A Walk to Remember

Mandarin Orange

2012-02-02T18:03:00.002+08:00

In the office today, I saw Kuan peeling mandarin orange for himself. So I asked him for some.

Sometimes, the things Kuan says can be really amusing. He's witty and he can talk back and get back at you with reasons you can never think of. He should be a lawyer.

激死我啦. Lol!

Can meh?

2012-01-31T19:07:00.003+08:00

So at lunch today, Lena and Davin were joking with each other as usual being silly.

Aaron burst out laughing when I asked Lena, "Can meh?"

Hahaha! Bugger...very funny meh? :D

You Said It Wrong

2012-01-30T16:10:00.007+08:00

It was an open house. Lots of guests to entertain.

There was this little girl who spoke only Mandarin. She's 2 years old.

She kept talking to me. So I thought, "Hey, I can practice my Mandarin!"

Well, I managed to answer all her questions until she said, "姐姐, 你说错了."

Fail! LOL.

Good try, Joyce!

Translation
姐姐 - jie3jie3 - older sister
你说错了 - ni3 shuo1 cuo4 le - you said it wrong

Foster the People @ KL Convention Centre

2012-01-26T16:53:00.003+08:00

Foster the People performed in KL on the 13th January 2012.

We bought tickets to Foster the People on the first day it went on sale. Ryan told me that the guy at the counter didn't even know that they're coming. Lol.

Nicholas totally forgot about it and thought that his ticket should be burned but I managed to sell off his ticket on the day itself on twitter via @FongFeiKei.

By the way, fongfeikei.com is a great channel to look for/sell your tickets at the last minute and sometimes at a cheaper price. I remember Edmund told me that he couldn't get ticket for Tiesto last year.

He texted me, "Joyce the ticket all sold out :("

So I replied, "You really want to go? I see if I can find one for you or not. Check fongfeikei.com."

Lol! He replied cursing me thinking that I was pulling his leg. Anyway, he managed to get his ticket at a cheaper price via @FongFeiKei on twitter. How nice!

I know I'm digressing.

So, Lu was late that day and we all waited for her. We were the last one to get into the hall. Obviously, the front portion of the hall was filled and we were left standing behind. We could opt to watch the big screen at the back or stretched out to catch a glimpse of them on stage.

After a few songs, the girls and myself got tired of standing and stretching so we went to the back and sat at the open space to watch the big screen instead.

Here is a video snippet of FTP performing Helena Beat I recorded on my iPhone. I should have recorded it on a landscape mode.

By the way, I hope it's not too late to wish everyone a very HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

To Eat or Not to Eat

2012-01-09T15:15:00.009+08:00

There are people who do things that they know they shouldn't.

For example, an overweight who can't stop eating.

There are also people who do things that they don't know they shouldn't.

For example, a skinny who didn't want to eat.

Lol! Does this sound familiar to you?

2012

2012-01-05T17:30:00.005+08:00

Happy New Year!

This is gonna be my first blog post in 2012. Gosh, time flies. It's 2012 already.

So the other day I was doing my annual resume update (yep! it's something that I do every year as part of my personal year end review), I was so reluctant to change my age from 29 to 30.

The thought of me not being in the twenties bracket anymore sort of freak me out a little. I actually still feel like I'm in my twenties.

Then, I thought to myself, "Hey, technically, I'm not 30 yet. My birthday is in October!"

So, I'm just gonna leave it as 29 for now. Hehe!

"Inside every older person is a younger person – wondering what the hell happened." - Unknown Author

LOL

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

2011-12-31T10:25:00.005+08:00

So what are you doing New Year's Eve?

On this same date last year, I was in Bali with the Beijing crew. We went for a yummy lunch at Bebek Bengil (Dirty Duck) and then to this art museum in Ubud. We had our NYE dinner at the hotel and then we walked to Kuta beach for the countdown and fireworks. It was raining and super crowded. Nevertheless, I did have a great time with my friends in Bali last year.

All of us at Bebek Bengil

Now let's fast forward to today's new year's eve.

Today, I woke up in the morning feeling a little down with the flu and I'll be doing a lot of packing and taking them to the new house.

It's my parent's anniversary today. We are going for a dinner to celebrate the occasion.

People are asking me where am I counting down tonight. To be honest, as much as I want to go party, my health just doesn't let me. I'm sick. I'm just going to stay home tonight and pack my stuff.

Happy New Year everyone and have a great one!

Here's my preferred version of "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" by Diana Krall.

"New Year's Day… now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual." - Mark Twain

LOL.

See what Bailey did to me

2011-12-28T21:30:00.004+08:00

This is Bailey, my brother's dog. Look at him. So cute right?

So one day, I was alone at home packing my stuff for the move. My brother left Bailey here. We usually keep Bailey outdoor when he's here.

This time I let him in the house since my brother bathed him the day before. Well, guess what?

Yes, he pooped in my room! Oh my Lord! When I turned around and saw that, I screamed at him and he knew that he did something wrong. He ran down and hid under the dining table. I took the cane and caned him. He then helped himself out of the house and he just laid there staring into space, looking really sad. Lol. Still so cute but I'm still angry. Hmph!

One Last Christmas

2011-12-24T00:28:00.003+08:00

Gosh, this song just made me cry. It's just so sad.

Please stay safe and God bless. Merry Christmas!

My Kind of Man

2011-12-20T23:11:00.007+08:00

I like my man who is really DIY. Someone who fix stuffs at home. I just find that very sexy and it's a big plus point for him. Seriously.

I guess that's because I'm a daddy's little girl. Huh? Why? Well, people say that daddy's little girls will usually find partners who are like their daddies. They unconsciously look for their dad's qualities in the men they meet. I think that theory is true. You see, my dad is a very DIY kind of man. He fixes literally everything in the house! I'm not kidding.

So Ryan came with me to the new house to check out my walk-in closet today. I guess he didn't expect to do any work but he ended up fixing and putting up some wall racks in my toilet for me. Oh, so much drilling! Since he started with my toilet, he ended up fixing the racks for the other toilets as well. My parent's toilet was the hardest to drill because they got those hard wall tiles. I guess he must be cursing inside and thought to himself that he shouldn't have come in the first place. Lol!

I can see that my mom is very please with him and so is my dad. My mom told me that while Ryan was drilling in my toilet upstairs, my dad went down to the kitchen and told my mom, "this is what I call a boyfriend lah!"

LOL! The things my dad says can be really funny sometimes.

Well, I knew all along that Ryan is a DIY person. I've just never really seen him in action before until tonight. That's just so sexy! Haha!

Johor Premium Outlet

2011-12-16T17:22:00.002+08:00

It was a public holiday for Selangor, so Ryan and I traveled south to Johor Premium Outlet in Kulai which was officially launched on December 11. Fortunately, it wasn't packed like sardine so I can still shop comfortably. I'm just not a big fan of crowded places.

Well, the place does resemble a lot like Woodbury Common in New York but at a really small scale. It's only 2 blocks of 2 stories pretty shop lots. Of course, I can't compare. Woodbury Common has 220 outlets whereas JPO only has 80. I hope they have plans to expand and bring in more brands. Right now, it is just very limited. So, traveling there once is enough for me.

I bought:

- Padini shirt at RM54.50 (Original price RM109)

- Padini skirt at RM29.00 (Original price RM99) - What a steal. I should have bought more!

- Pedro heels at RM229 - No discount but it's okay because I love it and it's hard to find shoes my size

- A set of bedding with quilt cover from Akemi at RM299 - Not sure of the original price but it's considered very cheap for Akemi

- Bedsheet for my brother from Akemi at RM194.35 (Original price RM299)

- Lacoste shoes for Ryan at RM199.50 (Original price RM399)

- Lacoste jeans for Ryan at RM234.50 (Original price RM469)

Is it worth going? Yes and no. Yes, to see the place at least once. No, because the stuffs there are not super cheap. Well, unless you are into premium brands like Armani, Burberry, etc, then I think it's worth it. I spotted a really nice RM6K Armani dress selling at 60% discount. I didn't buy it. I don't think I need to spend RM2.4K for a normal dress.

For more information on Johor Premium Outlet, you can visit their website here.

Tiesto Live @ Heneiken Thirst, Sepang International Circuit

2011-12-12T15:38:00.010+08:00

I went to this sold out #heneiken #thirst2011 event featuring #Tiesto last weekend. It was AWESOME! The fun started at Jess's house all the way to the event.

- Alvin came to my place
- Ryan then drove us to Jess's house in Kota Kemuning
- Sean arrived shortly after
- Jess took us to a restaurant nearby (cheap and tasty)
- Went back to Jess's place
- Did her makeup and damn proud of my work
- Started drinking and singing at her karaoke room
- Nicholas arrived at 10pm
- Drank quite a bit
- Packed more beers in a cooler box and took it with us in the Vellfire to Sepang
- The journey on the way was AWESOME
- Parked somewhere really far
- Walked quite a distance but it didn't feel that far probably because I was having fun
- Met up with the rest of us
- We went in
- I bumped into my brother's bestfriend Daniel Yap
- We proceeded to follow Poh Seng to the front, squeezing and pushing through the crowd. It was horrible. It was packed like sardine.
- Suddenly Nicholas said that we're gonna stand there in the middle of the crowd. I couldn't take it so I told him we are gonna go back to the open area by the corner.
- Pushed our way to the open area.
- Found a nice spot to sit, chill and party.
- It was great and I really felt like 22 again! LOL

To be honest, I've been to Tiesto's gig twice before this and I never really like his music. Trance is really not my cup of tea. I'm more into house music or something funky. However, Tiesto was different that night. The music was really good. I like!

Ryan made a phodeo below:

Blending In

2011-12-08T23:02:00.000+08:00

So I was talking to Lena about how I sometimes felt when I'm in a group of people who speak in a language that I'm not really good at. Well, I can join in the conversation if I totally understand what they are talking about. Sadly, most of the time I don't.

I think it will be hilarious if I misunderstand the conversation and end up saying something irrelevant like the comic below.

Lol! Have a great weekend guys!

Reflection on 2011

2011-12-05T20:34:00.006+08:00

As the year draws to a close, it is about time to reflect on what 2011 has delivered.

In 2011...

I was awarded the best new employee for 2010.

I got a raise.

My beloved grandmother passed away. I miss her. Sometimes I wish that I could have spent more time with her. This got me thinking that most of us are usually too busy with our own life that we often forget to stop for a moment to think of the people we care about. We simply take it for granted that they will always be there.

A colleague who was jointly awarded the best new employee for 2010 passed away. It was a total shocking news. I actually saw him and his girlfriend doing their CNY shopping in Midvalley two days before the news and he was perfectly normal. Life is so vulnerable. You'll never know what's going to happen tomorrow.

Made the toughest decision to break up with someone who means a lot to me.

None of us could take care of the puppy anymore, so he was given away to a distant relative who lives in Taiping. I missed him terribly!

Went for a sleepy relaxing weekend trip to Langkawi with my bestie.

Found a way to get rid of my hormonal breakout. Read this.

Fell in love again.

Went for a momentous trip to Bali with the boyfriend and his business associates

News of a classmate from high school who was battling leukemia passed away. At this point, I seriously think that a lot of people passed away this year.

My sister in law got pregnant. So I'm going to be an aunty soon. I can't wait!

Went for a long holiday cruising to Ho Chi Minh City and Redang from Singapore with my beloved boyfriend.

Reconnected with a few good old friends.

Met a few new good friends.

Celebrated my birthday in a club for the first time.

Moving to a new house soon and I will be sleeping in a big room with a walk-in closet.

Well, those are some of the highlights and lowlights. I'm pretty sure that my next few weeks before 2012 will be just...awesome!

Aww, he made me a photobook!

2011-12-03T12:58:00.002+08:00

...

Online Comic Strip Generator

2011-11-29T20:25:00.002+08:00

Many people asked how I drew those comics in my previous posts. The answer is I didn't draw them. First of all, drawing is not my forte. Besides, I don't have the time to learn how to draw a comic electronically.

I simply used a comic strip generator. What a great tool for ~~lazy~~ busy people like me. There are a number of free online comic strip generator out there. Just google it.

I used Strip Generator for this. Easy to use but a lot of limitations.

Then, I found something better. I used ToonDoo for this.

I like ToonDoo the best so far because I can create my own character but it has limitations in terms of posture. I can't get my character to face to the right, left or back.

I have yet to try out the others. Like I said, I don't have the time.

So, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do let me know if you know a good one?...Since I'm so kind to share this with you. See now you know my secret but I'm happy to share. :)

P/S: I customized the cartoon character above to look like me via ToonDoo. So cute right? Especially the second one.

How to pick up girls at the vending machine

2011-11-25T15:25:00.000+08:00

One day during our lunch break, the few of us were talking about how we can text in to buy a drink at the vending machine in Japan.

"Yeah, there's a number at the machine you can text to. Then the machine will go "grrng"...and then you'll get your drink."

"Imagine you're standing in front of the machine thinking of what to buy and suddenly the machine go "grrng". When you look around, you see this man waving and smiling at you. Hahaha..."

So I got inspired and created my next comic...

I hope you like it.

Have a great weekend guys!

Queue Jumper

2011-11-23T17:07:00.007+08:00

This is my first attempt to do a comic strip. Please forgive me for the ugliness. Be nice ok. Lol!

So here you go...

I wonder if she's blind or what. It was so obvious we were all queuing for the washroom. And why did the girl in front didn't say anything? The woman behind me started making friends with me after that. Lol.

I know the comic strip fonts are very small. I've tried my best. So here's the story...

So one day at Sunway Giza, I was queuing for the washroom. I was the third one in line. Out of nowhere, this girl came in and walked past us and stood in front of the cubicle.

The woman queuing behind me asked me, "Hi, is this the queue?"

I replied, "Yes". The woman looked at the queue jumper in front and I knew I had to do something.

So I called out to her, "Excuse me, the queue starts here" pointing to the back.

She apologized and joined the queue.

Bugger at the ATM

2011-11-20T17:54:00.003+08:00

I was at the ATM machine and someone was queuing behind me really close like 2 feet or less away. That made me feel really uneasy like someone's trying to invade my privacy or breathing down my neck or something. Shouldn't you give more space to the person taking out money in front of you at the ATM? Grrrrr. I turned and looked who was behind me hoping that he would get the message but NOOOOO. Sigh! Some people...

So anyway, after I got my receipt from the ATM, of course I had to take a quick peek at the receipt before I leave. As I was about to leave, suddenly this bugger behind me called out "excuse me" in a very rude tone. I was surprised with his "excuse me" and then I shot him a dirty look and said "wait a while lah". Stared kau at him and walked off. He looked a little embarrassed. Lol! Hmph! Don't think you can bully me because I'm mini.

My Happiest Moment

2011-11-11T11:34:00.023+08:00

***Warning: Long post below***

I'm a Chinese but I can't speak, read or write Chinese. You see, no one taught me the language when I was growing up as a kid. I remember we spoke mostly English and Cantonese.

Chinese was one of the subject taught in the kindergarten I attended. I remember this laoshi loves to ask the students to stand up and sing a nursery rhyme in Chinese. Those of a different race will have an option to sing in another language. Somehow, this laoshi ALWAYS picked me knowing that I couldn't sing a single Chinese nursery rhyme. So I ALWAYS ended up getting punished by this laoshi like:

- not allowed to sit during class
- cross hands pull ears and do 10 squats

I went to a national school where all the subjects were taught in Bahasa Malaysia. In primary school, there was this Bahasa Ibunda class that the Chinese must attend to learn Chinese and the Indians to learn Tamil. In class, the teacher spoke only Chinese. That language was so alien to me so I was always clueless when she spoke to me or asked me to do anything. I just couldn't comprehend. :(

Before, I was always afraid of China. First of all, I couldn't speak the language and I always hear stories of how people in China will kidnap you and steal your internal organs, etc. It's scary, isn't it? BUT, in 2009, I actually enrolled myself for a 3 months intensive Chinese course in Beijing all ALONE. Everyone was very surprised with my decision and thought that I was very brave. Some thought that I would not survived there. Seriously, I didn't regret that decision at all. I had so much fun in Beijing and I'm not afraid of China anymore. Read my BLCU diary if you're interested.

Staying in Beijing for 3 months was actually one of the happiest moment in my life so far. I met so many people from different parts of the world and some of us are still keeping in touch. On weekends, we would all hang out or visit places in Beijing.

There was this one place I really love. It's called 798 Art District. It is a part of Dashanzi in the Chaoyang district. The whole place is just so artsy fartsy. The buildings there are actually 50-year old decommissioned military factory buildings of unique architectural style turned into art galleries, studios and cafes. It's actually a really nice place to chill (with the right weather of course!) and it's also the purrr-fect place for photography.

So here you go, a snapshot of one of my happiest moment below.

This is a photo taken by Denny of Darwin taking photo of me. Hehe! Did I confuse you?

2011-11-10T22:43:00.001+08:00

I went to the pantry and as usual, the toilet door was shut. I turned the knob to open it and I went in. Davin saw what I did and he said,

"Shouldn't you knock first just in case someone is inside?"

"If someone is inside, I won't be able to turn the knob right?"

"Yes, but imagine if you're inside and someone try to open the door, won't you feel uneasy? like someone's trying to barge in."

Hmm, that got me thinking and he's right! So I said,

"You're right, I shall knock the door next time. You know what? You can be a really good father."

Lol.

It's true. You don't just slap your kids if they snap at you when you tell them what they should do. Instead, turn it around and ask them "how would you feel if it were you?" and let them think for themselves. It's part of development. Well, if they snap still............just SLAP! :P

If your kids are giving you a headache, follow the directions on the aspirin bottle, especially the part that says, "keep away from children." - Susan Savannah

2011-11-08T19:15:00.004+08:00

So it was a holiday and I was in the mood to cook. It turned out edible!

Steamed Chicken
Something I learned from a cooking class at At19 Culinary Studio a few months back but I changed it a little. I just minus the salted fish.

Steamed Chicken

Ingredients
Half chicken - cut into bite sized pieces
Garlic - minced
Ginger - 2 cm finely cut
2 Red chilli - de-seeded and finely cut
Soy sauce - 1 tablespoon
Oyster sauce - 1 tablespoon
Pepper - dash
Sesame oil - few drops

1. Marinade the chicken with soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper and sesame oil for at least 15-30 minutes.
2. Gently brown the garlic and ginger in a pan with a bit of oil.
3. Transfer the chicken onto steaming plate.
4. Pour the sauteed ingredients with the oil and the chilli on top of the chicken. Place into the steamer and steam for 15-30 minutes.

Fragrant Stir-fry Brinjal and Longbean
This is also something I learned from a cooking class at At19 Culinary Studio a few months back but I changed it a little.

Fragrant Stir-fry Brinjal and Longbean

Ingredients
Brinjal -cut lengthwise
Longbeans - cut into 1 inch
Dried prawns - soaked and drained
Garlic - minced
Onion - minced
Red chilli - de seeded and sliced
Oyster sauce - 1 tablespoon
Soy sauce - 1/2 tablespoon

1. Boil water in a pot and blanch the longbeans for 3-4 minutes. Drain.
2. In a pan, heat some oil and brown the brinjals. Set aside.
3. Fry the dried prawns until crispy. Add in garlic and onions and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add in the longbeans and brinjal and stir fry.
5. Add in soy sauce and oyster sauce. Fry for another 1-2 minutes.

Butter Prawn
The last time I cooked this was about a year ago. Still good. I must remember not to heat the butter in the pan for too long or else, the cleaning will drive me crazy.

Butter Prawn

Ingredients
Large prawns - 16 pieces here
Curry leaves
Cut chilli padi
Butter
Evaporated milk (I use Ideal Evaporated Milk)

1. Fry the prawns in a very hot oil for 10-15 seconds. Put it aside. Tip: Use a stainless steel strainer. Put away the oil.
2. Melt butter in the wok.
3. Throw in the chilli padi and curry leaves.
4. Season with some salt and sugar. Ratio 2:1.
5. Add in some evaporated milk.
6. Add in the previously fried prawns and saute.

2011-11-05T22:10:00.007+08:00

I asked my dad a question, "Dad, do you sometimes wish that you have more kids?"

He replied, "No, I didn't want to have more than 2 kids."

Mom said, "If we have more kids now, I think we'll still be in New York and we won't be moving to this new house."

Then, dad threw me a question, "How many kids do you want to have?"

I replied, "Depends how much money I have and how many kids I can afford."

LOL.

"I grew up with six brothers. That's how I learned to dance -waiting for the bathroom." - Bob Hope

2011-11-02T22:42:00.003+08:00

So one day, I saw a tweet from Time Out KL, "RT with a reason if you want to be TOKLreader of the month and get featured in the magazine!"

So I did with the reason "I'm a big fan of your magazine."

A few hours later, I got a direct message from Time Out KL thanking me for RTing and to drop them an email for more details.

When I saw that message, I just didn't know how to react. All of the sudden, I was very SHY. It's funny because I was like so gung-ho when I RTed but when I finally got it, I wanted to take it back.

Anyway, I got the courage to email them and here I am, the reader of the month in the November issue of Time Out KL.

Well, I love TO. Each time I visit a new country, I will check if they have TO there to see what's hot.

Birthday Lunch @ Bumbu Bali, Bandar Puteri Puchong

2011-10-31T22:10:00.002+08:00

I've been craving for some Balinese food (especially Sate Lilit). So I finally satisfy that craving one afternoon.

The last time I dine here was years ago. Nevertheless, I had a yummy birthday lunch with the colleagues at Bumbu Bali Puchong.

Top: Siap Bumbu (RM28) , Left: Bali Trio (RM45), Right: Nasi Campur (RM35)

My Birthday @ Club Neverland KL

2011-10-30T14:46:00.010+08:00

Never in my life I have celebrated my birthday in a club. So since this year is my last 20s, I decided to celebrate in a club. Also because someone said that I should celebrate in Old Town Kopitiam next year onwards. ... -.-

Neverland KL is a new club in town and since none of us has been there, we chose that venue.

Jess, I curi your photo. Thanks Babe!

I have to thank Jess for organizing this and Ryan for footing the bill. Also not forgetting my brother Colin, for buying a bottle as well. I really had a blast with all my friends that night.

So, 19 people turned up, 7 bottles of Chivas (thanks to Ryan and Colin), 12 shots of tequila (thanks to Sean), 1 graveyard and waterfall (thanks to Nicholas) -- Anything else? Because I don't quite remember. I don't have a clear memory of the last quarter of that night. Lol.

Thank you baby for the cake and for taking care of me

Thank you baby for the present

October Events

2011-10-27T23:24:00.009+08:00

I don't club a lot now unless I have to. Just so happen that I seem to club a lot in October.

Vertigo @ Gardens Midvalley
Jess got invites to the launching of this new club called Vertigo at Gardens Midvalley (Level 6). So, the usual suspects were invited. Free flow of Henessy and beer all night up until 11pm. Boy, we had so much fun on a Thursday night! I guess with the right company, you'll definitely have fun no matter where you are.

Bedroom @ Pavilion
This wasn't planned at all. Ryan and I went to an art festival in Publika at Solaris Dutamas. After the event, we went to Pavilion to meet Jess and Lu. Lu wanted to dance (that reminded me of Lena Lee), so we all went to Bedroom at Level 6. Hmm...Level 6 again? Must be a good number.

The DJ was playing house music which I liked and the place was not too crowded. A lot of angmoh though. Tourists or expats, maybe?

We definitely had fun that night. It's more like a girls' night out. Pity Ryan had to tag along. Lol.

The DJ console at Bedroom Pavilion

Library @ Midvalley
Okay, it's not a club but it was somebody's birthday and that involved large intake of beer.

Neverland KL @ Jalan Kia Peng
That was where I celebrated my birthday. I will blog about this later.

Alive KL
I did not take any pictures here. Well, to be honest, I don't quite like it here because it's too crowded for me. Ah, I'm getting too old for this. The band is good though and the guys and the girls are quite pretty.

2011-10-24T21:32:00.003+08:00

That's my brother drying Bailey with a hairdryer after bathing him. Bailey seems to be enjoying it. Sometimes I wonder who is the master here. LOL!

Ryan's Birthday @ Prime, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur

2011-10-17T19:01:00.002+08:00

On September 21st, I celebrated Ryan's birthday at Prime, Le Meridien Hotel Kuala Lumpur. I've heard so much about this place and it was also voted Best Steak House in Time Out KL Food Awards 2010, so I decided to give this restaurant a try.

I made my reservation online and on the same day, a lady called me to reconfirm (she mispronounced my name though *click here*).

What I liked from my dining experience at Prime:

The bread and the 3 different kinds of butter.
Lobster Bisque - we ordered 1 to share and they split it into 2 bowls for us.
The steak - Sorry I forgot what I ordered but it was good. Better than Ryan's wagyu.
Red wine - Sorry again, I forgot which wine I ordered.
They actually took note that I was celebrating Ryan's birthday that night and they surprised him with a slice of cake with a candle lighted up toward the end of our dinner. I was surprised. The cake was yummy too.

What I didn't like:

Service was slow although the waiters/waitresses were running around. It was hard for us to call them. Understaffed?
We waited for almost an hour for our main course. Luckily our main was not a disappointment or else, I'mma kill them! Lol.

The old boy with his yummy birthday cake

It wasn't the best fine-dining experience for me but most importantly, Ryan's happy.

Total damage was MYR518.50.

Why I love October?

2011-10-11T11:16:00.009+08:00

I love October because it's my birthday month and of course, Octoberfest! #OktoberfestMY

Octoberfest is an annual fall festival held in Munich, Germany. It is associated with the consumption of large amounts of beer and traditional German foods, etc.

Well, I call it OctoBEERfest!

Please click here and like the facebook page to keep yourself up to date with Octoberfest parties in Malaysia.

Danke!

I was looking for an all German beer picture but this is the best beer picture I can find in my album. :D

2011-10-10T23:13:00.005+08:00

This song just gave me back my soul. It's an old song by James Morisson.

I just had a great night out with Jess. We haven't been spending time alone for quite some time. I had 3 bottles of Konig Ludwig at TDH and this song was playing. I know it's a bit contradicting because it's a sad song and it's about the pieces don't fit anymore but I don't care. I'm happy now. I haven't been myself since last Saturday. I guess it's because of the time of the month. Lol!

Well I can't explain why it's not enough, cause I gave it all to you. - James Morisson

Singapore

2011-10-08T22:50:00.031+08:00

A few weeks ago, Ryan and I went on a 6D 5N cruise on Superstar Virgo that departs from Singapore. So, we spent one night in Singapore before and after the cruise. Some highlights and lowlights of our stay in Singapore as follow:

Hard Rock Hotel, Singapore (Sentosa Island)
We stayed here for one night before the cruise. We bought a 2D 1N package for MYR1300 that includes:

One night stay in Hard Rock Hotel
Breakfast for two
Two one-day adult passes to Universal Studios Singapore
Complimentary welcome drinks for two

I don't know why we were given a smoking room but I guess maybe that's because I did not specifically request for a non-smoking room. Note to self - always remember to request for a non-smoking room. What happened was, the moment we opened our room door, we were greeted with a very strong smell of cigarette. I felt like we walked into an ashtray. The air in the room was very stale. The worst part was that there's no window in the room. So we couldn't really let fresh air in.

I was so tired that night but I couldn't sleep well. I kept waking up because of our noisy neighbour. They must be a bunch of college kids playing cards and drinking in the room and they laughed so loud on and off it drove me crazy. The hotel room wall must be really thin. Nevertheless, the furnishings and the layout of the room is quite tasteful. The only thing is they should provide a rack for the guests to place their shampoo, body shower and etc in the shower.

Our smelly room

A bokeh picture I took with Ryan's camera

Tanjong Beach Club, Sentosa
We met up with Denny and Stephanie in Tanjung Beach Club. Tanjong Beach Club is a bar and cafe located along Tanjong Beach in Sentosa Island. It's supposed to be a nice place from all the pictures of the bar I googled but the weather was horrible that day. It was drizzling. I hate going to a beach bar in that kind of weather.

Catching up with Denny and Stephanie was good. The last time we met was during our Beijing reunion in Bali in December 2010.

With Denny & Stephanie

Universal Studios Singapore
We went to USS the next day. We had a full-day pass but we had to check-in to our cruise by 4pm. So we left at 2pm. Well, USS was fun! We reconnected with our inner child in there.

Universal Studio
(Picture taken with my iPhone)

I'm going to far far away

That's my castle
(Picture taken with my iPhone)

And I found my Shrek

Ooooh roller coasters!
(Picture taken with my iPhone)

Shopping
We went shopping at this new mall called Ion in Orchard. We weren't aimlessly shopping though. My mission was to go to Muji Store and knocked myself out. When is Muji coming to KL?! Can't believe they have it in Indonesia and Singapore but not KL. Grrr!

Also, went to Isetan next to Takashimaya to get Fancl products for Jess. I bought myself something nice too. Sweet!

We wanted to check out H&M but OH MY LORD...the QUEUE was so long we dropped that idea. But really...SERIOUSLY? People actually queue like that for H&M? Hehehe.

Sands SkyPark @ Marina Bay Sands
The reason we were here because we haven't been here before and Ryan wanted to take pictures. Ku De Ta Singapore is located here. I still prefer the Ku De Ta in Bali. Oh, just thinking about it made me want to go back to Bali. I think Bali is the place I really don't mind visiting again and again.

The view from Sands SkyPark

Hooters @ Clarke Quay
I actually like the food here. Can't remember what we had for our main but the following is the appetizers:

Fresh oysters

Snow crab legs

Clarke Quay

V Hotel Lavender, Singapore
This is the hotel we stayed for one night after our cruise. Apart from the hotel conveniently located directly above Lavender MRT Station, everything else was bad. I had a very bad night here.

First of all, the room is small but that's okay as we only needed a place to sleep for one night. The shower drain wasn't draining water fast enough and that flooded the dry area of the toilet. The AC was blowing out warm air instead of cool air. After complaining, a technician came to our room to adjust the temperature. He set the temperature to the lowest but only a very slight improvement. I couldn't sleep well throughout the night because I was sweating and the room was stuffy. So, no more V Hotel Lavender for me.

***All photos are photographed by Ryan Chew unless stated otherwise.

Happy Ending

2011-09-30T22:00:00.007+08:00

This is a happy ending post. LOL! Whatever that means.

So K came back from his 7 days training in Bangkok. As usual, we asked a lot of questions such as "did you do anything special?", "met any new people?", "did you check out this place?", etc.

K: I went for massage.
J: Got happy ending?
K: No happy ending.

So, later that day, J emailed a YouTube video below to all involved in that conversation.

L then replied, "Now I know why K said….NO HAPPY ENDING….hahahhahahahhaha…"

Now we all know why.

LOL!

******************************************

CL says the funniest thing sometimes.

D wrote an email: Hi guys, have a great weekend. I think we’re doing quite well as a team, synergy and all. Lets have our fingers crossed for the SAP B1 partner of the year award as well!

CL replied: Happy ending if get the year award????

D replied: Errr.....

D hopes that she DOES know what "happy ending" is. He is worried she go tell someone that and the guy gets the wrong idea.

Well, CL's reply did brighten up my day though. LOL!

Do you have a phobia?

2011-09-26T21:14:00.001+08:00

A recent trivia challenge got me google up the word "sitophobia".

Then I came across this link here.

10 Weird Phobias That Will Totally Surprise You

Venustraphobia – Fear of Beautiful Women
Seriously?
Phobophobia – Fear of Having a Phobia
This person must be one hell of a confused person.
Sitophobia – Fear of Eating
How do people with sitophobia eat then?
Porphyrophobia – Fear of the Color Purple
Lol! Is the color purple really that bad?
Panphobia – Fear of Everything
Wow, I don't know what to say.
Pteronophobia – Fear of Being Tickled by Feathers
This, I can understand if you're ticklish.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – Fear of Long Words
LOL! That is the longest word I've ever come across. I'm still figuring out how to pronounce that.
Neophobia – Fear of Anything New
Huh?
Metrophobia – Fear of Poetry
"Roses are red, violets are blue" ... "Nooooooooo! Shut up! *puke*"
Nephophobia – Fear of Clouds
This person must not see sunlight and only go out at night.

I didn't know there is such a long list of phobias. It's crazy. View the phobia list here.

"Fear always springs from ignorance." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 5 and Day 6

2011-09-26T16:14:00.000+08:00

This will be the final post on SuperStar Virgo.

My previous posts on SuperStar Virgo:
**SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 1
**SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 2 and Day 3
**SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 4

Laguna Redang Resort

Day 5
Because I had too much to drink the night before, I woke up late and we didn't have our breakfast. We only made it for our time slot to get off the ship to Redang. So, we had our brunch in Redang.

Apparently, our ship stopped in the middle of the sea and we had to take a boat from the ship to the island. Traveling on a boat with an empty stomach = BAD IDEA. I was feeling queasy and as soon as we reached Redang, I went to the toilet to puke and I felt so much better after that.

The view of SuperStar Virgo from the beach at Laguna Redang Resort (Picture taken from my iPhone)

The boat took us to Laguna Redang Resort. After so many days with limited or no access to internet at all, Ryan and myself spent a lot of time with our iPhone once we got our 3G. Both of us actually just sat there minding our own business not talking to each other which was really funny.

Busy updating myself with the world after lunch

We then proceeded to the resort bar for drinks. I realized that I had everything in red that day. My dress was red, my bag was red and my cocktail was red. I just had to ask Ryan to take a picture.

Me in my red dress, red bag and my Bloody Mary

We got back to the ship at 5pm and chilled out at the pool deck. We didn't go to the inclusive restaurant for dinner. Ryan was getting bored of going to the same restaurant and so he suggested Japanese at Samurai.

Day 6
Woke up in the morning. Got ready. Packed our stuff and left our luggage outside our cabin for baggage collection. We then went for our breakfast at Bella Vista.

The final round of the progressive trivia was quite tough. We got second place. So, no medal for us. :(

We then went to collect our passports from the reception counter. As there was nothing much to do, most of the passengers were outside enjoying the view as we sailed into Singapore.

Arriving Singapore

Balcony class passengers had a different disembarkation venue. The disembarkation process was easy. As we got priority, we didn't have to wait long for our baggage as well.

I really enjoyed the cruise.

***All photos are photographed by Ryan Chew unless stated otherwise.

SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 4

2011-09-25T14:58:00.002+08:00

Breakfast at Bella Vista

Previous posts on SuperStar Virgo:
**SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 1
**SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 2 and Day 3

Day 4
Again, we were stuck on the ship at high sea for the day.

Loiter around

We registered ourselves for the Behind-the-Scene-Tour. The technical and backstage guys brought a small group of us to the reality on how shows are made. He briefed us on the sound and lighting, the stage, and he also brought us to the backstage area. Towards the end of the tour, one of the entertainment crew came to join us on stage and told us to stand behind her facing the back of the stage. When the song YMCA started playing, she started dancing and we had to follow her steps. The stage was revolving while we danced. Nice!

The smoke effect

This is what the performers see on stage. They can't see the audience at all so it's like they are dancing/performing in the studio and this will actually give them more confidence. That is why flash photography is not allowed during shows because it will distract them.

We went for the progressive trivia (round 3). It was okay but we didn't get the highest score this time but we were still leading if I'm not mistaken.

So, since we had a lot of time to kill, we had a photography session. Obviously, Ryan's the photographer and I'm the model. Some of my favorite shots below.

At Taverna, a snack bar at Deck 13

At the sunbathing deck at Deck 13

That's me getting ready for the gala dinner

We had our gala dinner at Bella Vista

That's Ryan with his glass of wine (photographed by me)

There was a ballroom dance performance at the Grand Piazza

Us camwhoring

After our dinner, we went for a show called Gala Showtime: Reflections of Russia. The show was pretty interesting. A lot of acrobatic and stunts.

After the show, we tried our luck at the casino again thinking that we might hit another jackpot but the house was so strong that we ran away as fast as we could. LOL. We ended up having beers at Taverna and there was a live band playing. I met a few new people - 2 Australian couples and a Japanese couple. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. I actually got drunk.

That's Matt from Melbourne and Yuko-san dancing behind

Ryan dancing with Jill

Happy times.

SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 2 and Day 3

2011-09-21T18:11:00.001+08:00

Previous post on SuperStar Virgo:
**SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 1

Day 2 - At Sea
The ship was still on its way to Ho Chi Minh and we were stuck on the ship at high sea for the day.

We had breakfast at Bella Vista (Western). Come to think of it, we actually had our breakfast at Bella Vista everyday on the cruise. The breakfast menu for Pavilion Room (Chinese) was not very appealing to me. So, American breakfast FTW! I had cheese omelette, baked beans, chicken sausage, turkey ham, hash brown and grilled tomatoes. So yummy!

After breakfast, we walked around and explored the ship. We checked out the casino and there were a few "Learn to Play" tables. So I learned a few games namely, Texas Holdem, 3 Cards Poker (not sure if I got the name correct) and Pontoon.

After much loitering around the ship, we went for lunch at Pavilion Room (Chinese). We then proceeded to Win, Lose or Draw activity. There were 4 teams competing. Ryan and myself was a team and there were another 3 Australian couples. Well, we lost by one point. I couldn't guess what Ryan drew. :(

We also had a Progressive Trivia Challenge. They held this trivia challenge everyday until the last day of our cruise and the team with the highest accumulated score will win.........a medal. Lol! We had Pat from Australia to join our team. We did pretty well for this first challenge. We actually got the highest score this round. Ryan was pretty good at this (that's when I realize my boyfriend is actually quite smart :P baby don't kill me). He contributed a lot. Out of 20 questions, I only contributed to 1 question and that question was, "What is the number if you add up all the numbers from 1 to 100?" The answer is 5050. I know not because I'm good in mathematics. It's because back in high school, I used to play with my calculator by punching 1+2+3+4 'til 100. Lol.

After the trivia, Ryan went to the internet room to check his emails. As for me, I went for manicure at the saloon. We then chilled out at the pool bar for a bit before dinner.

We went to Pavilion Room for dinner. I think Ryan was getting bored of the place already but they don't serve the same food everyday which was still alright.

We tried our luck at the casino. I lost a little but Ryan was really lucky. He hit a minor jackpot at the Caribbean Stud Poker. He got 4 of a kind - 4 kings. Both of us became famous at the table because of that. Lol.

Next, we went for a magic show which was pretty good. We also went for the Hot Strip Off Party. It's actually a similar party that I went to the one in SuperStar Libra last year. The host for this party was a cross-dressed guy and he was really funny.

The view from our balcony at night

Day 3 - Ho Chi Minh City
We had breakfast at Bella Vista and then to the round 2 of the Progressive Trivia Challenge. The trivia challenge was pretty tough this time. We only got 6 correct answers out of 20.

On the way to HCMC port

We bought Exploration of Ho Chi Minh tour for SGD62 per person. We visited the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Municipal Post Office, Museum of National History and Ben Thanh Market.

Reunification Palace

Notre Dame Cathedral

Municipal Post Office

That's me at a souvenir shop in the Municipal Post Office

Ben Thanh Market was crowded but it was not as bad as Chatuchak Market in Bangkok. The prices were inflated by 50% at least. You just have to haggle haggle haggle! After all the haggling, I still feel that we got ripped off for the souvenirs we bought there.

There was this nail parlor at the market, half the size of a shop lot, and it was really packed. See picture below. I was amused.

Nail parlor at Ben Thanh Market

I had a so-called street food at the market where you sit on a little stool and hold the bowl with one hand and you eat with the other hand. The noodle I had wasn't too bad but I don't think it's worth 40,000 Dong (RM6). It was a ripoff.

The so-called street food I had at Ben Thanh Market

***All photos are photographed by Ryan Chew.

SuperStar Virgo 6D5N - Day 1

2011-09-20T21:46:00.004+08:00

It's been ages since I last went for a long holiday. By the way, my definition of a "long holiday" has to be at least one week. The boyfriend and I went for a 6 days 5 nights Singapore-Ho Chi Minh City-Redang-Singapore cruise on SuperStar Virgo. We also spent one night in Singapore before and after the cruise. So that totaled up to 8 days 7 nights away from home. I will blog about Singapore later.

This trip was a spontaneous one. We didn't plan for any more trips for the year but we came across a really good deal from MyDeal here. We upgraded our cabin to Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony (Deck 11).

We did not regret the upgrade at all because there were a few privileges for the balcony class passengers. You just have to read on to find out what are the privileges.

SuperStar Virgo

Day 1
Checking in and boarding the ship was a breeze. Well, that's because there was a special lane for the balcony class passengers. As we entered the ship, we were greeted with a special welcome cocktail (free flow) exclusive only for Admiral and Balcony Class guests at the Grand Piazza (located on Deck 7, Midship Lobby). I was a little tipsy after 2 glasses or so of champagne.

Grand Piazza

We were also informed that we had a special dining credit of SGD300 that we can use for food and beverages at any of the bars and restaurants. This is on top of the six sumptuous meals they’ll serve us every day. Awesome-ness!

We bought one bottle of red wine and one bottle of white wine to be consumed on the ship. We also bought our HCMC day tour.

We had to book our table for the Wednesday Gala Dinner as well on Day 1. Again, we had priority booking and we had 4 restaurants to choose from whereas the normal class only had 2 choices.

Our cabin

The toilet - Shower on the left; Toilet on the right

When the ship departed at 6pm, we went up to Deck 12 to chill at the jacuzzi and at the poolside with our Heineken. Ahhhhhhh, blissful!

Parthenon Pool

For our inclusive meals, we had 3 restaurants to choose from namely, Pavilion Room (Chinese), Bella Vista (Western) and Mediterranean (Buffet - Halal). So, our usual routine for our meal is that, we will check out the menu for both Pavilion and Bella Vista before we decide where to eat.

"Why can't they place both the menu at one place so that we don't have to walk to two different locations?" I find myself asking this question all the time and Ryan answered, "They have to make it hard for us or else we will be bored." Lol.

So after all the walking, we had our dinner at Pavilion Room (Chinese) and the food was good. In my honest opinion, I think the food provided by all the Star Cruise was alright except for the buffet. I went on SuperStar Libra last year and didn't think the buffet was good. The buffet on SuperStar Virgo was not very inviting as well. However, I remember the buffet was superb 15 years ago on Star Pisces and SuperStar Gemini. Well, they probably changed their concept.

After our dinner, we went for the Welcome Aboard Show at The Lido. I found out that balcony class passengers get to enjoy the option of exclusive balcony class seats but this is on a first come first served basis. The seats are very limited. Anyway, no big deal.

I will blog about Day 2 and Day 3 on my next post.

***All photos are photographed by Ryan Chew.

It's Joyce, not Jocy or Joy C

2011-09-20T10:12:00.005+08:00

"Hello Ms. Jocy, this is to confirm your reservation for tomorrow night at 8PM..."

"Thank you, Ms. Jocy..."

Joyce is such a common name now and I don't get why some people still can't pronounce it right.

This is how you should pronounce Joyce. Click here.

Can we sell fixed asset and recognize the sale as revenue?

2011-09-08T21:59:00.005+08:00

A recent engagement sparked my curiosity to find out whether a sale of fixed asset can be recognized as revenue.

I sort of achieved what I was looking for from this article. Refer Figure 1.

Figure 1
A motor dealer is in the business of selling new and used vehicles. It has a fleet of demonstration vehicles which it allows customers to test drive before they decide to purchase. The dealer adopts a policy of using the demonstration vehicles for one year and then selling the vehicles on. The question is does the sale of one of the used vehicles constitute revenue or is it a fixed asset disposal?

As the motor dealer is in the business of selling new and used vehicles then the sale of one of the demonstration vehicles would constitute turnover.

Now, I'm curious of what will be the accounting treatment for the above. Do I record the sale amount as turnover and the net book value of the vehicle as cost of goods sold?

“Never call an accountant a credit to his profession; a good accountant is a debit to his profession.” - Sir Charles Lyell

Jarrod & Rawlins Fried Breakfast

2011-09-05T20:06:00.002+08:00

I woke up really late one day because of excessive partying the night before during the holidays last week. I was craving for a hearty "breakfast" and so Ryan and I went to Sri Hartamas to hunt for food. We were thinking of Japanese or Korean but, by the time we got there around 2.30PM, all the restaurants were closed.

So we ended up in Jarrod & Rawlins. I think they're awesome because they serve breakfast all day long so you don't have to drag your ass out of bed early in the morning. Well, obviously I ordered their fried breakfast set.

J&R's fried breakfast consists of two eggs, one sausage, bacon, grilled tomato, hash brown, toast bread, orange juice and coffee or tea. I just love it! I always love American breakfast and now I know where to have a good one whenever I'm lazy to cook one.

Jarrod & Rawlins Fried Breakfast - RM28

Can you spot something funny in this picture?

Positivity

2011-09-04T16:44:00.004+08:00

All of us will go through bad situations in life. I must say that I'm not perfect, but I try to live my life from the point of view that we all fall down and get hurt. I guess the only way to get through it all is to look at what you can gain from it. Think positive and your life will be much easier.

This is my all time favourite quote from Mother Teresa.

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

2011-09-02T10:56:00.006+08:00

Shirley passed me her wedding invitation to me the other day. Davinder was not around so she asked me to pass it to him when he gets back.

The next morning at work, I handed him the red envelope.

The look on his face - PRICELESS! He was like "What? So fast?"

He thought it came from me.

LOL!

Raya Merdeka

2011-09-01T23:22:00.000+08:00

It was a quiet Merdeka this year because of Hari Raya. No fireworks and no road closure. The traffic to the city was a breeze. I like!

Jess wanted to do something so, a bunch of us went to The View Rooftop Bar at G Tower to chill. There were eight of us. I brought Ryan and my cousin, Edmund. Ryan asked his friend, Alvin, to join us as well. Jess came with Sean and her two ex-colleagues, Pei Yuen and Fiona.

We bought a Merdeka package at RM688++. The package includes 12 test tube punch, 1 bottle of Mumm Champagne, 1 bottle of Absolute Vodka Blue and 4 tapas snack. We didn't have enough so we bought another 2 more bottles of JD Whiskey. We did not finish the last one because everyone was so high towards the end of the night. We had loads of fun nevertheless. Happy times!

Time Out KL Mixology Workshop @ The View Rooftop Bar, G Tower

2011-08-28T22:32:00.003+08:00

I have won a cocktail workshop for 2 from @TimeOutKL. It was held at The View Rooftop Bar at G Tower. So, I brought Ryan along and we had a great time. The venue was awesome. It's definitely a nice place to chill.

Waiting for the workshop to start

The workshop started at 3pm. As we walked in, there was a strong smell of alcohol in the room. For those who can't take alcohol, I can assure you he/she will definitely faint from breathing in those fumes. =D

This workshop taught us how to make 4 kinds of cocktail with tequila. It's fantastic because I like tequila. The tequila that we used is 1800 Anejo which was aged in French Oak barrels for 3 years. 1800 Tequila is a brand of tequila owned by the Beckmann Family, who also own the Jose Cuervo brand. 1800 Tequila is a 100% Blue Agave Tequila and bottled in Jalisco, Mexico.

Our working area

Squeeze the lime

Ben, the one who conducted the workshop

Margarita

El Diablo - This won us a prize for being the best tasting

Mexican Julep

Sangrita - We did not make this but the recipe was given to us
If you like Bloody Mary, you'll love this

Our prizes

As you know, this was a cocktail workshop, definitely there was a lot of drinking during the process. I think most of us came out tipsy after the workshop. Haha! Well, I had fun.

100th Day

2011-08-26T21:01:00.006+08:00

Ryan sent me flowers for our 1 month anniversary.

I did the same for our 100th day. I got the flowers sent to his office. This probably surprised him. Lol!

Photographed by Ryan Chew

2011-08-25T16:47:00.005+08:00

My mother used to call my mobile if I am not home by a certain hour. She hasn't done that for some time now. So, I asked her one day.

"Hey Ma, how come you don't call me anymore?"

And her reply:

"I can check my Facebook to see where you are."

LOL! So clever! Well, I usually post pictures on facebook from Instagram.

Salty tap water in Bali

2011-08-21T22:43:00.002+08:00

Now that explains why the tap water in Hard Rock Hotel Bali is salty. I just came across this news article here.

Denpasar, south Bali to face water shortages
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 08/20/2011 9:26 AM

A scientist says Denpasar and parts of south Bali will suffer from clean water shortages in 2015.

"Aggressive" clean water use would exacerbate the shortages, which might top 2,500 liters a second by 2015, according to a 2009 Japan International Cooperation Agency study, KG Dharma Putra, the director of the Sustainable Development Studies Center at Udayana University, said on Saturday in Denpasar.

There were signs that Bali's southern areas were currently suffering water shortages, he said.

“Hotels in the area have been using underground water because of the limited supply from [local tap water utility] PDAM. So do about 10,000 new homes there, which also suffer from water shortages,” Dharma said as quoted by Antara.

“Latest observations on the condition of underground water in Sanur, Kuta, Benoa and Nusa Dua coasts show that the water already tastes salty. It indicates the intrusion of sea water,” he added.

Dharma called on the local administration act quickly.

How did I overcome my hormonal acne

2011-08-18T19:11:00.017+08:00

Hormonal acne is a pain in the ass. How did I deal with it? Read on.

In 2007, I had a horrible breakout. It was so bad even my mother could not recognized me. I was given a nickname, "Pizza Face" by the ex-boyfriend. My ex-boss asked me if I had measles. My ex-colleagues pitied me. Yes, it was that serious.

My gynecologist told me that my hormones wasn't balanced. He prescribed me Diane 35 and my acne cleared up. I was on it until 2009. As you know, Diane 35 is actually a contraceptive pill. So, I figured I couldn't take the pill for long-term and I wanted to regulate my hormone naturally.

6 months after I stopped the pill, my acne came back but it wasn't as bad as before.

I tried so many products to counter that problem. One day, I just gave up trying. I actually used my body shower for my face. Of course, the body shower that I used is so gentle that I can use it for the face as well. It is called Cetaphil! It is pricey but highly recommended. Come to think of it now, I actually don't have to buy a facial cleanser. So much money saved there!

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

So besides Cetaphil, I used Nizoral Anti-Dandruff shampoo on my face daily. The active ingredient which is Ketacanozole is actually an anti-androgen; and androgen is the culprit that cause these pimples. Well, I was using it for 4 weeks and my face was less oily and my pimples started to clear up and dry up. There weren't many new ones either. I only had to go for facial to extract all the oil seeds.

Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Ok, so how do you use Nizoral? Initially, just lather on affected area once a day. Leave it on for 5 minutes and then rinse off. When condition gets better, just use it once or twice a week. I'm still using it now for maintenance. It works for body acne as well such as chest and back acne. Oh, please avoid the eye area. It hurts like hell when it gets into the eyes.

So, it's only Cetaphil and Nizoral? No, that's not only it. I also applied fresh aloe vera on my face every night before bed. It's good for inflamed skin and acne scars. So how do you do this? Watch the video below.

I actually store the unused aloe in the refrigerator. That is because I think the weather in Malaysia is so hot and humid and therefore, it is not suitable to store the aloe in room temperature. So, where do you get these fresh aloe? You can get them from any nursery that sells aloe vera plant. I have a plant in my garden now just in case. You'll never know!

Again, that's not all! I also went for acupuncture. I read some success stories from people with the same condition who went for acupuncture. So, I did my research, went to this place in Taman Mayang and told him my problem. He took my pulse and he inserted a few needles here and there and I just laid there for 30 minutes. He also prescribed me some Chinese medicine. I think the acupuncture did help with the acne. It balanced up the yin and yang in my body. I went at least twice a week for 2-3 weeks in a row. I also did cupping once and that was it.

As for my diet, I tried to avoid seafood as much as I can. I tried not to eat processed food. Most importantly, I ate a lot of vegetables and fruits. The results were amazing. I was healing so fast.

I went for IPL for the acne scars. My face is clear for a few months now that no one believed that I actually went through such horrible breakout before. Well, I do get blemishes every now and then especially when I'm nearing the time of the month. It sounded like I went through a lot to overcome this but I'm glad it's over. At least I now know how and what to do if I do get such outbreak again. See, now you know my secret but I'm happy to share. :)

I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep.
That's deep enough. What do you want--an adorable pancreas?
- Jean Kerr -

The Art of Natural Navigation

2011-08-16T10:13:00.003+08:00

This is a really cool tip and article from Lonely Planet. Click here to read the article.

These tips are written from a northern hemisphere perspective – many directions can be reversed for the southern hemisphere – eg, when the sun is at its highest in the southern hemisphere sky it’s due north. These tips are just for interest. Please navigate responsibly!

Sun
When the sun is at its highest in the sky, it is due south – in simple terms, the sun is south at lunchtime. Yet it doesn’t rise and set in the same place throughout the year. It rises in the northeast in midsummer and the southeast in midwinter. That’s a huge difference. It’s amazing how few people know that. It’s due to the north pole being tilted towards the sun in summer and away from it in winter.

Rocks
Even on a completely overcast day, the sun’s light and heat still reach us. As the sun comes from the south in the middle of the day, it will heat up one side of a large rock much more than the other. So even if you can’t tell where the sun is in the sky, you can deduce it by feeling a rock. The warmer side is likely to be the southern side.

Puddles
In nature, things get wet, then dry again, all the time. Yet not in an even way. In the middle of the day – when most of the drying is happening, remember – the sun is in the south. Anything on the northern side of something that casts a shadow – like a hedge – will stay wet longer. So, puddles will be left along the northern side of a raised east-west path, while drying out on the southern side.

Trees
Wind direction is not random: there are patterns. In Britain, the prevailing wind comes from the southwest. So, the extremities of trees appear ‘combed’ from the southwest to the northeast. You can see it clearest on trees at the top of hills in the countryside.

Satellite dishes
These point to geostationary satellites which stay over the same point on the Earth’s surface. In Britain, we have a dominant broadcasting company, so nearly all our dishes are pointing in the same direction. Depending on where you are, it will be between southeast and south-southeast.

Moon
When the moon is reasonably high in the sky, and it’s a crescent moon, if you join the two horns of the moon together and extend the line down to the horizon, you’ll be looking roughly south. It takes two seconds and, while it’s not as accurate as referring to the north star, if you’re really disorientated it is a big help.

4 Course Dinner for 2 @ Hadramawt Arabic Restaurant for 65% Off

2011-08-15T19:01:00.003+08:00

I bought this dinner voucher here.

I called the restaurant to reserve a table for last Saturday, 4 pax at 8.30pm. When we got there, the guy at the counter took our vouchers. We then proceeded to the first floor. They didn't actually reserve a table for us. We just went up and picked our seat. Although the waiter was polite but I think they were quite understaffed that night. We were seated for quite a while until someone came to take our order. If it was not because of MyDeal voucher, we could have walked off already. Service was very slow. They served our main dish after 45 minutes of waiting.

For a start, we had Arabic Salad.

Arabic Salad

You know what? I just realised that they didn't serve us the starter, Mixed Vegetable Platter as mentioned on MyDeal. Geez.

As for our main dish, we had a choice of Chicken Kabsa or Lamb Kabsa. Again, I just realised that they didn't tell us about BBQ Shish Tawab Chicken or Lamb Kebab as mentioned on MyDeal. Ugh.

Lamb Kabsa

Ryan chose Chicken Kabsa for his main. Unfortunately, the chicken was cold and there was a big chunk of feather on the skin. Such a turn off. Well, I think the Lamb Kabsa was quite good actually.

As for dessert, we got Baklava. Again, we weren't told that we have a choice of Baklava or Basbousa as mentioned on MyDeal. Fail.

For drinks, I had Vimto and Ryan had Iced Lemon Tea. I don't like Vimto. It's too sweet for my taste.

Overall dining experience in Hadramawt, I'll give it a 2/5 rating.

Egg rice

2011-08-12T17:48:00.005+08:00

Something my mother used to make for my brother and myself when we were kids.

...

1. Beat eggs with soy sauce and pepper.
2. Pour the mixture over steamed or cooked rice and mix thoroughly before serving.

Should eat this while it is still hot.

Wendy said it is yummy if you add a few drops of sesame oil in the eggs.

A simple dish for dinner

2011-08-11T23:45:00.004+08:00

My crock pot beef stew turned out alright but I think I should cut down on the flour because I like it a little more watery.

...

1. Marinade the beef with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
2. Cut carrots, potatoes and onions.
3. Place all of the above ingredients in the crock pot.
4. Pour a can of baked beans in tomato sauce over them in the crock pot.
5. Pour half a can of beef broth into the crock pot and mix.
6. Turn on the crock pot at low for 6-10 hours.

Google Adsense

2011-08-10T19:09:00.010+08:00

Geez! Google Adsense had to make it so hard for me.

I used to have a Google Adsense account long ago somewhere in 2006 when I had my online store. I registered under a hotmail account. I didn't care much about it anyway until recently. I logged into my Adsense account and I was asked to use a Google account. So I transferred my hotmail account to my google account X. It went well but I found out the payee name is not my full name. From all the googling and readings, I found out that I am not allowed to edit my payee name because my account was registered under Malaysia. The only way is to close the account and register a new one.

Closing Adsense account is also a hassle. I had to answer two security questions which is what is the first day/date of my page impressions and how many numbers of page impressions. So after all the googling and readings, I got my date and the number. So glad I got it and I thought I have successfully closed the account but noooooooo. They emailed me saying that I have a balance in my account which was still on hold. They gave me another link to close the account if I am willing to forgo the balance. So, I did and it was successful! Bear in mind, once you close an account, you are not allowed to use the same google account (in my case, which is google account X) to register.

So, to register a new account, I used google account Y. I just received an email from Google Adsense as follow:

Thank you for your interest in Google AdSense. Unfortunately, after reviewing your application, we're unable to accept you into Google AdSense at this time.

We did not approve your application for the reasons listed below.

Issues:

- Page Type

---------------------

Further detail:

Page type: Your website is a type of website that we do not currently accept into our programme. Such websites include, but are not limited to, chat sites, sites that drive traffic through cybersquatting, and sites that use excessive keywords in the content or code of their pages.

---------------------

For a complete list of AdSense criteria, please visit:

https://www.google.com/adsense/policies?hl=en_GB

https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms?rc=MY&ce=1&hl=en_GB

To update and resubmit your application, please visit https://www.google.com/adsense?hl=en_GB and sign in using the email address and password that you submitted with your application. Our specialists will review your account for compliance with our programme policies, so please make sure to resolve all the issues listed above before resubmitting.

Yours sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

Bugger! Okay Google Adsense, I give up on you. :(

New Look

2011-08-10T11:36:00.003+08:00

I revamped my blog!

I realised that I was way behind and I wasn't making full use of the new blogger template designer which is so much more cooler and user-friendlier. I have been using the HTML editor for way too long. I felt like one of those old people who sticks to the old ways and refuse to accept new changes and ideas. This is actually a crime for me as a software consultant because in my line of work, I have to constantly keep myself up to date with the latest versions and what's new. So, I should keep myself updated as well in my personal life.

I just love my twitter and instagram feeds on my sidebar now.

Oh, I'm no longer blogging anonymously as well. So, it's back to the way it was as before. No point hiding anyway. My blog still appears in the google search result for "Joyce Tan" even if I change it and I don't know why. Lol!

I just made myself a light dinner

2011-08-09T20:18:00.002+08:00

Ochazuke with Salmon Flakes - Ok, I know this is cheating because the ocha and salmon is pre-packed but hey, I steamed the rice and I boiled water! ;) It's DELICIOUS!

...

2011-08-08T23:34:00.006+08:00

Today, I cooked steam triple egg (三黄蛋), busy day chicken and stir-fry lil' Bok Choy with oyster sauce.

Steam Triple egg (三黄蛋) - Serves 2
My late grandmother taught me how to cook this many years ago. It was perfect the first time I cooked it. Then, I tried to cook this last week and I failed. Since I couldn't refer to my grandmother anymore, I have to refresh my memory by googling around and I found my mistake. Well, it turned out okay this time except that I think I over-steamed it.

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 century egg white cut into small pieces
1 salted egg yolk cut into small pieces

1. Beat the 3 eggs in a bowl. Add in water in a ratio 2:1 (water:egg). I usually use the egg shells as the measurement for the water for more accuracy. Beat the eggs with the water. Leave it for a few minutes for the bubbles to settle.
2. Place the century egg white and the salted egg yolk evenly on an empty deep edge plate.
3. Pour the beaten eggs into the empty deep edge plate. Add a bit of oil.
4. Steam the egg on low fire.

Busy Day Chicken
This is a recipe I found on my phone's recipe app with barbecue sauce but I changed it. It turned out super salty. I'm actually still at the trial and error stage to get the ingredients measurement right.

1. Marinade the chicken with salt, some soy sauce and few drops of sesame oil.
2. Place chicken in the slow cooker. Throw in some dried red dates, gouji, dong quai and some shaoxing wine.
3. Cook the chicken in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.

I marinade the chicken the night before and place it in the refrigerator. The next morning, I just throw everything into the slow cooker before I go to work. When I get home from work, it is ready to be eaten. That is why it is called Busy Day Chicken. Genius, huh?

Stir-fry lil' Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce
1. Heat oil in a wok.
2. Throw in the minced garlic.
3. When garlic turns brown, throw in the bok choy.
4. Stir-fry with oyster sauce and some salt.

2011-08-07T16:38:00.004+08:00

Dad and I was exchanging SMSes.

Dad: Leaving Paris for London now. Everything ok?

Me: Yes ok. Garden water fountain not flowing out from the hole but it's flowing behind it. Is that ok?

Dad: The pump is clogged. Do a simple backwash. First switch off the pump. Then dislodge PVC pipe that connects the upflow. Then use garden hose to backwash the pump. Reconnect the pipe and run the pump.

So, I did as per his instructions. A few minutes later, I text him.

Me: It is working. I feel so smart now.

Dad: Good and that's because you got my genes. Haha.

2011-08-07T14:16:00.004+08:00

I always get this warm and fuzzy feeling inside each time I see a man with his baby girl. Whether he is carrying her, feeding her, holding her hands or changing her diaper. I don't know why but it gives me the "awwwwwww" effect.

It is also amusing to see the expressions on their face. The funniest one is the "I am seriously clueless and I don't know what I'm doing but I'm trying my best to take care of my baby girl" look. Lol!

I was in Midvalley earlier and there was this man who was walking in front of me. Well, he actually cut into my path to get on the escalator. I was annoyed at first but when he turned back and reached his hands to his daughter who was behind me and led her to his side, I was like "awwwww". That got me thinking of my dad and I miss him now. :)

P/S: Ok, Colin, now you know why I miss daddy. :)

Awwww

2011-07-22T09:31:00.002+08:00

I was listening to the radio on the way to work this morning. The radio announcer asked the caller who called from his college if there is any girl around him at that moment. He replied, "No, just the rubbish auntie". Lol! Bad choice of word there. If I'm the janitor, I do not want people to call me the "rubbish girl". I'm not a rubbish! Lol!

2011-07-21T22:30:00.004+08:00

I think most of you will agree with me that certain songs can bring out certain emotions in you and remind you of certain people.

Just wanted to blog that out.

I know, that is so random. =D

***********************************

I love this song. I just heard it from "So You Think You Can Dance" and I immediately searched for it.

2011-07-20T17:53:00.002+08:00

Woodbury Common is coming. It will be in Kulai and it is called Johor Premium Outlet. This is a joint venture between Genting Plantations Bhd and Premium Outlets (a division of the US-based Simon Property Group). I'm really excited but will it be the same as the one in New York?

I remember my parents took me to Woodbury when I visited them in New York 9 years ago and I had a grrrrreat time there (Wow! 9? How time flies! It seems like yesterday.). But seriously, I love love love love that place! I'm so going to check out this one in Kulai. Of course, I shall not have any high expectations. Things might be different here. We'll see!

My weekend in Bali

2011-07-12T23:27:00.010+08:00

I spent my last weekend in Bali with the boyfriend and his business associates. We stayed in Hard Rock Hotel. The trip was AWESOME although it took us 1 hour to get through the immigration and I felt a little shortchanged from the seafood dinner we had provided by the tour in Jimbaran and there was some glitch when we checked in at Hard Rock Hotel! Bugger told us no more rooms when we paid for it way earlier and it's Premium Deluxe room ok! Not some standard room. Idiot. They wanted to "so-called" upgrade us to a luxury suite that comes in 2 rooms and a living room and they expected the 6 of us to share 1 suite?! No way! Crazy, did they expect some of us to sleep in the living room? LOL! Anyway, we ended up getting a room as originally planned but we had to check out the next day and then check-in to another room. Weird.

Apart from that, the trip - the only regret is...I didn't get to do my surfing because I couldn't wake up for it. We booked the 8am class. Set our alarm at 6am and when the alarm rang, I just didn't feel like waking up and I gave myself a whole lot of excuses like "I surfed in Bali before and I can miss this one", "since we haven't pay, we can miss this", "the boyfriend can't swim so it's dangerous", etc. I felt a pang of guilt when Lisa called at 8:30am asking where were we because I was the one who persuaded and pushed her to join us for the surfing the night before. When we joined her at the pool, she told us that she did go for the surfing and that she had a great time. I know that she definitely will have a good time like I did before. So jealous. Haha! Anyway, she did tell me that she really wanted to try surfing but never had the chance to do it. Now she did and thanks to me for pushing her to do it. LOL. Trying to make myself feel better here.

The highlight of the trip so far is...the boyfriend and I rented a motorcycle and we biked around from Kuta to Seminyak. We stopped by some shops along the way to shop a little. It was really fun! I never rode a bike before and I was a little scared. However, I trust the boyfriend because he can ride a motorcycle like his mode of transport. So basically, he is very experienced. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Oh one more thing. I'm not sure if it's only Hard Rock Hotel or for all the hotels along Kuta beach, the tap water is actually salty. Hmmmmm... I don't remember salty tap water from the hotel I stayed last year. Strange.

Updated
The boyfriend made a video. You can view it from his blog here, or below.

2011-06-29T12:05:00.003+08:00

My folks are going for a long holiday in Europe. Mother has been planning a lot of stuff lately and has been telling me and reminding me where she placed her itinerary, her files and their will (just in case).

One day, my mom asked me this question:

"What if something happen, and Daddy and I pass away?"

I told her that I think my world will just stop right there. Yes, life still goes on. I will still keep on living. It's just that everything around me will seem like a blur and I am just going through the motion of life as seemingly normal but you know something terrible had happened inside me. It's like I'm still breathing and I'm doing what I'm doing (like typing on this keyboard right now) but everything around me is like spinning in a slow-mo.

Mom, Dad, please be safe and have fun at the same time too!

2011-06-25T14:02:00.004+08:00

view full image

"Tiring bun making class @ taylor's university "

I went for the bun making class at Taylor's University today with the boyfriend. It was fun but tiring because of the kneading part. The worst part is that we were standing for the whole 4 hours. My legs are aching now.

2011-06-24T17:16:00.003+08:00

I sent a text message to my dad to remind him that I'm coming home for dinner.

"I am coming home for dinner u know."

He replied:

"At 1st I dunno. Now I know."

Haha! He's so cute.

2011-06-20T20:27:00.003+08:00

You and me riding into the night
You and me having a good time

One Night by James Baum

2011-06-19T10:36:00.003+08:00

Shocked! *gasp*

2011-06-18T18:43:00.003+08:00

This is a mixture of Diptic and Instagram. Inspired by tanco1 and bstokes005.

2011-06-18T12:59:00.002+08:00

At19 Culinary Studio

2011-06-18T12:56:00.002+08:00

I'm at at19 culinary studio!

2011-06-17T15:39:00.004+08:00

view full image

"1monthsary surprise. Lol! "

2011-06-15T20:10:00.004+08:00

view full image

"Colin's Hickory Wood Smoked Siew Yuk"

2011-06-15T13:03:00.003+08:00

view full image

"Waiting for the rain to stop. See how everyone is so busy with their iPhones."

2011-06-14T22:48:00.003+08:00

"Do not jeopardize your current or possible future happiness just because you can't let go of the past happiness."

"I know. It's just that what we shared was so true and I didn't stop loving him when we broke up. A friend once told me that it is possible to love two person at the same time. I don't really get it that time but I do understand what he meant now. That doesn't mean I'm not loyal. This is different!"

Some people really deserve a one tight slap. When will she ever get over it? Wake up!

2011-06-05T10:36:00.005+08:00

My dad! He is just so funny. It was early in the morning. I was coming up the stairs and saw him climbing into the ceiling to fix the malfunctioning light. Mom was still sleeping in the room and I remember she was making a hell lot of noise asking my dad not to fix it and get someone to do it.

It was a quiet morning and whatever noise we're making outside, my mom will be able to hear it from inside the room.

So, when I saw him this morning, I said out loud...

"I thought mummy asked you not to fix it?"

He goes...

"Shhh shhh shhh shhh!" and he was grinning away. So cheeky!

LOL!

My superstars

2011-06-02T16:51:00.003+08:00

It's June! So, my brother and I will be buying dinner for the June babies (my old folks) this Saturday and also to celebrate Fathers' Day killing three birds with one stone.

I just walked down the memory lane and I shall re-post this.

I told my dad that my room's ceiling light is not working anymore.
I came home last night, went to my room and saw a note sticking on the switch.
"BULB CHANGED, OK NOW, RM50"
:D

He is just so adorable!

----------------------

On MSN with my mom goes...

Mom: when u come home afterward, I should be out. So take care & enjoy your Genting Trip.
Me: alright mom. take care ok. i love you.
Mom: ok
Me: u didn't say u love me wan?
Mom: ok lah, I love u more than u love me

She's so funny. I love her so much!

2011-05-12T20:13:00.004+08:00

She was telling him that she doesn't date colleagues and that is her policy.

Him: Really? Luckily I didn't chase you that time.
Her: Yeah.
Him: So?
Her: So what?
Him: But we are not colleagues anymore now.
Her: Hahahaha so?
Him: So I chase you.
Her: Cannot!
Him: Why? Yo!
Her: Hahahaha you are fun and I don't want to lose you as a friend.
Him: I won't accept this reason.
Her: Wow, I didn't know you can actually won't accept a reason for such thing.
Him: Yeah, let me think. It's like programming. IF-THEN-ELSE. Haha.
Her: So what is the "if" and the "then" and the "else"?
Him: IF you are fun and I don't want to lose you as a friend, THEN I won't accept those kind of answer, ELSE I will chase you.

LOL! What the hell? That's the kind of answer you get from a programmer.

2011-05-10T19:22:00.006+08:00

A friend of mine does say the funniest thing sometimes. We were talking about her past relationship on MSN. Here is a snippet of our conversation.

"kena con"

"heheh"

"and it was short"

"i mean...the r'ship didnt last long lar"

"lol"

"pardon the pun"

LOL!

2011-05-09T21:06:00.003+08:00

So, I was telling my cousin it's not good to steal other people's girlfriend. The reason is if a girl is easily stolen by you, in future someone else will be able to steal her from you too. Therefore, such girl is not good.

His reply was:
"It's not like that. Maybe she doesn't really love her current boyfriend. Maybe she's still keeping her option open. You are a girl too...you should know the feeling. It doesn't mean that you go on a diet, you cannot look at the menu. You might want to eat after you are done with your diet. Correct or not?"

Geez! Seriously? I was speechless. .........

LOL!

2011-05-09T14:29:00.003+08:00

I hate it when men stares at me when I workout in the gym doing machines. I wonder what goes through their mind.

"The girl is so thin...what is she doing in the gym?"
"Holy shit! I hope she doesn't break pulling that thing."
"Omg, she's so small but she's pretty hot?" <-- I know I'm being a little full of myself here. Haha!

LOL!

I told my brother about this and his reply was:

"Of course! There are only 2 reasons why men go to the gym. First is to workout, second is to ogle at women."

Got me speechless. .....

2011-05-03T23:48:00.003+08:00

"Do not put your life on hold because of that – live it to the fullest and enjoy this time of being on your own."

"Relax because there isn’t a choice to be made at the moment."

She was in a bit of a pickle.

"The Climb" David Sides ft. Ahmir - Miley Cyrus Cover

2011-05-03T20:58:00.004+08:00

"Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose..."

Oh man, I'm starting to like this Ahmir. They actually did a few good covers. Will they be the next Boyz II Men? Check them out on YouTube here.

2011-04-29T21:47:00.004+08:00

view full image

"Hawaii-O @ The Hill, Bkt Damansara"

2011-04-29T21:25:00.004+08:00

view full image

"Jess taking the weedkiller bong @ The Hill, Bukit Damansara"

2011-04-29T20:57:00.004+08:00

view full image

"Watermelon Slush @ The Hill"

Strangers, again

2011-04-26T21:19:00.004+08:00

Lena shared with me a video today about all the stages of a relationship.

This is so true. So spot on.

Damn, the girl is hot! So is the guy. :D

Updated
No wonder she looks familiar! I just found out she is the same girl I watched on YouTube 2 years ago here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tntx2SkEDI&feature=related

2011-04-25T13:15:00.004+08:00

I had a dream this morning and it was so real. Told Martono about it.

Me: i dreamt of you people today
Me: it was so real
Martono: loool
Martono: you people meaning?
Martono: beijing peeps?
Me: i dreamt that michael is in sg now and you're there as well with denny.
Me: and you guys are going for a trip to australia and didn't invite me!
Me: i was so angry
Martono: hahahahahahah
Martono: Me.. it's not a dream
Martono: is real.. we are all going aussie
Martono: and u arent invited
Me: mike called me on the phone from sg and he said he's gonna be in sg for 2 weeks before they leave for aussie. so i asked him to come to kl and visit and he didn't want to. made me even more angry!
Me: lol
Martono: hahahahaha
Martono: you miss ussss
Martono: awwww
Me: hahahahaha
Me: yes if you're happy with that thought
Martono: .............
Martono: i know you do
Martono: dont be shy to admit it
Me: fine fine
Me: alright i just want to tell you this. going out for lunch now.
Martono: okk
Martono: see ya

I guess it is because I was missing Beijing and at the same time I was thinking if I should go to Australia this October.

2011-04-24T23:42:00.004+08:00

Uh-oh, I want somemore. Uh-oh, what are you waiting for... Just singing!

*This song can lift up my spirit at the moment*

Neon Trees - Animal

2011-04-23T22:23:00.007+08:00

我很久没用汉语写 blog。不知道我的写法有没有问题。好像有些不对。哈哈!

我开始啦。

今天我第一次做乳酪蛋糕。我浪费my first batter. (Gosh, blogging in Chinese is so hard. And what is "batter" in Chinese?! Ah, I got it from google translator. It's 连击. I have not heard of that word before.)

我放太多牛奶。应该要 3/4 cup 牛奶但是我放 3/4 pint 牛奶。朋友说我喝太多啤酒。哈哈!

Updated:
Cheh Lu just corrected me that batter is 麵糊 (Taiwanese Chinese?) or 混合物. 连击 is used when there is a continuous hitting or beating which make sense because batter could be that meaning too. Ah, google translator is not always correct anyway.

Correction: 今天第一次做乳酪蛋糕。我浪費了第一份麵糊

Thanks CL!

2011-04-22T23:46:00.004+08:00

I used to miss New York and my life there.

But I'm actually missing Beijing now and my life there. Maybe because I just saw my friend's Beijing holiday pictures on Facebook.

A snapshot of one of the happiest time of my life at 798 in Beijing

How To Make Croissants

2011-04-17T23:36:00.007+08:00

Breakfast:
How To Make Croissants

Too much effort. I rather go tapau from Delifrance. Now you know why the croissants are a lil' pricey. :D

2011-04-14T21:33:00.004+08:00

Cheah Lee was sending me home. We stopped at a traffic light and this Kancil was next to us.

CL: I want to ask you something.
Me: Go ahead.
CL: Will you go out with a guy who drives a Kancil?
Me: Yes? Why?
CL: Good. 'cause I know some girls won't.
Me: Oh I know girls like that too. Well, I also don't mind if my boyfriend ride a bike but I'll drive my car lah if we go out because I need air-condition leh!

=D Hehe!

2nd Annual Outcast Salsa Competition 2011

2011-04-10T19:37:00.004+08:00

I went to give my support to my friends from Dance Spirit today. A few of them were competing.

Benny and Tracy (although they're not really from DS anymore) got the best body movement award (I hope I got this correct). I was really entertained by their performance especially the part where Benny shook his ass. That was hilarious. Lol!

Wai Kong and Fawn was good too. I was really amazed with Wai Kong's performance. I almost wanted to cry when I saw him dance. So touching. He is soooo good already. I'm just speechless lah. I don't know what to say already.

Naz and I-Yin's routine is really really hard and tiring but it was good. I always like watching I-Yin. I like the way she moves and she's just such a hot mama. She really know how to maintain her figure even after having 2 kids. They got first runner up! Congratulations!

It was quite a fun day today. I was happy to see some of my old team mates again.

Emptiness

2011-04-07T13:29:00.001+08:00

Tears flowed uncontrollably today. My head was aching trying not to think. Quite embarassing though. So, I took the day off and it's going to be MY day today.

Things haven't been smooth for me lately. I just need to take a step back and get myself back together. As usual, I'll be back very soon.

Oh, mobile blogging rocks!

Sent from my iPhone

Wachaaaa

2011-04-06T21:54:00.005+08:00

Some of you who have been following my blog, you may notice that all the old posts are gone. Why? Because I archived it loh... just for my own viewing pleasure. Nevertheless, I'm still the same girl! :D