Friday, August 26, 2011

It's cooling off day again

Today is Cooling-Off Day for Singapore's Presidential Election. Voting day is tomorrow. As a joke, the sky poured all through morning. Generally, I dislike heavy rain in the morning because the kids have school and walking to the train station requires three umbrellas and three rain jackets. On top of that, the kids eat their breakfast while they walk. In case you're wondering why they don't eat at home, it's because the kids are unable to wake up early enough to eat at home. Anyway, it's only a problem when it rains.

Well, the weather stayed really nice and cold after the rain. It's so rare to experience such cold air (without freezing) and not sweat at all. So I would loved to have stayed home and sew or snooze. But I had to be out all day.

Remember the Ikea grey roses fabric? I made another bag with it. Nope, not getting sick of it yet.



I made another been-there-done-that bag. Honestly, this bag is getting just a wee bit boring for me.

I wanted to try something different with something familiar. So I went back to the good ole zip pouch. What's different about this zip pouch is how the handle is made.


Thought I'll include a BEFORE image before I complete the handle. See it's really just a zip pouch.


Once the handle is sewn on, it becomes a zippy bag. P.S. The bag is hanging on my sewing chair.


Just to give you an idea how small this zip bag is, look at my phone. I think this bag is really cute. If I were to make it again, I would have to make the area where I sew the handles on less bulky. I broke 3 needles sewing the handles on.


But what I really love about this bag is the bottom. It's so boxy. I used a layer of batting for the bottom but you can't see it.

Back to the Presidential Election. As you may know, in my family, I'm tasked with deciding who to vote for. I do take my job seriously and I've been busy reading up on the 4 "Tan" candidates. The Election is very much like a job interview except it's a $4 million job interview. The voters ask the candidates questions and based on the answers given, the "interviewers" think it through and decide who they want to give the job to.

Have you ever been asked this question at a job interview? It's my personal no. 1 hated question.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?

You either give a completely fake answer or you say something stupid.

For the presidential hopefuls, the questions are geared towards personal standing on issues like death penalty, detention without trial and use of govt reserves.

Let me explain a little about one of the key roles of the Singapore President. He holds the key to Singapore's past reserves. Each year, there is a budget surplus which goes into Past Reserves. Over the years, the amount of money has grown. The amount is not publicised. But it must be substantial enough to warrant a $4 million President to guard it. So if the government wants to spend a part of the reserves, it needs the okay of the President.

That is why the choice of the President is important. He must be someone who is smart, fearless, fair and well-versed in finance. Honestly, none of the candidates fit the bill fully. So I think I'll have to go with the fearless candidate.

In my family, we too have our current reserves and past reserves system. Every month me hubs transfers a sum of money to bank A (current reserves) which I use for household expenses. By the end of the month, most of the money is used up. We have a bank B where we keep our "past reserves". I usually don't withdraw money from bank B but if I do, I inform me hubs so he doesn't get a heart attack plus he's the President. (I'm the Prime Minister) Occasionally I forget to do so but me hubs is eagle eyed and will ask me about it. So far this system has worked for us.

Come back on Sunday and I'll tell you who our new President is. See ya.

4 comments:

Bethany said...

In our house we have heated debates over who we want to be President, and then we vote and keep it secret (like the others don't know already).
I really like that gray roses fabric...I'll have to see if Ikea sells fabric on their website. With a hurricane on the horizon I don't think I'll be doing much venturing out this weekend.

punkychewster said...

Yay! i thought i was the only one who broke needles sewing over thick areas. i am constantly struggling to keep my layers thin enough to go under the machine...

and my magic8ball predicts you're most probably going to vote for a Tan. ;P

tamdoll said...

This is very interesting. (The politics and your bags!) I wish we had a surplus that our President could manage... sounds like you have a good system in your house and there won't be any arguments who to vote for. At my house I tend to vote liberal and my husband more conservative - it's a touchy subject for me.

On another note, I like the boxy bottom of that bag, too - the fabric is fabulous. I need to sew and get something done. Never thought my kids would take MORE of my time as they got older... of course it's because I'm driving them around a lot, not actually needing me - but it takes time away from me being at home to sew and work on projects. It is nice to see what you get done! In a few weeks, school will start here and I will have a little more free time on my hands.

antmee said...

Love your Ikea rose fabric too! The perfect bag making fabric!

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