties, which I am happy that Oriki has. In addition, Oriki products boast that they do not contain hydroquinone, which is an ingredient that should be avoided by anyone with Asian, Mediterranean and Olive skin (AMO). That’s what makes Oriki special: all its products are formulated *for*AMO skins.

So what do you think, should I give this a shot in favor of going for a facial?  It would certainly enable me to spend more quality family time, that’s for sure.

My Postie Decision October 10, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Blogging, Rainmakers , 4comments

Getting hooked on blogging has been one of the best decisions I have made.  Okay, maybe the decision I made was to start blogging, but getting hooked became part and parcel of the entire thing.  I am more observant about my surroundings and how it affects me and I now find ways and means of creating interesting posts to make a dreary topic bearable…well, sometimes.  Of course, together with blogging, I made another great decision, which was to become a postie.  I consider myself still a newbie to PayPerPost because I have only been a member for slightly over six months, whereas I know of friends who have been members for goodness knows how long!

My experience with PPP has been one rollercoaster of excitement and frustration. Together with my gal pal Rinnah, we constantly shared information on PPP news and announcements including blog advertising, not to mention clueing each other in on the good posts to grab, and also lamenting the fact that “There’s nothing good today!” So yes, PPP has certainly created friendships, at least for me.  Being a postie has trained me to write better too.  I have to look at different angles of each post in order to make it appeal to my discerning reader.  And since I love writing, this is an excellent avenue for me.  I have no regrets at all!

Build me a Link October 9, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 1 comment so far

Lately, there has been a surge in the number and variety of tags or memes being passed around the blogosphere. I too, have been on the receiving end of some of these tags, and even as we speak, I have several pending ones staring at me from my to-do list.

These tags are purely entertaining in nature but underneath the workings of each, is an attempt to boost a website’s link popularity. I am convinced that each completed tag contributes towards link building in an exponential manner, especially if the post contains a deeper link within it. I find it interesting to note how these tags work, if you really think about it.

Well, tags are not the only manner a blog or website can have its popularity boosted. Many sites nowadays utilize natural search engine optimization tools to ensure their sites are listed at least in the first page of a search query when a search portal is used. When this happens, it is a no-brainer that chances of people clicking on your link and visiting your site is much higher, resulting in, of course, a more popular blog.

However, I still maintain that a site consisting of only good search-engine-optimized terms is meaningless unless the contents of the site appeal to the readers at large. So a balanced of content and popular topics is essential to maintain an interested audience, yes?

Kill Time with a Portable DVD Player October 5, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 3comments

Don’t ask me how the topic was brought up, but my hubby and I have decided to watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Yes, again. Our DVDs at home are collecting dust anyway, might as well watch it and be entertained all over again. In any case, I could never ever tire of watching that classic. In fact, I know a lot of the dialogue by heart too. Gandalf going “Fly, you fools!” before falling dramatically to his (what we thought was his) death, the Mines of Moria, Samwise Gamgee and the lembas bread incident and oh, who could forget Smeagol with his *precioussssss…..*.

However, looking at our busy schedule, we may need to look for alternative methods to watch this movie in super quick time. Instead of just confining ourselves to watching it in our home, we can now also watch it on the go! With a portable DVD player, all this is made possible. Just think: no more “I Spy with my Little Eye” games while travelling on the road. I can now immerse myself in a good movie instead! All I will need is this portable 10 inch DVD player, and I am all set to go! Errr… but sorry, if you’re the driver, you gotta keep your eyes peeled to the road!

Retiring, Travelling… that’s Life! October 1, 2007

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Rainmakers , 1 comment so far

A friend of mine has his retirement planned to a tee. He told me that when all his kids grow up and leave the nest, and he has attained his golden years, he wants to go travelling with his wife. That’s what most senior citizens are doing these days actually. With every Matta fair that comes our way, I see throngs of senior citizens booking holiday packages with their families, China being one of the more popular destinations.

If I owned a travel company, I would up the ante on the competition by bundling in travel insurance for the elderly in the holiday package. I bet that would be certainly be attractive, because not only would the traveller feel secure whilst on holiday, it is definitely hard to find insurance companies who are willing to insure the elderly folk. Of course, I hope that I too will have the opportunity to travel far and wide when I get the title of “senior citizen”, which by the way is a LONG time to go still. *wink*