Attacked by malware!

MSN Live Messenger was installed on my laptop eons ago but only recently, I started actively using it as a tool for communication. It was useful for keeping in touch with friends through real-time chats and also an excellent channel for nightly catch-ups with Hubby when he is away on business trips. I particularly found it fun punctuating sentences with the custom emoticons. And so I enjoyed the various chat sessions.....

Till I was hit with a malicious spyware last Tuesday! It came as an innocent message from a friend, whom I have chatted sporadically with. There was a hyperlink in that message and out of curiosity, I clicked on that link and the moment I did that, my laptop hung and my heart sank. Soon after that various incidents started happening to confirm my suspicion of a malware attack - my laptop prompted me to set the system date and time, my wireless printer refused to print, error messages about missing startup files started popping up upon bootup and my internet browser started leading me to dubious websites whenever I go onto the net.

I am usually very careful about cyber security, only visting trusted internet sites, opening email attachments that I have been expecting and generally preferring to err on the side of caution rather than subjecting my laptop to possible virus infections and such. Thus the Tuesday episode left me completely frustrated and helpless as I sought to remove the malware. After several futile days of seeking assistance from Hubby and reputed online spyware forums, I decided to take the most drastic action of reformatting my harddisk.

Now that I am back online, I have increased my cyber paranoid and upped my security settings. Yes, I know, I know. I should have known better, what with my computer science degree and all. Well, all I can say is that I should have heeded my instinct instead of ignoring the antenna that had gone up. I will be more careful.....

But then again, those authors of malicious spyware, malware, virus, etc, are certainly getting craftier. I dread and indeed, may God forbid the day should any such script get past my firewall again. Sigh.....

Tau Sar Piah

Some weeks past, the Sunday Times carried an article on some great-tasting chinese pastries at Changi Village. It caught my interest as I prefer trying out 'recommended' food sold at nondesript locations. I reason that if people come in droves to such obscure or out-of-the-way places, it must really attest to the quality of the food.

So a week later when I happened to be in the vicinity, I popped by the confectionary which was just a simple stall housed in the Changi Village hawker centre. There was an interesting array of goodies laid out on the shelves. My original intention was just to buy some tau sar piah (bean paste pastry) and lau po bing (wife cake) since these were the perennial favourites in my family. Eventually though, I ended up buying some pineapple sponge cakes, tapioca cakes, lau po bing (wife cake) and tau sar piah (bean paste pastry).

Tapioca Cake : It was cut into a large triangular piece and generously thick. It was chewy with a slightly crusty top layer. Good, I will eat it again.

Tau Sar Piah : Hmm.....the outer skin was just nice, not too thick to give a floury sensation. Fragrant mung bean filling was tightly compacted into the centre of each piece. It was a hit with my parents who are incidentally, highly critical of what they eat.

The lau po bing and pineapple sponge cakes were not too bad but not something that would make me go back just for them alone. But I will return for the tau sar piah!

I stepped into the Gym!

I am embarrassed to say that thus far, I have NEVER stepped into a gym. Yes, I can imagine the incredulous looks I am drawing from all those I-visit-the-gym-thrice-a-week people out there. I am going to further horrify even you, the average reader, by confessing that I cannot even remember the last time I really exercised. Unless of course, you consider those half-hearted attempts to do some briskwalking up Bukit Timah hill once in a year.....or those few laps that I swim when I feel like it.....or the time I spent chasing my sons round the playground, as exercise.

My fittest form would have been during my junior college days. I was in the Outdoor Activities Club then and as part of endurance training, we were made to run up and down the hilly streets behind my school for hours on end. Training in a group was fun as we paced and encouraged one another. Sadly, exercise featured less prominently on my calendar once I entered university where other more fun activities existed. And when marriage and subsequently motherhood beckoned, exercise was relegated to the bottom of my To-Do list.

Well, I decided to change all that. One of my new year's goal is to take good care of myself - both internally and externally. I took a honest close look at myself in the mirror and decided that although I may not be fat nor ugly, I can do with improvements. I am not talking about going down the route of plastic surgery to improve one's looks. Instead, I am suddenly more aware that as a woman grows older, her health becomes that much more of a precious entity. I certainly can change my health habits.

For starters, I have decided to begin following a strict exercise routine in my estate's gym. For someone who had never been into a gym, much less use the equipment in there, the first visit to the gym was intimidating. The array of machines and their controls can be mindbloggling to a gym virgin like me. I started with the threadmill as it looks simple enough. After fiddling with the settings, I embarked on a 20 minute run/jog. It was not too bad, I lived. Next, I decided to be brave and attempt to use this.



Then I realised, it's not switched on. Now where is the power switch?.....Finally I decided to ask another lady and was told that it switches on automatically when I start pedalling. Apparently it runs on kinetic energy. I felt foolish but nevertheless tried to remain cool. Hmm...it gives an oomph to the workout, I like it. After 20 minutes, I stepped off and called it a day.

That was three days ago. I have since found out the above is called an elliptical. Over the past three days, I have been to the gym daily and averaged workouts of 40 minutes, burning off 230 calories. Peanuts to more seasoned gym-goers I believe, but at least a start for me.

Toasted mixed cereal

I bought this from jones the grocer at Dempsey Hill on Saturday. The generous proportion of dried fruits to muesli was mainly what attracted me to it. The ingredient list includes an interesting mix of oats, wheat, sunflower, coconut, almonds, sultanas, paw paw, apples, apricots, wheat bran and millet.

Hubby and I had it for breakfast this morning. The toasted muesli was fragrant with a nice crunch to it, not too dry and hard. However, the mixed dried fruits were too sweet for my liking. Or perhaps the high fruits to cereal ratio made the serving overall sweeter. I prefer my breakfast cereals unsweetened; I even eat cooked oats plain, on its own.

Maybe I should stick to plain cereals next time and just add raisins or other fruits on my own.

Another beauty serum

I read numerous glowing reviews of the Cellnique Pro-series Pro Sebum Gel extoling its ability to clear blackheads and whiteheads. It has a dual function of clearing both clogged pores and reducing oiliness. In mose cases, satisfying results have been achieved within two weeks. The box also proclaims a money-back guarantee otherwise.

The mere mention of blackheads brings back unpleasant memories of painful extraction sessions at the hands of my facial lady. I vividly remember vain attempts to endure and not grimace nor tear reflexibly from the sheer agony that I can definitely do without.

A close scrutiny of my face reveals the presence of some tiny blackheads and enlarged pores at the nose region. Definitely not the most ideal complexion.

So with much anticipation, I bought a bottle of the Cellnique Pro Sebum Gel and tried it out last night.

Results and my verdict? Akan datang in two weeks' time. Watch this space for updates!

Edited on 11 June 2008 to add :
Oops! I forgot to come back to post my review on this product. I could see visible results in less than 2 weeks. My nose was clearer with less black heads. However after the initial 2 months, the Pro Sebum Gel seem not to be having any further effect on my skin.

Where is Jesus?

"Do you know why we celebrate Good Friday and Easter?" I asked Big Buddy over lunch yesterday.

"Huh?" was his reply. So I ventured to explain how Jesus loves us so much as to die for all of us on the cross and how He then rose from the dead three days later on Easter Sunday.

To ascertain if he understood what I had said, I asked "Where is Jesus?"

"On the cross" Big Buddy said.

"Well, Jesus died on the cross but because He is alive now, He is in heaven. And if you love Jesus, you can also ask Him to come into your heart." I was trying to share Christ to my son! "Do you love Jesus?"

"Yes"

"OK, so can Jesus come and stay in your heart?"

"Yes"

"So where is Jesus now?"

"In my heart" came the reply.

I realise with all probability that Big Buddy may not fully comprehend what had transpired in this short conversation. It is sometimes a challenge to share in a manner understandable to a young child. However, I choose to believe that I had deposited some Christian truths in his heart.

Hubby and I are fully convinced that as Christian parents, our sons should be brought up according to God's ways and this includes talking to them about God. While we are thankful and grateful to school and nursery teachers in church who share God's word and values with them, we recognise that ultimately, it is our sole reponsibility.

Today, I asked Big Buddy again. "Where is Jesus?".

"In my heart" was his reply.

New bags from Hubby

Hubby just came home from his business trip to USA with lots of pressies. He brought back heaps of clothing from Gap, Polo Ralph Lauren and Adidas for the family. I must say that Hubby has good enough sense when it comes to fashion. Most of the time, I trust him enough to steer clear from buying something that I will hesitate to wear or carry.

This time round...Yes, he bought the OPI polishes I had requested for in my earlier entry. In addition, he surprised me with not one, not two but THREE Coach bags!