Technology has made a lot of things easier for us these day. This includes writing. In the old days if people need to get something on paper, they pick up a pen and write them down, even if it is a 60 page report.
The dawn of the typewriting age takes the load off some of those things. I really admire the secretaries of those days, using those manual typewriters that require users to strike each key with Herculean strength. Yet these early day typists still manage to achieve the speed of 60 or more WPM. Still, any typo must be corrected by erasing (white off hasn't been invented yet). Over erasing will usually leave holes in the paper which means that the whole page must be typed all over again. I was lucky that when I started my secretarial course, electronic typewriters and computers were already widely available.
Of course with these modern conveniences available, people are writing less. By writing, I mean actually taking up a pen and putting things on paper by hand. Why bother with messy handwriting when documents can be printed neatly?
I am guilty of that. There was a time when I insisted on printing or typing with every opportunity possible. It got so bad that when I went to sit for an exam, I was struggling during the first 1/2 hour or so. Suddenly, holding a pen was something so alien to me that I had to take the time to reacquaint myself. By the end of the exam, my wrist was aching and I found that my handwriting had deteriorated to that of a kindergarten kid.
It's a pity, really. A handwritten letter or note certainly adds a personal touch to it as opposed to something printed or emailed. I'm not talking about those 60 pages reports, of course. Nowadays, it would just be plain nuts to write something that long by hand :)))
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Oops, I Did It Again!
I went to restock my concealer supply yesterday when it started calling out to me. "Walk away!", my mind kept telling me, but my feet wouldn't budge. That sultry seductive voice was always my undoing. I imagine, no, fantasize walking around with it's effect on my lips.
Will it be just a natural rosy hue? A sweet pink that makes them look plump and juicy? A sultry siren calling out to be kissed? Or something more dramatic, like a homing beacon that can be seen miles away?
Gingerly, I tested it to my hand, see the color play under the lights. Wonderful how the red and brown tones blend together to create this gorgeous color. "Gorgeous" is its name.
By then there is no question about it. Georgeous is coming home with me ", That despite the fact that my bag is already filled to the breaking point with lipstick.
Oh lipstick, thou art my weakness!
Will it be just a natural rosy hue? A sweet pink that makes them look plump and juicy? A sultry siren calling out to be kissed? Or something more dramatic, like a homing beacon that can be seen miles away?
Gingerly, I tested it to my hand, see the color play under the lights. Wonderful how the red and brown tones blend together to create this gorgeous color. "Gorgeous" is its name.
By then there is no question about it. Georgeous is coming home with me ", That despite the fact that my bag is already filled to the breaking point with lipstick.
Oh lipstick, thou art my weakness!
Little Doggy Has Big Heart
Hehe, no this isn't my dog. Wish it were, though. Saw its pics in Yahoo! and couldn't resist sharing them here. The little darling has a heart on its coat.
Coincidence or fake? Doesn't matter, my heart just got stollen.........
Monday, July 16, 2007
New Beginning
Today marks the start of a new chapter of my working life as I embark on a journey with a new company. I’m really excited about this new move as there will be new skills to learn. I will get the opportunity to hone my writing skills – very important if I really want to take up blogging seriously.
For some time now I have wondered how I my one strength, good command of the English language, can be used to further my career. My love for English was fed by my addiction to the TV, I guess. I’ve always felt more at ease expressing myself in English than any other language. As a writer, this will be my chance and I’m really looking forward to it.
My new colleagues and boss are really cool people. There are no restrictive rules and regulations common in big companies. Best of all, my new office is less than 5 minutes drive from my apartment. There is no basement parking, but I’m not complaining, as I save on parking fees :-) I look forward to having my lunch at home and the possibility of a shower. Ha ha……
Tomorrow I plan to have breakfast at one of the cafes facing the seafront with a view of Penang Bridge. Man, life is good!
For some time now I have wondered how I my one strength, good command of the English language, can be used to further my career. My love for English was fed by my addiction to the TV, I guess. I’ve always felt more at ease expressing myself in English than any other language. As a writer, this will be my chance and I’m really looking forward to it.
My new colleagues and boss are really cool people. There are no restrictive rules and regulations common in big companies. Best of all, my new office is less than 5 minutes drive from my apartment. There is no basement parking, but I’m not complaining, as I save on parking fees :-) I look forward to having my lunch at home and the possibility of a shower. Ha ha……
Tomorrow I plan to have breakfast at one of the cafes facing the seafront with a view of Penang Bridge. Man, life is good!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Stomach Ache - NO TOILETS IN SIGHT - Awww Crap!!!!!!!
I was looking forward to going to the gym yesterday for the new Body Combat launching. Unfortunately, that was not to be. I was halfway there already, in the heart of town, in fact, when this huge earth shattering stomach ache started. You know the kind - growling sound in the stomach, your legs start to feel clammy and cold sweat on your brow.
What do you do in this kind of situation? You're stuck in traffic in the heart of town with no toilet in sight, at least, a toilet acceptable for me to use.
I had 3 options:-
Good thing it was still early and there was not much traffic. Also a good thing yours truly is an expert at holding it in.
At least I made it to Body Step.
What do you do in this kind of situation? You're stuck in traffic in the heart of town with no toilet in sight, at least, a toilet acceptable for me to use.
I had 3 options:-
- Continue my journey to the gym and crap in the toilet there
- Detour to my ex office and use the next door hotel's toilet
- Head back home for a comfortable crapping session
Good thing it was still early and there was not much traffic. Also a good thing yours truly is an expert at holding it in.
At least I made it to Body Step.
Photograpy Around the Office
There are lots of "professional" photographers in my office. These people are always on hand during occassions like someone's last day, birthdays, get togethers to shoot the memorable moments. They will even teach you how to pose and shoot videos if the situation warrants.
The following were taken during Selina's last day. I was sitting on the Conference Room table when Froggy asked for a pose.
And my personal favorite:
Heh, macam mana? Ada gaya Paris Hilton tak? Bleck!!!!!!!
Independence Day
Today is 4th of July, US Independence Day. My Independence Day too. Today is the first day of a short hiatus I am taking from work. I will start my new job in less than 2 weeks, and am giving myself this time to recuperate and prepare for the new challenges ahead.
So, what did I do today? Well, nothing much, since I'm kinda down with the flu at the moment. Must be due to the haze.
Happy Independence Day, America!
So, what did I do today? Well, nothing much, since I'm kinda down with the flu at the moment. Must be due to the haze.
- I had lunch with my newly ex-colleagues and collected my pay check.
- Then went for my eyebrow embroidery appointment. Came out with the skin around my eyebrow red and swollen. It wasn't that bad, really. I didn't get all teary eyed like some people, but I guess that depends on the individual. However, the sound of the blade piercing my skin at every stab was something I don't look forward to hearing again. Have to go back in 3 weeks for a touch up
- Came home and checked my emails. Surprised to find one from T. He is the last person on earth I expected to hear from.
- Had a short nap. Can't do without that :D
- Went for belly dance
Happy Independence Day, America!
Weekend in the Highlands
Nay, tis not the land of kilts and bagpipes. There are no handsome Lairds here or grand castles overlooking beautiful lochs. Just good ol' Uncle Lim's backyard of Genting.
The girls and I decided to head off to Genting last weekend. They wanted to catch Su Rey's concert. Who?! Don't ask me. I've never heard of her until they mentioned it. The only song of hers I've ever heard of is "Ciu Kan Than Boey Boh" (in English - Can Liquer Bottles Be Sold?) which is the theme song for this tear jerker movie from my childhood days. So yeah, we can go to Genting for the weekend, do some stuff together, but count me out for the concert.
The concert was a blast, by the way, according to the girls when they gushed about Su Rey's powerful voice reportedly able to rival that of Mariah or Celene.
We decided to take the early morning bus this time as opposed to the night bus during the last trip which was a nightmare. Here's a tip - unless you have a tour guide who is willing to queue on your behalf to get your room keys, don't book your hotel room together with your bus ticket package.
Here's what happened during the last trip. We took the night bus and arrived at Genting about 5 am in the morning. Went to the hotel to get our queue number so that we can check in only to be told that since we booked our rooms as a package together with our bus ticket, we had to wait until about 11 am and check in at the tour counter which is a separate location. Since it was early, no shops were opened and we ended up roaming aimlessly around.
The only place which was a hive of activity was the casino (duh!) and we had breakfast at their cafeteria. When we finally went to the tour counter, the place was packed. There were easily about a thousand people there and only 4 counters open to cater to them. Of course you can imagine the tempers flaring. I actually had to quarrelled with hotel personnel to get checked in.
So this time, we were smart. We booked the bus ticket but reserved our hotel room online. We arrived at Genting around lunch time and get to check in almost immediately. So easy.
The highlight of this trip for me was climbing "The Wall". They have this mock rock climbing wall which I actually wanted to try out last trip but we didn't have the time. After checking out for the easiest route up, Au Au and I decided we were gonna do it. Halfway up, we ran out of footholds. We were stuck there panicking as the only way to get down was to let go and let the guys holding the rope slowly lower us down. OK, 1, 2, 3, let go!!!! I was a screaming mess. Oh how embarrassing! To add insult to injury, as we were leaving, a kid was actually scaling the wall at the same spot we were at and managed to climb higher than us!
This trip was especially memorable to me as it was also to be my last trip with the girls as colleagues. I will be leaving the company two days after we return. As they took turns to take pictures with me at the lobby before we left, I realized that by far, this is the first company I've been in that everyone is close to each other. The only politics and back stabbing was going on at the top management level. I really made lot's of good friends there.
Thanks, girls! I'm really gonna miss working you all.
The girls and I decided to head off to Genting last weekend. They wanted to catch Su Rey's concert. Who?! Don't ask me. I've never heard of her until they mentioned it. The only song of hers I've ever heard of is "Ciu Kan Than Boey Boh" (in English - Can Liquer Bottles Be Sold?) which is the theme song for this tear jerker movie from my childhood days. So yeah, we can go to Genting for the weekend, do some stuff together, but count me out for the concert.
The concert was a blast, by the way, according to the girls when they gushed about Su Rey's powerful voice reportedly able to rival that of Mariah or Celene.
We decided to take the early morning bus this time as opposed to the night bus during the last trip which was a nightmare. Here's a tip - unless you have a tour guide who is willing to queue on your behalf to get your room keys, don't book your hotel room together with your bus ticket package.
Here's what happened during the last trip. We took the night bus and arrived at Genting about 5 am in the morning. Went to the hotel to get our queue number so that we can check in only to be told that since we booked our rooms as a package together with our bus ticket, we had to wait until about 11 am and check in at the tour counter which is a separate location. Since it was early, no shops were opened and we ended up roaming aimlessly around.
The only place which was a hive of activity was the casino (duh!) and we had breakfast at their cafeteria. When we finally went to the tour counter, the place was packed. There were easily about a thousand people there and only 4 counters open to cater to them. Of course you can imagine the tempers flaring. I actually had to quarrelled with hotel personnel to get checked in.
So this time, we were smart. We booked the bus ticket but reserved our hotel room online. We arrived at Genting around lunch time and get to check in almost immediately. So easy.
The highlight of this trip for me was climbing "The Wall". They have this mock rock climbing wall which I actually wanted to try out last trip but we didn't have the time. After checking out for the easiest route up, Au Au and I decided we were gonna do it. Halfway up, we ran out of footholds. We were stuck there panicking as the only way to get down was to let go and let the guys holding the rope slowly lower us down. OK, 1, 2, 3, let go!!!! I was a screaming mess. Oh how embarrassing! To add insult to injury, as we were leaving, a kid was actually scaling the wall at the same spot we were at and managed to climb higher than us!
This trip was especially memorable to me as it was also to be my last trip with the girls as colleagues. I will be leaving the company two days after we return. As they took turns to take pictures with me at the lobby before we left, I realized that by far, this is the first company I've been in that everyone is close to each other. The only politics and back stabbing was going on at the top management level. I really made lot's of good friends there.
Thanks, girls! I'm really gonna miss working you all.
Xuan Xin Buffet Steamboat
I had dinner at this steamboat restaurant located in Tanjong Tokong last week. If you are coming from town, just head up Jalan Tanjong Tokong until the traffic lights junction near the Malay Kampung and Tari Cafe (don't know if that place is still around) and make a U-turn. Xuan Xin is just a short distance from there on your left. It is a far cry from the other steamboat restaurant we used to frequent downtown.
The price: RM21.90 ++ per head (I think)
- The restaurant is CLEAN and most importantly, AIR CONDITIONED. Yeh, no more makeup meltdown!
- Whereas we had to bbq the various meats ourselves in the other place, here, there is a tapenyaki corner where we just choose the food we want to bbq, attach a marker to our plate and hand it over to the chef who will do it for us. No more getting our hands burned with oil splatter and our hair and clothes smelling of smoke.
- There are 4 varieties of stock to choose from - clear fish soup, spicy prawn soup (thats Hokkien Mee), Tomyam and porridge. A tip - if you want to make your soup sweeter, add some seaweed into it. There are plenty available in the buffet.
- There are other stuff that we can order as sidelines like quail eggs, fresh oyster, scallop, abalone, some kind of spiced minced meat (really yummy). Guess these are the more expensive variety, therefore not included in the buffet.
- There is a small section in the buffet with already cooked food like fried rice/koay teow, hashbrowns, chicken wings, chicken feet, fried man tou, in case patrons are too hungry to wait for their food to cook.
- Steamboat ingredients are really fresh. The prawns are so sweet! Have to thank Hamster for peeling them for us ;)
- Free flow of drinks - orange juice, black currant and green tea.
- 3 varieties of dessert - ice cream (3 flavors with crushed nuts for topping), jelly and foo chuk (don't know what they call that in English)
- Their compound is quite small but they have car jockey service for us, so parking is not much of a problem.
- If like me, you have a MyBonusWin card, you get a 5% discount.
The price: RM21.90 ++ per head (I think)
Bak Chang Festival
One disadvantage of not knowing how to read in Chinese is that you miss out on the more fun dates in the Chinese calendar. One of them being the annual "Chang Festival" which is today.
Since chang making is predominantly a cottage industry, you have to know people who know people to be able to order good ones at reasonable prices. Restaurants like the ones featured in Ho Chiak! will probably charge the earth for one chang, but they usually have additional yummilicious goodies as fillings in addition to the basic chestnut (compulsory or I won't eat the chang), salted egg yolk, Chinese mushroom and pork.
Although changs are available all year round, it is during this time that the more creative and delicious varieties make an appearance.
I missed my chance to order my changs this year because my parents are not very big fans and I usually get my heads up on the arrival of the Chang Festival from neighbors and colleagues. Ordering changs by the dozens is a yearly affair for me and I will be on a chang diet breakfast, lunch and dinner for about a week at least. I used to get to order these HUGE changs from my ex-colleague's Grandma, but since I lost touch with her, had to find other sources which are not as good.
I remember one particular year when I ordered about 50 changs and did not inform my family about it. Then my brother brought home about 20 and my aunts each gave some too, so the whole family ended up eating changs for weeks. Ha ha....not that I was complaining.
The Chang Festival originated in China when some scholar, heartbroken about the state of the country committed suicide by throwing himself into the sea. The citizens, who love him very much threw changs into the sea so that the sharks will not eat the scholar.
HAPPY CHANG FESTIVAL, EVERYONE!
Since chang making is predominantly a cottage industry, you have to know people who know people to be able to order good ones at reasonable prices. Restaurants like the ones featured in Ho Chiak! will probably charge the earth for one chang, but they usually have additional yummilicious goodies as fillings in addition to the basic chestnut (compulsory or I won't eat the chang), salted egg yolk, Chinese mushroom and pork.
Although changs are available all year round, it is during this time that the more creative and delicious varieties make an appearance.
I missed my chance to order my changs this year because my parents are not very big fans and I usually get my heads up on the arrival of the Chang Festival from neighbors and colleagues. Ordering changs by the dozens is a yearly affair for me and I will be on a chang diet breakfast, lunch and dinner for about a week at least. I used to get to order these HUGE changs from my ex-colleague's Grandma, but since I lost touch with her, had to find other sources which are not as good.
I remember one particular year when I ordered about 50 changs and did not inform my family about it. Then my brother brought home about 20 and my aunts each gave some too, so the whole family ended up eating changs for weeks. Ha ha....not that I was complaining.
The Chang Festival originated in China when some scholar, heartbroken about the state of the country committed suicide by throwing himself into the sea. The citizens, who love him very much threw changs into the sea so that the sharks will not eat the scholar.
HAPPY CHANG FESTIVAL, EVERYONE!
Oshima Stool
Lately I have been experiencing an ache on my lower back especially after standing still for long moments. It comes from a lifetime of bad posture, I guess. I tend to arch my back or slouch. Even my comfy position when sleeping is with an arched back. This has taken its toll on my spine and I find it difficult to sit or stand with good posture. Hey, I'm a laid back kinda person ;) Well, either that or I'm getting old (OMG Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!)
Then during a casual conversation with Suzzanne (from my church choir), she introduced the Oshima stool to me saying it had helped strengthen her back and many other benefits.
Basically, the Oshima stool is a wooden contraption with one surface slanted at a 45 degree angle. One is supposed to stand on it, toes pointing upwards, for about 10 minutes a day. I stand for the length of one commercial break ;) After that, do some stretching and forward bending.
Beginners are advised to hold on to something for support. When standing on the Oshima, it is very important to keep the legs and back straight with the butt tucked in. The benefits include slimming, flattened tummy, elimination of excess fat, smoothen stretch marks, improved blood circulation, accelerate cell metabolism, improved imunity, better posture and better spinal alignment.
Suzzanne gave me a flier about the stool and here's a list of all the benefits depending on which group you subscribe to:-
Medical - It is a one of a kind physiotherapy to stretch the muscles and straighten the body posture. Overlapping vertabraes can have a wider space in between and free the attached blood vessels which gradually achieve self healing.
Traditional Chinese Medicine - It can help to improve blood circulation. When Qi is circulating well, it helps to avert many diseases.
Yoga - Stretches muscles and stimulate the sluggish, to improve hormonal secretion and achieve self healing.
Well, I don't know much about the above. All I know is that since I started using the stool, the backache has disappeared! Anyone interested in trying out the Oshima Stool, feel free call me.
Then during a casual conversation with Suzzanne (from my church choir), she introduced the Oshima stool to me saying it had helped strengthen her back and many other benefits.
Basically, the Oshima stool is a wooden contraption with one surface slanted at a 45 degree angle. One is supposed to stand on it, toes pointing upwards, for about 10 minutes a day. I stand for the length of one commercial break ;) After that, do some stretching and forward bending.
Beginners are advised to hold on to something for support. When standing on the Oshima, it is very important to keep the legs and back straight with the butt tucked in. The benefits include slimming, flattened tummy, elimination of excess fat, smoothen stretch marks, improved blood circulation, accelerate cell metabolism, improved imunity, better posture and better spinal alignment.
Suzzanne gave me a flier about the stool and here's a list of all the benefits depending on which group you subscribe to:-
Medical - It is a one of a kind physiotherapy to stretch the muscles and straighten the body posture. Overlapping vertabraes can have a wider space in between and free the attached blood vessels which gradually achieve self healing.
Traditional Chinese Medicine - It can help to improve blood circulation. When Qi is circulating well, it helps to avert many diseases.
Yoga - Stretches muscles and stimulate the sluggish, to improve hormonal secretion and achieve self healing.
Well, I don't know much about the above. All I know is that since I started using the stool, the backache has disappeared! Anyone interested in trying out the Oshima Stool, feel free call me.
CSI Interruptus
NTV7 should do something about its transmission problems (which is not so bad, but definitely more frequent than other channels). Watching CSI last night was like watching a rookie driving a stick shift.
It was still OK for New York. The frequent interruptions started just before Miami and by the time Vegas came in, it was so bad, half the story line was missing. Imagine, you are watching Catherine using technology to recreate the make up of a clown from the picture of his corpse so she can identify him, or Grissom, upon seeing something giving that thoughtful frown that means he's on the brink of breaking a case, and then................BLANK SCREEN!
Aaaarrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!!!! Not surprisingly, the only time when the transmission was smooth was during the commercial breaks, the only thing on TV that nobody watches. It's like being rudely awaken from a pleasant dream by construction work, or running out of gas when racing down the open road, or your mother dropping by just when you are about to have the biggest orgasm of your life!
Quoting the very popular Malaysian adage - POTONG STIM :(
It was still OK for New York. The frequent interruptions started just before Miami and by the time Vegas came in, it was so bad, half the story line was missing. Imagine, you are watching Catherine using technology to recreate the make up of a clown from the picture of his corpse so she can identify him, or Grissom, upon seeing something giving that thoughtful frown that means he's on the brink of breaking a case, and then................BLANK SCREEN!
Aaaarrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!!!! Not surprisingly, the only time when the transmission was smooth was during the commercial breaks, the only thing on TV that nobody watches. It's like being rudely awaken from a pleasant dream by construction work, or running out of gas when racing down the open road, or your mother dropping by just when you are about to have the biggest orgasm of your life!
Quoting the very popular Malaysian adage - POTONG STIM :(
And Then There Were Three
Our housekeeper introduced me to "Simone", the exotic looking potted fern with the feather like leaves which resemble the tail of some bird with a Chinese name I can't remember :p I chose Simone because she was the baby of the bunch, the one that has not developed a lot of leaves yet and I like to nurture my plants from young so I can see them grow. Also, Lucy was looking quite lonely, especially during the long weekends when Mommy is away from the office and can't give her any TLC. So it is good for her to have another plant for company.
Then the next day, I saw "Missy", a mini version of Lucy. Everything about Missy just scream of cutesieness, don't you think so, from her adorable little leaves to her little pot. OK so I was more attracted to her cute little pot. It's such a cheerful yellow color!
So that's how I ended up with my little garden in the office. My girls are relatively easy to take care of. No pruning, weeding, etc required, just water, lots of love and lively conversations. I think the first rule of thumb when choosing your plant, is to make sure they fit your personality. Like their Mommy, these girls do OK with just the artificial lighting and airconditioning in the office and don't require sun which suits me just fine since I am no sun worshipper myself and insist on the airconditioning turned on at full blast at all times.
I'm Having A BAD DAY!!!!!!
The pitter patter of rain drops on my window pane just as my alarm clock goes off this morning is a sure sign of a bad day to follow. Nothing seems to be going right for me today and I seem to be on the phone a lot f***ing whoever is on the other line.
On days like these I really wish there is a Body Combat class for me to go burn all that rage. Let me tell you how it started.
The rain already soured my mood to get out of bed to face another week at work. Upon getting to the office, guess what? Since it's the school holidays and I park at the hotel car park, of course it's full. After circling a few times I had to dump my daughter (my cute little car lah) in a corner or risk clocking in late.
Sent the company technicians to service our customer's car, since on the day of installation of our products, customer's SIM card was not working. It still isn't working. Checking with Celcom didn't help. The idiots they employ don't even know their own products. Figures - cheap prices for crappy services. The bitch in charge of our company account wouldn't even entertain our request for help! Her predecessor was so much more helpful. Gave her my honest and very graphic opinion on what I thought of her incompetence and her and the boneheads in their customer care center. Told my superior about it and we sent in an official complaint. I very much doubt it will even cause a tiny ripple.
Had to entertain 2 very difficult old geezers after that. Ended up being very sarcastic to one who wouldn't stop complaining the minute he picked up the phone. The corpse actually thought the world revolve around him and was so over dramatic in his whining. The second one was a little easier to handle but no less whiney. By then my mood was already so dark, I ended up having his head for tea too. The old geezers are the one who whine the most.
Sure am glad the day is nearly over now. The only good thing about Mondays is the CSI marathon on TV to look forward to.
On days like these I really wish there is a Body Combat class for me to go burn all that rage. Let me tell you how it started.
The rain already soured my mood to get out of bed to face another week at work. Upon getting to the office, guess what? Since it's the school holidays and I park at the hotel car park, of course it's full. After circling a few times I had to dump my daughter (my cute little car lah) in a corner or risk clocking in late.
Sent the company technicians to service our customer's car, since on the day of installation of our products, customer's SIM card was not working. It still isn't working. Checking with Celcom didn't help. The idiots they employ don't even know their own products. Figures - cheap prices for crappy services. The bitch in charge of our company account wouldn't even entertain our request for help! Her predecessor was so much more helpful. Gave her my honest and very graphic opinion on what I thought of her incompetence and her and the boneheads in their customer care center. Told my superior about it and we sent in an official complaint. I very much doubt it will even cause a tiny ripple.
Had to entertain 2 very difficult old geezers after that. Ended up being very sarcastic to one who wouldn't stop complaining the minute he picked up the phone. The corpse actually thought the world revolve around him and was so over dramatic in his whining. The second one was a little easier to handle but no less whiney. By then my mood was already so dark, I ended up having his head for tea too. The old geezers are the one who whine the most.
Sure am glad the day is nearly over now. The only good thing about Mondays is the CSI marathon on TV to look forward to.
Heeeeeere's Lucy!
Meet "Lucy". She is the money plant I adopted when I moved into my cubicle in Customer Services. She used to belong to someone else but that person had left so I took her in.
Normally, I don't take an interest in plants and don't have that so called green thumb. Heck, my cactus died on me! Can you believe it? A cactus! And they are the lowest maintenance plant on God's earth.
Money plants are generally very easy to take care of. Just make sure that they always have water and they will survive. I only change Lucy's water once a week and she has thrived beautifully, giving birth to 2 new stems already with 2 more on the way. Not bad for someone without a green thumb, huh? Don't you just love the different tones on her leaves? They are heart shaped too. Awwwww.....my favorite shape :)
After adopting Lucy, suddenly, I realized that I had changed into one of those crazy people who talk to their plants like they are pets. Well, I'm not really that different from them, considering I talk to my dogs like they were my children :D Heck, I DO perceive Lucy as a pet. I mean, she is a living organism, isn't she? And I've named her. Yeah, she's SO my pet!
It's just such a joy see the new shoots growing. I look forward to the day when the mouth of her jar will be completely hidden by her folliage.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Kellie's Castle
It stands majestically amid oil palms estates, its sprawling grounds well kept, surrounded by a river. Its story had been likened to that of the Taj Mahal, and it truly would have been just as magnificent had it been fully constructed. Now, its colors faded with time, it still presents an imposing sight to all passing by, a reminder of a more glorious time gone by.
Welcome to Kellie's Castle, folks! Or Kellie's Folly depending on which side of the story you listen to.
The ruins of Kellie's Castle is located near Batu Gajah and is about 30 minutes'
drive from Ipoh. The castle remains in ruins because the construction was never
completed by the original owner due to his untimely death.
The property of English rubber tycoon William Kellie Smith, the incomplete 19th century building remains dark and mysterious with much speculation among locals and visitors about hidden rooms and secret tunnels.
Its allure and romance led these ruins to be chosen as one of the set locations for the filming of "Anna and the King" in the mid 1990's.
Source: allmalaysia.info
Entrance to the castle costs RM3.00 for each adult. From the ticketing booth a bridge over the river will take visitors to the foot of a long staircase that leads up to the castle grounds.
Entrance to the castle costs RM3.00 for each adult. From the ticketing booth a bridge over the river will take visitors to the foot of a long staircase that leads up to the castle grounds.
This well located in the courtyard behind the castle also doubles as a ventilation shaft for the secret tunnel that supposedly runs underneath the castle grounds. One of the tunnels supposedly leads to an Indian temple nearby. Well, I did search the place for an entrance to the tunnel, but couldn't find it. Either it's not located within the castle or had been sealed off.
This long corridor runs the entire length of the castle. Entrances to the main hall and kitchen area are located along this corridor.
The second floor contains the main family's bedrooms.
This picture was taken in Kellie's daughter, Helen's room on the second floor. It is said that her spirit still walk these walls! There are no uninvited guests in this picture are there? Hehehe.......but wouldn't it be real cool if there are?
Helen's room is connected to her brother, Alexander's room through a secret door in the bathroom.
Third floor - here's where it starts to get interesting. The guest rooms are located here as well as a linen closet which is quite dark.
Here's Jeff fooling around outside the linen closet pretending to have his arm around imaginary figures. Lucky no "additional" figures showed up in the shot.
One of the guest bedrooms. I believe there were three of them.
Sher Lynn is standing on the helipad, at least that's what most historians say this flat, circular structure is for. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think helicoptors exist yet circa early 1900s, do they?
This open-air space on top of the main section of the building can be used to hold parties where guests will get a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape (in this day and age, that means miles and miles of palm oil estate :D). Notice that it is two-tiered.
The bottom tier is narrower and accessible through a staircase. Although the two tiers look very close together, don't think about jumping down there. The height between the two tiers is actually almost as tall as me!
The view from the bottom tier overlooks the Smiths' old home before the construction of the castle. Only the facade remains now.
This balcony overlooks the river and gardens beyond.
These aren't accidental shots. I was exploring the basement which is pitch black and had to use the camera's flash to see if there are any dangerous obstacles in the way. From the first picture you can just makeout the shape of the wine rack in the dark corner. The second picture is of the narrow passageway in front of the wine rack under the staircase. I was hoping to find the entranceway to the tunnels here, but no luck. The next time I get a chance to come back, I will definitely bring a flashlight along.
You will notice that most of the pictures taken here are of Sher Lynn. I was too busy running around the place looking for ghosts to pose for pictures :D There were also secret staircases all over the place and it was so much fun discovering them. These are in hidden corners and are so narrow, there is only enough space for one person at a time. Definitely not for claustophobics, although some of these staircases are already exposed. There is even an elevator shaft.
Both Kellie's Castle and the old house were built with basically Indian designs as William Kellie Smith was facinated with Hinduism and Indian cultures. All building materials and labor for the castle were imported from India. Problems cropped up during the construction when the Spanish Flu hit Asia and claimed many of the laborers' lives. Construction finally halted for good when Smith went for a short trip to Portugal and died there.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Sheryl in Wonderland
Thursday, 26 April 2007, was a holiday in Malaysia in honor of the coronation of the latest King. Thank you, Your Majesty for the free day off :D Me, Jeff and Sher Lynn decided to use the opportunity for a day trip to Ipoh.
It will be a 2 hour drive from Penang to Ipoh, so we started the journey from Penang at 6 am. Fu-yoh! Had to wake up at 5 am. This was the view of the traffic going the opposite direction:
There was an accident ahead of all these vehicles and traffic was backed up for miles! The poor souls coming from the South! We sure were glad we were heading the opposite direction.
Breakfast was dim sum. The plan was to go to this place behind Excelsior Hotel where Eleen took me to on our way to KL a few years ago. No luck. The place was closed, so we ended up eating at another dim sum restaurant opposite. The selection of dim sum was not bad, although I didn't see my must have dessert - egg tarts. The prawns in their prawn dumplings were HUGE! I didn't eat that much, though, because I didn't think I'll need my motion sickness pills and was starting a major one by then. So after breakfast we walked around and found this pharmacy to get some motion sickness pills.
OK pills taken, we're all set for the next destination - Hospital Bahagia in Tanjung Rambutan. Yeah, we're a bunch of nuts aren't we, wanting to visit a nut house. Ha Ha! Saw a lot of nice topiaried bushes along the road. So much more attractive than the ones in Penang. MPPP please take note! Surprisingly, Hospital Bahagia was not what we expected at all. It's actually a very nice, peaceful place, very clean and well kept. No psycos in straight jackets running around the place. In fact, the only nut we saw was this old man walking down the road talking to himself.
Oh yeah, I left my crap at Hospital Bahagia. Just as we were near the exit, I had to ask Jeff to quickly find a drain. The overwhelming pressure to hurl which was slowly building in my throat since we left town was quickly coming to eruption point. Emptying my breakfast calmed it down somewhat. Note to self: on the next out of state journey, no matter how short the distance, be sure to have motion sickness pill along and for goodness sake, take 2 before starting out!
We made a short stop at Lost World of Tambun on the way back to town.
These massive cat statues welcome visitors at the entrance. We didn't go in there as the cover charge includes the water and dryland games. Not worth it since we didn't come prepared to get wet.
There is a gift/souvenir shop where we found these adorable frog dolls. Froggy (Helen) must be drooling. Aren't they cute?
As we were leaving Lost World, we spoted this gap in the fence with a good view of the Pirate Ship. Of course we couldn't resist posing for pictures.
Some people in the office wanted the famous biscuits from this particular shop. Took the picture as evidence that we actually bought them there :p The production of the biscuits was carried out behind the building.
The highlight of our trip - Kellie's Castle. I won't go into detail about the place here. It's such an interesting place that it really deserves a post on its own.
The castle was built by one William Kellie Smith. He returned to his homeland of Scotland before the contruction was finished and died there. The castle is supposedly haunted. No, there were no murders or accidental deaths here. I think it's just a matter of a place being left uninhabited for too long. It's believed that if a place has been without human presense for some time, "THEY" move in. We didn't encounter any ghosts there, though. Now that would make the whole trip more interesting.
We had some time to kill before dinner, so stopped by Ipoh Parade for some shopping. Ogawa had an exhibition at the lobby and we spent a relaxing 1/2 hour there trying out their massage chairs. The chairs really delivered everything they promised in their advertisement. The price - almost equal to that of a Perodua Kancil. Fu-yoh!
Dinner was at Old Town Cafe. Getting there was sort of a navigational challenge. We should've brought along a MS2000 to test out how accurate the technology really is :D Lucky Jeff brought along a map book so after much driving around we were finally on the right track.
Old Town was located in Green Village, quite a happening spot with a few trendy cafes and pubs. It was kind of a disappointment for me as I was expecting an old building or at least something with rustic interior decor for that nostalgic atmosphere. Instead, as you can see, it looks more like any Starbucks or Coffee Bean. So commercialized :( The food, well, they have this really kick ass laksa with lots of fish bits and spicy taste guaranteed to burn your tongue! The tomyam bee hoon we had was something of a disappointment - no spice or sour taste and very bland.
Of course, what trip to Old Town will be complete without a nice hot cup of Ipoh White Coffee. Especially when it was raining not long ago and weather outside is still cool. Cheers!
Well, that's us, the merry trio on the way back to Penang after a whole day experiencing Ipoh. The trip was an eye opener for me as I was expecting Ipoh to be somewhat of a dead town (no offense to the good people of Ipoh). Instead, it really has so many hidden charms waiting to be discovered.
One thing I missed out while there was eating "hor hee". Some of my friends turned up their noses on that as it is similar to our koay teow th'ng and widely available in Penang. Girls, you know who you are :p Well, for me, since we come all the way here, why not check out what is so unique about it, even if it IS just koay teow th'ng, and see why only in Ipoh is it known as "hor hee".
Another surprise awaited us on the way back. Turns out there is another Old Town Cafe in E-Gate, less than 5 minutes drive from my apartment. And to think, I went all the way to Ipoh to eat there!
Will there be another trip to Ipoh in the future? Definitely! After all, we didn't get to experience Lost World. And if some kind Ipoh soul would play tour guide for us, all the better!
Kids' Mentality Nowadays
There is an entertainment center in my office building where we like to have lunch. It is also a favorite place for students from nearby schools to congregate before or after school for lunch and to blow off some steam with the various games available.
Today when I went there for lunch, I noticed that the center had included in their offerings a few of those animal thingies. You know, those furry animals popular in shopping malls where kids can ride on and steer around the place. And guess who should be riding on those things but a group of girls in (gasp!) highschool uniforms no less.
Like, come on, Hon, you're in highschool! When I was your age I would rather shoot myself than be caught dead riding on one. It goes to show the level of maturity of kids nowadays. I mean, seriously, what self respecting individual, over the pacifier sucking age (pervs not included), will want to be seen in public steering a furry blue elephant around an entertainment center? Humiliating indeed!!!!
Trust me, if I had one of those high tech phones with video camera, I would have recorded the whole sorry episode and posted it on YouTube. It's mean, I know, but like they say, if someone wants to advertise their stupidity/immaturity............
Today when I went there for lunch, I noticed that the center had included in their offerings a few of those animal thingies. You know, those furry animals popular in shopping malls where kids can ride on and steer around the place. And guess who should be riding on those things but a group of girls in (gasp!) highschool uniforms no less.
Like, come on, Hon, you're in highschool! When I was your age I would rather shoot myself than be caught dead riding on one. It goes to show the level of maturity of kids nowadays. I mean, seriously, what self respecting individual, over the pacifier sucking age (pervs not included), will want to be seen in public steering a furry blue elephant around an entertainment center? Humiliating indeed!!!!
Trust me, if I had one of those high tech phones with video camera, I would have recorded the whole sorry episode and posted it on YouTube. It's mean, I know, but like they say, if someone wants to advertise their stupidity/immaturity............
My Secret Obsession
There is something that always beckons me when I go shopping, calling out to me, begging to come home with me, to touch my lips with it's sweet, silky carress. My lips always long for it's touch. Its slickness glide smoothly over my softly parted lips, bathing them in an effervescent shine and just a tinge of blush, sometimes bold crimson, depending on my mood. It is my obsession, the one sin I am almost embarrassed to confess. It is......LIPSTICK.
Guess you can say lipstick is to me what shoes are to Imelda. As far as I know, I am the only girl I know who carries along around 20 lipsticks in her bag with another stash of equally large if not larger in her vanity drawer. Hey, I like having the option of changing my lip color according to my mood.
You'd think that with the size of my stash, my lipsticks will last me for a while. Well, not exactly, since I like piling on the layers. Hence, on average one lipstick only lasts me 3 months, especially the day colors. Yes, I have day colors and night colors. Work colors, chilling out colors, dinner colors, party colors......the list goes on, but mostly what color I wear depends on my mood.
Well, I added another one to my collection yesterday, when I had just bought 2 a few weeks ago. The latest is from Revlon's newest collection - Plump Sexxxy Lipcolor. Hey, with a name like "Flirtatious", how can I resist? It's so ME! It has just a hint of caramelish gold-red, smells a little like chocolate and feels cooling on application. And does it plump up the lips like it's ad campaign claim? Well, just a little. I wasn't expecting the bee stung lips effect. The color is very natural and sweet.
Next on my list - something from the Barbie Loves MAC collection!
Guess you can say lipstick is to me what shoes are to Imelda. As far as I know, I am the only girl I know who carries along around 20 lipsticks in her bag with another stash of equally large if not larger in her vanity drawer. Hey, I like having the option of changing my lip color according to my mood.
You'd think that with the size of my stash, my lipsticks will last me for a while. Well, not exactly, since I like piling on the layers. Hence, on average one lipstick only lasts me 3 months, especially the day colors. Yes, I have day colors and night colors. Work colors, chilling out colors, dinner colors, party colors......the list goes on, but mostly what color I wear depends on my mood.
Well, I added another one to my collection yesterday, when I had just bought 2 a few weeks ago. The latest is from Revlon's newest collection - Plump Sexxxy Lipcolor. Hey, with a name like "Flirtatious", how can I resist? It's so ME! It has just a hint of caramelish gold-red, smells a little like chocolate and feels cooling on application. And does it plump up the lips like it's ad campaign claim? Well, just a little. I wasn't expecting the bee stung lips effect. The color is very natural and sweet.
Next on my list - something from the Barbie Loves MAC collection!
Near Miss
I never discussed this with anyone except Girlie......
Well, a couple of months ago my cina apek company offered me a position in our KL office as assistant to a new lady they hired (lets just call her "Fat Broad" shall we?). Fat Broad's job is to whip our KL office into shape. I guess she would have to be the female version of Captain Bligh to take the job.
The offer was very tempting for me not because I saw it as a good career move, but more because of the abundance of opportunities in KL which will make it easier for me to jump ship should the need arise. Also the freedom of striking it out on my own, and since the company will take care of my accommodation while there and under its employment, well, what the heck, right? WRONG!!!!!
I didn't take the offer, of course, although Fat Broad seemed very likable, personable and funny on first impression. Still, I had my reservations about her and what she would be like as a colleague and superior. And I was right, but more about that later.
The main reason I didn't take the offer was because the company never mentioned anything about my remuneration package should I accept the offer. They just assumed that as long as they take care of my accommodation, that is good enough a fringe benefit. Dream on, guys! Anyway, I didn't bother to broach the subject of remuneration because I knew the company wouldn't be able to afford my asking basic salary, not to mention the allowance that I would be asking for.
Anyway, some other colleagues were stationed in KL for the past few weeks and returned last weekend. They stayed with Fat Broad in the company rented condo. The horror stories they told only strenghten my reservations about working with Fat Broad. From their accounts, Fat Broad is extremely fussy, to the point of suffering from OCD you might say.
Can you believe she actually had rules & regulations hung up in the condo? Yikes! What happens if someone breaks them? Will they be kicked out and forced to spend the night elsewhere? There were also stuff about getting screwed for minute little details. Fat Broad talks behind people's backs so yeah, they had to be on their toes the whole time staying with her at the risk of getting their reputations tarnished.
One funny incident was when a male colleague did his laundry and left them to dry at the condo. The guy in question, then went to spend the weekend with family. When Fat Broad wanted to hang her laundry she found that she had to not only take in his laundry but also his underwear! Of course she made a big deal about it, even to the point of telling all and sundry that she has "never" touched a guy's underwear before. Yeah right, toots!!! At your age you've never touched a guy's underwear? Don't tell us you're some 50 year old virgin :p
It seems that she also makes it a habit of showing up at the office real early like 8.00 am in the morning and wait there for people to let her in. Since she does not carry the office key, the people in our KL office had to go to work just as early, lest they be lambasted for making her wait. If it were up to me, I'll let her wait and endure the sun and rain. It's her business for wanting to go to work early and don't want to carry a key. My office hours does not start until 8.30 am anyway, so she does not have a valid reason to complain.
So, my dear readers, you can understand why I'm breathing a sigh of relief that I didn't take the job. Because if I did and have to face Fat Broad day in and day out in the office AND at home, well, lets just say that one fine day, a woman will "accidentally" take a giant leap from our balcony and it ain't gonna be me!
Well, a couple of months ago my cina apek company offered me a position in our KL office as assistant to a new lady they hired (lets just call her "Fat Broad" shall we?). Fat Broad's job is to whip our KL office into shape. I guess she would have to be the female version of Captain Bligh to take the job.
The offer was very tempting for me not because I saw it as a good career move, but more because of the abundance of opportunities in KL which will make it easier for me to jump ship should the need arise. Also the freedom of striking it out on my own, and since the company will take care of my accommodation while there and under its employment, well, what the heck, right? WRONG!!!!!
I didn't take the offer, of course, although Fat Broad seemed very likable, personable and funny on first impression. Still, I had my reservations about her and what she would be like as a colleague and superior. And I was right, but more about that later.
The main reason I didn't take the offer was because the company never mentioned anything about my remuneration package should I accept the offer. They just assumed that as long as they take care of my accommodation, that is good enough a fringe benefit. Dream on, guys! Anyway, I didn't bother to broach the subject of remuneration because I knew the company wouldn't be able to afford my asking basic salary, not to mention the allowance that I would be asking for.
Anyway, some other colleagues were stationed in KL for the past few weeks and returned last weekend. They stayed with Fat Broad in the company rented condo. The horror stories they told only strenghten my reservations about working with Fat Broad. From their accounts, Fat Broad is extremely fussy, to the point of suffering from OCD you might say.
Can you believe she actually had rules & regulations hung up in the condo? Yikes! What happens if someone breaks them? Will they be kicked out and forced to spend the night elsewhere? There were also stuff about getting screwed for minute little details. Fat Broad talks behind people's backs so yeah, they had to be on their toes the whole time staying with her at the risk of getting their reputations tarnished.
One funny incident was when a male colleague did his laundry and left them to dry at the condo. The guy in question, then went to spend the weekend with family. When Fat Broad wanted to hang her laundry she found that she had to not only take in his laundry but also his underwear! Of course she made a big deal about it, even to the point of telling all and sundry that she has "never" touched a guy's underwear before. Yeah right, toots!!! At your age you've never touched a guy's underwear? Don't tell us you're some 50 year old virgin :p
It seems that she also makes it a habit of showing up at the office real early like 8.00 am in the morning and wait there for people to let her in. Since she does not carry the office key, the people in our KL office had to go to work just as early, lest they be lambasted for making her wait. If it were up to me, I'll let her wait and endure the sun and rain. It's her business for wanting to go to work early and don't want to carry a key. My office hours does not start until 8.30 am anyway, so she does not have a valid reason to complain.
So, my dear readers, you can understand why I'm breathing a sigh of relief that I didn't take the job. Because if I did and have to face Fat Broad day in and day out in the office AND at home, well, lets just say that one fine day, a woman will "accidentally" take a giant leap from our balcony and it ain't gonna be me!
Nokia N92 Wherefore Art Thou?
I have been waiting for Nokia to launch this phone in Malaysia since seeing how cool Tom Cruise looked with it in MI:3. Last rumor was that it will be launched in February 2007. Well, February has come and gone and the phone is still nowhere to be found :(
"Get some other phone, lah" my friends keep saying to me. Sure, there are lots of other good phones in the market nowadays with probably comparable features. Just one HUGE problem......they are not Nokia. You see, for me, no other phone will do unless it is a Nokia. Don't ask me why. It's a chemistry thing I guess. I just can't see myself using any other brands.
Go check out this page for an intro to the phone http://www.nseries.com/index.html#l=products,n92,demo
So any Nokia employees out there know when they are gonna launch the phone? Please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?
Translating English to Malay = MAJOR HEADACHE
For the past 2 days I have been saddled with the unenviable task of translating presentation materials from English to Malay which has me bent over my desk scratching my head 90% of the time.
Now, I'm as adept as the next person who calls himself "Malaysian" at translating anything to Malay in a casual context, but when it comes to sales materials or formal documents, it's a whole different ball game all together. They might as well be speaking Swahili.
Like how do you translate a phrase like "Our System Pays For Themselves"? "Sistem Kami Membayar Sendiri"? Even a simple word like "lock" which is "mangga" in Malay and can even mean "mango" has me pondering for hours. You just can't use words that sound fruity in a formal document now, can you?
Lucky a small portion of these things have been translated previously, so I just have to copy and paste them, else I'll really be sporting a bald spot by the end of the week. The online dictionaries are also no help, especially with the more technical terms. They give you a direct translation of the word then you have to figure out how to fit it in the context of your material.
At this rate, I'm probably gonna be at it all week. I wonder how my fellow colleagues are faring.....they get to translate the damn thing to Chinese.
Wanna know what the irony is? I wrote some of these things :p You would think that will make it easier to translate. Think again!
Now, I'm as adept as the next person who calls himself "Malaysian" at translating anything to Malay in a casual context, but when it comes to sales materials or formal documents, it's a whole different ball game all together. They might as well be speaking Swahili.
Like how do you translate a phrase like "Our System Pays For Themselves"? "Sistem Kami Membayar Sendiri"? Even a simple word like "lock" which is "mangga" in Malay and can even mean "mango" has me pondering for hours. You just can't use words that sound fruity in a formal document now, can you?
Lucky a small portion of these things have been translated previously, so I just have to copy and paste them, else I'll really be sporting a bald spot by the end of the week. The online dictionaries are also no help, especially with the more technical terms. They give you a direct translation of the word then you have to figure out how to fit it in the context of your material.
At this rate, I'm probably gonna be at it all week. I wonder how my fellow colleagues are faring.....they get to translate the damn thing to Chinese.
Wanna know what the irony is? I wrote some of these things :p You would think that will make it easier to translate. Think again!
1st Penang Bloggers Meet
I got the heads up for this event from Lillian aka the5xmom who is also my friend from the choir and cooking sifu hehehe.....
So after choir practice last Sunday, I went to check it out. Lillian was not at choir practice, so I figured she must be there.
The event was an opportunity for bloggers in Penang to meet new bloggers and exchange ideas, you know, the usual yadda yadda yadda. There was no proper agenda for the day, though. It was very informal. Most of the bloggers there were young people, mostly students, but with very mature and interesting points of view.
Sorry, no photos of me from the event to be shown here as I was only there for like 1/2 hour. Also I didn't have much time to "put on" my face properly that morning, so I look like shit :p
But take my word for it, there were lots of people there. And the next time someone organizes something like this again, you can be sure I'll be there fully prepared. Their next event is a hike to Pantai Kerachut.......eeeekkkkk!!!!! Not for someone like me who is not a nature lover.
Well guys, next time you have another meeting, let me know. Otherwise, I'm sure I'll find out about it from Lillian's blog.
It was nice meeting all of you :)
So after choir practice last Sunday, I went to check it out. Lillian was not at choir practice, so I figured she must be there.
The event was an opportunity for bloggers in Penang to meet new bloggers and exchange ideas, you know, the usual yadda yadda yadda. There was no proper agenda for the day, though. It was very informal. Most of the bloggers there were young people, mostly students, but with very mature and interesting points of view.
Sorry, no photos of me from the event to be shown here as I was only there for like 1/2 hour. Also I didn't have much time to "put on" my face properly that morning, so I look like shit :p
But take my word for it, there were lots of people there. And the next time someone organizes something like this again, you can be sure I'll be there fully prepared. Their next event is a hike to Pantai Kerachut.......eeeekkkkk!!!!! Not for someone like me who is not a nature lover.
Well guys, next time you have another meeting, let me know. Otherwise, I'm sure I'll find out about it from Lillian's blog.
It was nice meeting all of you :)
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