Growth

My tendency to blog has dwindled yet I still felt a sentimental need to blog one last time, for this year. I know I have been somewhat remiss in my blogging efforts but then who cares. So here I am, the last afternoon of the year, typing down a line of two in the gazillion lines zooming like space traffic in Cyberspace.

I can only speculate that perhaps I no longer feel the need to let people know my thoughts and feelings, because I no longer really care what people think of me.

"We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations." ~ Anais Nin ~

Cracks in my foundation

Much has happened since I last sign in. One would have thought that I'd stop bloggina after Patches died. True, I mourne him still but life goes on, especially work. Work has been crazy. I have been working past 11pm everynight for the past 3 weeks. It's exhausting. I never thought I'd say this, but it feels as though I might be near a burn out.

Question marks has begun to appear like tiny cracks in a badly-cemented brick wall. Am I on the right path that God has destined for me? Have I deviated from His plans? Does God have a plan for me? Why am I working so hard for so little benefit? A friend once told me that my time is precious and what time God has given me I have to make the most of it. Yet here I am, wasting my precious gift on work. A work that bring little satisfaction and much heartache, and I can't even take solace from my salary either. It is a sinking ship, I might have to act the rat and desert it.

Farewell and thank you for loving me

Patches

R.I.P

April 1991 - 26 October 2006



Broken-hearted. I do not want to blog about it. It's still hurts.

Pangkor Laut Photos

Me and the happy couple


Me and the happy couple again


Chuo Ren & Tak Yein, blissfully wed.


That's me, Ren and EeVon, Ming's girlfriend


A pictures with friends


Can't remember what we were laughing about, coz we were laughing all the time.


Guys Only Huddle



Elation after the success of The Dunking


Cheers to the happy couple!



Benji showing he can push alcohol to his brain faster. =)


Picturesque Emerald Bay

I want that Marc Jacob's Bag!

This movie is just like a fashion magazine immortalised on celluloid! All that parade of gorgeous clothes and bag and shoes and sunglasses and bags and BAGS! I love the blue Marc Jacob Bag in the scene where Andy is dispensing expensive gifts like Halloween candy to her friends. From what I can see, it has gold in seams and lining and gold zips. But at USD19,000... it's just a dream for me. Lord, what a pretty bag... *sigh*

Ok, back to the movie. I was having a really stressful day and I felt I needed a little pick-me-up that won't add inches to my waist. And I got my fix when I hit the cinema with Zona in tow.

The Devil Wears Prada is a feel-good chick-flick, but without sex scenes. Oh but the movie is still sexy... how can it not be with so many gorgeous bags and shoes in it. Haha. While I don't eat,live and breath fashion, I do read a whole 1-foot stack of fashion magazines every month - it's my job la. *grin*

And those Channel boots? *swoon* Talk about combining fetish with fashion. But then only leggy people can carry that look off.

For days when you don't want to think too hard and for days when you just want to ogle beautiful people in beautiful clothes, go watch The Devil Wears Prada. Even though I've not read the book, I gather reading would be boring when you'll have to visualise all those branded stuff... when you don't even know what they look like in the first place.

^_^

A wedding on Pangkor Laut

It was a beautiful wedding, not because of the setting sun's golden ray gracing the top of the emerald waves crashing against foamy shores or the rose and satin-covered gazebo, but because of the beautiful vows spoken between two people.



Chuo Ren and Tak Yein's wedding at Pangkor Laut Resort saw a total of 48 close family and friends coming together to share in this happy moment. There were 8 friends of the bride and groom and the rest were family. The groom's family was reserved but friendly and the bride's side were a very happy and boisterous group. It was an interesting experience to say the least.

I felt honoured that Ren invited me to come for this special wedding (and my accomodation was paid for) and he even helped me get a ride to Lumut. I had already resigned myself to sharing breathing space with the denizens of Puduraya when he called me after he landed in KL and arranged for me to catch a ride with his friend Jason.

When Jason and I reached Lumut, we met Dr. Leong and Dr. Tan at a mamak near the jetty. Or rather both of them spotted us having lunch at the mamak. They had chartered an entire ferry to take us to Pangkor Laut and ferry ride took longer that I'd expected.



When we reached the resort's jetty, the happy couple was there to greet us as they had gone ahead to prepare for our arrival. How nice is that? One would think that the wedding couple wouldn't have to do any work for their wedding. It was good to see Ren again, even though I saw him a couple of months back when he came down from New York to arrange for this wedding.

We were greeted by the hotel staff with a cold towel and some juice to relieve us of the grimy feeling from the ferry ride. I don't like enclosed and slow boat rides. Give me a speedboat and spraying seawater anytime. After milling around for a while, we were given keys to our rooms. I was to share my villa with Tak Yee, the bride's sister. Tak Yein introduced her sister to me. She said to her sister, "Dig out secrets from her if you can, ok?" To which I replied with a laugh, "What secrets? You should know more than me!" And then she realized what she had said, "Oh yeah... it's too late now anyway." Haha, funny girl.



My villa was a Hill Villa overlooking the beach. I had to walk up several steep slopes to get to it though as there weren't transport available at that moment. At least they sent my luggage to me later. My flats heels thunked discreetly on the wooden floorboards as I made my way around the villa to the balcony to get into my room. I was gratified indeed to see that I would be lulled to sleep and woken up by the comforting sound of the waves. I lingered by the railing and checked out the jungle around me and other Hill Villas below me. Not bad at all indeed.



I unlocked the glass doors, stepped into my room and was soothed by the coolness of the room. The staff had prepared my room for my arrival. I had to stop a moment to appreciate the comfort and grandness of it all. It is not grand as in gold and gilded, but grand as in Balinese Spa-like kind of room.

There was a queen-size bed and hidden under the night table was the CD player with built-in speakers. I wasted no time and put on the provided CD and soon the soothing sounds of the bonang filled the villa as I continued my inspection of the villa. There were two small writing desks at each corner with a window seat / day bed in the centre, which faces the bed. Further in, I walked into my closet / bathroom. There were 2 vanities / sink at both sides of the room. And displayed in a huge clamshell on one of the vanities were the usual amenities. The other vanity boasted of large bottles of shampoo, conditional, bath gel and moisturizing lotion. Next to the colourful array of bottles was a jar of bath salt. Walking further in, the shower and toilet is secreted on each side of the room, behind the vanities.



The focal point of the closet / bathroom is the outdoor tub which is made of granite attached to granite seats on both ends on the sides and in the tub. To call it a tub is inadequate; the word to best describe this outdoor feature would be the Bath. On each corner of the elevated bath are huge urns which add to the décor as well as act as light fixtures at night.

I got my first call in my room for the night when reception called to say the meeting hour was pushed back to 5pm to give us more time to get ready, as we were only shown to our room at 3pm. I unpacked leisurely and tried out the outdoor bath. However, since it was outdoor, it was dirty with leaves and seeds stuck to the bottom, and I decided to forgo the pleasure of a warm tingling soak. I didn't have time anyway.

I took a shuttle to Emerald Bay, which is on the other side of the island, for the wedding reception and realized that Malaysians will still be Malaysians when it comes to punctuality. Tea and finger food was served while we waited for everyone to arrive. I took time to check out Emerald Bay. The name is apt as the sea is truly emerald in the bay; even the curling waves retain their emerald colouring before crashing loudly onto the shore.

The wedding took place against the setting sun on the beach with guests seated on satin-covered chairs. To be honest I wasn't very impressed with the way this wedding was handled. There weren't any coordination and everything was done sloppily. After working at events, I guess I have a higher standards and expectations of how a event should be. The preparations were apparently arranged by the hotel staff themselves. They should have hired someone to oversee all this. I had offered Ren my help but he declined. Not that I'm that good but I think anyone would have done better than the hotel staff. There were so many loose ends and sloppy work. Oh well, it was still a beautiful wedding.

However when the time came for the vows, none of us could hear the vows what with the crashing waves in the background. We made the bride and groom speak their vows again at dinner with the help of the sound system. That I must say was the best moment - the vows promised were beautiful and heartfelt and I laud both bride and groom for their hard work to come up with such beautiful vows.

The dinner was interesting as I met their other friends. They were nice and very friendly people. I'm a reserved person and I think they think I'm snobbish. Sigh. I hope not. I'm just shy and I felt a bit awkward being around such geniuses. Most of his friends are doctors. Well, who else would they be? =p Also, I'm still conscious about my weight. I was the biggest person there. Both Ren and Tak Tein are diminutive people, as are their family members. Their friends are all thin and smaller than me. Sigh... Anyway, I'm glad I was there to see him get hitched properly.

We youngsters were all put at one table and we got both Ren and Tak Yein drunk enough, that we threw both of them into the sea to sober up! Hee hee... Ren in his suit and Tak Yein in her gown! After dinner, when all of us were high, we went to the pool for a midnight dip. I got Jason to accompany me back to my villa to change into my swimsuit as he was the only one sober (he doesn't drink so good for him).

I set my alarm for 6.15am at I wanted to catch the sunrise. Imagine my disappointment when I woke up to total darkness with a tinge of orange on the horizon, behind the island which block my view of the sunrise. Well, I snoozed a little longer after that but jumped up when I realized I was wasting time on this beautiful island. I called reception at 7.30am to inquire about brekkie was told that the room doesn't come with breakfast! Geeze... how terrible since that was a RM900 room! Peeved, I decided to go to Emerald Bay to enjoy the beach. No sense is wasting this opportunity for a swim in the sea and a little tanning. Before setting off, I made myself a cup of coffee as I crunched my way through one of the two pears that came with the room.



Snatching the beach towel of the rack after changing into my suit, I set off in the early hours for Emerald Bay. I walked down the slopes and bypassed the pool and tennis courts with several resident peacocks strutting around. I turned up towards the hill and walked briskly. After the second hill, I was huffing. Thank god, I had just gone for a 2 hour hike last Saturday to Sg. Lepoh which helped build my stamina. But by the 3rd hill, I was thinking, "Good lord... it didn't look that far by shuttle last night!" and "Please God, let the bay be around the next bend". I was fated to be sorely disappointed. Bend after bend, and steep slopes after steep slopes, I trudged on. By the time I reached the top of the hill, I was ready to throw in the towel literally. I waited for a shuttle to come by, but there was none, not even a single mode of transportation. Great... just great. It was that deserted and there is no sense in wasting precious time, so I tied up my hair, wiped the sweat away and determinedly set off for the bay. Walking down was treacherous as the slopes were steep - 45 and 50 degrees at some point. I ended up taking off my slippers and gingerly making my way down. Wouldn't it be a sight for the lizards and the birds to see a huge mass of human flesh tumbling and rolling down the cemented slopes... Suddenly I heard the roar of an engine behind me, but perversely, I didn't stop the shuttle - might as well make it there on my own steam since I will get there in a short while (I could hear the waves). My stubbornness will the death of me one day. Little did I know that the sound of the waves were deceiving. Ten minutes after the shuttle passed me, I was still turning bends. Suddenly I heard the roar of the shuttle again, it was going back up the hill. I watched the shuttle coming towards me and noticed a couple waving to me inside the van. It was Dr. Leong and Dr. Tan - they musy have been to the bay. I waved back. Another 10 minutes, I turned the final bend and breathed a sigh of relief. I had reached my destination.

The beach was deserted except for one hotel staff raking the sands clean of leaves. Spying a hammock, I walked over to it and parked my things there. I sat in the hammock and swung my legs up once I got my balance right. As I swung lazily in the hammock, I noticed small crabs were gingerly emerging from their hidey-holes and was busily harvesting food from the sands. Along the entire shoreline, I could see crabs of all sizes dotting the wet sand searching for their breakfast. Which reminded me of my empty stomach. I snorted and startled a small crab back into his hole.


The morning sun cast a slight sheen on the water and I decided to go for a dip. After acclimating myself to the cold water with my toe, I made my way carefully into the water. The shore is steep and I reached a depth up to my chin 8 meters from the shore. The water may be emerald green, but it is not crystal clear like in Perhentian or Redang. So I had to be careful where I tread. I could not see 2 feet into the water for the water was that cloudy. The sand is fine but brown and the water reflects the greenness of the jungle surrounding the bay. I guess that's what is giving the bay the green and emerald colour.



Since the beach was deserted, I dare not venture too deep. I went up to a point where I could not feel the sand beneath my toe and I decided to back off as I had no idea where the reef was and what I might accidentally tread upon. I retreated to shallower water and calmly observed my surroundings. I floated in the water, allowing my mind to drift and my body to relax. Suddenly, from the corner of my eyes, I noticed a small white shape moving fast. It was a kite swooping for it's first meal of the day. There was a pair of kites and after a couple of swoops, settled onto a branch overhanging the cliff. They were quite far away and I wished I had a binoculars then. I also saw 3 pairs of hornbills circling overhead and they too settled onto overhanging branches far above ground level. I was fascinated and gratified I was allowed to share such a moment, no matter how minuscule, with nature. I felt at peace.

Since the sun had yet to warm the water in the bay, I was quite chilled when I emerged. I looked at my watch and decided to try to catch as much sea-sun ray as I could. I spared another half an hour on the beach and then took a shuttle back to my villa to pack. As I was waiting for the shuttle, I saw a pair of hornbill flying above me and settled on a branch closer to me. I followed them to a deck further off to observe them and I almost missed my shuttle as they thought I had already gone.

When I got back to my villa, I saw that I had 5 missed calls, all from my news friends. I called back and found out that they were at breakfast! Sheesh. So I got ready in record time and walked to the café at the lobby. By the time I got there, almost everyone had finished eating! I joined Benji at his table as it was the only one that still had empty seats. Dr. Leong saw me, clapped me on my shoulders and remarked that he saw me walking to the bay in the wee hours of the morning. Pretty soon, everyone started asking me about it and remarking about my little excursion. Some were shocked that I had gone alone. I'm reserved and I like being alone sometimes. Gives me time to think. I don't need to be in a group all the time.

After breakfast, we were told that our check out time is actually at 1pm, not the 11am that we were initially told. With an extra 2 hours, the guys decided to go to Emerald Bay and asked me to join them.

This time the sun was out and it was hot. The water was slightly clearer with the sun's penetrating rays and we could see rocks and boulders at tips of the shorelines. I was the only girl in the water and I had yet to feel comfortable around them. I was pretty much on my own most of the time and I found a little friend who used me for shelter. A tiny fish, no bigger than the whites of my nail, started following me and hiding under my hand and forearm. It was so cute and I couldn't resist playing with it for a while - taking my hand away and it darting closer to my body. Small and close as it was to me, I could not catch it!

After a while, I realized that I was alone in the middle of the bay as the guys had moved to one end of it. They must have realized it too and one of the guys called me over. I decided to join them and took a leisure swim over to them (which took 10 minutes). It's a big bay. At the end of the bay, there are more boulders of all sizes and more fish. I sat quietly in the water and pretty soon, a small school of fish started swimming around me. I held out my fingers slowly and they took turns nipping my fingertips! Bold little sweetlings. I amused myself with them for a while and soon the rest of the girls finally joined us at the beach.

By noon, we left the beach to call for the shuttle at the shuttle stop. It took them 30 minutes to get the shuttle here and some of us were incensed as that left us little time to get back to our villas to prepare and pack. Nevertheless, we got to our ferry on time.

Short as it was, it was a good break for me – to be able to share in this special moment with Chuo Ren and Tak Yein and their family and friends, to be able to enjoy Mother Nature and her wonderful creatures. But the most all, I enjoyed the calmness and solitude experienced at Emerald Bay, Pangkor Laut, that early morning.

*Note: These pictures are taken from the net, some from the Pangkor Laut Resort website, some from a visitor buten.net and others from travel websites. I will post up the real pictures if Chuo Ren remembers to send some to me. Will bug him later for the photos. Sigh. I really have to buy a camera one of these days.

The beginings of a new hobby???

I've always been interested to design and make my own jewellery and yesterday, I took my first step to learning how to. In such a huge and vibrant city like KL, I've never found a place that sells DIY kits and tools for making jewellery. Well, it's just me not really looking hard enough la. =P Well, with Ren's upcoming wedding this Wednesday at Pangkor Laut, I had run out of time to fix my dress. I wanted to add a halter beaded chain to my tube, empire cut dress that I'd purchased from elipse 2 weeks ago. What a surprise it was to find someone who could sell me Chain Nose pliers and even show me how to use it to make perfect 'P' loops and Eye Loops.

This sweet lady, named Nole, sells supplies to jewellery makers. She's such a nice woman and she taught me the basics of making wire jewellery even though I was just browsing. She's so nice that she even told me where to get cheaper pliers as her's was slightly on the ka-ching side. But I bought her's as it was exactly what I was looking for.

She sat me down and gave me a free lesson in making jewelley and she made me a pair of silver wire earrings for free! She took me step by step into the process and encourage me to have a hands on experience. And she even provided iced orange juice!

She also told me that to start making jewellry, the basic cost is about RM200 for the basic tools and template. I think it's pretty cheap the cost to start something I've always wanted to try. So this is my start.

If you're interested to get the proper tools, you can find Nole Norzela at Amcorp Mall on Saturdays only in front of Giant at LG. You can also email her at info_rcg@tm.net.my for more information.

A void

Lost in a void, the desire to let know
Of feelings and happenings nonsensical
Of late a gripping of the heart so low
Of late the desire to unvoice unequivocal

Unsure...

Death of an Aussie legend, Steve Irwin.

(Photo from news.com.au)
I'm still in shock, after hearing the news today. I can't believe that Steve is gone! Omigawd...death by a stingray barb to the heart. According to the news, Steve's death is the only third known fatal case in Ozzie waters. It was a freak accident as stingrays are gentle and timid creatures. It's really horrible bad luck that Steve got pierced in his heart by the poisonous barb. Omg... it's still hard to take it in.

Steve Irwin was a wonderful and dedicated animals' advocate and he lived his life to save God's amazing creatures. He was such a vibrant and larger-than-life guy and it's unbelieveble that he's gone. We all thought he would live a long life. He taught the world respect and understanding for deadly and misunderstood creatures. He made us smile with his "Crikey, she's a beauty!" commentary and his daring antics on TV. We all knew he was a risk taker but he knew what he was doing. Yet to die by a stingray barb is really too sad and unbelievable. Maybe it's his time. Like Princess Diana, he died whilst in his prime and at his peak.

I feel so sad. I love watching The Crocodile Hunter and all the other series. I am so going to miss Steve. How sad... I won't be able to see him in action in Australia Zoo. It was my plan, to go see Steve Irwin at Australia Zoo, when I go visit Kim at her new place in Queensland next year. Now, he will no longer be there.

I have no fear of losing my life - if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it.
~ Steve Irwin ~

That's Steve Irwin for you, a selfless animal protector. Today, now and the future, let's celebrate Steve's life by making sure that we all help in animal conservation.

My heartfelt condolences to Terry, Bindi, baby Rob, Steve's amazing parents and the wonderful people at Australia Zoo. We will miss you so much, Steve. Thank you for showing the world how wonderful and misunderstood crocs are. May you rest in peace.

Happy Birthday Lyd!

Just a shout out to a fantastic woman on her birthday today.

Happy Birthday, Lydia! Hope you had a smashing good time last night. And I'm very, very, very sorry I missed your birthday bash.

XOXO!

Civilian Safety Wear for air travellers???

All of a sudden, terrorism has reared its big ugly head again and the world clamps down. While we might not feel it in Malaysia, it is still terrifying and horribly mind-numbing to know that there are sane but evil people out there who have no qualms about killing innocent lives in the name of religion. That what I don't understand - Isn't religion about peace and not a pissing contest? Why is it that people from different religious background must feel that they have to feel anger if something unrighteous was done to their fellow breathen who by the way is thousands of miles away and have no clue that this person even exist on this planet.

I think that they feel angry because they don't know what else to feel. People seem to have a sheep mentality - they go where the crowd goes, just like lemmings. People get angry not because they are really deeply affected by an event; they get angry because their neighbour is angry, because they've been taught to echo opinion leaders but not question them, they get angry because they think it is an injustice to them when in fact it has nothing to do with them at all and they also get angry because it is a social activity. If they are truly and deeply affected by an event, they are not constructive but destructive in their anger. I say if they are truly and deeply affected by it all, they should go to that place and physically help out or donate however much they can to help. You want to help to help the greater good? By all means, go lend a hand and actually help achieve something worthwhile instead of rioting and overturning cars and stopping traffic with your so-called righteous anger.

Anger is easy. Forgiveness is almost always impossible. I fight with this emotion all the time. Sometime I lose, sometime I win. But most times, I lose. That's just me on a small scale. Looking back on our own people, it seems to me that a lot of problems stems from racial issues. When something happens, the first thing we ask is: What religion is he from? Or rather is he brown, black or yellow? It is as though once we defined the colours / racial perimeters, we only know how to act and continue from there on and not before. Only then will the appropriate "party" react in outrage with the whole public outcry nonsense.

These are just my thought on all the issues happening now. We are such a complicated world. We are such fools.

Just had a funny thought... Looking at the whole issue of passenger plane safety arising from the issue of terrifying terror plots, I wouldn't be surprised if the authorities start issuing/selling standard Civilians Safety Wear with non-flammable jumpsuits that comes with plastic shoes and plastic zip-locked sling bags for your necessities. Everyone and anyone who wants to set foot on a plane will have to comply or else. Then security will be lead by blood work checks like Gattaca!

That's just a Malaysian

What can I say? I'm just not that Malaysian.

And while we are on the subject, I can see why Reader's Digest found Malaysia as one of the rudest country in the world. My list of reasons on why I think Malaysia deserves to languish in that spot:

1. Drivers on the road drive like maniacs, cutting in and out like "Maikel Schumaker" wannabes. Chilakak! OI! Auntie ah! Drive fasterla! You drive like a grandmother woh!

2. Drivers who park at creative angles and zip in to steal parking bays from other waiting cars. I faster what. You rugi la...

3. People who cut lines; be it at the post office counter or on the road. My turn, my turn! My nombor ah?... err I give you oledi mah... just now... Got... GOT LA!

4. People who STILL spit wherever and whenever they feel like it. Cannot tahan la... a lot of liquid. Better to get it out of my mouth mah...

5. People who thinks that anywhere outside their home is a dumping ground. Not my house what...why I care?

6. Sour-face people whom I actually hold open doors for who never say thank you. *Nose in air*. You're a blind spot to them.

7. People who stand by and do nothing when they see you rushing for the elevator or worse those who actually does and close the doors before you can get in. Faster, faster close!

8. Drivers who double park on the excuse for a few minutes and cause a traffic jam. Just 5 minutes ah? I fast fast wan

9. Parents who allows their toddlers wearing shoes to stand on the food counter, next to your plate of char keoy teow. *When said toddler scrapped the side of their shoe on your plate* Aiyoh Ah Chai, cannot like that wan *Lifts baby foot out of char keoy teow and turn back to ordering their own food

10. People talking loudly on their mobile phones in public places. Arlo! Arlo! Arlo! Cannot hear you. What? WHAt? Ohh, Tua Puih seee hoh.. Hai loh, tua LRT le bin. Oh like that see boh.. can la. Si leh! Wah uh ka ee kong liao, tapi ee si mai tiah wah kong leh.... Ee yer chaboh peng eeyou ki chiuh bah leh chapoh lo...

Also, they IC registration department will be banning weird and embarrassing names, and one of the names in the list is Tua Puih! (Fatty)

LOLOLOL

That's Malaysian for you.

Bouyantly happy with my bouyancy

The reason I love the sea I cannot explain -- it's physical. When you dive you begin to feel like an angel. It's a liberation of your weight. ~ Jacques-Yves Cousteau ~


Finally got the chance to get away from the rat race last weekend. So I went diving with Leonard and Wai Kong at Redang last weekend. We drove all night and reached KT just as the sun rose. Estella and Jaymee went to sunbathe and snorkle.

Even though we didn't see any whale sharks this time, diving is always goooood. *grin*

It was a pretty good getaway even though we only managed to do 5 dives in 2 days. Saw my first lion fish, couple of turtles, a 2-metre long sting ray, moray eel, nudubranches, cleaner shrimp, a Black Tip, and an EMPEROR angelfish! How exciting is that?! These are the ones I'm excited about seeing. Of course there were plenty of other marine life as well but it would take me ages to list them ALL down. But the bottom collage is just some of the interesting marine life we encountered. Awesome creatures, they are...


I'm pretty stoked that my bounyancy control has improved much and I've reduced my weight from 4kg to 3kg! Need to tell Tom soon! I can even hover upside down, on my head as well. Hee hee... HAD to do hover upside down when I was trying to peek into a crevice to spot the shy and illusive lion fish.


Met my mom and a whole big bunch of relatives and cousins (who came back to Malaysia for a reunion) there in Redang as well. They of course stayed in Laguna (only the most expensive resort on Redang) and I stayed in Redang Pelangi Resort (only one of the cheapest resort there). Sis and the kids were there too, but I couldn't really spend much time with them as I only got to see them between dives and of course for dinner.

The water is still clear but we noticed that there are actually discarded fishing nets at Pulau Ling. There was one spanning 3 metres that got snagged and tangled amongst the corals, killing the corals that it was blanketing! WTF man! We wanted to cut it out but our dive master said that they will having a clean up dive soon.


We also saw tourists going around with a huge black bag picking up rubbish from the beaches! WTF again! How embarassing is that? Tourists who value our beaches more than we do. How difficult can it be NOT TO LITTER? Those who has the nerve to throw or leave their water bottles and plastic wrappings on the sand should be fined or given some sort of penalty. If you cannot control yourself from littering, STAY off the islands. Go back to your own homes and be a pig there!

There was a also boisterous group of yuppies Malaysians who were making a nuisance of themselves. First, they took up the ENTIRE beach in front of Pelangi and second, they were bloody noisy with their hoots and wooing and booing whilst playing games. Not only that, they dug deep holes in the sand and didn't cover it up. I saw one elderly lady stumble into one of those holes at night! But she caught herself from falling on her face. Idiots.

Yes I'm incensed that adults, not children because they don't know any better, have no respect for nature. Our beautiful islands are a legacy that is worth protecting and cherishing because there is no where else in the world like it. The ecosystem in Redang may not be as fragile as Sipadan or as bountiful and beautiful, Redang is still a gem of an island that needs to be protected. That goes the same for Perhentian and Lang Tengah as well.

If you're one of those people who thinks nothing of throwing your rubbish "outside", or think of the sea like your personal shopping mall, just do nature a favour and stay away.

Rant session over. And back to being happy about my bouyancy control. =)

"I'm really quite shy, y'know... REALLY."

Yet no one listened.

Yes, I'm a very shy person. I don't go to the most happening parties, I don't know the happening people and I don't even like to be... fluffy.

"You have to be fluffy la when you're in this line. Mesti buat acting sikit,"

But, but.. I'm not that kind of person... I'm actually quite introverted.

"Tu la... that's why you have to try harder. Go out, be out THERE. Be seen. Meet lots of people."

"Like this la, next time I go for a party or an opening, you follow me. That way you can learn. Just observe people and how they interact with each other."

And that's how I found myself under a new wing, with promises to show me a whole new world.

Better break out my Fluff Survival Kit.

Fake Gucci bag. Check.
Practice fake social laugh. *Shit sounds like Monica. Oh well. * Check.
Fake long luscious eye-lashes. Check.
Ultra-white. Check.
Ultra-glossy lipstick. Check.
Matrix shades. Check
3-inch strappy stilettos. Check.
Little black top. Check.
Bling-bling. Check.
Credit on credit card. oh f*ck...

Gee... I hope I survive. Yes I know it's gonna be fun and a learning experience.

*exaggerated wink*

I am not putting Patches down

I AM SO RELIEVED. I came back to KB expecting to do the worst to Patches. For the past entire week, my world has been in a turmoil when my mom suggested putting down Patches - he was not in a good shape and his fits are back. But after assessing him, I don't think I need to do the extreme. He is still alert. He is just old. He's 15 years old last month - that's 105 years in dog years. Thank you God because I don't need to put down Patches.

For one whole week, I agonised over my conscience and my heart in trying to make the best decision for him; one that wasn't tinge with selfishness on my part. I called doctors, aunties and neighbours to find out more about the current methods of putting down an animal. I didn't want the process to be painful for him. The last time two of my dogs were put down, the doctors used a very long and thick needle to stab their hearts in order to inject the poison. It was painful for them. Their pain was visible and in their eyes, accusation.

I didn't want that for Patches. Yes, I favour Patches. He is MY dog. Not my dad's. Not my sisters'. But mine. I took care of him the moment he came into my life and I've gone through my teenage years with him.

Patches was born sick. When he was about 8 months old, he started having fits. At that time, there weren't a proper vet in KB and no one knew what was wrong with him. He's epileptic. His seizures were taxing and painful for him. After every seizure, he'd shake and shiver and go into mild shock. I'd usually give him warm sweetened milk to help him recover. Those seizures sort of tapered off when he was about 6 years old, and he only had them sporadically. Now, according to my mom, he's having them again.

I haven't seen any indication of a seizure so far, thank God. But I've given him warm milk to help him sleep better tonight. I know Patches loves me. Now, even though he can't see properly, he can still recognise me by smell. Every time I come home, he's more playful, more energised, more alert... Just more. And I love him to bits. Can dog love? Yes they can.

Just the thought of putting down Patches broke my heart so many times. I cried almost everyday, every time that horrible thought entered my mind. I tried to control my tears but to no avail. It's just too horrible a thought to remain impassive. So much so, that my colleagues noticed. *sigh*

I'm so glad that I don't need to do the horrible deed, or rather make the decision to do so. I told myself two days ago that I would come home and assess him before I make any decision. I couldn't even make an appointment with the vet in KB. I just couldn't. Not to Patches. It is not his time, yet.

Patches is 105 years old and he's still as adorable as the first day I got him.

Memories of the sweetest puppy

The first time I set my eyes upon you,
My eyes lit up with joy and delight,
That someone, somewhere out of the blue,
Gave me you, a bundle of black and white.

From the box, you whined and barked,
Jumping and demanding that I pick you up,
Your white fur soft and black patches dark,
Who could resist such an adorable pup?

Yawning mouth wide open, teeth exposed;
tumbling back on your hunches, blinking sleepily;
I picked you up to cuddled you close,
You snuggled your nose against me comfortably.

To me you were the cutest puppy,
The way you trundled along clumsily...
The way you licked my nose constantly...
And chewed on my ears occasionally...

You would chase insects through the grass,
Bounding and trampling after them gleefully,
Yet no matter how many trees and people you passed,
One call was all it needed to call you back to me.

~ seaDevilyn @ 2006 ~

Weekend of gifts

A gift from Venice

Moshunter bought me this Venetian half mask while on her summer hols in Italy! Isn't it cool? Maybe I might wear it at the next ball. Ball? What ball, ah?


White superpower on my desk

Here's the robot that a colleague left for me to remember him by when he left the company last Friday. Thanks Matt. Gonna miss you loads.

Countries I've set foot on

Create your own visited countries map too!

JUICEd

Lydia & Me

Happy 4th Birthday, JUICE! *Muaks*

Lyd and I went to the JUICE 4th Anniversary Party at Ruums Sat night. Met Naz & Elaine there. The theme, being Hat And Bananas, gotvery poor response from the guests, as usual. It's not a fashion culture we practice, 'kay... Hey, I didn't wear a hat coz I don't wear hats. Have you ever seen me wear a hat? No.

Naz & Me

It was fun even though we left early, and it was free flow. But until a certain hour only. *Disappointed pout* But getting the free drinks were a nightmare. There was a mob in front of the VIB (Very Important Bananas) Bar, and we had to wait half an hour before our turns. Needless to say it was packed - saw a bunch of editors and writers. Small industry mah. Y'know, I just realised that I didn't see anyone I know from the editorial team there, not even Diwa or April! Maybe it was too dark. Haha. Saw Chak as well, but then Chak is always at all the happening events. Disco demon that one.

To tell you the truth, I went there to network but ended up having a good time. Music, by Joey G, was danceable and throw in a pinch of good company, you have yourself a fun package.

Okay... the reason I went home early because I had to get up early at 6.30am before the workmen comes at 7am to continue with my house renovations. Oh, didn't I mention? My kitchen and backyard is under renovations. So for the past one week and the next three weeks, I'll be choking on cement dust and temporarily relocated wherever and whichever apply.

So, needing much sleep to overcome my "stoned" look, I checked myself into Boulevard Hotel at Mid Valley City (which is like 5 mins from my house), as it's the nearest to work. Omigawd... I spend the whole day, wallowing in comfort and soft, fluffy quilt and pillows. *Blissful sigh* I went down to Jusco, bought sustenence, and parked myself in bed from morn till night, just reading, sleeping and generally having my much needed rest.

I seriously contemplated taking a day off this morning when the time to check out came. Me, I'm a simple woman. I don't need to travel far to find comfort. *wink* Hahaha.

Another good Honda event

The media loved the new Accord launch, so I guess for me I can take it as a job well done then. Though I'm only involved in the later days leading up to the launch day itself, I'm still pretty proud of the event. But then, as usual, even when I'm not involve, I seem to get drag into it one way or another. It's not my baby, but in the end, I end up doing more, as usual. Oh well. Chalk it up as more experience.





Our event team did a very good job too. Now here's a team that I really don't mind working with. Sure, we all have our problems but at the end of the day, when you have something as satisfying as this project under your belt... it's a good feeling.

The best invention by Man

... is the masking tape!

I vow, it's a time-saver and a life-saver! Without it, my weekend would have been a killer. Last weekend, my sister and I had to pack and seal up ALL our things into boxes to get ready for the renovations to be carried out on the house. Good God, I never realised how many things we actually have. I was so tempted to be ruthless and throw half of them out. You know what, I think I will be, when later I unpack them. Make room for the new stuff. =P

I used the masking tape to:
. Pack and seal boxes
. Reinforce boxes to make it extra durable
. Seal up tiny holes in boxes
. Seal up holes in between the glass slates and the glass slate holder
. Seal shut my closets before cling wrapping it
. Tape together the cutlery into a bunch to prevent it from clink-clanking in the box
. Tape a plastic cover onto the air vents in the wall
. Tape a plastic cover to the windows
. Tape up a broken vase to be disposed off safely
. Use it to take out dust in hard to reach places
. Tape my plastic-glove covered wrist to prevent dirty water from entering

Like, I said, it's one of the best invention by Man. The human evolution is really just defined by moments of geniuses like this, that starts off like a pebble dropping into a pond. I thank you Richard Drew, and 3M. =P

Company trip to Bali

Ok, here's my posting on Bali (16 - 19 June 2006)that I was supposed to do last week but didn't coz I was too busy, with work.

Actually there's a lot of things I've not been able to blog about. I guess I'll just KIV them first. One at a time, la.

All I can remember of Bali... is... is... err... is... Darnit... I can't remember! Haha! Just trying to get out of my alcohol-induced amnesia. @_^

Okay, okay... *ahem*

Bali, on first impression, seem like Kota Bharu, what with the houses and motorists and it's local people. But its not KB, coz there are no head scarves there, thank goodness. But then, I landed at night so I couldn't really see much or gauge much for that matter. They took us straight to this restaurant with four bronze statues of padi women facing against the wind, which reminded me of the Oscars actually. The food was tasty but nothing that I would wax lyrical about.

Our hotel, Inna Putri Bali in Nusa Dua, was quite nice. It's supposed to be 5 stars but then it's really old - they are still using dial phones... in beige to boot. But I love the authentic Balinese ambient and design of the hotel. It's a huge place, and the pool and the beach is about 5 minutes walk from your room. But I don't mind, coz the walk is really pleasant as you amble pass ponds filled with koi and other type of fishes, water lilies, babbling brook-like ponds and statues of Balinese supernatural beings. Some are scary looking, some kinda serene. But all of them are very life-like. Throw on some spotlight and voila, you have great authentic Balinese ambience.

The beach is nice but not as nice as Perhentian or Redang, but better than KB's or PD's any day. The water's chilly and not that murky. The water flows from Antarctica I think and I ended up with a cold right after coming out of the water, and with the sun shining brightly and HOTLY. But my only gripe about the beach is the garbage. There's also garbage floating around in the water! Even though we were near the reefs and there were kelp, I didn't see any fish swim close. Says a lot about the health of the reefs…

We had one free and easy afternoon. The morning activities of games were compulsory but I missed it coz I couldn't wake up! Why? Coz we were up drinking and playing games the night before. We painted Kuta town red. That was fun. =)

It's weird really. I am usually a very light sleeper but that morning, I didn't even hear my phone alarm go off despite it being next to my head. Must be the flight (came on a Boeng 737, 4 hour flight) AND the alcohol.

So that night, during dinner, I got penalized. Actually 4 of us missed the morning activities and all 4 were punished. The two guys had to do dirty dancing whilst me and my roommate, Marilyn, had to do pole dancing, on stage! Pai seh only, coz I've never done pole dancing. And to make the matter more hilarious, some one shouted from the audience that the poles should be replaced by our tall colleagues! >_< This suggestion was of course, met with a roar of approval. What can I do but follow along la, even though I had no idea how to pole dance. Vision of sexy girls and a long metal pole filled my mind, but then doing those wriggles and thrusts was another thing altogether. I tried my best... =P

That night, after dinner, we had another drinking session, and this time all the bottles of the hard liquor came out and my god, everyone was happily drunk by midnight. Some of us went for a midnight swim while others scrambled to their rooms to watch football. I went for a midnight swim at the pool. After that, I wondered down the beach, alone. My first glimpse of the beach took my breath away. The moon was out and it's white light were illuminating the sea and the breakers, and it looked awesome. It looked like angels were getting ready to descend at any moment. I lost myself for an hour there. Just having an Alone time. But it didn't last long, as the group came by noisily to join me. Oh well *sigh* It was good while it lasted.

The next day was the tour day, which I think was a waste of time. The bus took us shopping and only at those tourist traps. So didn't enjoy that. After dinner, we started drinking early and then took a taxi to Seminyak to experience the night life. Naturally by the time they closed the club, we were all stumbling into waiting taxis, drunk and beyond.

Needless to say, I had a hangover the next day. I was fine during breakfast but once I got on the bus to go to the airport, motion-sickness got the better of me. By the time, the bus got to the airport which was thankfully in 15 mins, I felt nauseous and just out of it. All around me, my colleagues milled around, recollecting what they did yesterday. Me, I just sat on the bench and concentrating on not throwing up.

I knew it was going to be a horrible flight home if I didn't do something. So I threw back a whole bottle of coke and went to the toilet and forced myself to puke. For one hour, while everyone else was shopping, I was bent over in the toilet, with a finger down my throat. Some people are just better at hiding their hangovers I guess. Which I found out later, were many.

I guess, I can say that my company trip to Bali was fun, in a haze of alcoholic fumes kind of way. It was a weekend of alcohol bingeing. But then what can you expect when you bring together people from the advertising industry? *wink*

Tagged! A little more about yours truly...

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:

1. Sharon
2. seaDevilyn
3. Ladyshate

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:

1. My smile
2. My shoulders
3. My eyes, I guess. Coz I can't think of anything else...

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:

Only 3 eh?
1. My legs
2. My face
3. My hips

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:

1. Chinese
2. Thai
3. Malay

THREE THINGS YOU CAN'T STAND:

1. Horrible people who has no respect for nature
2. People who kills endangered species for personal gain
3. People who kills and eat endangered species, esp men who believes that eating certain parts of animals will revive their Manliness. Haha, wouldn't it be funny if the tables were turned on these idiots? Run, Forrest, Run!

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:

1. Supernatural beings =P
2. Clingy people
3. Flying cockroaches


EDIT: EEPS forgot to do the other half!!!

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SHOWS:

1. Lost
2. BTVS
3. Star Trek Voyager

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE JAPANESE ANIMES:

1. I only know one - Crying Freeman

THREE OF YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE SONGS:

1. The closest thing to crazy - Katie Melua
2. Trees - Marty Casey
3. Passage - Vienna Teng

THREE MOVIES YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN:

1. Underworld
2. Aliens (2)
3. Underworld: Evolution

THREE MOVIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH:

1. POTC 2
2. Cars
3. The Exorcism of emily Rose (But I won't)

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:

1. Food
2. Shelter
3. Clothes

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:

1. dp suit
2. My LOTR sliver ring
3. 3-inch brown velvet tie-on heels

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:

1. Trust
2. Love
3. Loads of sex

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE GENDER THAT APPEAL TO YOU:

1. A broad strong shoulder
2. A sexy smile
3. Sexy forearms

THREE BAD HABITS:

1. Judgmental
2. Procrastination
3. Cracking my body

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:

1. Scuba diving
2. Reading
3. Pamper my dog

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. Dive and be one of the denizens of the deep
2. Go for a long, relaxing massage
3. Put on some chillout music and curl up in my bed

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING OR CURRENTLY PURSUING:

1. Own a ranch or a farm in the mountains
2. Be a dive master
3. Go higher in my position as a PR practioner

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:

1. Maldives
2. Turkey
3. Greece

THREE KIDS' NAMES YOU LIKE:

1. Acheron
2. Alaric
3. Arissa

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:

1. Dive with a 40 feet whale shark
2. Learn to build a mini suspension bridge
3. Go to Australia zoo to see Steve Irwin care for his crocs

THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL:

1. I love shoes
2. I care about my looks
3. My driving ain't that good

INITIALS OF THREE CRUSHES:

1.CKH (Teen crush)
2.AT (Late Teen crush)
3.JL (Uni crush)

My dna personality

Looks like this week is about self-discovery. *GriN*

Attentive Artist

About you
You are an Artist

Your appreciation of beauty, ability to think abstractly, and innovativeness make you an ARTIST.

Never one to be tied to a particular way of doing things, you let your imagination guide you in discovering different possibilities.

You would rather seek out new experiences than stick to your everyday habits, taking in as much of the world as possible.

Your eye for beauty and your willingness to consider different perspectives make your creative efforts interesting—even though you may not realize this yourself.

You prefer to think about things before voicing your opinion, considering a wide, diverse range of options.

While there are forms and styles that you prefer, you tend to keep an open mind when it comes to your artistic preferences.

You are curious about things, interested in the "why" more than the “how.”

You have an active imagination that leads you express yourself in a distinct way.

You're not one to force your positions on a group, and you tend to be fair in evaluating different options.

You prefer to have time to plan for things, feeling better with a schedule than with keeping plans up in the air until the last minute.

Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.


How you relate to others
You are Attentive

Because you like spending time with others, understand their feelings, and often know what is best for them, you are ATTENTIVE.

Some people are merely concerned about others, but you take action, helping people when you have the opportunity.

Although you care about others, you are hesitant to trust them to act in the best way on their own.

You don't let your concerns with people go unnoticed: if someone has hurt your feelings, that person will hear about it.

People energize and excite you—you are able to have fun and be yourself when you're around others.

You also learn a lot about yourself by talking things out with people, even if you don't always share things that are important to you.

You have a strong sense of right and wrong, and you're not hesitant to express yourself.

Understanding the dynamics of a situation is an important skill that you have, and you often intervene to clarify things for others.

You're not one to force your positions on a group, and you tend to be fair in evaluating different options.

You prefer to have time to plan for things, feeling better with a schedule than with keeping plans up in the air until the last minute.

Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.

Been to KB and back

A break from the Honda rat race was what I needed to sooth my frazzled nerves. Went home to my baby to rejuvenate, refresh and relax for four whole days. The poor darling is getting on in his old age. Dr. Leong said that the way his condition is, he'd prob pass on in his sleep. Patches is 15 years old, that's 105 years old in dog years. Pampered him as much as I could. When I left, he looked bewilded and then sad. *sigh* Miss him so much... he's so adorable.

My break was not a lazy weekend spent at home. Rather it was the usual scrubbing of floors and bathing Patches and all that that kept me busy. Mornings were cooking lessons in the making of nasi dagang, nasi lauk & pulut kuning by my aunt, and afternoons were devoted to Patches. But don't expect me to cook for you, coz honestly, I don't remember how to cook those dishes. It was just an exercise in futility in actual fact.

Now that I seem to be freer, I will try to catch up on my blogging.

Oh the interesting side, I just found out that my boss knows Patrick. Haha... what a small world.

Was it all worth it?

I would have to say yes and a little no.

One of the major reason I took this job was to have the chance to learn new things. To experience new things. With the KLIMS project, I would have to say I did learn a few things. On top of that, I made some new good friends and my team is closer now for the experience.

Yeah, I worked the 10 days straight and I'm back to work the very next day, with no monetary or leave compensation in sight. I asked about the leave compensation thing and was told that no such thing exist in this company. Imagine that. You worked very hard, you spend your weekends working like crazy, your body protests every night, and yet there are no compensations in sight. I guess now I know why people go into sales. Why put in so much energy into work when the end output is still the same amount? I should just be a model employess but work exactly 8 hours a day and all the extra hours, I should just freelance. Yeah, I know. I say this now, and I procrastinate.

Yeah my boss acknowledged my hard work, with an email to the team and the company. It's good that he have eyes to see. But what about my weekends? I'm anal about my weekends, I guess. You can have me the whole day for my weekdays, but my weekends, I keep to myself as it is MY weekends. That's something the Labour Court would love to chew on, but *shrug*. Malaysia being Malaysia, hah.



*sigh*

Pictures @ KLIMS 2006

Here you go. Pictures of our 141 Honda Project at KLIMS. It was a great experience no doubt. Worked like hell on it and was hellish for as long as it lasted but it was a good experience.


The Entrance to the Honda Automobile Exhibition


Top view of the Honda Booth.


The masses during one of ASIMO's appearances! Massive crowd...


This is the FCX Concept. Gorgeous piece of design with a fuel cell system that uses hydrogen and oxygen to power the car and discharges water instead of CO2! The interior is totally futuristic! Reminded me of the command deck on Voyager.


This is the ultra dynamicly metalic-red Sports 4 Concept. A lot of visitors love this concept car. The interior is even better: Four individual bucket seats, all leather of course, the finishings are a combination of metal, leather and real wood. It also has individually-controled sky-roofs!


The gang (missing some) who packed goodie bags like demons-possessed!


One of ASIMO's performances.


This is ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility.