Gadget upgrades! (bye $$$)

 When too much of WFH takes the toll, retail therapy is the way to go! :D

Introducing my purchases on gadgets in the month of Aug 2020 alone:

1) Tablet with sleeve

This is mainly to aid wifey's reading for her post dip studies. This sells for $198 at major retailers but only $180 on Shopee. Furthermore, I utilized vouchers and took opportunity of the NDP promotion and got it cheaper - $188 with sleeve.

2) Home TV

Actually I've always been very satisfied with my TV. It was bought in 2014 from Mega Discount store, a Samsung 46" LED for $880. Basically no complaints la, pic sound display apps all working good all these years.

Until Covid-19 pandemic struck which forced us to spend more time at work. I found myself entertained by Netflix shows and would spend 1-3 hours every night on it. And then eye green green liao lor, noticed how come other ppl's TV got super HD whereas mine looks pale and blurry. So I began to read up on several brands and listed my TV on Carou$ell - was I shocked to receive multiple offers of $250 for a 6-year second hand TV?! I sell my current TV so will need a new one, right? I was THIS close to getting a local-made Prism 55" @ $499, until I read numerous negative reviews on HDZ forum...! 

So fate had it that Busy Roys was working at Samsung and could get electronics at staff prices, I enquired the latest 55" UHD, 2020 model which was retailing at $1,099 at major retailers...

Got it @ $796 inclusive of delivery and tabletop set up!!! How not to get it right...?! Besides the cost, one of the considerations I chose Samsung over Prism was that the former could garner a high 2nd-hand value. In fact, I sold my 46" on Carou$ell for wait-for-it - $280!!!

Totally awed by the ultra clear display, vivid colours and speedy quad-core processor. I joked to RMJ that I feel a status change to "high SES" with this TV... hahahaha. Even wifey, who was initially questioning the need to change TV, was blown away by the significant upgrade. Since we're spending hours on the TV every night, I think this has got to be the best decisions ever!

3) Mobile phone

22 months into my CIS plan. I planned to recontract and get the Huawei P30 Pro, and pass my P20 to wifey to use (since her xiaomi pocophone like quite cui liao). Until I received feedback that the huawei cam isn't the best... Actually there's no 1 phone in the market which I am very gian, and my existing 2yo Huawei P20 Pro is still in brand new condition, so I decided to continue using it, and sell off the sealed Samsung phone for a profit.

Paid $898 for the preorder of Samsung's latest Note 20 Ultra 5G and got it delivered to my doorstep in 2 weeks.

Carou$ell is the best app man!!! While one of the major hp giants Hitec is offering only $1520 for the set and the ear buds, I sold it for $1560 excluding the ear buds! 

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Summary of the cash flow:

Accounts paid: 188 + 796 + 898 = $1,882

Accounts received: 280 + 1560 = $1,840.

Nett = ($42).

Apart from the shiokness of using the new gadgets, I also derived extreme joy knowing I got those items on a steal. Hahaha =D

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Update:

Dug out and sold off our old game consoles PS1, PS2 and Sega game cartridges. Holy moly OLD IS GOLD!!!

Update 2:

In line with the August Gagdet theme, we sold off our preloved Tefal City Space vacuum cleaner for a cordless Karcher! Got a massive massive discount courtesy of my brother who is an employee. Big big wins!

Yx answers what she wants for her birthday

Yx has always been one sensible kid who asks for simple things and one who is quite easily contented - A bus ride, a chocolate treat, a book, simple activities. She asks for only us to play toys with her and that would make her day. For her 4th bday present, she asks for only "a book".

As her 5th bday was round the corner, we asked what was her birthday request.

Yx replied, "A chocolate cake."

Silence followed. Was that all?

"Yes, there will definitely be a cake. Is there something you would like as a present?"

Yx thought hard and relented, "Ok lah, a book on space and solar system."

Such a simple and straightforward request, nothing close to extraordinary like asking for rainbows, mermaids or magic. 

So blessed we are with this cheerful, sensible kid... I'd like to believe that is because we've already been supplying her with all the love she needs. <3

Retirement home goals

 Note for future self

Balcony with unblocked, panaromic view.

Good for coffee, reading, day dreaming, comic reading.

Yx can't nap when nainai snores

Funny quips between my mom and wyx4:

On usual weekday afternoons, Yx takes an afternoon nap and either my dad/mom would lie beside her. It's the only way Yx will fall asleep. So Yx shared with us that on some afternoons, she was unable to nap because nai nai snores very loudly.

She complained to nainai, "Don't snore!"

Nainai retorted, "我要snore才可以breathe, 我是 old lady!"

1 min superstar 2nd place

Amidst the 100% WFH arrangement to cope with the Covid-19 outbreak, my company was concerned that staff were going crazy cooped up indoors, or feeling alone and dejected from the lack of mingling with our usual lunch kakis/team mates.

One of the activities they organised was a 1-minute Superstar challenge - to encourage staff to showcase talents, and encourage participation from family too.

The initial window period for submission was 2 weeks. However, due to a lack of participation, it was extended not twice, but thrice. That's how passive and unsporting the staff are... me included. Then the organiser XY texted me personally and asked me to participate. I was quite sian at first. Like, no mood to do anything leh. But we brainstormed and when I tried playing some songs at home with the ukulele, wyx4 was eager to join in and her interest spurred me on!

Submitted a short clip of us playing 细水长流, me on the uke while she played percussion (a baby shaker actually but it worked!).

Surprisingly we got 2nd place ($100) hehe! Timely money to buy some milk powder and groceries =)

Babywye milestones at 8 months

I'm guilty of not documenting babywye's milestones frequently enough. Her boundless physical activity is overwhelming our mental ability to pause and breathe!

Ok maybe it's the 2nd child syndrome ._.

Babywye at 8 months:

- Sits very firmly. Able to transit comfortably between crawling and sitting
- Crawls very quickly on fours
- Holds something for support and stands quite firmly
- Sleeps (rather soundly) from 11pm - 4pm.
- Loves food. Always eyeing intently on our adult food. Able to do blw rather well (soaked bread, biscuits, brocolli).
- Drinks about 3-4 bottles a day of 100-120ml each. Very little, but we've changed to a bigger teat and a sweeter brand of formula milk to no avail. She just doesn't want to drink more.
- Doesn't take to books or flash cards. Distracted very easily by sounds and movement.
- Begins to understand and follow when we say, "clap hands"
- Doesn't like to lie still when diaper changing
- Can drink water from a cup rather comfortably
- Likes the company of her sister. Smiles when she sees her. Always turning her head to look at her. Wants to touch the same things as her sister is touching.

She's really a handful, as compared to her elder sis who was more bookworm and sit-still type. Nevertheless, babywye is starting to grow on us with every day!

Yx's comic

Recently, Yx is very much into drawing.

She will sit at her table, grab a pen and quietly doodle.

A few days ago, she came up with a few sequential drawings of her family and herself, they seem almost to form a comic of a morning routine. I love the fact that she draws happy faces of everyone and that she's integrated her baby sis into her perspective :)

Description of the drawings, as explained by artist Yx herself:
1) Yx and meimei waking up in the morning
2) Morning toilet routine
3) Yx makes milk for her sister
4) Yx carries her sister to choose what clothes to change into
5) Yx and sister entering their parents' room, who are still asleep
6) Sister lying on the sofa, and Yx peering over the back of the sofa
7) Playing in the living room.