60 days – Happy, chubby and efficient bunny

So yesterday….well, yesterday. I am surprised I do not feel like I’ve been hit by a bus like I usually do considering yesterday…but well, let’s get on with what actually happened yesterday.

So yesterday started with a very grumpy Adlina counting calories. Although I said earlier and many times that I would not diet, as it turns out, it IS necessary for me to diet. Although I’m not so sure which is worse – the diet or my eating of my words, I think the latter affected me most. So yesterday was about the third day of my diet, and as diet goes – despite it being healthy and nutritious, it does not stop one from being hungry!

I had an epic day planned – it ranged from getting Eizwan’s car serviced, putting a deposit down with the photographer, picking our wedding rings and shopping for another piece of jewellery for my hantaran, getting Eizwan’s suit altered for the reception evening. Eizwan suggested we could try and exercise because I was feeling particularly low about my weight. All that in one weekend. The question is – is it possible?

Cut for those who might not want to read insane wedding ramblings.

Moving along and on

Conversation with the fiance.

“Oh God, I’m so stressed out. All this wedding things are stressing me out. You know what would be nice?”

“What?”

“I’d love to just get married, and then have boom, a house, all-ready. Ready to move in.”

“Yes, I agree. You know, that Disney dream? The happily ever after. It’s a lie. There’s no such thing as a castle ready after the prince and princess gets married.”

“True. Fully-furnished castle.”

“With one aircond”

“And one water-heater”

Clearly, our fairytale castle is woefully under-furnished. And then later as we drove on forwards, Eizwan turns to me, puzzled.

“So wait. In Disney cartoons, when the princess marries the prince right, and they live in the castle…it’s the King’s castle isn’t it? So technically, the princess is moving to her in-laws, isn’t she?”

***

Eizwan and I spent the entire day not doing wedding things today. I know. Shock. Horrors. What we did was a valiant effort trying to jump-start Eizwan’s dead car batteries.

I was unconvinced that it could be started again, it was time to bid it farewell. But Eizwan was thoroughly convinced that he could. In a scene, right out of a science fiction movie, with the hot sun beating down on our backs, by an abandoned bio-mass factory, Eizwan attached big cables from my bright yellow car to his bright red car in a very empty car park, with not a soul in sight. The only thing missing from this scene were zombies.

I stood at quite a distance away – a part of me thought that it’s best to let the man handle everything, and a part of me thought if it did explode, I’ll be in the safe zone but not too far away to rescue Eizwan.

There were many reasons why, as you can see, I did not study to be an electrical engineer.

Anyway, long-story short, it was not a success. Eizwan gave in to his future wife’s nagging and called the insurance company to rescue us. And then from a scene one of those quirky, indie comedies, an elderly Chinese man on his little scooter with a car battery on his lap came to our rescue. All in all, three hours in the hot sun and a pat on my back is warranted since I stayed cheerful all day.

***

Eizwan and I sat down later in the evening to list down all the things that we needed to do, every single detail from the mundane (lighter clothes for Bali) to the wedding related (more hantaran shopping) to the mysterious (if it’s mysterious, I’m not going to share it here).

As I listed each item down, I put a deadline to every task list. One of the tasks was to pack up my room, and I was mentally calculating the number of boxes I needed, and imagined an empty room with all my stuff packed in neatly.

Unexpectedly, big fat tears began to roll down. I’ve always looked at this wedding practically, and I don’t want to cry on my wedding day – but as I stared at the Google Docs, it occurred to me that I was really moving out of my parent’s place. It’s not like university, where home is where my parents place is and despite going wherever, home is where my parents are. Home is now going to be where my husband’s place will be and I felt really, really sad.

Sometimes so much happens on this one day, I don’t know if I can manage it all.

***

None wedding related story. Two songs that I’m currently playing back to back. Thank you Radio 1, for making me love music again.

Fireflies by Owl City

Okay, sort of wedding related since Paolo Nutini has a wedding scene in the video. It made me tear up the end, but I warn thee not to watch, if you are of delicate nature and are easily embarrassed by slightly explicit scenes.

Oh yeah. Am totally feelin’ it. The hours I mean.

I feel that I’ve been doing quite a number of all-nighters this past few months. Although it does make me feel chuffed that I’ve been working harder, I can feel myself not as sprightly as I used to be as a wee 21 year old who had just returned to Malaysia after nearly seven years abroad.

Back then, I’d be partying all night till 3am, and be at work by 9am and to continue with the process for weeks on end. Today however, one all-nighter and my eyes which I had been diligently (okay, I lie, not that diligently) trying to pamper return to their racoon-like status.

Meh, I’ve 2 months to the wedding to make myself look pretty. It can be done.

Compulsory HIV test.

Unfortunately for me, despite working till very late last night and waking up very early to finish my work, I could not hand in the work we did as none of the directors were in. Shame. But that meant running off to the bank before meeting up with Eizwan to do the compulsory HIV test.

I could write about the politics of doing a HIV test, on whether it’s necessarily a good thing or a bad thing – but the bureaucracy surrounding the process of getting married is so complicated that I’ve lost sight on whether it’s a breach of my privacy. I just want it over and done with.

Anyway.

I’ve read in a few places online that they might lecture you, the wait is long etc. But no one blogged that the bloody pin prick would actually bloody hurt. I actually said OW! And am currently having problems typing with my middle finger.

And since I had very little sleep, I fell asleep on Eizwan’s shoulder in the hospital while waiting for my HIV results. It was sort of romantic, in a chaotic, sleeping in a government hospital kind of way. Poshness alert here: that was my first time ever, getting something done in a government clinic and it’s certainly not as terrifying as people make it out to be. It’s clean, it’s efficient and no-nonsense. You’re not getting first-class, lovely bedside manners because fuckin’ hell, do you see the crowd there?

I do feel a renewed respect for my Doctorly friends. Everyone in the government clinic were on their toes, and seemed to be working terribly hard, and to go Rodney Dangerfield on everyone, they just get no respect. No respect. So kudos Doctors. You never seem to get the credit you deserve.

Other than that utterly unimportant drama, I’m alright. I’m actually decently balancing work with wedding, even if it means that I may be neglecting my friends in the process. Of course I tell myself I’ll catch up with them over the wedding (oh, this excuse can be used for anything), I’m rather happy being busy.

Got a few things ticked off this week:

Invitation cards

My usual printer that I use for work quoted me something on the high side for the cards. So mum and me headed found a random offset printing company in one of those wedding magazines and we thought to pop over and say hello and see if we could get a decent quotation.

The quotation was decent and bonus, they could make my favour boxes at a price very much cheaper than everyone else had quoted. So that’s one worry off my mind. So here’s a tip, ladies. If you can’t find boxes that you like, get a quotation from an offset printer. Even with the die cast made, it is still cheaper than getting it from a vendor.

Tomorrow, finalizing the artwork and the printers would be off. The invites will be posted first week of April, you know, alongside of me putting in income tax, finalizing the bloody ring and a long list of things that I need to do that I put aside and ignoring so I could watch AI in peace.

Favours

I’ve ordered part of my favours from China. The said they shipped it, so I suppose I ought to be patient, but patience and me are generally no mixy. Will source the rest of the ingredients (oops, is this a spoiler?) later.

Other than that, the rest of my life quickly.

I’ve been thinking of a pen name for my *ahem* novel. I haven’t decided on one, but I ought to come up with something soon. I actually have a real decent idea on how to do this – will share it with you if it’s successful. If not, my future children will have more logical names compared to Mohammed Doctor, or Nik Knack Paddywhack.

On AI, I am totally digging Shioban Magnus. Crystal Bowersox strikes me a little cold and aloof, so I’m not won over by her.

I need to email David, Sayaka and Miklos. They’ve emailed me ages ago and I keep forgetting to email back. David, I had completely forgot to tell you about the Get-A-Deal thing on Malaysia Airlines. Sign up for it, the discounts are quite awesome.

Been listening to Radio 1 these days. My ITunes playlist might actually be updated for the first time in a long time.

Will be watching “How to Train a Dragon” because David Tennant is voicing something in there. I’m a DT slut as you all know.