Bad job market

This article from The Straits Times resonates what my girl was facing. 

Her job hunt only started in June after we got back. I must admit she was really lucky to secure a job in 3mths whereas her friends took 6mths. 

In a saturated market, how are new graduates able to find a job? To think that we used to tell our kids “must study hard to get a job” when they were young…now our kids can call us liar. Having a degree now doesn’t mean you can find a job easily. So how? Every year the numbers just snowball from previous years, how are they going to find a job? 

老天爷可怜我 …. 😂

The thing about me wanting to prep the girls lunch for the day is to find the easiest way out the day before - a cookout or cooking more for one dish for dinner so I can keep for the next day.  

As I had to fry the pork katsu for dinner, I thought let me 一起弄自己忙、一次把厨房弄脏。忙 indeed I was coz I broke a bottle of dark soy sauce while I was trying to reach for mirin. Argh! 😖 Why am I so careless? 

I didn’t have the mood to cook かつ丼　after cleaning the mess so it was just fried pork. Lil’ one decided to use the toriQ sauce to dip. 

No more dark soy sauce means I can’t prepare claypot chicken rice for tomorrow’s lunch. I guess 老天爷 took pity on me and wanted me to rest after cooking their dinner tonight. ご飯を少し多めに炊いておいてよかったです。Switched the planned claypot rice to just using the basil pork which I cooked last Wednesday. Now I have to ask che-che if she wants me to pack for her 🤣🤣. #backtobentodays#

Exhausted week - Week 01 of 4 on solo

What a week it has been! I’ve never been out of the house (doing other things apart from the school runs) that many times until this week - 4x to be exact on a schoolday and 6 days in total. And it has left this 49 year-old exhausted 😓. 

The must do’s 

The weekdays - I have to (1) cover all the mornings dropping lil’ one in school, (2) cooking meals to pack for school / work lunches and (3) cooking for dinner, (4) school pickups

de hele week

Monday (17th) - HBL so home the whole day. Yay! I love days like this. 

Tuesday (18th) - After sending lil' one to school I went back home wanting to do housework for few hours before I leave later for my tuina + whatever things I had to do on a day when I'm out. I prefer to chiong whatever errands / grocery runs if I can in a day so that other days I can stay in at home until pickup time. 

I thought I'll do a good deed to send che-che to work at S but she told me she's going to HQ at XX. What?! Can I take back my offer? Since I'll be out to send her THAT FAR I might as well just stay out. Housework - only vacumned the floor and threw laundry into the washing machine. Minimal work done. 

(a) Went Tuina at AMK. Will have to make every Tuesdays for the next few weeks as tuina days.  

(b) sent Apple watch to the authorised shop at Tai Seng to see if can repair 

(c) went PLQ mall since it's closer to Tai Seng. Wanted to grab lunch, drop by Scoops to pick W’s BD gift, drop by Popular to get wrapping paper for M’s grad gift, do some grocery shopping and pack dinner. After I placed my food order, che-che messaged me and asked if I can go over to Novena to pick her. Huh? She didn’t tell me she needed me to pick her up after her training. She met me at PLQ. Dropped the idea of doing my grocery run coz I don’t like it when I have someone following me, although she does help me carry stuffs, I just don’t like it when anyone is following me. I’m pretty much of a solo person where I can walk fast and grab; stop to look when I want to. Packed dinner from Donki and bored from dunno what else to do in a mall she requested I send her home first (they won’t have to fight for the bathroom later too). Left home in 15mins to pick lil one up. Didn’t have to cook dinner which is what I’m grateful for. 

Wednesday (19th) - stayed out coz of the neither-here-nor-there timing dismissal. She’s dismissed from school 3hrs earlier at 12pm today, which means she’s only in school for 3 1/2hrs. Note : altho there’s a fixed timing on dismissal, many times she can be dismissed 15-35mins earlier. Had my breakfast in KFC. Dropped by florist to get for M a crochet bouquet. Kindda rested in the morning to prep myself for a huge cookout at home later. Cooked mee hoon kueh, fried basil pork for dunno which day’s meal, and fried rice for next day’s lunch for girls. 

Mee hoon kueh. Portion was sufficient for them. I can’t rmbr what I ate 

The cook out

Thursday (20th)

Funny! Realised my blunder in the carpark 😂. Thank goodness the carpark is only less than 1min walk to my unit, tho I sent lil’ one to do the job for me. Insomnia + exhaustion barely few days and you get a blur mom. I mistakenly grabbed my lipstick thinking it was the car key fob 

Went home after dropping lil one in school. So tired so went back to sleep for another 2hrs. Did some housework then left to go Tampines. Che-Che worked from home today so instead of packing her lunch, told her to serve herself from rice cooker later. 

Things I had to do : (a) send my watch for repair (b) pack Mister Donut and their dinner from Tampines1 (c) get a new printer in another mall. Another day where I didn’t want to cook dinner, makes sense right? If not, I’ll be slogging in the kitchen and rushing out of house for pick-up OR start cooking the moment I step into the house. 

Friday (21st) - end school early at 12pm so stayed out of the house.  Intended to stay in BK a little longer but crowds were coming in at 9+ close to 10am so the considerate me left the place. Shops weren’t open, technically I can go NTUC but I have nothing to buy at the moment. Walked past massage chairs so had a good massage. Not sure if it was a good idea after that coz my shoulder blade was already pain from tuina on Tuesday, the no gongfu round round balls in massage chair just roll up and down kiap kiap made it worse for me. But better than walking aimlessly in the malls with no shops opened. Sat there for a good 1/2hr with my AirPod, I fell asleep. 

Packed her Redhill fishball for lunch and she can eat the leftover fried rice for dinner in case I don’t come back early. I took the time to quickly vacumn and mop the floor, no extra housework to do coz I re-assign on other days of the week.

Met S at NEX, I haven’t met her since last ??. It was a good 3hrs chatting with her. Che-che met me for dinner otw home. While waiting for che-che I walked around Isetan and saw these strawberries 🍓. I’d be posting a post on this soon, hopefully 😜 as I’m drafting it.

Aww….. I miss Fukuoka 

Saturday (22nd) - I was already getting so tired having spent almost 4 days out during the week. But I had no choice for today’s appointment for I had made arrangement to meet M with che-che. Time for her to buy her own insurance. Asked lil’ one to meet us when nearing to the end of our meet coz … yours truly left the cashcard in another shorts pocket 🤦🏻‍♀️ and 7-11 don’t sell them. I need it to exit the carpark!! and we had dinner outside. Coincidentally bro was coming to NEX for a movie and we met them for half hour while they were munching on their dinner before the show. We left for home after that. 

Was supposed to clear some paper mess by scanning the holiday stuffs but I was so tired that all I wanted to do was to lay on the bed and rot. For the record, after having so many weeks of lack of sleep, I knocked out at around 10+. 

Sunday (23rd) - Slept for a good whole 10hrs! But still can’t make up for the other days. Did simple housework and then had to bring che-che to PP for her haircut. 

I’m not joking when usually their haircuts are lengthy wait coz will add treatment. I would usually take the time to run errands, do grocery run, pack food for dinner (che-che requested for more dishes in ToriQ so she has something to pack for next day’s lunch.) and still have time to burn. I didn’t have much errands or grocery to do so it was really boring to kill 2hrs. So boring that I sat on the massage chair for 1/2hr. Wah….

It’s really been a long time since che-che went to MParade so we stayed around the area in Project Açai for another 40 mins before adjourning home where housework is waiting for me, some clothes waiting to be pressed. 

What a week it has been. I hope and planned not to have too many ‘staying outside’ for the next few weeks.

 

Plan! Plan! Plan!

According to AI Overview :

Planning is good because it helps you achieve your goals by providing a clear roadmap to follow, allowing you to utilize your time effectively, make informed decisions, reduce stress by mitigating uncertainty, and identify potential obstacles in advance to develop contingency plans, ultimately increasing your chances of success.

My thoughts on their definition : - 

Contingency plan : yah…a pessimistic person like me who thinks too much on “what if”. It only made a simple task to a double or triple fold task. Ha!  

Not sure abt increasing chances of success coz I’m no living testament to that. 

I love to plan not just for holidays. Ooh! This popped up at the right time in my FB. Credit to @ottieandotter

I plan on what I need to do on a daily basis. And because I do try to follow regimentally sometimes I do get irritated when it doesn’t fall on plan. Yup! I think that’s my flaw. It’s not that I cannot be adaptable to changes, I can and I HAVE TO, I only feel frustrated when I gotta make changes to other days just coz of one interruption. 

Let the 阿嫂 speaketh

House matters, something that I always do was to (1) check on what’s in the fridge and freezer and then trying to use them as quickly as possible. I’m sure that’s what most people who cooks does that too. 

(2) do plan the menu so it makes it easier for me. But then I hate it when suddenly someone tells me last minute “I’m going out with friends for dinner.” then it’s senseless for me to cook that dish that day if the planned portion was for 4 people and I can’t change the portion.  

(3) I plan which day do what additional housework. Which day is change bedsheet day, clean windows, clean fans etc…

(4) have also listed on the cabinet doors on what dry pantry items I have, listed with the expiry dates. Makes clearance faster too when I do my occasional 6mths purging and tidying. 

Not so successful with this one 

However the only thing I can’t do in the house is to be more organized in our messy bomb shelter aka storeroom. I  had to list the items we have inside the ‘holding Toyogo box’. I really wish we have a bigger store area where I can put the cleaning stuffs in an organization box; bathing supplies in another and so on. There is just no space in the bomb shelter where space is also needed for our luggages, air purifiers, photo albums, board games, cookbooks etc… I often admire those people with a huge house and lots of spaces where they can designate a pantry room, a laundry room and so on. 

Sometime last Nov/Dec when I was tidying up the bomb shelter I managed to take some things out and start doing stock taking. I was a little happy but it’s difficult to keep crossing out (when I take to use them) and then adding them (when I buy to top up) on the testpad paper. Makes it even more inaccurate when hubby don’t update the list for me. Is this a necessity in the first place? As long as I have my “at least 2 extra bottles of Dettol at all times”, why do I even bother to stocktake on the toothpaste and shower gel and all? Maybe I’m just bor daiji chwher daiji zor 没事找事做。However I must admit when I did that, it somehow made me feel I have control of my life. Haha! More likely it’s control of my 阿嫂-ness.

Three lists stuck behind the bomb shelter door - my keto pantry and two lists of all the supplies needed for home

Then just 2 days ago I was using my iPad and looking at my 日本語 revision notes in Goodnotes and went through all the other documents. Haha! My attempt in German - 3 pages of notes on Das alphabets 😂 and that’s it!  

Recollection of 2022 on how I had to sit down and watch 👀 lil’ one and track her revision for N’levels. I realised I couldn’t leave it to her coz she was one disorganised person. I had to track and make sure that all topics are revised; all topics questions are attempted in TYS and home assessment books etc.. Needless to say she HAD to follow the schedule I planned for her. I was nagging at her to “hurry up shower/eat” - was rather pekchek coz I wanted to adhere to the schedule strictly and there she is making me panic coz she’s taking her own sweet time.

Then I thought since I used to buy my planner and two study trackers from Etsy, I should kapo and see what new designs are there on sale now. Didn’t buy anymore planners as household chores schedules are at the back of my head and coz there’s no need now to monitor any kid’s academic progression. 

I still have the cute fonts and stickers where it made my planning so aesthetically nice and so motivated to carry them out. 

Since I’m on the track on tracking my supplies at home why not I check if there’s such a thing. Lo and behold there is log tracker and I bought two. 

Then did some kapo-ing and found more interesting templates. 3 years later and new discoveries. These income & expenses planner/tracker is so interesting. Will I do this next time? Track the expenses and scream at the girls wasting water and electricity? 

I came across something similar in Japan - 家計簿

Took these pictures in a bookstore in Kyoto. Really interesting but if only they have it in cute characters like Sumikko Gurashi or Snoppy or Miffy. 

家計簿 are usually done by the wives after the husbands pass their salary to them to manage the household. Receipts are kept and recorded, now the younger wives who are more tech savvy may turn to recording in their phone or laptop using Excel worksheet. Phone lost Cham! But if I’m an old stingy whiny grumpy spinster I might end up doing this and manage the household. Since it’s not applicable in our context 🤭 I’m spared from doing this. 

Japanese strawberries

Saw these strawberries in Isetan NEX. Only paid $12.90 as I have a $10 Isetan voucher. It’s still more expensive than what we pay in Japan. *pout lips*

Amaou strawberry from FUK. (I miss FUK) I had to meet che-che here. And she tells me she misses FUK too, hinted to me ''July is in 5 months time 🤭.''  

Last Dec when we were in Japan, che-che told me that the best strawberry is from FUK, the best mikan is from Wakayama. I thought it’s funny COZ SHE DOESNT EAT FRUITS AT ALL! 

They look red but somehow over the years I notice the seeds don’t look like Japanese strawberries anymore. All breed here and there until strawberries become mix breed. 

I've never paid much attention to strawberries when I see them in Donki or Meidi-ya or Cold Storage. To me, I can't seem to get the sweet taste japanese and korean strawberries for the last 10 years or more. I only want to eat strawberries when I'm in Japan or in Europe. But since I'm on the topic on strawberries, here is a comparison between 3 strawberries. Click HERE

Compared to the one we bought in Kobe in Dec 24 

Benihoppe strawberries from Aichi Prefecture. 

愛知の紅ほつべ

Paid ¥798 for this. I should eat as much strawberries as I can whenever I see them.

Bought these Yayoihime strawberries in Kamakura for ¥800. Very sweet, very nice

Yayoi Hime is a strawberry born in Gunma prefecture that was registered as a variety in 2005 (Heisei 17). It was born by cultivating by crossing  the prefecture's

"Tonehoppe" with Tochigi's "Tochiotome," and then crossing the resulting variety with "Tonehoppe" again. To get a clearer mathematical equation to this cross here cross there a crossdresser strawberry,  it's : 

[Tone Hoppe x Tochiotome] x Tone Hoppe.

With an aroma and taste similar to Tochiotome, it's now the main variety of strawberry in Gunma Prefecture, accounting for about 80% of the region's strawberry shipments. Although strawberry season typically runs from December to March, Yayoihime strawberries are harvested in Gunma until June. 

Yayoi Hime has an average fruit weight of 20g and is characterized by large grains and an elegant light red color. The flesh is firm and has a light red color to the inside. It is a sweet strawberry with an excellent balance of sweetness (high sugar content) and acidity and a long shelf life.

Country of Origin: Chiba prefecture, Japan

Nutrition facts: Great Source of Vitamin-A, Vitamin-C, Vitamin-E, Vitamin-K,Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Iron.

Health Benefits:

• Helps burn stored fat
• Boost short term memory
• Low in Calories, High in Fiber
• Ease inflammation
• Lower cardiovascular disease
• Promote bone health
• Prevent esophageal cancer
• Anti-aging properties
• Good for weight loss
• Promote eye health

Apparently MomoBud sells this in SIN? 

Bought these near Arakurayama Sengen Park

This is Izu Benihop strawberries 

There were so many stalls near Arakurayama Sengen Park selling strawberries, all with different varieties. Honestly I’m not sure if I should say I’m lucky I didn’t take pictures of every different strawberries, I would have been more confused and this blog entry will have no ending. Haha! 

Yuubeni strawberries from Kumamoto 

Yuu Beni has a firm smooth texture and sweet berry scent which enhance your taste buds. In addi-tion, its low acidity which makes the berry sweet and delectable.

It's aesthetically beautiful appearance makes it attractive and are usually used as gifts or cake decorations.

Nutrition facts: Great Source of Vitamin-A, Vitamin-C, Vitamin-E, Vitamin-K, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Iron.

Health Benefits:

• Helps burn stored fat
• Boost short-term memory
• Low in Calories, High in Fiber
• Ease inflammation
• Lower cardiovascular disease
• Promote bone health
• Prevent esophageal cancer
• Anti-aging properties
• Good for weight loss
• Promote eye health

Seriously or not? All benefits mentioned 'weight loss' 😂 If it really works, I'll ignore the sour horrible strawberries I can get in SIN and just eat punnets and punnets of strawberries.

I'm getting so tired with this post now, so will simply plonk whatever things Ifound out.  

extracted from : https://www.fun-japan.jp/en/articles/13917

Here are the top 10 strawberry-producing prefectures in 2023, along with their representative varieties:

Tochigi (Tochiotome, Tochihime, Skyberry)

Fukuoka (Amaou)

Kumamoto (Yubeni, Hinoshizuku)

Aichi (Akihime)

Shizuoka (Benihoppe, Kirapika)

Nagasaki (Yumenoka)

Ibaraki (Tochiotome)

Chiba (Tochiotome, Shinku no Misuzu)

Saga (Ichigosan, Tenshi no Mi)

Miyagi (Mouikko)

Good to know. Reference for strawberry picking,  if you don't mind squatting and getting up very often. http://kikuko-nagoya.com/html/ichigogari.html

https://likenagoya.com/fruit-picking-around-nagoya/ 

 

Why my 🍎 doesn’t keep the doctor away?

My watch didn’t seem to be able to charge on the second day of our trip last Dec. 

At first thinking it could be a faulty charger, thought I’ll try to charge at home since nobody else in the family wore their Apple watch this trip. Came home but didn’t work with the charger at home too. Tutorials from YouTube didn’t help to solve the problem so I decided to bring it to the professionals instead. 

Screen shows this, sometimes I need to press very hard I get to see this pop up on the screen. However it doesn’t mean that it’s charging. I can leave it there for a day to a week to a month it’s still not charged at all. 

Kindda forgot all about it for the whole month until I brought it to an authorised Apple service provider on Tuesday. Was told that it could be a spoilt battery but there’s no way they can change it at all. Apple watch is “unlike other watches where we can just change the battery. It’s in the watch so need to do a 1 to 1 replacement.” $455 to change. What?! That’s daylight robbery, it means I’m paying for another old Series 8 for $455 when a new Series 10 costs $599. I might as well get a new watch? Or perhaps this is the place’s trap - to make me pay $455 to help them clear old stock. Kindda reminds me of what Dyson would do if we ask to change the vacumn battery.

 

I paid the same price back in 2022 when they just launched Series 8. 

Was deciding if I should get a new watch instead but decided there’s one more place I can try. Not willing to part with $599 when now I have to come out with money to buy a new printer. Yah lor! Things spoil at the same time!! 

This place with few branches across SIN quoted me $68. Sounds more promising. Maybe can still last me 2 more years? By then if it spoils again, I’ll just change a new watch coz it’ll only get harder to get spare parts for old old watches. Already he didn’t have any in this shop, they had to request for a spare parts transfer from another outlet. 

Had to leave it with them for 1-2 days. 希望可以修理. Waiting for their good news. 

Darn leaves

Haven’t swept the PES for 2 days (coz I chose to) and this is what I have littered ☹️ inside. This is the period where the leaves dirty the condo compound. 10 years later stupiak Sim Lian still refuses to uproot those useless problematic trees. Just uproot and plant something else lah! This is still not that bad, it’s more messy during the peak 💨🍃 period where I can be sweeping and countless leaves drop again. 

Now looking a little clean, I didn’t bother to scrub the floor coz …. in a few minutes the leaves will start dropping again. I must work smart. Sigh….if only this is money. 满地黄金。Huat ah!