SAD + 3BT

Yeah, been busy and tired a lot lately. I've read online about SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and I think I'm suffering from it. Not the depression, but the weird fatigue (even though I've slept enough) and being unmotivated. Also my brain doesn't work as well as in summer. I've also read that working shift jobs also affects your body to suffer from SAD. When I was helping out at the library two winters ago, I didn't feel any SAD 'coz I had such a regular work schedule. But now every week I have different work schedule, so my body clock is all messed up now that it gets darker and darker in winter (in December there will be a few days when the sun doesn't come up at all).

I've been thinking of buying a light therapy lamp and I've been browsing A LOT to find out which one I should buy. It's hard to choose 'coz the best one seems to be Philips, but I don't want to pay that much for a lamp (esp. 'coz I don't know if it'll work as well for me or not) and I've been toying with the idea of buying another lamp (made locally) that is half as cheap, but I still haven't decided yet. Gonna browse a little bit more before deciding - plus I want to wait until I get my paycheck first before ordering anything he he he...

Other than that I've been fine. Went to my MIL's yesterday to celebrate an early Father's Day with my BIL and SIL 'coz R2 was having a pre-Xmas party in Levi, so he couldn't come. I walked to my MIL's place 'coz I wanted to get a ride from BIL/SIL HE HE HE...

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OK, now here are my 3BT random list:

1. Hubby's home safe and sound and I can BUG him again HA HA HA HA HA...It was boring without him here. Plus he wrote a very funny SMS that made me laugh last nite: "Bunny! Get me out of here! I MISS YOUUUUUU!" HE HE HE HE HE...

2. Watching the clouds today...



3. Noticing that some people have already started putting some Christmas lights outside (on the bushes/trees). They really cheer me up when I ride my bike to work in the mornings ('coz it's already SO dark now in the mornings).

4. A customer asking me if I felt at home already in Sodankylä and when I said yes, he really looked like he cared about it. THANK GOD for caring people! :-D

5. Having warm-hearted non-fussy in-laws that let us do our thing without interfering with anything, that accept me just the way I am.

6. A LONG WEEKEND!!! WOOOHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

7. Fast internet access that never gives us any trouble. :-D

8. Having a job (just when I thought that getting a job here would be close to impossible). :-D



9. Frozen duck (haven't cooked it yet, but it made me SUPER HAPPY to find it at Lidl's again!).

10. Sending an email to someone to say how much I appreciate that person.

11. I'll sleep with hubby again tonight! YIIIIHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! No more lonely bed!!! ;-D

12. Getting some free non-alcoholic cider from Lidl HA HA HA HA HA HA...;-D I LOVE cider!

3BT: Random Days

1. Hubby for being who he is, someone who really dampens out my ability to be angry at him.

2. Grateful for being on the same page with him.

3. Hubby's soft lips. :-D


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4. An old guy asked me today at work if he could return the bras he was going to buy for his sick wife if they turned out to be not suitable for her. It's just heartwarming to see that he takes care of his sick wife.

5. Hubby's smooth cheek and chin after shaving - lots more fun for kissing sessions! ;-D

6. Bought a tiger cake today 'coz I've been craving for some cake HA HA HA HA...



7. Meeting my friends today and practising some Finnish (not just chit-chatting in English).

8. No internal storms.

9. Getting some more compliments about my Finnish and having some time to chat with a few customers when the store wasn't too crowded.

10. Finding a cheap shower curtain with a cute design - I'd been wanting to buy one, but they were all over 10 Euros. The one I bought today was only 5 Euros. YAAAAAYYY!!!!

11. Harvesting my first batch of kang kong and cooking them. They're SO delicious! The first time I'd ever eaten kang kong in Finland he he...THANK YOU, Ting, for the seeds!!!!


12. Taking a nap together with hubby...yummy!!! ;-D

13. Being able to get SMS from my Mom again. Her provider had been wacked for about two weeks, so she couldn't reply my SMSes, but now it's been working fine again. YEEESSS!!!

14. Calling Mom on Skype for 2 hours and hearing her stories about Ken and his development. Boy, that little Hulk has learnt so many things SO FAST!!! ;-D

15. Getting notification from PO that the poster has arrived and tomorrow I'm going to get it after work. Hope it turns out GREAT!!! I'll take a pic of it later on to show you HO HO HO HO HO...

3BT: Random Days

1. The other day R2 not only cooked pizza for us (he made the dough, the mince meat/tomato pureed topping), he also did ALL the dishes after we ate (we have no dishwasher!!!). I only helped spread the toppings he he he he...THANK YOU, Babyyyy!!!

2. This morning I saw TWO little squirrels in the trees (they kept on moving about and chasing each other) in front of our apt. building.

3. I also saw a big type of bird I'd never seen before. It flew down and sat on top of one of the tree tops. Mmmmm...I feel like living near wilderness he he he...

4. Being forgiven!!!

5. Being able to send SMSes to my Mom. My brother bought her a mobile phone and now she's learning to send SMSes to me. The first SMS she sent me was a BLANK LOL LOL LOL!!! The second one, she only wrote one word. After that she could send me "proper" SMSes, though she writes without a dot or a comma HA HA HA HA HA HA...At least it's now easier for me to contact my Mom in another way than just using Skype.

6. Heard from my Mom that my brother and Shen (his wife) are going to buy a car on a loan. Since my bro works in a bank, he can get a loan with a lower interest rate. So next year they're going to have a car. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYY!!! I'm SO happy for them!

7. EXCITEMENT to start my training next Monday. Gimme lots of job to do, please HE HE HE HE HE HE...

8. Dreaming of owning our own place (apartment or small house). GLAD that R2 and I are on the same page. Though we don't know when we can make it come true, still it's nice to daydream hi hi hi hi...

9. The other week R2 visited his cousin's place from work. When he was there, his cousin's daughter (I think she's 4 years old) was asking about me. This time she remembered my name HI HI HI HI...I think that's SO SWEET!!!

Gorgeous 29th Birthday

First of all, I wanna thank EVERYBODY's well-wishes for my birthday. ;-D

A special THANK YOU to:

Michelle
Crystal
Trinity
Michelle Dawn
Lady Java
Juliana
LB
Mr. Fong

Free Comments & Graphics

This sundae is from Crystal for me he he he he he...THANKS, Girl! It's SO YUMMY he he he he he he...



And this one is created by Trinity for me. THANKS A LOTTTTTTTTT, Fellow Bandungese!!!!




Today is a day of reflection for me. I'm SO grateful for having been SO BLESSED. I've reached some of my dreams, I have a tender-loving-fun-crazy husband and a WONDERFUL new family (unbelievable parents-in-law), and SO MANY new friends here in the blogosphere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Life couldn't be better than this. ;-D

And since you're all wondering about the mysterious package, I only opened it this morning he he he he...My first guess was that it was a book, but turned out I was wrong he he he...It's Harry Potter's DVD (the new Harry Potter) HE HE HE...So I guess tonight we'll be watching it together HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO...;-D

This morning when I woke up, I received two SMSes. One of them was from one of my closest friends (the heavily pregnant one, she's due in mid December) and the other one was from my mother-in-law!!!!!!!!! ;-D She and my father-in-law wished me a happy birthday and a happy life in this cold country he he he he...And she said that she was going to bake or buy me a birthday cake on Saturday. YUMMY!!! I was planning on baking something today or tomorrow, but turned out I didn't have to do that HUE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE...

By the way, I joked to my hubby and said that for his next birthday, I'd wrap his gift weeks beforehand and put it in the living room HA HA HA HA HA...He said it would be cruel HI HI HI HI...LOL!!! When I first visited him in 2004, I was there for his birthday and I had wrapped his gift already naturally...but he couldn't stand it. He opened it a few days before his birthday HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...Ahem!!! ;-D

Okie dokie...I've just exercised and now it's time to shower he he he...Talk to you guys later!!!!

Additional info: Hubby just came home for lunch break and he said that at first he was thinking of buying me a birthday cake, but since his Mom was going to make it, then he offered to buy me kebab or pizza. I chose pizza he he he...so I'll have pizza tonight. YUM YUM...^_______________________________^

3BT: November 6, 2007

1. It's a white world out there now. It's been snowing today and it reminded me of the first time I visited Finland in 2004 and when I moved here last March. White, white, white!!!

2. Hubby left me a VERY sweet love note. It's not his usual love note. He said that I've brightened up his life and he thanked me for everything that I'd given him. Mmmmmmhhhhh...that guy can be really ADORABLE!!! ;-D

3. Receiving an SMS from my mother-in-law. I sent her one this morning (Arttu helped me in translating it to Finnish) to tell her that I'd make the Father's Day cake so that she wouldn't have to make one or buy one. Unfortunately I don't understand everything that she wrote in her SMS hi hi hi...so I have to wait for Arttu to come home to translate the rest for me he he he...but I'm just happy. ;-D HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPPPYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

3BT: October 5-6, 2007

1. Being able to send SMSes again with a friend of mine after not being able to do it for a few months. Getting back in touch with an old friend feels SO good.

2. Getting an email from another old friend about her personal testimony on God's provision and miracles. The email made me strengthened.

3. Finally I managed to push myself to say 3 simple Finnish sentences to my mother-in-law (before today, usually I just used body language) he he he...Next time I'll try to do this again. And I could pick up a few simple sentences wholly and other bits of words while I was there with my hubby. One snail's pace of progress at a time. YES!!!!!! ;-D

4a. My mother-in-law asking my help to make lingonberry pie. I personally think it was her way of teaching me how to do it he he he...

4b. Plus she didn't even flinch when she realized I wasn't mixing the batter well enough (there was a little bit of flour on a one side at the bottom of the bowl). YIKES!!! I couldn't believe my eyes when she was pouring the batter to the baking pan. I'm SOOOOOO glad to have a mother-in-law like that. She's truly an example for me! ;-D

5. Watching breathtaking twilight again. Different colours in the sky made me feel like I was truly watching God's piece of artwork. Mmmmm...

6. Eating my mother-in-law's DELICIOUS moose and potatoes. YUM YUM!!! PLUS getting some more to take home HO HO HO HO HO...

7. Being able to stop negative voices inside my head in mid-sentence over and over again for the past week and control my emotion. I shan't let you win, negativity!!! And hey, it gets easier as time goes by! SPLENDID! ;-D

THANK YOU, Lord!!! Thou hast truly heard and answered my prayers he he he he...THANK YOU for this trial! ;-D

8. Kissing my hubby's bald part on top of his head and tickling it with my finger by running my fingertip round and round and round hi hi hi...

3BT: September 27 and 28, 2007

1. Hubby came home and brought some pizza (I had been craving for some!!!! LUCKY ME!!!).

2. Receiving two SMSes from my future sister-in-law (brother's girlfriend), asking about my Finnish classes. She's SO attentive! ;-D

3. Saw a touching scene while watching X-Men 3: the last duel between Wolverine versus Jean Grey.

Jean: "So you'd die for them?"
Wolverine: "No, not for them. For you. For you."

Then Jean's eyes suddenly looked tender and she said, "Save me." Then Wolverine said "I love you" and killed her.

AAAUUUGGGHHHH...it was such a ROMANTIC and TRAGIC scene hi hi hi...

4. I made strawberry-banana pie (my first attempt) and it seemed to be pretty good. I haven't tasted it yet, but my hubby can't wait to taste it HO HO HO HO HO...I can't wait to bring some for my in-laws tomorrow he he he he he...

5. I borrowed another Finnish children's book from the library and I'm SO HAPPY 'coz I understood four long sentences on the first page without having to use any dictionary. YAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!! It feels like some darkness is lifted from my mind hi hi hi hi hi...

6. Having an opportunity to encourage someone. ;-D

3BT: September 11, 2007

1. Watching a daredevil squirrel walking along the electricity cable from my kitchen window.

2. Reddish and yellowish leaves remind me of seasons in life: birth, death, meetings, goodbyes.

3. A pretty ivy plant on one side of an apartment building.

4. Buying chips for tonight's supply while we watch a movie together. YEEEESSSS!!!!

5. Receiving an SMS from my brother this morning. ;-D

6. Receiving good news from a close friend of mine about her new job as a substitute teacher. WAY TO GO, Girl!!! ;-D

3BT: Weekend Wrap

1a. Enjoying my fave songs from this band, Mr. Big. Here's one KEWL video, To Be With You. I LOVE Eric Martin's voice!!! MMMMMMMMMMMM...



1b. Watching a perfectly cloudless, starry sky and a crescent from our apt. window. SUCH a lovely, lovely night!

2. Watching thick fog in the early morning. It was breathtaking!!!

3. Having a chance to pick lingonberries on such a SUNNY day!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!

4. My mother-in-law's thoughtfulness. She asked me if I got tired after berry picking and then she offered us food. Again!

5. My mother-in-law's delicious chicken curry. VERY spicy!!! YUM!!!

6. My mother-in-law gave us a KILO of reindeer/moose meat. It's marinaded already, so I don't have to slice up the meat or process it. Plus we can't really afford buying that much reindeer meat, so I TRULY appreciate it!!! HALLELUJAH for wonderful mother-in-laws!!! God bless her!

7. Saw two MOST BEAUTIFUL deer in the forest right after we finished picking up the berries. I'd seen other deer before, but those two made me feel like I was in a Fairy Tale land. As if I were Snow White who went to the forest to pick berries and play with the deer. I LOVE this lifeeeeeeeee!!! ^____________________________^

8. Receiving SMS from my future sister-in-law he he he he...

9. Having a chance to chat with two of my closest friends today via YM. YEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!

10. Hubby drove me to the supermarket today to buy food plus ICE-CREAM!!! I'm going to eat it later tonight. And being grateful that there's a regular un-pricey supermarket which is open every Sundays in this little village. YIIIPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!! ;-D

WHOOPS!!! Almost forgot this one...

11. Hubby downloaded a movie I had wanted to download, so I could watch it already on Friday. That day was his gaming day at his cousin's house, but he spent a minute to send me a very sweet SMS. I LOVE that guy!!! ;-D

3BT: Weekend Wrap (August 18-19, 2007)

1. Going to the forest to go blueberry-picking even though it was cloudy. YIIIPPPPIIIEEEE!!!

2. Picking the wrong kinds of berries (mostly I did pick blueberries after my mother-in-law corrected me, yet I still managed to pick some crowberries and dogberries) and ended up laughing about it. (click on the links to see the pics: don't they look similar to blueberries?????? I'll post my own pics tomorrow)

3. Being SOAKED WET by the downpour together with my mother-in-law and hubby and laughing about it!!!

4. A MOST WONDERFUL nap after having SO MUCH FUN at the forest.

5. Soaping each other up in sauna. Always has been, always will be. I shall enjoy this forever. That's why I LOVE sauna!!! It also relaxes me SO much...mmmmm...

6. Enjoying my mother-in-law's DELICIOUS meals: fish, potatoes, and some meat (I think it was pork).

7. Taking home some of my mother-in-law's HEAVENLY blueberry pie and dessert (slices of strawberries plus blueberries plus cream). Boy, I feel SO VERY LUCKY!!! My stomach is grinning ear to ear now HE HE HE HE HE...

8. Getting SMSes from two close friends. One of them is on her third honeymoon in Barcelona and the other one's having trouble getting online. It's SO nice to keep in touch with old friends. THANKS to technology that allows us to keep in touch "cheaply"!!!

9. Reading my hubby's mind HE HE HE HE HE...and getting it right!!! YYYYYEEESSSS!!!!

10. Receiving a website link from my British friend living in this village about different kinds of berries and their pics (that's why I could give you the links above). She's SO thoughtful!!!

Auto-Pilot

When was the last time you went auto-pilot while thinking of something else? Usually it happens to me when I'm doing a routine that doesn't need too much focus of my brain.

When I was having a long-distance relationship with my hubby, we sent a lot of SMSes to each other. Naturally my fingers got so used to clicking and sending SMSes to him. Sometimes I was thinking of something else while sending the SMS to him and my fingers went auto-pilot. Then a few seconds later I asked myself, "Did I just delete the delivery report or not? Did he get my SMS, I wonder? Was it a delivery report or a failure delivery notice?" Yeah, crazy indeed.

There were a couple of times I was also in a hurry in typing SMSes to my close friends, so my mind was elsewhere but my fingers went auto-pilot. They clicked and clicked and ta-daa...not long afterwards I got a reply from my hubby, saying, "Honey, I think you've just sent me the wrong SMS 'coz I didn't understand a word." Of course he didn't as I wrote it in Indonesian!!! Then I'd slap my forehead and said to myself, "Doh! I did it again!!! My fingers went auto-pilot!!!"

Just last night when I was about to pee, my hubby asked me not to flush as he would go pee after me. However, while peeing I was thinking of picking blueberries with my mother-in-law, thus my hand went auto-pilot and it suddenly flushed the toilet. A second afterwards I shrieked a little and said to my hubby, "OOOPPSSS!!! SORRY! I forgot!" He just shook his head.

Has something like this every happened to you? ;-D

Getting Back at My Husband

Ouch! Forgot to add this one incident in the latest post. I'm writing this one to remind me of the good things in life. The little things that create the web of happiness.

Yesterday while my husband and I were still at our in-laws, when we were taking a break from doing Sudokus, he took out his mobile and then typed an SMS. He glanced at me with a devilish grin on his face, so naturally my curiosity got the best of me. I asked him to whom he was writing the SMS. He grinned again and said, "Nobody." GRRRRRRRR!!! I was boiling a bit. I knew he was teasing me, but I decided to pretend not to care about it.

Then a moment later my mobile beeped. I was ECSTATIC 'coz I thought I could get back at him. I could pretend to grin happily while reading the SMS and made him wonder who wrote the SMS to me. So I clicked on the incoming SMS to read it. What did I find?

The SMS was from HIM!!! GRRRAAAWWRRR! He tricked me. TWICE!!! I'm going to get back at him later on. We'll see what I can do he he he...LOL!!! Btw, his SMS was SO SWEET as usual. ^___________________________________^

So I guess my weekend was as perfect as it could be. ;-D Hope your weekend has been JOYFUL and HOT, as well!

Thought of The Day: Be kind to yourself. God never asks you to do anything more than what you can do, with the depth of knowledge that you have at that time of need, not with the amount of knowledge that you WILL have in the future.