Those were the days

My sis and I were in the shop as we usually are on a Saturday afternoon. She had just returned from class and was telling mum and I about how she and her friends were talking about their childhood and the things they used to do. This brought back memories to me - some happy, some funny, some just weird.

One incident that I clearly remember was the time when I was attacked by a crow. A neighbour had left their rubbish bin uncovered and there was a crow picking at the plastic bag that was in the bin, trying to break through the plastic to get to the food. Mum saw and anticipated the mess that would happen and asked me to shoo the crow away and cover the bin. Being naive, I did just that - I shooed the crow away, covered the bin and ignited the crow's rage. As I walked back to where my mum was sitting (she was chit-chatting with a few other ladies), a crow (I'm pretty sure it was the crow I chased away) came directly at me and scratched my forehead!! I was attacked by a crow!! I had 3 red lines on my forehead; 3 lines that I showed to my mum to which she just laughed!! Ever since that incident, I've been wary of crows. Not to mention that they can fly and just conveniently unload poo on you or your car.

Another incident that came to mind involved my sister. She was about 3 or 4 years old and during this time, we used to follow my mum to the market. We had to walk through a kampung area where there were geese, dogs and my sister's favourite animal, CHICKENS. My sister is afraid of these birds although she just LOVES to eat them!! Anyway, back to my story...one morning when we were on the way home back from the market, mum saw a few chickens running loose and shouted at my sister, saying "Look! The chickens are running after you!". Being terrifed of the birds, my sister started running blindly and promptly ran into a pole! Haha!! This story has stuck in not only her memory but also my mum's and mine!

And then there were the times when the electricity would go off for a few hours and when it was dark outside, the neighbourhood adults (i.e. my dad) would put on bedak sejuk and "become" the ghost, scaring us kids. Or the time, when we had water-gun fights. My mum actually bought the super-power shooting water-gun to fight off us kids who had the cheap, sundry-shop type. When things got out of hand, out came the garden hose!! Boy were we soaked!

Leaving in a neighbourhood where most of the neighbours are friendly and respectful made all the difference. I can't imagine all these happening if we were living in an apartment of condo.

To watch my younger cousins now, as they grow, I actually feel for them as they will not have these kind of memories - of playing out in the garden with the neighbour's kids or having a parent actually join in the fun!

Sighs....what wonderful memories! Ones to treasure till the end..

Another year....WISER!

It's June the 4th...my favourite day of the year simply because I made my parents the happiest people on Earth, 26 years ago when I was born. Lol! How perasan!!

Sighs...another year has passed since I celebrated turning 1/4 of a century. Today, two people who called to wish me commented on how "old" I was getting!! Oh PLEASE!!! Haven't they heard?? 26 is the new 20!! :D Somehow, I don't find myself fretting over being "a year older". Yes...when people comment that I am nearing 30, I do brush it off and all; but honestly, I don't see the fuss. I feel young, I look young (hopefully!!), so why should I THINK OLD?? If anything, I'd rather say I've turned a year WISER, SMARTER, STRONGER...anything positive!!

My mum and a friend of mine from work can't seem to understand why I like celebrating my birthday. To them, if it's possible that no one knows it's their birthday, that'll make their day. As for me, the more people know, the better it is!! I probably take this trait after my dad. He's the type that would call people to "hint" to them that it's his birthday or our birthday, much to our chagrin!

I started getting SMSes and calls at the stroke of midnight. By morning, my hp had an attack from a barrage of SMSes. It continuously beeped. Then I came online to check my emails. I took leave from work as I don't want to spend my birthday working!! Anyway, as the page to my email downloaded, the list of notification emails from Facebook greeted me. I went through everyone of them, despite knowing that I could just log-in to Facebook and read it at one go. As I read one notification after another, my heart warmed at the greetings and wishes from family and friends.

Then I logged into Facebook and re-read the same greetings!! I know - WEIRDO!! Sighs...recently...I've read a few comments from people about how impersonal Facebook is although it does help us maintain contact with people we've not met/seen for ages. Reading my greetings/messages, I had to disagree with those comments. Because, without Facebook, I'd probably get less wishes/greetings/love. Less family and friends from afar would take the time and spend the money to call or SMS. And I wouldn't even expect them to. But with Facebook, things have changed. LOL...I'm beginning to sound like a Facebook advocate!!

Anyway, I'll stop here for now. I need to go get ready as I'm having lunch with a good friend. It's our birthday lunch - it was her birthday yesterday!! :-)

Fever

I was so excited that the Thomas Cup finals were about to start. As mentioned in the mass media, it's been 18 long years since we last won the Cup. And that too on homeground. Since the finals this year is once again on homeground, expectations were high. After all, there has been so much talk that we've the best preparations, the best team, the best everything.

And so the finals begun. We got off to a great start having been given a walkover by Nigeria; not that we'd have lost. Hearts all over Malaysia nearly suffered a heart attack when we lost to Japan. So close was the fight and yet, we lost. Hearts that nearly stopped beating, starting racing again when we gallantly fought and won against Denmark. What a match it was against the Danes. I was literally on my feet, pacing and there was a point when Choong Hann was playing that I actually had to leave the room, for fear that I would throw up my dinner due to the excitement!!

But alas...our joy over the hard fought victory over the Danes to enter the semi-finals was short-lived. We lost tamely to the Chinese. No excuses there. Was China the better team? Well...in my opinion, Malaysia too had a good team. But apparently, the Malaysians looked and proved that no matter how good we were against the other teams, we were intimidated by the Chinese. Chong Wei is one good example. He was superb against Hato and Gade but against Lin Dan, he was a mouse! I doubt that he would have won the All-England had Lin Dan been his opponent in that final.

And so...our wait for the Thomas Cup continues. Having watched Chong Wei lose to Lin Dan, the only "fever" I experienced is from the incredibly hot sun that has been bearing down on us these past few days.

Work related emails/SMSes etc

Ever since high school, I look forward to Saturdays and Sundays. It's the time when I get to relax, sleep in, do nothing and just enjoy being at home (or going out, which is rare). During my school days, Saturdays were when I spent my time finishing all my homework as fast as I could so that I could spend the rest of the day and Sunday, doing what I want: watching TV, reading story books etc. It was the same for me during college. And now that I am working, the weekends are now much more valuable.

Being stuck in the office for 8 hours a day in front of the computer with limited people whom I can talk to, the weekend is when I get to just free myself from any thoughts and stress of work. As it is, the moment I leave my office when work is over, I try to forget or rather, I leave all thoughts and traces of work behind. I don't believe in carrying home work. Heck...I'm no longer in school where I have "homework"!! Apparently SOME people don't think so. To them, if it's possible, you should eat, sleep and dream of work!! They call that "passion". I call that INSANITY!!

I mean, there's a limit to doing work. Especially one that is as boring, mundane and monotonous as mine!! Yes...I know that boring and mundane means the same thing...that just emphasises the fact!! And so...to receive emails, SMSes or even calls during the weekend which concerns WORK, I abhor it!! Why can't people just let other people enjoy their weekend?? Even if I were to be in a job that I love, I don't think I'd want to read emails/SMSes that concerns work. I have a life besides work! God...if only this people would learn!

Sighs...oh well...as the days pass by, I'm getting really sick of my work. I've been searching for a new job for nearly a year and a half now but with no luck. I've been to some interviews and that's as far as I got. :-( It's especially more difficult finding work in Penang though there are hundreds of vacancies (since the majority of them are for IT, accounts, engineers).

Well...as my search continues, I'll just have to tahan getting work related emails/SMS during weekends. If only I could block those emails....hmmm....

Addicted to books

Last year, I had written about my love for books. How I love the smell and feel of a new book. This year, after my short trip to S'pore, I went to a bookstore in KL and came back with two new books - Angels and Demons and a 3-in-1 Mills & Boon romance novel. I reached the end of boths books within days.

Just last week, I attended the Popular bookfair and came back with 5 books. Usually, there are not many good selections at this annual bookfairs. But this year, there were quite a few interesting books on sale. And they were cheap!! I came home, grinning and excited with my new purchases!! I got:

1) A Different Kind of Man - a Silhouette romance novel
2) Feels Like Home - also a Silhouette romance novel
3) The Expected One: Book One of the Magdalene Line
4) The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud
5) Secrets of the Widow's Son: The Mysteries Surrounding The Sequel to The Da Vinci Code

The last 3 books were bought coz I was influenced by the mystery, excitement and complexity of symbolism, religion, cults etc after reading Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. And the fact that the books were so cheap (some up to 70% off), I just couldn't resist getting the books.

I've finished reading the two Silhouette novels and I just started reading Secrets of the Widow's Son, to which I am totally absorbed in. It's not a novel nor does it have a story line. Rather, it is "a spellbinding, speculative journey into the world of Dan Brown's next bestseller" written by investigative journalist David A. Shugarts. It is a book of facts. Not my usual reading but I am pleasantly surprised that I am actually enjoying the book.

Sighs....as if spending money on 5 books in one go is not enough, there's another bookfair going on as I write this. I'm so torn, as to whether I should go and risk spending more money, or forgo the fair and regret missing all the books that I may buy should I have gone. Hmmm.....I'll most probably cave in and go for the fair. But heck...it's good to buy books as they are investments. Besides that, I'm not the only one reading the books. There's my mum, sis, grandmother and even aunt who will all share the joy in reading the books.

Oh well...as I fight with myself on whether I should go for the fair or not, I think I'll go back to reading my book and see what else I can learn from the book. More knowledge on the Illuminati, Freemasons, the Holy Grail....

Horrendous drivers who don't deserve to be on the road

This year, I prayed to have good luck for me and my family. But ever since the year started, we've been having a phase of bad luck!! Accidents after accidents have happened. First, mum's car was hit by a motorcycle, completely denting the door and smashing the window. Then...just about 2-3 weeks ago, my car got broken into, ending up with a stolen CD player and also a smashed window!! If that is not enough, mum lost her purse just a few days ago.

To add salt to all that...having returned to the parking lot after getting our hair trimmed, my sister and I found that my front car bumper was on the ground!! There were people surrounding my car as we approached and the moment I saw the car bumper on the ground, my heart fell. WHY??? NOT AGAIN!!

The culprit was an Indian lady named Indra. She was supposedly reversing her car out of her lot, and instead of pressing the break, she pressed the accelerator, "bumping" straight into my car!! I can't even call it a bump coz the side of the bumper is actually broken, so is the small signal light. She was apologetic and said that she would bear the entire repair cost. Fine...I had no problem with that. The problem (with her) occured when we had to drive to her mechanic's workshop (he was already there by the time I reached my car).

The workshop is located at Jalan Perak and INDRA...made a whole fuss about not knowing where the place was, she's not familiar with Penang etc. In the end, I told her to follow my car, which she did at the speed of a snail!!!!!!! I had to constantly keep her in my review mirror for fear that she would be lost!!

And then....having reached the workshop and straightened out the matter, she had another "blonde moment". She apparently didn't know how to go home to Tanjung Tokong. By now, I was pissed! I mean..it's so obvious that she's just acting. So I asked her if she was from Penang. Her reply? Yes, she's from Penang but she "hasn't been back for a long time". I so don't believe her!! I also found out that before she hit my car, earlier in the day, she had already hit someone else and dented her car. She said she managed "to avoid that" but I guess by "avoiding" that, she increased her bad karma. She even told me that once, she had driven all the way to a place without putting her handbrake down!! God....she soooo does not deserve to drive!!!

After complaining and complaining about not knowing how to go home, the mechanic who I think had heard enough told her that he'd lead her back to Komtar (coz she said she only knows how to go home fomr Komtar)!! What bullshit!! She could not even do a simple 3-point turn to get out of the workshop. The mechanic had to do it for her!!

People like her should not be allowed on the road. I know that accidents happen. But if you were to talk to Indra woman..you'd understand my frustration.

***

Anyway...I was relating all this to my uncle and he said that currently, the Indian astronomical signs/planets are changing its course. Therefore, everyone is being affected. I hope he's right. I don't think I can stand another ordeal!!

Day 2 in Singapore

My second day in S'pore started with us having breakfast at the foodcourt behind the apartment. Since I tried the Chicken Congee the day before, this time, I tried the Fried BeeHoon. Unlike in Malaysia where the Beehoon is the only thing that you order and eat, here in Singapore, you have a choice of adding veggies, crabstick meat, luncheon meat etc. Being used to eating just plain beehoon fried with a bit of beansprouts, I didn't know what to add to my order. In the end, I took some veggies and a meat-roll thingy.

After breakfast, we walked around the apartment block to take some pictures and just exercise our legs. There was a kid's park, an exercise area for the old folks and a stony path where one can walk barefoot to improve the blood circulation. Still being child-minded, I headed straight for the monkey bars and managed to prove that I am still as flexible as ever!!

[Me showing off on the monkey bars]

Once I had my fill of picture taking, we headed home, had a bath and then our day REALLY started.

We first headed to Mohamed Mustaffa. It's not unlike our Mydin here. It's opened 24 hours and it's HUGE!! I got some souvenirs for my mum, sis and Trish and by the time we finished browsing the place, it was time for lunch.

Lunch was at a very interesting place nearby. I say "interesting" coz the restaurant is named....

Haha!! Uncle Stephen and Aunty Lita soooo wanted to take me to this restaurant ever since they found it!! Of course, the restaurant is an Indian restaurant and so we feasted on capatis and pooris.

Once lunch was over, we took a cab to Orchard Road. Now...the last time I was at Orchard Road was more than 10 years ago and my oh my...has it changed!! Well...I can't say that it has changed much coz I can't remember how it was the last time!!! Anyway, we walked through Orchard Central, took some pictures, then headed to the "never-ending" escalator ride up to the roof!! It was one escalator after another, just going higher and higher, so much so that the cars on the road looked like ants!! Despite being nervous standing above so many other buildings, the view was great!

We then took the MRT to the Ang Mo Kio Hub. It was where we were supposed to take the bus to the Night Safari. We walked around a bit and then ended up at the food court for tea. At around 5pm, we took the bus to the Night Safari.

The Night Safari was a nice experience. The entrance to the place itself was impressive. Everything was animalistic, from the decorations to the food eateries to the dressing of the people there. Unfortunately, we were only allowed to take pictures of the animals without using the flash on our cameras and so whatever pictures that I took came out dark. I did get some nice shots of the area though. :-)




By the time the Night Safari ended, we were all tired. We took a nice bus ride back to Ang Mo Kio Hub before getting on the MRT and heading home. It was a really tiring day but one that I would repeat at any time!!

I had a wonderful wonderful time in Singapore. It would have been nicer if my sister was with me and if the stay was longer. Now that I've had a taste of Singapore, I'm definitely going back for more!!

Thanks to Aunty Lita and Uncle Stephen for the wonderful time!! Love you guys!!