Tuesday, October 28, 2003
There no business... like the tai tai business
I always believe one needs a Plan B, in case the "rich man" dies on you or divorces you. I must talk about the realities in life here. So, every potential tai tai must address this possibility sometime in their life.
For a few years now, I have been thinking of ways, not to have to work to pay my bills. I guess this is one main reason for aspiring to become a tai tai.
"Have your rich man pay for your bills!"
Ahhh....this is my ultimate dream. Hahahaa....how shallow I can be!
Perhaps, after a while, I may get bored with spending my "allowance" or maybe, my allowance is not enough or my "raise" is not approved by the "rich man". This is when Plan B is needed.
So, I have be exploring a few possibilities to a tai tai and be self-sufficient, at the same time.
What can a tai tai do to make money?
It must be something she enjoys doing and at the same time, does not affect her social calendar.
Also, it must involve minimum work, maximum money. Hak!
One idea is to do something about my ceramic painting. Currently, my collection is ever growing (lately, it's a piece a week!). They are gathering dust because they are too precious to use.
So, I have decided firstly to publish my past Beeworks Ceramics collection painted while I was in Sydney.
Then, I will make a commitment and put my money where my mouth is.
"I, Beeworks, hereby promise to come up with my Spring 2004 Collection by this December."
Hence, I am painting like crazy, at the moment.
How wonderful is it to be able to do what you like and be able to make money out of it at the same time!
I have also been going on a lot of vacations this year....on the pretext of exploring new ideas and "business" prospects. Well, I think my travels are more focused lately. So, I hope one of those ideas will become my bread and butter in the future.
Lesson 7 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Have your money, make more money!"
Your say? [ comment(s)]
I always believe one needs a Plan B, in case the "rich man" dies on you or divorces you. I must talk about the realities in life here. So, every potential tai tai must address this possibility sometime in their life.
For a few years now, I have been thinking of ways, not to have to work to pay my bills. I guess this is one main reason for aspiring to become a tai tai.
"Have your rich man pay for your bills!"
Ahhh....this is my ultimate dream. Hahahaa....how shallow I can be!
Perhaps, after a while, I may get bored with spending my "allowance" or maybe, my allowance is not enough or my "raise" is not approved by the "rich man". This is when Plan B is needed.
So, I have be exploring a few possibilities to a tai tai and be self-sufficient, at the same time.
What can a tai tai do to make money?
It must be something she enjoys doing and at the same time, does not affect her social calendar.
Also, it must involve minimum work, maximum money. Hak!
One idea is to do something about my ceramic painting. Currently, my collection is ever growing (lately, it's a piece a week!). They are gathering dust because they are too precious to use.
So, I have decided firstly to publish my past Beeworks Ceramics collection painted while I was in Sydney.
Then, I will make a commitment and put my money where my mouth is.
"I, Beeworks, hereby promise to come up with my Spring 2004 Collection by this December."
Hence, I am painting like crazy, at the moment.
How wonderful is it to be able to do what you like and be able to make money out of it at the same time!
I have also been going on a lot of vacations this year....on the pretext of exploring new ideas and "business" prospects. Well, I think my travels are more focused lately. So, I hope one of those ideas will become my bread and butter in the future.
Lesson 7 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Have your money, make more money!"
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Good Moorning...Vietnam
Every so often, a tai tai has to perform her shopping pilgrimage somewhere. Vietnam offers a reasonable alternative shopping destination to the over-rated Hong Kong and Singapore.
It is my first time to Vietnam and my first time on Vietnam Air. What a beefy start to my Vietnamese adventure! See Dining at 30,000 feet.
Shop till you drop!
There is hard work and dedication involved in the black art of tai tai shopping. Every tai tai should haggle for a good bargain even though she can afford to pay for the full price. It may seem un tai tai-like but getting a good price is half the fun of shopping. Also, it can be absolutely satisfying thing to brag among your tai tai friends. Shopping in the sweltering heat and crushing crowds is not for the faint-hearted. One needs to look utterly "tai tai" even in such demanding conditions. More of what I discovered in Saigon in Nomadic Tales.
Elsewhere, I am happy to report that I was not bitten by the shopping bug, despite all temptations. Instead, it was bitten by shutterBUG.
In the end, all my Vietnamese Dong spent!
Got my ao dai, the vietnamese traditional dress. Absolutely virginal-looking!
My vietnamese coffee grinder, strainer and coffee beans. My new toys!
Goodbye, Vietnam.
Lesson 6 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Every tai tai should be involved in some kind of social work. Do your bid to help the poor by contributing to the economy of a third world nation through your shopping activities."
Your say? [ comment(s)]
Every so often, a tai tai has to perform her shopping pilgrimage somewhere. Vietnam offers a reasonable alternative shopping destination to the over-rated Hong Kong and Singapore.
It is my first time to Vietnam and my first time on Vietnam Air. What a beefy start to my Vietnamese adventure! See Dining at 30,000 feet.
Shop till you drop!
There is hard work and dedication involved in the black art of tai tai shopping. Every tai tai should haggle for a good bargain even though she can afford to pay for the full price. It may seem un tai tai-like but getting a good price is half the fun of shopping. Also, it can be absolutely satisfying thing to brag among your tai tai friends. Shopping in the sweltering heat and crushing crowds is not for the faint-hearted. One needs to look utterly "tai tai" even in such demanding conditions. More of what I discovered in Saigon in Nomadic Tales.
Elsewhere, I am happy to report that I was not bitten by the shopping bug, despite all temptations. Instead, it was bitten by shutterBUG.
In the end, all my Vietnamese Dong spent!
Got my ao dai, the vietnamese traditional dress. Absolutely virginal-looking!
My vietnamese coffee grinder, strainer and coffee beans. My new toys!
Goodbye, Vietnam.
Lesson 6 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Every tai tai should be involved in some kind of social work. Do your bid to help the poor by contributing to the economy of a third world nation through your shopping activities."
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Two nights in Bangkok
I managed to get on my 1000 flight to Bangkok after doing my waitlist sentence for 3 days.
For more travel tales, see Dining at 30,000 feet and Nomadic Tales.
It is the week before the APEC Summit in Bangkok.
One would think the whole city would be spruced up. But, it wasn't really.
Noticeably, only the beggars and vagrants were kept off the streets.
See shutterBEE for more of Bangkok scenes.
It was a whole afternoon of touring the Grand Palace, Jatujak weekend market and hanging out at my fav mall "The Emporium". My legs were tired from 7 hours on my feet.
Best foot forward
Of all the hotels in Bangkok, I had to check into the one that has Mandara Spa downstairs.
How can I resist the temptation?
I did not....err....resist.
A tai tai to be must take time out to recharge and rejuvente.
Of course, I had the usual dilemma of having many choices I can pick from.
Of course, I went in with something in mind, the cheaper Thai massage. Then, I ended up with something more lavish.
I sampled a bit of the Thai massage. I would have gone for that (as I still have not tried it!) if not for being so sore from all the walking that day. It would have been painful rather than relaxing. That evening, all I wanted to do was lie down and relax.
So, it was ....... Mandara Spa "Energizing"
with Thai Spice massage oil (refreshing smell of lemon grass, ginger, clove and cinnamon)
~ refreshment
~ shower
~ floral foot bath
~ deep tissue massage
~ rejuvenating facial
~ refereshment
Lesson 5 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Always have your partner wait on you hand and foot. If he can't, Mandara Spa will."
Your say? [ comment(s)]
I managed to get on my 1000 flight to Bangkok after doing my waitlist sentence for 3 days.
For more travel tales, see Dining at 30,000 feet and Nomadic Tales.
It is the week before the APEC Summit in Bangkok.
One would think the whole city would be spruced up. But, it wasn't really.
Noticeably, only the beggars and vagrants were kept off the streets.
See shutterBEE for more of Bangkok scenes.
It was a whole afternoon of touring the Grand Palace, Jatujak weekend market and hanging out at my fav mall "The Emporium". My legs were tired from 7 hours on my feet.
Best foot forward
Of all the hotels in Bangkok, I had to check into the one that has Mandara Spa downstairs.
How can I resist the temptation?
I did not....err....resist.
A tai tai to be must take time out to recharge and rejuvente.
Of course, I had the usual dilemma of having many choices I can pick from.
Of course, I went in with something in mind, the cheaper Thai massage. Then, I ended up with something more lavish.
I sampled a bit of the Thai massage. I would have gone for that (as I still have not tried it!) if not for being so sore from all the walking that day. It would have been painful rather than relaxing. That evening, all I wanted to do was lie down and relax.
So, it was ....... Mandara Spa "Energizing"
with Thai Spice massage oil (refreshing smell of lemon grass, ginger, clove and cinnamon)
~ refreshment
~ shower
~ floral foot bath
~ deep tissue massage
~ rejuvenating facial
~ refereshment
Lesson 5 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Always have your partner wait on you hand and foot. If he can't, Mandara Spa will."
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
Last minute getaways
I have been organizing my short vacation to Vietnam for a few weeks now. I have come to realise how fickle I am when there are options.
Vacation or quiet time at home?
Bali or Vietnam?
Hanoi or Saigon?
Trip from Mon to Thurs, Sun to Wed, Wed to Saturday and any combination in between...
3-star, 4-star or 5-star hotel?
Pay by cash, cheque or credit card?
This must be a test for the aspiring tai tai who will one day face the choice of London, Paris or New York?".
Back to reality...
Until last Sunday, our choice was to go to Hanoi with Malaysian Airlines (MAS) Golden Holidays package. Then, we had some "last-minute cold feet on whether we made the right choice" interviews with people who have gone to Vietnam. And yesterday, we finally decided on Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
We cancel our bookings to Hanoi and rebook to Saigon. Later that evening, the agent informs me that MAS only accepts bookings at least 7 working days before date of departure.
What?? 7 days notice? Are you refusing our business with you?
*Flabbergasted*
All of the sudden, our travel plans are in a limbo. For the latest update, read Nomadic Tales.
Lesson 4 in The art of Tai Tai hood
If you want to elope or escape with a loved one, you need at least seven days notice...if you travel with MAS Golden Holidays. Half the passion killed!
Your say? [ comment(s)]
I have been organizing my short vacation to Vietnam for a few weeks now. I have come to realise how fickle I am when there are options.
Vacation or quiet time at home?
Bali or Vietnam?
Hanoi or Saigon?
Trip from Mon to Thurs, Sun to Wed, Wed to Saturday and any combination in between...
3-star, 4-star or 5-star hotel?
Pay by cash, cheque or credit card?
This must be a test for the aspiring tai tai who will one day face the choice of London, Paris or New York?".
Back to reality...
Until last Sunday, our choice was to go to Hanoi with Malaysian Airlines (MAS) Golden Holidays package. Then, we had some "last-minute cold feet on whether we made the right choice" interviews with people who have gone to Vietnam. And yesterday, we finally decided on Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
We cancel our bookings to Hanoi and rebook to Saigon. Later that evening, the agent informs me that MAS only accepts bookings at least 7 working days before date of departure.
What?? 7 days notice? Are you refusing our business with you?
*Flabbergasted*
All of the sudden, our travel plans are in a limbo. For the latest update, read Nomadic Tales.
Lesson 4 in The art of Tai Tai hood
If you want to elope or escape with a loved one, you need at least seven days notice...if you travel with MAS Golden Holidays. Half the passion killed!
Monday, October 06, 2003
Never on a Sunday...
..and Saturday, for that matter.
In my haste to catch my transport back from work on Friday, I left behind my notebook cable in the office. It was an entire weekend without my internet lifeline. Darn!
So, it became a lazy, quiet but productive weekend of music and painting. See Pinggan mangkuk periuk belanga. Also, did my Sunday mall-walk ritual. See ShutterBEE.
Sunday morning, sipping my coffee over breakfast, I read with amazement (again) some incredible tales from the Phillippines. Mind you, I am not reading some trashy newspaper here. It reads...
Life sentence to Fred and Jing
Retired Court of Appeals Justice, Fred M., aged 78 weds City Judge, Jing C., aged 37.
Cool! I thought these things only happened to Anna Nicole Smith.
Apparently, mum of the bride cried silently for days before the wedding. But, the lady judge was too deeply in love with her dashing old groom.
Yesterday, over breakfast ....another juicy showbiz tale of two 40-something movie stars.
Dolphy, Zsa Zsa to wed in Hawaii?
The marriage of Zsa Zsa P. has been finally annulled. This paves the way for Dolphy and Zsa Zsa to marry at last. It would be Dolphy's first ever marriage (...and you think how romantic, then....the bombshell) eventhough he had fathered 18 children with 5 women, whom he did not marry!
What stories to spice up my rather boring breakfast.
Lesson 3 in The art of Tai Tai hood
Love has no boundary, no shape, size, age or colour. Tighten that leash on your man.
P.s. I almost forgot, Kris and Joey are back together again.
Your say? [ comment(s)]
..and Saturday, for that matter.
In my haste to catch my transport back from work on Friday, I left behind my notebook cable in the office. It was an entire weekend without my internet lifeline. Darn!
So, it became a lazy, quiet but productive weekend of music and painting. See Pinggan mangkuk periuk belanga. Also, did my Sunday mall-walk ritual. See ShutterBEE.
Sunday morning, sipping my coffee over breakfast, I read with amazement (again) some incredible tales from the Phillippines. Mind you, I am not reading some trashy newspaper here. It reads...
Life sentence to Fred and Jing
Retired Court of Appeals Justice, Fred M., aged 78 weds City Judge, Jing C., aged 37.
Cool! I thought these things only happened to Anna Nicole Smith.
Apparently, mum of the bride cried silently for days before the wedding. But, the lady judge was too deeply in love with her dashing old groom.
Yesterday, over breakfast ....another juicy showbiz tale of two 40-something movie stars.
Dolphy, Zsa Zsa to wed in Hawaii?
The marriage of Zsa Zsa P. has been finally annulled. This paves the way for Dolphy and Zsa Zsa to marry at last. It would be Dolphy's first ever marriage (...and you think how romantic, then....the bombshell) eventhough he had fathered 18 children with 5 women, whom he did not marry!
What stories to spice up my rather boring breakfast.
Lesson 3 in The art of Tai Tai hood
Love has no boundary, no shape, size, age or colour. Tighten that leash on your man.
P.s. I almost forgot, Kris and Joey are back together again.
Friday, October 03, 2003
Poetry in Motion
Some while ago, I noticed several signboards on the side of the road enroute to Cabuyao (Philippines). They were displaying the poem (below) line by line. I guess there are thirteen signboards in total. I never really took count.
I hope no driver crashed into the trees by the roadside in the attempt to read the signboards while driving!
Photo: Poetry in motion (signboard reads "And lifts her leafy arms to pray")
Trees by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
I am impressed.
Environmental-friendly and poetic at the same time.
AND, the poem rhymes too!
Lesson 2 in the Art of Tai Tai hood
It is still fashionable to dedicate some time to a worthy cause. Go sell those old newspapers stacked up at home and make a dollar or two in the process.
Thank God it's Friday.
Have a great weekend brushing up your Tai Tai skills!
Your say? [ comment(s)]
Some while ago, I noticed several signboards on the side of the road enroute to Cabuyao (Philippines). They were displaying the poem (below) line by line. I guess there are thirteen signboards in total. I never really took count.
I hope no driver crashed into the trees by the roadside in the attempt to read the signboards while driving!
Photo: Poetry in motion (signboard reads "And lifts her leafy arms to pray")
Trees by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
I am impressed.
Environmental-friendly and poetic at the same time.
AND, the poem rhymes too!
Lesson 2 in the Art of Tai Tai hood
It is still fashionable to dedicate some time to a worthy cause. Go sell those old newspapers stacked up at home and make a dollar or two in the process.
Thank God it's Friday.
Have a great weekend brushing up your Tai Tai skills!
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Beeworks blog goes live
I am working from Manila, Philippines this week.
News from the Philippines front,
Kris Aquino (daughter of ex-President Corazon Aquino, actress and game show host) filed charges against her married lover City Mayor Joey Marquez are a spat involving burning their love nest and gun pointing.
Today, Kris has delayed filing administrative charges against Joey to give him more time to reconsider his decision not to make a public apology to her.
Make up or break up?
Sandalous news from a predominantly devout Christian nation.
Lesson 1 in the Art of Tai Tai hood
Don't burn your marital bed. You will never know when you will need it back.
Your say? [ comment(s)]
I am working from Manila, Philippines this week.
News from the Philippines front,
Kris Aquino (daughter of ex-President Corazon Aquino, actress and game show host) filed charges against her married lover City Mayor Joey Marquez are a spat involving burning their love nest and gun pointing.
Today, Kris has delayed filing administrative charges against Joey to give him more time to reconsider his decision not to make a public apology to her.
Make up or break up?
Sandalous news from a predominantly devout Christian nation.
Lesson 1 in the Art of Tai Tai hood
Don't burn your marital bed. You will never know when you will need it back.
