And The Blog Challenge Comes To An End

I never really thought just how hard it would be to complete the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  It’s been a tough month considering I’m not a daily blogger – at one point I thought, hats off to anyone who blogs daily (and to those who actually write journals).  The only time I’ve ever blogged continuously was when I took part in the 10 Day YOU Challenge back in August 2011.

Blogging every day, or even putting together 31 posts over 31 days is not an easy task and for every day that I wasn’t able to blog or schedule a post – I got pretty worked up about not being able to keep up to the challenge.

Despite putting together tips on how to stay on track for the blog challenge; I felt that I was falling behind due to a rather hectic work schedule.   To make matters worse; I realized that some of my scheduled posts didn’t get published on time which made me feel like my efforts kinda went to waste.

Regardless of the set-backs that I faced, I was determined to see that I got 31 posts up and I have – and I’m proud of completing the challenge.  I managed to learn a lot from this and discover a lot of new bloggers who are all featured in my blog challenge report.  Would I do it again …. YES !! (I know it sounds crazy but I do love me a good challenge).

What about you ? How far did you get in the challenge ? Did you complete all 31 posts ? Would you take part in something like this again ? And if you didn’t participate – do you think you would participate later in the year ? (I believe there are 3 more UBC challenges this year)

MM #75 Avatars of Dub - Sex Elevator Music

It’s Monday folks which means it’s time for another #MusicMonday … woke up this morning and heard this tune … daaaaaamn it’s a such a chill beat; had me wishing I was waking up next to the beach instead of in the city !

I don’t know much about the group Avatars of Dub but I believe one of the members was part of the Thievery Corporation (another music group) at some point. 

There’s something about this tune which is mellow and yet very sensual all at the same time .. no wonder the track got name Sex Elevator Music !

Blog Challenge Report

With the Ultimate Blog Challenge coming to an end in the next 24 hours, here’s a quick 3-point summary of my blog challenge experience.

3 Benefits of Participating in the Challenge

1. I managed to generate daily content (even if it some of it was scheduled posts) and let my creativity flow; and it got me into the habit of writing daily (which is something I’ve never really done on my blog)
2. Group motivation ! Since so many people were participating in the challenge, there was loads of encouragement from others to keep posting and thus ensured that I stayed on scheduled. Being a part of a community.
3. Increase in Blog Traffic along with Comments ! I found that I had comments & Retweets from other participants in the challenge which made me go do the same for them.

3 Things To Remember for Future Challenges

1. Create a rough draft / titles of potential topics you want to blog about and expand on it
2. Follow the rules of the challenge and pimp your blog by way of all the social media tools available to you. 
3. Take a break for a day or two if you aren’t used to writing daily content.  Use that time to look over other blogs and inspiration will hit you when you least expect it.

3 New Tweeps To Follow

1. MichelleShaeffr – one of the founders of the UBC who provides a wealth of information via her tweets and her various blogs
2. Cateyesmd – super friendly and one of the first commenters on my UBC posts
3. SocialBizniz – doesn’t matter if you are a social media buff or a newbie, this is one person you want to follow to get your dose of social media updates

3 New Blogs I Discovered & Enjoyed

1. Everything Stress Blog  by Charlie Damonsing
2. Day In The Life of A Busy Gal by Sharon Howard
3. Pink Diary by Jenn

I’ve really enjoyed participating in the Blog Challenge and pretty chuffed that I discovered it; initially I wasn’t sure if I could put together all 31 posts but looks like I’m almost there !!

If you have participated in the UBC 2012 or in any other blog challenge; do share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments.  I’d love to read up on your posts.  If you’ve never been a part of a challenge – do you think you might try one this year ?

Sexy Saturday : Cristiano Ronaldo

Who doesn’t know Cristiano Ronaldo ? This divine Portuguese football star plays as a striker for Real Madrid and is also the captain of the Portuguese national team.

At the age of 27, he is considered to be one of the highest paid football players in the world with a buyout clause valued at €1 billion ! That’s just an insane amount of money don’t you think ?

I’m not the biggest footie fan but when hunks like David Beckham and Ronaldo are there as eye candy – why not watch the game right ?  Oh and my 8 year old nephew is a die-hard Ronaldo fan (and a footie nut!) so much so that he changes his hair style along with Ronaldo !

He gets my #SexySaturday vote – what about yours ?

 

 

Never Run Out of Blog Ideas Again

As much as we all enjoy blogging, I’m sure like me – there are days when you can’t think of what to write .. or when you do have the idea – you can’t quite formulate it into the exact words that you want .. or you get a fab idea for a post, but you never end up writing it ‘cos work / life gets in the way and before you know it that idea is a distant dream.

Here are a list of 4 Sites that ensure you never run out of blog ideas again !

1. Daily Blogging Ideas : An Inspirational Playground for Bloggers by Michelle Shaeffer
2. The Daily Post : Post Something Everyday
3. Daily Blog Tips by Daniel Scocco
4. Fuel Your Blogging

Honestly there are blog post ideas everywhere – it’s just a matter of looking for them and finding the time to put the post together.  If you still think you may run out of ideas from the above list, then don’t forget to check out the other 712 Blog Topics you can write about !

Did you find the above sites useful ? Do you use any of them already for inspiration ? Where do you go to get blog post ideas ? Don’t forget to share any links you might have.

WW #55 Only A Cubby Hug Away

Awwww !!! Isn’t this just the most adorable photo ever ??!! I wouldn’t mind having a baby cub put their lil’ paws around me !  If you haven’t already guessed, I’m a sucker for the big cats (not the house cats) and seeing cute pics like this just make me want to get a cub for myself !

Found this via the Creative Journal which was featuring photos from the International Photography Awards (2011) site and had to share it.

If you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge then don’t forget to share your link below so that we can all come check your blog out.

712 Blog Topics You Can Write About

After countless hours in front of my laptop trying to put together new post topics to keep me going through the Ultimate Blog Challenge, I realized that there are ideas everywhere; you just have to know where to look (which can be pretty time consuming).

So I thought I’d save you some screen time and share 712 blog topics that you can write about and refer to when you’re suffering from a bout writers block or when your creative juices are completely drained out.

1. 100 Blog Topics I Hope You Write by Chris Brogan
2. 50 Article/Blog Title Ideas For You by Michelle Shaeffer
3. 93 Business Blogging Topic Ideas – Things to Blog about When You’re Out of Ideas by Mike Brown
4. 101+ Killer Blog Post Ideas
5. 15 List Post Ideas When You Get Writer’s Block – by Tristan Higbee for Kikolani
6. 353+ Blog Post Ideas to Inspire You by Amy Schmittauer

There you have it .. there are enough topics in there to keep you going for 1 year 11 months (if you wrote a post a day) ! Damn !!

If you have any links or post ideas that you know about, please do share them in the comments so that everyone who stops by can benefit from it.

Absolut Diva Cake

I just celebrated my Dirty Flirty 30th Birthday over the weekend with friends and I’m flying over the moon (or maybe it’s just the excessive vodka intake keeping me so high).  Maybe I do get a bit too excited about my birthday – but then why shouldn’t I ? It’s my special day !

There was no theme to my birthday but everyone around could relate to the Absolut Diva Cake that my cousin (and business partner) NC hooked up for me.  It was simply divine !

As awesome as the cake looks – unfortunately for me, I didn’t get to eat much of it because my younger cousin sort of smashed a chunk of it on my face and straight in my eye !! No fun there ! BUT I did have a lot of champagne to make up for it.  My friends who had the cake loved it – a rich Belgian chocolate if I’m not mistaken. 

NC did do some apt branding – and honestly my birthday was A Klass Apart

MM #74 Birthday Tunes

I’m in an exceptionally good mood today …. yep, that’s right, ‘cos it’s my Birthday !!! Some people dread getting older – but not me .. my birthday is that one time in the year – when it’s all about me and I tend to splurge on myself.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on a track to share for today – so decided to put together a few birthday tunes that seemed like a lot of fun.

R Kelly – It’s Your Birthday

Party Like It’s Your Birthday

I really like this particular track – the guy has a really smooth voice ! And we’ve all gotta party like it’s our birthday – go all out and just enjoy !

Happy Birthday Party Song

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

 

PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Diva's Dirty Flirty Thirty

That’s right folks – today, January 23rd 2012, marks my red carpet entry into the Big 30 Club !

Some people, particularly women, tend to get depressed that they’ve hit the 30 mark – but not me .. I’ve been looking forward to hitting this milestone for a while now ! (I swear I’m not crazy – I just happen to love my birthday)

The weekend didn’t go quite as planned; and hence the birthday blues rant last week – but it turned out to be a really fun, chilled out evening (actually unusually mellow compared to my past shenanigans) surrounded by good friends and family.  My mum totally rocked the dance floor with my mates which was great fun to watch. 

I had invited a few mates over to my maternal family house which is sea facing and has a stunning garden with a huge patio.  I’d arranged for a Dj, some bartenders, had the food catered including a live barbeque and my cousin NC hooked up the birthday cake ! (which I barely got to have ‘cos of an unfortunate incident that involved A LOT of cake in my eye !!)

Now it’s time for me to unwrap all my pressies and start packing for my trip to Delhi for my clients’ wedding (I hope I’m actually able to complete the ultimate blog challenge as I’m out of town for the next 10 days and the scheduled posts appear when they are meant to !!)

I’m gonna leave you with a few birthday tunes that you might wanna share with your mates over their b’days !

If you are taking part in the challenge, don’t forget to share your post below !

Sexy Saturday : Top 10 Sexy Sirens, v2

I started the Sexy Saturday meme quite a few months ago to add some spice to my very sporadic reflections.  A few months ago I put together a Top 10 Sexy Sirens list and now it’s time to showcase a whole lot more of sexiness !!

Gentlemen (and Ladies of course)… Feast your eyes on these Sexy Sirens !

Rosie Huntington Whitely	Gisele Bündchen
Kiera Knightley	Bar Refaeli
Jessica Biel	Gabrielle Union
Audrey Hepburn	Gina Lollobrigida
Marilyn Monroe	Penelope Cruz

Which of these sexy ladies gets your #SexySaturday vote ? Who would you like to see featured in the future ?  Anyone on this list that shouldn’t be here ?

If you are taking  part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge then don’t forget to share your link below !

To Schedule Or Not To Schedule Posts ?

Here I am still trying to get my head around putting together 31 posts for the Ultimate Blog Challenge that I’m taking part in.  Without realizing it – I committed to a challenge bang in the middle of a very large wedding that my company AKA : A Klass Apart is handling and I’m quite worried that I won’t be able to keep up with the entire 31 posts.

Which got me thinking … would it be considered cheating if I scheduled posts for the 10 days that I would be traveling and busy with work ?  I did ask around on Twitter and no one seemed to think anything wrong of it – and really the challenge doesn’t specify that I have to post every day – it just states that somehow I must get 31 posts out there on my blog !

Since I’ve never really had a blog schedule before – I decided that I will ‘schedule’ specific posts such as my #MusicMonday; #WordlessWednesday & #SexySaturday posts since I already know what I’m going to be writing for them whilst I’ll be traveling.  That’s 3 posts out of a 7 day week which leaves me with 4 more posts to come up with (which is hard work in itself !)

I’m using the blog schedule feature on WindowsLiveWriter to schedule my posts.  Blogger & Wordpress platforms also offer this service.  At least by using the feature – I can participate in the challenge consistently and even when I’m busy – my blog will get some content on it.

What are your thoughts about scheduling posts ? Have you done that in the past ? Are you going to be scheduling any posts during the Ultimate Blog Challenge ? Have you figured out when is the best time to ‘schedule’ your posts for ?

If you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge – don’t forget to share your link below !

 

WW #54 : Creative Koleston

I reaaaaaaaaaaally like this outdoor media advert by Koleston.  It’s edgy, innovative and immediately catches the attention of anyone looking at it.  I saw this randomly on WeHeartIt.com and had to share it with you all.  I’m not sure which part of the world this advert was done or where you could even find this hoarding .. but it’s pretty damn cool !

Have you come across any cool adverts that have really made you sit back and go ‘wow’ ?  What advert was it and where did you see it ?

Happy #WW and don’t forget to share your linky ! 

p.s. if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge then don’t forget to share your link below

Diva Goes Shopping

… and anyone who knows me know that in itself is quite a task !!

Unlike most women I know, I really don’t enjoy shopping … to a point I actually hate it … the very thought of having to cram myself in a tiny changing room and trying on clothes makes me skip any shopping trips that my girlfriends plan.  

But today, I was on a mission and that was to find the perfect dress for my upcoming birthday party !  A few days earlier I spoke to a friend of mine DS and she volunteered to go out shopping with me. (so glad she did because in Bombay I wouldn’t even know where to start looking for a dress for myself !)

DS turns up to meet me with her super cute hubby SS and before I know it – both of them are browsing clothing racks picking out outfits they think would look good on me (which I thought was the sweetest thing!).  DS and I almost killed one of the store assistants ‘cos she was seriously obnoxious and had no clue about customer service.  This woman kept insisting that an outfit I was keen on ‘would not fit’ .. guess what – not only did it fit perfectly as SG would tell you all – but all three of my friends loved it on me !

After breaking a sweat in the miniscule changing rooms (they should just be called cubicles ‘cos there’s barely any space to even turn around properly let alone change comfortably) – I was ready to call it quits and just head home !! I’m not kidding when I say that shopping and me are just not meant to be !  But with loads of encouragement from my entourage outside (who were kind enough not to laugh at me when I came out all dishevelled) I manage to continue trying on a few more outfits.

DS took pity on me and the four of us took a quick coffee break – only to be joined by my darling HRH and his boyfriend. The conversation there is fodder for another blog as SG might agree.  A quick motor bike ride across Bandra to another store – a few more outfit changes and I managed to leave with one perfect dress :)

Not a bad day at all ! And I still managed to get through Day 17 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge ! if you are taking part – don’t forget to share your link below !

 

MM #73 Jamie Woon – Night Air

I came across this track over the weekend – a night club owner friend from London posted it on Facebook and I just connected with it. Music has a way of doing that.

The beats and lyrics are really simple – one of those tracks where you aren’t struggling to figure out what the singer is singing.  He’s practically ‘saying’ this song out.

I’ll be the first to admit that this video has a bit too many creepy crawlies for my liking (one of my phobias) but other than that – there’s something about being out in nature at night that’s quite appealing.

What do you think about the track ?

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

p.s if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge then don’t forget to share your link below !

 

Birthday Blues

I’ve been going absolutely nuts with my upcoming clients’ wedding; and have barely had time to plan out my birthday party !  This is NOT a good sign because I’m normally prepared with an entire weekend birthday plan at least 3 weeks prior to d-day but this year it’s just been kinda crazy.

For starters – I only finalized the venue a few days ago and I’ve had to follow up with my bar and catering teams to finalize on the drinks and food menu.  Hey, I’m an events planner – I get into the detailing of things (much to the annoyance of my mates).

I really wanna party – but unfortunately looks like this is going to be the one year that I can’t celebrate the way I want to.  I had a fabulous plan in mind which was going to out-do my 29th b’day; but due to the f*ck up with my bank and credit card company all my plans have gone for a toss !

The bigger piss-off is that I’m here – stuck in bloody Bombay for my birthday.  I don’t want to be here; especially not for this particular birthday – all the others I could deal with … but the plan was never to be here …

When sh*t hits the fan – it really does and it just feels that nothing seems to be working towards making things go right for my birthday.  It’s so frustrating.  Or it could just be me having super high expectations (I suppose I could be pretty anal that way).  Whatever it is – right now it’s getting on my nerves and it’s annoying the hell out of me.

I know in the end everything will be fine … it’s just not going to be what I want .. and that part sucks.

Sexy Saturday : Penelope Cruz

Whether you love her or hate her (and I’ve yet to come across someone who does) – there’s something about Penelope Cruz that just stands out.

I loved her in Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise and in Blow with Johnny Depp.  There are a few other movies of hers – but other than Gothika I can’t really recall them.  Cruz is however the first Spanish actress in history to receive an Academy Award and to receive a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  That’s pretty impressive !

Cruz is quite a versatile woman.  Aside from having modelled for brands like Mango, Ralph Lauren and L’Oreal; Cruz owns a clothing store in Madrid, and along with her younger sister designs a clothing range for Mango as well designing handbags & jewelry for a company in Japan.

 

Cruz has also sponsored children in India; donated her salary from one of her movies to a Mother Theresa initiative; and also assisted in a leprosy clinic. 

She gets my #SexySaturday vote – what about yours ?

p.s.if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge then don’t forget to share your link below ! (can’t believe I’ve managed 14 straight days of blogging !)

Guess What … It’s Friday the 13th !

Guess What … It’s Friday the 13th !

Friday the 13th happens at least once a year, at most three times; and 2012 is gonna be one of those years where we have not one but 3 Friday the 13ths !  That’s right folks – January 13th, April 13th and July 13th ! And if that’s not got your knickers in a twist – for the first time since 1984 these 3 Friday the 13ths are exactly 13 weeks apart !!

Accordingly to an article ‘5 Facts About Friday the 13th’, such a rare triple-threat occurs only once every 11 years.  Although mind you, 2009 had 3 x Friday 13th and now so does 2012.  Do you reckon that means something ? 2012 is supposed to be the end of the world right ?

I had been meaning to write this post all day but was out of the city since 8 a.m with a client for site visits so couldn’t get around out to it until now.   Now that I think about it back in 2009 when I wrote about Freaky Friday the 13th – I had actually headed out of the city with my cuz & business partner NC for a meeting … which is exactly what we did today.  Coincidence ? Maybe ?

Anyway – how was YOUR Friday the 13th ? Anything unnerving happen ? Or is it just another day for you ?  Are you superstitious at all ? Do you believe in the myth or just laugh it off ?

To all you the friggatriskaidekaphobics of the world (NO it’s not a cuss word – just what you call people who have a fear of Friday the 13th) – don’t worry the day will come to an end; and to the rest of you – Happy Friday the 13th folks !!

p.s. before I forget – this post marks Day 13 & Post 13 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge; if you are taking part then don’t forget to share your link below !

6 Tips For Staying on Track with The Ultimate Blog Challenge

For all of you taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge– we’re almost half way there !! I can’t believe that I’ve actually managed a post a day for the past 12 days.

Here are a few tips & tricks to help you stay on track for the rest of the month with this challenge (or any other blog challenge as a matter of fact)

1/ Follow the rules.  The UBC has a rule of a minimum of 100 words a post for the post to count and I’ve noticed that I’ve actually tracked my word count.  Guess what just these few lines have already hit 100 words.  You’d be surprised how many random thoughts can trigger some fab blog posts and it barely takes a 100 words !

2/ Track the challenge hash (#) tag on Twitter  I’ve saved the hash tag #blogboost on my Twitter account to read up on other members of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. Not only do I get to read some great posts, it also helps inspire post ideas of my own.  The lovely ladies of UBC have also created a daily paper you can follow and use to catch up with what other authors have to say.  Make a note of the posts that strike a chord within you – maybe you could add your thoughts and create a new post out of it.  You can also find more #blogboost related tweets here.

3/ Stop Lurking and Leave Comments on other Blogs.  You have to comment on other blogs – don’t be conscious about it – just say what’s on your mind.  The blog author will definitely appreciate it; and even if your comment disagrees with what the author has to share – it encourages interaction between you, the author and the other readers too. Come on – it’s time to de-lurk now ! By leaving relevant and engaging comments (don’t just say ‘great post’); other bloggers may wander over to your blog out of curiosity.

4/ Add Your Post to the Challenge Facebook Group.  The UBC Facebook group is pretty awesome.  I’ve been a member of it for a while but today was the first time I added my post to it – and guess what – within 15 minutes – someone had come to my blog and left a comment for me ! If that wasn’t enough, that person also left me a comment on the FB link that I posted.  Double the interaction; easiest form of traffic ever and a great way to discover new bloggers !

5/ Don’t Be Afraid to Pimp Your Blog Post on FaceBook & Twitter.  That’s right folks – one of the reasons you are taking part in the blog challenge (amongst other things) is so that your blog gets discovered (and there’s no point denying that).  Make sure you Tweet your blog and the posts created for the challenge with the #blogboost and include @UBCBlogBoost in your tweets.  The ladies over at UBC will be more than happy to re-tweet your tweets creating more exposure for your blog. 

Don’t feel shy about posting the the UBC FaceBook group and if your blog is a public blog – then why not share it with your Facebook friends ? You never know which of your friends will re-post and share your blog to their circle of friends.  I’m signed up with NetWorkedBlogs on FB which automatically publishes my new blog posts to my FB page without me having to think about it. 

6/ Schedule Your Posts If You Must (And It’s Not Considered Cheating). I’ve never been a daily blogger so I knew taking part in this challenge would be a bit difficult. Over the past year I’ve taken part in a few memes like #MusicMonday, #WordlessWednesday and I created my own #SexySaturday which means that if I stick to a plan I have 3 posts ready each week during the challenge and I just have to focus on creating 4 other posts. In the meantime, if another blog post, photograph or quote catches my attention – I’m jotting them down in Windows Live Writer drafts and just come back to them as and when I can to complete and create new posts.  You can also use the ideas & suggestions from the UBC daily inspiration emails to create a schedule of posts.  I know that between 24th-31st Jan I’m going to be traveling for an event (clients’ wedding) hence I’m writing up posts that I can auto-publish for those dates (in case I forget or don’t have time etc.)

So there you have it – here are 6 tips to help you stay on track whilst you are participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  It’s helped me get through till Day 12.  I hope you’ve found this useful and if you have any other suggestions, please feel free to share your thoughts (a link or two even so others can benefit from it)

Further Reading :

1. How To Add Your Blog to NetworkedBlogs by Michelle Shaeffr
2. 7 Things To Do After You’ve Written That Blog Post by Melissa Reyes

p.s if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge don’t forget to share your link below !

WW #53 : Yummy Keyboard

Now that’s one really yummy looking keyboard !!  I’m not sure how long such a keyboard would last around me – maybe 2 days at the most ?  I might end up having to enrol myself in boot camp if my laptop keys were made of chocolate (and make a trip to the dentist too) !!

I can already imagine the Galaxy chocolate and milk chocolate Lindt or Tobelerone on my laptop !! Chocolate for me is such a mood enhancer and also one of my guilty pleasures.  This is torture ! I want some chocolate and I want it NOW !

Photo originally found here

Happy #WW and don’t forget to share your linky below !

p.s. if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge don’t forget to share your link below !

 

Just A Rant .. Banks !!

2012 has barely begun and the first few days couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start ! My bank and credit card company (both HDFC Bank) have messed up with my bank account and ended up debiting me for a hefty chunk of cash and now my finances are in a total mess.

The credit card team refuse to actually acknowledge there was a communication lapse within their own internal team and to make things worse – they refuse to provide me with evidence of a voice recording to prove their case.

Long story short.  I noticed a random amount being debited out of my account; questioned the credit card company; no response from them for 2.5 months; speak to an officer after sending a complaint; next thing I know my personal bank account has been frozen ! Then after numerous phone calls and emails – the personal account is debited for a huge sum of cash.  The credit card team claims I called them up in 2010 and asked for a ‘DAE – Dial An EMI’ facility to convert my outstanding account into a loan of sorts ! (seriously who the hell would do that and how the hell do you approve a loan on the phone without any sort of paperwork ?) .  Now the credit card team refuse to provide evidence of this so-called phone call and are just copy pasting emails to me !

How inconvenient is that ? And annoying as well ! I now have to file a legal notice to sort this issue out because it’s all a bit too suspicious and a bit up in the air from the credit card team and banks’ side.  I’ve already told them I suspect it to be fraudulent. 

Right now, I wish one of my boys were here to give me a big tight hug !! I miss them tons and hoping to see at least one of them over my birthday (which is coming up).  I get that everything happens for a reason … but for the life of me I can’t figure out what that reason could be for this particular situation ! (although it’s definitely put me off credit cards for this lifetime!)

Sorry about the rant folks – but HDFC bank and their credit card team have really pissed me off !! Hope that doesn’t stop you from sharing your link if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge

MM #72 : Erick Morillo – Live Your Life

I couldn’t quite decide what I should feature today but this guy I recently met suggested this track and it actually couldn’t be more perfect for todays’ #MM and Day 9 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge !

 

Sometimes you just need to let go

Don’t keep it all inside

Sometimes you just have to let the whole world know

That you are going to be alright 

 

I've had an absolute shitty start to the year, which is killing my birthday plans and surprisingly enough I've been pretty calm about it all. Anyone who knows me will tell you just how much of a big deal my birthday is for me. Maybe it’s because I got all my frustration out at the incompetent team at my bank or just the fact that I was able to just say it out loud to them (think phone, email, tweets) – I’m a bit less annoyed about the situation.

 

I get that everything happens for a reason so in lieu of my new year resolutions – I’m just gonna let this sh*t pass me by, take a deep breath and live my life the way I want to ‘cos its too short otherwise. 

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

p.s. if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge, don’t forget to share your link below : 

Why Can’t People Just Pick Up The Phone ?

Seriously – what the hell is wrong with us these days ? Has technology taken over our lives to such an extent that we can’t make a simple phone call ? It’s not like cell or mobile phones are

I have a simple rule with my friends.  If you want to get in touch with me or make plans with me – CALL ME.  It’s much easier than trying to SMS / BBM / WhatsApp / Email me.

As far as I am concerned – emails are for work related purposes OR when communicating with a group about a certain subject when they are spread out in various parts of the country / world.  (or when my girls AM & NB are trying to call me but I’m on a never ending long distance phone call – then they email me).  My BBM/WhatsApp is primarily for friends & family who live in other parts of the world – we exchange a few messages and then fix a time to get on Skype for a face-to-face chat or set a phone call up.

I once had a client who would message (BBM/WhatsApp/SMS) me constantly – and it wasn’t a short message – they would be up to 6 messages. I had to tell them that I prefer to keep all communication that is work related over email so that at any point there are no discrepancies in what we are providing and being asked for as a business.

A BBM / SMS / WhatsApp is fine if it’s for very general communication i.e. hey how’s it going ? or even a ‘I’m running late – see you in 10’ type of message.  Or when you can’t answer the phone ‘cos you are driving.  It’s not meant to be used a form of freaking communication where you try to have a full blown conversation in short hand text !

And don’t even get me started on people who send an SMS for a date ! What the hell is that all about ? I get it if you are following up once the date is confirmed. If a guy can’t call me to ask me out – I’m not particularly keen to go out with him.  Grow a pair already and just say it ! If I can call you – so can you !

I genuinely lose interest in a person if their preferred method of communicating with me is ‘non-verbal’.  I prefer to ‘talk’ on the phone or have a face-to-face chat which involves actually meeting up.  I have had a few guys just constantly message me and when I do call them and express this – it’s as if they have gone back to kindergarten ! They don’t think of it as a big deal … My main problem is that the message or the intent behind the message tends to get lost.  How do you know if it’s really a date ? People can over read / under read into messages and that’s how life gets all complicated !

What about you – do you tend to use the phone for actual conversations ? Or do you prefer to just send SMS / BBM / WhatsApp messages – be it for work or for pleasure ? Or would you rather meet someone face to face if you had something to say ?

p.s that was my rant on Day 8 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge; if you are taking part don’t forget to share your link below :

Further Reading :

1. Five Bullets That Will Make You Want to Call Instead of Sending an Email

Sexy Saturday : Patrick Dempsey

Oooh it’s the first #SexySaturday of 2012 and Patrick Dempsey has made my list of drool worthy eye candy ! (and what a way to start of Day7 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge)

He’s best known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr Derek Shepherd aka McDreamy in Greys Anatomy (and if I ever had to watch this show it would be only for him).

 

I first noticed him in the TV show ‘Will & Grace’ – he was Wills’ boyfriend and then again in the movie ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ alongside Reese Witherspoon.  Most recently he was in Transformers 3 (I’d love to own a car collection like that!)

Dempsey isn’t just another pretty face (how I’d love to run my fingers through hair like that) – he’s also a semi pro auto car racer ! Talk about being a hot bad boy !

 

But what really appeals to me is the fact that he set up a centre for cancer as his mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  He then went on to set up a 50 mile annual challenge for bikers, walkers, & cyclists to raise money for the  cancer centre.

Now that’s smart & sexy ! He gets my #SexySaturday vote – what about yours ?

p.s. if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge don’t forget to share your link below !

The Anatomy of a Hug

I love this cartoon ! It describes the ultimate hug ! One of those hugs that just makes you melt and leaves your legs all shaky … It’s been a while since I’ve had one of those and I reaaaaaaaaaaaaallly want one of those hugs right now !

Since my dating diary is kinda drab – the best hugs I’ve gotten lately are from my boys (and alas these are the best friend kind).  There are some days (especially with the week I’ve just had) I reckon a a hug that makes you want to just let yourself go into another is just what I need for the ultimate pick-me up. 

You know the kind of hugs I’m talking about.  Alright folks – raise your hands if you like hugs ? Gimme a loud ‘hell ya’ if you fancy a good hug right now ?

p.s. I think I deserve a hug right now for completing Day 6 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge !

p.p.s if you are taking part in the challenge, don’t forget to share your link below