I was reading the newspaper today, it mentioned an Australian student from Melbourne wrote a letter then put it in a bottle, throw it into the Atlantic ocean in spring of 2009 as it was a project of his marine biology course at Florida Atlantic University here at our doorstep. A 17 years old boy from Ireland picked up this bottle at a small fishing village in Ireland while spending time with his family vacation a few days ago.
Guess what?! Through the current of the Atlantic ocean, we are not that far apart. A regular airmail with the cheapest fair would take 2 weeks to send a letter to Ireland, this way it's free and it only took 1 and a half year but you don't know who is going to receive it. Funny, isn't it?!
The boy and his father, who is of course in vacation with him along other family members are very excited to reply this trans-Atlantic letter to this Australian student.
However, this student was in surprised, stated that he would never thought someone will receive his letter in the bottle. I just found it very fun to read this article, I did something like this when I was a little girl, probably 10 - 12 years old I don't quite remember. Nevertheless I wasn't knowledgeable enough to know the current in South China Sea merges into the Pacific Ocean, nor there was an email address to allow someone to send you a message in a second in those days.
I have a good habit to write down what piss me off on a piece of paper, or we shall call it a letter. Then let it hangs for a few days to decide to send it or not. My usual practice is I made all the points I had to make in the letter, explain myself very clearly and describe my feelings very truly to someone I am writing to. Then I put a hold onto the letter, decide to send it out or not 3 days later, to tell you the truth it was very rarely I send that letter out after 3 days but it was a good practice that I let my thoughts out on a piece of paper, so emotionally I am not trapping anything inside of me, at the same time I don't just lash it out onto someone nears me or working for me at that time, it acts as a very good buffer and the fact was it worked while no one is getting upset.
Shall you have anything bugs you from the policy of your club or your spouse's crazy ideas; write it down on a piece of paper --- now I would change my move, instead of hanging onto it for 3 days, stuff it into a bottle and throw it to the Atlantic Ocean.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Photo Shoot II
I am happy the weather is nice today, just a bit windy but the sky was Oh So Blue, made the photos look exceptionally well. The photographer will send me a copy tomorrow and I am excited to see it.
However, I followed the footstep of the photog even I only have a tiny little digital camera, unlike his professional gear -- to take photos around different angle of the house and from the outside. The reason as I mentioned to him, the house rarely look this tidy and have things all hidden from the counter top, I might as well use this opportunity to take some photos. He likes the bathtub scene and spent a lot of time in the masterbathroom, I personally took a lot more photos outdoor than indoor.
Ok we are ready to go, let's get some action!
Also, don't get too carry away about seeing the bathtub scene and use too much of your own imagination, it's nothing like what you are thinking while looking at that picture. Just that the scene itself is very inviting, the fact was in real life --- Victor and I were so tired from working around the house over the weekend, we dumped tons of epsom salt and eucaluptus oil into the bathtub and soak in it at a different time zone to ease our aching pain over the body! Sorry to inform you we did not have an oz more energy to do something else such as the one you thought about.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Photo Shoot
Last week the weather was lousy and the photo-shooting schedule was postponed twice. Hopefully the weather would be nice on tuesday afternoon at 1pm, then we could proceed to take photos of the whole house and make a video tour on the internet for potential buyers to view.
As much as I want to pressure wash the whole house and everywhere, I hate to deal with the after-math of pressure washing. These guys did a good job in pressure washing the driveway and the deck at the backyard, but the strong stream just destroyed a lot of my annual flowers and it broke some of the surface of the deck by the spa area. Victor had to patch it with puddy to repair the deck and I will have to re-plant about 30% of the annual flowers plus re-mulch the front and backyard. However, it does look 100% cleaner and sharper after pressure washing, I am sure it will look great on photos later.
The inside of the house is pretty much all set to go, I would just have to make the bed on the date of photo-shoot, set the dining room table, hide the laundry basket, hide all the shampoo bottles or tooth brush on the counter top, make sure the kitchen looks neat and tidy, have the bath tub fill with water with rose pedal and make sure the jacuzzi is running, fix up with the lighting of different area...etc.
As far as the outdoor was concerned, I will have to remulch the front and back yard plus replant some of the annual flowers that were being destroyed, make sure all fountains are full and running, outdoor dining table was set, towel was placed by the outdoor shower area, fresh flowers are set for the sitting area, pool & spa pump are up and running, umbrellas are all open, lantern will be hung under the umbrella...etc.
Just a lot to do!
As much as I want to pressure wash the whole house and everywhere, I hate to deal with the after-math of pressure washing. These guys did a good job in pressure washing the driveway and the deck at the backyard, but the strong stream just destroyed a lot of my annual flowers and it broke some of the surface of the deck by the spa area. Victor had to patch it with puddy to repair the deck and I will have to re-plant about 30% of the annual flowers plus re-mulch the front and backyard. However, it does look 100% cleaner and sharper after pressure washing, I am sure it will look great on photos later.
The inside of the house is pretty much all set to go, I would just have to make the bed on the date of photo-shoot, set the dining room table, hide the laundry basket, hide all the shampoo bottles or tooth brush on the counter top, make sure the kitchen looks neat and tidy, have the bath tub fill with water with rose pedal and make sure the jacuzzi is running, fix up with the lighting of different area...etc.
As far as the outdoor was concerned, I will have to remulch the front and back yard plus replant some of the annual flowers that were being destroyed, make sure all fountains are full and running, outdoor dining table was set, towel was placed by the outdoor shower area, fresh flowers are set for the sitting area, pool & spa pump are up and running, umbrellas are all open, lantern will be hung under the umbrella...etc.
Just a lot to do!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Rachael and the Goldfishes
"What are these bottles?!" Rachael asked Aunt Joey.
"These are different food for the fish, you know, it is the same like Rachael's having dinner, you don't want to eat the same food every night, don't you?! So these are all different kinds of fish food to give them nutritional value, sometime I feed them vegetable or fruit too, they love orange and pea."
"Ok, can I feed them again with different food?!" Asked Rachael. "Oh No, you already fed them 3 rounds and that is plenty of food for them for today, otherwise their belly would hurt just like the way you feel if you eat too much food." Aunt Joey replied.
"How are you uncle Victor?" Rachael asked.
"I don't feel well, there must be something wrong with me." uncle Victor answered with a long face.
"Oh you should see a doctor!" Rachael suggests,
"I don't feel well, I can not drive to the doctor, can you take me to the doctor, please?" uncle Victor asked again.
"I can't drive you, I am 3 years old and I don't have a driver's license!"
"Maybe you can take me with your bike, you can drag me behind while you are peddling, do you have a bicycle?" Victor asked.
"Yes, I have a bicycle home but you are too heavy sorry I can't take you! You can call my doctor, his name is Doctor Vitto."
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
last minute rush
we pushed the photo-shoot from monday to thursday, figured we'd have some more time to let the roofer finish his job, the pressure washing company to come clean the deck; at the end of the day everyone missed their appointment on monday then could not catch up on tuesday, today is wednesday and I have all these companies coming to my last minute rush, what a plan!
It definitely won't be nice if there is loose roof tile hanging while doing an aeriel view of the house, if the roofer could not finish the job and close up the roof today, I would have to push the photo-shoot appointment again and it is not good.
I have spent some time to pack some of my books and non-useful boxes accumulating the desk in the den and my kitchen area, it all looks good now. It is funny that you don't give a sh*t while you are living in the house, suddenly you are showing the house and everything has to look so tidy. I keep finding cabinet space to hide all these things usually hanging out on the counter top, everything looks good when you just look, but if you open one of the cabinet door, a bra may drop by at the second when the door was opened.....
2 days ago I happened to dropped by at Home Goods on U.S.1, everything was half off because that store is going to move near us to Northlake Blvd and Military Trail. I bought some fancy towels with crystal dangling on them. In real life, no one would like to use a towel like this, the last thing you want is to rub your face and get those little beads into your eyeball; but it looks so pretty being displayed, they are now in the master bathroom for photo-shoot tomorrow, and will be props whenever viewers come by. A bottle of bubbly with ice bucket would served as props also next to the jacuzzi. I would just to get some roses later today to make the bathing with pedal scene, victor thinks I am crazy, I said: "hey! what the hell! if we are going to do it, might as well do the best we can."
Too bad the weather does not seem to co-operate, it has been raining like crazy from yesterday, it is still continue to rain non-stop from last night til now 8am in the morning. We'll see how it goes, whatever plan God has for us, we'd take it.
It definitely won't be nice if there is loose roof tile hanging while doing an aeriel view of the house, if the roofer could not finish the job and close up the roof today, I would have to push the photo-shoot appointment again and it is not good.
I have spent some time to pack some of my books and non-useful boxes accumulating the desk in the den and my kitchen area, it all looks good now. It is funny that you don't give a sh*t while you are living in the house, suddenly you are showing the house and everything has to look so tidy. I keep finding cabinet space to hide all these things usually hanging out on the counter top, everything looks good when you just look, but if you open one of the cabinet door, a bra may drop by at the second when the door was opened.....
2 days ago I happened to dropped by at Home Goods on U.S.1, everything was half off because that store is going to move near us to Northlake Blvd and Military Trail. I bought some fancy towels with crystal dangling on them. In real life, no one would like to use a towel like this, the last thing you want is to rub your face and get those little beads into your eyeball; but it looks so pretty being displayed, they are now in the master bathroom for photo-shoot tomorrow, and will be props whenever viewers come by. A bottle of bubbly with ice bucket would served as props also next to the jacuzzi. I would just to get some roses later today to make the bathing with pedal scene, victor thinks I am crazy, I said: "hey! what the hell! if we are going to do it, might as well do the best we can."
Too bad the weather does not seem to co-operate, it has been raining like crazy from yesterday, it is still continue to rain non-stop from last night til now 8am in the morning. We'll see how it goes, whatever plan God has for us, we'd take it.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Ultimatum
I never understand this word until I heard it from my girlfriends, knowing when you ask something and do not get a decent response, you use the ultimatum strategy.
Lately Victor has not been feeling well, he has this sinus thing lingering for a few months already, his ear, nose and throat doctor gave him tons of antibiotic. By taking antibiotic for such a long time, it kills the good bacteria in your GI system therefore created another problem for Victor, his sleepy colitis has gone to a big flare up recently.
I spoke to him about rescuing a dog for over a year, however, he comes up with excuses such as allergy to the hair, take so much time and energy to groom the dog or take it to the vet, you must walk it a few times a day, it may have accident inside the house then you wish the poop is not located on the oriental rug.
All of the above are true, but we can not omit that a dog in the house make it more fun! He has been so down lately I feel to add another family member in the household would cheer things up.
I understand I should not rescue one right now even I have been looking at them on the internet. It would create problems when we are showing the house, at the beginning of the training process we need to crate the dog and train it, I don't think it is a nice thing to see when you go into a home you intend to purchase. So I said to Victor I am going to rescue a dog after we finish selling the house, this is what I am going to do.
He said: "Why don't we hold on and see where we are going? We may be flying somewhere or staying somewhere for an extended period of time"
I replied, "I would get a dog that is less than 14 lbs so we could travel with it, I am not 12 years old and I do not need your permission, this is what I am going to do and informing you right now."
He did not say a word, he knows when I am persisting, no one can change my mind.
But I would have to do it after we sell this house and move to a temporary rental place, so that I would have time to make sure everything looks good in and around the house for showing. I guess I was in the industry, so I am not just going to let the photographer comes in and take picture whatever it is.
I would prepare the photo-shoot like I used to do it in the office, everything has to be in its place and avoid too much personal item. All the photos and perhaps trophies would be packed, the books and magazine would be hidden, I would make sure the dining room table is set for 6 with fresh flowers at the center, outdoor table would be set in a picnic / cookout theme, bath tub jacuzzi will be filled with water running along with the jets, rose pedals and perhaps a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket next to it, cookies would be baked out from the oven and lay it on the counter top. Everything has to look very inviting, it has to give a feeling to someone see it on the internet or brochure to imagine themselves being in the scene.
ok there is a lot of work to do before the photo-shoot on coming thursday, will post some picture later if I have the copies.
Lately Victor has not been feeling well, he has this sinus thing lingering for a few months already, his ear, nose and throat doctor gave him tons of antibiotic. By taking antibiotic for such a long time, it kills the good bacteria in your GI system therefore created another problem for Victor, his sleepy colitis has gone to a big flare up recently.
I spoke to him about rescuing a dog for over a year, however, he comes up with excuses such as allergy to the hair, take so much time and energy to groom the dog or take it to the vet, you must walk it a few times a day, it may have accident inside the house then you wish the poop is not located on the oriental rug.
All of the above are true, but we can not omit that a dog in the house make it more fun! He has been so down lately I feel to add another family member in the household would cheer things up.
I understand I should not rescue one right now even I have been looking at them on the internet. It would create problems when we are showing the house, at the beginning of the training process we need to crate the dog and train it, I don't think it is a nice thing to see when you go into a home you intend to purchase. So I said to Victor I am going to rescue a dog after we finish selling the house, this is what I am going to do.
He said: "Why don't we hold on and see where we are going? We may be flying somewhere or staying somewhere for an extended period of time"
I replied, "I would get a dog that is less than 14 lbs so we could travel with it, I am not 12 years old and I do not need your permission, this is what I am going to do and informing you right now."
He did not say a word, he knows when I am persisting, no one can change my mind.
But I would have to do it after we sell this house and move to a temporary rental place, so that I would have time to make sure everything looks good in and around the house for showing. I guess I was in the industry, so I am not just going to let the photographer comes in and take picture whatever it is.
I would prepare the photo-shoot like I used to do it in the office, everything has to be in its place and avoid too much personal item. All the photos and perhaps trophies would be packed, the books and magazine would be hidden, I would make sure the dining room table is set for 6 with fresh flowers at the center, outdoor table would be set in a picnic / cookout theme, bath tub jacuzzi will be filled with water running along with the jets, rose pedals and perhaps a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket next to it, cookies would be baked out from the oven and lay it on the counter top. Everything has to look very inviting, it has to give a feeling to someone see it on the internet or brochure to imagine themselves being in the scene.
ok there is a lot of work to do before the photo-shoot on coming thursday, will post some picture later if I have the copies.
Friday, September 24, 2010
hole-in-one witness
Today is the second time I witness a hole-in-one and it belongs to Victor. We left the ear, nose & throat specialist's office in the morning then go play golf. At that time Victor was kind of worry because his doctor stated that anti-biotic hasn't really improve his blockage in the sinus, suggested that he needs an invasive surgery to drain the fluid. He will be put to sleep and it is a 1 hour to 2 hours surgery, takes a month to heal, of course there won't be any sports or heavy duty work after the surgery.
Perhaps the Golf God has mercy on him, decided to give him what he has been longing for, after hearing the bad news from the doctor's office. It was the 4th hole par 3 175 yard and he hit a 5-iron beautifully landed just short of the flag, I saw it disappeared. I said to him "It just roll up the hill and disappeared, it is in the hole!"
He was in dis-belief, said "maybe it just roll around the hole, the white flag is blocking our view to it."
"I think it is in the hole." I replied, "this is your first hole-in-one ever! I am happy for you and feel lucky that I can witness it. Well, you would have to claim your hole-in-one status legally by finishing 18 holes, now you don't want to put a lousy score on this score card because it will be framed along with your lucky ball."
All of a sudden he gets to play with much more focus, the next hole is a water hole and I told him make sure your worst score is a bogey, it just does not look good to have an 8 followed a 1 on the score card. This strategy worked really well and he shot 87 to finish 18 holes, we told everybody at the dining room while we stopped for lunch afterward. It is a special day for him, I am sure.
I wish my hole-in-one would come sooner than Victor's!
Perhaps the Golf God has mercy on him, decided to give him what he has been longing for, after hearing the bad news from the doctor's office. It was the 4th hole par 3 175 yard and he hit a 5-iron beautifully landed just short of the flag, I saw it disappeared. I said to him "It just roll up the hill and disappeared, it is in the hole!"
He was in dis-belief, said "maybe it just roll around the hole, the white flag is blocking our view to it."
"I think it is in the hole." I replied, "this is your first hole-in-one ever! I am happy for you and feel lucky that I can witness it. Well, you would have to claim your hole-in-one status legally by finishing 18 holes, now you don't want to put a lousy score on this score card because it will be framed along with your lucky ball."
All of a sudden he gets to play with much more focus, the next hole is a water hole and I told him make sure your worst score is a bogey, it just does not look good to have an 8 followed a 1 on the score card. This strategy worked really well and he shot 87 to finish 18 holes, we told everybody at the dining room while we stopped for lunch afterward. It is a special day for him, I am sure.
I wish my hole-in-one would come sooner than Victor's!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)