What to do after 30 years?!

A 30th birthday is a big milestone and it seems it gets everyone thinking about doing something they haven't yet done.  Skydiving is a big one, which would go along with bungee jumping. Both are pretty high and I don't know that I'm really up for that.  I've heard 30 countries by 30...I got to 20, so no-go there.  Maybe a tattoo? Yeah, I'm too indecisive for such a permanent item.

I finally decided on something that will be more of an on-going project rather than a one-and-done. There's a little corner inside myself where there's always been this little fighter.  She's peeked her head a few times during my first 30 years on this earth, but honestly not very often.  And while I've day dreamed about getting into a knock-down drag out fight, the truth is that I'm too worried about getting my own butt kicked to actually make a move or provoke anyone.

Taken from Hilltop The Gym website

Salon Day

When it comes to make-up and hair, I'm a pretty low-maintenance gal.  This is demonstrated by the fact that I have waited almost a year before getting my first haircut in Singapore.  I'm not sure why I was so nervous (I don't get highlights or anything), but I was - so it just grew.  

Finally this weekend, I decided it was time.  I had been scoping out places every time I am out and about, and I settled on a fairly large salon in a nearby shopping mall.  Friday I stopped by to make an appointment - I thought mid morning (10am) would be good.  I asked if they also did manicures/pedicures and signed up for one as well.  They lady scheduled it also for 10am, which I thought was odd, but didn't argue.

Next morning, always running late, I grabbed a taxi rather than wait for the bus.  Got to the mall at 9:45...ghost town.  I forgot that Singapore doesn't really get going in the early morning. However, McDonald's was doing breakfast business and I got me some food.  With 5 minutes before my appointment, I walked around a mall still mostly closed to business.  It was weird.  The salon didn't slide up their doors until exactly 10am.  I hadn't realized I was going to be the first appointment for the morning. 

They took me to the back, sat me down and provided me the 'color' menu for my mani/pedi.  Apparently both the mani/pedi and haircut would be at 10 after all.  The stylist asked what I wanted and how long since my last haircut.  I was embarrassed, but honest.  She immediately commented that must be why I had so many split ends and my hair was very dry.  These comments were followed up by a quick question as to whether I wanted to try one of their conditioning treatments.  Come to find out it was $105 for the cheap one as compared to my $40 cut & wash.  I doubted how dry my hair could be in such humidity being as it only gets washed every other day or so and I haven't been swimming a lot.  I think this was a marketing technique for which I did not bite.  She was disappointed - more so when she found out I also don't color (do you want to try?) or bond (chemically straighten) my hair. 

The cut begins, dry hair and all.  I'm paying for a wash....when's that going to happen?  Last time I had my hair cut dry it left little hairs everywhere and was not the best cut.  She was using a single scissor blade as a razor to put in layers.  I was a little worried about how this was all going to turn out.  Meanwhile, I have a second girl at my feet, washing them, trimming nails, smoothing callouses, etc.  Haircut done...here comes the separate lady to wash, pedicure still ongoing.  My hair gets suds and a massage for a while until we're ready to rinse.  To the wash sink - now this is familiar.  Then, back to my chair for a dry and finish of the mani/pedi.  I had four different people working on me - one time three all at once. Another girl finished my pedicure while the nail technician started on the manicure.  It took the lady the whole time of the manicure to dry my hair - no wonder she wanted me to take the conditioning treatment, they planned to blow out every ounce of moisture :). 

(before & after shots)

Finally all finished, it actually looked and felt great.  I was very happy.  After moving to dry my nails further, I did a little shopping.  For one of the first times ever, I did not have pieces of hair all over me and my shirt.  No shower required immediately following the haircut!  It was a different experience but turned out to be great.  It may have been more the 'big salon' than the 'Singapore salon', but I don't plan to wait another year for my next appointment :).

To round out the morning I got some cute new sandals to go with my pedicure.

Hope you're having a great weekend!!

It fits!

Every girl/woman reading this has those pair of jeans or shorts, skirt or dress that they keep tucked in the closet or drawer and just can't be thrown out because ONE DAY they will fit into them again!  :)

I've got a few of these items myself.  It's hard for me to throw stuff out in the first place, much less something with an emotional attachment.  I especially tend to fall in love with purchases from my trips.  I've got these "fisherman pants" from Thailand that have become my favorite travelling pants.  They are capri length, roomy/airy for hot weather and tied around the waist so they always fit.  I love them, but they make me look like a bag lady. 

Before I required the large, extendable fisherman pants, I had my cheap-o, polyester pants to travel in. I bought these in Spain. I was there my fall semester senior year of college and basically removed jeans from my wardrobe.  I loved these pants, but I lost a lot of weight in Spain and quickly grew out of them when I moved home to the U.S.  Today, was the ONE DAY when I've gotten back into them!!  (Yes, this is a feat although it might not look it from the pic.) It was very exciting, didn't expect it to happen and couldn't believe when they slipped on and actually buttoned.  There is one more pair I've kept hold of which I think I only managed to wear once in Spain and haven't come close since.  Althought the tag says they're the same size....they are not.  I've got some more time to spend before I ever get back into them. 


There's been no secret to my weightloss here (15-20 lbs down), I think it's a combination of the following factors:

• No car, I have a lot more walking to do.
• Eating slower - chopsticks and foreign foods have slowed down my meal times. Not that I don't like the foreign foods, but I just don't scarf them down as quickly as the Quiznos sandwiches I'm use to.
• Less meat - I have more rice, noodles and fruit/veggies.  Just not large portions of meat.
• Less milk - Can't find my American milk very often.
• Work hours - I tend to get home after dark (after 7), so it's dinner and bed - no time for snacking.
• And the not so healthy stress factor of this new life that at times takes away my appetite.

If only I put in some more effort - I can get into those last pair of golden pants. :)

Feet

You can love 'em or hate 'em but I've been thinking about them a lot since my move.  I'm not even sure how to organize my thoughts, so here's a bit of stream of consciousness.

What shoes are they wearing? One of the immediate questions that goes through my head. It's instinctive and don't always realize I'm doing it. But I always notice fairly quickly what shoes people wear and I'll remember them.  I've been intrigued by what I find in Singapore.

I see all kinds, even boots here in the tropics.  But mostly instead of seeing shoes, I see feet.  Toes, feet, heels, everywhere.  It's warm, so socks don't really exist and the less shoe you have the more comfortable I suppose.  Not sure how much I agree with that thought, but I must assume that's the rationale. 

One of the first things I ever keyed in on was women's toenails.  It's not every female on the island, but so often I see toenails that are longer than my fingernails (which can be long sometimes).  It grosses me out to no end.  How can they get so long?? Well, if you're wearing sandals and flip-flops year-round, then I guess you can grow 'em that long.  Or could they be fake? Like women's fingernails in the U.S.?  I heard someone say it's isolated to a certain "stereotype" of women here, but I don't see it.  I notice it on older women, younger women, ones who appear married and single, professionals and non-professionals alike, trashy and really not so trashy.  I have detected no pattern, but that doesn't mean one doesn't exist.  Still creeps me out.

**I have delayed this post almost four months waiting for a pic of crazy toenails.  Finally, in stealth mode with the blackberry camera....I got one, two actually.  Not the best shot, but hopefully you can begin to see what I mean.

The second thing I noticed is that no one wears socks - even when the shoe is fully enclosing your foot! Think of the sweat and disgustingness.  But the weather doesn't allow pants, which means no socks at least not with dress shoes.  And it's too warm for pantyhose for women (yes, no hose worn even in the professional world).  I have grabbed a hold of the no sock/pantyhose theme, but have had to completely reconsider my footwear.  My shoes have to be open now, but not too strappy-casual for work.  So I have peep toe and heel/toe only coverage. I still only have two pairs of heels that work (*found one more when I went home*), which severely limits my wardrobe.  I need to let my feet breathe though..how can you not??  Maybe Singaporeans have adjusted to the climate such that their feet don't sweat (doubtful since the other body parts clearly still sweat).  Someone did tell me their answer was to take off their shoes while at your desk.  That's when my feet aren't sweating...the problem is when I walk, and I can't really take them off then.

The third most important foot consideration is the conditioning of your feet.  I am walking so much more, which is great for my weight/health but I hope not to damage my feet too much (because most of this walking is during the week in my heels).  If you look at the old ladies' feet, yes they still wear sandals so you can easily observe them, they are mangled.  I had foot pain a couple years ago and was told it was bunions due to my pointy shoes/heels.  I had to get rid of those and opt for more "old lady" shoes as my sister would call them ;).  But I've been without pain.  And still am ..... so far.  I don't want to take home mangled feet though as a souvenier of my 3 year assignment in Singapore.  The next concern in conditioning my feet is blisters.  Walking so much in sometimes new or seldom worn shoes can cause issues.  But I found my magic wand.  Band-Aid Friction Block is awesome!! It's smaller than a travel size deodorant stick and fits nicely in my purse.  I always have it with me and can easily rub it on my foot if I could feel some bad, blister-creating friction.  Much better than trying to keep actual band-aids in place (although blister band-aids work really well if you already have a blister). I am not being paid, but it really is a mini miracle.  As sandal weather is starting back home - all you ladies need to get you one!

Who gets sick during summer?

It is constantly summer here, ranging from 80-90 degrees. I never need to listen to the weather.  I do need to take an umbrella occasionally, but even if I don't, I can usually stay dry under all the covered walkways. 

So I've always found it odd that anyone could get sick in Singapore.  I mean how many of us get a cold or the flu during summer, right?  Well Monday last week I had something in my throat.  By Tuesday it moved into my head/nose and I was quite tired.  Came home early and took a 2.5 hr nap.  I figured some sleep would work things out.  Wednesday started not too bad, but by the end of the day (and it was a long one), I felt not so good.  I came home, couldn't sleep. Finally took my temp and had a slight fever, 99.5.  My air conditioners, which are suppose to be checked/cleaned every 3 months, had not been and it was going past 6 months.  So it wasn't very cooling.  I found an ice pack to keep on my head to try and cool off and get some sleep.  Called my mom since we're 13 hours different and my early morning is her afternoon.  Finally fell asleep at 6:30am until about 10:30.  Needless to say I was calling in sick to work and needed to visit the doctor. 

I wondered if the Singapore health care system would give me an indication of what our new U.S. system would bring. Hah! Let me explain what happens....

Each month I pay S$0 to enroll in our employer provided insurance scheme.  Yep zero - I had to re-edit this because I thought I actually paid for it.  Turns out I guess I don't.  There's a big list of doctor offices I can go to.  Luckily my secretary (shared by all the managers in my group) lives very near me and when she heard I was out sick recommended one nearby.  Very thankful for that. Probably saved me an hour and a half of searching addresses on the map.  Turns out it's almost directly across from my building.  Maybe a 10 minute walk.  Problem: I have a fever and it's about 90 with high humidity.  Miserable walk.

I get to the building and immediately see the sign but no door - maybe it's further in the building.  So I walk around the corner (the cirle of glass windows below) and find the office is this square chunk of building.  The light pinkish exterior to the left and right, yep that's it.  Draw a square with those borders. 

So I pop around the corner to find the entrance.

Inside are two rows of blue folder chairs you can barely make out in the picture above.  Maybe 4-5 chairs in each row.  That is the waiting room.  There is a tv, a door to the left with one doctor's name, the reception counter and drug store straight ahead and another doctor's door to the right along with door to the toilet.  Small, humble, interesting.

Sorry for the blurred pictures.  I got a new blackberry - with a camera! So now I can try to take 'stealth' pictures.  Haven't mastered the focus though. :)  All the meds are right there on the back counter.  Good thing there is low crime.  Easy hold-up for a drug addict.

When they figure out I'm covered under one of their insurance schemes, the doctor comes out shortly asking for "Lena Marie".  Here! I go in the door, which is pretty much the equivalent of the back room and is actually attached to the reception area.  Lady doctor is at a desk (think office desk) and I sit in another folding chair.  She asks what's wrong and I explain what has happened and that I now have a fever, stuffed nose and head along with sore muscles.  She looks at the throat - OK.  Takes my temp in the ear - Yes, a fever.  Diagnoses a sinus infection. Yep, that was it.  Five minutes or less.  She told me the meds I would get. Wrote it all on a large index card and said I need two days rest from work.  She will give me a doctor's note :).  And I wanted the doctor's note.  Can't take sick leave from work unless I have a doctor's note.

I head back to the waiting room.  Another 5-10 minutes.  Lena - your drugs are ready.  Here's what you need to take:

I feel like a senior citizen (no offense to any readers).  One sinus infection requires SIX different meds.  From the top (clockwise): Big anti-biotic pills for the actual infection.  Two per day, before food, until gone. Next are the yellow ones to help my tummy (funny I didn't know I had any tummy issues).  One, up to three times per day as required, before food.  For the fever, big round white ones (the hardest to swallow actually). Essentially Tylenol, two, up to three times per day as required, after food.  Little white ones are for my nose. Is decongestive the right word? Half to one, up to three times per day as required.  Only take a half when I go back to work since they cause drowsiness. Number five is effervescents, dissolve in water twice daily for my throat.  To date, I have opted not to take these.  Last - the Advil equivalent for my muscle soreness.  One, up to three times as required, after food.

Except for the effervescents, I was good about taking them all twice a day.  Now I'm just finishing up the antibiotics and I'm almost back to normal.  Along with the meds, the doc said lots of water, no spicy food, no nuts (including peanut butter) and no alcohol.  My water intake has probably been equivalent to the amount of water I would normally drink in a six-month time period. I've become a crazy ice-maker.  My fridge doesn't automaticay make ice and my kitchen faucet only has room temp water.  I've never made so much ice.

Anyway, I got my meds right there at the doctor's office, didn't pay anyone and left.  I think I was there and back home within 45 minutes.  It was very efficient.  I highly doubt that our new system in the U.S. will be anything similar.  I didn't fill out ANY paperwork!!  Unheard of.  The doctor didn't ask for a health history - just are you allergic to any meds.  I'm guessing the risk of a malpractice lawsuit must be pretty low.