NEVER REALLY THOUGHT WHAT I GOT MYSELF INTO UNTIL.... - Cover Girls & Headliners: The Aftermath

Not only did I have a new appreciation of models shooting on location (see previous post on Cover Girls & Headliners); I also had a taste of what it's like to be interviewed and be paranoid for days of what exactly was gonna come out in print. I was quite thorough with details of our home life as well as with my views on the demands of my job which have taken their toll on the quantity AND quality of time I spend at home, particularly with Cerise... prompting me to reassess my priorities, make plans on negotiating my work hours and even consider getting a new job - something I have not had the chance to discuss with my boss! I seemed to have forgotten that I was being interviewed by a reporter from MY company and every word I spoke was for public consumption. As soon as I got my hands on The Aucklander, I nervously read the article about us. Overall, I thought the article was well written - concise, accurate, straightforward and most important of all, Sandra left out the "sensitive" components. Relief! Paranoia over. I now feel for celebrities whose lives are falsely depicted in tabloids. I would have been a wreck if something was wrong or controversial in the article. Then again, did they really have to mention our age gap??????

Something else I found bizarre was the uncomfortable feeling of being "naked", if you like. It is a practice in the office that all current front covers of our various publications get posted on the walls everywhere in the building, The Aucklander's doesn't get replaced for a week! The one place that got me ill at ease was inside the biggest lift where two copies of The Aucklander front cover hung. Everyone takes that lift several times a day. It can accommodate maybe 30 to 40 people at a time. It is where employees from different departments meet new employees or catch up with old ones. Sadly, it isn't the fastest lift in the world! So you can imagine how much gossip and current events get talked about in it, on top of what everyone thinks about the weather. It is also this lift that showed me one of the most awkward moments you can find yourself in --- that is, work mates gathering in front of a VERY VERY slow lift, waiting for it to get to where you are and finally open. Don't you hate it when you get stuck with people you may or may not know and you can't decide whether or not it's a good time for small talks, let alone figure out what can be interesting to chat about?

Anyway, moving right along....everytime I entered that lift, seeing my picture made me uneasy. Watching people look at my picture, consequently making me and my family the topic of conversation every freaking time was embarrassing. It was nice for work colleagues, even those I rarely speak to, and top management even, to come up to me for compliments but it was the funny thought running through my mind that bothered me. I almost always saw the i-know-what-you-did-last-summer look in their faces; as if they could see through me and knew me inside out! Eerie.

Getting recognized in public was something that never crossed my mind. But it did happen to all 3 of us! Numerous times! Even well after two weeks! At the clinic, the gasoline station, hair salon, the mall, coffee shop! Amazing! The Aucklander publisher should be happy to know that people do read the paper! Hehehe.

Probably the strangest thing of all was when Edwin and I got each a phone call. MY caller claimed she'd seen our picture and story in The Aucklander and thought it was really nice and inspirational blah-blah-blah, yada yada yada. I listened and wondered where exactly the conversation was leading to. And wouldn't you know it? She then introduced some cleaning products that I could be interested to buy or even sell, considering I have a wee one who should have bacteria-free surroundings! My thought: "white pages listing and The Aucklander cover story combined and you get a telemarketer haunting you! How tragic is that? Can I not get a phone call from a talent agent instead?" Edwin's caller on the other hand wasn't so clear about his intentions or how he got Edwin's contact details. He did ask Edwin if he was content just working from home (he obviously read The Aucklander) and it sounded like the guy had some business proposition. Those who know Edwin don't even need my elaboration on how quickly he dismissed that caller.

I must say, this entire experience was just fascinating and strange at the same time.

mondays....

I DON'T WANNA GO BACK TO WORK!!!

My annual leave is over??????!!! So soon?! I can't believe it. No, it can't be true.

Someone please tell me I'm dreaming!

Request for an extended leave?
No. That's just pushing it.

Call in sick?
No. Too obvious.

Make up a story of really bizaare circumstances?
No. I'm not very good at that.

Just... don't turn up?
No. Too risky.

I'm doomed!
No. I'm just lazy.

Cover Girls & Headliners

The Aucklander is a New Zealand Herald community publication that is distributed throughout the Auckland region. A stitched and trimmed free magazine that has 7 editions per week - North, West, City, Central, South, East and Counties - The Aucklander is my company's second newest product, two years old in the market I believe.

While the news and features of the paper are kept relevant and local to the respective suburbs, the front cover / cover story is the same for all editions.

The first week of July saw Cerise and I score that front cover, marking the debut of our modelling career... hehehe... nah, not quite. Permission to exaggerate and dwell on this milestone please. Come on, it's read by 400,000 people so allow me to make this a big deal.

So how did it all come to this?

Well, a mass email was sent by one of the Aucklander reporters (a common practice by reporters across our publications) asking for any mother who worked full time while sending her child to day care/kindergarten or anyone who knew such mother. I really didn't think much of it at the time and being a team player as I am, I replied to say I was such mother but that I also had a network of this sort of breed, specifically mentioning a friend who happened to fit one of the reporter's criteria.

Then, the phone rang. It was Sandra, the reporter, on the line. We immediately realised that I wasn't the "real deal" for her story because while I work full time, I actually don't take Cerise to kindy (Edwin does) and I don't pick her up either (Edwin does). Moving right along, I recommended another friend and got Sandra to touch base with that friend. Before hanging up though, Sandra noted that mine was in fact a very interesting story because of the way my partner and I have worked our schedules around our child and not the other way around... something she never really thought about but was now very keen at maybe highlighting this angle in her article. I should have seen the warning signs.

Another phone call from Sandra late in the afternoon and she was now taking more interest in my "life story". But now she had a more dramatic tale about how tight her deadline was and how two mums bailed out for one reason or another and that I pretty much would save her bacon if I agreed to be interviewed and photographed with Cerise. Now I do know what it's like to desperately meet a deadline (read previous post on "God Always Keeps the Light Burning"). And whether her tale was compelling or I'm simply too gullible and too kind even to strangers, is beside the point. Because the very next day, I had a one hour interview over coffee and Cerise with Daddy came to the office for the photo shoot.

We were all taken to a nearby park where they must have taken a hundred pictures of us. Poor Cerise had to keep smiling for the camera like it was the perfect day for such activity when in fact, it was windy, freezing cold and looked like it was going to rain. I now have a new appreciation of models shooting on location. Cerise did a very good job I must say. She was trembling the whole time yet she did what was expected of her. My dear husband, exhausted from the day's work, was dragged along in yet another of mummy's gimmicks. Sandra managed to interview him too.

Our story below. View full size to read.

Of course this story of ours is just a speck of the bigger subject matter which was "Auckland's Boom in Childcare". This line was written at the bottom of the front cover but I couldn't scan the entire page (A4 only). And yes, I can get pdf files of these from our archive but requesting for such files would reveal how huge this really is for me. So forget it. It's enough that I managed to sneak away at least 10 copies. Hahaha!

Anyway, the article talked about how childcare industry is growing, how the government plans to provide 20 hours free preschooling per week, and what parents should know etc. There were stories from other parents too.

You think that was that? But wait, there's more...

Upcoming post: "the aftermath"

There's Too Much Sugar In My Muffin

The word "us" in my blog title actually refers to me, Edwin and Cerise. From the onset I decided that my blog was going to, among other things, serve as my way of updating family and friends of our life in New Zealand... in a more discreet way. Instead of inundating their inboxes with my regular emails, some of which could prove to be a nuisance due to huge files of pictures or humdrum accounts on what we've been up to, they can simply visit my blog as and when they please. That way I get to write and upload anything, anytime that suits me. Anyone who is really interested to know about it will know about it; the rest who really can't be bothered are spared. There, everybody happy!

However, I haven't been saying much about my "muffin", have I? That is my husband Edwin, to those who don't know or simply don't get it. It's not that there's not much to say about Edwin nor do I get too caught up with my introspection that I forget to mention what's up with him. It's simply because I'm being extra careful with what and how I write about Edwin. See, mine is a man of few words. He is very private. In fact, I have no doubt in my mind he thinks blogging is not a very sensible thing to do. But I KNOW he thinks it's neat too. He visits my blog regularly AND my friends'! So while he's not about to start his own blog even if you pay him a million bucks, he is a fan to a point... of a chosen few of course.

So how's my muffin anyway? Too much sugar for my liking I'm afraid. Last month, Edwin was diagnosed as having Type 2 diabetes. The one-hour, all encompassing discussion with the doctor was frightening yet calming; intimidating yet encouraging; unsettling yet reassuring; devastating yet promising. Indeed, a bizarre mix of positive and negative thoughts and emotions.

We came out of the meeting feeling sad knowing Edwins' got diabetes but also grateful that we've had this red flag and not a sudden stroke or something. He simply saw the doctor because of colds and flu which then led to a general check up and then glucose test. Talk about blessing in disguise.

Being told that diabetes cannot be cured; that it is a progressive condition so that this is the point of no return and it's just going to get worse from here on, was probably the most shocking and terrifying to hear. But what's more important is that we both have taken the challenge to control this condition on board. It's really up to Edwin to slow down the process of the condition getting worse. Put simply, the fate of his health is in our hands. And we say, "bring it on!".

Without delay, Edwin and I have taken the necessary steps to beat this nasty condition. Healthy diet and exercise, the two things he had taken for granted in the last 2 years (just because he could) , are now his main focus every day. The doctor says he has a very good chance of leading a full and active life and he is not about to miss out on that. He started taking medication for cholesterol which he later stopped due to side effects but also, his cholesterol level has gone down to normal within two weeks so there was no need for medication any longer. The goal was for him to lose 12 kgs (we strongly believe that his being overweight triggered the diabetes... but also, it runs in his family). He's lost 9 kgs in just over a month. 3 more and we're there. we've immersed ourselves in research and understanding where we're at and what we can expect in the future. He's attended every single diabetes seminar and diet consultation that was required of him. He tests his blood twice a day and charts his blood sugar level which has gone down to normal in the last 4 weeks.

So are we on the right track? I say absolutely! The irony is, I have been nagging him about his weight and diet for the longest time. And he knew he had to have a healthier lifestyle, as we all do. Evidently, my nagging is not as effective as the recent diagnosis. When he was diagnosed, the natural thing to do would have been to say "I told you so" or just nag him more. But I simply told him that I have nothing to say to him but only to look at Cerise, watch her and think about his diabetes. It worked.

His is a young family and getting sick just because he can't be bothered to eat well and work out is unacceptable. Once, at his diabetes seminar, someone who couldn't believe Edwin lost so much weight in so short a time asked him how he does it. He replied, "I just think of my family". And last night, I offered him Hershey's Kisses with Almonds (his super fave) but he refused, saying, "I look at chocolates and I see your face and that of Cerise, so no, thanks."

Getting off so many of his favourite food and drinks and the pain of working out seemed to be a huge sacrfiice in the beginning but really, it's proven to be the best thing he's done to himself, and consequently for me and Cerise. He's never felt better; he's never looked better.

His next catch up with the doctor is three days from now. We're hoping for good news.

Free Yet Stuck

I'm on annual leave for 5 days, add the 2 Saturdays and 2 Sundays and that makes 9 days straight of not being at the office, stressing out about people and work. Nine days of just doing anything that fancies me! Wow! My first long break for the year! I'm over the moon.

Strangely, I don't really know what to do with myself. I tried to make a list of domestic businesses to finish; things to do and places to go but today didn't take me anywhere near my goals. I guess when you're used to having hectic days, meeting deadlines and hitting targets and suddenly you're thrown into a do-the-things-you-never-get-to-do-because-office work-always-came-first island, you get stuck.

Today I slept in... went online... had lunch... saw "Heffalump" with Cerise and a friend with her son... let Cerise on a bungy trampoline... shopping... coffee (had to get my fix)... home... and now online again. I can't even eat dinner because my mind is freaking out that I let a day go by without ticking off a single thing in my "to do" list.

I can't stop feeling guilty.

Learning The Art of Turning a Negotiation Into a Debate and Win It..... From a 4 Year Old

Cerise is proud to be a "big girl" and she doesn't appreciate being referred to as a baby. She has always been exhilarated by the prospect of getting out of kindy and moving on to a "big school", Macleans Primary, come October. She can't stop gushing about it.

But today's conversation with mummy may have forced her to change her plans...

CERISE: Mummy, I'm finished! (a loud announcement coming from the toilet)

MUMMY: (wiping Cerise's bum-bum) Cerise, from now on you will have to learn to wipe your bum-bum when you do poos, okay?

CERISE: (sheepishly) Nooooooooh! You can wipe my bum-bum! (giggles)

MUMMY: But you should do it yourself when you're in school.

CERISE: Mrs. Alison wipes my bum-bum! (stating matter of factly)

MUMMY: Oh but when you go to Macleans Primary, no one will do that for you.

CERISE: (sounding very concerned) Oh? I don't wanna go there anymore.

MUMMY: (trying to sound reassuring) It's okay. I'll teach you how to wipe your bum-bum.

CERISE: But I don't wanna go to Macleans anymore. I don't wanna go to big school. (sounding more distressed and determined that big school is not a very good idea after all)

MUMMY: But you're a big girl now, you know that. And big girls go to big schools. Big girls at Macleans Primary wipe their bum-bums. (sticking to the facts here as you should when dealing with irate clients - negotiation skills 101)

CERISE: But I don't wanna go to a big school. (very sad and tone shifting from stern to weak)

MUMMY: Well, you can't stay at kindy any longer. (trying to shut down my opponent this time having realised that our negotiation has turned into a debate)

CERISE: Okay. But I don't wanna go to a big school..... (short moment of silence, thinking) I wanna go to a medium school. Okay, mummy?

... I rest my case.

God always keeps the light burning

As you can see, my mood has changed from "busy" to "relieved". Not that I am no longer busy but the feeling of relief is more overwhelming than any other emotion right now.

In my three years of working for The New Zealand Herald and now Herald on Sunday, never have I considered the prospect of us printing a newspaper with a huge advertising space that's BLANK... until last Friday.

Ours is a revenue and deadline driven industry, a fast paced environment. And everyday, anything can happen. By that I mean anything and everything you can imagine and not. Stress is ALWAYS present. It's just a matter of keeping the level as low as possible. One of the best ways to cope with that is to strongly believe that for every problem, there is a solution... ALWAYS. No matter what. That at the end of the day, it will all work out. The paper will print and readers wouldn't have the slightest clue about the dramas behind the scenes. We have to believe there is light at the end of the tunnel, sometimes so near yet so far away but nevertheless, it's there. And we do see it and savour it as we walk out of the building after hours.

Last Friday was alarmingly different though. I had a huge gap to fill, waaaaaaay past booking deadline and with very few prospective clients in mind. That was to be the biggest hurdle for the day, on top of squeezing a one hour meeting in my already hectic day; negotiating a contract with a client and stepping in for my boss to brief new employees of APN Print NZ in their induction program about Herald on Sunday because my boss was having lunch and drinking wine at a fancy restaurant with the who's who of the industry. My other colleagues had "challenges" of their own so the fate of that huge space rested in my hands alone.

At 3pm, God sent me an angel-client and the space was booked. But it wasn't to be the end of my nightmare. It was just the beginning. Client's creative designer was not available to make a new ad for him. We, on the other hand, didn't have any of his old and current material available that meets the exact dimensions of the space. We explored all options (upsizing, downsizing, revising previous ads etc) but one - creating a new ad from scratch. That was absolutely out of the question because there was no time for it. None of the other options was possible either. Then came another problem of production department holding a low resolution file which they would not allow to print. My world was crumbling fast.

At 4pm, I wasn't panicking as much anymore. Not because the problem was solved but because I had simply given up. Incredibly, I uttered the deadly words "I don't know what to do anymore." I felt my body almost like, letting go of its last breath and dropping dead. I could swear I heard the alarm bells and saw the flashes going "GAME OVER GAME OVER". And the tunnel was pitch-black.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe and almost instantly, I had this renewed belief that there REALLY was light at the end of my pitch-black tunnel. I could not bring myself to stop believing that. So I opened my eyes, took another deep breathe, raced down to our production department like one of the unstoppable Incredibles, discussed the problem and my proposed solution to the Supervisor then sat down with the graphic designer and pretty much behaved and spoke to everyone in no uncertain terms that we were gonna make it happen MY WAY, by hook or by crook. And we did!

So there's my big 'WHEW!'

Of course that sigh of relief also goes to...

all my friends and acquaintances based in London accounted for - all safe and sound

friends' family members who've been ill are in stable conditions

friends who lost loved ones are finding the strength to cope and remain positive... truly inspiring!

this mum is not having a good day at all

Still on testing uploading photos....
(because this is getting me really excited)...

a look into the future of Cerise Elizabeth...

as a mother, a grumpy one it seems... perhaps not so much because of a grumpy baby but due to a total fashion disaster!...

even so, I reckon she pulled it off!


photo taken at a birthday party and Cerise playing dress-up.

photos in my blog

I am simply testing if I can successfully upload photos in my blog. I decided to use this picture of my father facing the sunset when we were at Rotorua. I was hoping to produce a photo similar to those done by professional photographers...
Not too bad, aye?

I've been tagged

A girlfriend asks.....

What are the things you enjoy, even when no one around you wants to go out and play? What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level? Make a list, post it in your journal, and then tag 5 friends and ask them to post it in theirs.

SHOPPING! - you can never go wrong with that

large mochaccino

mucking around with Cerise and Edwin

scent of Cerise and Edwin

organising my calendar and noting things down in my diary

full body massage

facial

hair cut or highlights

bookshops and coffee shops

candles

the sun, fresh air, scent of grass and sound of waves

watching "Survivor" and "Amazing Race"

Sleeping, which I should be doing right now

Updating/enhancing my blog and checking out others', which is the reason why I'm not sleeping right now

reading good old paperbacks and lifestyle magazines instead of surfing the net

doing laundry; cleaning toilet and bathroom

.... now, you're turn if you're a blogger!

heavy-hearted

When it rains, it pours....

First I received news that a long-time friend's sister gets diagnosed with tumor and had to undergo surgery and several radiation therapy...

The month of July begins and brings to mind both a pleasant and grave thought.... a very dear friend and whose birthday is on the 10th but for 4 consecutive years had received a call from me on the 17th (just because I could never get her birthdate right and I thought I would this year), is also observing her dad's first death anniversary...

A girlfriend rushed grandma to ER recently after witnessing her collapse from bleeding so much, the toilet floor was covered with a carpet of blood...

Yet another friend has lost her newborn to birth defects, unknown to her until the she delivered. The baby's birth and demise, unknown to me weeks after her funeral and cremation...

And now, explosions in Central London that's left me worried about good friends over there and restless just anticipating the next move of these bombers...

To say that I'm petrified is an understatement.

God be with us all.