Laugh, read the funniest novel and laugh somemore

photo taken from http://helenkosings.wordpress.com

One UCLA study documented that on average, at age 5, we engage in creative tasks 98 times a day, laugh 113 times and ask 65 questions. By age 44, the numbers fade to two creative tasks a day, 11 laughs and six questions.

As we get older, we don't laugh as often anymore. We get more worried about our increasing responsibility & expectations.
Career, mortgage, family, hence more dramas, more problems, more stress.

As I get older, I tend to watch/read more serious stuff. Then when I get familiar with the world's concerns and problems, I'll get thinking. Sometimes sad.
I even swap Tv comedies to shows such as Oprahs, Dr Phil, The View
and current affair news. And I swap channel Arena and Hits (where stupid reality shows and Friends and comedies are at) to Lifestyle channel, Travel and Living channel. Adventure and Bio channel. Even National Geography for what I care. The idea is to make myself wiser, smarter, more aware and more adult-like.

And for conversation topic starters too :) (??)

So I become wiser, yes, but I also laugh less (because I dont watch comedies & varieties shows anymore)
So do you choose to be happy or to be wise?

Alot of studies show that laughter can prolong one's life. Cancer patients who have good sense of humour are said (and proven) to survive longer than cancer patients who are not. Laughter is also
-strengthen your immune system,
-boost your energy,
-improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow (help protect against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.)
-a good laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
-triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, and can even temporarily relieve pain.

The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Best of all laughter is all around us and cheap, if not free.

One of the ways to laugh is to read Lucy-Anne Holmes novel 50 ways to find a lover. The book is really hilarious. Sometimes I wonder why people read thick serious (abit depressing) deep-thinking book about happiness when you can read comics or chicklits, where you can laugh (which leads to happiness) ? But some chicklits have too-over-the-top stories or cliche/boring stories which make me even more depressed :(
But I love this novel. Lucy-Anne is so funny xx



Lucy-Anne Holmes ia an actress living in London. 50 ways to find a Lover had its genesis in Lucy's blog www.spinstersquest.com cataloguing her real-life love woes.

Lucy said

I make a pledge: I will explore fifty ways to find a lover. I will start with speed dating. I will also enlist some help in what to wear and say. I will stop dressing like a male road protester and brush my hair. I will stop asking men stupid questions such as 'Have you ever seen a ghost?' and 'If you were a biscuit what sort would you be?', which only I ever find entertaining.

It's so tempting though.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
These are 3 of my (many)favourite lines :
From page 13

" A few days ago I started the important steps of thorough room-tidying, which are:
1) picking up everything on my floor and putting it on my bed
2) hanging up one or two items of clothing
3) getting bored
4) going out
5) coming home and needing to go to bed
6) moving everything on my bed on to my floor again "

----------------------------------------------------------------------
from page 38

" I have announced in my blog that Quest No. 1 is Speed Dating. I even hatched a plan, which I described in my blog. The plan involves
1) talking to all the men as though they are ugly. I reasoned that it is always much easier to talk to ugly people
2) asking all the men if they know any good jokes, then at least I will learn something. "

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
from page 333

" There is a covert operation going on in the flat. Simon's planning me a surprise thirtieth-birthday party. Where Simon's covert operation fails is that he does all his planning on the phone to Julia early in the morning. He forgets that he has a voice like an old tractor and that when I am lying in a bed with eyes closed I am asleep, not dead. So far, I know where it is and who's coming, but they seem to be stuck about what to tell me.

'We've got to tell her she's going out somewhere so she puts some clothes on or she'll just be wearing those crusty pink pyjamas with red-wine lips.' It's a good job I am not a sensitive type.

I can even hear Julia on the end of the phone. Laughing.

'Listen, we've got to get in touch with Paul the Plonker, Jules. He can pretend he's taking her to dinner, but in actual fact take her to the venue. Genius. Then she'll dress up. Have you got his number?'

'Fuck, no!' screams Julia.

'I'll go in her room and get her phone now,' says Simon, opening my bedroom door and tripping over a pair of my shoes. I hear him mutter, 'Dirty goat' as he stumbles around in my dark room, hoping to locate my phone. He's never going to find it. My phone is currently situated inside my coat pocket, which is in the living room draped over the sofa.

'It's not here, Jules,' whispers Simon. 'I'll have to hang up and call it.' Simon leaves the room and closes the door. Two seconds later I hear my phone ring.

I spring out of bed and run into the lounge. This could be fun.

'Morning! Who's calling me at this time, I wonder?' I say innocently to Simon.

'Oh, um, me!' he says as I take my phone from my coat.

'Why?' I say with wide-eyed innocence.

'Wake-up call!' he chants. 'I thought we could go for a run.'

'Oh, that would have been lovely, Si, but I think I've hurt my foot; oh yes, it's very bad!' I say, pretending to limp.

'I'm only trying to help, Sare. You have to take a lot of clothes off in that play, remember.'

'Hmmm,' I say, frowning. the play involves me getting down to my underwear. The sight of me in my underwear is pleasant only for blubber specialists. 'Maybe later... I was thinking about my birthday, Si.'

'Oh yeah, when is it again, Sare?' he says casually. He's a better actor than me. Bastard.

'Oh, it's Saturday, but I think I might just go down to stay with my mum and dad for the weekend.'

Simon pulls a face as though he's stepped on a drawing pin. I go back to my room, clutching my phone. It's not that I don't want a party. On the contrary, my two best friends organising one for me is so touching I'm sure I'll cry. I just want to tease them a bit.

'Sare, your mom's on the phone!' yells Simon, banging on my door.

'I didn't hear the phone ring', I say.

'Oh, didn't you?' Simon's innocence is increadibly belieavable. I start to distrust everything he's ever said to me.

I pick up the phone.

'Er, darling, you can't come down this weekend, we're, um, going away,' she says. Now, my mother can't act at all. i start to fear I might have her to blame for my failing career.

'Where?' I say.

I can hear the cogs in my mother's brain turning while she tries to think of a destination.

'Oh, um,' she hesitates. 'France.' A triumphant sigh.

'Can I come?'

A silence. This is painful for my mother. She hasn't worked out her back-story at all. I start to feel bad. While I am feeling bad I can hear Simon tripping around my room, obviously getting Paul's number from my mobile phone.

'Let me talk to your dad. I'll call you back.' She hangs up. I run to my room, hoping to catch Simon with my phone. But he's already finished. Imeet him coming out.

'That was quick,' he says.

'What were you doing in there?'

'Oh, I was going to make your bed. But then I changed my mind.'

We both glance at my unmade bed with the mobile phone sitting proudly on the mattress. It starts to vibrate.

'I've got a text,' I say, picking it up. 'From Jules.'

I look at it and grin. I read it aloud to Si. '"REMINDER!! PARTY!! Saturday. Surprise for Sarah's big thirty (the old trout)! Eight p.m. sharp. Fifty-one Greek Street. If any of you fools tell her I shall personally pee in your bath."'

Bless her, she sent it to evryone in her address book. Including me. I look at Simon. He's shaking his head.

'I knew already, Si, I heard you on the phone this morning.'

'Ah. I thought I was doing well.'

'You were. Your acting was really good! You could have a new career. You could be the next James Bond.' I hug him and kiss him on the forehead.

'Thank you.' "

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ps : It is so much funnier when you read the book page by page :)

Weekly diary (Love increase creativity and Jenna Jamison's tattoo)

Sydney Breakfast : Strawberry Heart Custard Tart & a cup of Long Black.
The tart is surprisingly light and not too (sugary) sweet. Love it! And Pretty to look at too :) It took me like ten minutes before I started eating it.


at Bacino Espresso, 232 Darling st, Balmain.

Quote this week :

When nothing goes right, go left. Anonymous

A man is defined by what he owns and I don't like what I own so I got rid of everything. Sam Worthington (he had a garage sale).

What I discovered this week :

-Vigorous exercise dulls your apetite, while moderate exercise stimulates it. What matters more is exercise intensity.

-(copy-pasted from Oprah website)
Last year psychologists in the Netherlands reported on a study where they asked a group of young men and women to imagine taking a long walk with their beloved (those without a partner imagined taking a walk with an "ideal" one). A different set of volunteers were asked to imagine having casual sex with someone they found attractive but were not in love with. Before and after, both groups were given a battery of tests to examine their creative and analytical abilities.

The results: Thinking about a romantic partner stimulated "global processing" mechanisms in the brain, which increased long-term focus and improved creativity. Thinking about sex, on the other hand, stimulated "local processing," which increased focus on the present and heightened analytical thinking.
Another explanation for these results. Feelings of romantic love can boost levels of dopamine, a neurochemical associated with creativity, while sexual desire can raise levels of testosterone, known to promote analytical skills.

This week dessert(s) :


4 Times The Vitamin C: Blackcurrant jelly, blackcurrant marshmallow, vanilla violet mousse, pistachio feuilletine, pistachio dacquoise & blackcurrant glacage
Toffee Apple Eclair: Pate a choux sable, shortbread creme patisserie, apple tartin puree dipped in toffee


From Adriano Zumbo Pattiserie. Of course

This week I watch :
- LA Ink. LA Ink is a reality show about tattoo artists. I watch this show at times because although I dont have a tattoo, but so often people who get tattoos have interesting stories behind it (which what their tattoos are based) and thats really interesting to know.

One day guess who walked in? Jenna Jamison!! The so called the world's most famous porn performer! (She won many Adult Industry Awards). Jenna's movie is quite artistic compared to other porn movies and she did not do anal/ double penetration and ever quoted said that she would never do such movies.
She is also an entrepreneur,
-has clothing businesses,
-Pornography entertainment company (Club Jenna) (which the Playboy Tv hosts her Jenna's American Sex Star reality show where aspiring porn stars compete for a Club Jenna contract.)

Jenna also has crossed to mainstream Tv,
-guest star voice role in Family Guy (as herself)
-guest star voice role in video game : Grand Theft Auto : Vice City,
-starred in Eminem music video,
-starred in a movie Zombie Stripper
-guest stints in a few other Tv shows.

Jenna wrote her autobiography How to Make Love Like a Porn Star : A Cautionary Tale which spent 6 weeks in New York Times bestseller list
-also created a horror comic book Jenna Jameson's Shadow Hunter.


Jenna currently has retired from porn performer and has removed her DD breast implants. (She is now C cup and still continues to run her $30 million-a-year ClubJenna empire).

So anyway, during L.A Ink, she got a tattoo said I'm not afraid. I was born to do this which I thought is an amazing saying. Its a quote by Joan of Arc whom she idolises.


I also watch :
Dr Phil : the episode is about mothers who verbally abuse their children saying 'I hate you', and other horrible words. Dr Phil said that verbal abuse is worse than physical abuse. It is even 7 times worse than sexual abuse and it can cause mental illness. So please people watch what you are saying.

Geo-Adventure channel : an episode about vodka, they went to a snowy country (forgot which country) where they prepare sashimi (raw fish + salt + a splash of vodka in an ice plate), they also dig snows (to catch a fish) then make a cup from the snow and pour vodka into it for them to drink while waiting for the fish to take a bait. They also went to the Absolut Vodka factory, look at the production, do some vodka tasting and hear the executive management talk about the origin and varieties of vodka. Very interesting actually!
They also go to an ice bar where they are served vodka (straight) in an ice glass.

photo from www.mutineermagazine.com

photo from www.gadling.com

Apparently there is an Absolut Vodka ice bar in Stockholm, Shanghai, London, Copenhagen, Japan, and afew other countries. I always know there are ice bars, I just never knew that they are Absolut Vodka's!

Ps : Do you like vodka? How do you normally drink it? If you don't like vodka, what is your favourite cocktail? If you don't like cocktail, what is your favourite alcoholic drink? If you don't like alcoholic drink, what is your favourite non-alcoholic drink? Btw back to the 'dont drink alcoholic drink', are you serious I mean SERIOUS? What do you normally do for fun then? Or when you are bored? Are you going to drink vodka now after reading this post? Why/Why not?

I normally mix vodka with cranberry but after watching that vodka tasting part, from now on, I'm so going to drink it straight on the rocks :) (like a pro).
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Love aphrodisiacs (Which is the best?)

picture taken from www.gourmetsleuth.com

The ancient Romans ate oysters, the Chinese have shark fin soup, and the Arabs were keen on camel's hump.

The interest in aphrodisiac foods began when Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, rose from the sea on an oyster and then gave birth to Eros. The first aphrodisiac food was born.

Interesting facts of some of our favourite aphrodisiac foods :
Avocado
Often called 'Ahuacuatl' translated as 'testicle tree' because the fruits hanging in pairs on the tree resembles the males testicles.
 It was forbidden by the Catholic priests in Spain because they found it to be obscerely sexual. 
Asparagus
In the 19th century France, bridegrooms were served three courses of asparagus at their prenuptial dinner. 
Figs
It is Cleopatra's favourite fruit.
The ancient Greek held them as sacred and associate them with love and fertility.
Vanilla
It is believed that Xanat, the young daughter of the Mexican fertility goddess, loved a Totonic youth. Unable to marry him because of her nature, she transformed herself into this plant that provide pleasure and happiness. 
Honey
In Egyptian times, many medicines were based on honey, including cures for sterility and impotence. Lovers on their honeymoon drank 'mead', a fermented drink made from honey and it was thought to 'sweeten' their marriages.

People's favourite seems to be Chocolates, which we know to also promote relaxation and wellbeing. A happy food to many and many's favourite desserts and favourite snacks. The symbols of Valentine's day (besides flower) and so the symbol of love. It contains :
- anandamide, the psyochoactive feel-good chemical,
- PEA (phenylethylamine), the ‘love chemical’ which 
1. releases dopamine in the pleasure-centres of the brain and peaks during orgasm. 
2. help induce feelings of excitement, attraction, and euphoria. 

My favourites aphrodisiac would be:
Oysters
Just because I love oysters. Period. 
It is also high in protein and zinc. For men, it helps produce sperm and increase libido. Just saying. 
Champagne
(Also) just because I love bubbles. period. (drank moderately of course).  
Strawberries
' strawberries invite love and are described in erotic literature as fruit nipples '. 
(Also again) just because that strawberry is one of my favourite fruit. And what happen when 3 of my favourite foods (oysters, champagne and strawberry) complement one another and go amazingly well all together? Magic happens and dreams come true. X X
Not only the food itself, but also the whole wonderful idea of romance and seduction. (Ohhh) Don't you just love them?

But Helen Fisher, PhD (Oprahh Magazine) said that the most powerful aphrodisiacs are already inside our bodies. "Humans have evolved three different brain systems to encourage mating: sex drive (lust), feelings of attachment (trust), and romance (being in love). Each of these systems plays a role in desire".

Lust : High Sex drive is often associated with the level of testoterone in the brain (women and men). Today women with low libido can get a prescription for testosterone.
Other ways to raise testoterone productions are
-playing competitive sports (it proved to affect women more than men)
-having regular sex (the more you have, the more you crave)

Feelings of attachment (trust): caused by the chemical oxytocin. "In a study conducted at the University of Zurich, couples who used a nasal spray containing oxytocin before discussing an ongoing marital conflict were more likely to engage in friendly, positive communication than those who didn't take a whiff."
Other ways to stimulate oxytocin naturally is
-TOUCH
-Hold hands while you watch TV
-Give each other massages
-Sleep in each other arms

Romance (being in love) : the chemical 'dopamine' is found to cause love.
Ways to trigger the release of dopamine are :
-Taking risks/try something new.
-Not necessarily in the bedroom, even if trying new cuisine or new hobbies/adventures.

Hmm I still want to eat oysters and strawberries and sip bubbles thou.
Tell me what is your favourite aphrodisiac? Maybe we can share tips and swap secrets and be besties? :) Loveexx

Weekly diary "Lets be happy and get into the zone."

Breakfast : Homemade Belgian waffle with Rhubarb, Brown sugar yoghurt and Maple syrup. YuM

I had this at Cafe Giulia, which is located in a renovated 100 year old corner butcher shop in Chippendale, I love this place! There are so many breakfast menu to choose from and they opened from 6.30 am on weekdays. And its about 5 minutes walking distance from my place. Café Giulia is popular for its diversity of its breakfast menu, cool relaxed vibe and of course great taste. The menu is written on the big blackboard and there are some artworks along the wall and the latest newspapers to read.




(both photos are taken from Cafe Giulia appreciation society group in Facebook) x

This week favourite quote :
It’s usually the smartest ones that take forever to get married - their minds aren’t in sync with their hearts. Patti Stanger.

Conquer fear before it conquer you. Ricky Martin.

Highlight of the week :
I am watching the Secret Diary of a Call Girl season 3 tv series in youtube. I can't wait for the season 3 Dvd to come out. They didn't/haven't aired the season 3 in Australian Tv :(














Now, It's been 5 years since I read 'The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl' novel which is a bestseller in both the UK and Australia. Based on Belle de Jour's popular online diary which attracted 15,000 hit each day, Belle de Jour became a controversial phenomenon. I love it. Then I read 'The Further Adventures of Belle de Jour',and the 'Belle du Jour guide to men'. All books are charming, sometimes shocking, often hilarious and always thought-provoking glimpses into the professional high class sex trade in London. I think it was about 2 years ago when the season 1 of the Tv series Secret Diary of A Call Girl , which is produced based on the books aired in Australian TV. And much to everybody (including me) surprise, the TV series is successful and good. Great even. Fantastic. The series premiered in the U.S. on Showtime to the highest ratings the cable channel had seen in four years for a television premiere. The series debut reached almost one million viewers.

Nobody can play Belle more perfect than Billie Piper and the production of the show is slick, sexy, and funny. Sex worker is not ridiculed, in fact it is portrayed in an acceptable and fun way and sex is also talked in a humorous way. The fourth (and final) season is currently aired in the UK.

Season 3 previews :


Meet belle :


Quick look on the 1st season :


Things I learn this week :
It’s contagious. Happiness – and sadness – spread like disease, say researchers at Harvard and MIT. 

Do you know Sarah Wilson? Sarah is probably the coolest wisest woman I've ever known (well not personally, just through her weekly newspaper column). Every Sunday Sarah has a column in Sunday Life which she tries new ideas that challenge her and she take people on a journey to have a better, sweeter life. (the idea is from Eleanor Roosevelt's mantra 'Do something everyday that scares you'.) Sarah is a rare journalist and personality: She is an ambassador, speaker, adept social commentator, following a career that’s spanned newspapers, magazines, radio and television and her voice can extend from politics, health advocacy, restaurant reviewing, opinion writing and trend forecasting. She is now the host and program developer for the Australia’s newest channel Lifestyle YOU.

Throughout her amazing life, She
-begins her 17-hour days at 5.30am with mediation in her make-up trailer.
-had tea with Edward de Bono (the world's greatest thinker)and was invited to meet Dalai Lama.
-was the presenter of Masterchef Australia, which the first series has a record biggest ratings in Australia.
-was an editor of Cosmopolitan magazine for 4 years, During her tenure, the magazine experienced its highest recorded circulation and readership figures and increased its lead in the category.
-In September 2007, Australian Cosmo entered the Guinness World Book of Records when Sarah staged the largest swimsuit shoot on Sydney’s Bondi Beach and it is featured all around the world.
-became the first women’s magazine editor to interview the then Prime Minister of Australia Mr John Howard and current Prime Minister Mr Kevin Rudd, in the lead-up to the 2007 election.
-she came runner up in the Australian Young Journalist of the Year Awards. Sarah also contributed a weekly column for the Sunday Herald Sun’s opinion pages and was the youngest person in Australia to have such a column
-grew up on a subsistence-living farm, had her first business at 12, ride a vintage one speed bike, and she advocate minimalism and trift.
-loves A sand run at sunrise on the beach, mountain biking, organic and gluten-free foods, tap water (she kind of convert me from bottled water),yoga classes, adores all things food and takes pride in licking the plate clean. (she afterall was a Sunday magazine restaurant critic for 2 years).
Sarah has a blog (where you can read her Sunday life column) and her blog is the most amazing intelligent interesting adventurous thoughtful wise cool all combined into one. (www.sarahwilson.com.au) My favourite article is all her articles. If she is a man, I would have stalked her by now (or at this very second).



One of the thing Sarah said is about Ray Bradbury. Ray was a broke freelance writer. Unable to afford an office, he’d go to the public library to write, where he’d queue to hire a typewriter in the basement for 30 minutes at a time.  It cost a dime a pop; he had to get value for money (and time). So he’d write in efficient bursts. He’d wait his turn again, then another 30-minute burst, and so on. The result was the classic novel Fahrenheit 451, written in some ludicrously efficient, self-disciplined record time.

Sarah said that this kind of discipline enabled the writer to access “flow”. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi pioneered this concept back in the early 90s and showed that some of life’s greatest contributions occurred when their creators were in flow (or “the zone”), that is they were so completely focused on the task at hand that time stopped, distractions ceased and much got done. When we engage in something fully we activate so many neurological functions at once that our brains get bamboozled and shut down the part that makes us aware of what we’re doing and how much time has passed. Ergo, flow. Sarah then talked about the Pomodoro Technique. Developed in the 90s by an Italian efficiency enthusiast, it’s recently experienced a surge of popularity. You pick a task and take one of those kitschly 90s red tomato kitchen timers and set it to 25 minutes. Next, churn through your task, ignoring distractions, not stopping to make tea or stare at the ceiling. Rest for 5 minutes and repeat the cycle three more times, after which you rest for a good half hour and grab lunch or read emails. The aim is to work to these 30-minute cycles daily, building up the self-discipline muscle.

(copy-pasted Sarah's writing). Of course.

I tried this, and it actually works! Amazing how I finally find a way to cure my short-attention disease-type thingy. (see How I write compared to the articulate beautiful Sarah) (sob) anyway I wish I have known this method since when I was still at school. I probably graduated with honors now.

Anyway (again) (now, finally notice the short attention?)
Sarah then said,

"I couldn’t bring myself to use an actual ticking tomato (too twee), so I used focusboosterapp, a customised online timer replete with ticking.

The ticking, which Pomodoro proponents say is key, certainly instilled a sense of urgency. I churned, and refrained from editing, to keep the flow and do as I’m told. And I did get in a flow. The time flew and I staid completely into the writing, no toggling, no lack of clarity and perspective. In my five-minute breaks, I walked around the block, which cleared my head. Then back to it, as instructed.

In the longer break at the end I contemplated why my brain got so sucked in by a virtual ticking clock as to behave itself so extraordinarily, not darting off to play silly buggers on Facebook or to lead my appetite astray to the fridge. I concluded it’s because our brains are simple little things that like boundaries. And external motivators, however kitsch they might be. They’re also easily bamboozled and fooled into flow.

The good news, however, is we can control this and dupe our brains to our advantage."
 
Sarah wrote so many amazing articles, I dont even want to duplicate or replicate one.

So, I'll end this weekly list with what she said. (which face it, is better for everybody). She interviewed Mitch Albom once, the author of the bestseller Tuesday with Morrie, which is the biggest selling memoir in history (you can write the interview in her blog).

At the end, she quoted the little insight from Mitch's newest book Have a Little Faith,
"When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched...because a baby, not knowing any better, wants grab everything , to say, 'The whole world is mine'. But when an old person dies with his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson."

Have a happy week ahead! I'm going to eat a scoop of ice cream now and daydream alittle. If I have some extra time, maybe I'll do my laundry. Or maybe eat another scoop of ice cream. Love xx

Weekly diary "Lets drink teas and look at the greens".

Breakfast : Free range poached eggs served on organic Italian ciabatta with roasted mushroom, pesto and pecorino cheese.
This is one of my favourite breakfast ever. The pesto sauce is so yummy.


Banana and mango yoghurt smoothie. Nice, sweet, smooth and creamy. To start my sweet morning :)








Breakfast at Clipper cafe, Glebe, which I love because they open really early! (6am)



This week favourite quote :
“A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That's why they don't get what they want.” – Madonna -

"With you here, I know that life is much more fun." - pooh n piglet -


Things I learn this week :
I should drink :
-Redbush or rooibos tea
It Keeps your brain in shape while you sip. Protect brain against being attacked by free radicals linked to degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's. 
Also contain tooth-friendly calcium, manganese and fluoride content. 
-Oolong tea
It Boost kilojoule burns by up to 294kj a day, thanks to it's high caffeine and polyphenol content. 

I also should ( from oprah website)
"Fill my eyes with green
It's the color many jewelers use as a backdrop when they're working on a delicate piece; green is said to be the easiest color for the eye to see. It's also thought to balance emotions and bring on a feeling of calm. Have you ever been mesmerized by the dense green of a palm as it swayed in a tropical breeze?" 

Advice of the week :
Even if he doesn’t make your toes curl in the beginning, give him time he might grow on you. Patti Stanger

Joke of the week :
My husband is German, every night I get dressed up as Poland and he invades me. Bette Midler

Sweet of the week :
Homemade Tiramisu. (original recipe since the cafe opened in 1982)
I have this at Badde Manors Cafe at Glebe. This eclectic multicultural cafe has central-European feel and serve contemporary vegetarian dishes (from 7.30am up to midnight or 2am on weekends), beautiful Italian coffee and gelatos and Hungarian, French, Italian and Portuguese cakes/desserts.


This week I read :
50 ways to find a lover by Lucy-Anne Holmes. 
I've finished it. The book has officially become my favourite book ever. That GOOD! It's so freaking funny.
   
Highlight of the week :
I bought 3 books at Sapphos book and cafe second-hand bookshop. I loved this place. There are a lot of variety of books, most of them about $10 for softcover and they don't look that bad appearance-wise. The bookshop itself has a courtyard cafe and they opened from 8.30am until 10pm. The cafe turns into wine & tapas bar at night and at times host events, such as poetry reading, sunday night live band, sunday afternoon live jazz. CooL huh??


(these two pictures are taken from http://gggiraffe.blogspot.com) Thank You!x

I bought :
- 50 ways to find a lover by Lucy-Anne Holmes.
- God's callgirl, a memoir by Carla Van Raay
( a true story about a woman's life journey from a convent girl at 18 to a sex worker at 34.)
- 90-day geisha by Chelsie Haywood.
( a true story about one english girl's immersion in the world of Tokyo hostessing, a late night entertainment for wealthy Japanese men drawn from the traditional institution of the geisha. )

Ps :
I love Zoe Foster. www.zoefoster.com.au
She was the beauty and lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan Australia for 3 years before becoming the beauty director at Harpaar Bazar Australia. Currently she is the editor in chief of www.primped.com.au which she developed. She is also a (weekly) beauty columnist for The Sunday Telegraph and a (monthly) relationship columnist for Cosmopolitan magazine. Wait it's not over. In between she has a charming funny blog about beauty (makeup and more) at http://www.primped.com.au/zoes_blog and has written 3 novels.
1. Air Kisses, a fiction chicklit about the life & romance of one beauty editor. She included some amazing beauty tips and the books got a lot of praises.
2. Textbook Romance, a self-help relationship & dating advice book (written in her signature charming funny witty manner).
3. Playing the field, a fiction chicklit about the world of WAG (wife and girlfriend of footballers), (Zoe herself dated one footballer for 10 years).

There you go.

So yeah, although I'm so jealous about her life story (biting my bottom lip at this very second), but I also love her. Loveee her. I mean wow, what is it that she can't do? she hasn't done? or more importantly, What does she eat?
Her writing is intelligent, funny, fresh and charming. She's gorgeous too! (I should write a blog about Is Life Really Fair?) :)
Zoe is currently holidaying in Europe (and somewhere) for 2 months (while still fully working from her laptop).

(I'm still biting my bottom lip) Hmm, maybe I'm hungry? I'll have a chocolate after this :)

So.

Today I bought Air Kisses and Textbook Romance. For all I care, if Zoe Foster write books about kinitting or gardening, I would still have bought it. xx

How long do you wait to have sex?

(picture taken from www.funnyden.com)

Does waiting for sex make love last longer?

How long do you normally wait to sleep with someone?

The reason why I normally wait :
- because I want to make the men work a little bit and earn it.
- I don't want to be labelled as easy.
- the steps towards sex are exciting. Today we kiss, next week he can touch my boobs , the following week he can see me topless, the following week I am naked. Isn't that more interesting than just do everything today?
- if I have sex today (I'm sure it will be great), our next dates will be full of watching DVD at his place and order pizza. (so that we can have sex.) And I do like it, but at the start of knowing someone, I want dinner dates and romance. And desserts.

I did sometimes have sex on the first dates. That's normally when I drink too much wine and feel all happy and in love:). And that the world is beautiful and that tomorrow maybe the end of the world. What is that Quote, Life for today?
I still remember the sex the next day though, because I've never been totally drunk or wasted.

Sometimes you wonder will the guys brand you as 'that type of girl' , slut, one night stand material?
Really which nice girls have sex just like that without making sure that the guy is serious?
Will he think that way? Will he ever call again?

I think yes he will call again if the sex is great. If the sex Is bad, no way, because after one date, he hasn't known you well enough to really develop a feeling for you.

Will he only call to make random booty calls? If you are drunk and looked silly, and act slutty probably that's how he sees and feels about you. But If you showed him that you are a girl with substance and a great personality, it doesn't have to be the case. He may want more than sex and that he may want to get to know you better. He'll remember at how an amazing girl you are rather than just how great is the sex.

Some people wait to have sex because they are worried that the sex will not be good enough. "Im not that experienced, my body is not perfect", this and that. At least after a couple of months, the spouse had developed feelings and bad sex are forgivable. Right?

I know couples who break up because the sex is not great. I think the longer you wait for sex, the more is the expectation to be special, and when it is not great, you are disappointed. And part of the reason is because the longer you wait, it get to your nerve and fear. First date sex, no pressure. I don't love him anyway. After 3 months, I have to be the best that he's ever been with. Because I love him.

But there are some people who think that bad sex is not everything. What we had, relationship is much more special. And when they are toO cool about it, they don't realize at how big a deal it is.

Face it, sex is a big deal. It's more than just jerking for a man and a vibrator for a woman. It's more than orgasms. It's the intimacy, the touching and kissing and the giving and receiving pleasure. Sex is very important in a relationship and we shouldn't take it too lightly.

Waiting on how soon to have sex varies among people.
But personally i dont Wait until marriage because we are human being and sex is a natural needs, if God doesn't want us to have sex, and why he create us with this hormonal factors? Not everybody get married early for various reasons and Sex with people (with protection) Is much healthier than masturbating and sex toys, don't you think?

Sex is also known for many health benefits :
- regulate your period.
- youthful glow.
- raise the oestrogen levels, make hair shiny and skin supple.
- boost production of the antibody immunoglobullin A (lgA), to prevent cold and flu.
- the stimulation of the vagal nerve has the effect of the hormone oxytocin. -> reduce stress.
- sex raises levels of oxytocin and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) which r thought to help prevent breast cancer.
- sex release endorphins, which have been shown to decrease feelings of pain. Ex: period pain.
- sex also increase levels of corticosteroids and endorphins which raise pain thresholds and have an analgesic effect. Ex: to ease joint pain.

So, are you going to have sex tonight? :)

Xx

Weekly diary "Happy birthday mom, let's go cruising together".

breakfast : Ricotta and strawberry pancake with maple syrup.

This week favourite motto
Noone can meke you feel inferior without your consent - Eleanor Roosevelt


Things I learn this month:
From oprah magazine.
Dont be afraid of The "bitch" label. If everyone likes you, it probably means you aren't saying much.

From cosmopolitan magazine Australia.
'Word is that certain sexual positions can have a direct effect on whether you conceive a girl or a boy. Sperm that carries the Y chromosome (which results in a malebaby) travel faster than X-chromosome-carrying (female) sperm, but they have less staying power. One theory is that if you want a boy, rear vaginal entry, or 'doggie style', where the sperm is deposited close to the cervix, favours the faster male sperm , as it would be likely to reach the egg first. However, Dr Thomas Stuttaford, author of What's Up Doc? Understanding Your Common Symptoms, says, 'The evidence that this is successful is not good, but it's worth a try.'

This week I eat

I love pepper lunch to death. I used to live just opposite the road and I ate there almost every day. This is the rib eye steak, and it is so tender and for 20$ including rice and drink, it is cheap for a good quality steak.

Sweet of the week

Creme brulee is probably my favourite dessert. And I had this at Swissotel Wentworth Sydney. Room service, my friend from Melbourne ws staying there and it is super delicious with vanilla ice cream and almond biscotti.


Highlight of the week
It's my mom's birthday 2nd July this week.

Low of the week
I wish I can see her. We are in 2 different countries. I miss you and love you, mom. xoxo

Ps:
I was Watching 'Cruise Ship Diaries'(National Geography Adventure channel)
I've never been to a cruise ship and always wanted to go. This is about the giant Costa cruise and Watching this is amazing.


The ship is HUGE and gorgeous! It has theatre, full scale shopping centre, restaurants, a library with its 24 hr internet cafe, an art gallery (where you can bid for the original collections of well-known artists), casino, swimming pool & sauna, jogging tracks on the open deck, basketball & tennis & volleyball court, 5 star room suites, etc.


You can sign up to vairiety of classes (art n craft)(culinary classes),golf courses, pasta tasting classes, italian language classes (costa is an italian cruise).
There is Salsa&bachata& other dance classes on-board, also aerobics classes, yoga & pilates classes, the most modern technogym, aquagym, etc. Varieties of massages & therapies &(turkish bath!), beauticians, and hairdressers. They are said to have the bigggest health and beauty centre afloat. They even host a wedding onboard.


There are ballet shows, broadway themed shows, concerts by internationally known-singer, fancy-dress evenings, you can spend time in the piano bar or a live music bar, wine bar or whisky & cigar club...hmm hard choice.



I go to the website to take a look at the daily program, it is so interesting and totally endless, there are so many things (group morning walk, seminar on how to lose weight, many varieties of parties, etc)
For dining they have :
-breakfast delivered to your cabin/ self served buffet breakfast.
-afternoon buffet by the pool
-bbq ing on the deck
-deluxe dining in specialty restaurants (there are quite a few restaurants)
-cozy pizza & gelato bistro
-midnight buffet (start at 12.30 am)
-aperitif/coctails during sunset overlooking the sea.

We also take a look at the dancers' dance rehearsal for the cruise ship shows,the emergency drills, lots and lots of children activities (art&craft, education & dressed-up disco evenings, treasure hunts, circus & clown shows, pirates party)(of course babysitters are available),


There are vow renewals for married couple and cocktail party for honeymooners hosted by the cruise captain.
wowww.

Cheap and tasty foods

I believe that good food doesnt always have to be expensive. Maybe because i was brought up in indonesia where the street foods are so cheap and amazing! and I've visited such country, such as thailand where the cheap street foods are so good and interesting.
So Although i do love fine dining and the delicacies such as lobster, crab, caviar, scallops, etc, I dont always have to have them. I'm happy to go to unknown restaurant around the block with an open mind and positive thought.

SAIGON SAIGON, Glebe.

It was a saturday night, and the red lightning inside was really inviting. (I always love red lightning, hmm)

Char-grilled chicken cutlets (very tender and tasty).


Vietnamese salt and pepper prawn. (love, love, love salt and pepper dishes)


In the mood for Thai, Surry Hills.



Seriously everytime I eat Thai food at any restaurant, I either eat :
-pad thai duck / seafood
-red curry duck/ seafood
-Choo chee duck / seafood
-tom yum soup
-papaya salad
I came to this place determine to eat anything other than those above. But then, just about 30 seconds after I placed my order, I changed one of the main dishes to surprise, surprise, Choo Chee lamb. (different name but the same description).
well....At least it is lamb. Still?


Marinated Lamb cutlets grilled and served in a spicy red curry sauce with creamy coconut milk. (a.k.a choo Chee lamb cutlet)
I love the sauce. Yum !


Fried fish fillet in black pepper sauce.
This is yum too. The fried fish is not soggy at all.

I am full. Let's go to sleep now and dream about having Giselle's body. Xx