HopE

Does it make any sense?

2010-03-27T15:55:00.003Z

We have come a long way since women were once all-submissive and always enclosed in the tiny space of their home and chained to the kitchens.

We are now educated, smart, well-read, exposed and very much independent in so many different ways in which we can all be proud of.

But still, one huge problem remains.

People are intimated by people who are independent and strong, especially women who are very much so.

People complain when women are too submissive and weak, and they still complain when they are independent and strong.

Yeah, so hard to please right?

Why is it so, that more often than not, others fail to realise that we are made to become independent because of society and strong because of circumstances. It's not because that we always wanted to be, but what we HAVE to be. That's a huge difference.

Nobody wants to be a bitch when they can be nice. Nobody would like to stress themselves out when they don't have to. Nobody would have to force themselves to be ever protective if it weren't for the threats.

Who would want to be that?

Another thing, when people are talented / well-groomed in various aspects, that makes that person different. So others fawn / envy / gets intimidated and shy away.

But a person is so much more than that.

If you take away the talent, the grooming and the glamour from a certain very talented person, does that make that someone worthless now?

Of course not.

So why make excuses that people can be too perfect, when in fact, they're just like everyone else.

I'm Impressed

2010-03-02T15:05:00.003Z

With myself.

LOL

My speedometer broke down today, yet again, after like...2 days? And though it's not crucial, but it's just a nagging pain in the ass since I don't really know how fast I'm going and THAT seriously freaks me out. And having paid to replace the first one, it just didn't feel right if I don't go back to the shop and give the mechanics a piece of my mind and get it functional again.

But the whole day has been a complete madness, where I was literally stuck to my driver's seat half the day, and the other half, out and running about. And just when I thought where I'd be comfortably driving back home for a nice shower and some rest...TADAA...flat tyre.

How nice.

So in addition to getting the speedometer changed, guess what? I'd have to change my tyres as well! (Cue: This will be a really good time to bat eyelashes and ask for help)

Thank goodness that I've got decent people who willingly helped me without complaints (Mental note: To send Thank You gifts) and in no time, I was on my way to get my car fixed.

Though, if I was desperate, I would have been able to figure a way out to change it myself, and it will take much more of an effort, and it's not the end of the world.

I'll figure a way out.

I'll get it done.

I'll make sure I settle it myself.

That's how I've done things when I was out and living all the way halfway around the world. And because of that, I'm stronger, more matured, independent and appreciative than I was before.

And that's how I like myself.

I Freaking Deserve This

2010-02-28T04:54:00.004Z

Yes, indeed I do.

After all the shenanigans that have been going on for the past year, I can finally conclude that the reality is:

People only care about themselves.

Nobody gives a shit about losers.

Only you can take charge of your own life.

It's sad but it's true.

I'm harsh, I'm demanding, I'm stubborn but I am also self-sufficient, in life, at work and everywhere else. Take it or leave it.

I worked my ass off to get to where I am, and I'm still aiming for much greater heights out there because I know it exists.

But in the meantime, while I'm on the way, I deserve to give myself a pat on the back as motivation for me to go further.

Brand New Year

2010-02-13T06:47:00.002Z

Yes, I know it's 2010...but Chinese New Year's counted as a new year as well.

That's if 2010 got off to a shitty start...at least about a month after that, you get a chance to make it better again.

Plus...I am seriously gutted that my necklace snapped. It's been years and years that I've been wearing it...and that's because I'm very fond of it. It's been with me through my Uni days, stayed with me through UK and back...and even my very first year back and a fresh new start back home.

And it just snapped for no good reason...just like that.

Maybe it's time to get a new one...just the time for a change.

Come What May

2009-10-13T02:46:00.002+01:00

by Ewan McGregor & Nicole Kidman

Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Everyday I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time

Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it moves with such perfect grace
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste
It all revolves around youA
nd there's no mountain too high no river too wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide
But I love you until the end of time

Come what may, come what may I will love you until my dying day
Oh come what may, come what may I will love you

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place...

Come what may, come what may I will love you until my dying day

I am feeling...

2009-09-09T15:25:00.007+01:00

...that things are spiralling out of control.

Why is it that you seem to be in grasp of what is going on, and suddenly, you just lose all of it, and throw yourself into it together without realising it?

How can all of this happen altogether in a single instant? (OK, maybe not all at once but the realisation hits *wham* just like that)

And then you are acutely aware of everything, yet you can't (or probably didn't) do anything about it. But then again, it has been more than one instance that I have wondered if there is anything I can do even when I wanted to.

This is not something I readily admit but I hate being not in control.

Yes, call me a control freak or any other whats-not that you can come up with, but I absolutely loathe this feeling. That feeling of......helplessness......backed into a corner......walking into a trap....

I'm not stupid, neither am I thick. But this is just like the time when you're driving on the highway and you noticed that you have to brake and you found the brakes aren't really working that well? And then you start to panic. And do something stupid. Or something worse.

See? This is why I don't want to see that. Nobody can think when they panic.

I really need to get out of this.

A little encouragement

2009-09-07T12:28:00.004+01:00

For me.

For those who don't already know, I'm charged with the duty of being the target for new product development at my company.

The theme? Personalised Health Management.

Of course, this will be a multi-faceted product but what other forms of wellness / health centre is complete without its *ahem* weight management *ahem* similar sort of programme?

Well, so that's me. In the business development meeting, and then I probably accidentally wore that shirt of mine with the imaginary dartboard figure, and so I got a bullseye. No, correction. The bullseye was me.

So on I went along with the program, half expecting it not to work since all these things don't exactly work for me, never had, and I never expected it to anyway.

But 10 days down the line, am I pleasantly surprised that I've actually made some progress. And now a little bit more.

I don't exactly know how much to expect from this, but every little thing actually does help. Just like some encouragement to go on. So I'm fairly pleased with myself for the effort, coz it does need that bit of motivation in things like this.

So after the first results meeting, they've decided to do this again, so to see to what extent it's going to continue to work. For me, except for the tiny bit of discomfort, it will be a fair price to pay for the favorable end result.

It's been a Wii bit fun

2009-09-06T08:19:00.002+01:00

You know...my hands are practically hanging off my shoulders at the moment.

The reason?

Wii...

This is not the first time, but looking at the last time when I played Wii, which was in February, I ended up worse on previous occasions. It's just so annoying coz Sunday's cleaning day and I've hardly got enough strength to carry things around and so I've got to order people around to do it instead. (OK, maybe this is the only perk I get out of cleaning the house this week)

It's like really nice to play party games on Wii because loads of people can take part. But to have worked over the weekend, then play Wii....expecially boxing...OK, that's probably a bit too much. And I'm like slightly regretting it right now. I'm like so tired right now! (Maybe it's also for the fact that I got back only at 4) but then again my body doesn't remotely feel like mine at the moment and I seem to feel like it's detached from me. HAHA!

But then again, it's been fun, and I'm not the only one who's "suffering" the consequences. So, looking on the bright sight, it's not too bad at all! :)

Some updates

2009-06-22T14:49:00.003+01:00

Finally!

I'm taking 2 days off work just to chill at home. I'm so bloody tired even though I've had loads of sleep.

Now I know my blog's dormant, but I really have nothing to update despite my hectic schedule. Oh, maybe I'll just tell you all a bit about what I've been doing. And here's my list:

Work
Work
Work
Work

And it goes on and on and on... Unbelievable, eh?

I can't believe that this job has consumed all my time and energy that I'm too drained to do anything else on most days. And why, some of you may ask, that I'm so tired when I'm supposed to do a 9 to 5 job?

Because I never get to do 9 to 5. Sure, I'll only get into work at 9, but I never, I repeat, NEVER, get to go home at 5. I don't know why but people here seem to work like that. And that's all I can do to keep up; stay back after 5.

It's just like, you know, nobody gets to get any work done before 5, and they're always only, ONLY ever free to do their work after the official working hours, and they make you stay back and do extra stuff because they need it by the end of the day, and they don't even bother telling you to do it early in the morning, or the day before, when they knew about something that you have to do. So everyone just assumes that everyone else have loads of time to do something because they just assume that EVERYONE is going to stay back after 5 and work till their brains fall out.

No, seriously. Take today for example, I'm just on my annual leave. My pathetic 2 days off from work coz, God knows, I really need it. But no one called me all day. And I felt so refreshed. No, correction, ECSTATIC, just because no one has called me all day. Until 5pm that is.

Call no. 1: Hello, so how's this so and so project going on? Any news?

Call no. 2: Hi, I was told to get back to you on this so and so thing. What do you think about that?

All in the span of 10 minutes. And the shitty part is, when I told them I'm on leave, they continue talking as if I haven't said anything at all and even had to make me put it to them bluntly that I'm not entertaining and they have to go bug someone else until I'm back. And I'm not even holding the company line. The bloody reason why, is so that I don't have to be on-call all the time. Because I'm already practically on-call 24/7 with my personal line. And I'm fed up with that. I don't need accept a company line to push my blood pressure higher up a notch. Honestly.

Some people should just learn that just because you work all the way to midnight, doesn't mean everyone has to follow. Once or twice, maybe. All the time? He or she should get a life. Really.

Merry Christmas and a Pocky New Year

2008-12-26T09:00:00.003Z

OH MY GOD!!!

I didn't realise that it's been that long since I last updated my blog. Not that there's nothing to be said but just procrastination works in "wondrous" ways. Plus the fact that we all know when the blogging bug strikes you can just go on and on and on. But when it doesn't...well...just say that it's a bit of a literary dry spell.

OK...

Now, why have I sprang back and decided to fill my lonely little blog with a bit of information? That's because I'm bored...and I'm trying to get myself doing something which will take my mind off the stupid itch, as a result from none other than, chickenpox.

Laugh all you like, people out there! Mind you don't choke when you snigger at me. But finally, I've got the thing that I've been dreading for years, worse as it goes by, and this doesn't get any better. The ultimate sign had to appear on Christmas morning, and there goes my nice little Christmas plans that I've been looking forward to.

I don't mind the blisters being there and all, and the fact that my throat feels so tight and dry that I can hardly drink water. But the itch...OMG, the itch!!!

IT IS KILLING ME!!!

And since I don't wanna risk having crater like pockmarks for the rest of my life, I'm wriggling like a worm in the hours when I'm awake, and pretending that the nothing is going on when I'm asleep.

I seriously can't wait for this to be over. It had better be soon.

ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Update

2008-08-20T22:30:00.000+01:00

Soon...

Keep checking...

What the....!!!!!!!!

2008-08-02T12:33:00.003+01:00

Why is it that I can't open my own page??!?!?!??!?!

"Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site http://hope-yilin.blogspot.com/. Operation aborted."

WHY??!?!?!?!?!

Stupid IE...

Its yet another end of a month...

2008-07-29T18:14:00.002+01:00

And it's usually the busiest times for us at work.

It still is.

When I'm currently juggling 3 new projects that's going on, and tonnes of deadlines and objectives to meet...I think I need some time off.

Well...not off off, you know. But off to somewhere for the day...a trip to the beach or things like that. But the thing is, going to the beach now when it's summer it's crazy. You have to even fight for a spot even just to STAND on the beach. (You will never believe how bad it is until you get here.)

Besides that, if i shoot off for a day and come back after that, there'll be even more work to do since I could have spent the last day finishing off what I haven't managed to.

So it's a vicious cycle, really.

But things can ONLY get better.

I've got OT tomorrow.

OK, I know doing OT is not something new for me now. (In fact, I can't really remember how many days I've NOT had OT instead, since I'm always trying to do more in a day.) We'd even joke that my usual hours are not 8.30am to 5pm with a 1 hour lunch break, but 8.30am to 5.30pm with a 20 minute lunch break instead.

The only difference is, I wasn't asked to do OT previously. It was plainly because I wanted to finish as much as I can in a day so I wouldn't delay my schedule for the rest of the week. This occasion, however, I was asked if I could do OT and I would be paid for it. (Meaning, I think this would be a night long thing then. Judging by how much I have to finish before Thursday. Need to be lightning speed-like probably.) Good...I need to work to pay for my shoes...HAHAHA!

I've realised recently that we've had loads of new projects coming in, but there's still the same number of us working. In fact, there're less of us working since it's summer and people are off on holidays all summer long.

*sigh*

I'm so envious. I wanna go on holiday too...

Just a year ago...

2008-07-18T20:21:00.005+01:00

I was so excited with my own graduation, coz that was the first official ceremony marking the end of my studies so far.

Looking back at the day itself, it was truly memorable, and I kinda understand the recent graduates on their joy and probably some grudge at not being able to do better.

I must admit, at the end of everything last year, I really couldn't be bothered with how I did anymore. (In fact, I was shopping somewhere in France on my Europe trip.) Because worrying at the end of it is not going to change anything, and I know I've done all I could, and it's time to drop everything and relax.

A lot of people say that they'd wished they were still a student. In fact, I couldn't wait to get myself a job, at least putting my knowledge to, if not, some use. At least I'm doing what I'd hoped to do, and I'm happy at this point of my life right now.

True, friends and families are thousands of miles away, spread out throughout the world. I do miss them and there's nothing that can replace them. But knowing that they're well and fine, and that we're all striving for something better, what's there not to do? (If anyone knows what I mean.)

Anyway, I'm just trying to say "Thank You" to the people who have stuck with me through thick and thin; and "Damn You" for those who tried to bring me down because you've just made me stronger and better.

Thank You!

Swamped...

2008-07-12T16:41:00.002+01:00

...by my own belongings.

OK, I know after 6 months or so of my stuff lying around in Vic's place, it's high time I got it back to my side and sort them out.

Which was exactly what I have been doing for the last 3 days.

And when I've finally put away the last few of my things away in the garage, I'm still amazed by how much junk I've collected over the last 2 years.

Clothes alone took up almost half of everything I sent down and the rest are just...well...nonsense, really. (Besides my rice cooker, steamer, and a few other favourite things of mine like soup packs, ikan bilis etc...)

I vaguely remember that I didn't shop as much as I do now when I was still in Newcastle (Read: Being a student, and one who's always broke, at that.)

Then I realised, most of the things that I have with me right now are those dumped behind by my parents when they couldn't bring it all back home last year.

Now, if they left like wads and wads of cash or something useful along that line, I definitely won't be complaining like I am right now. Among the stuff; towelS (with a capital S because it was just that many), sleeping bags, useless toiletries, and a few umbrellas that we bought in Amsterdam. (I don't think I'll be using the umbrellas anytime soon, especially not when they're black and red with large triple "X" printed on them. Nice choice.)

And by shipping these things down, I'm almost a hundred bucks short this month. To be fair, I can still survive with a hundred quid less, but then!!! I can do a lot of things with that sum of money, you know! (I know I'd have to pay for that sooner or later but I just felt like complaining.)

But then again, there're things that I have that money can't buy, so I guess that makes it fair.

OK, there'll be a party tonight, but the weather's shit as usual. (How typical, it only rains when you've got plans.)

Gonna start getting ready.

Adios, people.

My limbs are falling off...

2008-07-06T13:31:00.004+01:00

Literally.

Ever since my last kick-ass workout with my trainer, I haven't had this much aching in my muscles since then.

Went for body combat yesterday, and my oh my, it definitely was what it's called.

Kind of like a mixture of martial arts + cardio + aerobics, but slightly different. It was definitely high resistance training though. Felt like slouching at the corner of the floor after 20 minutes of non-stop punching and high-kicking. Still, managed to push myself to go all the way to the end of the hour-long session. Thank god, I did.

I still felt alright after the class yesterday. (In fact, I felt much better than I had been for the last few days after I've sweat it all out at the class.)

I could still manage to wear heels when I went to the movies after that!

No problems at all.

When I woke up this morning, that's when I realised...

I couldn't get up just like that, you know, sitting right up. Oh oh...this is not good...

So I tried pushing myself up on my arms. Failed. Coz my arms hurt just as bad. I've only got 2 choices; No.1: Try to get up, No. 2: Lie in bed all day.

I've got far too many things to do than to lie in bed all day, so I rolled myself off to the edge of the bed and swung my legs over the bed and stood up. THAT, was how I got up today. So now, I'm sat on the floor with my back upright and my laptop on the bed as that's the only posture I can manage currently. Not very comfy but at least it doesn't hurt as much when I need to move around slightly.

******************************

Oh, movies. Watched Hancock yesterday. It was well worth it, man! Although some people think that the turn of events wasn't really unexpected, but I definitely didn't see it coming. But it was interesting anyway. I know that's pure fiction but hey, that's what movies are for, isn't it?

Another reason why I love going to the movies are the trailers. Not the adverts, I meant the trailers. Because there're loads of trailers of upcoming movies that you might not know about but you might actually wanna watch. (Although the ones that I'd like to watch are blockbusters anyway.)

The ones coming up that I'd want to watch:

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
The Dark Knight
The Forbidden Kingdom
The Love Guru

OK, gotta continue cleaning my room. (Correction: Resume the pathetic attempt to clean my room in my current state.)

7.5 months

2008-07-03T14:23:00.003+01:00

And this is the first time I'm taking time off being sick.

Not too bad I suppose...

But I'm feeling like shit at the moment. As if I've just been ran over by a steamroller. Seriously...

Had to drag my ass out of bed and into work, coz there's just tonnes of work to do, plus I'm behind schedule as it is. Not helping.

Got driven back by my boss in her fancy new car, Audi TT *whistles*

And here I am, 4 hours later. Less feverish, but still achy all over.

Only to find out that I'm not the only one who's down. Somewhere across the world, in a small corner of Singapore and JB, my cousins are all down with flu as well.

We are all indeed one BIG happy family. One BIG happy SICK family at that.

Excessive sleep or Hangover?

2008-06-29T15:26:00.002+01:00

I don't know which one is it now.

I'm having a headache right now...not the one that I've had for the last 2 weeks. (I think that was tension headache since it felt like someone was pressing against my temples all the time.)

It's a different one today. One that I feel like I have to lie down the whole day and not move my head higher than my legs, i.e. parallel.

I don't think I've had excessive sleep since I've only had 9 hours which was pretty normal for me on a weekend. Hangover's kinda out as well since I've only had a few drinks last night, and I wasn't even sorta high when I got back home. So what is it?

I dunno.

But since I've had these stupid headaches for the last 2 weeks it's driving me nuts. I can't think or function properly when I have headaches. Makes me cranky and irrational sometimes.
OK, all the time.

Been taking plenty of water but trying to stay off the painkillers. I hate having to resort to them unless it's absolutely necessary.

Probably, I'll convince myself that it IS tension headache, since the case I'm working on for the last two weeks didn't come to a conclusive end that I would have liked.

And I'm sticking to that.

God, how I wished it would go away now. Stupid headache.

Rain = Depressed

2008-06-26T21:17:00.002+01:00

When I'm typing this, it's still chucking down out there, and it's been so since 5.

Why does it always have to bloody rain when it's almost time to go home. And it's always, I mean, ALWAYS, bright and sunny when it's office hours.

As if it wasn't bad enough that I had a rough night, I had one of the busiest but most unproductive day at work, PLUS, was caught still at work after half five, twice in a week by the COO. And it didn't help that what I was working on was still the same thing I worked on for the last 2 weeks.

It's as if I'm in a nightmare that's replaying again and again. Like deja vu, but not a good one.

Thank goodness the little brown envelope came around 4. At least this week AND month is finally coming to an end.

June has been a nightmare.

Salsa tonight.....NOT

2008-06-24T23:13:00.002+01:00

Well...actually I was all psyched up for it already.

But then my housemate got into an accident so we didn't have the mood to go.

Plus, my legs feel a bit wobbly from yesterday, so I thought it'd didn't matter anyway.

ANYWAY...

I might have new company here sometime later in the year! Don't wanna jinx anything so not gonna talk more on it. (And also the fact that I don't really know what's going on.) But I'm so so so excited about it.

Well, yeah. Of course, not like SOMEONE, who prefers to drink alone and not visit me even that someone has loads of time to spare and nothing to do until months later.

Hip Hop Tonight

2008-06-23T21:17:00.002+01:00

Yes, Hip Hop.

Yes, tonight.

Yes, at the gym.

OMG! I haven't danced in ages and so I thought I'd pick up something I'm familiar with, like dancing, for example. I haven't exactly done pure Hip Hop before, but I didn't think that it'll be that hard, right?

WRONG!!!

Because I haven't danced (free-style like) in a while, I found that my body expressions were quite stiff at the class today. To the point that it looks awkward. (Never expected that to happen to me...not in this life, no.)

How can this bloody happen??!?!!

But at least I slowly got used to the movements towards the end of the class and slowly got into the moves.

It was only then I realized.

I could do it when I'm doing it alone.

Not when there're loads of people doing the same thing together.

Well, same thing...but not the same thing. When we were asked to go at our own pace, people literally went at THEIR own pace. Own beat, own style, own speed, own count, own moves, all at the same time. So how confusing will it get if you see that in the mirror?

Very.

I'm still stiff lar...and I'm still wondering how the hell that happened to me. (That is NOT, not not, NOT supposed to happen!)

Going for salsa dancing tomorrow...at least I'm better at that. Not as stiff. Still got the moves. HAHAHAHA!
(OMG, I sound like an auntie...)

It's been a boring weekend

2008-06-22T17:40:00.003+01:00

Why?

Because it's the end of the month and I've used up my shopping fund for the month. Hence, I stayed at home all weekend, except when I'm at the gym or Morrisons to get my weekly groceries.

I've cleaned my room, did all my laundry and ironing, changed my sheets and towels, sorted out my wardrobe, and browsed on eBay to find the most suitable shoe rack for my collection of shoes.

In fact, I did find one! One which is extendable and could fit up to 24 pairs of shoes. And if I buy 2 of them, I can stack them up and make them fit twice as much. Problem is...I don't think I'll be able to reach the last 2 racks on top. Hmm... So probably I'll just get one first.

I can't wait for Monday. That's what I hate after a busy week: the weekends. I just get my momentum thrown off (especially if I'm starting something new) by the weekends and struggle to get my momentum back on Monday.

Incredible Tales

2008-06-14T18:51:00.004+01:00

How much weight have I put on since I came over to the UK?

The hand on the scales probably doesn't say as much as what I'm going to reveal.

Went lingerie shopping today. Found out today (years and years later after my first bra) that I'm now a ~~36B~~ 34D.

It's either I've put on that much weight; OR the auntie selling Triumph in The Store just simply didn't know what she was doing trying to squeeze me into the wrong size.

I knew something was wrong...

The new bras are HUMONGOUS, I tell you. Such a vast difference from what I had. When I put them together just for a comparison, it's like half the size of what I bought today. What a revelation!!!

And I saw loads of weird people in La Senza today. (I think generally people like that exist anywhere in the world but it's so hilarious when you do see the things they do in person.)

Group 1:
A couple, the wife/gf/partner is trying to pick a style when the guy said, "Is that what you're wearing? That is unbelievable. These things are as big as my head! It's a hammock, not a bra!". It wasn't in a low key manner, and there're loads of people in the shop at that time. Lady said, "I've already gone down 2 sizes from what I used to be!"
OKAY..............
*silently floats away from this weird pair*

Group 2:
A family of 3, with a suspicious looking father and a girl around 6-7 years old. Was walking behind them trying to get out of the shop when the father was OBVIOUSLY blocking my way. Apparently he was "admiring" the displays and items in the shop. The mother hissed, "Stop touching all the women's underwear!". He said, "I can't help it, they're so pretty! I'm trying to imagine you in them."
EWW.......
Let me explain what is wrong in this situation. No 1, I think this is something you generally wouldn't say out loud in the presence of loads of strangers because I don't think they really wanna know, and No 2, definitely not something you will have a conversation about in front of your 6-7 year old daughter.

Group 3:
Actually, this is not a group, it's just one person. I was trying to get past her when she picked up something and started scrutinizing it. (I don't know why but that's what it seemed like to me at that time.) I said excuse me. She frantically droped the bra back on the rail and scuttled away, looking terrified.
Am I that scary? I think not.

And many others that I don't think it's worth mentioning.

Come to think of it, it was extremely crowded today. Probably it's the sun, that's why everyone's like out there to fight for that patch of land for that bit of sunshine before it's gone.

The Uncertainty of Life

2008-06-09T20:29:00.003+01:00

You really never know what's gonna happen.

One minute you can be alive, the next you can be dead.

Life is truly indeed like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

But for most people, their lives are like a box of cheap Asda chocolates. Never gonna know what you'll get and probably nothing great if anything good ever comes out of it.

Good people don't deserve this.

**************************
After thinking for a while, this thing comes back to me again.

Never take things for granted. Because they aren't.

12.45am on a Sunday morning...

2008-06-08T00:45:00.005+01:00

At the moment when I'm typing this, I practically just got back from work.

Yes, people. I was at work wee hours in the morning on a weekend. Stuff...can't really explain, but then since I got chaperoned, didn't have to walk, and am getting paid...I'm not complaining.

READ: I LOVE BEING A WORKAHOLIC!

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On a totally unrelated subject, I was out in town today for a movie.

AHA! Finally watched Sex and the City now. Didn't let me down; High fashion, huge drama, and loads of scenes that make you go "Awww..." (both platonic and non). Of course, there're parts where you would just want to see it happening your way, but hey, life's never like that, now, does it?

But I think the most realistic part now is that they're telling the story of 40-year-old women, and at the same time they're actually showing that it is. Yes, they're all still svelte and all (it's still LA & NY, that's why), but you can see (most obviously) from their faces that it has definitely been a fair few years since we last saw them.

Then it struck me. Again. On the reflection I saw in the mirror that morning itself.

Some teeny, tiny lines that are on the verge of making their debut. (I'm not going to say where coz I'm still in denial.)

Running low on my skincare supplies, I made some purchases in vain hopes that I could save my skin from deteriorating further, and pretend that I'm going to be 21 forever, and it's easier for collagen to stay on and fats off.

Got some freebies and samples. But then again, why aren't the samples nowadays coming in nice decent bottles? Instead they come in foil-wrapped packages and could only be dispensed once.

Oohh, and I saw this ad on the Metro the other day, and Glamour was giving away Benefit lipgloss with every mag, so I "chiong" and bought myself a copy that day itself. And because I liked it so much, I probably did the most outrageous thing I've ever done this year so far.

I bought another 2 copies of the same magazine that came with 2 other different colours of the lipgloss. (It's worth it since I saw they usually cost about 13 pounds at the counter. The magazine costed only 2 quid.)

Because I bloody well deserve it.

June

2008-06-01T23:13:00.004+01:00

I can't freaking believe that it's June already?!?!??!

What the hell happened to January, February, March, April and May?

(I do know what happened but it just didn't seem that long ago.)

Anyway, in case anyone's wondering, I've been busy for the past 2 weeks.

Work, Bank Holiday weekend in Newcastle, then work again. Plus...my housemate kind of over-downloaded and busted our capping for the month so had to wait until the next month to get our internet subscription resumed. (Either that or the landlord had just blatantly forgotten to pay the bill.)

But all in all, I need to catch up on my sleep for the past week. The weekend in Newcastle and the party last night is draining me of my energy.

Age is catching up with me. Being 24 sucks.

What a drag...

2008-05-18T22:15:00.004+01:00

I have this love-hate relationship with the weekends.

Love it when it's near. Hate it when it's dragging at the end. Can't wait to get back in at work on Monday. But when Monday morning comes, I would have been wishing that it's Saturday all over again.

Another thing about weekends is that I pig-out endlessly when I have nothing to do at home. Not on real food but all sorts of rubbish. It's so out of control to the point of being scary. That's why I keep doing my laundry, hoovering, sorting my wardrobe, arranging and rearranging my stuff on the shelf...but I'll always end up, somehow or another, shopping for groceries.

Anyway...can't wait for next weekend to come! Yeap yeap, going up to Newcastle! Come to think of it, I've left Newcastle for exactly 6 months already. Just like that. Swished past before I realised it. And it's May. (God, it can't be! Already??!?)

Right...back to something positive! Newcastle...

Gonna go up for the weekend and celebrate with the dudes on their last paper. Just like last year. Er...but I think I was back home snoozing away 2 hours after my paper ended instead of painting the town red. Yeah, I was. Coz I was too tired and drained by then. (Eww, that was so boring!)

Update:
My rashes have almost finally healed! After, like, a whole week?!? It's not completely healed though, but I consider it almost since it's no longer sore and itching, but the ugly patches are still there no doubt making it an eyesore. I was so traumatized coz it got so SO bad on Monday morning that I'd bought antihistamines, calamine and hydrocortisone cream during lunch break instead of lunch. But it's like a layer of dried and not-quite-dead-yet skin that's probably waiting to peel off sooner or later or get shed off when the cells renew themselves. Wonder how I actually got that in the first place?

You guys will never believe this

2008-05-10T16:12:00.006+01:00

I know the risk of posting this.

It's incredibly stupid if it is what I think it is.

I'm having.......

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a sunrash...

OMG!!!

I think it's a sunrash because it's the first time when I've actually sat in the sun after the past few months and this week was the only week that had loads of sun and warm enough for us to sit outside.

It's also the first time I'm dressed light for the weather in months. And this is what I get...

It must be that...

SEE!!!!

(my poor hand...)

WHY??!??!!

What the hell is happening? I practically grew up UNDER the sun all my life...and now I'm what, allergic to it already??!?!?!

I might just burst up into flames one day when the temperature creeps up high enough later in the summer.

Talking about summer, this year's summer is much better than last year's. We do get the occasional rain here and there, but at least this week has been warm and lovely. We even had a new park bench erected outside the pantry and we're all having our breaks out there! (And that was also how I got the rashes.)

I might be allergic to the sun but my melanin production is still as good as I remembered it. (Good news!) I was just exposed to the sun for an hour or so...and I'm getting tan lines already...HAHAHA!

Yes...tan lines of my watch and from the sleeves of my shirt, that is. -_-" But hey...at least I won't be getting sunburn that easily yet.

One more day to go...

2008-04-24T19:25:00.003+01:00

To the end of the week!!!

I'm so broke but payday is not until Monday and yet I'm thinking of going out tomorrow...*sigh*

OK...should stop until then...be good...yeah, right.

ANYWAY.....

I just had my appraisal today. Wasn't expecting both my bosses to sit through but they did anyway. Most of the feedback I had wasn't unexpected, but some parts were better than I actually thought I had done.

MuaHHAHAhahHAHa......

Well, so I'm not working my ass off for no reason then. Besides the fact that I just LOVE my job, LOVE my working life, and LOVE earning and spending my own money, I do get recognition as well. Almost everyone at work, from top to bottom, knows who I am not only as me but also for what I do. (Although my bosses and colleagues are convinced that there's no one who doesn't know who I am, but I still think there's always that possibility given the fact that I haven't been working much with the people in the other site.) I love the responsibilities, relish all the hard work I've put in, and enjoy the recognition that I'm eventually given.

I feel like my potential is certainly being developed right now. (Definitely glad that I got this job.)

Been given a few special projects to work on, new objectives, exploiting my capabilities, motivation and drive thoroughly. That's it! I'm always up for a challenge. The only sad part is that I'm not there long enough to be eligible for a payrise...

But then again, if I do well for the next 8 months or so...achieve all my objectives, exceed and excel in them, who knows...I might get better a healthier pay package. :)

What? No one can ever complain for having paid better, right??!?

I need 5 seconds...

2008-04-22T20:36:00.002+01:00

...to scream.

ARGHHAHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK...much better.

Why? Coz it's only Tuesday and I'm feeling like I'm having a hell of a long week at work. Halfway through something today and I felt like I have to drop everything that I'm carrying and stand there and scream. It was that bad.

It's not like I don't like being busy. On the contrary...I enjoy when I have loads of things to do. But these past weeks were like hell. There was even hardly enough time to breathe before we have to progress onto something else. It's only at the end of the day where I have an extra half hour when I can sit down and finish everything up. And surprisingly, that's my favourite time of the day. And by any luck, I always get lifts home as well. Hehe...

Oh...I know now. I think it's my pms...that's why I'm feeling like I wanna die. Hmm...

Lu la la~

2008-04-21T20:17:00.003+01:00

(Coz I have no idea what else to say.)

The day today started normal...nice and bright morning, but had to start raining just when I was about to step out the door. (At least it's not some heavy downpour, so I wasn't soaked by the time I got to work.)

Then the gossiping starts.

Followed by more gossiping...AND more gossiping (by people who don't know when to stop/shut up).

Come lunchtime, about 10 of us went to the pub for some birthday lunch of one of the guys at work. Had some nice smothered chicken at half the price. (HAHA...first good thing of the day)

Then it was normal the rest of the afternoon...until home time.

Was hardly out of the vicinity when I met someone from the other building, went to the pub again, got a free drink, and chatted for a while. (Second good thing of the day.)

Then I found out, (in one way or more) I've got a reputation now...HAHA! (Third good thing of the day.)

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On another note...I'm having my appraisal this week. Wonder how it'll be.

It's almost time...

2008-04-16T19:17:00.002+01:00

...for that time of the month again.

I can so feel that it's near (I know it is but then it just makes it worse when your body tells you the same thing as well).

I'm getting PMS as well...not in a happy mood...having anxiety for no reason...and stressed up even when I'm not at work, when there is no reason to.

Even had to resort to comfort eating today, don't think I can get past today without having a decent dinner. It's not just the usual craving that I'm feeling (like the I'm-working-so-hard-but-I'm-not-even-allowing-myself-a-well-deserved-dinner sort of excuse...) but one that I'm feeling so deprived now that I need to eat.

And I'm so tired...fatigue...the most obvious tell-tale sign...

I need to go to bed...

I'm pissed off

2008-04-13T22:31:00.002+01:00

with myself...

I don't know where the hell did the colour bled from, and now it's all over my tops...tsk...............

And I've hardly worn some of them before...*sigh*

Very distressed lar!!!

Yer............

2008-04-12T22:17:00.004+01:00

I wanna go Taiwan!!!

I can't believe I'm missing out on family trips now...though I know I went on quite a lot of holidays without my family but it's different when it's the other way round!

Can't go...no time...no money...no mood...

I wanna GOOOOO!!!!

Note:
This post serves as a platform for me to rant and complain for the fact that I'm feeling left out from family affairs. I just like to complain.

I'm having...

2008-04-12T10:13:00.003+01:00

...a hangover...

Though not as bad as the ones that I've had...but I haven't had one in ages....this bad.

And I think last night, I:

was told a couple of things that I can't remember now.
saw a lot of big shots at work.
mixed a couple of drinks.
took loads of nonsensical pictures.
drank and dialed.
got carried into the car.
was brought home eventually.

Remembered them in snippets though not too clearly. Very hungry but I'm feeling sick at the same time. I need some food, but can't seem to swallow anything.

Lucky thing I didn't do anything too stupid in front of the big shots yesterday, coz that would have been disastrous. That's the potential danger of what unlimited free drinks can do to you. *sigh*

27 dresses

2008-04-06T18:06:00.003+01:00

Just got back from watching 27 dresses...

It's been like AGES since I last went to the movies, in fact, I can't exactly remember when it was!

It would probably have been Rush Hour 3, and that was like, what, in May?!??!

My social life is aging faster than my skin is. *sigh*

AHEM.

OK, 27 dresses. Saw the review on the movie the other day, thought it'd be a nice flick to watch for a change. And it was! And the preview of all the other movies just gave me new movies to look forward to. Coz recently, there hasn't been anything much interesting going on in the movies to make me wanna go watch something.

Like Sex and the City, Fool's Gold, Made of Honour, Mamma Mia, What Happens in Vegas...and the list just goes on. (Can't remember all of them...just too many.)

I just love comedies. Better still...chick-flick themed comedies!

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And just saw the coverage on the Olympic Torch relay in London. I can't believe there're so many things going on this time. As dramatic as it is, I can't help but feel sorry for the people who were trying to make their points lor... I mean the whole Tibet thing is really serious, but is it going to make a difference if people just boycott the Olympics then? But in the first place, will there be people willing to do that?

Why?!??!

2008-04-04T23:15:00.002+01:00

WHY....is it so difficult to get a decent-looking lunchbox around?

And because I'd like to bring a decent meal to work without having to have them all mixed up by lunchtime, a compartmentalised tupperware would be best. (Tupperware's one of my fetish besides my shoes...)

OK, it's not so difficult to find the normal single compartment tupperwares, but there is none of the right size / shape / colour / design for what I want.

In other words, something that I imagined it would be.

Actually it's not that hard to fulfil right? I just want a normal lunch box, like...like...like............the Japanese bento boxes!!! That's right! That's what I was looking for.

Unfortunately, there's nothing much I can find right where I am now, and not even on eBay. So disappointing. *sigh*

And I'm in desperate need to make some decent Asian food. Not just Chinese, but Asian food in general. So tired of having sandwiches or salad for lunch already...

Chicken Pie

2008-03-30T20:13:00.003+01:00

ANYWAY....

Was craving for some kinda pie but felt like making my own...I tried my own hand at chicken pie the first time today!

It was the instant type lar...didn't have the utilities now for my baking and stuff, so had to make do with what I have. (It's a bit expensive to buy them all and there's no place to put it anymore. Even if I do, having the tools for it will just be an excuse for me to bake and cook and indulge sinfully. No amount of gym will help that.)

Doesn't taste too bad! I'd prefer it a bit more spicy (old habit) but this will do on a Sunday!

Couldn't upload the pictures...kept showing an error message.

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And I tried the typing thing on YF's blog, and this is what I got:

87 words

Speedtest

So creepy

2008-03-30T13:44:00.002+01:00

Has anyone ever encountered a situation so real that it actually freaks them out?

I'm sure we all have.

Either one way or another.

I would say I will always have a sense about things that are going to happen, I know it will, and it's just like waiting for it to come true. Which is a very scary feeling. (At this point, I think it doesn't make any sense but does anyone know what I'm talking about?)

It's not always necessary a bad thing that is going on, but still...if you do know what's going to happen and it does...it's just..................frightening, you know?

As well as deja vu. Like a lot of people dreamt of something totally irrelevant which will actually happen days, weeks or even years later, and it happens exactly how they dreamt of it.

*goosebumps*

I know...

2008-03-29T11:46:00.001Z

They're up to something...

But I have no idea what it is...

Fresh burst

2008-03-26T21:43:00.003Z

Of energy...

I didn't get as much sleep as I usually do last night, but then I woke up feeling more awake in a long, long time. (Probably cos I tortured myself in the gym beforehand, and so I slept better since I was more tired than usual.)

People had started to come back from their holidays and the place is getting rowdy again. At least it's not like dead-quiet, and there're more interesting conversations taking place around me. (Instead of the usual stuff about the weather, yada yada yada...)

Don't know what happened but we just stumbled upon this topic today. I was just talking to someone about going out this weekend, and then the rest of the people who were engrossed in a total different conversation suddenly asked me how old I am. Well, I have nothing to hide (yet), so I told them. And it so happened that I'm the youngest there!!!

MUAHAHAHAHA!!!

Dunno why but I had this sudden urge to laugh madly.

*corners of mouth twitching*

I don't mind if I'm the youngest or not, but then it's really rare for me to hang around people my age and STILL be the youngest. Fresh situation for me. A nice change for me to be the "baby" and have no one complain about it. (OK, I do realise that this is not going to last forever, but then...) So I'm determined to make the best of it!

And so, I'm bouncy for the rest of the day.

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Getting tired of thinking of what to have for lunch (and being broke at the same time...I can't wait for payday...), I decided to make something totally different. OK, not exactly different, but something that I haven't tried making before.

Mixed some minced beef with Quorn and eggs and made meatballs. Made some gravy with capsicum as garnishings, and served it with macaroni.

Doesn't look too bad...but there's just something missing in the gravy. You know, that kind of thick, rich gravy full of flavours other than salt and sugar? (I do have limited stuff in my cupboard but I'm slowly building it up again...)

Any ideas anyone?

Stayin' Alive

2008-03-25T23:04:00.002Z

Was just watching this "Hits Songs List" on TV. It wasn't your normal R&B or Ultimate Ballad or Love songs or whatever. Rather, it was called "The Top 20 Cheesy Party Starters".

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-_-"

???!?!?!??!?!!!!!!!????

(That's what exactly went through my mind when I was scrolling through the programmes list in the menu. I cannot believe they actually show something like this on TV.)

Flipped onto the channel...and I saw Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". Definitely cheesy.

Then...

Bee Gees: Stayin' Alive.

OK lar...I mean I (usually) like this song. So what if it's cheesy? Or so 70s? But I've never thought of the idea of watching this song's MTV. In fact, I didn't even know it HAD an MTV.

It was nothing REALLY impressive...but I never expected it to be that hilarious!

Don't believe me? Watch it then:

Damn funny right?!?!

With high-waisted, super-tight, bell-bottoms and OTT hair.

OH oh oH, and the blinding-white-porcelain-bonded-like teeth.

HAHAHHAAHAHAHAA!!!!

Flashback...

2008-03-22T16:44:00.003Z

Well...not in THAT sense lar...

Was just looking at the pictures I took when I went back home and came to the ones that I took of our new house. (Technically it's my parents' new house since I don't exactly live there anymore. *sob*)

Everything was so unfamiliar to me. Even the route back home. Drove on a different road towards a different direction from the past 20 years. (I can't believe that I have actually lived in the same place for 20 years already!!!) Didn't know where everything was, had no idea what we have at home, and had no keys to the house anymore. (This is the worst part, man! I ALWAYS had keys to the house!!!) They've sold one of the cars as well...so that means I always have to make sure that I have a car before I make any plans at night.

There're loads more new places in BP that I've never been to before. The area around Jalan Tan Swee Hoe and Convent used to be just made of up trees and grass. But now it's all full of shops and bustling with life even at night. We've got a BP mall in addition to the Summit, and countless other restaurants that we never had before. (OK...it might still be a far cry from KL but then...I think it's pretty good for BP's standards already.)

People have changed so much. How they look like, what they're doing, and where they're going. And we say this every year, but I'm going to say it again. The crowd we get around Chinese New Year just gets smaller and smaller each year. This year, it's almost non-existent (except for Grace, RueyJiun and me). The same goes for our yumcha sessions.

And I've only been away for 18 months. Come to think of it, it's not that long. But it's not that short either. The only difference is I've never realised changes can come so quickly in one place and you'd never have felt it that much if you were always there.

The same thing goes for me, I don't feel like I've changed a lot, but then I got a lot of weird stares when I was out back home, as if I'm foreign. As in not from BP. At the customs as well, both Singapore and KL. One thought I was a tourist from far away and another wondered if I could speak BM.

*sigh*

Wonder how much BP will change when I go back the next time.

Craze on Wii

2008-03-21T20:11:00.003Z

OK...about the craze on Wii...

There's this Sport Relief thing going on recently and the people at work decided to play their part as well.

Some decided to run the marathon...or come up with quizzes and games...and the most absurd of all...(I still can't believe that it happened) is to have a Wii Olympics.

I've seen people brandishing their arms in thin air and they looked absolutely ridiculous.

On the good side, everyone had a good laugh.

It is funny lar...imagine right, two guys on Wii Boxing and they're actually punching nothing and staring at the screen. Or they're just running across the room as if they're really playing tennis. Or pretend that they're sprinting the 100m in (Cartoon) Olympics.

And you know right...all these games can get addictive (I know coz I've got the experience) so I wouldn't start it in the first place unless I plan to get a Wii myself in the end.

But then again, it wouldn't be fun if there isn't a bunch of people there as well. (So boring to play by yourself, right?)

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See that?

Was just on FB and came across this application. But I never expected something like that lor.
(Most of the time all these stuff are a load of bullsh*t. Don't even come near.)

Ignore the "Description" part. Makes no sense whatsoever. But as for the rest...hmm...I like it. HAHA!

A weekend of nothing...

2008-03-16T22:14:00.004Z

Nothing much, I would say. (But this doesn't mean that I just sat on a spot and did absolutely nothing for the whole weekend.)

On the contrary, I did go to Bridgend for a while. (When everyone's busy with the Rugby Grand Slam, I was going in the opposite direction coz I have no interest in rugby whatsoever.)

Bridgend reminded me of Sunderland, and I could only compare Cardiff to Newcastle. So people who have been staying in Newcastle and then been to Sunderland for a day trip or something like that, then you would know what I'm talking about.

It's just a nice quiet town that's somewhere in between Cardiff and Swansea, and loads of people from work actually travel from Bridgend to work daily. (Plus it's only a 20 minute ride on the train so it's not that long. It would have been longer to drive though...distance and traffic conditions make it so.)

Had a nice quiet night at home, didn't get much to anything except some chit-chatting. (Besides...who knows what the town would be like at night coz it's very much dependent on how the results of the rugby went: Wales or France)

But after some talking and thinking (Yes, I DO think!), I think:

When guys gossip, they're worse than girls.
Girls are (usually, but not necessarily) more aggressive in office politics than guys.
Some things never change. Never have, never will.

An abrupt change of topic back to my trip:

My latte over lunch in Wetherspoons. Most of the shops weren't open. Either they're too hungover after all the celebrations or they're just too depressed over the loss. (I don't know why but that's what I'm guessing.)

Had mixed grill for lunch...but forgot all about my camera by the time the food arrived (I was starving), so no pics then, unfortunately.

So had a nice weekend generally. Wasn't really busy but wasn't totally unproductive either. Would wanna go down to Bridgend again. I haven't got the chance to go to the designer outlet, which I heard was quite good. Must go, must go!

P/S: Wales won the 6 Nations Rugby. So they must be hungover then. :P

No pain, no gain

2008-03-14T20:33:00.002Z

My legs are wobbly right now (I practically had to cling onto the railing while coming down the stairs in the gym so that I won't roll all the way down)...and I can hardly type properly because my hands are shaking so much so that it's affecting how nimble my fingers are.

And I never thought that I'd see personal trainers from hell.

(OK, he's not as THAT bad...but he's definitely bad enough...but he makes it up with his looks so it's I guess it counters the cons out. OH MY GOD, I'm so vain!)

I was made to do 4kg weights on each hand...for 80 reps!!! I've never done that!!! (And I still can't believe that I actually did that.) Plus another 45 reps with 6kg weights and 1km on the rowing machine...and 1 mile on the bike.

I'm not kidding...it is DEFINITELY NOT easy.

(If anyone doesn't believe me, then go ahead and join a gym and TRY it yourself. Provided you don't usually do weights.)

Although I admit I said that I don't want bingo arms...but I don't want Popeye's either!!! (That would be so unattractive...especially on me when I'm already vertically AND horizontally challenged.)

I complain, he continues as if I said it's too easy for me. (But he is definitely a great distraction. Hey, but what's pain without a little gain then?)

Is my language THAT horrible?

2008-03-12T19:11:00.004Z

Work has been shitty today...really shitty.

Not only did my dilution not go right, but my results didn't go exactly right either when my dilution was right. Spent the whole day doing loads of things without them going right.

Meaning? I have to do this all over again tomorrow. (And with limited stuff to work with plus being on procedure = big problem)

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Back to my language.

Someone at work commented that my language is bad. Not in the sense that I have a problem with my vocabulary, grammar or self-expression. It's just...not the kind of way a "lady" would be talking in.

But let's face it. Who talks like that anymore? Hardly, I think. Plus I'm so expressive, I usually need more than just good vocabulary to emphasize or prove my point.

Besides...I think words like crap, damn, shit, bloody, hell is not the worst one can get. You normally hear it in day-to-day conversation nowadays. And what's so horrible about that?

Plus, nobody else minds and I don't think it's a problem. Especially when you're talking about issues that concern you, and ONLY you. It's different if you use words like that to (openly) insult people with ill intentions, but that also depends on who's your subject and audience, isn't it?

SO?

The consequences of a kick-ass workout

2008-03-09T13:04:00.003Z

...especially if you've not been working out for ages...

Is that you feel like your limbs are going to fall off anytime after that.

Wahlau...I can hardly walk up and down the stairs ok...never had it that bad since...since God knows when.

And I thought Pilates the other day was quite bad. I thought wrong...very wrong...

Need to get some water downstairs. *ouch*

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On a totally different note, I've been following the results of the election throughout yesterday.

It seems like BN's lost 5 states...something I've never heard of in the electoral history of Malaysia. How bad is it, huh?

I wonder what will happen now?

Raindrops...

2008-03-08T15:51:00.002Z

...are falling against my window. (I'm not barking mad to be standing in the rain, you know...)

But today's weather is just as bad as it usually is, so I'm not going into town to do my shopping.

Instead, I went to the gym and got a complimentary personal training session.

I got my ass kicked man!!! (In a good way, of course.)

The thing about personal trainers is that they push you to go where you would have given up usually. And that's what mine did today.

"Great! You can do it! Halfway there! Don't give up! Doing absolutely great! Almost there! Well done!"

They constantly shout out motivational phrases at you so that you take it in subconsciously and push yourself to the end. (Which is rather useful on me, I think. Yeah yeah...I'm easy to satisfy.)

So, I worked more today than any of the past days this week when I went to the gym. But this does NOT mean that I did NOTHING when I went on my own. What I meant is that I worked out more intensively than I thought I had did.

All those kick-boxing and punches...WOO!!! (It's definitely more interesting than just running on the treadmill pointlessly.)

*In a sing-song manner* I wanna go again! I wanna do it again!

New Year's Resolution?

2008-03-03T21:41:00.002Z

Definitely not...since it's March already.

I'm now plopped on my bed typing this entry after a short workout at the gym:

Yes, people...I've joined the gym.

Previously, there has always been something that somehow or rather kept me away. Now, I don't really have a good reason not to anymore.

I'm working now so I can afford to pay for it myself. Not dad.
I live, like, just 100 steps away from Fitness First. How far can it be?
Besides walking to work and around the lab, I haven't been doing anything else (besides retail therapy). Need some exercise before all my joints get rusty early.
They're open until 10pm, which is more than enough for me to work late, come back, bathe, eat and then pop in.

So...difficult to say no right?

And so to say, I'm not the only one at work who goes to the gym, almost 60% of the people do! (OK, probably that's because most of them are guys and they do some kind of sport or another...but that's besides the point.) The point is, going to the gym here is like, so normal?

Back home, whenever we talk about going to the gym, people usually picture a small room with lots of heavy weights and sweaty guys. Which is almost true coz small town gyms doesn't seem to be that popular among women.

I won't say that it's dominated by female over here, but then there is definitely an approximately equal ratio of men and women who come to the gym according to my observations today. OK, so the free weights section are STILL male dominated, and they're always trying to impress their mates or whoever that's watching by going with the super heavy weights. Other than that, everything else seems fine.

Oh, oh, OH! And there's this steam room and sauna and, that super chic locker! They're sensor operated, so it's locked by a mere scan of your card! And there's the tanning beds as well (though I'm not particularly interested in that...I just got tanned from my trip back home...and I take forever to untan anyway.)

And the classes, they have Pilates...which I've been wanting to try for a while now, and not to say some kick-ass Boxercise!

Erm...I think I'm starting to sound like I'm advertising for them already. Probably time to stop.

Chinese New Year: Year of the Rat

2008-02-27T21:14:00.006Z

It's almost a month now since CNY, and I've been back in UK for 2 weeks already. Life here's pretty much like normal, i.e. back to work and the unpredictable weather. But so far, the weather in Cardiff seems fair. Loads of sunshine during the day (and it's getting longer each day) and it only rains at night.

Anyway........

I'm just going to post the pictures I took when I went home, but there was a lot, so I'm just going to select a few and put it up. (Too lazy to upload and arrange.)

Little Jarvis...

Reunion dinner...

Karaoke at Redbox on Lunar Day 1...

Erm...my brother trying to do an impersonation...

Kenny!!!

There're loads more but I'm done for today.

***********************

Oh yeah, on my flight back, there was this old man who tried to get off the plane while we were 30 000 feet in the air. Made quite a big fuss and complained about random things, refusing to sit down even when we're about to land. Had to be 'man-handled' into a seat and sedated before he could be taken off the plane.

My life's full of drama (though not necessarily mine), isn't it?

Talk about living in civilization

2008-02-26T23:09:00.002Z

When I haven't had internet access at home for the past 2 months. Amazing, isn't it? I didn't know how I survived. (Although I did use it in the office after work.)

It's really stupid because we've waited ages for the line to be installed and the hub to be delivered, but the ISP's really rubbish when they've got things wrong over and over again. Hence, the delayssSSsSSsSSSsssss....................

And now that the line's put in and the hub delivered, guess what? The brand-new hub decides to be faulty. And there's nothing we can do to save it, except to wait for a new one to be delivered...which would take at least a week, if not more (in my experience).

But nevermind, since we've got really nice neighbours (managed by the same agent) who're willing to share with us the connection until we've got our own set up. :)

And it couldn't have come at a better time coz I've had a lousy day at work. Loads of stuff going on but not all of them are going right. *sigh*

Need to get to bed now. Long day tomorrow.

Jet-lagged

2008-02-03T23:34:00.000Z

Just touched down a couple of hours ago. Long trip...loads of delays...but generally got home safe and sound.

I'm so tired right now...but I can't sleep. Why? Because I conveniently forgot that taking teh ais at the mamak stalls at 3am in the morning does not help u get to sleep. In fact, it works the other way round. But since I would have to get a lot of stuff done today, it might not be so bad after all. (Probably I will just wear myself out even more so that I'll be really able to get some real sleep tonight.)

******************
On another note, I've got loads of things to blog about for the past few weeks. But then, the lack of internet access has drained my enthusiasm for those topics and I simply can't remember what they were anymore. Thus, my blog is kind of dead right now. (It's always like that, isn't it?) Plus, I'm in no condition to use my brain even for mundane stuff like making coffee (because I have no idea where everything is in my parent's new house) and I had to open all the cabinets just to find the cups hanging on the stand right beside the sink.

OK, really really promise to update real soon. When my brain starts working again...in a few days.

Week 2 of 2008

2008-01-11T19:43:00.001Z

This has been one of my busiest weeks so far...but why is it that I feel like I haven't got a lot done?

It's not like I haven't been able to do much really, but I just don't feel like I've done A LOT.

I think I'm a workaholic. Or that I just don't like to hang around and do nothing.

But I'm glad that I'm actually doing something productive though. It makes me feel...........

Efficient!!!

That's one of the best things I've heard all week! HAHA!

Now, I'm convinced I'm a workaholic. :)

*************************
On something totally unrelated, I'm going to move to my new place tomorrow. I'm so damn "pok kai" now lar...I have moving cos it always burns a big hole in my pocket. And it's hardly the middle of the month yet.

But on a brighter note, the new place seems quite alright. So I'm quite looking forward to having my own place nearer to work. (Meaning I can walk to work, and save me from bugging people to give me rides and all. Even if they don't mind, I can't really rely on people to do that all the time right?)

So...time to pack. I came with 2 suitcases, but my stuff can't fit into them anymore. *sigh*

Deep...

2008-01-07T21:37:00.000Z

Real deep.

What is?

My own grave.

And I dug it myself.

The only thing left is probably the epitaph...

Great news for me!!!

2008-01-06T14:12:00.000Z

Yes, at least for me now...

After a daunting first week back at work (with things going wrong left, right and centre...), I got one of the greatest news I'd never thought I'd hear from one of my colleagues.

There's a Malaysian restaurant in Cardiff!!!

YooHoo!!!!!

Of course, I tracked down the place yesterday and sped right in to order myself some decent Malaysian food right when I checked out the menu outside. (Just to make sure that they really DO sell Malaysian food. And damn right they do!!!)

Woohoo!!!

Not too bad, and the price range is OK as well. Though I have to say the one in London is still better than this one, but beggars can't be choosers right?

Starter: Pergedel...

It does taste like what it is back home. (*Tears streaming*)

Main course: Laksa

This is exactly what I've been craving for for ages! WOO!!! And I can ask them to make it spicier. HAHAHA!!!!

And with "Balik Kampung" music playing in the background (I kid you not...) it almost felt like home...and it reminds me that I'll be back home in about 3 weeks!!!

Yeah yeah yeah!!!

*****************************
After lunch, I met up with Wioletta and Jack, and they brought me around Cardiff, in search of Oriental food and shops.

Finally, this ~~store~~ warehouse on the outskirts sells EVERYTHING you can imagine. It's even better than all the Oriental stores in Newcastle's Chinatown put together! (So it's OK for now for Cardiff not to have a Chinatown. Hehe...)

Oh, they're so nice, and when I move next week, we'll be living in almost the same area and considered "neighbours" then!

Fab Saturday, I tell you. FAB!!!

And I just want to say...

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!

Bonjour! Au Revoir!

2007-12-30T16:47:00.000Z

Yes, I'm back from Marseille, but I've been putting off updating my blog with pictures if my fabulous trip. (Procrastination...)

Anyway...here it is!

One thing I have to say about Marseille is: The weather is much much much better than what we're having right now in the UK. Oh, I know it's not news, but then again, how can anyone complain about good weather? Lots of sun, sea and fantastic view of the Mediterranean sea.

First, let's start with the city itself.

The old port of Marseille.

La Canebière.

On top of La Garde.

View of Marseille.

View of the Mediterranean sea from la Garde.

Notre-Dame de la Garde by night.

Next, comes Cassis. OOohhh, this is my favourite. I just love love love love LOVE the view there! A bit scary when you look down the edge of the calanque though, but I can overlook that! Hehe...

(Forgot the name of the cliff. Emily did tell me, not once, not twice, but THRICE, and I still can't remember it.)

View of Cassis (from the same cliff).

I took loads of pictures still from this place but then I'd already put them on FB and so I would spare everyone from my cam-whoring.

Next, let's take a look at this...

Does anyone recognise what this is and where have you seen it?

Another hint:

Got it?

Yeap, yeap...it is.

The cafe featured in Love Actually (where Colin Firth proposed to the girl)!!!

I know, I know...I can't believe that I was there as well! It's a very very old cafe (according to Emily), and everything is so...so...so..........................err.......vintage. From the tables and chairs to the tiled floors and bar.

And thanks to my gracious hosts...I had a wonderful time!

Emily's parents...

The grandparents...

Her brother, Vincent...

And here's one with Emily, Nathalie (her sister), and me!

Thank you so much! They really are an interesting family. (Trust me when I say they are...) Oh, more about Christmas with them in another post!

Last but not least...other friends that I met!

Dounia and Sophie (and of course, Emily.)

James and Angelique (I'm sorry if I got the spelling wrong!!!)

Nic, Roma, (and Emily), Pip, Sophie, Dounia, Nathalie. (Oh yes, we went clubbing! HAHA...)

But then again, one week just flew by and it was time to go home. (So sad. *sobs*)

So on the last morning, we took one last trip to the beach and had some breakfast in the sun (and outdoors too!!!) before leaving for the airport.

I definitely miss Marseille...but who knows, I might go back next time! :)

Just shoot me

2007-12-22T22:16:00.000Z

I'm serious.

But I'm still alive.

Unfathomable

2007-12-16T16:05:00.000Z

I just can't understand nor stand people that just don't get back to you when you tried calling them a MILLION times already. And I'm not even trying to sell anything!!!

No, instead I'm trying to BUY something. Well, buy services anyway.

I've been trying to get this estate agent guy for the past two days following my viewing but he just won't pick up the phone!!! Nevermind that it's a weekend, it says so on their website:

"We're open EVERYDAY from 9am to 8.30pm!"

*snort*

Yeah, right.

So what? They're too busy to even pick up the bloody phone is it?!?!??!

Even when I tried calling to arrange a viewing...it took them a whole week to get someone to get back to me...then another week for the appointment...

I'm not trying to see a doctor...I'm trying to get one of their rooms!!!!!!!!!!
(Even if I need to see a doctor, with this speed, I might have been dead already)

By right, anyone would expect them to be biting my hands off. But NOOOOOOOOO...I can't even get someone RELEVANT to pick up my calls.

I am so the broke

2007-12-15T21:38:00.000Z

I know this is nothing new lar...but then I still wanna whine about it. And I'm going to say it again.

I am so the broke!!!

This is the time of the month and year where almost everyone is broke. Come end of the month, everyone's running low on their pay and can't wait till the next payday. Plus, it's Christmas and there're presents to get too.

The same situation goes for me...but this year it's different. I have to scrape enough through to try and pay the deposit and all for a new place and a Christmas party to attend at work as well. The dress is there, but I still need to get other stuff to go with it, like shoes, makeup, accessories, and other minor details that I shall spare you all from. I don't mind this party at all though, since we're getting free food and drinks for it. (Though drinks are a little bit limited cos last year people got so pissed when it was free flow.)

I can't wait till payday next week...

***************************

I was off last Monday, having a nice long weekend...only to return to work to attend an urgent meeting on Tuesday morning.

Apparently, our company has just been bought over a few hours earlier by another US based company. Right....

First thought: What, are they going to downsize the company?

Second thought: Or not, are we all going to get a pay rise? (No harm dreaming of it...)

Third thought: Do I get to do attachments abroad then?

Yeah yeah...I'm in a world of my own.

But then people can't help worrying about this major transition in power in the highest management level. Though our COO reassured us that it's not going to affect any of our operations, that things are going to go on as normal, but you never know. It IS under a new management now.

On a lower level, I was surprisingly pleased when my boss decided to let me do my own conjugation on Friday. And instead of following the standard operating procedure, I was asked to start everything from scratch. Well...not really...it's just for everyone to 'pretend' that this is something new, and I had no prior knowledge of it. So...without anyone constantly there to probe me on what to do next, I was on my own. Good news: I'm giving myself a chance to test myself to see how well I'll do. Bad news: There were quite a few hiccups here and there. (And both my bosses knew about it...shite)

Though everyone reassured me that it was ok, I can't help but feel frustrated cos I know that I should and could have done it better...

Anyway, my boss decided to pull me out of the conjugation team in January (NO, not because I was doing badly) to get me to work with her for a month on another task. This is because, I'm, I quote "driven, motivated, energetic, enthusiastic and willing to try new stuff". (Yes, I am.)

Not too bad...hehe...

Back to the 'Rock'

2007-12-06T19:51:00.000Z

Yo yo yo!!!

In case anybody's wondering, the 'Rock' is Batu Pahat.

And yes...if u got this far, then you most probably would know what I mean.

*ahem*

*Imagine loud ringing speaker mode*

Ladies aaaaaaaaaannnnnndd Gentlemen...

Please take note...

Yours truly...

Your one and only...

Ms Goh Yi Lin...

Will be back in BP in February 2008...

*clap clap clap*

I am SOoooooooOOoOo going back for Chinese New Year!!!!!

Muahahahaha.....

Everything's done. Flights booked, paid for, seats reserved and details confirmed. Contacted family, arranged pick-up, itenary scheduled and leave approved. Yippee!!!

I can't believe my boss was actually supportive of me taking 2 weeks off so soon after starting. I was already surprised that they actually asked me to clear my 2.5 days leave for this year before Christmas closedown. But it doesn't beat this. I'm so so so so so so so so excited.

This means, after Christmas, when everyone's still having post-Christmas blues...I'll have something to look forward to after Christmas in Marseille. Come Chinese New Year, I'll be home celebrating it!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

I sound ridiculous but I just can't help it.

**************

Oh yeah, I completed my first supervised conjugation. I think I might be doing something on my own pretty soon.

It's 3 weeks and counting...

2007-12-03T22:27:00.000Z

To Christmas that is...

I haven't really felt the Christmas spirit ever since I got here, don't know why. Probably didn't know about the hoo-ha going on, so wasn't really psyched up. (In fact I was only psyched up about my 10 days off and probably the party before that.)

Now now...when Becky & Becky decided to put up and decorate the Christmas tree today, the atmosphere at work somehow changed. Christmas songs were even played in the main lab for a good first part of the day.

They're just putting the trees up.

Tadaa~! Bright and decorated!

Soon there'll be presents underneath the tree as well, I think. Coz there's this Secret Santa that's going on. And the people taking part will have to draw out a person's name and buy him/her a present. So everyone will get a present! YAY!

And Darren got lots of us into the Christmas quiz as well. Usually I'm not into quizzes but it's different this time. The winners get cash prizes. CASH!!! Like Darren said, my eyes practically lit up when I heard that. (Who in their right minds wouldn't?)

So not bad then, I keep myself occupied with the quiz in the meantime, and if everything goes well, I might just win something. If not, I'll just have a very nice holiday in Marseille then. It's a win-win situation for me anyway. HAHA!

******************

Oh yeah, last Saturday's weather over at Cardiff was mad. MAD, I tell you!

It was a bright and sunny morning...I opened my eyes, and was juuuuust about to get up...when it rained cats and dogs.

SO. I plopped back down onto my bed and carried up sleeping until 11.

Then I washed up and got ready to go out. (Supposed to meet Rushmi for shopping.) Bloody hell, this time it's even worse than raining cats and dogs.

There was practically a hailstorm when I stepped right out the door!!!

This was taken only after the hails started to thaw.

If I had been 2 minutes earlier, I might be in the hospital now with a concussion.

But the weather forecast said that the weather on Sunday would be even worse (which was right) so we went ahead with our plans anyway.

My God, I was practically frozen by the time I got there.

No mood to shop anymore. So went looking for food.

Stumbled into this cosy little restaurant called La Boheme, which sells Italian Food (Surprise!!!), but currently has only the Christmas menu for us to choose from. :( But then again, the food was quite good, so I'm still happy with it. Hehehe...

Need to go to bed now. Getting sleepy...

And btw, I FINALLY started my first Supervised Conjugation today.

I'm getting there!!!

I am so the broke

2007-11-29T20:59:00.001Z

I know this is nothing new lar...but then again I can't help complaining. It's been hardly a month since I got paid but then everything's gone by now.

And it's this time of the year that I need more cash than ever.

It's Christmas...and you need to get presents.
The Christmas party for BBI...need to spend some on dressing up.
I'm looking for my own place...and I need to pay for the deposit and stuff.
And it's my brother's 21st birthday...and he treats me like a gold mine (should have set a limit in the first place...damn...)

I can't bloody wait to get PAID!

***************

I just took last Monday off. Only to return to attend an urgent meeting to address the employees.

Our company just got bought over...by another major company based in the US.

First thought: What, are they going to downsize?

Second thought: If not, am I going to get paid more?

Third thought: Can I get attachments overseas?

And nobody really knows what's going to happen. Though our COO told us that basically nothing will change for our operations but people are still going to be worried anyway. *sigh*

On a different note, my training route has taken a change. My boss decided to let me do my own conjugations before Christmas and that's exactly what I did yesterday.

Instead of following the standard operating procedure, I was presented with a challenge: to start everything from scratch. Meaning, I will write everything up on my own and decide what to do based on what I've been trained on.

Oh, most things went well, except for a few hiccups here and there. (And both my bosses knew about it...shite...) Though they reassured me it's ok, but still...I'm not satisfied with my performance. I should and could have done better.

But by the time in January, I will be pulled off the conjugation team temporarily to work with my boss for a month on another task. (Cos I was told that they need a team dedicated to it and I'm picked coz I'm driven, motivated, enthusiastic, and willing to try everything. Yes, I am.)

*bobbing on the ceiling*

Can't help it...hehe...

It's just...

2007-11-29T20:59:00.000Z

That something is not right.

Apparently there're no phone lines in our new house at the moment so my dad's relying on his PDA to go online. (Seriously??!?) No wonder I noticed it's much quieter recently. HAHA! But this is not the thing I'm talking about.

OK, my uncle forwarded some pictures of the new house and I've seen the complete ID of the house for the first time. The layout is just like what I've seen in the drafts, but then, something is just not right.

I first saw the pictures at work, so I couldn't really sit down and look at it. But now that I'm at home, I've sat down and taken a good look at the pictures.

It's the curtains.

I don't know about others but...brown and beige horizontally striped curtains together with those furniture? It's just not my taste.

If my dad hears this he would definitely remind me that it's HIS house anyway, and he can do whatever he wants with it, as long as he is happy.

This is just a post to fill up some time and cyberspace.

2007-11-28T17:16:00.000Z

Yes, indeed.

I'm supposed to be off work 20 minutes ago and here I am, blogging from work. I think I'm not supposed to do that at work but then again, I AM off work officially. I'm just still in the office. Hmm...I wonder if Facebook works here?!?

Talking about Facebook, this is the trend that I noticed. If I don't get on it then it's fine. But once I log on, I just couldn't get off. It's just like I'm stuck like a magnet to the screen and there's always something for me to do. And it's not just me, I've heard this quite a few times already.

"I'm so addicted to Facebook, like, I can't stop once I start..." or something like that.
(Yes, I said the same thing too.)

Anyway...going off to browse Facebook. It works!!!

Like I said, this is just to fill up some time and space. HAHA!

Marseille, Here I Come!!!

2007-11-27T20:57:00.000Z

YAHOOOO~~~~

No, I'm not advertising for Yahoo. (Though I wouldn't mind if they would pay me for it??! *hopeful*)

Anyway, I'm cheering because I'll be going over to Marseille for Christmas! Emily invited me long ago but I just couldn't make up my mind whether or not I could go around that time or not.

At that time, I didn't know when I would have a job, where I might relocate to. Then when I had a job I didn't know whether or not I would have time to take off work, and then I wasn't sure if I would be going home or not.

I have a job now.

It's in Cardiff.

And I have 2.5 days leave this year, but I don't think I'd take them.

The good news is, the company closes down on the 21st this year...all the way to the 2nd January 2008.

Bad news is...tickets back home around this time cost about 1K (in GBP...) when it's usually less than half the price.

But then again, I wasn't exactly planning to go home for Christmas anyway since it'd be more fun to stay here. (There isn't exactly the Christmas spirit back home so there's no point.)

And Emily invited me over for Christmas *cheers* so the timing couldn't have been more perfect!!!

But before that, there's this highlight event of the year in BBI: the annual Christmas party, which pretty much wraps up our year.

I can see everyone (especially girls) at work is SOOOOooOOoOoo thrilled about it. (Though I didn't feel it on my first week...it's starting to get to me now...HAhaHA!!!)

Gemma and Lesley-Anne were talking about which outfits they might be wearing, both Becky-s went shopping for dresses right after work when Debenhams had a special sale, and the guys are generally looking forward to have a few (or more) drinks before and after the presentation and dinner. Suzanne has already got her dress ready together with matching shoes and clutch. I'm going to wear my LBD again since nobody has seen it before over here. (Luckily I can still fit into them. *whew*)

I was just talking to Emily today, and she said to just leave all the planning to her. So I'd be on another stress-free holiday since Emily will be playing host! (When I was doing the planning for our Europe trip, I swear my parents could have driven me nuts...) So thrilled...so thrilled!

*James Brown music comes on*

Whoa!!!
I feel good...
Na na na na na na na...
I knew that I would, now....
I feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel good...
I knew that I would, now...
So good...so good...I got YOU!!!

(I feel like I'm going a bit bonkers now due to the excitement.)

1 week gone

2007-11-25T00:07:00.000Z

My first week at work just went by like that. Well, not just like a snap of a finger but longer than that. Not very fast but fast enough though. (I know I'm contradicting myself but it's just how I feel.)

And to be honest, the hardest part that I couldn't used get to...is still...getting up early. Which was why I was so excited on Friday night. Not only because I get the weekends to do my stuff but also staying up late and sleeping in the following morning (OR afternoon...depending on what time I manage to drag my ass out of bed.)

Work has been good so far. I'm still in training so there's nothing much for me to handle on my own. But then again, my mentor has been really nice and I got to do some testing on my own once I've been passed on the basic elementary skills.

Though being at work is almost totally different from being in Uni's lab, it's still similar in the sense that everyday is like (Friday) project day to me. I spend most of my day in the lab but instead of sitting around and do nothing while I wait for my experiments, we do get a lot of stuff to do. So far I've had a stack of information and paperwork waiting for me to go through but I've only done less than half of them.

Anyway... *ahem*

The train ride down to Cardiff last Sunday was bad...very bad.

Did you know that I had to stand for 3 whole hours when I was travelling from Birmingham to Cardiff??!?!?

It's bloody tiring, OK!!!

Originally my seat reservation was for an earlier train but then I got on a later one so there's not exactly a seat for me. And after 7 hours straight of travelling, I couldn't be bothered anymore, so I plopped onto my luggage for the last leg of my journey.

I finally got to Cardiff at around 8 at night and dragged my luggages and myself to Suzanne's in a taxi. Thank god it's a nice place and I had a decent night's sleep before starting work the next day.

OKOK...pictures of my room now!!

And now I realised that I haven't got a single picture of my place in Heaton. Hmm...

OK then, will blog more tomorrow if I'm up for it. Off to watch some TV before bed.

Packing

2007-11-13T22:35:00.000Z

That's what I'm supposed to be doing now. But I'm doing another sort of packing instead. Going through and packing my shopping for the past few days.

I vaguely remember that I didn't actually buy that much, but the monstrosity of the situation on my bedroom floor now is unbelievable. Littered not only with paper and plastic bags, but also with boxes and receipts as well. If only my parents saw this, I swear to God they're going to disown me for a few good reasons.

*sigh*

I've just been putting off the need to buy stuff that I should have bought long ago until now. (Yeah, I should have just bought them when my parents were here.) Now I'm just a rich little poor girl. Rich with stuff from shopping but poor in terms of bank balance.

Thrilled as I am from this shopping spree, the one thing that keeps me occupied now is my spankin' new phone!

There, the W910!!! But mine's in black.

This is kinda different from my old phone (of course it's different, that's the point!) so I have been meddling with it since I got it yesterday evening.

And just because I got a new phone, Victor and Emily insisted that I'm a B.I.T.C.H. for the whole of yesterday.

Yes, I am a B.I.T.C.H. and I'm lovin' it!!!

So what? Muahahaha!

I love my phone...

It's so ironic...

2007-11-12T19:06:00.000Z

That's because I handed in my resignation today. (No, of course it's not to my new job!!! It's the one in NUFC.)

I brought in my uniform and resignation letter together, so that they would refund my deposit for the interview faster. (Yes, they take a deposit for the uniform though it's just T-shirt and a sweater. Probably there are people who take the uniform but never turn up for work just because they love the uniform so much but are not interested in working for them.)

Anyway...it's ironic because I also went shopping today. See the irony already? No? Well, because I just resigned from one job but then I'm still shopping!

But but but!!! I didn't shop just because I wanted to. It's because I needed to shop as well. (I am sticking to this story no matter what anyone says.)

I'm due to start work very soon but when I opened up my wardrobe, I gasped in horror because I have almost nothing suitable to wear to work. And no shoes!!! Except that very set I bought specially just for interviews, but you can't expect me to wear that everyday for the next month, right?

So...my shopping...

It seems like a lot, but actually they just gave it to me in separate bags...it's not that much really. Not at all...no no...

Oh and another thing. I finally realised this. Dorothy Perkins is my new Giordano in UK. Why Giordano? Because when I was back home I always shopped in Giordano. The size, the fit, the cutting, the style...I can only say that it's made for me. (It's also because all other brands don't seem to fit me very well.) So I've finally found a place to prepare my wardrobe for the working life AND to shop at the same time!!! WOO HOO!!!

Need to go out now. Somebody's making cheesecake and toad in a hole. Muahahaha! Fuss free dinner for me. :P

Btw...I got a new phone today as well. More about that next time. :)

It is OFFICIAL!

2007-11-09T23:20:00.000Z

OKOK...I know this is not exactly news now. But I've just got my confirmation letter (so you can't exactly blame me right...hehe)

YES PEOPLE, I AM NOW OFFICIALLY HIRED!!!

I now have a full time job, regular pay (though not fantastic but it's definitely a start and a big step for me to being self-sufficient) and finally a chance to put what I've learnt to good use.

And like how Uncle puts it...I'm now a taxpayer as well. This is something everyone will have to go through (with the exception of people within a certain 'category' of jobs for e.g. Ah Longs and underground bookies) so I don't really have a problem with it. (The problem probably only comes at the end of the month if I don't budget properly.)

Now, I feel like such a grown-up! HEHE.

I mean, I know about basic taxes and all and have handled some of the documents before but that was in Malaysia. And only my dad would have to worry about that, not the rest of us though. PLUS...my dad's pretty secretive about his taxes and all so it's usually taken care off privately (like it's gonna make a difference to me...except the rare occasions where we would use it to ask for extra pocket money or a fabulous treat). So now, I'm going to have to do my own taxes and pay my own bills.

*gasp*

I definitely feel like an adult now. And good in a way too.

Please please pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaase let everything go smoothly. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAASSSEEEEEEE...

****************************

This has nothing to do with what I was saying above, but I'm going to say it anyway.

iPhone is officially available in UK stores today, beginning 6pm. On my way home from the train station I passed by Carphone Warehouse and saw a table lined with about 8 iPhones (temptation). Without realising it my legs were just leading me into the store and before I know it, I was already talking to the people in store, trying to find out what deal can I get.

You know, you know. It's definitely a chic phone, THE phone to have. The design is sleek, the screen is fabulously large and clear, and the functions are more similar to PDAs rather than phones...and it's selling at 269 pounds. WOW...

But we're not done yet. The phone is definitely locked to O2 for the next 5 years. And you can't unlock it unless you are willing to void the warranty with Apple for doing that.

OKAAAAY...

I'm still undecided though, there're a few models that I'm looking at and they've much better deals for them. We'll see, we'll see...

Update for today

2007-11-08T18:15:00.000Z

Finally...I've got a place to stay. All thanks to my superiors and their help.

WOOHOO!!!

Though it's not permanent, but at least I could stay there until I find a place that I really wanna live in the long term: budget, location and condition-wise.

Shitholes

2007-11-08T11:11:00.000Z

This kinda summarizes most of the houses I’ve seen yesterday. I said MOST and not ALL because at least, at the end of the day I’ve seen a total of TWO decent places out of the countless dumpsters that I’ve been to.

Seriously, I’m really disappointed with what I’ve seen coz I never thought the state of the houses would be LIKE THAT. OK, I’ve seen my fair share of dumps as well, and in fact, some of them are worse than a few of them put together, but still, I expected so much more…

I am disappointed, demotivated and hungry right now.

Why demotivated? Well, let’s see. Imagine this, you see one dump after another, and they’re supposed to be in the choices where you have to call “Home” for the next 6 months (at least), for the WHOLE bloody day!!! I don’t know about anybody else but it’s definitely enough for me to assume that there aren’t many decent choices that I can pick from.

Luckily, at the end of the day I finally saw something close to what I had hope for. And they’re both near to where I’m going to work though they’re miles away from the city. For that, I’d sacrifice the distance (and horror!!!) in exchange for a comfortable house.

And it seems, the further away I walked from the city, the conditions of the houses improved tremendously. Or probably it’s just that I don’t know where to look, that’s all. But it’s undeniable that the nearer you are to the city centre, you see more ancient houses rather than new ones. The new developments are all located at the outskirts, and since I don’t have a car, I’d need to stay somewhere easily accessible with public transport.

I need to get this done ASAP. I am really really really desperate for a decent house right now.

Busy, busy, busy

2007-11-07T20:49:00.001Z

I have so many things to blog about but I just simply couldn't find time to do it! And I'm absolutely exhausted today so I'm not going to go into this topic now. I need to talk about something positive, POSITIVE!

OK, I'm in Cardiff right now and since I know nobody here, I'd have to stay in those budget-hotel-turned-hostel kind of accommodation. I tried looking for a backpackers place to stay, but it's really difficult since I'm travelling alone.

Right...I'm down in Cardiff for 2 nights and tonight's my first. Very tiring journey here (and this is still by train) but the people here at NosDa were really nice and friendly. I didn't get a change to linger around after checking in, and it was only about 1 hour ago when I really had a good look at this place.

The room is not too big, but big enough for me alone. (But it's DEFINITELY bigger than my current room) And the condition is not too bad, considering that it's a hostel. En-suite bathrooms and toilet and it's clean (I'm very particular about this part). Now, after a long day, I just want to sit down and have a decent meal and a cuppa to wind down. And it's really nice to sit and have dinner at the patio right next to the river, enjoying the view and the calm silence right next to the city.

There's everything here that you would find in a hotel or a hall of residence, and the best part is, it doesn't have curfew even if it's a hostel. The price of a hostel for the facilities you get at a hotel. The only thing they don't provide: Soap and toiletries...except toilet paper. Oops...

Oh, and there's the communal areas as well. It's really cool...they have a pool table, computers for internet access or free WiFi, a TV room and a lounge for residents to have free coffee and chill in. But it's the weekday and there's not many people around. Just as well then...at least the place won't be too noisy.

Would put up pictures if I take them. Too lazy to budge from my seat now to go get my camera and take pictures. Probably tomorrow night then.

BST

2007-10-28T21:43:00.000Z

We moved our clocks back by 1 hour today, back to the Greenwich Mean Time, and thus, so ends the British Summer time.

Meaning, we have 25 hours today, another whole extra 60 minutes.
It also means another hour of sleep for me.
A day where the sun rises and sets about 1 hour earlier.
And the time difference between UK and Malaysia changes to 8 hours.

OK, I know this is a yearly thing which has been going on for ages but it's just the second time for me. By now, I can fully establish that I am a person controlled by sunlight. (No, it doesn't mean that I photosynthesize or anything like that... Or do I??!!? HAHA...)

Anyway, I used to think that it's just an issue of me messing up my sleeping patterns. But after a year of observation, I can conclude my hypothesis: My waking hours are strictly affected by the rising and setting of the sun.

Which explains why when I was back home, I could hardly get up too late (relatively) in the morning most of the time. Even when I got back just before dawn after a night of clubbing or making up for the lack of sleep right after exams. Nope...I get up when the sun shines at a certain intensity. It's just like my body's acting as if it's a photometer which measures the illuminance of light when it shines through the window into my room. (Which is why I like rooms brightly lid by natural light throughout the day.) I get up at a certain time every day, at least early enough to let me enjoy mornings every day.

Ever since I came over to the UK, I can't help but to notice that I always wake up only after a period of time after the sun rises. Which means, I get up later with each progressive each day from autumn till winter. (But it's exact opposite when it comes to spring and summer.) And after 6 months of longer days than nights, I can't get used to the increasing darkness now. Which is messing up my sleeping patterns immensely, not to mention, my daily life as well.

I would wake up too late to have breakfast. Instead, I have brunch. And I can predict this now. Very soon, my first official meal of the day might be lunch (not breakfast or brunch) in a few weeks time.

******************

Anyway...I'm supposed to be studying right now. If not, I should also be revising on what I did for my degree, and especially what I have done during my FYP. Only at times like this, I wished that I had not given away my notes and books. (But even if I didn't, I would not be able to bring it over anyway, cos it's just too much. I'd rather bring more essential stuff. Stuff that I can't easily get here. I'm not going to pay for those overweight baggage consisting of books, and lug them half way around the world.)

OK, back to books...need to get some reading done at least by tonight.

I swear I think my brain is working slower than it used to. If only I could just increase my memory space in my brain as easily as one can in a normal computer.

Pumpkin soup

2007-10-26T23:03:00.000+01:00

"Do you take pumpkin soup?"

"How is it like? Is it in chunks or is it the mashy type?"

This conversation totally shows that I have never even seen pumpkin soup before, not even to say, whether I take it or not.

Anyway, I tried Uncle Victor's pumpkin soup (cos it's almost Halloween) and surprisingly, it turned out to be quite unlike what I had in mind, and more like cheese-flavoured creamy soup.

Read: I want some more ler...make it again soon ok, uncle?

************************

On another note, I can't believe my eyes when I got my pay slip yesterday. Bloody hell, I got taxed like what...a whole 22% off my pay!!! I'm not earning much already, and the government is taxing me 22%???!? (And that's still considered the basic rate...*&^%$#)

I can do a lot of things with that 22% pay, you know...

*heart pain*

So I marched right into the Jobshop today demanding to know what happened...when I found out that I'd have to CONVINCE the Tax Office by giving them loads of proof and explanation that I earn less than the tax allowance (I'm prepared to do that to get my 22% back...so what?). BUT...I would still have to sign for a particular declaration to confirm that and to say that I will not work again during this tax year (and that's until the 6th of April next year).

OK...so this means I can't claim my tax back right now, unless I don't plan to work or just plan to earn less than £5225 until then.

*sigh*

And to make things worse...I still went for retail therapy.

Hey, I'm just earning 22% less...it doesn't mean that I'm not getting anything at all. I just need a bit of motivation at this point. :)

It's all coming back

2007-10-24T16:17:00.000+01:00

WooHoo~~

My baking fetish is slowly coming back now. FINALLY!!! OK, Butter cake is nothing impressive though but it's definitely a start.

Since my last round of baking right after my finals (which was around June), I haven't been near an oven since. (Nope...not even for my meals) In fact, I didn't even put my mediocre culinary skills to use much in the past 4 months or so. If I would have to go through that much trouble just to make a meal for ONE, I'd rather have something simple i.e. porridge.

Don't you think so? I mean, it is so boring to cook for yourself all the time. You are your own cook, judge and critic. Not only that, it's so difficult to prepare a portion of food just to serve 1. In the end, I always prepare enough food that could actually feed a family of 4. (And which, I would have to finish it by myself, in time of days. Unless, of course, this is an attempt to satisfy my cravings, and I wouldn't be craving for that particular dish for a period of time after that.)

I suspect, that it's something to do with the dropping temperature, that I've started to venture near the hob/oven again.

Number 1, because when the hob/oven is on, it would feel much warmer than anywhere else in the house.

Number 2, with the dropping temperature, I'm finding myself with more tendency to curl up and hibernate in the comfort of my own home, rather than going out and brave the cold wind.

Number 3, everyone knows that when it's colder, you tend to get hungry faster, and if that's the case, I can't afford and am not very willing to spend my money on food outside which is absolutely rubbish (with some obvious exceptions) when I can do much better than that at home.

Hmm...let's see. So what have I made so far? Tomyam, Bak Kut Teh, Japanese curry, soup noodles, steamed eggs, fried spinach and the usual fast 'n' easy dishes that one could whip up at home. (Surprisingly, Emily cooks more than I do, and I have eaten at her house for a few times already. And I absolutely LOVE her shortbread.) And my baking list? Just Butter cake.

I'd better get that lasagna recipe from Emily soon, haven't tried making that before...

Talking about food, I'm now craving for sushi...I'm craving for the big, fat lumps of salmon sushi that they serve in Sagawa. *Hungry again*

OK, gotta go watch my cake at the oven. Almost done! :)

Killer shoes

2007-10-17T15:03:00.000+01:00

I'm sure every girl would definitely have at least a pair of those kinda shoes. In fact, I have loads of them. Just that, they're slightly different in their "killer" purposes.

Most of my killer heels would definitely add height to my frame. (I definitely love heels for this reason.)

But many of them just serve to kill me after a day in them.

I was wearing my new pair of white heels from Faith for the whole of yesterday. And I walked for a whole day in them. This is saying something cos since I came over to UK I haven't been wearing heels much. (Of course not, definitely not with the crazy rate of walking that I have to do around here.)

But yesterday was a requirement. A must. A definite justifiable valid reason.

More about that next time.

And I have angry red blisterssSSssSs now. On my:

toes
heels
sides of my feet

*ouch*

But I still love my pair of heels.

*This post is totally mindless. I'm just writing this for the sake of filling up my almost dormant blog until I get something else I feel like talking about.*

I've got it, at last!

2007-10-14T00:25:00.000+01:00

Actually it didn't take that long...I got my visa exactly 3 weeks after they received it and it's just like what the Home Office (kind of) promised.

It's the WAIT...the long arduous wait that you have to endure, and the fear that the application might be rejected for even the most far-fetched reason you can think of. (I'm not joking, ANYTHING can happen.) Well, you never know.

Besides screaming at the top of my lungs (as usual) when I saw the little piece of paper stuck onto my passport, I pestered a few other people as well. Just to give their eardrums some exercise. HAHA!

And a lot is happening, but I haven't got the time to update...yet...

And also because I'm too busy watching dramas in my free time... :P

*yawn* Sleepy again. Wanna go to bed. Later~!

WWWHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-10-04T23:50:00.000+01:00

I am so damn pissed off right now!!!

Just finished watching Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End...

And I am JUMPING OFF MY SEAT!!!

Forget the fact that I am VERY slow (in fact, this is too slow to be even mentioned but I still want to anyway...), I finally watched the last part and I am so f*cKing pissed off...*grinds teeth and growl*

Is it absolutely necessary that super sexy guys like Orlando Bloom would have to die in the movie? Although he kinda like un-died in the end...BUT THEN?!???!?!?!?

The ending is so mindless.

So what if he comes back every 10 years? Or that he had a son with Keira Knightly?

SO WHAT?!?!

He still spends 10 years at sea for 1 day on shore.

I so do not like this ending. It makes me very, VERY unhappy.

And I was planning to have this movie conclude my night.

Fat chance of having any sweet dreams tonight...

It's GONE!!!

2007-10-03T01:17:00.000+01:00

I just heard some very astonishing news.

Finally, my parents managed to sell off *gasp* our 25-year-old Mazda 929.

I mean...we all know that it's a piece of old junk anyway. An old metal scrap that is still running on wheels and requires a lot of effort and maintenance to keep it going...not to mention, expensive as well.

Mostly because of that, my dad's finally given up and sold it dirt cheap, to the contractor renovating our new house (supposedly to ferry his workers to and from work). And since I'm not home and there'd be no one to use the extra car, my mum would have to alternate between cars (cos Dad says we can't leave the cars unused for a few days or else it'll get cranky...and the Mazda is already cranky).

It seems like pretty good news to us, but I can't help feeling sorry for the car. (OK, I know it's just a car, but still...)

This is was the car:

we first had with central locking and power windows. (THAT was very long ago.)
my mum tried to teach me how to drive in.
that I drove when I first got my P (Probationary/Pariah) license.
I drove straight into my parent's bedroom wall. (Luckily both the wall and car is still intact.)
my friends and I went cruising in.
that came to my rescue in emergency situations. (When my new was car nicely parked in or in the workshop)

The Mazda was a relatively big car for me (but not for my parents NOR my brother), and I was really pissed off when people called me "Sleepy Hollow" when I drove around in it. (The person who said that, drove a car that people often use as a hearse...albeit it's a Mercedes)

Not only because I don't appreciate that, but it's really not easy trying to maneuver it on the road. Not to mention how to park OR reverse park it properly. I can proudly say that my more-decent-than-average driving skills came from dealing with this car. And when I was behind the wheel as a new driver, I just felt that I'm safe in the car.

I know I always complain about that car being a piece of junk and all, but it's still a piece of junk that I like, that I had so many adventures with. But if we just keep it, it's still going to be a piece of junk at the end of the day. So, maybe this is just the right time for us to say goodbye to it, and hope that it can still last for a decade or so.

Goodbye, my car, goodbye!

I can't believe it

2007-09-30T00:08:00.000+01:00

I've been out almost every night this week. Well, 5 out of 7 nights...and it's only Saturday.

If I knew earlier, then I would have gotten the weekly bus pass instead of paying for every trip I took separately. But after tonight, I don't think I'd be going out much in the next week or so...except next Sunday (matchday)...so I'd just forget about the weekly pass.

And where've I been this whole week? Talk about eventful, even my (new) housemates i.e. Steve, Steve (no, it's not a typo...it's just another Steve) and Amy, thought this is my usual routine (very active social life), until I'd reassured them that it is DEFINITELY NOT. (And yes, I'm broke. Haven't gotten my pay from Uni yet *sigh*)

Tuesday:
Mid Autum Festival. Had dinner in El Torrero.

Wednesday:
Meet & Greet Farewell Gathering. Had dinner at Nando's in The Gate.

Thursday:
Ming made Spanish omelette. Had dinner at her place. Pics here, but not taken by me... :P

Friday:

Juniors had a get-to-know-each-other-better session. Joined them for dinner and some drinks along Quayside. (No camera, no pics of course.)

Saturday:

Richard's 23rd birthday. Had dinner in Marco Polo and went on to Buffalo Joes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHARD!!!

OH oh OH!!! And some random guy kept telling me that I'm sexy on my way back home last night. MUAHAHAHA!

He must be damn drunk.

Flat 313, Camden Court 2006/2007

2007-09-27T21:51:00.000+01:00

This is a very late post indeed. In fact, this is more than 2 months overdue.

26th July 2007:
Probably the very last time all of us will sit down together for dinner in years to come. We (Samantha, Muse, Jesmine and I) had countless of cooking and eating sessions together for the past year, and it was through these cooking sessions that we actually got to know each other better.

I know Samantha likes brewing tonic soup.
I know Jesmine don't take beef.
I know Muse is good in making Chinese fried rice and cheesecakes.

2 months later:
Muse is now back in Hong Kong and looking for a job.
Samantha is staying in Gateshead and currently busy with her thesis.
Jesmine's sister came and they're living in Fenham together.
I'm here in Heaton and searching for a career of my own.

Anyway, I finally decided to post up these overdue pictures (cos I just thought of it today).

And what would my blog be without food?

So, I'm saying right here. If I ever go to Hong Kong or Taiwan, you girls (Muse and Samantha) had better not run and hide! HAHA!

Here comes the weather

2007-09-17T23:37:00.000+01:00

This is possibly the most obvious tell-tale sign each time when the seasons change. The unpredictable weather, the crazy temperatures and the absolutely dreadful rain. It was at least double of this temperature yesterday night but it was the total opposite today!

This situation would continue for at least 2 weeks before we go into Autumn officially and the weather starts to turn cold. *sad* This means that the days will get shorter and lower mercury level on the thermometer.

*********************************************

On another note, I was out today and it was bright and sunny, albeit cold. All of a sudden in the evening, it started raining and I was caught totally off-guard. (Like I said, I wasn't at all prepared for autumn.) Besides shivering in the cold, I had to try to keep as dry as possible and maneuver myself safely across the road.

And there was this ramp on the road.

I missed it.

And landed (sprawled) on the ground.

Fell...second time in a week.

I have no idea what's up with me this past week, but even I personally feel that it's getting stupid. Can't I even walk properly? (Apparently not.) What's most upsetting is not falling down, but rather I scraped one of my favourite pair of shoes! Which is quite distressing (even though it's relatively cheap) because I hate my shoes looking obviously defective, which is how it is now.

AARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I'll get over it. Soon. When I buy another pair of "favourite" shoes, at the very least.

And Emily made Chicken Tikka Masala and her famed shortbread for us today. (Yummy!) I did take a picture of the chicken but I don't think it's really that flattering for the dish, so I'll post it later when (if) she makes it again.

Something Fishy: Curry

2007-09-15T01:23:00.001+01:00

After a long and busy week, it's finally the weekend... YEAH!!!

Although today could be considered as one of the most relaxing days of my shift, I could still hardly find time to get a decent meal. First meal of the day was at 9am and didn't have a real meal until 11.30pm. At first, I couldn't feel anything wrong with myself until I had Coke, and there was this persistent sharp pain in my stomach: I'm hungry, very very hungry.

And since I've been hearing about serious spicy curry since 8pm, naturally I would be craving that. And I was complaining about it all the way home on the bus, and Allie finally threw in the towel and offered to make fish curry! YOOHOO~!

Allie's Fish Curry with plain white rice...spicy enough with the right tanginess for a fish curry dish.

*smack lips*

Thanks, Allie! You can cook also, huh! Hehe...very impressed here.

Oh, and also had a sip of red wine and Ping Pei Mooncake for dessert later while watching Hard Gay. Have heard of Hard Gay since early last year and I can't believe that Uncle only heard about it recently...and missed the classic Tomy Kiki Ippatsu episode until I showed him.

MuahahaHAHAHAhahahHha~~~~~~~~~~~

365 days

2007-09-11T23:31:00.001+01:00

I just realised this morning that it's exactly 1 year since I first stepped foot in UK. Time really does fly, doesn't it? I can still vividly remember exactly 1 year ago on this day, I was running around in the city, trying to get my things done without knowing where I'm going.

At the same time this year, I'm glad that I don't have to go through the same madness again but I do sympathise with the newbies, especially those that came alone. Well, I guess that's where I come in: The Friendly Induction Guide!!!

But this Friendly Induction Guide got a present today. The 1st anniversary of her arriving in the UK.

A red packet...

Why?!?!

I slipped down the stairs...in the bus...when I was trying to get to the lower tier of the double decker.

Very impressive stunt. Managed to balance myself but still hit my bum on the stairs. All thanks to the "Hero" who stood rooted AT the staircase, not willing to give way when I'm trying to go downstairs.

12 hours after it happened: a blue black mark on my bum...

Bugger!

Snow skin (Ping Pei) mooncakes

2007-09-09T10:21:00.000+01:00

In another 2 weeks or so, mooncake festival comes again. This means that I would have missed 2 mooncake festivals in a row. Last year, I left Malaysia right before the mooncake festival and "celebrated" it in the UK. (Frankly, I don't think there's not much celebration because I can't seem to remember what I did.) There're no lanterns here, no yummy mooncakes made by your family and absolutely no festive mood. It's just another normal day.

I'm not really a hard core fan of mooncakes; just that I enjoy them once in a while. But after seeing the stuff and tools that Uncle Victor brought back all the way from home, I've suddenly got this crazy craving for Ping Pei mooncakes that I kept bugging him to make it. I actually prefer snow skin mooncakes to the baked ones because it's feels less oily and just works better for my tastebuds. HAHA!

Snow skin mooncake...

...with lotus paste and melon seeds.

Frankly, I have no idea why that Uncle is so worried about it lor. He probably thinks that I'd be criticising it badly. *shrugs*

First, it doesn't look that bad (even though he insisted that it's kinda out of shape), second, it tastes pleasant (the skin goes absolutely well with the paste) and third, it's not too sweet for me. SO?? No problem what! Che~~

Can eat, can eat!

P/S: Emily, don't worry...it's safe to eat it! :) Yours is in my fridge so come and get it!

Connected anywhere

2007-09-08T14:05:00.000+01:00

Not for me...but for my dad.

Good news for him: new technology, new gadgets, 24 hour surveillance.

Bad news for me: neverending tracking...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooo....

Sometimes I really hate the fact that technology extends its arm so far out...but I still can't live without it. Luckily for me, not everyone (my parents inclusive) has got the hang of it...yet...

Happy 50th Birthday, Malaysia!

2007-08-31T12:32:00.000+01:00

5 decades; half a century worth of independence.

We've indeed come a long way since 1957. Many things have changed. While for some, it will always be the same.

This is the 50th year of independence and I'm sure celebrations will be rampant back home. But I'm actually missing it. (It's not everyday that we get fireworks in BP, OK...) *sigh*

And also...another person's birthday also falls on this day of the year. Not in 1957, but in 198X. (Reason for X: to stall a few years' time for her) See...I even dedicated the Jalur Gemilang to her as well. HAHA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SZE YIN!!! :)

It's almost like Opera!

2007-08-27T11:51:00.000+01:00

Call me backwards or what, I have never heard of this guy's name before yesterday. So when I heard that his vocal range was amazing, I thought there'd be no harm checking it out.

And where's the best place to start? Youtube of course!

The keyword is: VITAS

Lots of results came up and I randomly clicked on one called Opera #2.

Nothing special in the beginning (except for the fact that he's quite cute...) but continue watching...

Now...THAT took me by surprise.

Eager to find out more, I googled him and found him in Wikipedia. Read it here.

I can only say, he's really intriguing...seriously! But when I saw Opera #2's MV, I thought it's pretty freaky.

See it?

Yeap yeap...he has GILLS.

The City of Luxembourg

2007-08-23T22:48:00.000+01:00

Luxembourg, a small landlocked country in Western Europe, surrounded by France in the south, Belgium in the west and Germany in the east. Luxembourg City, being one of the wealthiest cities in the world, naturally became the centre for banking and administration of the European Union.

To begin with, it's basically a relatively small city which spans over high cliffs to narrow valleys of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers. Though there're many more places that we could have had a proper look at (for example, the European Court of Justice), the lack of time (what's new now?) and the endless drizzle dampened everyone's spirits considerably. (Is it really summer?)

Grand Ducal Palace:
That's all there is to it...there is nothing else. But it's kinda surprising to find the Palace of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg right in the middle of the city and in close proximity to the people there. There're no walls or gates beyond the main building...just a guard or two at the main entrance to keep people out. Hmm...

Hall of the Chamber of Deputies:
The legislature which is housed (and I think connected internally) next to the Palace.

The Gëlle Fra monument:
Dedicated to the Luxembourgers that volunteered their service in the armed forces of the Allies during WWI.

The valley within the city centre with the Adolphe Bridge in the background.

A statue of Charlotte, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. (Grandmother of the current Grand Duke Henri)

Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg:
A Roman Catholic cathedral with neogothic architecture. This is the view from afar...not a very impressive picture though...but it really does not look that depressing in real life. Especially not after it provided shelter and warmth for us when it rained (very suddenly) cats and dogs outside.

The Cathedral Quire

Organ gallery in the cathedral.

Stade Josy Barthel:
The national stadium of Luxembourg, and home to the Luxembourg national football team.

8 inches shorter

2007-08-21T21:43:00.000+01:00

Newsflash:

Yours truly did something unbelievable today.

Cutting my hair short.

Which is truly a feat because I haven't had my hair this short in 5 years.

The reason I never really liked short hair was because it's so hard to take care of in the sense that it often ends up like a mop on top of my head...or maybe even worse, a (bird's) nest. Long hair just makes it so much easier, and with the help of modern technology (aka Hair Rebonding), it has made my life (and my hair) that much fuss-free.

But my hair has got to the point of being too long now. Thus, I decided to take up on an extreme challenge. Entrusting my precious locks to a *gasp* new hairdresser.

All my life I've only trusted one...only ONE hairdresser. Not only because he's good, but also for the fact that the rest that I've had were rubbish. But since I'm like 8000 miles away from home, I don't think I have a choice now.

This was how long my locks were 2 months ago.

After contemplating for a few weeks, I've decided to go for one particular salon where it seems like they have some experience in dealing with Asian hair. (Except for the ones in Chinatown, and I heard they're quite expensive.)

OK then, take a deep breath...and here we go!

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
(1 hour later)

End result.

Hmm...not too bad. I imagined that it'd be much worse. But it did give me a different look that I haven't really seen before. Or it's just that I've plain forgotten how I look like with a bob.

But I cannot believe that there're people who still think that it's too long. Oh PUHLEEZE, I've cut off more hair than what they have on their head right now. So you still think it's too long then?

Amsterdam, Netherlands

2007-08-14T23:03:00.000+01:00

What are the things that represent the Netherlands?

Windmills...

Clogs...

Red light district, de Wallen...

Heineken...

And of course, DIAMONDS. (That is obviously glass.)

Didn't travel the whole country though, only went to Amsterdam. Which is more than enough I think. Too much to do in 1 day lar...

So, we started off with the highly recommended canal cruises, which took us through the old and new town's canals.

In the glassboat.

View of Amsterdam from the glassboat.

Intercontinental Amstel Hotel, the most expensive hotel in the whole of Amsterdam.

Houses leaning left and right. I was told that because houses in Amsterdam are mostly built on soft soil, they start to slant after some time if the foundation wasn't laid down well. So one house would start slanting and lean against the next one, and so on, and soon the whole block slants as well. So the government then put in pillings themselves, and charged the occupants for it. And that's how the tax based on the size of the door came about. So, people would normally have really small doors but very tall houses with large windows, and a moving beam at the top of the building (to move furniture and stuff in through the windows instead of the main door). Smart, eh?

After the canal cruises, we went visiting to a diamond factory! *eyes sparkle immediately*

This is a €2500+ real diamond. Cannot afford it, and would never dare to wear it even if I could. Who (meaning normal folks) is brave enough to strut around on the streets and parade around with a diamond at THAT size??!? Not me, definitely.

A comparison with my eye, the diamond is bigger than my iris.

After that, we went to the de Wallen, but couldn't take pictures (for obvious reasons). Besides window prostitution, there's like sex theatres & museums, peep shows as well as coffeeshops, which sells soft drugs legally. (They even have something like Cannabis cookie...-_-") And very often, you smell people smoking them openly on the streets too.

Oude Kerk, Amsterdam's oldest parish church, standing in the main red light district.

War memorial opposite Dam Square, and de Wallen (red light district) is just right behind it.

Dam Square, with Royal Palace (former City Hall) and Nieuwe Kerk in the background.

Madame Tussauds Amsterdam.

Quite a unique city as compared to the other European cities I've been to. Definitely lives up to its name, Amsterdam! (I'm starting to sound like a travel brochure now.)

Preview: Brussels, Belgium

2007-08-13T21:29:00.000+01:00

Finally...I've decided to put the trip pictures online. Just when I've forgotten everything that I wanted to put on here. Well, at least there's still pictures.

But but but...

I absolutely hated the pictures that I took in Belgium. Why? Because it was taken by none other than my father.

Who cannot see the digicam screen clearly.
And never got the idea of taking a nice picture.
Who also happens to think that as long as we're in the picture, then it's good.

And I can swear, anyone who sees the pictures that he's taken, would faint for sure.

But I've tried my best and chose a few that seems sliiiiiiiiightly acceptable...

But for this one, I can't find any others, and I really, really, really have to put up a picture of the Atomium. So, this is it.

St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral:
From the rear view. A Gothic style cathedral where Catholic style national ceremonies, e.g. royal marriages and state funerals, are usually held.

Need I say more?

Snapshots at the Grand Place.

Brussels Town Hall:
The left and right wing looks like they're of different length. That's because they really are. (HAHA!) And the architect noticed his mistake way too late, overcame with grief, and leapt to his death from that very tower itself.

Souvenirs from Belgium...

Lace:
The very next famous and popular item for tourists in Belgium after chocolates.

Mannekin Pis:
Little Juliaanske here saved Brussels and is now a proud owner of his very own exclusive wardrobe with hundreds of DIFFERENT costumes (and so, this puts mine to shame).

Something extra

2007-08-12T18:28:00.001+01:00

I've noticed that my blog has been quite dead recently. Even I can't stand it any longer.

And then...something came to my rescue...

TADAA!!!

It's Super Mario World!!!

And I decided to put it in my blog as well. So, where is it?

Just scroll down to the end....and you will see it!

Enjoy, people! I'm going off to chase after mushrooms now...

MUAHAHAHAHAHA........ *fades out*

Dilly dally...

2007-08-05T15:16:00.001+01:00

It's about a month since I came back from my Europe trip, and yet, I still have not posted up any entries or pictures on the trip. Not because there aren't any, but there're just too many of them.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START!!!

(OK, most of them might not be half decent, all thanks to the inexperienced photographers who never had much chance or practice in using a camera at all, what's more, a digital one?

And the wireless where I'm staying now is SOOOO sucky, that it just disconnects itself whenever it feels like it. And only one person can restart the connection, so if that person is not around when the connection is down again, the rest of us would then have to live in the Dark Ages.

Anyway, I also need to do some editing before I can put the pictures up. (Only will put up decent pictures of myself lar, of course!) :P

Gotta go clean up the house, you will never believe what kind of a place I'm living in now. :(

I Am Back...

2007-07-23T14:48:00.000+01:00

Very reluctantly. (Duh, who won't when it was an all-expenses-paid trip for the whole month??!!?)

Yes, my 1 month break is officially over. And today is the day to check out of Camden Court for good (and drag my ass somewhere off far away from the city...temporarily).

But the whole month has been eventful, too many things to tell but don't know where to start. Besides, no time today. Busy packing up and all. Will post up pictures and update soon! Promise! :)

Attention please, my dearest cousin!

2007-06-18T23:50:00.000+01:00

This is a notification for my beloved and best cousin brother, THE MYSTERIOUS ONE.

Your stuff has arrived, and so much for Hasbro, worried that everyone might not realise what it is, had the word TOYS, put in bold, and the toy in a box way too big for the actual thing. Your TOY, arrived within 3 working days, and so far (from the exterior) it is in perfect condition.

You still owe me 30 pounds, remember OK...MUAHAHAHA!

So so, am I a good cousin or wat? Am I your best cousin sister??!?!? You don't have to tell me, I know the answer already. It's a very big YES.

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On another note, I woke up this morning only to find I have loads of messages on my MSN but I wasn't logged in. Weird...until I noticed that everything's offline as well.

Reason? The construction work next door dug up Camden's cable and everyone went offline for the whole day.

That is so great.

Just when I needed to check my mail, confirm my reservations, transfer my funds, contact agents, and check the weather, I have no access to the net. In the end I have to drag my lazy bum down to Pandon and use that particular one cranky computer which switches off its monitor every time I touch it.

But alas, it's back now. *whew* I need to get things done...

P/S: There will be no updates after this for some time, so remember to miss me, EVERYONE! :P

Bored...and it's Father's Day

2007-06-17T19:22:00.001+01:00

Really have to blog about Father's Day meh?!?! So many people already blogging about it, do I really have to? Nope, I don't really think so.

Unless...this involves my father giving me a big, fat wad of cash (GBP preferred), then I shall definitely do it immediately. HAHA!

Note: Who doesn't like cash? I definitely do. And you think so easy to get that sort of money from a banker meh...CHEH! Besides, my parents don't know about this blog (Let my Dad know?? Are you nuts?!?), so I think it's pretty pointless to anyway.

But still, it's Father's Day. So I still did what a filial daughter did: Happy Father's Day, Daddy! (over MSN, of course...)

OK, onto another topic...

I'm SO addicted to J-drama now. Previously it was Hana Yori Dango, now it's Nodame Cantabile.

BUT...maybe too many people have been using Crunchyroll so the bandwidth's busted for the weekend even though I haven't been watching on it for 2 weeks already. *sigh*

Actually I do have the series with me, but it's subbed in Mandarin. (Crunchyroll's a saver in this sense because it's got subs in English) Bah... I can still watch it, but I gotta pause the series to read the subs, and I swear my lappie might just go on a strike if I do that too much. Very tiring for me also OK...to click click click...can't even watch my drama in peace.

The appeal is there...plus it's a comedy. It's stupidly funny, and I'm only in Episode 3. Hehe...

Will be trying in another 2 hours. See if it works then... :P

The Countdown

2007-06-15T19:20:00.000+01:00

I got it yesterday, in my mailbox, in a small envelope addressed to me. It's been some time since I've got any real mail, so when I opened it, I did not expect to see what I see.

Tickets to my graduation: 5 Guests & 1 Student

At first, I thought that I could only collect them on the day itself from my Programme Leader. (According to the instructions given in the e-mail) Didn't know that they would actually post it to me 1 month beforehand.

Then I just realised, my graduation is just another short month away! However, this also means that my results would be released very very soon. *tsk* *tsk*

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And next week, I'm going to Europe!!! (YooHOOOooOOOOoOO~~~!) Won't be around for at least 3 weeks, so my blog will be quite dead for almost a month. (Unless I get that very rare chance to blog from Europe, which is highly not possible...) But, there'd definitely be interesting pictures to share when I get back. HAhAHA!

But before that, I would need to finish off the food at home first. Which is quite a lot. I always have this feeling that I don't have enough food in my cupboard and before they really run out, I've already got extras in my cabinet. Which slowly accumulated to an impressive (but scary) amount. So I'm trying not to shop for anything until I finish off the leftovers (both cooked and raw) as much as I can. So I wouldn't have to worry about it when I move out of Camden Court.

Such shitty timing...just when I needed to go on a diet.

Splurge

2007-06-14T13:08:00.001+01:00

I just can't help it. It's been so long since I really enjoyed shopping by myself. Plus, the excitement of getting new shoes. (I used to be "THE Shoe Queen/Freak")

Shoes: My very first purchase of the day!

And there I was, still trying to convince myself that I don't need anything else. Maybe...except some toiletries, which are all essentials, you know!

Halfway there, I saw this...

...which only came with any purchase of 2 of their products.

OK, fair enough. I needed some moisturiser anyway to feed my "oh-so-prune-like" skin after the trip from Barcelona.

So, I got these...

...and also because the lady told me that with the sun range products, like this...

...I would get this as well

But it's not done yet...

And she gave me this...

...which takes of 5 pounds of my purchase. (MUAHAHA!!!)

And and and!!! I'm not done yet...

Within this magazine...

I got this for FREE...

HAHAHA! I can't stop smiling for the rest of the day. And I forced myself to walk back home before I give in to more temptations which lie ahead threateningly.

Then I remember my original intention of going out that day: Need to go to Orange.

Yikes, totally forgotten! :P