Wandering . Wondering

communication breakdown

2009-07-29T16:45:00.007+08:00

Story 1:

Few weeks ago, I ordered Milo Kosong Ais. Another waiter delivered Limau Ais. Of course, I sent it back and told them MILO KOSONG AIS. Then the waiter who took the order huffily came by, holding the rejected limau ais and said, "Limau ais." I said, "Saya order MILO bukan LIMAU."

He knew he fucked up and looked frustrated and then mumbled, "Ini macam mana. Aiyo. Apa nak buat?". I looked at him and shrugged (translation: that's not my problem and bring me my damn Milo Kosong Ais). He looked around, to signal that he is busy and doesn't want to bring back the Limau Ais. I can play this stubborn game all day long. Then my client (was in a meeting actually) asked him to leave it, "Letak. Saya minum."

NOOOOOO! Now, why did my client have to do that! I wanted to win this battle! He (the waiter) screwed it up. He fix it! But of course, the waiter's frown disappeared and he happily left the rejected drink and reconfirmed my original order. Totally left me dissatisfied. I was robbed of a clear victory. *sniff*

Story 2:

Recently, I have taken a liking to teh halia kurang manis - especially lovely when the stomach is feeling angin-ny. Anyway, many masseuses have advised to consume more ginger as they always conclude that my body is a vessel of "angin". People who have had the (mis)fortune of crossing my wavy path would concur. Angin, I have plenty... especially in the head (tau hong).

Anyway, it was 3-ish pm. I was hungry and craving for some gingery goodness. At the mamak, I asked if they have pisang goreng and he said yes. So it was two pisang goreng with teh halia kurang manis. He asked if I wanted two teh halia as well. Huh? Why would I need two cups to go with two goreng pisang? Is the teh tarik XS or is the goreng pisang XXL (that I need two cups to wash it down)? I figured that he thought that I might have company. He then clarified if I was tapau-ing. I shook my head and looked for a seat.

I thought, how nice of them to fry some fresh ones for me, as I saw some pre-fried ones near the open kitchen. Another waiter appeared and left a banana leaf in front of me. Wah! Banana leaf* for pisang goreng. Boleh tahan la this mamak! 5-star service!

Then he asked, "Kari apa?"

I was baffled and told him tak mau. I guess some Malaysians have unique culinary wants. It all became visibly clear when my order arrived. Two greasy freshly-made ROTI pisang. I freaked out and quickly shook my head.

I told him, "Aiyo. Salah. Goreng pisang, bukan roti pisang."

He answered, "Ah. Pisang goreng... sana ada."

I said, "Mana tau. Sorry. Tak nampak tadi. Ingat buat baru punya."

He then swiftly took the roti pisang back (to the kitchen I presume) and brought two pisang goreng for me (on a plate). Phew! I seriously thought I would have to polish two roti pisang.

So was the waiter angry? Was he annoyed? No.

From his expression, it was more like... "Aiyo. This girl is so blur and stupid."

That, I can accept... as long as I get what I ordered.

* OK. I seriously did not find it strange when the banana leaf was in front of me BECAUSE regardless of rice or roti, they will still serve it on a banana leaf. So I thought that they serve EVERYTHING on banana leaf la!

Hot wei

2009-07-29T16:25:00.005+08:00

Just remembered this story. A then-colleague and I were in a discussion (or maybe we were just talking crap)...

She: Eh I think that Osama is hot.

(*Blink* *Blink*... a little surprised at this sudden proclamation...)

Me: Really? How can you tell? Can't even really see his face with all that facial hair.

She: Oh. I have seen him without beard and all. He is hot.

Me: Got meh? Oh. I've only seen pictures of him with beard.

(Silence.)

(At this point, I was trying really hard to picture Osama without beard. We both continued to look at something on my table. And the old-school florescent light in her head finally flickered to life.)

She: Oh wait. What's the US president's name?

Me: It's OBAMA!

(What can I say... classic!)

Funny bone

2009-07-26T21:34:00.011+08:00

There are plenty of airport-lounge-looking reflexology centres, which are literally at every corner in PJ. I decided to revisit one that I had been to a few months before. The centre's reflexologists are imported from China and I manage to get by each session with the important must-know Mandarin basics, in all the wrong intonation - thong (pain), na pien (there), ker yee (ok/can) and so on.

This particular one kept saying (in Mandarin), "Harder, ok." Of which, I firmly declined.

He only suggested more pressure because he said I did not have any facial reaction even when he pressed harder. Well, this "skill" comes from years of mastering the zen look even when lots of pressure is applied to my soles. Thou shall not show true feeling, even in pain.

After a few tango rof "Harunds oder? Can?", followed by an auto-reply of "No. It's Ok.", while he applied random levels of pressure, I decided that it would be in my best interest to tell him to back off, lest he feels my pain threshold needs to be challenged.

So whenever he pressed certain points that was really painful, I advised him to lessen the pressure. And he would in turn advise, that "Oh, this one the neck". Well, I went, "Har? Poo Ming Pai (Don't Understand)." So he pointed and said something which I nodded thoughtfully and turned my attention to my book, pretending to be really absorbed in it.

Later, he began massaging the calve and said, "Suan mah?". Again, hello... translator, anyone?From my blur look, he pressed my calve again and repeated "Suan". From the pain, I gathered that he meant "ache" or "tired" and quickly nodded and I swore I saw a smirk!

This fella is quite a cowboy reflexologist when it comes to reflexcation (communication in reflexology via words and action/pressure...haha). Towards the end, he innocently asked, "Ni pai sern hen tuour ah?" (You pray often?).

Strange, I thought.

I replied no and he said don't bluff. Seriously did not know what he was getting at.

And he reinstated that "Yes, you do pray a lot."

At this point, I am thinking... maybe this fella can see the spiritual aura bursting out of my holy self. I was feeling really good about this and wished that I could converse in Mandarin and ask him about this wonderful aura he might be seeing.

I smiled contentedly and then he spoke to the reflexologist-at-work next to him. Again, saying I pray a lot and then he looked at me and smiled.

THEN... he pointed to my knees. And I thought IDIOT!

See, my knees were bruised from a fall in the office (it's quite a beautiful tale of human inconsideration). And both knees had spots of bruises. This reflexologist was suggesting that I knelt so often during prayers that I have bruises on my knees!

Ass.

3's a company

2009-07-26T21:12:00.008+08:00

Hmmm, is there some science to this? Have they conducted research and deduced that motorists need 3 traffic lights to tell them to go one direction?

These traffic lights are less than 2km from one another and are not those multi-directional types - they only direct you one way.

turn left: beri laluan/give way.
turn right: look at one of the 3 lights, ok?

go straight, ok?

The more, the merrier...

2009-07-17T22:13:00.006+08:00

Yes, we need 3 traffic lights at SS2 to tell us to turn right.

A Maid

2009-07-17T16:19:00.006+08:00

Over CNY earlier this year, a friend relayed quite a story about maids. We were talking about food and he mentioned that he would've prepared dinner, if his previous maid had not gone home aka the 'land that is largely responsible for blanketing Malaysia with haze every year'.

The replacement maid fell short, in many ways. He said that she was so very kampung and I thought how kampung can she be. Afterall, my family has had its fair share of "horror" maids, including one who chooses to do No. 1 over the longkang in the compound rather than use the bathroom or another one who happily stuffs a few pieces of clothing items into a plastic bag and throws it over the wall for the neighbour's maid to joyfully wear. This thief of a maid, we suspect is the very same one who told her fellow male citizen where the shop's counter is; for a few days after she was dismissed, my brother heard a crash on the roof and ran out of his room to discover a little hole with a leg dangling over the counter area. Not the most savvy robber and we are thankful for that, though he managed to scoot.

Anyway, back to my friend's kampung maid story. For one, it took her two weeks to learn how to open the door. So, obviously she has little or no contact with even the basics of today's houses. However, that was not the deal breaker. This was; my friend told her to get some stuff from his car boot. After what seems to be beyond the normal duration required for any retrieval of items, his helper was still nowhere to be seen. He went out to spot her standing behind the car and asks why she is just standing there. She then pointed her finger to the boot and my friend went over to see what's going on. Lo and behold, she had a finger (or maybe a few, not sure la) nicely stuck in the shut boot and she didn't even call, shout or scream for attention. She sure had some amazing powers of verbal restraint.

Special Meh-new

2008-08-19T22:12:00.003+08:00

Beauty and The Beast - Malaysia

2008-06-26T11:56:00.005+08:00

Ever since catching Chicago (the musical, not the band) late last year, my faith in musical shows that were brought in to Malaysia was somewhat restored. Even though I am not a fan of Chicago's songs or storyline, I have to say that the performance was simply awesome.

So when I heard that Beauty and The Beast was coming, I was simply thrilled. Tickets were purchased way ahead of time (March) for the performance on 25 June 2008. And sadly, purchasing the tickets was the only enjoyable part of the whole experience.

When we purchased the RM350 tickets online, we were allocated seats in Row U. It was somewhere in the middle of the row, with full view of the stage. These supposed good seats were 2 rows behind the AV console. The many lights and buttons were a little distracting and that's just a minor problem. The console itself was not blocking the view, but there were 2 screens (approx. the size of two 12" laptop displays placed side-by-side) that were assembled to a vertical bar. For some of us who were seated almost directly behind it, our views of the stage were almost completely blocked.

These seats should not be sold at all!!! When we highlighted this to the organiser's staff, we were quickly moved to another row. Kudos for the prompt action, but it just made an extremely bad situation to a bad one. We were moved to Row E, which was 5 rows from the stage. Sounds good right?

Well, it would've been good if the rows in front were not on the same floor level i.e. the rows were not elevated. Hence, there was a sea of heads in front of us. Imagine watching a cinema-copy of a pirated DVD. So when The Beast knelt down, all I could see was from his head up. If the cast remained upright, all I could see was from the waist-up, which is almost like catching a hand puppet show.

As for the musical itself, the magic was sorely missing. You don't feel for The Beast as you would for, let's say, the Phantom. The co-ordination/transition between the props peeps (whatever they are called) and the cast, was done clumsily i.e. the cast would've started singing and the curtains and backdrop are still on its way down. The sound was flat and wasn't timed to perfection with what was going on on the stage i.e. the music will soar SUDDENLY. No camaraderie or surge of emotion was felt in "Be Our Guest" or "Gaston".

There was lack of facial expression (maybe except for Lumiere). When The Beast was expressing his sadness, I was more occupied by how much smoke there is or how the props are twitching or how the backdrop is moving or being distracted by the shadows of the cast who are waiting at the side, for their turn to go on stage.

There was a part where The Beast kept reminding himself to be a gentleman to Belle. Well he was a gentle man all right; especially when he was fighting off the wolves in the jungle - gently tossing the wolves aside. You don't feel any ferocity or intensity in the fight scenes (including the one with Gaston at the end). They seem very "careful" of their movements on stage i.e. falling down slowly, or clutching tightly to the pillar when they are a few feet above the ground. It's ironic that the fight scenes look and felt extremely lame, to say the least.

Gaston's movements were overly exaggerated, which is fine, except that certain movements or actions seemed gayish such as skipping uncessarily in certain scenes. Gaston is supposed to be a brute, but certain body language seemed so wrong and sometimes looking like Grease. Nothing against gayness, but as Gaston the character, some actions were bordering on irritating.

The whole show was lacking in emotion. There was very little believability in their actions/acting or singing, and hence to me, the show did not have the very basic that's expected from a musical i.e. emotion.

The costumes were OK, Mrs Potts sang "Beauty & The Beast" well enough and the only thing close to magic was Chip (or how he appeared, anyway). He was on a trolley that was pushed by Mrs Potts. Only his head was visible through an oval cut-out shape in the cup. At the bottom of the trolley was the trolley's frame but you do not see Chip's body or legs or how it could've been hidden. Hmmm... interesting. Oh and there was no shaggy dog/chair, which was understandable.

So overall... it wasn't extremely bad but it wasn't good either. It barely made it to an OK level. And to top it all off, this uncle who sat beside me, LOVES to shake his legs. So when it's a happy scene (lucky thing it was towards the end), my seat would begin to shake as well and when I wanted to tell him to cut it out, he would stop. And then another happy scene comes, the same thing again. Bloody annoying!!!

Thinking back, here's a quick ranking based on the musicals that I've managed to catch - in descending order.

Excellent:
1: Chang & Eng, Les Mis, Chicago
4: Phantom of the Opera
5. Miss Saigon

OK but not worth the highest priced tickets:
6. Beauty and The Beast, Cats

Abysmal:
8. Fame
9. Grease (given the way I felt about B&TB, imagine how bad Grease must've been to be at the bottom of the rung. Grease lightning it was not.)

Beyond Stupid...

2008-06-25T11:57:00.003+08:00

Yesterday, after a weak hour of workout, I just wanted to shower and get home to fix a quick dinner as it was getting late. So as I approached my locker, to my amazement, shock, irritation and disgust, there was another padlock on top of mine!

I thought that MAYBE it was the wrong locker and inched closer, but there's no denying that it's my locker. I opened the unlocked locker above my double locked one and there were those cina-looking plastic bags inside. So it's got to be this owner who is just so kind enough that instead of padlocking her own locker above, wanted to make sure that my locker was securely locked with her own padlock too.

So, what can I do but fume and pace up and down the entire locker room, in a futile effort to figure out which idiot is it? So there I was... stewing in rapidly increasing level of impatience, thinking of whether to get one of the staff to smash it, I walked back to the locker just in time to see this bespectabled ching-chong girl in black and white checkered shorts and collared t-shirt sheepishly (well, she better be) unlocking it. Well, of course she was thinking that it was good that the double padlocked locker owner did not witness her ultra stupidness. And so because of this ignorance, she did not apologise because I "did not witness her idiocy", even though I was standing there when she was unloading her thrashly-looking bags. DAMNIT.

OK, even IF she was near blind, COME ON! How can you miss noticing a padlock that's just so there? arrgghhhhh!!!!!

If only gyms had detectors to screen stupidity and ban these people.

Engrish Spotterd!

2007-02-25T16:37:00.000+08:00

A typical Engrish gone wrong. Or maybe a bored sales person with a twisted sense of humour had a creative streak at work? Well, my mother and father and teachers always say give people the benefit of the doubt. That's not happening here la.

Anyway, note to self: return to pharmacy and check on other tags for the heck of it. As they say, chiak par siu eng (direct translasi - makan already, too free)

And on that note, here's a little sms I received not too long ago.

"Kisah benar ni. Thurday I went to Sg Wang to return defective thumb drive. The sales person, obviously ponteng kelas english kat sekolah and has a habit of forgetting his apostrophe, wrote this on the warranty claim form: cunt detect. Can I send this to Reader's Digest and make some money ah?"

Ahhh... am so easily amused when "Simple English" becomes "English? Simply la..."

How fast they grow...

2007-02-25T16:26:00.000+08:00

I was only away for a week. But my oh my, how fast they have grown. How fast they can now walk and run. And when they run amok, it's almost like they are on esctacy, zig zagging across the surface to some feng-tau beat.

And as I marvel at their speed and growth, I do what comes naturally - squish and kung-fu 'em with my mighty fingers. Them silly ants...

Eewww... sewage?

2007-02-25T15:46:00.000+08:00

Wah! so big hor!

It was a strange sight. A lorry carrying a big fat round thing. So I quickly snapped with my camera phone.
(taken in oct 06)

Then... horror... horror... so near my place...
It reads Hi Kleen Sewage Treatment System.

banyaknya.... see the water, so good breeding ground for mozzies.

After months of breeding nyamuk, the sand appears.
(taken in feb 07 )

Tried looking for info online about this system, but to no avail. So, am waiting to see what becomes of this project.

Winx-ed

2007-01-18T22:50:00.000+08:00

Meet the Winx Club, the latest craze that has arrested my nieces' (all 4 of 'em) attention. They are hooked on the episodes, monthly magazine (that costs a whopping RM8), website, toys and who knows what else is out there. Definitely giving Barbie a good sprint for her moo-lah.

So what's Winx all about? It's kinda like a girly version of Harry Potter. It features the adventures of six teenage fairies (Bloom, Stella, Musa, Flora, Tecna, Layla) who use magic to defend themselves and protect the Realm of Magix from evil.

They attend Alfea, the school for fairies. And somewhere in cartoonland nearby, is an all-boy school called Redfountain. So when boys meet fairies, they naturally pair up. My nieces are exposed to all these bf/gf stuff and they get really interested in it too (as in suddenly stop talking/fighting and watch the characters kiss!).

How do I know what I know about Winx? I was first introduced to it on the website... they were using my comp. Of course, each of my niece has selected her favourite fairy. One even proclaimed that once she is old enough, she wants to change her name to Alicia Stella Solario.

I was then introduced to the cartoon when I was taken prisoner by our own little "Stella" as she wanted me to watch it with her. (Think banging on the glass window excitedly repeatedly to get me to go to her room when the show was gonna start.) I had trouble following the story as my niece was talking and walking around, commentating on the cartoon. Plus, too many characters to digest at one go - there's a baddie group called The Trix as well! If anyone is interested, check out the site - http://www.winxclub.com/

On separate occasions, she has even asked me to sing the theme song - lyrics provided in her Winx (of course!) scrapbook. I did a quick flashback and definitely didn't have any scrapbooks on Tom & Jerry, Ultraman, Roadrunner, Heckle & Jeckyl (loved 'em), Care Bears, Smurfs, Captain Caveman, Popeye, Flintstone, Heathcliff (loved the theme), He-man, She-ra, Jem, Thundercats, Voltron, Jetsons, Count Duckula, Mighty Mouse, Atom Ant (favourite at one point), Top Cat... (Eh! Anyone remembers the one with the dog that laughs like it is wheezing? Rides a motobike one! mugsly or mutley or something like that?)

Back to Winx - here's an e-card my nieces sent me, featuring their respective favourite Winx character and the character's accompanying boyfriend! How times have changed from my cartoon days!

* names have been erased from e-card

two-oh-oh-seven

2007-01-17T23:47:00.000+08:00

It started as a thought to document year 2006. You know, reflecting on trivial matters such as My Fav. TV Series (which is Grey's Anatomy, btw) or My Fav. Song or My Fav. Moment (can't quite put my fingers or toes on it). I figured it was too much work to filter through 365 days of celluloid, tracks or moments. But more importantly, I might be doing some serious injustice to certain songs, movies, moments or whatsoever that had been momentarily forgotten, by not including them in my list of favourites!

And I don't create new year resolutions either. Simply 'coz there's no need to wait for a new year to begin vowing for changes. So along my congested mind-way, I decided to channel Nostradamus and here are my personal predictions for 2007.

Prediction #1 - I will still be with my current employment when the year closes. (anyone wanna place a bet on this? haha) Which also leads to prediction 2 & 3.

Prediction #2 - Going back to Mcca will be postponed. haha.

Prediction #3 - Will not be going to Spore. Hmm...

Prediction #4 - Two friends will be impregnanted.

Prediction #5 - I will put on 2 sinful kgs.

Prediction #6 - Singlehood remains.

Prediction # 7 - Lasik is the way to go.

Prediction # 8 - Travel to 3 countries.

Prediction # 9 - Make someone cry.

Prediction # 10 - Make someone sick.

Prediction # 11 - Make someone vomit.

The positivity of negativity

2007-01-17T22:48:00.000+08:00

Negative traits can lead to positive ones. It can very well lead to work being done. Really!

But of course, one must like the positive outcome well enough to act based on the negative attributes. It's a balance between these two opposite poles. Have I confused you yet? Before I confuse myself, here's what I am getting at...

I like keeping things clean because I am lazy.
Which translates to... once things are cleaned, I try NOT to add to the dirt that will naturally blanket destructible materials over time. Or not mess things up so that I don't have to clean as often. So out of my "laziness", I am branded a clean freak.

I am efficient because I am impatient.
Which translates to... if there's some work to be done, I like to get it done pronto (though it might take a whole lotta effort to jumpstart it such as a looming deadline)! So I am "efficient" because I just want it to get it out of the way. So I bulldoze my way through (and get ridiculously irritated if I am interrupted performing my masterful art of bulldozing), so that I can do have more minutes for the really important stuff. Spamming friends' emails with unhealthy grouses or be delighted in the deliciously peppered remarks/replies, throwing random thoughts via msn (or sometimes just "nudging" continuously without any conversation taking place), getting the juice on fantastically useless celeb gossips, getting the latest e-news on what's making the world cry or laugh- you know, generally things that keep me sane and humble.

See... I do have a point amidst all the negative positive mumbo jumbo. Well, at least I think I do. Or maybe that's just me being positive.

Hong Kong Madness

2006-12-27T23:33:00.000+08:00

What: Company Trip
Where: Hong Kong
How: Cathay Pacific
Verdict: 3 out of 10

So why did the trip score a 3? Simply because it turned out to be a shopping holiday, and I am quite an anti-shopper. I am the type who goes shopping when I know what I wanna get. So in a city that's eternally packed with too many people and too much traffic... I was not amused.

It was a really tiring trip with walking marathons that lasted 8-12 hours daily, with little breaks in between. So tired, that I didn't even bother taking many photos. So tired, that my hips were aching from all the walking action. (Does this mean I have weak hips aka not child bearing hips?)

And I never felt lonelier visiting a vibrant city, with a group of people. Not that they were unfriendly or nasty, but I guess to me, the whole dynamics was still new to me. So would I visit HK again? Yes, but with a different agenda.

Of course, there were enjoyable moments (getting to know some of 'em a little better) and interesting stories to tell/exchange from the drinking sessions.

Here are some feeble attempts at photography.

wah! so bright lights.

sor-ree (hk accent)...
no points for guessing right.

interesting finds at a local market.
(R) some puffer fish, i think

Trailblazin'... not.

2006-09-14T22:54:00.000+08:00

OK, so it has been a while since my last entry. But out of formality, I am gonna try to finish this Trailblazer tale. So here goes...

Second day began at an ungodly hour. We woke up at about 6am and coincidentally, we wore pink top and 3/4 black leggings. I decided we were the Pink Ladies. I ate the free Cookies and Cream flavoured Power Bar, of which my teammate helpfully added that it looks like shit and probably tastes like it too. (for the record, cookies and cream flavour is ok but the peanut butter one was vile).

After throwing 2 bottles of 100 Plus and mineral water (500ml wan la) into a small knapsack, we headed towards the starting point. There, we were joined by the boys and we had a 10-min warm-up session, conducted by instructors from Fitness First.

As we warmed up, we eyed our competitors and discussed discreetly about those who are likely to fall behind, though my head silently warned that these people might just be fitter than us.

I carried the little knapsack and the plan was for me to carry it all the way. As we stood at the Starting Line, anxious and excited, another team not-so-silently whispered that they could overtake us when I pass the knapsack over to my teammate. Hah! Yeah right!

The Wild category flagged off 15 mins ahead of the Mild category. So as we stood in the second row, the horn blasted and we raaaaaan, but I think the not-so-silent duo overtook us quite quickly. Bitches!

5 mins into the race, I felt like giving up. I am just not a runner and I looked to my side and saw the enthusiastic strides of my teammate. Hmmm... geez, am I in trouble or what! We soon hit the jungle and that's where the real torture began.

At the first few muddy stretches, my teammate's tai-tai-ness surfaced as she tried to minimise the mud fest while exclaiming "Eeeeeew!" It was really slippery, uphill and downhill, and through the terrain, I was mentally doubting that I will ever attempt to scale Mt KK.

Halfway through, my shoes' left soles gave way and flopped helpless and when we reached the mid-point (out of the jungle), it was duly peeled off. My teammate exclaimed "Just leave it there la", of which I disobeyed and threw it into a bin. Soon, we hit the jungle again and my teammate slipped and instinctly grabbed a branch, a thorny branch. She lifted her hands to reveal a porcupine-looking palm. Amazingly, not a peep from her as she calmly removed the thorns from her trembling hands.

Along the torture session, it didn't help that my right shoe soles began to flopp aimlessly. Plus, my legs were already aching badly way before the Finish Line.

As we approached the last 2km, our kiasu-ness drove us as we jogged pass other female teams who were walking. However, these teams quickly overtook us as we fumbled (and managed to pose for a photo) through the fun obstacle course. Of course, there's the classic "Can you push my butt?" request from my teammate as we tried to climb over a steep obstacle. Alas, I was already struggling to keep my balance on one foot and my hands were not long enough to give her the butt lift she required.

So we finished the obstable course and my teammate just had a burst of energy as she propelled to the Finish Line, trying to overtake another female team. As she reached close to the Finish Line, she cheered me "Come on.... come on....!" and waved me on. But my legs were decidedly on strike and refused to go any faster than a slow jog.

Team no 27 (us) finished number 27, out of 53 teams in the female mild category. Well, I was surprised at the placing and was truly amazed at my teammate's willpower, inner strength and mental capacity. She pushed herself energetically to the Finish Line, while I limped gratefully across it.

The boys arrived later, went straight to the food without completing the race. Though they finished an impressive 6km. Of course, we exchanged notes while eating. Loved the deliciously chilled MILO from the Milo van (just like the ones when we were schooling).

All in all, it was an interesting experience that I will not repeat anytime soon, or ever, for that matter. Unless I am in the right physical shape. We left Genting soon enough, and personally, it was an achievement to complete the race.

Every Step I Take, Every Move I Make...

2006-09-06T09:54:00.000+08:00

... I am in pain! That's what you get for throwing yourself into the jungle in Genting, without proper training. Was it fun? Would I do it again? Ask me 180 days later. Though my team mate is already planning to get her gloves and hiking shoes. *gasp*!

According to the flyer, Trailblazer Genting was supposed to be 6km (mild category), but somehow it was extended to 8km. Come on people, we don't always have to get more than what we paid for!

We made our way to Awana but it took us a while to get our bearings right, even with the help of GPS. Yes, don't mess ok. GPS - it was my first encounter with such a canggih gadget. Ironically, we got lost (well GPS is kinda new in Msia and Msian roads are forever changing or maybe it was a guy thing) and Mr Driver and his missus bickered on the best route. "I usually take MRR2 but it's closed!"... "But we took from NKVE before."... "But it's further."... "I remember we took through NKVE before."... and on they went.

I was tempted to laugh out loud coz I had a reality TV flashback. It was exactly like those bickering duos on Amazing Race, and I was the camera person tailing 'em. Mr. was stressed ("sorry, ok! ok ok, it's my fault!") from trying to get to Awana as soon as possible as Mrs. was getting restless and carsick from the long ride ("urgggh!").

Comparing Awana's temp. with the office's? The office is way, way cooler. Anyway, we checked in and grabbed our race bibs and the goodie bag (literally a bag, with cans of 100 PLUS, mineral water and MILO).

We were informed that we could walk to the Jamboree dinner at the Long House and it would take 15 minutes. Ok, sounds easy. It would've been fine except that it was getting dark and we were not sure whether we were taking the right way. We tried following an ang moh couple but we were no match for their long limbs and soon they were out of sight. We just kept to the narrow trail, a little unsure, but kept walking towards the sound of music. We soon heard two other participants 100m behind us, who were also equally lost. Yay!

So we just walked on and my team mate asked, "Eh, have you walked in the jungle before ar?". I replied "Yes" and she then revealed that it was her first time ever. A virgin jungle walker!

I was really glad to see the Long House and my team mate quickly called the boys to instruct them not to walk - "Drive ok, DRIVE!!!" - as it was already dark and of course, we ain't gonna walk back to the hotel in the dark.

The Jamboree dinner was uneventful, but kudos to the 3-member band. Of course the night would've been incomplete without some intoxicating juices. We had one drink each (really!) at the pub and then adjourned to the room. The boys barged in a little later with their flushed faces (from their ONE drink!) and Mr Driver began singing that Chicken Little tune (mano mano eh, mano mano eh), which was fitting as he does have something in common with Chicken Little... the legs.

After the boys left, us gals watched "Gilmore Girls - Season 5" on 8tv. Lovely! Right after the end theme song rolled, my eyelids rolled down.

Zzzzz... Until...

Under The Sea

2006-09-05T23:06:00.000+08:00

The underwater realm is rather scary to me. I am quite paranoid and this paranoia is similar to those that stops me from watching momok movies. However, I love the sea and am really curious why many people are soooo into diving. So, after a handful of dives, I am glad to report that I am officially not hooked to diving (I can't afford to get hooked on it either!).

The equipment's weight, the potentially nauseating feeling after a dive, back ache, not knowing what's out there - have somewhat offset any pleasure from diving amongst sea creatures. Well, maybe I will feel differently when I dive at a location where everything is already set up and placed on the boat. Just hop on and strap on! Yes, that's the malasness talking.

redang june 06 - shipwreck dive

The most memorable moment so far? Diving amongst schools of fish in Redang or maybe it was perhentian (?). Ok, maybe it wasn't that significant but was still "worth a mention" underwater journey!

Often, I have openly proclaimed that I plan to retire from diving when I spot a manta ray. Manta rays are different from sting rays (god bless Steve Irwin's soul). Stingrays grow to only about 140 pounds and measure 6 feet across. It's the mantas that get really big, weighing up to 3,000 pounds and measuring 24 feet across. The difference between stingrays and manta rays besides size? Stingrays can sting you, manta rays can't. The manta ray, a.k.a. "The Devilfish" is one of the gentlest creatures in the sea.

Manta rays lack a sting in their tail and are not dangerous to humans except through defensive actions. They are very powerful and when startled can react violently. However, their primary reaction is to leave.

8 weeks and counting

2006-08-25T14:54:00.000+08:00

Yup. That's how long my nightmare known as a full-time job has gone on. And will probably continue for the next few months, despite the weekly desire to throw in the towel. But then again, I am a nomadic writer, who was bumming around for 10 months, prior to rejoining the slave trade, also known as an agency.

Killer no. 1: s l o o o w l y n o w
I was bestowed with a computer that still resides in the late 80s or early 90s - no scroller for the tetikus (a PINK one), no CD-ROM drive and to top it all, it takes 20 - 30 seconds to download a webpage despite being equipped with broadband (not talking bout streaming here... just a usual web page like the star).

Note: pleased to inform that computers (plus all other sad performing desktops) have been upgraded.

Killer no.2: non-stop flight to "no-life-ville"
Proper lunch break? That's a luxury. Work has been non-stop day after day, on an average of 10-12 hours per day. So far, we had to return on 2 saturdays and a sunday (12 hours nonetheless). And the internal workshops/course has begun, on wonderful saturday mornings! I have been signed to attend the relevant 5 sessions out of the total 14. One down, four to go.

Killer no. 3: the passion to give up
Sad to say (maybe not la), but the passion to succeed in agencies died years ago. And to be reminded of the dead passion everyday is plain cruel. And it's rather stressful having to deal with opportunities and challenges, esp. when you haven't decided whether to stay or to go.

Killer no. 4: reading, writing, briefing, briefing, briefing, writing, reading, writing, reading, reading, briefing, reading, reading
Creative ideas and writing are hard to come by, and proof-reading sucks. The brain and eyes refuse to cooperate after a couple of rounds, and sometimes, just when I think I have checked it alright, my super duper sharp boss will spot something. What a shitty feeling... and it's a shit-fest everyday.

Killer no. 5: gym-less being
Lack of endorphin, the fantastic stress level and inconsistent dinner hours (if i eat) will wear me down, eventually.

The ultimate one? work killed the TV star.Little time for downloads, reading, movies, reality shows, all the tv series i tailed religiously and ZZZZZs!

So if I dislike it so much, why the heck am I still there?

Well, there's some sort of pittance, and with no other marketable skills, guess I'm a tyre deep in mud.

Plus points? The nicest CD/boss/mentor one could ask for, funny/nice colleagues that are very together gether when it comes to work, potentially good folio. Very cosy and family-like environment.

But alas, guess all these will be bye-byed when next year's plan kicks in.

Guess being at work is a better use of space, oxygen and time on this planet compared to bumming.

Finally, today there's a little time to chill and update dis blog. And come 6pm, it's Chivas and green tea time.

Digital Dozen

2006-05-23T13:18:00.000+08:00

my fav. 12 digital pix to date, based on aesthetics and emotional appeal... to me lor...

April 2004 - Pulau Perhentian sunset

Sept 2004 - Pulau Redang

June 2003 - KLCC park
(L) kid popping out happily to seek parent but saw me there instead. her smile faded after that.
(R) ironic...

March 2004 - Phuket
"The Tribe Has Spoken."

April 2004 - Curious Rachel at the mahjong table.

Sept 2004 - Awana Kijal Clouds in a row.

May 2005 - Tanah Lot, Bali Worshippers at rest.

April 2006 - Siem Reap, Cambodia
(Top Left) - Angkor Wat.
(Top Right) - Tuk tuk ride to Tonle Sap.
(Bottom) - Amused kid and sis bathing.

Mushrooming Invasion

2006-05-03T14:10:00.000+08:00

The money plant around the condo has two new relatives - two potted plants. I have entertained the idea of adding a mini "garden" to the balcony for the past 4 years, but laziness trumped that idea every time.

My mom is an avid feng shui learner and loves potted plants. So it was no surprise when she enthusiastically announced, "Eh I planted two pots for you la". Well, love that thought but hate the hassle of transporting it. So after a few trips back home, my mom again said, "So easy. Lua senang (so easy). Planted for you already. Outside looks nicer ma with some plants... bare bare where got nice". She was hopeful, I was lazy.

"This one is feng shui plant!" my mom helpfully added. So my next thought was "Oh then if die how?" And of course, she shushed me and pooh-poohed the idea.

I gave in and placed the two pots and its stands into the little boot space. I thought... how difficult would it be to water the plants anyway...

"Free free talk to the plants la... hahaha...", my mom added as we looked at the pots in the boot. Ya sure... I will ask them if they are thirsty and maybe throw in a menu: filtered or non-filtered? To which my mom just chuckled and began rearranging her many potted plants while dispelling some watering tips i.e. "Mien (no need) water everyday eh. Lu agak-agak la". That's my potty mom for you... hehe...

These two pots of plants (I don't know what they are actually) were fine. I watered whenever I felt like it i.e. every 3-4 days, to which my mom exclaimed "Hah?" and now I try to water on alternate days.

A couple of days ago, I noticed some little alien-looking mushrooms happily accompanying the feng shui plant. Arrgghhh! Bloody fungi parasites. So I uprooted each little delicate umbrella gracefully, and TA-DAAAA... they literally mushroom in different spots the very next day!

So when I told my mom about the invasion of fungi, she was clearly tickled, "Haha! So many years I plant, never have such thing. Go and cook the mushrooms la"... of which I told her I would cultivate them and bring them back for her to cook.

A quick check on the Internet said something about the PH of the soil and suggested introducing limestone or hydrated lime (???). So in the mean time, I have to spend a minute a day harvesting those mushrooms. Well, at least the other pot is safe... for now!

2nd Oddity

2006-05-02T15:35:00.000+08:00

I was driving away from my meeting point (amongst the bungalows in the Gasing area) when an odd thing happened. As I slowed down at a speed-bump facing the EPF building, I noticed an aged Indian lady in a sari inching outward towards my lane. When my car approached, she held up her right arm horizontally and waved non-chalantly.

Despite my paranoid flag waving furiously internally, I stopped and as the passenger's window was lowered approx. 2 inches, I mustered a cautious "Yes?". The lady eyed me with disinterest as she told me to give her a lift to the 7-11 (the same row as the famous Jln Gasing Ipoh Chicken Rice) which was just across the main road. I was contemplating my next move as she impatiently tried to open the door, which was obviously locked.

Taking a leap of faith, I unlocked the door while quickly clearing the rubbish from the front seat and hoped that she was not some crazed, weapon-wielding elder citizen. After all, the media has done a great job of painting a very colourful landscape of madness on today's world and society. So you can't be too cautious even if faced with another being whose lips was already folded inward, suggesting the lack of teeth. Though she might just win by a toe nail in a sprint against a Schumacher snail.

And as she sank into the seat, a strong sweet coconut scent quickly filled the space between us and I asked her exact destination.

"I want to go to the 7-11 . I want to go to the temple but want to go to the hairdresser first. Very hard to cross the main road. So many cars."

"Yes... yes. So many cars. Very dangerous." I agreed. "So you want to go to 7-11?"

"Yes. Hairdresser near 7-11. Then after that I go to the temple."

We reached the main road and commented repeatedly on the traffic. After maneuvering a U-turn, I dropped her off at the said 7-11. As she moved slowly to the pavement, I wondered if she was a regular hitch-hiker. My paranoia flipped into concern for her safety against the temperamental weather, the main road's fierce traffic and opportunity-seizing characters.

I pray for her safety as she ventures on such journeys. These days, it is easy to turn a blind eye to other's request for help as we race through our selfish lives. However, we have to weigh the possible regrettable repercussions of lending a helping hand.

I questioned my cynical view of the world as I had to even ponder on whether to help an aged lady or a little kid (story's in the first post titled Something Odd...). Oddities have a knack of confronting me.

To help or not to help... I guess the answer lies in faith, with liberal doses of seventh (why stop at six) sense.

Random Shots

2006-04-13T13:32:00.000+08:00

some pix i took with my camera-phone, on-the-move...

windows and shadows

burning sun?

3 march 2006
- demo outside klcc : against RM0.20 petrol increase

in response of demo...

cat waiting for food...

bad haze - august 2005

The 8th Day

2006-03-30T20:52:00.000+08:00

It's the 8th day. The 8th day of CNY aka pai tee kong aka God of Heaven. The only day of CNY that I look forward to. Simply because it's a day of celebration that requires no socialisation skills (only family members present). And what more if you are "blessed" and are accompanied by the monthly ritual of hemorraghing (damn dictionary doesn't even include that word) downunder.

And so the plague began. "NO touching". That meant no folding of paper offerings, circling red strips around the lovely fruits... sounds good so far! Fine! At least I still had permission to pile on the kilos, mahjong-ed with red wine, and skipped (i plead momentary insanity) and scared nieces with fireworks.

Then the tease of the ozone layer began. Out came the joss sticks and candles and everyone prayed and had a telephatic session of conveying wishes for the next year with the God of Heaven... EXCEPT me! hrppmh! If I can't even silently reach HIM through joss sticks, at least let me "pray" on the pretext of polluting the air.. NO? Not to be left out, I of course told HIM my long list by placing my palms together. Even if the list is probably the same with every other Hokkien's - health, wealth (not necessarily in that order) and peace (yeah right!).

And then it was the time to take pollution up a notch, as fellow Hokkiens united and turned the numerous offerings into piles of ashes. Who cares if it flew into other people's properties. It's my bloody (no pun intended) religion and I'll litter any Malaysian way I want . Afterall, do I say anything when other Malaysians claim the road their own by placing the canopy from edge to edge for their parties (tanpa permit) or when people prefer not to use their garage and park at inappropriate places like in front of your gate. Yes, yes, we Malaysians tolerate each other's stupidity and inconsiderate behaviour with fluent curses, silent contempt and killer frowns.

Anyway, back to the prayers... so the celebration came to a close when the other Kohs and Ongs had to leave as it was a school night. It was my yearly duty (as I was the only child still occupying a room) to carry the table tops and stands to its resting place until it makes its next appearance the following year. Now... these table tops and stands weigh just like your average baby elephant. Yes, it's solid wood and will probably be passed on till it reaches the generation that decides to use it for fire wood.

Anyway, as the plague, I was obviously not supposed to touch it. And so my dad had to carry it. The same dad who suffered a sudden heart attack 7/8 months before. Of course he was not in the right shape for this hard labour and had to take a breather after each trip to the store room. Traditions and religion are a wonderful thing isn't it. Even if someone is hurting... nooo... you can't do anything coz you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.

So as the feeling of helplessness between my parents and myself, and the questionable belief/tradition between god and us remained unspoken, I couldn't help but wonder. What if every single female in a household happened to be menstruating at the same time due to its baffling biological link. Are the daughters to watch in silence and pray that the old folks will have the god-willing strength to accomplish the task?

This thin but apparent line leaves much to be desired. As with any other religion, it's all about doing good and becoming a better person. So who draws the line?

Sigh. The 8th day will never be the same to me.

Secret Recipe For Success - Math 101

2006-03-01T15:56:00.000+08:00

1. Take the order

2. Bring 'em their meals

3. Watch out for the "signature-in-the-air" cue

4. Round up the figure

5. Show receipt to unsuspecting customers

6. Quickly return the change... if any

7. Wave, smile and say "Thank you and come again" ... followed by inaudible "suckers"

secret recipe's math 101
- my calculator says RM41.98. But to 'em it's RM42.

Serene Arches

2006-03-01T15:39:00.000+08:00

shades of shup chart kuei aka Section 17.

those smoky (i'd call it "dreamy") effects - it's not pollution... it's all from

a windscreen that needs a good washing.

can you spot the reflection of a lil' cub?

btw, taken with camera phone... as with most pix in this blog.

Sin Nein Tau!

2006-02-07T13:44:00.000+08:00

ahhh... year of the dog. Supposed to be good for Tigers. But why take chances. So all the fengshui items have been placed at its auspicious locations and let the good times roll!

The whole kong hee fatt choy affair is no longer fun... it's just mah fun now.

Not good - shaking hands with relatives whom I meet after every 364 days, cousin's wedding dinner, the open house, tighter clothes, overload of red, cookies and alcohol, painful ulcers, dwindling ang pow business...

Good? Playing fireworks with nieces, mahjong (play with caution: can lead to botakness), chewy dodol, oily/cholesterol-laden bak kua and the Chinese series marathon (30 episodes in 4 days)!

Have a fun, safe and glorious year everyone!

Punctual or what!?!!?!

2006-02-07T13:26:00.000+08:00

After a long hiatus from visiting Actors Studio, we (the sistas) decided to catch D'Arranged Marriage. The show began at 8.30pm... so we had ample time to eat and lepak. We reached the entrance at 8.30pm, only to discover that everyone else was already seated AND the show was on it's way. WOW! First time ever for anything to actually begin at the stipulated time...

The show ended at 9.30pm. It was enjoyable, though the Indian/New Zealander accent was too thick for comprehension, at times. Still prefer Russell Peters' stand-up stuff. Anyway, we felt cheated as it was only an hour (though didn't feel like it) and thought that it was bloody expensive for an hour's worth of act. We had the RM80 tix (RM64.50 after some discount).

Joke of the night? Apparently, it was us...

The show started at 8pm.

the gurls

2006-02-07T13:00:00.000+08:00

life's more fun with cousins...

little comedians in da house

2005-12-05T11:19:00.000+08:00

i have 4 nieces (yes, some people may think that it's the end of the world that there is no nephew in sight) who make surprising statements and provide me with endless comic relief. Just thought that I'd share some of my favourites (those I can remember anyway)...

- 9 year old, the money-minded leader of the pack
"my friend stupid coz she don't know that money more important than stickers"
- upon selling her stickers to her friend.

"ah kong, why you come back so late... where did you go? You're fired!"
- after interrogating my dad when he disappeared from the shop for a while.

me: did you make the fridge magnet or played the scrabble i gave you?
kid: i got no time la.
- it was during the year-end two-month holiday when the kids turn into professional loafers - watch TV, eat, sleep, watch TV, eat, sleep.

kid: what is tiga tolak dua?
adult: one
kid: salah
adult: then?
kid: dua jatuh

- 7 year old, whose development is showing across the chest
kid: ah ee, you got boyfriend to marry or not?
me: no.
kid: Good la... no need get boyfriend la... coz give birth very painful you know.

- 4 year old, who is a mini-joey (friends) - "joey doesn't share food!!!"

"the pool needs more people"
- when there was no one at the pool and she wants to swim.

"why is uncle wearing nemo shirt?"
- comment on a friend's husband who was wearing an orange shirt with grey horizontal stripes

"ah kor, why you tell teacher?"
- looking at the floor, after her kindergarten teacher asked whether she drinks from the bottle and the answer was a YES. since then, she drinks her milk from the cup.

Upon reciting her alphabets successfully...
sis: wah. so clever. I am soooo proud of you.
kid: then give birth to one just like me lor.

me: what's your favourite?
kid: air-cond
me: what else?
kid: food!

"A is for Apple.... K is for Koh Kim Ho". (her grandfather's name)

"I thin already you know" - hands akimbo
- when her other aunt passingly mentioned that the newly bought clothes had little room for her horizontal growth.

"I am exercising!"
- when asked why she was running in circles around from the kitchen table to living room. btw, she's 22kgs.

"ah kor. I hungry already. where are you. how many more hours you come back?"
- calling my mobile to check on the tapau progress

- 3 year old, who needs a translator when she gets into kindergarten

"acktain oot" - captain hook
"it boogee i'm" - it's boogie time
"ken ittle" - chicken little
"u poo ar" - you full ar?
"i wan go ahma ous" - i want to go ahma's house
"i ot poo" - i have flu

back in stye

2005-12-05T11:11:00.000+08:00

it suddenly appeared about 1.5 weeks ago and today it is back. it doesn't seem as swollen but still looked like someone poked my eye... again. Now I have to walk around with "panda" eyes while attending meetings with a little pimple-looking thing sticking out of my bottom eyelid.

Imagine if Mike Wazowski from Monster's Inc had stye...

Something Odd...

2005-12-05T10:16:00.000+08:00

geez... where have the time gone? anyhow, something odd happened last week and thought that it will be a good first story to begin with...

It was the end of nov and I felt like killing some kilos. As the lift S L O W L Y descended to the Ground Floor, it stopped at the 7th floor. The door opened and I was greeted by a frantic little girl whose tearduct was working overtime as she screamed, "Please help me... my mommy did not answer the door... I rang the door bell... she don't want open the door...please help me... please..." and she went on and on for a minute or two screaming the same thing.

I was cautious 'coz of all the abduction stories and etc etc (ok so maybe I was a little paranoid!), and so I stayed in the lift and listened to this very disturbed girl. In the end, I decided to get out of the lift and asked the little girl to show me where she stayed. By the way, this little girl looked 7 or 8 years old.

She showed me her condo unit and repeated the same things. And as I tried to calm her, I looked around and there were no neighbours in sight... or rather no one opened the door to peek. I asked if she knew her mother's phone number and I helped her punch the numbers on my mobile. Darn it! It went to voicemail. Now I was getting worried that something bad had happened to this girl's mom inside the condo. On top of all this commotion, her body language showed that she needed to pee badly. U know, the crossed legs and trying to hold it in with her fingers.

Then I asked her if she knew her daddy's number. She rambled something about Daddy being downstairs...??? Anyway she grabbed my mobile and dialled her dad's number and that too went to voicemail and the poor girl just began wailing. OK NOW I was getting damn worried. I asked her to make sure the numbers were correct and calmed her down and asked if she needed to go to the toilet. She nodded and I tried to comfort her and told her that I will take her to the toilet at the Ground floor.

So as I kept repeating. "Don't worry... OK... stop crying... don't worry... don't cry..." I didn't want to tell her everything will be OK since I don't know if everything is alright. As the lift door opened at the Ground Floor, a man in a black long sleeve shirt with an umbrella about 10 feet away walked towards us as we stepped out the lift. I wasn't sure if the little girl said "my daddy"... cannot remember la... I was still thinking how to help this girl... apart from taking her to the management office and staying with her till everything sorts out...

Then the guy (who I have seen around the condo area a couple of times), put his hands on her shoulders and told her not to cry and asked why she is crying... at which point I told him that she needed to pee badly... The guy thanked me and attended to his daughter... and said to her... "Do you want find mummy? You want go toilet or you want to go mummy there first?" At this point, he used his umbrella to suggest that her mother was somewhere around the area.

??!???!?

NOTE: saw the kid a few weeks later... alive and well and happy...