Shai Coggins

Late Friday evening, life as I know it changed in an instant.

My Dad suffered a stroke. Some stranger found him unconscious in the streets of Manila, and brought him to the ER. There, they tried to treat him. He has been in a coma and on life support. And, even after 72 hours of hospital care, my father’s vitals just kept going down. That’s why even if we long for a miracle, we were already told to expect the worst.

Expecting the worst while living a few thousand miles away just seem to make it so much harder.

So, tomorrow, I’m off to see my dad. Possibly, to say goodbye. And admittedly, I don’t even know how to do just that.

Yes, that’s how my very rough week had been capped. Little did I know that last week’s ‘tough day’ was just the beginning. The rest of the week just kept throwing one difficult thing after another my way. It made that ‘tough day’ appear like a walk in the park instead.

That’s why instead of returning to ‘normal’ blogging schedule this week as hoped for/planned, it looks like I need to go for a longer break. I already quit my 365 project today, to give me some room to mourn and breathe and regroup.

And, although I’ll be back in Australia next week, I’m still not sure when I can re-start blogging here.

In any case, I have been sharing some updates on my Twitter account, whenever I need to engage in catharsis or to be in a place where I can connect. It’s usually where I send mobile notes as well, even when I’m unable to go online. If you’re interested to receive such updates, I’d love to welcome you as a Twitter friend.

Also, if you’ve sent me an email or comment recently - and you’re still waiting for a response - I hope to be able to get back to you as soon as I’m able to catch up with it all.

Anyway, for now, I just want to say thanks to everyone who already sent in their warm thoughts and prayers. Your words of comfort and hope have definitely been helping me through this very difficult time. So, again, thank you.

The picture you see here is an SP, of me holding an old photo album. That’s my dad on the left hand side, holding me at about age one. That’s also me on the right, with my dad holding me up as he was just teaching me how to walk.

Due to some unexpected turn of events, I’ve lost a bit of puff today. This is the flip side of blogging community, I suppose. I’ve done all I can to develop a thick skin, but sometimes, these things still get to me. In any case, whatever remaining energy I have for now, I need to use it on my “real work stuff” - and tune off everything else at the moment. I’m sure I’ll bounce back soon enough.

Anyway, I hope you don’t mind that I take a break from today’s 52WoC. I’m leaving 52WoC#16: Bring-a-Friend open for now. Will post a new task in the next few days. Or, worst case scenario: next week.

Hope you have a good week ahead.

So, I completed writing a full book review of this second book that I read for 2008 (my first fiction book for the year). When I hit ‘publish’, it all disappeared. And, it’s too late in the day for me to rewrite the whole thing. And, I’ll be too disheartened if I don’t finish today. So, I decided I’ll just have to write a quick, summarised version.

Anyway, Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keyes falls in to the chick lit genre. And, it’s just the sort of book that I like to have when I simply want to check out and have a bit of light reading.

I’ve been a Marian Keyes fan since I read her novel, Last Chance Saloon a few years ago. I think she’s funny. And, I love reading about Ireland and her take on romance and life in general through her work.

So, as far as chick lit goes, I think Sushi for Beginners is a good one. There may not be a lot of sushi in it, but the metaphor worked. Somehow.

Can you believe that it’s the first of May already? Just like that. I’m not sure about you, but I feel as though everything’s just rush, rush, rush. And right now, I feel as though I sure could use a holiday. Unfortunately, I don’t really have the time or budget to go on one.

That’s why I thought: “Hey, maybe I should start having mini-holiday breaks.” You know… The type where I don’t need to go away on day trips - or spend gobs of money. The kind of holidays that I can take in my own house, my own backyard. And, I will still feel invigorated, refreshed…

So now, I decided to list some ideas here. I’m hoping to do some (if not all) of them at some stage, whenever I feel I need a break. Please feel free to suggest more in the comments section, if you can think of anything else.

1. Get a massage. Anything from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours - depending on the time and money you can spare. A good massage is always a wonderful thing. Either a home visit one - or a trip to the salon/spa will be fine.

2. Find (or Make) a Reading Spot in the Garden. You can decorate it, as if you were in the Caribbean or someplace exotic. Tell yourself you’re going to sit in that spot at least once a week, for half an hour or so. Set a date/time/schedule, if you have to.

3. Take a walk or drive to the park (or beach) with a picnic basket. If you feel self-conscious about having a solo picnic, consider bringing a book, an MP3 player, a camera, a sketchbook… Anything that you can use to distract yourself with.

4. Go to the local museum. Get guidebooks, bring a notepad, etc. You can always pretend you’re one of the tourists when you go there.

5. Get a manicure/pedicure. Clean, pretty nails can help cheer you up. And make you feel all nice and beautiful.

6. Get a facial. Just like getting a manicure/pedicure. Except it hurts sometimes. But, nothing beats the fresh-faced feeling after the session’s done.

7. Get a drink - or mix yourself one. And, drink it in the bath. Yep - you can also put music, candles, and scents if you want to go the whole lot.

8. Call someone who makes you feel special. Allow yourself to be praised and patted on the back. Celebrate the good stuff.

9. Invent a holiday and celebrate it. It doesn’t matter what it is - do an International Paper Clips Day, if paper clips make you happy. Or, hold a National Tacos Day, if that’s something you love. Just go with whatever you feel will cheer you up best.

10. Book yourself a tourist trip in your local town. Get on a hop on/hop off bus. Visit a chocolate factory. Shop for souvenirs that you can mail to people.

11. Put on fresh sheets on the bed. And, take a nap in the freshly made bed.

12. Pick flowers from your garden - or buy some cheap ones from the local shops. Put the flowers in a vase where you can often see them.

13. Get a makeover. Sometimes, having a new hairstyle, some highlights, or getting some new clothes/make-up can make you feel like you’ve been a given a breath of fresh air.

14. Look for shopping bargains. It always feels great to feel like you’ve got a great bargain. Especially for something you really, really want to get. Thrift shops, auctions, flea markets… they’re really fun too.

Any other mini holiday tips and ideas you can share?

Time to share my web finds of the week again. Hope you find something that you love… Or at least, something useful!

Featured Blog of the Week
Hey Susy - A blog by Susan Connor, a designer of paper products. This is one of my favourite latest finds in the blogosphere. I love the way she uses handwriting and “fashion spread”-type photos in her posts. Also enjoying having a look at her designs. Gorgeous!

Mac Productivity Tools
Getting things done with Macs…

• Things - This is a Task Management tool that’s still in ‘Preview’ mode. So, you can go right ahead and download this preview version. Once they release the final version, it will cost ‘ya ($49, normal price; or $39, discounted price for newsletter subscribers who sign-up before the final release). I’ve been testing it out - and seriously loving it so far. The structure, the look… it’s all good. Really a beautiful app! If it can sync to a web app and such, it’ll be perfect. Anyway, I’ll see if I can write a more complete review one day.
• iGTD - I’ve mentioned using this before. It’s still my default Getting Things Done programme at the moment. But, somehow, the way it’s currently structured doesn’t suit how I work. That’s why I end up not using it as much as I’d like to. As it stands though, it’s still a good app. And, it’s free!

Desktop Publishing for Mac
Page layout tools, anyone?

• Ragtime Solo - This is the free, light version of Ragtime page layout tool.
• Scribus - A fully working desktop publishing tool. It’s open source!

Twitter Tools
And, Twitter apps just keep on coming!

• Who Should I Follow? - If you’re wondering who you can follow on Twitter, check this site out, type your Twitter username - and you’ll get some recommendations. I gave it a quick whirl and saw that more than 50% of the suggestions seem relevant.
• Twitpic - This is one way you can take pictures with your mobile phone - and send it off to your Twitter account. Just visit Twitpic, give your Twitter info, then get your personalised email address. That’s the email address where you send your pics. It will upload to Twitpic and send a link to your Twitter stream (with a short description, if you set it up right).
• Top 12 Twitter Apps for your Mobile - If you’re thinking of using a Twitter app for your mobile phone, here’s a list of apps you can test. I’ve tried a couple of them (jTwitter and Fring), but didn’t really like either for mobile Twittering. Will keep testing which one I like best.

Miscellaneous Web Stuff
Everything else…

• How to Make an Ezine - ‘been thinking about making zines again. But, not sure if it’s possible. Anyway, if you’re considering the idea of making zines too, this is an interesting read.
• Save Polaroid - I’m all for digital stuff. But, there’s a part of me that feels sad, thinking of the possibility of Polaroids becoming extinct. I’ve only really owned one Polaroid camera. Over the years of moving, it has been packed somewhere and I’m unable to find it. I really, really want to get it again. What about do you? Do you own a Polaroid?
• Top Kids’ Books in Australia - From The Children’s Books Council of Australia.

Also, see Social Media @ Alltop. ShaiCoggins.com just got listed.

‘been meaning to share the story behind my girl’s first birthday. You see, ever since I shared the photo of the cake on Flickr, I’ve had a few questions about it. So, I thought why not make a blog post about the whole party?

After all, I did turn to the web a lot when I did my research. And, I found a lot of useful information and tips in other people’s blogs and websites. Maybe someone will find some ideas in this post.

Under The Sea Birthday Theme

When I was brainstorming for a birthday theme, I ended up choosing “Under the Sea” because the girl loves water. And when I say love, I mean, crazy about it. She just enjoys baths and showers. She’s nuts about the beach. Even tries to go in to the sea on her own. And, when she started swimming lessons a couple of months ago, she took to it like… well, like a fish. So, I thought “Under the Sea” was the right theme. I’m really all for choosing birthday themes that say something about the celebrant.

Anyway, in order to keep with the theme, I bought an “Under the Sea” craft box from The Reject Shop ($2). Used all the bits and pieces from it to create a frieze and other party decor. And, even a mini pull piñata.

Also bought an assortment of Under The Sea theme-related stuff from TRS and Cheap as Chips: serviettes, paper plates, books (for prizes), sea creature toys (to be used for the cake + goody bag stuffers).

We also ordered Under the Sea-themed helium balloons from a nearby party shop.

Party Food and Games:

Since it was also pretty much a grown-up party, I catered for over 20 adults and over 10 kids. The menu included: Pakistani Chicken Curry, Basmati Rice, Plain Steamed Jasmine Rice, Chicken & Beef Kebabs, Beef Party Pies, Sausage Rolls, Vege Salad, Mini Pizzas, Bread Rolls + an assortment of drinks. Oh, and yeah, I also made a platter of chocolate-dipped fruits (strawberries, grapes, apples, bananas), with tiny sea creatures-shaped sprinkles.

There were 3 games: Pass the Parcel (with a twist), Pin the Tail on the Fish (my version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey), and the Mini Pull Piñata. All the games were handmade by me.

For Pass the Parcel, I used an old nappy box and decorated it. Then, put little prizes inside that kids picked when the music stopped. This way, everyone had a gift and no one left empty handed.

For Pin the Tail on the Fish (pictured), I used an old cardboard as the base, drew a picture of a fish with a Sharpie, then pasted half circles as scales. The half circles were made by using a circle punch with coloured scrap papers, then cutting them in half. For the tails, I punched circles in red cardstock, then cut a small bit, to make them look like tails. I numbered all the ‘tails’ and put tape at the back. I also used an elastic headband as blindfold.

For the Mini Pull Piñata, I used the main Under The Sea cardboard from the $2 craft kit as my base. I basically just taped the two edges to create a cylinder. Then, I used a small paper plate as a top and added a string for hanging later. I then filled the piñata with small toys and recycled confetti. I sealed the bottom with layers of coloured tissue paper, with ribbons (for pulling it open). There was a bit snafu with this pulling thing, so the kids ended up bashing the piñata with a toy racket in the end. It was fun.

Under the Sea Cake:

Ah. The cake. My (supposedly) Pièce de résistance. Why supposedly? Well, more on that later.

Anyway, I didn’t actually “make” this cake, truth be told. I got the idea from somewhere (not sure where now), that one way to save some time in coming up with a birthday cake is to order a cake pre-iced from a bakery. My husband remembered an acquaintance recommending a local baker, Twisted Treats, for a good sponge cake with fresh cream. So, that was where we got the base for the birthday cake.

I collected the following things to use as decorations: M&Ms (both the regular and mini sizes), candy rocks, sour belts (2 colours/flavours), Jelly beans (a regular sized one and a mini sized one), sea creature shaped chocolates, and toy sea creatures.

On the day of the party, I just took out all these things and started decorating. Pretty much using the M&Ms, jelly beans, and candy rocks as the bottom of the sea. I used the sour belts as sea weeds (2 complimentary colours are good to provide visual depth). And, arranged the sea creatures randomly around the cake to complete the picture.

Also added a small Happy Birthday sign + a musical candle in the middle.

So, now comes the supposed part. You see… after I decorated the whole thing, my husband took it out of the fridge to put some party food and drinks in. And, well, the four-year-old didn’t see the cake box on the floor and ended up stamping on the box… 5 minutes before the guests arrived. The bottom bit was ruined. Arrrgggh. I can’t tell you how devastated I was. I was in tears. But, ah well… I had to shake it off quickly. And, I was just happy that the party turned out well. All the food disappeared. Really. Every last bit. People went back for seconds, thirds… or more. Everyone loved the cake. Even if it didn’t look at its best. Folks devoured the whole thing anyway.

So yeah, never mind the mini disaster that will surely go down as part of the family lore. We had a fab time.

Oh, and yes, The Invitation:

I actually blogged about this Under the Sea invite at Chrysalis Creativity. So, I won’t do it here in full.

But, the general idea is: This was handmade using gocco printing + gouache painting + stamping + embellishing.

Check out the other blog post if you want to see a step-by-step description.

Hi, everyone. Yes, it’s Week #16 of our 52 Weeks of Blog Community Project. This week is the second to the last task for our Month 4 Virtual Party. As some of you might know, all participants for Weeks #13 to #17 are eligible for our Virtual Party #4. Our raffle prizes for the month are (2 winners; 1 prize each): US$30 Winner’s Choice Award (via Paypal) and a new Gocco print.

Anyway, this week’s task was inspired by visiting everyone’s ‘Getting to Know Readers’ posts from last week’s task. You see, I realised two really cool things when I visited some of the 52WoCers’ posts:

1. Many participants of 52WoC gain new friends/blog readers through this project. 52WoCers are beginning to read (and comment on) each other’s blogs. And, I think that’s really, really wonderful. That is part of the reason why I started this project. To help people to network, to make friends, to support each other…

2. Many 52WoC participants have great friends and supporters. I read some of the comments and visited some of their blogs… and thought that it’ll be cool to get to know them too.

So, I thought, what if we all brought a new friend to join 52WoC this week? Ask even just 1 new person to join 52WoC? Introduce at least 1 new friend to some of our existing 52WoC friends? Wouldn’t it be great to grow our circle of blog buddies?

Now, how do we go about it doing this? I don’t know how easy this is going to be, but I thought I’d try anyway.

Basically, I encourage all of you to introduce a blogging friend/contact to 52WoC. Point them to 52WoC Central, if you need to. It’s up to you how you do it - write a blog post, Tweet about it, chat to someone, send an email… And, encourage them to leave a comment in this post. They don’t need to introduce anyone else - just say: “[Insert 52WoCer’s Name] sent me here!”

Once you’ve introduced 52WoC to someone, leave a comment here - and tell us what you did and leave at least one URL of the friend that you introduced 52WoC to. Even if they don’t visit and they don’t leave a comment, you’ll still be entered as a participant for this week.

If your friend says hello here, then you get TWO entries for the raffle this week. And, your friend gets entered in to the raffle too.

Does that make sense? I hope so. In any case, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this week’s task.

I’m really looking forward to meeting your friends. And, I hope that they find more new friends here too!

Anyway, thanks so much again to all who joined last week’s task, 52WoC #15: Get to Know Your Readers. Do check out their posts and perhaps, participate in them too!

• Denise - Asks “Who Are You?”
• Nenette - It’s All About You
• Hanna - Celebrating a blog birthday soon, Hanna asks 3 questions to get to know readers.
• Toni - Shares her Weekend Soiree
• Nicola - Holds her first delurking day.

Unfortunately, I didn’t add those who didn’t leave any links (or background info) on their Getting To Know You stuff. If you left a comment and haven’t left your URL, just let me know. So I can add you in here too.

I was not born in this country. I do not know all its aches and pains, joys and triumphs… I have yet to understand what it fully means to be Australian. There’s still a lot of things that I’m learning about this country that I now embrace as my home.

But, even though Australia has only considered me as one of its own a few years ago… I feel that it has loved and welcomed me. That is why I find it easy to love it back.

I appreciate its beauty. And, I recognise its complexities and issues. I’m honoured to be a part of its land and its people.

That is why I want to dedicate this post to those who fought in many wars for this country.

I may not have any family or friend who defended this land. But, I do appreciate the many Australians who offered their lives. Thank you.

Notes:

Thanks to my new mobile phone, I’m really keen to find apps that I can use on it that enable me to become more productive. Here are some of my favourites that I found recently…

• Opera Mini - A fully operational web browser right in your phone. Really love it. Much better than the default browser of my phone. Unfortunately, however, some websites are not supported by Opera. But, it works for the most part. Definitely made mobile phone web browsing a lot more pleasant.
• Fring - How much do I love Fring? Let me count the ways… Seriously rockin’ app. It brings VOIP Technology and Instant Messaging right into your phone. You can do Skype-to-Skype calls, Skype chats, and even SkypeOut calls. It also works with GTalk, Yahoo, MSN, ICQ… and even Twitter - among a few others. Group chats appear quite strange here, though. And, if you’ve got active Skype swarms, you can’t really keep the app open all the time - unless you want to hear dings all the time. Very distracting. But, definitely a great mobile app to have!
• Shozu - Another mobile app that I just love, love, love… Shozu is a great app to have if you like the ability to share photos, videos, and audio from your mobile to various places online - YouTube, Flickr, Vox, Facebook, Picasa, LiveJournal, Blogger.com blogs, WordPress.com blogs, Blip.TV, Windows Live Spaces, Typepad, and a few others. You can even upload to sites that aren’t supported. If the site accepts uploads via email (e.g., Multiply, Evernote, etc) - you can use Shozu to send files. Or - even send directly to your friends, family, etc. Or to your FTP site. And, you can even use it to subscribe to certain sites like YouTube (get most viewed videos, etc).
• Google Mobile - Google has a few mobile apps that are very interesting. My favourite is the Gmail Mobile app, as I pretty much live inside Gmail. :-p I’m also planning on testing Google Maps Mobile soon. There’s also Google search and YouTube mobile.
• Mofuse - This isn’t strictly a mobile app. But, the good thing with it is that it enables your site/blog to be mobile-ready. For example, I set up ShaiCoggins.com Mobile version. Makes the site easier to read/visit via mobile. It’s not all that fab yet - but will see how it can be improved
• GooSync - An app that enables you to sync your mobile device with your Google calendar. The free version only syncs up to 30 days in the future and only with 1 (default) calendar. The upgraded version (19.95 pounds) offers more features - multiple calendar syncs, up to 365 days sync, contacts + tasks sync, etc. I’m currently test driving the free version. Not sure if I’ll upgrade yet - but ‘am a bit tempted. I especially like the idea that I can sync my Google calendars with my iCal and my mobile.

Anyone else have any tips/suggestions for great mobile apps?

Yes, the pages have been completed over a week ago. But, I only managed to put the finishing touches after 52WoC’s Party #3 - when the winners put in their last input to complete the art journals.

Toni won the main art journal and shared two more words which I used for the cover: Pastel Green + Home. And her name, of course. Now, here’s a mosaic of the finished book (now packed and ready to be shipped)-

Em Dy won the smaller mini art journal. She gave the words Red + Life. And her name. Here’s the mosaic of the finished book (now packed, but still waiting for the address so I can mail it)-

Also have Amy’s pack ready to ship. And, I even added this small handmade mini blank book in the pack -

Now, I’m excited.