San Francisco Coffee

Every time I travel to the capital city, my friend would take me to eat at places that I normally do not go to. When I am in Ipoh, I eat at home most days and even when I do eat out, I don't patronise expensive cafes. I just don't see the point of paying an arm and a leg.

Last week, when I was in KL, we went to San Francisco Coffee in The Sphere, Bangsar South in Jalan Kerinchi. And of course, I have never been to San Francisco Coffee before. We sat there for a couple of hours and ate and ate and ate. LOL

We had Banana Brownie, mini Roselle, Sparkling Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), Aglio Olio pasta and egg muffin that has a slice of turkey, cheese and egg. The muffin was actually my dinner which I had to take in the train on my way home because of the odd departure time. Roselle is supposed to be good for health, by the way.

All in all, the total bill came up to almost RM40!! I don't like to pay so much for my food, though of course, in KL, that's not considered expensive at all and paying tax is the norm. Coming from Ipoh where food is still so cheap, delicious and more importantly, filling, I just can never get used to it!

I Am Back From KL

Yahoo! Yes, I am back from my one-day trip to KL. I actually came back last night but was tired. Went to bed after watching one episode of Forensic Heroes II. LOL Can't live without one night of watching Kevin Cheng! Geram!

I would say that my trip was rather fruitful, though I didn't spend as much time as I should on real work but a lot of sitting around at cafes and restaurants. It was like an eating trip instead of a work trip but it was not too bad, though I also spent plenty of time travelling and lots of time wasted waiting for public transport.

Still, it was not too bad and I did get some of the more important things done even though there wasn't too much time to be in KL. My next trip down to KL will probably be a month later, though I hope that I could skip it and just go to Penang. Would love to go there for Nine Emperor Gods Festival which falls on 8th October, 2010 this year.

Quality Printer Cartridges For Cheap

The school holidays are just over. My friend heaved a sigh of relief, telling me that it had been a trying time taking care of two sons at home, when the weather was too bad to be outdoors. She cracked her head keeping them occupied. My friend printed a lot of pictures for coloring for the boys and she said that even though she used a lot of printer ink, it was worth it.

I told her that the next time she looks for laser printer cartridge, she really should check out Printer-Cartridges.com where she would be able to buy any printer cartridge suitable for her printer without having to pay so much for original ink. Using products from Printer-Cartridges.com, one can't really tell the difference in quality BUT one would surely enjoy the tremendous savings, especially if one uses lots of ink .

I like the fact that Printer-Cartridges.com carries an extensive range of toner refills and ink cartridges so that we can shop in one place. I am sure most of us use different brands of printers concurrently. Moreover, products are priced competitively on Printer-Cartridges.com. If you stock up in bulk, you will save a lot!

Do you know that Printer-Cartridges.com offers one full year money back guarantee on all products? This just shows how confident they are of their products.

Going To KL For The Day Today

Yes, today is the day I am going to KL again. this time, I am trying something different. I am going to leave for KL in an express coach and return by train. The old diesel-powered train. All these while, I have been using the same mode of transport. If I were to take the train to KL, I would take the train home too. The same for express coach. However, it's not a problem for me since my family will drop me and pick me up at the station, wherever that will be.

Once I am done with my doctor's appointment, I will have the day free to myself and that means.... SHOPPING! Yoohoo! I am looking for a pair of slippers and a nice shoulder bag. I am going to look for something along the lines of Kiro cat bags. LOL I know I am too old for that but what to do, I think I never grew up.

Anyway, am leaving now, so see you tomorrow again!

Dream Home Spa

When I have my own house, I would love to install a home spa. Even though I am a no-frills person, I still love to have a good soak now and then; to relax and just do nothing! I once read about a singer who would soak in a tub of milk every week and have since wish to try the same. It would be heavenly.

All these while, my mother has rejected my idea of installing a spa at home. She gave me plenty of excuses, like the cost of maintenance and the work involved. That's why I could only have one when I have a place to call my own. However, now that I have discovered that I could drastically reduce the amount of work in keeping my spa clean by using quality pool filter cartridge, I think I should try to convince her of the benefits of having a home spa again.

Do you know that we do not have to buy expensive hot tub filters? Just take a look at the website of Spa-daddy.com and you will see that we can also buy replacement spa filter that works just as good, which will filter, sanitize and clarify your water, keeping it clean and clear, free from dirt, bacteria, body oil and other contaminants.

What I especially like about shopping with Spa-daddy.com is that they offer ONE YEAR guarantee on their products. This shows how confident they are of their products and this certainly gives any shopper the peace of mind she needs.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

Yes, that's what I would like to wish all my readers on this auspicious day. Whether you call it Mid-Autumn Festival, Moon Festival, Harvest Festival or even Mooncake Festival (if you are Malaysian), this day is still observed on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month in the Chinese calendar. In Chinese, it is called 中秋节 (zhōnɡ qiū jié).

This festival is rather significant in a religious point of view where some Chinese people would pray to the Moon Goddess on the night before the actual day, where the moon is supposed to be the fullest and roundest in the entire year. It has been a long time since my family prayed to the Moon Goddess. We used to do it but somehow, the tradition has been discontinued. The only way that we are observing this special day is by stuffing ourselves with mooncakes and ground nuts.

Last night, I had wanted to go somewhere to shoot some photos of people observing this Chinese Festival, maybe a public event or something, but I had no idea where to go and so I stayed home. LOL How did you celebrate it?

Preparing For Halloween

Every year around this time, I would be faced with a huge challenge; to come up with a costume to wear for the neighborhood Halloween party. Normally, I don't really bother socializing with folks around here but then I have to make an exception when the host is one of my close friends. However, no matter how elaborate the themes of the parties were, I would always look for Simple HalloweenCostumes. I'm a no-frills person, you see, and don't like to dress up to the nines.

My friend has yet to inform us on the theme this year but she has already roped me to help her out with the preparations, especially in getting food ready for everyone! I'm no good with cooking so I guess I would have to get a caterer in or something like that. Still, I hope to be able to come up with a menu that would be in line with the theme of the party.

In any case, I know that all of us will have a great time like we did in the past years. With my bunch of crazy friends, we would surely bring the house down. I can't wait for Halloween to come! What about you?

Japanese Kiro Cat Bags So Cute

I know that I have always maintained that I am not a bag person and until today, I do not carry a handbag. I do have a bag at home on standby, though, but never found an occasion important enough to warrant its use.

Anyway, recently, I have been looking at bags. I know that I would risk getting it snatched. Yes, snatch thefts are rampant in Ipoh as well, and I know that even if I do carry a bag, my mobile phones, camera and purse will continue to be in my pockets. Yes, it's bulky and somewhat uncomfortable, but what to do?

I came across some very cute cotton bags recently with picture of the Japanese Kiro cat and I find them so, so cute. If I have the money, I would buy them all! I know carrying these bags would totally NOT fit me since I am not cute but these are bags that I wouldn't mind risking getting snatched, without important stuff inside, of course.

Right now, I haven't decided which bag to buy yet because there are just so many different designs and they are priced from RM70 to RM100 which is like way out of my budget for a simple, every day bag. OK, that's not so right since I don't even go out every day, but you get my drift. So.... at an average price of RM85, do I buy or do I not buy? Like I said, I don't really have use for a bag.

Bullish About Gold

The price of gold has risen tremendously over the past couple of decades. Although it peaked in June of this year and underwent slight correction in price since, gold investors are still quite bullish about gold. My friends, all small time investors, have bought rare gold coins which they say make good diversification to their investment portfolio and at the same time, looking at the coins gives them great joy.

I didn't ask them how or where they purchase their gold but if I have enough spare cash to invest in gold, I would be going with United States Gold Bureau because of the ease in buying gold and their ready advice from a team of experts. Besides, I can see that their prices of precious metals are most competitive.

1Malaysia Is Totally Overused

In a couple of previous posts, I mentioned that the word 1Malaysia is so overused. For example, the Kampung 1Malaysia signboard in Kinta City and the 1Malaysia Lantern Festival 2010 events; one in Central market on the evening of 17th September and one at Wisma MCA in KL on the evening of 21st September, 2010. Like I said, everyone is using it, it's getting boring.

As if all the usage of 1Malaysia isn't enough, my friend told me that when he recently attended a public event, people were chanting "1Malaysia Boleh". What? It used to be just "Malaysia Boleh" and that was fine, and now they have to add the 1 in front of Malaysia. SIGH!

While I applaud the spirit, someone must put a stop to it. It's driving people crazy!

Income Protection Insurance

I have been reading up on various insurance packages recently and this income protection insurance offered by TOWER Australia Ltd. to Australian adults is something I feel that all breadwinners should have.

As the breadwinner of the family, I worry that my family would be left in a lurch should I no longer be able to support them. My friend once asked me why my family is so dependent on me and how long they can continue with the savings that I have should I no longer be able to provide for them, either because of illness, accident or death. Of course this isn't something that anyone likes to think about but then the saying that "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" is very true.

This income protection plan is the first one offered in Australia that offers protection over the telephone and online. It is available to almost every working person up to a maximum payout of AUD5,000 per month, but the level of protection differs, even though both the employed and self-employed qualify, protecting up to 75% of income.

Although income protection is not new, this one has low cover and does not require medical examination, though like most insurance, it is the responsibility of the insured to inform the insurance company of preexisting medical condition, if any.

*** This post has been sponsored.

Low Fat, Low Sugar Natural Yoghurt

I have been taking a lot of such yoghurt for the past 2.5 months. Although I did take yoghurt previously for the past two years or so, I have always selected those with fruit prices or some sort of flavour or another.

This past 2.5 months, though, i found out that I actually shouldn't take sweetened yoghurt but in its natural form. Boy, the sourness is really something not easy to take. However, I decided to "swallow" it for health reasons and soon, have adapted to the quirky taste and found that it's not so bad after all. But then again, different brands taste differently too so I tend to stick to one brand name only.

Although taking yoghurt is supposed to be healthy, I am quite scared because most of them use plastic containers. And plastic is the evil that wrecks havoc to our health. It's one of the man-made materials that causes cancer.

As you can see, taking yoghurt that's in plastic cups, is like taking the good and the bad. Which one will overcome the other?

Sending Out REAL Cards This Christmas

I have been very lazy the past few Christmases that I skipped sending cards to friends and family but instead opted for eCards. Yes, I saved a lot of money but the thing I loved the most was that I could send my cards at the last minute and the cards would still reach their recipients on time.

This Christmas, though, I have vowed to send out real cards once again. I feel bad and quite guilty previous years so this year, I hope that I could make it up. Still, because of lack of time to hand-write everything, I am going to get address labels printed so that at least the time needed to get those cards out is reduced significantly.

As you can see, I am already planning my Season's Greetings now. I fear that my best friend, Ms. Procrastination, will come and disrupt my plans and I would end up heading to a major eCard website again to extend my greetings!

Can Nicol David Lift Her Fifth World Squash Open Crown?

Although I am not a big fan of squash or any other sports for the matter, I am rooting for Nicol David to lift her fifth World Squash Open crown. Yes, it's because she is Malaysian and it's also because I grew up reading about all her squash exploits in the papers and it feels as if I know her even though I don't.

The women’s World Open squash tournament is being held at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt and if Nicol wins, she will equal Australia’s Sarah Fitz-Gerard, winning five World Open titles. Can Nicol do it? I tell you, she is a real surprise package.

It is a pity that squash is not included in the Olympics. If it was, Nicol will surely win a gold medal to add to her slew of titles to become an "all rounder". It's too bad that I think squash is given recognition in the Olympics, Nicol may have retired by then.

Anyway, I am looking forward to watch the games, especially the finals on 22nd Sept, 2010. Will Nicol feature in it?

Rewarding Myself

Every year end, when it's close to my birthday, I would like to reward myself for the hard work that I have done throughout the year. Working for myself, I don't have a 13th month bonus so I try to treat myself to something that I like in November.

This year, though, since my desktop computer is breaking down on me, I don't think I can afford to buy myself a gift and at the same time, fork out more than a thousand for a desktop computer, and it's not even high end! However, I am still keeping in view a couple of consumer electronics devices, namely Garmin Nuvi and Sony Vaio X.

Unfortunately, I am too practical for my own good and I know that the desktop computer will win in the end. It's just a matter of waiting for it to break down, or for my resolve to break down. LOL As for my dream gadgets, perhaps I would push them to Valentine's Day or maybe I'll just take the easy way out and place them on my birthday wishlist!!

4-Day Macau / Hong Kong / China Tour

A friend just returned from a 4-day tour to Macau, Hong Kong and the southern part of China. She went with a few of her workmates. If I could afford it, I would have followed her but because of my impending big purchase, the PC, and the car that I bought in the middle of the year, I am not going to indulge in international travel just yet.

According to my friend and the photos she shared with me, they had a really wonderful time even though it was raining the whole trip. She's nursing a bad cold now. Pity her. LOL

My friend told me that she spent a lot of time just walking and walking, especially in China where the place she went to was to huge. I don't remember the Chinese name anymore but she said that it's too nice and a pity that she didn't have enough time to see everything. Even though she is just home, she is planning to visit again! What attraction!

One thing my friend told me about her trip that's music to my ears is that everything was so cheap. Hehehe I love cheap. You wouldn't believe how I tightfisted I was when I was in Singapore!

Playing With Photos

I recently discovered the fun of digital scrapbooking. Actually, I have known about it for a long time but just haven't found the time or mood to search through my photos. As you know, I have been traveling a lot this year and I have so many photos, all still unsorted, that I would like to show my friends and family.

After playing with my photos for an afternoon, I find that I still prefer turning my photos into a slideshow. At least, it's more interactive, more like watching a video, more alive, more real. Slide shows are actually like a video digital scrapbook and could also be shared online easily.

Come to think of it, I still have a lot of photos to turn into slideshows but it's so strange. Looking at those photos now, it seems like my holidays happened a long, long time ago. Not just two months.

1Malaysia Lantern Festival 2010

My friend told me about the 1Malaysia Lantern Festival 2010 that will be held at Central Market (KL) later this evening. I was like, "Huh?" As far as I know, it will be held on 21st Sept, 2010 at Wisma MCA and it is organized by Federal Territory MCA, Wisma MCA Sdn Bhd, MCA HQ Staff Sports Club and sponsored by Magnum 4D Bhd.

The highlight of the event that night, which will start at 7.30pm, is a giant mooncake measuring 0.9m-tall and 1.2m-wide and worth RM3500 that could feed 1,200 people! If I live in KL, I would surely make my way there. Yes, I am such a busybody, aren't I?

But my friend insisted that there is really a tanglung event tonight at Central Market. Hhmmm upon checking the website of Central Market, it is true. I guess both events have adopted the same name. Can we not have 1Malaysia EVERYWHERE? Drop it already!

Oh well, I wouldn't be able to make it to either one. I'll check if there is a similar event in Ipoh. I'd love to go and get some photos.

Keeping My "Toy" Car In Tip Top Condition

My friend thinks that it's a mistake for me to have purchased a Toyota that is almost as old as I am. Moreover, seeing how I am dismayed at my own stupidity for not knowing how to drive a manual gear car smoothly, he says I should have bought an automatic car instead and that I have been ill advised.

Now, I am afraid that if I am faced with mechanical problems, I would have trouble looking for used car parts. My mechanic told me that looking for new parts wouldn't be viable because it would be expensive and since my car is old, it's not worth putting more money in it. In fact, he told me that it would be easier to buy genuine Ferrari parts. Oh, now he tells me.

Anyway, my father is very happy with my purchase and. Come to think of it, the family uses my car more than I have a chance to drive it.

REACTOR Watches

My friend, Warren, who is a luxury watch enthusiast, and who earlier recommended Vacheron Constantin watches to me, told me to check out REACTOR watches. Well, I am not someone who like watches all that much. I mean I do like them but I don't like paying for them. I am someone who wears RM10 plastic watches, you see.

Anyway, from my random surfing, my jaw nearly dropped that the average retail price is USD500 +/- which is about RM1600 +/-. No doubt USD has weakened a lot over the past two years but it's still slightly more than three times Ringgit.

But according to my friend, a Seiko Dive watch is even more expensive, even after discount, and it's not bulletproof. REACTOR watches are bulletproof but why would anyone want a bulletproof watch? If someone were to kill another person with a gun, would he aim at the wrist and not the heart?

My friend cited a few examples of brand name watches in this range but I still think that it's crazy to buy a watch at that price. I am already thinking left and right about buying a "standard" specification desktop computer at this price! And to think that a computer is productive while a watch is not. Well, unless one gets hit by a live bullet on the wrist.

Keeping An Eye On Job Vacancies

Last week, in conjunction with Eid holiday, I visited a few friends and attended their open houses. I have not seen these friends for a long time and it seems like for the past few years since leaving school, I have only seen them ONCE a year. I know, it's bad, but then we are all busy with our own lives. My friends already have their own families so I feel as if we don't have too many things in common anymore.

One of my friends told me that she recently lost her job after the factory that she works in closed down. I didn't ask but it sounds like the company is only one of the victims of the sluggish economy. My friend told me that she isn't in the right frame of mind to look for a job yet, what with the festivity and school holidays but will start her job search probably later this month.

My friend has worked in production jobs since leaving school so she hopes that she will again secure a similar job. She isn't too keen to learn a new job because she prefers familiarity. Well, I'll keep an eye for her and hope that she will be able to secure a new job soon. It’s not easy for the family to live on a single income.

Remains Of "20" People Found

For the past two weeks, Malaysians and those who are interested in Malaysian affairs, have been gripped by a case of grisly serial killing that exploded with the murder of Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and her three male associates. Suddenly, everyone is talking about Banting. We do want our towns on the world map but not this way please!

And now, police believe that they have discovered the remains of about twenty people. Of course, this would require DNA experts to ascertain but according to a person who has handled cremations for 20 years, each human body burned will leave behind 20 - 25 bone fragments. According to the report, there are more than 300 bone fragments in this watery grave in Sungai Panchau in Banting. Imagine that!

This looks like one of the worst serial murders in recent memory, not only in Malaysia but also the world. Reminds us of the "killing fields".

Getting Prepared For Major Sporting Events

My friend, who runs a restaurant, told me that in the recent FIFA World Cup, he lost a lot of business. It was because he was not showing live football matches in his restaurant. It was a good lesson to learn. he said that he has to be prepared now so that he could broadcast the next major sporting events or tournaments to his diners.

I asked him if he would be buying a 42-inch LED TV but he said he prefers to use a projector. He has been reading up projector reviews online recently and thinks that it would be a good idea to buy a pocket projector so that he could pack it home at the end of the day. He doesn't feel safe leaving it at the restaurant overnight.

Although I couldn't help him there since I have no knowledge of projectors, I told him to do as much research as he could and most important of all, compare prices first before buying. You know how guys shop without even checking the price!

Forensic Heroes II (2008) TVB Drama

Yes, as soon as I completed Forensic Heroes 1 (2006), I couldn't wait to start on Forensic Heroes II. This one is a bit longer with 30 episodes compared to 25 episodes in FH1 but if the storyline is as smooth as FH1, I would have no problems breezing through it.

I had wanted to watch the first five episodes in one sitting to watch the death of Linda Chung (Ding Ding) but last night, after playing my games on Facebook, I was too sleepy already and could only watch the first episode but that's when we get reintroduced to the cast of Forensic Heroes I and the introduction of new characters, namely Charmaine Sheh as Madam Ma (Bell) as the head of the Narcotics Bureau. She will later replace Yoyo Mung (Madam Leung) as the lead actress in Forensic Heroes II.

Kevin Cheng's character is still not here yet and although Bobby Au Yeung is still the first male lead, Kevin Cheng as bomb expert Ivan will soon have more screen time than Bobby. Kevin and Charmaine will be the "couple" to watch in this drama.

I can't wait to continue with my drama tonight. LOL I have this habit of watching my shows late at night. Will I be able to pack in four episodes or will I be too sleepy again?

Empty Room

A friend invited me to his house last weekend. He had this house built before he got married and it's his dream house. There are only two people living there right now, his wife and him, and because it is so large, it feels a little too quiet for my liking. Anyway, my friend asked me to help him think of ways to utilize an empty room. He already has a study room, a sound proof entertainment room and enough guest rooms.

At first, I suggested a home gym but he was totally not keen. Although he has a weight issue, he told me that so far, he is still comfortable with his size and has no plans to reduce his weight. I didn't give him anymore suggestions and told him that I needed time to think about it.

Now that I have taken into consideration the couple's likes and dislikes, I think they could turn the room into a massage room. It would be fun to give each other amateur massages. It wouldn't be expensive since they only need to equip it with a massage table and chair and a counter to place and store massage accessories. The more I think of it, the more I like the idea!

Carnival EXPO Malaysia @ MAEPS - 16th to 19th Sept, 2010

If you are in KL or its surrounding areas, you may want to visit Carnival EXPO Malaysia which is currently being held at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) in Serdang from today until 19th September, 2010.

I had actually wanted to visit the Carnival but coming from Ipoh, it is a little tough since the venue is so inconvenient without public transport. I have visited MAEPS before, but there were no car boot sales then but the place is simply huge. I think that if you visit the Carnival EXPO it will take you all three days to cover the entire floor space.

My friend visited this Carnival EXPO Malaysia at MAEPS this afternoon and he sent me a text to let me know that he met Snow White there. Seriously?? See for yourself. There were the seven dwarves too and Mickey and Minnie Mouse! Awww... I should go to the Carnival so I don't have to hanker for a trip to Disneyland!

Here is a map on how to get to Karnival Ekspo Malaysia at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) in Serdang.

Appealing An SSDI Denial

I lost touch with a friend for some months recently but later found out that it was because she was hospitalized. She was in an auto accident, having suffered a stroke as she was driving. Yes, it sounds very scary, isn't it? It was so unexpected as she has always been healthy. Anyway, to cut the story short, she spent a long time at the hospital and even though now she has been discharged, she has to rest at home and cannot work. I wonder if she will ever work again.

Her husband helped her to apply for social security disability insurance from the Social Security Administration (SSA) but it was denied. I don't understand why even though on paper, she qualifies for it since she paid her taxes. From what I read, a high percentage of people get their application for SSDI denied and a high percentage of those that are approved waited a long time for that outcome.

My friend related all these to me and she is quite bitter that she has to go through all these just to get her hands on benefits she qualifies for and deserves at this point in her life. I feel so disturbed by this.

1Malaysia Free Milk Programme

I read with interest the 1Malaysia free milk programme as was announced by the Prime Minister in Sabah today in conjunction with Malaysia Day which is expected to begin next month. The milk will be supplied by Sabah.

This programme will benefit school children nationwide from Year 1 to Year 6. It reminds me of my primary school days but while the programme only benefited children from poor families back then, as far as I could remember, this one looks like it would benefit ALL children. Or have I misunderstood?

During my time, and I wonder when this programme stopped and why, a lot of my friends were very happy to receive free cartons of milk every month or was it twice a month. I am not sure but I know that they were very happy to get the milk for free. Imagine if there were a few primary school children in a family, how many packs of milk they get!

My parents didn't sign us up for the programme, or the free school books programme, because they told us that we shouldn't deprive other children from poor families, these things which they could afford. But then, I do see a lot of children from well to do families taking advantage of these programmes too, without shame.

But this programme is good. The Government is spending RM4 million on it for a start.

Inspiring Stories to Lose Weight

My sister told me that she has put on a lot of weight lately because of she eats a lot when she is unhappy. i guess losing her baby recently has made her depressed. While she drowns her sadness with food, her husband has picked up smoking again. I guess they are both just trying to deal with their loss in their own ways.

I told my sister that she is just putting her health at risk by her overindulgence in food. The same goes with her husband. I am trying to encourage my sister to lose weight and she said that since there is no progress, she wants to give up. I asked her to read some weight loss success stories hoping to inspire her to work harder. So far, she is she hasn't told me if she found them inspiring but my point is that she shouldn't lose focus. Fat yes, focus no.

I just hope that my sister and her husband can pull themselves together but according to my sister, they are still very stressed out as they continue to seek an answer as to why she couldn't carry the baby to full term.

Planning A Trip To KL Next Week

Yes, it looks like I am going to KL again. I actually had a doctor's appointment today but because of a few issues, I am postponing it to next week. I'll probably go on Friday because there are more events happening on Fridays and it would be a good opportunity for me to get some blog content. I'll treat it like a holiday-cum-work trip so it will be a trip with a few purposes. I hope I get all the things I need to be done accomplished.

This time, I am planning to leave Ipoh on an express bus and then come home by train. I have taken both modes of transport before and felt that the bus, though more comfortable, is riskier. As for riding on the train, one cannot rest at all because of the noise and the people who come up and go down the train at the many stops along the way!

Anyway, if this trip materializes, it will mean yet another month of travel for me. I have been travelling non-stop since February this year, except for the month of April. I hope to take a break so that I could save some money. And as you know, I need a new PC too. SIGH!

In Search of Better Skin

It looks like I have better skin now compared to two years ago but every time I travel, I get spots all over my face again. I don't know why but I think it could be the weather, air-cond, heat or maybe insufficient water or rest. Maybe it's just an accumulation of all these.

I have been reading up on acne treatment reviews recently and I feel quite ashamed that I still have to worry about acne at my age! I thought only teenagers worry about this. When I read that it's just a passing phase and people usually outgrow it, I was very happy but until now, I still suffer from it, though not as badly, but still do and honestly, it affects my self-confidence.

I am very envious of people who have good skin, more envious when I asked them to share their secret beauty routine with me and they tell me that they just use water and soap. Argh... how could life be this unfair?

Hang!

My desktop computer is giving me so much trouble, I just want to throw it into the river. But no, after spending more than RM1K on it 4.5 years ago, I am still not ready to dump it yet. There is still life in the PC and I just need to be more patient with it.

I think it's just a matter of an incompatible graphic card driver but I am not 100% since I don't have another graphic card driver to try out, but on especially bad days, I would be rebooting my PC ever so often because it keeps freezing. I think the culprit could be those flash games I play on Facebook but then again, it does hang when I do something else on the PC as well. As you can see, I can't really pinpoint the problem.

I told my friend that I am going to hang on to my obsolete PC and see who will break down first. Me or it. I hope that I could use it a little longer as I totally abhor spending money unnecessarily. It's not as if the PC has konked out totally. Deep breaths!

How Fat Is Fat?

A friend told me that she is fed up of her body shape. Although I don't think that she is fat at all, she says that it is. She says that it's just that I cannot see her body fat but she knows that she has too much of it. How fat is fat, actually? I think that if one walks and the body jiggles too much, that's fat. Is it all in her mind? I am sure it is.

According to my friend, she is doing a research on the Top selling diet pills and trying to read as much as she could on them. She said that she would then pick out one or two to try them out. She hopes that she wouldn't have to spend too much money on diet pills if she does sufficient research prior to starting on it but I think that everyone reacts to these products differently and the pills may work for some people but not work for others.

If you have tried keeping slim with pills before, perhaps you could share your experience.

Malaysia Day

Before we even recover from the long Hari Raya holiday, we are going to enjoy yet another day of national holiday tomorrow to commemorate Malaysia Day. It is the day when Sabah and Sarawak were included in Peninsular Malaysia to form the Malaysia that we know today.

All along, we have never had a national holiday to mark this occasion and honestly, although this is a very significant day in the history of Malaysia, many Malaysians do not recognise it. Now that it is made a national holiday, most people will know what it means to the country.

Since it is just one day and in the middle of the week too, I don't have any plans for the day. I'll probably just stay at home, do my work, and go window shopping at night and also practise my driving. Yes, that's my usual routine. Boring, eh?

Putting On 3kg

Although I am not on the fat side, since Snoopy passed away, where my weight dropped to 47.5kg only, I have put on 3kg already. I am still not fat but then I do have spare tire which seems bigger! Of course it's horrible and I am trying to reduce it, or better still eliminate it but my lifestyle certainly doesn't help.

Does anyone know how to reduce body fat effectively? Would I have to put in an hour at the gym daily? I am so lazy, you know, and if there is a shortcut to a slimmer body, I would certainly take it.

I also cannot skip my meals because I suffer from gastritis so that's not an option for me, though some of my friends claim that this works for them. I wonder if I could go one a fruit diet twice a week and what effects it has on my body fat. What do you think?

Forensic Heroes Caught Me By Surprised

I have finished watching Forensic Heroes I (2006) and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed watching it. Although I do not particularly like crime dramas and the cast is nothing to shout about, I was pretty sucked into the storyline of the drama and have to admit that I quite enjoyed their acting.

I have never liked Bobby Au Yeung. It's nothing personal, it's just that I don't think he's a good actor because he doesn't seem versatile enough and even with him in the lead didn't dampen my enjoyment of the drama. I don't particularly like Linda Chung or Yoyo Mung either though I have watched quite a few of their dramas. Don't get me wrong, they are great actresses too but I guess they have not made a great impression on me thus far but I still enjoyed their acting here on Forensic Heroes I.

The great big discovery for me was in Frankie Lam. Have seen him off and on in tabloids but can't really recall any dramas of his that I have watched before. Maybe I have, maybe I have not but the thing is he didn't stand out from his dramas if I did prior to Forensic Heroes I.

In any case, I am so looking forward to watching Forensic Heroes II soon as it has Kevin Cheng and it is going to be very tragic with the death of Lam Ding Ding (Linda Chung) on her wedding day with Dr. Koo (Frankie Lam) and I am anticipating Forensic Heroes III which has Kevin Cheng in the lead which is in production in 2010. I may not like crime and script of Forensic Heroes is pretty technical but this looks like a crime series worth watching even though the characters may evolve over time.

Dark Circle Eye Cream

With the hours I spend at night chasing TVB and Korean dramas, I am not surprised when my friend commented that I have dark circles under my eyes. LOL I know I should take care of myself better. I don't mind but I think I may scare away some kids.

Right now, I am looking for the best eye cream for dark circles. I have tried out a couple of products and need to give time for them to work on me but I really take my hat off to women who diligently take good care of their looks. It does take a lot of time and patience!

I once read that there are no women who are born beautiful. The only difference that makes women beautiful is how hardworking they are in grooming themselves. I guess it is true seeing the hours my friends spend in their daily beauty routine.

Gruesome Quadruple Murders

The recent murders of Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three men who were with her at that time; her driver, lawyer and bank officer, bring a chill to our spines. These murders is a gruesome reminder that there are people with really sick minds amongst us, and that is the scariest thing of all because we never know what kinds of people we will come in contact with in the course of life.

The police believe that the murder of Datuk Sosilawati was premeditated while the three associates were at the wrong place at the wrong time. What is more shocking is that these two brothers are said to be serial killers with at least nine other deaths of wealthy people from Malaysia and other countries linked to them.

When Snoopy was sick, a lot of my friends asked me to put him to sleep. I admit that I had contemplated putting an end to his misery with just an injection but I didn't do it in the end, couldn't do it. It makes me wonder what kinds of people these killers are who could cold-bloodedly kill another person, let alone 13 people!

20ft Ceiling

My sister just sent me photos of her new home. She said that while she loves the spaciousness of her house, she is now starting to wonder how she can take care of a house with a 20ft ceiling. Looking at the floor plan and design of the house prior to building it, she didn't realize how large the house would be. Now, with only three people living in the house, it seems like too much to handle.

As you can imagine, for a house with 20ft ceiling, her windows are gigantic too. According to my sister, she didn't even bother putting up curtains for the house. She wouldn't know how to take them down for laundry or put them up after since she no longer has the luxury of workmen at her beck and call.

My sister is now looking for a company to replace some of the windows. Yes, changes have to be made since it is no longer viable to have those gigantic windows. I read about a Window Replacement Boston company and I think that they would be able to help her with her windows. In fact, this company not only specializes in windows but also doors and patio rooms.

I guess what my sister could do now is to request for a quote from Harvey first and then decide from there.

*** This post has been sponsored.

The Miss Malaysia Model of the World in Ipoh

The Miss Malaysia Model of the World pageant is being held in Ipoh, and the finals will be on 19th Sept, 2010 at Syuen Hotel. Leading up to the night of the finals, the 18 finalists from around the country are attending previews at clubs in the city as a showcase to fans and supporters. I guess this is a good way to garner last minute support from fence sitters.

Although I have no idea where to go about getting tickets to the Miss Malaysia Model of the World pageant finals at Syuen Hotel and I wonder if I could even afford it, I had wanted to go to one of the clubs to watch these previews but I couldn't find anyone to go with me. These events are held from 9pm to 2am the following day and being working adults, it is not easy to get anyone to stay out till such a late hour.

From what I understand, these events are free, though we may have to pay cover charges but I would like to get some photos for my blog. My friend, though, told me that it would be a waste of time as it would be very dark, smoky, noisy and a lot of shoving and pushing and it would be almost impossible to get a good shot. SIGH... I guess I can forget about it!

Cost Saving Conference Calls

My sister asked me if I know of any ways to reduce the cost of phone calls where she works. Her boss is a Middle Eastern lady running a cosmetics business in the United States and flies to Europe occasionally to procure stocks for her store. Since she is a lady who is from the older generation, she has been communicating with her family and business associates with the telephone. She doesn't even email.

I told my sister that it is high time she introduces Audio conferencing to her boss. It is inexpensive; if you check the website of The Conference Group, you can see that it is as low as 2.5 cents per minute. That's even cheaper than domestic calls!

Although the Audio conference solutions offered by The Conference Group are inexpensive, do know that the company doesn't compromise on quality, knowing that for business use, it is of utmost importance to have crystal clear audio communication as if one is chatting on the phone with a neighbor.

The Conference Group offers various Conference calls services to cater to businesses of different sizes and setups. If you are a small business, you would enjoy the savings offers by The Conference Group. If you are a large corporation, you would surely like he ease of setting up conference calls that could accommodate more than a thousand participants.

If you run a business that drives up your phone bill, you should check out The Conference Group and the communication solutions offered.

I Didn't Know Frankie Lam Is Hot!

If you have been reading my blog, I am sure you would know that the TVB actor I current like is Kevin Cheng. Come to think of it, it has been a long time since I watched him. Currently, I am watching Forensic Heroes, the 2006 drama and plan to follow it up with the new Forensic Heroes that has Kevin Cheng in it.

The thing is that, watching Forensic Heroes, I finally realize that Frankie Lam is hot also. Of course, I have occasionally seen him in the gossip magazines since he is married to TVB fa dan Kenix Kwok and since their marriage in 2005, there have been way too many gossips about their marriage being on the rocks, divorce rumours and about Frankie owning Kenix a million HKD. How true these are I have no idea but my point is that even though I have seen him in tabloids and online, I have never thought that he's hot.

How strange it is that watching a drama, where I get to see the "whole" person, his actions and speech, can change my perspective of someone. Maybe it's also his role in the drama. I guess it's because of this constant dose of something that makes people household names. Heck, even an actor like Bobby Au Yeung has his fans!

Affordable Mold Test & Analysis

Although I have heard of mold contamination, I never realized how serious it could be until I read that Foster Bank headquarters in North Kedzie Avenue, Chicago had to be closed for about two months because of mold contamination. Imagine how serious it is that it requires two months to clean up the mold. And all these while, no bank employees noticed anything. It took a mold inspector to spot the contamination.

I also read that mold contamination could cause a lot of illnesses, the most common ones are allergies and asthma. Therefore, I think that it is important, especially for homes with children because they are particularly sensitive, to test for mold occasionally.

Luckily, it is very easy to buy a mold test kit. While these are sold widely, ImmunoLytics is a leading lab that not only sells these kits, the company also runs thorough analysis and provides expert consultation for every mold test that is carried out. Of course, once you know that your home or work environment is contaminated, you would want to know what kind of mold is found and what steps you should take. ImmunoLytics is one of the few companies that offer this support and expert advice.

I find that with the mold test kits from ImmunoLytics, testing for mold has become more affordable now. If you live or work in an older building, you really should pay special attention to mold and the quality of air.

Ideas For A New Image

I've been contemplating getting an entirely new image but can’t come up with a suitable image, but then again, I am someone who doesn't think that it's worth to spend too much money, no matter what it is on, even on myself.

It has been a long time since I went for a haircut. I don't like to go for one and neither do I have time to sit in the salon for four or five hours, and that's just to do "simple" stuff to my hair! The last time I went for a hair cut and perm was in January this year and yes, it took that long and that also I cut short my visit by telling my hair dresser not to do some of the procedures. I was rushing because my dad was waiting for me, had been waiting for a long time. My bladder was about to burst too! This time around, perhaps I'd just get a simply hair cut. Saves me time and also money! LOL

And then there are clothes. I don't know why but I can't seem to find anything, clothes, shoes and bags that I exceptionally like. Why is that so? Am I so jaded that I don't care about anything? I'm not even talking about the price tags of these things. Expensive or not so expensive, nothing much catches my eye, if you know what I mean.

Looks like getting myself a new image is easier said than done! I've been talking about it for YEARS!

Buy Gold Coins Instead

My friend told me that at the rate the Ringgit is strengthening against the USD, we are "only" getting three times the value now, a lot lower compared to one to two years ago. My friend says that sometimes, he thinks he shouldn't convert his foreign currency but buy gold coins instead so that he wouldn't "lose" in FOREX.

Frankly, I have also thought of that but at this point in life, I still have so many commitments that require constant feeding of cash, which means that I don't have enough spare cash for any investments at the moment though gold is at such a good price in the world commodity market.

I'll see what my friend plans to do, and maybe I will follow suit but in a smaller scale. Or perhaps, we could pool our funds so that we could invest together. He can be trusted. We shall see.

Forensic Heroes 2006 TVB Drama

After Beauty of the Game, I am watching Forensic Heroes (I) the old TVB drama from 2006. Well, at the rate that TVB and ATV dramas are produced, 2006 is ages ago.

I am surprised that even though I don't really enjoy crime dramas that much as I prefer comedies, this drama goes by pretty quickly. The reason I am watching this crime drama is because Kevin Cheng is in Forensic Heroes II and since I am going to watch that, I might as well start from the first part even though these two dramas could be watched separately, if I am not mistaken, thought some of the cast are retained.

As I said, the pace is pretty fast and the cases are pretty intriguing. Once I sit down to watch, I could watch three or four episodes in one go but I find it pretty funny that their cases come one by one. LOL Anyway, it will be soon before I finish watching Forensic Heroes (nope, I don't like Bobby Au Yeung) and then I can start on Forensic Heroes II and watch the actor I really like, Kevin Cheng, Yay!

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 1Malaysia

It's Hari Raya today and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Muslim friends and readers a very joyous Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir dan Batin. A lot of my friends have come home to Ipoh to spend time with their loved ones, even if they are not celebrating Hari Raya to take advantage of the look weekend holiday. As you know, Ipoh is a quiet city but when there are long holidays, you'd be surprised by the traffic jam we have to suffer from. LOL

After such a long time since leaving school, I think it's time to get together again, after reuniting on Facebook. I think one of my friends is going to organise a gathering one of these days, probably this Hari Raya. I have no idea yet but will be keeping tab on it and if it catches me on a good time, I'll go. Otherwise, it will have to be next time.

If you are hitting the roads this Hari Raya, whether you are going home or going for a short break, do drive safely.

Gold Jewelry Collection

My late grandmother and her daughter, who is no longer with us as well, used to love collecting gold jewelry. I find that rather strange since both don't wear jewelry except for a necklace and jade pendant. They wore that for years, while the gold jewelries were kept in a safe deposit box for safe keeping.

My cousin, who inherited the box of jewelry, told me that he wants to sell off most of the jewelries so that he has a lump sum of money that he could use to invest in something more viable. He told me that the jeweler did not give him a good price and it would have been a better investment if they had bought rare gold coins instead of gold jewelry.

Well, I guess after so many years, the designs of the jewelry are already old fashioned, that's why they cannot command a price. Moreover, I think that even if they were not worn, they are considered second hand. That's very unfortunate. I told my cousin that if he can't get a good price, it would be better for him to just keep the jewelry and pass them to his children next time.

I Really Wanna Go On A Cruise

I went to Matta Fair in Ipoh a few days ago and although I didn't have too much time to look at cheap travel deals one by one, I spotted a cruise promotion. I think it's unfortunately that local cruises are mostly only 2 days/ 1 night vacations and it definitely is not worth the trouble going on board a cruise ship just for one night since from what I understand, we would have to check in 3 hours before sailing.

I wonder why I feel so guilty going on vacations when I'm using my own money. I feel like I am depriving the rest of my family a vacation too, that's why I plan to go to Penang with them for a couple of days. Yet, my sister who lives elsewhere, have no qualms booking a room at Hyatt Regency for more than MYR300+ a night!

I was already racked with guilt when I went to Genting and stayed at a room that costs more than RM200++ per night. Oh well, different people, different priorities.

Long Hari Raya Holidays Starts Now

I know that officially, holidays for school going children will only start tomorrow and Hari Raya will fall on 10th September or thereabouts but just now, when I went out, traffic jam is back in Ipoh. LOL You know, there are so many Ipohans who work in other cities that most of the time, we have pretty empty streets except during the hours that people commute to work and school and home.

But traffic is terrible when we have long school holidays or festive breaks. It is no fun to go out, especially to shopping malls during festive sales. I think I would rather just stay home and not fight with the crowd over some discounted items. I would rather wait till the crowd has dispersed and then shop to my heart's content, even if I have to pay slightly more.

Renovating The Guest Room

My friend told me that he is planning to renovate the guest room. It's now so cramped with unwanted and unused items, it's more like a store room. He said that as soon as he could get a few friends together over the long Hari Raya holidays, he will get the room cleared up and start working on it and turn it into a small office where he could do his work. He works from home so having a proper office will be great.

I told him to keep a bedroom empty downstairs as his mother is not getting younger and may need a room to rest if she feels unwell and may not be able to take the stairs. He said that there is an empty bedroom now, which he is also planning to redecorate once the small office is completed. One thing at a time, I said.

My friend asked me to help him pick out curtains for his small office but I think that it would be better for him to get Cheap Roller Blinds. Firstly, it would look more professional. Secondly, it would definitely be cheaper. Thirdly, it would be easier to maintain and this should be taken into consideration as well since he doesn't have a housekeeper.

Anyway, my friend hasn't decided on what to get for now but I told him that if he's going to shop for roller blinds, I'll accompany him. If he's going for curtains, I'd rather stay home. LOL

My Computer Is Frustrating Me

After downgrading my Operating System from Windows 7 to Windows XP because my hardware doesn't support Win7 and I am still so damned that the technician allowed me to take delivery of my computer even though he knows that my computer is old and would have problems running Win7, and to add salt to wound, I decided to pay for my copy of Win7 because it was not that bad, until after I bought it and registered my copy of Win7 with Microsoft that the problem got a lot worse that I could hardly use my computer at all.

Now, after downgrading, I thought that it would be a smooth experience using my computer but even though it is smooth and I could at least get things down, it freezes for no reason and for too many times too. Imagine, just by being idle, it would freeze and I would have to force a restart because everything just wouldn't move!

At first, I thought that if my computer can run Win XP smoothly, I don't mind paying for a copy even though it's an end of life product and technical support upgrades have been withdrawn BUT now, it looks like a hardware issue and with an old computer, almost 5 years old now, I can't upgrade any of my hardware but will have to buy a new CPU. SIGH!

Luxury Watch Collector

While I am a collector, I collect cheap things like coins and stamps. In contrast, I have a friend who loves to collect luxury watches like Ulysse Nardin Macho Palladium. Well, I love it too, but I will never be able to afford one.

I asked my friend why he likes to collect so many watches. He already has quite a few and I figured that a good watch can last a pretty long time and by then, the designs of the watches in his collection would be out-dated.

My friend said that he invests money in watches like how people invest in cars. These people derive pleasure looking at their collection even if they don't have as much opportunity to wear all the watches, or drive all the cars. Yet, just looking at them would make the collector very happy. Ah, I certainly understand the feeling! It's just that I derive pleasure in collecting cheaper stuff.

WHAT Branded Warehouse Sale?

I eagerly looked forward to a branded warehouse sale near my house today but when I arrived, I was pretty disappointed with the merchandise and prices. Although the warehouse sale is promoted as carrying branded goods, I didn't see any high end brands, except for some rejected clothes that have their labels slashed.

Also, this warehouse sale is said to cater to babies, children and adults. It may be so but most of the goods are for babies and children. I guess when they mean it's also for adults, they mean that it's the adults who would be paying for their children's purchases.

I was so looking forward to the warehouse sale as I am looking for shoes but I walked away empty handed from yet another "sale". There was just nothing that I want to part my money for. I'm not hard to please. It's just that this supposedly warehouse sale is pretty lame!

Putting Color Into A Dreary Environment

The other day when I visited my aunt at the palliative care unit, I felt that although the administrators have made the unit as friendly and homely as possible so as not to drag down the spirits of the patients were are "waiting for time", and as comfortable for the patients and caregivers with air-conditioning, I felt that there was something missing. Color.

I have come across fashion seal medical scrubs that are very colorful and look extremely comfortable. These would surely cheer up the entire hospital building, not just the palliative care unit. If you don't believe me, just check out the scrub hats and caps for female staff!

I hope to suggest to them to change their hospitality uniforms and it wouldn't be expensive because one could find discount scrub sets from BlueSkyScrubs.com. I'm just afraid that there are so many beautiful scrub sets, lab coats, and even earrings and lanyards collections that they wouldn't know which to choose! Luckily, they are not expensive so they could actually get a few designs.

Power Toto Millionaire

I read with skepticism about the technician who hit the 6/55 Power Toto Jackpot winning RM11.66mil in a media statement that was published in The Star yesterday.

While I know that there are people who win money in games or number predictions, I feel that these "media statements" are not transparent enough. Now, I am not asking to know the name and address of winners, but I do feel that Berjaya Sports Toto can make their stories of winners more believable.

Apparently, with the winnings, the technician will be buying a house for each of his family members. I remember reading a story about Wayne Rooney doing the same when he turned professional.

Anyway, I know that when a story like this is published, many people will be flocking to Toto outlets around the country to place bets in the Power Toto lotto games.

Me, I guess I will just wait for another press release every few months.