Many years ago, I left instructions for one of my friends.

Should I die a sudden death, she must log on to my multiple email accounts to inform my friends of my passing.

I just don't want my friends to think that I've forgotten about them.

But, with the advent of social media, I wonder if silently falling off the map is even possible now.

My ex and I joked about leaving each other a penny in our respective wills. We had a good run. But we also know we might lose touch one day, especially when our partners enter the picture. Given we have no mutual friends to pass along information, with the penny in our wills, we will be notified when the other person passes away.

Well, we're still in touch after 11 years.

And guess what, things have changed.

Why leave pennies in our wills?

Just google.

... because I have more to say!

1) Women's Health On 10 Secrets of Super Happy Couples

"Tweet responsibly.

According to a survey of 100,000 people from OkCupid .com, avid tweeters tend to have shorter relationships—10 percent shorter, on average—than those who don't microblog. "Having your eyes glued to a smartphone screen isn't exactly conducive to romance," says Hatt. Be sure your tendency toward technology (tweets, texts, and otherwise) doesn't take up time better spent engaging in heart-to-heart communication with your guy."

I'm totally guilty. Will fix!

Btw Tweeps, I highly recommend following Women's / Men's Health (@WomensHealthMag / @MensHealthMag). Great fitness, nutrition and lifestyle tidbits. @Shape_Magazine is another good one.

2) If You're A Social Media Tool, Manage Your Social Media Accounts!

I tweeted something positive about Pinterest. After I sent my tweet, I clicked into Pinterest's Twitter account and was surprised to learn that Pinterest has not sent any tweets for nearly a month!

Seriously, Pinterest, you're a social media tool yourself. For goodness sake, manage your social media presence! As an avid surfer, I expect you to be on Twitter.

Pinterest's lack of regular Tweets leads me to question its social media prowness. Definitely dampens its credibility as a potential influencer in the social media space. But I assume it will hire a marketing person soon.

On a more positive note, I think Pinterest is a great tool for men. Looking for gift ideas? Check out her Pinterest boards! She pinned them, she must like them!

3) Oh, How Democratic!

Wall Street Journal

"Dr. Kim is nearly certain to become the next World Bank president, succeeding Robert Zoellick, a former Bush administration official whose five-year term ends in June. Since the institution was created in 1944, the U.S. has always selected the World Bank president under an informal agreement with European nations, which pick the head of the International Monetary Fund. The combined shares of U.S. and European nations in each organization make it nearly impossible for a candidate from other nationalities to break the unwritten compact."

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I like to absorb random information. And I like to share all these random information with my significant other, eliciting a discussion. I think this is why some people find me interesting, others find me daunting.

A guy I was seeing for about a month last month said this to me in our let's-stop-seeing-each-other-talk:

"Ling, I do enough thinking at work. When I come home, I'm not sure if I want this. And I feel, with you, we'll constantly be going back and forth."

Fair enough.

Indeed, I can be a handful.

But I'm sure there are people out there who would enjoy my handful.

Always stay positive, see exhibit!

Yup, just like that!

I lost my voice completely.

Talking was a chore. Not talking was an ordeal.

Because talking was so difficult, I began to take note of all the little things that my voice do for me.

I wanted to get coffee. I usually do drive-thrus. But I knew my voice wouldn't carry far enough into the telecom from my car. So I had no choice but to go into Tim Horton's.

I sent an email to myself, and showed this to the cashier.

It was only then that I realized, drive-thrus aren't very mute-friendly!

Because my new year resolution is to relax, you're going to find my blog posts leaning towards the cowdung side. I apologize for the verbal diarrhea.

So how am I tracking against my new year resolution so far?

• I've been trying hard not to work excessively on weekends. I plan get-togethers with friends to force myself away from my computer. "A" for effort.
• I can't dance but why does it matter?! I'm dancing regardless! I've signed up for an eight week dance class.
• I do not pick up calls when I'm on dates. I also do not sync my multiple email accounts. Man first.
• I've been getting a little more sleep than last year. Occassionally I still do 3 to 4 hour nights. But not as frequent as last year.
• Whenever I have nights free, I try to go to some sort of fitness class at my gym. I've always kept to my cardio, busy or not. But, I'm trying to do more.
• On that note, I'm going to my very first volleyball drop-in on Saturday!

So the dating part deserves its own section. PUYOs under 18, can you guys kindly click away, like right now?

In a nutshell, I'm back to square one.

• I've taken for granted that people in my circle of friends are either smart, ambitious or passionate. Now that I'm venturing out of my circle, I'm slowly realizing that people are not necessary intellectually curious. It's not even about IQ. It's just an innate propensity to ask questions, to probe, to find out "why". I miss the verbal sparring!
• Occassionally, with the wrong people, I just want to say, "Stop probing about what type of mom I'd be. Why don't you wait for me to pop that damn thing out first before you ask me what I would do with it?"  I kid. I understand this conversation has its place. But, I'm still not used to being evaluated on this criterion. You serious? I'm child-bearing old?
• Boyfriend is a best friend whom you want to have sex with. Husband is a best friend whom you want to have sex with forever. Marriage in itself is not a goal. It's something that will naturally happen when you find a best friend whom you want to sleep with forever. In addition to thinking long term, please try to be my friend.
• Guys respect me. But they don't necessarily want to date me.
• No man yet.

Changing topic.

One of my best friends, Clem, describes me as "eccentric". I found a list of distinctive characteristics that differentiate a healthy eccentric person from someone who has a mental illness. I'm healthy!

Coutesy of Wikipedia, here we go:

• Nonconforming attitude
• Idealistic
• Intense curiosity
• Happy obsession with a hobby or hobbies
• Knew very early in his or her childhood he/she is different from others
• Highly intelligent
• Opinionated and outspoken
• Unusual living or eating habits
• Not intersted in the opinions or company of others
• Mischievous sense of humour

So other than the points on intelligence and company of others, Wikipedia, I agree.

Anyhow, after so much junk, you think I've given up on life don't you?

I have not.

Even if there's only a 1% chance of success, I will fight my way to the very end. I'm just experimenting right now.

"Happy people don't have the best of everything. They make the best of everything."

Whatever comes my way, I will overcome it, and make myself happy.

This concludes Ling Chung's cowdung session of the night.

Till next time.

I carry this gimongous Oakley backpack when I travel. I can fit a motherload of stuff in it.

I went to the mall the other day in my hitchhiking gear. Oakley backpack, running shoes, sweat pants and my oh-so-beautiful ponytail.

I walked by the cosmetic counters.

A sales lady handed out a promotional flyer to a lady three steps ahead of me.

She handed out another promotional flyer to the lady immediately ahead of me.

I walked by. Expecting my flyer.

She didn't bother. She skipped me.

I know I didn't look one bit feminine but man, it's sad to know that I didn't even warrant a flyer.

That night, I called my mom and told her, "Your daughter's gotten uglier. She's not even worth being promoted to."

Off to Singapore now.

Something sad happened this week but I like to share happy thoughts.

May you all have a wonderful December.

媽：妳明天要不要帶便當？
我：要啊！
媽：那妳為什麼不去裝便當？
我：因為妳會幫我裝啊！
媽：妳幾歲啊？還要我幫妳裝便當？！
我：妳在我就五歲啊！妳女兒手殘、腳殘、腦殘妳不知道啊？

Attempt #1

I stepped onto the weighing scale on Sunday night and was appalled to find myself 2.5lb heavier.

Couldn't be, must be an illusion. I just had dinner not too long ago.

Attempt #2

So I tried again. The first thing I did this morning was to weigh myself, empty stomach.

The scale remained 2.5lb to the right of what it was last week.

Attempt #3:

I did not give up.

Before I showered tonight, I stepped onto the weighing scale again, naked.

Damn, it's official.

3 cakes and 4 meals later, I am now 2.5lb heavier.

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My friends gave me a Cookie Monster beanie & a pair of matching mits for my birthday. I thought it was hilarious. I would wear them just to see people's reaction. I'm mature like that.

So far, this gear had a hit rate of 100%. A stranger looked at me last night in these and smiled at me. My condo concierge, a stern looking man, tried to suppress his chuckle. I could tell.

Making the world a better place. One quirk at a time.

I'm officially 29.

I planned my 3 wishes last week.

An ex's been trying to pop babies for years. He's like family to me. Last week, I told him I'd give him one of my birthday wishes. On my birthday, I'd wish for him and his wife to have their first child.

Of the two remaining wishes, I knew what I'd wish for, for myself that is. 

But on second thought, I realized I would be unfilial not to wish anything for my mom. Afterall, I've given one wish away already.

So I gave my second wish to my mom. I wished her happiness - simple and all encompassing.

Now that two of my wish slots were taken, I had one wish left for myself. And I very well knew what I'd wish for.

But today, I gave my final wish away.

I logged onto MSN earlier.

I chatted with my first boyfriend, circa 1998, it's been a long time.

Jokingly, I asked if he had gained weight.

I thought he would give me a "ha ha ha" retort.

Instead, I received a very solemn response.

He said he looked different. 8 months ago, he was diagnosed with an immune system disorder.

The condition changed not only his appearance, but his inner state. He's still trying to adapt.

This ex used to be an exuberance of confidence. I've never heard him sound so ... meek.

So I decided to give him my final wish.

I wished him good health.

Therefore, on my 29th birthday, I'm officially out of wishes.

Till next year.

I watched myself floss my teeth last night in front of the bathroom mirror.

"Yikes!" I thought to myself. "I look like shit."

I silently vowed: I will never floss my teeth in front of my significant other.

Then, another thought crossed my mind.

"I have no problem taking a dump in front of my significant other though. Why is that?"

I gave it some serious thought.

It must be because, I've never watched myself doing my business.

I mean, who places a mirror right in front of the toilet?

Moral of the story:

• Taking a dump in front of significant other - a okay.
• Flossing in front of significant other - not okay.

Maybe one day if you put a mirror in front of my toilet, my a-okay will turn into a not-okay.

I love having thought-provoking conversations with myself.

Incident 1

Me: "Oh shit. I'm spotting."

Clem: "What?"

Me: "My period's becoming irregular. It never used to be like that!"

Clem: "First of all, I don't even know what spotting really means and why are you telling me this?"

Hours later, after some Googling...

My bedtime email to him

I looked it up. I'm ovulation spotting, which according to the internet, is a great sign of fertility. My egg's bursting!

Blop blop blop!

Just thought I'd share. You're welcome.

Sadly, I received no response.

But, it definitely pays to be among my closest friends. I share my world with you! What more would you ask of a friend?

PS: I have no idea what "follicle", "rupture", & "stigma" stringed together means. You'd be stupid to ever seek my medical advice.

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Incident 2

I was asked to wear my cookie monster costume for one of our good friends' birthday.

My friend suggested I wear her farmer's daughter outfit below.

Rem: "Ringers, you sure you don't want the costume? You'd look super cute!"

Me: "Nah, I shall pass on the slutty look. I have every intention of convincing my future husband I'm a virgin."