Self Storage (Life In my phone)

Has anyone noticed... more and more storage sites in and around London?  Access Storage, Blue Storage...  seems people do not have the space to store their life anymore.
We are continously demanding more data and more storage on our phones computers etc...
so... my flat currently contains 90% of my 35 years of life (other 10% in my parents attic) so if I think about it, Ive done quite well, its not too cluttered!
but where do I feel my life is stored?...

My phone contains my life....It used to me the purse/wallet that contained the most precious/valuable/important things to us.

If we lost our purse/wallet, cards can be replaced, we'd maybe swear about the cash that was in it, forget about certain membership cards that we would ended up forgetting and most of all, be upset about a sentimental photo that we can not get back.


Nowadays... who has photos in their purse or wallet? new designs don't even have a place for a photo.

It's all on our phone.

Now when I last upgraded my phone, I specifically waited a week to have a higher storage on my mobile.  A week feels a long time in the mobile upgrade world.  But I knew it would be worth it.  I intend to be using this phone for the next 2 years, its gotta last me that long, and the storage has got to keep up with the amount of photos and apps I'm going to be taking and downloading.

64GB of data.... Lost!

So what happened?

well the home button, did not recognise my finger prints, non of the 4 prints that I took the time to save.  Then it did not recognise my backup password.  I entered several failed attempts.  Waiting for my google retrieval to pop up, but it didn't... Instead a message saying that I had 3 more attempts and then my phone will be wiped.
Somehow I didn't really believe that it would wipe my phone.

I googled what to do to unlock my phone, and foolishly in my heighten panicked state, followed instructions to use android device manager and locked my phone, even though it asked me to input a new password.  upon entering this new password into my phone, I successfully wiped my mobile phone!

64 GB gone!  photos, videos, apps, games, email set ups GONE!
tears on in my eyes.... I close them tight and the word F**k F**kF**kF**kF**k
and then open my eyes, then close and repeat.

I start thinking of all the things on my phone that I have no other record or copy of.
namely my honeymoon photos!
This can't be real, there must be a way! I search online for recovery apps/software.

I end up downloading 4 different ones

Surprisingly 10 minutes later I am somewhat calm, quietly confident that there is some geniuses out there that have created a magical and clever software to protect idiots like me from their idiotic behaviour.

 Each of their software downloads came with their timely connection steps, scans steps and then unsuccessful recovery....  requiring money or registration keys etc...

Oh how I hate downloading freeware or using sites that I don't know... I knew somewhere along these actions I could end up downloading crap that installs ad pop ups and internet search engines that I don't want and clog up my laptop.   Seems so far that they were easily removed on my macbook pro, be sending to the trash.

so... 3 hours later... not any good news yet...
the unsuccessful recoveries.... leave me with the same end message that I need to "Root" my phone... bloody hell what is this?

more googling... more crossing my fingers...

I've turned off my wifi and my data....afraid that my phone automatic updates will somehow wipe my previous status deep in my phone somewhere.

So now I am going to sit tight...  it was the heighten panicked state that also got me into this situation.

I am going to call Samsung support tomorrow.  Find out officially what I am to do.
I am going to bed knowing that all those memories could be lost forever.

Is it the end of the world? Hubby G tells me that I will still have the good memories up there (pointing to my head)  this doesn't stop the swearing or tears, but now writing this... I almost feel that the letting go, is somewhat liberating...
not feeling attached to photos/videos reminding me of who I was with, and where, what I ate, what I looked liked on a particular day, if I looked good or not? or what I wore that day.

So onto my call with Samsung in 7 hours or so...

until then.... I am going to relax...
استرخى (esturka)

(a arabic term for relax that I learnt at work this week)

....I still have me, my health, my family and my hubby G

my life

46 days & 47 nights

46 days and 47 nights

This will be 8 weeks post Honeymoon.

Whats so significant of this date? well according to health websites, this is the time in which any couple planning any pregnancies should wait, following travel to countries/areas of high for Zika Virus.   Further research into this virus shows that it has been around for over 50 years.  It has become news to us in the UK following an outbreak in South America and the links between this disease and birth defects discovered for women who had the virus whilst pregnant, however the main reason we know about this virus is because of the Olympics.  There was talk of possibilities of not holding the games there because of the risk of contracting the virus and some athletes chose to stay away because of this.

It is quite extraordinary really, when faced with some facts of what has been going on in a country, some will choose for their own valid reasons to travel or not travel.

I have always been one to typically to continue to travel.

Being 35 years old, I have come across many variations of warnings about risks of having children after 30 years old.  Increased risks of birth defects and Downs Syndrome.  Working in healthcare where I come in contact with only sick children, makes one truly see the miracle and blessing of having a healthy baby!

There are some that simply wish for the baby to be a boy/girl, to fulfil their all time dreams of parenthood to that particular sex of child.  Boy or Girl is merely 1 aspect when one is faced with frequent warnings of risks.

Daydreams and imagination is a powerful skill to have.  They can mould our feelings and outlook on life.  Faced with the possible dooms and glooms of pregnancy post 30 years old... where are the joys? what happened to excitement? It is wise to be prepared, however is the worrying and living life with fingers crossed actually creating this underlying gloom/doom?


You google 30 years and pregnancy and see what you get...
I instant message my hubby and the emoji/sticker replies perk me up.  I feel better, because of an emoji sticker? wow...

I get distracted and start daydreaming into creating my own emoji stickers to express myself.  When I browse through the many different sticker albums I can purchase, none really capture what I want to express in the cute/fun yet sometimes wicked way in which I want to communicate.

Now my energy and focus is on creating my own.  I've registered to create my own, and have reviewed specs for the images, and now its down to me... whether or not I actually get down to creating them or is this a mere week's distraction from the possible glooms.

I calculated the income (after all fees and taxes) for each time my sticker album is purchased and it varies between 21p-42p depending on what I price them at.
Who knows where this venture will take us?

Well there are 46 days and 47 nights to utilise on this... hahaha

Day 1 Post Honeymoon


The sun is shining warmly on a breezy October Thursday!
There is a feeling and sense of new beginnings...There is a calmness and excitement at the same time.
The repetitiveness and arguments of the past lurk, waiting to jump back in.  I feel energised to dismiss them... but how do I keep this energy focused and empowered to deal with what married life brings?

My first place to turn is to my vows...our vows...I open up the Word Document that I have saved and I read over them.  

Wow.. vows are very powerful.  I know now, that having these vows present, alive and living in what we do, breathe, smell, think will only bring good and strength in how our married life looks, feels and lives.....

I thought about previous weddings I have been to, and how I have witnessed vows exchanged, and vows broken through the declaration of divorce.  It does sadden me to know that the power in the vows when declared on those special days, may have simply transferred to empower the wants of the individual versus the individual wants of the partnership.  
oh...How our wants can change, and how we empower these wants with personal feelings backed up with self righteousness..... 
I've witnessed and know of quite a few 2nd marriages and these seem somewhat to be the lasting kind.  As if the first time, was the young naive couple believing that love will hold them together, and yet opinions ended up being stronger and maybe more important to defend and would eventually give them justification to disconnected them.  They head into the second marriage wiser, armed with the knowledge of what they definitely don't want...or thinking they are doing things differently but just same story....different partner.



so I ponder....how do I keep bringing my generosity and hold my husband with honour and respect, when Im finding him to be annoying and how will I trust that he is being passionate and understanding.....?
How do we laugh with each other to help us through the hard times, when I'm sure during those times... laughing is what we will hate each other for, when laughing is exactly what we don't feel like doing, or it just doesn't make sense to laugh.  Will our future selves trust in our past selves to give up what we think is the best thing to do at the time and just laugh anyway?

I can see how those couples who believe in the same God, have a shared love and/or something else that they are devoted to other than their husband/wife.  Some other thing that will have them practice and exercise their actions with a level of consciousness for a purpose bigger than themselves and maybe even it is that some other thing that takes up some or a lot of their time and attention which would have otherwise been overloaded/over focused on their marriage?


Here are our declaratory, contracting and additional vows

BRIDE:

I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why 

I, Aphoung Kxxxxxxxx Sxx may not be joined in matrimony

to Ashley Lxxxx Gxxxx

I call upon these persons here present to witness that I

Aphoung Kxxxxxxxx Sxx do take thee Ashley Lxxxx Gxxxx to be

my lawful wedded husband

I promise to bring to our marriage my attention, my patience and

my willingness to be held to account for these promises

we are making today.

I promise to always be faithful, bring love, listen for peace, 

share hugs and laugh with you to free us from any challenging times

we may face together.

Through any hard times we may face, I promise that

I will always bring generosity and hold you with honour and respect.

I will always feed you yummy food and stand by your side,

fall asleep whilst holding your hand Ash, tonight and always,

I promise.

Groom:

I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why

I, Ashley Lxxxx Gxxxx may not be joined in matrimony

to Aphoung Kxxxxxxxx Sxx

I call upon these persons here present to witness that 

I, Ashley Lxxxx Gxxxx do take thee Aphoung Kxxxxxxxx Sxx to be 

my lawful wedded wife

I promise to bring to our marriage my attention, my patience and

my willingness to be held to account for these promises

we are making today.

I promise to always be faithful, bring love, listen for peace, 

share hugs and laugh with you to free us from any challenging times

we may face together.

Through any hard times we may face,

I promise that I will always bring passion and understanding.

I promise to always give you real kisses and 

to rub your feet when I "owe you one" and

to fall asleep whilst holding your hand Phoung, tonight and always,

I promise.

GROOM RING VOWS:

I give you this ring as a token of my love and commitment to us and as a reminder of the promises we have made to ourselves and to each other.

Wear this amazing ring Phoung with happiness and pride,

now and always.

BRIDE RING VOWS:

I give you this ring as a token of my love and commitment to us and as a reminder of the promises we have made to ourselves and to each other.

Wear this amazing ring Ash with happiness and pride,

now and always.

Quite awesome really.

now its about thinking up of a cool way to display these vows that is practical/ easy on the eye and ultimately presence and empower us to uphold and honour them!

Weighing things out...Literally

How do we know 

how good our holiday was/is?

• Photos we took?
• Unique/special/fun gifts/souvenirs we bought back?
• Memories?
• Stamps on our passport?
• How much money we spent?
• Bargains we bagged?
• What we got to eat?
• Where we got to go?
• What we got to do?
• Where we got to stay?
• or how satisfied we feel on our plane ride back?
• or how many likes we get on the photos we post on Facebook? Instagram?

Day 24 of 29 of my Honeymoon.

The 3 Cs Calculating/Consulting/ Contemplating with my sister (again via Whatsapp) whilst checking out of Phuket and then assessing the bags of clothes and gifts/souvenirs we had left behind in a Bangkok hotel.  

I was (Hubby G simply doesn't get involved with the self created dilemmas of stop shopping or buy more luggage allowance) faced with the reality that even though I can purchase an extra 9kg for approx £60 (Ouch)
The additional items we collected in  Bangkok which I know weigh less that 8kg, simply won't fit easily (as in not having to strategically place them) in the suitcases we have.
This time I just didn't bother try.  Why, I feel as if it would break some sort of happiness bubble-hahaha.
I am Calculating/Consulting/ Contemplating (on my own for this one, sister believes I can do it with just adding on 9kg) purchasing an additional baggage of up to 23kg for a whopping £92.50!  Why? its just easy get another suitcase...throw it all in... but it is stretching that Happiness Bubble...
how?

• Because I start thinking of all that satisfying fun haggling and bagging all those bargains, I achieved much to then pay crazy money (yep it is crazy money) to bring it back.
• Because I feel this situation is unnecessary/could be avoided...why? well there are other airlines that will allow you to check in more that 1 baggage as long as the combined total weight is less or equal to your luggage allowance.  I called and checked, even though I can purchase an additional 9kg, I am not permitted to check this in within an additional bag/box.   My annoyance rises a little, but I remind myself this situation is self-created- not something the airline created to personally annoy me.

A few factors to Calculate/Consult/contemplate when working this one out.  

• Our hand luggage bags are actually quite a modest size, we could purchase simple cheap bags in Bangkok that are within the limit and load it up to our maximum of 7kg each to make space in our check in luggage, but this would also cost money on top of purchasing more KGs.
• We know our check in luggage weighed 20kg each on flight from Phuket to Bangkok (somewhat of a thanks to our domestic flights with a low-cost airline with lower weight limits) and we have an allowance of 23kg each for our return flight back with a larger airline.
• Our hand luggage weighed approximately 6-7kg each thanks to my trusted luggage scales.  So somewhere we have 6kg give or take to use.
• We also have to act on our final decision at least 48 hours before our flight on 5th October (so by 2nd October) or face paying higher rates-yikes!

Whilst typing this out, maybe I'll just ask the hotel for the largest boxes we can use, and carry on the gifts in hand luggage, juggle about the fragile gifts and light stuff, and make it all fit???!!!  

Just remembered!!! about 3kg of Hubby G's hand luggage was food and snacks for the plane ride and a bag of Mangosteen that surely weighed at least 1-2kg!  yay more free KGs to use!
(Happiness Bubble still intact)

Now...this feels more like a worthwhile challenge...that when I succeed I will feel very happy with myself...because now I will feel that I saved myself money....and 

I get to keep my bargains as bargains!

Post Ramen share

Makeshift Ramen Ingredients.....

So the Ramen adventure begins....

• 2 good size bowls (free with rented apartment)
• Thinly sliced pork (15THB)
• Naruto roll (10THB)
• 1 x mushroom Soup cubes each (15THB)  [could not find sachet of ready-made shoyu stock-so said I will "show-you" what I can do! hehehe]
• Fresh Ramen Noodles (15THB)

Total: 55THB = £1.29 for each bowl of Ramen! Competitive to Bangkok Street Prices!
Yes.... bagged...well "boiled" ourselves up a Bargain! "Cha Ching in my pocket!"  (My Sister will be proud)

FYI the ramen we bought last night were 99THB each

 Ya gotta place them in a pretty way! and then take a photo of course!

Hubby G took this photo with his iPhone 6 Plus,
I ask: "What did you think? what would you rate it? and what would you change?"

he rated 7/10.
and
he says "It was tasty and I think it needed another ingredient or another flavour"

I agreed... I wanted to add sweetcorn (I madly love sweetcorn) but couldn't bring myself to pay over £1 for a can of sweetcorn, when I know I could get a fresh corn on the cob on the street for less that 20p!
Chilli would have been good too... next time...we've still got pork, Naruto and Ramen left in the fridge.

This was a totally on the fly venture... from our journey back from lunch in Soi 55, we just had to pop into the so called Japanese food supermarket that we passed on the way.  When hubby G spotted the frozen Naruto roll.... Ramen was destined to be in our future! hehehe

not only because of our love for Naruto (Anime series) and seeing the pink swirls in his ramen but also for our LOVE of Ramen...hmmm

next I spot the fresh ramen noodles and

I say: "I will make you some hunny!"
Hubby G: "Why? when we can get it cheap just down the road for cheap"
I say: "Trust me it will be much cheaper."

Fast forward 2 hours, I'm in a Tops Supermarket... its been about 1.5hours...and yes I'm still browsing.
soo many different products and yes I suddenly thought... I'm on my honeymoon and I'm alone in the supermarket browsing.... Hubby G left an hour ago, after I took too long in the Japanese Tableware shop.
Thinking about it....I was not alone in Tops... I was with my Sister... well virtually, via Whatsapp,

She's in London and we're messaging each other back and forth sharing the mutual understanding of our madness for bagging a bargain and finding really useful utensils and things that nobody else thinks we will use.

We WILL ....one day use them, and on that very satisfying day... our friends will be like " only you would have something like that!"

She shared with me a funny link about a lady who went on an adventure for Thai cookware!

http://eat-drink-men-women.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/thai-cookware-shopping.html?m=1


We could totally relate and in a corny way, reading this blog fulfilled some of our cookware daydreams/hunts!  Is it an Chinese thing? who knows... I don't know if the lady was Chinese or not? just that she used 3 Chinese Dialects to get what she wanted, the cookware and a bargain! hahaha
we salute you!

So tonight ....Hubby G is "Sleeping with a Blogger!   hahahaha



Thanking you for reading, being present and sharing

with love & smiles



journey eat bargain photo share

Journey Eat Bargain Photo Share

Day 23 of 29 of my Honeymoon...

I decided to start blogging! I don't know much about it, apart from it is pretty much like an online diary, (I haven't had a diary since I was 13 and I definitely didn't share it with the world I do not know.)

I know some people get paid to do it, some just like sharing, some blog because they want to get paid and some are just like me... like to share and give feedback and ultimately communicate to make a difference to the world.

I'm going to pause here and be back in an hour, my hubby has just said he would like ramen now!