Booker Blogs

The Emily Diet

I suppose only those who are familiar with Eric’s blog and the movie “Devil Wears Prada” will know what this diet is about. For those of you who don’t….

“The Emily Diet - You eat nothing until you nearly pass out (passing out is optional…especially for the REALLY desperate of us dieters) and just about the time when you’re seeing stars/the light/Hugh Jackman [whatever rocks your boat baby!], you pop a cube of cheese into your mouth.”

It’s an effective way of losing weight by the stomach-ful, and fainting is but an inconvenient yet welcome* side effect. *Welcome cause you kinda don’t eat when you’re unconscious…. Other than that, the Emily Diet gets you into pretty dresses and yes, for those who are partial to gambling, the winnings of certain bets (here’s looking at you ERIC!). So it starts today for me. It started yesterday for Eric. We’re not competing or anything, we just share certain similarities…. You know… the odd button bursting out of its place… mine narrowly missed my coffee mug…… Eric’s hit a light bulb… *kidding* and the uncomfortable snugness of your normally comfie clothes…. Oh alright….Let’s face it!!!!! I’m wobbling about town like a walrus at a seafood buffet!!!!! So I HAVE TO DIET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only…. We’re technically STILL in the Chinese New Year period… and there are STILL cookies on the coffee table….. and there are STILL dinners to go to….. and there’s STILL pink shandy in the fridge…. Life is not easy for a girl with fat genes…. Not any fat genes… I happen to be blessed with the kind that do a hiroshima on me the moment I LOOK at food…. Or if I accidentally… ACCIDENTALLY have some jam tarts back into my mouth… life is tough indeed!!!

So I’m not lunching today….ok maybe… MAYBE I’ll have a bit of low fat natural yoghurt….oooh and it being Super Discount Tuesday and all….. KFC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ONLY… of course… if that snack plate accidentally backs into me…. Hey, gimme a break… I’m ON A DIET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chinese New Year 2008!!!

It came and in the 2 days preceeding this Lunar year of the Rat, I had scrubbed, cleaned, dusted, wiped, mopped and washed an entire year’s worth. As I was mopping the floor for the final time before the 1^st day of new year, I silently thanked the genius who all those years ago came up with the superstitious decree that “Thou shall not sweep, mop nor clean” during the 1^st day. I suspect she was one of those people who like me, left EVERYTHING to be done in the 2 days preceeding the new year and would have killed herself (well almost) cleaning.

Again, there are gee gaws stuffed in boxes and tucked away, drawers are stuffed to the brim and some closet doors are threatening to bust out of their hinges BUT all looked fine for Chinese New Year where every available spot in the house was occupied by the loving bums of the Ong clan. I love Chinese New Year.

Ancestral prayers this year was a low key affair. I, as usual, the youngest and 4^th born in the family, fulfilled my purpose in life this year with gusto. What’s that purpose? To keep flies from the food of course. Only this year, it was done while reading the papers, Prince nuzzling my lap and to a big ass mug of butterscotch caramel baileys coffee….. aaaaaaah!!!

And if I had to pick a favourite moment… it would have to be the eve of CNY, midnite, just after prayers, the night air cooling  the embers of the burning inferno we started in the old kitchen sink in the front garden, the candles silently burning away and the perfume of the joss sticks permeating the air…. When as if on cue, the quiet cloudless midnight sky burst into a concerto of thunderous booms and bangs and the black sky was splattered with beautiful splotches of a thousand coloured fireworks!!!! It was magnificent… it went on for hours….. first this corner of the vast sky and then another corner lit up! It was simply bliss, after a long hard day of scrubbing and cleaning and cutting and dicing and cooking… to plonk myself on the boot of my mom’s car, ice cold shandy in hand,  watching the burning candles to my right, and looking up to the spectacular fireworks display late into the night. Nice!!!!!

As usual, I ate too much and hugged too little, laughed too loudly and gambled too sparingly…. All the time deflecting questions of “finding someone” and “get married already!!!” with a smile that said “sure, ask away, I don’t see how it’s any of your business….. and I really really don’t mind… really I DON’T” while I happily pocketed them ang pows :D. Also slept a fair bit this year…. I guess age IS catching up on mine old creaky bones. So here’s to a new year that will bring us all happiness, love, health and luck.

Gong Xi Gong Xi!!!