Electricity Cut Again

There's no electricity again at home. I wonder how long this will last. Sure, I have laptop which could run on battery and luckily it is fully charged now but still I need to get online, which I could also connect to my Celcom 3G but then a friend says that as long I have a laptop and internet connection, I could still do my work.

Aiya, no need to charge my mobile phone battery, ah? He thinks I could charge my devices with candle light. You know how battery hungry connecting to the internet is if I use the phone as a modem? Yes, my mobile device is my modem too. Aren't I cheap? LOL

Well, what to do but to wait this out? Sigh, with the free time I have now that I don't have to work, I couldn't even watch any dramas and movies or play my games! Can play mobile games but need to conserve battery. Boo!

Daily Horoscope

I don't know about you, but I have this habit of reading my Daily horoscope every morning as soon as I get my hands on the newspaper. It doesn't mean that I believe in whatever that is written about my horoscope, Sagittarius, or plan my day according to its prediction. After all, there are so many people who are Sagittarians as well so don't tell me all of us will be going through the same things, right?

However, I still like to see how accurate it is but the funny thing is at the end of the day, I don't even remember what had been written about my day! Yes, I do have a pretty short memory!

I have friend who only reads her horoscope when she feels something different in her life. When she feels a little insecure and suspects that her spouse is Cheating on her, she would do a horoscope compatibility test. Perhaps that is her way of de-stressing!

And then I have another friend who told me that he doesn't believe in horoscopes yet I caught him checking his daily horoscope when he was about to attend a job interview. You know how jobs are so difficult to come by these days. Perhaps he was looking for Tips for a job interview there. Hahaha!

Welcome To Dongmakgol [2005 Korean Movie]

Taking care of Snoopy, I have been so tired that I didn't even have time or mood to watch any dramas and movies. I do, however, play some online games like Pet Society and Restaurant City on Facebook to de-stress. I play so much that I would be running Restaurant City on my desktop computer and playing with my pet on Pet Society on my laptop so much so that my father commented, "Playing games AGAIN??" And I went, "Don't disturb me! I like to play games, I play lah!"

So anyway, I was watching Welcome To Dongmakgol the other night, a 2005 Korean movie that I have had in my collection of movies for years already but never gotten around to watching it. I remember that it was supposed to be funny and I certainly need some humour at this point in my life!

You know what; I watched it over two nights and still couldn't finish the movie! I only watched a total of 40 minutes so far and still have about 50 minutes to go. I kept nodding off and couldn't even concentrate. Yes, it was boring to me and where it was supposed to be funny, I found it pretty stupid, actually.

I was like, "Who the heck was it who recommended this movie to me?" LOL yes, it has been that long ago that I wouldn't even remember. I hope to finish the movie this week. Arghh even if I don't like it, I do try to finish whatever I started!

Glass Reinforced Plastics (GRP)

I don't know if you watched the video of a robbery at a jewelers’ that is making the rounds on the web recently by email. I believe it’s on YouTube as well.

I know that the jewelers already bought insurance and he should not have suffered a financial loss but still, a robbery is bad for business, it's bad for the heart. Even watching the video, I winced looking at how the glasses flew from the way the display shelves were smashed.

I think that if the jewelers had used glassfibre showcases, the robbers would not have such an easy getaway with their bags of loot. At least, they wouldn't be able to smash those glass fibre panels like they did.

Now, the jewelers have learnt their lesson, I guess. They should be using GRP, Glass Reinforced Plasctics, in their new display shelves. The price difference in the material would certainly be worth it.

What's The Story With Manohara Odelia Pinot?

If you have spent some time on the internet or read the papers this past week, I am sure you would have read about the 17-year-old Indon-French beauty, Manohara Odelia Pinot.

Well, I have to admit that I have never heard of her before, even though she has been named as one of the most beautiful in Indonesia but with the hoo haa created by her mother this past week, there really is no escape from reading news about her.

According to her mother, Manohara Odelia Pinot was abducted by a Kelantanese Prince when they were in Saudi Arabia. She has also been forced to marry the prince and tortured behind closed palace doors.

How much of truth this is, none of us know. I read some reports that when Manohara Odelia Pinot was only 15 years old, the mother already took her to do the social rounds. It was also reported that at 15, she was raped by this prince, who promised that he will marry her when she turns 17, which he did, looks like.

This mother reminds me of the mother in Gem of Life, who only would be happy when the daughters married into high class, wealthy families. Which mother in her right mind would allow the daughter to marry her rapist?

I've seen photos of Manohara Odelia Pinot happily test driving her spanking new wedding gift of a BMW. You see, there is a price to pay in everything. There are sacrifices to be made. Most of us are still struggling with paying off a car loan and here she is, even before she has a legal driver's license, already owns a BMW.

Go figure.

Kinta City Parking Fees

If you have been to Kinta City lately, you would know that they are going to charge parking fee soon. Just now, I was there and they already put up a signboard with the fees.

For J Card members, it is RM1 per entry with the first two hours free. For non-J Card members, it is also RM1 per entry with the first hour free only. I really do not know if that's all they will be charging or if there will be extra to pay after the first two hours of free parking. You know, Japanese English...

If it's free for the first two hours for J Card members, which I am one, then I will continue to enjoy free parking, since I hardly spend more than 1.5 hours in Kinta City. But the RM1 entry fee? I don't know how they will return that to us.

Anyway, I have decided that if I have to pay, I will not be going there as often unless they have something special lined up.

Cleaning Out The Wardrobe

When I am feeling better, I would have to clean out my sister's wardrobe and my own. My mother wanted to do it but I am afraid that she would dispose of all the clothes that I still want so I said I'd do it.

My sister has a lot of clothes here because she only took one bag when she migrated to the United States. That was eight years ago. I figured that even if she comes home and find her clothes missing, she wouldn't mind. After all, they probably wouldn't fit her anymore.

I think I will be giving some away to charity homes and selling off some stuff via online auctions. I don't know how much her preloved clothes could fetch but I do know that some people would not mind buying and presumably wearing other people's used clothes.

Well, we shall see. Will have to wait till I have time to meddle with things other than Snoopy.

Jay Leno's Impersonation Of Susan Boyle

A friend read my post on Susan Boyle and asked me to search for Jay Leno's impersonation of Susan Boyle.

I went searching and found this video. I don't know whether to laugh because it's funny or be angry because he is making fun at the expense of someone.

A lot of my friends love watching Jay Leno. My father would sometimes stumble upon the talk show, watch a while and then mumble to himself, "American jokes, only Americans can understand!" and flips channel. LOL

I don't watch TV but on the odd chance that I catch it when my father does, I don’t find him absolutely funny. In fact, I think he looks pretty weird. Hahaha!

Minimizing Asbestos Exposure

I went to view my neighbor’s new house and noted that he has minimized the use of asbestos to create a healthier home environment for the children to grow up in. As you know, asbestos is actually very bad for health. Did you know that cancer caused by asbestos is called mesothelioma? I don't know why the Ministry of Health allows us to continually use it in our homes!

New houses and those newly renovated like my neighbor's house use as little asbestos as possible but even for my own old house, we are trying to remove the unnecessary ones so as to minimize exposure to asbestos.

Of course, ideally, it would be best to replace all asbestos sheets but that would cause a lot of money, something that most of us are not able to afford at the moment but it's a good idea and would worth the money spent, I tell you!

Living In Pain

I've been suffering from one pain or another for the past month, or perhaps longer. Taking care of Snoopy in his old age is certainly punishing both physically and mentally.

My shoulder, arms, right down to my hands ache from carrying him. The last I checked, he was approximately 19kg. And when he struggles in my arms, surely he's heavier than that. The thing is once I strained my muscles, I don't even have the chance to rest and recuperate. I just keep using the same set of muscles despite the pain.

And because I hardly get to rest at all, what with having to clean up his poo and urine in the middle of the night, once or twice almost nightly, I am so stressed out that I have a new ailment myself.

I could just feel my stomach or somewhere internally being bloated with wind, or some say gas, and I could not even burp or fart out. Imagine the pain. My doctor calls this gastro paralysis or gastroparesis. Whatever its name, I know that I'm suffering from this only because I'm totally stressed out.

Under Renovation

My friend, Paul, told me that he is renovating his home in the suburbs of New York. Surprisingly, he has hired a contractor for the job even though he himself is an architect-cum-contractor.

Paul told me that he doesn't have the time to devote to his own house as he would be busy with a couple of projects in the City and then he would be flying back to Malaysia in the summer to visit his ailing father. Looking forward to meet up with him! :)

Meanwhile, Paul is putting up at a New York City hotel for convenience. Poor Faith, his doggie, has gone to the dog hotel and will be there until his return from Malaysia.

New Eli Wong Pictures Surfaced

Last evening, I was informed that new Eli Wong photos have surfaced. I also received a few text messages from friends asking if I have gotten my hands on any of the new photos yet. I then read that the "new" photos were actually published on certain blogs on 14th April, 2009. Yesterday was 20th April already! Slow, huh?

Well, unfortunately, I haven't seen any of the new photos yet and even if I did, I would not be publishing any of them on my blog. I may write about all sorts of stuff from sex scandals to sperm recipes but I do draw a line when it comes to invading the privacy of individuals.

Well, I guess Eli Wong knew what's coming already once she decided not to quit politics. Whether it is for political power, wealth or purely to "serve the rakyat", once she has made this decision, she would be prepared to face whatever shit that is being thrown at her, even if it's her own.

Eli Wong surely knows the kind of photos and/or videos that are in the hands of enemies and she has decided to stick it out. For regular folks like us, when people "buat saniwara", we just watch loh, since Eli herself doesn't seem to mind that the world would have access to her scandalous photos and/or videos with her stay decision.

Update: I've just seen those "new" supposedly Eli Wong nude pictures. Well, too bad they aren't of her nude but of her sleeping in a black sleeveless top that shows her hairy armpits. Ohhh so scandalous!

Susan Boyle - Cry Me A River (1999)

While the world is abuzz with Susan Boyle's rendition of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables at the audition of Britain's Got Talent, many people have wondered if she has sung anything else before.

Well, it's too bad that while almost all the videos uploaded to YouTube has disabled embedding on other websites, perhaps due to copyright or something, I found this video of Susan Boyle singing Cry Me A River in 1999. The information provided for the video mentions that there were only a thousand copies of the charity CD made. This would probably be something of a collector's item now.

Anyway, if you are looking for the lyrics to I Dreamed A Dream, here it is. Enjoy!

I Dreamed A Dream (from Les Miserables)

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high,
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.

Then I was young and unafraid
When dreams were made and used,
And wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung,
No wine untasted.

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hopes apart
As they turn your dreams to shame.

And still I dream he'll come to me
And we will live our lives together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms
We cannot weather...

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seems
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed.

Wedding Anniversary Gift

My parents will be celebrating their wedding anniversary next month. I have been wondering what to get for them because I would like something really memorable, not the usual dinner!

I know that my mother would enjoy an all inclusive mexico vacation, sort of like a second honeymoon, and even if I would like to provide her with that, I couldn't afford it alone. Yes, times have changed, unfortunately.

I will be discussing with my brother and sister to see how best we could pool our resources and get a single large gift. There's no point buying separate smaller gifts individually, right?

You know, it would be awesome if all of us could go on the all inclusive vacation. I know it will no longer be like a second honeymoon but it also has been a long time since we went on a vacation as a family so this would be a great opportunity.

Warranty Claim For Adapter

In a previous post where I think I short my wireless router, I went to the computer shop and told the technician that suddenly, my wireless router shut off while I was using it and I don't know what happened.

They guy tested my wireless router and says that the problem is with the adapter. So he sent it in for warranty claim on my behalf. You know when I bought this brand with lifetime warranty but I was told that the first year will be totally free while I would have to pay for shipping and/or delivery charges when I have to make a warranty claim after the first year.

So I was thinking that it would not be worth it to spend money sending it in when I could buy a compatible one at an electrical shop. But then the technician told me that so far, the company did not ask for delivery charges from other customers who made warranty claims after the first year.

Anyway, when the new adapter arrives, I would have to check if the wireless router still works. Otherwise, I have to send it in again. Bah!

Long Weekend

It's going to be a long weekend for us here in Perak, as we would be celebrating the birthday of the Sultan of Perak. The actual day, 19th April, 2009, falls on Sunday, so it will be replaced on Monday. Is there anything to be celebrating? LOL I'll probably be spending the day exactly the same like any other day. Holiday or not, birthday or not.

I'll probably pack in some shopping too but I really hate the holiday crowd. It's funny that in Ipoh, where I could go shopping any day of the week, unless those living in KL who only have the luxury of shopping during weekends, I would rather stay in during weekends and do my shopping on a weekday where there are less people out!

Anyway, in short, I have absolutely NO plans for the long weekend. SIGH!

Kava Natural Remedy

I bumped into an old school mate a couple of days ago. The first thing that came to mind, after not seeing her for so long since we left school, was how she suffered from menstrual cramps every month.

Yes, it was that bad for her that she would miss school for a week every month. Sometimes, she would make her way to school but would be in terrible pain that she had to phone her mother to be picked up.

I asked her if she has found a solution for her pain and she said that she is now including kava in her diet. It's a natural remedy for menstrual cramps due to its antispasmodic properties. She found out about this after reading various articles on the web and decided to give it a try. I am so happy for her!

Muscle Ache

I told Wilson, a friend, that my shoulders are so painful now that I feel like vomiting due to carrying for Snoopy who needs to be lifted the whole day through. He's 20kg and definitely too heavy to be carried by one person especially a girl. Of course, sometimes my father will help but still, I am the primary care giver. My mother and brother wouldn't even touch Snoopy at all.

Wilson doesn’t understand why I said that I feel like vomiting. He says that pain in the shoulders and vomiting are two separate issues. I guess he never felt pain so painful that he vomits. LOL

These past couples of days, though, not only are my shoulders in pain, the pain has travelled down from my shoulder blades right to my wrists. I know it's just muscle pull, but still, the pain is hardly bearable that I had to apply hot towel to try to ease the pain.

While I hope to be able to lead a more normal life, I know that if this ends, it means bad news for Snoopy. I shall not complain so much!

First Night Singapore Stay Just US$1

Did you read the news that SIA is giving away US$1 first night hotel stay to passengers as part of the Fabulous Singapore Stopover Package? This US$1 a night is only valid for the first night until 30th September, 2009 and for six hotels in the island city

Frankly, this promotion isn’t even that attractive. We don't even know what strings are attached to qualify for the first night at US$1 beside the fact that we have to fly SIA. I would have preferred a free hotel night. That sure sounds better and would seem more attractive. Besides, what difference is there to the organizers and promoters between a free hotel room and US$1 rooms?

Second Thoughts

I have been having second thoughts about buying a used car, especially in the current economic climate. I know I said that my budget is only MYR5000. I know, it's not much but it could still buy a pretty decent use car. After checking through various auto classifieds, I think I may have to up my budget a little to MYR6000.

However, buying a car is not a problem. In fact, I could even purchase a spanking new car. The problem is in maintaining it. Even though a car may be cheap upon purchase, under MYR6000, for instance, I have calculated that I may need to fork out about MYR10 a day, or MYR300 a month for fuel alone.

I don't know if it's worth it but I definitely will be tight financially what with supporting the family and Snoopy as well. And in fact, I don't even need a car as long as I am taking care of Snoopy at this point. Hmmm to buy or not to buy, that is the question.

On Antibiotics

I had to consult a doctor regarding my acne problem a couple of weeks ago who put me on a course of antibiotics to keep infection down. Actually, it was just a small matter to me because it will pass after using the wrong facial products TWICE but my mother kept nagging me until I gave in. Perhaps to her, it looked bad from the outside. LOL

I sort of gave up on treating my acne already. I think that I have a better complexion if I just leave my face alone and not test on so many different acne products which don’t come cheap. You know how things are. They all claim to work and friends could testify that they do. Strangely, nothing works on me for long.

Anyway, I am still holding out hope that there would be acne treatments suitable for my skin. I do dream of a blemish free complexion, still!

Hollywood Movies

It has been some years since I watched an English speaking movie. Quite funny, isn't it, that once I started watching Asian dramas and movies, somehow I didn't find the English speaking ones entertaining enough.

This past week, I watched three Hollywood movies that I have in my collection since 2006. The movies that I watched were The Omen, The Lake House and Poseidon. They were not bad, actually, and I wonder what took me so long to get around to them!

The one that did not make sense to me was The Lake House. If you watched it too, kindly enlighten how someone could make a connection with another person who was living two years ago THROUGH A MAILBOX. And was the guy (Keanu Reeves) dead or alive in the final scene? I really couldn't tell.

I think the reason this movie was a hit was only because of the pairing of Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. It looks like this couple could do no wrong, even though in this movie, they did not have much chance to be together.

Well, that's about all the English movies that I have in my collection unwatched until now. Perhaps I should go and watch reruns of other movies.

Home From Singapore

I had the opportunity to meet my friend, Wei, and her husband and new baby when they came back to Ipoh for Qing Beng about a week ago. I haven't seen Wei since the day we left school. Surprisingly, her husband is also from Ipoh, whose family home is near to Wei's parents' house as well. What a small world.

Wei says that I may agonize over not being able to sleep now as I have to take care of Snoopy. She is the same as well and could not sleep well since she was a few months pregnant.

That day when she came back from Singapore for the first time with her newborn, she regretted that she didn't bring along her baby bedding out of convenience. She told me that her baby refused to sleep and kept crying and screaming the house down throughout the night.

Isn't that scary? I think experiences like that just make me not want children of my own!

I Think I Short My Wireless Router Again

Last night, when I was using the internet, suddenly, my connection died. I noticed that my wireless router wasn't lighted up anymore so I thought that the router died. Anyway, while looking for my receipt so that I could go and make a warranty claim as this one has lifetime warranty, I found an adapter in my old packing for this router.

So, in my mind, I was thinking, let's see if the router died, or only the adapter. Without thinking, I plugged in the adapter to the router and switched on power. The lights went on so I said to myself, "Ah, the router works. It's just the adapter that died."

Suddenly, I realized that I may have plugged in the wrong adapter. I powered off and checked the output voltage of my adapter and true enough, it's not the same as what is required by the wireless router. SHIT!

Now, I need to pretend that I don't know what happened, that the thing died on me and ask the shop to check what is wrong. If it's the adapter, I will ask if they have a spare one, if not, I will have to go and buy a compatible adapter.

If the router itself is now cranky no thanks to the wrong voltage, I'll make a claim. My one year is up so I will have to bear shipping charges. SAD. :(

Quitting Smoking

A friend told me that he is quitting smoking, going cold turkey. That is certainly good news and honestly, I was doubtful if he could do it. He has been smoking for yonks, you see, but he says that this time, he is determined to quit.

I asked him if he is going to quit drinking too. He says that he is drinking a lot less now and since it is not a addiction, he doesn't need to quit it. He will continue to be a social drinking and looks forward to the wine of the month at his local watering hole.

Well, I guess that quitting smoking is a first step towards a healthier lifestyle! I can never understand why people love to smoke. LOL

Shoes For Snoopy

I have been trying to find shoes for Snoopy locally. I called the pet store in Ipoh in March and April and both times they say that they have placed an order but the supplier has yet to deliver the goods. Me thinks that they did not even order canine shoes because nobody wants to waste money on dog shoes here in Ipoh.

I made calls to supposedly mega pet stores in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. They do have shoes for dogs but not the kind I am looking for. They told me they have denim shoes, canvas shoes, sports shoes and fashion shoes but I just want normal shoes that come with non slip soles, are waterproof and are secured with Velcro straps for a secure fit.

If I can't find anything suitable locally, I would have to buy online from US stores. International shipping alone would cost at least US$40. EEkkk! What to do? Snoopy needs shoes now in his old age! Sigh ~

When Will Housewarming Be?

My neighbor, who bought the house opposite of mine, has still not moved in yet even though, to me, the house is already completed. You know, I still remember that renovation work started the day after Dino died, and Dino left us on 6th June, 2008. That means it has been more than ten months already!

This guy and his wife look like fuss pots to me. I asked them if the house is ready and they told me that they are waiting for discount shower faucets to arrive. Gosh, that's what happens when they do not allow the main contractor a free hand in the project. I would have preferred a package deal myself so that I don't have to do anything but pay.

It's not that I want to attend his housewarming party or anything like that. I just am fed up of workmen coming and going, making a din just outside, especially when I am trying to catch some sleep!

Bo, First Puppy of the United States of America

The dog that was promised to the Obama girls at the beginning of Barak Obama's Presidential campaign has been decided upon. Like rumoured, it is a Portuguese Water Dog, a pure-breed, and not a mutt from an animal rescue that the President said that he would not mind taking in.

Pete Souza/The White House, via Reuters

The Obamas chosen the breed Portuguese Water Dog because Malia is allergic to dogs. The Portuguese Water Dog is a single-coated dog and does not produce as much allergen. This puppy has been named by the Obama girls, Malia and Sasha.

I personally would have hoped that the Obamas would take in a dog from an animal shelter because of its impact on the public. There are many good dogs that end up in shelters and are put down because they remain unwanted after a certain period of time and the cost of keeping them keeps rising. This happens in Malaysia, this happens in the United States too. In a way, Bo was homeless as well. LOL

Perfume Gift

A friend, Joyce, will be celebrating her birthday at the end of the month. A mutual friend asked me what I will be getting Joyce for her birthday. Joyce is planning a birthday party and we are all invited, so there's really no escaping this gift buying.

I said I will be getting Joyce a bottle of original designer perfume. Well, this friend was aghast. She said that one shouldn't give perfume as gifts because it could indicate a subtle message that the gift recipient "smells".

I laughed. I know; it could be true. However, Joyce loves perfume. Not just any perfume, though, but original, designer, perfume. So I think I know her too well than to buy her something else that she would not appreciate as much. Since Joyce loves perfume, why not get her what she likes, even if a gift of perfume may carry a subtle message?

I think that by getting Joyce the perfume that she wants, my gift would be even more appreciated, don't you think so?

Help For Low Income Earners On The Way

I read with interest a news report on NST today where newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin says that the Economic Planning Unit has plans to help low income earners, namely those who earn less than RM3000 per month.

There is no further information at this point but I wonder if he means RM3000 gross monthly household income or individual income. Living in Ipoh, I know that there are many families who don't even earn more than that even with both husband and wife working. Yes, pay is pretty low here, although cost of living is not as low as perceived by many.

Anyway, since this will be a plan from the EPU, I wonder if skin color will come into play. I wonder when this plan will be implemented and who exactly will be these goodies will benefit. Till will tell.

Adults Only

I read a post on my friend's blog on his first experience buying a pack of condoms at a local convenience store. It made me laugh so much. I know, I'm childish, but then I'm imagining him doing such a thing when he was a teenager. I never knew he was so brave since the proprietor of the local store knows his parents.

Teenagers nowadays are so lucky. They get to buy whatever they like online, not only condoms, without embarrassment. Of course, when they own credit cards, they are supposedly adults already, but it's still awkward!

I was told of this "adults only" website, AdultsOnlyCoupons.com which lists coupon codes and deals for adult online stores. No, they don't sell anything here but this is a convenience and saves us from having to search for great deals all over the web.

If you are planning to buy anything "adult", you must check out this site. There's nothing to lose. Why pay full price when you could get a discount, free shipping, or both? And oh yes, shopping online, you could avoid the stares!

If you are wondering, no, I am not going to use any of the coupons here because I have no need for them. I prefer the real deal. LOL

Reject Shop

So the hoo-haa over the new cabinet with new faces has fallen flat. It looks to me like the ministers are still the same old faces, just a reshuffling and not an introduction of new blood. Boo.

My friend is funnier. He said there are so many political rejects now appointed ministers that there is no point for elections anymore. The whole cabinet looks like "Reject Shop". Just appoint any crony up there. Politicians get to save plenty of money, time and energy as well.

Didn't I already say that there is absolutely NO difference no matter who is elected as a State representative or Member of Parliament or who is appointed as a Minister?

Of course, if you have a family member in the newly appointed Cabinet or if you are chummy mummy with one of them, that's a different story altogether, but then what business do you have reading this post? LOL

Moving Home

Brenda, my expatriate friend who lives nearby, told me that she has to move again. Wow, don't I envy her? She is doing some Christian work, as far as I understand, and was based in various countries before but this has been her last assignment and will now return to America, her home country.

Brenda told me that she is worried about moving everything back home and may consider holding a garage sale. She did not anticipate such a short stint here and collected quite a few things for her home. Now, she is in two minds of which to take along, which to let go. If I were her, I would want to ship EVERYTHING back.

Anyway, Brenda says what worries her is the experience she had with local moving companies. Previously, she had a wonderful experience with a Boston Moving Company and thought that our standard of customer service would be the same but she was disappointed. Luckily she did not suffer a loss, she said. LOL Brenda should not have compared the services she received because we work differently here.

Brenda is now looking for an experienced mover that could help her with shipping her personal effects back to America. I sense a major headache there unless she could find a company that could offer her a package deal.

Mermaid Found Dead In U.A.E.

A couple of days ago, a friend forwarded these photos, and more, to me, of a mermaid that was found dead in U.A.E.

I have no idea if these photos are even real or how long they have been in circulation on the web already but they are certainly awful looking that I nearly vomited my lunch!

If these were Photoshop-ed images, the person who was so free to do this surely have an ultra imagination to come up with these. Yucks. Terrible.

Receiving Payment

My friend, Paul, told me that times are so bad right now that he is only able to clinch one project at a time. A couple of years ago, he had to handle a total of six projects concurrently. Back then, he was complaining that he was so pressed for time that he could hardly breathe. Now, he's telling me that he is so free, he doesn't know how to spend his time.

It's funny, isn't it, that when we have something, we don't appreciate it. Now that it's lost, we miss it. However, the economy is such that it comes and goes in circles. Now is the time that he should go on a vacation after the rush when he didn't have time to breathe. Now is not the time to hold out for that single project, though his workers still need to feed their families.

When Paul told me ecstatically that he managed to secure a project, I asked him if he was positive that he would be able to receive payment for his work. Would he need the help of a Collection Agency? Having worked for this client before proves nothing. That's history and its financial situation may have changed.

Paul laughed and said that I am thinking too much. LOL Perhaps!

Happy Easter!

It's Good Friday today and for everyone who observes this special day, Happy Easter to you! Many of my friends are Christians and they tell me that they are fasting today. This doesn't mean that they are totally not eating today, just that they are going on a vegetarian diet.

I have been on vegetarian diet before for a month, or maybe longer, years ago, for religious purposes. It was such a long time ago that I have forgotten the exact number of days that I laid off meat. I didn't feel any difference not eating meat. I didn't mind it one bit. I didn't miss the "good food" at all.

The funny thing was that after my long stretch of vegetarian diet, when I ate my first meat dish, it was so delicious, even though it was just the normal food that I ate before my vegetarian diet. LOL It actually is a good thing to deprive ourselves sometimes to make us appreciate the normal, daily stuff more.

Oh, I forgot to mention, it's not a public holiday here so it's work, work and work for me.

Don't Get Mad, Get Everything

The Chinese has this saying that we can teach someone to beat (teach) his children but never advise him to get a divorce. The Bible also says, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Mark 10:9

However, when two adults are placed together and their personalities clash, there really is no reason why they should remain as man and wife when "irreconcilable differences" is not just an excuse for divorce.

The main consideration for a couple to stick together despite the many differences is, of course, the children. They are afraid that the children will have a stigma coming from a broken home or perhaps they may not be able to cope. I have cousins whose parents separated when they were very young and they grew up to be fine adults without hang ups.

My friend, Paul, told me that his lady friend, Caroline, is trying to seek divorce from her husband. I didn't ask for details on why the couple is no longer able to live together as man and wife. After all, almost every family has its own domestic problems, but it seems like their problem is bad enough, in the eyes of Caroline, that she wants nothing but out. It's a good thing that this couple doesn't have children yet so this decision was not too difficult to come by, although it was not made lightly.

Caroline asked if Paul knows of a good dallas divorce attorney. I don't know why she would think that Paul would know of a Dallas Divorce Attorney since he lives in New York and works in the City and has never even been to Dallas before. Perhaps Paul has a secret I do not know about!

I think that Caroline is looking for a reputable DALLAS DIVORCE ATTORNEY so that she could be like Ivana Trump; not getting mad, but getting everything, or try to. LOL

Term Mai Koey Tem (Never Complete) - Chin (Chinawut-Stéphane Indracusin)

A friend introduced this Thai song called, Term Mai Koey Tem, to me, which means Never Complete in English. I found the video on YouTube and my god, he's one hawtie!

The singer's name is Chinawut-Stéphane Indracusin, Chin for short. His mother is French and father is Thai, hence the name and exotic looks! Gosh! Will I ever see enough of him?

I understand that this Thai song was also rendered in Mandarin and use to promote Sony digital cameras. The commercials are not the usual ones that we watch on TV but more like short stories. If interested, you can watch the first two episodes on YouTube under the profile of sonymalaysia. Oh, I forgot. The name of the videos is 遇见你 [Meeting You]. Enjoy!

Tertiary Education For Self Fulfillment

I met my friend, Henry, over the weekend and the first thing he asked me was if I have already started my course. Ermmm.... I know I told him that I would go back to school the first chance I have and that promise was made a few years ago already but as I grow older, I find that my priorities have changed and I do not actually need a to further my education to make a living. If anything, it would purely be self fulfillment.

Luckily, with easy access to an online university over the internet, going back to school would not be such a big deal anymore compared to a few years ago when studying online was not as convenient as it is now.

Also, luckily, course fees are way more reasonable now and affordable to many of us. It's funny that I did not have the funds to put myself through college back then but now that I could afford the fees, I could not afford the time.

*** This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

New Love Dennis O

LOL No wonder I am still single! Hahaha! Where in the world can I ever meet someone as good looking as this? Sigh... I have to admit, I haven't watched any of Dennis O's Korean dramas yet but from some of his photos, he looks quite like Daniel Henney.

Many people have asked if Dennis or Daniel is more handsome; both are born to Korean mother and American father (Dennis O's father is Irish American). I have to say that Daniel Henney looks more "manly" while Dennis O still has that boyish charm. Daniel looks more "white" while Dennis looks more Asian, to me.

However, there is no "perfect" person. Although I say that Daniel is more handsome, he has typical Westerner's ears. On the other hand, Dennis has "normal" better looking ears.

SWOON!!!! Next, Chin. LOL

The King Of Snooker [TVB Drama]

New TVB drama, The King of Snooker, which replaced Emergency Unit [E.U.] is into its second week already. Guess what, though? I am not watching it! Currently, I have decided to give this a pass. What a change it is to not chase after a new drama. LOL

However, I dare not say that I will never watch it even though I do not like Adam Cheng. I may just watch it when I have nothing better to watch! Yes, even with Adam Cheng. It's not as if I hate him, just that he's no longer fresh for me after many, many of his Hong Kong and Taiwanese dramas I watched years ago.

The funny thing is that after such a long time enjoying myself with Asian dramas and movies, I find it kind of odd watching movies in English that I actually nod off. LOL Yesterday, though, I was awake enough to watch The Omen, a 2006 horror movie that I don't know why I kept putting off from watching till yesterday. I kind of enjoyed it too!

Personal Injury Law

My cousin told me that he regrets studying law. I think it's probably because it was his parents’ decision to have him study corporate law. I was reading the website of Personal Injury Attorney Corpus Christi and I think that if he has a choice, he certainly would not have chosen corporate law.

The legal scope that this Texas injury lawyer covers seem pretty interesting and would suit my cousin more; a lawyer who would have the opportunity to go on a personal level helping his clients pull through a difficult period during the injury. My cousin would love to be able to help these individuals fight for their rights and seek maximum monetary compensation upon being injured by another person.

This personal injury lawyer, though, is very experienced and when it comes to fighting for someone's rights, that is very important!

By Election Results: 2 - 1

So the day when three by elections are held concurrently has come and gone. Two seats went to the opposition while one went to the ruling party. To me, I don't care who won because no matter which party he is from, he is still human and comes with all the same traits.

Well, today, let me just talk about the by election that's closest to home. I actually feel pity for the Chinese voters there. If they have a choice, they would not want to vote for PAS because of their frequent threats of "Hudud law" and "Islamic State".

Between the devil and the deep blue sea, they have chosen.... devil or sea? They have chosen a PAS candidate. Just because the guy speaks Chinese doesn't make him a Chinese. His ideology is still of PAS and given the chance, PAS, who now think that they have support from Chinese, may grow a bigger head.

My aunt, who is illiterate, asked me how come we have this new Prime Minister now. She wondered why we did not have a say in selecting the Prime Minister. She doesn't understand the mechanism of party politics. If we vote in Party A, we will have Mr. A as the Prime Minister. If we vote in Party B, we will have Mr. B as the Prime Minister. Sad, isn't it?

David Duchovny Sex Addiction

I was going through an old celebrity blog of mine and stumbled upon this post on David Duchovny's sex addiction. My, that was seven months ago! I wonder how his rehabilitation went.

I think that while we may joke about being addicted to things, like I will joke that I am addicted to the internet and dramas, people who are addicted to sex would never admit to it. Like in the case of David Duchovny, rumors were already swirling around ten years ago but he kept denying it. I think that if help is readily available for people who are addicted to pornography or sex, then they don't have to "admit" to anything, do they?

XXXchurch is a Christian organization with an online community that reaches out to people who may be affected by porn, on both sides of the industry. Not only do they provide counseling online, they also visit community places around the world to bring awareness, openness and accountability to these people.

True Sex Stories Contest

I read with amusement in today's Star that a Malay publisher is running a contest where RM150 prize money is up for grabs for the best true account of sexual experiences of secondary school students. Entries should be at least 3000 words in length.

Now, I am not against anyone making money through porn stories, true or fiction but I think anyone who participates in this should know that they are being exploited. I am sure they will write in their terms of contest that all entries will be their property, though credit may be given to the writer.

This means that the publisher will only have to pay a total of RM150 to "buy" all these stories, and they could do whatever they want with the stories, and in their case, publish books by compiling these stories and selling the books!

In Search Of A Used Car

I have been looking for a good second hand car for a while now. Although I just mentioned it on my blog a couple of months ago, I actually have searched for at least a year. Actually, this delay is because while I would like to have a car, I don't need one. I could still make do with the family car for now. This is also why I see no reason why I should spend a small fortune on a spanking new car when I could buy a low cost house with that money already. Besides, the thought of committing myself to a seven or nine year auto loan scares me!

You know, for the past month, I have been looking at various online classifieds that list used cars for sale but I haven't found any car that I like enough to buy. Of course, there are cars that I would like to have but they are out of my budget. I am a cheapo if you do not know yet!

Buying a used car, I do not expect it to be in tip top condition. I also need to take into consideration the extra cost of engine overhaul and/or refurbishing the interior of the car. Perhaps it needs a new coat of paint as well. All these would add up to the cost of the car. That's why I am not going to pay too high a price for a car unless it does not require any fixing at all.

I have to admit that I have no experience in buying a car, new or used. However, I have talked to a few friends and also my father and brother so I do have a fairly good idea the kind of car that I would like to have that fits my budget. Also since this will be my own car, and I am single, I am looking for a compact car. It would be easier to drive and park too!

I will continue to hold off buying a second hand car for now because I am betting that prices will continue to fall as the economy isn’t recovering anytime soon. Hope to get a good deal!

I Went To PC Fair

So I went to PC Fair. I was sick for the past week and I was not sure if I could make it there, you see. However, I dropped by when they were about to end the Fair so regrettably, I did not even have time to compare prices of the mono laser printer that I planned on buying. I only know that I would be able to get a Canon laser printer at RM380 during PC Fair. I guess I would have to wait for the next PC Fair sometime in August later this year if I want to get one at a fairly decent price. I just hope that I could hold on till then!

PC Fair is actually very bad for me as I would wish that I have unlimited amount of money to play with, buying the latest gadgets. SIGH Each time I visit PC fair, I am just so tempted to just buy buy buy, spend spend spend. Luckily, so far, I am still able to keep temptation at bay!

Cheap Term Life Insurance

I was telling a friend that I am considering committing $2,000 per year for 20 years in a 3-in-1 financial plan that also comes with life insurance. I was very taken with the convenience and the protection my family receives in the event of my untimely demise.

However, my friend, who is also like my personal financial advisor, told me that I should keep savings separate from insurance and investment. He told me that a 3-in-1 plan like this is for lazy people and it will not provide me with the value that I should get considering the capital and time that I am committing to the plan.

What I should do instead, he suggested, is to just buy term life insurance after comparing the benefits and prices of various policies. I could request for ten lowest term life insurance quotes which would be very helpful in my decision making. You know I am never good in these things and having ten to choose from would be great!

I also love the fact that through the website of ReliQuote, I could get everything done online. It is most convenient for people like me who may have problems doing the physical running around! I think it would not be long when I could choose a suitable term life insurance.

Malaysia's New Prime Minister

Malaysia has a new Prime Minister today, in Najib Razak, fulfilling the R.A.H.M.A.N. prophecy.

Once again, I will have to say that this makes no difference to ordinary folks. We may have a new Prime Minister but policies will probably remain almost the same. The only truly happy people would be the man himself, his family, close friends and cronies. Now, things will change for them.

As for the three by-elections, frankly, I couldn't even care less who wins. No matter which party banner they are contesting under, they are only fighting for one cause: personal cause.

Personal Finance Manager Software

A friend who works in a bank told me that interest rates have fallen to a level that it is no longer viable to save. We would be better off taking the money and investing in real estate and we could even take out a low interest loan.

I'm not very good when it comes to the management of personal finance. All I know is to save but to make money work for us instead, we have to reinvest it somewhere. And yes, I am thinking of real estate, and in the midst of looking for a joint venture partner that I could trust.

I was told of a free personal finance manager software called Monex which I would like to try out later. I can't download it now on my company assigned notebook.

Sick Of Being Sick!

It’s been so many days already and I am still unwell. I am sick of being sick already. Of course, it doesn’t help that I am not getting the amount of rest I need and once again, I was caught in a drizzle earlier this evening which brought on another bout of fever plus cough! It took me so long to shake of the previous bout of fever! Urgh!!

I haven’t done much but lie in bed and play games on my iPhone and mobile device these past few days but still, I couldn’t rest because I get disrupted every hour or so with “Snoopy this, Snoopy that” though I am very happy to note that at least Snoopy’s health has improved much!

I hope I too will get better as soon as possible so that I could get back to the grind. It’s a new month already and I am falling behind! Blur, really blur…