Thank You's

We couldn't possibly even attempt to "move on" with our lives now that Mom's ordeal is over and is now resting peacefully without taking the time out first, that is, to express our deepest gratitude to everyone:

To Tom: Thank you for the countless hours (truly priceless gifts of your time) that you've selflessly spent in visiting Mom, strengthening her & allaying her fears. In the end, she might not have made it but your visits were in no way, in vain. Thank you, thank you so much for making us not feel that we were "going it alone!"

To Annette: Thank you so much for making it possible for Tom to have paid those visits and for simply being such a dear friend to us from day one & for loving Maya & Jaden as your own...(need we say more?)

And a huge THANK YOU, too to everyone else who helped "lighten our load" in one way or another, in whatever capacity - from paying Mom those visits as well (even if you didn't know her personally!) and doing actual shifts watching over her (when we felt we had already spread ourselves too thin) to offering to take care of the kids just to give Kumar & I even just momentary but absolutely wonderful breathers (thanks Peter & Patty!) & in many many other (special) practical ways...Thank you for the flowers & the food, food, food!!!! Thank you, too to everyone for your prayers said on Mom's behalf, for the kind & encouraging words expressed in person, over the phone & thoughtfully written out...and even to those who were at a loss for something to say and tacitly conveyed their love & offered their moral support, please know this was all sensed, felt and was very much appreciated...Thank you!

From all of us:)

Chocolate Cartharsis:)

Today I don't want to feign smartness and go on & on on subjects that half of the time, I honestly don't even know the first thing about!!! Today I just want to blog about feelings, you know, strong carnal feelings, hahaha, I'm joking - just feelings, as in emotions, again are these two terms interchangeable? I'm not even sure! But seriously, today, or NOW, that is, I need a chocolate fix...and quick, to up the dangerously low serotonin levels of my utterly confused brain and override the gnawing pain in my chest because whereas before distance safeguarded me & whereas before, indifference provided cover...right now, I'm darn defenseless...like a stupid sitting duck - it's like the worst position to be in and it ain't pleasant so I'll just have me some chocolate...in largish quantities...that should do me some good...don't ask:)

**Progress report: It's been almost a week (and counting!) since I've last updated my FB status. And although I'll still make an odd comment on someone else's here and there, that's quite a step up considering, uh, the low sink that I was in - at least my page is no longer inundated every morning by at least 20 new notifications which I would religiously go through one by one at the crack of every single dawn for the past year or so, while barely awake, through eyes still heavy with sleep, like an idiot, I might add. The number is steadily decreasing and pretty soon it'll fizzle out and my Facebook dependance will die an inglorious death...and then I'll have been cured!

So I don't dream in blue & white anymore, I don't feel as irritable & anxious as I used to whenever I find myself stuck in a non-wifi zone (for longer than necessary) and best of all, no relapse yet...I think this totally merits another piece of chocolate...mmmm...

NEW BLOG NAME!!!

I thought it would be only right to offer up some kind of explanation as to why I'm changing my blog's name. For those who had been following since the very inception of this madness, you might vaguely recall the reason for the original title, but for the sake of the majority who really wouldn't know, and because of my unshakable slothdom, I'll just quote myself: In part, I said: "I reserve Facebook for my little quips and the excess (microblog) - the "and them some" - filters down to my blog," thus the strange title. I have written quite extensively about the (in)famous social network, with regards to my general observation of and personal experience with it - from my initiation to my present addiction to it! And I think that like a lot of harmless things/activities out there that can become addictions, Facebook is not evil in itself. It only becomes a problem when it's indulged in, in excess. There truly is wisdom in the old adage that moderation is key (in everything)!

At first I thought "cold turkey" might be the best way to quit, but it's proven to be a bit more difficult than I thought, so I believe the most effective method to free myself from the shackles of this addiction (omg!) is to wean myself gradually off it and curtail significantly, the time I spend mindlessly and aimlessly browsing through the same. To this end, I have resolved to stop updating my status where my grandiose (haha) one-liners used to neatly fit (e.g " It's hard to keep a stiff upper lip when you're getting it waxed, yeeeeooooowwwwww"!!!). Because that's how it gets out of hand, you know, when "friends" will either "like" and/or comment on them, and then this whole trivial exchange of playful banter ensues and then you check out a viral videoclip and then another and then some random person's entire wedding album of 150+ pics until before you know it, you'd had spent an entire Sunday morning in this pointless exercise. So really my problem is how it encroaches on my precious time, time that could and should be spent doing more important things like, uh, brushing my teeth for example or taking a shower or feeding my kids. This of course hasn't escaped Kumee's notice either, and one evening, unable to contain his irritation any longer, he looked at me incredulously & yelled exasperatingly "Would you get off the computer already and fix some food
for your man, WOMAN??? Of course, that too, made it to my status update and caused quite a stir among my online circle of buddies who thought it quite amusing. Sure, it was pretty funny at the time but by now, I find Facebook is just interfering with my life and I've come to realize that however remote the possibility, it can nevertheless, potentially compromise my happy marriage, no kidding! Now, if that's not reason enough, then I don't know what is! And so before it reaches that point, I'm making the necessary adjustments. I really think that enough is enough!

Have you ever been dumped by someone and was given the lame alibi that it was because the other person felt that you were "too good for him or her" or "that it was his/her fault and that he/she was the problem and not you?" Well, I find myself at the same crux in my relationship with Facebook. Except I get to be the dumper this time around (yes!) I'm breaking up with Facebook (who knew it could be so empowering & gratifying at the same time???) for the same reason - no, not because it is too good for me, but really, owing to the fact that I am the problem, only it's not just a flimsy excuse but is actually a totally responsible and informed decision that I'm coupling with decisive action:) This is a personal challenge and promise to myself, and if I have a shred of integrity left and am able to exercise so much restraint and self-control, then I know I'll be able to make good. So in connection with all of this, since I won't be updating my status with the silly quips or the fantastical one-liners as I referred them to, from now on, this blog will go by "Aimee: The Inside Skinny" haha,I know, don't ask. Well, just because it's literally, in the truest sense of the term, my virtual diary and is a bit personal in nature which I of course, unabashedly share with everyone!

And because I'm addressing you, my readers, directly this time, I wanted to express my gratitude and appreciation for all of your support and avid readership (lol) and I also wanted to let you guys know that I very much welcome comments including criticism, constructive or otherwise, they truly inspire me and remind me that I do have an audience after all, and that I'm not just monologuing half of the time! If I might also add, I warmly invite you guys to "follow" my blog, there are certainadvantages you know to doing so, like you get to be the first to know about new posts??? Haha! I can't say that I don't bite, coz I've been known to, but that's only if you get on my "bad" side...Oh God! So there you have it, guys, thank you, thank you again and until next post!!!

Stella McCartney

I should have known better a few evenings ago, not to disturb Kumar as he was watching his show, Videofashion mens' edition on Fashion TV, especially since it was just to get him to watch a viral video clip of the highlights of Charice's scenes' on Glee that I couldn't wait for him to see. Kumar sternly shushed me to be quiet and motioned for me to join him on the couch - orders that I somewhat reluctantly complied to - I mean, poor me, I had to sit through a full 20 minutes of a relentless parade of relatively perfect male specimens strutting their stuff - it was a decidely difficult exercise to conceal my excitement and keep a poker face (lol) all throughout the visual onslaught on my brain and then it was Kumar's turn to curb his enthusiasm and contain his delight, as a lingerie awards played right after.. Finally, a less uh, "stimulating" program followed. It was a Stella McCartney fashion show marathon, which was pretty neat 'coz I got to see how the designer grew and evolved from her "humble" beginnings to the present. To be honest, I have never paid much attention to her, I had always dismissed her as one riding on the coattails of her father, but after the show, I realized that, she is in fact quite talented in her own right. It made me wonder if she would ever collaborate with H&M, the way some other top designers have, for that would be the absolutely only way I could ever own some of her pieces.

I think it's very unlikely. I'm not too sure whether she usurped Karl Lagerfeld's position as head designer of Chloe or if the turnover was amicable. Whatever the case, if Lagerfeld stil exerts any influence at all over McCartney, she might have been discouraged by him to team up with H&M (not that the idea has even been conceived yet anyway, who knows?). What I do know for a fact though, is that Lagerfeld vowed to never collaborate with H&M ever again. Apparently, the septuagenarian designer most recognizable by the (coolest) high-collared shirts he invariably wears, was quite disappointed that his and the Swedish retailer's rather noble, generous and in my opinion, genius combined effort to make some of his designs available to the masses wasn't realized and never came to full fruition since H&M jipped the general public by only producing a limited number of these pieces. But just as I was getting the warm fuzzies and was actually starting to grow
fond of the illustrious Lagerfeld, I was repulsed at how, as the article I got this info off continued to describe, he was also displeased with H&M for producing his designs in larger sizes as they were really intended for the skinnier set (e.g. waify gamine models whose pelvic bones jut out). And that's actually another reason why I am pretty impressed with Stella McCartney's clothes, in that they are more forgiving and flattering for the real 20-30 somethings of normal build & average proportions.

And so going back to television, we don't have TSN, ESPN nor even the French, RDS sports channels but we do have Fashion Television because as my ever eager (lol) audience should know by now, Kumee is metro. And so again, I couldn't help but smile when Kumee came home all proud recently with a man-purse slung across himself that he had just bought, and in an attempt to inherit the handsome Cole Haan satchel, I tried to convince him that it looked rather er, effeminate, but of course, my better-half saw right through my ploy, besides, he is perfectly comfortable with carrying such an accessory, why shouldn't he be, anyways? I know, I tried! So in the end, we just cut a deal, that I could borrow it from time to time - fair enough? Fair enough!....Have a nice weekend guys!

Disney Saturday

I got free tickets to the Disney Princesses on Ice show at the Bell Center this morning, courtesy of my company (thank you, SAJO!) - the coolest thing about them (besides being free!) is that they were "loge" or private box tickets, where you get the V.I.P treatment complete with snackies and a hostess waiting on you! I mean I could definitely get used to that, as well as to other fun things like valet parking, flying first class, hot towels, trou normands, complimentary mimosas, etc, etc...although I guess, like everything else, their novelty would eventually fade and become ordinary if enjoyed too often as the norm of a privileged & charmed life-style...then one would just be left bored, jaded, disillusioned, wondering, is this all there is to life?! I know I'd be, but until I reach that level (very unlikely) they'll remain as special extras totally worth blogging about!

Obviously, Disney on Ice productions could never eclipse a visit to an actual Disneyland/world, I know, because we were fortunate my parents took my brother & I when we were kids, but in my opinion it might be the next best thing, you still get quite the Disney experience, all in a comfy climate-controlled environment minus the ridiculously long lineups that snake all around the park. For this show, the fairytales are adapted to an hour and a half ice-skating spectacle so in some respects, a bit of the dramatic effect is lost, for example, when the prince kissed sleeping beauty to rouse her from her long slumber, she really gets up in a hurry and wastes no time to join her hero in a special dance-skate number - whereas on screen, we know that the scene is played out quite differently, they kind of linger in the moment: he opens the voile enveloping sleeping beauty's four-post bed, plants a kiss on her lips, she slowly stirs, opens her eyes, yawns, stretches, and then finally gets up (lol) - it is, after all, the pivotal moment of the story & she had been asleep too for a very long period of time! Or I found it a bit disappointing as well when Cinderella disembarks from her grand coach after an equally grand entrance, clad only in a toned down flimsy figure skating-friendly version of the light blue frou frou ballgown (i mean, i like frou!) that I was really anticipating, but then, you quickly realize how both impractical and not to mention hazardous sporting a crinoline could be whilst gliding around arabesque and through those
crazy lifts! - I know one of the svelte skaters literally belly-flopped and had to exit the rink discreetly, the poor girl! So, there are only so many highlights that they can cram into a show of that length, nevertheless, it's still great to see the characters in real life and I pretty much loved everything, from the intricate choreography and the seamless and precise way in which it was performed, the concussion-defying stunts, the special effects, to the whimsical costumes. You see, no matter how commercial Disney has become, it never fails to evoke childlike wonderment, and inspire innocent romance - and sure enough, this morning, when the lights went out and the show began, all of a sudden the very thing that seperates Maya and I at one remove, was completely bridged and voila, I wasn't Maya's mom anymore! I was her contemporary for a wonderful hour and a half and we gasped, ooh and aah'd, giggled, (I) cried and then finally applauded in sheer delight...(encore!)

Shout out to Annette: thank you for the fine company comme d'habitude:)
Also, in case you were wondering where was Jaden during all of this? Of course, flirting big time with the hostess:)))