e-MeL 4 U

The Cube

2011-10-30T13:58:00.001+08:00

Hi guys, I'm back. Ew... dusty blog.

Ok, I'm back because of The Cube. Just look at the time discrepancy between this post and the last post and you know how important The Cube is to me.

Ok, ok. I ain't gonna lie and say that it's only about The Cube. Actually, there's a catch. If I write a blog entry about The Cube and features that I like about it, I stand a chance to win a BlackBerry Torch 9860!

You don't know how desperate I am for a BB. I am a student (you get the story - broke, broken, and might break down anytime because I need something efficient to browse the net. Yes, I am shameless).

Without further ado, let me introduce you to The Cube if you are still clueless about it. But first, let me show you this video. Lol, it's crazy and I just can't resist it!

Isn't that cool? I wish I could do that! Lol.

You must be wondering why all those Cubes are dancing, right?

Duh, The Cube is like a music site. Seriously. You can download tones for your phones, find out what new song is the hottest right now (seriously, it's like a music chart), download games, and keep yourself up to date with your social circle. The good thing about downloading legal stuff at The Cube here is the affordable prices. You can download songs for as low as RM 0.99!

There is one thing that really attracts me is going online on Facebook by SMS for only RM 1 per week! I thought I saw it wrongly but no. Seeing is believing. That's like RM 4 in one month. Cool eh? Even someone as broke as me can afford that. Hallelujah!

Oh, and one more thing although I know I may be writing out of topic here. But you just gotta check out The Cube's site if only to take a look at the cool web design. Check it out for yourself if you don't believe me (But please believe me, I am usually honest).

See? See?

Lol. I know I'm not making any sense right here but honestly, the colour combination works so well in creating something young, vibrant, and happening, if it was animated I would have danced along. If only there were animations... Ah, you know, I'm a person who loves action. Just ignore me.

But as a website for in this genre, I gotta say, The Cube is The Complete Ultra Boundless Entertainment.

Thank you very much.

Never Say Never a.k.a. Kipas Bibir Ka Aku Ni?

2011-04-23T12:21:00.003+08:00

Jawapan: TIDAK. Walaupun dulu aku pernah suka lagu "Baby, baby" beliau tetapi sejak dimasukkan dalam persembahan CUS kami, aku akan terkenangkan action untuk line "Baby, baby" tu. Hehe, tak stylish tapi agak cool - kami la...

Okay, back to business. Why never say never?

Even though I am not a Bieber's fan (neither am I a hater), I agree with this phrase: NEVER say NEVER.

In my life, there are many things that I do not have. And because of that, I do not want people to take away the last thing that I have: Hope.

You might say that I am in denial; that I cannot face reality. So what? I am not obliged to comment about that.

But having hope or no hope, which one is better?

Of course hope la...!

So when people tell me "It's impossible!" or "There is nothing you can do about it" or "You just have to live with that", in my mind and in my heart, I say 'NEVER!'

Kalau nak muka halus macam aku ni, NEVER say NEVER!

Thus, it becomes a challenge for me to prove those people wrong.

Ya, saya memang suka menentang. Okla, bukan saya saja-saja suka menentang. Tapi, saya rasa tak adil bagi saya kalau orang suka-suka ja kata tak boleh la, feels like that person is trying to kill my hope.

So what I am doing actually is just to restore my hope. Saya tidak cuba untuk membunuh atau mencederakan siapa-siapa. That means, whatever I do tiada kaitan dengan yang mati atau hidup atau yang in-between.

Oh, panjang sungguh introduction. Tapi itu adalah sebagai explanation in case saya dipersalahkan untuk apa-apa nanti. Aku phobia.

Al-kisah cerita adalah begini...

It's nothing new that I have problems with my facial skin. Don't get me wrong. I love myself, it's just that I want to improve myself.

My problem is that my facial skin pores are very visible to the naked eye. Maksudnya, tak payah pakai spec, orang rabun pun boleh nampak T_T

Tapi awas, lepas ni, jangan pulak nak cuba tengok muka aku untuk perhatikan liang-liang tersebut.

Sebagai seorang wanita yang sama-sama pentingkan kecantikan seperti wanita-wanita lain, saya merasakan bahawa adalah tanggungjawab saya untuk mencari jalan penyelesaian kepada masalah yang melanda muka ini.

BUT...! Tiba-tiba ada orang bagitau kat aku "Tak dapat nak hilangkan tu..." dengan selamba.

My immediate response was "Huh, cannot meh???" in disbelief.

"I don't believe that," I added. "There has got to be some things that I can do. I don't believe that there is a problem that cannot be solved."

Terdiam orang yang memberi jawapan tu tadi kepada saya. Oops.

Melampau ke apa yang aku cakap?

Since then on, telah menjadi misi hidupku untuk mencari ubat yang boleh mengecilkan saiz liang-liang roma di muka ini. Oh malunya.

Seperti biasa, Google menjadi pilihan hati sebagai tempat aduan. As I expected, bukan 1, bukan 2, bukan 3, bukan 4, tapi lebih banyak daripada jari-jari tangan campur jari-jari kaki aku bilangan laman yang mempamerkan cara-cara mengecilkan lubang. Ahem.

Ini adalah satu benda bagus jadi saya merasakan adalah tanggungjawab saya sebagai seorang wanita untuk berkongsi tips-tips ini dengan wanita-wanita lain who have the same concern as me.

Antara yang aku dapat adalah seperti berikut and I don't take credits for these methods. Just sharing what I got and I'm sorry because I forgot to save the links:

1st Method

Squeeze a half cup of fresh lemon juice. Katanya, lemon juice is good to control oil production.
Beat egg + 2 teaspoon (tsp) honey + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar.
Add in 1 tsp lemon juice and stir for about 1 minute until the mixture blend well.
Wash face with a mild cleanser and pat dry.
Massage the treatment on skin (focus on areas with large pores).
Leave it on for about 15 minutes and rinse off with lukewarm water.

2nd Method

Blend 1 green tomato + 1 tsp honey until they form a thick pulp.
Cleanse face with warm water (aku rasa maksudnya kena jugak guna cleanser cuma rinse with warm water). Exfoliate with scrub.
Massage the mixture on the face.
Leave on for 20 - 30 minutes and rinse with cold water.

1NewMessages: The remaining mask can be stored for about 2 weeks.

3rd Method

Add egg white from 1 large egg with 2 tablespoon (tbsp) lemon juice. Mix well.
Apply on affected areas and leave for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Rinse off using tepid to warm water.
Apply witch hazel extract (optional but is recommended to further tone and tighten skin).

2NewMessages: Repeat daily. The difference can be seen in 2 - 4 weeks.

3NewMessages: I noticed that my Oxy oil-control moisturizer has witch hazel extract! Gembiranya hati ini :)

4th Method

Blend or juice 1 small cucumber.
Mix with 1/4 cup plain yogurt (tapi kalau anda nak jugak yang ada buah-buah tu saya tak dapat nak halang la). Mix well.
Juice or blend 1/2 pint strawberries. Add into the mixture.
Add in 1 tsp honey + 2 tbsp oatmeal.
Cover the mixture and leave in fridge for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, dampen a towel with hot water and lay on face. This helps to open pores.
Massage the mixture onto your face for 5 minutes.
Leave on for 15 - 20 minutes. Soak towel with warm water and scrub the mask off.
Rinse with cold water. Pat dry.

4NewMessages: Do this once every week. This method is suitable for all skin types.

Of all the methods above, I have only tried the third one. I did notice some difference but I think it might be partly due to my putting on face mask containing alpha hydroxy acid (Alpha hydroxy acid and beta hydroxy acid are chemicals that can help to refine pores) daily.

So why do some of us have large pores?

From my search, the reason is because our pores are clogged. The clogging made the pores swell, hence the enlarged size.

How did our pores get clogged?

Ala, kalau tak bersihkan mestila tersumbat... Haha, kalaula senang macam cuci longkang.

Actually it is because some of us have very active sebum gland, hence our faces get oily easily. And when the face gets too oily, the dirt gets stuck on our face easily.

Ah, kena guna Sunlight. When the dirt terlekat pada minyak-minyak, the pores get clogged easily lor...

That is why, we need to remove the oil build-up. Also, use warm water to wet our face to improve cleanser efficacy.

Itu saja cerita saya untuk penjagaan kulit muka pada kali ini. Sama-sama kita berusaha untuk mengekalkan keamanan dunia. Aja-aja fighting!

Question 1: What is Your Favourite Song? a.k.a. 30-day blog challenge

2011-04-20T23:52:00.006+08:00

First of all, I would like to explain a few things:

1. I copied this challenge from the Ketua Kuyat :) (Beliau adalah Tai-ka-je kami, sila respek ok!)

2. This is a 30-day blog challenge but it does not mean that it has to be continuous. It only means that you need to answer only one question per day.

And since I really need to talk but nobody can afford to stay awake that long to listen to me, WTH let me just do this then.

There are many songs that I love but this particular song will always be my favourite.

It is a chinese song sung by my favourite idol, Jay Chou.

I love this song not just for the melody but also because of the lyrics and its MV and the special effect (so it really is my favourite!).

The title of the song is 你听得到 (Ni Ting De Dao) meaning You Can Hear It.

Mesti takorang rasa heran pahal tajuk nya cam pelik jak bunyi. Mestila bole dengar asalkan sik pekak.

Tapi.... jeng jeng jeng...

This is the lyrics:

有谁能比我知道
you shui neng bi wo zhi dao

Who can understand better than me

你的温柔像羽毛
ni de wen rou xiang yu mao

That your gentleness is like a feather

秘密躺在我怀抱
mi mi tang zai wo huai bao
A secret is lying in my lap

只有你能听得到
zhi you ni neng ting de dao

(2nd time: dao de ting neng ni you zhi [see note on bottom*] )
Only you can hear it

还有没有人知道
hai you mei you ren zhi dao

Does anyone else know

你的微笑像拥抱
ni de wei xiao xiang yong bao

That your smile is like an embrace?

多想藏着你的好
duo xiang cang zhe ni de hao
How I want to hide your goodness

只有我看得到
zhi you wo kan de dao

So that only I can see it

站在屋顶只对风说
zhan zai wu ding zhi dui feng shuo

Standing on the roof, facing the wind saying

不想被左右
bu xiang bei zuo you
That I don’t want to be pushed around

本来讨厌下雨的天空
ben lai tao yan xia yu de tian kong

I used to hate the raining sky

直到听见有人说爱我
zhi dao ting jian you ren shuo ai wo
Until I heard someone say she loves me

坐在电影院的二楼
zuo zai dian ying yuan de er lou

Sitting on the second floor of the movie theatre

看人群走过
kan ren qun zou guo

Watching the crowd walk past

怎么那一天的我们
zen me na yi tian de wo men

Why did we on that day

都默默的微笑很久
dou mo mo de wei xiao hen jiu
Both quietly smile for so long?

我想我是太过依赖
wo xiang wo shi tai guo yi lai

I think that I am too dependent

在挂电话的刚才
zai gua dian hua de gang cai

When the phone hung up just now

坚持学单纯的小孩
jian chi xue dan chun de xiao hai

I persisted in acting like a naive child

静静看守这份爱
jing jing kan shou zhe fen ai

Silently guarding this piece of love

知道不能太依赖
zhi dao bu neng tai yi lai
I know that I can't be too dependent

怕你会把我宠坏
pa ni hui ba wo chong huai
Afraid that you would spoil me

你的香味一直徘徊
ni de xiang wei yi zhi pai huai
Your fragrance constantly hovers

我舍不得离开
wo she bu de li kai

I am reluctant to leave

Repeat

Notes:
*This line is reversed the 2nd time around. Play the song backwards to hear "zhi you ni neng ting de dao."
Jay does it with a purpose, which is to create a line to suit the song title's theme so that only you can hear it.

(Credits: www.jay-chou.net)

And the video:

Atau bagi yang tidak dapat tengok video itu atas sebab-sebab tertentu, hehehe, here is where you can download the mp3 version.

Nice, right?

Well, why does it still touch my heart so much even after eight years?

Because... not everybody can listen.

Sometimes, people don't hear you.

But when they do, are they really listening?

Even if they do listen, can they ever hear the real message behind your voice, your words, your pause?

Makes you wonder eh?

;) Enjoy!

Tail Number a.k.a. Nombor Ekor

2011-04-18T22:44:00.002+08:00

Where I come from, majority of the folks spend a lot of time and money on one hobby - buy Toto, buy Magnum (4D, not the ice-cream which my sisters and I used to be so jakun about), buy Sarawak Turf, and the latest, Da Ma Cai.

This is one of the oldest and most favoured hobbies in Sibu. Every evening, before 7 p.m., you can see people cramping like sardines in the 4D premises to buy their last-minute lucky numbers.

Like all typical Sibuans, my parents and relatives are also one of the contributors to the popularity of these 4D outlets (yang murah hati walaupun tidak diterima. LOL.). A lot of investment goes into buying 4D because "you don't know when you might get lucky" said Mama wisely.

Yes, we did enjoy the results when the harvest is rich but most of the time, we were not that lucky.

But when Mama or Papa did get lucky, we would all be treated and usually it comes in the form of makan besar (yala tek, makan sampey besar kedak tuk T_T). Then we all happy la.

The same goes for our other relatives. This "ritual" had been practiced since we were small.

So whenever any one of us (be it my siblings and I or our cousins) expresses our wish to have something, our parents would say "Of course, but wait until we strike the lottery" to console us. And because we knew it was not that time yet, we just nodded sadly and submit to our fate (oh-so-dramatic~).

The line/phrase had become so commonly used that most of the time, we didn't even need to express our wishes out loud anymore. It had been engraved in our mind that whatever we want will be given, provided that our parents get "lucky".

And so, one day while on the way home from shopping with my aunt, we drove by a beautiful playground. My cousin Sharon (bukan nama sebenar) was still very young then, about 9 or 10 years old. Being a young child that she was, playgrounds appealed to her very much and she expressed her wish to her mum.

However, before my aunt could say anything, my little cousin added, "I know, we'll wait until you win Toto."

Kids. They say the darnedest thing.

What If a.k.a. Andaikata

2011-04-17T19:55:00.001+08:00

Let's play a new game!

Exam is near, stress is here. Chill out a little and do something else which is equally mind-challenging.

This game is called "What if".

Here's how we play:

1. Pose a hypothetical situation starting with "What if", e.g.,

What if I am actually a boy who has undergone a transsexual operation, would you (girls) still want to share a room with me?

2. And then end the question with "would you" as given in the example above.

3. The next person who comments must answer the question and then pose another question in the same format.

Get it? Good.

Let's get the ball rolling...

My question:

What if I am a lesbian, would you (girls) still sleep with me on the same bed?

or if you're a boy,

What if I am a gay, would you still sleep with me on the same bed?

Laundry Woes a.k.a. Cuci-mencuci Pakaian

2011-04-17T11:46:00.001+08:00

Yesterday I did my laundry because I had a load accumulated in my laundry basket.

As usual, people dry their laundry in the sun. I do too.

But in doing so, I run the risk of getting my laundry blown off by the strong wind or maybe even get stained by bird droppings.

Should I hang them in my room, then? Hm... It will be safer definitely, but then my room would get a musty smell.

Maybe I should just ignore the dirty laundry and let them pile up at the corner. Or better still, just throw them away after use. If ever I need clothes, I'll just buy new ones.

That is a good idea but how long will it last? Besides, there are some really nice pieces that I love in there.

*sigh*

Who knew cleaning laundry would be this tricky?

I also wished for a whole day of sun to dry my laundry but sometimes, there are bound to be rain before your laundry are dried.

What about you? What do you do with your laundry?

Any suggestions how I should deal with them?

What's in a Face? a.k.a. Eh, bukan jerawat ka?

2011-04-15T22:18:00.004+08:00

WARNING: This is a very long post. If you can wait for the many thousand words to load, congratulations. It will be worth it.

I'm sure everyone has, at one point in their lives, seen a face that they cannot forget.

Well, I'm not just seeing a face that I cannot forget, but also one that I cannot get out of my head. This is pathetic and embarrassing T_T

Ever since I watched The Tourist recently, I couldn't get this face outta my mind:

Johnny Depp as Frank Tupelo in The Tourist

(Pic source)

Please don't laugh.

I don't know why, but I find him very beautiful.

Don't you think he looks a little like

Jesus

(Pic source)

The same bony cheeks, intense stare, really high nose, not to mention the goatee and moustache?

Okay, I personally do not find men with moustache/beard/goatee sexy but this is an exception. Men with moustache always remind me of

Mr. Potato came from here.

When someone as handsome as this

Brad Pitt as Achilles in Troy.

(Pic taken here)

grows a beard,

Mountain man caught from here.

we shake our head slowly and go 'Tsk, tsk, tsk.'

But when it was trimmed into a goatee like this,

Billy's long-lost brother was seen here.

we shake our heads vigorously and say together (1, 2, 3!) "No, no, NOOOoooo~~~"

You see, if someone as handsome/beautiful as Brad Pitt looks like a lost goat with beard, you can't blame me for hating hairy lips.

But of course there are exceptions.

I think I might have developed a tiny crush on him since Pirates of the Caribbean.

While 90% of the girl population salivate over

Orlando Bloom

(Source)

who played Will Turner,

(Pic source)

who actually reminds me of

Barney Stinso n here :)

I went gaga over Jack Sparrow and his eyeliner... (-_-")

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow

(Source)

Do you find my taste queer?

Personally, I think he is beautiful albeit in a queer way. But there is something about the way he stares...

His eyes can say so many things all at once.

They could mean confusion, sadness, disappointment, curiosity, and yet an eagerness to listen, just with one stare. The next time you look into his eyes, they would merely say he is up to some mischief and crazy ideas.

How can I not melt into that eyes? *sigh*

Right, actually I wanted to talk about the The Tourist. After watching movies that grab my heart or leave me with a high curiosity, I would google it up and find out more about them.

(Pic source)

This movie is actually a remake of the French movie, Anthony Zimmer.

It started with the police trailing after Elise's (played by Angelina Jolie) butt. Well, they were but not for the sole reason of finding out whether she was wearing any panties or not but because they were on a mission to find one man - Alexander Pearce, Elise's secret lover.

Who is this Alexander Pearce? When do we get to see his face?

How am I supposed to know? Even the police didn't. That's why they kept their eyes on Elise to bait Pearce out!

Elise kept getting letters from Alexander telling her where to go, what to do, and then, to get rid of the letters.

It so happened that one of his letters asked her to board a train, find someone with his built and trick the police into believing that the man is Alexander Pearce himself.

The first guy she saw was taken. Oh, never mind. This is Angelina Jolie we're talking about. What man can't she get?

The next guy she saw was reading a novel while smoking in front of a non-smoking sign. She liked it and invited herself to sit with him.

That guy is Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp), which I bet you might have already guessed.

They talked and got to know each other. Actually, they got to know Frank better while Elise kept her identity secret just to remain mysterious and sexy. Just kidding.

The train scene.

(Pic source)

Elise left and then they met again at a pier, by "chance". For Frank, that is. He was part of Elise's plan - meet a stranger and pretend that he is Alexander to fool the police so that Alexander will not be discovered. And so the cat-and-mouse chase began.

Elise after saving Frank's ass.

(Pic source)

Incidentally, another guy was also hot on Pearce's trails. His name is Reginald Shaw, a former client of Pearce whom he had cheated 2 billion off. He's a bad guy so he's not in the same team as the police. Wow, two cats and one mouse (if you don't count Angelina in)!

Here is where most of actions in the movie happened. Action enough for a romantic movie, that is.

Honestly, I thought it was comical when Frank ran on the roof to escape two thugs who were after him because they thought he was Pearce. It was the way he ran that was funny. And oh, that was when his tummy looked so obvious.

Fast forward a little bit, Shaw got to Elise first and forced her to open a safe (containing all the money he had stolen) in Pearce's hideout. It was clear that Elise had no idea how to open the safe or whether Alexander was finally going to show up. Oh, forgot to tell you guys that Alexander never showed up in all the scenes before.

While all this happened, the police on Elise's trail were all watching this through a hidden camera in Elise's dress. Frank was with them, being handcuffed, because he was a glitch in the plan. He kept pleading with them to save Elise but to no avail. The police also wanted to know how Pearce looked like. They were as convinced as Shaw that Pearce would eventually show up to save the woman he loved.

Somehow, Frank managed to free himself and went to rescue Elise. Frank told Shaw and the gang that he was actually Alexander Pearce himself, which got everyone including Elise confused. Laughing even. I mean, how could this clumsy and foolish guy be the legendary Alexander Pearce?

Shaw saw that it was all an act, a little puzzled and intrigued too, I guess, asked Frank to prove his identity. Frank said that he had undergone a plastic surgery so that he could live freely. Well, it all seemed too convenient at the time, and suddenly it sounded a little like one of the typical comedy Hindi movies.

But Frank told all that present that he would open the safe if only they would let Elise go. Yeah, right. Even the villains weren't that foolish. So they offered not to kill Elise instead if Frank could open the safe. Well, as all dramatic stories go, Shaw and his underlings got shot by the cops surrounding the area before Frank got the chance to open the safe. Elise's service got terminated immediately (maybe because she had already gone through such a traumatic experience because of another agent's negligence.

Suddenly, the agents got a call from the other agents that they had Alexander Pearce. And so everyone except for Frank and Elise went to the scene only to find out that the guy they had was a decoy (someone whom Alexander had hired to drop the letters to Elise).

(Pic source)

Meanwhile, still at the hideout, Frank declared his love for Elise and so did Elise.

"What about Alexander Pearce?" Frank asked.

"I love him too, unfortunately," Elise replied.

"Then I might have just the solution for you," said Frank while reaching out the safe and keyed in all the correct codes. So yeah, Frank is Alexander and Alexander is Frank.

Predictable, right?

(By the way, I'm not sure whether I got the dialogues right 100% but the gist of the story is there. Hehe)

From what I read online, a lot of the audience kept arguing about whether or not Elise realized that Frank was Alexander all along.

For me, I would say that Elise didn't know that Frank was actually Alexander. Had she known, why pretend not to know even when they were both alone?

It was a coincidence that Elise chose Frank in the train. The first guy she wanted was taken and then, by chance she saw Frank who had Alexander's built because both of them are the same person, and I suppose something about Frank intrigues and attracts her. He's Alexander, what.

And I don't think Alexander planned every little details. All he did was planned for the letters to be passed to Elise at the right moment and also the places for Elise to go. The rest are just coincidence. I guess he just went with the flow.

I suppose there was a foreshadowing that tells the audience that Frank could be Alexander. When Frank stayed in the same suite as Elise, he had fantasized about kissing her passionately, full of love. I don't think people would fall in love with a stranger that easily. I mean, the kiss seemed so passionate as if it had been held back for a very long time and only released then. Hehe, I don't know.

All in all, it was a nice movie to watch. Heartwarming and romantic.

1NewMessages: Bebeth, sila tengokla movie ni. Sa kira ko ni jenis yang romantik jugak :) Ngee~

2NewMessages: I have to say, though, that Depp and Jolie do not look that good together even though both are beautiful (I think Johnny Depp is more beautiful :p). Johnny Depp's kind of woman is more like

(Pic source)

Petite, daring, and has a very unique look (the kind of face you won't forget easily).

This is a Really Mad Post!

2011-04-15T21:31:00.001+08:00

I hate the public transportation in Penang. WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

Rapid Penang bus 301, 303, 304 are always full, infrequent, and limited in number. Everybody knows that these buses are always full and crowded. So why not increase the number of buses for these routes?

And oh, I observed that buses like 202 and 201 are in abundance and always EMPTY!!!! WTH?

If you're thinking of grabbing asses for free in these crowded buses, just save it okay!!!! I'm going to curse your balls until they turn black, dead, and rot. So back off!

Dilemma, Oh Dilemma! a.k.a. Dilema, Oh Dilema!

2011-04-13T15:22:00.008+08:00

It's been a while since we last played games. After playing Mars vs. Venus the other day (by the way, our team - Venus, won! As expected, I might add *roll eyes*), I kept having this itch of playing mind games. Tolong garu sat!

So here, I would like to introduce a game called "Dilemma, Oh Dilemma!" atau dalam bahasa Malaysianya, "Dilema, Oh Dilema!".

Here's how we play:

1. The first person (me la of cos) will post up a question in the form of a choice which is very tough to answer (sik guna nek tok bok mok study wei) hence causing the dilemma.

2. The second person (the first person to comment lo) must answer the question by telling about the decision he/she will make. The decision must come with an explanation as to why the answer is such.

3. After answering the question, that same person will then post up another question which is also very, very hard (sik guna juak mun sik study awal, mun study pun lom tentu guna) hence causing another dilemma. The next person to comment will have to answer that question and so the chain reaction begins...

This exercise is very good to help us think logically and critically. See, I'm helping you guys in your revision process ler... tolong mengasah otak yg berkarat dah ni...

Besides, I think it might help us in our decision-making should we face this kind of situation in the future.

*Silence*

Let us play...

Imagine this. You got raped by a stranger (you couldn't see his face in the dark) and later found out that you were pregnant with his child, would you get an abortion or not?

Dear girls, please answer honestly. If you happen to be a guy, just imagine that it happened to your sister or maybe even your girlfriend.

1NewMessages: Other readers who would like to comment on other people's answers are also allowed. But you would need to answer the question of the person before you & post a question for the next person first. Thank you :) Enjoy!

She Ain't Heavy...

2011-04-11T21:50:00.003+08:00

'Cos she's very thin.

This is Baby, my sister. Don't be fooled by her looks; she's two years YOUNGER than me ;p

Since we were little, we shared almost everything - bedroom, clothes, schools, friends, and of course, secrets (though some I keep to myself because she's quite a blabber-mouth :p).

However, no matter how close siblings are, they do quarrel occasionally. For us though, the frequency is a little bit higher. We like to "throw tongues" (bertikam lidah) at each other anytime, anywhere. Sebab ya lah kitakorang rasa takut ngan mekorang. Menyampah pun ada ku rasa. Hehe.

Well, I do admit that it is embarrassing to fight in public but we do it anyway. Guess it has become a habit we find hard to get rid of.

The topic of our bickering ranges from very serious stuff to insignificant matters. The unimportant stuff usually starts with teasings which would eventually lead to rapid-fire arguments and then silent treatment that we give each other. Most of the time, the dust would settle and things would return to normal again after an hour or two. Or there appears something that catches our interest more than each other which made us forget our little war.

The more serious stuff however, usually stems from "unfinished business" like complaints about each other. For this one, the duration lasts a little longer, usually for a day or two. Then the next time we see each other, we pretend that we have forgotten our grudges and so the world is at peace again.

Mum had long given up trying to become a referee when we fight. So long as we do not try to kill each other, she will keep one eye closed. Our friends, on the other hand, are not used to these craziness. Regardless of how many times we try to show them that it is just one of the things we do, we could never manage to convince them that we are not blowing off each others' head anytime soon.

So on April Fool's day, Baby suggested that we play a little prank on our beloved friends by pretending to have a fight on Facebook. As usual, our friends who read the statuses and comments we posted on each others' walls saw a DANGER sign. LOL.

It was not hard to put up the act at all considering how much practice we had. Our friends got fooled and many even tried to get us to reconcile only to discover later that it was actually an April Fool's prank. Ngeahahaha, padan muka! :p

Okay, I apologize about our little stunt but we only wanted you guys to know that we were only going through our sisterly routines. Quarrels aside, we do actually have other things that show our sisterly devotion towards each other.

For instance...

No matter how many times I told Baby that if she would have to carry her overweight luggage on her own, I would still help to carry it together with her in the end.

No matter how I scold her for her negligence in handling her things (especially expensive stuff), when she lost any, I would still lend her mine and help her get resources to retrace her things back.

No matter if we had just had an argument, and she saw how tired I was, she would still help to carry my things or do the house chores for me (except the pool party time when she was lazy tahap cipan).

No matter how many times I scolded or criticized her, she would still come to me for advice and consultation for serious matters. And even though I always tell her to grow up and make her own decisions, I would still provide some guidelines and tips on how to make sound judgment.

That is how our relationship works. We fight and we cry but we also laugh and need each other (actually, she needs me more, hehe). Because not all siblings have the lovey-dovey kind of relationship. Nevertheless, it works for us and I think it is what makes our relationship stronger.

*sigh*

This post is getting corny, which is not really my style. Before I end this post, here's a song I would like to dedicate to Baby:

The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows when
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another

It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

He's my brother
He ain't heavy, he's my brother...

(He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - The Hollies)

Enjoy! It's as old as you.

Happy Birthday, Sis.

If you don't know what to say, shut up!

2011-04-04T22:28:00.002+08:00

1NewMessages: Please bear with me as my Malay is a little rusty (tunggang-langgang kata guru BM). Some of the sentences/phrases are direct translations from the English sentence structure, so if you really cannot understand what I write, please translate it to English while you rack your brain to make sense of it :p Hehe. Happy reading!

Kata-kata begini, saya biasa dah dengar dari mulut bapak saya, dalam drama Kantonis pukul 7 yang saya wajib tonton, dan pelbagai lagi saluran yang sewaktu dengannya.

Bukan apa, bapak tak suka kalau orang cakap ikut sukahati je sampai berlaku la pertumpahan darah. Antara peribahasa yang beliau sentiasa uar-uarkan adalah "Kerana mulut, badan binasa" (sambungan tak ingat kerana beliau hanya memfokuskan kepada bahagian ini sahaja. Sorila, BM dapat A2 je time SPM dan B- ketika di universiti. Sah BM saya makin merosot tapi nak gak buat entry dalam BM konon-konon sebab cara penceritaan yang lebih enak didengar - adaka benda macam ni aku reka-reka je lah). Eh, tersimpang jauh ke Bangkok pulak kita.

Lepas tu, satu lagi adalah "Kalau kau tak bercakap sekalipun, orang tak akan anggap kau tu bisu." Aku pun tak tau tapi pepatah ni macam femes je kalangan orang Cina-cina. *Silap ke aku tulis camtu?*

Tapi kalau tulis orang-orang, jadi pulak patung yang jaga sawah padi tu. So aku tiru dari "Rumah orang tua-tua". Eh, biar je lah.

Tujuan aku tulis entri ni (Tadi saya, sekarang aku pulak. Ish, tak tetap pendirian sungguh!) adalah untuk menceritakan kisah duka lara yang bergelora di jiwa (aiseh, jiwang tak ayat aku?). Anyway, gaya aku tulis ayat berbunga-bunga adalah untuk membuktikan kepada Cikgu Esther (guru BM masa Tingkatan 4 dan 5) bahawa ajaran beliau tidak sia-sia. Tu pun kalau beliau sedar akan kewujudan blog ini. Hehehe, poyo betul.

Baiklah, straight to the point (Straight apa, dah masuk perenggan ke-5 baru nak bukak cerita sebenar. Apa ni, sebab saya berbahasa Melayu, kenalah saya menjiwai watak orang Melayu. Orang Melayu, selalunya suka menyelitkan maksud-maksud di sebalik kata-kata. Depa tak biasa cakap terus-terang sebab nak bagi orang pikir maksud tersirat tu... jadi kenalah ada pemikiran kritis. Tu lah pantun-pantun sangat popilar zaman Hang Tuah dulu. Zaman tu, nak melamar pun cakap nak menyunting bunga di taman, kini zaman moden, ikut je style omputih, sudikah anda mengahwini saya. Wah, skema pulak bunyinya. Tapi tak leh nak cakap tak romantik sebab kalau ada suasana yang betul, romantik gak. Siapalah diriku untuk mengadili semua itu kan?)

Baiklah, straight to the point. Eh, kali kedua aku sebut rupanya. Ish.

Berbalik kepada topik hangat, ada manusia ni kan.. saya dah jumpa banyak kali spesies begini la. Mereka main sebut je, tak kisah di mana dan kepada siapa. Benda yang disebut biasanya berupa umpatan. Yelah, kalau bukan masakan aku nak cerita di sini kan?

Ish, manusia memang suka melihat pada yang negatif (-_-")

Tapi, takpe. Ini adalah blog peribadiku. Sukati akulah nak cerita apa. Janji tak melibatkan orang lain.

Ada berapa kali dah aku kena "sindiran" atau "kata-kata pedas" dari beberapa orang. Ada yang merupakan kawan, ada yang merupakan lawan (heheh, maksudnya bukan kawan la... sebab tak kenal).

Kata-kata menyakitkan yang datang dari lawan, tak kisah sangatlah. Dah dia bukan kawan aku, bercakap sesuatu yang kurang indah di telingaku ini bukannya mengejutkan pun. Yelah, manusia mana yang tak buat silap kan?

Tapi kalau datang dari mulut seseorang yang bergelar kawan, pasrah jugak rasa hati ini bagaikan ditusuk sembilu (Wow, boleh caya tak, saya baru guna nama 2 movie untuk membina satu ayat! Kalau la cenggini masa Tingkatan 5 dulu, sure dapat A1 punye~). Yela kan, kalau dah nama kawan, kita mesti expect dia memahami kita, walaupun tak sepenuhnya tapi faham-fahamlah tahap kesensitifan kita sampai mana.

Yang lebih terkilan lagi adalah apabila beliau langsung tidak berasa bersalah pun atau merasai terdapat hati yang telah tersinggung dengan kata-kata tajam yang mungkin tujuan asalnya adalah sebagai lawak tetapi apabila keluar, lain pulak bunyinya.

Contoh kata-kata yang mungkin menyinggung perasaan beta:

Katakan satu hari aku nak buat kek, jadi aku pun beli bahan-bahan dan barangan ekstra lain yang boleh menampakkan keanggunan kek tersebut.

Maka, apabila rakan tersebut melihat aku membeli barangan tersebut, beliau pun datanglah dan mentertawakan aku sambil berkata, "Ha, buat apa ko beli semua barangan ni? Mesti ko tak guna jugak akhir nanti. Ko ingat ko tu chef ke?" Sambil bergelak tawa riang.

Kalau lawan aku yang kata, biasanya dalam hati aku akan timbul kata-kata seperti, 'Sukati akula. Aku yang beli guna duit aku jugak. Apa kena-mengena dengan engkau?' dan di mulut pula, "Kenapa? Apa salahnya aku beli ni? Ada masalah ke?" dengan nada kausibuksangatapesal.

Tapi disebabkan yang bersuara adalah kawan, maka berat di mulut untuk melafazkan kata-kata sedemikian.

Serius aku katakan, aku diam je. Tak nak menjawab takut ada yang terluka nanti. Malah, dalam hati pun tak terfikir benda-benda macam tu pun sebab asyik ingatkan, 'Tergamak kau kata aku macam tu' sambil merajuk diam-diam.

Aku ni orang yang memang suka bising. Suka ketawa ibarat guruh. Tapi bila dah merajuk, satu bunyi pun tak kedengaran.

Entahlah, aku ni sensitip sangat ke atau diorang tu terlalu kurang sensitip. Bukan aku tak boleh nak terima lawak yang ganas. Tapi yela, dah nama lawak, lawak juga gaya ia disalurkan. Aku bukan tak biasa diperkatakan dengan lawak yang memperbodohkan diri ini. Tapi aku tak kesah, sebab aku tau dalam hati orang yang mengata tu, beliau tak berniat untuk melukakan diri ini. Malah, disebabkan kasih sayang terlampau dan kuasa psikik yang hebat, lawak-lawak ganas sebegitulah yang merapatkan tali nilon antara kami. Makseh Step, Melod, Joe, Baby, Claire, Bebeth, dan mereka yang sewaktu dengannya sebab aku bebas berlawak dan tak kontrol macho depan takorang.

Memang aku tak nafikan, gaya lawak tersebut dipersembahkan juga amat penting untuk memastikan bahawa ia "tiada kaitan dengan yang hidup, mati, atau pengsan". Yang tu pasal adegan lawak.

Sekarang nak masuk pulak bab mengumpat orang. Kalau nak mengumpat orang kena juga ada skill. Dah nama mengumpat, mestila di belakang orang. Jangan kasi orang tu tau. Especially kalau bahan umpatan tu takde faedah langsung.

Contohnya, kalau kita mengumpat orang yang berbuat jahat, takpe la jugak kalau beliau terdengar. Tapi cakap baik-baikla kalau sengaja nak didengari dengan niat beliau akan berubah sikap. Konon je tu. Kalau aku jadi si diumpat, makin rebellious jadinye. Mana taknye, sedap mulut orang mengata, ingat diri tu perfek sangat ke?

Macam yang pernah kakak saya buat, makin hebat salesgirl mengata tentang kita (yang asyik membelek baju-baju yang dilipat) dan makin berasid kemasaman muka beliau, maka kita haruslah membantu beliau untuk mencipta rekod kehebatan dan kemasaman yang lebih berasid. Maka, haruslah kita membelek-belek kesemua baju yang telah dilipat berkali-kali oleh salesgirl tersebut dan akhirnya tidak membeli satu pun.

Taktik aku pulak, dengan selamba babi je bagitau kat teman shopping kuat-kuat, "Eh, ada orang mengata aku la" dengan riak muka selamba sambil melihat ke arah salesgirl berkenaan tepat-tepat di matanya. Gerenti beliau tergamam dan berhenti mengumpat dan pura-pura buat kerja sendiri. Terbukti berkesan.

Tapi yelah kan, aku tertanya-tanya, kenapa ada orang yang begini? Melemparkan saja kata-kata tersebut tanpa mempedulikan sama ada si diumpat itu within earshot ke tak. Kalau nak umpat biarla di belakang. At least, tak sakiti hati orang tu. Janganla musnahkan hidup orang lain dengan kata-kata kau yang mungkin berunsur dengki tu.

*Tiba-tiba terasa nak makan kek pulak. Lapar~*

Pendek kata (Walaupun karangan ini agak panjang. Silakan untuk mengira bilangan patah perkataan kalau rajin.), sebelum nak bersuara tu baik fikir masak-masak. Letakkan diri anda pada diri si pendengar tersebut. Kalau kata-kata anda ditujukan kepada diri anda, apakah rasanya? Bayangkan kalau anda tak tau bahawa kata-kata tersebut adalah bertujuan sebagai lawak semata-mata, apakah perasaan anda pada ketika itu?

Tak kira apa pun, kalau ada kata-kata yang agak mean, silalah simpan di hati je kalau orang yang ingin anda sampaikan kepada itu adalah kawan/orang tersayang anda. Sila take note, peribahasa "Diluah mati emak, ditelan mati bapak" tidak dapat diaplikasikan dalam situasi ini. Sebaliknya, diluah putus sahabat mungkin berlaku.

Tips Berumah Tangga a.k.a. What to do before renting a house

2011-04-03T20:37:00.003+08:00

Hehe, mesti rasa gatal kejap bila nangga tajuk first ya nak?

Inspiration to talk about this topic came when I went to inspect a house with two of my friends just a few hours ago. Weh, inspect! Macam inspektor sahab jak bunyi. Yela, penyewa tegar la katakan.

The house was fine - nothing special. Quite old, actually, if you ask me. Not to mention the scarce furniture but that is not really much of a problem if the house owner had not asked for such a high rental fee.

I mean, had the house been in a better condition (like mine, ahem!), it would not be such a big deal. But that...hmm...

But because I really wished to have friends as neighbours (I mean, it would feel like living in the hostel again but with more freedom and facilities, hehe), I tried to talk the owner into decreasing the fee and improve the house condition. But the owner would not budge easily. In the end, the offer was only RM50 cheaper. Pfftt.

Okay, back to the topic - what must you do before renting a house?

1. If you do not want to live alone, find a few friends that you can get along with as roommates/housemates (whichever you prefer to call it). Make sure that all of you understand and accept one another's lifestyle so that fights/quarrels can be avoided. At the same time, it would be better if each housemate has a role to play in the house, e.g. Mommy, Daddy, and Son/Daughter. Hehehe, this sounds corny but you only play the role, not the real person.

Pic from here.

In a traditional household, Mommy does the cooking and cleaning whereas Daddy fixes and repairs things around the house. The son/daughter does the house chores that Mommy can't cope with, e.g. collects garbage, sweeps the floor, wash the dishes, etc. The role is only limited to household chores. The extra duty that Mommy and Daddy does, is none of my business :p

Mun ada organisasi kedak tuk dalam rumah kan sungguh bersih dan kemas? Hehe. Yala namanya berumah tangga...

2. Find out how much each future housemate is willing to pay for a room. Your job is then to find a house that fits the price.

3. You must also consider what each housemate expects to have in their future house. Are they comfortable with the condition of the house? Are they fine with the neighbourhood? Do they have any transportation problem? All of these must be taken into account so that future complications can be avoided.

Grabbed pic here.

4. Are you a private person? Do you mind having someone (who is not romantically involved) sleep in your room? If you don't, get an individual room. Then you can do whatever you like, e.g. stay naked all day long, menari syok sendiri, cabut bulu hidung panjang yang sudah lama disembunyikan, shoot a porn video, etc. Satu sahaja saya mau ingatkan - keep the door closed! Please do not contribute to global warming.

5. Don't forget about the landlord. Is he someone who is easy to deal with? If he is nice, the you will have a happy life. If he is a monster, unless you have a dream of becoming Cinderella (while she is still poor), don't even think about moving in. Kenapa nak susahkan diri sendiri? Siapa yang susah? Jawapan: Diri sendiri...

6. Last, but not least, can you bear the responsibility of paying bills and rental monthly? Bulan pertama, memang excited giler so bayar on time tapi lama-lama, dua bulan pun tak bayar lagi. Silap-silap, kena evacuated pulak. Keesokan pagi, share tilam lagi dengan makcik-pakcik di Komtar tu. So ingatlah bayar sewa tepat masa.

Pic from here.

1NewMessages: Sewa rumah memangla seronok tetapi masa bayar sewa, bil, dan membersihkan rumah tanpa bantuan makcik hostel adalah masa keinsafan melanda.

Nevertheless, happy renting! :)

Cerita Moral a.k.a. Moral Story - II

2011-04-01T17:50:00.003+08:00

This afternoon, I had another strange encounter with an old man.

1NewMessages: Do I look so approachable to people that they think I would want to listen to whatever idea it is that they want to sell?

Okay, back to the old man. He asked whether I was a student.

I nodded, looking at the booger hanging from his nose.

"Na li lai de? (Where are you from?)" he asked again.

"Sha-lao-yue. (Sarawak)"

"Ha? Sha-lao-yue mei you da xue ah? (Huh? Is there not a university in Sarawak?)" he asked in a surprised tone.

"You la (Got la)," I replied.

"Wei shen me bu zai na li du? (Why didn't you study over there then?)," he questioned me with a puzzled expression.

Annoyed. With the man and his peeking booger.

'What does it have to do with you wherever I study?' I thought to myself.

Maybe he thought that he was being friendly but for me, he was getting too close for comfort. I hate it when people forget where they stand.

Remembering that I should respect my elders, I told him that it was not up to me to decide where I'll be studying. Of course I had the power to list down the universities but the final decision was made by the government.

The man said, "Wah, zhe yang bu shi hen gui? Ni guo lai zuo fei ji ah? (Wow, it must be expensive then. Did you come here by airplane?)"

'Duh. How else would I be coming here? Swim?'

I simply nodded politely.

"That is why women shouldn't be so educated. Just get married and have children la. It's so expensive to study."

I raised an eyebrow.

At that moment, I have what Step likes to call "tanganku terasa mahu menampar laju-laju" the old man's head. I stared blankly at the old, disgusting booger-man.

Never in my life, not even my parents, ever said that it was a waste to educate me.

Never had my parents, ever discouraged me from pursuing a degree. Instead, Mum and Dad even encouraged me to pursue a higher degree.

Never had my parents said that they regretted having graduate daughters.

How could he, this booger-man spoke to me like that?

It was not his money which supported me through my studies.

It was not him who bought my flight tickets so that I could go back to my hometown in case I get homesick.

It was not him who bought me my handphone so that he could get in touch with me.

It was not him who attended my convocation.

What concern of his was my business?

Bangang.

Just imagine, had women been uneducated,
1. Would we have a liquid paper to erase our typing/writing mistakes now? Thanks to Bette Graham, our lives are made simpler.
2. Would we have light protection gears like helmet and bullet-proof vests? If it wasn't for Stephanie Kwolek's discovery of Kavler, which has five times the strength of steel yet lightweight, we might have to wear this:

Picture from here.

3. Would we be able to see the road clearly while driving in a heavy rain? Thank Mary Anderson for the windshield wiper.
4. Would we be able to keep our meat, vegetables, and fruits fresh for days? Yes, the refrigerator was invented by Florence Parpart.
5. Would we be able to cook so efficiently now? Because of Elizabeth Hawk, we now have the cooking stove. There is no need to gather firewood to light up the fire anymore.

And the list goes on.

Tell me old man, do you not have all five inventions, by women who did not just make reproduction their life mission, in your home?

Then, in the lift, he asked me which floor I stayed on. I didn't want to press the button at first because I knew he would have something to say. When he saw that I pushed the button for the penthouse, he drilled me with questions again.

"Wah, you stay at the penthouse ah? Two person only kah?"
How he knew was a mystery unless the management staff had a big mouth.

"How much do you pay for the house per month?"
"RMxxx," I replied.
"Wah, so expensive! Your parents so rich ah?"
"No."

'What makes you think that I'm living off my parents' money? Assume much, don't you?'

"Then why don't you find other places to stay? That apartment is so expensive. It's not for people to stay one.. These people ah.." he mumbled to himself.

'You think so easy to find a nice place to stay is it?' Marah sudah ni.

Luckily, at that moment, the lift opened and the man left.
*Sigh of relief*

Cursing all the way up to my apartment, I felt really bad for the man. He must have had a sucky life to judge other people's life according to that kind of standards.

Moral of the story: I should have learned from moral story number I - "Don't ever talk to strangers no matter how old they are." You never know, they might pissed you off. True story.

Why don't people ever realized that it is better to keep quiet than to say something stupid?

Talking is good, but listening is better.
Because when you listen, you can discover things that you wouldn't be able to had you been talking.

And to that old man, here is why the world does not need more men:

Picture from here.

2NewMessages: To all my male friends (who are open-minded), please take no offense. I was just pissed off with that sexist old booger-man.

Lanjutan Kisah Puk Akek Keras a.k.a. Haircare Talk

2011-03-31T13:58:00.007+08:00

I love going to hair saloons, not just to get a makeover but I get a lot of beauty tips from the friendly hairstylists there. I am quite choosy when it comes to people who handle my hair. I do not really mind who wash my hair as long as they handle it with care and love. Mun yang kasar-kasar ya, jaga la ko. Aku pun banyak karenah juak.

As it is with skin care, eye care, body care, etc., there are a lot of things you need to do to get a healthy and shiny hair from the very superficial to the in-depth care. For me, I do the minimum needed to keep my hair soft and shiny. Of course, they don't look like the hair of the models in the Sunsilk advertisement but they are nice to see, nice to touch, once broken considered sold. Eh, got carried away pulak.

Rambutku yang sihat. Hehehe, sila jeles.

Following the talk about 'Puk Akek Keras' that is Kayan/Kenyah (which one is it, Claire?) for 'Damaged Hair', I realize that a lot of girls are very beauty-conscious but they do not know how to care for their beauty. Not all of us have beauty consultants mah... Hence it is important for us to share what little beauty tips we have with each other so that we can expand our knowledge which can contribute to the beauty in the world. Wow, masalah negara nih!

First and foremost, to have a healthy hair, we must stay healthy. Once we get sick, our body will focus its energy to help us recover which means that all the nutrients will be used to get us healthy again. As a result, none is left for the hair to consume, leaving the hair looking dull. In fact, our overall beauty relies much on how healthy we are. The healthier you are, the more radiant you look and the more energetic you are. People enjoy being around healthy people (in mind and body).

So remember, if you have a bad eating habit (living on junk foods), stop it. Eat a balanced diet as recommended by the food pyramid (of course the portion is different for everyone but the proportion should be about the same). Talking about a healthy lifestyle, there is no escape from exercise and also enough sleep. Get supplementary diet too if you are lacking of certain vitamins or minerals. Believe me, once you start living healthy, your overall beauty will automatically improve.
3NewMessages: For more information on what to eat for healthy hair, click this!

Now that we have tackled beauty from its root, we should look at the hair products that we use next. For hair washing, we must have a shampoo and conditioner, at the very least. Once in a while, we should give our hair some treatment by using hair mask too. For all the hair products, always read the instructions on the bottle before using it. Not after. Some of us just take for granted that all products are alike and we use it ikut sukati jak.

For shampoo, it is better to use organic shampoo as they are milder on the hair. Check whether or not your shampoo has Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) which is what gives your shampoo the foamy quality. In my opinion (I'm not sure how accurate that is), if you are the kind of person who shampoo your hair everyday, better stay away from SLS. The reason is that, the foam is very effective in removing oil (that was what I remember from my Chemistry lesson in Form 4 or 5 - the experiment in making soap) so in order not to cause your hair extreme dryness, use shampoo that has no SLS. Besides, I once read that SLS is carcinogenic. Either way, you are better off without it.

Schwarzkopf Bonacure offers a line of sulfate-free shampoo. It is a really good product and I have been a loyal customer for 7 years. If, however, your hair becomes too oily and dirty, you could also use shampoos like Total Repair by L'Oreal Paris. Remember that you don't have to buy all your hair products of the same brand. Choose whichever that suits your hair and you will live happily ever after.

After cleaning your hair, make sure to moisturize it with a conditioner. The steps are really easy. First, lather your hair with shampoo. Rinse with slightly warm water to open the pores of the hair. Then, work some conditioner through your hair. Use your fingers to comb it through your hair for about one minute (because the label usually reads that the conditioner should stay on our hair for one minute) then rinse off thoroughly with cold water to lock the moisture in.

It is important to keep in mind not to pat the conditioner directly on your head. Keep the conditioner at the end of your hair because according to my hairstylist friends, patting the conditioner at the root of your hair or on the skin of your head will only cause hair-loss. Unless you want to have a shiny bald spot, please follow the instructions above.

"I use conditioner on my head every day. Look how shiny it is!" :)

(Pic here)

The same thing with shampoos. Do not pat them directly on the skin of your head. Or else you'll also end up with a shiny bald spot. Instead, pour the shampoo on your hand and rub the substance with both palm and then work it through your hair, beginning at the end and gradually work the foam towards the root of your hair. While shampooing, it is ideal to massage your head at the same time to improve the blood circulation so that more nutrients can be supplied to your hair.

As for the hair mask, you could rinse off the conditioner and then apply the hair mask, or the way I do it, apply both of them together and then just rinse them off together. Hehehe, malas nak? Mun kawu rajin, polah la sigek-sigek. Ada ku kesah?

Another tip for keeping your hair moisturized is to drink lots of water. Don't wet your hair too often as external water can drain the moisture from your hair and skin because (semua budak Fizik tauk) water adheres to water (daya lekitan atau lekatan); that is why two drops of water can become one! (I don't really know how to explain it but in Form 5 physics lesson, we learned that.) Therefore, after washing your hair, make sure to dry it quickly. Blow dry, pat dry, do whatever you can.

But here is the thing, when you pat dry, don't rub the towel vigorously through your hair as friction can cause your hair to easily break or split (I heard this somewhere). Your best bet is to blow dry it. Use as high a voltage of hairdryer that you can get so that your hair can dry effectively with the minimum exposure to heat. Only after your hair is completely dry do you start combing it to avoid causing split ends. Then, you can start straightening your hair with the hair dryer. And oh, while your hair is still damp (but not drenched with water la), apply some hair serum at the ends of your hair to prevent split-ends. Then, spray some leave-on conditioner and only then do you start blow-drying.

Easy, right? I know it sounds like a lot but after you stick to the procedure for two weeks or so, you will do it automatically. Trust me, I'm one of the laziest people around but these procedures are so easy to follow that it just fell into routine by the third week.

Okay, the next time around, we'll talk about hairstyling products.

1NewMessages: I'm such a hair whore. Well, I got it from my mama :p

2NewMessages: Oh, another traditional tip you can use to make your hair look shiny and lustrous is by washing your hair with tea. Yes, you read that correctly. Teh-O la... Tea without sugar unless you want your hair to become a home for the ants (mentang-mentang nak jimat la kan, teh tak habis minum digunakan). Make tea with 2-3 bags of tea (kasi cukup kaw). Wait until it cools off and wash your hair with the tea. Dengan berkat dan kuasa Tuhan, your hair will look shinier. Get ready to flip your hair and tampar muka orang menyampah yang berdiri di belakang.

The Tale about Birds and Bees and other Animals a.k.a. Pendidikan Guni-guni

2011-03-31T00:47:00.001+08:00

Having had "pillow talks" with my juniors made me feel like talking about sex in education. Do you realize that sex education mostly talk about methods in preventing the effect after sex (e.g. pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases [STDs]) and not the act itself?

In sex education, we are introduced to the use of condoms (for male and female), birth control pills, interuterine devices (IUD), etc. These are mainly for prevention of unwanted pregnancies. But prevention of STDs are trickier because they usually discourage skin-to-skin contact. What is sex if not for total exposure, right? LOL.

On a more serious note, should sex education focus mainly on educating about safe sex instead of preventing pre-marital sex itself? Yes, I know what they say about joining the party if you can't beat them. But this is a serious matter. I hope I'm not going to sound like a priest or nun preaching about how bad fornication is.

But think about it, is pre-marital sex (no matter how "safe" it is) responsible?

If yes, then tell me, would you let your daughters or sons do it? Be honest.

Or should I just say daughter because generally, people think men are not affected by intercourse (they don't get pregnant, what).

This is how people (especially Asians) think:

Got the pic here.

This is one of the reasons why fornication becomes a lifestyle nowadays. People think boys have nothing to lose for having sex before marriage and that they can get away with it. This idea has been planted into the mind of children since young. By whom if not our own parents? Who can blame them when that is exactly how the society thinks?

"Be careful when you go out with boys. You are a girl. Don't let them take advantage of you," says a mother to her daughter who is on her way to hang out with some guy friends from school.

"Don't stay out too late ya."

"But why did you allow big bro to stay out as long as he likes?"

"He's a boy and you're a girl. People can easily take advantage of you."

Sounds familiar?

You see, both conversations show that girls are powerless while boys are invincible. Something is wrong with that picture. Boys are not superior to girls and vice versa. Both will be affected. The only difference is when.

What parents should instill in their children is a sense of responsibility. Dare to own up to their own actions. Before you jump your partner's bones, ask yourself these questions:

'If she/I get pregnant, will I be willing to raise the child?'

'Suppose we have a baby, would I want to marry this guy/girl and face him/her for the rest of my life?'

'Am I willing to risk getting STD and risk a whole life of stigma for just a moment's pleasure?'

If your answer is NO, put your clothes back on immediately!

People should realize the risk of fornication. It is like driving a car without a license. You know that you run the risk of getting caught but you thought, 'Ah, what the heck' and when you do, you realize that there is no turning back. There is a price to pay. Driving "safely" does not make it legal either. Accidents can happen and they do happen. Suppose if it does, who is to be blamed?

The driver? But of course.

The parents who hand the child the keys? You bet.

Grabbed the pic here.

Somehow, the guilty party always pays the price. If the child is a minor, parents always end up paying for their child's "mistake". If underage children are to get married, parents pay the dowries and expenses. The children, on the other hand, get tied down with a lifetime of responsibility and worries. That is the price for "growing up" too fast. Unless you are opting for a shotgun marriage, forget about it. Even if you are, would you want a marriage that is a result of getting pregnant? Sure, it would make a nice story to tell your grandchildren someday.

It's starting to sound like a sermon. But really.

What I'm saying is that girls should not be so naive as to believe all the romantic poems or talks that guys recite just to bed you.

Love means willing to take the responsibility of protecting the honour of your partner.

Love means willing to sacrifice your own lust for the safety (from STD and condemnation by others) of your partner.

Love means respecting your partner and not make them feel guilty with talks like 'If you love me, you will make love to me.' Bullshit. Well, if your partner really loves you, what is another five to ten years of waiting? True love waits, no?

And guys too shouldn't be so gullible as to believe that they can get away with anything. You don't, okay? Don't forget how Chua Soi Lek got so famous.

To sum it all, sex education is necessary, especially what kind of effects they cause, not just physically but emotionally. Who they affect and what responsible sex really is (and I do not mean remembering to put on your condoms), instead of focusing on how they do it (just kidding!).

Grabbed it from here.

Cerita Moral a.k.a. Moral Story

2011-03-20T16:24:00.002+08:00

I met a man on a bus ride home, one Sunday. I reckoned he was middle-aged and single (there was no ring on his finger).

Upon boarding the bus, he made his way towards the seat next to mine and said, "You. You sit inside."

Astonished, I said firmly, "No, no, NO!" and motioned for him to sit inside instead.

What a rude old man, I thought to myself.

Without losing a beat, this man began warming up to me, trying to come up with a conversation; never mind that I had my earphones on (a sign that I didn't want to be bothered).

"Are you student?" he asked.

"Yes."

"USM?" he inquired more.

"Yeah," was my short reply. Obviously, I wasn't in the mood of making a conversation - what with the noisy wheels and the humid weather which made me felt sleepy.

But the man would not give up. He tried again.

"Where are you from?" he asked.

"Sarawak," I replied with a sigh.

'What, this man can't take a hint ka?' I thought.

"Oh, Sarawak. Is it holiday now?"

"No la."

"Then why are you here?" he asked, obviously, not listening to a word I said.

"I already told you I'm a student in USM of course I'm here LAH!!!" was what I wanted to say.

Instead I answered, "I'm studying here."

"Oh, so it's holiday la..." he mumbled. I rolled my eyes. 'Paham sik apa ku madah, orang tua tuk!'

"Which year are you now?" he probed further. At that point, I gave up pretending listening to my MP4 which had already run out of power.

"Final year," I lied.

"Oh, final year.." he repeated after me.

Then he began telling me his life story, about how he had always wanted to pursue a degree in Canada but his visa wouldn't be approved because of his age. How true that is, I cannot be sure. I pretended to care and asked him what he planned to do next. Ignoring my question, he went on about what a lousy country we have. I remembered thinking, 'If it's that bad, why don't you migrate to another country?' Semangat patriotik ku berkobar-kobar.

He then moved on to other stories about how he always have misunderstandings with people. He asked me why people never see eye to eye with him. I looked at him and wondered why I was not surprised. (Okay, I was being judgmental here. I'm sorry but not at the time. Hehe). I simply said 'I don't know.'

I realized all my answers were short. Frankly, I have no interest in wasting my brain cells on this man's speech. He made a bad first impression on me. And I was not feeling very generous that day. So deal with it.

The man told me that he is not a very sociable person. He hates people. And he seldom talks to people. Clearly, I was a different case.

Feigning curiosity I asked why. I suppose that is what people always ask when someone makes a statement, right?

He said, "People are dishonest." Wow. What a claim. A proof of ignorance, if you ask me.

By that time, I was a little irritated with that man. What right did he have to disturb my harmonious ride home (totally ignoring the fact that I was wearing an earpiece - a sign that I didn't want to be bothered by the outside world)? What right did he have to defile my mind with all the useless piece of conversation that doesn't contribute to the body of knowledge (except for a warning to avoid him the next time I see him)?

"So why do you talk to me? How can you be sure that I'm honest?" I challenged him.

He chuckled, the cheek of him!

"Oh... you! Haha, you never mind. You are from Sarawak. From kampung. You cannot lie to me mah..."

Upon hearing that, my blood boiled. What kampung?

"Are you sure?" I asked, insulted. To be clear, it was not so much his calling Sarawak a kampung as the way he said the word kampung that I was angry.

"Have you ~~even~~ been to Sarawak before?" I pressed on.

Without any hesitation, he answered, "No."

So it was just another "coffee shop talk". A baseless accusation.

To save my own pride I tried to correct the man with the most tactful way I know how. Hiding a laughter (for the man's ignorance), I told him about Miri and Kuching (the two cities in Sarawak). City. What constitutes a city, you know la. I also told him a little about my hometown, about its similarities with Penang.

I should have exaggerated and tell him outrageous stories about the headhunters in Sarawak. Now I'm regretful. Then he'll know just how kampung I am. Sigh.

By the end of the bus ride, the man actually expressed how happy he was to be able to have a conversation with me. I, on the other hand, was happy to end it.

I had never been so happy getting off a bus before. That day, it never occurred to me how hot the day was, how I wish the bus would stop right in front of my apartment. I just walked home at a faster pace with each step.

That day, I made a vow: Never again would I talk to a stranger.

I have repented.

I could only imagine what my mum would say, "To si la... tua lang kong, lu mai tia." (Ya la, orang tua madah, kawu sik mok dengar)

Moral of the story: Do not talk to strangers. They might just piss the hell out of you. True story.

Jangan Pandang Camera

2011-03-14T22:57:00.001+08:00

I joined this contest

because Step tagged me.

So, here's to Step.

My Entry.

No offense, Step. But I hope I win. Siapa suruh kawu tag aku? Padan muka! (Walaupun gambar kawu sikda muka. Bahaha)

But I'm quite confused with the "tepi" part. Three quarters' angle counts as "tepi" or not?

For example,

Aku tak pandang kamera jugak kan...

Sigh. I don't feel like tagging anyone (cos that means I'll have more competition). But then again, I am confident. Wahahahaha. *Mom, aren't you proud of me?*

I tag Melod, Connie, Mau. Cukupla tiga orang je tau.

Rantings of an Old, Pathetic Woman.

2011-03-12T12:42:00.003+08:00

I guess everyone has, at some point in their life, felt alone like an outcast. As fabulous and awesome as I am, I am no exception.

A little background here: I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in educational studies. I hope I'll finish within one-and-a-half year or less. That's the dream.

Well, being a post-graduate back in your old university is not as easy as it sounds. Especially the majority of your friends have all graduated and pursuing a career instead of a higher degree. How I miss them~

I tried befriending the juniors but who was I kidding? Apart from this Kuyat, I am always reminded of how old I am. For crying out loud, I'm only 25!!!! Sure, sure. Make fun of me but out there, people take you more seriously if you are older.

I mean, when I attend meetings or workshops for my research, I see a lot of "old people" and I mean people the age of my parents and uncles and aunties. It makes me feel so small and stupid, as if the license for a PhD depends on the number of white hair you have.

And then, when I attend gatherings or fellowships in undergraduates societies (which I'm told I'm welcomed to join), I feel... OLD. I didn't think my age would make any difference (I mean, there are people who are older or the same age as me!) but no offense, I am always being reminded of how senior I am, how old I am. Blah, blah.

Yeah, yeah, who am I kidding? I should have moved on. I should have known where I stood. But I thought things would be different. I remembered that Maria (not a real name) was never told over and over again of how old she is. I would rather people say 'Bongok' or 'Paloi kawu' than ever hearing people say 'Eee... kamu dah tua la..' which sounds like a discrimination to me.

Maybe I shouldn't have tried to fit in. Maybe I should have spent more time hanging out with my "peers". Who likes changes? Trying to make a difference will only rock the order of the world (and I don't mean in a good way). And in the process, it will make me look pathetic.

Guess this is goodbye, then.

Seasons of the Witch is here

2011-01-05T00:21:00.005+08:00

AGAIN?

I thought I saw a picture of someone I recognize at the cinema just now. I managed to slip it out without anyone noticing (I think). Here it is:

Seems like witches are gaining popularity again lately. Before Harry Potter, Sabrina the teenage witch and Samantha of Bewitched were born, witches were all scary and gruesome. Churches even authorized witch-hunting to get rid of these awful creatures.

It was a popular belief that witches prey upon children; like this particular witch who liked to turn children into giant gingerbread men:

By the way, this is where they came from.

Not only children, in fact, everybody knows that many popular princesses in history had met with ill-fate when they stumbled upon witches.

Scary, right?

It's a shame that people should be scared of witches just because of these few rotten ones. They would be fun to hang out with. I mean, they could perform magic. How can you not love that? Imagine having the ability to move objects just by pointing at it. Now, that's something that I could get used to.

Don't forget that witches have license to fly too, albeit on a broomstick. Ain't that cool? I would love to try it out. Broomsticks are environment-friendly because they don't need any fuel. Saves money too!

And oh, the potions. Witches can brew really effective potions to rid this world of all kinds of disease and illness. Isn't that just brilliant?

So... what's so scary about witches?

It's not their ugly face.

Here's where she came from.

I don't discriminate people because of their looks. Hehe.

She originates from here.

Or their outdated fashion sense.

Nor is it their cackling laughter because that's how I laugh.

A witch is scary when she is jealous. And because they possess such cool tools and magic powers, you wouldn't want to cross them. You see, witches have rules which they must observe when performing magic.

Whatever good they do to others, it shall be returned three times as much; likewise, whatever bad deeds they do to others, it shall be returned in threefold.

Thus, witches cannot harm others just because they enjoy doing it. A jealous witch on the other hand, becomes irrational and... let's just say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. History has proved time and again that a witch's jealous rage is very dangerous and at times fatal. It almost killed Snow White, Ariel (Little Mermaid) lost her voice, and Rapunzel was deprived of her freedom. So, not even the threefold rule could stop those witches from harming the innocent princesses. Yikes!

Nevertheless, fear not for however dark a witch's spell is, there will be ways to undo the curse and usually, it is through a true love's kiss. Snow White and Sleeping Beauty were fortunate to have gone into slumber in such a beautiful state. Me? Not so lucky. When I look at my own reflection, all I see is

Who would want to kiss me, much less fall in love with me? I don't feel like kissing me!

Wait... I think I just remembered where I saw this man:

He was with the witch who turned me into this slimy ugly green creature. I need to see him badly so that I can beg the witch to turn me into something more pleasing to the eyes. Otherwise, how can I get my true love's kiss?

Gotta go! *croak croak*

Do not judge a book by its cover a.k.a. Kalau beli buku, jangan baca kulit je!

2010-12-16T15:24:00.002+08:00

People always say do not judge a book by its cover.

But we do it anyway. Because somewhere in the back of our mind, we don't really believe it.

Because we know it's not entirely true that appearance does not tell anything about a person. Tell me you haven't seen someone like this

Picture source here

in the street and avoid him? By the way, I found his picture when I googled "crazy homeless man".

Or someone like this

Picture source here

and try your best to impress him and make him notice you?

Point is, appearance does play a role in helping people to judge people. Otherwise, image consultants and stylists will be out of job already.

Express yourself, they say. Dress up according to your personality. Add your own style, don't just follow. Crap, crap, crap.

This man got labeled as a crackhead by dressing up like this:

Maybe he only wanted to express himself. Kesian...

And then, if you dress up like this

Picture source here

you'll be labeled as a sex symbol. Or even lustful.

So you see, people are hard to please. Whatever you do, they'll just judge you again and again and again and again.

Therefore, in order to save yourself from headache, don't give a damn. God has given each and every one of us a brain to think with so that we can discern between good and bad. Before we do anything, ask ourselves what our intention is. Be honest. Only then, you'll know whether you are up to no good or not.

1NewMessages: This has nothing to do with my Christmas look ok.

Head O Head, why do you ache? a.k.a. Palak O Palak, kenak kawu mengada-ngada?

2010-11-26T15:59:00.007+08:00

It seems that I was once again MIA. But no, I was not. I was merely sitting back and listening to what other people has to say. There's a saying in Chinese (not sure whether it's a proverb or not but we hear it a lot in Chinese), not speaking does not mean that one is mute. I like it very very much cos it can be used to scold people.

While I was listening, things happened in my life which were not that important to write about but I have come to discover some things that might be important to you.

You see, I'm a headachee, if there's even such a word. The most common one that sticks to me like a stalker is migraine. For years, it has tortured me and mocked me; crippling me at times. It has been my shameful cross because it made me seem weak though I am not like that. And they usually last for days. At first, Ms. M's visit was occasional but throughout the years they became more and more frequent, sometimes even accompanying Aunt Flo.

I recognized a pattern, though. Ms M usually comes before Aunt Flo, which means that it could only be linked to the hormonal changes taking place in my body. So I went to see a doctor as I also had a fever at the time and as is what usually happens in most public hospitals, I talked to the doctor, telling her of my suspicions. Then, without so much as taking my temperature or checking my pulse, she prescribed me paracetamol (or in it's more familiar language, Panadol) and a mouth gargle for my sore throat. That's all. What, not even ergotamine for my migraine?

I knew it! I knew it! That is why I always hesitate when people suggest that I see a doctor. I knew what they were going to give me. I only went there to get a written permission for a blood test.

However, I do find the service in USM clinic much better. I don't just get paracetamol but for every sickness that I describe, they will interrogate further and prescribe something for it. Is it because in USM, I'm a valued student while in a public hospital, I'm just a regular citizen with no identification whatsoever so everything is just kept to the basic because why bother, it's all in a day's work and there are a still a lot more patients out there?

Ugh! That is why I hate hospitals. They make me more sick. Period.

But, hehe, that was not why I post an entry today. I found a book entitled Hormonal Headache sitting comfortably on my bookshelf after my visit to the hospital. Turns out what I suspected was right. Most of the time, the headaches we suffer are due to the hormonal changes in our body.

According to the book, there are 3 types of headaches:

1. Tension-type headaches (common, everyday headache)

2. Vascular headaches (i. Migraine, ii. Cluster headaches)

3. Headaches due to organic causes (e.g. brain tumors, aneurysms, or inflammation of the blood vessels)

I have the second type of headache. Sometimes cluster, most of the time migraine. Cluster headache is a one-sided headache that occurs in a group, series, or bunch of attacks and usually lasts only a half hour to an hour. For me, it usually felt like my final half hour alive. This type of headache causes severe pain, tearing of the eyes, congestion of the nose, and flushing of the face. Both migraine and cluster headache causes throbbing pain which means that they are both painful! *cry of anguish*

Even worse, migraine is an inherited disorder. So you know that if many members of your family has got a migraine, then you probably has one yourself. Join the club.

However, these headaches are usually triggered by what we do or eat. So, hooray, there are ways to prevent it, or at least lessen the frequency. I read somewhere in a newspaper article before that for some people, their migraines could be triggered by the amount of lipid and salt in their blood. Therefore, we should avoid activities or food that exposes us to these two things (in abundance la...) like vigorous exercise, starvation, very salty food, etc.

The author of Hormonal Headaches believes that the pain caused during migraine is due to the dilation of inflamed blood vessels in our head. I only included this part to help you understand the cause of the pain.

How to prevent migraine? Hm... Let me think.

I have lived many different lifestyles these past few years and I actually found out that the healthiest (in this case, it means no headache) I have been was after I quit my job and stayed at home, stress-free. Not really, I wasn't really stress-free but a little stress is essential for healthy living. During that period, I woke up almost at the same time every morning, drink my detoxifying drinks and do a 30-min aerobic routine. I watched comedy, did the house chores and indulged myself in my hobby. I didn't experience any headache (okay, maybe once or twice but very mild ones and I was not bed-ridden) or period cramps. I get very bad period cramps that I need booze to help me get through it. Seriously.

So I'm suggesting that we eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly (just sweat!), be happy and you will feel healthy. Oh, just for the record, psychology-wise, conflicts do cause migraines as well.

And while we're still on the topic, I found out from the book that there are actually a migraine personality. Generally, a migraine sufferer's personality is described as being perfectionist, orderly, ambitious, cautious, and emotionally repressed; that is they suppress their feelings of anger or hostility or inadequacy, which other people express readily through emotional explosions. By and large, they are also very bright and alert; they talk very quickly and to the point, and they tend to overload or to expect too much of themselves. But, be warned, the author did not say that everyone who has migraine are like this nor does everyone who are like this has a migraine (wow, suddenly I'm reminded of my Critical Thinking lecturer. LOL). It's just that many doctors have reported them in the medical literature. There is also a theory that suggests a migraine may be an indication that a person is being overloaded and that it is the body's way of telling them to slow down.

And to complete this type of findings, we need to name a few famous people who also face the same problem so that you and I will not feel alone or down because we are so unfortunate to be a victim of the bully, Ms M. To name a few, Frederic Chopin (musician), Charles Darwin (who suggested that human beings evolved from apes, patutla palak kawu sakit sebab konflik dalaman - rasa diri macam monyet), Karl Marx (ni siapa tak tau balik Tingkatan 4 atau 5 belek buku Sejarah), Queen Mary I, etc.

The only explanation that the author could come up with as to why so many famous and accomplished people have migraines is because these people are the doers. They are very determined to achieve a particular goal at a particular time, and nothing, not even a severe and recurring headache, is going to stop them.

So people, rejoice if you have a migraine. Who knows, maybe someday you'll be listed in "Famous People Who Suffered Migraines". Hehehe, I'm only following Gnet's advice to look on the bright side :p

1NewMessages: I was happy that the blood test reported normal. People around me had warned me about the third type of headache which was also the reason why I went to see the doctor - to prove them wrong.

Expired a.k.a. Lapuk Dah

2010-10-02T15:11:00.001+08:00

My blog has been giving everyone the silent treatment for a month. And now, I'm going to end the war and show who's the boss. Dah berdebu, dah berabuk, dan berkulat-kulat.

About time I update too because I remember promising to write about my big day but never got around to do it for almost 2 months. Aputoi~

And since I know some of my friends will be having their convocation soon (ko susui congrats iw gak kedua k, Misel gem Adler), as a responsible citizen and friend, I feel obliged to share some insights on how the actual day would be like.

First, something to feast the eye on:

Don't we look happy?

Next, let's get down to business. The first thing you need to bear in mind is this: your convocation is NOT your convocation. It is also your Dad's convocation and your Mum's convocation.

Trust me, you may be the one wearing the robe and receiving the scroll but for the whole duration of your convocation trip, you are NOT the VIP! *crash boom shattered sounds* Sorry to shatter your hopes and dreams.

The VIPs are those people who have come from afar to witness your graduation. The VVIPs, are your parents. Even though I knew this well, I was not prepared for the events that followed.

That is why, I'm going to give you a few tips on how to make everyone happy. And by everyone, I mean your parents. This will ensure your happiness. For that to happen, here are the rules:

1) Do not settle for anything less than a hotel.

This might sound familiar, "We don't mind as long as we have a place to stay." But do not let yourself be tricked. This is just the Asian etiquette. For a happier life, find a hotel with clean toilet and nice enough surrounding. Let them have the room for themselves. Do not interfere in their "honeymoon" and you are on your first step to happiness.

2) Prepare good transportation service.

If it's not a car, then get a taxi. Make sure there are plenty of room so that everyone can sit comfortably. Remember, a comfortable journey keeps people happy and happy people do not complain much.

3) If it's more than a 3-day trip, be sure to plan a trip somewhere.

Be it an outdoor activity (which is new to them, of course) or planning another trip somewhere else, it doesn't matter as long as their days are filled with activities worth to be kept in a photograph. That way, when you return back home, they will have lots of stories to tell their friends. In other words, they are proud of their achievement, which is also an achievement for you and when you hear a lot of Wow's from their friends, know that they are gloating in their hearts. Which is a good thing as it means SUCCESS for you :)

4) Never let your parents out of your sight.

Unless they run away which is too absurd an idea to entertain. Even though it means sacrificing your get-together with your friends for the last time, you must NEVER leave them. Or else, on returning back home, you'll find words like "abandonment" or "priority on friends" or "feeling stupid" being thrown at you.

5) Studio photography is a must.

This is the only reason why your parents invested so much in that new dress and tuxedo. Even though you have outdoor photography which looks more beautiful and fun but... yeah. Kedak mauk kawin. But this is reality. Your 15-minute labour in the photography studio will hang in your living room for many, many years.

6) Always send your parents home earlier.

This is for your own good. This is the time when you can do whatever you want including the get-together with friends bit. Besides, you can save yourself the stress of packing while at the same time listening to your Mum repeatedly asking "Have you packed the ___? Don't forget the ___. Remember to put ___ in first before you pack your other stuff." Bla bla.

Nervous? Haha. Wait till that day comes. Personally, I think convocation is a little overrated. It's even worse than a wedding because you do not have a planner and it lasts longer than a day.

The whole ordeal left me swamped and I almost regretted attending the ceremony at all. I could just have them mail me the scroll. It would have saved me a lot of trouble. But then again, how many times can one graduate?

My advice, just put in your best effort to keep the VVIPs happy and life will be sweet and pleasant for you. When in doubt or you feel really down, just remember that they have been praying for this day since the moment you first entered the gates of the university. Not to forget the monthly allowance they have been sending. Keep these thoughts in mind and the whole ordeal will seem much easier to put up with.

Last, but not least, thanks for all the gifts and wishes that I received on my graduation. To Misel and Adler, good luck and may you have the time of your lives! Enjoy while you can.

1NewMessages: I feel so lazy lately. Any prescriptions?

Movie Maniac a.k.a. Kaki Wayang

2010-08-26T22:38:00.003+08:00

Actually if I make a direct translation from Malay to English, kaki wayang means cinema leg. But it means something like movie maniac - someone who is addicted to movies. In the same way, we call someone who is addicted to alcohol a kaki botol, addicted to gambling a kaki judi, and so on and so forth. Okay, enough said. I'm not here to teach malay idioms anyway.

I'm just here to do reports on the movie I've watched yesterday and today. All in all, only three completed movies. But that doesn't include dramas and series. I do other stuff like reading and house chores besides shopping between watching movies. Yes, I am productive that way.

So, without further ado, the movies are listed below:

Hide and Seek (2005)

This movie stars Dakota Fanning and Robert De Niro. They play father and daughter in this movie. I love them both. If you're still thinking why Robert De Niro's name sound so familiar, it's cos he's famous. Duh. Okay, serious. He acted as the captain who likes to dress up in women' s clothing in Stardust. The one with the mole, that's right.

In Hide and Seek, he played a psychologist named Dave who just lost his wife and decided to move from the town which holds too much painful memories together with his daughter Emily (Dakota Fanning). He thought it would help his daughter to recover the trauma from seeing his wife dead in the bathtub with a razor slit on her wrist.

Their new home was located in a rather remote area just by the woods. Like any other kids, Emily began to explore the new surrounding and one fine morning, as she was walking through the woods, she met Charlie. From then on, he was her only friend.

Katherine, her father's colleague thought it normal for a kid Emily's age, especially one who had gone through so much ordeal, to have an imaginary friend. But soon, Charlie' s visits became more frequent and dangerous. It seemed that Charlie was angry with Dave and accused him of causing his own wife's death. Now, Dave was becoming scared of Charlie. It seemed that no matter how fast he was trying to stop Charlie from hurting someone, Charlie would always be one step ahead.

There was a scene when the truth finally came out. No wonder Dave had never met Charlie before. No wonder Charlie was always a step quicker than him... because Charlie was Dave. Charlie was his alter ego. Finally, Charlie took over and all hell broke loose. You know what happens at the end of movies like this. I'm not gonna spoil it for you although I pretty much told you everything already.

The movie is nice and Fanning's acting was very convincing as a child who had just undergone a traumatic experience. Not to mention she looked really adorable. De Niro kinda reminded me of Robin Williams. LOL. Anyway, this movie is very good for a psycho-thriller genre. I always wondered how stories about Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) can be shown in movies without giving away the suspense. I got my answer and it's a pretty good one.

And oh, at the ending (this is just at the very end, I'm still not spoiling the ending I tell you) where Fanning was doing her drawing, I think (and this is just my own interpretation) that she has an alter ego too.

Shoot 'Em Up (2007)

This movie is rated R for violence and just a little sex scene where a guy in diaper (yucks!) was milking a hooker (Monica Bellucci). If you think you don't know who Monica Bellucci is, she's the one who played the Virgin Mary in The Passion of the Christ. Irony, huh?

Clive Owen plays a lone ranger (who wanted only to be known as Smith) who helped deliver a baby whose mother was killed by a mob of gangster minutes after giving birth. But the mystery here lies in why the gangsters wanted the mother and the baby dead. Psst, it involves a politician too. That's why it's scandalous :)

Being the big hero that he is, Smith did his best to protect the baby and even sought the help from a lactating hooker named Donna Quintana (Bellucci) who just lost a baby to help take care of the child. They named him Oliver because Donna did not want the baby to be referred just as "it". And so the movie shows how the trio fled from the bad guys and then in the end made it to safety. That's all I'm gonna say.

It won't be exciting to watch if I reveal all the details. But the movie is worth watching. A lot of action and cool stunts on how to use the gun or even just bullets.

One thing for sure, it's a relief that this is only a movie and I kept reminding myself that in the violent scenes, dolls are actually used in place of the baby. If it were real, the baby would have died of trauma or spinal injury. Fuh~

Before You Say 'I Do' (2009)

This is a typical Hallmark movie. It's heartwarming and romantic. It's perfect to spend a lazy afternoon when you just want to watch something light and entertaining. The story is just like any other story except that the main cast David Sutcliffe as George Murray went back to 10 years to the past to woo his future fiancee.

Why did he have to do that, you ask? Well... you see, Jane Gardner (Jennifer Westfeldt) got a cold feet after her engagement to George because of her previous marriage to Doug (Jeff Roop). Because of that, George made a wish while he was driving that he had met Jane before she married Doug and "Wham!" he got into a car accident when he sped as the light turned yellow. Strangely enough, the collision transported him back to a decade ago, three days before Jane's marriage to Doug.

Knowing that he had little time to waste, George went all out to win Jane's heart including buying her favourite flowers, coffee just the way she likes it, and spent every moment as much as possible with her. Towards the end, when his attempt to make her leave Doug seemed to fail, he became desperate and decided to tell Jane the truth that he came from 10 years into the future. As expected, it was all too much for Jane to digest and she refused to believe it when George told her that Doug would be cheating on her the very day of their wedding with her wedding coordinator. But when George's prediction of Doug winking at the coordinator before he inserted the ring to her finger came true, Jane immediately called the wedding off and instead she got engaged to George.

As the both of them fled the wedding, being chased by Doug, they ran the yellow light again but nothing happened when in an attempt to avoid an approaching car, "Wham!" and George found himself in a room surrounded by friends and family... and Jane, dressed in a wedding gown. He had passed out. George began to mumble and persuade Jane not to get married when he realized that they were actually renewing their vows on their 10th wedding anniversary.

And so, they lived happily ever after. Actually, that's my own version but if after a decade, the both of them can still be so much in love as they were the day they met, how is that impossible? Right?

Guess that's all from me today. I would like to get back to one of my "Bree past time's" before I go to sleep. I'll give reviews on more updated movies next time but these few days, I was just passing my time.

1NewMessages: Baby ah, I hope these reviews can help you in your assignments.

Insanitarium a.k.a Tanjung Rambutan

2010-08-24T22:18:00.001+08:00

I'm on a vacation from work and study. So I have plenty of time to spend as I please and usually, that involves a movie or a story book. I did both. But now, I'm gonna talk about the movie. This is what I watched:

This is a warning. Do not watch Insanitarium if you hate horror films. I repeat, DO NOT watch Insanitarium. Period. It's disgusting. Not just the scenes but also the plot. I love horror movie but this is one movie I cannot stand. It makes me wanna puke.

The story starts with Lily - Jack's sister, being taken to an asylum for attempted suicide. Jack was not allowed to visit her even though patients are supposedly allowed to have visitors. Rumour had it that none of the patient ever got out once they got in. So, Jack hatched a plan to get his sister out of the place by pretending to be crazy.

Once Jack was inside the building, he discovered that Dr Gianetti, the guy who ran the place was manipulating his patients as lab rats. He injected them with orphium which unleashed the dangerous "animal" within them and turned them into cannibals. There was a scene where a guy caught a really fat cat and just twisted the head to eat it. Everyone around him got a taste of it. Eww! As if that's not bad enough, another scene showed a man eating his own fingers!!! I had to cover my mouth throughout the film. Though I was tempted to stop the movie, I didn't and made it to the end. Well... I'm a survivor. LOL.

You can run but I'll still get you... muahahahaha

Bloody movie

The whole movie is like a cheap horror film to me. I'm aware that the message it's trying to convey is that things like this do happen. Helpless people (in this movie, it was the patients in the asylum) are manipulated around the world by people with authority in many form. They cannot help themselves because no one would hear them. The message is clear but the story... to say it simply: it sucks. I only watched it because of Jesse Metcalfe :p

1NewMessages: Been busy a few weeks earlier because of graduation. Oh, the joy of convocation. I'll post an entry about it soon. If ~~you're~~ I'm lucky, I'll have pictures to accompany.

Why Men Should Not be a Model a.k.a. Laki Sik Patut Peragakan Diri

2010-07-19T15:00:00.001+08:00

I was looking through some old pictures to find the ones that are worth developing when I found this:

I was like, What is this doing here? Why would I have some random pictures sitting so comfortably and undeleted in my folder?

I then took a closer look and finally understood.

Patutla... Uncomfortable much? Even a mannequin couldn't stand wearing the material. So guys and girls, always be careful of what you buy. By the way, this picture was taken in Queensbay before my Sulus and I went to watch movies. And I'm just saying.

Some People Just Can't Take No For An Answer a.k.a. Sik Paham Bahasa

2010-07-18T00:48:00.026+08:00

I have a tom-cat named Yoyo. He is very gluttonous. Every five minutes, he will ask for food. Sometimes, I get fed up because of his constant mewing so I just turn a deaf ear.

Doesn't he remind you of the cat in Shrek?

Kan???

Yoyo has a routine. Every morning after I wake up, he will call out to me and demand for his milk.

Every. Single. Morning. As long as I have not given in to him, he will mew and mew and mew and mew. Non-stop. It gets irritating because he sounds so pitiful and I hate feeling guilty.

But once I let Yoyo inside the house, he will keep following me around UNTIL I give him his milk. Kucing ini memang muka tebal (This cat is shameless). Eventually, I will give in because if a fat cat follows you around like a shadow, you will trip if you are not careful. I nearly did a few times.

This morning, I decided to change the routine as it was the weekend. But Yoyo doesn't understand the concept of time. He doesn't know that there are such things as weekend and weekdays. If there are, so what? He still needs to eat - all the time. He is, after all, only a cat.

So here's what happened...

As usual, Yoyo peeped inside the house. When nobody answered...

He mewed louder. Still, no one bothered.

So, he decided to take matters into his own ~~hands~~ paws.

He suddenly remembered how his master opens the door.

It was not a bad plan... only, he is not tall enough *sigh*

What a shame. I could have registered him for Sibu's Smartest Cat in Malaysia's Book of Records. Hm... sounds funny.

What about you, what does your pet do?

Friends 4-Ever a.k.a. Angelissiawyan

2010-07-16T16:43:00.001+08:00

Suddenly feel a little jiwang (romantic). Convocation is almost here and by then I'll be officially graduated from USM.

Graduations make me feel jiwang, I guess. Cos after that, I'll have less chance to meet my university friends. Someone once said, the friends you make in the university will be your friends for life. If I'm not mistaken, it was Sydney White's mum who said that. Haha. But it's true.

I never thought that I would meet a friend that good, we'll be like soul sisters, much less four!

I went alone to the university. No parents, no friends. Luckily, my cousin and her husband who live in Kedah were kind enough to see me off.

I don't know how to describe my feelings then. It was my first time away from home without any chaperone and I was going to be there for four months before I would be able to go back to my hometown again. Feelings of regret for choosing a university so far and foreign did creep in once in a while for the first few days.

I had wanted to go to the university with two of my best friends and miraculously the three of us got offered the same university but both of them rejected the offer and left me all alone. Thanks a lot, you two!

Yeah, yeah, I was a little mad then but I couldn't possibly blame them for pursuing their dreams in the field they really love, could I? You know how understanding a friend I am. Ahem!

But, God had better plans for me. So what if the two "traitors" ditched me? I can always make new friends.

My first friend, of course was my roommate. She is such a sweet and easygoing girl, I simply could not help but became good friends with her. Unfortunately, she was moved to another block for the second semester because our building needed renovation. However, it was not long before we became roommates again until she graduated.

My roomie and I. We are both cute, aren't we? :)

Then, there was BF. We met when I joined St John's Ambulance. That sneak kept taking pictures of me (without permission!) on our round island trip. I only found that out much, much later. He was nice and caring then. Not that he is not now, just that you know after seeing someone for a while, you get sick of them. Haha. We started seeing each other in my second year, so yeah, we are now a very very boring couple.

The Boring Couple

It was also in my second year that I got to know Angel and Siaw Yan better. I knew Angel because she was in my group during St John's annual camp. You know how some people just have face that is pleasing to the eyes because they look friendly? She doesn't just look friendly, she IS friendly. It's not hard to be good friends with her. She is seriously lovable, not because she is a bootlicker (no, far from it) but because of her attitude and outlook in life. One thing for sure, she is very optimistic.

Actually, I knew Siaw Yan first. We met during the orientation week. I thought she was very shy because she was very quiet at that time. So, we didn't talk much. Besides, I was still mad with two people at that time (D, if you're reading this, feel free to curse me. It's not like I can hear you anyway. Wahahahahaha). I got the chance to know really know her when we became EXCO for St John Ambulance in our second year. Menyesal aku kenalnya. Eh eh, menyesal aku sik kenalnya awal. You won't believe it but underneath that quiet mask, this girl's humour can kill you. True, she doesn't talk much if she doesn't know you but once the ice is broken, you'll discover that she's "not that innocent" (sing along to Britney's Oops! I did it again).
We became roommates in our final year when she moved out of the hostel. It was great because then, we gossiped almost every night. I love gossiping!

I knew Lis last because she is like the popular girl. Haha :p
She knows everyone. Seriously. We became close because of CUS. We also had dance class together. This girl, how should I describe her? She loves to have fun and everything is an adventure for her. She LOVES to shop. Not that we don't but she especially loves it. And boy, does she know how to shop. I love shopping with her (and Angel and Siaw Yan too) because she has good taste and we love Hollywood style. You know, I didn't really enjoy shopping until I met her. I mean, I used to give up finding something if I can't find it after a while, but with her, every item is a mission. We have to find it until we get it. It was a new lesson for me, one that I practice until now. I felt so touched that someone would care so much to find something for me and not regard it as a hassle. No one has ever done that for me before. NO ONE.

These, everyone, are my girls, my Sulus (Sulu means sweetheart in Iban):

From left: Yan, Lis, Me, Angel. Just ignore the guy.

Of course, later, we also got to know juniors who rock like Melod and Step.

Melod is quiet and shy. I know that now. Melod, dolok aku ingat kawu sombong cos sik mok senyum ngan aku :p hehe
Melod is also very athletic. Kapten Futsal, you!
But now, after I got to know her, she is someone who stands by her principle and far from being arrogant. I enjoy talking to her because we have the same questions about certain issues and we are keen to find out the cause and reason to these issues. Okay, some people may not understand and suggest that we not think too much. If I were alone in the boat, I would feel ashamed and not raise the question to another person, but because Melod understands, I feel relieved. At least there is someone who has the same questions and concern like me. It feels good just to talk about it. Thanks, Melod.

Step pulak... Step tuk gila-gila kit. Nya tuk muka jak macam blur + mangah tapi skali bukak mulut, keluar sampah. Iboh manas, Step. Tapi kawulah antara orang yang aku sik dapat mok nganok walaupun kawu slalu jak nganok aku. Huhu. Step tok sensitip sebenarnya tapi nya molah lawak k cover kesensitipannya. Nya tuk, aku anggap kedak adik aku juak. Sik tauk la, tapi aku rasa nya still kedak miak. Mun kawu jenis perasan, Step, kawu akan ingat aku madah diri kawu ya kiut. Tapi kawu sik perasan, nak? Mun aku join konversesyen nya ngan Melod, meletopz! Siriesli, aku madah. Slamba jak perkataan 18SX kuar dari mulut miak tok. Ish! Anak sapa kah ya...
Aku ingat gik taim bertdei nya, mek orang polah-polah lupak. Nya ngan Melod jak duduk tunggu ngan nasik 7 pinggan, lauk 7 jenis dah habis order. Skali aku tepon madah sik jadi pegi, terus nya manas. Sik mok kakar ngan aku. Tpaksalah aku eksen kakar ngan Melod yang sebenarnya dah berkomplot ngan mek orang.
Melod: Kenak, tak orang sik jadi kah?
Aku: Aku rasa la... Lis ngan Angel ada asainmen, Yan baru jak balit dari skolah. Kepak dah nya ya. Mun ada dak duak Lis tek, boleh juak nya madah. Sebab ada keta. Tapi kinek tuk... malas nya mok jalan pegi siya.
Melod: Oh...
Aku: Aku.. Ko tauk la, aku boleh jak. Tapi sekda teman, mok jalan malam malam tok... sik mauk aku. Dahlah bukan dekat gik ya...
Melod: Oh... tapi mek orang dah order dah semua ya...
Aku: Kenak order dolok?
Melod: Bukan kawu suruh aku order tadik?
Aku: Ya... aku ingat tek mek orang jadi... ney la tauk.. Huhu
Melod: Camney la gik?
Aku: Aku pun sik tauk... sekda orang lain gik ka?
Melod: Sekda... sik hal la. Kelak aku kol kawan aku suruh daknya datang tolong ngabis makanan tok. Banyak dah mekorang order tadik.
Aku: Huhu... auk la. Sori, sori. Aku cuba nangga la apa aku boleh polah...
(Perbualan tamat)

Ya lah perbualan eksen mek orang tadik. Eniwey, aku sikpat mok ingat dengan cun-melecun la cuma aku gik ingat isi perbualan ya jak.
Step ingat bena-bena la tek. Terus nya manas sekda selera makan (cewah, cewah). Tapi skali mekorang tunjuk muka siya madah mek orang sik jadi mok sik jadi datang, terusnya tahan mok senyum. Nya pun madah la statement standard yang biasa orang madah lepas kenak punked, "Aku dah agak dah..." k nya cover "kemaluan"nya. Haha.
Bila ingat balit insiden ya, best juak kenakan Step. Nya cayak jak. Hehe :P

Okey, aku ada gik kawan-mawan yang lain tapi susah aku mok crita panjang lebar tok. Penat jari-jemari halusku menaip (sehingga menjadi semakin kasar).

Ah Mau, don't have to be jealous cos I don't mention you here. Anyway, you are my sister. It's going to take a lot of space and time to write about your details. Too many stupidity in one entry :P
Make sure you prepare a nice present for my convocation ya, or else your bed will become Kitty-Kitty's. Muahahahahahah~

Boy Meets Girl a.k.a. Laki Jumpa Ompuan

2010-07-13T15:47:00.001+08:00

When a boy meets a girl, what happens next? *wink wink*

They shake hands lor...

Psst, what were you thinking? Hoho~ naughty naughty.

This is a book by Meg Cabot, who is none other than the author of the famous Princess Diaries (Siapa mun sik tauk apa ya, balit rumah tido). I love Anne Hathaway!!! (Eh? Apa kaitan?)

This book, you must read. It's a very, very light read. Not to mention light book. And it's incredibly funny. My sister is right. Seriously, it was like watching a movie instead of reading a book.

The story is told not by the usual narration but through phone messages, e-mails, letters, journal writing and even IMs. It was fun to read. And fast too because it felt like I was reading someone else' s diary. It took less than a minute to read a page, so you can finish it in one day (if you don't have chores to run in the house). I have, so I finished it in two days, ok.

The story is quite a cliché but because of the unique way it was told, I thought why not. Since, as Mama puts it, I have nothing to do (As if. I help to lighten Ma's burden and the house is beginning to look more like a home with my help, even if I do say so myself. Ahem!). Even though the storyline is not much of a surprise, it's still a good chick flick. And, like my usual book review, I'll give you a synopsis. Very short one, though.

Damsel in distress (Aren't they always?). Total protagonist. I mean it, she's really really really nice. Too nice for her own good, I suppose. And then, somewhere along the way, someone needed help and the heroin helped her. But luck was not on her side and she became the damsel in distress. Oh, I keep referring to her as her. The name is Kate, by the way.

When there's a damsel in need, our hero is here to rescue her. First try, backfired. The situation worsened. But because he is TOO good-looking, Kate could not resist the attraction and then, our hero became superhero when he managed to make everything right again and the heroin fell in love with him. End of story.

The book is ideal for a lazy afternoon when you're bored and need a good laugh. Go grab one or download it and then we can exchange notes! LOL.

1NewMessages: Saying Meg Cabot's name out loud actually reminds me of kabut. Sapa nok paham ya paham. Mun sik paham, polah jak kedak paham.

Men vs. Women a.k.a. Lelaki lwn. Perempuan

2010-07-09T17:34:00.002+08:00

WARNING: This entry contains words that are harmful to the text-sensitive epilepsy readers.

This has nothing to do with the world cup fever everyone is having now, ok.

My black cat Obama likes to "spray" around the house. Not spraying Febreeze, by the way, but his original self-made juice a.k.a. urine. This got me thinking about Penis. Not in a sexual kind of way, if you're wondering.

Men, okay, MOST men are very concerned about the size of their penis. They compete against each other about the size of their most prized possession. Supposedly, the bigger it is, the more macho they are. And for what?

They can enjoy sex more?

They can pee faster?

What?

The more I think about it, the less useful a penis is except its traditional use to impregnate women and to pee.

Boobs (for women), on the other hand, is one of the greatest blessings in life. Men condemn women who undergo surgery to enhance the size of their breast and label them "Fake" but our concern for our breasts is not more different than their concern for their penises.

At least, breasts have their functions. Women who breastfeed actually give life to helpless little babies. And the thing about increasing the cup sizes, well, it gives us curves and flatter our body when we wear clothes.

I got this pic here.

Men do not need bigger penises to wear pants, do they?

Just imagine! Anyway, I stole the pic here.

So, in this penis vs. boobs usefulness competition, women win!

Because... ask any men, they'll agree that they love boobs too.

And Obama (the cat), I just can't wait to castrate him.

My Secret Affair... a.k.a. Hubungan Sulit Ku...

2010-07-04T14:36:00.003+08:00

People say, beautiful women do not stay lonely for long.

In case you're wondering, I'm talking about me (you can roll your eyes now). Not that I'm vain but I believe that every woman is beautiful; just that some are more beautiful than others :p

Anyway, there is this man in my life and few people know about our relationship. You may condemn me or call me vain but I have my reasons. At least, let me explain.

This man, he has the power to make me feel happy and confident. Sometimes, he can make me feel sad or angry too. But that rarely happens.

When I feel sad and down, I go to him and after working his magic, I would cheer up.

Sometimes, when I feel angry or annoyed, I complain to him. Like an understanding therapist, he listens and at times gives me advice.

When I am stressed out, I'll be given a massage and all my problems are forgotten as I drift off to Slumberland.

Whenever we are together, I become the centre of his attention... *ahh...*

He makes me feel younger and beautiful. I find myself going back to him time and again.

Of course, I know there's a price to pay. But I am willing for he makes it worthwhile.

Well, I cannot say that this affair does not create any problems for me and my friends because it does. Just like yesterday when I had to cancel my appointment with Conee and she complained, "Slalu jak pegi hair salon (You go to the hair salon all the time)."

I just smiled. Well dear, sometimes a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do, right?

1NewMessages: I frequent Hair Magic and recently discovered V-Hair Image Studio. I absolutely recommend it to anyone who is in Sibu because of the good service. I was satisfied.

Down Memory Lane a.k.a Ingat Balit Kisah Duluk

2010-07-03T13:52:00.001+08:00

This post is an answer to one of my readers' questions. Cewah... macamlah aku ni celebrity author :p

Jenis student camne aku masa kecik dolok? (What kind of student was I?)

Suddenly I felt the heat (Siapa makan cili, dia terasa pedasnya... kan?).

According to Mama, I was not a difficult child when I was a kid except for my obstination. In school, I rarely create problems for my teachers and was a good student all the way. Eish, bunyi kedak dream student semua cikgu jak (Sounds like every teacher's dream student). Hehe. But, my goody-two-shoes behaviour only lasted until I finished Form 5.

That's when the party began...

In Form 6, I was the life of the part-aay! No lah. I just never let any teachers leave the room without remembering my name. Every ten minutes, I would get called. Or my friend Diana (bukan nama sebenar) would get called. My two other friends, Amy (bukan nama sebenar) and Julia (bukan nama sebenar) took a more reserved role. We enjoyed teasing the teachers and laughing at them. As usual, like every other students, we even gave them nicknames.

BUT, BUT... we did pay attention to the lessons in class.

For example, in the Biology lab, Diana and I would discuss about the slides that the teacher has prepared while Amy and Julia would copy down the notes. At the end of the chapter, we would photostat the notes and distribute it among the four of us. Haih... we were such a team. But the teachers never understood our system. I can still remember one of the teachers' words: "The four of you ah... the four of you are very special." And she didn't say it with a smile.

Anyways, fast forward five years later, here I am. A teacher myself (even though just a substitute). And I'm faced with pupils ten times worse than I was (or are they?). Just wait, they're no match for me.

Hmph! I'm not giving up now. Another two days and I'll be off. Wish me luck!

1NewMessages: I'm on another job-hunt now. Anyone knows any post in Sibu that is interesting and pays quite well? Hehe.

Almost There a.k.a. Dah Mok Abis!

2010-06-30T19:53:00.004+08:00

YESS!

1NewMessages: FYI, I deliberately spelled it that way. Don't you dare go around saying I don't even know how to spell even though I teach English.

Yes (See? I told you), I am a teacher. A relief teacher. Teaching primary 1 and 2 students English subject. Do I hear people say "Eee~ so cute..." ? Save your breath. And saliva. And your brain neurons from having such deceitful thoughts.

Most of the time, reality is FUGLY *Note: This is not an English word* When somebody tells you that you will receive a special prize, mark my words, there's always terms and conditions applied. That is why we must always read the small prints.

Kids today and kids yesterday are totally different. I can't believe I'm quoting my parents! *Gasp*

But then again, kids today are the product of kids yesterday. Hmm... who is to blame now? I wonder.

This is my first experience in teaching primary school and boy, did I get my hands full. I've said it and I'll say it again. I would rather do ten assignments than teach my Primary 2 class. So, you can just imagine how I dread going to that class.

I am short of ideas already on how to manage the pupils. You tell me, how would you feel/act if you have prepared a lot of stuff for a lesson but the students not only fail to appreciate it but they did not even care to look at it. And there are forty-two of them! Ugh.

To be fair, not the whole class is like that; the pupils can be divided into two categories: those who want to learn and the I-couldn't-care-less group. I have tried to ignore the latter group but they just keep getting louder. And with a voice so weak, I could never be heard above the noise. It's really unfair to those who really came to learn. I felt like walking away but then how about the few who wanted to learn? *Sigh* I can never win.

I have tried using rewards as a motivation to get them to behave themselves before. For a while, it was quite effective but now, I'm back in square one. Thinking about going to their class makes me wanna puke. And now I can't wait to finish my contract. It's almost up and I'm going to gain my freedom back.

But I'm surely gonna miss my Primary 1 classes. Some are naughty and most are boot-lickers but they are still very innocent and gullible. I love teaching them. It's a good thing that I have three Primary 1 classes and only one Primary 2. Or else, I would be dead before the two months are up. Fuh~

2NewMessages: This is a cry for help. Any ideas/suggestions/advices are very much welcomed.

Buku Besok a.k.a. Book of Tomorrow

2010-06-11T21:59:00.002+08:00

This is what I have been spending my time on lately:

A book by Cecilia Ahern.

I know somebody has not read the book and I am not going to spoil the surprise by telling here.

Instead, I think I'll settle for the synopsis given at the cover of the book. So, here it is:

Tamara Goodwin has always got everything she's ever wanted. Born into a family of wealth, she grew up in a mansion with its own private beach, a wardrobe full of designer clothes, and a large four poster bed complete with a luxurious bathroom en suite. She's always lived in the here and now, never giving a second thought to tomorrow.

But then suddenly her dad is gone and life for Tamara and her mother changes forever. Left with a mountain of debt, they have no choice but to sell everything they own and move to the country to live with Tamara's Uncle and Aunt. Nestled next to Kilsaney Castle, their gate house is a world away from Tamara's childhood. With her Mother shut away in grief, and her Aunt busy tending to her, Tamara is lonely and bored and longs to return to Dublin.

When a traveling library passes through Kilsaney Demesne, Tamara is intrigued. She needs a distraction. Her eyes rest on a mysterious large leather bound tome locked with a gold clasp and padlock. With some help, Tamara finally manages to open the book. What she discovers within the pages takes her breath away and shakes her world to its core...

Okay, here's a little spoiler. Only a little clue as to what you are going to find within the pages.

The book which Tamara found was actually a diary which contains prediction about what was going to happen on the next day.

So far, the books written by Cecilia Ahern that I've read portrays a brave woman who has to deal with some of the biggest challenges that life has to offer. Unlike P.S. I love you, The Book of Tomorrow could attract not just the older readers but also the younger ones.

There is a secret lurking in every corner of the house where Tamara's mother grew up in, waiting to be discovered. As I read the book, I had a lot of questions which made it hard to put down. To console myself (if I had to leave the book for meals/sleep/shower), I would make my own guesses as to how the story would turn out.

As usual, I was not that far from the truth :p Hehe. If you are a regular movie goer or book reader, you would be able to do the same too. I mean, the storyline would not differ that much from one another. Only the settings and the characters vary.

After talking so much about the book... I was hoping that you would read it too and share your opinion about it. It's always interesting to find out what others feel about the characters in the story.

Enjoy reading~

1NewMessages: The school holidays are coming to an end... Huhu. Only a week left. I may not be able to update my blog that often. Sorry, folks but I'll try whenever I can :) Wish me luck!

Home Sweet Sour Home a.k.a. Rumah Masak Masam Manis

2010-06-09T20:18:00.006+08:00

Four years in the university, the one thing that every student has in common is this: We LOVE to balik kampung!

I stole it from here.

Balik kampung here means going back to our hometown, not necessarily a village. If it were, then I would have to say balik bandar (go back to town). Anyways...

Before I entered the university, I never understood why college students could not wait to return home. I mean, you get to live your life the way you want it without adult supervision, why would you throw that away?

And then I went, I saw, and I finally understood.

I am not suggesting that being far away from home is bad. Neither am I suggesting that home is a prison. I'm just being human (that is to complain because that's what we humans like to do). After doing a thorough research and conducting experiments to study my theory (erm, erm, do I sound scientific enough?), I have come up with a few pros and cons for staying at home and staying away from home.

Here's my list:

Home (H) vs. Away from Home (A)

1. H: You do not have to worry about money. When you go grocery-shopping, anything you want, just put it in the cart and it will be paid.

A: You ALWAYS worry about money.

2. H: Whenever you feel hungry, just go to the kitchen. You have no idea but food seems to always miraculously appear on the table. And not just any food. Delicious, healthy, and good food.

A: If you are lazy, you will starve to death.

3. H: If you sit in front of the computer the whole day, what will happen? Right, you don't know. Because you do not get to sit in front of the computer the whole day. What are parents for?

A: Nobody cares. Sit/sleep/eat in front of the computer the whole day, it's expected. Who knows, even if you faint/die in front of the computer, your body will only be discovered when it has started rotting.

4. H: You cannot watch a 1-hour movie without any interference. Halfway through the movie... "

Kitty-kitty: Ngiau, ngiau~

Me: *Ignore and continue watching*

Kitty-kitty: Ngiau, ngiau~

Me: *Pretend not to hear*

Kitty-kitty: Ngiau, ngiau~

My cats are all very perseverent. They never give up.

Mama: Kitty iau liao lo. Chi Kitty ciak seng. (Kitty is hungry already. Go feed him now.)

Me: Tan ca ae. (Just a moment.)

Mama: *Talking to Kitty-kitty* Kitty, ee nang mai sa siao lu liao lo, Kitty... (Kitty, they don't care about you anymore...)

Me: Tao seng to chi ee ho liao. (I fed him already just now.)

Mama: Mana ae kao. Ee kok ai ciak gok. (Clearly it wasn't enough. He is still hungry.)

Me: Tan seng... (Wait...)

Mama: Tapai to si anae: tan seng, tan seng. (It's always like this: wait, wait..) *blah, blah*

Me: Tsk, ae cai la. Ae cai la. (Tsk, okay. Okay.) *Feed Kitty and give him a good spanking*

Point is, there's always something you need to do. Watching DVDs is a crime. No, scratch that. Watching DVDs WITHOUT Mama is a crime.

A: Like I said in No. 3, nobody cares.

5. H: You don't have to worry about transport if you want to go shopping. No, you don't have to carry all the heavy stuff by yourself. There are family members to help you carry.

A: You dread going shopping because you have to carry all the heavy stuff home BY YOURSELF. Unless you have a car (that needs petrol for fuel, which means more $$$). And FYI, parking space is scarce in Penang. Expensive too. Unless you go to Tesco Extra at Sungai Dua, you will need to pay at least RM 1.50 for a parking space. And don't even try to suggest bicycle to me because this is what happens when I cycle in Penang.

6. H: You only worry about transport if you want to meet friends for Lim-teh (Also known as going out for drinks/eating - An activity which Malaysians like to do when they meet up with friends to catch up on news).

A: You don't have to worry about transport for meeting friends because, thank God, the public transport in West Malaysia is generally very good and convenient. Besides, when you're staying together with your friends, there really is no point in taking a bus/taxi to meet them, right?

Well, that's all I can think of right now. Nevertheless, I still love my home. Sure, there will be times when I wish that I will be back in Penang but most of the time, home is where the heart is. What about you? Any complaints?

1NewMessages: I wrote this because new recruits will be entering the university. Just preparing them mentally and physically for the challenges that await them :) Good luck~

Pi.Es. Ai Lap Yu a.k.a. P.S. I Love You

2010-06-08T13:42:00.000+08:00

Have you ever heard anyone said the movie is better than the book before? No?

Because there is no such thing. Ask anyone who has read the book AND watched the movie. They'll definitely say that the book is better than the movie (Right, book lovers? A little help here. Support my statement, 'kay?).

Here's an example of such event: P.S. I Love You

The Book vs. The Movie

The story tells about how a widow, Holly, went through the grieving process with the help of her late husband. And how is that possible, you might ask. Well, before he died, the husband wrote down a list of things that Holly must do after his death. There were ten item altogether. One item for one month. At least, that is how it is written in the book.

In the movie, they came as letters posted to Holly with the help of her mother. And there weren't even ten of them! There's no mention about The List at all when it was actually an important element of the story. According to the book, it was a joke made between the four friends, Gerry (the late husband), Holly and their friends John and Sharon. If any one of the spouse should leave the other earlier, then he/she must come up with a list for the living spouse. I mean, that is so romantic! How could they just eliminate that?

And oh, not to mention. There's a big difference between the book Holly and the movie Holly. The book Holly had quite a big family and they are happy. But the movie Holly comes from a broken family with only one sister. And the mother owns a pub. LOL. And they live in America.

Okay, okay. I get that the movie doesn't have to follow the book exactly. BUT, it should do the book justice. I mean, it's like a promotion for the book. Or maybe it was the other way round. A lot of things were changed. They were supposed to be high school sweethearts but in the movie, they met during Holly's trip to Ireland. Okay, that one was quite romantic especially when they met again in the pub where Gerry performs at. It was like a sign from heaven.

Still... I would prefer the book because to understand the movie, you will need to watch it two times. I read the book already so I only watched one time because there were certain events in the movie which were not shown in sequential order.

Anyway, the movie is still worth watching because of Gerard Butler. He's charming :) Hilary Swank was not too bad. I especially like her idiotic expression in the closet with Daniel on her 30th birthday. Definitely memorable. LOL.

If you like romantic stories, this is one story which you should not miss. It's an example of a tale of an undying love.

1NewMessages: You can catch the movie P.S. I Love You on HBO this month. Enjoy~

Dua puluh-dua puluh Perempuan a.k.a. Twenties Girl

2010-06-07T21:57:00.003+08:00

Just finished another book. Wah, rajin na aku... (Ain't I hardworking?)

Puke if you want but I'm just being bold (and beautiful).

The title of the book is as written above (english version): Twenties Girl. It's the latest novel by Sophie Kinsella if I'm not mistaken. Very light reading, which explains why I finished it so fast.

The novel.

The story is about a girl named Lara Lington who was haunted by her late great-grandaunt, Sadie, who lived to 105 years old but none of the family members actually know much about her as she spent her remaining years in a nursing home. Sadie's motive was to find her beloved necklace which was a gift from her parents.

The hunt for the necklace brought the two of them on an incredible journey. Scandals and betrayals were uncovered and Lara began to learn more about her great-aunt's adventurous life. As Lara spent more time with the ghost of Sadie, they eventually became good friends. The story got more interesting as the past life of Sadie unfolded.

Oh, as to why the title is Twenties Girl, I'm assuming it is because the great-aunt remembers herself as a young girl in the twenties when she enjoyed life the most. Also, Lara was beginning to get influenced by her great-aunt's twenties style.

As can be seen in all her other novels, Sophie Kinsella has a very colourful style in writing. I could just imagine how the conversation sounded and how Lara thinks as if I were Lara because of her vivid description. Not too much that it bored me to death but just enough for me to understand Lara's characteristics.

This book is a good read for a lazy afternoon. Enjoy~

1NewMessages: I'll be doing a lot more reviews because I'm on a holiday and I have been wanting to spend my holidays finishing all the books and movies I've downloaded. Hopefully the reviews I give will be helpful for you guys.

Laki Atas Bunga a.k.a. Boys Over Flowers (BOF)

2010-06-04T17:18:00.002+08:00

Yup, that's my latest craze. I just finished watching the korean version. I have not watched the Japanese version though and am not planning to watch Meteor Garden cos Big Ass (Da S) looks old :p

Yeah, yeah. I am prejudice when it comes to watching dramas/movies. All the actors must have good looks. Especially if they can't act well. There are exceptions of course, e.g. Nicholas Cage. LOL.

BOF is another romantic comedy which can make you laugh and cry through the series. It has been quite a while since I watched a good Korean drama series. The first one was Full House, then Princess Hours and now this. Most of the time, I prefer Japanese drama. Seems funnier and more original. No offense ya, Korean drama fans. But I love Korean actors and actresses more cos they look prettier :p

Okay, enough about how I feel. Let's move on to the movie.

WARNING: Spoiler!

The movie is about a common girl, Geum Jan Di, who, by the twist of fate was offered a place in Shinwa High School - a prestigious school which only the rich and famous get to enter. Excuse me, only the SELECTED rich and famous get to enter. Meaning, even if you are rich, brainy, and famous, you won't necessarily get to enter the school.

As you can guess, Jan Di was not welcomed in the school because the other rich kids looked down upon her. She got into an even deeper trouble when she messed with the heir of the Shinwa Group, Gu Jun Pyo. It so happened that he was one of the F4 member, a group consisting of four handsomest and most popular boys in the school. As usual, when a victim is targeted by the F4 (Flower 4) group, he/she will receive a red card and be thrashed by the whole school, making their school life a nightmare.

The drama unfolds with series of how Gu Jun Pyo bullies Geum Jan Di, believing that she will surrender and leave the school, as did the other victims. But when Jan Di stayed, Gu Jun Pyo began to fall in love with her and tried very hard to win her heart.

However, as with all other dramas, life is not a fairy-tale. People from different backgrounds and status do not mix. Typical Hindi drama. No, scratch that. It's universal, actually. Then, the drama continues with the couple trying to overcome challenges so that they could eventually be together.

For the record, even though the storyline is the same old, same old, I still find it interesting and enjoyable, besides the fact that I love watching the actors. I love Kim Hyun Joong but I prefer Lee Min Ho to be with Koo Hye Sun because they seem to have chemistry. Even though some of the viewers are not sure whether Jan Di will marry Jun Pyo in the end, without a doubt, I can say that she will because neither can live without the other and it's pretty obvious actually.

Here, I present to you the pictures of some of the cast. Enjoy~

Boys Over Flowers

Geum Jan Di played by Koo Hye Sun

I present you the members of F4:

Gu Jun Pyo played by Lee Min Ho (the leader)

Yoon Ji Hoo played by Kim Hyun Joong

So Yi Jung played by Kim Bum

Song Woo Bin played by Kim Joon

Chu Ga Eul played by Kim So Eun (Jan Di's best friend)

Aren't they good-looking? Especially Kim Hyun Joong. Such a beautiful face *drool*

1NewMessages: I'm currently working, so I cannot update too often. So sorry!

Berharibulan Di Genting a.k.a. Dating In Genting - Part I

2010-05-06T16:50:00.007+08:00

As you can already guess from the above title, I went to Genting Highlands with BF.

Why Genting again when we have just been there last semester's holiday?
The reason is simple. The other time we were there, we didn't get to play the outdoor games as it was raining all day long. The only ride we managed to catch that time was the Flying Coaster. And it was really fun!

By now, I think you might have already guessed that we stayed at First World Hotel.

The lobby

This time, we tried as many games as we could that are worth trying (for us lah...) and some which were just
there to fill up the spaces :p

Here's my ranking on some of the games we played so far (Bear in mind that this is only applicable in Genting because
there were other games which I've played that outshine the rides below):

1. The Most Thrilling Ride

Space Shot: It is so high up not to mention that it's on the higher land. So when we were up there, we could almost see all of Genting Highlands (which is not big anyway :p) it took my breath away. Literally. And without realizing it, I let go of my hands trying to reach for clouds and pretend that I was flying when suddenly...

"AHhhh~~ " (wasn't me ok?)

We were going down, down, down... *Insert Jay Sean's "Down"* SO FAST!

I sucked in my breath. I was flying. Almost flying lah. My butt was in the air, what. I quickly grabbed the seat.

Whoa, what an experience. I would love to try it again but not too soon. I still could not get over the shock of "falling down" so suddenly and so fast when I was still enjoying the scene. It was like the bicycle experience. Huh!

2. The Most Torturous Ride

Corkscrew: This is a roller-coaster ride but it was painful to sit through because I kept getting hurled to my right side. A little girl who had queued up for so long was told that she could not ride on it because she was not tall enough. As predicted, she cried. The ride did not feel smooth and I felt very uncomfortable. Glad that it was over in around 3 minutes. Hey, little girl. Cheer up. There's not much to cry for anyway.

3. The Most Relaxing Ride

Spinner: This one made me feel so high, not just because of the height. I like being spun round in the air. The ride was very smooth and ended too soon. I wish I could stay up there for as long as I like.

4. The Most Waste-of-Space Game

Crazy Science Lab: This is even worse than the Pirate Train where all you do is ride on a train looking at the pictures around you which are supposed to scare you. But there weren't even any sound effect or any action in there. What a waste of time.

Okay, back to the lab. We expected that we were going to watch some 4D kind of effect where a crazy scientist will suddenly appear and perform some horrifying operation on us but guess what, we sat there in the enclosed room which will spin like the washing machine and you just sit in your chair the whole time looking at the spinning room. Sometimes the chair you sit on might even shake a little and it is supposed to be exciting. Oh wow.

At least, for the Pirate Train, you get to ride in a train.

5. The Most Dizzying Game

Tea Cup: I like this game although it's kinda childish. You will be spun around in a teacup (Imagine yourself as Alice in the Wonderland) and you could even spin the teacup yourself! Isn't that exciting? I spun our teacup round and round and round, faster and faster...

BF: Please stop spinning. I think I'm gonna get sick.

Me: Are you serious?

BF: *closed his eyes and nodded*

Me: Okay, sorry. I was having too much fun.

BF: I can't look around me. It'll only make me sicker. Ugh, when is this thing gonna stop?

After what felt like an eternity, the teacup stopped spinning. BF looked pale. Oops. A stranger sitting in the teacup next to ours approached BF.

Stranger: Are you okay?

BF: *Nodding* Yeah, yeah. I'm okay *smiled*

Stranger: *Smiled back at BF*

Then, without warning, the stranger pointed at me and said, "She's very naughty!"

Me: WHAT!

6. The Most Wet Game

Rejang River Flume Ride: For this game, it is advisable to wear a rain-coat if you're not in your swimming attire. You'll get splashed when the boat reaches the end of the slope. It's fun if the day is hot but in Genting Highlands... Brrr...

7. The Most Dangerous Game

The Flying Dragon: It's like any roller coaster ride except that the safety precaution is minimal. Haha. No belt, nothing on your chest. Just a metal pressing on your lap. So, watch out!

8. The Most Joy-killer Game

Fun Kart: There were a lot of people queuing up to play this game. But guess what, when we reached the end of the line, the guy behind the counter stopped me.

GBTC: Stand next to the caterpillar please.

Me: I already did just now.

GBTC: Stand again. I want to see.

Me: Oh, alright.

GBTC: Sorry, Miss. But you cannot play this game.

Me: Why?

GBTC: You're below the minimum height (153 cm).

Me: Great.

The measuring caterpillar.

This is so unfair. I've got a driving license and yet I'm not allowed to drive a kart? Ugh! Even kids are allowed to play it. Shit. Now I felt like the little girl who was not allowed to ride the Corkscrew. Huhu~

1NewMessages: I'm not sure how soon I am going to update my blog again as I will be going back home. I hope the internet connection is good there. I'm putting this post up so that you guys won't miss me too much :)

2NewMessages: Gonna upload more photos soon. Some are in the camera phone because the camera battery was exhausted.

7 Benda-benda a.k.a. 7 Things

2010-04-28T16:56:00.006+08:00

Suddenly feel like singing Miley's 7 Things. Arghh~~~ Stress!

I got tagged by two friends: Melod & Step (susunan ikut abjad so iboh jeles-jeles)

If you want to know more, go and read their blogs.

This is some kind of award which even though I'm not sure what it is but still am flattered to be nominated. But this award is a little weird as it requires you to tell 7 things about yourself. Kedak kempen pilihanraya jak... (Seems like a campaign for election...)

I know you've been dying to know. Ok, ok. Here goes:

1. I used to be very sober but now I can't go through a day without napping. Actually, I feel like sleeping now but I still have a lot of packing up to do :-S

2. I HATE packing. Especially when I need to shift houses.

3. Talking about shifting houses, I am turning into a nomad in less than 3 days.

(Picture stolen from here)

But without the camel T_T

4. Becoming a nomad means that I will have no place to store my stuff. But I have loads and Loads and LOADS of them. They seem to have beranak-pinak-ed (multiply through birth) these 4 years... Huhu~

5. I wish that I am rich. Not just rich. But filthy rich. You know, the kind of rich where I can spend anyhow I like, anytime I like it and still would not run out of money that I could get sick of them. I wish my money knows how to multiply itself like my stupid stuff. Then I could just leave everything behind or donate them to charity, not having to worry about getting those stuff back, cos I'll always have my money with me.

Ka Ching! Ka Ching!

6. I seriously do not know where to store my stuff. My GAWD!!! Why do I have so much stuff? (I would have enclosed a picture here had not my camera jadi sot)

7. I pray a lot. Not because I am holy but because I have a lot of petition to ask from God. This is one of my prayer: Dear God, if you cannot make me rich, please give me Doraemon.

Doraemon

(picture stolen from here)

If you give me Doraemon, then I can have pintu suka hati (like liver door XD which will bring you to any destination you desire) and his pocket (which can store anything but still remain light), then everything will be alright and the world will be at peace again. Amen.

That's it. I'm going to sleep now. Wake me up when anybody has any good news for me.

Oh, and I'm tagging Miselnamapendek (which is so panjang), Gnet, Adler, Lis, Mak Cik Conee, Pamela, and Jay. Can only tag 7 people right? Ok, mission accomplished. Helloooo pillooowwww~

1NewMessages: Does anyone know of any room which is furnished that I can rent at an affordable price (not more than RM 200)? I need it sometime around October 2010. Thanks ya!

Hilang Dalam Lagak a.k.a Missing In Action

2010-04-26T13:44:00.004+08:00

So where have I been for these past few months? I suppose I owe my readers (however few they might be) an apology for not being able to make an appearance ever since the last post in January. I'm sorry...

Just for the record, I would have posted if I could, even if it's just to say "Arrrghhhhhhh!!!!! What a stressful life." But believe me, I just couldn't.

Enough with the explanation and move on to the action. Before I say anything... let me show you a picture as it paints a thousand words so I do not have to type a lot :P

Can anyone guess what badge this is?

As I mentioned earlier in the previous post (dated 7th January 2010), I underwent my teaching practical in the above school. And what an experience it was!

There were six of us who got posted in the same school and thankfully I know all of them. Yes! But next, comes the unpleasant part - how are we going to school every morning?

Everybody asked around and my friends and I almost bought a car just to go to school! Just imagine. We were really desperate at that time but luckily one of my friends know someone who could rent us a car at an affordable price for the whole duration of the training. Whew~

At SGGS (the school where I had my practical), we were treated just like any other ~~teachers~~ new teachers. We were given responsibilities to take care of clubs/societies and required to attend any seminars held for the teachers (even though they had very little to do with us). It was fine except that we did not get much rest because these activities were very time-consuming.

Had it not been compulsory for us to attend the extra activities, we would have sufficient time to finish our daily lesson plan and teaching aids which we need to use EVERY day. To finish all the lesson plan of the week during the weekend is very, very hard if not impossible. One lesson plan is 5 to 7 pages thick and I have seven lesson plans to do in a week. That is like 35 to 49 pages. Poor Mother Nature! But I was using Double A paper (made from farmed trees) so don't you dare condemn me :P

Every night during the practical (5 days in a week, and sometimes even more), all of us except for a few supermen/women could not hit the hay before Cinderella's dainty dress turned to rags, then get up while the stars are still in the sky. And every day, we had to work from 7.30 a.m. - 2.30 p.m. or 5.30 p.m. if there is an extra-curricular activity. Really tiring. But now that everything had passed, I'm starting to miss the students and some of the teachers. We were getting so tight it was sad to see that it all had to end but glad too that the labouring days are gone.

Now, all I have to do is the report about the training and submit it to my lecturer ASAP. So what am I still doing here? I guess, this is where I stop and let you wonder about the school scandals while I try to finish my assignments.

Pen off for now but I'll be back with more stories. Juicy stories I hope. Now don't judge me but I'm a gossip, so what do you expect?

Pengumuman a.k.a. Announcement

2010-04-23T15:54:00.000+08:00

Freedom. AT LAST.

Pengalah Paling Besar a.k.a. The Biggest Loser

2010-01-07T21:12:00.003+08:00

I suppose I won't be able to update my blog that often this semester. Hopefully I'm wrong. This is because I'm gonna start teaching soon in one of the most prestigious school in Penang. Not important for you to know where :p

Now, in my 4th and also final year, my new year resolution is to lose weight. I've made up my mind. I must lose the fat. MUST. But I'm not really sure the best way to do it. In my first year, it was to walk all the time to my destination, take the stairs, and not slack off. Plus, I did not eat that much carb then. Hehe, it's hard now. But, I'm trying to gain back the motivation. Hopefully, I'll succeed.

So friends, if you are interested, do join me ya. Haha.

In this post today, I'll list down the things that I've done so far to lose weight.

1. Take the stairs instead of the lift.

2. Take a walk whenever there's an opportunity.

3. Avoid sitting down/lying down too much after eating.

4. Avoid carb as much as possible.

5. Avoid snacking after meals. Only take it when I'm really hungry.

6. Sleep early.

7. Wake up early and eat breakfast.

8. Avoid eating too much fast food. So oily.

9. Make plans to exercise (but must do it la... last semester, I only swam a few times and never once made it to the outdoor gym. Slacker!)

10. Be more active. I'm gonna be one of the teacher-in-charge of cheerleading. Hopefully, I can benefit from it.

So far, that's all that I can come up with. Anyone has any suggestions? I badly wanna lose weight because I wanna look good when I graduate. Besides, I wanna look good in my teacher attire. Huhu.. I never had the problem before. Wish me luck ya because I'll need all the luck I can get to lose weight. The worst enemies are the thighs and the hips. Been battling it for years.

I hope to be the biggest loser :)

If you have any tips and advice, you are very much welcomed here :) Domou arigatou gozaimasu!

X' Mas This Year a.k.a. Krismas Taun Tuk

2009-12-28T12:33:00.012+08:00

Nothing spectacular this Christmas. I didn't even feel the holiday mood. All I thought about as Christmas approached was 'Ugh.. my holidays are gonna end soon.' And I hate that feeling.

On the first day of Christmas, we had our usual Malaysian festival routine which is to visit friends and family. Visit their houses and eat, talk, laugh and then bye-bye. We didn't go to too many houses this year as Ma, my sis, and I kept complaining about the hot weather and the crowded houses (which I don't favour unless all of the them are my friends or people I know so that I can join in their conversations and have fun) that Pa relented and went home after only two houses for each visit. Hehe :p

The second day of Christmas on the other hand, was more eventful and exciting. Lots of good movies on the TV too! We had open house on that day but not that many people came as we don't usually have open houses on Christmas. This is the first time after a decade, I think. In the previous years, my friends only come to my house to have a chat and rest their stomach after visiting other friends' houses. Haha.

On that same day, later in the evening, a prayer was held for my late dear friend, Boboy. It has already been one year after his passing but it's still hard to believe that he's actually gone. After the prayer fellowship, I joined the Gossip Boys (Adler, Carl, Julian, Nicholas) and some other friends for a late-nite house-visits. Crazy, I know. Kaco orang tido jak (disturbing other people's sleep).

After a total of four houses, we made our way home before 12 midnight. But on this Christmas Day, God will always find ways to make us more giving. The Gossip Boys and I (The Gossip Girl) gossiped all the way (but I know the juicier ones are only shared among themselves :p Kedekut!). We took the darker and winded route home instead because Nick's house is on the way.

Something unexpected happened and we almost missed it. A guy in tattered clothes was frantically hailing our car to a stop. In situations like this, we were very much tempted to leave and pretended not to know anything but as I said earlier, God always finds a way to make us more giving loh... We even debated among ourselves whether we should help the guy or not. Well... maklumlah di dunia yang serba moden ini, banyak orang berpura-pura susah untuk menagih simpati tetapi orang yang menolong itu yang dikhianatinya (as we are all aware of today, there are a lot of people who con others by pretending to be sick or poor and then bite the hands that feed them). This is what happened in the car...

Adler slowed down but did not stop. We almost left the guy there. But...
Me: Eh, call ambulance la. At least, telo debei megheh nyin gak gin singen. Ngak malem ih... (Eh, why don't we just call the ambulance. At least, the guy will not be left there alone. It's already night time.)

Adler: Sebenarnya aku takut. Ni tauk nya orang jaik ka. (Actually, I'm scared. Who knows if he's a bad guy?)

Me: Aku pun takut... tapi sikkan mok tinggalkannya jak dah malam-malam tuk? (I'm scared too... but should we leave him there now that it's already dark?)

The guys, who were kind did more that I asked of them. They reversed the car to get a better look at the scene and then decided to help the guy after all.

Adler: Turun magang kita. Ok, Melissa siko dalam kereta. (Let's go out together. Ok, Melissa will stay in the car.)

So, the four of them took off leaving me alone in the car with Julian to guard the door. LOL. Terharu seketika (so touching you know...). The guys are nice and sweet. Quite gentleman, I'd say. I quickly locked the doors to add to the drama.

It was a self-accident. The road was too dark and he was drunk, as I suspected. His eyes were red, okay.

The Gossip Boys then decided to take the drunk guy home but unfortunately, his family members were not home so we took him to the hospital instead. I was rather worried the whole time because I was afraid that the guy would trick us into bringing him home then have some bad guys waiting for us there and rob us or something. Yes, my imagination works really well in moments like that. But nothing like that happened. We went back safely but with more stories to tell. LOL.

The moral of the story is: Don't Drink (alcohol) AND Drive. (I must get this clear because I always drink mineral water while driving. I get thirsty easily).

If you wanna drink, don't drive. If you wanna drive, don't drink. All of us in the car had a drink or two that night except Adler who was driving. He is sensible that way. So girls, except for Nicholas, the Gossip Boys are still single and available. Looks aside, they are quite a good catch :p Haha, please don't be angry. You can't possibly be mad at me for being honest, right?

1NewMessages: The wi-fi at home finally worked. You can expect more news from me now. Yahoo.com.my!

Home Run a.k.a. Berekot Balit Rumah

2009-12-15T16:26:00.005+08:00

As you may have correctly guessed, I'm back in Sibu already. But not without much obstacles. Ah well, it seems that I attract troubles like a magnet.

We (my sis and I) almost couldn't make it to Sibu on the 22nd. It's a long story but I have the time if only you could bear with me.

It's like this...

On the afternoon of 22nd, not wanting to miss our flight like we did the previous year, my sis and I both got ready early. We then headed to the Penang Airport with 2 hours to spare only to find that our flight had been delayed for 35 minutes. I cursed inwardly. Now, I had to wait for 2 hours and 35 minutes, sitting in the cold airport doing nothing because I only got e-books and my laptop is without a battery. Just great.

I hate airports (except KLIA :p).

I hate having to wait for transport to go to the airport. I would get butterflies in my stomach and I keep worrying if our transport hasn't arrived and this only adds wrinkles to my face.

I hate having to look after my stuff at the airport. Because if you don't, they could get stolen.

I hate waiting at the airport. It's boring and cold. Besides, I can imagine the fat multiplying in my butt for sitting too long.

I hate checking-in my luggage. Because I had to be careful while packing my stuff so as not to exceed the maximum weight or else I would be charged. I'm poor. And I hate packing.

I hate the stores at the airport. They charge ridiculously high prices for stuff you could easily get for cheaper prices if you just step outside the building.

I hate carrying my stuff. They are heavy. Very, very heavy.

I hate the staff at the airport. Most of them anyway. Air hostess aside, most of them are simply rude.

In short, I hate everything about the airport except maybe the toilets. They are quite clean, you know.

To cut a long story shorter (I said short-er, 'kay?), the problem only came up when we reached LCCT. Yeah, we were flying with Air Asia. Again, this is one ride that I hate.

BUT.

Hear me out first. I'm not here to make a protest against Air Asia. Let's continue the story.

When we arrived in KL, we went to check-in our luggage immediately together with the Leech (Yes, somehow, we took the same flight home) only to find that the counter was already closed. Not wanting to give up, I approached a staff at the next counter and inquired about the flight. She checked the schedule and said, "It has departed."

Huh? Did I hear her correctly?

Unconvinced, I said,"How come? It's supposed to depart 15 minutes later!"
"Yah, 15 minutes later but you're only here now?" she started to ignore me.
I was furious. "NO! We got delayed in Penang by AIR ASIA!"
Only then did she turned her head to face me and said,"Go to counter R59/R58."

Shit la that lady. Who do you think you're bluffing? Air Asia flying before the scheduled time? Hoho. Think I was born yesterday?

So, to counter R58 the three of us went. At first, he told us that we could only board the next flight which will be at 6 a.m. the next morning, WTH. Then suddenly, he got a call and the next thing we knew, we were checking-in our luggage and ran all the way to the gate and towards the flight only to see that it was jammed. Hahaha. I knew it.

Meanwhile, the Leech kept bugging me all the way asking me about the sandwich that she had ordered online. WTF. What's so important about it? You're about to miss a flight and all you care about is your damn stale sandwiches? Whoa, even wanted me to ask the staff about it. Gila! You go ask him yourself la. What do I care? Should have asked me nicely instead of, "Eh, you have to help me ask about this sandwich that I've ordered online." Have to? Hello, aunty. Why do I have to? Even the staff ignored the question and I didn't pursue it further. Menyampah betul.

Hm... okay. I have always hated flying with Air Asia because of many reasons which will take me forever to list down. Wahaha. Don't sue me. I'm a consumer, I get the right to complain, right?
But, there are certain things about Air Asia that impresses me, such as:

1. Luggage handling
Not to say that the luggage are handled very carefully because my bags always look very worn out on the belt. But so far, I've never lost a bag with Air Asia (not gonna jinx it), that is they don't send your bags to the wrong flight no matter how chaotic the situation is (e.g. our situation). With airlines such as MAS, we've experienced it twice. Can you imagine how frustrating and inconvenient it is to not have your luggage with you? You can, right?

2. Not forced to miss your flight
Like the situation that I've mentioned above, we could still get on the flight even 15 minutes before departure time. Actually this is the second time. The last time I had the same experience was even more exciting. I only got 5 - 10 minutes to spare! But with MAS, "Even if you're the Governor, we won't wait for you." It's because I'm not a governor that you should wait for me. I'm poor and I don't have any money to buy new tickets ok? Bongok.

3. The smell of the airplane
I can't stand the smell of MAS airplane. Period.

Now, I'm not condemning MAS; just comparing these two airlines cos I've never experience the service of other airlines. I think. But if I really am given a choice, I would pick MAS. Why? Hohoho, this is one very embarrassing excuse but because I'm very honest, I'll tell you. With MAS, I don't have to walk so far to get to the airplane because the entrance is connected to the building. Heehee. My hand-carried stuff are really heavy because they are filled with souvenirs for family members at home. Oh, I'm such a filial daughter *shy a.k.a. tersipu-sipu*.

So, that's about all I have to say about my journey back home this time. I don't know why there always seem to be obstacles on my journey home. As Shakira put it, the way back home is always long. But once you arrived, it's always worth the trouble. *sigh* Home sweet home indeed.

How about you guys? Any trouble getting anywhere before?

1NewMessages: This post was written on 29th November 2009. Can you believe how long I had to wait to post it up???? It's all because of the damn internet connection at home!!! I'm now at my cousin's house :) Will try to blog more often. Actually I spent a lot of my time watching DVDs at home and going out with friends because I always have a near-death experience whenever I'm bored. Lol. Wish Pa will get a wireless soon~~

I Fell In a.k.a. Aku T'lah Jatuh

2009-11-19T23:36:00.005+08:00

Instruction: Please choose the right word to fill in the blanks.

A. -to bankruptcy (muflis)

B. -to a ditch (dalam longkang)

C. love (cinta)

D. Semua di atas (All of the above)

E. Tiada jawapan atas sana (None of the answer above)

Think carefully and wisely before making the decision.

Answer: E

Because... I fell into a ditch together with a bicycle. Together-gether! With me still sitting on the bicycle. Quite a ridiculous sight if you try to imagine it. We (the bicycle & I) were stuck at the brim but half of me was inside. Like this:

It was seriously embarrassing.

The story started like this. The weather was quite nice so Lis asked me to go cycling together around the campus before dinner. For your information, the compound in our campus is very hilly and not very ideal for ~~people who are too short to ride on an adult bike~~ beginners like me.

Cycling is not difficult but you need skill to control the bike. At first, we rode uphill and it was no big deal. It was the going downhill that got me into the accident *koff* just *koff* like *koff* Step. Hehe.

Before I fell into the ditch, thoughts about how I would fall, where I would fall, and memories about a friend's friend who fell into a ditch and ended up in a coma had me worried for a while. All these things ran through my head while my bicycle was heading towards the ditch unable to be stopped, that I forgot to feel scared. I was more like, 'Uh-oh, I'm going to fall into a ditch' and waited for it to happen. Stupid.

Suddenly, "Aahhh!!!"

It did not come from me but from one of the passers-by who saw the whole incident.

I just lay there, face-down and feeling a little stupid, deciding on what to do next. Baru ku tauk camney rasa makan tanah, literally. I thought about getting up (because it was the most reasonable thing to do after falling down) but felt a little tired and decided to stay in that position for a little while because I wanted to gather my thoughts first but suddenly a pair of hands (or was it two?) lifted me up and I had no choice but to get up.

Sorry, passers-by. Not that I am ungrateful but I just got so used to getting up on my own.

When I got up, people who surrounded me were anxious and excited. It was rather amusing but then I panicked. 'What's wrong? What's wrong?' I thought while feeling my face (well... I care about the safety of my face :p).

Lis paled. She said, "Bibir kawu, bibir kawu" which meant "Your lips, your lips." I had a cut on my lips and it bled but as I wipe my face with the back of my hand, I saw a trail of blood. It was weird. I didn't think that my lips would bleed so profusely and asked Lis, "Bibir jak kah? Bibir jak kah?" (Only the lips? Only the lips?)

When I think back about our conversation, it sounded rather funny. Why is it that when we feel panic or anxious, we tend to repeat what we say a few times?

It turned out that my nose was bleeding too. Shocking. But kinda cool (like in the movies). What a shame that we didn't get a snapshot of it *sigh*. Actually, I'm very grateful that I did not lose any tooth (touch wood!). Just imagine me having to wear dentures at my age. Ugh!

However, the most painful thing about the accident was not my wound but my pride. Malu tauk sik naik beskal sampey masuk longkang! Of course the swellings hurt too but the thing that I used to sit on the bicycle hurt worse. I'm glad I can still make this sign:

V-club!

The moral of the story is, get a proper bicycle next time and make sure that your feet can touch the ground while you're seated on the bicycle.

Another moral of the story is, don't laugh at your friend's misfortune like I did. Before our cycling trip, Lis told me about Step's little accident and I said, "Eeh... malu eh." (Eeh... how embarrassing). Karma.

As a tribute to the incident, I hereby enclose a picture of the wound taken the day after. Enjoy!

The bridge of my nose was a little swollen.

Why aren't wounds/swellings in the pattern of tattoos? At least I won't be feeling half as bad. Tsk.

1NewMessages: This post is long overdue. The incident happened on November 9th 2009.

What To Do With It? a.k.a. K Polah Apa Benda Ya?

2009-11-19T11:02:00.001+08:00

It's been a while since I've come up with a new game. I know the old ones are getting pretty boring already so I'm gonna add more games so that we can all continue to feel young. I've thought of a new game (considering it, actually, since the game is not originally from me :p) and I think it should be interesting to play as it will also be testing our creativity. Aiya... all games also test our creativity la..

The name of the game is the same as the title of the post: "What to do with it?"

The game is actually an item in Guilford's Creativity Test. Hehe... I can still remember even though the exam was already two weeks ago. Wahaha... hopefully I'll get an A for the subject.

So, how do we play the game? It's pretty simple actually. I give you an object, say, a pencil. And then you think of other than its original function that a pencil can be used for and explain how it is used. You can suggest as many as you like and then when you're done with it, you give a new object to the next player.

E.g.:

Object: Pencil

Funtion: As a hairpin. You tie your hair up in a bun and stick the pencil through it and you've got yourself a new hairpin!

New object: Socks

Like that la... So let's get the ball rolling!

Object: Rubber band

e-MeL 4 U

The Cube

Never Say Never a.k.a. Kipas Bibir Ka Aku Ni?

Question 1: What is Your Favourite Song? a.k.a. 30-day blog challenge

Tail Number a.k.a. Nombor Ekor

What If a.k.a. Andaikata

Laundry Woes a.k.a. Cuci-mencuci Pakaian

What's in a Face? a.k.a. Eh, bukan jerawat ka?

This is a Really Mad Post!

Dilemma, Oh Dilemma! a.k.a. Dilema, Oh Dilema!

She Ain't Heavy...

If you don't know what to say, shut up!

Tips Berumah Tangga a.k.a. What to do before renting a house

Cerita Moral a.k.a. Moral Story - II

Lanjutan Kisah Puk Akek Keras a.k.a. Haircare Talk

The Tale about Birds and Bees and other Animals a.k.a. Pendidikan Guni-guni

Cerita Moral a.k.a. Moral Story

Jangan Pandang Camera

Rantings of an Old, Pathetic Woman.

Seasons of the Witch is here

Do not judge a book by its cover a.k.a. Kalau beli buku, jangan baca kulit je!

Head O Head, why do you ache? a.k.a. Palak O Palak, kenak kawu mengada-ngada?

Expired a.k.a. Lapuk Dah

Movie Maniac a.k.a. Kaki Wayang

Insanitarium a.k.a Tanjung Rambutan

Why Men Should Not be a Model a.k.a. Laki Sik Patut Peragakan Diri

Some People Just Can't Take No For An Answer a.k.a. Sik Paham Bahasa

Friends 4-Ever a.k.a. Angelissiawyan

Boy Meets Girl a.k.a. Laki Jumpa Ompuan

Men vs. Women a.k.a. Lelaki lwn. Perempuan

My Secret Affair... a.k.a. Hubungan Sulit Ku...

Down Memory Lane a.k.a Ingat Balit Kisah Duluk

Almost There a.k.a. Dah Mok Abis!

Buku Besok a.k.a. Book of Tomorrow

Home Sweet Sour Home a.k.a. Rumah Masak Masam Manis

Pi.Es. Ai Lap Yu a.k.a. P.S. I Love You

Dua puluh-dua puluh Perempuan a.k.a. Twenties Girl

Laki Atas Bunga a.k.a. Boys Over Flowers (BOF)

Berharibulan Di Genting a.k.a. Dating In Genting - Part I

7 Benda-benda a.k.a. 7 Things

Hilang Dalam Lagak a.k.a Missing In Action

Pengumuman a.k.a. Announcement

Pengalah Paling Besar a.k.a. The Biggest Loser

X' Mas This Year a.k.a. Krismas Taun Tuk

Home Run a.k.a. Berekot Balit Rumah

I Fell In __ a.k.a. Aku T'lah Jatuh __

What To Do With It? a.k.a. K Polah Apa Benda Ya?

I Fell In a.k.a. Aku T'lah Jatuh