Don’t you just love holidays? They are never long enough. I have been away for 12 days and this Monday is probably one of the worst ever. I am contemplating taking the rest of the day off. The capitol city has not changed much. The clubbing scene seems to have grown quite a bit since my last trip. I went to Bar Savanh with my B and Yo the other day, quite a nice place. They have sofa’s you can lie down on, very cozy. Pretty water features.
Didn’t do any shopping this time round. Too busy taking care of (and enjoying) the niece. There were a lot of sales going on apparently. Missed ‘em all! Yo, you have made me shoe crazy. Cant stop thinking of shoes these days. Shoes are so sexy!
I met Shannon for the first time. She is the sweetest little baby you have ever seen. Her cheeks are spilling out and she has a triple chin. Its so much fun just watching her sleep. Sometimes I want to pick her up and squeeze her till she wakes up. She makes the cutest little baby noises every time she wakes up. I love watching her eyes half-open, looking up at me drowsily. She is so damn cute. Her skin is so soft and smells wonderful. Can’t wait to have her in my arms again. She just started bottle-feeding. First time my mom tried giving her the bottle, the poor thing cried so much. After the longest time, she finally latched on the teat and then it was my mom’s turn to cry. Now, I know where I get all of my emotions.
I visited 2 people for Hari Raya, my aunt and a friend from UNITEN. Beef Rendang at my aunt’s was great. So damn good. The meat was so tender but not mushy, still firm. Didn’t have much to eat at the other place, the food was catered plus it was late in the day and it didn’t look too fresh anymore AND I was recovering from food poisoning.
Spent the day at my B’s house for Deepavali. The food was good and I regret not pigging-out more. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. No worries, I’m going home later to have a huge serving of spaghetti bolognaise. The time is 4.44pm and it’s a Friday, TGIF!
Friday, November 26, 2004
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Papers Suck
You know everyday after reading the papers I tell myself that I will never read another one again. Yet every morning there it is on my table and I cant help but pick it up and flip through it, waiting to spot some stupid article that will piss me off. Well, today, yet again I find something that just makes me want to never read another paper again. Read the following excerpt (a guilty man’s defense).
Drunk Who Strangled Wife With Saree:
“ The accused who was tired and heavily drunk lost his mind as well as his sense of judgment, slapped his wife before suffocating her with a pillow and finally tying her neck with a saree” he said. He said, Ravinderan thought his wife who had then become quiet had gone to sleep and he went to sleep himself. “Only the next morning did he realize his wife was dead” he said. She was the mother of his 3 children.
“In his drunken state he has made a mistake that proved fatal” he added. “He made a mistake. We all make mistakes. But the accused is not so lucky as he must spend t he rest of his life paying for that mistake”
“He made a mistake. We all make mistakes.” What are they talking about here, murder or jaywalking? A mistake is when you run a red light or cheat on a test. Not even those. Mistakes are supposed to be unintentional, right? When you strangle someone (you supposedly love) AND suffocate him or her with a pillow AND tie a saree around his or her neck, that doesn’t count as a mistake. That is murder. No mistake there. And what’s this about him being ‘not so lucky’? Do we care whether luck is on his side? No! He SHOULD pay for it the rest of his life. And what is he going to tell his THREE children? “Sorry, daddy killed mummy, now there’s only your ‘violent when drunk’ daddy left to take care of you, OR kill you if you nag me about coming home late and drunk.” Oh, another thing, who goes to sleep while being strangled?? Oh yea, he was drunk (lost his mind and sense of judgment and all), I forgot. It’s an excuse for everything nowadays.
This defense seems like total crap to me but hey, it sure fooled the jury. He only got 12 years. For murder!
Drunk Who Strangled Wife With Saree:
“ The accused who was tired and heavily drunk lost his mind as well as his sense of judgment, slapped his wife before suffocating her with a pillow and finally tying her neck with a saree” he said. He said, Ravinderan thought his wife who had then become quiet had gone to sleep and he went to sleep himself. “Only the next morning did he realize his wife was dead” he said. She was the mother of his 3 children.
“In his drunken state he has made a mistake that proved fatal” he added. “He made a mistake. We all make mistakes. But the accused is not so lucky as he must spend t he rest of his life paying for that mistake”
“He made a mistake. We all make mistakes.” What are they talking about here, murder or jaywalking? A mistake is when you run a red light or cheat on a test. Not even those. Mistakes are supposed to be unintentional, right? When you strangle someone (you supposedly love) AND suffocate him or her with a pillow AND tie a saree around his or her neck, that doesn’t count as a mistake. That is murder. No mistake there. And what’s this about him being ‘not so lucky’? Do we care whether luck is on his side? No! He SHOULD pay for it the rest of his life. And what is he going to tell his THREE children? “Sorry, daddy killed mummy, now there’s only your ‘violent when drunk’ daddy left to take care of you, OR kill you if you nag me about coming home late and drunk.” Oh, another thing, who goes to sleep while being strangled?? Oh yea, he was drunk (lost his mind and sense of judgment and all), I forgot. It’s an excuse for everything nowadays.
This defense seems like total crap to me but hey, it sure fooled the jury. He only got 12 years. For murder!
Friday, October 29, 2004
tom yam-my
My mum brought me out for brunch today. We had Tom Yam somewhere near my office. The lady who took our order was nice enough and we were real friendly (polite and smiley). My mother is never unfriendly. The Tom Yam wasn’t great (too ‘asam’) but we finished it anyway. We get done and my mom asks this lady (same lady who took our order) for some ‘tissue’ (you know la Tom Yam, the corners of my mouth were orange, I think). Anyway, the lady points to a box mounted on the wall a few feet away. My mom and I are like ok (so damn full), maybe later on the way out (at this point I’m thinking it would be nice if she could grab a few for us since she was standing close to the box, she doesn’t of course). Two seconds later, she looks for something behind the counter and places it on the table to our left. Voila! A new tissue box! The people eating at the table look up surprised. Ok, whatever. The bitch goes back to the counter and grabs another box, walks right passed us and places it on the table to our right, and again the people eating look up surprised. I roll my eyes up and look at my mum confused. She just shakes her head and tells me she is as shocked as I am. I ask, “why?” My mom doesn’t know. Who knows? I really don’t understand some people, the things they do for no particular reason. It’s so weird. I’m thinking that maybe when my mum asked for tissue, she realized that none of the tables had any. So she decided to place some boxes randomly and assumed that we already had/didn’t need tissue anymore. Or maybe she just wasn’t thinking.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Thoughts On A Monday Morning
Guess what! After all that ‘preparation’ I ended up sitting on my ass at home watching re-re-runs of Beach Retreats on Discovery Travel & Advenchure (Ian wright style). Shoulda gone, shoulda gone (shake head, shake head). Mondays never get better do they? Today is Shannon’s 1 month birthday. She is the cutest baby her daddy ever seen. I nearly bought Wally Lamb’s, I Know This Much Is True just because its in Oprah’s Book Club. Did you watch Oprah Prime Time last night? Damn it. Never have I cried so much while watching TV. It was the episode with John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix (Ladder 49). Remember Mattie Stepanek? He died in June 2004. He got an official fireman’s funeral. They had his mom on the show. She spoke of his last few days, how much he’d suffered. He held on for 2 whole weeks because his mother didn’t want him to leave her. The moment she said he could ‘rest’, he died. Everyone was crying. Real crying, not just damp eyes, but rolling tears and wiping of eyes. So sad. You know how when you cry during a sad scene in a movie and you try to hide it? A pretend cough or an itchy eye? We (myself, my mom and Meriel) cried so much we didn’t bother hiding it (as if we could). It hurt my throat holding in my tears.
Did you know that going to church gives me such peace? Only recently have I felt this way (the past year or so). I feel it even when I am half asleep on the pew, even when I try so hard to concentrate on the sermon and I still cant, even when I’m there but really I’m not. I realize that this isn’t really the way that I should be attending mass but I am only human after all (and some priests are really not gifted in holding a crowd). I must say Father Nicholas keeps me interested all the time. He is full of passion and it rubs off.
Did you know that you can renew your passport in a day? I remember the days when it took close to a month before you get your new passport (send KL-process-back to KK). Did you know too that you can get an Australian visitors visa within 20 seconds online for only AUD20?
Did you know that going to church gives me such peace? Only recently have I felt this way (the past year or so). I feel it even when I am half asleep on the pew, even when I try so hard to concentrate on the sermon and I still cant, even when I’m there but really I’m not. I realize that this isn’t really the way that I should be attending mass but I am only human after all (and some priests are really not gifted in holding a crowd). I must say Father Nicholas keeps me interested all the time. He is full of passion and it rubs off.
Did you know that you can renew your passport in a day? I remember the days when it took close to a month before you get your new passport (send KL-process-back to KK). Did you know too that you can get an Australian visitors visa within 20 seconds online for only AUD20?
Friday, October 22, 2004
Mental Preparation
Yay! I am going running today at Tun Fuad Park! It’s great and I love it. Working out has never been so exciting. Even when my body just cant take it anymore, I keep going because its so much fun. Just when I think I am about to collapse and my heart is pumping so fast my veins might burst, I tell myself just a little bit more. The sweat running down my face, and back, and chest and legs feels too good for me to stop. The muscles in my thighs about to cramp up and the stitch growing in my stomach wont bring me down. The air is fresh, the scent of the forest and the sound of the jungle bugs; so peaceful and relaxing. I keep coming back, three times a week, asking for more. The hills are extra special. The wonderful feeling upon reaching the top, you think you’re going to die and whaddya know, the downhill slope is there to accelerate you back to life. Once the running is all over, I have yet another fun event waiting for me. Crunches. They are great. You know your tummy is doing the work when every other feeling is numbed by the ache round the center of your belly. Yay! I can’t wait. It’s going to be great.
Jewel
Jewel by Brett Lott. I got this book at Pay Less Books for RM6. It has a place in Oprah’s Book Club (for all you Oprah fans). Even after putting the book down for a break, I felt like the book was alive around me; the story was still going on. I could feel it, the lives of the characters so vivid. Its like the story was happening in real time somewhere but I couldn’t see it, just feel it. The characters (the Hilburn family) felt like real people. No one that I knew, but I just felt like their story was real. So real. Their lives followed me wherever I went; the feeling was quite amazing. Jewel is set between 1940 and 1960. The epilogue is set in 1984. Brett Lott writes like a woman, I love it. He seems to know exactly how a woman feels. Jewel is an amazing story of one woman’s life. The story of her husband and her children and one very special child (a ‘Mongolian Idiot’) that is God’s way of smiling down on their family. I admire Jewel for her courage, faith, strength and determination to make things work for her family, with the help and support she sometimes got from her children and husband. The story is true to life.
I enjoy reading books that follow closely the lives of people, the hardships they have had to go through and burdens they have had to carry. I am motivated by their success to rise above it all and their ability at the end to look back and see just how much they have learned and achieved and loved and lost. No regrets. Reading is an escape for me. When work gives me no sense of achievement, when the only content in a paper worth reading is the horoscope, everything else is too depressing, when I realize that most people don’t give a shit about each other, when there is nothing on tv because Astro sucks, when my family isn’t exactly annoying but I just need my time alone, when I feel closer to the people in the pages than real people around me, when it’s ‘bulan tua’ and I am broke, when I think of the human race and how shallow, materialistic and superficial we are becoming, when I wish I could just inject evil people with love, when I wish I had my dream job, when I wish I knew what my dream job is, when I wish I was not such a chicken shit, when I wish I have more self-confidence, when I wish I had narrow hips and longer legs, when I wish I could find the perfect hairstyle for me. The list goes on. I like happy endings. It doesn’t mean that no one can die/be heartbroken/suffer etc (that would be plain boring). I just need a little note in the end telling me that even though all that shit (death, heartbreak, suffering) had to happen, they got over it, know what I mean? I know it’s pathetic. I need the encouragement that is all. It sounds depressing I’m sure, but really I’m not depressed. Just been thinking that’s all.
All I want is to be happy. I’m sure that is all everyone really wants. We are always looking at the people around us and we see the ways that they make our lives unhappy/difficult. It’s so hard to look in the mirror and see that our happiness is in our own hands. Things happen to us for a reason. It is not important ‘what’ happens to us but ‘how’ we deal with the cards that we have been dealt. I feel like I have been handed pretty good cards so I guess there is a lot that I cannot understand. Even so, I think we have to be determined to help ourselves. No wallowing in self-pity. You can’t change other people but you can change yourself. That is why I admire Jewel Hilburn so much. She was one determined woman and she got everything she wanted. As determined as she was though, she never let herself be blinded. She always took the time to stop and look to make sure that she wasn’t fighting for something she didn’t need. She really is an amazing woman. I believe in finding a balance in everything. I don’t believe in extremes. I believe in the power of God and prayer and faith. Above all, I believe in love. So to all of you who are reading this, I LOVE YOU! Drama queen oh drama queen.
I enjoy reading books that follow closely the lives of people, the hardships they have had to go through and burdens they have had to carry. I am motivated by their success to rise above it all and their ability at the end to look back and see just how much they have learned and achieved and loved and lost. No regrets. Reading is an escape for me. When work gives me no sense of achievement, when the only content in a paper worth reading is the horoscope, everything else is too depressing, when I realize that most people don’t give a shit about each other, when there is nothing on tv because Astro sucks, when my family isn’t exactly annoying but I just need my time alone, when I feel closer to the people in the pages than real people around me, when it’s ‘bulan tua’ and I am broke, when I think of the human race and how shallow, materialistic and superficial we are becoming, when I wish I could just inject evil people with love, when I wish I had my dream job, when I wish I knew what my dream job is, when I wish I was not such a chicken shit, when I wish I have more self-confidence, when I wish I had narrow hips and longer legs, when I wish I could find the perfect hairstyle for me. The list goes on. I like happy endings. It doesn’t mean that no one can die/be heartbroken/suffer etc (that would be plain boring). I just need a little note in the end telling me that even though all that shit (death, heartbreak, suffering) had to happen, they got over it, know what I mean? I know it’s pathetic. I need the encouragement that is all. It sounds depressing I’m sure, but really I’m not depressed. Just been thinking that’s all.
All I want is to be happy. I’m sure that is all everyone really wants. We are always looking at the people around us and we see the ways that they make our lives unhappy/difficult. It’s so hard to look in the mirror and see that our happiness is in our own hands. Things happen to us for a reason. It is not important ‘what’ happens to us but ‘how’ we deal with the cards that we have been dealt. I feel like I have been handed pretty good cards so I guess there is a lot that I cannot understand. Even so, I think we have to be determined to help ourselves. No wallowing in self-pity. You can’t change other people but you can change yourself. That is why I admire Jewel Hilburn so much. She was one determined woman and she got everything she wanted. As determined as she was though, she never let herself be blinded. She always took the time to stop and look to make sure that she wasn’t fighting for something she didn’t need. She really is an amazing woman. I believe in finding a balance in everything. I don’t believe in extremes. I believe in the power of God and prayer and faith. Above all, I believe in love. So to all of you who are reading this, I LOVE YOU! Drama queen oh drama queen.
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Thursday, September 23, 2004
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Must try...
What? Sushi
Where? Wagamama
Name? TAMAGO SALMON
Comments? Fantastico!
Price? Expensivo but wortho
Where? Wagamama
Name? TAMAGO SALMON
Comments? Fantastico!
Price? Expensivo but wortho
My Opis Song
On a Monday,
I am working,
On a Tuesday,
It’s no better,
And by Wednesday,
I need sleep.
The phone rings,
A Contractor,
All he’s needing,
Is a clear view
Of the Total Contract Fee…
I am working,
On a Tuesday,
It’s no better,
And by Wednesday,
I need sleep.
The phone rings,
A Contractor,
All he’s needing,
Is a clear view
Of the Total Contract Fee…
MONSTER MOVIES
Anyone know of a fantastic movie (old/new) to watch? I really haven’t watched a great one recently. I watched ‘Evelyn’ (Pierce Brosnan) on HBO recently, which was pretty good. Monster, the one with Charlize Theron in it is decent. She really deserves an Oscar. Christina Ricci I don’t particularly like, but she did better than usual. The movie reminded me of Monster’s Ball. Sorry Halle but as much as I love you, I really didn’t see Oscar potential in your performance. These are the type of movies that even after it ends the (deflated-disturbing) feeling it plants in you lingers. Anyways, in ‘Monster’, there was a Ferris wheel called The Monster that Aileen (Theron) was always afraid of riding. She did one day, and threw up all over herself. She is monstrous in this movie, fugly too. A serial-killer-whore, that’s what she was. You can’t help but feel bad for her though knowing what a screwy life she had. Under the same circumstances, I can’t say for sure that I would turn out any better. You can’t help but empathize. The film made me angry and it made me sad. She had so much anger and hatred toward men. The only gentleness and care that she ever experienced was from a woman/girl (Christina Ricci) she met at a bar where she was having her last drink (she was going to end her life that night). Anyways, they had a 9-month affair that ended when Ricci (I forget her name in the movie) found out that Aileen had shot so many of her clients. It started with the violent men that tried to rape her. After that she found it so easy that she killed them all. Finally, the police caught up with her and Ricci betrayed her by testifying against her in court. This movie is based on a true story. It makes you feel like even though there is so much that is beautiful in this world we are always closer to the ugly things. 'I like mankind, it's people I dont like'-Gil Grissom, CSI. It goes something like that la. If I were a beauty queen, I would wish for world peace too. Cliché?
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
The Passion
Excerpts from ‘The Passion’ by Jeanette Winterson:
"I was happy but happy is an adult word. You don’t have to ask a child about happy. You see it. They are or they are not. Adults talk about being happy because largely they are not. Talking about it is the same as trying to catch the wind. Much easier to let it blow all over you. This is where I disagree with the philosophers. They talk about passionate things but there is no passion in them. Never talk happiness with a philosopher. "
"She had made him possible. In that sense she was his god. Like God, she was neglected."
Words that come to mind after reading this book:
War & Love
Sad
True to Life
Moving
Intriguing
Original
Fantasy
Imaginative
Whores & Brothels
Sex & Obsession
Life & Death
Homosexuality
Loyalty
Napoleon and a 3-minute wiener
Chickens
Sweet Sorrow
The Virgin Mary & Jesus
Dirty Priests
Soldiers
Lust
Simple
Great Writing
Porridge
Only 150+ words with four short chapters that come together perfectly- The Emperor, The Queen of Spades, The Zero Winter & The Rock. A Good read. I recommend it to everyone. Comments from anyone who has read it?
"I was happy but happy is an adult word. You don’t have to ask a child about happy. You see it. They are or they are not. Adults talk about being happy because largely they are not. Talking about it is the same as trying to catch the wind. Much easier to let it blow all over you. This is where I disagree with the philosophers. They talk about passionate things but there is no passion in them. Never talk happiness with a philosopher. "
"She had made him possible. In that sense she was his god. Like God, she was neglected."
Words that come to mind after reading this book:
War & Love
Sad
True to Life
Moving
Intriguing
Original
Fantasy
Imaginative
Whores & Brothels
Sex & Obsession
Life & Death
Homosexuality
Loyalty
Napoleon and a 3-minute wiener
Chickens
Sweet Sorrow
The Virgin Mary & Jesus
Dirty Priests
Soldiers
Lust
Simple
Great Writing
Porridge
Only 150+ words with four short chapters that come together perfectly- The Emperor, The Queen of Spades, The Zero Winter & The Rock. A Good read. I recommend it to everyone. Comments from anyone who has read it?
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
A love song for my B
All legs and a perky behind,
Dark and handsome too,
Gentle, loving, so sweet and kind,
How to not love you?
Six feet tall and burly,
Big and built strong,
Real smart and so funny,
I want to hold you so long.
You are my sunshine,
You always light up my day,
A blessing you’re mine,
Together forever I pray.
I love all the good times,
And appreciate the bad ones too,
The laughs and the smiles,
I wont forget,
The perfect love of me and you.
Dark and handsome too,
Gentle, loving, so sweet and kind,
How to not love you?
Six feet tall and burly,
Big and built strong,
Real smart and so funny,
I want to hold you so long.
You are my sunshine,
You always light up my day,
A blessing you’re mine,
Together forever I pray.
I love all the good times,
And appreciate the bad ones too,
The laughs and the smiles,
I wont forget,
The perfect love of me and you.
Monday, September 13, 2004
PMS
PMS is truly a confusing phenomenon. I can be in the best of moods one minute and be on the verge of crying the next. I have been experiencing PMS for a few days now, waiting for the arrival of the dreaded menstruation. I exaggerate; menstruating is really not that bad, for me anyway. Sometimes I feel pre-menstruation is worse. My boobs are sore; I feel bloated, think I look fat, start to have more zits than usual and am generally unhappy with the way I look. On top of that, everyone gets on my nerves; I am constantly in a foul mood and on the verge of crying. I am ultra sensitive, super moody and not very fun to be around. Sometimes I feel like everyone is my enemy and I just want to run away from the world. It is an emotional roller coaster that I don’t want to ride. I am emotional enough as it is. When finally the menstruation does start, it’s actually a relief. I hardly ever get cramps and when I do it is only on day one. Taking a crap is much harder than usual though. Thank God I have wonderful girl friends that know exactly what its like so I don’t have to explain my sudden mood swings and frustrations with the annoying world around me. Unlike a lot of people, I don’t get cravings for any type of food (except for sushi but that is a constant craving so it doesn’t count). The only reassuring thing about PMS is that I know that it is natural, my hormones are in control of me and that it will pass (again and again and again…) We complain so much about our menstrual cycle and yet when it finally comes to a halt, are we happy?
Monday, September 06, 2004
5-STAR konon!
My long awaited weekend (in a 5-star hotel) meant for relaxation and pampering turned into a nightmare. First, we arrived at the hotel at around 12:45 and were made to wait over 4 hours before we could check into our suite. Why? The 2 idiots staying there decided to extend their stay (in an already booked suite) without informing the hotel. The guests were not entirely to blame though because the staff of the supposedly 5 –star hotel did nothing to help us get checked-in. They did however feed us with lies about how it will take them 90 minutes to clean the room because they were under-staffed. My mom raised her voice and was close to tears before they actually decided to do something; they actually tried to contact the two imbeciles. Of course no one could get them. Meanwhile, my family and I were made to sit in the not-so-comfortable lobby without so much as a cold drink or even an apology. After close to 4 hours, the hotel staff offered a temporary room where we could rest before moving into our room. It was a bit too late but better than nothing. One whole day was wasted and my family and I were in the foulest of moods. We finally moved into our suite at around 17:30.
The next day, at around 16:00, the electricity supply in the entire hotel was cut off (must have been the strong winds and heavy rain because the whole of KK was affected). It took the maintenance team close to an hour to kick-start the standby genset and even then, it only lit up lights in certain corridors. All the rooms were in semi-darkness and we could not watch television. There was nothing to do outdoors because it was raining cats and dogs. We decided to have an early dinner (17:00) hoping that all will be well when we get back. Right after dinner, we went back home to check on Crazy Hazy and Tao the Mao the Bau. What crappy luck, someone tried to burglarize our home. My parents instantly decided that they would stay at home that night and that Meriel and I would stay in the hotel. We were so upset. Just when we thought things could not get any worse. My parents said they would hang out with us till around 23:00 and then they would have to leave. When we got back to the hotel, it was brightly lit (the power was back on). But upon entering our room and sliding the key-card into the slot, not a light came on. Fantastic! We called maintenance and after close to 30 minutes someone resembling Dennis Finch came in and then there was light, electricity, air-cond, tv, etc. Yay! I switch on the tv and no ASTRO, bummer! System down, hotel staff said. ASTRO came back at around 21:00.
I am being unfair. We did have fun some of the time. We spent Sunday afternoon in the pool playing on the water slide (my mom ‘tried’ the slide 3 times!) and on those buoy-string-buoy-string things that separate the lanes in the pool. I taught Meriel how to do the underwater rolley-polley. Again! My mom swam a few laps. My father attempted one. Meriel finished one slowly but surely. Good family fun. Also, Meriel and I had a bubblicious bath in the Jacuzzi. She made me Eskimo Woman and then Bubble Woman. I was covered head-to-toe in wonderful, glorious bubbles! Then she insisted that I do the same to her. We showed mummy and she couldn’t stop laughing. Later that night, after my parents had left, we watched Liberty Stands Still and then Evelyn on our ever so soft yet firm King-Size bed.
So, even though we had a few horrible experiences, I had a pretty good time in ‘Bleep’ Hotel. Really, it’s not WHERE you are, but WHO you are with that counts. I won’t be going back to that hotel any time soon Because of the bad experiences (lousy service, bad organization); I have decided that (when/if I get married), I will not consider having my wedding reception at this hotel. It is embarrassing and sad that one of the most popular (expensive and prestigious) hotels in our state cannot keep up with the standards that it claims to have with its 5-STARS.
The next day, at around 16:00, the electricity supply in the entire hotel was cut off (must have been the strong winds and heavy rain because the whole of KK was affected). It took the maintenance team close to an hour to kick-start the standby genset and even then, it only lit up lights in certain corridors. All the rooms were in semi-darkness and we could not watch television. There was nothing to do outdoors because it was raining cats and dogs. We decided to have an early dinner (17:00) hoping that all will be well when we get back. Right after dinner, we went back home to check on Crazy Hazy and Tao the Mao the Bau. What crappy luck, someone tried to burglarize our home. My parents instantly decided that they would stay at home that night and that Meriel and I would stay in the hotel. We were so upset. Just when we thought things could not get any worse. My parents said they would hang out with us till around 23:00 and then they would have to leave. When we got back to the hotel, it was brightly lit (the power was back on). But upon entering our room and sliding the key-card into the slot, not a light came on. Fantastic! We called maintenance and after close to 30 minutes someone resembling Dennis Finch came in and then there was light, electricity, air-cond, tv, etc. Yay! I switch on the tv and no ASTRO, bummer! System down, hotel staff said. ASTRO came back at around 21:00.
I am being unfair. We did have fun some of the time. We spent Sunday afternoon in the pool playing on the water slide (my mom ‘tried’ the slide 3 times!) and on those buoy-string-buoy-string things that separate the lanes in the pool. I taught Meriel how to do the underwater rolley-polley. Again! My mom swam a few laps. My father attempted one. Meriel finished one slowly but surely. Good family fun. Also, Meriel and I had a bubblicious bath in the Jacuzzi. She made me Eskimo Woman and then Bubble Woman. I was covered head-to-toe in wonderful, glorious bubbles! Then she insisted that I do the same to her. We showed mummy and she couldn’t stop laughing. Later that night, after my parents had left, we watched Liberty Stands Still and then Evelyn on our ever so soft yet firm King-Size bed.
So, even though we had a few horrible experiences, I had a pretty good time in ‘Bleep’ Hotel. Really, it’s not WHERE you are, but WHO you are with that counts. I won’t be going back to that hotel any time soon Because of the bad experiences (lousy service, bad organization); I have decided that (when/if I get married), I will not consider having my wedding reception at this hotel. It is embarrassing and sad that one of the most popular (expensive and prestigious) hotels in our state cannot keep up with the standards that it claims to have with its 5-STARS.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Mocha
I had coffee + Milo=mocha and 2 lemon sandwich biscuits for breakfast today. Yesterday, I parked my car at my usual spot, on a downward slope (asking for it, ay?) at the grassy end of a row of half-ass parking spaces (excuse the language). Anyway, I had to get to site ASAP and when I reversed, I pressed the accelerator a little too lightly and my car slid forward. I pulled the handbrake. I decided to try reversing again putting more force on the accelerator this time. My second attempt failed and my new car slid further down. I pulled the handbrake up as high as it could go and got out of my precious car. I walked three floors up to my office and got three colleagues to help me pull my baby out of her sad state (by the way, it was 3 o’clock). Luckily, she didn’t need pushing and my colleague got her out by putting the pedal to the metal. Yay!
SUSHI
Many weeks have passed since I last made an entry in my blog. Today I have decided that I would like to talk about my deep love for Japanese food (i.e. Sushi). It all began some 4 years ago, when my sister Otta (who is going to make me an aunty very soon) introduced me to the famous, Genki Sushi. By then, she and my other sister, Punie had already developed an addiction for this scrumptious stuff. The first taste I had was Sashimi, Salmon Sashimi to be exact. The dish was served on an oblong, flowery plastic plate garnished with grated strips of white raddish and a slice of lemon. Otta squeezed the lemon over the 6 fat and fresh orange-pinky morsels of salmon. It looked wonderful. I picked up a piece with my wooden chopsticks, dipped it in Kikkoman kicap-drenched wasabi and dropped it in my mouth. The soft yet firm texture of the raw fish, the tang of the lemon, the slight burn of the wasabi and the wonderful salty t flavor from the Japanese kicap blended together, exploded and then melted in my mouth. The aroma of the lemon juice complimented the raw fish perfectly. I was in heaven. You know how the smell of a certain food makes your mouth water; well sushi is scentless and does not require the assistance of smell to make you long for some.
The little conveyor belts carrying plates of sushi around the Japanese restaurant has always amazed me. There is something very exciting in picking up any desired dish from a tempting variety that changes in front of your very eyes (oink!). Of course the color of each plate plays a big role in my choice of dishes. Purple is usually dangerous. Most the Japanese restaurants in KK have a small train that pulls the sushi along the conveyor track. So cool oh!
One of my favorite sushi is 4 small pieces of rice wrapped with slices of salmon and topped with a squirt of Japanese mayonnaise and sprinkled with bright orange roe placed on a purple plate (applies to Genki Sushi, my chain restaurant of choice). One piece fits in your mouth perfectly. After 4, you will be asking for more. It’s an amazing experience. HANA MAKI! Talk about MELTING IN YOUR MOUTH MAN!
Another favorite is the SPIDER TEMAKI. For those who have been missing out on this wonderful delicacy, this is the common cone sushi that you see in every Japanese restaurant display window. The dried seaweed cone is stuffed with sticky rice, fresh, crunchy and thin sticks of cucumber and tender pieces of soft-shell crab. Some restaurants like to add egg into it also. The temaki would not be complete without the rich mayo and roe sprinkles. Before I take a bite (starting from the top), I add some spiciness by pouring in some wasabi-Kikkoman mixture (2 parts sauce and 1 part wasabi). The fried crab shell is soft (duh), crispy-chewy and the flesh is tender and sweet. Another must have dish is, Chawan Mushi, which is steamed egg with mushrooms, shreds of chicken breast and sometimes crab sticks. It is served hot and is fantastic. Also, I like Tempura Moriawasi a lot especially when dipped in the sauce with white raddish paste (I think that’s what it is. If I am wrong, someone correct me). My favorite pieces are the straw mushrooms and prawns with the crispy and light tempura coating. The sauce softens the crispiness slightly and the mix is pretty damn good.
Well, there you have it, the amazing world of Pu and sushi. I have yet to try all the Japanese restaurants in KK (that have been springing up like mushrooms after the rain) but I dare say I have found my favorite, Wagamama baby! If you are in KL, there is a 100% Japanese restaurant in Bangsar that is superb (you know its got to be good when you are the only non-Japanese person dining there) but I forget the name. It’s on the same block as La Bodega but on the first floor. My favorite and most frequently visited chain is Genki Sushi (ah, first love!). For all you people who have not ‘converted’, I hope my entry today has made your mouth water and given you the dying need to rush to the nearest Japanese restaurant and have it all! Bon Appetit!
The little conveyor belts carrying plates of sushi around the Japanese restaurant has always amazed me. There is something very exciting in picking up any desired dish from a tempting variety that changes in front of your very eyes (oink!). Of course the color of each plate plays a big role in my choice of dishes. Purple is usually dangerous. Most the Japanese restaurants in KK have a small train that pulls the sushi along the conveyor track. So cool oh!
One of my favorite sushi is 4 small pieces of rice wrapped with slices of salmon and topped with a squirt of Japanese mayonnaise and sprinkled with bright orange roe placed on a purple plate (applies to Genki Sushi, my chain restaurant of choice). One piece fits in your mouth perfectly. After 4, you will be asking for more. It’s an amazing experience. HANA MAKI! Talk about MELTING IN YOUR MOUTH MAN!
Another favorite is the SPIDER TEMAKI. For those who have been missing out on this wonderful delicacy, this is the common cone sushi that you see in every Japanese restaurant display window. The dried seaweed cone is stuffed with sticky rice, fresh, crunchy and thin sticks of cucumber and tender pieces of soft-shell crab. Some restaurants like to add egg into it also. The temaki would not be complete without the rich mayo and roe sprinkles. Before I take a bite (starting from the top), I add some spiciness by pouring in some wasabi-Kikkoman mixture (2 parts sauce and 1 part wasabi). The fried crab shell is soft (duh), crispy-chewy and the flesh is tender and sweet. Another must have dish is, Chawan Mushi, which is steamed egg with mushrooms, shreds of chicken breast and sometimes crab sticks. It is served hot and is fantastic. Also, I like Tempura Moriawasi a lot especially when dipped in the sauce with white raddish paste (I think that’s what it is. If I am wrong, someone correct me). My favorite pieces are the straw mushrooms and prawns with the crispy and light tempura coating. The sauce softens the crispiness slightly and the mix is pretty damn good.
Well, there you have it, the amazing world of Pu and sushi. I have yet to try all the Japanese restaurants in KK (that have been springing up like mushrooms after the rain) but I dare say I have found my favorite, Wagamama baby! If you are in KL, there is a 100% Japanese restaurant in Bangsar that is superb (you know its got to be good when you are the only non-Japanese person dining there) but I forget the name. It’s on the same block as La Bodega but on the first floor. My favorite and most frequently visited chain is Genki Sushi (ah, first love!). For all you people who have not ‘converted’, I hope my entry today has made your mouth water and given you the dying need to rush to the nearest Japanese restaurant and have it all! Bon Appetit!
Friday, July 30, 2004
car-stickers...
A few days ago, i bought a 'controversial car-sticker'. Damn drama queen oh me. Anyways, i got it mostly because i like it and partly because of 'peer pressure' (if i can call it that). Even at 25, i cant say no. I decided against sticking it on my rear window because i was worried about what some, actually most people might think/say. Instead, i have a sticker that my mom gave me. Now, the 'controvesy' is sticking on a mirror in my room. I felt the urge to put it up somewhere, anywhere. I'm sure i got everyone wondering what the sticker says.
I am not religious,
I just love Jesus.
That's it. Tell me what you think.
I am not religious,
I just love Jesus.
That's it. Tell me what you think.
A Quarter Of A Century
Damn it, I never thought I would be saying this at a ‘quarter of a century’ years old, but age is catching up (and dang fast I might add). I know all you 30 year olds are cursing right now but you know what, in 5 years I will be hitting the big three-0 and it’s not a pleasant thought. You know what, life is too darn short. Damn, dang, darn…hmmmm…I am not a happy woman right now. I have felt 18 since my 18th birthday. Denial. Recently, I don’t know what number it is I am feeling. A few days ago, I felt 21-ish. Now, I think I’m actually feeling my true age (sel, your fault). Not good. “ I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toys-R-Us kid…” Today I realize that I am not young anymore. I ask myself these questions: Am I in my ‘prime’ or did my ‘prime’ just pass me by (and I didn’t realize it coz I’m too ignorant)? And what do I have to show after 9164 (yes, I actually counted. Including leap years.) days of living on this fascinating yet sometimes depressing world? Zilch. WORK: Work is not bad but it isn’t great. I can’t call it a career. No matter how many times I try saying it. TRAVELS: I have traveled a considerable amount in my life but hardly have I experienced the ‘great travels’ that not so many years ago I swore to have. FRIENDS: Lacking. A few very quality ones but nothing more. DIVING: One thing that I have been dying to do but never took enough initiative to actually do it. Another reason: lack of funds. Haha…bad excuse. EXCUSES EXCUSES. You now what I am, a lazy pig and a PROCRASTINATOR! I am supposed to be alive and vibrant and active. Instead, on a Friday/Saturday night, you can see me curled up on the sofa watching the same show on channel 11 for the 10th time. How sad is that? Astro sucks. Always I have this feeling inside of me telling me that I should be doing more meaningful, more exciting, more awesome things in/with my life. A night out for me would be a couple of beers in a tiny bar/café behind my house. Should I be complaining? I don’t know. You tell me.
I am not afraid of death. Really! (Unless of course it’s a horrifying death with lots of blood and suffering. I can’t take pain.) I think I am more afraid of life (and what it/myself has to offer). It would nice if I could to live till a ‘healthy 80’, the least. Cheh. So contradicting oh me. (I guess you can be afraid of life and at the same time want to live real long. Console. Console.) Anyways, “Death does not concern us because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.” I don’t remember who said this.
ps- My mom has asked me like a million times now whether or not Sprite goes with my Blue Sapphire (hint hint).
Even my mom knows how to have some fun. L Boo to me!
I am not afraid of death. Really! (Unless of course it’s a horrifying death with lots of blood and suffering. I can’t take pain.) I think I am more afraid of life (and what it/myself has to offer). It would nice if I could to live till a ‘healthy 80’, the least. Cheh. So contradicting oh me. (I guess you can be afraid of life and at the same time want to live real long. Console. Console.) Anyways, “Death does not concern us because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.” I don’t remember who said this.
ps- My mom has asked me like a million times now whether or not Sprite goes with my Blue Sapphire (hint hint).
Even my mom knows how to have some fun. L Boo to me!
Thursday, July 29, 2004
McDonald's vs Burger King
Big Mac or Whopper?Whopper
juicy,onions n tomatoes, pickles, yum.
Double Cheese or Mushroom Swiss?Mushroom Swiss
tis wan very hard choice. i lurrve mushrooms.
Fillet-o-Fish or Big Fish?Fillet-o-Fish
creamy-asam sauce. so-so-soft bun.
Chicken McNuggets or Chicken Tenders?Chicken McNuggets
damn bes man the sauces. chicken tenders always over-done.
McD's or BK fries?BK
simply taste better.
McChicken or Chicken Sandwich?McChicken
i prefer my burgers round.
Coke or Coke? Coke.
yay.
juicy,onions n tomatoes, pickles, yum.
Double Cheese or Mushroom Swiss?Mushroom Swiss
tis wan very hard choice. i lurrve mushrooms.
Fillet-o-Fish or Big Fish?Fillet-o-Fish
creamy-asam sauce. so-so-soft bun.
Chicken McNuggets or Chicken Tenders?Chicken McNuggets
damn bes man the sauces. chicken tenders always over-done.
McD's or BK fries?BK
simply taste better.
McChicken or Chicken Sandwich?McChicken
i prefer my burgers round.
Coke or Coke? Coke.
yay.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Wednesday
I like Wednesdays. Mondays are always a drag. Tuesdays have bits of Mondays left in it. Thursdays are nicer than Wednesdays. But Fridays are the best. Im not sure why. I dont accomplish anything during the weekends. I still like the weekends though. Saturdays & Sundays go by too fast. Work is dull a lot of the time. I am becoming dull. I dont like BQ's. I do like whisky with coke though. I like whisky without coke. I like coke by itself. I like my friends. I am going to enjoy the bottle of gin i got for my birthday. I really sound like an alcy now. Doesnt do it for me anymore. If there was one person (dead/alive) i could meet, it would be Socrates. Who do you want to meet?
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
To A God Unknown
I just finished reading this book by Steinbeck. It was moderately interesting. Im sure there were a lot of hidden meanings that i totally missed. Parts were confusing, parts pissed me off big time. I was really disappointed in Joseph. And Rama too. Nothing seemed to bother or affect Joseph. That was extremely annoying. It was very religious, and deep, and moving. I didnt like how every character seemed a little insane. For example, Joseph first worshipped a tree then a rock. However, I did like how Joseph was a lot like Jesus. How he could love so much and give up everything for what he loved. The only decent and normal character was Elizabeth. The ending was not what i hoped for. Overall, it was an ok read. Anyways, i would recommend this book to people who are in the middle of reading "The World According To Garp" and find it depressing.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
winner of the world's biggest idiot award
As flight AK107 (Air Asia) lands after a 2.5 hour journey from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu the head stewardess announces to the cabin, " Ladies and gentlemen, we have just arrived in Lapangan Terbang Sultan Abdul Samad, Terengganu. Thank You for flying with Air Asia..." Everyone in the plane (being very typical of sabahans) starts booing the poor woman and yelling, "oiii...sabah la...woiiiiii...sabah....boooo..." Hahahahehehehoohoohoo...THE END
ps-This is a true story
A couple go to a 'kadai kopi' to get something to drink. The couple want Milo. The 'a-moi' tells them, "Milo panas, satu ringgit. Milo sijuk, satu lima." They both get Milo panas. When the drinks come, the husband gulps it down real fast. His wife sips the Milo slowly. After a while, the husband gets real annoyed and says to his wife, " Woii...buli capat sikit kah, nanti mau bayar satu lima!"
ps-its funny, it really is. well, it was funnier when mariela told it. ;)
ps-This is a true story
A couple go to a 'kadai kopi' to get something to drink. The couple want Milo. The 'a-moi' tells them, "Milo panas, satu ringgit. Milo sijuk, satu lima." They both get Milo panas. When the drinks come, the husband gulps it down real fast. His wife sips the Milo slowly. After a while, the husband gets real annoyed and says to his wife, " Woii...buli capat sikit kah, nanti mau bayar satu lima!"
ps-its funny, it really is. well, it was funnier when mariela told it. ;)
A-weepapa-papa-papau...
Ahem...ok. "Morning has broken, like the first mooorning..."
Testing, testing...one...two.
Testing, testing...one...two.
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