Last Weekend

Yesterday and Saturday were very tiring but very enriching. I met a person whom I have not met in 15 years. I have not written about anyone for a long long time now but this person just compels me to do so.

His life is so colourful. I have never met a person like him before. I am so proud of him and am really moved whenever I think of him. He was 16 (Form 3) when he decided to leave his broken life behind him and follow the things he has been daydreaming about. With RM80, he took the boat to India, went through Pakistan, Karachi, Iran, Turky, hitchhiking all the way to England. There he joined the British Army for 9 years, posted to Germany, learnt German in the nights, met his German wife, studied photography and now retired as a renowned photographer in Germany. His son is continuing his legacy while he travels to fish in Norway, to eat durians and meet up with his Penang friends.

He loves dreaming and without dreaming, one dies. He says to keep on dreaming. He says never to give up and never think that anyone else is better than yourself. He says to keep the faith. He says to be humble at all times. He says that one has to be positive to achieve the dreams. He says cease the day and live for the moment.

I knew him as a really fun character. Very jovial and will go an extra mile to keep you happy. He is still the same, just older and wiser. This time around, it was special. I was so teary eyed when he went onto the bus back to Penang and then to Germany next week, I could see that he felt the same. I don't know why I feel this way. Perhaps seeing him 'making it' despite of his difficult beginnings has been inspiring to me. I don't know why. I am an emo bag now.

Runs

Today is the perfect day to have the runs. Not only that it is a Monday but I have been so darn tired with work, I feel like screaming. Between sessions on my porcelain throne and office, I will take the throne.

After having my sleep being interrupted, I can remember 2 significant dreams. In the first dream I was witnessing a tsunami from an apartment block (further away). I remember having recorded the incident in my camera. I could see waves being formed and how it flooded the city below me. It was really scary. We then had to evacuate the said apartment block. I could remember saying to another person that we are now refugees and have to cross the border to be safe. hmmm

The next dream was my house was burgled but the thieves did not take anything as there was nothing in my house for them.

I can derive a lot from these 2 dreams but I think it all boils down to the lack of having a better work life balance and having something to look forward to in the future.

Now I am gonna curl up and drink soup and perhaps listen to some Spanish hunk sing.

Me Time

Wow the year has flown by without any warning. Today I have some 'Me' time on my hands.

I woke up at 5.30 am and went for a long long walk with some church mates. Of course the driving factor was that 2 of my teenage kids wanted to go ... so I had to go lar. Anyway, the walk did good. I went grocery shopping, cleared the house and now thinking of going to a flea market.

Today, I wanna just chill, thank God for things that I take for granted, thank God for family and friends, thank God for a job, thank God that He has taken me this far in my journey. ..

I had one person who asked me 'Why was I born into a nation of turmoil, into a family which is too poor to help themselves, into so much strife...'

I did not have any answers.

There is so much that we can give. There is so much we can do. Isn't it great that we are capable of impacting a life or a situation. Its just amazing that we were made for such a time as this. Hmm.. ok I will stop preaching.

Ever read Mr. Pink Whistle - by Enid Blyton? This may sound crazy but the Mr. Pink Whistle series made a lot of impact in my life. Mr. Pink Whistle was the one who went around helping people to make things right. He was positive, always wanting to overcome than to dwell on the problem, and most of all, bringing joy and spreading some love around. Wished I had some magical powers to make the world a better place - faster.

Marilynn is in fluffy bunny mode today. :)

TGIF

Credits

I wonder why people leave immediately after a movie ends.

I just watched Ratatouille. It was good, with an original storyline.

After the film, people just left. Aren't we supposed to appreciate the people responsible for the good production, the artform, the wit ...etc. Hmmm... what is worst is that these people who wanna leave are preoccupied with stretching, scratching, yawning, turning on handphone.. all in front of you whilst you are trying to watch the screen. Nonsense.

Now I feel like cooking like a rat. :)

Soup

Yay... I finally got down to making Pumpkin, sweet potato and carrot soup. Will be freezing them up and bringing soup to work for the next few days. This week shall be the no-oil-(except butter :P) week. I am gonna have toast and vege for lunch. *Lets see how long this lasts*

There's no bandung in Bandung

Yes folks, there is no drink called bandung in Bandung, Indonesia, instead it is called Syrup with Milk. There is also no mee bandung anywhere. There is a variety of Baso and many many things are with cheese. I can live there :).

I love the FOOOOOOOOD in Bandung. OMG... where do I begin. My luggage consisted of Indonesian Instant Noodles, Black sauce, coffee, tea(s), Indonesian junk food. *faints*

Weather there was brilliant except for the dust due to the dry season. Shopping there is just mad. If you are for LV and the works, then there will be the place to just rake up a good figure on your credit card. Anyway, I did not have to do all that because I already felt like a million bucks. Taking the public transport was 5000, water was 2000, a meal would cost around 10000.... I must say that my math improved when I was there. :)

I went to see my friend who is studying there as well as teaching the community children English. The Indonesian rich are obscenely rich and the Indonesian poor are obscenely poor. An average monthly wage there is about RM250. No wonder Indonesians flock here to earn the RM150 extra.

Anyway, it is good to be home. Miss the roti bakar there....it is the best in the world. Ask me why the next time you see me. :D

Break...

Finally, I am now on my much NEEDED break to Bandung, Indonesia. It has been just a whirlwind of work everyday. Zingy agreed to me going on a retreat/holiday/buddy time to Bandung with my childhood girlfriend. God Bless Zingy!!!!!! I told him that I would want to do this before I am preggers and before I become an old wart.

I plan to sleep, shop, go for a massage, eat, go for massage, shop, eat, sleep and ponder on life for the next 5 days.

:D

Bleh

I am having backaches, bruises on my legs, a stiff neck, twitching eyes, and eczema on my fingers...... I wanna dig a hole in the ground and crawl in there with a piece of cheesecake and some Earl Grey tea.

On a totally unrelated note, I had a great weekend last week. It was the best Saturday in a long time, with great company, the best cheesecake and the best Cambodian chicken. Yummmmm

1st Instinct - Blame the other fella...

K asked me for directions. I told him, he said yes yes yes. Then called me up again to say that he was lost. Then proceeded to tell me that I should not have brought him to an unfamiliar route.

I answered 'then ask me for what'??

WHAT???? WHO?? WHEN???? WHERE??? WHY AM I BLAMED WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG? Who called whom? What was that all about???

What I am riled up about is that the blaming was a reflects action...to blame me!

:(

NONSENSE!!

#1 Cause of Annoyance

You go to a restaurant. There are 2 of you. The waiter/waitress only gives you ONE bloody menu to look at. The same service if there were 4 persons...

Then if 10 persons are on the table, they give only like 3 menus to look at.

Blind or what? Expect us to crowd round one menu to see issit??

Why do they do this? I don't get it. I really really DON'T BLOODY GET IT!!!!!!!

Cheesy Love Stories

I am having trouble sleeping now because :-

1) I drank tea at 6 pm
2) I ate 2 dinners
3) I just watched a really cheesy love story on tv.

Well, this love story was about this orphaned boy who has a heart condition. He then grew up into this really handsome guy who is shy etc. He worked in a cafe and falls in love with this waitress . This waitress never knew of this until one day she was nearly raped by some gangsters and Mr. Angel Hunk came to her rescue. How come he was there to save her? Every night after work, he will follow her home (from a distance) to make sure that she reaches home safely. (so sweet)

So they fall in love. He is the PERFECT boyfriend with a perfect doggie. Then one day, the same gangsters came to beat him up and stabbed him. That triggered off his heart condition. He died on his birthday. Right after a hockey game with girlfriend.

I am stressed.

Why can't the producers just let them get married and live happily ever after?? Why must he die? Isn't there enough suffering and stress in this world? Tsk tsk tsk so suey.

So. This got me thinking about situations like these and meeting true love etc. Eh can't help being mushy la. Oh oh Mr. Angel Hunk also said that he did not want a heart transplant because he was afraid that with a different heart, his love for her will be different... so cheesy larrrrr. Haiya ... Do guys say AND DO things along the lines of "you complete me"..? I am not talking about flowers (from florist), chocolates and fancy dinners. I am talking about things one does from the heart. Like doing the laundry, ironing, cleaning the bathroom to its completion, and doing it because he does not want my hands to be rough. Or that mopping the floor so that I need not hurt my back carrying the pail of water. Or having the initiative to make the house look pretty for me.

I must say though that Zingy does some of these things and I appreciate these actions (as much or) even more than jewelery or money etc (not that I get jewelery or money in lieu of the above services). Heh heh...

It all boils down to the language of love. The problem is guys don't speak the same language. Perhaps God designed it this way so that it'll be a challenge for the guys and so that they will not lose focus and get lazy..... really? hmmm I know of guys who speak this language fluently and they ain't interested in impressing any girls.

Guys better buck up if not all girls will be swinging to the other side... and vise versa... (added to make this post politically correct).

Security Blankets

Here we are again. It's a Monday. Aarrggh. Being out of the office is nice but not having your normal bed, pillow and stuffed Elephant is torturous.

So. Just to feel more comfortable in a foreign place...like hotels and etc, I usually bring my mum's sarong with me. (A clean one, of course) It makes sleeping in a foreign bed in a foreign place more 'sleepable'.

Since I was young, I've always had a pillow 'busuk' (smelly pillow which refers to a security blanket). Eventhough I will not particularly die if I do not have it with me, I am surely more comforted if I had one. I don't think I can grow out of it.

On another note.

One thing I've learnt. How do you judge a hotel? Check the toilets first. It'll be an indication of what to expect. eeeeewwww

11 Year old????

Check this out!

More than meets the eye

Today I went to see Transformers the movie.

My, my, all I could see was lots of metal everywhere. Send them to Penang and you'll get rusty Transformers.

For one who only watches cartoons and Lord of the Rings, I don't mind watching it again. (Perhaps getting better seats further from the screen.) I like the Linkin Park song.

But Of Course,

The girls have to be pretty

All of a sudden everyone from Qatar to Australia knows what The Cube is. (I am still figuring that one out)

Everyone converge (from nowhere) to fight the bad guys.

The good characterbot who died only spoke 2 sentences in the whole movie.

Except for the Bots in colours I could not make out whom for what. It was just metal here there and everywhere.

Good=Blue eyes Bad=Red eyes (except for one blue-eyed bot who is a bad guy).

Why doesn't Optimus Prime stick the cube into Megatron and just kill him off straight away.

Sack the Sec of Def, why endanger the whole city when one can go to some desert or something to fight your guts out.

(This list is non-exhaustive)

Anyway, I like the song by Linkin Park and Optimus Prime is so macho (and he does not need to be hairy). Wouldn't mind spending another RM9.

I like her !

She is so cool! Here is another one. Just great. I feel so happy :)

Tuesday Blues

Tomorrow is Tuesday and I have to WORK!!!!! AAARRGG!!!

Just that I have just come back from a long weekend and I do not want it to end. *sob*

I think I need an environment change at my work place or a very long weekend. I just feel bleh...

I don't get it.

I strongly believe that birthdays are for the mothers and not the child. I mean, all the kid did was to pop out in all oblivion. Mum on the other hand had to carry baby for 9 months, puking for 3 months (or possibly all 9 months), battling stretch marks, feeling like crap and then going through labour for forever and then more toiling and gnashing of teeth bringing up baby.

So, in conjunction with my birthday today, my Mum should be cutting the cake. My mum should be getting the birthday dinner and my mum should be getting the presents.. :)

Blessed Birthday Mi!

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

My first day at 31.

You know you are 31 when :

- No matter how interesting the evening is, you feel really sleepy at 9.30pm.
- Your birthday dinner is a dinner thing that starts at 7.30pm and ends at 9.30pm.
- Your birthday song is sung softer.
- Your 'cake' is made out of little cherry tomatoes with bunny ears and not a sweet sinful cream smothered cake that will go straight to the hips.(yes my good friend actually did some vege art and turned cherry tomatoes into cute little bunnies.... it was so cool).
- You start to be on screen saver mode by 10.00pm and go on auto hibernate at 10.17pm.

Anyhow, this was one of my best birthdays. I spent it with my family and old friends (whom I met by chance!). It was just great. Even sleep deprived, today has been just so worth it. I live for days like these.

zzzz with a :)

No. 31

This is my last day to be 30. Imagine going on to my Four - O. The thing is, i may be 31 but I feel like a 23 year old. I still remember the stuff my friends and I used to do, or talk about, laugh about.

My best friend and I used to do loads of stuff together when we were in our twenties and very much single. It was college in the day and Planet Hollywood in the night, right up to 1am or 2am... without transport home. Nonsense... tempting providence to the hilt. God must have been sending guardian angels and doing an overtime on us.

If my daughter would to pull a stunt like this, I will lock her in the highest tower guarded by a fire-spitting dragon. Oh yes... mummy can summon dragons :)

Shang - Ri La Putrajaya... NOT

OMG...

One should NEVER go there for buffet lunch. It was such a dissapointment. For RM50++ - RM60++ something, I thought it was a heavy breakfast buffet in a 3 star hotel.

Sheesh... they don't even replenish the trays. The fish whatever was swimming in oil. The chicken whatever was having an oil bath as well. Everything was the spicy-oily type. Eeek!

Pokoknya, don't have meals there. Not worth your money and time. Even the tea tasted like left over bittergourd juice with brown colouring.

Finally!!!

Yes!!!!! Finally I am taking 5 days off work to go back home to chill. You cannot believe how much I need this break. Everyday has been back breaking in the office. If this continues I will look like a 90 yr old. Have to check out the market once again. I need a job that pays well and gives me time to chill. ..... Yeah right!!

Eyes falling out

Form sunrise to sunset, I am toiling in the office. Doing a million things that does not necessarily go towards the 'work of the day'. So it piles up to one big mess and then will one day blow up in my face.

I am so tired. My eyeballs are twitching...

The office nearly caught fire today. Good thing a colleague put it out. As it turns out, the fuse thing at the florescent lights gave way... perhaps from heavy usage.

I feel for Mr. Florescent.

Unassuming..

This is so cool!! Enjoy!

Spare Tyre

Zingy now has a more active social life than I do. I have to keep up.

My idea of a good weekend is about spending time together, doing things together, bonding...

NOT

-taking a 7 hour nap and then realize the weekend is too short to even do the laundry.
-then after the 7 hour nap, takes lunch at 2am in the morning and finally sleeps at 8am in the morning.
-then realize that one has screwed the working Monday and that one is perpetually tired.
-forgetting that one has a wife who needs some TLC eventhough she is 90% of the time independant.
-being on the net every waking moment.


I am frustrated.

Can't he ...like organise his cupboard or pick up after himself.

I have realised that many times when he speaks to me, the sentences are half way, referring to wrong words etc. Y'know like when someone is watching TV and speaking to you on the phone. Sounding distant and scattered, thinking about other things and not really concentrating on the conversation.

I know he has a good heart and all. He has the best of intentions, and he is really intelligent and his brain works faster than lightning....

Sometimes these small things really get to me. I have to be more positive I guess. Close 2 eyes and get on with everything else.

So now, I am alone, with my new laptop (thank God :) ) and thinking what to eat for dinner. Zingy ffk me ... so what to do? I feel worse because I hate Sunday evenings/nights. I am all alone facing the impending arrival of Monday. Perhaps I need to go out, travel outstation more often. Perhaps he will eventually realise that I've been gone for a month and try to spend time together?? I feel overlooked. Shelved. Taken for granted. Not appreciated.

(Is this how God feels when we have no time for HIM?)

Mummy

I love my mum to bits.

If God blesses me with children, I want a daughter/s. Daughters are so precious. The connection between a mum and her girl is just so different. I love my mum because she loves me unconditionally.

If anyone does anything to her, you wait buster....

...Now that is where the blenders come in :)

Blogger's Block

I used to have many passions. One of which was writing. However, as time passed by, passions were sacrificed on the alter of obligations. Studies, exams, job, relationships ...yada yada yada...

Now, perhaps it is time that I resurrected that interest and try to express myself in this manner. My expressions throughout the years have been pent up somewhere. I still don't know where.

So lets see where this blog will take me....