7 Essential Relationship Skills

Communication
This category involves critically important skills; knowing
how to listen, sharing your thoughts and feelings honestly,
refraining from criticising and encouraging your partner
to share his or her feelings.

Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution skills include
techniques such as staying focused
on the topic, staying focused on
the present, being ready to forgive
or apologise, knowing when to
take a break.

Knowledge of Partner
What’s your partner’s shirt
size? Favourite food? After
communication, simply knowing a
lot about your partner is a powerful
way of showing that you care, and
makes you better equipped to tend
to his or her ongoing needs.

Life Skills
Do you plan for emergencies? Do
you exercise and stay fit? Studies
show that people usually want
their partners to contribute a degree of security to a
long-term relationship. People also want their partners to
take good care of themselves.

Self Management
This is not the same as life skills. People who are skilled
at self management take inventories of their strengths
and weaknesses and always strive for improvement. They
know how to interpret disturbing
events in positive ways and they
work hard to reach their goals.

Sex and Romance
People with strong skills in these
areas enquire and care about how
to please their partner sexually,
set aside time for intimacy, refrain
from blaming their partner when
sex does not go smoothly, and
try to stay physically attractive for
their partner.

Stress Management
Do you know how to deal with
stress? If you do, you will be
better able to love and support
your partner.

NOW is the perfect time to
reorganize our priorities. All the time
people invest in properties, stock
markets, art and painting, collector’s
items, ancient cars, education and
many more. It is about time we
start investing in the one thing that
matters – our relationships! The truth
is, it is the people we are in close
and intimate relationships with who
will be around for us when we need
a shoulder to cry on, a helping
hand, or just their silent presence in
times of sorrow, trials and tribulation.
Remember, the best thing you can
do for yourself this year is to be a
person that is worthy of someone
else’s investment.

Written by:
Karen Kow, D.Mpsy.,
Founder & Director of Path To Excellence
For more information, visit:
www.karenkowassociates.karenkow.com

Little Tommy!

Introducing my dog; Tommy!! Actually, it came to my house looking for food, shelter and love during one Hari Raya Puasa in 2006. Somehow, it did not want to leave my house so we decided to feed it some food upon realizing it was hungry that it had refused to leave my house. Soon, we took care of its meal and even bathed it regularly.

A few weeks later, it's owner came looking for it and it did not want to go home. Tommy always played with the owner but at night, always came back to our home. The owner, an Indian lady however was too poor to feed it, so we decided to let Tommy stay. At that time, I was studying in KL. Sometimes, even Tommy has more decent meals than I do.

It loved to play with stray dogs so the problem of dog lice existed for some few months. It met with an accident twice whereby there was once we even had to take it to the vet for an injection.
Poor Tommy but it never learnt its lesson hence it met with another minor accident few weeks into its 1st accident recovery. Tommy was also lucky since we bought dog food for it and even pay for its medical treatment.

Tommy left us to return to its Indian owner few months ago. It has not been staying with us since last September. I think it is because Tommy dislikes taking baths. However, it does frequently visits us. Yesterday a miracle happened. Tommy came home and visited all of us. It was wagging its tail so much I think it would fall off. I really miss Tommy and I'm so happy to see it again. It left quite late at night after marking its territory! IT's a DOG's LIFE!

Ice Cream aka Talk to Me

I've finally finished watching Moonlight Resonance. I know the movie has been released long time ago but I was busy with work then so now that I'm sick, my opportunity to watch movies is in store. I took about one week to finish. Great movie! I love Raymond Lam and Linda Chung and Fala Chen and Tavia. The clip below is the soundtrack from the drama. Enjoy!

Gratitude To My Love

Instead of the norm, I wanted to try something unique and different. So I went online to browse for a bit of ideas and I came across jelly cakes but unfortunately they are only based in KL at the moment. So I decided to try these special cupcakes as they have a few based in Penang now.

Since it is an online homemade business, I had to pre-ordered it by email. It helped that they actually advertise their business location as it made me feel more confident about trying out. I simply called up the number on the website: http://cupcakes4you.blogspot.com/ and some few weeks ago, Joo Sing finally made the sweetest cupcakes for me and my loved ones.

This is the surprise I had for my bf. I'm so happy today. To my surprise, he cooked dinner for me as well. His cooking is really delicious and tasty and we had the cupcakes as dessert. I'm glad he really liked the cupcakes and it was so cute. Since it was my first time ordering, I asked Joo Sing to design it for me and I decided to order the Vanilla with chocolate chip flavour. Ok everyone, go ahead and enjoy my pictures!





Big size cupcakes sending the message...








mini cupcakes with little cute hearts...very tasty








Tigger just resting...




Chicken little just chilling















Hercules representing the hero in my life!
















Princess representing how he makes me feel...











I <3 U






Finally all together now...











One more caption!






Totally Irreplaceable!

Love With No Regrets MV - Raymond Lam

I've finished watching this Drama! Just noting the great song by a promising actor. Enjoy the song!

Surprise in the bag

I'm so excited because after planning for nearly 3 weeks, finally I got a positive reply that she will help me make it come true. Although she took some time to reply my email, I'm sure it will all be worth the wait!

I've plan it for my boyfriend who is also my best friend as a gift for standing by me through the good and bad times. I hope he loves it and the plan will turn out well. Stay tuned if you want to know more. I hope to post up some pictures of the surprise I have planned for him soon. Wish me luck!!

My Bittersweet Failure = Me

What is failure?

I had this conversation today with my friend.
She said: I'm so useless.

I told her: I failed many times too.
Failure is a stepping stone to success.
You have to make the mistake first, then you see where you went wrong!
Therefore when you fail, next time you'll succeed.
Everyone goes through it at some point in their life.

She said: Then it's all right to fail?

I told her: That's true! This is a matter of trust. Whoever looks down on you, I'll back you up. You have me. We'll do our best together. Let's get good grades, etc! We want to tell our loved ones that we have made it! We pass the test! We also want to tell them that we got good grades!

Today I was reminded:
Failure is a stepping stone to success...Because you fail, you will succeed!

My dear friend, if you have problems, don't hesitate to say. I'll help you no matter what!

It's difficult now to make it. I have to make it this time. I won't give up no matter what! Never! I can't do many things...but, I'll do my best to do things! But if I can't do it, I'll get help from my loved ones to my lecturers. They are the guide who will light my life. So even if I fail, it will be okay because I will face it and get help from others. We'll all do it together!(A silent voice in my head said: That's the spirit! You have potential. All that is left is for you to believe in yourself!)

While watching Daisuki! (I Love You!), a Japanese Drama, I was reminded of many things which includes to be kind always.

I've failed in many things. I failed in my studies. I failed in my driving test. I failed in love. I failed in working. But the most heart-wrenching is I failed also in friendships. All this happened in my life recently...but no matter what, no one's life is perfect.

I may not have friends, but I still have many things in my life. I have a loving family who stands by me no matter what. They believe in me although I lack confidence in everything I do. They worry for me whenever I have exams. I have a beautiful family who supports each other. I am proud of my family. I am blessed to be a part of them. Most of all, I realize, it is my family who will always be there for me whenever I am down, I need help, I need money, I need encouragement & even when I fail. They never look down on me, not even once. I have two siblings and loving parents. I'm also blessed with a few good people in my life. One of them is my boyfriend whom I lovingly call Wei Wei. He is my pillar of strength, my confidant, and my soul mate. He knows how to bring out the best in me. Sometimes, I dunno how he stands me. I also have Diana Ang, Gerrine Chin, Chloe Ooi and Denise Teoh who will be in the same battle with me for my exams this year. Oh, without all of you, I'd be so lost in life. I hope God will never take you all away from me!

Looking forward to my exam in May this year!

Online Shopping!

Since I have not done my CNY shopping, I decided to get some online instead this year. These are some of the pieces that caught my eye from http://www.aurora-fashion.com/ that I'm considering!

Well, of course there are others so what are you waiting for? Check out Aurora Boutique already!!

Falling In Love

Song Title: Fireflies *TVB series 舞動全城 插曲*
Artist: Words by Noella Choi
Music by Jacky Chan Kwok Leung 陳國樑
*Featured TVB Series 舞動全城 (Steps)*

I don't why you hesitate
Everytime you are near me
It is that you fear
You might fall into something deep

Standing on the edge of the night
Feelings raging inside
But if you open your eyes

Can you see the fireflies dancing in the air
Like the stars up in the sky
Feel the gentle breeze caress the night
Oh, it's time to take to flight
Take my hand I'll lead you to the places where
I am sure you've never been
So just hold me close and we will go
This is how it all begins

Falling in love

Daisuki (I Love You)

This is a girl whose story touches my heart. She is from Beijing and the lady next to her is her teacher. She is the team leader of her dancing troop. She has the looks of a normal girl and is very happy but actually she is hearing-impaired.

I really admire how she has managed to dance without knowing the sound of the music and she does it gracefully. They were recently in Malaysia. She should be an inspiration to everyone who is challenged in many ways in their life right now and needs some encouragement. If she can do it, why can't we? She really does remind all of us about the simple things in life and some of which we may have either taken for granted or forgotten!

I also recently finished watching a Japanese drama called Daisuki (I Love You). It is about a Yuzu, a 23-year-old mentally disabled woman with the mind of an 8-year-old, who falls in love with Sosuke, a man with a similar disability. After Sosuke is involved in a fatal accident, Yuzu discovers she is 5 months pregnant with his child. Though Yuzu is intent on having the child, her mother, Miyoko, is immediately against it. After her family comes to terms with her pregnancy, Yuzu eventually gives birth to her daughter, Himawari. With many odds against her, Yuzu does her best to care for the daughter she so dearly loves.

It is a good movie to watch. Touching storyline although a bit slow.

ICE Number

Subject: ICE NO.

Dear All,

We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.


If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) Campaign


The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name "ICE" ( In Case Of Emergency).


The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as "ICE."


For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc. A great idea that will make a difference!


Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our Mobile phones today!


Please forward this. It won't take too many "forwards" before everybody will know about this It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest .



ICE will speak for you when you are not able to.

S.H.E - 最近還好嗎MV(完整版MV)

S.H.E - 安静了 Full MV + Lyrics

作詞：任家萱 ( Selina ) 作曲：周杰倫　編曲：呂紹淳　


只剩下鋼琴陪我站在這裡
夢想中屬於我們的婚禮
卻成了 單人結婚進行曲
在這場愛情角力的拔河裡
愛我還是愛你 你選擇了自己

撒嬌的 可愛的 黏人的 愛哭的 照片裡 曾經的都是你喜歡的
如今我還在原地 你卻走回你的記憶

你說我愛你太多 就快要把你淹沒
你害怕幸福短暫一秒就崩落
分開是一種解脫 讓你好好的想過
我想要的那片天空 你是不是能夠給我

你說我給你太多 卻不能給我什麼
分不清激情 承諾 永恆或迷惑
愛情是一道傷口 我們各自苦痛
沉默是我最後溫柔 是因為我太愛你

只剩下鋼琴陪我站在這裡
夢想中屬於我們的婚禮 安靜了 在我枕邊的夢裡
我知道相愛原本就不容易
愛不是1加1 努力就有結局

撒嬌的 可愛的 黏人的 愛哭的 照片裡 曾經的都是愛著你的
臉頰的淚還溫熱 卻沒有人握我的手

你說我愛你太多 就快要把你淹沒
你害怕幸福短暫一秒就崩落
分開是一種解脫 讓你好好的想過
我想要的那片天空 你是不是能夠給我

你說我給你太多 卻不能給我什麼
分不清激情 承諾 永恆或迷惑
愛情是一道傷口 我們各自苦痛
沉默是我最後溫柔 是因為我太愛你

林宥嘉 - 背影(鬥牛要不要插曲)自製MV

Lucky 2009!

Title : Lucky
Artist : Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat


Do you hear me,
I'm talking to you
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky oh my, baby I'm trying
Boy I hear you in my dreams
I feel your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Oooohhhhoohhhhohhooohhooohhooohoooh

They don't know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you I promise you, I will

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I'm sailing through the sea
To an island where we'll meet
You'll hear the music, feel the air
I'll put a flower in your hair
Though the breezes through trees
Move so pretty you're all I see
As the world keeps spinning round
You hold me right here right now

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday


http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid5066442001

The above is the original version but I can't help loving the talented duet below... and they have chemistry!

Happy New Year 2009!

This is my first New Year with my bf. Unfortunately, I fell sick on Sunday. I vomited 3times after eating Domino's BBQ pizza and had an allergy after my sister's birthday too. However I did not see the doctor because I was too stubborn. Anyway, since I'm sick and there is nothing much for me to do, I'm watching this drama called "When Easterly Showers Falls on The Sunny West" because Charmine Sheh is acting in it. It has just been released and I think I can finish it soon since I'm sick now.

Anyway, my New Year celebrations were not all that disappointing although I had to turn down a few invitations because I was not feeling well. In fact, my younger brother was having a BBQ party at home itself. Also, Diana asked me to a buffet dinner at Tao e-gate.

I still got to spend it with Wei Wei. He took good care of me that day and also cooked this porridge for me and it never taste better. He is a good cook so don't you dare say anything bad about him!! Unfortunately, it was too little for a hungry person like me...hehe...I wonder when will he cook for me again?

Hope all of you had a great New Year too! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009 to all who follows my blog! Cheers!~