Blegh

Knots tightening in your stomach, gassy uneasiness, the “finger” which is stuck in your throat, nausea, body ache and complete weakness of the body as if one has no bones for support. Horrible isn’t it? That’s what you get when you’re attacked by food poisoning.

Ryan is down food poisoning and I feel for him. It is a horrible feeling being so feeble and helpless. There is no better of the 2 evils; the purging or the vomiting. They both leave you exhausted and dehydrated.

Several years ago during orientation week, I came down with a severe case of food poisoning. I couldn’t hold anything in due to the constant throwing up, not even water. On my second visit to the doctor, I had to shamefully reveal my buttock for a jab which fortunately saved my life. It was that or the hospital and no way was I going to get hospitalized. The scent of sanitizers from hospital lobbies are enough to creep me out.

When I was in Cambodia, I had my other bout of food poisoning. Again I was held down by the revolting smell of food exiting my mouth a good 10 times a day. I think I lost 5 kgs in that trip. Fortunately I was at my final leg of my trip, or else what a spoiler it would have been not to see the sights and sounds of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh comfortably.

What do to when you’re sick? I take comfort in lying down snuggly on the couch to watch all the rubbish shows on tv which I would never bother in the first place for sheer waste of time. Or read a book hungrily in completition with myself to see if I could finish the said book before I recover. And most of all, to sleep and soak in mummy’s love as she takes care of me :).

Please please please

I can barely sit down. I’m super anxious and fidgety. And stressed up. All this over poring over the airasia.com website for free seats.

Call me cheapskate but if I could save RM400 (on the minimum) for my flights, that would mean I could perhaps extend a one night stay! And I really need a vacation badly. That’s perhaps one of the best things I look forward to for each year. I don’t think that’s too much to ask – a solid, fantastic vacation, away from the o.f.f.i.c.e to soak up the sun, sleep to the sound of waves, stroll on an evening walk leaving footprints on the sand and just… rest.

So as I pore over pages and pages of the Air Asia’s website, I’m silently praying to find a lil pleasant surprise of a free seat still available. Ive been trying for almost 3 hours already. Oh, let it be error free too.

If you love me, hope the best for me.

Coz me need me vacation.

Don’t think you would want a crazy person for a friend right? :P

Do You Know What I'm Thinking?

I'm just bursting inside. Coz I just can’t wait! Yes yes i know, it is not till many MANY months away but hey, that doesn't mean a girl can’t be excited!

So, do you want to know what am I thinking of? Let me let you in a teeny tiny secret into my head of dream land... Tadaa

I'm also thinking of this...

... this...

and this...

And where exactly am I dreaming about?

Here!

Sleep 0- Work 0

Today is just one of those days. No wait, its been a string of a few days already, this past whole week. I just can’t seem to shake it off.

I’m tired of working.

When the 5.55am alarm clock rings, I wake up feeling like I barely slept at all which is crazy because I’ve been sleeping between 11pm and midnight everyday.

I need a break. Weekends alone are not enough. I doubt it’s the post-holiday syndrome from merdeka weekend, which btw was excellent. I ate to my heart’s content and did absolutely nothing (much to the chagrin of my sisters).

I miss having the 6-8 weeks break after 14 weeks of hard work aka lecture+exams as a student.

I want a break, not come to work and just sleep. Seriously.

Mumbai Se

It feels like a very long time since I last took the time to really sit down and write. It is always the case of not really having the time to do this, at my leisure. I spend hours in front of the pc in the office so when I reach home collapsed with mental exhaustion; I avoid the computer like a disease.

But today, I feel like writing. And im happy that I managed to squeeze a lil bit of time for this lovely blog.

Lots of things have taken place in the last few months. The last I wrote was on my vacation to Perhentian Island. After that, Ryan and I attended Merchants of Bollywood in Istana Budaya. The song and dance routine is captivating, the synchronization perfect and the colourful costumes and boy, those dancers can really move with so much energy and enthusiasm!

2 weeks ago, I went to Mumbai Se just right off Asian Heritage Row to celebrate Ryan's cousin's 18^th birthday.  And I swore not to go there again unless someone drags me by my poor legs in. Clubbing that night reminded me why I no longer club these days – the smoke, the weird (in this case extremely weird) people, the horrible stain that hangs onto my clothes, the drunks and the ringing in my ears after that.

But most of all, the oddest crowd of Mumbai Se takes the cake. Can you image my shock when I saw old people (yes, if you're 45 and above in a club, you're O.L.D.) waltzing around with their amma looking clothes.  Did they think Mumbai Se plays ghazal music? Someone must have advised them wrongly, poor souls. Somewhere around midnight, I saw ladies wearing sarees and salwar kameezs walking in, apparently from a wedding sangeet. For crying out loud, you don't wear traditional costumes to a club, what were these people thinking? And if they came from a sangeet which is basically a song-and-dance party, not enough dancing kah? Aiyoh

The music – well, I don't watch hindi movies which meant I know hardly if any songs and I kept track of the number of songs that I think I know, it came down to 15 including 3 english songs they played. It was also pretty obvious that the crowd don't really listen to English songs, when the DJ played Rock This Party by Bob Sinclair, most of them left the dance floor *slaps forehead*.

Did I tell you about the drunks? They were first hilarious then progressed to being disturbing. Every table, save ours had at least a bottle of whiskey and these people make some real strong drinks – 2 parts whiskey and 0.5 part cola. Yes, I played people watching as I mostly sat down thru the night. Thankfully most drunks seated around us were happy drunks so their dancing got more "happening" with hands flapping around. The dude next to us couldn't even pour his drinks anymore, his hands were trembling and half of anything poured fell onto the table instead. So multiply that dude with 15 others, then it became quite unpleasant. So yeah, I would give Mumbai Se a miss which is pretty sad after all the supposed fun and good things my friends have been telling me about the place. First impressions count and alas this one was in poor taste.

Hhmm... I do believe that Mumbai Se as a whole is not such a horrible place. I know some patrons there and they have a blast with each visit. It's just not my scene.

 

Art, plays and teatre have been some of my most favourite things. This was one of my biggest pleasure since coming to the big city a year ago, all these are within reach and events are always up to give me my dose of acting, or rather watching it.



And 2 of my very good friends who are the backbones of Electric Minds Project (EMP) are up with a new show “The Things We Have Lost”. I’m so excited for them and the upcoming show!



A woman with a gun tries to fix her relationship. Three children contemplate selling a house, and their memories of it, one after the other. A mother grieves for her child in an unusually cruel fashion. Friends sift through the ashes of their previous lives. Two lovers contemplate eternity, the view from their rooftop, and moving to Mongolia. The Electric Minds Project is proud to present The Things We Have Lost, a showcase of original Malaysian short plays about grief, despair, abandonment, and hope.

Venue: PJ Live Arts, Jaya One
Date: 12-15 August 2009 @ 8.30 pm
15-16 August 2009 @ 3.00 pm
Admission by donation of RM20
Bookings: 017-232 2578 or 012-306 1229

Info about EMP The Electric Minds Project theater company started out as friends getting together to read scripts, encouraging and motivating each other to write and perform. This sharing of experiences; coming together and being creative as a group has taught the members of EMP that there is a large, untapped creative potential in Malaysia. We want to represent that talent. We want to encourage writers, nurture performers, and put their work before an audience. We want to get that work to a wider audience. We want our fellow Malaysians to be infected by the same love for performing arts that so far has only been felt by the minority.

Promotions:
For every 9 tickets bought, get 1 free.
Student prices: Buy 10 tickets = 25% off all tickets.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt_SC_J5wV8
Facebook event page http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=95476304823&ref=ts
PJ Live Arts info: http://www.jayaone.com.my/pjla.html

Ill be there. Wont you?

Vietnam Travel Adventure

So, i was away for a week in Vietnam for work. This trip was a real adventure, from sleeping in a small tiny hotel (which was kinda haunted), to having seafood 5 days straight for lunch AND dinner (oh no, my cholesterol levels!), sitting 6 hours in a van to get to the provinces till our bodies ache, lugging around the luggage bags, laptops and files, the language barrier which was more funny than challenging, the very humble and accommodating people of Vietnam and did I tell you about the motorbikes there? They are EVERYWHERE!

Let’s take a look at the pictures.


The no star kinda haunted hotel room. We had a super single and a double bed in the rooms. And we were the special guests coz we got to sleep in the rooms which had air-conds. No hot shower.


And i just the creepiest feelings staying here. I even panicked and ransacked my entire room thinking i lost my passport before my boss reminded me that we left it at the reception counter upon checking in. I looked like i saw a ghost when i couldnt find my passport.


The makan stall right outside our hotel in Dong Nai province


The morning market at the adjacent road to the hotel


The unique looking statue at one of the many roundabouts in Saigon


The night market right outside Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh


Shoes Shoes Shoes, night market right outside Ben Thanh Market


The Petaling Street of Saigon??


And this only half the crab. The full crab is the size of both hands put side by side!


Yummy prawns. I had prawns cooked in so many different ways - steamed, fried, butter, baked


Huge aren't they?


We had to eat maggi mee one night as there wasn't any restaurants around. And we used sign language to tell the hotel keeper to help us cook it!


Rice pudding


A healthy helping of fried eggs


Fried rice wrapped in lotus leaf


Uyen and I (we were classmates in uni) as she dropped me back at the hotel. The motorbike ride was so cool! It was great catching up with her :)


Uyen and her ride...

Where are your manners?

The last week has got me gritting my teeth with people who are just plainly blind and oblivious to simple, basic, manners. Just this morning, as the LRT was getting more packed with subsequent stations, a girl was trying to get in by shoving her way through with no courtesy to say excuse me. Well, if she didn't want to say anything, the least she could have done was to look at the person in front and a nod for acknowledgment before making her way through.

 

So after jostling her way through (she really didn't need to as there was still space), she got herself to the nearest pole, squeezed herself between me and the other girl next to me, pressed her entire abdomen to the pole and proceeded to read her book as if there is no other care in the world. I glared at her hoping she would take some consideration to move as her boobs were exactly where my hands were placed. Alas, the book must have been extremely interesting for her to have not realized. With her body parts leaning against the pole, I could not move my hand.

 

When we arrived at the Masjid Jamek station and 2 people next to us were getting off, she again tried to push my hand to take over the places. My laser eyed stare again *failed* as she thrust herself forward. As she stood in front of me, she gave me a sheepish smile only to be returned with "You could have said excuse me". The lady had to be told off, I was not going to just take a rude person getting away with that without at least letting her know! You want to know what the best part is – she's a well respected person working in my company!

Perhentian Dinanti

Note: A re-post as the last post was a lil screwed.

 

So today I'm back in office after a great, no, super duper awesome weekend in Perhentian. The ending to the island escapde only dawned upon me when I arrived at KL Sentral from the airport. The place is buzzing and the rush of people dashing everywhere. It is back to the crazy, fast paced, traffic inducing lifestyle.
 
Oh, how wonderful it was in Perhentian. It felt like time stood still. I did so little and yet so much; I slept, ate, had a lil too much of sun, drank lots of carbonated drink, snorkeled and truly immersed into taking my own sweet time to do things.
 
Perhentian is absolutely breath taking. The lush green treens, the wooden beach chairs, the white sand, the many blue shades of clean clear water, the breeze that sways the pretty coconut tree leaves, the friendly people I met on our trip, the very hospitable chalet staff, yummy food, the bubbly lady at the mini mart who simple refuses to believe that I'm Malaysian coz I apparently look very Eurasian, the beautiful corals and oh so pretty little colourful fishes, the turtles that swam so fast I only saw its tail, the stingrays which took a day off on Saturday, the sharks which were scared of us humans… It had all the ingredients to a beautiful memorable holiday.
 
I have no complains of my tan and would readily get another if I could get one more day in Perhentian. And guess what, I get to check one more item of my list. Weee~

 

Post Script: I know it seems like I have vanished - the last post being about a month ago. But I've been really tied up with work and when I do get to chill, I come back being a lil lazy to load up the pics. They will come up soon enough.

The Remedy

It is one of those days. It doesn't happen very often. But when it does, all I want is for the day to end early.

 

The brain is mentally squeezed like a towel wringed to dry. The physical body is not the active athlete it usually is. The smile has diminished halfway through the day. As I complete task after task, I find myself robbed of time to work on my single most major assignment. This is not just any job, it is one that will determine the course of events for the next one year. It requires finding and striking a balance with what I want and what I can (hopefully and eventually) get. The juggling act is no easy feat, It has to be fair, justified and bear the high possibility of liquid changes.

 

Part of me wants to shrink away in an invisible cocoon. People can see and hear me but touch-me-not. I guess I'm just a little worn out and in the mood to whine. I want the day to end, let darkness dawn upon me as I crawl into the comforts of my sheets and sleep like a baby with no worries.

 

Note: i couldn't think of a title so i just shuffled my playlist and tadaa...

 

Kul's-Nice-Room Mission

I'm moving to a new house, 12 doors away from Casa Maya. And in the midst of all the packing, house cleaning (omg, it was sooooo tiring *pengsan*) and furniture moving, I can't help but think how to I make my room look better. And seeing my room is slightly different from the current one, I can't use the old layout.

 

I kept visualizing in my head where I'm gonna put my wardrobe, chest of drawers, bed and study table with various combinations but nothing really striked out. I did get come creative input from the man to which I just couldn't really see it through. In fact, the thinking was so intense, I had sleepless nights equivalent to those of Transport Phenomena and Chemical Thermodynamics night before the exam paper just thinking of the room. So to put myself out of the misery, I went for ideas shopping at Ikea.

 

Well, I've been there several times but never really took the time to absorb everything nor pay attention to all the details. It's always the case of accompanying someone who already knows exactly what he/she wants so the trips tend to be very short. So last Saturday, I made a trip there determined to be armed back with fresh ideas and concepts to play around with. It felt like I was there more for inspection than a jolly trip over the weekend coz I took lots of mental notes and some pictures of things I thought would really work out. I did wish I had endless loads of money though, there were so many pretty stuff there which would cost me my 2 arms and 2 legs in the black market before I could get them all.

 

I finally settled down for this particular room as I liked the concept and it works for me. The room is also roughly the size of the one I'm moving into. My basic furniture are already available (feel so *broke* now after putting in the necessary deposits and getting some items) but it's the small details, colours, lights etc that adds the magic factor to the ambience and visual impact of the room.

 

And I sooooo want a nice lovely room to just cosy up in after a long day of work. I got an earful from mom from wanting to buy all these "unnecessary" things but hey, everyone is entitled to an awesome room kan? So if there are any kind souls out there who would like to help me out in my Kul's-Nice-Room mission, please gladly volunteer yourself. The pictures below are some remarkable items I would love to be the proud owner of.

She called it the finale

There was a huge rush of emotions as I read the post. It reminded me of some very painful memories which I have kept in the furthest corner of my mind and heart. But reading the words which so vividly described the feelings, emotions and eventually recovery kind of stirred something up in me. I had tears when I re-read the article because I felt like reaching out and patting the girl who's going through all this.

 

Long distance relationship (LDR). I was in one a couple of years back and to summarise it, the relationship was bittersweet. In my 21 years of grown up then, I was fiercely determined to prove everyone especially my parents that it will work out and I would earn some boasting rights when everything falls precisely into place. Alas, childish sentiments of non-existent perfection crushed all my hopes, dreams and I grew up.

 

However, I will not devour in the details of my past which I have compartmentalized and kept it tucked away, happy in its own little corner collecting dust as with all old things do, as it is not the point of this post.

 

Looking beyond the tug at my heartstring, I felt a completely different surge of emotions, one that is happy, contented, blissful and feels eternally blessed. I'm in a much better place with Ryan and I'm so thankful to have a boyfriend who is around, who is near, and whom is a phone call or a 20 minute drive away. A boyfriend whom I can make impromptu plans with or just simply do nothing but take a drive to McDonald's drive-thru in Kota Damansara as he lets me familiarize with his car.

 

I never realized what I was missing out because my previous relationship was long distance from the very beginning. And now, to have a special person within reach made me realize what a huge difference the presence of someone can make in my life. The next time the "I'm afraid of seeing you too often because I'm afraid of getting used to you and eventually inept of not having you around" flashes in my mind, I will extinguish it. No point fretting over something so small when the magnitude of being with Ryan is so much bigger. I rather have 10 minutes of him everyday than to have to make do with only seeing him several times a year, the rare hellishly expensive calls, skype, endless emails and text messages to summarize how my day went.

 

For everything I've been through, I'm thankful of my past experience. Because it taught me the value of presence and to fully appreciate everything I have with Ryan today. I was not shortchanged nor robbed of happiness and for that I'm sorry to have thought so in my moments of hurt, despair, anger and frustration. I have Ryan…

Minus Income

Late last week the office boy was going around places dropping off lots of green coloured sealed envelopes. I didn't think much of it and as I was busy, I tucked it away. Not till 2 days later did I actually took a look at it and then I noticed it was my EA form.

 

Lo and behold, I'm now a taxpayer, income taxpayer. And no, paying government and service tax for food doesn't count.

 

Paying taxes, now that's quite a big deal. It means I'm contributing to the country *beams*. It means I have a say on how the government should handle its expenses, which should be for the better good of the people and not paid holiday trips with the family and maid to Disneyland *ahem*. It means I can now grumble everytime taxes/tolls are unjustified-ly increased. (Thinking about it, i'll skip the grumbling, it makes us age faster) Because all this taxes eat into my salary which eats into my earning power which means less shopping which leads to less spending and therefore the economic recession.

 

I'm still trying to figure out the terms on my EA form. It is in Malay and while I do understand it, there are some terms which seemed ambiguous to me. Does the particular term mean I'm exempted from taxes or does it mean an add to it? I looked up the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LDHN) website hoping it will shed some light but alas, there is so much information written all in BM and I got lost navigating my way through. So while paying taxes doesn't seem complicated, it is and it isn't at the same time.

 

So here's income tax to less(er) income.

I Power Woman ok

Well, at least I would like to think of myself as one, strong, feisty, resilient, hence Power Woman.

 

That all came to test yesterday when I went for the Body Combat  GX class at Fitness First. Oh, you didn't know? Yeah, I've joined the gym coz I've been sitting on my ass for too many hours in the office with no form of exercise. Climbing up a flight of stairs is sheer embarrassment when the senior generation walks up with a brisk and I end up huffing and puffing. So this is my strike back – workout to keep fit!

 

Back to Body Combat. So I was in class being the first few to arrive and all geared up for a good workout after my 30 minutes on the treadmill. Everyone were regulars spare me and 2 other ladies. The music started and everyone went hah-hah-hah sync with moves. And here I was being the gentle girly girl doing my girly thing with all the karate, boxing taekwando, tai chi and also muay thai moves! Totally tak jadi la. Everyone was so pumped up, kicking, punching and striking; I knew I had level up. So I too went hiak-hiak-hiak and kick some major ass yesterday evening.

 

Looking at myself at the mirror was quite funny though. I look so small, thin and *frail* compared to everyone else. I feel like a 5 year old trying to catch up with a grown up. I do get the occasional stare with quizzical looks screaming "What in the world is this skinny girl doing here at gym? Does she really need the exercise?" Well, I didn't ask to be this small but hey, everyone needs exercise, don't you agree?

 

The full effects of the super energetic workout were felt after the refreshing warm water shower. The shoulders ache even when doing nothing. To add insult to injury, my thighs hurt too when I woke up this morning. But I guess no pain no gain huh.

 

I must say I do feel a sense of achievement. I had no idea I was capable of such moves at the fast pace. I can now even do push ups! Woo Hoo! Today would be my last session with my Personal Trainer, Rakin. And also the end of my 14 day trial which I enjoyed tremendously. I'm signing up!

 

The tale of us in love

Happy days of sunny bright sun

Fresh green grass and clear blues skies

Of birthday lunches and picnic parks

Of clever clues and mystery trails

Of overwhelmed sweetness and surprises

Of pretty butterflies, fleeting and gentle

Of hands that holds a lover, becomes the world.

And this is the tale of us in love.

Peace and Quiet

It is amazing the sense peace and serenity you feel in here when just right outside the perimeter of this 4 walls, there is a world going crazy. – Ryan

 

Peace – something a lot of us seek and yet we do not always find it. In the hustle and bustle of city life, everyone is in a hurry. It feels like we're in a competition every waking moment. Who's faster, who's better, who's richer? It feels that all we do is to rush here and there. In the 7 months I've been in the metropolitan city, even I couldn't resist the suction of hurry burry and mere flashes of presence. I'm here and yet not here at all.

 

Peace: like a million stars in the sky smiling down at me, the quietness of an entire galaxy filled in my head, the sound of my very own breath; slow and steady. The fulfillment of my thoughts, aspirations and dreams. The bubble I am in alone, serene and pure. Nothing touches me. And I feel I am my own world.

 

And every Wednesday evening, I find peace; I feel it in depths that will never be replicated. It is in the house of worship that I feel I'm in the laps of God hearing His words from the hymns and prayer. My whole world of chaos gets checked in the gate and for two hours, I am at my calmest.

 

We take the time to smile, nod and savour the moments that pass. Time slows down in here and no one is in a hurry. Some things can wait for later.

 

And after the two hours of tranquility, I am ready to brave the frenzied world.

Epiphany

Oh nothing all that wow but it really did me a whole bunch of good knowing what the hell is causing all the suction sound from the air conditioning vent that has been driving me crazy for the last 2 days…

 

So all the ruckus of the very loud suction sound comes from

 

*drum roll*

 

… sensor reaction to every time someone enters the smoking room! OMG, how revolutionary is that!

 

Apparently this is to improve ventilation in the tallest building in Malaysia. While there are ventilation vents for the dedicated smoking rooms, they're making it better. But with the downside of not considering the other people (like me!) who sits close to the sound source.

 

Hey, I'm all up for improvement but can this really be called one when it is affecting so many other people by it? I mean, can't there be a sound-free solution to this?

 

Today, I'm taking a new approach to the problem. The last 2 days has seen me becoming this whinny ass which I'm not and I do not like complaining because it ain't helping me. My solution: I plug in my earphones, listen to some very comforting tunes and concentrate mega hard on work hoping that when someone opens the smoking room door, I would not be able to quite hear the suction sound of the air-cond vent. Verdict: so far so good.

 

My only concern is this; how long do I need to continue to bear with the condition? Adjusting is not an option because I do not see why should I adjust to something that was not ergonomically designed in the first place, taking into account when just last week ergonomics was what we were talking about. Ppfffttt…

 

Smokers – pls quit smoking so I can pretty please have some peace and quiet. And my dire need to get rid of the pounding headache I have from all the unnecessary sound. *sigh*

 

 

 

When the mind draws a blank

I really do not like it when the mind just refuses to function at optimum level. I catch myself day-dreaming of absolutely nothing. I've been staring at the white screen displaying Word Documents just screaming for attention.

 

And the stupid air-conditioning is driving me nuts. It goes on and off at 15 minute intervals. The annoying part is this, when it is on, i can hear the sound of air coming through very loudly and when it goes off, its quiet, just plain silence. And that makes it worse coz I can tell the tremendous difference of noise levels. The whole episode repeats for the whole day. Why can't the damn thing just shut up and do its job?! It is extremely distracting. *geram*

 

I want a holiday. An escape. To hide or temporarily hide from doing the same thing day in, day out. Routine is boring, it kills creativity and generates redundancy. Casual fridays would be nice change for a start.

 

The air-conditioning that works silently and constantly would be great. I can get rid of the pounding headache from the blardy noise. Haih...

When Things Die

Technology does make our lives easier isn't it? We have washing machines for laundry, ipods/mp3 players for music everywhere we go, GPS so that men who stubbornly refuse to ask for directions will no longer get lost (pun intended), computers for a gazillion functions they do etc.

 

But what happens if they break down?

 

Just yesterday, my laptop crashed on me. The blue screen of death appeared and the very nice IT dude could not fix it. The diagnostic revealed my laptop was not attacked by virus and its hardisk was perfectly fine and yet it refuses to budge when attempts of reformatting it was made. So it had to be a hardware problem. While I'm cool with the fact that the nice IT people are doing their best to solve the problematic laptop, it is frustrating how handicapped I have become.

 

The laptop has all my data and documents in there. Without it, I can't do my work or check my emails. And yes, this is all work stuff. It feels like my right arm has been severed as the laptop is being nursed to health. It is frustrating to not be able to work as productively when I don't have all my stuff with me. And I feel awful having to keep referring to my colleagues for copies of documents.

 

It is amazing how the collapse of a single item can halt and delay my daily activities. Me no like this. Me hope the nice IT people can fix it. Quick. Pretty Pretty Please.

Testing Testing

On this beautiful Sunday afternoon, the lil itchy fingers in me started to explore ways to blog post via email. This is because I no longer can access (almost) anything with the word blog or blog related sites at my workstation. Seeing that i get most inspirations during the day and whilst taking a break fro, w.o.r.k., I really hope this works. It will provide a much needed alternative than coming home to post blogs coz i would be too lazy/tired. and seriously after staring at the computer screen for hours in the office, i really hate being in front of the pc anymore than necessary. so here goes something, hopefully.

Comfort of a Lazy Saturday Afternoon...

... lies in a glass of Coca-Cola, munching tortilla chips while propped on the dining table with a book I doubt I'll be able to finish by tomorrow.

Because when Sunday comes, it serves as a reminder that on Monday, my whole world of hecticness, busyness and rushing will start. again.

I’m already missing home. Sigh

The Mother of All Jobs

If you advertised for a mum this is what the ad might look like. And applicants can forget about holidays …..

By MAGGIE GROFF

Wanted: MOTHER
Remuneration:Nil
Essential Criterion: Female
Desirable Criteria: Income from family trust. Relative who owns a bar.
Qualifications:

Driver’s licence.

Applicant must be able to control vehicle with broken air-conditioner in heavy traffic while listening to choking baby in back seat. You will have the ability to concentrate while singing “Incy Wincy Spider” and know the location of every public toilet. You will be experienced in loitering outside youth venues late at night.

Catering

Must be capable of pre-planning menus for varied appetites for at least 18 years. Supply of own milk to infants is required, as is frequent dinner preparation for large numbers.

Administrator

You will be directly responsible for control of budget estimates, complaints and negotiations.

Nurse

Must be able to exist without sleep for up to six days while completing other duties. Must display proficiency in caring for the sick in the early hours of the morning. Stain-removal ability is highly sought after in this category.

Early childhood educator

Must be able to recite the complete works of A.A. Milne and be cognisant of everything written about dinosaurs. Ability to make necklaces from macaroni and dental floss will be well regarded.

Tailor

Must be able to design and sew rabbit outfits for concerts.

Hairdresser

Applicants must have ability to detect and treat headlice, remove chewing gum from hair and cut straight fringe while receiving verbal abuse.

Bike engineer

Will need to be conversant with all aspects of bicycle maintenance, including fitting and removal of stabiliser wheels. Applicant must be able to repair punctures at a camping site. A first-aid certificate is required.

Veterinary assistant

Must care for and train a variety of pets after owner has relinquished ownership of them. Frequent feeding and cage cleaning required. Must be well-versed in neighbourhood resolution and conduct occasional burial services.

Painter and decorator

Will be conversant with removal of sticky products and graffiti from doors. An ability to paint ceilings while cooking an advantage.

Telephonist

Will have the ability to hold discussions on the telephone while someone is hanging off leg and someone is banging a tin with a wooden spoon. Must provide sustenance to teenagers on the phone to avoid medical effects of prolonged stasis.

Landscape gardener

Must be able to start lawn mower, operate gardening equipment and keep house plants alive. Must know and keep abreast of latest methods of composting, pruning, seed cultivation and tree surgery. Must know location of every mouse that has died and been buried.

Entertainment officer

You will coordinate sporting functions via telephone and trips to the school office. You will be required to coach games in all weathers and encouraged to enter into strong discussions with opposing fractions. Purchase and maintenance of equipment required. Must be able to hold parties, make jelly and invent games where everybody wins.

Adapted from Reader’s Digest January 2001 (pp.97-98)

90210 horror

When the show 90210 came out, the first thing that came to my mind was "Oh no, why are they still churning out teen flicks with the same old recipes? Like can't people come up with original ideas anymore these days?"

So imagine my shock, horror and complete amazement to discover last night that a lady in her early fifties was relentless in me switching tv channels because she watches, no wait, follows the show. The said woman is my mother!!! OMG. And she can tell me all the names of the characters, their relationships with one another and the plot. Fulamak, impressive...

I think my eyes popped out of the sockets, rolled on the carpet as I launched into a semi-speech about such shows and how of all people in the world (she despises the tv, never wanting us to become tv addicts when i was growing up), she watches 90210.

I'm gonna *pengsan* if i ever hear even whispers of her vaguely watching the L Word.

When Harry Met Sally

Ryan and I met under what I would call peculiar circumstances. The night I met Mark for the first time was also the day I met Ryan. Mark and I knew each other online for about 2 months plus and him being down in the city brought upon an opportunity to meet. Ryan is Mark’s brother who was the chauffer as Mark spends far more time in Indonesia that in KL city and neither one of us would like to get lost.

Dinner was an ordinary affair at the nearby foodcourt. Mark turned out to be almost exactly the mental picture I had painted of him; warm, friendly and not quite the Popeye-typical-medical-student. The addition of his brother was unexpected but pleasant nonetheless.

But it was not after I got back that night that I realised the conversation that took place largely revolved around Ryan and myself. This I thought was odd seeing that it is Mark that I know better and yet Ryan turned out to be quite interesting himself. Interesting being the keyword here. Interesting; a word I hardly use to describe a person unless the said person left quite an impression on me.

Ryan did just that.

Life went on with the usual routines; work, social get-togethers; weekends. With one exception. I started hanging out with Ryan too. Time was never on my side when we met up though, it passes in a blink, like we’re going on a roller coaster that ends right as we’re getting a hang of it.
But meeting Ryan was unlike meeting my other friends. He was different. Or perhaps I became different because it was him. I can’t tell them apart after awhile. I enjoyed his company immensely, we talked on a wide variety of subjects, and the occasionally impromptu adventure always left me hungry for more.

Soon enough, I thought about him a lil more. But I don’t think its any fault of mine. Here is a guy who’s wonderful, with a great sense of humour, matured, could see things from a wider perspective than my own, trustworthy, kind, caring and with a terrible sense of direction to boot. I was held captive after awhile because this unexplainable feeling that started developing in me was nice, warm and fuzzy and sweet like a drink of freshly squeezed lemonade with the slice of lemon perched on the tip of the glass with a straw to quench thirst on a sunny bright day spent on the beach.

And I love lemonades. Thus began this small little journey of mine in getting to know Ryan whom I adore. He gives me more reasons to with time. I don’t really know what will come up or plans that has been laid out for us by Him but I know this; I am going and will enjoy every moment of this beautiful journey that I have embarked on hoping to become a better person, to care, to cherish and to love…with Ryan.

Labour pains

… or at the least the equivalent of it is what I’m suffering from – a blardy toothache. And its not just any freaking toothache, its one that involves a wisdom tooth and…. wait for it….. surgery!!!

Aaahh yes, the dreaded word – surgery. What I thought was a mere ulcer was cleverly hidden under the soft tissues at the very end of my mouth turned out to be a massive inflammation of the gums. I first noticed the slight pain on Sunday but quickly dismissed it. By Tuesday night, it had gotten considerably worse. Wednesday had me down with a blinding headache and a fever. I got myself into bed at a record breaking 9pm, tossed and turned and finally shot out of bed close to 1am. And then it dawned upon me, this is a wisdom tooth problem!!

I texted Ryan asking him to survey for dentists around my office or my house area. To which he came down, and quickly got me to the nearest hospital. I was prescribed with some powerful painkillers – panadiene and voltaren. My pain subsided enough for me to get 5 hours of shut eye. The next few days was spent with me surviving on painkillers to get through work.

I’m now back home. I had my upper left wisdom tooth removed yesterday. This helped with the pain a little. And on Tuesday, I’m off for my oral surgery, the second one in a span of 6 months.

It is amazing what I perceived as a mere ulcer/toothache can affect my daily life. In fact, pain to be more precise is something nobody should have to live with. My high threshold of pain also failed me this time around. Pain is so bad that sometimes it is the only thing I can think about. It consumes a lot out of a person, emotionally, mentally and physically draining. I will never ever underestimate the power of pain simply because I’ve never endured one of such forceful nature till now. So when my dentist said a toothache (especially when it has hit the nerves) is the equivalent of labour pains, I nodded in agreement.