Mmm ... Steamboat

There's nothing like a simple, makeshift steamboat with a rice cooker to warm the cockles of your heart on a chilly evening.

Pardon me, I'm stuffed to the brim with balls.

:p

Heatwave and Flip-Flops

I did the unthinkable yesterday. I actually walked to the Chadstone shopping centre (it was a 30-minute walk one way) in the midst of a heatwave. Yesterday's temperature was marked at 38C.

What the hell was I thinking?!

Thank goodness I had a bottle of water with me, or else I would have collapsed in dehydration. That, and lots of SPF.

Anyhoos, I walked two hours non-stop in these, and not a single blister or sore on my feet. They are even better than my Reeboks (bok bok bok bok bok ...)!

There ya go, my super oleng ciplak Croc slippers (as if I would actually wear those heinous shoes!), which I bought for RM10.90 at Carrefour.

Moral of the story? You just gotta love 'em pirates :p

Transitions

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Blogging, I mean.

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You thought I was going to stop blogging altogether, didn't you?

Nah, not yet :p

I'm currently checking out proper web hosts to host my three blogs. Blogger has served me well for the past 2.5 years, but I reckon it's time to upgrade to Wordpress. I'm still on the lookout for good deals though; discussed with some lovely bloggers out there for their recommendations. Will be taking all their suggestions into consideration.

With that in mind, I was going through my daily blog reads today, and I came across a post by Johncow.com (funny blog, that one), which gave a link to a free web host, My5GB.com. So I figured I'd play around with it, FTP-ed the Wordpress installation files, yadda yadda yadda, and whaddya know, I now have proper Wordpress blog! :p

I'm thinking of porting my wedding blog over to that one, just for fun, since the wedding blog's pretty private and generate little traffic. This will give me a good opportunity to learn up on Wordpress and all that. I'm not worried about mucking that up, because I have all the blogs properly backed up anyway.

Oooooh .... project! :p

Happy Chinese "Ratty" New Year, Folks!

OMG-I'M-SO-GLAD-THE-WEDDING-IS-OVER-BUT-I'M-STILL-TIRED-AS-HELL.

Not back in Penang just yet, but thought I'd drop in to say hi, and happy Chinese New Year and happy holidays to all.

Sucky part about CNY this year onwards? Handing out of angpows. That's for the tea ceremony AND CNY.

Can I please hear a "wahlau damn siong", y'all?

Sigh. Oh well.

HAPPY "RATTY" YEAR, FOLKS!

Wedding Hiatus

Hiya folks,

I'll be on a 3-week hiatus as the wedding's next week (*gulp*), so lots and lots and LOTS to do. Tim's back, so an extra set of hands to help out on the gluing of papers, carrying of stuff, driving around, etc is great :p

I'm still pretty much a ball of nerves, so here's hoping things will go smoothly.

Please keep us in your prayers; we'd so appreciate it.

I'll see y'all after Chinese New Year ;)

PS: Please pray and/or keep your fingers and toes crossed that I do not do the unforgivable thing at weddings - trip and fall flat on my face *double gulp*

I'm On A Christmas Break!

Whee, my Christmas break has started. Will be on leave till December 25. A very long weekend for me, which is good, 'cos I still haven't started on my Christmas shopping! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Instead of just a wedding registry, people should have Christmas registries, or birthday registries, etc. Makes it so much easier to figure out on what to get!

Okay people, what do you want for Christmas? Remember now, I'm no fairy godmother. But I'll try ;)

Where's mine, by the way? *looking around*

PS: Oh, and I've just finished reading Cecelia Ahern's PS I Love You. Fantastic book. I cried buckets. It's also been made into a movie, which I heard is quite far from the book. Oh well. Figures. Gerald Butler's smokin' HOT though *lick lips*.

Short Hiatus - Off To KL

Well folks, I'm off to KL tomorrow to see Tim. And to kao tim the visa application thingy. And also to get my wedding shoes (wheee!!). Keep your fingers (and toes, if you can spare 'em) for us that all will go well, ya?

See y'all in a week (will give y'all an update then), and happy Friday!

Money Money Money, Must Be Funny

*Take a deep breath*

Okay.

I know I've been ranting and complaining and moaning a lot lately just about everything. And to stick to my guns that I will not post more three emo posts in a row, I found something which made me smile today.

Ooooooh lookie lookie, I made US$66.15 on my beauty blog in two months!!

Okay I know this amount is probably piss to those who make like a gazillion dollars online, but it's a lot to me. Plus, it's a good start. It's definitely an encouraging motive for me to put more effort into the blog. Everytime I get an email from Paypal informing me that I have new funds, it gives me a big grin on my face.

So, what am I going to do with the money? For now, I'm leaving it untouched (Paypal experts - will the money expire if I do not add a bank account or something?).

Sikit sikit, lama lama menjadi bukit :p

Tee hee hee!

Happy Casual Fridays!

So casual Friday's doing quite all right. Many people still wore their uniform to work though. I reckon they just weren't used to it. I felt a bit odd too, wearing jeans and a tee to work rather than my usual work garb. It felt as though it was my last day of work (yeah, I wish).

For those who didn't wear a uniform, well, it seemed like a fashion show than anything else.

"Wahh you wear so nice"

"Wahh so matching ah, your outfit and your bag"

"Wahh, you see that person, look so different!"

"Wahhh, you also wear jeans ah? Me too!"

"Aiya, how come you didn't wear mini skirt?" o_0

See, this is what happens when you introduce something radical at work. Tee hee hee.

I'd have to say, it sure was fun wearing my own thang to work. I'm going to suggest a colour coordination thingy with my colleagues for next Friday. At least it's something different, and something to look forward to, other than an end to a yet another mundane week.

Have a good weekend, folks.

PS: I'm going for my first bridal fitting today. Excited!!

Casual Fridays' Is Finally Approved!

My company's finally relented and allow casual Friday dressing.

After 20 years.

By the way, we wear very ugly uniform to work, so this is a very VERY good change for us, especially for the ladies.

OMG, what am I going to wear this Friday??? o_0

Facebook Rocks

I'm positively hooked on Facebook. Really. Don't ask me why, I have absolutely no idea. I mean, I thought Friendster was rubbish. If not for most of my old kindymates, schoolmates, unimates, colleagues (it's not enough that we already see each other every weekday; we HAVE to be friends on the Internet too) already on that social networking site, I wouldn't even go on it.

But Facebook, oh, it's actually interactive! You get to throw tripe at your friends, give 'em a noogie, give 'em a round of free beer (well, a tiny 48x48 pixeled drink, but who's keeping count?), scribble on their wall, the works. It was a tad complicated to get the hang of at first, but now, I keep it on almost constantly. At home, I mean. Can't live it on at work; top management's already complaining that Friendster's now the #1 accessed site on the Internet at work. That, and Jobstreet (tee hee!).

Too bad it's on the verge of closing down. Gonna headbutt as many people as I can before it does. Hehe :p

A Penangite Sightseeing In Penang

Y'know, living in Penang for a good 27 years of my life, I've always taken what tourist spots we have for granted. It was always "hey, I live here, I have all the time in the world to visit these places. Might as well visit the places which I've never been to, eh?". If it's not for the odd Japanese visitors we have (we normally show them around Penang), gosh, I don't think I'd even check out these lovely spots which are right in my hometown.

So that's where I went during the weekend. My colleagues had a Japanese visitor with them for the weekend, so we thought we'd show him the sights. First stop was Kek Lok Si.

The only times I've been here were with visitors. I don't think I'd even go there on my own! Not that it's not a beautiful spot to go to; it's just that in the blazing heat, I'd pretty much rather be somewhere else. We went in the afternoon, where the sun was glaring, and I was sweating buckets.

Lookie lookie! Turtle soup! Yumm ...

It's amazing how Kek Lok Si has changed over the years (haven't been there in AGES). The buildings were newly refurbished, and new features, temples, and statues were added. Still some things never change. They were still people *ahem* "asking for a fee" all the way up to the temple (ie beggars). They're quite an eyesore, if you ask me. A friend of mine told me that apparently these "beggars" do so well, that they drive good cars and all that!!

My friend's husband, who's born and bred in Penang, has never been to the Kek Lok Si! Imagine that. I guess that made me feel a tad better for not going more often :p

Next stop was Khoo Kongsi. This is the clanhouse of the Khoos. Gosh, I haven't been there in ages, not since my research on the building for my History project in Form 3! I remembered it was free entry then; they charge an admission fee of RM5 now. In a way, it's a good thing, as they use the funds to continue restoring the building.

Next, we headed to Batu Feringghi. We wanted to visit the Butterfly Farm, but what a pity it was closed. In the end, we headed to the beach, and left just before the sun set. The beach seemed a lot busier than before; a lot of water activities were going on (para-sailing, jet-skiing, the works).

All in all, it was a great Saturday. It was good getting out of the house, soaking in the roaring heat (and sweat), and having a really good time with my friends. I shall make it a point to visit Penang's touristy spots more often in future (not just when I have to bring visitors around). Have to be a true blue Penangite mah.

So, when was the last time you checked out your local tourist spots? ;)

Question of the Day - Keep Or Sell?

I have an odd habit.

Everyday, after lunch, I always like to come up with questions for my colleagues, and we'd have a short discussion, just before we head back to our desks and continue with our work . I really have no idea why I like to do it. Food for tummy, and after that, for thought? Perhaps.

So, for today, instead of just asking my colleagues, I'd like to open today's question to the, er, blogger floor as well.

Today's question was - "What's your dream car? The car that you most love to own. Something that you've been wanting for a long time. It's something which you have to work hard in order to get (not something totally impossible to buy, but can only own in the next ten years or so). One day, you realised you've won the first prize in a competition; lo and behold, it's your dream car. What would you do? Would you keep the car, or would you sell it? Why?"

There's no right nor wrong answers. Just something to think about. I'll give you my answer at the end of the day ;)

Rain, Rain, Please Don't Go Away

It's been raining all weekend. Even though it meant that I was stuck at home the whole time, still I was very glad for the rain, as it eased the haze for a bit. The air does not smell of smoke when I wake up.

Still, as I was on my way to dinner with my family last night, we drove past an area where some idiots were doing open burning. Initially, we thought it was dengue fogging, but after a while, we smelt heavy smoke. Okay, what gives, people?? Enough that our beloved neighbour's so in love with us, that they want us to share their utter 'joy' in inhaling smoke, you wanna join in the fun too? I thought the government banned open burning! Gah.

Whatever.

Anyways, I'm enjoying the rain while it lasts. The smell of rain against the grass is ... hmm ... heavenly. How nice to just curl up in your favourite spot, with some soft music playing in the background, enjoying a book with a nice cuppa, eh? ;)

Exercise After Rest? No, Rest After Exercise!

I make it a point to not write more than two ranty and emotional posts in a row, and I'm not about to break that now. But I will say something.

IT'S FRIDAY!!

Gosh, I am so relieved the weekend's almost here. 10 more hours to go, before my weekend begins. I need a rest, my body's been aching from the exercise I did on Wednesday.

When was the last time you did any exercise? Last week? Last month? Mine was FOUR months ago!! Siong ah!

Finally went for a 2-hour session of badminton, organised by my colleagues, on Wednesday. You know the last time I played badminton? Four YEARS ago!! No prizes for guessing who was the lousiest player that day. Tee hee hee!

But really, exercise is a great way to relieve any sort of emotional tension you've been feeling. Every shuttlecock I whacked represented each trouble I was having; smash those down, eh? No wonder my hand shook like jelly after the game. Too much tension released :p

For now, the only whacking I need are good thumps on my lower back. A good relaxing massage. Ahhhhhh ...

*off to dreamland*

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*dream of Hugh Jackman ... oooh hubba hubba ... drool ...*
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Dammit, I forgot I was still at work. 9.5 more hours to go. Gah.

Oh well, have a good weekend, folks ;)

ICE On Your Mobile Phone

I saw this short snippet in the June '07 issue of Mobile World magazine, and thought it might be useful to share it here.

Do you have your mobile phone near you right now?

Please take a moment to add "ICE" under your contacts. For the phone number, please put in the names of the people you'd want called in case of emergency.

That's what "ICE" stands for - "in case of emergency".

The idea is to let rescue workers, police or doctors check your cell phone and reach the people you would want contacted if you're in an accident or other emergency.

It may help save your life.

Help us spread this message. Tell everyone you know to do the same. And if you work in a related health or rescue agency, educate your colleagues to check for "ICE" the next time there is an emergency situation.

I didn't know that ICE was a well-known term amongst rescue workers. It would do us all well to add this in, eh?

Spread the word, people.

Long Weekend's Officially Over

Ahh ... after a nice 4-day weekend, it's time to go back to work tomorrow. Ugh. A lot of people are on holiday tomorrow, because of the dual-event of a holiday today (Labour Day and Wesak Day). I had mine replaced on Monday instead, so it's back to the office for me.

Still, it isn't too bad. I reckon I'm quite well rested. Didn't sleep all that much, but just resting at home. Did a bit of spring-cleaning of my room, went for a facial (a free one at Kanebo, courtesy of Mum's free-facial voucher), did some shopping (yeah the shopping mall is crazy packed today; it was such a feat searching for a parking space) ... yep, all in all, it was a good weekend indeed.

On the bright side of having to go back to work, it's a 3-day week! Hehe :p

Okay, post-holiday resolutions (yeah, it's my thing. If only I actually keep 'em):

• Spend less from now on (oh God, I need the strength for this)
• Eat less (I ate like a cow over the weekend)
• EXERCISE!! (to get rid of the weight gained from eating like a cow)

So, how was your weekend?

Good Long Weekend

An hour to go, and my long weekend begins! Four days of unadulterated bliss ... sleep, sleep, sleep. I don't know why, but this week has been really long and exhausting for me. Every morning was a struggle for me; I couldn't get up without feeling even more tired. Must be due to the lack of exercise, which made me so sluggish and lethargic during the day, which lasted to the night.

So what's up for the weekend for you? I reckon a lot of ya will be taking the opportunity to balik kampung, go on a holiday, and perhaps be like me, stay at home and sleep the days away (mmmm). I'd be absolutely unproductive and lazy, but hey, I earned it ;) Gonna start my next DVD marathon too - Grey's Anatomy Third Season, here I come! Do I dare indulge in a facial too? I DO!! :p

Anyhoos, wherever y'all are going, be safe, and don't do anything I wouldn't do. For those who unfortunately do not have the long weekend off, well, don't be too jealous of us who do. Tee hee hee.

Have a good weekend, folks.

Math Will Be The Death Of Me

Yesterday my colleagues and I attempted something which we haven't touched in ages. We tried our hand in what I'd call Form-Five level Mathematics. There was an article on the BBC, on the differences between the entrance exams for UK universities and Chinese universities, and being the *ahem* engineers that we were, we thought we'd give it a go.

What a difference in the questions, eh? And the sad part was, we bloody engineers, could not even answer the first question! (okay, the second one was a bit of a doozy lah, which I'm sure y'all would agree) I reckon it's because it's been such a long time since we've tackled such questions (we definitely do not use this kind of Math at work), but still, it shouldn't even be such a difficult task, should it? A colleague of mine suggested bringing her Additional Mathematics text book (which was used in Form Four and Five) to the office to look up on a possible solution!

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine was given some past-year Math exam questions (1st year engineering Math) by his friend who was still studying. His friend needed some help with the questions, and thought his engineer friends might be able to help him out. My friend brought up the questions, and it took FOUR engineers to tackle the questions on a whiteboard. And I don't think we actually solved any of them. Did I mention they were supposedly rather simple integration and differentiation questions?

Sigh. Humbling moments indeed.

Still, it's sad, isn't it? And what's even sadder is that UK universities are now mocked for setting such a low standard for their entrance exams, compared to the Chinese. Does that mean us UK graduates actually fare worse than the Chinese graduates?

Anyhoos, there's a prize of 500 pounds if you can solve the questions and enter the contest or something. I'd give anything to be back in Form Five now :p

Gonna Be One Packin' Weekend

The weekend's almost here. Well, it'll be here for me in 10 minutes. Counting down now. Hehe.

Not much going on for me for the weekend. Gonna mostly stay home and do a LOT of unpacking. The six remaining unpacked boxes sitting my in my room are driving me up the wall. My room ain't that big; imagine waking up at 6 every morning, walking to your door in the dark, and end up stubbing your big toe on the boxes (ouch!). Plus the mess irritates me; I can't stand having my floorspace taken up unnecessarily. I'm starting to feel a tad claustrophobic in my room. o_0

Hoping to do a bit of shopping on Sunday. Need to buy storage boxes, cases just to store the extra stuff from Japan. Why can't we have an IKEA here in Penang? At least I'll be able to get nice storage boxes which doesn't look like a kid just crayoned all over his papier-mâchéd chest (the box, not the human part) or something.

I reckon the next time I head to IKEA in KL, I'm getting myself a nice chest (again, the box, not extra bosoms, although goodness knows I could use more of those). Gonna put it at the foot of the bed, with the plaid throw I bought from Scotland over it. Aww ... nice :)

Well ... it's going to be a weekend of unpacking and spring-cleaning for me. Hope yours is more interesting.

Happy TGIF and Friday the 13th, people.