The Jennifer Blogs

I truly am a princess. Seriously, I've been pampered more this weekend than I have in a very, very long time! Not only was it long overdue, but it was well-deserved. You'll just have to take my word on that!

And these cutesy little slippers? I love that the resort had them waiting for me upon my arrival. I wanted to bring them home with me, but I'm not that kind of girl.

I had a massage, body scrub and facial Saturday. Sunday I had a full-body massage and a foot reflexology massage. A-MA-zing! Seriously. Those little Thai women know how to work your muscles! It was a little bit painful laying on my back so long, though. It would have been nice to have a pillow under my knees to relieve some of the pressure from my lower back, but mostly it was really, really awesome!

This was my first trip to Thailand. We spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Malisa Resort in Phuket. The water was beautiful, the sun was shining, the people were happy and friendly and the pampering was top-notch!

Oh, and as if all those things weren't enough to make me a princess with a capital P, our own personal chef came down each morning to make us breakfast in our villa. As a princess, what more could I ask for, really?

I haven't traveled the whole world, but I have seen a lot of it. I've seen some nice airports and some pretty disastrous ones. Changi International Airport in Singapore is by far the best airport I've visited. And I'm not just saying that because I live here. This place is just amazing! Not only do they offer tons of amenities (including a swimming pool, Hard Rock Cafe and verrrry reasonably-priced massages), but the place is just gorgeous!

There are beautiful flowers and plants. The decor is really pretty, but appropriate for an airport. The furniture, the lighting, everything. It's just really a wonderful airport to visit.

On this trip, I also spent some time at the airport in Moscow, Russia. I seriously felt like I was standing in some bread line. It was very Communist feeling. The walls were grey and the floors matched. There was nothing to decorate the airport. I began to worry that every line I had to enter ended in a firing squad.

I also had a layover in Houston. You'd think in America that we'd have some darned good airports. Apparently Houston didn't get the memo. That airport sucks. That's all I'm going to say about that.

One of my favorite things about coming home is putting my tired feet into these little foot massagers for my free tootsie massage! Plus, when I go back through Immigration, the people are so much nicer than those I have to deal with in some of the other countries. Singapore has definitely done this right. When they welcome people to their country, they understand that a visitor's first impression of their country is of the airport. No wonder people love it here!

Scareorism is like terrorism, only instead of being terrorised, you're just scared. A few days ago, this man was sitting in the seat next to me on my flight from the US to Moscow and Moscow to Singapore. On the first leg of the trip I didn't think much of him. He was a little bit "ooghy," but not overly scary. It wasn't until we got to Moscow that this man scared the $#!? out of me!

While I was in line waiting to have my passport checked in Moscow, I overheard a conversation between this scareorist and a Russian airport official. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I started listening the moment I heard her say, "So you lost your passport?" He said, "No." She said, "Oh, you don't *have* a passport?" At that point I was done being checked and I had to walk through the double doors or I'd arise suspicion myself. I'm not sure how that turned out, but it sounded like I was flying next to some dude who didn't have a passport.

My question is this -- how on earth did the dude get on the airplane if he didn't have a passport? And didn't we just read about some dude from Amsterdam trying to blow up an entire airplane with his exploding underwear? I kept thinking I hope this woman gave this man an undies check.

I'm not sure how it all turned out, but the scareorist was allowed back on the airplane headed to Singapore, and lucky me, he was seated right beside me. I was ready though. I took this picture the moment we got on the airplane and I saved it to my phone with some notes in case his underwear should suddenly burst into flames or what-not.

This year Chinese New Year falls on Valentine's Day. I would imagine the Chinese (who are very superstitious) find this means anyone being married or falling in love on this day can expect a very prosperous love life.

One of my favorite parts of Chinese New Year is the Lion Dance. When I first moved here I had no idea what this was. In fact, I even called it a Dragon Dance because I thought these little guys were dragons. I later learned they are lions. Whatever. Rawr.

What is so cool is how their eyes and mouths move. You actually start to believe these costumes are real live pets! I wanted to adopt one and take it home to live with me! They remind me a lot of my (old) poodle Max. I'm not quite sure I can pinpoint how or why, but they do and I thought for sure this thing was really alive. It isn't until the two men step out of the suit that you are brought back to reality that it's just a costume with a couple of dudes.

This year is the Year of the Tiger. A little bit about the Tiger (according to the Chinese Zodiac):

The tiger is said to be lively and engaging. The tiger is also incredibly brave. Those born under this sign traditionally do not find worth in power or money. They are completely honest about how they feel and expect the same from you. Tigers are typically very well-liked.

If you were born in any of the following years, you are a Tiger: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010.

I'm a Rat. In fact, I'm what's known as a "water Rat." What that means is I have a knack for influencing people. People born in 1912 and 1972 share this "ability." We also have strong intellectual powers and great insight. We're also great puzzle solvers. The water rat is also quick to understand others and are typically very practical. Rats apply their talents to their everyday lives, making them obliging, generous and compassionate to other people. Generally, they are liked and respected by everyone. Like all Rats, though, they can also be determined to seek their own gain and will not mind using their talents to achieve it, though generally without losing anyone's respect.

Are you surprised to know that rats make excellent writers, broadcasters, actors, advisors, counselors, lawyers, directors, entrepreneurs, musicians, stand-up comedians and designers?

You can read more about this here.

Because I am a Dog-Lover, I'll tell you a little bit about those born under the Year of the Dog (1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006).

Dogs are responsible, compassionate, reliable, honest, pessimistic, anxious, overwhelming and nosy.

Metal Dogs (those born in 1970, that's those turning 40 this year) have extremely high standards and expect a lot of themselves and others. They're loyal and hold a strong outlook about the direction they want their life to take. They choose their friends and causes with care. Once they've committed themselves, there is little to no turning back. They are bold, unafraid to disagree out loud about anything they feel is unjust. Metal dogs get stressed easily if a plan doesn't go accordingly. They find it hard to relax when things are left undone.

Dogs make great nurses, interior decorators, counselors, priests, politicians, judges, clerks, police officers, psychiatrists, scientists, teachers and professors.

Dogs make good partners and most people find them easy to live and get a long with. His seriousness or grounded personality may be boring to some, but to others it demonstrates an innate stability.

If you are not a Rat or a Dog and you want to know where you fall, click here to read about all 12 signs of the Chinese horoscope.

I hate saying goodbye. I asked my friends to meet me at the Red Elephant for dinner one last time before the kids and I head back to Singapore. The turn-out was amazing. I am so completely touched by all the wonderful people I have in my life. I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to know that at any time I could call on any number of people to help me out of a pinch, and any of them would be there. Some people go through life with one or two really good friends. I don't know what I did right, but it must have been something pretty amazing to know that I have countless wonderful people in my life.

Oh, and let me say that the Red Elephant is pretty amazing. The staff is just WONDERFUL. The food is fantastic. The prices are definitely affordable. I will sing their praises to anyone who will listen.

I know it looks like I turned 344, but I'm not there quite yet. Krystal couldn't find an "8" candle, so I told her the two 4's would work. This is the delicious carrot birthday cake Krystal picked up for me for my birthday.

This year on my 38th birthday, I was on an airplane flying back to Florida from Texas. Not my favorite way to bring in my day. There was no fanfare at 12:00. Not sure what I expected, but how cool would it have been if the stewardess had looked on the manifest and noticed that the girl sitting in 36K was having a birthday. Then she'd tell the pilot, who would lead the entire plane in "Happy Birthday." A delicious cake would come down the aisle and I would get to blow out the candles (yes, they would allow fire on the airplane this ONE time for MY birthday). The other passengers would clap their hands and whistle. I'd get to share my cake with the other passengers, who would all be so grateful that they'd dig through their carry-ons for something to give me as a gift. I'd go home with new books, gum, some souvenirs from the places they've visited and a new set of golf clubs.

Who says I lost my imagination?

I spent the night at the Marriott inside Tampa International Airport. Well, since it was midnight after I checked in, it was technically not overnight. And since it was my birthday, the Marriott manager should have comped my room, but oh well.

I woke up and got my rental car. Julie Grant called me to see if I wanted to meet her at Starbucks on my way to the Azzarella's house. She bought my coffee since it was my birthday (my FIRST birthday acknowledgement!).

That evening was really nice, too. Krystal took me to Olive Garden and we had a great birthday dinner just us two gals. I really love Krystal. She is just such a sweetheart and a great friend. She is one of those people that, no matter how long we've been apart, we always pick right back up where we left off. That's such a great feeling!

There are so many things to be grateful for this year as I turn 38. First and foremost, I'm not turning 40 this year. That's what I'm most grateful for! Aside from that, I'm really happy I got to spend my birthday in Florida. I didn't have a big party or any kind of humongous celebration for my birthday, but that's okay. I was on U-S soil. (Well, for most of it anyway ... except for the part when I was in American air space, which still counts in my book!) I was in Florida. And I got to spend it with one of the most wonderful people I know, my friend Krystal. I'm grateful that I've got amazing friends and a loving family. I'm grateful for all the travel I've been able to do on this trip home. Oh, and I'm thankful I only had to blow out three candles and not 38. I'm not sure my lungs could have handled that!