happi burfdae, bro!

happi burfdae bro

To my one and only brother, or even to my one and only sibling (yeap, just the 2 of us), HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUDE!

Let's see... How old are you now? Considering I'm only 19 and that you are 3 years ahead of me.... Haha.. Ya rite! I WISH! Me- just NiNeteen??? Ok, ok... Enough griping bout the age, already.

I know there are many out there who envy us (tak tau malu!) b'cos of our close bonding. Yaa, many remarked that the way I converse with him - be it over the phone or face-to-face is unlike the usual way a brother & sister will communicate. Just you and me, y'noe?

And we go out shopping together once a while. Sometimes it's the movies. Often, it's supper. I didn't know that most brothers and sisters are even EMBARASSED to be seen out together! No wonder I've often been mistaken to be his girlfren by his unknowing frens (we dun look so much alike, you see). Thus, I now distance myself whenever we meet his frens on the streets. Even my relatives are using us as icons for good brother-sister relationships.

Anyway, dude. Thanks for always being there for me. Supporting my quirky ideas, choices & decisions. And most importantly for taking care of me and showing your concern in a way unlike those I heard in those horror over-protective-elder-brother stories. Thank you, thank you, thank you. On this special day, I wish for you to meet the girl of your dreams and our family's dreams and having more success in your career. And may you be further blessed with good health. Oh, stop that tardiness & start saving up, will ya??!

weekend getaway.

weekend getaway

I hate packing. Have I said it before? Well, I shall say it again. I H-A-T-E packing. My first attempt at doing that on Wednesday had been futile cos' my brother found me sleeping on my pile of clothes when he came home from work. So I decide to do it yesterday.
Yar, yar. PROCRASTINATE.

But then, I chose to watch the late-night sceening of American Idol instead (despite having already watched the earlier screening on Ch 5). So I tell myself, "Bayya, if you dun pack now, you ain't gonna have time to do it tomorrow. When that happens, you can FORGET about this trip." That had me moving, albeit a bit slow. By the time I was done, it was already in the wee hours of morning and I still have yet to choose the songs to listen for the long journey. And I've been deprived of much needed sleep since last week.... *uwah!*


I need them songs, ok. I'll be spending 4hrs on the van and another 2-3hours boat ride. I can just sleep but I'm not THAT good at sleeping during journeys.

I know that Pulau Tioman is not that far off but FYI, diving trips are almost comparable to budget trips- in terms of transport and not to mention the lodging. So we kinda' took the longer route there. Hope the facilities are not as basic as Pulau Dayang....




And boy, am I glad that I finally get to utilise my birthday gift. It may not the the complete dive comp but it's sufficient enough for me. It's not called Swatch FUN SCUBA for nothing, rite?

All yee sea creatures in the depths off Tioman, here I come!!!

I dunno how I'm making it to work on Monday...... Sure exhausted, liao!


Enjoy the weekend, peeps!

food for thought

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food for thought:

... American Idol is of course the equivalent of American Cheese. It's processed, entirely artificial, relies on a barrage of multi-media marketing that Goebbels couldn't have dreamed up, and ultimately isn't what it purports to be: American Idol is not real music, just like American Cheese is not real cheese. But it is gobbled up gratefully by the masses, and when you criticize the end product in the land of the free you open yourself up to anger...

- quoted from a website i found when searching for American Idol results. Hmmmm....
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hot laydee

this laydee is lookin' hot!

Someone glams it up for the red carpet at Cannes (film festival). Can you guess who?

























If you think that she looks a tad familar but can't quite put as to who she is, let me give you a clue. She's Canadian and was once every (wannabe) teenage girls epitome of a rocker-punk chick. Yeah, THAT Avril Lavigne.

Gone are her bermudas, singlets and tees. Or that skinny tie, even. What about the boots and Jack Parcell hi-cuts? And those cute little black bands on her wrists? Just look at her now. Gorgeous, eh? Sexy even. And she seemingly exude an aura that easily caused heads to turn in her way.

But then again....






















I guess some people never really change. Old habits die hard, you know.

back-again

back - again

It's funny huh, how my entry about my trip to KL ended with me eventually yabbing about chicken rice & nasi lemak?? Sheesh!

Come to think of it, for a 4-day trip, I haven't been to THAT many places, actually. In fact, the 3 of us took every possible opportunity to get into our nightgowns and laze around in the hotel room, watching cable tv and reading magazines. We SERIOUSLY need to consider getting into a beach resort the next time.

Maybe those intending to head to KL for what they have to offer in terms of sightseeing can take this as a VERY INFORMAL guide. *dun say I didn't warn you*

Petronas Twin Towers
They start giving out the tix @ 8.30am. On busy days (weekends/public holidays), all tix would have been given out in around 1hr. Be prepared to wake up early for this. Oh and there's allocated timings so dun get disappointed if you dun get to go on the spot.

And here's the 'best' part: The bridge is on the mere 41st floor and you'll get to stay on it for a mere 10mins. Disappointing? Go figure.



Aquaria, KLCC
More conveniently accessible by the underground route from Suria KLCC, heading towards the Convention Centre. It's a pretty long walk, actually. Was told by the guard that it's 'around 100 metres'. I can swear it's 3x more. You know M'sians. Everything is 'NEAR' for them.

Entry is at RM38. Pretty much worth it, if you're into marine life. There's quite a number of insect species on display, too. Those daring ones can go to this 'hands-on' corner where you can have a scorpion crawling up your arm and grab a handful of squirmy worms ala Fear Factor. Also check out their underwater tunnel. The sharks are worth watching. You can also get a caricature done for RM20.



Putrajaya
This one is interesting. Unless you drive there, it's best you go on a weekday, when the government offices are open. Just so you'll be able to make use of their public transports. But their bus service is blardee slow and unless you know which bus to take, it's best you hail a cab. But then again, their cabs are pretty scarce. FYI, the offices are closed on Saturdays.

Alamanda Shopping Centre doesn't have much actually. But tai-tais may like to check out the famous designer, Rizalman's boutique.

The place to go in Putrajaya is the Dataran (Esplanade). Where that beautiful mosque is. And also where you can see that gorgeous bridge from a distance. The picturesque view makes the long trip there worth it. You can take their cruise or boat ride that will bring you around the huge lake and even closer to the various government buildings (even the ministers' residences).

Getting there: Take the KLIA Transit Komuter from KL Sentral. The ride's around 1/2hr or so. The tix cost RM9.50. From the Putrajaya Komuter station, you can take a bus to Alamanda. But I'm not sure If they go directly to the Dataran. You REALLY have to ask around.
Going back to KL, I got really lucky. Firstly, we had planned to get a cab back to the Komuter station, take the Komuter ride back to KL Sentral and another LRT ride back to Bt. Bintang. Somehow, due to a little miscommunication, we managed to get a great offer. RM30 from Putrajaya ALL THE WAY to Bt. Bintang. Cool huh?? Even cheaper than the train ride. But there's a catch: The cabs are REALLY scarce. Some cabbies will give you their contact number but they can charge pretty steep prices. Try to strike a good bargain.


Berjaya Times Square
Quite a big shopping centre, this one. But I come here solely for the Cosmo's Indoor Theme Park rides. My friend had been raving so much bout' their roller coaster that I'm determined to give it a shot (took it 2x).

Tickets are at RM25. The 7-storey high roller coaster (Supersonic Odyssey) is pretty impressive. When I went there, the Spinning Orbit is closed for maintenance. Too bad. I also dig this other thrilling ride, Space Attack. Shiok, I tell you! Rides like Dizzy Izzy, DNA Mixer and Ooort's Express only make you dizzy.

Sunway Lagoon

I had my cousin to drive us there and he also provided us with the free passes for both the entrance & the Asian X-Games so details on how to get there and how much to get in, please go *H E R E*.

Anyway with the X-Games pass, we only need to pay RM10 for ALL the rides there, both Wet & Dry. The weather was scorching hot but the games, I heard was pretty cool. I missed most of them anyway since most competition were held the day before. But the Motor-X show was rad! Uber, uber breath-taking (and noisy).

For their rides, I'd like to recommend this pretty new 'un. The Pirates Revenge. It's a viking ride with a twist. Instead of going the usual 180 deg. from one end to the other, this one goes 360 DEGREES (yes, 1 whole round!).

And their Tomahawk is equivalent to the Top Gun rides but I swear it feels much faster. I LIKE! Not much rides actually. It'll be more fun to experience both the wet & dry rides at the same time.

another family pic

more family pics

I love showing family pictures dun I? And I'm getting the hang of it. Love them or hate them, the fact that they have a (happy) family is all the same.

Dun label me shallow for showing this one.

























Yeap. It's them Beckhams. Daddy's got really strong arms doesn't he? Carrying his big boy like that...

ouch!

ouch
Barcelona 2 Arsenal 1

I dunno what the heck made me sit thru' the awards-giving ceremony. But I'll be lying if I say that it wasn't my heart that's breaking.


Was it the downpour that tore Arsenal apart? Or Almunia's nerves? The refree's hasty decision? Or Wenger's too-late realisation to bring out the attacking force? No point playing the blaming game now, ain't it? But I dare say that Frank Rijkaard's wisdom did play a vital role in bringing his team to victory. I bow to him. Who would have expected his subs to eventually turn the game around? Pick up the pace and increase the tempo?


When Eto'o scored Barca's 1st goal, I was like, "Oh no. Not a penalty shootout. I hate penalty shootouts." Man, I take back my words. I sure didn't expected the game to turn in Barca's favour. And when Belletti scored, my heart sank. No way is the game going to turn around now. There won't even be a penalty shootout... There's no need to.

Anyway, many congrats to Barcelona F.C & especially their fans. Oh, wipe that smirk off your face. Yeah, I'm pretty sore now but I know a good team when I see one and Barca's FAB. If not for my undying loyalty for Arsenal, I will be rejoicing now, too.

back

back

hola! Last weekend had been pretty shaggadelic awesome. 4 days in KL with my 2 cousins, Sue & Nor. Right in the heart of Bukit Bintang. I was determined to spend more time sight-seeing instead of shopping. In fact, shopping was pushed right to the very end of our itinerary. Made it to Petaling Str & Jln Masjid India on our last night and the very day of our departure respectively.




Places in our itinerary:
KLCC Bridge - *check*
Aquaria KLCC - *check*
Putrajaya - *check*
Berjaya Times Square - *check*
Sunway Lagoon - *check*
Petaling Street - *check*
Jln Masjid India - *check*
KL Tower - *missed* (will definitely go next time)



Yeah, we did go to a lotta' places, eh? Would like to thank my cousin, Masko & his beau, Aisyah for driving us around and providing us with the passes to the Asian X-Games @ Sunway Lagoon. And many thanks to the poor Kancil, too. It's amazing how far that tiny car can go.

Our hotel had been so near to this Hainanese chicken rice shop that I had yearned to patronise again. And then I noticed this reputed chicken rice shop owned by a famed radio dj just a few doors away. Then I can't make up my mind. I was also wondering at the same time, how the heck am I going to sample the famed Kg. Pandan Nasi Lemak??



Blessings come in the form of our Aunt Mis (Masko's mum) for her great hospitality and the food. The 2nd time we came by her place, she served Chicken Rice. And boy! Doesn't that solve my 1st dilema! It may not be the Hainan chicken rice that I had yearned for but the honey-marinated chicken served with the huge bowl of chicken soup and freshly-prepared chilli very well made up for it. Slurrp!

And the Nasi Lemak? Easy. My aunt had asked for us to drop by her place and she'll send us to Pudu. And she asked, "So what do you wanna eat before going back?" The 3 of us gave each other a knowing look before saying, "Nasi Lemak!" FYI, she's quite known for that dish cos' she used to sell that. Come to think of it, Capitol Hotel was also quite known for their Nasi Lemak and I managed to feast on that during their breakfast buffet. Heh.

.:. p e e k s .:. h e r e .:.

looong weekend

looong weekend

I'm supposed to be packing by now but the mood has yet to kick in. And I gotta leave home by 7+ tomorrow morning. Packing in advance has never been my forte. Wish me luck. Lots of it.

I was more apprehensive than I was excited. Heck, I even reduced the amount of SGD that I'm converting to RM! All those places that I have running in my head, well... Maybe I'm just nervous. Yes, that's what. But it's not like it's my 1st time there! Sheesh!

Maybe the idea that my cousin who's in this trip with me has contacted our distant cousin in KL is a pretty good idea. And that he's willing to bring us around is an EVEN better idea. But the fact that this bumbling cousin of mine conveniently FORGOT to inform him about keeping this matter a hush-hush from his family makes all this a BAAD MOVE. Geez!

And my cousin's hasty bid to make him keep mum was pretty much wasted. Not only has he (excitedly) informed his mum, she EVEN invited us over to their home. The 3 of us going there has only this ONE worry. His BROTHER. Yes, that's who we wanna avoid.

Cos' he's such a pest. A pesky pest. Or a pesky parasite of a pest. Urgh! Even my mum called him "the tall shadow" cos' that's how he like to stick to us. Like a blardee shadow and I'm having none of that during this trip. He's THAT irritating, ok.

Thankfully my mum reminded me that both brothers never seem to move around together (maybe they dun get along??). I'm banking on that fact to perk me up for this trip. Since we've 'snagged' the younger brother as our guide, I wish he'll (thankfully) stay away. Please wish me luck on this one, too. THIS, I really need.

Ok, gotta start packing. Enjoy the looong weekend, ya! Ciao!

cool link

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cool link:

WHAT YOUR NAME MEANS

the link will lead you to the main page. Click on the line "what your name means". Be sure to fill in your FULL NAME; as in the one in your birth certificate and be blown away by the accuracy. Right down to a T.

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home-cooked dinner

home-cooked dinner

Interior
Originally uploaded by crush-ice.

It was a gathering of sorts in Bas's dad's apartment at Melville Park. The last time we met was during the (rainy) BBQ back in early Jan. Why is it that it'll take us at least 3 months before meeting up, even for a simple dinner or coffee..?

Most of us had assumed that this is a pot-luck kinda' dinner. Actually, our host (Bas) had wanted to try a hand at cooking a full main course (with reference to Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef, every metrosexual's cooking guide). So when everyone supposedly did their part and brought something, food was in abundance.

Tell me. How often do you have a bunch of guys preparing food together in the kitchen during a gathering..? It was such a fine sight, I tell you. Us 3 girls end up standing at the kitchen doorway, watching them. Let's not break their momentum, shall we?

But it was cute. We discovered that his dad's wife was a tad too organised for us youngsters so we got pretty stressed out trying to keeps things back to its original order. Hello, she practically LABLED EVERYTHING there is in the kitchen! She even labled the drinking flask! And she got tons of tupperware tucked away. I tell you, only a very organised person will store everything like that

Anyway, we end up watching tv (b'cos a certain someone forgot the DVDs!). Mtv was showing Room Raiders but we forgot that the screening of the Mtv Asia Awards will somehow screw up the programming and they end up showing 4 episodes of Room Raiders back-to-back! Guess what we ended up watching after that? The POLLING RESULTS on CNA.

Hey, it's a lotta' fun, ok? Especially the sight of the ah-peks in the Hougang coffee shop with their mugs of beer rejoicing the WP's victory. And how some ministers had garlands of flowers up to their cheeks, hence minimising their movements and moving aroung like someone with a broken neck.

Anyway it was nice to be able to meet again. Hopefully the next time we met, it's not exactly for break-fast in Ramadhan. I know we're capable of that, what with our clashing working and social schedules. But we had plan to just meet over coffee at Holland V. It's shouldn't be too difficult, rite?

Click on the top pic for more peeks.

somewhere in punggol...

somewhere in punggol...

.... there live a couple who had just gotten hitched over the past weekend.

Deanna was pretty curious about their new abode and enquired bout' dropping by.

The still-fresh-from-the-pelamin Tini was so enthusiatic bout' the idea that she told us to drop by on that Wednesday itself (the very day I asked her).

Aiyoh, wait lah. I have to be mentally prepared before I can drive to Punggol, ok?

So Deanna asked for her to 'cook something nice' for us. And her regretful reply? "Sorry we have yet to bring in the gas. But we have a deep fryer, though."

Geez, I think that's pretty cute.

So yesterday evening, I brought the fries & onion rings (what else? deep fryer only, remember?) while D was like an illegal a dvd peddler, with her stash of thriller (cheap) movies in the bag. Managed to watch 2 movies, 16 Blocks & The Hills Have Eyes.

I just found out that the journey from Punggol to Bedok took a mere 20mins! I wouldn't have learnt that had I NOT lost track of the time and almost forgot to send my mum to work. In fact, despite leaving Punggol really late, I reached my carpark before my mum even made her way down. Phew! AND I stick to the speed limit, wokay?



















Many thanks to our 2 hosts, Tini & Odi for welcoming us to their new lovenest home. Also for letting D doze off on your pretty matress by the windows and letting me snuggle up on the uber-comfy corner of your sofa.

I remember asking them, "Hey, maybe one day, can we just sleep over here?" They gave me and incredulous look before Odi finally broke the silence, saying, "Wait ah. I gotta ask my mum. Scared later she get angry."
I was like *?huh?*. Then Tini replied, "Just come lah! Ask permission like that for what??"

Oh ya. I forgot this is THEIR OWN house. Just them. What's with my formality?? Geez!

aren't they just sch-weet?

aren't they just sch-weet??

























I know that some people blatantly labled them, "Beauty & the Beast".

Well if that symbolises they way they seem hopelessly devoted with each other (like in the fairytale) and how he totally adore her & their kids, I guess there's no harm with that moniker.

With all that bliss, they damn well look very good to me.

my best fren's wedding

another one down, more to go

My close pal from poly was the 1st. Last year, it was my close pal from secondary school. Last weekend, my primary school close pal also jumped on the bandwagon.

Having tried to be there whenever I can, helping with what is necessary, it feels really good to see it all turn out pretty nicely. It also helps that the bride is a pretty organised person and knows what she wants. Rite, Tini?

You looked really gorgeous, you know. Seri pengantin, lah katakan.

I remember asking her, hours after the nikah, if it's been arduous or even hassling. This is what she replied, "Arduous? Not at all! In fact, I feel great. Like a princess!"

How cute. How happy you sounded. And on the day of the reception, seeing you sitting on the dais, looking all regal, your glowing face emanating such a blissful aura, I felt a little tingling on my skin. Cos' you had looked so perfect, almost untouchable. Haha! Sounds funny, huh?

Both of you looked really good as a couple, lah. Apa pepatah melayu, tue? Bagai pinang dibelah dua??? Yah, that's how the both of you are like.

Pink being your favourite colour, really really suit you. Odi looked so.... metrosexual like that. Heh.

So now, go enjoy the freedom you have with this new life and also your new home. Now both of you have a BIG, FAT 'M' to put in you marital status! ;)

More pics H E R E