Bon Appetite...

As promised, here's the appetizer to the following posts that I am going to blog. It is indeed overdue posts since July but the photo below will be the hint of my up coming posts... Hope it keeps you wants more .... Bon Appetite

Fresh Vietnamese Popiah ~ my favorite coz it is so fresh to eat...

Pan seared scallop served with salmon roe on asparagus water ~ something new that I had during a fine dining dinner

Kani Avocado Salad ~ real crab meat japanese salad .. yum yum....

Tapas ~ a kind of fish that is filled with yummy fish roe, a must to try...

A collection of soups... for those who can't make up their mind...

I hope by now you have some clues on wat I am going to blog about .... things and events that happened during my MIA session (^.^)

Still Alive...but barely living

I am still alive incase some of you wonder why so long no post (which I doubt anyone will wonder tat). I think this year my luck is really on the low coz my last resort to connect the world has gone kaput (*_*) -> the laptop.

It happened on last Sunday morning, (3 days after Gerald help me upgrade my RAM to 1GB) the symptom of transplant failure showing on that morning. First, it hang, then cannot start up. Finally, after 3 try, it's alive again. But after I shut down, it cannot start up. My mood was so down that whole day coz my original RAM is in Doha now with Gerald. My only hope is to send it to my local infra to check (which I dun have positive hope).

So, my desktop and laptop suffer the same fate, RAM failure. I must really call up HP to claim my warranty for desktop before it expires in November.

Adios for now.... I will be back soon with my Vietnam trip and KK trip to Kundasang and Kudat (once my pc is running as I am using my office laptop now)

20.08.2008

Hello..... I am back from my vacations but sad to say, still not yet fix my pc but I managed to fix my internet problem. Hopefully I won't be too lazy to fix the pc so I can start blogging (lots to blog on my Vietnam trip & also my team building) & scrapping coz I can say, the 1 month blog + scrap break can makes 1 lazy....

And u must be wondering why suddenly I resurface today (LOL) and not on weekend since I have no pc still. This is coz today is such a nice day -> 20.08.2008, very nice date, right? So, I told myself, must jot down something in my blog. Hence, here I am, posting from my laptop with the latest photo from Sapa, Vietnam (lots to come later on, promise)

Me with a Black H'mong lady and her baby boy at Ta' Van Village

Going for my vacation

Just a little shout out to the world that I am going for my 1st out of Malaysia holiday (Singapore doesn't count, ok). This is a trip that was planned so long ago with my coliks and finally it is here. We're going to Vietnam and hopefully it won't rained so much (coz I checked the weather & it says scattered thunderstorm).

So, when I am back from my holiday, I will definitely fix my pc and start blogging again. Till then....

你听见了吗？

Not sure why but this is another song that I FELT 感动 yet I LOVE it at first hear and want to share with the people out there -> 你听见了吗？It's a song to appeal for donation for the Sichuan Earthquake by MY FM and it's sung by many artist which can be found at the site (pardon me for not listing it coz I seriously having difficulty to recognise the chinese words).

It took me forever to understand the MY FM site to get this song title coz I dunno chinese *SIGH*. I have tried vy hard to get the mp3 also but no luckt yet, juz managed to get it in Youtube and not the duet tat I heard.

And here's the lyrics (how i wish there's some han yu pin yin for this) :

用什么来弥补悲伤

用什么来换去彷徨

看那灰色地带

带走了多少的爱

让我的双手作温暖

让他的肩作避风港

看我们把泪光

化成了永恒的爱

那远方的孩子

我都听见了

你不要害怕

我给你曙光

让我牵住你的手吧

远方的朋友

让我们一同

走上希望的路~

再创另一个天堂

it's DAD's day

Happy Father's day to my dad, my father in law in KK and all the other fathers, grand father & great grand father out there. Me & my brother were planning to go out for lunch but then, the celebration has to be canceled. But juz like wat my bro say, we still can go out makan.... which is quite true. Let's see how today goes by...

Oh, I have put up a special banner for this day if you haven't noticed it yet *he he he*. Got too addicted of making banners for blog *wink*

Happy Birthday Woan Jiun

(credits & details here)

Happy birthday to you, my dear friend. Since I can't make it down to makan with you, here's a card to wish you happy birthday. I know you like blue, hence the theme color (^-^). But your name is very long & I am a bit lazy to spell it out, I used your english name instead. Hope you like it ....

And here's the card presented to you in a scrap layout , which is tied with a string of pearls, your fav too:

(credits & details here)

almost JINXed

I am not sure if it happens to anyone but for me, my day almost ended up JINX coz it's Friday the 13th *yikes* .... There's something bad happen to me almost everytime for this day since the first JINX way back in 2002 if not mistaken. So, I really pray hard this morning before I started my day at work so that I will have a smooth day. It did went smoothly until I reached home & park my car.... I was in the midst of unlocking the grill and the door when the last lock can't be opened *OMG, dun tell me it JINX again* and I tried a few times yet it refused to turned. I started to worry coz it's dark soon. Lucky my neighbour came out and offer me assistance and finally, it opened *phew*. I guess the JINX is on me but not on him.

Well, to make myself feel better, I blamed it on the rusty lock tat need some WD40 to lubraicate it or juz going to change the lock....

Does anyone faces the bad luck of Friday 13th or it is juz me....

Memorial Service & Funeral

*A journal entry for my beloved popo's funeral*

9th June 08 ~ Memorial Service

We had a 1 night service on 9th June 08 at Level 1, Room 13 (Rose) Nirvana Memorial Center @ Sg Besi. Since my family is Taoist believer, we had the ceremony conducted in Taoist (Cantonese) way. We arrived the center at 6pm and the setting for the service are amazingly posh yet serene. The service started from 7.30 pm until 11pm and all my relatives and friends came to pay their last respect to my beloved Popo. We went home at around 12 something because we were assured that there will be people to change the joysticks and also the food plus the continuous of the Amitaba chanting (very convenient & less tiring than my grandpa service which was held at home).

The settings of the memorial service for my Popo. Flowers and all the offerings (red dates, black fungus (木耳), mushroom, lunch, dinner, breakfast) were included for the service.

White chrysanthemum used to replace incense for paying respect to my Popo

Inside view of the room, a very comfortable setting for the people to pay their respect to my popo

Room 13 Rose, where the memorial service was held

10th June 08 ~ Funeral
The funeral started at 8am whereby we gather together to see and say our farewell to my Popo for the last time before they close the casket and send for cremation. It was very systematic and thanks to Nirvana, they prepared the LAST WORD to pay respect to my Popo session. According to the uncle, it's the most important session of the whole ceremony whereby we say our last farewell & wishes to my popo and see her for the last time before it turns into ashes and we won't be able to see her again. After that, we send her to the car and to the PJCCM to cremate.

Our last respect to Popo

Final gratitude farewell from my paternal relatives: Sis, Granduncle (popo's brother), Aunt & Grandaunt

Final gratitude farewell from Nirvana group

Final farewell to send my popo to PJCCM to cremate

Before I end my journal to jot down the service, I would like to thank the following peoples for their heartfelt condolences & 白金:

• our maternal & paternal relatives
• our friends
• my church congregation (EMCLC)

Many thanks for Connie for helping out the whole time.

Good bye to my popo ....

I received the news while I was on my way home from Jazz's place. The nurse called me to inform me that my popo juz passed away. That time was around 11pm, 8th June 08. I stopped my car at the petrol station and informed everyone & make the arrangement. I went to the nursing home, waited for the funeral parlour people and also my uncle. Then we went to choose her funeral service stuff. I feel so weird, coz this is the first time I make the call on choosing the coffin, her clothes & her service.

The service will be held later tonight at the Nirvana Memorial Center at Sg. Besi, Lv 1, Room 13 at 5pm till 11pm. We will have the funeral on Tuesday and on Wednesday, we will send her to her new home, to be together with my granpa at Nirvana Memorial Park.

For the whole time, I was calm. Maybe I am relieved that my popo's suffering ended coz she suffered from stroke or maybe I has prepared for her departure earlier this yr coz she was so sick tat time that everyone thought she can't make it. Anyhow,I thank God for the calmness he gave me and I pray that he bless my popo as well.

Here I bid farewell to my beloved popo who always loves me so much...

here in MY home

After such a commotion on the fuel price, I think we should focus on something better, so, decided to post this up to share with all my frens out there.

A few weeks back, I heard this lovely & unique song sang by the Malaysian Artistes aired tru MY FM. I wanted it badly but it never occured to my mind to search tru the internet for it until today.

Why I say it's UNIQUE? This is coz it the 1st time I heard 4 language -English, Mandarin, Bahasa & Tamil (though only juz the rap part) in 1 song and it juz sounded so right. I dunno why I love it so much but I can say it's a really rare occasion to hear so many artist sang 1 song. I hope you enjoy this as well.

If you love this song, you can download it at the Malaysian Artistes for UNITY

more on Petrol price hike ...

Yawn.... I am so tired but I cannot resists on reading all the news on the aftermath of the new fuel pricing. And as expected, the internet is flooded with streams of juicy news (both from the gov, Opps and also the people) and also some 'pleads' for the gov to reconsider on the new budget for the fuel (which I really hope but can only dream).

Of all the news clipping on the net, what caught my eyes are the below news clipping in The Stars which I feel that is quite true (especially those highlighted in purple) coz the price of petrol in Doha is at 80sen/liter.

*******

PETALING JAYA: Calling the fuel price hike "disappointing and unacceptable", Opposition leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the effects of the increase would be seen in the increase of consumer goods.
In a statement issued Thursday, she urged the Government to reconsider its decision to increase the price of petrol as people spend 25% of their income on transportation.

" After paying quite high tax for cars and toll fees, we are now burdened with the high price of petrol, " she said.

She added that the statements on the petrol subsidy issued by several ministers were conflicting.

According to Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad, the subsidy from petrol is RM56bil while Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yakcop said that it was RM28bil and it was RM12bil from the Government Financial report 2007. " Therefore, we estimate that the petrol subsidy could be between RM8bil and RM10bil, " she said.

She said the cost of exploration by the oil companies is US$30 a barrel compared to US$130 of the price of oil.

The Government should impose tax on profits made by the oil production companies rather than increase the price of petrol, she added. She feels that the price of petrol not only could be fixed at RM1.92 but could also be lowered if the Government taxed the profits made by the oil companies.

She also said as an oil exporting country, the price of petrol must be compared to other countries exporting oil such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the price is RM1.19 per litre, Egypt (RM1.03), Kuwait (67sen), Saudi Arabia (38sen), Nigeria (32sen) and Venezuela (16sen).

She said it is "ridiculous" to compare the price of petrol with Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

She also urged the Government to make the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system more comprehensive so that the people could rely less on petrol.

"Instead of spending RM40bil for the double tracking railway between Padang Besar-Johor Baru, the Government should spend it on improving the public transportation like a network of LRT, " she added.

*******

There're still alot of news on the petrol hike and I do really hope tat our beloved gov will really reconsider the price hike and also extending the help on people like us (the 'rat' race).

Ok, enuf of the petrol... now I shall go look for a home insurance coz need to get the best deal since everything also increase price.

Petrol at RM 2.70, what will happen to our life?

The news just came at 5pm today, which is a bit late for me to act (pump petrol) coz I am rushing for my yoga class and the sky juz decided to throw a downpour....

But with refilling my car today, it is just to stretch my mileage of the one full tank... too bad I didn't got the chance of doing so....

Sometimes I think why this is happening to us... we are living in a petrol production country, yet we are paying a hefty sum ..... with the new petrol price of RM2.70 /L ( will increase to more than RM4 by Aug coz follow market price), everything will increase the price... the food, the amenities & the electric will increase by 18% (read in The Star news & NST) but not the quality of our life....

How am I going to live with paying such a high price for petrol?

Most of u might suggest to commute with public transport but no thanks. My area is so outskirt , the bus is only at an interval of 30 mins if I am lucky... then I got to change bus to get to bukit jalil or if I am lucky, I will got to LRT station and hop onto 1 and stop at the bukit jalil station. Then, will need to catch a bus to TPM. If I were to do that, I will need to go out at 6.30am ... coz by driving, it took me almost an hour to got to work and if I were to take the bus, it will be 2 hrs ..... ain't this crazy?

I cannot see myself to do tat every day... if I do, I think by the end of the day, I will be depress and darn tired ...life is no meaning to live like this... and I will write more of my rambling on the blog ... which is not a good thing to read.... sigh....

Now I do wish we live like the Startrek, whereby we can just beam our self to places we want....tat will save the petrol crisis... meanwhile, I have to be extra cost savvy (eat more at Chillz, spend less on clothing) ...

*Just to note down on how bad is today in history *:

1. My bank did a big mistake but luckily managed to resolve tat problem
2. Not so good news in office
3. Extremely bad news on the petrol & electricity
4. Ah dear also got bad news

To read more on the latest news on the new government subsidy scheme, click here

a LUXURY gift

....

....

partially from Gerald (^-^)

Well, I was so bored one day and my fren told me about her fren going to USA and she's so into Coach.... so, I tot why not.. go surf the net and see wat is available and I saw 2 things I love... The one tat caught my eyes was this Coach Hampton Signature Optic... vy nice, yet quite girly (not to aunty)

So, that night, I just show to Gerald and he also say nice and asked if I really want it *he he he* of course ler I want ... and he's so genourous that nite... he sponser half the price ...

Hence, I got my 1st Coach bag in March 08

(credits & details here)

juz an OrdiNary day...

NOT...

I woke up as usual to prepare to go work and then I got this message from my taman-mate. The road is super jam, stuck at Sg Long for 20 mins. The BMC road has closed. Hmm.... the main toll free road is closed again 'unexpectedly' so, there's no traffic polices to divert the traffic at our trunk road... With these news, I have to delay my journey to work unless I want to join in the jam & burn away my petrol....

Ok, off to work now... hope the issue will be resolved soon, if not, petrol is going to be expensive to me again.... and with this, I do wish I can work from home coz really, I dun see the point of wasting time, stuck in the jam...

PS: Got to clean my house after work... lots of dust (dunno where it came from). Wish I got those Sebo vacuums where it definately suck in all the dust.

my very own CAMEL

Was supposed to post this up after the HOT post but there's always some other things to post ... hence, the delayed in showing my very own camel.....

(credits & details here)

Sometimes back, I asked Gerald for a very unique and local souvenier from Doha. I never expect that I will have my vy own camel (figurine made out of REAL camel skin) and it does really look like the camel photo that was shown in the previous post.

These unique gifts (camel & aladin lamp) are my Christmas presents of 2007 which is yet to be displayed in the house.

Mother's day

Mother's day is nearing *this Sunday* and I did a simple banner to wish my MOM and all the mummies out there a Happy Mother's Day. You can see the credits & details here.

Our plan for this weekend is to go Puchong to have 'Yim Gok Hai' - Salted Crab (special request by my mum). The perfect day to eat is Saturday but my school fren, Li Li is getting married this Saturday. So, looks like Sunday got to rebut table with the rest of the world and searching for best buy gifts (I am sure all the daughters & sons are doing tat for their mummy)....

sweet TEMPTATION...

Lately, I have been obsessed in getting my hands on the digital scrapkits and challenges. Maybe it's NSD or maybe all the kits are too nice to resists *LOL*. Hence, I have abandoned my photo resizing of my KK trip & did the below scraps while downloading the kits I bought earlier (which I added 1 more kit to my purchase at Oscrap & stumble upon this challenge by Paislee -> create a LO using cropped photos and her freebie).

I have chosen this photo, taken way back in Sept during my KK hometrip with Gerald. I love going for a date to the Coffee Beans at Damai during the nights coz we really have nothing to do beside sleep :p

My favourite drink is the Morrocan Mint Latte whereby for Gerald, he prefers Sunrise. And the little Mango Cheese cake caught my eyes coz the colors are so bright !!! It's like calling me "eat ME, eat ME" and I couldn't resists the temptation (which ended up Gerald finishing the cake for me *he he he*)

(credits & details here)

Pstt: I have another temptation that I can't resists (which I am sure lots of people also the same as me)-> bedding sets. I'm a big fans of luxurious beddings especially those from Aussino in particular. Their sateen cotton is really so smooth and soft to the touch and the designs is vy pretty as well.... There's another brand that is of vy high quality but the price range is really out of my budget (*_*).

National Scrapbooking Day + my aDDiction ...

Finally, the big day has arrived. I have been waiting for this day for so long until my neck is long *LOL*. Today is NSD and in the Scrapbooking World, most of the shops are giving discounts on their beautiful kits. There's some kits that I have been eyeing on at Weeds & Wildflowers *have gone crazy over their stuff for the past few months* and it's really a good day to shop online (exercise my virtual $$) to get more of their stuff. Here's what I bought today to add to my existing collection of WW kits *GRIN*

There's another grab bag that I got from two little pixels shop (shown above). Stumble upon it and just decided to grab it. No preview though coz it's a grab bag, can't wait to open it ans see what's inside the bag (how I love NSD, ke ke ke).

Here's another kits that I have been eyeing on that is selling at Catscrap. It's such an Enchanted kit to use for scrapping. Shall check it out tomorrow with Jazz to see if she got it or not, if not, I will grab it *ke ke ke ke*

PS: Not to forget to SHOUT that my CT designer, Marianne's kit is now having 50% off at Elemental Scrap . Do check it out.

After my shopping spree, it's time for me to search for some information search on drug rehab.

~Sweet tReat~

My holiday turns out quite good except some little turning around like a maze when trying to find a parking at Mid Valley. This will tell me never ever go out to the mall at such a late time (after 11.30am) coz getting urself a parking is crazy ....

People in MV also alot, it's like sales everywhere but I didn't se any good one though except this.... I tried the Fish Spa with my mum. A treat for her and on I forgot the most important thing.... my CAMERA... *slap head*. All I have is my old K700i hp to take and I am having a hard time extracting it to my pc *arrrghhhh*

Anyhow, the experience is quite good. At first, it's kind of ticklish and scary to see so many fish nibbling at our feet but after awhile, we sort of get used to the ticklish feeling and enjoying ourselves. My mum even enjoy it.... she dun mind coming for a 2nd time though the price is too exp wor -> RM 38 for 30 mins.

So, tat's my 1st treat (^-^).

My 2nd treat is Cupcakes from Jazzmint. I left alot of my stuff at her place after the little trip we went coz by the time we came back, it's near to midnite (*-*). So, Fayhte keep reminding Jazz to bring back my stuff or ask me go collect (so cute of her)... So, they came to my place last nite with a box of my fav cupcakes (Faythe fav also) & of course, my stuff.

Here's the cupcakes that I got (thanks alot, Jazz) and featuring the Chai Cheeze that I had that night.

(credits and details here)

PS: With all the sweet treats, I must make sure I dun over eat and over weight (got people comment I gained weight liao). So, I think my exercise regime must quickly kick in and also to get healthy eating or go on a diet .... hmmm, I wonder if this generic Phentermine is good and safe?